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In Thunder's Echo (Legend of the Five Rings Quest)

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4.07 - A proud chef
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    • [x] Pick a nice restraunt, favored by the Ikoma.

    "I had thought we might find something to eat." You comment. "There is a restraunt near here favoured by samurai of the Ikoma family, and it would not do to be distracted from the festivities to come by mere hunger."

    "Quite so, Soshi-san." Mariko says softly, her lips quirking into an amused smile. "You appear to have given all of this much thought. Lead on."

    "Well, I am a Scorpion, Doji-san." You reply with a faint smile of your own. "I have heard it said that the Matsu believe it improper to ever consider a course of action for more than seven breaths, but what works for them is perhaps less certain for the rest of us."

    "I had heard something along those lines." Mariko agrees as the two of you make your way through the streets. You can already see signs of the upcoming festival all around you - the trees are decorated with paper strips, lanterns are being placed in prominent positions, and there is a general air of cheerfulness slowly suffusing the city. "Something about the honourable course of action never taking more than seven breaths to determine, and the lack of any need to consider something which is not honourable?"

    "The commitment that our cousins among the Lion display to Bushido is indeed remarkable." You comment lightly. Were you speaking with another Scorpion you might make a remark about their devotion blinding them, but the Crane are renowned as being just as dedicated to their principles, if a bit more refined about how they express them. Instead, you leave it there, instead focusing on getting to your destination rather than becoming embarrassingly lost.

    The Seven Mountains Restraunt is located at the end of a minor street leading off from one of the main thoroughfares, and doubtlessly relies more on word of mouth than obvious advertising to attract clientele. For an establishment in such an austere city it is surprisingly heavily decorated - the paper walls are covered in beautiful drawings of montain scenery and proud leonine forms silhouetted against the skyline, while the wooden pillars are cut from dark wood and engraved with intricate flower patterns. The interior is reasonably conventional, and speaking to the servant at the door gets you and Mariko seated swiftly, with cushions to ensure your comfort on the hard wooden floor.

    There are many other samurai within, most currently eating, and looking around you can see more than a few couples out enjoying the chance to be together in public without shame. As you predicted, the mon of the Ikoma is by far the most frequent, though there appears to be a number of Kitsu here as well. None of them, however, hold a candle to the massive form of the samurai who just walked in through a small side door.

    "Honourable patrons!" He proclaims in a loud voice, drawing the attention of everyone within. His hair is pulled back into a topknot and his kimono is protected by a thick apron. "May the blessings of the Fortunes be upon you this day! I am Ikoma Hanryu, the primary ryorishi for this fine establishment, and it is my Honour and pleasure to cook for you today!"

    His hands, which you note are surprisingly slender compared to his considerable bulk, withdraw a pair of wickedly sharp knives from his belt. "Many are the culinary traditions of our glorious Empire, but there are none such as that practiced by my family." He proclaims, flicking the knives into the air and then catching them again in a brilliant arc of gleaming steel. "My ancestor was blessed with the patronage of Koji-no-kami herself, and he has passed her divine lessons down to every generation that followed. I would therefore invite you to offer a small prayer to the Fortune after you leave, just as I do every night, in thanks for her unmatched beneficence. In the meantime, my daughter shall provide some light entertainment for you while I prepare your meals."

    Having said his piece, the boisterous chef retreats back to his kitchen, and a young girl in a beautiful kimono comes out and kneels by the entrance, biwa in hand. She bows to you all, tests the strings on her instrument a couple of times, then launches into a hauntingly beautiful song that provides an excellent backdrop to the overall setting.

    "What a marvelous place." Mariko comments softly. "Truly, you must be perceptive indeed to have found it in such a short period of time, Soshi-san."

    You incline your head at the compliment. "I have found that one can learn much, Doji-san, simply by paying attention and listening to the world around us."

    "Wise words." She replies, still smiling gently. "Though it does remind me of a question I would ask. Your name has come up more than once in court, Soshi-san, and while you have made a most favourable impression many are also surprised. Your adherence to Bushido is, perhaps, more pronounced than many might expect from your Clan. Have I simply been watching the wrong plays?"

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    • [ ] Frankly speaking? Hand of fortune gave me easy choices. It was very easy to be honorable in such situations, at least for me. No conflict with Loyalty. Though plays tend to make Scorpion more evil than we are. If we compromise our Honor it's for other virtue and not of petty gain or maliciousness.

    I sooo want to vote this. But sadly it probably goes against interest of the clan in this particular case.
     
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    Some polite variation of "We all serve our clans and there was a reason they chose to send me to the Matsu"....

    Wordcrafter go!
     
    Something about walking the path of honor and and walking the path of loyalty need not be different as long as one navigated them carefully?
     
    Hm... any chances that there's more to this question than idle curiosity or the like?
    Given our clan's reputation, it might very well be that she's subtly feeling us out how willing we might be to engage in less-than-honorable activities, as part of her efforts to find some way out of her personal predicament?
     
    [X] Respond by mirroring her gentle smile: "Perhaps. I hope the surprise was a pleasant one Doji-san. ". Give her a moment to process that before continuing: "The Scorpion has a traditional role in plays, but plays only describe and depict life. As is the way of such things, something from the original is always lost. It is especially hard to accurately depict those who delve into the underworld of Rokugan and whose mandate is secrets and hidden threats. The less is known, the more room for expectations to fill in the blanks. "

    Look at her curiously:"Does that answer your question Doji-san, or did you have a specific play in mind?"
    *****

    Keep in mind that her question can easily be interpreted as a subtle insult, as she is implying that our whole clan is dishonorable, which is a nasty insult in Rokugan. She might be saying it a roundabout enough manner that there is no loss of honor for us, if we do not challenge her assertion.
     
    primemountain said:
    Keep in mind that her question can easily be interpreted as a subtle insult, as she is implying that our whole clan is dishonorable, which is a nasty insult in Rokugan. She might be saying it a roundabout enough manner that there is no loss of honor for us, if we do not challenge her assertion.
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    Bruh. Brotato. Broski.

    We're on a date with her. I highly doubt she's insulting us on a deito.
     
    Dark as Silver said:
    I think that should be either 'divine' or could you make it more clear that we're discussing mathematics.
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    Hah. Fixed. Bloody autocorrect...

    Kelenas said:
    Hm... any chances that there's more to this question than idle curiosity or the like?
    Given our clan's reputation, it might very well be that she's subtly feeling us out how willing we might be to engage in less-than-honorable activities, as part of her efforts to find some way out of her personal predicament?
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    Doji Mariko is a trained Courtier. There is always a chance that she has an ulterior motive.

    primemountain said:
    Keep in mind that her question can easily be interpreted as a subtle insult, as she is implying that our whole clan is dishonorable, which is a nasty insult in Rokugan.
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    ...unless you're saying it to a Scorpion, in which case the generally expected response is basically a shrug.

    No one in Rokugan actually expects the Scorpion to be honourable. Which is why Naoto is confusing everyone.
     
    It might be a good idea to reference back to what we talked about when we played chess against Chen, about how everyone has their way of serving. We could even use the same Shinsei quote, avoiding the actual question of whether we are as honorable as we seem whlie seeming to answer it by arguing that we can still serve the Scorpion Clan in ways different from the expected norm.

    "I am reliably informed that everyone who has ever visited or stayed within Kyuden Bayushi has a subtly different impression of it." You deflect the probe even as you deflect Chen's moves upon the board. Regardless of what they might want, it would be highly improper to comment on your own lord's behavior and intentions. "Still, it is as Shinsei said - 'The Dragonfly's buzz is no different from the Lion's roar. All creatures have a voice with which they express the Way'."

    This is one of the first lessons you were taught when your sensei covered conversational etiquette. A personal opinion can be argued against or questioned, but a quotation from one's ancestors or from the Tao is beyond reproach. You understand that the Ikoma are highly skilled at approaching debates in this fashion, though their Clan's disdain for Shinsei and his teachings means they are unlikely to quote the Little Teacher themselves.

    "To serve the Tao is to serve the Empire." Doji Mariko replies in tones of agreement. You recognize the quotation as another passage from the Tao itself, which in context would mean... everyone has a voice with which to express the Way, and everyone has their own means of serving the Empire. An interesting statement to hear from a different Clan - an acknowledgement of different method and yet shared purpose, suggesting common cause and alliance. Well, Kimoko did tell you to form ties with the Crane, so this works well enough.
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    [X] "Fate had rather conspired to present me in best light thus far by sparing me difficult choices. It is not true that the Scorpion don't value Bushido, but we do have a different relationship with it than the other clans. The Kami each entrusted their clans with what they believed was most important for the defence of Rokugan. Bayushi saw that the Empire was well protected on the battlefield and the places touched by light, so he turned elsewhere. He sought to protect the Empire in dark and shadowed places. Seeing the corrupting nature of the dwellers therein, he conceived that even Bushido could be turned against us. Thus, he instructed his clan to be ready to shed their honour should it be asked of them. Only loyalty would be spared, for he found no fault with it."
    "It is this, that honour is only transiently ours, that every Scorpion knows from birth. Some choose to cherish it while they can, and hope to have strength to part from it when the need comes. Others choose to spare themselves that pain. I can not find it in myself to fault them."

    Basically, yeah Scorpions are often dishonourable, but (appeal to authority) that is part of our ordained purpose. Not at allSuper subtly introducing the idea of sacrificing ones honour for the greater good.

    My only concern is that the someone take the implication that Bushido is imperfect as an insult. @Maugan Ra how likely is our conversation to be overheard? Are we in the open or some sort of alcove or booth? I don't think Mariko would take it badly, but if someone, especially someone who had been drinking, overheard us... We really don't need another duel on our schedule.
     
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    She is an enemy. If we tell or even implie that we are willing to blemish our honor, we are giving her a weapon that could be used against us.

    As long as our honor is without a doubt, we have more defense than normal from honor attacks.

    After all, we are not like the other Scorpions.


    At the same time, we can't allow her to infer that our honor have a too great an importance to us. (Even if only because it would cement some more of our little scorpion characteristic).

    A perfect answer would deflect the comment (as we can't be seen agreeing or disagreeing to it ) at the same time it would keep a door open for unusual acts, without exposing us or endangering our image in the eyes of the other delegations.
     
    Well, we are Scorpion. The question, then, is shat image we are trying to present to *her*. In her case, she delights in our gentle villainy - in our willingness to deceive, and in the narrative of the upright and proper Crane being seduced by the Scorpion scoundrel. She's also perhaps concerned because many of our honorable actions bring us more into alignment with the Lion and the Matsu. Given that we're making veiled snide comments about the Matsu and honor on one side, while living up to the Matsu ideal of honor better than a fair number of the Matsu themselves on the other....

    At the same time, we're one of her best chances for an ally at this court, and we're Scorpion. The idea of betraying those who thought themselves our allies is right there in the name. Her best way to protect herself from this is to understand us, and we are presenting enough different images that she can't really tell which one is real. Of course, this means that we're doing our job right as a Scorpion, but it leaves her i some uncertainty, and in her current situation, uncertainty is uncomfortable. She's definitely feeling the "no more than three feet from death" thing.

    There's also a pretty core question. "How willing are you to do dishonorable things, Soshi-san, and would you be willing to do them for me?"

    So, given that those are the questions being asked, what would we want the answers to be? That stuff I'm less sure of. I actively invite improvements and/or counterarguments, if anyone can come up with any.

    [x]"I have heard that honor protects like armor. What, then, is a mask, but armor for the face?"

    Also worth noting that we might be overheard, and the place is filled with Ikoma.
     
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    [x]"I have heard that honor protects like armor. What, then, is a mask, but armor for the face?"

    With this, we tell Mariko that we do what it has to be done, for it is our duty. Would this be that Mariko wants someone in who she can rely on, considering she's been sent to "piss off" the Lion? According to what she has implied on the letter she got from her daimyo...

    Guess this is it. Perhaps, this is the one question she needs an answer before pressing on.
     
    Sirrocco said:
    Well, we are Scorpion. The question, then, is shat image we are trying to present to *her*. In her case, she delights in our gentle villainy - in our willingness to deceive, and in the narrative of the upright and proper Crane being seduced by the Scorpion scoundrel. She's also perhaps concerned because many of our honorable actions bring us more into alignment with the Lion and the Matsu. Given that we're making veiled snide comments about the Matsu and honor on one side, while living up to the Matsu ideal of honor better than a fair number of the Matsu themselves on the other....

    At the same time, we're one of her best chances for an ally at this court, and we're Scorpion. The idea of betraying those who thought themselves our allies is right there in the name. Her best way to protect herself from this is to understand us, and we are presenting enough different images that she can't really tell which one is real. Of course, this means that we're doing our job right as a Scorpion, but it leaves her i some uncertainty, and in her current situation, uncertainty is uncomfortable. She's definitely feeling the "no more than three feet from death" thing.

    There's also a pretty core question. "How willing are you to do dishonorable things, Soshi-san, and would you be willing to do them for me?"

    So, given that those are the questions being asked, what would we want the answers to be? That stuff I'm less sure of. I actively invite improvements and/or counterarguments, if anyone can come up with any.

    [x]"I have heard that honor protects like armor. What, then, is a mask, but armor for the face?"

    Also worth noting that we might be overheard, and the place is filled with Ikoma.
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    I feel like it's a very pragmatic answer. It's saying that, "Honor is a tool like any other, and I employ it well when I use it." - and I think this is all in one a deflection and what she wants to hear. It's actually more or less exactly what I was going to write except a bit more succinct. Naoto has a fondness for meaningful non-answers (at least in my head) and I think this fits it quite well :p

    I think the vote's fine and that we don't particularly need to address the quip about our Clan.

    [x]"I have heard that honor protects like armor. What, then, is a mask, but armor for the face?"
     
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