[Game Thread] The Miyamakoori Monastery

[Lightened]

Lanaya tensed up visibly when another guest entered the hall, and even moreso when she saw his Elven features. Since she was an Elf herself, she quickly figured the newcomer wasn't a pure elf, which served to calm her down just a little bit - Lanaya did not think she had ever seen a half-elf who was allied or even on friendly terms with her family, who viewed such racial mixes as deplorable at best. A few more seconds of thinking and she was considering to try her luck getting through the mountain pass by herself just in case, as the monastery seemed to draw strange and not especially trustworthy people in, but her mind was quickly changed when the servers brought the platters of food. She had been living on scarce rations for days, and the thought of leaving was swiftly snuffed out by the prospect of finally having something good to eat. The elf girl looked at the food as it came in, watching each new meal that was carried to the table with great interest - most of those she had never seen before, and everything looked delicious to her. It was only when an uncomfortable silence took over the hall that she realised everyone else had introduced themselves and the venerable man now stood before her. She quickly looked up to the grand master, frantically searching for a polite reply, and after a few more seconds, doing the same as the others before her, rising and taking a deep bow towards the grand master, while speaking in a high voice that could not quite hide her nervousness. "I thank you for accepting me here, master. I... got lost in the mountains and found your monastery by chance. As such I am deeply grateful for shelter and food."
It was not a lie, but the sheer shortness of her explanation left her worried that the master might want to know more about her. The thought of having messed her introduction up kept her on her feet for now, her head still slightly bowed towards him even after she finished talking.

[Aerandor]

Koyamata listens respectfully to each of you in turn. To Lanaya and Zariel, he simply gives you permission to stay at the monastery for the night, and bids you a safe trip in the morning. However, to Talhoffer, Isaru, and "Toshi," he responds differently. To Talhoffer, he says "Oh, a scholar? You are most welcome indeed sir. Tell me, what is it that you teach?" To Isaru, he says "Ah, that is most unfortunate indeed. Please come to my private quarters after dinner and we'll discuss your quest more." To "Toshi," he raises an eyebrow as he speaks, "The Tetsu no Tsume Clan? Yes... we should talk in private. Come to my quarters after dinner."

 

After finishing the conversation with Talhoffer, we'll progress to the end of dinner

[brann miekka]

Talhoffer raises his eyes and smiles. "It's not often that people want to hear my drone about my profession, this is a pleasant surprise." The man wipes his hands and nods his head before saying, "I am a professor of the arcane; I specialize in general studies which I guess you could take to mean I don't specialize at all, hahaha..." Talhoffer smiles and shakes his head, "As I said earlier, I'm currently on my way to a new teaching position, there was an.....incident at my last. This downtime has hurt my studies, but my new job is supposed to have a library that dwarfs the Academy's, so.." He shrugs and clears his throat before standing and unlooping his cane. "And I have passed the time I can comfortably sit."

[Aerandor]

"Ah, sugoi! I actually have something, an artifact of sorts, that you may be able to help me with. Please, come to my quarters after dinner. And, I apologize for the discomfort. In this land, we sit like that from our youth, so even in our old age we find it comfortable. Being a foreigner though, and with an injury such as yours, I can see the pain it would cause. I thank you for your generous spirit in trying to follow our customs."

Having finished his introductions, Koyamata returns to his seat at the head table. After about 30 minutes, the tables are cleared and the monks finish the night with an evening meditative prayer. At the conclusion, Lanaya and Zariel are escorted together to a small room in the part of the monastery that is built into the mountainside (the same section where the dining hall is located). The monks welcome them to share the room together, as they are the only women currently at the monastery, and sharing with a man would not be permitted. Inside you find two small dressers, sleeping robes, and two normal looking bamboo cots with a large blanket and pillow folded and stacked neatly on top of the cot.

Meanwhile, the men are led back towards the front of the monastery, past the small garden in the center, and taken to the east section. At the end of a hall, they are told to wait outside of a large, ornately carved door, depicting a snowy mountain scene. A wooden bench is situated just outside. After a few minutes, Koyamata opens the door, and beckons Isaru inside, leaving Toshi and Talhoffer waiting by the bench.

 

RP away everyone! I'll try to move quickly with the interviews so we can get to the real start of the adventure. Also, I'd like perception checks from everyone.

[DMDracoMoondragon]

Zariel merely sat upon the cot in the room she was led to, along with the elf girl. She hadn't caught the girl's name, but she decided it would only be polite to talk to her. "So, I'm guessing you know what I am, don't you?" She giggled a little at her own words. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You elves always seem to have knowledge of things outside the norm." She looked around the room, feeling something unusual, though she figured that could have just been the atmosphere.

 

Dice Perception:

1d20+8

(6)+8

Total = 14

[Lightened]

The elf magus let herself get guided to the room with no further words after she had finished eating - she did not expect to stay longer than one night anyway, and having a day in warmth and with a full belly was more than enough for her right now, more than enough to raise her spirits anyhow. Once the door closed behind them, she took the other cot for herself, however too cautious to take off her armor, light as it may be, and the weapon on her side, as she looked at the tiefling curiously. "I read a lot, and just happened to notice your tail. Elven blood has nothing to do with it." Leaning back a little, she thought for a short while about how to fulfill her curiosity without being too intrusive - she did remember the tiefling said she had no place to call home, and felt strangely connected to her in that. "I call myself Lanaya, and I was wondering how you ended up here. Even if you have no place to stay, those snowy mountains don't seem like a sensible choice to find a home."

 

Dice Perception:

1d20+2

(17)+2

Total = 19

[brann miekka]

"Ahh I would love to help you master koyamata." He smiles and shakes his head, saying, "I thank you for accepting the weakness in me, and am pleased I did not insult you." Talhoffer finishes his meal in silent contemplation then follows the monks outside; drawing his cloak tight around him, his charm of enduring having worn off hours ago, as he stood outside with the man named Toshi. As time ticked on Talhoffer again tried his hand at small talk. "So friend, from where does the Tetsu No Tsuma clan hail from? I took it upon myself to read up on my history of this land before I traveled through, but yours is one I have not heard of."

OOC Dice Perception: 1d20+4 (14)+4 Total = 18

[DMDracoMoondragon]

Zariel sighed, her head hung down a little. "Since you know what I am, you should also know what most people think when they find out the same. Because of that, I am forced to wander to find a place that I am accepted." She was somewhat surprised the elf girl, who she now knew as Lanaya, wasn't disgusted by her.

[PopCultureBard]

Rising from the bench, Isaru crosses the threshold into the room beyond. He pauses long enough to study the door's engraving, admiring the craftsmanship more than the scene. Once inside, he moves as indicated by his host and follows the abbot's own behavior when deciding whether to stand, kneel or sit.

"I am grateful for your hospitality. While I lived in areas similar to this in my youth, I welcome a warm room when the option permits." Keeping his eyes level with the abbot's, and his hands open at his sides, he examines the interior of the abbot's meeting chamber.

Dice Perception:

1d20

1

[Lightened]

"Mmh." Lanaya let out a sigh, not saying much more - part of her pitied the tiefling and wanted to comfort her, but how could she if she felt like getting comforted herself? The elf girl wanted to tell the half-demoness that she was going to find a place, and that they could travel together, but felt like such words would be hollow and empty - a mere elf like her, especially one that was and had to be paranoid of most anything, and was really more of an emotional burden than a relief, could not do anything, it seemed to her.
With another short sigh she leaned and laid down on the bed, eyes still opened as she looked at the ceiling with thoughts running circles in her head.

[DMDracoMoondragon]

Despite not generally being talkative, Zariel decided to actually interact with the elf. Something told her they might be connected in some way. "You look like something is troubling you, Lanaya. Care to talk about it?"

[Aerandor]

Koyamata sits on a floor pillow on the tatami mat in the center of his room. In front of him is a low table. On the table are a number of teacups and a fresh pot of tea. He motions Isaru to sit on another pillow opposite to him on the other side of the table. As he waits for Isaru to sit, he pours two cups of tea, offering one to Isaru and taking one for himself. After taking a slow sip of tea and clearing his breath, he speaks again, "You are welcome for the hospitality. But now that we are alone, I wish to hear about your quest. Tell me, who is this person you are searching for?"

 

You notice as you make your way through the monastery that there seem to be a number of statues displayed everywhere, but unusually they are almost all of the same figure: A beautiful woman dressed in a traditional winter kimono. In the entrance hall, you also notice folding screens with paintings depicting the snowy mountain landscape, and the same beautiful woman wearing white, a glowing light trailing behind her.

[PopCultureBard]

Taking a seat on the indicated pillow, Isaru takes the offered cup and breathes in the fragrance of the drink. "I speak to you in the confidence required of a samurai of my station, servant of the undying emperor and instrument of his will. I trust that a man of such profound position as yourself, and one grounded in the tenets of religion, understands the value of discretion."

Taking a sip from the cup, he continues. "I am in pursuit of the Emperor's own daughter, believed taken from the palace weeks ago. I do not know if the rumor of the young emperess' illness has come this far from the capital?"

It was a question, and he gives the abbot time to consider it. "My information is not thorough and accusation of such a heinous act cannot be laid on any suspects without proof so I come here in secret as one of many agents seeking answers. Being that my family estates are in this region it was suggested that I be the one to search here."

[Aerandor]

Koyamata frowns a bit. "I had not heard anything about the emperor's daughter, though that is not too hard to imagine. The location of the monastery makes receiving travelers an infrequent occasion and so we do not receive news here very often." He takes another sip of tea. "However, I doubt that will be a satisfactory answer for you..." he places the teacup on the table and then shifts slightly to face you directly, his hands now on his knees and his back erect to make himself more intimidating. He gets straight to the point, his words no longer carefully chosen, "I know why you are here. Do you think that I wouldn't know the rumours about my own monastery? You have come here because you suspect I might be harboring rebels, rebels that could have spirited away the Emperor's daughter. This is a dishonorable and false accusation and it sits within me like a well of poison! However, you have shown discretion and politeness towards me, and so I shall do the same for you. I have ever been a loyal servant of the Emperor and of the Kami, and I will vouch for all of the monks that live here. You are still welcome to my hospitality this night, but I ask that you do not trouble the monks nor carry-on investigations while you are here, and that you leave in the morning. I wish you luck in your search, but what you seek does not lie here." Without another word, Koyamata stands and moves to his door, opening it and ushering you out before asking the man known as "Toshi" to enter.

 

Isaru should make a sense motive check.

[PopCultureBard]

Isaru was familiar with couched words and diplomatic phrasing, but he was never trained to keep his thoughts in check. His shock at the accusation is clear on his face as he

Dice Sense Motive:

1d20+8

(5)+8

Total = 13

studies the abbots own in search of some understanding. He rises and sets the cup aside, the remainder of the tea untouched.

"Very well. Oyasuninasai." Only once he has stepped out of the room does his surprise turn to seething. His face hardens and he moves quickly away from the abbots office, fingers curling into fists. So upfront about something I'd never mentioned. There is more going on here than I should be getting involved in.