TheCalendarThe third year of our divine emperor Noro AkiraThe year of the Ox (USHI) WinterAs winter ends a small number of young men from Sado island and the mainland province of Echigo and Dewa make the cold and wet Journey to The castle of Lord Sado near Sawara on the west coast of Sado island. With chests proudly puffed out, and dreams full of honur and fame they march towards a bright future. The fourth year of our divine emperor Noro AkiraThe year of the Tiger (TORA) Spring
The new students gather at Sado castle, swear oaths of allegiance to Lord Sado and are adopted into the clan. The students are placed under the tutelage of General Yamata and transfer to his castle on eastern side of the island, which will be home for the next year. Hard practise sessions begin culminating in a kenjutsu basho , the students improvement is but into context by master Mibu (aka hardman) their sword tutor. A mighty swordsman whose skills touch on the magical (KI) he easily defeats 3 students volunteering to attack him at the same time.
Intensive riding practise in preperation for the Sarawa festival, the festival is presided over by Sanzo the healer (Shinto priest). The closest race for many a year is won by Miyamoto, who achieves instant minor celebrity status. The winning horse becomes touched by the local nature kami and will be the prime breeding stallion for the next season. The remainder of the horses are handed over to Lord Sado. The competitors receive horse head medallions, and that night relive alternative versions of the race in their dreams, when they wake some find they have gained new or improved skills.
A period of archery practise does little to improve the students skills. The students are chosen to escort Lady Kato back home to her husband the lord of Oda. The importance of the missions is stressed to all. Miyamoto is given the job of escort leader as a reward for his recent success. During the journey between Yamata and Sado castles the party are suspicous of a travelling buddhist priest, intial fears that he might be a spy are soon quashed. Next day the party including lady Kato leave for Oda, intending to break the two day journey with an overnight stop near Ichi Temple. After stopping for lunch on an old non natural mound the lady desides to walk near the stream> Iin an unfortunate set of events she is drowned by a Kappa. The party recover the body and decide to head back to Sado castle rather than push on to Ichi temple, unfortunately this means a night in the wilds. During the night, Hoho sustains a mystery bite from a suspected demonic spider or snake , next morning his condition continues to deteriorate. A fortunate encounter with a Sado clan messenger allows Hoho a rapid return to Sado Castle infirmary and more importantly carries the news of the death of Lady Kato. On returning to Sado castle the party are interviewed and are relieved to find that no immediate punishment is meeted out, but they suspect they will soon be called upon to make amends. The party return to Yamata castle and spend a few days in unsupervised training while everyone about them seems to be putting the castle and troops on a war footing. Rumours reach the party of a pirate raid on Oda that would have coincided with the return of Layd Kato, the rumours suggest some villagers may have been kidnapped.
The academy spend the first few days of the month on mounted patrol around the local villages and paddy fields, a good chance to work on their horseriding and get to know the vicinity but otherwise uneventful. The peasents were hard at work planting while senior samurai were shaking of the winters rust and getting in some much needed practise. A group of students were then ordered to report to Sado castle for escort duty, the normal days march was enlivened by an encounter with two strong samurai later identified as Tomi and Jeri Yamata who poked fun at the students recent performances , Yamana was personally identified for the most abuse. The next day the party escorted Lord Sado on the 4 hour walk to the local hot springs, where he wanted to rest his aching bones. A wandering bear threatened to disrubt his bath but a well aimed arrow soon had it scampring away. Almost immediatly Lord Sado was attacked in the water by the angry ghost of Lady Kato but with the help of the students was dragged to safety and the the ghost dispelled. Yamamoto had to be rescued from drowning in his armour by the vigilant Miyamoto. A grateful Lord Sato was escorted home and after a rest the party were given permission to track done the wandering buddhist priest whose rituals had failed to allow Lady Kato's spirit to rest peacefully. After a few days searching including a vist to the pagoda at Ishi temple the party decided the priest could be hiding out in one of the mountain huts a couple of hours north of Ichi temple. As they approached the firt hut Yamana fell foul of a trap spiking his foot on hidden bamboo. As noise came from the back of the building Haho forced the door only to collapse into a coughing fit as a dust trap triggered. The monk breaking out of the back of the building was followed and and shot by Doi , Matsumoto was able to follow the trail and enganged the wounded monk but was soon thankful that his helmet stopped a potentially lethal head hit, Yamamoto arriving a few second later dispatched the monk with a single strong thrust to the chest. The party returned to Sado castle with the monks head and a unopened chest. The contents of the chest confirmed the monk to have been a spy, and contained many maps and notes on fortifications on the island, including some notes on what Lord Oda may be planing. The grateful Lord Sado promised the samurai a fitting reward.
In recognition of recent success Lord Sado arranged an armour viewing evening for the samurai academy where the Sado family armour was displayed. At the conclusion of the evening 3 of the acadmey were allowed to choose from a selection of gifts. Yamamoto choose a fine portrait, Doi a fine set or arrows and Matsumoto a very good banner. Having discussed the problem with Lady Kato ghost the party were at a lose as how best to proceed, Lord Sado suggested that they would need a favour from the famour mage Han the Magician. He explained how the party could contact Han by ringing the Great Bell that could be found near the ruins of Osada castle. He warned the party that Han would most likely test theri worth and to be careful around the osada ruins as it was a known bandit lair. Setting off the party first rested overnight at the Lily House in the village of Crossroads, they were introduced to a new meiko recently arrived from the mainland with a talent for singing. Perhaps one day somebody form the party will aspire to be her sponser. Pushing on the party sort accomadation at the hamlet where the road to Osada started. The hamlet seemed run down and the head man stand offish, his appearence and that of the other men worried the party , they were all lightly build with angular features and in much ruder health than would have been expected. That night animal calls outside disturbed the party, Yamama wanted to investigate and entered the main hall, realising he was not alone and that the others in the hall seemed quite happy to move around in pitch darkness he retreated to his room. Next day the party struck north, they speculated that the hamlet may have been home to shapeshifters but if so then they were not monsters. Later that day the party came upon a group of Tengu, the tengu claimed the parth and surrounding land as theirs and demanded a tribut be paid to the Prince. Failing to impress with song or verse the agrred ot a display of marital prowess, Haho gaing honour by defeating a Tengu bodyguard in an Iajitsu duel. Overconfidence lead Yamana to challenge the Prince himself, the Tengu were in disbelief at such an affront, the Prince had agreed but only if real weapons were used. No sooner had the duelists faced each other when Yamana was on the floor in agony only just able to keep his guts out of the dirt. Honour satisfied the parties settled down for the night, the Tengu departing at first light. Striking North the party reached the great bell without further incident. The party ran the bell and instantly rank upon rank of hideous reptilian oni advanced from the nearby woods. Matsumoto definently unfurled his banner which help steme the rising tide of fear running through the party. The party laid volley after volley into the oni, many were sent back to where they had come but the tide looked remorsless. In an act of defiance Yamama rang the bell again and all the oni disappeared only to be replaced by a single towering Oni who looked capable of tearing the smurai limb for limb. Summer
Fall
Winter
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