EtchedSteel
*mumble mumble*
- Location
- Lima. Peru
Huh... anytime though I did nothing else but voting.
Legend of the Ronin (Legend of the Five Rings)
- Status
- Location
- Connecticut
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[x] Kaze no Hibiki (Wind's Echo)
[x] Sister Cho - Void
[x] Sister Cho - Void
Alright current voting. I think I'll lock it, update probably tomorrowish
Vote tally:
##### 3.18
[x] Sakiyarumei (å'²å¤œç‰) (Shining Life That Blooms at Night)
No. of votes: 8
Kiriel, Terenak, veekie, Sirrocco, Simonbob, Dirtnap, Lalzparty, EtchedSteel
[x] Sister Cho - Void
No. of votes: 7
Kiriel, Sirrocco, Simonbob, Dirtnap, Lalzparty, EtchedSteel, storybookknight
[X] Kakita Toshiro - Agility
No. of votes: 3
Varano, Terenak, veekie
[x] Kaze no Hibiki (Wind's Echo)
No. of votes: 1
storybookknight
Vote tally:
##### 3.18
[x] Sakiyarumei (å'²å¤œç‰) (Shining Life That Blooms at Night)
No. of votes: 8
Kiriel, Terenak, veekie, Sirrocco, Simonbob, Dirtnap, Lalzparty, EtchedSteel
[x] Sister Cho - Void
No. of votes: 7
Kiriel, Sirrocco, Simonbob, Dirtnap, Lalzparty, EtchedSteel, storybookknight
[X] Kakita Toshiro - Agility
No. of votes: 3
Varano, Terenak, veekie
[x] Kaze no Hibiki (Wind's Echo)
No. of votes: 1
storybookknight
Arc II: Receiving your sword
You look at Kakita Reika for a long moment before nodding.
"Her name is Sakiyarumei," You answer.
Toshiro raises an eyebrow.
"The Shining Life That Blooms at Night...how poetic. I suspected you were once of my clan from how you fought and this only confirms it."
Your body freezes in place as you hold yourself rigidly still...was he going to throw you out? Attack you?
The sound of the cool wind blowing is all that you can hear for a moment as the three of you hold your breath.
"But a ronin is no longer what they were, maybe that name suits your blade and you," Toshiro says finally.
"Indeed, and even if that wasn't true..." Reika fidgets for a moment before holding out her hands. "You helped us when you didn't have to...if Megumi-san will hand over the shards, I'll do my best with them..."
You hand over the small bundle of metal to her. That Reika looks for all the world like a scared, adorable rabbit makes it hard to fully trust in her skill...but beggars can't be choosers.
"Erm...call it three weeks?" Reika says tentatively.
You nod, and Toshiro makes a subtle gesture of 'go away I want to have glad to be alive sex.' Seeing as how that kind of sex is awesome, you are not going to deprive someone of it. You make your goodbyes and move to begin your journey back to Goemon's Shrine.
-----
It turns out that three weeks passes by all too quickly. As you make your way towards the forge, it's difficult not to reflect on how different you feel. Like you've understood more, gained more. While your skills haven't improved, you feel like the world feels more in tune with you than it was. Kind of like you were a biwa that got restrung.
As much as you wish you could attribute that feeling to yourself, you have to admit that it's largely because of Sister Cho. You aren't quite sure what prompted you to seek out the Ivinda woman and learn from her. Afterall, there were a number of things that you could have done instead. Akodo-sama had said that you had three weeks to train. Toshiro had offered to train you, but you had told him to spend time with his wife..and he had all too eagerly agreed. It's a little disgusting just how happy they are together. No, it's not disgusting, you just feel envious. You had that once, with him, with Hida Katsuie, but never again. You've been no nun, but no one could make you cry out in pleasure like he did, make you happy like he did.
Augh all this heavy stuff comes to you more easily now, another thing to blame Sister Cho for. The last three weeks have been spent largely going through a number of exercises the monks use to reach enlightenment. You can't say you're any closer than you were, but it is the journey that counts, or something like that.
Looking up, you clap your hands to announce yourself.
The Kakita couple's home remains as nice as the first time. Soon enough, Toshiro comes out and makes polite small talk before taking you to a small waiting room.
Reika comes inside holding a simple yet somehow beautiful looking black saya with a katana inside it, resting on purple silk.
The hilt is familiar...your sword...that's your sword in the saya.
"Megumi-san, I present to you Sakiyarumei," Reika says softly.
The cowardly rabbit is not seen, it's almost like she's a priestess communing with the divine as she holds out the sheathe to you.
It's hard to speak around the lump growing in your throat. And so, all you can do is bow and take the saya with all the reverence you can muster.
Your soul...Reika has said that weeks ago. As the weight rests in your hand, you can't help but feel whole in a way you weren't before. This gnawing emptiness in the back of your mind...ends.
Reika looks at you and you look at her, she gives the tiniest of nods. In a single smooth motion, you slide Sakiyarumi out of the brilliant black sheathe to reveal it. The metal shines in blue, almost black, steel up and down the side of the blade, the tiniest of etchings rendered along the edges in a pattern of steel you don't recognize but inherently know it means strength.
It's a work of art, and it is your soul.
"Do you accept her, Megumi-san?"
"Hai," You whisper, moved to the very core of your being.
"Sakiyarumei will never desert you, so long as you never desert her. She is a willful blade, true, but that is the nature of her steel, of her mistress… I am glad to have worked on this for you Megumi-san... if you will follow me to the testing stone?" Reika gestures down the hall.
You nod, rising from the seiza you had rested in. A few quick motions are all it takes to put the familiar weight of your sword back at your waist where it belongs.
Toshiro waits for you out at the small pillar of gray granite that stands up in the garden. It's been scoured by very few marks, so you don't think Reika makes swords all that much.
The Stone Test is an ancient Kakita tradition. All Kakita blades are tested by striking the stone behind Shiro sano Kakita. Smiths outside of that castle all have a small stone somewhere near their forge to perform a similar test.
If the stone gives, the blade is good, if the blade gives then...well, the blade failed.
You take an iaido stance, as Reika looks on with her husband.
Draw
The blade feels perfect in your hands, better even...it's like the balance was literally made for you in a way you can't describe. The stone flashes white from the sparks. Another long groove is drawn along the stone, as you finish your strike in a single motion.
Toshiro watches your cut and nods in approval.
"A good strike, Megumi-san….it seems you have everything in order."
Reika gets a huge very undignified smile across her face, like she's just been told that she made topaz champion or something.
"Hai," You say quietly.
Sheathing your blade, you bow deeply to them.
"Thank you both so much for all your help. This one will be in your debt forever more."
Reika bows back to you.
"Ano...keep my husband alive?"
"Reika-san…" Toshiro looks at his wife.
You nod. Of course you'll keep Toshiro alive.
Toshiro seems embarrassed and rubs the back of his head.
"Well, today's our last day of freedom before Akodo-sama wants us to report for duties to her." He says, changing the subject.
"I can't believe she has the ability to just recruit people like that." Reika mumbles, apparently to herself, but everyone hears it.
Toshiro shrugs.
"Akodo-sama is...well connected. More importantly, these mountains and trade don't lend themselves to armies marching, but to small elite teams hitting in detail."
"I suppose…" she says.
You get the feeling they've had this discussion before.
You shrug in your own turn, trying to help out Toshiro.
"Hai, it's a little surprising. Forced conscription doesn't happen too much these days. It's not like most of the Imperial Legions are hurting for manpower."
A legacy of the War of Eagles, any samurai for whatever reason can be conscripted into the Imperial Legions by a gunso or higher ranked officer. This has mostly fallen out of use as powerful people said they didn't want to be conscripted, but people like you and Toshiro, you aren't connected enough.
"I wish you didn't have to go…" Reika-says, leaning into Toshiro a little.
"Hai." He responds.
The intensely private moment makes you feel incredibly awkward. You cough a little, and the two split apart, faces red.
Toshiro recovers first.
"Regardless, what are you going to do for your last night as a free agent?"
[] Write in
"Her name is Sakiyarumei," You answer.
Toshiro raises an eyebrow.
"The Shining Life That Blooms at Night...how poetic. I suspected you were once of my clan from how you fought and this only confirms it."
Your body freezes in place as you hold yourself rigidly still...was he going to throw you out? Attack you?
The sound of the cool wind blowing is all that you can hear for a moment as the three of you hold your breath.
"But a ronin is no longer what they were, maybe that name suits your blade and you," Toshiro says finally.
"Indeed, and even if that wasn't true..." Reika fidgets for a moment before holding out her hands. "You helped us when you didn't have to...if Megumi-san will hand over the shards, I'll do my best with them..."
You hand over the small bundle of metal to her. That Reika looks for all the world like a scared, adorable rabbit makes it hard to fully trust in her skill...but beggars can't be choosers.
"Erm...call it three weeks?" Reika says tentatively.
You nod, and Toshiro makes a subtle gesture of 'go away I want to have glad to be alive sex.' Seeing as how that kind of sex is awesome, you are not going to deprive someone of it. You make your goodbyes and move to begin your journey back to Goemon's Shrine.
-----
It turns out that three weeks passes by all too quickly. As you make your way towards the forge, it's difficult not to reflect on how different you feel. Like you've understood more, gained more. While your skills haven't improved, you feel like the world feels more in tune with you than it was. Kind of like you were a biwa that got restrung.
As much as you wish you could attribute that feeling to yourself, you have to admit that it's largely because of Sister Cho. You aren't quite sure what prompted you to seek out the Ivinda woman and learn from her. Afterall, there were a number of things that you could have done instead. Akodo-sama had said that you had three weeks to train. Toshiro had offered to train you, but you had told him to spend time with his wife..and he had all too eagerly agreed. It's a little disgusting just how happy they are together. No, it's not disgusting, you just feel envious. You had that once, with him, with Hida Katsuie, but never again. You've been no nun, but no one could make you cry out in pleasure like he did, make you happy like he did.
Augh all this heavy stuff comes to you more easily now, another thing to blame Sister Cho for. The last three weeks have been spent largely going through a number of exercises the monks use to reach enlightenment. You can't say you're any closer than you were, but it is the journey that counts, or something like that.
Looking up, you clap your hands to announce yourself.
The Kakita couple's home remains as nice as the first time. Soon enough, Toshiro comes out and makes polite small talk before taking you to a small waiting room.
Reika comes inside holding a simple yet somehow beautiful looking black saya with a katana inside it, resting on purple silk.
The hilt is familiar...your sword...that's your sword in the saya.
"Megumi-san, I present to you Sakiyarumei," Reika says softly.
The cowardly rabbit is not seen, it's almost like she's a priestess communing with the divine as she holds out the sheathe to you.
It's hard to speak around the lump growing in your throat. And so, all you can do is bow and take the saya with all the reverence you can muster.
Your soul...Reika has said that weeks ago. As the weight rests in your hand, you can't help but feel whole in a way you weren't before. This gnawing emptiness in the back of your mind...ends.
Reika looks at you and you look at her, she gives the tiniest of nods. In a single smooth motion, you slide Sakiyarumi out of the brilliant black sheathe to reveal it. The metal shines in blue, almost black, steel up and down the side of the blade, the tiniest of etchings rendered along the edges in a pattern of steel you don't recognize but inherently know it means strength.
It's a work of art, and it is your soul.
"Do you accept her, Megumi-san?"
"Hai," You whisper, moved to the very core of your being.
"Sakiyarumei will never desert you, so long as you never desert her. She is a willful blade, true, but that is the nature of her steel, of her mistress… I am glad to have worked on this for you Megumi-san... if you will follow me to the testing stone?" Reika gestures down the hall.
You nod, rising from the seiza you had rested in. A few quick motions are all it takes to put the familiar weight of your sword back at your waist where it belongs.
Toshiro waits for you out at the small pillar of gray granite that stands up in the garden. It's been scoured by very few marks, so you don't think Reika makes swords all that much.
The Stone Test is an ancient Kakita tradition. All Kakita blades are tested by striking the stone behind Shiro sano Kakita. Smiths outside of that castle all have a small stone somewhere near their forge to perform a similar test.
If the stone gives, the blade is good, if the blade gives then...well, the blade failed.
You take an iaido stance, as Reika looks on with her husband.
Draw
The blade feels perfect in your hands, better even...it's like the balance was literally made for you in a way you can't describe. The stone flashes white from the sparks. Another long groove is drawn along the stone, as you finish your strike in a single motion.
Toshiro watches your cut and nods in approval.
"A good strike, Megumi-san….it seems you have everything in order."
Reika gets a huge very undignified smile across her face, like she's just been told that she made topaz champion or something.
"Hai," You say quietly.
Sheathing your blade, you bow deeply to them.
"Thank you both so much for all your help. This one will be in your debt forever more."
Reika bows back to you.
"Ano...keep my husband alive?"
"Reika-san…" Toshiro looks at his wife.
You nod. Of course you'll keep Toshiro alive.
Toshiro seems embarrassed and rubs the back of his head.
"Well, today's our last day of freedom before Akodo-sama wants us to report for duties to her." He says, changing the subject.
"I can't believe she has the ability to just recruit people like that." Reika mumbles, apparently to herself, but everyone hears it.
Toshiro shrugs.
"Akodo-sama is...well connected. More importantly, these mountains and trade don't lend themselves to armies marching, but to small elite teams hitting in detail."
"I suppose…" she says.
You get the feeling they've had this discussion before.
You shrug in your own turn, trying to help out Toshiro.
"Hai, it's a little surprising. Forced conscription doesn't happen too much these days. It's not like most of the Imperial Legions are hurting for manpower."
A legacy of the War of Eagles, any samurai for whatever reason can be conscripted into the Imperial Legions by a gunso or higher ranked officer. This has mostly fallen out of use as powerful people said they didn't want to be conscripted, but people like you and Toshiro, you aren't connected enough.
"I wish you didn't have to go…" Reika-says, leaning into Toshiro a little.
"Hai." He responds.
The intensely private moment makes you feel incredibly awkward. You cough a little, and the two split apart, faces red.
Toshiro recovers first.
"Regardless, what are you going to do for your last night as a free agent?"
[] Write in
Last edited:
Sirrocco
Pedantic
Hmm...
Getting drunk would be a bad idea, and we don't really have anyone worthwhile to go sleep with. I kind of want to spend the night meditating and communing with our new sword, but I'm pretty sure that we'll have opportunities to do that once we're in as well. I'm guessing this will also be the last night we stay at the monastery, however (since we'll have steady employment) and thus it might be well to spend it talking with one of the monks or nuns? Anyone have any good ideas for which one?
Also, @gman391, I'm liking the story so far. Curious, though - were we always going to be pulled into the Legion, or did it just happen that way this time?
Getting drunk would be a bad idea, and we don't really have anyone worthwhile to go sleep with. I kind of want to spend the night meditating and communing with our new sword, but I'm pretty sure that we'll have opportunities to do that once we're in as well. I'm guessing this will also be the last night we stay at the monastery, however (since we'll have steady employment) and thus it might be well to spend it talking with one of the monks or nuns? Anyone have any good ideas for which one?
Also, @gman391, I'm liking the story so far. Curious, though - were we always going to be pulled into the Legion, or did it just happen that way this time?
Last edited:
It just worked out that way, each of the sword smiths would open up a different 'story branch' but your decision to go to Tanako then Reika led to this. Glad you like it though.
@Kiriel should be fixed now.
Sirrocco
Pedantic
Are you willing to share any of the others? Obviously you shouldn't give us any spoilers, or sacrifice anythig you might want to re-use, but I find myself curious.
Well, the hints are in the story as it is, but seeing as how no one wanted to deal with Masahiro, I will say that his branch had the most opportunities for Megumi to be a selfish person focused entirely on making her life better. Tanako led largely towards internal issues, Reika focuses on external ones.
- Location
- Leeds
You know I was just looking at the charectar sheet.
Let me qoute the Kattika Master Artisan Rank 3 Technique.
Mouse woman OP pls nerf?
- Location
- Leeds
Huh really. What if we'd gone full 40K Ork and called it Choppa?
GM veto?
- Location
- Leeds
Oi gitz.
Ders only two elements yeah. Ders Dakka and den theres Choppa.
Is Yin Yang spiritual thing.
EtchedSteel
*mumble mumble*
- Location
- Lima. Peru
[X]Find a poetry recital.
So seeing as how we don't have enough votes for an update. Lets look at the organization that Megumi's been conscripted into.
The Tenth Imperial Legion
Recent History
In the aftermath of the War of Eagles, the Imperial Legions found themselves the only real military power left in Rokugan. But their strength was severely diminished, as the War had cost entire Legions in blood and treasure. Indeed, it was uncertain if the Legions could be maintained at all. Iweko VII, however, had better plans for his armies. He launched an extremely ambitious series of reforms meant to streamline and improve both morale and tactics. Legions were combined, trained, and diverted to various hotspots around the Empire while the Emerald Legion was expanded to twice it's number and given the traditional duty of patrolling the roads. In the end it proved enough. The position of Shogun was retired, invested instead into Iweko VII himself. The practice of political appointments to the Imperial Legions ended and ten legions each numbering 10,000 men were set to defend the Empire.
During this time the 10th Legion found itself in crisis. Traditionally the Legion of the Dragon and Phoenix, both clans were far too weak to support a legion's worth of soldiers. It was very real question whether the 10th would be maintained at all instead being folded into a more illustrious Legion. This debate raged for months politically as the leaders of the various Legions tried every trick in the book to try and maintain their post.
Iweko VII soon tired of this and gathered the assembled Rikugunshokans of the various legions into a courtyard.
There he decreed that the Legions would be consolidated into just ten and that if they wanted to keep their position they would have to fight for it. A day long tournament ensued where short of death, everything as permitted.
At the end of it ten samurai stood, among them Mirumoto Shin, Rikugunshokan of the Tenth Legion. Having personally defeated the leaders of the 8th, 15th, 21st and 30th, Mirumoto Shin was tasked with absorbing these units and forcing them into a cohesive whole.
The end result was that the 10th Legion was an eclectic army that took the best and brightest from all over the Empire. They also had quite a collection of oddballs, but...the legion was no less effective for it. Due to its tendency to unorthodox styles, Iweko VII ordered them and the 2nd to defend the newly formed Shield Cities. Unfortunately Mirumoto Shin passed away at young age, handing the position to his even younger subordinate Otomo Daichi. But Shin, in his last official act, had chosen the city of Shiro Enishi as the home base for his beloved 10th Legion.
Today, it has been nearly 15 years since the Legion as a whole has seen action, but individual squadrons have fought everything from disaffected Yodotai, bandits and mad cultists to the rumoured shadow warriors of the Ivory Emperor to the south. Otomo Daichi, like his mentor, is
an unorthodox but stern military man who has been forced recently to take the governorship of the city.
Time will tell if the 10th Imperial Legion will again march as one body against a foe. But for now, it watches and defends Shiro Enishi to its last breath.
The Tenth Imperial Legion
Recent History
In the aftermath of the War of Eagles, the Imperial Legions found themselves the only real military power left in Rokugan. But their strength was severely diminished, as the War had cost entire Legions in blood and treasure. Indeed, it was uncertain if the Legions could be maintained at all. Iweko VII, however, had better plans for his armies. He launched an extremely ambitious series of reforms meant to streamline and improve both morale and tactics. Legions were combined, trained, and diverted to various hotspots around the Empire while the Emerald Legion was expanded to twice it's number and given the traditional duty of patrolling the roads. In the end it proved enough. The position of Shogun was retired, invested instead into Iweko VII himself. The practice of political appointments to the Imperial Legions ended and ten legions each numbering 10,000 men were set to defend the Empire.
During this time the 10th Legion found itself in crisis. Traditionally the Legion of the Dragon and Phoenix, both clans were far too weak to support a legion's worth of soldiers. It was very real question whether the 10th would be maintained at all instead being folded into a more illustrious Legion. This debate raged for months politically as the leaders of the various Legions tried every trick in the book to try and maintain their post.
Iweko VII soon tired of this and gathered the assembled Rikugunshokans of the various legions into a courtyard.
There he decreed that the Legions would be consolidated into just ten and that if they wanted to keep their position they would have to fight for it. A day long tournament ensued where short of death, everything as permitted.
At the end of it ten samurai stood, among them Mirumoto Shin, Rikugunshokan of the Tenth Legion. Having personally defeated the leaders of the 8th, 15th, 21st and 30th, Mirumoto Shin was tasked with absorbing these units and forcing them into a cohesive whole.
The end result was that the 10th Legion was an eclectic army that took the best and brightest from all over the Empire. They also had quite a collection of oddballs, but...the legion was no less effective for it. Due to its tendency to unorthodox styles, Iweko VII ordered them and the 2nd to defend the newly formed Shield Cities. Unfortunately Mirumoto Shin passed away at young age, handing the position to his even younger subordinate Otomo Daichi. But Shin, in his last official act, had chosen the city of Shiro Enishi as the home base for his beloved 10th Legion.
Today, it has been nearly 15 years since the Legion as a whole has seen action, but individual squadrons have fought everything from disaffected Yodotai, bandits and mad cultists to the rumoured shadow warriors of the Ivory Emperor to the south. Otomo Daichi, like his mentor, is
an unorthodox but stern military man who has been forced recently to take the governorship of the city.
Time will tell if the 10th Imperial Legion will again march as one body against a foe. But for now, it watches and defends Shiro Enishi to its last breath.
Last edited:
That's alright Lalz, but seriously if you have any setting info questions or whatever feel free to pm me them or ask in the general L5R thread.
- Location
- Leeds
Hmmmm. Well we are a lecher.
[X] Find a handsome guy.
You know babe, I'm shipping out tommorrow.
[X] Find a handsome guy.
You know babe, I'm shipping out tommorrow.
EtchedSteel
*mumble mumble*
- Location
- Lima. Peru
Isn't finding a Handsome guy what got us into this position first?
- Status