If we want to marry Matsu Ketsui and become Nimuro's stepfather then this is definitely the way to go.
I continue to be amused that this is apparently a thing that people want. I made a lot of general predictions when writing out my notes for this arc, and attempting to marry Matsu Ketsui was in precisely none of them.
Also,
@Maugan Ra - an etiquette check. You've already mentioned that going for a dalliance with more than one woman at a time is a poor choice politically. What about just flirting with a number of different women? What would be the implications if it got out (as it inevitably would) that we were flirting with more than one at a time?
Etiquette 6k3 = 48 (and I bet that roll isn't coming up again).
So, here it is important to make a distinction between pursuing a romantic affair with someone and simply flirting.
Attempting to have affairs with multiple samurai-ko at the same time is a
terrible idea. It makes you out to be faithless and untrustworthy, suggests that you routinely betray your commitments, and offers insult to all parties involved. Considering that every samurai is trained and willing to kill, this is almost certainly going to end poorly for you.
It is a slightly less terrible idea to begin an affair with one person and then change to having an affair with someone else later on. That preserves your general reputation, but magnifies the insult against the person you drop - if that's the Crane, it becomes an open invitation for Kakita duelists to try and kill you.
Flirting with a number of different women is politically safe enough. As a Scorpion, it even plays into your image a bit. Now, being known as a habitual flirter will colour people's perceptions of you, but it won't guarantee that they'll be hostile or friendly - it depends very much on the individual and their beliefs.
The real danger is that samurai-ko are not passive actors. They can and will react to someone who flirts with them, and may attempt to pursue further relationship themselves.
@Maugan Ra: Can we get a lore check on the armour of the Golden Samurai? Before we think about the bet we should probably consider the magic armor that's literally centuries old is
probably a significant advantage.
You don't know a lot about it - I rolled when putting together the post. It's an awakened artifact, which means it has magical abilities of some kind and may be quasi-sentient. What those abilities actually are, though, you have no idea.
can we get a sage check on the Three Hills Mine?
Knowledge (Geography) 5k4: 14
You've never heard of it, though the Crab are well known to have a large number of iron mines in their territory.
Actually, I think that's *her* offer/stake on the bet. Ie, if Katsui loses, then for one year the Crab Clan will always offer the iron produced in that particular mine to sell to the Scorpion first, and can only sell it to others if the Scorpion declines to buy.
Indeed. Note that this does not compel them to accept any price that the Scorpion might offer, it just allows your Clan to decide if they want it or not.
