Yukri Toshimo

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When the young man finally worked up the courage to seek the hand of Yukri she was delighted and openly requested her father to accept it, however her pleas fell on deaf ears and he refused the man request based on his status and nativity. Yukri wept that night and asked the ancestral spirits for guidance and assistance. But it wasn’t the ancestors that were listening as a voice came back from the dark.

“your father will see your love and desire for this man, go to him he waits at his families shrine at the top of Mount Tapaku.” The honeyed voice replied from the dark corners of the room.

“but you must hurry before he finishes his prayers as his parents have found another suitable match ” the voice urged.

Donning a fine white robe and furred cloak she snuck from her families house and took a horse from the stables so she could reach the shrine in time. As she left the walls of the stables the first flakes of snow fell on her face and into her long black hair.

Reaching the peak of mount Tapaku and the shrine she searched hurriedly dismounted the horse and called for her man, looking around the clearing, shielding her frozen face with her hand and gloves as the snow was thicker wilder up here.

A slither of shadow crept along the ground and stabbed at the horses flank causing it to rear ane flee down the hill leaving Yukri alone and frozen at the shrine.

Hours passed and Yukri was cold, beyond cold, she had lost feeling to her limbs an hour ago but walked down the hill cursing men, her father and ancestors. As the last of her strength faded she landed in the snow and as the perfect white flakes landed on her back and began to bury her body she swore she would never let a man rule her thoughts again.

The Shadow watched and felt the last heart beats of Yukri and smiled. Moving in he poured his dark magic into the body and his first, and last, Yuki-Onna was born.

“I had died..” she mumbled as she stood upright, the cold not bothering her any more.

“yes, men killed you with their hatred for your potential. But I see what you have to offer and have given you a chance at a new life where you will have all you want if you walk by my side. But your father will try and stop you. You can’t let him stop your happiness again” the shadow cooed to her as it stroked her hair and marveled at her ice-white skin.

“no, he can not..” she said as she stood and began to drift down the mountain to visit her father for the last time..

Time to Think

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Choi limped through the courtyard as the whispers continued to try and goad him to turn against his captain and Princess, Kyoko.

“You’re wasting your time Shadow, I grew up alone so this moment of silence and isolation is nothing compared to life before the Dancing drake” he muttered, receiving a cautious glance from the golden dragonoid from next to the wagon, Siu. Smiling he was grateful that at least Siu could see him, the golden scaled creature was about the only one who could see all the cursed at once and had kind of become a beacon of unity amongst what they had been told were all that remained, the survivors of the Nat attack.

Moving away from the damaged and ramshackle wagon he move about the people of the fort listening to the rumours flittering around about the Harimasu visit – all of which were lies and made his blood boil. But, he had remembered what the captain had said and as he moved around the soldiers, staff and the well off members of the court when he could he lifted a dagger, cut a belt or tie and otherwise created little inconveniences for those who spoke ill of Kyoko or those who had saved his life, the adventurers from across the sea.

“So I spat in the bitches tea before giving it to them” one servant, a oily looking man of middle age, said before breaking into laughter, those around him joined in and some with particularly fervour.

“Couldn’t find the waxing petal? I’d pay to see the daughter of the Harimasu’s shite herself in public!” roared another man, this one a soldier.

“Good, serves her right. What does she think she is doing here in the first place, taking up space, impeaching upon our lords hospitality like that. The Lady of the house will sort her out when she returns tonight I’m telling you that now. ” Said an ugly mostly bald man, the captain of the guards. “If I had my chance I would slip something a bit more permanent than waxing petals” he snarled with a vicious grin.

Choi had enough, remembering the tools that they used to fix the caravan he sprinted off and rummaged through the box.

“What are you doing Choi?” Siu said, drifting nearby as he entered the caravan as well.

“I can’t take it, these bastards are threatening Kyoko now. I wont have it.” Choi said as he found the little vial that they had used to adhere the leather patch to the roof where a boulder had ripped a hole.

“Don’t do anything rash now, we need these people to help us lift this curse” Siu said, but something in his eyes spoke the same language, vengeance.

Grinning Choi walked to the door looking over his shoulder. “It wont be anything permanent, not what these assholes deserve any way, plus I think the Captain is right..”

“What’s that?” Siu asked looking at him with interest as Choi head off towards the captain of the guard.

“It’s only a curse if you don’t use it for good.”

Frozen Pines

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The icy cold wind blustered through the pines causing the fresh slow to scatter amongst the bed rolls and tents. The gathered soldiers huddles around the fires and walked between the tree trunks alert for any changes or creatures that were lurking amongst the flurries.

The ridge that they had camped next to provided a tall barrier to defend their flank reducing the amount of areas of possible ambush or attack that they had to be alert to but despite this the captain and a few heroes of some repute kept a wary eye on the steep craggy rock face – experience trumping expectation in this instance.

Despite the vigilance the snow and icy wind blowing from the east brought more snow as the night went on, dusting the trees and dulling the mood. The howling of the wind coming down from the rocks above masked the sound of yipping and the crunch of snow from above them as the creatures that the Shadow commanded moved towards the light, and their quarry.

The Plaza

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The Plaza has a central fountain where buskers are busy singing songs and dancing for the enjoyment of those around. Stalls have set up shop here, out of the way and at the back of a building where they weren’t getting into trouble with the houses and stores that also share the space with a tavern, currently blocked by two feuding (or chatting but we can’t understand them) bovine who have blocked the only way out of the plaza.

The stores sell weapons, meats and vegetables – all the things that people may want where as the stores near by consist of a tailor and general supplies merchant who may have some oddities inside.

City of Shuimu

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So I wanted to try and capture the point where the jungle and forests from the marshes transform not the farm land where Shuimu gets some of its food reserves from. Farms to the north east of the city feed the town with vegetables and rice. To the east lies Shuimu’s ridge with the nearly forgotten monastery lying amongst the ridges.

To the north lies Ryokughan proper where we will visit deeper into the country and find what lies in wait for our adventurers.

To the south is two long but thin rivers that connect into a wider river filled with trade vessels, and pirates making it less desirable to travel when coming from Faerun. The western river leads to a large but mostly lifeless lake – due to the salt water coming from the sea and cold waters coming from the mountains a almost shimmering wave of water is always present at the mouth to the lake that many locals believe is supernatural in nature.

Empty Halls, busy rafters

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A tiny claw, one of a thousand, gripped into the wood beam rafters that made up the roof support for the older barn. Below the tiny creature, and is brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles a man walked down the hall, care and precision marking his footsteps. But the creature did not care, a itch made in fumble its grip and in doing so it’s fellow creatures scrambled, rushed, clawed and squeaked as their tails and claws clung to the rafters and each other.

The itch happened again causing another scratching and fumbling fit. This beam was to narrow so it made a nice down the hall, yes, the dark room always had more room when the hawk wasn’t in there. As the rat ran along the rafters voices could be heard, one voice really, no response. A sudden commotion behind him caused a tangle of rats to fall and hit the ground causing the boards to squeak, but this rat was compelled to look towards the voices, watching as the not-hawk man had its cloak revealed and as the young hawk dashed down the hall. The rats had scurried into open doors and into hiding spots, fools. Didn’t they know there was no hawk here, the rats ruled the rafters now. Cleaning its whiskers the rat finally scratched that itch as it watched the man turn into a hawk and fly out the window. The last in part terrified his family and sent them deeper into hiding, but it meant he had the rafters to himself for a few moments more. Cleaning behind his ears the rat settled down..

Meanwhile.. a darkly silhouetted figure opened its eyes, bright blue cunning eyes, and reached for a BBQ’d rat.

Help from old foes

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As the crew lit another fire and cooked the food that they or the Toad-kin had managed to catch for breakfast Kyoko stared at the ship, her ship, the Dancing Drake as it sat resting between two mudbanks which it had drifted between during the fight with the chiefs and the now friendly Toad-kin a few days ago. As a few toad-kin swam to the surface having slowly been patching the hull with twigs, leaves and a sap that grew from a certain tree in the nearby forest they looked exhausted but approached her joyously.

The croaks, grunts and clicks that came forth from them with gesturing and drawing in some soft soil near by indicated that they had something to show, and they were excited by it. “Go on, lead the way” she said as she shucked her layered lamellar chest plate, bracers and greaves before following the toad-kin into the water using a rope that had been tied to the edge of the ship as a way to keep herself from being swept back out to see or pulled down into the deep river by the strong currents – no one here was a strong as a swimmer as the Toad-kin. As she drifted below the water several eel, and snake like fish darted away from the boats edge as she pulled herself along to where the hole, well was previously. Instead of broken boards and a gaping hole to the ship there was now an, albeit ugly, patchwork of reeds, branches, leaves and a hard semi-shiny sap like material that even as she looked at it under water was hardening and shrinking; binding the mess of plants together. Pointing up she surfaced and moved towards the shore, the toad-kin coming to help her as they were at home in the water as much as on the land.

“It looks, well not as good as new, but mended. When will be set and ready to sail?” she asked as she squeezed water from her hair. The toad-kin who had followed her drew three moons and circled the last one. “Thee moons from now. Huh, well its better than nothing and will do until we can get it repaired by the ship builders.” she said smiling. “thank you” she said as she patted the lumpy skin of the toad-kin in front of her who croaked with a broadening grin -revealing their sharp teeth lined powerful jaws.

“Captain!” a voice yelled from on deck, Sun Yu one of her crew mates. “We have two toads approaching” he yelled.

Moving around the side of the ship, grabbing her chest piece and strapping it back on as she moved she met the toads as they leapt onto the mudbank. “Princess Kyoko, star emissary, the adventurers have made it through the Marsh, and the jungle” they paused to breathe as a cheer went up, some bewildered faces at the Toad-kin speaking common were scattered amongst the crowd – including Kyoko.

“that good news. We should be on our way soon then it seems” she said with a grin, looking at the curious pendant that the Toad-kin was wearing.

“that’s not all – the Oni are attacking the town on the waters edge, the town is falling. The adventurers, Kookastem catcher and Long tooth slayer,” audible gasps could be heard from the toad-kin present, “stayed behind to go help the town but the Oni are shrouded in shadow – we must aid them if they are to succeed.

Kyoko gritted her teeth, this was not good but she could not let her crew know that she was worried. “I guess we don’t have three days to wait for the sap to set. We shove off tomorrow at midday on the morning – a day and a half shall have to do..” Concerned looks came from the toad-kin who had patched the ship but the camp immediately bustled with activity as crewmen climbed aboard the ship with buckets to start bucketing out water from below deck.

“Liz – a word if you will” Kyoko called as she walked towards her and Siu – concern on the face of the dragon-like beast called Siu as Kyoko picked up the rest of her armour and started to buckle them on as well.