Into the Light

[Yamabara Shou]

Type of Quest: Inflitration and Evidence acquisition 

Quest Info: On a recent mission Shou discovers that one of the Takeda main spy masters is actually a double agent for another faction, but has no proof. Now he must infiltrate his own lords castle, break into the traitors room and discover evidence of the spy's betrayal, before eliminating the spy master or getting the evidence to Lord Shingen. All without killing any of the men in the Takeda except the spy.

Location: Lord Shingen's Castle

People Involved: Yamabara Shou, Takeda Guards, Traitorous Spy master

Plot-Important: Removal of possible traitor plot line. Appointment as Spymaster in the traitors place. Formation of Shou's Spy Squad, 'The Hidden Talons of the Takeda.'

[Hojo Ujiyasu]

Shou finds himself standing outside of Lord Shingen's Castle. Seishirō Toyama, a close associate of Takeda himself is a double agent for the Uesugi. This type of dishonor is one that cannot be forgiven, and Shou seems determined to protect his Lord.

The castle is guarded by many men, almost too many to count but for someone like Shou, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem. He is a Takeda after all. The hardest part will be continuing to convince everyone that he isn’t sneaking around while he is attempting to find the traitor’s room.

The castle is three stories high but is pretty narrow. Many of the hallways can only fit two or three people across. Toyama’s room is on the second floor on the far side of the castle.

Two guards stand outside the front entrance and two outside the back. Guards can be seen making patrols on top of the castle.

[Yamabara Shou]

Shou would approach the main entrance of the castle. Noticing the guards as he did. Their was no point trying to sneak in if he could talk his way in first. As he walked over, Shou fumbled with a small wooden message tube, untying it from his belt and holding it in his hand tightly.  Nodded to both of the guard respectfully he spoke. "Good afternoon men. I have a message to deliver to Seishirō Toyama personally." He would drop the name, hoping that if he did get escorted he would end up nearer the man's room before he could slip away.

The tube was sealed, and inside was indeed a message. However it was written by Shou, with a put on handwriting other then his own, not anyone else. It contained mundane information. Nothing that the other man wouldn't know. That way if he did get taken all the way to the man, before getting away he could indeed pretend the message was legitimate. Then hopefully sneak off on the way out instead. 

[Hojo Ujiyasu]

One of the two guards nodded to the other. "This way." A guard opened the door to the castle and motioned for Shou to come inside. The two began walking, Shou staggered slightly behind the guard as he was lead. After passing room after room, they finally arrived at a set of stairs.

"Seishirō-san is up these stairs in the fourth room on the right. I apologize that I cannot take you all the way there, but I must remain near my post. I'm sure you understand." He bowed respectfully and turned to walk back to his post.

After the guard had left, Shou was free to climb the stairs. There are no guards between the stairs and Seishirō's room, though the man in question is in the room. He sits at a small desk-like piece of furniture, writing script on a bamboo scroll. The desk is across the room from the door, siting at the far wall. A small bed-mat lies between him and the door and his weapon lays sheathed against the side of the desk. It would take a few moments to prepare to fight.

[Yamabara Shou]

Shou would follow the direction to the man's room. However upon arriving he would open the door straight away. He would quietly listen at the door first, finding out that the room was occupied due to the sound of writing inside. Cursing internally, he put of the feeling before knocking and entering inside. Shou would bow, to the traitor at the desk, annoyed that he had to do so. Taking the opportunity with his head bowed, to look around the room. He wan't to see where the man might hide things from sight. 

Raising from the bow, Shou would walked over and carefully hand the fake message over to the spymaster. Hoping that the man would believe it, but managing to keep his face blank. Shou would respectfully place his hands behind his back, and wait. If the man believed it, Shou would take the tube and leave. Happy with knowing the lay out of the room. He would then head father into the castle. Listening at the door opposite to the spymaster he would try and see if it was empty. He needed a place to hide until either the man left his room, or went to sleep. 

[Hojo Ujiyasu]

Seishirō looked at the note carefully. The man was confused as to why he was being handed such information. "Who sent you with this message? I don't particularly like when people waste my time," Seishirō said. 

The traitor believed the note and was now questioning why such a mundane letter had been sent at all. He was irritated but handed the tube back to Shou. He thanked him for coming all this way and turned back to his work. Shou was now free to leave.

The next room over is unoccupied. It belongs to another high ranking officer of the Takeda army. The man is off in another part of Japan and will not return for a few days. The man is a bit paranoid and would notice if someone had moved things around in his room.

Seishirō will be going in and out of his room for the next couple hours, not leaving for more than 15 minutes except for when he goes to eat. He will be gone for 30 minutes then, will work for a few more hours and go to bed.

[Yamabara Shou]

Shou would apologise, saying that he is only the man who deliverers the messages not make them, when the other man asked. Then from his hiding spot Shou would time his trips. The man didn't leave enough time to make a through search without possible tipping off the man, or getting caught in the act. As such Shou would wait, and wait until day turned into night. Long enough that the man would be asleep. 

Shou would call upon the strength granted to him by Izanagi. His body would vanish from sight. Carefully he would cross the hall being as silent as he could. Then standing on the spot he would open the door silently. And examined the room, to see what state the man was in. He would see the man was asleep, and step inside gently before once again standing syill close the door. 

(OOC: Activating Musou invisibility, post 1 of 7. Activating Cloak of the intrepid spymaster, as long as standing still make no noise.)

[Hojo Ujiyasu]

Shou was able to successfully close the door without awaking the traitor. No traps were laid around the room. The man had left his work laying out across the desk-furniture at the back of the room. Only one small cabinet was in the room, and this was locked. The lock is able to be picked by someone who is trained in the art of lockpicking.

In the cabinet, there lies money, important Uesugi documents and all of the notes that Seishirō has collected on the Takeda. 

[Yamabara Shou]

Shou would carefully read over the document he could see on the desk without touching any of them, no point leaving any trace. He would then check the room eventually finding the locked cabinet. 'Damn' He though to himself, locks weren't something Shou was good at, now he wished that he confided in Yamada but couldn't have taken the risk that the spy would have reported the accusation to the traitor.  

He couldn't fail though, he had to try. Silently sliding one of his small curved daggers into each hand, Shou would crouch down, using the curved point like a thieves tools he would try to open the lock as silently as he could. Keeping a eye out on the sleeping man for any sign of movement. 

[Hojo Ujiyasu]

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[Hojo Ujiyasu]

Shou would successfully open the lock quietly, not waking his traitor. He did leave a small indication that the lock had been tampered with, but only to someone who knew what to look for.

Inside of the cabinet was everything that Shou had hoped to find. The documents, the money, everything he could have needed to convince Lord Takeda that the man was a traitor. Shou is free to take what he wants and leave the room. He is free to leave the castle or to go to Lord Takeda's bedroom.

The bedroom has two guards outside of it who will question Shou before he enters the chamber. He will need to convince the men of his position and of the importance of the situation before they will let him see Lord Takeda. Should Shou leave and choose to come back, Lord Takeda will be in his formal space in the castle tomorrow and will see Shou without hesitation, as long as he gives up his weapon. Seishirō will be in the room with Lord Takeda in the morning if Shou doesn't decide to see his lord tonight.

[Yamabara Shou]

Shou couldn't believe how lucky he had been, the lock seemed less impressive then when he first looked at it. It was quite a lesson. It told Shou never to rely on lock to keep information safe. Shou would grab the incriminating evidence, roll it up and place it into the carry tube he had used before. Shou would then silently leave, and head straight for Lord Shingen's room. He couldn't risk waiting.

Shou would see the guards on duty at the lords door. They would obviously block his entrance. "I am Yamabara Shou, Courier. I have dire news for his Lord direct attention." Shou would say unstrapping his sword from his back, and handing it towards one of the guards. Before stepping over to a nearby wall, and dropping a collection of his daggers out from his sleeves on the ground. Shou hated giving up his weapons, however he still had his bracers, greaves and the concealed weapons they contained, it would take to long to remove them.