Planning and stuff

[Ebiris]

[13:29] <@Ebiris> roll 1d20+15 GI on the general's generous guest and his lady escorts per Yomi's request
[13:29] * Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+15 GI on the general's generous guest and his lady escorts per Yomi's request and gets 18." [1d20=3]

[Sierra]

Your mystery man didn't stick around in town much longer than his meeting, it sounds like. You do track down a couple women who passed him by while he was on his business in the government sector, though, and both practically blush at being asked to recount his personal appearance. Apparently he's extraordinarily handsome.

As for the women, no one seems to have interacted with them personally, although the general consensus is that they seemed like fairly attractive specimens of femininity from afar. Two of them looked Japanese; the third, probably Western.

[Corwin]

There was really no good way to just ask the nice general a description of the man who seduced him, sorry. Anyway, Wakahisa? I thought it was strongly implied he was staying home and checking up on a few things, and if this is he and his harem, he's off to Beijing for some reason. Which might imply he wasn't truthful about some other stuff as well, unless I'm misremembering our conversations with him.

Still, do we care?

[Corwin]

And a followup post. Do we know where Fukui left? When, and for how long? Can we reasonably find out, say via our ninja who may well have been told by her elders? They did know this, at least, I presume from their reactions when we talked. Do we know if he has a custom of wearing a sword upon his person, or is wearing one while traveling? If we can't know, how can we find out something so generic and basic while away from Japan-proper?

Does Beijing have one of those 'elsewhere' nodes? Or was that just generically in China? Would our mystery man heading down the path suggested by the general be on the way there, not really, entirely off?

Just how many 'Masamune' would there realistically be in existence at this time? Who would be likely to have them? Were they all enchanted upon creation, or is it unique to find one of them magical? If despite mine and Sayuri's knowledge (and Erin, who mechanically may well know better than us both) we don't have a clue, what options are there before us to find out? Telegraphing Japan and/or the Lodge?

The list of three names in the sword business + meeting with Germans business had been collated from both GI results. How does it break down? A case of A and B, A or B, top three results from our google search?

I have no clue how to proceed, nothing makes sense, asking things is the best way to figure it out. Anyone else?

[Carthrat]

Eastern China was what was described, could be anywhere there. But a big city seems a decent bet, and Beijing is certainly one of them.

If Wakahisa is screwing us it's over something we can't really know about. I've considered he might have some supernatural reason to want the sword- he's got a good rank and seems to hold sway over many demons, and perhaps keeping the Shishi-o out of the hands of others is something he wants. I don't see how that ties into his Beijing trip, though.

I think, at the moment, our bet is going to be finding Fukui himself. Almost no chance of Oshino having it, Wakahisa's going to Beijing anyway (if that is him, zz), and I have no idea what we'd do even if we did try to tail our mystery handsome guy.

[Sierra]

Does Beijing have one of those 'elsewhere' nodes?

Yes. I realize I was rather vague with some of the locations on the map Myriam gave you. Her coordinates were supposed to be fairly specific, though, so it's my bad if I didn't go into intricate detail in advance (I assumed there would just be questions later about where specifically they were any time you guys found yourself in the same country as one, basically; you'd just got the map, you were kind of glancing at it, you'd examine it more closely later once it became relevant, etc).

[Sierra]

And a followup post. Do we know where Fukui left? When, and for how long? Can we reasonably find out, say via our ninja who may well have been told by her elders? They did know this, at least, I presume from their reactions when we talked. Do we know if he has a custom of wearing a sword upon his person, or is wearing one while traveling? If we can't know, how can we find out something so generic and basic while away from Japan-proper?

You don't know. Asking people you know is a decent start!

Just how many 'Masamune' would there realistically be in existence at this time? Who would be likely to have them? Were they all enchanted upon creation, or is it unique to find one of them magical? If despite mine and Sayuri's knowledge (and Erin, who mechanically may well know better than us both) we don't have a clue, what options are there before us to find out? Telegraphing Japan and/or the Lodge?

A: Not many of them. Several dozen maybe. B: So, only someone very rich or with connections. C: There aren't really any good records on swords made over six hundred years ago, so it's hard to say how he made them. Most people wouldn't automatically recognize something as being magical in the first place (they don't have Detect Magic!) They might be able to tell that it's a really good sword. Enchanted? Less likely they'd be able to tell. Masamune's swords are pretty legendary in Japan, though; if one of them's magical, it could be others are. D: Asking contacts is always an option; can't guarantee results before you try, but you're welcome to do so.

The list of three names in the sword business + meeting with Germans business had been collated from both GI results. How does it break down? A case of A and B, A or B, top three results from our google search?

Top 3 results from Google, clearly. All of them fell into both categories, really, if for differing reasons in regards to category B (military, business, occult). Oshiro and Fukui are known to openly compliment and collaborate with their German counterparts; Wakahisa less so, but nothing he does is really that open in the first place. It's just known that he sometimes meets with occultists from friendly nations.

[Carthrat]

Let's say we ask Sayuri about this? It may very well affect what we do next session, so.

[Sierra]

So, I have Monday off and no real-life plans (do I ever?) What are the odds of folks being around for more gaming that day? If it's not possible to get everyone around at once (I figure that's unlikely given that Eb/Cor's work hours overlap with the only time of the day Rat's awake) then I can always split stuff up, take care of Nadia/Yomi then (if they want to wait for the whole group to be here to go see Selene, there is other stuff that can happen for them specifically) and get Erin later (ditto, I have some odds and ends here).

Also suggesting you post here to outline plans for dealing with Masha in detail, if you haven't already agreed on everything.

[Ebiris]

Nadia's Masha Mauling Plan!

1: Go to Moscow
2: Scope around for any info on obvious Germans
3: Sneak into St Basil's Cathedral and any other religious sites looking for Germans
4: Ask Myriam to Scry on Germans
5: Violently break into German hideout
6: <censored for extreme violence>
7: Go home!

[Corwin]

We could drop off Suzume midway to use your relay orb plan if you'd like? With the crazy gunslinger there to provide protection, just in case.

[Corwin]

Timing-wise, should be okay

[Ebiris]

Yeah, I'm around as always. We can try a relay with Suzume in Denmark or something if we have to, but we might as well see if the orb has the distance to go all the way before we worry about that.

[Sierra]

Alright, so it sounds like we're on for tomorrow. Rat will not be around (I'll catch him for something Erin-related Wednesday or Thursday), so it's just Nadia/Yomi. May as well start whenever both of you are around (I prodded Dune to make sure he doesn't mind me nabbing you guys, so).

Remind me what time you guys usually get home from work?

[Ebiris]

Sometime between 5.30 and 6 GMT (So 12.30 to 1 in your time zone, I believe)