Ric's Game

Harry, this is from the game you started with me at UberCon on Sunday. Here's my sheet:

Eric Michael (You know my last name)
A.K.A.
Ric to friends
Neo Zero on the internet or in video games

Attributes:
1@4 Charisma
1@5 Stamina
1@6 Agility
1@6 Hand/Eye
2@2 Intellect
1@10 Intuition
2@2 Education Level
1@8 Will Power

Weaknesses:
Overweight
Extremely near-sighted
Moderately Xenophobic
Minor "outdoor" allergies
Minor fear / major dislike of dogs
Impatience with people

Physical Description:
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 250lbs.
Current Hair Style: Short
Hair Color: Dark Brown/Black
Age: 24
Eye Color: Dark Brown
Facial Hair: Mutton Chops w/ full beard
Markings: .5"x1" burn scar on right forearm

Skills:
2@5 Electronics Package - T10@6
2@1 Research - M0@1
1@10 Religion (Eclectic, A Priori) - M1@0 - Anarch Aligned

Equipment:
Dark grey long sleeve cotton thermal shirt w/ light grey sleeves
Durable black jeans
Durable black leather belt
Average worth analog-digital combo watch w/ metal clasp band
Lanyard of house keys, can opener, bottle opener, assorted keychains and store cards
Cell phone/mp3 player
Leather wallet:
-$8 in singles
-Eyeglass cleaning cloth
-4 credit/debit cards
-Library card
-Social Security card
-5 Store Cards
-10 Business cards
-55 cents: 2 quarters and a nickel
Comfortable white running sneakers, w/ red and black highlights
Pair or white athletic socks
Pair of grey boxer-briefs
High Capacity Backpack:
-50 ft. of Clothesline rope
-2 rolls of 50 yd. Duct Tape
-1 Flint and Striker kit
-1 Well Crafted polished chrome windproof wick lighter
-2 bottles lighter fuel for the lighter
-2 screwdrivers, 1 Phillip's head and 1 flat head
Durable padded laptop case w/ shoulder sling:
-12" relatively current laptop
-Charger cord for laptop
-6 USB Thumb Drives - 2 512 MB, 2 1 GB, 1 2 GB, and 1 4 GB
-3 regular wood pencils
-2 black ink ball point pens
-1 black Permanent Felt Tip Marker
10" Boot Knife
2 pocket Jackknives

So far, I was in New Jersey when I was exposed to Scriff and killed. I awoke on a deserted island, with my things strewn about the beach. I eventually met my old friend Harry, who admitted he had not gone by that name in almost 300 years, who told me about the Multiverse and what has happened to me. After said exposition, it was obvious that the island was going to be devastated by the volcano that would shortly erupt, and Harry, who said he'd made peace with dying per se, was not phased by the ordeal. I, on the other hand, was not looking forward to a lava bath, so I asked if Harry would kill me and spare me the memories of magma flaying the flesh from my bones. He declined, telling me that it would be a learning experience. However, he did cast a numbing spell, as far as I could tell, and told me to make the most of it. Being a Verser would be a fantastic experience, and I would grow to love it, so Harry claimed.

Not willing to wait for my second death in less than a day, I climbed up towards the volcano in hopes that I could have a quicker, easier death. I managed to get to the top of the volcano and looked in. As the lava quickly rose, I gently slid my gear back down so it wouldn't get destroyed, then turned back to the lava, and let my body melt away.

I awoke this time in a muddy rice paddy. A stocky Asian man got me to my feet, asking if I was all right. Given my surroundings and the man's attire, I figured I landed in Feudal Japan. However, this rice farmer was obviously from the rural country, and would not know English. I understood him perfectly, and him me. I quickly ran up a small hill to claim my laptop, fired up the recording program, and when it played back what I said, it was my voice speaking Japanese perfectly. After dealing with the implications of this, I asked the man where the nearest town was, and went on my way.

On my way to town, I noticed two men on horseback in samurai armor. They were interrogating some old men, demanding that they turn over the outlaws that might be hiding in the town, or they will burn it down. The soldiers were very disrespectful.

Shortly after I arrived in town, the villagers noticed that I was an outsider, and peaceably detained me. I was told they would search through my gear, and reserve judgment for the elders. After looking over all my gear, I learned from my "guard" that the Daimyo of this region is demanding cruel amounts of tribute from the people, merely so he can wage war on other Daimyo. By this time, the elders arrived.

The three elders were a Large man, a Half Blind man with a Sword Scar, and a Holy man. I surprised them greatly by responding to them in the proper respectful manner to Japanese culture. They told me that I was a curiosity, as foreigners usually did not adapt well to the culture and I appeared quite flamboyant compared to them. They truly did not know what to make of me. They told me that it was up to the oldest elder, the Large man, to decide my fate, so the other two left the room.

The Large man told me that in this time, they were indeed being subjugated by the Daimyo, but there were people that rebelled against his controlled. Those of the underground resistance were called Ninja, and the fewer of them one knew, the safer it would be for anyone involved. He, however, was a Ninja some time ago.

That was about it, before we had to stop. I look forward to finding out what happens.

*EDIT*
I just realized, I'm not 6'12"... XD

This is Dark Honor Empire I take it. I designed the guns used by the Ninja and Samurai in this world.

Eric didn't mention it, but I want to make a note that the two Samurai he encountered were wearing uniform red-and-gold enameled armor and identical featureless white ceramic masks. This is a detail I added and I don't want to forget it, firstly because I thought it was a rather cool detail but also because it would be even cooler if it turns out to be useful later.

The Large elder has said his peace regarding Ninja, Samurai, and the Daimyo. He seems for the most part a grim-faced, serious man, and goes about his business in a grim, serious way.

Like the others, he is curious about your things. He takes the time to pick over what they took from you very carefully. He doesn't really know what to make of the Zippo or the duct tape. He opens one of the bottles of lighter fluid, sniffs it, wrinkles up his nose, and caps it again.

He leaves your knives for last. Laid out separately as they are, he sees them, and chooses to examine them last. When he draws your boot knife, he stares at it deeply, then sheaths it. Ultimately he keeps nothing from your things, leaving them all mostly in the same order the girl originally put them in. You will find that you have an easy time finding everything, and if you start at the outsides and work your way in, it all wears in more or less proper layers.

The elder comes back and faces you. "No man I know carries three knives and a coil of rope unless he is Working. Are you a fighter already?"

I reply to the elder, "Where I come from, fortune favors the prepared. The small knives are tools, as is the rope. The larger knife is to keep me safe. But as for fighting, no, I don't do much of it besides what little I can do with my fists. However, given this situation, I would not be opposed to learning."

I put the pocket knives in, well, my pockets, and clip the boot knife to my belt, rather than my ankle. "My native name is Eric, but you may call me Riku, as it will probably flow better in this language. I thank you for your civility, sir, and ask to live in this town until I can adapt better to this place. Of course, I will work wherever work is needed; I know of many things, and I am quite the fast learner to one who would teach. The decision is up to you and yours, sir." I end my statement with a bow of respect.

This is Dark Honor Empire I take it. I designed the guns used by the Ninja and Samurai in this world.

Well, first, I'm not certain that this actually is Dark Honor Empire, as Harry had started running his feudal Japan setting by his own notions and I handed him my printout of it for reference after he'd gotten a number of bits started. Second, though, since it is fairly evident that Harry is running the ancient, not the modern, version, there are no guns involved.

--M. J. Young

"Riku," he answers, "Yes, that does flow better."

The Large man contemplates for a minute, then says, "You are hardly a ninja, Riku, but we may be able to use you. Our blacksmith, Higashi, is getting old and has no surviving sons. Working his bellows will be good for your health, and he is a good man. He will teach you our ways, as well as a useful skill, if you will listen to what he says. I will warn you: Higashi is stronger than he looks, and has no patience for idiots. Ask questions, listen to his answers, and take care not to ask stupid questions."

He moves to the door and makes a sort of 'follow along' motion with both hands. He will give you time to get your things together before he leads the way.

The town is out there. At this hour of the day, the sun is beginning to set and the young men filtering back in from the fields. Children are out scooping fireflies in jars and frolicking in the waning daylight, while the housewives who chased them out of the kitchens prepare dinner. The smell of food is getting heavier in the air - mostly rice and fish.
As the shadows grow longer, you can make out the warm orange-yellow glow of the forge down at the end of the street, and even at this hour, the rhythmic sound of metal on metal mingles with the laughter and jests of those men ending their work.

"I am honored for the opportunity, sir. Let me get my things." I go over to the pile of my stuff, and start repacking my equipment. The wallet and keys go into the backpack. I refill the Zippo, which barely needed much to top off, then pocket the lighter and replace the fluid. As I put the fluid back, I notice the D&D 3.5 PHB that Harry gave me, realizing how it slipped my mind. I take the wallet back out, fish out one of the business cards, and write on the back, "Read 3.5 PHB. Critical?" I put the card in my pocket, and the wallet back in the bag.

Once I've re-gathered my things, I follow the elder outside. I ask him, "Sir, I don't mean to get ahead of myself, but where can I sleep tonight?"

The Elder says, "If Higashi decides to take you on as an apprentice, you will sleep in his shop, where any apprentice would. If he does not, you will sleep in my house, as a guest, until we find you work."

He will then lead the way to the blacksmith's shop.

If you choose to do something other than follow him, stop reading and let me know.

If you choose to follow him, he leads you down the path to the blacksmith's shop. While most people have stopped work for the night, Higashi is still going. He is shorter than the Elder and very broad-shouldered, with the heavy muscles characteristic of a blacksmith. His appearance is a bit distinctive: aside from his many scars, he's also the only person you've seen in this town with a shaved head. He is clanging away on what appears to be the blade of a sickle, the sound of his hammering so regular you could play a piano to it. The air is warmer here than outside, and the smell of the hot coals takes the moisture out of the air, too.

Higashi greets the pair of you with a bow. Though he says nothing, he gives you both a curious look.
Helpful as a sack of bricks at sea, the Elder simply nudges you forward.

As per Ric's request, here's a transcript of our AIM session from tonight.

Ric:
I bow to Higashi and say, "Good evening, Higashi-sama, my name is Riku. I am here to humbly request to work for you during my time in this town. I am eager to learn, and a quick study at that; and I hold no disdain for making a living by the strength of my back and the sweat of my brow. What do you say, Higashi-sama?"

Me:
At your use of the honorific, Higashi chuckles, but not in a nasty way, just, bemused. "Welcome to town, Riku-san. You do me too much honor." He takes the time to put his hammer down, wipe his hands on a towel. "You sound like one of the boys, gone off to one of the Daimyo's academies..." He frowns a bit, "Still, you look strong enough. You can sleep in the shop tonight, we'll put you to work in the morning. See if you learn quick." He looks from you to the Elder, then nods. "He would never bring you to me if you were an idiot.

Ric:
"Well, the way I figure it, better too much than not enough." I'm curious at the sickle he's currently working on, asking "Might I ask what metal you're using for that?"

Me:
He nods, agreeing with your assessment. Must be his way too - he did call you "san" even though he doesn't know you from a hole in the ground. At your question, he tilts up his head a bit. "Steel," he answers, "What else would you make a sickle out of?" It seems obvious enough - there's coal in his forge, indicating there's carbon in his iron.

Ric:
I kind of figured, it was either that or iron. There goes my big chance to drop a real head-scratcher on them. "I was just wondering. Where I'm from, there are many more different blends, but steel is the only one I know of that I can figure out without a book, and even then, there are different blends of steel for different purposes. But I guess I'll learn whatever you have to show me in time. Is there anything you need help with right now, Higashi-san?"

Me:
He shakes his head. "Not unless you also know how to cook."

Ric:
Ah ha. "I didn't get this size by fasting. What do you have?"

Me:
The elder smirks and leaves, seeing as you two are getting on fine. Higashi leads you into his house. He doesn't have much, being a poor blacksmith in a society where men don't cook, but he's got some things. Rice, fish, flour, a couple of types of oil, water, milk, some local spices, and so on.

Ric:
I start some rice in water to cook. "Do you have any miso paste? Figured it would go good with some rice and fish."

Me:
He hasn't, but he knows what you're talking about, just that he's out and hasn't bothered to stock up, because he doesn't really cook well himself.

Ric:
"Yeah, we really should get some. The protein helps build muscle, and helps you feel full. It's great work-food." I continue to mind the rice, and pick out some of his herbs to rub the fish down. Once seasoned, I put them to roast. "I never figured that with all the things I know, someone would find cooking valuable Eh, rewards of a disciplined life..."

Me:
Higashi nods and steps outside. He appears to be washing himself with a cloth out of a barrel outside the window. You can't see him but you can still talk. "There are many rewards to a disciplined life, that is why so many of us lead them." You can hear the smirk in his voice.

Ric:
I figure he's making fun of the fat guy who does women's work, but since he's now my boss AND landlord, I'm going to let that one slide and shut up about it. When both are done, I fix him a bed of rice, and lay the roasted fish over it. I hand him his bowl, then take mine. I wait for him to begin eating, as a courtesy.

Me:
He settles in, but doesn't eat right away. He clears his throat, and explains in a patient teacher sort of voice, "If I were your father, you would wait for me. You are a guest, cooking in my house. It is customary for you to eat first." He leaves it unsaid that this is to make sure the food isn't poisoned. Not that he seems to suspect you of poisoning him - he may not remember why that custom is what it is. You can't really tell why he insists on it other than that it is apparently custom.

Ric:
"Very well. Idatakimasu." I don my chopsticks and tear off a bite of fish, eating it. The spice blend tastes as I figured it would, and I chase it with some of the rice. I continue eating until the bowl is done, casually watching Higashi.

Me:
Once you start eating, he doesn't hesitate at all to follow. Healthy appetite, this one. That miso paste will do him good, it seems.

Ric:
When we're done, I take the dishes and look for a place to wash them. I'm actually at a loss here, it's one of those, "Yeah, you're not home anymore" moments.

Me:
There's not really a sink in here, but he points you toward a woven basket near the front door. Washing dishes is apparently a chore for the morning, when it's not dark enough to fall in the river doing it.

Ric:
I place the dishes in the basket and inquire, "So uh, now what? I'm sorry, but until I get the flow of this place down cold, I'm probably going to be asking that a lot."

Me:
Higashi nods. "You are not from here. It is natural that you do not know our ways. I usually have a drink, say a prayer, then sleep. Some of the younger men gather at one another's houses, play music, gamble, but that is not /my/ way. Give it time, and they may include you."

Ric:
"No, your plan sounds about right. I'm not at the point in my life where I can afford to be frivolous. My arrival here required a real, how do I say, shift in my priorities. All I ask is that you show me where I can sleep."

Me:
He does. You've seen those Japanese beds - the flat ones that are just tatami mats with blankets spread over them. It's summer, so there's not much in the way of blankets, but a mat of woven bamboo is a step up from the ground. He sleeps in the house, you sleep in a loft in the shop. Thankfully, even at night, there are plenty of fireflies and not so many mosquitos.

Ric:
I thank him once again for his kindness, and let him leave. I sit down with my bag and take out the 3.5 PHB and start flipping though it, looking for something that will catch my attention. I've seen this book so many times, I can't wrap my head around the idea that it might be useful for something besides running a game.

Me:
You realize one thing about Feudal Japan pretty quickly once Higashi walks away: without a lantern, it's f'ing /dark/. You might be able to read by the moonlight for about twenty minutes before it starts giving you a headache, and that happens long before you might glean any insight from this book.

Ric:
I take out the business card and jot down under my first note, "Get lamp for room. CRITICAL." I put the book away, and take out the stick that Harry handed to me back on the island. He jammed it into solid rock and pulled it out clean, without wrecking the stick at all. He said it was easy, once I knew how. I figure that Versing must expand one's horizons in ways previously thought to be fantasy. I hold the stick down to the tatami in a stabbing motion, holding it there. I make a meager attempt, trying to visualize the fiber's molecules parting to make way for the stick and push, hoping for something besides a stabbed bed pad.

Me:
All you get is a bed pad with a stick in it, and a room that's getting a little darker.

Ric:
What the hell, worth a shot. Anything's possible. I crash for the night. (Request to fast forward the housekeeping stuff until something actually happens. Assume that I do nothing to make any big waves unless I can solve a problem or something of the sort.)

Me:
I think this is enough to condense for one night.

You work as a blacksmith.

It's your job to keep the forge burning at night. The downside is, this is kindof a pain in the backside, as it burns rather hot, and thus burns rather fast, so you sleep in four-hour blocks with a few minutes of shoveling and pumping in the middle. The upside is that you always have a warm place to sleep. Even though it's not exactly the dead of winter, the draft in the loft would be a lot more obnoxious without the forge fire keeping the place warm, so there's that. He also gets in the foodstuffs you wanted, including a sufficient supply of miso paste to satisfy your needs.

Over the course of your first month, Higashi introduces you to the basics of blacksmithing. How to keep and work a forge. How to choose the right tools for the job. He starts you off forging basic things - nails, mostly - and working with scrap iron he intends to melt down anyway. That is to say, that he intends to make YOU melt down. Melting steel in a crucible is another one of those pain in the backside things that you, as an apprentice, are more or less required to do. The upside to this one is that making bar stock isn't exactly hard, and he has the moulds for it already cut, so melting the steel is the only hard part.

After a month you've gotten significantly better at blacksmithing, enough so that Higashi lets you take over some of the simpler, more repetitive tasks entirely. You forge a lot of nails. He even begins to pay you. It's not much, but its coins of your own in your pocket, and as satisfying as that might be.

During your second month in town, a man rides into town at night, long after the other shops have turned in, but just as you and Higashi are turning in. He rides up to the shop and falls from his horse, slumped and not moving. He is dressed in the clothes of a peasant, with an empty scabbard tucked through his belt and tied. Three arrows are pierced through his body, one so deeply through his shoulder that the tip is visible out the other side.

I take out my boot knife and cut off the external parts of the arrows, leaving the wounds plugged with the rest. With one hand, I put pressure above the closest arrow to his heart, and feel for his pulse with the other. While doing this, I say, "Sensei, please bring me a roll of my duct tape from my bag. It's round, silver, and about this big." I size up the tape with my hands. "I know what I'm doing, I might be able to save his life, but time is of the essence."

Higashi nods and brings you the duct tape. For his own part, he begins gathering shreds of cloth - not too terribly clean, but better than nothing. Between the two of you, you're able to stop his bleeding before too long. You can't tell if he has a pulse - whether you're doing it wrong or it's just too weak to tell, there's no way to know - but he does appear to be breathing, so he's obviously not dead, but he's nowhere near conscious either.

Once he is stable, Higashi says, "Go to the Elder's house." He tells you to get the Holy Man and the Elder's wives, saying that he will sit with this man until you return. While he waits for you to go, he takes a few long, thin bits of bar stock and lays them over the coals, letting them heat slowly.

I empty my laptop bag into my backpack, take the man's scabbard, and put it in the bag. "I get the feeling that there's a reason this is empty. If they ask for it, I'll show them, but I'd want a private meeting to discuss the sheath." I grab a lantern on my way out, light it, and make my way to the Elder's house.

When I arrive, I look for one of the people I should be talking to in this situation, explain to them what happened, and urge them to come with me.

You look around, but find no one outside. The front door is usually bolted at night - though the town is fairly friendly and trustworthy, one can never be too careful with the Daimyo's goons out and about. There is a rope outside that serves as a kind of doorbell. Pulling it raises a godawful racket inside the house.

It takes several long minutes before the Elder's wife - the burly woman with the laundry hook - emerges at the door, brandishing her laundry hook through the haze of sleep.

It takes several more minutes to explain to her just what's going on. (I presume this is where your backpack full of stuff comes into play - feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.)
Her eyes bolt open and she scampers back inside.
It's fairly quickly thereafter that the Large elder emerges, wearing a kimono in nothing resembling formality. (His name, you know, is Kaidou and almost everyone uses -sensai or -sama for him.) Such is his haste that he precedes you down the street, barefoot in the dark. He is quite fast.

You return to find Kaidou-sama kneeling at the fallen man's head, Higashi beside him, both of them focused on the man before them. Just as you arrive in the entrance, Higashi reaches out his left hand and closes the man's eyes. The two old men kneel quietly for a moment, then Kaidou rises and departs, eyes cast down, his gesture of parting to you a barely perceptible nod.

Once he has gone, Higashi comes to you. "Put on tea, and brew it strong," he says, "Tonight we must work. I will wash him. It is the easier of the tasks we must do for him, but yours is not less important. You will spend the night forging a knife..." He goes on to describe this in some detail, and it does indeed seem like the work of an entire night, but no longer than that - it is for ritual, not for combat, so does not need the intricate purifying folding of the steel that would make a "real" knife the work of plural days. A knife to fend off the restless dead of the next world.

As for your private meeting about the scabbard, he promises to answer all of your questions tomorrow night, after this man's funeral.

(I meant that I made room in the laptop bag for the scabbard, leaving the rest behind. If the laptop bag isn't big enough, then I'd dump the backpack and use that. If neither fit, then I'd tape some old laundry around the scabbard and take it like a tool. I want to control who sees this thing for what it is exactly.)

When strong tea is requested, strong tea is brewed. I go about making the knife as instructed. I try not to disturb Higashi, as he is obviously the acting mortician, unless I'm totally, completely, utterly lost on what to do next. If/when it is complete, I present it to Higashi, saying, "Sensei, it is done. What will we do now?"

The tea helps the two of you stay awake while you work. Even brewed so strong you feel like you could take the corrosion off coins with it, it's still tasty.

The work is hard, hot, and lonely. You realize this is the biggest project you've ever done without Higashi-sensai looking over your shoulder.

After about two hours, he is done, and joins you at the forge. His hands tremble and his eyes seem watery, as though the fatigue of an interrupted night is weighing on him much more than he is letting on. He voices no complaint, and watches you work silently, sipping his tea in slow, small sips.

You finish the blade with sunlight on the horizon, and Higashi assists you in putting on the furniture - plain wood, leather, and nails. Then he puts the knife in the dead man's hands.

The next day is going to be a long one, filled with meetings and the goings-on of the funeral. Higashi says you are not required to attend most of it, but if you can stay awake they won't turn you away either.

I swore I'd never do this again, but this calls for drastic measures. I will need all the "awake" I can get, and I've only lost one night of sleep, so I'm going to push it. I take some unprepared tea, a small portion of miso paste, some uncooked rice, and drinking water to chase each part down. I'm going to bootleg me a Powerbar. It will taste god awful, but the caffeine in the raw leaves will be higher if I chew them like shredded tobacco. The miso paste will provide some protein, and I've never minded crunching on raw rice; the grain and starch will provide carbohydrates. I will drop the Deuce of Doom when this makes it past my colon, but I get the feeling I'm going to need a cram session.

I tell Higashi before I gather these, "Sensei, I'll need some time to, uh, reflect on recent events. If I'm needed, I'll be in the loft. I hope the knife was satisfactory, and serves this man well."

It's daylight, so I'm assuming I can read by it. That damned PHB has never left my mind, this whole month; I haven't had the chance to try reading it. I take out the book and the stick Harry gave me and flip to the contents. The first nine chapters are game mechanic, so I'm assuming there's not much there for me. I don't need to know how a rogue can sneak attack someone's kidney, I need something only this book can do for me right now. Chapter ten is Magic. Jackpot.

I'll admit, maybe jamming a stick into the floor might have been a bit over my head, or a lot, or even unfathomable; but what I'm seeing here in the book is a ranking system. To make this list, there was a bunch of people who agreed that certain effects are low level, easy, and simple. I browse the level 0 spells for something with an obvious success effect... Ahh, LIGHT.

According to this book, any jackass with even a smidgeon of magic ability can do this at least once a day. I'm going to hold up the stick, and focus all my thoughts on illumination. Spotlights, bonfires, lighthouses, flashlights, torches, matches, even LEDs... Even man's first venture into science was fire: the most primal way to triumph over the dark. Bloody CAVEMEN knew this was a good first step, and I've got a lot more going for me than a caveman.

I will be trying to make this happen until either:
a. Higashi says I'm needed somewhere
b. I pass out, have an orifice explode in blood, pop an aneurysm, etc. (Not bathroom functions. I don't care if I chafe for a week, I won't let a turd interrupt this)
c. It works

You spend three seconds focusing on your stick.

Amazingly, you feel a surge. Power flows through you! It's like a river of burning ice coursing through your fingers, wrapping around the stick. For a moment you can almost see the power of your focused will coalescing around the bamboo spike.

Then all is darkness. You're not dead. You're still sitting, somewhat comfortably in your room, holding a stick, only, it's completely sodding dark, as if you were reading and the power went out. Only, a few seconds later your eyes don't adjust, and it's still completely dark, and you're still holding the stick.

Well now, that's... interesting. I try some minor experiments with the stick. I wave it around. Crawl to the edge of the room, put it down, and crawl to the opposite side. Go back, fetch it, and try zipping it in my laptop bag.

If the darkness goes away during any of that, I see what my Zippo's light does to the darkness.

If nothing I do affects the darkness, then I'm going to have to take drastic measures, as it's not going to be easy to explain this. I'll try to set the stick on fire and burn it away. Hopefully, if I destroy the target of the spell, it'll go away. One way or another, if I don't have complete control over this, I'm back to square one. I'll try again sometime when the consequences of failure will be easier to hide.

Should it work out, and I can null the spell, I'll clean myself up and head to the funeral.

Waving it around has no visible effect.
When you crawl to the edge of the room and put it down, you are able to crawl far enough away to get out of it. What you see is a clearly demarcated edge - like the skin of a bubble - beyond which all is darkness.
If you point yourself at the middle and crawl back in, you're able to find it again after a few seconds.
Zipping it up in your laptop bag squelches it, as if you had put a lantern in a bag. It even casts a cone of radiant darkness up out of the bag until you zip it up.
Lighting your Zippo in the bubble of darkness does nothing. You can feel the heat of the flame, but it does nothing to push back the darkness.

You can't null the spell directly, as far as you can tell, but hiding it in your laptop bag is good enough. After ten minutes, the bubble goes away, and the stick is just a stick once again.

I take out a clean business card and write on the back. "Tried 'light,' but got 'dark.' Exact opposite effect, same parameters as 'light.' Today's Experiment: limited success; MAGIC EXISTS!"

I tidy myself up a bit, shave off some stubble from the edge of my beardline, comb my hair with my hands, then head off to the funeral. Have I got some things to tell the Holy Man elder, and that'd be my best bet of finding him.

As you expect, the Holy Man is indeed the one conducting the funeral. For a moment you can't understand a word he's saying, then you realize why: when he's conducting the Buddhist-style funeral blessings, he's saying them in Chinese. Ah, well.

It's easy enough to find Higashi among the people - he's not really among the people, and people who skirt the edges of crowds are easily enough discovered. He greets you with a nod, and shows you where and how to sit. Naturally, it's one of those wonderfully Japanese poses that looks elegant but hurts if you're not used to it.

The actual funeral service is relatively short, taking only about half the morning over the course of what seem to be two different rituals, with a further memorial dinner to be held later on tonight. Only the Holy Man and the dead man's immediate family will stay for his cremation, as that is the custom. It appears this man's only family is a younger sister - a girl of about sixteen. Though she keeps up a proper face through the whole thing, she also trembles and rarely looks anyone in the eye.

As the Holy Man and the dead man's sister prepare the funeral pyre, everyone else begins to filter away. Kaidou and the other elders seem to be gathering, along with others of the men of the town, all headed for Kaidou's house. Higashi seems content to return to his own house and shop for an afternoon of light work.

I follow Higashi to the shop and say, "Sensei, I'm going to see if I can talk with Kaidou-sama and the Holy Man, I'm feeling very uncomfortable being out of the loop on this one, especially given my situation. I don't know how my being different is going to affect what's going on, but I intend on finding out." I go into my room, put the scabbard and The Stick (In my mind, it has achieved proper noun status) in my laptop bag, and start to head out.

"I've been thinking about this for a while now, not just with that poor man out there, but everything. It all boils down to: I have to know more, because it might be time for me to leave this place."

Unless Higashi has something to add, I bow respectfully and leave for Kaidou's house.

Transcript of 11/11 -

Me: So we left off with you talking to Higashi.

Ric: Yeah, i was on my way out of the shop, unless he had something to say back.

Me: He does.

Me: "Now, is not the time, Riku," he says. He goes on, "The elders are having a meeting, and unless you feel you have something very significant to add, it is probably wise to leave them alone, at least until dinner."

Ric: "Fair enough, I'll wait. But I think it's time I told you a little about where I'm from. I get the feeling that this is a very dangerous time, and I owe you this much for taking me in and teaching me what you know. Take a wild guess where you think I'm from, anywhere."

Me: He frowns a bit, and thinks. "You are not Japanese. You are from the West, one of those strange foreigners who keep turning up in China."

Ric: "You're half right. I am, indeed, from the west. But, the west maybe about 6-700 years from now. And I died there. Twice."

Me: He tilts his head, not really seeming to understand.

Ric: "Is it that hard to believe? You saw my knives, they are made of a steel alloy that uses ore no one has ever seen before. They don't rust. They've harnessed the very lightning of the sky and use it to fuel things. Let me show you." I bring out my laptop and turn it on. It lights up, I log in, and show him maybe 3 seconds of samurai anime before the battery dies, by my math anyhow.

Ric: "This is why I need to talk to the elders as soon as I can. When I got here, the Daimyo's soldiers were threatening them, believing they were housing fugitives. If they get one look at me, it's game over for this town. They would burn it down in a heartbeat for defiance.

Ric: "I mean, they've ALREADY started shooting people..." I gesture outside in the general direction of the funeral.

Me: He nods, slowly. "You are perhaps correct. The Daimyo's men would not be pleased to find a foreigner here, but they have more significant concerns. I beg you, do not interrupt the elders with this until dinner..."

Ric: "I told you I'd wait, but I figured if I told you, you'd be the best judge of what to do with the knowledge. Disciplined practical men are somewhat rare where I come from, and I have to admit, I had half-figured you would kick me out if I showed you this much."

Me: He shakes his head. "I am, as you said, both disciplined and practical. As much as I do not wish to anger the elders, I do not wish to waste one such as yourself, either. I believe there is much you and we could learn from each other."

Ric: "Believe me, I'm hoping I can learn from this. If even a fraction of what's gone through my head means anything, I'll need to learn all I can." I look out the door one last time, just paranoid, and continue work around the shop until the dinner.

Me: The day goes along smoothly. After lunch Higashi insist on a brief catnap. That, combined with your pick-me-up juice from the morning, will see you through to dinner. Most of the day is spent, like most days, fixing and sharpening tools and making nails and fittings.

Ric: I can't really sit still and work 100% in times like this. I can be patient for a days, weeks, or even months, but half a day is murder. Any chance I get, I'm looking outside.

Me: Alright, so you make a lot of crooked nails and before lunch Higashi thumps you on the head with a folded-up fan. It strikes you as almost comically something out of an anime, but, eh. Nonetheless, you make it through to dinner without setting yourself on fire or anything silly like that.

Ric: I look outside, again, to see if I can glean any indication of activity.

Me: Outside, it's mostly a calm day. About mid-afternoon, you spot the dead man's sister walking home. Other than that, people seem to have gone back to their daily routines. You even see Kaidou's wife outside doing some sort of yard work.

Ric: "Higashi, I think it's time I made my move. I'd really prefer if you could come with me; you're the only one here I know at all."

Me: "How can I help?" he asks, "I have no idea what you are planning, or even what is going on in your mind..."

Ric: "Trust me, it'll be more for me than anything. As much as I've been talking about it, I'm pretty scared. I'm not good with people; if I go in there alone, it will be a miracle if I can even complete a sentence. Especially since they'll be wondering what's so damn important that I had to go bother them."

Me: He nods, slowly. "Alright. It is late enough, and they would soon be finished anyway. If we must go, remember to bring the sheath I know you took. The elders will be wanting it back."

Ric: "Of course." I bring the bag with The Stick and the sheath, and we go to Kaidou's house.

Me: When you arrive, you'll have to go through that business with the rope doorbell again, but eventually someone comes to greet you. It's one of the men of the town - someone you know in passing.

Ric: "Hello, good evening. I need to speak with Kaidou-sama."

Me: He looks from you to Higashi. Higashi nods. The other man says, "Right this way." Higashi takes off his shoes at the door.

Ric: I do as well, and follow the man.

Me: : Inside, you see Kaidou and the other two elders - the Holy Man and the Other Elder - along with some of the other men of the town sitting around a table. They're sipping tea, naturally. They all look up quietly as you enter.

Ric: I bow respectfully. "Good evening Kaidou-sama and everyone. I'm sorry for the interruption, but I have something important to discuss with the elders."

Me: Kaidou nods. "The floor is yours, then..." (Again, he addresses you by name and honorific.)

Ric: I take a deep breath, and let out a big sigh. "All right. Well, the big concern is this. The man who we buried today had it when he arrived last night. Everyone else sees significance in this, and I want to know why that is. I know it might not be my place to ask, but I'm starting to think that my being here is putting the village in danger" I take out the scabbard, and offer it to Kaidou.

Me: Kaidou looks around to the others, then waves a hand. One of the younger men rises and escorts Higashi out. Once the door slides shut, Kaidou explains, "That sheath belongs to a ninja's katana. The man who was killed was one of us." He accepts it from you. "It is always sad to lose one of our own, but good that this was recovered. You see, it is customary that a ninja does not return home without his sword." This is similar to the Greek custom of 'with your shield, or on it'. "But his successor - the one trained to replace him - will have to fill this sheath as well."

Ric: "This sounds like a sensitive topic. I'm sorry for having pushed it on you. The main reason I'm concerned is what I heard the Daimyo's soldiers saying the day I arrived here. They said that if they ever found out that anyone here was hiding fugitives, they would burn the village down. As much as I try to blend in, I know I don't 'hide' well, and I'd hate to find out that your trust in me harms this village in any way."

Me: Kaidou shakes his head. "Foreigners are rare in our land. You are hardly considered a fugitive just because you are foreign, but you ARE a curiosity. You are IN danger, regardless, but you ARE a danger to no one but yourself." He rises and walks over to you. Turning his hand a bit, he offers the scabbard back to you, looking you dead in the eye as he does. "We can teach you to protect yourself. And to protect others."

Ric: I take another deep breath, and reply, "Like I said on the day I met you, I am quite the fast learner to one who would teach. If you would have me, I would be grateful and honored."

Me: He nods. "You will have much to learn, but we can teach you."

Transcript of 11/13

Me: So we left you off with Kaidou handing you the scabbard, and offering to teach you to become a ninja. Do you want to do anything to start off?

Ric: Well, it was already getting late, and I had just accepted. I tell Kaidou, "I'll leave you to your business. Please come get me when it's time to start. The forge has made me into a lighter sleeper than ever before." I bow, and if he has nothing to say, leave.

Me: He returns your bow and allows you to leave.

Ric: When I step out of the room, is Higashi still around?

Me: No, but the light from down the way tells you he's probably still up.

Ric: OK, I go into the shop, and if I don't see Higashi, drop my things in the loft and get ready to crash for the night.

Me: Higashi is working at the forge. More precisely, he's drinking something while metal heats in the forge.

Ric: I approach him and ask, "About what happened in there, do you want to know?"

Me: He shakes his head. "It is better that what was said, be for you."

Ric: "Just wanted to make sure. One thing, though. Because of what they said, there might be times when I'll have to leave the shop and, uh... do... things... I trust you'll be able to handle things without me?" I say that last part with a casual tone, like joking with a friend. The mood seems too... I don't know, thick and heavy.

Me: He nods, smiling in that slow, sage sort of way. "I will manage, somehow," he quips back.

Ric: "Great." (Question, how late is it?)

Me: (Past sunset. Remember you didn't meet with them until after dinner, so it's late evening now.)

Ric: (Question two: Did I ever get that lantern? I don't know how much money I've been getting paid, but if I had enough for one, it was considered a priority in my business-card-notes.)

Me: (It's not an oil lantern, but you have a candle in a lantern.)

Ric: (Is it reading quality?)

Me: (Unmodified, not really.)

Ric: (Enough to notice light, and not break my knees wandering around the shop at night?)

Me: (Exactly. But it is bigger than one candle requires, and you might have something shiny among your things...)

Ric: (No, the lantern shall suffice for now.) I motion toward the loft and say, "Higashi, if you need me for anything, you know where to find me."

Me: He nods and goes back to his bar-stock.

Ric: I head to the loft and put down my things. I take out my Zippo and The Stick. I've been gathering notes based on my last Experiment, and I'm going to try to build upon them. (I'll send you the modified Spell Creation sheet in a second.)

Me: You do your ritual, setting the stick on fire, snapping the lighter closed, saying your magic words. As you blow out the flame, it shimmers for a moment. The red flame turns blue, then purple, then washes outward. As it expands, it grows darker. As it washes over you, you feel neither fire nor heat, but you are surrounded in inky darkness. You can still smell the smoke of the burning stick before you, but even your lantern casts no light that you can see.

Ric: YES!

Ric: I try putting The Stick in the laptop bag, to see if it reacts like before.

Me: As before, the bag blocks the darkness as surely as is it were a torch.

Ric: I leave The Stick out and just marvel at the darkness. Once it finishes, I jot down the exact procedure on a fresh business card. I keep the card really close to the lantern so I can see what I write. If that's not enough light, I know the Zippo gives me enough light for just such a task.

Me: You marvel at the darkness for about nine minutes. In the tenth minute, if you're still holding it, you notice your fingers getting cold. Really F'ing cold. Cold enough that, unless you want me to roll Willpower, you will be forced to drop it. When the darkness fades - after the tenth minute - the Stick is completely gone, replaced with what appears to be a powder of fine ice. When it burns out, your latern's natural light prevails, and it is enough for a simple note.

Ric: Of course I'm dropping it, it'd be the same reflex as if a match was almost out. I write down the basic procedure on the back of the card, in pen. I stash the card in my wallet. I quietly mourn the passing of The Stick, who dutifully served it's purpose. I peek outside to see if Higashi turned in for the night.

Me: It is, in fact, the exact same reflex as letting go of a match. Alas, poor Stick, you knew him well. When you peek over the side, you still hear the rhythmic banging of Higashi's hammer.

Ric: I go out there and see if he has anything for me to do to pass the time. I don't want to have to tell him that I'm getting tired and want to sleep, not unless I almost set myself on fire.

Me: He chuckles and thanks you for the offer, but he's using the forge for a private project. He encourages you to get some rest.

Ric: Back to the loft, and finally time to turn in. That bootleg Powerbar wasn't engineered for crash-friendliness. Combined with the exertion from the magic, I'm surprised I haven't yet managed to set myself on fire somehow.

Ric: Draft be damned, it's sleepy time.

Me: Thud. Zzzzzz.

Me: When you wake up in the morning, it is daylight. The Forge still seems to be on night-time mode, though, and when you go to come down from the loft, there is something lying in front of your ladder.

Ric: What is?

Me: It's a cloth bundle, a bit less than a meter long, maybe fist thick or a bit less.

Ric: I open it.

Me: Inside is your scabbard. With a sword in it.

Ric: Oooh. I take it out and look at the blade.

Me: It's pattern-welded, with a pronounced hamon (forge spine). You can make out the swirls where two kinds of steel mingled. This is clearly a high-carbon steel, not stainless, and glistens with fresh oil.

Ric: I sheathe the blade, re-wrap it, and put it with my things, keeping it covered. I go back down and start preparing breakfast: Rice, Miso soup, and whatever fish or meat is handy.

Me: There's plenty of all of it. For the first time since you got here, Higashi is significantly later than you getting up, and seems grateful for breakfast. From the combination of his bloodshot eyes and the things he left lying around the kitchen, it seems he drank one of your essence-of-PowerBar cocktails last night. He looks damn near hung over, but doesn't let on.

Ric: I don't mention it. These people aren't ready for this kind of caffeine level yet. Imagine if they had enough coffee for Cafe con Leche, it'd kill them.

Ric: I do, however, say, "Thank you for the blade. It is an honor to have something so finely crafted."

Me: He nods, just once.

Ric: After breakfast, I continue work as usual unless something happens.

Me: After breakfast, something happens.

Me: The young guy who was there with Kaidou, the one who showed you in, he arrives at the shop. "Get ready. It is time to go."

Ric: I nod to him, then get to the loft. I put one roll of duct tape, one bottle of Ronsonol, the rope, and the jackknives in the laptop bag. The boot knife is on my belt. I take the bag and the bundle and go with the messenger. I tell Higashi, "They've sent for me. I'm going."

Me: Higashi offers you a very formal bow, and bids you farewell. He actually says it rather well, something about you having potential and being very brave, to risk your life this way.

Ric: I tell him, "Don't be surprised if all my stuff goes missing at once. If that happens, well, let's just say I'll have moved on to my next life. I'm on my third one right now." I say it with a casual tone that is meant to hide the truth in the statement. Unless he replies, I leave.

Me: Please make a note of what you are taking with you.

Ric: You mean, on my person?

Me: Yes.

Me: This young man leads you out back past Kaidou's house. There, Kaidou himself is sitting on a horse, with two more beside. "Do you know how to ride?" the young man asks.

Ric: (Now that I think of it, Higashi's words have a finality to them. I'd better take all the stuff. It packs well into the two bags. I leave him one of the pencils, saying that if it disappears, then I've moved on. Is that edit ok?)

Me: (Yes.)

Ric: "No, not really. Horses are a rarity where I come from, so I never got the chance to learn. I'm sure that if you just show me the basics, I'll be fine." I hope.

Me: Well, thankfully saddles and help make it easy. They stow your stuff in saddlebags, and you notice another gift: a Japanese longbow and quiver of arrows. Neither is conveniently placed for your reach, obviously intended more as cargo than armament.

Me: It doesn't take much for them to sit you on a horse and point you in a direction. You're no equestrian but you won't fall off either.

Ric: Sounds good. I go wherever they tell me to go.

Me: They lead you out of town, and not by any major road, either. You're going overland. The way isn't terrible, and your horse is a calm one. After about an hour, the young man spurs his horse and rides on ahead, opening some distance between himself and you two.

Ric: As long as they don't stop, I'm with them. I keep to whoever's pace is easier to keep with.

Me: Kaidou is clearly setting the pace for you. An hour and a half into the ride, he begins to explain, "We never train new recruits near towns. Your skills are not yet sharp, but the young tend to be impulsive. They know too well /how/ to fight, and not yet well enough /when/ to fight. It took us the loss of many young men to come to this decision."

Ric: "I trust you know how best to teach me. I've learned not to question an instructor unless I'm being taught philosophy."

Me: He smirks. "You will be taught philosophy. But it is best not to question him, either. Moreso than the others, he tends to take it personally."

Ric: "Duly noted."

Me: They lead you overland for a while. You stop for meals, for water, for rest. They seem to be keeping their pace slow since you're not an experienced rider.

Ric: I'm not arguing there.

Me: About mid-afternoon, Kaidou sits up straight in his saddle, listening for something. To you it's just the birds, but he motions for you to follow. He leads your horses into a copse of trees and dismounts, motioning for you to do the same.

Ric: I follow his lead.

Me: You see two men ride by, on heavy cavalry horses. They wear the red-and-gold enameled armor and featureless white masks of the Daimyo's Samurai.

Ric: I stay as quiet as possible, with everything I do. I observe them as they ride.

Me: They ride by without incident.

Ric: I wait for Kaidou's next move.

Me: He continues to wait, until they are long out of eyeshot. Only then does he coax your horses back onto the trail and help you mount up again. "Some of the samurai can hear the rustle of a bird's wing at bowshot length," he whispers, "and count the stripes on an enemy's fletching from just as far."

Ric: I nod, as I don't doubt this at all.

Me: After that, the day proceeds without incident. They set up camp, hidden and well off the trail. Small tents covered in a kind of rudimentary camouflage and no campfire.

Ric: What time is it, roughly, when we camp?

Me: Sunset

Ric: Right. I go with the flow, this is obviously their barbecue, and it smells good so far.

Me: They encourage you to get some rest. After all day in the saddle, gods know you need it. The two of them haggle for a few minutes. It comes down to a hand game, not exactly rock-paper-scissors but close enough, and it is decided that Kaidou will take the first watch. So the two tents go to you and the other young man, while the elder sits under a tree, eyes closed, his sword sheathed in his lap.

Ric: I sleep until I wake or am woken.

Me: They wake you in the morning. Time to do it all again. Back in the saddle for more riding. This time, they will encourage you to try your hand with the bow if you see anything worth loosing an arrow at.

Ric: "While riding?"

Me: "You can get your horse to stop if you feel more comfortable, but eventually you will learn it both ways."

Ric: "Let's stop first. No sense in running before walking." I stop the horse and look around for something suitable to shoot.

Me: Animals are too... moving. After a minute you see what looks like a rotten crabapple hanging from a tree.

Ric: Bingo. I pull out an arrow, aim for the crabapple, pull the string, and release, preparing for the inevitable snap back on the hand holding the bow. I'm fairly certain I'm just guessing when it comes to procedure, but the actual aiming I feel confident in. Years of FPS and the few times I've gone paintballing can't hurt.

Me: It's a glancing hit that takes a chunk out of the branch along with it, but you hit, and the snap-back you were bracing for is surprisingly light.

Transcript from last night:

Me: Ok. So we left off with you and Kaidou in the middle of the woods. You just shot a rotten crabapple off a tree, and earned yourself a 1@1 Use Longbow T 3@1 skill. Kaidou seems pleased.

Ric: "Well, what do you think?"

Me: "A good first shot. You must have a natural talent. Still, come, and let us continue on."

Ric: "Right then." I follow them.

Me: They continue to lead the way. As you ride along, Kaidou explains a bit about what they do. Part of what ninja learn to do is to blend in, not only with their scenery, but with their entire immediate surroundings. Not so much in the way of camouflage, as much as hiding themselves in plain sight. Ninja have no uniform. They have ways of recognizing each other that are kept carefully secret. Even the sword and bow you now carry are more identifiable than ninja generally like to be - those things are left home, and carefully hidden when you are not on a mission.

Ric: I figured that much. I'm glad I've taken to the custom of making sure people don't see the sword.

Me: He's glad of that, too. In fact, on the morning of your third day of riding, he'll even show you another way of wrapping it - one that makes it look like something inconspicuous, like a bedroll, while allowing you to draw the sword without unwrapping the scabbard.

Ric: If they keep filling the metaphorical buffet table, then I keep taking metaphorical plates.

Me: They do, and they don't. Most of what they teach you along the ride is small, specific things. How to hide your sword, for instance, and how to hide a tent. Specific applications rather than a general Camouflage or Holdout type of skill.

Ric: If they need to show me something, then I'm not going to doubt their reasons. Part of learning a skill set of this caliber is always mundane things that serve as basis for advanced things.

Me: The cool thing about what they show you along the way is that it's all practical stuff. It's not esoteric nonsense like "wax on, wax off" that doesn't make sense till you've been doing it for a hundred years, but stuff you see an immediate use for, and could probably duplicate after seeing it done a couple of times.

Ric: Mmm... Practicality... Feels good, man.

Ric: "How long do we ride until we arrive at the, uh, destination?"

Me: "Tomorrow, or the day after, depending upon the weather. We are beyond the normal patrol borders now."
All told, it takes you a week to reach the training grounds.
At first it doesn't look like much. Just a pass between two mountains. No proper buildings. No facilities. No big Japanese pagodas with colorful roofs. Then Kaidou makes this sort of twittering bird-call, and people start emerging from the rocks. Caves hidden in the shadows start spewing forth what seems like an entire traveling caravan.
The people you see represent every sort of person you've seen before. Young, old, skinny, fat, male, female. They could be literally anyone. The only thing they have in common is that each of them has something close at hand. This one carrying a laundry hook, that one carrying something that looks like a crowbar made out of laminate layers of bamboo, and so on. Kaidou steps up and introduces you as the man who brought so-and-so the dead man's scabbard home, who has agreed to be trained to stand in his place. Only then do the scattered assembly show a sign of their unity, as they all raise their improvised weapons in an identical salute.

Ric: I'm not going to assume their salute, as it seems as I'm in the midst of a rite of passage. I bow in response, figuring simpler is better.

Me: They all seem well pleased by that, Kaidou most of all. "You learn quickly, Riku. That will serve you well. Come, I will introduce you to some of our Masters." He leads you up the paths, into one of the caves. Some of the others stare after you, but their expressions are not distasteful, just that 'staring at the new guy' sort of way. He introduces you to three masters in turn.

Me: The first one he introduces you to is a man named Kenta, who is a veritable tower of a man. His pupils call themselves Raiders, and are the tanks of the group. They focus on combat. They're the most likely to engage the Samurai openly, and have a correspondingly low survival rate, but the things they do are things no one else can, and so they are also accorded great honor.
Me: The second one he tries to introduce you to, actually introduces himself to you first. He is a smaller, willowy man, who looks more like you would sort of expect a ninja to look. He is dressed all in wrappings of brown and grey that make him rather hard to pick out in the dimly-lit caverns. His disciples are called Assassins by others, and consider themselves the true Ninja. They fight the Samurai most often, and have the lowest mortality rate. While some consider them cowardly, no one would ever say it where they can hear.
Me: The third one is even more of a mindjob than a guy who could sneak past Kaidou. This time, he leads you into a chamber where three identical women sit in a triangle, meditating. When they notice you - and all three of them look at you together - Kaidou explains that one of these women, and even he is not sure who, is their master of spies and thieves. If you want to study under her, your first test is to properly pick which one is the real one.

Ric: I maintain the utmost courtesy and respect in the presence of each of the masters. I explain to them that I consider this a great honor.

Me: They thank you for saying so. Sort of. Kenta, the fighter master, says he is just doing what he was born to, and any man who pursues his true calling is worthy of respect, whatever his stage. Toru, the assassin master, explains that it IS a great honor, and only a fool would forget that - and he is glad to see you are no fool.

Me: Each of the three who claim to be Mayumi the spymistress answer differently. The one on your left giggles and finds your hanging on formality somewhat quaint, and says she could make much out of you. The one in the middle returns your bow and welcomes you as a friend - it is as much an honor to teach as it is to be taught. The one on the right says it is a charity to be brought this far, and an honor once you are allowed to stay - she hopes you are honorable.

Ric: The triplets are interesting, I'm taking mental notes on their kinds of replies. I'm not even going to try unless I have a few pages to go on. "I am eager to begin, when will we start?"

Me: Kaidou explains that new recruits sleep deepest in the caves. It's hot and a bit uncomfortable, but it's safe. You'll find the others are fairly willing to help you settle in. As a new recruit, you don't have to specialize yet. They expect you to be able to do a little bit of everything. Once they have a chance to see what you're good at and interested in - maybe next summer - then you can pick a Master to challenge for specialist training. Some ninja are truly jacks of all trades, but they are rare and tend to take a very long time training. Since the need for field agents is always close to desperate, they try to discourage that sort of thing.

Ric: If they're ushering me to the recruit quarters, then that's where I'm headed.

Me: They're not forcing you to go anywhere at this point, just saying you're welcome to settle in. You're also welcome to explore the caverns, if you feel like it, or even sit in on a class if you happen upon one.

Ric: I go drop most of my stuff off in the quarters. I keep with me the sword and boot knife. In my laptop bag, I put rope, the more-used roll of duct tape, a bottle of Ronsonol, and the screwdrivers. Once reequipped, I'll map out the caverns.

Me: Basically, they're going to put you through boot camp. You'll probably lose a lot of weight. They make you run, lift and carry weights, gymnastics, climbing, the works. And then you get to fight, when you're exhausted and distracted and already in pain, against someone better than you. It's meant to break you down, make you angry, and teach you to work through it. To fight through distraction. To fight your best even when you're at your worst. And you're out there every day, rain or shine. Even in the snow. There is a lake down the way where you bathe, swim, and so on. When it freezes over in the winter, you get to go out and fight on the ice, and they don't warn you where the thin spots are. Some of the more ruthless fighters test it by flinging defeated opponents around the ice until one of them breaks through and reveals a weak spot.

Me: About six months into your training - you've picked up things like Stealth, Balance, Rope Use, and a smattering of martial-arts skills - it's winter. Your rival - whose name is Oroku Tsuyoshi - is out on the ice. He favors the Samurai-length bokken, largely because he owns a Samurai-length katana he claims to have stolen himself. He is a dedicated Raider, and today he's fighting a girl named Sayuri. Sayuri is a quiet girl, who is in line to train to be an Assassin. She's not much for toe-to-toe fighting, but prefers the kinds of attacks assassins would - quick, direct, crippling. Needless to say, Tsuyoshi is slapping her around mercilessly.
Finally, he slides in and flicks his sword down onto her wrist. Her arm goes limp and she drops her weapon, a wooden sai. Pivoting about on one foot, Tsuyoshi drives a kick into her midriff that knocks the wind out of her and sends her sprawling backwards. When she hits the ice, she falls hard. And goes right through.

Ric: Do I have the stuff I mentioned in my laptop bag before?

Me: Yes. As well as 50' of ultra-light rope , a bokken in the length of your sword, winter clothes including a new pair of boots, those climbing-claw things on your palms, and if you bothered to study any throwing weapons, half a dozen shuriken.

Ric: Are there any other people around?

Me: Plenty. Some people seem like they're moving to help her, but they're leery of the cold water. Others are just staring - some in admiration, others in horror.

Ric: I take out the rope, tie one end around me tight, and toss it to one of the more, uh, positively-motivated spectators. I take off my glasses and toss them to someone else. I say to whoever catches the rope, "When I start tugging, help pull us up." I once I'm sure he understands my purpose, I dive in. Death by cold is a lot easier to deal with than fire, and I know I won't "die" die like she will.

Me: It's F'ing /cold/. Almost as soon as you hit the water, you start shivering. You figure you've got about two minutes before you start having trouble moving. Still, she hasn't gone far. The ice she hit was very thin, and shattered into bits rather than the really dangerous kind where it also plugs the hole. The real problem is that she was damn near unconscious and winded when she went under. You're able to get a hold of her, but by the time you do it's damned hard to get your fingers to stop shaking while you try to grab the rope.

Ric: I don't need fingers to tug the rope. I can do that as long as my arms still work.

Me: Gotcha.

Ric: To surface, I kick with my legs, hold her with one arm, and tug the rope with the other. I really hope someone up there starts pulling. Wet ice is a bitch to climb.

Me: They pull you up, falteringly as they try their damnedest not to fall in after you. Somehow being out in the air is a lot worse. It feels like being on fire, and you still can't stop shaking. Sayuri isn't breathing, and nobody is making any real effort to help her. Maybe CPR hasn't been invented yet, maybe nobody cares. You really haven't seen this sort of thing done before.

Ric: My certification hasn't been active since my 2nd year in High School Naval JROTC, but I know enough CPR to not look like a retard in this situation. I check for a pulse, and then start with the breathing and chest massage. In between, I shout, "God damn it, someone go get someone in charge, for f***'s sake!"

Me: Some of the younger ones scramble to do as you say. (In the meantime, lemme see about CPR - I'm curious where this falls as a skill.)

Ric: Actually, what I'm doing is called Artificial respiration, not CPR.

Me: Oh yeah. Either way it's Tech 1@1, apparently.

Ric: Ah, did someone say Tech bias? XD

Me: So, you're 1@5 (Average Amateur) with a Tech BRA of 2@2 and +10 for the world's 5@ bias level. I'm not slapping any sitmods on you because, well, this is the kind of situation AR is for. Treating her hypothermia will be a separate roll. So, all told, that gives you a 47% chance of success.

Me: At first, it doesn't seem to be working. You're on her for a full minute with no response. After two minutes, just as one of the junior trainers is scampering out onto the ice, she rolls over and coughs up a lungful of water all over your boots.

Ric: I shout up once she shows signs of life, "Get a fire going somewhere inside, and someone get me a bunch of blankets now!"

Me: The junior trainer seconds your orders, and when he says it people go running. You notice that Tsuyoshi has vanished in the meanwhile. Between the two of you, you and the junior trainer are able to pick her up. She's a small girl, but even a hundred pounds of deadweight is a lot, so a simple two-man carry is the way to go. He leads the way back into the caves, where the temperature is instantly worlds warmer. As the two of you start carrying her toward the kitchen - it's the warmest spot nearby, and MUCH closer than the forge - people start heaping blankets on her. No doubt it helps her, but it also makes her heavier to carry.

Ric: I tell the other man, "Be careful not to move her body too much, there's the issue with frostbite. The worst is over."

Me: He nods. Doesn't really seem to get the word "frostbite," but glosses over it to get your meaning - he's seen this kind of injury before. In the kitchen, it's easy to get her to warm up, but it still takes a while before she stops shivering and starts to breathe normally.

Ric: Once we set her down, I take one of the blankets, ball it up, and get it under her feet. I prop them up about 6 inches, to help prevent shock. Once she normalizes, I start gathering any spare blankets and wrap them around myself. The activity has kept my body temp higher than hers, but now that the adrenaline will start to wear off, I don't want to slip into hypothermia myself.

Me: It takes her about fifteen minutes to become what you would really call "normal." When you go to elevate her feet - if you take off her soaking wet boots, which you know would be a good idea - you notice that her toes are starting to regain their color.

Ric: The better she gets, the more concerned with my own well-being I become.

Me: As for you... You notice your own toes are bruised and more purple than pink, not regaining their normal color nearly as easily. Your fingers seem fine - all the work kept the blood flowing - but it seems you were kneeling on the ice in sodden shoes for just a bit too long.

Ric: I dry my feet as best I can, and wrap them up with as much as I can. Only time will tell how well they'll heal. Purple is worse than pink, but a damn sight better than black.

Me: After you've been in the kitchen about an hour - and been served copious amounts of tea, with a pot left for Sayuri should she wake - an old man comes in. You've seen him before - he often watches over some of the more dangerous practices. He moves slowly and walks with a cane. If you attempt to rise or bow, he waves you down with his free hand.

Ric: I know better than to try to stand on feet like these. My bow is done sitting, I can only hope he knows why I didn't genuflect proper.

Me: He seems to. When he reaches the two of you, he slowly lowers himself down onto his knees, sitting over his heels. He speaks quietly, probably an introduction, but you can't really make it out. He lays a hand on Sayuri's forehead, her cheeks, and then the middle of her chest, over the blankets. He nods contentedly. Again, he whispers, and touches your forehead, cheeks, and chest the same way. "You are badly hurt. The cold has taken a worse toll on you than it has on her. Please, sit still a few moments." He takes his cane into his lap, and unscrews the top. From inside, he pulls a few thin rolls of parchment, followed by a pen. Turning the bulb that was the top of his cane over, he unscrews an inner lid to reveal a thick black ink inside. He whispers prayers in Japanese as he paints three kanji on the scroll. After six months, you recognize "health," "courage," and "power." It takes him about ten minutes to do all three, and when he is done, he takes the scroll and lays it over your feet. The scroll itself glows with an inner light, as if on fire, then curls up at the edges, crinkles slowly inward, and dissolves into ashes. When he brushes the ashes away, your feet are completely healed.

Ric: "Thank you, Master."

Me: He nods, slowly. "You are most welcome. It is good to see someone who is still grateful for the old arts." He begins to put away his tools. The cap on the inkwell. The paintbrush under the tip of the cane. The paper in the hollow under the headpiece, then the headpiece screwed back on. "The gifts of the gods are so seldom appreciated in these dark times."

Ric: "I hope you do not consider this too bold, but do you think it possible that you might teach me something along the lines of what you just did there?" I say this quietly to him. "My mind is open, and this is not the first time I've seen such things."

Me: He smiles a wide but oddly sad smile. "I would not take you away from your more serious training. With my tricks you may save one life, or two. The things you learn out there may save us all, someday..."

Ric: "I look forward to the day I receive any of your wisdom, Master." I bow to conclude that statement. "More importantly, is she okay?"

The old man nods again.

"You have taken care of her well. She will be in your debt."

His tone drops a bit, more conspiratorially, "Sayuri tends to be very hard on herself, because she is so small. It will offend her if you try to go easy on her in repaying her debt."

With no small amount of effort, he rises to his feet, leaning heavily on his cane. Then he begins to make his way back out. When he gets about halfway there, he turns to look back. "Some of the more intellectual students find my study a comfortable place to spend their days off." He turns, and continues to leave.

I don't want to sound like a total bastard, but it's a relief that I won't have to patronize her if she mentions it. I will not approach her first about it, if she feels the need to say anything, that's all her.

Tsuyoshi will find out, soon enough, what happens to jackasses who cross me. I've got nothing else to do but learn things and scheme.

Unless something interrupts the schedule, I continue training as normal once I've recovered, and the moment I have any real time off, I'm taking up the old man's invitation.

In retrospect, I realize how critical it was to make sure my glasses were okay before or during any action I've seen, and I don't like it. The fact that I've got a rival that finds it acceptable to punt a defeated foe into sub-freezing waters isn't putting my mind at ease; so I figure my glasses are probably my biggest liability. Without them, I can only see well enough to not kill myself.

If the old man can't or won't cure my vision, maybe he can show me how I can do it myself. He sure did a bang-up job on my frostbitten feet, and I refuse to believe that restoring damaged tissue can be much different than restoring eye nerves and receptors. I've been looking for a supernatural ability teacher since I figured out the darkness spell; I'm not letting this go until I get some sort of result. Seeing the old man is my highest priority after any daily training.

Artificial respiration and CPR are both under 7@1 medical skill. You'll find the medical skills package under Special Tech Skills in the end of the Tech Skills chapter, pp140f.

--M

Thanks, Boss. I've actually found that page - it's just a little confusing because it's not where I thought to look for it at the time.

With a bit of effort, you're able to find the old man's study. It's stiflingly hot in here, even in the middle of winter. He has his own fireplace, with a chimney to the outside. The walls are thickly layered with tatami mats and tapestries, and the floor is likewise covered in thick, theoretically disposable flooring. All of this is marked about with kanji. You recognize a few symbols here and there. Half of the two side walls and all the back wall are covered in what would be bookcases, except that they are instead hexagonal honeycombs designed to hold scrolls. The lighting in here is better than you're used to. The old man seems to have a fair hand with mirrors, as the light of the fireplace and a few lanterns is bounced around to create a pleasantly bright light-density.

When you arrive, two of the older students are sitting in the middle of the floor. One is copying a scroll, while the other seems to be just reading. The old man himself is there, and he seems to be writing a new scroll. He looks up when you enter, neither welcoming nor hostile, more... observing, as though curious to see what you'll do now that you're here.

I approach the old man and bow. If he is sitting, I kneel before him. I say, "Master, I have a problem that no amount of discipline, willpower, or focus can fix. I come to you humbly asking if you might help me solve this problem, much like you helped me the other day after the incident on the ice.

"My problem is my eyes." I lean closer to whisper, I don't really want many people to know this next part. "After about my eleventh year, my sight has gotten worse over time. I've had to use these things to adapt to the problem, but my situation has changed." I wiggle my glasses to emphasize my point, "I can't make a new pair of these here, and they're quite fragile, hence they've become a liability; one that I can scarce afford.

"If you could help me solve this problem, I would be honored and grateful." I genuflect appropriately after I speak my piece.

He nods, very slowly. "There are ways, and ways, to solve your problem, young man. The hard way is to do as the ancient blind masters have done, and learn to see without your eyes. This way takes years, and years the young have in surplus.

You seek an easy way. A wave of my brush and a few ancient words, and your eyes are healed, yes? Hmm... It is not something to be undertaken lightly. What if you should meet someone whose power is more than mine, and he undo what I would have done? And even if you should not meet such a one, what will you have learned from that?"

He strokes the length of his beard. "Still, I would not be doing my duty if I did not offer some measure of healing. The potion to fix your eyes requires certain... ingredients."

He dictates a list to you:
1 cup of water that has never touched the ground
1 ounce of rice that has never seen the sun
4 leaves that have never been apart
3 tears from eyes that have never been sad

He gives you one of those cryptic-old-master smiles, and leaves you to figure it out.

OK, I'll bite. The first and last are easy: Rain and newborn tears. I don't know how you can grow a green vegetable without sun, and single leaves are always separate, or technically, never apart, because they're attached to the plant they grew on. Either way, my quest lies in foliage.

To my daily routines, I add the following tasks to be performed whenever I get time:

1. Obtain two water-suitable containers, one somewhat small, the other at least cup-sized. Make sure they can be stoppered and wax-sealed shut.
1a. Locate a baby.
1b. If above tasks are successful, get 1 cup rainwater and 3 tears of said infant.

2. Wander around to see how rice is grown here, and see if any of it grows in a riddle-ish kind of place, getting sun from a reflection, or bio-luminescent cave mold or bugs.
2a. If 2 months go by and I can't solve the above task, see how many mirrors I can get, and find the nearest place in the caves to my domicile that is always lit by a fire.)

3. Wander through indigenous plant life to get ideas on leaf structures. Just because the culture RESEMBLES feudal Japan doesn't mean I've gone back in time; there's no guarantee that plants will be 100% like the world back home.

I could SO totally smart@$$ him on the blind masters bit, but that won't do me any good. Still doesn't stop me from thinking it, then thinking that it's probably for the best that he tests to make sure I'm sharp before doing me a favor of this magnitude.

To reiterate, these tasks are for any time off I get. I don't want anyone to think I'm sifting through grass when I should be training.

The easiest to come by containers appropriate to your tasks are a tea-cup from the kitchens and a glass vial from the Old Man's study. Both are provided fairly readily.

The foliage is about what you would expect for a normal countryside. Grass dotted with colorful little flowers. Weeds growing everywhere that isn't tended. Past the lake - down past a dam that serves for irrigation, and to flood the whole thing come harvest time - are the rice paddies. Farther down past that is more water, what appears to be a secluded harbor. For one person, the fishing there is pretty good, but for the whole camp it's a bit sparse, so they don't fish it regularly, but people do go down there to catch the occasional snack.

Your training continues on schedule, being split up between Kenta the fighter-master's people, Toru the assassin-master's people, and various people who claim to serve Mayumi, fully half of whom increasingly seem like charlatans.

As for your rival, Oroku Tsuyoshi, he seems to be making a name for himself, and gathering a small posse. They address him as Tsuyoshi-sama with the same seriousness and reverence they show to the sensei. These people, as you may expect, are a rabble gathered almost entirely from the Raiders, most of whom show the same casual disregard for life that Oroku himself does (and he insists that everyone who does not call him Tsuyoshi-sama address him only by family name).

Sayuri awakens after a day, and by the end of the week insists on being allowed to pay her debt to you. Until you come up with some onerous duty to fully discharge what is essentially a life-debt, she does minor things for you like keeping your equipment in order and bringing you food. She addresses you respectfully with an honorific that seems like a period equivalent of "sempai."

(Quick note: I know I'm starting to slip into a, how do I say, ghetto patois. It's intentional. I understand that I'm going to start getting funny looks when they don't understand the translations of my slang, and I'm sort of counting on it.)

I think it's time I had a talk with Sayuri, first off. Bringing me food, ok, that's kind of cute. Sorting my stuff, starting to get that stalker vibe. Next time I see her, I lead her to somewhere where none of the STUDENTS will hear what's said. If the SpyMASTER wants to know, I doubt that I could hide it, being a student and all.

"I know you feel you owe me a debt. If fulfilling the debt brings you honor, then do it, but do it on my terms. First off, no more of the 'maid' act. It's a nice gesture, but it'll make me lazy, and you're better than that. You're going to do something for me that will require your unique talents, or it doesn't count. I saved you because when I die, something different happens with me than when anyone else here does. I've died two times before I came here, and I'm coming to terms with death. It doesn't matter if you don't understand, just hear me out.

"Now, I don't care for Tsuyoshi, and I doubt you give much of a s**t either, and neither do many of the people in this camp. As a matter of fact, I think it's only his little fan club he's got going there. But I've seen this act before, and I think that if we can organize the students, we can take that a**hole. But first, we need to take stock. Of everything. Step one in going to war is knowing your resources.

"What I need you to do is take count of the students. Find out who likes him, who hates him, who's scared of him. Then find out who he likes, he hates, and he's scared of. If you can't get that information, find someone who can. He treats people like s**t; he can't possibly have many who willingly follow him.

"When you're not training, I want you doing this for me. It will mean long days, but if you're sincere about this debt you owe me, then it matters not. You'll have your honor and you'll have a damn sight more dignity than just cleaning up my stuff. At the end of the day, that's what it's all about here, ain't it? Honor and dignity. Some punk b**ch shows up, thinking he's hot s**t because he's pretty good at fighting... I've dealt with it before, back in school. Twenty bucks says if brains were gas, he couldn't even f**t, he'll never see this coming, not if we pull it just right...

"Right then, you have your orders. Questions, comments, concerns?" If she doesn't have anything to ask, then I let her get to work. I've got to see the old man again, but this time, I'm gonna show HIM something freaky.

Sayuri listens intently. She seems to frown a bit when you put her off the maid routine, but brightens up considerably when you start giving proper directions. By the time you're done, her face is solid with resolve, and she nods her acceptance. If the weird Babelfish effect of this place missed any of your "ghetto patois" she doesn't show it.

Once you dismiss her, she is gone to do her thing.

Depending on what time of day you go, the old man is not guaranteed to be in his study. During the day he often wanders about, keeping an eye on the more dangerous classes, the more dangerous students, and generally lingering wherever he feels his medical skills may be most necessary. At night, he is often home, but not always. When he is not home, nothing actually locks his study - it's an open cave room just like everywhere else - but it's considered a breach of etiquette to go in, and nobody does it. After six months here, and fully ten days since you were introduced to the old man, you have never seen Tsuyoshi nor any of his followers there.

That's a good thing; it means I still have the advantage of intellect.

I go whenever I have free time, and if I don't get a hold of him the first time, I plot the approximate time of day that was, and try again later.

I think I've figured out a third part of the mixture: a four-leaf clover. I'm adding "clover hunting" to my free time activities.

By the way, did I ever find a baby? If not, then I'm going to be looking for a ready-to-plant or a recently planted potato. If I can't find one set of eyes that have never been sad, I'll try another. I really hope this is like a test of focus or something, and not anything alchemical, because it would really suck if the old man trusts me if I say I got all the things, then the potion blinds me.

I'm also going to see if I can get some lumber, a hammer, and some nails, because I think I'm going to have to GROW some bloody rice. I hope no one has to eat it, because the only light I'm going to have is fire, and that's gonna make some nasty rice. If I find the lumber, I'm going to build a window box planter; 2 ft across x 4 feet long x 1 ft deep. I'll put in a superfluous nail on each corner facing up so I'll have someplace to stick candles for light. I'm gonna fill it 4/5 with soil, then find some rice seed. I'll plant the rice in the pattern I've seen it growing in. I will light the candles at dawn and put them out at dusk. Plant need the day/night cycle.

I also want to see if there is any sort of chemistry lab here. I know that in "Earth History," gunpowder was doable, and a good lab should have the ingredients. I don't want to do anything there yet, I just want to confirm or deny it's possible existence.

To top it all off, I'm going to start gathering 10 sticks. Six to 12 inches long, about the width of my finger. If I'm going to show the old man a trick, I need something to do it on.

There are no babies here yet, but there is one pregnant woman. She's taking refuge among the Spies, and the old man visits her every week or so to make sure she's doing alright.

Four-leaf clovers are, well, sort of a matter of luck, but you do your level best.

There is plenty of rice around already - you might find some growing in a shady spot. Otherwise, it's fairly easy to find the stuff you need, and basic carpentry is hardly difficult. Your box is a bit lopsided, but it will do its thing.

There is not, in fact, a chemistry lab. The closest thing would be the old man's medical supplies.

The sticks are, quite literally, easy as dirt to find. In fact, plain bamboo or rattan sticks are more or less standard issue, and if you're just looking for wood scraps, the guys who make bokken have plenty to spare.

At this point, I would be spending my free time scouring the neighboring countryside for the plants I need. My previous ventures in rice and clover hunting have yielded nil, but that doesn't mean it's not there. I redouble my efforts in finding a four leaf clover and finding rice growing in a strangely dark area.

The sticks, if you're wondering, are materials for the darkness spell. It's time to freak out the squares, starting with the old man. I'll show him something that would make the old masters scratch their heads. If I play the game by Tsuyoshi's rules, I'll never win.

Rudimentary gunpowder is made from sulphur, coal, and saltpeter. Coal should be easy to find. Saltpeter can be made, given a few months and my ability to hide a bucket that reeks of urine, but sulphur... That's gonna be rough. Next time I'm around any farmers, I'll ask what they use as fertilizer.

I also continue my plotting of the old man's schedule. I'm bound to find him sooner or later, he can't vary his schedule indefinitely.

Finally, I await any intel that Sayuri has for me.