[002] Up the trail in search of the tiger

[ffilz]

OK, do you want to make an in character statement to the magistrate?

Ezo will be in the best position to address the magistrate. The magistrate is aware of the troubles at the shrine and after a short delay will give you audience.

[Starbeard]

Ezo does his best to dust off his suit and crease the edges, and when they are granted audience he prostrates crisply and pushes one of the demon's artifacts forward with both hands.* Remaining prostrate throughout, he gives his report:

"Honored Magistrate, I am Nagao Ezo, of Fujiwara lineage. My companions and I are but humble bushi and a priest, traveling through your good lands, when we chanced to overhear a rumor that strange events had just befallen the mountain shrine. Taking it upon ourselves to investigate, we discovered the priest torn apart, the place infested by obake, and a farmer's ghost haunting the prayer hall. We drove off the creatures and hunted the tiger oni who was to blame. I am glad to say that the ghost has been freed from this wheel of existence, for he led us to his wounded wife who is now safe and healing. I must congratulate you on the perseverance of your people, their moral strength in the face of adversity is a testament to your leadership."

*Did we ever decide who was taking which piece of equipment, armor, daito and shoto? Whichever was not taken is what Ezo will offer as a gift and proof.

[jemmus]

I think Ezo took the armor and Kiyoshi took the dai-sho. I think Kiyoshi can use the katana, but the wakizashi is too heavy for him.
Kiyoshi presents the tiger oni's head to the magistrate. What my companion says is true, magistate-san.

[Marullus]

Yep!

[ffilz]

Yes that’s correct.

[ffilz]

Oh, I almost forgot the Oni's coin purse...

4 gold, 8 silver, not a huge haul. Note that you could sell the Wakizashi for somewhat over 1400 silver, but you would have to travel to a larger town. Optionally you hold on to it and hold out for Strength potions or magic items so you can use it...

The Ninyo (magistrate) also suggests the next town up the road, Okuwa and see of any trouble is besetting them:

https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=12/3 ... &layers=CN

Iida is not too far away if you wanted to go to a larger town:

https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=11/3 ... &layers=CN

[jemmus]

Hearing the ninyo's suggestion, young Kiyoshi nods his suggested assent to his companions. He is always keen about finding trouble and opportunities test his skills and gain mastery of his arms. Not to mention also to establish a glorious reputation as a master swordsman.

Thanks for remembering the loot! And nice map.

[Marullus]

"The lotus flower drifts without root," Bankei replies. He then puts his shovel over his shoulder and takes up the donkey's rope. "...but accompanying you does mean my purpose as a gravedigger is continously fulfilled."

[jemmus]

Kiyoshi smiles. And, "A frog in a well thinks the whole outside world is a little circle of sky." We have plenty of time to put down roots, gakusho-san. It seems that the young ronin bushi prefers to address lower caste Bankei as "gakusho-san," rather than as plain "Bankei." For me, when I develop my kenjutsu ryu and its okuden. For you-- maybe when a pretty girl notices a wandering priest, and he notices her too? The young ronin smiles along with his good-natured teasing.

I borrowed okuden from the Bushido RPG rules. They're the special or "deep" techniques of a particular ryu of a martial art. Just for RP purposes, I don't know whether or not Cold Iron has such a thing.

[Starbeard]

Ezo slips his arms out of the wide sleeves of his outer robe and uses them as slings to rest his elbows, scratching at his belly with idle contentment as he looks down the river toward Okuwa.

"Or perhaps we find that roots are not necessary. Surely we all wish one day to reach Amida Buddha's Pure Land, and how could he pluck us from this mortal wheel if our roots are too deep, eh? See, gakusho-san, I didn't sleep through all of my schooling."

Ezo finds a tall blade of grass to chew on as they walk. Okuwa is not far, and traveling company is more pleasant at eye level than from atop a horse.

[Marullus]

Bankei smiles broadly and gives a deferential nod to Ezo's Wisdom, then a wink as he replies to Kiyoshi, "My dharma is unlikely to contain pretty girls, particularly after assuming the saffron robes."

[jemmus]

Young ronin Kiyoshi shows his wide innocent face and raises a curious eyebrow. Bankei-san, truly? You don't want beautiful girls, or fame? Riches, wealth, land. Why not? He hitches up his cotton obi belt, smooths his light cotton kimono (dyed in only indigo and white), and adjusts his katana into a more angular and easily-drawn position. The young ronin takes a young rooster stance, ready for anything. He peers around, left and right. And above. And glances to make sure his horse is secure.

He steps up and sagely quotes from the Chinese classics: "It is one thing to slay a tiger or an oni. But to win the heart of a woman and please her spirit is harder climbing a highest peak./["ialog] He spins around and says to Ezo and Bankei, Uncle and priest, is that true?

He kneels in meditation and pretends he never said that, and contemplates the razor edge of his new oni wakizashi. And secretly listens for any advice and wisdom.

[ffilz]

Also see the new thread

[Marullus]

Young ronin Kiyoshi shows his wide innocent face and raises a curious eyebrow. Bankei-san, truly? You don't want beautiful girls, or fame? Riches, wealth, land. Why not? He hitches up his cotton obi belt, smooths his light cotton kimono (dyed in only indigo and white), and adjusts his katana into a more angular and easily-drawn position. The young ronin takes a young rooster stance, ready for anything. He peers around, left and right. And above. And glances to make sure his horse is secure.

He steps up and sagely quotes from the Chinese classics: "It is one thing to slay a tiger or an oni. But to win the heart of a woman and please her spirit is harder climbing a highest peak. He spins around and says to Ezo and Bankei, Uncle and priest, is that true?

He kneels in meditation and pretends he never said that, and contemplates the razor edge of his new oni wakizashi. And secretly listens for any advice and wisdom.

Bankei chuckles at the spirited young Bushi, his broad smile showing several rotten teeth. "Proud Rooster!" he exclaims cheerfully, gesturing with each hand as he continues, the right first at eye level, the left second at waist level, "You and I, Bushi and Gravetender. You've studied well, celebate student, and wish to leave your stage of brahmacharya. Wealth, women, land, and fame, the duties of a married man, these are still ahead of you and fitting to the dharma of a proud Bushi." He bows, a salute to the ronin's future.

"This Gakusho has accepted sannyasin," he says, his gaze going to the dirt at his feet where an exposed toe and sandal tip drag lines on the ground, "one who hopes now only for redemption through wisdom to moksha. The pursuit of sex and money, kama and artha, were not in my purpose. Pursuing things not in ones dharma leads to ruin... if you rebel against an ascetic purpose, fate thrusts asceticism upon you. I was born to tend to the dead, and this is my purpose until I am released."

"Heehaw!" exclames Yagi as Bankei tugs his rope when Kiyoshi finishes contemplating his razor's edge. The donkey is pulled unwillingly from where it munches thistles at the roadside. "Less from you, goat. Your purpose is to carry my things, not to lounge and snack." Bankei walks away from the conversation as much as towards the town. "Your glory awaits, and our coin will make me warm and well-fed."

Yagi means goat. It is also slang for dingbat, meathead, cretin, numbskull. He travels with a donkey named goat, giving hints to its personality.

Originally Bankei was chosen as the translation of "Ten Thousand Blessings." Bankei is also translated as "Restoration." (I like leaning into that better.) Or, in longer form, "It means that after you fail, you succeed to clear up your failure." This is his Buddhist name, which a monk chooses for themselves in meditation for their new life as a monk, turning aside from their old life. Bankei was an Eta, an untouchable whose role was the handling and cremation of bodies. He remains crude and mannerless, having not had any cultured upbringing, but he expresses no remorse for who he was born as... it is unclear to others what his 'Restoration' is from. (i.e. room to evolve it in play.)

Life proceeds in four phases -

• the first phase of life is the Brahmacharya, or the celibate student. This is the phase of formal education, and it lasts until a man’s mid-twenties. During this period, the student is supposed to prepare for his future profession, family, and other social and religious obligations.
• The second phase of life is the Grihastha, or the married family man. This phase is when the man is supposed to get married and earn a living supporting his family. At this stage of life, Hinduism supports the pursuit of wealth (artha), and the indulgence in sexual pleasures (kama). However, many men have trouble moving on past the second phase as they do not want to change their lifestyle to one of asceticism.
• Vanaprastha is the third phase of life and is known as the retired life phase, or as the forest hermit phase.
• The fourth phase of life is Sannyasin. This phase is also known as the wandering ascetic or renouncer phase. This phase is traditionally seen as the last part of a man or woman’s life. A young person can choose to skip the householder and retirement stage to renounce straight away worldly and materialistic desires. That young person can then dedicate the rest of their lives to spiritual pursuits, particularly moksha.

[jemmus]

Kiyoshi
My kenjutsu sensei said, "A foolish man wants to defeat enemies to gain fame. And he wants to be famous to be admired people, so that he can have his pick of beautiful women. A wise man wants to defeat enemies merely to test himself against skilled enemies." I'll admit, I'm a foolish man.

Interesting explanation about the four stages of life. You might like Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda. One of my very favorite books. It's a lot more interesting than it sounds.

[Marullus]

Thanks! I appreciatethe book recommendation.

This exchange, and the reason for the explanation of stages of life, is that it added several layers of depth to Bankei. Why did he choose Redemption for his name? What must he atone for? Was he implying he strove for wealth and women above his station? Why was asceticism 'thrust upon him'?