In Search for the Prodigal Businessman [Mission]

[Sand Council]

Nakamura Kazuhiro
The Lawyer</I><i></i>​

The wicked storm rocked a covered wagon pulled by a team of sandrunners, the dangerous gale-force winds whipped across the landscape kicking dust and debris with it. The sandrunners knew their way across this desert well, the unmarked and often shifting path to Soons Haven was a well-traveled one for this team of birds. The carriage was quiet, at least in comparison to the howling storm. The lawyer sat politely, his face bored. This would not be the first trip he had made today nor would it be the last. It would have been easier if a Sunan loyal took this mission rather than a traitor who still held station. What could be done, he could not initiate a civil war without making a few sacrifices. He wrote quietly in his book, mostly sketches of people, places and animals. As he closed his book and let out a sigh as he looked across the coach at the swordsman. "What made you side with the Cabal when they attacked Sunagakure?" Kazuhiro inquired, attempting to break the awkward silence with something. "Not that I care, neither will the boss,"</B><i></i> he added as his fingers drummed the leather cover. "He took some losses, considering the structural damages... but all in all, this quarter has been profitable." Profits always were and always would be Aburabuta's primary concern, even to the benefit or consequence of Sunagakure, a means to an end.

The sandrunners came to a stop at the gates of Soons Haven, on the fringe of the storm this great walled city was structurally protected from weather and bandits. Soons Haven was a mecca for sales and commerce in wind country and places beyond. The salt air was distinctly different from the arid atmosphere of the desert or the moist underworld air of Sunagakure. Kazuhiro took in a deep breath, attempting to replace his lungs with suitable air. "There is nothing like Soon's Haven, even the air smells like wealth,"</B><i></i> Kazuhiro announced quite pleased with their safe arrival. "I am not built for combat, I am built for arguments and courtrooms. But I do have a few things that might be of assistance to you."<i></i> Kazuhiro handed 3 scrolls over to Homura.

Scroll #1:
[legend="[b][color=sienna]The Damsel[/color][/b]"]<B>Aburabuta Hirotomi
Physical Description: Hirotomi is the most handsome man in Wind Country, an unfortunate consequence of his pedigree that has earned him many rivals. He is the epitome of a well-dressed man, Hirotomi only wears the finest suits rumored to be made from places as far as the lands beyond the great sea. His trademark style consists of a white suit made by one of several foreign designer he retains on commission and matching brimmed hat. He often appears to be out of place in these subterranean surroundings, surrounded by mud-dwellers and shinobi brutes. He has long dark hair that reaches his shoulder blades that he often pulls back into a low ponytail. A man of exquisite tastes he often carries finely etched canes, small baubles made of rare substances and mysterious pieces of jewelry that have an unworldly glow.

Mental Description: A brilliant man, his genius is only matched by his good-looks and his ambition. He is his father's son and understands the value of wealth and how it equates to power. He has a vast collection of curiosities and rich tastes that can be seen in everything from his attire to his quarters and even the companions that he surrounds himself with. He believes that he is better than everyone else because he is, his lineage, his success and his wealth place him a rung above everyone else. His goal is to re-obtain what he considers to be his by right by any means necessary.

History: The only son of the Aburabuta family name, Hirotomi has carried the weight of his family's heritage since birth. His mother, a beautiful and successful actress and his father an infamous businessman said to at one point own a great portion of Wind Country. Money was his father's legacy as he and his mother never wanted for anything, his father disappeared when he was a young boy but he was not too young to have the lessons of the Aburabuta family instilled into him. He went to the finest private schools and obtained an education that commoners would only dream of. He never became a shinobi or suffered through their barbaric training regimes, the was only necessary for a commoner. He was introduced to the concept of curiosities at a young age, learning of the immense power that the "right weapon" could yield. It was from there that his quest for greater treasures initiated, through money and magic or technology as both provide similar result he could and would become a God among men.

Hirotomi presently runs a company called Aburabuta Corp., a multipurpose facility that not only researches new technology but also studies ancient relics from the past for research purposes. The great wealth produced by this successful company has also allowed the company to become a bank with its own separate currency used within the sub-society that has become Aburabuta Corp. Their present projects include Skimmers and Golem, although details of these projects have been closely guarded secrets by the higher echelon of Aburabuta Corp.[/legend]

"This first one is a basic bio of the boss taken from his autobiography, it is unpublished so take pride in the fact that you are getting an early read,"<i></i> Kazuhiro advised. "This second one is some information on who <I>probably took him, although it could be any one of the Merchant Lords,"<i></i> he explained.

Scroll #2:
[legend="[b][color=sienna]The Bad Guy[/color][/b]"]Fukui Shino the Iron Welder
Physical Description: Runic tattoos cover his face, back and arms. He often wears long sleeves even in sweltering conditions. His bright red hair is a family physical trademark, he and all three of his brothers share the same red hair. He usually wears it back in a ponytail that seems to enhance a rather deep widows peak. While he is not prematurely balding, his unusual hairline might suggest this, a fact that he is somewhat sensitive to. Besides that, he has golden eyes and a medium muscular build. His exact physique is not known because he is never seen in a state of undress.

Mental Description: He is a very serious individual. He does not think like a businessman, something that is painfully apparent when he speaks. He might be concerned with the overall bottom line and not invest in a failing venture or give his weapons and armors away on "credit", he is not looking for the next best thing or trying to undermine his fellow lords. He does care for the success and longevity of his family and thinks of them first. While his role as a Merchant Lord is rather recent, he is slowly acclimating to the role.

History: Shino came from a working-class family on the eastern fringe of Wind Country. His parents and brothers were metal workers who forged weapons and armors for Sunagakure. Their metal was imbued with something special, something that made the metal stronger while at the same time lighter. The secret to their craft has been maintained by their family for three generations. While not business-minded, the Fukui family enjoyed the profits of being the primary weapon supplier to Sunagakure. After Shino's father Fukui Osufune died three years ago, the Fukui family moved to Soon's Haven with their trade and their wares. While weapon production is a family secret and their efforts are manned by only four men, the Fukui brothers: Shino, Kenta, Junrou and Akio.

The head of the family is the middle son, Shino because he is the only literate member of the family. While his lack of education may make Shino and his family appear to be easy targets, but unlike many of the other Merchant Lords the Fukui family puts family before fortune or power. Their family bonds not only give them strength but also grant them the ability to weather any storm. While one of the Fukui brothers have taken a wife, one has grown increasingly fond of Guchi Sheena.

Aburabuta Hirotomi recently contended that Shino hired the Cabal to attack Sunagakure, and publicly rebuked him for his involvement. It is assumed that he or someone he hired took Mister Aburabuta off the streets. There were no witnesses to this attack, but it is likely that Shino paid on bystanders off making tracking Mister Hirotomi difficult.[/legend]

He eyed Homura up and down, he was dressed decent enough but a few expensive threads cannot make a man. His posture, his mannerisms, his vernacular. It was obvious he was a mutt brought to a pure-bred dog show after having the first shampoo of its life. "You have anything that designates you as a shinobi with you?" Kazuhiro asked, hopefully reminding Homura of a forehead protector or something with the symbol for Sunagakure. "He is not going to recognize you when you find him," Kazuhiro added as he pulled out a brass pin with the symbol of Sunagakure embossed across the face large enough that it could be seen from a relative distance and underhandedly tossed it in Homura's direction. <B>"As for the third scroll... just do not open it, hand it to Mister Aburabuta when you find him. I will meet you back here when you find him."<i></i> Kazuhiro concluded.

OC:
This is a tracking mission. Try to find and recover Hirotomi through either the clever use of jutsus or the use of your noggin.

 

[Randamu Kyarakuta]

"What made you side with the Cabal when they attacked Sunagakure?"

Before he could come up with any sort of answer, the lawyer added an addendum.

"Not that I care, neither will the boss,He took some losses, considering the structural damages... but all in all, this quarter has been profitable."

"When the big voice in the sky was threatening everyone, I was playing around with students, filling their heads with tales of adventure and I didn't believe a word of it. Only the prodigies get to have adventure, get noticed, and all of them where generic, slated to be gennin for life, like me. So I did my duty and arrived at the ground zero to the first explosion, the kage tower and saw Naganisa there, taunting over everyone as they tried to recover the injured and dead. That's when I decided I'd be something, more than a gennin, more than the world allowed me to be. I shed the ninja title, and played her like a fiddle and it was fun, and my family...all jumped on the sword, because they knew it was necessary for me to get in close, and it worked. I was shmoozing with the brass, I was close to find the locations of all the bombs and techniques to disarm them, I was close to finding out what they were truly after, close to solving the whole crisis myself. Then an asshole set them off, pre-emptively, before I could really get to the bottom of everything. All my work ruined, and branded a traitor. So now here I am, working for a man I've never met, and his firey-headed lawyer." he said with his eyes to the ground with his hands out as the man handed over the scroll.

"I am not built for combat, I am built for arguments and courtrooms. But I do have a few things that might be of assistance to you."

He opened the first scroll and began reading silently. The first line read like the man had written it himself, he didn't look all that great, like he was trying to hold in a poop. He seemed to ooze money as the lawyer had pointed out through the whole ordeal. "This first one is a basic bio of the boss taken from his autobiography, it is unpublished so take pride in the fact that you are getting an early read, This second one is some information on who probably took him, although it could be any one of the Merchant Lords." He held up his hands, to stop him from talking. Like he would ever read an autobiography, specially about this man, when so many more important people exist. He would talk as he read the second scroll.

"There are two avenues that need exploring, I'm guessing information is compartimentalized amongst all the workers, but you're the lawyer so I imagine your knowings of his more intimate details are vast, so I need you to hunt down any of the local retainers he has, for both suits and whatever baubles are, I'm sure if he's here, they most certainly are too. When you go somewhere, you need to look good, and suits don't really travel and it should be non-combative so you should have no issue. Try to get a bead on his location that way and come to me with any information, I will follow up on this mans family, he seems to be very attached, so I think I'll kidnap them and force him to come before me. That or slaughter the hole family and his business associates until he hunts ME down." apparently killing family was his specialty.

As he stepped out of the caravan he reach back and took the pin, putting it on his lapel and winked at him. Stepping out, the first step for him would be heading to the business the man had been a part of. He would walk by a few civilians and ask them about the Fukui metallurgy location, so he could get a new weapon to replace his old, trying to sound like a super fan of the mystic weapon art. Just enough to get a location, so he could arrive in short order.

 

[Sand Council]

Nakamura Kazuhiro
The Lawyer</I><i></i>​

"When the big voice in the sky was threatening everyone, I was playing around with students, filling their heads with tales of adventure and I didn't believe a word of it. Only the prodigies get to have adventure, get noticed, and all of them where generic, slated to be gennin for life, like me. So I did my duty and arrived at the ground zero to the first explosion, the kage tower and saw Naganisa there, taunting over everyone as they tried to recover the injured and dead. That's when I decided I'd be something, more than a gennin, more than the world allowed me to be. I shed the ninja title, and played her like a fiddle and it was fun, and my family...all jumped on the sword, because they knew it was necessary for me to get in close, and it worked. I was shmoozing with the brass, I was close to find the locations of all the bombs and techniques to disarm them, I was close to finding out what they were truly after, close to solving the whole crisis myself. Then an asshole set them off, pre-emptively, before I could really get to the bottom of everything. All my work ruined, and branded a traitor. So now here I am, working for a man I've never met, and his firey-headed lawyer."

The lawyer's lips twitched, that was an utterly hilarious story. He is a swordsman that wants to be a shinobi. That was his driving force, not having a family or children or at least that was the story this guy was giving him now. He wanted to stop being a nobody. He wanted to be a hero and in a way, it did not seem to matter to him what he had to do to become one, who he had to hurt or if he even was a hero at all as long as the outcome was the same. I knew he was different... a perfect exploit. When Kazuhiro smiles, it looks almost painful, as if his face was contorted in such a way that it might get stuck. "Well, it looks like you are in luck. Nothing is ever petty in Mister Aburabuta's presence"</B><i></i> ...unless you are looking at it in relation to Mister Aburabuta himself. A potential danger of course, Mister Aburabuta differed from his father in a singular key point that would not always serve him well, he was a terrible narcissist. It would appear that Homura aspired to be something, and how deeply that was ingrained could become a problem if and when their goals clashed. A problem for another time perhaps, at the moment Aburabuta Corp and its constituents had the upper hand in this relationship, Homura was an enemy of the hidden village and would perhaps continue to be such for some time. As Aburabuta himself gained notoriety, eventually some of that glitter would wear off on this street rat of a swordsman as well.

"There are two avenues that need exploring, I'm guessing information is compartimentalized amongst all the workers, but you're the lawyer so I imagine your knowings of his more intimate details are vast, so I need you to hunt down any of the local retainers he has, for both suits and whatever baubles are, I'm sure if he's here, they most certainly are too. When you go somewhere, you need to look good, and suits don't really travel and it should be non-combative so you should have no issue. Try to get a bead on his location that way and come to me with any information, I will follow up on this mans family, he seems to be very attached, so I think I'll kidnap them and force him to come before me. That or slaughter the hole family and his business associates until he hunts ME down."

Was Homura just giving me orders? The nerve of this novice! Did he have any idea the magnitude of the opportunity he had been offered? The ingrate! The rotter! Kazuhiro mentally griped. His fingers crept inside his coat pocket and felt the metallic crown of his scroll and internally grimaced. The boss would kill him in the most literal sense if he made a scene in Soons Haven such as this. At least he took the anathematized pin, something to place ownership on someone that was not Aburabuta Corp. yet. Being the dog of the Sunan government running around like a bull a china closet would bode poorly for Sunagakure, but even if he were to announce his affiliation with Aburabuta Corp. the dominoes were already in place and he would simply be knocking them down on his own. Seething under a placid surface Kazuhiro gritted his teeth and replied, "of course. <I>Wonderful idea."<i></i> He was hoping the the swordsman got himself killed, he was already regretting this contract with each passing hour. He might have Homura's ambition jotted away someplace, but there was a point where you might not want the 'best' for hire under your direct command. Was this going to bite him in the ass?

===========

<B>::Just some information::

Soons Haven​

Soons Haven, sometimes referred to as the gilded city not for literal golden walls or even the yellow hue left by the shining sun on buildings that gave Soons such a monkier but rather the relative wealth housed within this desert trade hub. Soons Haven is a merchant community found on the coastline of Wind Country, just outside the Diamond Maelstrom at the deepest point of the bay. Calm waters provide safe harbor for a great many merchant ships but their proximity to the maelstrom leaves them prone still to in-climate weather, for that reason a massive wall was erected around the city to protect it from gale-force winds. Soon's Haven is Sunagakure's closest neighbor. Under the authority of the Wind Diamyo is the 7 Merchant Lords who oversee commerce, trade and policies in Soon's Haven. Homura was tasked with moving against one such man. Such a trespass would be an insult onto even the Diamyo himself.

The marketplace, the site were Homura and Kazuhiro parked was buzzing with activity. Trinkets, baubles, rare and common cloths and goods all housed under a rainbow of awnings awaited a transaction. The merchants appeared on the surface to be pleasant entrepreneurs but not far below that surface was a core of greed and deceit, some merchants were selling 'ancient' swords from Gods-fall to foolish travelers who could not tell the difference between Flame-Court forged weaponry and tin scarps. There was the rare treasure here and there, a sea opal as big as a child's fist or a litter of adorable Dune Hares that would probably go to making a fur coat unfortunately. Most of these tables were for common sellers, the Merchant Lords with their families and estates and even places of business could only be found in the heart of the village. In fact, the Fukui family owned three large establishments:

1. A smelting company that is used to melt down the metals. This was dirty, thoughtless work often relegated to those too stupid or incompetent to find better work than melting down hunks of metal.
2. A blacksmith building that is not open to the public that is located on the Fukui family grounds. This is where the family creates the swords that they sell, but because they actually do the work and not the selling this family and their present head's reputation has suffered as a consequence. Many see this family, despite their wealth as a blue-collar family.
3. A store located on the fringe of the marketplace, marking the point at which 'normal' sellers and traders end and the Merchant Lord's stakes begin. Here the swords and various weaponry are bought and sold. It is variable who from the family could be found here, but it is almost never Shino himself.

Considering the fact that Fukui Shino is a Merchant Lord, there is a plethora of information readily available regarding him. Ask and you shall receive.

 

[Randamu Kyarakuta]

Three possible avenues, the most likely was breaking into the Fukui family grounds directly, cutting down whoever was in the way as that was the most secure locale for them. He however, wanted to do this more tactfully, it was all a game to him. The lawyer, red headed son of a bitch, expected a rabid dog, so he played the part in person, once they were separated however his cooler head prevailed, or rather he dropped the act. Everyone had this view of him, so he played into them because it was easier than explaining to everyone that he was trying to do good.

He'd choose the store first, walking through the hustle and bustle of the city with his hands shoved in his pockets. This was for a few reasons, one was that he didn't want to touch anyone dirty, it'd been literally never since he'd been dressed this good, and was holding onto the cleanliness of this suit as if it was tailor made for him, even though he had roughly 30 back home. The second was that he didn't want to be pickpocket'd. He didn't have anything on him really, but the chance was still there. Nobody could grab his sword now that it's gotten it's strength back, so he didn't have to worry about that.

Once he reach the shop, he'd walk up to the counter and unsling the sword off his back. It was odd holding it there, as he usually kept it on his side, but he didn't have the most appropriate attire to keep it there comfortably, at least not without ripping his new suit. Then he'd set it on the counter and open it just a little bit to show the blade.

"Excuse me, but I'm looking for someone knowledgeable in the crafting of weapons, I am to understand the owners of this establishment own the blacksmithery in the Fukui compound. I need access, to research the blade before you, I can pay you handsomely for your time in escorting me to it, and of course you can observe. My employer finds this sword very important, and would pay top dollar for any information you could ascertain." he would try to stealth approach first, offer a lot of coin and a puzzle before them, it served both Aburabata and his agendas. This sword was one of a kind, there was no way their facility had the answers, but if he could get in without bloodshed, that would be preferable, otherwise he was sizing up the area for combat.

 

[Sand Council]

Fukui Akane​

There were weapon shops and then there was the Fire-Forged Emporium, the weapon shop owned by the Fukui family. There was a lone saleswoman on the floor, a lady in red. In fact, that was her name 'Akane.' She was tall, 6 foot 5 in in fact, her body was tanned from long days in the sun but she did not seem the kind to toil. Despite her toned arms and chiseled features, she wore heavy thick jewelry. Her form-fitting crimson dress seemed out of place in a weapon shop. Perhaps it would have been more sensible if she wore a breastplate and helmet, and risk her manicure. Daresay, that was not doing to happen. Despite her height, she still wore a pair of heels that added another four inches to her towering height.

"Oh hello sir," she sang to the customer lyrically. Her dark painted lips parted into a smile as she eyed the suit the swordsman wore. "Nice," she commented as she pointed to his jacket. That was the kind of jacket her brother would wear to a council meeting, not to a walk about town. He must be a high-roller, and her eyes then met his lapel where a pin designating him as a sunan shone proudly. Her brow furrowed in confusion, there was a disconnect between his status as a possible shinobi and as a man of distinction. Son from a wealthy family that integrated their son into the shinobi arts during his youth? How uncouth. "Can I help you?"

"Excuse me, but I'm looking for someone knowledgeable in the crafting of weapons, I am to understand the owners of this establishment own the blacksmithery in the Fukui compound. I need access, to research the blade before you, I can pay you handsomely for your time in escorting me to it, and of course you can observe. My employer finds this sword very important, and would pay top dollar for any information you could ascertain."

"I am a Fukui," the saleswoman chimed. "Fukui Akane, little sister of Lord Fukui Shino," she announced with some pride in her voice. Wealth was in a way new to her family, there was a time not terribly long ago that they were just like the other merchants on the outskirts of town. Through hard work and dedication to their craft they were able to make something of their family. Homura revealed the sword slung over his back and Akane's face dropped and her mouth made an 'O.' "I-I... I have nothing like this here," she stammered her golden eyes wide. "It is lovely," she purred as she hovered her hand millimeters from the weapon. She could feel the weapon 'breathing.' "A living flame-court blade," she mused as she pulled her hand away from the weapon. The flame court, the first blacksmiths. The place from where her family's Order and line originated from centuries ago. "It is beautiful... how much do you want for it?" She finally asked after a momentary pause. "That is a wondrous artifact, but it has to be centuries old," she explained further. She... they had no need for money, although it was obvious that his boss had more money than they if he was the hired help. Yes, she heard that, this man referred to someone as his 'employer' diminishing him back to the status of hired help and then likely shinobi.

Akane bit her lower lip. "Shino would like to see your weapon," she mused. She let out a sigh. "You know what... I want to know about your sword too. Just let me close up shop and we can be on our way. She walked around the counter, the click of her hastily moving heels seemed loud in the otherwise silent store. She flipped the sign to Closed on the front door and dead-bolted the same door. There was a large heavy grade retreated into the ceiling that she reached up for and swung downward with in a single smooth motion. She was strong for a civilian, perhaps not as strong as a shinobi but she was a smith by trade as well and that had to count for something. If she completed these tasks uninterupted she would announce "all locked up" and beckon you to follow her out the back door.

 

[Randamu Kyarakuta]

Good lord was this a big woman! He was a man of somewhat good height, and had to look up to her as she spoke, it wasn't intimidating as he'd stared down death itself on multiple occasions, but it did strain the neck a bit. She introduced herself as Fukui Akane, the sister of Shino. Whatever the cost he would get there, and he thought to himself that if this was his little sister, was he a literal giant? She seemed enamored with his blade, reaching out but not touching it. That was good on her part, if she did she would no doubt lose her arm, whether the defenses activated, or he pulled it off with his bare hands for touching his beloved sword. She then called it a flame-court blade. The name was not familiar to him.

"It is beautiful... how much do you want for it?"

"It's not for sale, family heirloom as it where.." he didn't specify if it was his, or his employers. Given the way she seemed to treat him, it would be easy to assume it was the persons who had the money as opposed to the dressed trained monkey before her.

"You know what... I want to know about your sword too. Just let me close up shop and we can be on our way."

"Perfect, I could get a promotion out of this, then hello swimming pool!" he joked, as she went about locking up things tightly. He would ask her a few questions as she did so. "What's the flame court, and how do you know this is a living blade?" he said as he re-strapped it to his back. Once she went to the back door, he followed her. Keeping a few paces behind, in case he got jumped for his weapon, he would continue to follow her, hopefully getting lead right to Shino.

 

[Sand Council]

Fukui Akane
Journeyman
Sister to Fukui Shino​

The Flame Court was the easier of the two questions to answer. "In the time before Sunagakure, the whole of Wind Country was dominated by a species of creature known as the Ancients. The nation was divided into various courts: Solar, Earth and Flame were the greatest of these courts but there were countless others. The flame court was under the rule of the Warrior King Homura, an ancient who relished the heat of battle and lusted for blood like no other. As such, his slaves were gladiators in tournaments to appease him and the armors they wore were made by the same court, my ancestors. We did not make human weapons alone, but it was our duty to also perform the tedious work of creating the weapons for the ancients themselves. What you have is not a weapon intended for a human," she went on to explain as she waved Homura out the back door and bolted the door tight. The allyway was narrow and dirty, a stark contrast to the wealth the face of the storefronts demonstrated. Akane continued with her story, "my family originated in the flame court as a slave family." She reiterated. "We were among the first Journeymen in Wind Country after the advent of our liberation, we took the blacksmithing skills we acquired during our enslavement to make a life for ourselves." Akane explained simply with a shrug of her shoulder. It was true, there was a time when the Orders were well-alive and it meant something different than profit margins but times changed and their ranks diminished to only a handful who still knew the secrets of a true-forged weapon. Perhaps if other Journeymen saw with their proud order had been diminished to, profiteers in a festering city of commerce they would be angry but she did not see it that way. They had a skill that was in high demand and they were not the only ones with this skill-set, they were just the only ones willing to sell their wares and teach their children their arts as it had been abandoned by more than maintained.</COLOR>
[legend="[size=5][color=darkslategrey][b]Journeymen[/b][/color][/size]"]The genesis of the Order of Journeymen can be traced back to the Age of Primus and the God's Fall that preceded the liberation of humanity. It is said that Primus' blade and armor were the greatest achievement of the Journeymen's Order. Those who claim lineage to the Journeymen often state that Journeyman's armor was the product of a dozen Journeymen and gave Primus the strength of one-hundred men and often boast that it was their wares that gave Primus the ability to overcome the power of the Gods.

The Journeymen are a trade order that specializes in armors and weapons. It is said that a Journeymen is an expert in every form of armed combat and that their weapons which often bear their family name and sigil are the strongest, sharpest, and best weapons produced. Their secrets have been closely guarded and often Journeymen run in families but in cases where there is no heir, apprentices are often found among promising local youth.

In the present day Journeymen are not only unrivaled in their weapon martial skill but also skilled in armors and in some cases technology. Some Journeymen are tinkerers capable of making proficient EMP grenades, the creation and manipulation of mannequins or even the creation of armored suits capable of serving as more than a protective shell. Crafting is considered to be a lucrative trade in modern Suna, the Sunan government often has high regards for Journeymen because their wares are the essential tools of the shinobi vocation. In addition, many Journeymen are also instructors due to their in-depth knowledge and affinity for their weapon crafts. In fact, it is common for a Journeymen to become an educator for a brief period to find an apprentice if they have no appropriate legitimate or illegitimate offspring of their own.

• Benefits of Journeymen:
  • <COLOR color="red">Capable of sealing the souls of their ancestors or other potentially powerful beings into weapons and armors. They believe that the soul that inhabits the weapon gives it strength - the weapon or armor can essentially communicate with the user. [The user would require the permission of another player to use a player's previous killed PC/NPC in a weapon or armor.]
  • All of a Journeyman's weapons have a signature appearance to them [be it a color, glow, insignia, etc].
  • IC Journeyman's are considered to be "experts" in every weapon type they manufacture.
  • Many Journeymen are considered to be financially well-off due to the fact that most Crafters sell their wares.
  • Journeymen are IC'ly held in high regard in Suna society (but due to their rarity, often the fact that one is a Journeyman is a lie but that is not the case here).
  • IC Journeymen are considered knowledgeable in every technique a weapon is capable of even if they cannot use the jutsu themselves. Meaning that a Crafter would in character know what a bludgeoning technique does even if they do not own the technique. This does not mean that they would become auto-aware of a hidden action done with a weapon in modded battle.

[/legend]

They turned a corner as Akane twisted what looked like a gaudy earring into her ear. "Hello, tell Shino I am coming home early brother. I have a visitor with a flame court sword. I have never seen anything like it." She announced as she ended the transmission with "I'll meet him in the shop, love you." Even cold business people can have a love for family and she was no exception. She returned to her previous discussion immediately thereafter. "Life and desire give strength to a weapon, Journeymen like ourselves can seal beings into weapons such as an honored ancestor who would want to protect us from the afterlife or a dangerous monster whose strength would fortify the blade," Akane explained. "Every weapon here is alive in a way, if you listen closely you can hear them... but they are nothing like your weapon." She admitted as she pulled a small dagger from her waist. "This one has a sandworm's essence housed within, it grants this weapon a feral nature that can enhance the wielder's own and aid them in battle." She explained as she tucked the small dagger back into her waist. It was no easy task pulling a soul into a weapon, and the more powerful the soul the more difficult the process and sometimes the more difficult to acquire the soul in the first place because an entity must be dead for a Journeyman to take the soul. Those weapons all had a resonance, but she could not define that she felt because she could not hear this stranger's weapon. A weapon is only as dangerous as its wielder in most regards, but in every one of those cases the wielder was more powerful than their weapon. Ancients were on an entirely different level than humans, therefore their weapons were made with that consideration. That weapon, in this human's hands was more dangerous than she could possibly imagine unless this weapon was one of those happy fluffy bunny swords from Homura Court. Yeah, like they would have that kind of weapon there... No, this weapon was likely something terrible.

The walk was not far, but it was sufficient enough to share what she already knew regarding his weapon. It was not much, not really, it was a simple history lesson and nothing more so it probably bored him terribly. All in all, they reached their destination. It was a massive estate, not quite as large as the one Homura got this job at of course but this place had a sky. Lush verdant sod covered the landscape, broken by carefully laid stone paths. The household was large enough to house a small army, but most of these people were servants and the like. Security was lackluster but easily seen. Slightly pudgy, more like mall cops than guardians were scurrying about. One of them made a comment about a pair of intruders who broke out of the compound. Armed with this trusty... knife? If you could call it that, it looked like it would be of better use cutting a steak than defending oneself. Another made mention of a cat woman and narrowly escaping her wrath as well as something about losing his fencing sword. "Oh God, what is happening!" Akane exclaimed, her hand over her own mouth in a display of shock or distress.

"I need to check on my little brother Isamu!" She announced as she dashed the best a woman could in heels into the house. "The forge is over that way!" She called as she pointed to her left. The building was not as large as one would have assumed but the lights were on. Heat emanated from the building, the fires from which their blades were forged. Meanwhile Akane was in the building making a fair amount of ruckus looking for her brother. The staff, both inside (as can be seen through the window panes even from afar) and outside continued to scurry about. It did not seem like the Fukui family invested greatly in defense at all. In fact, if Homura looked closely enough he would realize that the man without a sword that complained he lost one was wearing fencing clothes - he was a fencing trainer. In fact the man with a knife was wielding a meat cleaver and was wearing a crisp white apron. Perhaps the Fukui family had no fashion standard or perhaps there was no a single sentinel to be found, but rather loyal employees of the Fukui family attempting to protect their homestead.

 

[Randamu Kyarakuta]

He had learned quite a bit about the people who could have made his sword. He had seen the creation, in a forge unlike any other. It was almost mystical, a non-existent one in a space nobody could reach, as if made in the heavens. It was possible it was a regular forge done by these folks, but these ancients seemed more theatrical than that, if only he knew one he could ask. As they walked up, she put an earpiece in of some kind, and began to talk about what he can only call a 'security force' letting them know a guy was here with an important weapon. She showed a weapon to him that housed a sandworm essence, if that was the case then who was in his sword? His mind immediately went to Homura, the destructive ancient. It was said this weapon was a piece of his much larger one, whos to say it's not a piece of his much larger soul as well. What if he could claim the rest of it? It was an interesting thought, something he'd have to get into when his mission was done.

She took on a sour face.

"I need to check on my little brother Isamu!"

She ran off.

"The forge is over that way!"

He ran into the forge, looking around real fast and dispatching the blacksmiths quickly with quick strikes to the neck with his hands, He had no time to change into a disguise, so he'd have to make it look good with a transformation jutsu. He was a ninja after all, or rather trained in their arts. So with a flick of the wrist he would take on the form of an armored warrior, the pin relocated to the face plate guarding his face. Taking his new disguise, he'd leave out the back of the blacksmiths towards the commotion, keeping an eye out for his 'boss' he was here to collect.

Spoiler

 

[Sand Council]

OC: Short, bad work post.

As the woman ran off unhindered in search of what could only be assumed a younger sibling with how she dashed off in response to an intruder being on the premises. There was a commotion in the household that bubbled to a simmer shortly after she departed. More than likely she found what she was looking for, but her return was not immediate. It would appear that this household was a nexus of activity on this day. "How dare you, you foul, loathsome, evil, little cockroach!" A distant voice roared loud enough that it could be heard throughout the complex. Most of the scrabbling 'sentries' made their way to the yard borders, towards the source of the commotion.

Meanwhile, while the lady was away the ronin would play? Inside there were not many gathered within the the small blacksmith building. The walls studded with tools and the floor and every flat surface area was littered with weapons. There were only two men inside, both wordlessly pounding on pieces of red-hot metal. The rhythmic clang of hammer and anvil on blade resonated through the space. The air was hot and dry, fiery coals made a bed on a fireplace of brick and mortar. They never saw Homura coming, before they could utter word or warning a snap to the back of the neck broke their bones at the axis. They let out the start of a scream before their bodies went limp and they crashed motionless to the floor.

There was nothing of exception in there, it was a place where weapons were made. Nothing like the images in Homura's mind of a massive, almost mythical place. It was clean, but cluttered. Littered with weapons, but none resonated in the way that Homura's did. In fact they had some essence, but it was faint... almost incidental in comparison but greater than in a significant way than the mundane weapons he would have encountered on the streets of Sunagakure or the merchant tents of Soons Haven even.

"Shino? ...SHINO! What is going on!" Apparently Akane had found at least one sibling. She was making no effort to keep the volume down, not that she had a reason to. To the best of her understanding there were no secrets to be had and there was no danger in allowing a perfect stranger to roam the estate grounds. She was not a well-educated woman obviously, she was a middle-class woman (or lower) wrapped up in some nice clothes and taken someplace nice. She was not the head of the family because she was illiterate, as was every other member in her family less Shino. It was not a point of contention when you are not smart enough to realize that ypou are being outranked because you are so easily outwitted. Shino's response could not be heard from over such a distance, but Akane's side of the conversation could be heard clearly. "What w-" She started to inquire before everything became quiet from inside the home. Perhaps she was silenced, perhaps she stopped herself, perhaps it was nothing at all or perhaps it was something. Let's just stick with nothing and hope it is not something.






Homura had a choice, there were two sites of commotion:

• • 1. Towards the sound of an angry woman or possibly monster (Kimi)
    2. Towards the sound of Akane in the household.

 

[Randamu Kyarakuta]

"How dare you, you foul, loathsome, evil, little cockroach!"

He heard the roar of a female of some description, if the boss was anywhere it was probably next to the action. If he was even here in the first place, chances are he wasn't one to shy away from the nitty gritty, even if he did have to get his hands dirty with latex gloves on so he didn't actually get them dirty. He heard the woman he arrived with yell, but for right now he had to see what was going on with the louder one. If his boss died before he could collect him, that would make the most egregious first impression.

[Moving to Kimi's topic!]

 

[Sand Council]

Inside the house was an eerie silence, outside the home was a pair of broken necks and a samurai on the loose on wealthy grounds. There seemed to be an abundance of villains and a deficit of heroes. While sonnets and legends are made from the hero, few recall the decades of glory, power and splendor enjoyed by the antagonist years before.

[Homura's Departure has been Granted]​