Session 21. (25/5/12)

It is Autumn of the Year of the Hare (1483). Our tax-collecting heroes are preparing to return to Sannohe following completion of the annual tax check of farms in northern Mutsu. Onuma has already returned to Onuma Town with the results and to help with the accounting. Hidasue calls the rest of his staff to see him. "I need one of you to go to Akita and settle my affairs there. I choose you," he says, indicating Yoshi Yeesu, "As you are the best horseman and have the best chance of getting back to Sannohe before the winter snows close the roads. Don't worry about your duties here - I will cover for you," he concludes with a slight smile.

With Yoshi Yeesu and Onuma gone, the remaining four collect their belongings together and ensure their temporary accommodation is cleaned and tidied. Before they leave, Emishi's girlfriend Hana comes to see him. She tells him, "I recently received a message from my sisters in Oga Town. They are missing me and want me to go home. But I would never leave you, so I have arranged for them to come here to visit me. When they come, will you take care of them?"

"Of course we will," says Sahpo, overhearing.

"Are they as pretty as you?" inquires Emishi, obsequiously.

"Prettier. And better dances, too," replies Hana.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to stay in Mutsu Town for an extra day," puts in Tomtare.

"...or two," adds Ishan Ashte.

"A week at the outside," finishes Sahpo.

The sisters arrive that very afternoon and immediately take a shine to the exotic looks of the young men. "Everyone in the bath!" declares Emishi.

It turns out that Hana is the eldest, but the second oldest, Happa, is Sahpo's target. "Hello, my name's Sahpo and my father is Haku - that means 'fertility' where I come from. Let me show you a very special dance," he says, and launches into the Ainu Crane Dance. He actually doesn't perform it too well, but Happa is completely oblivious.

"Like father, like son," comments Ishan Ashte.

"Hit her with the 'wormdo' line," shouts Tomtare. It isn't needed - Sahpo's luck is clearly in!

Ishan Ashte takes the youngest sister, Hata, for a quiet tête-à-tête in another room. They return hand in hand. Tomtare asks how he got on.

"Very well - she only slapped me twice!"

"You only spoke to her twice."

"As a matter of fact I made up a haiku. She liked it very much." Though she is the lowest ranking sister, Ishan Ashte is clearly pleased.

The other sister, Hannsha, sidles up to Tomtare. "You don't say much," she prompts.

"Like father, like son," comments Ishan Ashte again.

Tomtare looks embarrassed and twiddles his tetsubo.

Emishi grins evilly. "You know the old saying about the size of a man's tetsubo?"

"You mean how it relates to the size of his... Oh!" gasps Hannsha, and faints into Tomtare's arms.

"That's just what happened with me and Hana," comments Emishi. "Admittedly someone punched her lights out," he concludes sadly.

With Sahpo's parting promise to cure anything they might catch, the four boys retire to different rooms for the night, Sahpo with a Rank 4 Prospective Bride, Tomtare a Rank 3 and Ishan Ashte a Rank 2. "Hana is a babe," comments Emishi to no-one in particular. "She's Rank 5 - all my friends say so!"

All have an extremely enjoyable night, especially Emishi, who has more experience in such matters, while the others fumble their rolls somewhat. But in the morning they all wake with consternation to find their paramours have vanished.

"Where have they gone?" demands Emishi, in shock.

"I think we might have been visited by Kitsune," says Ishan Ashte, the light slowly dawning.

"Foxes they stole our girlfriends?" asks Emishi incredulously.

"No, they were foxes," says Sahpo.

"My girlfriend was a fox all this time?"

"I doubt it," says Tomtare, shaking his head. "It was probably an imposter. Maybe the real Hana actually went to see her sisters."

"No, she's only got a brother... Oh!"

And indeed when they return to Sannohe the next day they find that Hana is there, having returned with Onuma, who has been looking after her. Emishi is relieved, but also worried about how he is going to explain what happened that night in Mutsu Town.

"What happened in Mutsu stays in Mutsu," warns Sahpo, which admonition helps the four lose only 1 On each (while they gain 3 budo from the experience and 1 permanent Ki due to the enjoyment they had).

"Then how do I explain this note I found in my bedding when I unpacked?" He hands it to Sahpo.

'Receipt - one fox cub - with thanks'.

It is Autumn of the Year of the Hare (1483). Onuma has completed her analysis of the tax receipts and reported to the Jito. Hidasue is summoned to see the Jito and soon returns to his tax officers with news. "We've got to go to Aomori to see Oura Motonobu, head of the Oura clan. They administer Rikugo, the northernmost domain of Mutsu province - the same domain that we were checking taxes in. The Daimyo thinks he's withholding taxes and might be about to secede."

So Hidasue leads a tax inspection party to Aomori consisting of Ishan Ashte, Tomtare, Emishi and Sahpo. Onuma remains behind to continue her analysis of revenues. Hidasue rides into the Oura estate and does his best to play the arrogant representative of the Jito, though it is out of character - comparatively, as the half-Ainu perceive the samurai to be more or even more-r arrogant. Soon they are ushered into a sumptuous audience chamber. Oura Motonobu is seated at the centre of the room, flanked by advisers. Hidasue sits cross legged a few yards in front of him, his four tax advisers relegated to the back of the room. They can hardly hear the conversation. Hidasue is asking how much tax the Oura collected from the Rikugo domain.

"Did he say 35 gold?" whispers Ishan Ashte.

"I think so," says Emishi.

"Yes - but that's barely more than we collected for him in Shimokita, a fraction of his domain," hisses Sahpo. "It looks like the daimyo's fears of secession are real." Sahpo move forward on his knees, head bowed, to Hidasue's side and passes on the information. Sahpo returns, crawling backwards.

"What's this on the floor?" he whispers to the others. "It's really soft and comfortable."

"It's some kind of tapestry," suggests Tomtare.

"I've never seen one this big or this thick," comments Emishi. The others suppress sniggers.

"It must cost a fortune," muses Sahpo. Light dawns. "I must go and tell Hidasue."

Sahpo shuffles forwards again. Hidasue is working up to an accusation of disloyalty and greed for power against Motonobu when Sahpo interrupts. Hidasue listens, then thanks Sahpo.

Emishi listens as Hidasue changes tack. He can't make out the words, as they are in the courtly style, but he can sense the tone - Hidasue is accusing Motonobu of withholding taxes to fund his lifestyle. Motonobu gets up and storms out of the room. Hidasue returns to the others. "I've said we will take this carpet in lieu of taxes. It is silk and made in China, and must have cost several years' missing taxes. Quickly - get it rolled up and let's get out of here."

Emishi and Tomtare roll the carpet up and try to lift it. Ishan Ashte has to help. Staggering, the three carry it outside, Sahpo and Hidasue opening doors and clearing the way. They take it to the stables where their horses are waiting, and commandeer three pack horses to carry the carpet, tied to their backs as they stand nose to tail. Surrounded by unfriendly stares, the convoy heads out of the estate and starts down the road back to Sannohe.

"Be ready for trouble," murmurs Hidasue, but the others don't need telling. Barely are they out of sight of the estate when a band of suspiciously clean and well-armoured brigands ambushes them. The brigands attack, swords waving. Emishi remains on his horse and slashes at a brigand with the advantage of height, causing 10 damage. Tomtare leaps off his horse with his tetsubo swinging and connects, launching a brigand's head a hundred yards down the road, a slight dog-leg to the right and onto the green in one. Ishan Ashte dismounts more carefully and awaits the onslaught. Emishi is hit for 12 damage by another brigand, but he maintains his attack on the first and deals another 11 damage; the second brigand swings again but Emishi is saved by his height advantage. Tomtare heads for the second tee and connects for 14 damage. Ishan Ashte's careful dismount pays dividends as he is able to deflect an oncoming sword, then hits the wielder for 6 damage. The brigands' leader turns out to be a shugenja, and he fires four Arrows of Fire at the carpet-carrying party. Three strike home, doing 8 damage to Tomtare and 5 to Ishan Ashte, while one burns itself out on Sahpo's innate magical resistance. Sahpo casts arrows of Wood at the shugenja with one success and two critical successes. The shugenja resists one arrow, but fails his first attempt to overcome the poison - and gets no more attempts as he collapses like a rag doll.

Emishi continues chopping at his first foe and finally takes him down with hits of 11 and 9. Tomtare makes short work of his second opponent with hits of 9 and 13. Ishan Ashte nickels-and-dimes his opponent with three six-and miss swings of his two swords. Sahpo lands one out of three Arrows of Wood on a samurai-cum-brigand, but the unnaturally strong "peasant" shrugs it off easily.

Emishi turns to his second foe, who has already hit him for 12 damage and now hits for 3 more. Emishi hits for 10 then misses. Sahpo buts into Emishi's duel by hitting his opponent with three Arrows of Wood; however, the brigand resists all three. But then the brigand falls over and dazes himself, allowing Emishi to finish him with two more hits. Tomtare has run out of opponents and politely refrains from interfering in someone else's duel. Ishan Ashte's record improves to seven-and-miss, then falls to miss-and-miss, seven-and-miss and finally miss-and-critical-18, finishing his foe.

The four talk politics all the way home, Sahpo holding forth at great length. Emishi tells him to shut up. Oh, and could he please be healed? Sahpo grudgingly agrees.

A few months later news emerges that the Oura have been moved out of Aomori at the Daimyo's orders, and now control only the small town of Tanesato on the western coast.

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