The Fallen Samuria of the Far East

[Kharn597]

An old monk with a long grey beard and a bald head sits at a table in Candle Keep lit by a single candle in the middle of the night. Other monks had already turned in for the night and he looks around to make sure no others were around. He sets up his inkwells and sharpens his quills knowing he will be here till the morning light. Before him is a large leather bounded book. He opens it to the first page which is blank and dips a quill into some ink and starts to write.

“The Fallen Samurai of the far East

Beware who read this book as those with weak minds may fall prey to the knowledge of the fallen warrior. This warrior was from the far distant eastern land of Kara-Tur, but through odd circumstances came to Faerun falling into service of one of the foulest gods of all time. Many can still remember the fear he brought across many lands, and from pieces of writings and people I have talked with, I was able to document entire tale of this man to help prevent others from falling.”

[Kharn597]

1347 Year of Bright Blade

“Is the sword hidden?” a large demon twice the height of a tall man barks to a small demon.

The demon, a size of a goblin, cowers as he stutters his reply, “Ye.. ye.. ye.. yes great master. We have put guards around it and hid it deep within the cave. The baatezu nor the tyrant will be able to find it.” The demon holds it hands above its head hoping not to be killed.

The demon has a wicked smile appear across its face. “We shall see the blood wars are won by us,” The demon states and then looks around the den of demons.

He remembers the past few weeks of the foolish wizard who summoned it. It stole a blade that had a devil trapped with in it by the cleric for the wizard to guard. He made sure to leave the realm of the west after finding symbols of Bane on the wizard fearing his wraith in the retrieval of the blade. Here he was going to work on creating a portal back to the Hells where he will return to hide the blade where the minions of Bane will not get it. The demon waved with a hand for the smaller ones to go away.

[Kharn597]

A man wearing black and green leathers was traveling through the forest near the mountains of his lord’s home. On his belt is a katana and in his hands is a bow. He had been skulking around the woods near here the past few days after reports form local towns of winged humanoid creatures attacking farms. He had never heard of such creatures before and they might be a threat to his lord’s realm. Heading toward the mountain where he saw the last reports said the creatures were flying.

A humanoid creature flying with bat wings was spotted in the distance. It appeared to be diving down. The man put his bow ahead of the creature and then shot. A loud crash and he ran quietly ahead to find out what the creature was sensing that is was not a creature of this world.

Approaching the creature, the man kept an eye out for any more monsters.

[Kharn597]

The doors slam open as guards try to hold a man back who is screaming at them. A number of men and women at the end of the hall sitting on the ground look up at the commotion. They are all wearing kimonos. “The lord must see what I have found as well as hear my news. It is of vital importance to protecting the realm,” screamed the man from the forest. Behind him he was dragging the dead body of the creature.

“You can just not charge in his lordships throne room,” says on of the guards.

“Back out into the hall, you have not been announced,” one guard screams as he prepares to hit the man with his kendo.

An old man with grey hair and beard in a blue kimono stood up and looked down the hall and then held up his hand. “Let the man enter. It sounds as if he has something to say that should be heard. Back to your post,” the old man commanded. The guards turned to the old man and bowed. They faced the lord as they returned to their guard posts.

The man picked up the creature placing it over his should and walked down the hall. He then placed it on the floor before the old man and bowed. “Lord Yamato, I present this mysterious creature to you. It and many other similar creatures have been terrorizing farms and villages around mount Nikko killing animals of the peasants and causing fear.”

Lord Yamato looked the creature over. It was maybe up a bit over the waist of a man in height. Its skin was a pale grey. Sprouting from its back was a pair of batwings. Its body otherwise appeared humanoid. Lord Yamato motions to a younger man who looked like a younger version of himself who was sitting next to a young woman who appeared pregnant. She was about to give birth any day now. He stood up and came to look over the beast alongside Lord Yamato. Standing above the chest, he knelt and stare at the creature’s face. The jaw had fanged teeth. The ears came to point. He then just concentrated on the creatures eyes staring deep into their black depths.

“Father, this creature seems to be made of pure evil,” he looks up at his father with a worried look as he tells his father what he feels.

Lord Yamato nodded and then stated “This creature appears to not be of this world. In some ways it reminds me of the shadow demons we have fought before. If there are more of these creatures though they will be a threat to the Yamato clan and the Lion nation.” He looked around the room and rests his palm on the hilt of his nodachi on his waist. “We must mount of the men of the villages to prepare to remove these creatures from our realm,” lord Yamato commanded.

The demon on the ground then begins to move its hand. It swiped one hand across face of Lord Yamato’s son leaving bloody scratch marks. Its head turned and faced the ranger upon which it pounced on the man clawing at his chest and face. A loud hiss came from the demon and it began to speak in a tongue unknown to them. In the flash light, Lord Yamato unsheathed his nodachi and quickly sliced the head of the demon off in one swipe. The demon’s body and head fell to the ground. The blood on the nodachi began to boil away while Lord Yamato sheathed the blade.

He looked around the room and said, “You all see the threat now.”

[Kharn597]

The son of the lord was standing with his arms out as a servant put his chest armor on. His wife was standing before him begging, “My lord, please do not go into battle. Your child will be born any day now,” she holds her large belly and rubbed it, “This child will need a father. Do not risk dying.”

He stared back at her with a blank emotionless face at her green eyes, “I am honored bounded to head into battle with my father to fight the demons. I must help lead the troops. You know the survival of my father’s small realm depends upon this.” He stroked her hair with his free hand.

“Is your honor and the clans honor more important then this child having a father?” she protested now grabbing his armor trying to shake him.

He put his arms down as his servant finished putting on his chest and arms kote armor. He shook his head and held her back, “My love, you have been with the clan long enough to know honor is everything as we follow the code of bushido. My child must be born into the world where the clan has great honor. The spirit of the blade and my ancestors will protect me in battle.” He kissed his wife and then stood up straight as his servant put on his shin guard armor protection and his waist armor. Another servant came forward carrying a tall yellow flag and a samurai helmet. He picked up his sheathed nodachi and tied it across his back.

She nodded and hugged her husband and then had help from a servant to sit back down. An older lady with grey hair in a kimono enters room, “My son is right you know. It will be hard on you but trust him.” She smiled at her daughter in law.

“I will return with great honors for the clan,” he proclaimed and then took his helmet from his servant and placed it on his head. He walked away in shining white samurai armor laced and outlined with gold.

[Kharn597]

The lord was upon his horse next to the horse his song is on. Their white the gold lace and outline of their armor shined in the sun’s light and their yellow flags on their backs waved in the wind, a jagged line looking like a mountain range with a half circle above it is drawn in black upon the flag on one side, the other side is few large oriental characters. The horses snort as the lord looks over the assembled troops to head out with him and his son, twenty sword and spear men along with five bow men. He looks at his son, “Let’s go remove this taint from the land my son,” he states about ready to have the force march off.

Within the gates, another samurai in white and gold armor comes prancing forward, “Father, do not leave me. I will bring honor to the clan,” female voices scream. The son quickly turns his head around at his sister fast approaching. She came riding on the horse stopping next to the lord looking at him. In her belt are the traditional wakizashi and katana as well as a long bow in her hand and two quivers of arrows on the horse.

The lord looked his daughter over and ordered, “Do as I command and protect the village. This will be too dangerous for you my daughter.”

“But father, if it is truly dangerous as you say, you will need me to aid you,” she said after she pulled down her samurai mask and looked at her father with her beautiful face. With a light tug on the reins, the lady slows her horse it tries speed up, keeping her eyes on her father.

The lord rubbed his beard, twirling the end as he thought. He has know this face of his daughter since she was a child, always be the rough one walking a thin line of what it is to be a samurai. He glances at his son see his cold stern face and the two nod at each other making an agreement. Looking forward towards the hills and mountains they were traveling to the lord spoke in a calm but commanding voice, “You may come, but you come at your own risk. You also must obey mine and your brothers every command that we may be coordinated. Do you understand?”

The daughter smiled briefly and then pulls back up her samurai mask. She rejoiced, “Thank you father and I will follow your commands as well as brother’s.” Her horse then fell back in the lines near the rear as she used the reins and then turned around and waved to her mother and sister-in-law who were still at the gates. The horse then reared as she said her goodbye carried away in the wind and she now trotted to the front of the line.

The lord’s wife and her daughter-in-law watched the assemble force disappear into the horizon, the yellow flags being the last signs they see. The lord’s wife spoke, “May the dragon spirit give them strength.” She then took her daughter-in-law’s hand and walked back into the village.