Into the Void (Legend of the Five Rings)
- Thread starter Hello
- Start date
- Fantasy
Nix's Warden
Welcome to Hades
- Location
- United States
[X] It takes strength to be weak and weakness to be strong. (Lion lands)
Let's see what the Phoenix are up to.
[X] Meeting with Rouki
[X] Meeting with Hitomi
[X] Practicing with your new katana
[X] Figuring out your new tattoo
Can anyone share what the Crane, Crab, Lion, and Phoenix should be doing right now?
[X] Meeting with Rouki
[X] Meeting with Hitomi
[X] Practicing with your new katana
[X] Figuring out your new tattoo
Can anyone share what the Crane, Crab, Lion, and Phoenix should be doing right now?
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Yeah, fixed. He is at 147.
So yeah, sorry about the lateness of the update. Been busy saving the world and all that. I would like some feedback, I don't have a beta so if you find any obvious errors then point them out to get them fixed. I am working out an outline of events depending on where you choose to go, but I would like to tell people that if you have any questions about the setting like "What are the Phoenix up to?" then I can answer with what Hideo knows about the situation.
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Nix's Warden
Welcome to Hades
- Location
- United States
Then yeah. What are the Pheonix, Crab, Lion, and Crane up to right now? Both historically and IC?
A Nation's Virtue
南國山河南帝居
All Clans are basically settling into their roles, but for now...
Crab
Hida is either still alive or Osano-Wo is in charge. Crab and Scorpion are allied currently due to their proximity to the Shadowlands, and so the Scorpion representing the Crab's political and economic interests in the rest of Rokugan. Kuni family is only just settling into their role as shugenja combatting and studying the Taint. I'm not sure if Kuni Nakanu is still around, but he's basically a Kuni shugenja who discovered the connection between Jigoku and the Taint, though he thought the Taint was just another element that he called the Element of Corruption. He eventually fell to maho and was devoured by his own zombies.
Crane
Hantei Genji and Lady Doji are close allies during this time, and the Crane flourish due to being relatively untouched by the War against Fu Leng and this alliance. Kakita is either dead, or soon going to face Hojatsu in their final duel; if he's still alive, he becomes a bit of a recluse (probably due to PTSD) and starts to obsess over art. Doji spends most of her time during this period spreading art and culture throughout Rokugan; she also cements a deep friendship between the Phoenix and the Crane during this time period.
Lion
The Matsu begin their rivalry with the Kakita in earnest; small-scale war starts erupting at this point between the two families. Doji does not forget this slight easily, especially due to her husband's recent passing, and begins taking steps to minimize the influence of the Lion in any way she can.
Akodo begins perfecting his study of war and soldiering during this time period, and begins organizing the Lion so that each family has a set purpose in the Clan; his success in this endeavor soon sees all the other Clans swiftly follow suit due to realizing how efficient this is. Akodo largely stands apart from the Matsu-Kakita conflict and refuses to stop the Matsu from what he sees as an honorable cause. Still, he refuses to allow the Matsu to escalate their conflict with the Kakita, possibly due to not wanting to exterminate his sister's Clan. After his death, the Lion becomes more frustrated upon seeing the political ascendance of the Crane and Scorpion; this tension results in a few minor wars between the Lion and the other two Great Clans.
Phoenix
The Phoenix struggle for a while due to lacking a clear leader; Shiba and Isawa are both dead, leaving Asako as the most influential Phoenix samurai. They recover somewhat after Shiba's spirit returns, but they are never as well coordinated as the other Great Clans and later force Genji to step in and mediate over ownership of Isawa's Last Wish. The one thing the families agree on is Genji's decree to spread study of the Tao alongside worship of the Fortunes, and take to it eagerly.
This time also sees some hardship for the Isawa family; although they cement themselves as the undisputed masters of elemental magic during Genji's reign, the Isawa have some difficulty integrating themselves into the rest of the Empire. They are largely isolationist and distrustful of what they view as "outsiders". Partially due to this and the argument over Isawa's Last Wish, the Isawa begin throwing their weight around to ensure they are the dominant Phoenix family and marginalizing the Asako and the Shiba, something at which they are highly successful at for the next 1200 or so years.
Crab
Hida is either still alive or Osano-Wo is in charge. Crab and Scorpion are allied currently due to their proximity to the Shadowlands, and so the Scorpion representing the Crab's political and economic interests in the rest of Rokugan. Kuni family is only just settling into their role as shugenja combatting and studying the Taint. I'm not sure if Kuni Nakanu is still around, but he's basically a Kuni shugenja who discovered the connection between Jigoku and the Taint, though he thought the Taint was just another element that he called the Element of Corruption. He eventually fell to maho and was devoured by his own zombies.
Crane
Hantei Genji and Lady Doji are close allies during this time, and the Crane flourish due to being relatively untouched by the War against Fu Leng and this alliance. Kakita is either dead, or soon going to face Hojatsu in their final duel; if he's still alive, he becomes a bit of a recluse (probably due to PTSD) and starts to obsess over art. Doji spends most of her time during this period spreading art and culture throughout Rokugan; she also cements a deep friendship between the Phoenix and the Crane during this time period.
Lion
The Matsu begin their rivalry with the Kakita in earnest; small-scale war starts erupting at this point between the two families. Doji does not forget this slight easily, especially due to her husband's recent passing, and begins taking steps to minimize the influence of the Lion in any way she can.
Akodo begins perfecting his study of war and soldiering during this time period, and begins organizing the Lion so that each family has a set purpose in the Clan; his success in this endeavor soon sees all the other Clans swiftly follow suit due to realizing how efficient this is. Akodo largely stands apart from the Matsu-Kakita conflict and refuses to stop the Matsu from what he sees as an honorable cause. Still, he refuses to allow the Matsu to escalate their conflict with the Kakita, possibly due to not wanting to exterminate his sister's Clan. After his death, the Lion becomes more frustrated upon seeing the political ascendance of the Crane and Scorpion; this tension results in a few minor wars between the Lion and the other two Great Clans.
Phoenix
The Phoenix struggle for a while due to lacking a clear leader; Shiba and Isawa are both dead, leaving Asako as the most influential Phoenix samurai. They recover somewhat after Shiba's spirit returns, but they are never as well coordinated as the other Great Clans and later force Genji to step in and mediate over ownership of Isawa's Last Wish. The one thing the families agree on is Genji's decree to spread study of the Tao alongside worship of the Fortunes, and take to it eagerly.
This time also sees some hardship for the Isawa family; although they cement themselves as the undisputed masters of elemental magic during Genji's reign, the Isawa have some difficulty integrating themselves into the rest of the Empire. They are largely isolationist and distrustful of what they view as "outsiders". Partially due to this and the argument over Isawa's Last Wish, the Isawa begin throwing their weight around to ensure they are the dominant Phoenix family and marginalizing the Asako and the Shiba, something at which they are highly successful at for the next 1200 or so years.
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- Location
- Moon-Station
[X] Be a friend to get a friend. The truth is simple, liars make things complicated. (Crane lands)
[X] Meeting with Hitomi
[X] Meeting with your sensei
[X] Practicing with your new katana
[X] Practicing with your new katana
[X] Meeting with Hitomi
[X] Meeting with your sensei
[X] Practicing with your new katana
[X] Practicing with your new katana
Nix's Warden
Welcome to Hades
- Location
- United States
Well we are a pretty much the ideal compassionate wandering samurai so where would we fit in most? I'm leaning toward the Crab, as they always need more swordsmen, and they generally treat their peasants well. Or we head to the Lion, since they and the Crane are about to have their little wars, and we can help the peasants there while making abit of a name for ourselves.
Hm.....I think I'm going with the Lion. I think we can do more good in the Lion lands since one more sword on the border won't help much.
Hm.....I think I'm going with the Lion. I think we can do more good in the Lion lands since one more sword on the border won't help much.
A Nation's Virtue
南國山河南帝居
I'm just going with Lion since we have a Sworn Enemy there; though then again, with the Matsu-Kakita wars starting up Crane lands might be just as interesting.
IC, Hideo has met two Phoenix samurai. An Isawa shugenja and his Shiba protector who were both very courteous to his sensei while ignoring him entirely. He knows where their lands begin and he knows that they are often mixed up in magical things. The Isawa made it obvious that things in the Phoenix lands are not all sunshine and roses but with a firm hand the Isawa would lead the Phoenix into a bright feature. The Shiba just snorted and went back to glaring at people who got close to the Isawa. He also knows most of the famous figures, Isawa, Shiba, Asako, and even a few earlier magically powerful figures from before the decent of the Kami.
Hideo would be hard pressed to name more than a dozen Crane samurai, living or dead. His sensei had little to say on them except that Doji was the most beautiful woman who had ever walked Nigen-do and that Kakita was probably the most deadly swordsman. As far as Hideo knows the Crane are working to control the trade along the coast (from griping he heard from Dragon merchants down in the village at the bottom of the mountain) and all have blonde hair and blue eyes.
Lion Hideo knows. As far as he is concerned each and every one of them could do with a lesson in bushido for all they talk about honor. Striking down peasants for imagined slights is never ok.
Hida is someone Hideo respects a lot. Kuni, Himura, and Kaiu are pretty much the epitome of burly samurai-ness and the Crab a whole are seem very favorably by the Dragon for their stalwart protection of the border. As far as Hideo knows everyone in the empire trusts and respects the Crab for the hard work they do.
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A Nation's Virtue
南國山河南帝居
I think you mean Shiba. Shinjo is the Unicorn Kami.
- Location
- Hyperborea
[X] It takes strength to be weak and weakness to be strong. (Lion lands)
[X] Meeting with Rouki
[X] Meeting with Hitomi
[X] Meeting with your sensei
[X] Figuring out your new tattoo
[X] Meeting with Rouki
[X] Meeting with Hitomi
[X] Meeting with your sensei
[X] Figuring out your new tattoo
I regret nothing, Hikaru is clearly an emotional lesbian.
- Location
- Leeds
I'm glad that we are alive.
[X] Be a friend to get a friend. The truth is simple, liars make things complicated. (Crane lands)
[X] Meeting with Hitomi
[X] Meeting with your sensei
[X] Practicing with your new katana
[X] Meditation
[X] Be a friend to get a friend. The truth is simple, liars make things complicated. (Crane lands)
[X] Meeting with Hitomi
[X] Meeting with your sensei
[X] Practicing with your new katana
[X] Meditation
While thats all well and good. Whats the point in having a world if we don't have regular updates?
keenscythe
No longer NEET
- Location
- WA, USA
[X] Be a friend to get a friend. The truth is simple, liars make things complicated. (Crane lands)
[X] Meeting with Hitomi
[X] Meeting with your sensei
[X] Practicing with your new katana
[X] Meditation
[X] Meeting with Hitomi
[X] Meeting with your sensei
[X] Practicing with your new katana
[X] Meditation
1.2 Journey Outside
[X] Meeting with Hitomi
Hideo felt rather out of place in his new room. There was nothing particularly wrong with it that he could point to that was out of place, aside from himself. He had a slightly larger tatami mat now and even a closet for his wooden dresser opened up in the back corner of his room. The light came in on the other side of the room from his previous one but that did not bother him, he was no longer expected to rise with the sun and assemble out in the practice courtyard. He was a man now.
Hideo tilted his head a little at that thought. Maybe this was what adulthood felt like, a curious sense of rudderlessness mixed with anticipation and anxiety for the holdings of the future. He had not really thought about what would come after the ceremony aside from vague dreams of going out into the world to fight for the oppressed and when he was older to find the Tao. Hideo's face took on a little color as he thought back to his imagined exploits as a wandering hero, righting the many wrongs that plagued this bleeding nation. But now he was on the otherside of manhood and for some reason he did not feel any more able to solve the world's problems than before. Hideo shook himself from such doubts, to question is of the Tao but dwelling on unknowable futures was useless for him now. Letting himself get bogged down in worries would only cloud his mind and dull his perception on the road ahead.
Thinking of the practice yard reminded him that he had promised Rouki that they would share a drink together, but upon his return to the monastery Hideo had found out that Rouki had been taken by his sensei on a week long trip into the woods. It was likely that they would not spar again with each other for a very long time as Rouki still had another year as an acolyte before his gempukku. Hideo found himself walking out of his room without quite realizing he had even decided to leave. There few monks on the inside of the samurai's side during the day, many of them feeling the need to commune with nature for weeks if not months at a time so Hideo did not meet anyone on the way out of the living quarters. He passed by the kitchens greeting a few of the older samurai in the traditional way of clasping his hands in front of himself, no longer required to make a full bow.
The courtyard was wet from slowly melting snow that trembled down the mountain slopes in slow passes. Arranged on the far side of the brown muddy surface was a group of young initiates participating in the slow movements of their katas led by a senior monk. Further on Hideo spotted two of the older trainees balancing themselves on a rope suspended across the southern well.
Hideo found himself looking for the distinctive spikes of hair almost as an afterthought. But Hitomi was not outside, at least not within view of the monastery. He exhaled a long breath watching the air fog up as it left his mouth and disappear into the wind. Perhaps she was in her room, it was close to lunchtime and she often meditated there when not with her own sensei. So Hideo turned around and went back into the main hall, passed the kitchens, and stood before the door to the trainee's quarters with an almost nostalgic beat to his steps. Walking down the hallway felt so much stranger now that he was a man because he did not feel any different. Indeed he almost walked passed Hitomi's door to walk to his old room out of the habit that many years of crawling back in the dark bruised and hurting had ingrained in him. But he stopped himself and stood outside her door.
The sound of his knuckles on the stone archway were muted so as to avoid bothering any of the initiates who might also be in their rooms. Perhaps she was not there Hideo thought as he stood there in the moments after making his presence known. Soft scratching sounds from within proved that thought false and then the door was pulled open from within.
"Hideo-san." Hitomi said her eyes going wide. She was dressed in a yellow robe that seemed a tad too large for her, though he knew that was how she liked it. Her hair was especially pointy today and between the robe and the green of her eyes Hideo thought she looked the very picture of a Dragon monk.
Hideo felt his lips pulling upward at the surprise on her face. "Hitomi-chan. May I come in?"
She did not reply but instead moved out of the doorway into her room. Hideo took the unspoken assent and walked in after her.
The room was so much like his previous one that the differences stood out starkly in contrast. Her mat was situated directly in the center of the small dorm and the only two pieces of furniture she had were pushed up together behind it. While Hideo's dresser had seen better days it appeared that Hitomi took better care of her possessions as the rough unfinished wood contained few if any scratches. Her clothes were separated into two piles, one obviously just cleaned and neatly folded at the foot of her dresser the other dumped without care near the doorway.
While Hideo had been getting his bearings and fighting off the sense of deja vu Hitomi had pulled out a cups from the cabinet placed it in the center of her mat next to her own and motioned him to sit. Hideo moved himself to sit crosslegged and let her pour him a cup while he continued to take in the room.
"Congratulations Hideo-san. We all knew you would do well." She said after taking a sip of the tea. "But it's still nice to see one's faith rewarded with proof," she ended with a smile.
"Thank you." Hideo nods in appreciation.
"I was hoping to speak to you actually. As you know I am only a little younger than you and well..." here she trails off and fixes her gaze on the cup in her lap.
"You are worried about the trials?" Hideo feels a little lost at this line of questioning because he is honestly unsure if he has anything to offer her. He is certain that she would never had gotten her ass kicked for insulting a psychopathic blind man and he was unsure if he should say anything about the ceremony at all. While no one had said he could not talk about the trials at the same time none of the older brothers had offered any advice beyond being truthful. Which in a place devoted to the Tao could have meant anything from not lying when asked questions to hinting that the ceremony had something to do with solving riddles.
Hitomi raises her head and Hideo is struck by how intense her stare is, the green of her eyes seemed to be penetrating into his brain.
"Please, if there is anything you could tell me, I would be forever greatful."
[] Write In
I apologize about putting this question point here, but it seems the best place to cut it. After this scene will be meeting with your sensei, who you guys choose to be Togashi Fuki, probably the nicest of the candidates. I will put his and Hitomi's stat sheets up later (at least what Hideo would know). It looks like Lion won so good luck with that, vote will close in 24 hours.
Hideo felt rather out of place in his new room. There was nothing particularly wrong with it that he could point to that was out of place, aside from himself. He had a slightly larger tatami mat now and even a closet for his wooden dresser opened up in the back corner of his room. The light came in on the other side of the room from his previous one but that did not bother him, he was no longer expected to rise with the sun and assemble out in the practice courtyard. He was a man now.
Hideo tilted his head a little at that thought. Maybe this was what adulthood felt like, a curious sense of rudderlessness mixed with anticipation and anxiety for the holdings of the future. He had not really thought about what would come after the ceremony aside from vague dreams of going out into the world to fight for the oppressed and when he was older to find the Tao. Hideo's face took on a little color as he thought back to his imagined exploits as a wandering hero, righting the many wrongs that plagued this bleeding nation. But now he was on the otherside of manhood and for some reason he did not feel any more able to solve the world's problems than before. Hideo shook himself from such doubts, to question is of the Tao but dwelling on unknowable futures was useless for him now. Letting himself get bogged down in worries would only cloud his mind and dull his perception on the road ahead.
Thinking of the practice yard reminded him that he had promised Rouki that they would share a drink together, but upon his return to the monastery Hideo had found out that Rouki had been taken by his sensei on a week long trip into the woods. It was likely that they would not spar again with each other for a very long time as Rouki still had another year as an acolyte before his gempukku. Hideo found himself walking out of his room without quite realizing he had even decided to leave. There few monks on the inside of the samurai's side during the day, many of them feeling the need to commune with nature for weeks if not months at a time so Hideo did not meet anyone on the way out of the living quarters. He passed by the kitchens greeting a few of the older samurai in the traditional way of clasping his hands in front of himself, no longer required to make a full bow.
The courtyard was wet from slowly melting snow that trembled down the mountain slopes in slow passes. Arranged on the far side of the brown muddy surface was a group of young initiates participating in the slow movements of their katas led by a senior monk. Further on Hideo spotted two of the older trainees balancing themselves on a rope suspended across the southern well.
Hideo found himself looking for the distinctive spikes of hair almost as an afterthought. But Hitomi was not outside, at least not within view of the monastery. He exhaled a long breath watching the air fog up as it left his mouth and disappear into the wind. Perhaps she was in her room, it was close to lunchtime and she often meditated there when not with her own sensei. So Hideo turned around and went back into the main hall, passed the kitchens, and stood before the door to the trainee's quarters with an almost nostalgic beat to his steps. Walking down the hallway felt so much stranger now that he was a man because he did not feel any different. Indeed he almost walked passed Hitomi's door to walk to his old room out of the habit that many years of crawling back in the dark bruised and hurting had ingrained in him. But he stopped himself and stood outside her door.
The sound of his knuckles on the stone archway were muted so as to avoid bothering any of the initiates who might also be in their rooms. Perhaps she was not there Hideo thought as he stood there in the moments after making his presence known. Soft scratching sounds from within proved that thought false and then the door was pulled open from within.
"Hideo-san." Hitomi said her eyes going wide. She was dressed in a yellow robe that seemed a tad too large for her, though he knew that was how she liked it. Her hair was especially pointy today and between the robe and the green of her eyes Hideo thought she looked the very picture of a Dragon monk.
Hideo felt his lips pulling upward at the surprise on her face. "Hitomi-chan. May I come in?"
She did not reply but instead moved out of the doorway into her room. Hideo took the unspoken assent and walked in after her.
The room was so much like his previous one that the differences stood out starkly in contrast. Her mat was situated directly in the center of the small dorm and the only two pieces of furniture she had were pushed up together behind it. While Hideo's dresser had seen better days it appeared that Hitomi took better care of her possessions as the rough unfinished wood contained few if any scratches. Her clothes were separated into two piles, one obviously just cleaned and neatly folded at the foot of her dresser the other dumped without care near the doorway.
While Hideo had been getting his bearings and fighting off the sense of deja vu Hitomi had pulled out a cups from the cabinet placed it in the center of her mat next to her own and motioned him to sit. Hideo moved himself to sit crosslegged and let her pour him a cup while he continued to take in the room.
"Congratulations Hideo-san. We all knew you would do well." She said after taking a sip of the tea. "But it's still nice to see one's faith rewarded with proof," she ended with a smile.
"Thank you." Hideo nods in appreciation.
"I was hoping to speak to you actually. As you know I am only a little younger than you and well..." here she trails off and fixes her gaze on the cup in her lap.
"You are worried about the trials?" Hideo feels a little lost at this line of questioning because he is honestly unsure if he has anything to offer her. He is certain that she would never had gotten her ass kicked for insulting a psychopathic blind man and he was unsure if he should say anything about the ceremony at all. While no one had said he could not talk about the trials at the same time none of the older brothers had offered any advice beyond being truthful. Which in a place devoted to the Tao could have meant anything from not lying when asked questions to hinting that the ceremony had something to do with solving riddles.
Hitomi raises her head and Hideo is struck by how intense her stare is, the green of her eyes seemed to be penetrating into his brain.
"Please, if there is anything you could tell me, I would be forever greatful."
[] Write In
I apologize about putting this question point here, but it seems the best place to cut it. After this scene will be meeting with your sensei, who you guys choose to be Togashi Fuki, probably the nicest of the candidates. I will put his and Hitomi's stat sheets up later (at least what Hideo would know). It looks like Lion won so good luck with that, vote will close in 24 hours.
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- Location
- Moon-Station
[X] "I was judged about knowledge i was trained in. Many of the answers were not clear nor were they the singular right answer. I believe it is the spirit of the Dragon that was looked for and a deeper knowledge behind all answers. You will do fine, Hitomi, i am sure."
keenscythe
No longer NEET
- Location
- WA, USA
[X] "I was judged about knowledge i was trained in. Many of the answers were not clear nor were they the singular right answer. I believe it is the spirit of the Dragon that was looked for and a deeper knowledge behind all answers. You will do fine, Hitomi, i am sure."
Da Boyz
The Cutest Apocalypse.
[X] Tell her to go in with an open mind and to stay sincere in the face of the challenges she faces. Reassure her that you are certain that she will do fine.
Right so since this is before "Sincerity=Convincingly Lying" hopefully she'll get the message of staying true to herself and giving an answer that she truly believes in. Since this is mainly just telling her to adhere to the "Believe what you say" aspect of Bushido and the "Always look to Learn" aspect of the Tao I don't think anyone could get angry at us for essentially saying that she should trust in what she's been taught.
Right so since this is before "Sincerity=Convincingly Lying" hopefully she'll get the message of staying true to herself and giving an answer that she truly believes in. Since this is mainly just telling her to adhere to the "Believe what you say" aspect of Bushido and the "Always look to Learn" aspect of the Tao I don't think anyone could get angry at us for essentially saying that she should trust in what she's been taught.
[X] "What a delightful charade we play. I will tell you this, answer their questions and be satisfy with them no matter the end. There is more to our lives then ink and gods. I encountered death for no reason then childish musings. I regret nothing. Be happy you did what you could, it's pointless to muse which color a pawn is. Your life is more then the name Togashi."
- Location
- Leeds
[X] Do not comment on sight to a blind monk, and you will do better than I did.