Player Event: Testing Spirits (Day 7, LE)

[Ryoshun Rei]

Theme

Ryoshun Rei has sent out invitations to all guests to join her for an evening of sharing kaidan, tales of spirits and mysterious events. The gathering takes place in one of the garden tea rooms while the last vestiges of twilight fade and darkness fills the palace grounds. As each attendee arrives they find Rei outside, waiting beside a pedestal holding a thick sheet of pure, clear ice. The surface of the ice is smooth, with a thin layer of water, reflecting the many lit candles currently set upon it. With a welcoming smile, Rei directs everyone into the warm comfort of the tea room, while she finishes arranging the candles, one for each attendee.

Tea is available in the tea room, of course, along with a selection of ceremonial sake. A brazier provides warmth, while the lanterns in the room provide limited light, making the candles outside seem all the brighter.

"Thank you all for joining me." Rei offered a respectful bow. "In our studies of the spirits the Bat have heard many unusual and disturbing stories. Ghosts or other creatures who have terrorized villages. Curses and inexplicable maladies that have plagued and humbled even the strongest of men. Unseen horrors and mysterious places that defy understanding. I am sure each of you have heard such stories or have even had similar encounters of your own."

"Tonight, I ask each of you to share a cautionary tale with each of us. After each storyteller is finished, they should extinguish one of the candles outside. Spirits may stir when they are spoken about, but their attention will be drawn to the flame. Extinguishing it once the story is complete should set them free to go on their way without risk to anyone here."

- - -
This Event is a variation of Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai. More information can also be found on page 179 of the Book of Void. A selection of suitable stories can be found on page 129 of the Book of Void. To maintain the atmosphere of the event, there will not be a secondary observation thread. All comments, reactions and other discussions should be in this thread. You are welcome to enter the thread at any time and may wait to post your story whenever you wish. If you cannot post until after the stories have begun, just assume that you have been present from the beginning.

Step One: Tell Your Tale
A storyteller who wishes to share their story may simply step forward and begin. The story should be some degree of frightening or unnerving. Dice rolls are not required, but may be done to augment the telling of the tale. Perform: Storytelling, Perform: Oratory, Lore: Ghosts, Lore: Spirit Realms, Lore: Shadowlands, and Lore: History are examples of appropriate skills.

Step Two: The Candle
As the evening passes, and the candles are snuffed out, the garden grows darker and tension grows. Rustling trees, shifting shadows and the chill of the winter night add atmosphere to each story, as everyone is reminded over and over of the horrors that may still haunt the Empire.

When extinguishing a candle, each storyteller must make a Fear check, Willpower TN 10 + the number of stories told so far. With a success, nothing happens. They extinguish the flame and return to the group. If they fail, however, something surprises them and they overreact, trying to avoid or defend themselves from a perceived threat. Perhaps they mistake the shadow of a tree branch for a giant clawed hand. They might have been startled by unexpected movement nearby, only to find a passing fox. Or, maybe they saw something watching from the garden that has disappeared into the darkness.

When a storyteller fails this roll, everyone else present should make the same Fear check at the same TN, as in one may inspire fear in others. If they fail, they too are startled.

There is no Honor loss for failing these rolls. There is an unspoken understanding that this is a game that is meant to evoke fear as a source of amusement. The storyteller will quickly recover from their fright and may extinguish their candle and return to the group.

At the end of the evening, one storyteller will receive a collection of kaidan from Ryoshun Rei.

[Otomo Gusai]

Gusai nods his head and offers his story:

"Years back, when Urimoto was still the master of the Hopeful Endeavor and I was but a hand on her, and I still had both eyes, a storm'd kicked up off the Crane coasts, as often enough happens. And as happens, it put us off our course--far enough off it that even I couldn't tell north from south, and the clouds around us gave way to fog the clung to the water and the hull and the sails, cobwebs spun from the sky.

"Now, some of you will know that a ship's not a quiet place. The waves against her hull ring when they slap, and the snapping of sails in the wind's a find drumming. The timbers of her hull creak as she shifts, and cargo grinds as it shifts in her belly. And the crew, of course, makes its own noises, words called out as hands rise to command, and those off watch often snore in their sleep. But then, I tell you, it was quite aboard the Endeavor, and heavy, like a blanket laid over the whole thing. It was hot enough, and close, and for a time, Urimoto spoke no word, and his crew made no sound. The ship didn't pitch in the water, and there were no sea-tongues lapping at her keel.

"But then, we hear a voice, a quiet one amid the quiet, calling out 'yaa, yaa,' and there's a splashing sound that soon gives way to a wet slithering. And it grew louder slowly, coming from first off the port bow, then port amidships, then port astern, and on around--and always, again and again, 'yaa, yaa,' still quiet but a little less each time, 'yaa, yaa,' getting closer off the starboard amidships, the bow, crossing to port, 'yaa, yaa,' and astern, 'yaa, yaa,' and then off the starboard again, "'yaa, yaa,' and then a sucking, sloshing sound as a dark arm reached over the railing, and a big black head with staring white eyes rose up.

"And under the eyes a mouth opened, like a slit in the night, and two rows of teeth were in it--flat teeth, like the teeth of a horse, but more than a horse has or a human face, more than the sharks have that feast upon swimmers who don't praise Suitengu. And the teeth move as the mouth does, and a hollow, quiet voice asks for a barrel.

"Now, we can't say no to such a request, of course. Not with the head hanging there, tall as any of us and with a mouth as wide, and with staring eyes that didn't blink as long as you looked at them. And so one of the other hands grabs up a barrel--we'd emptied one enough not long before, a water-cask--and hands it to the hand. And that hand SLAMS the barrel down on the boy"--and Gusai stomps upon the floor, hard--"and there's no more boy, and the hand and the barrel go back over the railing, and 'yaa, yaa,' the voice comes again, 'yaa, yaa,' and another hand, rises, and the voice asks for a barrel again.

"But we'd seen what happened with the one, and we weren't minded to do it again, and so the next hand says 'No!' and rushes in with his pike, but then--" Gusai stamps upon the floor again--"that was the end of him.

"So we seemed damned for doing and damned for not, and 'yaa, yaa,' came the voice again, circling the ship. But Urimoto, then, he goes below, and before the next hand comes over the rail and the voice asks a barrel again, he comes up with another, and he himself hands it to the hand and--" another slam-- "he stands in the middle of the barrel.

"Now, the hand picks up that barrel and brings it to the big face, and the eyes look through it, and we see that Urimoto's taken the bottom out of the barrel. But the head doesn't understand, and it tries it again, with the same thing happening.

"We're a long way from the water, of course," he adds, "but, of course, there are barrels in plenty now. Yaa, yaa."

Saying so, Gusai rises and snuffs a candle with his fingers.

~~~~~
Fear Check passed at 25, https://orokos.com/roll/898463

Editing to fill placeholder.

[Ryoshun Rei]

"An excellent start to our evening." Rei smiled. "Thank you, Otomo-san."

[Isawa Kyosei]

"Many of you know, I went down to the South, on the great expedition years back. What few know is that I also went down again, about 5 years later. The trip was done during the months of winter, to allow my family to have one less mouth to feed during the longest months, and to try to, honestly, stay warm. I was leading a team of three wagons, with items I had made note that the Ratlings down there might find of interest, to hopefully spur trade. Arriving I found the town in a furor. They had, not too many days before, lost one of their youngest, staunchest warriors. He was hoped to have a great future ahead of him - I think. It isn't always easy to understand what they are saying.

"I was sure I wouldn't be able to do any business until the warrior's fate had been found. So, I prepared myself, and requested the aid of the Spirits of the land thereabout. Sadly, the warrior, while great among his people, had not made an impact to them. So, I was on my own. With the aid of one of the guides, we managed to track the young warrior, only to find that, despite being so far south, snow had fallen not too far away.

"While this terribly confused the guide, I was beginning to have suspicions. Already the edges of the snow was melting, but it was persisting as we traveled further. And, the guide was not well able to track, not knowing how to act in the snow. I, being from the Isawa lands, knew snow on a personal level.

"It was only another half mile before we finally found the warrior. He was no longer, sadly, among the living. Rather, he was frozen solid, with an expression on his face which my guide assured me was an expression of astonishment. Being human, I could not tell.

"However, this was the final proof I needed. I knew what had taken him, and quickly ordered the guide to escape with me. He, sadly, already had the look on his face. The one I had seen before. I immediately stuffed my hands over my ears, and began singing as loud as I could. Running, I escaped the snow lands, and ran all the way back to the town.

"There, I had to explain what had happened, and how they had lost, not one, but now two of their people.

"A Yuki no Onna had somehow made her way all that way south. And, I was unable to tell the village why. So, they did the only thing they could.

"The whole village moved ten miles down the river, away from the Yuki no Onna's new lair."

With that, he moved to the next candle in the sequence and blew it out, before finding his way to the edge of the crowd, to keep listening.

__________

Telling the tale, Lore: Shadowlands/Int: 37

Raw Willpower to not get scared, TN 11: 24.

[Jiyo Sora]

Sora cleared his throat.

"Not much of a storyteller. Never been. Togashi Saruko, Nanzi, Lady Doji... they all got better delivery than I do. Just a fact."

He sighed.

"But you live a life like I have, you... see things. This was along, long time back, before the Kami arrived. I was just another Hikaru warrior in the Spine of the World. We didn't generally admit to being afraid of anything. Bad form, you know?"

He looked about at all of the candles.

"So you can understand when I say this wasn't a usual thing, what I'm about to tell you. We were a winter raiding party. Ten strong. Weren't raiding to steal, we were raiding to send a message. Stay on your side of the river."

He worked his jaw around.

"So. Ten of us headed out to attack this little village. It was on their side of the river, but that didn't matter. You couldn't send a message if you just sat back home. So. We're all geared up, dagger-axes, knives, spears...plan was, we'd go in, make some examples. Not kill everyone, you understand. That'd leave nobody to learn the lesson. No, we were gonna just butcher anyone with the backbone to try and fight us, and then we were gonna burn the village down and chase the survivors into the snow."

A swallow.

"So we creep in, looking for sentries, looking for guard dogs... nothing. Not a damn thing stirring, but we see there's smoke coming out of one of the huts, and we hear.. singing. So. This eye of mine meant I was never that popular, and it was decided I'd go see what was up. If it was a trap, an ambush, that sort of thing. These people were meant to be our prey, but assuming people are weaker gets you killed."

His discolored eye glittered in the light of his candle.

"So I sneak in. Past empty huts. Fires long cold. Didn't make sense. We'd picked this village because it had been lively the month before. And I hear the singing a bit clearer. Sounds like a kid, or maybe a young woman. I sneak around, and every hut's empty. Every single one. So I wave the others in closer, just in case. And then I ease open the door of the hut with the smoke and the singing. And my eye... shows me a split-second before I open the door. So I didn't use my hand, I used a stick."

He worked his jaw around.

"They were in there. Whole village. Dead. All but one. Some kind of disease. We didn't know what it was. It looked like it had hit the younger people- the hunters, the fishers, the healthy young adults- hit them first. They were the most... far along. And then... they'd starved. I could tell, 'cause... well. They'd used what food they could find, even as they kept getting sick. You could see the progression. The hut was the healer's hut. You get to know the type. So I look around, trying to see who's singing. And I see her. This little girl. Maybe eight. She's sitting by the fireplace, feeding... bits into a stone pot. Singing to herself."

His voice wasn't cut out for singing, but he did his best.

"Mother dear, mother dear,
You'll be with me always,
Mother dear, mother dear,
The soup is almost gone."

A grimace.

"She was... living on them. Only food she could find."

He shrugged.

"We set fire to the hut, then all of the others. Didn't want to take any chances. Disease, starvation, madness- not even we wanted anything to do with that. Girl just kept singing while the place burned around her.."

He paused.

"That's all grim, and gruesome, and horrible, but not scary if you weren't there. Life was hard in the old days, no shock there. Wouldn't be telling it... except that on our way back? We heard singing. Trailing behind us."

"Mother dear, mother dear,
You'll be with me always,
Mother dear, mother dear,
The soup is almost gone."

"We ran. We scattered. And of the ten of us who went out, only five made it back across the river. Never saw what happened to the others. Never wanted to. But that song stopped when we crossed the river."

He blew out a candle.

[Willpower, TN 12- 29]

[Bayushi Sasori]

Sasori nodded. As she started to tell her story.
"Once there was a lady who lived in a cabin in the woods. She walked about the forest looking for her food gathering fruits, roots and mushrooms to make her stew. One rainy afternoon the lady heard a knock on her door and since the storm was starting to get hard she opened the door to see who the visitor was."

A brief silent for suspense.
"It was a hunter who had been lost in the woods while the storm hit. He had brought his dog with him and was scared of the lightening bolts that were crashing from the heavens. The woman let the stranger in because she thought it was safe. The hunter nodded as he went in."

"They share the woman's stew together. As the night started to fall the storm started to calm down. The woman noticed something in her house it smelled some what odd. She dismissed it. As the eye of the Lord Moon looked down and the woman went to sleep, the dog let out a ear piercing howl."

"The woman woke up scared and the hunter was no longer there it only remained the dog with his bright red eyes looking at her. Now she noted that the dog had only half a face covered with skin and she could see his horrible visage."

pause

"The woman screams but not to be heard by anyone as the hunter was now only a specter who wanted the woman's soul."

Seems like the other stories had shaken the girl as she couldn't blow the candle out

//D7 LE willpower: 3d10o10k3 9

[Otomo Gusai]

Gusai follows Sora's story with some interest. Seen something like that, he thinks. Never good.

When Sasori seems rattled, he does not find himself afraid--but he does turn a hand palm-up, inviting her to sit close to him if she wants.

~~~~~
Fear against Sasori's Fear, passed at 23, https://orokos.com/roll/898768

[Ryoshun Rei]

"It's alright, Bayushi-san. Put out the candle and come back." Rei encouraged her.

- - -
Player Event: Testing Spirits (Day 7, LE), Fear check TN 14: 3d10o10+3 20

[Bayushi Sasori]

Gusai follows Sora's story with some interest. Seen something like that, he thinks. Never good.

When Sasori seems rattled, he does not find himself afraid--but he does turn a hand palm-up, inviting her to sit close to him if she wants.

~~~~~
Fear against Sasori's Fear, passed at 23, https://orokos.com/roll/898768

She nodded and sat next to Gusai.

[Togashi Satsuki]

"I'm not an accomplished storyteller like my mother, but there is a tale we tell in Great Falls, of one of the monks who live there, whom we call Hoichi the Earless."


Hoichi was a blind monk and a musician, a glory to hear as he plied the strands of a biwa. Even goblins, demons, and the dead could not refrain from tears when Hoichi played. One hot summer night Hoichi sat upon the stones on the beach near his temple and played soft music for the wind. He waited for his friend, Kaimon the Abbott, and did not expect visitors. Suddenly, above the sound of crashing waves, a deep voice called out his name in the fashion of a warrior summoning his servant: “HOICHI!”

“I do not know who calls. How do you know my name?”

“There is nothing to fear,” the strange voice replied. “I have a message for you. My master is a lord of exceeding wealth and privilege and has heard of your skill. He visits these lands in careful disguise and desires to hear you play. You will take up your biwa and come to the estate in which he resides!”

Hoichi did as he was bid, not wishing to anger the warrior. He determined the man was a guard, for he was fully armed and armored. The warrior made him walk fast and his fist was like iron. It was not long before they reached a gate and Hoichi’s escort called out. “You within, I have brought Hoichi!”

The monk was led through a dizzying maze until he finally heard the buzz of a court. A woman’s voice ordered Hoichi sing the full history of the province, but Hoichi balked for it was long and would take days. He asked instead which part she wished to hear. “The tragic Battle of Red Snow, for its sorrow is most deep.” Of course Hoichi knew the tale and he played. At first he was nervous, but as the court responded with praise, he grew bold. His biwa made the sound of straining oars, the whir and hissing of arrows, the crash of iron on helmets and the fury of the fires. As he ended his song, damp with sweat, Hoichi was frightened by the intensity of his emotion.

The woman spoke: “You are amazing! You will be rewarded with riches and wealth, but you must return here every night for this next week. After that time, our lord will return home. Speak to no one of your visit and prepare to return tomorrow.” Hoichi was guided back to the temple by the guard and no one noticed his absence – they had thought him asleep in the night.

The next night, Hoichi repeated the performance, but this time when he returned, he was discovered by a young monk. “Hoichi, where do you go at such a late hour? We were worried. In your blinded state you should not go out alone.”

“I attended private business and could not arrange another hour,” Hoichi replied and retired to his rooms.

Concerned, the monk told the Abbot, who placed a guard to watch Hoichi the following evening. The monk followed Hoichi, but lost him in the dark and fog. He searched for hours but finally gave up and made his way back down the coast to the temple. Suddenly he was startled to hear the sound of a biwa played furiously. It came from an old tomb which marked the grave of the tragic battle. He saw Hoichi playing, full of vigor and passion, and the spirits of the dead surrounded him like fires from a thousand candles.

“Bewitched!” cried the monk and stopped him from playing.

Hoichi was angry. “You should not interrupt me in the hall of so great a lord!”

The monk laughed out of terror at the absurdity of it all, and told Hoichi of his plight. “You are in the power of the dead, Hoichi.”

That night the monks summoned the Abbot and recounted the tale.

Hoichi’s friend declared, “I will protect you, my friend. I shall cover your body in the holy words of the the Heavens and pray you will not be harmed. My young aides will cover every inch of your skin while I go right now to implore the Fortunes on your behalf!” Hoichi was bade to sit in his
normal spot, biwa by his side.

He was stripped nude and the younger monks covered him from head to toe in mystical kanji. “Sit still and do not answer. If you make a noise or stir, you will be torn asunder by their wrath. They cannot harm you if you ignore them. They will not see you in the night.”

The guard arrived as expected and spent long minutes calling out Hoichi’s name. “Hoichi!” he said, not once, but thrice, and in a savage tone. “No answer? What to do?” The guard approached Hoichi’s spot, but silence still reigned. “Here is the biwa but of the player I see… only two ears! That explains it. He had no mouth with which to answer me – nothing left but ears. I will return with these to my lord as proof I have obeyed.”

With that, Hoichi’s ears were gripped by fingers of iron and ripped from his skull. Hoichi made no sound and did not cry out, not even as he passed out bloody on the ground.

The Abbot returned from his prayers and cried out in horror. Hoichi lay dizzy and helpless, clammy from the loss of blood. “Poor Hoichi! My fault! Everywhere were writ the protective wards, but not upon your ears! I trusted my acolytes and it is my fault not to have done it myself! I will heal you, but be cheerful – for you will never again be visited by these terrible spirits!”

Hoichi's story is spreading far and wide, and many travel to hear his talen and to hear him play. However, the ghostly court has not forgotten the sound of his biwa, and they wait... longing...

With that Satsuki blew out the candle.

---------

D7 Testing Spirits. Willpower for Sasori's fear. TN 14: 3d10o10 36
D7 Testing Spirits. Telling the story. Perform: Storytelling/Awareness. Sensation.: 4d10o10k3 17
D7 Testing Spirits. Willpower for Satsuki's story. TN 15: 3d10o10 18

[Isawa Kyosei]

Kyosei listens to the tales, nodding along with Sora's. He has seen villages that have that happen to them.

Sasori's doesn't seem to merit much from him.

__________

Sasori's tale, Fear check: 17

[Jiyo Sora]

Sora wasn't too unnerved by Sasori's tale... probably because he was still dealing with old memories.

He listened to Satsuki's story attentively.

"Such a sad oversight."

[Ryoshun Rei]

"It was a night much like tonight." Rei began her tale. "The widower, Ogiwara sat in his home and despaired. He was an older man and in the last decade he had lost his wife to illness, his children to war, and his land to famine. Left with nothing, Ogiwara contemplated ending his life and rejoining his family."

"Just then, a beautiful woman and girl who served her passed by. The young servant carried a peony
lantern, small and brightly colored, marked with names of the dead. Ogiwara was smitten instantly and called out to the older woman in great passion. The woman’s name was Suyu and she
responded to Ogiwara’s grief and desire with affection. The widower vowed an eternal love and from then on Suyu and her servant would visit each night at dusk, fleeing with the dawn."

"Ogiwara’s neighbor noted the strange occurrences and became curious. He spied upon the proceedings late one night, and saw Suyu enter the home for the nightly tryst while the younger woman waited seated by the door. As the
clouds cleared overhead the moonlight shown down, the neighbor could see both the servant and – through the window – the two lovers. Ogiwara’s neighbor was filled with silent shock as Onnotangu’s white light revealed both women to be skeletons!"

"At dawn, the neighbor spoke to Ogiwara and convinced him of his danger. Ogiwara sent for priests who warded the outside of his home with charms and protective wards. When Suyu and her maid returned that evening they were barred from entry. Suyu cried out in lament for her lover, wailing with tears upon her cheeks. Ogiwara resisted for a time, but then he remembered his former grief and the comfort of Suyu and her embrace."

"The following morning, the neighbor sought out Ogiwara and discovered the door to the house lay open. Tracks led away to a ruined temple, a peony lantern at its door. Inside, Ogiwara lay dead alongside the skeleton of a woman. Dried tears, from anguish or joy we cannot know, lined the widower’s face."

Rei walked outside to the candles. The wind swirled around her and pulled at her robes. She felt, for a moment, as if the darkness was swallowing her. She leapt back in fright, releasing an audible gasp.

After collecting herself, she reached out with a trembling hand and snuffed a candle.

- - -
Player Event: Testing Spirits (Day 7, LE), Fear TN 16: 3d10o10 12

Fear TN 16

[Togashi Satsuki]

Seeing her cousing shaken by her own story, Satsuki silently offered Rei a reassuring hand.

"It was a good story, Rei-Rei."


----

D7 Testing Spirits. Willpower for Rei's story. TN 16: 3d10o10 16

[Otomo Gusai]

She nodded and sat next to Gusai.

Gusai leaves his hand open and up after Sasori seats herself. He leaves it there while others tell their tales, and he listens attentively, knowing that what they say may well be true.

But he permits the fear to pass over him and through him.

So far.

~~~~~
Fear against Rei's fear, passed at 22, https://orokos.com/roll/898898

[Jiyo Sora]

Sora remained undisturbed by the tale, although, remembering a request Kakita had made, he offered the Bat heiress a smile.

"A tale well-told, Ryoshun-san."

[Bayushi Sasori]

Gusai leaves his hand open and up after Sasori seats herself. He leaves it there while others tell their tales, and he listens attentively, knowing that what they say may well be true.

But he permits the fear to pass over him and through him.

So far.

~~~~~
Fear against Rei's fear, passed at 22, https://orokos.com/roll/898898

She took his hand and it seemed to grant her the courage that she needed. Well, a scaredy cat will chose to hide with their closest human.

"Nya" the girl smiled. "Nice one Ryushun sama."

//D7 LE Fear Ryushun Rei Story TN 16: 3d10o10k3 30

[Isawa Kyosei]

Kyosei blinks. He had heard that tale before, and so wasn't startled by it in the least.

__________

Fear against Rei's story, tN 16: 23

[Hisomu Kuni]

Kuni is not shaken by any of these stories. He has read far worse.

Fear Sasori: 4d10o10k4+4 40

Fear Rei: 4d10o10k4+4 34

[Hisomu Susumu]

(will post later but Susumu will be in attendance)