Setsuna offered herself as the vessel. Asahina Nao put a box in front of her instead, and then spent the rest of the night trying to get her to let go of it.
They went back over the fight while it was still on them. Shiba Midori and Bayushi Monban had held the warding circle, which protected the people inside it and hurt anyone who crossed it. Kakita Kazumi had gone down. And it was Shiba Midori who talked the Efreet into standing down — she argued against enslaving it, out loud, while it burned in front of her, and it listened.
Then the question of where to put it. Doji Setsuna offered herself. Asahina Nao put a containment box in front of her instead, and she and Shiba Midori worked the sealing with Doji Setsuna while the Efreet let it happen.
Bayushi Monban went at her the moment it was done — you will not allow me to be what I am for — and she dismissed him, which he cannot accept, because he is bound by Daimyo Shosuro's edict to keep her alive whether she wants it or not.
He carried Kakita Kazumi still smouldering to a pool and went in with him to put the fire out.
Governor Miya Tetsuya found them all somewhere to sleep while the city was put back in order. Asahina Nao warned Doji Setsuna plainly — you must get rid of it — and Doji Setsuna took the box to her own quarters anyway. Shiba Midori tried to talk her out of it and got nowhere. She left orders that she was not to be disturbed.
An hour later Bayushi Monban was at her door with his Emerald Magistrate's badge out, refusing to be turned away, Shiba Midori beside him. And inside, Doji Setsuna came apart — she is frightened of losing them, and said so. Bayushi Monban asked for the box gently, on the grounds that keeping her safe is the thing he is for. She gave it to him. He put it inside his kimono.
Kakita Kazumi went up onto the hospital roof, peeled back the tatami, and watched through the window in case the box was ever left alone.
Then the box started working on Bayushi Monban. Skin contact made him irritable and gave him an appetite for fire, and he announced he was taking it out of the city to let the Efreet go and earn its goodwill. Shiba Midori said a shugenja should be the one holding it and offered to hang it in her quarters, away from skin, until they had all slept. He would not wait — every hour it sits here is an hour someone can steal it.
They worked out the ground. Open country has no thresholds, which makes warding a release almost impossible. So: the River Near The Palace. Bayushi Monban took an unmanned boat and started rowing upstream.
Setsuna
She offered to be the vessel. A woman who has spent this campaign carrying her ancestor's memories inside her head volunteered to carry a fire spirit inside her body, in a garden, an hour after watching it put Kakita Kazumi on the ground. Asahina Nao stopped her with a box. Then she carried the box to her room against explicit warning and locked the door.
Bayushi Monban was right, and he was right the first time, in the garden, when she was angry at him for saying it in public. Whatever the correction to make, it is not that he was wrong to worry.
And she let go when he asked gently. She wept, said aloud that she is afraid of losing them, and handed it over. That is the first time in thirty-four sessions the record shows her giving something up because someone she trusts asked properly rather than because she was outmanoeuvred. It worked, and she was alone in a locked room before it did.
The box is not safe with anyone. Skin contact made Bayushi Monban irritable and hungry for fire within the hour, and he immediately began arguing for taking it out of the city alone to release it and earn the Efreet's favour. That is the artifact talking as much as the man. Shiba Midori's proposal — a shugenja holds it, off the skin, until everyone has slept — is the correct one, and it lost to urgency at two in the morning, which is when every bad decision in this campaign has been made.
She should be at that river. Bayushi Monban is rowing upstream, alone, in a stolen boat, carrying a spirit whose goodwill he wants, while marked by the Lady of Decay and irritable from contact. Whatever is decided about releasing the Efreet, it should not be decided by the person the box has been touching.
One thing in the party's favour: Kakita Kazumi is on a roof with the tatami peeled back, watching the box. He does not trust it either.
Timeline
Aftermath of the Binding - The group recounted the recent confrontation with an Efreet and the measures taken to bind it. They described the warding threshold, Kakita Kazumi being knocked unconscious, and Shiba Midori persuading the Efreet to accept containment. The party chose a method for containment and a dispute arose over Bayushi Monban’s role as Doji Setsuna’s bodyguard under Daimyo Shosuro’s order.
Efreet binding and parley - The party recounted binding an Efreet after a chaotic confrontation, including the role of Asahina Nao and the containment unit. They noted a threshold ward that harmed those crossing, Kakita Kazumi being felled by the Efreet’s attack, and Shiba Midori persuading the Efreet to accept containment rather than continue fighting.
- Prior battle recap - Asahina Nao, a shugenja who provided a containment unit, and the group recounted binding an Efreet, a Ifrit, after a chaotic confrontation that left Bayushi Monban partially undressed and Tonbo Kuma unfazed by propriety.
- Threshold ward recap - Shiba Midori and Bayushi Monban maintained a warding circle whose threshold harmed those crossing; Shiba Midori endured it better than Kakita Kazumi.
- Kazumi felled recap - Kakita Kazumi, a duelist, was knocked unconscious by the Efreet’s attack during the binding.
- Surrender via parley recap - Shiba Midori persuaded the Efreet to stop fighting and accept containment rather than continue the struggle.
Containment choice and dispute - Doji Setsuna offered to carry the Efreet within herself but Asahina Nao provided a box which Setsuna held while the Efreet allowed itself to be sealed. Bayushi Monban berated Doji Setsuna for risking herself, prompting Setsuna to ‘fire’ him despite an order from Scorpion Clan Daimyo Shosuro binding Monban to serve as her yojimbo.
- Containment choice recap - Doji Setsuna offered to “carry it within herself,” but Asahina Nao provided a box; with Shiba Midori and Asahina Nao’s efforts, Doji Setsuna held the box and the Efreet allowed itself to be sealed.
- Bodyguard dispute recap - Bayushi Monban berated Doji Setsuna for risking herself; Doji Setsuna “fired” him, conflicting with an order from a Scorpion Clan Daimyo (named as Daimyo Shosuro) that bound Bayushi Monban to serve as her yojimbo.
Custody and Night Tensions - The group was given quarters while authorities worked to stabilize the situation and Doji Setsuna insisted on taking the Efreet’s box to her room. Attempts were made to persuade her to relinquish it, a burning Kakita Kazumi was rescued and revived, and Bayushi Monban demanded access and custody during a late-night confrontation. Eventually Doji Setsuna stopped obstructing, Monban took the box, and Kakita Kazumi set up rooftop surveillance.
Quarters and possession refusal - The Governor provided quarters for the night and Doji Setsuna insisted on taking the Efreet’s box to her quarters, refusing to relinquish it despite Asahina Nao’s warning that it would possess her. Shiba Midori attempted to use her rank and calm persuasion to make Setsuna surrender the box; Setsuna, shaken, resisted and withdrew to her room.
- Quarters arranged - The Governor provided quarters for the night while authorities worked to stabilize the situation.
- Setsuna clung to box - Doji Setsuna insisted on taking the Efreet’s box to her quarters and refused to relinquish it despite Asahina Nao’s warning that it would possess her.
- Midori’s intervention attempt - Shiba Midori attempted to use rank and calm persuasion to make Doji Setsuna surrender the box due to its danger; Doji Setsuna, physically and emotionally shaken, resisted and withdrew to her room.
Rescue and urgent demands - Bayushi Monban carried the still-burning Kakita Kazumi to a pool and submerged both to douse the flames, reviving Kazumi to a coughing, conscious state. Monban tore off his ruined kimono top and urged Kazumi to rest; a servant reported Setsuna had ordered no further disturbances, and Monban displayed his Emerald Magistrate Badge and insisted on an urgent audience about an hour after the battle.
- Kazumi extinguished - Bayushi Monban carried the still-burning Kakita Kazumi to a pool and submerged both to douse the flames, reviving Kakita Kazumi to a coughing, conscious state.
- Damaged attire - Bayushi Monban tore off his ruined kimono top after the dousing and urged Kakita Kazumi to rest.
- Setsuna undisturbed order - A servant reported that Doji Setsuna had ordered no further disturbances; Bayushi Monban displayed his Emerald Magistrate Badge and insisted on an urgent audience.
- Late-night approach - About an hour after the battle, Bayushi Monban and Shiba Midori pressed for entry to Doji Setsuna’s quarters, citing the box’s danger.
Box relinquished and surveillance - Doji Setsuna wept over fear that her companions would die and Bayushi Monban gently asked for the box, asserting responsibility for her safety. Setsuna ceased obstructing and Monban took custody, tucking the box inside his kimono; Kakita Kazumi climbed onto the roof, peeled back roofing to observe through a window, and prepared to slip in later if the box was left unguarded.
- Emotional breaking point - Doji Setsuna, still compromised by stress, wept over fear that her companions would die; Bayushi Monban gently asked for the box, asserting responsibility for her safety.
- Box relinquished - Doji Setsuna shifted to no longer obstruct the Efreet’s box; Bayushi Monban took custody and tucked it inside his kimono.
- Rooftop surveillance - Kakita Kazumi climbed onto the roof, peeled back roofing to observe through a window, and prepared to slip in later if the box was left unguarded.
River Departure and Debate - After handling the box, Bayushi Monban felt a subtle influence and declared he would take the Efreet outside the city to release it, asking it not to harm anyone. Shiba Midori and others raised objections about proper handling, the risk of theft, and suitable terrain for release, and Asahina Nao insisted the spirit must be hidden. The group took an unmanned boat upriver with Kakita Kazumi disguised as a rower and disagreement continued on whether to free the Efreet or consult Unicorn shugenja; Doji Setsuna remained in her quarters to sleep.
Influence and release plan - After direct contact with the Efreet’s box, Bayushi Monban felt increased irritability and an inclination toward fire-oriented action. He told Shiba Midori and Doji Setsuna he would take the box outside the city and release the Efreet, intending to ask it not to harm anyone as it departed.
- Subtle influence felt - After direct contact with the Efreet’s container, Bayushi Monban felt increased irritability and an inclination toward fire-oriented action.
- Release plan declared - Bayushi Monban told Shiba Midori and Doji Setsuna he would take the box outside the city and release the Efreet, intending to ask it not to harm anyone as it departed.
- Custody dispute renewed - Shiba Midori argued that a shugenja should handle the artifact, proposing to hang it safely in her quarters away from skin contact and discuss options after rest; Bayushi Monban rejected delay.
Logistics and objections raised - Shiba Midori warned the longer the box remained the likelier it would be stolen and noted that releasing the spirit on open ground would complicate warding; they proposed using the River Near The Palace. Asahina Nao confronted them near the kitchens, insisting the spirit must be hidden ‘in a dark hole and forgotten,’ and the group acknowledged upriver led into Unicorn Lands while downriver led toward Scorpion or Lion Lands.
- Risk of theft raised - Shiba Midori warned the longer the box remained, the likelier it would be stolen; both noted the spirit wanted freedom.
- Terrain constraints noted - Shiba Midori and Bayushi Monban agreed that releasing on open ground without thresholds would complicate warding; they proposed using the River Near The Palace.
- Asahina Nao’s objection - Asahina Nao, met near the kitchens with a rice cake, confronted them, insisting the spirit must be hidden “in a dark hole and forgotten,” warning that the island is surrounded by city in every direction and release would endanger it.
- Clan lands awareness - The group acknowledged that upriver led into Unicorn Lands and downriver toward Scorpion or Lion Lands (possibly Dragon), weighing political and safety implications.
Boat departure and continued dispute - Bayushi Monban and Shiba Midori took an unmanned boat upriver with Bayushi Monban taking charge of transport; Kakita Kazumi disguised himself in servant attire and joined as rower without taking custody of the box. On the river Bayushi Monban maintained freeing the Efreet would secure its goodwill while Shiba Midori urged consulting Unicorn shugenja for secure sealing; Bayushi Monban refused and continued upriver while Doji Setsuna stayed behind to sleep.
- Boat requisition - Bayushi Monban and Shiba Midori took an unmanned boat to head upriver; Bayushi Monban, experienced with seafaring, took charge of transport.
- Disguised boatman - Kakita Kazumi disguised himself in servant attire, altered his appearance, and joined them as rower without taking custody of the box.
- Ethical and tactical impasse - On the river, Bayushi Monban maintained that freeing the Efreet would secure its goodwill and nonviolence; Shiba Midori urged consulting Unicorn shugenja for a secure sealing; Bayushi Monban refused and continued upriver.
- Setsuna withdrew - Doji Setsuna, exhausted and no longer in possession of the box, remained in her quarters to sleep while the others departed with the Efreet’s container.
Entities named this session
Characters
- Asahina Nao
- Bayushi Monban
- Doji Setsuna
- Ifrit
- Kakita Kazumi
- Shiba Midori
- Shosuro Hametsu
- The Governor
- Tonbo Kuma