Arriving at the laborers encampment, the Samurai saw Shagota and the other soldiers overseeing the teamsters in organizing and readying the equipment necessary for the recovery and transportation of the bones of the fallen heroes – once the digging had commenced…
Lying at the edge of the encampment were six bodies covered in hempcloth – the dead laborers, killed in their rebellion against the soldiers.
Looking around with her Sorcerer’s Sight meanwhile, Yuki could see no indications of magical or spiritual energies, other than those she was already accustomed to seeing among her friends.
Seeing the Samurai, Shagota bowed low, kneeling on one knee as they approached.
"It is unfortunate, honorable ones," he said, "that the laborers took up arms against my men in their panic."
"But rest assured, we have dealt with the leaders of their rebellion and have restored order. The remainder of the laborers will do their duty."
"As for the thing that attacked, neither I, nor my men saw it, as we stood watch at the boundaries of the encampment – whatever it was swooped in from above, right in the center."
"If you will come this way, I can show you the area it attacked."
Leading the Samurai, Shagota took them to a small cooking fire at the center of the encampment between some simple tents. Three laborers bowed down prostrate as the Samurai approached, but said nothing.
Shagota stepped forward and spoke down to them – "What was it you saw? Tell us what happened."
One of the laborers, not looking up, replied holding something out in his hand – "We were sitting at the fire, four of us, when a man-like magpie dressed in a robe flew suddenly down from the night sky and swept up Haru. It had wings, and also arms like a man, but legs like a bird. We saw that it also had a sword and bow."
"Here are some of the feathers that fell as Haru tried to free himself."
Bending down, Shagota took three short black feathers from the laborer and handed them to Yuki. Looking at them, coupled with the details of the attack, Yuki could tell that they were feathers from the legendary Kenku – or birdmen.
While more rare, birdmen were like the Fair folk (fox people) or Nesumi (rat people) – neither Oni nor Spirit, but just like ordinary men.
Lee meanwhile, hung back away from the Samurai and moved through the encampment listening in to the laborers’ conversations when he could. He had to stealth around a bit to do so, as the laborers would immediately throw themselves prostrate and remain silent whenever they noticed him drawing near.
From what he could tell however, the laborers were very superstitious about the attack, seeing it as a terrible omen and wanting to get their work started and finished as soon as possible, so they could all go back to Sendai.
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Topic: Mythic Nippon Adventure IV (Read 230567 times)