There is nothing 'easy' about the taking of a life - it is an act as profound as that of creation itself, and yet necessity drives and those who would do murder cloaked in shadows have forfeited all right to honourable consideration.

 Bodies fall away from him as Kedo rises out of the half-crouch that his leap across the dividing partition ended in, a single fluid motion that combines with a half-snap of both swords to shed honourable Daidoji steel and crude killers metal of blood before he lunges towards the first retreating man, longsword angled straight and low like a spear as it flies towards a running ankle while his other hand, almost without conscious thought snaps back, blade whirling once through the air before it's cast overarm at the further killer's retreating back...

 ---

 Okay, I'm going to try and hamstring the fellow closest to me and then I'm going to throw the nasty, dishonourable short-sword in my off-hand at the guy running away. I figure that's straight agility is that.

Hamstring (normally needs two raises, I went for three 'cause he's running).
 47 (three raises for a called shot, hits 37) and does 13 damage.

Thrown Sword.
 25 (one free raise for damage, hits 25) and does 17 damage.

 16:25, Today: Kedo rolled 47 using 9d10+13, dropping the 5 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 7,3,3,(10+5)15,5,7,1,5,3. Hamstring (2 raises plus one free).
 16:27, Today: Kedo rolled 13 using 7d10, dropping the 4 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 3,5,2,2,4,4,4. Hamstring damage.
 16:28, Today: Kedo rolled 25 using 5d10+8, rerolling max with rolls of 2,3,3,3,6. Agility plus void to throw a sword.
 16:31, Today: Kedo rolled 17 using 6d10, dropping the 4 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 6,1,1,(10+1)11,5,2. Thrown sword damage.

Moving the modesty towel from its place around her head to its proper place, Sakura allowed herself to be seen once again. The look on her face was plain, though difficult to decipher.

'They did not know who I am, but once they discovered what I can do they ... warn me? Do they know who I am? What do they suspect? What do they know?'

"I wish to speak to one of them" Sakura said aloud, "assuming they do not kill themselves on your blades ..."

'Do I have an odd sort of ally?'

Aki charges after his foe. "Honorless dog, save my blade the disgrace and fall down dead!" Aki's feet transition flawlessly from the run to the step of the cut his foot striking the floor as his blade slices through the air.

full attack one raise to strike one for damage

22:37, Today: Doji Akibieden rolled 24 using 6d10+5, dropping the 3 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 9,2,6,4,3,3. attack.

Stunned at the miss aki curses himself for being so slow. Running down the enemy was not a critical part of the spearmans training.

OCC the dice gods have turned their backs on me lately. the other day i made a new DnD character and had to reroll stats 4 times because the total bonus was negative.

Kedo's explosive attack on the assassins is a terrifying force as his borrowed katana tears a bloody furrow through the first assassin's legs and then the thrown sword buries itself in the second assassin's arm.  Both killers grunt in pain, but don't otherwise make any other sound--the first falls to the floor, unable to flee any farther, while the second jerks the blade out of his arm, and continues to retreat.

Akibeiden's target bows briefly at the exit, as if in respect to his enemies, and fades into the shadows.

 And with Kedo unwilling to stray far from the side of his charge, the wounded killer will no doubt make progress on his attempt to escape, though the blood-trail from his injury will hopefully provide some measure of aid to the Crane guardsmen now tardily drawing near - In any case Kedo's remaining sword rises and falls once more as the last remaining killer sprawls beneath him - but while it's the blade that lifts it's the pommel that descends, firmly rapping him on the back of the head to forestall any foolishness with poison needles, bitten tongues or other amateur dramatics.

 And that leaves only a blood-soaked, tattooed Bushi stood in the ruins of what mere seconds before was half of a dangerously capable assassin team and adjusting his grip on the one sword left to him to a two-handed one, smoothly taking up a protective stance between the entrance to the Bath-house and the assorted specimens of Crane womanhood that have survived the attack.

 Well, now that was exciting, wasn't it?

[Private to Kaze no Kage:  And now that I think about it, a tiny touch of metagaming enters here, though it's filtered through a mind that thinks in terms of stance and style... TN 25 means those guys were really pretty damn' good, in the absence of armour. So were they very high reflexes and defence (4 and 5 respectively) or were they trained in some sort of school technique?
 And if so, is there any chance of my recognising it, or being able to recognise that it was a technique? ^_^]
This message was last edited by the player at 02:05, Wed 24 Sept 2008.

"Thank you, Kedo-Kun" Sakura almost purred.

Sakura stopped and picked up a spare blade, something to touch the corpses with, and began a quick investigation. She moved to a random corpse and started moving cloth in a seemingly random manner. She was, of course, trying to prevent other from learning that she was looking for a Daidoji tattoo.

She suspected that she would not find one.

After her quick search, she turned toward the other pair -- the Imperial and the Crane. Her modesty towel was in position, but it was clear that she retained it for the honor of others rather than herself.

"Akibieden-San" she said politely, "when the Eta get here, I will need to closely monitor one or two of these bodies. They must all be searched for anything that will tell us more. I will personally take charge of the prisoner -- unless ..."

She then turned to Masashi.

"... unless, of course, an Imperial Magistrate or their representative takes charge instead."

"In either case" Sakura said to the trio, "The Lord of this City must be informed of this immediately. And I must question the sole survivor as soon as feasible."

Aki makes the slightest of bows to the lady. Then looking to one of the remaining guards barks, "I want this entire castle locked down right now, send word to the captains and our lord immediately. Every able bodied cranes to be armed and report for duty." Glancing to one of the serving girls, "Bring me a towel and my effects, NOW!"

"Master Kedo you certainly are a man I am glade to have on my side of a fight. It was an honor to witness such skill in battle." Aki bows to the ronin slightly more than is required.

"My lady Sakura you will be provided with whatever you need." Then to Masashi, "I trust the villains where not so stupid as to lay arms against a member of the Imperial Cort." Aki bows once more to the honored guests.

He then takes the newly arrived towel and begins the task of cleaning himself of the battle enough that he can cloth himself. All the while scanning the room. Who where they after? Aki looks over the dead and wounded to try a determine the reason for the attack.

22:54, Today: Doji Akibieden rolled 16 using 4d10, dropping the 2 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 2,8,8,5. percep/invest.

 "I was honoured to be of assistance." replies Kedo, deftly rotating his borrowed sword through a hundred eighty degrees until it points downwards and then stooping to run first one, then the other edge along the cleanest part of the clothing of the nearest killer, removing the blood that stains the blade before rising once more and answering Akibieden's bow with a slightly deeper one of his own, ever conscious of the lowly status of a gray-clad (metaphorically at the moment) wave man.

 "I am but a student of the Way, honoured Doji." he replies before offering his borrowed weapon on the palms of both hands, "If you would do me the honour of seeing that this is returned to the family of the man who bore it, along with the knowledge that its edge claimed the lives of those who threatened his charges?"

"It may not be that simple ..." Sakura replied in a whisper meant only for the three Bushi.

"Let me get my scrolls and I will see what I can do to deal with the wounded ..."

Sakura looked around, apparently distracted by something ...

[Sense Elements, Element of "Nothing", Subtly cast.

Sense Element (Nothing): 47 (I don't have my book with me so I don't know the TN ...)
Stealth(Spellcasting): 63 + free raise + a ton of bonuses (Nothing Spell, Innate Ability, ...)

20:12, Today: Daidoji Sakura rolled 47 using 7d10+4, dropping the 3 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 9,5,2,(10+8)18,8,8,7. Sense Elements (Nothing).
20:11, Today: Daidoji Sakura rolled 63 using 10d10+4, dropping the 5 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 6,3,4,4,(10+7)17,5,1,8,1,(10+10+3)23. Stealth (spellcasting; plus free raise).]

A number of servants file in bringing in the various pieces of clothing for all of the people in the bath house.

[Private to Kedo: "Samurai-dono," the still living, but hamstrung, assassin rasps after Kedo has wiped the blade clean on his clothing, "either kill me or take me prisoner, I have knowledge that may help your mistress but may also cause her some difficulties if someone else interviews me."]
[Private to Doji Akibieden: you cannot see any pattern to the killings--except that they are all samurai.  Among the dead are Crane known to you and lesser ranking samurai not known to you.  You might be able to determine more information if you search for similarities among the dead.]
[Private to Daidoji Sakura: the dead assassins are not Daidoji Harriers, but some of them do have Shadow Brands]

Aki graciously takes the sword from Kedo. "Certainly it will be done. You have brought honor to his death, his family will be made aware of it."

Looking to one of the remaining guards, "No one is to leave this place until we have a list of everyone's names and where they can be found. Also ascertain the identities of the slain and bring us a list."

 Pssst. Kaze.

 I knocked him out.

 ---

 Kedo smiles gently and answers (perhaps a little geerously) that "I did only what he would have done had not treachery struck him down." as he gives over the blade graciously and lowers his hands, before seeming to become for the first time aware of the spreading bruise on the side of his head and the general blood-sodden state of his body, which of course would demand a bath were it not for the... compromised... nature of the pools just now. Grimacing in visible distaste at his state, the Ronin takes a few paces back to acquire a clean modesty towel and begins to make such repairs to his state as can be managed whilst the elegent Crane repair matters with their usual grace.

 And yet all the while he remains quite close to Sakura, visible scrutinising each person that happens to draw close to her, a measure of his leftover attention doing much the same to others in the vicinity - you might almost think he considers the possibility that all that blood and slaughter was nothing more than a childish distraction.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:05, Thu 25 Sept 2008.

Sakura looks at bodies of the slain assassains. She is visibly troubled by something.

'Scorpion? Could it be? If they moved like this without telling me, then things are truly dire indeed ...'

"I must meditate for a minute ..."

[Private to Kaze no Kage: Does the live/captured one have a Shadow Brand?]

 Kedo suddenly looks up, his eyes thoughtful as he swings around to face Doji Akibieden, swiftly counting the assembled guards that have come running in response to the clumsy, noisy and above all else, crude assassination attempt. And when one has a loud and unsuccessful distraction, one should look to...

 Distraction.

 "Honoured Doji, the thought occurs that the target of this ill-conceived assault may not be present. If you would accept my counsel, please ensure that the majority of those Bushi who have come in response to the battle return to their posts and alert them to the possibilty that something may be amiss elsewhere in the city." the thoughtful Ronin advises swiftly, without - it must be noted - taking his own attention away from his ward, who may after all have been at the heart of things.

"No" Sakura whispered, this time even lower though loud enough for the three Bushi to hear, "the targets were here. I will explain later."

"It would probably be wise to see to the others. Perhaps a trip to the Governor would be in order ..."

Not waiting for an answer, Sakura hastily dressed and retrieved her scrolls. Kasumi had much work to do, and Sakura could not be holding her back ...

"Wisdom is always welcome Kedo-san. Orders are not." Aki says in a flat tone, more as a statement of fact than accusation. "You men there, the fight here is over. Two of you remain here to assist the survivors the rest return to your posts."

looking back at the ronin, "I greatly prefer an enemy who stands in front of me. let that man call me a coward, let him curse my house and family. The truth of it will be found in honorable combat. These treatorous dogs, they kill good men and flee into the shadows. I am certain you have avenged the honor of more men than just the daidoji who lent you his sword today. I have known many men of many stations kedo-san, I know the honorable ones when I see them." With that Aki finishes dressing himself. "You are to be armed at all times henceforth. I will speak for it, besides as I see it you carry the sword of a daidoji anyways." aki glances at Sakura-san as he finish this statement, then continues. "There are only a few men here who have rank on me now, and if this attack was indeed a diversion that list may be shorter still."

 Quite what is going on behind the calm exterior (so very calm, for one so recently in the heat of battle) of the towel-clad Ronin is anyones guess, though he accepts the statement of both observation and warning without so much as the merest hint of offence - it is after all, only proper that one should ensure that a wave man does not get above himself and so Kedo bows in gratitude for the instruction and the praise alike, ill-deserved though (in his opinion) the latter might be.

 "Perhaps." he remarks, when Sakura claims some measure of insight as to what has transpired here, indicating several bodies scattered through the water, "Those Bushi I recognise from our meeting with the Daidoji council, yet several others from the same meeting were actively avoided by the killers." - not all of the bodies he indicates are however Daidoji, nor even Crane, and of those he remarks, "Here also, specific targets - that Samurai-ko's killer evaded two Daidoji to reach her... And yet..."

 He shakes his head thoughtfully, "This is too clumsy by far. The men had no technique that I could perceive, but were excellently trained of their sort - after the fashion of the Scorpion, or perhaps more accurately after the fashion of one who wished them to appear that way. Not Bushi then, and dressed this way?" - Kedo indicates the black clothing of the men with another smooth gesture - "They could not more openly advertise their calling if they came banging drums, though there was no warning of their approaching the bath-house. I shall be interested to hear what the Eta have to say on the matter of their dress beneath such foolishness."

"Come Kedo-Kun" Sakura said, perhaps a little too quickly, "we have work to do. If the Emperor's cousin and the Captain* wish to accompany us, so be it, but we must move quickly." Sakura knew now why her cousins had done what they had done, and Sakura could feel something larger in the wind.

The war brewing was much larger than any the Lion could conjure up ...

Captain! your damn right captain. Does she forget we are not in Kyuden Doji. The title of captain has allot more weight out here on the front lines than whoever fate decided to make your parents. Strictly speaking there are only a dozen or so men I need answer to now. If if I do run into a snag with a self richeous courtier I can simply defer to one of them and ignore the matter on grounds of military precedence.

The ronin at lest should understand. That man kills his enemies, and right now are enemies are the same. I would put my own sword in his hands if I could, the ronin can cut where I cannot. In the end we will probably all be dead within the week anyways.

Aki's dark thoughts continue as he walks with the group toward the lords chambers. He stops only long enough to repeat his orders to the bushi in the bath house. He wants that list of names.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:58, Fri 26 Sept 2008.

 Kedo inclines his head towards Sakura and hastily moves to do what he can to repair his appearance with clean towels and a bucket of untainted water freshly drawn, though without the time given for a more thorough job, he's going to be about the only person ever to come out of a Crane bathouse more grubby than when he went in - though since the 'grubby' mostly consists of other peoples blood, it's probably not going to be something he gets called on any time soon.

 "That one lives, may I suggest that he be kept unconscious under guard until such time as it is possible for Shugenja to prevent him from taking his own life, then interrogated vigorously?" he suggests diffidently, indicating the last killer that he ran down before the final two escaped as he pulls on his clothing, still damp from having been swiftly laundered whilst he bathed (when you have one set of grays, you wear it as hard as you need to) and places himself alongside Sakura, ready to move out (he'll grab his Daisho at the door).

Unaware of the still living ninja until this moment aki stares at the still breathing pile of a man. "Call the eta to bind a gag that man. He is to be placed under guard. I want at least four men on him at all times. If their is no suitable place for this dog to be held than have the servants dig a hole and throw him in." 

OCC I didn't know if their was a dungeon here or not. Considering the punishment for most crimes is either "we kill you or you kill yourself" I really don't see the need for a formal detention area. Although I guess there would have to be a place to torture people for confessions.

"I will be interrogating him myself" Sakura said. She waited for Kedo to become a bit more presentable before moving on to where she expected to find the Lord of the City.

'I hate leaving him here like this' she thought to herself, 'but there is little I can do for now. Besides, if he is as well trained as I think he is he'll get away on his own.'

Then she was off to see the governor.

As you approach the offices of Doji Kasarugi, you notice the conspicuous absence of any guards.  Entering into his suite, it becomes clear that even his ever present trio of yojimbo--Daidoji Kanna, Daidoji Mari, and Daidoji Macchi--are nowhere to be seen.

"This does not bode well" Sakura said aloud. She would not tell the Bushi to be on guard, as they would undoubtedly do this without her suggestion.

Sakura stopped, listening and looking for anything of use to tell where the governor was ...

[I'm kinda lost here ...]

OOC:  sorry, this was supposed to be tension generating, but it looks like it failed ^_^;;;

You enter into Doji Kasarugi's main office and you see a sight of horror.  Three Daidoji lay dead, Unicorn scimitars clutched in their hands.  Doji Kasarugi is seriously wounded, but a strange looking samurai bearing the mon of the Asako seems to be tending to his injuries.  A Unicorn shugenja, bearing the mon of the Moto, is also present along with a still bleeding Satoru.  The four of them are gathered around the dead body of one of the Daidoji.

you can now post in the Lady Doji's Shrine thread