Burden of the Emerald Empire (A Legend of the Five Rings Tale)
- Thread starter gman391
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- Fantasy
keenscythe
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- WA, USA
Y'know looking back through the updates I find myself wondering what Hisao's honor rank would be. I mean the thread tends to let compassion influence our votes for what to have Hisao do. I don't think it will be at the very top as he has made compromises for the sake of political reality but he tends to regret doing so.
The Emperor is always honorable
So most people in universe would assume he's the soul of honour.
Mechanically though he's a little under a standard Kakita for honour.
And while I think I know what the tally out come is, let's have one.
- Location
- Leeds
On a scale of one to ten? I think that by definition he is an eleven.
Sirrocco
Pedantic
Nah. Honor is personal. It's entirely possible to have a dishonorable Emperor. Heck, at one point the emperor was Fu Leng. Now, his Status is max ranks, and his Glory is pretty impressive (though there are a few who *might* still give him a run for his money there) but honor isn't about how you're perceived. It's about how you act, and why.
This is true, but the samurai who questions the Emperor's honour is going to have a very short shelf life.
Sirrocco
Pedantic
...or, in certain *very* rare circumstances, become Emperor.
keenscythe
No longer NEET
- Location
- WA, USA
Then the Emperor isn't wearing clothing and you are forced to commit Seppuku for daring to question the Son/Daughter of Heaven's fashion choices.
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- Location
- Leeds
Just like his honour the Emperors Fashion rank is indisputable.Then the Emperor isn't wearing clothing and you are forced to commit Seppuku for daring to question the Son/Daughter of Heaven's fashion choices.
Sirrocco
Pedantic
If you're Scorpion, though, and the Emperor has decided to parade about naked, then using the fact that the Emperor has clearly gone mad to trigger various Seppun and Otomo into committing seppuku from shame is good clean fun if you can get away with it. Bonus points if you can get a crane or two as collateral damage. Extra bonus points if you can also leverage it into an excuse for a few of the more dangerously beautiful (and disposable... just in case) of your fellow clan members to also walk around for a time in court without clothing... well, except the mask, of course. The mask stays on.
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- Location
- Leeds
Bah that doesn't mean much, back in my day masks where masks these days they're just skimpy things made out of string and gauze.
Year 13: The Traitor Revealed
Month of the Goat 8th Day
Your name is Kitsuki Akane, it had taken weeks to run down every single lead, every single target that could have been involved. In the end the obvious suspects, members of the Imperial Families, vassals of the Champions, and even your own entourage had proven to be clean, and you had despaired at finding an answer even as Kotaro's own network of friends had come up empty, who ever did this was well hidden, well trained, and knew exactly how to keep you off your game.
In the end it had been Kotaro who had come up with an answer, asking idly, why one of the Sapphire Guard captains, Kakita Kyroku's daughter, (creatively named Kyroyu) looked so much like her mother. You hadn't had an answer, indeed comparing the two, they were identical, too identical, down to the exact same way they held themselves for a painting.
It was insane to consider the idea that somehow Kakita Kyroku had faked her death and taken up the identity of her daughter, and yet...that seemed to be what happened. Which of course lead to the question of who Kyroyu really was.
A ghost, a complete ghost, and what's worse a ghost who knew you had caught her. A day before you were going to confront her, she had disappeared from the capital, intent apparently on escaping your justice.
She had forgotten who she was dealing with. You had no intention of allowing this vile scum of getting away from her crimes. She had hurt the Emperor, she had hurt Ayumi, and most of all she had hurt the Empire. Nortioshi had declared her life forfeit, stripping her of her name, and given you a contingent of Emerald Magistrates.
So now you stand in front of the small, mostly forgotten ruins of the first Kyuden Tsi. The Otomo had in their wisdom granted a strip of Kaigen's island to the Oriole and then built a castle for them there. Tsi Zutara was all too aware that it was to make it so that to gain access to the Tsi one had to go through the Otomo...but it had been too good an offer to refuse.
Thus this abandoned half built palace rose out of the Lion plains, still owned by the Oriole technically but long since forgotten.
It was here that the Traitor had fled. Beside you, the angry eyes of Kakita Korihime blaze with righteous fury. The Crane had been hard done by as of late...and now a traitor seemed to be the cause, and all the quiet anger that they had nursed was being poured into the Traitor.
"Peace Kakita-san" You say firmly.
Korihime nods, her on working to keep herself from snapping back. You had brought her as a courtesy, the other Emerald Magistrates could have handled this, instead of Noritoshi's own presumed heir to the Academy.
Another Magistrate, Mirumoto Xie arrives, his own mien stonelike in it's gaze. Built in that stocky form that belied the grace but not the power that the Niten users possessed the man reminded you of your husband...
Kami it had been so long since you had just spent time together. Maybe after this duty was over.
"Kitsuki-dono, the keep is surrounded, I along with twenty samurai are ready to assault on your order." Xie says.
"No not yet" You say.
Xie raises one eyebrow in question.
"We will go in, but no assault, no doubt she is planning for that, and to rush headlong would cost too much, I will take you and your group with me, and guide them through whatever traps she may have. Kakita-san will be my yojimbo for the time being." You say
They both seem to wish otherwise but otherwise acquiesce to your will
So all of you walk into the ruins of the keep, you carefully walk around the numerous traps on place marking them out for everyone else. The walls are covered in moss, grass pushes up through stone path ways, as the weathered wood seemed poised to snap the next time a storm came through, some already had.
The keep rises up, the door left open as you exchange a glance with the Kakita. A trap, but it was one you had to take. So you take a half formed plank of wood and toss it just inside the entrance. You aren't disappointed when a wire snaps, and a series of arrows fly across the space.
"Well...I suppose it would be you" A cruel vain voice calls.
You walk into the courtyard and look up, there in her fine silks no longer bearing the Crane colours, but a rainbow of wealth and taste that showed exactly why she had been so adored at first.
"Traitor." You say.
"Oh did little Noritoshi strip me of my name? Well I choose Koryu as my name, makes things easy doesn't it?" The woman says, blue eyes gazing at your own.
"Do not speak his name, wretch" Korihime says, the small samurai drawing her blade.
"You can't escape Koryu, the magistrates have you surrounded. Come down here and perform the the Three Cuts, die with some dignity" You say.
"No, I think not..." Koryu says.
"Why...why do you insist on disgracing your ancestors like this?" Korihime asks.
The older Crane woman laughs.
"The Ancestors...what have they done, a thousand years undone at a whim, I am no Kitsu to hear their cries, and the Heavens have done what for Rokugan? It has been our blood our steel that has saved the Empire, not anything they've done. What right do the gods have to demand things of us, when they do not in turn protect us? No, they can hang themselves for all I care."
"Kolat, I thought you were dead when Lady Sun purged you all" You say.
"Purged us all? No, made us stronger yes." Koryu says.
"But the Toturi are not the Hantei, why oppose them?" You ask.
"Because the problem isn't who the Emperor is, it's that the Emperor exists. All of it has to be torn down, and if that means helping that fool Shahai a little, then so be it." Koryu answers.
"...Then prepare yourself" You say.
Xie nods and readies himself along with everyone else.
"Indeed" Koryu snaps her fingers, and rising out of the earth, a small army of skeletons appear. "Goodbye Akane."
And with that she turns and leaves.
Korihime is already in motion destroying the skeletons with incredible precision, protecting you from the assault.
Xie is a whirlwind of death.
"Kitsuki-dono, she can't escape..." he calls. "Go we will deal with this. FOR THE EMPIRE!"
You nod, and as Korihime cuts down another skeleton, the pair of you charge after Koryu. Bounding up stair ways into the castle proper. Your eyes look around carefully, there are number of paths she could have gone, the obvious one was through the open door, but you look at the dust...no she would have gone...a wall scroll flutters briefly, and you draw your own wakizashi and a jitte, before stabbing through it with the wakizashi.
The wall falls apart, never more than a very well done painting, the sounds of footsteps, echo from the stone pathways. You keep following, the turning pathway leading down into the earth through twists and turns. Thrice Koryu tries to lose you at an intersection, thrice you take a careful moment to observe and continue after her.
Finally the sounds of running stop, and you turn to see a door that Koryu is struggling to open with one hand as the other holds a burning torch. Around her are a number of barrels filled with something, the smell reminds you of sulfur.
The former Crane turns around and draws her katana.
"You should have let me escape." She says.
"You shouldn't have betrayed the Emperor" You reply.
Korihime is fast, she is graceful one of the true prodigies of the Crane, but the flame of the torch stymies her, Koryu is both young and experienced, a formidable challenge and in this tight area that's not enough room for all three of you. Something Koryu takes advantage as she captures Korihime's blade against the wall with the torch and throws the blade at you.
You try to block but in the end you've not been in battle for a long time, too long. Pain blossoms in your shoulder but you still have the presence of mind to return the favour.
Thus as Korihime finally punches Koryu in the face and retreats to look you over, Koryu is looking at your own wakizashi wedged firmly in her stomach. A death blow.
Your vision swims, something is wrong a shoulder wound shouldn't... poison.
"Kitsuki-dono." Korihime breathes.
You watch Koryu pick up her torch and walk towards the barrels, and you realize now what they are, she collapses just before reaching them. With her last gasp she throws the torch against the wooden barrels. They begin to burn, if you were a shugenja or something...maybe...but no they are filled with gaijin pepper. Your vision fades to black as you blink once.
"Korihime run" You say.
"Kitsuki--"
"Those barrels are filled with gaijin pepper, and I am poisoned...I can't even see. Get my wakizashi and run." You say firmly.
The sound of Korihime holding back tears is all you hear before steps begin echoing away from you.
It's so dark now...to think if you had been a little quicker...you'd be running with her. Ah well such is life...
-------------------
Kakita Korihime emerges into the courtyard, the sounds of battle in their closing moments as the skeletons are put down. Xie looks at her for a moment and then an explosion louder than anything either of them had ever heard, rocks the castle, the half formed keep beginning to collapse, there's no time for words, as everyone escapes as fast as they can.
In her heart, Korihime swears that she will make Kitsuki Akane's sacrifice worth it, this Kolat, she would bring justice to them with fire and sword.
------------------
[] Hisao and Ayumi
[] Noritoshi and Chitose
[] Jimen and Master Jade
AN: Well, it was almost enough for Akane, almost. I've also rewritten part of the last update so please go reread it, some things have changed.
Your name is Kitsuki Akane, it had taken weeks to run down every single lead, every single target that could have been involved. In the end the obvious suspects, members of the Imperial Families, vassals of the Champions, and even your own entourage had proven to be clean, and you had despaired at finding an answer even as Kotaro's own network of friends had come up empty, who ever did this was well hidden, well trained, and knew exactly how to keep you off your game.
In the end it had been Kotaro who had come up with an answer, asking idly, why one of the Sapphire Guard captains, Kakita Kyroku's daughter, (creatively named Kyroyu) looked so much like her mother. You hadn't had an answer, indeed comparing the two, they were identical, too identical, down to the exact same way they held themselves for a painting.
It was insane to consider the idea that somehow Kakita Kyroku had faked her death and taken up the identity of her daughter, and yet...that seemed to be what happened. Which of course lead to the question of who Kyroyu really was.
A ghost, a complete ghost, and what's worse a ghost who knew you had caught her. A day before you were going to confront her, she had disappeared from the capital, intent apparently on escaping your justice.
She had forgotten who she was dealing with. You had no intention of allowing this vile scum of getting away from her crimes. She had hurt the Emperor, she had hurt Ayumi, and most of all she had hurt the Empire. Nortioshi had declared her life forfeit, stripping her of her name, and given you a contingent of Emerald Magistrates.
So now you stand in front of the small, mostly forgotten ruins of the first Kyuden Tsi. The Otomo had in their wisdom granted a strip of Kaigen's island to the Oriole and then built a castle for them there. Tsi Zutara was all too aware that it was to make it so that to gain access to the Tsi one had to go through the Otomo...but it had been too good an offer to refuse.
Thus this abandoned half built palace rose out of the Lion plains, still owned by the Oriole technically but long since forgotten.
It was here that the Traitor had fled. Beside you, the angry eyes of Kakita Korihime blaze with righteous fury. The Crane had been hard done by as of late...and now a traitor seemed to be the cause, and all the quiet anger that they had nursed was being poured into the Traitor.
"Peace Kakita-san" You say firmly.
Korihime nods, her on working to keep herself from snapping back. You had brought her as a courtesy, the other Emerald Magistrates could have handled this, instead of Noritoshi's own presumed heir to the Academy.
Another Magistrate, Mirumoto Xie arrives, his own mien stonelike in it's gaze. Built in that stocky form that belied the grace but not the power that the Niten users possessed the man reminded you of your husband...
Kami it had been so long since you had just spent time together. Maybe after this duty was over.
"Kitsuki-dono, the keep is surrounded, I along with twenty samurai are ready to assault on your order." Xie says.
"No not yet" You say.
Xie raises one eyebrow in question.
"We will go in, but no assault, no doubt she is planning for that, and to rush headlong would cost too much, I will take you and your group with me, and guide them through whatever traps she may have. Kakita-san will be my yojimbo for the time being." You say
They both seem to wish otherwise but otherwise acquiesce to your will
So all of you walk into the ruins of the keep, you carefully walk around the numerous traps on place marking them out for everyone else. The walls are covered in moss, grass pushes up through stone path ways, as the weathered wood seemed poised to snap the next time a storm came through, some already had.
The keep rises up, the door left open as you exchange a glance with the Kakita. A trap, but it was one you had to take. So you take a half formed plank of wood and toss it just inside the entrance. You aren't disappointed when a wire snaps, and a series of arrows fly across the space.
"Well...I suppose it would be you" A cruel vain voice calls.
You walk into the courtyard and look up, there in her fine silks no longer bearing the Crane colours, but a rainbow of wealth and taste that showed exactly why she had been so adored at first.
"Traitor." You say.
"Oh did little Noritoshi strip me of my name? Well I choose Koryu as my name, makes things easy doesn't it?" The woman says, blue eyes gazing at your own.
"Do not speak his name, wretch" Korihime says, the small samurai drawing her blade.
"You can't escape Koryu, the magistrates have you surrounded. Come down here and perform the the Three Cuts, die with some dignity" You say.
"No, I think not..." Koryu says.
"Why...why do you insist on disgracing your ancestors like this?" Korihime asks.
The older Crane woman laughs.
"The Ancestors...what have they done, a thousand years undone at a whim, I am no Kitsu to hear their cries, and the Heavens have done what for Rokugan? It has been our blood our steel that has saved the Empire, not anything they've done. What right do the gods have to demand things of us, when they do not in turn protect us? No, they can hang themselves for all I care."
"Kolat, I thought you were dead when Lady Sun purged you all" You say.
"Purged us all? No, made us stronger yes." Koryu says.
"But the Toturi are not the Hantei, why oppose them?" You ask.
"Because the problem isn't who the Emperor is, it's that the Emperor exists. All of it has to be torn down, and if that means helping that fool Shahai a little, then so be it." Koryu answers.
"...Then prepare yourself" You say.
Xie nods and readies himself along with everyone else.
"Indeed" Koryu snaps her fingers, and rising out of the earth, a small army of skeletons appear. "Goodbye Akane."
And with that she turns and leaves.
Korihime is already in motion destroying the skeletons with incredible precision, protecting you from the assault.
Xie is a whirlwind of death.
"Kitsuki-dono, she can't escape..." he calls. "Go we will deal with this. FOR THE EMPIRE!"
You nod, and as Korihime cuts down another skeleton, the pair of you charge after Koryu. Bounding up stair ways into the castle proper. Your eyes look around carefully, there are number of paths she could have gone, the obvious one was through the open door, but you look at the dust...no she would have gone...a wall scroll flutters briefly, and you draw your own wakizashi and a jitte, before stabbing through it with the wakizashi.
The wall falls apart, never more than a very well done painting, the sounds of footsteps, echo from the stone pathways. You keep following, the turning pathway leading down into the earth through twists and turns. Thrice Koryu tries to lose you at an intersection, thrice you take a careful moment to observe and continue after her.
Finally the sounds of running stop, and you turn to see a door that Koryu is struggling to open with one hand as the other holds a burning torch. Around her are a number of barrels filled with something, the smell reminds you of sulfur.
The former Crane turns around and draws her katana.
"You should have let me escape." She says.
"You shouldn't have betrayed the Emperor" You reply.
Korihime is fast, she is graceful one of the true prodigies of the Crane, but the flame of the torch stymies her, Koryu is both young and experienced, a formidable challenge and in this tight area that's not enough room for all three of you. Something Koryu takes advantage as she captures Korihime's blade against the wall with the torch and throws the blade at you.
You try to block but in the end you've not been in battle for a long time, too long. Pain blossoms in your shoulder but you still have the presence of mind to return the favour.
Thus as Korihime finally punches Koryu in the face and retreats to look you over, Koryu is looking at your own wakizashi wedged firmly in her stomach. A death blow.
Your vision swims, something is wrong a shoulder wound shouldn't... poison.
"Kitsuki-dono." Korihime breathes.
You watch Koryu pick up her torch and walk towards the barrels, and you realize now what they are, she collapses just before reaching them. With her last gasp she throws the torch against the wooden barrels. They begin to burn, if you were a shugenja or something...maybe...but no they are filled with gaijin pepper. Your vision fades to black as you blink once.
"Korihime run" You say.
"Kitsuki--"
"Those barrels are filled with gaijin pepper, and I am poisoned...I can't even see. Get my wakizashi and run." You say firmly.
The sound of Korihime holding back tears is all you hear before steps begin echoing away from you.
It's so dark now...to think if you had been a little quicker...you'd be running with her. Ah well such is life...
-------------------
Kakita Korihime emerges into the courtyard, the sounds of battle in their closing moments as the skeletons are put down. Xie looks at her for a moment and then an explosion louder than anything either of them had ever heard, rocks the castle, the half formed keep beginning to collapse, there's no time for words, as everyone escapes as fast as they can.
In her heart, Korihime swears that she will make Kitsuki Akane's sacrifice worth it, this Kolat, she would bring justice to them with fire and sword.
------------------
[] Hisao and Ayumi
[] Noritoshi and Chitose
[] Jimen and Master Jade
AN: Well, it was almost enough for Akane, almost. I've also rewritten part of the last update so please go reread it, some things have changed.
keenscythe
No longer NEET
- Location
- WA, USA
[X] Hisao and Ayumi
Hopefully we can convince Ayumi to not commit seppuku to redeem herself for plotting to kill the Emperor.
Hopefully we can convince Ayumi to not commit seppuku to redeem herself for plotting to kill the Emperor.
Eh it's a lot more complicated than that but yes.
- Location
- Leeds
- Location
- Leeds
Damn it Benten.
The true final boss of Rokugan.
There never was a father, Kolat are sometimes bullshit particularly when they have magic that lets them stay youthful (As Kyroku did)
Why?
Did the father not notice? Was he involved?
- Location
- Leeds
This raises more questions.
Who the fuck where the guards assigned to him reporting too? Or did he just look a lot like his wife?
They were reporting to Kyroku. In Rokugan it's not uncommon to have one spouse stay at the estate and never leave. So when she 'married' (Kolat agent with an identity made for the event) he retired to her estate and never left, she did too until she had a 'child' Rokugani don't have DNA evidence or anything like that and are thus fairly reliant on parents being honest about whose kid is whose. As head of the Silk Sect (not that anyone else knows that) Kyroku had the ability to manipulate and forge most of the information directly, and enough resources to fake the rest. Which she needed to do because people were starting to ask questions about how a 50 year old woman wasn't aging at all.
- Location
- Bulgaria
[X] Hisao and Ayumi
I loved this chapter, heartbreaking as it was
I loved this chapter, heartbreaking as it was