The Importance Of Rice

[storybookknight]

Toshi Ranbo is a city besieged.



Not by violence, nor an army.

The capitol of the Empire is a city imprisoned by fear.

Men and women walk the streets with an eye to the sky, searching for bloodred clouds in the same way others would watch for falling arrows. Large swathes of the city are burnt, first from the Fires of Toshi Ranbo in early Spring, now from the riots sparked by Iuchiban's Rain. Rumor has it that when the Voice of the Emperor cast his spell to defend the Imperial Palace, terrified heimin rushed the palace gates in an attempt to seek safety from the storm only to be cut down by Seppun Guardsmen who had no way of telling helpless peasant from maho-maddened foe.

The city stinks of impure blood and sickeningly-sweet rot, the hot summer sun curdling the tainted remnants of maho even as Yakamo's light slowly purifies the Taint from it. Flies and beetles crawl upon horizontal surfaces and congregate over gutters, disgusting insectile opportunists attracted from far away by the easy meal.

Small wonder then that the Miya Heralds have ridden far and wide, searching for any and all untainted samurai and monks who can be spared from their duties and asking them to gather in Toshi Ranbo to assist the Empire itself. Of the many who answered the call, some have joined for glory, out of a desire to prove their names in the Empire's service. Others were seen as unimportant enough to be spared from their duties by their superiors, and sent out of obligation to the Throne. And some joined simply out of a desire to help, to be anything other than helpless before the magics of a fearsome foe from out of the darkest histories.

Whatever your reasons for volunteering, all of you currently stand in a large plaza inside the palace grounds. The taint-stink is less strong here, and only the unusual number of armed guards in sight show any clue that things in the capitol are not as they should be.

"Excuse me! Excuse me please!" There is slight drop in the volume of conversation, which quickly returns to normal.

"IN THE EMPEROR'S NAME, LISTEN UP!" Your attention is drawn to a young man bearing the mon of the Miya family, standing on what appears to be a wooden box so that he can better address the crowd. To the east side of the plaza, several Seppun Guardsmen are setting up temporary tables that can be used to take notes, and pulling out paper and quills. "All right, I'm only going to say this once, so pay attention! I want all of you to line up by the tables over there and tell the Guardsmen your names, your families, your schools, and your training. We don't need your life story, just a quick idea of what you're capable of so that we can put you into appropriate teams. Got it?" He glares at all of you. "Name, Family, School, Training. LINE UP!"

Spoiler: OOC

Welcome to The Importance Of Rice! Please give a quick IC introduction of your characters to the Seppun Guardsmen, and feel free to interact with other PCs or NPCs. If you have any questions, let me know in the OOC thread!

@A Nation's Virtue - Tendo
@LastChronicler - Shiba Tamotsu
@Alectai - Soshi Takara
@The king Chad - Hida Kenta
@Wade Garrett - Yoritomo Rumina
@Faintrosity - Tsi Doru

 

[Alectai]

This really wasn't her day!

Well, it would be more accurate to call this not her year or arguably not her decade, but regretting things was a sin--and never actually accomplished anything of any real note. Things had been looking like they would unfold with some semblance of sanity for a while--with her gempukku complete and having passed the real test that came afterwards (Perhaps in spite of the desires of her actual Clan--but she had learned enough by now to peek when she wasn't expected and to take good notes--even if it were only in her head)

And then the skies rained blood, and thebattle of "Who gets the embarassment" was ultimately overcome by the Emperor's call--to make good the losses in the Imperial Legions by recruiting--heavily--from the Untainted younger Samurai of the Empire.

The Scorpion gets political accolades for donating the services of a fully trained Ishi to the Emperor--the Phoenix is in no position to benefit directly, and they don't have to deal with someone that they just can't quite help but feel won't do What Is Necessary.

So--here she is.

She had arrived somewhat in advance--sensei was always making sure that she was up to greet the sunrise, and had been watching the Seppun set up when the call had come.

It was best to get this out of the way nice and quickly--hopefully before someone drew too much attention to her--and she slipped forward--the porcelain mask she wore being more abstract than the usual veils or masks of her clan--with tinted glass worked in the design to allow her to see outward without betraying much.

"Soshi Takara, Ishi trained in the Isawa School" She managed--doing an admirable job keeping her voice level, all things considered. That covered what he wanted--right?

 

[storybookknight]

"Soshi Takara, Ishi trained in the Isawa School" She managed--doing an admirable job keeping her voice level, all things considered. That covered what he wanted--right?

Click to shrink...

The Seppun Guardsman raises one eyebrow. "An ishiken? They let you go, at a time like this? Well, more luck for us." He hollers over to one of the other desks. "Hey, Mika! Oi! Mika!"

"What, Sora?" A feminine voice shouts back.

"Squad four have a shugenja yet?"

"Nah, not yet. You got one?"

"Better than. I got an ishi."

"Well hell, Sora, send her over!"

Seppun Sora - or so it appears his name is - points Takara over to a woman in Miya brown standing with a small group of samurai. "All right, Soshi-san, you're with Miya Masatsuko-san, squad 4."

 

[Alectai]

The Seppun Guardsman raises one eyebrow. "An ishiken? They let you go, at a time like this? Well, more luck for us." He hollers over to one of the other desks. "Hey, Mika! Oi! Mika!"

Click to shrink...

"I wouldn't consider myself a full master yet, but I've completed my training. Please make use of me as you will" Takara bowed at his questioning--before turning her attention to the one in charge of the squad she had been assigned to.

Miya... An Imperial Family? They were typically known for favoring being messengers--truly, this was an unpleasant state of affairs.

And yet--that was who she was assigned to.

She made her way over to "Squad Four" when Seppun dismissed her, making her way to their position, and bowing to the Miya in charge of the squad. "Soshi Takara, Ishi trained in the Isawa School--I've specialized in sensory magics, but I've also ensured that I am capable of basic healing magics and the Jade Strike."

 

[The king Chad]

Kami help us... even this deep in the Empire the dark brother extends his reach.

It was just bad luck to be caught out in the Rain so close to the city. The jade he carried had protected him, but the heiman family whose cart he'd hitched a ride on was not so lucky. It only got worse the closer to Toshi Ranbo he got.

The Crab was massive, with blue steel armor covering an already large frame and an Ono peace-bounded in a harness across his back. He took his place in line behind a nervous little scorpion priest. An ishiken? I never heard of an ishi who was not pheonix. Regardless, he looked at her with a great deal more interest then when he thought she was just a nervous little girl.

Finally approaching the desk as Soshi Takara moves toward unit 4, I give the Seppun at the desk a respectful bow, before taking off the heavy kabuto and cradling it under one arm.

"I am Hida Moshibaru Kenta of the Hida Bushi School. Of late a yojimbo to the Honorable Yasuki Tenno, in the city to deliver messages to the embassy." The big man bows again, "How may I serve?"

 

[storybookknight]

"I am Hida Moshibaru Kenta of the Hida Bushi School. Of late a yojimbo to the Honorable Yasuki Tenno, in the city to deliver messages to the embassy." The big man bows again, "How may I serve?"

Click to shrink...

"Hmm. Hida-san, is it?" The Seppun Guardsman give you a nod of respect. "We need every man we can get with experience dealing with the Taint. Go ahead and follow her over there to Squad Four."

 

[The king Chad]

"Hai, Seppun-sama."

I bow once more to the clearly fatigued Seppun and follow the little scorpion over to where the developing squad 4 is forming up.

I wait until she greets our new Gunso before once again bowing, this time to both women.

"I am Hida Moshibaru Kenta. My time as yojimbo has given me a sharp eye," I pat the head of my Ono, "and I am well able to end any threats these sharp eyes see with Hida efficiency. Finally I have the general knowledge that any Crab would be expected to be versed on in a situation such as this."

It rankles to still need to obliquely refer to shadowlands lore even now, but it was not the time to take a chance on Miya Masatsuko's level of squeamishness.

"I do wonder, however. Do we have access to the jade required to properly protect the squads?" I attempt to keep my tone as neutral and non judgemental as possible, Kami know I'm not good at this.

 

[A Nation's Virtue]

Hesitation is the seed of defeat.

Tendo frowns to himself beneath his head wrappings as he waits in line for his own assignment. His journey to the capitol had not been long, but it had certainly been arduous. Every step of the way, the effects of the fell Rain had made themselves manifest. Empty villages had dotted the entire journey to Toshi Ranbo, and those that were not had consisted of either frightened villagers or packs of the Tainted and undead. His grip around the weapon tightens as he remembers Kanno, the kindly old monk who had given him a place to stay the night before the Rain of Blood. The child-loving and gentle man had been turned into a cannibalistic and murderous caricature of himself when he unwittingly exposed himself to the Rain in order to save a pregnant woman from Tainted ronin.

The Rain made no distinction between the young and old, the honorable and the villainous. What kind of monster is Iuchiban to do such a thing for no purpose?

Seeing that it is finally his turn, Tendo strides forwards towards the waiting Guardsman, the shaft of his bisento clacking against the ground as he approaches. "I am Tendo, a wandering sohei. I am trained in both jiujutsu and the use of polearms."

 

[LastChronicler]

Shiba Tamotsu waited patiently in the line as the Seppun guardsmen ahead of him struggled to process the gathered recruits. He'd been separated by the press of a few bodies from Soshi Takara, but he was taking care to keep her well within eyeshot.

He wished she'd been more careful to remain close to him. He wouldn't chastise her for it, ancestors knew the girl needed all the confidence she could get, but it would make his duty doubly difficult if she ended up making a habit of wandering off. At least in strange and unfamiliar new places.

When it was his turn, he stepped forward to the table.

He bowed slightly before introducing himself "Shiba Tamotsu, of the Phoenix clan, trained as a Bushi at the Sacred Heart Dojo. I was assigned as a Yojimbo to Soshi Takara, the Ishiken-" He indicated in her direction "I will need to be assigned to the same unit. I'm sorry if that causes any difficulty."

 

[storybookknight]

"Hai, Miya-sama."

"I do wonder, however. Do we have access to the jade required to properly protect the squads?" I attempt to keep my tone as neutral and non judgemental as possible, Kami know I'm not good at this.

Click to shrink...

Spoiler: Author's Note

The people manning the booth are all members of the Seppun family - it's just your new gunso that is a Miya.

Miya Masatsuko looks up at you. In comparison to your tall frame, she is quite small, barely a few inches above five feet. Unlike most members of the Miya family, her voice is actually kind of quiet, almost girlish. "Ah, forgive me Hida-sama, yes, um... we'll be having a briefing in a few minutes, so... if you could save questions until then? But, um. We should have some jade available. I think."

Seeing that it is finally his turn, Tendo strides forwards towards the waiting Guardsman, the shaft of his bisento clacking against the ground as he approaches. "I am Tendo, a wandering sohei. I am trained in both jiujutsu and the use of polearms."

Click to shrink...

The guardsman, an older, grizzled fellow, raises one eyebrow. "Huh. Don't think Masatsuko-san has been saddled - eh, has been given a priest yet." He looks you up and down, seeing your heavy armor and heavy polearm. "Who knows, you might even be useful. Squad Four, over by the gate."

He bowed slightly before introducing himself "Shiba Tamotsu, of the Phoenix clan, trained as a Bushi at the Sacred Heart Dojo. I was assigned as a Yojimbo to Soshi Takara, the Ishiken-" He indicated in her direction "I will need to be assigned to the same unit. I'm sorry if that causes any difficulty."

Click to shrink...

The recruiter just nods. "Oi! Mikaaa!"

"What is with all of you people calling my name all the time! What?"

"This one's that ishi's yojimbo. Send that Kakita of yours over to Shiki's squad!"

"Got it, got it. Iwase, head on over to that fine young gentleman over there, if you would? Yojimbo-san, that way, over by the gate, thank you. Next in line, please?"

She made her way over to "Squad Four" when Seppun dismissed her, making her way to their position, and bowing to the Miya in charge of the squad. "Soshi Takara, Ishi trained in the Isawa School--I've specialized in sensory magics, but I've also ensured that I am capable of basic healing magics and the Jade Strike."

Click to shrink...

Miya Masatsuko bows to you. "Ah, pleased to meet you, Soshi-san. Ehm, I haven't worked with many shugenja yet, so um, let me know if you have any advice on where you will work best?"

 

[A Nation's Virtue]

The guardsman, an older, grizzled fellow, raises one eyebrow. "Huh. Don't think Masastsuko-san has been saddled - eh, has been given a priest yet." He looks you up and down, seeing your heavy armor and heavy polearm. "Who knows, you might even be useful. Squad Four, over by the gate."

Click to shrink...

Tendo keeps his peace at the remark, reminding himself that he has left that part of his life behind, and responds by bowing wordlessly to the Imperial before striding towards Squad Four. He comes to a stop before the Miya and bows, "I am Tendo, a wandering sohei of little consequence."

As he straightens out of his bow, he glances at his companions in the squad. A Phoenix bushi, a giant ono-bearing Crab, and a Scorpion shugenja. He frowns slightly at the last member, before calmly schooling his expression back into one of neutrality.

 

[Faintrosity]

The Miya were a long friend of the Tsi, bonded by their common status as imperial families overshadowed by the Otomo and Seppun, and their unwillingness to involve themselves in the politics (even those conducted by other means). Their Anou vassals were regularly adopted into the Tsi, their heritage of art and skill sometimes manifesting with blades instead of fortifications.

Therefore, there was no dishonor or obligation for them to invite a distant relative to stay at their estate in Toshi Ranbo. And, equally, there was no great surprise when that relative gave gifts back to his hosts, even if they were more practical than would perhaps be proper among strangers. After all, when there were inevitably fewer grandfather's swords than there were grandchildren, it was a relative's duty to make up for the lack.

More importantly, they were as neutral as they were friendly. Doru had just enough experience with the games of court to know he was a poor player. Best to leave his coin firmly in the Emperor's pocket, rather than risk it on a bet. And now, it seemed, he was being cashed in. Putting the last member of the Tsi into harm's way was a firm statement by Toturi-ue, that no samurai was too crucial to their clan to keep from the battles ahead.

Doru approved. A literal viper's nest was far easier to cut with a sword than a metaphorical one.

"Masatsuko-san", Tsi Doru said, giving a small bow, "So good to see you again so soon." From his shoulder, Kaen imitated the motion.

 

[Alectai]

Miya Masatsuko bows to you. "Ah, pleased to meet you, Soshi-san. Ehm, I haven't worked with many shugenja yet, so um, let me know if you have any advice on where you will work best?"

Click to shrink...

"Oh--right, layman's terms" Takara trailed off--blushing beneath her mask as her well-reherased composure faded in the face of a legitimately good question, and falling back to her scholarship to compensate. "Chiefly in a support role then--my magics are not well suited for mass destruction in general--though I am capable of confounding the senses of powerful foes and burning the flesh of the Tainted at need. Beyond that, I can view any location I have previously been to remotely within a great distance, and assist with healing wounds--though the latter is not my specialty to be honest. Beyond that... Given some advance warning, I can likely prepare additional spells to support the squad, though with reduced effectiveness--and the standard shugenja roles of communicating with the Kami"

 

[storybookknight]

"Oh--right, layman's terms" Takara trailed off--blushing beneath her mask as her well-reherased composure faded in the face of a legitimately good question, and falling back to her scholarship to compensate. "Chiefly in a support role then--my magics are not well suited for mass destruction in general--though I am capable of confounding the senses of powerful foes and burning the flesh of the Tainted at need. Beyond that, I can view any location I have previously been to remotely within a great distance, and assist with healing wounds--though the latter is not my specialty to be honest. Beyond that... Given some advance warning, I can likely prepare additional spells to support the squad, though with reduced effectiveness--and the standard shugenja roles of communicating with the Kami"

Click to shrink...

"Well, uhm, hopefully we won't have to do too much with the whole mass destruction thing, so you should be fine?" Masatsuko says. There is a light blush on her features as well. "I mean, um. After the briefing, let me know if there's anything in particular that you think will be helpful. I mean, obviously you'll be helpful, but..." She looks aside, flustered. "Ah. Right, anyways, after the briefing."

Tendo keeps his peace at the remark, reminding himself that he has left that part of his life behind, and responds by bowing wordlessly to the Imperial before striding towards Squad Four. He comes to a stop before the Miya and bows, "I am Tendo, a wandering sohei of little consequence."

As he straightens out of his bow, he glances at his companions in the squad. A Phoenix bushi, a giant ono-bearing Crab, and a Scorpion shugenja. He frowns slightly at the last member, before calmly schooling his expression back into one of neutrality.

Click to shrink...

"Ah, right. Pleased to meet you, Tendo-sama. I'm Miya Masatsuko, and, um, welcome to the squad?"

The Miya were a long friend of the Tsi, bonded by their common status as imperial families overshadowed by the Otomo and Seppun, and their unwillingness to involve themselves in the politics (even those conducted by other means). Their Anou vassals were regularly adopted into the Tsi, their heritage of art and skill sometimes manifesting with blades instead of fortifications.

Therefore, there was no dishonor or obligation for them to invite a distant relative to stay at their estate in Toshi Ranbo. And, equally, there was no great surprise when that relative gave gifts back to his hosts, even if they were more practical than would perhaps be proper among strangers. After all, when there were inevitably fewer grandfather's swords than there were grandchildren, it was a relative's duty to make up for the lack.

More importantly, they were as neutral as they were friendly. Doru had just enough experience with the games of court to know he was a poor player. Best to leave his coin firmly in the Emperor's pocket, rather than risk it on a bet. And now, it seemed, he was being cashed in. Putting the last member of the Tsi into harm's way was a firm statement by Toturi-ue, that no samurai was too crucial to their clan to keep from the battles ahead.

Doru approved. A literal viper's nest was far easier to cut with a sword than a metaphorical one.

"Masatsuko-san", Tsi Doru said, giving a small bow, "So good to see you again so soon." From his shoulder, Kaen imitated the motion.

Click to shrink...

Miya's face brightens. "Doru-san! Ah, and Kaen-san!" She smiles, and holds out her arm to Kaen, who scampers across onto her shoulder to be scratched about the ears. "I had no idea that you two would be here! It will be good to have someone that I know with me -" she pauses, and reluctantly hands Kaen back to you. "Ehe, but I can't be showing any favorites, so don't expect any special treatment! I'm going to be working you hard, okay?"

 

[The king Chad]

She has absolutely no idea what she is doing does she? Kenta thought to himself watching the exchange with a growing frown on his face. A leader must be confident in themselves if they expect the respect of those who follow them. The imperial families would have been better to place a veteran here, then turn it into a glorified political assignment.

Shaking his head slightly he distracts himself by sizing up the others. The scorpion was as inexperienced as the Miya, but she claimed to know Jade Strike so she'd be useful. A...Tsi? Didn't the Tsi die at Otosan Uchi? Anyway he looked like knew how to use the Wakizashi on his belt, but for hunting madmen he'd need something stronger. The Phoenix Yojimbo and the Sohei struck Kenta as dangerous, both conducted themselves with the easy assurance of men used to killing.

I'd place the Sohai as the more dangerous of the two, he thought as he considered the rather more impressive frame of the monk.

Still, the Gunso needed to get into the right mindset for...whatever it was that was important enough to conscript any nearby samurai. Her On was shattered, and that did not bode well at all.
@storybookknight
"Miya Masatsuko-sama, this is your first command is it not?" I grin in what I hope is a reassuring manner, i'm not sure how effective it is when speaking so someone so...tiny. "You will do fine. There is no reason to be so...excitable." I look to our companions, "We seem to have a good spread of ability."

 

[LastChronicler]

"Miya Masatsuko-sama, this is your first command is it not?" I grin in what I hope is a reassuring manner, i'm not sure how effective it is when speaking so someone so...tiny. "You will do fine. There is no reason to be so...excitable." I look to our companions, "We seem to have a good spread of ability."

Click to shrink...

Casually, so as not to shame his superior, Tamotsu turned to watch the lines of recruits still being processed by the Seppun Guardsmen, acting for all the world as if he wasn't paying attention and hadn't heard the Crab Bushi flagrantly call attention to her inexperience and attempt to reassure her.

Internally, he was wincing for her.

The Crab and the Phoenix lands lay at opposite ends of the Empire, and while Tamotsu had met some of their number before, it had been brief and had not entailed much in the way of actual interaction. Most of what he knew of the Southernmost of Rokugan's Great Clans came from hearsay and gossip.

It was one thing to hear secondhand that the Crab had poor social skills, but it was quite another to see it for himself.

He considered for a moment, face impassive, if there was anything he should say, before simply resolving to ignore the matter until they had passed over it.

 

[Wade Garrett]

First impressions were important.

You only had once chance to make them, so it was important to get them exactly right, to convey exactly the impression you wanted everyone to have of you. Even if "everyone" was a gaggle of fresh faced children barely off the tit, most of whom were trying very hard to look either honorable or determined.

Rumina fought down the urge to sigh as she looked all around her. Fortunes knew she had to do something besides trying to empty out Toshi Ranbo's entire supply of soichu, but going into the field with this lot....

Was I ever that young? Or that stupid looking?

Still. She'd made her decision, too late to turn back now. So she set her lips in a thin smile, used her elbows to shift a pair of whey faced girls out of her way, and swaggered up to the table.

Every step she took was accompanied by the musical chiming of the amulets, bracelets, and other assorted jewelry she wore, and as she reached the Seppun she cast her haori rakishly off one shoulder, allowing the tight cut kimono underneath to flaunt a body that was still as trim and athletic as any of the younger samurai-ko around her, and also showing off the wazikashi and throwing knife that rode comfortably on her hips in the same manner as a traditional dai-sho.

"Yoritomo Rumima. I handle my family's business in the courts."

 

[storybookknight]

"Miya Masatsuko-sama, this is your first command is it not?" I grin in what I hope is a reassuring manner, i'm not sure how effective it is when speaking so someone so...tiny. "You will do fine. There is no reason to be so...excitable." I look to our companions, "We seem to have a good spread of ability."

Click to shrink...

Masatsuko carefully looks up at you with her face meticulously blank, but you can see from the hunch of her shoulders that your words have struck home. "H... Hai, Hida-san," she stammers, "I think we will do well. Ehm, excuse me." With that, she walks over to speak to one of the other recruits, a Mantis bushi with twin kama hung at his belt.

As she departs, a member of the Matsu family walks over to you, his face held in an impassive mask. "It looks like we will be on the same squad, Hida-sama. A pleasure to make your acquaintance." The Lion samurai is tall, though a few inches shorter than you, and has a massive nodachi slung across his back. "I am Matsu Akimasa. And you?"

Casually, so as not to shame his superior, Tamotsu turned to watch the lines of recruits still being processed by the Seppun Guardsmen, acting for all the world as if he wasn't paying attention and hadn't heard the Crab Bushi flagrantly call attention to her inexperience and attempt to reassure her.

Internally, he was wincing for her.

The Crab and the Phoenix lands lay at opposite ends of the Empire, and while Tamotsu had met some of their number before, it had been brief and had not entailed much in the way of actual interaction. Most of what he knew of the Southernmost of Rokugan's Great Clans came from hearsay and gossip.

It was one thing to hear secondhand that the Crab had poor social skills, but it was quite another to see it for himself.

He considered for a moment, face impassive, if there was anything he should say, before simply resolving to ignore the matter until they had passed over it.

Click to shrink...

A member of the Unicorn family walks up towards you, seemingly keeping a wide berth from the Lion samurai as she does. "Afternoon, Shiba-sama." Her heraldry displays the mark of the Utaku family; this is surely one of the shiotome. "Name's Utaku Aimi, pleasure to meet ya. You?"

"Yoritomo Rumima. I handle my family's business in the courts."

Click to shrink...

Though your appearance does indeed draw some eyes from youthful bushi unfamiliar with the loose and revealing robes that the Mantis favor, to your chagrin you seem to have picked the line being manned - or womanned, as the case may be - by a Seppun samurai-ko. She just gives you a polite nod in response. "Perfect timing. Miya-san's squad still needs a courtier. She's over there by the gate, with the rest of squad four."

 

[Wade Garrett]

Though your appearance does indeed draw some eyes from youthful bushi unfamiliar with the loose and revealing robes that the Mantis favor, to your chagrin you seem to have picked the line being manned - or womanned, as the case may be - by a Seppun samurai-ko. She just gives you a polite nod in response. "Perfect timing. Miya-san's squad still needs a courtier. She's over there by the gate, with the rest of squad four."

Click to shrink...

"Thankee kindly, Seppun-sama." Rumina pivoted on her heel, letting the loose clothe billow around her to make sure no one missed the show she was putting on. It was far more brazen than she would have been in her younger days, but back then she'd been able to out-brawl, out-drink, and out-lech an entire tavern's worth of cutthroats every night and still greet every dawn bright eyed and bushy tailed. Now...now she had to pick her fights, and that meant building a reputation and letting it precede her, using fear and awe to weaken opponents before the first blade was drawn or cutting remark was uttered.

She sashayed over to the group she'd been assigned to, letting her hips roll sinuously for the benefit of the Seppun girl or anyone else who cared to look.

@A Nation's Virtue
@Alectai
@LastChronicler
@The king Chad
@Faintrosity

"Oy! This Squad Four? Yoritomo Rumima, pleased to meet you." She called out, in the same tone of voice she would have used to shout orders during a storm.

 

[Alectai]

"Thankee kindly, Seppun-sama." Rumina pivoted on her heel, letting the loose clothe billow around her to make sure no one missed the show she was putting on. It was far more brazen than she would have been in her younger days, but back then she had been able to out-brawl, out-drink, and out-lech an entire tavern's worth of cutthroats every night and still get every dawn bright eyed and bushy tailed. Now...now she had to pick her fights, and that meant letting building a reputation and letting it precede her, using fear and awe to weaken opponents before the first blade was drawn or cutting remark was uttered.

She let her hips roll sinuously for the benefit of the Seppun girl and anyone else who cared to have a look, and sashayed over to the group she'd been assigned to.

@A Nation's Virtue
@Alectai
@LastChronicler
@The king Chad
@Faintrosity

"Oy! Is this Squad Four? Yoritomo Rumima, pleased to you." She called out, in the same tone of voice she would have used to shout orders during a storm.

Click to shrink...

"Hwah!" Takara shifted in place and raised one of her hands in a warding-gesture, lowering it only when she realized it was just a very loud, very hard to miss greeting.

"Umm... Soshi Takara--likewise" She bowed--perhaps a little more hastily than was perfectly proper--but anyone would have been shaken by a bellow like that!

 

[Wade Garrett]

"Hwah!" Takara shifted in place and raised one of her hands in a warding-gesture, lowering it only when she realized it was just a very loud, very hard to miss greeting.

"Umm... Soshi Takara--likewise" She bowed--perhaps a little more hastily than was perfectly proper--but anyone would have been shaken by a bellow like that!

Click to shrink...

"Easy now, girl, I don't bite."

Rumina let the words hang in the air for just a moment, then winked at the youngster in Scorpion colors. All honor to the Emperor, but did he have to rip them straight out of the cradle?

"Much. Let's have a look at you. Mmm. No katana, they told me this squad didn't have a Courtier...either you're shujena or we're off to a fine start getting everything squared away. First time away from home? Any problems you have, anything you need to ask about, come straight to me, all right? Really, it's no trouble. And it's been weeks since I drove a young samurai-ko to seppuku with the awful advice I gave her, and I've been so terribly bored since then..."

 

[storybookknight]

"Ah, excuse me! Excuse me! Squad Four? Squad Four! Follow me please!" You hear Miya Masatsuko shouting from over by the gate, putting out a rather impressive volume in comparison to her usual meekness. "Squad Four, fall in! We're heading to the debriefing room now!" Conversations are temporarily put on hold as you all follow her to what appears to be an empty storage room, or perhaps a small sparring dojo - the walls and floor are bare, leaving you all to sit or kneel on the bamboo tatami mats. "Have a seat please, thank you, so I can see all of you. Right, come on in, sit down. Please say 'here' when I call your names, all right?"

"Hida Kenta. Doji Genzo. Mirumoto Nobuo. Matsu Akimasa. Akodo Ryota. Yoritomo Rumina. Yoritomo Junpei. Bayushi Hisateru. Soshi Takara. Shiba Tamotsu. Utaku Aimi. Tsi Doru. Toku Kintaro. Tendo." She rattles off the list quickly, and you each reply as your turn arrives. At a quick count, there are fourteen of you in the room, leaving Masatsuko as the fifteenth. "Okay everyone, listen up please. This is now the Fourth Squad of the Auxiliary Legions of the Sapphire Chrysanthemum."

There is a bit of a pause. "Excuse me, Miya-sama," says the young man in the colors of the Crane, "But isn't the Sapphire Legion in Nikesake? I... understood that we would be joining the Emerald Legion." There is a general murmur of assent to this.

"Doji... Genzo-san, was it?" Miya asks. "Ah, no, to answer your first question, the guardians of Nikesake are going by the Provincial Guard now. The, um, the Emerald Guard is currently going to be joining the forces of Shogun Kaneka at the Kaiu Wall, as will the forces of the Seppun family. The, um, I mean, we of the Sapphire Legions will be helping to manage the other duties of the Seppun while they are at war." She pauses, a brief look of panic on her face. "Oh, but we're, I mean, you're all still part of the Auxiliaries, so ... make sure to do a good job, and the Sapphire Legion will accept you full-time later, probably."

"And... you're the leader of our unit?" Drawls a voice, coming from a bushi of the Scorpion clan. The skepticism in his tone is apparent.

Something steels in Masatsuko's spine, because for once as she replies she does not stammer. "Yes, Bayushi Hisateru, I am. Will that be a problem?"

Hisateru raises an eyebrow. "Why would it be?" he says, still with that mocking tone.

Masatsuko flushes, but otherwise maintains her composure, moving past her subordinate's disrespect for now. "Anyways, let's talk for a second about the situation as we understand it, and what the Sapphire Legions will be doing. What we know about the Rain Of Blood right now is that it was a maho ritual that used the blood of samurai as a catalyst. That means that the worst of its effects were on us. Heimin are still human, so they were affected too, but less so - a lot of the heimin who were in the rain will have been able to fight off the taint." Left unspoken is the unpleasant fact that some heimin have samurai blood, and that such unlucky peasants were probably helpless before the Rain Of Blood without a samurai's training or honor to guard their souls. "A few animals were affected, particularly horses and other domesticated animals, but wild animals and plants seem to have mostly been spared."

She takes a deep breath. "What this means, is that plants and beasts in the fields and rivers could be carrying the taint but be otherwise unaffected by it. We're urging everyone to only eat food that has been stored, and stored before the Rains fell. Um, so while the armies march south we'll probably be organizing supply trains and so on, talking to provincial governors, finding out what they can spare, and sending it on to the armies. So, um, we probably won't be in the main action, but we could run into saboteurs and things like that, so it's a very important duty!"

Masatsuko does her best to center herself, looking about the room. "Um, so. We'll be leaving tomorrow to do some team-building and training, and then we'll be riding out to help keep peace in the Empire and prepare supply lines for the armies after that. I have...." She looks around, and sighs. "Excuse me. I need to go and get some supplies for everyone. I'm supposed to give you armbands..." she trails off. "Anyways, wait here for a few minutes and converse among yourselves, get to know each other."

And with that, she quickly ducks out of the storage room, leaving the fourteen of you alone.

 

[Wade Garrett]

"So. Any of you kids have any experience organizing a supply train or haggling for goods, or is whether we succeed in our duties or fail miserably all down to me and Miya-sama?" Rumina asked the room at large, slouching her way into a more comfortable position.

 

[A Nation's Virtue]

"Thankee kindly, Seppun-sama." Rumina pivoted on her heel, letting the loose clothe billow around her to make sure no one missed the show she was putting on. It was far more brazen than she would have been in her younger days, but back then she'd been able to out-brawl, out-drink, and out-lech an entire tavern's worth of cutthroats every night and still greet every dawn bright eyed and bushy tailed. Now...now she had to pick her fights, and that meant building a reputation and letting it precede her, using fear and awe to weaken opponents before the first blade was drawn or cutting remark was uttered.

She let her hips roll sinuously for the benefit of the Seppun girl and anyone else who cared to have a look, and sashayed over to the group she'd been assigned to.

@A Nation's Virtue
@Alectai
@LastChronicler
@The king Chad
@Faintrosity

"Oy! This Squad Four? Yoritomo Rumima, pleased to meet you." She called out, in the same tone of voice she would have used to shout orders during a storm.

Click to shrink...

""It is." Tendo replies curtly as he sees the scandalously dressed Yoritomo.

This is an army. Why isn't she wearing armor instead of that ridiculous kimono?

Grumbling mentally, he keeps his thoughts to himself as he follows the others into the debriefing room. His new commander...maybe she has some talent that he knows little about, but she seems far too young and inexperienced to be given a position of command. Then again, perhaps that's why she was being given command of this squad. Little steps after all.

Tendo scowls beneath his wrappings as he hears the Scorpion's question.

Useless little fop. You don't question the authority of your commander in a military structure.

Everything the Miya says from that point on is of little surprise to him, though the fact that it affected more samurai than it did heimin does.

@LastChronicler
@Alectai
As Masatsuko leaves, Tendo leaves his position against the wall to seek out one of his new comrades. He himself wasn't particularly sociable, but he'd be fighting alongside these samurai and some feeling of camaraderie would need to be developed in that case.

As he walks into the midst of the gathered samurai, he sees the Phoenix samurai from earlier standing protectively by the Scorpion shugenja and heads towards them.

"Samurai-San." Tendo bows politely to the two before straightening up and looking them in the eye. "I hope that the day has found you well. If I may ask that you indulge this monk's curiosity, how does a Phoenix come to serve as Yojimbo to a Scorpion?"

 

[The king Chad]

"So. Any of you kids have any experience organizing a supply train or haggling for goods, or is whether we succeeds or fail miserably all down to me and Miya-sama?" Rumina asked the room at large, slouching her way into a more comfortable position.

Click to shrink...

"I wouldn't be so dismissive of the Gunso on that Yoritomo...Rumina-sama was it? Whatever else you may say of the Miya, they know how to move supplies. They handle distributing the Emperor's Gift after all."

"Riding? Now that's something I'm not looking forward to?" As he speaks Hida Kenta moves to lean against the wall so as to be more comfortable than kneeling in and addressing a room. "Can you imagine a horse that would carry me? Well, a non-Unicorn one at any rate."

"Anyway, I am Hida Moshibaru Kenta. I look forward to fighting with you all." Well most of you, Kenta thought as he looked at the Crane.