Session 1. (14/12/07)

It is Spring of the Year of the Horse (1462). Five years have passed since the Ainu won their land rights after the Battle of Hakodate, but the agreement has not been honoured. Although the nearest wajin villages are friendly, the Kakizaki clan, now renamed Matsumae, have expanded their territory as far as Lake Onuma, and have raided several Ainu villages, in some cases forcing the Ainu out. The Matsumae now control Mount Yokotsu, the only source of iron ore available to the Ainu in this area. There is also pressure on the land as more and more Ainu are forced back to the villages around Mori.

The former wajin, now accepted into the Ainu clan, are living in the village of Shikabe (Yukput in Ainu), close to the border with the Matsumae. They each think back over the five years, during which time they have started to raise families with the Ainu and learn Ainu skills. Kachamaru (Anthony Hummerston) spent the first year dividing his time between studying kenjutsu, Kabuki and the local girls. He got very proficient at the first but was a complete novice at the others. Miyoshi (Jim Loder) was also chasing the skirt, but set his sights too high and was also unsuccessful. He studied senjojutsu to impress the leaders, sojutsu to impress the warriors and tattooing to impress the girls. Mineo (Denzil Brown) studied herbalism and woodworking, much more useful skills to the Ainu and won himself a bride, Manimahpo. Haku (Paul Burton) had already married Turesh, daughter of the shaman from Sawara village. Within weeks Turesh was pregnant. Haku studied Ainu magic while looking after his wife, and late in the year they had a daughter, Turesh o-Yumi.

The next year, Katchamaru put on plenty of kabuki performances for the Ainu and managed to snare a wife, Tahkonanna. Miyoshi changed his heart's desire to Acahcipo and swept her off her feet! He continued studying sojutsu and tattooing, and started to learn Control Wolf. Mineo studied Woodworking and Kyujutsu, and his wife fell pregnant. During the winter they had a boy, but Manimahpo almost died. Haku's wife got pregnant and had another girl (Otopush Narumi). Haku learned a number of spells while looking after his wife and their first child.

The year after, Katchamaru and his new bride tried for a child but were unsuccessful. Katchamaru spent his free time learning kabuki and monomane spells. Miyoshi fared better and his wife was soon expecting. Miyoshi continued with sojutsu, tattooing and Control Wolf until they had a son in the winter. Mineo spent much of the year nursing his wife back to health, but managed to improve kyujutsu, woodworking and bajutsu. Haku studied tantojutsu all year, but had no more children.

In the fourth year, Katchamaru finally managed to succeed in his domestic duties and had a baby girl, after a year of learning more spells. Miyoshi also had a baby girl and continued the same studies. Mineo's wife was back to strength and produced yet another girl, while Mineo studied herbalism for the general health of the tribe. And Haku chipped in with the fourth new girl (his third), though his wife nearly died at the birth. They named her Simah Kinue. Haku looked after his wife and daughters, learned a spell and studied Ainu Magic and tantojutsu.

Yoshi's reminiscences will follow later.

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