L5R - Cartographers - Crane Lands, Ezura Province

[SCN_ Grey_fox]

Hida smiled with glee, as he welcomed the fight.

Intent on savoring the tention air, as the male bird approached, Hida Gahl stood still with his club iron and wood outstretched to meet his attacker's attack. "You didn't answer my question. Why are you, here? It seems foolish to bring a lit'l imperial to a place like this."  

[Rain Yupa]

Round 2
37 - Chiharu - Defense Stance (Armor +4)
22 - Ayame - Defense Stance (Armor +4)
17 - Tsuyoshi - Attack Stance, Reversal of Fortunes 2/3
11 - Gahl - Defense Stance (Armor +3)

Gahl is ~15 feet/0° from Tsuyoshi, ~25 feet/45° from Chiharu, and ~40 feet/0° from the Imperial.
--------------------

NPC Chiharu would maintain her defensive stance, beginning to maneuver clockwise around the Crab in the open area of the castle. She would be keeping her distance for the time being, but still would end up a little closer. She would poise a question to answer Gahl's question.

—What is off about Crane escorting an Imperial through Crane lands? You are more out of place than we.

Tsuyoshi, if Ayame passes again, you're up.  

[Psychofish]

"What she said!" the Crane retorted to the Crab, belatedly as he kept steamrolling steps just a bit too quick to mark that practiced balance he'd been taught with the weapon that was about to become very important.

The spiked grip at the end of the satsumata was kept retracted, held closer to his body until he came within striking distance of the Crab- suddenly thrusting it forward as he stepped in with a kiai shout- trying to entangle the man with the tong.

[Free Action: Move 15' to melee]
[Complex Action: Grappling attack, raise declared for +1k0 on first contested grapple roll.]
[6k3 Agility/Polearms: 9+9+7=25 vs ATN-Armor Bonus+5]  

[Rain Yupa]

Tsuyoshi attempts to initiate a grapple with his sasumata, but due to Gahl's precautionary defense stance, he is able to maneuver in such a way where the tong of the polearm is deflected by armor plating. No grapple is initiated.

EDIT: Unless Tsuyoshi will utilize his Reversal of Fortunes...

Gahl, you are up! Select your stance and go!  

[Psychofish]

[6k3 Magic Pity: 18+8+7= 33]  

[Rain Yupa]

Tsuyoshi lunges forth with his sasumata, which Gahl decisively evades... or so he thought! With a slight nudge of the water kami, Tsuyoshi's weapon is re-aimed mid-thrust, and hooks around Gahl's midsection!

A grapple is initiated!

Gahl, Tsuyoshi, at the start of each of your turns, you will need to give me a contested Grapple check (with a +1k0 on Tsuyoshi's first roll):

If you roll higher on your opponent's turn, they are grappled, they get no action!
If you roll higher on your OWN turn, you may:

• deal unarmed damage (or sasumata damage for Tsuyoshi) as a Complex Action
  
• Throw the opponent (removing them from the grapple) as a Complex Action
  
• Break the grapple as a Simple Action
  
• Pass as a Free Action, maintaining control

An opposed grapple check is Strength/Jiujutsu for Gahl, and Strength/Polearms for Tsuyoshi. While grappled, each of you lose your Reflexes bonus to Armor TN. Gahl, if you ever break the grapple on your turn, you may gain 2 free raises on your next turn to disarm Tsuyoshi.

(A recommended course of action is after you make the opposed grapple check for YOUR turn, also give a second roll for you opponent's turn, so we aren't waiting for you to see what your opponent rolled for your own turn)

Gahl, you're up!  

[SCN_ Grey_fox]

“This castle, you stupid birds!” Gahl shouted as he twisted his body slammed his arm into Tsuyoshi’s sasumata, in order to break the grapple early. "A castle you clearly lost and don't care of repairing!"

Vitals
Void 1/2
Healthy(0 wound penlties)
Defensive Stance 31 vs 17 to break the grapple(simple) Word abuse(simple and free)  

[Rain Yupa]

Round 3
37 - Chiharu - Defense Stance (Armor +4)
22 - Ayame - Defense Stance (Armor +4)
17 - Tsuyoshi - Attack Stance, Reversal of Fortunes 3/3
11 - Gahl - Defense Stance (Armor +3)

Gahl is ~15 feet/0° from Tsuyoshi, ~20 feet/90° from Chiharu, and ~40 feet/0° from the Imperial.
--------------------

Gahl easily disengaged from the grab, knocking the sasumata aside with a mighty swing of his arm.

NPC Chiharu continued to circle, closing the distance a little more while taking up a right angle position from the Crab compared to the others.

Tsuyoshi, back to you! This is your last round of Reversal of Fortunes!  

[Psychofish]

Tsuyoshi blinked as the man simply yanked the satsumata off and away against his efforts, impressed for a short moment before he remembered his ire.

"We're making a map!" Not exactly prime retort material, but true, and she hadn't exactly kept it an imperial secret so far. "Go find a cursed castle in your own lands!" The man seemed legitimately irritated at the slight against his clan of the declaration of a one-man invasion. But he was no battle bushi, so rather than take wild swings he shifted- and tried to tangle up a different part of the man.

[Attack Stance]
[6k3 Agility/Polearms: 8+5+4=17 vs ATN-Armor Bonus]
[Reversal of Fortunes used]  

[SCN_ Grey_fox]

A map? He could get his bearings with a map, and be on his way back to his home lands in no time with a map.

“In that case...”

This time, Gahl slammed his club against the bird man’s weapon, in an attempt to knock it from Tsuyoshi’s hands.

"... I surrender."

Vitals
Void 1/2
Healthy(0)
Full Attack ATN 20 44 attack 6 Damage, Disarm attempt 2 free, need only one more raise

Attack: 9, 6, 9, 1[10[10]], 4, 4, 6
Damage: 6, 4  

[Psychofish]

Tsuyoshi gritted his teeth, hands and wrists jerked hard and prickling as the Crab smashed his assault away with a single brutal blow against his satsumata, though even through the pain he stepped back and retracted the pole against his body expertly, eyeing the boor for a better opportunity when-

Quote:

"... I surrender."

He opened his mouth to retort angrily again, then paused awkwardly for a moment.

"Oh. Okay"

He cautiously turned the biting tong of the weapon upward, putting the butt against the ground as if it were simply a walking stick.

"Well. Good then."

He wasn't entirely positive what to do with a captive whom seemed like he had hardly been defeated at all, especially as upon reflection he'd mostly come into his clan's lands and just been an oblivious boor. As far as Crab went, not necessarily that unusual even. He scratched his neck thoughtfully, and looked back over his shoulder.

"...well, was that... what you wanted Miya-sama?"  

[Paidi tou Selini]

The little Imperial found herself slightly distracted from looking for supernatural phenomena when the fight ended abruptly, eyes wide for a moment... before breaking into a laugh.

"Hehehehe, w-well, I didn't see anything supernatural, but that was certainly an impressive display. And ironically the defender still lost so... rumors confirmed? I guess?" she responded, wiping a tear from her eye and composing herself. "Ahem. Yes, to answer your question, I am an Imperial Mapmaker, tasked with surveying the Empire and updating our maps in the wake of the catastrophic changes brought about in the Destroyer War. Even the dilapidated, abandoned, cursed castles. No stone is to be left unturned on my watch! This is Doji Chiharu and Doji Tsuyoshi, my escorts through Crane lands."

She then dismounted, gave Rakurai a reassuring pat, pulled some numbing herbs and wrapcloth from her pack, and walked over to Tsuyoshi. "It's still early in the day, save your petitions to the kami in case there's an actual emergency, Chiharu-san. I can handle this one. Show me where it hurts."


[Intelligence/Medicine (Wound Treatment) 5k4 w/1 raise for +1k0, vs TN20
Roll: 1, 7, 3, 5, 10+8 = 33
Wound Treatment 2k1 = 6]

[Vitals
Void Points: 1/2
Wounds: 0/10 (Healthy)
Defense Stance, ATN 24]  

[Rain Yupa]

Paidi tou Selini

Belated perception check

[Perception/Investigation (Notice) untrained 2k2 vs TN ?? to spot any Curse related activity
Roll: 7, 5 = 12]

Ayame does not notice any obvious supernatural activity.  

[Rain Yupa]

NPC Chiharu

Chiharu would slowly move her hand away from her scroll satchel once Ayame came to tend to the wounds of her fellow Crane. After doing so, she would observe the Miya looking around. This made Chiharu a bit curious.

—Miya-sama, what are you looking for?  

[Psychofish]

Given the nature of this all, bizarre as it was, Tsuyoshi decided his... prisoner? ... could supervise himself and returned to the imperial. He held up a hand, starting to say it wasn't that bad, but as she started wrapping it up he hushed himself and enjoyed.

Besides, having his hands wrapped afterward made him feel rather bold and tough, something like he'd seen monks do when they intended to hit things.

"Thank you, Miya-sama. Is that all you needed to properly map this Crane castle, or...?"