Jade Legacy [L5R 3eR] - Act 1: Atsumari/Gathering

[Psychofish]

He really should have known she'd react like that. He wasn't sure about Wazuka, but he was sure that the monk would have dealt with him differently had he felt he had something to hide. He had been at least hoping to get an edgewise word in to suggest she question him politely before trying to make an arrest again, and see if she could sniff out any lies or if it all rang of truth- Kitsuki were good at that, weren't they?- when she exploded.

"To sit and have tea while we speak!?" the Hare protested, looking clearly confused first, then put out and insulted at the accusation as it dawned on him. Reddening in the face himself, he'd very well at least be civil and offer to speak to Wazuka outside if she'd prefer- IF she stayed.

He was in no mood to go chasing her down after that kind of outburst, however.  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Scorpion Shenanigans:

Soshi Maru nodded, though she didn't seem too bothered by Kojiro's difficulty. "There's just not a large enough group here to guarantee something like that, Kojiro-san. But Bayushi-kami's and Shosuro's love is said to last over 1000 years. I think a tribute to that would be a glorious idea..." Maru would respond, legitimately and honestly smiling - practically beaming, even.

"Shall we go sign up before you get delayed further?"  

[Plainsfox]

@Scorpion Shenanigans

Koijiro would nod happily as he left the tent with Soshi Maru to sign up with Doji Kita's event. When he got there, he would briefly comment, "Is your servant well, Kita-sama? The merchant at the store we obtained your required supplies from commented that your servant, Kakuei, had came by and performed the same task we had earlier. Hopefully, it just means that we are just so notable that you three merely need more paper to describe our efforts. I do not think anyone would wish to fail you in any task you gave them."  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Hare Shenanigans:

As Denbe called out his clarification at Wazuka as she stormed out, it would be uncertain whether or not she heard it. But when an arm did push open the tent flap...

"So you ARE still alive." Sozen would observe, peeking his head in to ensure that Ujina Denbe was, for the most part, intact. "With how Wazuka-chan carried on about last night, I would have sworn you were either dead, or in league with the monk. But by the looks of it, our informant was wrong about Kan. It wouldn't make any sense any other way."

Mirumoto Sozen would shrug, and let the tent flap fall back. After another few seconds, he peeked his head in one last time. "Oh, and if you're going to try to court Wazuka-chan, you need to either be more up front, or more subtle. You can't have it both ways with that girl." Smiling and giving him what good advice he had to give, he would vacate, unless Denbe requested otherwise.  

[Plainsfox]

Awareness/Etiquette Roll to make Kojiro's statement sound not insulting. 4k3
Results: 27  

[Plainsfox]

Explosion!  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Scorpion Shenanigans:

Benjiro, who was not too far off, would give a concerned look to Kita, who seemed to ignore it.

"My servant is well, thank you for your concern," she would respond, bowing her head slightly. "Your concern is touching, but he is currently helping Kaiu Kagae-san with his entry for the Artisan competition. I would not have directed him so if he had been ill."

Pausing, she would seem like she wanted to leave. "We were waiting on you two, and one of the Phoenix. However, we've been told that she will not be competing this day, so we can prepare for our respective competitions now. Good luck tonight, Kojiro-san, Maru-san." She would then turn and leave.

Benjiro looks long and hard at the two scorpion, then to his fellow magistrate as she walked by, looking between the two for several moments...

Before turning and walking hurriedly after her, instead of confronting the two of you. ((TN was 25.))  

[Plainsfox]

@Scorpion Shenanigans

Gah! I shouldn't speak for the rest of the day. I probably should mimic Sosuke and make "I'm just a simple bushi" my mantra. Heh. Simple bushi do nothing.

Kojiro would hurry away, almost scuttling as he realized how much of his tabi were in his mouth. "Well, I guess we should practice. It seems like we should make it spectacular for Doji-sama's sake."  

[Keith Valken Lionheart]

Raw Void Roll;  

[Rain Yupa]

KEMARI COMPETITION SIGN-UPS

Kuni Kaori {4}
Kitsuki Wazuka {9}
Mirumoto Sozen {14}
Tamori Makoto {15}
Isawa Sosuke {15}
Shosuro Naizen {11}
Ujina Denbe {17}
Kan {15}


DRINKING COMPETITION SIGN-UPS

Hida Hogai {21}
Asahina Kenichi {6}
Yoritomo Susumu {10}
Horiuchi Sayoko {18}


ARTISAN COMPETITION SIGN-UPS

Kaiu Kagae {5}

Bayushi Kojiro {13}
Soshi Maru {3} -> Avg 8

Kitsu Kyumi {7}
Ide Jiro {13} -> Avg 10

Kakita Zanzen {15}
Matsu Seichiro {11} -> Avg 13

Asako Sumi {16}
Shinjo Gemmei {13} -> Avg 14.5

Doji Koan {16}

Yoritomo Hisashi {22}




Isawa Toyoko {--}  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Kemari Competition:

For awhile, there were doubts whether the competition would still take place. Audible shouting, arguing, would be heard between two of the magistrates for most of the morning. The samurai would caused this would be chastised by his shugenja for not keeping his mouth shut.

It would eventually die down, however, and come high noon, Seppun Benjiro would show up at the clearing that was used for the Jiujutsu competition on the third day. Currently, he was balancing a large leathery ball on the cusp of his foot and shin, occasionally kicking it up and bouncing it on his knees interchangeably.

Once everyone would arrive, he would kicking far skyward, and catch it with both hands as it descended directly downward. "Welcome to Kemari, everyone! I'm not sure how many of you have ever played it, though I'm sure a couple of you have. Just in case, we'll go over the rules regardless."

He would hold the ball out to his side, turning his hand but keeping the ball above, letting it roll down his arm, across his shoulders, and across his other arm, catching it in his other hand. "Kemari is a courtly game that's meant to be played in full courtly attire. Now, I know a lot of you didn't come to this tournament prepared for such a thing, so we'll let your 'comfortable dress' slide. The purpose of Kemari is, as a team, do everything within your power to keep the ball aloft. However, it is the responsibility of whoever kicked it last to make sure the ball stays in play. Likewise, if a ball is kicked and you have the potential to reach it, you must do so rather than let it hit the ground. Not only is it a game of poise, but a game of honor."

Benjiro would drop it, knee it up and over his head. He would kick back before it hit the ground, sending it skyward once more. "You may use any part of your body besides your hands. Most players play by keeping both arms behind their backs to avoid any such temptation, so I recommend doing the same." The ball would bounce off his head, before he would catch it. "This is a team game, so the failure of one harms everyone. There is no set rules on who you must kick to however; the longer your team possesses the ball, the greater the chance of failure. We will play five rounds. Once a score is tallied, one team of four will be eliminated, and we will make two teams of two. We'll play for three more rounds, and we'll set the winning pair against one another in a final match. Nine rounds in total."

Smiling, he would drop and kick the ball to Ujina Denbe. "Denbe, Makoto, Sosuke, and Kan. You are on one team. Naizen, Sozen, Wazuka, Kaori, you will make up the other team. The circular boundary from jiujutsu is still out of bounds, so you may not play outside that area. Good luck, everyone!"



THE MECHANICAL RULES:

The base TN is 5. Checks are made as Agility/Athletics [Kemari]. After a successful maneuver, the TN increases by the lowest die rolled.

If you beat the TN by at least 5, the ball is kicked to someone on the opposite team. If the TN is matched or beaten by less than 5, it is kicked to someone on your own team, other than yourself.

If you miss the TN by less than 5, you may spend a void point for a last-minute kick upwards, giving you a second roll against the same TN.

Raises can be used to increase or decrease the difficulty for other players. If you're confident and successful, each raise will increase the TN by the next-lowest die. So 2 raises means the TN will increase by the 3rd lowest die instead (which may be the highest). However, if you wish to ease things up on your teammates, each raise will go in the opposite direction. 1 raise will not increase the TN, 2 raises will decrease the TN by the lowest die, 3 raises will decrease by the 2nd lowest die, etc. You may decide what your raise is used for after you see the result of your roll (thus, if its going to the opposite team or your own.)

Whomever missed the ball last will start the next round at TN 5.  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Artisan Competition:

You guys have until that night to prepare! The morning is still young, and you have about 6 rokugani hours to go until showtime!

How all of you prepare is up to you. Whether you give a live performance, or produce a constructed item, the time between now and then goes into getting ready to show your crafted item or show to Doji Kita later!



THE MECHANICAL RULES:

You may build or practice as much as you want. Make a roll for whatever it is you're doing (or, in the case of teams, everyone makes the reflective rolls for their parts). The result, or average result, of the roll(s) is your first TN.

You may make a roll or group roll as many times as you want. If you surpass your original TN, you gain a free raise and your new total represents your new TN. Each time you surpass the previous TN, it increases by your new total.

Each time you FAIL to beat the TN, you get a cumulative penalty to your final roll (-1, then -3, then -6, then -10, etc). This is to represent overworking yourself/selves.

If you are bringing a constructed object, state when you are ready to make your official final roll. Add in any free raises and TN penalties to this roll. Free raises can be used to increase your roll by +5 each. Free and regular raises can also improve the quality (see the crafting rules on page 190 for details).

If you are doing a performance, hold off on your final roll until it is your turn to present. Add in any free raises and TN penalties as normal. Free raises can be used to increase your roll by +5 each. Free and regular raises can also improve the quality of the show (this will work like the crafting rules on page 190).

Crafting TNs

Poor Quality - TN 10.
Low Quality: 1 raise, making it TN 15.
Average Quality: 2 raises, making it TN 20.
Fine Quality: 4 raises, making it TN 30.
Excellent Quality: 6 raises, making it TN 40.
Legendary Quality: 10 raises, making it TN 60.

A low final roll of an Average quality item/performance will ALWAYS beat a high final roll on a Low quality item/performance. Same goes for low Fine over high Average. Whomever gets the best roll for their quality will win.

If you stop practicing/preparing to Meditate/Tea Ceremony, take note that it uses up one "hour". You can practice more than once an hour, due to "rushing". However, for purposes of figuring out how much time you have to Meditate/Tea Ceremony, each practice/preparation session counts for 1 hour (meaning that if you make 3 rolls, meditate, then 2 more rolls, that's "6" total, so you have no more time to meditate again).  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Lioness Shenanigans:

Some time in the morning, after Kitsu Kyumi goes back to her tent to ready herself, but before Ide Jiro collects her, a servant comes to her tent. He has a letter for her.  

[Plainsfox]

@Scorpion Pracitice

After being lambasted (rightfully) for his stupidity, Kojiro points out to Maru that spending time playing his shakuhachi means less time that he is talking and that they should perhaps begin practicing.

OOC:
Awareness/Perform(Music) 4k3 w/ 2 dice to handle explosions
Results: 18  

[Agent Sinistra]

@ Lioness Shenanigans

Kyumi, now actually awake and aware of what's going on, had been in the midst of of trying to fix her hair as she now had some time to do so. At the first indication of someone coming to the tent, however, she'd quickly pin up what she could before hurriedly answering it.

While she's surprised to be receiving anything, Kyumi's more than willing to accept it.

Once the servant leaves, providing he doesn't have anything to tell her, Kyumi would open it and begin to quickly read.