The Jovian War: Renegades (Present Time)

[Sir Storm Brightblade]

Storm woke up to being patted on his face and realized it was his shogun. He sat up and realized that Nichtmar was gone.

"What happened? How long was I out?" he felt his head and realized that there was a big knot and he was bleeding, "ow, I was hit pretty hard wasn't I?"

Storm was raised to his feet and followed the dwarves to the temple. He sat down and let a monk bandage his head and then help tend the wounded.

[Baethor]

Cold...Cold and darkness...

the dwarf was aware of his body moving, but could also not move. the poisons the ninjas used were taking their toll on his body, along with the great deal of blood loss from his wounds.

He was weak in body...But now also in mind..he had failed them...Kain warned him how important those caravans were to the non-humans in Mittelmarch...He had failed them all...He was not strong enough to fight anymore...He had failed...Failed...

The dwarf could feel tears forming in his near dead eyes. His oath to protect mittelmarch and its civilians, of all races was now broken, as was he...The other dwarves had looked to him for guidance, as had his men who died that day...but who could follow him now...He was now an Ungrim...He had become the Oathbreaker...who would follow him again...

In his minds eye the faces of his men flashed before his eyes, as did the civilians he knew still residing in Mittelmarch...As he thought harder upon it, Baethors normally unshakeable will broke then and their..a loud snapping in his mind as he felt no more warmth, he felt nothing but his own grief and failure...

A face...Dimly glowing in his minds eye...The face of his father..."Baethor....It's time to wake up lad..."

=======================

The shugenja and the monks had done everything possible as they looked over Baethors body, the ninjas reported pulling seven darts from the dwarfs forearms, neck and face. They could only keep him comfortable as he lay shaking, they kept warm water near to warm the dwarfs body as the cold chills took him, and damp cloths to cool his fever, it was up to the dwarfs own body to fight and survive. Any other man or beast would have probably died before reaching the Kyuden, yet this one stood and faced death in the courtyard. They did all they could all they could do was keep him comfortable as his body fought to live...The Dwarves voice rhasped out as they stared in shock.

"Nai...Ungrim...Gromthi Magnus...Or'gut ungrim...Or'git uz'kal gromthi...

Slowly the dwarves eyes creeped open, his body began to burn again and cool damp cloth was laid on his as he kept repeating..or...Or'git uzkal...OR'git uzkal....OR'GIT UZKAL! he began screaming it as his body burned, then he went limp again, silent, staring at the ceiling above, checking his heartbeat and breathing he was calming down again...

The few conscious dwarves looked with stone-faces at Baethor...understanding every word he just said, they all took to sitting and staring at their sergeant, as he writhed in pain, mumbling those words again and again... "...Or'git uzkal..." ..One of the monks asked what he was saying...the youngest broke the silence that the others could not, or would not.

"He's...He's askin' his ancestors...te let him die...Te give him death..."

[Dorian Prior]

The shrouded figure had waited for the ogre to depart his companions before making his approach. It seemed odd to him, to hear the ogre be referred to as a knight. He had never heard of such an accomplishment among the more brutish races. It was clear from the start however, that these people… this place… it was altogether different from anywhere he had ever ventured. The memory of being borne into this realm by the great grey mists had not left him yet. He merely wondered if he would ever be able to return…

The scene was a vivid one indeed; the ogre beating the armored dwarf to waking, though not for very long it seemed. The powerful samurai leader had intervened on the dwarf’s behalf, sparing him from what surely would have been a swift, painful execution. Another prisoner had tasted the ogre’s steel before it was over though, his crimson armor stained almost indiscernibly with blood. He had seen such armor before; the men who had guarded the now nearly decimated caravan wore it. The forest scouts he had encountered as well; their conviction in their Empire was strong, but they were only men. He could taste their mortality in their blood, cheap and dispensable like so many others before them. Still, there was no honor in slaying prisoners and certainly unbefitting a knight. Traitors though…

The ogre, his attack defeated, pounded with vindictive fury towards the gates of the kyoden; his brown robe, stained with dwarven blood and still covered in frost from the Oriental’s sorcery. Anger. Unbridled rage. Feelings the hooded man empathized on a deep level. Indeed, there was little else that the man understood as well as he did this. Betrayal, confusion, remorse, vengeance. This was his existence. Perhaps it was because of this empathy that steeled his resolve to make his presence known.

“Sir Nichtmar? I simply overheard your name, we have not met before. I just wanted to extend my sympathy to you. From where I hail, those who interfere with the judgment of a traitor become traitors themselves, and are dealt with just as swiftly.”
The hate had not left Nichtmar’s gaze. The man knew that if he didn’t get to the point quickly enough, he might endure whatever vengeance the ogre still had left in him. And without weapons, he’d easily tear him limb from limb…

“My name is Dorian Prior. I am a professional assassin, trained since my childhood by the Sanguine Syndicate. I doubt you have heard of them, as they lie beyond the mists. I come to you simply because of this: I have seen and heard of the turmoil these… Jovians… have caused. As part of my final duties to my guild, I am to assist in ridding this land of their existence and push them back from whence they came. Many contracts have fallen through and our duties are becoming scarcer by the day. I was told to find you specifically.”

He paused briefly, his gaze becoming hard and his tone taking on a level of disgust.

“I am different from some of your other allies. While honor may be of some importance to me, petty morality is not. I care not for the teeming masses of citizens; they are simply a large flock of sheep, tended to by shepards of steel armor and silver-tongues. I also care not for these Jovians. Men who would march simply because they are told to march, blindly believing in a cause that escapes their comprehension, and who would ultimately lay down their lives in such a meaningless manner.”

He stepped closer.
“I care for two things: order and justice. Not righteousness, not idealism, but pragmatism. Without these, I become obsolete. Without “justice”, people would seek vengeance on their own, not through the discreet use of the Syndicate. Without order, there is anarchy, making our marks harder to find and ever-alert. While the Jovians might seek these virtues, it would be temporary and reckless. So you see, we have a mutual interest: removing the Jovians from this land. I would only ask that you might consider my use for specific tasks, rather than for me to continue my aimless wandering of the wilderness and disposing of any Jovians I find. Its rather… unsatisfying work…”

Dorian awaited a response, still fearful of any retaliation for the delay he had caused.

OOC: This is my first RP post, so if I got anything wrong, please PM me and I will be happy to fix it. It's a great story so far, and I hope I can do something to contribute to it.

[Isen Ehtar]

Isen moves slowly out into the main courtyard just in time to see Nichtmar run out of the kyuden. "Nicht..." he tries to call but falls to his knees and spits up some blood onto the ground. He tries to stand again and moves slowly out to Tatsamura.

Whispering he asks, "What has happened this day? And why have you let Nichtmar run?"

[Sir Nichtmar]

Nichtmar walked down the hill from the Kyuden. He was calming down as some man came by and started chattering away in his ear. Nichtmar let him walk beside him. The stranger continued to speak when Nichtmar stopped for a moment to get his bearings. Looking south then north, Nichtmar spoke.

“You talk a lot.”

Nichtmar heard bits of what the man was saying, his name, and that he wanted to help.

“Listen…Lorien. I don’t know what you want from me, kid.”

Nichtmar pointed his thumb behind him, “I’m not exactly pleasant company right now, so get lost.”

[Suihaden]

Arguing voices sounded up the path to the Kyuden.

"Why you no drink booze?"

"I've told you a thousand times you blockheaded dolt I've sworn not to because I'm a Hospitaller.
And besides, it ruins ones constitution. Look at you, you can't stagger a mile without demanding it. Who controls you, orc, human or drink?"

Turning a bend in the path the wrangling pair came into view. A more lopsided set of traveling companions had never been seen. In front, hiked a pale, lean figure; his dark brown hair cut short on his head and though the black clothes he wore were raggedy and torn, they were clean from continual scrubbing in mountain streams. Behind him ambled a huge muscular figure, his broad shoulders rearing a head taller than his companion. The long unkempt clothes and hair, dark skin and ugly fangs proclaimed the orc in him. Armed with a large broken club, probably obtained from an unlucky oak the half breed seemed to delight in swinging it around his head, much to the annoyance of the other.

"Will we get booze when we get there?"

"Maybe." was the short reply.

"Are we there yet?"

"NO OAF! I implore you to desist!"

[Anvil]

From the horizon a small body of riders appear headed for the gate. A banner of Dunland is lifted by one of the riders to identify themselves before they get within bowshot.

[Anvil]

The riders go straight to the gate of Kyuden and the leader a stout dwarf hands a courier bag to the guard. "Give that to Lord Tatsumune right away. It is news from Dunland and King Anvil"
Without another word he wheels his horse around and starts to ride back the way he came.

[Cathán Neamhnaofa]

Cathán appears just off the trail from mittelmarch. There is a small 3 person patrol of Jovians along the trail heading north. His anger rises at the site of the Jovians. Cathán pulls his black dagger out of his boot and sneaks up behind the farthest one back. In an instant the Jovian's throat was slit, a slight sound made. Cathán felt the power of the Azoth gate grow as the soul of the Jovian goes into it.

The other two on patrol turn to see a red demon standing behind them with there commrad lying lifeless on the ground. Cathán teleports again behind the remaining two. Before they realized what had happened both lie dead, their souls going into the Azoth gate.

Cathán feels the power increase with each soul, but he knows it'll be a long time before he can use it to release the one thing to stop the Jovians for good. Before anymore Jovians show up, Cathán teleports again.

[Fuuma Kyosuke]

Kyosuke follows close behind Suihaden, though manages to keep far enough that the young warrior would not be be thought of as being with the Scorpion. Kyosuke knew that his reception would very possibly be less than warm. It mattered not, though, as long as Tsisuko was safe and Tatsumura had recieved the necessary information. He watched Suihaden and Berrok walk through the gates of the Kyuden from a distance before attempting to enter himself.

"HALT, TRAITOR!" Cried the samurai guard as Kyosuke approached. "You have a lot of nerve returning to this place after what you have done."

"It takes a lot of nerve to call a Scorpion a traitor, Samurai-san. I take it you have not heard of our well reputed loyalty?" Kyosuke's annoyance showed, especially since he had just fought to ensure that necessary information reached the Shogun's ears. Still, he knew he would probably not be able to get out of this without a bit of trouble. "Look, if it is that important to you, you can put me in a holding chamber until Tatsumura Masamune or Fuuma Kotaro attest to my assistance in ensuring the Jovians are unable to take this Kyuden from us. If they decide I am not worth keeping, then I will commit seppuku, as long as you are OK with that."

The guard though for a moment, slightly stunned at Kyosuke's semi-cooperative statement. After a moment's thought, he motioned Kyosuke forward. "Come with me. We will meet with Tatsumura-dono personally."

Kyosuke allowed himself a smile. "Thank you, Samurai-san. May Fukurukojin continue to show you his blessing."

[Sir Nichtmar]

A man dawning grey and red checkered brigandine armor was riding up to Dorian and Nichtmar. Riding beside him a horse with no rider. Nichtmar knew instantly who he was. It was Lord Sir Richter, Nichtmar’s Knight. He rode up to them and tossed a sword it landed point first in front of Nichtmar. It wobbled a little. Nichtmar also instantly recognized the sword. It was the one he was Knighted with, he had to have left it in Mittelmarch when the Jovians attacked.

Richter spoke firmly, “Hail, Sir Nichmar, I bought this from a trader in Mittelmarch, the Jovians were selling confiscated weapons and armor.”

Nichtmar didn’t dare speak.

“Get on the horse, you have fallen from the light. You will be given a second chance. If you fail…I’ll kill you myself.”

Nichtmar deeply respected the sheer goodness of Richter. Nichtmar didn’t hesitate. He grabbed his sword and leapt up on the horse and turned to Dorian.

“Go see Oof in Mittelmarch. Look in the sewers.”

The pair rode off down the hill. Then suddenly there was a silver flash and they were gone.

[Baethor]

Dark visions swirled behind the dwarfs eyelids, visions of war's he's survived, of deaths he's been brought back from. Visions of himself lost in battle...

His body burned and his face turned red as the monks continually cooled his body with damp cloths. the few other dwarves watching him writhe, saying nothing, listening to his fever induced curses, they all sat along the wall, unchained but unwilling to fight. Suddenly Baethor's eyes opened, though they seemed glazed, his face began to return to its normal color. The dwarf tried to sit up but the monks held him down, only long enough for the dwarf to push one monk away, much harder then intended. The dwarf sat and attempted to stand, a samurai gaurd had drawn his blade and moved to stop the dwarf, but the monk who had been pushed away stopped him.

The dwarf reached his feet and then felt his body wracked by pain as he fell to the floor. "AAggghh....water....Water please...."

The monks brought him a cup and a bucket of water, the dwarf chose to drink straight from the bucket, spilling most of the contents down his beard and chest. Panting heavily the monks tried to lay him back down. "Please dwarf-san, you must rest..." The dwarf refused to lay back down, instead chose to sit on the floor, his back resting on the small table they had placed him on. One monk ran to find tatsumura to inform him Baethor was conscious....

[Isen Ehtar]

A broken faced elf sat behind the scene of the waking dwarf, both concern and pain in his eyes. As the dwarf rose he opened his mouth to speak, though changed his mind as the dwarf once again tumbled to the floor. 'Always stubborn was that one,' he thought to himself.

Moments later the elf was doubled over in pain, though he made no noise. The pain was one that few in the chamber could understand. An artifact of terrible power had been used recently, and it was sending shock waves of power down the elf's body. 'When I am strong enough I will discover the origins of this power, and my brothers and I will stamp it out from this world,' he vowed silently to himself.

[Rojji]

Somewhere miles away from the events at the Kyuden, a confused Rojji rides in a Jovian caravan bound for Mittelmarch. He doesn't remember much of his past. Here is what he remembers of the last few days...
He had paid a wizard to teleport him back to his homeland of Japan, but instead he arrived here in the middle of a military camp somewhere in this strange new land about two days ago.
"Wait this isn't Japan!" exclaimed a suprised Rojji.
"Halt! Stop in the name of the lord of Jove!" demanded a guard.
"You will not command me like that! I am Rojji, Ronin forerly of the..." said Rojji unsheathing his swords.
But his words were cut short by a blow to the head from a stout dwarf clothed in strange crimson armor.
"Nice shot, dwarf. Go find Baethor and tell him that his caravan should depart at once." said what seemed like the leader, who was wearing a red cape.
"Yes, Sir!"
After the dwarf was out of earshot the humans laughed. The leader said, "Ah, mysterious warrior, since you know nothing of this land, and look like a man of honor, I will torture you with this news. I am sending those dwarves to a slaughter. I purposefully sent them where they will be ambushed by the Shinobi of the kyuden. That way we can bring valuable reinforcements to the Jovian garrison in Mittelmarch. Those incompetent midgets are just scapegoats."
"How dare you! They have the right to live to!" Rojji declared as he tried to rise to his feet.
"Goodnight, warrior." said the commander, braining Rojji with his sword.
The last thing Rojji heard was, "Take his weapons chest and put it on a carriage and lock him inside the same carriage."

Rojji awoke to the sound of raucous laughter and shouting. He asked the guard what was going, he said, "The diversion worked, the fools took the bait and now we are rid of those incompetent half-pints."
Rojji was apalled at their callous attitude towards the unnecesary loss of life. Rojji wept silently, and went back to sleep.
The next morning he heard a tap on the iron bars of his rolling prison. Thorugh the unnaturally thick fog he could see a shinobi. He was about to shout, since in Japan shinobi were his enemies, but the shinobi told him to be quiet.
"Shh. My friend. I cannot free you now, but you will not be forgotten. What information can you give me."
"Not much. For that I am sorry. My presence here is a long story, but I will give you what information I have. My name is Rojji a ronin of a far-away land, called Japan. I just arrived about a day or two ago by a wayward teleport from a wizard. Wait, are you a shinobi of what they call the kyuden?"
"Yes, I am stranger, but how do you know of the if you have never been in this land before?"
"I heard the human Jovians about how they sent the dwarves to be ambushed as a diversion and to be disposed of. It seems that the humans look down on these dwarves as if they are lesser beings than they."
"Hai! They are scorned by the human Jovians. But did I hear you correctly my friend? The dwarves were a diversion? If so, for what?"
"The Jovians are bringing many reinforcements to a place called Mittelmarch."
"I am sorry Ronin-san. But I must leave now, my shogun needs to hear of this news."
Just as the shinobi turned to leave Rojji said, "Wait. They took me and stored my weapons on the roof of the carriage, remember that when you get me."
"I will."
And as the shinobi turned to leave a second time Rojji again cried, "Wait, brother, tell me your name who I know who to thank."
"No thanks is necesary, but my name is..."
OCC: My first post hopefully it goes over well. I would like someone to be the shinobi(*cough* Fuuma-dono *cough*) if not, we can still get around it somehow.

[Dorian Prior]

'Blast!', thought Dorian. This supposed "knight" was more of a fool than he had thought. Damn the Syndicate! They had sent on a foolish manhunt for reassignment, only to be insulted and ignored.

As the ogre brushed past him, Dorian felt the anger within him swell. His face drew back, the canines of his teeth gleaming white. The air and sunlight became heavier, intolerable. Reaching within his case, he found one of his few remaining supply vials of blood, downing it with a gulp and smashing the bottle on the path. He rounded to face Nichtmar.

"Listen here, ogre!"

Before he could begin, a impressive-looking knight rode up the path, and addressed Nichtmar with a thrown sword. As their conversation began, it became clear to Dorian, that this "ogre-knight" was truly what he seemed to be, albeit somehow corrupted at heart.

Before he departed with the knight, Nichtmar provided a lead: Find Oof in the sewers of Mittelmarch.

Thus informed, Dorian watched as the pair rode off. He hissed inwardly as he saw a divine light envelope the riders and spirit them off to a realm unknown.

Dorian stood alone in the gate of Kyoden, assessing the situation.

'Another manhunt then. But this time, they'd better give me something to do...' He thought, walking back into the Kyoden. He'd do his best to replenish his supply in the Kyoden's infirmary, then depart for Mittelmarch in the evening.

[Tatsumura Masamune]

Masamune turned to Isen, upon his question.

"There is something wrong with him. He attacked the dwarves and Akururi. If he is to go on a rampage, it is better that it not happen here with so many innocents. I'm sending the dwarves to the temple to be tended to. You should join them Isen-dono, I'm sure that Baethor-san would be glad to see you."

With that, Masamune walked off. He thought that the exceitment had ended for the day, but it was only the beginning. One of his samurai arrived with a courier bag with letters from Anvil-dono. He made his way to a set of steps, reading the letters, taking in all the information. As he finished reading them, he had two messagers arrive before him. One told him that Baethor had woke up, the other followed by Kyosuke.

"Bayushi-sama, I assume that your plans have come through?"

Masamune watched as the samurai that had brought Kyosuke to him, looked shocked.

"It is okay Koto, Kyosuke-san has been helping us secrectly. Gathering what info he can, and sabotaging the Jovians. You can go, all is well. Come with me Kyosuke-san."

Masamune stands up, and makes his way through the courtyard where the caravan had arrived, and the fight had taken place. Masamune listens to Kyosuke's report, and looks up to notice that the supplies have nearly finished being taken to storage. The sun has set, and the guards have broken out the torches.

Two workers go to move the last barral left. It slips from there hands as they try to unload it, breaking open on the ground. The contents spill out, looking like nothing more then small black beads. Masamune sees the beads, and ponders why they look familier. One of the nearby guards lowers his torch to get a better look at the stuff.

It is the last thing he sees.

A large explosion rocks the Kyuden. The three near the barrel seem to simply vanish in the blast. Masamune who is nearly 100 feet away, is thrown back by the force into a nearby wall. The world goes silent. After a few minutes Masamune wakes up, he feels others over him as he opens his eyes, and gets the ringing in his years to subside. He stands up gingerly, feeling blood slowly trickling down his face. He watches as several dozen people run back and forth with buckets of water to put out the fires left over from the blast. He also notices that a section of the wall has been completely blown away.

Masamune quickly makes his way to the temple followed by a dazed Kyosuke. He burst in, and a single question comes off his lips.

"What the hell were you all transporting!?!"

His gaze falls to the weakened dwarf drother.

[Fuuma Kyosuke]

Kyosuke merely nodded when Tatsumura questioned him, though he was surprised that the Shogun had referred to him as "Sama". Admittedly, he was disappointed in how much he did find out in as long as he was there, though he supposed it wasn't so bad, considering the difference in culture. Still, he gave the information he had, and followed his Lord to the courtyard. He noticed the black beads pour out of the barrel, and as the worker begins to look down with the torch, his eyes widen. "WAIT! DO-"

It's too late.

The explosion from the Gaijin pepper sends Kyosuke to the floor. As he collects himself, he looks around at the carnage and shakes his head.

"What the hell were you all transporting!?!" The voice of Tatsumura is the first thing that rings through the samurai's head. The son of Rokugo takes a moment to study the blasted section of the wall, then chimes in before the dwarf can.

"Gaijin Pepper, Tatsumura-dono. Highly illegal in Rokugan, though I'm not sure how the laws would apply here in the Kyuden. If I may recommend, any other barrels of this substance should be confiscated and placed into Fuuma Kotaro-dono's care immediately." Kyosuke grinned as he looked at the carnage. If there was one thing his Chi-chan knew how to do, it was destroy things. With that realization, another had come up. He had not seen his Sister since she left him back in Mittelmarch.

However, he would not have to wait long to retrieve his answer. "KYOSUKE-SAMA!" The unmistakeable voice of Bayushi Tsisuko broke the relative silence, and a small girl with white and red hair ran towards Kyosuke. She stopped in front of him and gave a deep and respectful bow, holding back tears of joy. "It is good to see that you are alive, Onee-san."

"The same to you, Chi-chan. I trust that everyone has made it alive?"

"Hai. Now that you are here, everyone is properly accounted for."

Kyosuke nodded, and took one more look to the carnage created by the explosive substance. He couldn't help but allow a smile to cross his face, as he began to consider what could be done with it.

[Rojji]

Back at the caravan...
"My name and my identity was a secret. You never saw me. This conversation never happened my friend."
Then he was gone and the mysterious fog began to fade away. He heard the guards talking to each other about the fog, and Rojji just chuckled.

The Shinobi rushed to return to the Kyuden. He ran nonstop for miles. As he neared his speed waned. He was almost there, and there was no need to rush, he thought. BOOM!!!!! An explosion rocked the peaceful surroundings. He looks up and spots three figures flying through the air at amazing speed. And he sees thick, black, mushroom-shaped smoke in the distance.
"Wait that is coming from the Kyuden! I must make haste!"
Using the last bit of his reserves and whatever magic he had left, the Shinobi sprinted to his home. He got there seeing fires on the buildings. He blew down the gates with the last of his magic yelling, "Tatsumura-dono are you okay? I heard an explosion" And his voice trailed off as he collapsed.
OOC: I dabble in RPG's and I know that, even if it isn't your main character, using another person's characters is taboo, but the shinobi I created is royalty free, and any shinobi out there can claim them as themself.

[Rojji]

Meanwhile back at the convoy, Rojji saw and heard the explosion. He has never seen or heard anything like it. He screamed and dropped to the floor. When he rose he heard the same raucous laughter that he heard before. Upon hearing his screams the leader entered the carriage.
"I hope that they liked my present." He declared menacingly.
"Why I ought to kill you you rotten bast..." his last word cut short by a crack at his head with the leader's sheathed blade.
As he fell to the ground he heard him say, "Drag this disrespectful pig behind the carriage!
"Where is that shinobi? If only he would free me so I can get my weapons!" he thought as he cast a spell of protection. It wouldn't keep him safe from blunt force trauma, but his meager ablities would keep him from getting cut. Now all he had to do was wait, so he entered a meditative trance to keep his mind off the pain.

[Sir Storm Brightblade]

Storm stood up when he heard the explosion. He looked over to the courtyard and saw a fire burning. He ran from the monks assisted the guards putting out the fire. As he threw the last bucket of water on the fire we saw Tatsamura leave with a strange looking man wearing a mask next to him (kyoske).

He ran after them and tried to figure out what was going on.

"Gaijin pepper," He heard the strange man say.

"Gaijin pepper? What in the Abyss's name is that?" Storm asked confused.

[Cathán Neamhnaofa]

Cathán has teleported much farther down the trail away from Mittelmarch. He sees a Jovian caravan that looks to have prisoners. There looked to be 5 Jovian guards. In no time he was vanishing and reappearing killing one guard after another, the azoth gate growing a little stronger with every kill. In just a few minutes all the guards were dead, their corpses lay along the trail. The last one tried to run, but failed. Cathán goes to the cages and breaks the locks off each. Before he could get a reaction or thanks from the prisoners he vanished again.

[Rojji]

Rojji was woke from his slumber by a red blur. He kept teleporting to and fro slaughtering the guards before they knew what hit them. He then broke the locks and cut me off from the caravan. Then he was gone. Rojji and the other prisoners quickly left, but not before Rojji grabbed his weapons crate. He led the group of refugees in the direction of the Kyuden, as was told to him by the shinobi.
They traveled for two days towards the sanctuary. They had to carry the wounded and old prisoners in order to keep up. When they arrived at the Kyuden two samurai stopped them at the gate.
"What business do you have in the Kyuden Tatsumura?"
"We are Jovian prisoners, and we need aid.
"We have had recent problems with unchecked packages, so please open the box. Then you may pass."
"Okay."
Rojji bent down to open the box. When he did he saw all of his weapons. The walls of the dam in his mind broke, and all his memories came rushing back, then they receded again taking more memory with it.
"Who am I?" he asked before he passed out still convulsing.

[Rojji]

A day or two later Rojji woke up in the temple, being cared for by the kind people there. He recalled all of his foolishness, and in his head apologized. But he had to move forward.
He had to tell the news to the others. Once he broke his fast with a light meal of a buttered toast and tomato sandwich, WITH SALT!!!!! He then asked the guards outside the temple if he could have an audience with the leaders in the kyuden. The guard granted him his wish.
Rojji waited in what appeared to be the council chambers of the Kyuden Tatsumura. When all the leaders arrived he delivered the message.
"When I was a captive, I was part of a long caravan with many Jovian soldiers, but they weren't all in Jovian uniforms! They were all in different garb, which made them look like normal citizens. I don't know what to make of it, but I do know one thing. They will be traveling to this general locale (He pointed to a map.), they were all talking about how they were going to get them good this time."
Some one yelled, "How do you know this?"
"Well the leader had a morbid obsession with telling me these things, because he knew that it would infuriate me and that I couldn't do anything to stop it. The bottom line is I don't know what but they are attacking something this saturday in a clearing near the river of white, and the road that leads to the mill in the spring."
"But that is our training area! What's worse is that the people who attend these practices are dressed in array of clothing in order not to raise suspicion. We won't know who is who!"
"Well it is up to you to decide what we do."
I hope that was better than my previous posts. Sorry about that guys.

[Anvil]

A messenger arrives from Dunland

"My friends this letter bears sad tidings. The Jovian general Shatar after offering Dunland an allience and being turned down has kidnapped my oldest daughter Amayls and is holding her for ransom. He wants Dunland to bow to him. As King I cannot give him what he wants, but as a father I am marching to M.M. to rescue my daughter by force of arms. If it pleases you I would look forward to having you march beside us in what may be my last battle in this world.

yours in service
Anvil"

[storyteller]

Shatar is dead. The Jovians that occupied Mittelmarch are dead or have returned to Jove. They didn’t just surrender. The battle was nearly fought to the last fighter on both sides. The allies left with their injured and Mittelmarch is left with a void of power and almost defenseless. Much of the city was devastated by trebuchet attack. A section of the wall was destroyed. The Shogunate and the Dragoons act as interim guards to the city, until the army can be rebuilt. This was but a single battle in an ongoing war with the Jovians, but something seemed wrong about this victory.

Moving the story along to after taking back Mittelmarch.