The Secret of Mura Ryo part III

"Of course I did not kill them, although I wouldnt have minded killing the Lion, but why would I kill the Ide, or Kanai?  As I told you before, I was documenting the battle...  In fact, ask me anything you wish about the battle."  Kitsuki Yama did nothing but stare at me with those cold eyes.   "You are aware of my charter to document the war between the Clans...   Yokuni sama himself agreed to let me document for battles involving the Dragon."  With a cold, but impartial patient voice, Yama said "For your protection, I will assign to you an Agasha Yojimbo,  Mirumoto Togo, he will follow you wherever you go.  You also may wish to set up a camp to view the battle in the morning against the army of Toturi."  "What arrangements have you made to defend yourself?  After the battles with the Phoenix and the Ronin, you are reduced to a token force."  We will be fine Maatan san, now you may wish to make quick your preparations."  "I will."  "Negotiations begin in the morning again, I am afraid you wont be able to attend."  "That is alright Yama san, I found it tedious pleading with a Gaijin."  Yama just grinned.   "Is Sukune sama well?"  "Our shugenja are treating him, it looks like he will recover."

Taking Yama's advice, I suited up in my armour, and the Yojimbo followed suit.  I then leapt on my horse and flew my Crab banner on my back, I did not want the Ronin to think I was a Dragon force ambushing them after all.  As I trotted out on the horse, I saw a column of troops heading toward the very edge of the Village....  Mantis troops.  The Dragons must have paid a pretty Koku for the price of those.

Early in the morning we found a fairly large house built on a hill, "Allow me Maatan sama" Togo said.  He went up to the house and pounded on the front gate, a fat merchant and a woman opened up the gate.  "We have need of your house."  Said the Mirumoto...  The merchants looked genuinely afraid and hesitant, but agreed.  From there I saw the Mantis hastily make a battle line, they did not get out of the village yet, but the bandits where coming, and they where out of time....  Make sure we are recognized as non combatants yojimbo, stand outside with my banner."  "Hai Maatan sama"

Mantis Honour:  11           Mantis HOF 1         Ronin Honour:  7

Spc. Orders:

Ryosei casts windbourne speed on the Mantis house guard.

Primary Move:

Mantis house guard Charge at the Veteran Ronin archers and becomes unformed.

Ranged Attacks:

Veteran Ronin archers fire at the Mantis house guard, hitting once for 6 dmg.  No wounds.

Veteran Ronin archers fire at the Budoka, and are out of range.

Reserve:  Mantis house Guard reform.

There was a tell tale opening barrage of arrows from the Ronin, but this time, they failed to strike home.  The Mantis command unit ran foward yelling, and then suddenly stopped.  The fat merchant slid open the door "Samurai...  Would you like some saki, the best, I just got them from a Crane merchant."  "Hai...  Arigatoo."  It was good saki alright, and it made doing this report almost leisurely.

Mantis Honour:  11        Ronin HOF 2      Ronin Honour:  7

Primary Move:

Using parade ground practice, the Mantis house guard expand frontage and go into archers row.

Ranged Attacks: 

Morito Tokei casts fury of Osano Wo on the Elite Ronin guard.  No hits.  Beyond your mastery is played.

Mantis House guard fire at the Elite Ronin Guard.  Turtle shell is played.  No hits.

Veteran Ronin archer fire at the Mantis house guard, hitting 4 times for 40 damage.  2 mantis die.

Veteran Ronin Archers fire at the Mantis Budoka, hitting once for 5 dmg.   No casualties.

The Mantis House Guard reformed their line expanded, and went into an archery formation, they let loose a hail of arrows, but recieved more casualties than they dealt out, and yet still, not one Ronin lay dead....

Mantis Honour:  11       Mantis HOF 3       Ronin Honour:  7

Special Orders:  Ronin Morito Tokei casts essence of earth on the Elite Ronin Guard

Mantis Morito Tokei casts firey wrath on the house in front of him, destroying that terrain piece.

Primary Movement:  Mantis house guard come out of Archers row.

Ranged Attacks:  Veteran Ronin Archers fire at the Mantis house guard, hitting 2 times for 21 damage.  1 more Mantis dies.

Veteran Ronin Archers fire at the Mantis Veteran Ashigaru  hitting 5 times for 30 damage.  3 Ashigaru die.  Grim determination played.

Mantis Morito Tokei casts fury of Osano Wo on the Elite Ronin Guard.   No hits

Ryosei fires fury of Osano Wo at the Elite Ronin Guard.  2 hits, 12 damage, 1 Ronin vaporized.

Gouts of fire poured forth from the Mantis line, and the Ronin replyed in kind with arrows.  The peasents recruited by the Mantis came close to panic, but where prodded on by their leader.  In the center of the field, a magical fire engulfed and quickly reduced a house to ash...

Mantis Honour:  11        Ronin HOF 4           Ronin Honour:  8    

Special Orders:

Tsuyu plays the tactical card, nemesis on Ginawa.

Ryosei casts windbourne speed on the Veteran Ashigaru.

Ronin Morito Tokei casts windbourne speed on the left unit of Elite Ronin Guard.

Ronin Morito Tokei casts Essence of Earth on the right Elite Ronin Guard.

Ranged Attacks:

Mantis Morito Tokei casts fury of Osano Wo at the Elite Ronin Guard... Hitting 2 times for 14 damage.  1 Ronin is crispified.

Ryosei casts fury of Osano Wo at the left Veteran Ronin Archers. 2 hits 10 damage.  1 archer dies.

right Veteran Ronin Archers fire at the Mantis House Guard.  Turtle shell played.  3 hits for 15 damage.  1 mantis is wounded.

left Veteran Ronin Archers fire the the Veteran Ashigaru hitting 5 times for 32 damage, killing 3 peasents.

The Mantis Budoka marched through the rubble of the house out into the open.  The peasents on the left of the field suffered horrendous casualties from the bandits arrows, but did not break, due to their leader, who was shouting insults at the Ronin known as Ginawa.

Mantis Honour:  11          Mantis HOF 5       Ronin Honour:  8

Special Orders:  Ronin Morito Tokei casts Windbourne speed on the left Elite Ronin Guard

Ronin Morito Tokei casts windbourne speed on the right Elite heavy Infantry.

Mantis Morito Tokei casts biting steel on Kamoto.

Ryosei casts windbourne speed on the Mantis House Guard.

Cavalry Phase:  The Mantis house guard charge the Elite ronin guard.  Veteran Ronin Archers reactionary fire, but fail to hit.

Elite Ronin guard do an engaging manuever on the flank of the Veteran Ashigaru.

Ranged Attacks:  Mantis Morito Tokei casts fury of Osano Wo on Seppun Kiaku's Heavy Infantry.  1 hit, 4 damage.  No casualties.

Ryosei casts fury of Osano Wo on the left Veteran Ronin Archers hitting 2 times for 10 damage, killing one archer.

HtH Combat:  Kamoto plays the tactical card strength of purity.  Mantis house guard hit the Elite Ronin Guard 5 times for 70 points of damage.  7 Ronin meet their maker.

Elite Ronin guard hit 1 time for 4 damage.  No casualties.

Tsuyu plays test of might against Ginawa, but another time is played.   the Veteran Ashigaru hit 1 time for 1 damage, no casualties.

The Elite Ronin guard hit the Ashigaru 1 time for 6 damage, not killing anyone.

Things happened so fast and suddenly, that my head was swooning...  This must be some strong Saki as my mouth is dry and my thoughts befuddled... I better lay off it.  Besides, the battle just became very violent, as the Mantis screamed into the ranks of the Ronin, hacking their yari troops with wild abandon...  Even the Ashigaru became engaged, but they seemed to be holding their own, to the embarassment of the ronin "elites"...

Mantis Honour:  12        Ronin HOF 6       Ronin Honour:  8       

Special Orders:  Mantis Morito Tokei casts windbourne speed on the Mantis Budoka.

Mantis Morito Tokei casts biting steel on Kamoto

Ronin Morito Tokei casts biting steel on Ginawa

Ronin Morito Tokei casts windbourne speed on Seppun Kiaku's Elite Heavy Infantry.

Ryosei casts biting steel on Tsuyu.

Tsuyu challenges Ginawa to an Iajutsu duel, another time is played.

Kamoto inspires his unit.

Primary Movement:  Tsuyu's Ashigaru turn to face the Ronin Elites, and expands frontage.

right Veteran Ronin Archers reactionary fire against a movement by Morito Tokei, hitting 4 times.  37 damage.  The Yojimbo dies and Tokei takes 1 wound.

Cavalry Movement:  Seppun Kiaku's Heavy Infantry perform an engaging movement in the flank of the Mantis house Guard.

Ranged Attacks:  Ryosei casts fury of Osano Wo at the Left Veteran Ronin Archers.  Resist Magic is played

Right Veteran Ronin archers fire at Ryosei hitting 2 times for 5 damage.   No wounds caused.

HtH Combat:  Test if might played by Tsuyu on Ginawa.   Ginalwa plays Kharmic strike and both die.

Elite Ronin Guard hit the Ashigaru 5 times for 32 damage.  Killing 3 Ashigaru.

Veteran Ashigaru hit 2 times for 6 damage.  No casualties.

Strength of Purity played on Kamoto.  Kamoto spends 3 void to give his unit +1Att +1Dam.  Mantis house guard score 4 hits are scored against the Elite Ronin Guard for 34 damage.  3 more Ronin cease to exist.

Mantis house guard hit 1 time against Kiaku's Heavy infantry for 10 damage.  1 wound is scored.

The Elite Ronin guard score 2 hits for 15 damage against the Mantis house guard, killing 1.

Kiaku's Heavy Infantry hit 4 times against the Mantis house Guard, for 42 damage.  2 more Mantis die.

Both the Veteran Ashigaru and the Elite Ronin Guard break, but Takuan, being closeby spends a void and has the Guard reroll their test, and they pass.

More and more troops on the right flank joined the bloodbath with the Mantis.  The Mantis fought like Crabs in a wedge refusing to give an inch of ground.  On the left Ginawa and Tsuyu lept upon each other during the fray, and ended up knocking them both out...  At long last, the Ashigaru balked at the loss of their leader.  The Ronin Yari troops almost did the same, but good direction from their nearby leader, Takuan, held them together....

Mantis Honour:  15         Mantis HOF 7         Ronin Honour:  15        

Special Orders:  Ronin Morito Tokei casts windbourne speed on Takuan's Heavy Infantry.

Mantis Morito Tokei casts fires of purity on Kamoto.

Ronin Morito Tokei casts biting steel on Ginawa.

Ryosei casts Wall of fire on the Tortoise Marines.

Primary Movement:  The Veteran Ashigaru move away from the Ronin and are slaughtered to a man.

Ranged Attacks:  Left Veteran Ronin archers fire at the Mantis Budoka hitting 3 times for 25 damage.  2 Budoka die.

HtH Combat:  Mantis house Guard vs. Elite Ronin Archers hitting once for 15 damage, killing 1 ronin.  The Elite Ronin guard strike back at the Mantis, but fail to hit.

Kiaku's Heavy Infantry hit the house guard 4 times for 29 damage.  1 more mantis perishes.  The Mantis fail to hit back.

The bitter struggle continued, and yet still the Mantis Guard held with no assistance.  The Dragon certainly got their Koku's worth in these samurai.  Unfortunately, the once brave Ashigaru where run down by the Ronin...

Mantis Honour:  15      Ronin HOF 8     Ronin Honour:  16

Special Orders:  Ronin Morito Tokei casts biting steel on Takuan.

Primary Movement:  Mantis Boduka make and engaging move against the flank of Seppun Kiaku's Heavy Infantry.  Grim determination is played on the Heavy Infantry.

Ranged Attacks:  Right Veteran Ronin Archers fire at Tokei hitting 3 times for 25 damage.  Killing one of the Mantis' Tokeis'.

HtH Combat:  Genzo plays test of might against Seppun Kiaku, who plays Kharmic Strike.  Genzo takes 2 wounds, Seppun Kiaku takes 3 Wounds.  The duel continues......

Budoka hit once against the the Heavy Infantry for 13 damage, wounding one.  The Heavy Infantry fail to hit at all.

The Mantis house guard miss Ginawa completely (he is all that is left of the right Elite Ronin Guard), but Ginawa misses too.

The house guard miss the Heavy Infantry, but the Heavy infantry hit 3 times for 14 damage, killing another Mantis.

The right flank of the battle is now quite confusing, as everyone is mixed together.  There is almost no command at this point, and it has become a ruthless one on one fight....  The Mantis leader Genzo and the Ronin leader Kiaku are too involved in attacking each other, that their troops arent getting their attention......

Mantis Honour:  15      Mantis HOF 9     Ronin Honour:  18

Special Orders:  Ryosei casts biting steel on Hyobe

Ronin Morito Tokei casts biting steel on Takuan.

Takuan inspires his unit.

Primary Movement:  Takuan plays the Charge card and charges into the Tortoise Marines.  The Tortoise Marined play the tactical card "The Waves Break"

Elite Ronin Guard play the tactical card "Charge" and charge the Tortoise Marines.

HtH Combat:  The test of Might between Genzo and Seppun Kiaku resolves with the death of Seppun Kiaku.

Mantis Budoka hit the Ronin Heavy Infantry once, doing no damage, and the Heavy Infantry do likewise.

The House Guard are equally ineffective against the Heavy elites, and they miss Ginawa as well.  Ginawa misses too.

Elite Ronin guard hit the Tortoise once for 6 dmg... no casualties.

Takuan's heavy Infantry hit the Tortoise 6 times for 81 damage....  4 Tortoise Marines die.  The Tortoise strike back at the Heavy Infantry, hitting 2 times for 18 damage, causing one wound on the Ronin.  The Tortoise play Grim Determination.

The Elite Ronin Guard and the Elite Heavy Infantry both pass the required tests for " The waves break"

The left flank finally engages the Tortoise with a might roar, sending many of the Tortoise to an early grave.  My attention was diverted finally by a loud victorious cry...  It was Genzo standing over the crumpled body of the Seppun.

Mantis Honour:  19      Ronin HOF 10     Ronin Honour:  19

Special Orders:  Ryosei casts biting steel on Hyobe.

Ronin Morito Tokei casts biting steel on Takuan.

Ronin Morito Tokei casts windbourne speed on the right Veteran Ronin Archers.

Mantis Morito Tokei casts fires of purity on Kamoto.

Ranged Attacks:  Left Veteran Archers fire at Ryosei, no hits.

Right Veteran Archers fire at the Mantis Morito Tokei.  Hitting once for 3 dmg.  No casualties.

HtH Combat:  Elite Heavy Infantry strike at the tortoise hitting 5 times for 42 damage.  2 tortoise die.  The Elite Ronin Guard hit the Tortoise Marines 3 times for 31 damage, causing one wound and one casualty.  Hyobe burns 3 void to give his Tortoise marines +1ATT +1DAM.  They hit 6 times for 54 damage, killing two Heavy Infantry and wounding one.  Grim determination played on the Tortoise marines.

The Mantis Budoka hit the Heavy Infantry 6 times for 34 damage, causing 1 casualty and 1 wound.  The Heavy Infantry retaliate hitting 1 time for 33 damage, killing 3 Budoka.

Mantis Honour:  20  VP:  5            End          Ronin Honour:  20 VP:  5

      Draw   

The Battle seemed to be cresting, and both flanks where exhausting each other...  I backed off momentarily to regain my senses... Damn my eyes are heavy...  Whats that smell?....Something isnt right here.  I rubbed my eyes and tried to focus on my scrolls to see blood on them....  I stared in horrified amazement at my scrolls... It was coming from... ceiling.... bloody.... ohh my damned head....  the saki..... poison.  A wire glided across my throat... someone was strangling me...  Fat fingers...  It was the damned merchant!!!  I easily drew my Wakizashi and impaled the fat little man.  I tried to stagger to my feet but I fell over in pain.  The last site I remember seeing at that moment was a woman dressed in black with her face covered up in a black sash, running at me with a cheaply made Katana....

"Maatan sama!!!  Maatan sama!!!"

I felt something warm poured down my throat,  It felt like a jolt, like being splashed with cold water while sleeping...  I bolted up to see a disemboweled woman on the floor near me, and the Agasha Yojimbo leaning over me with a small cup.  "What was that you gave me Yojimbo?"  "Something I carry from my normal duties, to protect the Shugenja from poison."  "Im glad you had that avail....  The blood!!!  Quick, check the ceiling!!!!"   I drew my Katana and we both slid the wood panel off of the ceiling.  The Yojimbo lept up and I heard him walk about.  "It is safe Maatan sama."   I climbed up and immediately saw 3 bodies covered up.  Taking my Katana, I lifted the bloodied cloth up....  It was the butchered remains of Matsu iiabu....   Moving over to the next, I found the remains of Kakita Kanai, and over to the last body...  It was the decomposed remains of Asako Go.  Its obviously been there for quite some time.... I saw him yesterday at the Gaijin negotiation...  But what is left of him is here and has been for at least a week.  "Come with me Dragon..."

Running up the stairs with my tetsubo (damned if I was going to dirty my Katana with an imposter) I burst into the room holding the negotions.   Pointing my tetsubo at the Phoenix "Murdering Imposter!!!  Let me show you how the Crab deal with your filth!"  I ran towards it when I was tackled by three Agasha Yojimbo.  Just at that moment, the false Asako Go's face had melted away leaving a blank shell, and it quickly fled out the window, changing into a large crow and flying away.  We all sat there stunned.   Finally my temper once again got the best of me and I began to rant...

"FOOLS!!!  How could you let this.... Oni, into your midst!?!"  Everyone backed off, maybe they thought I might be a beserker.   "Nothing?  You have no explainations for this?  Even when dealing with your precious Gaijin....."  At that moment I rushed over and tore down the screen obscuring the Gaijin...  Although it wasnt a Gaijin behind the screen   "In heavens name!!!!!"  What lay behing the screen was a large serpentine body with the torso of a man.  Along its neck was a large flap of skin which was flayed in an aggressive display.  hovering in front of it was what looked like a pearl.  The Naga!!!  A fairy tale had come to life...  This is the secret of Mura Ryo... The Naga have awoken.  A bolt of energy flooded over me, and I remember being tossed across the room...  Im outside...  The last thing I can recall is seeing a preying mantis creeping up a vine, and capturing a butterfly in its grasp....  As it devoured it, I faded off into nothingness.

AAR  13FEB00   1430    - 1930     Revelation at Mura Ryo

This battle was a nail biter.  In the beginning I was thinking that Toturi's army had it, but that quicky changed.  Most of the VPs was given to the Mantis from the test of might with Seppun Kiaku biting it.  I noticed a couple of mistakes during the typing of this report.  When the battle was in progress, especially near the end, we where all anxious to see how it would turn out.   One mistake was that the Elite Ronin Guard played a charge card against the Tortoise Marines with no leader.  Another thing we disagreed on was whether or not spells such as biting steel where canceled out because of being flanked...  I say it wouldnt, but we left it up to the all mighty fates with a coin toss... and the fates chose to keep the biting steel... WOO HOO!  Anyways, this cemented my opinion of Toturi's army and the Yoritomo Alliance....  I did not think much of them when it came out.... but my mind is certainly changed now....  This concludes my little trilogy as well, and everything i said is of course my humble opinion.

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