L5R - Unity - Chapter 1 - Winter Solstice

[Raganui Minamoto]

Gendo would turn his head to listen to the barking slightly before looking back at the man. "My naginata is the only other weapon brought with us that I have specifically made. Upkeep of my companions weaponry is left to me when it is in need of more than the standard." If that was Setsuna, then this was not good. Perhaps he should have kept the dog with him, though it could have proven distracting from the conversation he was having with the man. Though, considering what was going on now, it could not be any more so than this. "I tend to prefer polearms such as it. It fits my size well, and I don't have difficulties due to my lacking visionary capabilities."  

[Paidi tou Selini]

Just like that it was over... maybe. Her foe slumped to the floor, leaving behind a horrifying sight floating in the air. She couldn't be sure if either part of the puzzle was actually dead, but she wasn't about to reach down and touched a tainted body to find out. Instead she elected to step around it, shift her sword into her still-pained-clenching hand, and use her good hand to slide open her door and step out into the hall, the last bit of her compulsion fading away as the danger at least appears to have passed.

"Now here we stand with their blood on our hands~ ♪
We've fought so hard, now can we understand?
I'll break the seal of this curse if I possibly can~ ♪
For freedom of every man. ♪"

It wasn't the next verse, nor was it the actual end of the song, but... it felt appropriate all the same.

She looked around for only a moment, expecting to need to go out into another wing to find a guard since nobody had come after all the noise she made, but she was shocked to find a whole flippin' group of them just standing right outside!

"What are you-? Augh, nevermind. You!" she started with an incensed glare, taking a commanding voice befitting one of her station as she points to one, "Fetch a shugenja. Now! The assassin was a maho tsukai. I need my arm and the body looked at by someone who can match Jigoku's taint. I need to know if, Kami forbid, I have become infected by her perverse prayer. And you!" she continued, pointing at a second, "Fetch Chikuma! Your escaped prisoner is staining my floor. The rest of you watch over the body. I have no knowledge of maho. I can't be sure if she's dead or not."  

[Plainsfox]

Naohiko let out a deep sigh. "What is that fool up to now?" he muttered under his breath. More clearly, as he struggled with Setsuna. "Can your ....friend tell us where Daigotsu-san is, Ruri-san?" The Kraken bushi then eyed the guards through the door and deliberated what to tell them. "There is a spider on the loose with a katana" and have Ruri direct them to the man's location might be the best thing to do....but it didn't sit well. Shoichi seemed genuine, but it could be a case of Naohiko being guileless. He continued to mull it over while waiting for Ruri's response.  

[Glory Sieg]

Kyouya only blinked at the sight of the guards, obviously confused and somewhat startled as seeing the people she was working to avoid right where she had to be.

"...." She didn't say anything as she looked at Sawao, then back at the audience. Her eyes did widen as the door was thrown and a very angry-looking Kraken stood there. She took quick note of Kaichiyo before nodding to her companion. "See? I told you the Princess would be fine if left to her own devices."  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Gendo:

If you aren't taking any particular action, then small talk will continue. If there's nothing you strongly wish to accomplish, your part of the scene will wrap up (at least for the moment).

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@ Naohiko:

You don't need Ruri's friendly kami to know where Shoichi is. Though you've only been a guest at the Crane castle for a few days, you definitely recognize the patterns of the decorative paper walls he's contrasting against in the background of the sand image as the minor clan area. You've passed by it enough times to recognize it by now.

You can press Ruri to confirm this fact if you wish, but you feel she does not need to.

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@ Kyouya & Kaichiyo:

The guards would immediately seize up when Kaichiyo left her room (though Kaichiyo does see Kyouya and Sawao too). She started ordering them around, and Kyouya, you get the sense that they didn't expect to be caught listening in and immediately obey partly due to being ashamed. The two that had instructions thrown at them run off, while the other two are quickly up in arms.

"The maho-tsukai was here all along?!"
"We... we didn't hear any battle. I-I'm sorry, Himura-sama!"

They rush past Kaichiyo, and both brandish their spears at the prone form.

"He's... he's still alive, Himura-sama," one would say aloud for confirmation after a few moments, but they didn't do anything beyond that.

He?

Doji Sawao would then rush past Kyouya up to Kaichiyo, a bit panicked in her expression. "Assassin? Kaichiyo-san, are you alright?" She would quickly scan Kaichiyo, but seem concerned she found no injuries within plain sight.

Kyouya, when you first bumped into Sawao, she did seem to know about the Daidoji's activities, but now she does honestly sound shocked at Kaichiyo mentioning an assassin. It isn't clear if she's trying to deceive Kaichiyo or not.

Also, you have an interesting opportunity on gathering choice intel here, if you wanted to.  

[Plainsfox]

The Kraken bushi grimaced as he tried to figure out his best course of action with the yapping puppy in his arms....and then it hit him. Naohiko would walk towards the door and open it up. If he was not stopped by the guards, he would move towards the minor clan wing. If the guards did stop him, Naohiko would say the following. "Setsuna-chan needs to be walked desperately. I am going to get his leash from his master's room. If you wish for Setsuna-chan and myself to remain in this room, than we will. I will NOT be held responsible for the aftermath though. Do you want to explain to Doji-hime how you let such a mess happen inside her castle?"

OOC:
Awarness/Deceit w/ one void point spent for 4k3. 2 additional dice rolled to handle explosions
Results: 28  

[Paidi tou Selini]

Well at least they followed orders. Though the young princess was surprised indeed to see Sawao of all people rushing up to help. She quirked a brow questioningly at Kyouya from over the Crane courtier's shoulder, but otherwise let herself be examined, nodding a bit dizzily to the question.

"Haha!" it was a sound of bells even despite the clear amount of pain in her voice as she explained her condition. "The blood of Himura runs through my veins. No paltry trickster could lay blade upon me so easily. Though the cursed fiend was able to get off a profane invocation before I could strike her... him?... it down, and exposed my arm to its foul magics."

She held up her arm as if to show, but the only real sign of her plight came in the form of some trickles of blood down her wrist from how hard her nails were digging in to her palm. "It feels as if it is stuck in a pot of boiling water. This... this is beyond excruciating. That shugenja cannot come soon enough."  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Naohiko:

Ruri would appear indifferent, and make a dismissive wave with her hand. "You're not my prisoner, Naohiko-san. Especially if you aren't willing to talk." She would close her eyes and turn her head away.

"Come on, Mi-kun, that's enough for now," she would say as she swished her hand in the air above the sand, and proceed to clean it up.

Naohiko, if you want, give me an Awareness/Investigation roll... but only if you stay.

If you leave, the nearest pair Daidoji would move to stop you, but if you give them the same story/excuse, they'll shoot each other a look, and offer to escort you out of the castle.

DO YOU ACCEPT THEIR TERMS???  

[Plainsfox]

The samurai would sigh deeply. These past three days felt like they were just a bit more than seven hundred. Maybe Naohiko should be taking things more calmly? As Naohiko's plans to get out under the guise of walking Setsuna dissipated. The Crane can take care of Satoichi. Naohiko would bow, with Setsuna carefully in his arms, apologetically to the priestess. "Forgive me, Moshi-san, I fear I may be letting a measure of my clan's history with your clan color my interactions with you. For that I am sorry." The Kraken would straighten. "I actually wanted to talk to you today...and given your skill yesterday, you'd enjoy the topic...but that's probably not what you want to talk about now."

OOC: first eight Awareness/etiquette 5k3 w/ 3 dice to handle explosions
Dice: 2,9,8,2,4
Results: 21
Second eight Awareness/investigation 5k3 w/ 3 diceto handle explosions
Dice: 8,1,9,2,7
Results 24  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Naohiko

But what a three four days it had been, full of interaction and character growth!

@ Required Investigation roll: You've received the verbal equivalent of 'k' in your dismissal, and you feel you may have lost some points with Ruri.

You would turn and bow, your arms wrapped around Setsuna's chest as he squirmed and whined, and make your case. With an annoyed look upon her face, she would start, "Naohiko-san, you... oh!" Her eyes would go wide and she would cover her mouth with one hand as Setsuna would begin tinkling, a stream arching down in front of he and Naohiko and onto the floor on his side of the table.

"By the kami, I thought it was just an excuse. Go, go!" she would state with alarm.

Naohiko, with the free raise Setsuna just gave you, you think you've smoothed things over with Ruri... for now, at least.

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@ Kaichiyo:

Sawao's look grows concerned as you described your current state."I... I hope it's nothing serious nor permanent. I don't want to lose my cooking rival after our first encounter." Kaichiyo, Sawao seems legitimately upset at that prospect.

About that time, the pain your arm subsides. It's a little numb for about another half a minute, but that too goes away. Your palm hurts.

Suddenly, you and Kyouya hear distant voices.

"Hey, you! Stop!"
"Put the sword down, now!"

And then the sounds of a scuffle.  

[Plainsfox]

Naohiko would bow again and then turn to run towards the Minor clan wing with Setsuna in hand. "We need to get his leash NOW! There's no telling when number 2 will come! Heaven help us if Gendo-san fed him well."

The Kraken would run so that the guardsmen couldn't really stop him from reaching the minor clan wing. Naohiko would also angle Setsuna in a way so that his urine would fall behind him and discourage pursuitl.

OOC:
First six dice: Agility/ Animal Handling 4k3 w/ 2 dice to handle explosions
dice:6, 11, 2, 4,
Raises called: 1 to keep it aimed low and at the floor
Results: 21-5

Second six dice: Agility/Athletics 4k3 w/ 2 dice to handle explosions
Dice: 7, 3, 3, 4
Results: 14  

[Paidi tou Selini]

The bold princess gave a little nod in turn, grateful for the concern and no less concerned herself. What a horribly anti-climactic end it would be. Though, she did perk up and give a little, "Oh!" as the pain started to subside, leaving her to examine her arm thoroughly, flex her fingers back and forth and twist around a bit to work out the numbness, wincing a little as she saw the damage her nails had done but grateful it wasn't worse. Though when the commotion started she pushed thoughts of her arm away and sprung into action. Her sword was still drawn after all, the sheath laying on the floor in her room, so she would be able to help more than most when she arrived at where the scuffle was coming from.  

[Glory Sieg]

"All's well that ends well," she said with a nod, her adventurous mood well soured as she eyed Kaichiyo's arm from behind Sawao. The princess was fine and there was naught to gain from being too close to something that was recently cursed.

She turned at the sounds of the scuffle, turning about to listen towards the sounds a of a skirmish. "Another assailant, so early in the day too?"  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Naohiko:

Setsuna isn't THAT big, so the tinkle is over pretty quickly. Regardless, you try to vacate the room, and the nearest Daidoji pair move to stop you when you proclaim your dire situation.

"And please, fetch a servant to clean up this mess," Ruri would state, holding her nose with one hand as she stood up and backed away from the accident. The guards paused just for a moment before waving you along.

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@ Kyouya:

You turn your head towards the sound of the scuffle, but make no motion to investigate as Kaichiyo rushes off. The Daidoji in the room must have heard it too because they were quick to follow, dashing out of Kaichiyo's room and running after her. Sawao gave a quick scan of the situation before she hurried along with them too, leaving you alone.

Well... mostly alone. There would be a low groan from Kaichiyo's room from the fallen Maho Tsukai. Those blood mages are more or less the biggest criminals and greatest dangers to the empire, yet this one still breathed.

You may or may not have an opportunity here, but what kind of opportunity I leave in your hands.

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@ Kaichiyo:

You rush around a pair of corners and you saw the source of the commotion. It was, of all people, Daigotsu Shoichi, his sword drawn and waving it wildly in the air. The two Daidoji that you had sent ahead had apparently dropped (or were disarmed?) their spears and were grappling the bearded Spider, trying to slow him down from his advance. His eyes were closed tight, so he didn't notice you yet.

"RELEASE ME AT ONCE! MY BELOVED KAICHIYO IS IN DANGER! I MUST SAVE HER!" he bellowed defiantly as he continued to take step after strained step forward, despite the Crane holding him back.

"H-hey! Stop!" one of the Daidoji that had remained said from behind you, as the two had followed you here. Seeing what their fellow guards were up to, they too dropped their weapons and quickly ran up to grapple Shoichi as well, now four Crane trying to wrestle the struggling Spider.

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@ Naohiko:

You arrive at the other end of the hall at this point, seeing the above scene before you, and Kaichiyo (who wasn't dressed all that properly, like she had just gotten back from the bath and hadn't fully dressed herself for court yet) at the far end of the hall, along with a Crane woman you didn't recognize standing beside her, covering her mouth with both hands in shock.