Cyberpunk Session 28

Kitsune, as seen by Tremen when he was giving his report a long time ago

Out walks Kitsune wearing the same Kimono as we've seen her before. She is in her full human form. She speaks with the Tanuki who replies Again, old hag? If you do this again there will be ... repercussions....

Kitsune tells us that she had hoped we would get here sooner but we now need to get away from here as soon as possible in order to get away from those following us. She says that she is working on a way to do that by shifting planes. In the meantime she will arrange for us to get us food & drink and healing. She then leads us into one of the temple buildings. The Tanuki is sitting to one side together with a couple of robed monks.

When we ask for more information she does say that there are six chasers and yet there are seven of us. She informs us that we need to get the six followers to encounter us one at a time so that those not in immediate danger can handle the follower (the one being chased will be unable to help). She says that hand-to-hand should work, maybe?

After a discussion Kitsune does offer us one weapon from the temple's armoury. We choose:

Tremen and Shadow

Spiked Club

Tharbin

Will stick with Aikido

Spooky, Wakiya and Nameraka

Will stick with Brawling

Ricky

Spear

Kitsune says that preparations are still under way; just waiting for a ship to us from the mainland.

After a couple of days we are summoned again and told we will leaving soon. About 12:30am we hear a crashing sound from outside and see a bright flash. A blue shockwave travels over the temple. We go outside and see that the main temple complex gate burst inwards and one of the creatures¹ can be seen through the smashed gates. It scans the scene and, on sighting Tharbin, it tries to enter the grounds of the temple which clearly has some kind of protection as it is unable to cross the threshold.

Tremen and Shadow charge across the shattered gate and attempt to attack the creature. Although they do manage to make their clubs connect with the creature they seem to have little effect on the creature². Ricky moves to place himself between Tharbin and the creature. Kitsune then passes by the reminder of the team and starts to form into her demi-human form while chanting. Tharbin is visibly shaken and the colour drains from his face.

As Tremen and Shadow continue to try to attack (or, at least, distract) the creature, it moves towards one of the doorposts. Wakiya senses that Tharbin is undergoing some form of shock and Spooky tries to find blanket to try to treat the shock.

Kitsune finishes her chant and looks directly at Tremen and Shadow. Get Inside. Now they both hear even though Kitsune is not speaking. In response they return to Tharbin and Kitsune puts a hand on Ricky's shoulder to encourage him to also return to Tharbin. Spooky locates a blanket from within the temple building, returns to Tharbin and wraps him in it.

A view of the approach to the temple complex after the attack by the creature

Kitsune now backs away from the gateway as the creature reaches the gatepost. It briefly disappears and the appears on the temple side of the gatepost within the temple complex's magical barrier.

Kitsune whispers I wish I had more time and a purple cylindrical light washes upwards over us. Ricky is completely disoriented by the effect as is Tharbin while Tremen and Wakiya are somewhat affected (Shadow, Nameraka and Spooky are unaffected).

When we can see again we're in a wooden room. It is smallish with bunk beds together with a couple of posts from which hammocks could be hung. There is a single door, table and cupboard in the room.

Nameraka tries to open the door but finds that it must either be locked or bolted from the outside. Time passes....

Tremen hears footsteps outside of the door - a metal bolt is thrown and stood in the doorway is a figure with a black hooded cloak. While he notices the state of the room (We've been unable to clean up the mess that Ricky's disorientation has caused), Ricky & Tharbin notice a hoof from under the cloak. The figure welcomes us onboard. He asks us not to go below this deck or disturb the crew, but we are welcome to leave the room and to go topside. He expects the journey will take two or three days of travel. He then leaves, leaving the door open. Ricky notices that the room was dampening the sounds from outside. He can hear a rhythmic sound as if of wood on metal and the sound of movement through water³.

A 'view' of the vessel - the oars are missing but does suggest that the party is perhaps less tidy than perhaps they should have been!

Nameraka heads towards topside to find a mop while Shadow heads towards topside just to get some fresh air. Our room is in the centre of a long corridor and the sounds of wood on metal appear to be coming from the centre of the ship.

Most of the party also heads to the top deck. Once there and looking over the side they can see and hear thirty oars propelling the ship through the water. The top deck is lit by torches spread around the deck. The ship does not have a mast but does have a ship's wheel, at which is the figure that welcomed us aboard, but there is no else on the top deck. The sky is almost black with no stars visible.

As Nameraka didn't find a mop on his way to the top deck, Tremen decides to explore the deck that includes our room. There are several other doors on the corridors of the deck. Checking those doors reveals rooms very similar to the one we arrived in - including the fact that they are empty of inhabitants. On opening the door to one room in the centre of the deck Tremen is hit by an horrendous smell that causes him to slam that particular door closed again without him getting so much as a glance within.

On the top deck Ricky sees that the oars are rhythmic but not mechanical and that the ship is going at a reasonable rate. Possibly inspired by the rhythm of the ears, Ricky takes out his flute and makes a reasonable good tune.

Spooky feels that the ship is somewhat similar to a Roman or Greek galley of antiquity (although those would have used paddle rudders rather than something controlled by a ship's wheel). However there is no sound of drummers to time a set of rowers nor any sound of whips or similar mistreatments - also the rhythm of the oars shows that the rowers cannot be amateurs.

When we return to the room it has been cleaned and there is food available. After two days the figure appears again and says We've arrived.