[T.G. Oskar]

Towards the grounds of the Tournament, a monk walks by. Wearing a worn coat, head down, as if he were hiding from something. The monk holds in his bandaged hands a set of prayer beads, in around 4 hanging loops. The beads are separated in a way that the entire ornament, untied, would reach quite some feet. Holding a walking staff, worn only in the points, he keeps walking by. The staff looks worn by time, as if he never had used it for other reason than walking. However...

...as he passed by, a set of swords, tied with a complex knot, hanged behind him. A monk, with swords? Who would have thought? Some passers make small talk of the strange monk with swords, until a knowledgeable individual remarks that the sheath, and the style of the tsuba and handle were reminsicent of a long-lost samurai troop. A troop...thought extinct. Could he be...?

Upon inquiring, the individual told the story of that man, as he heard it. The rumors about him, that is. The rumors say he was once a loyal retainer of a shogun from the Kyoto prefecture, a powerful shogun known as Lord Kusara. The city he governed was well known for the large temple to the sun goddess Amaterasu, pride and joy of the area. The rumors continue that unknown lords plotted against him, and sent samurai disguised as bandits, in a well-thought plan that included cutting supplies to the land, and the occasional bandit raids, which were grtowing ever more dangerous because the bandits were getting more and more skilled, and the soldiers were running short.

One fateful day, the rumors say,Lord Kusara's territory was devastated by a large bandit raid, which decimated all soldiers, merchants, priests, royalty...everyone. It was said to be a raid right in dawn, where the bandits appeared as light was covering the land. The rumors said the last few samurai went to the great temple of Amaterasu, after the terrible death of Lord Kusara. The few samurai remaining decided to protect the temple, in hopes the goddess would save them. But to no avail: the bandits sacked the temple and murdered all, save one.

The lone remaining samurai was rescued by a passing caravan, of which some of its passengers were warrior monks who worshipped Buddha. The samurai, so they said, was healed of all wounds, save one: the wounds of his soul. As he went to perform seppuku, the monks requested him not to. And so, they introduced him to Buddha. The monks convinced him worshipping the Shinto gods led to nowhere, and that the only way towards perfection was the path to Nirvana: the path they walked. While hesitant at first, soon the samurai realized: their path, perhaps, would finally give him the peace of mind he could not find. How he failed to his lord, and how the gods betrayed him when in need.

Time passed. The story of the survivor of the Kusara massacre became only rumors, but with hints of legend. No one knew where said man was located. Some say he died, and in a variety of ways. Some say the survivor is living his life hunting down the bandits who ruined his life. Some say he turned into a Buddhist monk, preaching about the path to Nirvana. Rumors diverge from here, but one thing was certain: few copies of the blades of the Kusana samurai still exist, in the hands of wealthy merchants and collectors. Not of wandering monks. Only the survivor of said disaster would still own a daisho of Kusana swords, since it is well known that one pair of blades were missing. Right where a large stain of blood stood, right near the destroyed statue of Amaterasu.

The monk was now very far away. Inside the building. Wandering, but without the luggage. A maid working in the location assigned for the Tournament participants found a letter tucked within the possessions of a wandering monk, with the following message:

"Go to the Tournament of Arms. Win, and I shall tell you the truth. About the Kusara massacre. Who were the culprits. Who lived, who died. But, only if you win."

And, in the same letter, a phrase, written in red ink...

"Penance, is my way to Nirvana"