Turn 15 Extended: Hours of Darkness, Hours of Light

[Seppun Kuron]

An hour is a short length of time. It is 1/24th of a day. It is barely noticeable in a week, forgotten in a month, insignificant in the span of a life, and non-existent when placed in the tapestry of history.

But when you are living certain hours, they can seem very important indeed...

[PG]

So what ever happened at the battle of Otomo anyway?

[Michael]

Jeesh! I'm getting to that. Both Otomo and Mori will resolve over the next two week in this thread, which will feature approximately one hour of every character's life as a small ficlet. I need to ease back into cranking the fiction.

Some will be larger than others (as who really cares about the mercenaries and minor folk), but I plan to spotlight everyone briefly. I'll need to complete between 2 and 3 a day to get everything ready by May 4, but I think its doable. Bite size.
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I like my coffee like I like my women. COVERED IN BEES! -Izzard

[Juan Valdez]

Oooh oooh. Don't forget the Toyotomi dopplegangers in both fights.
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What exactly do you mean by "You're dead"?

[Jer]

YAY! A sense of future happiness at work as I read emails on what is happening is growing. Of course, a sense of dread is also building as I realize what state I'm currently in against Anzai and Scotty.
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This is not a fish! I was promised a FISH! - Jer

[Seppun Kuron]

Left.

Right.

Left.

Right.

Suzame Shishio has no idea how long he had been walking. It seems that the sun had come and gone at least once since the battle around Kyuden Daidoji. But the sky seems so dark, and his mind is clouded with fatigue and pain. But he knows he had to keep taking steps northward. One foot in front of the other.

Left.

Right.

Each step is a victory over his exhausted and depleted body. His eyes focus blearily at the broken blade in his bloodstained right hand. What has happened to his no-dachi? He remembers the thunder of hooves, the sulfurous breath of the undead steeds, the screams of his men. Of coming out of the cold, black rage to find that the Crane lines were broken and the warriors fleeing in disarray.

Left.

Right.

A pain greater than the one emanating from the arrow in his shoulder washes through him as he recalls the shame of losing such an important battle. He swallows, his dry throat rasping, as he again hears that Isawa witch screeching obscenities from the trees, her voice echoing in his mind. Thoughts of seppuku had passed briefly, until he heard the screams of his men.

Left.

Right.

His own pain be damned, he had decided. They needed a leader. He had coordinated a fighting retreat as best he could, finally becoming a one-man rear guard. His “dead eyes” berserker training had broken, and cold, murderous fury had erupted from him. Screaming like demon, he had killed dozens upon dozens of goblins, tainted ronin, and undead.

Left.

Right.

He hears rustling in the woods ahead. His left arm is useless, all the muscles pulled from when he had twisted the head off a Moto steed. His no-dachi is broken, its blade left inside of the two Obsidian magistrates he had impaled in a single strike. If the Kami have decided that he must die, then he was ready.

But he would not retreat from his fate.

Left.

Right.

Left...

[Seppun Kuron]

If she tries hard enough, she can sense the change.

She can smell it in the breeze, the harsh, acidic smell of smoke mixed with the rich, copper tint of spilt blood. She can feel it in the flickering warmth from the smoldering forests. She can hear it the faint echo of voices in the air, cries of pain and suffering. She can feel it caress her skin, like drops of cold water.

The power. The exquisite power. The power to purge weakness from this sickly land. To crush those who would strike feebly against her. To remake the world into what it SHOULD be, rather than to suffer what it is. She exults in the sensation.

“Mistress? Mistress?”

Fleeting as it is. With a scowl, Anzai breaks her reverie and returns to the mundane tasks at hand. Conquering Daidoji was certainly fun. But ruling it has already become tiresome.

“I told you already, worm,” she snaps to the Obsidian Magistrate as she looks out over the exquisitely terraced rice fields of the Crane. “Work the peasants non-stop. When the collapse, have the undead throw them into that pile if they managed to work more than 12 hours. Give them 4 hours rest and a handful of rice and kick them back to the fields. If they couldn’t work a measly 12 hours,” her voice drips with scorn at the perceived weakness, “then throw them down to die in the Corpsepit for Tenko.”

Beside her, Moto Tenko’s remaining eye dances with glee.

The Obsidian warrior gestures the to clouds to black smoke from the smoldering forests that choke the sky. “And the Daidoji forests?”

“Keep the corpses and the goblins logging. I don’t want anyone sneaking up on us. Plus, I want that wood into the forges and reinforcing the walls of Kyuden Anzai.” She looks back at the slowly changing Kyuden Daidoji with a certain pride.

“Of course, my dark queen,” bows the Magistrate. “But I have another issue. Some of the ronin still in our employ have requested to speak with your magnificence. They wish to discuss their pay.”

Anzai scowls. The remaining ronin had become more raucous, violent, and temperamental as the Taint took hold of them. They were going through sake, rice, and the female peasants at an alarming rate.

“Bring them her,” she says.

The black-armored warrior motions a group of dozen men waiting in the distance to come forward. They swagger up, freshly equipped with mismatched armor and weapons scavenged from fallen Crane and Crab warriors.

“Greetings, Anzai,” begins Votep, the ronin leader. But Anzai has already drawn the dagger across her palm, and as his eyes go wide she sends a massive wave of crimson lighting into the ronin. The men scream and spasm as they die, collapsing to the ground.

“Tenko,” says Anzai.

Obediently, Moto Tenko raises her skeletal hands and starts chanting in a black and obscene speech. The remaining kami in the area scream in pain as the zombie ronin clamber to their feet.

“There,” announces Anzai, her voice heavy with satisfaction. “Just as deadly and they eat far less. Take them back to their compatriots to pass on this lesson, will you?”

Eyes wide behind his mempo, the Tainted warrior bows in obedience before her.

[Michael]

Matsu Hotaru has been waiting for quite a while, but she shows no sign of impatience or unease. She stands beside the entrance to the lavishly furnished tent, eyes downcast, almost looking demure if one didn’t look closely and see that her face bore not the paint of the geisha, but the Deathseeker.

Ikoma Takuwan is growing impatient, however. How long must the Lion wait for a bunch of petty Otomo bureaucrats? Why even announce their intentions by erecting this tent? His eyes scan the ornate woodwork, the intricate tapestries, and the porcelain tableware with distain. Why furnish it so opulently?

“Because the Otomo would not come otherwise,” says Hotaru, and Takuwan’s eyes snap forward guiltily. “Giving them a certain level of decadence is required before beginning any negotiation. As is agreeing upon only one guardsmen. It is all part of the dance of formality.”

Before Takuwan can reply or apologize, a buzz of voices is heard from outside the tent. Hotaru raises a hand to silence the Lion sergeant, and then bows deeply as the mob of Otomo courtiers enter. Over a dozen have come, dressed in expensive and elaborate robes of state. Their lone Seppun guardsman quickly scans the tent’s interior, and nods to his masters before stepping outside.

“Konichi-wa, Otomo-sans,” begins Hotaru gracefully. She steps to the table where an ancient tea set is prepared. “Shall we begin with tea?”

“I wouldn’t sip anything from that shamefully inadequate set,” scowls whipstaff thin man with long white hair and beard. “It isn’t fit for my servants.”

Even as Takuwan purples, Hotaru moves on without losing a beat. “Very well then, noble sirs. To business. The Lion Champion Akoko Hideaki has-“

“Has taken leave of his senses!” blusters the head Otomo. “What madness is this? We hear reports that he is marching on Shiro no Otomo? Does he not realize what province this is? This is not some backwater Phoenix grassland being held by the Gaijin! This is the heart of the Emperor’s territory! He is either a traitor, a fool, or possessed by the Dark Brother!”

Hotaru has to raise a hand again to stop Takuwan from going for his blade. She smiles, a tight, contained smile that would send men less arrogant than the Otomo screaming in terror.

“There is a simple resolution to this,” she replies. “If the Otomo cease their trade in power and favors and shut down the Imperial Court immediately, the Lion will not attack Shiro no Otomo.”

The Otomo issues a harsh, rasping laugh. “You are right about the simple part,” he sneers, pulling out a set of ornate scrolls. “I have here an Imperial Edict, summoned by Asako Mazumi, signed by the Regent, backed by the power of the Emperor himself, declaring that the Lion are to cease all hostilities against Otomo province and immediately retreat. We will now discuss what reparations are owed the Otomo.”

Lighting fast, Hotaru draws her tanto and neatly severs the two scrolls in half while they are still in the Otomo’s boney hands.

“That is the Lion’s response,” she says sweetly, as his eyes go wide.

“I knew it!” he sputters. “Filthy animals!” with that he claps his hands. Suddenly, the more than a dozen other Otomo throw off their robes to reveal the arms and armor of the Emerald Legions. In a flash, Hotaru and Takuwan are surrounded by a circle of steel.

“What has happened to the honor of the Lion?” the Otomo says mockingly. “We will now discuss the terms of your surrender.”

“The Lion remain honorable, but never foolish,” Hotaru replies, and gives a sharp whistle. Suddenly, the walls of the tent fall away, revealing a hundred Lion samurai encircling it, the Seppun guardsman nowhere to be found.

“I will assume your actions mean you intend to fight,” she says as she walks out.
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I like my coffee like I like my women. COVERED IN BEES! -Izzard

[Jer]

Um. Hoto never signed anything that said the Lion couldn't attack Otomo. The Imperial Favor was used by the Phoenix to keep the Lion from attacking them, not Otomo. Heck, he doesn't have the power to do anything anyway so there is no point in mentioning his position in relation to what is happening with court. I don't want the Lion breathing down my neck for something that I never did.
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This is not a fish! I was promised a FISH! - Jer

[Don The Anvil]

So you're ok with the Clans if they decide to take over Imperial Lands at will?
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There are some things I like about George W Bush. Since he took office, the New England Patriots have won 3 Super Bowls and the RedSox won the World Series after a 86 year drought.

[Jer]

No. I never said that. Hoto never signed anything saying that the Lion were not to attack Otomo. Unless that is what Michael is referring to as the Imperial Favor. Jon used it to stop the Lion from attacking him. Hoto would have signed it to keep the Lion from attacking the Phoenix, becuase he does not yet want to resort to war. Nobody else agrees with him, so his advice and position is ignored so that everybody does what they want. Hoto wouldn't have thought that the Lion would attack Imperial Lands, so he wouldn't even think about signing anything that prevented it. Their honor would keep them from attacking. I guess that was wrong.

I do intend on having a discussion with Hideaki when the game starts back up again. But no, I do not agree with attacking Imperial lands. Although, we all know that the honorable and good guys, get nothing but trouble, death, and loss of land.
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This is not a fish! I was promised a FISH! - Jer

[Michael]

It was the use of the Imperial Favor. As part of his duties as Regent, Hoto signs off on these. Or, in the cases when Hoto is away from the Palace (as he is right now), it is signed by the highest ranking of member of his staff. After all, it is the Regent's job to enforce the Emperor's laws, and the Imperial Favor represents the Emperor's law. In a perfect world, that is.
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I like my coffee like I like my women. COVERED IN BEES! -Izzard

[kevin]

Michael, I think Jeremy is pointing out that Hoto would not have signed something saying that the Lion could not attack Otomo because the Phoenix used the Imperial Favor to block the Lion from attacking the Phoenix. Since the combat at hand is the Lion against the Otomo, it seems that the Imperial Favor does not apply. Hoto signed something saying that the Lion could not attack the Phoenix.

Is the Imperial Favor specify something different than above? I would also imagine that you cannot use an Imperial Favor to stop someone from attacking more than one group. That seems to shutdown a clan completely.

[Michael]

Back in ol Turn 15, the Phoenix had the Imperial Favor. Jon was intending to use it to issue an Imperial Edict preventing someone from attacking. He original thought was that the Lion were going to join the dogpile on the gaijin/Phoenix, so he voiced his intention to use it there.

The point of the Edict is to give a Clan a political sheild against an attack. Hence, it is a reflexive ability: you don't have to guess who will attack you where. That would massively cripple its effectiveness. Rather, soon after I have all the sheets, I report to the favor holder who has expressed his intent to use an Edict who is attacking where.

Jon saw that the Lion were attacking Otomo. He (for whatever reason) decided this was a bad idea, so he had the Edict issued against the Lion for this attack.

With Mazumi hearing rumors of the approaching Lion, he sent the Court into action, and the Edict was prepared. Hoto would sign it (its a formality, it does not imply concent, only a requirement of his position, even if he didn't it would still go out) if he was there, and it would go out. Since he is not in Otosan Uchi in Turn 15, his senior chamberlain did it.

Mechanically: the Phoenix used the Imperial Favor against the Lion. The Lion said "duly noted, we'll still be storming in, thank you" and attacked the province anyway.
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I like my coffee like I like my women. COVERED IN BEES! -Izzard

[Juan Valdez]

I thought the Imperial Favor was a diceless action made by whomever spoke for the Clan at the time, in this case Mazumi for the Phoenix.