Thread: Of Shoguns and Samurai! (Major Mario x Iridium248)

Ah, feudal Japan. In a land known for its rice paddies, rich culture and skilled warriors of all colors there was bound to be a few problems plaguing the great Empire. For one, politics were murder. The Shoguns were the ones who held absolute power there at the time while merchants and nobility enjoyed all the benefits that came with their birthrights and businesses. For those who worked in the fields or traveled the roads with their produce and wares, it was a welcome relief to be ignored by the ones in power. To attract a Shogun's attention was unwise, as not only could they take away rights and privileges like candy from a baby, they could also send out their trusted subordinates to do a little dirty work from time to time. Vying for the Emperor's throne was one thing, but to covet the position of a Shogun? One would be lucky to be assassinated in their sleep should they make any overt moves! But it wasn't just politics that had the majority of Japan's people and military worried. Monsters and corrupt men were known to inhabit the old island and use it like their own personal playhouse. Each region had its share of problems and odds were that every province suffered from some disgusting abomination attacking merchants and craftsmen on the main roads. Even worse still were the tales told about the more insidious or lecherous of monsters. Sometimes unsuspecting women were taken from the roads or even plucked from their houses in the middle of the night while roving bands of bandits and creatures pillaged and burned down whole villages. When they were satisfied, these monsters and corrupt men had their fun with the women, and many were not seen again. The Shogun of the Tkaid region, Yaruto Masohiro, was quite the unfortunate man at the time. He was in charge of making sure that the main road that ran through the region remained unmolested by marauders and monsters, but time and time again bands of opportunistic men kept making things hard for him. The monsters were always a nuisance and he made a point of telling his subordinates to eradicate as many of them as they could in their travels, yet they kept coming back like rabbits in spring. Samurai and mercenaries under his employ were instrumental in protecting the common folk and making sure that the crop fields were still in production. As long as the people had food, they had the morale needed to keep the Empire's gears turning. The biggest problem on his hands at the moment wasn't a band of bandits or a rogue oni but an old ally turned corrupt warlord. As Yaruto had plenty of other problems to attend to, he sent for his right hand, his most trusted and competent of samuraikunoichi known to many as Saeko Amakusa . She seemed to be an impish sort of woman who never failed to turn the heads of men and women alike. Some would say that her allegiance was to be questioned, but Yaruto Masohiro ignored the rumors. He needed someone he could trust, so there Saeko was in the war room of the Tkaid region's prestigious castle. The Shogun was past the prime of his life, but still he stood tall in his armor like an ever-watchful sentry. Saeko, the older warrior started as he raked his gloved fingers across a map of the nearby province of Mikawa, I have need of you once again. An old friend of mine, Kyung Song, has been revealed to be the one leading bandits and miscreants against me and harassing the main trade routes here, here and here. The man's honor has long tarnished and I've turned a blind eye to his shenanigans so far, but this I cannot stand for. I want you to confront him at his manor to the south in Mikawa, and there you will kill him. Yaruto folded his arms and looked over at the renowned woman. The men he leads are dishonorable rats and most likely he has the support of a few monster clans in the area. Should you encounter them along with any other resistance in your mission, you have my permission to deal with them as you see fit. Do you have any questions? The province of Mikawa was not too far away from Tkaid castle. At the most it would take about two to three days to reach Kyung Song's manor to the southwest. Mikawa was a mild land where forests thrived and crops flourished thanks to the rivers running down into the sea from the north. Many villages were scattered about in the province, but there were a few cities that were situated comfortably on the southern coast where ports and fisheries were. It seemed that the most trouble would come from the forests and shorelines of the province as rumor had it that there were some strange monsters prowling the waters looking for a good meal or women for some nefarious act...