Session 8: Tattoos and Training Report

General Summary

We begin our session as Rei awakens, sitting upright in bed and seemingly engaged in conversation with Lady Sumehime who is sat at the foot of her bed.
"I hope that clears things up. Again, I'm sorry about before... If I had only known..."
Rei, though confused and missing both her sword and a few days worth of memories, played along and got ready to follow the princess through this strange castle to meet up with her friends.
As the pair arrived at the tattoo parlour the ise zumi monks were busy preparing their strange blood-drawing tattoo needles as the rest of the party sat anxiously awaiting their tattoos.
After greeting General Mak, Lady Sumehime led Rei into the back room where a blind old monk was sitting, his equipment prepared before him. The monk seemed to recognize Rei from a long time ago and as she watched the tattoos on his body shift and swirl she recognized the style to be the same as the one used by whoever gave her the tattoos already adorning her skin.
Lady Sumehime bid her farewell and headed for the door just as General Mak was leaving to prepare the party's quarters. As she made her way across the room, Astrea stopped her and asked some questions that had been bugging her. The cunning satyr used this opportunity to delve into the princess' mind and see what thoughts were bouncing around her head.
During the conversation, most of the party were confused as to why the princess now seemed to be referring to Rei as her "dear sister". Perhaps Astrea glimpsed something that could provide an explanation?
With that, the princess took her leave and joined General Mak as the pair headed back to the castle. The party settled in to get their tattoos and a little more information from the tattooed monks.
"The most difficult act in the world is to sit still" - Ise Zumi Monk
After receiving their new magical ink the party was told to return with their gems to finish up the tattoos if they wished to improve their quality and sent them on their way.
Night had fallen by this point and the city had fallen quiet save for the sound of an anvil being struck somewhere down the road. The party decided to take a look around and explore the surrounding area, eventually meeting up outside the only business still open.
As they gathered at the blacksmith's shop and began browsing his inventory they discovered that he sold mostly ninja weapons which seemed to supply the shinobi school across the road where Aien was busy peering through the gap in the doors to see what was happening inside.
Intrigued, Aien made his way around the walls to find a way into the school and after some parkour action found himself staring down into the courtyard from the rooftops. Below was a single, lit torch, flickering in the wind. Aien watched closely.
Moments later, the torch shifted and the sounds of blades clashing echoed across the courtyard. A young warrior then appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, clutching a fresh wound on his side.
Aien climbed down into the courtyard and approached the boy who immediately dropped a smoke bomb and fled into the nearest building as soon as he saw the approaching elf. As Aien approached the centre of the courtyard, a voice spoke, warning him to go no further.
Aien calmly raised his hands to show that he was unarmed and assured whoever was speaking that he was merely there to train. Recognizing Aien as his new student, the ninja master revealed himself and made his introductions. Once he was sure that the elf posed no threat, he gave a command and at least a dozen swords appeared at Aien's throat before being sheathed by the now visible ninja surrounding him.
With that, Aien joined their training and disappeared into the shadows with his new classmates. Although they all seemed to be able to turn invisible, Aien held his own and made a good first impression on his new teacher.
Meanwhile, the others finished their shopping, Jerry arming himself with a decent enough weapon for the moment and got to discussing the strangeness of their situation, Seto remaining particularly sceptical of the daimyo's motives. As the conversation went on they noticed a seemingly drunk man stumbling down the road towards them in the distance but paid him no mind.
Before long, a guard rounded the corner with a torch in hand and immediately noticed the small group gathered in the street. He approached them, explaining that the stores are now closed and that they should return to their quarters immediately. Rei suggested that he might want to escort the drunkard walking up behind him.
As the guard turned, his torch illuminated the gaunt and decaying face of death itself as the shambling figure lunged towards him and sank it's teeth into the man's throat.
"Shit." - Jerry

Campaign

Kiga Shogunate

Protagonists

Seto

Level 9 Tabaxi Monk - Way of the Kensei

/ 66 HP

Jerry Abershaw

Astraea Karasu

Chaotic Neutral Thylean Satyr (Astraea) (Anhropologist)
Bard 13
Warlock 6

122 / 122 HP

STR
12

DEX
18

CON
14

INT
14

WIS
16

CHA
22

Aien

0 / HP

Player Journals

The Spicy Trader? by Astraea Karasu

Report Date

17 Oct 2020

Primary Location

Kiga Shogunate