Scroll One: Kyōen no Torekkā
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Muskrat
- Level 21 Elite
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- Location: The Secret Places Beneath the Earth
- Title: Keeper of the Hidden Word
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- User Class: Scholar
Re: Scroll One: Kyōen no Torekkā
"Perhaps what you say about the shrine-keeper is so," says Ryoko. "As for me, I will not presume to know what you do and don't know--you have doubtless seen parts of Rokugan I have not, so who knows what you have learned that I have not? A good scout or yoriki does not fare well if they make too many assumptions."
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ManWithDoor
- Moderator
- Posts: 9305
- Location: California, USA
- Title: Imperial Psyker
- User Class: Imperial Psyker
Re: Scroll One: Kyōen no Torekkā
"I think we will get along just fine, Jun-san. Onwards, to drinks and enjoyment." The courtier is all in on the social festivities, relishing the casual bonding after the formal event.
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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Vardaen
- Admin
- Posts: 66394
- Location: Miskatonic University
- Title: Great Old One
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- User Class: Unshackled AI
The Great Wave: Impact
The night progresses.
Some tend to matters of the spirit.
Some tend to matters of the soul.
They can be different, they can be dramatically different given the right circumstances. You have survived a night among magistrates, governors, imperials, ronin, clansmen, gaijin, samurai, courtiers, shugenja, masters, servants, allies and enemies. Yet your real test is only just beginning.
You are where you find yourselves, at tables with sake, kneeling before a shrine, tucked into bed, wandering the moonlit paths of the garden. It doesn't matter, for no matter where you are Fate will find you. It finds you this night.
It begins with a strange sound, a sucking noise like water draining from a bath. The air collects itself in great katas of energy drawn this way and that way like water poured down a muddy path. The noise is low at first, but it grows and grows in significant if not in volume until everyone in Kōnotori Mura can hear it. The rush blankets the town, and wakes those sleeping, it interrupts conversations, and sends birds up from their nighttime perches flying westwards in a rush.
Perhaps you are there to see it like Yasuki Yoshito who stands on the eastern most portion of the garden gazing to the sea. All the ocean is twinkling in white and silver as the tide rolls out and out and out and out. A long dark line rises up beyond the riptide line built up with all that substance. Like the Kaiu Wall it reaches as far as one and see from here north and south to an untold height. Yet this wall is not a bulwark against the Shadowlands, it does not protect the Empire from its enemies. No this wall, IS the enemy of the Crane, of all those in White Stork Village.
The cresting wave of a great tsunami rises up and strikes harder than any mortal blow. Osano-wo would be proud to put such might behind his strikes. For the leading edge of the great cresting wave comes crashing down into land with more force and energy than any here could imagine possible.
The docks and fisher folks living on the beach are utterly destroyed in the first moments of the impact. Their spirits are off to Yomi before they know what's happened. Up and down the coast of Rokugan the landfall of this great disaster wipes away tens of thousands of people in the blink of an eye. As the wave moves inland the roaring noise is worse than that of the great oni lords from the Pit of Fu Leng. It is deafening, which is a small mercy, for you can not hear the cries and screams of its murdered victims.
White Stork Village is up on a cliff rise, and by that simple grace of elevation does it mean some may survive this night. For the shield of the cliff stands against the wave, and the kami of earth leans a shoulder into the water kami's assault and cuts the force enough to let the Fortunes do their will.
The impact is still devastating, the Magistrates Estate is leveled the moment it makes contact with the tsumani. The garden of the white storks is plowed beneath the waves, and all within it are washed away. The Shrine of the Seven Ronin is shattered, broken into pieces, not immune to the force of nature no matter how many offerings are left there. Homes, houses, farms, buildings, businesses, and even the Cresting Wave Inn are impacted. Water wipes away three quarters of the town in moments. Some, with strong stone roots survive the initial impact. The Cresting Wave is one of them, its two stories poking up above the water line that is 17 or more feet high even at this elevation. A torii arch peeks above the flood waters. A watch tower on the western end of town keeps its footing even as portions of it are ripped off. Trees here and there poke their heads above the flood.
By what providence you survive the first wave you will have to ask yourselves for years to come, but you do. You are caught up, swept away, battered into walls, thrown into trees, washed with the rush of waters miles out of town like a carp traveling down river. Such reckless hate from the sea can not be stopped, only endured even as Lord Moon looks down with a great smile on his face.
Some tend to matters of the spirit.
Some tend to matters of the soul.
They can be different, they can be dramatically different given the right circumstances. You have survived a night among magistrates, governors, imperials, ronin, clansmen, gaijin, samurai, courtiers, shugenja, masters, servants, allies and enemies. Yet your real test is only just beginning.
You are where you find yourselves, at tables with sake, kneeling before a shrine, tucked into bed, wandering the moonlit paths of the garden. It doesn't matter, for no matter where you are Fate will find you. It finds you this night.
It begins with a strange sound, a sucking noise like water draining from a bath. The air collects itself in great katas of energy drawn this way and that way like water poured down a muddy path. The noise is low at first, but it grows and grows in significant if not in volume until everyone in Kōnotori Mura can hear it. The rush blankets the town, and wakes those sleeping, it interrupts conversations, and sends birds up from their nighttime perches flying westwards in a rush.
Perhaps you are there to see it like Yasuki Yoshito who stands on the eastern most portion of the garden gazing to the sea. All the ocean is twinkling in white and silver as the tide rolls out and out and out and out. A long dark line rises up beyond the riptide line built up with all that substance. Like the Kaiu Wall it reaches as far as one and see from here north and south to an untold height. Yet this wall is not a bulwark against the Shadowlands, it does not protect the Empire from its enemies. No this wall, IS the enemy of the Crane, of all those in White Stork Village.
The cresting wave of a great tsunami rises up and strikes harder than any mortal blow. Osano-wo would be proud to put such might behind his strikes. For the leading edge of the great cresting wave comes crashing down into land with more force and energy than any here could imagine possible.
The docks and fisher folks living on the beach are utterly destroyed in the first moments of the impact. Their spirits are off to Yomi before they know what's happened. Up and down the coast of Rokugan the landfall of this great disaster wipes away tens of thousands of people in the blink of an eye. As the wave moves inland the roaring noise is worse than that of the great oni lords from the Pit of Fu Leng. It is deafening, which is a small mercy, for you can not hear the cries and screams of its murdered victims.
White Stork Village is up on a cliff rise, and by that simple grace of elevation does it mean some may survive this night. For the shield of the cliff stands against the wave, and the kami of earth leans a shoulder into the water kami's assault and cuts the force enough to let the Fortunes do their will.
The impact is still devastating, the Magistrates Estate is leveled the moment it makes contact with the tsumani. The garden of the white storks is plowed beneath the waves, and all within it are washed away. The Shrine of the Seven Ronin is shattered, broken into pieces, not immune to the force of nature no matter how many offerings are left there. Homes, houses, farms, buildings, businesses, and even the Cresting Wave Inn are impacted. Water wipes away three quarters of the town in moments. Some, with strong stone roots survive the initial impact. The Cresting Wave is one of them, its two stories poking up above the water line that is 17 or more feet high even at this elevation. A torii arch peeks above the flood waters. A watch tower on the western end of town keeps its footing even as portions of it are ripped off. Trees here and there poke their heads above the flood.
By what providence you survive the first wave you will have to ask yourselves for years to come, but you do. You are caught up, swept away, battered into walls, thrown into trees, washed with the rush of waters miles out of town like a carp traveling down river. Such reckless hate from the sea can not be stopped, only endured even as Lord Moon looks down with a great smile on his face.
- The Great Wave - Full.jpg (79.53 KiB) Viewed 954 times
"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
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring
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Sasori
- Level 2
- Posts: 45
The Great Wave: Impact
Kanko-Cho suddenly feels that the kami of Air are excited and some even flustered. And it doesn't take her long to understand why, because she hears a load roaring noise and soon after sees a gigantic wave crushing in on the village, swallowing everything in its path and destroying all which is not strong enough.
The young Asahina tries her best not to panic and looks around for a building made of stone or some old, big tree to cling on. While hastily looking around her, she realizes that she is close to the inn and runs towards the building, trying to get behind it, before the wave reaches her, to hide behind the walls to at least avoid the first impact.
The Shugenja sees other samurai on the street and shouts out to them, in hope they will hear her and react in time.
"RUN! TRY TO GET BEHIND THE BUILDING! THERE IS A GIANT WAVE COMING!", screams the woman on top of her lungs with all her might, in hope to save their lives.
When she finally reaches the back of the building, she pants heavily, sitting down and beginning to pray to the kami of earth to strengthen the building and protect everyone inside, as well as everyone behind the structure from the wave. She pulls out one of her selfmade silver kanzashi and offers it to the kami of the earth, promising to never make another one looking like this, so that it will be a unique offering to the kami. With her hand she digs a small hole big enough to lay the kanzashi in, but before she was able to bury it, she feels the earth vibrating under the crushing might of the wave and a second later, the water crashes down on her from the sides as well as from above.
The young Asahina tries her best not to panic and looks around for a building made of stone or some old, big tree to cling on. While hastily looking around her, she realizes that she is close to the inn and runs towards the building, trying to get behind it, before the wave reaches her, to hide behind the walls to at least avoid the first impact.
The Shugenja sees other samurai on the street and shouts out to them, in hope they will hear her and react in time.
"RUN! TRY TO GET BEHIND THE BUILDING! THERE IS A GIANT WAVE COMING!", screams the woman on top of her lungs with all her might, in hope to save their lives.
When she finally reaches the back of the building, she pants heavily, sitting down and beginning to pray to the kami of earth to strengthen the building and protect everyone inside, as well as everyone behind the structure from the wave. She pulls out one of her selfmade silver kanzashi and offers it to the kami of the earth, promising to never make another one looking like this, so that it will be a unique offering to the kami. With her hand she digs a small hole big enough to lay the kanzashi in, but before she was able to bury it, she feels the earth vibrating under the crushing might of the wave and a second later, the water crashes down on her from the sides as well as from above.
“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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Graven
- Level 4
- Posts: 216
- User Class: Rigger
The Great Wave: Impact
Jun has no idea what the sucking sound is, laying just under the noise of the Cresting Wave. It's only when he hears the wave slamming into buildings by the coast that he begins to react, the crack of wave on stone unlike anything he has heard. He looks to his companions, wondering if this is a natural part of living near the ocean.
Fantasy is the exercise bike of the mind. It might not take you anywhere, but it tones up the muscles that can. Of course, I might be wrong.
- Sir Terry Pratchett
I will always return
- Shinjo
Formerly Phlale
- Sir Terry Pratchett
I will always return
- Shinjo
Formerly Phlale
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Muskrat
- Level 21 Elite
- Posts: 10518
- Location: The Secret Places Beneath the Earth
- Title: Keeper of the Hidden Word
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- User Class: Scholar
The Great Wave: Impact
"Kirino-sama!" she shouts, pausing to grab her katana and wakazashi lest they be lost in the flood, then rushing out into the hall, then throwing the door to his room open. "Kirino-sama, we must ... there's a tsunami coming! We must ... head for the roof. If we are high up, we may be safe!" She turns and shouts as loudly as she can, "Everyone, wake up! There is a tsunami! Flee to the roof!" Then she turns her attention back to her primary duty, getting the magistrate to safety.
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Orvost
- Level 9
- Posts: 797
- Location: Chicago
- User Class: Inquisitor
The Great Wave: Impact
Shonogen sits with Takashi at the Cresting Wave Inn, drinking with the other after-party revelers. He waits only for the return of his grandfather so he can turn in for the night.
He suddenly jerked up, as if startled awake. Time had passed. A minute? A few seconds? It was hard to tell, but the world had changed. The lamps and torches were gone. All light had left. A multitude of noises surrounded him, but they all seemed distant, remote. He no longer sat at a table, but was splayed against the wall, then a force pushed him along the wall as he tumbled, shoulder over shoulder, into the hallway. Shonogen was instinctively aware that he no longer existed in his native and hospitable medium. His lungs seemed to be full, but he dared not commence the breathing process.
Time moved slowly in this new world as he glided down the hallway, suspended above the floor. As his eyes adjusted, an eary source of blue light illuminated his surroundings. He saw a biwa, one of the instruments stacked in the counter of the inn, move past him with speed and determination. He found himself confronted by madam Shiokarai, the proprietoress of the inn. Her eyes were closed, her face serene. She was dancing. She raised her arm in a graceful arch, her nightgown trailing the movement. Then she was gone. And so was the light.
In the darkness, Shonogen realized he was moving with speed as he was buffetted against unseen objects, then tumbled around them. This silent, heavy world suddenly ended as he broke the surface of the darkness and stared directly at the moon above him. Instinctively his lungs expelled their contents as he gagged, coughed, and retched himself to life: reborn from some dreary dream existence.
Shonogen, now treading water, became aware of the weight of his waterlogged silk kimono. He kicked off his sandles and freed his arms from their sleeves. His robe now gathered around his waist and he could feel his swords in his obi.
He suddenly jerked up, as if startled awake. Time had passed. A minute? A few seconds? It was hard to tell, but the world had changed. The lamps and torches were gone. All light had left. A multitude of noises surrounded him, but they all seemed distant, remote. He no longer sat at a table, but was splayed against the wall, then a force pushed him along the wall as he tumbled, shoulder over shoulder, into the hallway. Shonogen was instinctively aware that he no longer existed in his native and hospitable medium. His lungs seemed to be full, but he dared not commence the breathing process.
Time moved slowly in this new world as he glided down the hallway, suspended above the floor. As his eyes adjusted, an eary source of blue light illuminated his surroundings. He saw a biwa, one of the instruments stacked in the counter of the inn, move past him with speed and determination. He found himself confronted by madam Shiokarai, the proprietoress of the inn. Her eyes were closed, her face serene. She was dancing. She raised her arm in a graceful arch, her nightgown trailing the movement. Then she was gone. And so was the light.
In the darkness, Shonogen realized he was moving with speed as he was buffetted against unseen objects, then tumbled around them. This silent, heavy world suddenly ended as he broke the surface of the darkness and stared directly at the moon above him. Instinctively his lungs expelled their contents as he gagged, coughed, and retched himself to life: reborn from some dreary dream existence.
Shonogen, now treading water, became aware of the weight of his waterlogged silk kimono. He kicked off his sandles and freed his arms from their sleeves. His robe now gathered around his waist and he could feel his swords in his obi.
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ManWithDoor
- Moderator
- Posts: 9305
- Location: California, USA
- Title: Imperial Psyker
- User Class: Imperial Psyker
The Great Wave: Impact
Doji Kyousuke is woken up by the strange sound from a fitful sleep. He stayed up far too late last night drinking and socializing, and ended up crashing at the Inn. His mouth tastes like something died inside of it, and he has a pounding headache. At first he thinks someone is pulling some sort of joke in bad taste, but then he sees the impending wall of death rushing for them through the window and dives for cover.
As the Inn has more solid foundations than most of the rest of the town, the building stands, although not without damage. He still gets soaked and thrown around, but is not washed away like so many of the others. As he shelters in place, his mind is obsessed with one thing only - how fares his Mother?
As the Inn has more solid foundations than most of the rest of the town, the building stands, although not without damage. He still gets soaked and thrown around, but is not washed away like so many of the others. As he shelters in place, his mind is obsessed with one thing only - how fares his Mother?
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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Graven
- Level 4
- Posts: 216
- User Class: Rigger
The Great Wave: Impact
As he realizes the situation, Jun does the only thing he can, grabbing the beetle shaped talisman at his neck and whispering a single word. the kami that dwelt within rushes out to protect Kishiko. As the water rushes through the windows he rushes the stairs, along with any others.
A few minutes later, his vision clears, battered, exhausted, and soaked. Feel still being pulled at by the swirling water trapped in the inn, he's unsure if he made it up the stairs on his own or with help.
A few minutes later, his vision clears, battered, exhausted, and soaked. Feel still being pulled at by the swirling water trapped in the inn, he's unsure if he made it up the stairs on his own or with help.
Fantasy is the exercise bike of the mind. It might not take you anywhere, but it tones up the muscles that can. Of course, I might be wrong.
- Sir Terry Pratchett
I will always return
- Shinjo
Formerly Phlale
- Sir Terry Pratchett
I will always return
- Shinjo
Formerly Phlale
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Sasori
- Level 2
- Posts: 45
The Great Wave: Impact
Drowned to the bone and trying to catch her breath, the young Shugenja coughs heavily. She is trying to steady her breathing and orient herself.
Still behind the inn, she realizes, that the wave drew back already...or rather still is. She hurries around the building to get inside and help the survivors.
"Gomen kudasai*", she shouts, while entering the building.
She carefully looks around, trying to not slip on the wet ground or stumble over the furniture and other stuff lying all over the floor.
Still behind the inn, she realizes, that the wave drew back already...or rather still is. She hurries around the building to get inside and help the survivors.
"Gomen kudasai*", she shouts, while entering the building.
She carefully looks around, trying to not slip on the wet ground or stumble over the furniture and other stuff lying all over the floor.
“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