Session Report: 14 May 2021
Unbounded
General Summary
In this session of Tsuwamono, the following events transpired:
End of Igamono (Part 3 Final)1559年11月16日 Cow Time (Night)
Iganozeki Enclave
Historical Entry: End of Igamono
After that, there was little left to do except tie up loose ends. Nagato was willing to take Tomo Sukesada into custody, but she was Ryūzaki Sanosuke's prisoner, so it was for him to decide her fate. In truth, by that kind of logic, it should have been Fubuki making the decision. The Black Blade remained silent except to warn Nagato that her* chains would not last forever. Sanosuke decided to take advantage of the offer and move Sukesada to his lands for questioning. On Nagato's recommendation, he would hold her in one of the less-populated castles. Apparently this kunoichi was famous for slaughtering two hundred soldiers in their sleep, and so any revenge she had opportunity to take would likely not be subtle. Hakuhen would return to Ago with Maxim. Before they left, however, he wished to dole out one last piece of loot: five Majin no Tama. As the Kōka's leader, he was entrusted with them, but would not have much further use for the items. A type of poison, these little bisected balls were apparently potent enough to halt a body's heartbeat and breath for a time, as well as dampening a ki aura. A ninja could act as though dead, giving none of the tells associated with living beings as they hid. Too long without the antidote, however, and the user truly would be dead. Maxim had already wandered away to grab some souls and a shuriken embedded in the ground. He clearly wasn't interested, so Hakuhen palmed the spheres to Yoshitakatomo instead. They had the taste of necromancy about them, but not in such concrete measures as she* was familiar with. Certainly objects of curiosity. Unfortunately, Hakuhen was not able to give any information about their creation. He, too, was clueless when it came to how they were made. Meanwhile, Fubuki considered the soul of Iganozeki Butsugai still in her* hand. With Nagato and Hakuhen's combined explanation, it seemed that there would be no need to interrogate him. She* released the ball, which floated off into the night, free at last. Finally, they came to the final ninja, that one which had escaped even the Silver General's chase. Taking the red lanterns as a clue, Nagato suggested in passing to Sanosuke that she might know who that was. Someone named "Tateoka." Famous for her red lanterns, this mystery kunoichi did not like working alone, and so likely would not be back. Perhaps because of his growing exhaustion or perhaps from a lack of interest in prey which had escaped, the Silver General did not ask any further questions. The matter was left there and the party went their separate ways once more.1559年11月16日 02:00 (Night)
Matsumoto Black Galleon
Historical Entry: Entering His Realm
Perhaps some time had passed, or perhaps Hakutaku had seen to that in her own subtle way. Regardless, when Knight Commander Maxim arrived back on the deck of the Matsumoto Black Galleon, he found the two guard dogs still there waiting for him. Both Gamou Terukazu and Jirōuemon were grudgingly willing to let him in now. Not because they thought he had any business being there—Maxim still reeked of suspicion to both of them—but because orders had come down from the ship's owner that he was to be let through. Be that as it may, Maxim didn't know what might await him under the deck of this ship. It had borne an envoy of chaos into his realm. What other terrors could lurk beneath? Jirōuemon offered to guide him to "The Door," whatever that meant, but Maxim made the decision that Terukazu was coming to. The surly Kushin disagreed. His job was to guard the ship when he wasn't delivering messages, and it was a task he took seriously. When Maxim stepped up to Terukazu and grabbed him by the front of his armor, easily lifting him into the air, the situation changed. It turned out he'd be accompanying them after all, his relatively squat form tucked tidily under Maxim's arm. The interior of the galleon was...not what Maxim had been expecting. Rather than a ship's hold, the room before him more resembled a gambling hall. Opulent gold ornamentation wound its way around the wooden walls, framing a red-carpeted floor boasting several different game tables. There was even a hostess. At least, that was the only thing that came to mind for the curious bee-like-girl who welcomed Maxim's group below as honored guests. Shō Hachiya, for that was her name even if Maxim was not to know it, was happy to lead them to The Door and welcome them to its other side. The only sour note in their otherwise bubbly interaction was a slight tinge of resentment in her voice when she spoke of Maxim meeting the lord of this ship. Apparently that was an honor reserved for few. Of course, Maxim had only been here a short time, and he'd already met with a number of rogue characters who seemed to be doing whatever they liked. It was becoming obvious that the Black Blade did not take a greatly active hand in managing the vessel. Meanwhile, the Black Blader herself* (at least for the moment) was entering a bath house in the Mirror Palace Gardens. Shōjō and Okājo were both still with her* and both seemed eager to dip into the hot, placid pool that lay within. Upon request, Fubuki conjured for Shōjō a bathrobe (which the girl just wore over her clothes anyway) and let them loose. Predictably, the younger of the two dove straight in while Okājo took her time slouching over to the water's edge. With one foot extended into its depths, the golden sheen on her skin melted away immediately, revealing porcelain skin beneath. That was the last that Fubuki saw. For reasons of her* own, or perhaps just privacy, the Black Blade manifested a wall around herself* to separate from the other bathers. There seemed to be some splashing and shouting on the other side, but that sounded like Not Fubuki's Problem. Elsewhere, Maxim passed beyond The Door, where things made even less sense. After traveling through a curtain of shimmering liquid (which didn't leave him wet but did make Terukazu sneeze) he found himself in what looked quite like an expansive palace garden. The palace itself rose up against a starry sky ahead of him, but the moon wasn't in the same position as it'd been above deck. Indeed, even the air here seemed a different temperature. It was warmer, with a hint of dew on the air. These inconsistencies aside, there was no way this entire palace garden could possibly fit into the belly of a galleon. Maxim put it down to magic. Fortunately, his host had given him enough instructions to find his destination: the bathhouse. His companions Shishikura Makiko and Kitsuno followed behind with Jirōuemon as Maxim took point. Nothing more chaotic than a light breeze assailed him as he traversed the grounds, fortunately. Arriving at what could only be the bathhouse from the steam rising above its room, Maxim steeled his will and opened the door. Inside, the expansive room with a pool at its center seemed to be empty at first. Empty except for a slight golden sheen on the water and a pair of empty bathrobes floating, forgotten, at its surface. On the opposite side of the door, a portion of wall stuck out at an odd angle. That slice of wall soon disintegrated as the Black Blade beyond heard his visitors enter. What was revealed was not Fubuki, but rather a great Sable Fox, nearly the size of a horse. When the sleek beast spoke, some of the crowd might have been surprised. Maxim was not. He'd had the pleasure of seeing this particular form during the White Rabbit Bowl. Why the Black Blade had chosen it now was a mystery, but perhaps the least mysterious he'd encountered so far. Regardless, the Sable Fox welcomed its guests and offered them a bath. That was, of course, not why Maxim had come. Before moving on to actual matters, however, he thought it might be prudent to figure out where the two people obviously missing from the baths had gone. Evaine managed to pick up some splattered footprints leading out the door they'd just come through, so Maxim offered to take up the chase. Somehow, the Fox seemed entirely unconcerned, however. With a flick of one of its many tails, Shōjō appeared in a brief flash of light next to the others. She was soaked down to the skin, although mercifully still fully clothed. More pressingly, a fluffy white cat was latched onto her face, eliciting a series of yelps and cries as it scrabbled around. The Sable Fox conjured a fish, which the white cat leaped for and gobbled down before jumping right back onto Shōjō's head. Maxim tried not to let the rising chaos in this chance-blighted place to distract him from his true mission. Forcefully turning a blind eye to whatever was happening with Shōjō over there, he finally broached the subject. A trade deal. Something between The Wolfpack and the Black Blade's flying galleon. It would benefit both of them and strengthen bonds of trust between allies at the same time. That is, if they could trust each other. The Sable Fox seemed to believe that they could. It promised that they would sign an agreement, with someone from the Matsumoto side journeying to Ago Manor in the morning. In fact, the Sable Fox mused, they had someone of Maxim's on board now. A trader from Baharna. She'd come here on business with Tanahase Muramatsu, but these days, that meant business with Maxim by extension. The Black Blade would ensure that she made it to the Manor after dawn broke as well. While they spoke, a girl with dark hair and shining eyes entered the room. She stalked over, grabbed the cat off of Shōjō's head, and muttered something about a premonition before leaving just as quickly. None of this interrupted Maxim and the Fox's discussion, but it did leave Shōjō suddenly free to take in the burly foreign beauty before her. She volunteered a bit too quickly to be the one to take care of all that business in the morning. Perhaps fortunately, the Sable Fox ignored her. Despite the chaos that seemed inherent in this strange realm, Maxim had accomplished his mission. A trade deal with a truly unique power. Now, perhaps he could leave and return to the land of sanity.1559年11月16日 02:00 (Night)
Ōtsu Castle
Historical Entry: Interview with an Ikki
It hadn't been easy, but Aotsuki Tsukamoto had come up with a way to deal with Toyotomi Hideyoshi. A way that they could both agree on. That is, dumping him somewhere far away. Hideyoshi wanted a fresh start, and Aotsuki wanted to be rid of him. It almost seemed to mirror how the young Daimyō's adviser, Abe no Seimei was to deal with her nemesis, Ashiya Dōman: shove him in the Dreamlands and forget about him. That matter was resolved, but Aotsuki still had many more items on his plate despite the late hour. It had been an eventful day, and catching up with those events had proved challenging. Next, he'd like to speak to Saika Magoichi. The Silver Crow's team had succeeded in bringing in Hideyoshi, and so Seimei had given them time off. But this was important. Aotsuki bade that Magoichi, at least, be woken up for a short meeting. A short time later, in one of Ōtsu Castle's second-floor meeting chambers, Aotsuki sat across from the woman he wanted to see. Magoichi still had some sleep around her eyes but, just as Seimei had predicted, she didn't complain. Rather, the young noble was politely waiting for Aotsuki to tell her why she'd been summoned. In recognition of the late hour, he didn't waste any time in getting to the point. This had been bothering Aotsuki for some time, and he wanted to get the option out on the table now. Namely, he saw fit to offer a home in Mino Province to those families and friends of the Saika Ikki. There, he could provide stability, safety, and a reprieve from the dangerous unpredictability of the Ikkō Ikki. Before her response, Magoichi took a deep, deliberate breath. Not the reaction Aotsuki had been hoping for. Calmly but firmly, the Silver Crow explained to her employer why that wouldn't work. The Saika Ikki were under his command only as a job. A necessity for the greater good. Aotsuki might be a good man, but the system he ruled over was exactly what the Ikkō Ikki were fighting against. She couldn't ask her family, nor those of her friends, to betray their ideals and become a part of the feudal machine once again. To his credit, Aotsuki was not insulted by her refusal. It made sense, and he realized that he'd misunderstood the situation to begin with. Even so, he refused to abandon the idea entirely. There must be a way, somehow, that they could find a solution that would work for everyone. His passionate declaration seemed to stir something in Magoichi. Opposite him, she mulled the words over for a time, before responding with a question. Had Aotsuki ever met Rennyō? The Daimyō had to admit that he hadn't. He'd heard the name, always in connection with the Ikkō Ikki. Rennyō seemed to be some kind of leader amongst the disparate groups. Saika Magoichi thought that it would be a good idea for them to meet. Aotsuki might find that Rennyō's philosophy meshed with his own more easily than he expected. When the other voiced concerns of safety, Magoichi seemed surprised. Rennyō was a pacifist. He would not meet with anyone except under the guarantee of peace. With this, Aotsuki agreed. His caution was understandable. He relayed some encounters he'd had with the Shirohebi Ikki and Ikkyū's odious group. Apparently, Magoichi shared his perspective. She could not see eye to eye with the Shirohebi, and thought Ikkyū as much of a villain as he did. It seemed that being fellow members of the Ikkō Ikki did not instill much loyalty to each other. They were united under Rennyō as an inspiration, rather than a leader. This news heartened Aotsuki. If this was the case, then surely Ikkyū must be running out of friends. Unfortunately, Magoichi couldn't confirm that hope. There were plenty of opportunists in the Ikkō Ikki alongside the idealists. Many, then, who would offer such a man shelter. A shame, but not a matter to be dealt with tonight. Aotsuki thanked Magoichi for her team's role in capturing Hideyoshi, then filled her in a bit on what would be happening to the scoundrel henceforth. As the moon wheeled lower in the sky, however, it didn't seem prudent to keep the meeting going any longer than that. Aotsuki gave Magoichi his blessing to take the next day off. If there were any other tasks requiring the Saika Ikki's hand, they would be back in his service the following morning.1559年11月16日 02:00 (Night)
Wakigami Castle
Historical Entry: The Delivery; The Gauntlet
Following the day's events, there was quite a bit on Ryūzaki Sanosuke's mind. He wanted to pay a visit to Sarutaba Chino, and there was the matter of his newest prisoner, one Tomo Sukesada from the matter with the Igamono. If what Fujibayashi Nagato had told him was true, it would not be wise to leave her unaddressed for too long. Before any of that, however, Sanosuke decided to complete his original task: delivering a case of Absodium to the researchers in Wakigami Castle's basement. As the Silver General arrived with Shigeaki Fujino, he found the underground laboratory in a curious state. What first drew his attention were two prisoners shoved off into the corner. He recognized one as the Putrid Jikininki he had subdued and pacified from the portal to Yomi. The other was none other than Kashin Koji, forced to sit in the corner like a punished child with a piece of white sealing charm over her mouth. The lab's other occupants were all gathered around a table on opposite side, chattering excitedly. Sanosuke recognized Ashiya Dōman and his wraiths, Brynhildr, Mary Lyn, and even Hashinara Kiyowara, no doubt standing in for the Princess-Daimyō. A closer look confirmed Sanosuke's suspicions. Their celebration was warranted. They had finally completed the Mugen Gauntlet. As momentous as that was, it was not the reason he'd come. With a bit of help from Fujino, Sanosuke got Kiyowara's attention and explained how he'd come by this case of Tamahagane. More important, perhaps, was the fact that the Hōjō Clan seemed to have much more than Katō Danzō had been able to make off with. Dōman, too, had noticed the delivery. One of his wraiths floated over and remarked on its fortuitous arrival. The notorious onmyōji had ensured that some of his own designs made their way into the Mugen Gauntlet. One of these was that it could be powered by souls, as well as magical energy. As the fuel required for each trip was immense, these bars of Absodium would prove an excellent source. This was not in line with what Sanosuke had intended. It was his plan, if at all possible, to remove the souls from the alloy and restore them to their rightful owners. Kiyowara confirmed that this would be difficult. Although, perhaps not impossible. As for what the Hōjō was doing with the Tamahagane, Sanosuke could not provide a definitive answer. His meeting with Ujiyasu's daughters had not touched on anything specific. Nor had Danzō, or Sanosuke by extension, seen any practical applications during her foray into Odawara Castle. Without any proof, Kiyowara determined that they must expect the worst. A creature constructed of such material, as Yoshitakatomo herself* knew the process of, would prove a formidable foe immune to many of their countermeasures. If Sanosuke were to succeed in liberating the souls from a bar, however, that could be a valuable technique for such a confrontation. Placing that matter behind them, both Sanosuke and Kiyowara turned their attention back to the completed Mugen Gauntlet. A robed, masked figure held the object before him, presented to the others. Katsusada Shishauezaemon, himself an avatar of the great Yoshitakatomo, had also been instrumental in its construction. He understood the item in and out, as well as the massive amount of magical power required to activate it. That power was not wasted, however. Theroetically, there was no limit to the distance which the Mugen Gauntlet could cover; on this plane or others. With that in mind, Shishauezaemon proposed a test. The destination seemed obvious, especially with their present company: Albion. Indeed, Mary Lyn seemed quite excited at the prospect of reuniting with Caius Pendragon and others of the rebellion. For her part, Kiyowara was most interested in the idea of bringing back powerful warriors from the distant land to help in her own crusade against Izanami-no-Mikoto. Mary had to advise caution there, however. She would not allow the Pendragon Rebellion to be weakened until Arthur Pendragon once again sat on the throne. It seemed just as Sanosuke had suspected. Before they could rely on aid from Albion, they would first need to provide their aid in turn to Mary Lyn and her allies. Further, there was the matter of whom to send. An army was apparently not possible due to the restriction of physical contact. Everyone traveling with the wielder of the Mugen Gauntlet had to maintain touch with them from departure to arrival. Combined with the enormous cost in power to activate, this would theoretically limit them to a small squad of elites. Sanosuke had an idea on that front, however. It would just require someone with longer appendages than usual to send more passengers on the trip. Surely Yoshitakatomo could make that happen? At this, Kashin Kōji blathered something from the other corner of the room. Her words were lost in the sealing charm across her mouth, but it was obvious that she'd said something. Katamoto, another of the godly Daimyō's avatars, took the irksome spirit and sat her down on a table before removing the talisman. This proved to be an errand in annoyance. Koji refused to repeat her statement because it was a joke and therefore would not be funny without the proper context, which had passed. When threatened with the talisman again, she changed her tune, but it was too late. Katamoto slapped that seal right back across her mouth and put her back in the corner. Perhaps Kiyowara would see about having Shax remove her mouth entirely. As that tableau played out, Sanosuke was working out some further plans. He would take care of the preparations for their first trip to Albion. In the meantime, it seemed wise for Mary Lyn to get some rest. She had been working very hard of the past several days to bring this project to fruition. Although visibly eager to return to her homeland, Mary agreed. She suggested that watching the tournament later that morning might be a nice way to unwind. After all, she'd been forced to miss several days of the festivities so far.Character(s) interacted with
Related Reports
Notes
- New Trade Agreement: Shima Province <> Matsumoto Black Galleon
Report Date
14 May 2021
Primary Location
Secondary Location
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