Pick Your Path: Ninja

It’s a humid summer night in the days of Feudal Japan. You are a ninja – a master of sneaking, spying, assassination, and subterfuge. As you relax in your hut over a meal of fish and rice, you hear the door open. Who is skillful enough to sneak up on a ninja like you? Instantly you grab your sword, ready to fend off the intruder…only to find it’s your uncle Takahashi, the man who took you in a small child when your parents died, taught you the ways and skills of ninjitsu, and now leads the small clan of ninja-for-hire that you belong to.

Art and illustrations graciously created by Shiloh Penfield,
a New York City graphic novelist.

“Ah, young one….as skillful as you are, you still have much to learn”, chuckles Takahashi as he sits down by the fire.

“Yes uncle….I’ll try harder” you mumble, embarrassedly.

“Never mind that now, young one. I have two ‘jobs’, and I wish to offer you one,” Takahashi responds.

“First, the ruler of this domain, Lord Yoshimitsu, requires that a secret message be sent to his brother, Lord Tsugu. Lord Tsugu is at fort deep in the mountains and the path there may be dangerous, as there bandits are about.”

“Secondly, it appears that a thief has stolen a small but valuable statue of the Buddha from the temple, and sold it to Echi the Cruel, an unscrupulous local merchant. The monks have asked you to ‘return’ it to them, no questions asked.”

“Which mission do you choose, young one?” Takahashi asks.

• Choose to deliver the secret message
• If you choose to return the statue