So! Story wrapped up right before Christmas so I tought I might share it with y'all.

As most of us were new to the system, and one of us was new to RPG in general, I went with a simple story where we could try different parts of the system.

The group had been sent to the household of a former governor within the Daidoji lands to give the regards of the Magistrate they work under and oversee a smooth transition to his heir.

When arriving they see that the governors children have very different opinions on how the lands should be governed, the younger son, Takehito, calling for war and "Making the tiny river village Great Again" while his older sister, Jun, wanted to consolidate their position after a "border dispute" had taken its toll on the lands. After a very awkward dinner where their "philosophical disagreement" is shown, Utaku Emi and Kiba take some time to talk with Jun about the situation and offer their help (Kiba also took her time to flirt with Jun).

They spend a few days talking to the different advisors at court. They started with an intense game of shogi with the local Magistrate to see if he would support Jun if Takehito would dispute her claim, which he would of course. Soshi Shiho worked the Diplomat from the Scorpion clan, trying to see what the scorpion had planned and to convince him that having Jun would be a much more predictable option. She also takes some time to sneak around a bit and broke into Takehitos quarters. Turns out he has been sending letters to court, imploring them to support him when pushing his sister to "listen to his advise". She also finds a bunch of writing on the rituals and invocations of Shugenja from different parts of Rokugan, strange writing the Shiho finds she does not have the competense to understand properly. The first day ended with some theatre (a show about a general being sent by his Daimyo to find and destroy a bunch of rebels who stole the plans of the Daimyos otherwise impenetrable fortress).

The next day Utaku Emi gets a letter from her sickly sister, where she mentions that the herbal garden has been ruined by a fire and supplies are low. Asahi, who really wants to bang the Captain of the local troops, gets the groups fighters (everyone except Shiho) to go with the Captain to drive of some bandits. Seeing as a few bandits are no match for 3 trained bushi and a warhound, the bandit camp is quickly dispatched of. While searching for any bandits that might have hidden away, Kiba finds a few letters at the camp. The letters show that there is a connection between these bandits and some crime-lord called Kuma within Scorpion lands. After all is done, Asahi talks with the Captain about the growing tension between Takehito and Jun. The Captain is unsure, saying that her men have not been given the proper resources and Takehito does promise that should he be allowed to "properly advise" his older sister. Asahi works hard trying to convince her, using all his smooth-talking, all the good-will he had won by helping fight the bandits and stakes his honor on that Jun would make sure the troops are properly supplied.

Night gathers and Jun calls the court to discuss how to handle a growing problem with opium smugglers. While asking the group for their advise Takehito cuts her off. He claims their father would have already dealt with this problem, that he would not need to take advise from Ronin or Minor-clans, let alone Mantis, and that he, Takehito, would have acted like their father and with a display of force made an example of anyone who would stand in the way of his ambition. Jun tries to interject but Takehito pulls out a letter with their fathers seal that says that their father wished that his advisors (The Captain, Magistrate and Diplomat) would determine who would be his heir. The strangeness of a letter suddenly making Takehito a viable contender for the title was not lost on the group, but signatures, handwriting and seal were correct so their was nothing they really could question. With the letter shown Takehito demanded that they would gather tomorrow evening to proclaim the proper heir.

The group scramble the next day, trying to ensure that Jun would have the advisors full support, even getting cought by Takehito while trying to ensure the Magistrate that Jun does take the smuggling problem seriously. When evening comes, Takehito is sitting on the seat of the Governor, holding a strange stone mask in his hand, when everyone enters the court-hall. Takehito begins a big speech where he planned to point out the flaws of Juns way of governing, but with the advisors at her side she, and the group on her behalf, instead turns each of his arguments against him, making him more and more furious. Finally he challanges her to a duel to the death at midnight for the title of governor, which Jun accepts. The gathering ends and Jun goes away with most of the group to practice her technique and ready herself. Most of the group because Shiho, like the sneaky Scorpion she is, scouts out good vantage points in case you need a good line of sight of the dueling ring.

While practicing something happens. Jun suddenly falls ill, throwing up and being barely able to walk. The group gets a doctor but they can't find anything to explain her sickness, had they had a shugenja in their group they might have been able to figure out that it was Maho. Jun asks Emi could take her place as her champion, the duel being to important to postpone, which she accepts.

Midnight comes, everyone (except Shiho and her bow) gather at the top of the castle for the duel. Takehito is there wearing his mask. Jun explain the Emi will take her place and Takehito proclaims that they might just give up because all their resistance is "useless, useless useless".

Emi soundly defeats Takehito who gets his face cut open and falls of the building into the river.

Jun gets quickly recovers after he brothers defeat, thanks the group before they leave for the Scorpion provices to find out more about this "Kuma".

Que "Roundabout" by Yes.

And for those of you who got the reference, Yes, Takehito is basically a young Dio.