Year 1: An Imperial Advisor must be chosen
Ultimately, the decision rests with you, for good or ill. While you feel some kinship with Osamu, politically the only real choice is Hiroko, much as that galls you.
"Kasuga-san speaks sense. While with effort we will be able to rein in her...worse tendencies. For the peace that my father and myself seek to build. Yoritomo Hiroko, must become our new Imperial Treasurer" You say firmly.
"As you command, I will pray that the Heavens see fit to grant you an Emerald Champion capable of riding herd on her." Kaneka says.
"It would be better if the Mantis learned their place...but the rebuilding cannot be disrupted now" Your mother says.
They're both unhappy with your choice, even if they agree that it had to be made. You cannot blame them.
"Let us turn our eyes towards the Imperial Advisor candidates then. At least there, we will have a fully free hand." You say.
"As you command Mikado" Tangen says putting out the dossiers...there are rather more than you expected.
"I expected the Crane and Scorpion...but the Dragon and the Unicorn as well?" Kaneka mutters.
"The Dragon are searching for a place after their purpose was fulfilled...and likely they wish to avoid any back lash from the Crane given the recent unpleasantness." Your mother says.
"That does not explain the Unicorn, if anything I would expect them to push for the Lord Shogun's position." You say with a frown.
"Rumours say that the Unicorn and Mantis have a pact on this matter...although I cannot say that Khan Moto is totally sanguine on the idea. Likely this is just a gamble, nothing more. He looses little if you say no." Tangen says.
"No, Khan Moto is strong, ruthless, but he's never one to throw out an attack needlessly. He's planning something, but I can't divine what from here." Kaneka says.
"Then should we discard the Unicorn candidate out of hand?" You ask.
Kaneka frowns for a moment thinking to himself.
"....No, a trap is a trap, but I don't know if he means to have us reject his candidate or not. You should evaluate normally." He says at last.
"Well then...let us begin" You say picking up one of the dossier
"Bayushi-san has my vote...if only because I don't want to see what he does when he is denied." Kaneka says at last.
"Truth be told I think the man should be ordered to commit seppukku and be done with it. For myself, I am torn between the Unicorn and the Dragon... I still do not fathom what this Kitsuki Akane-san can do that the others can't"
You read over the dossier again.
"Give me the truth, not only about my vassals, but also my council...that is if I am sure she is loyal." You say quietly.
A silence falls around the table. Did the Dragon predict that you would choose an Imperial Treasurer and arrange an Advisor who seems tailor made to keep herd on her? Or did they just get lucky and hoped that you would be enough of an iconoclast to choose a Kitsuki over the traditional Bayushi or Doji candidate. You honestly cannot tell, with the Dragon, it might be both....
"This one would humbly suggest Doji-san...true she is young, but she is skilled at building alliances, and that is something I think that the Throne would benefit from...even if it means missing out on the wonderful Ide-san. Truth be told I like her balanced approach best...but I am a servant of the Throne" Tangen simpers.
Why the Hantei made it so the Kasuga were contemptible you have no idea.
So four candidates, all of the quite strong in their own way. Whom did you choose?
[] Doji Fumiko (Locks Crane Relations to minimum 30 for two years. +5 to Lion relations. -5 Scorpion and Crab Focus: Diplomacy)
[] Bayushi Kaukatsu (Locks Scorpion relations to minimum 30 for two years. +5 Phoenix, Scorpion Relations. -5 Lion. Focus Subterfuge)
[] Kitsuki Akane (Locks Dragon relations to minimum 30 for two years. +5 Crab, -5 Mantis, Focus Discernment
[] Ide Kazue (Locks Unicorn relations to minimum 30 for two years. +5 to Mantis. -5 Phoenix Focus: Balanced)
-5 to clans who don't have their candidate picked.
AN:
So this is mostly self explanatory. Diplomacy is how much they prefer talking and making a compromise that everyone can walk away from at least partly satisfied. Subterfuge is how much they resort to black mail and other associated ne'er doing in order to make people give them what they want.
Discernment is unique and represents the inverse of Subterfuge, it focuses on disrupting plots and letting you win by being the last one standing. Ordinarily this would be on your Kizoku/Spymaster potentially. Now why is Togashi Satsu putting this out there? Well that'd be a spoiler.
"Kasuga-san speaks sense. While with effort we will be able to rein in her...worse tendencies. For the peace that my father and myself seek to build. Yoritomo Hiroko, must become our new Imperial Treasurer" You say firmly.
"As you command, I will pray that the Heavens see fit to grant you an Emerald Champion capable of riding herd on her." Kaneka says.
"It would be better if the Mantis learned their place...but the rebuilding cannot be disrupted now" Your mother says.
They're both unhappy with your choice, even if they agree that it had to be made. You cannot blame them.
"Let us turn our eyes towards the Imperial Advisor candidates then. At least there, we will have a fully free hand." You say.
"As you command Mikado" Tangen says putting out the dossiers...there are rather more than you expected.
"I expected the Crane and Scorpion...but the Dragon and the Unicorn as well?" Kaneka mutters.
"The Dragon are searching for a place after their purpose was fulfilled...and likely they wish to avoid any back lash from the Crane given the recent unpleasantness." Your mother says.
"That does not explain the Unicorn, if anything I would expect them to push for the Lord Shogun's position." You say with a frown.
"Rumours say that the Unicorn and Mantis have a pact on this matter...although I cannot say that Khan Moto is totally sanguine on the idea. Likely this is just a gamble, nothing more. He looses little if you say no." Tangen says.
"No, Khan Moto is strong, ruthless, but he's never one to throw out an attack needlessly. He's planning something, but I can't divine what from here." Kaneka says.
"Then should we discard the Unicorn candidate out of hand?" You ask.
Kaneka frowns for a moment thinking to himself.
"....No, a trap is a trap, but I don't know if he means to have us reject his candidate or not. You should evaluate normally." He says at last.
"Well then...let us begin" You say picking up one of the dossier
- Doji Fumiko
-
Skill 3
While relatively young for the position at a mere age of 24. Doji Fumiko is arguably the true inheritor of the title of Amethyst Champion, the greatest courtier of a generation. Trained in the Doji methods, her favoured tactic is to create a vast chain of obligation, all starting with her helping someone completely unremarkable to the point where if anyone pulls the thread, everyone loses. This all or nothing style of diplomacy has served her well, but leaves her open to people willing to accept a lost. So far she has not had to. Which perhaps speaks even more to her ability in the courts, to create a network of alliances and obligation all while people are seeking to stop her from doing so, is a powerful ability indeed. in terms of style she has so far categorically refused to stoop to tactics of the night as they are euphemistically called. On a personal level, she's noted to be gracious and charming with her looks and musical voice...but known to be somewhat harsh on clans that disdain the courts normally or refuse to measure up to her standards
- Bayushi Kaukatsu
-
Skill: 3
While the position of Imperial Chancellor has been sidelined in recent years. The facts remain that your current one. Bayushi Kaukatsu is one of the most gifted courtiers in the entire Empire. Cutting his teeth in the same courts as the legendary Ide Tadaji and Ikoma Sume, the man has held the title of most dangerous man in the Empire for some time. Not for his skill in battle, but for his seeming omniscience and ability to twist words into deadly weapons...a skill that served him well in securing the position of Imperial Chancellor from all comers when the Imperial families revived the position during the Four Winds Crisis. Ruthless and loyal, the man is willing to step down as Chancellor to be the Advisor as he sees it as the best action for him. All too willing to resort to subterfuge and force to enforce the will of his superiors, he has a comparatively more difficulty trusting people and working out mutually beneficial deals..
- Kitsuki Akane
-
Skill:3
An untraditional candidate. Akane was born shortly before the War of Spirits, ended. Although few seem to believe her when she says that. Regardless, beginning her career as Kitsuki Magistrate, she soon found herself joining the realm of politics, as she was assigned the dangerous court of Kyuden Doji. There she performed beyond all expectations, ensuring that the Crane did not lend their considerable influence to the Phoenix in the War of Fire and Thunder. Since then she has tended to be posted in key courts that the Dragon cannot afford to turn hostile in these turbulent times, most recently to the Imperial court. Skilled at reading people, she employs neither that traditional alliance methods of the Crane or the more subterfuge methods of the Scorpion. Instead she employs her ability to discover what people are plotting and then move against them so that she gains the support of others. This combined with her ability to move with the courtly flow and strike suddenly with great force has made her an effective courtier. However, she is bitterly opposed to the Scorpion and curiously enough the Unicorn. On a personal level she is personable enough but considered remote, much like the distant hawk.
- Ide Kazue
-
Skill 3
A younger woman of the Ide family of a mere 26 years old. Rumour has it that upon her gempukku she travelled outside of Rokugani courts to learn from them. What she learned no one knows, or cares over much outside the Unicorn. That said whatever she learned from her sensei must have been extremely useful as she is something of a prodigy, not only rebuilding the bonds between the Unicorn and the Crab, but also laying the foundations for the apparent Mantis/Unicorn alliance. As of yet she has not been forced to meet Doji Fumiko in courts, but has said that she relishes that challenge whenever it happens. Taking a more balanced approach to things, Kazue has found herself equally adept at both subterfuge and diplomacy, often using one of them to catch off guard those who have mastered the other. Known to be somewhat reserved by Unicorn standards, it is rumoured that she has quite the secret harem of men from her various courts.
"Bayushi-san has my vote...if only because I don't want to see what he does when he is denied." Kaneka says at last.
"Truth be told I think the man should be ordered to commit seppukku and be done with it. For myself, I am torn between the Unicorn and the Dragon... I still do not fathom what this Kitsuki Akane-san can do that the others can't"
You read over the dossier again.
"Give me the truth, not only about my vassals, but also my council...that is if I am sure she is loyal." You say quietly.
A silence falls around the table. Did the Dragon predict that you would choose an Imperial Treasurer and arrange an Advisor who seems tailor made to keep herd on her? Or did they just get lucky and hoped that you would be enough of an iconoclast to choose a Kitsuki over the traditional Bayushi or Doji candidate. You honestly cannot tell, with the Dragon, it might be both....
"This one would humbly suggest Doji-san...true she is young, but she is skilled at building alliances, and that is something I think that the Throne would benefit from...even if it means missing out on the wonderful Ide-san. Truth be told I like her balanced approach best...but I am a servant of the Throne" Tangen simpers.
Why the Hantei made it so the Kasuga were contemptible you have no idea.
So four candidates, all of the quite strong in their own way. Whom did you choose?
[] Doji Fumiko (Locks Crane Relations to minimum 30 for two years. +5 to Lion relations. -5 Scorpion and Crab Focus: Diplomacy)
[] Bayushi Kaukatsu (Locks Scorpion relations to minimum 30 for two years. +5 Phoenix, Scorpion Relations. -5 Lion. Focus Subterfuge)
[] Kitsuki Akane (Locks Dragon relations to minimum 30 for two years. +5 Crab, -5 Mantis, Focus Discernment
[] Ide Kazue (Locks Unicorn relations to minimum 30 for two years. +5 to Mantis. -5 Phoenix Focus: Balanced)
-5 to clans who don't have their candidate picked.
AN:
So this is mostly self explanatory. Diplomacy is how much they prefer talking and making a compromise that everyone can walk away from at least partly satisfied. Subterfuge is how much they resort to black mail and other associated ne'er doing in order to make people give them what they want.
Discernment is unique and represents the inverse of Subterfuge, it focuses on disrupting plots and letting you win by being the last one standing. Ordinarily this would be on your Kizoku/Spymaster potentially. Now why is Togashi Satsu putting this out there? Well that'd be a spoiler.
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