Immediately after completing my Gempukku I am told to report to the wall. Once there I meet three other Samurai who have earned their right into adulthood. A familiar Dragon Bushi who goes by the name of Ryogin Mirumoto. A Phoenix Shugenja named Kokuta Isawa and his Bushi, Zako Isawa. After introductions we report to a Bushi of the Crab Samurai who issues us each a finger of jade. He stresses that we're always to keep the Jade with us at all times. We're also to remove any individual who is wounded or tainted by the shadow lands. We must also cut off the head of an dead so it may not rise again. Our mission is to travel to a Nezumi camp (rat people) and locate a beast that's been harassing them. We're to identify what it is and how to kill it, reporting all findings back to the Crab Samurai.
He sends us off to a Scout who will tell us how to find the camp. We see him talking with an interesting looking Shugenja who is wearing a mask. The Scout identifies himself as Gozen. Gozen gives us directions, it's a two days there, we have three for the mission and two days back. We're to not exceed the given mission time as the Jade will turn black and crumble, making us vulnerable to the evils that fester here. It's about midday and after requisitioning provisions we set off!
After hiking for a while we come to a chasm with a bridge going across it. Standing in the middle of the bridge is a short, armored figure holding a naginata. It states that 'none shall pass'! We try negotiating with it and the creature only allows Ryogin to cross. Kokuta pulls out a scroll and starts chanting, then immediately puts it back. Just as I start to cast 'fires from within' we're struck by arrows! In the rocks above us there are three goblin archers on each side. I continue preparing my spell while Zako rushes forward to attack the armored goblin. The creature panics and thrusts it's naginata forward, exploding Zako's shin! The goblins flee and we cut off Zako's head so he cannot be changed by the evil here.
We continue forward and just as nightfall approaches three Nuzumi meet up with us. The lead one, Long Snout, implores us to follow them to camp instead of sleeping out in the wild. We walk a day and a half straight, without rest and arrive at the Nuzumi camp. They offer us food, meat that looks a rancid as it smell, which we politely decline. The three of us finally get to rest and are woke up only after a half an hours worth of rest. Another Bushi has joined us, Zankutsuo Isawa. Long Snout says that we have no time to waste and sends us off to fight the creature, an Oni. A day later we come upon a few Rattling corpses that line the entrance of a cave.
The cave is pitch black and no one has any torches. Ryogin suggests that we shave the rat's fur and we all just look at him. Kokuta uses his tanto to reflect some light into the cave and sees something approaching. It takes only a moment for the large Oni no Kiri to emerge from the cave. It's an enormous arachnid-like creature with bladed legs. Zankutsuo is clearly shaken by the sight of the monstrosity. Ryogin draws and strikes one of the legs and upon impact the katana snaps in half! The Oni counters by tearing him in half with an effortless strike! Simultaneously the other legs lash out and splatter both Zankutsuo and Kokuta! I waste no time in fleeing and make it back to the wall within two days. I report my findings to the Crab Samurai and pass out from fatigue.
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