Patreon LogoYour support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)

Ashes in the Breeze (Japanese Inspired 5e in-character) (nsfw)

It was hard to tell if the men were telling the truth or not. From what he sounded like, he was pretty sure of himself. For all Jihi knew he was telling the truth.

Hanako returned the look of concern with a look of her own confusion. Like she obviously didn’t know what to do.

“I’d rather not yell it up to you!” He called up to Jihi. “How about you let us catch up and we can talk about it!”
 
Jihi sighed pensively to herself. Finally, she looked over at Hanako and raised a hand, motioning for her to stop. She hoped she wouldn't regret this.

Slowing to a stop in the middle of the road, she put her hands on her hips - close to her nunchaku - and watched the men approach. "Let's talk, then."
 
Hanako stopped as soon as Jihi indicated for her to do so. With clear apprehension in her face she glanced up at Jihi.

Surely after a long minute the trio of men approached. Jihi now could get a better look at them. They were dressed in typical farmers clothing or perhaps something a peasant. They clearly didn’t have much money. Over one’s shoulder rested a sharpened hoe. They seemed a bit grizzled, like bordering some line between an underworked farmer and a bum. The men eyed Jihi as they approached.

One of the men, dark green jacket and patched up trousers shuffled up to Jihi. Presumably he was the one calling up to her initially. He glanced up and down the road. “We’ve got a place, up a path just outside of town.” He talked in a low voice. “You can come stay with us or try your luck in the town.” He flashed Jihi a grin. “Come on, we’ll show you the way.”

With that he started down the road once more flanked with his buddies, only stopping and turning to wait for Jihi and Hanako.
 
Jihi waited for the men to get some distance, then leaned her head to the side and whispered to Hanako. "These farmers look a bit...rough."

She placed a hand on Hanako's shoulder. "Do you want to go with them or to Ninama? It's your decision, too."
 
Hanako gazed at Jihi nervously. She shifted uncomfortably as she glanced at the trio. “I-I’m not sure… we can go with them. We can always leave right?” She whispered in response to Jihi.

The man in the green jacket beckoned to them.
 
Jihi hesitated, glancing at Hanako. She had found the kitsune in a house she couldn't leave, so she wasn't sure why she'd be so confident in that possibility. Still, Jihi had asked her opinion and she'd given it.

"Okay," Jihi said quietly. "If anything happens, just stay close to me. We'll get through it together."

She raises her voice to the men. "Alright, we're coming," she calls, then follows after them, one hand anxiously reaching back to brush along the underside of her pack.
 
Hanako followed Jihi as she followed after the men. Continuing down the main road, the trio led the way. There was another hour or so of travel before the village actually came into view between the trees just down the road. But the trio turned off to the left and started heading up the hill into the trees where a thin trail sat. Green shirt guy paused to turn back to Jihi and Hanako. “Just up there is Ninama. But up this way is our place, not too far just a little hike.”

The trio began hiking up the trail that went snaking up the hillside. Finally the trees broke into a clearing and there was a small house perched atop the hill over looking the village. Down the clearing the village was easily visible just about 100 yards down the steep slope. The trio stepped up to the house and opened the door, two went in, while the green shirt guy stood just next to the door and gestured for them to enter. “After you.”
 
Jihi followed the men down the road, watching them carefully, still not sure how to feel about them. As they came within sight of the village, she paused for a moment, gazing down the road towards the buildings before following after the men. When the men had said they had a place just outside of town, she hadn't realized they meant this close. As they climbed the hill, she glanced down and to the side, checking the village. How does this place protect us from the bandits in the village? she thought to herself.

She noticed the house's small size when they approached. She had grown up in a small house herself and knew that all five of them inside wouldn't leave a lot of personal space. Before she or Hanako entered, she held out a hand to stop the kitsune, then looked down the hill towards the village.

The man had said bandits ran Ninama now. Jihi wasn't sure what that would look like or what she was looking for, but she looked nonetheless. After several seconds, she looked over at the man in the green shirt. "You said bandits run the village now. What do you mean? How do they run it?"

Perception check to watch the village: 14
 
Jihi keenly kept an eye on the village below. There was movement as a handful of people seemed to go about their business. It wasn’t obvious that there were bandits controlling the town. If they were, they didn’t seem very out in the open. Until just before Jihi turned to the man in green. Down towards the center of the village, a man carrying a sword on his hip emerged and stood guard.

“I mean that they’ll tax you to enter and exit the town. They’re holding the mayor and the whole town hostage. Taxing the citizens and taking whatever woman they want. They don’t make it obvious, but you definitely made the right choice not going in there. Now come on, we can all eat something together.” The man in green beckoned for Jihi and Hanako to enter. Hanako shifted anxiously.
 
Jihi dropped to a crouch and looked back down at the village, watching the man carrying a sword. In particular, she watched the way other villagers reacted to him. If they seemed intimidated or gave him a wide berth, it would indicate that he was a raider, as the man in the green shirt described. If they seemed comfortable with him, on the other hand...

"That's terrible," Jihi said. "Strangers can be so cruel and dangerous."

She gives the man in the green shirt a glance before looking back at the village. "Why do you trust us? You don't know anything about us. We're not even human."

Insight check to judge how the villagers react to the swordsman: 18
 
Generally from what Jihi could see, the villagers gave the man a decent enough space. This also could just be because of the weapon on his hip. That was until someone accidentally bumped into him. He seemed to posture at the villager for a moment before the villager backed off. He doesn’t seem overly oppressive but doesn’t seem like a man you’d want to deal with directly if he was having a bad day.

The man in green nodded his head. “Cruel yes…” he eyed Jihi before she looks back down to the village. “Well, I have a good intuition! And you two don’t look too unfriendly. You know I don’t help people often, I’d just thought I help you two out of the goodness of my heart.”
 
It just didn't add up. The swordsman in the village looked like someone she wouldn't want to cross, but Jihi didn't get the sense he was a dangerous bandit - just a local guard or mercenary who didn't like to be messed with. The man in the green shirt, however, just didn't seem trustworthy. It was impossible to be certain, but Jihi believed that entering the house would be dangerous.

Jihi didn't trust these men, but she didn't think they'd attack if she and Hanako simply left. They could have attacked them on the road at any time, after all - they're counting on Jihi and Hanako walking into the house. The smart move would be to just walk away. And yet, Jihi didn't want to. Now that she'd decided the men were probably lying to her, she liked the idea of playing with them. Maybe she could get them to spill some information that could help her.

Let's see how good your intuition really is, she thought.

"That's very kind of you!" she said, smiling. "Usually, the small towns I've seen on the road are afraid of strangers. Maybe Ninama should have been more afraid. I don't want to be rude, but my companion and I don't like to be indoors. We're creatures of the forests and the mountains, you see. Would you like to eat and talk outside, instead?"

Deception check: 16
 
The man in green shifted on his feet, glancing towards the inside of the house before looking back at Jihi. “Well… I’d much rather prefer inside.” He grumbled but let a sigh out before relenting. “But if that’s more comfortable for you then, that’s fine. Hope the other guys will be okay with it.”

The man in green popped his head inside the house for a moment before turning back to Jihi and Hanako. “They’ll be joining us out here! Now let’s get a fire going.” He clasped his hands together. “It’s really too bad you don’t like indoors, it’s so much more comfortable.” He heaved a sigh, mean while the other two went to work putting a fire together. “Are you two just passing through?”
 
It really would be more comfortable indoors, Jihi thought, forcing a smile regardless. At least, it would be with people Jihi trusted, but that wasn't the case here. She was a little surprised that the man was willing to entertain her outside at all, but maybe he still thought he could get her in a vulnerable position - or maybe he wanted something else from her. If she kept him talking long enough, she could learn what that was.

"Thank you, human," she said with a nod. "The three of you are very welcoming. We will have to find a way to pay you back."

Jihi shot a glance and a smile at Hanako. To the men, hopefully, it would look like two travelers checking in with each other. To Hanako, Jihi hoped, it would be reassuring. The situation was under control.

"We planning to spend a day in Ninama, but if bandits have taken control, we may have to skip it," Jihi continued. "We were planning to move on after that anyway. We have a long road ahead of us."

She puts an elbow on one knee, then rests her chin on that hand. "What do you plan to do about the bandits? Surely you can't let them hold your mayor hostage and assault your women forever."
 
“Pah! No need to pay us back.” The man in green waved his hand in the air. As Jihi spoke the other two had constructed a fire pit complete with a pot hanging over the top. The fire was started and kicked up as they all sat on the ground around it.

Hanako returned the look back towards Jihi with a small smile and a little nod. It seemed to reassure her at least a little.

“That bandits? Bahaha!” The man in green let out a laugh. “You’re acting like we are able to do anything. We’re just peasants, not soldiers. We just do what we…. Well to help the travelers like yourselves.”

Some simple ingredients were thrown into the pot with some rice, miso paste and water that one of the men had retrieved from the house. The pot was covered.

“So, do you two sleep outside? You can stay the night you know. Either… here or inside.” The man in green offered, he exchanged a glance with one of the other men. The one that had been holding the hoe but had left it leaning against the house. The other stared at the pot.
 
Jihi mused for a moment. "We like to spend our days outdoors, but when we come to towns like this, we sleep in an inn. Maybe we'll sleep inside the house, if you will be so kind." At the same time, she pat reassuringly on the shoulder.

Jihi smiled at the man, but her eyes were watching all of them. She assumed they'd make eye contact with each other, as they had when the man in green made the offer, and she hoped to glean some meaning from the way they looked at each other. For the same reason, she deliberately didn't look at Hanako, not wanting to tip their hand.

She glanced down at the pot and her stomach growled. She was hungry. She didn't trust the men, but maybe she'd tell them a story to pay them back for the meal...if it was good enough. She'd like a drink, too, but not enough to get drunk around them.

"So if you can't fight the bandits, what are you going to do?" she continued. "Just try to live with them? They can't hold your mayor forever, right?"

Insight check to see how the men react to Jihi saying they'll sleep in their house: 17
 
As soon as Jihi mentioned the possibility of sleeping in the house. The trio exchanged a look, making eye contact with each other. At this point it was clear they had something in mind. But what that was exactly wasn’t clear.

“Well, the door is open for you two.” The man in green looked towards Jihi and Hanako with a grin. The mixture in the pot began to bubble. “Well uh to be honest we weren’t much fans of the mayor.” The man in green admitted with a chuckle.

“We wouldn’t be opposed to fighting them but… they don’t bother us up here too much so why anger them for no reason.” He gave a small shrug and let out a sigh. Peering over the girls for a moment, he looked over at the man not tending to the food. “Go grab the jug and some bowls.” He mutters towards him and the man climbs to his feet before disappearing into the house.

30 seconds later he emerges and returns to the fireside with a large gourd and bowls. Uncorking the top he takes a drink of whatever is inside.

“You girls drink?” The man asks handing the gourd to the man in green.
 
Jihi's eye lingered on the gourd. The fact that the man took a drink of the gourd was a good sign; now, at least she knew it wasn't poisoned. They probably just wanted to get her and Hanako drunk and vulnerable. At first, Jihi figured the smart choice would be to drink nothing at all, but on second thought, that might arouse suspicion.

"Only a little, please," Jihi said with a smile. "My companion and I get drunk easily. I don't want us to embarrass ourselves."

She'd let them pour it, but would barely touch it. She'd keep an eye on how much the men drank, too; if they were smart, they'd stay sober too, but maybe they would be overconfident.

If she was going to spend time here, at least she could get some information out of them. She leaned forward towards the man in green, letting her clothes hang slightly. The protective leather she wore over her jacket was not very flattering, but she thought she still might be able to show off a hint of cleavage. "Tell me about your town. What was Ninama like before the bandits conquered it? What made this place interesting? I would like to see it myself, but the bandits won't let me, at least give me stories."
 
As soon as Jihi agreed to a little bit of the alcohol the man in green beamed. But instead of pouring Jihi a cup or bowl of the sake. He immediately handed the gourd towards her. Even if she took just a little bit of a sip, Hanako didn’t drink any. She just stayed quiet, eyeing the men like a dubious fox.

The pot over the fire burbled gently as the water boiled. Jihi leaned forward and immediately as if he was ready, the man’s eyes snapped to her cleavage. He swallowed before answering.

“Nothing special about Ninama. Just a farming town.” His eyes were glued to Jihi’s chest almost willing the cloth to fall further and give him a better view. “But, we get a lot of travelers through here. A bunch coming between Touhama and Mutsushina.”

Finally the food was ready after a bit of waiting. One of the men took a wooden, lacquered ladle and spooned out a scoop of rice porridge into a bowl and held it up to Jihi. “Here.”
 
Jihi was struck by a moment of indecision when she took the gourd. One of the men had already drunk from it - surely she could have a small taste? Just to keep things fun? But if she started drinking, she wasn't sure she could trust herself to stop. Instead, Jihi just lifted the gourd to her mouth, letting the sake wet her lips without actually allowing any into her mouth. She kept the gourd there for a second, though, letting it look as if she were taking a generous sip.

Jihi pretended not to notice the man's staring, but she pouted at his words. Why was she wasting her time with him if he couldn't tell her anything? He couldn't even make something up to keep them interested long enough to get drunk? Jihi took the bowl of porridge, but didn't eat any yet, waiting for one of the men to take some first.

She'd throw him another bone. Maybe he'd say something amusing. "You sound like simple, hard-working people," Jihi said. "It's not right that bandits would take advantage of you. I'm something of a warrior, you know. If I were to free your town, where would I find these bandits? Who would you like me to kill?"
 
A bowl was also dished out for Hanako. She peered at it, then towards Jihi, then back to the bowl. The man continued to scoop out the porridge into bowls till each of the men had their own bowls of rice porridge.

The man in green went to scoop some of the porridge into his mouth as Jihi mentioned she was a warrior. Looking up at her with surprise mixed with skepticism, he wiped his chin with his sleeve. “You’re a warrior?” He questioned.

“I mean, even if you were a fighter, there’s no reason to go looking for a fight.” He let out a forced chuckle as he glanced at his compatriots. “They’re not bothering us right? I mean it doesn’t seem like you have any weapons and they’ve got… well they have swords.” Another look was given to the other two men.

“I mean uh, they’re probably hanging out at the mayor’s house.” He scratched the back of his head as he looked around. Turning his head and gaze at the tree line like he was contemplating something. “You know what.”

The man in green scooted to Jihi’s side. “How about you forget about going down there for now, eh? You don’t have to be afraid of the bandits, they won’t come up here.” His arm draped across Jihi’s shoulder. “Hey, you wanna see something neat? Come inside and I’ll show you.”

Hanako was also flanked by one of the other men. This one had a beard. The beard man scooted up beside Hanako and was offering her some of the sake from the gourd.
 
So the porridge was probably safe to eat, too. These men are just thugs, Jihi thought. Something clever like poison was probably beyond them. A clever story definitely was. They had nothing interesting to tell her, no secondary motives she could tease out of them. Plus, the sight of the bearded man pushing the sake on Hanako irritated her. She hadn't asked for any of this, and unlike Jihi, wasn't even trying to have fun with the men. It was time to put an end to this.

"Hmm, if you say so," Jihi cooed smoothly, leaning against the man in green, trying to angle herself so that he could see down the front of her clothes. Again, the protective leathers prevented her from showing off as much as she'd like, but this was the best view down her cleavage he was going to get. At the same time, her free hand drifted to one of her nunchaku. "Tell me, will there be any more of this delicious sake inside?"

She smiled widely, waiting for the man's face to be in an opportune position, then tossed the hot porridge into his eyes. At the same time, her other hand whipped the nunchaku out of her belt, swinging it under her other arm to strike him in the jaw.

Throwing porridge in the man in green's face: 19, for 5 fire damage.
Off-hand nunchaku attack on the man in green: 16, for 4 damage
Sneak attack damage: 4

A very good opening round! Going for knockout rather than the kill, as will be Jihi's standard for intelligent enemies.
 
“Oh, there will be.” The man leaned into her as he purred. “Aaauuugh!” He then screamed as the rice porridge was splashed into his eyes. The molten hot rice slop stuck to his face burning him. Recoiling, he went to grab at his face to get the hot rice off of him.

Jihi’s nunchaku whipped around and cracked him square in the jaw. The strike rang out and for a moment the man in green saw stars wobbling where he sat before flopping over onto his side unconscious.

The other two men sat stunned for a split second before acting. One was immediately across from Jihi past the hot iron pot. He reached inside his jacket and pulled out a knife. “You oni bitch!” He shouted as he rounded the pot, scrambling towards Jihi.

thug rolls for attack: 17 hit
Thug deals: 5 slashing damage to Jihi

Meanwhile the other thug next to Hanako forcing the jug on her drops the gourd and begins to grab at Hanako. But Hanako deftly slips out of his grasp. In turn she tries to instead place her hand on the man but he is able to avoid her.
 
Jihi swung one nunchaku, trying to knock the knife aside, but it slipped past both her parry and her protective leathers. "Aagh!" she shouted as the knife cut deep into her arm, blood flowing out over her skin as soon as it withdrew.

This fight wouldn't be easy, but she wouldn't have to fight it alone. Even as the knife cut through her flesh, she pulled away, running towards Hanako. As she got within reach, she ducked low but swung her arm high, trying to whirl the nunchaku around towards his head, but her attack was too wild and missed him completely.

Disengage from the man with the knife, using Cunning Action, and closing to melee with the man attacking Hanako
Nunchaku attack on the man attacking Hanako: 7
 
Before the man with the knife could react Jihi was out of his range running towards Hanako. He of course gave chase.

The man attacking Hanako felt a small gust of wind as Jihi’s nunchaku whiffed right past his face. He turned his attention to the oni girl that had just attacked him and knocked his buddy out cold. He didn’t seemed armed but went for a punch anyways.

The thug hits Jihi with a 14 and deals 1 unarmed damage.

With so much happening at once Hanako almost seemed panicked but went to lay her hand on the thug once more. The man convulsed as lighting ran through him. “Grgrgh!” He grunted. But was still standing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom