The Duck here. Tayrn is picking on me for not keeping up on these so out of the goodness of my heart I am getting back at them (that, and she hid the key to the liquor cabinet). Today I am focusing on our Zen Archer Aremasu.
Aremasu was one of the greatest archers of the 1850 juncture. Truthfully his skill is said to rival that of Sun Chen, master archer of the Guiding Hand. But he is distinguished from his fellow bow stringer by two important characteristics. He's not an anal retentive Confucianist with a big old stick up his tuckus, and he is still living (meaning no disrespect to Sun Chen).
Aremasu's devotion to Buddhism caused him to come into conflict with the Guiding Hand and the Ascended. Also his desire to avoid entangling himself with the material world led him to leave himself exposed to his enemies. Fortunately for him, Tayrn sent me and Tarkus to the 1850s. I don't know how he managed it, but let me say you haven't seen 1850s Japan until you've seen it from a 1978 El Camino. We rescued Aremasu, filled him in on what few details he hadn't figured out for himself, and brought him back to the present.
He's quiet but polite. His demeanor might lead some to assume he lacks verve or skill. Allow me to dispel any such illusions. He's definitely got skills. He is, however, an intellectual pacifist. That doesn't mean he won't fight and even kill in combat, but he won't kill out of combat. Nor will he allow his companions to kill outside of combat. It's a trait that some may find annoying or impractical, which is why Tayrn and Oliphant have kept him in the back ground up until now. With things heating up, however, I don't think he'll be staying in the background.
Also, the obvious question, he does speak reasonably good English (learned it from some Cowboy who traveled to China seeking his fortune, apparently), but he does not have too much experience with modern machinery or devices; so expect him to ask a lot of questions. He is part of the Rogue Elephant society rather than the Mongoose, because apparently, it depresses him to see how materialist Japan has become.
Maybe I ought to try telling Tayrn it depresses me to see an empty glass.
OK, we'll be back later with some more insights into our little family of miscreants.
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