"Of course, Miya-sama," Doji Domotai would say over the cup of tea she shared with the imperial. "Your request, however, is difficult to fulfill nonetheless. As you know, the lands of my clan have suffered devastating losses due to the Destroyer War. Much of our resources are currently focused on repairs and assessing the states of our borders. Sadly, I'm simply unable to issue you the services of our 'very best' yojimbo. I hope that you are of an understanding mind in this regard."
Putting her cup down, she would continue. "My instincts would be to supply you with sheer numbers instead, but from all the reconstruction going on, which you undoubtedly saw when you rode up to Kyuden Doji, we're spread pretty thin as is. I think the best solution to your dilemma is to issue you the Daidoji with the most promise as your personal bodyguard. In addition, I'll have a magistrate that's show certain... gumption... towards matters of justice to investigate the matter of a rogue bandit plaguing the roads so near the heart of our lands, to ensure such an outrage does not occur again, let alone to one of such respectable station."
Domotai would smile. "Hopefully, that will adequately see to your needs, Miya-sama, as you attend to your duties and assisting the Empire with your talents."
--------------------
The present...
The three of you are upon the road where Ayame was set upon by that bandit that frightened her so, on the border between the Kazenmuketsu Province where Kyuden Doji resides, and the Ezura Province, which Ayame had been dispatched to map. Currently, there is no sign of banditry, or really, anyone else for that matter.
With his two new companions, the young Doji stood, sturdy clothes in a faded white and blue that looked like they were meant to survive a lot of use and abuse- and already had a healthy start. For the moment, long black hair was free to sit like a single wave down onto the back of his shoulders while dark eyes flickered around the horizon and shapes of the landscape, the man frowning... more like he was genuinely disappointed than pensive. Doji Tsuyoshi didn't see any signs of the troublesome bandit in the area.
Or did he!?
[Perception/Investigation(Notice) 4k3 to spot anything abnormal.] [7+8+6=21]
Probably not, but he gave his surroundings a very careful once over for anything that might indicate signs of a trap, likely hiding place for criminal scum intent on ambush, or tracks on the ground that stood out, one finger tapping an eager staccato on the haft of his satsumata.
"You should understand, Miya-cha-- sama!" He corrected himself, stopping for a few moments to look at her earnestly. "...that, some time having passed, our chances of finding a good trail are low. If it pleases you, though, it would be my honor to scour the area for signs of this ruffian that accosted you, and bring him to justice!"
He sounded maybe slightly hopeful- nabbing the criminal who accosted an imperial traveler would be a very auspicious beginning to his journey, but he knew it wasn't exactly a part of her duty, either. A smile grew on his face for a moment at the thought, before his eyes flicked off to their search again.
Actually, you DO see something! There was definite tracks of someone on horseback around this point who was traveling at a casual gallop, and footprints that seemed to rush towards that person. The horse turned around and rode off into the Kazenmuketsu Province, while the person on foot seemed to chase for a few strides, turn around, and walk hurriedly towards the lands of the Ezura Province.
Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 8:17 pm
Standing alongside her two companions on the road, Daidoji Hotaru appeared to be just a fraction shorter than the Magistrate (she was a little taller than most women her age) and could comfortably eclipse the little Imperial...in size only, Ayame made up for her stature rather well by the Daidoji's initial assessments. Hotaru wore her long fringe pulled back in a hairpin and ribbon at the back, however the shorter sections stuck out and danced across her forehead in the breeze. Much to the bodyguards annoyance most of the time.
One didn't need to guess that she would be wary of their surroundings and focused on protecting the group, her body language gave it away. She didn't appear worried, just cautious. Hands casual, not resting on weapons or the like. Hotaru had always been a woman of few words (often a positive trait considering her lack of substantial social training) and it usually took a direct request for communication to rally a response. She glanced at Tsuyoshi as he spoke to the Miya...an optimist.
The pale blue of her armor glistened with polish as she stood looking first up the road, and then down it. She didn't notice anything out of the odinary really, and had instead moved only a short distance away to the side of the road to examine the ground among the underbrush. Still maintaining a visual on the Miya out of the corner of her eye.
[Perception/Investigation 5k2 no emphasis (first 5 + 2 for expl) to scan the immediate area for threats. Rolled: 1, 1, 4, 9, 4, (7, 3) Total: 13
[Perception/Hunting 3k2 no emphasis to look for any significant sign...like someone who had been hiding in wait. Rolled: 10, 4, 5, (2*, 5) Total: 17
He let himself follow the patterns of the prints, thankfully still fresh on the ground as he spoke, and after, tracing them- until he remembered the diminutive imperial's story and realized the pattern seemed to match it- enough so to feel confident he wouldn't be leading them into running down some other traveler who happened to pass the area since!
"Miya-chan!" The man bubbled with excitement, quickly turning around to her, "This is where you were attacked, yes?" He held the head of his polearm back, pointing at the ground where the tracks were and slowly tracing the pattern that appeared to be the bandit's, above the ground so as not to disturb them, ending with it pointing the way they headed off- into the province they were already making their way to.
He'd look back, waiting for her to see it before cutting in quickly with a "-do you wish to pursue?"
You see no threats! Whether there are threats to be seen, lies a different matter.
Hotaru examines the nearby underbrush, determining that if one was to lay in ambush among it, they'd have to be of stature that would make Miya-san's appear generous. You're confident there's no one lying in wait for you... at least, not here.
Looking around for a short time, Hotaru would pick up a couple of leaves and roll them around in her fingers as she examined the underbrush in general, before letting the wind take them away. They no longer entertained her idleness.
Nothing... she surmised, glancing at the rather lacking room to hide in before hearing an enthusiatic call come from Tsuyoshi. At least she could be somewhat sure that the Miya wasn't currently in any immediate danger from the underbrush.
Rejoining Miya Ayame as they were directed to look at the tracks that Tsuyoshi had found, she couldn't help but stiffle a disapproving tisk. Chan, it was so...personal. She rarely even used it to refer to any of her sisters, bar the youngest, Doji Sayuri.
"Excuse my intrusion, Doji-sama. I mean no offense. However, I was not aware you shared a close relationship with the honorable Miya-sama, as to warrant such a...familial honorific?"
She bowed her head, speaking as if she would be curious had the others shared some past. Not wanting to appear to pick the smallest of breaches in etiquette, Kami knew she was likely to make enough of those. But this seemed rather important.
"Miya-sama," she added, offering the shorter woman a bow to waist height. "If I have overstepped my bounds in pointing such out, please accept my sincere apology as well, always I aim to learn to better such behaviours, as any of the refined Crane Clan might." Hotaru explained, hoping to avoid upsetting the young Miya or embaress her fellow clansman.
[Awareness/Etiquette 3k2 no emphasis + 1k1 Void, +3 for explosions Rolled: 1, 8, 2, 7, (2, 5, 7) Total = 17]
Wearing Armor: Yes - Light ATN: 25 Reduction: 3 Wounds: 0 / 73 Wound level: Healthy - No Penalty Weapons: Katana, No-Dachi, Wakizashi Drawn: No Void Used: 1 of 2
Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2017 1:37 am
Riding along the road astride Rakurai, especially beside two well armed Crane bushi, Ayame felt genuinely "Imperial" for the first time in ages. It wasn't the escort she had been hoping for, but she knew not to push the Crane's hospitality too far. Nor was she really all that eager to be back on this road. She was a herald, not a magistrate, finding her attacker was a Crane problem. So when her Crane decided to make it their problem, she did her best to deflect the subject.
"Ah- yes... Your diligence is appreciated, Doji-san, but that's quite alright. My priority is the maps. The less trouble we encounter along the way the better." she responded with a soft smile, a tick in her eye the only thing showing from the man's choice of formality with her. Mostly because she suspected it was not a slight - he was too childlike and kind for something like that, a very hard person to stay mad at - but rather a mistake on her age because of her looks. A mistake she hated with a fiery passion even (or perhaps especially) though she couldn't blame him for it.
Ironically it was tapered even more when her more official bodyguard spoke up. Defending her honor already. That brought a little flutter to her heart. Ultimately she could only giggle and shake her head. "You have no such bounds, Daidoji-san. His approach is... unconventional, but I take no offense to it. Just... maybe don't call me that in public. People might get the wrong idea."
She ended with a little sigh and looked off at the horizon. She may not have wanted to pursue the bandit, but those tracks unfortunately led off towards exactly where she needed to go. She considered adjusting her route for a moment, but... well, she had designed it to absolute perfection. Changes were simply unacceptable. So she did the only thing she could: spur Rakurai onward, still staying conscious of her foot-bound companions so she didn't go too fast. "We'll take the region in sweeps as close to half a ri as we can manage. I don't want to miss a single blade of grass. If your bandit problem is here, I've no doubt we'll run across them eventually."
Paidi tou Selini Crew
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Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2017 6:25 am
Tsuyoshi, of course, knew there could only be one answer to his question. With a criminal who had directly accosted his charge's person, and thus challenged her honor, there could be no doubt that they would give chase post haste to bring this criminal scum to justice!
Paidi tou Selini
"Ah- yes... Your diligence is appreciated, Doji-san, but that's quite alright. My priority is the maps. The less trouble we encounter along the way the better."
gonk
It was perhaps the most pained smile he had ever worn, but he nodded deeply, and wore that smile all the same, brittle as it was. "Ah- I understand. We shall allow nothing to interfere with the duty to our mission." That was... honorable. It was a good decision. Probably the right thing to do, right?
...maybe there would be other bandits.
"Ah! You have my apologies all the same Miya-sama, you are most generous," he put a knuckle to his forehead in display for the apology- but also began bowing before the gesture was even completed, quick but deep to display his sincere apology for any discomfort and the overstepped boundary. They were correct after all, it was not simply polite- for one so young to have been chosen to map the Empire, she must have been most talented, and it was only suitable that she be allowed the respect she'd be entitled and no doubt desire for it. Also, it was adorable that she behaved so thoroughly the part of the adult, probably better even than he!
Her enthusiasm for the job, however, he could get behind, and made a fine change of topic from his transgressions of etiquette and the not-chasing of bandits, but after all- while he had been instructed that the bandit was the means for his choice, his duty as provided was to escort the little imperial and see to her safety- so he took off after her, hustling as not to slow down her horse's trot more than need be to keep a sustainable pace.
Having successfully pointed out the slight, and avoided embarrassing herself at the same time, Hotaru bowed to the Miya as she departed. "Certainly not, Miya-sama." Her words offering a moment of comfort perhaps that such would not occur around other people.
For Hotaru, Ayame's age (and height even less) meant little. She was not only an Imperial, but a samurai of higher status. If there were ever deciding factors for showing one's respect and diligence, those were it. Not even taking into account the level of respect that Hotaru showed to that of strangers, even peasants (though let's not get too carried away!).
She would keep pace as best she could with Ayame, her eyes far ahead of them upon the road. Every few minutes she would purposefully scan along their sides, and every few minutes later, check behind them.
[Perception/Investigation 5k2 no emphasis +2 for explosions Rolled: 2, 2, 7, 10, 6, (6*, 7) Total = 23]
Wearing Armor: Yes - Light ATN: 25 Reduction: 3 Wounds: 0 / 73 Wound level: Healthy - No Penalty Weapons: Katana, No-Dachi, Wakizashi Drawn: No Void Used: 1 of 2
Daidoji Hotaru
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Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2017 6:20 pm
The three would proceed into the Ezura province at a leisurely stroll.
A keen eye would have told that, at one point, the land here must have been beautiful. Unfortunately, war has many costs. Many damaged trees, grasses overgrowing to the point where the road disappeared now and again...
It could be salvaged, but it would be no easy task.
A little less than an hour into their journey, putting it sometime around mid-day meal, the trio would soon find signs of people attempting to do such salvaging. Farmers were hard at work trying to take back the land. If eyes scanned farther ahead, progress would even be seen: tilled lands, with assorted homes scattered about. The people, hard at work, do not notice your approach.
You've struck civilization already!
Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 6:18 am
While Tsuyoshi's instinct was to totally prove he could keep up with a relaxed horse's pace, it didn't make for much of a race when Ayame instead slowed down to a regular foot pace, and he found himself enjoying the landscape as they walked (or what was left of it), wondering if he should be counting paces or something for the layout of the map- he honestly had no idea how one went about measuring and laying out the land for mapmaking, and after his faux pas it seemed a poor time to get into the imperial's business.
...still, he was just about getting ready to ask her if he could be doing anything to help with the map making process, when they spotted farms being dug back into the land, people hard at work. Then he knew what he could do!
The Crane magistrate approached one of the nearest peasants, calling out in greeting to get their attention. "Good day! Does this village have a name?"
He totally had that down- she'd need a name to put on the map, right? If it was one he'd heard of he could even tell her something more about it, but at least she couldn't have a village named ??? on the map. What else he could do to help with mapping this, he wasn't sure of. It didn't look like there was any reason to look for suspicious activity in a stretch of farmland full of heimin hard at work, after all.
Hotaru would remain alongside the Miya, never more than a few yards away from her mount. Unless requested to remain back, or proceed ahead. She watched as Tsuyoshi ventured forward to speak with the workers. He certainly was trying to be helpful!
Hotaru had a different job though, and kept her eyes out for anyone who approached Ayame.
Wearing Armor: Yes - Light ATN: 25 Reduction: 3 Wounds: 0 / 73 Wound level: Healthy - No Penalty Weapons: Katana, No-Dachi, Wakizashi Drawn: No Void Used: 1 of 2
Riding astride a tireless, faithful steed did wonders for one's ability to admire the scenery - if perhaps less wonderful on the butt and thighs. For what little scenery there was to admire. She had seen it on her way in, but getting a look that wasn't rushed by excitement or ambush really pushed the message home. The war did terrible things. Perhaps this trip was going to be less exciting than she'd first imagined... but for now she wouldn't let that dampen her spirits!
It was at least a little encouraging to see the village's state of recovery. Tragedy struck, but life goes on. Watching Tsuyoshi's excitement was a little uplifting too, though she found it odd that a magistrate wouldn't know the name of the village right beside his home. Or perhaps Doji magistrates trained elsewhere. Well it didn't matter, because she was fairly certain SHE knew the name. It was part of her grand plan after all.
[Lore: History (Cartography)/Intelligence to remember the name of the village as seen on her historical maps, 5k4 Roll: 5, 3, 4, 5, 7 = 21]
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Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2017 11:24 pm
@ Tsuyoshi:
You would approach the closest farmer, a portly woman in her forties, who would double-take at Tsuyoshi as he approached. "Ah, samurai-sama! I apologize, we weren't expecting any inspections so soon!" She would bow deeply, though straighten when the question was asked.
"This is... Efude Village, samurai-sama. Are you not here to inspect our reclamation of the land?"
@ Ayame:
You, of course, would know of Efude Village, though you didn't know this was it for certain until you overheard its confirmation. It is a village that is the chief source of many crops shipped to Kyuden Doji. You hadn't realized it had been hit as hard as it looks like they did; if the Crane weren't so well-off, you'd worry about what it may bode for the population there.
@ Hotaru:
Suddenly, you hear something! Something in the tall grass near the road where you and Ayame stood... there was movement in it, rushing towards your charge. The grass stood up to your chest, so whomever was moving towards Ayame was keeping their head down. But they were closing... quickly.
