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Your name is Bayushi Kimiko and though you were born to serve, you know you are destined for greatness.

It is the year 1082 and you are a samurai of the Bayushi family, and of the Scorpion Clan. One of the seven Great Clans of Rokugan, their purpose is to sacrifice their honour in the name of duty – only through under-handed deeds can the stability of the Emerald Empire be assured. As a warrior of this clan, manipulation and ruthlessness are the weapons that you shall wield against the Emperor's enemies.

You are currently attending court in the estate of Yogo Kanzaburo, the daimyō of Beiden, where you are expected to help the acting seneschal handle a delegation from the fearsome Lion Clan.

>Welcome to a quest based off of the Legend of the Five Rings setting, a fantastical world bursting with conflict, intrigue and plenty of samurai drama. Previous experience or knowledge of the L5R setting is not important, as I plan on providing exposition as we go along. The player character is almost as inexperienced in this world as you are.

>In this quest, I use a simplified set of rules based loosely off of the 5th edition of the Legend of the Five Rings RPG. I will post the rules when they become relevant, but if you want to read them in advance, this link contains them as well as the character sheet for Bayushi Kimiko. This is not mandatory reading whatsoever:
https://pastebin.com/HJvwS9Mg
>And though there are only a few threads so far, here's the archive:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Pursuit%20of%20Greatness

>Before I start, I have something to say.

>Rather than try to justify my flaking last year, all I am going to do is say that I am sorry. You guys deserve better and frankly, so does this quest that I had so much fun writing. So the least that I can do is finish this arc.

>I can't promise that there will be more sessions after this, or that I won't flake again if there are – but god damn it, I will bring this chapter of Kimiko's life to a close, no matter what it takes or how it ends.

>Let's get this started.
>>
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Your feet carry you through the shadowy corridors of the daimyō's estate, to where the Lion wait to be summoned. Though they arrived yesterday, today the politics shall begin in earnest. Of all the samurai in this province, you have been chosen to serve as their escort.

>Bayushi Kimiko: You. An ambitious young samurai who typically serves as a deputy of Yogo Orinosuke, the Chief Magistrate of Beiden. Due to your blessed lineage and your upbringing, you consider yourself destined to rise above other samurai and rule over them. Though you are wise enough to keep your dreams of grandeur to yourself, you chafe at the thought of debasing yourself before others, even if they are of higher status.

You were never meant to serve as a magistrate's assistant. Throughout your training, your sensei groomed you for court at your mother's behest. Your assignment as Orinosuke's assistant was an unfortunate twist of fate, but your superior has found an opportunity to exploit your skills. The daimyō departed from the province to attend this year's Winter Court, only for a delegation from the Lion Clan to visit his estate in his absence. You have been charged with helping the seneschal handle these visitors, yet the men that you serve appear to have conflicting goals.

Yogo Sadayoshi, the acting seneschal, wants you to help him keep the Lion's representatives entertained and happy until the daimyō returns from Winter Court. If you are able to prove your value as a courtier, he will see you transferred to Kyūden Bayushi, the seat of the Scorpion Clan.
Yogo Orinosuke, the Chief Magistrate, wants you to make sure that the Lion's representatives leave Beiden before the daimyō returns. This way, he will be able to weaken the daimyō's influence and increase his own. If you do this, he will continue to groom you to be his successor.

A difficult choice lies ahead of you.

“I hope that you are ready for this, Bayushi-san,” says the man who walks beside you, his voice muffled by the menpō that he wears. “I, for one, have never had the heart for politics.”

>Shosuro Kinnosuke: A fellow deputy of the Chief Magistrate of Beiden. He is a lanky man with a snide attitude, who is posing as your bodyguard. In truth, he is here to make sure that you follow Orinosuke's orders. Thankfully, you have reached an agreement with Kinnosuke and he is content to turn a blind eye to your actions. Though he is usually rather scruffy, he has cleaned up nicely for today's session in court.

“I was born for this,” you reply. It's the truth, after all. “As for you, you need not worry about saying anything. You are meant to be my yōjimbō, after all.”

“I will strike an intimidating pose and hope that it shall be enough then.” You roll your eyes at your colleague's remark and pray that he'll do not such thing. If Kinnosuke does anything to disrupt today's proceedings, you'll never let him hear the end of it.
>>
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Before too long, the two of you arrive at the corridor where the Lion Clan's delegates are quartered. Thankfully, they have already left their rooms and are gathered in the hallway, quietly talking among themselves. All three samurai are proudly dressed in the colours of their clan, from the towering Shoraku, to the wizened Kitahachi, to the striking Kaneru. Before you speak, you lower yourself in a bow before the visitors.

“Honoured guests,” you say, with as much respect as you are willing to muster, “forgive me for disturbing you but I come on the behalf of Yogo Sadayoshi. He wishes to invite you to attend court, should you be so inclined.”

Having turned around to face you, Matsu Kaneru bows before you in return, a gesture that is mirrored by her companions.

“It would be our honour and privilege, Bayushi-san.” There is warmth in her voice as she accepts the invitation, but you know that this is nothing more than a matter of etiquette. “If you are willing to lead, then we shall follow.”

>Matsu Kaneru: A diplomat of the Lion Clan who represents the daimyō of the Matsu family – who also happens to be her sister. A mother of four, she is expecting her fifth child, though the magnificent kimono of black and gold that she wears flatters her pregnant body. So far you haven't spoken much with her, but she strikes you as an independent woman. While she is proud of her heritage, Kaneru refuses to rely on her sister's status.

“Of course, Matsu-sama.” With another bow, you turn to guide your visitors through the daimyō's manor. No one says a word for almost a minute before Kaneru speaks again, breaking the silence.

“I must admit, I was not left wanting for comfort throughout the night. The holdings of the Scorpion are quite luxurious.” A pause. “... However, I find myself wishing that these hallways were brighter than they are. For what reason does your clan enjoy such low light, Bayushi-san?” To her credit, the diplomat sounds curious rather than derisive. There's no ill will behind her question, at least as far as you can tell.

>Keep your answers curt and to the point. Your duty is to lead the Matsu dignitary to the court, not to engage in casual conversation with her.
>If Kaneru wishes to speak with you, you will humour her and try to entertain her with conversation. Who cares if you deviate from protocol?
>Play the part of the villain. Taunt and tease her for her question, try to throw her off-balance so that she will be easier to manipulate in court.
>>
>>4625312
>>Keep your answers curt and to the point. Your duty is to lead the Matsu dignitary to the court, not to engage in casual conversation with her.

welcome back
>>
>>4625312
>Play the good host, answering questions within reason and doing so warmly.
>>
>>4625312
>>Play the part of the villain. Taunt and tease her for her question, try to throw her off-balance so that she will be easier to manipulate in court.
>>
>>4625437
Eh, I'll support this. No reason to burn bridges on this day. You never know how useful it may be to have a Lion in your back pocket, even if we do decide to burn this bridge for our power.

Welcome back, btw! Let's take this one arc at a time, no need to worry :^)
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>>4625309
No worries Fudo. I'm just overjoyed it's back, it was one of my favorites on the catalog while it was running.

>>4625312
>If Kaneru wishes to speak with you, you will humour her and try to entertain her with conversation. Who cares if you deviate from protocol?
Partly because I want the lore explanation too
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>>4625533
I can get behind this as well.
>>
>>4625312
>Play the part of the villain. Taunt and tease her for her question, try to throw her off-balance so that she will be easier to manipulate in court.
>>
“We are simply accustomed to it,” you explain, as cordially as you can without deviating from protocol. “Clear skies are a rare sight in these lands and even when the weather is at its finest, the sun is often hidden behind the Seikitsu Mountains.”

At least, that's what your clan tells outsiders. The truth is that the Scorpion Clan does everything it can to disconcert the guests that visit its castles, whether it's with poor lighting or maze-like corridors. Flustered visitors are so much easier to manipulate, after all. Unfortunately, the only member of the Lion delegation who seems to be fazed is Shoraku. The brawny samurai shifts around uncomfortably and eyes every shadow, as though he expects an assassin to jump out at any moment.

>Matsu Shoraku: A warrior of the Lion Clan and Matsu Kaneru's yōjimbō. He is a giant of a man who looks like he just stepped out of a war story, and looks thoroughly out of place in the brown and gold kimono he wears. Judging from his behaviour, this must be his first time in a foreign court, and his first encounter with the Scorpion Clan. You almost feel a little sorry for him.

“You have my sympathy,” Kaneru replies. You're not sure if she believed your explanation. “Perhaps in the future, you will have the opportunity to visit the territory of the Lion. I believe that you would like it, Bayushi-san – golden plains and fertile fields, a land of plenty where Amaterasu never hides her face.” The diplomat smiles wistfully to herself as she pictures her home in her mind's eye.

“It sounds wonderful,” is all that you say in return. Though you wish to remain warm, you're not about to engage in idle chatter with a woman of Kaneru's status. After your brief yet polite response, Kaneru falls quiet and seems content to follow your lead. The only sound is that of footsteps, and Kitahachi's cane against the floorboards.

>Matsu Kitahachi: The third samurai of the Lion's delegation, who seems to serve as Kanera's aide. A tall and austere man, you suspect he is quite elderly but the only signs of age that he shows are his greying hair and beard, and the cane that he uses as a walking aid. He is dressed quite humbly, in a plain brown robe without any embroidery.

Eventually your journey takes you to the manor's meeting chamber. The great hall is far more brightly lit than the dismal corridor that you emerge from, much to the relief of your guests. Other samurai have already gathered and seated themselves on mats scattered throughout the hall, where they wait for court to commence. Once you have led your guests over to their seats, you take your place by the side of the seneschal, Yogo Sadayoshi.
>>
“I hope that our guests have been agreeable thus far?” Sadayoshi murmurs the question under his breath when you take your place at his side, kneeling comfortably on a zabuton. Though he is trying his best to remain composed, you can't help but notice how he wrings his hands in obvious apprehension.

>Yogo Sadayoshi: A courtier of Yogo Kanzaburo's estate, who has been saddled with the position of acting seneschal during the daimyō's absence. He longs to earn his lord's favour so that he may rise to a higher station, but he is held back by his anxiety. You know from experience that he is easily flustered, no matter how hard he tries to hide his feelings behind his flamboyant clothes and his komainu mask.

“Of course,” you reply. “They were quite satisfied with their accommodation.” A breath of relief rattles through the courtier's mask when he hears your words.

“Very well. I suppose that it is no turning back now – as though there ever was any chance of that.” Sadayoshi seems to be murmuring to himself, rather than speaking to you. He draws in a breath and gathers his courage before he finally stands. All other samurai present – you included – bow before the man. Even the samurai of the Lion Clan humble themselves, out of respect for the authority bestowed upon him by the daimyō.

The seneschal begins with the usual formalities, introducing himself to the court and honouring his lord, who he speaks on the behalf of. Sadayoshi has enough composure to keep his voice from wavering throughout the recital but when the time comes to speak of his guests, he falters.

“On the behalf of Yogo Kanzaburo,” he drones, “I am honoured to welcome Matsu Kaneru, the voice of Matsu Hidaka, daimyō of Yama and the Matsu, to this estate. For as long as you remain, my retainers – those of my lord, that is – are at your service, Matsu-sama.” Once he is finished, Sadayoshi offers a stiff bow to Kaneru. In return, she rises to her feet and parts her lips to speak, carrying herself with grace and pride despite her pregnant state.

“Thank you for your kind words, Yogo-sama. Though I must ask, if you speak on the behalf of the daimyō of Beiden while he is absent, do you wield his authority as well?”
>>
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Such a bold and forward question stuns the seneschal into silence. An awkward, uncomfortable moment passes as Sadayoshi tries to formulate a response, a riposte to Kaneru's direct approach. Are you going to remain silent and let him squirm, or will you try and intervene on his behalf? You could even find a way to take advantage of the situation, if you so desire.

>Unlike Matsu Kaneru, you will adhere to etiquette. You will not speak until you are spoken to or introduced, although it goes against your nature. (By choosing this option, you will increase your strife to 5 / 8 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur, but you will gain a void point.)
>This is the opportunity for you to introduce yourself in a way that undermines Sadayoshi and his lord. While the daimyō is away, the Chief Magistrate rules over Beiden and you speak on his behalf.
>Try and empower the seneschal. Yes, until Yogo Kanzaburo returns, Sadayoshi wields the daimyō's authority. He might not appreciate the responsibility that this will thrust on him, but it will keep the Lion interested.
>Lift some of the pressure off of the seneschal. While he speaks on the behalf of his lord, he doesn't wield all of the daimyō's power. It's the truth and if Sadayoshi is too anxious to say it, then you'll say it for him.
>>
>>4625824
Ok, what's the game plan here? I don't know enough of the setting to know which position we should be gunning for, so I'll need some assistance in this department.

I'm sort of the opinion that we empower the seneschal as it both gets us in his good graces, while also placing any possibility of fucking up at his feet. Alternatively, we could try and impress the Loiness here, while undercutting our competition. Or we take the humble option of either rescuing him or gaining our void point.
>>
>>4625824
>>Unlike Matsu Kaneru, you will adhere to etiquette. You will not speak until you are spoken to or introduced, although it goes against your nature. (By choosing this option, you will increase your strife to 5 / 8 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur, but you will gain a void point.)
>>
>>4625824
>This is the opportunity for you to introduce yourself in a way that undermines Sadayoshi and his lord. While the daimyō is away, the Chief Magistrate rules over Beiden and you speak on his behalf.
>>
>>4625824
>Unlike Matsu Kaneru, you will adhere to etiquette. You will not speak until you are spoken to or introduced, although it goes against your nature. (By choosing this option, you will increase your strife to 5 / 8 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur, but you will gain a void point.)
>>
>>4625853
Undermining Sadayoshi is a bad idea since at least one of the Lion Clan delegates should be smart enough to recognize what we're doing and it would reflect poorly on us.

Option number 4 is just dumb because 'I said it because it was true' is about as un-scorpion as you can get. Scorpion children who say this probably get sent to their rooms without dinner.

We have an uncomfortable amount of strife. Tea time a soon as possible.

>Try and empower the seneschal. Yes, until Yogo Kanzaburo returns, Sadayoshi wields the daimyō's authority. He might not appreciate the responsibility that this will thrust on him, but it will keep the Lion interested.
But be as subtle as possible.
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>>4625977
Incredibly well reasoned. Supporting.
>>
>>4625824
>>Try and empower the seneschal. Yes, until Yogo Kanzaburo returns, Sadayoshi wields the daimyō's authority. He might not appreciate the responsibility that this will thrust on him, but it will keep the Lion interested.
>>
Glad this is running again
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>>4625824
>Try and empower the seneschal. Yes, until Yogo Kanzaburo returns, Sadayoshi wields the daimyō's authority. He might not appreciate the responsibility that this will thrust on him, but it will keep the Lion interested.
>>
>>4625824
>>Try and empower the seneschal. Yes, until Yogo Kanzaburo returns, Sadayoshi wields the daimyō's authority. He might not appreciate the responsibility that this will thrust on him, but it will keep the Lion interested.
>>
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>>4625977
>Right now, your strife is at 2/8 – going against your Delusions of Grandeur would increase it by 3. You're not in the danger zone yet. I'll post the rules when it's pertinent.

“If I may, Yogo-sama?”

A startled Sadayoshi turns his head to look down at you. It's not just his attention you have captured – the eyes of the court now rest on you. The seneschal remains silent for a moment longer, crippled by indecision, giving you the perfect opening to rise to your feet and say your piece.

“I am Bayushi Kimiko,” you introduce yourself, for the sake of courtly formality, “yoriki of Yogo Orinosuke, Chief Magistrate of Beiden. I am here at the request of the acting seneschal and I am honoured to serve him, for as long as Yogo Kanzaburo is absent, he speaks with his voice. While the lord of this city and province is not present, Yogo Sadayoshi reigns over these lands in his place and I consider it a privilege to be at his side.” You try your best to be subtle, to avoid any obvious misstep.

“Is that so?” Kaneru appraises you for a moment, as she considers your answer. “I appreciate the candid answer, Bayushi-san. Though I must wonder why your esteemed superior was not able to say as much himself.” Her attention returns to the seneschal.

“You must forgive me,” Sadayoshi says, lowering his head in a bow. “I am not accustomed to being in the company of a direct descendant of Matsu. I daresay that for a moment, I was overwhelmed by the realization that I was in the presence of a samurai of awesome lineage.” Smooth. “As for the words of Kimiko, my aide – they are true. I wield the authority of my lord for as long as he is absent from this estate.” He knows better than to publicly contradict you, at least.

“That is wonderful,” the diplomat replies with a small yet appreciative smile, “for my daimyō wishes to forge a stronger bond between the Scorpion and the Lion. By speaking on the behalf of our lords, it is my hope that we might bring our clans closer together and that they might enjoy great prosperity as a result.” With that said, Kaneru bows her head before the seneschal and returns to her seat. Yet before Sadayoshi can continue...

“If I may, Yogo-sama?”

Everyone's attention turns towards the speaker – another guest to the daimyō's estate, Shosuro Jojuri.

>Shosuro Jojuri: A courtier of the Scorpion Clan who serves Ryokō Owari, the City of Lies. From what you have observed, she is a typical schemer of the Scorpion Clan. She will stop at nothing to gain an advantage over others, as she demonstrated when she captivated your yōjimbō the last time that you came here. Just like then, she wears a scandalous yukata that shows far too much.

“You may speak, Shosuro-san.” With the permission of the seneschal, Jojuri rises to her feet.
>>
“Allow me to introduce myself as Shosuro Jojuri,” she begins, “and though I cannot claim to speak for my lord, I happen to represent his interests and those of Journey's End City.” No one calls it the City of Lies in public, though it's the name that everyone knows that hive of scum and villainy by. “I am honoured to be in your esteemed presence, Matsu-sama. Yet I cannot help but profess my curiosity – why did you choose to visit this province, in your search for stronger ties with the Scorpion Clan?”

“It lies on the fringe of my lord's domain,” Kaneru replies. “Yama is to the north, on the other side of the Seikitsu Mountains. If we are to heal any rift between our clans, it is wisest to begin at the borderlands, is it not?”

“Of course, Matsu-sama.” Jojuri's lips form something between a smile and a smirk. “Yet it is nothing more than a beginning – if you truly wish to create an partnership between the Scorpion and the Lion, should you not consider speaking with the lord of our clan at Kyūden Bayushi? Or perhaps the daimyō of a more influential region, like Ryokō Owari?”

This harlot is trying to sabotage the negotiations before they have even started.

>You should refrain from speaking and allow Sadayoshi to fight his own battles. As much as it pains you to admit it, you are his subordinate. (By choosing this option, you will increase your strife to 5 / 8 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur, but you will gain a void point.)
>Pander to the Lion Clan and accuse Jojuri of questioning Kaneru's wisdom. Is she really claiming that the Matsu diplomat made a mistake in coming here? She should know better than to make such insinuations about such an honoured guest.
>Stand up for Beiden and accuse Jojuri of besmirching the province's name. It might not harbour a city of the same size as Ryokō Owari, but it is still of great importance to the Scorpion Clan. She should know better than to speak ill of her hosts.
>Concede that Jojuri has a point. If Matsu Kaneru wants to improve relations between the Scorpion and the Lion, she would be best served by visiting more influential estates – once she has concluded her business in Beiden, that is.
>>
I don't think that beiden is very important, according to the wiki the only special thing about beiden is that when the lion clan and the scorpion clan is at conflict with each other beiden suffers, but that doesn't really make it that important, so i say we either concede or we pander
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>>4626329
>Previous sessions have gone into detail about what Beiden is like, but this image contains all of the relevant information.
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>>4626297
>Stand up for Beiden and accuse Jojuri of besmirching the province's name. It might not harbour a city of the same size as Ryokō Owari, but it is still of great importance to the Scorpion Clan. She should know better than to speak ill of her hosts.
>>
actually now that I think about it Jojuri is saying some retarded shit, did she not listen to what Kaneru just said, that she wishes to begin with the borderland and going by her words it is insinuated that she will later go to the inner parts
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>>4626297
>You should refrain from speaking and allow Sadayoshi to fight his own battles. As much as it pains you to admit it, you are his subordinate. (By choosing this option, you will increase your strife to 5 / 8 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur, but you will gain a void point.)

We must let Sadayoshi make his move lest they'll think he's a pushover bitch, also might get us into trouble.
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>>4626436
hmm that is true, but is he competent enough to be able to refute her
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>>4626297
>>You should refrain from speaking and allow Sadayoshi to fight his own battles. As much as it pains you to admit it, you are his subordinate. (By choosing this option, you will increase your strife to 5 / 8 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur, but you will gain a void point.)
>>
>>4626297
>>Concede that Jojuri has a point. If Matsu Kaneru wants to improve relations between the Scorpion and the Lion, she would be best served by visiting more influential estates – once she has concluded her business in Beiden, that is.
>>
>>4626297
>>You should refrain from speaking and allow Sadayoshi to fight his own battles. As much as it pains you to admit it, you are his subordinate. (By choosing this option, you will increase your strife to 5 / 8 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur, but you will gain a void point.)

fuck it why not
>>
>>4626297
>>Pander to the Lion Clan and accuse Jojuri of questioning Kaneru's wisdom. Is she really claiming that the Matsu diplomat made a mistake in coming here? She should know better than to make such insinuations about such an honoured guest.

Shall I be the only one that pander? Is this what the Panda clan does? ;^)
>>
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Strife Rules
>You suffer points of strife whenever you fail a roll, whenever you act in a way that goes against your delusions of grandeur, and whenever you arrive at a dramatic or stressful point in the story. You also regularly gain strife during the heat of combat, unless you adopt the Void stance.
>Should your strife meet or exceed its maximum capacity, which is currently 8, your ability to succeed will be greatly impaired. Only your rolls of 6 will contribute to a roll's success.
>However, you can reduce your strife back down to 0 by surrendering to your emotions, something known as Unmasking. By bursting into tears or giving into your rage, you are able to rid yourself of your strife at the cost of damaging your reputation or escalating a situation.
>You have other methods of reducing your strife as well. You get to subtract a point whenever you engage in your love of Wordplay or indulge in your love of Tea, and whenever you arrive at a positive and uplifting point in the story.

>You suffer three points of strife. Your strife is currently at 5 / 8. You now have 1 void point, out of a maximum of 2.

You want to say something. Shosuro Jojuri is an obstacle that you wish to rid yourself of, but you can't afford to jeopardize the seneschal's authority – not after everything that you just said on his behalf. So you force yourself to play the part of the assistant and the servant, and bite your lip to keep yourself from commenting. He will have to deal with this on his own, and prove that he is worthy of the daimyō's trust – and yours.

“Shosuro-san,” Sadayoshi begins, “I understand that you seek to further your lord's agenda, as any samurai should. That is admirable, and I cannot fault you for performing your duty. However, I must ask that you do not question the judgement of my guests. From what I understand, the honourable Matsu Kaneru came here with the intention of speaking with the daimyō of this province and though Yogo Kanzaburo is absent, it is my privilege to speak on his behalf. If she was interested in meeting your master, I believe she would have visited Journey's End City instead – is this not so, Matsu-sama?”

The seneschal's tone is stern throughout his chastisement of Jojuri, and you can't help but mentally applaud him. He is capable of holding his own in court after all, it seems. The browbeaten courtier remains silent, while Kaneru seems rather amused.

“It is so,” she replies. “If this visit bears fruit, I will consider attending the courts of these other lords. But surely, Shosuro-san, you understand that such meetings would be pointless if I cannot even earn the friendship of my lord's immediate neighbours?” Her attention turns to Jojuri and her eyebrow rises in a delicate arch, as she questions the woman.

“I understand,” Jojuri says. Any trace of a smirk has vanished from face, along with the confidence that she once had. “Forgive my interruption, Matsu-sama, Yogo-sama.”
>>
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Yet again, before Sadayoshi can continue...

“I pray that you might forgive me as well, Yogo-sama, for if you would allow it, there is something that I would like to say to your esteemed guest.” You're familiar with this gentle, almost musical voice. It belongs to none other than Kakita Akirako.

>Kakita Akirako: An inexperienced diplomat of the Crane Clan, who represents her clan's interests in this city. She is a charming young woman who has dyed her hair white in the Daidoji fashion, and who you befriended the last time that you attended this court. However, she has no love for the Lion Clan and the last time that you spoke with her, she confessed that she thinks Rokugan would be a better place without them.

“Say your piece, Kakita-san.” Once Sadayoshi has said this, Akirako rises to her feet and bows sincerely before the seneschal, and then before the samurai of the Lion Clan. Her yōjimbō remains seated while she speaks.

“It is my hope that you will enjoy your stay in the estate of Yogo Kanzaburo, Matsu-sama. I can say from experience that the hospitality provided here is second to none. Full glad am I that the lords of the Crane Clan saw fit to send me here, and if the samurai of the Scorpion Clan treat you with even a fraction of the respect and kindness that they have shown me, I am certain that you will find the friendship that you seek.”

Though the Crane's voice is warm and a smile curves her lips, you know that she couldn't be more insincere. Few clans loathe each other more than the Lion and the Crane. Certainly, Kaneru doesn't seem to think that Akirako's friendliness is sincere, judging from her unimpressed expression.

“I was not aware that the Crane Clan had an established presence in this province,” the Matsu remarks. Though she does not voice her distaste for the sake of etiquette, it is obvious to anyone who hears her speak. Rather than reply, Akirako shoots a sidelong glance in your direction, as though she expects you to interject. After all, you're her friend, aren't you?

>Though you have no desire to play the part of the servant, you should remain silent and let Yogo Sadayoshi address Kaneru's concerns. (By choosing this option, you will increase your strife to 8 / 8 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur, but you will gain a void point.)
>Tell the truth. There are multiple diplomats from the Crane Clan who reside in the province of Beiden. Kaneru might not approve, but hopefully she will appreciate the honesty.
>Try and appease the Matsu. Say that the Crane Clan has no influence in Beiden, and that any presence they have in the province is inconsequential. Akirako won't like this.
>Stand up for Akirako. She is as welcome in this estate as Kaneru is, and her very presence makes the court a pleasanter place. The Lion will just have to accept that.
>>
>>4626297
>>Pander to the Lion Clan and accuse Jojuri of questioning Kaneru's wisdom. Is she really claiming that the Matsu diplomat made a mistake in coming here? She should know better than to make such insinuations about such an honoured guest.
>>
>>4626996
>>Stand up for Akirako. She is as welcome in this estate as Kaneru is, and her very presence makes the court a pleasanter place. The Lion will just have to accept that.

Play the part of a friend. Also play on the obvious tension between the crane and the lion. The lions may be more inclined to stubbborn out this fight if they feel that they have an uphill battle with the crane here. A battle that they must not forsake.
>>
>>4626998
That would just make enemies
>>4626996
>Stand up for Akirako. She is as welcome in this estate as Kaneru is, and her very presence makes the court a pleasanter place. The Lion will just have to accept that.
We've done a bit to get the Lions on better terms with us. It would be advantageous if the Lion Clan began to watch out more for the Crane Clan diplomat in our court than the Scorpion Clan ourselves. We should play them off each other, make them think of each other as their enemy while making both of them work for our friendship. Maybe we can show the Lion Clan unexpected warmth and openness to lure them into trusting us.

Also we need to find out if Sadayoshi's been welcoming Miss Doji or not because if he hasn't we can provide a more accessible member of the Scorpion Clan to her in the form of ourselves and gain her support in the court.
>>
>>4626996
>Stand up for Akirako. She is as welcome in this estate as Kaneru is, and her very presence makes the court a pleasanter place. The Lion will just have to accept that.
>>
>4626996
>Though you have no desire to play the part of the servant, you should remain silent and let Yogo Sadayoshi address Kaneru's concerns. (By choosing this option, you will increase your strife to 8 / 8 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur, but you will gain a void point.)
>>
>>4626996
>Stand up for Akirako. She is as welcome in this estate as Kaneru is, and her very presence makes the court a pleasanter place. The Lion will just have to accept that.

The competition will entice them, and both may play to our advantage.
>>
>>4626996
>>Stand up for Akirako. She is as welcome in this estate as Kaneru is, and her very presence makes the court a pleasanter place. The Lion will just have to accept that.
>>
>>4626996
>Stand up for Akirako. She is as welcome in this estate as Kaneru is, and her very presence makes the court a pleasanter place. The Lion will just have to accept that.
Glad to see this quest back
>>
>>4626996
>Stand up for Akirako. She is as welcome in this estate as Kaneru is, and her very presence makes the court a pleasanter place. The Lion will just have to accept that.
>>
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“Might I take this opportunity to speak of our guest from the Crane Clan, Yogo-sama?” You turn to look the seneschal as you request his permission. He hesitates, but eventually Sadayoshi offers you a nod.

“You may, Bayushi-san.” Though he tries to sound confident and collected, you know him well enough by now that you can hear the wariness in his tone, and just a little frustration. The poor man must be desperate to move with today's session of court, rather than deal with all of these courtiers trying to assert dominance. First Jojuri, and now Akirako. As you stand before the court, all eyes fall on you.

“Is it not the way of the Crane to spread their dignitaries throughout our empire, to earn the good will of the other clans? I believe that Yogo Kanzaburo saw no reason to deny them access to his court and I must say from experience, Kakita Akirako has brought light and joy to this estate. I have no doubt that it would be a worse place without her presence, and I cannot speak highly enough of her.”

You seat yourself once more. To your side, the seneschal flinches. Kaneru's eyes narrow just a fraction while Akirako masks her expression with a decorated fan, which flutters smugly in front of her smiling face. If you intended to provoke a reaction, you certainly succeeded.

“Is that so?” Any amusement that the Matsu once felt has left her voice. “In that case, I must thank you for your kind words, Kakita-san. I cannot wait for the opportunity to speak with you at length, so that I might experience the joy for your company for myself.” On the surface, Kaneru's words seem courteous. From the perspective of a courtier however, she might as well have just issued a declaration of war.

“I will do my best to live up to my good friend's praise, Matsu-sama.” In other words, she accepts the Lion's challenge. With that, Akirako offers a flourishing bow towards the acting seneschal. “Thank you for granting me the opportunity to speak, Yogo-sama. Once again, I must ask that you forgive my interruption.” With a flourishing bow, the Crane sits beside her yōjimbō once more.

That was the last of the interjections, much to Sadayoshi's relief. With the introduction of the Lion complete, the seneschal calls forward Yogo Mushanokoji, so that he might speak of the latest portents.

>Yogo Mushanokoji: A shugenja, and the daimyō's spiritual advisor. He's rather decrepit – most samurai retire before they reach his age, yet he still serves his lord with pride. You have not spoken with him but he seems to be respected within this estate, although he does not do much more than speak of omen. His role is mostly ceremonial, as far as you can tell.
>>
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The withered elder hobbles forward, dressed in black and white and obscuring most of his face with an opaque veil, much like your own. According to the priest, this day has been blessed by Hamanri and Kobiru-Tadashiko, the Fortunes of Understanding and Stability respectively. Not only that, but all of the elements are in harmony. Truly, he says, today is an auspicious day. Somehow, you doubt the truth of his soothsaying. It's far too good to be true.

Once the shugenja has been dismissed, the seneschal calls for Bayushi Shunmyo. Dressed in his usual gleaming red armour and matching menpō, the samurai marches forward to deliver his report on the estate's security.

>Bayushi Shunmyo: The gunsō of the daimyō's estate, in charge of its garrison and all of the samurai that defend it. The man is built like a barrel, and you have no doubt that he is a formidable combatant. Though you have not spoken with him, you heard him speak with Sadayoshi once. He seemed rather blunt, and expressed his distrust of the Lion Clan.

The gunsō's report is brief and to the point, much like the last time you heard it. He speaks of the incidents that happened yesterday – of which there were none – and of the samurai who serve him and where they are stationed. Based on what he says, there are over twice as many guards as there were the last time that you attended court here. Did he really bolster the garrison to that degree, or is he just inflating the numbers for the sake of appearances?

Next, Sadayoshi calls for a performance by one of his lord's favoured musicians – none other than Yogo Yukari. As soon as you hear this, your heart drops.

>Yogo Yukari: Your hated rival. You both attended the same dōjō as teenagers and were once close friends, before she grew jealous. Her envy was so great that she poisoned you – only by the grace of the Fortunes did you survive this attempt on your life. Though she was expelled from the dōjō, she now serves the daimyō as a Shosuro Actress – a spy and assassin who poses as a performer.

>In case you're having as much difficulty keeping track of all of these characters as I am, that's the last of the court roster, I swear.

Wordlessly, the performer steps forward into the centre of the court, where she bows before the seneschal. A tall and shockingly slender woman, she is dressed in an austere black kimono and covers her face with a white mask painted in the style of a fox spirit. With shamisen in hand, she rests on the floor before her audience and begins to play. What follows is a moving performance, a melody that can almost be described as haunting.

As much as you hate to admit it, Yukari actually has a talent for this.
>>
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“You are making a habit out of surprising me, Bayushi-san.” Those words come from Sadayoshi, though he murmurs them beneath his breath. “I cannot say that I approve.” His mask conceals his mouth, just as your veil covers yours – so long as you keep your voices down and feign interest in the music, the two of you can have a conversation without coming across as rude and distracted.

“I did what I had to,” you quietly insist. “This way, you will have the respect of the Lion Clan and will be able to keep their interest. Besides, it is an opportunity for you to enjoy the privileges of a higher station than your own. The ends justify the means, do they not? So long as you are able to produce a positive result, your lord will be satisfied.”

“Perhaps.” He doesn't sound too convinced. Why does the man have to be so hard to please? “I am more concerned about you siding with the Crane Clan. What do you hope to gain from humouring Akirako?”

You already have an explanation for this ready. “It encourages the Matsu to compete with the Kakita for our attention, Yogo-sama. If Kaneru believes that the clan's greatest enemy has power here, she will do whatever she can to usurp their influence. When the time comes for negotiations, she might even be open to terms that favour the Scorpion, if she believes it will spite the Crane.” Once you are finished, Sadayoshi mulls over your words.

“Hmph. I suppose you have a point,” Sadayoshi concedes at last. Of course he refuses to thank you for everything you have said and done on his behalf, but at least he didn't chastise you this time.

The song only lasts for another minute. When it comes to an end, everyone in the court politely applauds – you force yourself to do the same, even if Yukari doesn't deserve any praise from you. She stands and offers one last bow, before she retreats to her seat. With her performance complete, the seneschal declares an adjournment of court, to give the various courtiers an opportunity to mingle and trade words with one another. As soon as he is finished, Shunmyo and Mushanokoji both make their way over to speak with Sadayoshi.

>The gunsō, the seneschal and the priest, all gathering to speak with one another? You should stick around and listen to what they have to say.
>Kakita Akirako isn't wasting any time. She's marched her way right over to Matsu Kaneru, with the intention of speaking with her at greater length. You should intervene.
>Shosuro Jojuri is making a move on her own, and seems to be speaking with Matsu Kitahachi, the eldest of the Lion delegation. You want to learn what she hopes to gain from him.
>Yogo Yukari appears to be content quietly playing her shamisen, providing the hall with some ambience. Do you really wish to speak with her, of all people?
>Time for a break. Find somewhere quiet and call on a servant to bring you tea. (You will reduce your strife to 2 / 8 thanks to your love of Tea if you choose this option.)
>>
>>4627616
>Time for a break. Find somewhere quiet and call on a servant to bring you tea. (You will reduce your strife to 2 / 8 thanks to your love of Tea if you choose this option.)
gotta reduce that strife
>>
>>4627616
>Time for a break. Find somewhere quiet and call on a servant to bring you tea. (You will reduce your strife to 2 / 8 thanks to your love of Tea if you choose this option.)
>>
>>4627616
>Time for a break. Find somewhere quiet and call on a servant to bring you tea. (You will reduce your strife to 2 / 8 thanks to your love of Tea if you choose this option.)
>>
>>4627616
>>Time for a break. Find somewhere quiet and call on a servant to bring you tea. (You will reduce your strife to 2 / 8 thanks to your love of Tea if you choose this option.)
>>
>>4627616
>The gunsō, the seneschal and the priest, all gathering to speak with one another? You should stick around and listen to what they have to say.
>>
>>4627616
>Time for a break. Find somewhere quiet and call on a servant to bring you tea. (You will reduce your strife to 2 / 8 thanks to your love of Tea if you choose this option.)
We've made enough of an impact in the court. Let's not outstay our welcome. We're either going to piss our superiors off or be forced into a conversation we can't win. It's time to leave.
>>
>>4627616
>Time for a break. Find somewhere quiet and call on a servant to bring you tea. (You will reduce your strife to 2 / 8 thanks to your love of Tea if you choose this option.)
>>
>>4627616
>Time for a break. Find somewhere quiet and call on a servant to bring you tea. (You will reduce your strife to 2 / 8 thanks to your love of Tea if you choose this option.)

Its fairly important that we let the crane and lion start their match. Our sensei was right. Theres no need for us to play the part of the appeaser if there is nothing for us to gain.
>>
>>4627616
>>Time for a break. Find somewhere quiet and call on a servant to bring you tea. (You will reduce your strife to 2 / 8 thanks to your love of Tea if you choose this option.)
>>
>>4627616
>>The gunsō, the seneschal and the priest, all gathering to speak with one another? You should stick around and listen to what they have to say.
>>
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All of these schemers can squabble amongst themselves and try to gain an advantage over one another. You have more important things to attend to. As you step away from the court to approach a servant and make a request of her, Shosuro Kinnosuke trails after you, ever your shadow. To begin with, he is bemused when you take a seat on an isolated zabuton that is sheltered behind a screen, far away from all of the politics. When the servant returns with a tea set and places it before you, the man is astonished.

“Bayushi-san, is now really the time for this?”

“It is always time for tea,” you blithely reply. You barely notice that man scoff as you focus on filling a cup for yourself. You're no master of the ceremony, but you like to think that you are able to pour with some elegance. The chattering samurai that mill around the hall beyond the screen are of no concern to you. Nothing matters but the sight of the brew slowly filling the vessel, and the fragrance that rises from it. You only snap out of your trance when Kinnosuke lowers himself to sit opposite of you.

“Well, if this is how you wish to spend your time, I shall not discourage you, though you could at least pour a cup for me as well.” A small part of you wants to spurn your colleague, but you decide against it. After all, the tea set did come with two cups. So you set about filling the second vessel and pass it over to Kinnosuke once you are done. You shift your veil so that it will not obstruct your lips, and your fellow Scorpion likewise adjusts his menpō. Thankfully, the two of you are shielded from the public eye – your mystique as Scorpions is not at risk. In near-perfect synchronicity, the two of you raise your cups to your respective lips, to appreciate all of the complexity and subtlety of Rokugan's most important invention. Any worries that you have are washed away by a tide of herbal brew, and for the briefest moment, you are at peace.

>You lose three points of strife. Your strife is currently at 2 / 8.

“Mm. I have never been fond of the stuff,” Kinnosuke remarks. “I would rather have shōchū, but I suppose it is not the right time for it, or the right place.” Of course he prefers liquor over a more civilised drink, the philistine. Once more he adjusts his mask, to ensure his face is properly covered. “For what it is worth, I would not listen to Sadayoshi. You could give him an entire clan to rule over, and he would still chastise you for not warning him in advance. There is no pleasing him.”

“You are not wrong, Shosuro-san.” You only speak when you feel the time is right, and when it does not disrupt your enjoyment of the aromatic elixir. “What of you? Do you approve of everything that I have said and done?”

“It does not matter if I do or I do not,” he replies with a helpless shrug of his shoulders. “I am here to ensure that you do what was asked of you, not to evaluate your performance.”
>>
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By the time that your thirst for tea has been satisfied, a considerable amount of time has passed. Most of the samurai present have returned to their seats, where they wait for court to recommence. Once you have taken your place at the side of the seneschal, you take a moment to appraise the situation. The Lion delegation appears to be in good spirits, with the exception of the ever-unsettled Shoraku. On the other hand, Jojuri maintains a tight-lipped expression that does little to hide her frustration – she must have been thwarted again. As she is wont to do, Akirako shields much of her face with her fan, though its agitated fluttering betrays how she truly feels. Finally, there is the seneschal himself, who appears to be steeling himself for what lies ahead.

Once everyone is seated and silent, Sadayoshi speaks once more.

“Honoured guests, associates and kinsmen,” he begins, “the Fortunes have seen fit to grace us with another beautiful day. The snows of winter have ceased and the new year is almost upon us. I see no reason why we should confine ourselves to this hall, when we could enjoy the bounty of my lord's garden. I ask that you might accompany me, so that we may all appreciate the beauty of our beloved empire together.”

Though holding a court in a garden is not orthodox, it is hardly unknown. The assembled samurai rise to their feet and follow the seneschal, as he leads the way out of the manor. You are all led through the ominous entryway, with its sinister sculptures of dying birds, and out into brilliant daylight. Though the daimyō's mansion is enormous, most of his estate is comprised of carefully cultivated grass, drenched with dew and snowmelt. Various evergreen trees dot the landscape, mostly pines and cedars that have been groomed and sculpted to the lord's specifications. There is even a stream that runs through the sprawling garden, complete with an elegant little bridge. Though it is doubtlessly artificial, the babbling brook provides a soothing sort of ambience.

Rather than immediately resume court, the seneschal allows everyone in attendance to enjoy nature's splendour, at least for a few minutes. The perfect opportunity to catch up with other courtiers, should you wish to.

>Now is the time to speak with Matsu Kaneru – and her underlings – a little more personally, and get in her good graces. She should be more at home out here, beneath the sun's rays.
>You'd like to know what has Kakita Akirako so flustered. Take the opportunity to speak with her, and perhaps even improve her mood a little.
>Whatever Shosuro Jojuri is trying to do, she's clearly failing. Still, this is your chance to speak with her and figure out what she is plotting.
>It's best if you talk to Yogo Sadayoshi first. You want to know what else he has in store, so that you won't be taken by surprise.
>You're here to enjoy nature's splendour, aren't you? You will do just that. There's no need for you to waste time on senseless banter.
>>
>>4628566
>Now is the time to speak with Matsu Kaneru – and her underlings – a little more personally, and get in her good graces. She should be more at home out here, beneath the sun's rays.
Duty calls.
>>
>>4628566
>Now is the time to speak with Matsu Kaneru – and her underlings – a little more personally, and get in her good graces. She should be more at home out here, beneath the sun's rays.
>>
>>4628566
>>Now is the time to speak with Matsu Kaneru – and her underlings – a little more personally, and get in her good graces. She should be more at home out here, beneath the sun's rays.

We'll deal with the others later, when it is to our advantage. I'm sure Akirako we talk of her troubles later, and Jojuri... may be of use, when we figure out her goal in all this.
>>
>>4628566
>>Now is the time to speak with Matsu Kaneru – and her underlings – a little more personally, and get in her good graces. She should be more at home out here, beneath the sun's rays.
>>
>>4628663
>>4628695
>>4628758
I'd advise against this, it's just begging to be grilled about what we meant about Crane Girl.

Instead, we should pretend to be genuine about what we said by questioning her instead. We can talk to the Lion delegates tomorrow, when it will be easier to brush off any questions.

Besides, it's most important to get closer to Crane Girl since she's been in court longer. The Lion delegates will try to get closer to us on their own initiative because they're even newer than we are and need allies no matter what.

>You'd like to know what has Kakita Akirako so flustered. Take the opportunity to speak with her, and perhaps even improve her mood a little.
>>
>You'd like to know what has Kakita Akirako so flustered. Take the opportunity to speak with her, and perhaps even improve her mood a little.
>>
>>4628566
>Whatever Shosuro Jojuri is trying to do, she's clearly failing. Still, this is your chance to speak with her and figure out what she is plotting.
>>
>>4628566
>You'd like to know what has Kakita Akirako so flustered. Take the opportunity to speak with her, and perhaps even improve her mood a little.
>>
>>4628566
>You'd like to know what has Kakita Akirako so flustered. Take the opportunity to speak with her, and perhaps even improve her mood a little.
>>
>>4628566
>You'd like to know what has Kakita Akirako so flustered. Take the opportunity to speak with her, and perhaps even improve her mood a little.
>>
>>4628566
>Whatever Shosuro Jojuri is trying to do, she's clearly failing. Still, this is your chance to speak with her and figure out what she is plotting.
>>
>>4628566
>You'd like to know what has Kakita Akirako so flustered. Take the opportunity to speak with her, and perhaps even improve her mood a little.
>>
>>4628566
>>You'd like to know what has Kakita Akirako so flustered. Take the opportunity to speak with her, and perhaps even improve her mood a little.
>>
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You claimed to appreciate Akirako's friendship – perhaps it's time that you live up to that. You find the courtier standing by a black pine that has captured her attention. Its trunk twists and turns in a fashion that reminds you a serpent, while its branches are covered in clusters of glossy green needles. You have never had much interest in gardening but from you know of the Kakita, it is what she loves above all else. She would rather spend the rest of her life tending to trees and flowers than spend another moment in court. Alas, like all samurai, she must do her duty for her clan.

It is her yōjimbō who sees you first. He is a steely fellow, several years older than his charge and though he does not seem particularly fierce, he carries himself with obvious discipline. You're not sure you've ever heard him speak. Upon noticing your presence, he clears his throat and the distracted Kakita turns about to face you. She immediately lifts her fan to her face once more, to guard her emotions – it's almost like she has a mask of her own.

“Oh, Bayushi-san! Forgive me, I did not see you there. I am surprised that you wish to speak with me, rather than your esteemed guests.” Her voice is flatter than usual, lacking its characteristic cheerfulness.

“I will always have another opportunity to speak with the Lion,” you reply. “Besides, you are an esteemed guest as well, are you not? Though you might have been at this estate for longer than I, your needs and well-being should never be forgotten. So tell me, Kakita-san – what troubles you? I know you well enough by now to see that you are not your usual self.” You tread softly when you raise this subject – samurai are supposed to be above emotions, after all. Yet hopefully Akirako trusts you enough to share hers with you. After a moment of consideration, she speaks.

“I spoke at length with Matsu Kaneru,” she begins, “in the hope that I might unsettle her – to tempt her to say or do something foolish, so that she might lose face and influence in this court. It is a common tactic, as I am sure you know.” You nod. “To this end, I mentioned a city that is often contested by our clans – Violence Behind Courtliness City, better known as Toshi Ranbo.”

“I have not heard much of it,” you concede. You have heard the name once or twice, but all you know about it is what Akirako has just told you.

“It is found in the Kintani Valley, which lies on the borders of Lion, Phoenix and even Imperial territories. Five hundred years ago, my clan was granted the privilege of overseeing that region. Wary of our influence, the Lion built a castle at the valley's edge and around that castle, a village formed. Over the centuries, that village became a town, and that town became Toshi Ranbo. No one can count how many times that place has changed hands, liberated by the Crane one year only to be seized by the Lion the next.”
>>
Slowly but surely, you're beginning to piece things together.

“So I imagine that your clan managed to wrest Toshi Ranbo from the clutches of the Lion this year,” you surmise, “and you hoped to unbalance the Matsu by mentioning this to her.” Once again, Akirako nods and behind her fan, her brow creases.

“I thought that it might agitate her, that she might be frustrated by the fact that her clan was bested by mine in battle. After all, the Lion are supposed to be the Right Hand of the Emperor! How can they be trusted to defend Rokugan from foreign invasion, if they cannot defeat another clan in a territorial spat?” The more that she speaks of this, the more flustered the poor Kakita becomes.

“You should not anger yourself on the Lion's behalf,” you insist. “That your clan is able to take such a city from the Lion is a great achievement and you should celebrate it, Kakita-san.”

“Yet that is exactly what she did.” Akirako lets out an exasperated sigh. “Kaneru celebrated the defeat of her clan when I mentioned Toshi Ranbo to her. She congratulated me on my clan's victory over her own, and hoped that the Crane would fight just as hard in the coming year.” The woman scoffs. “She even smiled when I asked about all of her clansmen who must have died in that battle! Do you know what she said? She told me that 'every samurai should pray for such a glorious death!'”

“I take it that you disagree?”

“Of course I do!” The Kakita's fan flutters indignantly as she tries to rein her temper in. “Such violence is senseless and meaningless. Every year, hundreds of proud and noble samurai, Lion and Crane alike, die over that accursed city. Yet Kaneru, she commends this butchery, she venerates it, even when her own clan suffers because of it! Tell me, Bayushi-san, how are we supposed to share an empire with such madmen?”

>Agree with Akirako. You're on her side and she's not alone in thinking that they're nothing but a horde of bloodthirsty maniacs.
>Disagree with Akirako. Samurai live to serve and there's no greater symbol of this than dying in order to fulfil your duty to your lord.
>Try to distract her with more pleasant conversation and lift her spirits. There's no need to speak of the carnage of Toshi Ranbo. (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep two successes.)
>Convince her that she got played. Kaneru doesn't actually believe anything that she said, she just beat Akirako at her own game. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>Akirako has lost sight of what it means to be a samurai. Take this opportunity to try and guide her back on to the right path. (This will require a roll using your Void ring of 2 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>>
>>4629248
>Convince her that she got played. Kaneru doesn't actually believe anything that she said, she just beat Akirako at her own game. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>>
>Oh, and for the sake of minimising confusion, allow me to post the rules for rolling dice in this quest:

Rolling Dice
>Whenever I ask for a roll, you roll a number of dice equal to the appropriate ring for the roll – Earth, Fire, Air, Water or Void – and you roll twice the number of dice equal to the appropriate skill.
>However, only a number of these dice equal to the ring you're using can be kept, and contribute to whether you succeed or not. The rest must be discarded.
>Every 4, 5 or 6 that you keep counts as a “success,” and contributes to your roll succeeding. For every 6 that you keep, you may keep an additional die that you rolled.
>I will always announce what ring and skill a roll will use, and the number of successes that you will need to succeed, so that you will know how difficult the roll will be.
>If enough successes are kept, the roll is successful. And if you keep more successes than you need in order to succeed, these bonus successes will grant you additional benefits.

>I'll explain in greater detail if a roll-based option gets the vote. All I ask is that you don't make any rolls until I ask you to.
>>
>>4629248
>Convince her that she got played. Kaneru doesn't actually believe anything that she said, she just beat Akirako at her own game. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>>
>>4629248
>Convince her that she got played. Kaneru doesn't actually believe anything that she said, she just beat Akirako at her own game. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>>
>>4629248
>>Akirako has lost sight of what it means to be a samurai. Take this opportunity to try and guide her back on to the right path. (This will require a roll using your Void ring of 2 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>>
>>4629248
>>Convince her that she got played. Kaneru doesn't actually believe anything that she said, she just beat Akirako at her own game. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>>
>>4629248
>Convince her that she got played. Kaneru doesn't actually believe anything that she said, she just beat Akirako at her own game. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)

A little risky, but I'm confident enough to bet on us prevailing here.
>>
>>4629248
Actually, considering that Akirako is exactly where we want her right now, pissed off at the lion, there's no need to get her even more riled up. Especially if there's a chance of failure in doing so.

>"In springtime, the orchard flowers do not know whether they will bear fruit or have their petals scattered in the wind, but feel no regret for either sight will be beautiful. I know that as a gardener, you would understand the importance of both flowers and fruit ... And yet, in a well-sheltered garden, surely some flowers must long for the wind? But whether to admire those flowers, or to pity them though ...
>Remain vague enough that no one can accuse you of taking a side, raise voice just high enough for the entire court to overhear.

This is the ideal metaphor battle for Akirako since 1. It's all metaphor poetry, that's the Crane's strong suit. 2. If the Lions actually make a point, she can just 'uh actually im a gardener I know what I'm talking about'.

Hopefully Akirako realizes that we're setting her up for a small victory of her own. Perhaps in the Crane clan, your allies comfort you after a defeat. But she should understand, in the Scorpion Clan, you set your allies up for eventual victory. Meanwhile to the Lions, it's all just flowery (hah) metaphors.

If the lions don't take the bait, we still get a pleasant conversation.
>>
>>4629248
>Convince her that she got played. Kaneru doesn't actually believe anything that she said, she just beat Akirako at her own game. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>>
>Going with:
>Convince her that she got played. Kaneru doesn't actually believe anything that she said, she just beat Akirako at her own game. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>I require a roll of 7d6 using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.

>I will accept the best of three.
>>
Rolled 6, 1, 2, 1, 1, 5, 3 = 19 (7d6)

>>4629755
>>
Rolled 4, 1, 2, 4, 1, 4, 1 = 17 (7d6)

>>4629755
>>
Rolled 5, 5, 6, 1, 3, 5, 6 = 31 (7d6)

>>4629755
>>
>Going with >>4629818, five successes. Damn, the rule of the third post always rolling highest hasn't changed, has it?

>Before I start writing, is anyone for or against me including >>4629525 in the next entry?
>>
>>4629825
Not big brained enough for sophistry battles. Do what you will.
>>
>>4629825
I like it.
>>
>>4629825
I'm against it.
>>
>>4629826
>>4629857
>>4629859
>As there's no majority in favour of including >>4629525, I will not include it. Sorry for only allowing an hour for this decision, but I'd rather not leave even more of a gap between updates.
>>
>>4629909
There will probably be a more opportune moment to use metaphors we think of in the future. In Court, the Tongue wounds more deeply than the sword, and like any other weapon, the scorpions keep their insults concealed.
>>
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>Going with >>4629818, five successes.

“Consider my clan, the Scorpion. You are aware of our reputation, are you not?” After a moment's hesitation, Akirako nods. You continue. “Most of Rokugan views us as villains who cannot be trusted, but you have been a guest in our land for quite some time, have you not? You have more experience with my clan than most other samurai. So tell me – are we undeserving of trust?” It's a cruel question to ask. The Kakita won't dare say 'yes' to your face, even if she believes that there is truth in the dubious reputation of the Scorpion.

“Of course not!” The poor woman has adopted a defensive tone. “Of course I would never think poorly of you or your clan, Bayushi-san.”

“Yet sometimes we play the part anyway,” you continue. “Look at Shosuro Jojuri, for example. She plays the part of a scoundrel quite well, does she not?” Mostly because she is one, but you don't mention that. “It is an act. She uses our poor reputation to her advantage, to ensure that other samurai view her in a fashion that she can exploit.” You pause there, so that Akirako has the chance to think about what you have said, and come to the conclusion that you have laid before her.

“I believe that I understand. Are you trying to tell me that Matsu Kaneru is not as barbaric as she seems, that everything she said to me was part of a ruse?”

“Yes. Not only that, but it was a successful ruse, Kakita-san. She turned your attempt to unbalance her against you. Think about it – if the Crane were to best the Lion in battle and seize Toshi Ranbo, is it not possible for a courtier of the Lion Clan to outwit one of the Crane? Though now that you know better, it will not happen again, will it?”

“Never.” Akirako's doubt has been replaced by a steely resolve and there is now a wicked gleam in her eyes. “Forgive me, my friend. I was unprepared and allowed myself to be fooled by Kaneru, to be beaten at my own game. Next time, I shall be ready and the Matsu shall be the one caught off-guard. Though I must ask – are you certain that you were trained as a warrior rather than a courtier, Bayushi-san? You possess knowledge of courtly matters that puts many of my associates to shame.”

“You honour me,” you reply, unable to keep the smugness out of your tone. At least your veil hides your smirk. “All I can say on the matter is that my sensei taught me the importance of versatility.”

“Without a doubt, he taught you well.” Akirako looks away, in the direction of Yogo Sadayoshi. “Though I am glad that we had this conversation, we should rejoin the others. Just remember this, Bayushi-san – I am thankful for your friendship and should there ever be something that I can do for you in return, you need but ask. It is the least that you deserve.” She lowers her fan, long enough for you to spy an appreciative smile before the two of you leave to rejoin the others, shadowed by your yōjimbō.
>>
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Once everyone is assembled once more, it is not the seneschal who takes the lead but the priest instead. Yogo Mushanokoji's guidance takes you to an extravagantly decorated pagoda, built out of white stone and blackened wood, its golden roof gleaming beneath the sun. Once everyone is gathered before the shrine, he takes the opportunity to speak of the many divine beings who watch over Beiden. Of the daimyō's prestigious forefathers, who surely dwell in Yomi, the Realm of Blessed Ancestors. Of the Fortunes most commonly worshipped in the province, deities such as Tenjin, the God of Stories and Daikoku, the Fortune of Wealth.

His sermon goes on for quite some time and while a lesser priest might bore his listeners to death, Mushanokoji manages to keep your attention. He speaks with surprising strength for a man of his age and thanks to his sonorous voice, his lecturing almost comes across as a performance.

Once the shugenja's preaching has come to an end and the sun has fallen lower in the sky, the cold begins to set in. Though spring is only a couple of days away and most of the snow has thawed, winter's chill has yet to depart the land. Rather than spend too long shivering in the cold, Sadayoshi calls for the assembly to reconvene inside, where an afternoon meal awaits you. Pickled plums, fish marinated in vinegar and perfectly cooked rice are in no short supply – a demonstration of the Scorpion's wealth and an opportunity for everyone to eat to their heart's content. Yet even this is a part of court, and the humble act of eating has been transformed into a ritual.

It is a moment for you to reflect, to consider where you were a year ago and how far you have come. Back then, you had no choice but to enjoy the food and hospitality of a backwater village. Now, you are eating some of Rokugan's finest fare in a daimyō's court. Truly, you have come a long way.

Once the meal has concluded, the seneschal takes the moment to speak before the court, about what is to come in the next week. Two days from now, Beiden will be celebrating New Year's Day along with the rest of Rokugan and everyone will be free to enjoy the festival. Three days after that, provided that the conditions are suitable, a hunt shall be arranged and all who enjoy such sport will be invited to participate. In the days between these events, there shall be a great deal of performances for the court to enjoy – music, poetry, plays and more. It seems that Sadayoshi hopes that distraction will be enough to keep the Lion occupied, until his lord arrives.

After he is finished speaking of the schedule, the seneschal calls today's session of court to a close. The introductions and reports, the tour of the garden, the sermon at the shrine and the afternoon meal have consumed most of the day, and it will not be long until the sun sets.
>>
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Yet again, the courtiers have been left to their own devices and mill about, speaking to one another and doing whatever they wish. This is their last opportunity to trade words with one another before they retire to their chambers for the day, to prepare themselves for tomorrow and another round of politics.

Is there anyone wish to speak to, before the day comes to a close?

>Bayushi Shunmyo and Matsu Kitahachi appear to be setting up a game of Go. You'd like to watch, or perhaps even participate in a game yourself.
>Matsu Kaneru is not socialising with anyone in particular – she is having a quiet conversation with her yōjimbō. It's a perfect opportunity for you to speak with her.
>Of all people, Kakita Akirako has decided to approach Yogo Yukari. What could she possibly have to discuss with that poisonous bitch? Intervene.
>Yogo Sadayoshi is conferring with Yogo Mushanokoji, now that court has come to a close for the day. They must be planning for the coming days, and you should join them.
>Shosuro Jojuri... has gone. She disappeared from the chamber as soon as she was able to. You should track her down, and figure out what she is up to.
>To tell the truth, you're all talked out for the day. You should take your leave – you have other matters to attend to that don't involve listening to courtiers chatter.
>>
>>4630261
>Shosuro Jojuri... has gone. She disappeared from the chamber as soon as she was able to. You should track her down, and figure out what she is up to.
>>
>>4630261
>>Matsu Kaneru is not socialising with anyone in particular – she is having a quiet conversation with her yōjimbō. It's a perfect opportunity for you to speak with her.

Time to work the other side. Or at least inquire how their first day has transpired.
>>
>>4630261
>Bayushi Shunmyo and Matsu Kitahachi appear to be setting up a game of Go. You'd like to watch, or perhaps even participate in a game yourself.
Greatness is temporary, the surrounding game is forever.
>>
>>4625309
Glad you came back, was wondering way i wasn't seeing this anymore.
Il catch up and get to voting.
>>
>>4630261
>>Bayushi Shunmyo and Matsu Kitahachi appear to be setting up a game of Go. You'd like to watch, or perhaps even participate in a game yourself.
>>
>>4630261
>Bayushi Shunmyo and Matsu Kitahachi appear to be setting up a game of Go. You'd like to watch, or perhaps even participate in a game yourself
>>
>>4630261
>To tell the truth, you're all talked out for the day. You should take your leave – you have other matters to attend to that don't involve listening to courtiers chatter.
>>
>>4630261
>Shosuro Jojuri... has gone. She disappeared from the chamber as soon as she was able to. You should track her down, and figure out what she is up to.

We have bigger games to play atm.

I would prefer to talk to the Lioness, but I don't know whether we're waiting for her to come to us or intentionally focusing on other matters.
>>
>>4630261
>Shosuro Jojuri... has gone. She disappeared from the chamber as soon as she was able to. You should track her down, and figure out what she is up to.
>>
>>4630529
Anon, there is no bigger game than Go. Go is the universe!
>>
>>4630261
>Shosuro Jojuri... has gone. She disappeared from the chamber as soon as she was able to. You should track her down, and figure out what she is up to.
>>
>>4630261
>Matsu Kaneru is not socialising with anyone in particular – she is having a quiet conversation with her yōjimbō. It's a perfect opportunity for you to speak with her.
>>
>As it's a close call, I'll call the vote here and say that looking for Jojuri has won out. That way, I can get to work on the next entry without worrying about the results changing.
>>
Jojuri is missing. A woman from the family that breeds the Scorpion's finest spies and killers is out of sight. Needless to say, you are concerned by this. You excuse yourself and make your way over to a servant, to ask where the Shosuro woman went – or at least where her quarters can be found. The heimin leads the way through the dismal hallways of the manor, eventually to the door to Jojuri's chambers. When the servant announces your presence, you are surprised when Jojuri actually answers you. You half-expected her to be somewhere else, doing something nefarious.

“I shall be with you in a moment,” she calls out. You are kept waiting for quite some time and when she finally arrives at the door and slides it open, she is wearing a different outfit. The skimpy black yukata has been replaced by a more conservative kimono of red silk, that actually conceals the courtier's figure. She still wears the same domino mask though, its silver filigree catching the dim light of the corridor. “Ah, Bayushi-san. Is there something I can help you with?”

“It is a curious time of day to change your attire,” you remark. “I cannot help but wonder, for what purpose?”

“I noticed a tear in my robe.” She speaks in a brisk, disinterested manner, as though the answer is obvious. “It must gotten snagged on a branch in the garden. Rather than walk around wearing tattered garments, I decided that I should change. Did you really come all of this way to ask me that question, Bayushi-san? Were you really so certain that I had to be plotting and scheming from the shadows? Is that how poorly you think of me?”

“You are a courtier, Shosuro-san. I am surprised that you would spurn the chance to speak with our guests and influence them. It almost strikes me as an admission of defeat.”

“Perhaps it is,” she snappily replies. “Your acting seneschal chastised me, that decrepit old Lion mocked me and whenever I dare to open my lips today, it seems that I am rewarded with humiliation. So yes, Bayushi-san – at least for today, I admit defeat. Does hearing that make you happy, I wonder? Do you take pride in the misery of your clansmen?”
>>
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Her irritation is boiling over, and you doubt that she will entertain this conversation for much longer. If there is anything that you want to say to her, now is the time to say it.

>Leave Jojuri to stew in her frustration. Coming here was a mistake, and nothing useful will come from this conversation.
>Admit that you enjoy her misery. The last time that you attended court in this estate, she tried to thwart you whenever she could. She deserves this.
>You don't want Jojuri as an enemy. Try to heal the rift between you – you are samurai of the same clan, you shouldn't be rivals, you should be friends. (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.)
>Try to calm her down. You're not her enemy. All you want to know is what happened to make her so upset. You want to understand her, not ridicule her. (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>Threaten her. From now on, she is going to stay away from the Lion. If Jojuri does anything to interfere with the negotiations, she will suffer. (This will require a roll using your Fire ring of 3 and your Command Skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>Watch her closely for any sign of weakness that you could exploit in battle. You expect that you will inevitably come to blows with the Shosuro and when you do, you want to have an advantage over her. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Sentiment Skill of 1. You will need to keep two successes.)
>>
>>4630950
>>Watch her closely for any sign of weakness that you could exploit in battle. You expect that you will inevitably come to blows with the Shosuro and when you do, you want to have an advantage over her. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Sentiment Skill of 1. You will need to keep two successes.)
>>
>>4630950
>Watch her closely for any sign of weakness that you could exploit in battle. You expect that you will inevitably come to blows with the Shosuro and when you do, you want to have an advantage over her. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Sentiment Skill of 1. You will need to keep two successes.)
>>
>>4630950
>Watch her closely for any sign of weakness that you could exploit in battle. You expect that you will inevitably come to blows with the Shosuro and when you do, you want to have an advantage over her. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Sentiment Skill of 1. You will need to keep two successes.)
>>
>>4630950
>Watch her closely for any sign of weakness that you could exploit in battle. You expect that you will inevitably come to blows with the Shosuro and when you do, you want to have an advantage over her. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Sentiment Skill of 1. You will need to keep two successes.)
>>
>>4630950
>>You don't want Jojuri as an enemy. Try to heal the rift between you – you are samurai of the same clan, you shouldn't be rivals, you should be friends. (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.)
>>
>>4630950
We shouldn't be watching her for physical weaknesses right now. That's planning for potential future battle that might not even happen when right now, we're in the midst of a courtly war. We need to win one before worrying about the next. Whenever we could, we should be gaining initiative in Court.

>Try to calm her down. You're not her enemy. All you want to know is what happened to make her so upset. You want to understand her, not ridicule her. (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
Because it's the easiest option with a tangibly useful outcome in the near-future.

But more specifically.
>Admit to your own defeats as well today. You tried to be friendly with the Crane guest, but when you spoke in private with her all you got was a coldness. You're wondering if she's questioning if you have ulterior motives behind your public declaration of friendship.
>Try to set things up so that Jojuri thinks your relationship with Akirako is much colder than it is, If Jojuri moves in against this apparent opening and tries to poison her opinion of us further, you know for a fact she's a deadly enemy you can't give any quarter to.
>As soon as possible, whine about Jojuri to Akirako. Say that you tried to offer her your sympathies when you noticed she was feeling down and left court early, any Crane would understand this motivation. But all you got were insults and accusations of gloating. Whine about you not being able to understand Jojuri one bit. Don't lie so if Akirako does question you, you can claim that you've never lied to her.

This way, in all outcomes, we get Akirako's sympathy and increase the strength of our friendship. If we calm Jojuri, we get a de-escalation of open court fights. If we don't, we bait her into poisoning Akirako's trust of her by making her utter all sorts of nonsense about us to her. We'll make sure Akirako knows the truth and thus recognizes Jojuri's lies for what they are. Meanwhile, while Jojuri is distracted with Akirako we can speak to the Lion Delegation tomorrow without fear of her interfering.

If she doesn't take the bait at all, we still get a free opportunity to whine about Jojuri to Akirako and gain her sympathy.
>>
>>4630950
>Try to calm her down. You're not her enemy. All you want to know is what happened to make her so upset. You want to understand her, not ridicule her. (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>>
>>4631091
>>4630950
This
>>
>>4630950
>Try to calm her down. You're not her enemy. All you want to know is what happened to make her so upset. You want to understand her, not ridicule her. (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>>
>>4630950
>Threaten her. From now on, she is going to stay away from the Lion. If Jojuri does anything to interfere with the negotiations, she will suffer. (This will require a roll using your Fire ring of 3 and your Command Skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>>
>>4630950
>Try to calm her down. You're not her enemy. All you want to know is what happened to make her so upset. You want to understand her, not ridicule her. (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)

Better to stabilize her and try and improve our relationship for the moment. We can work on friendship later, if she doesn't burn this bridge a second time.

>>4631091
I'm fine with this.
>>
>>4630950
>Threaten her. From now on, she is going to stay away from the Lion. If Jojuri does anything to interfere with the negotiations, she will suffer. (This will require a roll using your Fire ring of 3 and your Command Skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.
>>
>>4630950
>Try to calm her down. You're not her enemy. All you want to know is what happened to make her so upset. You want to understand her, not ridicule her. (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>>
>Going with:
>Try to calm her down. You're not her enemy. All you want to know is what happened to make her so upset. You want to understand her, not ridicule her. (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>I require a roll of 6d6 using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.

>I will accept the best of three.
>>
Rolled 3, 6, 4, 6, 3, 1 = 23 (6d6)

>>4631401
>>
Rolled 3, 4, 6, 6, 6, 5 = 30 (6d6)

>>4631401
>>
Rolled 5, 1, 3, 2, 4, 5 = 20 (6d6)

>>4631401
>>
Rolled 2, 3, 1, 6, 3, 1 = 16 (6d6)

>>4631401
>>
Rolled 4, 1, 1, 1, 2, 3 = 12 (6d6)

>>4631401
>>
>No need for any further rolls - when I say 'the best of three,' I mean the best of the first three rolls. So in this case, that would be >>4631435. Sorry for the lack of clarity there.
>>
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>Going with >>4631435, five successes.

“Not at all, Shosuro-san – I simply wish to know more. You say that Matsu Kitahachi mocked you? How so?”

“Hah!” Upon hearing your question, Jojuri sneers at you. “Why should I share all of my suffering with you? So that you might gossip about it with your darling friend, Akirako? No, I think that I should spare myself the shame.”

“My friendship with the Kakita is not as strong as you think. My every attempt to earn her cooperation failed – the woman is as stubborn as an ox.” It's a lie, but judging from the look of surprise on Jojuri's face, she believes every word of it. “I was hoping that I might be able to learn more from you about our guests from the Lion Clan. If you know anything that I could use to my advantage in the coming days, I would like to know it as well.”

Her expression changes again, this time to one of puzzlement. “Did you not hear what Sadayoshi said about me, Bayushi-san? I seek to further my lord's agenda, or so he believes – if that is the case, then why would I ever cooperate with you?”

“Why, because we are both of the Scorpion Clan, Shosuro-san.”. Now isn't the time to condescend or intimidate. Instead you speak with Jojuri in a level-headed manner. “I understand that you wish for the prosperity of Ryokō Owari, and I know that you are intelligent enough to figure out the purpose behind the Lion's visit. They wish to negotiate a trade deal – to enjoy a stronger flow of opium, in exchange for the wealth of their clan. Unfortunately, poppies do not grow particularly well in Beiden. Most of the opium found in this province comes from the land that you serve – from the City of Lies.” You're not afraid of using that name, as you are most certainly not in polite company. “If the seneschal is able to come to an agreement with Kaneru, Ryokō Owari only stands to profit.”

The courtier lets out a frustrated huff. “Yet that profit would grow substantially if the Matsu dealt with my lord directly. As we are speaking so candidly with one another, you must know that I intend to cut out Beiden as the intermediary, so that I might earn my master's favour. He might even allow me to return home, should I find success here.”

“I understand, Shosuro-san. Yet so far, success has eluded you. You said as much yourself.” You speak as respectfully as you can. You must tread carefully – you don't want Jojuri to think that you're mocking her. “So why strive for a grand prize that seems out of reach, when you could settle for a reward that is within your grasp? If Sadayoshi is able to achieve an agreement with the Lion, you could send word to your master saying that you played a part in it and that the demand for his city's opium will grow substantially, thanks to you. Yet if I am to help the seneschal succeed in his dealmaking, I need every advantage that I can get. So if there is anything you can tell me about our visitors, I am listening.”
>>
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Shosuro Jojuri is silent. She wets her lips as she stands there, deep in thought, considering all of the possibilities. At last, she nods.

“I do not know much,” she begins, “but I will tell you of my encounters with the Matsu. First of all, I approached Kitahachi with the intention of... establishing some measure of influence over him.” In other words, she tried to seduce the elderly Lion. “We introduced ourselves to one another and I expressed great interest in him, as well as a hope that I would come to know him better. After a few minutes of this, he laid his hands on me. This is not unusual, as I used to men who are unable to control their fingers... Yet rather than grope me, he pushed me away from him!” You struggle to contain your amusement as you imagine the scene in your head. “He was subtle enough that he avoided causing any commotion, but would you believe what he told me next? 'I would have had a chance at tempting him, if only I knew how to wear a kimono properly!'”

Behind you, Kinnosuke can't keep up the façade of a silent yōjimbō any longer. He sniggers, earning a poisonous glare from his kinswoman. You're quick to guide Jojuri to the next subject.

“You spoke of encounters,” you say. “That implies more than one. Did you speak with Kitahachi again, or did you go to Kaneru or Shoraku instead?”

“Once I had recovered from that insult, I tried to speak with the Lion delegation in the garden. Clearly my previous method was not successful, so I tried a more respectful approach, to flatter Kaneru and her companions with the appropriate etiquette. The lioness rebuked my efforts – she insisted on a moment of privacy, in which she could speak to her yōjimbō and aide without any fear of being disturbed. I have no doubt that Kitahachi told her of my efforts to catch his eye, and that she was thoroughly unimpressed with me.”

“So,” she concludes, “after that, I had my fill of being spurned and shunned for the day. I took my leave at the first opportunity and now I am here, speaking with you. I cannot imagine how anything that you just heard might be of use to you, Bayushi-san.”

She has a point – you were hoping for some more valuable information than that. Regardless, you bow your head before your fellow Scorpion in a gesture of gratitude. “I will find some way to exploit this knowledge, I am sure. Thank you for your time Shosuro-san, and forgive me for disturbing you.” You turn to depart, only for Jojuri to call out.

“Wait,” she says. “You wanted my cooperation, did you not..? I can do more than just share the story of my humiliation with you. For the duration of the Lion's visit, I can behave myself. I can even try to aid the seneschal, if that is his wish. All I ask in return is that you speak to Sadayoshi and that when the deal is struck and he sends word to my lord, that he mentions my contribution – that I played a valuable part in this.”
>>
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Well, that's a sudden change of tune.

>Yes. You'll make sure that Sadayoshi will embellish the importance of Jojuri in the negotiations, when he sends word to the City of Lies.
>No. She has to be up to something you're not going to stand for it. Jojuri can do whatever she want, you're not going to lie about her involvement.
>Lie. Of course the seneschal is going tell Ryokō Owari all about what a good girl Jojuri has been – at least, that's what you'll lead her to believe. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.)
>>
>>4631614
>>Yes. You'll make sure that Sadayoshi will embellish the importance of Jojuri in the negotiations, when he sends word to the City of Lies.

A deal that benefits all is best for all parties. More importantly, it gives us a friendly-ish contact in another city we can tap if we have dealings there in the future. Networking is very important as we get further up the chain.
>>
>>4631614
>>Yes. You'll make sure that Sadayoshi will embellish the importance of Jojuri in the negotiations, when he sends word to the City of Lies.
>>
>>4631614
>Yes. You'll make sure that Sadayoshi will embellish the importance of Jojuri in the negotiations, when he sends word to the City of Lies.

Let us see where this bridge may lead.
>>
>>4631605
are not 6's double successes?
>>
>>4631741
>I'll explain the system described it in >>4629256, using the most recent roll as an example.
>An Earth ring of 2 allows you to roll two dice, and a Courtesy skill of 2 allows you to roll four dice. This equals a total of six dice rolled.
>However, only two of the six dice can be kept, due to the Earth ring of 2. Additional dice can only be kept for every 6 which is rolled.
>In this instance, >>4631435 rolled 3, 4, 6, 6, 6 and 5.
>The 3 is a failure. The 4, 6, 6, 6 and 5 are successes.
>Normally, due to the Earth ring of 2, only two of these successes could be kept. However, the three 6s increase the number of successes that be kept on this roll up to five.
>This allows all five successes to be kept, allowing you to achieve the three required successes and two bonus successes. A very good result.
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>>4631772
So for this roll, we were betting on having at least 2 normal sucesses and at least one more 1 six?
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>>4631831
>Correct. At least two rolls of 4, 5 or 6 and at least one roll of 6 were required for that to succeed.
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>>4631614
>>Yes. You'll make sure that Sadayoshi will embellish the importance of Jojuri in the negotiations, when he sends word to the City of Lies.
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>>4631614
>Lie. Of course the seneschal is going tell Ryokō Owari all about what a good girl Jojuri has been – at least, that's what you'll lead her to believe. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.)
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>>4631614
>Yes. You'll make sure that Sadayoshi will embellish the importance of Jojuri in the negotiations, when he sends word to the City of Lies.
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>>4631614
>>Yes. You'll make sure that Sadayoshi will embellish the importance of Jojuri in the negotiations, when he sends word to the City of Lies.
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>>4631614
>Yes. You'll make sure that Sadayoshi will embellish the importance of Jojuri in the negotiations, when he sends word to the City of Lies.
We can't be poisoned by a woman who's a few hundred miles away from us, neh?
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>>4631614
>Yes. You'll make sure that Sadayoshi will embellish the importance of Jojuri in the negotiations, when he sends word to the City of Lies.
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>>4632010
She could make a deal with someone else in the castle to poison us after she leaves.
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>>4632069
Why, if she ends up getting what she want? Just for kicks?
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>>4632120
In case she's only being forwards about what she wants to misdirect us and conceal a hidden agenda, or in case we cooperate too closely and she has to share some secrets with us and now needs to tie up loose ends. Or maybe we make too many potential allies for her liking and she needs to eliminate us so they need a new contact in the Scorpion Clan. There are a million reasons why any rando peer Scorpion of ours might want us dead.
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>>4631614
>>Yes. You'll make sure that Sadayoshi will embellish the importance of Jojuri in the negotiations, when he sends word to the City of Lies.

“We shall both prove our worths Shosuro-san and get the appointments we desire; outside this small city.”
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>>4632142
But nothing concrete on her end. Paranoia has it's uses, but we shouldn't be ruled by it.
>>
>>Yes. You'll make sure that Sadayoshi will embellish the importance of Jojuri in the negotiations, when he sends word to the City of Lies.
>>
desu it's beyond the realm of belief that we approached her in the first place; we have no rational reason to and no relationship. if she's the bag of shit she's described to be we'd have left her to her own devices and stayed watching the go game.
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“I suppose that your lord is more likely to reward you if the seneschal corroborates your account of events,” you muse. “It seems that in the end, we both seek the same thing, Shosuro-san – to prove our worth and receive the appointments that we desire; we deserve more than Beiden. Very well. If you refrain from any sort of disruptive behaviour, I shall make sure that Yogo Sadayoshi speaks highly of you, when he next sends a missive to the City of Lies.”

“We have a deal then,” Jojuri replies. Her frustration has receded and she seems quite satisfied with this outcome. “Though if there is nothing else that you need from me, I must ask that you take your leave. I must see to the mending of my yukata, among other things.” Her tone is cool, and you must remind yourself that you haven't befriended her – you have simply managed to negotiate a ceasefire.

With a polite bow, you turn and depart from Shosuro Jojuri's quarters and make your way down the hallway. As soon as you're a reasonable distance away, Kinnosuke mutters a few words from behind you.

“I do not know how you do it, Bayushi-san. First you wrap a courtier of the Crane Clan so tightly around your finger that she grants you a favour, and then you manage to convince my kinswoman to abandon her schemes in favour of yours.” His voice is tinged with disbelief, and maybe even a little admiration. “How in the Emperor's name did you end up serving Orinosuke, of all people?”

“That is a question that I often ask myself,” you reply, unable to keep the smugness out of your voice. He's right, after all – you've outdone yourself today, as befits a samurai destined to rise to greatness.

>You lose a point of strife. Your strife is currently at 1 / 8.

By this point, the day has almost come to an end. You should think about retiring to your own chambers for the evening, but there is one last task you need to attend to. While you have been working your magic in the daimyō's estate, your assistant has been keeping an eye on the streets of Beiden. This assistant is none other than Atsushi, the rōnin who has served you faithfully since the beginning. He will want to know about what happened during the first day of court, and you want to know what the servants of the Lion Clan have been up to. The last time that you spoke with the wave man, he had seen them scurrying about the city and you asked him to investigate.

Yet before you go to speak with Atsushi, is there anything else you wish to do in the estate of Yogo Kanzaburo, or anyone else you want to try and speak with first?

>If there is anything you want to do before you meet with the rōnin, now is the time to suggest it. If there isn't, then we can move on to your reunion with Atsushi.
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>>4632332
>Move forward
>>
>>4632332
Move on
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>>4632332
Skip forward
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>>4632332
I'm satisfied with the current state of affairs atm. Let's see what our ronin has brought us today.
>>
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As there is nothing else that demands your attention within the estate, you make your way towards the compound's entrance. Shosuro Kinnosuke trails behind you as you meander through the dismal corridors, the ominous entryway and finally the daimyō's garden, from which you are able to see the sun drift towards the horizon. There is no one to be seen, aside from a few guards standing at their posts and a tall, willowy servant tending to the plants. It is there where you finally turn to your yōjimbō.

“Much like yesterday, I wish to speak with Atsushi,” you explain. “Do what you like in the meantime, for I should not take too long.”

“As you wish, Bayushi-san.” Kinnosuke's tone makes it obvious that he does not approve, but it's a part of the agreement that you made with him. You will refrain from bossing him about, and he will turn a blind eye to your activities every now and then. The masked samurai turns and walks back up the path towards the manor, while you continue down it towards the gate. Just like yesterday, you need to explain yourself to the bushi that are stationed there – it is rather peculiar for a courtier to leave the estate at this hour, after all. Eventually you are allowed out into the familiar streets of Beiden, the city you have called home for almost a year.

“Bayushi-sama!” Less than a hundred yards away from the gates of the estate, you hear a familiar voice call out to you – it is your dōshin, Atsushi.

>Atsushi: A wave man, the son of a rōnin who abandoned his duty to the Lion Clan. He is a good-natured and surprisingly honourable man, though he has a debilitating addiction to alcohol. Despite this, he has proven himself competent since the first time that you met him, over a year ago. From Seven Stings Keep, to the village of Kagoki, to the city of Beiden, he has been there for you. If only he was able to be at your side in Yogo Kanzaburo's estate.

“Atsushi-san,” you reply, with your smile thankfully hidden beneath your veil. You turn towards the man, dressed as always in a rather drab robe. The only symbols of station that he wears are the daishō hanging by his side and the jitte tucked into his obi. “I pray that you have had a pleasant day?”

The rōnin nods. “That I have. What about you though? I'd like to hear about what's gone in there, what the Lion have been up to – have they been up to no good, or are they still playing the part of good little guests?”

So you take a moment to explain everything that has happened throughout the day – how Yogo Sadayoshi reacted to your choice of clothes, how all of the different courtiers introduced themselves to the Lion and what impact that had, of the machinations of the various courtiers and of your own personal success, how you managed to earn a favour from Kakita Akirako and how you were able to convince Shosuro Jojuri to cooperate. By the time you are finished, Atsushi seems as impressed as he is bemused.
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“I've got to say,” he admits, “I'm glad that I'm not in there. Much as I wish I could keep an eye on you in there, I just don't have the heart for all of this scheming and dancing around words. I was never meant for court, Bayushi-sama.”

“I did tell you that you would not be of any use in there. Yet I trust that you have been of value out here. Tell me, what did you find out about the servants of the Lion Clan? Were they wandering out of the estate again? Were you able to find where they went?” Though Atsushi did not expect such a barrage of questions, he answers them one by one.

“I wasn't able to find out much but at this point, I'm quite sure that it's just one servant. I kept my distance as best as I could, so that I wouldn't make him suspicious. Despite this, I'm quite sure that he caught sight of me once or twice – but he didn't act like he was doing anything wrong. No guilt, no shame. He just carried on about his business. I did manage to follow him to his destination though. It's one of the local sake dens, but it's not like he stayed in there for a drink. First time, he went in with a letter and left without it, less than a minute later. Second time, he left with a sake set – a flask of the stuff and a stack of three cups.”

You're not sure what to think of this. You mull over this new information, only for your dōshin to disrupt your thoughts.

“So, what would you like me to do about him, Bayushi-sama? Should I keep on watching out for him?”

>This servant seems rather harmless. He was just fetching liquor for his masters. Atsushi should return to his usual duties, so that he doesn't get in trouble.
>You want your dōshin to keep on shadowing this servant, to see if he goes anywhere else in the days to come. He should refrain from interfering though.
>Atsushi should detain this servant the next time he encounters him, confiscate anything that he has and question him thoroughly. You want to learn everything that there is to know about the Lion's minion.
>You're more interested in this sake den that the servant visited. Atsushi's priority should be investigating this den and finding out more about it – he should focus on that, rather than the servant.
>Honestly? You're going to put your trust in Atsushi's judgement. He should decide for himself what the wisest course of action is. You have faith in him.
>>
>>4632973
>>Honestly? You're going to put your trust in Atsushi's judgement. He should decide for himself what the wisest course of action is. You have faith in him.
>>
>>4632973
>This servant seems rather harmless. He was just fetching liquor for his masters. Atsushi should return to his usual duties, so that he doesn't get in trouble.
Well obviously the Lions have a contact in the city they're communicating with through the sake courier. There's no lack of sake in the castle storehouses. But I don't trust Atsushi to be subtle and not tip off the Lions that we're on to them. Let's see if we can borrow any assets from Jojuri.
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>>4632973
>>You want your dōshin to keep on shadowing this servant, to see if he goes anywhere else in the days to come. He should refrain from interfering though.
>>
>>4632973
>Honestly? You're going to put your trust in Atsushi's judgement. He should decide for himself what the wisest course of action is. You have faith in him.
I can't decide
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>>4632973
>You're more interested in this sake den that the servant visited. Atsushi's priority should be investigating this den and finding out more about it – he should focus on that, rather than the servant.

>>4633075
And that contact is probably based in the den. Having At. check them out should be safe, and he has the authority to investigate them.
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>>4632973
>Honestly? You're going to put your trust in Atsushi's judgement. He should decide for himself what the wisest course of action is. You have faith in him.

He's been there with an eye and an ear to the ground, and he's been competent. I say we trust his judgment in this matter.
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>>4633176
Im guessing at least one of the Lion delegates have experience with how the Scorpions operate, probably the old geezer. If so, they're definitely going to be suspicious of the den their contact is in gets investigated mere days after they come into town.
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>>4632973
>>You're more interested in this sake den that the servant visited. Atsushi's priority should be investigating this den and finding out more about it – he should focus on that, rather than the servant.
>>
>>4632973
>Atsushi should detain this servant the next time he encounters him, confiscate anything that he has and question him thoroughly. You want to learn everything that there is to know about the Lion's minion.
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>>4632973
>You're more interested in this sake den that the servant visited. Atsushi's priority should be investigating this den and finding out more about it – he should focus on that, rather than the servant.
>>
>>4632973
>You're more interested in this sake den that the servant visited. Atsushi's priority should be investigating this den and finding out more about it – he should focus on that, rather than the servant.
On the one his his addiction could cause trouble but on the other he should seem more natural in there
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>>4632973
>You're more interested in this sake den that the servant visited. Atsushi's priority should be investigating this den and finding out more about it – he should focus on that, rather than the servant.
>>
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“The servant has already seen you once or twice. I want you to take a look inside of the sake house, to see what you can learn about it. Maybe the Lion Clan has a contact there? There should be no shortage of liquor in the estate, so I cannot think of why they would send a courier to gather some from a common den, of all places.” You pause, as you consider what you are asking of your assistant, of your dōshin. “Just remember why you are there, Atsushi-san. Try to avoiding dulling your senses with drink.”

“Oh, I might have one or two cups while I'm there,” the wave man chuckles. “My thirst has a reputation, after all. It'd be far stranger if I went to an establishment and didn't indulge myself while I was there. Don't worry though, Bayushi-sama – I won't let my vice get the better of me. We'll meet here tomorrow, then?”

You nod in response to his question. “We shall. I shall bear more news of how the delegates are behaving, while I expect you to inform me of this drinking den, and whatever you manage to find out about it. Take care of yourself, Atsushi-san.”

“I'd ask the same of you, but you need no reminder from me to do that.” The rōnin stoops before you in a bow, one of genuine respect for you. “Fortunes' blessing, Bayushi-sama.” You watch as Atsushi turns to leave and makes his way down the streets of Beiden, eventually disappearing around a corner. It feels strange, working without him. He has been a constant presence in your life for so long and suddenly, you find yourself without him – all you have is Kinnosuke, who is less of an assistant and more of a minder. Your feeling almost transforms into a sense of loss when you recall one of your last conversations with Atsushi – how he has grown tired of serving the Scorpion as a mercenary lawman, and how he wishes to move on. This might be the last time that you will ever work with him.

Rather than dwell on the thought, you turn to make your way back inside of the estate, past the guards and the slender gardener, and back into the sprawling darkness of the daimyō's manor.

No one bothers you as you return to your accommodation, where Shosuro Kinnosuke awaits. The chamber that you share is comfortable and extravagantly decorated, unlike your room back at the magistrates' station. Even with the paper screen dividing it in two, your half is still larger than what you are used to. Your yōjimbō occupies the other half, as tradition demands that bodyguards must never be far from their charges. Though it limits you privacy, you have no choice but to accept it – the Chief Magistrate loves to keep you on a short leash, after all.
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As you have accomplished so much today, you grant yourself this opportunity to rest. Most of the other courtiers will have retired by now as well, so there is little for you to gain from continuing to indulge in politics. You change into something more comfortable and spend the rest of the evening relaxing, before you finally allow yourself to rest and prepare your mind and body for the next day.

>You lose a point of strife. Your strife is currently at 0 / 8.

As always, you find yourself untroubled by dreams or nightmares. Your sleep is like a blanket of darkness that wraps around you and clouds your senses. The nothingness is warm and welcoming, until it is suddenly disturbed by two words that shatter the stillness.

Get up.

Suddenly, your serenity is shattered and you almost feel as though you are forced to awaken, as though a great hand has seized your mind and is dragging it back to a state of wakefulness. With a groan, you open your eyes. Your quarters are pitch black – the light of the lamp went out long ago and there is no sign of dawn through the window. On the other side of the screen, you can hear the sound of Kinnosuke's steady breath. He is still fast asleep. You consider rejoining him in slumber, only for that voice to reverberate through your mind once more.

Something has happened.

With a frown, you sit up. What could have possibly happened, in the middle of the night? The fog of sleep gradually lifts from your mind and your senses sharpen. You can hear the pattering steps of servants beyond your doorway, as they go about their business – far more urgently than usual. After only a couple of minutes of wakefulness, you hear a pair of feet come to a halt before the entrance of your chamber and after a moment of silence, a heimin's voice calls out to you.

“Bayushi-sama?” The voice is soft to begin with, but the servant beyond the door quickly raises her voice. “Forgive me for disturbing your rest, Bayushi-sama. Bayushi-sama, are you awake?” You can hear the anxiety in her voice but before the woman threatens to awaken Kinnosuke as well, you reply to her.

“Yes, yes – I am awake. What is the matter, girl?” You rise to your feet and make your way towards the door to open it. As soon as you do, the heimin grovels before you, but not before you catch a glimpse of the panic and apprehension on her face.

“Yogo Sadayoshi, the seneschal, he has requested that you join him in the main hall as soon as you can. Forgive me for disturbing your slumber, Bayushi-sama.” With a hurried bow, the servant hurries off through the hallway, before you can ask any question of her.
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What could have possibly happened that requires your attention at this hour?

>Wake up Shosuro Kinnosuke. He has been charged with watching over you and if he finds that you have disappeared when he wakes up, he will not be happy. Besides, you might need him.
>Leave Shosuro Kinnosuke. Whatever is going to happen, you'd rather not have him leering over your shoulder. You can take care of yourself and to be honest, you'd appreciate a little privacy.

>Right now, you're wearing a simple robe designed for comfort while sleeping, lacking in dye and embroidery. This will have to do. Put on your veil, grab your wakizashi and make your way down to speak with Sadayoshi. This sounds urgent, and you should not keep him waiting.
>You refuse to show up unless you're presentable. Take the time to dress and clean yourself properly so that when you show up to meet with the acting seneschal, you are at your best. Sadayoshi can afford to wait, whatever this is about.
>There's no way that you're going to meet with Sadayoshi without knowing what's going on first. You're going to see what you can overhear before you speak with him. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Skulduggery skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.)
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>>4634291
>Wake up Shosuro Kinnosuke. He has been charged with watching over you and if he finds that you have disappeared when he wakes up, he will not be happy. Besides, you might need him.
>Right now, you're wearing a simple robe designed for comfort while sleeping, lacking in dye and embroidery. This will have to do. Put on your veil, grab your wakizashi and make your way down to speak with Sadayoshi. This sounds urgent, and you should not keep him waiting.
>>
>>4634291
>Wake up Shosuro Kinnosuke. He has been charged with watching over you and if he finds that you have disappeared when he wakes up, he will not be happy. Besides, you might need him.
>Right now, you're wearing a simple robe designed for comfort while sleeping, lacking in dye and embroidery. This will have to do. Put on your veil, grab your wakizashi and make your way down to speak with Sadayoshi. This sounds urgent, and you should not keep him waiting.
>>
>>4634291
>>Wake up Shosuro Kinnosuke. He has been charged with watching over you and if he finds that you have disappeared when he wakes up, he will not be happy. Besides, you might need him.
>Right now, you're wearing a simple robe designed for comfort while sleeping, lacking in dye and embroidery. This will have to do. Put on your veil, grab your wakizashi and make your way down to speak with Sadayoshi. This sounds urgent, and you should not keep him waiting.
>>
>>4634291
>Wake up Shosuro Kinnosuke. He has been charged with watching over you and if he finds that you have disappeared when he wakes up, he will not be happy. Besides, you might need him.
>Right now, you're wearing a simple robe designed for comfort while sleeping, lacking in dye and embroidery. This will have to do. Put on your veil, grab your wakizashi and make your way down to speak with Sadayoshi. This sounds urgent, and you should not keep him waiting.

Alright who got murdered?
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>>4634291
>Wake up Shosuro Kinnosuke. He has been charged with watching over you and if he finds that you have disappeared when he wakes up, he will not be happy. Besides, you might need him.
We need an ally to back us up.

>Right now, you're wearing a simple robe designed for comfort while sleeping, lacking in dye and embroidery. This will have to do. Put on your veil, grab your wakizashi and make your way down to speak with Sadayoshi. This sounds urgent, and you should not keep him waiting.
If someone did get murdered, this will show we were busy sleeping.

There's always the possibility that the servant isn't actually from Sadayoshi and was sent to lure us into a trap, in which case we need Kinnosuke. We should also bring our complete Daisho too.

>>4634326
If it's Kakita I swear to the Fortunes ...
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>>4634291
>Wake up Shosuro Kinnosuke. He has been charged with watching over you and if he finds that you have disappeared when he wakes up, he will not be happy. Besides, you might need him.
>Right now, you're wearing a simple robe designed for comfort while sleeping, lacking in dye and embroidery. This will have to do. Put on your veil, grab your wakizashi and make your way down to speak with Sadayoshi. This sounds urgent, and you should not keep him waiting.
>>
>>4634291
>Wake up Shosuro Kinnosuke. He has been charged with watching over you and if he finds that you have disappeared when he wakes up, he will not be happy. Besides, you might need him.
>Right now, you're wearing a simple robe designed for comfort while sleeping, lacking in dye and embroidery. This will have to do. Put on your veil, grab your wakizashi and make your way down to speak with Sadayoshi. This sounds urgent, and you should not keep him waiting.
>
>>
>>4634291
>Leave Shosuro Kinnosuke. Whatever is going to happen, you'd rather not have him leering over your shoulder. You can take care of yourself and to be honest, you'd appreciate a little privacy.
>There's no way that you're going to meet with Sadayoshi without knowing what's going on first. You're going to see what you can overhear before you speak with him. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Skulduggery skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.)
>>
“Shosuro-san – Kinnosuke, wake up.” You call over to your colleague while you prepare yourself for this late night gathering. As you secure your veil around your face, you hear your yōjimbō stir on the other side of the screen.

“Ugh... Jigoku take you, Bayushi-san. If I had any wish to be badgered by a woman in the middle of the night, I would be married.”

“For your sake, I will pretend that I did not hear that,” you reply, almost snappily. You're not particularly happy about being awake at this hour either. “Get up. Put on a mask and pick up your daishō, something has happened.” You grab your own blades as you speak. As the sash of your sleeping garb was not made to carry the weight of a sword, let alone two, you hold them by your side instead. “The servant did not share the details with me. Be ready for anything.”

After a couple of minutes, your fellow yoriki emerges from his side of the paper screen. Like you, he is dressed in a plain robe meant for sleeping, with his daishō held at his side. Instead of the shining black menpō that he wore during the court proceedings, he has donned his usual mask. It is an eerie porcelain thing that looks like it's unfinished – not a single splash of paint decorates it, it doesn't even have a mouth. If Kinnosuke's objective is to unnerve whoever looks at him, then he has chosen an excellent mask for the job.

Side by side, the two of you march down through the scarcely lit corridors of the mansion and make your way to the main hall, to the vast chamber where the seneschal held court earlier today – or yesterday, depending on your perspective.

When you arrive, you are greeted by a sight that would be comical if it wasn't for the circumstances. An unarmed Yogo Sadayoshi sits on his zabuton at the head of the chamber, fidgeting furiously. Standing by his side is the garrison sergeant, Bayushi Shunmyo, who grips his daishō with a grip so tight that his knuckles are white. The hulking figure of Matsu Shoraku furiously paces back and forward, his hands wrapped tight around the swords that he holds at his side – thankfully they remain sheathed but judging from the murderous scowl on his face, he is ready to draw them at a moment's notice. Finally there is a frowning Matsu Kitahachi, who leans more heavily on his cane than usual, as though he is carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

All of these powerful men are dressed in modest robes, intended for sleeping rather than holding court. Much like you, it seems that they convened here at a moment's notice, with no time to dress themselves in more appropriately attire. At the sight of you, Shoraku's face contorts into a sneer of rage and disgust.

“Perfect,” he growls. “More vipers, slithering out of the shadows. Just what I wanted to see.”
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“Enough,” Kitahachi snaps at his clansman. “We will accomplish nothing by disparaging our hosts. Though I must wonder why you summoned them, Yogo-sama.” The Lion fixes Sadayoshi with a glare that could cause the mightiest tree to wither. Beneath such a stare, the seneschal flinches and only fidgets further, as he tries to explain himself.

“You serve...” He grimaces and corrects himself. “Y-You served your superior as her aide, did you not? Bayushi Kimiko performs a similar role in this court. I would hear her counsel concerning tonight's events and wherever she goes, her yōjimbō follows. Besides, she and her companion are both the yoriki of Yogo Orinosuke, who shall be here shortly, as I have already assured you. It is best that they hear his judgement, so that they might execute his will.”

“The will of a provincial magistrate means little,” Kitahachi barks in response. There's surprising strength in the old man's voice. “He has no jurisdiction when it comes to matters such as this! For what reason do you refrain from sending for an Emerald Magistrate?!”

“Forgive me,” you begin, somewhat hesitantly considering how heated the conversation has become, “but I have not been informed of what has happened. Would someone be able to tell me what is going on..?”

“As if you do not know!” Shoraku roars those words at you. His free hand drops to the hilt of his katana and likewise, you ready yourself to draw your sword. Shunmyo and Kinnosuke both do the same, while Sadayoshi cringes and shrinks back against his cushion. Thankfully, Kitahachi steps forward and lifts an arm to obstruct the towering warrior.

“I said enough, Shoraku-san!” Once the yōjimbō has lifted his hand away from his sword, the old courtier takes in a rattling breath and turns to you. “If no else can muster the courage to tell you, then I shall. Matsu Kaneru has joined her ancestors, along with her unborn child. While she slept, her life was taken from her – in a most cowardly fashion.”

>You suffer three points of strife. Your strife is currently at 3 / 8.

You struggle to process the enormity of what you have just heard.
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Matsu Kaneru, a diplomat of the Lion Clan and the younger sister of the Matsu family daimyō, is dead – slain in the hospitality of the Scorpion Clan.

>Offer your condolences. They won't be worth much, but the least you can do is try to respect the loss of the Lion Clan. You don't want to make this incident worse than it already is.
>Propose an investigation. There is no time to waste. You should focus your efforts on finding out who is responsible for this heinous crime, instead of lingering here.
>Try to reason with the Lion, particularly Shoraku. Cooler heads prevail, whereas rage accomplishes nothing. Surely he knows this? (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.)
>Incite Shoraku to act on his fury. If you choose your words carefully, you might be able to provoke him into lashing out without breaching etiquette. (This will require a roll using your Fire ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>Keep your mouth shut, but watch Shoraku for any sign of weakness. You suspect that you're going to have to fight the brute at some point. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Sentiment skill of 1. You will need to keep two successes.)
>>
>>4635214
>>Offer your condolences. They won't be worth much, but the least you can do is try to respect the loss of the Lion Clan. You don't want to make this incident worse than it already is.

Rip Matsu Kaneru, I was looking forward to getting to know you.
>>
>>4635214
>Mutter a brief prayer because a pregnant woman being murdered is bad juju and displays of religion are signs of instant sincerity.
>Offer your condolences. They won't be worth much, but the least you can do is try to respect the loss of the Lion Clan. You don't want to make this incident worse than it already is.
Proposing an investigation would make us look slow and dumb since they're already discussing an investigation. Instead, it would be better to ask what they have found so far.

Shoraku has already embarrassed himself in his words to us, he almost drew his sword on us. Everyone in the court is probably already planning on how to take advantage of this. But we don't need to worry about further outbursts because Kitahachi is already controlling him. And this is already a side errand to figuring out what the agenda of the killer is and whether they're serving Scorpion Clan interests.
>>
>>4635214
>>Offer your condolences. They won't be worth much, but the least you can do is try to respect the loss of the Lion Clan. You don't want to make this incident worse than it already is.
>>Pledge to get to the bottom of this incident on our honour.
>>
>>4635317
Since we're only here to serve our Seneschal, a pledge on our part would be a pledge on our master's part. Let's not overstep the bounds of our responsibilities.
>>
>>4635214
>Try to reason with the Lion, particularly Shoraku. Cooler heads prevail, whereas rage accomplishes nothing. Surely he knows this? (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.)
>>
>>4635324
Like, isnt that his intention. With the calling of the magistrate over.
>>
>>4635214
>>Propose an investigation. There is no time to waste. You should focus your efforts on finding out who is responsible for this heinous crime, instead of lingering here.

did people forget we solve crimes before we came to court?
>>
>>4635333
He didn't make any pledges on how much effort he'd dedicate to getting to the bottom of things. If this is a Scorpion Clan plot that goes beyond petty ambition then it's best not to promise to get to the bottom of anything.
>>
>>4635214
>>4635241
This.

Also ask how it happened, was it a fight? An assassin’s blade? Poison? Something yet to be determined?
>>
There are three guesses I have towards how Kaneru was killed, though it is just speculation.

One possibility is that Yukari (the only known ninja on the premises) killed her. She was seen talking to Akirako before we talked to Jojuri. I doubt this option

Another couple of speculations would be that the sake flask that the Atsushi saw the Lion servant retrieve was either poison or some sort of chemical/herb/that one plant that keeps coming up in hollywood films that slows down the heart. This would be used to fake her death to either create exploitable drama for the Lion courtiers to use and put us on the back foot or just give them a casus belli. Remember all the way back in the previous thread near the beginning it was stated that the most likely cause for the Lion delegation to appear before our Daimyo returned from the Winter Court was some sort of stratagem to either achieve a favourable trade deal or get an excuse to go to war with the Scorpian clan.

The reason I speculate that the servant was retrieving real poison instead of some fake!death chemical was that I vaguely recall hearing that the lion's shugenja's were necromancers or something. Though I may just be not remembering that correctly at all, and either way it would be OOC knowledge, so we can't use it.

Though speaking of necromancers, this may have to do with the Lion or it could be part of one of our other plot lines, but there is our message from Khulan from last thread.

Sorry if I seem like this is all just retarded shadowruns. Just my thoughts late at night. (for me at least)
>>
>>4635214
>Offer your condolences. They won't be worth much, but the least you can do is try to respect the loss of the Lion Clan. You don't want to make this incident worse than it already is.
>>
>>4635214
>4635241
Supporting, mainly asking what has been discovered so far.
Rokugan Clue is a go.
>>
>>4635987
Murder on the Orient ... Actually just the Orient.
>>
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You have never been particularly devout, yet when you are confronted with this revelation, you cannot help but bow your head and murmur a prayer. May Emma-ō smile upon how Kaneru led her life, and may she be allowed to dwell among her ancestors in Yomi, free from the cycle of reincarnation. When you lift your head and open your eyes once more, you offer your condolences.

“Forgive me Matsu-san, I did not know. The Lion Clan – no, the empire – has lost an incredible woman and Rokugan shall be worse off without her. May her murderer be brought to justice, and may she know peace in her next life.” You pause, as you consider how to phrase the next question. Inquiring about how she died might come across as morbid, unless you just word it just right... “I only hope that her departure from this world was a painless one.”

Sadayoshi doesn't dare comment, paralysed as he is by his anxiety. Kitahachi's expression remains grim, and his only response is a shake of his head. After closing his eyes and taking in a breath through his mouth to calm himself, it is Shoraku who speaks.

“Her throat was slit while she slept. Would you call such a death painless, Bayushi-san?”

That question is followed by an accusatory stare, yet behind all of that outrage, you can see that the samurai struggles to bear the weight of his shame. After all, he was Kaneru's yōjimbō. His sole purpose was to protect her life with his own. That was his duty. If the diplomat was slain while she slept, then Shoraku must have been slumbering as well. While his charge was murdered, he was sleeping comfortably in his bed. The depth of his failure is immeasurable.

“May Emma-ō grant her peace,” you quietly repeat, bowing your head rather than meeting the glare of the samurai. Though there is some sincerity in your words, Shoraku clearly doesn't believe it. His only response is a scoff of disbelief before he resumes his pacing. There appears to be little else to be said before the Chief Magistrate arrives, so you take a seat on one of the scattered mats. There is no use talking to Sadayoshi or Shunmyo by now, as there is no chance that the Lion would allow you the privacy to strategise – not at a time like this. Nor is there any polite conversation that can be made in the wake of Kaneru's death. Your only choice is to wait.

At last, he arrives. Flanked by a pair of dōshin, the commanding presence of the Chief Magistrate strides into the courtly hall. Rather than wear the white and grey sleeping robes that the rest of you are clad in, he wears a featureless black kimono and a lacquered menpō of the same colour to hide his face. This is the man that you have served for the past year of your life, the law of Beiden, Yogo Orinosuke.
>>
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>Yogo Orinosuke: Chief Magistrate of Beiden, who secretly styles himself as the most powerful man in the province. You are not sure whether he is mercurial or manipulative, because as soon as you become used to his behaviour, his personality seems to change. He despises the scheming nature of the Scorpion, yet he has so many schemes of his own. One moment, he praises you and promises that you will succeed him while the next, he derides and humiliates you for the smallest mistake.

“Forgive my tardiness,” he begins, though there isn't a shred of regret in his tone. In fact, you can't identify any sort of emotion in how he speaks. “I have been told of what has occurred and might I just say that you have my commiseration, honoured guests of the Lion.” The Chief Magistrate bows his head, if only for a moment.

“Your sympathy is appreciated,” Kitahachi replies with a bow of his own, a gesture of respect for Orinosuke's authority. Shoraku, on the other hand, offers nothing but a baleful glare. “Yet I am afraid that your presence is unnecessary. This is a matter that is far larger than the Scorpion Clan alone. Though this crime might have occurred in your lands, it is the Lion that has suffered. You have no jurisdiction over an affair such as this – for that reason, I ask that you summon an Emerald Magistrate. Only they have the right to determine who is responsible for a deed as foul as this.”

For a moment, Orinosuke remains silent. His authority has been challenged, yet he has no power over a dignitary from another clan. Eventually, he speaks. “We shall summon a servant of the Emerald Champion, just as you wish. I believe that the nearest one dwells in Shiro Matsu, if I am not mistaken? Even on the back of the fastest horse, it shall a few days for word to reach him, and a few more for him to arrive here. Until he arrives, I ask that you allow my servants to investigate this matter, so that-”

“I cannot condone such an investigation,” Kitahachi interrupts, his voice stern. “Yogo-sama, I trust that you are aware of why the Emerald Magistracy has authority over matters such as this? No one clan can be trusted to intrude in matters such as these, without seeking to twist the story so that it favours them. For that reason, Shoraku and I shall not deign to intefere, and I trust that your clansmen can refrain from doing so as well.”

In other words, he suspects that Orinosuke will try to fabricate a story behind Kaneru's demise that favours the Scorpion. A reasonable suspicion, considering the villainous reputation of your clan.

“... Very well.” You can hear a sliver of frustration in your master's voice. “We shall wait until the arrival of the Emerald Magistrate – Shiba Gyeongsu. I have worked with him before, and I know that he is a loyal samurai who serves the Emperor well. No one shall be allowed to depart from the estate until he has administered his judgement.”
>>
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Orinosuke turns towards Shoraku next. “Yogo Sadayoshi will see to it that you are given new quarters. The room that you shared with Kaneru shall remain untouched until Gyeongsu can arrive to investigate.”

“Untouched? You mean that you plan on leaving Matsu-sama's body in there to rot?!” The samurai balks at the suggestion, his horror and outrage plain on his face. “She will not receive such disrespect! Her ashes should be sent back to her homeland, where she belongs! She deserved a better death than this, and she deserves better than being left to decay in a pool of her own blood!”

“Shoraku!” Kitahachi's bellowing is the only thing that prevents the furious yōjimbō from continuing his rant. Once Shoraku has fallen silent, the elderly Lion turns back towards Orinosuke. “Though you must forgive my clansman for his outburst, I ask that you understand the reason behind it. Kaneru has suffered enough, and allowing her to moulder in that room... I have no desire for her memory to be insulted in such a fashion.”

You have remained silent for long enough.

>... yet you dare not speak. It is not your place to interfere. Keep your mouth shut and allow Yogo Orinosuke to speak for himself. (By choosing this option, you will increase your strife to 6 / 8 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur, but you will gain a void point.)
>You concede that Matsu Kitahachi has a point. It would be disrespectful to let her body rot in that room for so long. Take the side of the Lion Clan and insist that her body should be burned and sent back to Shiro Matsu.
>No. Kaneru's body must stay where it is until the Emerald Magistrate is here. They can be as offended and upset as they want to be, but the Scorpion Clan has dominion in these lands. You refuse to let the Lion run this show.
>Convince them to be reasonable. How is the Emerald Magistrate supposed to come to a conclusion if he cannot even see the body of the slain? (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.)
>Perhaps a compromise? Yogo Mushanokoji is a priest, he should be able to ward off any evil spirits that might be drawn to Kaneru's corpse. Will that satisfy the Lion? (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>Lie. A body will be burned and ashes will be sent back to Shiro Matsu, but they won't be Kaneru's. Her corpse will remain here. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes. You will lose honour if you choose this option.)
>>
>>4636248
>>Perhaps a compromise? Yogo Mushanokoji is a priest, he should be able to ward off any evil spirits that might be drawn to Kaneru's corpse. Will that satisfy the Lion? (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>>
>>4636248
>Perhaps a compromise? Yogo Mushanokoji is a priest, he should be able to ward off any evil spirits that might be drawn to Kaneru's corpse. Will that satisfy the Lion? (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>>
>>4636248
>>Perhaps a compromise? Yogo Mushanokoji is a priest, he should be able to ward off any evil spirits that might be drawn to Kaneru's corpse.
>>
>>4636248
>Perhaps a compromise? Yogo Mushanokoji is a priest, he should be able to ward off any evil spirits that might be drawn to Kaneru's corpse. Will that satisfy the Lion? (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)

Why not? This way, the murder will be investigated while her spirit is honored.
>>
>>4636248
>>Perhaps a compromise? Yogo Mushanokoji is a priest, he should be able to ward off any evil spirits that might be drawn to Kaneru's corpse. Will that satisfy the Lion? (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)

Alright something's real fishy here.

Has anyone other than the Lion Clan actually seen the body? How do we know she's dead? What if the 'body' disappears and then the Lion Clan starts accusing us of stealing it as well?

Second of all, what if this was planned? She was speaking about how it is an honor for a samurai to die. It seems like a far stretch, but worth considering?

And even with her Yojimbo being so accusatory, while the Old Man has kept him in check, he hasn't disagreed with him or defended the honor of their hosts once. It's like they're trying to insinuate we had her killed.

Beiden is on the border of the Lion and Scorpion lands so it's the perfect place to start a war. The investigation drags on, the Lions demand to be able to have a small force garrison the place until everything's resolved, another fabricated incident, and then bam, the Lion have a casus belli. Reminder that Kaneru herself told Kakita that it's an honor for any samurai to die for her clan.

Anyways we know for sure that something is fishy if the Lion Clan doesn't let any Scorpions examine the body at all.
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>>4636329
This sounds more like a Scorpion or maybe Crane scheme than something the Lion would pull
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>>4636338
Didn't we just have an interaction this thread where the lesson was if the Crane can outfight the Lion, then the Lion can outcourt the Crane? Who's to say the Lion can't out intrigue the Scorpion clan? Especially considering how un-scorpion our Seneschal is.
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>>4636329
A cut throat is usually fatal, anon. Plus, why would the Lions murder their own in a false flag operation? That's something you'd expect from a Scorpion, not a clan with an honor boner ratio of a sea cucumber.

>>4636344
Why murder the pregnant sister of your daimyō? Especially over a tiny city? No matter how you cut it, it seems pretty retarded to me.
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>>4636403
No my point is, did anyone other than a Lion Clan member see the cut throat?
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>>4636248
>Perhaps a compromise? Yogo Mushanokoji is a priest, he should be able to ward off any evil spirits that might be drawn to Kaneru's corpse. Will that satisfy the Lion? (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>>4636329
They suspect we killed Kaneru because that's the obvious answer. This looks really fucking bad. I kinda doubt the Lion would murder one of their own like this, but we definitely do need to see the corpse.
>>
>Going with:
>Perhaps a compromise? Yogo Mushanokoji is a priest, he should be able to ward off any evil spirits that might be drawn to Kaneru's corpse. Will that satisfy the Lion? (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>I require a roll of 6d6 using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.

>I will accept the best of the first three rolls.
>>
Rolled 1, 2, 6, 3, 4, 6 = 22 (6d6)

>>4636511
Yoshi!
>>
Rolled 1, 2, 4, 4, 4, 4 = 19 (6d6)

>>4636527
Already have three succes thanks to >>4636527
>>
Rolled 2, 1, 3, 4, 2, 4 = 16 (6d6)

>>4636511
>>
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>Going with >>4636527, three successes.

“Might I suggest an alternative?”

Suddenly, everyone turns towards you. From the incensed Shoraku to the expectant Orinosuke, they all wait for you to speak.

“Provided that the room is cleaned of blood, Yogo Kanzaburo's court priest could ward it against evil. His invocations would protect the body of Matsu Kaneru from corruption until the Emerald Magistrate's arrival. Once the investigation is complete, her remains would be burned and her ashes would be yours to return to Shiro Matsu. This way, the daimyō's sister would receive the respect that she deserves without impeding the judgement of this... Shiba Gyeongsu.”

“How can we be certain that her remains will not be defiled?” The lumbering warrior of the Lion is still seething. Yet before you can come up with an answer, Bayushi Shunmyo speaks.

“I will have guards stationed outside of her quarters at all times.” The voice of the gunsō is more severe than ever. “You will be welcome to inspect the room whenever you wish, to confirm that nothing has been done to her body. Under my watch, your charge will not suffer any further indignity. You have my word, Matsu-san.”

You have never heard a silence as tense as the one that follows. Shoraku and Shunmyo have locked eyes, and both men seem ready to draw steel. Thankfully, after what feels like an hour, Kitahachi is the one who cuts through the tension.

“We accept your terms.” He closes his eyes and draws in a trembling breath before he continues. “Once the cleansing has been completed and we have steeled ourselves, Shoraku and I shall inspect the priest's work. Though any diplomacy between the Lion and Scorpion cannot continue with the demise of Matsu Kaneru, we shall remain in Beiden until the Emerald Magistrate has administered justice. Now, if you will excuse us, we have yet to mourn our loss. I ask that you grant us solace, so that we might grieve for the life that has been lost this night.”

“Of course,” Orinosuke says, almost dismissively. You have no doubt that he is too busy plotting to pay much attention to what is being said. Then suddenly his eyes seem to sharp and he lowers himself in a deep, sincere bow. “Again, you have my commiseration, Matsu-san. I hope that you both find some measure of peace before dawn comes and a new day begins.”

Along with the other Scorpion present, you lower yourself in a bow before the Lion samurai and offer your condolences once more. Kitahachi lowers himself in return, as does Shoraku. At long last, his rage appears to have burnt out and judging from the bitterness of his expression, he is all but consumed by his guilt. You almost feel sorry for the yōjimbō, as you have no doubt that his failure will haunt him for his rest of his life.
>>
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Once the Lion have left the hall, the Chief Magistrate lets out a forlorn sigh.

“What a miserable mess this is,” he murmurs. “Thankfully, it is not beyond redemption.”

“Not beyond redemption?!” Sadayoshi speaks at last, his voice shrill. “She was the sister of Matsu Hidaka, daimyō of not just a province, but the entire Matsu family! When summer comes, we will be fortunate if they do not raze this entire city to the ground and build a shrine on the ashes in her honour!”

“Calm yourself, seneschal. I know that legal matters are my area of expertise and not yours, but consider for a moment the weapon that we have at our disposal.” Orinosuke gestures towards you. Before you can reply, he continues. “Bayushi Kimiko, a distant descendant of the Hantei line. In the eyes of the law, her word carries more weight than that of most other samurai. Her claims will hold greater sway over the Emerald Magistrate than anything that the Lion have to say. She is a tool that we can use to exploit the plight that we have found ourselves in.”

You do not appreciate being called a tool. Yet after a moment's thought, the acting seneschal appears to have reined in his trepidation. He even lets out a little laugh.

“Of course..! If we are able to blame Kaneru's murder on a samurai who is not of this clan, we will be able to redirect the Lion's rage! Oh, and I have the perfect candidates, Yogo-sama – Kakita Akirako and her yōjimbō, Daidoji Tokuhei. Should word spread that the Crane were responsible for the assassination of such a prestigious figure, their political supremacy will be in tatters!”

“And such an outcome would pave the way for the supremacy of the Scorpion,” the Chief Magistrate adds. He turns to face you. “Well then, Bayushi-san... Are you ready to play your part?”

>Yes. When the Emerald Magistrate comes, you say whatever you must in order to make Akirako and her bodyguard look like the most likely culprits. If there's anything that can be done to make her look more guilty over the coming days, you will do it.
>Yes, but you should also try to find out who the real culprit is. If a murderer is on the loose in the estate, something needs to be done about them. In the end though, when the Emerald Magistrate arrives, you will point the finger at Akirako. You give your word.
>No. All of your attention should be focused on finding out who is behind this assassination. The true assassin should be the one who receives the punishment and you refuse to point the finger at Akirako if she is not responsible. (You will gain honour if you choose this option.)
>No – but they don't need to know that. You're willing to lie to your master if it means that Akirako will escape being framed. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. You will lose honour if you choose this option.)
>>
>>4636724
>>Yes, but you should also try to find out who the real culprit is. If a murderer is on the loose in the estate, something needs to be done about them. In the end though, when the Emerald Magistrate arrives, you will point the finger at Akirako. You give your word.
A plot worthy of the Scorpion
>>
>>4636724
>>4636724
>Coldly say “Such an accusation would besmirch the Honor of the Crane greatly. What is to stop Kakita-san's family from sending one of her siblings to defend her honor? Forgive me for saying this, My Lords, but I would question the wisdom of accusing a Crane Ambassador without some sort of leverage over the greater Clan to keep them from settling such an affair of honor in the Iaijutsu ring.”
>”And yet, at the same time, Kakita-san is currently but a junior ambassador of the Crane. Even if we win our day in Court, the loss and dishonoring of her would be a trifling bruise to their Honor, not a lethal wound. And it is not guaranteed that we will win anything at all. In my time at court, I have made Kakita-san into a useful contact and in return she has promised me many favors once she returns home. In time, she will assume much greater status and influence within her native court. Any friend of mine is the friend of the Scorpion. The Other clans say that ‘the only thing worse than being an enemy of the Scorpion is to be a former Ally.’ I agree with this sentiment. An ally, whether current or former, is much more useful than an enemy.”
>”There is no shortage of scapegoats in Beiden, masterless Ronin and honorless Heimen who live within the very castle walls. Trash whom it would be a much simpler matter to win against in Court. I’m sure that given the opportunity, many of them would have done the deed anyways.”
>”Furthermore, there is a member of our Clan who has dared commit such a heinous act and possibly jeopardize our Clan’s position with both the Lion and Scorpion. Perhaps they still lurk within the castle walls. My Lords, I would not deny them their place in the Traitor’s Grove by replacing it with the grave of a mere outsider.”
>”However, perhaps I speak outside of my understanding. If that is the case, then say the word, My Lords, and I will serve as a daughter of Bayushi.”
>>
>>4636724
>>Yes, but you should also try to find out who the real culprit is. If a murderer is on the loose in the estate, something needs to be done about them. In the end though, when the Emerald Magistrate arrives, you will point the finger at Akirako. You give your word.
Risky but surely more rewarding?
>>
>>4636791
I'll gladly use this, provided that others agree with it.
>>
>>4636724
>>No – but they don't need to know that. You're willing to lie to your master if it means that Akirako will escape being framed. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. You will lose honour if you choose this option.)
>>
>>4636724
“Such an accusation would besmirch the Honor of the Crane greatly. What is to stop Kakita-san's family from sending one of her siblings to defend her honor? Forgive me for saying this, My Lords, but I would question the wisdom of accusing a Crane Ambassador without some sort of leverage over the greater Clan to keep them from settling such an affair of honor in the Iaijutsu ring.”
>”And yet, at the same time, Kakita-san is currently but a junior ambassador of the Crane. Even if we win our day in Court, the loss and dishonoring of her would be a trifling bruise to their Honor, not a lethal wound. And it is not guaranteed that we will win anything at all. In my time at court, I have made Kakita-san into a useful contact and in return she has promised me many favors once she returns home. In time, she will assume much greater status and influence within her native court. Any friend of mine is the friend of the Scorpion. The Other clans say that ‘the only thing worse than being an enemy of the Scorpion is to be a former Ally.’ I agree with this sentiment. An ally, whether current or former, is much more useful than an enemy.”
>”There is no shortage of scapegoats in Beiden, masterless Ronin and honorless Heimen who live within the very castle walls. Trash whom it would be a much simpler matter to win against in Court. I’m sure that given the opportunity, many of them would have done the deed anyways.”
>"Furthermore, there is someone who did this without authority, still in the castle, and this may simply be a prelude to a yet greater plot. After all while this is certainly bad... it is still recoverable from, for now at least. If they truly want war... they will find a way to keep pushing for it. you could in fact be playing into their hand right now, as we do not know their goal.
>”However, perhaps I speak outside of my understanding. If that is the case, then say the word, My Lords, and I will serve as a daughter of Bayushi.”
>>
>>4636791
+1
>>
>>4636724
>>4636791
This is fine
>>
>>4636791
>>4636901

Supporting.
Wouldn't surprise me if the Crane sent a Kenshinzen for this really considering the seriousness of the accusation.
>>
>>4636791
>>
I'm for this, it a great write it.
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>>4636791
It's a good write-in. Support.
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>>4636724
Supporting >>4636791
>>
>>4636791
Support, but please cut this the fuck down, Fudo. It's too damn long.
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>>4636724
>>No – but they don't need to know that. You're willing to lie to your master if it means that Akirako will escape being framed. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. You will lose honour if you choose this option.)
>>
>>4636724
>>>Yes, but you should also try to find out who the real culprit is. If a murderer is on the loose in the estate, something needs to be done about them. In the end though, when the Emerald Magistrate arrives, you will point the finger at Akirako. You give your word.
>>
>>4636724
>>4636901
This version, please. The original while good, accidently says >possibly jeopardize our Clan's position with both the Lion and Scorpion."

Instead of "Lion and Crane." Furthermore it accuses a member of our own clan and threatens them with the traitor's grove when we don't even know if it was done by a Scorpion or even a third party, furthermore they wouldn't be deserving of the traitor's grove if this was some plot by other scorpion that served the greater clan that just happened to contradict our goals.

The version by >>4636901 does not make this mistake and instead focuses on the more likely scenario of either the Lion or a third party doing this either for a casus belli or because us being at war or at odds with the Lion is beneficial for them.
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>>4636901
>>4636791
changing vote to this
>>
>>4636724

I meant to write changing vote from this
>>4636791
to this
>>4636901
>>
>>4637021
changing vote from>>4636791
to >>4636901
>>
>“Of course..! If we are able to blame Kaneru's murder on a samurai who is not of this clan, we will be able to redirect the Lion's rage! Oh, and I have the perfect candidates, Yogo-sama – Kakita Akirako and her yōjimbō, Daidoji Tokuhei. Should word spread that the Crane were responsible for the assassination of such a prestigious figure, their political supremacy will be in tatters!”

It is worth noting in regards to that write-in we are all voting for that the damage to the Crane is supposed to come from word spreading of the Crane having assassinated the sister of the daimyo of the Matsu family, not the individual loss of Akirako. (via dishonour and probably seppeku) We may need further adjustments to the write-in or a good roll to account for this.

>“And such an outcome would pave the way for the supremacy of the Scorpion,” the Chief Magistrate adds.

Now this is slightly odd, as this logic does not follow per se, just because the Crane fall in status or are damaged via war with the Lion does not mean the Scorpion rise. However there are some quotes I remembered and found that may explain this and some others that I vaguely remember but can't find yet.
“If you wish,” the seneschal says, rather disinterested as she leads you along. “Our clan champion, Bayushi Ujiro, has bolstered funding for the courtly dōjōs of the Bayushi and Shosuro families. A great deal of these funds likely comes from Journey's End City, which is prospering thanks to its production of opium. As for why he would focus this wealth on training our clan's courtiers rather than its soldiers, that is not for us to know.”

“Perhaps he wishes for us to compete with the Crane Clan in the Imperial courts?” Your theory earns a sharp look from the other woman, her veil face twisting into a brief frown.

“As I said, Bayushi-san, that is not for us to know. It is not our place to question or ponder about the intentions of our lords. We live to serve and to obey. But since you spoke of the Crane Clan, this year's Winter Court shall be occurring at Kyuden Doji, the seat of the Crane's ruling family. There, the Emperor shall gather the finest samurai of Rokugan to speak of the year that has passed and the year that is to come.”

These quotes are from the steward of Seven Sting Keep from Thread 2. I think our clan is making a play to "usurp" the Crane in Court. There is obviously a lot going on behind that scenes that we don't know about that gives our boss and various scorpion courtiers reason to want to damage the crane, I think the above quotes are related to that even if this particular killing isn't.
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>>4637610
I agree with you that bigger political machinations are involved here. While the murder wasn't calculated, they think they can turn tragedy into an opportunity. It's interesting to note that it seems the higher echelons of the Scorpion clan are in alignment on this matter, dispite some of them being political rivals between one another.

Another thing to note. Yukari was seen talking to Akirako before we talked to Jojuri. If need be, we can spin this in such a way as to implicate Yukari if we wished to. Whether it's in our interests to do so remain to be seen.
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>>4637624
well I don't think that implicating Yukari will be in our interest since then the lion clan will attack the scorpion clan and that would be bad
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>Okay, >>4637333 had a point. It was a good write-in but in future, let's try to limit them to two or three lines.

“Forgive me Yogo-sama, but I believe that this plan is imperfect. With your permission, I would speak of its flaws.”

“Any other subordinate of mine would answer that question with one word – 'yes.'” You are not sure whether the Chief Magistrate intended to praise you or chastise you with those words. It's maddening. Those dark eyes of his remain fixed on you for what feels like an age before he speaks again. “Very well, Bayushi-san. You have the floor.” With his permission, you take in a breath and begin.

“First of all, such an accusation would besmirch the honour of the Crane. What is to stop Akirako's family from sending one of her siblings to defend her honour? Forgive me for this, but I must question the wisdom of accusing a Crane ambassador without some sort of leverage that prevents them from confronting such an accusation with a duel.”

“If I might interrupt,” says Sadayoshi, “I believe that there is a way around that. While the Kakita woman has the right to a champion who may fight on her behalf, her yōjimbō does not. Should you accuse Daidoji Tokuhei of murdering Matsu Kaneru, he is the only samurai that you would have to best. While I suspect that he is a proficient duellist, if he was truly skilled in the art of iaijutsu, I doubt that his talents would be wasted on a courtier as insignificant as Akirako.”

“An excellent point, Yogo-san. You are not without your uses.” For once, the Chief Magistrate has chosen to damn someone other than you with his faint praise. The acting seneschal bristles at the comment, but much like you, he refrains from commenting. Tonight is not the night for a power struggle.

“That is not all,” you continue. “Kakita Akirako is little more than a minor dignitary of the Crane. Even if we succeed, her clan would view the dishonour caused by the incident as a bruise, not a lethal wound. In my time at court, I have made Akirako into a useful contact and in return, she has given me her favour. I believe that with time, she might accumulate significant influence within the Crane, if we allow her to find success in Beiden. Any friend of mine is an asset that can be exploited by the Scorpion, and an ally would be of much greater use to our clan than yet another enemy, do you not agree?”
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“I agree with the principle, but with little else.” Orinosuke seems unimpressed by that particular line of reasoning. “There is no way for you to be certain of Akirako's ascendancy. On the other hand, I am quite confident that the Lion will react to the assassination of Matsu Kaneru with outrage. Should they believe that a Crane was responsible, they would reinforce their eastern front in pursuit of vengeance. I have no doubt that they would seize several town and villages, perhaps even entire provinces. In the following years, the Crane would devote themselves to seeking reparations and the return of this 'stolen' territory, and this would create an opening for our clan to exploit.” Yet he refuses to elaborate on how the Scorpion would exploit this opportunity, or even why.

“We should at least consider placing the blame on another,” you insist. “There is no shortage of scapegoats in Beiden – masterless rōnin who serve our clan as mercenaries and dishonourable heimin who live within this very estate. We would have no trouble accusing them of the crime, and there is little that they could do to defend their honour. Besides, I am certain that if they were given the opportunity, many of them would have done the deed. This city has little love for the Lion.”

The Chief Magistrate shakes his head at this. “You seem to view this Akirako as a valuable asset of yours, Bayushi-san. Why else would you try so hard to protect her? The Scorpion will gain nothing should we accuse a wave man or a peasant, whereas the Scorpion always stands to benefit whenever there is strife between the other clans.”

You're nearly at your wit's end. “At the very least, Yogo-sama, we must consider the identity and goal of the true culprit. Kanera might be the first of many victims, or her assassination might be the prelude to a greater plot. It is even possible that a Scorpion is responsible for this heinous act, and has jeopardised our clan's tentative peace with the Lion for a reason that I am yet to fathom. Until the truth is in our possession, we are at a disadvantage.”

“By the Fortunes,” Shunmyo says with obvious exasperation. “I am not sure what is more impressive about this deputy of yours, Orinosuke-san – her wit or her mouth. If a subordinate of mine talked half as much as she does, I would have struck him by now.” The gunsō's stinging remark leaves you speechless and stunned. Thankfully, you have your veil to hide the blush of humiliation that blossoms across your face.

>You suffer a point of strife. Your strife is currently at 4 / 8.

Orinosuke's brow creases with irritation. Perhaps it's because of how informally the sergeant spoke to him. Yet rather than scold Shunmyo, the Chief Magistrate makes a point of ignoring the man's casual attitude. “I tolerate her behaviour because on occasion, she happens to provide valuable input. I daresay that she just did so. We stand to gain nothing by allowing this killer to run amok.”
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“The plan remains the same,” Orinosuke concludes. “Bayushi-san, when the Emerald Magistrate arrives, you shall indict the Crane with your testimony. I leave the finer details of the accusation up to you, but we must turn this unfortunate situation in our favour. Until then, I ask that you look into the true identity of the assassin and ascertain their motives.” His attention then shifts to the acting senschal. “While she works, I ask that you try to maintain control over the court. Every attendant will try to use Kaneru's demise as an opportunity to further their own schemes. Do not allow this.” Finally, he looks towards the gunsō. “No one is allowed to leave the estate, for any reason at all. Not even the servants.”

“I cannot involve myself. To do so would give that decrepit Lion the perfect excuse to accuse our clan of interference. So I leave this matter, and the fate of the entire city in your hands. I trust that you will not disappoint me.” With that, Yogo Orinosuke turns about and makes his way out of the chamber. Bayushi Shunmyo departs not long after, leaving you alone with your yōjimbō and the seneschal.

“Despite what the Chief Magistrate might have just said, you cannot afford to devote yourself solely to this investigation, Bayushi-san.” Sadayoshi is still fidgeting furiously. That crippling anxiety of his is still there, squirming just beneath the surface. “It would be rather suspect if you suddenly vanished from court on the day after the assassination. The Lion would start pointing fingers right away. I shall try to create the occasional opening so that you might excuse yourself, but I cannot promise more than that.”

>He has a point. You will limit your investigations to whenever Yogo Sadayoshi allows it. Otherwise, you will continue to attend court and assist him with managing the other attendants.
>Challenge his authority. What is he going to do if you refuse? By now, you're aware of just how easy it is to push him around. The position of 'acting seneschal' that he was granted is meaningless.
>Reason with him. Surely he understands that the investigation is far more important than keeping the Lion happy. Besides, he can come up with excuses for your absence, can't he? (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.)
>Lie. Let him believe that you're going to help him wrangle the other courtiers. When you don't turn up for court, he'll just have to deal with it and improvise a little. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep two successes.)
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>>4637721
>Lie. Let him believe that you're going to help him wrangle the other courtiers. When you don't turn up for court, he'll just have to deal with it and improvise a little. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep two successes.)
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>>4637721
>He has a point. You will limit your investigations to whenever Yogo Sadayoshi allows it. Otherwise, you will continue to attend court and assist him with managing the other attendants.
No need to turn him into an enemy, he is still our best change of getting a court position
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>>4637721
>He has a point. You will limit your investigations to whenever Yogo Sadayoshi allows it. Otherwise, you will continue to attend court and assist him with managing the other attendants.
Even if his spine is as stiff as ramen noodles, he's got a point that us disappearing in court the very next day would be sus and we need to be in person to defend our own honor in court. We can start disappearing the day after, we've got time.
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>>4637721
>He has a point. You will limit your investigations to whenever Yogo Sadayoshi allows it. Otherwise, you will continue to attend court and assist him with managing the other attendants.

We have other assets at our disposal that might help us with the investigation. I'm sure Jojuri will be very pleased to assist us, if only to uphold our original bargain. After all, what does she have to lose by playing along?
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>>4637721
>>He has a point. You will limit your investigations to whenever Yogo Sadayoshi allows it. Otherwise, you will continue to attend court and assist him with managing the other attendants.


Ok, first of all we should have shortened down the write in to "I will do it, but we should figure out who did it and why first, lest we commit to their opening gambit and be left open."


Secondly i am 99% certain our rival was under orders to poison us in the same vein one of our juniors was going to poison Atsushi during our gempukku. This is likely where our rival's hate from us comes from because we did ruin her life, likely rightfully, because she was doing her duty. Issue is she's not gone out and said it. When the qm was doing chapter review i imagine us not catching the parallels was the 1/10 we got.

Still best not act too sus yet. Although i do want to approach the lion yojimbo with some sake. If my suspicions are right, that set of three cups, along with the sake jugs, were drugged to knock out the drinkers. he'll of course think he just got drunk, so approaching with sake should draw a reaction...
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>>4637861
Fuck, you're a genius anon. Also my personal sappy theory is that Yogo poisoned us to get her shitty family over with.
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>>4637721
>>He has a point. You will limit your investigations to whenever Yogo Sadayoshi allows it. Otherwise, you will continue to attend court and assist him with managing the other attendants.
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>>4637721
>>Lie. Let him believe that you're going to help him wrangle the other courtiers. When you don't turn up for court, he'll just have to deal with it and improvise a little. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep two successes.)
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>>4637721
>>Reason with him. Surely he understands that the investigation is far more important than keeping the Lion happy. Besides, he can come up with excuses for your absence, can't he? (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.)
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>>4637861
Our rival tried to poison us when we were friends. Did she seriously expect us to laugh that off?
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>>4637721
>>He has a point. You will limit your investigations to whenever Yogo Sadayoshi allows it. Otherwise, you will continue to attend court and assist him with managing the other attendants.
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>>4638184
No, maybe she was trying to get rid of her curse?
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“Very well, Yogo-sama.” It makes your work more difficult, but he is right. You do need to keep up appearances to avoid drawing the attention of the Lion and besides, you doubt that Yogo Sadayoshi will be able to keep the other courtiers in line on his own. Unfortunately, the list of responsibilities that you have been saddled with is quite daunting at this point.

You must continue to play your part as the acting seneschal's assistant and help him maintain control over the daimyō's court. You cannot allow this situation to get any worse.
You must figure out how you can accuse a samurai of the Crane Clan of murdering Matsu Kaneru without ending up slain in a duel or disgraced, if you wish to appease the Chief Magistrate.
You must discover the true identity of the murderer, so that the Scorpion Clan might administer its own brand of justice, behind the back of the Emerald Magistrate.

“Before I take my leave, I do have a question – how long will I have before Shiba Gyeongsu arrives? Orinosuke says that he dwells in Shiro Matsu.”

“Provided that the courier rides with the utmost haste and sets out at dawn's light,” Sadayoshi says, “he shall arrive during the dusk of the following day. If the Emerald Magistrate moves at the same pace, then I would say that we have four days. He shall most likely begin his work on the morning of the fifth. I trust that is enough time for you to prepare a statement that indicts Daidoji Tokuhei, as I suggest?”

“Of course, Yogo-sama.” No pressure. “Unless there is anything else that you would ask of me, I shall take my leave.”

He has nothing else to say, and you are allowed to depart. You bow before the steward alongside your yōjimbō and turn to take your leave. As soon as you are out of the main hall, Kinnosuke turns towards you. Behind the porcelain mask that he wears, his eyes are wide.
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“In all of my life, I have never heard anyone speak to the Chief like that.” There is awe in his voice. “He gave you an order yet rather than accept, you sought to debate with him! Though I cannot decide whether you are brave or mad, I know for a fact that you are fortunate that he did not choose to punish you for such disobedience.”

>Concede that he has a point. Someday, Orinosuke will run out of patience. You should learn your place before you suffer for your hubris. (By choosing this option, you will increase your strife to 7 / 8 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur, but you will gain a void point.)
>The man has no respect for you, so you have no respect for him. You refuse to scrape and bow before someone who treats you like a tool. Unlike his other servants, you have pride.
>Yogo Orinosuke admires ambition and independence, to a certain extent. Perhaps if Kinnosuke was a little more driven, then the Chief Magistrate might think more highly of him.
>Brush off the remark. You're more interested in how Bayushi Shunmyo treated Orinosuke. He spoke to him as though they were friends. What is the connection between them?

>You should try and get some rest before the sun rises. You can't afford to be tired when the day begins.
>Time to get dressed and get to work. You'll regret it as the day drags on, but you have to seize the moment.
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>>4638241
>>Brush off the remark. You're more interested in how Bayushi Shunmyo treated Orinosuke. He spoke to him as though they were friends. What is the connection between them?
All the other options are shit

>You should try and get some rest before the sun rises. You can't afford to be tired when the day begins.
Let's not accrue any penalties
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>>4638241
>Brush off the remark. You're more interested in how Bayushi Shunmyo treated Orinosuke. He spoke to him as though they were friends. What is the connection between them?
>You should try and get some rest before the sun rises. You can't afford to be tired when the day begins.

We got a long day ahead of us, and I'd rather us be energetic for the day ahead. We're going to need to talk to Jojuri before the politics of the day starts in earnest.
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>>4638241
>Concede that he has a point. Someday, Orinosuke will run out of patience. You should learn your place before you suffer for your hubris. (By choosing this option, you will increase your strife to 7 / 8 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur, but you will gain a void point.)
>Time to get dressed and get to work. You'll regret it as the day drags on, but you have to seize the moment.
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>>4638241
>Brush off the remark. You're more interested in how Bayushi Shunmyo treated Orinosuke. He spoke to him as though they were friends. What is the connection between them?

>Time to get dressed and get to work. You'll regret it as the day drags on, but you have to seize the moment.
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>>4638241
>>Brush off the remark. You're more interested in how Bayushi Shunmyo treated Orinosuke. He spoke to him as though they were friends. What is the connection between them?
>>Time to get dressed and get to work. You'll regret it as the day drags on, but you have to seize the moment.
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>>4638233
Which necessitated lethally poisoning her best friend?
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>>4638368
I dunno, it's just a theory.
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>>4638368
It would be pretty embarrassing if it wasn't actually her and it was all a misunderstanding
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>>4638313
This
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>>4638353
Swapping to
>You should try and get some rest before the sun rises. You can't afford to be tired when the day begins.
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>>4638241
>Yogo Orinosuke admires ambition and independence, to a certain extent. Perhaps if Kinnosuke was a little more driven, then the Chief Magistrate might think more highly of him. If you go too far or don't bring up anything goor or new when talking back though he will no doubt punish you hard.
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>>4638241
>Brush off the remark. You're more interested in how Bayushi Shunmyo treated Orinosuke. He spoke to him as though they were friends. What is the connection between them?
>You should try and get some rest before the sun rises. You can't afford to be tired when the day begins.
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>>4638241
>Yogo Orinosuke admires ambition and independence, to a certain extent. Perhaps if Kinnosuke was a little more driven, then the Chief Magistrate might think more highly of him.
>Brush off the remark. You're more interested in how Bayushi Shunmyo treated Orinosuke. He spoke to him as though they were friends. What is the connection between them?
Actually, can we combine these? I kind of want to do to Kinnosuke what we did with Yogo Yasotaro back in Thread 2. If we could get Kinnosuke to be more driven and also befriend him he could be a useful contact in the future if we succeed with this mission and get transferred to Kyuden Bayushi. In thread 3 near the end we lamented our lack of contacts and in either 3 or 4 we lamented our lack of samurai friends to rely on. We just have to make sure to emphasize that we are not lecturing or mocking Kinnosuke but giving him well-meant advice.

>You should try and get some rest before the sun rises. You can't afford to be tired when the day begins.
We'll have to plan our use of time wisely during the next few days. In addition to the objectives mentioned by Fudo above, we also have the planned entertainement events for New Years and the Hunt plus older but still relevant objectives and decisions to make from the previous thread regard our career path and our plan to get through this without provoking war with the Lion.
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>>4638241
>Yogo Orinosuke admires ambition and independence, to a certain extent. Perhaps if Kinnosuke was a little more driven, then the Chief Magistrate might think more highly of him.
>Time to get dressed and get to work. You'll regret it as the day drags on, but you have to seize the moment.
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“If that is the case, then the last year that I have spent in his service has been one of good fortune.” It just isn't in your nature to mindlessly obey orders. If Kinnosuke hasn't realised that yet, he will soon. “I am more interested in the relationship between the gunsō and our superior. Shunmyo spoke to him like a friend and Orinosuke allowed it. You have worked for the Chief Magistrate for far longer than I, do you know how the two men are connected?”

“I was just as surprised as you, Bayushi-san. I expected the Chief to beat him into submission for his transgression – verbally, rather than literally. I suppose that even the most powerful men need friends, or had friends at some point in the past.”

“Perhaps.” You should have known that Kinnosuke was unlikely to know much about the Chief Magistrate. He is too much of a lapdog, like all of the other yoriki. “In any case, we should sleep. As Sadayoshi said, we still have court to attend and I would rather not be so tired that I cannot hold my own against other attendants.” With that, the two of you retire to your shared quarters. The sleep that follows only lasts for a few hours before you are disturbed by servants once more, but it should make all of the difference when it comes to staving off exhaustion.
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A new day has begun, and you must decide how you want to present yourself to the court after the tragic loss of Matsu Kaneru. Once again, it's time for the most important part of this quest – arguing over what clothes you should wear!

>You should just wear your work clothes. The black hakama, red kosode and black hanten are the unsophisticated uniform of a yoriki, designed for comfort and for travel rather than to be worn in courtly settings.
>Perhaps this is a chance to wear the red furisode, which carries a pattern reminiscent of ears of wheat woven in gold thread. This outfit given to you by Utaku Khulan doesn't seem to make any particular statement. (You wore this yesterday.)
>If you want to be seen as a samurai of the Scorpion first and foremost, there is no choice that is better than that loose yukata, a black and crimson garment emblazoned with the eponymous animal of your clan.
>The jade and gold jūnihitoe is guaranteed to shock whoever beholds it and leave them full of awe. However, it is also a complicated ensemble and donning it properly requires finesse, as well as the assistance of servants.
>Though it is the simplest kimono that you own, now is the time to wear the black tomesode embroidered with golden vines and blossoms. These are colours shared by the Scorpion and the Lion.

>You want to be seen as approachable – well, for a Scorpion at least. For that reason, you choose to wear the dark, lacquered wood of the domino mask that you were given at the end of your gempuku.
>Let everyone think of you as secretive and distant. That mystique of the opaque veil that you recently purchased should serve you well and obscure the lower half of your face from sight. No one will know what you feel.

>Perhaps you will wear your hair loose. Maybe you'll tie it back in a rather simple fashion. Whatever you choose, there's no need for any extravagant hair ornaments. You can appear elegant without them.
>The decorative kanzashi will give you an air of sophistication and help you make a positive first impression. It will take some time and finesse for you to don these hair ornaments properly, but it will most certainly be worth it.
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>>4638941
>Though it is the simplest kimono that you own, now is the time to wear the black tomesode embroidered with golden vines and blossoms. These are colours shared by the Scorpion and the Lion.

>Let everyone think of you as secretive and distant. That mystique of the opaque veil that you recently purchased should serve you well and obscure the lower half of your face from sight. No one will know what you feel.

>Perhaps you will wear your hair loose. Maybe you'll tie it back in a rather simple fashion. Whatever you choose, there's no need for any extravagant hair ornaments. You can appear elegant without them.

Keep it simple with the general sombre mood in the castle right now.
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>>4638941
>Though it is the simplest kimono that you own, now is the time to wear the black tomesode embroidered with golden vines and blossoms. These are colours shared by the Scorpion and the Lion.
While we have only worn this and the Furisode so far and it may reflect badly on us to have only worn a couple sets of clothes so far, I think that it is appropriate to wear this to show commiseration and solidarity with the Lion.

>Let everyone think of you as secretive and distant. That mystique of the opaque veil that you recently purchased should serve you well and obscure the lower half of your face from sight. No one will know what you feel.

>Perhaps you will wear your hair loose. Maybe you'll tie it back in a rather simple fashion. Whatever you choose, there's no need for any extravagant hair ornaments. You can appear elegant without them.
Gotta keep it sombre and simple.
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>>4638941
>Though it is the simplest kimono that you own, now is the time to wear the black tomesode embroidered with golden vines and blossoms. These are colours shared by the Scorpion and the Lion.

>Let everyone think of you as secretive and distant. That mystique of the opaque veil that you recently purchased should serve you well and obscure the lower half of your face from sight. No one will know what you feel.

>The decorative kanzashi will give you an air of sophistication and help you make a positive first impression. It will take some time and finesse for you to don these hair ornaments properly, but it will most certainly be worth it.
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>>4638941
>The jade and gold jūnihitoe is guaranteed to shock whoever beholds it and leave them full of awe. However, it is also a complicated ensemble and donning it properly requires finesse, as well as the assistance of servants.
>You want to be seen as approachable – well, for a Scorpion at least. For that reason, you choose to wear the dark, lacquered wood of the domino mask that you were given at the end of your gempuku.
>The decorative kanzashi will give you an air of sophistication and help you make a positive first impression. It will take some time and finesse for you to don these hair ornaments properly, but it will most certainly be worth it.
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>>4638941
>Though it is the simplest kimono that you own, now is the time to wear the black tomesode embroidered with golden vines and blossoms. These are colours shared by the Scorpion and the Lion.
>You want to be seen as approachable – well, for a Scorpion at least. For that reason, you choose to wear the dark, lacquered wood of the domino mask that you were given at the end of your gempuku.
>Perhaps you will wear your hair loose. Maybe you'll tie it back in a rather simple fashion. Whatever you choose, there's no need for any extravagant hair ornaments. You can appear elegant without them.
Let's look as approachable and un-scorpion today so that we don't arouse the suspicion that being a scorpion brings. We're going to be fishing for a lot of information today so it would be best if our conversation partners weren't on guard.
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>>4638941
>>Though it is the simplest kimono that you own, now is the time to wear the black tomesode embroidered with golden vines and blossoms. These are colours shared by the Scorpion and the Lion.
>>You want to be seen as approachable – well, for a Scorpion at least. For that reason, you choose to wear the dark, lacquered wood of the domino mask that you were given at the end of your gempuku.

Perhaps you will wear your hair loose. Maybe you'll tie it back in a rather simple fashion. Whatever you choose, there's no need for any extravagant hair ornaments. You can appear elegant without them.

I'm thinking we should save the jūnihitoe until either the Emerald Magistrate shows up , we are ready to frame the Crane, or until the day after some really big argument for maximum effect
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>>4638941
>>The jade and gold jūnihitoe is guaranteed to shock whoever beholds it and leave them full of awe. However, it is also a complicated ensemble and donning it properly requires finesse, as well as the assistance of servants.
Let everyone cower in awe

>You want to be seen as approachable – well, for a Scorpion at least. For that reason, you choose to wear the dark, lacquered wood of the domino mask that you were given at the end of your gempuku.

>The decorative kanzashi will give you an air of sophistication and help you make a positive first impression. It will take some time and finesse for you to don these hair ornaments properly, but it will most certainly be worth it.
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>>4639184
Yeah, we should understate how regal we can look so we surprise everyone with it when the time comes.
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>>4638941
>Though it is the simplest kimono that you own, now is the time to wear the black tomesode embroidered with golden vines and blossoms. These are colours shared by the Scorpion and the Lion.
>You want to be seen as approachable – well, for a Scorpion at least. For that reason, you choose to wear the dark, lacquered wood of the domino mask that you were given at the end of your gempuku.
>Perhaps you will wear your hair loose. Maybe you'll tie it back in a rather simple fashion. Whatever you choose, there's no need for any extravagant hair ornaments. You can appear elegant without them.
The last thing we want to do right now is be the evil spooky scorpion.
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>Though it is the simplest kimono that you own, now is the time to wear the black tomesode embroidered with golden vines and blossoms. These are colours shared by the Scorpion and the Lion.

>You want to be seen as approachable – well, for a Scorpion at least. For that reason, you choose to wear the dark, lacquered wood of the domino mask that you were given at the end of your gempuku.

>The decorative kanzashi will give you an air of sophistication and help you make a positive first impression. It will take some time and finesse for you to don these hair ornaments properly, but it will most certainly be worth it.
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Two things worth noting. Orinosuke told the gunso to not let ANYONE out, not even the servants. Meaning we are gonna have trouble getting out tonight to see Atsushi to get that bit of info of what he found about the sake house. We'll either have to sneak out, which is a difficult roll, or talk to Shunmyo some time today or after court is over to try and convince him to either let us out briefly or let Atsushi in or to go out himself and hear what Atsushi has to say and relay it to us.

The second thing we may want to do is before we duel Daidoji Tokuhei is that we should either just walk up and talk to him or approach Akirako and find an excuse to chat with him or prompt him to react or speak to us so we can use our assess strengths or whatever skill it is that lets us analyze their disadvantages and our way of the scorpion thing so we'll have an easier time killing him in a duel later on. Assuming that dueling works vaguely similar to skirmishing then we can play defensive with the air stance while still having great odds of hitting him, that should give us a fairly good shot at winning the duel even if he turns out to be a combat monster.
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>>4639501
We should also consider manipulating him into committing something foolish or dishonorable, to lend some plausibility to the idea that he could have done it before we accuse him. A bonus objective would be doing it in such a way that even Akirako would have doubts about him, and make an attempt at preserving our relationship with her. Burning this bridge may be inevitable, but I'd like it to be preserved if we can do it.
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>>4639571
And by it I mean the murder.
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>>4639571
True, good thinking. Maybe we can get Orinosuke to get us some of those heretical texts we found back in thread 3 and we can plant them in Tokuhei's side of the room or in his wardrobe and then arrange for a servant to conveniently "stumble" upon it while taking his clothing for cleaning. I'm thinking Of Lies and Leadership, it would give Tokuhei a motive to want to sabotage both the Lion and the Scorpion because the book notes that Bayushi and Akodo actually had surprisingly similar philosophies.

I also second the notion of trying to salvage this relationship with Akirako if we can, Kimiko could use some more friends and at the very least I don't want to waste our excellent rolls befriending Akirako last session as well as earlier this session.
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>>4639577
I don't know how we could just Tokuhei to murder anyone, he seems too stoic to easily provoke into attacking anyone like say Shoraku. Also, letting ANOTHER person die under our watch, let alone another Lion (if that was what you were implying) would be a great dishonour for the scorpion and the gunso in particular for allowing another murder to happen right under our nose in our own court no less. I'd rather not risk that, as it may give the Lion the casus belli they need.

This is assuming that Tokuhei isn't already the killer with plans to kill more though. Honestly, it is just blind speculation or a wild guess, but after the Lion doing a false flag operation (my leading theory) or a third party, (my second leading theory) I'm guessing the killer was either Yukari (ninja) or Tokuhei. (aren't Daidoji Harriers supposed to be less concerned with honour and more sneaky?) Or to throw out a final wild guess, I think it could be Mushanokoji, he's a priest and a Yogo so he could be a Yogo Preserver, maybe he killed Kaneru with paper Shikigami. I have no idea what his motive would be though, but it is worth noting that we haven't talked with him at all yet. Though maybe he could be useful as a spy for us to try and suss out the killer depending on how his abilities and shikigami work, that is...if he even is a shugenja.
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>>4639598
We don't even need to plant them, we could just present them in the trial and say we found them in his room. If anyone disagrees, we just have to go 'hantei blood lol'.

That being said, it's time to find out if Akirako has some surprise Hantei blood or not. I say we invite her to a friendly game of Go to draw all her personal details out.
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>>4639625
Good thinking with the Hantei blood thing, testimony is what matters the most in our legal system.

But, what reason do you have to suspect Akirako of having Hantei blood? Or are you just being careful so we don't get blindsided?

Personally, I'm against using our precious time to play Go with Akirako (at least during Court being in session) as our time before the Emerald Magistrate arrives is very limited. Also, Games is a social skill and we don't have any points in it, how much we can draw from her may be dependent on the rolls we get with our Games skill as we may be forced to use Games instead of Courtesy or Sentiment, though I can't remember if this was the case previously. Still, we can try it after court late at night I guess, ask for a game and a private chat in a side room or something.
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To be a Scorpion is to play the part of a villain. It is to intimidate, to entice, to inspire paranoid thoughts. Now is not the time to be a Scorpion, now is the time for solidarity. For that reason, you select the same robe that you wore when you first introduced yourself to Matsu Kaneru and her companions. You seek to honour her with the black and gold that you wear, and hopefully the remaining Lion will realise that. In addition, you decide that it is time for you to put aside the veil in favour of your traditional mask. You want to come across as open and honest, rather than secretive. Finally, you wear your hair down this time, without any sort of ornament. Any effort to garner the attention of others on a day such as this would come across as ghoulish – modesty is more appropriate.

When you are ready, you leave your quarters with Kinnosuke at your side. He has donned the black menpō once more, though this time he wears a rather simple kimono of black and red, without any extravagant embroidery. It is as simple as a robe could be, while still carrying the colours and the iconography of the Scorpion Clan. Together, you make your way to the hall where the steward awaits.

By the time that you arrive, all of the expected attendants are present, with the exception of the two Lion samurai and the court priest. Kakita Akirako sits with her yōjimbō, who she quietly speaks with. As soon as she notices you, the Crane lowers her fan for long enough to offer you a small smile from across the room. For once, Shosuro Jojuri is wearing an outfit that doesn't look like it's about to slide right off. Instead she is clad in some sort of fur-lined robe that is a rich, bloody red. Is it some sort of Unicorn fashion? Yogo Yukari lurks in her usual corner but the less that you look at her and think about her, the better. You take your place at the side of the seneschal and although he makes a sound of disapproval when he appraises your outfit, he knows better than to voice it after the events of last night – and you know better than to care about his opinion.

Not long after you have seated yourself, the Lion arrive. Both of them appear to have composed themselves – Matsu Kitahachi walks with his usual pride and confidence, while Matsu Shoraku no longer seems to be overcome with rage. Instead, a frown has etched itself in his face so deeply that it looks like it might be permanent. The two of them seat themselves and a moment later, Yogo Sadayoshi stands. Everyone in attendance lowers themselves in a customary bow and only once you have straightened yourselves does the steward begin.
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“Honoured guests, compeers and kinsmen, it is with a solemn heart that I must inform you of a great tragedy that has occurred within the walls of this estate.” He takes in a breath to steel himself before he continues. “... I am afraid that the esteemed Matsu Kaneru has passed on. Her life was stolen from her in a most shameful fashion while she slept.”

You take a moment to appraise the reactions of the attendants. Kitahachi bows his head out of respect for his dead superior, while Shoraku does the same out of shame. The usual flapping of Akirako's fan comes to a stop as she is struck by the revelation, and even Tokuhei appears to frown. Jojuri's eyes have widened in horror and one of her hands has risen to her mouth, in an attempt to concealed her shocked gasp. Though you cannot tell what expression Yukari wears behind her mask, the performer appears to have gone rigid. Clearly, this is the first time that several courtiers heard of the assassination.

“Though the individual responsible for this despicable act has not yet been apprehended, I can assure you all that we have sent for an Emerald Magistrate. Once he arrives, he shall determine the identity of the culprit and see that they are punished for their crime. Until then, I am afraid that I must take certain measures to ensure your security. The garrison will be bolstered significantly and no one will be allowed to leave this estate until the Emerald Magistrate has administered his judgement.”

“I must thank you for your understanding, and I must ask for your forgiveness for the suddenness of this announcement. As there are matters that I must discuss with Bayushi Shunmyo, court shall begin in earnest later today. Again, thank you all for your patience on this tragic day.” With that, Sadayoshi stoops in a bow and takes a seat once more. As soon as he is resting on his zabuton, he turns towards the gunsō to speak with him.

>You should remain beside Sadayoshi and hear what he has to say to Shunmyo. Besides, it seems like Jojuri is coming over, with the intention of intruding on their conversation.
>With her yōjimbō, Akirako has wandered over to Kitahachi and Shoraku. You should interfere. Though she is friendly and pleasant towards you, she has no love towards the Lion.
>Yukari has just rushed out of the hall. Where is she going, what does she think she is doing? Get after that bitch, before she somehow ruins everything. She has to be up to something.
>Now is the perfect time to take your leave and begin your own investigation. You've got no time to waste on courtly matters when you should be uncovering who killed Kaneru.
>A quiet corner. A cup of tea. That is all you want right now. (You will reduce your strife to 1 / 8 thanks to your love of Tea if you choose this option.)
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>>4639616
I meant the it as framing him as the murder, getting him to commit one.

It all comes down to capability and motive. Who would want her dead, and how did they accomplish it without alerting her yōjimbō? Yukari has the capability, but lacks a motive. The Lions may have motive, but failing to protect a diplomat, especially the daimyō's sister, reflects poorly on them as well. A third party may be culpable, but who would stand to benefit from this fallout? And there is still the matter of the mysterious sake we have to take into consideration.

>>4639625
The Lions don't want any interference on our part, and snooping around the Crane's living quarters where we 'found' evidence would reflect poorly on us. Better to plant it and let the Magistrate figure it's legitimate.
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>>4639646
...not* getting him to commit one.
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>>4639646
I don't know how you're planning for us to not look like we're interfering when our Lord's plans hinge on us giving testimony we discovered.
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>>4639625
>>4639637
Actually wait, that explanation for how we found it may not work. We would have no legitimate reason for snooping around in his and Akirako's room (remember courtier's and yojimbo share a room seperated by a screen) and I think the way the social dynamics go for proper court social behaviour go is that a servant is supposed to announce your presence outside the paper screen door to someone's room and I guess if they don't answer from within it is improper to enter. I'm just guessing this though, based on the time we went to go find Jojuri when she ran off to go change clothes.
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>>4639653
Testimony is different. We have no reason to be in their living space, let alone snooping around when we're supposed to be waiting for the Magistrate to investigate. We simply need to create an incident that implicates him, and the rest of our testimony will follow.
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>>4639643
Hard choice, we have to use our time well. I think if Sadayoshi and Shunmyo need something important relayed to us, they would do it of their own initiative, and if they don't want Jojuri listening in then I think Shunmyo at the very least has the spine to tell Jojuri to get lost like Kaneru did when Jojuri approached the Lion the other day.

Akirako talking to the Lion's is probably fine, we don't really care if they hate each other as long as a scandal doesn't erupt and she is probably just offering her sympathies.

For me it is a toss up between going after Yukari or investigating on our own.

I'll tentatively go with seeing where Yukari is off to, she may either know something or be panicking for whatever reason. We could use her help if we are willing to make up to her (earlier some anons did mention that theory about her trying to remove her curse or the poisoning being our teacher and not her) or just use the chance to follow a personal goal and scream at her with Fire+Command and tell her how awful she is.

>Yukari has just rushed out of the hall. Where is she going, what does she think she is doing? Get after that bitch, before she somehow ruins everything. She has to be up to something.
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>>4639643
>>Yukari has just rushed out of the hall. Where is she going, what does she think she is doing? Get after that bitch, before she somehow ruins everything. She has to be up to something.
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>>4639643
The way I see it, we got three options. We can stay and collude with our fellow Scorpion, and get Jojuri on board with helping with this fallout. We can spend time investigate the real culprit. Or we can follow Yukari, and see what she's up to.

We have no reason to interfere with Akirako's conversation, which may in fact cause even greater antagonism between them, and will serve as a diversion when we start politicking/investigating. Tea time can be held while we play politics, preferably with a friend.
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>>4639643
>>4639673
Actually wait, fuck, I changed my mind, we can ask Yukari about it later. Mushanokoji is probably busy looking after Kaneru's body. We should go talk to him and ask him questions about the room, the body, how the spirits are doing, (especially in the room) maybe even ask if we can examine the body with our medicine skill, if he refuses and can either browbeat him into submission by either mentioning how he is interferring with Sadayoshi's and Orinosuke's intentions for us to find the real killer or by invoking the blood of Hantei in our veins. (He is a priest, so he should be easily cowed by this)

>Now is the perfect time to take your leave and begin your own investigation. You've got no time to waste on courtly matters when you should be uncovering who killed Kaneru.
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>>4639643
>Yukari has just rushed out of the hall. Where is she going, what does she think she is doing? Get after that bitch, before she somehow ruins everything. She has to be up to something.
She is the assassin after all, watch her be the one who murdered Kaneru.
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>>4639643
>Yukari has just rushed out of the hall. Where is she going, what does she think she is doing? Get after that bitch, before she somehow ruins everything. She has to be up to something.

Fuck it, I'm genuinely curious.

>>4639673
I wouldn't mind making up with her, it's just getting past the poisoning, her reasoning, and if she wants to honestly make up that complicates that route, if we choose to take it.

>>4639688
In all honesty, I think that can wait. Yukari is having an strange reaction to these events, and this may be a unique opportunity to figure out her piece of the puzzle. Plus, would she be honest about her actions when she has calmed down?
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>>4639688
Yeah, but then we'd have a witness to our investigation.
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>Also, I'd just like to say that these discussions have my full support. Nothing cheers up a QM like knowing that people are so interested in their quest that they theorize and debate about it.
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>>4639643
>With her yōjimbō, Akirako has wandered over to Kitahachi and Shoraku. You should interfere. Though she is friendly and pleasant towards you, she has no love towards the Lion.
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>>4639750
Seeing something other than green is a wonderful feeling.
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>>4639643
>>4639708
Fine, I'll switch back to my previous vote. I'm just worried about not having enough investigation time to figure out the truth. Also some of the evidence may expire or be tampered with the longer we let the body rot.

>Yukari has just rushed out of the hall. Where is she going, what does she think she is doing? Get after that bitch, before she somehow ruins everything. She has to be up to something.

>>4639717
Why does that matter if the witness is a scorpion priest or guards beholden to scorpion interests? There will always be guards on the room and as our stealth roll prompts show, it is difficult to sneak around presumably because of all servants milling around and literal paper thin walls. We will literally never not have witnesses to us examining the body. The best we can hope for is not to be seen doing it by the Lions or by servants who may crack under pressure by the emerald magistrate.

Speaking of servants, we should question them sometime, the killer may not even be a Samurai but in fact a servant.
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>>4639643
>Yukari has just rushed out of the hall. Where is she going, what does she think she is doing? Get after that bitch, before she somehow ruins everything. She has to be up to something.
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So, here's a something to think about; which career path are we gonna try and follow?

“Of course,” Orinosuke replies. “For this reason, I wish for you to see to it that Sadayoshi's efforts are unsuccessful. Sabotage his attempts to negotiate with the Lion and make them return to Shiro Matsu without having struck any bargain, and with a lower opinion of Kanzaburo and his minion. Do not start a needless conflict, but ensure that this visit ends with neither faction getting what they want. This will limit the daimyō's power and keep my influence in this province from waning. Perhaps in the future, when you succeed me, you will be able to exploit this influence to become the greatest authority in Beiden – the power behind the throne, so to speak.”

It seems as though you have been caught in the middle of the power struggle between the Chief Magistrate and the acting seneschal, and have a choice to make.

On one hand, Yogo Sadayoshi says that you will never succeed the Chief Magistrate and that you are nothing more to Orinosuke than a useful minion. He wishes for you to assist him in keeping the Lion occupied until the daimyō returns. If you are able to do that, then he has promised you a place in the court of Kyūden Bayushi, the Palace of Silk and Shadow and the seat of the Scorpion Clan. Additionally, Yogo Yukari has threatened to kill you herself if you don't do as the steward asks. That's something that you'd rather not have to worry about.

On the other hand, Yogo Orinosuke wants you to ensure that the Lion depart before the daimyō returns, disappointed and without a deal. If you can accomplish that, then he believes that he will have an advantage over a weakened daimyō and that when you inherit his position, you will wield a great deal of control. You might even become the most powerful samurai in the province. Kakita Akirako would also appreciate it if you took a stand against the Lion, rather than cooperated with them.

A difficult decision.

This is from thread 5. I personally believe that initially the chance to easily send the Lion home packing passed when we chose this *Avoid making any commitment or earning Kaneru's ire. Simply say that she is welcome to enjoy the hospitality of Yogo Kanzaburo's court, without telling her when he might return. Keep it vague.* prompt over this *You should give her the bad news now, rather than delay it. You're expecting Yogo Kanzaburo to return in two weeks. She is welcome to remain in his court but she must understand that until then, no deals can be made.* prompt, and also when we chose to empower Sadayoshi at the start of this thread instead of saying that he doesn't wield the daimyo's full power. These prompts would've taken away any legitimate reason for being here because their official reason for being here is to establish a trade deal even if their actual reason for being here is to obtain a casus belli. (as speculated by Orinosuke back in the previous thread) (continued)
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>>4639501
I think dueling is a series of rolls, including iaijutsu. Qm, how good at dueling is Bayushi-chan?
>>4639616
I doubt Yukari did it. I remember in a previous thread she threatened us and told us not to fuck up negotiations with the Lion.
>>4639643
>Now is the perfect time to take your leave and begin your own investigation. You've got no time to waste on courtly matters when you should be uncovering who killed Kaneru.
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>>4640229
It also would've forced them either stay and actually make a trade deal with our daimyo (which was one of our goals) or leave since they lack a "official" purpose for being here seeing as they cannot negotiate with a steward that holds no official power.

On the other hand I believe that now that Kaneru is dead we can no longer keep them here until our daimyo returns to conclude a trade deal because of this quote:
>Though any diplomacy between the Lion and Scorpion cannot continue with the demise of Matsu Kaneru, we shall remain in Beiden until the Emerald Magistrate has administered justice.

They have no intention of negotiating any trade deal or anything else for that matter anymore. They are only staying until justice has been served, or perhaps until they cause further chaos to obtain a casus belli. (If that was their intention to begin with)

Thus it seems our goals from the previous thread seem to be null and void barring something further popping up like another Lion courtier showing up to negotiate for some weird reason. We just have to focus on our three new goals.

Still, I may as well answer my own question that started this wall of text. I think Orinosuke really does intend for us to be his successor and that we could really actually end up as the power behind the throne as he says if we succeed him and keep the Daimyo weak and dependent on his servants. On the other hand, even though I like being a cop and I like the plots and characters we've known so far, I think in the very long term we'd end up wielding more power by going into politics at the seat of our Clan in the Palace of Silk and Shadow, influencing policy decisions is where the real power in society is at. That and I think anons in previous threads generally seemed to agree that Kimiko wouldn't like to be held back and used by Orinosuke and that she still wanted to work at court, her ambition wouldn't allow her to be satisfied being stuck ruling over Beiden from behind the throne. I generally agree with this and before Kaneru died I thought it was actually the only possible path remaining since in my opinion we squandered our best chance to get rid of the Lion easily when we first met them. Now, however, it seems that if we live through this we'll just go back to being a cop, which is fine with me, there are still a ton of unfinished plots that we haven't seen the conclusion to.
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>>4640243
The meditation skill helps determine initiative in duelling specifically, I think. Just like how the Tactics skill influences who goes first in skirmishes. For reference, we have 0 meditation skill. However, we have a melee skill of 2 and our Fire and Air rings are 3 which is pretty good, and the rolls are best of 3. All and all, if we do the assess strengths and way of the scorpion thing I mentioned, I think we have a good shot at killing Tokuhei.

I also agree Yukari didn't do it, I was just listing it as a possibility because someone who dislikes the Lion's (Akirako) was last seen talking to Yukari and she also chatted with her before in the previous thread once. It is also worth noting we don't know the extent of their relationship, they've both been at court longer than us, so for all we know they could be good friends.
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>>4640255
desu at this point I don't really trust Sadayoshi in being capable of keeping his promise considering how spineless he is
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>>4640358
Sadayoshi may be a spineless coward and sycophant and I personally agree with Orinosuke that he was trying to turn Kimiko against Orinosuke for his own benefit but I don't think anything he has said so far has actually been untrue except for the idea that Orinosuke will just discard us for someone else to be his successor.

>As for me... I know that Yogo Kanzaburo wishes to send you to Kyūden Bayushi, so that you might serve in its court. Not only will this endear him to the leadership of our clan, but it will deny Orinosuke one of his most prized servants. This is an opportunity to prove that you are more suited for politics than law enforcement, and demonstrate that the Chief Magistrate has no valid reason to keep you in his service.”

I think everything he said in the above quote checks out with what we know. Recall that in a previous thread Orinosuke described how the steward of the Scorpion Clan Champion in Kyuden Bayushi tried to get us transferred to The Palace of Silk and Shadow but Orinosuke denied their "request" and all the anons were like "wow being Orinosuke's successor seems like a really good deal" because it seemed like an obvious easy path to success and it seemed like a mere Chief Magistrate had the power to deny the "request" of the clan champion's steward, when in reality we learned last thread that the only reason Orinosuke can do that is because he is a cunning bastard who has a lot of influence and no suitable replacement (and therefore can't be fired) and our Daimyo is relatively weak in influence in comparison. Kanzaburo most likely does want to transfer us to earn favour as Sadayoshi describes, he just needs us to provide him with an appropriate political achievement to justify the transfer, he was refused by Orinosuke before because Kanzaburo has weak influence whereas Orinosuke is relatively strong. (To the point to where Orinosuke can just say no to his direct superior and Lord)
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>>4640255
Actually, one could argue that we can still appease both sides. With Kaneru dead, the daimyō's power has been or will weaken in the fallout, as we wisely publicized the acting seneschal's authority- and thus responsibility- in Beiden. Sadayoshi's priorities have shifted drastically, from keeping the Lions occupied and entertained to damage control and averting outright disaster. Sadayoshi will undoubtedly be relieved with our assistance in this matter, and if we play our cards right, he may just thank us by keeping his promise, assuming all goes well and he keeps his job (and life) from this disaster. And while the seneschal relies on us, he plays right into Orinosuke ploy in undermining the daimyō's power by relying on the magistrates, while becoming indebted to us for our help as well. I dare say, we will satisfy both parties with our contribution to the court, if we manage to play our cards right.

The fortunes work in mysterious ways.

>>4640259
>Yukari and Akirako could be good friends
>Yukari might get dragged down and implicated in this 'crane' plot
>Yukari's face when she realizes this

Not saying that it will happen, but it would be funny to see her face if it did end up that way.

>>4640368
If we manage to turn this whole debacle to the Scorpion's advantage, I would imagine that would be the political achievement he needs.
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I am expecting Yukari to be having a minor or major freak out over this. It was her job to STOP this from happening after all, and she failed, horribly.

Anyways looking over the major players here
Orinosuke - wants the talk to fail in such a way that Sadayoshi doesn't get power. Achieved this but is now making an alternative that would benefit his rival to avert a war fucking up his station.

It could be him and he just misdirected us, bears watching.


Sadayoshi - This is a catastrophe for him full stop, he wanted talks to go well and they will go nowhere now, even with the crane dupe his position is tenuous.

Yukari - was entrusted to amke sure this all went well. unless she lied through her teeth, which is always possible? Bad for her.

Jojuri- She wanted to get something to getback to the city of lies, unless she got a message to do this VERY recently? CAn't be her, it's shooting herself in the foot.

Akirako - professes to hate war and was shaken by it, Cranes can lie and misdirect with the best of them, but given our recent talk? Dioubtful

Akirako's yojimbo - could have done it, but i imagine they'd have needed orders, and since they were unlikely to be Akirako, it'd have had to come from Crane command, which is... unlikely.


The lions- Between them acting distinctly unLion like, the three cups sake set, and the lady being a huge war war war glorifier? I am mighty sus of them.

These are all the major court players more or less, so barring soemthing like a Kollat plot or a Maho-tsukai doing it i think we should look at the lions and Orinosuke.
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The absence of any Scorpion from court will draw the attention of the Lion. There's no point in you sticking around if they're going to question the disappearance of Yukari instead. Besides, she has to be plotting something, to suddenly run out of the hall like that. You push yourself to your feet and turn towards Shosuro Kinnosuke. “Get up. We have a 'performer' to catch.”

As you leave the chamber, you try to balance haste and dignity. You have no desire to make a fool out of yourself as you depart, but at the same time you know that you must catch Yukari in the act, whatever she is up to. Your pursuit takes you through the twists and turnings of the manor and though there is no way for you to determine which way the shinobi went, there are plenty of servants for you to question on the way. Thankfully, the chase does not lead towards the room of Matsu Kaneru – it seems that she knows better than to interfere with the scene of her murder, at least.

Instead, it leads towards a room that you haven't visited before. These are private quarters much like your own, yet they are isolated from the rest. The sound of movement comes from within as someone rustles around. Without any ceremony, you reach out towards the door and slide it open.

The personal quarters of Yogo Yukari are a bizarre sight, in comparison to yours. Any sort of luxury has been stripped away and replaced by vast sets of drawers and other containers. Jars and bottles of varying sizes and shapes are scattered over the surface of a dresser, along with manes of hair that hang from hooks like grisly trophies. The shinobi herself stands before this piece of furniture and the great mirror that is perched on it. She has shed her long, flowing black hair as though it was just another garment, revealing a shaven head beneath. Her mask has been discarded too and right now, she seems to be the in the middle of scrubbing away the powder that covers her long, angular face.

Shocked by the intrusion, your rival swivels to face the door with her hand immediately reaching for the hilt of her wakizashi. Her expression is briefly one of surprise but as soon as she realises that it is you, her face twists into a sneer. “Oh, of course. Who would be paranoid enough to come chasing after me, other than you?”

Rather than admit that you suspected Yukari of any wrong-doing, you decide on a different approach. “Do you have any idea how dubious it is for a Scorpion to run off like that, as soon as a guest is declared dead? You are practically asking the Lion to accuse you, to accuse us of being her killers!” The willowy woman scoffs when she hears your words and reacts with a roll of her eyes. As if your presence means nothing to her, she turns back towards her mirror.
>>
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“Unlike you, I am not about to sit around and wait for this magistrate to arrive and damn our clan with his judgement. I will find out who was responsible for this and I will see to it that they suffer. As for the identity of the culprit, I believe that I might be looking at her right now.” As soon as she has said that, she turns her head to glare over her shoulder, directly at you.

“What?! I have always known that you are a jealous and spiteful creature who desires nothing more than to ruin me, but you cannot truly believe that!” You are astonished by the gall of this woman. “What reason do you have to suspect me, of all people?”

“I have been keeping an eye on you, like I said. Whenever I have been unable to, I have had servants watch you in my stead. Your daily meetings with the minion of yours outside of the estate, how you scampered off to collude with Shosuro Jojuri – I know about all of it. I always knew that you would be the ruin of our clan, Kimiko. I just never thought that you would go to such lengths so soon. There really is no limit to your ambition, is there?”

In all of your life, you have never heard such outrageous accusations. This wretched woman knows exactly how to make your blood boil.

>You suffer a point of strife. Your strife is currently at 5 / 8.

You are surprised to hear a third voice, at first from behind you but then at your side as Shosuro Kinnosuke steps forward. “Any accusation that you level at her, you level at the Chief Magistrate. From the moment that she first set foot in this estate, I have been at her side and I can promise you that she has done nothing wrong within its walls. So withdraw your senseless accusations, Yogo-san. We are not your enemy.”

“Yet you have never followed her outside of the estate – you have no idea what she has said to her dear rōnin, do you? You do not know Kimiko as well as you think, Shosuro-san. No one ever does.” She waves a hand in a dismissive gesture once she has scrubbed the last of the powder off of her face, throat and hands. “Now, would you mind leaving us? It would not be appropriate for you to linger as I change.”
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Kinnosuke's brow creases as he turns toward you. He isn't about to leave this room at Yukari's command – only yours. After all, he did swear that he would turn a blind eye in matters concerning the vile shinobi.

>Shosuro Kinnosuke should go. You don't want him to overhear what you have to say to the bitch.
>Shosuro Kinnosuke should stay. You want him to see for himself how foul Yukari really is.

>Yukari can do whatever she wants. She can investigate the murder, she can spy on you, she can do whatever she pleases, it will all amount to nothing in the end. She is irrelevant.
>You are certain that Yukari is behind the death of Kaneru, and now she seeks to frame you for it. This is all a part of her grand scheme to ruin you and you're not going to stand for it.
>It is time for put a stop to her vile accusations once and for all. If she truly believes in what she says, then she will defend her words with steel. Challenge her to a duel.
>Is she listening to herself? Fight her madness with reason, make her realise that she is allowing your shared past to cloud her judgement. You are guilty of nothing. (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Command skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes. Due to your feud with your Sworn Enemy, if you fail, you will gain a void point.)
>You still hate her for what she did to you. You always will. Yet you both serve the Scorpion, and you must cooperate, for the sake of your clan. (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. Due to your feud with your Sworn Enemy, if you fail, you will gain a void point.)
>Has she really been watching you since your arrival? You always knew she was jealous of you, but you never realized that she was obsessed as well! Turn her words against her. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. If you succeed, you will lower your strife to 2 / 8 thanks to your love of Wordplay.)
>Enough of this. Even she must know better than to defy a descendant of Heaven. She will return the main hall and abandon this path. Tengoku wills it. (This will require a roll using your Void ring of 2 and your Command Skill of 2. You will only need to keep four successes, thanks to your Blessed Lineage.)

Any write-in that involves reasoning with Yukari or getting her to cooperate will require an Earth ring roll. Working with your Sworn Enemy is not a simple feat.
>>
>>4640485
>Shosuro Kinnosuke should stay. You want him to see for himself how foul Yukari really is.
'
Is she listening to herself? Fight her madness with reason, make her realise that she is allowing your shared past to cloud her judgement. You are guilty of nothing. (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Command skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes. Due to your feud with your Sworn Enemy, if you fail, you will gain a void point.)
>>
>>4640485
>>Shosuro Kinnosuke should go. You don't want him to overhear what you have to say to the bitch.
>Is she listening to herself? Fight her madness with reason, make her realise that she is allowing your shared past to cloud her judgement. You are guilty of nothing. (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Command skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes. Due to your feud with your Sworn Enemy, if you fail, you will gain a void point.)
>>
>>4640485
>Shosuro Kinnosuke should stay. You want him to see for himself how foul Yukari really is.
>Is she listening to herself? Fight her madness with reason, make her realise that she is allowing your shared past to cloud her judgement. You are guilty of nothing. (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Command skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes. Due to your feud with your Sworn Enemy, if you fail, you will gain a void point.)

What do we stand to gain with the Lion warring over Beiden? That my ambition is to be reborn to a higher status in the Celestial Order? Please, enlighten me with my reasoning, if you can articulate your delusions. Take responsibility for you own failures, don't let your feelings cloud your judgement like an eta.
>>
>>4640529
You know, we can wordplay it up and say her obsession with us has allowed this to happen. If she were truly focused on serving the Scorpion clan, she would never have wasted so much resources and manpower on a childish rivalry. A high-ranking diplomat, murdered right under a your nose, and your lord and clan shamed at it's brazenness. If this is how Yogo Yukari serves her clan, we need not wonder why Beiden is on the edge of ruin.
>>
>>4640543
>If you want to go with that, I suggest switching to the Wordplay option instead and I'll keep that suggestion in mind.
>>
>>4640485
>Shosuro Kinnosuke should go. You don't want him to overhear what you have to say to the bitch.
>Yukari can do whatever she wants. She can investigate the murder, she can spy on you, she can do whatever she pleases, it will all amount to nothing in the end. She is irrelevant.
>>
>>4640546
Your right.

Switching >>4640529 to
>Has she really been watching you since your arrival? You always knew she was jealous of you, but you never realized that she was obsessed as well! Turn her words against her. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. If you succeed, you will lower your strife to 2 / 8 thanks to your love of Wordplay.)

Even if it is a longshot that we could reach her this way. I was hoping to cooperate, but if she just going to obsess over us and how we committed the murder, then she's more of a nuisance and an obstacle to the actual investigation and damage control. You'd think she'd have the ability to put her feelings aside for her duty to the clan, and yet she gifts that ability to us instead.
>>
>>4640485
>Is she listening to herself? Fight her madness with reason, make her realise that she is allowing your shared past to cloud her judgement. You are guilty of nothing. (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Command skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes. Due to your feud with your Sworn Enemy, if you fail, you will gain a void point.)
>>
>>4640518
>>4640485
changing too
>Has she really been watching you since your arrival? You always knew she was jealous of you, but you never realized that she was obsessed as well! Turn her words against her. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. If you succeed, you will lower your strife to 2 / 8 thanks to your love of Wordplay.)
>>
>>4640485
>Shosuro Kinnosuke should stay. You want him to see for himself how foul Yukari really is.
>Has she really been watching you since your arrival? You always knew she was jealous of you, but you never realized that she was obsessed as well! Turn her words against her. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. If you succeed, you will lower your strife to 2 / 8 thanks to your love of Wordplay.)
>>
>>4640485
>Shosuro Kinnosuke should go. You don't want him to overhear what you have to say to the bitch.
>You still hate her for what she did to you. You always will. Yet you both serve the Scorpion, and you must cooperate, for the sake of your clan. (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. Due to your feud with your Sworn Enemy, if you fail, you will gain a void point.)
>>
>>4640485
>>4640646
Actually on second thought changing to
>Has she really been watching you since your arrival? You always knew she was jealous of you, but you never realized that she was obsessed as well! Turn her words against her. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. If you succeed, you will lower your strife to 2 / 8 thanks to your love of Wordplay.)
>>
>>4640485
>Shosuro Kinnosuke should go. You don't want him to overhear what you have to say to the bitch.
>Has she really been watching you since your arrival? You always knew she was jealous of you, but you never realized that she was obsessed as well! Turn her words against her. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. If you succeed, you will lower your strife to 2 / 8 thanks to your love of Wordplay.)
Hopefully we don't embarrass ourselves, as we frequently did with wordplay rolls.
>>
>Going with:
>Shosuro Kinnosuke should go. You don't want him to overhear what you have to say to the bitch.
>Has she really been watching you since your arrival? You always knew she was jealous of you, but you never realized that she was obsessed as well! Turn her words against her. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. If you succeed, you will lower your strife to 2 / 8 thanks to your love of Wordplay.)
>I require a roll of 7d6 using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.

>I will accept the best of the first three rolls.
>>
Rolled 2, 3, 4, 4, 2, 2, 5 = 22 (7d6)

>>4641121
>>
Rolled 3, 4, 4, 2, 4, 2, 1 = 20 (7d6)

>>4641121
>>
Rolled 5, 2, 4, 4, 3, 4, 5 = 27 (7d6)

>>4641121
>>
>It seems that >>4641166, >>4641191 and >>4641274 all kept three successes and failed to reach the required four.

Void Points
>Void points are a resource you can spend to change fate's course.
>You have a maximum number of void points equal to your Void ring, which is currently 2. Each session, you start with 1.
>Right now, the only use of void points is to turn a marginal failure into a success. By spending a void point after you have failed at a roll, you may add an additional kept success to the roll.
>If you fail at a roll, I will ask whether you want to spend a void point or not. You may wish to not spend it – sometimes it's better to fail on an insignificant roll and save the void point for a more important roll.
>You gain void points when you suffer strife for going against your Delusions of Grandeur and when you fail at reasoning with your Sworn Enemy.
>You also gain void points when you choose an option where I hide the number of successes required to succeed, and during dramatic points in the story.
>I will introduce other uses of void points as the story progresses.

You have failed to turn Yogo Yukari's words against her. As a consequence of your failure, your attempt at mockery shall be unsuccessful and you will also suffer a point of strife, as a consequence of failing a roll.

However, you only failed by a narrow margin. You may spend a void point to change the course of fate and nudge this failure into being a success. If you do, your attempt at ridiculing Yogo Yukari will be successful and she will be forced to confront her errors.

You currently have 1 void point, out of a maximum of 2. You may wish to save it for a roll you consider more important, or you may choose to spend it to alter the outcome.

>Spend the void point.
>Save the void point.
>>
>>4641297
>Spend the void point.
>>
>>4641297
>>Spend the void point.
>>
>>4641297
>Spend the void point.
>>
>>4641297
>>Spend the void point.
I refuse to lose to the bitch
>>
>>4641297
>Save the void point.
>>
>>4641297
>>Spend the void point.
>>
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>You now have 0 void points, out of a maximum of 2.

“Give her the privacy that she seeks, Shosuro-san. I do not require the aid of another to put this pest in her place.” Despite your request, Kinnosuke hesitates. It takes a moment before he finally nods and walks out of the door, closing it behind it. In the end, it's for the best – what he does not see or hear, he cannot report to the Chief Magistrate. You turn back towards Yukari, who acts as though you are not even present. She has already rid herself of her robe and appears to be slathering her skin with some sort of paste, that stains her skin and leaves it looking dark and oily.

“So,” you remark, folding your arms as you watch the shinobi prepare her latest disguise. “You have been keeping an eye on me, have you? You know everywhere that I have been, everything that I have done?”

“I know enough.” Though Yukari doesn't look towards you, you can see her roll her eyes in the mirror while she smears her face and her throat with that muddy balm. “Only a fool would let you out of their sight. You care about nothing but yourself, and there is nothing you will not do to advance your latest schemes, whatever they might be.”

“So you have been stalking me whenever you had the chance, and had the daimyō's servants inform you about everything that I have been doing. I suppose that I should be honoured that you considered me more important than Matsu Kaneru. Here I was, thinking that the emissary from the Lion Clan was far more deserving of your attention, but I suppose that I was wrong.” That catches Yukari's attention. The woman freezes, halfway through the application of that ointment. She turns to look over her and fix you with an angry glare.

“What are you implying, exactly?”

“Nothing at all,” you say with a smile. “I am simply stating the truth. You decided that your childhood rival was more important to you than the safety of the sister of Matsu Hidaka, one of the most powerful women in Rokugan. An esteemed diplomat from a neighbouring clan was slain in her sleep, yet you were so preoccupied with me that you did not learn about it until now! Oh, I am certain that Yogo Kanzaburo will be so proud, when he discovers that Kaneru died under your watch, all because you could not keep your mind off of me, a simple yoriki.”

Yukari slams the jar of oily paste on the table. “That is enough,” Yukari hisses. “I know that you are involved in this somehow, and I will not let you distract me from that. My lord will understand when I deliver him the heads of the guilty, and I have no doubt that yours will be among them.” She finishes smearing that dark substance over her skin, over her hands, throat and face. Where the rice powder that she wore before gave her a regal pallor, this ointment has given her the dirty tan of a heimin.
>>
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“Are you really so certain that I am responsible for this, Yukari?” You find it hard to keep the incredulity out of your voice. “Tell me then, what was my motive? You call me ambitious, so tell me how I could possibly hope to rise by killing a dignitary visiting our lord's court. What would I have to gain from that?” You pause, to give her a moment to respond. Yet no matter how deeply she scowls at herself in the mirror, she can't answer your question. You renew your assault. “Come on. I was your best friend once upon a time, was I not? I told you everything that there was to learn about me. Not only that, but you have spent the last two days stalking me, without a thought for anyone else within the walls of this castle. I daresay that you know me better than I know myself by now. So tell me, why would I kill Matsu Kaneru? Why would I do such a thing, Yukari?”

“I don't know!”

She almost screams those words. Her dark eyes bulge as she turns to glare at you and they are so full of hate and fury. But you know Yukari – you can see behind the outrage, you can see the hurt and shame that she feels, and it makes you feel good. Finally, you have put the bitch in her place.

>You lose three points of strife. Your strife is currently at 2 / 8.

“I do not know,” she repeats once she has collected herself and caught her breath. Yukari turns away in an effort to hide her distress and approaches a wardrobe, from which she collects a rather drab robe, far more fitting for a servant than a samurai. “I cannot think of why you would do such a thing, is that what you want to hear?”

“Why did you waste your breath on such baseless accusations then?”

“Perhaps I thought that you had finally given me the chance to ruin your life like you ruined mine,” she calls over her shoulder as she folds the outfit around her willowy body. That figure of hers is quite distinctive – taller than most women, and more slender as well. It is her one deadly flaw as a shinobi, the one trait that you identify no matter what she pretends to be. Something for you to keep in mind, perhaps. “I was over-enthusiastic. In time though, you will give me the perfect opportunity and the perfect reason to put you out of your misery. I have no need to invent any of my own. All I need to do is wait for you to make a mistake, Kimiko.”
>>
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“Now unless you need anything else,” she continues, “I have a murder to investigate.”

>Fine. You're done with her. So long as she stays out of your way, you'll stay out hers. You've made your point and asserted your dominance. You'd rather not spend another moment in Yukari's company.
>Now that you established that you're not her enemy, surely the two of you can find a way to cooperate with each other? (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. Due to your feud with your Sworn Enemy, if you fail, you will gain a void point.)
>Oh, you do need something else. You need to push the advantage. You need to make her weep and regret ever wronging you. Don't throw away this chance to humiliate Yukari. (This will require a roll using your Fire ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.)
>>
>>4641657
>Fine. You're done with her. So long as she stays out of your way, you'll stay out hers. You've made your point and asserted your dominance. You'd rather not spend another moment in Yukari's company.

3 isn't worth it IMO.
>>
>>4641657
> "Now that you've stopped focusing on me and focused on the real issue, Would you like to know what Is poke of with Atsushi?" Play into her presuppositions of you, dropping nuggets of detail to her as game to lord yourself over to her. She's shown herself to be a competent Shinobi when she's not gotten her baseless hatred of you in the way, See what she digs up or knocks loose with some direction.
>>
>>Fine. You're done with her. So long as she stays out of your way, you'll stay out hers. You've made your point and asserted your dominance. You'd rather not spend another moment in Yukari's company.
We can't trust her to be our ally if she hates us so irrationally.
>>
>>4641657
>Straight up tell her about what we discussed with Atsushi and about the Lion servant and ask her to investigate the servants of the lion discreetly. We can add >>4641779 suggestion to lord the knowledge over her too, but I'd prefer to try to show a sign of good faith and get her to focus on something productive. While I'm fine with putting her beneath us I'd prefer we gradually build a reluctant working relationship rather than drain each others energies and sabotage each other. Also if she doubts us, just tell her to directly ask Sadayoshi about our orders last night and to ask Jojuri directly about what we talked about, tell her we were at odds due to our first meeting in court but now we've worked things out. I know IC we hate her and don't trust her but it is a VERY simple thing to direct her on the right path to clearing our name and get her to focus the servants and her spying on something more useful, it'd be a waste otherwise, as we'd essentially have wasted time we could've been using to investigate to clear some stress and find out why the stealth rolls are so god damn hard in this manor.
>>
>>4641657
>Oh, you do need something else. You need to push the advantage. You need to make her weep and regret ever wronging you. Don't throw away this chance to humiliate Yukari. (This will require a roll using your Fire ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.)
>>
>>4640438
True, I didn't think about that.

>>4641886
Oh, and not only that, but we used up a void point on this encounter for 3 stress recovery which we could've recovered by having tea anyways without the void point loss. In my opinion we REALLY should get more out of this encounter, either get her to be useful by giving her more info or explicitly get her to cooperate with us. Alternatively make her cry, it was one of our personal goals from last thread to 'put her beneath us' or just to straight up kill her. Really, more scenes with Yukari would be good in general, we haven't had many with her despite her being our rival. Just...not now, in this scenario, when our time is so valuable and limited.
>>
>>4640475
The reason I limited my guesses of who it could be to the people I listed here >>4639616
is that these are all individuals with either stealth skills (Yukari and Tokuhei possibly as a Daidoji Harrier) or possibly stealthy magic if Mushanokoji is in fact a Yogo Preserver, the other groups mentioned like the Lion have a potential motive and don't need stealth skills to either kill or fake the death of Kaneru since at least Kaneru and Shoraku shared a room and the other could join without being seen as odd probably. The third party guess is really just a blind wild guess based on the meta idea that Fudo may want to tie some plots or conspracies together. I don't think Akirako or Jojuri or especially Orinosuke could've done it (especially as Orinosuke would have to sneak passed the guards outside the keep AND the servants AND not wake Shoraku or Kaneru when he snuck in to kill her, the same goes for Akirako and Jojuri minus the guards outside the keep.
>>
>>4641910
We just need to find out more about Akirako. After Court Tea and Go when?
>>
>>4641657
>Now that you established that you're not her enemy, surely the two of you can find a way to cooperate with each other? (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. Due to your feud with your Sworn Enemy, if you fail, you will gain a void point.)

I'm partially of the mind that we should try, if solely for the fact that if we fail, we gain a void point. We got nothing to lose, and something to gain in the attempt. Plus, isn't this what a Scorpion samurai does, putting aside one's personal feelings for their duty to the clan?
>>
>>4641790
I will say, that this one would also be another fine alternative, and does well to advance our cause, be it directing her focus and irritating her to no end.
>>
>>4641978
>>4642005
Yeah, I'm fine with either of these or mine.

>>4641950
I think we'll have plenty of time for all of those. We said we'd help Sadayoshi keep control of court, so at some point we'll end up chatting with her and maybe even playing some Go along the way, or we could maybe do it later in the afternoon after court in a side parlour or something. We just have to remember to ask Shunmyo if we can leave at night to get info from Atsushi, otherwise we'll be forced to sneak out which could be bad if we got caught by Yukari's spies or some guards.
>>
>>4641657
>>Oh, you do need something else. You need to push the advantage. You need to make her weep and regret ever wronging you. Don't throw away this chance to humiliate Yukari. (This will require a roll using your Fire ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.)
>>
>>4641890
>>4642044
Honestly I'm even fine with this too, really any option but just leaving. If we can give her info without getting her cooperation then great, we've made her more useful, if we get her cooperation, even better. If we fail on the roll for cooperation, we get a void point and a single point of strife for failing a roll, worth it imho. Finally if we make her cry then at the very least it is in character and follows up on a personal goal and we'll probably get a great scene out of it. We may even get the chance for a follow up scene to fight her (if she attacks us) or ask her if she really poisoned us and assess if we believe her with our sentiment skill, that is...if we can get her to "unmask".
>>
>>4641657
>>Now that you established that you're not her enemy, surely the two of you can find a way to cooperate with each other? (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. Due to your feud with your Sworn Enemy, if you fail, you will gain a void point.)
>>
>>4641657
>Fine. You're done with her. So long as she stays out of your way, you'll stay out hers. You've made your point and asserted your dominance. You'd rather not spend another moment in Yukari's company.
The other options don't seem worth it. It's investigation time.
>>
>>4641657
I suppose I should clarify my vote, since I've kind of said a lot of different things.

Basically I'm voting for >Now that you established that you're not her enemy, surely the two of you can find a way to cooperate with each other? (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. Due to your feud with your Sworn Enemy, if you fail, you will gain a void point.)

While also wanting to add >>4641886 regardless of if fail the roll or not or even if we choose to leave, I'd rather she be more informed even if we don't agree to cooperate.

Though I'm also fine with any of the options aside from just leaving.

>>4641950
Actually, now that I think about it when we aren't investigating we should probably spend more time talking to Kitahachi and Shoraku than Akirako since we know almost nothing about them and haven't talked with them directly at all except for when Kaneru died. They are pretty suspicious and a lot of what we are trying to achieve has to do with preventing giving them an excuse to go to war with us.

I don't think we have much else to gain by talking with Akirako aside from finding a way to dishonour Tokuhei (her yojimbo) or to analyze him for weaknesses in battle. Or at least not during this scenario with the murder and the Emerald Magistrate coming, maybe afterwards we can have that Go game with her that anon has been clamouring to have.
>>
>>4642233
You're not expecting to be on speaking terms with Akirako after the trial, are you?
>>
>>4642242
A woman can dream, can't she?
>>
>>4642242
Speaking of Akirako, I'd like to give her a flower a day or two before the trial. A flower with meaning behind it, to represent our blossoming friendship, with some subtlety as to the danger that can result from it, and a sad reminder that all things wither in the end.

I'd like to make the most of our final days of friendship, if it comes to that. Call it an unofficial goal, as our duties take priority, but we should cherish our friendship for the time it has left, whenever it may be.
>>
>With three in favor of leaving and three in favor of trying to cooperate with her (if I include >>4641886 after the clarification of >>4642233), I'll wait for a few more votes to break that tie.
>>
>>4641657
>>Now that you established that you're not her enemy, surely the two of you can find a way to cooperate with each other? (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. Due to your feud with your Sworn Enemy, if you fail, you will gain a void point.)
>>
>>4642242
I don't consider it likely, no. Still, there is a chance if we try to do what >>4639571 said. Really there is a tiny chance that if the evidence we present is plausible though not foolproof that she may accept our testimony even if Tokuhei isn't guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Really, I just think we don't have much time to waste, we only have maybe 4 days, maybe more if the Emerald Magistrate takes his time getting here to both construct a reasonable case to blame Tokuhei and also make reasonable progress on finding the real killer and possibly even stopping further killings, while keeping control of the court. (primarily the lion's)

>>4642276
It'd be a nice scene, but as always I'm just worried about our use of time. Maybe we could do it while also fitting in the other anon's desire for a game of Go and also my desire to analyze Tokuhei for a weakness in combat with our abilities.
>>
>>4641657
>Now that you established that you're not her enemy, surely the two of you can find a way to cooperate with each other? (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. Due to your feud with your Sworn Enemy, if you fail, you will gain a void point.)
See, if we start accusing Akirako, but our sworn enemy shows us up by accusing the actual killer, we can save Akirako without fucking our honor into the ground.
>>
>>4642470
Even if they find out who the real killer is, we're still going to have to testify against her yojimbo in the courtroom.
>>
>>4642470
Our direct orders are to blame Tokuhei regardless of if he is the killer or not. It is part of a greater scheme by our higher ups to elevate the scorpion as stated here >>4636724 and some of the background to this is speculated here >>4637610 by me.

Also the Scorpion want to take care of the real killer privately behind the scenes as stated here >>4638238
If we are to fulfill our duty then we must not reveal the real kill to the emerald magistrate but let the scorpion deal with it themselves when we tell them who it is.
>>
Also, it is kind of weird that Sadayoshi didn't tell Yukari about any of the shit we discussed on the night of the murder, he didn't even have her awoken or tell her the next day. It is kind of annoying because it is causing communication fuck ups and makes it unclear to Yukari that we are both considered essential for the scorpion response plan to the this murder and also that we are considered innocent in the eyes of Sadayoshi and Orinosuke. I wonder if they suspect Yukari of being the killer or something like that.
>>
>>4642242
If we somehow salvage our relationship with Akirako while fucking over her yojimbo and putting the Crane clan at risk of war with the Lion, I will be proud of us anons. We need to fabricate some serious evidence for that.
>>
>Going with:
>Now that you established that you're not her enemy, surely the two of you can find a way to cooperate with each other? (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. Due to your feud with your Sworn Enemy, if you fail, you will gain a void point.)
>I require a roll of 6d6 using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy Skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.

>I will accept the best of the first three rolls.
>>
Rolled 3, 1, 5, 4, 4, 5 = 22 (6d6)

>>4642771
No fucking way we pull this off.
>>
Rolled 6, 4, 2, 6, 3, 5 = 26 (6d6)

>>4642771
Gotta get some sixes.
>>
>>4642799
Holy fuck, I think this passes! 2 6's, so our earth ring of 2 is two dice kept and I got 2 6's so I think we pass!
>>
>>4642799
>>4642800
>It did, though I'll wait for a third roll - there's always a chance of it doing even better.
>>
Rolled 1, 4, 2, 5, 5, 4 = 21 (6d6)

>>4642771
>>
>>4642805
Waiting for the legendary god-tier third roller. All 6's, no jinxes. What is the lucky god of dice or luck in Rokugan? I'm praying to them, though I don't know their name.
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>>4642810
My prayers went unanswered and my day, ruined. Well, us passing at all aside.
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>>4642799
Thank you based anon.
>>
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>Going with >>4642799, four successes.

“Might I ask how you plan to go about it?”

“That is none of your business,” Yukari snaps at you. “You should rejoin the others and spend the rest of your day gossiping with them. You have always been good at that.”

“It is one of my many talents, yes. Do you know what I am even better at, Yukari? Uncovering those who defy the Emperor's law. I brought about the end of a heretical conspiracy and a mahō-tsukai who defiled the dead. If there is anyone within the walls of this estate who is capable of uncovering the killer's identity, it is I.” A bitter laugh bursts from the lips of the shinobi when she hears your words.

“There is no need to boast about your achievements, Kimiko. I already know of them. Do you really expect me to abandon my duty and let you perform it in my stead?”

“I know better than to expect anything of you,” you retort. “Instead, I pray that you will be wise enough to share your findings with me and in exchange, I will share mine with you. We have a better chance of discovering the truth if we work together, instead of alone.” In response, Yukari just shakes her head in disbelief.

“So that you can seize all of the glory for yourself, and claim responsibility for everything that I shall accomplish? I do not think so.” Once she has dressed herself in the servant's robe, the shinobi picks a hairpiece from the selection that hangs before her. Once she has donned it, you can't help but admit that the tatty, tawny wig adds a lot to the authenticity of Yukari's disguise. “I want nothing to do with you, and I know that you feel the same way about me. So go about your own business, and I shall focus on mine.”

“If you had any love for fame, Yogo Kanzaburo would not have chosen you to serve as his spy. In fact, I doubt that the Shosuro would have bothered to train you in the first place. The daimyō will know that you played your part, and that should be all that matters. As for what I want...” You take a moment to consider your next words. There is no point in lying to a woman who knows you so well. “Whoever slew Matsu Kaneru seeks to bring about the downfall of Beiden and the Scorpion alike. I can think of no other motive for their actions. If the death of the Lion's emissary fails to produce that result, they will think of another method. My future is tied to this city, tied to this clan. I stand to lose everything if this killer has their way, and so do you. If working with you gives me a better chance of bringing them to justice, then so be it.”
>>
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“I knew you would never be driven by anything as noble as loyalty or duty,” she sneers as she dabs at one hand with a brush that she holds in the other, creating little blemishes and imperfections. “Yet I suppose that you have a point, even if you are motivated by your love of yourself above all else. If you are able to put aside your pride to work with me, after everything...” She hesitates, much like you did. Her next words are chosen carefully “... after everything that happened between us, then I am more than capable of doing the same.”

“After everything that you did to me,” you correct her, though you are quick to move on. There is no point in lingering on her past crimes, now that you have negotiated a truce of sorts between the two of you. “Now, let me repeat myself. How did you plan on going about this investigation of yours?”

Once she is finished sculpting the final details of her disguise, Yukari turns towards you. “Unlike samurai, servants are free to go where they please. Any room can be inspected under the guise of cleaning and maintenance. It is rather liberating, to be over-looked and ignored by samurai, to be seen as unimportant and to be left to do as you wish.” Oh, how you long to make a snide remark about how she was always meant to be a peasant – but you resist the urge. “I was planning on inspecting the room where Kaneru was murdered first of all. You can go back to that worm, Sadayoshi. I am sure you can think of an explanation for my absence.” After you give her a pointed look, she continues. “... And I suppose that once I am done, I can tell you what I found.”

>You're fine with that plan. Yukari can inspect the scene of the crime, while you return to the court. You still need to keep the Lion from becoming suspicious, after all.
>While Yukari is busy inspecting the room where Kaneru was slain in her sleep, you will see what you can find elsewhere in the estate. You won't return to Sadayoshi just yet.
>No. Yukari can snoop around somewhere else, you want to have a look at Kaneru's quarters for yourself. It's too important for you to leave it for the shinobi to examine.
>>
>>4643008
>You're fine with that plan. Yukari can inspect the scene of the crime, while you return to the court. You still need to keep the Lion from becoming suspicious, after all.
>Tell her about what we talked with Atsushi about. It could be nothing it could be everything either way it’s a loose end to a tapestry that has kept the Scorpion off balance.
>>
>>4643008
>>4643017
+1 to this

I think I'm fine with this. Assuming Yukari holds up her end of the deal and doesn't leave anything out we get the benefits of the investigation while we get to keep court under control thus making progress on two of our objectives. Yukari should have skill in medicine because I think she has skill in poison because she poisoned those horses that belonged to that merchant back in Kagoki, so I think she can examine the body just as well as we could have if not better.
>>
>>4643008
>You're fine with that plan. Yukari can inspect the scene of the crime, while you return to the court. You still need to keep the Lion from becoming suspicious, after all.

A ninja's eye might go a long way to solving the crime, and it would be interesting to get the prospective of a professional assassin and pick their mind on it, not matter who it comes from. We should focus on controlling the court and laying the groundwork for our testimony. Let's see if we can account on Jojuri's assistance with our cause, as the underlying motives haven't changed in her case.
>>
>>4643008
>>While Yukari is busy inspecting the room where Kaneru was slain in her sleep, you will see what you can find elsewhere in the estate. You won't return to Sadayoshi just yet.
>>
>>4643008
>>You're fine with that plan. Yukari can inspect the scene of the crime, while you return to the court. You still need to keep the Lion from becoming suspicious, after all.
Now to think of a way to frame Akirako's poor yojimbo while keeping the Lion from sussing us.

>>4643075
Yukari isn't a member of the Spider Clan. She's a loyal shinobi, not a ninja. How dare you say such a thing!

Also at this point, I'm beginning to suspect that a third party fucked with both us and Yukari in samurai school and framed each other for it. Something the equivalent of poisoning her. She hates us way too much.
>>
>>4643008
>>No. Yukari can snoop around somewhere else, you want to have a look at Kaneru's quarters for yourself. It's too important for you to leave it for the shinobi to examine.
>>
>>4643127
We got her shamed and kicked out of our dojo, but I agree that there may have been outside influence at work there. I'm still wondering why she poisoned us.
>>
>>4643136
What was our evidence she poisoned us again?
>>
>>4643008
>You're fine with that plan. Yukari can inspect the scene of the crime, while you return to the court. You still need to keep the Lion from becoming suspicious, after all.
>>
>>4643008
>You're fine with that plan. Yukari can inspect the scene of the crime, while you return to the court. You still need to keep the Lion from becoming suspicious, after all.


>>4643142
As far as I can recall there was no evidence, our word was enough.
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>>4643729
Alright, how did we know she poisoned us?
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>>4643790
We don't, which is why I in earlier threads already showed my suspicions that Yukari is innocent
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>>4643876
There must be a reason why we think it's her. You don't just accuse your best friend of trying to murder you for nothing, you know?
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>>4643940
She was the only person who had access to our food and drink of memory serves. So we blamed her. This of course does not preclude someone else sneaking it. However I believe we were poisoned in a similar situation to our gempukku and the person tested failed it. We lashed out as a child did and proved we were not ready for our own gempukku which is why sensei held us back so long.
>>
>Today's going to be limited to a single response later on - sorry, but I'm beat.
>>4643940
>Yukari and Kimiko were best friends for the first few years that they spent at the dōjō. From Kimiko's perspective, Yukari slowly began to resent being second best and the admiration that she felt transformed into envy. By the time that Kimiko was poisoned, their friendship was long dead and the two girls were fierce rivals who constantly tried to out-perform and humiliate each other. To Kimiko, the culprit was obvious - it had to be Yukari. Who else could it be? Their sensei came to the same conclusion and Yukari was summarily expelled from the dōjō, without incident. That was the last time that Kimiko heard about her, until the night of her gempuku.
>All of this information is scattered across previous threads, but I figure that the relationship between these characters is important enough that I should just state their history and leave no room for doubt.
>>
>>4644030
Sounds like Kimiko's being the hellbitch we know and love. Five koku Yukari didn't poison her.
>>
>>4644030
Okay, take care of yourself Fudo.
>>
>>4643008
>You're fine with that plan. Yukari can inspect the scene of the crime, while you return to the court. You still need to keep the Lion from becoming suspicious, after all.
>>
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“As you wish.” You have nothing against her plan, though there is something that you should tell her first. “I suppose that I should let you know what my dōshin has been up to. On the day of the Lion's arrival, he bore witness to one of their servants scurrying through town and yesterday, he tracked him to his destination – a sake den. This retainer was seen delivering a letter during his first visit, and brought a flask of sake and a set of cups back to the estate after his second. It could be nothing, but should you find these items, you might wish to have a closer look at them.”

“So that rōnin has some use after all. I will keep that in mind,” is all that Yukari says in return as she turns towards the door, walking straight past you without a second glance.

Despite your best efforts, you find yourself frustrated by the shinobi's indifference towards your assistance. “I did not have to tell you anything, you know. The least that you could do is thank me.” Your words cause Yukari to come to a stop before the door and glower over her shoulder at you, her disdain written on that long, swarthy face of hers.

“I agreed to work with you, Kimiko – not shower you with praise. If you want to feel appreciated, I am certain that you have a great deal of sycophants who would be happy to tell you everything that you want to hear. I am no longer one of them, thank the Fortunes. I know better and one day, so shall they.” With that, she opens the door and saunters down the corridor.

Though you are irritated that she got the last word, you refuse to let it get to you. You have come out of that clash as the obvious victor, having forced Yukari to confront her errors and having compelled her to assist you in the investigation. In light of those achievements, you should be rather proud of yourself. With that in mind, you slip out of her cluttered quarters and close the door behind you. A few steps back in the direction that you came from and a turn around the corner, and you encounter Shosuro Kinnosuke, who rests against a wall.

“I pray that this conversation went better than the last one that you had with her,” he comments. “This time, the only one that I heard shouting was her.”

You would rather not think about your last encounter with the shinobi, and you say as much. “Please, Shosuro-san. I do not want to recall the last time that I spoke with her. As for our latest bout, I believe that I won over Yukari. She has agreed to collaborate with us, if only for the duration of this inquiry.” Your yōjimbō's eyebrows rise so high that you fear that they might fall off of his face. Clearly, that is not the outcome that he expected. “But enough about her. We should return to Yogo Sadayoshi.”
>>
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Your journey through the labyrinthine castle is uneventful and before too long, you find yourself at the hall where all of the other courtiers are still busy mingling and mulling over the tragedy of Kaneru's death. Though the steward is still busy speaking with the gunsō, he pointedly stares at you upon your return. Rather than keep him waiting, you go to the side while Bayushi Shunmyo stands and strides off, to grant the two of you some privacy.

“Have you gone mad, Bayushi-san?” The seneschal hisses these words under his breath, to avoid being overheard. At this point, you have learned to anticipate Sadayoshi's frustration. He is easily upset by anything that does not go to plan, and anyone who deviates from his schemes. “Do you know how bad it looks, for three of the Scorpion to scamper out of this chamber as soon they are given the chance? What were you thinking? Where is Yogo Yukari?”

>Appease him with an apology and by giving him the respect that he is due. Humble yourself before Sadayoshi and tell him everything that happened. (By choosing this option, you will increase your strife to 5 / 8 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur, but you will gain a void point.)
>At this point, he is a liability. You do not owe him any sort of explanation at all. Anything that you tell him, he is likely to unwittingly divulge to the Lion.
>Tell him about your encounter with Yogo Yukari, and what she is up to right now. He will need to come up with some sort of excuse to justify her absence.
>Not only will you tell him about your conversation with the shinobi, but you'll also give him a cover story that he can tell the guests to explain her disappearance. (If you can agree upon an appropriate write-in to accompany this option, I will use it. If you cannot, this will require a roll instead.)
>Lie. You tried to find where Yogo Yukari went, but you could find no sign of her! You fear the worst – she might be complicit in the murder of Matsu Kaneru. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. You will lose honour if you choose this option.)

In addition, who do you wish to speak with once you're finished explaining yourself?

>Yogo Sadayoshi. There are matters that you must discuss with the acting steward before you speak with anyone else.
>Bayushi Shunmyo. The gunsō appears to be speaking with a servant at the moment, though you do not know what they discuss.
>Matsu Shoraku and Shosuro Jojuri. An encounter between these two could go terribly wrong. You should intervene.
>Yogo Mushanokoji and Matsu Kitahachi. The priest appears to have arrived in court, only to be accosted by the old Lion.
>Kakita Akirako and Daidoji Tokuhei. For once, the Crane socialite appears to be alone with her yōjimbō. A perfect opportunity.
>>
>>4644729
>>4644729
>Lie. You tried to find where Yogo Yukari went, but you could find no sign of her! You fear the worst – she might be complicit in the murder of Matsu Kaneru. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. You will lose honour if you choose this option.)

>Yogo Mushanokoji and Matsu Kitahachi. The priest appears to have arrived in court, only to be accosted by the old Lion.
>>
>>4644729
>Appease him with an apology and by giving him the respect that he is due. Humble yourself before Sadayoshi and tell him everything that happened. (By choosing this option, you will increase your strife to 5 / 8 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur, but you will gain a void point.)

We should have atleast one Void point in our bank, in case of emergencies.

>Kakita Akirako and Daidoji Tokuhei. For once, the Crane socialite appears to be alone with her yōjimbō. A perfect opportunity.

A perfect opportunity for some tea as well. We should take advantage of our friendship while it lasts.
>>
Tough choice again. I'll hold off on voting until either I think of an appropriate cover story or some more discussion or votes come in.

Though in regards to the second choice I'll list some reasons why we may want to speak to the various options.

We haven't coordinated much with Sadayoshi in our time in court, there are a bunch of issues that I alone think discussing, let alone what Fudo or other people may want to discuss with him. For starters, he may need encouragement to stop being so wimpy in front of others, I'd rather he not spill information to the lions for example when they are one of groups of people we should be most worried about. He also isn't controlling Yukari very well, in our first encounter with her she threatened us if we didn't obey him making it seem like she accepts him as her superior without reservation, yet he seems to not be communicating with her at all. She's wasted her time tracking us instead of everyone else or instead of watching the Lion's when Orinosuke speculated that they were here to get a casus belli and Sadayoshi didn't appear to disagree with that sentiment, yet Yukari was focused on us instead of them. We also could do with coordinating any future plans for the following days in regards to the previously mentioned entertainment events if they are still relevent. Also we could do with knowing what he discussed with Shunmyo and Jojuri over the previous few days.

Regarding Shunmyo we still have to discuss leaving tonight or being allowed to access the body of Kaneru in case we want to double check for anything that Yukari missed that we may not. He may also have pertinent information regard the security of the manor or info about any courtiers he's talked with like Shoraku.

Both of the lion's are worth learning about since we haven't talked to either directly AT ALL except for briefly the night of Kaneru's murder, we have no information on them, their abilities, their dispositions, their plans, anything really. Remember during our gempukku how important it was to learn about the different attendents . While I agree that there are important tasks that we have to focus on and our efforts should not be spread too thinly, it would do to know more about the various courtiers.

Jojuri doesn't know about our orders regarding the murder. She may be scorpion and she may have agreed to cooperate but unless Sadayoshi told her something when we left to go see Yukari then she's out of the loop and I'm not sure we should tell her anything. As far as she may be concerned our cooperation was previously under different circumstances where it appeared we would be cooperating negotiating trading foodstuffs for opium with the lion, now she may be less cooperative or have a different plan. Or perhaps she still intends to cooperate and isn't yet aware that the trade deal stuff is now irrelevent and that the lion's intend to leave after the stuff with Kaneru is resolved, in that case we can still use her.
>>
The Crane's aren't urgent to talk to in my opinion. We have at least four days before the Emerald Magistrate gets her and he may investigate for a day or even several days. We can talk to or analyze Tokuhei anytime for weaknesses assuming he doesn't run off somewhere with Akirako for some reason.

I think that we should either see what Jojuri wants with Shoraku or see what Kitahachi wants with Mushanokoji. Kitahachi was speculated to be the brains behind the operation and may have further plans we could suss out, it'd be good to get to know him at least. He may just be checking on how the priest's warding of the murder-room has gone or he may have something important to say. I have no idea what Jojuri wants with Shoraku, this encounter strikes me as less imporant because Shoraku is probably less important that Kitahachi, but him revealing to Jojuri that they intend to leave may undo her cooperation with us somehow. Or it could result in something bad if she pisses him off. I know our sensei said not to be an appeaser and to seek advantage in every encouter, but this may be a scenario where those words do not apply.

We should also get some use out of the clothes we are wearing, what's the point in dressing lion colours to show our solidarity if we don't talk to any lion's today, lmao.

Basically talking to the lion's or "keeping control of court" as our objective states seem to be the most important to me, though coordinating with Sadayoshi probably comes in at a close second, since we haven't communicated well with him or vice versa.
>>
>>4644729
I have a write in now.

>Not only will you tell him about your conversation with the shinobi, but you'll also give him a cover story that he can tell the guests to explain her disappearance. (If you can agree upon an appropriate write-in to accompany this option, I will use it. If you cannot, this will require a roll instead.)

Our esteemed musician vanished in a panic because she had planned to play a cheerful energetic song on her shamisen today for New Year's Eve, (tomorrow is New Year's Day, if I've counted correctly) yet when she heard that our most esteemed and noble guest Matsu Kaneru, sister of the Matsu daimyo had died she panicked and fled in a hurry to write a sadder more sombre and appropriate series of songs and to change outfits and plan some more appropriate performances, as the primary entertainer for the estate, she needs to re-do all her plans for the coming days to reflect the tragic mood.

As for why we disappeared: "why, I was worried after my dear childhood friend Yukari, who I grew up and trained together with and who I am the best of friends with to this very day. So I ran off after her to comfort her, you know how artists get, she was stricken with grief and panic over the death of one of our guests, she's an emotional person and she was upset that all her planned performances were ruined and has to spend the rest of the day re-planning them for the coming events. (artists, amirite?)

As for Kinnosuke, why is this even a question? He came with us, as is his duty as our yojimbo.

>Yogo Mushanokoji and Matsu Kitahachi. The priest appears to have arrived in court, only to be accosted by the old Lion.

Lets go give our "official" condolences to Kitahachi. We should probably learn about the person we speculated to be the brains behind the operation and what he is up to.
>>
>>4644952
Support
>>
>>4644877
>>4644903
Jojuri wouldn't want to sabotage any chance we have of coming to a deal, and I'm sure our interests still align enough not to intentionally fuck us over. Interestingly enough, the core of our deal still applies, even if the circumstances changed. She assisted us, and we'll pass on to her lord that she was instrumental and invaluable to the Scorpion cause. I bet she's trying to keep the Lions occupied and gain some intel from them, because if relations get worse, she would be impacted politically as well. Whether she likes it or not, she's lumped with the fate of our court now, for good or ill.
>>
>>4644729
>>Appease him with an apology and by giving him the respect that he is due. Humble yourself before Sadayoshi and tell him everything that happened. (By choosing this option, you will increase your strife to 5 / 8 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur, but you will gain a void point.)

>Kakita Akirako and Daidoji Tokuhei. For once, the Crane socialite appears to be alone with her yōjimbō. A perfect opportunity.
>>
>>4645041
Fair enough. I'm kind of just thinking potential worst case scenarios with Jojuri to account for what might happen, however unlikely it actually is of really occuring. I just hope that the status quo with the various courtiers we've established can hold itself together for a few days, because if it does we only really have to worry about the lions causing trouble or Akirako provoking them.
>>
>>4645135
Actually, the Lion and Crane fighting one another could play to our advantage, drawing attention and focus away from us and giving the court credence that the Crane may have been involved with the murder. Playing up their rivalry may be to our advantage.
>>
>>4645147
Again, I agree but only to a certain point. Last thread in a conversation with Atsushi playing the Crane and lion against one another was a strategy in one of our greentext prompts, but it was also noted in one of our lists of assigned goals that we wanted to prevent a scandal between them. (presumably if a scandal was so big that it somehow reflected badly on our court)

I also understand that we made good use of that strategy earlier this thread at the start, playing into Akirako's friendship and letting Kaneru and Akirako social-fu each other. It was noted that our sensei said it was pointless to be an appeaser. I just don't want the Lion to get any chances to fuck thing up somehow.

I think I understand the problem in my thinking though, I'm still thinking like we need to keep the lion engaged or that we aren't so biased to one side that they have no chance in negotiations, so we can keep them here. However this is pointless, since the trade negotiations are dead and we aren't trying to keep them here for 2 weeks anymore. I just wasn't really thinking clearly or just forgot which goals were still relevant. My bad.
>>
>>4644729
>Appease him with an apology and by giving him the respect that he is due. Humble yourself before Sadayoshi and tell him everything that happened. (By choosing this option, you will increase your strife to 5 / 8 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur, but you will gain a void point.)

>Kakita Akirako and Daidoji Tokuhei. For once, the Crane socialite appears to be alone with her yōjimbō. A perfect opportunity.
>>
>>4644729
>Not only will you tell him about your conversation with the shinobi, but you'll also give him a cover story that he can tell the guests to explain her disappearance. (If you can agree upon an appropriate write-in to accompany this option, I will use it. If you cannot, this will require a roll instead.)
Yukari is running damage control, which involves all kinds of sneaking around, the less said the better. If anyone asks, she started panicking and I ran off to talk her off the ceiling. She should be left to her chambers and undisturbed, because despite my best efforts the stress of everything going wrong on top of the possibility of a dangerous killer running around has driven her mad and she may assault anyone who disturbs her.
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>>4644952
This.
>>
>>4644952
supporting
>>
>>4644729

>Not only will you tell him about your conversation with the shinobi, but you'll also give him a cover story that he can tell the guests to explain her disappearance. (If you can agree upon an appropriate write-in to accompany this option, I will use it. If you cannot, this will require a roll instead.)
>Yogo Mushanokoji and Matsu Kitahachi. The priest appears to have arrived in court, only to be accosted by the old Lion.

It's good to see you back, Fudo-san.
>>
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>Sorry for the wait. Hopefully I can go back to the usual schedule now.

Carefully, you angle yourself away from the rest of the court so that you face the steward and the steward alone. The last thing that you want is for your lips to be read and your activities by a particularly observant courtier. Without further delay, you explain the conversation that you had with Yogo Yukari and the agreement that you came to. You miss a few details, namely the insults and scathing remarks that you exchanged with one another, but you do inform him of the shinobi's current activities. Though you can see nothing but his eyes, Sadayoshi seems both surprised and frustrated by your explanation and even shares a glance with Kinnosuke. The yōjimbō simply nods, confirming the truth of your words.

“I had hoped to keep Kanzaburo's pet out of this,” the seneschal murmurs, mostly to himself, “yet I suppose I should have expected that she would take matters into her own hands. What I did not expect is that the two of you would overcome your differences. The few times that I have heard her speak of you, she has not done so kindly.” With a sigh, he continues. “Yet what am I supposed to tell the Lion, should they become curious about her absence?”

“Why, tell them that the revelation of Matsu Kaneru's demise was too much for her to bear. She is an artist after all, a sensitive soul.” You can't help but smirk at the blatancy of your lie. Sensitive? You have never met a more callous bitch. “Not only does she need to recompose herself, but she needs to recompose the performances that she had planned. She had prepared all manner of bright and energetic songs for today and tomorrow, none of which fit the sombre mood of the court after recent events. Once she had collected herself, she shall rejoin us in this hall. As for myself, I left to comfort my childhood friend who I was ever so worried about and my loyal yōjimbō accompanied me, as is his purpose.”

The surprise in the effete steward's eyes only becomes more pronounced. By the end, he cannot help but shake his head in disbelief. “I find it hard to believe that she agreed to play such a part, Bayushi-san. Still, to those who do not know you or Yukari very well, I suppose that is believable.”

“Oh Yogo-sama, I did not say that she agreed to it,” you reply, even as you fight to keep yourself from sounding too smug. “When she returns, you may need to inform the artist of her alibi and her role. As she is such a talented performer, I do not believe that she will struggle to play the part.” You might have agreed to work with Yukari, but you are not above concocting petty schemes for the sole purpose of frustrating the shinobi. Is it childish? Yes, but it feels oh so good.
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“You...” Behind the komainu mask, Sadayoshi lets out the faintest groan. “By the Fortunes, how I despise this sort of improvisation. If only everything could go according to plan for once, for just once... Very well, Bayushi-san. Go about your business, and I will see if I can make this work.”

You rise from where you were sat before the steward and bow before him, a gesture of respect that his position deserves, even if he personally does not. Once he has waved you off, you turn and make your way towards two men who you have not spoken with before. Yogo Mushanokoji and Matsu Kitahachi are currently engaging in conversation, although as you approach, it sounds more like an interrogation, with the latter doing most of the talking.

“... I respect that your clan and family likely have their own religious rites, Yogo-sama. I do. I can also accept your explanation that you require peace and solitude in order to perform these rituals of yours. In turn, all that I ask is that you allow me the courtesy of being present to witness your invocations for myself, from now on.” Both of Kitahachi's hands rest on the hand of his cane as he speaks, his eyes fixed on the veiled face of the priest. Though his words are understanding, his voice and his expression are both quite severe.

“I fear that it is not that simple,” Mushanokoji replies. The voice of the withered old shugenja is much softer when he is not orating. “Though I dare not linger on this topic in polite company, I must say that foul spirits are drawn to the departed, Matsu-san. My wards, their power is depleted with every spirit that they repel. Each morn, when I shall go to replace them, the protection that they grant shall be almost spent.”

“That is why it is so important that a samurai of the Lion is allowed to witness the rites,” the Lion interrupts, “to ensure that Matsu Kaneru has not been tainted any fashion, physical or spiritual.” Upon noticing your arrival, Kitahachi turns towards you and bows his head in a curt but respectful greeting. “Ah. Bayushi Kimiko, if I am not mistaken? It was you who suggested that this most esteemed priest might protect the remains of my master from defilement. I had hoped that my kinsman and I might be able to observe his methods for ourselves, yet we were denied that opportunity. It is known that your clan tend to be rather... guarded about their methods but this is a matter of the Lion as well, and we should not be excluded. Surely you agree, Bayushi-san?”

The old shugenja looks rather weary of this whole conversation.

>Support Mushanokoji. As a priest, his wisdom in these matters should not be questioned and Kitahachi should accept his judgement.
>Support Kitahachi. This is bigger than just the Scorpion and besides, you need to keep the Lion happy right now.
>Remain neutral, and allow the two old samurai to reach to a decision without you taking either side.
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I'm a bit conflicted. On one hand it is probably desireable for Kitahachi to have trust in the person we entrust to keep Kaneru's body untainted as well as his abilities. On the other hand I'm half convinced he just wants to be allowed to attend these rites so he can somehow interfere with them and then later claim that they are insufficient so as to either make it so that he can take over or send Kaneru's body back to lion lands for cremation because there is something about the body to hide. Either that or he wants to observe Mushanokoji's Shugenja abilities.

I wonder what Kitahachi can actually do if we support Mushanokoji. Like, unless he can somehow raise enough of a fuss that later down the line it leads to a valid reason to go to war then no amount of complaining or shit-talking our court to his fellow lion's back home is really our concern, we only really care about giving them a reason to attack us.

Any other anons want to weigh in?
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>>4646999
>Support Kitahachi. This is bigger than just the Scorpion and besides, you need to keep the Lion happy right now.

Not only would this keep the Lion happy, but this will allow us an excuse to examine the body as well. Sure the Lions won't be able to object to our presence if we allowed them to bare witness to the warding, and we would be able to observe them further, see there reactions to their dead lord and if they try anything.... suspicious.

Make sure we praise Mushanokoji abilities and wisdom as well.

>>4647049
If we support Mushanokoji, Kitahachi be disgruntled, and be even more suspicious, and the Lions will have even more reason to doubt the Scorpion clan and our testimony when the Magistrate comes. Letting them witness will help alleviate their concerns, and may help in getting them to trust us. Plus, we can talk with Mushanokoji about the body, see if he can sense anything unusual about her death or the spirits drawn to Kaneru.
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>>4646999
>A lion should in deed observe. Perhaps her former yojimbo? I trust he would show proper respect for the ceremony and be as circumspect and out of the way as possible.
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>>4647049
I suspect a trick or trap as well, so I’m suggesting the yojimbo go. Under pretense that it is his responsibility.
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>>4646999
>Support Kitahachi. This is bigger than just the Scorpion and besides, you need to keep the Lion happy right now.

If this causes complication down the road I'm sure we'll be given options to deal with it.

>>4647075
Why would it give us an excuse to examine the body? Note when I say examine I don't mean look at from a distance across the room while our priest puts up wards. I assume by examine you mean actually look at in detail, perhaps even with light touching, which of course Kitahachi will object to. If we want to examine the body I suggest we just talk to Mushanokoji or Shunmyo to get access to the room when the Lion's aren't around and then use our medicine skill to examine it. A cursory long distance visual examination is almost certainly worthless unless there is some super obvious detail that can be seen even under those circumstances, in which case Yukari can probably tell us such details anyways. Still, your point about being able to observe them further makes sense.

>>4647076
I'd rather it be Kitahachi actually, rather than Shoraku. Shoraku can be rather loud and disruptive, furthermore he finds Scorpion traditions rather unsettling, if our religious rites differ at all from their's he may make a loud fuss, and Mushanokoji says he requires "peace and solitude" in order for the ritual to be performed.
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>>4647106
>light touching
A dead body!?! Are you mad?
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Actually, hang on...why does a lion have to be present during the rites to observe that Kaneru's that body hasn't been tainted, Shunmyo already promised that they could visit the room at any time so why do they have to be present during the rites?
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>>4647113
Maybe a little, it must be because we were just in the presence of Yukari.
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>>4647119
Ah, say no more. That explains everything.
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>>4647116
Maybe ask this first Before siding?
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>>4647258
Sure we could ask Kitahachi this before siding with anyone. After all Kitahachi is...I dunno the right word or way to phrase this...hinging the importance of them being there to witness the rites on being able to see that Kaneru has not been "tainted in any fashion, physical or spiritual" despite Shunmyo already saying they could enter the room and see her anytime. Shunmyo said this earlier the night she was killed.
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>>4647258
>>4647357
Sure, let's test the wits of this old Lion, see if we can catch him in a falsehood.
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>>4646999
>Support Mushanokoji. As a priest, his wisdom in these matters should not be questioned and Kitahachi should accept his judgement.
We learned in day one never to get in the way of a scorpion scheme, when we got scolded for preventing Atsushi's poisoning during our gempukku. Let's not contradict senior members of our clan.
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>>4647476
Yeah, but in what way is this a scorpion "scheme"? How are we getting in the way of it? It is our job to keep control of court and I don't see any "scheme" of Mushanokoji's. Also we were praised for stopping Atsushi's poisoning not scolded, our sensei just said that if the context were different and it were for real instead of being our gempukku that we should allow scorpion plots and schemes and other dastardly deeds to go unimpeded, but this is less clear cut since it doesn't seem like Mushanokoji has any sort of "active" scheme or anything more like he is passively reacting to Kitahachi. Basically he just seems to be trying to keep his job easy and without additional difficulties by making it so he has peace and quiet while he performs his work.

Our sensei and many of our superiors have given many great tips of advice but in this context the one you mentioned doesn't seem to apply, or at least I can't see it. It seems like our sensei's advice to "seek advantage" and to "not be an appeaser" applies more here, we just have to figure out which choice benefits us more.
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>4646999
>Remain neutral, and allow the two old samurai to reach to a decision without you taking either side.
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>>4646999
>>Support Kitahachi. This is bigger than just the Scorpion and besides, you need to keep the Lion happy right now.
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>>4647116
Ask this first, and then
>>4646999
>Support Kitahachi. This is bigger than just the Scorpion and besides, you need to keep the Lion happy right now.
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“Forgive my curiosity Matsu-san, but you are able to inspect Kaneru's quarters at any other time. That is the privilege that Bayushi Shunmyo has granted you, is it not? So why do you wish to watch the honoured priest perform his duty, when you could visit the room at any other time?”

“For the very reason that you stated, Bayushi-san. The esteemed gunsō said that we would be allowed inside whenever we wished, so that we might ensure that the remains of Matsu Kaneru have been treated with the respect and veneration that they deserve.” Despite his stern demeanour, Kitahachi speaks in a calm and grounded fashion. He takes no issue with your line of questioning, that much is obvious. “So when the priest denied us entry while he performed his rites, Shoraku and I were naturally perturbed by this contradiction of the gunsō's promise. We simply wish to ensure that these rituals do not go against the traditions that our clan affords to its dead – Kaneru was a Lion after all and she deserves to be treated as such, in life and in death.”

“If I might explain,” Mushanokoji says, barely withholding a sigh, “once the strength of my wards has waned, there is the chance of a malign spirit forcing its way past them. If it does, then I shall have to expel the spirit but for as long as it is present, there is a chance that it might influence the unwary. I have no desire to risk the immortal souls of my lord's guests, so I ask that you refrain from entering that place until I am certain of its cleanliness.”

It is a valid concern, but you are more concerned with keeping the Lion happy. “While I understand your concerns Yogo-sama, surely 'unwary' is not the best word to describe the daimyō's guests? Now that Matsu Kitahachi is aware of the danger, he now knows to steel himself and surely no spirit will be able tarnish his soul. What hope would it have against the ferocity of the Lion?” Your pandering earn a grim smile from the courtier, while the priest's fatigue seems to grow with every word that you utter. “If my word is not enough, perhaps I should speak with the acting seneschal regarding this matter.”

“That will not be necessary,” the shugenja replies. “Very well, Matsu-san. My warning shall have to suffice, for I shall limit your scrutiny no longer. If there is nothing else that you wish to discuss, I have other matters that I must attend to and preparations to make.” Mushanokoji lowers his head and in return, you and Kitahachi both bow deeply before him. You feel no shame when you humble yourself before the man – a priest of his age is worthy of reverence, after all. Once he has departed, you turn your attention towards the Lion.
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“'Matters that I must attend to?'” The old courtier's smile grows warmer, expressing his humour. “Truly, your clan has made an art out of obfuscation, Bayushi-san. It is something that I have always admired.” Though such words could be interpreted as a backhanded compliment, you decide to take them at face value instead.

“You are too kind, Matsu-san. If I might repay your praise, the virtues of the Lion are plentiful – your devotion to Bushidō is second only to the Emperor's. Not only that, but stories of your courage and skill in battle are truly legendary. There is no clan in all of Rokugan that the Scorpion would rather have as a steadfast ally.” By this point, you have chipped away at Kitahachi's stony façade.

“Though I must thank you for your admiration, I fear that Matsu Kaneru's demise has ruined any hope for an alliance. Though I do not place any blame on the Scorpion, I fear that my lord might come to a different conclusion. Her sister died in the hospitality of Yogo Kanzaburo, after all.” After a moment's pause, the old Lion shakes his head. “Forgive me, it is far too easy for me to dwell on everything that happened last night. I shall do my best to move on, and clear my mind of these concerns. Was there anything that you wished to discuss, Bayushi-san?”

>Now seems like a good time to honour the memory of Matsu Kaneru. Can he tell you what she was like, the sort of woman that she was? You never spoke with her at great length, so you would like to hear more about her from the man who served her.
>Unfortunately, last night is exactly what you wanted to speak about. You want to know everything that the Lion delegation did, if he saw anything unusual, if there is anyone that he suspects of harbouring a grudge against Matsu Kaneru or his clan.
>Question him about the heimin who serves his clan, who was sent out to fetch liquor from a local sake den yesterday. If Kaneru was the soul of the Lion contingent and Shoraku is the body, then you believe that Kitahachi serves as the mind.
>Get on his good side. This is the perfect time for a little casual conversation, so that Kitahachi is left with a positive impression of you. (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>Observe his posture while you speak with him. If he has any vulnerabilities that you could exploit, you want to discover them. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Sentiment skill of 1. You will need to keep three successes.)
>Look into his eyes. Try to read him, try to figure out if this smiling courtier is hiding some sort of inner turmoil, or if he is calm and collected. (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Sentiment skill of 1. You will need to keep three successes.)
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>>4647899
>Observe his posture while you speak with him. If he has any vulnerabilities that you could exploit, you want to discover them. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Sentiment skill of 1. You will need to keep three successes.)

>Now seems like a good time to honour the memory of Matsu Kaneru. Can he tell you what she was like, the sort of woman that she was? You never spoke with her at great length, so you would like to hear more about her from the man who served her.
>Unfortunately, last night is exactly what you wanted to speak about. You want to know everything that the Lion delegation did, if he saw anything unusual, if there is anyone that he suspects of harbouring a grudge against Matsu Kaneru or his clan.

We have to gather all the facts we can about her and the Lion delegation
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>>4647912
This
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>>4647899
>>4647912
I guess I'll support this.

I kind of forgot that we can use Air Ring + Sentiment to find emotional weaknesses as well, probably because the last time I remember doing it was to Yasotaro. I mostly focused on the analyzing physical weaknesses thing from thinking about Tokuhei and looking at our abilities from our character sheet. Gaining more insight into Kitahachi would be good.

Also, poor Fudo, anons choosing multiple options per QM post. Hope it doesn't strain you with how much you have to write Fudo.

>once the strength of my wards has waned, there is the chance of a malign spirit forcing its way past them. If it does, then I shall have to expel the spirit but for as long as it is present, there is a chance that it might influence the unwary
Yikes, I hope the advantage we gain from getting on Kitahachi's good side and the insight we glean from our conversations with him are worth this risk.

A few things to note, first the thing about the priests rituals not going against their tradition was something I was worried about, I hope they don't find a way to make a fuss about it. Second, it seems Kitahachi is indeed the cunning sneaky type if his comment about admiring the scorpion's skill at obfuscation is anything to go by. The Lies and Leadership book comes to mind. Third, it seems Mushanokoji is in fact a shugenja not merely a priest, a Yogo Wardmaster it would seem if his skill at...well, wards...is anything to go by. (Not a Yogo Preserver like I speculated, so he probably isn't the killer)
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>>4647992
>Also, poor Fudo, anons choosing multiple options per QM post. Hope it doesn't strain you with how much you have to write Fudo.
It's fine - it's a consequence of being a little too detailed when it comes to social interaction in this quest. I try to have an obviously different outcome for each choice but sometimes, I make the mistake of including lines of questioning as options. I forget that oh wait, there's no reason for players not to literally ask every question that they possibly can for maximum exposition - except for the fact that sometimes, even asking a question can have unexpected consequences.
I'll accept the multiple options approach this time, I'll just need to be more careful with the prompts that I offer in the future.
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>>4647899
>influence the unwary.

Hmmm.... interesting.

>>4647912
I'll support this as well. Hope you don't mind too much, Fudo.
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>>4647899
>Look into his eyes. Try to read him, try to figure out if this smiling courtier is hiding some sort of inner turmoil, or if he is calm and collected. (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Sentiment skill of 1. You will need to keep three successes.)
>Question him about the heimin who serves his clan, who was sent out to fetch liquor from a local sake den yesterday. If Kaneru was the soul of the Lion contingent and Shoraku is the body, then you believe that Kitahachi serves as the mind.
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>>4648092
As a side note, we should try and get on the Lion's good side later on. It certainly wouldn't hurt us in the future.
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>>4647912
Also, the

>Unfortunately, last night is exactly what you wanted to speak about. You want to know everything that the Lion delegation did, if he saw anything unusual, if there is anyone that he suspects of harbouring a grudge against Matsu Kaneru or his clan.

Should be phrased in a less interrogatory tone, as this may be impolite to inquire about this after his desire for the Emerald Magistrate became known.
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>>4647912
+1
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>>4646999
>. I respect that your clan and family likely have their own religious rites, Yogo-sama. I do. I can also accept your explanation that you require peace and solitude in order to perform these rituals of yours. In turn, all that I ask is that you allow me the courtesy of being present to witness your invocations for myself, from now on
>I respect
>I accept
>he does neither
Fuck me sideways, he's like one of us.
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>>4646999
>Support Mushanokoji. As a priest, his wisdom in these matters should not be questioned and Kitahachi should accept his judgement.
Kurassified infolmation, lion no baka.
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>>4648347
Dammit, I'm dumb.
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>>4647899
>Get on his good side. This is the perfect time for a little casual conversation, so that Kitahachi is left with a positive impression of you. (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
Kinda the point of us being in court right now.
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>>4648391
I agree with you, and I still think this vote is smart. The other anons want to prioritize the investigation for the moment though, and it may be beneficial to try and get on their good side when they're both together.
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>Going with:
>Observe his posture while you speak with him. If he has any vulnerabilities that you could exploit, you want to discover them. (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Sentiment skill of 1. You will need to keep three successes.) Also going with the lines of questioning mentioned in >>4647912.
>I require a roll of 5d6 using your Air ring of 3 and your Sentiment skill of 1. You will need to keep three successes.

>I will accept the best of the first three rolls.
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Rolled 6, 2, 4, 2, 6 = 20 (5d6)

>>4648650
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Rolled 3, 5, 1, 4, 3 = 16 (5d6)

>>4648650
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Rolled 2, 3, 6, 2, 1 = 14 (5d6)

>>4648650
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Rolled 1, 2, 1, 2, 5 = 11 (5d6)

>>4648650
>>
When we ask certain questions it may do well to frame them carefully in the future. After all we aren't technically supposed to be investgating, that is to be left to the Emerald Magistrate. The same goes double for the asking about the lion servants if that option was chosen. (Since, you know, it would obviously imply we were spying on their servants and we would be directly confronting him about it)
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>Going with >>4648658, three successes.

“Rather than mourn the loss of Matsu Kaneru, why not recall all the life that she led and everything that she had achieved, for her lord and clan? I admit that I did not have any opportunity to speak with her, or learn more about her. So if you would deign to educate me, I would like to know what sort of woman she was. Is that not a more pleasant manner of honouring her memory, Matsu-san?” You ask the question not only out of curiosity, but in order to occupy the courtier. While Kitahachi is distracted with his recollection, you'll have the perfect opportunity to watch his mannerisms, to try and understand what sort of person he is.

“What is there to say, Bayushi-san? She was fierce and proud, as any daughter of Matsu should be. Though she honoured her sister and sought to serve her, Kaneru refused to rely on the reputation and status of Hidaka. That was not her way.” He seems almost wistful as he speaks of the woman and though he smiles, his expression carries some sorrow. “Every task that was asked of her, she performed with a zeal that I have never seen elsewhere. She never allowed herself to falter or take a step back. It was not that Kaneru did not consider failure an option, Bayushi-san – she did not consider failure whatsoever. The thought of it never entered her head.” The way that he speaks of her is striking. You're almost reminded of how Kaneru herself spoke of her ancestor. Against your better judgement, you can't help but feel a little admiration for the departed Lion.

“From the sound of it, you must have served as her aide for quite some time.” It is a prompt for him to continue, so that you might continue your examination of his mannerisms, his posture, how he carries him and who he truly is behind the courtly façade.

“If only I had that honour,” he replies. “She was only granted the post of a senior dignitary a few years ago, and that was when I first met her. Though I have worked with her on a handful of occasions, I cannot claim to have been her mentor. No, I was never anything more than her obedient servant and to even serve her in that capacity was a privilege. By the Fortunes, she was a talented woman, with a voice as clear as a clarion and that could be as loud as thunder. If only you had the opportunity to hear her sing, Bayushi-san.”

“If only. The fact that I never had the chance to know her better is a regret that I shall harbour for the rest of my days, Matsu-san.” You have made a number of observations so far. Despite how he leans on a cane, Kitahachi is not a frail man. His wiry figure hides surprising strength and grace – his age would not impair him in combat, of that you are certain. That is not where his weakness lies.
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Instead, you note how his kimono is folded for the purpose of comfort rather than formality. Despite visiting a foreign court, he does not dress solely to impress. You also couldn't help but notice how he has tied his wakizashi, so that it might be drawn with ease. Most courtiers carry their blades for the purpose of ceremony, never with the intention of actually using them. He has also forgone any sort of courtly grooming, outside of the regal topknot that his hair is tied in.

All of these details are rather subtle but now that you have noticed them and put them together, you cannot help but realise that Matsu Kitahachi is dressed in a very practical fashion, with little regard for courtly customs. He strikes you as an eminently pragmatic man, who refuses to be constrained by orthodox. Peculiar, especially for a Lion.

>Matsu Kitahachi is Unconventional. You suspect that he finds blind adherence to tradition distasteful, and that he will suffer strife if he must hinder himself by following impractical customs.

“Though I must wonder... As I did not get the opportunity to speak with you or anyone else in your contingent yesterday, how did you spend your evening? I am still baffled by everything that occurred. Who could possibly despise Kaneru so much that they would go to such lengths to be rid of her? As you said, she was an incredible woman, so I cannot imagine who could hold a grudge against her.” As you speak, Kitahachi's expression changes. His smile fades and his bittersweet sorrow is replaced with guarded neutrality. All the while, he watches you closely and listens to your every word.

“I admit that I have my suspicions, though I believe that it would unwise for me to share them in such company. As was said last night, only the Emerald Magistrate shall have the authority to pass judgement. It is not our place to postulate or seek the truth for ourselves. We have no choice but to tell this agent of the Emperor's will what we have seen and what we know, and pray that he shall be able to divine the true culprit from the knowledge that he gleans from us. Yet I can tell that is not enough to satisfy you, Bayushi-san.”

“Forgive me, I am not sure what you mean.” You find yourself taken aback by that remark. Why would he possibly think that?
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“Over the years, I have learned to watch the other samurai that I attend court with rather closely. I pride myself on being able to separate the rising stars from those who are satisfied with mediocrity. You certainly do not fall into the latter group, Bayushi-san. The way that you hold yourself, the way that you speak with others... I daresay that you were destined to do great things, much like Kaneru. When she set her mind on something, that woman was capable of anything, and I am sure that same is true for you.”

“I... Thank you, Matsu-san. I do not know what I have done to deserve such kind words, yet I appreciate them nonetheless.” What are you supposed to say to this?

“That is not all,” Kitahachi continues. “The difference between you is that Matsu Kaneru was born to greatness, but you... You introduce yourself as the simple assistant of a magistrate. I cannot help but wonder, why do you accept such a lowly position in your clan? You were meant for far more than the simple shepherding of heimin, Bayushi-san. I will answer your questions, if you can answer mine – why do you allow yourself to live like a servant?”

>You gain a point of strife. Your strife is currently at 3 / 8.

You are not a servant, and you cannot help but feel indignant that this man even dared to call you one. Yet that was clearly his intention – you are not dealing with a nobody from the City of Lies or an insignificant emissary from the Crane, but a seasoned courtier with decades of experience. Tread carefully.

>Go. Leave. Kitahachi might be acting more like a Scorpion than a Lion, but he's just trying to fool you into saying something foolish and incriminating. Do not fall for it it.
>Tell him it is your honour to serve as the yoriki of the Chief Magistrate, even if saying such a thing humiliates you. You cannot expose your ambition. (By choosing this option, you will increase your strife to 6 / 8 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur, but you will gain a void point.)
>Admit the truth – that you are above this duty, that your supremacy is fated. Your greatness is inevitable and you will stop at nothing to seize it. Now, will he answer your questions?
>Find a way to turn his words against him. Is he claiming that there is something wrong with samurai serving their lords and masters? (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. If you succeed, you will lower your strife to 0 / 8 thanks to your love of Wordplay.)
>Think of a way of agitating Kitahachi without breaking etiquette. He's trying to rile you up and you should return the favour. (This will require a roll using your Fire ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
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>>4649290
It is tempting to go for a option with a roll because if successful it makes the option feel like a "win" for having passed the roll and won a social bout, but I'm not sure either option actually accomplishes much aside from potentially lowering our strife. One is a witty retort that makes it seem like he commited a faux pas and the other is a subtle way to agitate him, I'm not sure that really accomplishes anything we actually want. On the other hand the other options are reveal personal information about ourselves that he could use against us or take a strife hit. However these options actually answer him and what we want is his speculations about the killer and where he was the previous evening, and answer for an answer rather than traded barbs. I'm gonna go for the strife hit and hope he doesn't see through it and chooses to answer us. He's too smart and suspect in this case for me to trust him with the impassioned honest answer and I don't want him to bring up our motivations to someone else at a bad time or use his confirmed knowledge of our psyche to his advantage.

>Tell him it is your honour to serve as the yoriki of the Chief Magistrate, even if saying such a thing humiliates you. You cannot expose your ambition. (By choosing this option, you will increase your strife to 6 / 8 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur, but you will gain a void point.)

Plus this way we get the void point the other anons wanted back when we were talking to Sadayoshi
>>
>Yet I can tell that is not enough to satisfy you, Bayushi-san.”

>“Forgive me, I am not sure what you mean.” You find yourself taken aback by that remark. Why would he possibly think that?

Also I'm pretty sure he gleaned this insight from that one time we boasted about our accomplishments as a yoriki when we first met the Lion entourage and from the times we spoke up without waiting for Sadayoshi to speak in order to fill the void that should have been filled by Sadayoshi speaking instead of dithering like an idiot. That, and the fact that Sadayoshi summoning us the night of the murder probably made us seem important in addition to us being the one to offer a suggestion on how to deal with Kaneru's body. As far as I can remember we haven't really spoken to them any other times aside from when we fetched them the previous morning. I doubt he could glean such insight into us just from our current conversation unless he's a mindreader or already had prior knowledge of us somehow.

I'm also convinced that if there is any truth to the idea that the lion are here to seek a casus belli that it is possibly solely orchestrated by Kitahachi with the servants as his agents. Though who knows, maybe Shoraku is a master actor and is faking his every moment of outrage and distress at our foreign customs, maybe Kaneru wasn't really surprised that Kanzaburo wasn't here and her annoyance at Kitahachi was feigned as well, I doubt it though.

If they (or just him) were really here in bad faith that is, and not just cursed with bad timing with arriving after our lord had left. (a faint possibility I considered, it would be funny if Orinosuke was just paranoid and they were really here for trade talks) I still think that they are behind the murder though, but who knows, maybe the mahō-tsukai will burst from the ground and the ninja will literally crawl out from under the woodwork and reveal it was them all along!
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>>4649290
>Tell him it is your honour to serve as the yoriki of the Chief Magistrate, even if saying such a thing humiliates you. You cannot expose your ambition. (By choosing this option, you will increase your strife to 6 / 8 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur, but you will gain a void point.)

Duty is our clan's creed, after all.

I think he would appreciate a bit of friendly wordplay though, being the unconventional brains of the Lion.
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>>4649290
>>Find a way to turn his words against him. Is he claiming that there is something wrong with samurai serving their lords and masters? (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. If you succeed, you will lower your strife to 0 / 8 thanks to your love of Wordplay.)
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>>4649290
>Because Kitahachi san, Duty is the tenet of Bushido that is upheld strongest amongst the Scorpion. I may not find myself happy with my situation, but that just means i must work harder to overcome it, and prove to all that i can do more.
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>>4649441
I really like this answer. Good job anon!
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>>4649290
>>Think of a way of agitating Kitahachi without breaking etiquette. He's trying to rile you up and you should return the favour. (This will require a roll using your Fire ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
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>>4649441
Yeah, this is a nice write-in.
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>>4649290
>>Find a way to turn his words against him. Is he claiming that there is something wrong with samurai serving their lords and masters? (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. If you succeed, you will lower your strife to 0 / 8 thanks to your love of Wordplay.)
>>
>>4649290

>>Find a way to turn his words against him. Is he claiming that there is something wrong with samurai serving their lords and masters? (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. If you succeed, you will lower your strife to 0 / 8 thanks to your love of Wordplay.)
>>
>>4649290
>Find a way to turn his words against him. Is he claiming that there is something wrong with samurai serving their lords and masters? (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes. If you succeed, you will lower your strife to 0 / 8 thanks to your love of Wordplay.)
>>
>>4649441
This.
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>>4649441
the only problem with this is that one does not call people by their first name
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>Right now, there seems to be a tie, if I count >>4649441, >>4649446, >>4649487 and >>4649680 as being in favor of the write-in and >>4649425, >>4649495, >>4649661 and >>4649669 being in favor of the Wordplay prompt.
>>4650136
>Except for that one objection, should I take it that you support the write-in?
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>>4650235
yeah
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>>4650277
>In which case, I shall go with the write-in and prepare the next post in a few hours.
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>>4650281
Something came up fudo?
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“Though all of the clans are devoted to Bushidō, the fervour of the Lion is unmatched. For that reason, I have no doubt that you understand the importance of Chūgi – of duty, of loyalty. Though I strive for perfection, I cannot claim to be above temptation. Yet any desires that I harbour come second to my service to my master, my lord and my Emperor. In due time, I shall have the chance to prove myself but until then, like all samurai, I serve.”

You say these words as clearly and as confidently as you can, in an effort to regain your balance after Kitahachi's onslaught. Certainly, they have an impact as the Lion lingers in silence, watching you thoughtfully all the while. At long last, the old courtier nods.

“You speak the truth, Bayushi-san. Our place in this world is to serve with pride and dignity. It is the purpose that is etched into our very souls, is it not? Should men abandon their dharma, the Celestial Order shall come crashing down, along with Heaven itself.” Kitahachi pushes a serene smile to his lips as he says this. “We cannot allow such a thing to happen. So I am glad that you understand the importance of your duty, even if it might seem trivial and beneath you at times. It is good that you know your place, Bayushi-san.”

>You gain a point of strife. Your strife is currently at 4 / 8.

You're not sure if it is his intention, but his words strike you like a stab in your gut. He speaks of 'your place,' as if serving as Orinosuke's yoriki is all that you are destined for. The elderly Lion has gone from praising your ambition to admiring your obedience, nearly contradicting himself in the process... Yet you suppose that the two traits do not necessarily need to oppose each other, now that you consider what he said about Matsu Kaneru. Not only did she serve her sister with pride, but she excelled and was recognised for her talent as a result. Is this the lesson that Kitahachi is trying to teach you, that a samurai's aspirations do not have to clash with their duty to their lord?

“I suppose that I owe you an answer however,” he continues. “What did we do yesterday, the three of us? For most of the day, we enjoyed the entertainment and company that this estate has to offer. I found myself evenly matched in a game of Go with the gunsō, though he eventually seized victory with his aggressive strategy. It almost felt as though he had something to prove, or a statement to make.” He makes a thoughtful noise as he considers the possibility, only to shake his head and move on.
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“Ah, then there is Shosuro Jojuri. She tried to influence my master and I with honeyed words several times throughout the day, though she found little success. We came to Beiden to speak with its lord after all, not an envoy of Ryokō Owari. Unfortunately, I think she might have taken this rejection personally, as I noticed that she had disappeared in the afternoon. I wonder, is it possible that she might have...” He shakes his head once again. “Forgive me – I should not entertain such errants thoughts.”

“Now that I think about it, I should speak of your good friend, Kakita Akirako. She spoke with Kaneru at length and though I did not witness the conversation for myself, I heard that she left quite an impression. My master was amused by the wit of the Crane, but less so by her wisdom. In the end, she found Akirako to be a charming songbird, like so many others of her clan – delicate and inoffensive.” Though neither of those words are necessarily negative, you can't help but feel that they are rather damning, when spoken by the Lion.

“Finally, before we retired to our quarters, we spoke to Yogo Sadayoshi, your seneschal, to thank him for all of the hospitality that he had granted us yesterday. Once again, Kaneru inquired about when he expected his lord to return and this time, the steward admitted that it will apparently be some time before Yogo Kanzaburo arrives – perhaps as long as a fortnight. My master was not particularly impressed but as it was established that Sadayoshi speaks with the daimyō's authority while he is absent, she decided against returning to Shiro Matsu. I wonder, if she had made a different decision, would she still live? I suppose that only the Fortunes know the answer to that.”

“Once we had retired, we spent the rest of the evening speaking among ourselves over a flask of sake, about our achievements and impressions that day. I departed not long after the sun fell and left Kaneru in the protection of her yōjimbō.” He paused. “Hopefully this is enough to satisfy you, Bayushi-san. I have told you everything that I shall tell the Emerald Magistrate.”

“Thank you for your sincerity, Matsu-san.” You bow your head before your elder. You didn't expect him to go into such detail, but you suppose that he was true to his word – you answered his question, so he had to answer yours.
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Before your conversation can continue any further, you are interrupted by an announcement from the steward himself, who calls for the attention of everyone in attendance. Once all eyes are on him, he calls for court to reconvene in the garden once more. A monk belonging to the Brotherhood of Shinsei has been summoned to speak before the court, to honour the passing of Matsu Kaneru and to provide an opportunity for reflection and the contemplation of life and death.

“Forgive me, sometimes my penchant for conversation gets the better of me. I have occupied enough of your time, Bayushi-san.” The old Lion bows his head for you, returning the respect that you gave him before he walks off with the aid of his cane, making his way over to Shoraku.

“I cannot say that I am fond of that man,” a voice at your side mutters. It is Kinnosuke, who has finally deigned to speak. You suppose that he's just playing the part of the yōjimbō and keeping his mouth shut, until he is either spoken to or has a moment alone with you. “Reminds me too much of the Chief. The difference is that Yogo Orinosuke is our master, and that Lion is not.”

>Agree with Kinnosuke. You have no fondness for men who try to manipulate you. Admit that you have a strong distaste for the old Lion, that you suspect his involvement in Kaneru's death and that you will be watching him closely.
>You do not dislike Kitahachi, but you are very wary of him. He is a crafty old fiend and you don't fully understand him. For that reason, you should keep an eye on him, even if you don't think he's involved in the murder.
>You have no strong feelings about the man. He is just another samurai and at this point, you suspect that he is irrelevant to the investigation. It would be prudent for the two of you to focus your attention elsewhere.
>After that conversation, you can't help but admire and look up to him. He's a rare combination of honourable and clever that you haven't encountered before, and you look forward to speaking with him again.
>You should avoid sharing your opinion with Shosuro Kinnosuke. In the end, he is just here to pose as your guard and keep an eye on you. He has no right to know your thoughts regarding Matsu Kitahachi.

In addition, do you wish to join the rest of the court and listen to what this monk has to say, or are you going to take the time to scurry off and do a little investigation?

>See what the Shinseist has to say. At the very least, you'll keep Sadayoshi happy.
>You have more important things to attend to elsewhere. Time to investigate.
>>
>>4652245
>You do not dislike Kitahachi, but you are very wary of him. He is a crafty old fiend and you don't fully understand him. For that reason, you should keep an eye on him, even if you don't think he's involved in the murder.

>See what the Shinseist has to say. At the very least, you'll keep Sadayoshi happy.
>>
>>4652243
>And of course I post the wrong Ikoma picture. At least it's still a fun story.
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>>4652245
>After that conversation, you can't help but admire and look up to him. He's a rare combination of honourable and clever that you haven't encountered before, and you look forward to speaking with him again.
>You have more important things to attend to elsewhere. Time to investigate.
>>
>>4652245
>>You do not dislike Kitahachi, but you are very wary of him. He is a crafty old fiend and you don't fully understand him. For that reason, you should keep an eye on him, even if you don't think he's involved in the murder.
>See what the Shinseist has to say. At the very least, you'll keep Sadayoshi happy.
>>
>>4652245
>You do not dislike Kitahachi, but you are very wary of him. He is a crafty old fiend and you don't fully understand him. For that reason, you should keep an eye on him, even if you don't think he's involved in the murder.
>See what the Shinseist has to say. At the very least, you'll keep Sadayoshi happy.

I do admire the man, and I think if he does have a part in this, it's minimal. We shouldn't rule him out, regardless of his admiration of the slain.

The sake is interesting though, and if the Lion delegation drank some before bed, we might have an idea why Kaneru and her yōjimbō were deeply alseep last night. It speaks of someone in the Lion delegation being suspect to Kaneru death, assuming the sale was tampered with.
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>>4652245
>You should avoid sharing your opinion with Shosuro Kinnosuke. In the end, he is just here to pose as your guard and keep an eye on you. He has no right to know your thoughts regarding Matsu Kitahachi.

>You have more important things to attend to elsewhere. Time to investigate.
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>>4652245
>You do not dislike Kitahachi, but you are very wary of him. He is a crafty old fiend and you don't fully understand him. For that reason, you should keep an eye on him, even if you don't think he's involved in the murder.
>You have more important things to attend to elsewhere. Time to investigate.
>>
>>4652245
>You do not dislike Kitahachi, but you are very wary of him. He is a crafty old fiend and you don't fully understand him. For that reason, you should keep an eye on him, even if you don't think he's involved in the murder.

>See what the Shinseist has to say. At the very least, you'll keep Sadayoshi happy.

I also admire the man, though I admit I'm more suspect of him than I feel most anons are. I feel like I'm biased this way because I'm trying to connect the murder with some vague idea of the Lion somehow using this or future events as way to get a casus belli, that and the lion servant leaving to get the sake when everything they need should be in the estate. However, at the moment all that is a stretch, the murder and the lion's speculated reason to be here doesn't necessarily have anything to do with each other and we don't really have enough evidence to really suspect anyone over anyone else.

I'm a tad conflicted on the second choice. More time to investigate is always good, however the fact that all the courtiers are gathering would make our absence conspicuous, not to mention it would be disrespectful to not be present when respects are being paid to the departed Matsu Kaneru. Plus Yukari is already investigating, we should avoid too many Scorpion absences and play our part. Yukari will probably be made to play her part as a musician by a fussy Sadayoshi at some point, at which point we can take our turn to investigate. The big issue of Yukari and us not sharing information seems to be taken care of, so that makes the issue of spliting our time between court and investigating much easier.
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>>4652245
>You do not dislike Kitahachi, but you are very wary of him. He is a crafty old fiend and you don't fully understand him. For that reason, you should keep an eye on him, even if you don't think he's involved in the murder.

>See what the Shinseist has to say. At the very least, you'll keep Sadayoshi happy.
>>
>>4652245
>You do not dislike Kitahachi, but you are very wary of him. He is a crafty old fiend and you don't fully understand him. For that reason, you should keep an eye on him, even if you don't think he's involved in the murder.

>See what the Shinseist has to say. At the very least, you'll keep Sadayoshi happy.

Disappearing from court two days in row, especially from something would either be seen as an insult to Kaneru/the stewart or make us look very suspicous
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>>4652245
>You do not dislike Kitahachi, but you are very wary of him. He is a crafty old fiend and you don't fully understand him. For that reason, you should keep an eye on him, even if you don't think he's involved in the murder.
>>
>>4652245
>You should avoid sharing your opinion with Shosuro Kinnosuke. In the end, he is just here to pose as your guard and keep an eye on you. He has no right to know your thoughts regarding Matsu Kitahachi.
>See what the Shinseist has to say. At the very least, you'll keep Sadayoshi happy.
>>
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“You might have a point, Shosuro-san. Though I cannot say that I feel strongly about Kitahachi, I cannot say that I trust him either. I plan to watch him closely and I ask that you do the same. Perhaps you might see something that I do not.”

“There is one thing that I did notice,” Kinnosuke replies. “While the two of you spoke, I kept an eye on the man. No matter what you discussed, he remained calm and collected. Nothing seemed to phase him or frustrate him, except for one thing that you said – when you told him about what duty and loyalty mean to you, I think you struck a nerve. I cannot say what he truly felt but he was hiding something behind that smile of his, I am sure of it.”

“That is food for thought, I suppose. Though I am surprised that you were able to see behind a courtier's mask, if only for a moment.”

“I have spent years interrogating merchants and craftsmen, Bayushi-san. Oh, they all think of themselves as talented liars and some of them even are. That is why it is important to pay less attention to what they are saying and instead focus on what they want and what they feel.” A wry chuckle comes from behind your bodguard's menpō. “I might not have your way with words, but I still have my uses.”

You might need to confer with Kinnosuke more often, if he has those sorts of insights to offer you. With that in mind, you turn and depart from the hall with all of the other samurai and make your way through the castle's twisting corridors. Before too long you find yourselves in the serenity of the garden once more, where you are led towards the delicate bridge that straddles the estate's artificial stream. A man stands before the structure, clad in an orange robe devoid of any embroidery or symbolism. His attire, his lack of hair and his swarthy skin, weathered by years of exposure to the elements, all identify him as a monk, someone outside of the Celestial Order.

Yet despite this, he is allowed to speak while the rest of you remain silent. Such is the respect that is afforded to the Brotherhood of Shinsei and those who walk its path. The monk introduces himself as Nobuhiko and offers his condolences and his profound regret regarding the passing of Matsu Kaneru. Out of the corner of your eye, you can see Kitahachi and Shoraku standing side by side, bowing their heads as the Shinseist speaks of their master. Perhaps that is why the monk was called here – to grant the Lion some sort of catharsis.

Death is not the end however, at least according to Nobuhiko. He explains how she will be judged by Emma-Ō, the Fortune of Death and how her karma shall determine the realm in which she shall spend her afterlife – almost certainly Yomi, the Realm of Blessed Ancestors. There, she shall want for nothing and enjoy the company of the finest samurai Rokugan has ever known.
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Yet she will not remain in Yomi forever – according to the Tao of Shinsei, every afterlife is nothing more than a chrysalis that prepares the soul for its next reincarnation. Matsu Kaneru shall inevitably return to Ningen-dō and though she will not recall the details of her past life, values such as honour and nobility are not so easily forgotten. In that life, she shall serve the Emperor once again with pride and zeal. This shall repeat with every reincarnation, until the day when she finally grasps the meaning behind the cycle and escapes from it entirely, having found enlightenment.

For this reason, Kaneru's passing should not be mourned. Instead, it should be considered a chance to reflect on the impermanence of life and death. Everything is ephemeral and true meaning can only be found through enlightenment, through liberating oneself from the cycle and though the manner in which the Lion died was tragic, she is a step closer to freeing herself from the Wheel.

Nobuhiko continues like this for quite some time, though you doubt that everyone in the audience agrees with the man. Though Rokugan ostensibly only has one religion, it was once two – Fortunism and Shinseism. In many ways, they still remain two, for you will never find a priest who offers the Tao and the Fortunes equal reverence. Thankfully, such holy men are not prone to conflict and tend to settle their differences through vigorous debate rather than warfare.

After almost an hour of this, Nobuhiko's address comes to an end. Some samurai make their way over to him to thank him for his words, while others drift off to handle other affairs. You are about to do the same when you find a shadow looming over you. It is none other than Matsu Shoraku, who wears a stony frown in an effort to hide his inner turmoil – and not very successfully.

“Bayushi-san.” He offers a brief bow, formal yet curt. While you return the gesture, Shoraku seems to hesitate, as though he is struggling to find his words. Eventually he gestures towards the bridge where Nobuhiko still stands, embroiled in conversation with Sadayoshi and Kitahachi. “What do you think of all this?”

>You admire the teachings of Shinsei. There is wisdom in the Tao and you can only pray that one day, in this life or another, you will understand it enough that you will be able to achieve enlightenment.
>Though you respect the Tao as much as you praise the Fortunes, you cannot claim to be very religious. You are a samurai first and foremost and you leave matters of faith to those who are more learned.
>To tell the truth, you don't place much stock in the Tao. Life and death are meaningful, they are more than stages in an endless cycle. There must be more to the world than this vague concept of enlightenment.
>Figure out what he wants to hear and pander to him. (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>>
>>4653278
>Though you respect the Tao as much as you praise the Fortunes, you cannot claim to be very religious. You are a samurai first and foremost and you leave matters of faith to those who are more learned.
>>
>>4653278
>Figure out what he wants to hear and pander to him. (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>>
>>4653278

>>Figure out what he wants to hear and pander to him. (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>>
>>4653278
>You admire the teachings of Shinsei. There is wisdom in the Tao and you can only pray that one day, in this life or another, you will understand it enough that you will be able to achieve enlightenment.

Though I am curious as to his opinion on the matter.
>>
>>4653278
>Figure out what he wants to hear and pander to him. (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)

That feeling when your mouthy yojimbo has a higher sentiment skill than you in addition to higher Earth and Water rings.

Hopefully Shoraku's sentiment skill isn't as high as Kinnosuke's.

Our sensei did say to always seek to find advantage in every situation. May as well do this rather than be honest. If we fail he just thinks what he probably already thought, that we are a 'viper'.
>>
According to our character creation we tend not to be very thankful of our blessing by the Fortune Jurōjin. I assumed we weren't super religious in general. However it is worth noting we offered a prayer upon learning of Kaneru's death and there was some measure of sincerity in that. Perhaps Shoraku is testing to see if our beliefs are consistent with that, or perhaps he is simply looking for confirmation that Kaneru did indeed go to a better place, though why'd he'd be looking for that in conversation with us I can't say.
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>>4653278
>>To tell the truth, you don't place much stock in the Tao. Life and death are meaningful, they are more than stages in an endless cycle. There must be more to the world than this vague concept of enlightenment.
I don't see Kimiko as being very Zen, but Scorpion culture is canonically superstitious af.
>>
>Going with:
>Figure out what he wants to hear and pander to him. (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>I require a roll of 6d6 using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.

>I will accept the best of the first three rolls.
>>
Rolled 3, 2, 4, 3, 2, 3 = 17 (6d6)

>>4654010
>>
Rolled 2, 4, 5, 2, 1, 2 = 16 (6d6)

>>4654010
>>
Rolled 6, 6, 5, 5, 5, 2 = 29 (6d6)

>>4654010
>>
>>4654028
>Third post coming in with the fucking save. That's four successes right there.
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>>4654028
Based third roller. A staple of this quest.

>>4653989
To be fair, our character creation says we are an unorthodox scorpion.
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>Going with >>4654028, four successes.

Figuring out what Shoraku might think of the Tao isn't so difficult. You recall what Akirako was told by Kaneru – how 'every samurai should pray for a glorious death.' While the Lion do not fear the prospect of dying, it is a lust for recognition that drives them rather than the musings of Shinsei. Not only that, but you consider how the Matsu woman spoke of her ancestors. All samurai revere those who came before her, but she seemed to speak of her forebears with a greater zeal than most. Would she have approved of the thought of her magnificent predecessors being shuffled out of Yomi, to be born again and have their honour tested once more? Somehow, you doubt it.

“I think that we should respect the dead, rather than disparage them.” You speak with confidence – the Lion favour strength rather than guile. “On the day of my gempuku, I swore to honour the name of Bayushi Hiyumi, daughter of the Otomo and bearer of the blood of Hantei. This monk would have me think that she does not rest in Yomi, but has lived and died again and again. I refuse to believe that. My predecessor dwells in the Realm of Blessed Ancestors, as does Matsu Kaneru, and there they shall remain forever more.”

Matsu Shoraku actually smiles. Since the moment that you first laid eyes on him, he has only worn a scowl or a frown on his face. For a brief moment, the manufactured passion in your words has made him forget the shame of his failure.

“Those are the wisest words that I have heard since I arrived here, Bayushi-san. I am certain that there is some truth in the Tao. Likewise, I understand that Nobuhiko was called here to honour the passing of my master.” The smile slips off of his face. “Despite that, I find your words far more comforting than anything that he had to say. For that reason and more, I must apologise to you.”

“What have I done to earn an apology from you, Matsu-san?” You are genuinely surprised when the Lion bows again, this time more deeply and sincerely.

“Since I first set foot in your lands, I have been wary and aloof. Despite the hospitality your clan offered us, I refused to show any sort of respect. When... When I failed to protect my master, I sought to deny my failure by imposing it on the Scorpion. I spoke unkindly of you when I had no right to, questioned your motives when you sought a compromise. Despite everything that I said, you still show solidarity, you still deign to reveal your face – or as much of it as your traditions allow. Not only that, but you honour my master with your words. You have put me to shame, Bayushi-san. I can only hope that I shall be able to make amends for my misdeeds.”
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Honestly, this was the last thing that you expected to hear from Shoraku. It seems as though your choice of clothes and words have earned you this man's gratitude. “You are forgiven,” you reply once you have collected yourself. Shoraku straightens himself and any trace of that smile is long gone. All of the regret and shame that he feels has returned. Yet now that he has said his piece, what is left for you to discuss?

>Excuse yourself. There is nothing to be learned from this Lion – all brawn, no brain. Your time would be better spent elsewhere.
>Focus on the past. You want to know what sort of life he led up until now, and how he ended up as the yōjimbō for his lord's sister.
>Focus on the present. He was at Matsu Kaneru's side until the moment of her death, he could know something that Kitahachi doesn't.
>Focus on the future. How does he think the Matsu daimyō will take this news? What fate awaits him back at Shiro Matsu?

Also, while there is a chance that Shoraku's guilt could all be a ruse, you doubt that this giant of a samurai is much of a deceiver. Nonetheless, this is the perfect opportunity for you to try and get a read on him.

>You trust him. After this encounter, you don't think that this Lion poses any threat to you. There is no need for you to try to read him or gain any insight into him – he is not a threat to you.
>You are going to seize every advantage that you can get. Does he have any weaknesses that you can exploit? (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Sentiment skill of 1. You will need to >keep two successes.)
>Every word is spoken for a reason. What are Shoraku's intentions, what is the purpose behind his apology? (This will require a roll using your Void ring of 2 and your Sentiment skill of 1. You will need to keep two successes.)
>You are more interested in the Lion's hunger. What is it that he longs for, what is his heart's desire? (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Sentiment skill of 1. You will need to keep two successes.)
>>
>>4654190
>Focus on the past. You want to know what sort of life he led up until now, and how he ended up as the yōjimbō for his lord's sister.

>Every word is spoken for a reason. What are Shoraku's intentions, what is the purpose behind his apology? (This will require a roll using your Void ring of 2 and your Sentiment skill of 1. You will need to keep two successes.)

Lets make him sad beyond blue
>>
>>4654190
>Focus on the present. He was at Matsu Kaneru's side until the moment of her death, he could know something that Kitahachi doesn't.
>You are more interested in the Lion's hunger. What is it that he longs for, what is his heart's desire? (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Sentiment skill of 1. You will need to keep two successes.)

Honestly, a hard choice. I'd love to get his perspective on everything, even when he isn't a threat to us. In fact, he may be very useful, if we play our cards right. If we befriend him, and convince him to suspect the Crane in the coming days, will he fight for us in a duel after our testimony? I do wonder...

>>4654195
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=68ugkg9RePc
>>
>>4654190
>Excuse yourself. There is nothing to be learned from this Lion – all brawn, no brain. Your time would be better spent elsewhere.
>You trust him. After this encounter, you don't think that this Lion poses any threat to you. There is no need for you to try to read him or gain any insight into him – he is not a threat to you.
>>
>>4654190
>Focus on the past. You want to know what sort of life he led up until now, and how he ended up as the yōjimbō for his lord's sister.

It'd be nice to get some more insight into Shoraku, we haven't really gotten the full measure of everyone in court yet.

If there was some critical detail that he knew that Kitahachi didn't or if there was some lion scheme going on I doubt he'd tell us, it's up to us to figure out those details for ourselves.

>Every word is spoken for a reason. What are Shoraku's intentions, what is the purpose behind his apology? (This will require a roll using your Void ring of 2 and your Sentiment skill of 1. You will need to keep two successes.)

I'd like confirmation that he speaks genuinely, though I think he does. It'd go a long way to easing my suspicions of the lions if I knew that Shoraku wasn't some master actor acting under orders from Kitahachi.

Also, Kinnosuke is likely focusing on what he wants and what he feels, he literally said that that is what he puts his focus towards analyzing when someone is talking. So we can probably essentially get two out of three of these details if we succeed on this roll. I don't think learning his weaknesses is useful at this time, I doubt we'll come into conflict with him again for some time.
>>
>>4654258
Are you even allowed to have someone other than your yojimbo - especially that of someone from another clan - duel in your place in matters of honour and legality?
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>>4654190
>Focus on the present. He was at Matsu Kaneru's side until the moment of her death, he could know something that Kitahachi doesn't.
>Every word is spoken for a reason. What are Shoraku's intentions, what is the purpose behind his apology? (This will require a roll using your Void ring of 2 and your Sentiment skill of 1. You will need to keep two successes.)
>>
>>4654190
>>Focus on the past. You want to know what sort of life he led up until now, and how he ended up as the yōjimbō for his lord's sister.
>You are more interested in the Lion's hunger. What is it that he longs for, what is his heart's desire? (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Sentiment skill of 1. You will need to keep two successes.)
>>
>>4654281
I'm uncertain, but I believe it happens from time to time, in unusual situations. Uncommon, but not unheard of.
>>
>>4654190
>Focus on the present. He was at Matsu Kaneru's side until the moment of her death, he could know something that Kitahachi doesn't.
>Every word is spoken for a reason. What are Shoraku's intentions, what is the purpose behind his apology? (This will require a roll using your Void ring of 2 and your Sentiment skill of 1. You will need to keep two successes.)
>>
>>4654336
Okay, my L5R's knowledge ain't so hot. I own most of the fourth edition books but I've only skimmed them and I've read some of the history behind the TCG and how it influenced the metaplot as well as skimmed a few greentext storytime threads, but otherwise that is the extent of my L5R knowledge aside from what is spoken of it in the other L5R quest running right now.

I'm kind of relying on Fudo and what anons happen to mentioning passing during discussion to fill in the gaps for me.
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>>4654190
>Focus on the present. He was at Matsu Kaneru's side until the moment of her death, he could know something that Kitahachi doesn't.
Though focussing on the future may actually good as well.

>You are going to seize every advantage that you can get. Does he have any weaknesses that you can exploit? (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Sentiment skill of 1. You will need to >keep two successes.)
I think we either already have a read on him, or he is some kind of master manipulator - and given his role and clan I would wager the former. So I think now is not the time for 4d shadowrunning, but for a gamble to make him our tool.
>>
>>4654190
>Focus on the future. How does he think the Matsu daimyō will take this news? What fate awaits him back at Shiro Matsu?

>You are more interested in the Lion's hunger. What is it that he longs for, what is his heart's desire? (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Sentiment skill of 1. You will need to keep two successes.)
>>
>>4654281
>>4654336
>>4654399
>Yōjimbō rules are a little funky, like a lot of stuff in Rokugan.
>The basic rule is that you carry your full daishō (both your katana and your wakizashi) you are signalling that you are a warrior and can fight for yourself in a duel.
>If you only carry your wakizashi and you do not have your katana on your person, you are signalling that you are a courtier who can ask a champion fight on their behalf in a duel.
>Typically, only courtiers have yōjimbō. These guards are expected to duel on the behalf of their charges and protect their charges with their life.
>However, warriors can be given yōjimbō too. Typically this only happens if the warrior is of high status. In these instances, the charges are still expected to fight for themselves in duels, but the yōjimbō still protect them with their lives outside of duels.
>A courtier can technically ask for anyone to serve as their champion in a duel, though if they have a yōjimbō, it's usually expected that they will rely on them.
>Technically a courtier can ask for a samurai outside of their clan to fight on their behalf in a duel, but such a request is almost guaranteed to be turned down.
>Finally, duels require the lord of each duelist (and their charges, if they are fighting on the behalf of another) to sanction the duel, though if this is impractical, a local lord or another figure of authority such as an Emerald Magistrate can authorize the duel.

>Here's the fun part: There's precedent for all of the above rules being broken. Other warriors fighting for courtiers in the place of their yōjimbō, warriors fighting for courtiers from different clans, warriors fighting on the behalf of other warriors, you name it.
>Every rule that is broken usually requires those involved to defend themselves against accusations of dishonorable conduct and to avoid accidentally calling the honor of other samurai into question. The more rules that are broken, the more of a minefield this becomes and the more likely it is that the duel will be seen as a farce (even if it was sanctioned) and that your name will be tarnished as a result.

>As for information that is relevant to Kimiko, she has already been seen carrying around her daishō despite having a yōjimbō. Kaneru herself remarked on it. So she'd have to perform quite a few mental gymnastics to justify having a warrior from another clan fight on her behalf instead of her yōjimbō. It's possible but even if she pulls it off, it would probably been seen as one of the most scandalous duels of a generation and word of it would spread like a wildfire.
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>>4654734
Okay, thanks for this.

We should probably figure out who between Kinnosuke and us is the better duelist at some point.
>>
>>4654190
>Focus on the present. He was at Matsu Kaneru's side until the moment of her death, he could know something that Kitahachi doesn't.
Every word is spoken for a reason. What are Shoraku's intentions, what is the purpose behind his apology? (This will require a roll using your Void ring of 2 and your Sentiment skill of 1. You will need to keep two successes.)
>>
>Going with:
>Focus on the present. He was at Matsu Kaneru's side until the moment of her death, he could know something that Kitahachi doesn't.
>Every word is spoken for a reason. What are Shoraku's intentions, what is the purpose behind his apology? (This will require a roll using your Void ring of 2 and your Sentiment skill of 1. You will need to keep two successes.)
>I require a roll of 4d6 using your Void ring of 1 and your Sentiment skill of 1. You will need to keep two successes.

>I will accept the best of the first three rolls.
>>
Rolled 5, 3, 3, 1 = 12 (4d6)

>>4655148
Lets goo~
>>
Rolled 5, 4, 2, 3 = 14 (4d6)

>>4655148
>>
Rolled 1, 4, 1, 3 = 9 (4d6)

>>4655148
>>
>>4654734
In other words we should do it
>>
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>Going with >>4655194, two successes.

Shoraku does not seek to earn your favour, nor is he acting on the behalf of another. No, you sense that the reason for this apology is deeply personal – he seeks to atone, to cleanse his soul of all of the failures and misdeeds that stain it. The guilt that he feels must be beyond compare though you cannot help but wonder, is his failure to protect Matsu Kaneru the source of this shame, or does he wish to make amends for another misdeed?

Food for thought.

“Yet as much as I appreciate your apology, there is something else I wish to speak to you about. Would you be willing to speak of what happened yesterday, Matsu-san? You were by your master's side until the very end – you know of everything that she said and did. I still cannot fathom why someone would want to kill such an honourable woman. Is it possible that she might have earned the ire of another?”

For a long moment, Shoraku remains silent. Judging from the pensive expression that he wears, you expect him to turn down your request. Eventually, he speaks. “Very well, Bayushi-san. You shall know everything that I know.”

Nothing that he says seems to contradict Kitahachi's words. He speaks of the confrontation with Akirako, the spurning of Jojuri, the dialogue with Sadayoshi and a handful of conversations between the Lion samurai throughout the day. Unfortunately, he refuses to elaborate on what was discussed during these talks – it's clan business, after all. You suppose that you understand. After all, you would never tell Shoraku about all of the backdoor discussions you have had with other samurai of the Scorpion.

He is able to offer a little more detail regarding two events however – the battle of wits between Kaneru and Akirako, and what happened after Kitahachi departed and left the two of them in their quarters.

“The Crane thought that she could hide everything that she felt behind that fan of hers,” he remarks with a derisive snort. “She must have thought she was so clever, speaking of her clan's victory in Toshi Ranbo. My master soon put her in place though, by making it clear just how little she truly understands. The woman has spent so long in the luxury of castles that she has forgotten that like all samurai, she is supposed to be a warrior. I was more impressed by her yōjimbō.”

“You mean Daidoji Tokuhei?”

“So that is his name?” The towering Lion folds his arms. “We took the opportunity to size each other up while our charges spoke. He has good form and I have no doubt that he could fight just as proficiently on a battlefield as he could in a duel. I could take him though.” Shoraku speaks without a shred of doubt in his voice. You're not sure whether this is confidence or arrogance. “He might have discipline, but he lacks my strength. He is not so skilled that he could endure a Lion's assault.”
>>
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“I see. Do you believe that either of them harboured a grudge against Matsu Kaneru?”

“The yōjimbō never even blinked. He was like a statue, I have no way of knowing what he thought. As for his charge though, I believe that she had a low opinion of my master, if only because she was incapable of understanding her. Perhaps when she grows older, she might harbour a greater respect for Bushidō and the sacrifices that samurai must make. On the other hand, she is a Crane. I will not be surprised if she remains stuck in her ways, with no regard for the violence inherent in our duty as samurai.”

“I see,” you repeat. You are not sure what is worse, rejecting violence or glorifying it. You like to think that you simply accept it and occupy a more balanced approach, rather than occupy the extremes of the Lion and the Crane. “What about when Kaneru retired to her quarters?”

“After Kitahachi had left, the two of spoke for some time, yet not as long as we usually do.” Again, he refuses to mention the specific topic. “She was overcome by fatigue and felt the need to sleep. I attributed it to her pregnancy. As this is the first time I have been in a foreign court, I felt compelled to remain vigilant, yet I could not resist sleep's allure and soon fell into a slumber of my own. When I finally awoke, I went to see how my master was resting, only to... You know the rest, Bayushi-san.” His expression darkens. That must have been when he found her dead.

“I do. Forgive me for troubling you Matsu-san, and thank you for your time.” You bow your head in a gesture of thanks. You are about to take your leave, only for the Lion to suddenly continue.

“You asked Kitahachi these same questions, did you not? Before we came to this garden, he spoke to me of you. He warned me that you might be investigating this death of your own accord, even though only the Emerald Magistracy has the authority to look into this incident. The fact that you sought a testimony from me as well only confirms this, Bayushi-san.”

Damn it. You have been too forward with the Lion and they have figured you out. Yet before you can come up with a reply, Shoraku continues.

“I trust Kitahachi and I know that he is right. We should wait for Shiba Gyeongsu and allow him to determine who was guilty of this heinous crime. It is the lawful thing to do and yet, I know that he would not allow me the justice that I seek. This is why I have come to you, Bayushi-san.” He steels himself before he murmurs his next words, his eyes darting between you and Kinnosuke. “Let me aid you. I will do whatever I can to help you uncover who is responsible for my master's death. In return, all that I ask is that you allow me to avenge the murder of Matsu Kaneru and end their life, before I end my own.”
>>
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How are you supposed to reply to that?

>You have a deal. Swear to uphold this agreement – you will accept whatever aid that the Lion has to offer and in exchange, you will allow him to kill Matsu Kaneru's murderer.
>No way. You're not about to involve a samurai from outside of your clan in your investigation. He's not going to like this, but it's not like there's anything he can do about it.
>Suggest that while you will let him kill the murderer, maybe he shouldn't help you. He's not exactly subtle, after all. This will leave him indebted to you. (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>Convince him that he does not need to personally avenge Matsu Kaneru. The murderer should be punished lawfully, there is no need for vigilantism. (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.)
>What investigation? Try to make him believe that he's come to the wrong conclusion. You just want to honour Matsu Kaneru's memory or something! (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.)
>>
>>4656039
>You have a deal. Swear to uphold this agreement – you will accept whatever aid that the Lion has to offer and in exchange, you will allow him to kill Matsu Kaneru's murderer.

You honor me with your honesty, noble Lion. If it's justice you seek, I will endeavor to grant it.

Having him indebted may work as well. Either way, the sake was spiked, no doubt in my mind about it.
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>>4656039
>You have a deal. Swear to uphold this agreement – you will accept whatever aid that the Lion has to offer and in exchange, you will allow him to kill Matsu Kaneru's murderer.

He would be most useful in investigating the lion servants, but I doubt he'd be eager to hear that for whatever reason we consider the lion servants and thus the Lion worthy of doubt. We could still have him play the boar so to speak when dealing with or investigating other courtiers so as to distract them. We could also potentially have him duel Tokuhei in our place as discussed, if Shoraku's assessment is even close to true, then Tokuhei is actually a proficient duelist perhaps more so then Sadayoshi gave him credit for. I bet Shoraku is actually better overall though, remember he was chosen as the yojimbo for the sister to the daimyo of the entire Matsu clan and was apparently under the service to the daimyo herself beforehand.

I'm not married to this vote though, if someone has a compelling arguement for a different choice, I'm all ears.
>>
Also, regarding letting him kill the murderer, he could be potentially useful to kill either the true murderer or Tokuhei. (regardless if he is the real killer or just the scapegoat) Him duelling Tokuhei I've already discussed, but he could be a useful deniable tool to kill the real killer too, it washes our hands of the issue of finishing off whoever did the deed.

I'm also curious who the killer could be, I'll throw some guesses out to get anons' thoughts brewing. The obvious thing to me is that the killer probably knew about the spiked sake. Thus, to me that indicates that either one of the lions did it for some reason or that the "lion servant" that Atsushi spotted was actually a servant or someone in disguise as a lion servant and thus the killer could be anyone. Kitahachi would be the only lion that presumably would still be awake, and I'm guessing he manages the servants, so it could be him. Speculating, Shoraku could've had some issue (unknown to us) with Kaneru and been the one to kill her and be using the ridiculousness of the idea of him killing her as a way to make it seem like the killer could be anyone but him, perhaps that is his source of shame. (I doubt this though) Finally, I guess one of the Scorpions could've arranged this, either one of the scorpions' in positions of power in the estate like Shunmyo or Sadayoshi or Yukari. If the servant was not in fact a lion servant but a disguised servant or Yukari then they would be in a position to know that the sake was spiked and to take advantage of that, also as they control the servants and guards it would be trivial for them to arrange the killing and a lack of witnesses. I doubt it was Sadayoshi or Yukari though, Sadayoshi seemed genuinely upset and worried the night of the killing and Yukari seemed to genuinely think it was us, it could be Shunmyo as he is the only one we have little personal insight into, but I have no idea what'd he have to gain by doing it.

>“Ah, then there is Shosuro Jojuri. She tried to influence my master and I with honeyed words several times throughout the day, though she found little success. We came to Beiden to speak with its lord after all, not an envoy of Ryokō Owari. Unfortunately, I think she might have taken this rejection personally, as I noticed that she had disappeared in the afternoon. I wonder, is it possible that she might have...”

I guess this could be an implication by Kitahachi that he suspects Jojuri of the killing or it could be misdirection on his part or he could've been wondering something else. Either way, so far I doubt it is her.
>>
Err...sorry for triple posting. I just wanted to speculate that one reason Shoraku could have for asking to join the investigation is perhaps Kitahachi asked him to find an excuse to keep an eye on us and our progress, perhaps he is wary of us, he does know we are investigating on our own after all. If that is the case it may be a good idea to ask him not to help.

Hopefully Kinnosuke was analyzing what Shoraku really wants and feels as he did previously with Kitahachi.
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>>4656039
>What investigation? Try to make him believe that he's come to the wrong conclusion. You just want to honour Matsu Kaneru's memory or something! (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.)
>>
>>4656039
>You have a deal. Swear to uphold this agreement – you will accept whatever aid that the Lion has to offer and in exchange, you will allow him to kill Matsu Kaneru's murderer.
>>4656229
The real killer is supposed to be dealt with internally, so it's probably better to have him face Scorpion justice.
>>
>>4656039
>>What investigation? Try to make him believe that he's come to the wrong conclusion. You just want to honour Matsu Kaneru's memory or something! (This will require a roll using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.)
>>
Anyone else wondering if the old lion was the one to kill the girl.
>>
>You have a deal. Swear to uphold this agreement – you will accept whatever aid that the Lion has to offer and in exchange, you will allow him to kill Matsu Kaneru's murderer.
>>
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“You honour me with your honesty, Matsu-san. If it is justice that you seek, then I shall endeavour to grant it. Yet if I am to piece together the truth, there is more that I must learn first – the details of your conversations with Kitahachi and Kaneru, the activities of the servants who accompanied you to this estate, and...” You trail off, as you notice that the other samurai in the garden are preparing to move on, to follow the steward back to the main hall. “... and it seems that we will have to discuss these subjects some other time. I look forward to our next encounter.”

“As do I, Bayushi-san. Until then, I shall learn as much as I am able.” Somehow you doubt that Kitahachi will be happy about this. Though he is not the master of the yōjimbō, he will not approve of his kinsman being influenced by a Scorpion. The towering samurai lowers himself in a respectful bow and turns to depart, to return to the old Lion's side.

“So, you told me your impression of the other Lion, Shosuro-san. What do you think of that one?”

“What do I think about Shoraku?” Kinnosuke lets out a faint, disinterested grunt. “Though I cannot claim to understand the man, I think he was being honest. I think he truly plans on throwing his life away once this is done. What sort of samurai actually considers seppuku as an option? Does he not see that he is of more use to his lord alive than dead? It is madness.”

“I suppose that he wishes to atone for his failure,” you reply. “He is not of the Scorpion, after all. You should not be surprised that he values honour more than pragmatism.”

“Madness,” repeats your yōjimbō with a shake of his head.

Along with everyone else in attendance, you return the main chamber of the castle, that expansive hall full of warm, golden light. It appears that Yogo Yukari has returned, this time wearing the guise of a samurai rather than playing the part of a servant. While everyone else is settling down and making themselves comfortable, Sadayoshi accosts the shinobi and speaks with her in hushed tones – no doubt informing her of the alibi that you concocted. You wish that you could see the look on her face but unfortunately, the kitsune mask that she wears conceals it.

As soon as he is finished with Yukari, the seneschal takes his place at the head of the hall with you sat at his side. He calls for a performance by the daimyō's favourite artist, in honour of Matsu Kaneru's passing. The chamber falls quiet as Yukari steps forward and seats herself at its centre, with a biwa in one hand and a bachi in the other. When she begins her mournful chant, the mask that she wears does nothing to obstruct her piercing voice. At points, she allows her singing to soften, only to fill that void by striking her lute with the pick. The keening cry of the instrument pulls at your heartstrings and even you find that you are touched by the dirge, no matter how much you loathe its performer.
>>
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Once the song comes to an end, Yukari does not stop there. The instrument and its pick are placed to one side and a fan is produced from the flowing depths of her robe. What follows is a recital of the Day of Thunder, in which the actress speaks of that fateful day that occurred a thousand years ago. Rokugan had only just been unified by the Children of the Sun and the Moon, its seven clans each governed by one of the Kami, who were ruled over by an eighth – Hantei. Yet there was a ninth, one who had fallen into the depths of Jigoku and who was corrupted by its malign influence – Fu Leng. When he emerged from the Realm Evil and saw the nation that his brothers and sisters had made, he sought to conquer it for himself.

The actress punctuates key events in the performance with a dramatic flourish of her figure and her fan. The army of demons that Fu Leng led was endless and it seemed as though his victory was assured. When all hope seemed lost, a simple monk known as Shinsei spoke with Hantei. He told him that Fu Leng could not be slain by the other Kami, but only by mortal hands. A band of heroes was needed, one taken from each clan and these would become the Seven Thunders, the saviours of Rokugan.

Yukari's voice shifts as she describes each of the Thunders, dancing between personas. Mighty Atarasi, graceful Konishiko, wise Mirumoto, clever Isawa, cunning Shosuro, faithful Utaku and of course, the unrelenting Matsu. Led by Shinsei, these seven samurai travelled into the depths of the Shadowlands where they met Fu Leng and fought him. Each of the Thunders played a pivotal part in the defeat of the Dark Kami yet in this rendition, Yukari focuses on the deeds of Matsu. It was she who protected Isawa as he cast the invocation that would bind Fu Leng. It was she who duelled the lord of Jigoku and who fought with such ferocity that he was forced to conjure a storm of black fire to slay her, leaving naught of the Lion Thunder but ash.

Her sacrifice gave the shugenja enough time to finish the ritual. With his last breath, Isawa banished the Dark Kami from Ningen-dō, never to return. Shosuro was the only samurai to survive the Day of Thunder, though she was mortally wounded. Before she died, she was able to meet with Hantei and tell him of everything that had happened on that fateful day, of the deeds of the Seven Thunders. The particular message that Yukari wishes to impart with this story is clear – that those who give their lives in service of Rokugan should be celebrated, no matter how they fall.

A polite applause follows the performance and after that, Yogo Sadayoshi calls for the servants to bring forth today's meal. The food is somewhat humbler than it was yesterday – cleaner and simpler flavours, with less complicated marinades and sauces. After the death of Matsu Kaneru, you suppose that it would not be right to indulge in luxury. It would be disrespectful, even.
>>
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Unfortunately, all of this takes time. Yukari's performance with the biwa, the rendition of the Day of Thunder and the afternoon meal end up consuming far more time than you had hoped. You have no doubt that the sun is slowly drifting down towards the horizon once you are finished eating.

The first day of four is almost over. How do you wish to spend what little time you have left, before you have to meet with Atsushi outside of the estate and all of these samurai start retiring to their quarters for the day?

>Yogo Sadayoshi is currently embroiled in a conversation with Kakita Akirako and Shosuro Jojuri, and from what you can hear, they are discussing the possibility that the killer might strike again. You should help him out with these worried courtiers.
>Looks like another game of Go has been arranged, though this time Bayushi Shunmyo is pitting himself against Matsu Shoraku. You should step in, see if you can learn more from either of the samurai, or perhaps even enjoy a game as well.
>It looks like Matsu Kitahachi has Yogo Yukari cornered. He could simply be thanking her for her performance and praising her talent, or he could be interrogating her about where she has been. You should think about stepping in.
>Yogo Mushanokoji has disappeared. Perhaps he is just tired, as old man tend to be. Alternatively, perhaps he is up to something nefarious and he is more involved in this crime than you first thought. Go and find him.
>Time to investigate. This is the last opportunity you will get before these samurai start returning to their quarters. You won't be able to snoop around in their rooms if they're in them, after all. Take your leave.
>Let's face it, you just can't appreciate tea if you're sullying your mouth with food at the same time. Dedicate this moment to the enjoyment of tea. (You will reduce your strife to 1 / 8 thanks to your love of Tea if you choose this option.)
>>
>>4656676
>Time to investigate. This is the last opportunity you will get before these samurai start returning to their quarters. You won't be able to snoop around in their rooms if they're in them, after all. Take your leave.
>>
>>4656676
>>Let's face it, you just can't appreciate tea if you're sullying your mouth with food at the same time. Dedicate this moment to the enjoyment of tea. (You will reduce your strife to 1 / 8 thanks to your love of Tea if you choose this option.)

Our strife is getting high. Time to relax. Relaxation is important.
>>
>>4656676
>>Let's face it, you just can't appreciate tea if you're sullying your mouth with food at the same time. Dedicate this moment to the enjoyment of tea. (You will reduce your strife to 1 / 8 thanks to your love of Tea if you choose this option.)
>>
>>4656676
>Let's face it, you just can't appreciate tea if you're sullying your mouth with food at the same time. Dedicate this moment to the enjoyment of tea. (You will reduce your strife to 1 / 8 thanks to your love of Tea if you choose this option.)

In public, if you will. Partially as an example of confidence and strength, but mostly just to watch Yukari squirm.
>>
>>4656676
>Time to investigate. This is the last opportunity you will get before these samurai start returning to their quarters. You won't be able to snoop around in their rooms if they're in them, after all. Take your leave.

Our strife is fine, Yukari is back, and our absence less conspicuous for it. As the prompt says, we can't look in their rooms while they are in them. Nor can we look in them when we are needed to control court or when people are unoccupied, thankfully literally everyone is occupied and half the courtiers have agreed to work with us, we aren't needed here.
>>
>>4656745
It's worth noting that we seem to lose a point of strife when we sleep or sometimes when succeeding very well or receiving praise. The big three point strife losses only seem to occur when we go against our delusions of grandeur or more rarely in big stressful events like learning of Kaneru's murder.
>>
>>4656676
>Time to investigate. This is the last opportunity you will get before these samurai start returning to their quarters. You won't be able to snoop around in their rooms if they're in them, after all. Take your leave.
>>
>>4656676
>>Time to investigate. This is the last opportunity you will get before these samurai start returning to their quarters. You won't be able to snoop around in their rooms if they're in them, after all. Take your leave.
>>
>>4656676
>Time to investigate. This is the last opportunity you will get before these samurai start returning to their quarters. You won't be able to snoop around in their rooms if they're in them, after all. Take your leave.
>>
>>4656676
>>It looks like Matsu Kitahachi has Yogo Yukari cornered. He could simply be thanking her for her performance and praising her talent, or he could be interrogating her about where she has been. You should think about stepping in.
>>
>>4656676
>Yogo Mushanokoji has disappeared. Perhaps he is just tired, as old man tend to be. Alternatively, perhaps he is up to something nefarious and he is more involved in this crime than you first thought. Go and find him.
>>
“We have wasted enough time today,” you murmur to Kinnosuke. “I was tasked with discovering who is really behind these killings. I am not going to get anywhere by lingering here, chattering with other samurai.”

“Finally. As much as enjoy such polite company –” Judging from his tone, he clearly doesn't. “– I grow tired of having to bite my tongue and play the part of a silent guardian.” With your yōjimbō trailing behind you, you depart from the hall and leave behind the babbling of courtiers. The golden light of that courtly chamber recedes and in its place, you find yourself bathed in the sinister red glow of the lamps that illuminate the castle's narrow corridors

“Well then, where shall we start?” It's a good question. Though the most obvious destination is the scene of the crime, there are several other locations which could provide valuable information.

>The guest quarters that were assigned to Matsu Kaneru and her yōjimbō. Though Yogo Yukari has already inspected the room, you want to have a look around it for yourself.
>The quarters that are assigned to Kakita Akirako and her yōjimbō. You have been ordered to frame a samurai of the Crane Clan. You need to find something that can help with that.
>The private chambers of any other samurai you can think of who is housed in the estate. If you choose this option, name the samurai whose room you want to inspect.
>The structure that houses the estate's heimin. You suspect that there is useful information to be learned the servants. In addition, this is where the Lion's heimin are staying.
>Any other location that you can think of, as long as it can be found within the walls of the compound. If you choose this option, name the location you want to visit.
>>
>>4657331
>The structure that houses the estate's heimin. You suspect that there is useful information to be learned the servants. In addition, this is where the Lion's heimin are staying.
>>
>>4657331
>>The structure that houses the estate's heimin. You suspect that there is useful information to be learned the servants. In addition, this is where the Lion's heimin are staying.
>>
>>4657331
>The structure that houses the estate's heimin. You suspect that there is useful information to be learned the servants. In addition, this is where the Lion's heimin are staying.
>>
>>4657331
>The quarters that are assigned to Kakita Akirako and her yōjimbō. You have been ordered to frame a samurai of the Crane Clan. You need to find something that can help with that.
>>
>>4657331
>The guest quarters that were assigned to Matsu Kaneru and her yōjimbō. Though Yogo Yukari has already inspected the room, you want to have a look around it for yourself.
>>
>>4657331
>The structure that houses the estate's heimin. You suspect that there is useful information to be learned the servants. In addition, this is where the Lion's heimin are staying.
>>
>>4657331
>The structure that houses the estate's heimin. You suspect that there is useful information to be learned the servants. In addition, this is where the Lion's heimin are staying.
>>
>>4657331
>The quarters that are assigned to Kakita Akirako and her yōjimbō. You have been ordered to frame a samurai of the Crane Clan. You need to find something that can help with that.
>>
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“With the servants,” you reply. “Like Yukari said, they are free to go where they please. Not only that, but they see and hear everything that happens within the walls of this estate. If there is anyone who knows what happened last night, it is them.”

With that, you leave the manor and step out into the garden once more. The servants' quarters are a separate structure entirely, a squat structure that is dwarfed by the castle but is still far larger than most buildings found in Beiden. Though it is modestly decorated in comparison to the central structure, it is still elegant in its simplicity, and does nothing to detract from the beauty of the daimyō's estate. You also notice that it seems to be built next to the surrounding wall – perhaps another way out of the compound can be found inside, reserved for the servants.

Once you arrive at the entrance of the outhouse, you call out in a clean and clear tone, demanding the presence of a servant. It does not take long before the door opens and a young woman in a dull, modest robe steps out before you. Immediately, she lowers herself in a demure and humbling bow. As much as you enjoy the company of other samurai, you can't help but admit to yourself that you missed dealing with heimin. They actually give you the respect that you deserve, rather than daring to think of themselves as equal to you.

“Samurai-sama,” she begins, “forgive me, we did not expect you here. In what manner might we serve you?” Her tone contains just a little surprise – it's obvious that samurai don't usually lower themselves to come to this outbuilding. Instead, the servants are supposed to come to them.

But what will you ask of her?

>She should step aside and let you in. You want to explore this outhouse for yourself, no matter how unconventional that might be. However, the servants might gossip about the samurai who walked among them. (You will lose glory if you choose this option.)
>You want to speak with whoever is in charge, the heimin who leads these heimin, the head servant or whatever they might be called. They should be able to tell you all of the little details about the estate.
>You want to speak with the first servant that was informed of Matsu Kaneru's murder, in the dead of night. You want to know all of the grisly details about what took place once her death was discovered.
>You want to speak with the servants who were responsible for cleaning Matsu Kaneru's quarters under the guidance of Yogo Mushanokoji. They would be able to tell you about the scene of the crime before it was tampered with.
>You want to speak with the servants of the Lion. It is rare for samurai to bring servants of their own to another estate, so you would like to know what role they serve. This is also an opportunity to ask about the mysterious sake.
>You want to speak with someone else. If you choose this option, state what sort of servant you want to call forth, and what you want to speak with them about.
>>
>>4657979
>>You want to speak with the first servant that was informed of Matsu Kaneru's murder, in the dead of night. You want to know all of the grisly details about what took place once her death was discovered.
>>
>>4657979
>You want to speak with the servants who were responsible for cleaning Matsu Kaneru's quarters under the guidance of Yogo Mushanokoji. They would be able to tell you about the scene of the crime before it was tampered with.

If we are focusing on the crime scene, then it would be best to focus on the servants who were actually in the room and had the chance to observe the physical details of it with their eyes rather than those who might hear of these details second hand from other servants and might misremember or distort these rumours.

Though I honestly want to talk to the lion servant more, I feel like anons will probably want to focus on the crime scene, and we can potentially learn what was in the sake by talking to Atsushi later tonight.

Talking to the head heimin seems like it could be generally useful in regards to learning about the estate in general, whether it be secret passages or the routines and responsibilities of the various servants and guards or what have you. Hopefully we can have enough time to talk to another one of these servants after the first.
>>
>>4657979
>You want to speak with the servants who were responsible for cleaning Matsu Kaneru's quarters under the guidance of Yogo Mushanokoji. They would be able to tell you about the scene of the crime before it was tampered with.

Let's not poke the lion just yet.
>>
>>4657979
>You want to speak with the servants who were responsible for cleaning Matsu Kaneru's quarters under the guidance of Yogo Mushanokoji. They would be able to tell you about the scene of the crime before it was tampered with.
>>
>>4657979
>You want to speak with whoever is in charge, the heimin who leads these heimin, the head servant or whatever they might be called. They should be able to tell you all of the little details about the estate.

You'd be surprised how useful this might be, considering that our assassin must have known about their routine at night, or the servants may have discovered something, or someone, out of place.
>>
>>4657979
>>You want to speak with the servants of the Lion. It is rare for samurai to bring servants of their own to another estate, so you would like to know what role they serve. This is also an opportunity to ask about the mysterious sake.
>>
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“Bring forth the ones who were responsible for cleaning the quarters of Matsu Kaneru this morning. I would like to speak with them.”

As soon as you say those words, the heimin standing before you grimaces, but not out of guilt or fear. Instead, she seems disgusted by your command. Thankfully, she knows better than to go against the will of a samurai. The peasant woman hurriedly bows before you and murmurs her compliance. “As you command, samurai-sama. I shall try not to keep you waiting too long.”

Unfortunately, she does. The minutes drag by as you wait at the entrance to the outbuilding. You occupy the time by pacing, mulling over all of the intelligence you have gathered while Kinnosuke seems content to rest against the wall, his arms folded. At long last, the doors slide open again and the servant you spoke with emerges once again, to bow before you. When you see the sorry individuals trailing behind her, you understand the reason behind her reaction.

“I bring you the hinin who attended to the remains of the departed, samurai-sama.” Again she stoops before you in a reverential bow, before she moves to the side and allows the non-people to step forward. They are better dressed than other specimens that you have met, clad in tattered and threadbare robes rather than rags. Sadly, there is no ignoring the stench that hovers about them. There are three in total, two men and a woman, and they all reek of blood, rot and other foulness. You do not even need to introduce yourself. At the sight of you, all three of the hinin prostrate themselves and grovel on the floor.

“Rise,” you command with a sigh, while one of your hands rises to cover your mouth and nose. “Tell me what you saw when you tended to the remains of our daimyō's guest, and be quick about it.”

“O' course, samurai-sama.” Those words are spoken by one of the men, who steps forward once he has risen from the floor. Like the others, he kept his head bowed and refuses to even look upon you. They know their place. “We were called 'round dawn, with orders to wait 'til the honoured shugenja was there. Once he came, we did as we were told, no less than that. Though, uh...” He hesitates for a moment and rubs at the back of his neck. “... It wasn't a pretty sight samurai-sama, and I won't taint your ears with the details.”

“By the Fortunes, I asked you to tell me what you saw. Tell me everything, no matter how gruesome you think it might be.”

“... Her blood had gotten everywhere, samurai-sama. Soaked the robes that the honoured guest was sleepin' in, drenched the bedding that she was lying on, seeped over the floor and even under it. Honoured priest had us bring up the floorboards and clean 'em properly, while her clothes and the mat are goin' to be sent down to the hinin compound for burnin'.”
>>
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“He even made us clean the carca– uh, her remains and dress her up in new robe, after we laid her on a new bed. Made us put this funeral mask on her face too, as though he was makin' her ready for a pyre.”

“What wounds were inflicted on her?” Though you will listen to all of this gory minutia, you refuse to repeat it. It would be discourteous of you to speak of death in the same way as this hinin.

“Just the one, samurai-sama. A clean cut 'cross her throat. That's all it takes for that much blood to leave a corpse. Whatever was used for the deed wasn't blunt or rusty. It must've been keen as a razor to leave a mark like that.” At least the hinin isn't a complete idiot. He knows better than to declare that a samurai's blade was responsible for the killing, but he certainly has implied it.

“Is there anything else that you can recall about her quarters? Were you present for the priest's invocation of the kami?”

The man shakes his head. “No, samurai-sama. He had us leave as soon as were done with our cleanin', and we were on our way. As for anythin' else, there ain't much that I can think of.”

“I, ah, if you'll forgive me, samurai-sama, there's one thing.” That's the hinin woman speaking, piping up all of a sudden. “There was a great chill in the room when we went in. Window had been left wide open and one of the first things that the priest had us do was close it. Not like we needed tellin' twice. Must've been like that all night, can't imagine how the honoured guest slept like that.”

She lets out a sharp whimper when the man who spoke before her drives his elbow into her ribs, and her babbling immediately comes to an end. Either he is punishing her for making a fool of herself in front of a samurai, or he is trying to hide something.

>They have done what you have asked of them and you want nothing more to do with the hinin. Dismiss them, so that you can move on to more important matters.
>Keep them loyal and reward them for their cooperation. Offer a bu to each of the hinin. (You will gain honour and lose 0.6 koku if you choose this option.)
>Honestly, these non-people seem rather suspect. Find the nearest guards and have them detain the hinin so that you can question them later.
>You don't have the time to question them yourself. Find the nearest guards and command them to send these hinin to the magistrates' station to be tortured.

Additionally, your time is running short. This is about the time when you would meet with Atsushi. Should you go to meet him?

>Yes. You need to see if you can get out of the estate to speak to your loyal rōnin assistant. Don't keep him waiting.
>There is someone else at this outhouse who you wish to speak with first. Atsushi will have to wait a while.
>There is another location in the estate that you would like to investigate before you go to meet with the rōnin.
>There is someone at court who you want to speak with instead. Return to the hall and see if they are still there.
>>
>>4658874
>Keep them loyal and reward them for their cooperation. Offer a bu to each of the hinin. (You will gain honour and lose 0.6 koku if you choose this option.)
>Yes. You need to see if you can get out of the estate to speak to your loyal rōnin assistant. Don't keep him waiting.

Loyalty is rewarded, and this will encourage the other servants to be honest and loyal when we talk with them.

We'll have to ask our Lion if the window was open beforehand.
>>
>>4658874
>>They have done what you have asked of them and you want nothing more to do with the hinin. Dismiss them, so that you can move on to more important matters.

Loyalty should be rewarded but loyalty for doing things for us.

We need to contact Atsushi. If he can contact the Eta outside to get intouch with this female Eta so that she can contact us directly. We need to speak to her away from the other males.

>>Yes. You need to see if you can get out of the estate to speak to your loyal rōnin assistant. Don't keep him waiting.
>>
>>4658874
>You don't have the time to question them yourself. Find the nearest guards and command them to send these hinin to the magistrates' station to be tortured.
>There is someone at court who you want to speak with instead. Return to the hall and see if they are still there.
Bayushi Shunmyo
>>
>>4658874
>Keep them loyal and reward them for their cooperation. Offer a bu to each of the hinin. (You will gain honour and lose 0.6 koku if you choose this option.)

>Yes. You need to see if you can get out of the estate to speak to your loyal rōnin assistant. Don't keep him waiting.

We'll probably need to talk to Shunmyo to get out.

>>4658928
True, what you said earlier regarding the routines and the head servants also seems relevant.

We'll probably need to investigate at least three more times before the Emerald Magistrate gets here. Once for the lion servant, once for the head servant for broad information regarding the routines or anything unusual, and once to gather information to setup Tokuhei. We also may need to leave court again sometime to plant evidence in crane's room or to investigate a specific samurai's quarters once we are closer to determining the identity of the true killer. Just something to keep in mind in regards to planning how we use our limited time in the future, and what may need to be cut from our schedule.
>>
>>4658874
>They have done what you have asked of them and you want nothing more to do with the hinin. Dismiss them, so that you can move on to more important matters.
>Yes. You need to see if you can get out of the estate to speak to your loyal rōnin assistant. Don't keep him waiting.
>>
>>4658874
>>They have done what you have asked of them and you want nothing more to do with the hinin. Dismiss them, so that you can move on to more important matters.
>Yes. You need to see if you can get out of the estate to speak to your loyal rōnin assistant. Don't keep him waiting.
>>
>>4658874

>>They have done what you have asked of them and you want nothing more to do with the hinin. Dismiss them, so that you can move on to more important matters.
>Yes. You need to see if you can get out of the estate to speak to your loyal rōnin assistant. Don't keep him waiting.
>>
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“I have heard enough. You may return to your usual duties, whatever they might be.” You dare not imagine what sort of grisly tasks these hinin have been assigned. As one, they grovel and stoop before you and murmur their thanks and farewells. Once they are gone, the servant who first opened the door asks if you require anything else, but you dismiss her as well. With a low bow, she wishes you a pleasant day and closes the door to the outbuilding.

“Well then, what did you think of them, Shosuro-san? Did they seem honest to you?”

“Certainly,” he replies, “though their honesty was driven by their terror above all else. The heimin woman was scared out of her wits as well. It could be that the killing has them all on edge, or it could be that they are kept in line through punishment rather than praise.” He turns his eyes towards the darkening sky and squints at it. “Though I suppose that it is about time that you met with your rōnin, is it not?”

“It would be, if it was not for the gunsō's orders. No one is to leave the estate, if you recall.” Not only that, but there seem to be far more guards around than ever before. Most of them seem to be ashigaru, but there are more than a few samurai among them as well. This might be difficult.

>Go the gate. It might be guarded by samurai but hopefully, you should be able to talk your way past them, one way or another.
>Go to Bayushi Shunmyo. You should obtain permission from the man to depart from the estate. Hopefully Atsushi is patient, as this might take some time.
>Go inside of the outhouse and find the gate that the servants use. Hopefully it isn't so heavily guarded. (You will lose glory if you choose this option.)
>Find a way over the wall of the compound. First, you need to find somewhere that isn't so frequently patrolled, where you can make your daring escape. (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Skulduggery skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>Try to get Kinnosuke to help you. Surely he can think of some way to distract the guards for you, to lure them away from the gate? You'll owe him a favour if he does. (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.)
>Give up. Though you are certain that Atsushi has valuable information, you just can't afford to meet with him outside of the estate.
>>
>>4659531
>Go inside of the outhouse and find the gate that the servants use. Hopefully it isn't so heavily guarded. (You will lose glory if you choose this option.)
>>
>>4658874
>>Keep them loyal and reward them for their cooperation. Offer a bu to each of the hinin. (You will gain honour and lose 0.6 koku if you choose this option.)
>No, you will not leave the estate against your master's orders. You're sure Atsushi will be able to figure out the castle's in lockdown himself and not try anything foolish.

>>4659322
We also need to talk to Crane Girl to see if there are any surprises waiting in their backgrounds.
>>
>>4659531

>>Find a way over the wall of the compound. First, you need to find somewhere that isn't so frequently patrolled, where you can make your daring escape. (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Skulduggery skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>>
>>4659531
>Go to Bayushi Shunmyo. You should obtain permission from the man to depart from the estate. Hopefully Atsushi is patient, as this might take some time.

If we fail to convince him we can try and sneak past afterwards.

It may be worth sneaking to the temple to fetch some heretical materials for the framing of Tokuhei if we wanna follow >>4639598 or to help with >>4639571
The problem with actually doing this is that I have no idea if we somehow arranged a protocol "offscreen" with Orinosuke to make use of these materials or if these materials were only to be used at the discretion of higher ranking scorpions. (probably this) I intended to ask Orinosuke or Sadayoshi but since no one can leave, this makes things difficult and waking Orinosuke up in the middle of the night when it would be make sense to sneak out isn't ideal. So if we want to go with this idea we'd have to sneak there of our own initiative after speaking to Atsushi, which may prove dicey, both the actual getting there part and the "I did this without permission" part.

>>4659553
Sure, may as well be careful.
>>
>>4659531
>Find a way over the wall of the compound. First, you need to find somewhere that isn't so frequently patrolled, where you can make your daring escape. (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Skulduggery skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)

We may decide later to not frame the Crane, or find out that one of our masters is not so shockingly involved in the murder plot. Keeping our cards close to our chest is useful and has very little chance of failure.
>>
>>4659751
Why would we not frame the crane? It's our duty to. Plus even if one of our masters did do it, we aren't supposed to interfere with scorpion plots.
>>
>>4660163
Our duty is 1) to better our station in life and 2) to serve the clan (cowards might flip one and two). Obeying our direct superiors is a distant third. So I'd argue there's a bunch of situations were we wouldn't frame the Crane (for me that includes us finding a more convenient patsy and saving our friend - but I am a softy like that).

And if one of our masters did it they might in fact be working against the scorpion - be it through incompetence or malice. More importantly, they might try and throw us under the bus.
>>
>>4659531
>Try to get Kinnosuke to help you. Surely he can think of some way to distract the guards for you, to lure them away from the gate? You'll owe him a favour if he does. (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.)
>>
>Going with:
>Find a way over the wall of the compound. First, you need to find somewhere that isn't so frequently patrolled, where you can make your daring escape. (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Skulduggery skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.)
>I require a roll of 6d6 using your Water ring of 2 and your Skulduggery skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.

>I will accept the best of the first three rolls.
>>
Rolled 5, 2, 5, 6, 2, 4 = 24 (6d6)

>>4660287
>>
Rolled 6, 3, 3, 4, 3, 6 = 25 (6d6)

>>4660287
>>
Rolled 4, 2, 4, 2, 1, 6 = 19 (6d6)

>>4660287
>>
>>4660224
I don't necessarily disagree with part of this, I do want to keep our friendship with Akirako, though I consider the chances of doing so to be unlikely, we kind of already potentially saved her some reputation or perhaps her life by convincing our superiors to frame Tokuhei rather than her, though it still reflects badly on her.

As for the bit regarding our masters, I simply don't think that our chances of advancing are at all improved by disobeying our direct orders to frame Tokuhei to help our budding friendship with Akirako, she's cool and I like that we get along with her but we really don't know her THAT well, and she's by her own admission inexperienced and lacks that crane trait where you are supposed to have mastered a single thing to perfection. Some things to keep in mind are that we have no way of going over the heads of Orinosuke or Sadayoshi, once the daimyo returns we will be ordered to return to our duty before either being transferred to Bayushi Kyuden or staying here under Orinosuke, we will not have access to the daimyo without sufficient reason, furthermore our sensei back at our dojo said that we are to automatically assume that any scorpion misdeeds we spot are a scorpion plot and not to interfere, presumably this is standard practice and the failure to observe this practice and disobeying our duty (as the scorpion see it not what you consider our duty) is a massive deal to the scorpion and Orinosuke may simply order us to commit seppeku if we were to find a scorpion was responsible and blame them or if we fail to disobey the order he gave us to frame Tokuhei.

Also, Orinosuke and Sadayoshi are extremely unlikely to be the killers imho. Orinosuke last thread wanted us to not provoke the lions because it give them a cause to go to war with us if they find diplomatic fault with us, he just wanted us to politely send them packing as soon as possible, creating a crisis does the opposite of this, he'd also be risking everything he's built by personally coming and sneaking into the estate from the outside to murder Kaneru and he'd somehow have to know about the sake. Sadayoshi is even more unlikely, he doesn't seem like he has the spine to kill anyone personally, he also specifically wanted these trade talks to go well and for us to keep them here until the daimyo got back, killing Kaneru does the opposite of this.

Finally, disobeying our direct superiors does not serve to make our station better in life and fails to serve our clan at least in this scenario. Our current scenario is pretty good, we are either being fast-tracked to a political position to the seat of scorpion politcal power through nepotism by our mom or working as the favourite and successor to a provincial magistrate who is the most powerful man in the province even more so than the daimyo (remember our daimyo cannot replace Orinosuke and Orinosuke has secured superior networks of influence to our daimyo. >>4637610 framing Tokuhei serves our clan.
>>
>>4660604
*fail to obey the order he gave us

Sorry typos
>>
>Going with >>4660290, three successes.

“Let us have a walk through the garden,” you say once you have reached a decision. “This is the perfect chance to admire how well-protected the estate is. Surely there are no flaws in its defences that could be exploited.” The hint is obvious enough that Kinnosuke lets out a low chuckle. You lead the way down the meandering garden path around the castle, with your yōjimbō trailing behind you.

From what you can see of the front gate, the number of guards stationed there have doubled. Similarly, there are guards stationed at the entrance of the castle. The scattered outbuildings around the central structure seem to be without any soldiers to guard them, but that is because they are covered by two separate patrols, each comprised of a handful of ashigaru led by a samurai and each of which seems to cover the grounds in roughly ten minutes. Between them, there is gap of three or four minutes in which you are able to manoeuvre without being seen by a patrol, providing that you are nowhere near the front of the castle or the main gates of the compound.

You wait for one of these little contingents to march past before you sidle towards a wall, situated in the long shadow of the castle. These aren't particularly significant ramparts, but nevertheless, the barrier poses a significant obstacle to anyone who would want to trespass or escape from the compound. Ten feet of sheer white stone, topped with a tiled roof that gleams in the light of the falling sun.

Not that you are put off, of course. You already decided on your course of action. There is a slight chance that you could scale the wall by yourself, if you pushed yourself to your limits. You'd rather not put that to the test, though. If you had the right equipment, climbing over this obstacle would be absolutely trivial. Unfortunately, you don't have anything of the sort on your person.

What you do have, is a second pair of hands.

“Would you be able to lend me a hand, Shosuro-san?” You ask the question once you have stopped by the wall, with some minutes to spare until the next patrol comes around. “You are not going to make me surmount this obstacle on my own, are you?”

For a moment, your yōjimbō is taken aback. He would laugh out of disbelief, if the need for stealth at that moment was not obvious. “Your response to being denied the chance to leave the estate is to brazenly clamber over its walls, and you would have me aid you in this? I realised that you were brave when you spoke back to the Chief but by the Fortunes, you could put a Crab to shame.”

For a moment, you fear that Kinnosuke might refuse to help. Relief surges through you when he offers the boost that you need to clamber up and over the top half of the wall. You just need to not mess this up.

>I require a roll of 4d6 using your Water ring of 2 and your Fitness skill of 1. You will need to keep three successes.

>I will accept the best of the first three rolls.
>>
Rolled 3, 5, 3, 1 = 12 (4d6)

>>4660998
We're going to mess this up.
>>
Rolled 3, 5, 6, 6 = 20 (4d6)

>>4660998
Remember lads, we're destined for greatness!
>>
Rolled 5, 3, 1, 4 = 13 (4d6)

>>4660998
>>
>>4661088
Indeed we are, based second roller
>>
>>4661088
Nice.

We should probably spend our exp on our Earth and Water rings so we can keep more dice if we survive this session. Though enhancing useful and commonly used skills that this and the previous session have proven that what we have isn't enough to consistently pass with comfort would be good.
>>
Someone should probably archive this thread, it is on page 8. I dunno how, never done it before.
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>>4662875
>I'll take care of that when we get to the tenth page. Sorry for the delay, my weekend has been solid. Hopefully I'll have an update out in eighteen hours or so.
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>Going with >>4661088, three successes.

To your astonishment, you don't mess it up. Though you could be a little more graceful, you manage to clamber your way onto the tiled roof and slide over to the other side. Rather than linger and risk being seen, you drop down to the other side of the wall with a thud. The fall leaves you winded for a moment but once you have recovered, you find that you are outside of the estate and back in the city of Beiden that you know so well. At this time of day, in such an affluent part of town, there is almost no one around to witness your escape from the compound.

This time, you are the one who finds Atsushi. You catch the rōnin lingering at a corner of a rather opulent house, from where he watches the entrance to the daimyō's estate. You have no doubt that he expected you to walk out, as you have done twice before. After all, why would he be aware of everything that has happened within the castle?

“Are you aware of how conspicuous you look, Atsushi-san?” As soon as you speak, your loyal assistant is clearly startled. He wheels around to face you, only for his expression to soften when he realises that it is only you. His hand strays away from the hilt of his katana, where it had briefly rested.

“Hah!” He grins sheepishly as soon as he has recovered, thankful that he hadn't been caught by another. “Though I mightn't be subtle, it's even easier to see that something is amiss inside of that hornet's nest where you spend your days. There were nowhere near this many guards yesterday, nor the day before. Now you turn up, having left that place through some means other than the gate.” Atsushi's expression is complicated. Though he is clearly relieved to see that you are well, he is still troubled by everything that he has seen, and everything that he has yet to learn. “What's going on in there? How'd you get out, aren't you allowed to leave? What's happened, Bayushi-sama?”

You tell him everything that has happened – well, almost everything. He is not of the Scorpion, he should not know that you were ordered to frame a samurai of the Crane for the murder. Other than that though, you leave nothing out. Kaneru's assassination, the impending arrival of an Emerald Magistrate, your truce with Yukari, your encounters with the Lion and what you learned from the hinin. By the time that your tale is complete, Atsushi is astonished.

“That is... Kami forfend,” murmured the wave-man. “I knew that something wasn't right about all this, but I never suspected that it could end this way. By the Fortunes Bayushi-sama, why put yourself at risk by coming out here at all?”

“We made an agreement, did we not? We would meet out here each day to speak of everything that has happened, within and without the estate. Not only that, but I suspect that this sake that you spoke of might have played an important part in Matsu Kaneru's murder. Did you do as I asked, and look into the den that the servant visited?”
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“Of course, Bayushi-sama.” He takes in a breath to steady himself before he tells a tale of his own. “When I had the time to spare, I left the other dōshin to their duties and visited the establishment, Bishamon's Balm. I must admit, I've never been there before – it's for a more refined palate than mine. It provides only the finest liquor for the likes of true samurai and wealthy merchants, not men like me. Still, I rid myself of my jitte and paid for a cup or two, so that I might steel my nerve and not appear too suspicious.” No doubt to whet his addiction as well, but you don't comment on that.

“So what did you find out, Atsushi-san?”

“There wasn't much to find out, I fear. The heimin who worked there weren't all that talkative and they weren't about to let me into the stores of the den. Still, I managed to learn a few things from the owner of the place. Though he is no stranger to struggling through winter, this one was particularly hard. His business is one of the many that was patronised by Tadataka, if you recall him?”

>Tadataka: A wealthy heimin who once competed with Yogo Kanzaburo and Yogo Orinosuke for the title of the most powerful man in Beiden. He had invested in a great many businesses in the city and has influence over several samurai – possibly even the daimyō himself. Though you suspect that he might been involved in a heretical conspiracy you uncovered last summer, you were never able to prove anything. Recently, you learned that he has cut his losses in Beiden and relocated to Ryokō Owari, the City of Lies.

“I do,” you reply. “I assume that he is experiencing some difficulty when managing his business, now that he has to fare without the investment and patronage of such an esteemed merchant.” You cannot keep the bitterness out of your voice when you utter those last two words. Atsushi scrunches up his nose, mirroring your distaste.

“Aye, something like that. I also found that Bishamon's Balm isn't just a watering hole. It serves as an intermediary of sorts. The owner – his name's Uesato, by the way – buys only the finest sake from breweries and sells it to households with sophisticated tastes. That's a fancy way of saying that he dresses up his liquor as being finer than it truly is, so that he might get the custom of samurai and the like.” The rōnin scoffs. “Didn't taste any different from the cheap stuff, if you ask me.”

“That would explain one half of why the servant acquired sake in that den, of all places. Yet it does nothing to explain why the Lion did not just enjoy the estate's own supply.” You let out a sigh, as you try to make sense of this new knowledge. “Not only that, but how would the Lion or their minions know of this particular sake merchant?” For every question answered, a new question arises.
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“I can't say that I know the answer to that,” Atsushi replies. “Though I can tell you what I can do, Bayushi-sama. The Chief Magistrate gave your authority in your absence. That means I can order an investigation of the den tomorrow, have a small army of dōshin search it from roof to cellar for any trace of wrong-doing. When dusk comes, we can meet again and I'll be able to tell you everything that I've found.”

>You don't believe that there's anything else to be learned from Bishamon's Balm, nothing at all.
>Atsushi's suggestion seems like a sound plan, and you think that he should stick to it.
>You can't trust anyone except for your rōnin. He should investigate the sake den on his own.
>Your interest is piqued and the next time that Atsushi goes there, you will accompany him.
>The rōnin's usefulness is limited. You need to look into Bishamon's Balm on your own.
>>
>>4663736
>You don't believe that there's anything else to be learned from Bishamon's Balm, nothing at all.
>>
>>4663736
>Atsushi's suggestion seems like a sound plan, and you think that he should stick to it.

Atsushi never let us down before, and we have to be quick adn decisive if we're to find out about this mystery before our time is up. Delegation and force can be very useful in time such as this.

Also, we need to figure out a gift for Atsushi, to commemorate the time we spent together.
>>
>>4663736
>Atsushi's suggestion seems like a sound plan, and you think that he should stick to it.
>>
>>4663736
>>Atsushi's suggestion seems like a sound plan, and you think that he should stick to it.
>>
>>4663736
>>Atsushi's suggestion seems like a sound plan, and you think that he should stick to it.

>>Ask him to approach the Eta we helped previously to get in contact with the female Eta on the grounds, that she might see us seperately from the men.
>>
>>4663736
>Atsushi's suggestion seems like a sound plan, and you think that he should stick to it.

>>4663825
Completely agree on every point. We still need to know if the sake was drugged.
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>>4663736
>Atsushi's suggestion seems like a sound plan, and you think that he should stick to it.
Fuck it. Hopefully they find something damning
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>>4663736
>Atsushi's suggestion seems like a sound plan, and you think that he should stick to it.
>>
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By now, you have learned that you can trust Atsushi. He hasn't failed you so far, and you see no reason why he would now. Perhaps he hasn't learned as much as you had hoped, but the rōnin has still given you some useful information about the sake house and once he has turned the den upside-down, you have no doubt that he will have more to tell you. “Very well, Atsushi-san. See what you can find – I shall expect a report from you tomorrow, when we meet again.”

“As you will,” the rōnin replies with a bow of his head. “I've got a few ideas about what I should be looking for, going by everything you've told me. You suspect that the sake must've had something else in it, aye?” You nod. “I won't claim to be an expert on matters of poisons, but I'll have the dōshin rummage around, see if they can find anything like that. I'll also have Uesato brought in for questioning as well, see what the man knows. Can't say that I trust anyone who has Tadataka's koku weighing down their pocket.”

“Very good,” you reply. You can't fault anything that Atsushi suggested. “Though, I require your aid with just one thing, before you worry about that.”

“Yes, Bayushi-sama?”

“The wall,” you sheepishly admit. “I only managed to surmount it with the aid of my yōjimbō. If I wish to get back on the right side of it, I might need your aid.”

Though he isn't entirely comfortable with the prospect of you skulking in and out of the estate without permission, the wave-man is loyal enough that he complies. With Atsushi supporting your weight, you are able to clamber back up the wall and on top of the tiled roof. Once you are certain that there isn't a patrol anywhere near by, you drop down and end up inside of the daimyō's garden once more. A short walk back to the entrance of the castle and you find Kinnosuke leaning there, resting his weight against the door of the great manor.

“Well, I hope that was worth it,” your fellow yoriki comments once you have returned. He straightens himself and dusts off his kimono. “Unless there is anything else you wish to attend to, might I suggest that we retire for the evening?”

That is one possibility. You could always seek out the quarters of other samurai to speak with them, but infringing on the privacy of your equals is a rather unorthodox approach – unless you are particularly familiar with them. And though you could interrogate some servants again or examine the scene of the crime, skulking around while everyone else is settling down for the night might be seen as a bit suspicious.

>Unless there is anything else that you wish to do before you retire, the first day out of four shall come to an end.
>>
>>4664710
Hmm, I'll think about it.

For now maybe we can pass by the outside of the site of Kaneru's murder and look around the area where the window that was open led out to. This way we don't need to come up with an excuse to bypass the guards guarding her murder site into the room itself. We already know the basic details of what was found in there and Yukari may know the rest, we should focus our efforts elsewhere.

We could also see Yukari, since we are both familiar with her and don't care about being rude to her. It'd be good to get the information she has gathered as quickly as possible since we don't want to waste time in court tomorrow doing this or investigating that doesn't take much time tonight, anything that we can do now that takes less than 15-30 minutes like quick passes by a location to familiarize ourselves with it or quick chats we should do. Nothing that disrupts or delays our sleep though.

I suppose we could see which servants or guards patrol around the sight of the murder and if we get lucky and they are the same ones that were on patrol (if they patrol that area) where Kaneru was murdered then we could ask if they saw or heard anything that night, otherwise forget it, it isn't worth waking more guards or servants if this isn't something we can do fast.

We aren't really familiar with anyone else enough to warrant disturbing them just as they are about to sleep, though I could see an arguement being made for seeing Sadayoshi to coordinate things or Akirako since we are good friends for people who have only known each other a couple of days.
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>>4664710
Yeah, I can't think of anything else. If I wasn't explicit then consider this a vote for:

>See Yukari to discuss what she learned and share what we learned.

>Pass by the outside the window of the murder site and see if there is anything there.

We need to know whether the window overlooks the dirt below or another balcony or other windows that a assassin could use to enter into on another level after dropping down or whether they could hang from the window and grab another as they were falling or something. Perhaps there may be impressions in the dirt if that is what is below the window.

>If there is a patrol that happens to pass by as we look outside the window, ask if they patrolled this route last night and if not then who did. Ask if they saw anyone or anything around the window or this area if they do happen to be the patrol that passed around here last night.
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>>4664710
>See Yukari to discuss what she learned and share what we learned.

>Pass by the outside the window of the murder site and see if there is anything there.
>>
>>4664780
supporting
>>
>>4664736
this>>4664780 >>4664976
>>
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Though you decide that you should pay Yogo Yukari another visit, you continue to meander around the garden for a while longer. This gives you the opportunity to look at the castle from the outside, to see just how accessible the windows are from the outside. Though it is not quite as large as Seven Stings Keep, it is still a grand structure with walls of white stone, a roof of shining tiles and three storeys to its name. Though you do not know the precise location of the room where Matsu Kaneru was murdered, you guess that it shares the same floor as yours, where all of the guests are housed – the second storey.

Sure enough, just below the windows of that floor, the roof of the first storey extends out, sloping downwards. Though a tiled surface like that is likely to be treacherous, especially in this season, you have no doubt that a skilled infiltrator would be capable of traversing it. In theory, anyone on that floor could clamber out of the window of their quarters and onto that roof, then through the window of another room.

With that in mind, you head inside and leave the gardens behind. As you intend to meet with that despicable bitch once more, you part ways with Kinnosuke and allow him to return to your quarters. After a few minutes and a walk through the tangled corridors of the castle, you find yourself in front of Yukari's room and announce your presence by calling out the name of the conniving shinobi. A moment later and the door slides open, revealing the willowy woman hidden behind her kitsune mask and her flowing robe. As soon you have stepped inside of her eclectic domain, her whinging begins.

“I suppose you must think that you are very witty, Kimiko. Did you enjoy forcing me to improvise like that, by telling Sadayoshi that I would be performing when I returned? Perhaps you found your comment about being 'worried about your childhood friend' more entertaining. You cannot possibly expect me to play a part like that.” You don't need to see her face to know that she is scowling at you. On the other hand, you can't keep yourself from smirking.

“Why not? After all, you are an actress and I know from experience that lying comes naturally to you.” You can't resist making a few jabs at her. It's the least that she deserves. “Besides, I had no choice. I had to come up with some sort of alibi for you, after you ran off without a thought in the world.”

“Acting involves adopting the persona of someone other than yourself,” Yukari mutters in response, folding her arms across her chest. “It is more than simple deception. I suppose that you are here to learn about what I have discovered, as we agreed? I am afraid that there was not much left to be found.” Once she has composed herself, she elaborates.
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“Whoever was responsible for the deed did it well. A clean and elegant cut while the Lion slept, likely with a wakizashi if I have to make a guess. There was a flask of sake in the room, one that has no place in this estate, and three cups that match it. While the liquor itself was not tainted, two of the vessels were. The insides of them were smeared with something that I did not recognise.”

“Here I thought that you would be an expert when it comes to poison,” you sneer. Yukari is unamused.

“Not as much as you might think. Now if you are quite finished, that is not all that I found. I discovered how the killer entered the room. They would need to know the routine of the servants if they hoped to enter through the door unseen. Though the walls can be opened by those who are aware of their true nature,” something that you did not know of, “the assassin would have to traverse multiple rooms to reach their destination. The possibility was the window, and it seems as though the culprit made a mistake. Whatever they wore at the time got snagged on a latch, as a scrap of black fabric was left behind. Now, what did you accomplish?”

You tell her about everything that you have done throughout the day – your conversations with the Matsu, your questioning of the hinin, and your meeting with Atsushi. She doesn't seem particularly impressed, judging from her impassive stare.

“In other words, you were so obvious with your questioning that even a mindless brute like Matsu Shoraku managed to figure out your intentions. You have outdone yourself, Kimiko. As for the servants, you need not trouble yourself with them – they answer to me and besides, I can mingle with them without any trouble. Unlike you.”

“Of course you can,” you snap back. “You seem more comfortable in the clothes of a heimin than those of a samurai. You are right when you say that you are unlike me, for I actually have pride.”

Though Yukari pretends that she isn't phased by your words, you can see the anger flare up in her eyes. “You had an entire day to work with and you accomplished nothing, Kimiko. Only your rōnin learned something worthwhile. Tadataka... Is it possible that he is involved in this, somehow?” She seems to ask herself this question, rather than direct it at you. “In any case, you are far too conspicuous to be allowed out of court. Remain in there from now on and cover for me, while I do all of the hard work that you are incapable of.”
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Does Yukari really expect you to play along with a suggestion like that?

>Fine. You'll do as she asks, just this once. (By choosing this option, you will increase your strife to 7 / 8 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur, but you will gain a void point.)
>Of course she is going to look down her nose at all of your accomplishments. No, you'll maintain a balance and you expect her to do the same. You are not her lackey.
>She's got it the wrong way around. From now on, she's the one who is going to cover for you while you do all of the investigating. You're sick and tired of court.

Also, what do you think of Yukari's suggestion that Tadataka might have a hand in this?

>It's absurd. He has been out of the city for an entire season, he was gone before you had even gotten any news about this visit from the Lion. He can't possibly be involved.
>It's likely. Though he might gone, there's a good chance that several of his agents remain. He had invested far too much in the city of Beiden to simply abandon it like that.
>Not Tadataka, but the heretical conspiracy that you suspect that he belongs to. These blasphemers will stop at nothing in their mad quest to topple the Celestial Order.
>>
>>4665595
>>Of course she is going to look down her nose at all of your accomplishments. No, you'll maintain a balance and you expect her to do the same. You are not her lackey.
>It's likely. Though he might gone, there's a good chance that several of his agents remain. He had invested far too much in the city of Beiden to simply abandon it like that.

I'm pretty certain that it's the older lion retainer, his unflappable calm and his slip up when we mentioned duty is the giveaway I think, and the Sake.
>>
>>4665595
>Of course she is going to look down her nose at all of your accomplishments. No, you'll maintain a balance and you expect her to do the same. You are not her lackey.
>It's likely. Though he might gone, there's a good chance that several of his agents remain. He had invested far too much in the city of Beiden to simply abandon it like that.
>>
>>4665595
>>Of course she is going to look down her nose at all of your accomplishments. No, you'll maintain a balance and you expect her to do the same. You are not her lackey.

We have a good thing going, either one of us being absent from court too long will be conspicuous, whereas our pre-established alibi makes perfect sense, it also makes sense that samurai would briefly retire to freshen up or change clothes or whatever. It also makes no sense for either the aide to Sadayoshi (us) or the musician be absent for new years or any of the festivities previously mentioned.

>It's likely. Though he might gone, there's a good chance that several of his agents remain. He had invested far too much in the city of Beiden to simply abandon it like that.

The timing of him leaving just when the possibility of war with the lion pops up is certainly suspicuous. On the other hand, I'm not sure a business man would want any property or merchants he has long distance investiments in to be destroyed if Beiden is razed, so perhaps it is the conspiracy he is apart of instead.

>Did she happen to bring the scrap of fabric and the cup out?

We can feel the texture of the fabric and it's weave to get a feeling for who the killer may be and look in their rooms for such an article of clothing with a tear in it. Though Jojuri apparently already has a tear in her revealing yukata.

We can also try and identify the substance in the cup with our medicine skill if hers was insufficient, alternatively we can take it to Atsushi tomorrow night, who in turn can take it to Orinosuke who will have the resources to have it identified.

We'll have to return both items to the same spots in the room eventually though, before the Magistrate gets here, so he can find the evidence. If she failed to bring the items out, make sure to chastise her appropriately for being such a poor thinker, she'll have to fetch them for us some time like the servant she is. lol

>Well, if she wants to handle the servants, then the least she can do is figure out what the lion servant was told to do precisely and who ordered him to do it, it'd probably be a nail in the coffin if the servant said Kitahachi.

It's also worth noting that only two of the cups were tainted, more evidence pointing to Kitahachi, unless Shoraku is lying.
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>>4665595
>She's got it the wrong way around. From now on, she's the one who is going to cover for you while you do all of the investigating. You're sick and tired of court.
>It's absurd. He has been out of the city for an entire season, he was gone before you had even gotten any news about this visit from the Lion. He can't possibly be involved.
>>
>>4665595

>Of course she is going to look down her nose at all of your accomplishments. No, you'll maintain a balance and you expect her to do the same. You are not her lackey.
>It's absurd. He has been out of the city for an entire season, he was gone before you had even gotten any news about this visit from the Lion. He can't possibly be involved.
>>
>>4665595
>Of course she is going to look down her nose at all of your accomplishments. No, you'll maintain a balance and you expect her to do the same. You are not her lackey.

We have more responsibilities than her, and even a brute has his uses.

>It's likely. Though he might gone, there's a good chance that several of his agents remain. He had invested far too much in the city of Beiden to simply abandon it like that.

He used to be a patron of the sake shop, and him business partners tend to find themselves deep in heretical conspiracies. The old Lion's most likely involved, though we should confirm where the ripped cloth came from. I do hope Atsushi bring us the evidence of poison as well, because it'll be a good plant for framing the Crane, along with some ripped cloth from their wardrobe.

What did Yukari talk with him about, anyway? Looked like she was corned there for a minute.
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>>4665595
>Of course she is going to look down her nose at all of your accomplishments. No, you'll maintain a balance and you expect her to do the same. You are not her lackey.
>Not Tadataka, but the heretical conspiracy that you suspect that he belongs to. These blasphemers will stop at nothing in their mad quest to topple the Celestial Order.
>>
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“Do not belittle my accomplishments,” you retort. “I have half of the court wrapped around my finger and ready to do whatever I ask of them. You, on the other hand, have done nothing other than bore them with your insipid performances.” She is actually quite good, but there's no way that you'll ever tell her that. “I will stick to our agreement, and I expect you to do the same. We shall both attend court regularly to remain above suspicion, and search for the truth whenever we are able.”

“Except you have already failed at that first objective, Kimiko. When Matsu Kitahachi spoke with me, he happened to mention you and inquired about your disappearance as well as mine. Do you have any idea how difficult it was for me to deceive the Lion, to say that you are anything other than a selfish monster? I am not even certain that I was able to convince him, that is how flimsy the pretext that you gave me was.”

“Oh, of course you blame me for a failure that is entirely your own.” Though you are sorely tempted to pelt Yukari with even more insults, you force yourself to resist the urge. “In any case, I do not care about the old Matsu's thoughts, especially when he seems more likely to be the killer than anyone else in this castle. The question is, since it seems likely that Tadataka is involved in all of this, how is Kitahachi tied to the merchant?” When she hears your question, Yukari simply scoffs and shakes her head.

“He might be clever, yet he is still a samurai of the Lion,” Yukari says. “He would not assassinate his superior just to further his clan's agenda. I suspect that the cups were poisoned after they arrived at the estate. Perhaps his was left untouched on purpose, so that the clues might point towards him? In any case, I find Shosuro Jojuri far more suspicious – she has met with Tadataka before, since he was a frequent visitor in this estate until his departure, and where did the churl flee to? The City of Lies, of course. Beiden is a growing town, perhaps she wants the armies of the Lion Clan to crush it so that Ryokō Owari will not face any competition from this city.”

“I find that hard to believe. Jojuri agreed to cooperate with us, so long as we send word of her contribution to her superiors once the Lion have departed and a deal is struck. Though, this was before Matsu Kaneru was murdered...” You fall quiet and unwittingly leave an opening for Yukari to respond.

“I would not be surprised if she said that for the sole purpose of fooling you, Kimiko, to make herself seem less dubious. Think about it. She has been in this castle long enough to know the patterns, she has the motive... I think that she is a far more likely suspect than an elderly courtier who served Kaneru before she was slain.”
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“Yet if you wish to scamper down that particular trail,” Yukari continues, “by all means, be my guest. I, on the other hand, shall go about this investigation in a more sensible manner. Now, unless you need anything else, I would like to rest – and be rid of your company.”

“Could you at least give me the shred of fabric that you found, or the poisoned cups? I would like to have a closer look at them myself, since you are incapable of telling me anything of value about them.” Upon hearing those words, Yukari rolls her eyes.

“Do you really think that I am foolish enough to take such things out of that room? If Kitahachi finds that anything is out of place when he next visits that place, he will cause an unimaginable fuss and accuse our clan of tampering with the scene. I would rather not grant him the ammunition. It is unlikely that he was behind Kaneru's murder, but I do not believe that he is above exploiting it for his clan's benefit.”

“Wonderful,” you reply with a sigh of frustration. “Of course I shall have to inspect that room for myself. I must be a fool to expect that you would ever do anything that would make my life a little easier. No, Yukari, I do not need anything else from you.” This time, you do not allow her the opportunity to seize the last word. You turn about, shove the door open and stride off down the corridor before she can muster a response.

It does not take long for you to reunite with Shosuro Kinnosuke, who walks with you back towards the quarters that you share. While he knows better than to inquire about your conversation with Yukari, there is something else that he wants to mention.

“You know, there is always a chance that Matsu Kaneru was not the killer's sole target. They might strike again and I would rather not be caught unprepared. Perhaps we can split the night in two – while one of us sleeps, the other shall remain alert. I am willing to go without a little beauty sleep if you will suffer with me, Bayushi-san.”

>Fine, but you will sleep while he takes the first watch. You'd rather wake up in the middle of the night than struggle to rest with only a few hours of sleep left.
>Fine, but you will take the first watch while he handles the second. You'll be more alert if you're not struggling to wake up and when your shift ends, sleep will come to you easily.
>Kinnosuke can spend the whole night sleeping. He might play the part of your yōjimbō, but you don't trust him to protect you. You will have to go without sleep tonight.
>There is no chance that you are going to miss out on any sleep. After all, Kinnosuke is playing the part of your yōjimbō – he should be happy to go a night without rest for your sake.
>Neither of you need to sacrifice any sleep. You doubt that the killer will try to strike again and even if he does, the entire castle is crawling with guards now. They wouldn't take the risk.
>>
>>4666329
>Fine, but you will take the first watch while he handles the second. You'll be more alert if you're not struggling to wake up and when your shift ends, sleep will come to you easily.

It's harder to fall asleep once you get a few hours sleep and then awaken and manage to stay awake for a few minutes, after a while you won't feel tired again until a few hours later. Trust me, I've had a disrupted sleep schedule my entire life.

Another thing to consider is when the killer may strike. I think the ideal time is when your sleep cycle is at its deepest which I think is like...an hour or two before you awaken if I remember right. So just before dawn. However the killer would have to stay up all night to wait for that time or have to risk trying to sleep and then oversleeping the ideal time to strike. Therefore I think they'd wait a few hours before striking, then returning to sleep, which I think is what happened last time based on my reading of how well we slept last time.
>>
>>4666329
Also, tell Kinnosuke that the killer may either come from a window using the first floor roof or they may come through the walls based on their previous extraction method and what Yukari told us about the walls respectively.

I also thought Jojuri was possibly the killer but only in the sense that I suspect almost anyone could be, which I suppose doesn't count, for obvious reasons. Mostly because I think Kitahachi was implying that he thought it was Jojuri before refraining from saying so out of propriety. I assumed it was a thinly veiled attempt at misdirection, but who knows, maybe Yukari is right, but that is why it's good we are sharing information while investigating in different directions. I don't agree that Jojuri necessarily has the motive, what Yukari is saying seems to make perfect sense, but she is ascribing Tadataka's unknown hypothetical motive to Jojuri before we have taken the necessary steps to identify if Jojuri is corrupt yet. Remember, she'd possibly end up in the Traitor's Grove if we discovered her but she succeeded in getting the lion to destroy Beiden.

I think the key is an accurate interrogation of the lion servant or whoever was dressed up as a lion servant. They can tell us whether it was Kitahachi or Jojuri that ordered the sake and who they passed it onto or who may have handled the cups before the lions drank it.
>>
>>4666329
>>Fine, but you will take the first watch while he handles the second. You'll be more alert if you're not struggling to wake up and when your shift ends, sleep will come to you easily.
>>
>>4666329
>>Fine, but you will take the first watch while he handles the second. You'll be more alert if you're not struggling to wake up and when your shift ends, sleep will come to you easily.
>>4666329
>>
>>4666329
>Fine, but you will take the first watch while he handles the second. You'll be more alert if you're not struggling to wake up and when your shift ends, sleep will come to you easily
>>
>>4666329
>>Fine, but you will take the first watch while he handles the second. You'll be more alert if you're not struggling to wake up and when your shift ends, sleep will come to you easily.
>>
>>4666329
>Neither of you need to sacrifice any sleep. You doubt that the killer will try to strike again and even if he does, the entire castle is crawling with guards now. They wouldn't take the risk.
>>
In the end, you decide to accept the first watch of the evening while Kinnosuke slumbers. Once most of the night has passed, you shall awaken your companion and allow him to take over. To measure the passage of time, you shall use a candle. It is a rather simple arrangement, and one that your yōjimbō does not protest against.

The most difficult part of the arrangement is keeping yourself entertained and awake for half a night, while you are confined to a small room and must avoid waking up another samurai sleeping half a dozen yards away from you. Though you ask a servant to fetch some sort of literature for you to read, it seems that the estate has nothing to offer at such short notice other than pillow books, with titles such as Autumn Everlasting, Transience, Forbidden Spring and so on. You only manage to flick through three of them before you grow tired of the vapid musings that are found within their pages. For the rest of your watch, you resort to cleaning your sword as a method of keeping yourself occupied, polishing its blade until you can view your own reflection in its steel with perfect clarity – and then you shine it some more, simply because you have that much time to spare.

After what feels like an eternity, there is almost nothing left of the candle and you know that it is at last time for you to awaken Kinnosuke. From the other side of the screen, you can hear him groan as you call to him. It does not take too long for the man to ready himself for his watch while you prepare to settle down for the night. Without any ceremony, you crawl underneath the sheets of your futon and settle into a deep slumber, without any nightmares or dreams to bother you – only the comforting blackness that you are so familiar with.

>You lose a point of strife. Your strife is currently at 3 / 8.

You are not awoken by Kinnosuke or that voice which whispered to you last night. Instead, you rise of your own accord at the usual hour, satisfied with the knowledge that nothing has happened overnight – at least not as far as you know. All of this caution was for nothing but then again, tensions are high and everyone is on guard after the murder of Matsu Kaneru. It would be foolish for the killer to strike again so soon. As for your yōjimbō, he seems to regret waking up in the middle of the night. He already looks a little tired and haggard, and the day hasn't even begun.
>>
And what a day it is. Today, the Month of the Tenth Kami has passed and the Month of Amaterasu has arrived. A new year has begun and you are a year older. You have no doubt that throughout the city, heimin are preparing for today's festivities. It is the chance to celebrate the official end of winter and the start of spring, the rebirth of Rokugan. When you were younger, New Year's Day a source of excitement, something precious that you cherished. Now that you are an adult however, it just feels like any other day.

Once more, you must decide how you should dress yourself, and the impression that you want to make today.

>You should just wear your work clothes. The black hakama, red kosode and black hanten are the unsophisticated uniform of a yoriki, designed for comfort and for travel rather than to be worn in courtly settings.
>Perhaps this is a chance to wear the red furisode, which carries a pattern reminiscent of ears of wheat woven in gold thread. This outfit given to you by Utaku Khulan doesn't seem to make any particular statement.
>If you want to be seen as a samurai of the Scorpion first and foremost, there is no choice that is better than that loose yukata, a black and crimson garment emblazoned with the eponymous animal of your clan.
>The jade and gold jūnihitoe is guaranteed to shock whoever beholds it and leave them full of awe. However, it is also a complicated ensemble and donning it properly requires finesse, as well as the assistance of servants.
>Though it is the simplest kimono that you own, now is the time to wear the black tomesode embroidered with golden vines and blossoms. These are colours shared by the Scorpion and the Lion. (You wore this yesterday.)

>You want to be seen as approachable – well, for a Scorpion at least. For that reason, you choose to wear the dark, lacquered wood of the domino mask that you were given at the end of your gempuku.
>Let everyone think of you as secretive and distant. That mystique of the opaque veil that you recently purchased should serve you well and obscure the lower half of your face from sight. No one will know what you feel.

>Perhaps you will wear your hair loose. Maybe you'll tie it back in a rather simple fashion. Whatever you choose, there's no need for any extravagant hair ornaments. You can appear elegant without them.
>The decorative kanzashi will give you an air of sophistication and help you make a positive first impression. It will take some time and finesse for you to don these hair ornaments properly, but it will most certainly be worth it.
>>
>>4666999
>If you want to be seen as a samurai of the Scorpion first and foremost, there is no choice that is better than that loose yukata, a black and crimson garment emblazoned with the eponymous animal of your clan.

>You want to be seen as approachable – well, for a Scorpion at least. For that reason, you choose to wear the dark, lacquered wood of the domino mask that you were given at the end of your gempuku.

>The decorative kanzashi will give you an air of sophistication and help you make a positive first impression. It will take some time and finesse for you to don these hair ornaments properly, but it will most certainly be worth it.

We've been wearing the Furisode and Tomesode a lot, we should probably mix it up finally lest people begin to truly believe we are a pauper or overly prone to charity. Though I admit I'm reluctant to wear the revealing yukata amongst the traditional lion and in a scenario where someone important died in such a tragic way, as long as we don't try and seduce anyone it'll probably just be seen as normal for scorpions to dress like us, still I wish we had some other courtly clothes in scorpion colours for different situations. I don't think it's time to wear the jūnihitoe, we should save it for when the magistrate arrives.
>>
>>4667111
Support
>>
>>4667111
+1
>>
>>4666999
>Though it is the simplest kimono that you own, now is the time to wear the black tomesode embroidered with golden vines and blossoms. These are colours shared by the Scorpion and the Lion. (You wore this yesterday.)
>Let everyone think of you as secretive and distant. That mystique of the opaque veil that you recently purchased should serve you well and obscure the lower half of your face from sight. No one will know what you feel.
>Perhaps you will wear your hair loose. Maybe you'll tie it back in a rather simple fashion. Whatever you choose, there's no need for any extravagant hair ornaments. You can appear elegant without them.
>>
>>4666999

>If you want to be seen as a samurai of the Scorpion first and foremost, there is no choice that is better than that loose yukata, a black and crimson garment emblazoned with the eponymous animal of your clan.
>You want to be seen as approachable – well, for a Scorpion at least. For that reason, you choose to wear the dark, lacquered wood of the domino mask that you were given at the end of your gempuku.
>Perhaps you will wear your hair loose. Maybe you'll tie it back in a rather simple fashion. Whatever you choose, there's no need for any extravagant hair ornaments. You can appear elegant without them.
>>
>>4666999
I have to say, epic dubs right here! You should be proud!

>If you want to be seen as a samurai of the Scorpion first and foremost, there is no choice that is better than that loose yukata, a black and crimson garment emblazoned with the eponymous animal of your clan.
>You want to be seen as approachable – well, for a Scorpion at least. For that reason, you choose to wear the dark, lacquered wood of the domino mask that you were given at the end of your gempuku.
>Perhaps you will wear your hair loose. Maybe you'll tie it back in a rather simple fashion. Whatever you choose, there's no need for any extravagant hair ornaments. You can appear elegant without them.

>>4666492
Remember, Jojuri had a rip in her robe before the murder happened. It is also interesting to note that Kitahachi also talked and laid hands on her, if only to shove her away. Keeping in mind that with only two sake cups poisoned, the murderer won't know if they got to their recipient targets... unless he was the one serving them. And why only two, unless one needed a clear mind to do the deed? Kitahachi is our killer. The question remains, what is his motive and how do we turn this to our advantage?
>>
>>4666999
>If you want to be seen as a samurai of the Scorpion first and foremost, there is no choice that is better than that loose yukata, a black and crimson garment emblazoned with the eponymous animal of your clan.
>You want to be seen as approachable – well, for a Scorpion at least. For that reason, you choose to wear the dark, lacquered wood of the domino mask that you were given at the end of your gempuku.
>Perhaps you will wear your hair loose. Maybe you'll tie it back in a rather simple fashion. Whatever you choose, there's no need for any extravagant hair ornaments. You can appear elegant without them.
QM, will we know the day that the magistrate is arriving, so we can bust out the junihitoe ahead of time?
>>
>>4667527
Yes, I remember, I mentioned it a few posts above. I wasn't sure in the context of that conversation where she mentioned it if she was just saying that as a quick excuse for why she had returned to her room and she had actually just ran off because she was really upset and close to unmasking for having failed so much or if she really did just rip of yukata on a branch in the garden or if Kitahachi ripped her robe when pushing her away somehow.

I know I've been giving hypothetical reasons or possibilities of why or how others could be the killer but I've said from the beginning that Kitahachi was my 1# suspect, so this isn't too surprising if true. Were you implying that Kitahachi ripped her robe to plant the scrap of cloth later?

I still think that unless we can confirm for sure that Kitahachi is the killer or obtain more damning circumstantial evidence then we should probably look through some of the other rooms if we have the time. Though our focus should still be Kitahachi and the lion servant for now and should only really deviate to prepare to setup Tokuhei and/or if we don't find further evidence of it being Kitahachi. I'd rather not get the wrong guy by sheer coincidence or a bunch of things lining up in such a way that it makes it seem like it one person for sure but in reality is another, may as well do our due diligence.

As for his motive, I'll do some lazy low level speculation. If I had to guess, he may just want to do what Orinosuke speculated back in the previous thread, obtain a casus belli. Maybe he thinks that by planting the scrap of Jojuri yukata in the room the Emerald Magistrate will blame Jojuri, then Kitahachi will run back home screaming about vile scorpions and how they are a nest of stupid short sighted vipers incapable of long-term self-interested thinking and they just couldn't wait to assassinate Kaneru for who knows what caricaturist reason, thus giving them a dumb but good enough reason for war. Perhaps the Emerald Magistrate is corrupt and is on the take from the lions or something, he IS stationed in Shiro Matsu just across the border on the opposite side mountains just through Beiden pass in the Matsu clan seat of power. Maybe Kitahachi only needs a simple setup to blame Jojuri because the Magistrate is in on it and will just blame Jojuri or any scorpion with little evidence or will do what Kitahachi says, who knows.

As for how to use that info to our advantage, I'd say our current objective to frame Tokuhei already does that on broader strategic level for the scorpion, since the scorpion higher ups seem to have a scheme to take advantage of the crane's bargaining for their land back in the imperial court to "raise the scorpion up". On a lower level to benefit us personally...I'm drawing a blank right now. Worth thinking about.

>>4667569
4 days from now, or 3 rather, now that the night has passed. Fudo says as much in the greentext prompt above after we get back from seeing Atsushi+after the murder
>>
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>>4667569
>It is suspected that the Emerald Magistrate shall arrive at the end of the fourth day and that at the beginning of the fifth, he shall start gathering testimonies.

Over the past few days, you have honoured the Lion with the tomesode and your good friend Khulan with the furisode. It is about time that you showed your own clan the respect that it deserves. Considering the company that you shall be in, you try to wear the loose garment as traditionally as possible, yet it was not tailored for such a purpose. The yukata slides off of your shoulders with great ease and all it takes is a simple misstep for you to reveal far too much skin for polite company. Ideal if you want to follow in Jojuri's footsteps and seduce every man that you speak to, but that is not your objective today.

As for your mask and your hair, you come to the same decision as yesterday. You settle on the piece of lacquered wood that you were given at the end of your gempuku, and wear your hair loose. There is no need for you to show off today – simplicity and elegance shall suffice, and hopefully counterbalance the sultry nature of your robe.

When Kinnosuke emerges from his side of the screen, you are pleased to note that he wears a kimono of black and red, much like your own. Though such coordination is likely a happy accident, you appreciate it nonetheless. It makes it seem as though the two of you possess a unity of purpose, a oneness shared between the guardian and the guarded. Once the two of you are ready, you depart from your quarters only to encounter another samurai, one of Bayushi Shunmyo's guards clad in a shining red carapace. Though his stance is not hostile, he speaks plainly and bluntly.

“Bayushi-sama, the gunsō requires your presence. If you would follow me, I shall escort you to his office.”

You share a glance with Kinnosuke, who seems just as bemused by these summons as you are. You follow the lead of this guard as he takes you through the winding corridors and down to the barracks. These communal quarters shared by samurai and ashigaru alike are shockingly spartan, lacking the luxury of the rest of the estate. Here and there, soldiers rest and recover after spending the night patrolling the castle grounds, while others prepare themselves for their impending duty. You are led through this vast chamber to a door, at which the guards announces his presence and yours. From the other side, you hear Bayushi Shunmyo bark a command and the guard slides the door open, allowing you to enter. Once you are inside, it closes behind you and your yōjimbō.
>>
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Much like his soldiers, it appears that the gunsō has surrendered any form of luxury. There are no decorations to the found, no personal touches, just an austere chamber lit by a plain lamp. The armoured figure of Bayushi Shunmyo sits on a zabuton between a simple table, a handful of documents laid out before him. On the opposite side, there is another mat, that is likely intended for you.

“Shosuro-san, your presence is not required. You may wait outside.” The voice of the sergeant is stern, almost as though his words are an order. “As for you Bayushi-san, I wish to hear how you will explain yourself and your actions over these past few days. Sit.”

Rather than leave immediately, Kinnosuke hesitates and turns towards you, as though waiting for your input. As for you, you don't appreciate the gunsō's tone. It almost sounds accusatory.

>Shosuro Kinnosuke shall stay. Everything that you hear, your protector shall hear as well.
>Shosuro Kinnosuke shall leave. Tell him to do as the sergeant asks and wait outside.
>Shosuro Kinnosuke shall make up his own mind. He's not your subordinate.

>Do as he asks and submit to his authority. Take a seat and wait for the questioning to begin. (By choosing this option, you will increase your strife to 6 / 8 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur, but you will gain a void point.)
>Get defensive. You don't appreciate his tone, and you're going to let him know that. Is he so foolish that he expects that you might be involved in the killing of Matsu Kaneru? Did he really bring you down here to accuse you of that?
>Take the initiative and tell him everything, without him even needing to question you. Your meetings with Atsushi, your conversations with Yogo Yukari and Shosuro Jojuri, your interrogation of the hinin and so on. You have nothing to hide.
>Stand your ground. Technically, Shunmyo has no power over you. You do not answer him, so you do not need to tell him anything. (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Command Skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.)
>>
>>4667786
>Shosuro Kinnosuke shall make up his own mind. He's not your subordinate.
>Do as he asks and submit to his authority. Take a seat and wait for the questioning to begin. (By choosing this option, you will increase your strife to 6 / 8 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur, but you will gain a void point.)
>>
>>4667786
>>Shosuro Kinnosuke shall make up his own mind. He's not your subordinate.
>>Do as he asks and submit to his authority. Take a seat and wait for the questioning to begin. (By choosing this option, you will increase your strife to 6 / 8 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur, but you will gain a void point.)
>>
>>4667786
>>Shosuro Kinnosuke shall stay. Everything that you hear, your protector shall hear as well.
>Take the initiative and tell him everything, without him even needing to question you. Your meetings with Atsushi, your conversations with Yogo Yukari and Shosuro Jojuri, your interrogation of the hinin and so on. You have nothing to hide.
>>
>>4667786
>Shosuro Kinnosuke shall make up his own mind. He's not your subordinate.

>Stand your ground. Technically, Shunmyo has no power over you. You do not answer him, so you do not need to tell him anything. (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Command Skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.)
>>
>>4667786
>Shosuro Kinnosuke shall stay. Everything that you hear, your protector shall hear as well.
>Stand your ground. Technically, Shunmyo has no power over you. You do not answer him, so you do not need to tell him anything. (This will require a roll using your Earth ring of 2 and your Command Skill of 2. You will need to keep four successes.)
>>
>>4667786
>Shosuro Kinnosuke shall leave. Tell him to do as the sergeant asks and wait outside.
>Get defensive. You don't appreciate his tone, and you're going to let him know that. Is he so foolish that he expects that you might be involved in the killing of Matsu Kaneru? Did he really bring you down here to accuse you of that?
>>
>>4667786
>>Shosuro Kinnosuke shall stay. Everything that you hear, your protector shall hear as well.

Sometimes it has paid to have a witness to the conversations we've had, though I'm not sure this is one of those times.

>Take the initiative and tell him everything, without him even needing to question you. Your meetings with Atsushi, your conversations with Yogo Yukari and Shosuro Jojuri, your interrogation of the hinin and so on. You have nothing to hide.

I'd rather not gain a bunch of strife at the start of the day. I'd also rather not be needlessly reticent to answer some questions, remember we've failed to get 4 successes with 7d6 in the past, here we have 6d6 and only 2 earth ring meaning we'd need 2 6's as well as 2 other successes.
>>
>>4667786
>Shosuro Kinnosuke shall leave. Tell him to do as the sergeant asks and wait outside.

>>4667786
>Get defensive. You don't appreciate his tone, and you're going to let him know that. Is he so foolish that he expects that you might be involved in the killing of Matsu Kaneru? Did he really bring you down here to accuse you of that?
>>
>>4667786
>Shosuro Kinnosuke shall leave. Tell him to do as the sergeant asks and wait outside.
>Take the initiative and tell him everything, without him even needing to question you. Your meetings with Atsushi, your conversations with Yogo Yukari and Shosuro Jojuri, your interrogation of the hinin and so on. You have nothing to hide.
The strife option hurts and the stand your ground roll is too hard.
>>
>>4669292
>And the post that breaks a four-way tie creates a three-way tie. Of course.

>I am going with:
>Take the initiative and tell him everything, without him even needing to question you. Your meetings with Atsushi, your conversations with Yogo Yukari and Shosuro Jojuri, your interrogation of the hinin and so on. You have nothing to hide.

>But I will still wait for one more voter who hasn't voted yet to break the tie between these choices:
>Shosuro Kinnosuke shall stay. Everything that you hear, your protector shall hear as well.
>Shosuro Kinnosuke shall leave. Tell him to do as the sergeant asks and wait outside.
>Shosuro Kinnosuke shall make up his own mind. He's not your subordinate.
>>
>>4669408
I'll switch to speed this up.

>Shosuro Kinnosuke shall make up his own mind. He's not your subordinate.
>>
>>4669412
>Good enough for me. I'll lock voting there and get to typing when I have the time then.
>>
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“Might I point out that just like me, Kinnosuke is not bound to serve you? Though we respect your authority, we are not obligated to obey your commands, Bayushi-sama.” Upon hearing your words, Shunmyo creases his brow and looks from you towards your yōjimbō. You do the same. For a few seconds, Kinnosuke looks uncertain, his eyes darting between the two of you. Once the moment passes, his gaze settles on the sergeant and he holds his ground, without saying a word. With that out of the way, you look back towards the gunsō.

“So, you wish to hear me explain myself? Very well.”

You tell him everything, down to the smallest details that he might not have inquired about. Everywhere you went and everyone who you met with when you weren't in court, everything you did is laid bare before the gunsō. Throughout your tale, Shunmyo remains silent. Though he is focused on you for the most part, he occasionally glances towards Kinnosuke, perhaps to see how he reacts to some of your statements. In the end, he doesn't even let you finish.

“Enough,” he says with a dismissive gesture. “I shall repeat what I said the night before last, for it remains true. If a subordinate of mine spoke as much as you do, I would have struck him by now.” This time around, those words don't sting nearly as much as they did when you first heard them. Repetition has softened their impact. “Though I find your tongue tiresome, I cannot keep myself from admiring your courage. Not only did you escape from the estate, but you are brave enough to admit it to my face.”

“You wanted me to speak of my activities, so I did exactly that.” You adjust your robe, just to ensure that you are not inadvertently exposing yourself. This yukata does make you rather self-conscious. “Might I ask why you wished to hear me justify my actions, Bayushi-sama?”

“I did not ask you to go into such detail.” He speaks in a deadpan fashion, almost as though he is bored by the tale that he just heard. “I was most interested your habit of disappearing, particularly when you left the compound – supposedly to meet with this rōnin of yours. You did this once on the day when the Lion arrived, and once on the day before Matsu Kaneru was murdered. You should not be surprised that I found it suspicious that you did not make any effort to leave again, though I now know otherwise.” He shoots a look in Kinnosuke's direction, only for your fellow yoriki to nod, in an effort to confirm your story.

“Yet now you know the reason behind my excursions, and that I made a third. Surely that is enough to put your suspicions to rest?” Upon hearing your question, the gunsō shakes his head.
>>
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“Hardly. By your own admission, no one else has witnessed you meet with your contact. I am not wont to simply accept the word of another Scorpion. If I was, I would have reached this position to begin with.” You cannot argue with that. “There are two samurai of our clan who have behaved in a manner that I consider suspect. Yogo Yukari, and you. I know the 'actress' well enough by now but I do not know you, and while you might have your master's trust, you will need to earn mine. So, the next time that you leave to speak with the wave man, I shall see to it that you are escorted by one of my soldiers. Think of this as your chance to convince me that are not responsible for this farce.”

Though you are frustrated that your innocence is being questioned once more, you cannot help but wonder about Shunmyo's motivations. Is he simply a samurai who possesses vigilance that borders on paranoia, or is he trying to prevent others from uncovering his own involvement? It is strange that he would doubt you, of all people, considering that you were there when you were told to uncover the killer's true identity. The Chief Magistrate trusts you, so why doesn't he?

>Very well, you accept his terms. There is nothing that you have to hide from Bayushi Shunmyo or his servants so if he wants a guard to accompany you when you next speak with Atsushi, so be it.
>Fight suspicion with suspicion. By trying to police your activities and keep eyes on you at all times, he is giving away that he's worried about what you might discover. Tell him as much.
>Try to allay his concerns by cancelling your meeting with Atsushi later today. That way, you won't be doing anything suspect and he'll have nothing to worry about. You'll play by his rules from now on.
>Bring up Yogo Orinosuke. You are the trusted agent of the Chief Magistrate. Though you do not know Shunmyo's relationship with him, surely he should trust you too? (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. The amount of successes required to succeed at this roll is hidden. Should you choose to take this risk, you will gain a void point.)
>Invoke the blood. Shunmyo might be a gunsō and a higher position inside of the clan than you, but he lacks your celestial heritage. You will not allow him to order you about like this. (This will require a roll using your Void ring of 2 and your Command skill of 2. You will only need to keep three successes to succeed, thanks to your Blessed Lineage.)
>>
>>4669978
>Invoke the blood. Shunmyo might be a gunsō and a higher position inside of the clan than you, but he lacks your celestial heritage. You will not allow him to order you about like this. (This will require a roll using your Void ring of 2 and your Command skill of 2. You will only need to keep three successes to succeed, thanks to your Blessed Lineage.)
>>
>>4669978
>Invoke the blood. Shunmyo might be a gunsō and a higher position inside of the clan than you, but he lacks your celestial heritage. You will not allow him to order you about like this. (This will require a roll using your Void ring of 2 and your Command skill of 2. You will only need to keep three successes to succeed, thanks to your Blessed Lineage.)
Fuck it.
>>
>>4669978
>Invoke the blood. Shunmyo might be a gunsō and a higher position inside of the clan than you, but he lacks your celestial heritage. You will not allow him to order you about like this. (This will require a roll using your Void ring of 2 and your Command skill of 2. You will only need to keep three successes to succeed, thanks to your Blessed Lineage.)
>>
>>4669978
>Invoke the blood. Shunmyo might be a gunsō and a higher position inside of the clan than you, but he lacks your celestial heritage. You will not allow him to order you about like this. (This will require a roll using your Void ring of 2 and your Command skill of 2. You will only need to keep three successes to succeed, thanks to your Blessed Lineage.)
>>
>>4669978

Actually, I'll switch to this

>Bring up Yogo Orinosuke. You are the trusted agent of the Chief Magistrate. Though you do not know Shunmyo's relationship with him, surely he should trust you too? (This will require a roll using your Water ring of 2 and your Courtesy skill of 2. The amount of successes required to succeed at this roll is hidden. Should you choose to take this risk, you will gain a void point.)

We've often neglected to learn other characters' backstories like with Atsushi and the lumber mill guy, may as well reward Fudo for writing them. Besides we get a void point. I suspect the DC isn't more then 4 and may be lower, though he did say we need to earn his trust seperately from Orinosuke. It'd be funny if the reason he doesn't trust us is that he is Orinosuke's rival or something.

Also, it seems some anon's -myself included- are certain Kitahachi is the killer, if that is true we lose nothing by allowing a guard to accompany us out to see Atsushi, Shunmyo will lose any legitimate reason to hinder us if he is involved with or an accomplice to the killer, which I doubt. Browbeating Shunmyo may encourage him to increase the amount of guards patrolling the wall preventing our stealthy escape or otherwise hinder us, it'd be better if he cooperated. I don't mind if the invoke the blood choice wins though.

>Very well, you accept his terms. There is nothing that you have to hide from Bayushi Shunmyo or his servants so if he wants a guard to accompany you when you next speak with Atsushi, so be it.

This in the case we fail.
>>
>Going with:
>Invoke the blood. Shunmyo might be a gunsō and a higher position inside of the clan than you, but he lacks your celestial heritage. You will not allow him to order you about like this. (This will require a roll using your Void ring of 2 and your Command skill of 2. You will only need to keep three successes to succeed, thanks to your Blessed Lineage.)
>I require a roll of 6d6 using your Void ring of 2 and your Command skill of 2. You will need to keep three successes.

>I will accept the best of the first three rolls.
>>
Rolled 6, 3, 4, 6, 6, 6 = 31 (6d6)

>>4670632
Will say though, I am interested in his backstory and gaining his trust.
>>
>>4670643
>dat quadruple 6

All in a days work, lads!
>>
Rolled 4, 6, 6, 2, 1, 1 = 20 (6d6)

>>4670632
>>4670643
I can totally top this!
>>
Rolled 3, 3, 5, 2, 3, 5 = 21 (6d6)

>>4670632
>>
Rolled 4, 3, 5, 6, 5, 2 = 25 (6d6)

>>4670632
Oh well.

>>4670643

Holy fuck. Good job anon.
>>
>>4670643
>5 successes
Shunmyo shits his pants in awe of our blessed lineage.
>>
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>Going with >>4670643, five successes. Nice.

“It seems as though you have forgotten what my master asked of me, Bayushi-sama. Though I was asked to find out who truly killed Matsu Kaneru, I was also asked to use my ancestry to our clan's advantage and incriminate a samurai of the Crane Clan.”

“So I recall,” Shunmyo answers. “I do not understand how that is relevant to your recent activities.”

“Oh, I simply find it amusing that our clan only acknowledges my lineage when it is a weapon that can be wielded against our rivals, Bayushi-sama.” You offer a disarming smile. “As soon as it is no longer of any use, you and so many others are content to brush it aside, as though it is irrelevant, as though I am just another samurai of the Scorpion. It is not. I am not.”

All of a sudden, your expression becomes sterner, as does your voice.

“I am Bayushi Kimoko, named in honour of Bayushi Hiyumi, daughter of the Otomo. The blood of Hantei ran through her, and so it runs through me. A descendant of Heaven stands before you, and you dare to accuse her of anything, you dare to give her commands? You have no right! From this moment on, you shall give me the respect that I am due, unless you wish for your soul to suffer forever more! I am not a tool to be used, nor am I a suspect to be questioned! I am a child of Hantei and you will treat me as such!”

As you speak, your voice grows louder and louder until it is all that can be heard. You have no doubt that your declaration can even be heard in the barracks beyond Shunmyo's office. That is good – let the whole world know of your superiority, your greatness. You take in a breath before you continue and though your voice is softer, there is an iron will behind it. How you speak is just as important as what you say.

“I have given you my word and if you are a true servant of our empire, then you shall accept it. To doubt me is to doubt the divinity of my lineage.”

Bayushi Shunmyo knows better than to question such heavenly authority. As your proclamation comes to an end, the gunsō bows his head in deference. Though he is of the Scorpion Clan, he is still bound to serve the Hantei dynasty, like all other samurai. Such is his duty. The fact that even a drop of that blood flows through you means that he must show you due reverence, and you are glad that he has not forgotten this. Out of the corner of your eye, you can see that Kinnosuke has knelt as well, even though he was not the subject of your browbeating. Finally, you are being given the obeisance that you deserve.

It feels good.

>You lose a point of strife. Your strife is currently at 2 / 8.
>>
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“You have made your point, Bayushi-san. Forgive me for doubting you.” There is a chance that he might still harbour those doubts, but he knows better than to voice them from now on. “From now on, you are free to depart from this estate to meet with your assistant. My soldiers shall not bar your way. Unless there is anything else that you wish to discuss, you should make your way to court. I shall follow in due time.”

It seems as though the sergeant is in a hurry to end this conversation, after the dressing-down that he just got from you. You can't blame him. Still, is there anything you want to learn from him, before you leave? You cannot linger much longer, unless you want to be unfashionably late.

>Focus on any information that is relevant to the investigation. Have his soldiers reported anything out of the ordinary to him? Now that you have his deference, he should be a little more willing to part with such knowledge.
>Ask about Bayushi Shunmyo. You hardly know the man at all, other than the fact that he has some sort of connection to the Chief Magistrate, that he was rather suspicious of the Lion before their arrival and that he's built like a barrel.
>Ask about Yogo Sadayoshi. From what you understand, he doesn't have much respect for the acting steward. How did such an inadequate man rise to that position in the first place? Perhaps he can help you understand.
>Ask about Yogo Yukari. What did he just say, that he knows the actress well enough by now? You want him to tell you everything he knows about her. Anything that gives you an edge over the spiteful bitch.
>Ask about Yogo Orinosuke. So far, you have very little insight into your master, and almost no leverage over him. You are at a disadvantage every time you speak with him. Shunmyo might know something that could change that.
>You should depart, rather than waste more words on the gunsō. There is nothing more that you wish to learn. The sooner you arrive in court, the better – you might even be able to speak with another courtier before it begins.
>>
>>4670846
>>Focus on any information that is relevant to the investigation. Have his soldiers reported anything out of the ordinary to him? Now that you have his deference, he should be a little more willing to part with such knowledge
>>
>>4670846
>>Focus on any information that is relevant to the investigation. Have his soldiers reported anything out of the ordinary to him? Now that you have his deference, he should be a little more willing to part with such knowledge.
>>
>>4670846
>You should depart, rather than waste more words on the gunsō. There is nothing more that you wish to learn. The sooner you arrive in court, the better – you might even be able to speak with another courtier before it begins.
>>
>>4670846
>>Focus on any information that is relevant to the investigation. Have his soldiers reported anything out of the ordinary to him? Now that you have his deference, he should be a little more willing to part with such knowledge.
>>
>>4670846
>Ask about Bayushi Shunmyo. You hardly know the man at all, other than the fact that he has some sort of connection to the Chief Magistrate, that he was rather suspicious of the Lion before their arrival and that he's built like a barrel.

I did say that we should reward Fudo for writing backstories by actually making an effort to learn about them, so here's my vote.

But, for real Fudo, when you give me the option to learn about so many people I'm tempted to vote for everything.

Shunmyo already said that the only two people he found suspicuous were Yukari and ourselves. So I doubt just asking who he suspects is gonna be useful. If the vote for asking about the investigation wins then it may be prudent to ask about the servant and guard routines and who else may know about them because it seems likely that the killer either had knowledge of their routines or otherwise was confident that they wouldn't spot them on the 1st floor overhanging roof that is outside all the second story windows.
>>
>>4670846
>Ask about Bayushi Shunmyo. You hardly know the man at all, other than the fact that he has some sort of connection to the Chief Magistrate, that he was rather suspicious of the Lion before their arrival and that he's built like a barrel.
>>
>>4670846
>>Ask about Bayushi Shunmyo. You hardly know the man at all, other than the fact that he has some sort of connection to the Chief Magistrate, that he was rather suspicious of the Lion before their arrival and that he's built like a barrel.
>>
>I want to get another update out in the next few hours, so I'll accept one more vote, to break the tie between these two choices:

>Focus on any information that is relevant to the investigation. Have his soldiers reported anything out of the ordinary to him? Now that you have his deference, he should be a little more willing to part with such knowledge.
>Ask about Bayushi Shunmyo. You hardly know the man at all, other than the fact that he has some sort of connection to the Chief Magistrate, that he was rather suspicious of the Lion before their arrival and that he's built like a barrel.
>>
>>4670846
>>You should depart, rather than waste more words on the gunsō. There is nothing more that you wish to learn. The sooner you arrive in court, the better – you might even be able to speak with another courtier before it begins.
>>
>>4671087
>And since this thread is close to the end of its lifespan at page 10, I've gotta tell you, your contrarian style of voting is the light of my life. Never change.
>>
>>4671080
>Focus on any information that is relevant to the investigation. Have his soldiers reported anything out of the ordinary to him? Now that you have his deference, he should be a little more willing to part with such knowledge.
>>
>>4671119
>Going with that. I'll lock voting there and get to typing in a bit.
>>
Thread's archived, don't forget to upvote guys.

Thanks for coming back Fudo.
>>
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“Before I leave, I would like to know everything that your men have discovered. Through them, you learned that I left the estate to speak with Atsushi. So, what else did you find out? Is there anyone else who has wandered off when they are not supposed to be?”

“No one more frequently than you and the actress,” the gunsō replies. “I have learned by now that Yogo Yukari does as she pleases and while I might not approve of her independent nature, she has the favour of the daimyō. If he trusts her, then so shall I.” If nothing else, Shunmyo seems like a loyal man, true to his lord. You can respect that, even if it is a trait that can be exploited. “Yesterday, after you had departed to speak with the servants and the rōnin, the Lion samurai paid a visit to the site of Matsu Kaneru's death – though that is to be expected. After dusk had fallen, Shosuro Jojuri was seen visiting the servants as well, though I cannot say for what purpose.” Interesting.

“Very well. Might I know of the routes that the guards and servants follow, and if there are any others who would know their routines?”

“Though I could learn the path that each servant walks every day if I wished, I have no desire to. The heimin are beneath me, and they are managed by one of their own.” He makes a dismissive gesture as he says this. His disdain for the lower caste is obvious. “As for my soldiers, it would take me more time than I have to spare to speak of where and when they patrol, but I can assure you, it is sufficient. Yogo Sadayoshi is the only other samurai present in this castle that I have shared that knowledge with, though anyone has been in this estate for long enough might have noticed certain patterns. By this, I mean other servants of my lord such as Yukari, and our guests of indefinite duration – Jojuri and Kakita Akirako.”

“I see. If that is all that you are able to tell me, then I must thank you for your time, Bayushi-sama.” You lower yourself before the man in a simple bow – not as much respect as he deserves, as a samurai of greater status within your clan, but it is all that he deserves after he dared to suspect you. You do not believe that Shunmyo is fond of you after you bludgeoned him into submission with your limit, but you do not want the gunsō as a friend. All you seek is his cooperation. With your farewell said, you turn to leave and allow Kinnosuke to trail past you, through the barracks. Every soldier that you pass, samurai and ashigaru alike, lower their heads and shrink out of the way. They all heard you as you reprimanded their sergeant – paper walls cannot hope to contain such a piercing voice.

“After that, I would watch your back.” Kinnosuke murmurs these words once you are out of those communal quarters and back into the shadowy, claustrophobic corridors of the castle. “While he will not challenge you again, I have no doubt that he still suspects you.”

“Let him,” is your disdainful retort to that.
>>
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By the time that you arrive in court, it seems as though it is about ready to begin. You take your place by the side of the steward and as ever, Yogo Sadayoshi examines your attire with ruthless scrutiny. For once, he does not turn his nose up at you – he is either satisfied that you found something new to wear, or he is pleased by how revealing it happens to be. As soon as he has turned away, he stands before the court and the usual proceedings get underway.

The seneschal begins by wishing everyone in attendance a prosperous new year, as is tradition. To usher in spring and to cast aside the pall of winter, he has arranged several performances for your collective enjoyment – not just Yogo Yukari, but a vast number of local artists who have been summoned to the estate. You suppose that the rule of 'no one leaving' only applies to those who were present when Matsu Kaneru was slain. A brief recess shall be held in the middle of these festivities in order to enjoy a traditional meal and when dusk falls, the court shall relocate to the garden to behold the fireworks. Certainly, today's schedule seems far more packed than any previous day.

This all begins with Yogo Mushanokoji being called forward to give his own well-wishes to the court before he speaks of the omens that he has witnessed, not just regarding today but the entire year that lies ahead. Fortunes of particular importance are listed, as are sacred ancestors and fickle spirits, all of whom shall require offerings and prayer if a fortuitous year is to be had. As always, you are not sure if there is any truth in this or if it is just another show.

After this, the various acts begin. Some are rather impressive, while others come close to boring you. There is a kabuki play about the ascension of the eighth Hantei, which is followed by a comedic noh play that focuses on the consequences of displeasing spirits. After this, Yukari has the pleasure of performing another recital, this time concerning the Fall of the Kami – though she disappears from the hall as soon as she is done, likely to continue her own investigation. Monks from the temple of Tenjin engage in a sombre chant known as shōmyō, a troupe of taiko drummers fill the audience hall with their cacophony and a peculiar instrument that is known as the shō is presented. To tell the truth, you don't find the keening noise produced by its many reeds to be enjoyable but you applaud nonetheless when the performance ends. To do otherwise would be impolite.

You endure hours of this, along with everyone else. You search for any opportunity to leave but you cannot do so without appearing discourteous and being far too obvious. You finally get your chance when the acting seneschal stands and calls for a brief intermission, so everyone might enjoy the bounty of a new year and sate their appetites. You rise to your feet, ready to depart and focus on something more important than this festival...
>>
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… Only to be approached by the smiling Kakita Akirako, with her guardian at her back.

“Bayushi-san! I wish you a prosperous new year, and pray that it shall be full of good fortune! I must say, am always impressed by the vast talent harboured by the people of Beiden. Truly, your clan has cultivated a wonderful city, full of incredible artists! You must feel ever so proud.” She is more bubbly and cheerful than ever. It's hard not to smile when you meet someone so friendly, the sole source of warmth in this den of vipers. It is a shame that you have to repay her kindness by stabbing her in the back, but such is the lot of a Scorpion, you suppose.

“Thank you for your kind words, Kakita-san. In turn, I pray that your year shall be full of prosperity and success.” You bow before her in an amiable fashion and she does the same for you. What else do you have to say to her?

>Focus on small talk. Talk about today's performances and other minor things. There's no need for you to ruin the mood or make her suspicious. Just keep her happy and completely oblivious of everything that you are plotting.
>Focus on the investigation. This is the first time that you have had the chance to speak with her since Kaneru died. Has she seen anything, does she has any suspicions, what does she feel about it? You need to know.
>Focus on Daidoji Tokuhei. It is about time that you learned a little more about her yōjimbō, and perhaps even got the chance to speak with him yourself. You won't be able to implicate this quiet man in anything if you know nothing about him.
>Allow her to control the conversation. She was the one who approached you after all, and you're curious to hear if she has anything of value to say. On the other hand, she could just waste your time with worthless gossip.
>End the conversation here. There's someone else you would rather speak to instead, or somewhere else where you would rather be. Your time is precious and you would rather not waste what little of it you have on Akirako.
>>
>And before anyone asks, I will make a new thread when this one is about to (or has, if I'm too late) slipped off the board.
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>>4671287
fudo my dude the thread just got archieved by an anon , suptg doesn't automatically update
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>>4671287
>Focus on Daidoji Tokuhei. It is about time that you learned a little more about her yōjimbō, and perhaps even got the chance to speak with him yourself. You won't be able to implicate this quiet man in anything if you know nothing about him.
Not going to lie, it would darkly amusing if the true culprit was actually him (though I doubt it)
>>
>>4671293
>From my experience, that isn't how suptg works but alright, I'll take your word for it and put up a new thread. Any replies to >>4671287 will be discarded.
>>
>Here's the new thread then:
>>4671316
>>
>>4671308
actually I am uncertain now since you said that but you might as well



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