Wikipedia wrote:
Hagakure (Kyūjitai: 葉隱; Shinjitai: 葉隠; meaning In the Shadow of Leaves), or Hagakure Kikigaki (葉隠聞書) is a practical and spiritual guide for a warrior, drawn from a collection of commentaries by the samurai, Yamamoto Tsunetomo, former retainer to Nabeshima Mitsushige, the third ruler of what is now the Saga prefecture in Japan. Tashiro Tsuramoto compiled these commentaries from his conversations with Tsunetomo from 1709 to 1716; however, it was not published until many years afterwards. Hagakure is also known as the Analects of Nabeshima or the Hagakure Analects.
Some hours after the catastrophic lynch of Toaster Strudel the morale of both Samurai and Villagers is low. Is it still possible to make for so many mistakes?
spectrumvoid
: Are you crazy, ShadowLurker? Look at what have you done!
ShadowLurker
: Bah, scum would do it anyway.
M4yhem
: But you are responsible for killing the doc!
Romanus
: I thought YOU were the doc.
M4yhem
: I am, I am. But Toaster Strudel were too.
ChannelDelibird
: Wait. Let's not talk about our abilities yet. There may still be hope for us.
mikeburnfire
: Hope for us? You must be kidding. It's over now and all thanks to you, your scumbag! I propose that we kill you NOW!
riktus
: Wait! What is this sound? Isn't it the sound of horses?
Charging furioulsly, the bandits aproach the city ready for the final battle.
Confusion spread fast as an attack so early in the Night was not expected, and the watchers positioned on every corner of the Village did not signal sight of the band.
spectrumvoid
: To your weapons everyone! Go protect the city!
At this command the Villagers rush to the deposit where their spears are stored. The place of the meeting, crowded one second ago, is now desert save for the presence of ChannelDelibird.
riktus, who had left just before, comes back with a sword wrapped in cloth in his hands.
riktus
: Are you sad, my friend.
ChannelDelibird
(
smiling again
): Just a little bit. It's sad to be accused by a friend like mikeburnfire.
riktus
: Heh, It's funny how you always have a smile in the face. Tell me the truth: you are the secret voter, aren't you? Just an easygoing person like you would be so considered to the point of your vote having double value.
ChannelDelibird
: lol. Looks like you caught me, my friend. But it's not safe to make this information public. Could we make this our little secret?
riktus
:Of course! Your vote is so important that your death could even hand the victory to the bandits. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me.
ChannelDelibird
:Thank you very much. Now I'm relieved.
riktus
: Look. In retribution to your trust I will also share a little secret of mine.
ChannelDelibird
: Really?
riktus
:Check this.
riktus unwraps the object he had in hand. But to ChannelDelibird's surprise what he thought to be a sword was actually an arquebuz previously loaded and prepared to shoot.
ChannelDelibird
:So...you....
riktus
: Yes, my friend. Your death will put victory in the hands of the bandits.
After a moment of surprise a smile can be seen again in ChannelDelibird's face. All his life he has been prepared to this moment. What has to be done is clear to him.
Yamamoto Tsunetomo, in [i]Hagakure[/i] wrote:
With an intense, fresh and undelaying spirit, one will make his judgments within the space of seven breaths. It is a matter of being determined and having the spirit to break right through to the other side.
It took ChannelDelibird less than one breath to try to reach his katana and unsheath it, but riktus was at a safe distance and a shot in the chest granted this was ChannelDelibird's last breath, but was not enough to wipe the smile out of his face.
ShadowLurker
: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
riktus
: What the...
ShadowLurker arrived too late to help ChannelDelibird, but early enough to see the moment of his death. After surprising riktus with an incredibly loud scream he flees to look for help.
riktus will not take the risk of runnig around with his weapon unloaded, so he takes his time to prepare it again and let ShadowLurker escape...for now.
ChannelDelibird
was Gorobei, Friendly Samurai.
Always wearing a smile in the face Gorobei was a kind person liked by everyone.
Trusted by all, Gorobei had a large influence on town’s decisions. He had a secret extra vote that he could use independently of his regular vote.
At this point the bandits were aleady inside the city and the massacre had started.
The Samurai strategy was to let the bandits enter in small groups of four or five and blocking the rest out, divide to conquer. But the Villagers were certainly not prepared to face all of them at the same time.
The bandits had horses, armor, better weapos and were trained warriors. Each one could easily kill twenty of those Villagers armed with bamboo spears, and that was what they were doing.
The corpses were starting to pile in the town center and houses were being burnt.
Romanus was there, fighting desperately a lost battle. Covered by the blood of the five bandits he had just slain but exausted by the effort and enraged by the bodies of women and children scattered around the place.
At this moment ShadowLurker arrives.
ShadowLurker
: Help! Help!
Romanus
: What's going on?
ShadowLurker
: It's riktus. He is a spy, and has a gun!
Romanus
: That bastard! I will kill him to avenge BrizzyBoi.
M4yhem
: If it's BrizzyBoi that you want to avenge than I'm afraid the business is with me. I killed him.
Romanus and Shadowlurker turn in the sound's direction and see M4yhem, who had just finished to prepare his arquebuz.
Romanus quickly checks the space between him and the newfound bandit, but it's pinpointed by corpses making it impossible to reach him before the shot.
Romanus places himself between ShadowLurker and the criminal.
Romanus
: Go, ShadowLurker. Tell mikeburnfire that riktus and M4yhem are enemies.
ShadowLurker
: Noooooooooo!
Romanus
: Go. NOW!
M4yhem
: Awww, so cute. Don't worry, Romanus. Your little friend will join you in few minutes. *
aims
*
Shadowlurker runs again and vanishes in the smoke of the burning houses.
Romanus is too tired to even try reaching M4yhem, but is surprisingly taken by a victorious sensation.
He achieved his goal.
He is a Samurai. A full fledged Samurai.
Yamamoto Tsunetomo, in [i]Hagakure[/i] wrote:
The Way of the Samurai is found in death. When it comes to either/or, there is only the quick choice of death. It is not particularly difficult. Be determined and advance. To say that dying without reaching one's aim is to die a dog's death is the frivolous way of sophisticates.
Romanus
was Katsushiro, Apprentice Samurai.
Being young Katsushiro’s main intention was to learn as much as he could from the experienced Samurai.
Every time a Samurai got killed he would be informed of all his previous targets and results, if any.
Shadowlurker runs for several minutes stepping on corpses of Villagers. The smoke of the burning houses make it hard to breath and to see.
In these few minutes since the attack started dozens of lives were taken while he desperately tryed to save his own.
The horses of the enemy may be heard close, but while he manages to hold his breath and walk clouded by the smoke the bandits will not see him.
At this moment he sees spectrumvoid.
He falls exausted at her feet and try to speak.
ShadowLurker
:riktus...M4ayhem...bandits....tell mikeburnfire....
spectrumvoid
: Really? Where are ChannelDelibird and Romanus?
ShadowLurker
:all...dead...
spectrumvoid
: Oh, that's bad. Let's see what can be done about this. But wait. The face you are making now reminds me of something familiar.
ShadowLurker
:...
spectrumvoid
: Oh, I remember now. Your scared face reminds me of your father. It reminds me of Rosso Carne's face when I killed him.
ShadowLurker
: ?!?!
At this moment ShadowLurker knew his life was over. He was too tired to notice the gun in spectrumvoid's hand. Now it's too late.
What should he do now?
Scream?
Cry?
But and his father?
Yes, he was facing the killer of his father. He had the obligation of trying to avenge him.
Yamamoto Tsunetomo, in [i]Hagakure[/i] wrote:
The way of revenge lies in simply forcing one's way into a place and being cut down. There is no shame in this. By thinking that you must complete the job you will run out of time. By considering things like how many men the enemy has, time piles up; in the end you will give up. No matter if the enemy has thousands of men, there is fulfillment in simply standing them off and being determined to cut them all down, starting from one end. You will finish the greater part of it.
Collecting all the rage his heart could afford ShadowLurker takes a nearby stone and stands up prepared to crush spectrumvoid's skull.
Unfortunatelly before he could do that his face is blown away by spectrumvoid's shot.
ShadowLurker
was Shino, Feeble Villager.
Shino was a beautiful girl, but since her father was afraid one of the Samurai could seduce her, she was forced to pretend to be a boy.
Being a cute girl Shino was obviously not into fighting, she was more interested in learning everything about herbs with a old lady who had all family killed by the bandits.
Her knowledge varied from curing a stomach ache to healing poison.
Knowing the battle was already lost and everybody in the Village was already dead mikeburnfire had the urge to visit the resting place of his deceased fellows lordy, HurriKaty, BrizzyBoi and Toaster Strudel.
He knew he would be meeting them soon.
He meditates about the victories and losses of his life. All that had happened before and the facts that that took him to where he is now.
his thoughts are interrupted by the arrival of M4yhem, spectrumvoid and riktus.
mikeburnfire
: So, it were you three all the time.
spectrumvoid
: Yes, surprised?
mikeburnfire
: Yes, I have to admit I suspected others more than you. But tell me: Where did you hide those weapons all this time?
riktus
: Easy. We buried them behind the barn. All we needed to do was dig them every night. hehe
M4yhem
:Yes, too risky to engage in a duel. We just needed this little advantage.
mikeburnfire
:But how could the other bandits invade the city and not be spotted by our watchers?
spectrumvoid
:Thank Rosso Carne for that. I found his poison and put it in their food. By the time our comrades arrived they were all dead.
mikeburnfire
:And the Village. Is anyone still alive? what about the children?
riktus
:Sorry. This Village will serve as an example to all who decide to oppose us. No exceptions.
M4yhem
:But on the other hand, you are not from this Village.
spectrumvoid
:You are Ronin like us, aren't you? Why don't you join us.
riktus
:We could make good use of your talents. There is no need to throw your life away now that everything is over.
mikeburnfire's face is brightened by a smile. He takes a final look at the graves of his lost friends. He already knows the answer.
M4yhem
: So, what do you say?
His hand speaks for him while he draws his sword.
Yamamoto Tsunetomo, in [i]Hagakure[/i] wrote:
When pressed with the choice of life or death, it is not necessary to gain one's aim. We all want to live. And in large part we make our logic according to what we like. But not having attained our aim and continuing to live is cowardice. This is a thin, dangerous line. To die without gaming one's aim is a dog's death and fanaticism. But there is no shame in this. This is the substance of the Way of the Samurai. If by setting one's heart right every morning and evening, one is able to live as though his body were already dead, he pains freedom in the Way. His whole life will be without blame, and he will succeed in his calling.
mikeburnfire (mlaker)
was Kambei, Seasoned Samurai.
Kambei was the first Samurai hired by the farmers and recruited the other six, so he was capable of telling the Samurai apart from the rest.
Each Night he could choose a player and would be told if he/she was a Samurai or not.
GAME OVER: THE BANDITS WIN!!!
M4yhem / riktus (Kaebamf) / spectrumvoid (Kain)
were the bandits. They were able to nightkill and had some interchangeable roleblocking abilities.
There is nothing to reveal about their personalities because character development in the movie was something exclusive to the Samurai and some Villagers. How sad…
[i]"Dead Rikimaru is... well, dead. When the lights came back on, he was found turned inside-out, somehow. Disgusting, really. Anyway, he was "Dead Dead Rikimaru" (Self-fulfilling Prophecy)".
-The Scummies 2006 - Red Carpet and Ceremony![/i]
I was rather worried about replacing in actually, since I thought Kain was scummy. So I just deflected it to TS.