Scroll One: Kyōen no Torekkā

The Emerald Empire of Rokugan. It is a land upheld by honor, guided by fate, ruled by destiny. The Great Clans each support the Emperor, but inter-clan conflict is inevitable—both in the Emperor’s courts and on the battlefield. In the midst of danger and turmoil, honor must be your sword and your armor.

It is an era of sudden change and upheaval in the Emerald Empire. Mortal schemes, elemental imbalances, and celestial turmoil have disrupted the political, military, and spiritual equilibrium of Rokugan. Long-simmering rivalries and fresh betrayals ripple through the courts and on the battlefield. The Chrysanthemum Throne is beset by threats from without and within, and the honor of the seven Great Clans shall be put to the test.
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The Great Wave: Receding Water

Post by Vardaen » Tue Oct 13, 2020 2:46 pm

The cries for help ring out and you set to action at once. In slow motion the pair float past as the Iuchi and Asahina call on their respective powers. The Kami answer, one is commanded, the other beseeched. Ryoko and Kyousuke will bear the cold of the water longer, and the strain of swimming better. Shonogen can feel his strength wax even as Kanko-Cho's wans. Then into the water the three go. They dive in, having stripped off robes and sandals and other items. Kyousuke reaches his mother Aiko with some added strength of will and grabs hold of her and pulls her to the surface. She breaches the water and spits out the dark fluid, "Son! My Son!" Together they swim for safety.

Shonogen plunges in and reaches Kishiko atop the table. Jun watches as the Crab, with Ryoko's help now, pulls the table-raft with kicking feet into the nets of some waiting debris lodged against some buildings nearby.

Everyone exhales their held breaths as the helpless and the helpers are safe. You struggle to keep your footing and hold on where you are as the great wave rushes back out to sea. Many people are sucked out by the rip tide over the cliff across the beach and are lost at sea. The land is devastated, the town destroyed and the people slain by the wrath of the Sea.

For many more hours you do nothing but wait for the water levels to subside, and by evening now, nearly a full day since it started the water levels are low enough to travel through, and the immediate danger of drowning is gone. Water still remains, knee deep in places, more or less in others depending on the landscape. You are exhausted, hungry, thirsty (ironically), and drained of soul and body. Some people it seems are gathering once more, survivors, few and rare are coming in from the outskirts and ruins.

Kanko-Cho Ebbing Strength Free Raise Range
Rolled: 3K2
8, 7, 3
Totaling: 15
Adding 0 = 15 = Success

Kanko -1STR, Shonogen +1STR

Jun Casts Stone's Endurance Kyousuke
Rolled: 5K3
15, 5, 4, 2, 2
Totaling: 24
Adding 0 = 24 = Kyousuke
Treat Stamina as +1, Immune to Fatigue for 6 hours, Fatigued until rests for 3 hours after it ends

Jun Rolled: 5K3
9, 8, 5, 5, 1
Totaling: 22
Adding 0 = 22 Success for Ryoko
----------------

Kyousuke- VOID Rolled:
Rolled: 3K3
8, 7, 7
Totaling: 22
Adding 0 = 22 = Success = Doji Aiko - Crane courtier. She is the mother of Doji Kyousuke and sister to Otomo Okane.


Ryoko - Rolled: 5K2
8, 7, 6, 6, 4
Totaling: 15
Adding 0 = 15 = Assists

Shonogen - Rolled: 3K3
9, 8, 4
Totaling: 21
Adding 0 = 21 = Success! = Saves Daidoji Kishiko – Iuchi Jun’s cousin, and assistant to Daidoji Juro
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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The Great Wave: Receding Water

Post by Muskrat » Tue Oct 13, 2020 6:08 pm

Ryoko feels a wave of sadness wash over her as she takes in the devastation, the sheer magnitude of the loss of life and the destruction of the town. She takes a deep breath and tries to steel herself against those emotions. She is samurai with a duty to perform.

She turns to the other samurai and says, "Why don't you try organizing the survivors here and make an inventory of what we have? I intend to go out and scout around, to see what resources might be left--hopefully to find us some necessities like food, something we can safely drink, fresh clothing, a place where we can safely take shelter." She looks out at the wreckage. "If one or two people could accompany me, I would be able to perform these tasks better--and we could all watch out for each other, so no one dies alone in some hazard they were unaware of. It's probably still quite treacherous out there."

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The Great Wave: Receding Water

Post by Sasori » Wed Oct 14, 2020 9:47 am

The Asahina Shugenja seems to be weakened after she finished her prayer and slowly sinks down onto the branch, trying her best, not to fall down into the water.
Kanko-Cho watches Shonogen and smiles weakly, when the Crab manages to rescue one of the two Samurai-ko in distress. A wave of relief rushes over her, seeing that her efforts helped.
While watching the water receding further the young Crane seems to regain a little of her strength.
"Gensai-san, I might need a little assistance, when it is safe to get back on the ground", she says shyly to the ronin. Her strength might be back, when it is time, but she is feeling a little exhausted from being awake for so long and trying to stay on the branch, the lack of food is not helping either.
After she realizes how directly she requested help, she blushes lightly, for feeling shame about forgetting on how to behave.
Watching as Amaterasus shining presence slowly descends and the water finally reaches a level low enough for the surviving Rokugani to get back on the ground, Kanko-Cho whispers a prayer of thanks to the goddess for watching over them.
“The wind moves with such subtlety, you do not even notice your own breathing. Be aware. Only a fool knows the wind is empty.” Tao of Shinsei

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The Great Wave: Receding Water

Post by ManWithDoor » Wed Oct 14, 2020 5:07 pm

"A practical and noble task, Ryoko-san." Kyousuke helps his nearly drowned mother and the others down to the ground as best he can. "I would be best suited to calming and organizing the survivors in town. Your list seems a practical start. Shelter, food, drinking water - try to see if any of those remain anywhere nearby." He then turns to the Shugenja. "I cannot command the mouthpieces of the elemental kami, so I only ask your intent. There will be additional wounded in town, and if you have influence with the water kami perhaps some drinkable water could be made. But Ryoko-san's purpose is also valid. What will you do?"
Rule Number 12: "A soft answer turneth away wrath. Once wrath is looking the other way, shoot it in the head."

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The Great Wave: Receding Water

Post by Orvost » Thu Oct 15, 2020 12:55 am

Shonogen is no stranger to feeling the manipulation of elemental spirits. He trained regularly with Isawa shugenja. He even recognized the nature of the spell now affecting him. Unfortunately, he had yet to master the Shiba ability to subtly push and pull the elemental magics around him. Reinforced with Asahina magic, Shonogen dives with confidence into the water to help the Unicorn samurai-ko.

Once they are all gathered together later, Shonogen thanks the Asahina who aided him. He listens to Ryoko and responds to her:

“You are a local magistrate with local concerns. I am a stranger here and would like to find out how far up the coast and, more importantly, how far down the coast this destruction extends. Nevertheless, I need search for my grandfather locally, so I will help you as long as that help allows me to search for him.”

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The Great Wave: Receding Water

Post by Muskrat » Thu Oct 15, 2020 6:50 pm

Ryoko nods at Shonogen's words. "Very well, Hiruma-san. The safety of all in these lands, including visitors from other clans, is part of my concern. It would be an honor if I can help you find your grandfather. Let us explore the surrounding territory together."

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The Great Wave: Receding Water

Post by Vardaen » Fri Oct 16, 2020 7:42 pm

The Devastation is great, there is no doubt. As evening is coming on and night arriving you are in need of many things.

Kakita Ryoko takes charge, and no one argues with her, not even Doji Aiko who no doubt dramatically out ranks her (at least among the courts). The tired and the wounded are brought here, to the center of the village. Even without Ryoko and Shogogen going out seeking for survivors, they arrive on their own.

Peasants mostly, fisher folk who were wise enough to get in boats, wander into town in a daze. Samurai, local Crane and those who where traveling through come also. Yet there are only a few of each, the death toll is catastrophically high. Tsume no Doji Takashi keeps up his cheerful demeanor, as he assists Gensai and Kanko-Cho who seem to remain here with Kyousuke and Iuchi Jun for the moment. Aiko and Kishiko rest among the collection of people, their ordeal nearly too much for them.

The Crane Yoriki and the Crab Yojimbo move into the town, first on the list for both are those samurai of importance. Family and those of status. The reach Doji Hirawara-sama's estate first, and find it utterly destroyed. The low stone wall is crumbled all along the eastern side, utterly smashed, and the masonry rolled with the force of the waves into the paper and wood estate shattering it like it was made of match sticks. You can not imagine anyone inside is still alive. Still the two make a pass through the rubble, calling out for people. It does not take long to locate the mutilated corpse of Doji Hirawara the town's magistrate.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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The Great Wave: Receding Water

Post by Sasori » Mon Oct 19, 2020 5:01 pm

“Sumimsasen, Kakita Ryoko-sama, I have to ask you a favor. The kami of the water demand that the dead get their funerary rites as soon as possible, so I offer to take care of that. To be able to take care of that duty, I will require assistance of the local Eta and maybe someone who knows the Samurai to help me identify them”, says Kanko-Cho in a kind voice, explaining her duty as a Shugenja and the demands of the elemental kami.
“The wind moves with such subtlety, you do not even notice your own breathing. Be aware. Only a fool knows the wind is empty.” Tao of Shinsei

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The Great Wave: Receding Water

Post by Muskrat » Mon Oct 19, 2020 7:08 pm

Ryoko says to Kanko-Cho, "We will send any survivors we find--samurai, heimin or eta--here and let the eta know what will be expected of them."

She turns to Doji Aiko and Kishiko and formally says, "By your leave, samurai-sama, I will now look for survivors and supplies." They might be too dazed to take charge, but it was still important to maintain propriety.

When Ryoko and Shonogen find Doji Hirawara, she kneels by him and shakes her head. She turns to Shonogen and says, "If we encounter any eta, we must remember to tell them to recover Doji-sama's body and bring in to Asahina Kanko-Cho-san." She looks around her and says, "It's really hard to take all this in, isn't it? I don't know that I quite believe it's happened yet." She glances over at Shonogen, embarrassedly realizing that she has let her stoic samurai mask slip.

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The Great Wave: Receding Water

Post by Hermit » Tue Oct 20, 2020 2:40 am

Earlier
Sasori wrote:"Gensai-san, I might need a little assistance, when it is safe to get back on the ground", she says shyly to the ronin.
Already in the middle of checking the integrity of the rope they’d secured for their makeshift flotation device from earlier, Gensai scarcely requires any further prompting from the shugenja to lend assistance. Still, the shugyōsha is courteous enough to pause and look up at the Asahina priestess with a slight nod, his travel-worn face looking decidedly haggard from hunger and sleeplessness among other things. “Mochiron*, Asahina-sama.” he rasps out from his parched throat before returning to the task at hand.

Confident that the rope still remains strong and secure, Gensai marshals the others to grab hold of the thick hemp cord tethered between a sturdy branch and the partially destroyed boat below, then through their combined strength begin to slowly reel the raft towards the base like a fisherman slowly reeling in a fishing line.

With the tides having significantly calmed and receded throughout the interior of the town, the task is fairly straightforward and before long the raft sits as a relatively stable platform beneath the eaves of what the drifter just now notices to be a wisteria that they’d been taking shelter in. The sheer initial impact of the tsunami had all but stripped it of its distinctive purple, violet, pink and white hued foliage.

One by one, they climb down the rope held firm and steady by Gensai and the others until finally after Kanko-Cho’s gingerly descent the rōnin follows down shortly after with a practiced ease born from a life spent amid rolling hills, jagged peaks, and majestic mountain ranges.

Looking up at the enormous wisteria that had saved and sheltered them from the worst of this nightmarish situation, Gensai quietly offers a solemn prayer of thanks to the kami inhabiting its mighty boughs before turning to rejoin the others who have begun making their way toward the growing assembly of fellow survivors, several of whom the vagabond recognizes from the party at Magistrate Hirawara’s estate.

Present

In the wake of the instructions left by Ryoko and her subsequent departure in order to seek out other survivors with Shonogen in tow, Gensai is left to consider the tattered remnat of the town's remaining inhabitants gathering together in what used to be the town square, all but a mere handful clearly still in shock over the harrowing catastrophe that has all but obliterated their quiet seaside town if their lifeless expressions and aimless wandering about are of any indication.

While meditating on the necessary steps to facilitate the duties laid down by the Crane Samurai-ko, Gensai is heartened to see the normally demure Kanko-Cho and the foppish Kyousuke taking the initiative by committing themselves to the duties best suited to their talents and skills in this dire time of need.

Leaving the two of them to their self-appointed roles, the towering shugyōsha sets about stirring the people to action. Leading by example he rolls up the sodden sleeves of his drenched kimono and begins the arduous task of clearing the wreckage from those buildings still left intact in the aftermath of the Tsunami’s impact to be repurposed for use as shelter. Occasionally after hauling away or heaving aside a heavy piece of debris, Gensai pauses long enough to look over his shoulder at the disparate crowd of survivors with an encouraging smile, loudly and vigorously urging everyone to lend their aid in whatever way they can before resuming his laborious endeavors once more.

*- Japanese word meaning "Of course".
''At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.'' - Lao-Tzu

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