as told by the cavalier Olmas Lurecia himself.

Starday, 14 Sarenith

We were able to set up a meeting with the Emerald Branch this evening with little trouble.  Before then, I would have time to do a little shopping.

My enhanced bow doesn’t take full advantage of my strength.  I’ve been wearing my magical belt long enough that I’m stronger than I used to be.  Ivan says he can create a bow like he has, that adapts to whatever the user’s strength is, if I provide him with a masterwork composite bow.  It’ll be a shame to see this old bow go, but I can sell it and use that plus a bit more to get a new bow and let Ivan work on it.  I don’t use the bow that often but those times I do, I’ll want to really make those arrows count.

We made a point of telling Itsuru what Zos’s treasure maps revealed, and also warned him about oni on his staff.  He agreed that was a disagreeable state of affairs, so after Kali discreetly scanned his core staff with True Seeing, told him they were good, and discussed a plan to bring the rest of the staff in a few at a time, and his court wizard – who already knew True Seeing – would be able to check them. Failures would be quietly dispatched.

Dasi, meanwhile, was working hard to find a friendly neighborhood sovereign dragon.  Turns out that not-so-nearby Xa Hoi is supposedly ruled by sovereign dragons, but our chance of meeting our commitments here and getting there too before the new moon is small (though not zero I admit).

(Later)

I wasn’t there, of course, but I’m told the meeting with Emerald Branch went surprisingly well, along these lines:

We killed the assassin.
“Have you proof?”
We have his distinctive nun-chuks here.  And his flute.
“We’ll need to verify.”
Of course.  We want you as an ally.
“We are impressed.  Only 10K.”
<surprise> Graciously accept.
“How did you kill ninja?”
Tired him with nightmares.
“Ah.  Did the assassin have other belongings?”
Of course.
“Like what?”
Disguise kit.
“Pft. Any magic?”
The nunchuks are magic.
“Hmm. Right. The other clans may be more curious than we, ally.  Tread carefully.”
Thank you for your wisdom.

Dasi was talking, so of course it actually took longer than that.

After the pleasant surprise of getting an ally for 10K less than we thought we would, we arranged meetings with the other two clans for the next day.

Kali cast codespeak so we could have a frank conversation about the coin.  We’ll let them suspect what they want but we won’t admit to possession of the coin to any of them.

Sunday, 15 Sarenith

Our first meeting with a ninja clan was with Dragon Shadow.  That one, I’m told, didn’t go as well.

“Why are you here?”
Killed the assassin. Want you to remain neutral.
“Really? Heard you hired the other clan.  Neutral will cost 10K now.”
<bargain>
“Agree on 7000.”
Give you 7500.
“You negotiate strangely.”

Two hours later, it was with Black Lotus

“Why are you here?”
Killed the …
yeah, more of the same.
Except they wanted 10K and wouldn’t negotiate.

And again, Dasi, so …

Dasi continued his research, this time seeing if the dragon in the Amatatsu family crest had origins in a sovereign dragon.  (Probably, since legend had it that 5 sovereign dragons were the founders of the five royal families.)

Our work seemed done in Enganoka.   We teleported to the fort to discuss plans with Jiro.

…

While we were talking with Jiro, he formally pledged to Itsuro.  He mentioned that, in a sending, Itsuro had asked if Ameiko had sought the blessings of the old emperors yet.

We all said … ??  Tell us more?

Apparently there is a shrine on a small island off the coast of Kasai, where every emperor has stopped and sought the blessings of emperors previous.  It would seem that we – well, Ameiko – have another stop to make.

And then the coin.  Everything comes back to the coin.  Can’t let it go, can’t pick it up.  Ivan made a point of touching it briefly so that he’d be better able to use Locate Object later if it left us.  But then Radella surprised me … surprised everyone, I think … by announcing she was going to take it.

She picked it up, put it on, and waited for something to happen.  Judging from the distracted look on her face, I think something TRIED to happen, but then she looked okay again, and she looked down at the coin.  I saw it now had a 7th symbol on it … I guess that means it accepted her.

I’m not sure I’m happy about that, but it was clearly her choice.

Moonday, 16 Sarenith

We rose early, as we often do.  I was considering if I should suggest another training session for the green troops, although, to be honest, the chance of attack was much smaller now that Itsuru was the daiymo.

But I was wrong.

Not a half hour after rising, we heard a loud boom from the direction of the courtyard, and an immediate babble of voices.  Involuntarily we all stood up and looked through solid walls in that direction, even as we heard a voice say quite clearly, even though we were not near:

“Bring. Me. The. Amatatsu. Heir.”

I glanced at Ameiko.  “Do NOT. I got this.”  She smirked and said, “I’ll take care of the inner defenses,” as she drew her rapier with, I swear, a gleam in her eye.  I told Suishen “flame on” and moved towards the courtyard.  Shalelu followed Ameiko and Koya began pulling out the things she needed to do healing.  Many people would probably need that today.

“Wait!” called Zos, and did his alchemical thing.  I immediately felt myself moving faster. Ivan also cast a blessing over most of the group and it was the same thing Qatana used to do.  And Dasi, of course, began to sing a song of inspiration.  “Yes, good,” I said and moved out.

Outside waiting for us were a small group of young fighters … and two – make that three – towering monstrosities and several fire giants.  From inside I heard Ameiko yell, “Archers! Focus on one target! Take the one closest to the inner wall and shoot until it falls!”

It wouldn’t have been all that long ago when finding a dinosaur appearing several yards in front of me would have given me pause, but when exactly that happened, I spared a quick glance over my shoulder and sure enough, Kali was grinning.

I saw one of the monstrosities leap down from the upper wall, but land a little too softly. Fliers, I thought, and as I continued to advance to the battle I said quietly to Suishen “Air walk.”

A wall of fire tried to separate us but almost as soon as it appeared, it disappeared.  I finally got close to one of the big uglies, and bloodied him up a fair amount.  Ivan turned him into a pincushion and he responded by turning into smoke and threatening to drift away,  However, another set of toadstickers from Ivan and .. well, it seems that Ugly wasn’t entirely smoke, because they actually killed him.

A bright flash alerted me to a round of chain lightning, and since it didn’t hit me, I presumed I could thank Kali later for that. I picked out another big guy and marched over to him.

Between us and the dinosaur, we beat up these uglies pretty well.  And pretty quickly.  Radella seemed her usual self, despite the coin hanging around her neck.  And then just when I thought the battle was over, Zos, Kali, and Ivan all disappeared and I heard their voices from outside the busted front gate.  Apparently they did something with or to one last fire giant that, I don’t know, I’ll have to ask them about when things settle down.

For now we have a front gate to repair, many people to heal, and a (hopefully small) number to mourn.  And a quick inventory of newly transferred possessions:

[740] potion of fly
[741] potion of fly
[742] monk’s spade (?)
[743] monk’s spade (?)
[744] fosail-hoselu (sp?) [chain mail equiv]
[745] fosail-hoselu (sp?) [chain mail equiv]
[746] 3 great swords