[D2 EM] Pleasant Company for Pleasant Conversation

Ryuuta Kin · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:29 pm **Posts:** 269

The Piranha had sent his note to Norikami and Aya, glad for the opportunity to learn more of the threat. He figured sooner was better since the returned spirits could arrive and attack at any time. He waited at a small table in his small but relatively comfortably furnished room in the castle waiting for his guests. There was tea, whatever had been available after the winter court, but they were appropriately rationing it so it wasn't the best available or much. Status only went so far when you were a minor clansman in Lion lands.

The door was open while he waited, writing something in his notebook.

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Yogo Aya was NOT a morning person. Monsters tended to strike in the middle of the night, and so those who hunted the hunters tended to keep those hours. But while she was drinking last night, Noribaka had gotten her to agree to mentor a toothy guppy who fancied himself a hunter. She wasn't quite sure why the fuck she agreed to it, but she apparently had.

"Fuckin' Noribaka, fukin' getting me up with the kami-forsaken monks. I hope the fuckin' bastard catches six new diseases with his next lay, that his dick falls off, and that it won't even be a decent fuck." she ranted to herself as she stormed towards an unsuspecting pirahna magistrate.

Any early morning peasants set new records in avoidance and remembering duties down the hall as she stomped towards the assigned meeting room.

She was about to pound on the door, when she noticed it already open. Typical, she didn't even get to have the pleasure of pounding on the door.

A tired, slightly hungover, and very cranky Yogo Aya peered in to the room.

"I take it you're the Pirahna magistrate." she huffed, taking the surroundings in.

Ryuuta Kin · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:29 pm **Posts:** 269

"I am," he replies with a seated bow. "He indicates pillows by the table that are free for her to sit in.

"Ryuuta Kin. I have tea, and if you have not eaten yet I can order rice." He seemed completely unperturbed by any sour mood the Yogo had. The Yogo weren't known for courtly manner, and he wasn't going to hold to any illusions that she might be as friendly as Norikami. Because none of that mattered when compared to the opportunity to learn about the current enemy the empire faced, or any other such threats.

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

The Yogo did have enough courtly training to at least bow to the magistrate, before shuffling towards the pillows.

She yawned and within that yawn was a name, "Yogo Aya."

She nodded.

"Rice would be good. No honey in my tea, I'm sweet enough as it is."

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

Norikami wasn't far enough behind Aya to not hear her. He thought about pegging her in the back of the head with his tea cup when she came into view, just before she entered the room... but he liked his tea cup, was the only thing he still carried that reminded him of his family.

He got to the door as Aya sat down. He bowed.

"Fortunes bless you, sweet, sweet Yogo-chan", it sounded snarky. Then he shifted to Kin. "Good morning, Ryuuta-san."

He found a place to sit and put his cup down, tapping the space next to it for Aya to do the same while he picked up the pot.

Ryuuta Kin · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:29 pm **Posts:** 269

Kin nodded his understanding and poked his head out the door for a moment to get the attention of a servant who could go and collect the daily morning rice for three guests of the castle. Returning to his seat, Kin started off.

"I am thankful that you were able to meet with me Yogo Aya-san. Bayushi-san tells me you are a specialist in the knowledge necessary to end evil monsters and spirits. I was hoping to learn what I can about how to deal with these returned spirits, any potential allied monsters or spirits they may call on, and while it's not as pressing a matter, creatures from the south."

He stated what he was hoping to learn.

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

She sat her teacup down while listening to the fish's request.

Aya shrugged and yawned a bit.

"Noribaka described you as utterly boring, but I've never met a pirahna before, so I thought I'd give you the chance to prove him wrong."

She considered his request.

"Returned spirits....stupid name. Glowy people who used to be relevant would have been far better, if longer. They glow a bit, they whine about how they used to be relevant, and they die about as easily as they did the last time. Now actual Toshigoku spirits for example...those are more dangerous. You need magic, or special weapons for those. Sometimes poison works, but it's not guaranteed. Things not of this world often as not have their own rules."

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

He poured tea. When he set the pot down after serving everyone else but himself, he elbowed Aya in the ribs, maybe to chide her about mentioning poison, maybe to prompt her to fill his cup.

Who could tell for sure?

Ryuuta Kin · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:29 pm **Posts:** 269

When she said that Norikami had described him as boring, he inclined his head to concede the point.

And then as if to punctuate that point further he began taking notes. At the mention of poisons he looks up. "I've never used poisons... are there any that might be particularly effective against such beings? And what special types of weapons? Do blessings from priests help or do they have to be created in a special way from the start?" He didn't skip a beat in his statement looking back down to his notebook to continue his note taking. A tool to end lives in order to save lives.

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Aya shrugged and ignoring Noribaka.

"Like I said, it's really variable. But if you're going to take notes, you should probably note that when I say poison, I am not strictly referring to those substances deemed illicit by imperial law. I mean a substance that causes injury or death to organs. There was this one scary monster, you couldn't look directly at it, it ripped bushi in half three at a time, weapons just passed through it like it was air. You know how it died? A doji housewife threw a tea kettle filled with water at it. The thing was deathly allergic to water. So you could say that the Doji poisoned it with water."

She sipped her own tea, and waited to see if the pirahna wanted more clarification on the matter of poisons before moving on to weapons.

Ryuuta Kin · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:29 pm **Posts:** 269

Kin nodded. "Poison has been used in various forms for many reasons. It's not dissimilar to using natural vegetation that is harmful to vermin in order to clear out infestations. But it is good to know that some monsters are particularly averse to substances we consider harmless."

He seems emphasize the word poison in his notes, and add a bit to how it is defined in the context.

"From what you said earlier, you seem to have made a distinction between returned spirits and Toshigoku spirits. Is there anything in particular that both might be vulnerable to in your studies or experience? Any poisons or any magics that are particularly effective to beings from that realm?"

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Aya shrugged a bit.

"Returned spirits lack a lot of the strengths of full spirits, but that also means they tend to lack their specific weaknesses as well. Really, with returned spirits just beat them to death however you usually do that. For spirits, it varies alot. In general, you tend to look for the three sacred substances, but there's an issue with each. Jade protects against the depredations of Jigoku, and harms those aligned with it, but it also means that the Crab tend to hoard their supplies of it like an overprotective father protects his daughter's cherry. Crystal, being the pure tears of Lady Sun, tends to cut through a lot of stuff you can't otherwise hurt....but that shit's stupidly rare. And then there's obsidian, which is effective in the sense that lighting yourself on fire and holding on to someone until you both burn to death is effective, except worse."

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

For his part, Norikami snorted.

"The best thing you can do is not be afraid, honestly. A lot of people get clever tricks, but they aren't worth a lick if you empty your bowels into your fundoshi. Aside that, most times Yogo-chan uses wards, either on me for protection or on the target to weaken it. Slaughter spirits will try to break you just with their presence if they can, they like their prey to cower, makes an easier kill and gets them excited."

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Aya returned her tea cup to the table...and somehow managed to elbow Noribaka in the ribs while she did so. She did not want to discuss wardcraft with an outsider.

Ryuuta Kin · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:29 pm **Posts:** 269

He notes the substances in his book.

"The Crab hoard jade, sure, but the Lion have recently bought up excessive amounts of it have they not? Perhaps they have a stock of it in the castle. It might be a subject to broach with the Governor or Kitsu Daimyo, to see if they can release some of it for use by their most effective front line bushi. Is there a specific way it must be used? Can you attach it to the weapon like a charm or does it need to be embedded in the blade?"

Turning to Norikami he nods in understanding.

"They did seem to revel in that during their assault," he says before continuing taking notes. "I wonder if the priests of the city have set up wards on the gates or walls. I admit that I know next to nothing of that either, but we have a priest in the Prianha that married in from the Seppun. He has apparently placed wards on several of the more important locations that Ryuuta-dono spends the majority of his time."

His understanding of wards was really that sometimes priests used the word ward. It was entirely outside of his wheelhouse and he seemed to know and accept that.

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

Yogo Aya wrote:

Aya returned her tea cup to the table...and somehow managed to elbow Noribaka in the ribs while she did so. She did not want to discuss wardcraft with an outsider.

Norikami didn't seem to care much, he simply refilled her tea and placed the pot down, his own empty cup still sitting before him.

He didn't expect Aya to fill it, even though regardless of her lack of etiquette, she knew she was supposed to.

"Hmm...there was something else, but i can't seem to remember what it wards...sorry, was."

Ryuuta Kin · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:29 pm **Posts:** 269

A moment later a servant came in carrying bowls of rice for the samurai and setting them on the table. It was enough, but it was also evident that they had begun some minor rationing measures with word of more incoming refugees and a hostile army.

With the arrival of food, Kin took the tea pot and offered to top off all the drinks. He had apparently been waiting for food before he had any.

He took his time with eating, doing so slowly to give time for answers, note taking and questions.

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Aya offered a prayer of blessing over the food.

"So, what did you want to know next magistrate?" she asked, not quite sure where in the conversation they were with the nangover.

Ryuuta Kin · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:29 pm **Posts:** 269

"I was wondering if the returned spirits or their allies from Toshigoku are likely to display any unique powers granted by their nature. Is there anything in particular to watch out for other than their violent nature?"

Yogo Aya · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 12:42 am **Posts:** 719

Aya shrugged.

"Toshigoku is really a simple place, filled with those souls who died in the grip of battlelust, doomed to spend eternity in neverending combat. As such, they're not known to have much in the way of unusual abilities. The denizens of Jigoku or Sakkaku are more likely to have less straightforward abilities. Toshigoku spirits are just very good at killing, and very hard to kill due to their incorporeal nature. But like I said, returned spirits have bodies, so not as tough." she said.

[D2 EM] Pleasant Company for Pleasant Conversation

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