L5R - “Threats to Public Order in Ryoko Owari” by Doji Satsume, Emerald Champion

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Naritoki’s Assassin - T1
By far the most serious threat is the blatant T1 murder of an Emerald Magistrate. An attack on a magistrate is an attack on the Emperor, and therefore an attack on Rokugan. Any city where the magistrates are not feared or respected is a cancer in the throat of our nation.

Ashidaka Naritoki (P25) died, along with one of his deputies, a man called True Word (P33), between the hours of the Ox and the Hare, on the third day of the month of the Snake. He was found in the neighbourhood of the Little Gate (L15).There were no witnesses.

Naritoki was found inside the burned wreckage of his own carriage. His body was examined by an eta called Eyebrows (P53) who said that the body had been burned and stabbed through the carriage walls. The carriage itself was badly burned, and the harnesses were cut. Furthermore, the door of the carriage had apparently been blocked by a wooden pole. TrueWord was found eight paces from the front of the wagon, several scrolls scattered around his body. Again, the eta Eyebrows examined the body and said that he had been beaten and stabbed by short, bladed weapons - possibly kama, yari or tanto. True Word was found clutching his katana, but he had not drawn it.

The position of his body indicates that he died on his knees. The eta said that there was a strong, acrid smell around the body's face, and that True Word's face, hair and kimono were wet. It is believed that someone sprayed strong vinegar in True Word's eyes in order to prevent him from reading his scrolls, and then cut him down while he was blinded.

At the same time that True Word was being attacked, it seems likely that someone wedged the door of Naritoki's carriage shut and set the carriage on fire. The speed with which the coach burned on a wet and rainy night raises the suspicion that the coach was sabotaged earlier - coated with some flammable substance to aid the assassination. While he was trapped in the burning carriage, Naritoki's assassins struck at him through the walls. In all likelihood, they intended only to keep him trapped until the flames and smoke could finish him off.

Fade - T2
The nickname "Fade" has been given to a bandit who has plagued Ryoko Owari and its vicinity for two years running. It stems from his ability to evade pursuit - an ability that is fast becoming legendary, to the chagrin of both the Emperor's magistrates and the Thunder Guards (G10) of Shosuro Hyobu (P1).

A list of crimes attributed to him follows.

Two years ago, in the month of the Tiger, Fade took a silk caravan by surprise and captured the entire cargo. Reports vary, but it seems that he and six of his followers were mounted. These mounted bandits were engaged to draw off the caravan's guards. When most of the guards were off in pursuit, another dozen bandits, on foot, attacked the main body of the caravan and captured it.

That same year, in the month of the Snake, Fade and his gang intercepted a shipment of gold on the Road Once Hidden. This time, they attacked an inn in the middle of the night, capturing everyone inside and locking them in the basement. When the shipment arrived, Fade and his bandits were masquerading as the innkeep and guests. After drugging most of the guards, the remaining defenders were easily overpowered.

Also, in the month of the Monkey, Fade and his gang assaulted a Scorpion village while the tax collector was present. The bandits made off with the entire tax payment. Reliable reports describe at least twenty bandits - all mounted, and several in armour

The next year, again in the month of the Tiger, the bandits assaulted a merchant caravan at night in pitch blackness. Possibly the bandits had some sort of black magic to help them see at night, but another theory is that they simply kept their eyes hidden for some days (or weeks?) before the raid, giving them sensitive night eyes. In any event, they were there and gone before the caravan could even mount a coherent defence. The caravan leader, who was formerly an officer in the Scorpion cavalry, said that the attack resembled a "classic Unicorn lightning raid:'

In the month of the Dragon, Fade ambushed a group of Scorpion shugenja who were travelling from Yogo Shiro to Shiro no Soshi. A fierce battle ended with two of the priests dead, along with six of the bandits. After the shugenja surrendered, Fade made them strip naked, and it was in that condition that they returned to Yogo Shiro. The three chief shugenja were ordered to commit seppuku; and three of their four acolytes followed suit.

In the month of the Horse that same year, Fade and his bandits attacked a group on their way from Kyuden Bayushi to celebrate Shosuro Hyobu's (P1) birthday. For the first time, the bandit underestimated his opponents. Not only were the bandits repulsed with heavy casualties, one of Fade's henchmen was captured alive. At first the bandit was too afraid of his master to speak, but under torture he revealed the location of one of Fade's hideouts in the Hidden Forest. However, before he could be persuaded to reveal more information, he escaped from prison (L7) - quite possibly with aid from the outside. As an aside, it was not long after that escape that Naritoki executed one of the prison guards for involvement in a similar jailbreak (T3).

In the Month of the Monkey, a tax collector returning from several local villages was ambushed. Though he was heavily guarded, the bandits attacked first with a volley of arrows ensuring that their numbers compensated for the superior skill of the tax collector's guards. Four guards died in the ensuing melee, and took only two bandits with them.

Fade's depredations have become so well known that by this year, many merchants are choosing to move their goods by boat rather than caravan. Fade has adapted. In the month of the Tiger, a barge was assaulted with burning arrows and stones from a crude catapult as it passed a cliff to the south of Ryoko Owari. As the sailors tried to quench the flames and escape, the barge was surrounded by three small fishing boats full of bandits. The sailors were overwhelmed and put ashore. Their boat was found the next day, ten miles downstream. Interestingly, the bandits had gone to the trouble of scuttling it; instead of abandoning it for salvage, they chose instead to prevent its rightful owners from reclaiming it.

Finally, just last month, Fade and his gang - now numbering at least thirty-five men - brazenly attacked a caravan of weapons and armour destined for the Towers of the East and West Eyes (L28). Initially the soldiers seemed to repulse the attackers, but Fade continued to harass them. Making quick attacks whenever they moved, he forced them to stand and face him in disadvantageous terrain. In the end, nine guards were killed, along with a dozen of Fade's men, but the convoy was captured. It included ten suits of heavy armour, twenty suits of light armour, fifty longbows, three score of arrows, sixty spears and twenty swords.

Fade now has a fortune in stolen weapons to sell, but it is my suspicion that he will keep as much armament as he can. His band has grown from a small nuisance to a major menace in a short span of years; at this rate, he will lead a private army within four years.

Naritoki strongly suspected Fade of being a disgraced samurai. His skills at mounted strategy argue for a former Unicorn, while his leadership skills and ability to recruit loyal followers might indicate a Lion. Both clans deny even the possibility, of course.

The most noteworthy thing about Fade's actions and strategy is his agenda. Bandits seek gold, and so does Fade. However,most bandits are content to make one raid a year and live off the proceeds until they're out of cash. Fade is much more active, which argues for a purpose beyond survival or greed.

A majority of the commerce around Ryoko Owari occurs on behalf of the Scorpion clan, but there is a significant amount of trade for other clans as well. Fade, however, attacks only Scorpion caravans and tax collectors.

Perhaps he has a grudge against Scorpions. Perhaps he has some source of intelligence that only spies on Scorpions. Perhaps he strikes at Scorpions because there are more of them. Perhaps you will find out when you catch him - but I find it more likely that you will not catch him until you find out

The Ryoko Ninja - T3
Periodically, Matsu Shigeko would report that a crime in Ryoko Owari had been blamed on "ninja". While both of us scoffed at the idea, it has now become clear that there is a criminal gang operating in Ryoko Owari who claim to be the mythical "ninja" in order to intimidate peasants.

Though hardly the supernatural opponents that ninja stories describe, this gang is still widespread, violent and capable. Naritoki had made them his first priority in recent years, and succeeded in breaking part of their power before his death. One plausible theory is that his assassins were these fraudulent"ninja':

A timeline of "ninja" activity in Ryoko Owari follows.

In Matsu Shigeko's first year as magistrate (five years ago), a store that sold kimonos was burned to the ground in the Month of the Dragon. The shopkeeper claimed that "the ninja" had done it, but no further progress was made.

That same year, in the Month of the Dog, a merchant's wife claimed that a "dark clad ninja" had accosted her, threatened her with a shuriken, and stole a valuable necklace from her while she was in the Licensed Quarter.

The next year, in the Month of the Tiger, a samurai claimed that he was assaulted by a gang of ten ninja. Upon investigation, Shigeko learned that the samurai had in fact been beaten by a ronin called Ample (P32). Ample was arrested, and when questioned denied any connection to ninja, claiming that the samurai had defaulted on a gambling debt When confronted with Ample's testimony, the samurai recanted, admitting that he'd been ashamed to admit defeat at the hands of a ronin.

In the Month of the Monkey, a merchant made a curious complaint to Shigeko. He claimed that he had been extorted by "phony ninja" who threatened to burn down his shop in the Merchant Quarter if he didn't pay them. He said that he'd seen "real ninja" and knew that these thugs were fakes. However, Shigeko was unable to find any"ninja" in the area and was also unable to prevent the merchant from being murdered.

The next year, another merchant was killed in the Fisherman Quarter. It happened during the Month of the Dragon; he was apparently tortured and killed in his own home, and his shop burned to the ground.

In the Month of the Horse there was a dockside scuffle between the Moment's Edge Firemen (G12) and a group of "ninja". Two firemen were injured and no ninja were captured.

The next month, Naritoki was installed as magistrate. He made pursuit of the "ninja" his first task.

Two months after his arrival, in the Month of the Monkey, Naritoki captured and unmasked a "ninja" - in reality a dock worker with a record for public drinking - and executed him.

After that, the"ninja" laid low for almost seven months. The next "ninja" associated crime was the murder of a merchant in the Licensed Quarter during the Month of the Dragon.

In the first month of the next year, there was another melee between firemen and "ninja" - this time in the Merchant Quarter, with the Firemen of Daikoku's Garden. This seems to mark an increase in "ninja" activity. Naritoki believed that the gang had new leadership.

In the Month of the Dragon, the "ninja" surprised and killed the leader of the Little Gate Firemen. That same month, Naritoki arrested and executed two "ninja" - both peasant criminals from the Merchant Quarter.

It was in the Month of the Dog that the "ninja" first moved against a noble family, stealing a set of official trade documents from a home in the Noble Quarter.

Two months later, in the Month of the Ox, Naritoki arrested a "ninja" for the crime - a ronin burglar from Niwa Shita no Kage Toshi. The "ninja" escaped from prison within a day.

It took Naritoki five months, but in the Month of the Horse, he found the burglar "ninja':who was killed while resisting arrest.

The next month, Naritoki ended a thorough investigation of the prison with the execution of a prison guard (L7). (You will recall that this was not long after one of the bandit Fade's men also escaped from prison.)

That same year, in the Month of the Dog, valuables were stolen from the Utaku household. The "ninja"were suspected. The very next month (Month of the Pig), the magistrate's own mansion was burgled - possibly by the "ninja".

This year, in the Month of the Ox, Naritoki staged a raid on Teardrop Island with thirty deputies. He killed four supposed "ninja" and captured three others (all of whom have since died during questioning).

In the Month of the Rabbit, a smaller raid on a private home in the Fisherman Quarter resulted in the death of three more "ninja:' This was only two months before Naritoki's assassination.

Reading this list might create the impression that the "ninja" of Ryoko Owari are everywhere, skilled at all manner of perfidy and able to engage in crimes with near impunity. This is certainly not the case. Not only was Naritoki able to strike decisive blows against this organization, it is also very likely that some (possibly many) of the crimes attributed to the "ninja': or in which their participation is suspected, were in fact committed by others. The menacing reputation of the ninja is surely a tempting cloak to any number of criminals. Not all of them are necessarily associated with a single, central organization.

The Wind - T4
For the last two years, there have been numerous reports from nobles of robberies in their own homes. The reports are always very similar; the household goes to sleep at night. The guards neither see nor hear anything unusual; no one is awakened or alarmed. In the morning, however, a single item of value is missing.

Such comparatively small losses may seem insignificant compared with the threats of Fade (T2) and the "ninja" (T3), but the problem with this cunning burglar (nicknamed "The Wind" because of his or her ability to come and go unobserved) is that in addition to objects of value, he is stealing the sense of safety that the nobles have within their own homes. He has not engaged in violence; but there is a persistent feeling that he could do so at any moment,with impunity.

In short, the Wind contributes to the general lawlessness of Ryoko Owari - a sensation that the Emerald Magistrates are powerless to stop him. This, more than any theft, is his greatest crime.

That said, it is worthwhile noting a number of unusual aspects of the crimes of the Wind.

In every instance, he steals only a single object.

These objects are invariably small but precious - jewellery, gold or silver. The largest object ever taken was a necklace with a pendant the length of a finger.

In several cases, the Wind has taken objects of lesser value that were left lying out when more valuable items were nearby, but out of sight.

Naritoki's theory was that the Wind (possibly like Fade) is a wayward noble. The ingenuity required by these crimes certainly argues for an intellect higher than that possessed by peasants. Furthermore, the taking of a single object argues for a motive other than pure profit - perhaps a misplaced sense of adventure.

Until these mysteries are solved and the malefactors punished, I will expect progress reports on each of these every month.

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