Session Report: 31 December 2021
Scavenger Hunt
General Summary
In this session of Tsuwamono, the following events transpired:
Cut Dead????年??月??日 ??:??
Caves of Life
Historical Entry: Cut Dead
Darkness. Emptiness. The comfort of water's embrace. In the distance, a sole sound. Rushing. Echoing. We wait, unmoving. The stillness is not unlike death. Yet we have not died, will not die. We share a purpose, have waited an age to fulfill it. Now, the time is at hand. The acolyte approaches. Sworn to Omoikane. His being has been sundered, split into four by Zo-Kalar. Trapped in the body of a scavenger. The silent voice of decay courts him, but he does not listen. We do not sense him until he unleashes the fury of man upon us. A flash. An explosion. One of our number falls. Once, we might have mourned his loss. Now, after an eon has drained all but the barest dregs from our selves, we seek only to observe our purpose. We walk forward. Heedless of the snares, we present ourselves to the Scavenger. The ritual knife is raised high. Another report. Another falls. So it continues until each of our number has been slain. Our heads are cleaved apart. Our bodies sink into the water. And yet, this is a place beyond time and the reach of our god. True death, true rest eludes us. Unknowing, the Scavenger has condemned us to an eternity of stillness. We would cry out, and yet there is a comfort in knowing that our duty is complete. This quiet is not so different from our age-long wait. That is not dead which can eternal lie. The Scavenger, too, has a duty. Yet he still refuses the ritual knife. He takes the mask, a foreign thing, a piece of his being, and leaves. A masked ally accompanies him, takes the knife, and they leave our forms in the water. A mystery unsolved. They return to the center of this place. A Silver Dragon. A Black Fox. A Curious Hare. A servant of a distant god, crawled through the mirror. And, something else. A caretaker of this place. One of Zo-Kalar's hands who has forsaken him for Omoikane. These are the Scavenger's companions. They are surprised by his current form, but do not mistake him. A soul is not that easy to change, even for the Lord of Decay. Two pieces of the acolyte's being remain. He knows where to go. The spirits of decay tug upon his fractured self. First, to the north. To the chamber where our brother rests. He is trapped in this place. Sealed. The cave walls have grown around him, locking him away from the voice of the Lord of Decay. He could move. Could stand. Could smite the Scavenger and his companions. And yet, why would he? They are not enemies. Not yet. If the acolyte answers Zo-Kalar's call, he may grant our brother eternal rest. We slide the knife into the Scavenger's hand. Deep within his bloated form, our brother feels something. Something foreign. A heart, black and still. It has grown into our brother's flesh. Should he rest, it will be released. A test. Will the acolyte accept this gift? Will he grant it to our brother? Grant him rest? The Scavenger enters our brother through the gills. He casts the knife away. We return it to his hand. He knows what he must do, and yet he refuses. Our brother despairs. He rejects the sensation of a creature crawling within him, but still does not move. To do so would be to snuff out his only chance of escape. In the labyrinth of flesh, the Scavenger finds his heart. He retrieves it. Not with the knife, but with his wits and tiny hands. In this, he refutes Zo-Kalar. The Lord of Decay takes note. Our brother despairs. Like us, he is condemned. Heart in hand, the Scavenger returns the way he came. He expects something to happen. Something to change. But it does not. His entropy is final. His form fixed. Unless... A final tug on his soul brings him to the southern tunnels. Our brother remains still. He is abandoned. Allies of the acolyte, loyal all. They accompany the Scavenger toward the final piece of his being. A robe. They expect it to be within a room at the "entrance" to this place. This place has no entrance. The robe is not there. It hovers in the air. Enshrouded by something malevolent and invisible. The Scavenger is overcome with greed. He leaps for the robe and reaches with his tiny hands. The unseen creature answers. This is not our brethren. It is an annoyance. An obstacle. By placing the robe within it, Zo-Kalar seeks only to delay. There is still time for the acolyte to return and deliver our brother to rest. He does not. Unseen, the voyager strikes back. It does not kill the acolyte, but it grips him. It holds him helpless. He is condemned. Would be condemned, had he not allies. They join the struggle. A silver dragon coils behind the voyager. He reaches out, seeks to entrap as its lord has been entrapped. Yet a denizen of the stars has no front, no back. The voyager sees without eyes, anticipates. They lock, then break. Dragon and voyager are evenly matched. The curious hare fires at the robe, but she is ignorant of the form which surrounds it. An appendage, an instrument of death and life both, strikes the arrows away. The black fox is clever. He reaches through the ways beyond physical sight and grasps the robe. The scavenger finds it in his hands. He breaks free, slips the voyager's grasp. So delivered, the four parts unite as whole. The rat is gone. In his place stands the acolyte's true form. She has proven herself against the voyager's kin before. It cannot match her. It is condemned. Zo-Kalar's whispers are gone. The knife if gone. Our hope is gone. The acolyte has turned away, has accepted Omoikane's selfish promises. There will be a reckoning.1559年11月16日 19:00 (Evening)
Wakigami Castle
Historical Entry: The Grand Adviser's Account
Ah. A moment. Yes? You wish for a fuller account of the event which transpired this evening in the tombs beneath our castle? Very well. But know that I only speak of this because I hold no doubts as to your loyalty to the clan. Not a word must leave this room. The truth may damage our relations with powerful allies. Indeed, the remnants of the esteemed Minamoto Family. The incident began when our honored allied Daimyō, Aotsuki Tsukamoto arrived at the castle near to evening meal. I understand that he was coming from business at Owari Castle and had previously contacted me regarding Shax. Upon hearing that the demoness was absent, he chose a different path for his visit. What? Oh, yes. My informants soon placed Shax at Ago Manor in the care of Lord Maxim. So long as no word of any extreme happenings reaches my ears, we can safely leave her as, simply, his problem. Indeed. Now, back to my account. Lord Tsukamoto first traveled to the quarters of Minamoto no Yoshitsune in our southern wing. Not long ago, he traded three swords and a favor to Musashibō Benkei in exchange for Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi. Yes, the same Tsurugi who now accompanies him. Mm? Yes, by the power of Amaterasu, I have been assured. Please, I hold you in the highest esteem, my lady. However, if you continue with these interruptions, we shall be here all night. Ah...yes, I was speaking of the favor. Lord Tsukamoto promised to help Lady Minamoto in discerning the source of some "dark presence" within Wakigami Castle. As we both know, the child is not one to forsake his word easily. Not at all, in fact. This presented a problem for me, you see. I knew full well—have known for some time—that this "dark presence" was none other than Taira no Kiyomori , Lady Minamoto's most despised ancient enemy. Kiyomori's Black Ocean Society is friendly to the clan, and to our Princess-Daimyō in particular. Therefore, they have been accorded a place in the chambers beneath Wakigami Castle from which to operate. It does not take a scholar of The Tale of Genji to understand that this was a precarious situation. Should Lady Minamoto discover Lord Taira's presence, she would no doubt be implacable until the latter was dead. It behooved me, then, to develop some plan for that eventuality. With Lord Tsukamoto's conversation, his knowledge of the Taira Family's presence, and his inconvenient honesty, that eventuality had come to pass. Fortunately, all the pieces I required were already in place. I quickly contacted the Lord Kobayakawa and instructed him to don his costume. Ah yes, the costume. My lady, are you familiar with a demon called "Priska"? Yes, the one under a geas to speak only in that strange Western language. French, I believe. Frankly, I find her unbearable. However, her skill with fabrics and powders cannot be overstated. In the Princess-Daimyō's absence, I have seen fit to give Priska several projects to occupy her. This was one such: a near-perfect replica of Taira no Kiyomori's battle armor. Indeed, the precision with which she managed to capture its every tatter and dent is nothing short of incredible. Returning for a moment to Lord Tsukamoto, I could not in good faith reveal the entirety of my plan to him at this point. He has an overabundance of integrity, that child. While admirable, it also makes him a potential snag in any decent plot. To him, I said only that he should play along and take the Ladies Minamoto and Musashibō to the place where they once faced Taira no Kiyomori beneath the castle. In the meantime, I called in a favor with the cult of Kuzunoha . Her temple would be— What? Yes, I do consider it a cult. The Matsumoto, the Taira, and that fox deity's followers, all wrapped up in ancient mysticism and overbearing ancestors. What else would you— Ah yes, apologies, my lady. I have brought us off track, you are quite right. Ahem, the door to Kuzunoha's temple would be in the same place where Lord Tsukamoto last encountered it; opposite the Princess-Daimyō's laboratory. Yes, you are correct. This was yet another precaution. Should the ruse fail, the temple could simply move itself to another place in its own way. Thus, we would at least buy some time before needing to reckon with Lady Minamoto and her formidable retainer. Any good plot has layers, after all. When Lord Tsukamoto and his two companions appeared, Lord Kobayakawa was in position and prepared. He did quite well, given his complete lack of presence. Only a single slip-up, calling his foes "darlings," or somesuch. Naturally, Lord Taira would never utter such language, but it seemed to go unnoticed by Yoshitsune and Benkei, which is all that matters. They clashed and— ... Yes, my apologies, it seems these constant interruptions are giving me a headache. No, no, I meant nothing by it, my lady. I will of course be happy to answer your question. Why indeed did the Shichiseiken, Minamoto no Yoshitsune's legendary blade, not simply skewer Prince Frederick on the first thrust? We know that the Lord Kobayakawa is a moderately capable fighter, but nowhere near the skill that would allow him to face a Kensei. That is why I sought the help of one of Lord Tsukamoto's own practitioners of magic. Yes, likely the one you are thinking of. You will forgive me if I do not call her by name, out of respect for her discretion in dealing with other clans' matters. Regardless, she had crafted a powerful magical shield around Lord Kobayakawa before the battle began. It was that, not his clumsy parries, which stopped Lady Minamoto's attacks. Powerful warriors though they are, we are fortunate that neither of the kensei present are schooled in the higher arts. With the deception complete, I requested that Lord Tsukamoto deliver the final blow. Have you seen his technique before? It is really quite remarkable. Drawing what seems to be pure sunlight into his sword, he thrusts it through his foe without leaving so much as a wound. It is not the body that is wounded, but rather the subject's will to fight. That served perfectly for our purposes. Wielding that ephemeral blade of the sun, Lord Tsukamoto ran our "Taira no Kiyomori" through. A fatal blow, to all concerned. Of course, in order to sell the deception, I ensured that Lord Kobayakawa was fitted with a pouch of blood. At the right moment, he could puncture the lining of his cloak and spill the blood across the floor. With such— I'm sorry, where did the blood come from? Ah, it's probably best to leave that question for another time. Now, with such a blatant display and with Lord Tsukamoto's power well known to them, Lady Minamoto and Lady Musashibō had little reason to doubt the veracity of what they had seen. Certainly, such a death for the dreaded warlord Taira no Kiyomori had to seem somewhat anticlimactic. Such is none of our concern. They believed it, and thanked Lord Tsukamoto for his hand in putting an end to their eternal struggle. And yes, as far as I am concerned, their struggle is at an end. While Lady Minamoto still seeks vengeance, I believe that Lord Taira has turned his attention to loftier goals. He offered no protest when I suggested that he and his group relocate to Tōdai-ji for now. Indeed, they already have an ally stationed there that will no doubt be pleased to see them again. In truth, it was my original intention that the Black Ocean Society move their operations away from our country entirely. One of their number, Ashiya Dōman, already resides at Queen's Landing in the Dreamlands. It would be a simple thing for the others to join him, once this "plague" business is settled. Lord Taira would not entertain the idea, however. His plans, his ambitions, still fully concern the future of Japan. Yes, I agree. That will be something to communicate to the Princess-Daimyō ere her return. That, then, is my account. Yes, a deal of things make more sense in light of this explanation, don't they? It was not perfect, but my scheme seemed to serve its function. I only hope that the Lord Tsukamoto's integrity was not so damaged by participating in the deception. Perhaps I shall ask him about it later. Or, perhaps, his goddess shall set him on the right path. Now, I would normally entertain questions, but I have spent too much time enjoying your company already. I must return to— Ah, you were planning to leave anyway? Of course, my lady. Allow me to see you back to your chambers.Found Within an Oil-Slicked Envelope
Utsunomiya
Historical Entry: Mount Myōjin Scouting Report
My lord, Aotsuki Tsukamoto, regards. You will likely discover this message in your quarters once you retire for the evening. Assuming, that is, that the troublesome yōkai I entrusted it to can accomplish this simple task. The contents herein are simply a collection of the reports your scouts in the Teisatsu Santai delivered earlier today. I thought that it may be of use to you to have easy access to this information in a single place, should it be required. Your loyal adviser, Abe no SeimeiRoxy's Report
Note: Roxy herself was unavailable to write this report, so I have paraphrased it in my own words. Upon arrival at Mount Myōjin, the Santai split to accomplish three tasks at once. Roxy's destination was a graveyard at the base of the mountain, near the outskirts of Utsunomiya. According to preliminary information, this is the source of the "distressing events" that have been plaguing the town. (Even before the information included in the other reports, I could have told you that this was the doing of a yōkai.) Using her gifts as an Inugami, Roxy discerned two distinct scents which had been frequenting the graveyard. First was something inhuman. No doubt our yōkai. It was not of any type that Roxy had encountered (or smelled) before. Second was the smell of an individual human. A man, judging by the scent. It was also not someone Roxy was familiar with, but had been at the graveyard often enough of late to be notable. Roxy assured me that she could identify the scent again, should she encounter it.
Yajji's Report
Note: Why, by the hundred demons, did they choose Yajji to speak to the villagers? Certainly, Kappa are not my personal specialty, but even I can tell that this frog-yōkai has among the most sour dispositions I have ever encountered. They started talking once they figured out I wasn't going away until they did. Big yōkai with a hundred eyes. Shows up at night, breaks into homes, and takes somebody away. Happens every phase of the moon. Weeks, maybe months. They're praying to Amaterasu for help, so it's your problem now. (Yes, this was written by Yajji herself. As curt as it is, I can find little fault with the information she provided, so included it without alteration.)
Shunnu's Report
Note: Shunnu's capabilities seem to be in locating magic and, notably, psychic matrices. He is also said to be quite adept at avoiding detection from the same. Therefore, he was chosen to scout the surrounds of the mountain and village for any signs of supernatural activity. A sound choice, unlike the previous posting. I've been told to write this, even though there isn't much to say. So, here goes. I didn't find anything. No magic, no matrices, no traces of residue energy or anything else. Everyone who lives there seems to be a normal human. Except, probably, the hundred-eyed yōkai. But I can say confidently that even that thing isn't casting spells. Oh, and Roxy was nice. I'd like to work more with her in the future. Yajji was...you know, Yajji.
1559年11月16日 19:00 (Evening)
Ago Manor
Historical Entry: A New Face in the Wolfpack?!
明方 新聞
Akegata Shinbun
A New Face in the Wolfpack?!
It's only been a few short hours since we accepted our first article from our esteemed guest jounalist, Lady Shax. And yet, we've already gotten word that yet another person has up and joined Foreign Lord Maxim's "The Wolfpack." Unfortunately, we've got no guest journalists on the site this time. No reporters. Not even any spies. So, we've got to go off word of mouth!
At risk of becoming a Wolfpack-centric publication, here's what we know:
- A woman named Sasori Akiko appeared in Ago Manor, speaking with Elaine (another foreigner and known member of the Wolfpack).
- The language barrier (Elaine only speaks English, according to our sources) prompted Lord Maxim to intervene.
- Sasori Akiko presented Maxim with an example of her work. Our informant tells us that it looked like a sphere of some sort.
- Lady Sasori remarked that the object was an artifact, something she created, and that she could make more.
- In return, Sasori Akiko demanded that she be allowed to join Maxim on his journeys when he leaves Japan. As Lord Maxim is known to have visited the Dreamlands at least once, and came from Albion, we can expect him to have similar adventures in the future.
Rewards Granted
- +2 total Kuma Commendations
Report Date
31 Dec 2021
Primary Location
Secondary Location
Related Plots
Related Characters
- Abe no Seimei
- Aotsuki Tsukamoto
- Askaenos
- Elaine
- Jorani the Whitesmith
- Kagami
- Kobayakawa "Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia" Hideaki
- Matsumoto Ooawagaeri
- Maxim
- Minamoto no Yoshitsune
- Musashibō Benkei
- Oyama Hikari
- Ryūzaki Sanosuke
- Sasori Akiko
- Shax
- Shunnu
- Star Shambler
- Tama
- The Scavenger
- Tōdaisen Nobuhara
- Tsurugi
- Yajji
- Zvonimira
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