Five Minutes Until Midnight (D7, EE. Invite Only)

[Doji Dojihime]

Dojihime waited quietly as mystical shit went down.

[Saru Yatsufusa]

With permission from Shiba, Yatsufusa then concentrated in the energies of the water kami and touched the scroll, presented by Doji Hikaru...

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[OOC-Rolls]

Casting Reflections of Pan Ku on the Scroll, +1k1 VP+ 1k0 Soul of Study - 25|Pass [TN10]

[Canary]

The scroll has no special capabilities of it's own, but the characters seem to have some capability that is currently sealed. As it is, they have a slight capability of distracting people and giving them a headache, and exert a slight compulsion to look at and share them. It's hard to say what effect they would have unsealed.

[Saru Yatsufusa]

Yatsufusa will explain his findings to the rest and then proceed to cast in quick succession strengthen the void, in order to augment his harmony with the void and which will allow him to succesfully commune with the void itself and seek three questions in order to find clarity what the scroll is, what is happening to Doji and how to help her.

He then will explain whatever he finds to the rest.

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[OOC-Rolls]

Strengthen the Void, Soul of Study +1k0, TN 15 -38|Pass [TN15]
*VP give +2k1, 1 FR for casting Void Spells

Casting Commune with the Void, 1 VP +2K1, Soul of Study +1k0, 2CR, 1FR - 32|Pass [TN25, 2CR, 1FR, VP]
*Using CR and FR for +1 Question.
*3 Questions to the Void.

[Togashi Satsuki]

Satsuki grew visibly a bit frustrated, that they were hesitating. The frustration was not directed at Shiba, but rather at the situation... coming so close and working so hard to find answers to help her aunt, and to be stopped at the final leg of the race. Still, she didn't want to lose Yatsufusa to... whatever this evil was that held her aunt trapped.

Would unsealing the scroll free Doji, or whatever she was keeping trapped though. That was the troubling question.

Though voicing her thoughts would have to wait, as they waited for Yatsufusa's answers:
What this scroll is?
What is happening to Doji?
And most importantly, how they could help her?

[Doji Hikaru]

Hikaru frowned deeply. "Could this compulsion be affecting me?"

He took a deep breath, shaking his head. "I... I dearly hope not." His expression returned to a stoic mask, but his pale eyes were strange.

[Canary]

The Void connects him with all things awareness extending loosely to all of the world and beyond.

Some time ago, he sees Doji writing the scroll, and it focuses in on the characters shifting before she marks them, sealing whatever their power was away.

It focuses into her eye, passing through to see her standing at the center of a binding circle in a misty landscape. Extending out on either side of her is an ethereal all, and beyond that the mist darkens. She stands tall, stoic as the sickening liquid-like mist batters against her in tidal waves of force. Despite that, only the barest of the dark mist manages to leak past her. Some of the work on the magic looks unusual in nature, but not alien like the blackness. He could probably reproduce the images he sees, as they don't seem evil; rather, bolstering her.

The Void shows more layers to her protection within the dream, other walls forming between it and her.

[Togashi Satsuki]

(OOC: Yatsufusa said he'd share what he learns so that we can keep the scene going. So everyone present will be told what Canary said. )

"More walls... so we're not out of time to help her yet. Thank you, Yatsufusa." Relief wasn't quite the right word for what she felt, but she understood they wouldn't last forever.

Though now she wasn't sure what their next step would be, so she looked to their uncle for answers.

[Shiba]

Shiba looked at the symbols he reproduced. "This looks like Nezumi work... It seems like they are helping, as well."

[Doji Dojihime]

Dojihime listened but for now was quiet, she had little to add on the matter of mystical magical things.

OOC: Lore Shadowlands: 4d10o10k3 19

[Togashi Satsuki]

Satsuki was tense like a tiger waiting to spring into action. "What do we do? What can we do?" she asked, looking to their uncle.

[Doji Hikaru]

Hikaru too looked at the Emperor, hands clenching at his sides. "Can our priests strengthen these wards, perhaps? Offer Lady Doji some relief? She has been holding the line against this evil by herself for so long now..." His voice grew tense at that last; he took a deep, steadying breath.

[Shiba]

"I believe they will be able to," he replied with a nod. "Our best resource in that regard will be the Isawa, who I can mobilize immediately, and the Spider. Doji will need their insight and support. Togashi may have some insight now that we have a clear understanding of what is going on. Togashi-san, if you could speak with my brother when you return, that would be helpful."

[Doji Hikaru]

Hikaru took a deep breath, his shoulders rising and falling. When he finished, he bowed deeply, holding the pose long moments.

"Thank you, Emperor Shiba." He said when he straightened. Some of the usual strain was gone from his handsome features.

[Doji Dojihime]

"I believe they will be able to," he replied with a nod. "Our best resource in that regard will be the Isawa, who I can mobilize immediately, and the Spider. Doji will need their insight and support. Togashi may have some insight now that we have a clear understanding of what is going on. Togashi-san, if you could speak with my brother when you return, that would be helpful."

"There are witches, ahem we would call them priests, among those my father recruited that may be of assistance as well, Lord Uncle," she added.

[Shiba]

He nodded. "You will need them, too. The Spider I bring up due to their expertise in unusual supernatural phenomena and Hisomu himself being an expert in such things and the spirit realms even before his time in Jigoku."

[Doji Dojihime]

He nodded. "You will need them, too. The Spider I bring up due to their expertise in unusual supernatural phenomena and Hisomu himself being an expert in such things and the spirit realms even before his time in Jigoku."

"Mother is not fit for travel, will they all come to Crane lands, then?" she asked.

[Togashi Satsuki]

"I will tell my father," she said with a nod. She certainly hoped he would be able to go, now that they knew what was going on.

Thinking Dojihime was perhaps worried, Satsuki stepped closer to offer support to her cousin. "Uncle Hisomu knows this better than anyone - I'm sure his help will be invaluable to your mother."

"And once she's safe, maybe then we can find out how this could happen to her. We need to make sure this won't happen again, to anyone."

[Shiba]

"Any movement will be dictated my my sister's needs and capabilities."

[Doji Dojihime]

"Whatever you will is, Honored Uncle, we shall see it done to make my mother well," she said to Shiba.

"I will tell my father," she said with a nod. She certainly hoped he would be able to go, now that they knew what was going on.

Thinking Dojihime was perhaps worried, Satsuki stepped closer to offer support to her cousin. "Uncle Hisomu knows this better than anyone - I'm sure his help will be invaluable to your mother."

"And once she's safe, maybe then we can find out how this could happen to her. We need to make sure this won't happen again, to anyone."

She was unsure of her intentions but she relented and said, "Family will come together, we will prevail."