This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Light spills in through a natural opening in your room, waking most of you naturally. A large thud opens your door and Barry appears with a bowl of water for each of you and some kind of cold pre-cooked meat from the night before. He throws it on the ground infront of each of you as he begins addressing the room.
Sometimes, you gotta let a blade do the talking!
Barry doesn’t waste much time getting right to what he wants you all to be doing. “If y’all gonna be of any use to me, we best get you armed up, eh?” He says, throwing a wink at Yasei. “Dicey Joe, down in the slums owes me a favour. Now, technically, it’s my day off, and I don’t wanna deal with him. Or you lot for that matter. Go tell him I sent ya, and he’ll hook youse up.” He pauses for a moment. “... Don’t be skippin’ town.” He says. “If you go hidin’ in those slums after I set you up with equipment, my boys will find you and... it won’t be pretty.” He says, his large, fury muscles bulging. (Roll for scary 22 )
”Come find me in the Barracks once you’re all geared up.”
Cora woke, her mouth dry, her body protesting. She was sore, and as Larry talked, she took a moment to stretch and yawn. For some reason, she felt like she had been in a war - beat up, fatigued, tired, sore. Things inside her body seemed a little out of place, like during her lifetime she had taken quite a pounding all over. She instinctively touched certain parts of her body, for example, her ribs felt a little out of place, like they were broken and didn't heal correctly, and some scars on her body were terrible, and deep, but most were just nicks and slashes that dotted her body. She didn't have a mirror to look at her backside, but as she was getting with herself she caught herself and felt embarrassed. Self conscious. And that tattoo on her right wrist. What did it mean? Her jaw cracked sometimes when she opened wide and her right shoulder burned and ached. Were those..teeth marks?
She looked at the others. They didn't look nearly as bad as she did. The asian did look like a princess, clearly a warrior of some sort. The redhead was disciplined and sleeveless - Cora could tell they could have decent armwrestling challenges together. The..orc? He was still a mystery, but glad he was on their side for now.
Danica, as annoyed she was about the sudden awakening, seemed serene. After taking a drink from her bowl she faced the others. "So, it would seem we have a choice. Either do as we're told and bide our time to figure out the lay of the land, or as Barry said, get geared up and abscond with the equipment. He'll send his bully boys after us, but if we're canny we might be able to stage ambushes to take them out one by one. What do you folks think?"
Cora considered Danicas words. Both sounded good. She had no idea of what this place was like and was not opposed to exploring. On the other hand, she felt uncomfortable weaponless. For reasons she couldnt explain, she liked the idea of going out and taking their chances.
”My vote would be to grab some gear and take our chances” she smiled.
Yasei's posture is rigidly seated, with folded legs and hands, and an erect but settled spine. Her hands are folded together into a simple cup-shape over her belly. Her eyelids are half-lowered, and she appears to be breathing quite deeply. It's as if she just exists, and is neither distracted by, nor turning away from, external stimuli. She sits this way for hours.
As the group starts to rustle awake and discuss their plans going forward, Yasei walks silently up to the group, and quietly and reverently bows deeply. Coming out of her bow, she addresses the group:
“Kon'nichiwa watashi no yūjin. My name is Yasei no ōkiddo. (she repeats her name again, slowly, so you can understand how it’s pronounced: “…Yah-say no oh-key-toe”). Formerly Yasei no Kimi Ashikagi. Please…call me Yasei. I was born in Kyoto, but my father kept his court in Muromachi. I spent most of my childhood in Muromachi. One day, I shall return.” Her eyes brighten at the mention of Muromachi, and the hint of a smile appears at the edge of her mouth. That quickly dissipates, however, and she lowers her head in sorrow and begins to stare intently at the floor.
After a moment of silence, she continues:
“Have you ever heard of the Bushidō code? It teaches us our moral values, stressing a combination of sincerity, frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery, and honor until death. It's a way of life in my homeland. During a battle, six months ago, my lord brother Ashikaga Yoshimasa...” (she bows her head, and continues speaking to you but looking at the ground) “was captured by the enemy. He was led to the center of the battlefield, and was about to be murdered, dishonorably. You see, the Bushidō code teaches that a samurai should be allowed to take their own life...seppuku...and voluntarily die with honor rather than fall into the hands of their enemies. However, upon seeing this, I quickly grabbed a katana from one of my father's vassals, charged the battlefield, and cut the arms off my brothers executioner. I saved Yoshimasa's life. However, this dishonored him, and my father, because it prevented him from dying honorably...and for that, I was banished from my fathers kingdom, in perpetuity. I hope to prove to my father that I am worthy and honorable enough to return...someday.”
She concludes her oration: “Mottomo jūyōna koto wa, anata ga hi no naka o arukimawatte iru kotodesu.”
What matters most is how well you walk through the fire.
“I suggest we gather steel weapons to match our steel resolve, and then escape our captors.”
The things she was speaking of, the story she told. All of it was unfamiliar to her. As she continued to stare at her, she sat down and patiently waited for her to tell her story. She even spoke in a language she had never heard before. Or had she? Everything was so fuzzy. She pushed the growing worry aside and decided to say something nice.
"I hope you gain the honor you're looking for to return home." Cora said, standing. "Until then, maybe there are a few things I can learn from you, and your wisdom?"
The giant orc who self identifies as Garlic rolls over in his cot, yawning in a rich baritone that those of you hearing could swear did not match the gravely, deep bass that he possessed yesterday. Yasei and Crispy see the man visually blush, before turning his back to the group and coughing a few times, in a tone that gets progressively deeper with every hack, until his voice is back to the same octave it was yesterday.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Yasei's draw drops as she confusedly watches the giant orc, apparently going through puberty in the span of a few seconds. Whispering to Cora, "What the...did that fellow over there just grow kintama?"
Turning back to looking out the window, Yasei catches Cora's eye, and gives her a knowing nod towards the package they both saw on the window sill. Using a combination of performance (11) and stealth (13), she'll walk over to the window and pick up the package.
She'll then bring it over to Cora, and act like their chatting like little school girls having a private conversation, all while unwrapping it (hidden between themselves, so only she and Cora are able to see the package and its contents).
A small, crusty bread bun is wrapped up in some cloth. When you open it up, scrawled on it in charcoal reads, in common: come find me in the Eastern sector of the slums.Kha.
Bobo:
You know of Dicey Joe. He’s a Goblin weapons dealer in the trade sector of town. Dealing with him usually costs a heavy price, so it’s a notable thing to have him owe you a favour.
Cora stares at Garlin for a moment, and without moving her head, directs her gaze to Yasei, who seemed to have a similar reaction to what Cora was thinking. She shrugged it off, and saw Yasei sneak over and grab the package on the windowsill. Inside was a bun, and a note. The bun looked delicious, and her stomach growled. Smiling sheepishly as Yasei heard, Cora took a very small piece of the bun, handed it to Yasei, and began eating the large piece. She held it out to Danica, nodding approvingly.
The giant orc man arcs his back out after... clearing out his throat, and walks up to the doorway of the room, presumably using the wall to do some early morning stretches. Whilst doing so, he keeps his eyes and ears open to see if there is any other humanoids by the entrance to their room.
Assuming he doesn't see any humanoids too close to their room, he strolls up to the girls to take his ration of charcoal bread, and drops a whisper to the three.
"I don't know what's going on, but there's too many big players involved for a simple thug operation. Dicey Joe, the guy we are supposed to get our weapons from, is famous for not being intimidated from the various factions of the city." He looks down at the blackened bread in his fingers, and pops one in his mouth as if eating stone hard bread is part of his daily routine.
"I'm not the sharpest knife in the box, but even I can tell from you three's body language alone that you're thinking about springing first chance you get. I'm not going to get into the stupidity of trying something like this as there are literally two towns, more bounty hunters then honest working civilians, and unforgiving desert as far as the eye can see, but I can tell you that this Barry Guy seem's smarter then your average bug-bear. He wouldn't give you Bontu Dammned Dicey Joe's weapons if he even had the slightest inkling that you were at risk of getting away from him."
He grabs Crispy's shoulders and starts frog marching her around like it was all part of some elaborate joke at her expense, complete with a hearty laugh, but when you all see his face after the impromptu dance, it's as serious as when you were all facing down the bird yesterday.
"We all are on these guys radar's as it is, once we get these weapons, they won't stop pursuing us until they've exhausted literally every bounty hunter at their disposal. Imagine a life where you can't trust what your eating or drinking, in case it's poisoned. Your landlord or even best friend might turn you in for the increasingly high bounty on your head, where even a child you pass in the street might stick a knife in your kidney for the coins. I know because I was one of those bounty hunters, and captured my fair share of suckers like you guys."
He finishes the bread, and gives you all one last look.
"I can't change your stupid little minds if your convinced on jumping ship, but I would rather you didn't, at least for now. I have my own plan on how to get out. Not just out of this town, this situation, but his whole Bontu Dammed desert. I need some reliable people with me for it, and you seemingly out of desert girls were practically dumped in my lap by some divine intervention."
Cora also laughed as Garlic frog-marched her around, his laugh was contagious, but she cleared her throat in slight embarrasment once it ended, feeling silly she got caught up in the fun when the situation was sewious.
"Ok." She said, "Then what do you suggest we do?" She looked at Danica and Yasei as well, wondering their thoughts.
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"CoS" Rumble- Tabaxi Shadow Monk
Out finally. Update coming in the morning.
"CoS" Rumble- Tabaxi Shadow Monk
Light spills in through a natural opening in your room, waking most of you naturally. A large thud opens your door and Barry appears with a bowl of water for each of you and some kind of cold pre-cooked meat from the night before. He throws it on the ground infront of each of you as he begins addressing the room.
Sometimes, you gotta let a blade do the talking!
Barry doesn’t waste much time getting right to what he wants you all to be doing. “If y’all gonna be of any use to me, we best get you armed up, eh?” He says, throwing a wink at Yasei. “Dicey Joe, down in the slums owes me a favour. Now, technically, it’s my day off, and I don’t wanna deal with him. Or you lot for that matter. Go tell him I sent ya, and he’ll hook youse up.” He pauses for a moment. “... Don’t be skippin’ town.” He says. “If you go hidin’ in those slums after I set you up with equipment, my boys will find you and... it won’t be pretty.” He says, his large, fury muscles bulging. (Roll for scary 22 )
”Come find me in the Barracks once you’re all geared up.”
"CoS" Rumble- Tabaxi Shadow Monk
Cora woke, her mouth dry, her body protesting. She was sore, and as Larry talked, she took a moment to stretch and yawn. For some reason, she felt like she had been in a war - beat up, fatigued, tired, sore. Things inside her body seemed a little out of place, like during her lifetime she had taken quite a pounding all over. She instinctively touched certain parts of her body, for example, her ribs felt a little out of place, like they were broken and didn't heal correctly, and some scars on her body were terrible, and deep, but most were just nicks and slashes that dotted her body. She didn't have a mirror to look at her backside, but as she was getting with herself she caught herself and felt embarrassed. Self conscious. And that tattoo on her right wrist. What did it mean? Her jaw cracked sometimes when she opened wide and her right shoulder burned and ached. Were those..teeth marks?
She looked at the others. They didn't look nearly as bad as she did. The asian did look like a princess, clearly a warrior of some sort. The redhead was disciplined and sleeveless - Cora could tell they could have decent armwrestling challenges together. The..orc? He was still a mystery, but glad he was on their side for now.
Danica, as annoyed she was about the sudden awakening, seemed serene. After taking a drink from her bowl she faced the others. "So, it would seem we have a choice. Either do as we're told and bide our time to figure out the lay of the land, or as Barry said, get geared up and abscond with the equipment. He'll send his bully boys after us, but if we're canny we might be able to stage ambushes to take them out one by one. What do you folks think?"
Cora considered Danicas words. Both sounded good. She had no idea of what this place was like and was not opposed to exploring. On the other hand, she felt uncomfortable weaponless. For reasons she couldnt explain, she liked the idea of going out and taking their chances.
”My vote would be to grab some gear and take our chances” she smiled.
Yasei's posture is rigidly seated, with folded legs and hands, and an erect but settled spine. Her hands are folded together into a simple cup-shape over her belly. Her eyelids are half-lowered, and she appears to be breathing quite deeply. It's as if she just exists, and is neither distracted by, nor turning away from, external stimuli. She sits this way for hours.
As the group starts to rustle awake and discuss their plans going forward, Yasei walks silently up to the group, and quietly and reverently bows deeply. Coming out of her bow, she addresses the group:
“Kon'nichiwa watashi no yūjin. My name is Yasei no ōkiddo. (she repeats her name again, slowly, so you can understand how it’s pronounced: “…Yah-say no oh-key-toe”). Formerly Yasei no Kimi Ashikagi. Please…call me Yasei. I was born in Kyoto, but my father kept his court in Muromachi. I spent most of my childhood in Muromachi. One day, I shall return.” Her eyes brighten at the mention of Muromachi, and the hint of a smile appears at the edge of her mouth. That quickly dissipates, however, and she lowers her head in sorrow and begins to stare intently at the floor.
After a moment of silence, she continues:
“Have you ever heard of the Bushidō code? It teaches us our moral values, stressing a combination of sincerity, frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery, and honor until death. It's a way of life in my homeland. During a battle, six months ago, my lord brother Ashikaga Yoshimasa...” (she bows her head, and continues speaking to you but looking at the ground) “was captured by the enemy. He was led to the center of the battlefield, and was about to be murdered, dishonorably. You see, the Bushidō code teaches that a samurai should be allowed to take their own life...seppuku...and voluntarily die with honor rather than fall into the hands of their enemies. However, upon seeing this, I quickly grabbed a katana from one of my father's vassals, charged the battlefield, and cut the arms off my brothers executioner. I saved Yoshimasa's life. However, this dishonored him, and my father, because it prevented him from dying honorably...and for that, I was banished from my fathers kingdom, in perpetuity. I hope to prove to my father that I am worthy and honorable enough to return...someday.”
She concludes her oration: “Mottomo jūyōna koto wa, anata ga hi no naka o arukimawatte iru kotodesu.”
What matters most is how well you walk through the fire.
“I suggest we gather steel weapons to match our steel resolve, and then escape our captors.”
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
Cora looked at Yasei and listened to her story.
The things she was speaking of, the story she told. All of it was unfamiliar to her. As she continued to stare at her, she sat down and patiently waited for her to tell her story. She even spoke in a language she had never heard before. Or had she? Everything was so fuzzy. She pushed the growing worry aside and decided to say something nice.
"I hope you gain the honor you're looking for to return home." Cora said, standing. "Until then, maybe there are a few things I can learn from you, and your wisdom?"
Can I get a quick perception check from everyone?
"CoS" Rumble- Tabaxi Shadow Monk
CRISPYPERCEPT: 19
Perception: 5
Yasei-ception: 20
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
Aw, you *****, one upping me. I mean, nice roll.
Yasei and Cora almost simultaneously spot a small package, wrapped in cloth on the windowsill of your room which you hadn't spotted until now.
"CoS" Rumble- Tabaxi Shadow Monk
Perp: 9
The giant orc who self identifies as Garlic rolls over in his cot, yawning in a rich baritone that those of you hearing could swear did not match the gravely, deep bass that he possessed yesterday. Yasei and Crispy see the man visually blush, before turning his back to the group and coughing a few times, in a tone that gets progressively deeper with every hack, until his voice is back to the same octave it was yesterday.
Yasei's draw drops as she confusedly watches the giant orc, apparently going through puberty in the span of a few seconds. Whispering to Cora, "What the...did that fellow over there just grow kintama?"
Turning back to looking out the window, Yasei catches Cora's eye, and gives her a knowing nod towards the package they both saw on the window sill. Using a combination of performance (11) and stealth (13), she'll walk over to the window and pick up the package.
She'll then bring it over to Cora, and act like their chatting like little school girls having a private conversation, all while unwrapping it (hidden between themselves, so only she and Cora are able to see the package and its contents).
Last to know and first to be blamed...
As a free action, can I regret my life choices?
Cora and Yasei:
A small, crusty bread bun is wrapped up in some cloth. When you open it up, scrawled on it in charcoal reads, in common: come find me in the Eastern sector of the slums.Kha.
Bobo:
You know of Dicey Joe. He’s a Goblin weapons dealer in the trade sector of town. Dealing with him usually costs a heavy price, so it’s a notable thing to have him owe you a favour.
"CoS" Rumble- Tabaxi Shadow Monk
Cora stares at Garlin for a moment, and without moving her head, directs her gaze to Yasei, who seemed to have a similar reaction to what Cora was thinking. She shrugged it off, and saw Yasei sneak over and grab the package on the windowsill. Inside was a bun, and a note. The bun looked delicious, and her stomach growled. Smiling sheepishly as Yasei heard, Cora took a very small piece of the bun, handed it to Yasei, and began eating the large piece. She held it out to Danica, nodding approvingly.
The giant orc man arcs his back out after... clearing out his throat, and walks up to the doorway of the room, presumably using the wall to do some early morning stretches. Whilst doing so, he keeps his eyes and ears open to see if there is any other humanoids by the entrance to their room.
Assuming he doesn't see any humanoids too close to their room, he strolls up to the girls to take his ration of charcoal bread, and drops a whisper to the three.
"I don't know what's going on, but there's too many big players involved for a simple thug operation. Dicey Joe, the guy we are supposed to get our weapons from, is famous for not being intimidated from the various factions of the city." He looks down at the blackened bread in his fingers, and pops one in his mouth as if eating stone hard bread is part of his daily routine.
"I'm not the sharpest knife in the box, but even I can tell from you three's body language alone that you're thinking about springing first chance you get. I'm not going to get into the stupidity of trying something like this as there are literally two towns, more bounty hunters then honest working civilians, and unforgiving desert as far as the eye can see, but I can tell you that this Barry Guy seem's smarter then your average bug-bear. He wouldn't give you Bontu Dammned Dicey Joe's weapons if he even had the slightest inkling that you were at risk of getting away from him."
He grabs Crispy's shoulders and starts frog marching her around like it was all part of some elaborate joke at her expense, complete with a hearty laugh, but when you all see his face after the impromptu dance, it's as serious as when you were all facing down the bird yesterday.
"We all are on these guys radar's as it is, once we get these weapons, they won't stop pursuing us until they've exhausted literally every bounty hunter at their disposal. Imagine a life where you can't trust what your eating or drinking, in case it's poisoned. Your landlord or even best friend might turn you in for the increasingly high bounty on your head, where even a child you pass in the street might stick a knife in your kidney for the coins. I know because I was one of those bounty hunters, and captured my fair share of suckers like you guys."
He finishes the bread, and gives you all one last look.
"I can't change your stupid little minds if your convinced on jumping ship, but I would rather you didn't, at least for now. I have my own plan on how to get out. Not just out of this town, this situation, but his whole Bontu Dammed desert. I need some reliable people with me for it, and you seemingly out of desert girls were practically dumped in my lap by some divine intervention."
Cora also laughed as Garlic frog-marched her around, his laugh was contagious, but she cleared her throat in slight embarrasment once it ended, feeling silly she got caught up in the fun when the situation was sewious.
"Ok." She said, "Then what do you suggest we do?" She looked at Danica and Yasei as well, wondering their thoughts.