S<\/span><\/p>\n o now we wait. I <\/span>hate<\/span><\/i> waiting, especially when it\u2019s for someone that is coming to kill us. That I even have a category for this says a lot about the last year.<\/span><\/p>\n I am nervous and more than a little scared. We know nothing about our would-be assassin except for his reputation, and that is basically nothing to go on. The problem with legendary figures is that the stories that surround them are equally legendary; truth wrapped in exaggeration and hyperbole, designed to both frighten and inspire awe. Dasi spent hours this morning trying to give us anything we could use, and the best we managed was that, if you were desperate enough to have someone killed, and rich enough to part with a modest fortune, our assassin would appear out of thin air, do the deed, and then vanish without a trace.<\/span><\/p>\n None of this is helpful, except to confirm that he exists. After all, to the common man, <\/span>I<\/span><\/i> can appear out of thin air and disappear into the same. In the right circumstances, half of us could kill someone without leaving so much as a mark. There are too many possibilities, which means we have no idea what we are defending against. The only advantage we have is determining where the confrontation will occur. Sparna would call this \u201cdefining the enemy\u2019s choices\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Doing that, though, was easy enough. My spell alerted me to his scrying eye, and I casually let slip where we were. The scrying ended within seconds, which tells me he took the bait. Yay us?<\/span><\/p>\n O-Kohaku was less than thrilled when we warned her what was coming. \u201cYou brought this to my doorstep!?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n I was not in the mood and snapped back, \u201cDid you think you could support a rebellion and there would be no consequences?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis is <\/span>not<\/span><\/i> what I signed up for. I agreed to help, not turn my business into a battlefield!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n She has a point. We have gotten too used to being on our own, and what we are doing here is putting others\u2019 lives at risk. It may even be reckless. We are betting quite a lot on his reputation as a disciplined assassin, not some messy thug who leaves blood and bodies in his wake. Are we putting too much faith in that?<\/span><\/p>\n At least it\u2019s only for tonight. We\u2019re leaving Sakakabe tomorrow, so if this isn\u2019t resolved by then? The Teahouse will no longer be in the crossfire.<\/span><\/p>\n I got my first good look at him today. Dasi, Ameiko and O-Sayumi had given me enough details that I could spy on him the same way he has spied on us, and it worked. He was dressed as a monk in grey robes and a basket hat, walking along the streets of Sakakabe in one of the middle-class tiers\u2014something we were able to establish from the clothing worn by passers-by. I followed him for a while. In a stunning coincidence that you might describe as \u201csuspicious\u201d, he shot a city guard with a blowdart laced with Blue Whinnis poison, just outside a shop that Dasi was visiting. You might say we found this alarming.<\/span><\/p>\n Why did he do it? We don\u2019t know. Was he trying to flush us out? Test our reactions? We don\u2019t know. Was it intended as a distraction? Did he know Dasi was there? Did he know <\/span>Radella<\/span><\/i> was? We. Don\u2019t. Know.<\/span><\/p>\n Is he coming tonight? We\u2019re more confident about that one. We\u2019ve been moving too often and too quickly, and have been careful not to reveal our whereabouts, making this his first real shot at us. I doubt he\u2019ll pass it up.<\/span><\/p>\n H<\/span><\/p>\n e didn\u2019t pass it up. A wakizashi came within <\/span>inches<\/span><\/i> of my <\/span>head<\/span><\/i>. He <\/span>literally<\/span><\/i> took one stab at me through the shoji screen, and then vanished. Qatana found the slightest traces of his presence: footprints on the wall frames and ceiling, and an impression in the carpet, but no steps leading away. He came in, struck, and was gone. It suggests a combination of both skills and magic\u2026though, I think, mostly magic.<\/span><\/p>\n He obviously wasn\u2019t after a fight, which is no surprise. He was trying to pick us off. Which is <\/span>also<\/span><\/i> no surprise, though it does at least confirm what we\u2019ve suspected.<\/span><\/p>\n I was riled up. Once we determined he was gone, I scried on him again, this time catching him somewhere in the city just before he conjured a portal to the shadow plane and stepped through (what is it with this region and the shadow plane?) My magical sight followed him, and he emerged into a forest where he changed disguises. Which means I got a good look at his true appearance: a slim, unassuming Tian man with short, fuzzy grey hair.<\/span><\/p>\n I couldn\u2019t resist. I cast another spell and whispered to his image in my silver mirror.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>You missed.<\/span><\/i>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n You might say that got his attention. I baited him a few times, and we traded some barbs before I pointed out that I knew what he looked like.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cEnjoy this victory while it lasts,\u201d he said. \u201cYou have a lot more to lose.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>There are a lot more of us. <\/span><\/i>You<\/span> only have to lose <\/span><\/i>once<\/span>.<\/span><\/i>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Our conversation ended with him giving me a rude gesture. It seems those are somewhat universal.<\/span><\/p>\n After my spell ended, I spent some time reflecting on what we learned. He can travel through the shadow plane, teleport short distances, and scry on others. All are spells or abilities I possess, except\u2026he\u2019s not casting any spells. Curious, don\u2019t you think?<\/span><\/p>\n W<\/span><\/p>\n e found an inn here that has solid walls. Ironically, that is not an upscale feature. If you have money, it\u2019s assumed you value the exquisite dance between light and shadow over such intangible traits as privacy and safety.<\/span><\/p>\n I made a stack of \u201cHave you seen this assassin?\u201d posters this morning and we scattered them about Sakakabe before leaving. The primary feature is a drawing of the man who is stalking us\u2014it is a rather good likeness if I do say so myself\u2014and a list of his known disguises. I used a spell to speed the process. Though we did take the time to deliver some to the city guard, I am under no illusions that this will amount to anything more than a thumb in the assassin\u2019s eye. But I wasn\u2019t really aiming higher than that, either.<\/span><\/p>\n To get us here, I used the same spell he did; it was in Yugureda Shosaito\u2019s spellbook. Walking the edge of the shadow plane was every bit as disturbing as I expected it to be, but it got us here quickly enough.<\/span><\/p>\n F<\/span><\/p>\n or once, Qatana was not responsible for the absolute shitstorm that was this afternoon. This time, it was <\/span>my<\/span><\/i> doing. <\/span>I<\/span><\/i> was the one responsible. And you know what? I would do it again. I have no regrets. <\/span>None<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n It happened in the market. We were working our way through the throngs of people when a hole opened up in the crowd. A group of guards was confronting a man who was bartering at one of the stalls. As they surrounded him, they asked what village he was from, and when he answered, they accused him of lying because the \u201cvillage doesn\u2019t exist!\u201d It sounded eerily similar to the story Itsuru told us about the Nine Pawns, and we all turned to look at Dasi since he\u2019s from here. Quietly, he answered the unspoken question. \u201cThat\u2019s a real place\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n I presumed wrong. They weren\u2019t going to <\/span>arrest<\/span><\/i> the man: they intended to <\/span>execute<\/span><\/i> him. Right there. Using this insane accusation that he was lying about where he was from and therefore a spy. And\u2026I just couldn\u2019t let it go on. I mean, what was I supposed to do? Be a silent witness to a summary execution? So I intervened. Inconspicuously.<\/span><\/p>\n Or I tried to, anyway. There were just too many of them closing in too quickly, and the spells I had that might protect him weren\u2019t practical in close quarters. I tried a deterrent, but the guards were not deterred, and things got worse. Much worse. There was a brief moment where Qatana maybe created an opening for me, but before I could act, one of the guards brought their sword around in a wide arc and took off the man\u2019s head.<\/span><\/p>\n As I watched it tumble to the floor in slow motion, I remembered being in Ordu-Aganhei, where the people lived in constant fear of their Prince and his whims. Where people were punished or even killed for the most trivial of transgressions. We turned a blind eye to this insanity because it wasn\u2019t our fight, but this here? This <\/span>was<\/span><\/i> our fight. <\/span>No more turning away<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n When his head hit the floor, I was hyper-aware of my friends behind me and what I was about to do. Ameiko had to get away from here, as quickly and discreetly as possible, and I could feel her moving; the others closing ranks around her as they melted into the crowd. I looked down and saw that my hands were already holding a piece of amber and a ball of fur, the latter stuck with needles. An instant later, lightning erupted from my fingertips and arced from guard to guard in a brilliant, blinding flash. Then Qatana, Zosimus, and I rained destruction down on them, and in seconds they were all dead.<\/span><\/p>\n And then their bodies transformed into oni. Because, as a random shopkeeper said to me, \u201cThat\u2019s just the way things are now\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n The rest of the party was gone. Zosi turned invisible and eventually found his own way back. I grabbed Qatana and teleported us, and the body of the dead man, to the inn.<\/span><\/p>\n Qatana started raging almost the instant we appeared in the room. \u201cThey did nothing!\u201d she said, pacing back and forth while gesturing angrily with her hands. \u201cThey were completely happy to just stand there and look the other way while an obviously innocent citizen was cut down. And Ameiko condoned and justified it!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Said innocent citizen was still in a heap on the floor, head detached. She\u2019d at least taken a few seconds to preserve the corpse with a spell before launching into this tirade.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAnd what\u2019s worse,\u201d she continued, still pacing, stopping only long enough to look at me while she emphasized some point, \u201cis that only you, me, and Zos took any action to stop it. And Ameiko ran away like a coward.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n She didn\u2019t get it. She still doesn\u2019t, though I tried to help her understand.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m upset about this, too, but I don\u2019t think Ameiko had a choice here. She\u2019s bound by the same code of honor as Itsuru. It\u2019s the same reason why he can\u2019t just kill his brother and take over as governor. The people here won\u2019t accept a leader that tarnishes their honor to <\/span>become<\/span><\/i> a leader.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n It would be different when Sennaka is gone. She will have the <\/span>legitimacy<\/span><\/i> to stop things like this. But until then? She can\u2019t be a part of it.<\/span><\/p>\n That being said, I was still shaken. I hadn\u2019t expected so <\/span>many<\/span><\/i> of our friends to vanish with her. I sat down next to Qatana.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI just thought\u2026we\u2019d have more help. Even discreetly. Ameiko <\/span>needs<\/span><\/i> us. While her hands are tied, we can do the things she can\u2019t. But I guess not everyone sees it that way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Qatana didn\u2019t want to hear it. Everything is so black and white with her. Direct action is the only action that matters. That\u2019s\u2026just not how this works. And I don\u2019t know what to do about it.<\/span><\/p>\n A<\/span><\/p>\n meiko came to talk to me about it. I had been dreading this conversation all evening, but it ended up being okay.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not going to apologize for intervening,\u201d I said when she walked in. \u201cAnd if I had the chance to do it all over, I\u2019d do it again.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t fault you for wanting to help that man, but this wasn\u2019t a case of stopping bandits from robbing someone on the highway. They were the legally appointed law enforcement acting on their real authority. He may actually have been guilty of a crime. Just attacking them for apprehending a criminal would make us criminals, too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Normally, she would be right, but the problem with her logic is that <\/span>we witnessed the whole exchange<\/span><\/i>. \u201cWe all heard what they said. This wasn\u2019t about some random crime. It was a false accusation used as a justification for murder.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe can\u2019t openly rebel against the local authorities without evidence of corruption that is obvious to <\/span>everyone<\/span><\/i>. Otherwise, we run the risk of driving the people to those same authorities for protection from <\/span>us<\/span><\/i>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t turn my back to it, Ameiko. I just can\u2019t. Not anymore.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe have to win the whole war, not just every battle.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n I looked down at the floor. The wool rug in our room was old and fraying along one edge. <\/span>Is that supposed to be prophetic?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n \u201cI know why you had to get away. I\u2019m not angry about it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n She sat down on the bed next to me and sighed heavily. \u201cI can\u2019t say which of us did the right, or better, or best thing. I think the answer is that\u2026we each did what we had to do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMaybe we <\/span>both<\/span><\/i> did the right thing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n We sat in silence for a bit. Finally, she stood up and said, \u201cFor what it\u2019s worth, I do want to do a little investigating to find out what that merchant\u2019s story really was. For my own peace of mind at least.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWell, you may get to hear his story firsthand. I\u2019m going to try and have him raised, even if I have to pay for it myself. It was my spells that failed him; it\u2019s my responsibility to fix it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n She looked at me for a while before leaving.<\/span><\/p>\n I suppose it could have gone worse.<\/span><\/p>\n Earlier, Qatana and I took turns spying on our assassin. Both of us saw him as a wealthy, well-dressed woman. I caught him just after he had left the market.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>You missed all the excitement.<\/span><\/i>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n He stopped to look around for the source of the voice. Seriously?<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>Please. Do you really think so little of me?<\/span><\/i>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWas that your handiwork?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>I wouldn\u2019t <\/span><\/i>dream<\/span> of taking credit for such a heinous act.\u201c<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n \u201cYou do realize there\u2019s a price on your heads?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c<\/span>Of course. And we\u2019re honored to be worthy of so much attention. Someone is obviously afraid of us. I hope you have a good night\u2019s sleep.<\/span><\/i>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n I couldn\u2019t resist. Qatana has a spell that sends terrible nightmares, and she\u2019ll be using it on him tonight. I am looking forward to it.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sarenith 5 (Kiniro Kyomai Teahouse, Early Evening) S o now we wait. I hate waiting, especially when it\u2019s for someone that is coming to kill us. That I even have a category for this says a lot about the last year. I am nervous and more than a little scared. We know nothing about our […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_import_markdown_pro_load_document_selector":0,"_import_markdown_pro_submit_text_textarea":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[32],"class_list":["post-4084","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-journal","tag-kali"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dungeonetics.com\/gamediary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4084","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dungeonetics.com\/gamediary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dungeonetics.com\/gamediary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dungeonetics.com\/gamediary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dungeonetics.com\/gamediary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4084"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.dungeonetics.com\/gamediary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4084\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5727,"href":"https:\/\/www.dungeonetics.com\/gamediary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4084\/revisions\/5727"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dungeonetics.com\/gamediary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4084"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dungeonetics.com\/gamediary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4084"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dungeonetics.com\/gamediary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4084"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Sarenith 6 (Kiniro Kyomai Teahouse, Small Hours)<\/h3>\n
Sarenith 6 (Enganoka, Early Afternoon)<\/h3>\n
Sarenith 6 (Enganoka, Night)<\/h3>\n
Sarenith 6 (Enganoka, Late Night)<\/h3>\n