Session 23. (02/01/02)

Another episode of random encounters and bumbling. Emiko spends the first portion of the episode in a coma following her poisoning. Mariko uses a Lance from the Chess Set of Shizari to cure the poison and a King to restore one point of health, but it would be several days before Emiko was able to function. Sugiyama prepares for more encounters with the local wildlife by making a poison antidote. Leaving Emiko at their concealed camp, the other troubleshooters move to a spur overlooking Hinokage to watch for troop movements. As they watch, Kimori hears a rustling noise from the forest and a giant lizard lumbers into view. It attacks Kimori but only manages to bite itself. Kimori misses it, but Sugiyama, Mariko and Komako all hit it. It makes to bite again and misses, but Komako is caught by its thrashing tail. Then Mariko's stab and Komako's punch finish it, and it becomes lunch. The same evening, having returned to camp, the troubleshooters are discovered by a family of wild (and angry) boar. The boar attack and one of the adults slashes Mariko with its tusks, one of the young slashes Komako and another of the young starts savaging Emiko as she lies helpless. Kimori, Sugiyama and Mariko fight back but Komako, attempting to kick a piglet, dislocates his leg and falls to the ground. Thereafter things get frantic. Kimori is slashed, Mariko is slashed again, and Komako is savaged. Kimori kills one of the adults, but it continues to fight until Kimori knocks it down. Mariko kills another of the adults and this one also continues to fight, though ineffectively. Sugiyama kills the last adult and it stays dead, so he switches to the piglet that is slashing at him and kills it with one blow. Komako fights from the ground against another piglet and knocks it out cold. Finally, Sugiyama turns to defend Emiko and kills the piglet that was worrying her with one blow.

After a lot of healing (including Komako's leg) and a good night's sleep, the party is in much better spirits. Mariko decides they should have a quiet day watching the town. Nothing much happens. There is considerable troop activity in the town, but the local populace act as if unaware there is a war on. Mariko makes a professional estimate of the military strength of the town and decides that it could hold up to about 800 troops and that perhaps half that number are currently present.

The next day Mariko decides to remain watching the town, despite Komako's suggestion that someone should sneak into town to see what is happening. Emiko goes looking for herbs, accompanied by Kimori, but neither they nor the town watchers see anything interesting. In the afternoon a detachment of about 600 troops march out of the town heading up the valley. Mariko immediately sends Komako, Sugiyama and Emiko to warn the fort (Komako and Emiko bolstered by the magic of the Knights from the Chess Set of Shizari, while Sugiyama uses his Forced March skill). Mariko and Kimori shadow the troops as they go up the valley until they camp for the night in the village of Kumino. Mariko and Kimori then head up to the fort to report. At the fort Wakebe Koreyasu is in charge. He recalls the troops from the ambush and waits for the Hyugans to arrive. This they do in the middle of the next morning. Seeing the fort, they attack though heavily outnumbered. In the first hour of fighting, Koreyasu's 3,000 men are reduced by 100 but kill half of the 600 Hyugans. Mariko, Kimori, Komako and Sugiyama all contribute five or six heads each; Emiko plays a supporting role healing the injured. Sugiyama also encounters a level 4 opponent, but after his opponent stumbles he makes short work of him, taking only one injury, though a severe one. In the next hour the Hyugans perform better but still lose 200 men against Koreyasu's loss of 100. This time Kimori weighs in with seven heads; Komako four and the others only one or two, and Sugiyama receives a wound. With the Hyugans seemingly on the brink of defeat, outnumbered 28 to one, their leader tries a ploy which succeeds in minimising their losses while Koreyasu loses another 100. The troubleshooters manage to whittle down the opponents numbers, but only by a few. However, this only delayed the inevitable, and the Hyugans are wiped out in the fourth hour, with the troubleshooters again contributing moderate numbers of heads.

As the dust settles and the heads are counted, Komako turns out to have taken the most; Sugiyama again just outscores Kimori and makes a profit on their usual bet. Sugiyama also receives recognition from Koreyasu with a handsome bonus payment (promised on return to Matsuyama), and Emiko also receives a small bonus.

The following day Koreyasu starts marching his troops down to Hinokage, deciding that it is an even better place to hold up any advancing Hyugan armies. He sends the troubleshooters ahead to check out the town. They arrive at dusk, and, leaving Kimori at their campsite outside the town to look after their horses and armour, Mariko, Sugiyama, Komako and Emiko enter the town dressed as peasants or priests. There is not much to report. The troops are not expecting any trouble and the townsfolk seem indifferent to the political situation. In the morning, having reported back to Koreyasu, the troubleshooters slip past Hinokage and scout out the road to Nobeoka.

Next week: Male, bushi, 40-ish, big chopper, seeks landowner's daughter for companionship/marriage.

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