The Daimyo's Gambit - Game Thread

Ai Shan glances briefly at Feng flapping about with Cassandra in his arms, smirks, and keeps climbing.

Fēng sets Cassandra down in a safe spot at the top of the cliff, and immediately dives back down for Urki, who is on the short rope. Gasping for breath, arms and wings aching, the young monk struggles up to the top with his burden. He sets the gnome down and pauses a moment before heading back down. He goes straight for his pack lying in the dust. Flying up to Ai Shan and Kildrak he says, "Forgive me, friends, I can carry no more." Fēng moves on, taking the now vacant short rope and securing it above Ai Shan's line. Back at the top, he leaves his pack with Urki before turning to peer at the crow riders again through the spyglass

Fēng realizes that he has been struggling because he has lost focus. He has been fighting the wind instead of bending with it. He brings his breathing under control and regathers his energy to sublimate the weariness from his muscles. But he is tired, so tired.

Master Shou's words echo in his head, "If you know the art of breathing you have the strength, wisdom, and courage of ten tigers." Feng wonders sourly if Master Shou has ever had to turn himself into a sky ferry!

Whilst Feng carries Urki up, Cassandra stands on the edge of the cliff, clinging to the wall, eyes and ears open for any danger.

Edited this to fit subsequent description of location.

"C'mon Kildrak, up we go. Double time!" Ai Shan glides smoothly up the sheer rocks, reminding him of hunting on the rocky isles of home.

Cassandra waits, pressed against the wall, on the edge of the precipice. It is hard to imagine a location further removed from her native sea. She watches to see her companions progress on the ropes, feeling helpless in this environment.

Fēng stares at the crow riders through the spyglass. He wonders why none of Shimazu's troops have reacted in any way to them They should be either firing on them or welcoming them by now.

"Okay, over this wall? Feng you still got that grappling hook I hope? It could make light work of this wall I s'pose."

Urki, looks calm in his face but nervous in his hands. He is studying the wall for any point to hook the grapple hook or if there is a crack he can sneak through.

Cassandra looks up at the wall and scratches her head. Her finger elongates whilst scratching, and fur bursts out over her body, as her clothes and belongings are absorbed into the shiny pelt of an ape. On her travels in the tropical seas she saw such creatures and remembers their great climbing ability and fierce attacks.

Fēng shakes his head mournfully in reply to Urki. "All the rope s down there with our two friends. In her new form it looks to me like Cassandra can easily climb this wall. I can try to fly you up but I must warn you, I am extremely weak right now. Do we really want to go on ahead of our friends though?" The monk stares out at the crow riders. "Those crow riders will be here within the quarter hour. I do hope Ai Shan and Kildrak make it up here before then."

In her ape form, Cassandra looks at Feng and then down the cliff at Ai Shan and Kildrak, ready to help them over the edge when they arrive.

"We need to get up and over the wall! We're caught in the open!" growls Ai Shan.

Cassandra puts a long finger to her lips, then shimmies up to the top of the wall, to carefully peer over into the mansion grounds behind.

Fēng flies right up to the top of the wall, trying his best not to reveal himself. He secures the ropes to the top using the group's grapples. Then he joins Cassandra peeking over the top while the others climb.

"Cassandra! What do you see! hurry, maybe?"

Impatiently Urki waits for a response.

Ai Shan quickly scrambles over the wall and draws a javelin in one hand, his long bloody blade in the other.