First Temptaion of Shaiyan
24 September 2005
by Dennis Holliday

I have decided to keep this diary as a way to keep myself sane. I say sane because only a madman would be thinking the things I have thought recently. I will start from the beginning in the hope that by reading it I will be able to bring myself back from the brink of madness.

My name is Kitsuke Shaiyan, I come from a long line of honorable samurai, including a fair number of Justicars. My dream as a very young child was to follow in there footsteps but the kami had other plans for me. I was chosen to follow the way of the shugenja. It was while I was studying that my destiny was decided for me. A powerful Blood-speaker killed my brothers and father, leaving a debt of honor and vengeance upon me. My gempukku came and I was ready to start on my journey to seek revenge when my daimyo changed my plans. I was sent to a village in Crane lands to participate in a competition. For a while there I forgot my purpose but I have returned to it. The daimyo of the village asked myself and a few others to go to Otosan Uchi to retrieve something. I thought this would be a good place to find something to help with my task and so I accepted eagerly. That journey is where the trouble begins.

We stopped at a roadside inn for the evening and things seemed to be strange. Soshuro Ridachi, one of my companions, found evidence of a crime. We investigated and found the corpse of a merchant who had been murdered. Something terrible had happened because of this murder, the blood of this merchant had been eaten by some mosquitos and his spirit had taken over the swarm. We were able to deal with the swarm, but another man had died. I know that what my thoughts were then are an abomination but I was intrigued by this power of blood and began thinking it may be a way to gain strength to overcome my foe.

I hope that in reading this every night I will be able to remind myself how dangerous and tempting this is and so be able to fight off this temptation.

KS