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

"Ah, so you saw." Shiroma nodded to himself. He let out a deep sigh, then took a teacup into his hands. He took a loud sip, eyes closed, he felt the warm tea wash down his throat. Another sigh then he opened his mouth to speak. "We noticed something strange with the crops at the start of the season. Well perhaps it started before that…" pausing he kept glancing over at Kiyoshi. Who was drunkenly sitting quietly. "The lands here at the base of the mountain were very fertile, but suddenly one season they started to decline. No one knew why, the crops yielded less each season. Till the farmers said it started to level out. Then at the start of this season, everything that grew was sick. We think it was coming from the water up the mountain and one of the farmers went to investigate but never returned."
 
Insight check to judge Shiroma's honesty: 3

Jihi was silent for a moment, taking a drink of the tea as she turned the older man's words over in her head. His story didn't match up with the tengu's, but she couldn't tell if his ignorance was feigned or genuine. Indeed, she didn't know whether the tengu's story was true, though she had believed it at the time. For all she knew, they could both be lying - or even both be mistaken, the victims of some tricky third party.

"That sounds very strange," Jihi finally said. "It might be hard to figure out what caused it. Please, if you know anything else - or even just suspect something - tell me. I'll need all the information I can get to solve this."

Jihi thought back to what she'd heard in the inn last night. We've suggested sending someone up to investigate the origin but no one is willing. Maybe they just hadn't heard about the missing farmer. Or maybe...

"What was the missing farmer's name?" Jihi asked. "When did he go up the mountain?"

Deception roll to feign ignorance and not let on what Jihi already knows: 21
 
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"Well… the farmer's name was Naosuke, we're not sure what happened to him." Shiroma heaved a sigh and took a sip from his cup. Kiyoshi had downed his already. "Sometime ago there was this spirit in the forest, a tengu? Well, they acted as a protector of the mountain and even protected our little village as well. Some of the villagers would go and pray at the edge of the forest. There was this one young man who would go to the edge of the forest every day, Mita Subaru was his name. Then one day he disappeared and around that time the tengu came around less and less and the crops started to suffer." Another sip. "The villagers believed it was tengu who took Mita and called on me to take care of it. So I sent one of the hunters to find him, but he never did." Shiroma looked a bit sad. "Then the blight started after, perhaps the tengu is angry at us."
 
Insight check to tell whether Shiroma is being honest about the hunter: 12

Jihi took another sip of the tea, buying time to think. That's two missing people: Naosuke and Subaru. The men in the inn last night didn't mention them - but maybe they just didn't want to talk about their missing neighbours. He's hiding something from me, though.

"I see," Jihi said. "I think I should talk to the hunter. What is his name? Does he live in the village?"
 
Shiroma pursed his lips together. He took a sip of his tea. The expression on his face could only be described as an expression one you make if they're reluctant to give away information or maybe thought it was a bad idea to disclose such information. But finally he opened his mouth to speak. "We all call the hunter Juzaburo. He's lived in the village his whole life and lives alone in his family's cottage in the center of town. Off of the main road there's a small house, you'll recognize it by the name on the front. It has his name written on a wooden board above the front door. No guarantees he will speak to you." He muttered.
 
Jihi paused. This time, she didn't try to disguise her hesitation with a sip of tea; she wanted the old man to recognize that she'd detected something.

"Please excuse me if this sounds rude," she said, "but you seemed reluctant to tell me that. You also seem to think he won't want to talk to me. Is there something I should know about this hunter? Is there a reason I shouldn't try to talk to him?"

She would talk to Juzaburo anyway, of course, if she got the chance. He wouldn't be the only one, either; she was already planning to talk to one or more of the farmers. She was getting conflicting stories, and the more perspectives she got, the more likely she was to figure out the truth. Some of those perspectives would be less involved than others - but the way things were looking, those people may the most trustworthy. She was getting the distinct feeling that everyone directly involved in this situation had something to hide.
 
Shiroma sighed and set down his empty cup. "Juzaburo… killed the tengu." He admitted. "But Mita was never found. I and some of the villagers believe that killing the tengu cursed the land." He seemed sincere and had a tinge of sadness in his voice. "Mita was infatuated with the tengu and probably went with it willingly… Naosuke was foolish and likely got lost. Juzaburo doesn't like talking about it but if anyone will get him to talk, it will be you young one." He gives her a nod, this seems like his genuine answer. Kiyoshi seems to get bored and burps before climbing to his feet.
 
The man's regret seemed legitimate, and Jihi heard herself echoing his sad sigh. She finished the last of her tea, looking down at her empty cup for a moment before setting it down beside Shiroma's. His story seemed to line up with the tengu's, but he'd given her some additional details to investigate.

It looked like the conversation was nearing its end. "Thank you, Shiroma-sama," she said, standing alongside Kiyoshi. "Just one more thing. If I can fix this problem for your village, is there any reward?"
 
Shiroma gave Jihi a small bow. "I'll give you 100 sho and my eternal gratitude, if you manage to rid us of this problem. Other than that I don't have much more to give." He added perhaps preemptively shutting any possible haggling down. (Though Jihi may certainly try.) Kiyoshi, of course, perked up as he heard the reward. Imagine how much sake one could buy with that amount of money or even a portion.

Outside of the house Jihi would be met by three of the farmers and their wives. Perhaps they were the ones most affected by the blight and had been informed by the other farmer. "Thank you, red girl." They'd say or some variation and each would hold out a rice ball in her face to take.
 
100 sho? Was that a lot? It was more than Jihi had ever seen in her life, but that didn't mean anything. Kiyoshi seemed happy, though, which was what mattered. She hadn't even intended to collect a reward; she'd only asked because she'd promised him half. She respectfully bowed to Shiroma in return, then exited the house with Kiyoshi.

She was much more surprised by the farmers outside. She froze up for a moment, looking at each of them in turn, eyes lingering on the rice balls. Normally not a large meal, but with their crops normally blighted, she wasn't sure they could even afford to give these rice balls away. They must be putting their absolute trust in her. A lump rose in her throat and she averted her eyes for a moment, trying to get a hold of herself.

"Don't...don't thank me yet," she finally said. She put her hand on the wrist of the closest farmer, gently pushing the rice ball down. "I haven't fixed anything yet. I don't know if I can. But..."

She took a deep breath, straightening. "But I promise I'll do my very best. Actually, I want to talk - to all of you. It might help me. Is there a place all eight of us can go?"
 
They all looked at Jihi as she refused their offers of thanks like they would look at a grandchild who refused their cooking. But their tone didn't change much from the thankfulness they had when she came out although she hadn't done anything yet. Perhaps they were happy someone cared enough to try when it seemed hopeless or perhaps they thought Jihi, the traveling red skinned girl, had a trick that could help them.

"We can speak at my home. It's just over here." One of the farmers piped up after none of them did initially. It seemed Jihi wanted to talk to all of them as a collective so they followed along as the farmer led them to his home.

It was just off of one of the fields and wasn't as big as the elder's home but it had a shed for a cart and some farm equipment. The doors on the side of the home were open already, exposing much of the interior to the outside. He simply went and sat up on the floor of the house. "We can speak here, there's not much room inside for everyone." He muttered. They all turned their heads to Jihi ready to answer any questions she might have and depending on what her questions they would be very similar to what the elder had explained.

Most of them seemed to think that the tengu kidnapped Mita and ate him. Half of them agree that the tengu should've been killed, though it seems like they all do not know that it has been killed. They disclose that Mita was very infatuated with the tengu for whatever reason and spend a lot of time at the edge of the village "speaking" with it. Though a couple thinks that he might've been a bit crazy. They know about the missing farmer and say he was foolish to go up the mountain alone. They've tried to give offerings to the tengu before. Before now crops were very good then had a dramatic decline just around the time Mita went missing. The hunter wasn't able to find Mita but after he returned the fields got worse.
 
Insight roll to see if the farmers are holding anything back: 14

Jihi listened to the farmers, a part of her mind gauging their words to see if they were hiding anything from her. While she didn't think they were lying to her, it was possible there was something the community as a whole had decided not to tell anyone.

"Thank you for talking with me," Jihi said, then hesitated before what she said next. "I'm sorry about not taking your rice balls. I'm grateful, but I just don't want know if I'll be able to help, and if I can't, I'll feel terrible for having taken them. But please, thank you for offering them.

"I just have a few more questions. Did any of you see the tengu? Do you know if it was aware of your offerings? Where did Mita-san go to speak with the tengu? Do you know why he was so interested in the tengu? When did he go missing? When did Naosuke-san try to go up the mountain? Did the hunter know Mita-san? How did the hunter feel about going up the mountain, and how did he act when he came back?"
 
The group would mutter a bit trying to remember so they could answer her questions as best they could. It didn't seem like they were holding anything back, though perhaps their information could be muddy, there was no indication they were holding information back or lying.

It seemed two of the famers saw the tengu but only for a second. They described it as a tengu with red and long nose with a curve upward. They believe it was aware that some time after they leave the offering, it would disappear seemingly taken by the tengu. Though they didn't rule out a thief. They explained that Mita would go to the edge of the forest by the farms closest to the stream and the path into the mountain. It seems like it is only a rumor but they think Mita had a strange crush on the tengu for some reason.

They don't exactly remember when he went missing but it was maybe two or three seasons ago around the time of the decline of crops. Naosuke went up the mountain four weeks ago. The hunter Juzaburo, they think was eager to go up the mountain, he kept insisting that they send him to find Mita and that the tengu took him and ate him. Juzaburo returned and spoke with the elder immediately. Then he seemed angry or upset about something and didn't speak with anyone.
 
Indeed, Jihi had already suspected Mita may have had a crush on the tengu. A picture was beginning to form in her mind, but she couldn't be sure yet.

"I see," she said, smiling at the farmers, then stood. "Thank you for the talk, and for inviting me into your home. I think I'll try speaking to Juzaburo-san next."

She bowed to each of the farmers before slipping her feet into her sandals and stepping outside. Before she left, however, she turned and looked back over her shoulder, one hand on the rim of her straw hat.

"Oh, just one more thing!" she said. "Did Juzaburo-san and Mita-san know each other? How did they feel about each other?"
 
"Of course." A farmer would start. "Everyone knows everyone here in this town. Though I think I remember Juzaburo being the most vocal about Mita being in danger but didn't think much of anything about each other." The farmers watched as Jihi took her leave.

If Jihi didn't want to do anything else she could head straight for Juzaburo's home. She'd find it just as described and it even had the name 'Juzaburo' on a plaque across the front door. This home was a bit different; it didn't feature a wall of sliding doors to open during the summer but just one sliding front door. It seemed quite smaller than the elder's and farmer's home. If Jihi decided to knock, there would be a long pause but no answer. If she decided to knock once more, finally the door would slide open almost violently revealing a rugged looking man with a scraggly beard and a scar over his left eye lid. He wore a spotted kimono, the spots much like a deers. He would glare at Jihi. "The fuck do you want red girl?" He'd grumble.

(Please make a persuasion check if Jihi wants to speak with him. What she says probably will affect the DC. Although the lovely Jihi probably wouldn’t do this but you can also attempt an intimidation check with advantage for Kiyoshi being there.)
 
Jihi cocked her head to the side slightly as she approached Juzaburo's home, noting how different it looked than the others. Of course, every house Jihi had ever seen had been at least a little different in its own way; each hand-built, and as often than not by its own inhabitants, since these villages were too small to support full-time builders. Still, the plaque was a unique touch. That, plus its smaller size, seemed to imply Juzaburo lived alone.

After a moment of consideration, she loosened the belt on her coat, letting it hang open just a bit more and reveal just a bit more cleavage. Everyone had told her that Juzaburo wouldn't want to see her, and she needed every edge she could get.

Jihi knocked, waited, and knocked again. She was about to lean in and listen against the door when it slammed open. Despite the warnings, his anger was intimidating, and she took a deep breath before speaking.

"Hello, Juzaburo-san," she said, pushing her hat back to hang from the back of her neck and bowing. "I want to cure the blight that is killing the crops. I know it is coming from the mountain, and that of all the villagers who have gone up the mountain, only you have returned.

"The village is counting on me, and I am counting on you. The farmers told me how fearless you were when you chose to climb the mountain. I told them I'd speak with you. Of course, if you don't want to, I can go back. I'm sure if I tell the farmers you chose not to help, they'll think of...well, something."

Persuasion roll to convince Juzaburo to speak with Jihi: 9
 
Juzaburo stared at Jihi a moment before slamming the door shut. Kiyoshi steps in past Jihi and puts his hand between the door and the door frame. The door slams on his hand and bounces open just enough for the hunter to stare down the drunk. "It's been a long day, I've been up the mountain and down and probably have to go back up." Kiyoshi starts, his voice grumbling and filled with displeasure. "My flask is nearly empty and I'm broke. So I need to finish this job, get paid and fill my gourd." He hisses through his teeth. "So you talk to the girl, or I'm gonna make sure you don’t talk any more."

A beat passes and Juzaburo simply retreats into his home leaving the door ajar. Looking over at Jihi, Kiyoshi gestures for Jihi to go ahead. Inside the home is a fire pit in the center of a large living space. It was essentially a two room house with a front room and a smaller room to the back. Hanging on the wall to the left is a quiver and red lacquered short bow. The hunter sits in the center of the room staring at Jihi. "Ask your stupid questions maybe I'll answer." He folded his arms. Kiyoshi stood by Jihi this time, actually like a bodyguard.

(Kiyoshi has advantage on charisma checks because of drunk. He also takes 1 damage.)
 
Jihi's eyes lingered on Kiyoshi's hand for a moment before moving up to his face. "Thank you," she said quietly.

For a moment, she wasn't sure whether to remove her sandals or not, but eventually decided to do so, stepping out of them at the entrance. She entered the house and closed the door behind her. As she walked towards the fire pit, her eyes scanned the room, settling on the shortbow hanging on the wall. Finally, she sat in front of the fireplace, opposite Juzaburo.

He'd completely rebuffed her before. There was no point in niceties, so she got right to the point. "Why were you so eager to go up the mountain?"
 
Juzaburo doesn't take his eyes off Jihi like a wild cat stalking prey. His gaze is intense, his sharp eyes darting around her body briefly before returning to her eyes. She asks her question and he doesn't respond at first. A long pause. Perhaps gauging how he should respond. It's dead silent in the house, muffled murmuring could be heard from outside as people pass by. An audible chkk-chik sounded from Kiyoshi's sheathed katana as he adjusted it. Juzaburo's focus barely wavered.

"I went up the mountain to save Subaru-kun." He grumbled finally. "The tengu poisoned his mind and kidnapped him. The tengu was purposefully making the crops decline, I wanted to save my village. I had to kill it and save Subaru-kun. I couldn't find Subaru-kun but I found the tengu… I killed it. Me, a lowly hunter killed a tengu, a magical spirit. I told Shiroma-Sama but he thinks I doomed the village. I brought the tengu's head and he told me to tell no one and he just discarded it!" Juzaburo seemed to open the floodgates as he railed. "Now everyone thinks I'm a failure! I didn't find Subaru-Kun and no one knows I killed the tengu! Now you want to solve our problem." He scoffed. "I solved our problem! This mountain is cursed… you cannot save us." He grumbled finally.
 
Insight to determine if Juzaburo is being honest: 7

Kun, Jihi noticed. A somewhat intimidate honorific...but it could have just meant that Mita was younger than Juzaburo. She also couldn't help but notice that Juzaburo didn't even mention Naosuke. Then again, everyone seemed to have more to say about Mita, so maybe Naosuke just wasn't a popular guy.

She felt a sudden pang of sadness at that. What a way to die: disappear trying to solve a problem that threatens the entire village, and everyone forgets about you in favour of someone that disappeared months earlier. She tried to shake the feeling off, focus on the task at hand.

"Tell me about Subaru-k...Subaru-san," Jihi said. "You say the tengu poisoned his mind. How do you know that?"

Jihi leaned forward unconsciously, paying special attention to Juzaburo's response. She suspected his words wouldn't tell the full story - though whether he would lie to her or to himself, she didn't know.

Another Insight roll to judge Juzaburo's response to her question about Mita: 6
 
"What about him?" The hunter barked. "Tch, I'd watch him. Always going to the edge of the forest, whispering and talking to that thing. No one else seemed to see it but I could, sitting there, long nose red skin, whispering back. Like two friends having a conversation. There aren't many tengu around here but I know they can be tricksters. It probably put a spell on him, it wanted his soul I don’t know." Juzaburo scoffed, he did seem quite adamant that the tengu had bewitched Mita. "I'd ask him about the tengu and he'd go on and on about how great it was. Protecting the forest or something, caring for the animals, all magical garbage." He grimaced and trailed off. It didn't seem like he was lying. Perhaps holding something back, but it was hard to tell and it seemed he was growing a bit impatient. "That all? Or you just gonna take up my afternoon??"
 
Jihi held Juzaburo's gaze for a long moment, then sighed. What she was about to say made her angry, but sad at the same time. If she was right, this whole thing found its root in something so unnecessary, so pointless, so easily avoided.

"Is that why you killed the tengu?" she asked quietly, almost whispering. "Because you were jealous that he loved the tengu and not you?"

Insight roll on Juzaburo's response to this accusation: 17
 
Juzaburo jerked his head to the side, breaking eye contact. "Tch." He grimaced, showing his teeth like he had just gotten hit. He stared at the wall. "What kind of question is that?" He hissed. "It's not like that helps him now, he's gone. I killed the tengu because it needed to die." His voice wavered slightly as he avoided the question, giving Jihi the strong impression that she was correct about her assumption. "He told me the tengu wanted to turn him into one of them. Subaru-Kun was lured by that idea and then eaten." He growled. "I'm done with questions."
 
"Fine, I'll start telling you things instead," Jihi said defiantly. "The tengu didn't kill the crops. It was making them grow faster until something happened. Probably when it met Subaru-san. It started losing its magic, but that just meant the crops went back to normal. The water wasn't poisoned until you murdered them!"

It was time to tell him about the other tengu, but she had to be careful how she revealed that information. In her head, Jihi started forming a complex lie. The tengu you killed was a juvenile. That's why it was interested in the human world and why you killed it so easily. The other one is their parent and it's angry at you. They're too strong for you to fight, don't even try. That part was essential. I can't let him go back up the mountain, or he'll just kill the other one, too. They'll be helpless. The tengu is sick. The tengu is despondent. The tengu is...

Is...

Jihi's eyes snapped open in shock. For a moment, she stared dumbly at nothing as her mind fit the pieces together. Then, she looked at Juzaburo.

"Mita-san is alive," she said abruptly. "I know where he is - but he won't take you back. If I take you to him, will you accept that? Or will you try to kill him too?"

Insight check to determine whether Juzaburo's next answer is legitimate; namely, whether he'll try to kill Subaru: 19
 
As the information came rushing at him from Jihi all Juzaburo did was contort his face in a frown. It seemed like no matter how much he knew she was right, he probably didn't want to believe it, of course he didn't want the blight to be his fault. In his mind he was the one who tried to do anything, until this girl came along. But Jihi was correct about everything. She was able to put the pieces together and form the complete picture but perhaps there was just one more piece. The half human half tengu in the mountain, Mita. The hunter was looking away, face still scrunched in a scowl, until Jihi mentioned Subaru. His head snapped to Jihi, the scowl wavering. "What do you mean?" His voice was softer as he wracked his brain. "I-I won't try to kill him. But I'd like to speak with him." He muttered. "Will you take me to him? How do you know?"

Juzaburo seemed like he was completely sure about confronting Mita, kill? Maybe not, but chances are if he sees Mita as a tengu he might try. But kill doesn’t seem like his primary goal although isn’t off the table.
 
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