Session 42: Conversations in a Bathhouse
General Summary
As they exit the tower, the guys place the barrels on the group. Offa magically writes on them in the kanji for Justice. Sikander lights the fuse and runs. Anya creates the firewall and throws ice magic at any stray flames escaping. The barrels catch and there is an earth-shattering explosion!
It catches onto the illegal weapons and fireworks cache in the cellars, suddenly gifting Edo with an impromptu Hanabi show. The Cherry Smashers’ reputation from the average citizens improves and is sky high in the Golden Gai – everyone wants to buy them a drink.
Walking away from the crumbling tower, with a freed Akira in tow, they head for a three-story bathhouse eager to rest from the indescribable day it had been. On entering they learn Lord Mirt had previously caused trouble, but they assure those running the front desk this group will absolutely behave since there is a queen with them. Anya nearly blows Sikander and Silas’s story as they are led to a private room. Akira immediately gets in, with Silas and Sikander jumping in. Anya goes to the side room and washes off first and comes out to join the others. Those running the bath insist on running fresh water (as entrails are floating in the water) and offer a special treatment for Sikander. He goes off with them, sure it is an ale bath and instead is locked in a barrel with golden bugs that clean every stitch of the dwarf. On his return, Sikander seems even more charismatic than before, but a bit more shaken from the experience. Silas decides to try, but on discovering the bugs, he backs out and runs back to the private room, where Akira tells the workers to leave Silas be.
Anya, seeing Sikander’s change in demeaner, feels bad for the misunderstanding around the special treatment and orders sake for them all to share. As they soak and relax, various questions are asked of Akira, and he shares how he came to join the Cherries – coming from an impoverished family, the young Yokai and his brothers took to crime, and he was eventually recruited. His darkest secret, one not even his wife knows, was a confrontation with a family fleeing the Cherries. To make an example of them, Akira’s choices led to the young boy causing him to be thrown from a cliff. In that moment, years of programming fell away, and he knew he needed to escape. Understanding what it was to live with a dark secret, Anya shares with Akira that she too had previous lives that were dark and corrupt. Acknowledging Anya, Akira offers to create a kinsugi in the future.
They also learned:
The Dark One runs the entire Cherry Blossom Organization and is very close to the young Emporer
A’flora is being held at the palace under the control of the Dark One and the Cherries
Samyra is being manipulated into serving the God Eaters at the Dragon Tooth Palace
The Foxes are free to come and go in the Women’s court at the palace.
Foxes choose their sex when they marry, otherwise they may choose between any of the six
It is possible they may need to send Anya into the palace to try and rescue A’flora, unless they can get a fox’s assistance.
As the questions fade, Sikander comes alongside Akira, telling the capybara he has much to atone for and he, Sikander, will make sure Akira throws himself off a cliff. Akira does not disagree, stating he is more than accepting of committing seppuku when the time comes and offers to train Sikander to be his second for the appropriate moment. Until then, he will continue to good and help the community heal as best he can.
Hearing this, Anya slides away from Sikander, lost in thought. Silas, noting this shift, brings her sake to comfort her. She downs it, becoming intoxicated and instead of accepting his comforting words, starts sharing about two of her past lives – Laserie Cromelon and Elyel Sharondalan – and the dark lives they led as a ruthless artifact hunter willing to kill any in her path and a devil worshipper willing to do anything in its service. Silas listens, finally telling her “I am just a simple gnome, and I don’t know much…” he continued but Anya becomes emotional (still very drunk) and misses the rest.
Silas then shares his own story: He did not really care who he worked for to find information for Samyra.
When asked about the ceremony for the Gloaming, he explains the circle of stones and that one family was chosen to send one child and the entity would bestow a “gift” on that child. These touched were called “stained by the darkness” and typically rose to become prominent members of the village depending on the gift. His parents thought they would double up and send the twins even though there should only be one. As the darkness came, he fell asleep when he woke, she was gone. Some aspect of Samyra appears to him and has since that day.
As they grow quiet, Sikander get out looking for a towel. Anya (sobering herself), smiles and casts Create and Destroy Water, perfectly drying her brother. As a very nude Sikander stands outside the bath, a young fox woman arrives that Anya remembers from their first day heading into Edo to ask for their assistance.
She shares that Woke Suise (her friend who has chosen to be a female) is lover of the princess of the foxes, Hoshiko Kitsune. This is forbidden as the princess must marry a prince so their marriage can produce a child. The groom is awful - a brute named Kinsei, but Hoshiko’s mother, Queen of the Foxes Idaina Uchu, is a fierce figure and not to be trifled with. Unsure yet how they can help, other than to convince Idaina that this marriage should be allowed, they all begin to prepare to leave.
Offa sets off to find a body to create Granny Two from the tower, while the others wait. Chatting amongst themselves, Kitsune Mura and Akira discuss where the group is heading for the Fox Wedding and the Forest Spirit they may encounter when they do. Kitsune Mura then asks if they had ever encountered Tenuki, bad, evil spirits who love to play tricks. As none of them were sure, they all returned to the Golden Gai looking for another Fox to assist. They find a bar with a nine-tailed fox mural, a statue, another painting, and a magical flame. On meeting the bartender, who shifts, Anya also shifts and narrowly escapes being captured. As he speaks with them, the bartender is holding his balls and tells them they are his arcane focus. Anya, growing tired and irritated with his antics, freezes them, and asks him to put them away. Sikander is extremely entertained by the Tenuki and while speaking with him learns his friend Pando is a friend of foxes and has one in the royal court. He teaches them what Pando’s pair looks like (left has a white patch and the right like a cow’s mottled head) so they will know him when they find hm. Appreciating Sikander’s conversation, the Tenuki gives them a special draft that will transform you into what your mind wants. The bottle has three drinks, packs a punch, and warns they will not have control when they drink it.
It catches onto the illegal weapons and fireworks cache in the cellars, suddenly gifting Edo with an impromptu Hanabi show. The Cherry Smashers’ reputation from the average citizens improves and is sky high in the Golden Gai – everyone wants to buy them a drink.
Walking away from the crumbling tower, with a freed Akira in tow, they head for a three-story bathhouse eager to rest from the indescribable day it had been. On entering they learn Lord Mirt had previously caused trouble, but they assure those running the front desk this group will absolutely behave since there is a queen with them. Anya nearly blows Sikander and Silas’s story as they are led to a private room. Akira immediately gets in, with Silas and Sikander jumping in. Anya goes to the side room and washes off first and comes out to join the others. Those running the bath insist on running fresh water (as entrails are floating in the water) and offer a special treatment for Sikander. He goes off with them, sure it is an ale bath and instead is locked in a barrel with golden bugs that clean every stitch of the dwarf. On his return, Sikander seems even more charismatic than before, but a bit more shaken from the experience. Silas decides to try, but on discovering the bugs, he backs out and runs back to the private room, where Akira tells the workers to leave Silas be.
Anya, seeing Sikander’s change in demeaner, feels bad for the misunderstanding around the special treatment and orders sake for them all to share. As they soak and relax, various questions are asked of Akira, and he shares how he came to join the Cherries – coming from an impoverished family, the young Yokai and his brothers took to crime, and he was eventually recruited. His darkest secret, one not even his wife knows, was a confrontation with a family fleeing the Cherries. To make an example of them, Akira’s choices led to the young boy causing him to be thrown from a cliff. In that moment, years of programming fell away, and he knew he needed to escape. Understanding what it was to live with a dark secret, Anya shares with Akira that she too had previous lives that were dark and corrupt. Acknowledging Anya, Akira offers to create a kinsugi in the future.
They also learned:
As the questions fade, Sikander comes alongside Akira, telling the capybara he has much to atone for and he, Sikander, will make sure Akira throws himself off a cliff. Akira does not disagree, stating he is more than accepting of committing seppuku when the time comes and offers to train Sikander to be his second for the appropriate moment. Until then, he will continue to good and help the community heal as best he can.
Hearing this, Anya slides away from Sikander, lost in thought. Silas, noting this shift, brings her sake to comfort her. She downs it, becoming intoxicated and instead of accepting his comforting words, starts sharing about two of her past lives – Laserie Cromelon and Elyel Sharondalan – and the dark lives they led as a ruthless artifact hunter willing to kill any in her path and a devil worshipper willing to do anything in its service. Silas listens, finally telling her “I am just a simple gnome, and I don’t know much…” he continued but Anya becomes emotional (still very drunk) and misses the rest.
Silas then shares his own story: He did not really care who he worked for to find information for Samyra.
When asked about the ceremony for the Gloaming, he explains the circle of stones and that one family was chosen to send one child and the entity would bestow a “gift” on that child. These touched were called “stained by the darkness” and typically rose to become prominent members of the village depending on the gift. His parents thought they would double up and send the twins even though there should only be one. As the darkness came, he fell asleep when he woke, she was gone. Some aspect of Samyra appears to him and has since that day.
As they grow quiet, Sikander get out looking for a towel. Anya (sobering herself), smiles and casts Create and Destroy Water, perfectly drying her brother. As a very nude Sikander stands outside the bath, a young fox woman arrives that Anya remembers from their first day heading into Edo to ask for their assistance.
She shares that Woke Suise (her friend who has chosen to be a female) is lover of the princess of the foxes, Hoshiko Kitsune. This is forbidden as the princess must marry a prince so their marriage can produce a child. The groom is awful - a brute named Kinsei, but Hoshiko’s mother, Queen of the Foxes Idaina Uchu, is a fierce figure and not to be trifled with. Unsure yet how they can help, other than to convince Idaina that this marriage should be allowed, they all begin to prepare to leave.
Offa sets off to find a body to create Granny Two from the tower, while the others wait. Chatting amongst themselves, Kitsune Mura and Akira discuss where the group is heading for the Fox Wedding and the Forest Spirit they may encounter when they do. Kitsune Mura then asks if they had ever encountered Tenuki, bad, evil spirits who love to play tricks. As none of them were sure, they all returned to the Golden Gai looking for another Fox to assist. They find a bar with a nine-tailed fox mural, a statue, another painting, and a magical flame. On meeting the bartender, who shifts, Anya also shifts and narrowly escapes being captured. As he speaks with them, the bartender is holding his balls and tells them they are his arcane focus. Anya, growing tired and irritated with his antics, freezes them, and asks him to put them away. Sikander is extremely entertained by the Tenuki and while speaking with him learns his friend Pando is a friend of foxes and has one in the royal court. He teaches them what Pando’s pair looks like (left has a white patch and the right like a cow’s mottled head) so they will know him when they find hm. Appreciating Sikander’s conversation, the Tenuki gives them a special draft that will transform you into what your mind wants. The bottle has three drinks, packs a punch, and warns they will not have control when they drink it.
Report Date
21 Apr 2024
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