Session 49. (9/4/10)

It is Autumn in the Year of the Dragon (1472). The Tribe are still having to work extra hard, being newcomers to Taisei - fishing in the sea and river, hunting for game, felling trees and hauling lumber, constructing and repairing buildings, mining, carrying and smelting iron and so on.

Early the following spring, the village Headman, Kuteashguru, goes on a bender of several days. His alternating moods of food- and alcohol-fueled hilarity and rages at the servants who supply it to him, can be heard clear across the village, and they get worse as the days go on. Kuteashguru is joined by his wife, who treats the villagers as if she were queen, and his two grown-up sons, who are boisterous and occasionally and unpredictably aggressive.

Before a week is out, Kuteashguru and his family have eaten or spoiled half the village's entire food supplies and almost all the alcohol.

Even Koshamain's patience has worn out, and he tells Miyoshi to do something about it. Miyoshi reports to the others.

"I'm sure he said, 'Kill them'," says Miyoshi, eagerly.

Yoshi voices an objection. "Shouldn't we find out the opinion of the villagers? Although we can't just ask them and draw attention to ourselves."

"I'll ask them," says Haku, "I can be diplomatic." Kachamaru nods.

"Too risky," says Miyoshi, "but maybe we can talk everyone into going on strike."

Kokuma is uneasy about any talk of harming fellow Ainu. "We should ask Koshamain exactly what he meant." He is unable to get any agreement on this, so he goes on his own to see Koshamain.

Mineo is also against killing. "We should banish the Headman and his family to a remote island."

Kokuma talks to Koshamain to clarify how they should deal with the Headman, but Koshamain refuses to be drawn. He only says that whatever they do, they mustn't alienate the Taisei villagers. Kokuma notes, however, that Koshamain doesn't say that they aren't to kill the Headman - knowing Koshamain, this is a telling omission.

The others make various attempts to sound out the villagers, with mixed success. Kachamaru talks to his assistants at the forge. "Have you noticed the changes in the Headman?" he asks.

"Oh, he sometimes does this. We just keep our heads down and get on with our work."

"How about if Miyoshi were to take charge?"

"That backslider? I can't think of anything worse!"

Kachamaru decides to experiment with the villager's views and uses his Epic Saga spell to tell the story of six young Wajin lads setting out to kill Ainu and eventually becoming Ainu themselves. The smithy workers concede that they can see the good points to the idea. They agree to go away and think about it. It is clear that they are nervous about any change, though.

Miyoshi grasps his opportunity while out on a squid boat late at night. He propositions the sailors. "Isn't it terrible, the Headman drinking while we're working?"

The sailors' replies are less than enthusiastic. "It's always the way," "That's how things are," "What else can we do?" "Better him than one of us trying to run the village."

"But you could have a new leader, someone who can run the village," prompts Miyoshi.

"I don't know who you'd get that we'd all listen to, or could deal with the Wajin."

Miyoshi fails to convince them. It seems he is not as good at handling seamen as he thought.

Haku talks to a villager who comes to him for a healing spell. "Is the Headman's behaviour getting worse?" he asks.

"No, he's always been like this."

"I though they had mended their ways since the contre-temps last year." Before the villager can reply, Haku goes on, "Have you ever thought of teaming up against him? He can't stand against the whole village."

"No, we haven't thought of teaming up." The man looks interested in this idea.

Haku continues, "When is the next harvest, now that they've eaten most of the food? Winter barley isn't it? What do you do when this happens?"

"We just have to do more hunting and fishing."

Haku gets on his soapbox, "People will go hungry - it needs putting to a stop. If we stand up to them, they will have to stop, and if they are afraid, well, there are people here who will protect them," he adds virtuously. The man nods enthusiastically.

Elsewhere in the village, Mineo is using his carpentry skills to do some repairs to a house. He chats with the housewife. "When we lived under Koshamain things were so much better," he starts, and waxes lyrical for many minutes. Unfortunately he can tell that the housewife is not at all keen on the idea of regime change. He changes tack. "Who is there that might jump to support the Headman?"

"Well, there's the warriors, about ten of them, that definitely would. Then there's the hunters. I'm not sure what they'd do."

The next morning, Miyoshi calls the heroes together to discuss the situation. Koshamain has refused to countenance killing Ainu warriors and hunters in large numbers, so Miyoshi decides that they need to get the hunters on his side. Haku is the best at convincing people: unfortunately, first he's got to convince them he can hunt. Kokuma and Haku join up with a hunting party that is leaving to hunt. The hunters make some caustic remarks to Haku, "You? You're not a hunter. You'll only get hurt. Stay at home with the women and children."

Kokuma tries to soothe things, "Come on lads, he's got to learn sometime."

Haku, however, has other plans. He casts Cloak of Shadows and disappears. "Would this be useful?" comes his disembodied voice.

"Where's your bow?" asks a hunter, unconvinced.

"In my fingers." And with that the party sets off.

Kokuma fails to locate tracks, but fortunately the dogs pick up a trail. They find giant rats. Kokuma's luck persists and he cracks his bow trying to shoot a rat. The invisible Haku casts Arrows of Soil and kills three rats. The Ainu hunters are mildly impressed. Haku engages them in conversation, "You're having to come hunting a lot more often now, aren't you?" Sensing that they are uneasy at talking to empty space, he dispels his Cloak and reappears. "How often do these benders happen?" Haku asks. "Has it ever caused any hunger in the village?"

"Once or twice a year. We just hunt more."

"It's a bigger village these days. Has anyone ever stood up to the Headman?"

"No. There's no telling what might happen."

"If the whole village stood up to them they'd have to take notice."

"Oh, that would never happen." The hunters seem to be getting annoyed.

"We could protect the villagers from any reprisals," offers Haku, but the hunters don't seem to believe him. With little more to say, the hunt resumes in silence. Kokuma saves face by finding and killing a stoat before the hunt ends and the party returns to Taisei.

That evening, the heroes gather in Yoshi's workshop to make plans while Yoshi repairs Kokuma's bow. The arguments go on late into the evening. But as the night drags on, a consensus eventually emerges: they will cut off the food supply to the Headman's house and force them out for a confrontation. Miyoshi is concerned about the village warriors and says that someone will have to keep a watch out for them and head them off if possible.

In the morning, Haku intercepts the servants taking food to the house, telling them to distribute it to the needy in the village instead. This requires quite some persuasion, but he manages. Half an hour later shouts come from the house, "Bring us food!" Miyoshi bangs on the door and demands that they come out. The others stand around, ready for anything. Kokuma stands back, keeping an eye out for the warriors, but determined that he won't take the first strike at any fellow Ainu.

The door opens and the Headman's family emerges: Kuteashguru, looking angry; Ipokash his wife looking annoyed; Yeiresp, their eldest son, looking irate; and Okikurmi, the younger son, looking apoplectic. Okikurmi is brandishing a knife and, having sought him out, heads straight for Mineo. He stabs Mineo for 1 damage. Mineo strikes at his arm with his jitte and bruises it for 6 damage. Okikurmi attacks again but misses. Mineo gives him something to think about by hitting him for 8 critical damage, dazing the Ainu. Some villagers appear and stop to watch the proceedings. Haku turns to address them, "This is how they live off your efforts" - a weak line, but delivered so convincingly that a warrior that was sneaking off to fetch the others stops in admiration.

Mineo presses his advantage and hits for 6 subdual damage. Okikurmi misses, then Mineo misses and Okikurmi gets a lucky hit to Mineo's eye, doing little actual damage but blinding him on one side. Now the Ainu seems to be winning. The crowd swells to about 10 people. Haku again addresses them, "This is an honourable challenge between two people." Two warriors stay to listen. Miyoshi calls out, "Get on with it!"

Mineo, hampered by his damaged eye, misses badly and Okikurmi hits him for 2 damage. Mineo lashes out blindly and catches Okikurmi for 7 more subdual damage. The Headman and his wife have seen enough and they advance on the fight. Yoshi and Miyoshi intercept them. Haku turns to the swelling crowd and says, "We are trying to free your village!" This enrages Kuteashguru and he punches Haku for 3 damage. Ipokash grabs Miyoshi and tries to throw him to the ground. Miyoshi resists and throws her roughly to the ground instead, inflicting 5 subdual damage. Yoshi punches Kuteashguru. Meanwhile, Mineo has managed another hit and has ended the original fight, leaving Okikurmi unconscious on the ground. Kachamaru heals Mineo. A warrior in the crowd slopes off into the village, Kokuma's eyes glued to him. Ipocash and Miyoshi continue to grapple with neither gaining an advantage. Kuteashguru tries to punch Haku again but misses and Yoshi punches him for 5 points. Haku hits him with two Arrows of Wood, but he shrugs them off with contemptuous ease.

Miyoshi grabs Ipokash's arms and immobilises her. Yoshi and Kuteashguru trade punches, then Yoshi hits him while he misses. Haku hits the Headman with two Arrows of Soil, doing 12 and 9 subdual damage and bashing him. Yeiresp disappears into the house. Kachamaru follows him.

Miyoshi ties up Ipokash, who curses him. Yoshi punches Kuteashguru for 6 more damage, but he is still looking very feisty, even after Haku hits him with another Arrow of Soil for 13 damage. Inside the house, Kachamaru is just getting used to the gloom when he sees Yeiresp coming at him with a spear. In the confined space he misses. Kachamaru draws his legendary sword. Yeiresp goes for a butt stroke but misses again.

With most of the villagers watching, Yoshi scores a critical hit on Kuteashguru, knocking him instantly unconscious. Inside the house, Kachamaru makes the most of the katana bias and gets a critical hit on Yeiresp for 30 damage, most of his hit points. He immediately gives up.

The heroes bask in the glory of their victory. Even Kokuma is happy to have his honour intact. They call on Koshamain to decide what to do with the Headman and his family. He talks to the remaining village elders. Haku makes a speech to the rest of the villagers. His ideas seem to go down well. The elders leave Koshamain's hut and return to their houses to consider his offer. The heroes celebrate a successful coup.

But in the morning, the elders return and tell Koshamain that they want the Head man to be restored. What is more, they want the tribe to leave. They will let them take their possessions and their boats, but they are not wanted in Taisei. Koshamain breaks the news to the heroes. "At first I suggested that Miyoshi would run the village. They didn't like the sound of that at all, so I said I would take over. They went to discuss it with their wives and think about it. They didn't go for it. So now we must leave."

The heroes spend the rest of the morning bickering and packing. Miyoshi wants to burn down the Headman's house, but the others dissuade him. And so, when all the packing is done and the morning tide has turned, the tribe heads out once again to a new land.

It is spring in the Year of the Serpent (1473). The tribe is sailing away from Taisei. Miyoshi is sailing one of the squid boats while the others try to catch fish over the side. Kokuma catches 5 fish and Haku uses Arrows of Water to blast another 9 out of the water. The others have no luck. In the afternoon they spot a small island, dominated by a volcano - quiet at the moment - flanked by thick jungle and bordered by cliffs. A strong breeze is blowing the boats towards the island. Koshamain, piloting the big boat, gestures to Miyoshi to go ahead and land. Miyoshi skilfully navigates the smaller boat around offshore reefs, while Koshamain holds his boat away from the island, and brings the small party of heroes to a wide, sandy beach. Just as the boat scrapes onto the sand, the passengers see more than a hundred island natives rushing down from the jungle and across the beach towards them. They look like demons!

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