Session 5: The Investigation

 Party: Hida Ganko, Yoritomo Shohei, Doji Natsuki, Togashi Amajino 

We rejoin the party as Daidoji Jinsoku recluses himself to cleanse his blade from the tainted blood, not wanting the foul traces of Fu Leng's spawn to bring corruption to the soul of his ancestors. 
As the crane warrior heads inside, Kitsuki Jotomon spots a wandering Togashi monk in the street. 
Calling him over, she learns the man was sent by Togashi Yokuni (the Dragon Clan champion) himself, in accordance with some greater vision, and helps with the introduction to the Emerald Magistrates before heading back to her dojo.

The discussion about the oni picks up and various theories are brought forth, enabled in part by the expertise of both the monk (given name Amajino) and Ganko, but also the insight of Shohei, who find the porcelain masked undead from the Ryokan holding a spot in his mind. Both Shohei and Natsuki are rather convinced a Maho-Tsukai (bloodspeaker) is involved, a theory both Crab and Dragon subscribe to without any doubt.
Before long, the group deduces tainted nemuranai (artefacts) have likely acted as a lodestone for the oni to attack the house. They find two obsidian items in the house, both bloodied (a crow in the bedroll of Yoritomo-san and a sharp knife in the kitchen), and a rat impaled under the table (throat slashed and eyes gouged out).
Hida Ganko worries Doji Chi was the actual target of the attack.

As the party briefs Amajino on the happenings in the city, he considers their plight. As a group, they come up with a plan to celebrate the Liberation Day festival by offering the samurai guard new armour. All guards will have to come to a muster and the old uniforms will be clearly defunct, bypassing the theft. Then, the guards will have a victory parade through the city, honouring their efforts in keeping the city safe.

With the oni corpses slowing degrading into a black slush, the group seek a shugenja to banish the spirits and purify the grounds, calling Shosuro Jocho over from his patrol to arrange for one.
In little time, Isawa Nagitoro and his yojimbo Shiba Ni arrive to perform the duty.
After this, the group retires for the night, ready to face the city another day.