The Dragon's Village 2017

[Shadani]

"Something always goes wrong," Ning said, her eyes cloudy and distant. "If all the world were virtuous, then there would be no need to speak of virtue. Wise men talk of such things because they look upon the world, and they see that it is lacking. It will always be lacking, for it is always changing. Man, beast, or spirit - our shapes are never as solid as we assume, and any state of order will, in time, always dissolve to make way for disorder. Life, death, and then life again. War, peace, and then war again."

She shook her head; rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

"Sorry. I hate it when that happens."

[Lazybones]

Session 11

+400xp for Gojiro, Tenko Kitsune, Ning, Meng Wen, and Tianlong for IC posting.

[Topato]

// Thanks SA. For some reason the forums hate my phone, and I couldn't get near a computer today.

[Alpha Omega]

Going to be a few minute late ... dog (which just had surgery), per wife needs to be walked now, by me. Not a battle I'm going to fight ...

[Karvon]

The group had gone at Tenko's behest to visit a fortress of gangsters, as that all Yakuza were in Gojiro's opinion. Apparently Tenko had been part of this gang and run away from it recently. The gang offered a clean slate if the group would take care of an evil witch in a nearby grove. Gojiro had serious doubts that things were all on the up and up, and this was reinforced when they got to the grove. Wards prevented He and Tenko from entering, though the rest were able to do so and meet with the woman. As he'd suspected she turned out to be anything but evil and the group certainly wasn't going to do her in for the gang, leaving only a couple of options, neither of them inviting. No one liked the idea of having to constantly look over their shoulders for assassins, so simply dropping the mission and fleeing wasn't a realistic option. On the other hand, attacking the gang - at least at first glance - seemed almost suicidal. After all, the gang was securely laired in a large stone castle on a mountain with very limited and easily visible access. There were quite a few of them, at least a dozen by his count had been spotted, and likely at least that many more were likely either resting inside or patrolling on watch in the vicinity. The witch had told the group though of a secret entrance to the castle through which the group might pass and launch a surprise attack. Yet, given the likely numbers of men, plus the certain traps and other guardians, Gojiro wondered what chance they had of pulling such an assualt off. Finally, even if they did manage to surprise and overcome most of the garrison, it was highly doubtful they'd be able to catch the leaders so easily. Such masters would likely disappear into the shadows at the first wiff of defeat and slink away to fight another day when the odds favored them. It seemed a no win situation to him.

[Mirgalen]

"Honour Among Thieves"

At the camp site on the way to the fortress Tenko shared part of his past with his friends.
At dawn, they all decided to continue despite the risk of falling into a trap.

The yakuza fortress was well guarded with high walls, traps and probably 50 men strong. Luckily the group walked out alive after agreeing to perform a task for the gang.

Later that day Tenko who got stuck behind a magical wall with Gojiro decided to use the time to meditate while the others proceeded to retrieve a brooch.

"Free your mind little fox" he told himself. Sometimes later he had an epiphany. To get out of his predicament he had to strike first. The yakuza gang that was hundreds if not thousands of members strong had to be dealt with one way or another.

He did not have much equipment. Some caltrops, some poison, some flash powder, a potion of disappearance, some healing potions and healing herbs, his weapons and ninja suit. He was hoping to grab more equipment inside the fortress.

All they had to do now is get in and launch a surprise attack.

[Topato]

Tianlong was glad that the group had made the right decision, to find a way to fight the obviously evil yakuza rather than to murder an apparently innocent woman. No w it was a matter of making the attack work without getting them all killed. But that was a detail.

[Shadani]

"I'm glad you've decided to walk away," Ning said to Tenko, once they were on their way. "These people were never worthy of your loyalty, or your friendship. They've shown that in a dozen different ways. You are under no obligation to earn their forgiveness."

She hesitated. Sighed.

"And yet, I wish there were some way we could resolve this that did not involve a bloodbath. Surely, not all of them are monsters. You found your way back to a gentler path, after all."

[Vanya Mia]

"There, all better now!" Moriko exclaimed pulling a very dirty bundle of brown fur from a hole in the ground, and Master gave a patient rumble. She brought it to her face, kissed it lightly. The fur glowed very vaguely and twitched a couple of times, upon which ears perked up and two tiny dark eyes fluttered open.

She wrinkled her own nose several times as what was now clearly a rabbit kitten and set the creature down with a group of five others and a larger doe near a large tree branch, which appeared to have fallen and collapsed the entrance to a burrow among its roots. Moriko and the doe wrinkled their noses a few times at one another in what for all the world looked like a conversational exchange bar the lack of sound, and then she waved as the family of rabbits hopped away. Master rumbled again.

"Yes but they will need to find somewhere else to sleep!" Rising to her feet she looked up at the large daimyo oak from whence the branch had fallen and shook an admonishing finger. "That was very naughty." The oaks leaves rustled despite their being very little breeze. "I know she eats your acorns but you have lots of them to spare." Moriko apparently continued to chide the tree. "If they all grew you would be complaining you have no room. You're just being silly so don't do it again!"

Master rumbled once more as they turned away. "It was, but we were supposed to go with them." The elderly panda rumbled on for a longer period of time as they wandered along beside the bank of a stream as it wove between the trunks of the grove of oaks, with Moriko looking down at him and seeming to listen intently. "But why shouldn't I show them?" She asked, frowning. Further patient rumbling ensued in a very matter of fact manner. "Yes but ...." Master interjected with very firm growls and Moriko's head lifted to look into the distance, her expression finally clearing into one of understanding.

"They learned and I learn! Yay!" She paused in her walking, giving her companion a querying look. "But the shadow inside will not go away." Gentler in pitch Master gave another series of growls and then shuffled his shoulders in an apparent shrug. "To not grow is still good. Soon some will begin to know!" There was a definite hint of sarcasm in the tone of the rumble she received as a result.

"Can't have all things!" Moriko responded, giggling and grinning, and looking around her pointed off towards the now setting sun. "Let's go find them!"

Panda and .... young woman moved off again at a firmer pace, him ambling and she skipping along, sometimes seeming as if she wasn't quite touching the ground.

[smartalec]

Wen takes a deep breath, contemplating his drawn sword... listening to these thoughts. Finally, he speaks. "People... take death lightly. They expect too much from life, and give not much thought to death. Those were the Wise Man of Water's words, and I understand them now. We will go to this fortress and we will try to explain the situation, what is right, what must be according to Heaven. And if they are wise, and know that to yield is the Way, then, there will be no battle."

He looks grim. "I pray that is what happens. But if they do not see wisely, if they insist on contention and push and pull the world to being as they wish it, then I think they will fight to kill us. And that is their error... to take death too lightly, and expect too much from life."

He nods, sheathing his sword. "Tenko, thank you. I do not know if you are a good man, but today, I think you act with wisdom. If you grieve for those who are to die, I'll grieve with you."