Zokiro quiets herself, ducks behind the wagons with the others, and stares down at the creatures she had missed while absorbed in trying to find clues on the ground.  Looking too closely at pebbles and missing the mountain... she thinks to herself.  She instead nods at Setsuko and watches the strangers to see what they do.

"Orcs and they are moving away. Shall I end them?" The ranger pulls out his bow and watches the two women.

Zok moves from body to body and notices some things. They look like peasents moving from one area to the next. They are mainly humans but out of 10 of them, there are two halflings. Arrows strewn around the area from the right and the left.

He looks at the orcs in the distance, pondering.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:13, Tue 01 Oct 2019.

In reply to Rokugan (msg # 77):

She whispers to her companions, "I don't favor attacking them without knowing how many there may be hidden nearby.
I also cannot tell if they are responsible for the killings here."

She looks to the ranger, "Do you believe that these orcs are responsible for the death around us?

"Do you believe they are here for other reasons? I do not." The ranger watches the two women.

In reply to Qing Shan (msg # 79):

"I believe that none of us knows why they are there. Unless either of you are sure of their evil intent. Also I am wary that if they did attack these peasants, they might have allies laying in wait." said Setsuko softly, calmly and clearly.

She looks to Zokio, "What do you think, clan sister?"


OOC: Setsuko would like to take 10 on 2 Spot checks with a base of +8.
1) To see what weapons the orc have.
2) To see if they have hidden friends nearby
This message was last edited by the player at 01:35, Fri 04 Oct 2019.

The elf stares at her."My apologies but are you daft? You've never face a orc correct? Or a group of them for that matter. I have." Qing watches her and lowers his bow.

"Orcs are lawless criminals, responsible for many deaths," Zokiro says, shaking her head. "If they have no horde here, then we should rid the path of them, lest they attack some other helpless peasant.  It is our responsibility.  Qing, let me give your bow the strength of the earth, and then let us end these raiders."

If Qing allows, Zokiro will take a small stone, hold it to the bow, and mutter a short phrase.

OOC: casting magic weapon on Qing's bow.

Setsuko quietly shakes her head, "No, I have lived all of my life in the temple. So no, I have not faced such beings before. I have heard of them in tales and training."

"However, as my clan sister speaks in support of your case so I shall believe." she nods to the others. "If you would strike down the one with your arrow Qing Shan, then I shall follow and strike down the other."

The ranger pulls back his bow, aiming careful at something in the distance. He crouches low after getting the spell cast upon him. Taking a deep breath he fires into the woodlands. Something hits the ground hard. He moves back towards the two woman, nodding his head."It is dead or close to it. Shall we investigate?"

With the group checking the area all that is of any worth seems to have been taken. The ranger pauses, muttering something."We can bury them as well or come back later on."

Setsuko looks back and forth between Zokiro and Qing Shan, "If there is the chance to do so safely, tradition demands they be buried with respect. Otherwise, it would be foolish to try to bury the dead while we could face living problems. I am ready to fight if necessary."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:11, Wed 09 Oct 2019.

"Let us make certain the orcs don't intend to ambush us or bring back more foes.  Then we can concern ourselves with the dead," Zokiro says, ready to move out.

"We are in violent agreement, clan sister. I walk in readiness besides you and Qing Shan to look out for danger." she says calmly while joining the other.

"Either you get along or go back to the temple." The ranger looks at the two woman.

"I have said that I will walk beside you and my clan sister. What more would you wish from me? I am here as the Master bids me be so that I can assist with our mission."
she looked at Qing Shen, her confusion and regret evident on her face and in her voice. "Please forgive me if I have offended you. I apologize and ask again what would you have me do."

She bows, awaiting the ranger's answer.

Zokiro raises an eyebrow at Qing's presumption.  "You are mistaken. She was agreeing with me to go with you and determine the fate of the orcs before we do anything else.  Both of us wish this mission to succeed, and there is no conflict between us.  Let us go before any lingering foes take advantage."

"Do not tell me I am mistaken. By her own words she said you are at a violent agreement. I viewed that as being bad. Do not tell me my views on it were ill for I will leave you be and find it on my own once I return you to the temple. Your master was hesitent on allowing you to go with me. Was he correct? I strongly suggest you watch how you phrase things when orcs and other evil are about." The ranger seems to be on edge and he watches the two women."We needs to keep moving. So shall I return you to the temple or will you prove your master he is wrong and go with me?"

Zokiro raises her other eyebrow.  "Sister, correct me if I am wrong, but I believe she only meant she agreed emphatically with me that we should determine the orcs' fate before seeing to the dead.  Which I thought was your intention as well - to keep moving a track the orcs.  Effectively, Qing, were trying to agree with your course of action.  If agreeing and deferring with your greater experience is cause to send us back, I do not know how else to respond."

The short shugenja is stiffly formal, internally seething at Qing's high-handed assumptions of their attitude due to a word selection.

Shaking his head as if greatly annoyed. the ranger grabs his horse. He doesn't say a word. The man moves northwards, not even waiting for the others to keep up."Talking to either of you gains nothing." He speaks quietly, eyes narrowed at both of them as he moves."Stay alert."

Zokiro re-mounts Nori, shooting a sympathetic glance at Setsuko, and urges her mount after Qing, eyes and ears ready for trouble.

Setsuko nods to her clan sister and mounts her horse as well. "Thank you for understanding clan sister. Perhaps I know nothing and have not learned properly how to speak to those who are not of our clan. So I will listen, act, and have you speak to Qing Shan for us both, so my nothingness does not offend him." She concludes with a humble voice and manner, her eyes betraying only a glint of frustration.

Setsuko smiles briefly in understanding to Zokiro while riding alongside, her own senses on the lookout.

Leaving the bodies behind, the ranger moves forwards upon his horse and steers clear of the orc he killed. After about a hour, they see smoke coming from the wilderness. He drops down to the ground and looks around, glancing at the two women."I will scout further. Remain here."

In reply to Rokugan (msg # 96):

Setsuko nods quietly to the ranger. She turns to Zokiro and whispers softly after the ranger is out of sight, "I guess he believes we can take care of ourselves. That's good to know. Perhaps once we have returned with the flower, the Master will trust us to take on a quest on our own."

"I would say he believes we are naive little flowers he must tow around," Zokiro says.  "But perhaps he is simply unused to company.  Or women.  Or nobles.  Of a certainty, we need him, but likely he feels he doesn't need us at all.  Either way, we can only stand ready for what comes next."

Zokiro will keep alert and have her spells and weapons ready for Qing's return.

The ranger does seem to be out of sight but does that mean he cannot hear her? Maybe, maybe not. He comes back, watching the woman."You are both naive. And you are no nobles. Either you argue with me and leave or keep going and be silent." He pulls out his butterfly swords and kneels down, checking the area."Burned out firepit. Recent. We should steer clear of it."

Setsuko says to Zokiro with a slight sarcastic tone, "Let us avoid this firepit and follow Qing Shan quietly. I am sure that he will successfully complete the mission despite being burdened with two naive women."

Her expression changing to one of clarity and focus she finishes with, "We will do what is required to complete this because it is for our Honorable Master. He who deemed us worthy enough to attempt this mission."

Except to see what he is doing, Setsuko will not look into Qing's direction. Otherwise she keeps her head on a swivel, watching and listening to her environment.