Session 8. (24/2/12)

Soon after our heroes return from their battle with the rat-men, Hidasue is summoned to see the Oga town elders. He doesn't know why. When he returns he tells his charges that he has been ordered to stand in as judge at the Oga justice court for a week as the magistrate is unavailable. He asks them to accompany him to act as advisors and assist with courtroom security.

However, the first case involves a complaint from the stag party, and Hidasue was involved. Counsellors argue and eventually agree that Hidasue's hirelings may stand in for Hidasue, being drawn by lot for each case. Their involvement as peacekeepers on the night is not seen as likely to bias their judgements, but rather the reverse.

The first case is against Hakamoto the box seller. He is accompanied by his former teacher in the craft of making boxes. Sahpo draws the short straw and stands in the first case, kneeling on a cushion on a low dais. Hakamoto and the teacher prostrate themselves before Judge Sahpo as the prosecutor reads out the charges. The box seller is charged with scheming to arrange a duel with Hidasue as a pretext for causing him serious harm. The prosecutor fills in a few details about the circumstances. This is a pretty serious charge, given the difference in rank (Hidasue being a samurai), but complicated by the fact that Hidasue is an outsider and probably the lowest-ranking samurai in the province. Hakamoto's former master kneels up, but with head down and eyes firmly on the floor makes the case for the defence. He states that there was no intent to harm Hidasue, and that the circumstances of the duel were purely accidental. However, under questioning from Sahpo he has no explanation of the reason for the duel. Sahpo confers with the others. Ishan Ashte points out the difference in rank. Yoshi Yeesu suggests a motive of xenophobia. Sahpo makes his decision, picks up the ceremonial fan to show he is about to pass judgement, and intones the verdict: guilty. He pauses, then specifies the punishment: a fine of three months' wages, which the court quickly values at 27 silver pieces. Sahpo looks pleased with himself, and gains experience and honour (though not quite as much as he could have as the punishment was a little severe).

Lots are drawn for the second case and this time Ishan Ashte is in the hot cushion. Ishan Ashte looks pleased with his responsibility until he sees who the defendant is. If they had been wondering why the town magistrate was unavailable, now they know - he is the accused in this case. Honda Kamako comes in with his lawyer and kneels before Ishan Ashte. Ishan Ashte is glad that he is also kneeling, as his knees are so wobbly they wouldn't hold him. Even the prosecutor's voice is full of tremors as he reads out the charge, that Kamako is accused of public indecency - he stripped off in front of guests and staff at the inn during the stag night and doshin had to intervene. Yoshi Yeesu whispers to Ishan Ashte that this case must have been brought by the town elders, and therefore they must want a conviction - as if Ishan Ashte didn't have enough pressure already! Kamako's lawyer presents his defence: simply that he was drunk and intended no offence. Ishan Ashte considers... the elders want a conviction... but the crime is very minor... how well is Kamako liked?... oh, he's a magistrate, ahhhh... Ishan Ashte raises the fan, gives his guilty verdict and orders that the Kamako make a personal apology to all ranking families present at his vulgar display, pay a fine of one month's wages (3 gold pieces) and make a payment of 5 silver pieces to the barman. Ishan Ashte considered this a light punishment because he accepted the defence's arguments that no offence was intended; he gained experience and a moderate amount of honour (because the fine was actually a bit harsh given the crime and the rank of the miscreant).

Yoshi Yeesu gets that sinking feeling when his name is drawn for case number three. But he feels more confident when he sees that the defendant is Ribu the dentist, whom they tried to arrest for tax evasion and ended up confiscating belongings to pay for the tax. Now he is being brought to justice for the act of tax evasion, and for resisting arrest. Ribu is accompanied by his wife, a woman with a face that would scare an oni mask and a tongue that could remove its varnish from twenty paces. When the prosecutor has finished detailing the circumstances of the offences, Ribu's wife launches into an oath-laden diatribe against poor Yoshi Yeesu, the stand-in representative of the corrupt state, toadying officialdom and child of two people who were not only not introduced, but possibly were not entirely human. Somewhere in her tirade Yoshi Yeesu works out that the essence of the defence is that taxes are too high and the dentist has to work all hours, pull teeth and deal with bolshie customers just to pay the taxes. Yoshi Yeesu, pink to the tips of his ears, picks up the fan and interrupts the woman with a simple statement of "Guilty". Then he hands down a punishment of one week in the stocks followed by 20 lashes. However, he takes heed of the plea of hardship and decides not to impose a fine. He is tempted to put the wife in stocks next to her husband, but he decides that would be too hard on him.

Ribu's wife (or mask?)

Emishi, as the only deputy present not to have taken a case yet, is given case four. This case involves Oura Taneo, the foppish nephew of the governor of Dewa province, who is accused of damaging the property of his cousin, another of the Dewa governor's nephews. The property was a ceremonial war fan of great value. The doshin deputies had to break up the argument. Taneo is represented by a family lawyer who says that the fan was broken completely by accident, denies that Taneo was drunk and states that he has promised to pay for repair. Emishi wastes no time on the indolent young fool; he picks up the court's ceremonial fan and pronounces the man guilty as charged. However, in light of the promise to pay for repairs, Emishi merely fines him five silver pieces to cover court costs. Emishi shows everyone how justice should be meted out!

Case five involves three defendants: Izumi Hitomaru, Nawa Mochiyo, and Narita Hatatoko. They are charged with being drunk in a public place. Emishi fills in details of how they were stripping the groom in a side street and would have applied a wasabi paste somewhere other than his lips (as they eventually did) if Onuma hadn't been present. Their advocate, the owner of the docks where they work as general managers, offers no defence, cites their unblemished records and apologises to the court. Sahpo, who has been chosen by lot for this case, picks up the fan and gives the obligatory guilty verdict, fines them three days' wages and requires them to apologise to the groom's father.

The day's penultimate case is heard by Yoshi Yeesu and is another difficult one - Toyama Toshifusa, the father of the groom, is charged with soliciting Hana the dancing girl (for his son). Emishi reminds the court that he also hit the girl and knocked her out. Toshifusa is representing himself and makes only a token show of deference to the court. He begins his defence with an arrogant air, stating that soliciting is not an offence. The prosecutor replies that Hana is not a registered geisha, nor a "flower seller". Toshifusa insists that she is a prostitute (Yoshi Yeesu notes the false accusation). The prosecutor denies this and says that she is solely a dancer, and now her ability to entertain is damaged because of the injuries to her face. Toshifusa snarls contemptuously. "Pah! She was asking for it anyway," he sneers. Yoshi Yeesu has heard enough. He picks up the fan and announces that the defendant is guilty and must pay five silver pieces reparation to Hana and a further fine of five silver pieces to the court. Emishi and Ishan Ashte lead Toshifusa away to the treasurer to pay up, slightly surprised at Yoshi Yeesu's leniency.

For the final case of the day, Sahpo again draws the short straw - and just how short is soon revealed when Kuze, the yakuza boss, is led into the court! The charge - read out by a quaking prosecutor - is merely one of cheating at cards, but everyone present can sense that there is much that is not being said. Kuze's advocate, a large man who definitely doesn't look like his wit is higher than his strength, reads out a prepared statement that Kuze was tricked into making a false confession; the advocate has difficulty with some of the longer words. Sahpo asks Onuma for her version of events. He tries to use the Saga of Truth to help her remember every detail, but he loses track of the saga and Onuma has to rely on her conscious memory. She recounts her use of a spell to discover he was cheating. "And he's a member of the yakuza as well," she adds as a throw away comment. The court falls silent. No-one is breathing. Sensing something is needed to lift the mood, Sahpo says to the prosecutor, "Add that to the charge sheet." The tension doubles! But Sahpo can't backtrack now. He orders Yoshi Yeesu, Ishan Ashte and Emishi to remove the defendant's clothes to see if he has any tattoos. Kuze and his "lawyer" stand up. The lawyer calls out something, but the half-Wajin can't make out what - maybe some sort of code? Suddenly a horde of armed men charge in through the door and leap in through windows. Sahpo is relieved - this is much simpler!

Kuze's lawyer passes a short sword to his boss and steps towards Sahpo, fists raised. He swings, but Sahpo ducks. Kuze strikes out at Emishi and gets a critical hit for 12 damage. Emishi is smarting! He draws his own sword and hits Kuze for 8 damage. Ishan Ashte goes to defend Sahpo as the other members of the court dash for safety, and hits the brute for 10 damage. Another yakuza hits Ishan Ashte from the side for 3 damage. Yoshi Yeesu squares off with another yakuza and hits for 10 damage; the yakuza responds with a hit for 1 damage. Yoshi Yeesu likes these ratios! The yakuza vie for space to hit their boss's accusers; two manage to get swings at Emishi and Sahpo, but both miss. The yakuza boss gets another hit on Emishi, this time for 7 points, causing Emishi to miss. Ishan Ashte slashes the lawyer for 9 points and Sahpo hits him with two Arrows of Wood. Although he shrugs them off quickly, he is left weakened. Yoshi Yeesu gets a hit for 13 damage.

Emishi hits Kuze for 9 damage and follows up with 12 damage. Kuze is not done for, however, and hits Emishi for 4 damage. Ishan Ashte finishes off the "lawyer" but drops a sword in the process. He picks it up, managing to avoid the thrusts of another yakuza. Yoshi Yeesu dodges his opponent's swing and lands his own, killing the yakuza. Two more intercept him. Sahpo is hit for 5 damage by a bo-wielding yakuza. He replies with two Arrows of Wood that weaken the yakuza so much he drops the bo. More yakuza join the fray, but these are the last.

Emishi gets a first strike on Kuze and he goes down, dead. Exuberant, Emishi swings at a hapless rabble yakuza and fells him with one blow. Ishan Ashte makes two-sword attacks against his second foe, and although only one sword scores each time, it is enough to kill the gangster. Yoshi Yeesu gets two hits against the last ranking yakuza and kills him. Sahpo hits a rabble yakuza with one Arrow of Wood, but surprisingly he fights off its effects.

Emishi, Ishan Ashte and Yoshi Yeesu turn as one to face the last three rabble yakuza. To their credit, the yakuza hold their ground, knowing that surrender will lead only to a gruesome death. Emishi, Ishan Ashte and Yoshi Yeesu raise four swords together, and, as they fall in synchrony, justice is done. And not just done, but seen to be done, writ large in letters of blood.

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