Isawa Asao's page

You rolled 2 instead of 4?

Awareness (untrained perception): 2d10 ⇒ (8, 2) = 10

Oui.

Bayushi Najiro was the given name.

Asao looks to the individual Matsu-sama had requested retrieve the senior Samurai, and adds "We were traveling from the Topaz Championship, when a Bayushi Samurai we didn't know asked us to return his gear as he had chosen to become a monk. We simply want to honor his wish, and his name, and restore the Clan property."

We head for the Scorpion embassy.

Monsters (oni) loose within the empire, rampaging enough to cause warnings to travelers, are a far bigger threat than a ronin violating honor.

Very big deal.

That's why I took advantage of the opportunity to not understand.

Bandits and other people behaving badly are the most common opponents within the Empire's borders. Taint, Maho users, willing servants of Fu Leng are the normal opposition. Ghosts or other more private unexpected or unknown creatures are next. One of the Black Scrolls could be the fuel for a full campaign. Oni crossing into the Empire (across the Wall, requiring the Crab fail in their Duty) is HUGE. There is more itme spent attempting to accomplish tasks in the Shadowlands than there is dealing with Oni within the Empire.

"I believe Matsu-sama has the scrip. The journey should be a calm and peaceful one."

"Yamato-sama. Should we visit the kitchens to acquire supplies for the trip, or is there a quartermaster we should visit?"

"Hai. We will find the ronin responsible and resolve the problem." Asao stars to bow and back away, planning on getting the details from the clerks.

"Or perhaps one of the clerks has the details of the report?"

"Hai."

Asao bows very deeply.

"Only what you would have of us, an idea of what we will be doing to serve you, Doji-sama."

I'm positive there's a more appropriate honorific, but I'll be darned if I can remember it!

The young shugenja bows respectfully to the guard. After returning to upright, he indicates his companion as he speaks. "After Matsu-sama won the Topz Championship, we were instructed by the Emerald Champion to travel here where we would be provided further instructions."

The Shugenja smiles sweetly as he sets aside his tea and begins moving. He follows the others, saying nothing about the display of good and services, but simply continuing on the path, using personal space and his continued movement to nudge his fellows along if too distracted by the merchants.

.

Sorry. Was playing Santa, then came down with COVID. Coherent enough for simple posts again. Had to sit out the last 5 days of the season in isolation. Yep. Includes today.

Asao leisurely sips his tea while awaiting his new companions. He does his best to appear calm and relaxed, despite his actual impatience.

"Ah, I could appreciate a simple cup of tea, thank you. Though I would hope my associates remember we are here to become presentable and must be presenting soon."

The young shugenja will cleanse himself physically, and then sit in prayer while the others finish up.

Asao follows his companions, politely avoiding watching the other people.

"I think he ma have just been asking for directions."

And Asao follows suit.

The shugenja will simply wait in line and then follow the guard's instructions to the best of his ability.

"Agreed. A bathhouse instead of the onsen also suggests that we are working to honor our obligations and not attempting to tarry."

"I believe we have four tasks competing for priority. We must present ourselves to The Emerald Magistrate. We must present ourselves to the office of the Samurai given authority over the town. We must return the Scorpion daishyo. We must cleanse ourselves. The return of the daishyo is the only one which could wait until tomorrow. I believe those are in priority order, though we might do them in a different order for obvious reasons."

"It appears we draw near our new Daimyo. We should find a place to cleanse ourselves before reporting, but not delay once we enter the city."

The Isawa nods and turns to continue their walk.

Works. Further impacts the open fiction that the Empereur's Roads make everything only a day away from everything else. Our saving grace is that we have no reason to expect the Emerald Champion to be expecting us.

So, generic posting of warning.

My wife reports for surgery in roughly 12 hours.

Her surgeon has asked me to take 2 weeks from work to be at home to provide assistance.

That will also mean corralling the two grandchildren, keeping them entertained and fed while their Mom works, and keeping them out of Grandma's hair.

Can't say that I'm positive what my posting habits will be like until I can return to my normal schedule.

Thank you for your understanding, and go kill something evil, will ya?

Formal authority being missing, et, and all? Good call. Now, if we identified his family and he agreed to go to a monastery, we could return his blades to the family, but even that runs the risk of being accused of theft. The risk there relating more to the status of the one who claims the theft happened than anything else. I had previously recommended the monastery, of course.

Asao lowers his head and shakes it slowly. "I believe I already heard him refuse the opportunity to join a monastery."

"The repentant can learn and become better, with guidance from the kami. The prideful have forsaken bushido. Giving up his station, and dedicating himself as a student, could provide a path forward where even one such as this is useful. Or not."

As a point of clarity, the concept here is that he should declare the Samurai he is today dead, and join a mundane monastary to begin learning a new, far more humble, life. The Pheonix represent compassion, of course.

Your thought is pretty traditional Samurai. A more compassionate take might offer him the chance to identify how he will make amends, and then judge him for what he thinks is punishment enough. Lion would normally just end him and move on. Honor over all.

"It seems your words were not as cultured as those of the Topaz Champion, let alone the Sun of the Heavens."

Asao grins, slightly. "Would you deny the new Topaz Champion the beauty of your words on the very day of her victory?"

DANG IT! TOPAZ. TOPAZ Champion. Wrong stone. I thought I had got it wrong on the discussion side, not the game side!

That is THE Emerald Magistrate.

We aren't magistrates, and don't have whatever Status bump that might entail (or it might provide a floor, with no inherent bump) until after we reach the capitol and are assigned said duties.

Right now we're bright-eyed and excitable young Samurai out on our first one-day trip across the Empire.

Not looking it up, but I'm betting the title comes with a SIGNIFICANT status boost, too, which vanishes when the title does.

Status matters when people start making claims about what was done or said, far more than witnesses do.

And thank you for the rewards. I will adjust in a bit.

Okay, so not ignoring the spectacle. Basically, the claim is blasphemous, but could have been ignored for any of several reasons, not the least of which would be choosing to assume the Scorpion is drunk. Now we'll have to listen and, regardless of his skill, he has to be found wanting. An opportunity to dispense Rokugani justice. Truth and reality aren't required.

Asao raises an eyebrow as The Emerald Champion chooses to engage the Scorpion's foolishness but holds his tongue.

Won't be "OUT" for a whole week. Travel later today. Travel Friday. Check the phone on occasion in between.

To all present, greetings!

Let it be known that the player associated with this character will be out of pocket for six days. During this period, he will be attending a work conference and will be limited to his cell phone for access to the forum. This conference has a reputation for providing entertainment covering the normal downtime. The final day of the trip will be 19 Aug, 2022.

We thank you for your patience and cooperation during this time.

Once dismissed, Asao will return to speak with the Phoenix observers sent to watch over the contestants. "My apologies, but I have been instructed to leave for the capitol. Thank you for ensuring we all were here and could participate, could prove that we are qualified to be Samurai. Your guidance has been unparalleled. But I must gather my few things."

It doesn't take him long to gather his travelling pack, but he slows, looking for the symbol of status that he knows he should receive before leaving, trying not to look like he's looking for it, of course.

Asao bows to the Emerald Champion, bending as deeply as he can without falling to the ground. "You honor us each more than our humble selves could possibly deserve. However you need, I shall serve."

The young shugneja takes the position indicated, prepared to plant his face in the dirt as is only right before the Son of the Heavens.

Beats mine by at least 5, you get the first strike and score contact. ALMOST gave me a kharmic strike opportunity! A bushi is supposed to win this tournament. Bushi are supposed to win almost every tournament!
<grin>

Asao feels the contact of her training blade before he sees the motion. He lowers his fan, and bows to the victor. "Well done, Matsu-sama. Well done indeed."

You're missing a roll. The Iajitsu/Void that determines first strike or kharmic.

After providing the obsequious honors, Asao comments. "When we met on the road I never thought I would be here now. Having both of us here is a miraculous gift from the kami."

Initiative 3K2: 3d10 ⇒ (2, 2, 2) = 6 Init 4. Wow, the dice have dropped!

Round 1 - Center Stance: Compared Iaijutsu Awareness

Iaijutsu/Awareness 2K2 Untrained: 2d10 ⇒ (3, 2) = 5

I fail to learn anything, and probably lose the roll.

Round 2 - Higher Initiative - Center Stance - Opposed Iaijutsu/Void

Iaijutsu/Void w/ Void for skill 4k3: 4d10 ⇒ (2, 9, 2, 2) = 15 13. Yep. Dice tanked, finally.

Round 2 - Lower Initiaitve - Center Stance - Strike

I expect she will have first strike.

"A pleasure to meet you, Asahina Guro. I am Asao. With the aid of the fortunes, and our clans' opportunities to keep the peace working together, we may yet meet again."

Asao bows as he is supposed to, trying to make sure he doesn't get the order wrong. As they are leaving the ring, he turns to the Asahina. "I have heard that many of your school create tsangusuri. Small, beautiful items reflective of nature that can grant the wearer a temporary blessing of the kami. Truly a marvelously amazing thing to share with the world. I hope you are provided the opportunity to learn to craft such treasures."

3K1 for strike? Attribute of 1 (disadvantage) or applying the keep 1 from the damage roll to the strike? Even as a Keep 2, though, the highest combo is a 14. Not that it SHOULD be relevant, since I got both First strike and a free raise for it.

I did the Free Raise wrong last time, too. Completely my fault. The Free Raise is NOT another 1K1, but can be used to reduce the TN by 5 (or effectively add 5 to the roll, typically a simpler way of implementing the rule). Fortunately, that only changes the 21 to a 15 against a TN reduced by 5, so effectively the same thing as rolling a 20. Given the TNs tend to change by increments of 5 at this point in the game, the difference should be insignificant. Other than catching myself doing it wrong.

Asao moves just slightly before the Asahina, extending his right arm and whipping his wrist so the fan will snap against his opponent.

War Fan strike 3K2: 3d10 ⇒ (7, 9, 6) = 22 For a 16 against his Armor TN-5, which should be good up to an attribute of 3.