Burden of the Emerald Empire (A Legend of the Five Rings Tale)

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Adhoc vote count started by Deadly Snark on Sep 8, 2019 at 10:36 PM, finished with 17 posts and 11 votes.
 
So now the vote tally works. I dont why and how but fuck it.

Actually looking at the votes hmmm...

I think I will switch to Hanae. Logically Matsu Kana is probably the better candidate overall, but I did enjoy reading Hanae more, which is a decently important criteria.

[X] Iuchi Hanae
 
[X] Ide Ami

I would argue that Ide Ami is a good choice. She does not overly complicate the relationship to Ayumi, is experienced and by all accounts a capable shugenja.
Also I kinda liked the short snippet of conversation we had with her.
 
[X] Ide Ami

I would argue that Ide Ami is a good choice. She does not overly complicate the relationship to Ayumi, is experienced and by all accounts a capable shugenja.
Also I kinda liked the short snippet of conversation we had with her.
Considering the votes I don't think Ami can win. Better to vote for either Kana or Hanae I think
 
Read everything and caught up with this Quest only to find out that no one has posted anything for nearly three weeks... Well, I guess that gives people time to read my writing and critique me.

[X] Matsu Kana
-[X] Have it arranged that Ide Ami and Ikoma Fumiko meet. They might forge a good friendship.
-[X] Ask to keep Shinjo Izumi's painting. It will boost her confidence.
-[X] Recommend Moto Jinae to Horiuchi Shem-Zhe for a position in the Jade Magistrates. Who knows, Yuina might still get her brownies.
-[X] Recommend Kitsu Hemika to the Empress' Guard.
-[X] Recommend Iuchi Hanae an appointment in the Foreign Ministry.

Honestly, I'd love to recommend all of them for a consolation prize, but other than Utaku Erina getting a very nice horse. I really can't think of anything else. Maybe have the word subtly spread that the choice has been made and have the ladies looking for someone else, but that's it.

Edit: I made some minor edits to clarify what I meant. I also realize that the Empress' Guard had no strict rules about who could be appointed, it was just the emperor almost always married a Crane, so Crane samurai wear always the choice.
 
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Sorry guys its been a month for me, in terms of projects taking up my time.
Adhoc vote count started by overmind on Sep 14, 2019 at 1:50 AM, finished with 27 posts and 13 votes.
 
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Adhoc vote count started by gman391 on Oct 3, 2019 at 6:41 PM, finished with 30 posts and 14 votes.
 
Winter Court XIV: Decisions Made, Ambush
In the end, you roll over the candidates in your mind, it was a hard choice for you. You knew mentally that you were going to pick either the Lion or the Unicorn, bind one of them tighter to you and use that to keep them from starting a stupid fight.

You had your own stupid fights to start. Wait, that came out wrong. You had stupid fights to finish, there that was better.

Naturally your mind drifts between the two women women who had stood out.
A distant part of you wishes that Ami was more...capable at breaking people in two, but it was what it was and you had to deal with that. Meaning she was unfortunately not who you were going to choose.

No it came down to Matsu Kana and Iuchi Hanae. The question was which of them? The decidedly male part of you was admittedly attracted to both of them. The slim power of Hanae and the toned muscle of Kana both appealed greatly. Were you in some pillowbook, no doubt you would seduce them both and decide on the basis of that. However, you were better than that, also not a seventeen year old boy anymore.

You toss and turn wrestling the names in your mind. Kana whose determination and dogged virtue seemed so endearing while Hanae's quick mind and words sparked a long forgotten enthusiasm you shared.

Kana, or Hanae.
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Month of the Tiger, 14th Day, Geisha House: Foreign Stories

A small group of two men and three women lounge in the small, private room they had rented out. Two of the men carry a regal bearing about them although they would both deny being anything other than simple ronin. Two of the women wore the sublime silks of a Clan samurai. The last was a simple geisha woman, or would be if there was any chance of mistaking the predator like golden eyes that swept over the group.

"So it's confirmed then. The Emperor has chosen the Matsu?" She asks.

Mistress Silk, does not curse does not betray the anger she feels. If they had not fought...well, it matters little now. The Organization will continue its work, that they had been betrayed by the Toturi is no longer in doubt.

"Hai" one man says.
He has many names, for now though he goes by the name of Mausu. His form is ready for conflict, ill at ease with this clandestine work. "It was confirmed by our Spy in the Lion not three days ago."

The other man, old and aged but still at ease with this work nods. For now he simply calls himself Oji.
"Do we know why her? She's not got the best lineage..." he says.

"No" Mausu admits.

"You two are so simple, is it not obvious? " The last woman says.

She too is at ease here, a catlike motion of her head as haughty humor flows from her smile, Gato, how ridiculous a name, and yet so ridiculous it would never be connected to her real identity.

"No Gato, it isn't....enlighten us." Mistress Silk says.

"Matsu Kana was one of the few to actually take time to speak to his daughter, it was all in the report." Gato says.

"The Emperor being swayed for his daughter? If that was the case he would have gotten his heir out of the Kawa Mori years ago" Mausu says.

"Perhaps not, it is there that she is out of reach of us and the Lady Spider's grasp." Oji offers.

"Regardless, it seems that Toturi has at long last slipped from our grasp as I predicted" Mistress Silk says. "Has Master Steel and his faction agreed to truce."

"No Mistress" Gato says. "He still maintains that the time of the Kolat is over, and the time of the Guards is nigh."

"Bitter old fool, reject me because of my family, he is everything wrong with the Kolat." Mistress Silk says.

Oji stops for a moment, listening.

"Something wrong?" Mausu asks.

The old man shakes his head.

"No just the feeling we're being watched." He says.

Mistress Silk cocks her head. Now that he's mentioned it...she discreetly raises a biwa from her side shifting slightly to look at a hidden mirror.

A Dragon samurai? That was odd...

The door blows off the sliding rail as from the ceiling several more samurai pile in.

"ON THE GROUND NOW!" Shouts come from all around them. "YOU ARE UNDER ARREST!"

Mausa draws out his tanto and buries it one of the assaulting magistrates before being attacked from behind, and going down like a sack of rice.

Oji for his part is too old for this and tries to slip out through the back only to be met by a smiling mask of a Scorpion.

"Well hello little---" were the last words he says before a jitte clips him across the face and brings him down.

No, there was no chance to talk their way out of this.

Gato fought like a hellion twin knives moving like a blur trying to get space, trying to get a path forward. Then a Doji with a sasumata steps forward and captures her by the neck against the wall. Bereft of movement the woman can only glare hatefully as she's disarmed and bound.

Mistress Silk plays a biwa note before throwing it to the ground and acting every inch the geisha who has just been hired, and oh no what is going on?!

The Dragon, Mirumoto Xie steps forward and kicks her in the stomach.

"Bring her to the estate, none of them escape before we're done with them."

"Hai" the magistrates say to their senior.

Soon Kitsuki-Shiryo, soon you will be avenged

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Month of the Hare 2nd Day (Year 15 of the Reign of Toturi IV) Start of Spring


You look at the woman travelling across from you in the palanquin. Matsu Kana has seemingly had a permanent blush since entering into it with you. She still has no idea that you were 'Flower-sama'.

Out of duty you had looked through the other candidates, the elegant Crane women who had conveyed grace with every movement, the rough Crab who had sought to impress you with the power of their conviction, all of them were lovely, and you had discreetly asked how many of them would be someone you could engender into the Seppun family. Kotaro had said it would take some time on that.

But in the end, as you had first thought, it came down to Matsu Kana and Iuchi Hanae. The tipping point coming from how they interacted with your daughter. They had both been very kind to Yuina, gentle...but Kana had let the girl act like a girl instead of treating her like the esoteric connection to the raw essence of reality that she really was.

That had sealed the deal.

But now you were here travelling back to Toshi Ranbo, alone. Well, as alone as you ever got. It was going to be a long trip to get to know each other better and prepare her for the throne. Also, Minoru, that second one might be more important all things considered, there was also Ayumi...

[] Speak to Kana about the Throne (No roll for debut)
[] Speak to Kana about Minoru (Better starting relationship with Minoru)
[] Speak to Kana about Ayumi (Better starting relationship with Ayumi

AN: Hey guys, sorry about the long wait, will try to update with the year 15 turn quicker this time.
 
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It's cool. You are by no means the worst.

What should we expect from this "roll for debut" thing?
Basically its how easily Kana slides into the Imperial role and the informal networks of power. Unlike Kaname where you were both fairly young and guided by the Dowager, this time its all you, and you have a decade long worth of entrenchment by various parties.
 
[X] Speak to Kana about Ayumi

Let's nip in the bud of the one long-term problem. Plus, if we're lucky, the three-way pillow books that will be written might not be total fiction.;)
 
On the one side... I kind of want to go with "speak about Ayumi" for improving harmony there.

On the other, we've only just told this woman that we're going to marry her, and she's nearly overwhelmed with emotion about it. Having the first thing we talk about be "hey, I've got this concubine that I really care about" seems... I dunno.

Still conflicted, really. Feel like a me with more brain could pull in better insights from known data. I am not that me tonight.
 
[X] Speak to Kana about the Throne (No roll for debut)

It just feels iffy to immediately start talking about other women rather than focus on the more immediate challenge she would face.

We can afford to talk about the mistress later, let's not ruin this moment for her more than we have to.

Remember that this is an expected, even encouraged practise for the Emperor (our mother even criticized our father, for avoiding that), so I doubt Kana would be shocked.
 
The Organization will continue its work, that they had been betrayed by the Toturi is no longer in doubt.
And the Toturi didn't even consider it.
If we flip back was one of the characters subtly signalling they were Kolat?
Then a Doji with a satsuma

Look out! She's got an Orange.
Basically its how easily Kana slides into the Imperial role and the informal networks of power. Unlike Kaname where you were both fairly young and guided by the Dowager, this time its all you, and you have a decade long worth of entrenchment by various parties.
Do we have a guess what she'll be rolling?
 
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