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

[Sutiiven]

Quote:

Mantis Shenanigans:

Susumu would look from Gemmei, back to Hisashi, back to Gemmei again. And he would consider Hisashi's words.

Awareness/Etiquette (Conversation) vs TN 19 to resist manipulation: 10.
Willpower roll vs TN 25 to avoid his compulsion: 29.

The gears would turn in his head, before smiling. "Aye, aye, I see how it is. I'll just leave you with your lady friend..." Susumu would say, grinning. He would elbow Hisashi in the side playfully, adding in "Hisa-kuuuuuun!" Laughing, he would meander off. Not to see Kojiro, just to give Hisashi privacy.

Gemmei would watch Susumu leave, unamused by the antics, before finally following up with her investigation with Hisashi. "Well, I did manage to pull Sayoko aside and speak with her. She would not tell me anything useful, except..."

She would look nervous about continuing, giving a sideways glance to the duel that was just starting.

...Well. That worked. Sort of.

Hisashi decided to let Susumu believe whatever he wanted to believe and turned back to listen to Gemmei.

"Except what?"  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Mantis Shenanigans:

"Except... she says she's already accomplished what she was meant to do. I don't know what that means, but I think it probably means somebody got hurt."

She wanted to see Hisashi's reaction before deciding what to do next.  

[Psychofish]

It was a match of concentration then- as Denbe settled into focus, watching the Unicorn carefully try to read him as he did the same- focusing on remaining absolutely still. He knew... he suspected he was faster. But if he was reckless, struck without preparing, she could beat him. Relax all of the muscles, so they could spring into action at their absolute quickest. Reaction, at it's best, was faster then meditated action.

The body knew better than the mind.

Now to see whose concentration was deepest.

[Denbe chooses Sayoko's Void]
[4k2 Void/Iaijutsu(Focus): 15 vs TN 5]  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Iaijutsu Duel:

Sayoko would lower her upper body, hand moving slowly to her blade, ready to make a move as soon as she saw it fit.

Void/Iaijutsu roll of 15 vs TN 10

Denbe, focus!  

[Sutiiven]

Rain Yupa

@ Mantis Shenanigans:

"Except... she says she's already accomplished what she was meant to do. I don't know what that means, but I think it probably means somebody got hurt."

She wanted to see Hisashi's reaction before deciding what to do next.

"Kuso..."

This was bad. This was very bad.

"Ok... we need to stay calm... We need to figure out what she's done, and if we have to, turn her in - if not kill her ourselves, what with her tendency to threaten anyone who remotely in her way. I've had enough of this game. To Jigoku with "destiny", I'm not going to let her get away with murder and treason. I already have a bone to pick with Kojiro, though he's already received his just and surprisingly benevolent punishment. Sayoko, on the other hand, is putting the both of us and the rest of the empire at risk, and I sure as hell did not come all this way to watch Rokugan fall apart because of one crazed samurai."

He may have come from a long line of pirates, but dammit, he had standards.  

[Psychofish]

Easy breathing, Denbe focused on her eyes, looking no where else.

Ancestors, give me clarity.

[Spend Void to gain 1 focus point.]
[Spend 1 Focus point for +5 to Focus.]
[4k2+5 Void/Iaijutsu(Focus): 28 vs TN 15]  

[Psychofish]

[Explosion: 14]  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Iaijutsu Duel:

Sayoko would stand her ground, spending a void point to continue focusing herself. And, like Denbe, she was not willing to give an inch, waiting for a moment to strike!

Void Point spent for +1k1, Void/Iaijutsu of 42 vs TN 20 to focus

Denbe, go!  

[Psychofish]

Though Denbe's body was relaxed, his mind was beginning to wear down from the continued staring contest, feeling his thoughts struggle to pick up in a not-quite-panicked flurry. Waiting and inaction felt very odd for a Hare, as much as he knew it to be the wiser course. He just had to relax and be less high strung...

Denbe blinked.

[1 Void spent to focus again.]
[4k2 Void/Iaijutsu(Focus): 13 vs TN 25]

[Strike!]  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Iaijutsu Competition:

Strike!

"Ha!" Sayoko would call out, suddenly lunging forward with her blade in an attempt to slash the Hare!

24+10 for focusing = 34 vs TN 25; 11 damage

Her blade would rake across Denbe's chest, leaving a near-horizontal wound! Denbe, do you strike back?  

[Psychofish]

The Hare struggled to grasp his blade and pull it out, nearly free of the sheath as-

Denbe made a face and stumbled a step backward, holding the wound. For a moment still he seemed lost. And then, he looked down, returning his sword fully to its sheath, and bowed to the Unicorn.

"Thank you for this duel. Good luck to you,"

He stood, and managed to keep the disappointment and hint of frustration from his face until he had turned away from Sayoko to return to the crowd.  

[Raganui Minamoto]

@Crane Shenanigans:

"I wish to speak to Koan-san for a moment to inform him of how things appear to be going for him and then I will return there. The whole thing has just been gnawing at my nerves though." With that he pushes open the tent's flap and calls inside. "Pardon, Koan-san, I wish to have words.  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Mantis Shenanigans:

"We can't-!" Gemmei started to respond, before quieting herself down. "We can't just go around killing other samurai. We'll be executed ourselves! Either the command must come from her own lord, or magistrates in service of the Emperor can do so if for a good cause." she would inform Hisashi. They were samurai after all - not assassins.

"With the exception of exceptional individuals, like Toturi himself, one person cannot change an entire empire. She's dangerous, but not that dangerous, Hisashi-san."

--------------------

@ Iaijutsu Duel:

At this point, Sayoko would have won her duel, and she would not return the bow to Denbe. "I am but one sword draw away to proving myself to everyone," she would tell Denbe as he turned away, flicking the blood from her blade before resheathing it. She would then turn and march away.

WINNER: Horiuchi Sayoko

"And the winner of this match is Horiuchi Sayoko. The winner of the next match will be her next and final opponent." Benjiro would explain.

"We are down to either a Crab or a Dragon to face off against the fearless Unicorn woman. Kaiu Kagae, Mirumoto Sozen, show us which one of you is made of sterner stuff." Raicho would order, gesturing with both hands for the rival samurai to step forth.

"Kaiu-san. You were able to handle one sword earlier. Can you handle two? Show me how the Kaiu ingenuity will serve you." Mirumoto Sozen smiled, bowing his head slightly to the Crab.

--------------------

@ Crane Shenanigans:

"Oh, that shouldn't be a problem. He hasn't so much as made a peep since before the duels started. Make sure you don't miss the end of the duels! I wish I could watch them too. However, my duty is here." The Daidoji lad would bow to Zanzen, before walking off to continue his patrol.

As Zanzen stepped through the flaps of the tent, he would begin telling Koan about...

...

Huh.

Doji Koan had been nearly cleaved in twain, a large wound from his left shoulder down to almost his right hip. There was blood soaking everything, and his face was locked in an expression of horror. His eyes were rolled up in his head, his mouth agape, and he lay slumped over his tea serving table. Red fluid dripped from the sides, and small origami cranes that littered the area had become crimson and began to crumple in upon themselves.

Zanzen, give me a TN 10 Stamina roll to not get violently ill at the sight.  

[Raganui Minamoto]

@Crane ShenaniOHMYGOD!

Zanzen would stare at the sight.

Suddenly, he would bend over and empty the contents of his breakfast before turning away, shaking his head. He would head after the guard.

"Get some guards... Koan..." He hopes the guard understands before he starts running for the Iaijutsu competition.  

[Raganui Minamoto]

Agility/Athletics, void spent for 1 rank of Athletics

2 raises, 4k3