[Closed] 5: Midway Quiet Village

[Starbeard]

Aiko and/or Kunpu may have some retroactive bits to play out from the previous evening that affect the game going forward, but I still want to move everything else along. Since I also don’t want to get confused by mixing up timelines, I’ll just start a new thread here.


Midway Quiet Village, Beiden Pass [map]
Mid Morning (Hour of the Dragon)
"Luck Day" in High Week, 5th of Long Month [calendar]
Weather is snowy and mildly wet, threatening downpour

You descend Beiden Hill and leave the manor, where Kunpu is out on the Road waiting patiently. Together you walk toward the idyllic country village that sits off in the distance. The sky is grey and the air is wet. Occasionally you dampen yourselves walking through pockets of soft mist that float gently to the ground.

It doesn’t take very long to reach Midway Quiet Village. Turning off the raised highway down a wide dirt path powdered with snow, you can see a modest wooden bridge in the distance, leading across Middle River to the cozy village beyond. Thin, fragile sheets of ice run along the reedy banks, but the river is just wide enough to avoid freezing over entirely.

On your side of the river, walking ahead of you toward the bridge, is a frail old man, stooping low under the weight of his merchant’s rucksack. He teeters and falls off the path into a drain ditch, where a flock of winter birds are scrounging for breakfast.


(Here is your view and basic understanding of Midway Quiet Village, still a hundred yards ahead of you across the river):

(Link to full size image)





登場人物

• Kenta, monk: TN10, Init +2, naginata 7k4 (DR 6k3) | Hnr 2;7, Wnds (6) 0;0 | Void Pts 2/2
• Kunpu, (Scorpion) ronin: no armor (TN10), Init +2, katana 4k3 (DR 5k2) | Hnr 1;5, Wnds (4) 0;0 | Void Pts 2/2
• Matsumoto Senichi, Unicorn shugenja: TN10, Init +2, wakizashi 4k3 (DR 4k2) | Hnr 3;2, Wnds (4) 0;0 | Void Pts 2/2 | Spells: F3 - A2 - W3 - E2
  • Saburo (peasant retainer): 3E/3W/1F/1A/1V | TN5, Init +1, DR 1k1 | Hn 2;7 - Gl 0;0 - Wnds (6) 0;0 | Void Pts 1/1
• Mirumoto Aiko, Dragon bushi: no armor (TN20/5), Init +3, daisho 5k4/6k3 (DR 4k2) | Hnr 3;5, Wnds (4) 0;0 | Void Pts 2/2 (crippled left arm)
• Yoshida Osaru, ronin: no armor (TN15), Init +3, katana 6k3/6k3 (DR 5k2) | Hnr 2;7 Wnds (4) 0;0 | Void Pts 2/2

[Captain Kinkajou]

Aiko

Seeing the old man fall, Aiko looks concerned and immediately hurries forward to assist him back onto the road.

"Are you alright?" she asks him.

I'm thinking it's probably not a samurai's place to do this, but Aiko has a compassionate spirit and would do so anyway. She doesn't care too much about what others think and believes that none of her current travelling companions would mind anyway.

[Leitz]

Clothing already stained by weather and mildly tattered near the edges, Kunpu had nothing to prevent him from going to the to assist him. He was surprised by Aiko-sama's actions, but smiled.

"Here, let me take the load, so that it is easier for the two of you to get back up to the road," Kunpu said. He shouldered the older man's load, and then looked at the slippery ditch side. "Aiko-sama, it will be a difficult climb if you are going to help him."

Kunpu planted one foot solidly in the bottom ditch, and slammed his foot waist high and hard against the side of the ditch. "Use my foot as a step."

[Rex]

Kenta

Kenta follows along and offers to help if any is needed after Aiko and Kunpa's assistance. "Nasty day today, where are you headed in this weather?"

[GreyWolfVT]

guess i am confused on where Osaru is here? I didn't see anything mentioning him so I hadn't posted...as I was not sure

[Leitz]

guess i am confused on where Osaru is here? I didn't see anything mentioning him so I hadn't posted...as I was not sure

My assumption was "the group" and "Kunpu", which are now in the same place.

[Starbeard]

Yes, everyone is together.

[GreyWolfVT]

Osaru remains silent but alert looking around for any signs of any trouble.

[Starbeard]

Beiden Pass, just beyond Midway Quiet Village [map]
Mid Morning (Hour of the Dragon)
"Luck Day" in High Week, 5th of Long Month [calendar]
Weather is snowy and mildly wet, threatening downpour

The party quickly approaches the old man with the intent of being helpful. The white, blue-crowned winter cranes flap and scatter as you scramble down the little ditch, helping him to his feet and back to the path.

"Thankyou, young ones, most kindly for helping an old husk like me," he says, in an antiquated speech that is polite but lacks the proper honorifics of address toward nobles. He might be forgiven the faux pas, though, since he looks almost blind as a bat. He seems unusually jovial, despite shaking violently with slow age and suffering a phlegmy cough, and amuses himself with light conversation as you get him settled.

"Old Rangaku is but just a peddler, ever spritely to do his work with a happy step, as they say!"
"It is a fine morning, is it not?"
"Careful, young ones, with the leg. Easy on now. But hold a moment, who will fetch my walking stick?"
"Perhaps a thing or two you will buy from old Rangaku when we reach the village, yes! Y… — say again, which village is this?"

Back on the path, the peddler pats his chest and takes a moment to "look" around with deep breaths, as though taking in the scenery for the first time. Then, just as slowly as he has done everything else, he feels his way back down to the ground, painstakingly removing a ratty rolled mat from the outside of his rucksack. "Here, let you a favor from old Rangaku, for your troubles. Come come, sit and sit. One of you please, in the bag, withdraw my tea box."

It is pretty clear that he is offering to perform a tea ceremony for you, which at his speed threatens to take at least an hour or even more. It is still quite cold out, and the clouds dropping light snow from above are darkening a little.

Actions?



登場人物

• Kenta, monk: TN10, Init +2, naginata 7k4 (DR 6k3) | Hnr 2;7, Wnds (6) 0;0 | Void Pts 2/2
• Kunpu, (Scorpion) ronin: no armor (TN10), Init +2, katana 4k3 (DR 5k2) | Hnr 1;5, Wnds (4) 0;0 | Void Pts 2/2
• Matsumoto Senichi, Unicorn shugenja: TN10, Init +2, wakizashi 4k3 (DR 4k2) | Hnr 3;2, Wnds (4) 0;0 | Void Pts 2/2 | Spells: F3 - A2 - W3 - E2
  • Saburo (peasant retainer): 3E/3W/1F/1A/1V | TN5, Init +1, DR 1k1 | Hn 2;7 - Gl 0;0 - Wnds (6) 0;0 | Void Pts 1/1
• Mirumoto Aiko, Dragon bushi: no armor (TN20/5), Init +3, daisho 5k4/6k3 (DR 4k2) | Hnr 3;5, Wnds (4) 0;0 | Void Pts 2/2 (crippled left arm)
• Yoshida Osaru, ronin: no armor (TN15), Init +3, katana 6k3/6k3 (DR 5k2) | Hnr 2;7 Wnds (4) 0;0 | Void Pts 2/2

[GreyWolfVT]

Osaru fetches the walking stick and box with tea. "Here you are oh wise one."

[Rex]

Kenta

Kenta takes a look around to make sure all is clear then sits down to enjoy his tea, sitting just off the mat so he leaves space for others. "Why thank you Rangaku. I am Kenta, a humble monk."

[ffilz]

Senichi will also look around warily and then join the tea ceremony.

[Captain Kinkajou]

Aiko

Recalling the exquisite precision of the tea ceremony performed by Lady Hama, Aiko sits and interestedly watches the old man prepare.

@Starbeard I'm assuming your response in the other thread about it not being a problem for Aiko to go with Kunpu meant the two could be back in time to be here as well. Let me know if that's not the case.

[Leitz]

Grinning, Kunpu places himself on Aiko-sama's left side, and respectful distance back. "What brings you to Beiden Pass, sir?"

[Starbeard]

Outside Midway Quiet Village, Beiden Pass [map]
Late Morning (Hour of the Serpent)
"Luck Day" in High Week, 5th of Long Month [calendar]
Weather is snowy and mildly wet, threatening downpour

The old man Rangaku takes a long, long moment to bow with reverence to Kenta when the monk addresses him. He takes his large hand in his own and whispers a prayer to himself.

“Oh, Rangaku comes and goes, up the mountain, down the mountain, selling his wares. But remembering the old days, mostly,” he says to Kunpu, giving a bittersweet smile in his general direction.

Osaru fetches the walking stick, then kneels at the overstuffed rucksack. Random odds and ends spill out as soon as he loosens the cord, and digging through the rest of the merchandise — it seems he has one piece of just about everything crammed in there, none of it in great condition — he finds the chipped wooden box with “tea” marked on the lid. Lifting it out, he notices a wakizashi short sword, the physical symbol of the samurai caste, barely peeking out from the junk way down at the bottom of the bag. The handle is wrapped in white and cloth, and the guard piece is a pale blue and depicts a long necked bird in flight.

Senichi warily takes in the surroundings, but sees nothing out of the ordinary. Just the blue-crested winter cranes idling around, searching for food beneath the snow.

Once all are sitting off to the side of the path, Rangaku laboriously begins to unpack the box and prepare the ceremony. The tea set looks old, simple and very worn, but attention-grabbing in an understated way. Finally he begins, unable to keep his violently shaking hands from fumbling with the motions here and there, despite his obvious decades of practice; and while the general order of events and motions are familiar enough to you, there is something strangely archaic and alien about the way this old man conducts the ceremony, as if he had learned a style completely unfamiliar to you.

Already the better part of an hour has gone by, and the old man is still deep in the ceremony. Twice he has had to reset things after spilling the drinks. It is looking now like this will take another hour before it’s all over, and for the past half an hour there have been intermittent sprinklings of light rain. It looks like the rain may get worse too.

As you struggle to hold your attention and patience through this awkward “tea ceremony,” Kunpu, Senichi and young Saburo all notice something peculiar, and look at each other with mild confusion: the winter cranes are casually hunting for food nearby in all directions, quite close to the party. The wild birds barely moved when Rangaku fell down into the middle of their flock, only flapping about here and there when the party finally came barging down. Now, they seem completely uninterested and unfazed by the humans in their midst.

Rangaku rattles on, humming queer chants and preparing to finally serve the tea with shaking hands.

Actions?
(I’ve preemptively made Void rolls for everyone and you all passed, so you will successfully sit through the tea ceremony if you choose, however long it takes)

Rolls…

Perception checks:
Kenta: [_3d10] = (6+3+3)=12

Kunpu: [_3d10] = (2+10+9)=21
10's reroll: [1d10] = 2

Senichi: [_3d10] = (3+10+10)=23
10's reroll: [1d10] = 3
10's reroll: [1d10] = 3

Saburo: [_3d10] = (10+7+7)=24
10's reroll: [1d10] = 6

Aiko: [_2d10] = (8+5)=13

Osaru: [_2d10] = (3+10)=13
10's reroll: [1d10] = 7

Void rolls:
Kenta: [_2d10] = (7+4)=11

Kunpu: [_2d10] = (5+2)=7

Senichi: [_2d10] = (3+10)=13

Saburo: [1d10] = 3

Aiko: [_2d10] = (5+2)=7

Osaru: [_2d10] = (4+1)=5

登場人物

• Kenta, monk: TN10, Init +2, naginata 7k4 (DR 6k3) | Hnr 2;7, Wnds (6) 0;0 | Void Pts 2/2
• Kunpu, (Scorpion) ronin: no armor (TN10), Init +2, katana 4k3 (DR 5k2) | Hnr 1;5, Wnds (4) 0;0 | Void Pts 2/2
• Matsumoto Senichi, Unicorn shugenja: TN10, Init +2, wakizashi 4k3 (DR 4k2) | Hnr 3;2, Wnds (4) 0;0 | Void Pts 2/2 | Spells: F3 - A2 - W3 - E2
  • Saburo (peasant retainer): 3E/3W/1F/1A/1V | TN5, Init +1, DR 1k1 | Hn 2;7 - Gl 0;0 - Wnds (6) 0;0 | Void Pts 1/1
• Mirumoto Aiko, Dragon bushi: no armor (TN20/5), Init +3, daisho 7k4/6k4 (DR 4k2) | Hnr 3;7, Wnds (4) 0;0 | Void Pts 2/2 (crippled left arm)
• Yoshida Osaru, ronin: no armor (TN15), Init +3, katana 6k3/6k3 (DR 5k2) | Hnr 2;7 Wnds (4) 0;0 | Void Pts 2/2

[Captain Kinkajou]

Aiko

Aiko watches Rangaku and enjoys the peace of the tea ceremony despite the old man's fumblings and curious ways. She takes the time to reflect inwardly and on the journey that has brought her here. There is much for her to think about.

Unperturbed by the intermittent rain, which to her, feels cool and cleansing, she tilts her face upwards, savouring its freshness, in her hair and on her brow and cheeks. It reminds her of how Kunpu spoke about standing in the chill flow of the stream at Beiden Manor.

Though her arm is still useless and there is a long way to go before she is fully healed, she senses that she is finally coming back to herself and can once again appreciate the simple wonders in life. She also recognises the subtle part Kunpu has played in helping her find her way back to that again. She glances across at him thoughtfully. Since Koga left, Kunpu has been there and in a way her brother never was.

All about them the nearby crane, the eblem of her mother's family, add to her sense that this is a precious moment to be made the most of. Even in the old man's shaking hands and drawn out serving, Aiko discerns hidden meaning as though the ceremony is a message for her alone. She sees Rangaku as a kindred soul, whose body, like her's, no longer performs as it once did. And yet, he still strives to reproduce and even surpass what had been easy once. This was most worthy and comendable undertaking, an example to be respected and emulated. It gave her renewed understanding and strength of purpose.

[ffilz]

Senichi will continue to relax and appreciate the tea ceremony.

[Rex]

Kenta

Kenta also simply enjoys the ceremony.

[GreyWolfVT]

Osaru after helping retrieve the items also quietly enjoys the ceremony

[Starbeard]

Midway Quiet Village, Beiden Pass [map]
Late Morning (Hour of the Serpent)
"Luck Day" in High Week, 5th of Long Month [calendar]
Weather is cold and rainy, with snow

It does indeed take at least another hour before the ceremony is complete, and you spend most of it drenched. The moderate rain mixes with the ground snow to turn the path into a murky sludge. The large birds do not seem bothered, and redouble their efforts to hunt for grubs in the slush. The wet chill has been rattling your bones, and the cold tea diluted in rainwater certainly didn't help.

Finally, the old man Rangaku performs the ending formalities and thanks each of you in turn for your participation, guided by your voices. He stops at young Aiko and smiles warmly. "Yes, a good child you are, Rangaku can see. My Lady was quite correct choosing you." Once again he treats the monk Kenta (and this time the priest Senichi as well) with an unusual amount of deference, addressing them with honorifics above anyone else in the party and clearly beyond their mortal station.

Packing away his tea set, Rangaku "offers" to walk with you into the village. He regales you with a tragic story about old times, when a young dragon god wooed a maiden and eloped with her up to the top of the world. There he was forced to battle and slay her father, who detested the coupling, and the maiden's tears filled a vale and became the Lake of Sorrows, and she became its goddess. Rangaku speaks in great detail about how beautiful the mountain valley looked when the dragon god and river goddess ruled over everything in sight.

Through his story, you get the impression that the "top of the world" is obviously this mountain range, but Rangaku himself doesn't seem to have pieced that together. If asked for clarification on the matter he just seems to confuse himself. "…But all things pass along the Great Wheel, and even spirits—," he adds at the end, but his words are cut off. You spin around, only now realizing that Rangaku had fallen a few steps behind you; and see no one and nothing, except the flock of blue-crested winter cranes grazing in the snow.

You all have a sniffle from the rain, and unless you can find some other cure, you will not regain Void points until you can do 2 out of these activities: spend a full day by a fire; spend another full day by a fire; pass a medicine check vs TN 15; pass a meditation check vs TN 20.

However, you also feel strangely rejuvenated and focused by the odd tea ceremony, and each gain 2 free Void points that will always stay with you until you spend them.



You cross the modest bridge and enter Midway Quiet Village, the rain still trickling down steadily. Immediately ahead, past a small row of peasant houses and fields, is the village square and the walled estate of the Village Elder. To the right of you, a watermill churns the icy water of Middle River, and behind that the smoke wisps of the hinin tanneries rise in the distance.

You know that a Fox Clan shugenja named Arai Toshimoto tends the shrine here, and the Fox shugenja who adventured with you at Soft Wind Village, Kitsune Shōe, is staying here to see him.

The Village Elder would likely be an aged peasant with strong family ties to this village and others. There would be no vassal samurai governors or reeves, since the village is under the control of the Monastery, not Lord Nasu.

Where would you go, who would you see, and what would you do?
(It might be good to review here what you are hoping to find or investigate in the village.)

(Link to full size image)


登場人物

• Kenta, monk: TN10, Init +2, naginata 7k4 (DR 6k3) | Hnr 2;7, Wnds (6) 0;0 | Void Pts 4/2 (sniffles)
• Kunpu, (Scorpion) ronin: no armor (TN10), Init +2, katana 4k3 (DR 5k2) | Hnr 1;5, Wnds (4) 0;0 | Void Pts 4/2 (sniffles)
• Matsumoto Senichi, Unicorn shugenja: TN10, Init +2, wakizashi 4k3 (DR 4k2) | Hnr 3;2, Wnds (4) 0;0 | Void Pts 4/2 | Spells: F3 - A2 - W3 - E2 (sniffles)
  • Saburo (peasant retainer): 3E/3W/1F/1A/1V | TN5, Init +1, DR 1k1 | Hn 2;7 - Gl 0;0 - Wnds (6) 0;0 | Void Pts 3/1
  (sniffles)
• Mirumoto Aiko, Dragon bushi: no armor (TN20/5), Init +3, daisho 7k4/6k3 (DR 4k2) | Hnr 3;7, Wnds (4) 0;0 | Void Pts 4/2 (crippled left arm) (sniffles)
• Yoshida Osaru, ronin: no armor (TN15), Init +3, katana 6k3/6k3 (DR 5k2) | Hnr 2;7 Wnds (4) 0;0 | Void Pts 4/2

(sniffles)