The next step was to consult with actual locals. Having armed, but not armored himself, Nobuyoshi takes yet another lucky translator off to horrible, horrible do.....have another chance to translate the words coming out of his mask.

"I'm looking for Dhaval of House Kosala, do see if he's in for a little chat." he instructs the translator.

Many of the guards watch the Scorpion with a far more suspicious eye than they had before. But none of them approach him or draw a weapon on him so he's at least partly certain he'll be ok. The older looking gentleman that Nobu has gotten this time looks from the Scorpion to the gaijin filled barracks with lots of pointy weapons and sighs. He'd probably make it out of this alive... probably. With an air of finality, he steps past the gates.

After only a minute he comes walking back out with Dhaval on his heels. The Kshatriya smiles at the sight of the man and approaches, looking friendly enough. "My friend, it is good to see you again." He offered him a namaste. "I was almost afraid that all that business yesterday might have scared you off."

The translator looked incredibly relieved that he wouldn't have to translate this conversation and instead returned to watching his surroundings.

Nobuyoshi bows politely to the gaijin.

"I'd be of little use to my Captain if at the first sign of trouble I fled and hid under my futon. Or the 31st sign for that matter." Nobuyoshi offers. "I would have returned yesterday, but I was needed to serve as one of my Captain's advisers at the Palace yesterday, and then the storm made travelling elsewhere all but impossible."

Dhaval laughed. "Precisely. One must face danger, to cower is to betray your lord." As talk turned to the storm yesterday, Dhaval frowned. "That was dark magic, everyone is saying. I heard it was the work of an Asura." He paused. "A demon." he clarified.

Really? Because I heard it was a shugenja who couldn't keep his scroll in his satchel Nobuyoshi ponders.

For a touch of verisimilitude, Nobuyoshi makes a warding sign that all the various sailors keep flashing around the ship.

"It's not considered good etiquette among my people to discuss such things unless there's a proven need to." Nobuyoshi explains. "Of course, people talk, but why draw attention to that which lies in shadow?"

Nobuyoshi shrugs.

"The people around here seem very worried. Perhaps they are simply seeing such things in every inexplicable moment?" Nobuyoshi offers.

Dhaval laughs again. "Perhaps you have not noticed, but the shadows are upon us. If we speak of them or not, they will attempt to devour us. Many of those who are here are not from here. They are those who have survived." Dhaval frowned. "They have seen what comes for us, and what it does. They have reason to be afraid."

Nobuyoshi shrugs.

"They're not very likely to explain it to the weird foreigner with the ugly mask, Dhaval of House Koksala." Nobuyoshi offers in neutral tone. "There's rumor, and there's whispers, and a lot of warding off of evil. I can make guesses, but it's not the same as knowing."

After the events of the last couple days Kichirou was feeling very much out of his depth. His entire life experience before the Half Moon was spent in court. Lanka was not at all like court, at least not the parts he'd seen. So far Nobuyoshi seemed far more at home in the environment.

Following along behind his cousin the normally chatty Scorpion couldn't help but grin a bit at the juxtaposition of roles as he now stood mostly silent and his cousin made pleasant...if pointed, conversation.

He did offer a bow, respectful and deep, to Dhaval but made sure to keep his own mouth shut.

"Knowing is powerful. It is more powerful than anything in these lands, Nobuyoshi." The Kshatriya leaned forward a bit, whispering so that only Nobuyoshi could hear him. "The Dark Goddess comes, caked in blood, with a necklace made of fingers and a cloak of death itself. She comes."

Dhaval leans back once he is done, his smile is gone, his face looking gaunt and worried for a few moments. "Your mask is a blessing compared to hers."

Nobuyoshi nods.

"Like your belt, it has it's uses." he offers while he processes the new information.

Seeing Kichirou, he goes for the easy diversion.

"Ah where are my manners, Dhaval of House Kosala, allow me to introduce you formally to one of my clanmates, Bayushi Kichirou."

He turns back to his cousin.

"Bayushi-san, this is Dhaval of House Kosala. He says that House Kosala are seekers of knowledge." Nobuyoshi explains.

"Fascinating. Do you keep a library Dhaval-sama?" Kichirou says with a widening smile and another bow. He wasn't sure is -sama was appropriate but old habits can be hard to break.

"I like to collect knowledge as I'm able as well....though I'm sure not to any sort the degree you have managed."

Dhaval looked at the mask with a little more care, though he didn't see how it could actually turn into a physical weapon. Perhaps the Scorpion had not meant it quite that literally.

"It is a pleasure, Kichirou of House Bayushi." Dhaval bows in namaste to the new Bayushi. "I have no library of my own, but the barracks has one that I have had the occasion to add to."

Nobuyoshi nods.

"The library at the Palace is quite large. Not very useful to one who cannot read the languages contained within however." Nobuyoshi offers.

Dhaval chuckles. "And if I were to go to Rokugan's libraries, do you believe I would find a single text for me to read in my home tongue?"

"No, I wouldn't imagine so. Yet another reason for me to learn your language." Kichirou offers a bit wistfully as he imagines all that information sitting just beyond his understanding.

Assuming you weren't executed for setting foot on our soil? Nobuyoshi thinks.

"Perhaps among the Mantis Clan. They have the most dealings with your people, it wouldn't surprise me if they've traded for a few books. The Tortoise Clan perhaps as they to have leave to trade...outside of the borders."

"Maybe in a Phoenix library, simply because if they could have every book ever written in any tongue organized neatly on a shelf, they'd be very happy."

Dhaval smiles. "I've heard of many dealings with the Mantis and the Tortoise, not so much with these Phoenix or any others. Though I have heard talk of... Horned horses. I do not remember the exact word."

"Ah, the word you are looking for is Unicorn." Nobuyoshi provides. "They also are allowed to trade with outsiders in certain matters, but they're not a naval power."

"Unicorn. Yes." Dhaval nods. "We know some of all those clans. But not much of the others. Very secretive, Rokugan. Some wonder what they have to hide."

Kichirou can't help but stifle the chuckle at Dhaval's statement, "That is a very potent question Dhaval-san. I think you would make a wonderful Scorpion."