Deleted
Roleplay posts: 0
Registered: Apr 28, 2024 17:52:17 GMT -8
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Post by Deleted on Dec 20, 2015 10:49:12 GMT -8
  A sea of red and white surrounds Mt. Kura, the snow-tipped volcano where the Imperial City of Mitzushima rests. This forest, known as the Aokikawa Forest, is thought to be ancient and sacred ground. Its leaves are eternally red, the bark of the trees eternally white, stained with black, as if ash-marked. Only the Imperial Family, with the Edict of Heaven, can give permission to use the lumber of the Aokikawa Forest for any purpose whatsoever. Another curious trait about the Aokikawa Forest is the lack of wind, and the lack of noise. So thick are the trees to one another, that no wind can sweep through the rustle the leaves. The quietness seems more tomblike than anything else. One can hear the sound of running water from a creek miles before they ever actually reach it. There is no animal life here, either. No birds. No squirrels. No deer. There is no tree within the forest that offers fruit or vegetable or nut. It seems, to mortal eyes, to have no purpose, but the superstitious know that if it seems to have no purpose to mortals, then that must mean that it has a purpose to the gods and spirits themselves. A large road flows through the forest to Mitzushima and out again, but other than that, there are only trails that lead deeper into these woods. Because of the sacred and religious connections that surround the Aokikawa Forest, attacking the city of Mitzushima is seen as a great disgrace to the gods, as it could mean potential harm to the Aokikawa. |
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Yoake Nai
New
Roleplay posts: 1 
Registered: Dec 19, 2015 22:48:57 GMT -8
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Post by Yoake Nai on Dec 22, 2015 22:52:40 GMT -8
(The following two posts involve the death of a total of 10 NPCs, for which I have gotten permission from the Empress' player.)
Amana Narigata was a Samurai from the area around Mitzushima; a minor lord in some respects, who was not all that important to the Imperial government or the people who lived in their lands. Still, just as he served the Empress, he had loyal Samurai retainers who in turn served him; accompanying him almost everywhere as a force of bodyguards and personal attendants.
The road in Aokikawa forest was silent in the night. The moon could not shine it's brilliant light through the leaves of the trees, leaving it near perpetual darkness and Narigata's men screening his horse with lit torches. Their business? Who knew. They were leaving Mitzushima however and their time of departure was nothing if not suspicious.
They were all silent, moving at the pace of a brisk walk, yet fully and keenly concentrated on their surroundings in borderline paranoia. They clearly expected someone to encounter them, or something to happen to them. It was then, from the branches above, that a small pellet was thrown down directly in front of Narigata's horse. Immediately, the Samurai drew weapons and Narigata braced his eyes, prepared for a screen of smoke to suddenly spout from what was obviously a primitive tool of distraction.
However, the smoke never came and while Narigata covered his eyes, a thrown knife flew straight for his throat. Within an instant, one of his guards had beaten it out of the air with the back of his sword.
"Over there!" One of them yelled, nodding towards the trees where a shadowy figure passed through torchlight and behind a trunk at the side of the road, then began running back towards their rear. Another knife was thrown, yet this one was aimed for one of the nine guards and pierced his arm with a thud.
"Scoundrel! Show yourself!" Another yelled, followed by a second shout of agreement, then a third.
The assailant complied. Dressed from head to toe in black, there were none in Katashima who would recognize the man, though when he drew from behind him a white tengu mask and placed it over his already covered face, a certain few might. He stepped out from the trees, a ninjato katana in one hand as he slowly walked around to the front of the small column.
"Amana Narigata," the man spoke, his voice shrouded by the mask that covered his lips. "Your life ends tonight."
There was a pause, but soon after the Samurai and even Narigata himself began to laugh. "Ninja, there are ten of us and your trap has failed. If anyone is to die tonight," the lord said, "it will be you."
The ninja flicked his hand upwards, but the knife that flew from it would miss it's target once again. A samurai, ever-loyal, darted in front of his lord and deflected it with his blade once more. Meanwhile, the man in the tengu mask reached down for more blades.
"Quickly! Form a screen in front of our lord! Deflect the knives!" One of the lead Samurai yelled, as quickly the others moved from their positions around the horse to form a line in front of him. "Do not let him pass!"
The ninja looked at them, eyes scanning their bodies and footwork cautiously, before making his next and final move. Two knives were thrown, one right after the other. The first, rather than aiming for his target, seemed to be aimed at the Samurai himself. The second was for the same target, yet aimed lower - for his legs.
But the Samurai was trained. He saw through tactic quickly, effortlessly raising his sword to block the first and then moving his leg to avoid the second.
Suddenly, the knife hit the previously dropped pellet and the area filled with smoke to burn unguarded eyes and claw at unprotected throats.
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Karigane
New
Roleplay posts: 1
Registered: Dec 19, 2015 22:20:27 GMT -8
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Post by Karigane on Dec 22, 2015 23:00:13 GMT -8
The ambush was quick and devastating. There were only five of them, not counting the one who had shown himself, yet their plan would be executed with perfection. The thrown knives had drawn all the Samurai to the front of their mounted lords, while the previously placed pellet had been activated by the trauma of the knife and sprayed smoke to blind them.
Now blind, now deaf, the Samurai were like helpless children when the others leapt in from behind. Narigata was killed instantly as the other four rushed in to kill each two of their enemy, leaving nine dead and one remaining. The last, the tenth, had his throat slashed by the man in the tengu mask who rushed in from the front.
Then, just like that, it was over. The others disappeared into the trees, the man in the mask dropped a note, then turned and followed them.
The note read:
"Citizens of Katashima. This man, the Samurai known as Amana Narigata, lied, bribed and murdered his way into power. His punishment was just and deserved and his men died trying to protect him. For too long has our land been ruled by the power-hungry Daimyo, the violent Samurai and their Imperial overlords. We will strike again, and again, until our land is free from these menaces.
We have the support of the people. We have the armaments, the skills, the dedication and the training. We have the cover of the night and the layabout of the land. We are amongst you and you amongst us, yet you will never know it. We operate at all levels of this society and there is no target we cannot reach or goal we cannot accomplish.
Sincerely,
The Karigane."
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Deleted
Roleplay posts: 0
Registered: Apr 28, 2024 17:52:17 GMT -8
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Post by Deleted on Dec 29, 2015 20:05:57 GMT -8
When the patrol did not come back to its checkpoint, two outriders were sent to discover the whereabouts of Amana Narigata and his men.
What they found were their corpses and the message. One man immediately dropped down from his horse and drew his katana, making his steed rear back. "Go! Travel back to the outpost, tell them what has happened!"
The second rider immediately turned his horse and head back while the first samurai went forward and took up the note. His keen eyes gazed around the red and white forest, and moved towards the bodies of his fallen comrades.
More men finally showed up, and brought with them a wagon. In somber silence, they loaded up their fallen. The first rider did not allow the others to read the message, and when it seemed as if the situation was in hand, he mounted his horse and road straight for Mitzushima, and to the Katsuneji-Ro.
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