Sword Rakurai

The Sword Rakurai were deep-cover agents of the Order of Inquisition during the Holy War on Charis.

Unlike the agents chosen for Operation Rakurai, the Sword Rakurai were not chosen for their willingness to kill themselves in suicide missions. Instead, they were chosen for intelligence and initiative, and trained as information gatherers. They were forbidden to join groups of Temple Loyalists in the countries where they were posted in response to the highly effective Charisian counter-intelligence efforts. Only Wyllym Rayno knew who the Sword Rakurai agents were.

In October 896, a Sword Rakurai posted to Siddar City sent Rayno detailed instructions of the new Charisian steel-making technology, along with general descriptions of steam engines. Those papers had been taken by the agent the previous month from a Charisian advisor he'd murdered. (LAMA)

At some point between then and February 898, the Sword Rakurai in question was identified by Nahrmahn Baytz as Airah Sahbahtyno, officially a rug merchant working in Siddar City. At the recommendation of Nahrmahn and Nynian Rychtair, Sahbahtyno was left alone and not arrested. Instead, the allies allowed Sahbahtyno to gain access to official papers indicating the Allied forces intended to push south during the next season's fighting. This pulled the Church's forces seriously out of position for the actual Allied attacks. (AST)