Ain't No Party Like a Scouting Party[Day 2, EA-Scout Patrol]

Matsu Erina · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:52 pm **Posts:** 368

Erina has her bow out, striding quietly alongside her cats, freed of her usual armor. She had received approval last night, and then had told her superior, Matsu Tani about it as soon as she could. It was...well, an eclectic group that they had managed to pull together. Will the throng of people coming to the city, it seemed like there was an increasingly strong possibility that something with ill intent lurked nearby.

She cast an eye over the group that traveled with her.

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

Tani was unarmored for this exercise, looking limber and ready to move at a moment's notice. She eyed the group a long moment before she spoke. "Given the nature of these spirits, I do not know if they are making a point to send their own scouts. Still, we should be as cautious as we can. Stay distant, collect what information we may, get out. We benefit no one as corpses."

She took a breath. "That said, Erina-Hohei. If we are ambushed, and will not all be able to escape, your duty is to escape back to the city and report. Understand?"

Matsu Erina · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:52 pm **Posts:** 368

Erina opens her mouth, and looks as if she is about to protest but swallows it and nods.

"I am loath to abandon you Tani-sama, but I understand my duty. Our task is to bring information back, so we do not fight blind. Dying on the way back would not serve that duty."

Togashi Tsukimi · **Posted:** Thu Apr 09, 2020 1:41 pm

Like the Matsu, Tsukimi had opted to forgo her armor for this excursion. Scouting meant they wouldn't stand around to fight, but flee once they saw the enemy. Still, she had asked Myo-en to look after their Champion's gift in the meantime. It would be a terrible tragedy if it ended up in enemy hands.

Glorious wasn't the right way to describe it - sensible and nescessary seemed more correct.

"Matsu-samas, Moto-san," Tsukimi acknowledged the others, her hands working with her cowl to secure it tightly more like a scarf rather than the loose style she wore it in. It would help with keeping her neck and face warm in this weather.

"I'm Togashi Tsukimi," introductions since she hadn't done that with everyone yet, "happy to be helping out where I can."

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

Tani turned and bowed to Tsukimi. "Togashi-san. Thank you for joining this excursion. I am Matsu Tani, Nikutai of the First Legion of the First Matsu Army. I cannot assume to give you orders, but I would ask you consider the same as Matsu-hohei in the event of an ambush. It is imperative at least one of us returns to report."

Togashi Tsukimi · **Posted:** Thu Apr 09, 2020 1:55 pm

"Of course. One cannot easily command a dragon, but I will do my best to listen, Matsu-sama," Tsukimi offered serenely in return. "Akodo's Leadership teaches us “Live alone and you shall die alone. Stand with your brothers and you shall celebrate your victories in this life and the next”, and it is a time for us to stand together. We will all return safely."

Or at least, so she hoped.

The Dragon breathed in deeply, tapping into strength of water to guide her actions for this mission.

----

D2 EA Activating Touch of the Void Dragon (Water). Meditation/Void. TN 15: 5d10o10k3 30

+1 to Water Ring. Water 4 for the scene.

Moto Baatar · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 11:41 pm **Posts:** 304

A Unicorn horseman on a tall horse rode up to their column from their left. Unlike the others, Moto Baatar was armored, though it did not appear to slow his horse down in the slightest.

"Just a couple woodcutters on our left flank," he reported. "They hadn't seen the enemy directly, they were just running with everyone else. I pointed them toward the city gates."

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

Tani bowed to the Moto. Someone had told her he was interesting, but that was a question for later. "Thanks for the information. We will push a bit farther out, try to get eyes on the army. We need to be far enough away that we can reliably push back here faster than they can get to us. And Moto-san, as I told Togashi-san. I cannot give you orders, but if things look bad, there is no dishonor in ensuring that whatever knowledge we acquire reaches it's destination."

Moto Baatar · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 11:41 pm **Posts:** 304

The Moto grinned. "Someone should be in charge, so that we march in the same direction," he said flippantly. "Why not you?" He gave Tani a casual salute.

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

Well, she was a nikutai for a reason. The flippant salute didn't exactly impress her, but she nodded. "Alright. Easy pace, let's get moving. Keep distance, keep an eye out for enemy scouts. If they're sensible, they're doing the same things we are." Not that she was sure they were being sensible.

//OOC: if horses are available, Tani will be mounted.

Lucidicide · **Posted:** Thu Apr 09, 2020 5:12 pm

Please make sure that you are clearly denoting where your group is, as it relates to both the city and the refugees. At this point, I'm assuming the group is still right outside the walls, but accurately working with you will require a good sense of how you're moving around.

Feel free to make rolls related to scouting "at will" (though not constantly). Who knows what a roll might turn up?

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

Tani rides carefully with the scouting party, pretty clearly not being the best at horse riding... perhaps it wasn't part of the Matsu curriculum. Still, she had basic enough knowledge. She has the group ride a bit away from the walls, the castle still in sight as they look for a hill or something they can use to get a good vantage from.

==OOC==

General investigation roll to see what's going on through the area. 24!

Bayushi Norikami · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:22 pm **Posts:** 315

Norikami hadn't been interested in court that day, if it was held at all. He had his kit though, light armor, no dachi, daisho, yumi. He had followed the others out of the city and made contact before they ventured out. He would have swiped a horse if able as well, being a decent rider.

"Afternoon minna-sama, fine day to for a stroll, neh?" In truth, his feet would be frozen by the end of this despite precaution taken, he felt. Quite a storm last night.

OOC
Investigation 20

Matsu Erina · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:52 pm **Posts:** 368

Perhaps surprising to anyone on horseback is how Erina is able to keep up on her own, the warcats almost seeming bored at the pace. She waits until the group is away from the city before she directs them.

"Alright then you two. Go check for humans...don't attack, just sneak back and let me know about them."

Ore offers a large yawn and smacks his jowls before padding ahead into the woods, Kamu at his heels.
--OOC--
Animal Handling to send the warcats out ahead to investigate

Animal Handling (Awareness): 8d10o10k3 36

Moto Baatar · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 11:41 pm **Posts:** 304

Moto Baatar patrolled on horseback ahead of and around the flanks of the little scouting party as they ranged further away from the castle, to ensure they would not surprised by anything. He kept a sharp eye out for tracks or any other sign of enemies.

--
Day 2 early afternoon, scouting party PER/Hunting, unknown TN: 4d10o10k3 23

Mindshred · **Joined:** Sat Dec 07, 2019 7:24 am **Posts:** 1559

As the scouting party heads outward into the surrounding forest, they soon notice something odd. While there is plenty of snow on the ground due to it still being winter, once they get a few miles away from the city, it doesn't seem to have snowed for quite some time, almost as if Toshi no Omoidoso had been at the center of its own private snowstorm.

Togashi Tsukimi · **Posted:** Thu Apr 09, 2020 6:21 pm

Tsukimi frowned thoughtfully as she observed the surroundings. "... The enemy might perhaps have shugenja on their side?"

She knew some shugenja were powerful enough to manipulate the elements to their command, could they also do it with the weather and the lay of the land.

Thoughtfully, she kept her eyes around them, trying to gauge the likely approach of the army and how they would have to maneuver the landscape. Were there perhaps something they could take advantage of?

----

D2 EA Scouting Party. Could it be magic...? Untrained Spellcraft roll. Unknown TN: 3d10 21

D2 EA Scouting Party. Since the others have done Investigation and Hunting, I'll do... Battle/Perception! Lion Tattoo (2 ranks). Unknown TN: 6d10o10k4 51

Matsu Tani · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 8:49 pm **Posts:** 493

"If they do, pushing too much deeper puts us in danger, and just knowing that the Snow is only hitting us is useful information. Skirt the edges, do not go too deep into the forest. We are moving into them right now, and I won't have us ambushed."

She took a breath, riding around the edges of the forest for now without pushing too deeply in. It was not, perhaps, the most courageous choice. But it was too early to spend resources if they could avoid it.

Bayushi Norikami · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:22 pm **Posts:** 315

"Agreed, the enemy could perform reconnaissance over the next few days making burrows in the snow if it keeps freezing at night", he offered.

Those cats, and any dogs the Shimizu kept, would be helpful in finding anyone snooping under the snow.

Moto Baatar · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 11:41 pm **Posts:** 304

Matsu Tani wrote:

"Skirt the edges, do not go too deep into the forest. We are moving into them right now, and I won't have us ambushed."

"You got it, boss," Baatar replied, with another lazy-looking salute. The Unicorn rode along the edge of the woods with the others, slowing to match their pace. He kept an eye on the trees; like the Matsu, he didn't like the look of them. Too many potential hiding spots for archers.

Ain't No Party Like a Scouting Party[Day 2, EA-Scout Patrol]

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