Act 15—Buntaro Abroad*This act can be used whenever the DM sees fit—when it’s time to provoke the PCs into denouncingBuntaro to the daimyo . . . with the associated consequences.Suspicious BehaviorThis act can occur whenever the PCs are abroad inthe streets (perhaps immediately after their encounterwith the ninjas Smoke <strong>and</strong> Moonlight). Read thefollowing:There are more people on the street than you expected.(But then, here in Aru town, there are alwaysmore people on the street than you expect.)Farmers, merchants, samurai, laborers . . .There. A flash of a familiar profile. That manhurrying by . . . Is that Buntaro?No, it couldn’t be. Buntaro would never goabroad in the streets without his katana <strong>and</strong> wakizashi,symbols of his samurai status. But this figureis—apparently—unarmed, wearing a nondescriptkimono covered by a grubby travelling cloak. Thefigure has one h<strong>and</strong> under the cloth of the cloak, asthough holding something that should be concealed.It couldn’t be Buntaro. Could it?It is Buntaro, of course. He is unarmored, but hashis wakizashi <strong>and</strong> a dagger concealed beneath histravelling cloak. So far, he hasn’t spotted the PCs. If henotices them, he immediately runs, trying to melt intothe crowd. (Again, he knows the town better than dothe PCs, so he should have the advantage in this.)Should the PCs decide to do something violent toBuntaro, the DM should remind them of the consequencesof such an act. This is the daimyo’s son-inlaw,after all, <strong>and</strong>—while his behavior is definitely outof character—there’s no law against walking thestreets incognito. The DM should suggest that discretionis sometimes the better part of valor, <strong>and</strong> recommendthat they follow Buntaro to see what he’s up to.(This guidance can come from the mouth of any appropriateNPC, of course.)Buntaro has been ordered by Benju to deliver an encryptednote—which is what he has concealed beneathhis coat—to a particular address in themerchant quarter. (In fact, the note is to the Oharaninjas—through an intermediary—asking them tokeep an eye on the PCs. The ninjas are to protect themfrom harm, when <strong>and</strong> if possible . . . but also to watchfor any suspicious actions that could hint at dividedloyalties. Buntaro is totally unaware of this.)Unless the PCs draw attention to themselves, Buntaromakes his way—with rather overdone stealth—through the streets into the merchant quarter. Oncethere, he ducks down a back alley. If the PCs try to followhim, their way is blocked by a horde of merchants,purchasers <strong>and</strong> peasants that seems tomaterialize out of nowhere. While these people donothing overt to harm the PCs, <strong>and</strong> in fact are highlyapologetic about getting in their way, their very presenceseriously hinders the PCs, giving Buntaro time tovanish around another corner. (This is blatant manipulationof the PCs, of course, but it does have precedent.The atmosphere <strong>and</strong> “feel” should be highlyreminiscent of the crowded market scenes in Raidersof the Lost Ark.)Six of the “merchants” <strong>and</strong> “peasants” are actuallyJunior <strong>Ninja</strong>s from the Ohara clan, in disguise. Theyare unarmored <strong>and</strong> unarmed, except for “weapons ofopportunity” such as bottles, staves, agriculturalflails, hoes <strong>and</strong> the like. All others-<strong>and</strong> there shouldbe enough present to really slow down the PCs—arenormal townsfolk who have been paid a few fen to getin the way of the “foreigners.”The DM should strongly advise the PCs against attackingthese “innocent townsfolk,” since doing sowould be a serious blight on their honor. If they do soanyway, the regular townsfolk immediately flee. Theninjas will engage in non-lethal combat—if possible—just long enough to prevent the PCs from catchingBuntaro, then will try to escape. The ninjas will fightto kill only if the alternative is letting the PCs catchBuntaro.(Remember: The message to protect the PCs hasn’tbeen delivered yet.) All the ninjas will, of course, notallow themselves to be captured alive <strong>and</strong> have poisoncapsules. They don’t know who they’re supposed toprotect or why, so even if the PCs manage to questionthem, nothing much can be learned. Unlike the Yamaguchiclan, the Ohara clan uses no identifying tatoos.The ninjas <strong>and</strong> the others don’t have to hold the PCsup for long: one round should be sufficient, then theycan let them through. When the PCs burst throughthe cordon, read the following:You bowl over the last snivelling merchant <strong>and</strong>charge down the alley. You take the same corner asBuntaro...And skid to a halt in front of a blank wall.Dead end.The PCs might want to search for secret doors, <strong>and</strong>the DM should let them waste their time. There arenone: Buntaro was hoisted up onto the roof of one ofthe buildings on a rope dropped by several ninja. Bythe time the PCs have reached the dead end, Buntarois well <strong>and</strong> truly gone.ConsequencesThe obvious consequence of this—<strong>and</strong>, in fact, theintention of the act—is the reinforcement of the PCs’suspicions against Buntaro. Nevertheless, the PCsshould realize that they have no real proof that Buntarowas engaged in anything untoward. Even if they38
managed to capture a live ninja—which should be virtuallyimpossible—there’s still only the PCs’ word thatthe mysterious figure was Buntaro.If the PCs want to bull on through <strong>and</strong> try to denounceBuntaro to Benju, they should find it impossibleto arrange an audience with the daimyo nomatter how hard they try. (It simply isn’t the righttime yet for such a denunciation . . .) They shouldquickly realize that the only appropriate way to dealwith Buntaro is to gather truly incontestible evidenceagainst him.It’s conceivable—although neither likely nordesirable—that the PCs might come into possession ofthe note. If they do, they find it encrypted in a complexcode breakable only by magical means (withinthe time-frame of this adventure, that is). Should theydecipher it, they find that it reads:Watch the W<strong>and</strong>erers, they are tialuable. But also watch for ambiguity.Probable OutcomeIf the PCs decide not to follow Buntaro, there are noovert consequences. They simply don’t learn thatsomebody is trying to protect him.Act 16—Two Messages*This act can be used whenever the DM sees fit afterPCs have seen the “superninjas” Smoke <strong>and</strong> Moonlight.(If the PCs didn’t participate in that encounter,only the second message is relevant. The DM can deviseanother NPC <strong>and</strong> encounter through which topass on that communication.)First MessageThis act can occur virtually anywhere, at any timeof day or night. Read the following:The man approaching you is dressed as a simplelaborer. But his manner is reminiscent of a messenger.As if to confirm this, he bows to you <strong>and</strong> holdsout a folded piece of the finest parchment.“Honored lords (<strong>and</strong> ladies),” he says, strugglingto add a patina of culture to his rough voice.“Please, I have reason to believe that this message isof great importance.”If asked about where he got the message, he tells amysterious story. Read the following:“To tell you honestly, noble travellers,” he tellsyou, “I don’t know. I returned to my minka but anhour ago, <strong>and</strong> I found this parchment in the centerof the floor. I picked it up, mystified as you canimagine, <strong>and</strong> with that . . . My mind became dazed,as though I dreamed. And a voice spoke in mydream, bidding me deliver this parchment to thetravellers who serve Benju- sama. I discussed thiswith one who I trust, <strong>and</strong> he told me that it wouldbe best if I obeyed the voice. And so here I am, nobleones.”The messenger (use the “General Townsfolk” statistics)is telling the truth about the message . . . as far ashe knows it. (In fact, the “voice” is actually the resultof a memory spell cast by Daisake Mayazato, who wasconcealed in the laborer’s minka. The PCs should beunable to discover this, however.) He will admit ifpressed that he did read the message, but has no ideawhat it means, <strong>and</strong> definitely doesn’t know whoSmoke <strong>and</strong> Moonlight are. If the PCs ask about theperson who the messenger trusted, refer to the followingsection.The note reads:To those who saw us before the fire:Greetings. Though we may seem in conflict, our quarrel is not with you,<strong>and</strong> your deaths would diminish us. We meet honor with honor, <strong>and</strong> ask respectfully<strong>and</strong> with compliments that you not oppose us, our brother or our father.If duty dem<strong>and</strong>s that you do oppose us, we will match honor with honor.We promise that your deaths, should they be required, will be as speedy <strong>and</strong>worthy of esteem as it is within our power to grant.With honor,Moonlight & Smoke39
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