Hatate Quest

[Hello Purvis]

>"Do you feel like carrying it with you, or would you prefer to leave it back at home, first?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Do you feel like carrying it with you, or would you prefer to leave it back at home, first?"

>"Actually.... Ah, there it is." Momiji announces, after turning the weapon over in her hands. "Karen told me this thing has a number of tricks built into it. But about the only one she came out and told me about straight was this one." As Momiji concludes, the two blades glow with energy- the left blade orange, the right blade green- momentarily, and then both vanish, leaving only the handle in Momiji's hands.
>Juma whistles. "Neat trick."
>"And expensive, too." Momiji adds with a shake of his head. "I just don't get that man sometimes."

[Hanzo K.]

>Would our investigative talents be able to ferret out any other hidden features? Like say, the weapon separating at the handle to become two swords instead of one.

[Oldmansour]

>Would our investigative talents be able to ferret out any other hidden features? Like say, the weapon separating at the handle to become two swords instead of one.

>You do have a keen eye for spotting differences and discrepencies, that sort of thing. If the twinblade had some sort of mechanical feature or hidden switch, you think you could probably detect it with a closer look. If however the special features of the weapon were magical, that is one field you don't have as much experience with. Magic can be a lot harder to pin down than mechanics sometimes, at least when it comes to casual observation.

[Hanzo K.]

>"Hmm....This is just speculation, but do you think one of the features is the old 'one sword splits into two' trick?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Hmm....This is just speculation, but do you think one of the features is the old 'one sword splits into two' trick?"

>"I wouldn't be surprised. And at least that, I wouldn't be too much a stranger, too. I used to wield a dirk in my off-hand, before I took up the shield. But that was a long time ago, too."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Best to stick with what's comfortable, I'd say."

[O4rfish]

>"Does the Shogun do this kind of thing often?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Best to stick with what's comfortable, I'd say."

>"No argument from me." Momiji agrees, pocketing the weapon's handle.
>"You don't suppose he wanted to see you use it in a spellcard battle?" Juma asks. "I've heard that sort of thing happens now and then."
>"It does. Matter of fact, Aya herself uses her fan every now and then. But that's not a trick I ever learned. And a war blade isn't something I'd want to start with, even one like this."

>"Does the Shogun do this kind of thing often?"

>"It's not unusual for him to give strange gifts." Juma answers. "He's a generous man, but the captain's right, his sense of humor is a bit out of the ordinary."
>"And this is way too expensive for a gag gift, if that's what it is. And to my knowledge, he's never given someone a weapon before, even a non-lethal one."
>"Non-lethal?" Juma blurts.
>"That was the one thing Karen was straight with me on. This warblade has an enchantment on it that makes it unable to deal real damage, unless I turn that enchantment off."

[O4rfish]

>What have we heard about the current Shogun?
>"So you used to use a weapon like this?

[Oldmansour]

>What have we heard about the current Shogun?
>"So you used to use a weapon like this?

>The current shogun of the White Wolves is a man called Kazuhisa Oda. You've never met him, but Momiji has described him as a brilliant man with a broad streak of compassion, generousity and kindness, and a genuine flair for cooking. You know he runs a small inn and candy shop with his three sisters- or possibly four, you're not sure on that one- in a wooded part of southern tengu territory. He's more famed for that than he is his military prowess. You know he was responsible for Juma's full time transfer to the Rangers, and that, evidently, he has an odd sense of humor. And if Momiji's right about this weapon being particularly expensive, he either has deep pockets or doesn't like to keep money for himself, you're not sure which.

>"Not really. Not on any regular basis. But I did train with it, oh.... at least five hundreds years back. But even then, the warblade was sort of falling out of use. The polearm of choice was either the naginata or the spear back then, and the sword of choice was the jian. I favor curved blades, myself, which is why I use one in combination with a shield."

[O4rfish]

>"Ooohh, maybe it's a special order encoded in the form of an expensive weapon! What can you recall about the time you used warblades, especially anything having to do with Oda-sama?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Ooohh, maybe it's a special order encoded in the form of an expensive weapon! What can you recall about the time you used warblades, especially anything having to do with Oda-sama?"

>"Well for one, this particular Oda wasn't even around back then." Momiji says with a grin. "But I did train in warblades with an Oda. Lucivar, his name was. He was one of the few who took to that weapon naturally." She pauses. "Then again, that guy took to just about every weapon naturally. But that, and he, are a long story."
>"That's a weird name for a tengu." Juma comments.
>"Like I said, he's a long story. Anyway, I don't really remember anything out of the ordinary happening when I was training warblades. Certainly nothing that would make Oda-sama want to give me one as a present, let along one that was heavily enchanted."

[O4rfish]

>"Well, I bet we'll figure it out eventually. Oh, should I interview Karen now?"
>Wonder if any tengu have mastered sword-chucks.

[Oldmansour]

>"Well, I bet we'll figure it out eventually. Oh, should I interview Karen now?"
>Wonder if any tengu have mastered sword-chucks.

>Sword-chucks. What a novel concept. An odd blend of utter genius and utmost stupidity.

>Momiji nods. "I think I'll talk to Oda-sama himself. I still need to thank him properly, of course. After our other business is concluded, though."
>Juma grins as you suggest speaking with Karen. "That'd be fun to see."
>"Juma." Momiji reproves her junior lightly. "Karen told me she had to get back to her workshop. Another order to fill. But knowing her, she might be open to the idea of an interview."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I would like that very much."

[Oldmansour]

>"I would like that very much."

>Momiji nods. "She keeps her workshop on Tin Street, between a chainer and an armorer. You'll know it by the blindfold mark hanging over the door."

[Hello Purvis]

>Is that on the way to the Moriya shrine?
>"I think I may have a few things to ask. Shall we meet again, then?"

[Oldmansour]

>Is that on the way to the Moriya shrine?
>"I think I may have a few things to ask. Shall we meet again, then?"

>No. You'll have to backtrack back to white wolf territory. Although now that you think about it, you're not a hundred percent certain where this Tin Street is. You have a general knowledge of white wolf territory, but not a complete knowledge.
>"Oh, you meant you wanted to talk to her now?" Momiji asks.

[Hello Purvis]

>"Well, not right now, but you do have to talk with Oda, do you not?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Well, not right now, but you do have to talk with Oda, do you not?"

>"Eventually. But the shogun will understand that I have other duties to perform first. Which reminds me," she adds, turning to Juma, "Could you send a message to the shogun for me?"
>"Of course, Captain."
>"Tell him I've left the mountain in search of Aya. Her report on the Night of Rage is overdue. I hope to return by the time my scheduled patrol tonight comes up, but if the need arises, I'd like his permission to extend my search."
>Juma nods. "Right away. I'll take your message myself."

>Her order given, Momiji returns her attention to you, "That said, however, don't let me stop you, if you wanted to have a word with Karen."

[Hello Purvis]

>"Maybe on the way out. Let's visit the shrine, first?"

[Oldmansour]

>"Maybe on the way out. Let's visit the shrine, first?"

>"Agreed. If you've finished speaking with Juma here, of course." Momiji adds, looking back at her junior. "I don't suppose Hatate asked about the vaunted Shameimaru, did she?"
>"No, ma'am. I wouldn't have much to say about her, anyway, I only met her the once."

[Hello Purvis]

>"I'm at the point where if something was heard, I imagine people would be volunteering it."

[Oldmansour]

>"I'm at the point where if something was heard, I imagine people would be volunteering it."

>Juma seems a bit confused at your phrasing. "I'm sorry?"

[Hello Purvis]

>"If anyone heard anything about Aya, they would be excitedly volunteering it."

[Oldmansour]

>"If anyone heard anything about Aya, they would be excitedly volunteering it."

>"Ah. Well, the truth is, tengu don't really get out much. If... You said she was overdue, right, captain?"
>"Right."
>"Which means she probably isn't on the mountain."
>"Stands to reason." Momiji says with a nod.
>"Then it sort of makes sense no tengu has really heard anything about it. The humans might." Juma adds after a moment's thought. "Maybe you could ask the ones coming up the mountain."

[Hello Purvis]

>"We figured the shrine would be a good place to start. But Momiji needed to come here, so I felt it would be best to make use of the time."

[Oldmansour]

>"We figured the shrine would be a good place to start. But Momiji needed to come here, so I felt it would be best to make use of the time."

>Juma nods. "Sorry I couldn't help you on that one."

[Hello Purvis]

>Dismissive wave. "You're no less helpful than anyone else, myself included. Think nothing of it."
>Make proper goodbyes and leave once Momiji is ready.