Session 19. (30/11/05)

When Haku (Paul Burton) reappears from the shaman's hut he has a profound knowledge of Ainu shamanistic rituals and the shaman's daughter. Having learnt Ainu Magic to the professional (60%) level, he proceeded to learn the Ainu spells Omnipresent Staff, Smudge Fire, Forest Eyes, Cloak of Leaves, Arrows of Wood, Road of Wood, Tongue of Beasts, Form of Bird and Calling Beasts. In doing so he gained almost 30 shugendo - it's a shame it's On that is restricting the characters from gaining levels more quickly.

One day Kanemitsu comes into the village having been called to see Koshamain, the Ainu leader. He says that Koshamain has asked him to go to Togenoshita to parley with the Kakizaki, to see if the Ainu can avoid the impending battle. Kanemitsu is the only candidate for this mission, being a samurai himself and not (yet) branded a deserter. Miyoshi (Jim Loder) and Yoshi (Chris Dore) are against the idea, so the six samurai (dtd.)^* go to see Koshamain to ask if he is in his right mind. The debate flows back and forth until no-one is sure whether it is a good idea or not. Haku quotes from the classics tales to illustrate both the good and the bad of the issue, but no-one is any the wiser. Eventually the consensus is that it would be more honourable to offer a settlement before making a surprise attack, though Kanemitsu is primed not to mention the surprise attack, even as a threat, in the negotiations.

Thus a few days later Kanemitsu sets off for Togenoshita accompanied by Haku and carrying a document offering peace in return for land rights, written by Haku and signed by Koshamain. The others continue training and preparing for war. Katchamaru (Anthony Hummerston) makes a good quality tanto, which he intends to give to Haku on his return, and starts on a second tanto. Yoshi improves ni-to-kenjutsu to 90%, Mineo (Denzil Brown) plays herbalists and mystics with one of the Ainu women and Miyoshi improves kenjustu.

Reaching the edge of the forest near Togenoshita, after two nights' camped on the trail, Haku uses Form of Bird to transform himself into a pigeon and watches while Kanemitsu enters the village. Kanmitsu is taken to the headman's house. They talk for a while then Kanemitsu is shown to a guest room. Haku continues to watch, recasting the spell every few hours, but the day passes slowly and quietly. Nothing happens. When night falls, Haku flaps back into the forest, returns to human form and sleeps under a tree. The next day passes in similar fashion. Kanemitsu goes for a walk around the village in the afternoon, speaks to a few villages (who bow and scrape in the presence of the samurai, surprising Kanemitsu who had already got used to the egalitarian Ainu society), and wanders back to his room. Haku spends another night sleeping in the forest. On the third day, four samurai arrive on horses. They go to the headman's house where the headman sets up a table and calls for Kanemitsu. Haku takes on the form of a sparrow and hops into the eaves to eavesdrop on the meeting. The samurai quickly dismiss the document Kanemitsu has brought and start talking about Kanemitsu's demise. Then they get the idea that Kanemitsu might prefer to change sides again and go and spy on the Ainu and the deserters, and possibly assassinate them. Kanemitsu appears to go along with this and is soon sent on his way. Haku turns into a hawk and follows Kanemitsu for about an hour, looking to see if he is being followed but sees nothing.

Back in the Ainu village, Kanemitsu gives a full report to Koshamain and the other five heroes. He includes the samurai's demands that he change sides and assassinate the leaders, which reduces Haku's worries but increases everyone else's. Koshamain and Miyoshi agree it is time to send the army and so, a few days later, 2,500 Ainu warriors set off south for Hakodate. The six heroes and five Ainu travel about a mile ahead of the main army, scouting for problems and ambushes. Indeed, before they reach Togenoshita Haku spots a party of samurai. They seem to be a young Ainu hunting party. Two Ainu are sent back to warn the approaching army while the others stop to decide whether to attack or hide. The latter doesn't seem to be an option since there is no way 2,500 troops can just sneak past the party travelling along a narrow train in dense forest in a steeply-sided valley. Just then Kachamaru notices that one of the samurai has drawn his bow and is aiming it in his direction. Just as he shouts to warn the others the arrow flies and hits Miyoshi for seven damage. Haku replies with Arrows of Wood which slightly weaken the samurai. Miyoshi, stung into action, leads a charge at the samurai who have time for one more shot. Mineo is hit for seven damage and dazed and the samurai evidently have a Shugenja in their party for Haku is hit with Darts of soil, which knock him over. The samurai are in a loose group and scatter further when the ex-samurai arrive. Miyoshi lands an 11 point hit then his opponent replies with an 11 point hit, then Miyoshi hits for six points and seals the contest. Yoshi swings both swords and scores hits of seven, nine plus seven and eleven plus three to see off the L2 bushi without receiving a scratch. Mineo swings and misses then lands 10 and six point hits to finish another rookie samurai. Kachamaru is fighting a strong L1 samurai and lands blows of nine, 10 and 10 before his first miss, taking eight damage in the process. He is annoyed when Mineo happens on the fight and comes to help but Kachamaru gets another 10 point hit ahead of Mineo's first attack and collects all the budo and On. Kanemitsu takes out a rookie samurai in two rounds, though he sustains a 12 point critical hit. Haku, lying in the soil, casts mud over the samurai but they are too scattered and only a few are affected. Then he launches Arrows of Wood against the enemy Shugenja who collapses within eight action phases. The two Ainu who charged with the others have, by chance, ended in fights with the most senior samurai, a L3 and a L2, and things might have gone badly if the third Ainu, seeing them taking numerous blows from the enemy swords, uses the Control Wolf skill to call four wolves from the forest and send them slavering at the samurai. The samurai turn and run in the face of the wild beasts and for some time afterward the forest rings with the sound of gruesome carnage.

After the injured have been healed, Haku turns into a hawk and goes to look for the wolves' kills. He finds only one body, so he finds a wolf and uses Tongue of Beasts to inquire about more bodies. The wolf leads him to a second samurai body. Haku returns to the others with any useful armour and weapons then they count the bodies. There are eight accounted for; Haku and Kachamaru thought there were about ten in the party when they first saw them. From now on, the scouts are very wary of ambushes.

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