Pretty sure plenty of people thought along similar lines in regards to the Iaijutsu duel, and look where that got us.
Remember; we're at THE Winter Court. However badass we are; there's plenty of people who are just as good, if not more so, especially in their Clan's area of expertise.
And no; we might not be challenging the guy directly, but we *are* getting overheard, and if we make some grand declarations or promises and fail to deliver, it'll still make us look bad.
So, simply put; don't get into a pissing contest with the Ikoma over storytelling. It's just not worth it.
Well....if the kid buys Awareness 4, Ikoma Bards automatically get the Precise Memory Advantage (Get an extra 1k1 in any situation where you need to recall something you memorized, like telling a story and getting all the details right) then you buy the Voice Advantage (1k1 on Perform Checks for singing, storytelling, etc) then you buy three ranks of Perform: Storytelling...
That's 9k6 for Perform: Storytelling right out of CharGen, no?
(Although it seems much less credible that the Lion would have a character min-maxed for Storytelling that way, whereas being min-maxed for Iaijitsu is the whole point of the Kakita Bushi school in general.)
This doesn't even have to be some sort of intentional set-up on their part. Again; this is the Imperial Winter Court. There's more badasses here than you can shake a stick at, and given that storytelling is the Ikoma's whole shtick... yeah.
(Although it seems much less credible that the Lion would have a character min-maxed for Storytelling that way, whereas being min-maxed for Iaijitsu is the whole point of the Kakita Bushi school in general.)
we can kinda duel because we are good at combat in general, we can't really do the same for storytelling. we do not want to risk getting maneuvered into a storytelling contest.
Firstly we could probably do pretty damn well in a storytelling contest if it came to that. But that doesn't even matter because the odds of it happening are minuscule, we're in 'another room' right now which is why this situation is able to play out as it is. Everyone can hear us but no one can admit that they did because they would have to admit they were listening in on our private conversation - that they were spying on us - which is extremely dishonorable.
Next, all we're saying (that people can hear) is that "Perhaps another day I shall tell that story. Unfortunately I have little time left now, and obligations that take me elsewhere.". Perhaps, one day at some point Tsubaki will tell a story, no one's saying when, no ones challenging anyone to a contest. The write-in is very specifically phrased to not insult the Ikoma's storytelling, only his choice of story for it's length to stop others taking a turn, and questioning if there's not perhaps a story more relevant with the teaser that Tsubaki might tell one.
That's not something that can be easily turned into a 'contest' of any sort.
Also, we've already seen Tsubaki tell stories incredibly well in the quest so I think we're fine. Because, once again, we're not claiming at any point to be a better storyteller that anyone.
Also... the surprise Kakita thing works so well because every Bushi out there is expected to be good at iajutsu, and the obvious results of the duel are "one person wins, one person loses". If we fail at iautsu, they can mock us for being bad at iajutsu.
On the other hand, a storytelling competition, the obvious results are "these people told stories", and the Ikoma are expected to be really good at this. They are, in fact, the only people who are expected to be really good at this. If the random Ronin-turned-Clan-Champion turns in a better storytelling performance than the best the Ikoma has to offer, that's news. If the Ronin-turned-Clan-Champion turns in a decent story, but the hand-picked Ikoma turns in a better one, that is not news, unless the Ronin has in the meantime pretended that their story is a better one, or better told, which we have not, and will not.
Which like I said, I really think is incredibly unlikely to happen. But you're absolutely right, even if it did happen and the worst somehow happened it wouldn't be anywhere near as bad.
I realise the Iaijutsu contest has got everyone a bit on edge but we're not challenging the Ikoma Family here, we're just helping the Crab get a few digs in at the Lion and using the opportunity to create a chance for us to help them further at a later time.
We haven't said the Ikoma are bad, or that we're better, or that we could beat them. We've just said we don't approve of this particular Ikoma's choice of story because it was clearly done to inconvenience others. That's it.
And the Iaijutsu contest was a very different situation. We got baited directly into a contest there. Here we're just saying 'at some point I might tell a story'. That's it. It's pretty damn tough to turn an event we plan into a contest since we can easily dodge it.
Oh, and the last time we told a story, we got this response...
Well, it looks like we are going for write-in / friendly advice / spying on the dissidents. Let's see how you did:
Okay, so that looks like a failure on the sadane roll - but since you have the write in it basically means that you fail by allowing the Ikoma to get their feet back under them and ignore the distraction, rather than by looking rude or impolite.
The other two rolls were good successes. So, fun fun. I will write that up hopefully tonight.
Well, it looks like we are going for write-in / friendly advice / spying on the dissidents. Let's see how you did:
Okay, so that looks like a failure on the sadane roll - but since you have the write in it basically means that you fail by allowing the Ikoma to get their feet back under them and ignore the distraction, rather than by looking rude or impolite.
The other two rolls were good successes. So, fun fun. I will write that up hopefully tonight.
The way I'm going to go for it is that because you were too polite the Ikoma just talks over everything you are saying and you give it up as a lost cause. So follow up or no won't matter much.
The way I'm going to go for it is that because you were too polite the Ikoma just talks over everything you are saying and you give it up as a lost cause. So follow up or no won't matter much.
The way I'm going to go for it is that because you were too polite the Ikoma just talks over everything you are saying and you give it up as a lost cause. So follow up or no won't matter much.
It's a little disappointing, I was looking forward to trying to shift some opinions about the Crab.
I was actually hoping TN25 would be a bare success; we say what we want but only a few people hear us so it's not a 'real success' but good enough for us. I guess we must have needed to hit 30 though.
so I wonder if we might look that courter up later and have a private conversation with him about the proper way to insult others? and maybe try and explain to him anything that might get a major clan pointed at an allied minor clan is doing it wrong.
It's a little disappointing, I was looking forward to trying to shift some opinions about the Crab.
I was actually hoping TN25 would be a bare success; we say what we want but only a few people hear us so it's not a 'real success' but good enough for us. I guess we must have needed to hit 30 though.
Sorry about the lack of forewarning with regards to the temporary hiatus. Like many other people on the boards, I've been preoccupied with the end of the semester, though in my case it happens to be a final project rather than an exam. Updates will be slow and irregular for the next two weeks or so. Have a short update to tide you over!
[X] HastyGaming
HIDDEN INSULTS
You freeze for a second in sudden shock. Engaging in such an insult, while technically 'in private' - you'd heard of such techniques before, but wasn't this a little bit too blatant? The sheer effrontery of such an act is unbelievable! For a few seconds, you struggle to come up with something to say, eventually beginning with "Now, Hiruma-san. You should not be so hasty in your censure."
Unfortunately, those few seconds were enough for the Ikoma to regain his composure and speak out once more. "And THEN!" He bellows, a fury in his voice that translates to the energy of his story, "Though they were vastly outnumbered, the valiant defenders upon the hill BELLOWED! SHOUTING OUT their defiance to the stormy sky, and as they displayed their bravery the kami listened, blessing them with cool rain that soothed their sweat from the battle, turning the ground downhill to them into a heavy muck that SAPPED the strength from the limbs of their attackers, and bringing winds that HOWLED! And made the arrows of their attackers useless. Despite the harrowing storm above, a faint light of hope could be seen... but there were still a great number of foes, and the valiant heroes of the hill were outnumbered ten ... to one. ONE BY ONE! The attackers approached, and..."
As you try several times to keep going, and continue with your statements, at every time the story picks back up to a fever pitch, too loud for you to interrupt. After a few of these abortive attempts, the Crab sighs, runs his only hand through his hair, and bows to you with a rueful expression on his face, then leaves the room. You later receive a letter from a courtier of the Yasuki family that, while it does not refer to the actions of the Hiruma Shichiro explicitly, does apologize for the lack of forewarning that you were given. Oddly enough - or perhaps not so oddly, you do not see Shichiro-san again for the duration of your stay at the Face Of The East. He may have only been reassigned... but there are other potential consequences for failing so obviously, and it is also possible that he has run afoul of one of those grimmer ends. Regardless, it would be rude to ask.
ARTISTIC CRITICISMS
"Well, I'm not really an expert, but..." You get very, very accustomed to those words over the Month of the Ox. It seems that many people want a piece of your time, and while you could just flatter people with meaningless praise, or rely on blunt honesty, you feel that you have a duty to try to assist people when you can. After all, most of these people are your allies, and even the ones who are not may potentially become allies in the future. And so, you give advice - though you do your best to give it politely.
"From listening to you, I think that the Falling Petal Song would better showcase your voice than The Chant Of The Mountain Temple." You sound like a squealing pig whenever you try to sing falsetto, so stick to something low.
"The audience will probably appreciate something less avant-garde, after all the Crane judges are old, and likely to be set in their ways." Though I'm pretty sure anyone would object to nine syllables on a middle line.
"Try it again, but with more of a piercing sound to it, and even over-enunciate a little. Remember, battlefield speeches have to be spoken with exceptional clarity, so they'll be looking for that." Or at least, they'll be looking for someone who doesn't sound like they're mumbling through a mouthful of rice.
Surprisingly, after your exceptionally polite advice, some of your admirers actually do quite well when they reveal the final results to the Court. Your help is publicly acknowledged by several of them, and privately acknowledged by the rest. You think you have made some friends - and if nothing else, you improved the average of quality of the court entertainments by assisting.
FACTIONAL SPLINTERING
Wakaba comes to you late at night, as grave as you have ever seen her. She kneels before you formally, instead of coming over and casually speaking with you, and a pit begins to form in your stomach.
Whatever Wakaba has learned, she is deadly serious about it. "Milady," she says, keeping her voice low to prevent any possible spies from overhearing, "We have a problem."
Your tiredness fades away, and you sit straight, coming to alertness. "What is it, Wakaba-san?"
Wakaba swallows, and takes a deep breath. "Milady, the Dragon, Crane, and Lion plan to challenge the Crab over their custody of the Great Carpenter Wall."
Your eyes widen, and you just barely manage to avoid a bellow, keeping your voice down to a hissed "WHAT?!"
"They didn't discuss all of the details, but apparently those three clans plan to state that they could hold the Wall better than the Crab, and to petition the Emperor to let them try."
You shake your head in dazed confusion. "I won't ask you if you are certain about this, Wakaba-san, because I know you would not come to me with such dire news without being sure of it - but how did you learn such a thing?"
Wakaba smirks at this, but it is a hollow echo of her usual confident expression. "I, ah, overheard their discussions," she says. "You, ah, probably don't want me to tell you the actual method that I used, but I managed. In any case, the people who I overheard aren't happy about it - reading between the lines, because nobody said anything openly, it seems like the Dragons are worried about losing their neutrality, the Shimizu are worried about being sent to die by the Akodo, the Kitsu are worried about Lions attacking the wrong targets again, whatever that means, and the Cranes are split between having a great deal of respect for the work of the Crab or not wanting to abandon peace depending on whether they're Daidoji or Asahina."
"Did they say when?" you ask.
Wakaba shakes her head. "Sometime during the Month of the Tiger, but nothing more specific than that. Could be next week, could be four weeks."
"Then there is still... perhaps... time to do something about it," you say thoughtfully.
But what do you want to do about it?
These are really meant to be suggestions and ways to inform you about the risks and rewards of various paths, to help you in devising write-ins. A write-in isn't required, but it could very well be useful.
[ ] Take the information to the Crab. You have no desire to leave your allies in the dark on a matter which concerns them intimately, and they need to be prepared for such a move. On the other hand, there is a chance they could react rashly or violently to such news, and this is going to be a tricky diplomatic situation.
[ ] Take the information to the Scorpion. Bayushi Yamato clued you into this months ago, so he must be aware of it to some extent. Maybe he has a plan? On the other hand, there is no guarantee that his plan will be advantageous to you, or in any way honorable. In theory, Yamato will probably do what he thinks is best for the Empire as a whole, but you have no idea what that is.
[ ] Don't share the information with anyone. Politics on this scale are monstrously deadly, and... does it really matter how this turns out? If the Crane fail, they'll be embarrassed. If they succeed, the Crab get help on the Wall that... they could probably use. From the right perspective it could almost be a win-win.
[ ] Take the information to the Crane Alliance - the dissatisfied members of it, that is. It's quite likely that they have some sort of plan for doing something about the situation, and you might even be able to help them with it. If you can get them working together with some of your other allies like the Minor Clans and the Crab... but are you really ready to take such a risky stance?
[ ] Take the information to the Emperor. This is something that affects the Empire as a whole, and he needs to know about it. More than that, the Emperor can almost certainly deal with such an event... but if he handles the situation, you will be throwing away a priceless opportunity to win valuable allies for your Clan.
[ ] Write-in.
Speaking of allies, regardless of how this political situation turns out having more allies will be helpful, and you have been diligently searching for some.
[ ] Pursue a minor marriage alliance with the Crab (+1 Production, +1 Learning)
[ ] Pursue a minor marriage alliance with the Scorpion (+1 Diplomacy, +1 Information)
[ ] Pursue a minor marriage alliance with the Minor Clans (+1 Trade, +1 Information)
[ ] Pursue a minor marriage alliance with the Phoenix (+1 Learning, +Shugenja assistance)
[ ] Pursue marriages to recruit talent (+1 Production, +1 Diplomacy, +1 Information, +1 Learning, - 1 Unity, no allies)
[ ] Write-in.
... If it would not fuck up the Crab and probably the rest of the empire I would love to see this happen, just to see the fallout and horrible things that would come from it. Like watching a train wreck.
Hoooo, boy. That's... explosive, to say the least.
On one hand, it might actually not be a bad idea if more of the clans were invested in defending the wall. Not necessarily to the same extent as the Crab, but on the level where they regularly send a few companies of samurai to man it. It would take a bit of pressure off the Crab, and make the Shadowlands more of an acceptable topic in the empire as a whole, which might help in the future.
On the other hand, the whole thing could easily blow up completely and utterly. So... yeah.
This is the kind of thing where when it does go nuclear (and it will) if the Crab find out we knew and didn't warn them that's it, every "Befriend the Crab" choice we've made is down the tubes. And well...friends let friends know when the axe is about to come down, and oh boy is it about to come down.
I'd be more interested in this whole thing if you know it wasn't mostly a move made out of spite. This sort of disruption is just the kind of situation that would either start a terrible civil war or cause Shadowspawns to sneak/break pass the wall and cause havoc.
[X] Take the information to the Crab. You have no desire to leave your allies in the dark on a matter which concerns them intimately, and they need to be prepared for such a move. On the other hand, there is a chance they could react rashly or violently to such news, and this is going to be a tricky diplomatic situation.
Wakaba swallows, and takes a deep breath. "Milady, the Dragon, Crane, and Lion plan to challenge the Crab over their custody of the Great Carpenter Wall."
Your eyes widen, and you just barely manage to avoid a bellow, keeping your voice down to a hissed "WHAT?!"
As to what we do here. Well, a little thought is probably required before we jump to a decision. Especially since SBK has pretty much said 'use a really, really good write-in fools'.
