Sixth Session [Topaz]

Subject: Sixth Session [Topaz] Tue Mar 06, 2018 3:34 pm

The Roku-Baden Campaign

Rokugan in Wiesbaden, Germany

A fictionalized account of medieval Japan played in Germany by Americans

SIXTH SESSION
28 February 2018

4^th Day in the Month of the Sun (Hare)
Year 1121 on the Isawa Calendar
The Glorious Reign of Hantei XXXVIII, the Splendid Emperor

The Characters
Ø Togashi Kaku (Mike)
Ø Hida Ao (Steven)
Ø Shosuro Ria (Leia)
Ø Ide Kasumi (Lindsey)
Ø Shinjo Konishi (Josh)
Ø Isawa Kanzen (Tim) [absent]
Ø GM (Chris)

IC: Test of the Topaz Champion, Day and Night 4
Prior to the Test of the Artist, our fledgling samurai heroes embarked upon many a mission…

…Shosuro Ria implored upon Ide Kasumi to use her knowledge of the Arts to aid her in the upcoming competition. Kasumi remembered a famous poem by the Ronin Poet Rezan and provided Ria with an original work of her own…

…Ria “gifted” Kasumi’s original work to Bayushi Sugai for the upcoming event…

…Hida Ao convinced his erstwhile ally, Yasuki Akata, to bestow favor upon him for getting others to take up betting. The Yasuki pointed to Medinaat Al-Salaam and a strange little box that makes music…

…Shinjo Konishi accepted owing a favor to the strange little Yasuki in exchange for the gift of a gaijin instrument known as a gi-taru…

…Togashi Kaku engaged with Daidoji Kichiyo (Sai’s father) and accepted owing the Togashi a favor in exchange for his silence regarding the cheating (or potential)…

Bets
· Shino Konishi bets on himself to win the tournament with 10 to 1 odds (5 Koku)

*****

Day 4: Test of the Artist (afternoon) and “the Conversation”

The Test of the Artist is the offset of the Test of the Sensei and sees the contestants given a chance to impress with their “souls of artistry.” Each was given a chance to come up with their own original piece, use an old, complicated piece, or play something on a musical instrument offered by the Crane.

The Tournament grounds have been restored to their previous pristine state of Day one by the efforts of the Crane peasants. Kakita Toshimoko takes his proper place to announce the day's competition.

"It is good to see all of you here on the tournament grounds again. Despite the overcast sky, I think that you all will find today's competition enjoyable to observe."

As he speaks, peasants ready a staggering array of musical instruments.

"In the past days, we have seen the candidates demonstrate their skill with blades, and their ability to communicate. But a true samurai must be able to do more than simply speak the words from their mind. They must be able to speak from the soul. When Kakita was challenged by Lady Doji to bring the dead to life, he crafted a biwa from a piece of driftwood, and let the music speak for him. Today's challenge will see the candidates communicating not through their words, but through music."

The First Group witnessed Isawa Kenzan pull a remarkable performance from “the Void” and tie with Hida Ao’s inspirational use of a strange object. The Hida placed the “music box” upon the ground and allowed it to do his artistry for him. Mirumoto Tomoe came in a jealous second. Bayushi Sugai, distracted by the knowledge that someone tried to frame him as having stolen Matsu Aeki’s blade, came in third with the poor rendition of Kasumi’s poem.
1. Hida Ao (3pts)
1. Isawa Kenzan (3pts)
2. Mirumoto Tomoe (2pts)
3. Bayushi Sugai (1pt)

The Second Group noted Shiba Tadamo perform beautifully with Ide Kasumi and the White Wolf tying for second. The Ide’s knowledge of artistry put Kuni Fujizaka to shame with the Crab shugenja gaining a point only by default.
1. Shiba Tadamo (3pts)
2. The White Wolf (2pts)
2. Ide Kasumi (2pts)
3. Kuni Fujizaka (1pt)

The Third Group stunned all present when Kakita Himeko came in last, with no points, behind her fellow Crane and the ronin Toku. Himeko left in silent shame as Shosuro Ria used Rezan’s poem to take first. Sugai drew himself out of his reverie long enough to “realize” that his fellow Scorpion had jilted him and taken the true prize for herself.
1. Shosuro Ria (3pts)
2. Toku (2pts)
3. Daidoji Sai (1pt)
4. Kakita Himeko (0pts)

The Fourth Group watched in aw as Matsu Aeki, Togashi Kaku, and Shinjo Konishi each performed uniquely. Ikoma Shorisuru took the prize for the entire Test, however, as he utilized pieces of nearly every other performance, interweaving them all into a beautiful story.
1. Ikoma Shorisuru (3pts)
2. Togashi Kaku (2pts)
3. Matsu Aeki (1pt)
3. Shinjo Konishi (1pt)

*****

…Ide Kasumi spent some time with the Emerald Magistrate and Imperial Governor, Kuni Akira; she realized throughout their conversation that the Crab has been given leeway by the Crane to investigate strange magic (eliminating the Crane from her suspicions)…

…Shosuro Ria discovered that Mirumoto Tomoe, already tied to her fellow Dragon, Togashi Kaku, is related to another contestant. Tomoe and Bayushi Sugai are second cousins…

…Kakita Toshimoko purchased a round of drinks for all the contestants at the House of the Laughing Carp, and a second just for fun; the PCs took this opportunity to have a few private conversations and meet as a group…

*****

A Conversation of extreme import took place in a private chamber at the House of the Laughing Carp. Ide Kasumi, Shosuro Ria, Togashi Kaku, Hida Ao, Shinjo Konishi, Isawa Kenzan, and the White Wolf sat around a table exchanging knowledge of the mysteries surrounding the Topaz Championship. The following are key elements of their discussion uncovered:

…an Otomo invited both the White Wolf and Shosuro Ria…

…the Otomo is likely the Basket Hat Man…

…Blood Magic has been used at the tournament…

…a strange spiritual entity touches upon each of the contestants (except Kaku), manipulating them all…

…Togashi Kaku was sent by the Dragon Champion to be a rogue piece in this mysterious puzzle…

…whispers of Toshigoku, the Realm of Slaughter, have come up in other places…

…the White Wolf removed her mask and revealed that she and Shosuro Ria are, in fact, twins in physical appearance…

…the White Wolf believes that they share the same father, though have different mothers, making their twin nature more unusual…

…the White Wolf was given a coin with the maho symbol for Possession, apparently by the Otomo/Basket Hat Man…

…Shosuro Ria was given a secret scroll with the maho symbols for Possession and Sacrifice, apparently by the Otomo/Basket Hat Man…

…something is trying to drive the group apart. It worked strange magic during the conversation and saw anger rise on all sides. Shinjo Konishi and Shosuro Ria faced off in heated argument, threatening one another. Ria became suspicious of all present and the Shinjo heard a whisper in his mind to “get them all to go to the underground fight.”

OOC: I may have missed key elements of your ongoing conversation. Please let me know if I need to update.

Experience Awarded:
-> 5xp
o Those students who took first in the Test of the Artist gained 1 bonus xp that may only be spent on Agility or a Musical Instrument skill. This includes Isawa Kenzan, Hida Ao, and Shosuro Ria.

-> Honor
o Ide Kasumi (breach of etiquette) interrupted Hida Ao’s performance to allow him to use the music box -1 Honor

-> Glory
o Ide Kasumi gained glory when Hida Ao succeeded +1 Glory

-> Other
o Shinjo Konishi gains Disadvantage: Obligation (Yasuki “Akata”) -3
o Togashi Kaku gains Advantage: Favor (Opposite of Obligation) (Daidoji Kichiyo) +3
o Shinjo Konishi retrieves the “Possession” Coin and a maho scroll “Curse of the Clan”

Non-Player Characters (NPCs) Added:
-> N/A

» Second Session [Topaz]
» First Session [Topaz]
» Third Session [Topaz]
» Fifth Session [Topaz]
» Fourth Session [Topaz]