[Day 9 - LA] About a Girl

[Nanzi]

The Crane daimyo walked towards the falls with his ally admiring the natural beauty and also reviling it at the same time, this place was too beautiful, and it gnawed at him. More so after the encounter in the cave and the child… things were going to get worse before they got better.

He came to the edge looking down at the rapids and then said to Shinjo, “We have… some issues we need to sort out.”

[Shinjo]

Shinjo nodded and gestured for him to join her where she sat on a rock overlooking the stream. She looked... tired. "Please go on, Nanzi-san."

[Nanzi]

Nanzi took a seat and then sighed as he recalled what he had reviewed with Jigutsuji. He said, “We have a security issue, Nanzi is sure that you are aware of the incident in the swamp with several of us and how the whispers of Jigoku tried to draw us into the dark water to drown… then we have the incident with the shape stealing creatures in our camp and earlier today we had another incident.”

“We need better accountability, and Nanzi thinks we should use challenge words that change daily. Nanzi can supply a list that can be quickly given to members of our team. It is not perfect but will keep the idea of security on the minds of our people.”

“More importantly they need to know that the evils of Jigoku will try to trick and tempt them.”

“This is only what Nanzi knows of, by the by.”

[Shinjo]

"Code words wouldn't have stopped the swamp incident, and it would take less than an hour to discover them if our enemies are smart enough to listen," she replied, then ran a hand through her hair. "But fine. It's as good a method as we have available."

[Nanzi]

"Code words wouldn't have stopped the swamp incident, and it would take less than an hour to discover them if our enemies are smart enough to listen," she replied, then ran a hand through her hair. "But fine. It's as good a method as we have available."

“It’s more of the mind, the people need to think security. It would not stop them, Nanzi only throws out ideas but we do need to keep track of who comes and goes and we may have to make a policy of who we even allow in the camp. The deeper we go, the more suspect any people we find will be,” he said honestly.

“If Nanzi is wrong then Nanzi is wrong, but he feels that people may not be taking seriously the danger we face.”

[Shinjo]

"I just wonder how far we can go before security becomes paranoia, and yet another thing that Jigoku can exploit," she said. "Why make us paranoid if not to create cracks within our group?"

[Nanzi]

"I just wonder how far we can go before security becomes paranoia, and yet another thing that Jigoku can exploit," she said. "Why make us paranoid if not to create cracks within our group?"

"So we do nothing and let Jigoku exploit that crack as well, Nanzi would rather be prepared. The forces will try to infiltrate us, they tried it to day and they will try again. This time it was the guise of a child who just happened to stow away, instead of suspicion everyone smiled and spoke how adorable or cute and wanted to protect her... even when she evaded touching jade multiple times. Nanzi thinks we need to do something, or express a more stern posture to outsiders as we go further towards the pit," he responded.

"Nanzi will show Courage regardless but others may allow sentiment to cloud what is obviously a trap."

[Shinjo]

"So we do nothing and let Jigoku exploit that crack as well, Nanzi would rather be prepared. The forces will try to infiltrate us, they tried it to day and they will try again. This time it was the guise of a child who just happened to stow away, instead of suspicion everyone smiled and spoke how adorable or cute and wanted to protect her... even when she evaded touching jade multiple times. Nanzi thinks we need to do something, or express a more stern posture to outsiders as we go further towards the pit," he responded.

"Nanzi will show Courage regardless but others may allow sentiment to cloud what is obviously a trap."

"I can see why you appealed to my sister," she noted.

"I already approved of your proposal."

[Nanzi]

He rubbed his temple and then said, "Nanzi just wants to keep the team, safe."

Nanzi chuckled and said, "Thank you... Nanzi does not wish to spread paranoia, he doe snot like any of this."

[Shinjo]

"My apologies. It's been wearing on me, too. I suspect that part of what all of us want is to feel like we have some sense of control over the safety of the team in this disturbing situation. It's a natural reaction," she replied, rubbing her own forehead. "But our actual ability to control it is limited. Code words have issues when minds and memories are not safe from Jigoku, as the incident with the bog hags so keenly illustrated."

"Allow me to suggest an alternative - we let the camp as a whole know about the incidents with the bog hag and the child. We all have jade now - we make touching it standard upon greeting. Minds aren't safe, but jade is impartial. To supplement, we have our most perceptive people keep on the lookout for behavior that's odd. Even with all that, it's not perfect, so we let them know that, to avoid people dropping their guard."

"It was never going to be perfect. There is no safety where we're going. Are you prepared for that? The deceptions Jigoku has inflicted on us are only the beginning of what we will face."

[Nanzi]

“That is amenable to my intent, Nanzi will agree to this. What if we have more stowaways or meet men along the way? The Nezumi seem immune to this evil corruption but we are not, Nanzi knows that Shinjo-sama has great Compassion, but he believes that we cannot extend a kind hand to strangers from here on out. If there are ten thousand vipers at the door and among them perhaps a hundred wish us no harm, we cannot risk the chance just to take the good ones to our bosom,” he offered.

“Many may not like this, but the mission must come first.”

[Shinjo]

"No, you're right about that." She nodded. "I think... We shouldn't allow more people to join. We apply the same standards to any who try - they must touch jade, a scout needs to keep an eye on things as they do. If they pass that test, we may tell them where to find safety if we know any from here."

"The rats are a different story - they can't be tainted, and are possible allies. If we run into the forward camp they were talking about, we should treat them as such."

[Nanzi]

“The Nezumi are an exception and any continued friendship should be cultivated. We may also need to find more jade, as we get closer it will diminish from the power of this hellish pit and the realm of evil.”

He added gripping his now chipped jade finger, “The Nezumi also use the jade in their weapons, and Nanzi can say it is useful. It diminishes our jade stores but the creatures we face are very resistant to our weapons… but with jade it cuts through them as easy as metal on flesh.”

“But it diminishes our stores and we must have enough to make the return trip,” he said thinking of the logistics.

“Nanzi also thinks that we should have the priests and shaman bless and ward the supply wagon daily if that is not already done. If these creatures infect our stores this will be a literal suicide mission for most.”

He sighed and rubbed his beard and added, “Nanzi feels like he has only bad news and worst news to share with his honored sister.”

[Shinjo]

"I'm not sure there will be more available. We will have to take extreme care with what we have," she replied with a nod. "If our maps are functional enough from here, we should only be in the corrupted lands proper for six days total - enough for one portion of jade to wear down most of the way but not for its protection to disappear entirely. We're fortunate the Nezumi saw fit to grant us more and some of the expedition purchased from them."

"I will see to including that in the information I'm sharing. Hopefully it will minimize supply loss."

She sighed and ran her hands through her hair. "It is what it is. We knew there was great danger and that we would suffer, but letting things stand would be worse. I don't wish to earn our success with the blood of our own, but I won't regret my own choice to pursue this no matter what happens."

[Nanzi]

“Regret is a sin, is it not?” he mused.

Nanzi added, “All the same that is all Nanzi had to report, food rations have been diminished by disease but Jin-san has protected the rest from spoiling and worse. The further we go the more Nanzi think hunting and foraging may have to be curtailed, if this evil can get into the animals and plants then there will be little luck finding fresh food the further we go.”

“Some may go hungry, if it comes to that Nanzi can go a few days with an empty belly.”