7 hours ago, neilcell said:

Oh, and if you have not watched the movie "Crazy Rich Asians", I have a sneaking suspicion that the Cranes will behave as obnoxiously as the Singaporean elites in that movie, particularly the catty women

I have, and that's pretty much how I'm picturing them, with a side of Lady Catherine de Bourgh from Pride and Prejudice to Magami's Lizzie.

"Let me be rightly understood. This match, to which you have the presumption to aspire, can never take place."

So, we had the first session - essentially the 'after-dinner' drinks.

• First, Mirumoto Uiri.
• Uiri's meeting with the Chancellor was short and to the point.
• Over a simple tea ceremony, he showed the Dragon a report from the doshin in the port below. A sake house brawl - unseemly but not unheard of - had escalated into something else entirely when several witnesses had identified former members of a pirate crew amongst the brawlers.
• "This report does not name the ship the accused arrived on." Said Yoshi. "I am certain it will be no surprise to you. Whilst I would normally have no compunction in using the force of the law against such criminals, they risk impacting the smooth running of Winter Court and disturbing the Emperor's peace, especially whilst he is closeted in private audience with the Mantis Clan." There was a detectable chill in the room at that line. "I have no intention of ordering their release and causing further strife in the town, so I have no specific orders to offer. Make this issue go away."
• Mirumoto Uiri accepted, bowed and went to leave.
• "One other matter, magistrate-san." Yoshi said from behind him. "As Chancellor of the Imperial Court, I endeavour to keep a watchful eye on the servants and guards of the Imperial Palace Household." "Yes, Kakita-dono?" "Your jurisdiction ends at the palace walls, magistrate-san. Do not delude yourself into believing otherwise."
• Uiri headed directly down to the port, leaving a message with a passing flunky to convey to Susano-O no Izen once he emerged from the Imperial Guest-House.
• The participants in the brawl had all been arrested, and the witnesses detained whilst their statements were taken. Most of the brawlers were Daidoji Crane or (surprise, surprise) Mantis, with a few Yasuki Crab thrown into the mix.
• It turned out that whilst the crane were from various ships, they have in common that they had previously served on a Daidoji trading kobune seized by pirates and burned off the coast of southern Crane territories. The ship had been transporting Asahina-made silk and Daidoji-made weapons north when - so the survivors claimed - it was set upon by the Mantis held in the same jail.
• Comparing dates in the testimony, Uiri realised with a nasty - but fortunately not externally visible start - that the stolen cargo lined up suspiciously well with the cargo Yoritomo's ship had been offloading in Crab lands when the PCs had been passengers aboard her. So... (1) they were almost certainly guilty, (2) it would involve Yoritomo too, and (3) getting a confession would implicate the Crab as well, which hardly fell under Yoshi's "Make it go away" directive.
• The good news is that firstly Izen finally turned up, and secondly he turned up in the port but didn't go to the doshin's jail before talking to Uiri privately.
• Izen - who Suiren had made a good impression of the PCs with - was happy to deal with the brawl itself. As captain, he was able to promise to discipline the minor offenders and to confine the other off-watch crew to the ship, and he made it clear the Mantis were here with a sizeable stock of trade goods, so he was prepared to compensate damage to the same house. The problem was, of course, accusations of piracy.
• Executions of another clan's heimin and samurai as criminals was theoretically within an Emerald Magistrates' remit given the testimony Uiri had. None of that would outweigh Izen's testimony and if he needed to the Mantis captain had his Clan Champion available to weigh in, which meant prosecuting would involve the Ruby or Emerald Champion for the Magistrature and Kuwanan or Yoshi for the Crane, to say nothing of political 'splash' on the Crab (Goriate's player may have been shaking his head and repeatedly mouthing "no no no no no...." at this point).
• Not prosecuting them would leave the Crane grumbling with rumours of the law being flouted and members of the Crane Clan being denied justice in their own capital.
• Uiri's eventual plan was hitting on a third option - none of the accusers were of high status, so they couldn't realistically 'follow' if matters moved outside the port. So he declared that the criminals 'would be taken to Shiro Yogasha', and marched them in chains to great local spectacle to the Yasuki ship, who publicly agreed to take them north - and privately agreed to 'lose' their prisoners once out of sight of Kyuden Doji.
• Izen took responsibility for ensuring the criminals never encountered Crane merchants, leaving the Mantis owing Mirumoto Uiri a potentially useful favour...

• Shosuro Suiren by comparison had a 'quiet night in' - at the Scorpion Clan Guest House.
• He was invited to a small party held by the geisha Hatsuko, a Shosuro-born geisha who was a confidante of Bayushi Kachiko, and her new maiko.
• This was actually something the character had been looking forward to - both Doji Shigeru and Ikoma Rumiko were present, so it was quite the theatrical evening, with several boisterously competitive performance checks (with fire 3, performance 3, and the Winter Court Champion title ability to keep strife in check, Suiren did very well, impressing the other two famous actors. This would in no way come back to haunt him).
• He found the evening entertaining, coming away with generally positive impressions of everyone, though two people caught his attention.
• The maiko was charming and attentive but underneath gave the distinct impression of someone who really didn't want to be there. During the conversation, Hatsuko let on that her apprentice was Kasuga-born from Slow Tide Harbour, rather than a fellow Scorpion, and hinted she'd been dropped on her as a favour to someone else in the Scorpion delegation.
• Rumiko and Suiren hit it off like a house on fire before she was forced to leave a little early. If you've ever been in a burning house you can picture what I mean - there's a good chance there will be no survivors. Despite surface cordiality, after a successful scrutiny/fitness check over several hours of the evening Surien is pretty sure he's recognised a fellow 'professional' and will be keeping a close eye on the Ikoma.
• Then the other shoe dropped at the end of the evening when Doji Shigeru asked to speak with him privately. You see, the Scorpion was a famous actor, and they'd been suitably convinced his reputation wasn't just gossip. And he'd had a famous starring role in the Poisoned Lilly's controversial but successful Death of Hantei. And...well...The Tale of the Fisherman's Daughter needed someone to play Hantei. In front of the current Hantei himself. Whilst the imperials were - so the educated rumour mill said - simultaneously trying to discretely secure a betrothal for his willful, stuck-up, callous son.
• "So...anyone got any suggestions for my next character? Because obviously I'm dead." - Suiren's player.

• Hida Goriate and Kakita Riku had their Tea Ceremony with Kakita Ryoku, as per A Tea Ceremony Fit For An Empress.
• Shock Celebrity News:

Crab Bushi Takes Tea With The Lady Of Winter!

Crab Displays Understanding Of Basic Courtesy And Protocol!

Demonstrates Limited But Definite Social Skills!

• Okay, maybe that's over-egging it. But when Goriate's player was told the invitation was to a three-hour Formal Tea Ceremony, his response....let's just say the filter on this forum would be unlikely to let it through.
• Despite this, he managed to get through the 'Be A Model Guest' objective without becoming compromised - though he ended the scene pretty laden on strife.
• Kakita Ryoku seemed more welcoming than he expected, and Doji Chiyoe - whom Miromoto Uiri had met and befriended earlier - was a friendly(ish) face closer to Goriate's own age. Ryoku was a lot more sarcastic than expected, too (when discussing his ancestors he mentioned that his family had been served at a particular stretch of the wall since its construction, and Ryoku's response - after looking the Large Stature crab up and down, was to ask "if he meant as soldiers or structural columns, since I think the Kaiu could have saved time and stone by simply asking a few of your ancestors to stand in a close-packed line...")
• The discussion of his personal history took rather more effort since he had tales of adventure on the Isles of Spice and Silk....featuring don't-mention-the-Mantis (Ryoku asked him to investigate them on her behalf), tales of adventure in the Shadowlands....where Riku, sat next to him had been left behind in Kyuden Hida against her will, tales of Kyotei Castle...and the less said about that to a nobleborn Crane the better, Tsume...and Kakita Toshimoko's illegitimate son, Hotoshi, events at Subotai Castle...leading to the death of a Kakita Daimyo and triggered by Kuwanan's escape from the Lion that they definitely weren't involved in, the Investigation of the Murder of Doji Satsume...not touching that with a bargepole, Hantei Sotorii's recent escapades....no, that's actually worse... It became increasingly clear relatively few of the PCs adventures could be discussed in current company.
• In the end he went for a carefully edited version of events at Kyuden Kitsune and Shiro Usagi, taking the opportunity to praise Riku's duelling skill in defeating her Bayushi opponent.
• ...And then Kakita Ryoku asked about Shika Yuki and the betrothal. Throwing his newly acquired void point into the pot alongside his low air ring of 2 and his surprising-for-a-Hida courtesy ring of 2, Goriate got unbelievably lucky with one success and two explosive successes, which resolved into two additional successes (plus enough strife following on the heels of the tea ceremony intrigue to provoke an out of character "gyaaagh..." noise), resulting in a five-success deceive/courtesy check to claim a story as close as he understood to Shika Yuki's version of events, and obviously Kakita Riku wasn't now stuck in a betrothal to some idiot who didn't even realise he'd engaged a matchmaker. The attempt to avoid humiliating Riku with her family earned a discrete 'thank you' from the duellist out of Ryoku and Chiyoe's point of view.
• He ultimately ended the tea ceremony and subsequent small talk literally on his composure, but having secured Ryoku's approval - the Lady Of Winter commenting that he reminded her very much of the Kakita's "Grandmother Suzu", offering to introduce them (if you don't recognise the name, Kakita/Hida Suzu features in the flavour text of the Famously Honest advantage). She did note privately to Goriate that that, influential as she was, matters would also require Kakita Yoshi's continued support (or at least neutrality to the matter), as Riku was of sufficient status that the family Daimyo would be expected to be at least consulted in passing on her betrothal, and with Chiyoe's potential betrothal to the Crown Prince in the air, Yoshi was currently sensitive to any hint of a scandal. In addition his relationship with his brother Toshimoko (whom Shika Yuki had apparently discussed the matter with) was not the best.
• Goriate was aware his Uncle was also attending court but hadn't arrived yet and made a mental note to button-hole him before anyone else got to talk to him. He also decided to check rather urgently if Kakita Toshimoko's illegitimate son Hitoshi was amongst Izen and Yoritomo's crew....
• He accepted the Crane's unofficial request to investigate the Mantis' presence, whilst Ryoku offered some advice on the tasks he'd been set by the Crab delegation. Securing either Asahina support to address flooding, or places to study at the Asahina school for aspiring Crab Shujenga, would need Asahina approval and the senior Asahina in the Crane delegation was Takako, the Daimyo's daughter and a relatively approachable individual. She would be preparing for the poetry competition, and might respond well to someone approaching her via this route.
• His other task was securing the diplomatic return of a sashimono taken as a battle trophy by the Daidoji. This time he was pointed at Daidoji Gombei, who - reading between the lines of Ryoku's respectful-sounding description- came across as a short-tempered, quick-to-take-formal-offense grumpy old man whose only real virtue in Ryoku's eyes was the way he doted on his son - also a poet, this time a student of the moderately famous (if you weren't a crab bushi) teacher, Reju Jikai.
• Obviously 'sign up to the poetry competition to get close to people whose help you need' is perfectly sensible advice to a crane courtier. Hida Goriate's main experience of competitive poetry to date has been two bouts of inebriated haiku-trading with Doji Kunuzobu, neither of which ended especially well. This prompted a 'smile, nod, say thank you and swear profusely later in private' response. Fortunately, Kaito Horonigai has also been asked to secure Asahina help, so he hopefully won't be on his own in this venture...

12 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

• In the end he went for a carefully edited version of events at Kyuden Kitsune and Shiro Usagi, taking the opportunity to praise Riku's duelling skill in defeating her Bayushi opponent.

• ...And then Kakita Ryoku asked about Shika Yuki and the betrothal. Throwing his newly acquired void point into the pot alongside his low air ring of 2 and his surprising-for-a-Hida courtesy ring of 2, Goriate got unbelievably lucky with one success and two explosive successes, which resolved into two additional successes (plus enough strife following on the heels of the tea ceremony intrigue to provoke an out of character "gyaaagh..." noise), resulting in a five-success deceive/courtesy check to claim a story as close as he understood to Shika Yuki's version of events, and obviously Kakita Riku wasn't now stuck in a betrothal to some idiot who didn't even realise he'd engaged a matchmaker. The attempt to avoid humiliating Riku with her family earned a discrete 'thank you' from the duellist out of Ryoku and Chiyoe's point of view.

So does that mean his head is out of the proverbial noose as far as engagement? Or is he even further locked into it?

12 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

• His other task was securing the diplomatic return of a sashimono taken as a battle trophy by the Daidoji. This time he was pointed at Daidoji Gombei, who - reading between the lines of Ryoku's respectful-sounding description- came across as a short-tempered, quick-to-take-formal-offense grumpy old man whose only real virtue in Ryoku's eyes was the way he doted on his son - also a poet, this time a student of the moderately famous (if you weren't a crab bushi) teacher, Reju Jikai.

• Obviously 'sign up to the poetry competition to get close to people whose help you need' is perfectly sensible advice to a crane courtier. Hida Goriate's main experience of competitive poetry to date has been two bouts of inebriated haiku-trading with Doji Kunuzobu, neither of which ended especially well. This prompted a 'smile, nod, say thank you and swear profusely later in private' response. Fortunately, Kaito Horonigai has also been asked to secure Asahina help, so he hopefully won't be on his own in this venture...

I love how you just laid the groundwork for sliding into the events of Sins of Regret.

• Finally, Kaito Horonigai - arriving at the Scorpion Clan Guest House to be formally greeted at the entrance by Bayushi Mei Lin, the Topaz Champion, and Kachiko's attendant.
• There may have been a few glares-above-smiles, given their history, but she welcomed Horonigai courteously enough and led her to the Imperial Advisor's room.
• Horonigai may - as readers may have picked up - been slightly nervous. Bayushi Aramoro kneeling outside with daemonic menpo on and a wicked-looking selection of blades within reach didn't help.
• So she was somewhat surprised and more than a little unnerved to be greeted in a warm, friendly manner.
• "I know from experience - and from Dairu-san," Kachiko began, "how unnerving that hall can feel. It may be twenty paces to the dais but it feels like it takes a day to cross. The dais itself feels the same: the one difference being that in addition to eyes being on you, every samurai in the court wants to be where you are and a fair proportion would happily plot, blackmail and kill to get there. Cake?"
• Horonigai bowed again and took the cake, NEVER TRUST THE SCORPION CLAN EVER reflex on full alert, half expecting it to contain drugs, razor blades, or kami-knows-what. It turned out to contain a rather good honey and walnut paste.
• "I wanted to take the opportunity to get to know you." The Scorpion said. "The Kaito are the newest Clan Family in the Empire, and your daimyo, Kaito Kosori-dono, is the head if the Phoenix Clan delegation this year. I must admit a shameful lack of knowledge about your family; I mean no offence but prior to Shiba Tsukune's edict the Kaito no Isawa were a somewhat obscure vassal family. So, I decided to simply ask."
• Slightly relieved at the direction of the conversation, Horonigai gave a potted history of the Kaito and an overview the Shrine Keeper school, as well as a suitable-for-public-consumption version of Kaito Kosori's history.
• "And how about yourself, magistrate-san?"
• Horonigai's player was a little irked here, since, having got onto the subject of personal history she could hardly avoid hers, including the fact she was adopted. Kachiko smiles and dismissed the matter as trivial, observing that adoption was just as legally binding as 'natural' parenthood, and certain that her 'uncle' Hajj must be fit to burst with pride.
• She then complimented Horonigai's outfit, asking where it had come from. Horonigai initially replied with the name of the Miya tailor she'd used (It was true) but Kachiko then followed up by asking about "that stunning obi, in such a classic style."
• "It's a family heirloom; the only thing that was found with me." Horonigai responded.
• "Gaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!!!!" - Horonigai's player.
• Kachiko then said she'd be more than happy to help Horonigai and the Kaito with any problems or tasks during Winter Court, hinting the Scorpion had a big purse to draw on. She also said that - Given one of the few things she knew of the family was the Kaito's skill as archers - she planned to bet publicly on Horonigai during the 'Bowman's Wager'.
• "Trap! Trap! Trap! Trap!" - Horonigai's player.
• It is mildly amusing how terrifying the Imperial Advisor can apparently be by being nice.
• Leaving afterwards, she came across the last few guests leaving the actor's party Suiren had attended. Unlike Suiren, she had met Hatsuko's maiko before, even if it took a recall check to place her.
• It was Ikue.

3 minutes ago, neilcell said:

So does that mean his head is out of the proverbial noose as far as engagement? Or is he even further locked into it?

No, he's publicly claimed "Of course it was deliberate and I'm totally happy with how my completely intentional plan turned out." I think he's pretty stuck at this point.

6 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

• It is mildly amusing how terrifying the Imperial Advisor can apparently be by being nice.

SPECIALLY WHEN SHE IS BEING NICE!

Had the next winter court session, and the first of the big competitions - the Bowman's Wager.

• This - for those with access to the adventure - essentially replaced the Asahina's Cliffside Archery Demonstration.
• This was the competition Horonigai was due to enter (Goriate has his eyes on the Sumai, Uiri on the Kata, and Suiren on not screwing up during the big play.....and maybe the poetry).
• The initial field of sixteen competitors was winnowed to seven with some 'normal' target shooting before moving to the targets in the bay.
• Uiri, Riku and Goriate were amongst the audience (Suiren's player was away, so the Shosuro was busy somewhere secluded desperately trying to learn Hantei's lines for The Tale Of The Fisherman's Daughter).
• Between rounds, Goriate and Riku were approached by one of Riku's friends, Kakita Shiko. As an Emerald Magistrate and soon-to-be family member, Shiko and her father, Kakita Shijin, were hoping to speak to him about 'a delicate matter'. Goriate agreed to meet later that day, and passed a courtesy check to persuade Shijin and Shiko to allow him to involve his colleagues to - on the understanding of strict discretion.
• Meanwhile, Uiri's player reacted with glee to notice elsewhere in the crowd that apparently Bayushi Tomoharu was attending court. No, wait, not 'glee'; I mean the other thing. To make matters worse, he had a nasty-looking shujenga in tow with a worrying resemblance to Soshi Hisako.
• This individual subsequently emerged from the crowd - ostensibly to offer a wager on Horonigai's performance but in practice for a private word. The individual turned out to be Soshi Giichi, a distant relative of Hisako who pointed out politely that Uiri's behaviour at Shiro Usagi could be taken as intentionally provoking a duel (in fairness, Uiri had been trying to compromise him, but the challenge wasn't the intended outcome), and since Uiri was a graduate of the Honoured Mirumoto Duellist's School and Hisako was 'a mere shujenga', this could start rumours that reflected badly on him.
• Uiri initially got defensive - the duel was not his idea, nor was it being to the death (the former was Hisako, the latter Tomoharu) - before Giichi explained he had no intention of causing such trouble. Pointing out the ease with which he could do and then not doing so was more in the nature of banking away a favour in advance: he was 'associated with the clan Magistrature' (which is true), he said, and "one hears rumours" the PCs had occasionally had to deal with matters of maho. Keeping a discrete 'contact list' of experienced potential allies was 'just good practice'. Bidding him a good day, Giichi vanished into the crowd.
• Both Uiri and Goriate wagered a koku in support of Horonigai being one of the final two, and were - along with the crowd - surprised to discover a very impressive bet had been laid on Horonigai by the Imperial Advisor, Bayushi Kachiko. As they settled in, a Seppun flunky appeared by Goriate, asking him to attend on the Ruby Champion after the next round's shooting. He was concerned about this.
• Back at the cliffside, in front of the crowd, the remaining roster was slightly intimidating:
• Kaito Horonigai (obviously) - Kaito Kosori-dono herself didn't compete because traditionally heads of delegations don't.
• Seppun Asuza of the Imperial families.
• Toritaka Hatsue - a Falcon samurai who was a guest of the Crab and who the PCs are trying to avoid on the off-chance her talents spot any hint of "Ghost Dad" (Doji Satsume).
• Tsurugi Kage, a Wasp Clan samurai invited by the Unicorn specifically as a ringer for the Bowman's Wager.
• Hiruma Yoshiki, the Hiruma Daimyo and head of the crab delegation, who'd in true crab fashion decided "bugger tradition and courtesy, she fancied some archery practice".
• Susano-O no Izen of the Mantis (lightly hung over - as was Uiri - but still no less capable for that)
• (Susano-O no) Hitoshi, Kakita Toshimoko's illegitimate son - meeting Horonigai and the others for the first time in a while.
• The three targets in the bay were intended to reduce the field from seven to two, where the 'actual' Wager - essentially a series of competitive trick shots between the two parties - could commence.
• Horonigai made the first shot - a blue flag at one hundred yards - reasonably easily but was concerned that it was TN3 to start with: given that she'd only got a best ring value of 3. Trying vainly to maintain a state of Zen, she went with Void.
• The rest of the field was sorted by a 'quick roll' - anyone getting success on one ring die made the shot. This narrowed the field to Horonigai, Kage, Hatsue and Izen - which was pretty much all Horonigai really wanted: passing one shot meant she was in the 'top four' so didn't disgrace the Phoenix, and more importantly (to her) she got much-delayed satisfaction for having to 'throw' the Archery tournament in Tsuma to Hitoshi so he could pass his Gempukku.
• The second shot - a cyan flag at one hundred and fifty yards - was TN4. Horonigai threw a void point into the roll for an extra skill die and managed to pass, netting a void opportunity along the way to reduce her next air check TN by 1. It probably wouldn't mattter at TN5, but it was better than nothing.
• Then we rolled for the others. Tsurugi Kage passed, then Toritaka Hatsue and Susano-O no Izen both failed.
• It took a moment for this to sink in.

• "....Wait. Does that mean I'm in the final?"

• Yes. Remarkably, it did.
• This was not part of the plan. Being in the top four was impressive, but coming second was a much less appealing prospect, as it involved being presented with a drink from the 'Cup Of Defeat', which may or may not be cursed. After the events of Mask of the Oni, 'ancient relic which may or may not be cursed' is something Horonigai takes seriously.

• Whilst Horonigai focused on not hyperventilating, Goriate and Uiri went to talk to Agasha Sumiko.
• "I have decided that after a year of service as Emerald Magistrates, you deserve a permanent posting of your own. Since Seppun Ishima of Hirosaka has responsibility for overseeing both the town itself but also the outlying villages, she would likely welcome the assistance."
• Goriate thanked her, but the Ruby Champion hadn't finished.
• This 'opportunity' was effective immediately from the end of Winter Court. The PCs would be given a stipend to relocate and set up a household. Also, Shosuro Suiren would need to find some pretext to join them - that wasn't Sumiko's responsibility.
• This was in no way connected to Sumiko's discussions yesterday with the Crane's host, Doji Kuwanan, who had announced his intent to carry out his own 'independent investigation' into the death of Doji Satsume, against - so rumour had it - the direct wishes of his sister, the Clan Champion. Sumiko was assigning the chief yoriki, Kitsuki Kage, to assist him. The PCs involvement would not be required, in any capacity.
• Furthermore, Sumiko hadn't chosen Hirosaka randomly. She had translated the copy of the Kolat letter the PCs had recovered from Shiro Usagi, and it talked about the Kolat agreeing to a deal to support a local crime Lord in the town. Finding this crime boss might provide another point from which to try and track down the Kolat hierarchy.
• "Oh. Great. This sounds like it'll be so much fun." - Goriate's PC.

• Tsurugi Kage and Kaito Horonigai were ready for the final round of the wager - essentially competitive trick shots, first to fail or refuse loses.
• Kage went first: suggesting 'breakfast' - pointing at an old peach tree growing in a sheltered nook which still had a few last fruit and leaves clinging to its branches despite the chill. The Wasp archer said that the challenge was to cut a peach from the tree without disturbing any of the leaves. This was agreed to be a TN4 Martial Arts (Ranged)/Air to knock the fruit down, plus at least one air opportunity to do it 'precisely' or 'subtly' enough not to damage any of the leaves surrounding it.
• Kage shot first, managing it easily enough. Horonigai's leftover TN reduction from the opportunity made it a more practical TN3, but 3 successes and an opportunity was still impossible without an explosive success or success/opportunity, and she had no void points left to use.
• Somehow, Horonigai managed it - but ate a load of strife in the process, not least from her Fear of Failure anxiety.
• Next, it was her choice. She got to set the challenge, but Tsurugi Kage was clearly the better archer, and Horonigai's player no longer had any dice-modifying tricks to throw. If he got to set another challenge, then it was cursed-wine-cup time.
• Horonigai needed something Kage couldn't match... something like... her conversation with Kachiko about how "no-one knew anything about the Kaito" popped into her mind... "I'll wager I can knock at least two of those targets to the floor," she said, pointing at the one of the targets from the early rounds, "with one arrow."
• Tsurugi Kage raised an eyebrow and made a 'go on, then' gesture.
• Horonigai drew an arrow - and touched it to her forehead, praying to the spirits to invoke Howl of Isora with Sacred Arrows, (critically getting the opportunity to trigger the 'push all targets one range band away' effect) then nocked and drew her daikyu. The shot itself was easy enough - a clean hit.

• Then her invocation detonated out from the arrow, ripping the target it was embedded in to shreds and sending the two either side flying several feet through the air.
• Roughly half of those present, Tsurugi Kage included, had facial expressions which can best be summed up as "Umm...What...Just...Happened?!?!"

14 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

• Horonigai needed something Kage couldn't match... something like... her conversation with Kachiko about how "no-one knew anything about the Kaito" popped into her mind... "I'll wager I can knock at least two of those targets to the floor," she said, pointing at the one of the targets from the early rounds, "with one arrow."

• Tsurugi Kage raised an eyebrow and made a 'go on, then' gesture.
• Horonigai drew an arrow - and touched it to her forehead, praying to the spirits to invoke Howl of Isora with Sacred Arrows, (critically getting the opportunity to trigger the 'push all targets one range band away' effect) then nocked and drew her daikyu. The shot itself was easy enough - a clean hit.

• Then her invocation detonated out from the arrow, ripping the target it was embedded in to shreds and sending the two either side flying several feet through the air.
• Roughly half of those present, Tsurugi Kage included, had facial expressions which can best be summed up as "Umm...What...Just...Happened?!?!"

Something tells me that there will be cries of foul from the audience. While Kage cannot refuse, the competition judges arguably could protest that she used an invocation. Still it will be interesting to see how this plays out. Either way, I'm sure the Kaito Daimyo is suitably pleased by her performance. As well as her showing off the school's signature skills.

1 minute ago, neilcell said:

Something tells me that there will be cries of foul from the audience. While Kage cannot refuse, the competition judges arguably could protest that she used an invocation. Still it will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Technically she didn’t, because every Phoenix can attest that the Kaito are not shugenja, so they can’t coax a kami. A kami just decided to help her in her hour of need. Who gad this idea anyway? It was really well thought, and probably is going to ban the Kaito from future archery competitions 😂

3 hours ago, Diogo Salazar said:

Technically she didn’t, because every Phoenix can attest that the Kaito are not shugenja, so they can’t coax a kami. A kami just decided to help her in her hour of need. Who gad this idea anyway? It was really well thought, and probably is going to ban the Kaito from future archery competitions 😂

They may not be Shugenja, but their school DOES have access to Invocations. Rank 1 has access to Air Invocations. Rank 3 has access to Water Invocations. Rank 5 has access to Fire Invocations. Rank 2 can learn Grasp of Air and Rank 4 can learn Rise, Air. In a sense, they are a hybrid of the Monk and Shugenja roles. I would say that it should be an errata to the core rules to add the Shugenja to the monk role of the school.

The Sacred Arrow school ability is basically the ability to add a range component to their invocations provided the shrine keeper monk can hit the target with an arrow.

I do agree with you that in the future Kaito will have special restrictions on what they can and cannot do in competitions.

I’m aware of the in-game mechanics, I’m just saying in respect to the lore.

13 hours ago, Diogo Salazar said:

Technically she didn’t, because every Phoenix can attest that the Kaito are not shugenja, so they can’t coax a kami. A kami just decided to help her in her hour of need. Who gad this idea anyway? It was really well thought, and probably is going to ban the Kaito from future archery competitions 😂

9 hours ago, neilcell said:

I do agree with you that in the future Kaito will have special restrictions on what they can and cannot do in competitions.

Most archery competitions are just that, hit target = points= prizes, but the Bowman's Wager has historically always been [wash] "...Here's something you can't do..." [/wash] - the final itself doesn't actually have judges, unlike the other competitions at Winter Court. Not that someone might not grumble, and I'm sure something will be added quietly to the rules for next year...

It was (out of character) a bit of a group inspiration by the PCs, starting - as mentioned - with Kachiko's comments, in this case mentioned by Uiri's player, and I felt it was a very appropriate idea. Besides, Horonigai had already beaten the odds twice to get to that point.

9 hours ago, neilcell said:

In a sense, they are a hybrid of the Monk and Shugenja roles. I would say that it should be an errata to the core rules to add the Shugenja to the monk role of the school.

I don't see it happening, as we now have techniques specifically restricted by school tag - which is how Create Shikigami distinguished between 'proper' shujenga and schools that just happen to get invocations, like the Kaito or fortunist monks.

1 hour ago, Magnus Grendel said:

I don't see it happening, as we now have techniques specifically restricted by school tag - which is how Create Shikigami distinguished between 'proper' shujenga and schools that just happen to get invocations, like the Kaito or fortunist monks.

And I get that. The Sage role gets invocations but is specifically NOT a member of the priestly caste. Shrine Maidens and Miko ARE part of the priestly caste and hence share many qualities and characteristics of the Shujenga. The Sage would be more akin to the western setting Wizard while the Shujenga would be more similar to a Cleric. And in those hybrid East-West campaigns or Anime RPGs (Big Eyes, Small Mouth-BESM, specifically Slayers d20 version) the Shrine Maidens are the female version of the Cleric.

To your point about the Shikigami, if could be restricted to schools with BOTH Shujenga and Artisan roles, greatly limiting which ones can make them.

• Whilst most people were busy gathering their on - and in some cases their jaws - off the floor, Tsurugi Kage himself demurred - there was no way he could do the same and there was no point humiliating himself trying.
• Whether he or anyone else planned to cry 'foul' at this point became somewhat redundant as the matter was (regardless of possible future arguments) by the politically imposing presence of the Scorpion Clan; as Bayushi Kachiko began to politely applaud - whilst turning to the Oromo daimyo and (courteously) commiserating him on the outcome of their wager. Oromo Sorai either agreed or felt unable to argue with the Imperial Advisor, and with both Sorai and Kachiko taking the 'she's won' line, protests never got voiced.
• The players were about as shocked as the audience at Horonigai actually winning, but she did her best to do so in good grace - most of the prizes she formally gave to Kaito Kosori after being awarded them, with the only exception being a ceremonial/resplendent quiver decorated with a single ornate woven chrysanthemum, which was the Emperor's donation to the prizes (if the Hantei says "this is yours" you can't exactly then give it to someone else), presented to a deeply bowing Horonigai by a Hantei Sotorii who clearly wasn't especially interested in being there and hinted he'd have obviously done better if protocol allowed him to compete.
• Horonigai said "of course you would" out loud, thought less complimentary things in her head, bowed a lot more to the Prince and her Daimyo and - once Kosori was done speaking, beat a safe retreat into the crowd, where Riku, Goriate and Uiri wasted no time in congratulating her.
• Uiri also passed on a warning: since he'd been circulating on his own in the crowd, he'd heard rumours spreading relating to Bayushi Kachiko's enormous wager on her, and her taking tea with the Imperial Advisor the night before. Popular opinion apparently held that she'd come to some private agreement working for the Scorpion, and that possibly this was the first open signs of some secret Scorpion/Phoenix pact...
• "What? No! Why? Gah! Bloody Scorpion Clan!" - Horonigai's player.
• Before the crowds dispersed, Goriate took them to meet Kakita Shigo and Kakita Shijin, and, promising to investigate quietly, they were told about Riku's friend's 'problem'.
• Essentially, Shiko's rooms in the keep had been discretely ransacked and a stash of letters stolen. Said letters were personal letters from her lover (Horonigai passed a sentiment check to notice her father's reaction), a fellow poet named Doji Torikago attached to the Crane Guest House in the capital.
• She needed a skilled investigator to find the thief - and the letters. Presumably the motive was blackmail though as yet no demands had been made.
• The biggest problem - Kakita Shijen interrupted - was that his daughter and Doji Torikago were both betrothed, to people who weren't each other. Which meant, in his opinion, keeping the letters at all had been ill-advised. He acknowledged that it was a political match - in her case to a member of the Ikoma family.
• "Wonderful. So, fortunately not anyone touchy with a hair-trigger temper and a taste for vendetta or anything. Oh, no, wait, it's the Lion Clan." - Goriate's player.
• The PCs promised to do their best to investigate discretely. And agreed between themselves to do 'discretely' much more discretely than the last time they'd said that.
• That evening, they attended the Snow Lantern celebration, and -aside from being amused by Ikoma Rumiko playing "grandmother's footsteps" with the Crane host, they were able to talk to Asahina Takako, securing some time for Goriate and Horonigai to assist. Uiri and Suiren meanwhile, started looking into the Mantis attendance on Goriate's behalf flagging down Izen and Hatsuhina, and - by comparing notes, and subsequently button-holing Oromo Koryusai with their statements, were able to determine that some unknown courtier had tried to bribe him to add the Mantis to the guest list, and that whilst he'd refused, they'd later been added on by someone else at the last minute anyway.

• The next day was the PCs big day - at least "The PCs who weren't Surien".
• First, however, came a rather unwelcome interruption. Horonigai, Uiri and Goriate all awoke separately to find a tea-set laid out in their rooms. Approaching and kneeling, they each found the other two kneeling in their rooms.
• It swiftly became clear they were still asleep. Moments later, the inevitable form of Doji Satsume was kneeling at the fourth side of the table, calmly pouring the tea.
• He told them he had a warning and a request. The request was for his family - to watch over his brother and his nephew, as "there are those who mean them ill"* and the warning that "something is coming, darker and more dangerous than anything we have faced before".
• "Is it something from the shadowlands?" - Goriate
• "Is it the Kolat?" - Uiri
• "Is it something to do with the Kami and the Elements?" - Horonigai
• Satsume's response, whilst sipping his tea with an irritating level of cryptic smugness, was "...yes. I believe so."
• ...and then he was gone.
• The characters woke up - in three cases to crab flunkies politely knocking on their doors. Horonigai and Uiri had a Hiruma attendant come to check they were ready for their big day, and run than through the plan for the return of the swords. Goriate had one waking him to let him know that his Uncle's party had been sighted approaching Kyuden Doji's gates.
• Goriate...didn't 'rush' or 'hurry', but 'took a brisk morning stroll', and arrived at the gates slightly ahead of Hida Kyno and a quartet of more junior legion officers who'd travelled with him.
• After the formality of getting through the gates, Kyno -at Goriate's prompting - gestured the other officers to go on ahead, and he and his nephew exchanged greetings.
• "So. You felt you needed to talk privately and couldn't wait until I arrived at the clan guest quarters. What did you do now?"
• "I...just wanted to make sure you knew I was totally happy with a betrothal that was completely intentional on my part and which surely came as no surprise to you or my Aunt..."
• "...so, Haruna-san was right, I take it?"
• "...She usually is. How are you, Uncle?"
• "Cold, tired and annoyed. Kintani valley has been sprouting bandit groups like weeds for months; the Lion and Crane are both short of troops and they've been scraping the barrel as far as ronin go - and then, having brought them into the region, not been paying them. How do you think it's been? Tsume Itsuyo-sama is the only one actually trying to help fix the problem instead of make it worse. Still, at least that's over: my commission finished and I can get home after court."
• Goriate indicated he hoped Kyno didn't blame him for the mess Kyotei had become - he'd tried to stop it, and taken a sword in the back for his troubles.
• "Blame you for the northerners' squabbling? Of course not..." Kyno responded, to Goriate's momentary relief. "...I blame you for me being the one tasked with handling the consequences. Tell me, on a completely unrelated note; were you planning to compete in the sumai contest?"
• The two Hida samurai had by this time reached the solid-looking crab guest-house, and Hida Kyno turned to go in.
• "The presentation of the Hiruma Daisho is in the Crane's receiving hall." Goriate observed.
• "Good to know." Kyno replied. "The nearest sake, however," he said, pointing at the guest-house, "is in there."
• "Aren't you going to come and watch?"
• "Yes. But unlike you and your friends, I don't need to be completely sober."
• By the time the three magistrates arrived at the receiving hall, there was already quite a crowd. The event was being held in the presence of Prince Hantei Daisetsu, so a lot of courtiers who frankly couldn't care less about the Hiruma still made time to attend.
• Shosuro Suiren was also circulating. Having been brought up to speed on the whole Hirosaka situation, he was trying to figure out how to relocate there. His initial thought of going as someone's guest wouldn't work because he had no idea how long he'd need to be there for. His second idea - mostly as a joke - was to shoot for "exile rather than execution" for lèse-majesté after his portrayal of Hantei-no-Kami in The Tale Of The Fisherman's Daughter. After a bit of research about Hirosaka (there was no shortage of mid-ranking Otomo in the crowd), his next suggestion was "...actually, with a slight twist, plan B might sort of work."
• This was in no way concerning to the PCs, and the fact his next port of call, whilst Doji Shizue began telling her story, was Bayushi Aramoro did nothing to help reassure matters!

• The eventual plan turned out to be less horrifying than some players had suspected: Suiren wanted to talk to Aramoro arrange a discussion with Bayushi Kachiko, as head of the Scorpion delegation, as he had an idea to help boost the clan's standing with the Otomo.
• Kachiko's yojimbo weighed the actor up, and agreed he would allow him to speak with her after the ceremony - she was taking tea with Otomo Sorai, the Otomo Daimyo, so the timing would be perfect.
• Meanwhile, Shizue had finished, and the magistrates came forward to polite applause (The two bushi each holding a sword) to present their prize to Hiruma Yoshino. There was suitably respectful applause from all round the room, including from the Imperial dais.
• This was, to be fair, a big social high point for the PCs, but their players were mostly just worried about screwing up the pre-agreed ceremony in some way. Fortunately, despite Goriate leading the performance check, they didn't.
• After the ceremony was concluded, the PCs scarpered, and discussed where to take their respective tasks and investigations.
• With regards to the Mantis Clan invitation, they felt like they'd reached a bit of a dead end: if someone above Koryusai had overruled him behind his back it must logically be someone of higher status, which meant their ability to pressure them or scrutinise their actions would be very limited.
• The other suggested route Kakita Ryoku had offered was to investigate the invitation itself - if it hadn't originated from Oromo Koryusai it would be interesting to look at the handwriting and seal.
• Horonigai decided to get in touch with Susano-O no Hitoshi - she sadly wasn't able to talk him into helping, but also had sufficient air opportunities that she didn't raise his suspicions about what she'd been after whilst doing so.
• Suiren went to see Bayushi Kachiko. Aramoro met him in the hall outside, and pointedly searched him and took his weapons, including his Sekihitsu. No pretense of 'cleaning' or 'displaying' his property was made.
• Horonigai's player was slightly aggrieved this hadn't happened to Horonigai when she'd met the Imperial Advisor. Suiren's player pointed out that this presumably means he hadn't considered Horonigai a potential threat to Kachiko - and not being considered a 'threat' to the Shinobi assassin's stalker-level obsessive crush was probably a good thing.
• Kachiko and Sorai were relatively welcoming but mostly curious. Suggestion was comparatively low-key: the Tale Of The Fisherman's Daughter was a 'reimagining' of the classic tale, so there was freedom to reinterpret or expand on details of the story. For example, when Lady Doji no Kami sought the "best young women in the Empire", the samurai of the Crane failed to find Doji Mioko, and it was not until Hantei-no-Kami himself was passing through the Crane lands that they saw or heard one another. The legend does not record why the Emperor happened to be passing that village - supposing his route stemmed from the advice of Otomo, one of his two most trusted retainers? That could cast a fundamentally different light on the story.
• Otomo Sorai was intrigued.
• Surien followed this by observing such a reinterpretation might make him...unpopular...with the Crane. He would, of course, be happy to accept any 'blame' - Doji Shigeru would need a scapegoat to avoid landing the playwright in hot water with the Crane hierarchy, but having been cast in the part if Hantei-no-Kami, Surien could play the demanding and interfering primadonna to the hilt, and Shigeru could claim he "had no choice".
• If this were the case, it would be good for him to take a leave of absence from the major theatres - somewhere respectable but rural where a divisive eccentric might go to work on his next precedent-shattering play. Preferably...an Imperial holding? One with a respected Noh or Kabuki company? Hirosaka, perhaps?
• Sorai seemed a fan of the idea - not least because it came at little to no cost to him - and said he looked forward to seeing the play. With that, he left, leaving Surien and Kachiko to talk privately.
• When asked 'why Hirosaka', Surien went with one part truth - he'd been asked by his cousin to assist three junior magistrates, who were now being assigned there - and one part lie - that he wasn't aware of anything exceptional about the place. Kachiko appeared to take the statement at face value, but who knows if he was believed?
• Meanwhile, as head of the Scorpion delegation, Kachiko had instructions for him. She wanted him to 'investigate interesting rumours' she had heard about the parentage of a member if the Mantis delegation, Susano-O no Hitoshi. Provided it was not traced back to her, there was no need to be 'overly discrete' in discussing this rumour.
• This does sort of put Surien at odds with the magistrates, which is something the players will have to figure out; discharging this duty (these were actual orders and he is, after all, scorpion) without messing up Hitoshi's life and causing trouble with Kakita Toshimoko - and for Goriate, if he's connected to someone kicking up a scandal and Yoshi hears about it. It will also put him in a position where the other PCs may have to discuss their biggest in-character secret from him: Doji Satsume's ghost.

And the plot thickens.

• Uiri actually took some time out to try and look at the tasks he'd been set by his Clan - namely finding samurai who might consider marriage or adoption into the Dragon.
• He returned to the Dragon guest-house, and arranged a few meetings with assorted Doji, Kitsuki and Shika match-makers' attendants. Being VERY clear (using a void point to invert Bluntness) that he was asking on behalf of his Clan, not himself, and was perfectly happy with his current status.
• At his request, said match-makers were to look into un-betrothed individuals from clans bordering the Dragon: Phoenix, Lion and Unicorn. (Since there is one obvious young Unicorn lady with no official betrothal, there's all sorts of potential fun and games there....).
• After fighting his way through various meetings contending with Bluntness, Hatred of Formal Ceremony and a determination not to involve his immediate family, he was pretty laden with strife, so decided to then indulge his passion for Meditation to recover in the Guest House's stone garden.
• He turned out not to be alone. Togashi Ume was also meditating in the garden - and said he'd been waiting for an appropriate moment to talk.
• "Togashi-ue gave me an additional task for you." The monk said. "I gather you are shortly travelling South to Hirosaka."
• "How did you know that?"
• "...a little bird told me."
• Ume had been told to instruct Uiri privately (this being Ume's first chane to do so) to look after the safety and wellbeing of a young hinin girl living 'near Hirosaka' named Tomuko. In classic Dragon Champion fashion there was no further context or information. Which means even finding her might take some doing.
• Uiri noted that Togashi Yokuni does move in mysterious but this seemed odd even for him...
• (Anyone having played 'a void in the heavens' in previous editions may recognise her name)

• Goriate meanwhile followed up on Kakita Shiko's lost letters.
• His port of call was Doji Torikago, the author, who...wasn't very welcoming at all. He agreed under a degree of duress to talk to Goriate, but only in private, and basically ducked every question he was asked, made his excuses and left as fast as possible.
• This raised a degree of suspicion but the PCs weren't sure at this point if Torikago was the culprit or the victim. Either way, Goriate decided, he bore closer scrutiny.
• This was pretty much the end of the day, though two bits of unwelcome news punctuated the evening.
• First was the news of Daidoji Eiakasu and Retsu Jikai's excursion to a local village and the former's accident - his hand and forearm crushed by a startled horse. Thanks to Asahina healers, Jikai's student survived and his life was no longer in danger, but he had permenantly lost the use of his writing hand. Daidoji Gombei, his father, was busy alternating between heartwrenching concern and incandescent rage, and trying to talk to him about the Crab sashimono was clearly a bad idea.
• The PCs came up with a way to potentially make this work, though. Eiakasu was alive, in sound mind, and able to speak. He could, in theory, still compete; but he would need a scribe. After a discussion and some staked honour with Miya Satoshi, the Imperial Herald agreed to the suggestion.
• This raised the suggestion of who could act as scribe.
• It needed to be someone who could faithfully capture his words with the elegance he spoke them, but without unfairly embellishing or diminishing them with their own artistic interpretation.
• Someone competent, skilled at penmanship, and impartial between the clan's of the competitors.
• Someone like Suiren.

• "...err. No. I don't actually have any ranks of 'composition', guys." Suiren's player.

• "What? But...you're a courtier and an actor!" - Horonigai's player.
• "Actor. Not playwright. I don't write the stuff."
• At this point, Goriate's player realised he was the only one who'd ever bought any ranks in the composition skill.

• The second bit of news proved to be even more unsettling. Horonigai, Uiri and Goriate were invited to breakfast in the great greenhouse the following morning, by "Bayushi Dairu and his guest."
• "Who's Dairu again?" "Kachiko's son and nominal head of the Scorpion clan delegation." "Oh, wonderful."

9 hours ago, Magnus Grendel said:

• "...err. No. I don't actually have any ranks of 'composition', guys." Suiren's player.

• "What? But...you're a courtier and an actor!" - Horonigai's player.
• "Actor. Not playwright. I don't write the stuff."
• At this point, Goriate's player realised he was the only one who'd ever bought any ranks in the composition skill.
  

Well, that is one way to endear himself to the Crane Clan.

• The following morning, the magistrates headed to the Kyuden Doji greenhouse.
• Beforehand, Uiri arranged to follow up with the match-makers, whilst Goriate asked Riku to look into Doji Torikago: if he was the person being blackmailed, logically the thing he had someone might want was his appointment to the palace guest house. Goriate anf Riku made some enquires to find out who he'd beaten for the post, which Riku would finish up whilst the magistrates went to meet the Scorpion.
• Suiren, by comparison, had succeeded in convincing Doji Shigeru to add an Oromo character to The Tale of the Fisherman's Daughter. However Suiren then needed to find someone to play the part. Shigeru declined (because, though he didn't say this, he would be in character as Shike).
• Suiren suggested Rumiko. After spotting a fellow "professional" he seems rather intrigued by her. The issue was that whilst gender isn't much of an issue in Rokugan in the abstract, 'Otomo' was a specific historical individual. The character ultimately became a generic courtier representing the Otomo family.
• That still left the issue of Rumiko's old role, the Island Spirit. Lady Shike could take the role easily, but that would leave Doji Mioko's part open...
• Suiren hadn't actually intended this, but was pretty quick to grasp what that might mean, with two young ladies with influential families both angling to portray themselves as the obvious choice for the next empress present in court at once...
• Horonigai, somewhat anticlimacticaly, spent downtime in the fantastical gardens, indulging a passion for nature in an attempt to get rid of some strife.
• The magistrates headed for the greenhouse, whilst Suiren went to talk to Ikoma Rumiko. This was an interesting meeting, with the two 'actors' talking indirectly about their professions, and can basically be summed up as "I know." "I know." "I know you know." "You knew?" "You didn't know I knew?" "I knew, and I assumed you knew, but I didn't realise you knew I knew you knew." "Wait...are we still talking about Me or You?" "...I don't know."
• With that...cleared up...The two totally-not-shinobi took breakfast, and seemed to get on fairly well. Suiren was intrigued at a non-scorpion not-a-shinobi - Rumiko saying she'd served briefly with the Lion clan armies (hardly surprising) as a 'scout' before finding her calling on the stage.
• Rumiko also grasped the possible impact of freeing up the role of Mioko, but filed it away rather than raise it with Suiren right now.
• Meanwhile elsewhere, the other PCs arrived at the greenhouse.
• The greenhouse adjoined the castle's bathhouse, using the same furnace room to provide heat. Sheets of glass were held in a bamboo and steel frame, and condensation could be seen on the inside where warm, damp air met glass chilled by the winter air. Inside, heat-loving plants from the south and the tropical islands of spice and silk flourished, creating a carefully manicured artificial jungle.
• Two guards in Bayushi colours stood at the door, but bowed and made way for the magistrates, opening the door.
• Inside, heat and humidity hit the magistrates like a wall. A table with a tea set and small food had been set up near the entrance, and the young Bayushi Dairu sat at the table preparing a simple tea ceremony, with Seppun Ishikawa stood nearby.
• The players were still nervous of Dairu - NEVER TRUST THE SCORPION CLAN EVER and all that - but were happy to see a friendly face. Or at least an impassive expression on a face of someone they liked.
• Then Horonigai registered the Seppun captain was standing, one hand resting calmly on the grip of his daisho in 'bodyguard mode', rather than being seated at the table like a guest would normally be.
• Ishikawa was watching a third figure observing some tropical flowers on the far side of a spray of ferns. A certain nasty suspicion started to form moments before the figure walked back into the clearing, revealing the face of Bayushi Dairu's other 'guest' - His Highness Prince Hantei Daisetsu, Heir Secondary to the Imperial throne.

• "Squeeble."

• At this point there was what Horonigai's Player described as "all the bowing", as the PCs collectively tried to suppress a freak-out - which wasn't helped when the Prince invited them, each by name, to join him and Dairu-san at the table.
• After all the nervousness, though, things went fairly well. Dairu and Daisetsu - despite their astronomically higher status - are pretty much of an age with the PCs, and neither seemed intent on socially intimidating them.
• It quickly became clear that Shizue's efforts had the Prince seeing the young magistrates as "big **** heroes", which meant he was as welcoming as protocol (and Ishikawa's professional glare at them over his shoulder) allowed. They could almost be said to have enjoyed the experience, which - thanks to Dairu - had been more or less discrete rather than in full glare of the court.
• Those readers with a paranoid streak will be waiting for the other shoe to drop. Well, so - it turned out - was Uiri's player. When it did, it was a bit of a clanger...

• An attendant materialised and removed the tea set, and then Daisetsu asked if he could speak to the magistrates in private. Horonigai, with her higher vigilance, noticed a friendly 'get lost!' gesture from the Prince to his Scorpion Clan friend, and Dairu took his queue and left. Outside, the Bayushi guards fell into lockstep behind him and marched off, as two Seppun guards took their place, materialising from...frankly, who knows where? There was a hantei prince in the room, as Goriate noted. Best to assume the Seppun had enough soldiers within shouting distance to hold off a small battalion.
• ...And then Hantei Daisetsu stood up - followed as soon as they realised by the magistrates! - and asked Ishikawa to step away too. He really, really wasn't happy, but Daisetsu made it a direct order. The Seppun Captain complied, in no small part thanks to their Ally advantages, but they could still tell he was weighing up how close he could justify considering 'privacy'. Eventually he settled for the inside of the greenhouse doors, back-to-back with the Seppun guardsman outside.
• "I have a secret to tell, and a question to ask." The Prince began. "I must ask you to keep a confidence."
• ...There's not a lot you can say except 'yes' at that point, so they did.

• "There is a place in my Father's palace; a balcony above a sand garden, where one can see into the Emperor's study. The Seppun ensure that few gain access to it for that reason. They know I sometimes watch my Father conduct the business of court with officials like the Imperial Herald or the Jewelled Champions; eventually I will be expected to join the ranks of the Otomo family's courtiers, but for now they try to keep me at arm's length. But I do not think many of them know everything Dairu-san and I have discussed..."
• The magistrates just waited.
• "...such as his talent for lip-reading."

• "I am no expert, but it does mean occasionally I 'hear' something other than what the Miya and Otomo choose to tell me. In this case, some fragments of one of Champion Sumiko's reports to my Father, which she gave just after your appointment as magistrates. My question is this: who are the 'Koh-laht', and why were they being spoken of in the context of Satsume-sensei's death?"