L5R - Unity - Chapter 1 - Winter Solstice

[Plainsfox]

Upon seeing his princess battered and bruised, Naohiko would rush forward.still holding Setsuna with his left arm. "Kaichiyo!" When he got to the Kraken princess, Naohiko would immediately unleash a barrage of concerned questions. "Are you hurt? Do you need help? What happened?" Naohiko would then take a protective position near Kaichiyo. He wouldn't draw his wakazaishi, but he put his hand on the hilt. Naohiko would then notice the crane woman and bow politely to her.  

[Paidi tou Selini]

It was a tense moment... for only a moment. When she rounded the last bend to finally see what was in store, she deflated quite thoroughly, expression immediately turning exasperated, if suspicious. "Daigotsu-san. What are you doing?"

She quirked a slender brow as she saw Naohiko appear shortly thereafter and rush up to her side. She opened her mouth to reassure the poor, errand yojimbo before pausing and holding up a hand to him, a realization running through her head. "Wait... if all four of you are here, where is the shugenja and Chikuma? And who is watching over the maho tsukai? So help me if that thing escapes and comes after me again..." she chided ominously, letting any actual threat remain implied, and stepping to one side of the hallway so that they could rush back to her room if they so chose.  

[Glory Sieg]

Kyouya hummed to herself as she mulled over the choice in her head. Everyone was tending to the Kraken, so there was no immediate need for her to be there, and here there was a -mostly- perfectly fine Maho Tsukai for the perusal.

Sliding her hands out from the sleeves of her yukata, the Scorpion would approach the fallen body, before gingerly searching the body for something of note to try to discern it's source and reasoning. A letter of order, or perhaps some identification of who they were and who sent them would certainly be a find.

Roll Investigation (Per) = 4k2 = 27!  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Kyouya:

Well. First and foremost, before you even touch the Maho Tsukai, there is very one important thing you discover. S/He has no face. Well... no, they have half a face, but barely, would be the best way to put it.

As a Scorpion, you've heard of the Ninube before, though you've likely never met one. There is a distinct difference between a Scorpion shinobi, a warrior who fights from the shadow, and an actual ninja, which were inhuman beings of shadow. Two have served the enemy in the past; the Goju, who were people who embraced shadow but retained who they were; and Ninube, who became something more unspeakable. They surrendered their very identities and gained the power to shapeshift, but their normal facial appearance was that of a featureless, egg-like blank slate.

The being before you resembled one, but not in any manner you've heard before. Their face (or lack thereof) was not a flat canvas of skin, but one of exposed sinew. Still, this being had no eye sockets or nasal cavity to speak of, but they seemed to retain a mouth, which you could make out tiny dagger-like teeth within it, visible as it strained to breathe.

Besides that, it was dressed in Crane attire. Rather, that of a Daidoji Guard. Had it infiltrated the Crane somehow? Why expose itself now like this?

It wasn't dead, so touching it to search it wasn't quite as taboo, but still probably a bit unsettling. Without raises, you're only comfortable giving it a quick once-over. The only item of significance you find is a parchment that, if read, would seem to be... a poem? Seemed a bit on the lovey-dovey side. You don't know why this being had it like this, though one thing stands out to you: It starts with a "Dearest" before the poem begins, but the word after it (you presume a name) is smeared out with blood, making it unreadable. Part of it was sliced (judging by where you found it, it was probably done by Kaichiyo as she attacked), but that damage wasn't enough to actually damage the words of the parchment. Incidental, really.

"Help... escape... reward you... get you... anything... want..." the being would whisper to Kyouya suddenly.

You are still alone with it.

--------------------

@ 4 avians, 2 cephalopods, and an arachnid walk into a bar...:

"I... must... protect..." Shoichi grunted, straining against the weight of the guards trying to hold him back, when suddenly, he opened one eye when Kaichiyo spoke. "Oh! Kaichiyo-san my love!" he said with surprise.

A second passed.

Then suddenly his feet gave way as the Daidoji finally managed to drag him down, his sword clattering on the floor nearby, the Crane quickly pinning him into submission like he was a United Airlines passenger. The Daidoji either did not hear or simply did not respond to Kaichiyo as they were busy subduing the spider.

Kaichiyo, Naohiko, you'll need to give me either an Awareness/Courtier or Awareness/Intimidation roll to get them to let up on Shoichi. Will you?

Heads up: The scene is ending soon, as soon as Kyouya wraps up her investigation.  

[Glory Sieg]

Kyouya blinked, trying her best to keep her reaction passive at the being's reaction to still being alive. She looked from the parchment back to it's not-a-face, weighing her options. Killing it seemed the most obvious, stopping it from getting away as well as making sure it didn't do anything else.

Like try to kill her.

"Tell me first," she said quietly. "Who sent you? And what is this letter?"  

[Plainsfox]

Naohiko cocked his head at the guards. "Isn't at least one of you supposed to be doing as Himura-hime bid?" The Kraken growled in an angry tone. "I'm sure Daigotsu-san is willing to comply. I'm confident that Himura-hime would look poorly upon Daigotsu-san if he did anything untowards." With that, Naohiko would stay by Kaichiyo, or as close as the Kraken princess would allow. He would also keep his senses honed for other things intent on killing and/or harming his charge.

OOC:
First eight dice Awareness/ Courtier. next six dice, perception investigation

Awareness/ Courtier
Reason: Attempting to get them to do as Kaichiyo told them to do.
5k3 w/ 3 dice to handle explosion
Dice: 19,8, 5, 5, 2
Results: 32-5
Raises: 1 called to let Shoichi know he is to behave.

Perception/ Investigation
Reason: Looking out for other assassins
4k2 w/2 dice to handle explosions
Dice: 3, 18, 5, 9,
Results: .27  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Kyouya:

There was a few moments of silence. "It is... unimportant... unless... become like me..." the creature would respond quietly, answering the second question.

"You... could have... any face..."

--------------------

@ Naohiko:

Your awareness result is high enough to remind you that the samurai of a different clan aren't beholden to follow the orders of one of your own, no matter their status. That said, you still try to throw your weight around anyways.

"Uf! I would - ow! - never do anything of the sort!" Shoichi would announce from beneath the dogpile.

Soon enough, after determining that they were able to neutralize the Spider, they would once more let him stand, though they ensured he would remain disarmed. Despite Naohiko's words, they seemed hesitate to leave Shoichi alone here, perhaps doubtful of their chances against him even still if they halved their numbers.

While Kyouya's wrapping up the scene in the other room, you have a limited window of opportunity to ask any quick questions before the time jump and we can get Gendo back in on this.  

[Paidi tou Selini]

Dark brown eyes narrowed, nostrils flared, and an annoyed inhale was all she could really do in response to the mess of incompetence playing out before her. Her mind wracked for a solution that didn't rely on these guards. Just about the only reliable resource she had was her yojimbo.

"Mn. Naohiko, discover the location of Chikuma from these diligent Daidoji and fetch her for them since this errant Spider appears to require their full attention. Do not forget to ask her for a shugenja or monk or Crab to see me. The maho tsukai struck me with a profane prayer during our confrontation and I would know if I have become tainted sooner rather than later. I shall watch over the assassin myself." she commanded with no small level of irritation, the concern for her condition clearly more important than anything else in her tone, even if the duty to prevent the maho tsukai from causing further harm ended up being a higher immediate priority. And with that she swiftly turned on a heel and rushed back to her room. There was no time, and no room for error.  

[Plainsfox]

Naohiko would give his charge a deep bow. He bit back a comment as he straightened. Although the worried glance he gave at the guards and the spider probably communicated the unsaid message of "Are you sure you want me to leave you with them?" What he did say was, "As you wish, Himura-hime" He would then walk over to the guards and the spider and state. "Never mind. I am to find Daidoji Chikuma. Would you please tell me where she may be located?" If he is given a location, Naohiko would walk off after Chikuma, while petting Setsuna. Along the way, he would direct a request for servants to the room Moshi Ruri was detained at to help with the dog's accident.  

[Glory Sieg]

Kyouya humed to herself softly, mulling over her options. She had no intention of taking the assassin's offer. As tempting as the offer would be, she much preferred her own face to the ability to take any others.

"So it's something you use," she said, nodding as she rose to her feet. The note was tucked into the sleeves of her kimono as she took herself a few steps back from the body, making no motion to either finish it off or take it up on it's offer to escape. For now, it was best to avoid getting herself too engrossed with the maho tsukai.  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Kaichiyo, Kyouya:

Kaichiyo, you return to your room, and you find the maho tsukai where you left it. The Scorpion seemed to be keeping a vigilant watch over it, so if it could have escaped, you apparently owe it to the Scorpion for ensuring it did not.

Otherwise, the scene will transition to about twenty minutes later...

--------------------

Later, in a separate room elsewhere in the Castle...

"No, Himura-san. I detect no trace of the taint in you. You shouldn't be able to contract it easily anymore, per the contract Iweko I made decades ago, but hopefully, this assuages any fears you might have." Isawa Kasuga, a fair-skinned maiden with long black hair would say, standing from her kneeling position beside a seated Kaichiyo. She was in her early twenties, a girl with a pretty face but wore only modest garb and minimal make-up. In the chaos that had occurred and finished, she was the shugenja that was grabbed to examine Kaichiyo. Apparently, she was an earth shugenja of impressive ability for her level of training - whether you've heard of her will, of course, rely on an Intelligence/Lore: Heraldry roll.

Unfurling the scroll and bowing her head slightly, she would retreat back several steps, near where Naohiko and Gendo stood. Also present were Shoichi, still being "attended" by a pair of guards, and Daidoji Chikuma, who would step up next and bow deeper than the Phoenix did.

"I'm grateful to the kami that you are unharmed, Himura-san. I'm glad that you were able to subdue the escaped prisoner. It was an oversight that he would come after you rather than attempt direct escape, like we had anticipated. We had been amidst interrogations to try and determine any allegiances and associations he might have - REAL associations," she would state, giving a disapproving glance at Shoichi, who would make a face, "... but after his escape, we're going to simply lock him up and throw away the proverbial key, until it can be determined what is to be done with him." A pause. "Kioko-hime will likely reach out to you shortly to discuss reparations."

Sawao is not present at this gathering. Kyouya, you may be present if you give me an Awareness/Courtier roll of TN 20. If not, what would you like to do/where would you like to go?

Gendo, anyone else can/will probably fill you in so you aren't 100% in the dark, unless all other players explicitly say they don't tell him anything.  

[Plainsfox]

Naohiko would try to rack his brains on what he knew of the lovely shugenja, However, he was hoping that there was a chance to leave things with Moshi Ruri in a better place...and there was also Emi to consider. Maybe....maybe he could convince the Crane that the peasant could be part of the reparations offered. Still, he wasn't that distracted from Isawa-san.

OOC:
Intelligence/Lore: Heraldry (Untrained) on Isawa Kasuga
3k3 no explosions
Results: 19  

[Glory Sieg]

Kyouya wasn't about to let this end without her being around to observe. She was after all, the one who had made sure the attacker hadn't tried to slip away while everything was settling down. After this, she could maybe decipher or figure out what to do with the letter she had pilfered from the body.

Courtier/Awa: 26 vs TN 20  

[Raganui Minamoto]

Gendo would just keep still, listening to everything. He should have been there, but he was held up with the magistrate, as he did not wish to offend. As such, he was torn between which now would have been the worst dishonor, that he had or that he would have instead if he had left earlier as he had intended. The shame of it all weighed heavily on his mind.

The smith decided that he'd present the magistrate's offer to Himura-hime the following day, unless asked about the meeting before then.