L5R Storytime thread: Do you know where you are? Your in the Jungle, Stonewall!

>then the zombie twitched
>oh no.
>You've got to be kidding me
>holes began to open in it's body
>and grubs began to come out
>A cry alerted me to the fact that this wasn't the only carrier.
>Grabing Monkey and Mantis-san with either arm I threw them back away as the grubs advanced upon us
>DON'T LET THEM BITE YOU!
>I fell back, squishing the thumb sized worms under the end of my tetsubo
>Part of the problem of dealing with Heart Grubs is that they're so small most weapons don't really work well.
>If you have a katana you're better off smashing them with the saya
>They're easily crushed, of course. They're just bugs
>But if they DO manage to bite you, they burrow into your skin.
>And eat you from the inside out
>eventually, they make their way to your heart, where they lay their eggs.
>Hence the name: Heart Grubs
>I smashed, squashed, stomped and stamped. Backpedaling the whole while
>But in the ooze of the bog I couldn't get far enough away, and heart grubs were very very persistent.
>I tore one off my leg and crushed it in my palm
>milky pus and ichor squelched out between my fingers
>I could hear the others dealing with similar issues around me, as well as the zombies still moving.
>But I had no time to look
>I'm sure there were many Scorpion and Crane who would find the sight of a massive Crab desperately squashing bugs in a swamp hilarious
>I looked around franticly, trying to see if there were anymore, trying to remember if I'd killed all of them.
>Then I felt a stinging in my ankle, from under the mud
>Shortly after the sting came pain, so sharp my vision tunneled
>Being eaten alive is not very pleasant
>Even if it's just a thumb sized worm burrowing through your insides
>I dragged myself back up onto the rock, pulling my tanto
>slicing away my hakama I looked around for the telltale bulge of the creature under my skin
>as another lance of pain shot up my leg I saw it
>Without hesitation I plunged my tanto into my own leg, slicing my body open.

Holy shit.

>Once I had the little fucker exposed I seized it in my hand and ripped it out.
>There was still some of my muscle in it's mouth
>I threw it down on the rock hard enough it splattered, my own blood bursting from it's body
>Screams told me I had no time to worry about my injuries; there was more work to be done
>Monkey was stomping and hopping about wildly, dealing with a small swarm of grubs
>Mantis-san was doing likewise
>the screams were coming from a Hiruma who had been borne down into the muck by the last two zombies
>I reached him, and kicked the head off one of the zombies
>He managed to drive his own tanto into the eyesocket of the other
>But he kept screaming, and cluthed at his left arm
>I could see a bulge
>Akiyama got to us, and quickly tied the man's arm off
>Sayako came and grabbed his legs
>Mantis-san could read what was going on, and siezed the man's other arm
>I plunged my tanto in, trying to get to the grub
>But it seemed to sense my intent, and burrowed deeper
>He thrashed and screamed, the pain of my cutting and the creature eating away driving him to near madness
>Of course, the howls of a wounded person would attract all sorts of things in the shadowlands.
>But if we didn't get that thing out he'd die, and spawn dozens more
>Of course, I might end up killing him if I cut to much
>Akiyama yelled
>ENDURE IT, KUMORI! You HAVE to hold still!
>Hiruma Heihachi shoved a stick into Kumori's mouth, and he bit down hard before nodding at me to continue
>I dug in, pinching with my hands to try and find the movement
>Kumori screamed into the stick, eyes bulging and face red
>at last I found it, and stabbed it on the end of the tanto
>pus burst forth, into Kumori's wound
>I pulled the grub out, set it on the rock still pinned on my tanto, and crushed it underfoot
>Kumori would have to fight taint and infection, but his life was out of danger for now
>panting heavily he spat the stick out
>Thank... you...
>Then his eyes rolled up and he fainted

....how much of this was added flavor. I mean, I might be dumb but I can't think how these little horror bugs work mechanically.
No matter how much of this was actually rp'd at the table I have to give you credit for making me regret reading this during lunch.

It's all very real. One of the 4e books, I forget which, details all the horrible ways that the Shadowlands can kill you. There's a spider that eats people, attaches them to it's stomach lining, and uses them as food for its young.

>Akiyama stood, arms folded across his broad chest, and surveyed his troops
>No one else had died in this fight, but everyone, even Monkey and Mantis-san, bore wounds now
>Kumori was gravely wounded, unconscious.
>Heihachi looked into his kit and shook his head. He was rapildy running out of medical supplies
>And there was no doubt at all that things were already converging on this place, seeking the source of the wounded cries, seeking easy prey.
>He nodded.
>Alirght, that's enough. We're heading back
>We fashioned up a quick litter for Kumori and began to head out
>Akiyama spoke with me on the way
>two in a row...
>Hrm?
>Those were good ambushes
>yeah, they were.
>The Warmonger had used his chuckers to distract us, had them outflank us so our attention was on them, and then sent in the reserves, charging and 'blessed' with magic mud.
>Then a cunning undead had hidden itself in a pack of zombies, and many of them carried a surprise infestation of very deadly grubs
>Akiyama shook his head
>I'm convince, now more then ever, that Masagoro is right.
>Two of those, back to back like that? There must be something else leading them, placing them to intercept our patrols.
>If you say so. I know about how to kill them, and which ones to hit first. What they do outside of fights, and what that means...that's the job of the Kuni and Hiruma. And softening them up. And harrying them when they run...
>Monkey pipped up
>So then, what do you Hida even do?
>A few chuckles at that
>We're the rocks that the things the Hiruma are too smart to fight break on, Monkey.
>That got some honest laughter
>I fell toward the back of the group, and kept my ears open for sign of anything stalking us
>A few Hanemuri were flitting from tree to tree, keeping pace
>I called out and a swift volley or arrows made sure they wouldn't gather enough numbers to try anything
>We managed to get clear of the bog without incident

l5r.wikia.com/wiki/Nikumizu

Most of the creatures in the Shadowlands have mechanics that are exclusive to them. In the case of heart grubs, I think they burrow into you on a successful attack and cause XkX (not variable, I just don't remember the dice amount) damage each round as they burrow towards your heart, but you can remove them with a Medicine skill roll.

I think they were in Bearers of Jade: The Second Book of the Shadowlands.

Enemies of the Empire. Only got a 1k1 attack roll, but full attack and exploding tens... they come on in swarms so enough dice get rolled, one of em is bound to get lucky

After they hit you they just do 4 automatic wounds every turn till you die and they lay eggs in you. Medicine/Agi roll TN 25 to dig them out, and every ATTEMPT inflicts 2k2 wounds.

And, the larvae hatch in 24 hours. Having heart grubs growing inside a corpse doesn't stop it from reanimating either. And since the shadowlands is suffused with the taint any human that dies there WILL rise as a zombie if you don't decapitate them. So, you know. Zombie surprise grub bomb, for when your PC's start to underestimate zombies.

These thread titles are just perfect

You know. Maybe I was better off not knowing the full extent of how horrible these are.

>elven
>reveal life spell

I think you're lost

Uh explain?

It's my setting and magic can work how I want

This is a L5R story thread. There are no elves.

You will have to excuse me I am looking for the other storytelling thread

No harm, no foul.

It's all good.

now you know what is at stake here, next time be mindful of that when dealing with Crabs

Semi-civil beings that live in the shadowlandhings use chopsticks made of bone instead of wood both as a tainted twist on a Rokugani tradition, and because the trees are often more dangerous and less predictable than the creatures.

Pretty sure these were the things Ishigaki used to avoid that giant oni when he went looking for Hida

l5r.wikia.com/wiki/Lava_Trees

>Semi-civil beings that live in the shadowlandhings use chopsticks made of bone instead of wood
Wait, so are you telling me that the Lost have better table manners than the Unicorn?

If you consider cooking samurai up and offering them to their companions "better table manners" then yes.

>Mantis-san blew out a sigh
>Never thought I'd be so glad to see a barren wasteland
>I grinned at him
>I know the feeling
>Gunso!
>I turned along with Akiyama
>Heihachi was kneeling down beside Kuromi's liter.
>He looked up
>Kuromi is feverish, gunso.
>Akiyama slammed his fist into his palm
>Right, we make haste then
>You two, take the litter up and move togother
>We need to get him back to the Wall as fast as we can!
>We all took off running, fanning out in a semicircle around the liter bearers
>Some small lizards and such scurried away as we ran, but we encountered no further resistance
>as we closed in on the Wall, I made the sign of a returning patrol, and added in very sick treatment needed urgently
>In moments a swarm of Hiruma burst forth from the hidden entrances to the tunnels, a Kuni in tow
>The Kuni was there by the time the liter bearers had set Kumori down
>Akiyama spoke quickly
>Heart Grub, got into his arm in a bog. We cut it out but it gooped in his arm...
>Noding the Kuni fished out a pair of scrolls and set to work
>Kumori's breath eased a bit
>The Kuni then looked over the rest of us
>You all need to be tested.
>We were boated back across and taken up on lifts, save Kumori.
>The Hiruma that came out carried him back through the tunnels
>On the long ride up I looked at Akiyama
>His mouth was set grimly
>He noticed me staring, and sighed
>I've had patrols go worse...but still.
>We didn't even learn anything!
>I tilted my head
>I wouldn't go that far. We learned that something doesn't want us snooping around in that area.
>I looked back out over the shadowlands
>Everyone I've spoken to thinks highly of Masagoro-sama. I'm sure that he and his advisors can learn something even all he knows is the rough shape of the missing peices
>Akiyama smiled
>You're right of course. He is that kind of man. I just wish I could have brought something more solid...
>Ah, I see. He's worried about the NEXT patrol. Those who will go after us.

>artist draws a living giant cooked crab

And that's why Kuni are grim as fuck.
They get to see that stuff on a regular basis.

Ok. I know this is all for balance of the clans so that the Empire as a whole is strong. But why the crap would this stuff not be told to everyone? Instill the fear of the shadowlands in the Empire, give the crabs all the rice they could ever need, let them no if they don't stop their silly bickering and "oh uncivilised" talk that they will all die painfully corrupted and screaming?

Seems like a good fear of the shadowland would hold the Empire together just fine.

>After some poking and proding from the Kuni we were purified and allowed to rest
>Then it was back to Shiro Kuni to give Masagoro the report
>Kumori was still too sick to make the journey, so we left him in the care of the Kuni at the Wall
>Hida Adachi greeted us on our return
>Masagoro-sama is waiting in the planning room, hurry and give your report
>I went with Akiyama, since Masagoro had asked me to go on the patrol
>We got to the room and saw him hunched over a table, covered in maps of the shadowlands
>He looked up as we arrived
>Well?
>Akiyama looked down for a moment
>Masagoro scowled, sensing the bad news
>I decided to speak up at that point
>You're right about there being a force somehwer out there. No doubt about that now.
>Oh? Explain.
>We took truns relaying what happened
>One man dead...
>Masagoro hung his head a moment
>But, you say Kumori will live?
>He is in the care of the Kuni now. I'd say his chances are good
>Masagoro nodded
>I agree with your assesment. Two well planned ambushes in such a short time...
>Here, yes?
>Akiyama leaned over the table to look where Masagoro pointed on the map
>yes, there's a bog there now.
>A bog? Hmmm. a bog, a bog...
>Masagoro shuffled through some maps
>Ahaha!
>He slapped one down over where the map he had pointed to was
>Does this look right?
>Akiyama studied the map, then closed his eyes to think
>...YES! That's it!
>hah! Sometimes old terrain comes back around!
>Akiyama grinned
>It's just as Ishigaki said. You really can grasp the picture by it's missing pieces! I'm amazed Masagoro-sama
>Hiruma Masagoro waved away the compliment.
>I've just seen things like this happen before, that's all. Familiarity makes it seem like I'm more capable then I really am.
>He bellowed for an aide to come, then gave us nods of dismissal
>Akiyama turned to me as we left
>I have to go speak with the Kuni, maybe the Kaiu.
>I must find the families of those samurai whose diasho we collected.
>And write a letter...

Because everyone was always afraid that the Crab Clan would do what Kisada did. And by that I mean storm the Empire and take it by force.

The Lion Clan's massive army is kept in check by it's own Honor

The Crab Clan's massive army is kept in check by a combination of attrition and being about a month away from starving to death due to lack of supplies

The Ki-Rin were kept in check by not being here, and when they came back as the Unicorn, well...It's a good thing their nomadic ways make them ill suited to ruling actual cities. And the Utaku battle maidens are as honorable as any Lion.

It's kind of a viscous cycle. The Crab grew really strong having to face a never ending war with a dishonorable foe, so applying economic pressure to strain their logistics was the only way to keep their power in check. But that just made them have to get better at doing more, with less while simultaneously fueling their resentment of politics

This kind of stuff IS told to everyone. But there are a few problems that keep the other clans from giving the Crab everthing they need:

1) The Shadowlands is alive. It knows that if it seems like a truely great threat to the Empire, all of Rokugan will unite and purge it. So it will sometimes go (very) long periods without much happening. It wants to be feared, but not so much that everyone bans together to wipe it out.

2) Not everyone believes the Crab. A fair number of people think the Crab exaggerate their stories to use as political leverage. People go into the Shadowlands and come back alive all the time after all, so it can't be THAT bad. Sure sometimes you get an big invasion led by The Maw and it's a close call, but that's the exception, not the rule. Most the attacks are goblins (who are what, three feet tall) with the occasional ogre (who are strong, but fairly easy for a trained samurai to deal with) and maybe an oni or two; hardly the end of the world. This has also been reinforced be "accounts" from Tainted infiltrators in the Empire.

3) Talk of the Shadowlands and the Taint is more or less taboo. You just don't bring it up in polite company. As long as you don't go past the Kaiu Wall, the Shadowlands is a far off threat held at bay by the Crab, and they seem perfectly capable of handling it. Best to put it out of your mind and focus on your own duty.

>I nodded and claped his shoulder
>That part was always a bit hard. Not like there's a lot of glory to be had south of the Wall. >No honorable foes whose heads are worth taking.
>The vile nature of our foes made even acts of great bravery seem lessened in the eyes of the Empire as a whole.
>Think about it. Had Kumori died, who would tell the story of the brave samurai that got eaten by a thumb sized bug?
>I returned to our rooms in the seventeenth baracks
>Mantis-san and Monkey had gone ahead of me when we returned, so I was expected
>Naomi's hands were on me before I'd even finished opening the door, and wounds I had recived began to mend right away
>Nice to see you too, Hana-chan...
>She looked up but said nothing
>Just healed me and hugged me
>I stroked her hair to sooth her. She always calmed down when I stroked her hair
>I looked over to Kitsuki-san
>he had dark circles under his eyes
>You look worse off than I do
>They must not have mirrors in the shadowlands then, if you think that's true.
>I sat down as Naomi poured me some tea
>Getting close then?
>Kitsuki-san grinned.
>Oh, very.
>Just a few dozen more to go.
>Toshiro grumbled form the corner
>There was an attempt on our lives while you were gone.
>I looked sharply at Naomi
>I was not there when it happened, Ishigaki-kun
>I looked back to them.
>So acomplice, puppet or...?
>Kistuki-san snorted.
>No, just dark.
>Do you remember, the winter court in the Phoenix lands, when the bloodspeaker used the spell to blind everyone?
>Ahh, that trick again.
>Kitsuki-san nodded.
>So, we kept him from killing us until he ran away.
>I looked over at Toshiro
>really?
>He stared right back at me, then held up his club foot
>Really.
>And you couldn't just blat him?
>With what?! I couldn't see! Or do you think I should have thrown a giant ball of flame and burned Shiro Kuni down along with him?!
>I glanced over to Kitsuki-san
>He shrugged
>I tripped.

>Mantis-san looked back and forth between the two
>alright, so you're telling me that the bloodspeaker, sensing you getting closer to him, tried to kill you both.
>And while WE were slogging through a tainted bog and fighting worms that could eat our hearts and flaming goblins,YOU were letting the guy that tried to kill you just waltz away?!
>Monkey elbowed Mantis-san
>I'm sure it wasn't like that at all Daigo-san!
>Toshiro tilted his head back and forth a few times, and spoke out of the corner of his mouth
>Actually it kind of wa... wait.
>Nikumizu AND Magic Mud?
>I nodded
>The goblins had a warmonger as well as a shamen, and the Nikumize where the dessert to a zombie main course.
>Monkey spoke up.
>yeah, and that tough zombie... what did you call it? Hyak... hyuk...
>a Hyakuhei?!
>yeah, that was it!
>Kitsuki-san and Naomi were both staring
>Um, would you mind...?
>Toshiro looked over at Kituski-san.
>That is too many dangerous things in too short a timeframe. Hiruma Masagoro-sama is right. There is an army gathering out there somewhere.
>He looked back over at us
>All that and those wounds were all?
>Well, we lost one to the magic mud, and another got bit by the heart grubs. I cut it out in time, but he's fighting an infection now.
>I see.
>Monkey piped up
>Yeah, Ishigaki didn't waste anytime getting that worm out. Not even when one got in his leg!
>WHAT!?
>Naomi and Toshiro both
>I rubbed at my eyes
>God dammit Monkey
>Naomi turned to Toshiro. What is a 'heart grub'?
>He explained to her
>She grew paler with every word
>I waved my hands back and forth forestalling her
>Yes, but you saved my life back there Naomi!
>She blinked
>I...what? how?
>I've made a study of medicne, you know. For your sake! But becasue of that I also knew how to cut out the little bastards! So really, you saved my life and the life of Hiruma Kumori!
>...oh.
>She took a breath, calming herself
>Well, it does not matter how dangerous it WAS anyway. Because you are here NOW.

Naomi is based waifu.
I want a waifu like her, just too pure.

Such a good healer she can save lives even when she's not there!

Nobody wants to hear about it until its on their doorstep. Certain groups are well aware of the danger (The Daidoji in particular have a constant presence on the wall when the Crab and Crane aren't inches from a war) and do what they can, but two generations from any given major incursion and very few people outside of the Crab have firsthand accounts or want to have secondhand accounts. The taint is well-known as a real threat to your eternal soul, and many believe that even talking about it too much is just asking for kansen and oni to show up. Rokugan in general takes their afterlife very seriously. On top of that, the official stance is that the Empire is at peace. When the divinely backed emperor says that there's no problems, even the pragmatic types have a hard time coming up with contingencies since everyone else either believes it or needs to play along to keep imperial favor. Combine all that with what is perceived as constant whining and demanding from the Crab on the other clans and it just results in apathy and avoidance of the topic until there's a horde of monsters halfway to the Spine of the World.

>And then Sayako dropped to her needs and exposed her massive breasts and spoke.
>"Let me wrap my fat slutty tits around your cock and tittyfuck you until you blow a load over my face. When you're done you can impregnate me like the bitch I am."

This week's L5R general thread for any interested parties:

Bump

>Do you know where you are? Your in the Jungle, Stonewall!

*you're

hot

user, Crab and Scorpion don't have as much resentment towards each other as you imply. Scorpion doesn't mess with Crab unless it's absolutely necessary, and even then they do it very carefully, because, as a clan, Scorpion has a very good understanding of the danger the Shadowland holds. The shugenja families have very strong ties, as well. Scorpion has a agency that hunts maho and creatures that slip through the wall, much like the Jade Magistrates do.

It's not what you eat, it's how you eat it.

>But why the crap would this stuff not be told to everyone?
For a significant part of Rokugani history before the constant bombardment of apocalyptic scenarios that mark the start to end of AEG's CCG time period, most clans could comfortably get by without that knowledge.

Rokugan still seriously frowns on talking about the Shadowlands or anything related to it, but before the CCG helped everyone conflate IC knowledge and meta knowledge re: Shadowlands/Maho/etc, they were hardcore about it. Like many other unsavoury topics, they preferred to ignore them until they went away.

>Because everyone was always afraid that the Crab Clan would do what Kisada did.
Really not. The Shadowlands hasn't been a constantly active high threat for a thousand years. Up until the Second Day Of Thunder, most clans considered the Crab to be blowing the dangers out of proportion, that any assistance or extra trade was unnecessary, and the Crab themselves were a joke. Hence why Kisada took the single, workable, stupid option he had to change that.

bump

Crabs and Scorpions give each other a wide berth, because Crabs might just flip out and kill you consequences be damned, and because Scorpion are all tricky, sneaky liars who never fight fair

But that dosen't change the fact that your average Crab hates the Scorpion Clan.

>Crabs might just flip out and kill you consequences be damned
Crab might do that if they're a permanently wall-stationed berserker. Ichiro are the setting masters of flipping out, tho.

>your average Crab hates the Scorpion Clan
Nah, it's more of the general spite they feel for all the other clans, but everyone agrees the Crane are the absolute worst.

>Kitsuki-san looked over us
>I'm going to be moving on to interviews soon, now that we've got a more managable number.
>But I don't expect anything to come of them. Not right away anyway.
>So instead of helping with that, I'd like you three to watch the ones that are the most suspicious right now.
>Discreetly.
>I looked between Mantis-san and Monkey
>Then pointed to myself
>Um, you have met me, right Kitsuki-san?
>Kituski-san rubbed the bridge of his nose
>Have you ever heard of hiding in plain sight?
>Sounds like something a ninja would do
>Monkey agreed with me
>If they don't have any riceballs to hide in, yeah
>No, it's... look. Ishigaki-san, all you need to do is walk around and act normally. Just keep your target in your peripheral vision most of the time.
>You won't really raise their suspicions all that much because that kind of behavior is expected of you.
>You're a Crab...in a Crab stronghold. You don't stick out here as much as you do elsewhere
>Huh. Alright then, I'll give it a shot
>So, while Kitsuki-san conducted interviews, Mantis-san and Monkey shadowed their targets.
>I walked about the castle, speaking with Crabs, throwing dice, sparing, and telling stories of my time outside the Clan
>It was during a bout of sparing that the next patrol Masagoro was sending out began to assemble in the courtyard
>I noticed Adachi standing off the side, staring at the patrol and scowling.
>That distracted me just long enough for the Nikutai I was sparing with to knock me off balance and out of the circle
>I congratulated him on his sharp reactions, then looked at the patrol myself
>It took a moment for me to realize what I was seeing.
>I walked up beside Adachi.
>Is that it?
>He nodded slowly
>Are they going to get more from the Wall? Or split up?
>He looked aside at me. THen shook his head
>What.. what the hell?
>There was a full troop assembled in the courtyard.
>that was all wrong

A guess from a non L5R lurker-reader: a troop is the worst of both worlds. Far too many to be unobtrusive, far too few to smash everything they come across.
Sounds like somebody is actively TRYING to get Crabs killed and weaken the garrison with fool's errands.

>I had told Monkey and Mantis-san that the amount of armor you wear is really a matter of preference.
>Heavy armor makes some small dangers inconsequential, but it makes it more likely you will have to fight instead of being able to run or hide should a large danger show itself.
>The same principle applied to the size of a patrol sent into the shadowlands.
>A large patrol WILL draw attention and thus more fights, but will be able to handle those fights. A small patrol will be better able to avoid fights it cannot win.
>Sending in a single troop, a wakizashi, was just consigning the bushi to death.
>There were too many soldiers to be stealthy, and not enough to fight back against the worst that cold find them.
>One of the Hiruma assebmling for the patrol came over to us, and handed me a folded up letter, along with his daisho
>Please, Hida-sama. See that my family gets these.
>I knew it. Adachi knew it. And it was plain that all the Hiruma in that patrol knew it as well
>I took the daisho and letter. wondering what Masagoro knew that I did not, what reason he had for ordering this
>My name is Hiruma Manzo.
>He bowed to thank me, then rejoined his unit
>Adachi, am I just stupid?
>Adachi shook his head.
>I don't know that Masagoro is thinking either.
>Must be some insight he's gleaned from his years as a commander...
>I nodded. The very best commanders knew that there were times to defy common sense, when doing the unexpected would yield impressive results.
>I looked down at the letter in my hand and said a quick prayer that Masagoro's gamble would pay off.
>Two days latter, I was having a small lunch with Naomi when I saw Hiruma Kumori arrive
>I held up a hand and waved him over
>He came by, bowing to me
>Hey, no need for all that.
>you saved my life, Ishigaki-sama. Of course there is a need to show my gratitude
>No there isn't. For one thing, I didn't do it alone, and for another, it's just expected that you save your brother Crab if you can

But it can't be Masagoro, that would be too simple wouldn't it?

>He smiled
>Thank you for that, truly.
>Then he looked down
>I must go and report to my new gunso. But, I am glad that I was able to see you again.
>He turned away before I could ask what he meant by new gunso and began walking
>Not towards the barracks
>towards the tower that lurked just beyond the castle proper
>oh.
>Naomi followed my gaze
>She pointed to the banner hanging off the side of the tower
>I do not recognize that heraldry, Ishigaki-kun
>It was a Crab, similar to the Hida mon.
>Save this Crab was all black. And rather then clutching a tetsubo, it held a piece of rotting jade
>I gently placed a hand on Naomi's arm and puled it down
>That's the standard of the Damned
>Please, don't point.
>She looked at me
>The... the Damned?
>I have heard that name a few times.
>They are warriors who have become tainted
>Naomi's eyes widened
>As a Lion who is dishonored will sometimes become a deathseeker, so will a Crab who becomes tainted become one of the Damned
>They seek to redeem and purify their souls by dying in battle with the shadowlands.
>So, I saved him from the heart grub, we got him back in time for the Kuni to save him from the infection, only for the taint to take root.
>I shook my head
>Damn.
>I had heard rumors, but I did not think...
>The Damned would only be deployed against another Clan if the future of the Clan itself were at stake, Naomi. They're one of those things we only use against the shadowlands. And we never speak of them to those outside the Clan.
>She looked at the gloomy building, at Kumori's back, at the way the other Crab turned aside as he walked passed.
>I lowered my head
>See, they do not wish to shame him any further. We all know. Secrets are for Scrorpion and Oni. But we will be polite for this.
>She bowed her head
>Because it could be any one of you that has to make that walk?
>yes.
>I see.
>She shivered and clutched at my leg

The Shadowlands take everything

>and clutched at my leg

bump

Hey, as there's no other l5r thread up I'll ask here:
What's the proper thing to do, for the captor and the captive, if samurai (bushi and non-bushi) are for reasons captured alive in combat?

Shugenja are generally offered a chance to surrender in battle so their gifts are not wasted (if they continue to fight, they're fair game however). They will be held in a sort of house arrest, then be allowed to return to their clan once hostilities have ceased. Most bushi would rather commit seppuku than endure the shame of being captured, but assuming they are captured by the enemy the procedure is much the same as with shugenja.

Mind you, it is a fairly common practice for the victorious army to send men armed with small knives to finish off any wounded from the opposing army.

That is more for the foe than their own sakes, though, right? At least, given how Bayushi Kentaro acted during Ishigaki's discovery of him on the battlefield.

Six of one, half-dozen of the other. Sure, a Lion commander would probably say it's to spare a defeated foe from the shame of being captured; a Scorpion commander will probably say it's better to finish a wounded enemy off rather than allow him to heal and eventually return to combat. Works out the same either way really.

I should also add that it isn't inherently dishonorable to spare an enemy after battle, being that you are showing Compassion (and maybe Courtesy) to your foe. It's another one of those funny contradictions of bushido.

Pretty sure Kentaro's protests were less "Do not shame me!" and more "You're the last person I want to save me! B-baka!

Sorta. You can polite fiction your way out of a lot of the related shame if everyone plays ball. You didn't capture the guy, you rescued him from a slow death after he went down. He's not a prisoner, he's an honored guest who has personal guards for his own safety. No need to be rude just because you're at war.

Maybe the goal is, after Ishigaki's report, to draw an unprepared enemy force out of hiding? Potentially trick the forces that are amassing into several smaller, weaker waves on the Wall than the tidal wave it is threatening to be.

>Looking for tainted maho users
>Camp of tainted crab literally next door, which no one would normally investigate
I bet Shoji is to blame for this.

When in doubt blame Shoji.

There are so many Kuni creeping around the Damned, and they have such strict curfews and rules that it would be very, very difficult for one of them to be doing anything they aren't supposed to.

>creeping
Wow. Rude much? How about you get in the back of the line for healing from now on?

bumpin

...

Oh... yeh. It just occurred to me too.

But that Masagoro is being a puppet of THEM

>The patrol returned the next day
>One man limped back into the courtyard of Shiro Kuni
>Masagoro ran out to meet him, catching him as he stumbled from fatigue
>At Masagoro's command water was brought and then they helped the soldier back into the barracks to give his report
>I made preperations to return Manzo's daisho to his family
>As I crumpled my letter and started over for a third time I glanced over at Kistuki-san
>How are things on your end?
>His eyes flicked up from his own notes
>better then on yours, it seems.
>Five left.
>He arched his eyebrow
>What is that about?
>A boy from that last patrol asked me to get his daisho back to his family
>He knew he would not return?
>Too many to avoid battle, too few to win every battle. Just the wrong number of men for a patrol
>Kitsuki-san cocked his head
>Masagoro did not strike me as the kind to gamble like that
>I nodded.
>Well, we'll find out soone enough if his gamble paid off
>Kitsuki-san nodded and went back to his notes
>with a shwoop the door to the barracks opened up
>Hida Ishigaki-san?
>Hai
>Masagoro-sama wishes to speak with you.
>I stood up
>Well, let's not keep him waiting
>I felt Kitsuki-san staring at my back as I left
>I entered Masagoro's room to find him donning his armor
>We must move out, and move out quickly
>I would ask you to accompany me
>Taking a breath to wipe the surprise from my face, I spoke
>What is it? what did you learn?
>The patterns of their scouts movements, the places they launch their ambushes...I'm certain I know where they are forming up.
>But I need to see it with my own eyes to confirm
>He stroked his beard, and muttered almost to himself
>And if possible, find out what power guides this horde
>I nodded as I handed him his sode
>Sun-Tao, right? Know your enemy and know yourself?
>Precisely.
>What rank did you hold when you served in the army?
>I never rose higher than a gunso, Masagoro-sama
>For now, I would like you take the rank of Taisa

Masagoro is THEM, there's no doubt anymore.

That bit at the end, giving Ishigaki a promotion to cloud his judgement with pride and new responsibilities, was just devious enough for THEM.

>As I came out into the courtyard everyone was there
>No surprise, they came out. A full company was assembling.
>I looked out over One hundred twenty Crabs in formation before the gates of Shrio Kuni, and understood my temporary promotion
>Adachi was there as well. He nodded to me
>Mantis-san and Monkey were in their armor
>What?
>Can't let you go in on your own,
>Yeah. Naomi-sama would never let us hear the end of it!
>Monkey grinned at me
>Toshiro stepped up
>I"m going as well, this time
>A patrol this size, my leg won't matter. And you're bound to need me.
>I looked at Kituski-san and Naomi
>You two, stick togother while we're away
>Kitsuki-san nodded
>Naomi came up to me, stood on her tiptoes and kissed me on the cheek
>For luck
>Thank's Hana-chan
>The gates opened, and we set forth from Shiro Kuni at Masagoro's order
>Hiruma Masagor took the first step up onto the wall, flanked by myself and Adachi
>It took time to get so many soldiers formed back up on the other side of the River of the Last Stand, even using both the tunnels and the lifts
>Once the troops were assembled, Masagoro addressed them
>I know where our enemy gathers their strength!
>Today we set out to confirm their numbers, their commander!
>Make no mistake! We will fight for every step we take! The enemy will stop at nothing to keep us blind!
>Do not fear! Do not let their determination slow you advance!
>Know that they disgrace us, insult us, with every day! With every oni, every goblin that joins this horde!
>But when we return with the knowledge we have gathered, we will be able to prepare fully for the assault to come!
>KNOWLEDGE
>PREPERATION
>ACTION
>We follow the ancient way! The order handed down from Hiruma, Kaiu and Kuni when they faced Oni no Hatsu Suru!
>We cannot loose here, we cannot fail!
>We must know our enemy to defeat them!
>He turned and pointed south
>NOW! We march...
>TO SHIRO HIRUMA!

>NOW! We march...
>TO SHIRO HIRUMA!

That sound you just heard was 120 assholes puckering up so tight they can't even fart

>Shiro Hiruma
>Lost in the advance of the Maw in 716, many campaigns had been launched in the centuries since to reclaim the ancestral home of the Hiruma
>All had ended in failure
>Thousands of Crab had died trying in vain to reclaim it. Of those that did manage to enter the castle, none one month was the longest it was ever held
>The shadowlands seemed to take sick delight in mocking us, and would stop at nothing to hold Shiro Hiruma
>If the horde was truly forming up there, of all places...
>I didn't need to turn to see that the Hiruma in this patrol were even more furious then they were affraid
>Truthfully, I doubted even Masagoro would be unaffected by the knowledge that the horde gathered in his families home.
>Well. Nothing for it.
>Masagoro was right, we needed to see what was coming to prepare properly for it
>We only had to get close, it wasn't as though we were going to try to capture Shiro Hiruma
>At his comand we began to march across the barren plains and into the depths of the shadowlands
>With a patrol this size, we had flank and rear gaurds, as well as a number of Hiruma spread out ahead of the main body
>It would have been nice to have some cavalry for that, but horses were absolutly terrified of the shadowlands.
>Perhaps a Shiotome could keep her steed under control here...
>Perhaps.
>Everyone else would just have to walk
>Shadows fell over us as we marched
>I looked up, seeing dark shapes wheeling about in the sky
>They did not attack though.
>As expected, with a full company we drew attention right away, but there were few things that would dare attack such a force
>I spent much of the day worrying about the things that WOULD dare.
>As we made our camp and set out the watches for the first day, Monkey and Mantis-san came up to me
>...so.
>You think he's right?
>Toshiro rested his hand on his chin
>Well, it IS something a trophy for the shadowlands
>We reclaimed the Kuni lands, but we've been unable to retake the Hiruma lands yet.

bump back from page 9

Who's willing to bet that the fortress will prove to be surprisingly unoccupied and Masagoro will order to seize it?

So how did forever gm handle the party being split? was it separate sessions or split sessions?

so, a troop AND a company was sent away from shiro kuni

so now theres WAY less people in shiro kuni...

shiro kuni will burn

split. One scene with group A one scene with group B back and forth.

I can only imagine how the party felt during all this. Even reading through this is like the prologue of the apocalypse.

Seriously. I am sitting here struggling to think just HOW badly everything is gonna go up in flames.

Well we know the castle should be in flames soon

Yeah, but the how is killing me.
My mind is going through all the possible logical twists and is now going through the illogical not a chance in hell ones.
Like Naomi was THEM all along.

Purge that filth from your brain

If I've learned anything from this storytime, it's that one of Ishigaki's greatest flaws is how he deals with superiors who are obviously THEM. He knows that they're wrong, but his indecision and self-doubt binds his hands until it's too late. This is a test by perma-GM for Ishigaki: he must stop his mad (and possibly evil) superior, before he throws away the lives of several thousand Crab samurai.

She cannot be. With all this jade probing made through whole campaign.

Do you betray your Duty and kill one traitor, or let your Clansmen to die?
I'm not envy to Ishigaki. It is a really tough choice, especially for a Rokugani

A man is not your Duty. The general is not the army, the Champion is not the Clan, and even the Emperor is not the Empire

What if the fort's former tainted occupants made way to Kuni fort?

But what if he's not THEM? This could very well help them survive the next push.
You can't let your paranoia make you cut at shadows, because if you strike at an empty shadow, you leave your back open to the real enemy.
t. a scorpion