Session Report: 13 August 2021
Tale of the Shipborn Sheele
General Summary
In this session of Tsuwamono, the following events transpired:
Lunch Without Maxim1559年11月16日 12:00 (Afternoon)
Black Toad Inn
Historical Entry: Lunch Without Maxim
In the winter sun, with the oven of the Black Toad Inn behind him, Greasy Ii began to sweat. He'd been completely unable to do anything about that ruffian (Maxim, was it?) throwing his weight around and trying to kidnap cute little Oyau. And now, when he'd gone as far as to throw himself upon the mercy of the Silver General, Ryūzaki Sanosuke, it seemed his plea had fallen on deaf ears. For his part, Sanosuke didn't want to do anything too rashly at the moment. His lunch with the fine women around him hung in the balance. Before they could so much as enter the inn to partake of Greasy Ii's fish special, however, they'd have to do something about that infernal heat still lurking inside. It showed no signs of lessening even now. What's more, their only guess to its origins was that girl Maxim was apparently "kidnapping." Greasy Ii seemed to be doing a stubborn job of blocking the door to hold Maxim up, so Sanosuke and company had time to try some things. His first action was, as normal, to call in an expert. Shigeaki Fujino was sent to fetch Takenaka Hanbei. The psychic's aunt, Shigeaki Tōno vanished too without warning. Soon, both were back. Fujino had succeeded in her mission and Tōno had apparently chosen to fetch some sort of well-dressed monkey man. At least he looked very polite. It was Hanbei's lot to cast an analysis spell on that Oyau Kamui, and if she happened to stick around for a pleasant lunch afterward, so be it. Meanwhile, their new Saru companion, Saruyoshi Ennosuke, proved his worth by masterfully analyzing the phenomenon within the inn. As they'd suspected, it was a psychic matrix. And a powerful one, at that. Indeed, the temperature-raising power there was so strong that nothing short of a god would be able to shatter it. That made a certain amount of sense, as Oyau Kamui seemed to be something of a god herself. If destroying the effect itself was off the table, they had some other methods to try. Sanosuke began by placing his hand to the side of the wall and willing the heat to leave the building. This it did, laws of nature bending to obey the orders of a minor divinity such as the Silver General. And yet no sooner did warmth depart the building than it was renewed. That psychic matrix would keep the interior at a constant heat as long as it could, it seemed. They could, then, combat psyience with magic. A mage learned in the ways of water magic could cast a spell to drop the temperature for a time. It wouldn't be a permanent solution, but nothing shy of killing Oyau Kamui seemed to promise that effect. The problem was that, try as he may, Sanosuke could think of only a few wizards in the Hashinara Clan who could boast that flavor of magic. There was Mary Lyn, of course, but she'd been working without rest for days on end to finish the Mugen Gauntlet. It would rend Sanosuke's heart to ask more of her now. Of course, there was always that someone who had made his presence known here not long ago. Sanosuke would never willingly ask that person for help. Aotsuki Tsukamoto, however, held no such compunctions. He called up Fubuki on the mental network, but the Black Blade was far away on the slopes of Mount Ōe. She* was not inclined to travel to Osaka now that the main danger had passed. Grudgingly, Sanosuke hailed Mary Lyn. The Court Magician sounded a bit tired, but ready to tender her services as always. Perhaps a nourishing lunch of broiled fish would be restorative for her as well. Fujino left to fetch her. Regrettably, Mary Lyn had little new advice to offer on the problem. A mage of her power could, indeed, cast a spell to forcibly lower the temperature within the Black Toad Inn. Such a measure would be a stopgap, however. Mary could keep it active indefinitely, but if anything caused her to drop her concentration, blistering heat would rise up again and perhaps even cook whoever happened to be in the inn at the time. It seemed that they were running out of time to solve the problem peaceably, as Knight Commander Maxim had just managed to exit the inn. He'd managed this by simply picking up Greasy Ii and holding the innkeeper in one arm while the other cradled unconscious Oyau Kamui. Big as he was, Ii couldn't so much as shift Maxim's mighty arms a single inch. Soon, he hung shamed and defeated in the other man's grip. Maxim, apparently, had failed in killing Oyau Kamui. Every blow landed in the overwhelming heat within had simply closed as soon as he could deliver another. Instead, he now proposed that he'd like to speak with the girl god. As she'd just tried to kill several of Maxim's companions, waking up Oyau Kamui seemed a questionable decision. Yet Maxim remained curt and determined as always. He found an ally in Mary Lyn, both fellow Albionites. She prepared to cast a spell and wake the sleeping swamp-thing, but paused first. Before she would do any such thing, Mary demanded that Maxim give his oath no harm would come to the rest of those gathered here. Now it was Maxim's turn to hesitate. A knight's oath was not a thing so freely given. Eventually, however, Maxim gave his word. That reassured Mary enough to cast a spell and rouse Oyau from her slumber. Sanosuke, who had expected the magician to encase their foe in ice or something similar, was momentarily dumbfounded. Maxim, however, just wanted a word. As she awoke, Oyau Kamui seemed to be back to her old urchinous self. She cracked a few jokes in poor-taste, apologized for her actions against Maxim's allies, and shut down the power still heating the inside of the inn. It seemed this particular Kamui was relatively new to the human form and quite enjoyed it. Having not had a good meal for several decades, however, the presence of powerful spiritual snacks caused her feral side to resurface once again. This was, in fact, in danger of happening now. Despite Oyau's obvious and growing hunger, Maxim was reluctant to take action. Only when the girl almost broke free from his grip did he finally drop Greasy Ii from his other hand and ask Fujino to take them away; to anywhere that wasn't here. Fujino obliged. Having not been given clear instructions, she spirited the two to the first place she could think of: Yakisoba Yashiki. It wouldn't have been Maxim's first choice, but the graveyard outside the restaurant seemed deserted enough. He worried about running into Kenas-unarpe Kamui here, but the shadowy huntress did not seem to be about. Still, why did his encounters with Kamui keep bringing Maxim back to this particular place. It was, at least, a chance to speak to Oyau Kamui alone. Or mostly alone. Fujino seemed interested in sticking around and listening in. Meanwhile, back at the Black Toad Inn, Sanosuke and company were finally able to enter the building's dining area and have a solid meal. The intense heat within, now vanished, had been enough to cook Greasy Ii's entire stock of fish. With the Silver General willing to purchase the excess for the people of Osaka and Aotsuki Tsukamoto offering to patch up the holes in his establishment, Ii had little reason to complain, however. He furnished the group with a tasteful meal. It seemed that Saitō Dōsan would remain outside. He was perhaps too big for this place, and his lunchtime business was with Maxim regardless. All the others, including Haures and the obsequious Saruyoshi, had come along for lunch. At first, the former lurked around the edges of the room, obviously mistrustful of Aotsuki, Sanosuke, and their folk. Eventually, however, the smell of well-cooked fish broke down even her resistance and she joined them. Back at the Yashiki, Maxim and Oyau Kamui were getting to know each other. She didn't seem like a bad person as such, as was the knight's original estimation. That hunger, though, would be a problem. He'd have loved to have an outcast like her join The Wolfpack, but if she was going to attack and try to devour Haures and Kashirin every time they met... To Oyau, the answer was simple. She just needed to be fed. Any soul of a certain divine level would do. It wasn't that her condition was chronic, but rather that she hadn't eaten in so long that she couldn't control herself in the presence of such nourishing morsels. Unfortunately, Maxim didn't have any souls of that caliber to offer. At least, none that he was willing to give up. A thought occurred to him then. Pushing his palm against the Vase Vitae, Maxim called forth the soul of that Suspicious Crab his allies had fought on the coast of Shima Province. That wouldn't do the trick, however. According to Oyau, the crab's soul was nothing special and would hardly slake her hunger. As Maxim considered his next move, the two were interrupted by a shout from the front door of Yakisoba Yashiki. It was a Kyonshi whom Maxim did not recognize, although her dress and accoutrements reminded him of Haro Uin and the strange circumstances surrounding her. This kyonshi, apparently, was Sugihara Yoshiko, and she was none too happy about some ne'er-do-wells loitering on her master's front lawn. Back at the Black Toad Inn, the mixed group were well into a hearty meal of fish. Sanosuke thought that now would perhaps be the right time to bring up a matter with Aotsuki. Specifically, that of Matsunaga Hisahide's request that the Aotsuki Clan pardon Toyotomi. That was a difficult thing to ask, and Aotsuki was immediately wary. Hideyoshi was a scoundrel; an incorrigible bastard who showed no remorse at all for his actions. They'd already agreed to ship him out of the country and let some other culture deal with his antics, but now Sanosuke wanted a pardon? In truth, it was Hisahide who wanted it. Or whomever had hired Hisahide. Still, the Matsunaga Daimyō had offered some important information in exchange for the service; information that Sanosuke would pass on to his ally in more privacy later. If they could come to some kind of agreement, they should. Unknown to those two, someone else was asking about Hideyoshi at that very moment. It was Sugihara Yoshiko, back at the Yakisoba Yashiki. Having recognized Maxim as affiliated with the Hashinara Clan, she'd agreed to let him and his little friend loiter if he'd just fill her in on Hideyoshi's condition. Maxim wasn't sure what their connection was. Something about tattoos and a near-death experience? Anyway, he didn't know much about Hideyoshi except that he was in the care of the Aotsuki Clan. So, he told her as much. Yoshiko's mutterings seemed to indicate that she had taken some sort of action regarding Hideyoshi and was waiting for it to pan out. Without the knowledge of either party, a shimmering thread of fate had just been drawn between Maxim and the problem Sanosuke and Aotsuki were facing. But that was little of Maxim's concern. He had a divine soul to find or something. For the moment, he determined to have Oyau Kamui stay at the Yashiki. It was safe enough, at least until evening when tournamentgoers would start to show up. Before then, hopefully, he'd be back with a meal for her or at least some kind of solution. Oyau had no complaints. Indeed, her dark eyes practically glittered at the idea of finally being fed.1559年11月16日 12:00?
Queen's Landing
Historical Entry: A Fell Christening
Albeit not without cost, Hashinara Yoshitakatomo had succeeded in escorting Phiruna the Navigator to Queen's Landing. Now the Black Galleon that listed outside their bay would have its captain. More, Yoshitakatomo could move on to the next step of her* grand design.Albeit not without cost, Hashinara Yoshitakatomo had succeeded in escorting Phiruna the Navigator to Queen's Landing. Now the Black Galleon that listed outside their bay would have its captain. More, Yoshitakatomo could move on to the next step of her* grand design. Promptly, the aged Daimyō left Phiruna to descend upon the beach. She* found Ashiya Dōman there and hailed him, but not about whatever suspicious activities he'd been up to before her* arrival. Instead, Yoshitakatomo wished to know if the onmyōji had skill enough to summon a Sheele. Of course Dōman asserted that he did. Anything that Abe no Seimei could accomplish would be well within his grasp as well. Reassured that she* was moving in the correct direction, Yoshitakatomo then turned her* attention to the Black Galleon a hundred meters out in the water. This would be the vessel into which she* would pour life. A crowd gathered, then, drawn by the rumbling earth and twisting sand in the air. Arcane energies crackled across the ground and up through Yoshitakatomo's raised soles into her* body. Even the air itself seemed to thrum with barely-restrained power. Then, it shot forward. Like a giant's blade, the Daimyō's mighty spell cleaved through the waves and cut a furrow all the way out to the ship beyond. There was no physical change, as the spell took hold, and yet... Something about the vessel seemed different. The shape of its prow now suggested some ill-defined sentience dwelling within. Its body rocked with more intent than it had just a moment ago. Yoshitakatomo found herself* thinking of the thing not as an "it," but as a "she." A voice rang out over the heaving bay as water crashed back into the furrow magic had left in its wake. It was Ganzo Sada, the Named Man. His voice brimming with pride and fellowship, he beseeched Yoshitakatomo to grant this newborn vessel a gift: a new name. This had not been within the aged Daimyō's expectations. She* paused for a moment, turning characters and meanings around in her* head. After a ponderous length, Yoshitakatomo indeed gave the ship a name: Hashinara Kurayume. It was a title bearing the honor of the Hashinara family name, while also evoking thoughts of dark dreams and depthless seas. The watching peasants drank in this momentous naming with only respectful silence. Then, Yoshitakatomo's part was done. The next step would be by the Wraithmaster, Ashiya Dōman. Yet, as he took to the shoals, a problem arose. The soul Yoshitakatomo had indwelled within the vessel was too powerful. Far greater than most of the lowly humans present, it would require an equally vast supply of magic in order to produce a sheele. When Dōman named an approximate number, Yoshitakatomo's heart nearly stopped. Or it would have, had it not ceased its beating some time ago. Still, it was a staggering sum, and not something which the Daimyō could safely produce then and there. After considering her* options, a solution was not far from her* mind. Elsewhere, in a castle on Earth, a masked man stood from his work and engaged transport to Ise Grand Shrine. There, he passed through the portal and arrived, not but minutes later, in the presence of his true body. This avatar of Yoshitakatomo's power, named Katsusada Shishauezaemon in honor of a previous life, would provide a shard of the power they needed. It was settled. Shishauezaemon invested two-thirds of what was needed, while Yoshitakatomo gave up the final third. Dōman, too, did his part. Nearly all of the masked man's own energy went into the conjuring which followed. To Yoshitakatomo's eyes, it was like a twisting serpent of raw energy. Rising from the man on the beach, it struck out to the ship and buried itself within her hull. There came a creaking then, as though the vessel herself was in great pain. Then that sound itself was overwhelmed by a great curtain of water bursting out from around Kurayume and hiding her from view. All gathered watched in muted awe, but the spectacle was not to last. Too soon, the veil crashed down and revealed Kurayume looking much as she had before. The only difference, this time, was the petite figure resting atop her bow. Its features were indistinct from here, so Yoshitakatomo approached. None spoke as the Daimyō crossed the waves, walking upon them as if they were sand, then to climb Kurayume's hull in the same manner. Upon the ship, Yoshitakatomo found a confused and wary girl formed from a shard of the ship's soul. This was a sheele created from a soul that had only been birthed mere moments before. And yet she was no infant. When granting the vessel life, Yoshitakatomo had weaved into her* spell the memories of all those who had crewed its decks. Beyond a healthy dose of imbued loyalty to the Hashinara Clan, she* had little idea of what to expect from this amalgam of the exotic before her.* A few side effects immediately became apparent as the sheele spoke in a language Yoshitakatomo could not decipher. It sounded dark and guttural; perhaps not quite human. That was fixed with another spell of memory, granting this creation a working memory of the Japanese language. With that done, Yoshitakatomo took a moment to admire the work she* and Dōman had wrought. Small-bodied, as many sheele were, this could pass for a human girl were it not for the great claws on her hands and the blunted points her legs tapered into; dark clusters of keratin devoid of feet. Perhaps the sheele's form as well as its memories had been influenced by those goat-footed Men of Leng who had once crewed these decks. All-in-all, Yoshitakatomo was quite satisfied. The same could not be said for the sheele, who demanded to know what had happened, why she was now alone on this ship, and where her "brood" had gone. Yoshitakatomo filled her in as well as she* could. There was a cultural divide here, or perhaps something greater, that could not be so easily bridged, however. The sheele continued to ask about the brood, the Faceless God, and the rubies which formed its eyes. That was not as expected. Perhaps a Moonbeast's memories, too, had been introduced to the mix? In the end, it hardly mattered. Indeed, the sheele's strange amalgam of knowledge could work to Yoshitakatomo's benefit. After all, alien as this Kurayume was, she could not fight her inborn loyalty to the clan.1559年11月16日 12:00 (Afternoon)
Mount Ōe
Historical Entry: Straight to Hell
The situation in Osaka seemed to be clearing up, which left Fubuki free to pursue her* original destination of Mount Ōe. Shigeaki Fujino had already left her* on the slopes near the bottom of the great peak before leaving. Now, Fubuki heard a distinct grunting and thudding coming from just over the nearest rise. Approaching, the Black Blade beheld what was surely a common sight upon Mount Ōe. A group of beefy Oni of all the common colors were engaged in strength training. Hefting boulders on their backs and running in formation, the squad was watched over by a particularly muscular Oni woman standing not far from where Fubuki was now. Indeed, as she* approached, the other called out to her* with an order to join the others in training. Fubuki was momentarily nonplussed until she* realized that her* current form was that of an oni. A strange and slender example of the race, perhaps, but Fubuki knew from personal experience that physical size did not always equal physical strength. After a moment of consideration, Fubuki decided to simply carry on with the training she'd* begun earlier in the day. Picking up a nearby rock about the same size as her* own body, the cold-eyed oni fell in step with the others. It was harder than the Black Blade expected. Soon, beads of sweat were popping from Fubuki's forehead and her* legs were burning with the effort. At least they weren't crackling this time. The other oni made room for her* on their trail, but it was not to last long. Apparently satisfied by Fubuki's performance, the overseer called out once again. If the visitor could break that rock on her* back, she'd* be free to climb to the next tier of the mountain. Such a thing was quite simple for one such as Fubuki. By injecting a lance of concentrated ki into the boulder, she* was then able to step back and allow the thing to crumble away of its own accord. Soon, only rubble remained. The oni drillmaster gave Fubuki a look, but it seemed the methods didn't matter. She'd* passed the Trial of Strength, almost without realizing that she was being tested. With the Warden's approval, Fubuki proceeded to climb to the next tier. All too quickly the sounds of oni exercise faded into the distance and Fubuki was alone once again. Mount Ōe was not difficult to climb this low on its slopes, but it was bleakly quiet and sparse. It was hard to believe that this very same empty stretch would become a bustling metropolis of food and merriment when the Endless Feast began at night. The ground seemed to level out at what Fubuki could guess was the second tier. Just above, a thick covering of roiling mist obscured the slope for the rest of the climb up. Before her*, beneath the clouds, an array of caves dotted a tall cliff face that extended to the limits of her* view in either direction. It would not be too strange to think that Fubuki's next trial waited in one of these. None of the apertures offered any visual clue to her* next destination, but Fubuki had other means of gathering information. Concentrating, she* shifted her* vision to a spectrum not normally seen by humans. In this way, she* could identify the life force, ki auras of creatures within a certain... Fubuki had to squeeze her eyes shut. A sharp pain shot through her* head. There was something, huge and impossibly bright, within the mountain itself. Whatever it was, its aura was so powerful that gazing at it for even an instant was enough to leave her* briefly blind. The only other time Fubuki had encountered something like this was when she'd* attempted to gaze upon the aura of Honda Tadakatsu. Trying that avenue again would be foolish, but there was something else. In the otherwise silent air, a soft sound like bone upon bone drifted through the air. Fubuki turned to the cave which seemed its origin and descended within. As she* passed over its threshold, the Black Blade was seized by a sudden sense of vertigo. The entrance by which she'd* just came was now gone, leaving only blank stone behind her*. What's more, Fubuki was not alone. In the center of the cave mouth, a dark-clad figure sat in ghostly illumination. Before her, a Go board was laid out as though in the middle of a game. There seemed to be no opponent, but Fubuki did recognize the player. Nikkai. The champion of Amatsu-Mikaboshi and a potent source of chaos. If Fubuki was here in Nikkai presence it could be no coincidence. Or, perhaps coincidences were exactly the kind of chaotic providence that could bring two such together. In her usual soft tones, Nikkai wasted no time describing why she'd called Fubuki here. The Goddess of Primordial Chaos had been taking note of the Black Blade's actions for some time. Now, if she* so wished, it was time to take the next step. Some great chaos, a confusion to engulf civilizations, would please Amatsu-Mikaboshi and install Fubuki as the goddess' next champion. Indeed, if Fubuki so chose, a potent tool for just such an event lay in the darkness beyond. It seemed that Fubuki was not meant to be Nikkai's opponent in Go. Instead, the Black Blade cautioned that she* was not in the habit of endangering the lives of innocents with her* chaos. Nikkai merely shrugged. Death and destruction meant nothing to Amatsu-Mikaboshi. These were often byproducts of chaos, but not necessarily elements of chaos themselves. However Fubuki wished to proceed would be up to her*. There seemed, then, to be only one way to go. Passing by Nikkai, Fubuki descended into the darkness within Mount Ōe. It was an interminable trek. Or, perhaps it took only a few seconds. Everything had seemed distorted since Fubuki's entrance into this cavern. Soon enough, she* stood at the mouth to a great cavern which must be at the mountain's heart. Casting everything in a stark blaze, an enormous humanoid figure hovered restrained in the middle of the cavern. The titan appeared to be made entirely of fire and it burned like the sun. Surely this was what Fubuki had detected with her* ki sight earlier. Behind it, the cavern seemed to descend further. At its sides, mighty black chains, scorched from eons of endless fire, tied the giant to the walls of the cavern. Tracing their length back to the head of the thing, Fubuki realized that she'd* been noticed. The fiery titan spoke. In a booming, crashing voice it demanded that the interloper release it. This thing claimed to be the bane of humanity. It was fire. It was destruction. It was Oni. Certainly, breaking these chains would result in the kind of chaos Amatsu-Mikaboshi seemed to be looking for. Fubuki had no intention of doing so. After all, by the titan's own admission, she* would just end up burning with everything else. Instead, on a whim, Fubuki teleported herself* up onto the giant's shoulder. That was a mistake. Furious plasma punched through Fubuki's core and tore into each of her* limbs as the titan's fires burned her* alive. In only moments, Fubuki's vision went white, then black, and she* fell into the void.Fubuki awoke with a terrible headache. The backs of her* shoulders smarted, as though she'd* taken a fall, but other than that she* seemed unharmed. Even lessened by the Hound of Tindalos' attack, the Black Blade's legendary powers of regeneration were still in effect. With that settled, Fubuki took a look at her* new surroundings. This seemed to be a comfortable, Japanese-style sitting room. Someone had laid a cushion under Fubuki's head and made sure she* was comfortable on the tatami. All in all, it was quite cozy. That is, until she* noticed the artwork on the walls. Each landscape featured a hell full of demonic oni torturing sinners in a variety of inventive ways. The artist had spared no effort in making the painful-looking experiences as gratuitous as possible. "Neat." These were images of Jigoku, Fubuki knew. Most native Japanese would be familiar with it. And yet one didn't hear much about Jigoku anymore. It was always Yomi instead. Fubuki wondered why. Nobody seemed to be around, but one of the four doors of the room was cracked open invitingly. Confirming that all of her* belongings were safe and secure, Fubuki walked over to the portal and slid it fully to the side. Beyond, a much grander room was bisected by a crimson curtain running from wall to wall. The cloth blocked Fubuki's view, but her* attention was quite grabbed by the man in front of the curtain anyway. Towering, nine feet tall at least, this giant wore opulent robes and a bushy black beard. Atop his head, a wooden crown proclaimed him with the character for "King." If Fubuki was in Jigoku, this could only be King Enma. Indeed, the mighty Lord of Hell wasted no time in lambasting Fubuki for her* many sins. Due to her* unrighteous conduct, she* was to be condemned to Jigoku and tortured for all eternity. However, Great King Enma was not without mercy. If Fubuki would help him by acting as his agent in the mortal world, perhaps they could come to a different understanding... As was her* wont, the Black Blade interrupted a few times, got distracted, and even took a peek on the ki spectrum. What she* found there was most interesting. The towering monarch before her* gave out no life signature at all. Behind the curtain, however, a rather weak aura remained concealed. Fubuki walked up and began to pull back the cloth. This elicited a roar from Great King Enma. Sinners were not to touch the curtain! That was fine with Fubuki. Instead, she* stepped back and grabbed the covering with a bit of magic. Tugged along without a single tough, the curtain instead came to her*. King Enma's demands fell on deaf ears until, soon enough, the crimson curtain had been fully parted. Beyond, a waifish figure in diminished regal gear sat pouting. This, it seemed ,was King Enma, greatly reduced by the acts of Izanami-no-Mikoto. Fubuki was reminded of Ka-ten Agni's condition. Were there any other deities who had been so diminished? The girl who could only be "Great King" Enma confirmed as much, but made no effort to further punish Fubuki for her* transgressions. Perhaps she could not muster enough power in her current state. It seemed, then, that the balance of power had suddenly flipped. Enma was at Fubuki's mercy.
Character(s) interacted with
- Ashiya Dōman
- Avatar of Slaughter
- Ganzo Sada
- Greasy Ii
- Hashinara Kurayume
- Haures
- Honehira Dōnyo
- Kashirin
- King Enma
- Mary Lyn
- Nikkai
- Oyau Kamui
- Saruyoshi Ennosuke
- Shigeaki Fujino
- Shigeaki Tōno
- Sugihara Yoshiko
- Takenaka Hanbei
- Yagokoro Tokuyo
Created Content
Report Date
13 Aug 2021
Primary Location
Secondary Location
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