S1E3: Daylight Rising

Yoshi, Buro, and Tomo ended their third day in the Shadowlands with a staredown between Yaskui Hidekawa and Hida Nagahide. Hidekawa insisted that their mission was a deathtrap and refused to move forward, prompting Nagahide to order Hidekawa to his death. In response, Hidekawa challenged Nagahide to a duel to the death, insisting that if he was to die that day, he wants to die an honorable death against a worthy opponent. After tense negotiations, and carefully weighing her options, Hida Nagahide eventually ordered Hidekawa to commit seppuku for his insolence and rejected his challenge to a duel. The next morning, the party burned his body in remembrance of the man he once was.

The next day, the party discovered the Hiruma Valley, completing their trek through the Twilight Mountains—the first time in nearly four centuries for Rokugani samurai to lay eyes upon the forgotten place.

While travelling toward Daylight Castle on Last Stand Plain, the party encountered an old man wandering the field. This man explained that he travels the world, studying battles and meeting new people, playing games with them from the collection of games he keeps in a large sack. He then offered a challenge to the party: if they could defeat him in a game of their choice, he would tell them a secret about Daylight Castle. But if he wins, someone from the party must give him their name.

Bravely accepting those terms, Kaiu Tomo challenged him to a one-on-one game of Rokugani Hold Em’. His skills were no match for The Stranger, however, and this mysterious man easily defeated him. In a last ditch effort, to trick the The Stranger, Tomo wrote a fake name on the old man’s ledger—the name of the recently departed Yasuki Hidekawa. Recognizing the ruse, the old man called Tomo out for his deception. Tomo quickly responded by drawing a weapon on the man attempting to attack him.

His attack missed and angered The Stranger. He then assumed his true form—an oni with the body of a spider, human-like appendages, and covered in pale flesh with a long serpentine neck and rows of sharp, obsidian teeth contained within the snout of a dog.

In the ensuing battle, most of the party avoided serious injury, deflecting the ferocious blows of the oni’s snapping maw. All except for Hiruma Takana, who had his left arm completely bitten off by the demon, and now has a black, festering wound on his shoulder where the oni attacked him.

After slaying The Stranger, the party tended to Takana’s wounds and attempted to clean their weapons of the oni’s vile blood, which left some of their equipment permanently damaged. Desperately trying to regroup themselves after the devastating battle with the oni, and as Takana fades in and out of consciousness, the party decided to make camp on Last Stand Plain. 

That night, in their dreams, the party was brought to a simple, yet immaculate temple where they were greeted by an unknown woman wearing the colors and mon of an unfamiliar clan. “I’ve been waiting for you,” she says…

Character & Locations Glossary

Champion- A stand-in for another person in a duel. Considered and honorable position.

Duel- A highly revered part of Rokugani samurai culture. Considered not just a martial contest, but a spiritual one as well. To deny a duel is seen as a shameful act.

Invocation- Prayers to powerful spirits in exchange for earthly gifts. Techniques which allow one to communicate with the kami and ask for their assistance.

Kiho- Spiritual techniques for aligning one’s inner power—ki—to the wider cosmos. Techniques for tapping into the limitless power of the natural world.

Obsidian- Black stone considered to have malicious power. Often used by Maho-Tsukai or Oni for dark rituals.

Plain of the Last Stand- The field surrounding Daylight Castle. The site of a massive battle where Shadowlands forces defeated the Crab and took the castle.

Sake- Rice wine.

Seppuku- Ritualistic suicide. Considered an honorable death for samurai who have shamed themselves.

Shuji- Social techniques which allow the user to communicate clearly, avoid social pitfalls, motivate their allies, and manipulate their rivals.

The Stranger- Mysterious wanderer who the party encounters in Hiruma Valley.

Credits

Art:

Album Art by Dylan Munoz

Music:

"Rokugan Theme" by Brandon Spain

"Shadowlands Theme" by Brandon Spain

"Seppuku" by Brandon Spain

"Bardic Inspiration" by Brandon Spain

"Ethereal Presence" by Brandon Spain

"Dragon Theme" by Brandon Spain

"Bali Cremation Ceremony" by RTB45 @ https://freesound.org/people/RTB45/sounds/149186/ -https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Sound Effects:

"keys rattling" by hdrck16 @ https://freesound.org/people/hdrck16/sounds/135004/ - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Artwork by Dylon Munoz

Music by Brandon Spain & Podcast of the Five Rings