5.01 - The Winding River Banquet
- Location
- London, England
A samurai has only one real reason to dress all in white. Mariko is going to her death.
For a moment, you are torn by the desire to approach her. But... what would you even say? There are no words which could change her fate now, at least none that you could speak. All you can do is disrupt whatever calm and peace she has managed to obtain in preparing for her seppuku. And perhaps earn the violent enmity of Daidoji Chen, which is liable to end with you meeting an unfortunate accident in the near future - the Iron Crane have always been good at discretely handling such problems.
So while you hesitate, eventually you steel yourself and turn away. There are still preparations to be made for the rest of the day, but somehow you doubt that your lord will begrudge you taking the time to centre yourself before proceeding. With that in mind, you go looking for a temple.
It is actually surprisingly difficult to find one within the walls of Shiro Matsu, and while you know there are appropriate facilities in the nearby town you don't think you can justify going quite so far astray. Instead you are left with a choice between a large number of different ancestral shrines, most of which are dedicated to a famous and honourable Lion of one variety or the other, and none of which are really appropriate for something like this.
Even the Lion are not so focused on their ancestors as to neglect the broader pantheon of fortunes that watch over the Emerald Empire, however, and eventually your search carries you past a small shrine tucked away down a side street that seems perfect for your needs. It is a humble place, little more than a single room lit with a handful of candles, but that is enough for your purposes. On the far wall are displayed icons of the Seven Great Fortunes, and beneath them the two symbols representing the specific deities this shrine is dedicated to - Hofukushu and Yozo, the twin Fortunes of Vengeance.
You smile grimly as you recognize their signs, even as you pick out a candle and kneel in the centre of the shrine. Of course of Matsu, a family obsessed with avenging an insult a thousand years old, would maintain a shrine to these two. Yozo is the master of the more accepted kind of vengeance; the dispassionate righting of wrongs and settling of debts, but none would be so foolish as to disregard the influence of Hofukushu on any related matter, for his is the burning hate that drives a man to respond to insult with violence and the savage joy that even the most honourable find in true retaliation.
Their presence here is a boon to you personally, but their domains have little concern for the state of Doji Mariko's soul, and so you direct your prayer towards the Greater Fortunes instead. You pray that they will be merciful to her, that she will be judged fairly by her ancestors and that her next life will be kinder to her than this one. You doubt that the Great Fortunes will be swayed by the intercession of one such as you, but it cannot hurt to try.
Finally, you thank them for leading you to the evidence of the conspiracy, and ask that they allow you to resolve this matter before anyone else is harmed by it. It is too late for Doji Mariko, but hopefully she will be the last person you lose as a result of... whatever this is.
-/-
That Evening
The Winding River Banquet is one of the more traditional and respected events at any Winter Court. Every samurai is expected to have some understanding and appreciation of poetry, even the most barbaric Crab standing on their Wall, and as such attendance at this particular event is generally considered mandatory.
The Matsu apparently have no great love for growing things or pretty flowers, but they appreciate art all the same, and as such the banquet this year is to be held in one of their rock gardens. Stones of varying shapes and colours from all over the Empire have been assembled here and arranged into beautiful and artistic shapes, likely built up by generations of Lion samurai slowly adding their own contributions with each year. The centerpiece is a mountain stream that has been carefully diverted to flow through here, filling the air with its gentle burbling call.
You can already see Matsu Ketsui taking her seat near the end of the river, occupying the spot traditionally reserved for the highest status attendee at any given court. There is no formal system dictating where you should sit for this one - those who consider themselves skilled at poetry will sit near the Daimyo, while those who have less confidence in their artistic skills will typically take a seat near the headwaters and bow out of the competition early.
Where do you choose to sit?
[ ] At the headwaters, where you can back out of the poetry contest early without losing face
[ ] Somewhere in the middle, where you are unlikely to stand out one way or the other
[ ] Near Matsu Ketsui, thus proclaiming yourself a respectable poet and earning the attention of the most senior attendees.
For a moment, you are torn by the desire to approach her. But... what would you even say? There are no words which could change her fate now, at least none that you could speak. All you can do is disrupt whatever calm and peace she has managed to obtain in preparing for her seppuku. And perhaps earn the violent enmity of Daidoji Chen, which is liable to end with you meeting an unfortunate accident in the near future - the Iron Crane have always been good at discretely handling such problems.
So while you hesitate, eventually you steel yourself and turn away. There are still preparations to be made for the rest of the day, but somehow you doubt that your lord will begrudge you taking the time to centre yourself before proceeding. With that in mind, you go looking for a temple.
It is actually surprisingly difficult to find one within the walls of Shiro Matsu, and while you know there are appropriate facilities in the nearby town you don't think you can justify going quite so far astray. Instead you are left with a choice between a large number of different ancestral shrines, most of which are dedicated to a famous and honourable Lion of one variety or the other, and none of which are really appropriate for something like this.
Even the Lion are not so focused on their ancestors as to neglect the broader pantheon of fortunes that watch over the Emerald Empire, however, and eventually your search carries you past a small shrine tucked away down a side street that seems perfect for your needs. It is a humble place, little more than a single room lit with a handful of candles, but that is enough for your purposes. On the far wall are displayed icons of the Seven Great Fortunes, and beneath them the two symbols representing the specific deities this shrine is dedicated to - Hofukushu and Yozo, the twin Fortunes of Vengeance.
You smile grimly as you recognize their signs, even as you pick out a candle and kneel in the centre of the shrine. Of course of Matsu, a family obsessed with avenging an insult a thousand years old, would maintain a shrine to these two. Yozo is the master of the more accepted kind of vengeance; the dispassionate righting of wrongs and settling of debts, but none would be so foolish as to disregard the influence of Hofukushu on any related matter, for his is the burning hate that drives a man to respond to insult with violence and the savage joy that even the most honourable find in true retaliation.
Their presence here is a boon to you personally, but their domains have little concern for the state of Doji Mariko's soul, and so you direct your prayer towards the Greater Fortunes instead. You pray that they will be merciful to her, that she will be judged fairly by her ancestors and that her next life will be kinder to her than this one. You doubt that the Great Fortunes will be swayed by the intercession of one such as you, but it cannot hurt to try.
Finally, you thank them for leading you to the evidence of the conspiracy, and ask that they allow you to resolve this matter before anyone else is harmed by it. It is too late for Doji Mariko, but hopefully she will be the last person you lose as a result of... whatever this is.
-/-
That Evening
The Winding River Banquet is one of the more traditional and respected events at any Winter Court. Every samurai is expected to have some understanding and appreciation of poetry, even the most barbaric Crab standing on their Wall, and as such attendance at this particular event is generally considered mandatory.
The Matsu apparently have no great love for growing things or pretty flowers, but they appreciate art all the same, and as such the banquet this year is to be held in one of their rock gardens. Stones of varying shapes and colours from all over the Empire have been assembled here and arranged into beautiful and artistic shapes, likely built up by generations of Lion samurai slowly adding their own contributions with each year. The centerpiece is a mountain stream that has been carefully diverted to flow through here, filling the air with its gentle burbling call.
You can already see Matsu Ketsui taking her seat near the end of the river, occupying the spot traditionally reserved for the highest status attendee at any given court. There is no formal system dictating where you should sit for this one - those who consider themselves skilled at poetry will sit near the Daimyo, while those who have less confidence in their artistic skills will typically take a seat near the headwaters and bow out of the competition early.
Where do you choose to sit?
[ ] At the headwaters, where you can back out of the poetry contest early without losing face
[ ] Somewhere in the middle, where you are unlikely to stand out one way or the other
[ ] Near Matsu Ketsui, thus proclaiming yourself a respectable poet and earning the attention of the most senior attendees.
Like smuggleing secrets right under everyones noses.