[Day 6 (gm permission) Early Evening] Terrible Burden

[Mirumoto Tomoe]

I joined the others while grumbling "of course. It is his decision"

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

Uminushi was many things to many people. One thing he was rather serious about was the purity of one's soul. That said, he had the group summoned after they had ritually cleansed themselves of the taint they bore from being in contact with the dead. The man's expression was serious when they entered, gesturing for them to sit as tea was poured. He waits until they're seated before saying calmly, "Let's hear your reports then."

[Daidoji Fuichi]

Fuichi bowed his head. "The report from the city guards concerning the murder of one of the Embassy staff was true. At the site, Bayushi-san and Mirumoto-san discovered information that lead us to believe that a samurai had been taken by force. Bayushi-san's skill enabled us to follow a trail of blood to the Temple of the Destroyer. At least, that is what the Priestess of Saraswati calls it."

He took a breath. "The interior was..." He bowed his head to regain control of his breathing. Momentarily unable to continue without coughing, he gestured for another, anyone, to continue.

[Mirumoto Tomoe]

I continue the explanation, very impassively at first "Two dead captain. The Embassy heimin and their charge - one of our shugenja, Asahina Narumi-san. She was inside the temple..." I take a breath as the Daidoji had done and then continue a bit "It was not enough that they murdered the heimin in the bloodiest possible way and left them in the street as if they didn't care about being caught. No. They killed Narumi-san and left her on what we believe was a magically trapped platform in a despicable room full of corpses, demonic statues and skulls". The anger starts to seep into my voice as I get to where the Daidoji had left off, having had to build myself up to it "The interior was like the scene of a nightmare, only real. I have never even heard rumours of anything as blasphemous and evil as what they must practice in there reguarly. When we regained Asahina-san's body we found her head had been all but severed as if to mock us. There was nobody inside. Just a dark, unnatural fog and..." I take another breath "unspeakable corruption of the soul. So many bloody murders and sacrifice. Even the guards were terrified of the place. They have murdered two of our own Captain... Sir, I..." I stopped there. I could not say the next words. I could not rightly give a suggestion to my captain about what to do in such a strong voice. It would sound like an order . What I was about to say was probably clear from context though. My cheeks were now flushed with rage and helplessness. I took some deep breathes, looking towards the others to add more. I had missed a lot, which was unlike me. I thought of what I wanted to say, now nervous about saying it out loud even though justice demanded it. Something must be done. They must be punished. They must pay

[Bayushi Kichirou]

Kichirou's voice was as flat and cold as it had been since they'd left the temple, "Yoritomo-san fashioned a length of rope. He and Mirumoto-san then worked to pull the body of Asahina-san out of the suspected trap without triggering it. I finished the removal of Asahina-san's head and Daidoji-san carried the body as we left." he drones, "The place is a horror unlike any I would have imagined Captain. Not just because of the dead, but how they are defiled. Daidoji-san mentioned something about the kami being unwilling or unable to help us when we were inside.....it is that bad."

[elonweis]

Uminushi listens calmly enough and nods at the descriptions, noting them down on a wax covered tablet, "I will see that you're commended for retrieving a member of the crew from that place. Is there anything else?"