FATHOM #1 - The Oni of Wankiboni

((No roll needed.))

The woman tells Suny that her daughter's name (Sumire) means "violet"... and that's all she has time to say during the handshake. Suny spins about, skipping merrily across the bridge in search for a pair of young girls.

So far, none of the people out and about are children. Those who are out are heading back to their homes due to the rapidly-spreading news of "that tour guide who went nuts."

 

It seems those kids could be anywhere in such a big place! Suny crosses the bridge, finding only adults, and then finds her only choices are to go upstairs to the upper level of town, or down the stone steps to the docks.

While looking both ways, she can't help but notice Einin is on the stone steps with two girls (who are either in their early teens or a bit younger). Both are wearing blue and purple outfits with flowers on them.

Spoiler: Sumire's outfit

Spoiler: Asagao's outfit

She has the same kind of outfit as her friend's, shown in above spoiler, but the flower is a morning glory instead of a violet:

 

"Ichinose is my family name," Sumire says. "I guess my mom sent you."

Asagao says, "Einin here was going to walk us home. I think with two of you guiding us, the people-eater won't dare chase after us!"

((Peebothuhlu, Ireth, feel free to RP a bit as you walk the girls home. I just want to give Corwynn a chance to choose Wynry's next move.))

 

The girls do their best to keep up with Suny's questions, pointing out various dumplings, tea houses, honeymooners, etc.



As for Wynry, she notices that every uniform is labeled "Lv.426" on the sleeve, and over the heart is a codename. The men who apparently died (judging by the amount of flesh in the uniforms) are named "Big Dawg", "Corn Ball", "Tiger", and "The..." something. That fourth uniform is too bloodied and ripped for the fairy to read the whole name, and there are a others that are name-side-down, and one heap of flesh that only came with pants.

Every uniform has a large hole where the stomach was, including the shirtless corpse. In his case, the upper torso almost looks like a shirt made of skin. His insides were somehow taken out through the stomach. His head and finger skin seem to be missing, but Wynry does notice the neck and wrists are oddly concave—as if the head and fingers were somehow forced inside the boneless heap of skin.

One more thing Wynry sees, and can safely grab if she wants. "Tiger" has an envelope in his shirt pocket. It has some spattered drops of blood on it, but perhaps the contents are still readable. (The writing on the envelope is "eastern" characters, so Wynry won't be able to read the letter without help from a samurai or villager.)

 

Wynry flies away from the ravens, who continue to feed on the dead men (or what little is left of them).

Einin and Suny have safely escorted the girls home, and a very grateful Mrs. Ichinose offers the heroines each a red bean cake.



A single cake is about the same size in diameter as Wynry is tall. The fairy can eat a piece if she wants, but in any case the mother is happy to translate the note.


((Will post that bit later.))

 

The bean cake is sweet, but more of a mild sweet, unlike a buttery or sugary cake. The bean paste is pleasantly moist, and the cake is dry on the outside and light.

As our heroines enjoy their little snack, Mrs. Ichinose reads, "Dear Kitsu," which is the short form of Kitsushiro. He is the youngest of the seven samurai. The woman continues reading...



"By the time you get this note, we'll no longer be alive. There is an epidemic at Level 426. It started when Sergeant Kane complained of stomach pains. He spent the night on the latrine, missed the morning run, then we found his uniform laid out on a hillside with a hole where his stomach belonged. There was no body. Just flesh and blood, and the skin was still in his clothes.

"By the end of the week, a dozen more bodies ended up the same way, and then we saw the killers. Bloody, faceless men, running in a pack. No weapons or armor or even clothing. They ripped Major Apone's leg off, and beat Captain Drake to death with it. Those..."

Mrs. Ichinose ponders a bit before translating the next word as "excrement fornicators" then goes on, "fought us on the docks, and we lost twenty before my squad and I had no choice but to jump on a ship and move out.

"We're two days from Roku-Roku as I'm writing this, but Big Dawg is having stomach pains, and I'm not feeling so hot myself. If this letter somehow gets to you, Kitsu, send help. There's a way to stop the epidemic. Rook can help you, or whoever it is you send.

"I just wish we could have fought this thing together, my friend. Your samurai skills and my training as a soldier? We'd have made one hell of a team!

"See you on the other side,
~Tora"

 

Our heroines certainly could seek Kitsu, but after Suny speaks muffled-yet-profound words, there is a shrill cry from below—that of startled crows...

Several fly up from the dock area, zipping by in the air space where Wynry flew up just a minute ago. One is zigzagging up and down as it attempts to fly without tail feathers.

((Assuming you would look down to see what the fuss is...))

Below, a tall, pale bearded man dressed in samurai garb climbs into a covered boat with at least two muscular men with flesh as red as raw steak. Only the bearded man appears to be clothed.

The boat starts to move as soon as the men board. The number of oars suggests there are way more than three men rowing, and the speed of the boat suggests these men are incredibly strong.

((If you pursue them, flying works. As for Suny, she is an Oceanid and there is an ocean below...))

 

The girls, who have grown used to answering Suny's questions over the course of their walk home, peer down alongside our heroines. Sumire replies, "I think the lanky guy is a tour guide, which is weird, since he's only been in town for maybe a week."

Asagao adds, "When he first arrived, he was dressed like a soldier. Same uniform as..." She points down to where the Lv.426 uniforms are laid out.

Mrs. Ichinose watches the covered boat as it continues rowing north. She reads the large characters painted on the boat's canopy, translating them as "Castle Tour?"

 

In addition, in case anyone forgot (which is understandable since the info was given ~30-40 posts ago), the "tour guide" was seen in a vision on p.14. Here's a description of him from the first post on p.15:

And yes, the one clothed guy who got on the boat was wearing an orange samurai outfit.

The other guys are unclothed with hairless bodies that are red like raw meat. You saw them from a top view, so it's not like you saw any male anatomy, but rather you saw masculine humanoid figures who have bald heads, muscular torsos, broad shoulders and massive arms. You didn't get a good look at their hands.