Howdy Folks!
Just a 'quick' note, gonna head north to spend a couple days with the folks in a little while.
Assumptions for the next session, so folks can plan accordingly -- or not worry about planning too much, as the case may be -- should be as follows:
1) The trip back to Marike will be relatively uneventful. No encounters with nasties you feel compelled to attack or vice versa. You pass through Waterstone Temple, can do a little business or meditation or whatever there and continue on, arriving back at Marike at a normal pace, encounters with commoners (bowing and scraping as they should) and with a few samurai road patrols (showing proper respect as well). The weather is nice enough, and much discussion is had regarding what is to be done with all this newfound wealth.
2) Upon your arrival, word is quickly sent to the Chief of Constables, who has his minions on the lookout for you! Miya Hatori is asked to visit Regaro at his home, and asked to bring his "noble companions and advisors as well". Miya Hatori graciously accepts the invitation, and anyone else who is curious as to what will transpire is welcome to accompany him...
It turns out that the local lord and his retainers are in a bind and need some assistance. They have a task to perform and not enough resources to perform it! On his lord's behalf -- probably to spare his lord the loss of face -- Regaro is asking a favor of this mighty band of adventurers, a band which has proven both competent and honorable. This is the problem...
In about a week, more or less, a high-born lady of the Phoenix will be travelling to the Dragon capital, with servants and dowry, in a not-so-secret secret mission to smooth out relations between the two clans by marrying the heir to the Dragon throne. For whatever reason, she will not travel through Crane lands to get there, and does not wish to travel by sea, the most commonly used mode of travelling from one city to another without travelling through the intervening lands... She must arrive safely, guarded by trustworthy warriors as well as cunning allies of other types -- and her dowry, which evidently fills a couple of wagons, must also arrive safely with her. This will hopefully bring peace along the recently expanding Phoenix/Dragon border, and perhaps even insure that the inroads made by the wild goblins and ogres of the wilderness are resettled and protected in a mutually beneficial manner...something that your own efforts have made much more feasible!
Now, the Lord of Marike has not enough experienced samurai to guarantee the lady's safety and well-being through the wilderness, and does not trust to the type of men he could simply hire for gold -- nor does he yet have sufficient gold to hire those of true competence. And although he and his retinue would gladly risk their own lives for this purpose, he has other duties which he cannot neglect. In addition, a large party of armed samurai, all of the Phoenix, entering Dragon lands from the wilderness, could be misconstrued and cause an incident! Not a good idea. Nonetheless they have been preparing to do their duty as best they can, while hoping for your prompt return... They themselves can really offer only the honor of the task and their gratitude and favor -- and perhaps the gratitude and favor of the heir to the Dragon throne as well, if the lady arrives safely and in a good mood and makes a favorable impression on the young man.
It is likely, Regaro thinks, that there are factions within the Crane that are opposed to the idea of peace between the Phoeni and the Dragon, since they rely on the two clans not trusting each other and thus paying less attention to the Crane. And there may well be militant factions within both the Phoenix (less likely) and the Dragon (moreso) which prefer not to see this marriage taking place -- whether due to benefitting from the status quo, or simply because they had their own plans involving one of those noble personages... So it isn't only wilderness dangers that must be warded against. At the same time, the hope is to avoid ending up caught in a blood feud with any of the factions which might seek to intervene...
If nothing else, the task may prove to be an opportunity to visit the Dragon capital -- where some characters should be able to get their purchases and trades made easily enough. You do have some prior contacts among the Mirumoto there, or at least you can assume that some word of the events at Ming Yo have reached the ears of Mirumoto at court.
Note to players -- the above means, assuming you agree to do this favor, you would have about a week, maybe a little longer, in Marike (or nearby collecting goods and selling mithril to the ogre smith for instance), before being introduced to the lady and getting organized to take her to her destination. The lady's own retinue will essentially all be non-combatants accustomed to easy living, would not be much use in a fight. I don't have a real (5-mile hex) map of the area you'll be going through yet, we'll see if I can get that taken care of or just have to wing it... As far as shopping once there is concerned, except for Drakara City (which has a market limit of 100,000) all the cities on the map have a market limit in the vicinity of 40,000, so the Dragon capital should be able to handle most of your economic needs. (The towns on the other hand just don't make the grade...)
Okay, after that 'brief' message, gotta get some stuff done. Questions can be answered through email to some extent upon my return in a couple/few days or thereafter... Hope this sounds of interest!
-- Ernie III / DrakaraGM