First session of the game, plus an NPC interlude. Characters described here.
8th of the Dragon, 1172 IC, Home of Bayushi Shiatari
Candles flicker, illuminating the dark chamber. Bayushi Shiatari’s father sat in silence reading over missives from across the empire. His jet black hair pulled back into several braids, his face covered by a green jade mask giving him a monstrous visage. He glances up as his daughter enters the chamber.
“Greetings father, why have you summoned me,” she replies quickly with a bow, she was never one for formality.
Her father stands, “Your loyalty to the clan is in question daughter, ever since your failure with the Crane.”
“Failure! It was not my fault!” she replies bitterly.
“The fault is yours accept, child. But you can redeem your name and the name of the family. I will give you this one chance,” his voice even and deadly.
“What do you wish of me?” the young bushi replies defeated.
“An old friend has called in a favor due, you will be sent to the Phoenix lands to serve Agasha Kosuke, daimyo of the Sweet Plum Province. He is an old friend and your loyalty and dutiful service to him could prove a great boon for our family. Do your duty, serve him well and perhaps this stain can be rectified, dismissed,” he finishes returning to his missives.
Shiatara exits quickly, pausing only to take a letter from a servant waiting dutifully outside the chamber. She hands the young samurai an invitation to a Tournament of Samurai.
10th of the Dragon, 1172 IC, Home of Mirumoto Rai
“Kitsuki-sama, Mirumoto Rai honored bushi of the border legion reporting,” Rai bows deeply to his lord’s karo.
Kitsuki Tomoe bows as she adjusts her kimono, “Thank you for arriving, our lord has an important mission for you, Rai-san.”
“Name it and it shall be done,” the young bushi replies firmly.
“You have been given the honor and distinction of representing our house and clan in the Tournament of Samurai held by esteemed Phoenix daimyo, Asako Shizu-sama at Pale Oak Castle,” she replies flatly.
Rai-san is stunned, “I, that is quite an honor Kitsuki-sama. I will do my best to bring honor to our house and name.”
“It is not that simple, Rai-san, you will be required to perform certain actions on behalf of our lord,” Tomoe replies gently fanning herself.
“What… what actions?”
“This tournament is an insult to our house and clan, you will display our lord’s displeasure at this insult,” her voice soft but demanding.
“I don’t understand, is that honorable?” Rai questions.
“It is just, Rai-san, our lord has chosen you specifically for this task, his trust in you is absolute, and would you doubt our lord’s honor?” she questions with a raise of her brow.
“Of course not, Kitsuki-sama, I will do this,” the young bushi replies conflicted.
“Dismissed,” Tomoe turns away and walks to a screen door as the young bushi leaves her chamber. The door slides back revealing a beautiful but deadly ronin bushi with a capricious smile upon her lips. She brushes her long her back from her face with a coy smile.
“Am I to accompany him,” Natsuko grins.
“See to it, he does his duty,” Tomoe affirms.
12th of the Dragon, 1172 IC, Sweet Plum Castle, Sweet Plum Phoenix Province
“I tire of these riddles, sister,” Agasha Yoko sighs, her large muscled bulk shifting as she ponders the riddle before her.
“Oh just one more, you are getting better,” Agasha Mayako grins as she glances to watch her pet peacock, Yuki, strut about the garden. Her younger sisters were play fighting with wooden swords, defending the Empire against perilous threats.
“Fine but this is the last one, I have to see to the details of the trip all these conflicts with the Dragon of late have me concerned,” Yoko replies with a resigned sigh.
“What conflicts?” Mayako questions, totally unaware.
“Skirmishes along the borders, I am not surprised you are unaware, I don’t think your father would appreciate burdening you with such information. But lives have been lost and many Phoenix wish to answer blood with blood,” she ponders for a moment; “Hopefully this Tournament can quell some of the bloodlust and bring some peace before things get much worse.”
Mayako perks up at the mention of a tournament, “A contest? Can I participate? I want to show mother what I can do, how far I have come.”
“I don’t know it isn’t my place to say, your mother would know for sure. Ask her?” Yoko replies with a shrug.
Mayako wastes no time and leaves to find her mother sitting in her study reading. She does not even look up as she speaks to her daughter, “Yes?”
Mayako clears her throat nervously, “I… I heard you were going to a Tournament, I wanted to enter it.”
Agasha Ayame glanced up at her daughter, a traditional Seppun beauty with refined features and impeccable grace and style, “And why would you want to do a silly thing like that child?”
“I wanted to represent the family, bring honor to our name,” the young shugenja replies meekly.
“Are you sure?” her mother asks.
“I think so,” Mayako quips.
“You think so? You wish to represent our house, our family, and clan and you merely think you can to do it?” Ayame-sama returns her gaze to her tomes.
“I know I can do it, mother,” Mayako replies defeated.
“Fine, I had planned to bring you and your sisters anyway. You have my blessing to enter the contest. Bring honor to the name daughter, I expect you will do so with distinction,” her mother replies dismissing her daughter.
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