Session 18: The Man in the Moon

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

Come morning, Daidoji Jinsoku is feeling restless and disturbed by the dream he had. Was it... a warning, a threat or a nightmare? Determined to not show his worries to the group, he suggests to take the watch with Doji Chi for the day and heads out.

The rest of the group, as they settle into their morning routine, exchanges the information they gathered the last day, figuring out where all the pieces may fit for their current situation. Amajino and Natsuki hatch a plan to get Fade into Natsuki's geisha house (which still needs some sort of renaming ceremony) and make the ronin an invitation for the next day's lunch there.

Shohei, on the other hand, finds a LOT of travel paper requests in the morning mail, deducing that most of the opium peddlers and their workers seem uneasy after the hit on Watchful. Mainly Soshi-related merchants seem to want to be anywhere but in Ryoko Owari.
Ganko, having taken stock of the struggle going down, posits that the magistrates should gather their support behind Shosuro Hyobu, as she is most likely to keep the Emperor's peace. His reasoning solid, the others agree and a second letter leaves the house, requesting an audience with Hyobu.

Because they aren't the only ones inviting people or seeking audiences, the group finds a note from Ide Baranato to check if their busy schedule would allow them time to visit him.

Matsu Mizuki comes down, noting the absense of Jinsoku. She talks with the group for a bit and gets a finger of jade from Natsuki, after which she departs ~ appearing to follow Shohei and Amajino's suggestion to go to the Kitsuki dojo. While passing Mizuki the jade, Natsuki notices ritual scars running up Mizuki's arms.

The party then heads out to inspect the house of the dead merchant (Watchful/Jittu), but as they do so, the red-robed Maho Tsukai springs a trap on them, having set an ambush with a group of Moon Cult fanatics.
The party fights best they can against the initially overwhelming odds, with a heroic effort of both Hida Ganko and Yoritomo Shohei to halt the tide, while Doji Natsuki convinces the locals to take up arms against the attackers by invoking the name of the Emperor. From a side-alley, Matsu Mizuki emerges as a violent whirlwind that attempts to assist the group in their fight.
The struggle is fierce and violent, showing when Ganko gets knocked down by the sheer number of attacks. Shohei also gets to look at the darkness of the inner eyelids for a bit, but manages first to shatter the mask of the Bloodspeaker and injure him badly.
As Amajino sees his opening, the monk dispatches of some of the more potent foes with his fire techniques and together with the crowd and the Lion, he clears the immediate danger away from the group. Then, channeling the power of his tattoos, he restores his allies while Natsuki spots a trail of blood that may well lead to the Maho Tsukai's hideout...