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Glory of the Emerald Empire (Legend of the 5 Rings Quest)

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While I do find Sosuke's antics amusing, I think he's been through enough at this point to be somewhat less incompetent regarding women than he's currently being portrayed as.
 
Winged Knight said:
Just for my own clarification, do you mean Sosuke as portrayed in the current update or with the votes?
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In the votes. Over the course of the quest, Sosuke's had several oppertunities to interact with various women, which should give him enough experience to be better at talking to women than g-man gives him credit for - amusing though it may be.

Sosuke being uncomfortable in the update is more about his fame, than the fact that he's talking to a woman. Given that the impact of his fame only recently became apparent to him, it makes perfect sense that he doesn't really know how to deal with it yet. However, it seems jarring that he would suddenly become uncomfortable due to her gender when a) he can't see her, b) he was fine a few seconds ago, and c) Crab have mixed gender baths, so there's no possible way being in a bath with a woman - separated by a wall no less - should cause problems.
 
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Hydroplatypus said:
Sosuke being uncomfortable in the update is more about his fame, than the fact that he's talking to a woman.
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This is enough reason to be adorkable since he has been thrown off-balance. I can say this is the first time he's being reffered by that title rather than by his name directly, so is fair that he fells a bit nervous. Let the poor man have his awkward moment. He's been through a lot recently.

...

Alternatively, the vote might need to reflect that.

[x] Breath deeply. She's just a woman at the other side of the wall... who knows about your deeds. You know how it went, though. That was then. This is now.
[x] "Forgiven Mirumoto-sama, and it is a pleasure to meet you."
 
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Hydroplatypus said:
In the votes. Over the course of the quest, Sosuke's had several oppertunities to interact with various women, which should give him enough experience to be better at talking to women than g-man gives him credit for - amusing though it may be.
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Okay, good to know. I was afraid I'd mishandled Sosuke's characterization in the update. I'm glad that wasn't the case.

I do want it to be known that any future awkward moments of this nature will be tempered and likely scaled back. Sosuke has grown a lot as a person over the course of his journey, and has become more comfortable with the attentions of the opposite gender.

And, of course, there's the cultural context involved. There's a difference between men and women being naked in the bath as opposed to being alone in a bedroom, like what happened at Shinden Osano-wo. A man and a woman alone in someone's room can have certain implications, while in a bathing room the purpose is to get clean and maybe relax a little. Sosuke would have few issues with Hanabi even without the divider. He wouldn't stare at her, or anything like that, but he'd not be all that embarrassed by the situation.
 
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EtchedSteel said:
This is enough reason to be adorkable since he's been thrown off-balance. I can say this is the first time he's being reffered by that title rather than by his name directly, so is fair that he fells a bit nervous. Let the poor man have his awkward moment. He's been through a lot recently.

...

Alternatively, the vote might need to reflect that.
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[x] Breath deeply. She's just a woman at the other side of the wall... who knows about your deeds. You know how it went, though. That was then. This is now.
[x] "Forgiven Mirumoto-sama, and it is a pleasure to meet you."

Having an awkward moment for fame reasons is fine. Rather novel experience for Sosuke, having only happened once before. However given that apparently large numbers of the dragon are talking about his deeds, he'll probably be significantly less awkward after we leave the Dragon. After all, he'll either adapt or crack under the pressure, and I highly doubt he'll crack.
 
Well, far better for Sosuke to know at least some within the Dragon clan know of him, rather than being surprised when, not if, other Dragon clansmen start to approach him or even converse with him over his various deeds at the mentioned battle. That and his recent talk with BROmonk may put his deeds and his overall demeanor into perspective as while it is good to be humble, it is even better to understand one's role. I do not mean he should ever become full of himself and strut around like one of those birds during the mating season (though that provides a little bit of an amusing image), but he needs to accept and be confident enough in his own abilities and what he can accomplish. This way, he knows what are his strengths which he can apply while knowing his weakness to such an extent where he can avoid having any enemies and potential enemies from exploiting.

Still, he is young enough and all that he has been through can excuse his current attitude. To a certain extent. His world is a death world and every error usually and almost certainly means someone will pay for those mistakes. It may not happen right away or even within the limited perspective of Sosuke, but someone will pay the ultimate price somewhere, sometime. But even with all that has happened, I think the young Crab has progressed quite well despite of all the challenges thrown his way. He may not be a Usain Bolt who sprints across the finish line at the Olympics, but as long as he gets the victory with his honor more or less intact, that is what counts, right?

Anyway, my vote:

[x] Breath deeply. She's just a woman at the other side of the wall... who knows about your deeds. You know how it went, though. That was then. This is now.
[x] "Forgiven Mirumoto-sama, and it is a pleasure to meet you."
 
[x] Breath deeply. She's just a woman at the other side of the wall... who knows about your deeds. You know how it went, though. That was then. This is now.
[x] "Forgiven Mirumoto-sama, and it is a pleasure to meet you."
 
[x] Breath deeply. She's just a woman at the other side of the wall... who knows about your deeds. You know how it went, though. That was then. This is now.
[x] "Forgiven Mirumoto-sama, and it is a pleasure to meet you."
 
[x] Breath deeply. She's just a woman at the other side of the wall... who knows about your deeds. You know how it went, though. That was then. This is now.
[x] "Forgiven Mirumoto-sama, and it is a pleasure to meet you."
 
[x] Breath deeply. She's just a woman at the other side of the wall... who knows about your deeds. You know how it went, though. That was then. This is now.
[x] "Forgiven Mirumoto-sama, and it is a pleasure to meet you."
 
[x] Breath deeply. She's just a woman at the other side of the wall... who knows about your deeds. You know how it went, though. That was then. This is now.
[x] "Forgiven Mirumoto-sama, and it is a pleasure to meet you."
 
[x] Breath deeply. She's just a woman at the other side of the wall... who knows about your deeds. You know how it went, though. That was then. This is now.
[x] "Forgiven Mirumoto-sama, and it is a pleasure to meet you."
[JK] Leap the fence, GO THE GROPE!!
 
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    • [x] Breath deeply. She's just a woman at the other side of the wall... who knows about your deeds. You know how it went, though. That was then. This is now.
    [x] "Forgiven Mirumoto-sama, and it is a pleasure to meet you."


    You smile at Hanabi's exuberance. The woman seems quite energetic, engaging in conversation with a total stranger from the other side of a wall. You've heard some odd things about the Dragon, but then again they do live isolated atop a mountain range. Even the Phoenix, at least, have ports. Being so separated from the Empire no doubt results in some quirks amongst their people.

    And besides, it's not as if you really dislike the current setting. You're relaxing, your body doesn't ache and Hanabi seems genuinely polite. There are worse settings than the bath to speak with someone, even if most of the time you've merely gotten clean as quickly as possible and gotten out.

    Hanabi's knowledge of your fame is still unnerving, but you suppose there's really no avoiding it now. News spreads as fast as horseback across the Empire, letters and rumors going where they will. Yo breathe deeply. She's just a woman at the other side of the wall. It doesn't matter that she knows of your deeds. It's just something you've lived through. That was then. This is now.

    "You are forgiven Mirumoto-sama, and it is a pleasure to meet you."

    "Oh, Hiruma-san! You do me too much honor!" she responds, the water on her end making noise as she moves. Did she just bow, even though you can't see her? "I am not your superior by any means! We are of the same status, I believe."

    "Ah, I see. Well, please forgive me for the mistake, Mirumoto-san," you say. "Though I am still happy we have met."

    "There is nothing to forgive, Hiruma-san," Hanabi says. "And I am glad you're happy. This is… Well, this isn't the most graceful introduction."

    "It is nothing to worry about," you say, waving a hand idly as you lean back further. The heat of the spring is making you drowsy again, your muscles loosening. "Grace is something for the Crane to worry about. We of the Crab don't care so much about that."

    "I suppose that is true," Hanabi says. "It's better to simply get right to the point and avoid wasting time, after all. It's something we of the Mirumoto know well, though many find that strange."

    "Your Family are the rivals of the Kakita, correct?" you ask. "With your Niten style of swordsmanship? I believe I recall that being the case."

    "You are indeed correct, Hiruma-san," the woman replies. "The story of Mirumoto and Kakita's rivalry is quite an old one, though it is most well known amongst my Clan and the Crane's." she sighs. "It is such a shame they never had the chance to see which of them was the better duelist."

    "Indeed," you say. "I mean no offense to Kakita, for he was surely a great man, but I find myself favoring Mirumoto's philosophy on the matter."

    "Oh? How so, if you don't mind my asking?"

    "Mirumoto was all about practicality," you answer. "Artistry and flourish… These aren't needed on the battlefield. When you fight, you're trying to kill your enemy. That's why you're fighting in the first place, and there's honor enough in that without trying to be pretty. Making bloodshed seem grander than it is just seems like a waste of time."

    "And thus do you come upon the reason why this rivalry has persisted for so long," Hanabi says, sounding pleased. "The Crane believe in a single, perfect strike. Perhaps one cut will be enough, but better to keep striking just to make sure." You hear water splashing as she stands, drops falling rapidly back into the pool. "I will be having dinner soon, Hiruma-san. Would you care to join me, and perhaps converse further?"

    [] Agree and leave the hot spring.
    [] Politely decline and enjoy the spring further.
    [] Write in.
     
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    • [x] Agree and leave the hot spring.

    Sure. Why not? We're here to do the diplomacy thing with the Dragon. Let's do the diplomacy thing with the Dragon.
     
    [X] Agree and leave the hot spring.

    Engaging conversation too? And on the finer points of bashing heads in? hell yes.


    Although our preference on swordsmanship style should not say much on the heart of the matter. We favor the Tetsubo after all. If a hit with that wont do the only thing you can do to win is repeat until you get it right, or get out of the fight.
     
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    [x] Agree and leave the hot spring.

    She seems quite peppy. I believe the term is genki. Happy and peppy, this will only end well. Or in tears because this is Rokugan
     
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