Asao approaches the ring, bows to the it, enters the ring, bows to his opponent, and then turns to bow to the judge.
The rituals in life help people stay on their paths, help to calm the mind. Why isn't that working? he thinks to himself before beginning the competition.
Strength 3K3: 3d10 ⇒ (1, 7, 3) = 11
Asao's opponent wrestles against his strength:
Was fully expecting Asao to be pushed out of the ring, but his fellow Phoenix was pushed out by Asao!
Tetsumaru takes a deep breath before stepping into the ring and bowing to his opponent. Taking a wide stance he braces himself and moves to push his opponent out.
Str: 3d10 ⇒ (10, 6, 4) = 20
Explode: 1d10 ⇒ 6
Hida Tetsumaru's opponent, a Matsu, tries to push him out of the ring with all of his might!
Tetsumaru pushes his opponent out of the Ring!
Are you ready for the next challenge?
As Asao and his opponent grapple and begin pushing against each other, trying to move the other, neither seems to accomplish much. Suddenly Asao changes tactics, and flows both back and to the side, pulling his opponent towards his own edge of the ring, using the efforts to move Asao against him, finally twisting and pushing his opponent in the back as he stumbles forward, out of the ring.
Asao bows to his opponent, then to the judge, then he steps out of the ring and bows to the ring. Then he turns to his opponent. "Water is patient and accepts the strength of others, redirecting it instead of taking the brunt of it. Thank you for offering your strength. I wish you well in the tournament."
Tetsumaru bows as he is declared winner of his match. Taking a few moments to drink some water he steels himself for the next challenge.
The next challenge is Heraldry.
You are required to identify a person by their sigil, chop, banner, or standard. You use Perception + Heraldry at a TN of 20. The first who recognizes the sigil, chop, banner, or standard wins. You may use a raise on this roll.
Matsu Niko Perception + Heraldry =4k3
She bows to the judge and says, "I know it."
Kiyoko's lips thin and she nods in recognition.
Perception 2k2: 2d10 ⇒ (10, 7) = 17
Exploding 10: 1d10 ⇒ 3
Kiyoko's lips thin and she nods in recognition.
I roll an opponent's heraldry. Like thus:
9, she misses the roll.
Matsu Niko Perception + Heraldry =4k34d10 ⇒ (8, 6, 1, 6) = 21
She bows to the judge and says, "I know it."
I'm getting there.
your opponent rolls:
21 = she also knows her heraldry and identifies the person.
Asao surprises himself by quickly recognizing the provided identifier.
He nods to the judges to indicate his recognition.
Tetsumaru tries to remember which family the mon belongs but comes up blank. He gives his best guess.
Ready for the third challenge?
Hopefully I did enough. Tetsumaru thinks to himself as he wipes the sweat from his forehead and proceeding to the next challenge.
[ooc[ Yes[/ooc]
There is a special thing for Matsu Niko. Her Daimyo, Matsu Tsuko, had declared that she must pass her tests to help restore the family honor. If she does not, she'll have to commit Seppuku.
The next test is one of athletics. Thus, it's a foot race through an obstacle course. To keep track who is successful and who is not, there is a special point score.
Unsuccessful rolls docked a point. -1
Successful rolls gain no extra points. 0
Each successful raise earns a point. +1
Start: simple stamina+Athletics roll at TN 10.
Obstacle one: A log bridges a muddy riverbed some 12 feet across. Make a simple Agility+Athletics roll to move across. If any of you tied to get here, make a fire+d10 roll to see who gets to the log first. If you fail your test, you fall into the mud, and must make an agility roll at TN 12 to get to the other side, covered in mud.
You may also try to jump across the riverbed with a Strength + Athletics roll against a TN of 20.
Run: simple stamina+Athletics roll at TN 10.
Obstacle 2: covering the path in the next obstacle are Kuwaga needles. Any of you who fell in the mud, and did not retrieve your sandal, must take damage equal to 1 DR (1 wound). Their are two means of avoiding this obstacle: 1 is a -6 point trek through the underbrush, or finding Sugai's hidden rope. The rope allows you to swing through the obstacle. To find it, you must make an Awareness check blind, highest Awareness finds the rope. If Sugai is before you, his rope is useless.
Run: simple stamina+Athletics roll at TN 10. Oh, and it's trapped by Sugai. He has hidden six wasps here, and will spring the trap on you. If you are stung, you lose a point.
Obstacle 3: A fifteen foot high wall is before you. To cross this obstacle, you have to climb it. A simple agility + athletics roll at 15 is required to climb.
Final run: This way is watched over by spectators. It's a simple stamina+Athletics roll at TN 10.
Matsu Niko bows to her Daimyo and then gets started:
Starting Stamina plus Athletics 2k2
Obstacle 1: Jumping over it with one raise exploding die
Stamina Athletics
If yes, 4k4 and I will raise one
Stamina
Agility
Stamina
There is no reason against it. You can jump over the needles.
Tetsumaru is off as soon as the signal was given. Coming up to the first obstacle the Crab tenses his legs as he attempts to jump the riverbed.
Almost making it, the Crab samurai slides into the riverbed. He takes some time to find his sandal before catching up during the run.
Thankful that he took some time to retrieve his sandal Tetsumaru again tries to jump the next obstacle.
Once past the needles Tetsumaru again runs full out in an attempt to make up for lost time.
He weaves through the wasps before arriving at the wall.
Unsuccessful in his first attempt Testumaru takes a few deep breaths and tries to climb again pulling himself up faster.
Finally over the wall Testumaru runs full out the last stretch.
Asao looks at the course with trepidation. Kami, guide my feet.
The young shugenja manages to keep up, but just.
He skitters across the log with relative ease, not losing a sandal.
He starts to become winded, however, and begins falling back.
Seeing nothing for it, he walks through the needles, happy his sandals protect him.
He is, however, still too winded to run well.
Asao surprises everyone, scampering over the wall with relative ease.
But then he still fails to keep up with the run.
Kiyoko is ready at the starting line for the signal. As soon as it is given, the Kakita girl dashes forward, managing to keep pace to the first obstacle. Once there, she nimbly hops onto the log and extends her arms to either side for balance as she crosses. Hopping off at the other end, she dashes forward again, maintaining a respectable pace. She is oblivious to the rope through the Kuwaga needles, but thankfully she didn't lose her geta sandals in the race over the log and simply keeps on running without issue.
Kiyoko arrives at the base of the wall and starts climbing, agilely grasping handholds and clambering up and over. She hops down the other side and takes off into a run again, though she is starting to feel winded and slows down shortly before crossing the finish line.
Matsu Niko lines up and gets a pretty good jog on and then sees the log coated in mud and just looks at it like a complete waste of time and she sprints towards the edge and springs over the riverbed and gaining extra distance on her competition. She calms her sprint down to a jog to ascertain what the next obstacle could be and sees the needles and vaults over them as well. She continues running but gets stung but she is a Lioness and that does not phase her one bit and she then gets up and over the last obstacle getting to the home stretch get an extra burst of speed at the end to not be in last place.
You have a +1.
Now is the time for rest and healing. You get two hours to rest and eat lunch.
Matsu Niko ponders on this days events so far and decides to have some rice for her midday meal, trying not to eat too much for more physical events may come up again.
He cheated, but no one knows that he did.
I want to know who Sugai is.
The scorpion you're competing with. He cheats.
Yes, you did.
Kiyoko takes the offered opportunity to rest by heading back to the Kakita dojo and finding a towel to dry off the sweat with. After that, she heads back to the inn and finds a seat at an out of the way table. With a nod to the waitress, she says, "A bowl of rice, please."
Asao takes the time for a simple meal, before attempting to recenter himself, to restore the sense of calm that the competition is working so hard to remove from him.
Matsu Niko limbers up about 15 minutes before the next event in case things get physical.
Kiyoko takes the offered opportunity to rest by heading back to the Kakita dojo and finding a towel to dry off the sweat with. After that, she heads back to the inn and finds a seat at an out of the way table. With a nod to the waitress, she says, "A bowl of rice, please."
You get your bowl of rice. It's served in a porcelain bowl with cranes along the rim. It's also hot and seasoned.
Matsu Niko after resting goes to the allotted place at the allotted time for the next event
Okay, the next challenge is Horsemanship. Something the Unicorn Clan is good at. Anyhow, you must maneuver your horse to show your expertise in Horsemanship, and this is on the main grounds.
Ride to the First Target: TN 5.
Strike first target with your Katana: TN 10.
Shoot at second target with bow and arrow while still moving: TN 20
Ride back to the start: TN 5.
Matsu Niko gets on her allotted horse, straps her weapons and equipment to it. And when the flags are unleashed to start she darts off 3k2
she then whips out her blade and attacks the target 5k2 slicing it in half as quick as lightning.
She then eyes her bow target 3k2 exploding dice getting a nice shot off in the center of the target.
Riding back 3k2 and she makes it back completing all of the tasks properly.
She then dismounts and pets her horse and feeds it a sugar cube.
Kiyoko eats her lunch slowly, then returns to the Kakita dojo to relax until the time of the next challenge. Arriving on time, she awaits her turn and then nimbly mounts the assigned steed. She guides it with her knees out to the target, drawing the katana she was given for the trial and delivering two precise slashes.
Kiyoko then resheathes her katana as she guides her horse away from that target, and unholsters the han-kyu bow she was given. Once at an appropriate pace and position, she nocks an arrow to the string and sends it sailing into the archery target's center of mass, then holsters the bow again. Placing her hands back on the reins, she guides the horse back to the starting position, then hops off and wordlessly guides it to its attendant.
Tetsumaru utters a short prayer as he approaches the venue of the next challenge. Not having a lot of experience working with horses he steels himself before mounting up.
Starting up slow the Crab samurai unsheathes his katana and prepares to strike the first target.
With a kiai he slashes the first target. Happy at his success he turns his mount and sheathes his sword before preparing his bow.
Tetsumaru's lack of experience in riding and kyujutsu shows as he totally misses the target.
Discouraged at his failure he turns back.
Asao looks at the course, and the animals, and smiles. "When you are attempting something you have never done, even the small successes are marvels to enjoy." And he begins his attempt at the course.
He manages to ride to the first target without obvious difficulty.
He manages to slice the target with what should become his wakizashi, despite the shorter reach of the blade compared to a katana.
The young shugenja released a borrowed shaft from the borrowed bow, displaying the skill one would expect of someone not outfit with the weapon in question.
He managed to ride back the starting position with reasonable ease, however.
Sugai managed to get on the horse, ride it to the target. He also managed to slice the target with his katana, and ride to miss the second target with his bow, and then managed to ride back.
Matsu Niko goes to the next event cheerfully.
The last contest deals with what you know about Rokugani society. Make a Law + Intelligence test against a TN of 15. You should know a couple of things:
* first, Testimonies of those of greater rank outweighs the testimonies of those of lower ranks.
* To give one's life in service to one's lord is to be reborn with equal or higher station.
* I have borrowed my ancestors' name, I must return it to them untainted.
* The testimony of family is not considered valid.
* to draw blood unnecessary is to bring shame to your sword.
* All that matters is perception not truth. What can be deduced is not as important as what is known.
* Never accept a gift before it is refused twice.
* Bow to those of equal caste, kneel to those of higher station. Within a caste, bow more deeply to those who are your senior.
Centering himself Tetsumaru attempts to work through the matter brought before him.
Sweat pouring down on him he is unable to make sense of the question.
Asao thinks back to his time in the libraries, and tries to recall the lessons and documents he saw, that he touched.
Matsu Niko spends one void on making Law trained which would be 3k3 or is it 3k2 for her and it explodes
Niko may not have been the most interested in law as a child but she was always a good pupil and she is aware of most how the Rokuganese legal system works.
Centering himself Tetsumaru attempts to work through the matter brought before him.
Law: 2d2 ⇒ (1, 1) = 2
Sweat pouring down on him he is unable to make sense of the question.
Reroll that. Anyway, your opponent rolls:
IIRC, Law is Lore: Law. Also, when you spend a void to treat it as trained, you also gain 1K0, to represent the trained rank. Don't you? In exchange for giving up the kept die, you gain the ability to explode dice.
Asao thinks back to his time in the libraries, and tries to recall the lessons and documents he saw, that he touched.
Lore: Law untrained w/ Void for ghost Rank 1 4K3: 4d10 ⇒ (8, 2, 4, 7) = 21
For 19. Would have been 21 if I had JUST spent Void, but you takes your chances, you takes what you get.
Asao's opponent, who is Sugai, rolls:
Matsu Niko spends one void on making Law trained which would be 3k3 or is it 3k2 for her 3d10 ⇒ (6, 3, 10) = 19 and it explodes 1d10 ⇒ 1
Niko may not have been the most interested in law as a child but she was always a good pupil and she is aware of most how the Rokuganese legal system works.
Niko's opponent, another lion, rolls:
It looks like you all do better than your opponents.
Kiyoko shakes her head, failing to recall much about the law.