The nickname "Fade" has been given to a bandit who has plagued Ryoko Owari and its vicinity for two years running. It stems from his ability to evade pursuit - an ability that is fast becoming legendary, to the chagrin of both the Emperor's magistrates and the Thunder Guards (G10) of Shosuro Hyobu (P1). A list of crimes attributed to him follows.
• Two years ago, in the month of the Tiger, Fade took a silk caravan by surprise and captured the entire cargo. Reports vary, but it seems that he and six of his followers were mounted. These mounted bandits were engaged to draw off the caravan's guards. When most of the guards were off in pursuit, another dozen bandits, on foot, attacked the main body of the caravan and captured it.
• That same year, in the month of the Snake, Fade and his gang intercepted a shipment of gold on the Road Once Hidden. This time, they attacked an inn in the middle of the night, capturing everyone inside and locking them in the basement. When the shipment arrived, Fade and his bandits were masquerading as the innkeep and guests. After drugging most of the guards, the remaining defenders were easily overpowered.
• Also, in the month of the Monkey, Fade and his gang assaulted a Scorpion village while the tax collector was present. The bandits made off with the entire tax payment. Reliable reports describe at least twenty bandits - all mounted, and several in armor.
• The next year, again in the month of the Tiger, the bandits assaulted a merchant caravan at night in pitch blackness. Possibly the bandits had some sort of black magic to help them see at night, but another theory is that they simply kept their eyes hidden for some days (or weeks?) before the raid, giving them sensitive night eyes. In any event, they were there and gone before the caravan could even mount a coherent defense.
The caravan leader, who was formerly an officer in the Scorpion cavalry, said that the attack resembled a "classic Unicorn lightning raid."
• In the month of the Dragon, Fade ambushed a group of Scorpion shugenja who were travelling from Yogo Shiro to Shiro no Soshi. A fierce battle ended with two of the priests dead, along with six of the bandits. After the shugenja surrendered, Fade made them strip naked, and it was in that condition that they returned to Yogo Shiro. The three chief shugenja were ordered to commit seppuku; and three of their four acolytes followed suit.
• In the month of the Horse that same year, Fade and his bandits attacked a group on their way from Kyuden Bayushi to celebrate Shosuro Hyobu's (P1) birthday. For the first time, the bandit underestimated his opponents. Not only were the bandits repulsed with heavy casualties, one of Fade's henchmen was captured alive. At first the bandit was too afraid of his master to speak, but under torture he revealed the location of one of Fade's hideouts in the Hidden Forest. However, before he could be persuaded to reveal more information, he escaped from prison (L7) - quite possibly with aid from the outside.
As an aside, it was not long after that escape that Naritoki executed one of the prison guards for involvement in a similar jail break (T3).
• In the Month of the Monkey, a tax collector returning from several local villages was ambushed. Though he was heavily guarded, the bandits attacked first with a volley of arrows - ensuring that their numbers compensated for the superior skill of the tax collector's guards. Four guards died in the ensuing melee, and took only two bandits with them.
• Fade's depredations have become so well known that by this year, many merchants are choosing to move their goods by boat rather than caravan. Fade has adapted. In the month of the Tiger, a barge was assaulted with burning arrows and stones from a crude catapult as it passed a cliff to the south of Ryoko Owari. As the sailors tried to quench the flames and escape, the barge was surrounded by three small fishing boats full of bandits. The sailors were overwhelmed and put ashore. Their boat was found the next day, ten miles downstream. Interestingly, the bandits had gone to the trouble of scuttling it; instead of abandoning it for salvage, they chose instead to prevent its rightful owners from reclaiming it.
• Finally, just last month, Fade and his gang - now numbering at least thirty-five men - brazenly attacked a caravan of weapons and armor destined for the Towers of the East and West Eyes (L28). Initially the soldiers seemed to repulse the attackers, but Fade continued to harass them. Making quick attacks whenever they moved, he forced them to stand and face him in disadvantageous terrain. In the end, nine guards were killed, along with a dozen of Fade's men, but the convoy was captured. It included ten suits of heavy armor, twenty suits of light armor, fifty longbows, three score of arrows, sixty spears and twenty swords.
Fade now has a fortune in stolen weapons to sell, but it is my suspicion that he will keep as much armament as he can. His band has grown from a small nuisance to a major menace in a short span of years; at this rate, he will lead a private army within four years.
Naritoki strongly suspected Fade of being a disgraced samurai. His skills at mounted strategy argue for a former Unicorn, while his leadership skills and ability to recruit loyal followers might indicate a Lion. Both clans deny even the possibility, of course.
The most noteworthy thing about Fade's actions and strategy is his agenda. Bandits seek gold, and so does Fade. However, most bandits are content to make one raid a year and live off the proceeds until they're out of cash. Fade is much more active, which argues for a purpose beyond survival or greed.
A majority of the commerce around Ryoko Owari occurs on behalf of the Scorpion clan, but there is a significant amount of trade for other clans as well. Fade, however, attacks only Scorpion caravans and tax collectors.
Perhaps he has a grudge against Scorpions. Perhaps he has some source of intelligence that only spies on Scorpions. Perhaps he strikes at Scorpions because there are more of them. Perhaps you will find out when you catch him - but I find it more likely that you will not catch him until you find out.