As always, willing to edit and add to the below as the thread comes up with good ideas or identifies which of my ideas are bad!
[X] Plan for the Merchant's Life
Discuss the Scroll Among Team (I do not expect GMs to write out this entire discussion, but this lays out Hazou's ideas for how to approach the Event to guide other narrative.)
- Find some privacy, tell Keiko and Noburi how things went, and show them the scroll
- What should we tell the other Leaf Teams?
- As per the terms of our agreement we owe them the start time and location of the Event, so we have to give them that.
- We are not obligated to tell them any more than that. However:
- Foreknowledge of this Event doesn't seem to be a huge advantage, especially with the limited time we have. So we might choose to bargain with the information. Several options.
- Option 1: We offer to sell the information to all SuperLeaf teams in return for an explicit promise that they will "take no action to reduce our team's score" coupled with a truthful reassurance that keeping this promise will not screw them over during the Event.
- Given the capabilities of the other teams, not having to watch our backs where they are concerned would be really nice.
- Alternately, we could try to convince them to continue the general non-aggression treaty for one more Event. Since we have not massive lead on them, this will be an easier sell.
- Option 2: Make a bargain with one (or at most two) of the teams for a full alliance during the Event. There might be utility with picking a team with a very different skillset, such as subterfuge or control, and pooling our strengths.
- Two teams working together could afford to send two individuals on 'offense' and double team enemies rather than only sending one person.
- An infiltration team with skill in Cracking could take advantage of the forewarning to gain information about relevant businesses to boost our client's profit margin (see 'making our client money')
- Team Kurenai with their masterful tracking abilities could help track down enemy clients and our heavy combat specialist moves in and finishes the job.
- Team Asuma / Ino-Shika-Cho has Shikamaru's genius and their astounding control abilities.
- Option 3: Or we could just not share any information on Event details with anyone.
- Come to a team consensus and take whatever approach the three can agree on. Hazou will advocate for
- Option 2 and try to convince Team Asuma to sign up for an alliance where we cooperate on the event. Maybe bring in Team Kurenai for an alliance of all three teams if Keiko and Noburi think we need them both.
- Try to convince the other SuperLeaf teams to continue a mutual non-aggression policy for this one more Event, perhaps giving them Event details late afternoon today (when there's more limited time to prepare but they can still plan) as a sweetener.
- Hazou will give in if both Keiko and Noburi strongly push for other ideas.
- Hazou thinks we should give up on word half hunting today in favor of Event preparation.
- How can we take advantage of having this information in advance to prepare?
- This seems to be a two-part task, where we need to guard our client while 'assassinating' enemy clients with no collateral damage as opportunity presents (though this only knocks other teams out; it doesn't boost us)
- We mainly get points depending on our client's profits.
- Finally we get points depending on a final 'client evaluation'
- If nothing else, talking it out in advance means we can go smoothly into preplanned escort mode without arguing like idiots in front of the client.
- Taking each in order:
Guarding the client
- We have multiple tools to protect our client
- By the wording of instructions, pangolins should be usable on defense but maybe not on offense.
- Air domes and earth domes are great tools for this - Discuss air dome supply and decide if Hazou needs to create more.
- Can a 'civilian' give permission to be a target for Substitution, or does it require chakra control? Assume proctors will only do what a civilian can do.
- Suggest that we take some time today to reserve lodgings in advance at a location that a successful merchant would be willing to stay
- Hazou thinks that 'find me lodging' is a reasonable part of a ninja guard's duty, but it has to be something their assumed persona will find acceptable... no holes in the ground.
- Ideally we'd like to find a small lodging house so we can rent out all the rooms and that also offers in-house catering where we can watch the food being made.
- No less than two people on the client at all times... this could be one of us and a pangolin
- If cooperating with another team we could have more variations on this, perhaps even guarding their client for them while they do things to increase profits or take out enemies.
- We need to figure out a recharge plan for Noburi. He's going to have a hard time sneaking off to steal chakra from a bunch of random animals. Is there a cattleyard or something he could go to as necessary?
Attacking enemy clients
- 'Killing' enemy clients doesn't actually earn us any points, but it does prevent our enemies from earning points.
- Our ideal targets would be anyone who scored high in the last exam.
- High scorers are less likely to bother attacking other teams, as they only need to preserve their lead.
- The high-power Lightning team everyone noted seems like a good target... the event disadvantages them in several ways.
- We could spend some time today scouting out various businesses where an important merchant of that business's type are almost certain to stop
- Plan for specific ambush points where we can pre-position ourselves
- Sabotaging them before the event would be legitimate, but unfortunately we don't know what type of business our client will be in
- Keiko's throwing offers some of the best opportunities for assassination of a civilian. Hit them with goo bombs and/or a kunai tagged with training explosives or a misterator dispensing "poison gas" in form of a mild pepper spray
- If we can spare a second person as a distraction, great, but really thinking Keiko is best for "assassination" lead as far as our team goes
- This is where working with another team could really shine, as they are better speced for assassination.
Making Our Client Money
- Since the proctors will want 'points' between the events to be worth approximately the same amount for easy comparison, Hazou will guess that it's probably possible for a client to earn somewhere between 80,000 to 100,000 ryo over five days, or 80 to 100 points worth.
- With a maximum of 20 points on the evaluation, that would give a theoretical maximum event score of 100 to 120 points... matching what the very best teams might have manged in the Second Event
- That means helping the client run up their profits could be an important source of points.
- Discuss whether any loopholes exist in the instructions about not transferring money directly to clients.
- Transferring money through a third party might not count, but then again it might... and the penalty for being wrong is disqualification
- What do Keiko and Noburi think?
- But suppose we treat this as if it were real?
- First let's think about what places the client will likely visit.
- Hazou is almost certain it'll be something in the small, luxury goods line. What else is worth transporting long distances? He thinks it'll be:
- Chocolates and other spices or luxury foodstuffs.
- Printed books and texts
- Telescopes and other products of fine engineering (offer Noburi a bet we'll get telescopes)
- Gems and jewelry and such
- Can Keiko with her greater economic understanding offer some additional opportunities?
- Hazou bets we could scope out major shops/trading centers that clients would be almost certain to hit and learn something useful
- He can henge into a proctor and make them repeat back their instructions for how they are to treat the contestants with bandanas who are going to come through tomorrow "to make sure they know their part".
- Possibly even give them orders or demand information from them that will advantage our team like telling them to give extra money to teams who "give the special signal".
- If working with another team specializing in infiltration, we should work with them on this.
The Client Evaluation
- We are likely in for a rough time here and worse grading than we 'should' get.
- In addition, the proctor will likely take up a deliberately annoying and difficult persona that will try to irritate us and test our nerves.
- However, Hazou doesn't think we should give up all hope. Proctors will likely want to justify their score somehow.
- If we do stuff like working like a well-oiled machine who never has to discuss anything in front of the client, having rooms and meals already reserved, offering secret information to aid in client negotiations...
- Well it would be hard to justify a -20.
- And hey, the proctors are human. Maybe we can in fact charm whomever we're assigned if we treat them with respect, humor, and don't act like they're our enemy. It's doable!
Go Back to Leaf Barracks
- If Hazou's plan is approved:
- Inform Team Asuma that we have an amazing opportunity towards getting ahead in the next event, and we'd like to share it with them. Everything that follows assumes that they agree.
- Explain the event details and our idea for preparations. Solicit feedback, especially from Shikamaru.
- Specific proposal: Hazou thinks we should make it a special goal of this Event to take out the Lightning team noted for their super-fast taijutsu member, their AOE Lightning Bolt user, and their genjutsu user.
- The AOE guy will be virtually unable to use his trump card and the genjutsu guy will be hamstrung because he can't risk any illusion that would make an attack hit a civilian or a proctor... two of their best assets are crippled and if we DQ this Event now they may never recover enough points to come back.
- Proceed with the preparations below, with Team Asuma helping.
- During the event itself, we can cooperate as well, perhaps helping to protect their client if they're out on mutually agreed assassination missions.
- Work out with our team and any allied teams how to give the Super-Leaf alliance the information on Event location and time
- We absolutely owe it to them, but maybe not until this evening?
- On the other hand, we don't want to burn any bridges or make them think we are targeting them now, so go with whatever we think will minimize grudges.
- Go with group consensus on when to pass along information.
- Beg off on hunting for word-halves today, as we are pursuing leads and making Event preparations instead.
- Leave a message for Jiraiya that we would like to talk with him at dinner if he has some time.
- He can leave a message for us telling us when he'll be available and we'll make it... not asking him to stick to our schedule or anything.
Preparing for the Event
- Team prepares for the Event the next day
- Reserve accommodations in advance at two locations
- One at a modest-but comfortable inn catering to mid-class merchants in case the client is a "I am a thrifty penny-pincher" type
- One at a really nice establishment in case the client is a "I am rich and respectable and will have only the best" type
- Insist on seeing rooms and pick out most defensible ones possible.
- If we are working with one or two teams, we might all want to get rooms at the same location for security.
- Go to appropriate businesses and attempt to gather some useful information
- Hazou henges into a proctor... he's had a lot of practice at this point.
- He pretends he's there to "make sure they know their part" and makes them repeat back their instructions on how to respond when ninjas wearing bandanas come into their store.
- Using his judgment at this point, Hazou may "hack" the instructions by amending them if he sees a way to guarantee that his team can be given more money and other teams less based off if the bandana team gives certain signals. GMs should use judgment here as Hazou will try to get whatever advantage he can get.
- Possibly describe our team and let them know "the Mizukage wants them to do extra well on this" if that makes sense in the context of their instructions.
- If appropriate to how the transaction is going to go (a real negotiation as opposed to a fake one) Hazou may demand to see their ledger and note what prices they have been buying and selling at (so that he can tell the client later).
- Team should discuss any ideas based on knowing how the transactions will go and act accordingly.
- Look for good places to lay ambushes around these businesses and hit clients of other teams coming in or out.
- Discuss with allied Team Asuma (if we are) how best to identify priority target teams and go after them.
- Plan routes through the city for minimum exposure to good ambush points. Think carefully about how to get the client wherever they might reasonably want to go in the safest manner possible, even if it's not the most direct.
- Talk among ourselves. Prearrange codes and plans so that nothing need be discussed in front of the client and we can act like a well-trained team for whom all of this is routine.
- When we have to send a team member off on the attack, "X is preparing matters to ensure your safety honored Client-san" and that sort of thing.
- Mechanically: This ought to be good for lots of prepared Aspects we can use.
Go to Dinner at the Leaf Barracks
Jiraiya Meeting
- Meet with Jiraiya if he has the time
- Let him know about Hazou's meeting with the Chivalrous Organization and what we learned and how they want him to meet the Oyabun
- Express concern that any proctor we get will automatically give us the -20 points. We know that at least some of them have it in for us after the 'coincidence' we were the last group released in the Second Event.
- Can J do anything to ensure we get a proctor-as-client who will grade our performance fairly or have any suggestions on how we handle it if that's not possible?
- If we are in real privacy (operating under Jiraiya's privacy seals) and he seems to be able to spare a little time, tell him what Shikamaru predicted about Mist wanting to drag the Exam out as much as possible and ask if that screws him over and if there's anything at all we can do to help or speed the Exam along.
- Don't mention his 3 month term limit out loud, but he'll understand what we're worried about.
- See if he has any last minute advice since by the letter of the rules we won't be able to talk to him for the next five days
Talking to other Teams
- If allied Team Asuma agrees, now is the time to offer the other SuperLeaf teams a deal
- They get Event Time/Location for free, as we agreed and is our obligation
- We are willing to give them Event details now, allowing them the time between now and dawn to plan/prepare for the night in return for explicitly extending the mutual non-aggression pact throguh this event. Stress that this will not impede their performance in the event.
- For teams which would be really good at assassinating clients, and whom we'd find difficult to defend against, sweeten the deal with some defensive seals.
- The main reason we're doing this is to encourage these teams to be more aggressive. Every client they take out benefits us, and the only risk is that they can retain the seals and use them against us in the following events.
- This is just an excuse we can give, but the non-aggression benefits us more than it benefits them, and the seals are there to counteract the idea that we're taking advantage of them.
- A couple Air Domes should be fine, I think? Hazou can infuse them, so it's not a resource problem.
Yamamoto Haru Project
- Remind Noburi of his promise to get with Akane and see if they can talk to Yamamoto and suss out more of his issues.
- Hazou to get briefed by Noburi and Akane on Yamamoto Haru
- If they have learned his story and feel they understand his issues, Hazou will ask to speak to Haru in private
- Cautiously open up a dialogue with what Hazou knows and try to get Haru to be honest about his anger.
- Hazou tries to reach out to Yamamoto about Hazou's own background and experiences as a clanless ninja
- Hazou know what it's like to be basically thrown away because the village doesn't think you're worth much.
- Try to reach any understanding and let Yamamoto know how much Hazou respects ninja like Haru and Akane who mange to achieve despite all the crap they get for lack of clan.
- See if we can get the start of maybe being friends.
Last Minute Preparations
- Take some time to sleep and stretch and replenish chakra reserves before the exam begins.
- Hazou to use this time to make four or five custom absolutely non-lethal misterators filled with ink and pleasant floral scents and whatever he has on hand to hit proctors with something that is actually non-damaging but obviously could have been deadly poison if he had wanted it to be.
- Report in for the Exam before dawn and see what kind of client we got.
