[D2 EM] Pleasant Company for Pleasant Conversation

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

"Good to know. And incorporeal spirits. Must one use magic or is there a way to have a weapon strike them?"

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

Aya nods.

"Magic or a sacred substance typically. There might be certain invocations that could allow a normal weapon to strike them, but that's again using magic."

She shrugged.

"Best bet is to stand between them and any shugenja around. Again, simple minds, so they'll probably spend time tearing through your flesh instead of disturbing the shugenja who can actually hurt them. If you don't have a shugenja to protect, I'd suggest going and finding one."

Which was a nice way of saying run away stupid.

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

Norikami nodded studiously.

"I do that a lot."

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

"Makes sense," he replies with a nod. "While it's not the immediate threat I was hoping you might also give a bit of insight into the enemy to the south. I suspect that many of the basic tactics you've covered are applicable, but I just don't have any knowledge or experience with it. And it comes up in conversation with the Naga much more frequently than our people."

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

Aya nods.

"Jade for down south definitely. There's a mixture that can be prepared of powdered jade that will cause it to adhere to the steel of a weapon. It rubs off quickly though, so it needs to be applied immediately before combat, and it'll only be fully effective for one strike, and less and less for the subsequent two strikes. Three strikes, and you're out. Oh, and of special note, when fighting zombies, a skilled warrior can sever the head from the body, which is a lot faster than trying to tear the body as a whole apart....oh, and speaking of severing heads, be sure to sever the heads of fallen allies, so they don't become zombies....." Aya rattled off.

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

"That's a thing? People become zombies if they die there?" he asks surprised. "What a terrible place." He continues taking notes. "Also, the jade paste, that would work anywhere jade is applicable for fighting monsters?"

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

Aya nods.

"South of the wall is suffused with the energy of jigoku. Anything in contact with it without the protection of jade is going to get corrupted. Water, food, bugs, though the worst is the plants. Stuff growing in that soil is just...nasty. Besides jade and that which is protected, the only things immune to corruption are rats and crows."

She sips her tea.

"Yep, doesn't matter where you are, if jade would work on something, the paste will work, within the given limitations."

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

Continuing to jot down notes, making adjustments and clarifications where necessary, Kin listens attentively.

"Do you have to turn jade into the paste in order for it to provide protection?" he asked.

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

"Just carrying jade offers protection from corruption." Aya clarifies. "It's kind of a hard material to work with to forge weapons, but there are stories of legendary weapons made from incorruptible jade....ah, right, if you didn't know, jade rots as it protects from actual corruption. Only when it's exposed to it though, it'll start to blacken. Ah, and apply it to people who've become corrupted to a certain point will burn them. Not enough to really hurt them, but enough to let you know they're afflicted."

Aya shakes her head.

"Still need to be careful though. The forces of jigoku are sneaky. There are tales of tainted monstrosities doing things like placing jade as a hairpin, or using illusions to cover up gloves being worn."

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

Making another couple of notes, Kin nods his understanding. "I see. Good to know. It makes sense that the value of it is so high. Unfortunate that it has been in such need in recent years, making it difficult to acquire and prohibitively expensive. It makes me wonder why a material that is so vital to protecting the souls of our people hasn't been outlawed for use in artistic endeavors." He wonders at that for only a moment before responding once more.

"Well, with my limited experience I'm not sure if I even know what questions to ask anymore. I suspect I simply lack specific enough basic knowledge to be able to make inquiries that would provide deeper understanding." He seems a bit disappointed by his own shortcomings in the area.

"What of other spirit realms? Can they have corruptive influences?"

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

Aya considers that question. Most people felt they had heard far more than they wanted at this point.

"Hmm. Well...there have been cases where an individual is either blessed by one of the realms, or cursed by them. The other realms don't corrupt per se, though sometimes the denizens of sakkaku and yume-do interact with people in interesting ways." she offers.

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

"So more of influencing through interaction, rather than corrupting by poisoning the soul," he says with a nod.

Kin knew that people didn't speak this openly most of the time, particularly about less savory subjects. But for him it felt natural in a way. He appreciated when he could speak freely with people.

"And I'm guessing each of the realms has it's own blessings and curses? Can creatures from them wield magic like a shugenja and is that something we need to watch out for in coming days?"

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

"Hmmm, they don't typically call upon the kami like shugenja do. Some of the denizens do have powers related to their realms. Sakkaku denizens, for example, frequently have shapeshifting powers. However, returned spirits have whatever skills they learned in life, so shugenja are a possibility." she admits.

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

"I imagine that includes darker magics as well for the returned spirits. I hope that we don't have to deal with that," Kin states. There was concern in his tone, but also a sense of resoluteness. He didn't really understand fully yet that more than likely practitioners of such arts were far more likely to be taken by Jigoku, but he was still learning.

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

"If they were losers who needed that crutch in life, they likely kept it through death", he shrugged. "Or maybe reconnected to it after returning to our realm. Something to consider, but worrying about it is only going to give you grey hair."

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

Aya snorted at that.

"I thought we were here to discuss hot to kill things and stay alive and undamned while doing so, not give the magistrate fashion tips. Perhaps you'd like to share your thoughts with him on what fruit to eat to give him redder lips, or if another inch shorter kimono sleeves will really catch his interests attention, Norkiun?" she snarked.

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

"I suppose I could..but you need the advice more than he does", the Bayushi smirked. "Get on with it."

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

Aya raised an eyebrow at that.

"I didn't know you cared, Norikun. Telling me the magistrate was going to share information about the Naga, but he's actually going to give me fashion advice. What a lovely surprise." she said.

She turned her gaze back on the Pirahna.

"Well, you heard the man, get on with it."

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

"I prefer my shorter sleeves for movement, writing and to avoid potentially unsightly ink spots," he says with a slight smile, in an attempt at humor. It was not a great attempt.

"I've collected a great deal of information that will give me a much stronger grasp of such enemies as these. I don't know I will get much out of more specific information at this point, I think I will need to absorb this more fully before I can truly know how to direct further questions and study."

The mention of Naga got him curious about whether she wanted to learn more about them. Which made sense. They weren't monsters to him, in the true sense of the word, but they could be quite dangerous. And they were not all loyal to The Tausha so fighting with those not of the Legion seemed more of an eventuality than a question.

"Were you interested in learning of the Naga? There are still many out their that regard the empire as an enemy so I could see you potentially being called upon if one turned up that was causing problems."

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

Aya nods.

"That seems eminently more suitable that Norikun's plan to win political victories over the Naga." she said, pleased that the magistrate at least seemed to get the need to know how to kill Naga.

"So, what can you tell me about killing Naga?"

[D2 EM] Pleasant Company for Pleasant Conversation

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