Inquisition (Day 6, Late AM, CLOSED)

[Rixy]

On the second floor of the great palace were many rooms that seldom saw use but which were considered of great importance. One of these, currently, had been freshly turned out and lit with bright candles, swept and cleansed with herbs in readiness for the all-important pursuit of justice about to take place therein.

Against one wall was a very large bas relief of Bagalamukhi, Goddess of Truth and Lies. Her visage was quite stern and her right hand was drawn back with a cudgel, ready to strike down the hideous green manlike form which she held by his tongue on it's knees before her. Seated in front of this upon a golden chair of state was an older woman in equally golden robes, her expression stern yet not unkind. At her right side upon a cushion knelt a younger woman, her robes soft cream with only a sash of gold. On her left, kneeling up on the bare floor and with his eyes down, was a young man, not yet twenty, who wore the clothes of a peasant. Flanking the door were two of the Defenders, one male, one female. Both bore peculiar spears and both wore only short, oddly puffed shorts of golden thread, the woman wearing a short halter and gold dust, the man only gilding above the waist.

At the center of the room was an inlaid lotus, made of beautiful golden agates. At it's center was a single cushion, awaiting the one to be questioned.

[Yoritomo Uminushi]

Uminushi had personally escorted the young Isawa to the palace. He was dressed much as he had been earlier in the morning when he had been roused from his sleep to meet with the Maharaja's spiritual advisor. The only difference was a large sapphire in his ear the size of a thumbnail. If his wife had seen him, she wouldn't recognize him.

[Volsung]

The Maharaja was not in attendance the obvious throne meant for the lord of the palace to sit in judgement of the accused was empty, though in his place both of his head advisers stood at either side. Both had cold and stony faces on as they prepared themselves for not only the testing, but the questions that may come after. This was going to be thorny, between dispensing justice, and not overly offending the Rokugani. Still. Something had to be done. And thus both men were prepared. Both men are in their finest robes as well, as befits being in such a court.

[Isawa Junpei]

While they waited for...whatever was going to happen, to begin, Junpei stared at the sight of the tableau depicting the lands savage god. Would it not have broken his On he might have cringed, as it was he affected his usual air of placid tranquility. In some ways knowing he wasn't a demon made him calmer, but in truth knowing his fate was sealed no matter what allowed him to face even the worst outcome with a still mind. His next life awaited him, perhaps it would be better.

Gomen nasai, Isora-no-Kami, I was a terrible choice.

[elonweis]

No... don't say that friend! You were the perfect choice. It is not your fault that your leader is weak and bends to the demands of the heathens.

The kami had squeezed itself in to a smaller form, all the better to accompany the Isawa in to the building. It pats his cheek encouragingly.

[Isawa Junpei]

Junpei raised a hand to his cheek slowly feeling the pale skin. He gave a sigh and hung his head gazing at his folded legs as he sat. If only what the spirit said were true. No, it has nothing to do with that. I was dead the moment I asked the question.

[elonweis]

The kami climbs in to his lap like a small, cool and invisible cat. It was a mistake. How were you to know? They horde knowledge like greedy children.

[Rixy]

The woman rose as all who would come had arrived, extending her right hand, palm forward, to the assembly. Upon it in deep red lines were scribed many swirls and characters, all of them surrounding a large open eye. Foreign words passed through her lips as her other hand, bearing a rather more ornate and styalized version of the goddess' club, made a series of gestures.

Presence came upon the chamber, different than the kami and not seeming to take any note of Junpei's little friend. It was like, yet utterly unlike, that which the Isawa had felt upon the tower. Where that had been a dark, terrible force of pure hate and evil, this one was calm nearly to the point of being without emotion. It left one with a sense only of having been touched in passing, not of having been violated.

Words that had been so much noise were now clear. The woman lowered her hands and offered a namaste to the assembly. "We stand now before the Goddess of Truth and Lies in judgement and inquiry of actions that threaten our city. As Speaker to Bagalamukhi, I swear upon my immortal soul and my Name to seek truths unhindered by sentiment, to punish lies unhindered by symnpathy, and to see justice brought into light."

With a gesture of her empty hand, she indicated Junpei.

"Accused one, prepare to receive the Test of Ivory."

[Isawa Junpei]

Junpei offered nothing in reply, only shook his head. As much as he might have wanted to take solace in the kami's words, he simply couldn't. He deserved to die, it was only fair for what he'd done to the hundreds, if not thousands, of spirits he'd condemned to whatever unspeakable fate he had. He deserved death and so much worse.

At the heretics words, the shugenja's attention focused no her and nodded, though honestly he had no idea how one prepared for such a ritual and so remained where he was, in some ways afraid of committing another crime against them. He quickly quashed to feeling, however, attempting to, once again, clear his mind so that his soul might pass on free from anger, resentment, or sin. He would have no regrets, no fears, no desire. I am like an empty wind.

[Rixy]

At this, the young woman at the Speaker's side rose, displaying a box that she had held in her lap. It was made of ivory, chased with intricate designs. It's appearance was met with signs of recognition by the local people, one of the advisers going so far as to nod in approval of it's presence. She stepped into the room's center and knelt again before Junpei, the servant moving on his knees after her with the grace that only years of practice could provide.

Once both were near, the young woman opened the box, letting Junpei see that it contained...pins. Slim as any acupuncturist's needle, there were a dozen of them, each and every one made of the same material as the box.

"Your arm, if you please." The young woman's voice was soft and low, holding no hints of emotion as she voiced a request that was, in truth, an order. The servant, the equivalent of an eta or so it would appear, took the first pin out of the box and held it ready, his gaze still on the floor. He, at least, showed an emotion....Fear. He practically stank of it, his hand shaking slightly and sweat dampening his brow.

[elonweis]

No, friend! Be the breath of life, of joy, of laughter!

The kami encourages it as it shares its joy with him. Its happiness for its fate.

[Isawa Junpei]

Junpei tempered his emotions, disregarding the kami for the time being. Taking in a deep breath he loosened his robes allowing him to pull it from his shoulder, to expose half his torso and his arm. The cloth hung their, its sheer fabric unmoving, the sight so foreign to the priest, so used to watching it flow from the breeze that followed him. But not today, exhausted as the kami were this morning from their panic yesterday.

[Rixy]

The young woman nodded and the man reached out with clear distaste to take ahold of Junpei's wrist, turning his hand so that it lay palm up. The pin was carefully set at the base of the thumb, the priestess nodding her approval, and then sunk deep.

It hurt...but no worse than any such treatment. Barbarians these people might be but they were, it seemed, educated.

The young woman watched him with calm eyes for several long moments before murmuring, "The first test is passed." This was met by a bit of rustling from the onlookers but no less fear by the servant, who set about with the next pin, this one set over Junpei's wrist. The entire process was repeated, each pin moving slowly up his arm along what those trained to medicine might recognize as the heart line, each subsequent murmur of 'the test is passed' making the poor servant a bit less nervous.

[Isawa Junpei]

Junpei sat attempting his best not to offer any sign of discomfort. On occasion he had to close his eyes and take in a deep breath to distract from the process, but otherwise his mask of tranquility stayed firmly affixed. He had not cried out at the feeling of thousands up thousands of deaths heaved into his consciousness, he would not succumb to a few pin pricks. He was an Isawa, after all, he'd endured worse during his gempukku.

[Rixy]

The entire test took less than a candlemark. After the last pin was set with no apparent effect, the woman called out, "He is no demon."

This brought forth a sigh of relief from the servant, who began to remove the pins, collecting them all in his left hand so as not to desecrate the tiny chest with blood. Once they were out, he shuffled out of the room with them, the young woman following placidly in his wake.

The priestess who had named herself Speaker simply nodded. "In light of this truth, let us commence with the questioning. Accused, kindly tell the assemblage your purpose in Speaking to the spirits upon our defenses."

[Isawa Junpei]

There was a silence that followed that seemed as though it would never end. It was almost distracting, knowing that if he did not answer the question promptly he would face some further comment. He tried to formulate an answer in his mind that was both concise and elucidating, but unfortunately this damnable silence wouldn't afford him the ability to think. Closing his eyes, and once again focusing his mind he kept his eyes bowed.

"For the knowledge of my empire I sought to know the name of the one destroying these lands."

[Rixy]

At once, the woman upon the chair of state and the brahmin who served the maharaja as adviser warded themselves. Cooly, the woman asked, "What ritual did you enact to name such an evil?"

[Isawa Junpei]

"One of our simplest incantations, known to every priest of our lands, so simple it could hardly be called a rite at all. It is our ability to speak with the spirits. I simply asked and they answered." Junpei was a statue, his poise unflinching and his skin like mottled alabaster.

[Rixy]

This caused an uneasy hum that stopped at once as the Speaker raised her eye-marked hand. " One does not give a rite to all that reacts so poorly on a regular basis in any civilized land. The House of Yoritomo has proven themselves wiser and so it must be assumed the rest of your Houses follow similar rules. What, then, in your perception, went wrong?"

[Isawa Junpei]

"I am unsure," Junpei shook his head slightly from side to side. "Names have great power, and this one, uttered on the wind, was evil itself. It drew the bearers wrath and there were great consequences."