Bad News For Good People (D5, LA)

[Jin]

Having requested, and been granted, entry Jin made his way to the planning table with his updated map - carefully unfurling and weighing it.

"Thank you for seeing me, Shinjo, though I wish my visits were for more pleasant reasons than the last few." He smiles though it is touched with a bit of sadness, "I wish I could say I was hopeful that the pattern would change soon but I suspect this journey will keep things tense at the least."

[Shinjo]

She sighed and shook her head. "It will be what it will be. What do you have to report?"

[Jin]

"I've double checked and we are still on course. It is not an error with our path it is this damnable swamp suddenly appearing out of nowhere." He growls as he indicates it on the updated map - one of the rare times the man has likely expressed proper anger and frustration in front of the Kami, "I went scouting this morning with Anjing Xia of the Crab and assistance and Reo who I believe was of the Spider - the man himself seemed a little uncertain." His good hand references a small, thin line that goes through the swamp on the map, "Credit goes to Xia, her eyes are better than mine, this seems to be the best path we could find for the group to take - more stone and shallow water than true swamp."

"As for the swamp itself... that may be a different, deeper concern."

(Not sure what the actual TN was but Xia's roll was a 27 which is enough for Jin to think she was right if not the reality)

[Shinjo]

She looked over the map and nodded. "I did a bit of looking myself and double checked the maps. The ratling, Ch'chit T'kkiri, helped update the maps a bit, as well. No one's assessment put this swamp here. As far as the route out, I agree with Anjing-san's assessment."

"What's the further concern?"

[Jin]

"The fact that the swamp is here." He shakes his head, "If it had formed naturally someone would have known it. We would have seen the signs of the water settling and pooling. A natural swamp of this size would take time. But it gets worse than that. Agasha of the Bat came to me with samples she had taken in the swamp. The samples from the shallows seem normal enough but as one gets deeper in they become... wrong. They do not behave as they should. They are dark and corrupted."

He sighs and runs his good hand through his hair, "She believes, and I think she is correct, that the darkness Shinsei warned us of is present in this swamp. I think it created the swamp. Which means the darkness has greater reach than we ever imagined but, not only that, it is actively and intelligently working against us. It is not just a race against time - it is putting obstacles in our path."

[Shinjo]

"I see... It's just the deeper swamp, then..." she said, rubbing her chin with a frown. "We will have to keep an eye out for such places going forward. It must be seeding its influence somehow. Please continue working with Agasha-san on this."

[Jin]

Jin nods, "I will. But it does raise a few concerns. First is whether or not it is observing us somehow or if it just is smart enough to choose the best route to lay its traps. If the former there is not much we can do other than try to figure out how and to thwart it. If the latter... we might want to consider a less obvious route. It might add time, and I know we don't have much to spare, but if it avoids traps and obstacles it might still be quicker."

[Shinjo]

Shinjo tapped her fingers on the table. "There is a problem with changing our route, as well - according to Reiko, my brother is... losing ground in Jigoku. We can't rush, but at the same time, every moment we lose is one in which the realm may claim him."

[Jin]

He frowns deeply, "That is disheartening news indeed. We will have to be most careful then on our route. If it can do this much, from this far, then I cannot even begin to imagine the traps that will be present as we draw nearer."

"As for your brother have you spoken with any more versed in the realms? Is there any way for us to bolster his strength while we are on our way?"

[Shinjo]

"He has some awareness of what's going on through our prayers and through Reiko," she explained. "Keeping him in mind and continuing to do our best to rescue him will be the best thing we can do to fortify his spirit."

[Jin]

"Then I shall endeavor to keep him forefront when I can. Is Reiko under any risk from their connection? Should we be concerned for her?"

[Shinjo]

"Potentially," she replied with a sigh. "If the powers of the Earth offer protection against it, then it's a matter of will and physical fortitude. Watching him suffer... it can't be good for her morale."

"The spiritual connection hasn't hurt her so far... But it's hard to say what would happen if my brother were to fall."

[Jin]

"If our foe is as intelligent as it seems we need to be very careful. If it realizes her importance then a surgical strike to remove her would almost certainly be the optimal move. We must assume it will be attempted."

[Shinjo]

She nodded. "Definitely. She has a yojimbo, but it might be worth it to assign someone as an extra one and keep an eye out for threats. Our ability to rescue my brother may well hinge on her connection to him."

[Jin]

"If her yojimbo is of a martial sort I would recommend someone of a more spiritual nature. We should expect threats from both fronts. I know she is skilled in those arts herself, and mean no offense to her own abilities, but one cannot watch their own back even with prophecy."

[Shinjo Koyama]

Koyama was around to be called upon if need be but for now he was giving their conversation privacy by doing highlander things outside the tent. Like training decapitating makeshift dummies with his hatchet in one cleave. The swamp had got him edgy a tiny bit.