A Priest and a Promise,
Dawn of the 4th of Hida (Month of the Boar {OOC: December}) and here in the Senpet Empire a duel was requested between Asahi sama and Amir san after their meeting with the priest of Per-Amunu. He had wanted to test swordsmanship styles between the two countries. While agreed to that was not the docket for today.
First they headed to “Sennu’s Threads” a clothing merchant after exchanging a few koku from the tithing of the Emerald Ambassador for local coins. Some lessons one leaarns in foreign lands have to be harsh. Having never dealt with commerce before the Dragon felt he had done a good in acquiring clothing of the country that was above a commoner’s station but not of what he would consider worn by those in an imperial court. Only to learn from Amir san that he had over paid and he was going to have to learn how to haggle if he wanted to survive outside Rokugan.
Our group’s next stop further into the bazzar was “Yaret’s Trinkets and Charms” among the open carts. The Dragon loaned the Phoenix the language crystal so he might make a better deal. Tamaki sama uses magic to prove he’s of the priestly caste. While Yaret is impressed they banter about bundle selection of incense and holy pendant of the land called an “Ankh.”
During the lessons in commerce in another land. Asahi sama wiggled his eyebrows at a kid that stared a little to long. His cousin Donoha sama made faces at another child and changed it for each one and each time they look. Asahi sama tried to juggle some stones for another kid that was a little to curious. Once the purchases were done we headed back to the inn to change clothes.
It was at this time Donoha noticed Hanzo sama was not with the jade box. There was a letter present and it read nearly identical to the one his cousin had left him in the Dragon Clan lands. When he tried to inform the others his cousin saw him leave this morning and understood he’d been called by the Kami like he had once been. 
Kagero san noticed him take his horse and leave, not bothering to stop a samurai since he was merely a ronin shugenja now. He sighed and went back to change.
To formalize the need for structure Kagero san had been looking for, Tamaki sama hires Kagero san. As an assistant, for the full time they were to be in the Burning Sands, but given express permission to speak on the Phoenix shugenja’s or group’s behalf if and when the need arises. A koku was exchanged upfront with the rest to be haggled on return to Rokugan.
Amir san explained that to get to the temple in the center of Per-Amunu we would need to use the river to drop us off at their dock. It was a brilliant strategy to control access to the seat of government of the settlement. None of the craft the group had seen on the river would be able to carry a force that could cause much concern for the spear wielding guards. At the temple those guards looked like competent Ashigaru from Rokugan. While the group’s clothing did not reveal them, their bearing and any close examination of their visage marked them as foreigners.
They were led to an area outside to wait while Amir san made the introductions to meet with the High Priest of Per-Amunu, Hemka-Ra sama. Luckily, the group was able to be seen that day. After Amir san made the introductions with the Lion and the Dragon acting as yojimbos for the Phoenix shugenja and his ronin assistant. Tamaki sama explained to the high-priest of Per-Amunu about the Maho user and the fight they had the previous evening.
This seemed to ease the priest into asking for an act of service in exchange for helping us find contacts and information we might need. A noble’s daughter had been kidnapped. One Neferhotep-Nefru, daughter of Neferhotep-Tawy had been seen with a reported womanizer going by the name of Benefru. There was mention of a group known as the Crimson Blades led by an infamous bandit leader – Nebet Sekhem. They may have had a hand in this crime but to what extent remains to be seen. Tamaki sama said the group would help solve this and they left. Amir san mentioned what he knew of the Crimson Blades and would poke around to find out what he could.
The four men left Amir san to hunt down leads about the Crimson Blades while they followed the information regarding Benefru san at a riverfront location he was know to frequent. They found him with another woman entirely, Beset-Shedet san. It seemed he was two timing both women. They left him getting slapped by his female companion when she learned the truth of their relationship. By that time Amir san had returned with information about where to go to find the Crimson Blades and the young Neferhotep-Nefru.
