Homecoming Part 1

 Besides rescuing Irak, Ginjo and Sukh recovered an abundance of treasure from the Death Cult. Ginjo resolved to visit his family and make a suitable gift, so that he might share the honor he had recently received with the people who had given him life and a disciplined upbringing.  His family was comfortable and prosperous; they owned good farmland, which they leased to about twenty families.  But this land was far from the comforts of civilization and surrounded by untamed jungle.  As landowners, his family bore the responsibility of protecting the farmers from both he beasts of the jungle and the hunter tribes who did not respect the labor of the farmer.   Ginjo knew that gifts of gold coins from faraway places, sparkling gemstones, and fine silks would bring some excitement to lives that were honorable, but often difficult. Sukh was glad to accompany his comrade, as were Sheng, Shek, Irak, and a few other sohei.  They traveled to the backcountry in a heavy-laden small flat boat, paddling upriver over a few days.  

They reached the homestead at the end of the day and found it bathed in an orange glow. A beautiful sunset? Perhaps, but the column of dark smoke and sound of screaming told Ginjo that his family was under attack.  Rushing to their aid, the party was attacked by a large group of well-armed hunters.  Ginjo and Sukh held them off while their associates carried their burdens through the gates of the fortified homestead. 

Once the party was safely inside, they met Ginjo's uncle Pau-Lung who briefly explained the situation. The forest hunters had long been a problem for the Kwam-Rak since they saw little difference between gathering wild fruits and stealing bags of rice, shooting a deer and shooting someone's milking goat. But this was different.  More than a raid, these were organized war parties, from at least two different tribes, with vicious dogs, flaming arrows, and incessant drumming.  One wall had been breached, several farmers had been killed, the other tenants were huddled inside the main house.

Ginjo asked to lead the defense of the walls, leaving Pau-Lung and the Kwam-Rak family to protect their tenants. Having seen Ginjo's battle prowess, Pau-Lung agreed.

Night fell.  Outside the Kwam-Rak stronghold, and screened by the trees, bonfires burned on all four sides.  The various groups of hunter-raiders took turns chanting and drumming, their menacing conversation denying anyone inside the stronghold the comfort of sleep.  Close to midnight, Sukh, from his rooftop watchpoint, called the alarm.  The hunters were making a two-pronged attack, charging two places where the stockade wall had already been breached.  Sukh led Sheng and Shek in repelling the attackers with arrows while Ginjo and Irak led the sohei in defending the breaches.  The wild and undisciplined hunters were surprised and dismayed to meet such well-armed and courageous defenders.  Those who evaded Sukh’s arrows suffered Ginjo’s blade.  The balance were routed and the forest to the south side of stockade fell quiet.

The Hunter-Raiders made several other sorties throughout the night, but all were soundly repelled.  Pau-Lung hinted that attackers were under the sway of a sinister force from outside the area.  Attacks by giant bats shortly before dawn seemed to confirm.  The raiders’ final attack, using ladders to scale the stockade wall was fearsome, but reckless, showing a disregard for self-preservation on the part of the attackers that left the defenders feeling uneasy even in their victory.  What was driving these men to throw away their lives?

Pau-Lung believed he knew the answer.  Several weeks ago, a merchant had arrived.  He was given a warm welcome.  The Kwam-Rak family had little contact with the outside world so any visitor brought the promise of exciting news about faraway places and this merchant with his rich and outlandish clothes, foreign manners, and retinue of quiet servants was especially captivating.  There was some disappointment when they learned he had little to sell and even more when they learned he had almost nothing to tell.  While obviously learned, he seemed to know nothing about the goings on in Pasar or any other town and had no opinion on the war between the Zhou empires.  Instead he asked questions and his questions soon proved intrusive and oddly knowing.  He believed that the Kwam-Rak family was in possession was in possession of a mysterious carpet with a unique design, an abstract pattern that “becomes nearly recognizable if you stare at it long enough, like a landscape visited in a dream.”  Pau-Lung could not deny that he knew of such a carpet, but refused to consider any offers to sell it, even refused to discuss its whereabouts.  No one had ever seen Pau-Lung so distraught, but the man smiled, promising to return later, “after you’ve had some time to consider all the advantages of letting it go and the disadvantages of keeping it.”

Pau-Lung explained that he did in fact own a mysterious carpet.  He had only seen it once.  His father had show it to him, told him the story of its origin and the reason why it must be kept within the family.

Generations ago, the Kwam-Rak family had been simple jungle hunters.  They were not even a family for they had no name, no land, no legacy.  But the first Kwam-Rak had met a strange creature in the forest and agreed to share his honey with it.  In honor of his hospitality, the creature taught the first Kwam-Rak all the secrets of agriculture, building, metal-working, and more, even house to read, write, and play music.  With the help of this benefactor, the first Kwam-Rak had cleared a plot of fertile land, built a solid house and established himself as the first of his people.  The benefactor promised Kwam-Rak that his family would hold the land in perpetuity.  In return, he only must promise to keep safe a beautiful carpet of exquisite design.  He could not allow it to be harmed and could not sell it or give it to anyone outside the family. 

“Ginjo, you have chosen another life.  Your brother is a good farmer and a good manager.  He will inherit the land, the farm, and family’s wealth.  But you will receive the family’s most precious legacy.  Take it far away from here.  When the stranger returns, I will show him the presents you gave us and tell him that I sold it.  And I know that he will force me to tell him where you have gone, so tell me what I should tell him and nothing more.”

Ginjo agreed to take the carpet.  Pau-Lung gave it to wrapped in rough cloth and asked him not to look at it until he had gone somewhere far away.

Ginjo spent the next few days resting and relaxing with his family.  He learned that his niece Phubi had received the gift of insight and healing.  Pau-Lung asked Ginjo to take her with him.  “She is young, but brave, and the good spirits will not allow her to come to any harm.  Protect her and allow her to protect you.”

Ginjo, Sukh, and their associates left the Kwam-Rak stronghold and went to Pasar, and to the Monastery of the Two-Fold Path.  Ginjo and Sukh secured themselves in their quarters and unwrapped the carpet.  As described, its design was abstract, bearing lines and shapes and fields of colors in no clear pattern.  What had not been described was the border of red with golden letters that Ginjo recognized as the Bakemono language.

The Caves of Inharmonious Discord, Part 8 (Two Prisoners)

 The next day, the party returned to the shrine of the Death Cult.  They were met by one of the adepts and eight skeletons.  Seeing the four bakemono, the adept asked the party to wait while he summoned the supreme leader.  As soon as the adept was out of sight, Ginjo attacked the skeletons, swiftly dispatching two of them.  The rest of the party joined him in laying the bones definitively to rest; then they quickly made their way to the receiving room in which they had met the supreme leader the previous day.  When they arrived, a group of four adepts were busy summoning a large group of skeletons and zombies.  Ginjo led the attack against the adepts and their minions while Sukh, accompanied by Shek and Sheng tore through a series of smaller rooms until they found the supreme leader in his private chambers, starting to don his armor.  Relying on his evil powers, he was able to incapicate Sheng and Shek, but Sukh fought with determination and courage, slashing at him with his sword and smashing up the furniture while driving him forcefully into a corner and killing him

Out in the reception room, Ginjo concentrated his attacks on the adepts while the sohei fought the skeletons and zombies.  Using superior tactics, the four of the sohei held the bulk of the mindless undead at bay, allowing only one or two to fight at once so that they could be destroyed by the other sohei.  

When the battles were over, the party declared an uneasy victory.  The supreme leader was dead and most if not all of his minions had been destroyed.  But there was no sign of Irak.  While debating what to do next, who should run into the room but their "friend" Pana.  His robe was torn and his face bruised.  "They're coming!"  he cried.  "The other priests!  They're going to kill us all!"

Sukh pointed his sword at Pana's throat and demanded "Where is Irak?"

Pana didn't want to answer and didn't need to.  A heavy clanking sound announced the arrival of four more skeletons in rusty armor, followed by three priests in red robes and three zombies.  Ginjo ordered the sohei to adopt an defensive position against the skeletons charge.  Then he made a counter attack routing the three priests whose flight was hampered by their own zombies.  In the confusion of battle, Sukh noticed that Pana had disappeared. Quickly deciding there was one place where he could have gone, Sukh dashed through the reception room and into the chambers of the supreme leader-- sur enough Pana was there, looting the body of his fallen master.  "It's what he would have wanted."  Pana found a handful of coins and gems at Sukh and pushed a panel to open a hidden passage.

Out in the hallway, the sohei destroyed the skeletons and Ginjo killed one of the priests while the others ran away.  Ginjo backed away from the attacking zombies and ducked half way behind a corner so he could fight them one at a time.  They were much slower than his flashing blade and he quickly cut them down.  As the last of the zombies fell to the floor, a previously hidden door opened and Pana dashed out. Ginjo brought him down with a flying tackle and began punching him while the sohei gathered around to cut off any attempts to escape. Sukh emerged from the hidden passage and the party threatened Pana with death if he wouldn't take them to Irak.

Pana agreed. He led them down the wide smooth echoing corridor and down a flight of rough steps into a darker, cramped dungeon.  The passage here was narrow and twisting, and he led them through a series of barred doors to a small chamber.  He open a small window so that Ginjo could the legs of a chained woman inside, then handed him a set of keys.  Ginjo opened the door and rushed in, but the woman was not Irak, but a horrible monster with snakes for hair.  Ginjo stopped himself sort but the valiant Sheng met the eyes of the monster and was turned to stone.

Sukh and Shek seized Pana and pulled his arms behind his back before he could even think of running.  He pleaded his ignorance, and begged for another chance to prove himself, but with a more immediate crisis at hand, they simply held him tightly and ignored his argument.

The snake-lady offered the party a bargain.  Her freedom in exchange for the elixir that would restore their friend.  Sukh flatly refused.  "We don't trust you and we won't free you until we have the elixir."  Ginjo resolved the stalemate by charging at the woman, and braving the snakes until he found the elixir.  They restored Sheng and left the snake woman, reasoning that she could not be trusted.

Pana led them deeper into the dungeon and to a larger chamber filled with devices of torture.   Irak was there.  So was the torturer; he had a few words with Pana, then grabbed his axe and rushed at Ginjo.  Pana called upon his dark magic and transfixed Sukh.  Ginjo dodged the totrtured's axe and drew his sword.  Sheng and Shek fell on Pana.  With Sukh unable to speak and Ginjo engaged in mortal combat with a worthy foe, there was no one to answer Pana's last cries for mercy and he was swiftly killed.  Ginjo, tired and bloodied from his fight with the skeletons and zombies might have fallen under the heavy blows of the bloodthirsty torturer, but the sohei came to his assistance and killed his wicked foe. 

Ginjo broke the chains to free Irak.  Meanwhile, the bakemono practiced their recently learned healing arts upon Sukh and massaged his limbs until he was able to stand and move again.  

The party carefully traced their steps out of the dungeon and into the open air.  It was late afternoon and many of their number were in no shape to make a forced marched to Pasar.  They climbed higher up the canyon and far enough from the caves that they felt relatively safe and made camp.  The most wounded slept while the bakemono tended to them.  In the morning, they hiked back to Pasar.  The party thanked the bakemono for their assistance and the bakemono thanked them for giving them a chance to redeem themselves.  They would not return to the caves but they knew they would not be accepted in human society.  Instead they would build a hut deep in the forest and live out their days according to what they had learned from the kindly and forgiving Gunjar.

The Caves of Inharmonious Discord, Part 7 ("This is all your handiwork")

Sukh, Ginjo and their retinue of on-loan sohei and former mercenaries decided to go to the cavern hideout of the wicked men and demand to know what happened to their friend.  They were received with unctuous hospitality.  The men living in the cavern seemed to be far outnumbered by scores of reanimated skeletons and corpses that seemed to unquestioning follow their every command.  The men, dressed in dark red and black robes spoke gleefully of the awesome power of death and congratulated Sukh and Ginjo for the many offerings they had provided.  Indeed, most of the reanimated corpses were those of bakemono; both Sukh and Ginjo recognized certain individuals as enemies they had recently cut down with their own blades.

The leader of the death cult told them that he did have Irak and that he had plans for her.  But . . . 

He would be willing to make a trade.  He did not want money.  He wanted life for life.  Four bakemono lives would be worth it to him to surrender the prize of a brave and honorable monk.

Sukh and Ginjo agreed.  They returned to their first campsite and the shrine to Gunjar.  They met the bakemono who tended the shrine and asked for their help in defeating the Death Cult.  They would be asked to fight and they would not be turned over as sacrifices.  Sukh and Ginjo promised that they only needed their help to negotiate for Irak's release and that no one would be left behind.  The bakemono agreed.

The Caves of Inharmonious Discord, Part 6

Back in Pasar, Ginjo and Sukh made a quick plan.  Based on what the bakemono had told Ginjo about the "kidnapper" bakemono, Sukh wanted to approach them about their missing comrades.  He wasn't ready to deal with hordes of undead.  And, by selling one of the gems from the temple, they might have enough cash to ransom their friends from the kidnappers and avoid a lot of unnecessary hassle.  Sheng the mercenary who had spent time with Shek in a bakemono dungeon was eager to join the effort to find his friend.  The group of sohei also agreed to the plan in hopes of rescuing Irak.

Ginjo and Sukh found the kidnapper bakemono and struck a deal.  Unlike some of the other bakemono, these were larger than most men and covered with hair thick hair.  They were cagey negotiators, insisting that the party buy both of their humans sigh unseen, but were willing to accept much less than the party had expected to pay, 100 tael for the pair.  

Happily one of the ransomed captives was Shek.  Sadly, the other was a wild, crazy and belligerent man. The hairy-bear bakemono rolled him down the hill in chains.  As soon as he was released, he struck Sukh, made a grab for his sword and, when thwarted, charged back up the hill to attack his former captors with his chains.

Reasoning that a dog will always return to its vomit, Ginjo and Sukh took this opportunity to hustle Shek to safety and learn his account of his capture.  Shek confirmed their suspicion that the Pana had used strange magic to paralyze himself and Irak and then carried them into the darkness.  They had both been bound with ropes to be carried and force marched through the forest, and reached the Caves near dawn.  It was still dark, and they had encountered a large number of bakemono were cavorting and fighting each other in the open area at the bottom of the canyon.  Shek recounted that Pana had traded away first his two assistants and then Shek in order to keep hold of Irak.  Based on this recount, Sukh and Ginjo deduced that Pana was affiliated with the wicked men who had constructed some kind of temple in one of the caverns high in the canyon.  Ginjo was not eager to return there, having been quite unnerved by the experience of fighting animated skeletons.  But he agreed it was the only way to save Irak and that time was already against them.