Session 33. (14/9/12)

It is spring of the Year of the Serpent (1485) and the heroes are getting used to life in their new home in Utsunomiya, capital of the landlocked province of Shimotsuke. With mountains to the west and northwest, vast marshes to the east and northeast and farmland to the south, they have been tasked with countering a growing bandit problem. Tomtare rejoins them after a few weeks away at a riding school, having almost mastered bajutsu. In turn with the other adventurers, he leads one of many patrols around the province, learning the geography and the geo-political lie of the land.

On this particular patrol they have travelled only a few miles out of the city heading east. When they reach the edge of the vast marshland they turn north to travel up the north-south road that skirts the edge of the marsh, looking for paths across it that bandits might take. A short way up the road they spot a man hiding in the marsh at the edge of the road. He cowers in fright at the sight of the armed riders, revealing cuts and bruises on his arms and head. Tomtare says, "Don't worry. Sahpo, take care of him." The man cringes as Sahpo lays his hands on him, but Sahpo starts chanting a healing spell and soon some of the man's wounds are repaired.

"What happened?" asks Tomtare.

"I was attacked by mounted bandits. They took my goods."

"Which way did they go?"

"North, up the road."

"How long ago?" interjects Yoshi Yeesu.

"About half an hour, I think."

"What did you lose?"

"My stock of sacks, boxes and baskets."

Emishi turns to Hana, who has accompanied them. "Dear, would you escort him back home and tend to him?" Hana readily agrees.

With the merchant safely away, the experienced trackers look for tracks. It is obvious that several horses have travelled up the road recently. They set off after them as quickly as they can while still being able to see the tracks. This is quite a good pace, though Sahpo's mediocre riding skills slow them a little. After a few miles Emishi has an idea. He gets Steven, his hawk, out from its tiny cage on the back of his saddle and sends it out into the marsh, instructed to circle over any large animal. After flying over the marsh for a while it starts circling. Looking below its position, Emishi sees some movement in the reeds. The others notice that the tracks they have been following have disappeared: the riders must have turned off the road somewhere. They cannot relocate the tracks as their horses have ridden over them, but after scanning the margins, Tomtare finds a faint path leading off into the thick reed beds. Emishi notices that there are some eye-catching stoned hammered into the edge of the road just where the path leaves it. Emishi recalls Steven, and everyone dismounts to lead their horses through the marsh. The path is quite easy to follow, being marked by a gap in the tall reeds, but it often passes through mud and shallow water. Soon everyone's feet are soaking wet. Sahpo takes an incautious step and discovers that the shallow water is only shallow where the path crosses it. He wanders slightly off the path and disappears into six feet of water.

"I've got wet feet," crows Emishi as Sahpo splutters to the surface, "But it's better than being wet all over."

Soon they reach the place where the hawk had been circling. There is a circular area clear of reeds at the end of the path, which everyone can see through the reeds as they approach it - all except Tomtare, who cranes his neck, leans - and falls in the water. As he splashes back to the path, to a chorus of catcalls, the others can see that ahead of them is a low island on which are a few horses and two men. Only their heads are visible.

Suddenly an arrow whizzes over Emishi's head, and a second arrow hits Yoshi Yeesu amidships. Emishi grabs his spear and charges into the clearing, closely followed by Tomtare and Ishan Ashte. Yoshi Yeesu fires an arrow at one of the heads and scores a hit, knocking the bandit back. Two arrows fly over the heads of the onrushing heroes but neither finds its mark. Sahpo fires two Arrows of Wood, but both are resisted by the foes.

Emishi arrives in the clearing and spears the nearest bandit. The damage is slight, but the narcotic poison will eventually take its toll. Tomtare swings his tetsubo at the other bandit and connects with his arrow-scarred helmet, knocking him out thoroughly. Ishan Ashte joins Emishi and catches the remaining bandit with both swords, a rare event. The bandit looks for somewhere to run, but the only way out is the path. That way is blocked by Yoshi Yeesu, who decides not to fire his bow as there are three of his friends between him and his target... though with some reluctance. Emishi spears the bandit again and Tomtare finishes him off with a solid blow to the back of the head, killing him.

A search of the tiny island reveals a camp that has clearly been used for years, the bandits' two horses and a pack horse laden with boxes, baskets and sacks. Tomtare puts the dead and unconscious bandits on the horses, ties them and the pack horse to his horse and leads them and the other heroes back to Utsunomiya. Here he hands the bandits and their horses over to Hidasue, for delivery to the daimyo, and returns the pack horse and its goods to the merchant, now feeling much better after Hana's ministrations. The merchant is very thankful, and gives each of the adventurers a silver piece, and even gives Hana one. They spend some of the money on a night out celebrating Ishan Ashte's promotion to level 4.

Ishan Ashte is in charge a week later on a patrol of the farmlands in the south of the province. As they ride between paddy fields, two peasants run out in front of them, pleading for help. They explain that bandits come to their farm every week or so and demand food, riding in from the northwest. The farm is too poor to afford to give food away regularly, but the bandits beat up the peasants if they try to refuse.

"When did they last come?" asks Ishan Ashte.

"Yesterday. But they didn't take much food, mostly fodder for the horses."

Ishan Ashte contemplates heading northwest and searching for the bandit base, but there is too much ground to cover.

"We'll have to hide out here and ambush them next time they come," he announces.

So for the next few days the law-enforcers live among the farm workers, helping out with tasks around the farm: woodworking - Tomtare, Ishan Ashte and Yoshi Yeesu repair all the wooden tools then build a shrine to Inari (fertility god); farming - Emishi advises the farmer on how to improve yields and keep pests off the crops; and religion - Sahpo tries to perform some Shinto ceremonies, but can't remember how they go so he falls back on Ainu ceremonies, causing much confusion among the peasants. Finally, on the fifth day, the bandits ride into the farm. Sahpo is the first to see them as the others are off doing jobs around the farm. The bandits ride up and beat any peasants they pass with clubs. Sahpo drops the baby he was blessing and fires three Arrows of Wood at the three horsemen. One of the bandits collapses and falls from his horse; the others ride up to Sahpo. The other adventurers hear the commotion and grab their bows. Tomtare decides to run to Sahpo's side, but the other three immediately fire arrows at the mounted targets. Emishi scores a hit, injuring one of them. Ishan Ashte fires and hits the other but does minimal damage. Yoshi Yeesu fires and does maximal damage - a critical hit and triple, 63-point damage!

"That's one arrow I'll never find," opines Yoshi Yeesu. The bandit's body lands several yards from the horse.

Emishi fires a second arrow and Tomtare, deciding that he won't reach the horseman before the fight is over, fires also. Both arrows hit and the bandit falls to the ground, dead.

Ishan Ashte collects the heads of the two dead bandits, the horses and the surviving bandit to take back to Utsunomiya, but before he leaves he goes to see the farm's headman and gives him a silver piece. "Sorry about the mess," he says, then mounts up and heads back to the capital to help Tomtare celebrate his promotion to level 4.

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