Glory of the Emerald Empire (Legend of the 5 Rings Quest)
- Thread starter Winged Knight
- Start date
- Fantasy
Orion Nexus
The Storm Soul
- Location
- South Carolina
[x] Read the Letter
[X] Read the letter.
- Location
- Iceland
[X] Read the letter.
- Location
- Canada
[x] read the letter.
Ridiculously Average Guy
I'm you, but stronger
- Location
-
[x] read the letter.
3.53
Winged Knight
Still just a crazy man with a wolf on his head
- Location
- Texas
[x] Read the letter
"My thanks," you say, rising. Your joints pop as you stretch, and as you get to your feet you can't help but marvel at how refreshed you feel. It's amazing what a good bath and a decent night's sleep will do, especially since you've spent the last several days both traveling and having Shirou punch you repeatedly for training.
As you look at your arms and chest, you notice the bruises have mostly vanished. It seems that feeling of rejuvenation at the bath yesterday was more than a flight of fancy. Thankfully, you probably don't require Shirou to strike you any more. You feel stronger, your flesh and bones tougher than they were before. With this recovery, you have mastered this level of your training.
Truly the techniques of the Hida Bushi School are wondrous indeed, if in their learning they have made you so much more robust. All that and more is needed, for it is your duty to endure. You can't help a smile at your progress as you take the letter from the still kneeling servant.
There is no insignia on the message, just a simple wax seal holding the paper closed. In fact, everything about it is plain with no identifying marks at all. It's as if someone went out of their way to hide any possibility of tracking the letter to its owner.
You crack it open and look over its contents.
To the most Honorable and Esteemed Hiruma Sosuke-sama,
I must congratulate you for finally completing your long journey to these far reaches of the Emerald Empire! Your travels have not been without hardship, but you have overcome all obstacles in your way with impressive vigor. This is to be expected from the followers of Hida, for weathering trials is only natural for the Crab.
But while you have overcome these trials, I cannot help but wonder if you truly understand their full implications. I would speak with you on them once you have free time. The discussions with the Dragon will not go on all day, so when you are given leave I would ask that you meet with me at a teahouse in the city named "The Pale Radiance."
Naturally, you will not trust me. This is only to be expected, for you do not know me and have likely noticed all my hints implying I know much about you. However, I would ask for your indulgence and understanding. There is much that we could do for each other, if we but keep an open mind.
With sincere anticipation,
Nisshoku
You blink, then read the letter again. The words do not change, so you must have interpreted them correctly the first time. Someone has invited you to tea, and doesn't seem to care at all about how suspicious they appear. That is a troubling prospect by any measurement.
"Who delivered this letter?" you ask the servant, folding the paper back up and placing it in your sleeve. "Did you see their face?"
"I did, Hiruma-sama, but…" She hesitates, fidgeting where she bows. "I am terribly sorry, Honored Samurai. The man who handed this to me was plain of face, with bland features like many whom I interact with daily. I could describe him, but I am afraid I would be giving you the countenance of half the men in Shiro Kitsuki."
[] Write in.
"My thanks," you say, rising. Your joints pop as you stretch, and as you get to your feet you can't help but marvel at how refreshed you feel. It's amazing what a good bath and a decent night's sleep will do, especially since you've spent the last several days both traveling and having Shirou punch you repeatedly for training.
As you look at your arms and chest, you notice the bruises have mostly vanished. It seems that feeling of rejuvenation at the bath yesterday was more than a flight of fancy. Thankfully, you probably don't require Shirou to strike you any more. You feel stronger, your flesh and bones tougher than they were before. With this recovery, you have mastered this level of your training.
Truly the techniques of the Hida Bushi School are wondrous indeed, if in their learning they have made you so much more robust. All that and more is needed, for it is your duty to endure. You can't help a smile at your progress as you take the letter from the still kneeling servant.
There is no insignia on the message, just a simple wax seal holding the paper closed. In fact, everything about it is plain with no identifying marks at all. It's as if someone went out of their way to hide any possibility of tracking the letter to its owner.
You crack it open and look over its contents.
To the most Honorable and Esteemed Hiruma Sosuke-sama,
I must congratulate you for finally completing your long journey to these far reaches of the Emerald Empire! Your travels have not been without hardship, but you have overcome all obstacles in your way with impressive vigor. This is to be expected from the followers of Hida, for weathering trials is only natural for the Crab.
But while you have overcome these trials, I cannot help but wonder if you truly understand their full implications. I would speak with you on them once you have free time. The discussions with the Dragon will not go on all day, so when you are given leave I would ask that you meet with me at a teahouse in the city named "The Pale Radiance."
Naturally, you will not trust me. This is only to be expected, for you do not know me and have likely noticed all my hints implying I know much about you. However, I would ask for your indulgence and understanding. There is much that we could do for each other, if we but keep an open mind.
With sincere anticipation,
Nisshoku
You blink, then read the letter again. The words do not change, so you must have interpreted them correctly the first time. Someone has invited you to tea, and doesn't seem to care at all about how suspicious they appear. That is a troubling prospect by any measurement.
"Who delivered this letter?" you ask the servant, folding the paper back up and placing it in your sleeve. "Did you see their face?"
"I did, Hiruma-sama, but…" She hesitates, fidgeting where she bows. "I am terribly sorry, Honored Samurai. The man who handed this to me was plain of face, with bland features like many whom I interact with daily. I could describe him, but I am afraid I would be giving you the countenance of half the men in Shiro Kitsuki."
[] Write in.
Last edited:
We should probably take the letter to our boss.
We are an adult.
- Location
- Austrlia
Yeah, but I'm not sure we can help ourselves with any 'Bad Touch' moments.
That's what the Tetsubo is for.Yeah, but I'm not sure we can help ourselves with any 'Bad Touch' moments.
EtchedSteel
*mumble mumble*
- Location
- Lima. Peru
Yeah, Rokugan has this effect on people
[x] Put some proper clothes.
[x] Bring the matter to Yasuki Goro.
Also, is 'Nisshoku' a generic name or does it have reference to something? Purely OOC reasons.
Sirrocco
Pedantic
...or the Nothing. If it's the Scorpion, we're fine. They might put us in some sort fo an awkward situation, but have no reason to dislike us. If it's the more faceless ninja, however....
It's that "his face - all I can tell you about it was that it was bland" thing that really has me worried.
...and, of course, the fact that the Void Dragon has already given us his personal attention at least once.
"Nisshoku" apparently means "solar eclipse". Combined with our obvious role in this drama as The Sun, and "Pale Radiance" as the name of the locale...
Last edited:
Joyful_Overkill
satisfaction in knowing your enemy won't survive.
[x] Put some proper clothes.
[x] Bring the matter to Yasuki Goro.
[x] Bring the matter to Yasuki Goro.
Sirrocco
Pedantic
So let's look at what he's saying. "There is much that we could do for each other, if we but keep an open mind." In other words, he's suggesting that he will offer us some quid pro quo in a way advantageous to us both... but highly likely at least somewhat dishonorable. Even if it's not directly dishonorable, something about the situation is such that the majority of Rokugani would disapprove of it. Possibly Kolat. There is a fairly heavy Kolat infestation among the crab, though. It is reasonably likely that Yasuki Goro has some ties there, for example. If the Kolat were seeking to influence him, they have better ways.
The weird part about this is that almost *anyone* has better ways. This is being specifically set up to make us suspicious. That has to be deliberate, especially given the degree to which it is done. They (probably) want us to come to this meeting, but they want us to come feeling suspicious. Various reasons they might wish this...?
- So that we'll bring allies, and so that we have a social excuse to bring allies.
- So that we acknowledge by our coming that we're at least willing to hear them out on a topic that may be unsavory. This would suggest that they think they have a deal we'd find compelling, but that even offering us the deal would involve revealing things that we'd immediately respond to negatively, before they could get the rest of the offer out. Naga, maybe?
- As some form of test - of our character, our wisdom, or whatever. We're in the home of the diplomats of the dragon, and they might have decided to put us to some form of test. It would be trivial for them to set up the letter (and description of who delivered it), and we already know that they know of our journey (though since we got that through Hanabi, they may not know that we know that they know).
I'm thinking that we probably *do* want to go (as it is likely to either be an ally, or something that needs to be destroyed, and we'll want to investigate regardless), but it is highly likely that we will *not* want to accept the offer (as it's likely to be all sorts of trap). This only leaves the threat of being assaulted while there, and the threat of being shadowlands-tainted while there.
I believe that we *do* still have a talent of jade. Might come in handy.
[x] Ask the servant if they know anything about a tea-house named "The Pale Radiance"
[x] Put some proper clothes.
[x] Bring the matter to Yasuki Goro.
The weird part about this is that almost *anyone* has better ways. This is being specifically set up to make us suspicious. That has to be deliberate, especially given the degree to which it is done. They (probably) want us to come to this meeting, but they want us to come feeling suspicious. Various reasons they might wish this...?
- So that we'll bring allies, and so that we have a social excuse to bring allies.
- So that we acknowledge by our coming that we're at least willing to hear them out on a topic that may be unsavory. This would suggest that they think they have a deal we'd find compelling, but that even offering us the deal would involve revealing things that we'd immediately respond to negatively, before they could get the rest of the offer out. Naga, maybe?
- As some form of test - of our character, our wisdom, or whatever. We're in the home of the diplomats of the dragon, and they might have decided to put us to some form of test. It would be trivial for them to set up the letter (and description of who delivered it), and we already know that they know of our journey (though since we got that through Hanabi, they may not know that we know that they know).
I'm thinking that we probably *do* want to go (as it is likely to either be an ally, or something that needs to be destroyed, and we'll want to investigate regardless), but it is highly likely that we will *not* want to accept the offer (as it's likely to be all sorts of trap). This only leaves the threat of being assaulted while there, and the threat of being shadowlands-tainted while there.
I believe that we *do* still have a talent of jade. Might come in handy.
[x] Ask the servant if they know anything about a tea-house named "The Pale Radiance"
[x] Put some proper clothes.
[x] Bring the matter to Yasuki Goro.