OOC: Sorry for delaying this fine AAR everyone. I went overboard reasearching it, then had to leave most of the marterial out due to time constraints. I have to tip my hat to shawng1 for doing a consistently excellent job of maintaining the flavour of this AAR. And I want to thank him for the opportunity to 'guest post' again.
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The weather had been growing increasingly ominous as the hours passed, but to the little wizened man it meant nothing. Staff in hand, and bent with age, the peasant shuffled his way toward Sakurao Castle, his dark brown eyes peering from under a furrowed brow.
Standing guard near the castle gates were several soldiers belonging to Mori Motonari, dressed in their yoroi armour and holding spears. They paid the crooked man scant attention until he was almost beside them. One of the soldiers casually dropped his spear to block the way.
"State your business, old man."
"I've come to see my master."
"Oh, and who might that be?"
"Mori Moronari."
The guards began to laugh, and as they did the peasant straightened up until he stood tall and proud. His voice slipped from a thin whisper to a commanding tone. "I have news for my master."
The guards stopped laughing, then one of them recognized the man. He was one of the many spies that Motonari employed to keep his network of information currant and precise. Bowing respectfully, they let the man through the gate.
* * *
Mori Motonari sat crossed legged in a simple room, as a geisha went through the elaborate ritual of the tea service. Eyes closed, he reflected briefly on past events, and was not unpleased.
After Sue Harukata's betrayal of Oûchi Yoshitaka, Mori had maintained an uneasy alliance with the untrustworthy warlord. But Harukata's blatant ambition soon caused Mori to become uneasy, and he decided to avenge his old ally.
It was as if the broken alliance had been anticipated. No sooner had word reached Harukata, then an army of 30,000 warriors was on the march toward Motonari's lands.
But the young warlord had a plan, and the plan had worked flawlessly, so far.
Sakurao Castle and the holy island of Miyajima were offered as bait to the approaching warlord; strategic locations that were vitally important for control of Aki coast and the local area. Once ensconced, Harukata constructed some smaller forts, then waited for Motonari to make a move.
The move was unexpected. Moving swiftly Mori recaptured the mainland Sakurao Castle, trapping Harukata on the island. Now he waited for word from his allies.
The door slid open and the former bent peasant entered, bowing sharply to his lord.
Mori produced a fan, then nodded. "What news?"
The spy bowed again. "I have come from the camp of Murakami Torayasu, the pirate lord. He's ready."
* * *
The worsening weather exploded into a torrential rainstorm on the evening of October 1. Mori Motonari couldn't have asked for a better omen.
Moving swiftly, his veteran army numbering just under half of Sue Harukata's total strength, boarded the pirate fleet and set out for the island of the holy shrine, Miyajima.
While one part of the fleet, commanded by his youngest son Takakage, sailed past the fortifications at To-no-oka (Pagoda Hill) as a diversion, the remainder of the fleet disgorged Mori and his other two sons Takamoto and Motoharu, along with the balance of the Nipponese army just to the east, and out of site of the fort. They waited for dawn.
* * *
As dawn broke a great cry went up from the camp of Sue Harukata. Scrambling madly, the samurai grabbed armour, kabuto, katana or spear and struggled to organise themselves in time for engagement.
Kobayakawa Takakage urged his men on at a quick pace, yari ashigaru in the center flanked by yari samurai and ashigaru crossbowmen. The arquebusiers were discarded due to the weather. Identified by their clan flag, the soldiers smashed into the hastily forming ranks of the enemy infantry.
Though outnumbered, surprise and formation was on Takakage's side, and he drove a deep wedge into Harukata's forces.
* * *
Mori Motonari heard the clash of weapons as dawn broke. Fitting on his kabuto, the warlord led his men toward the sound of conflict. They moved fast, and caught Harukata's confused forces in the rear, turning a dogged resistance into total rout.
The enemy army crumbled, and the men fled deeper into the island. Mori gathered his sons and men and pursued Harukata until the warlord was cornered on a island inlet.
Finding a rock, Mori sat down several hundred feet from Sue, and watched his former ally, and ally to Oûchi Yoshitaka, attempt to rally his broken army. But the defeat was decisive.
Finally Mori sent a herald to seek the traitor's surrender. As the victorious warlord watched the animated discussion between Sue and his men, he felt a premonition about the final outcome.
Minutes later the herald returned and bowed, saying nothing. There was nothing to say.
With great ceremony, Sue Harukata committed ritual seppoku along with several of his officers. Honour dictated that he would rather die than face the humiliation of losing to a vastly inferior force.
Mori Motonari was unperturbed. He looked to his eldest, Takamoto, and mumbled, "Mark well what you have witnessed today, my son, for one day I shall be Shogun."
Takamoto was silent.
---------------------------------------
The weather had been growing increasingly ominous as the hours passed, but to the little wizened man it meant nothing. Staff in hand, and bent with age, the peasant shuffled his way toward Sakurao Castle, his dark brown eyes peering from under a furrowed brow.
Standing guard near the castle gates were several soldiers belonging to Mori Motonari, dressed in their yoroi armour and holding spears. They paid the crooked man scant attention until he was almost beside them. One of the soldiers casually dropped his spear to block the way.
"State your business, old man."
"I've come to see my master."
"Oh, and who might that be?"
"Mori Moronari."
The guards began to laugh, and as they did the peasant straightened up until he stood tall and proud. His voice slipped from a thin whisper to a commanding tone. "I have news for my master."
The guards stopped laughing, then one of them recognized the man. He was one of the many spies that Motonari employed to keep his network of information currant and precise. Bowing respectfully, they let the man through the gate.
* * *
Mori Motonari sat crossed legged in a simple room, as a geisha went through the elaborate ritual of the tea service. Eyes closed, he reflected briefly on past events, and was not unpleased.
After Sue Harukata's betrayal of Oûchi Yoshitaka, Mori had maintained an uneasy alliance with the untrustworthy warlord. But Harukata's blatant ambition soon caused Mori to become uneasy, and he decided to avenge his old ally.
It was as if the broken alliance had been anticipated. No sooner had word reached Harukata, then an army of 30,000 warriors was on the march toward Motonari's lands.
But the young warlord had a plan, and the plan had worked flawlessly, so far.
Sakurao Castle and the holy island of Miyajima were offered as bait to the approaching warlord; strategic locations that were vitally important for control of Aki coast and the local area. Once ensconced, Harukata constructed some smaller forts, then waited for Motonari to make a move.
The move was unexpected. Moving swiftly Mori recaptured the mainland Sakurao Castle, trapping Harukata on the island. Now he waited for word from his allies.
The door slid open and the former bent peasant entered, bowing sharply to his lord.
Mori produced a fan, then nodded. "What news?"
The spy bowed again. "I have come from the camp of Murakami Torayasu, the pirate lord. He's ready."
* * *
The worsening weather exploded into a torrential rainstorm on the evening of October 1. Mori Motonari couldn't have asked for a better omen.
Moving swiftly, his veteran army numbering just under half of Sue Harukata's total strength, boarded the pirate fleet and set out for the island of the holy shrine, Miyajima.
While one part of the fleet, commanded by his youngest son Takakage, sailed past the fortifications at To-no-oka (Pagoda Hill) as a diversion, the remainder of the fleet disgorged Mori and his other two sons Takamoto and Motoharu, along with the balance of the Nipponese army just to the east, and out of site of the fort. They waited for dawn.
* * *
As dawn broke a great cry went up from the camp of Sue Harukata. Scrambling madly, the samurai grabbed armour, kabuto, katana or spear and struggled to organise themselves in time for engagement.
Kobayakawa Takakage urged his men on at a quick pace, yari ashigaru in the center flanked by yari samurai and ashigaru crossbowmen. The arquebusiers were discarded due to the weather. Identified by their clan flag, the soldiers smashed into the hastily forming ranks of the enemy infantry.
Though outnumbered, surprise and formation was on Takakage's side, and he drove a deep wedge into Harukata's forces.
* * *
Mori Motonari heard the clash of weapons as dawn broke. Fitting on his kabuto, the warlord led his men toward the sound of conflict. They moved fast, and caught Harukata's confused forces in the rear, turning a dogged resistance into total rout.
The enemy army crumbled, and the men fled deeper into the island. Mori gathered his sons and men and pursued Harukata until the warlord was cornered on a island inlet.
Finding a rock, Mori sat down several hundred feet from Sue, and watched his former ally, and ally to Oûchi Yoshitaka, attempt to rally his broken army. But the defeat was decisive.
Finally Mori sent a herald to seek the traitor's surrender. As the victorious warlord watched the animated discussion between Sue and his men, he felt a premonition about the final outcome.
Minutes later the herald returned and bowed, saying nothing. There was nothing to say.
With great ceremony, Sue Harukata committed ritual seppoku along with several of his officers. Honour dictated that he would rather die than face the humiliation of losing to a vastly inferior force.
Mori Motonari was unperturbed. He looked to his eldest, Takamoto, and mumbled, "Mark well what you have witnessed today, my son, for one day I shall be Shogun."
Takamoto was silent.
