Chapter 1 Dark Tides Report
General Summary
Akodo Masako and Kusaga Toruden were introduced to Asoko Kano , the Emerald Magistrate they would be serving under. Kano-sama was recently injured by a criminal, who attempted to slit his throat. The injury left a disturbing scar, and Kano-sama can no longer speak above a whisper. His newly appointed Yoriki need to speak on his behalf and keep him safe.
The team traveled to Otosan Uchi , to met with a representative of Otomo Saneda . Doji Hiroka greeted them Otomo Saneda Outer City Holding and discussed the disappearance of Otomo Hiroshige , Saneda's son. The young imperial had been living at Slow Tide Harbour for several months, and Doji-san referred to him as a "troubled young man." Saneda-sama had sent a messenger to call his son home, but the place he was staying, The Inn of Many Paths had not seen him in several days. Not trusting the local authorities, Saneda-sama has asked the Emerald Magistrates to investigate.
Arriving at Slow Tide Harbour Akodo and Asoko were disgusted by the behaviour of the Tortoise Clan . Samurai and peasants dressed the same, and addicts slept in the street. They decided to stay at The Inn of Many Pathsas it was the most respectable place in town. While the Great Clan Samurai headed upstairs, Kasuga Toruden spoke with the innkeeper, Chiyo. He found that Hiroshige's friends had come looking for him: an artistic Crane, a gaudy ronin with an eye patch, a tortoise named Kasuga Toru, and a Scorpion in a cat mask. Two money lenders had also come looking for Hiroshige. Toruden learned Hiroshige had spent time at The Waiting Cat Gambling House and that the Ronin was a bouncer there. Toruden also settled the Otomo's debt, and received the meager possessions he had left in his room: a spare Kimono, a pair of chopsticks, and several low quality Sumi-e paintings by Kakita Amano, who painted with a shaky hand.
They made arrangements to visit the town's Governor the next day. Akodo Masako did some initial reconnaissance on the town, and managed to find the Scorpion in the Cat's Mask, Bayushi Naizu and sent an invitation to have lunch with him the next day.
In the morning, they headed to Slow Tide Governor Manor where they were greeted by Toruden's grandmother and Karo of the castle, Kasuga Takara . She feed them and fussed over Toruden. When Kasuga Magatsu , the governor, arrived, they presented him with his gifts. He told them he knew very little of the situation, and could not identify any of the individuals they knew were looking for Hiroshige. They ascertained he wanted things to remain peaceful, and wanted the whole matter solved quickly and quietly.
He placed his chief magistrate Kasuga Mikoto , at their disposal. Mikoto seemed slow and unintelligent, but Toruden realized this was an act, and that she was playing dumb because she was lazy and wanted to do no work. She was able to tell them that several samurai had gone missing in the last six weeks, which was odd: Doji Hiroshige, Kasuga Toru, Kasuga Michiko, Fubato (a ronin), and Yasuki Suzaku, a Crab, had been reported missing, but turned up dead in alley a few weeks ago. This was odd as most criminals dumped bodies in the bay. Realizing that pressing her may be more trouble than it was worth, they took this information and headed out.
Toruden went to The Waiting Cat Gambling House, and found that Hade had been fired. He had been in a relationship with Ikue, a sex worker in a brothel in [The Dockside who might know where to find him.
Akodo Masako went to the Hidden Pearl Izakaya(landmark:bcaefd64-13c8-4bb1-a7c7-4a0413823044) to meet with @[Bayushi Naizu . The Scorpion claimed to be sent out here because he was of no use for his clan. He provided a wealth of information. He said Otomo Hiroshige had come to him for money, but he was unable to help. He warned the imperial about the importance of getting out of debt to Kizo, one of the local crime bosses, who competed with Hana and Yaguro, for control of the local underworld. He also mentioned most of the smuggling was done by Azif the Smooth and Kasuga Yumiko. Masako was concerned at how freely the Scorpion shared this information, and wondered if there was a catch, or a missing truth.
The team reconvened, and decided to investigate Kasuga Toru's residence. There, they found the site of the kidnapping, with damaged furniture, meagre positions, and the footprints of an exceptionally large individual, made with mud that came from rice paddies.
Next, the headed to The Dockside(settlement:fbe15498-86b6-4944-9bd8-5c30a3a6100a) and found @[Ikue. She told them she was done with Hade, as the last time he visited he had been a sniveling mess, and had stunk of horse dung. She kicked him out and told him never to return.
There are not many stables in Slow Tide Harbour, so they began to check them all. In one, they found the disheveled ronin asleep in the hay, his eyepatch askew to show it was unneeded. Masako kicked his sword out of reach, and kicked him awake. Hade was awash with terror. When they snapped him into focus, he told them how he saw a group of men roughing up his friend, Otomo Hiroshige. He followed them, but the giant ronin with a moon and lotus tattooed on his neck, turned, and said something that sounded like a profane version of a prayer. Hade had been terribly afraid ever since. At this time, Kasuga and Akodo noticed the unnatural darkness and echoes of the stable. It was tainted by kansen. They rounded up Hade and took him to the Shrine to Jikoju(landmark:0e3a50dd-60f8-4d4b-8022-bf2abd62520f) and had @[Ojo begin a cleansing ritual. They also warned the priest of the stable in need of cleansing.
Akodo Masako and Kasuga Toruden then headed to the site of the kidnapping. Looking around the alley where they had grabbed Hiroshige, they found old footprints, including the giant feet. Kasuga Toruden also found scraps of clothing, coated in unprocessed opium, which looked like the livery of the servants of Kasuga Yumiko. She works for Kasuga Takara's smuggling ring, and so he needed to protect it.
Because Emerald Magistrates cannot search a samurai without approval from the local governor or senior clan magistrate, Toruden went to see his grandmother to arrange the documents. Discussing the team's investigation, and learning her underling had moved beyond the scope of her orders, Kasuga Takara decided to burn the asset. She had Kasuga Mikoto sign a warrant saying they had been investigating her for a kidnapping ring. She also asked Toruden to ensure that Kasuga Yumiko was not taken alive to be questioned.
With the warrant in hand, they headed out to the warehouse. Breaking in through the back door, they found two thugs guarding an empty cage in the warehouse. They dispatched them, and questioned the survivor. He told them they worked for Kasuga Yumiko, and that they had captured several opium addicted samurai to sell to a mysterious patron, through the giant ronin Gaku. The prisoners were moved into town last night, to be moved onto the Jealous Zephyr, a ship in the service of Yumiko. Toruden allowed the thug to escape.
Worried about being overwhelmed, Asoko Kano suggested they go to the Governor to request troops to assist with the arrest. Kasuga Takara was happy to make arrangements on their behalf, and sent ten samurai with orders similar to Toruden's; Yumiko was not to be taken alive. However, when they approached the dock, and found Yumiko watching the ship ready to depart, Akodo Masako called out and demanded the Tortoise's surrender. Yumiko viewed the warrant, but called it nonsense, and challenged the Topaz Champion to a duel. Yumiko lost, and died by the Lion's blade. Yumiko's tortoise retainers stood down, but the sailors on the ship engaged the Emerald forces.
On the boat, amidst the fighting, Gaku came from below deck. The giant ronin fought Akodo Masako and Kasuga Toruden, but when he began to loose, he cut his own flesh and began to attack them with Maho. The yoriki fought harder, and managed to defeat him, and Akodo Masako beheaded him.
In the distance, they saw a dark figure in an obsidian mask watching from a fishing boat. When Gaku fell, the fishing boat retreated.
In interviewing Hiroshige, they learned that they were being sold to a mysterious figure, Kitsu Sokori. No one in town had heard of this person. When they headed to the far shore, to investigate the fishing boat, they found where it docked, and the aboandoned site of a ritual that called for the sacrifice of five under the full moon. The site had been quickly abandoned.
Kasuga Magatsu recognized the Emerald Magistrates for stopping the kidnapping ring, officially recognizing Yumiko as the now defeated mastermind.
Rewards Granted
8 xp
Notes
Began on 1st Day of Month of Dragon. Ended on 4th day
Report Date
10 Dec 2019
Primary Location
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