The PC’s are on Shikoku Island, the smallest of Nippon’s four main islands. They are currently on a mission given to them by Jizai, the new leader of the Michizane clan that Arashi has recently joined.
They are accompanied by Sasumi Michizane, Jizai’s sister who the group recently recovered from hell with the help of Kukai, leader of the Singon monastery, who they also rescued from hell.

Current mission has two parts, Jizai’s words were:
“First, there is an artifact we believe exists on the mountains outside the village of Hota. Scrolls tell of a guardian there protecting it. I wish the artifact removed, placed in an iron box I will supply, and sealed. Then brought back to me after finishing the second part of the mission.
Second, I wish you to then travel south, to the village of Rokafosu. This means traveling outside my physical control and into waku held lands. Rokafosu is held by the Subtle Breeze gang of yakuza. You are to spend time to do a complete appraisal of the town’s defenses. Fortification, number of viable water craft that could be used for water-based war, number of armed men, resilience of their leadership structure, allies within the town, enemies within the town, various ways to access the town by both small and large groups, weaknesses, strengths, major personages, and anything which would be useful to know if I wished to create an outpost of samurai there – either by force, guile, or treaty.”
Regarding Sasumi he added: "She is not to be allowed near battle. She is to be brought back from this mission unscathed. She is to be part of your decision-making process and no information about the missions are to be kept from her."


THE VILLAGE OF HOTA
Hiro and Ayare have entered the small farm town posing as brother/sister entertainers. The hard life in this town has made the townfolk somewhat xenophobic, making any in-road attempts very challenging.
The hetman, Goshu, found them a place to stay in a granary house as there is no inn.
There is land to the north of town which is not touched.  It even looks like better soil.  About halfway up a large hill that direction there is a Shinto alter with no roof or building. It is, perhaps, 300 yards away from town. The path up to the altar is clear and graveled despite the fact that the grass on either side of the path is a bit overgrown and not utilized for farming. Up closer to the altar, no gravel path extends past the shrine.  Instead, the vegetation has been burned away in a single straight line, over boulders, over rocks, and directly up toward the mountain.  The path there is, perhaps, 10' wide.
The wooden altar holds a large stone, perhaps 2 feet across. This is most likely where the kami resides. The alter is made of wood more than a foot thick. Based on the markings, Hiro believes the shrine to be to the Kami of Silence. Hiro only did a cursory evaluation, not yet approaching within 30’.
After a few days, Hiro and Ayare have started the slow process of befriending some of the villagers.
The rest of the group, Arashi, Totsu, Takeshi, and Sasumi, Jizai’s sister and potential future bride of Arashi’s according to a witch, await outside the town a couple miles in a makeshift camp.

We pick up action here gents…
This message was last edited by the player at 22:46, Thu 25 Mar 2021.

In reply to GM KEN (msg # 1):

Thanks for the update.  I'm trying to remember.  I think the plan was to wait on Hiro and Ayare to report back in a few days.  Thus Totsu will be practicing skills and waiting for Hiro and or Ayare to come back to us to give an update.

Hiro and Ayare work their relationships the townfolk a bit and find that there are two people that frequent the temple of the silent kami.

Ito is the first. He is a stranger to the town who arrived shortly after Hiro and Ayare. He is a Shinto priest but the townfolk know little about him. Hiro has only seen him in worship and not disturbed him.

The second is Fumito. He is the town gardener who also follows the Shinto Way and spends some time at the temple. Hiro has learned that Fumito is more a part-time priest. He is very friendly and Hiro extracts quite a bit of information about the town and its residents.

As far as the temple goes, Fumito says that it was here before he came to the town 15 years ago. Legend says that a powerful curse was placed on the temple by a man who claimed his wife was murdered and that the soul of her killer is trapped in the temple. If a person reads what is written at the temple they will meet with misfortune or death if read aloud. Thing is, it is a temple to a silent kami and as such, cannot be ready aloud.

Another legend differs from the first slightly, claiming that a powerful Buddhist priest and a Kami united to hold prisoner a soul-thirsty spirit which will be released and feed on the soul of the reader.

Either way, Fumito is content tending to his garden and praying to his kami at the temple, consciously avoiding the written words altogether.

In reply to GM KEN (msg # 4):

Any chance we can talk to a Budhist Priest (I forget was Yasashi Budhist or Shinto?) to see if they can identify what kind of spell was used on this spirit and give us a clue on how to fight this thing if it gets loose?
I hate to ask if we know of any Kami (Is Takeshi still around as NPC? to talk to Pig Boy.  Good thing I packed my rubber gloves) that could tell us how they might have combined to help confine this spirit.
Is there anything that will protect us against soul stealing?

This is not really my area of expertise.  What do the rest of you think?

In reply to Totsu (msg # 5):

"Well I think we need to hear back from our spies to determine our next course of action. Maybe we can recruit that young priest?"

Arashi continues to pay solicitous attention to Sasumi's needs and cultivate a relationship with her in a culturally appropriate manner.

"o-cha o nomimasenka?"

Takeshi will still be with you as an NPC for now.
Yasashi, the blind buddhist, is not with you.

Ayare and Hiro return to the group with the information described. (Not sure where Paul is, we will continue until he shows up).