Ridiculously Average Guy
I'm you, but stronger
- Location
-
[X] Tell him everything.
Glory of the Emerald Empire (Legend of the 5 Rings Quest)
- Thread starter Winged Knight
- Start date
- Fantasy
EtchedSteel
*mumble mumble*
- Location
- Lima. Peru
While I'm not a big fan of this kind of votes - and is not you, is just a personal matter or voting style -, the vote works.
[] Sirocco
[] Sirocco
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Sirrocco
Pedantic
You realize the vote is circular now, right?
My most recent vote is for your vote. I hold to that. It's a good vote. I only chopped my previous vote up into chunks so that @Winged Knight could more easily scavenge it for parts.
EtchedSteel
*mumble mumble*
- Location
- Lima. Peru
cokerpilot
Here comes the rain.
I vote for EtchedSteel who votes for Sirocco who votes EtchedSteel. Everything makes sense now.
EtchedSteel
*mumble mumble*
- Location
- Lima. Peru
Sirrocco
Pedantic
Be happy! You have brought joy to your fellow forumgoers, and the votes in favor of your plan are near-unanimous.Goddammit guys
3.29
Winged Knight
Still just a crazy man with a wolf on his head
- Location
- Texas
[x] Sirrocco/ES combined megavote extravaganza.
"It took some time to learn everything, but my understanding is this," you begin. "There are some among the Unicorn who feel quite keenly the dishonor of Moto Shinichiro's rampage. There are rumors that, in addition to his other harms, he may have left bandits in his wake. The clan sent letters offering assistance, in the hopes of cleansing some of their shame. They were refused. It is possible that they were turned back by the Dragonfly, without ever being considered by the Dragon themselves."
"I wouldn't be surprised," Yasuki Goro interjects. "The Dragonfly suffered greatly in the Dragon-Unicorn war, and Moto Shinichiro's insanity that came just a few years after." He sighs and shakes his head. "Bitter feelings can last such a long time."
You nod in agreement with your Lord. Insults, of course, cannot be ignored. That would be the height of dishonor. It would also be hypocritical for you to admonish the feelings of the Dragon on this matter considering your own Clan's relation with the Crane. Those grievances have lasted centuries, and are quite legitimate in your mind.
However, while your Clan's conflicts with the Crane arose from one of their Families seeking to join the Crab, the issues with the Dragon and the Unicorn were born out of misunderstanding and one man's evil ambitions. Certainly the Unicorn held some responsibility for these awful events, but to hold on to that anger for twenty years? That's longer than you've even been alive.
It's not really your place, of course, but it would be nice if something could be done about that. The Unicorn and the Crab have always been allies, even after the events of Moto Shinichiro's rampage. If there is anything you can do to alleviate this situation they have found themselves in, you would like to reach for it.
"The Unicorn Clan Champion then gave permission to this samurai - Shinjo Wanli - to try to gain permission to hunt them down herself," you continue. "She also gave her some confidential correspondence - intended from one Champion to another. By her description, she has been here over three months, and in that time has sought to show herself worthy by volunteering eagerly to hunt bandits whenever the opportunity arose, seeking enlightenment at the shrines and even performing menial tasks."
"I'm getting the feeling things did not go as planned," your lord says, resting his chin on the plan of his hand.
"You would be correct, Yasuki-sama," you say, nodding. "A few days ago, Tonbo Akane-sama complimented her service and dedication... and then informed her that as a Unicorn, she would never be permitted entrance into Dragon lands. Tonbo-sama also said Shinjo Wanli's missives would never be permitted to cross their borders. She is now desperate and demoralized, to the point that she welcomed even small kindnesses as a starving woman might welcome rice."
"Kindness I assume you gave to her," Yasuki Goro says, smiling. "You're a good man, Sosuke-san." His smile fades as he looks you right in the face. "However, I'm not certain what this has to do with us."
You nod to your Lord in understanding. While your superior can certainly be circumspect and subtle, he does seem to prefer directness like all those in his Family. It is time to move on to the point of your report, and hopefully convince him to use his considerable skill in unraveling this problem to hopefully benefit your overall mission against the Shadowlands.
"I see the shallows of a few things here. I bring them to you, as I expect that you might see their depths," you respond. "Shinjo Wanli herself appears competent and honorable, and has enough of the good opinion of the Unicorn Clan Champion to be given a task of some import. She would be grateful for any conclusion to this situation better than that which Tonbo Akane-sama has given her."
"That is all well and good," your superior says. "But we are on a mission, Sosuke-san, and have delayed quite long enough in the completion of it. I feel for this woman's plight, but it is secondary to our duty."
"Of course, Yasuki-sama. If that is your decision, I will of course adhere to it," you say. "But if you will spare me but a few moments more, I think there is opportunity here. Shinjo Wanli's Champion has placed some import on this missive. It was intended as a secret, though Tonbo Akane-sama now knows it, and might be grateful to have it make its way safely to the Dragon."
"I will admit I am curious about that," Yasuki Goro says. "A secret relating to the infamous Moto Shinichiro… I can't help but wonder what it might be."
"The Unicorn as a Clan feel their dishonor keenly, and wish to cleanse themselves of it as best they can," you continue. "The best cavalry in Rokugan craves a chance to regain honor on the eve of a great battle with the Shadowlands, and we have the support in the courts of the Scorpion. I cannot help but think that this can be turned to advantage in some way."
"Perhaps…" your Lord says, rubbing his chin. "I'm beginning to see some possibilities here."
"I will admit I'm also concerned, Yasuki-sama," you say. "Any attempt to aid the Shinjo Wanli is likely to displease Tonbo Akane-sama. She has influence in the courts of the Dragon, and our mission here is potentially fragile. Further, even if she does nothing, we could easily harm our embassy by visibly aligning ourselves with the Unicorn, or by any action that might cast aspersions on our most honorable hostess. Finally, if the Dragon share her opinions of the Unicorn in full - a possibility that cannot be discounted - or even simply wish to appear so, then anything we do to change the situation here at all could be seen as offensive by them."
"I'm pleased you have a good grasp of the potential issues," Yasuki Goro replies. "You've truly come quite a long way, haven't you, Sosuke-san?"
"You do me much honor with your praise, my Lord," you say, bowing. "However, this situation is beyond my abilities to unravel, and so I bring it to you."
"A wise course," the courtier says. "Hmm… Let me think."
Yasuki Goro steeples his hands and rests his chin on the bridge formed by his fingers. He closes his eyes and breathes evenly, obviously in deep thought. You, meanwhile, do your best to stay quiet and not distract your Lord. It would not do to disturb him as he considers this situation, especially since you've taken up so much of his valuable time already.
Minutes pass by as the courtier ponders, though in the silence of the room they feel like hours. You can't help but feel restless as you wait. What will Yasuki Goro determine? Will he have some grand answer to this problem, or will he decide it is not worth the trouble? You believe you've made your case well, and your Lord appears at least somewhat amicable to getting involved. However, that could easily change.
Finally, after what seems like an eternity, your Lord opens his eyes. His expression is neutral, though not impassive. He simply looks calm and relaxed, like he has awoken from a deep meditation. All save for his eyes, which twinkle with exaltation.
"Sosuke-san," he says. "If I recall correctly, Moto Shinichiro created his army through the insidious powers of the Egg of P'an Ku, an object closely tied to the dark nature of the Nothing. I also seem to remember that Moto Shinichiro himself had the touch of the Nothing upon his soul."
"I believe you are correct, my Lord," you say, though you're unsure of where he's going with this. "The histories do record this as being true."
"The Nothing has often allied with the Shadowlands," Yasuki Goro continues. "And we have a duty to fight the forces of that wicked realm wherever they may be. These bandits, if they truly are remnants of Moto Shinichiro's army, would no doubt have beings created from the Egg of P'an Ku within their ranks. That being the case, we would be remiss in our duties if we did not enquire further on the matter."
You blink. "My Lord? That makes sense but… Please forgive me, but I'm not sure how that relates to this current situation."
"It's quite simple, Sosuke-san," Yasuki Goro responds. "It is our duty to weed out and destroy all things related to the Shadowlands, and Shinjo Wanli holds a secret concerning beings that almost certainly do hold relation to that blighted place. If you were to learn it, and we deemed it important enough to share with the Dragon, then we would merely be going about the duty the Emperor has tasked of us." He smiles. "And it would only be natural to reveal the source of our information, which could very well lead the Dragon to summoning Shinjo Wanli in order to learn more."
Your eyes widen. This plan… This plan sidesteps most of the issues quite handily. To insist on taking Shinjo Wanli, or delivering a message, implies too much closeness to the Unicorn. That could easily anger the Dragon and impede your mission. However, if you are simply pursuing a lead about forces potentially related to the Shadowlands?
Well, you would only be doing the duty handed down to your people since the founding of the Empire. In fact, if you look at the situation this way you almost have an obligation to attend this matter. It would be shameful to, at the very least, not gather more information.
"I see you realize the nuances of what I am saying, Sosuke-san," your lord says, his smile widening. "If you wish to help this woman, and by extension our Clan, then go learn this secret from her. I can think of no other way to go about this and avoid complications, save ignoring this incident entirely."
[] Agree to the plan.
[] Offer suggestions to change the plan. (Write in)
[] Decline the plan.
[] Write in.
"It took some time to learn everything, but my understanding is this," you begin. "There are some among the Unicorn who feel quite keenly the dishonor of Moto Shinichiro's rampage. There are rumors that, in addition to his other harms, he may have left bandits in his wake. The clan sent letters offering assistance, in the hopes of cleansing some of their shame. They were refused. It is possible that they were turned back by the Dragonfly, without ever being considered by the Dragon themselves."
"I wouldn't be surprised," Yasuki Goro interjects. "The Dragonfly suffered greatly in the Dragon-Unicorn war, and Moto Shinichiro's insanity that came just a few years after." He sighs and shakes his head. "Bitter feelings can last such a long time."
You nod in agreement with your Lord. Insults, of course, cannot be ignored. That would be the height of dishonor. It would also be hypocritical for you to admonish the feelings of the Dragon on this matter considering your own Clan's relation with the Crane. Those grievances have lasted centuries, and are quite legitimate in your mind.
However, while your Clan's conflicts with the Crane arose from one of their Families seeking to join the Crab, the issues with the Dragon and the Unicorn were born out of misunderstanding and one man's evil ambitions. Certainly the Unicorn held some responsibility for these awful events, but to hold on to that anger for twenty years? That's longer than you've even been alive.
It's not really your place, of course, but it would be nice if something could be done about that. The Unicorn and the Crab have always been allies, even after the events of Moto Shinichiro's rampage. If there is anything you can do to alleviate this situation they have found themselves in, you would like to reach for it.
"The Unicorn Clan Champion then gave permission to this samurai - Shinjo Wanli - to try to gain permission to hunt them down herself," you continue. "She also gave her some confidential correspondence - intended from one Champion to another. By her description, she has been here over three months, and in that time has sought to show herself worthy by volunteering eagerly to hunt bandits whenever the opportunity arose, seeking enlightenment at the shrines and even performing menial tasks."
"I'm getting the feeling things did not go as planned," your lord says, resting his chin on the plan of his hand.
"You would be correct, Yasuki-sama," you say, nodding. "A few days ago, Tonbo Akane-sama complimented her service and dedication... and then informed her that as a Unicorn, she would never be permitted entrance into Dragon lands. Tonbo-sama also said Shinjo Wanli's missives would never be permitted to cross their borders. She is now desperate and demoralized, to the point that she welcomed even small kindnesses as a starving woman might welcome rice."
"Kindness I assume you gave to her," Yasuki Goro says, smiling. "You're a good man, Sosuke-san." His smile fades as he looks you right in the face. "However, I'm not certain what this has to do with us."
You nod to your Lord in understanding. While your superior can certainly be circumspect and subtle, he does seem to prefer directness like all those in his Family. It is time to move on to the point of your report, and hopefully convince him to use his considerable skill in unraveling this problem to hopefully benefit your overall mission against the Shadowlands.
"I see the shallows of a few things here. I bring them to you, as I expect that you might see their depths," you respond. "Shinjo Wanli herself appears competent and honorable, and has enough of the good opinion of the Unicorn Clan Champion to be given a task of some import. She would be grateful for any conclusion to this situation better than that which Tonbo Akane-sama has given her."
"That is all well and good," your superior says. "But we are on a mission, Sosuke-san, and have delayed quite long enough in the completion of it. I feel for this woman's plight, but it is secondary to our duty."
"Of course, Yasuki-sama. If that is your decision, I will of course adhere to it," you say. "But if you will spare me but a few moments more, I think there is opportunity here. Shinjo Wanli's Champion has placed some import on this missive. It was intended as a secret, though Tonbo Akane-sama now knows it, and might be grateful to have it make its way safely to the Dragon."
"I will admit I am curious about that," Yasuki Goro says. "A secret relating to the infamous Moto Shinichiro… I can't help but wonder what it might be."
"The Unicorn as a Clan feel their dishonor keenly, and wish to cleanse themselves of it as best they can," you continue. "The best cavalry in Rokugan craves a chance to regain honor on the eve of a great battle with the Shadowlands, and we have the support in the courts of the Scorpion. I cannot help but think that this can be turned to advantage in some way."
"Perhaps…" your Lord says, rubbing his chin. "I'm beginning to see some possibilities here."
"I will admit I'm also concerned, Yasuki-sama," you say. "Any attempt to aid the Shinjo Wanli is likely to displease Tonbo Akane-sama. She has influence in the courts of the Dragon, and our mission here is potentially fragile. Further, even if she does nothing, we could easily harm our embassy by visibly aligning ourselves with the Unicorn, or by any action that might cast aspersions on our most honorable hostess. Finally, if the Dragon share her opinions of the Unicorn in full - a possibility that cannot be discounted - or even simply wish to appear so, then anything we do to change the situation here at all could be seen as offensive by them."
"I'm pleased you have a good grasp of the potential issues," Yasuki Goro replies. "You've truly come quite a long way, haven't you, Sosuke-san?"
"You do me much honor with your praise, my Lord," you say, bowing. "However, this situation is beyond my abilities to unravel, and so I bring it to you."
"A wise course," the courtier says. "Hmm… Let me think."
Yasuki Goro steeples his hands and rests his chin on the bridge formed by his fingers. He closes his eyes and breathes evenly, obviously in deep thought. You, meanwhile, do your best to stay quiet and not distract your Lord. It would not do to disturb him as he considers this situation, especially since you've taken up so much of his valuable time already.
Minutes pass by as the courtier ponders, though in the silence of the room they feel like hours. You can't help but feel restless as you wait. What will Yasuki Goro determine? Will he have some grand answer to this problem, or will he decide it is not worth the trouble? You believe you've made your case well, and your Lord appears at least somewhat amicable to getting involved. However, that could easily change.
Finally, after what seems like an eternity, your Lord opens his eyes. His expression is neutral, though not impassive. He simply looks calm and relaxed, like he has awoken from a deep meditation. All save for his eyes, which twinkle with exaltation.
"Sosuke-san," he says. "If I recall correctly, Moto Shinichiro created his army through the insidious powers of the Egg of P'an Ku, an object closely tied to the dark nature of the Nothing. I also seem to remember that Moto Shinichiro himself had the touch of the Nothing upon his soul."
"I believe you are correct, my Lord," you say, though you're unsure of where he's going with this. "The histories do record this as being true."
"The Nothing has often allied with the Shadowlands," Yasuki Goro continues. "And we have a duty to fight the forces of that wicked realm wherever they may be. These bandits, if they truly are remnants of Moto Shinichiro's army, would no doubt have beings created from the Egg of P'an Ku within their ranks. That being the case, we would be remiss in our duties if we did not enquire further on the matter."
You blink. "My Lord? That makes sense but… Please forgive me, but I'm not sure how that relates to this current situation."
"It's quite simple, Sosuke-san," Yasuki Goro responds. "It is our duty to weed out and destroy all things related to the Shadowlands, and Shinjo Wanli holds a secret concerning beings that almost certainly do hold relation to that blighted place. If you were to learn it, and we deemed it important enough to share with the Dragon, then we would merely be going about the duty the Emperor has tasked of us." He smiles. "And it would only be natural to reveal the source of our information, which could very well lead the Dragon to summoning Shinjo Wanli in order to learn more."
Your eyes widen. This plan… This plan sidesteps most of the issues quite handily. To insist on taking Shinjo Wanli, or delivering a message, implies too much closeness to the Unicorn. That could easily anger the Dragon and impede your mission. However, if you are simply pursuing a lead about forces potentially related to the Shadowlands?
Well, you would only be doing the duty handed down to your people since the founding of the Empire. In fact, if you look at the situation this way you almost have an obligation to attend this matter. It would be shameful to, at the very least, not gather more information.
"I see you realize the nuances of what I am saying, Sosuke-san," your lord says, his smile widening. "If you wish to help this woman, and by extension our Clan, then go learn this secret from her. I can think of no other way to go about this and avoid complications, save ignoring this incident entirely."
[] Agree to the plan.
[] Offer suggestions to change the plan. (Write in)
[] Decline the plan.
[] Write in.
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Sirrocco
Pedantic
I love that our boss is awesome.
[x] Agree to the plan. It's certainly better than anything *you* could have come up with..
-[x] Acknowledge that you may not be able to learn it - it *was* intended as a secret - but that having shared it once, she might be willing to share it again.
-[x] Go forth and make the attempt, regardless.
-[x] Present the plan to Shinjo Wanli more or less exactly as it was presented to you.
--[x] After the appropriate politenesses. She's probably starved for friendly company, after all. No need to be brusque.
--[x] If the message is not in any way Shadowlands-related, but she is willing to share it with you anyway - well, you would certainly be willing to pass it along to Yasuki Goro-sama, and he might still be able to pass the meat of it along in some fashion. It is her choice.
[x] Agree to the plan. It's certainly better than anything *you* could have come up with..
-[x] Acknowledge that you may not be able to learn it - it *was* intended as a secret - but that having shared it once, she might be willing to share it again.
-[x] Go forth and make the attempt, regardless.
-[x] Present the plan to Shinjo Wanli more or less exactly as it was presented to you.
--[x] After the appropriate politenesses. She's probably starved for friendly company, after all. No need to be brusque.
--[x] If the message is not in any way Shadowlands-related, but she is willing to share it with you anyway - well, you would certainly be willing to pass it along to Yasuki Goro-sama, and he might still be able to pass the meat of it along in some fashion. It is her choice.
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- Location
- Canada
[X] Sirrocco
[x] Agree to the plan. It's certainly better than anything *you* could have come up with..
-[x] Acknowledge that you may not be able to learn it - it *was* intended as a secret - but that having shared it once, she might be willing to share it again.
-[x] Go forth and make the attempt, regardless.
-[x] Acknowledge that you may not be able to learn it - it *was* intended as a secret - but that having shared it once, she might be willing to share it again.
-[x] Go forth and make the attempt, regardless.
EtchedSteel
*mumble mumble*
- Location
- Lima. Peru
I was reading when this started playing.
Best. Boss. Rokugan.
I'm smiling so much my face hurts.
[x] Sirrocco
Though going and outright telling the plan to Wanli wouldn't be too much? I think she will want to react to our presence first.
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Sirrocco
Pedantic
I've made an edit to make things a *little* less purely business-oriented.
EtchedSteel
*mumble mumble*
- Location
- Lima. Peru
Yeah, is better now.
[X] Sirrocco
I have to say this must be the most devious Crab I have ever read about in a Quest/RP as his ability to use words and plan accordingly much like the Crab Champions easily wield weapons in the fight to protect the Wall, is nothing short of mind-boggling at times.
I like him.
I have to say this must be the most devious Crab I have ever read about in a Quest/RP as his ability to use words and plan accordingly much like the Crab Champions easily wield weapons in the fight to protect the Wall, is nothing short of mind-boggling at times.
I like him.