It was the 23rd of Shinjo (Month of the Dog {OOC: November}) when the Emperor’s Gift rode out from Kyuden Tonbo. Now a fair number of maps do not show the alternate road going from Kyuden Tonbo to the City of the Rich Frog (Toshi Sano Kanemochi Kaeru in High Rokugani). The known road headed back over the bridge of the Drowned Merchant river and then west towards the junction with the Three-sides river. The distance between the southern route along the Drowned Merchant river and the northern side route from Kyuden Tonbo never got closer than 32 Ri (10 miles in low Rokugani).
Donoha sama and Hanzo sama had been spending some time together as he studied him holding swords and taking notes as he shaped the handles for the Scorpion’s short, straight sword that might fit into a cane in the Shikomizue style.
The saya was made of local woods and then bound with bamboo for it to have a smooth texture but natural raises and dips as the strands of bamboo wrapped around it. Lacquered in black, the light could only dance along the bamboo ridges. A trick of the eye almost.
The handle was stained black for the wood. Then a glossy black lacquered rayskin wrap. He even stained the mekugi pins black. He carved three menuki in the form of vajra seen in many temples or used by monks during prayer. He used the sacred obsidian from the Serpent’s Tail mine for this purpose. For the ito wrapped he used a flat black silk cording over the traditional paper hishigami used to tighten and reinforce the grip. Even his hishigame were all dipped in black ink and left to dry before used.
When he presented the black sword on the fourth day he called it Nanimonai Tamashi (何もない魂) or Nothing’s Soul in low Rokugani. He described it as his interpretation of Void. Telling Hanzo sama that the iron and copper accents were designed with the three obsidian menuki grip. All things are void, all things are temporary, and most important all things are in the middle state between these two. The blade was made in hon san mai or three layers style. The left and right sides where forged of medium and soft quality steels. He selected differing parts of the ore from the rock that fell out of the sky. The harder metal was forged separately, the solid black edge reflects that. He used the copper to bind the hard and softer metal to allow for its ability to withstand abuse, all the while retaining its lethal edge.
During the same four days Otaku Gunba sama was allowed to range and hunt deer with his lion cubs. They were bonding and I would take evening classes on feeding them to help build up trust for when the group went on their next mission. I would be the one to watch and take care of them. Isawa Tamaki sama had spent their time showing and teaching Agasha Re how to connect with the kami of Air. Both as a singular element and how those elements interact with each other. Akodo Asahi sama spent four days always riding out ahead of the caravan and fishing on the Drowned Merchant river. He’d been gathering food and supplies for a hotpot meal on the fourth day. Whe the Emperor’s Gift settle into the wild fields north of the City of the Rich Frog. Away from even the furthest removed farmlands on the Dragon Clan’s portion of the city in the end of the 27th of Shinjo (Month of the Dog {OOC: November}).
Thanks to Gunba sama speaking with Tonbo Kuma sama, a city magistrate of the City of the Rich Frog. The group was able to get a refresher about the three districts on the north, west, and east sides of where the Drowned Merchant river crashed into the Three-sides river. North belong the the Dragon Clan but the Dragonfly Clan were acting as the administrators of this district for the Dragon Clan. East would belong to the Lion clan, leaving west to the Unicorn clan. Each district had colored roof tiles of green, yellow, and purple. In the middle sat the the island of the imperial governor of the city.
Another interesting fact was the use of ronin samurai as law enforcement. To prevent the insinuations of “unfair” treatment from each of the clans. The group had taken the family name over the years of Kaeru. Here was the first sign Donoha sama had heard of a way for ronin to follow the Emperor’s edict without falling on their sword or facing the short end on the Carpenter’s Wall.
Donoha sama asked if Kuma sama would let the governor know he wished to bequeath him with one of the yeti skins that had been turned into a coat by the artisans of the caravan. He was wearing his and you’d have thought he had either switched clans or gotten married in some Yobanjin ceremony with someone from outside the empire. The scar over his left eye and the stark, white fur made him look dangerous. The Dragonfly magistrate eventually saw some merit in helping him as he agreed to set it up.
Gunba sama took everyone to Dune and Spice in the Unicorn district. The Dragon joking with his cousin about how long before problems began to find them. Trading stories about Shiro Shiba and Mori Kage Toshi. Moto Kalin san was a rare samurai that own a mercantile endeavor and managed it themselves. Here the group was able to get new clothing and advice about types and quality from Gunba sama. From there they headed to the Golden Horizon teahouse. Where the owner: Ide Nahoko san specialized in Silk Road Spice Teas and imported sweet milk brews from the Burning Sands.
