Book 5 summary

[Bella]

The party went in and attacked the bandits in the fort. They were stealthily coup de gracing all the bandits until they decided to split up and check out each room at a "T" Intersection. There was a large group of bandits around a table to the right and a spell caster about to get his groove on with what looked like a slave woman. (They met a few others in cages earlier.)

Kai went back up to inform the group and they waited at the intersection while he went back down invisible in an attempt to coup de grace him. He seemed ready for Kai as if he sensed him. A round or two later combat started between Kai and the spellcaster. The fighting alerted the bandits in the other room and they started to attack the rest of the group. The spellcaster cast wall of fire in the room (there was yellow mold Kai had to contend with as well) trapping him. Bob, the intelligent one he is, decided to walk through the wall of fire to help Kai. Kai looked to be doing well when the slave woman changed into a were tiger and slashed him from the back. Other bandits from the room beyond the spellcaster joined the fight with Kai, Bob and eventually Jo, but not before Kai (or bob, can’t remember who) dropped the spellcaster. They retreated and the battle was a long one, but the group eventually finished off the bandits and took the fort. They found the hidden weapon stash and gave Jiro (the ronin) his ancestral sword as proof of Ameiko's royal blood line.

Jiro recommended they move the group into the fort and use that as their base. Both Ameiko and the PC's agreed to the plan.

The group set out to find "The Three Monkeys." They are the 3 leaders of the most powerful ninja clan. Their goal was to purchase their loyalty or at least purchase an agreement for them to stay out of the coming battle with the Jade regent. On the journey to see them, they met an old fortune teller. The group agreed to have her tell their fortune. The tea she served them was poisoned and she turned out to be a ninja with supernatural powers that the Jade regent hired to assassinate the group. His plot failed, but he easily escaped.

While speaking with the three monkeys, they stated that none of them could form an agreement with them until the contract on their head was finished. The Jade regent has formed a fourth ninja clan.

During this time, Ameiko is off talking to a geisha. The geisha is very popular and would make a good ally in the future.

While the group waits for the Ninja to show up again, and for Ameiko's return, they traveled to Jo's ancestral necropolis to see if he could find some answers.

The group was able to figure out how to enter and they were teleported into it. Inside, they all experienced the tragic end to his father’s life as he abandoned the ancient ones and embraced a dark presence that always nagged at his soul. He did so as the darkness promised to take them out of the danger they were in. They group encountered his ghost as Jo yelled at his mummified remains.

He mentioned that he left Jo behind to try and keep him safe. He and his wife were trying to go back to Minkai as, before they left, they had struck a bargain with their rival family to stop harassing the Adella line. They found out that even though their rivals agreed, the rivals lied and still sent people to kill them. His father mentioned the rivals to be the house of the Mo Fo's (Kai's house line).

His father’s spirit also mentioned that a curse runs through the Adella line and it has affected all Adella for centuries. All the Adella abandon the Ancient ones after fighting and eventually giving in to a dark power. Jo mentioned that the Ancient ones have not spoken with him consistently for a few weeks as well. There is also a dark voice that whispers to him.