>>53150670
>>53130809
>Monkey was sullen on the trip back
>I was pretty sure I knew why, too.
>There were children in that village.
>We only found three in the aftermath.
>With nothing else to do with them, we gave the children over to the nearest monestary, once we had checked them for taint.
>He had protested at even going that far.
>Seeing an innocent caught up in something so ugly, through no fault of their own, had shaken him.
>Though I had thought the brutal reality of war with the Shadowlands had hardened me to such things, I found I didn't much like it either.
>Naomi's gentle influence, no doubt.
>Sake wasn't a good choice here.
>Drinking when you want to forget is sometimes a bad idea. You remember when you wake up. So you drink more.
>Until you disgrace yourself.
>Or the Scorpion comes to your house
>So I needed to get his mind off it first.
>Monkey.
>He ignroed me and continued to brood.
>So I kicked him
>He spun around, nostrils flared, and shouted
>WHAT!
>How's your kid doing?
>Hu- what?
>Your kid? Tokichiro, wasn't it?
>Yeah... he's fine.
>Fine? That's it?
>He can count to 6 now. Always forgets 7 and 8...
>He's about the same age as Tetsute, yeah?
>yeah...
>Look, it's already fall. I'm sure Naomi will send everyone home for winter.
>you'll have some time with him soon.
>What about Toshiro, don't we work for both of them?
>Toshiro spoke up.
>Well, I have to look at my own ugly face every day to put on my face paint, so seeing YOUR ugly face the rest of the day is kind of wearing on me...
>So unless something just falls into our laps soon, I'd say you're going to have some time off.
>I grinned, then nudged Monkey in the ribs.
>Hey, maybe you should try for a daughter next?
>He blushed
>We made it back to my place without incident
>Naomi had recoverd more, and was moving around without the cane.
>She still needed to grab an afternoon nap though.
>Tsuyosa, as well, was doing better. He was getting just a touch of color to him and putting on weight.

>>53150670
>Expect Shoji to rear his ugly head again

on the one hand, like everybody else, i hate that guy

on the other hand, it implies more of Crab at Court shenanigans, which were some of the most entertaining parts of the last encounter with Shoji

shouldn't take too long for me to reach my own end, will try to make haste so that I won't have to set up new threads myself

>>53150682
>Between her fatigue and his determination gorge himself in order to get to a healthy weight things got awkard on occasion.
>By that I mean I often had to sit behind Naomi and hold Tsuyosa for her.
>Once she drifted off to sleep mid feeding.
>Naomi was terribly embarrassed by that when she woke up, despite my assurances it was no big deal.
>With Naomi still needing time to rest and nothing terribly pressing we did indeed split up early for the winter, everyone heading to their homes.
>Shino puttered about here and there, overseeing the servants.
>He spoke to me a few times about how things were going
>But after he saw how quickly my eyes glazed over once he got to actual numbers he simplified it down to a "Things are going well"
>Toshiro made sure there was enough medicine and medicinal incense before heading back to his own home in the wastes.
>Got to check on the flow of the Kami. The land isn't going to fix itself.
>The Kuni wastes had lain fallow for centuries. I wondered if the land would truly be able to recover from the drastic measures taken to purge that taint from it.
>In mid-autumn I recived a visit from Kojiro-Sensei
>I was a bit surpised. I didn't think I would be ready so soon.
>But Sensei took me out back and we fought, and he declared I was.
>I was loathe to leave my family in their current state.
>But Naomi shooed me away, insisting I do as Sensei wished
>And so I learned the last technique taught to the Defenders of the Wall.
>THe last technique began with the kata of the Indomitable Warrior.
>It expanded quickly from there.
>Kojiro-sensei told me what I was learning was related to the final technique of the Hida ryu, The Mountain does not Fall.
>Did you know, Ishigaki-san? Stories of your battles with the bloodspeaker cult are spreading throughout the Clan,
>Maho causes great pain, it debilitates with ease. With this technique you will be ready to cast off those effects.
>I do not want you to die on me now, Ishigaki-san.

>>53151667
That last line is how all Crab expess affection.

>>53151667
>and he declared I was
was what?

>>53151870
Previous line, silly.

>>53151667
>I continued to perform the kata, as sensei had shown me, while he spoke
>I did not respond, knowing he was testing my concentration.
>After all, I intend for you to teach at this dojo in a few decades.
>I slipped up and he whacked me with his tetsubo
>Despite the fact that I have to beat you a bit harder than most students to get my lessons in, you do apply them very well indeed.
>Of course you're still quite young. How old are you, anyway?
>26, sensei.
>Hrm yes. Got a bit of a late start on the family.
>I knew my wife for four years before I realized I loved her, Sensei.
>Ooooh?
>I could tell he was genuinely curious.
>I was called upon to serve as an Emerald Magistrate, and was placed in a group of young recruited alongside her.
>I was older then the rest.
>Sensei nodded.
>Younger Crabs are much more hot headed, after a few seasons they stop trying to flex at everything that moves.
>Just as you say, Sensei.
>We had many tasks back then. They seemed difficult, but were really quite straightforward.
>Find the murderer, collect the testimony
>Hunt down the bandits
>Attend court and avoid compromising your loyalty to the Emperor
>There was an opium smuggling ring...once.
>And then you made a mistake.
>...yes.
>I had began to wonder though.
>Toshiro had said that the ritual to pass the taint into the earth the Fakoji had intended to use was based upon another maho spell.
>There were, in fact, several ways one could spread the taint to an unknowing victim with maho.
>It made me wonder if Tsabutai-sama had indeed been a maho-tuskai, or just a victim of THEM.
>Since I still suspected Hohiro, I could not shake that thought.
>If I was right, then the deaths of Tsabutai's family was also upon his head.
>I redoubled my efforts, going through one kata and transitioning into the next, building up to the full technuique bit by bit.
>I did them slowly. So slowly my muscles burned with agony.
>I pushed it aside, seeking Mushin no Shin

>>53152177
>Tsabutai
Remind me. Tsabutai was their senior Emerald Herald who turned out to be tainted?

>>53153738
>>53153738
Yes, the guy who went wtf right before being killed and having maggots poured out of his organs

>>53154055
So was I actually right when I was paranoid and said that it was Hohiro the whole time?

>>53154471
Maybe? Nothing is proven at all and he's now the Master of Earth so they must tread carefully

bump

>>53152177
>Under sensei's watchfull eyes I mastered his final lesson
>The Crab are the Wall.
>In a multi-clan force, the Crab stood at the vangaurd.
>At the head of any Crab Vangaurd, the Defenders would be there.
>Now I would be at the head of the Defenders.
>First into battle, Last to leave.
>A small ceremony was held, to commemorate the completion of this stage of my training.
>To my surprise, Naomi came to attend.
>As did Toshiro, and all of my children.
>I found keeping the stupid grin off my face the hardest thing I had to do, as Kojiro-sensei formally recognized me.
>When the ceremony was over, he came to meet my family.
>Daiko and Tetsute both looked up at him with wide eyes
>Here was a man their mighty father showed great deference too.
>They had never met someone like that before
>Well, will you two one day come to study under me, as you father did?
>A pair of HAI!'s ecchoed in unison.
>Naomi was so proud of me she didn't even flinch at that thought.
>Toshiro slapped my back.
>Heard you've got a retirement plan now.
>I snorted.
>Not for some time yet, I think. I've still got plenty of years of active service before I need to settle in as a sensei. And much more to learn yet.
>Kojiro-sensei nodded.
>Indeed. Do not every be satisfied with yourself.
>With that we all returned to Ishigaki Mura.
>So, how did things go for you, Toshiro?
>He grinned at me.
>And pulled a small shard of crystal out.
>Is that...?
>Yes, it's spirit is awake.
>So you're a crystal master?
>Oh no... I just have some awakened crystal.
>But in recognition of everything Sensei called in several favors.
>He patted his scroll satchel
>Got a few new ones to go with this crystal.
>Naomi looked at his satchel.
>My word, Toshiro, you've got quite the library there, don't you?
>So, while I had been reaching new heights, Toshiro had reached new breadth.
>I wondered how if any of the others had learned something new.
>We spent the winter togother, Toshiro, myself and my family.

>>53158049
>A pair of HAI!'s ecchoed in unison.
They are just too cute. I bet they will become great samurai!

>>53158049
>During the winter, Ishigaki Mura grew again, as the Sake works went up.
>I met with the master brewer, a man named Rikuchi.
>He was newly risen to the title, and thanked me profusely for the opportunity to open his own brewery.
>I waved him off, and directed his thanks to Naomi.
>I just couldn't bring myself to take credit for something I didn't do.
>She then had to wave him off before he gave himself a concussion trying to go through all his thanks again.
>Look, don't worry about all that Rikuchi. Just make me some damn fine Sake
>HAI, Great Samurai! I will indeed!
>One day I shall surpass my own master!
>Good. Do that.
>With the addition of the brewery, a few homes began to spring up.
>After more than a decade, life had at last returned to Ishigaki Mura
>As Naomi breathed life back into my childhood home, so to did she breath life into Tsuyosa.
>He still coughed, from time to time, and tired more quickly than his siblings did at that age.
>But his coughs were almost afterthoughts, and he never once had a serious fit like Naomi had.
>Daiko marked her fourth birthday.
>Children have very little expectation placed upon them, save to obey their parents commands.
>At some point between the age of eight and tweleve a child enters into the dojo and begins their formal education.
>However, some instruction is carried out in the home, such as literacy, basic mathmatics, and of course plenty of theology.
>For her birthday, Naomi got Daiko a caligraphy set.
>Tetsute fussed that he wanted one as well
>You know, it's not as fun as you might think. It's just so she can practice writting, like your mother does.
>Yes! I can too! I can!
>I rubbed his head and grinned.
>So competitive, that one.
>Children are always in a hurry to grow up, adults often wish to be children again.
>Enjoy this time while you can, Tetsute. It well end eventually, and you'll find yourself missing it at times.
>He blinked up at me
>were you ever a child papa?
>Hah! Of course I was!

>>53158346
>And you miss it?
>Sometimes I do. There are many burdens adults must bear, and they can grow quite heavy at times.
>But you're the strongest person ever!
>I hugged him then.
>I am only strong becasue I want to protect you. You, your sister, your brother, and your mother.
>He hugged me back
>I know papa will always keep me safe!
>Yes, I will.
>Daiko jumped into the hug as well
>One day I'll be big enough to protect you daddy!
>I had to swallow a lump in my throat.
>It took a few swallows but I got it down far enough I could answer her
>I know you will sweety. I'll be waiting for that day.
>As winter rolled into spring we had a Mochi pounding festival
>The workers for the sake works had brought along their families, of course.
>There were now five children in Ishigaki Mura, aside from my own little brood
>I took part, pounding that rice into a nice gooey paste with all my might as the village cheered me on
>color was added, making the mochi a light pink, to match the sakura blosoms and the mochi was filled with sweet bean paste
>As Naomi and Toshiro led the village in the proper observances, we welcomed the turning of the seasons with a great celebration of life.
>Several days latter, a messenger came, with a reminder to us all that the way of the warrior is the way of death.

>>53158515
Live by the sword, die by the sword.

I bet it's again Shoji, demanding. Or his wife, pleading to help his husband, who fucked up again.

Or I hope it's nothing to do with him. Just good old "go to the capital city, someone important than you needs a meatshield"

File: Ive seen some shit.jpg (51 KB, 700x519)

51 KB JPG

>>53158561
One of your guesses is correct. I'll let you all know which one with my first post tommorow. But it's like three in the damn morning right now.

>>53158674
The cliffhanger force is strong in this one.

>>53158515
>One day I'll be big enough to protect you, daddy!
I'm seeing a tall woman with broad shoulders and muscles like wrought iron, with a big, cheerful smile on her face as she's crushing skulls with her tetsubo. In court, she's curious and straightforward, and radiates a warm kindness that melts hearts left and right.

Just don't talk shit about her papa, not without an expert water shugenja nearby.

>>53158712
Her brother will be always a problem magnet with competitive attitude. He can became cocky, reckless and totally always dueling with someone. He can either become a high-ranked samurai, or constant shame of his own family.

And a little one... Well, he is full of DETERMINATION. Not even sickness cannot stop him. Truly, a son of the Wall. But it's too early to talk about him, he is a toddler right now.

>>53158936
>little one
Ha! That one ends up growing close to 7 feet tall and gentle as the east wind. A strong one too, even if he's a little sick. He's living proof to the strength of Water Shugenja.

Some good news

After several months hiatus, we'll be picking up our game again finally via Roll20

Tsuruchi-san was the one who was unable to play for quite a while due to distance, but we've finally remembered that that's why Roll20 exists

Also been reminded of the chapter titles by my GM:

Prologue: A Test of Strength (the Topaz Championship)
Chapter 1: Sweet and Rotten tastes Corruption (the investigation in Tsuma)
Chapter 2: The Colour of Blood (the investigation in Second City and our fight with the maho-tsukai)
Chapter 3: Strings and Puppets

He has taken great delight in watching me try to figure out what the titles hint at the start of each, because I'm too genre savvy for my own good

I've retold Daikakita-san's tale up until the end of Chapter 2 now, then follows a brief interlude before the Summer Court, the setting for Chapter 3
Gonna try and get as close to finished in this thread, before Ishigaki-san reaches his own crescendo

>>53149774

>I realize my duty takes precedence over my personal feelings to the Spider
>Might as well get some work done while I'm recovering
>There's an archivist at this outpost, mostly busy acting as postmaster, and making sure missives to the outpost commander are stored properly
>Maybe he might be able to help with the cipher
>Apprehensive as I might be about asking the aid of a Spider
>"Excuse me, Crane-san, but I am very busy"
>"As am I
>I require your aid in an Imperial investigation"
>"Oh? How so?"
>"What can you tell me of Spider ciphers?"
>"Why should I share Clan secrets with a Crane?"
>I show him the cipher, making sure it does not leave my hands
>"I am investigating the drug Sweet Dreams
>By imperial decree, as though I were and Emerald Magistrate
>This document was found with the creator of this drug
>A Chuda, who gave me my wounds"
>The archivist hesitates for a moment
>"I heard about that little incident
>My condolences
>Unfortunately, I cannot help you
>This cipher seems older, and it looks familiar, but it's not one I recognize"
>I thank the archivist, cursing myself inwardly for wasting both our times
>It was high time to leave this damnable jungle

>>53159180
Welcome back Crane-san!

>>53158674
I guess they all three correct: "Shoji fucked up and now we have to babysit him in Capital city, because his wife plead us doing do."

bumpo

>>53162761
Your honorless bump
Shames your entire family
Commit seppuku

Crab slips towards end
an ignoble, unwanted last state
I bump with haiku

>>53165662
fuck me, middle line is eight syllables. Should've done the shakespeare thing.

As penitence, noble anons, I offer the story of a still ongoing L5R campaign. The tale of Hiruma Shenzi, an Invinda Crab in Naishou Province, if you are willing to hear it.

>>53165688
Get on with it.

>100 years ago, the Destroyer War erupted.
>The population of the Ivory Kingdoms was devastated, nine in every ten killed, worse amongst the Kshatriyas and the Brahmin, the ruling castes of the Kingdoms.
>Rokugan, too, was mauled by the iron monsters rampaging across their lands. They were forced to accept the Spider as a Minor Clan before the end of the war.
>In its aftermath there was a great colonization effort, and a declaration by the Empress Iweko I that the conquered peoples of the Ivory Kingdom were now part of the celestial order. A command that was less than popular with many.
>A former Kshatriya named Ramachandra Pandava came to Rokugan during this time.
>At a mere 16 years of age he had survived the Destroyer War and took the 20 Goblin Winter, becoming one of many Kshatriyas who would join the Crab, Mantis, and Unicorn in the immediate aftermath of the war.
>100 years later Hiruma Shenzi, his eldest grandchild prepared for her Gempukku
>It was the first time she would see the mainland of Rokugan. She had been born in the Second City, raised there among Invinda Samurai, and clung fiercely to her culture. Rokugan, the Wall, the Shadowlands, all of them were far away, alien things.
>Things that she would very quickly have to learn to deal with.

>>53165983

>The horrors of the shadowlands were not quite something she had internalized. She had heard the stories, of course. Her mother and father had both been through their Gempukkus in the Shadowlands, as had many of the other Invinda in the Second City, and horror stories abounded
>But as their boat came into view of the wall Shenzi was excited. Ecstatic even.
>In a few short weeks she would officially be a samurai, a Kshatriya warrior in truth, and none would be able to deny it. And after that, glory would surely follow.
>She had interrogated her mother and much of the crab crew thoroughly about what she should expect, and while all were evasive about the nature of the Gempukku all emphasized the horrific nature of the Shadowlands.
>Or, in the case of some of the crewmembers, asked about what the hell was up with her use of Invinda honorifics
>The wall itself was an awe-inspiring sight, and several times Shenzi had to be reminded to sit down, or that they were about to pass something important, as they traveled along it.
>News reached them of several skirmishes while they traveled, but nothing serious impeded their journey.
>Soon enough they reached a checkpoint along the wall. The other Invinda who had come with her stayed behind as she was briefed on her mission and given supplies.
>She had seven days of rations and a finger of jade, and with them was to reach Shinsei's Last Hope alive and then return home.
>She nodded, sure that this would be no problem for one such as her.
>She almost immediately realized her mistake.
>Lesson Number One about the Shadowlands: The Shadowlands are fucking miserable.
>Even when nothing is trying to kill you or trying to hunt you the land was actively hostile and aggressively barren.
>She lucked out on the first night and found a safe place to sleep, a trio of deep gouges in the ground where some monstrous beast had clawed it.
>During the night she was tormented by nightmares.

>A burning village. Invinda being dragged along the ground by robed cultists, shoved, screaming, into constructions of twisted, banded iron
>The screaming only intensified as they were entombed and tortured
>It was the death of the Invinda people, a scene that had been repeated across cities, villages, and fortresses. The death of a nation, chosen to torment her during her stay in the Shadowlands.
>And then she awoke to a voice yelling "Beti! Wake up!"
>She shot up, one hand went to her Tulwar, the other went to her quiver.
>Standing, no, hovering above her was a ghostly figure, an elderly Invinda man in armor.
>"Beti, you need to wake up!"
>"Hiruma-Sahib, Do I-"
>Wait.
>"-Did I, uh, know you?"
>"What, did your mother not tell you about your own grandfather?"
>What.
>The ghost explains that he is Hiruma Ramachandra, her grandfather on her mother's side and is here to watch over her
>Which, naturally, brings up the question of 'why'
>He explains that he was in Yomi, surrounded by angry Rokugani ghosts.
>He doesn't actually know what's going on here more than she does. He does, however, ask why she's in the shadowlands.
>"It's my Gempukku, grandfather."
>"Oh good. You're doing alright despite being half-peasant."
>Shenzi, due to a minor miracle, manages to keep a straight face as her grandfather launches into a rant about how her father is the son of a jumped up peasant and clearly unworthy of Ramachandra's darling daughter and how dare she marry him the moment he got himself killed.
>Shenzi, naturally, knew none of this beforehand and rather liked her father.
>She had a sinking feeling that this would not be the first time something like this was going to happen.
>With some cajoling she managed to get him to shut the fuck up and let her get some sleep.
>In the morning she awoke in a cold sweat, convinced that this place had a will and that that will was vile and needed to be stabbed in the face repeatedly.
>Her theory was confirmed when the forest showed up.

>>53166729

>The forest had definitely not been on the horizon last night, or even when she woke up, yet as dawn broke it was definitely there
>A great, triangular sea of treas, stretching off into the horizon, directly between her and Shinsei's Last Hope.
>She decided that the delay of going around would be much more palatable than whatever the hell was in the trees, and so gave it a nice, wide berth of some two hundred feet.
>Naturally, some hours into her travel, she learned that two hundred feet was not quite a wide enough berth.
>A swarm of angry, screaming, flying creatures the size of a raven streaked out of the forest, clawing at her before she could react.
>They were Hanemuri. A minor shadowlands creatures, opportunistic carnivores. Fragile, but incredibly swift.
>They fell quickly, albeit not before dealing her some minor scratches
>As the last of the Hanemuri swung to attack a samurai emerged from the forest at a dead sprint. It knocked the Hanemuri out of the air and began to viciously stab its corpse while cursing loudly.
>Probably a Hida
>"Samurai-san, though I must thank you for killing the Hanemuri I believe that it is dead."
>The samurai realized I was there and turned around, revealing his mon and face.
>Daigotsu. A Spider.
>He looked over the field, surveying the dead Hanemuri and Shenzi, before settling with being impressed.
>Shenzi, for her part, watched him closely, her tulwar still not sheathed. The Spider were if anything more reviled by many of the Invinda than they were by the Rokugani.
>The Spider had been hunting in the forest for some time and was aggressively lost. The rest of his squad got killed fighting their prey, and the Hanemuri had stolen his supplies in the aftermath.
>He claimed that Shenzi seemed strong, and asked if she'd be up for completing the hunt.
>Shenzi was inclined to simply leave him to rot, but asked for the nature of the his quarry out of curiosity.
>Destroyers.
>And that changed things.

>>53158515
>A rider, with an honor gaurd of Imperial Legionares, AND a Crab patrol came up to the house
>A young woman, unarmored, rode in the center of the formation.
>She tipped back her jingasa and looked around.
>Sniffed when she saw the armed peasants, but said nothing.
>I am here to speak to Hida Naomi, or Hida Toshiro.
>I peered at her Kimono, trying to spot the mon.
>Seven crecent moons, surrounding a concentric circle
>oh. Oh shit.
>I bowed deeply
>They are inside, Miya-sama
>I turned and went inside while the Miya woman got down off her horse
>Toshiro! Naomi! Important visitor!
>I heard the thumpdraging of Toshiro heading to the room we used for meeting with guests
>Shino ran up
>How improtant
>I whispered
>a Miya
>he blanched.
>I'll see to the children
>Please do.
>The Miya came in behind me, looking around in surpise at the various bits of art on the walls
>My wife has an eye for art
>I see.
>This is the home of Hida Naomi, correct?
>Hai, Miya-sama
>Then that would make you Hida Ishigaki.
>Hai, Miya-sama
>I was surpised that a Miya would know who I was.
>It wasn't like I was very high ranked or anything.
>I brought her to the room where Toshiro and Naomi were waiting, and a servant brought out some tea
>Everyone bowed their greetings
>Since I knew two of the people in the room introductions fell to me
>Hida Naomi, Kuni Toshiro, this is Miya...
>Sakurai.
>I heard that neither of you attended any of the winter courts this year
>Naomi answered
>That is true Miya-sama. I had to rest for health reasons.
>I see.
>You are recovered now, though?
>Hai.
>Good.
>She sipped her tea
>As you are all Crabs I will get straight to the point.
>The war last year between the Mantis and Phoenix has not died down.
>It has, in fact, grown larger.
>All the Clans that have been providing assistance to one side or the other are now joining in in full.
>Naomi's eyes widened

Oh, sweet, Ishigaki's back. Back to waiting for me, then.

>>53167919
>Ordinarily inter-clan conflict of such scale would not be allowed.
>However, the partiicpants do not all join in the war directly.
>Rather, the allies of the Phoenix make war on the allies of the Mantis, and vice versa
>The Crane and Scorpion were at each other's throats all winter. It was quite...messy.
>The Lion were going to war on the Scorpion, but the Dragon declared they would war on the Lion.
>So the Crane have entreated the Crab to make war on the Scorpion instead.
>I take it you have not heard any of this yet.
>Toshiro spoke
>No, we have been away from the affairs of the world.
>Naomi-san was resting, while I was tending to the kami in the wastes.
>Sakurai nodded
>Well. Since we all understand the reasons behind this war the Imperial Observes will be out in force
>She looked down, eyes closed.
>This summer will be one of the bloodiest in centuries, and the Emperor's eyes and ears will ensure the conflict grows no farther than it is now.
>Otomo Jun will be overseeing the war between Crab and Scorpion
>She paused.
>Otomo Jun-sama's yojimbo was murders. He had protected her for over ten years.
>We determined he was slain by Maho.
>Ahh. Now it becomes clear.
>The Jade Champion reports his servants have been encountering Maho-Tsukai at an alarming rate these last few years.
>Many Magistrates have died or gone missing as well.
>This then is your task.
>You will protect Otomo Jun from the maho-tsukai, and keep a close eye out for maho use in this war.
>Toshiro nodded.
>I take it the life of the Observer is the most important of the two.
>Obviously.
>You have both a Mantis and a Dragon in your service, do you not?
>Yes, Miya-sama
>And you can all place your duty to the Emperor above your loyalty to your own Clans?
>Of course Miya-sama
>Good.
>Miya Sakurai produced a map
>You will await Otomo Jun-sama here.
>Tsuyosa began to cry about then
>Ah! Please, excuse me!

File: Togashi-san.png (266 KB, 1461x1893)

266 KB PNG

>>53159387
Hey Crane-san. Some time ago Togashi-san's player requested her portrait in the drawthread. I picked it up, then ended up dropping it, but then I picked it up again.
I don't think the requester even watches the drawthreads, so I'll post it here. Please accept my humble efforts.

>>53168267
>Crap vs Scorp war
>Imperial overseer's retinue threatened by maho.

Holy shit what a fucking powder keg. The Scorpion will assume the Crab did it, because the use of maho would point to the Clan most closely tied to the Shadowlands. The Crab will assume the Scorpion did it, because, well. It's an assassination.

>Crab family Jade Magistrates sent into the middle of the war to poke around

This can ONLY end well.

>>53168267
>Sakurai looked at Naomi.
>You have a child?
>I have three, Miya-sama. But I gave birth at end of summer
>Ah. So you will need a wet nurse then.
>Naomi bit her lip.
>hai. It is as you say, Miya-sama. A war is no place for an infant...
>I spoke out of turn.
>Does it have to be both of them?
>Do you really need two jade magistrates
>Sakurai glared at me, then sniffed dismissively
>Come now, is this really an issue?
>Many children have wet nurses.
>She turned away and sipped her tea, letting me know she considered the matter closed
>bitch.
>I left before I said something I shouldn't and joined Naomi
>She was nursing Tsuyosa, smiling. But her eyes were narrowed just a bit, a tightness in the corners.
>...Now I must abandon him while he is still nursing?
>I sat down and put an arm around her shoulder
>That's a bit much, don't you think?
>it IS about time to start giving him solid food Naomi.
>yes but...
>There weren't really words for this situation.
>These were moments you didn't get back. that you couldn't relive.
>Naomi treasured each second she spent with the children, and the time she spent nursing was some of the most precious
>I didn't understand why that was, but I knew how serene and happy Naomi looked when she fed our children.
>While it was true Tsuyosa should be getting his first taste of real food soon, he'd still be nursing on and off for another six months, at least...
>Nana One-eye opened the door to room just a crack
>Forgive my intursion, Great Samurai.
>I just heard
>I glanced to Naomi, who nodded
>Come on in, Nana.
>Thank you, Great Samurai.
>You know you do not have to call us that, right?
>Though I am trully blessed to have such kind masters, I would not wish to be spoiled so much I forget my place before another Samurai.
>Fair enough.
>Great Samurai, I have just learned that I will be having my second grandchild come fall.
>Oh? Well, congratulations are in order
>Thank you Great Samurai.

>>53168685
>Naomi closed her eyes.
>So...Akiko then?
>Nana One-Eye bowed her head and said nothing
>Hmm. Yes, if Akiko is willing to this for me, for us.
>She would be honored Great Samurai.
>I know how dificult it can be to give your child up for another woman to feed, so I hopped that at least she not be a stranger to you.
>Thank you Nana, for your consideration.
>Tsuyosa let go, nuzzled against Naomi's chest, and fell asleep.
>Nana One-Eye bowed and left us
>I gave Naomi a few soothing backrubs before heading back out.
>I was, on paper at least, the master of this house.
>I should see my guest off.
>Miya Sakurai was already heading towards the door, having finished giving Toshiro the particulars.
>You will not need to contact the rest of your Yoriki, that has been handled.
>You will all meet at the designated place
>Do your best in service to the Emperor.
>She mounted up and rode off with her honor guard
>How long until we have to leave, Toshiro?
>he frowned.
>A month. Jun-sama wants to oversee the mustering as well as the fighting.
>Damn.
>Ishigaki... There's going to be Scorpion everywhere.
>Yeah. I know.
>I HAD accidentally foiled a Scorpion plot.
>So I would need to be very, very careful.
>
>Furthermore,Amano's cousin had said, though not in so many words, that he would kill me if he had the chance.
>It was unlikely that I would run into that specific Bayushi in the midst of a war though...right?

I'm sorry to disrupt storytime but I ask here because I think here I'll more people that could help me. Basically, I'm going to join a 4e game already underway, the other characters are rank 3 by now and the GM graciously allowed me to join with a rank 3 pc. I was thinking about taking out of retirement an old character of mine, basically a Hida bushi that managed to become a Sumai Wrestler before shit went south and lost face. Then the campaign stopped and never started again due to conflicting schedules. I loved playing that character, which was a Hida bushi 1/ Crab Sumai Wrestler 1, and since I never played monks (and the GM allowed it) I was thinking of taking the Forced Retirement disadvantage in order to make him a Hida Bushi 1/ Crab Sumai Wrestler 1/ Osano-Wo Monk 1, but my brain seems to freeze because I don't understand how that disadvantage works.
Does that PC keeps the techniques and katas he learned before becoming a monk? Does he need to have skill ranks in the new monk school he wishes to join? Does he learn the 3 Kihos monks get when they start? Do disadvanteges not really applicable (like Bad Fortune - Secret Love) remain (and if so, inactive or not) or they get erased (since he would become a monk, there's no political marriage to sabotage, for example)? What happens to his equipment?

>>53169439
You'd keep your old techniques and skills, but equipment would be determined by the GM.

>>53169439

I agree with >>53169660.

A Monk can still have Bad Fortune (Secret Love) you just need to talk to your GM about the Yandere in love with you and what he or she is capable of.

>>53169064
Oh you poor, naive Crab.
Believe me, if you become an enemy with an NPC, it WILL reappear and try to fuck up your shit.

>>53168267
>Otomo Jun's Yojimbo was murdered by a Maho Tsukai
Of course he was. Probably because Otomo Jun IS a Maho Tsukai.

On the horizon
Page Nine looms in the distance
Crab's thread cannot die

>>53173210
Someone reversed the colors.

>>53173210
Those are actually fairly good

>>53169064
>After a tearful goodbye to the children, we set out.
>There was no city or village where we were going.
>Just a seemingly random spot on edge of the Crab lands, by the Shinomen mori
>It would be the staging area where the army was setting up, preparing to head north, some by river, others skirting the edges of the Crane lands
>We were met by a patrol well in advance of the camp.
>Toshiro and Naomi showed their magistrates chops and explained why we were here
>The patrol led us in straight away
>And we found ourselves meeting with Hida Touka, the current general of the Army of the East, and Otomo Jun, who wielded the authority of the Emperor to decide the winner and the looser of the war.
>Akodo himself once said, "Protracted war serves no one"
>Armies require food, and wise generals feed their soldiers with their enemies rice
>Sometimes the Lion can be goaded into rash, reckless destruction.
>So can the Crab, for that matter. Rare indeed is the time when the Damned are set loose upon fellow Rokugani, but such times are always horrifying to all.
>Shugenja can reshape the very land for generations, or even eternity.
>Scorpion are well known to be sore loosers, and often take great pains to ensure that that any foe that routs them from a battlefield will find naught but ashes for their victory feast
>This then, is why the Imperial Observers exist.
>While the Emperor would no doubt prefer his servants not spill each others blood, were he to forbid war between the clans completely the most militant clans would protest loudly.
>Quite possibly with their massive, well trained armies.
>So the Emperor settles for ensuring that the Clans harm one another, but do little harm to his lands in the process.
>It is uncommon, but not unheard off, for an Imperial Observer to find that that one Clan or another has gone to far, and judge them the looser of a war even if they had emerged victorious in every battle.

>>53169439
>Does that PC keeps the techniques and katas he learned before becoming a monk?
Only 2e has rules for removing your pre-monk techniques, etc.

> Does he need to have skill ranks in the new monk school he wishes to join?
It's a decent table rule to require 1 rank in the new school's school skills.

>Does he learn the 3 Kihos monks get when they start?
That's what happens when you begin the game as a monk. Otherwise you get 2 kiho per rank.

>Do disadvantages not really applicable (like Bad Fortune - Secret Love) remain (and if so, inactive or not) or they get erased (since he would become a monk, there's no political marriage to sabotage, for example)?
You can buy them off or keep them.

>What happens to his equipment?
You shave your head and give up all worldly possessions, in exchange for;

>Bo (or pair of jo)
>Coarse & Plain Travelling Clothing
>Scroll Satchel with passages from the Tao
>2 zeni

>>53175651
>Only 2e has rules for removing your pre-monk techniques, etc.
Gah. Every time. I meant The Way Of Shinsei.

>>53175432
>Many of the stories of such events often involved the Scorpion with the Lion or Crab the ones being judged
>Would that be the strategy of the Scorpion this time though?
>Strange though it was, the Crane Clan was on the side of the Crab in this war.
>No doubt the Daidoji had supplied information to the Crab already, and of course, the Crane stood by with supplies ready should the Crab need them.
>It must be odd for Touka-sama, to plan a war where logistics can be a secondary concern for once.
>Kitsuki-san, Mantis-san and Monkey joined us and introductions were made
>Otomo Jun opened without preamble.
>I am certain it has been made clear to you all before, but I will say this again.
>You are all agents of the Emperor here, and he is impartial in the outcome of this war. You will not aid your Clan, nor the allies of you Clan. Nor will you hinder the enemies of your Clan. Is that clear?
>She was an older woman, and her face had many sharp angles to it.
>It went along well with her tone.
>Now then. Hida Touka-san, you were explaining the force being mustered here
>Hai, Otomo Jun-san.
>The Scorpion will face a single Claw of the Crab, so as to limit the scale of conflict.
>A Claw was what we called our regiments. Other clans used the term legion.
>Roughly five thousand troops
>Jun nodded her understanding as a scribe wrote furiously to keep track of the converesation.
>The scribe himself had two assistants, one to replace his current paper when needed and the other to take the filled paper to dry and be stored for later entry into the imperial histories
>His calligraphy was much more beautiful than mine, even writing at such speed.
>As expected of an Imperial scribe
>The core of our force is, of course, two Brigades worth of Hida heavy infantry. Among them the first and second companies of the Second Regiment.
>My eyebrows vanished into my hairline when I heard that. He was bringing in BOTH companies of Hida Elite Guard?

>>53175752
>The Elite Guard were some of the finest of the Crab Clan, trusted with serving as the honor guard of the Clan Champion.
>They were easily on par with the Defenders of the Wall such as myself.
>While Defenders would be expected to face worse odds than most of the Elite Guard, we were trained as specialists.
>The Elite Guard were more adaptable, and thus deployed more frequently.
>The Army of the East, as the Army whose primary duty was to stand watch over the Crab's borders with the rest of the Empire, had very little in the way of our Clan's best troops.
>The First and Second were the best of the Army of the East.
>Furthermore, that only accounted for two thousand soldiers.
>A full regiment had five.
>We also have the fourth company from the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth regiments.
>Again, Touka surpised me. Those were the Falcon's Strike.
>He had called up every single dedicated unit of elite archers in the Army of the East.
>We will, of course, have six squads of Engineers, and a Brigade of the the Yasuki House Guard from the ninth regiment
>SIX? That's a full troop, maybe more!
>Each regiment only had a two squads as part of the reserve company.
>The Yasuki House Gaurd were however, not the best of soldiers, They gaurded caravans mostly.
>So he would be using them to watch our supply lines.
>The rest of the force is drawn from the Hiruma.
>You say that the core of your army is the Hida heavy infantry, but are they not only two fifths of your army?
>Well, yes. They are not the most numerous, but I will say my soldiers will be worth more than the Scorpion we face.
>Oh.
>oooooooh.
>I had been beginning to see Touka's strategy, now I was certain of it.
>As I mentioned, everyone knows the Scorpion Clan absolutely refuses to loose with grace.
>Touka's plan then, was to minimize the damage to his own force, to keep them from forcing those almost loses and empty victories.

>>53176075
Scorpies really are sore losers. Search your riceballs for ninjas more thoroughly, Crab! And for poison.

>>53176128
The scorpion aren't sore losers, per-se. They just see victory as meaning "make the other guy lose."

>>53176190
Yeah, I read a Shouting Lion speeches about armies and wars with other clans. Good shit.
And that's why they gonna deal with damn ninjas, ninjas everywhere in most unexpected places. Like riceballs.

>>53169660
>>53169757
>>53175651
Wonderful, thank you very much kind sirs.

>>53168465
im actually togashi san.
you actually drew it!! jesus thanks lad. i was at work when requested and didn't check the thread again.
I give you 5 internet points and a good crane/dragon hug

>>53168465
thanks for delivering and really good art! you nailed it!

A question about L5R 4e: do shugenja jave any way to get more spells aside from progressing in the school ranks?

>>53177516
>Since spells are just scrolls with prayers on them, they can get new spells whenever the GM decides they should recive them.

The two most common in game are as a rewards for a job well done, and as a more mechanical McGuffin for when needed.

The first is pretty self explanatory, when a bushi would recive a new weapon or suit of armor from his lord, a Shugenja would get a new spell instead.

The second was covered in depth in Walking the Way, the first ed spell sourcebook. Some examples would be a Shugenja reciveing Fist of Ososn-Wo (big ass AOE spell, casting it is almost always considered an act of war) because the Clan is going to war, or in Toshiro's case "Some Maho-Tuskia have a spell that stops Jade magic, here have a Crystal spell in case you run into one"

The truth is MOST Shugenja will have more than the base alotment, but it's also assumed that when a Shugenja ranks up they pick out their own spells, wheras the extras are wholly GM's discretion.

>>53177516
Spell research, importuning, convincing your superiors that you require X spell for your current duties, even stealing / decyphering another shugenja's scrolls if you're dishonourable enough.

>>53168465
That looks very good, drawfriend.

I like you as a person.

>>53159387

>A few more days, and I am well enough to leave
>We're offered the protection of a supply train that is returning to Second City to restock
>Safety in numbers, after all
>And I was still in no condition to face what we had encountered on our way here
>Daigotsu-san and Kitsune-san join us as well
>They need to report back at the Explorer's Guild on what happened
>The trip back fortunately goes without too much happening
>I try but fail to practice my writing during this calm
>plenty of fire Kami with the candles and campfires to help me hide my shame
>Talk fold what happened was avoided
>The memory of the maho-tsukai wasn't a pleasant one
>And there was nothing that we could do about the investigation right now
>Conversations turned to more happy topics
>Such as the ever-nearing marriage between Daigotsu-San and Kitsune-san
>They were still too busy with their respective duties to have gone through the ceremony, but it was planned for end of summer
>Meanwhile, Tsuruchi-san and Daidoji-san snickered amongst themselves over lewd comments on their closeness while still being unmarried
>At least, I assumed as much
>I didn't bother listening to such a low form of humour
>I told the lovestruck couple that once the Crane embassy knew of their aid in my investigation, Doji Tatsuki would surely send them a gift for the marriage ceremony, once the time arrives
>That was one thing I was looking forward to, despite everything
>Getting to see Doji Tatsuki again
>I do hope she enjoyed the haiku I left her as a gift
>It had been one of my best until now
>Kitsune-san especially expresses her gratitude for my kind words
>And I can't help but notice a warm, friendly smile from Daigotsu-san
>Nothing else particularly major happens on our journey back
>Finally, we arrive, and say our goodbyes
>I somehow get a feeling that Daigotsu-san says his with more of a sense of friendship than I thought had been attained
>Did I really leave that much of an impact on him?

>>53168465
That is really good, actually
Makes me a bit tempted to ask for one of Daikakita-san, even
Won't, though, because this isn't a drawthread

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I fixed this screencap.
The last lines were cut before.
Thanks Anon who saw.

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>>53178762
I made a few more.
Because I had the time to.
Trying to catch up.

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>>53178774
Over thirty pics.
It seems so ridiculous,
or tl;dr.

File: (L5R) IshigakiTales33.png (2.82 MB, 3432x4912)

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>>53178793
Like a teasing crab,
stopping at a cliffhanger,
just because I can.

>>53178762
>>53178774
>>53178793
>>53178807

You're doing Heaven's work. Surely, you will travel to the Blessed Ancestors, once you depart from Ningen-do

>>53178814
Well, he's not probably a samurai so sucks to be him.

>>53179104
Why wouldn't he be?

I picture him like an Ikoma Bard desu senpai

>>53179173
Is he a lifetime servant to a lord, raised as a warrior? I doubt that.

>>53179350
Spotted the newfag.

>>53179368
Has /tg/ l5r fallen into cliquish faggotry?

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>>53180110
Wouldn't be surprised if it had. right now everything's up in the air until the lore for the FFG stuff comes out. Until then, the only thing we can agree on is that Spider suck and Crab are great.

>>53180169
>double tetsubo
REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

>>53180229
>Not gifting the second tetsubo to that little girl
>Not using it in her place until she grows strong enough to do it herself

Writing a haiku
Is easier said than done
Practice makes perfect

>>53180534
When you next time,
Bitch about bumping haiku,
Remember its hard.

>>53180676
I have never once
Complained about a haiku
I'm just a newbie

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Lion is love, Lion is life

Looking at the L5R books and stories, it sometimes seems slightly uneven in how clans are depicted. Can someone highlight the positives of each clan?
Crabs seem to be depicted as generally no nonsense, rude, but to the point and based around fighting the outer enemy that everyone hates. It's hard to hate the crab

Cranes just seem to be the punching bag here. Artistic, polite, but politically motivated and sneaky, almost scorpion like

Dragons seem almost ignoreable

Lion is full of war like, aggressive members. Where is the balance?

Scorpions are said to be the honourless clan, but most stories seem to involve them doing it for some higher purpose.

Phoenix and unicorn, I don't have a strong opinion of, but the main thing is, sometimes I get the feeling crane and lion are caricatured so hard that it is difficult to emphathise

>>53182573
Phoenix are wizards. And you know what they say about wizards don't you?

>no sense of right or wrong

And unicorn are filthy Gaijin with no honor.

>>53182573
Blame the bad authors on that. For some reason, the Matsu stereotype has spilled over into the other families, even though the Akodos are mean to be very calm and calculating. The Mantis clan had it even worse with making everything Yoritomo flavored.

>>53182573
>Crabs
>no nonsense

Nah, they are one of the most nonsensical clan out there. They do understand action-and-consequence stuff better than the other clans, but they also tend to do exactly nothing with it or pull the wrong conclusion.
>Daemons tear you apart if you approach them with your sword
>Recognize it, but choose to use huge maces instead of not approaching those things in the first place

>>53182692
It's hard to avoid things when your job is literally to stand still and stop them from moving past. If the Crab didn't fight the demons, they'd either be running (And therefore failing), or letting themselves be slaughtered (And therefore failing) and the Clan wouldn't last a decade from its inception.

>>53182883
>What are ranged weapons

>>53182573
The conflict between doing what is Honorable, doing what is Right, and doing what will Work is at the heart of Legend of the Five Rings.

Most of the clans tell people that doing the Honorable thing IS doing the Right thing, no matter what it looks like.

The Scorpion say that doing what will Work IS what is Right and Honorable.

For example, imagine that the daimyo of a major city was an immoral and incompetent person whose personal failings were harming the health of the city, but was not actually committing crimes. Standard Rokugani ethics dictate that no one under him in the Celestial Order has any right to question him, so he stays in power unless his superiors remove him, which they aren't doing unless he fucks up in a dramatic enough for them to notice.

Let's say a group of Buke samurai notice this problem and want to do something about it. The Honorable thing to do is to do nothing, accept your place in the Celestial order, and trust that everything will turn out alright in the end. The Right thing to do is probably to start making a stink about it to other people, and bring the attention of the damiyo's superiors onto the city in the hopes that they recognize the issues present, which risks bringing shame on both the agitators and the lord and his house.

The Scorpion thing to do is to quietly assassinate the daimyo, ideally making it look enough like natural causes that everyone can properly mourn the lost of the most noble honorable samurai, and then get on with getting someone who's not an idiot in power. The lord's glory and honor is preserved, a better ruler is put in place, and everyone goes home happy. If that means a Shosuro infiltrator has blood on her hands, so be it.

>>53182934
Something that stops being helpful when the things you are fighting are tough enough to ignore a few arrows sticking out of them and fast enough to be in your face by the time you notch your second arrow.

>>53182963
That is kind of my issue with that, where Scorpions just seem to get best of everything. Their idea of right and honourable fits with what works, and everything works in harmony. Thus they seem to be portrayed in a very positive light.

On the other hand, Matsu, or Crane clan, where right, honor and something that actually works, may all differ, seem to all be at odds. Sometimes it just makes it very hard to pick to play a lion or a crane

>>53182934
Something that becomes less of an option when the easiest way to hurt something at range is with a ballista bolt.

>>53182692
Their foe literally corrupts all it touches and seeks to spread like a plague across the realm in it's entirety. The big units also shrug off anything without jade somewhere on it short of siege weaponry. They cannot afford the space to retreat, so they must hold the line against the swarms of foes that throw themselves against it, which unfortunately means getting trapped in melee too often.

>>53182934
Something that works even less than swords against the scary blighters.

>>53183003
I applied the name "Scorpionfag" to indicate that I was posting from a biased point of view. The reality is that the Scorpion perspective is cripplingly dependent on trust.

In the example I gave before, consider the perspective of the Shosuro assassin. Her Bayushi lord might be looking at market reports and taxation records and deciding that Lord Incompetent needs to go, but he doesn't actually tell any of that to his employees. So the assassin is left to kill the daimyo, to murder an actual human being, on the word of her master. That takes a toll, no matter how much the Scorpion try to convince their samurai that it shouldn't. Where it gets far worse is the forbidden question: "What if my master is wrong?" What if the Bayushi is blaming poor harvests and poor trade on a daimyo who has done the best he can with a poor situation? What if months after the daimyo's death the situation has only gotten worse? What does the assassin think then?

So they don't. A Scorpion shuts the fuck up and does what he's told. In the Clan of Secrets, it is not your place to know why you're being told to do these horrible things, only to do them, and Trust that your superiors giving the orders are doing so in service to Clan and Emperor.

And then that's where it falls apart. Because for all that the Scorpion go on about Loyalty, their loose moral structure DOES result in quite a few Scorpions falling prey to greed and ambition, and forsake their responsibilities in favor of their desires. Whether it be a minor lord who pays lip service to his masters while lining his pockets, or a large-scale conspiracy to uproot the clan's leadership, a Scorpion kuge is trained to believe that his judgement overrides conventional morality, and when he turns, he can drag with him dozens of buge who have been told their entire lives to do as they're told, even if it they think what they're doing is wrong.

>>53183997
That's what poor Bayushi Amano fell prey to in Ishigaki's tale. He learned that his master was a mahotsukai, and he was so torn apart by the contradiction of his loyalty to a disloyal master that he completely failed to handle it in a proper Scorpion fashion(i.e. drop a line to the Kuroiban, wait for them to annihilate her at a minimally problematic time) that he completely fell apart and hurt his clan and their goals in court.

Because the Scorpion reject the guidelines of Bushido and accept that they're called upon to do terrible things for their Clan and Country, they NEED to be able to trust in the orders they're given absolutely. The Scorpion philosophy works perfectly so long as A: all of the people calling the shots are calling the right shots, and B: the people calling the shots are working for the right side. Once either of those falls through, PROBLEMS start.

>>53182573
part of the problem you're seeing is that l5r evolved from a ccg, so each clan's attitudes and personality is built up from game that had seven factions (There were also shadowlands, Naga and Ratling factions at various points, Yoritomo's alliance/Mantis Clan, and the Spider) each with a special focus.

The Crab were actually the first villans of the CCG, teaming up large force personalities with a few shodowlands cards to create the fearsome King Crab decks (the ccg opened on the outbreak of the Clan War, then went back and did the Scorpion Clan Coup as a flashback to get some Scorpion synergy cards into the game ahead of the returning Scorpion faction in the (at the time) current timeline, leading up to the second Day of Thunder.

So the clans come off as one dimensional because that's just how it started.

For the good points. THe Crane persue art and perfection. They try their best to stand out from the masses of humanity, often by leaving something behind, a poem, a play, or whatnot. People forget the Crane make a lot of the stuff people do to fill their everyday lives.

Dragon are...dragon. You ever know someone who can see all the things that will get in the way of a proposed course of action, but can't figure out how to get around them all so they never start anything since it's 'doomed to fail'? That's Togashi. And he rulled the clan by switching bodies until the second DoT, so by that time fence sitting was just ingrained in the Clan. On the other hand, the Clan takes the least interest in what it's individuals do, becasue everyone is on their own personal journey of enlightenment, most of the time anyway. You want the freedom of a Ronin AND the backing of a Clan with school techniuqes? Play a Dragon.

The Lion Clan are, quite possibly the clan with teh strongest adherence to meritocracy. The Clan Championship passed from the bloodline of Akodo looooong before the Akdoo family was cast out at the end of the Scorpion Clan Coup.

>>53184050
>The Lion Clan are, quite possibly the clan with teh strongest adherence to meritocracy
I'm pretty sure that's actually the Crab. Even people who inherit positions within the Crab clan have to work up from the bottom. Yeah, the Champion's kids are on a fast track to promotion, but they still enter the military at the bottom bitch rank. The Lion try extra hard to make sure that everyone in high ranks deserves to be there through rigorous training and drilling the right morals into their skulls, but they still start them off at the rank they inherit, rather than making them work for it.

>>53183997
>Where it gets far worse is the forbidden question: "What if my master is wrong?" What if the Bayushi is blaming poor harvests and poor trade on a daimyo who has done the best he can with a poor situation? What if months after the daimyo's death the situation has only gotten worse? What does the assassin think then?

Quietly arrange for somebody else to assassinate your own lord?

>>53184050
Another thing to consider is that Akodo's 'Leadership' is just in universe 'Art of War' but there's a lot of shit in there about deceiving your enemy, which is in voilation of the tennent of Honesty. So some courters attacked leadership, the Lion Clan, and Akodo himself, by suggesting he was not honorable. As has been pointed out in the story time, Bushido is contradictory. So a Hantei emperor decalred the work heretical, as a result, everyone gets a pocket version, the highest ranked Lion get the full sized, and the Champion is allowed to read the Complete and Unabridged version, complete with the extra volumes filled in by every champion since Akodo himself.

And that's how you get Akodo who act like Matsu. The Akodo Bushi School trains people to be excellent rank and file soldiers. The level headed, thoughtful bit of their history is hidden from the rank and file. And Ikoma was a pervert, drunkard, foul mouthed brawler. He would have made a good Crab. In fact, on the day of his death men are not allowed to venerate his memory. Instead women (the prettier the better) offer rice and sake at his shrine and sing to him.

Unicorns are frickin mongols. But they also have the Shiotome, who are super Honorable by Rokuganai standards. They really just isn't anything else to them. They got horses. Big ass Arabian horses. On the other hand, you will be hard pressed to find a Clan more immune to Scorpion bullshitery. There's a story about a Scorpion who went to the Unicorn with evidence of some Ancestors misdeeds to get his blackmail on. THe usual line of 'you may kill me but others will know' So the Unicorn went and told his lord, and his lord had the Scoprion tied to four horses told t o run in different directions, because the Unicorn just don't care about the usual kind of shit that other Rokugani do.

>>53184429

And the Phoenix are just fucking insane. They're run by a council of people decended from a prick who was so arrogant he was willing to let the world get overun by an evil demigod if ANOTHER demigod didn't kneel to him and swear his decedents would protect the arrogant pricks descendants for all fucking time. Their Champion litterally has memories streatching back to the damn of the Empire, and even before because they have the memories of Shiba himself, and the COUNCIL KNOWS THIS, and still tell themselves they know best. Meanwhile, the Asako have a secret school of monks that can take you straigth to eligtenment because Shiba shared some of what Shinsei told him to allow him to do that whole Soul of Shiba thing in the first place, but don't let even most of their OWN FAMILY know about it's existence.

Seriously, Scorpion keep secrets from everyone else, the Phoenix keep secrets from each other. You will NEVER find a clan more likely to shoot itself in the fucking foot than the Phoenix, and when they do, it's usually with a rank 6 spell.

>>53176075
>After the meating with Touka we got on a boat and sailed north, up the river of gold to meet the General of the Scorpion forces.
>So, how's Tsuyosa doing?
>Getting stronger every day
>Monkey smiled
>Good to hear it!
>And, how are things at home for you, Satoshi-san?
>Monkey blushed at Naomi's question
>We've got another on the way...
>I grinned, and slapped him on the back.
>Mantis-san spoke up
>Tatsuki's pregnant as well.
>Of course it would be Monkey who would say it
>Man, hope your wife doesn't make a stink...
>Mantis-san put a hand on his chin
>Well, she seems happy with having two children, and they were born first so... I don't think she'll raise too much fuss over inheritance or anything like that.
>Do not fret Daigo-san. I have exhanged many letters with her. She is not cruel.
>I know.
>I couldn't blame Mantiss-san for worrying though.
>There were plenty of stories about the children of conubines being mistreated by the offical wife and/or her children in a samurai's house
>The Mantis Clan was founded when one of the son's of Osono-Wo threw a fit over not getting named the Champion.
>The Mantis like to pretend that he had some greater reason, but most Mantis are filty lairs.
>At the very least, all the Yoritomo were.
>Tsurichi Daigo proved that some of the other minor clans that became families in the Mantis could be alright.
>Oh yeah, how about you Toshiro?
>Huh?
>Well, you're a year younger than me, right?
>That makes you 25.
>Times up.
>Toshiro groaned
>Don't remind me.
>What?
>Yeah, the Clan is just fine letting Crabs find their own spouses...
>Right up until they turn 25.
>Well, isn't that good news, Toshiro-sama?
>No, it really really isn't.
>Have you seen me?!
>I'm a hideously scarred, crippled Kuni with one hut in the middle of a barren wasteland to my name.
>Who the hell would consent to marry THAT?
>Monkey looked off the side, mumbling
>..beggars and choosers, y'know?
>Toshiro groaned and buried his face in his hands

>>53183003
As someone who was pushed the way of the lion, it becomes better as you go, mostly because you don't have to be a walking stereotype

My current character is an akodo that understands the necessity of deception in conflict, even if he would rather not get his hands dirty, and ideally not know about it if it does happen
He is best friends with the resident infiltrator, just chooses to look the other way when it comes to her dealings

>>53184964
>Naomi giggled behind her sleeve.
>Our usual banter taking her mind off the children she had to leave behind
>as the laughter died down we all glanced at Kitsuki-san
>...
>So Monkey! New kid on the way! Thought up any names yet?
>Uh, not really...
>Mantis-san?
>Dosetsu if it's a boy, Ginchiyo if it's a girl.
>Hoooo? Good names.
>I know.
>That's why I picked them out.
>Toshiro glanced at Mantis-san.
>Don't do dry wit. I do dry wit. You find something else.
>Huh?
>That's an order from your superior, Daigo-san.
>W-what?! Can you even do that?!
>I just did.
>It's done.
>But...
>Ah pupupupupu!
>Toshio held up a finger
>Already done.
>I laughed so hard my sides hurt.

>>53185107
>Along the way, Jun wished to speak with us.
>Or rather, with me
>You there, Hida-san... what do you make of the force your clan has composed?
>...
>I though about it.
>I think you should make certain the Scorpion forces are what they claim to be, Otomo-sama
>What? Explain!
>I am only taking a guess here, but I believe Touka's strategy is not so much to win, as it is to avoid unnecessary loss.
>Scorpion are good at making the enemy pay dearly for their victory, but the force Touka has called up seems to oppose that strategy well, to my mind anyway.
>Jun tilted her head, tapping her fan in her palm
>Go on. How?
>If I were leading an army like Touka's I would push just inside the enemeies territory, then have the engineers create a fortified position.
>Somewhere out in the open, to taunt my enemy.
>Lure them to fight us the way we like to fight.
>Touka called up every elite archer unit as his disposal, combined with the defenses the Kaiu will no doubt build any enemy will find themselves in a loosing battle should they try to sit back and eliminate the force with arrows.
>Jun nodded.
>The rest of the army is composed of light infantry, Hiruma.
>They are adept at being unnoticed, and knowing how to seize opportunity to strike at the foe when they are off guard.
>The Hiruma are almost as mobile as cavalry, and less obvious as well.
>I think Touka seeks to win your judgment, not through sacked castles or piles of dead Scorpion, but by showing that the Scorpion could never defeat the Crab in a long term, serious conflict.
>Hmmm
>Yes, that is a sound plan. It may even work...
>Well, we will see when we get to the Scorpion camp, and learn what their general is planning.
>Oh. Yeah.
>I was going to be surrounded by Scorpion.
>No way that was going to go poorly, right?

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>>53185107
>>But...
>>Ah pupupupupu!
>>Toshio held up a finger
>>Already done.

>mfw

>>53184964
>Who the hell would consent to marry THAT?
Toshiro just needs to pull a Shiba and marry a non-human. I mean, there are a whole bunch of stories about men with nothing getting beautiful and obedient wives who later turn out to be yuyki-ona or dragons or moon-people or kitsune. No reason it can't happen to Toshiro.

>>53187758
His only chances of consent marriage with only nezumi or Sp*der. Because, you know, Kuni's land are fucking wasteland with zero to none natural occurred spirits.

>>53185107
>>But...
>>Ah pupupupupu!
>>Toshio held up a finger
>>Already done.

Hilarious.

>>53186183
Tell it, brother.

>>53182934
Less effective than brutal Crab artillery and traps.

>>53182963
>The Scorpion thing to do is to quietly assassinate the daimyo
The real Scorpion thing to do is to have the city governor 'promoted' to other duties.

>>53188965
That just passes the buck around rather than solving the problem

>>53189687
Which is distinctly Rokugani. Remember the Emperor's Peacock Guard, and that killing isn't a Scorpion's first resort.

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bamp

There must be haiku
The thread must stay alive
So I will bump it

bear seems like a more fitting animal for the hida then a crab.

Then again maybe that's just because crabs are small.

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>>53192127
"Small"

>>53192600
Tainted crab

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>>53192127
Well, Hida Kissada's knickname was, "The Great Bear"

>>53192600
>>53192127
Great, now I'm craving a seafood.
I hope you are happy now, asshole.

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>>53193622
Well, Anon, I ate loads of seafood today, many a crab was devoured.

>>53185312
>red
>black
>red
>black
>everywhere I looked in the camp of the Scorpion I saw red and black armor.
>The things inside that armor stared at me. A lot.
>I had an unmistakable itch, right between my shoulderblades, as though a thousand eyes were staring hungrily at that spot, waiting to sink a tanto into it.
>This...was going to be a very uncomfortable visit.
>Not only that, but the constant sense of danger would interfere with my ability to perceive an actual immediate threat.
>I would make a poor Yojimbo if a Maho Tsukia sucked all of Otomo Jun's blood out while I was glaring at Scorpion.
>I sighed inwardly and tried to sort out real threats from perceived ones, from one's that were only people wishing they could kill me without any serious repercussions.
>Introductions were made as we met with the Scorpion commander
>His mask was quite simple. He just never bothered to take of his mempo.
>So, he declared himself a warrior at all times then.
>And, what forces will the Scorpion be brinigng to this war, Bayushi Satsuma-san?
>Hai. We know the Crab intend to field a single legion, what they call a regiment.
>Of course the Scorpion already knew that...
>We suspect the Crab have chosen to quite deliberately keep this war small.
>Of course, the Crab clan have many strong warrors, tested in battle against the monsters of Jigoku.
>It simply would not do to insult their prowess, or underestimate them.
>Still, our Clan has a much smaller army than they do. So we will only bring half a legion of Samurai, Drawn from across the First Crimson Legion
>We have, however, mustered up two legions of Ashigaru.
>Jun pursed her lips.
>Ten thousand peasants?
>Oh you need not worry Otomo-san, there are plenty more where that came from.
>He placed his hand to the side of his mouth, and spoke in that not really a whisper tone of voice
>Many of them are actually condemned criminals, you see.
>There was a recent outbreak of banditry in one of our provinces.

>>53193897
>Jun stared boogle eyed at the Scorpion, her mouth hanging open.
>You... you intend to use BANDITS as soldiers?!
>Satsuma shrugged.
>It is easier than you might think.
>We promised them that they would be pardoned if they survived this war.
>Of course we were lying, but I doubt that it will be necessarily to reveal that fact to even a single one of them.
>Jun blinked her eyes twice, recovering from her shock at the Scorpion's audacity.
>And what do you mean by that Bayushi-san?
>Well, the Crab have Kaiu engineers who can build terrible seige engines, Kuni whose earth magic can tear great rents in the ground and reshape the land, and Toritaka archers.
>If our small force is to engage the enemy at all, we must give those deadly units a target of some sort...
>He said that with a calm, mater of fact tone even I found disturbing.
>I could see Monkey biting his lip.
>A trickle of blood ran down his chin.
>The last time I had seen him this angry it was being caused by a cursed mist.
>I shoved aside those horrible memories as quickly as they threatened to resurface.
>Our plan is simple, Otomo-san, because simple plans are truly the best.
>Right.
>a SCORPION just said that.
>With a straight face.
>The Ashigaru will tie down the main power of the Crab army while our more manuvrable samurai disrupt their formations and supply lines.
>Only a fool engages the Crab on a battlefield they have had time to prepare in advance after all.
>Jun looked at him levely.
>And you are certain there will be no long term ill effects from so many peasants being drafted?
>Well, we may have to hold off on that extension planned for Kyuden Bayushi until next year... but other than that no. We do not belive there will be any issue with the harvest.
>As I said, most of these ashigaru were going to die anyway. We just found a way to execute them that would also help our Clan win a war.
>Lying piece of shit.

That's fucking ruthless.

And seems liable to make it pretty hard for Jun to decide in their favor.

>>53184261
It's not a thing Scorpions do. They value Loyalty above all. It's their analog of Honor in the "Right or Honorable" thing.

>>53194113
>I'd bet my left testicle more than half those 'ashigaru' were really Scorpion pretending to be peasants.
>I had no doubt the Scorpion had, by whatever foul means, learned the exact nature and composition of the army Hida Touka would bring.
>From that, they could have deduced his strategy, just as I had.
>If that were the case, then the Crab army struggling against 'mere peasants' would shatter an image of the Crab being unbeatable.
>And while he was only brining in half a legion, it would obviously be the most experienced and elite troops of that legion, each soldier carefully chosen to counter the Crab as best they could.
>Scorpion loved to exploit the weakness of their enemies.
>Now the real question.
>Would Otomo Jun even give credence to my words if I were to bring this up to her?
>Somehow I doubted it.
>It was then that Naomi began to cough.
>I took hold of her as she began to double over
>Jun glanced over in irritation.
>Apolgies Otomo-sama, Bayushi-sama
>Naomi-sama suffers from ill-health, this happens at times.
>Kitsuki-san, can you bring her medicine?
>Hai.
>Toshiro took over reasuring Jun as I led Naomi outside
>Rest assured, Jun-sama, her health does not diminish her ability. Hida Naomi is a Crab by marriage, she was originally of the Isawa trained as a tensai.
>we had gotten too far away to hear Jun's response
>As I steadied Naomi and gave her some water to rinse the blood from her mouth, Kitsuki-san brewed up her tea.
>How are you now?
>This much is nothing, Ishigaki-kun
>really, a minor one.
>There was only a slight tightness around her eyes, and her body was steady.
>I had gotten good at telling how much pain my wife was actually in at any given time, since she always insisted she was never in any
>I poured Naomi's tea and supported her hands while she sipped at it.
>She didn't need me to; her hands were not shaking.
>But it had become habit for me to do so, all the times it had happened.

>>53194333
>Kituski-san.
>hm?
>There is something I must ask of you.
>I used formal language
>He took notice immediately.
>I told him my thoughts on the Scorpion deployment.
>He said nothing while I explained.
>Naomi's eyes went wider and wider as I spoke
>When I was done, Kitsuki-san nodded once.
>Yes, I though as much.
>You do know war well, so the fact that you thought the same thing reassures me we are, if not exactly correct, close to the truth.
>Naomi spoke up then
>But, we cannot tell Touka-sama. We are neutral in this war; our task is to look for Maho and protect Jun-sama.
>That is true, Naomi, but we CAN suggest Jun-sama make certain the Ashigaru are really all Ashirgaru...
>Kitsuki-san was already ahead of me
>But you cannot be the one to broach the subject, as you are a Crab.
>Right.
>You are becoming devious in your old age, Ishigaki-senpai.
>What, I'm no THAT much older than you!
>You are still closer to retirement age than I am.
>Pfft. Crabs don't retire.
>True.
>...
>What is it, Kitsuki-san?
>I do not think I will be bringing this up though.
>What?
>Naomi-sama is right, it is not our place to interfere in this matter at all.
>Furthermore, it would be unseemly of one as lowly as I to speak out of place.
>If Otomo Jun-sama asks my opinion, of course I will give it to her.
>Beyon that though...
>I stared at Kitsuki-san, trying to work out what the hell he was thinking.
>Then it hit me.
>Of course. He was a Dragon. His Clan was allied with the Scorpion in this mess.
>All that blather about neutrality was just a convenient excuse to help his allies.
>But it was a sound enough excuse I couldn't call him on it.
>So I was forced to settle for an angry glare
>Credit where it's due, few people can face my glare as calmly as he did.
>Well, if that is all, I shall return to my duty.
>Naomi finished the rest of her tea.
>Why do you not ask me to say it then, Ishigaki-kun?
>I looked down, startled

>>53194333
It's not a pretty plan, sure, but it's the only one they have. The Scorpion don't do straight battles, it was never their thing, and when a Crab army comes knocking they have to get serious. The Scorpion general's plan might be ugly, but it's the only one the circumstances allowed.

Then again, I'm also pretty sure he's not telling everything, and it'd be naive of the Imperial observer to think that.

>>53194487
>Because he's right about us staying nuetral.
>I can't ask you to compromise your honor like that.
>Naomi tilted her head slightly.
>We believe the Bayushi just lied to Otomo-sama, do we not?
>To an Imperial Observer?
>Does bringing up that possibility stain our honor? I do not think so.
>But the Phoenix...
>Are allied with Scorpion, yes.
>But Ishigaki-kun... I am a Crab.
>She stroked my cheek
>I thank you for your consideration, I really do.
>I will not lie and say this has been easy for me.
>But really now, how many times must I say this?
>I know where my loyalties lie
>...
>Not for the first time I wondered what I had done to deserve such fine wife.

>>53194333
On one hand, anyone would expect the Scorpion to attack the supply lines. On the other hand, the Crab are used to be attacked head on. What will you do, Touka?

>>53193897
>>53194521

>>Still, our Clan has a much smaller army than they do. So we will only bring half a legion of Samurai, Drawn from across the First Crimson Legion

Hmmm. That includes the Scorpion Elite Guard.
http://l5r.wikia.com/wiki/Scorpion_Clan_Army

It's a Path (sword and fan) whose technique allows the elite guard to pick a clan they hate, and spend a void point to prevent a member of that clan from using any school techniques for two rounds.

That sounds like a great way to take out key officers in a clan when they almost all are going to have techniques to make them harder to kill.

>>53194572
The Crab are also used to monitoring and protecting their supply lines fiercely, since you really, really can't scavenge during a shadowlands expidition.

>>53194572
IC knowledge of Scorpion antics vs OOC knowledge of Scorpion antics is one of the greatest meta-knowledge overflows of L5R. Worse, there's a confirmation bias towards recognising the nastier and more final underhanded tactics used by the Scorpion over the simple things like helping the other clans work around the problems strict honour and poor communication can create, or blackmail from the same.

>>53194686
You can't maintain a supply line through landscapes that move, twist, and change, either.

>>53194722
Which is why its usually front-loaded (Meaning directly in the center of the main force, and probably within eyesight of the flanks, foreguard, and rearguard) and strongly guarded with samurai.

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>>53178807
I am too tired
too think of a good haiku
so here you all are

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>>53194754
I am so tired
that I misspelled the word "to"
Thrice damned homophones.

>>53194741
That's not a supply line. It's just carrying supplies.

>>53194566
Ishigaki has best waifu

>>53195390
Truly this is so
Naomi the beautiful
He is truly blessed.

>>53194566
>Foil Scorpion plot
>Scorpion promise death on the battlefield
>Proceed to try and foil another Scorpion plot while on the battlefield

Ishigaki just really wants to fight a ninja, doesn't he?

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>>53197132
>Ishigaki just really wants to fight a ninja, doesn't he?

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>>53198114
>Tell me about Ishigaki! Why does she have a stone wall?
>...
>You have a lot of loyalty for a simple Monkey!
>Or maybe he just wonders... why would you poison a man before peppering him with shurikens.
>At least you can talk! Who are you?
>It doesn't matter who we are, only what is our plan.
>Ishigaki?
>Nobody cared who I was until I married the stone wall.
>If I put that stone wall off, would you die?
>It would be extremely painful...
>He is a big guy!
>...for you.

>>53198992
>Silly me, Ishigaki is not Naomi

I dun goofed. These names are really confusing.

>>53199028
Weeb names are my #1 issue work l5r. Can't keep them straight.

>>53199051
This is why everyone just calls everyone else by family names. Don't remember who that asshole is? Just call him Shiba-san.

>>53199148
I can't keep moonrune titles straight from names. Keep forgetting whether bayushi is a person or position.

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>>53198114
>>53198992
>Tell me about Ishigaki! Why is he the stone wall?
>...
>You have a lot of loyalty for a simple Monkey!
>Or maybe he just wonders... why would you poison a man before peppering him with shurikens.
>At least you can talk! Who are you?
>It doesn't matter who we are, only what is our plan.
>Ishigaki?
>Nobody cared who I was until I became the stone wall.
>If I break that stone wall, would you die?
>It would be extremely painful...
>You are a big guy!
>...for you.

This actually sounds a lot better.

>>53200988
>Was pissing Scorpion off part of your plan?
>Of course!
>Well congratulations! You got Scorpion pissed off! Now what's the next step of your master plan?
>Crashing this bloodspeakers cult. With no survivors!

>>53200988
>>53201301
/tv/ needs to be tried in the Hague.

>>53201509
Or given a Nobel Prize for Literature.

>>53201580
I'd settle for both.

bump

>>53202411
Already been given a porn

>>53195390
At first I read "is".
Imagine my surprise.
Ishigaki-chan.

>>53203477
Bump

>>53200988
checkd

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badabamp

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Postan actual Crab.

>>53194566
>We went back into the tent
>-erve things on my behalf.
>I glanced at Toshiro
>he jerked his head towards the scribe.
>it was a different scribe then was in the Crab tents
>Oh? That was the problem with an Imperial Observer: They were only one person.
>So, she was going to spread subordinates around to keep tabs on the whole war?
>Otomo Jun-sama
>Jun's eyebrow twitched at the interuption
>She turned to Naomi, who was kneeling in a full dogeza
>Please forgive my rudeness, but I feel I must speak with you. Privately. Please
>Jun waited for a time, making Naomi hold her bow.
>Alright, bitch. We understand you outrank us.
>Stop torturing my wife.
>I thought.
>Very well. But this had better be important
>Bayushi Satsuma nodded.
>We will leave, to allow you your privacy Otomo-san
>The Scorpion filed out.
>Jun still had not given permission for Naomi to raise her head
>Alright. Speak.
>I believe you have been lied to, Otomo Jun-sama
>Hoooo?
>Hai. The Scorpion freely admit they knew the Crabs plans. If that is the case it is likely they have divined the strategy of Hida Touka-sama as well.
>We know it is in the nature of the Scorpion to deceive. They admit as much with their masks.
>You would be hard pressed to assume the Crab could not be beaten in a more whole scale war if they struggle with mere ashigaru.
>Which they would, if those ashigaru were actually Scorpion samurai pretending to be untrained peasants.
>For a long while the only sound was Jun-sama's breathing.
>Ridiculous.
>There are limits to what the Scorpion will do, HIDA-san.
>You would have me belive that there is not just a few, but THOUSANDS of samurai in this world so willing to cast aside their place in the Celestial order as to pretend to be peasants?
>Jun stepped to just in front of Naomi, who held her dogeza.
>I found myself fighting with my own body, every muscle taut, as it wanted to rush at the Observer before she could harm my wife.

>>53209724
>You are only here to look for signs of Maho, Jade Magistrate, and to protect me from Maho-Tsukai.
>You will not overstep the bounds of your duty again, CRAB.
>As Jun's mouth opened again, I felt my control slipping.
>Then Mantis-san and Monkey stepped to either side of me
>Their movement startled Jun, and she looked at the three of us.
>Thankfully, I was wearing my armor. My mempo hid my face, and the snarl I'm sure I was wearing.
>Still, it was enough a distraction. Jun forgot about Naomi.
>She snapped her fan, signaling she would hear no more on the matter.
>That night, in our tent Naomi apologized to me.
>I am sorry Ishigaki-san. I did not think she would be so angry; I have made things worse...
>No, you didn't do anything wrong.
>Jun is just a stupid bitch, she's underestimating the Scorpion.
>Naomi's mouth fell open and she held her hand over it.
>I did use some pretty strong language there.
>But still..
>No, It's alright Naomi. She made it pretty clear the fact that you were a Phoenix before we married meant nothing to her, and she was never going to let you get a word in to explain.
>hah. At the winter court so many people accused me of still having loyalty to the Phoenix, that I never once considered Jun would see me as a Crab.
>Fools will always resort to calling the character of a person in question when they cannot address their arguments directly. And fools go for low hanging fruit. So you will be whichever Clan they find most convenient.
>Ishigaki...to which Clan DO I belong?
>I hugged her.
>You belong to me. That's all that matters.
>She nuzzled into my chest.
>Hai.

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>>53209888
>>Ishigaki...to which Clan DO I belong?
>>I hugged her.
>>You belong to me. That's all that matters.
>>She nuzzled into my chest.
>>Hai.

TRIPS OF TRUTH

>>53209888
>Jun decided we would return to the Crab army for now. She wanted see what defenses were being prepared.
>She was quite surprised when we arrived and found the Crab had already moved into the Scorpion Lands and had begun fortifying a base camp.
>Truth be told, Touka-san, I had always assumed the Crab Clan...ponderous, on the offense.
>We are not slow because we cannot be fast, Otomo-san. It is simply that acting with haste can get you killed quickly.
>There are things that can kill Crabs quickly?
>Many things can do that.
>Does not your Clan pride itself on it's connection to the Earth, and it's heavy armor?
>Such precautions are a necessity for the war we fight in the south, Otomo-san.
>A castle cannot guard itself.
>Indeed. A proper fortification is built around the warriors who will stand inside it, not the other way around.
>This was said by Kaiu Shinzo, the highest ranked, and therefore head of, the Engineers present for this war.
>Oh, Kaiu-san?
>Indeed Otomo-sama. Were I building fortifications for Daidoji, or for Akodo, I would use different layouts.
>I see.
>I would know more about these fortifications.
>Of course.
>We should have a castle up soon enough, a day or two at most...
>Jun's fan fluttered.
>She didn't believe him.
>But for now we have these.
>Waist high mounds of earth, like I had used in Shimoda.
>The earth had been tighly packed inside with a layer of loose earth on top to keep the enemy from gettin good purchase
>The moat on the other side of the mound is seven feet deep, with bamboo skewers hidden at the bottom.
>Jun's eyes widened.
>Things like this only kill fools who rush in blindly, and once the first few die of course the rest will learn.
>Now, outside of the camp...
>Outside? You say you're going to expand your fortifications?
>Well, we are, but up.
>No, Jun-sama. I am speaking of the traps that have already been laid.
>Traps.
>Jun's tone was flat.
>Hai. Come, Ill show you.

>>53210236
>We walked out into the wide open area around the base camp.
>Oh, watch your step, Jun-sama
>He knelt down in front of her, grabbed a handful of grass, and pulled it up
>Showing a very deep pit.
>Anyone steps on that bit of false grass, and they'll fall far enough to break a leg, or at least twist an ankle.
>The sided are quite smooth, and it's deep. It will be hard to get out without help
>He replaced the grass
>There's also these
>He showed her a small ankle deep hole.
>Look inside.
>Jun did so.
>See the small skewers?
>They point down, so when a foot goes inside they allow it. Try to draw it out and you'll get an ankle full. They'll hold you fast, unless you don't mind tearing out a chunk of your foot
>How...barbarous.
>Barbarous, Jun-sama? Hardly.
>If we were not fighting proper samurai, that pit would have bamboo spears at the bottom of it!
>Jun stared at Shinzo.
>But, not even Scorpion deserve to die to a simple trap. These things will only hinder them, as a castle that is built with a confusing layout does.
>And what about the moat?
>Shinzo shrugged.
>Like I said, only a fool would jump in to that in way that it would actually kill them.
>I do not concern myself with fools. It is the same for you, is it not Otomo-sama?
>Shinzo laughed heartily.
>He stopped laughing when he realized there was an arrow in his throat.
>Naomi gave a cry and moved to help him
>HIDA-SAN!
>Jun was glaring at her.
>Around us, several lightly armored warriors in red and black sprang up from the ground, tossing off cloaks of false grass.
>The few Hida with us formed a ring around Touka, shielding their commander with their bodies.
>As the fighting began, Jun just muttered to herself.
>I see, there will be much deception involved in this war...
>She was looking at the false grass cloaks, and the false grass that covered a pit.
>Hah. Crab and Scorpion are more alike than either would care to admit!
>I fought down the urge to punch her for that insult to my Clan.

>>53210374
Plot twist: that bitch is a Maho-tsukai and here to spread madness and dishonor.

>>53210374
>It wasn't hard, since I had to knock aside a katana blade
>What the hell?
>Were the Scorpion after the observer?!
>I spared a glance, but I saw Jun simply present her seal to a pair of Scorpion bushi, who then broke off their charge.
>No, that's not it.
>Oh. right.
>I was wearing my armor. My blue and grey armor, with black silk lacing.
>Well, fine then. Can't accuse of me of not being neutral if they attacked me first!
>I crushed the chest of the one who took his swing at me, then turned to look for more
>Then I stopped, and ran to Naomi's side to protect her.
>She was also in a blue and black kimono, the mon of the Hida clear upon it.
>And wearing a scroll satchel
>I glanced over and saw Toshiro had already covered himself in rock and earth.
>His magical protections were doing a fine job repelling the blades of the Scorpion.
>I glanced to the others
>Monkey looked like he wanted very badly to come to our aid, but I caught his eye and pointed to Jun.
>He nodded
>Mantis-san was already doing likewise, whil Kitsuki-san was looking around carefully.
>yes, this would be good time for the bloodspeakers to strike at Jun, with half of us being mistaken for regular Crab forces.
>I smacked aside a Scorpion who got to close to Naomi.
>She chanted softley, and I felt a familar rush of energy.
>My body speed up, allowing me defend and attack all at once.
>I blocked, sidestepped and struck tossing aside the few Scorpions that came near me.
>Then one managed to get his blade through, past my sode to cut at my bicep
>My vision swam as his blade bit deep
>Far too deep
>I turned to face him, ready to unleash hell
>And looked into the eyes of Bayushi Knezan
>Knowing Two Pincers, One Mind, and with Naomi's spell, there were few things that could withstand my unrestrained fury.
>Except, the way he moved.
>He was countering me perfectly.
>It reminded me of the time when Kojiro-sensei had deliberately exploited the weaknesses of the Hida-ryu in one of our sparing matches.

>>53210566
>I turned to face him, ready to unleash hell
>And looked into the eyes of Bayushi Knezan

Oh shit!
Pissing off Scorpions 2 : Electric Boogaloo.

>>53210669
Well, The Wall is REALLY want to find a ninja in his rice balls.

And for another topic: is it me, or that bitch is FAVORING a Scorpion in this war?

>>53210688
The Otomo are supposed to keep shit stirred up so the clans are too busy fighting each other to have time to think about rebelling. They're the Imperial Scorpions iirc.

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>>53209998
Sadly, no quads to confirm. Here's Shiba Miniskirt instead.

>>53210688
I'm not really seeing any clan bias here. Rather she just seems like a haughty and, more importantly, sheltered bitch who thinks that all wars are fought perfectly honourably and those who break that rule are second-class beings, and that her imperial position puts her above the rest of the rabble anyway.

>>53210688
It's too soon talk about favoritism. But she doesn't look like she love either of clans.

Crab and Scorpion,
Only a fool assume honor,
Means in battlefield.

That Otomo bitch
Belongs in a bamboo ditch
With some burning pitch.

>>53210374
Seeing as a camouflage cloak only hides you at this distance if you don't move, I bet the Scorpions found the most impressive trap beforehand and just camped nearby, knowing that someone high-ranked will want to boast to Imperial Observer about it.

>>53211740
Or someone leaks information. Unfortunately, it's unsurprising and it's not our problem.

>>53211740
Or they are just that sneaky.

BTW, is there a profile for a camo cloack as an item in L5R?

>>53213302
Not that I remember any, but homebrewing one should really not be that difficult.

>>53213302
Not as such, but if you had an appropriate cloak, I'd just use stealth to hide, and acting to not be recognised if discovered.

>>53210566
What is it with you and finding superiors who are all bitch-faced?

>>53159387

i am terrible at personal time management

>We are hosted again by Doji Tatsuki on our return to Second City
>Unfortunately, she is only available to join us for one meal
>That being said, this meal is even more opulent than the one we had before we left
>Dishes from both the Colonies and the best the Crane lands have to offer
>We tell the tale of our adventure in the jungle, the creatures we faced
>And the accomplishment of our mission
>Avoiding as best we could to say directly that we dealt with a maho-tsukai
>Although Doji-no-kimi no doubt pieced together the clues
>Her face suggested it, at least
>She thanks us for the lively tale
>Then apologizes again for only being able to host dinner with us once during our stay
>Even though still many months away, she already has to start preparing the embassy for the Summer Court
>"There's no need to apologize, Doji-no-kimi
>The work you do is of great importance to the Empire"
>Mostly the Crane Clan, yes, but they were part of the Empire
>"Thank you, Kakita-san
>Although I would much prefer to hear of your adventures
>Much more exciting than organizing politics
>If only you would be able to join me at the Court
>That would indeed prove some fair distraction"
>While the thought of being at the Summer Court was an exciting one
>The only way to get there would be with great prestige, none of us being from the main lines
>And that would mean we'd be more use as political bargaining tools rather than mere guests
>Especially Daidoji-san, who, as far as memory serves, is as of yet unmarried
>But it was highly unlikely that lowly samurai as us would get invitations
>Then again, we had recently performed some daring heroics...
>A few days after that dinner, we found the ship that would be taking us back to the Empire
>The Black Mantis
>The ship that brought us to the Colonies
>Captain Moshi Nokodo would be able to take us home

>>53214223
Crane returns!

>>53214223

>When we arrive at the docks, Moshi-san greets us with a big smile
>Mostly directed at Togashi-san
>Apparently thankful that we will join him again
>Because last time was followed by great fortune for his ship
>And that he's been able to donate more than usual to seaside monasteries
>In fact, he'd even waive the usual travel fee
>Even though he was still under obligation to my lord Kakita Ikura-ue
>Once in a more private moment, I turn to Daidoji-san
>"Tell me, how much money DID you lose to the sailors?"
>"Do I look like the kind of man to lose money to Mantis sailors?
>If anything, quite the opposite"
>"Then what might have happened?"
>"Maybe he was able to help some seasick passengers"
>We look at Togashi-san
>"What do you mean?"
>"Well, remember how you were sick, Kakita-san?"
>I did not enjoy being reminded
>"Well, at Twin Forks, while we were waiting for the ship to resupply
>I gathered some herbs and managed to create a bit of medicine, in case you got sick again once we set sail again
>You didn't, though
>But Moshi-san was very interested in it
>Many people need to travel by sea even though their bodies handle it worse than you did
>So I told him how to make more of it"
>Tsuruchi-san stares incredulously
>"For free?"
>"Of course
>I made it to help people, and he was in a better position to help the people that needed it
>No doubt helping those people has brought him good kharma"
>Oh dear
>Moshi-san had sold that medicine
>Probably at a great deal of profit
>Not so much kharma, then, after all
>The thought of such greed in someone calling themselves a samurai rubs me the wrong way
>But at least we didn't have to worry about having a place on the ship
>And so we set sail, back home
>Another uneventful trip, ending at Kyuden Seppun
>The Black Mantis had to return the the Islands of Spice and Silk, so it could take us no further
>Fortunately, we easily found a Crane ship heading directly to Tsuma
>It turns out, waiting for us on my lord's orders

Otomo-san sucks
Like, she really, really sucks
Hope she bites it soon

>>53215663
You do realise that right now she can bite it only if Ishigaki and the group fail?

>>53215663
What she really needs is to be stabbed by someone wearing conspicuously red and black armor. Not lethally, but the way Rokugan works, the simplest explanation is often legally binding, and "He was wearing Scorpion colors" is enough to blame the Scorpion Clan and make it stick as long as the guy isn't identified otherwise.

>>53215684
Or if she's the maho-tsukai.

>>53215935
Be like water.

When duty blocks right action, do not break it but simply flow around it.

>>53214638

>The captain of the Blue Wave, one Daidoji Anko, tells us as much when we arrive
>That trusting that we'd be succesful in our venture in the Colonies, he was told to wait for us
>And that we'd be taken to Tsuma with the greatest of comfort and speed, as befits proper heroes of the Empire
>I did not believe my ears when we were described as such
>What we did was merely what was to be expected of samurai, no more
>More importantly, nobody knew to what extent we went to fulfill our duty
>Would that even be enough to call us heroes?
>The only problem is that Kakita-ue was not aware that we had picked up Tsuruchi-san in our travels
>It wouldn't be much of a problem, but someone might have to share their spot with him
>This solved itself somewhat differently than expected
>Daidoji-san offered to bunk with the sailors, and help them, to further his own training
>Somewhat unusual, but Daidoji Anko is glad to have another set of strong hands to help around
>The journey upriver is more than pleasant enough
>It feels good to be home again

>Once we arrive in Tsuma, we are escorted to some fanfare to the estate of Kakita-ue
>Unfortunately, the daimyo is too busy entertaining guests to see us for now
>Instead, we meet with his yojimbo, Kakita Mitohime
>I present a detailed retelling of our journey, and finally present the cipher to Kakita-sama
>"You truly honor your ancestors, Kakita-san
>If this is what I think it is, then we will soon find a way to cure those who have succumbed to the Sweet Dreams
>I will present this to Kakita-ue
>However, before I go, there is something you should know
>We have discovered the whereabouts of a band of ronin and bandits that have been kidnapping samurai recently, without asking for ransom
>Mostly shugenja, and those with relations to them
>And mostly at the Phoenix-Crane border
>We believe they're the ones who took your betrothed, Isawa Kitao"

>>53216358
have to leave it off for here, gonna go watch eurovision at the pub with some friends and I haven't showered yet

>>53216383
Eurovision sucks.

t. Salty Russian.

>>53216484
It sucks whether you're russian or not.

>>53216484
I'm a Crane, I have to make a showing of appreciation for art
Not that much of the music in the competition is worthy of that title, mind you

>>53217084
Then as a Crane, shouldn't you show disdain instead?

>>53217170
not all of it is completely terrible
And in order to show disdain properly, I have to be where enough people are to hear me complain about how bad or wrong it is, and why

Everything a Crane can do, he does better with a crowd

>>53217216
Someone once told me that the only way to show you have good taste is to tell people what is horrible. Go, Crane-san, go

>>53218122
Personally hoping for Denmark, Netherlands, Croatia or Romania at this point

The rest is either too generic, too dull, or both

Also, bump

>>53219558
Singing bump

>>53221540
Page 10 bump

bumping with somewhat appropriate music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMfFPCc7oxM

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Just in case anyone is getting antsy. Ended up going out with the game group before the game today, so just had no time to post. climax battle went long, as they can do, so Imma just crash now. I'll be back tomorrow though.

>>53226312
Thank you Crab-sama

>>53226312
Take care Crab-kun

>>53226312
Sleep well, crabby

>>53228048
Mantis is a shit waifu. A SHIT.
Lion waifu is for life!

>>53228492
I'm sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of an arrow sticking out of your face.

>>53228562
I can buy your waifu for 5 Koku.

>>53228980
Crane waifus are best

>>53229472
Yeeeah, inbred bleached skanks are the best. Suuuure, whatever you say b0ss.

>>53229574
Have you not seen the rate trailer trash breed? Perfect for Wall fodder

>>53228048
>>53228492
>>53228562
>>53228980
>>53229472
>>53229574
>>53229865
The best waifus are gaijin

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>>53229977

>>53229977
I bet you love also eat a red meat and shit on a shit designated streets.

>>53231065
I also don't eat rice with every meal, fancy that.

>>53231172
Can't afford it?

>>53231212
Am I hearing it from someone who has to pretend his money is worth twenty times what it really is?

>>53231523
Bitch, I'm ascetic. I don't care about how much money is worth, I don't use it anyway.

>>53231676
I love Ascetic. It leaves you so unprepared to do anything at short notice without racking up debt of favours.

>>53231882
Any idiot can do things with money or favours. You try and achieve something without that. That's where real ingenuity appears.

>>53231924
Less than you seem to think at any level beyond the basics, and no, any idiot cannot just 'do things'.

>>53231882

How so? If having that Disadvantage really hinders you, then you most likely have other, more pressing problems around your character.

Hell, the break on Glory gains can be really useful if you don't want every random peasant to recognize you after the first few campaigns.

>>53233015
Reading comprehension, mate. Work on yours.

>>53210566
ok, wild speculation

there is no otomo jun, this is a shoshuro actor. they faked the letters the party received.

also, the scorpion knew the plans of the crab because otomo jun went to interrogate the crab first.

>>53234858
I wonder how much shit the Scorpion could get into if they had the balls to impersonate an Imperial Observer in their own war

>>53235257
None, as long as they don't get caught.

>>53235317
>implying the scorpion would be so stupid as to try something like that

>>53235257
Bitch, they willing impersonate a fucking legion of PEASANTS, so an impersonating an Imperial Officer as long as you can fuck over your enemies is a piece of cake.
Especially if you can discredit her Crab guards.

>>53236170
Implying the scorpion wouldn't count on you thinking they wouldn't be so stupid as to try something like that

>>53236704
>>53236170
>>53235257
Easier to have something on them they would not want leaked in the court.

>>53236466
There is a difference between impersonating nonpeople and a high status Imperial family member

>>53236466
To be fair, we only have Ishigaki's assumption that there are Scorpion samurai posing as ashigaru, not any actual proof that such a thing is occurring. And Ishigaki is naturally, like everyone else in Rokugan, going to assume the absolute worst of the Clan of Secrets.

>>53233147
>Work on yours
Back at ya.

>>53233046
>Your School Outfit includes only weapons, armor, clothing, necessary tools of the trade for your profession (such as a scroll satchel for shugenja), and nothing else.
Bushi get weapons, armour, clothing.
Courtiers get weapons, armour, clothing.
Shugenja get weapons, armour, clothing, and a scroll satchel.

No travelling pack, or anything that goes in it.

Anything you would gift to another, any service you pay for, has to be pleaded with your lord or asked of another with whom you will create debt, rather than purchased out of your stipend. You don't even have a personal chop or seal to identify yourself outside your lord's lands, and very few will do anything for credit without your chop. You would be able to argue certain items if you have a particularly singular and specific duty, like tertiary incense selector of whatever clan/imperial legion.

>>53238791
>And Ishigaki is naturally, like everyone else in Rokugan, going to assume the absolute worst of the Clan of Secrets.
Truer of the fanbase than the setting. Scorpion do and arrange good things with other clans all the time, and their actual disreputable acts are only occasionally able to be pinned to the clan.

>>53210566
>I could see Kentaro eyes focused on something in the distance.
>I knew that look well.
>He was in the void now
>The depth of the cut on my arm bothered me.
>My body had been trained to be harder even then my armor, yet he had cut me with almost no effeort.
>And his movements...
>The bassis of Two Pincers, One Mind is simple.
>It is not just a single part of your weapon that is dangerous. The haft of an Ono, Dai Tsuchi, or Tetsubo can strike a foe as well as your knees, elbows, feet and head.
>It can seem, to the inexepricned or intrained, that I am moving and striking with great speed.
>Really, I am just using the follow through of one attack to lead seamlessly into another.
>Yet, Kentaro seemed to know exactly how I would do so. He stepped in exactly the wrong way, preventing me from doing so.
>The Scorpion were very good at learning your weaknesses, because they preyed upon them with abandon.
>Kentaro was doing a fine job of preying on my weakness now, so much so that I could not bring my strength to bear.
>However, I still had one advantage he could do nothing about.
>Naomi shouted, and even more vigor flooded into me.
>Kentaro dodged aside as I brought my tetsubo down with my full might.
>The water aided me, and my blow threw up great clods of earth
>I saw the Scorpions concentration lapse as his eyes flicked to Naomi.
>No.
>I didn't bother trying to reset my postion, I just threw my body to the side from where I was.
>My Sode slammed into Kentaro, and he hit the ground as though a great wave had struck him
>Thanks to Naomi's magic, that might as well be the truth.
>I raised my tetsubo to finish him off when a humming bulb arrow flew up into the sky
>It distracted me just long enough.
>Kentaro rolled backwards from my blow and regained his feet.
>HIDA ISHIGAKI! I will never forgive you!
>I prepared to go after him, when I heard a sound behind me
>Hyuk
>I turned my head.
>Naomi was staring in surprise at an arrow jutting out of her side.

>>53239224
>>53210566
I screwed up that post, Amano's cousin's name is Kentaro, Kenzan was Mantis-san's pirate enemy. And THIS is why I give people knicknames so often... Sorry about that Librarian Anon, more shit for you to fix.

>>53239151
Yeah, but Ishigaki's a Crab, so it's not really meta on his part to assume the worst of the Scorpion.

>>53239224
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

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>>53239224
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

>>53239224
>no
>no
>nononononononono
>I ran to her side
>I could see one of the retreating Scorpion holding a yumi, the string still vibrating
>I threw my tetsubo at him as I moved
>It caught him in the face
>Naomi's eyes looked into mine
>Ishi...gaki...?
>She started to fall
>Damn you legs MOVE FASTER
>I dove, catching her just before she hit the ground
>TOSHIRO!
>I looked
>Thank the Kami, the arrow got bound in the silk
>Silk is a resilient material, difficult to cut.
>There is a reason that we wear silken clothes under our armor.
>When an arrow strikes silk, the silk twists around it, catching the arrow and making the wound much smother.
>Normally, an arrow would do MORE damage if you pulled it straight out.
>But if the silk stops it, that's actually the best thing to do.
>I glanced at Naomi.
>She was already unconsious, but breathing.
>Barley.
>TOSHIRO!
>I pulled the arrow from her
>Then he was there, his hands on her wound
>paryers to the kami of water then the kami of earth flowed from his lips
>His healing was limited in the etxtreme.
>The best he could do was ensure her spirit would not flee her body, and ease her pain.
>The wound itself would remain, it simply would not endanger her life any longer.
>Well, that's how it would work for anyone else.
>Kitsuki-san came running up with several rolls of bandages.
>I wrapped her middle up tightly.
>A small red stain appeared quickly on the bandages.
>Toshiro...?
>Put pressure here.
>He chanted another spell
>The pain on Naomi's face eased up, as did her breathing.
>But her eyes did not open.
>Toshiro heaved out a sigh.
>I looked at him
>She's out of danger, for now.
>Then why is she still out cold?
>You know why Ishigaki.
>I looked down at her
>Mantis-san brought me my tetsubo.
>nice shot.
>That Scorpion is dead.
>I couldn't care less.
>A shadow fell over me, as I knelt and cradled my wife
>Is she dead?
>No, Jun-sama. But she is very weak.