.:| Quote |:.

"Duty is doing what must be done, regardless of what others may think."
-- Kierath Ranamor

.:| Vornae Proverbs |:.

"I no naka no kawazu taikai o shirazu."
A frog in a well does not know the great sea.

"Ame futte chi katamaru"
After the rain, earth hardens

.:| Libraries |:.

Letters Found in a Voltan Tomb

Regrettably, I am unable to explain the origins of these letters beyond the fact that they were found in a tomb in Volta. The letters themselves are rather self-explanatory, although they are quite possibly in the wrong order, as they do not bear dates. I have taken great care to preserve the letters as written, and one might notice some grammatical and spelling errors in them which are as per the originals. Some of the syntax and plural/possessive errors would indicate an author writing in a second language - in this case, Common rather than Kuriaikani, I would suspect. Each of these letters bears the mark of an unbalanced scale on the top right-hand corner. - Phyrra Tenshi Bokenjen

Lord Hei Sai Komo Ki,

My Lord, I have decided to entrust to you a mission of the most vital importance. Due to the stupidity of Clan Hoyosha, they have agreed to turn over Hiriko to us. Due to her relationship with our Empress killing her out right would be foolish. So instead I have devised the following plan. I have sent along the necessary funds for you to build a small grave yard with several structures which can be used to house un dead. Along with this I have sent you several scrolls which will allow you to turn Hiriko into an undead which will ensure that she spend the rest of her un natural life trapped. Knowing that her Clan has been banished to Nihon.

I have sent along Sei Hie whom shall be able to cast all of the necessary rituals and he'll be able to maintain a ward until such a time as I can have him replaced. Sei Hie is a loyal man, not to bright, but a tool that can serve us well. I have know for awhile and I have not forgotten your desire to become an undead as well, so I have finally decided to grant you your request. Not because you wish it, but because It will now serve me. Construct the grave yard, trap Hiriko and prepare yourself to stand eternal guard over that bitches grave. I believe that no one suspects of my plans, but just in case be weary of Hoyoshan fanatical's attempting to rescue her. Be very careful as you know that what I do is against the Empress wishes. She agreed to hand her over, but only because she thought we'd give her a clean death. How so very stupid of her!

The use of un dead is something that isn't quiet used in all of its possible effectiveness, so I'd like you to begin creating a small unit of un dead. Feel free to use the local peasantry. I will instruct the head of that area that he is to ignore, under penalty of death, an unexplained happenings. If this works out, I might begin to use this a s a secure area to dispose of any that get in my way. Perhaps you should plan creating a special crypt for a royal personage? Your family estates and wealth have been assured and your eldest daughter as per your request has been recognized as your heir. She has been commanded to move her household into the royal encampment so that she maybe near me at all times. She lack's your certain special skills, but she will do well under our royal guidance. Success and my eternal darkness always cover thy path.

Mirko

Lord Hei Sai,

Under no circumstances is the Hoyosha Blade to ever see daylight. You are to keep Hiriko away from the blade. Her Hags, the Silent One's have been going around claiming that he who bears the blade will lead the Hoyoshan Shokan to its per ordained greatness. That fool Char has been scouring the caverns in search of it, but his time is up and his clann has been officially banished! The empress actually cried at the lost of the Hoyoshans! She is weak!! Our spies have managed to secure from the royal treasury Hiriko's clan seal. I have sent it along with this missive for I feel that certain documents need to surface. I need not explain in detail right now, but I shall be coming to you soon. I wish to be there when the so called heir of Clan (this part is smudged) is introduced to his new royal surrounding's. His mother has been frantically searching for her, but it is to no avail. When the time is right I will have my men approach her and that of course will be the end of that clan. Things are moving along as planned. Your duty is almost at an end.

Mirko

Lord Hei Sai,

Things are going afoul. Somehow someone has managed to alert the royal clan as to our involvement with the death's of the clan heads at the last conclave. Are alchemist assured me that the poison used was untraceable, but somehow this isn't so. The royal Seneschal is claiming to have prove of our involvement. I have invited her to our castle to discuss these accusation. She shall of course never leave these walls alive. The meeting is set for three moons from now, so you are to at once send your forces to the Giesi Caverns and await for re enforcement's that I shall be sending. Feel free to lead the forces yourself. You shall receive additional instructions at the time.

Mirko

SamiSi,

You are here by ordered by my personal command to have yourself turned into an un dead form. You are further ordered to guard over the treacherous remains of the Hoyoshan clan bitch Hiriko until such a time as I can have you replaced. It is not a loyal vassals place to expect reward, but know that for a such a service your family will receive that honor which I can not as of yet bestow upon you. From now until the end of the empire your children will serve me as honored warrior's of Clan Takara. Know also that you have your Shokan's thanks and pride upon this task you are about to complete.

Mirko san

Lord Hei Sai,

Just wanted to thank you again for your diligence and foresight. It was a brilliant move to have additional underground crypts created. So far your attitude in this endeavor has been beyond my wildest dreams! I have sent all of our covert intelligent reports as per your request to be housed at specter hall. Whom would ever think of checking out such an out of the way grave yard! As of this missive I have acquired two additional guest whom shall be sent along shortly. I believe that as your last report you have managed to construct five additional guest homes?

I am waiting for the heat to die down then I shall be sending you the additional funds, materials and scrolls needed. I was a little disturbed to hear that Sami has developed a habit of wandering around leaving his post un attended. I have heared rumor's that once an un dead state has been sustained for a long period it tends to rot the mind. In you case, it seems to have sharpened it. By the way, congratulations on the birth of your grand daughter. She is quiet beautiful. On a more serious note, those hags that served Clan Hoyosha are still hanging around. One even had the nerve to appear at our gates, get by the house guard and enter your grand child's room. Your daughter as well as her personal escort where there so nothing happened but the raving of that hag. She foretold that your grand child would not live to see her 20th birth day. I had the keep guards commit Seppku as well as your daughters guard for even allowing the hag to speak. I have had your daughter and grand child moved to a more secure area of the castle proper. They are both fine and miss you. I shall be intouch.

Mirko

Lord Hei Sai,

The raid was flawless!! Prehaps you should begin the construction of a new more lavished crypt. It is ashamed that we had to use it so soon but the Seneschal and her accusations had to be handled. I am sorry that you had to kill your daughter, but we could not afford her revealing to anyone of your current form and duties. I am sure that you will make her stay with you comfortable and in time, perhaps she will come to handle and accept her new form. Your grand child is only 12 so she is not yet old enough to rule so I have chosen a replacement until such a time as she is old enough to assume her role at my side.

Use the Seneschals ring to create the necessary writs and charters then seal them. I need the following.

Royal Loans. 10000 gold, 5000 silver.
Appointments: Warlord of the fifth for Kansi, Warlord of the eight for Naigi, Chancellor ship for Mei
Exploratory Charters to the Western Caverns.
Cancel all other Exploratory Charters
Disband the Seneschals personal guard. Create documents accusing them of conspiracy against the empress and prove that the leader Jakazi is responsible for the assassination's of the clan heads last year.
Also create a note explaining Jakazi'z sudden disappearance. By the way, how is Jakazi handling his new surrounding's?

Also implicate Char in the poisoning of the wells at the time of our war with the Hoyoshan's. Write up the necessary reports. To many people at the Guntai are beginning to question it again. How could someone so young gather such loyalty even after so long? I have had the head master replaced as well as several of the war captains shall receive new orders ordering them to carry out a cover mission against Clan Tzumi. When it comes to light, they'll have no really support and they'll be banished.

[N.B.: The following fragment was attached to the previous one, but does not seem to be of the same time period. Note the discrepancy between the grandchild's ages listed.]

It is amazing to me that it yet hasn't hit anyone that the person with the most to gain from all of those people dying was me. My sister died along with all of her most loyal men at arms. True she did have her spies that where feeding her info on Chars battle plans, but I killed two birds in one stroke. I got rid of the Hoyoshan's, the heir to Takara and assured my ascendance into power as the third ranked clan! But I diverge. Your grand child and heirs 20th birth day is at hand and nothing has happened as I foretold! Success..

Mirko

[N.B.: The last letter is clearly by a second author, although it also bears the seal of the unbalanced scales.]

Lord Hei Sai,

Greetings. Although we have never met I am now head of Clan Takara. Forth with you are here by ordered to seal the grave yard and return home. I do not really know much of what you did under my mother's orders, but I have plans of my own and I wish to have them carried out. I here by order you to commit Seppku and hopefully you shall find the peace that you have obviously have been seeking. Your clan is no more and has not been so for well over eight hundred years since the tragic death of your last heir. I know rumors have been whispered that my mothers failure to heed the advice from the Hoyoshan hags was the cause of her death, but these are ramblings of children and scared old men and woman. The Hoyoshan's have been long dead also for well over 2000 years. It is time to leave the past in the past. I have ordered my men at arms to ensure that you are helped along in carrying out your orders.

I do understand that you have in your possession the Seneschal's signet ring. The current empress has never bothered to replace her believing that she'd return someday. I have need of that ring for it is rumored to be magical as well as the key to a buried secret. Send it to me. My mother died in her sleep as fitting to someone whom spent their whole live insuring our clan's success. I shall have you buried next to her as per her last wishes.

I do not know if you are truly my father, but that is something I do not wish ever discussed. Destroy anything in that grave yard that might implicate my clan. I no longer have need of un dead troops so have the remaining several hundred sent to our base camp in mount Seemegi.

Mirki