Session 11. (2/2/00)

The episode began with battle raging in and around Matsuyama Castle. Lord Chozo was leading 340 mainly Ashigaru troops to the Main Gate, 240 archers were attacking the Ichino-Mon Gate, Kimori and Koei were leading 100 troops to breakdown the Northern Inner Gate but were pinned down by arrows, and Mariko and Sugiyama were the sole survivors of a battle for the Inner Turret, but the only door was only 10 yards from the Donjon where 60 archers were waiting for them to appear...

Sugiyama solved two problems at once by jumping out of the window of the Inner Turret onto the steps down to the Ichino-Mon Gate and opened it to let the mass of troops inside. The 22 squads of Samurai started filing through the gates and up the steps to the Middle Ground. Behind them 17 squads of the Daimyo's forces from the Southern end of the castle had grouped and advanced across the Parade Ground where they engaged the 15 squads of Ozu Samurai. The Samurai reserve tried to come to their aid but were initially blocked by the tail of trooops entering the Ichino-Mon Gate. The battle for the north of the Parade Ground was a stand-off, both sides losing one squad. Meanwhile, Mariko decided to run through the inevitable hail of arrows and join the troops coming in through the gate. She used her FireFlash shuriken as she opened the door and blinded half of the archers in the Donjon, but she was still hit by seven arrows while escaping; which can seriously damage your health. On the north side of the Donjon Koei made her contribution by casting Fire Blast into the Daimyo's archers inside and knocking out one squad. The remaining three squads divided their attention between the seven in the Middle Ground (the three survivors having been joined by the last four squads to climb the Northern Inner Wall), killing two for the loss of one, and Kimori's three squads trying to break down the gate, killing two and preventing the gate from being forced. The only Samurai remaining in the outer grounds attacked the Nohara Turret, between the inner castle and the Main Gate, but lost one squad. Lord Chozo's Ashigaru moved up to the Main Gate to try to force it. The squad of guards from the Main Gate Guard Post left it (to avoid the arrows) and went down to hold the Main Gate shut.

Around the Donjon, the mass of the rebel army arrived, and three squads were wiped out , making the remaining troops inside retreat from the windows and firing slots. Some of the Daimyo's troops went to the inside of the Northern Inner Gate to help hold it closed against Kimori's attempts. Sugiyama went over the wall and round behind them to distract them. Koei also helped with a fire blast that again knocked out a squad and damaged the gate so that it was almost open. Her efforts to use her magic left her weakened, and she had to leave the battle and wait for dawn to restore her strength. Mariko led some of the troops up to the Southern Inner Gate, wary of archers but meeting no resistance. Out at the Nohara Turret, numbers told over cover and the Daimyo's two squads of guards were wiped out. On the Parade Ground the Ozu troops were joined by 150 of the reserve, but the battle remained deadlocked.

With Kimori and two squads trying to push the gate open, Sugiyama threw a signal flare into the defenders trying to hold it shut. In the resulting confusion, Kimori succeeded in opening the gate and Sugiyama found himself in the middle of a battle involving 31 swordsmen. Kimori polished four off, and his squads dealt with most of the others, but Sugiyama encountered the guard captain, a L5 Bushi. However, the skills he learned in his guise as a Bushi helped him overcome his foe, though with some damage taken. He used up all the charges of his healing amulet to cure his wounds and Kimori's attempts to bind them. At the other inner gate Mariko and her squads were having less success, managing only to weaken the gate and suffering some damage from rocks dropped from the passageway over the gate. Down at the Main Gate the defenders suddenly found 160 warriors behind them (they had come down from their win at the Nohara Turret, joined by the Elite reserve) and immediately surrendered. The gate was opened and Lord Chozo led the force of some 450 men up to the inner castle. On the Parade Ground the Daimyo's commander was performing well despite being outnumbered, and reduced the rebel army by four squads for the loss of only two.

Kimori and Sugiyama were the first to enter the Donjon, followed by 120 more Samurai. Inside the Donjon they found were met by 40 defenders who, despite much local knowledge, soon perished (Kimori taking two heads and Sugiyama three). Kimori had left three squads to hold the courtyard and open the gate for Mariko, but while they did this two squads of defenders emerged from the Small Donjon and opened fire. In the ensuing rain of sharpened wood both of the Daimyo's squads and all three of the rebel squads were wiped out. When Mariko led her dozen or so squads into the courtyard it was to the sound of silence. The only sounds of fighting were coming from the Parade Ground where fortunes swung back to the rebels, killing five of the remaining 13 squads for the loss of two.

On the Parade Ground Lord Chozo joined the battle with 19 more squads, increasing the odds to five to one. However the battle was once again deadlocked. Inside the Donjon Sugiyama sneaked down to the basement, met 30 guards and sneaked back much more quickly! Kimori sent six squads down to deal with them then led the troops up the stairs, with Sugiyama keeping to the shadows at the back of the column. As the last squad went up the stairs, a squad of guards, hidden behind a concealed door, ambushed the last squad, killing them. Sugiyama survived and took two heads, but was slightly injured. Outside in the courtyard, Mariko and her troops were clearing the courtyard buildings, but found only civilian staff.

Koei woke from her nap and greeted the dawn with the familiar ritual. Out on the Parade Ground three the resistance was crumbling, three squads of the Daimyo's men being killed and only two of Lord Chozo's. In the Donjon basement there was a stand-off, but upstairs the ambushed troops were joined by Mariko and her troops and together they eliminated the ambushers (Mariko and Sugiyama accounted for half of them!). Further up the Donjon, Kimori ran into two squads in the Guard Room, and lost three squads in killing them.

On the Parade Ground the last four squads of defenders surrendered to Lord Chozo and his 38 squads. In the Donjon basement the three guard squads managed to kill two of their six squads of attackers. Kimori led the rebel troops up to the top floor of the Donjon and there found the Daimyo, alone and with sword ready. However, he did not resist, and was taken into custody.

The final fight saw the basement guards brilliantly outmanouvre the rebel attackers and cut them down, then escape through the basement door, through the inner gate, out across the Middle Ground and down the steps through the Ichino-Mon Gate, only to run into the victorious Lord Chozo and 380 rebel troops! They promptly surrendered.

In the days following the glorious victory, Lord Chozo left Masaki village and moved into the castle. The rebel army had 790 men left, and assimilated the 110 men remaining from the deposed Daimyo's army. Mariko reported on the exploits of the leading figures in the battle, and Lord Chozo took her recommendations for battle honours - Mariko (8 heads, commanded the army) was promised a fine sword; Kimori (11 heads, commanded the assault on the Donjon) received a large pay bonus; Sugiyama, whose 13 heads and other exploits went largely unnoticed received a small pay bonus; and Koei, whose work was unseen and who missed out at the end after running out of magical power, got no recognition. However, Lord Chozo knew that not all their bravery was observed and said he would think about further recompense once he had got the province under control. And he went immediately to work, organising the affairs of the castle, Matsuyama and the rest of Iyo province, issuing proclamations, sending messages to the lords of the Iyo-Happan and working with his civilian advisers. The troubleshooters had little to do with all this and took the opportunity to train, but one day Lord Chozo called Mariko to his office and told her to go to see the Daimyo of the neighbouring province of Sanuka to get his support for Lord Chozo as new Daimyo in Iyo, and hopefully to negotiate an alliance. This would be the first step towards Lord Chozo's Grand Plan to unite the southern provinces of Nippon.

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