26. Doji Ren

Waiting for the goblins

As per our assignment I decide we'll wait here in the swamp for the goblins to return so we can finish up this task. If only they had focussed on them first instead of the weird other creature... Although I'm completely unfamiliar with these weird shadowlands inhabitants, so perhaps they might have picked the right target to deal with first. Still we let them goblins get away.
Yoshi, who amongst others doesn't want to stay here, consults his forefathers, Lord Togashi, in prayer, what we should do. He learns that the true power is to be found in Slow Tide Harbor, there we will find balance. Not entirely convinced, but I'd rather avoid angering the spirits I agree to return to the city. We will have a better night sleep there at least.
Some time after nightfall we arrive in the inn, where I'm greeted by Kiji. He tells me he hasn't been able to find the tattoo'ed Ronin and he's starting to be done rumaghing through the filthy parts of this city. I ask him to clean up my travelling clothes and I'll have a different assignment for him tomorrow, which doesn't involve those areas of town.

Big steps forward with Hade

The next morning, I ask Kiji to spend the day in the more expensive parts of town, where he is way more at home. I want him to find out how much the people there care about the goblin "invasion".
That morning some others spend going about there business; Kyo finds out that the tattoo'ed Ronin is linked to the disappearances and it seems he's after the Opium den clients. Tichuki wonders what Azif is all about, so he manages to track him down. He keeps watch near Azif's accommodation, where he sees a lot of people walking in and out. Also one of Boss Hana employees pays him a visit.

We then decide it's time to try and find Hade, who seems to be the only one left who could provide us with good information regading Hiroshige. As some had learned he was expected to bunk in a stable somewhere we split up to visit all the public stables in the city, and luckilly we arther quickly manage to find him curled up on the floor in one off them.
Yumako throws a bucket of water over him to wake him up. Kyo meanwhile makes sure he won't be able to grab his Katana. Aki notices something about locally disturbed Kami, and tells us Hade's inflicted by Mahō - Blood Magic!
Hade wakes up and yells out who we are. Aki responds that we're looking for Hiroshige and Tichuki flashes his badge ordering him to speak. The lingering magic along with the uncourtly approach they are taking to get Hade to talk, make me and Kyo go outside into the fresh air. We'll let the others deal with him.

They learn that he has witnessed the kidnapping of Hiroshige. There were three people who dragged him of into Burakim village. One of them yealling strange things to Hade and since that time he's felt really weird in his head. On of the three even might have been the tattoo'ed Ronin, although Hade fails to give a precise description due to his condition. He's really scared.
Aki takes some time to cleanse the evil magic to avoid it from spreading further and Hade is really appreciative of this. Even more so after he's been offered a room in our inn. He agrees to join us at diner to tell us more about Hiroshige.