Graded [Fallen Blossom Shrine] Falling to Rise

[gmimperfecti]

In retrospect, the situation was much like if an old friend came rushing in and shot your new best friend in the heart. Depending on many factors such as intellectual and moral flexibility, ones reactions to that situation would be different. Regardless, it left a bad feeling in most people's mouths. Setting that aside, the gerbies dwelt in the uncanny valley between both species and did manage to both look cute and unnatural in equal measures. The equanimity with which she died spoke volumes about many things from the nature of the gerbies to the fact that both owls and ravens were predators and scavengers, there wasn't room of pity of their prey in their hearts. The tanuki were like the bear species, omnivores at heart who could afford a shred of pity and consideration for what and when they would eat something.

Yukan made his way over quickly towards the Gerbies, facing back before those who may want to attack them at the ready to intervene if need be, deciding that Crymaria needed to tell Boris to stop rather then him try to intervene with the bear, tapping into leadership F as he called out "Crymaria, get him off! All of you think! We're on the same the side! These are but a mere distraction, we're in the midst of a terrorist attack and we have yet to secure the area or find the perpetrator yet we are fighting with one another, and this is no time for hunting! How can we distinguish ourselves from our ancestors if we give into our base desires at a moment's notice at a critical junction?!" He called out indignantly.

The samurai had already unscathed their katanas, ready to rush in. Masanori seemed eager to loose them on the birdkin, but with a sigh recalled them. Whiteclaw came to his senses as well. At least there was a measure of taut peace as everyone considered if Yukan really deserved to be listened to or perhaps their was more to gain by ignoring the wishes of the Fifth Spear Kiryoku.

Perhaps sensing this, Gyoubu walked over and laid a hand upon Yukan's back. "Heed your commander you mangy fools." She took a deep breath and exhales slowly, her eyes gleaming like two emeralds in the night. Green light poured forth and washed over everyone Yukan was looking at, which didn't seem to do anything but those who were touched by it felt their strength weaken for a couple of seconds.

In his zealotry he did not notice that he stepped on the gerbie as it crunched under his weight then came his second realization he could not do much helping with Boris already mauling the bird man so he stood there for a second thinking and figured the bear was enough to take care of the offender that killed the ugly cute girbie.

As much as Yukan's words and Gyoubu's eyes had quelled much of the bedlam, Indicus's foot had done the rest. All tension left the situation.

"Comrade Borris enough off!" Crymaria commanded trying to get the bear to stop. Even she wasn't entirely sure what came over the bear as she had never seen it dive something like that before. Though she figured there was probably other things to worry about especially with them all being on alert.

Borris shook himself, sending a spray of Ixtal's blood to splatter all around. With a huff, he walked over to the splattered gerbie and licked it's corpse once. He grunted and then swung his massive head towards Ixtal, snarled once more and then settled behind Crymaria on his haunches, licking himself clean.

Gyoubu healed Ixtal in another bouquet of sprouting flowers.

"They are gone," Whiteclaw said, dashing into the woods. "Impossible, where did they all go?"

Ixtal dusted herself off and picked at the new feathers growing to replace the ones Borris had ripped off. She scowled, which ravens are particularly adapt at, "I'll take the gerbie back to Long Feather."

Whiteclaw nodded, "Both of you go, return by morning for the hunt."

Masanori cleared his voice. "You will not be taking my property. Hunting on my grounds is poaching, the crime is a talon at least."

Whiteclaw whirled, "We saved you!"

"That was your duty. Do we reward everyone for doing their job these days?" Masanori chuckled.

"If it's important to Long Feather, I'll trade you a life debt for it. I was under no obligation to save a Masanori in their own property, I'd say you'd be better off reassuring your guests and talking to your elders. It'd be a pity if you couldn't join us at first light." Gyoubu grinned all teeth and no lip.

"Deal." Masanori kept a ghost of a smile in return and then signaled to the samurai to retreat. "Reassure the guests. Everything is on the house tonight. One of the geisha drank a bad potion." He gestured and the samurai retreated to mingle with the guests and put people at ease. A few minutes later a crew of labors set to cleaning and repairing the pavilion. Oddly enough there wasn't any damage to the inorganic components, which meant the pavilion was immaculately clean. The only major damage was the pavilion's door and window, but Masanori made no mention of asking for the damages.

"Commander Yukan," Masanori said, bowing, "I won't gainsay your prisoners. If you want to pursue the issue under your command, it's your right as my commander. At least until the hunt is over."

Meanwhile, Ixtal and the other tengu moved to retrieve the gerbie. The other owlkin searched the forest but no more gerbie were found. No more attacks or battle was to be found. While rumor and whispers would spread from the patrons, the gawkers had withdrawn with the samurai. More geisha, food, and saki smoothed over Masanori's immediate problems.

Except for one gawker that stood out more than the rest.


Hudson Choi ( Shawazama ) had been hired by Masanori as the other heavy lifter. The massive human almost looked like a miniature bear himself. His capacity to lift and haul hundred upon hundred of pounds was only exceeded by how cheap it was to hire. Granted by the time Masanori had gone to recruit the pickings had been slim. Still a human was not completely foreign to this part of the Republic with it's proximity to the border of Ryke and the Great Lake, plenty of different races came as tourists and merchants for festivals like the Cherry Blossom Festival. The logistics core was Yukan's opportunity to interact with and command a wide swatch of support personnel, whose unique abilities ofter required a unique leadership skills.

Hudson was amongst the crowd. He hadn't been hidden per se, but he had been off in another of the small clearings in the center of a collection of pavilions eating and drinking with the human merchant that had brought him over and who was a friend of Masanori Tashigoto.

Whether or not Masanori would have to deal with further consequences from his family would no doubt depend on the larger situation. Who were the gerbie to incite such a reaction in the avians, and why would Long Feather be so keen for one? What was up with the geisha that vomited liquid silver that burned only living things, ate away at not just the flesh but the mind and body as well? Would Yukan's team ever make it out of the city? Could Yukan keep all these diverse people who seemed to hate each other together? Would they be able to killed a Hill Toad and bring it back without bandits, poachers, or monsters taking them and their trophy? Could they do it in time? Would there be even more complications tomorrow??

Like all trilogies, the first part of this adventure brought no closure only complications and opportunities.

For the moment at least, Yukan and his group could take a small breath and consider what they wanted to do tonight and plan for what the morning would bring.

OOC: Feel free to respond to this post. I'm happy for y'all to get the last word in before we submit this for a grade.

 

[Shadow Dancer]

After the excitement that he had experienced these past hours Indicus decided against any more food or alcohol even as it was freely offered. All he knew now was they had the hunting start the next morning and that he would have to do some major training in resisting illusions and mental influence. It angered him how easily he succumbed to the silver gunk and the gerbie's influence rendering him useless and if he was to find his parents he would inevitably meet plenty of creatures or people able to play with the mind and he could not afford to be rendered a harmless pup to some mages spell or creatures aura.


Indicus did not feel like sleeping in one of the fancy rooms for the night so he quietly walked outside and found a nice large tree near the courtyard and climbed up it. He found a crook between a thick branch and the trunk laid down and went to sleep.

 

[TheTimePiece]

Yukan Koyake
​

Shadow Dancer gmimperfecti saxon

It seemed that things had finally resolved largely as rounds of healing were sent out again by the Shrine Maiden and she helped people to focus on Yukan's words, which again he was quite glad she had come into assist. The fact that Masanori was being the way he was even after his life was saved was pretty predictable and Yukan wasn't the most fond of it all truthfully. Now their time of rest had been thoroughly interrupted before they could go on the hunt. What he didn't really understand was the great allure of the Gerbie. At the very least he had the decency not to ask about damages done to his architecture when it was completely his family's security's fault that they were currently in this mess. He just hoped that there wouldn't be too many hard feelings between the people who had attacked one another in this time of great distress.

While this event was unfortunate in it's own right he was going to keep this incident in mind moving forward regarding Masanori who was posturing for the same position as him as it might very well come to his advantage. A bad potion was a likely story Yukan thought to himself, but for Masanori's sake he hoped that it would hold over the people who watched all this violence erupt at a place that was supposed to be peaceful and secure. There were so many things Yukan could have said to further shame Masanori in front of everyone if he really wanted too in that instance as he bowed and spoke to him but instead he did not. He thought carefully before continuing, using Republic of Kuridan Etiquette F to bow back slightly but not as low since he was the commander in that moment, before righting himself.

After the exchange Gyuobu had with Masanori Yukan got closer to her and said softly, "I apologize." He then had the issue of Masanori who spoke to him,

" Very well, now that the waters have calmed, I would recommend having your men secure the area, we have no way of knowing who was truly involved in what transpired here, could it have been a mistake? Perhaps, was the fox simply being opportunistic unrelated this incident? Also a possibility, and those Gerbie, so many appeared at once and were gone as soon as they appeared, I would put everyone on high alert, Any Geisha who had recently contact with the one who started vomiting silver recently, should be questioned until possibilities are exhausted, anyone who is known to be skilled in magic on the premise is a suspect as well regardless of affiliation, you know how these times are becoming more trying.."

Yukan continued. He did find himself eventually looking over at the large fellow curious about him, yet another human, as long as they weren't promoting humans practicing beast slavery then Yukan was fine with him, though he did stand out quite a bit.

If allowed like suggested Yukan would want to help over see that these events took place, before he would rest himself, since it was going to be a long journey soon enough; he was undeterred about getting the main task done for the clan even after all of that as it was his will to show that he was worthy.

 

[gmimperfecti]

Close of Part 1.

Yukan should get an upgraded Leadership skill as he used it in so many diverse and creative ways. Great example of how non-combat skills can have a huge role. That’s my +7 Narrator Bonus suggestion.

Everyone did a great job, despite some shake ups towards the end.

Yukan made progress towards his goal of establishing himself and learning to be a future leader.

Indicus made strides to understand his lineage. He’s caught some glimpses into his blood line. More to come in part 2!

Comrades Borris and Crymaria both worked great together and supported each other. Crymaria is in a great position to earn Asset E wealth in part2.

 

[saxon]

Isekai Hell RP Grade​

Mentions: gmimperfecti @Novama TheTimePiece Shadow Dancer


Aftermath

With the strange events past the group assembled, geisha are looked at with a hint of distrust. Thanks to the villain Mistunari, Kitsunes around the Koyake Clan are looked at with distrust after the recent almost kidnapping of their leader. Though the news has spread of the treachery of Mitsunari, the local region has placed up wanted posters looking for any information on the matter.

Due to his actions and show of leadership, Yukan has earned some respect amongst those hired to help him along with the Koyake Clan. There are still whispers and rumors that assassins attempted to kill the local daimyo. Security around him has increased due to recent events, with many not fearing that he will be killed if he is left to his own devices. There has been a distrust of outsiders, and anyone not from the clan or local area is viewed as a possible threat.

Rewards

Emeron - 49 points

Yukan - 66 points

• Intelligence E =>D (Add 7 points to earned and spent, gained from Standing)
• Earned Optional title [Loyal] - character has a tendency to honor agreements/relationships made despite changing circumstances or other options. Character is more likely to have their trust honored. But it will receive increased amounts of testing that may make it hard to endure.

Crymaria - 28 points

• Earned Optional title [Loyal] - character has a tendency to honor agreements/relationships made despite changing circumstances or other options. Character is more likely to have their trust honored. But it will receive increased amounts of testing that may make it hard to endure.

Indicius - 29 points

• Earned Optional title [Loyal] - character has a tendency to honor agreements/relationships made despite changing circumstances or other options. Character is more likely to have their trust honored. But it will receive increased amounts of testing that may make it hard to endure.