A part of me would like Mirumoto for Dragon, but I do agree that there is a severe lack of Agasha, especially for shugenja. Kitsuki or Agasha would be my bets here.

1 hour ago, Horvagab said:

A part of me would like Mirumoto for Dragon, but I do agree that there is a severe lack of Agasha, especially for shugenja. Kitsuki or Agasha would be my bets here.

I'm not saying it wouldn't be interesting if Dragon (via Mirumoto) seized control of the city enforcing something akin to martial law. That would certain change up what I believe to be true about Dragon.

7 minutes ago, Duciris said:

I'm not saying it wouldn't be interesting if Dragon (via Mirumoto) seized control of the city enforcing something akin to martial law. That would certain change up what I believe to be true about Dragon.

It would, its just how do they do it. They don't really have the numbers to enforce any sort of long term control without some sort of outside backing.

Quote

The arrogant cats of the west continue to make noise around Toshi Ranbo, to no avail.

Even with the Toshi Ranbo issue decided it seems the Crane and Lion hostility issues are not over.

Not that anyone really expected it to be over.....

On the bright side, it looks like Bayushi Yojiro has been the one appointed to administer Toshi Ranbo.

It will be interesting to see what happens with that.

Crane letter makes me hopeful that we may see a couple of options develop out of it. Top of my list would be a reformation of the old Three Man Alliance in retaliation for possible Crane oversteps.

second favorite is the possibility of Kitsune Gohei and his story getting revisited in the new game.

I'd vote for the Asahina, nemurani seem fun!

Asahina! Hard no on the Kakita & Daidoji though, gotta starting clearing the deck for the OTP Kachitaru to take over the Empire.

Absolutely Asahina. This feels like a no-contest choice to me. Sure, bringing cutesy gifts and neat little tokens to the Fox would get on their good side, but how much better is it to help the Fox recover parts of their history?

Doji: "Have these neat new things."

Asahina: "Have your ancestral stuff back."

Daidoji... Maybe? Do the Fox lands need defending right now? Have we heard anything bad threatening them? Is the best way to get them to be friends telling them they cannot defend their own lands capably?

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!"

26 minutes ago, Hida Jitenno said:

Absolutely Asahina. This feels like a no-contest choice to me. Sure, bringing cutesy gifts and neat little tokens to the Fox would get on their good side, but how much better is it to help the Fox recover parts of their history?

Doji: "Have these neat new things."

Asahina: "Have your ancestral stuff back."

Daidoji... Maybe? Do the Fox lands need defending right now? Have we heard anything bad threatening them? Is the best way to get them to be friends telling them they cannot defend their own lands capably?

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'm honestly leaning a bit towards the Daidoji; it almost sounds like it could lead to the Fox joining the Crane, sort of like what happened with the Falcon- and Crab Clans in O5R. However, the Asahina certainly holds some appeal as well - who doesn't like a good treasure hunt?

Asahina: "Have your ancestral stuff back."

Kitsune Gohei: "What's this wrapped round the handle?"

22 minutes ago, Mangod said:

I'm honestly leaning a bit towards the Daidoji; it almost sounds like it could lead to the Fox joining the Crane, sort of like what happened with the Falcon- and Crab Clans in O5R. However, the Asahina certainly holds some appeal as well - who doesn't like a good treasure hunt?

Considering the tone of the letter in respect to the Fox, I'm hoping to see these pompous birds fall flat on their beaks. That'll make Yoritomo's job of getting the Kitsune to sign up that much easier. Especially if they figure out that the Crane are lying about the Mantis.

(The Crane would be better off with a case of black eyeliner and an album by The Cure .)

Hotaru sees the Crane situation with WAY more optimism than I do.

Go Asahina, go!

2 hours ago, Vulcan646 said:

On the bright side, it looks like Bayushi Yojiro has been the one appointed to administer Toshi Ranbo.

It was already told in the Lion letter. Toturi himself appointed Yojiro, presumably because his good work in Ryokō Owari.

58 minutes ago, Coyote Walks said:

Especially if they figure out that the Crane are lying about the Mantis.

Are they, though? Now that I think of it, the Mantis samurai abusing the Kami by using them to pillage and raid other samurai could be one of the causes for the Elemental Imbalance. After all, we Phoenix know the Kami are pacific by nature, and they must be used for violence only when absolutely needed.

Maybe the Phoenix will have to go have a word with this Tenkinja about their misdoings.

We will teach them of our pacific ways... by force, if necessary.

4 minutes ago, Tabris2k said:

We will teach them of our pacific  ways... by force, if necessary.

By all means, teach the Mantis about this Western Ocean and why they should sail it.

2 hours ago, Hida Jitenno said:

Is the best way to get them to be friends telling them they cannot defend their own lands capably?

Being unable to defend their lands against Lion aggression is how the Kirin remnants became the Fox in the first place. Though really, who would want to invade Kitsune Mori? It's not as bad as the Shinomen, but it's no picnic either.

2 hours ago, Mangod said:

I'm honestly leaning a bit towards the Daidoji; it almost sounds like it could lead to the Fox joining the Crane, sort of like what happened with the Falcon- and Crab Clans in O5R. However, the Asahina certainly holds some appeal as well - who doesn't like a good treasure hunt?

Though as far as I recall, the Falcon were not fiercely and staunchly independent, whose very clan motto was premised on the fact that they consistently refused to allow another clan to absorb them.

The Fox refused to go down several times over the centuries, including refusing the Mantis twice during the course of the game, but then the third time were like "Oh, well I guess then." So I'm pro-independent Fox.

3 minutes ago, Hida Jitenno said:

Though as far as I recall, the Falcon were not fiercely and staunchly independent, whose very clan motto was premised on the fact that they consistently refused to allow another clan to absorb them.

The Fox refused to go down several times over the centuries, including refusing the Mantis twice during the course of the game, but then the third time were like "Oh, well I guess then." So I'm pro-independent Fox.

I mean, refusing an offer twice before accepting is just common courtesy, right?

8 minutes ago, Mangod said:

I mean, refusing an offer twice before accepting is just common courtesy, right?

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.

1 hour ago, Tabris2k said:

It was already told in the Lion letter. Toturi himself appointed Yojiro, presumably because his good work in Ryokō Owari.

Not sure if irony...

Sure is a good thing Toturi has the Honest Scorpion to be his right hand man to rely on.

But between him and Shoju, Yojiro's either gonna need to make some compromises, or get another right hand... from... somewhere.

Just now, AradonTemplar said:

Sure is a good thing Toturi has the Honest Scorpion to be his right hand man to rely on.

But between him and Shoju, Yojiro's either gonna need to make some compromises, or get another right hand... from... somewhere.

In the Whispers of Shadow and Steel book, Yojiro commits to being a Scorpion first and foremost.

He does this as he come to understand that the Scorpion clan, for the most part, always prioritizes it's duty to the Empire and the role it serves in the Empire.

Thus I suspect that Toturi will get burned at some point.

7 minutes ago, Tonbo Karasu said:

Not sure if irony...

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.

2 minutes 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.

I'll answer this once you've said you finished. And you're right, I should probably not have said anything this close to the book release.