Podcasts about kaizoku

The ronin stood in horror as the creature wailed from beneath the well. Seppun Azusa called a meeting to discuss their next steps.As Boa, Tsume, and Kaizoku thought of a plan, they noticed the ronin hired to protect the castle beginning to gather their things and leave. Their work had been steady and well paying, but with Masaru and Nobu imprisoned and with a new threat lingering beneath the castle, the ronin didn't want to risk their lives for a lord who might not have the means to pay them. Surprised by their shortsightedness, Boa reasoned with the ronin, reminding them that their strength was in numbers, and that Lord Jikai would surely reward them handsomely for their service to his castle. In total, 9 ronin decided to stay while the rest fled.The ronin sat in audience with Seppun Azusa and Lord Jikai's court. Dzudh, the wandering monk from the north, gave advice on how to defeat the kyokotsu. He said that attacks which would kill a human would merely stun it. He advised wearing the creature down with an assault of attacks, and then when it's vulnerable, conduct a cleansing ritual to destroy it once and for all. With Tetsuya dead, they needed to find a different shugenja to perform the ritual. They suggested sending Setsuo back to Twin Blessings Village and asking if Daizo would be able to conduct the ritual instead. They also decided that while he was there, he should convince the rebels to back down and see if any of them would be willing to help defeat the monster. With these things in motion, the ronin concocted a plan...Kaizoku and Tsume searched the hillside for an entrance into the underground water system which the well was connected to. They found a wide opening with high ridges on either side of the waterway: a perfect location to set a trap. Tsume then followed the cave system and carefully mapped a course to the well beneath the castle. Meanwhile, Boa led a team of servants cutting wood. Dzudh marked an inscription into these wood panels, and then with help from Boa and the servants, placed the wood panels in the stream bed, blessing the water.The next day Kaizoku and Tsume stocked up on supplies while Boa butchered meat to use as bait for the monster. That night, Setsuo arrived from Twin Blessings Village with the priest, Daizo. He had agreed to perform the Cleansing Rite, but they were unable to persuade anyone else to join the cause. It appeared the rebels were still planning to attack the castle. There was no going back then. The ronin had to defeat the kyokotsu, or else a terrible battle would needlessly claim the lives of dozens.The following day, they unleashed their trap. Tsume, Azusa, and Ume planted the meat on a course to lure the creature into the open. Boa stood at the mouth of the cave with a team of ronin and Kaizoku stood on the ridge with a team of archers. Slowly, the kyokotsu came shambling into the open.With the monster disoriented, they attacked. A barrage of attacks from all sides wore the creature down, and they outnumbered it 14 to 1, but it was a terrible foe nonetheless. Its aura radiated hatred and its wail splintered the soul. But with teamwork and tenacity, they defeated the monster. Soon, it collapsed from exhaustion. While in this vulnerable state, Daizo rushed out and performed the cleansing rite. The kyokotsu's remains turned to dust and it was vanquished for eternity.With the Kyokotsu defeated and Otomo Yuki's spirit finally laid to rest, peace was restored to the land. The water kami were pleased and blessed the people of Twin Blessings Village and Nestled Village with a plentiful harvest.Satisfied with the water kami's blessing, the rebels ended their plotting against Closed Shell Castle and returned to their homes.Setsuo reclaimed his position as village head and repaired his relationship with his son, Ichiro.Reju Jikai recovered from his wounds and restored peace with the villagers with the brave and loyal Seppun Azusa at his side.Daizo was given a permanent position at Closed Shell Castle as well as all the ronin who decided to stay and defeat the monster-- not as swords for hire, but as noble samurai.Otomo Nobu and Reju Masaru were exposed for their treachery and executed with no chance for seppuku.Tsume became a sworn samurai in service of Lord Reju Jikai and moved his family into Closed Shell Castle. He gave up his life of grave robbing and treasure hunting in order to provide safety and security for his mom and siblings.Boa settled on a plot of land in Twin Blessings Village with his estranged son and his son's mother, intent on patching up that relationship and being the father he always should have been.Kaizoku was reunited with his ship, newly renovated by the people of Twin Blessings Village as thanks for all that he did. He set sail, continuing toward the horizon and letting the river take him wherever it pleased. Artwork by Dylon MunozMusic by Brandon Spain & Podcast of the Five Rings

Recorded 2025-01-26 22:59:56

Recorded 2024-12-22 22:59:41

Recorded 2024-11-24 23:00:58

Recorded 2024-10-27 21:57:53

The monks dropped their ruse and revealed themselves for what they truly were: murderous assassins. In a haze, the ronin drew their weapons to defend themselves, but the damage was already done. Poison was coursing through their veins, making them feel lightheaded and fatigued, while the powder of the sokutoshi blinded and choked them. The assassins attacked, attempting to dispatch their targets while they had the advantage. Hoping to bide some time and distract the assassins, Kaizoku challenged the assassin with the ninjato to a one on one fight. The assassin proudly accepted. The two clashed while the others fought to gain an upperhand. The assassin with the blowgun flute dropped his weapon and unleashed a kusarigama concealed beneath his robes, immobilizing Boa while making a flurry of attacks against Tsume.Kaizoku and the assassin faced each other, and it soon became clear that Kaizoku was outmatched. He was fighting a true professional. He bowed out of the challenge winded and exhausted. The assassin, attempting to finish what he started, knocked Kaizoku unconscious while he was trying to catch his breath, deforming his face and scarring his rugged features.Fighting with their ally bleeding and out of commission, Tsume and Boa fought for their lives. The assassins fought with a determination and skill which the ronin had never faced before. They shrugged off attacks which would kill lesser enemies and refused to retreat.With a force of sheer willpower, Kaizoku woke himself up from his unconsciousness and stabbed the assassin with the kusarigama through the gut with his magari yari, killing him. Undaunted, the other assassin continued the fight, beating Tsume within an inch of his life before eventually succumbing to his wounds and being finished off by Boa. The ronin tended to their wounds and searched the bodies of the assassins. They found a contract to eliminate them. It had details of where they were headed, the road they'd be taking and physical descriptions of each of them. It was signed by Otomo Nobu.The next morning, the three finished their journey at a small village on the outskirts of Otosan Uchi. Filled with questions about the mounting tensions surrounding Closed Shell Castle and the schemes of Otomo Nobu, they searched for the shugenja, Reju Tetsuya. Dressed in the monk's robes taken from one of the assassins, Tsume asked around town until he located Tetsuya at a local stable. The three descended on the stable, wearing armor adorned with the Reju family crest. Tetsuya was laying on a pile of hay, stinking of sake. He awoke and saw the three standing over him. “Damn,” was all he said. Artwork by Dylon MunozMusic by Brandon Spain & Podcast of the Five Rings

Boa had just heard the news that Mamoru Nakama was planning an attack on Jikai's hunting party. Thinking quickly, he notified Tsume and used his contacts in the castle to get an anonymous letter to Jikai warning him of the ambush. The next morning, everyone in the castle stood at the gates to see the hunting party off. Excitement was in the air, mixed with a hint of unease. The lightweight and flexible clothes normally worn on such an expedition were replaced with lacquered armor. It appeared that Boa's note had made an impact on the lord.As the hunting party left the castle, Boa tried to follow them, unnoticed. He was caught by none other than Otomo Nobu, who ordered him to get back to work. Disregarding his order, Boa fled the castle, trailing Jikai's hunting party across the countryside. The last thing he heard was Nobu gathering ronin to chase after him.On the trail, Tsume chatted with the other members of the hunt. He spoke with Reju Ume, Jikai's niece and heir. Tsume got a sense that Ume hated Closed Shell Castle and quietly resented her uncle for bringing her to that place. Noticing the general unease among the party, Tsume talked to Jikai's yojimbo, Jinzaburo. Speaking candidly, he revealed that Jikai received a letter warning him of an ambush. Uncertain of the letter's validity, the lord decided not to call off the hunt, but being cautious, he ordered that everyone be armed and armored.Camped out in a clearing upon a hill, the party began their hunt. For the first time in months, Jikai fully seemed himself, finally able to enjoy one of his favorite artforms: falconry. The lord brought his entire collection of birds, each one personally trained by him. He happily mentored Tsume on the proper technique before letting the bird loose and catching a plump rabbit. Tsume skinned and dressed the rabbit as only the son of a butcher could do, and then put the meat in a stew.Spirits were high as the party sat down to enjoy some rabbit stew. As everyone laughed and ate, the fear that pervaded them washed away. Just as everyone was beginning to relax, the horses began to whinny. Looking up, the party realized they were surrounded. A pack of wolves encircled them, slowly creeping forward from the forest. Chief among them was an enormous wolf, twice the size of the others with silver fur and yellow eyes: Nakama.The wolves fell on them, creating a mass of swirling, snarling jaws. They were everywhere. Overwhelmed and unable to retreat, the party was forced to stand their ground. The samurai drew their weapons and fought against the wolves bearing down on them. Nakama went straight for Reju Jikai— his mission was clear. However the bodyguard, Jinzaburo, bravely defended his lord against the tide of claws and fangs. Out from the forest yelled Boa, having crept behind the hunting party all day. He tried to reconcile with the beasts, but it was clear they were past that point. He drew his weapon and entered the fray. Hearing the sounds of battle from a not-too-distant-trail, Kaizoku came running through the forest. Upon seeing his friends in combat, he too joined the melee.Before long, it was apparent that the crashing waves of wolves were too much for Jinzaburo to handle. He fell in battle, and the wolves were soon upon him, finishing him without remorse. Nakama now attacked Jikai directly.Having lost half their number to samurai steel, the pack began to flee, but Nakama remained. With a final attack, he lunged at Jikai, ripping his right hand from his wrist. Jikai bled and cried in agony as the samurai struck at the giant wolf. With a final blow, Boa ended Nakama's life. The spirit he failed to console became the beast he had to slay.As the dust settled and the warriors caught their breath, the ronin Nobu ordered to find Boa discovered the party. They immediately tended to Jikai's wounds and brought the party back to the castle. That morning, they departed the castle excited and shining in resplendent armor, but they returned beaten, bloody, and exhausted. Jinzaburo was dead, and Jikai was permanently wounded. Nobu accepted the party into the castle. Among them he found Kaizoku, the pirate he believed had released a prisoner and murdered a guard, and Boa, the trouble-making ronin defector. Nobu's face contorted and a torrent of punishments and citations began to well up in his throat, but before a word could be uttered, Jikai spoke. He said, “these men saved my life.” 

Rin was dead, Zagra's cell was empty, and Kaizoku was nowhere to be found. The castle immediately went into high alert and Tsume and Boa were brought before Nobu to answer for what happened. The pair could not speak for the disappearance of their friend and merely insisted that a further investigation would need to be held before any conclusions could be made. Nobu, already suspicious of the ronin due to the incident involving the shugenja, Tetsuya, expelled Tsume and Boa from the castle. He did not know exactly how they were involved or what they knew, but he knew they were somehow connected.Jikai heard this dismissal and intervened. He was inclined to believe Tsume because of the information he gave him about the poet, Miya Shinkako. Jikai was not convinced Tsume and Boa were connected in any way to the incident which occurred the night before and ordered that they stay in the castle. The ronin asked to be responsible for the investigation and Jikai happily obliged. Nobu begrudgingly accepted that his rule had been vetoed and his will overridden by the true lord of the castle.Tsume and Boa knew Kaizoku had been plotting Zagra's escape, so they thought of a cover to protect their friend. After investigating the murder, the escape, and the castle grounds, the pair concocted a story: It appeared to them that Zagra had broken out of his cell and made his way to the wall where he was discovered by Rin. In order to silence her, Zagra attacked Rin, killing her. He then fled the castle. A short time later, Kaizoku discovered what had happened and took off in pursuit of the captive. Jikai and Masaru were satisfied with this explanation, but Nobu silently dissented. However, without concrete evidence disproving their story, Nobu resigned himself to say nothing.Meanwhile, Kaizoku and Zagra traveled to a secret pirate safehouse along the coast. Three days travel on foot staying off the main roads and hiding from sight. During that time, reality hit Kaizoku: he was a murderer and a criminal running away from the most stable life he'd ever had. And for what? For no other reason than to feed his addiction. Kaizoku decided it was not the life he had wanted. He had had enough.The two finally made it to the safehouse where they were reunited with yet another familiar face. A pirate named Sho. He was astounded by Zagra's return, but could not ignore Kaizoku's sudden appearance. Sho explained that he had heard rumors of a rebellion brewing near Closed Shell Castle. Their company would have a lot to gain by sowing disorder in the region and wanted a man on the inside to help work toward this end. Sho believed Kaizoku could be this man. However, it was clear that Kaizoku was not interested. Sho tried to intimidate Kaizoku by threatening retaliation against him for abandoning his crew, but Kaizoku would not budge. Sho finally caught a glimpse at what Kaizoku had been staring at during their meeting: liquid void. He immediately ordered a bottle and offered Kaizoku a glass. Finally confronted by the thing he had been chasing all this time, the former pirate felt nothing but contempt. The horrible things he had done just to get a taste of that which was currently staring him right in the eyes suddenly felt so visceral. The danger he put himself in and the pain he had caused to others were the only things he could think about. It was not an ocean sitting between him and the life he wanted, but a bottle. Kaizoku rejected the liquid void.Seeing he was not going to make any progress, Sho dismissed Kaizoku. As a courtesy for bringing Zagra back, he would allow Kaizoku to leave unharmed, but if they ever crossed paths again, he promised there would be hell to pay. Kaizoku started heading back toward the direction of Closed Shell Castle.The night before Reju Jikai's hunt, Boa was approaced by Nakama. He asked if Boa had made any progress getting Toshiro to join the lord's hunting expedition. When Boa admitted that he hadn't, Nakama expressed frustration that he hadn't made more progress fixing the spiritual imbalance. Nakama was acting feral and unruly. He was restless from inactivity and tired of how slow things were moving. He needed action. Nakama lamented that his best course of action may be to go for Jikai directly. Boa tried to convince him that perhaps Jikai is not the problem, but once again, Nakama would not listen. Nakama vowed that there would indeed be a hunt.

Tsume was brought before the lord of Closed Shell Castle, Reju Jikai, and his wife, Seppun Azusa. The lord and his lady listened intently as Tsume divulged the secret which banished them to the castle. He revealed that it was Miya Shinkako who was behind the fateful incident which injured the Daidoji child and cost Jikai his status as a revered and well respected tutor.Jikai immediately summoned Shinkako to his audience chamber. She admitted to what she had done despite her fear and embarrassment. Visibly upset, the lord wrestled with what to do with his old rival. He could've had her killed. Instead, he kept his composure and ordered her to speak before his lord, Otomo Itsuki, to confess her misdeed and claim responsibility for Jikai's dishonor.Jikai thanked Tsume for his help and invited him on a hunt he was planning for next week, which Tsume graciously accepted. Falconry had always been a favorite hobby of the dishonored lord. Being reminded of the spiritual imbalance he had witnessed in the region, Tsume broached the topic of over hunting in the forest and spoke of how the wolves had become aggressive. Jikai referred Tsume to Otomo Nobu for these concerns. Since taking command of the castle, Jikai had relied on Nobu to manage the day-to-day operations of the castle. That week, while scouting the land beyond the castle, Tsume made a startling discovery. Against all odds, he found tracks belonging to the missing shugenja, Reju Tetsuya. The tracks lead him on a two day's trail to the ruined Otosan Uchi. Tsume reported the information to Masaru, who now awaits his next orders. The rogue suddenly built a reputation for himself as a remarkable tracker.While on duty, Boa was confronted by Mamoru Nakama, the shapeshifter. Nakama noted Boa's concern for the forest and revealed to him his plan: Reju Jikai has been planning a hunting party, and Nakama wants Ide Toshio on that hunt. With Toshio outside the castle, Nakama would be able to ambush the samurai and remove his demand for meats, pelts, and furs from the animals of the forest. Boa was not satisfied with Nakama's plan. He once again tried to get the shapeshifter to see reason and understand that the problem was much deeper than just Toshio. But Nakama still would not listen. Nakama had been living in peace with the lords of Closed Shell Castle for the entirety of his supernatural life and refused to see fault in them. He refused to harm a member of his own pack. The castle was his territory, and Toshio was an outsider.Boa reluctantly agreed to help, feeling sympathy for the distraught spirit. Boa asked about Nakama's relationship with the Otomo family and the former rulers of the castle, and Nakama briefed the ronin on a brief history of the castle and the legend surrounding it. The castle was built by Otomo Nahoko, who later in life became paranoid that she was being surrounded by enemies, so she built elaborate defenses to protect herself against an enemy that never existed. She died of old age, barricaded inside a castle that never saw a siege. Since then, legend has it that whoever controls the castle goes insane with paranoia. The most recent lord before Jikai was Otomo Yuki. He had ruled the castle for about 40 years when the Scorpion War began. He had become paranoid that the Scorpion were going to attack the castle, and took extreme measures to fortify the castle. Tired of living and working under such austere conditions, the servants rose up and poisoned Yuki, and the steward, Otomo Nobu, became lord until Reju Jikai was named Yuki's predecessor.Later, Boa spoke with Toshio about the hunt. Toshio recognized that it would be a wonderful opportunity to get in the good graces of the lord of the castle, but pointed out that he would need an invitation from Jikai. To show up uninvited would be downright shameful. Toshio asked if Reju Ume, Jikai's niece and heir, was going to be there. When he learned that she was going, Toshio became flustered. He had been in love with her since he laid eyes on her, and would be far too anxious to go on the hunt with her there.Meanwhile, Kaizoku continued plotting Zagra's escape. He had surveyed the walls, learning exactly where the best entrances and exits would be; he memorized the patrol routes of the other guards; he had been placing items and equipment in the right spots in case he needed to use them; and he had noted the shift changes in the dungeons. He calculated a ten minute window when everything should line up just perfectly.That night, he spoke with Tsume and Boa about what they had learned in the castle and the forces that were at work. The three reasoned it would be best to wait before releasing Zagra. The peasants were planning a revolt and perhaps they could use that as a cover. The three turned in for the night, but Kaizoku's mind was racing. The plans had been set, all he had to was go through the motions. A final push to the finish line, and on the other side waiting for him was the sweet kiss of liquid void. He could wait no longer. Tonight was the night.Kaizoku skulked down to the dungeons with a copy of the key used to lock up the prisoners. Zagra sprang to his feet, knowing his time had come. The two snuck out of the dungeons, through the keep, past the courtyard, and onto the walls toward a crenelation where Kaizoku had prepared a knotted rope and grappling hook to let them down. The two pirates turned a corner out of one of the watchtowers to find a surprise: standing between them and the rope was Rin—the belligerent ronin who vowed to turn Kaizoku and his friends in if she ever caught them acting out of line. She turns to lock eyes with Kaizoku, but she doesn't seem to spot Zagra. “What are you doing here?” She asks.She wasn't supposed to be there. This wasn't part of the plan. Kaizoku had come this far and worked so hard for this. He couldn't let it fall apart now. Thinking quickly, he lunged at the ronin with a heavy rock, deciding to knock her out before she can call for backup. His careful planning, the stress of being caught, the fear of what lie ahead, and the liquid void waiting for him— all of these things ran through his mind as the pirate unmasked. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, and Kaizoku lost control of his strength. With a crack, Rin's body fell motionless to the ground. Without looking back, Kaizoku and Zagra climbed down the wall, retrieved the grappling hook, and ran off into the night. Meanwhile, Rin's cold, lifeless body bled out atop the castle wall.

Boa sat in the castle tea room speaking with Mamoru Nakama, the shapeshifting wolf, and Dzudh Khan, the wandering monk. Nakama seemed to have marked Ide Toshio, a diplomat from the Unicorn clan, as his prey, worried that he was the cause of the over-hunting in the forest. Boa tried to get Nakama to understand that larger factors were at play, but Nakama would not hear it. It appeared Nakama had a plan to stop Reju Jikai's hunting in the forest and it had something to do with Ide Toshio, but Nakama wouldn't speak of the details. Before Boa could ask any deeper questions, Nakama prowled away. Dzudh suggested finding a way to gain Nakama's trust, maybe then he would elaborate on his plans.The next couple weeks at Closed Shell Castle fell into a comfortable routine. Kaizoku began his assignment guarding the castle wall at night. During his shifts, he began to subtly plot Zagra's escape. He studied every nook and cranny of the castle wall's and took careful inventory of the personnel who had direct contact with the prisoners as well as their routines and schedules. One night, after being urged by Setsuo, the village elder, Kaizoku wrote a letter to Twin Blessings Village to inform the village that Setsuo was alive and well. Boa and Tsume both completed their training with Reju Masaru and were given permanent assignments. Boa would work in the keep, overseeing day to day life and keeping the servants in line, while Tsume would become a member of the ranging parties which make frequent trips outside the castle. One night, Tsume decided to confront the lady of the castle, Seppun Azusa, about the information he had on Miya Shinkako. He told Azusa that he required an audience with her and her husband, Reju Jikai, so that he could tell them the secret which Shinkako had been hiding from them. Azusa was intrigued and promised to arrange a meeting.As Kaizoku was settling into his guard duties one evening, he received two letters, both from Natsumi of Twin Blessings Village. The first was addressed to him. It was thanking him for helping to support the village and writing on Setsuo's behalf, as well as updating the pirate on the status of his ship: the repairs were finished and it was waiting to set sail at Twin Blessings Village. The second letter was addressed to Setsuo. Kaizoku read it greedily. He was shocked at what it had to say. Apparently the people of Twin Blessings Village and Nestled Village had had enough of Reju Jikai's tyranny and, along with the bandits of the forest, they were planning a revolt. Kaizoku laughed to himself, reflecting on the naivety of the villagers. The fact that they thought they stood a chance against the castle was bad enough, but to put the information so bluntly into a letter and not believe anyone would read it… Utterly astounding. Despite that, he was a little moved by the courage and sincerity of the villagers.“Can't have anyone know about this,” he thought to himself as he burned the letter.

Kaizoku stood in the dungeons speaking with his former crewmate, Zagra. He had a deal for him. If Kaizoku helped free him from the castle, Zagra would supply Kaizoku with Liquid Void. With just a few words, Kaizoku was immediately transported to another place. The hair stood up on the back of his neck. Waves of euphoria washed over him. He had to have a taste. When Kaizoku asked him if he had any on him, Zagra declined but explained that he had connections up and down the coast, and for him, a supplier would not be hard to find. The offer was too enticing for Kaizoku to decline. He promised to spring Zagra when the time was right.The next week, Masaru decided Kaizoku had finished his training and proved himself worthy of employment by the castle. Noting Kaizoku's skill with a bow and independent nature, Masaru decided he would be a perfect fit for guard duty along the castle wall—especially shifts at night where Kaizoku would have less supervision than normal. The gears immediately began to turn in Kaizoku's head.That same week, Tsume decided to seek out the rightful owner of the cursed wakizashi, Miya Shinkako. He found her practicing calligraphy by lantern light in the castle's garden-viewing room. The  garden, once verdant, was now dried and withered. Presumably due to the same blight which was affecting the whole countryside. Speaking with the woman, Tsume discovered that she was a poet of middling success and a guest of Reju Jikai's. She seemed to spend all her time in the garden room writing poetry and drinking sake.Tsume returned the sword to her. After hearing Tsume's story of how he acquired the sword, she knew at once that it had been a gift from her uncle who mysteriously disappeared outside of Twin Blessings Village on the way to visit her. Shinkako simultaneously felt an immense feeling of sadness and relief after finally uncovering what happened to her beloved uncle. Feeling she could trust Tsume, she invited him to sit with her for a while. Knowing very little about the mysterious lord of Closed Shell Castle, Tsume had many questions about him. Shinkako told him that Jikai once was a poet as well. The two had found moderate success as poets in Otosan Uchi, and they had formed a kind of friendly rivalry. But deep down, she knew he was considered the superior poet and she was jealous. After the coup, Jikai had found employment in the Crane lands as a tutor for Daidoji Gombei's son. One day, an accident involving a horse left Gombei's son unable to use his right hand. Gombei held Jikai responsible for the accident and challenged him to a duel. Jikai's wife, Seppun Azusa, was an extremely talented duelist and took the challenge in her husband's stead. In the duel, Gombei deliberately disabled Azusa's right hand as a stroke of irony. Dishonored and humiliated, Jikai was given the lordship of Closed Shell Castle—a hideous, poverty-stricken castle— as an insult. Since taking control of the castle, Jikai had become reclusive and his wife had become despondent, spending all of her time meditating in the castle shrine.As Tsume was preparing to leave, Shinkako revealed the whole truth: she was responsible for the accident which crippled Gombei's son. She was responsible for Jikai's downfall. The horse was meant for Jikai himself, just to slow him down so she could steal some of his limelight as a poet. Guilt brought her to Closed Shell Castle. Now, she bides her time working up the nerve to admit responsibility to Jikai. Something she has not had the courage to do for many weeks.Meanwhile, Boa spent some time in the castle tea room. Seated, he noticed a pair of unusual characters. The first was an opulently dressed man with an affable demeanor studying a Go board. The second was a strange man with piercing, hungry, yellowish eyes and silvery-gray hair and beard. His stare made Boa uncomfortable.Boa approached the opulently dressed man, clad in shades of purple and pink. He introduced himself as Ide Toshio, the nephew of Ide Tadaji, daimyo of the Ide family of the Unicorn clan. He spoke openly and courteously with Boa, graciously accepting his challenge to a game of Go. Boa learned that he's been sent as an envoy of the Ide family to welcome Reju Jikai as the new lord of Closed Shell Castle. Since then, he has been a guest of Jikai's, staying as long as the lord will have him.After a time, Boa noticed Dzudh—the wandering monk who meditates with Azusa in the shrine—walk into the tea room. Boa immediately struck up a conversation with him. He learned that Dzudh was helping Azusa find peace in the midst of her anger. She blames herself for the terrible fate which had befallen her and her husband. Boa asked about the thick, black incense which caked the shrine walls, and Dzudh admitted that they seemed counterproductive. Almost like they were meant to cloud Azusa's mind and prevent her from finding peace. Dzudh observed that something strange was happening in Closed Shell Castle and its surrounding countryside. A spiritual discontent. At the mention of this, the man with the yellowish eyes crossed the room and sat with Boa and Dzudh. He was Mamoru Nakama. His family, he explained, had lived in the region for generations and supplied the ruling families of Closed Shell Castle with knowledge of the fields, forests, and waterways surrounding the castle. Something was off, he agreed. And he believed Ide Tadaji was a part of it.Reju Jikai has been overhunting the forest and selling pelts to Tadaji. It seemed his true mission was to expand the Ide trade network into areas that had been devastated during the coup while also making friends with the new lords rebuilding their lands in the wake of the Scorpion war. It seemed as though Nakama had been watching Tadaji and taking notes. While they spoke, Boa couldn't help but notice the odd, stiff way Nakama moved. It was as if he had been wounded under his arms. When asked about it, Nakama shrugged it off, saying it was merely old age. Further deepening the mystery, as Nakama appeared young, no older than his mid-20's. Studying Nakama's wounds, Boa made a startling revelation: his wounds matched the ones Kaizoku gave the wolf on the road to Closed Shell Castle.CreditsArtwork by Dylon MunozMusic by Brandon Spain & Podcast of the Five Rings

Previously on Podcast of the Five Rings… The three ronin sat in audience with Otomo Nobu, the castle steward. The lord, Reju Jikai, it seemed could not be bothered with such matters at that hour. Boa stood accused of attempting to steal from Reju Tetsuya's private quarters. With some quick thinking, he was able to hide the note he found arranging a time and date for a meeting with Tetsuya. Nobu seemed unaffected by the accusation now facing the three. It seemed he was quite used to dealing with unruly ronin. He said all they needed was a bit of discipline. Their punishment was thus: they would spend each night of the first two weeks of their training helping the servants tend to the castle; cooking and serving meals, cleaning the floors, caring for the animals. An embarrassing sentence, but Nobu made it quite clear that it would be much more severe if they ever acted out again. After their audience, they were shown to their quarters in the barracks where they would be living during their stay at Closed Shell Castle. On their way to the barracks, they were confronted by the ronin, Rin. She was the same person who was brutalizing the villagers when the three arrived at Twin Blessings Village, and the same one who was responsible for burning down the waystation, killing many innocents. She said that she'd be watching them, and if they ever slipped again, she'd make sure Nobu knew about it.The next day, their training with Reju Masaru began. His regimen was challenging, but measured. He knew what he was doing when it came to organizing and leading the soldiers under his command. For the next two weeks, he trained the ronin, assessing their strengths and weaknesses and pushing them. At night, the ronin would work with the servants. The work was exhausting and made the training with Masaru even more difficult. However, working with the servants allowed them to gain knowledge of the castle and a convenient reason to explore its grounds. Boa befriended the head servant, Anzu. He had a natural talent for hard labor, and the two bonded over an appreciation for simple living. Anzu ran a tight ship, but lightened up a bit after becoming friends with the former samurai. With Anzu distracted, the ronin could navigate the castle a little more easily.One night, Boa decided to investigate the shrine to Shinsei, working with the servants to scrape off the strange black chalk that caked the hall. He discovered that Tetsuya had left the castle. One night, without saying anything to anyone, he packed his belongings and left and now Masaru had a small party of soldiers searching for him. Following the shugenja's exodus, the strange black substance had been all but cleaned from the shrine. It appeared he was responsible for supplying the shrine with a pungent incense which clouded the shrine with black smoke and clung to the walls. Working in the shrine, Boa noticed the monk, Dzudh, and a strongly built woman meditating there. There was nothing supernatural about the woman, but Boa sensed an extreme feeling of anger and resentment radiating from the woman.While working with the servants, Tsume considered investigating the meeting which had been arranged with Tetsuya. He knew the time and place of the meeting, and a curiosity burned in him to uncover the mystery behind it, but he decided it was too risky. He couldn't afford being caught sneaking around the castle grounds and intruding upon a secret meeting. Especially not after Boa's accusation. Instead, he decided to lay low, focus on the work at hand. Anzu, the lead servant, tended to his wound as well.Always on the search for trouble, Kaizoku spent his time picking up rumors around the castle—paying particular attention to any potential criminal activity which could be occurring on the grounds. Speaking with one of the servants, Kaizoku learned that an eccentric gaijin was being held in the dungeon below the castle. Some kind of pirate being prepped for transfer to Toshi Ranbo, supposedly. Deciding to follow up on this lead, Kaizoku made a trip down to the dungeons to serve the prisoners their meal one evening. The first prisoner was a familiar face and an expected one as well. It was Setsuo, the leader of Twin Blessings Village. He was surprised to see Kaizoku there and asked what he was doing. Deflecting the question entirely, he feigned his surprise and asked the old man the same thing. Setsuo told him he lied to the magistrate about the village's crop yields and had been arrested for tax evasion. He was clearly ashamed of himself, but stood his ground, saying that lord Jikai's taxes were outrageous, and that he had to do what he did so he could support the village. The second prisoner Kaizoku saw down in the dungeons was also a familiar face, though one far less expected. His torch slowly illuminated the gaijin. He was quick and lithe, prowling his cell like a caged panther with sharp, piercing eyes. His skin the color of cinnamon. His name was Zagra. In a previous life, he and Kaizoku had been crewmates.

The ronin were brought into the castle and taken to the training yard. After an hour, the castle taisa appeared. Reju Masaru welcomed the ronin into his ranks and explained the regimen at Closed Shell Castle. They would be brought in as new recruits, trained and mentored, and eventually given an assignment as a permanent member of the castle garrison. In exchange for their service, they would be given a place to sleep, three meals a day, and once they completed their training, they would be paid 1 koku a week. It would seem that Closed Shell Castle was serious about raising an army of well trained soldiers. The ronin convinced Masaru to let them begin their training the following day, so they could spend the rest of the day settling in and getting a feel for the castle.Kaizoku staged himself in the mess hall, playing games with the other hired ronin and getting to know them. He discovered that Masaru's promise of gainful employment was legit. The other ronin seemed quite content with life at Closed Shell Castle. For many, it felt good to wake up every morning with a purpose, and it was the only opportunity for reliable pay in the region.Meanwhile, Tsume and Boa spoke with the castle shugenja, an eccentric young man named Reju Tetsuya. Tsume told the priest about his affliction as well as the circumstances that lead to it. Tetsuya performed a Cleansing Rite, dispelling Tsume's affliction, but was sure to take careful note of the fight with Naoki. He didn't quite seem to believe that the merchant's death was in self defense. Tetsuya then recommended that Tsume bring the cursed wakizashi to Miya Shinkako, a guest of Lord Reju Jikai who had been staying at Closed Shell Castle for a couple weeks.Boa asked the priest about the wolves they encountered on the road the previous night. Tetsuya claimed he didn't know anything about it, but Boa felt like he was hiding something. He pressed the shugenja, commanding him that something needs to be done about the balance in the forest. Tetsuya seemed ashamed of himself, stating that he had done things which he could never be forgiven for. He then fled the room.Tsume trailed him to see where he was going. The priest fled the keep, traveled across the bailey to the exterior wall where a derelict tower stood. He climbed through a half-hidden hole in the tower, and traversed the dry moat surrounding the castle. He then rested at a rock outcropping, shaded by the only tree visible near the castle. It appeared the place was a common meeting place. Tetsuya sat there, clearly troubled by inner turmoil. As the sun set, the priest began to meditate.As Tsume trailed Tetsuya, Boa searched the priest's private quarters. Hidden away behind a pile of books and scrolls, Boa found a small leather pouch. It contained a series of cryptic messages on folded and crumpled pieces of paper. Each one had a date and time written on it. Boa was a thorough and methodical investigator, but he was not a sneaky one. As he was going through the hidden notes, he knocked over a glass case, alerting the servants outside. They ran to investigate the sound and immediately called for the guards.

With the news of Setsuo's arrest, Boa, Tsume, and Kaizoku decided to travel to Closed Shell Castle. Traveling north, the ronin discovered just how pervasive the elemental blight was upon the region. It seemed that the very land itself was protesting against something. Camping out beside the road, they encountered a strange, grey wolf, staring at them with yellow eyes in the darkness. After letting out an otherworldly howl, the ronin were surrounded by a pack of wolves. The wolf pack seemed to yield to the strange alpha which was significantly larger than the rest. With razor sharp fangs, the alpha attacked the ronin, but delivered no serious wounds. Tsume struck at the wolf, but noticed his blade seemed to be swayed by the hands of misfortune, turning even a sure strike into a miss. Kaizoku thrust at the wolf in retaliation and dealt a flesh wound, shaving off fur from the wolf's flanks and bruising its thick hide. That was enough for the wolf. With another howl, the wolves dispersed back into the forest.That night, Kaizoku reached his limit. Reeling from withdrawals, Kaizoku told Tsume and Boa about his addiction. It had been days since he last drank Liquid Void and his body was now screaming in agony. Between the pirate's startling revelation, the dissatisfied spirits of the land, and the fear of what lurks in the forest, no one slept that night.Exhausted, the ronin continued their journey the next day. Sitting beside the road, the ronin encountered a jovial monk dressed in the robes of the Dragon clan. The monk introduced himself as Dzhud. He was headed to Closed Shell Castle to help the inhabitants on their path toward spiritual enlightenment. Skeptical of the monk and in no mood to entertain outsiders, the ronin quickly parted ways with him.Before long, Boa, Tsume, and Kaizoku finished their trek to the castle. It was a remarkably unimpressive place. Very little thought had been put into its aesthetic beauty, and the land surrounding it had been cleared. Once at the gate, the ronin tried to convince the guard to let them through, saying they had important information for Lord Reju Jikai. But the guard was unmoved. They tried a second approach by telling the guard that they wanted to fight for Jikai. The guard sized them up and saw they had serious weapons and could tell they knew how to use them. Within moments, the gate was open.

Boa, Tsume, and Kaizoku dropped the issue of the child in front of the rest of the village, but Boa suggested speaking more about it in private with Kai's mother, Hina.After their audience with the village elder, Boa and Tsume sought aid for the wounds. Their search brought them to the priest, Akira. Concerned about the troubling dreams he's been having, Tsume asked what they meant. Akira communed with the kami and attuned himself to Tsume. He was troubled with what he found. Tsume was afflicted, haunted by a vengeful ghost. When someone dies a violent, needless death and their body is not properly cared for, their spirit can become angry and terrorize the living. Akira concluded that it was the sword he found in the ashes of the waystation that was disturbing him. The owner of the sword must be living on through the sword, haunting whoever wields it. Akira recommended Tsume complete the ghost's final mission: deliver the sword to its recipient. Then the spirit may rest. He warned Tsume though, if gone too long without treatment, his affliction can turn into the taint of Jigoku.Meanwhile, Kaizoku searched Nestled Village for a fishing net to replace his lost one. He came to terms with the fact that with Kai staying with his mother, he'll probably never get to see his father's net again.The next morning, Boa confronted Hina. He told her that Kai should be able to follow his hopes and dreams of becoming a samurai, and that he had no future in Nestled Village. Hina replied that following their hopes and dreams didn't help them at all. Following their passions only lead to shame and isolation. They both had to give up their homes and their lives because of how they shamed themselves. They lost everything trying to pursue what they wanted. She believed it was best that Kai stayed in Nestled Village, learned discipline, and understood that it was where he belonged. His dreams of becoming a samurai were naive and silly. Boa wouldn't hear it. He saw the trouble his son was getting into, and he wanted to be there to help him. He suggested that if he had some strong role models, maybe he could change his ways. Hina became angry, replying that she hardly believed Boa would be a good role model for Kai. Boa lost his temper and unmasked, storming out of Hina's house, and giving up on convincing her to let the boy come with him.On the outskirts of town, Boa, Tsume, and Kaizoku discussed what had just happened and considered their next steps. They were interrupted when a messenger came running into town with an urgent message: Setsuo had been arrested and is being held at Closed Shell Castle.

The woman, Aguri, beckoned the ronin to have rice and tea with her. Suspicious of her, the ronin began to question Aguri. All of her answers seemed strangely convenient. Kaizoku pretended to eat the rice and Tsume flat out refused. Boa on the other hand graciously accepted the food, and hungrily bit into one of the rice balls. He immediately began to feel exhausted and his limbs grew heavy. Ignoring the old woman's pleas, Tsume peeked inside her hut. Against the distant wall, he saw two figures, a boy and a girl roughly 12 years old, bound and knocked out. Aguri shrieked in anger and unwrapped the towel she had wrapped around her head, revealing a large second mouth on her forehead with rows of snake-like fangs. She ran to Tsume and bit him, wounding him. Kaizoku unslung his yumi, but couldn't line up a shot due to Aguri's surprising agility. Meanwhile, Boa struck her, forcing her onto the defensive. Tsume drew his katana and struck her, cutting through layers of thick robes to reveal a hardened carapace of scales growing across Aguri's body. Tsume's sword bounced off her monstrous hide, chipping the blade.The old snake woman withdrew into her shack with Kaizoku, Tsume, and Boa in pursuit. Their assault overtook Aguri when one of Kaizoku's arrows sliced off a section of her scaly hide, opening her up to attacks. She lashed out one final time, striking Boa and wounding him, but the three ronin soon defeated her.Coming to the aid of the two children, the boy was quick to claim that he would have easily beaten the monster if he just had his bokken. Stubborn and bullheaded, it was definitely the missing child, Kai. The ronin discovered the girl's name was Sora. She was Kai's best friend and the two children, unhappy with life in the village, decided to run away together to live in the forest. As Kaizoku, Tsume, and Boa were talking to the children, a small mob of peasants led by a willful ronin congregated outside Aguri's hut. The ronin, a woman named Ryoko, explained that she was hired by the leader of Nestled Village to return Sora. Ryoko was not expecting to find Kai, a latchkey kid who ran away some time ago to live with bandits, but she figured she should return him too, saying that his mother, Hina, would be happy to see him.Suddenly, everything clicked. Hina. It was a name Boa hadn't heard in a very long time. But when he did hear it, it confirmed his every suspicion. The boy looked just like him. Bullheaded and strong like him too. With rumors of his father being a samurai? A half-truth. Because it wasn't Otomo Nobu who was the father-- it was him.Never turning down the promise of an even greater reward, Kaizoku suggested taking the children home, abandoning his commitment to Ichiro. Upon returning to Nestled Village, the village leader, Sayaka, graciously paid each of the ronin for the danger they faced rescuing the children. The parents of the children were soon brought in. Sora embraced her parents, crying, while Kai refused to speak to his mother, Hina. “I don't want to be here, there's nothing for me here,” Kai protested.Seeing an opportunity, Boa suggested that Kai could come with them. Hina's face went ghost-white as she recognized the man she was looking at. They made eye contact, neither one saying a word. Finally, Hina spoke, “I will not allow my child to run off with strange men from the forest.”

The merchant scoffed at Tsume. “Very well,” he said. “If you want a duel, you can face my bodyguard, Boa. If you defeat him, I will consider your debt repaid.”But that wasn't what Tsume had in mind. This wasn't a test of honor. He didn't want his fate decided by the kami. He wanted Naoki dead. “No,” Tsume said, “I'll face you.” Naoki suddenly recognized the danger he was in, and turned to run, but Tsume was quicker. The rogue drew his sword and attacked Naoki. Trying desperately to defend himself, the merchant spotted a sword resting in the ashes of the waystation. He grabbed it and unsheathed it. It was an exquisite blade, carried in an ornately decorated scabbard. Naoki tried to fight, but Tsume easily outclassed him. Incapacitated, Naoki pleaded for his life. He promised that Tsume's debt would be forgiven if he simply let him live. Tsume considered the groveling man. He was a poor, down-on-his luck merchant, trying his best to get by and atone for a life of crime. But he was also dangerous and unpredictable. Tsume decided he couldn't allow this threat to go unchecked. He killed Naoki, and buried him with the rest of the corpses from the waystation.Tsume took the wakizashi Naoki found in the ashes. “Spoils,” he told himself. Looking at it more closely, he recognized the mon of the Miya family on the finely crafted blade. What was it doing here in Twin Blessings Village?Afterward, he told Kaizoku and Boa what happened. Boa was apprehensive at the news, feeling like he should have been there to defend Naoki. But after hearing more about the merchant's past life, he realized how little he actually knew about Naoki, and decided that maybe it was for the best that he was dead.The three ronin took Naoki's cart of wares and headed to the bandit encampment, where the raiders quickly pilfered through the items like locust through a field of wheat. Ichiro thanked the ronin for their generous contribution to his cause, but he seemed sad about something. He told them about his meeting with his father, Setsuo. His father was ashamed of his decision to run away from the village and turn to a life of banditry, despite the holy rhetoric that Ichiro used to describe his beliefs. It seemed that the two had irreconcilable differences, and would not be speaking to each other anymore.That night, Tsume was haunted by nightmares and unable to get any sleep. He had dreams of his family slipping away from him and turning to ash in his very hands. All the money he worked so hard to provide for them melted away into nothingness. It was as if all the hopes and dreams and motivations that kept him grounded were leaving him. He woke up feeling extremely unsettled.The next morning, the ronin took off from the bandit camp in search of the missing child, Kai. They followed the tracks through the woods until they made a surprising discovery. The tracks seemed to link up with another pair of tracks of roughly equal size. Continuing deeper into the forest, the two sets of tracks lead to a strange hut atop a treeless hill. A woman greeted the ronin as they approached. “I am Aguri,” she said. “Welcome to my home.”

Tsume and Boa infiltrated the camp by pretending to be bandits. After speaking to a group of the thugs, they discovered that Setsuo's son, Ichiro, had not been kidnapped at all, but had willingly joined the bandits and is now their leader. They decided to speak with Ichiro-- but not before waking up Kaizoku and bringing him along.Ichiro was a charismatic and passionate young man who believed wholeheartedly in the teachings of Shinsei and the Perfect Land Sect. He took great pleasure in teaching Tsume, Boa, and Kaizoku about his beliefs. The Perfect Land Sect was a branch of Shinseism which taught that an individual could reach heaven through a strict interpretation of Shinsei's writings. This school of thought taught that there was no karma, no wheel of judgment, and no reincarnation. The people who subscribe to this philosophy do not recognize the authority of samurai or the emperor, as their divine rule over the lower classes is traditionally viewed as a result of their superior karma. The Perfect Land Sect is a heretical interpretation of Shinsei's teachings, and is outlawed in most of Rokugan.Ichiro explained that he and his “order” were plotting to attack Closed Shell Castle, and overthrow the oppressors ruling from there. With Reju Jikai and his warriors defeated, he plans to build a new society based on equality without the oppressive rule of samurai, and he wants to inspire neighboring regions to do the same.When the ronin pointed out the hypocrisy of stealing from the very people he was claiming to liberate, Ichiro justified his actions by stating that he was answering to higher calling, and that the people of the villages will join him once they see the light.While Ichiro was talking, Kaizoku noticed his father's fishing net and his lost Liquid Void sitting beside the bandit leader-- they must have washed up here when his ship crashed. Kaizoku pointed out that the items belonged to him, so Ichiro suggested a trade. He'd happily give Kaizoku his possessions back if the three ronin could retrieve a young boy who recently went missing from their ranks.The young boy was named Kai, a runaway from Nestled Village. He was a stubborn boy of 12 with a need for adventure, who claimed he would grow up one day to be a samurai. Ichiro wanted him back because he has reason to believe that he is the bastard child of Otomo Nobu, the steward of Closed Shell Castle. He wants to blackmail Reju Jikai, and force him to bend to his demands. Tsume, Boa, and Kaizoku agreed to retrieve the child, though they were apprehensive of Ichiro's plans and motives. They decided it was best to be in the bandit leader's favor for now. Before turning in for the night, Ichiro promised the ronin that he would pay a visit to his father to settle his concerns.The next day, the ronin returned to Twin Blessings Village. Kaizoku informed Setsuo that his son was alive and that he'll be paying a visit soon. Setsuo deduced that he was living with the bandits and was deeply ashamed. Upholding his side of the deal, Setsuo promised that members of his village would help repair Kaizoku's ship.Tsume traveled to the way station on the edge of town to bury the bodies as a favor to Shinichi. Appearing from the trees lining the way station was Naoki. “I remember you,” he said. He demanded Tsume pay him the money he was owed, 50 koku. He then threatened Tsume by reminding him that he still has some very powerful contacts in the area. Tsume refused. He remembered his family at home and thought about how 50 koku would change their lives forever. He remembered where his debts lie-- and they weren't with this bottom-feeding trinket salesman.“I challenge you to a duel,” Tsume declared.

Tsume, Kaizoku, and Boa were held as guests in Setsuo, the village elder's house. The townsfolk crowded into Setsuo's house to catch a glimpse of the ronin as they ate their evening meal. The party was introduced to the other community leaders. There was Natsumi, an outspoken and strong young woman, who seemed to act as Setsuo's second in command. Next was Shinichi, a wiry and lithe man, stablemaster and previous owner of the waystation which operated on the outskirts of town. After him was Daizo, the enlightened spiritual head of the village. Finally, there was Hiroto, the large and boisterous sake brewer-- his sake was the pride of the village.During their introductions to the village leaders, Naoki remembered where he knew Tsume from. And he remembered just how much he owed him. The shrewd man said nothing, but you could see the gears begin to work in his head.The village leaders began to explain the many problems which had befallen their village in recent months. Foremost was the new lord who took up residence in Closed Shell Castle, Reju Jikai. Aside from being a callous and cruel man, his rice tax had become astronomical, and the village was struggling to keep up with it. He went so far as to even forbid the villagers from brewing sake. To him, the sake was a waste of the rice which was rightfully his. To make matters worse, the new lord had started over hunting the forest, making food and resources even scarcer in the region. It had also become apparent that Jikai had begun hiring a small army of ronin to serve him in the castle, and now these thugs terrorize the local villages.Worst of all though-- the water kami seemed to be very upset with the village. Daizo had done all he could to subdue the river's unceasing anger, but to no avail. The river slows to a trickle so the crops may wither and die, and when it comes time to harvest what remains, the river bursts with energy, flooding the village and destroying what's salvageable. As a result of the villages being thrown into poverty and the forests becoming overhunted, bandits had started robbing people on the roads, and packs of wolves had started becoming more aggressive in their search for food. The bandits have become so bold, they've even kidnapped Setsuo's son, Ichiro. Never letting an opportunity go to waste, Kaizoku pledged to find and return Ichiro in exchange for the village's help in repairing his boat.The village asked another favor of the ronin. Just a few days ago, Jikai's thugs burned down the village way station, burning many alive, including Shinichi's late wife. Being too afraid to sully themselves with the flesh of those who died such grizzly deaths, they asked the ronin to help.Feeling he had heard enough, Kaizoku went for a walk by the river. Dying for a sip of his Liquid Void, the pirate began searching the banks of the river for his lost vial. Desperate, he waded into the river, searching every snag and stone for the precious substance. But the water kami had other plans for this intrepid fool. The storm surged and the river swelled. Kaizoku lost his footing and was swept away by a torrent of water.After some time, Tsume and Boa began to look for their new friend. Following his tracks in the fresh mud, they found where he walked into the river. Tracks went in, but none came out. Anxious, they followed the river downstream, onto the outskirts of town, the darkened forest looming ahead of them. Then they heard a deafening yell. The sound of a man teetering on the precipice and clinging onto dear life.Following the sound, Tsume and Boa found an imprint of where Kaizoku's body must have been, and tracks leading deeper into the forest, as if he had been dragged. Following the tracks, they began to see the orange flicker of fire, and the sound of raucous voices. Peering through the bushes, Tsume and Boa found an old, ruined monastery which had become an encampment for a large gang of bandits. Laying beside the fire was Kaizoku-- as his body and belongings were pilfered by thieves.CreditsArt by Dylon MunozMusic by Brandon Spain and Podcast of the Five Rings

A terrible storm rolled in from the bay, wreaking havoc upon the land. Wind and rain battered the landscape while distant thunder warned wayward travelers. Upon some forgotten road in some distant valley walked two figures, each baring vestiges of a former life. There was Naoki, once a reputable merchant of decent wealth living in the capital city, now a peddler of mundane wares traveling from shrine to shrine. And there was his bodyguard, Boa, a castaway from the Crane clan. Once a student in the arts of sword and brush, now a master in the arts of plow and ox. The two followed the muddy bank of a raging river when suddenly a small boat lost control in the rapids and crashed into an outcrop of jagged rocks. The boat's two passengers were flung from the boat and into the rocks below. Steering the ship was the deckhand-turned-pirate, Kaizoku. A man whose ambitions are only outnumbered by his enemies. His passenger was the rogue, Shiroi Tsume. Born a hinin butcher, Tsume turned to a life grave robbing and treasure hunting in order to support his family after the death of his father.Seeing the incident unfold before them, Naoki and Boa jumped into action, helping to pull Kaizoku and Tsume to shore, as well salvaging as much of their equipment as possible. Assessing the damage, Kaizoku realized that his ship was in need of considerable repair. A couple of items had gone missing too: his father's fishing net, and a vial of Liquid Void-- a substance to which he had become fiercely addicted.Once on shore, Tsume got a closer look at his rescuers. His heart sank when he made a startling revelation. The peddler, Naoki, was a man to whom he owed a great deal of money, and who has blackmail on Tsume, knowing all about his criminal lifestyle. Luckily for him though, it had been years since they last saw each other, and Naoki did not seem to recognize him.Naoki recommended they all travel downriver to the nearby town of Twin Blessings Village. He and Boa were traveling there already, and he suspected that Kaizoku and Tsume could find their lost equipment there as well.Upon walking into town, they the noticed the crops of the village had all seemed to either wither and die, or become flooded by the rain and river. Then they heard shouting and the hoof beats of horses. It sounded like the village was under attack.They found two drunk samurai clad in teal and purple, wearing the mon of a family they did not recognize. These two samurai were demanding a tribute of sake from the villagers. When the villagers insisted that they did not have any more sake to give, the samurai grew belligerent and began assaulting the peasants. When Kaizoku tried to intervene, he was intimidated and told to step down. Once the samurai got tired of berating the villagers, they rode off.Afterward, the party was greeted by the head of the village, an elderly man named Setsuo. He thanked the party for trying to stand up for them, but insisted that confronting the samurai would only anger them, and make them come back in force. Setuso welcomed the party as guests in his home and showed them what meager hospitality he could afford: a fire and a warm bowl of rice.Setsuo explained that those samurai were in the service of a new lord who had recently taken power in the region. His name was Reju Jikai. He was cruel and abusive, and has been hiring large numbers of ronin to bolster his ranks—a resource which there was no short supply of these days after two consecutive wars and a huge shift in power.Setsuo asked the party to stay as long as they need. He felt they have much to talk about.CreditsArt by Dylon MunozMusic by Brandon Spain and Podcast of the Five Rings

This session zero includes the ronin-adapted Game of Twenty Questions from Path of Waves and gives an inside look into the choices made by the players when creating their new ronin characters: Shiroi Tsume, the "treasure hunter"; Kaizoku, the pirate with many enemies; and Boa, the corn-fed farmer.CreditsArt by Dylon MunozMusic by Brandon Spain and Podcast of the Five Rings

WELKAAM BEEEKK! Akhirnya Kak Kemal KEMBALI LAGI bersama Bungrin dan KOH HOSH kesayangan Bro Aseng akan ngobrol bersama CEO Box2Box, Bung Rana untuk ngobrolin tentang Tori ke-7 yang akan bukan akhir bulan, TORI KAIZOKU!

The gang does one final review on Gokaiger, and brings you their thoughts on the recently released 10 Years Later movie to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the season.

Dez anos se passaram desde então. A atividade pública de jogo “Super Sentai Derby Colosseum” foi estabelecida na Terra e tem sido muito popular em todas as gerações. No cast de hoje vamos Falar de Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger Ten Gokaiger, o filme comemorativo de 10 anos de Gokaiger ,no cast de hoje Peu Araujo recebe Eternal do U-Rider e Rafael do tokusatsu e anime . Siga a Bolos du Pedro: https://instagram.com/bolosdupedro?utm_medium=copy_link Ohayou Podcast : https://linktr.ee/Ohayou_podcast U -Rider : https://instagram.com/universorider?utm_medium=copy_link Tokusatsu e Anime : https://instagram.com/tokusatsueanime?utm_medium=copy_link

The treasure hunt has come to an end and our heroes have the greatest treasure in the universe in their sights, and the battle for their lives is just around the corner. Join the Toku Secrets team on this last leg of the journey as we break down the final three episodes and give our final thoughts on the series.

The end of our treasure hunt is in sight! Join us as we collect the last of the Sentai Grand Powers, meet more of the Legendary Rangers, and battle Basco!

The gang is back with a review of more episodes of Gokaigers and a few dozen tangents about recent events. 

The Toku Secrets gang is back with the next installment of the Gokaiger Review series. Today we're looking at episodes 17 - 27. Join us as we break down the next installment in the hunt for the greatest treasure in the universe and the debut of our 6th ranger...…GOOOOOOOOKAI SILVER!

The gang is back with the next episode in the Gokaiger Review Series! Things start to get interesting for the Gokaiger with more tribute episodes and a new villain! Lets go treasure hunting!

Nathan, Anthony and Rizwan have returned to Toku Secrets and are excited to take a stroll with our audience into fandom favorite Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger. Join as we break down the first ten episodes, and really get into the pros and cons behind this sentai and hear their thoughts.

Hello! This week we've been kinda busy and didn't get a chance to record. So here is one of our favorite episodes again. You know we couldn't get these pirate themed power rangers couldn't get out of our heads. And side note, Geoff is going to try to start streaming games sometime and might even...

Just in time for the 10 years later movie and also the appearance of a Twokaizer in Zenkaiger, CJ and Prime tackle Gokaiger. An anniversary Sentai season that is a love letter to the Super Sentai franchise through and through. They also go over the latest toku news and ramble a little bit about the CW shows as well. Twitter: @3blackgeeks @cjwizgeek @primegundam    

In episode 63 of the TokuNet podcast, the team looks back on the anniversary season Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger. In this episode, Team TokuNet talks about their favorite space pirates, the crew of Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger, and how the show holds up nowadays. CAST: Yasin Bulhan - @KeitaiOkami Josh Saucedo - @JoshKnight1st Brody Salzman - @Plazmaniac1 Ashton Liu Podcast Editor: HenshinKitty Podcast Feature Art by Travis Butts Be sure to subscribe to TokuNet Podcast on iTunes and Stitcher. Feel free to rate and review our content! Additionally, if you’d like to get early access to the TokuNet Podcast, become a Rider tier patron or higher by supporting us on our official Patreon.

Cuentos infantiles japoneses para niños o aprender el japonés

Welcome Back to another episode of Manga x Manga Podcast! In this episode Illari has finally convinced His wife to watch One Piece! They discuss the series from Romance Dawn to the Baratie arc and Candice (@NotSoNewlywedPC) gives her first impressions. Illari also discusses what series he will be watching this fall anime which packed full exciting series. Manga Of The Week Kaiju No. 8 My Hero Academia Thank you for listening, and be sure to send me your latest feedback and suggestions and be sure to purchase some Manga x Manga merch! Use the hashtag #MangaxMangaPod on social media when live listening and discussing the show! Contact Twitter: @mangaxmangapod | @Brilliantdum_e Instagram: @mangaxmangapod | @mdotbasquiat Facebook: Manga x Manga Email: mangaxmangapod@gmail.com Website: FlawlessNoises.com Patreon: Patreon.com/FlawlessNoises Voicemail: +1-425-243-3110 Manga x Manga™ is a Flawless Noises Media Network presentation. #FNMediaProd --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mangaxmangapod/message

Uma série comemorativa para um episódio comemorativo. Nesse programa Vilson, William e Igor comentam sobre Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger e sobre a nossa jornada que nos trouxe até esse 100° episódio!

One Piece Chapter 989 is here! This week we discuss the reuniting of the Strawhats again! We also discuss The Nuumbers origin and how important Punk Hazard actually is to the entire story, and how this impacts the future of the story. Also we discuss the most important aspect of Kaido.

O 35º Super Sentai que celebra o 35º aniversário da franquia homenageando todas as suas antecessoras, uma excelente série que fez muito sucesso e figura entre as preferidas de muitos fãs. Sena, Volney Oliveira, Danny Tsurugi, Jim, Elisabete Hayashi, Daniel… Continue Reading →

Hello! This week we dive into Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger. And if you aren’t in the know it’s basically pirate themed Power Rangers. Thanks to Joe Sopchak for our theme music. And as always, feel free to reach out and give us suggestions for future show topics you want us to discuss through our contact page...

Dini-chan traz a sua opinião sobre o tokusatsu Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger!

This week our heroes don some spandex and kenshin into heroes as we explore the wonderful world of Super Sentai as we watch the first 6 episodes of Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger

This week Tristan and Hassan henshin their asses Shinkai Brown style and get talking about some Super Sentai! Like these eight shows: Tensou Sentai Goseiger Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger Ressha Sentai ToQger Shuriken Sentai Ninninger Doubutsu Sentai Zyuogher Uchu Sentai Kyuranger EiFNiR Theme Music by DJ Dain eifnirpodcast@gmail.com Twitter

In questo speciale di I coboldi mangiano i bambini!, presto su Kickstarter per la Kaizoku Press, scopriremo come Kribug abbia conosciuto Krubal, e scopriremo anche un potere che nessuno aveva mai scoperto del nostro coboldo stregone preferito!Ci saranno topi morti, calzini, lepri assassine e ghiottissimi pezzi di sashimi di coboldo!Pagina FB Kaizoku Press: https://www.facebook.com/Kaizoku-Press-1250888651722090/Pagina FB di "I coboldi mangiano i bamini!": https://www.facebook.com/coboldi/Questo show fa parte del network Spreaker Prime. Se sei interessato a fare pubblicità in questo podcast, contattaci su https://www.spreaker.com/show/1693919/advertisement

In questo speciale di I coboldi mangiano i bambini!, presto su Kickstarter per la Kaizoku Press, scopriremo come Kribug abbia conosciuto Krubal, e scopriremo anche un potere che nessuno aveva mai scoperto del nostro coboldo stregone preferito!Ci saranno topi morti, calzini, lepri assassine e ghiottissimi pezzi di sashimi di coboldo!Pagina FB Kaizoku Press: https://www.facebook.com/Kaizoku-Press-1250888651722090/Pagina FB di "I coboldi mangiano i bamini!": https://www.facebook.com/coboldi/

In questo speciale di I coboldi mangiano i bambini!, presto su Kickstarter per la Kaizoku Press, scopriremo come Kribug abbia conosciuto Krubal, e scopriremo anche un potere che nessuno aveva mai scoperto del nostro coboldo stregone preferito!Ci saranno topi morti, calzini, lepri assassine e ghiottissimi pezzi di sashimi di coboldo!Pagina FB Kaizoku Press: https://www.facebook.com/Kaizoku-Press-1250888651722090/Pagina FB di "I coboldi mangiano i bamini!": https://www.facebook.com/coboldi/

In questo speciale di I coboldi mangiano i bambini!, presto su Kickstarter per la Kaizoku Press, scopriremo come Kribug abbia conosciuto Krubal, e scopriremo anche un potere che nessuno aveva mai scoperto del nostro coboldo stregone preferito! Ci saranno topi morti, calzini, lepri assassine e ghiottissimi pezzi di sashimi di coboldo! Pagina FB Kaizoku Press: https://www.facebook.com/Kaizoku-Press-1250888651722090/ Pagina FB di "I coboldi mangiano i bamini!": https://www.facebook.com/coboldi/

Kunioka Tetsuzô se arremanga para trabajar junto a sus empleados sacando petróleo contaminado de un pozo sucio. Kunioka Tetsuzô se enfrenta a sus rivales empresarios con una agresividad alimentada por su deseo de triunfar. Kunioka Tetsuzô llora la muerte de … Continue reading →

Join Mike, Justin, Derek and Tony as they discuss the forty-fourth episode of the Japanese television series Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger!

  Shownotes :: (show 534) :: (website) :: (podcast feed) :: (direct download) :: (direct iTunes link) With Uchu Kaizoku Kyaputen Harokku, recorded live August 30th, 2015. This week we talked about a movie that's been on our list for a while: "Uchu Kaizoku Kyaputen Harokku". Join us, for another week, another show, with more otaku-tainment! Also #DFMPIA (Don't Forget Matt Pyson is still Awesome!) Community OG Networks Facebook (the page) OG twitter Call Us! ::: Skype Voicemail ::: You can leave us voicemail using Skype, at: otakugeneration or call: (610) 628.3154 -or- (206) 965.8154 ::: Google Voice ::: You can also leave us voicemail with Google Voice, at: 484.393.1405; remember to hit # after the tone.   Mentioned Stuff and Link(s) (during the show) OG Link Stitcher Patreon Monthly DVD Releases (2.0) by Albert :: (releases@otakugeneration.net) 2015-09-01 K-ON! Season 1 (Blu-ray) My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU (S) (Blu-ray) One Piece(Uncut) Season 7 Part 2 Pornado 2 (Adult) 2015-09-08 Cute High Earth Defense Club LOVE! Vol.2 (S) (DVD/Blu-ray Combo Collector's Edition + CD) Patlabor WXIII Movie 3 (DVD, Blu-ray) Ranma 1/2 Set 7 (DVD, Blu-ray SE) YuGiOh! 5D's Season 2 (D) 2015-09-15 Fullmetal Alchemist Complete Series (Blu-ray+LE+Coll.Ed.) Full Metal Panic! Complete Series (DVD/Blu-ray Combo) (Anime Classics) Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu (DVD/Blu-ray Combo) (Anime Classics) Peacemaker Complete Series (Anime Classics) The Comic Artist and His Assistants (S) (DVD, Blu-ray) Tsukimonogatari: Yotsugi Doll Set (Blu-ray) 2015-09-22 Hamatora the Animation Season 1 (DVD, Blu-ray) JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Season 1 Sabagebu! Survival Game Club (S) (DVD, Bluray) Selector Infected WIXOSS (DVD/Blu-ray Combo+LE) Sword Art Online II Set 2 (DVD, Blu-ray+LE) Tokyo Ghoul Season 1 Collector's Edition (DVD/Blu-ray Combo+LE+Coll.Ed.) Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust (DVD, Blu-ray) 2015-09-29 Bleach(Uncut) Set 26 Descendants of Darkness Complete Collection Durarara!! x 2 Volume 1 (DVD, Blu-ray) Free! -Eternal Summer- Season 2 (DVD/Blu-ray Combo+LE+Premium Edition) Go Nagai World Nobunaga the Fool Collection 2 (DVD, Blu-ray) Persona 4 The Animation Complete Collector's Edition (DVD/Blu-ray Combo) Persona 4 the Golden ANIMATION Volume 2 (S) (Blu-ray) Super Dimension Century Orguss Nickname ME! by Alan :: (nickname@otakugeneration.net) None this week. Don't let that stop you from requesting one! =D You know you want one. Don't be shy! Email us and tell us something about you! Then you'll be uniquely identifiable among the other OG listeners! Check out the most recent nickname logo-mashup(s)! tama x tama     And some other nickname logo-mashups we did! Email us for your nickname and you'll get one as well!   ...and now you get your own logo-mashup for your nickname... If you send us feedback, and you want us to nickname you, email us, at: otaku.generation@gmail.com With somewhere in the subject: NICKNAME ME NOTE: If we've already nicknamed you, you can't be re-nicked... unless you plead... lots! ...and we mean LOTS!!! =D For Podcast promos or MP3 Feedback, email us, at: otaku.generation@gmail.com With the exact subject: MP3 PROMOTION :: (for podcast promos) MP3 FEEDBACK :: (for audio feedback) In the body of the message, put: Your Name Your Podcast Your website Brief copy about your podcast for us to read NOTE: No copyrighted music, or clips! We won't play promos with this kind of content! Unless you own the copyright, and have given us written authorization! Join us next week... for something that smells like a podcast, looks like a podcast, and sounds like a podcast but really isn't what you thought. A new show every Wednesday, so "podcast-in" with us! Download us, snear at us, but give us a listen... and maybe we won't respect you in the morning... *unless you're wearing PJs than we can talk* It's September! So far this month we marched forth and had pie. If you want to send us goodies like pie, we often don't say no. (pie, cake and cookies, papercraft, OG comics; like many listeners have) ...and if you can't do that will take your pitty or votes and [insert OG-bribes here]. We appreciate the votes, donations, and comments even if we don't read them on the show... and iTunes reviews. Word-of-mouth advertising is also appreaciated. Thanks for the support!

Morph into action with the Cristafurion and Friends Podcast crew as they team up with the Henshin Host to discuss all the action behind the Power Rangers Super Megaforce Finale and the upcoming American and Japanese Ranger shows!

Está começando mais um Kaizoku Cast! E nesta aventura, nossa tripulação embarca em um mar de nostalgia, lembrando da saga de Arlong na OVA de One Piece – Nami no Namida! Juntem-se aos nossos tripulantes Sky, Majin e Joe nesta aventura relembrando o passado e a história da Nami! Confiram no Kaizoku Cast: Quem é … O post Kaizoku Cast -008- Nami no Namida apareceu primeiro em Anime Freak Show v7.0.

Mais Esperado do que a Luta Final de Naruto, Eis aqui o podcast mais amado sobre One Piece, o Kaizoku Cast! Esse Kaizoku é um Especialzão pra Compensar o Tempo da Ausência! Direto do Novo Mundo, nossos Correspondentes: Sky, Majin e Steve estão no Comando desse Barco, nos Guiando pelos Episódios da Saga dos Tritões … O post Kaizoku Cast – 007 – Resumão das lutas na ilha dos Tritões apareceu primeiro em Anime Freak Show v7.0.

O Anime Freak Show em parceria com a piecePROJECT apresenta o cast de One Piece, Kaizoku Cast #06, trazendo a 2ª parte do especial Resumão de One Piece, iniciada no Kaizoku Cast#05, e abordando nessa edição só episódios da série. Por isso não percam a continuação dessa saudável discussão sobre One Piece. Confiram nesse Kaizoku Cast: … O post Kaizoku Cast #06 – Especial Resumão Parte 2 apareceu primeiro em Anime Freak Show v7.0.

O Anime Freak Show em parceria com a piecePROJECT traz finalmente a quinta edição do cast de One Piece, o Kaizoku Cast. Após problemas com o servidor e uma pausa forçada, voltamos mais fortes preparados para o Novo Mundo. O/ Por isso não percam a nossa discussão saudável, na primeira parte desse cast super intensivo … O post Kaizoku Cast #05 – Eu farei dessa Ilha Minha apareceu primeiro em Anime Freak Show v7.0.

Vitrine nova feita por Bruno Costa Saudações corsárias queridos ouvintes! Como vocês devem ter ouvido nos episódios 22 e 23 (vocês ouviram né?) eu adoro Tokusatsus, os seriados japoneses de super-heróis. E neste episódio eu e meus convidados Claudio, o Dragão Dourado do Omegacast, Wellington MacGaren do Climaxcast e do Novo Clarim e Edwazah do […]

O AFS em parceria com a piecePROJECT traz a Kaizoku Cast #04, a sua discussão quinzenal sobre o mundo de One Piece, com notícias e comentários sobre os últimos capítulos do mangá e os episódios do anime. Confiram o que de One Piece falaremos neste Kaizoku Cast: Comentários dos episódios 526 e 527 de One … O post Kaizoku Cast #04 apareceu primeiro em Anime Freak Show v7.0.

O AFS em parceria com a piecePROJECT traz o Kaizoku Cast #03, a sua discussão quinzenal sobre o mundo de One Piece, com notícias e comentários sobre os últimos capítulos do mangá e os episódios do anime. Confiramos sobre One Piece neste Kaizoku Cast: Comentários dos episódios 523, 524 e 525  de One Piece Comentários … O post Kaizoku Cast #03 – Mamilos da Luz apareceu primeiro em Anime Freak Show v7.0.

O AFS em parceria com a Piece Project traz o Kaizoku Cast #02, a sua discussão quinzenal sobre o mundo de One Piece, com notícias e comentários sobre os últimos capítulos do mangá e os episódios do anime. Após a edição anterior onde apresentamos o piloto do cast, entramos agora na edição número 2 do … O post Kaizoku Cast #02 apareceu primeiro em Anime Freak Show v7.0.

YO Minna! O Anime Freak Show apresenta um novo projeto do site em conjunto aqui com a Piece Project. O projeto se chama Kaizoku Cast e nele lançaremos um cast a cada 15 dias contando as últimas novidades e opiniões sobre os últimos episódios e capítulos de One Piece. Sim! Todos somos fãs de One … O post AFS – 060 – Kaizoku Cast 01, Piloto apareceu primeiro em Anime Freak Show v7.0.

Anteriormente no episódio passado….. uma agradável conversa foi realizada para falarmos sobre One Piece e o desenrolar disso tudo continua agora!! Sky, Lelouch, Vanessa, Mugiwara e Kuroki prosseguem o Cast Passado com entusiasmo e empolgação herdada dos personagens que foram apresentados nesse anime  e que agora se juntam passando por momentos inesquecíveis rumando a Grand … O post AFS – 031 – One Piece East Blue Parte 02 apareceu primeiro em Anime Freak Show v7.0.

É com prazer que eu anuncio um dos podcasts mais esperados pelos nossos Freak Fãs, e por mim mesmo, desde quando eu conheci o AFS! Sky, Kuroki, Lelouch, Vanessa e Mugiwara conversam a respeito de um anime que é Top 1 de muitos otakus no mundo inclusive eu. Abrangemos em um agradável papo o inicio … O post AFS – 030 – One Piece, East Blue Parte 01 apareceu primeiro em Anime Freak Show v7.0.