Session 40. (23/11/12)

"Geronimo!" shouts Emishi and charges into the horse bandits' shack.

"Who?" asks Ishan Ashte to Onuma, beside him. Onuma shrugs. They follow Emishi into the shack, Yoshi Yeesu and Sahpo right behind them. Inside they find one large room with five people in it: to left and right two low-ranking bandits; in the middle of the room two lieutenants; and at the back, seated behind a large desk, the bandit chieftain. There is a door behind the chieftain, and doors in the left and right walls. The level one bandits have their swords drawn and raise them to attack the intruders.

"I suppose that saves having to make awkward introductions," mutters Yoshi Yeesu as he moves to intercept the bandit on the right, inflicting 8 damage. Emishi goes for the one on the left, and, dodging the bandit's blow, slices him for 9 damage. Ishan Ashte rushes in on one of the lieutenants and connects with a maximum critical hit - 30 damage and an outright kill! Onuma takes on the other lieutenant and decides to show off to the others - and intimidate the bandits - with some flashy swordplay. She whirls her sword in a complicated pattern but still connects for a 10-point hit. The bandits fight back, Yoshi Yeesu hit for 4 damage, and the bandit chieftain emerges from behind his desk to reveal a weapon larger than any sword the Ainu-raised boys and girl have ever seen. The chieftain swings his no-dachi and connects with Ishan Ashte, doing 10 damage.

"You keep your big chopper to yourself!" snarls Sahpo and fires four Arrows of Wood at the chieftain. All four hit, but the chieftain resists the poison of two of them and starts throwing off the poison of the others. He swings at Ishan Ashte and does another 3 points of damage. Ishan Ashte replies with hits from both hit swords for a total of 9 damage. Emishi finishes off his level one opponent and Yoshi Yeesu does likewise with his. Onuma flashes her heirloom and damages the one remaining lieutenant for 9 damage. Sahpo's poisons work into the chieftain's system, reducing his strength by 7 and then 4. Before the chieftain has a chance to attack again, the poisons inflict another 4, 3, 3, 1 and 1 reduction to his strength until he can no longer lift the heavy sword. He slumps to the ground, defeated. Onuma flashily hits the lieutenant again for 9 damage. The bandit lands a blow on Onuma for 7 damage. Each of the others wonders in turn whether to help Onuma with the last bandit, but each decides that it would be rude to butt in, and would also negate Onuma's On bonus for using flashy swordplay. The bandit lands another blow for 5 damage, but Onuma finishes the fight with a flourish and a hit for 9 damage and a bonus of 4 On.

Sahpo ties up the bandit chieftain while the others explore the room. Apart from miscellaneous belongings, there is nothing of interest. They discuss what to do next. "I'll take the left door," says Emishi, and turns left - going through the door on the right of the room, having turned around after the fight.

"I'll go left," says Ishan Ashte and goes through the left door. Sahpo and Yoshi Yeesu follow him.

"I guess that leaves the back door for me," says Onuma to no-one. "That's the one behind the desk... where the treasure should be!" Eagerly she goes to explore.

Ishan Ashte, Sahpo and Yoshi Yeesu have taken little time to survey their chosen room. It is full of bed rolls and the meagre possessions of the low-level bandits. They find nothing of value and return to the main room.

Emishi's chosen room is half-full of bed rolls, while the other half has two full beds and a long, thin chest. He drags the chest out into the main room.

Onuma's room has a single bed and various possessions, obviously belonging to the chieftain. The only item of any significant value is a puzzle box, which she takes out into the main room. Emishi is opening the long chest and finds a wakizashi inside, along with a few pieces of clothing for use under armour, and some armour straps. He hands the sword to Onuma to evaluate. She hands her puzzle box to Sahpo to look at. She scrutinises the sword and declares it to be of inferior quality, much to Emishi's disappointment. Yoshi Yeesu hands her the chieftain's no-dachi.

"Ah, now this is of fine quality. It should be a nice weapon to use, and do plenty of damage." Yoshi Yeesu smiles and tucks the sword into his belt.

Meanwhile, Sahpo has managed to work out how to open the puzzle box. Inside it are three semi-precious gems. "It's ironic," he starts, but Emishi butts in.

"No, it's wooden," he says with a grin.

"It's ironic," repeats Sahpo, "but this box is worth much more than the contents. It might be worth up to a gold piece, though it is quite a simple mechanism."

The five fighters exit the shack, dragging the chieftain with them. Round the back of the shack is a stable with eight horses. Most of them are of pretty poor quality and health, but one stands out as a fine riding horse. Onuma immediately falls in love with it. She gets its fine saddle and puts it on. It doesn't fit, so she puts it on the horse. Emishi rounds up the other horses and ties them together. Sahpo meanwhile chants the Saga of Critical Healing for Onuma and Tomtare, and follows up with his hit, the Saga of Healing for everybody. They all feel much better when he has finished.

"What shall we do now?" asks Yoshi Yeesu.

"We take the chieftain to Ogawa for justice," suggests Ishan Ashte.

"But they didn't do justice last time we left someone there," points out Yoshi Yeesu.

"Yeah, they must be corrupt," opines Emishi.

"Or in league with the bandits," adds Sahpo.

"Then we'll take him back to Utsunomiya," declares Onuma. "Do we go back through the marsh or round the roads?"

"The road goes through Ogawa," says Sahpo. "There might be trouble."

"But we could show the peasants that the bandit threat is over," objects Onuma. "As well as showing them how strong we are."

"Okay, let's go," announces Emishi.

"What about the kappa?" asks Onuma.

Kuupa appears as if from nowhere. "Here," says Onuma, giving him the puzzle box. "And we'll take good care of the horses.

The kappa bows - but not too deeply - and thanks Onuma. Then he scampers over to the bluff and disappears into the river.

Emishi hauls the kitten-weak chieftain to his feet and slings him on the back of one of the liberated horses. "Let's go," he repeats.

The convoy sets off down the track to the main road and turns right towards Ogawa. It is only a mile away. As they ride through the town, crowds of peasants appear by the roadside. Some of them start cheering.

"Why aren't they all cheering?" hisses Emishi.

"I think it's because you slung the chieftain over the horse instead of sitting him on it," replies Sahpo in a quiet voice. "Only those on the right can see who it is."

Then the Ogawa justice appears. "Stop! Stop! You can't take him away! He must be judged here!" he shouts.

"We're taking him to the jito," insists Emishi.

"Then you must ask the mayor."

"No," says Emishi firmly. "Do you want to argue with the daimyo?"

The justice looks scared and unhappy.

"Let's head home," says Onuma. "Quickly."

"What if the bandits are holding the town hostage?" worries Ishan Ashte.

"Yes, that's possible," supports Sahpo.

"No, we ride," says Emishi and leads the party on and out of the town.

As they approach Utsunomiya, Emishi rides ahead on his fast horse to make a report to Hidasue. He is just finishing telling him about the corruption in Ogawa when the others arrive at the pre-arranged meeting point, the entrance to the Utsunomiya Castle dungeon.

"So why didn't you interrogate the justice and the mayor," demands Hidasue.

Emishi looks awkward. Ishan Ashte comes to his defence. "We wanted to get information from the bandit chief first," he says.

"And the evidence was all hearsay," offers Emishi.

"Well, get on with the interrogation then," says Hidasue crossly.

Sahpo wants no part of any torture so he goes to the temple to pray and think. He needn't have been worried though. When Emishi tells the daimyo's jailer that they want a confession and names of corrupt officials in Ogawa, the jailer takes Onuma on one side. "I hear you have a 'skill' in detecting when someone is telling lies? You can make this a real easy interrogation."

Onuma agrees, and casts Pinocchio Effect. The jailer starts his questioning.

"Are you part of a bandit gang who steal horses?"

"Yes, curse you all." The chieftain adds a few epithets, improving Onuma's katakana skill.

"Do you pay for favours from officials in Ogawa?"

"No," spits the bandits, but Onuma sees his nose grow. She shakes her head.

"Who do you pay? The justice?"

"No." Onuma shakes her head.

"The mayor?"

"No." Onuma shakes her head again.

"What did you pay them with?"

"A sword." Onuma nods, then breaks in with her own questions.

"With a jewelled handle?"

"Yes."

Who did you give it to?"

"The justice."

Onuma nods to the jailer, who has one more question. "Do you have any other bases?"

"Yes," says the chieftain, but Onuma shakes her head. The chieftain slumps, beaten.

Emishi pipes up, "Okay jailer, you can torture him now."

Emishi, Sahpo, Onuma, Yoshi Yeesu and Ishan Ashte immediately set off for Ogawa, leaving Tomtare to fill in Hidasue with their findings. They all ride their own horses except Onuma, who asks Hidasue if she can have the fine riding horse they recovered.

"Well, it might belong to the daimyo or one of his family, but if you take good care of it..."

Onuma debates with herself whether to take the risk, then calls out to Hidasue's stable boy, who is preparing the horses. "Petennouk! I'll take the fab one."

"Yus, milady," he replies in his disguised Ainu accent.

After an hour's hard ride, the five are a few miles north of Ogawa when they see two riders coming towards them. They happen to be the mayor and the justice, fleeing town. They clearly weren't expecting the troubleshooters to return so soon. They spur their horses to try to gallop past. Sahpo casts four Arrows of Wood, hitting the justice with one and the mayor with two. Within three seconds the justice slumps forward and falls off heavily. The mayor lasts longer, and manages to dismount and draw a sword - a sword with a jewelled hilt. Then his strength ebbs away and he drops the sword. Emishi dismounts and kicks the mayor to the ground. Onuma picks up Hidasue's sword and resheathes it. Then the others truss the two prisoners, sling them on their horses and start leading them back to Utsunomiya and the reuniting of Hidasue and his sword.

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