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 A Meeting with Matsu Murabai

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kpsmith
Nikutai
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PostSubject: A Meeting with Matsu Murabai   A Meeting with Matsu Murabai EmptyWed Jun 24, 2015 2:32 pm

The Crane swordsmith arrived at the estate of the Murabai District Governor, Matsu Murabai, with the punctuality of a Crane and the attentiveness of a Lion. He dressed in his finer silks, striking the appearance of a regal lord his birthright demanded. In his arms he carried a golden silk covering with patterned lions secured with a golden tassel rope, veiling the expertly folded Ashidaka sword. On his arrival he presented his chop, announced his personage, and the appointed hour the Governess approved his meeting.

'Early is on time, on time is late,' Koutetsu thought to himself as he was received and bid to await a summons.

When the Governess was finally ready to receive him he rose and accompanied the servant and dignitary for escort. The Crane lordling was escorted to a private chamber prepared for the audience. A vassal of the Governess announced his presence, opened the chamber door, and bid him to enter. Therein he was welcomed to the sight of the Lady Matsu, a table, a cushion, and a Go set between them.

"My Lady Matsu Murabai-dono, it is an honor to be received by you this day," he spoke as he bowed deeply to his host.
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PostSubject: Re: A Meeting with Matsu Murabai   A Meeting with Matsu Murabai EmptyWed Jun 24, 2015 9:54 pm

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PostSubject: Re: A Meeting with Matsu Murabai   A Meeting with Matsu Murabai EmptyWed Jun 24, 2015 11:04 pm

OOC Note: Ashidaka Koutetsu would know the basic rumors surrounding Doji Yunagi and Matsu Murabai. They are detailed under their character pictures on the links above.

IC:

The room was stark, empty except for a few very specific decorations. As Koutetsu gazed about quickly he could not help but feel that the ornaments of the room had been placed specifically for him.

On the governor's right was a full suit of great armor in tan and gold and black. The mempo was golden colored wood etched into the fierce roar of a lion. The kabuto had a wild mane of straw hair flaring back at all angles. A samurai in that armor coming at an enemy in full rage would be a terrifying sight to behold.

On the governor's left, well out of reach, was a daisho stand with three blades resting upon it. Each grew larger as eyes cast downward. At the top, the black saya of a wakizashi. In the middle, the golden saya of a katana. And at the bottom was the huge tan saya of a no-dachi. Koutetsu's keen eye could tell even from here that the blades had been made with care and skill.

Behind the Matsu governor was a small box made of polished pine. It was thin and long and etched with the markings of a victory.

Between the Ashidaka and the Matsu was a traditional go board made of kaya. The hard, heavy block was the size of a stone, bright in color and sharp at the edges. Grain ran straight across the top of the board in the masame style. Two bowls, one of white stones and one of black, sat in the center. The stones would make a fine click when placed upon the wood.

The governor did not stand as was due her station, but instead inclined her head and gestured for Koutetsu to sit. A servant brought a smaller table and set it at the governor's left to serve them a dark, bitter tea heavy with grains.

After all etiquette and propriety were paid due, Murabai leaned forward and picked up the two stones. She moved them behind her back, then brought them forward once more.

"I thought we could play while we speak, Koutetsu-san. I have found that the distraction of focusing on the board allows one time to pause between words, time to think. I am no accomplished courtier and require the use of this time to prevent myself from shaming my clan. Please, you will choose and we will begin. I warn you, I am quite skilled at the game, but even if you are not, the exercise of the mind is meditative."

Murabai's voice, like everything else in the room, was stark. Her words ended in a clipped finality as if she were giving orders instead of engaging in polite conversation. Up close, Koutetsu could tell she must have been a remarkable woman, full of passion and outward beauty. Even now, years past her prime, she was a handsome woman. She wore simple trappings, though nothing less than what her station required. There were two mons across her chest, one obviously that of the Matsu family. The other was not quite as familiar.


OOC:
As we engage, the Go Game will take three rolls. Beginning to establish who has the upper hand. Middle to engage in heated battle. End to finish off the game.

You may also make any rolls for conversation or etiqutte you wish.

Matsu Murabai makes the following rolls to start:
http://orokos.com/roll/303841
Games: Go 31 (For Beginning)
Lore: Bushido 48 (To discern your honor as the two of you converse)
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kpsmith
Nikutai
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PostSubject: Re: A Meeting with Matsu Murabai   A Meeting with Matsu Murabai EmptyThu Jun 25, 2015 6:40 am

After the swordsmith's gaze swept the room and observed the contents therein, Koutetsu settled his eyes on the Governess and gave her a nod of affirmation. Carefully folded within his arms, draped in silk, was the gift of Ashidaka steel he wished to present to the Lioness. He couldn't help but remark the beauty of the Matsu which made him consider the many women of the Imperial City and thei inherent beauty. As he wrested with such thoughts Koutetsu moved forward with the sword and kneeled on the cushion opposing the governess before transitioning into seiza.

"I am most fortunate you received me at all, Lady Matsu-dono," the swordsmith spoke. "For this I could hardly deny the opportunity to play you. I must confess, however, I am a mere novice of the game."

He smiled, far more forthcoming than he normally was, as he forced himself away from darker thoughts. A lively conversation unstrained by the circumstances of his woes was necessary to prevail.

"First, however, you would honor me if I might present to you a gift suited for a swordswoman of your caliber," Koutetsu spoke as he raised the sword up with his hands across the table. He easily untied the golden bindings and drew back the silk covering just enough to reveal a golden kashira cap, jade suka wrapping, and a matching golden tsuba. The kashira and tsuba were expertly crafted to resemble a roaring fu lion and two fu lions on the prowl. The quality of the craftsmanship was readily apparent.

"My father spoke of your honor and valor on the field of battle. Might you accept this, might I learn of the storied battles past, might we foster a friendship between Matsu and Ashidaka; between my august Lady and my most humble self," the Crane attempted to sway her as he initiated the rites of the gift giving ceremony.
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PostSubject: Re: A Meeting with Matsu Murabai   A Meeting with Matsu Murabai EmptyThu Jun 25, 2015 4:37 pm

The Murabai Governor has been in her position long enough to have learned how to deal with the basic tenets of propriety and etiquette. Her interactions with the sub-governor, Doji Yunagi, and her history entering this position has hardened her exterior towards the Crane in general. As Koutetsu speaks, Murabai's On is implacable, unbreakable. She gives off an air of rigid honor unwilling to break even in the face of her annoyance at what she perceives as a clan of weakness and cowards.

When the Ashidaka reveals the blade in all its glory he does note a subtle shift of the Matsu's brow and a renewed flash of interest in her eyes. "Let it never be said that the Kakita are not masters of bladecraft." She looks Kouetetsu directly in the eyes. "You are as far above me in your craftsmanship as I you regarding the game of Go. I must insist that you keep the blade, though I would surely enjoy a conversation about its craft and make."

Upon refusing the sword once the Matsu gestured once again to her twin fists, each holding a stone. "Please choose so that we may begin while we speak. You mentioned your father and battles of old. I remember Hijikei-san. You hold only a minor resemblance."

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Nikutai
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PostSubject: Re: A Meeting with Matsu Murabai   A Meeting with Matsu Murabai EmptyThu Jun 25, 2015 4:59 pm

You hold only a minor resemblance.

Koutetsu wasn't expecting those words from the Governess which gave him pause to think. In fact, it was a concept he had never considered. He appraised the Governess with his eyes a moment as he considered his words. "How many years have come to pass since you two met, my Lady Matsu-dono? Could it be you find time has worn on your impression of my Lord father, or that I lack a stronger resemblance entirely?"

He gestured to the Lioness' left hand, continuing, "Your left hand - that I am a son of the Left Hand, as much as you are a daughter of the Right Hand."

The Crane swordsmith nodded after he selected the color - hidden by her hand - before he drew back the silk further. The saya peaked out before her sight, lacquered and painted in a dazzling scheme of golden flecks amongst a sea of jade. "My Lady," the swordsmith spoke as he continued the rites, "To keep the blade would mean the soul of this exquisite piece would not be in its rightful home. This sword was carefully considered for its new master; without you, the sword will never realize its true potential, my Lady. I insist."
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PostSubject: Re: A Meeting with Matsu Murabai   A Meeting with Matsu Murabai EmptyThu Jun 25, 2015 7:55 pm

Murabai smiled, though it wasn't an entirely pleasant sensation. Her teeth were exposed, lines at the eyes, and wrinkles appeared in all the right places, but it was hollow. Empty of sincerity.

"I do not mean to offend. I mean to say that you must have taken more after your mother - a compliment from the Matsu, I assure you. Your features are less sharpened. Less harsh. I remember your father as a stark, stalwart man with a beak like a...well, a crane." Murabai snorted at that in genuine amusement.

She laid down the left-hand stone: black. "You will begin. An advantage I hope you will not squander." For a moment, Koutetsu could feel another word hanging at the end of that sentence. Knowing Murabai's past and the Matsu dislike for the Kakita as a whole, he could imagine what the real response would have been.I hope you will not squander it...Crane.

The Matsu matron examined the board for a long moment, but Koutetsu could see her eyes flash to the saya, the tsuba, even the silk about the blade. She looked up abruptly as he placed his first piece. There was a calculated response in her eyes and the Ashidaka knew she had been considering her response.

"You speak well for a swordsmith, though as a Crane I would expect no less. You must begin learning to craft words even before you begin with the blade. If the remarkable quality of this katana is any indication of your other training I feel I may be in danger." Again, the false smile. The false sincerity. Koutetsu could feel something in the Matsu's eyes...they bore into him, testing him. Searching for weakness.

"I must again decline to accept this gift. I am undeserving. Now," she looked back down to the board as they each placed their setup stones, "as for your father, he and I were opponents once. We each served in the position of chui during a particularly heated engagement between our families. We met," Murabai looked up to the Ashidaka with those dark, calculating eyes, "in a tiny village called Mura Kishi."



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PostSubject: Re: A Meeting with Matsu Murabai   A Meeting with Matsu Murabai EmptyThu Jun 25, 2015 8:20 pm

Juggling conversation, a game of Go, and a gift giving ceremony, Koutetsu carefully adhered to all three tasks at once. He appraised the Go board after a long time, thinking through how to proceed. He had spent some time playing the game before his appointment but while only a novice, he hoped is innate intellectual grasp would prevail. Finally, the swordsmith played his first move and proceeded to maneuver the conversation.

"A samurai need be efficient in many tasks might he prove to be able to better serve his Lord," the Ashidaka noted, his eyes shifting between the board and the Lioness. "Words and deeds, my Lady Matsu-dono, all need to measure up to the worth of a samurai and his ancestors before him - if not exceed them."

He inclined his head ever so slightly and smiled at the Lioness, the expression warm and confident. As he continued his juggle, the Crane proceeded to raise the sword up once again for a final offering.

"My Lady, witness the steel within," he spoke, grasping the tsuka and drawing the naked Crane steel from the saya. He revealed several inches of the blade to her as he held the sword aloft. It was cold blue Crane steel, the color of morning mist, with a fine edge that dared to cleave falling petals. The hamon along the exposed curve of the blade was mountainous, creating a striking appearance. In totality the sword was indeed a work of art and no doubt a fine armament for a bushi to carry into battle.

"Few swords measure up to the quality and raw beauty of that which I present you today. This sword is no mere work of art, but an instrument of righteous Honor. For few would be honored with such an exquisite sword that may you accept this sword, for in you I trust to maintain it as part of your legacy and in turn it will serve you and the your line for generations to come."

He bowed his head as he attempted to cement the ritual, sheathing the sword and presenting the sword for her to take.

"I would be interested to hear about your encounter as seldom do two warriors cross paths on the field of battle and live to tell about. I have been told the Lion are the finest storytellers in such regard," he spoke, his eyes lifting up to her with a glint of honest curiosity.

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PostSubject: Re: A Meeting with Matsu Murabai   A Meeting with Matsu Murabai EmptyThu Jun 25, 2015 8:42 pm

As time - and the game - passed, Koutetsu noted an overt shift in Murabai's demeanor. "Your skill with the game is far greater than I was led to believe, Ashidaka. Your movements are seemingly random, but you have a strategy hidden behind those careless stones." The wrinkles at the corners of the Matsu's eyes crinkled in a way that revealed a certain honesty behind her facade. There was beauty, intelligence, and a fury that Koutetsu was certain he did not want to face on the battlefield.

Murabai continued to maneuver the stones. Koutetsu noted her aggression rose, her captures coming quicker, but she paused in the middle of dropping a piece and looked up. She recognized the anger and held it in abeyance.

Long moments passed and she dropped a piece to capture a small selection of Koutetsu's.

"You are correct, of course. It is rare that two such warriors as we would meet and not leave one or the other, or both, dead in the field. Yet, our meeting was...not common." Murabai leaned back on her heels, eyes glazed over. It was a sign that she believed Koutetsu to be honorable that she would give him this power over her - exposed steel and her but a stroke of a sword away.

"Chui Ashidaka and I were given leeway to act as we deemed appropriate during that season of war. I know I learned much of command in those days and it seems to me that afterward, so did your father. Much of command...and treachery." Murabai turned her head. She appeared to be examining the armor, but Koutetsu could see her eyes glance at the long wooden box behind her.

"It was approaching winter and the season had turned harsh and unseasonably cold. Snow was on the ground as often as not. When I arrived at the village your father had already established a defensive position. I deemed it unwise to force an engagement. Each of us would have lost many men and such a tiny village was not worth those deaths."

The Matsu turned back to Koutetsu and examined the blade, but continued. "The Crane were the epitome of courtesy. They welcomed us into the village to parley, to discuss what would be done about Mura Kishi. It seemed to me that your father and I would come to an agreement that would cost no lives and work to our mutual advantage. And the," Murabai's eyes narrowed, "your father's advisers stepped in more forcefully."

Abruptly, Murabai shifted the conversation back to the gift.

"Truly remarkable, Ashidaka-san. I cannot consider myself worthy of such honor as this blade will deliver, but I know where it may go. I will take your blade and see that it ends up in the hands of my niece. She shall undergo her gempukku this coming spring and the blade will give her an ideal of honor to live up to. I thank you. Arigatoo gozaimasu."

OOC: Winning Round 1 of the Go game grants you a Free Raise on Round 2.
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PostSubject: Re: A Meeting with Matsu Murabai   A Meeting with Matsu Murabai EmptyThu Jun 25, 2015 9:00 pm

"I must confess, such circumstances as you tell are not what I would expect from the Lion," the Crane carefully spoke as he observed the section she claimed on the Go board. Koutetsu stroked his chin and considered her strategy, trying to understand the finer points of the game she was employing against him. "Though I find such a tale agreeable. Not every ordeal need end in bloodshed despite how ready we may be to spill it. If a battle, a war even, could be won with fewer graves is it not a greater victory for the General? Perhaps an unwelcome philosophical approach to war which is not one of my finer talents, though in time I hope to seize the opportunity to learn."

The Ashidaka smiled as he gifted the Lioness with the sword. "I am pleased the sword will be given a good wielder. In all my years - too few they may be - I have always been told of the Honor of the Lion and the fearless courage of a Matsu. Perhaps one day you might share good tidings of her deeds for the Lion," Koutetsu continued, concluding the formality of the gift giving ceremony.

The swordsmith proceeded to play against the Lioness, attentive eyes focused more on the game. His expression was more stoic as his mind churned like a millstone; steadily moving, never ceasing. He felt the game so far was happenstance and decided to play, shifting into conversation again after playing another stone.

"My father told me that I might trust you, that you possessed a learned understanding of questions I might ask. So, might you continue your tale? How did the conflict truly resolve, my Lady Matsu-dono?"

Games: Go 18:
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PostSubject: Re: A Meeting with Matsu Murabai   A Meeting with Matsu Murabai EmptyThu Jun 25, 2015 9:36 pm

The lady Matsu's expression softened somewhat as the game proceeded. Her aggressive response to Koutetsu's strategy had given her the upper hand. The blade, too, provided a welcome in her heart.

"My niece is an honorable woman, beyond reproach. You could not find greater potential for the worth of this blade in all the lands of the Crane." The words, though bordering close on insult, seemed sincere and meant without attack.

"As for your father," Murabai laid a white stone, then looked directly into Koutetsu's eyes once more. "I can easily understand if he would not wish to share the tale of our meeting with you personally. There is much speculation, much rumor, much ambiguity. I will tell you my view of events and allow you to draw your own conclusions."

"I chose parley over battle because I did not see the strategic value in taking a village of no import so deep in Kakita lands. It would have been retaken in a fortnight with more Lion lives lost. My respect for your father grew as our conversation proceeded. However," Murabai sneered somewhat, eyes glazed over again, "when the Doji advisers stepped in all was lost. I had been told your clan was skilled at deescalation. Not on that day."

"As the sun passed over the sky and the discussion of the village and the war delved into ever greater detail, two Doji advisers stepped in and over your father's words. They seemed to have a special position, an authority over Hijikei that the Ikoma would never be allowed over a Matsu." Murabai turned again to the armor, eyes flickering to the wooden box.

"The lead Doji pushed the conversation towards aggression. Eventually, through his manipulation of the conversation and his skill with words, he put me in an untenable position. He challenged my honor in such a way that I had to respond." Murabai sighed heavily. "I realize now it was his purpsoe all along, to get me to issue the challenge. And I responded like the foolhardy commander that I was. He called upon your father, Ashidaka Hijikei, to stand for him as champion. We would meet on the following day before the sun rose. We would duel in the cold."

Matsu Murabai's eyes locked back on Ashidaka Koutetsu.

"Your father was an honorable man. Those two men...they ruined him. I am sure he has regained something of what he was in those days, but he will never be the same. And neither shall I."

Murabai placed another stone, well into the second of three strategic acts of the game.


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PostSubject: Re: A Meeting with Matsu Murabai   A Meeting with Matsu Murabai EmptyThu Jun 25, 2015 10:11 pm

As the Lioness recounted the tale Koutetsu gave her the attention of a child enthralled with a talented storyteller. While he maintained the decorum of a proper samurai, his eyes were keen to follow her lips as she moved; he listened with his eyes much as he did with his ears. Being able to draw back the curtain of his father's past was intriguing to Koutetsu as his stoic father seldom revealed such stories. With the conclusion of her recounting the Crane swordsmith nodded as he took a moment to absorb the tale. He heeded her wisdom in deciding things for himself and so he mulled over its contents.

"A samurai is the only judge of his Honor," the young Crane spoke. "I am sure you two conducted yourselves as your positions and adherence to Bushido dictated. It is a shame the mutual understanding between my father and yourself ended as it did."

He glanced at the Go board and murmured. His fingers rapped the edge of the table in contemplation. "Circumstance changes a samurai. Overcoming those circumstances is what defines us," he murmured as he let his own words drift into thought. After the evening with Ejio and Kinotu he had been thinking on many things: his aiding of Chi-Yomi forging her 200 swords, her next labor of 100 years, the Blade of Execution, the occult murders, his sister...

Several moments passed between them, perhaps longer than anticipated, before he looked up to her. He nodded and placed his next stone on the Go board.

The Crane swordsmith glanced from the Lioness to the box behind her as he considered her own glances to the container. "Perhaps you might tell me that which I seek, my Lady Matsu-dono. Would one of the Crane at Mura Kishi happen to be Doji Kurotema?" He raised a brow and leaned forward, his hands on his knees as he looked her in the eyes. His father spoke of her in reference to his questioning of Kurotema so hopefully she knew that which he could not reveal.

"Can I truly trust you, my Lady Matsu-dono? Might the words between us here remain so?"

He tested her, perhaps an insult if she so received it, but he needed to know.
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PostSubject: Re: A Meeting with Matsu Murabai   A Meeting with Matsu Murabai EmptyThu Jun 25, 2015 11:10 pm

"Do not probe me like some hastily constructed barricade." Murabai sat up abruptly. "You requested this meeting and we are discussing your topic of conversation. Because of the gift your remarkable blade, I will give you the chance to correct your course, but never suggest that any words I utter would require secrecy of any type. I am as discrete as courtesy requires."

Murabai placed another stone. Koutetsu could feel some of her anger in the sharp click of stone on wood.

"You do guess correctly. The two Doji advisers were none other than Doji Yunagi and Governor Metsumoto's own karo, Kurotema." The Matsu sniffed at the thought of the two men. "After the incident, Yunagi went on to plague me further. Through his machinations I was removed from the field and placed here, in this position of great...honor.  He received his own comeuppance and now serves under me in charge of the lowliest district of the Father's Home."

Murabai clapped once and two new servants arrived. One bore a tray of sweet rice cakes. The other a balsa wood box with an open top. Within were two wide bowls and a steaming bottle of sake.

"The rest of this conversation is not fit for tea."

Murabai poured, handed Koutetsu a bowl, and then continued.

"The day was cold. Freezing, in fact. We awoke before the sun rose to settle the dishonor in a field of soft snow. I believe your father would have beaten me back then. I was not so skilled in the iaijutsu art as I am now. I have since rectified my lack." The Matsu placed another stone and drank of the full bowl. "Alas, we did not get the chance. The disgrace..." she sighed and shook her head.

"I could tell something was wrong as soon as Ashidaka Hijikei arrived. He did not wait, but came to face me and knelt in the snow. His head bowed. He held up his sword and when he drew it forth I saw it: a crack in the blade." Murabai's frown lines were open and obvious. Her lips pursed. "I know you Ashidaka consider your craft as vital as I do the art of war. I know that blade once belonged to Hijikei's own grandfather who created it two generations prior. I know that crack was not caused by snow and ice and cold, but..."

Matsu Murabai set down her bowl and placed a hand on either side of the heavy block go table. "Your father was manipulated as easily as I, by men promised to aid him. He gave me the blade and his defeat. He gave me his word as an honorable man that he would forge a new katana and would some day face me again on the field of honor. I took the village, though we lost it mere weeks later."

"Your father was an honorable man and I could not take his life. It would have shamed me, dishonored me to seize upon the opportunity presented by his own clan. I wanted to face hi. I still do, but we are both too highly placed now to be traipsing about on some battlefield."

The Matsu sighed and placed the first piece of her end game maneuver.

"You have questions, I am certain."

OOC: Winning Round 2 of the Go game grants Murabai a Free Raise on Round 3 to finish.

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PostSubject: Re: A Meeting with Matsu Murabai   A Meeting with Matsu Murabai EmptyThu Jun 25, 2015 11:52 pm

He had anticipated her displeasure with his forwardness but it did not alleviate the sting whatsoever. The Crane bowed his head to the Matsu and bowed deeply from where he sat across from her. "Forgive me," Koutetsu spoke, his face hard. He spoke with a level of sincerity as he wished to maintain good relations with the Governess. "I apologize for my words. Skilled as you say I am, I still possess the inexperience a youth provides. Wiser would I be to temper my words as I would temper steel. Eagerness is my folly."

Koutetsu then allowed Murabai to continue the tale, each word seemingly darker than the last. He took the offered sake, finding much as she attested, the story was best taken with a stiff drink. The affirmation of Doji Kurotema, the presentation of the cracked blade, the lingering lust to set a matter of Honor to rights. She had the right of it: he had more questions. Koutetsu drained his cup in turn and exhaled as he appraised the board again. She had the upper hand, a pivotal moment towards victory.

"Do you think my father purposely broke my great grandfather's sword...?"

Koutetsu set his sake cup down and frowned as he considered the circumstances. "My father replied to an inquiry upon Doji Kurotema and told me he could not speak of the man. However, he bid I speak with you if I sought to know of him... I think I now grasp why he could not tell me himself."

There are some things too dangerous to share.

Was there more to the story? Koutetsu did not doubt her Honor but he couldn't help but wonder what truly prompted his father to break his sword. What if another had done the deed? That course bothered him equally.

He considered the broken sword he was given on his arrival to Otosan Uchi...

"Whatever the circumstance... I do not feel my father would break his own sword... No, someone had to do it. Someone had to force him," he found himself thinking aloud. Koutetsu frowned as he fell deep into thought considering the story. If his line of thought was true, to what ends was the scheme to orchestrate the affair? To kill his father? To shame the Lion? For what? A small village was not worth such lengths... So the swordsmith presumed.
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PostSubject: Re: A Meeting with Matsu Murabai   A Meeting with Matsu Murabai EmptyFri Jun 26, 2015 12:10 am

Matsu Murabai settled one of the final stones and allowed Koutetsu to work out some of the story for himself. She felt a certain regard for the youth, but the iron core of honor would not allow her to show compassion in this instance. This was his heritage. This was his father.

This was his responsibility.

When next Murabai spoke, she did so without the edge of anger that was in her voice prior.

"Time passed. The war cooled. By the time it restarted Doji Yunagi had enacted his plan to remove me from the field and your father had become the newest Ashidaka lord." Murabai took a long drink from the sake bowl emptying its contents.

"Everything I speak to you now is my own speculation. Though I believe I have the right of it, I would never offer this as testimony before a magistrate."

She paused to ensure that the Ashidaka was listening and not lost in some tangential thought.

"The blade was tampered with. Your father was shamed, the village lost to the Lion, and my own reputation promoted. I think each of these things was purposeful. The last was the first step in Yunagi's political machination to increase my own reputation and remove me from the field. The first, your father's shame...I did not know its purpose then, but I suspect that we both know now that it has come to fruition in you. Someone used your father's shame to bring you here. The second," Murabai scoffed and waved her hand, "the loss of the vilalge prompted the Kakita to send more troops as expected. They took back an unneeded village. Yunagi gained favor in the court for pointing out a tactical advantage. Kurotema's star rose as well."

"I believe there are only two men who know the truth about what happened to your father's blade. Doji Yunagi used Hijikei as a stepping stone without regard for the Ashidaka's well-being. Kurotema found advantage in the outcome and is where he is, resting comfortably and rising in power each day."

Murabai rose. She walked back to the wall behind her and lifted the long wooden box. When she turned, there was a shadow on her features.

"You gave me a gift that will empower my niece towards new heights of honor. In return, I gave you only shame and more questions. This," she set the long box down beside the go table, "is not a gift. It is a testament from the past." Murabai gestured for Koutetsu to open the box and waited in silence.
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PostSubject: Re: A Meeting with Matsu Murabai   A Meeting with Matsu Murabai EmptyFri Jun 26, 2015 12:26 am

"My Lady Matsu-dono, I came to you seeking answers might I learn that which I did not know. You provided me with what I sought but I find what I know now was better left unfound. Nonetheless... I thank you for your story," Koutetsu spoke calmly, carefully. "I... Have much to consider, as matters of Honor require decisive action yet careful thought."

He sighed as he wrested with her revelations. While only speculation, he felt the pieces fit together enough to paint a grisly image. The thought of it stoked fears within him. Shame, dishonor, and treachery were painted on his fathers life which only caused his heart to sink. How could a kinsman manipulate his father? He could not deny the genius of the ploy but it became another burden to carry. His shoulders were already weary already... Could he carry another?

He tried to dismiss the weight of his woes as they came flooding back. He dropped his eyes to the box and he felt anxious. Was an answer within? Koutetsu slid the box closer to himself, lifted the lid, and peered within.
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PostSubject: Re: A Meeting with Matsu Murabai   A Meeting with Matsu Murabai EmptyFri Jun 26, 2015 12:47 am

Inside the box was a white silk bed, a fitting symbol of death for the broken blade that rested upon it. The katana had been taken apart and examined. The blade was cracked and broken in the middle, at least two slivers missing. The cracks were stressed as if a heavy weight had been placed upon it, though not heavy enough to snap it in half. It could not be reforged without more material.

There, upon the exposed tang of the blade, Koutetsu saw it: the mark of his great-grandfather, creator of the weapon.

Murabai did not speak for a long time as the Crane looked at the physical representation of his family's history. When she did, her voice was calm and even.

"If you want more answers, you need to force them from the two men who led to this. I know Kurotema and I know Yunagi. Yunagi is brash and prideful, full of his overblown sense of self-worth like many Crane." The Matsu said this without malice as if she were stating a simple fact. "You might find a way to expose the truth through him. Kurotema, however," Murabai sighed. "I did not see the power in Doji Kurotema until years later when I came to power here. He is patient. He is private. He does not boast and he does not indulge in frivolity. He is intelligent and perceptive. I am certain he will have foreseen the exposure of this truth the moment you arrived in the city. Tread carefully."




OOC: Remember to roll for the final Round of Go.

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PostSubject: Re: A Meeting with Matsu Murabai   A Meeting with Matsu Murabai EmptyFri Jun 26, 2015 8:58 am

The sleeping blade made his heart weep as he gazed upon its weakened state. The damage was painful to witness yet there it laid, another heirloom of his family line, rendered a fragment of its former glory. For the first time Koutetsu felt great sorrow as the weight of his family's shame came crashing down on his shoulders. "How many more heirlooms must be broken," Koutetsu whispered, mortified with what he saw. "The Honor of the Ashidaka has been stained. I now possess two broken family swords... Both at the hands..."

The swordsmith's soul was shattered at the revelation and he struggled to maintain his On. He lowered his gaze, might he better hide his own shame, as he felt his eyes swell with tears. If a sword was an extension of his own soul, and he had two broken swords belonging to his family line, he could not help but feel a torrent of emotion.

Anger. Fear. Regret. Sorrow. Shame.

Koutetsu struggled with his tears for a long period of time, his fists balled tight into the fabric of his hakama. The tears came but he made no sound. In that moment embarrassment flooded his features - not just for his own weakness but the shame that his family had been plunged into. With time his tears came and went. When he finally shed his last tear he brushed his face with the sleeve of his kimono and took a deep breath. The Crane recomposed himself, looked up to the Lioness, and gave her a firm nod. There was a fierce look of conviction in his eyes.

"I know what must be done, Matsu-dono," the Ashidaka spoke, his face hard.

"To this I vow to you: my great-grandfather's sword will be forged anew and with it, my family's Honor. One day you will get that duel you so wanted but before then, justice need be meted out for transgressions layed against the Ashidaka."

Koutetsu looked to the cold Go board and smiled. He set a stone down knowing it was the end of the game. A fitting end in a bizarre fashion to the circumstances of his encounter with the Matsu.

"Though I feel you owe me one final answer," Koutetsu spoke as he rose to his feet. He looked down to Murabai and went to speak... Why did my father trust my great-grandfather's sword to you, Matsu-dono? No words became of him. He found himself only looking to her as his lips betrayed him into silence. Finally, he managed words after he struggled to find them.

"When this is done... Days, weeks, months, even years from now, let us play Go again, my Lady Matsu-dono. I'll ask my question then. You owe me nothing."

The Crane bowed to the Lioness.

"By you leave, thank you for this opportunity."

Games: Go 15:
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PostSubject: Re: A Meeting with Matsu Murabai   A Meeting with Matsu Murabai EmptyFri Jun 26, 2015 4:21 pm

Matsu Murabai studied the younger samurai for a long time, judging and evaluating his response to receiving the weapon. She had long since determined through teh course of the conversation that Ashidaka Koutetsu was not like Kurotema or Yunagi. He was an honorable man with honorable intentions. He felt the weight of duty.

Murabai knew he would find justice or die in the attempt.

"You played well, Ashidaka Koutetsu. Continue practicing the game and you will only get better." As before, she spoke while looking directly into his eyes. There was no fear, no shame, and no feeling of pity in her eyes. Instead, Koutetsu saw a full awareness of understanding.

"We will play again and on that day I will give you your final answer. Now, let us part ways. The running of a district takes up far more of my time than I might wish and I have indulged myself too long already."

With that Matsu Murabai, Governor of the Toshisoto, bowed and followed the protocol necessary to extricate herself from the meeting. She allowed Koutetsu to stay behind to collect himself. She left the board, the sake, and the food. No servants entered until Koutetsu was ready to depart.

OOC:
+1 xp for the awesome and fulfilling exchange
If you wish to reflect the new knowledge with a Disadvantage such as Driven or Sworn Enemy, you may do so and gain the points. However, they are not necessary to continue this path. You should only take one if you want your character's direction to shift focus heavily in that direction.



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