A Nation's Virtue
南國山河南帝居
Maybe we should ask him what he thinks of the Matsu as well?
We should also probably find out why he specifically was chosen to come along.
In Thunder's Echo (Legend of the Five Rings Quest)
We should also probably find out why he specifically was chosen to come along.
mothematics
How wide is the concept of "you"?
- Location
- the bottom of a coffee cup
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I agree that we need to show a personal interest; I think we could stand to get a bit more out of the vote, however.
[X] "Hello, Yogo-san. May I ask what you think of all of... this?"
Vaguer, yes, and liable to get him to bite back with "SHADDUP AIN'T MY JOB TO THINK" but... it gives us a little more, potentially, than your average small talk while still... making small talk. Kinda.
You get the point
Sirrocco
Pedantic
Alternately, we could go with the professionalism thing. If engaging socially is likely to backfire... well, why would we wish to do that? What purpose would it serve?
[x] "Yogo-san, I have spoken to our merchants and to Bayushi-sama, and heard their needs. I do not know your particular purpose in being here. I do not need to know, if you would prefer that I not. My purpose is to support the delegation with information. What kind of information would be useful to you?"
-[x] Obviously, pick a time when we are unlikely to be overheard.
could perhaps do with some tweaking, but I think it's the right general thrust.
[x] "Yogo-san, I have spoken to our merchants and to Bayushi-sama, and heard their needs. I do not know your particular purpose in being here. I do not need to know, if you would prefer that I not. My purpose is to support the delegation with information. What kind of information would be useful to you?"
-[x] Obviously, pick a time when we are unlikely to be overheard.
could perhaps do with some tweaking, but I think it's the right general thrust.
A Nation's Virtue
南國山河南帝居
[X] Sirrocco
Joyful_Overkill
satisfaction in knowing your enemy won't survive.
[X] Sirrocco
1.8 - Speaking to Yogo Hanzo
- Location
- London, England
Side by side, you walk with Yogo Hanzo out of your assigned quarters and go in search of somewhere to refresh yourself. The layout of the castle is as yet unfamiliar to you, and approaching a Matsu samurai seems likely to open you up for all manner of unfortunate confrontations, but fortunately you are not so proud as to disregard the existence of the servants. There are a great many moving through the halls around your accommodation, carrying messages or supplies back and forth, and it is easy enough to stop one and ask for directions.
"A bathhouse? Of course, Samurai-sama." The Heimin says, unable to bow with her hands full of bedding but averting her eyes from you as best she can. "One has been set aside for the use of all guests for the duration of the Court. You may find it on the far side of the parade ground, third building from the right."
Satisfied, you dismiss the servant, who thanks you and then returns to her work. As she goes, you make a mental note of just how nervous the Heimin here seem, and whether that would potentially make them a potent resource for your information gathering. It might be better to have Pale Oak approach them for such matters, if their nervousness extends to all dealings with the samurai caste. A possibility worth considering, in any case.
Exiting the tower, you find yourself at the edge of a large parade field; a sizeable expanse of open space covered with smooth stone slabs. Every castle has somewhere like this, but you are surprised that the Matsu would place theirs directly adjacent to the guest quarters. Then again, that might just be a legacy of their particular mindset. Currently, you can see a group of several dozen Bushi moving through weapon katas in the center of the field, and immediately adjust your course to avoid them. Deciding that the open space and distant shouts of samurai in training provide a good enough way to avoid eavesdroppers, you turn your head to speak to your thus-silent companion.
"Yogo-san, I have spoken to our merchants and to Bayushi-sama, and heard their needs. I do not know your particular purpose in being here. I do not need to know, if you would prefer that I not. My purpose is to support the delegation with information. What kind of information would be useful to you?"
Yogo Hanzo seems to consider this for a long moment, keeping pace with you as you move around the parade ground. Eventually, he speaks.
"My purpose here, Soshi-san, is merely to provide spiritual support to you and Bayushi-sama." He says quietly. "I will watch for spell casting and implement wards which make our assigned quarters proof against eavesdropping. Beyond that... if you could provide any information to aid in my family's redemption, it would be gratefully received."
You frown slightly, somewhat surprised. Matters of familial honour are not usually discussed so easily... but then you are a fellow Scorpion, and you did just inform him that your purpose was information gathering, so perhaps it is not so strange. Indeed, given the likely presence of trained courtiers from other clans, perhaps it is better to discuss these things now, before they can be pried out by others later.
"Any assistance I can give towards that end I will, naturally, provide." You say calmly. "Although I do not wish to pry... I have little context for determining which information would be most pertinent."
Yogo Hanzo laughs darkly, though he keeps the noise to a minimum for the sake of propriety. "My uncle was Yogo Junzo, Soshi-san. I trust that tells you everything you need to know?"
Respond:
- [ ] Write in.
"A bathhouse? Of course, Samurai-sama." The Heimin says, unable to bow with her hands full of bedding but averting her eyes from you as best she can. "One has been set aside for the use of all guests for the duration of the Court. You may find it on the far side of the parade ground, third building from the right."
Satisfied, you dismiss the servant, who thanks you and then returns to her work. As she goes, you make a mental note of just how nervous the Heimin here seem, and whether that would potentially make them a potent resource for your information gathering. It might be better to have Pale Oak approach them for such matters, if their nervousness extends to all dealings with the samurai caste. A possibility worth considering, in any case.
Exiting the tower, you find yourself at the edge of a large parade field; a sizeable expanse of open space covered with smooth stone slabs. Every castle has somewhere like this, but you are surprised that the Matsu would place theirs directly adjacent to the guest quarters. Then again, that might just be a legacy of their particular mindset. Currently, you can see a group of several dozen Bushi moving through weapon katas in the center of the field, and immediately adjust your course to avoid them. Deciding that the open space and distant shouts of samurai in training provide a good enough way to avoid eavesdroppers, you turn your head to speak to your thus-silent companion.
"Yogo-san, I have spoken to our merchants and to Bayushi-sama, and heard their needs. I do not know your particular purpose in being here. I do not need to know, if you would prefer that I not. My purpose is to support the delegation with information. What kind of information would be useful to you?"
Yogo Hanzo seems to consider this for a long moment, keeping pace with you as you move around the parade ground. Eventually, he speaks.
"My purpose here, Soshi-san, is merely to provide spiritual support to you and Bayushi-sama." He says quietly. "I will watch for spell casting and implement wards which make our assigned quarters proof against eavesdropping. Beyond that... if you could provide any information to aid in my family's redemption, it would be gratefully received."
You frown slightly, somewhat surprised. Matters of familial honour are not usually discussed so easily... but then you are a fellow Scorpion, and you did just inform him that your purpose was information gathering, so perhaps it is not so strange. Indeed, given the likely presence of trained courtiers from other clans, perhaps it is better to discuss these things now, before they can be pried out by others later.
"Any assistance I can give towards that end I will, naturally, provide." You say calmly. "Although I do not wish to pry... I have little context for determining which information would be most pertinent."
Yogo Hanzo laughs darkly, though he keeps the noise to a minimum for the sake of propriety. "My uncle was Yogo Junzo, Soshi-san. I trust that tells you everything you need to know?"
Respond:
- [ ] Write in.
Sirrocco
Pedantic
Oh, my goodness. His *uncle*.
Why is he *here*? How is that even conceivably a good idea?
So, for those of you who don't know the background, the very first Shadowlands Horde deck in the card game - the one that was faced off against for most of Clan War - was known as "Yogo Junzo's Army". Yogo Junzo was the shugenja in charge of pulling together the various terrible rituals for the return of Fu Leng, while also being his main general.
Yogo Junzo was also the eldest son of the Yogo Diamyo when born (and then later became diamyo himself)... meaning that this guy is the grandson of said diamyo. He was the keeper of the first Black Scroll, and the one who decided that opening Black Scrolls was a Good Idea. he released the Wasting Disease, which killed him, then was brought back as an undead in service to Fu Leng (and then went on to be general, etc, etc, etc). He was killed on the Day of Thunder by Otaku Kamoko.
So... basically, Yogo-sama's chances of redeeming his family are not so hot.
Why is he *here*? How is that even conceivably a good idea?
So, for those of you who don't know the background, the very first Shadowlands Horde deck in the card game - the one that was faced off against for most of Clan War - was known as "Yogo Junzo's Army". Yogo Junzo was the shugenja in charge of pulling together the various terrible rituals for the return of Fu Leng, while also being his main general.
Yogo Junzo was also the eldest son of the Yogo Diamyo when born (and then later became diamyo himself)... meaning that this guy is the grandson of said diamyo. He was the keeper of the first Black Scroll, and the one who decided that opening Black Scrolls was a Good Idea. he released the Wasting Disease, which killed him, then was brought back as an undead in service to Fu Leng (and then went on to be general, etc, etc, etc). He was killed on the Day of Thunder by Otaku Kamoko.
So... basically, Yogo-sama's chances of redeeming his family are not so hot.
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Wait, wasn't the Yogo family already like super cursed to the Nth generation (Something something, betray what you love, yada yada)? How unlucky can one family get?
How do the Rokugani feel about sins of the father, or in this case uncle, by the way? Is he actually expected to balance this out, or is this more of a self imposed obligation?
Dirtnap
Kanmusu Affecionado
mothematics
How wide is the concept of "you"?
- Location
- the bottom of a coffee cup
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Mhm! Yogo are possibly the single most mistrusted family in the Empire because of the Yogo Curse; and as for 'sins of the father' (WOAAAAAAAH), Rokugan is a society that filial piety is very important to. Your name of all things isn't even your own - you borrow it from your ancestors, and must give it back clean! You do this by living well, or cleansing whatever shame through the act of sepukku.
He is accountable for his uncle's actions in the eyes of everyone.
Bonus - On the Yogo family
- Location
- London, England
Yogo was originally one of the most powerful and respected Shugenja in the tribe of Isawa during the first war. Fu Leng cursed him to inevitably betray the one he loved the most, and made it clear that this curse would be passed down to his children and his children's children pretty much forever.
Yogo, being understandably rather upset by this, ran off into the wilderness with every intention of killing himself. He was found by Bayushi, who convinced him to change clans and provide the nascent Scorpion with his magical abilities. The theory was that Yogo would never love Bayushi, and therefore did not need to fear betraying him while still being able to get his revenge on Fu Leng. And indeed, this actually worked out - the original Yogo never triggered his curse, at least as far as anyone can tell.
Unfortunately, his descendants were not so lucky, and a thousand years of service to the Bayushi can lead to much closer ties than is entirely wise. No one is meant to rise to power in the Yogo family unless they have already triggered their curse, for the fairly obvious reason that you don't want that sort of time-bomb in charge of a Great Clan's major spellcasters.
Yogo Junzo, for whatever reason, lied about triggering his curse. So when his beloved lord Bayushi Shojo was killed during the Coup and his beloved Clan was forcibly disbanded, he decided to take revenge on the grandest scale he could manage. And so he opened the Black Scrolls, thus bringing about the very thing that Shojo had died trying to prevent.
Yogo Junzo is therefore quite possibly the single most hated individual in all of Rokugan's history. He's basically Hitler, if Hitler was in fact a Satan-worshipping necromancer.
Hanzo, needless to say, has issues.
A Nation's Virtue
南國山河南帝居
Trying to keep him someplace where he can do no harm, I imagine.
Or send him where he can do the right amount of harm where needed.
Maybe someone is trying to get him killed?
As for the vote, maybe something like this:
[X] "Fate has dealt you a very hard hand indeed, Yogo-san. If I can help in any way, I will. Do not hesitate to call on me if you require assistance."
Reaffirm that we are on his side and don't see him as tainted goods. We can't really say that we'll solve his problem without sounding callow, but we should offer to help regardless.
Sirrocco
Pedantic
[X] "Fate has dealt you a very hard hand indeed, Yogo-sama. I will of course do whatever I can to help. Do not hesitate to call on me if you require assistance."
I like youre response overall, @Jaertin, but I think it could use a bit of tweaking. "If I can help in any way, I will" feels a bit too strong. This guy is waiting to implode, and we'd rather not be taken down with him. "I will of course do whatever I can to help" is... more formal, perhaps formulaic. It says "We are fellow Scorpion, and I will absolutely back you up" without implying a promise to take a fall for him or whatever. Also, -sama rather than -san. no reason to insult him with informality.
I like youre response overall, @Jaertin, but I think it could use a bit of tweaking. "If I can help in any way, I will" feels a bit too strong. This guy is waiting to implode, and we'd rather not be taken down with him. "I will of course do whatever I can to help" is... more formal, perhaps formulaic. It says "We are fellow Scorpion, and I will absolutely back you up" without implying a promise to take a fall for him or whatever. Also, -sama rather than -san. no reason to insult him with informality.
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EtchedSteel
*mumble mumble*
- Location
- Lima. Peru
[X] "Fate has dealt you a very hard hand indeed, Yogo-sama. I will of course do whatever I can to help. Do not hesitate to call on me if you require assistance."