Fareen Village: Taloum

A small party led by Ram Jam headed for the village. The party approaches one of the wooden gates and they could see the guards on the wall.

Ram got a better look at the guards as he got closer, they didn't seem like your regular town guard. He stops along with the rest of his party. "Hello! My name is Ram Jam, We're travelers and saw this place, thinking maybe it'd be a place to stay for a night? What is this place?"

"I haven't lied though, we are indeed travelers, a lot of us are refugees from Solaria, Katashima, Medan. I also came here to inform about a fire that's about to start in the valley, we lost some good men and we're doing a funeral pyre. We figured we should send somebody to notify the townsfolk so they knew what it was." Ram raises his hands up as he talks, "We aren't here to cause trouble. Say, would you happen to know what that was about back there? Why did those golems appear and ambush us? More seemed to show up when another group or even a single person reached the same place as us."

"Hey, alright we'll get out of your hair then. G'bye!" Ram Jam waves with both hands and backs away with his party, they leave to return to the camp.
<exit to Aozora Camp>

"Hai."

Jou pulls off his face mask and heads to the western edge of the village. His plan is rather simple, but complex. First he finds a place hidden in the shadows to observe people. Once he has studied a few faces he creates an illusion. His illusion is of a face that is an amalgamation of ten of the villagers faces. Familiar enough that people would see it and not question it, yet different enough that no one would think they new him. Coupled with an illusion of clothes matching the style of dress he had observed he is ready. heading into the nearest tavern like structure to listen in and join in one the conversations.

As the three shinobi move throught the differing scetions of the small village, they all notice a few similarities that strike them as odd. The first being a lack of activity as it seems the only ones moving around are bandits with torches both in hand and on raised pedestals to illuminate farther shadows. Light from the flames scour most corners, making most areas highly visible and difficult to move unseen. Good thing the thugs are inattentive and all three shinobi are able to reach their quadrants.

Kasumi would find no villagers walking around or congregating. The only people upon the streets seem to be bandit thugs. The light in this sector seems to cast the most shadows as the main storehouses run along the northern border closest to the woods. Items like food supplies, construction materials and other living necessities are found in the larger storehouses.

Jou would have some difficulty moving around as the western sector has the most lighting, especially around the large pub/inn building, could potentially be the main headquarters of the bandits stationed here. A slightly uneasy feeling clings to the air as those around the building aer on high alert. Something important must be going on.

Ketsueki would find what would appear to be the living quarters of the entire village. Moderately sized buildings with windows unnaturally high from the ground leave only the front doors with easy access. Said entrances had high post torches on both sides, leaving the doors highly illuminated and multiple guards outside each building. 3 for each separated building and 6 when the houses are closer together. These guys seem to be quite aware despite the time of night.

Jou had little difficult moving around as he wasn't trying to hide. With his illusion firmly in place he moved around in the light without fear. He heads inside the large pub like building to hear what he can hear. Greeting other bandits with a friendly smile and a relaxed atmosphere. He looked the part and he acted the part, with no reason to be suspicious it was unlikely any would challenge him.

Kasumi and Ketsueki are both able to move about undetected. With their current positions, they can both see into the dark windows ofa nearby buildings. They appeared to be sleeping quarters. Each structure housed 8 to 10 cots, 3 of which were occupied by sleeping bandits with a fourth awake in the room with a nearby lit torch sconce. The other available cots seemed to be occupied by villagers, evident by how they did not have armor on like the bandits while sleeping. A suspicious trait can be seen, and that is that the villagers are all male. Where were the females and children? Were they somewhere else in the village or another location entirely?

Jou would easily be able to move in plain sight with his masking technique. Other bandits simply nodded at him as if Jou was another member on patrol around the perimeter. However, when he came up to the door to what appeared to be the meeting place of the majority of the bandits, he was stopped at the door by two large bouncers. Both had simple swords attached to their hips, and were in sight of other men stationed down the streets. One bandit asks Jou a passphrase, "The men of shadow watch over the world..." He paused, awaiting a response from Jou.

"You're kidding? Did they change the phrase?"

Jou sighs and shakes his head ruefully. It was an odd choice having a pass phrase on a public house, he couldn't see a reason for it. Sighing he walks away from the doors. He supposed he would have to find another way in. He listen carefully for the sound of pursuit in case they decided for whatever reason to chase. Then when he is able he darts into a darkened alleyway, it isn't long before he works a new illusion. This one bends light away from him making him invisible. He heads to the roof tops and returns to the public building to look for an alternate entrance.