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

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[X]Report, in military style.

I kind of assumed the Mirumoto was accidentally incinerated along with the wall, the first time the Shadowspawn got away.
 
Night said:
I kind of assumed the Mirumoto was accidentally incinerated along with the wall, the first time the Shadowspawn got away.
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That's basically what happened, this unfortunate guy just being near and getting pulled in by the intruder as Asako Akio proceeded to blow out the wall.
 
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aledeth said:
I thought the intruder literally landed on the Bushi when he fell.
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Nah, more like he was using the Bushi as a shield and then surfing on him through the air before using him for as much cushion as he could manage. Your burglar apparently has a flair for the dramatic. That, or he was just incredibly desperate and grabbing any chance that might allow him to survive an annoyed Asako Akio throwing fire around.
 
Winged Knight said:
Nah, more like he was using the Bushi as a shield and then surfing on him through the air before using him for as much cushion as he could manage. Your burglar apparently has a flair for the dramatic. That, or he was just incredibly desperate and grabbing any chance that might allow him to survive an annoyed Asako Akio throwing fire around.
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In fairness to him, desperately reaching for any possible advantage is the correct response when confronted by an angry Elemental Master. The chances are good it won't help (and indeed it didn't stop this guy from getting blasted so hard he hit the horizon), but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Also, I love the fact that Asako Akio can just say 'And so I reacted appropriately' when referring to a course of action that ended with explosions audible from miles away. Advantages of being a Shugenja, it appears.

[x]Report, in military style.
 
EtchedSteel said:
Also, WK. Now that you mentioned NaNo. How many words you managed to write this time? Just curiosity.
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Sorry I missed this! I reached 33,000 words with the novel. I was keeping pace, but then I spent over three days at a convention to play in an L5R living campaign, amusingly enough. I didn't really have any opportunity to write over there, and that delay just cascaded so I wasn't able to finish by the end of November. I'm not depressed, though, because I've already completed NaNo once before and went into this time with the intention of getting a big chunk of another novel finished. I've met that goal, so I'm content with my participation in the event.
 
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    • Sirrocco said:
    Are we permitted to ask about the novels in question? Has the first one been published?
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    Since I'm not yet published, I'll be keeping the specifics of the novel under my hat for now. Sorry, but I don't want to cause any potential issues after hopefully getting a publisher. For right now I'm still looking for an agent. It's tough finding people to take on a new author. I've hope I'll be published one day, though. I've just got to keep writing and keep sending our queries.

    In the meantime, let's have an update.


    [X]Report, in military style.

    Over the course of your journey you have learned words hold great power. A story can turn the hearts of even the most stalwart Samurai, inflaming passions or bringing forth a flood of tears. In the right place, at the right time, a tale of bravery could make even a coward's heart grow and make bitter enemies work together. Stories can change the world.

    This is not that time and place. Here and now you have Kitsuki Ryojiro, the Daimyo of a Great Clan Family, looking at you for an explanation for these disruptive events in his city. Looking briefly into his eyes, you are once again reminded of a storm in the distance. This is a man of great insight, perceiving more of the world around him than any would believe possible. To you, in these lands, his word is law.

    So you fall back on your training, old instincts long ingrained coming to the fore.

    "Yes, Kitsuki-sama," you say, giving a brief bow before continuing. "I had taken my leave to enjoy your city with my friend Shirou, and in the process of visiting a temple I met with Kitsu Himawari-san."

    You motion to Himawari, pointedly ignoring the glare Hanabi sent her out of the corner of her eye. You're not entirely certain why mentioning your meeting would spark the ire of the Mirumoto Bushi, but at the very least she isn't being too obvious with her dislike. It does not embarrass you all in front of the Kitsuki Family Daimyo, at the very least.

    "Afterward I left with them to enjoy some tea, where I ran into Mirumoto Hanabi-san. She had been relieved of duty, and desired our company. After that is when I perceived the result of the events Asako Akio-sama described."

    "So you saw that wall of my castle being blown out even from the street," Kitsuki Ryojiro says, his tone even. "I can only assume half the city did if it was so clear to you even at that distance."

    "It seems likely, my Lord," you reply, not sure exactly how to respond. You decide to just keep going. "From that plume of fire I saw something falling through the air, which landed further up the street from us. It was an injured man who had his face covered, and he had used a Mirumoto Bushi as a cushion for his fall. He looked at me with eyes that glowed in shadow, and I decided he could only be an enemy and reacted accordingly."

    "There seems to be quite a lot of that happening today," the Dragon Daimyo says. "How did you fare in your meeting with this individual, Hiruma-san?"

    "I struck him, but he blocked with his injured arm and used my attack to launch him toward an alley," you answer. "He proceeded to leap from wall to wall, presumably to reach the rooftops and escape, when he was assaulted by another masked figure. The first man collapsed to the ground, Asako-sama's mask falling from his form." You pause for a moment, frowning. There's no good way to say this, so you continue. "The second masked figure… He was almost certainly an agent of the Shadow Dragon."

    "What?" Kitsuki Ryojiro asks, his eyes going wide. It is not the measured response you have seen from him before, but instead genuine shock. He places his hands flat on the table and leans back.

    "Darkness leaked from his form, and as I moved to stop him from taking Asako-sama's mask others joined him," you continue. "The alleyway turned into a corridor of shadows filled with eyes and grinning mouths as we fought them, barely holding the creatures off. I believe we could have won, but it would have been a near thing. Asako-sama's timely intervention settled the matter before it escalated to that point."

    Kitsuki Ryojiro is quiet for almost a full minute, staring at nothing. His hands have balled into fists, his knuckles growing white. The seconds tick by as the Dragon Daimyo takes slow, measured breaths. A glance at his eyes reveals that the grey has become darker, more pronounced. The storm has arrived, heralding the Daimyo's anger.

    You can only hope that it is not directed at you.

    The Daimyo rises suddenly, moving away from his chair and toward the window behind his desk. His every motion is carefully controlled, as if taking deliberate care not to break something. He looks out from it onto the castle grounds and the city beyond, observing his domain.

    "Two dark powers at play in my city, and one connected to the Nothing," he says softly. He rests a hand on the wall next to the window, his shoulders stiff. "Even now the remnants of Moto Shinichiro plague our lands. Will we never be rid of his touch?"

    Could he think that those Shadowspawn were from those bandits left over from Moto Shinichiro's army? you wonder, taking care not to pay too much attention to the Daimyo's restrained display of emotion. I guess they very well could be.

    After all, it is not as if you know where those creatures came from. In truth, you're not entirely sure where the first man came from either, save that he was almost certainly Tainted. They were of two different groups, but you've little idea of what their goals were aside from pure speculation. That alone is hardly proof, and you'd not waste the Daimyo's time with it unless directly asked.

    Still, it seems this might be an excellent time to reveal the existence of Moto Shinichiro's copy. It's already known in both Dragon and Unicorn lands that bandits formed from the remains of his army exist, some no doubt corrupted by the touch of the Nothing. Kitsuki Ryojiro is angry right now and deep in his own thoughts, but should that keep you from telling him what you know?

    Speak, or remain silent. You must choose.

    [] Reveal that a copy of Moto Shinichiro exists in Dragon Lands.
    [] Remain silent.
    [] Write in.
     
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    • [X] Reveal that a copy of Moto Shinichiro exists in Dragon Lands.

    Honestly I normally just lurk in l5r threads due to my unfamiliarity with the series, but I've read enough to realize that we have a obscenely rare opportunity to cause the head of a Great Clan to completely loose his shit. How could I resist? The man just asked how long the shadow of Moto Shinichiro would haunt his lands, and we can tell him that a shadow of the man walks it this very moment. How could we refuse such a perfect setup?
     
    Winged Knight said:
    "Two dark powers at play in my city, and one connected to the Nothing," he says softly. He rests a hand on the wall next to the window, his shoulders stiff. "Even now the remnants of Moto Shinichiro plague our lands. Will we never be rid of his touch?"
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    [X] Reveal that a copy of Moto Shinichiro exists in Dragon Lands.

    Funny thing about that my lord...now how to phrase this in a way that doesn't cast us as crazy/manipulated by the Unicorn.
     
    [x] Reveal it, but politely

    I see some Dragonflies offered to walk in the garden in the near future. Because he really needed to hear this from Unicorn way, way before this and not from random Crab Bushi after events escalated.

    Somebody would lose face over this matter and I suspect it wouldn't be Kitsuki Ryojiro.
     
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    [x] Reveal it, but politely

    Somebody got some spare tantos? People are about to get invited onward, one way or the other. Just hoping the nice Unicorn and us aren't them.
     
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    [x] Reveal it, but politely
    Mention we heard something important about them while in dragonfly lands, if allowed to continue, then proceed with explaining about the unicorn.
     
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