Session Report: 25 September 2020
The Two-faced Girl
General Summary
In this session of Tsuwamono, the following events transpired:
Sepulchral Secrets at Isonokami (Part 2)11/15/1559: Cow Time (Night)
Isonokami Shrine
Historical Entry: Sepulchral Secrets at Isonokami (Part 2)
Now that Shigeaki Fujino had transported herself away to a safe place, Hashinara Yoshitakatomo, Aotsuki Tsukamoto, and Ryūzaki Sanosuke could battle the remaining Gye-lyong at their leisure. Those monstrous serpents were even now caught up in the coils of Yoshitakatomo's earthen magic, unable to move or raise their heads for the immense gravity pressing down on them. In such circumstances, it might not be necessary to fight at all. Such must have been the thoughts rushing through Sanosuke's head as he grabbed the stone ring that had fallen from the first Imugi's helmet and immediately made his way to the next closest. Careful to avoid eye contact, the Silver General popped open the remaining helmets with his nodachi before collecting the artifacts hidden inside. When all was done, he had two stone rings and a triangle, all of which he brought to the matching pattern in the center of the room. The items slotted in easily and began to turn. Stone grinding on stone heralded the activation of another device as the center of the chamber began to open. It was not, however, a rapid process. Aotsuki and Yoshitakatomo joined their comrade at the center of the room and stood on guard should the monsters manage to regain their agency. Two of the Gye-lyong did no such thing and remained bound by gravity. One, however, threw off those arcane fetters and slithered its way aggressively toward the closest interloper: Aotsuki. As it readied itself to strike, Sanosuke shouted out quick instructions to Kagami. Turning the mirror on her head, the little Sheele managed to reflect the basilisk's own chilly gaze back at its avian face. Powerful as they were, the Gye-lyong proved not to be immune to their own abilities. Staring at itself in the mirror, their foe could not move an inch, paralyzed utterly in its ready pose. The center mechanism opened then, revealing a glorious Seven-Branched Sword rising from a compartment even further beneath the surface of the earth. Sanosuke did not hesitate in grabbing its unhilted handle and claiming victory over the challenge. The Imugi were still active yet, but Kagami's solution had given Yoshitakatomo similar ideas. With a few spells of creation, she* conjured up an individual mirror for each Gye-lyong. Free to dispel her gravity effect now, the party could roam at will. All their foes were still alive, but all but helpless as they stared at their own petrifying reflections. Tama was particularly tickled by this poetic end to the basilisks, and her childish laughter echoed around the tunnels of the hidden chamber. Normally this alone would not catch Sanosuke's attention, but the girl's lilting voice seemed to have a strange effect on his new sword. Vibrating as though in resonance with the laughter, a bit of magical energy seemed to generate from the blade itself, plainly visible to the Silver General's S.P.E.C.T.A.C.L.E.-clad eye. The three took a short time to examine the rest of the chamber, but found little of interest. Yoshitakatomo recognized an item portrayed in the mosaic as a Yeouiju: a powerful focus created when a dragon attains full power that grants it near-invulnerability and divine might. Tempting as that may be, it was alas only a painting on the floor. The three made their departure, but not before Sanosuke received a golden coin from a strange visitor. Was that hulking figure in brass armor who passed the talent into his hand real or imagined? Certainly there was no trace of him after the fact, but the Silver General was left one Gold Kuma Coin richer, and that was an undeniable fact. Outside, the three reconvened with their departed ally, Shigeaki Fujino. She, of course, wanted to hear the full tale. Fortunately, by some twist of fate, an ursine hand, or the mercy of Hakutaku, Fujino remembered none of the trauma she had just been through. To her, it seemed as though she'd been waiting patiently outside all this time while her friends explored the depths. They all had a friendly chat then, under the gibbous moon. At Sanosuke's urging, Tama repeated her laugh, but the sound's effect on the Seven-Branched Sword was not repeated. The earthen sheele did repeat a bad word she'd heard Sanosuke shout after watching Fujino's death in the hidden chamber, almost causing Aotsuki to faint from shock. She promised, at least, not to say it again. The White Frog departed then, with his "daughters," returning to other adventures in Ōtsu Castle. Sanosuke and Yoshitakatomo were left alone briefly as Fujino handled his travel arrangements. Together, they puzzled over the artifact they had won from Isonokami's depths. Adroit as always in matters of the occult, Yoshitakatomo deduced that the weapon had some hidden potential. It could store a large amount of magic, and did so in an aura around the blade rather than in the material itself. That could prove useful in sharing the bounty with a nearby ally. More impressively, the Seven-Branched Sword could resonate with certain sounds, using them to generate magical energy or other effects. Seven sounds for seven branches; the amount they could produce each day was probably limited, but still a very useful attribute. All combined with a bit of innate protection against powers of the mind, these qualities made up for what Sanosuke had noticed right away: the sword's unwieldy design was not quite ideal for actual combat. Fujino returned then, ready to take them their separate ways. With Isonokami Shrine conquered, the two resumed their individual activities that night.11/15/1559: 03:00 (Night)
Nijō Castle
Historical Entry: Two of Seven Tones
Following the events at Isonokami Shrine, Ryūzaki Sanosuke took his newly-acquired Seven-Branched Sword in hand and returned to Nijō Castle. His journey was hastened by Shigeaki Fujino, and a surprisingly short amount of time had actually passed since he set out from Ōtsu. That was thanks in part, no doubt, to Hakutaku's blessing. A brief, clandestine conversation occupied his attentions momentarily, then the Silver General went about searching for Umbriel. Thanks to the connection with music he and Hashinara Yoshitakatomo had discovered within the Seven-Branched Sword, it seemed likely that the most rhythmically-minded member of the Silver Meteor Storm could help offer some insight. Umbriel's chambers were empty, but the soft sound of scraping lured Sanosuke to the gardens not far away. The Daughter of Avatea was here, her tall, slender form illuminated by the gibbous moon above. In her lap, she held her curious weapon, running a whetstone over its blade with her characterstic sense of rhythm. Sanosuke took a moment to adjust himself to the same beat, then approached and engaged her in conversation. The Silver General's presence was a welcome one in Umbriel's company now. He was among the few Earthlings who could match the inner music that consumed her every action. Between the pleasant company and the light side of the moon casting good omens upon her, the Daughter seemed to be in genuinely good spirits. A few pleasantries finished, Sanosuke delved into the other reason for his visit. He first explained what scraps he knew about the nature of the Seven-Branched Sword, then asked for her opinion on it. Umbriel caught on immediately. Her own weapon "listened" to the sounds around it, so such a concept was far from alien for her. Taking the blade in her hands, she began softly singing to it, as a test. The Daughter's voice was graceful and melodic. While not on a divine level, it would be almost impossible to match the performance there in the quiet, moonlit courtyard at Nijō. Just as when Tama had laughed before, the Seven-Branched Sword seemed to resonate with Umbriel's voice. Sanosuke's S.P.E.C.T.A.C.L.E.-enhanced eye caught traces of magic in the air as it was seemingly generated by an interaction between blade and sound. The energy did not dissipate, but rather joined the paltry sum gathered around the blade in an aura. Umbriel seemed to have produced nearly double what Tama had. This was precisely the kind of discovery Sanosuke had hoped to uncover. With eight words of gratitude, he took the sword back from Umbriel and decided to try singing to it himself. Unskilled in the musical arts, his performance was not nearly as graceful as the other's had been. Expectedly, the sword failed to react. It remained inert in Sanosuke's hands until he handed it back to Umbriel and asked her to serenade it once again. She complied, and delivered a lullaby just as beautiful as the first had been. Again, nothing happened. It seemed, then, that the Seven-Branched Sword might only respond to certain stimuli once per day, just as Yoshitakatomo had theorized. The Silver General offered his thanks and received the artifact back from Umbriel. She, in turn, expressed her gratitude for the chance to experience such an exquisite weapon. Making to end the pleasant encounter, Sanosuke excused himself and left Umbriel to her moonlit sharpening. He hailed Fujino then, and managed to pull her away from a separate encounter with Matsumoto Ooawagaeri. Their destination this time was a small business off the mountainous slopes of Odawara Castle. He'd made some quiet arrangements before, and the time had come for a similarly unassuming meeting at The Tanuki's Secret. To Sanosuke's surprise, this was not Fujino's first engagement at the little parlor. When pressed, she explained that Tsukijō Hanahane often frequented the place to arrange business dealings with clients in the eastern reaches of Japan. The mention of that lackadaisical, pink-mopped man put a stopper on Sanosuke's curiosity, and he dismissed the matter. It was only a blink of the eye before he and his transport arrived in an alley not far from Odawara Castle. That structure was more than Sanosuke had imagined. Towering mightily into the night sky, obscuring even the moon, its bulwark was grander even than the Palace of the Firebird by a factor of two. The Silver General expressed that the Hōjō Clan's reputation as castle-builders might be well deserved before turning to the true reason for his arrival. It did not take much searching to find it. Next to an unadorned door on the otherwise dingy street, someone had carved a crude caricature of a Tanuki into the wooden wall. The cartoonish creature was holding its finger to its lips, one eye closed in a mischievous wink. After exchanging a nod with Fujino, Sanosuke opened the door and stepped within. In contrast to the shadowy alley behind, the interior of the parlor was well-lit and well-appointed. Two paper walls with opaque doors set in them funneled visitors to a reception of sorts. In this case, this consisted of little more than a pile of cushions atop which a Bakedanuki girl and her Tanuki assistant leafed through a monumental ledger. As Sanosuke approached, she looked up at him through thick spectacles and welcomed him politely, if a little coldly, to The Tanuki's Secret. Fujino offered helpfully that the girl's attire was similar to that worn by some clerks of Sancta Sedes, a tidbit she had no doubt learned on her outings here with Hanahane. Sanosuke took in the information, the reserved luxury around him, and then turned to address the clerk.11/15/1559: 03:00 (Night)
Ōtsu Castle
Historical Entry: The Curious Case of the Bird Unsinged (Part 1)
Aotsuki Tsukamoto had succeeded, to a certain degree, in his mission to safely escort his companions Ryūzaki Sanosuke and Hashinara Yoshitakatomo into the depths of Isonokami Shrine in search of an artifact. With the sword found, the dangers escaped, and a part of his soul dissolved by Tama's swearing, he was well and ready to go home. Shigeaki Fujino was happy to oblige, and soon he found himself in the moonlit entryway of Ōtsu Castle. A pair of guards welcomed him in, but as he crossed into the bleakly shadowed hall, he realized that they were not the only ones here. Sitting in the shadows, a graceful, demure-looking woman watched him with every sign of self-absorbed amusement. She was not someone Aotsuki recognized, although her fine dress and graceful manner were not out of place in the castle's palatial halls. She, however, seemed to know Aotsuki. After asking him how his return journey had fared, she went on to admit that she had been waiting for him in the darkness for a few hours now. Apparently she wanted to thank him, although Aotsuki couldn't reason out what she might have to show gratitude for. He said as much, to which the maiden answered that it was no more than his hospitality, his patience, and graciousness with her previous attitude. A sneaking suspicion started to steal over the Ivory Shield of Ōtsu at this point. He looked more closely at the maiden in the shadows, remembering a scruffy, belligerent girl who had come into the castle in search of her brother, but then caused an uproar and tried to scam everyone in sight. Surely this demure yamato nadeshiko couldn't be Shōjō, and yet her hair, eyes, and general build seemed to match up. Aotsuki's reverie was shattered by the slamming of a door behind him as Imamura Naiku practically stumbled into the room, out of breath. At the same time, the other girl scurried into the shadows. As she left, Aotsuki might have sworn he saw the scummy girl that had first invaded his home, and not the graceful maiden to whom he had been speaking. Between gulps of air, Naiku explained the situation as she knew it. Her ministries with Shōjō, intended to grant the girl a bit more decorum and help her to see the error of her ways, somehow seemed to have backfired. Like some sinister sponge of dignity, Shōjō had absorbed all the teachings while learning nothing. She could somehow present herself as a graceful maiden now, through methods beyond Naiku's understanding, and had used this farce to escape. By the insight of Amaterasu, however, Naiku was not so easily fooled. She believed Shōjō to be just as dangerous as before, if not more so, and completely unrepentant. In the end, the priestess expressed doubts that her charge was even human. Aotsuki was tempted to sally off into the darkened halls alone in search of his "guest," but he'd gotten into trouble more than once by not heeding his allies' warnings of danger. Instead, he put out the call and Assembled the Team. Soon thereafter, Ka-ten Agni rode into the hall on the shoulders of her serf, Sugihara Hidemitsu, who still had a bit of sleep around his eyes. Roxy appeared next, and was quickly able to pick out Shōjō's scent once apprised of the situation. Informed only that they were on the hunt for a troublemaker, Hidemitsu groggily asked if this was about the missing tea sets from the kitchen. Aotsuki hadn't heard about any missing tea sets, nor was the news welcome. He put the matter out of his head for now, and focused on hunting down the trickster. Agni seemed to have her own ideas on the matter, and had independently decided that their quarry was none other than Krishna. Preoccupied with other things, their leader did not disabuse her of that notion. Aotsuki would soon regret this misstep. Following Roxy toward the generals' quarters on the first floor, the ragtag group ran into Shōjō almost immediately. She was standing in the moonlight with a hulking, furred form that Aotsuki first mistook for a monstrous beast-person. On second glance, it turned out to be only Second Mate Ryūji in his trademark big fur coat. He was bent down, discussing something with the graceful maiden before him in hushed tones. Obviously, no good could come of this, so Aotsuki intervened. When confronted, Ryūji said that they had only been discussing an herbal remedy for seasickness. Two months' wages seemed like a lot for that, but Shōjō had skillfully persuaded him around on the idea, and he was about to close the deal. With a short reminder to Agni that the castle wasn't fireproof, Aotsuki cautioned Roxy to keep a close eye on the maiden and let him know if she tried anything at all. The Temporarily Embarrassed God of Fire took Aotsuki's warning to heart, and so gathered up all her power within her target, rather than the castle around them. This was Krishna (she thought) she was up against, after all, so she shouldn't skimp on the inferno she was about to unleash. With a triumphant cry, mirrored by Aotsuki's shout of dismay, Shōjō went up like a bonfire. The girl didn't scream or struggle. Instead, she just looked a little surprised as the billowing pyre reduced her to a standing pile of ash. Aotsuki, Roxy, Ryūji, and Hidemitsu were all mortified. Agni, however, was patting herself on the back for dealing with the troublesome godling Krishna so easily. Certainly, she had been an enormous annoyance to Aotsuki, but he hadn't wanted this. He rushed forward, hoping that somehow there was enough left in the ash for him to invoke Amaterasu and revive her. No matter the cost, he was prepared to- Then, he saw it. Sticking out of the finger, scorched and sooty but still whole, was a finger. Unless he was very much mistaken, it was Shōjō's middle finger, pointing right at him. Aotsuki scowled, then went back to digging through the ash. Tama, meanwhile, pulled on the finger curiously. From the monumental pile of ashes, Shōjō tumbled. Not the graceful maiden Aotsuki had spoken to before, but ratty, normal Shōjō. Her clothes were a burnt in places and her eyebrows were gone, but she otherwise looked miraculously unharmed. Aotsuki looked to his companions in bewilderment, but none of them had any idea what this could mean. Neither did Abe no Seimei who, when consulted through the mental network, could offer little reason for the seemingly entirely-human Shōjō to survive the fire or change appearances so quickly. Agni was the only one who was confident in the answer. Obviously, this was Krishna, she insisted, and even the Fire God's just blaze would not be enough to kill her. Aotsuki checked over Shōjō one more time, but found a strong pulse, smooth skin, and bright eyes under the lids. Indeed, she seemed to be in infuriatingly good health, other than the loss of eyebrows. Still off-balance and uncertain, he had Shōjō remanded to a well-guarded room for now. He'd deal with this mystery in the morning. With thanks to his other companions, he finally departed the lower quarters of Ōtsu Castle and headed toward his room. Certainly, Aotsuki's heroic physique didn't demand as much sleep as the average human's, but he still needed some, and it had been a trying day in many ways. But his trials were not over yet. Opening the door to his room, Aotsuki found his wife, Tokku-hime sleeping on the floor. His own futon and pillow, which normally graced the spot under her, were entirely unaccounted for. Kagami's was gone too, although Tama's bedding remained where it usually was. Tokku was dozing as though nothing were wrong, which led Aotsuki to the inescapable conclusion that someone had somehow stolen his bedding out from under her; perhaps along with the tea sets from the kitchen. Looking down at the disheartening scene before him, Aotsuki heaved a great sigh.11/15/1559: 03:00 (Night)
Matsumoto Black Galleon
Historical Entry: Fubuki Pirates the Imperial Palace
Far above Wakigami, hidden in the clouds, Fubuki was finishing her* linguistic lessons with Phenex. Hebrew wasn't easy to pick up, especially for a native speaker of Japanese, but with an Archdemon as her* tutor, Fubuki felt she* was improving quickly. There were other things to do that night, however, and one of them involved the great metal door that Masamune had crafted at her* request. In preparation, Fubuki gathered the reagents for a ritual, spending an hour in focused incantation. Once that was complete, she* called upon Watatsuki-dōnyo, who required only a little cajoling to join her* upon the Matsumoto Black Galleon. Although she was a powerful oni and skilled spellcaster, Watatsuki possessed a deathly fear of combat and confrontation. Therefore, she was eager to be able to aid the Hashinara Clan (or in this case the Matsumoto) by taking on a passive role in a ship up safely hidden away in the sky. With her permission, Fubuki bound a few spells to Watatsuki-dōnyo using the ritual she'd* devised earlier. The first was the spell which kept the Galleon afloat. That way, even if Fubuki were to fall in battle (as had been known to happen), the ship would safely remain suspended rather than plummeting to the earth. The second spell required a bit more preparation. Fubuki first consulted Watatsuki-dōnyo about what kind of place she'd like to call home. Given no restrictions, she answered with the most opulent she could think of: the Imperial Palace. Calling then upon Shigeaki Fujino, Fubuki teleported to an area just above the Palace in Echizen Province. The spell here required quite a great deal of magical energy. Try as she* might to control the accumulation, Fubuki still scored out a twisting pattern of scraped shingles on the roof of the building. Fortunately, nobody would ever be likely to see it, or know what it was if they did. Releasing the energy, Fubuki cast Inside the Mirror, fabricating a copy of the entire Palace including the extent of its gardens and surrounds, then linking that reflection to the portable door. It seemed to have worked; Masamune's door had a bit of extra weight to it. Rather than tarry here, however, Fubuki asked Fujino to bring them back to the Galleon. Once safely aboard, Fubuki proceeded to test the door. As intended, it opened into another place, with a slightly-different night sky over a perfect copy of the Palace and its gardens. When approached from the other side, the door would lead to another entrance in the same reflected place. Fujino took it upon herself to test it, and found that mental communication was possible between realms, but only when the door remained open. Regarding Watatsuki's question of whether a tiny emperor was copied along with the demesne, Fubuki assured her that only creatures with significantly less presence than a human would be present within. Birds and frogs, perhaps, but no courtiers. The spell seemed to have gone off without a hitch, and Fubuki was able to tie this maintenance to Watatsuki as well, with her consent. The Matsumoto now had a portable palace, hidden within a flying ship, and could live in luxury with none the wiser. Anyone who was awake at this early hour was invited to move in, and several did, including Phenex and Gamou Terukazu. No doubt the others would do so as soon as they awoke. Fujino asked for quarters of her own within, which Fubuki saw no reason to refuse. There was, after all, plenty of room.11/15/1559: 03:00 (Night)
Ago Manor
Historical Entry: Return to Ago Manor (Part 2)
While the other generals of the Hashinara Clan were busy with their own pursuits, Knight Commander Maxim had taken some time to chat with some of his close allies* in Ago Manor. At the moment, this was only his misfortunate shadow, Kashirin, and Haures, who was equal parts aide and overseer. While Maxim and his demonic watcher seemed to possess similar goals, they had not been getting along well of late. In their current discussion, Maxim had just brought up the possibility of Andras, another archdemon of Wrath, lending her forces to the upcoming battle against the Uesugi Clan. Encouraged by Haures' favorable response, he continued by asking what, if anything, he'd need to do in order to bring the other into this world. Haures seemed nonplussed by the question at first, but then answered that they could either convince a powerful invoker in this realm to summon Andras, or else bring her up by the same route she and Maxim had used not a few days ago. If, that is, the ruler of Jigoku would allow it. Maxim was keenly aware that Great King Enma might not have much of a say in the matter, but Haures certainly didn't need to know that a powerful potential rival was so diminished. Instead, he floated the idea of returning to Gehenna himself at some point. He'd lost something important there, and it was itching at the back of his mind that he'd probably better get that back. This suggestion did not sit well with his keeper. Haures all but forbade Maxim from returning to Gehenna, suggesting that the temptation of other Demon Princes would likely be all that awaited him below. With a smile brought to his face, Maxim teased Haures about being jealous, afraid that he'd be stolen away from her. The little lion, however, did not find it nearly as amusing. She was able, at least, to assure Maxim that when he arrived in Hell, he hadn't brought any worldly possessions with him, save for Hostimentum. That assertion left the Knight Commander with a further question. If that was the case, how had Kashirin tracked him down across the hellish plain? His Binbōgami companion was able to answer that quite easily, however. Once she tasted an individual's misfortune, it wasn't hard to find again regardless of distance, especially when it was as deep and awful as Maxim's. Haures took note of their conversation, and voiced an uncommon opinion about Kashirin. To the lioness, Maxim's unlucky companion seemed harmless and useful. Given the amount of perdition she'd caused amongst his allies* in the Hashinara, that was something Maxim was surprised to hear. That, however, was enough conversation for Maxim. He waved his hand and attempted to dismiss Haures, but the other had little intention of leaving him alone again. With so much having changed over the short evening she'd been away, Haures was considering tightening her leash. Eventually, he convinced her to leave for her own quarters, but not without a flare of anger in the lioness' eyes that Maxim felt might be an ill portent of things to come.Rewards Granted
- 1 Golden Kuma Coin (Golden Cow Challenge)
- 1 Golden Kuma Coin (Favor of Susano'o)
- Seven-Branched Sword
- Various Elan bonuses and penalties
Missions/Quests Completed
Character(s) interacted with
- Abe no Seimei
- Crocodile
- Gye-lyong
- Haures
- Imamura Naiku
- Ka-ten Agni
- Nanakuma
- Roxy
- Second Mate Ryūji
- Shigeaki Fujino
- Shōjō
- Sleepy Guard
- Sugihara Hidemitsu
- Uemura Ayasa
- Umbriel
- Watagyūma-dōnyo
- Watatsuki-dōnyo
- Yatsukahagi
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