The Sandman
So Zetta Slowpoke
- Location
- Wherever I am, which isn't where I'm not
[x] Accept his offer.
[x] Be hit by lightning because we're the tallest thing in the practice yard
Glory of the Emerald Empire (Legend of the 5 Rings Quest)
- Thread starter Winged Knight
- Start date
- Fantasy
Sirrocco
Pedantic
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[x] Accept his offer.
He is a monk offering a learning experience. It is essentially never impolite to accept learning experiences from monks. It's kind of one of the things that they do.
He is a monk offering a learning experience. It is essentially never impolite to accept learning experiences from monks. It's kind of one of the things that they do.
Ok, so noting impolite about accepting.
Now,is it rigth to accept his offer when we have a duty to perform?
i mean, we already spend about an hour training, don't we have to present ourselves to the head of our delegation?
Sirrocco
Pedantic
- Pronouns
- He/Him
We're basically in downtime right now. This is not a trap.
That said
[x] accept the offer
(after, we will have to spend some time with our companions)
Ridiculously Average Guy
I'm you, but stronger
- Location
-
[x] Accept his offer.
"We pray by fighting." Sosuke thinks he's in love.
"We pray by fighting." Sosuke thinks he's in love.
2.25
Winged Knight
Still just a crazy man with a wolf on his head
- Location
- Texas
[x] Accept his offer.
"All right," you say. "It sounds interesting."
"Then please follow me," Shirou says before turning around and walking away.
You follow after him, and he leads you back toward the side entrance you used to enter the temple in the first place. You must admit you find it a little odd that you're actually leaving the monastery in order to pray, but you figure Shirou has to know what he's doing. He's the monk, after all, and he lives here.
He takes you quite a ways from the temple, slogging through the ever-dampening ground. The earth is mostly rocky soil, but even still mud forms. It is difficult to walk through, and outside of Shinden Osano-wo the rain seems to be coming down even harder. You can barely see more then thirty feet ahead of you.
Lightning flashes overhead, and thunder resounds soon after. Silhouetted by that brief light, Shirou stops. He turns to you and spreads his arms wide.
"We who follow the example of the Fortune Hida Osano-wo do not pray to him for strength," he says, speaking so that he might be heard over the downpour. "For to do so admits that we are too weak to follow in his path." He turns around; arms still extended, and looks toward the sky. "No! We scream to the Fortune when he exerts his power, asking he test us!" The monk slips out of the tops of his robes, revealing a toned, scarred body rippling with tightly corded muscle. "Look upon me, Osano-wo! This is the body I have spent fifteen years perfecting, following your path! Throw your strength against me! I am not afraid!"
Your eyes are wide, and you take an involuntary step away from Shirou. This was how the monks prayed to the Fortune of Fire and Thunder? By daring him to strike them down with lightning? At first glance, the idea seems to be born of madness.
And yet, thinking about it, the notion makes total sense. The monks train their bodies; strive for mastery of their physical forms, in order to follow in the footsteps Osano-wo left behind before he ascended to the Heavens. What better way to prove their devotion than to pit their strength and resolve against the Fortune whose lessons they wished to emulate?
Shirou stands there, his arms outstretched, yelling at the sky. You can't help but feel like you're viewing something personal, looking in on another man's devotion to the path he has chosen. You shake yourself, and scowl. You will not let yourself be frightened, not when this monk stands ready. You move to his side and outstretch your own arms.
"Hida Osano-wo," you whisper, wishing this to be more private than Shirou's shouting toward the heavens. "I have faced many trials in my short life, and I expect I will face many more. I will confront them as best I can, living in the example you and your father have set for my Clan." You pause, taking a moment to steel yourself. "I am the wall. I will not fail."
The world erupts in a blinding flash as lightning hits the ground not five feet from where you stand. The shockwave takes you off your feet, and for a brief moment that seems to stretch into forever, you feel weightless. In this moment of infinity, where the flow of time seems to have slowed, you see everything.
You see Shirou flying through the air next to you, pained exhilaration showing on his face, and you see the raindrops as the fall, like crystals frozen in time. Between those drops is arcing electricity, creating a tapestry of power and majesty. Lightning dances between the water droplets as they fall, between the air and the ground. It even courses between you and Shirou, connecting you with the monk.
And in the space between the lightning and the rain, between the blinding flash and the boom of thunder, you see a giant of a man looking down on you from atop a mountain. He is huge and barrel chested, with arms as big as your legs. His expression is stern, judging, but not harsh. With eyes alight with fire he gazes down at you, and just before you hit the ground you think you see him give you the slightest of nods.
And then time speeds up again, and all you can feel is pain. You cringe and clutch at your arms, and you know they are burned. Steam rises from your clothes, and you can already feel bruises forming on your back from your rough landing. You barely hold back a cry of pain as you twist around, moving as much as you can with your muscles cramped and your body locked up. You're having trouble even opening your eyes.
After a few minutes, you finally manage to get some control over yourself. You sit up slowly, taking care not to aggravate your injuries, and open your eyes. Shirou is sitting a few feet away, his eyes wide with a combination of excitement and fright.
"The Fortune of Fire and Thunder sent us a mighty test indeed!" he cries as he stands. He offers you a hand. "He must have felt we were worthy of his attention, to strike at us so closely!"
"It seems so," you say through clenched teeth, fighting through the pain as you let Shirou have you to your feet. "I must admit I'm not used to such rough prayer."
"Normally the lightning does not strike so close," Shirou says, smiling wide. "But we have survived it, and proven our strength to the Fortune!"
"That we did," you say. "But now, I think we've earned ourselves some food and rest."
"I would agree, Sosuke-sama," Shirou says.
You both walk back to the temple, wincing all the while. You will hurt in the morning, you are certain of that. You will likely hurt for the next few days as your body recovers from the ordeal you put yourself through. Osano-wo's attention, it seems, is a rightfully powerful thing to experience.
As you move through the doors, you think back to that image you saw just before you hit the ground. Of a huge, muscled man standing atop a mountain looking down at you. Could that have been Osano-wo himself? Did the Fortune reveal himself to you, if only for the briefest of moments?
No, you think. That can't be. I'm letting pride cloud my memory. The very thought is ridiculous.
And yet… What if it isn't? What if you really did see Osano-wo in that moment between the flash of lightning and the boom of thunder? What if you did gaze upon the son of Hida himself, and he looked back at you?
You aren't sure what to think of that.
[] Write in.
Sosuke has taken 24 Wounds. He has 54 Wounds remaining. He is currently in the Nicked Bracket, and will take +3 to the TN of all rolls while he at this level of injury. You may, however, spend a Void Point to have negated 10 of the damage he incurred from the lightning strike.
"All right," you say. "It sounds interesting."
"Then please follow me," Shirou says before turning around and walking away.
You follow after him, and he leads you back toward the side entrance you used to enter the temple in the first place. You must admit you find it a little odd that you're actually leaving the monastery in order to pray, but you figure Shirou has to know what he's doing. He's the monk, after all, and he lives here.
He takes you quite a ways from the temple, slogging through the ever-dampening ground. The earth is mostly rocky soil, but even still mud forms. It is difficult to walk through, and outside of Shinden Osano-wo the rain seems to be coming down even harder. You can barely see more then thirty feet ahead of you.
Lightning flashes overhead, and thunder resounds soon after. Silhouetted by that brief light, Shirou stops. He turns to you and spreads his arms wide.
"We who follow the example of the Fortune Hida Osano-wo do not pray to him for strength," he says, speaking so that he might be heard over the downpour. "For to do so admits that we are too weak to follow in his path." He turns around; arms still extended, and looks toward the sky. "No! We scream to the Fortune when he exerts his power, asking he test us!" The monk slips out of the tops of his robes, revealing a toned, scarred body rippling with tightly corded muscle. "Look upon me, Osano-wo! This is the body I have spent fifteen years perfecting, following your path! Throw your strength against me! I am not afraid!"
Your eyes are wide, and you take an involuntary step away from Shirou. This was how the monks prayed to the Fortune of Fire and Thunder? By daring him to strike them down with lightning? At first glance, the idea seems to be born of madness.
And yet, thinking about it, the notion makes total sense. The monks train their bodies; strive for mastery of their physical forms, in order to follow in the footsteps Osano-wo left behind before he ascended to the Heavens. What better way to prove their devotion than to pit their strength and resolve against the Fortune whose lessons they wished to emulate?
Shirou stands there, his arms outstretched, yelling at the sky. You can't help but feel like you're viewing something personal, looking in on another man's devotion to the path he has chosen. You shake yourself, and scowl. You will not let yourself be frightened, not when this monk stands ready. You move to his side and outstretch your own arms.
"Hida Osano-wo," you whisper, wishing this to be more private than Shirou's shouting toward the heavens. "I have faced many trials in my short life, and I expect I will face many more. I will confront them as best I can, living in the example you and your father have set for my Clan." You pause, taking a moment to steel yourself. "I am the wall. I will not fail."
The world erupts in a blinding flash as lightning hits the ground not five feet from where you stand. The shockwave takes you off your feet, and for a brief moment that seems to stretch into forever, you feel weightless. In this moment of infinity, where the flow of time seems to have slowed, you see everything.
You see Shirou flying through the air next to you, pained exhilaration showing on his face, and you see the raindrops as the fall, like crystals frozen in time. Between those drops is arcing electricity, creating a tapestry of power and majesty. Lightning dances between the water droplets as they fall, between the air and the ground. It even courses between you and Shirou, connecting you with the monk.
And in the space between the lightning and the rain, between the blinding flash and the boom of thunder, you see a giant of a man looking down on you from atop a mountain. He is huge and barrel chested, with arms as big as your legs. His expression is stern, judging, but not harsh. With eyes alight with fire he gazes down at you, and just before you hit the ground you think you see him give you the slightest of nods.
And then time speeds up again, and all you can feel is pain. You cringe and clutch at your arms, and you know they are burned. Steam rises from your clothes, and you can already feel bruises forming on your back from your rough landing. You barely hold back a cry of pain as you twist around, moving as much as you can with your muscles cramped and your body locked up. You're having trouble even opening your eyes.
After a few minutes, you finally manage to get some control over yourself. You sit up slowly, taking care not to aggravate your injuries, and open your eyes. Shirou is sitting a few feet away, his eyes wide with a combination of excitement and fright.
"The Fortune of Fire and Thunder sent us a mighty test indeed!" he cries as he stands. He offers you a hand. "He must have felt we were worthy of his attention, to strike at us so closely!"
"It seems so," you say through clenched teeth, fighting through the pain as you let Shirou have you to your feet. "I must admit I'm not used to such rough prayer."
"Normally the lightning does not strike so close," Shirou says, smiling wide. "But we have survived it, and proven our strength to the Fortune!"
"That we did," you say. "But now, I think we've earned ourselves some food and rest."
"I would agree, Sosuke-sama," Shirou says.
You both walk back to the temple, wincing all the while. You will hurt in the morning, you are certain of that. You will likely hurt for the next few days as your body recovers from the ordeal you put yourself through. Osano-wo's attention, it seems, is a rightfully powerful thing to experience.
As you move through the doors, you think back to that image you saw just before you hit the ground. Of a huge, muscled man standing atop a mountain looking down at you. Could that have been Osano-wo himself? Did the Fortune reveal himself to you, if only for the briefest of moments?
No, you think. That can't be. I'm letting pride cloud my memory. The very thought is ridiculous.
And yet… What if it isn't? What if you really did see Osano-wo in that moment between the flash of lightning and the boom of thunder? What if you did gaze upon the son of Hida himself, and he looked back at you?
You aren't sure what to think of that.
[] Write in.
Sosuke has taken 24 Wounds. He has 54 Wounds remaining. He is currently in the Nicked Bracket, and will take +3 to the TN of all rolls while he at this level of injury. You may, however, spend a Void Point to have negated 10 of the damage he incurred from the lightning strike.
Last edited:
[x] Write in:
It is not for me to say who the Fortune may or may not have met, they are after all as far above mortals as Samurai are above the hemnin. Still if the Fortune did see me than what can I do?
What Osano-wo demands of his followers of course. To rise with strength and courage against adversity, to be the wall and withstand all who would destroy it.
I can do no less really.
I will honour Osano-wo, with my deeds and actions, with my strength and courage, in this his temple, I make this vow.
[x] Spend void point
It is not for me to say who the Fortune may or may not have met, they are after all as far above mortals as Samurai are above the hemnin. Still if the Fortune did see me than what can I do?
What Osano-wo demands of his followers of course. To rise with strength and courage against adversity, to be the wall and withstand all who would destroy it.
I can do no less really.
I will honour Osano-wo, with my deeds and actions, with my strength and courage, in this his temple, I make this vow.
[x] Spend void point
[x] Write in:
It is not for me to say who the Fortune may or may not have met, they are after all as far above mortals as Samurai are above the hemnin. Still if the Fortune did see me than what can I do?
What Osano-wo demands of his followers of course. To rise with strength and courage against adversity, to be the wall and withstand all who would destroy it.
I can do no less really.
I will honour Osano-wo, with my deeds and actions, with my strength and courage, in this his temple, I make this vow.
[x] do not spend void point
It is not for me to say who the Fortune may or may not have met, they are after all as far above mortals as Samurai are above the hemnin. Still if the Fortune did see me than what can I do?
What Osano-wo demands of his followers of course. To rise with strength and courage against adversity, to be the wall and withstand all who would destroy it.
I can do no less really.
I will honour Osano-wo, with my deeds and actions, with my strength and courage, in this his temple, I make this vow.
[x] do not spend void point
EtchedSteel
*mumble mumble*
- Location
- Lima. Peru
[x] Write in:
-[x] "It is not for me to say who the Fortune may or may not have met, they are after all as far above mortals as Samurai are above the hemnin. Still if the Fortune did see me than what can I do?"
-[x]"What Osano-wo demands of his followers of course. To rise with strength and courage against adversity, to be the wall and withstand all who would destroy it."
-[x]"I can do no less really."
-[x]"I will honour Osano-wo, with my deeds and actions, with my strength and courage, in this his temple, I make this vow."
[x] Spend void point.
[x] Return to your quarters.
This is a fine line of thought, and I'm sure Sosuke will be tested more in his way across the empire to Dragon lands.
So much to see and to experiment...
Anyways, a void point is recharged after a good night of sleep (I know by this time a lot of you may know this, but is always good to make a tiny reminder
). Spending the void point can make a difference between "Dear heavens, what happened to you?" and "So, you got quite and experience outside there eh?"
And speaking of which, after all this enlighting experience, all that is left is to go back to the quarters. If Yasuki-sama is there, he would like to hear all of this.
Now he won another experience, another story to tell when he arrives to the Dragon lands, among all related to the gempukku, and the kitsune.
Also, Sosuke may want to refrain from using his signature, hammy one-liner, for it always leads to epic, unexpected results.
-[x] "It is not for me to say who the Fortune may or may not have met, they are after all as far above mortals as Samurai are above the hemnin. Still if the Fortune did see me than what can I do?"
-[x]"What Osano-wo demands of his followers of course. To rise with strength and courage against adversity, to be the wall and withstand all who would destroy it."
-[x]"I can do no less really."
-[x]"I will honour Osano-wo, with my deeds and actions, with my strength and courage, in this his temple, I make this vow."
[x] Spend void point.
[x] Return to your quarters.
This is a fine line of thought, and I'm sure Sosuke will be tested more in his way across the empire to Dragon lands.
So much to see and to experiment...
Anyways, a void point is recharged after a good night of sleep (I know by this time a lot of you may know this, but is always good to make a tiny reminder
). Spending the void point can make a difference between "Dear heavens, what happened to you?" and "So, you got quite and experience outside there eh?"And speaking of which, after all this enlighting experience, all that is left is to go back to the quarters. If Yasuki-sama is there, he would like to hear all of this.
Now he won another experience, another story to tell when he arrives to the Dragon lands, among all related to the gempukku, and the kitsune.
Also, Sosuke may want to refrain from using his signature, hammy one-liner, for it always leads to epic, unexpected results.
Ridiculously Average Guy
I'm you, but stronger
- Location
-
this is some hardcore shit.
Winged Knight
Still just a crazy man with a wolf on his head
- Location
- Texas
The Fortune of Fire and Thunder may or may not have given you a little lovetap.
Unfortunately, it was with lightning. Cause that's just how Osano-wo rolls.
Last edited:
Winged Knight
Still just a crazy man with a wolf on his head
- Location
- Texas
Gonna need a few more votes, ladies and gentlemen. I'd like to get this update out there early evening after work if I can manage it.
[x] Write in:
It is not for me to say who the Fortune may or may not have met, they are after all as far above mortals as Samurai are above the hemnin. Still if the Fortune did see me than what can I do?
What Osano-wo demands of his followers of course. To rise with strength and courage against adversity, to be the wall and withstand all who would destroy it.
I can do no less really.
I will honour Osano-wo, with my deeds and actions, with my strength and courage, in this his temple, I make this vow.
[x] Spend void point
It is not for me to say who the Fortune may or may not have met, they are after all as far above mortals as Samurai are above the hemnin. Still if the Fortune did see me than what can I do?
What Osano-wo demands of his followers of course. To rise with strength and courage against adversity, to be the wall and withstand all who would destroy it.
I can do no less really.
I will honour Osano-wo, with my deeds and actions, with my strength and courage, in this his temple, I make this vow.
[x] Spend void point
The Sandman
So Zetta Slowpoke
- Location
- Wherever I am, which isn't where I'm not
[x] Etched Steel
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[x] Etched Steel
Ridiculously Average Guy
I'm you, but stronger
- Location
-
[x] Write in:
-[x] "It is not for me to say who the Fortune may or may not have met, they are after all as far above mortals as Samurai are above the hemnin. Still if the Fortune did see me than what can I do?"
-[x]"What Osano-wo demands of his followers of course. To rise with strength and courage against adversity, to be the wall and withstand all who would destroy it."
-[x]"I can do no less really."
-[x]"I will honour Osano-wo, with my deeds and actions, with my strength and courage, in this his temple, I make this vow."
[x] Spend void point.
[x] Return to your quarters.
Hey @Winged Knight is it possible for a man to ascend to godhood in this setting?
-[x] "It is not for me to say who the Fortune may or may not have met, they are after all as far above mortals as Samurai are above the hemnin. Still if the Fortune did see me than what can I do?"
-[x]"What Osano-wo demands of his followers of course. To rise with strength and courage against adversity, to be the wall and withstand all who would destroy it."
-[x]"I can do no less really."
-[x]"I will honour Osano-wo, with my deeds and actions, with my strength and courage, in this his temple, I make this vow."
[x] Spend void point.
[x] Return to your quarters.
Hey @Winged Knight is it possible for a man to ascend to godhood in this setting?
Winged Knight
Still just a crazy man with a wolf on his head
- Location
- Texas
Yes, actually! There are two ways. Well, one definite way and one that maybe/sorta exists. The first, and arguably the easier, is to be so awesome that after you die the Emperor names you a Fortune. He has the ability to do so thanks to being Heaven's representative in Ningen-do. Every Emperor, upon death, also ascends to the Heavens as a Fortune.
The second is something called The Path of Man. This path may or may not actually be real, and is not widely known. But if the Path of Man is true, then someone following it might ascend to the status of a Fortune under their own drive. It could be said this is how Osano-wo ascended, though in truth it's probably more likely because he held so much divine essence within himself as the son of the Kami Hida and the Thunder Dragon.
Last edited:
Freaking Shosuro GM's! Got ninja'd but anyways:
@Ridiculously Average Guy
Yes it totally is.
Mirumoto Hitomi killed the Moon God and took his place and Hida Yakamo took over from the Sun Goddess. As these two hated each other, it made things a little tense. (The Sun goddess killed herself to atone for placing the world in darkness for a month or so)
And Yoritomo managed to impress the Dragon of Thunder enough that he too became a kami by taking the Dragon of Thunder's power willingly.
It should be noted that the Heavens called Shenanigans in 1170 canonically and purged the first two.
@Ridiculously Average Guy
Yes it totally is.
Mirumoto Hitomi killed the Moon God and took his place and Hida Yakamo took over from the Sun Goddess. As these two hated each other, it made things a little tense. (The Sun goddess killed herself to atone for placing the world in darkness for a month or so)
And Yoritomo managed to impress the Dragon of Thunder enough that he too became a kami by taking the Dragon of Thunder's power willingly.
It should be noted that the Heavens called Shenanigans in 1170 canonically and purged the first two.