S18 - The Guardian of Mitsukawa Report
General Summary
In the aftermath of the attack, the Jito debriefs the party. Jiko describes that Yamami attacked Akira and seemed possessed. The party also warns the Jito that the Kokoraiju was stronger this time around as it was now able to command lightning. Jugen then inquires what the Jito plans to do with Akira. He replies that his fate is up to Lady Kisei and he then tells the party to pack up.
The war camp moves out and sets up camp right beside Iwasaki. Mizuki discreetly messages Akira, and finds the boy frightened. She tries to reassure him, but he then asks if he had killed anyone. Mizuki breaks the difficult news to him, and Akira stops responding. Night falls, and the party takes their long-overdue rest.
The next morning, the party visited Nonaka. He is grateful that he’s informed of recent events but deemed it unnecessary as the Jito is now in command. He tells the group that Reiji had passed by and mentioned that they should investigate Sekawa-mura. The Jito then summons the party.
The Jito reports that he received Lady Kisei’s response. She simply mentioned that she trusts Akira in the party’s hands but she’ll address the situation once she deems it safe to leave Otorii Kabe. Akira is then released to the party. Akira, still forlorn, receives disdainful and fearful looks from the soldiers.
The party then rides for Sekawamura. The village was abandoned and flooded. The onikiri’s jadeite activated, but the taint source was not immediately apparent. They investigate a small shrine near the former lakeshore and find a go-shintai toppled over. It cracks, and the stagnant waters suddenly stir, and several water spirits appear and attack the party. The party takes out half, and the rest retreat towards the lake. A storm seemed to be brewing in its middle so the party did not give chase and went on to investigate the mining village ahead.
Konakamura is similarly abandoned, so the party checks the mine. They find and dispatch several Kotsu, tainted blood oozes, and two Kokuen acolytes. At the end of the mine, they encounter a Nuri-kabe. Jiko intimidates it to open and inside, they find a Kimon submerged in a lake. The party retreats but then hear cries of help further in. The party goes back and finds Kokuen acolytes holding people in cages. The party kills the acolytes, but a Kokuen mage sets off a blood fireball and summons an enormous, tainted, water dragon. It unleashes a powerful breath attack and Akira goes down, but the party manages to kill the mage, releasing its hold on the water dragon. The Kokoraiju re-emerges, but the water dragon destroys the Kimon and fights the Kokoraiju. The rest of the party then flee with the villagers while the two forces of nature clash. Soon enough, the Kokoraiju is defeated and the party carries out an unconscious Akira. Outside, the villagers thank the party but suddenly, the water dragon appears. It thanks the party for saving it and asks Mizuki if she had a summoner’s ofuda. Unfortunately, she did not have one available. Nevertheless, the dragon mentions that there will be a reward for the party in one of his shrines.
After it departs, the party searches the mine for clues. They find a spellbook and a letter. The spellbook detailed how to create a Lesser Kimon, while the letter, signed ‘T.H.’, had instructions to send some villagers to Setsugen-shiro and sanpukukawa-shi and from there Minami will
The party and the villagers head back to Iwasaki, but stop by the shrine in Sekawamura. Inside, they find a brand new go-shintai and within it, Kami-blessed water.
Report provided by souly.
