Ryoko Owari is a very big place, and there are many ronin struggling to make a living among its twisting alleys and lumber-wagon traffic jams. And you’ve got to find one of them, even if it takes you all night.

You have the run of the streets of Ryoko Owari for the three time-slots set aside for this event. You can try to track down Tatsuya using any method you choose. Your friendly neighborhood gm is ready to run NPCs to your specifications. You must have a total of 4 successful rolls to successfully find Tatsuya. These rolls have a TN of 20.



Possible Complication: Somebody’s Watching Me: Somebody (probably the Scorpion) has been tipped off to your purpose here and has assigned people to tail you. In order to be aware of the tail, at least one member of the crew must make either a Lore: Scorpion clan/Intelligence or Lore: Politics/Intelligence roll at TN 20 or an Investigation (Notice)/Perception roll at TN 25.

After the tail has been noticed, you may attempt to shake the tail, but be warned that the Scorpion are nothing if not tenacious. You may make Stealth/Agility, Disguise/Awareness, or Athletics/Agility checks at TN 25 to ensure that your shadow does not also gain the information you gain during your attempt.

“Have you seen a ronin calling himself Tatsuya?” the slim Crab asked. “He’d be about 35 or 40, good looking fellow.”

Ryoichi was methodically checking the sake houses down by the docks, establishments that he imagined an unwashed ronin might frequent.

The Yasuki was excited to find that some people had actually seen this Tatsuya person - so excited that he didn’t notice that someone else seemed to be following him, watching.

—
5ME Ask around about Tatsuya, Courtier/Awareness +Benten’s Blessing TN20 | 5k5 ⇒ 42 (TN: 20) succeeded
5ME Notice we’re being watched, Investigation/Perception TN25 | 4k2 ⇒ 10 (TN: 25) failed

Suddenly, Sayomi spoke in a hushed tone to the group.

"We are being followed. I suspect the guard we met sent some to observe us..."

It made sense that the Scorpion would resort to the sneaky tactics they had a reputation for, stalking and spying on honorable samurai!

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D5 ME. Mission from God. Somebody's Watching Me? Lore: Scorpion/Intelligence. | 5k4 ⇒ 28 (TN: 20)

Honoka nodded in thanks to Sayomi, then went her own way from the others as they spread out to get info. She was too quiet for her tail as she moved, and after speaking to a few people in the Licence quarter she was able to get some information on the target

(ooc:
D5 ME Mission from god event: A Ronin in a Haystack. Courtier/Awareness+ILS2+Bentens. TN20 | 8k5 ⇒ 40 (TN: 20) passed info roll
D5 ME Mission from god event: A Ronin in a Haystack. dodging ninjas? Stealth/agility+ILS2 vs TN25 | 5k3 ⇒ 28 (TN: 25) ninja avoided

2/4 successes

The Miyahara had a long and relatively successful with a ronin Otokodate, so Sae naturally gravitated to asking the various major brotherhoods if they knew their target. After all, ronin talk (and sometimes they talk more if you buy them food and drink).

Sayomi's warning had her on even higher alert than usual for Ryoko Owari.

So when Sae turns around a corner she starts running...and running...and running, actually quiet enjoying herself after a few minutes and running some more. It seemed it was much harder to silently follow someone going at a dead sprint for 10 minutes as the shadows struggle to keep up.


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Day 5, Ronin in a Haystack attempt 1, etiquette/awareness to chat up the local ronin brotherhood, bentens, TN 20 | 8k4 ⇒ 44 (TN: 20)

Day 5, Ronin in a Haystack attempt 1, athletics/agility to stop the shadow from gaining the information, TN 25 | 4k3 ⇒ 31 (TN: 25)

1 successes on asking around, one very lucky success on stopping our shadows getting the info!

As everyone had been alerted to avoid being followed, Sayomi tried to blend in with the locals...

... those basket-monks were an ideal disguise! They wouldn't be able to see her face!

Except she purchased something more akin to a box than a basket, and her weapons were awkwardly hidden under the tattered robe she picked up to throw over to cover herself up. It looked like a comical stage-disguise.

Despite her silly appearance though (or perhaps because of it), some of the locals were willing to talk.

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D5. ME. Mission From God. Ronin In A Haystack. Disguise from the ninja! +1k1 Void. | 5k5 ⇒ 24 (TN: 25) - Sayomi isn't able to lose her shadow.

D5. ME. Mission From God. Ronin In A Haystack. Courtier/Awareness to find info on Tatsuya | 7k4 ⇒ 28 (TN: 20) - success in finding information!

Day 5 Void: 3/1 (used)

4/4 success in gaining information!

Kitsu Sayomi wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 15, 2025 5:14 pm

Suddenly, Sayomi spoke in a hushed tone to the group.

"We are being followed. I suspect the guard we met sent some to observe us..."

... those basket-monks were an ideal disguise! They wouldn't be able to see her face!

Except she purchased something more akin to a box than a basket, and her weapons were awkwardly hidden under the tattered robe she picked up to throw over to cover herself up. It looked like a comical stage-disguise.

"Thank you, Kitsu-san," Ryoichi murmured in a low tone at her timely warning. "Let's try to split up to try and lose them."

After escorting the very suspicious-looking basket-monk for a few moments, the slim Yasuki suddenly turned and bolted away, running through the dockside fish market. "Excuse me," he gasped as he ducked around a fishmonger carrying a string of fresh-caught fish, then sped sure-footedly through a twisty maze of street vendors' carts hawking all sorts of wares.

On the far side of the market, Ryoichi slowed back to a more dignified pace, before glancing behind him to see if anyone had followed. I hope I lost them, he thought, before ducking into a narrow alleyway and heading towards the warehouse their informant had told them about.

-
5ME "Shake the Tail" Athletics/Agility TN25 | 4k3 ⇒ 26 (TN: 25) succeeds

The tips and clues all point to a warehouse on the right bank, where this Tatsuya seems to have absconded--together with his son--after falling out with his otokodate over a job (the details of this job are hazy, but then this otokodate does not have the best reputation, and anyway your poor witnesses need to live here after you've gone).

And all the while, a shadow follows after Kitsu Sayomi.

The adventure continues...in Event VII: The Hinge of Fate!