The Rain of the Samurai

A

Alarice

Guest
Original poster
The sun had risen a few hours ago but you couldn't tell that right away. The forest was thick and the trees were tall, blocking out much of the light unless you walked into a clearing or climbed to the top branches of a tree. The birds were chirping and the squirrels and other day creatures were running around, gathering food and surviving.

The man walking down the well-worn path through the forest was not alone, although he had no companions. The figure up in the trees crouched down and watched. An elf? No pointed ears. Certainly not an orc. Rain moved a bit closer. His back was to her and if she waited any longer, he'd be too far away. She had to know what he was!

She crouched a little lower ... focused ... And then jumped, allowing all the energy she'd built up free! She pounced on the man and managed to get a hold on him but it wasn't down yet.
 
Attacked and grabbed from the bushes Takahiro was caught completely by surprise and was grabbed before he could react. His first though was that he was under attack by bandits but with the attacker holding him. He'd need to draw his weapons but couldn't without room to maneuver.

He shoved her away and took a step back and drew his weapons looking at his assailant. It was only now that he got a look at her. She was small but so were the peoples or some of the other clans. But that wasn't what surprised him, she wasn't human, her features were far more animalistic. She had been grabbed by a spirit of this forest and now was ready to strike her...

"I apologize honorable spirit, I mistook you for a thief."

His weapons remained where they were even if his tone was respectful. He wasn't fool enough to believe that all spirits were benevolent tricksters.

(Takahiro escapes the grab (move action) and draws 2 weapons (2 minor action) and talking is a free action =D)
 
Rain landed neatly on her feet and settled into a crouch. Up close now, she could tell he was far too handsome to be an orc or a half orc or even those stone men that she sometimes saw. "Mwowr?" she said, tilting her head at him. She blinked her large eyes at him. She didn't understand a word he said. She knew Common and it sounded like the elvish talk but she didn't know any of that. She sniffed the air and leaned forward.

He smelled more like a human but ... what a large human! And she smelled something else, too. Maybe ... Food? But she had never smelled the like of it before. She was well aware of the weapons he held but the strange scents drew her attention. "Mwowr? Warrior? Good?" she asked. Maybe he could understand her? She tilted her head in the opposite direction and sniffed the air.
 
The creature before him looked curious, but not threatening. Slowly he sheathed his weapons and looked down at her. She wore clothes, and carried weapons. This struck him as odd but he had no idea where he was other than not in the empire. But if the spirits had guided him here and now one was , well not standing before him, well not standing but crouching. She seemed to be talking. Three words separated by pauses but he had no comprehension of what she was saying.

He knelt keeping an eye on her and placed his hack down on the path in front of him. He couldn't talk but he wanted to show he was friendly. He opened the back and reached inside grasping a package of banana leaf tied with cord. He drew the shorter of his blades and cut the cord and unwrapped the sweetened rice within and sheathing the blade sat down , the morsel in his hand held out to her.
 
Rain watched the warrior, ears twitching. So he didn't understand her ... she relaxed a bit when he put his weapons away. He wasn't going to attack which was a relief. She hadn't wanted to injure him, either. That was just bad. She leaned forward tentatively as he pulled something from his pack. A potion? A ... Her nose crinkled at the smell of the leaf he was unwrapping.

The odd white ball sitting on his palm smelled delicious! She took one step and then another, not standing but more like walking on all fours. She kept sniffing what could only be food and stopped inches away. She lifted one hand and poked the ball with a finger. It was cool and sticky. She withdrew her finger, licked the tip. How strange! But it was definitely food.

"Mwowr?" Rain kept poking it, fascinated in how it rolled back and forth on the warrior's palm. How fun!
 
He almost laughed at her. She had the wait and manner of a cat, and the playfulness of one. "Its food. Foood." he said taking the ball and and pinching it between the fingertips of both hands broke it in half then nibbled on one of the halves showing her it was edible. The other half still offered to her he sat on his haunches and watched.

His first though was a bakeneko. A dangerous kind of spirit he should kill if he found. But they appear in the forms of their previous victims. Still she was a spirit of the forest and if she came to him without intending harm she obviously needed his help.
 
He almost laughed at her. She had the wait and manner of a cat, and the playfulness of one. "Its food. Foood." he said taking the ball and and pinching it between the fingertips of both hands broke it in half then nibbled on one of the halves showing her it was edible. The other half still offered to her he sat on his haunches and watched.

His first though was a bakeneko. A dangerous kind of spirit he should kill if he found. But they appear in the forms of their previous victims. Still she was a spirit of the forest and if she came to him without intending harm she obviously needed his help.
 
She stopped playing with the ball when he started talking, wondering if he was going to attack or threaten her. When he didn't, she pointed at the half he offered her. "Ff--ffooodd ..." she said slowly, tentatively. She sniffed the air again and then did as he did. She picked up the half and sat back in a crouch, sniffed the piece and nibbled on it. "Mm ... fff ... fff ... ooodd ..." she repeated.

The ball wasn't meat. It was soft and chewy. But it was good and she had never had the like before. She couldn't even begin to describe it. She crouched in silence and ate. It wasn't until she was done that she started talking. "Rain." She pointed at herself. "Rain. Rain. Rain." She wanted to know more about this strange warrior but it was important to introduce yourself first.
 
His offer accepted he was closing his pack and putting int back over his shoulders. "Raay-nn" he said slowly having made his half disappear in a single mouthful. His brow was furrowed as he tried to understand, she was saying it and gesturing at herself, so name of her kind. "Moto Takahiro of the clan of the unicorn and the empire of Rokugan." he said with a bow.. then looked at her expression.

"Moto Takahiro..." he said again before pointing at her "Rai-n." then placing his palm against his chest. "Takahiro" this was not going to be over quickly, but if the spirit needed his help he should do things her way.
 
His offer accepted he was closing his pack and putting int back over his shoulders. "Raay-nn" he said slowly having made his half disappear in a single mouthful. His brow was furrowed as he tried to understand, she was saying it and gesturing at herself, so name of her kind. "Moto Takahiro of the clan of the unicorn and the empire of Rokugan." he said with a bow.. then looked at her expression.

"Moto Takahiro..." he said again before pointing at her "Rai-n." then placing his palm against his chest. "Takahiro" this was not going to be over quickly, but if the spirit needed his help he should do things her way.
 
She was licking her fingers and nodded excitedly when he said her name. Yes! That was it! He had a strange accent that she couldn't place but he had a very nice voice. She tilted her head as he said his name but wondered what he was talking about. It made much more sense when he touched his chest. So ... that was his name? How long and complicated! It was easier when he shortened it but that didn't make it any easier to pronounce.

"T .. ttaa ... ro ...?" she asked, head tilted. She tried to get the other syllables out but for some reason, she couldn't form them and ended up skipping them altogether. "Tah-ro?" she repeated.
 
She was having difficulty with his name but at least she had appreciated the food. "Ta-ka-hi-to." he tried again emphasizing the syllables with waves of his hand. Then he sighed. "Taro. Moto Taro." it was easier. "What do you need me to do? Rai-n?" he asked with another bow then waited. Great.... He pointed to her "Rai-n..." to mined walking with his fingers as legs against his hand "Go..." he placed his hand against his chest "Takahiro." he did the same but with both hands. "Follow."

He could onto hope she could understand. But if needs be he'd mime everything. This was part of finding new places.
 
Rain leaned forward a bit as he started talking. She tried following along with his words but it was difficult to focus on one syllable at a time. She would attempt to but then get distracted by the next syllable and the next and the next. So many things to learn from this strange warrior! It made much more sense when he began using his fingers. She found herself fascinated by how long his fingers were and how they moved like a stream over a rock bed.

"Mwowr," she said, understanding that she was supposed to go. But ... was he going to go as well? In that case ... she stood upright and stared at him for a few long moments. Maybe he was lost and needed help. Or maybe he needed water. Ooh, she knew the perfect place! She slipped off the path and disappeared through the brush. She would show him food and water to repay him for the sticky white ball of food.
 
The sound she made was curious, it didn't seem to be part of her language but the rough equivalent of "hmmm" so with her leading the way he followed his eyes searching the trees for as they penetrated deeper into the wilderness. He could see where they were going over her head and could hear the wounds of a stream but why they were heading this way was a mystery.

He was a fighter, though and though, he couldn't tell if this forest was sick in any way it seemed fine to him. Wonder what the creature wanted.
 
The sound she made was curious, it didn't seem to be part of her language but the rough equivalent of "hmmm" so with her leading the way he followed his eyes searching the trees for as they penetrated deeper into the wilderness. He could see where they were going over her head and could hear the wounds of a stream but why they were heading this way was a mystery.

He was a fighter, though and though, he couldn't tell if this forest was sick in any way it seemed fine to him. Wonder what the creature wanted.
 
Rain had been expecting things to be normal but as they neared the stream, something didn't feel right. She didn't see anything out of the ordinary, however, once they reached the stream. It whispered and giggled as it slid down through rocks and curved around brush where it disappeared from sight. As she glanced around, she finally heard it: cheering and the sounds of thuds! not too far away.

For the moment, she forgot all about the warrior following her and slipped down to all fours to crouch and slip toward the sounds. She took cover in some brush on the other side of the stream and there, discovered what was going on. The sight turned her heart cold. A group of goblins made a circle around a young buck and was clubbing it. Its front leg was broken and it was bleeding in so many places; it was a wonder it was still alive.

Rain's eyes grew wide and she had to clap a hand over her mouth before she gave away their position. This was horrible! She could already feel tears welling in her eyes.
 
forest-encounterturn1.jpg


The goblins crowd around the deer laughing at it as it struggles to escape. Most seem to be armed with whatever they've found or crafted themselves but one of them, obviously the leader of the band wears a skull for a hat and carries a couple of spears.

Takahiro sees Rain stop and does too, moving forwards slowly. "Is that what you...." it obviously was, these hideous creatures were torturing for fun, and obviously the spirit that brought him here wanted him to kill them. "I understand."

He drew his weapons and offered a quick prayer to the kami. The enemy didn't look tough but that could be deceiving. "I will end the lives of these creature that offend you honorable forest spirit... Rai-n."

(Roll stealth and initiative.)
 
The warrior was talking again but Rain was too busy watching the scene before her unfold. This was not what she had expected when she'd brought him here. And now these evil creatures were torturing a poor deer! She couldn't just stay here and allow this to continue happening. She called this forest home and she was responsible for the animals who lived here with her.

She heard her name and turned to see the warrior still standing there, weapons drawn. She couldn't understand him, of course, but she could tell he was ready for battle. She could only nod just before she readied her resolve and moved to the side. She didn't know what the warrior had in mind but she would help.

(Rain rolls intiative and stealth. She goes first and remains undetected by goblins. She moves six squares to the left.)
 
She was moving up to the side and obviously good at keeping herself hidden, far better than Takahiro. Is he want with her he would get them both seen...

"Rai-n.." He called out again before gesturing for her to continue then he pointed to to himself and pointed to the right. Pointed tot he goblins, then pointed to the right as well. Hopefully that would be enough to tell her he'd be drawing the goblins to the right. Then he was off moving to the fight and skirting the trees, ready to fave all the creatures if he had to.

TURN 1: ENEMY PHASE

forest-encounterturn1b.jpg

There is a snap as the deer's spine breaks the her hind legs collapse accompanied by the cackles of the goblins, they haven't noticed that they are being watched yet and make no move other than continuing to club at the helpless creature before them.
 
Rain froze where she was, crouched and ready. The deer's pain tore through her but she couldn't allow herself to be seen. She had to be patient ...

She looked up at the sound of her name and nodded as the warrior pointed in another direction. She gathered he was going to move there and she knew it was the wisest course of action; she could hide a lot better than he could. She flinched as the deer's spine broke and she slipped ahead a bit more. Patience. Patience. Her hands ached to take her bow and string it, to rain punishment down on the evil creatures but all she could do was draw her bow.

(Rain moves forward two squares without alerting the goblins and draws her bow as a minor action.)
 
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