RolePlay onLine

Pulcritudinous Enchantress

Jizai calls the group into his meeting room at the end of the week.

He has had maids lay out cushions and tea, and his councilors are not present.  Lady Sasumi, attended by Ayare, and another maid, are present.

After the formal pleasantries about each other’s health and family, Jizai gets down to business.

Gentlemen, your help with Kukai, and gathing information about the state of the island, while not giving a complete picture, has helped us immensely.  We, the Michizane, are further along in whatever game is being played because of you.  We have the ability to, at least, flesh out some plans for the coming months – something many on Shikoku cannot do yet.

And that is all nothing compared to the retrieval of my sister.  The bone-deep sorrow of losing her has been completely reversed.  In fact, with all that has happened, it has more than reversed since I cherish her presence all the more for having lost it for a time.

But, from all I perceive, you are men of action rather than routine.  And what is more, the world has yet to know that you are part of the Michizane clan now.  Because of that, you hold a unique, albeit temporary, position within the clan.

I plan to leverage that position while it lasts.

I wish you to travel to the east side of the island and accomplish two goals.

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.  I will provide the written descriptions of the artifact before you leave.

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 watercraft 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.

He looks over at his sister for a moment with a grimace.

I will not spare you my opinions of this next requirement for I think it horribly foolish.  Lady Sasumi keeps a completely serene face.

Lady Sasumi will accompany you.

She is not to be allowed near battle.

She is to be brought back from this mission hale.

She is to be part of your decision-making process and no information about the missions are to be kept from her.

He then looks at Arashi.

I know your requirement under the witch.  This, however, is not my requirement, it is yours.  Lady Sasumi may make up her own mind about her own future unless I deem it against the family’s needs.   And in this, the family has no pressing needs either way.

You’re on your own kid, he adds with a small smile.

He hands a scroll to Arashi.  This is a description of the artifact, and where it is purported to be.

Submit any requests for needed equipment to the quartermaster and please make haste.  The world is spinning at an incredible speed at this point.  Those with the quickest access to knowledge will thrive.

He curtly nods, which is as close to a ‘thank you’ as most liege lords give.