Scroll One: Kyōen no Torekkā

[Hermit]

"Doji Hirawara!" Her voice is loud, loud enough to draw the attention of all those present in the chamber. "Doji Hirawara, what a fine evening you have put together for us. The food and drink so far have been delightful and on par with any Crane village of a size such as this. You have done your family no dishonor tonight, so far. Yet, I grow impatient in my old age, and a woman like me doesn't have time to spend in idle chatter. So I present to you the newest artisan for your approval. He is a wanderer, he has traveled the length of Rokugan, living on the kindness of strangers, and the skill of his artistry. May I present to you Gensai the Sculptor."

“In-training,” Gensai sharply amends almost immediately after being introduced by the miko in such a grandiose, some might even say pretentious, manner to the host of this function. Having grown weary of the old crone’s antics and making it clear that he is not a willing accomplice to her petty games, Gensai wears a somber expression befitting of his appearance as he slowly approaches Hirawara amidst the light smattering of applause from the guests. He stops at a respectable distance before initiating a formal bow in front of the magistrate and the woman of noble bearing conversing with him, taking the utmost care to ensure that the proper courtesies are enacted during this important exchange. “Konbanwa, Magistrate-sama. Forgive Asahina-sama and I for our intrusion, I assure you no disrespect was intended towards you or your honored guest. I shall keep this brief so as not to impose any further than we already have.” his frown becomes distinctly apologetic as he acknowledges Aiko with a deeply contrite nod of his head before returning his attention fully on Hirawara.

“As Asahina-sama said I am Gensai, and it is an honor to meet with someone possessing a keen eye and appreciation for the fine arts such as yourself, Magistrate-sama.” he says, then proceeds to expand and clarify on Kyo’s characterization of his status and journey* in a succinct manner so as to avoid prolonging this interaction any further than decorum would permit. Shortly after concluding his summarized tale, the shugyōsha decides now is the time. “As a token of my appreciation, I would humbly offer unto you my most recent work, provided you are willing to accept it of course.”

OOC

*-To give a brief summary, Gensai is providing a concise and general rundown of the Musha Shugyō that he has been on for the past several months (mostly just citing which clan lands and towns/cities of note he's visited and not much else) and that in addition to his quest to hone his skills as a warrior, his encounters with artisans along the way has inspired him to learn the fine arts as well, starting with the art of sculpting.

[Muskrat]

Ryoko listens to the exchange with interest, studying the participants. It had diverted her from her mission, but the situation was nonetheless engaging. She felt a bit bad for the ronin, who seems to have been thrust in a bit over his head. She just hoped Hirawara dealt with the situation graciously. How he dealt with the situation would say a lot about the man.

[Vardaen]

Doji Hirawara for his part does not seem to be bothered by the old priestess' antics. "Gensai-san, welcome. I am pleased to have artisans here, of any caliber or clan." So far you can't tell if he's being sincere or condescending, "Please tell me your tale." He sits and listens, in fact many listen, the honored Crane, the Otomo and the various soldiers, yojimbos and samurai all bend an ear to the scene before them. "Interesting, such travels seem rare to me these days, but I am certain your experiences will be reflected in your work. "A gift to me, from a wave man who has nothing to give. I could hardly accept such a thing..."

"Oh please," Kyo chimes in before the whole gift giving etiquette can start. "Let us call it an endowment to your collection Hirawara. You know that you can't resist adding any pieces of art to your ever growing collection."

Hirawara nods, "Perhaps she has a point, let us see it first, shall we?"

A glance around the room shows that Doji Aiko and Otomo Okane are holding back their scorn for the old Mikos disregard for tradition, but are doing so behind their fans so as not to loose an ounce of On. Seppun Mamoru is stone faced and uninterested as is Doji Kirino. The young man Takashi is looking at Jun with a wince in his face shaking his head, he whispers to the Unicorn, "I guess it wasn't anything personal Unicorn-san."

[Sasori]

The young Asahina Shugenja is suddenly caught between feeling ashamed for her mentors behavior and being impressed by how everyone reacts to it, especially how Gensai tries his best to keep tradition and etiquette.
She watches the the miko and the ronin as well as the Unicorn Shugenja. Afterall Kanko-Cho is curious about those "trinkets" he can create and wants to understand why Kyo-sensei has been acting this way towards Jun-san. Maybe his approach in creating the amulets, before the heretic part begins, can teach her something new for her jewelry creation or she help him with her knowledge to improve his "trinkets".

Kanko-Cho starts to blush again, while she tries to hear the tale of Gensai. Trying to hide her once again red cheeks behind her fan, she listens closely to what the host, the miko and Gensai say. After her mentors rude comment on the collection of Hirawara, the young Shugenja feels more ashamed and less impressed. Takashis comment to Jun results in Kanko-Chos eyebrows rising, since to her it was clear that Kyo disagrees with the families practice in general and not with Jun learning his families tradition.

[Vardaen]

Gensai, having center stage, produces his work of art....

Roll

Gensai's Artisan Roll. TN20 for a ince piece that shows potential as a skilled artist

Rolled: 4K3
16, 6, 6, 4
Totaling: 28
Adding 0 = 28 Success

[Hermit]

Hand moving slowly to reach within the recesses of his kimono’s sleeve so as not to provoke a defensive response from the nearby guards, Gensai carefully removes the wooden statuette from its voluminous depths and reverently presents it in the palm of his hand for Hirawara to appraise and hopefully accept.

Standing at a modest height of somewhere between seven to eight inches, those with a discerning eye can astutely deduce that the statuette itself is a depiction of Shinsei during his time as a wandering monk, stooped over slightly while casually resting his staff over his shoulder and wearing his straw hat and cloak. The gnarled crudeness of the driftwood lends a distinctly weathered and venerable charm to an otherwise simple sculpture. At first glance it would seem that Shinsei’s ever-present avian companion is conspicuously absent, but closer inspection reveals what appears to be the silhouette of the Crow cleverly emblazoned on top of the Little Teacher’s hat, giving insightful viewers the impression of the bird casting its shadow upon its wise master while soaring overhead.

[ManWithDoor]

The young courtier maintains his composure at the loud interruption. "Indeed, Shonogen-san. Although she is a woman of power, she can handle whatever she may come without assistance from her young son." He rolls his eyes a little, amused at the situation. "Also, it wouldn't exactly look good for me to try to but in. Calling out an old woman, or challenging her to a duel. Not the best optics there."

With the others he attentively observes the presentation of the piece of art. Kyousuke finds himself impressed despite himself. Coming from a Clan that prizes culture and art more than any other, he has seen artifacts that have taken his breath away. But the combination of rustic charm with creative flare is rather striking.

OOC

Hermit - seriously impressive description on your artwork. I really love the silhouette of the Crow, indicating Shinsei's companion is flying overhead. Really clever.

[Graven]

Jun is grateful for the distraction, and watches the ronin handle the situation better than expected. He quickly scans the room's reactions, impressed by the craftsmanship and wondering about the impression it's made.

[Sasori]

The young Asahina too tries to get a good look at the sculpture presented by Gensai. The figurine seems to be simple, but an art connoisseur or artisan sees that there is more to it. Kanko-Cho wishes she could stand up and come closer to be able to appreciate this piece of art, but it is not appropriate for her to do so. So she sits still trying to understand the scene before her and why her mentor is behaving so impatiently today.

[Orvost]

Shonogen cranes his neck to get a better look at the art piece. When that doesn't work he sits down and sips tea, confident he will be able to see the object up-close sometime later that evening.