Wedding at Fire Shrimp Village an L5R PbP

Great. Not even one hour after they were warned about assaults at night by the beach was one of them struck within walls in the middle of the day. So much for the reliability of their information.

Under such circumstances, Yuma had decided to speed up the schedule and asked for a protection specialist to come as soon as possible instead of tomorrow as was initially planned, while the threat still seemed distant.

Thus he was waiting for some Crab samurai in the entrance of the now weirdly empty inn.

The protection specialist in question turns out to be the Crab Wardmaster in the Ivory Mempo. He approaches the eerily silent Inn as his mask hides a frown, "Doji-San, is everything alright here? Where are all the servants?"

"Hello Hiruma-sama."

He sighed.

"No, things aren't good there. A few hours ago Daidoji Yushoko-sama was assaulted, in this very inn, poisoned in the middle of a conversation under mysterious circumstances. One of your Kuni colleagues is at her side right now, treating her.

As for the unusual quiet, from my understanding, the rumor of this incident quickly spread around and servants fled in fear when it reached their ears. But that's mostly guesswork, not an absolute truth."

He nods slowly, "Well the peasants have been jumping at shadows lately. There seems to be more mischief around then normal. You had asked about some spiritual protection? I can put up a few Purity Wards, it will keep agents of the enemy from entering the area, but will have no effect on malicious spirits that do not serve the ninth. It could at least help with the peasant's superstition though. Such wards tend to last a full day so they would need to be renewed. Is there somewhere you would prioritize for protection?"

Yuma grimaced, expecting more. At least he appreciated the Crab honesty on the subject:

"A partial protection is better than no protection at all I guess. We have no idea of the nature of the assault, I kinda hoped either you or your colleague could help us determine it.

As for focus: Definitely Daidoji Yushoko-sama's room, then the rooms of her immediate family members."

"Each ward will protect an area about 10 meters by 10 meters square. I am not sure how large the suites here are, let us see and see how much I can set up protection for. How large is the brides party? And are there other important areas to secure, like the kitchen?"

"Some suits are big but not that big. If we focus on protecting only the rooms where we remain for a long time, i.e. bedrooms and the room where we privately eat, I think a couple of talismans should do the trick. Oh, and there is the bath also.

Warding the kitchen might reassure the staff but I'm more worried about direct assaults on Daidoji-sama while she is weakened."

"I can not ward more then 3 or 4 locations total, personally. You may need to recruit the local Kuni if you are looking for more then that, or your own shugenja's should be able to ward as well, no?"

"As far as I know, I am by myself every Crane shugenja presently in the city and my training was sadly not focused on warding places from evil. I could probably throw something together by myself, but it wouldn't be nearly the quality of a professional.

A thorough cleansing and warding of the inn should have already been scheduled for tomorrow. Maybe only focus on the room where Daidoji Yushoko and her niece sleep for tonight? They are the most vulnerable people there at the moment."

"So the brides Suite, and the Tea room then?"

"Suite alone should do. Daidoji-sama won't eat outside her room until she has recovered."

He bows, "Lead the way then and I will ward the Suite"



D3 EE Casting Ward of Purity on Brides Room TN 15: 8d10o10k4 24

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Ward of Purity
Area of Effect 15' Radius,
Duration 24 Hours
Will TN: 3K3+5
Damage: 7/Rd
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OOC: Did some surgical edits through the whole thread as I previously misunderstood and we're not sure about the nature of the attack at the time. Switched to the "asked for earlier protection as Yushoko is weak and vulnerable right now" angle instead.

He guided him through the inn before the proper door.

"Any advice in case the wards aren't enough? A good old bodyguard with a sharp blade I guess?"

"Air Shugenja, and Toritaka both are quite adept naturally at dealing with ghosts, if it is that. Bodyguards would be good in case the assault is by something claiming to be a spirit but actually being flesh and blood in disguise. Even with these wards it will merely make it harder for the tainted to enter, and cause them great pain once they do. Likely enough to raise an alarm and slow the creature, but with a powerful and determined entity you should definitely have additional protection prepared. If wards were enough to stop the enemy, then we would not need Hida"

"Every little bit helps. Doji Kintaro-sama is keeping watch and his blade should take care of anything physical if he is warned in time.

Your remark about Air Shugenja kind of surprises me though. I am an Air Shugenja myself and ghost busting wasn't really part of my curriculum. Best I could do against them would be to hide their target behind the tapestry as the saying goes, as in using the power of the wind to dissimulate them to the inhuman senses of the harmful spirits. But actual exorcism? That I know nothing about."

"When it comes to ward magic, Earth keeps physical things in, while fire keeps physical things out. It typically requires Air wards to protect against spirits, especially those of dreams or ancestors. i am afraid that I tend to specialize in wards versus the forces of Ninth Kami, given our geographic location."

"Understandable.

Out of curiosity, could a shugenja at ease with all elements craft a ward that protect against any kind of harm? Or do wards interfere with each other if we try to mix them?"

"Overlapping wards that protect against different things tend to work in harmony with each other. The Yogo have no elemental affinity or deficiency, we are trained in the harmonious use of wards in conjunction with each other. Still some of us have specialties. The interlocking of wards is the foundation that the Walls of Otosan Uchi were built on. "

Yuma allowed himself a tension-breaking smile:

"These walls were not exactly built in one day. We'll settle for a close enough knock-off.

You mentioned the Yogo. May I ask, for the sake of my own curiosity, how you ended up training with them instead of with the Kuni?"

He smiles softly behind his mask, "I was born to the Scorpion clan, my late wife was Hiruma"

"Oh. That explains that. I am quite happy to hear the long tradition of spiritual cooperation between the Crab and the Scorpion still stands strong in spite of the many upheavals of the past years.

Was your wife a shugenja too?"

A pause.

"I might be overstepping the bounds in my curiosity. Stop me if I do."

He shakes his head, "She was a Hiruma Scout, she died in battle against the enemy about 7 years ago. My daughter plans to follow her mothers footsteps"

"That's lovely. Is her gempukku soon?

That reminds me that Daidoji Yushoko has brought her niece, Kio, with her for the marriage. According to the girl, she is the future best Daidoji warrior in the world."

"Luckily not for another 6 years, she is 9, she is already growing way to fast." He smiles.

"Time and tide flow like an arrow.

Speaking of which, I think our business is done, so I see no reason to keep you away from your daughter any longer. Have a nice evening Hiruma-sama."