The story so far Kuna Mura

Return to main L 5R page :

On their way to deliver Salted Plum wine to a garrison commander along the Great Carpenter Wall, the group was accosted by a courier who delivered a note from Bayushi Sugai back in Ryoko Owari.

The Otomo bore the back-banner of an Imperial courier and delivered an urgent letter

This letter urged them to travel to the village of Kuna Mura within the territory of the Fox Clan.

Arriving in the late afternoon, the town appears peaceful, prosperous and their peasants are well-treated. They catch the family as they are about to sit down for dinner over a bounty of foods from the forest. Including spiritually unclean boar meat.

They discover that there have been two deaths and one suspected death. The elder sister, an experienced Magistrate name Kitsune Mei was found stabbed in the family home. The younger sister, Kitsune Riku, was missing presumed dead after blood stains and signs of a struggle were found by the local mill

Riku's Crane Fiance Daidoji Yasushi was also found dead in the family home, apparently due to suicide.

None of the family, visitors or household staff have any particularly substantial alibis.

The party works surprisingly well together in their first investigation. Kura brings his prodigious investigative skills to bear while teaming up with Takaaki whose skills at tracking and interpersonal skills mean that he is able to contribute towards the investigation, although he does spend most of his time with the younger ladies of both Crane and Fox household, forging a bond of trust with both Daidoji Asani and Kitsune Rini. Tomoe, meanwhile investigates mostly on her own, using her charms on Kitsune Ozuru and Kitsune Tanzen, as well as forming good relationships with Asahina Kaori and Kitsune Shika.

Their concerted investigation reveals a few things: Session 2:
 * Nobody has a good alibi for the night of the murders.
 * Daidoji Asami has come with the hopes of duelling her brothers murderers to the death.
 * Kitsune Rini has come to the village to avoid political complications with the Crane clan.
 * The younger brother of the two sisters, Kitsune Ozuru was lying about where he was that night.
 * Soshi Shigemasa, a Scorpion physician, was for some reason, tampering with rice in the main mill.
 * Kitsuni Mei was killed by frantic inexperienced stab wounds.
 * Kitsuni Riku was killed by a single thrusting stab wound to the heart. Then dragged to the river and washed several miles down-river.
 * Daidoji Yasushi was killed by a self-inflicted wound to the neck
 * All deaths appear to have been caused by a similar blade.
 * Kitsune Mei has recently purchased a blue-hilted antique knife of good quality from a merchant.
 * Mei and Riku were arguing in the lead-up to the murders, however their behaviour was quite uncharacteristic of them.
 * Asahina Kaori was there as a family friend and used air-kami to request the magistrates presence.
 * The area by the mill had several footprints, but there were definitely two sets of women's sandels at the scene of the crime.

Without enough information they consulted their wise Shugenja; Iuchi Ayana. Who spoke with spirits at the scenes of the crimes: Shinjo Tomoe again interviewed the younger brother and confirmed that the magistrate acquired the blue-hilted knife shortly before her unexpected change. He also remembered that the Maid took the name of the merchant that had sold the knife.
 * An Air Kami cryptically made mention of 9 breaths in the rooms where the Magistrate herself had died.
 * An arrogant Fire Kami that dwelt inside the Magistrates lamp confirmed the impassioned killing of the magistrate by the Daidoji sculptor.
 * A Water Kami in the river of the mill showed both the Magistrate killing her younger sister and the movement of the Scorpion Doctor in the same area earlier that night.
 * A Kansen of Blood whispered to her promising to reveal the truth if she would only call on its wisdom. But she wisely and sternly refused it.

Kistuki Rei and Tsurichi Okura scoured the areas near the murder and on prompting found the copy of the marriage contract that the younger sister waved in the magistrates face moments before the murder.

Suspicious Kitsuki Rei asked probing questions of Soshi Shigemasa and insinuated that he knew more than he was telling. Despite this being true, it was a subtle insult to the honour of the Scorpion.

Okura suggested that Ayana go to examine the murder weapon and she found that its spirit initially resisted her. Then with some additional effort it revealed its self briefly saying that the ghosts would not let it out.

Shinjo Tomoe asked the surviving Kitsune brother about the knife and he said that whilst he didn't know the merchant that sold it. He was certain that Rui the maid did.

She in turn was terrified but gave up the name of the trader as Koku.￼

Okura recalled a Kabuki theater production called the tragedy of three lovers. Supposedly based on a true story it told the story of a pair of brothers in love with the same woman. When the woman was due to married to the younger one, the elder slew his brother, confessed the crime to the woman who slew him in a rage and then killed herself out of shame.

This prompted an enquiry with the visiting Crane Shugenja about ancestral ghosts. She said that it is not common to dabble in such things, but that ghosts respond best to those who share their blood line.

So Ayana, Shiko and Kaori met in the local shrine to coax out the spirits from the blade. They succeeded, seeing the trio of recently dead foxes, a trio of dead peasants and three Crane. However when they were raised they were angry and consumed by burning jealousy. They tried to force Ayana to slay the other two Shugenja. But horrified she dropped the blade and it always swiftly sealed away.

Meanwhile outside, a messenger from Crane lands had finally arrived with a message allowing Daidoji Asami to exact her revenge by duelling those responsible for her brothers murder. She stormed towards the shrine where the three Shugenja were gathered but Shinjo Takaaki who, with the investigation firmly in hand by the rest of the party, had been watchful for signs of trouble and stepped in to prevent her from confronting Kitsune Shiko. His time spent gaining her trust was well-spent as she accepted his word that the Yoriki would render their verdict soon and she would be allowed her revenge when it was announced. She agreed to be patient and Takaaki waited with her outside the shrine.

Thankfully when they emerged, the party supporter of Emerald Yoriki, had finally determined the guilty party to be the merchant Koku. So Asami would have to Travel with them to crab lands to seek her vengeance. She did not seem deterred though and quickly made peace with her hostess. She wanted retribution, but seems unconcerned about whose head it falls upon. She also seemed very amenable to Takaaki's suggestion that they might get to know each other better now the case was concluded. With the investigation concluded, they were hailed as heroes and sent a letter back to their master in Ryoko Owari about their judgement.

Following this they were entertained and given passage down river to Kitsune Kyuden (Fox Castle) where they were also greeted warmly for saving the clan from bloody Crane reprisals.

After some time they continued down river to Crab lands to continue their quest to deliver salted plum wine to the wall.

Return to main L 5R page :