Session 3. (28/12/07)

Guest Director: Anthony Hummerston

We set the scene. It is the winter of the year of the serpent. Our heroes have encountered a number of Oni in the woods. The Oni are camped behind several curving cairns of stones. Our heroes are on the other side, on a wind-swept, and mostly snow-free rocky ledge. Several wolves lie dead, but our heroes are struggling. Myoshi has slipped to the ground, and Mineo in his haste, has dropped his sword.

The Oni are strapping various improvised bits or armour on. They send another wolf through a small gap in the piled-up stones. An Oni comes forward after it. Kokuma and the Oni square up. The Oni rises head and shoulders above the Ainu. He sweeps down with his tetsubo, but Kokuma evades it. But in dodging, has spoiled his own aim, and he misses back.

Snowy cairn.

A wolf attacks Kachamaru. As it closes in for a bite, Kachamaru wounds it with a deep slash to its back. The Oni manages a corrected blow on Kokuma, and scores a bruising hit to the big man's shoulder.

As the heroes stand their ground, a magical line of blue sparks stream from the hands of one of the Oni. This hits the ground in front of the piled stones, and spreads along the ground in front of them. The other Oni are gathering rocks and stones.

Myoshi manages to stand up. Katchemaru finishes off his wolf, adding more slippery blood to the already slippery rocks. The Oni swings at Kokuma, but in his eagerness, manages to catch himself with the big club. The Oni blinks all of his eyes in stunned amazement. As Mineo watches the spectacle, he overcompensates for using a wakizashi, and gashes himself in the leg. The Oni recovers and hits Kokuma again. The big man is feeling rather battered. Kokuma returns the compliment with interest. Now the Oni is looking battered too. The other Oni start hurling rocks. One catches Mineo a glancing blow.

A wolf leaps the cairn of stones, and starts gnashing at Kokuma's heels. Miyoshi goes to intervene, and slips and stuns himself again! Mineo takes on the wolf, and scores a good hit. Kachamaru slides over to Kokuma and casts ‘stage blood' to heal some of the damage. He is hit by a thrown rock for his trouble. Mineo has got a good grip of his small sword, and in a blinding sweep, neatly cuts the wolf in two. After a second, more gore spurts everywhere.

Kachamaru is bitten, and more rocks come raining in. One of the Oni manages to pick up a rock as big as an Ainu hut. He hefts it over his head. Our heroes look for somewhere to shelter. But the rock doesn't make it over the cairn. The Oni isn't as strong as he thinks he is. His arm gives way, and with a howl, he drops the rock. He hols again as the rock slams onto his foot! His arm hangs limply by his side. His fight is over.

Kachamaru dispels the illusion of a tree. "It is I, Kachamaru!"^[1] He then yells "Eyes!" and the others avert their gaze. A blinding flash lights up everything for hundreds of yards. Some of the Oni can't close enough eyes quickly enough and are blinded.

One of the blinded Oni throws his rock at Miyoshi, but the rock sails harmlessly over his head, and wedges in a tree. Miyoshi signals a tactical retreat from his prone position. The others back off dragging him unceremoniously across the rocks.

All of a sudden, there is a lull in the fighting. Our heroes slow their pace, but the ground erupts, and metal pillars rise into the air in front of them. For thirty feet along, and ten feet high, a wall of metal bars their way. Another hail of rocks come towards them, and starts crashing into the metal wall. By this time the wajin have drawn their bows and let fly with a volley of arrows. Miyoshi and Mineo score good hits. The Oni retreat out of bow range, and into the woods behind them.

Snowy Hokkaido woods. Top tip: Don't eat blue snow!

 "And don't come back until my bow grows a bit bigger!"

The heroes take stock. Kokuma is badly beaten, but upright. The others have a collection of cuts and bruises and wolf bites.

After some minutes, they advance cautiously to the cairn's edge. However, an invisible barrier stops them short. A bar spell has been cast. By the time they find the edge, and walk around the Oni have gone.

Kokuma searches the body of the killed Oni. He selects a few choice pieces of armour, and takes a few wolf pieces for fashioning into rugs and bags.

Slim pickings from this Oni, unless you'd like a tiger loincloth!

They decide to go back to the village, to rest up, and for Miyoshi to take some bed rest for his most serious wound. Mineo brews a salve for wounds, and they get a good night's rest.

In the following days, the Oni change tack, they bombard the village from afar with thrown pieces of tree, and rocks. Kokuma and the wajin start patrolling, and after two days have a grisly collection of Oni heads. They put them on poles alongside the skinned sea serpent. The Oni decide to try another plan, and by day three, the little mountain stream that runs through the village is a mere trickle. The team go out to investigate, and find the stream dammed further up the valley. They clear it with some hard work, and return to find the elder Ainu have returned. The village headman calls them together and demands "Why is the village under siege?"

Why is this village under snow?

They explain the Oni and the raids, and show him the serpent bones and the Oni heads. He calms down and praises them for saving the village. But they are not done yet!

On day four of the siege, they take more heads, but the Oni are getting wise to the extra villagers on patrol. Mineo is caught unawares in one skirmish, and his team suffer some injuries in order to down the Oni. A helpful villager gets the killing blow. Ever the honourable gentleman, Mineo tends to the wounded, and the villager is feted for his heroic kill.

The villagers hold council. There must be some reason for the attacks. The headman details the team to capture an Oni alive, and question it.

Miyoshi consults his strategy knowledge. He decides to follow tracks on a quiet front, and soon they are in sight of a lone Oni. The Oni has felled a tree, and is whittling the end to make a battering ram. The team sneak up on it, and despite several snapping twigs and strains of a brass band, take it by surprise. Kachamaru casts ‘lose the plot', confusing the monster, and the others close with blades still sheathed. Kachamaru casts stage sword, making a magical bokken. Between them they subdue the Oni. Mith a massive strike, Kokuma manages to beat the creature's brains into next week. Kokuma drags the unconscious monster into town, frightening most of the villagers.

Oni.

When the Oni regains consciousness, they start to ask questions.

Kachamaru casts 'Pinoccio effect' which indicates whether the Oni is telling the truth.

"Why are you attacking the village?"

"We are cold, tired and hungry!"

Kachamaru indicates that this is not the truth.

They crush a wolf's skull beneath Kokuma's tetsubo, indicating the Oni's fate if he persists in lying to them.

"Why are you attacking the village?"

"We are cold and starving!"

Again, this is not the truth.

The heroes go into a huddle. After some discussion, they start showing the Oni several sharp implements. The Oni doesn't crack. They show him a hot poker and an urn of wasabi sauce. He keeps silent. Then they show him a skin filled with ginger beer. He sings like a canary.

"Why are you attacking the village?"

"The voice in the rock told us."

There is a flurry of questions. The spell has ended, but with his acting skill, Kachamaru pretends that it is still running.

"Where is this rock?"

"In the wood."

"How far?"

"A day's walk!"

Which direction?"

"Toward the setting sun!"

They consult their shamen. He knows nothing. They confront the Oni, who starts to plead for his life. After some bartering, they agree. In return for his life, he will show them the rock that speaks. Our heroes promise to let him go, but just to ensure his compliance, show him the ginger beer again. Suitably cowed, the Oni sets off into the wood.

After a day's hard trek, they are high in the mountains. After some search they find a distinctive non-descript rock. The Oni indicates this is the one.

After some seconds a ghostly female voice asks "Is the village secured?"

The Oni answers back. "Not yet."

"Then destroy it! Destroy them all!"

The Oni mumbles a reply, and seeing the others fascinated by the talking rock, he slips away.

Our heroes look around the rock, looking for some evidence of the voice. None can be found. They crack open a wolf-bladder filled with ginger beer, and decide to ask some questions of their own...

[1] Pause for dramatic effect: Not a sausage!

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