>>53431970
>I froze
>He hadn't noticed me yet
>Instead he was in conversation with another Phoenix.
>They were too far away for me to hear what they were saying, but it looked to me like the woman speaking to Shoji was quite agitated
>Well, speaking to Shoji will do that to just about anyone.
>I slipped around behind Shoji before they finished and found Kitsuki-san
>When I looked back the Phoenix woman had stormed away.
>Oi, Kistuki-san
>I kept my back to her and pointed, using my body to hide my gesture
>You know who that is?
>He let his gaze track over the room, not resting on any one person, before looking back to me
>Asako Yuie, head of the Phoenix delegation.
>I blinked
>Head? Can't imagine Shoji likes that.
>What? Shoji? You're father-in-law is here?!
>Yeah. Looks like he's still got the Clan fooled as to whose fault everything is.
>Ishigaki-san...Shoji is NOT a part of the Phoenix delegation.
>If he is here, then he is here for his own reasons.
>...
>Kitsuki-san...
>could it be possible for someone to know that Naomi and I would be here?
>I can think of several ways I could have uncovered such information.
>Would it be possible for a normal person to find that out though?
>Kitsuki-san chuckled
>Thank you for the compliment, but I can still think a few very simple methods, yes.
>You think he's here for you?
>It wouldn't surprise me. He's so used to getting his way that anytime he doesn't it's like a personal insult that he simply MUST avenge.
>Well then, I'll keep an eye on him. Find out who is connected to at this court.
>Thanks. I'd like to get out ahead of whatever scheme he's cooking up
>Kitsuki-san nodded in agreement
>I went to find Naomi.
>It was best if she heard it from me, instead of just seeing him unexpectedly
>I found her by folowig the sound of coughing out into the hallway
>She was leaning on a wall, doubled over
>I took hold of her, and eased her down into a sitting position
>Then I yelled to a passing servant to bring me a tea set

>>53439299
>baby crabs being adorkable
Just a reminder of why I love this storybread

>I rubbed Naomi's back to soothe her until the servant came back, then brewed up her tea
>Naomi took a few sips, then several breaths
>At last she relaxed
>Thank you, Ishigaki-kun. Those backrubs always help.
>sip
>I watched her drink her tea, saying nothing.
>If she hadn't seen him, I did't want to shock her just now.
>She waited patiently until I looked up, and caught my eyes with hers.
>I saw him
>She said it the way someone would say they saw a rock
>Why is it that strain on your mind and soul always seems to bring out these fits, when that is only an illness of your body?
>The mind, body and soul are linked, Ishigaki-kun.
>Just like how an injury to the body weakens the grip of the soul, a wound to the soul can harm the body.
>THe taint works that way, as well, for it damages the soul, and in so doing warps and twists the body.
>So you're father is like the taint...I can belive that.
>She smiled,
>A sad one; her eyes were still half lidded and looking down.
>...i can too...
>It was whisper; I was sitting right next to her and I could barely hear her
>But she said it all the same
>I hated watching my Hana-chan lose her innocence.
>Every time, it was like watching a single petal fall from a beautiful flower.
>Samurai were supposed to like things like that.
>But I am not a very good samurai.
>I got her up and took her back to the room Ren had arranged for us
>Tsuyosa was there napping.
>As soon as we entered he woke up and started to bawl
>I scooped him up
>He stopped crying, looked up at me, then started bawling again
>Um.
>I passed him to Naomi
>Tsuyosa then began to nuzzle against her chest
>Ah, so that's it!
>Not for the first time, I had to chastise myself for feeling jealous of my own children for hogging my wife's breasts.
>I sat with them while Tsuyosa ate, enjoying the serene look on Naomi's face.
>If I didn't know any better I'd swear the boy did that just to help calm his mother down.

>>53439468
I am relieved to see that Naomi finally realizes how much of a shitheel her father really is.

>>53439500
I am relieved too, my friend.
But I also feel sadness about how Naomi changed. And not in a good way sometimes.

>>53439774
Why, she's making progress! Soon she'll be blasting fools left right and center with ice and boiling water!

Now that would be a sight to behold.

>>53439828
She can't do that.
Toshiro does blasting, so she needs to do other things.

>>53440675
Arrows. Just a ridiculous amounts of arrows.

>>53441031
Hey, pacifism is a good number of points to buy off and it's central to her character. Let her alone

>>53439500
>>53439774
>>53439828
>>53440675
>>53441031
>>53441762
Forget about all that. The important part is

>Shoji is NOT a part of the Phoenix delegation.

If he was not invited then what the hell is he doing at this court?

>>53442789
To take away his grandson with a future as a earth tensai

>>53442789
Kakita-sama could have just heard he was Naomi-kun's father and invited him along. He is also the Master of the Earth's father so that's some good status right there. So he might have been invited on his own merits or just shown up and was too important to kick out.

>>53442789
>he was not invited then what the hell is he doing at this court?
Hohiro probably pulled some strings

>>53442860
>>53442844

For what purpose?

If it's >>53442835 then how did he learn of it in the first place? It was something they discovered in private, not sharing with the outsiders.

If something else, then what? Either way, I am worried.

>>53443847
Remember that Naomi writes letters to her family. In the past Shoji had been disposing of the letters, but it's reasonable to assume he read them first. He could have learned of Tsuyosa's gift from one such letter.

>>53443847
Maybe he used a divination as well? He's pretty obsessed about his bloodline and taking one of the kids away to be a tensai would be poetic revenge for ishigaki convincing his son to become a bushi.

>>53444085
The Phoenix clan only gets away with kidnapping kids if they're ishiken, and only after exhausting all other avenues of approach and with the express backing of the elemental council. If he wants a kid to go to the Isawa school, he's going to have to offer something in return.

>>53444195
>he's going to have to offer something in return.
A way out of scorpion's revenge on Ishigaki? He wouldn't agree to it, but Naomi...

>>53444447
>Naomi might give up Tetsute because she thinks that Shoji will love him (since he's listening to earth kami)
I might buy it.

>>53444484
That's fucked

>>53444523
That's Shoji

>>53444552
https://youtu.be/gpaOy8b8X6A

>>53444085
He could just assume it. Shugenja ability is semi-hereditary (because the kami are more likely to recognize someone who resembles a person they worked with before), and he might just be arrogant enough to assume that anyone in his bloodline would have the talent.

>>53446036
IIRC, they're playing with D20 lore where Shugenja ability is a lot more common and a lot less hereditary.

>>53446249
But Shoji still cares about it being hereditary even if it doesn't actually work that way

>Shoji is the main Bloodspeaker, and the reveal finally makes Naomi snap and utterly wreck her father with her water powers, yelling about how much of an utter bastard he was to her in a bout of cathartic rage.

>>53447560
Greenstone did get mentioned earlier so his "Jade" Avatar could have just been Greenstone. So it isn't impossible.

>>53439468
>I tore up a few tiny strips of chicken for Tsuyosa, to finish of his meal
>he was being weaned after all
>I wiggled the chicken under his nose, and he let go of Naomi so he could have his solids
>There you go. Eat up.
>Tsuyosa gobbled up the chicken greedily, burped all on his own, and then settled into Naomi's arms to resume his nap with a nice full tummy
>I straightened up her kimono for her, since her hands were full of tiny crab, then gave her hair a few strokes
>You stay here and rest with him. I'll go check on the other two.
>Hai.
>As I left Naomi began to sing softly to Tsuyosa, easing him off to sleep
>She really did love to dote on the children
>I eventually found the other two, playing with all the other children their age
>Daiko and Tetsute had taught the other children Strongwall.
>The two of them stood, daring the other kids to knock them down
>A roughhousing game that left the attendant servants in a small panic.
>clearly worried about what would happen to them if one of the children got hurt, and equally worried about the idea of trying to restrain the terror twins, as they were also samurai.
>Relief flooded the face of one of the servants when they recognized me as the father of the two little demon children
>Great Samurai, please forgive this one for speaking out of turn!
>But your children...
>Someone could get hurt!
>I nodded.
>I'll handle it, don't worry.
>Oh, thank you great samurai!
>Oi! You two!
>The roughhousing broke up as I came over, Daiko and Tetsute staring up at me.
>For that matter, all the other kids did too.
>I was probably the biggest person they'd ever seen
>I leaned down to look my children in the eyes
>You'd better win, okay?
>they broke out into grins, and Daiko thrust her tiny fist into the air
>HAI!
>As for the rest of you...
>I turned to look at the other children
>...You're going to have to work together if you hope to have any chance against these two.
>I walked past the dumbstruck servants
>That should do it.

>>53446249
Not really. Children are like cats, more sensitive to spiritual things than adults. But just because every baby can hear the kami it dosen't mean they can understand them, or make themselves understood. So Shugenja are still rare as hell.

And since certain pyshical traits as well as mental and spiritual ones, can signify strength or weakness with an element and physical traits are more hereditary, Shugenja bloodlines are still a thing. Naomi is the oddball in her family of Earth shugenja, remember?

>>53449010
>Lets his kids have their fun
I don't know what I expected. Thank you for the goodfeels Ishigaki-kun!

Tales from a Stone Wall
Take forever to finish
F5 key is gone

>>53449010
>I turned my head as I left, and spoke over my shoulder
>But if anyone does raise a stink, just tell them to come whine at me.
>...though I suppose you shouldn't phrase it quite like that.
>Well, you'll figure it out.
>I headed back to the rooms where the courtiers were gathering
>I wanted to learn what the hell Shoji was doing her
>I found Kituski-san, talking with a Scoprion woman wearing a scroll satchel
>Ah, Hida Ishigaki-san!
>Hello, Kitsuki-san.
>I turned to look at the Scorpion
>And this must be...
>...Soshi Mariko
>I bowed a greeting to her
>have you had rice today, Soshi-san?
>Yes, I have thank you.
>She read my mood quickly and excused herself
>As she walked past me she whispered
>not yet
>I arched an eyebrow at her, but she walked on
>Did you hear that?
>He nodded
>What was that about?
>Well, most Scropion really do hold to bushido, Ishigaki-san, despite what your Clan and the Lion think of them.
>It's just that they are willing to dirty their hands in times of great need.
>Not unlike the Crab, I think
>Don't insult my clan like that, Kitsuki-san,
>You're my freind so I can let that slide, but if another Crab heard you say that it would mean a duel.
>You know perfectly well I can hold my own in a duel.
>I know. I said that for the sake of my kinsmen
>Anyway, I have need of those all seeing eyes of yours.
>Oh?
>yeah, I want to find out what Shoji is even doing here, so I figured I'd just ask that Asako.
>And I want you to watch. You know, do your thing.
>Of course, Ishigaki-san.
>He shook his head.
>Always so direct, aren't you?
>I shrugged
>It works for me
>He nodded agreement
>I went and found Asako Yuie, while Kitsuki-san hovered about nearby
>hey, I need to speak with you.
>She face me, wrinkling her nose a bit at my brusque manner
>I do not belive I have the pleasure...?
>Hida Ishigaki.
>She tilted her head, Eyes unfocusing while she thought for a moment
>Ah! You are the Husband of Isawa Shoji's daughter!
>I nodded.

>>53449511
>I understand he's not part of the delegation the Phoenix sent though
>Yuie got out her fan and hid behind it at that.
>Naomi had confessed to me once that the Phoenix Clan is it's own worst enemy
>Isawa's actions left a deep, permeant rift between the families of the Clan.
>But this is NOT widely known, because the Clan closes ranks whenever an outsider approaches
>Not unlike the Emprie as a whole, constantly fighting one another...
>...right up until some external threat rears it's ugly head
>I wondered if he reaction was simple reflex, or if she was trying to hide something from me.
>I didn't waste time thinking about it too much
>That's why I asked for Kitsuki-san's help after all
>Yes, Hida-san, it is true that Shoji is here on his own buisiness.
>However, if you wish to know what that might be, I am afraid I cannot help you.
>I simply do not know
>If you will excuse me
>Huh.
>I rejoined Kitsuki-san
>She really doesn't know why he's here.
>However, I get the feeling he has finally lost the trust of the Phoenix Clan.
>At the very least, she is very upset by his presence.
>I see.
>Well, lets the Phoenix have come to the damn senses about him at least.
>Kitsuki-san nodded firmly
>We can hope. He's likely still to well connected for them to ask him to retire early, but if I'm right we can at least expect they will not trust him with any more important duties.

>>53449777
Okay, you take a moment to hold funeral services for you f5 keys, the tendons on the back of my hands are complaining

>>53449805
You do know that you can set threads to auto update...

>>53450047
He probably does. An army of dolts who've been killing their F5s in all these threads seemingly does not.

>>53435082

>Alas, no such luck
>With the visit of the Pearl Champion, and so many courtiers seeing a Naga for the first time
>One was hard pressed to find any topic other than that
>Or something relating to it
>By the fifth time I heard someone talking about it
>Or how glorious the gift was
>Or whether we should even trust the Naga after what had happened
>Or how lovely the Pearl Champions kimono was
>Even I was getting somewhat overwhelmed
>I came here expecting Summer Court
>Not an old wives gossip circle
>It didn't take long before I managed to find an excuse to wander through the palace gardens
>Beautiful plants, but nothing compared to what I'd heard of the gardens of Doji
>These would not do to distract me from the boredom of a stagnating day in court
>Fortunately, I would not have to wait much longer before things got back on track
>This days great contest was about to be held, and it was one that would most likely have every bushi, shugenja and courtier participating
>The Go tournament
>Every single one of us among myself and my companions decided to join
>Although I was quite certain I would not be even near the winners this time
>Games like go, while an entertaining distraction, were no more than that
>Why spend my time with such meaningless games when I could devote it to creating even better art
>The only game I had ever found interesting was the courtly game of Sadane
>Still, there were certain expectations
>Lots were drawn, to see who would go up against who
>And my first opponent would be
>Daidoji-san
>How quaint

>>53450498
This shouldn't be too hard

>>53449777
So, is Shoji here to scheme his bloodspeaker schemes or just trying to remain relevant?

>>53453187
I can't believe Shoji's a bloodspeaker. He's too much of a tool for it. He's the Honorable But Not Good samurai. Blinded by pride and maybe cowardice, but he's not actually a criminal more than being a scumbag is a crime.

>>53453226
This. Hohiro MIGHT be a Bloodspeaker, but Shoji is definitely clean. Spiritually, at least.

>>53453226
Being a big enough cunt to swallow Galactus whole should be made a crime.

>>53454162
kek

It costs koku to post?
I bet the gaijin did this
I bump for crab-san

>>53454162
Nah, you should just have a sandwich board on you that says ASSHOLE at all times

>>53453226

Ishi's dream showed him grotesquely melting away to a skull with white hair, and dreams can be metaphorically prophetic, so while it could mean any sorts of things, I imagine Shoji being a Bloodspeaker is possible out of that.

>>53456756
Or he could sacrifice himself towards stopping or blocking a maho spell that decays or ages someone rapidly

>>53458441
Or his son could be keeping him around specifically so he has a target to shift all his taint to.

>>53458926
Which is why they had to search for Hida.

>>53461143

Or they're BOTH Bloodspeakers.

>>53456163
That should be a law IRL, let alone in L5R

>>53463413
2lewd

https://youtu.be/3fXMD5VipGk

https://youtu.be/RBDif3eOQII

no dying you, shoo back to the top.

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289 KB PNG

Doing PDF update. No editing besides the normal spelling tonight though.

File: Memories of a Stone Wall (...).pdf (1.39 MB, PDF)

1.39 MB PDF

>>53469646
Eventually I will find the time to give this the editing it properly deserves.

>>53463413
That must have been extremely painful.

>>53469973
She's a big girl.

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30 KB JPG

>>53470157
Crane bamp

The Wall has withstood,
and this little thread
will withstand as well

>>53471735
>implying Crane expose themselves in public and dress so shabbily
That's a ronin, anon.

>>53471735
Poor guy seems to have lost a nipple in a previous duel.

>>53471735
>>53471923
I'd go with Spidertrash Daigotsu trying the "evil pretty boy" angle.

>>53472462
I keep forgetting people consider the Spider era valid.

>>53473726
Samurai-ko a best

>>53474601
>tfw no burly Shiba girl to gently protect your soft shugenja body

>>53475085
>burly

You want Hida not Shiba.

>>53475962
>Hida
2burly

>>53476030
>2burly
So what? Or does it make you feel impotent?

>>53476621
The goal is to be gently protected. Hida cannot into gentle.

>>53476781
Have you been reading the story of Ishigaki? Hida can into gentle.

>>53476844
Ishigaki is an exception

>>53476876
No he isn't.

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652 KB PNG

page 9 bump

>>53449777
>The Mantis were late
>People were begining to whisper, wondering if the Mantis were doing that on purpose.
>Some sort of protest?
>Mantis-san became quite a popular fellow suddenly, despite his repeated protests that he had no clue what was holding up his Clan's delegates.
>It was in the middle of this drama Ren decided to hold a game of Kemari.
>He insisted I join in
>I seized my oportunity
>Ren-sama, I've never worn the full court attire before. Would you be so kind as to help me with it?
>Of course!
>Alright, good work me.
>Getting him alone to talk had been proving more difficult then I had anticipated.
>Friend or not, there was a large gulf in our status
>But now I had an excuse
>Ren helped me out, wrapping me up in layer upon layer of clothing
>This is the minimum level of dress acceptable for meeting with the Emperor, you know, Ishigaki-san
>I chuckled
>It's so hard to move in all these clothes I can only think that is for the Emperor's safety!
>He laughed along with me.
>You may be right
>Then he looked at me seriously
>You truly find it difficult to move in all these clothes, but not that massive armor you always wear?
>I rolled a shoulder around
>It's a different kind of constriction.
>My armor only weighs about 50 pounds, and all the straps and bindings distribute the weight.
>Plus, we train in our armor nonstop. Our armor really is a second skin to us Crabs.
>He nodded.
>Speaking off us Crabs, Ren-sama.
>You know we're not all that good in court...
>He looked at me, eyebrows shooting up.
>He recovered quickly though, and pinched his chin between thumb and forefinger
>Hmmm. Sensei is handling most of the business for the Clan at this court, I'm just the host...
>I was curious when he said Sensei, but I said nothing, lest I sidetrack him
>Still, I think I may be at least able to make things a bit eiaser on your delegation. Kaiu...Terumune, was it?
>Hai.
>He smilled at me.
>I shall see what I can do for your Clan Ishigaki-san.

>>53481497
Crab-anon returns to deliver us from the degeneracy that runs in these threads when he's gone!

>>53481497
Crab-anon's back!

>>53481497
>Thank you Ren-sama, I am indebted to you
>Not at all Ishigaki-san!
>I took the oprotunity to change the subject
>So, you said your Sensei is here?
>yes. Tanaka-san handles much of the day to day, but there are still plenty of things I have to be present for...so I Sensei came here to train me.
>I see.
>I have to pay attention to every little thing while Tanaka is handling affairs, because I should be able to do those things as well.
>Between trying to learn how to run this city and Sensei's lessons on court life I am at my wits end!
>There is so much to learn!
>I put a hand on his shoulder
>You'll be fine.
>Will I, though?
>Of course!
>Look,no one is surprised when a Crab figths with a heavy weapon, that's expected.
>Just like it's expected for a Crane to know how to draw his blade quickly, or a Lion to be good at Shogi
>Because these are the things they were born to do; the weight of history and tradition makes it so.
>YOU were born to administer to the Emperor's lands on his behalf.
>I know it seems like there's a lot to take in now, I felt the same way when I first arrived at Sunda Mizu!
>But it will come in time. Just apply yourself diligently.
>He smiled, allowing my words to reassure him.
>Then he looked at me
>Ishigaki-san...
>You folded the wrong side of the Kimono over here.
>HUH?
>Get undressed; we have to start over.

>>53481708
>You folded the wrong side of the Kimono over here.
>Get undressed; we have to start over.

Fucking courtiers.

>>53481708
>My knowledge of the game of Kemari was that it existed.
>beyond that, Ren had to explain everything to me
>I found something deeply offensive in the concept of a game with no points, no way for someone to win
>All you had to do was keep the ball in the air, and pass it to someone else
>Without using your hands
>Ren was very good, bouncing the ball up off his feet, before letting it slide down his back and then hitting it with his hip to pass it to me
>I reacted on pure instinct as it came at me
>I smashed the ball with my forehead.
>It went towards a Mirumoto, who stopped the ball with his chest, caught it on his foot, bounced it a few times, and passed it to Toritaka Kageru with a smile
>She caught the ball even while rolling her eyes
>We played for some time, and I notticed Kageru was a popular choice to pass the ball to
>After the game was over she grabbed my arm and hissed
>get me out of here!
>I looked up
>there WERE several men coming this way, who came to a halt as we made eye contact
>We walked quickly away
>I muttered to her under my breath
>What's all that about?
>Suitors. I'm so sick of it.
>I ached an eyebrow
>Hooo?
>She looked up at me
>I'm a warrior, not some housewife.
>Well, you may want to think about finding one for yourself while you've got the time..
>You mean when the time comes that I'll have to get married
>Bah. I'll be dead in battle before that happens!
>I glanced down at her out of the corner of my eye
>I thought that too, once
>She smirked at me
>For many of us it's true though, Ishagaki-senpai. You must see that you are a rare existence, a tallent seen only once a generation!
>...senpai?
>Hai, I'm trained in the Hida Ryu, not my families bushi School.
>Well still. I'm not all that special. Just tough enough that I can survive to learn from my many mistakes.
>That is a quailty more special than you are willing to admit, Senpai.
>If you say so. To me it just seems like too many young bushi are eager to see their grandparents

>>53482039
>We ate dinner with the rest of court that day
>I felt eyes on me and looked around
>I saw Shoji, but he was quite delebratly NOT looking in my direction
>One of the Shiba sitting next to him, however, was.
>I looked closer.
>And recognized Shiba Hotaru. Shiba Ayame's gunso.
>He was glaring quite openly at me
>So I scratched at my chest and mouthed 'is that all?' to him
>I timed it just right, and he coughed as his food went down the wrong pipe
>I see Shoji prefers obedience over competence in his subordinates.
>things proceded with reletive quite for a few days.
>The guessing as to what was holding up the Mantis delegation continued unabated, each guess more outlandish than the last
>At one point it was suggested the entire delegation ran afoul of an Oni one of the number summoned but could not control, though no one could find out who was the first to suggest that.
>Kitsuki-san found out that Shoji was being shunned quite a bit in this court.
>To everyone's surprise, and relief, aside from the few attendants he had brought, no one seemed to want to have anything to do with him
>The subject of Toshiro, Naomi and myself being friends with Ren became a topic of discussion as well
>Terumune assuered me that, though it wasn't much, the fact that everyone was aware the Crab COULD use that relationship was helping
>he laughed
>It's like building up an army in plain view along the border, Ishigaki-san! They know we have a trump card, so they don't press as hard, lest we feel compelled to use it!
>I see.
>Court really is all about maneuver and perception, isn't it?
>He nodded.
>Very much so.
>On the third day, I came across a Kakita yelling at my wife
>Daiko and Tetsute were hiding behind her, clinging to her kimono
>I put on my grumpy face and aproached quietly from the side
>He was to engrossed in his lecturing on proper behavior in children, and didn't notice me
>Until I stamped my foot down right next to his.

>>53482365
> I came across a Kakita yelling at my wife
aww shit nigga now you fucked up

>>53482365
>He jumped and whirled in mid air, turning to face me
>I half expected him to jump clean out of his clothes, but alas, they went with him
>He blanched as he looked up into my scarred, scowling face, going as white as his hair
>You have something to say about how my children have been raised, Crane-san?
>You...your children?
>He looked back and forth between me and Naomi
>a scarred burly giant, and a small, demure woman
>It seems he didn't expect Naomi would be married to a typical Crab
>The kind of person who is very likely to fly off the handle and hurt someone when they get upset, consequences be damned
>The kind of person who looked like he could beat the shit of an unarmed Crane with little effort
>I had seen these exact same thoughts run through many, many minds, so I could tell simply by the way he held his eyes when the last realization settled in on him
>I smiled at him
>It's time for you to fly away now, little bird. Do you need some help getting into the air?
>Ah...no, That is quite alright
>he took off, almost running
>Without looking down at the kids I spoke
>did you win?
>Yes, father!
>I knelt down and hugged them
>Good work, you two!
>They giggled, delighted at the praise
>Is this really alright, Ishigaki-kun? Won't he just go complain to someone else?
>Let them complain. It's the only thing losers can do
>Naomi blinked
>Then she looked down
>You two have gotten quite dirty. It's bath time
>Naomi took the kids off to get all cleaned up and I smiled to myself as I watched them go
>I was pleased that my children were learning their lessons well
>When a weak person is confronted with a strong one, they will gather other weak people so that numbers will turn the odds in their favor.
>The strong person must never forget how effective that is, and so the strong must watch each other's backs as well
>Daiko and Tetsute would never have won if they didn't work together
>teamwork and cooperation would keep them alive once they took up their duties

>>53482684
#crabdominance

>>53482684
Crab-dad!

>>53482684
As long as they didn't cheat, the crabs are good

>>53482684
The Crab is such a meme Clan

>>53486072
Well, that's one corrupt neckbeard spotted. Who's next?

>>53486072
Spotted a Crane.

>It's time for you to fly away now, little bird. Do you need some help getting into the air?

Absolutely savage.

>>53450498


Hey, apologies for not having posted in a while, essay deadlines have crept up on me and exams are just around the corner, and I have a tendency to procrastinate that is currently biting me in the ass

Will try to get back to posting, at least 1 post per day, until the study window comes up before the exams actually start, then i'll write as much as i can as quickly as i can

For now, I'm glad Ishigaki-san is here to continue his story

At the last Winter Court, we met... I think we called her Sleepy because a maho-tsukai had given her a charm that made her kill a Mantis(?) delegate, though we may have also called her Snake, due to losing an eye in a duel/competition due to the negligence of a Phoenix shugenja, more than likely done at the behest of Shoji? Am I thinking of two different characters? I remember her being left in a temple, training in front of an altar dedicated to Rashomon, but I don't know where she's gone from there.

so is it true they added a lesbian power couple ruling the setting for progressiveness' sake

>>53487751
That was one character, and she hasn't been heard about since then. It's doubtful she led nice life in that place.

>>53487794
Ish
While it does appeal to the more progressive crowd, the justification behind it, as far as I could tell, was keeping as close as they can or want to to oldcanon while changing certain things to make sense, such as all clan champions being the same gender as their founders
Kachiko x Hotaru is one of the points where those two things clash, and for now, we don't know quite yet if they'll handle it competently or not

As long as the LCG and eventually the RPG are good, and the newcanon adheres to the settings internal logic, who cares?

All this talk about samurai and stuff makes me want to play Shogun 2 so much.
>Date are the best

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>>53489187
>Date
>surrenders to the fucking monkey without a single fight
>runs to the tanooki at the first chance, only to be shat on even more
>best

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/l5rg/ is ded (again), so I might as well ask here: my new group was given a choice by our GM to determine the nature of our adventures. We will be part of one of the Jeweled Offices (with the party magistrate being a full-on Jeweled Magistrate) as per the following:
>Emerald Office: tasked to deal with internal threats, the party will fight traitors, criminals, dissidents, and conspiracies in a typical investigative adventure
>Obsidian Office: tasked to deal with external threats, the party will fight savage gaijins and non-humans in a combat focused adventure
>Jade Office: tasked to deal with "mundane" supernatural threats, the party will fight sorcerers, heretics, spirits, and ghosts in a spiritual fantasy adventure
>Onyx Office: tasked to deal with the not-so-mundane supernatural threats, the party will fight bloodspeakers, oni, and the Lying Darkness in a horror fantasy adventure
>Opal Office: tasked to oversee the other Jeweled Offices, the party shall bring their A-game as they will fight rouge magistrates in a social-focused adventure
I'm OK with all five, so where should I cast my vote?

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>53490193
I vote for the Emerald Office.

>>53490193
>Clan magistrate: tasked to do all of the above then get shit on when Imperial magistrates saunter in, take away your case and leave you to suffer your lord's tantrums.

>>53490193
Emerald has the most variety.

https://youtu.be/YNmXNc95ncU

>>53490193
Emerald is generally the best, tbqh.

>>53494467
Most hyped up and most unfocused, you mean.

>>53490193
Go Jade for some Skoobydoh fun.

>>53490193
Emerald a best

Does anyone have an opening in their game, or is planning to run one soon?
I have craving, a craving that only l5r game can satisfy.

>>53450498

>Many say that Go is a game for both courtiers and bushi
>Likening it to a battlefield
>Prowess in either the courtly or martial battlefield can be translated with ease
>If one has enough practice
>I had none
>And as far as I know, neither does Daidoji-san, preferring simpler games of chance for his pastimes
>Which of us would be the victor would not be a question of skill
>At least, so I thought
>My loss was an inevitability
>Daidoji-san, it seems, had spent some time practicing this game
>"Guess that practice payed off, Kakita-san
>Nevertheless, a good game"
>"Indeed.
>Good game."
>Fortunately, hiding my embarassment at losing was an easy task
>And being able to sit amongst the spectators, knowing I had at least done more than most of them, gave me something of a breather
>Whilst those more prone to gossip would find any opportunity to deal in their trade
>Most of the murmured conversations were commenting no the tactics used by those still in the tournament
>Daidoji-san, for one, seemed to grasp the game at a fairly intermediate level
>Intermediate, since he was beaten during the quarter-finals by an Akodo
>Who seemed to have master the art of Go
>Tsuruchi-san met a similar fate in the Quarter-finals
>While surprisingly Togashi-san seemed to have found a stroke of luck
>Unfortunately, his opponent in the semi-final was the same Akodo that beat Daidoji-san
>Luck can only last so long against mastery
>Only a Toku could've proved otherwise
>But from what I could tell, none of the Minor Clans seemed to have one presitigous enough this year to attend the Summer Court
>So it came to nobody's surprise when the Akodo won the Go tournament
>At least, one whose clan had no association with the Heroes of Rokugan finally won one of the courtly contests

>>53499489
Shonen levels aren't high enough

>>53500538
Non-monkies are only meh-tier Shonen protags at best.

page 9 bump

>>53499489
I'm going to guess that the Akodo has something to do with the Crane's death

>>53505228
Safe bet, I think

Plot twist: mysterious Sensei of Crane-sama is a Shoji.
And he is really in fact maho-tsukai. And a powerful one.

>>53507631
I hope not. I would've seen that coming a long while ago

>>53482684
>The Mantis delegation finally arrived, causing quite a stir
>A lean man who introduced himself as Yoritomo Haruzume apologized for their delay
>We got caught up in a small fight with some bandits, but we're here now.
>Kakita Ren's could not conceal his surpise at this news
>Bandits?
>Yes, Kakita-sama. We have a letter from the Clan magistrate who dealt with them
>The Karo took the proffered letter from Haruzume and read it
>Then he passed it to Ren, who read it in turn
>I see, then on behalf of the Crane Clan allow to me extend my thanks for your timely assistance in this matter.
>Harumune struck his fist into his palm
>Ah, yes! We were not alone in offering aid!
>As he spoke to people came up from the back of the delgation
>They wore simple brown kimono, straw coats and hats
>Ronin, by the look of them
>Allow me to introduce Osako and Ayame, from the Disciples of Sun Tao ronin band.
>Osako was a tall man, with broad shoulders. He held a piece of straw in his teeth.
>And his left arm was missing.
>Ayame was...
>It was Shiba Ayame.
>She wore a strip of red silk to cover her missing eye, and had a new scar on her chin, but it was definitely her.
>Our gazes met as she looked around the room, and she smiled briefly in recognition.
>So, she really had sought out the Disciples of Sun Tao...
>Had she known that Hotaru would be here?
>Either way, they were both here now.
>It was only a matter of time then, until one of them died.
>I looked around, and saw Hotaru
>he had recognized her as well
>But he was just staring blankly, I couldn't see any hint of what he was thinking.
>Shoji was standing near Hotaru
>He didn't show the slightest recognition at all.
>I wouldn't put it past the man to have forgotten her completely.
>I caught Ayame's eye one last time, and flicked my gaze toward a door out to a garden
>She nodded
>After the Mantis finished talking with Ren my friends and I made our way out there to meet with her

>>53509735
Sleepy-chan returns!

>>53509735
>Monkey was the first to congragtulate her
>You did it! Good work!
>Have you learned the Gaze?
>I have, yes.
>She scratched at the scar on her chin
>I was a bit overconfident when I first learned it, but I have mastered myself since then.
>Kitsuki-san spoke up
>So then, I take it your friend here is to act as your second?
>A few steps ahead of the rest of us, as usual
>Osako nodded.
>Yeah. That's right.
>I gave Osako an apraisng look
>His once fine clothes were in bad shape, he'd clearly been a wave man for a while.
>Under the tears I could see several scars. He might be as scarred as me.
>And of course, the wound that took his arm.
>He looked to be a year or two older then me, though his hard living might be throwing my guess off
>Even Ayame had aged more than she should have in the time since I had seen her last
>For his part, he returned my look
>After a moment he spoke
>Damn, you're huge aren't you?
>No, I'm normal. You're just too small
>HAH!
>He pulled a gourd off his belt, uncorked it with his teeth, and took a deep drink before offering it to me
>I took a drink as well
>It was shochu.
>Hard liquor, stronger even then Sake.
>I glanced down at his daisho
>So, it looked to me like his priorities for spending what coin he earned were his weapons, food, alcohol, and clothes, shelter and bathing with whatever was left after those first three.
>How do you still fight like that?
>Eh?
>I gestured to his arm as I passed the gourd back
>Oh, katanas can be used with one hand...
>The Dragon do it all the time, you know?
>yeah, but they have something in the other one...
>He shrugged.
>It's just a matter of getting inside your opponents mind, really. Most people underestimate me when the see this wound.
>I nodded.
>Yeah, that makes sense. Capitlizing on your opponents mistakes is just as good a way to win as any other
>He grinned at me
>Damn straight
>He took another drink before he set the gourd down, so he could smack the cork back in

>>53509838
>Osako looked at all of us
>On behalf of the Disciples of Sun Tao, I would like to thank you all for telling her to come to us
>Ayame-chan has been an invaluable addition to our little band
>He bowed his head
>Naomi spoke to Ayame then
>Will you rejoin the Clan when... when your business is done?
>I do not know, Naomi-sama
>Honestly, I find myself content with the Disciples...
>There are tough times, sure. I have gone several days without food before and likely will again.
>But there is a freedom, away from any superiors in a Clan.
>Monkey spoke up
>Speaking of business, how did you know Hotaru is here?
>Ayame looked at him sharply
>He IS?
>uh, did you not see him earlier? He was in the room...
>No. No I did not.
>I thought we were going to have to go to the Pheonix lands, back to Shoji's castle, to find him.
>Yeah, no. He's here. With Shoji, too.
>Ayame's face settled into stony neutrality
>...Really? Both of them?
>Oi. You're not going to able to get to Shoji, so stop thinking about it
>She looked at me in surprise
>I know. His rank shields him from my blade.
>you do not need to worry about me, Ishigaki-sama. I am well aware of my own limitations.
>I just wonder what it will take for the Pheonix to stop trusting that man, is all.
>My guess is the crap he pulled at the last court.
>Eh?
>He's not part of the delegation; he came on his own.
>EH?
>Mantis-san grumbled
>Tell me about it.

>>53509984
>I didn't have much to do the next few days.
>Everyone else was engaged in the goings on at court, working on behalf of their respective clans
>Back and forth negotiations, tallying the value of the battlefield victories, giving back lands taken, offering rice, dyes, stone, lumber, in exchange for lands lost.
>Conspiring with other Clans to preassure one Clan from different sides, making things seem like they are worth more or less then they are
>Trying to uncover other Clans secret alliances, and disrupt them.
>Things I never had a taste for.
>Looming could only get me so far, and my face made polite conversation strained under even the best of circumstances
>Of course, there was no delegation from the Monkey Clan for Satoshi to work for, so he was also free to roam about
>So he did what he always did without a minder at court
>Tried to be everyone's friend, completely oblivious to the atmosphere of this place, and equally oblivious to how annoying the courtiers found him.
>I enjoyed watching his antics. It was like a comedic play
>And the experince of watching coutiers faces for signs of their inner thoughts might help
>I would never be as good as Kitsuki-san at reading others, but I might still be of some use.
>He couldn't be everywhere, after all.
>One morning I opened our door to head out for breakfast, and almost tripped on the body of Lion
>Laying out in the floor, half naked, and snoring loudly, was Ikoma Masahira.
>Head of the Lion delegation.
>I could smell the sake, even all the way up here
>I scowled and nudged him with my foot
>uhhrm. Ugh. Ngggh.
>I nudged him a bit harder
>he swatted at my foot and rolled over
>I kicked him
>gently
>That woke him up, and elicited a string of epithets as well.
>He blinked in confusion as he looked around the hallway
>A bit too much sake, Ikoma-san?
>Eh? Urmm. Yes... yes. Too much sake.
>You might want to get dressed before someone else sees you like that,
>He looked down at himself
>Ah. yes. Yes thank you

>>53510180
Looks like someone is following in the steps of his ancestor

>>53510478
If he was, he would also with a half-naked geisha in hand.

>>53510180
I can't help but think that if Ishigaki had permanent markers he'd have drawn whiskers on the Ikoma's face.

Now I kinda want a modern L5R setting.

>>53511885
>Now I kinda want a modern L5R setting.
Rokugan 2000 exists.

>>53511507
>Only in one hand
If Ikoma were alive he'd duel you right away.

>>53512272
Ikoma? Duel? Ha! More like beat you senseless with his bare hands/whatever he had on hand at the time.

>>53512272
Ikoma would only have the geisha in one hand, because his other hand would have a samurai-ko/peasant girl/entire keg of booze/been broken because he grabbed a Matsu by the tits; delete as appropriate.

>>53512272
Well, because in his OTHER hand is a sword. He can beat anyone with his only hand while sipping his drink and\or banging a girl much, much younger than him.

He is very different from a whole Lion's "prim and proper soldier with a boner for a rituals" stereotype.

time for a bump

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>>53509735
>Ayame

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>>53516021

>>53517789
too many eyes

At a court in Dragon lands commemorating a marriage of a Mirumoto to an Otomo bride, during a private conversation with the bride Scorpion threw a ring at her.
How fucked is he?

>>53517959
Depends on a lot of factors, including their relative rank, alliances or potential alliances between the clans/families, how many other samurai were present (with the husband being a big increase on the fucked scale, because he'd have to step in to defend her honor to save face), and how drunk he can claim to be.

>>53518281
Only her servants saw that. Alliances are unknown. She is rather high-standing, he is of the standart Glory/Status for a starting char.

>>53518327
oh shit, he's a starting character? He's fucked

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>>53517930
PUNISHED AYAME
a fallen legend

>>53517959
Is the Scorpion's family backing him up in this attempt to steal the Dragon's bride? It's just barely possible that they are, publicly or not, supporting this endeavor to stir up some shit and might be able to grease the situation well enough to lead to open tension between the Scorpion and Dragon families of which the individual is a relatively minor note.

If he doesn't have any backing on this and he just went off on a mad fit of twu wuv, the best he can possibly hope for is that the Otomo agrees to never mention it again. If he insists on going forward with his plan then as soon as it goes public he's in for some bad fucking times. First of all, he's got no real leg to stand on for trying to secure the girl. Does she even like him? That could help, but not much. He could try to talk his way into dueling for her but at that point he's a starting Scorpion(bushi?) trying to duel a Mirumoto who's important enough to marry an Imperial.

Now even if he somehow succeeds in marrying the girl his family has to deal with the consequences. Unless he arranges the marriage with an astonishing amount of social deftness, the Otomo will almost certainly be quite unhappy about having their precious arranged marriage spoiled by some Scorpion idiot. And no amount of verbal grease will make the Dragon happy about losing the chance to make ties with an Imperial family. So that marriage makes enemies of the Imperials and the Dragon, two clans that the Scorpion typically try NOT to piss off. If the family ever even learns about his little stunt with the ring, he's blackballed out of ever getting any responsibilities of any measure of importance. If his antics actually CAUSE any of these problems, the best he can hope for is being expelled as a ronin, more likely his seppuku will be demanded and the girl returned to the Otomo. He PROBABLY doesn't end up in Traitor's Grove, unless he was specifically told NOT to cause problems with this wedding.

>>53518794
What if he physically threw the ring at the Otomo?

>>53519139
What if that ring was also made of jade?
What if the girl picked it up and put it on?
What if this caused the girl to detect the taint in her fiancee?
What if everything went just as planned? It wasn't

>>53519139
>he
Oh. For a moment there, I thought it was a female scorpion throwing the ring at the male Dragon.
Why on hearth would _anyone_ fall in love with an Otomo?

>>53519551
The woman can wear seven kimonos at once, that's nothing to sneeze at.

>>53519472
Ah but the scorpion claimed it did, he is a courtier btw.

>>53519551
She's beautiful and a beast in combat... but you would probably only know if she attacked you.

>>53520893
Then let the Otomo duel him for the insult he gave her

>>53521309
In the end, turns out that Otomo's husband was actually tainted and hiding it... so she ended him. The party got there in time to find her leaning on the staff she'd used to stab the shit out of her former fiance.

So yeah... all's well that ends well, except we still have to deal with the fallout of all this.

>>53521512
Well, at least it can't get any worse. Right?

>>53521811
Still has to deal with trying to ruin her wedding

Is Ikoma anon still here, getting the screencaps?

Bump from ninth page..

>>53521811
It's a romance drama in Asian setting. Of course it will go wrong and worse. Much worse, in fact.

There is no happy endings in pointless, over complicated romance drama of Rokugan, where you can't really know who loves who, and who you should fuck, and who you shouldn't.
It's like watching a soap operas, but with katanas. Entertaining only if you know what the fuck is going on.

>>53530128
There have been happy endings to rokugani love-stories before. Doji Barahime, for example, had a (relatively) happy ending to her romance; she knew that the best way to deal with the drama of an affair was to cover it up with even more drama to keep it hidden.

>>53530238
Well, I couldn't say "go to a monastery after your love interest die" is a happy ending.
Then again, it's not a seppuku after a grave dishonor, so I don't know. Bittersweet, I guess.

>>53530464
No, I don't think you get it. It's not that he died, it's that he died of OLD AGE. Do you know how rare that is?
It's a happy ending for any story in Rokugan if it ends in death by old age, instead of death by Oni or death by hubris.

>>53530464
Also how else would it end?
They live forever?
Monastery is just the closing chapter of a good life

>>53530719
>death by hubris

Just wait, might have some extra time this afternoon

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Crabs have best waifus

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>>53532686
True, but not that effete wall leaner.

>>53533020
>effemminate
>Hida O-Ushi
Pick one

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>>53533085
Precisely, but I did not say effeminate.

>>53533308
I want to topple this wall, if you what I mean.

>>53533308
>effete
It's close enough tho.

But you probably didn't realize it, just as you did not realize that >>53532686 depicts a young O-Ushi when you wrote that comment.

I want to cuck a Crane, wat do?

>>53535047
>Set about an elaborate seduction to lure in the cranes SO
>Reach the night where-in you consummate the seduction
>Undo their kimono
>Realise it was the crane all along
>Find out they already called the guards to arrive to make it look like you were assaulting them
>Get beheaded and known as a lover of your own gender to the detriment of your own clan.
>Your parents commit sudoku in shame

>>53518483
Nice, but she have a gaze of red silk to mask her missing orbit.

>>53535502
fine.
I want a SUCCESSFULLY cuck a Crane, wat do?

>>53536822
Beat him at his own game in front of the eyes of your target. Bonus points if he gets dishonored along the way.

>>53536938
At his own game, huh?
Oh, i know! I will duel him! What could possibly can go wrong, right?

>>53537000
Just get a champion. There is always a duelist who takes the job for glory sake.

>>53535502
>known as a lover of your own gender to the detriment of your own clan.

You know they don't really care about what gender you fuck, right?

Besides, samurai always knew that fucking men is manlier than fucking women.

>>53537755
If you are not a bottom, sure, its a manlier. But if everybody knows you are fuccboi, its a very, very shameful

>>53538647
I'm pretty sure its common culture for Cranes though.

>>53538813
>cranes
>not scorpions

>>53538647
But in that particular situation it's obvious that you were not the bottom since you were doing the molesting.

>>53538904
If this said Crane is worth his rice, he can spin a story that you was molested.

>>53539025
If he is truly worth his rice, he would never, ever got seduced after all.

>>53539025
He can spin any story he likes. I simply state that he invited me. It becomes my word versus his. With no witness of higher rank to testify against me, I walk scott free.

>>53540328
>inb4 you get dueled

>>53540750
Cranes can't into a duel. That is a well known fact.

>>53541020
Isn't dueling like, their specific thing?

>>53541020
It's exactly as you said. And Scorpions do not employ ninjas.

>>53541420
Ninjas doesn't exist, b-baka !

>>53541452
That's what I just said.

>>53499489

>Evening came, and with i, that all important debriefing with Doji Tatsuki
>And I was made aware of something quite concerning
>Something that might put uneasy tension between myself and Daidoji-san
>An act that I simply could not comprehend
>That went against everything I had learned

>Daidoji-san picked a Spider to court, betroth, and eventually wed

>The Crane had certain goals pertaining to the Spider Clan, true
>And this would be great in cementing the alliance that had loosened after the failure that had been the Progressive movement
>And I must admit, Daigotsu Hotoke had swayed my opinion of his clan through his seemingly honorable behavior
>But I could not shake my father's prejudice against the followers of Fu Leng
>And now, knowing that Daidoji-san would marry someone whose very honor was constantly in question
>Would I still be able to trust him?

>Another unfortunate bit of news was that Tsuruchi-san did not pick the Doji that had been handpicked for him
>Even though the Crane could already lay claim to kinship to 3 of the Heroes of Rokugan
>Adding this last one to the ... collection would put our clan's prestige quite a step above the others
>Or at least, would have
>Doji Tatsuki is not too worried, however
>She tasks me, on the morrow, to go to him, and have a word with him
>See if I cannot convince him to reconsider
>As someone he trusts
>Of course, I'd do my best
>It would be in his best interests to marry a Crane
>Out of respect for his companions
>And for what that would mean for his clan
>While the topic of arranging marriages was in the air, I told Doji-no-kimi my decision regarding my betrothal to Isawa Kitao
>I would accept her fathers offer, and have the betrothal annulled
>So that I may be betrothed to someone more in line with my current fame
>Doji-no-kimi smiled, but I could tell some sadness behind it
>Replying that she'd make sure the other clans would be able to present suitable bride offers as soon as possible

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back to page 1 with you!

>>53534391
It isn't for the purpose of the topic, I did, and I disagree that Argyle does pre-existing strong samurai women well.

You have to be a special kind of bait/moron to suggest otherwise when all three pics are of O-Ushi.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHjd9t-jY6o

>>53510180
>Kituski-san was teaching me to play go
>He had adapted his training methods to match my own.
>That is to say, he set up a go board and told me to place a peice. If I placed it in the wrong spot, he smaked me over the head with a bokken
>I stared at the board, arms folded and grumbling
>This is harder than it looks
>Of course it is, Ishigaki-san
>Go takes minutes to learn, and a lifetime to master
>I hovered my hand over the board
>When I heard his clothes rustle I place the peice in a different spot
>He smacked me
>twice
>What the hell? why twice?!
>Once was for placing it in the wrong spot, the second was for trying to trick me into revelaing where the right spot was
>So where the hell was it?
>The place you were going to put it.
>...You're a real bastard, you know that?
>Thank you
>He swept up the peices and started setting up another puzzle for me to get wrong
>That's when Yoritomo Haruzume approached us
>He bowed in greeting
>Kitsuki Daigo? I have both a gift and a message for you, from Moshi Aoi
>3 bu on the gift being rice balls stuffed with ninjas
>The Mantis held out a samishan
>I handed Kitsuki-san 3 bu
>What is this for?
>I bet it was going to be riceballs with ninja filling
>I was wrong. No place for a ninja to hide inside a samishan
>Behind it maybe, but not IN it
>Well, you should have known that Mantis can't get ninja filling anyway
>yeah
>Haruzume blinked, staring at the both of us
>Kitsuki-san went through the three refusals then took the samishan
>And the message?
>Aoi wishes to apologize for making you uncomfortable with her attempt at courtship
>She was also saddened to hear of Bayushi Amano's death, and extends her condolences
>It is her hope that the two of you can still be friends, and that you will one day allow her to play a song for you on that samishan
>I rolled my eyes behind Kitsuki-san's back
>Aoi was being entirely too polite
>I was expeting something more like 'if you prefer the company of men you could have just said so'

>>53540750
Pshaw. I laugh at his flustered attempt to bait me into a duel, apologize for mistaking him for a woman (too much sake Crane-san, you understand), and am on my way.

>>53545762
It's gonna explode or slice him to bits as soon as he plays it like in Kung-Fu Hustle

>>53545762
I swear to god, if Kitsuki refuses the waifu for a SECOND time...

>>53545762
>a KYAAaaaaah! got our attention
>Kitsuki-san and I, used to that sort of thing, ran over to see what crime had been commited
>We passed by Ayame, storming away in a huff
>And then saw Ikoma Masahira, with a bright red palm print on his cheek
>He grinned at us and waggled his eyebrows
>Fiesty!
>I had a sudden urge to toss Naomi into a sack and hide her in the back of a closet
>And maybe Daiko as well
>Kitsuki-san and I exchanged a look, then went back to the go board
>I had quite the headache by the time the lesson was over
>At dinner that evening the conversation was a bit lighter then I expected
>It would seem everyone was taking a break from the harsh buisiness of stabbing each other in the back, and just intent on enjoying a meal
>It was durring a lull in the conversation that some poor souls stomach decided to gurgle loudly enough to shock even the souls in meido
>Of course everyone looked around for the offender
>If I had to guess, it would be Soshi Mariko, since her face had gone as red as her Kimono
>E-excuse me please..
>She stood up quickly, and ran as best she could from the room
>The tiny steps allowed her by her kimono made that quite hilarious
>Too everyone's credit, no one laughed out loud
>But more than few were making the trying not to laugh face
>I thought nothing more of it, until I was heading to the baths after dinner
>And found Mariko sprawled out on the floor just outside the women's baths, sweating and feverish
>I knelt down, and checked on her
>She was very sick
>I scooped her up and ran with her to Toshiro
>What the...?
>She's sick. Feverish.
>Damn, hang on
>Toshiro fished out his scroll and prayed to Jurojin
>Then blinked
>He got out another scroll
>And stared, dumbfounded at her
>What is it?
>This illness, it's very strong.
>It IS illness, not poison, but it's so potent that even with my magic it's still overwhelming her body's resistance...
>My eyes widened.
>could this be a new plague?

>>53546157
o shit

>>53546157
>Well, she's the only one whose sick so far... so I can't say.
>He got out another scroll
>As he finished that prayer her panting became less labored
>Well, THAT worked at least
>Monkey hopped up
>I'm going to go get the Scorpion
>Naomi started to come over
>I held out a hand
>No, you should stay back
>What?
>You have enough problems with your health as is, Hana-chan.
>You should stay well away from anyone who gets sick, and leave this to Toshiro
>Naomi glared at me.
>Then pulled a scroll out, and very deliberatly walked over to add her own magic to aid the Scorpion.
>Well.
>I had wanted her to become more independent.
>Just not THAT independent.
>I scracthed my head
>Now I was going to be up all night worrying about her
>I should have know telling Naomi NOT to offer aid to someone would only make her upset.
>Mantis-san sniggered
>Oh shut up.
>I gave Naomi a hug as an apology
>She squeezed my arm to accept it
>Monkey came back with several Scorpion
>guys, this is Bayushi Koretora, head of the Scorpion delegation
>Koretora bowed to us
>Several Scorpion bent over and scooped up Mariko
>Thank you all for taking care of her. We shall see to her well being now.
>He bowed again and left
>Well, that was aburpt
>Kituski-san just shook his head
>I've spoken with him a few times. He does not speak much, but when he does his words often carry great weight.
>Ah.

>>53546409
Not fishy at all...

>>53546979
It's a Maho induced plague.

>>53546157
Ishigaki is just too kind. The Scorpion Clan is out to get him, after all. Mariko could have been tasked with killing him, and only the magical dysenteria had saved his life.

>>53545484
I couldn't care less about the artist, my point was that O-Ushi is a pretty great woman and not effete like you said. Since you disagree you're a moron.

>>53546029
You know, some people don't want waifus in theit game.

>>53549698
Check your projection status; it's currently set to home cinema.

>I couldn't care less about the artist
Then you should stop talking before you embarrass yourself further. The whole discussion is about Argyle's art vs O-Ushi's other art.

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>>53549450
Naomi's influence, I'll bet.

>>53549861
Bitch, you're not my girlfriend so you don't get to put words in my mouth.

>literally no u reply
Careful anon, your autism is showing

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>>53550392
If you say so, anon, but you're arguing on a Filipino milk curdling board about what another anon meant when they used the word 'effete' to describe Steve Argyle's O-Ushi artwork.

Argyle has done some amazing L5R work, but maintaining the strength of presence O-Ushi and Kachiko are known for has not been one of them.

>Be me.
>Be Kitsuki Magistrate
>Kitsuki Maruo, to be precise
>Rumors of proscribed gaijin items being sold locally has us in some shitheel eta slum down by the waterfront.
>Everything reeks of fish, which is saying a lot for Rokugan
>Chasing leads, chasing rumors, chasing perps--finally we get to the warehouse
>Because I'm the only duly appointed magistrate in the party, I take the front door
>Everyone else takes positions at possible exits
>Knock knock, open up the door, it's real
>Scruffy eta is pointing some kind of iron pipe at me
>I'm not scared of pipes. I point my jitte and say "In the name of the Emerald Throne, stand aside."
>"What's it to you, Dragon? Ain't nothing here so you'd best move along."
>"Step aside, citizen. I won't ask you again."
>He points the pipe more insistently, finger resting on a hooked mechanism underneath the pipe.
>I look at the tension in his hand, the set of his eyes. What does he expect to accomplish pointing this thing at me?
>"You leave me no choice. By the power vested in me by the Imperial majesty of"--BLAM.
>When I come to the warehouse is taken care of, perps arrested or killed, and I have a small lead ball trinket that doubles as a lucky charm once it's removed from my shoulder.
>And then we got sent to New Rokugan

>>53550392
>>53549861
>>53549698
>>53545484
Both of you are autistic faggots, stop shitting up the thread

>>53550811
>"You leave me no choice. By the power vested in me by the Imperial majesty of"--BLAM.
>When I come to the warehouse is taken care of, perps arrested or killed, and I have a small lead ball trinket that doubles as a lucky charm once it's removed from my shoulder.
kek

>And then we got sent to New Rokugan
Did you get shot some more, magistrate-sama?

>>53550852

The good news is that I never got shot again by filthy gaijin trickery. The bad news is that the long grasses of New Rokugan are just filthy with ravening tigers, bandits, and Yodotai scouts.

>>53550996

Oh, and everything edible is made of buckwheat. I'm sick to death of buckwheat. Please send rice, honorable reader.

>>53551005
>buckwheat
This is most distressing indeed. Unfortunately, I cannot spare any rice this year: otherwise I won't have enough for myself this year.

Why were you sent to New Rokugan, magistrate-sama?

>>53541966

>I did not know how Doji-no-kimi felt about me
>Was it love?
>Infatuation?
>A brief summer fling?
>All I do know is that my fame and standing made me an important asset to the clan
>My hand in marriage could now easily indluence our relationship with another clan
>I was too important to marry off within the clan
>And Doji-no-kimi too high in station for someone like me
>Even if she felt as I felt, if what I felt was even...
>Nothing could be between us without it turning into one of those tragedies on forbidden love
>We looked at each other, both seeing that the other knew
>I bowed
>Thanked her for all she did
>Promised I would have a word with Tsuruchi-san
>And left
>As I retreat to my chambers, I take a seat, pour myself some tea, and write
>The most beautiful haiku I had ever penned
>My heart, my soul was bared in this
>The truest expression of art
>Too beautiful for such a cruel world
>I could think no different as I held it over the flame of the candle

>As morning came, I once more went to the Grand Courtroom
>As soon as I saw him, I approached Isawa Kinen
>To inform him of my decision
>Doing it this publicly would lessen the amount of work Doji-no-kimi had to do in informing the other Clans
>Isawa-san was noticeably saddened, almost disappointed by my decision
>But he accepted it graciously
>He had offered that choice freely, after all
>Now all I had to do was wait
>That done, I went to find Tsuruchi-san
>He was gossiping with a trio of women from various clans
>The bridal offer of the Crane among them
>As I approached, I could already overhear the other two women trying to convince him to change his mind
>That their Doji friend would be the perfect choice for him
>It looks like my work was already partway done
>"Excuse me, ladies, I would wish to have a word with my companion"
>The Doji woman caught my eye, understanding why I was here
>"Come along, girls, let the men talk"
>As they left, Tsuruchi-san sighed out if relief

>>53551689
>all these courtiers meddling in the affairs of the barely-adult heroes
Rokugan, everyone!

>>53551828
I wanted to remind my group that the game wasn't all about skirmishes and investigations and give a bit more importance to non-combat skills.
I inserted as many different scenarios as possible in the campaign so that my players can decide which direction/style the follow-up will have.
None of them had ever played L5R before, giving me a lot of freedom with the characters I could use.

>>53552188
I was just the Dragon monk doing whatever felt right at the moment.

>>53552657
Was?
You still are by all accounts.

>>53552951
Yeah, I guess togashi-san drinks too much sugar...

>>53553076
Enlightenment's a hell of a drug. also divine blood tattoos

>>53546409
>That night, I laid awake beside Naomi, staring up at the ceiling
>Like I thought, I couldn't sleep
>too woried about Naomi's health
>Tsuyosa decided to wake up and fuss, so I could have something else to worry about
>I scooped him up
>What's the matter, little one? Hungry?
>I held a finger near his mouth, and he did indeed latch on to it
>I see, but mommy is asleep right now.
>hang on just a bit, okay?
>I carried Tsuyosa out of our room in search of a kitchen
>Even late at night, there were still servents bustling about tending to the castle
>I stopped one and got what I needed.
>a small bowl of sweet rice paste
>I sat down beside a pond, feeding Tsuyosa and starring at the moon reflected in the water
>When he at last turned his head away from the profferd food I set him down and let him spalsh in the water.
>For some reason, my shoulders were aching, and I rolled them around to relive it
>cough
>I looked down, almost in panic when he gave off his little cough
>he looked up at me, wide eyed
>then he splashed me
>I put my head in my hand
>So now YOU'RE going to start being a trouble maker?
>As if the other two weren't enough...
>I took off my wet top, squezzing and twisting it to wring it out
>Ohhh, there you are. I've been meaning to talk to you, Ishigaki-kun
>My blood turned to ice
>I see, a midnight snack for my grandson, is it?

>>53554488
Maho-tsukai
Oni, zombies, Scorpions
Keep blood hot, but you...

>>53554488
>-kun?
>he called me Ishigaki-KUN?
>That would be normal, if Shoji were a normal father in law
>But it was terrifying coming from that snake
>And he had acknowledged Tsuyosa?
>He had all but disowned Naomi for her disobedience in marrying me, now this?
>Why?
>Why?
>I looked at him, silhouetted in the moonlight
>He eyes reflected the pond, two pools of light in his shadowed face
>There was only one thing I could think that would capture his attention
>One thing that would explain this behavior
>But it was impossible
>We only just found out about Tsuyosa before this trip...
>He couldn't know
>Shoji chuckled
>You still are bad at concealing your thoughts Ishigaki-kun.
>Hooo? He's getting a bit close to the edge there.
>I looked back, and picked Tsuyosa up
>Truly, it only takes a second of inattention when they are so small.
>Sometimes even when they should know better...
>I held Tsuyosa closer
>...
>Nothing to say to me, Ishigaki-kun?
>Ah, you must be worried about giving something away.
>Don't be
>He was still standing with the moon behind him, face still hidden in shaddow.
>Shoji smilled then, white teeth breaking the shadow
>I know everything about him already.
>Well, I don't know his name yet.
>What is it?
>I replied without thinking
>Tsuyosa
>Ahh, that is a fine name. Yes, even I could not think of a better one.
>What the hell do you want?
>Ishigaki-kun, your suspicon hurts me.
>I only wish to see my grandson
>My tallented grandson, who carries the Hida's affinity for earth and my families own bloodline within him
>How did he know?
>No, Naomi has not written in some time.
>But I am a Pheonix, and a Lord. I can have VERY accurate divination's preformed whenever I wish.
>You... You came here just because of Tsuyosa, didn't you?
>That is true, in a sense.
>I'll ask you again, Shoji.
>What. Do. You. Want?
>From you? Nothing.
>From your Clan though...
>I am prepared to offer many gifts if they will but allow me to train my Grandson as an Earth Tensai.

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>>53554716
>I am prepared to offer many gifts if they will but allow me to train my Grandson as an Earth Tensai.

>>53554716
That son of a whore...
Hida is where he belongs,
Not this jive turkey!

>>53554716
Crab daddy be strong.

>>53554716
>Tensai
>The word carried with it the understanding that one who bore it was a master of their element
>No Tamori, no Kuni could match an Earth Tensai
>No Agasha could match a Fire Tensai
>No Kitsu could match a Water Tensai
>It was a preposterous as a Scorpion falling for someone else's tricks, a Kakita being defeated in an Iaijutsu duel, or an Akodo leading an army into a crushing defeat.
>The Pheonix guarded the Tensai school as closely as the Unicorn guarded the Utaku bred steeds.
>It would not be an exageration to say that Clans would kill to get one of their number trained as a Tensai
>And if Shoji was willing to offer gifts, instead of demanding them...
>I should have killed him long ago
>I couldn't risk it now, with a handfull of baby
>...did that sneaky bastard trick me into picking up my son, just so I wouldn't try to kill him when I heard his plan?
>Had he always been this clever, or was I just really good at pissing him off?
>yes, that is a good look Ishigaki-kun
>You see? While I can admit that you have given me more trouble than anyone else in my life, the proper order of things has finaly won out.
>He laughed then
>I made you a promise, long ago.
>Do you remember?
>I do.
>He turned at left me, shivering and clutching my son

>>53554891
Time to prepare to commit protest seppuku in case your clan does the stupides thing ever and hands over Tsuyosa to that son of Fu Leng

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>>53554891

>>53554891
>Chikusho
>Chikusho
>Chikusho
>I almost ran back to our room
>Tsuyosa could sense my distress, and squirmed in my arms
>No. No damnit no.
>I won't let him have you, Tsuyosa
>Not after what he did to Naomi, to Ashitaka
>I might even believe that Hohiro could have been a decent person, if Shoji hadn't raised him in his own image...
>Shoji would have Tsuyosa over my dead body
>...which, I had to admit, may be possible...
>What he was suggesting was unprecedented.
>I'd never heard of the Phoenix wanting so badly to train a memeber of another clan as a Tensai, I only knew how coveted that training was...
>I could very well be ordered to give my son up to him.
>Damn. My mind kept spinning in circles, going over the same things again and again
>I shook my head, yelling at myself
>CALM DOWN YOU IDIOT
>I took several deep breaths, forcing myself to relax, to chase away the thoughts clouding my judgment.
>It wasn't working very well.
>Shoji had lodged himself firmly in my head
>It was like I was staring at one of Kitsuki-san's go puzzles
>The wrong move result in pain
>What was the right move?
>Damnit, I'm too stupid to see it!
>...Kistuki-san's go puzzles.
>Of course
>It doesn't matter if I'm too stupid to see the right move.
>I have smart friends.
>I rocked Tsuyosa to sleep, sitting beside Naomi, and waited for the dawn to come

>>53554891
>No Kuni could match an Earth Tensai
I feel as though Toshiro would beg to differ.

>>53555247
Ishigaki is probably just quoting the generally held beliefs of the Empire. He also mentioned Kakita losing in duels, Akodo suffering crushing military defeats, and Scorpion falling for deceptions - all things that happen (and he has even witnessed) but are commonly viewed as impossible or unthinkable by Rokugan at large.

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>>53555147
Sometimes, when I think about Kitsuki-san I remember pic related

>>53555349
Yeah, they all have advantages, but those advantages only tip the scale when all else is equal.

>>53555147
C'mon, Ishigaki-san! What you need to do is take away Shoji's ability to offer gifts. He's in bad standing with his own clan, capitalize on that.

You could even do better and arrange your son being trained as a tensai by someone else, saving him and slapping Shoji in the face in one move.

>>53554716
Called it!

>>53555147
>Of course
>It doesn't matter if I'm too stupid to see the right move.
>I have smart friends.

This is fucking amazing

>>53557096
But true. In the l5r game I'm in, I made an Akodo Bushi who is fresh out of Gempukku, because I am still fairly ignorant of the lore and everything. Then I took an ally courtier who I can turn to for the most dire court situations in which I cannot do things on my own anymore.

It's a pretty gud safety net, in my opinion.

>>53555944
THIS

shoji already gave his approval, make sure the son is NOT trained by him.

>>53558024
good move for a new player

I have no clue why, but I feel Shoji is gonna due here.

The crab graciously accept the offer for the child to be trained as a tensai. Then Shoji is found bludgeoned to death.

But ishigaki didn't do it, although he is the OBVIOUS suspect. And so THEY have an easy out to in the least try and frame Crab-san. Possibly the whole party.

Or maybe the scorpion are behind it.

Or maybe I am completely off my rocker.

>>53560262
It might be that the scorpion abducts Tsuyosa in order to further strain the relation between Shoji and Ishigaki, to try and get them to kill each other in a subtle way.

Another thing that could happen would be that Kitsuki tells Ishigaki to smuggle himself and his family out of Rokugan via Barrel.

>>53560262
Scorps already said that Crab-sama's family wouldn't be touched. That extends to Shoji since he is family, even if they hate each other. Hell, they may keep Shoji alive to torment Crab-sama.

>>53560821
>Another thing that could happen would be that Kitsuki tells Ishigaki to smuggle himself and his family out of Rokugan via Barrel.

I don't think that's going to happen.

>page 8
>when things are getting this interesting

Oh no you don't.

Crab-san's a tease
His cliffhangers turn me Gray
Please post again soon

>>53562572
>>53563314
Riveting.

Dumb question, but have the gaijin ever actually attacked rokugan in mass or anything?

I am still new to the setting but it seems like a bit of an issue if any decently sized force of gaijin attacked with gunpowder weapons.

Or is it handwaved?

Shoji deserves whats coming to him.

A bump from page nine
In haiku to annoy you
Why? Because I can

>>53564996
They attacked once and that's why gaining and their items are banned. Took the Empress' (Who happened to be the most popular Emperor since the Shining Prince himself) head clean off with a cannon.

>>53565212
Gaijin*

>>53565212
>that's why gaining and their items are banned
Not banned. They're still within the emerald charter as being allowed to request travel documents from an emerald magistrate. It's just highly unlikely that any given gaijin could find their way to such a meeting without being attacked on sight. If they did, however ...

>>53565455
They'd still be attacked on sight because it's an imperial edict direct from an emperor's mouth. An Emerald magistrate would have to leave the empire and work out the details, or at least shout across the border, for that to take effect.

>>53565501
And then that magistrate would have to explain why they thought going out of their way to give a dirty, dangerous, and almost certainly blasphemous barbarian travel papers was a good idea.

Ok, this raises even more questions since from what little I know gaijin I don't think they count as people in the celestial order.

Do they just reincarnate as filthy gaijin over and over? Are they automatically tainted? How do they deal with Maho and Oni and all that?

And why on earth did they let the Unicorn back in if gaijin aren't people and they have a little gaijin blood?

>>53565572
No one in Rokugan knows how gaijin and the afterlife interact. They are not automatically Tainted. Taint is a specific spiritual blight. They can become tainted just like anything else, however.

The Unicorn having left Rokugan on a mission, having Rokugani blood, and the implied support of the Kami that led them out in the first place overides their gaijin blood.

>>53565674
The Unicorn also had the implied support of the Kami Dojo, and the actual support of the Crane and Crab clans (after the Crab worked out that they weren't a tainted horde).

>>53565728
Doji*
Getting real sick of autocorrect.

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We will never let the wall fall.

>>53566917

But we might let a horde of shadowlands creatures over in the name of spite and/or a coup.

>>53439299
is it just me or at this point kitsuki-san is just a plot-following robot? and he used the shoji lesson just to pass his frustration of the other players actually being persons?


anyway, your GM is amazing to come with plots like that.

shoji`s offer is so good. hurt ichigaki by giving him a HUGE honor. so rokugani

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>>53565501
And since then, that has been altered and used by different emperors as they saw fit. Gaijin can enter Rokugan, provided they are smart and/or supported in doing so by smart Rokugani samurai.

>>53567544
To see the rest of Rokugan lose sight of what the Crab do in their duties and slowly strangle their ability to perform their god-given duties over the centuries, and be bitterly angry over that, is not *just* spite. From Kisada's perspective, the Crab needed a change, and the might he would hold at the lead of an empire would allow him to crush the shadowlands horde. Unfortunately, he wasn't quite shrewd enough to reckon with people not seeing things his way - like the Scorpion, or Kuni Yori. If they had stayed the course, he could have done it. The empire would have been a shitty place afterwards, but it wouldn't be tainted or have to deal with shadowlands infiltration to the same degree afterward.

>>53568088
I concur. As the ST of Crane-san, this is immensely inspiring. Especially all the character interaction is motivating me to try harder.

>>53555147
I bet that Kitstupid-san is going to make a plot where Shoji loses all his gift-giving capabilities, by enlisting the help of Mantis, who is going to tell his clan to, you know, do their thing and pirate the shit out of the Phoenix land that belong to Shoji!

Waiting_For_OP.skeleton

L5R story writers would be lost on how to start a thread if this one died.bump

What bushi school is best for a ronin?

>>53572695
Kenku.

>>53555147
>Well, you could always try to escape, hide out or something...
>Kitsuki-san, know where Ishigaki-san can get some barrels real quick?
>Monkey
>Who else?
>Mantis-san offered up his own suggestion
>Threaten kanshi.
>You're one of the elite, right?
>I looked at him flatly
>An elite bushi. Tensai is still more valuable than even me.
>And that's before you consider, I'm the present, but Tsuyosa is the future of the Clan.
>hrm. Yeah...
>Kitsuki-san stroked his chin.
>Still, you Crabs are a bit more lenient with personal desires than most.
>Toshiro scowled
>To a degree. Duty is paramount after all. personal desires are allowed only so long as they don't interfere with that.
>Otherwise I wouldn't be trying to dodge marriage talks all the damn time
>Still, Toshiro-sama, I think that it may be worth an attempt by Ishigaki-san and Naomi-sama to make their feelings on the matter clear.
>Even if they are overruled, I do not think they will be dismissed out of hand
>That will, at the very least, give us more time
>I looked over at Naomi
>She was holding Tsuyosa,
>Her face showed no emotion, and she gazed straight ahead
>it wasn't a thousand yard stare though, her eyes were focused
>It reminded me of the resolute stare of warriors on the first rank, gazing upon the enemy formations.
>She blamed herself for Tusyosa's illness; she was as determined as I was to keep him from Shoji's hands
>Monkey spoke up again
>Hey, Shoji's a total bastard, right? A real peice of shit?
>So why don't you just tell your superiors that?
>Just list of all his faults, all the reasons he shouldn't be allowed to teach Tsuyosa.
>Naomi shook her head
>We would need many more people to testify to Shoji's cruelty than just us
>While he has been relived of many of his responsibilities, it is unofficial: he still holds his rank. And the bad blood between Ishigaki-kun, myself, and my father is well known.

>>53572848
>I had to add to that
>Not to mention, given his rank he could easily be overseeig things behind the scenes.
>He tried to do that with Hohiro, using his son as his mouthpiece after Hohiro was named Master of Earth.
>Monkey looked down.
>Shit.
>Mantis-san spoke up
>Well, aside from all of us, what about Ayame?
>I mean, there may be no direct proof he orderd that to happen, but when you add up all the bad things that happen around him, it makes him look worse and worse, you know?
>I considered that
>An all out attack, across the whole line.
>It could work... but if it didn't we wouldn't have anything left in reserve.
>At least, that's how my military mind saw it
>I looked over at Kitsuki-san
>he seemed to guess my thoughts
>I really don't know if I can come up with anything else...
>he chewed on the end of his fan, mind running through scenario after scenario
>Perhaps ruining him, so that he looses the last vestiges of his authority...
>If all he cannot offer gifts, but must settle for just waiving the usual cost of teaching one not a Pheonix... in combination with everything else...
>Toshiro piped up
>Hey, Naomi-san
>Yes?
>I thought the Phoenix gaurded the education of a tensai dearly?
>they do, why?
>Well, wouldn't HIS superiors be upset if he was just giving that away?
>Kituski-san actually smacked his own forehead, eyes wide
>why didn't I think of that?
>Toshiro answered him
>You think of complex things a bit too much, that's why.
>Naomi frowned as she thought that through
>Hmm. But Tsuyosa is his grandson... so they may be willing to overlook it.
>Kitsuki-san tapped his chin
>Even if they are, I expect he must have used up quite a few favors to get them to do so...
>I think it's safe to say that this is an all or nothing gamble on Shoji's part