1 minute ago, Tabris2k said:

I haven’t ended Whisper of Shadows and Steel, to be honest, so I don’t know if it’s ironic or not. (Please no spoilers)

But Toturi’s words were:

”To maintain neutrality, I have appointed Bayushi Yojiro as Chief Magistrate of Toshi Ranbo. Having recently returned from an important assignment in Ryokō Owari Toshi, Yojiro has proven himself both equal to the task and egalitarian in matters of clan relations, and I trust that his involvement will further our just cause.”

So I assumed that at least Toturi considers that he made a good job.

The book's good, though a bit of a slow burner (as far as novellas go), and focuses on Yojiro's personal difficulty of following the tenets of Bushido while still performing his Duty to the Scorpion when they ask him to disregard those same tenets.

He does do a good job

An Asahina is definitely the preferred choice for the Crane. Not only does it sounds like the most narratively interesting choice, but it also sounds the most appropriate considering the mission.

Good lord, the Crane have choices worthy of them.

Pompous git bearing shiny things as a bribe in all but name?
Aesthete killing machine to guard a guy visiting a bunch of granola-munching nature lovers that he's related to ?
Less-aesthete killing machine offering mafia protection/possibly just a single bodyguard jerk(?) (at a time when the Crane are clearly having trouble protecting themselves )?
And then what is clearly the best choice, send a shugenja to do the shugenja thing because hey, Crane have shugenja! (Also, admittedly, the Asahina are great with Nemurani. Especially that Yajinden guy)

Hotaru's letter really sounds like she's trying desperately to spike morale as the situation continues to deteriorate. While the Toshi Ranbo situation seems rife for a traditional Crane win over Lion (lose most of the battles, but win the political arm-wrestling match at the Imperial Court), the fact remains that the Crane are pawning art to hire ronin, and I seriously doubt that any Crane directly involved in the war effort- or in shipping- is unaware of the very real problems they're facing.

Asahina is a no brainer in this one. The Doji gift is ok-ish, but, seriously, the Asahina is a no brainer. It's not like the Lost Sword of the Fox is going to unlose itself...

8 hours ago, Schmoozies said:

And in fairness the third time they were in no real position to refuse as it was join or not have the support needed to defend themselves from the Shadow Dragon since they'd already seen how well Crane support worked out for them.

Yeah, it's just standard Mantis MO. Like when they became a Great Clan. Wait until the other guy has a gun to their head then make sure your finger is on the trigger.

12 hours ago, Hida Jitenno said:

Doji: "Have these neat new things."

I'm kind of leaning toward the Doji option, but I tend to favor solving problems by throwing money at them. It's the Yasuki in me.

12 hours ago, Hida Jitenno said:

Kakita also a hard-no. A bodyguard for Kuzunobu? How does that endear the Fox in any way? "Ahh, look how deftly he cut down somebody; we must ally with their clan for reasons!"

I avoids them having a major political figure assassinated in their territory. Like how the Scorpion were deeply embarrassed when Toturi was killed in their lands at the start of the Four Winds era.

I'm kind of seeing these options as waves of potential futures that will collapse into the one true future once a choice has been made. So if the Kakita isn't picked Kuzunobu won't be attacked, if the Asahina isn't picked there won't be a nemuranai to find, if the the Daidoji isn't picked the Fox won't need to be defended, and if the Doji aren't picked they won't need to be reminded of their friendship with the Crane.

5 hours ago, shineyorkboy said:

Yeah, it's just standard Mantis MO. Like when they became a Great Clan. Wait until the other guy has a gun to their head then make sure your finger is on the trigger.

I don't know that you can say that since the Fox were the one who asked the Wasp (and the rest of the clan at that point) for help since the rest of the Empire was essentially ignoring them at that point)? It's not like the Mantis had any control over the Shadow Dragon and its plots.

On 10/20/2018 at 7:52 AM, Schmoozies said:

I don't know that you can say that since the Fox were the one who asked the Wasp (and the rest of the clan at that point) for help since the rest of the Empire was essentially ignoring them at that point)? It's not like the Mantis had any control over the Shadow Dragon and its plots.

Well it's not like the Mantis had any control over Fu Leng during the Clan War. But the were still more than willing to opportunistically take advantage of the situation for their own benefit.

As the saying goes 'never let a good crisis go to waste'.

Oh Tadaka, are you ever not causing trouble? Fetch Tadaka appears to be the new default Phoenix quest. Also interesting to see that Kaede had previously agreed not to become Master of Void. That's a pretty clear character break from Old5R.

What a weird summary for the Kaito choice. I'm not sure the idea of them following their arrows get's me fired up for some fiction.

I'm tempted to say go with the Shiba because I think a story where a Shiba bushi goes down to talk to the Crab villagers sounds awesome considering we know bad stuff is happening in the Crab villages.

The Asako might me interesting if the Crab leadership they petition for help is Kuni Yori.

12 minutes ago, phillos said:

What a weird summary for the Kaito choice. I'm not sure the idea of them following their arrows get's me fired up for some fiction. I'm tempted to say go with the Shiba because I think a story where a Shiba bushi goes down to talk to the Crab villagers sounds awesome considering we know bad stuff is happening in the Crab villages.

To me the Shiba and Kaito stories would likely be the most amusing as I have images of a Samurai just wandering randomly around the Crab countryside with a crude picture of Tadaka asking every person they encounter have you seen this man.

I know that we've had mention of the Kaito using Arrow Divination before where they fire an arrow and depending on how it lands that determines the direction they should follow with the idea being that the Kami being so involved with the Kaito will guide the arrow to where it needs to land to answer their question, but I can still see so much silliness out of that story that I think its my 2nd favorite choice just for the fallout from some Kaito randomly shooting arrows around Crab lands and wandering into all sorts of troubles and hijinks.

16 minutes ago, phillos said:

What a weird summary for the Kaito choice. I'm not sure the idea of them following their arrows get's me fired up for some fiction. I'm tempted to say go with the Shiba because I think a story where a Shiba bushi goes down to talk to the Crab villagers sounds awesome considering we know bad stuff is happening in the Crab villages.

The Kaito summary at the end of the novella mentioned something about the Kaito using their arrows to follow their destiny, or something similar, IIRC. The Kami guide their arrows, as a way of communicating with them without the Kaito being Shugenja.

I guess I managed to gloss over that in the novella. That does sound like an amusing story now

13 minutes ago, phillos said:

I guess I managed to gloss over that in the novella. That does sound like an amusing story now

“Uh, excuse me, Kisada-sama. That arrow on your back? Yeah, it’s mine. Could you give it back? Also, have you seen this man?”

And if we get Shogun, we can send Kosori. A mute samurai wandering around Crab lands? I really want to see that.

8 minutes ago, Tabris2k said:

“Uh, excuse me, Kisada-sama. That arrow on your back? Yeah, it’s mine. Could you give it back? Also, have you seen this man?”

And if we get Shogun, we can send Kosori. A mute samurai wandering around Crab lands? I really want to see that.

I'm waiting for, "Oh there's my arrow, I wonder why it landed in the middle of this collection of Robe wearing peasants. Hmm, that's a lot of blood they seem to be spreading around and that chanting seems odd. Maybe I should mention this to someone." Bonus points if it is Kosori because now she needs to explain all that in sign language.

Honestly, I think I want to see the Shiba take this. It would be good if we could meet those Crab peasants again.

31 minutes ago, Tabris2k said:

“Uh, excuse me, Kisada-sama. That arrow on your back? Yeah, it’s mine. Could you give it back? Also, have you seen this man?”

"Revered Kami, guide my arrow, guide my path."

*shoots arrow into the air; nails a goblin in the eyesocket*

"... so, he's gone into the Shadowlands? Oh, this is not going to be fun."

Was anyone else amused by the concept that Tsukune is getting her tame Inquisitor to fold her mail for her?

It sort of weird this time around that I get as excited for the Phoenix fictions as I do for the Crab fictions. I was never a big Phoenix fan in the old game, but all their fiction has been great so far in the FFG continuity. This alludes to upcoming Phoenix fiction in the Crab lands. A double win in my book

I wanna be a Kaito.....

Shoots arrow. Hits Kachiko in the butt.

Sorry Aramoro, this woman is MY destiny......oooh oooh shut up and dance with me.

obviously this is pure speculation, but from the wording on the Kaito option I get the feeling that the resulting storyline would end up leading the Kaito on a path other than the one leading to Tadaka. All the other choices make some reference to finding him, where here communed with the kami, etc. But the Kaito would be led "to where they are needed. " what if the Crab land kami feel the Kaito are needed somewhere else?

1 minute ago, Kaito Kikaze said:

obviously this is pure speculation, but from the wording on the Kaito option I get the feeling that the resulting storyline would end up leading the Kaito on a path other than the one leading to Tadaka. All the other choices make some reference to finding him, where here communed with the kami, etc. But the Kaito would be led "to where they are needed. " what if the Crab land kami feel the Kaito are needed somewhere else?

"... and that's the story of how I stopped a Shadowlands incursion from circumventing the Kaiu Kabe."

"And that's very impressive, but did you find Tadaka like you were told ?"

14 minutes ago, Mangod said:

"... and that's the story of how I stopped a Shadowlands incursion from circumventing the Kaiu Kabe."

"And that's very impressive, but did you find Tadaka like you were told ?"

Sorry, I asked the kami but that were like, "new arrow, who dis?"

59 minutes ago, Tonbo Karasu said:

Was anyone else amused by the concept that Tsukune is getting her tame Inquisitor to fold her mail for her?

I was more struck by the notion that anyone willing to go to the trouble of intercepting her mail would probably just make an exact copy and origami it up rather than risk it being detected.

Personally I'm leaning Asako. I just want to see a tiny courtier go up against Hida 'The Wall That Walks' Kisada. Or go into a meeting with Taka and come out with the info you want plus a dozen unnecessary knick-knacks you were convinced to buy.

On 10/24/2018 at 1:39 PM, shineyorkboy said:

I was more struck by the notion that anyone willing to go to the trouble of intercepting her mail would probably just make an exact copy and origami it up rather than risk it being detected.

Personally I'm leaning Asako. I just want to see a tiny courtier go up against Hida 'The Wall That Walks' Kisada. Or go into a meeting with Taka and come out with the info you want plus a dozen unnecessary knick-knacks you were convinced to buy.

... or come out of a meeting with Yori with extra appendages you didn't enter with, a fancy porcelain mask, and overwhelming paranoia.

I'm hoping it will be Yori considering Tadaka went to the Kuni lands. A meeting between Yori and an Asako samurai sounds potentially interesting to me.