Scroll One: Kyōen no Torekkā

[Vardaen]

So much is happening, the room is a sea of movement, conversation, and food. Those of high station mingle mostly among one another, and those of low station do the same. No one hardly even notices the servants slipping in and out here and there refilling cups, taking away plates and used trays. They keep the treats and the tea flowing, yet no sake has come to the tables, not yet.

***

In one corner of the room sits a Ronin, a young Asahina, a Vassal Family Samurai, and an old Miko. They talk of pleasant things, the food, the garden, the coast, and the party. Kyo brings up the matter of Gensai's art, "Please Gensai, tell us, what did you decide to do for our host, art wise?"

***

In another area of the room, near the foot of the table, is a Phoenix trained Crab yojimbo speaking to the assistant to a Crane Magistrate, star crossed lovers if you ever saw a pair. The older men they both came with are busy with important matters, it seems fate has left them alone one more, but they cant' but help over hear voices very close. Just a seat away or so is the Unicorn and his cousin, an aid to the local Crane Yoriki. Kishiko smiles at her cousin, "The ronin? I heard from Doji Takashi," she point out the handsome looking younger Crane samurai, "That he is some sort of wood carver, a very skilled one at that and has some great piece of art to present to your host. I look forward to see its splendor. I would have expected ronin to be so well trained, but that explains why Kyo-sama would have brought such a man here."

***
Keen eyes notice that Kirino and Aiko, Crane Magistrate and Crane Courtier, are deep in conversation. She holds a fan up to shield her mouth, and the pair often lower their voices dramatically.

Yasuki Yoshito is laughing as he gestures wildly with his hands speaking to Juro. Anyone milling about can hear the Crab is talking to the local military man about future caravans of goods passing through and possible security measures that both clans can take to make them safe.

Its rather boring talk for the most part, but Kyousuke catches most of it as he's found himself near to the Imperials and speaking to the Seppun. The young Crane thanks the Seppun yojimbo who pauses scanning the room. He does not appear to be enjoying himself. "Your uncle? You are Doji Kyousuke, Doji Aiko and Doji Heijo's only child, school among the Doji courtiers at Kyuden Doji then. I thought you would be shorter. I do not need your praise to do my Duty and to protect your Uncle, for I am Seppun." Ugh, he has the personality of rock.

Party Goers

Crane
Doji Hirawara - Host, Crane Magistrate, Political Leader of the Village
Daidoji Juro - Crane Yoriki, Military Leader of the Village
Daidoji Kishiko - Crane Assistant to Juo, Iuchi Jun's Cousin
Ashaina Kyo - Crane, Keeper of the Shrine of the Seven Ronin
Tsume no Doji Takashi - Visiting Crane Vassal
Doji Kirino - Crane Magistrate, Kakita Ryoko master
Doji Aiko - Crane courtier, mother of Doji Kyousuke, Sister to Otomo Okane

Imperials
Otomo Okane - Imperial Magistrate, Doji Kyousuke's Uncle
Seppun Mamoru - Okane's Yojimbo

Crab
Yasuki Yoshito - Crane trader and courtier, Hiruma Shonogen's Grandfather

PCs
Doji Kyousuke - ManWithDoor
Gensai - Hermit
Hiruma Shonogen - Orvost
Iuchi Jun - Graven
Kakita Ryoko - Muskrat

A collection servants and musicians and such.

[Orvost]

Ryoko nods and says, "I hope I have a chance to talk further with your grandfather later. I am always curious to hear about others' travels. What manner of folk did he meet with? Did you run into any trouble that you need to guard him from." Ryoko looks over at her master. "Yes, that is the Crane Magistrate Doji Kirino-sama. We are, of course, here on official business, but Kirino-sama did not apprise me of what that business was when we entered the town." Which is strictly true, if misleading. "And it being here is an opportunity to see the stork garden as well."

Shonogen shakes his head when asked about trouble on the road. "I'd like to think my imposing presence has dissuaded any trouble-makers, but the roads we take are heavily traveled and well guarded. You are rarely out of site of a teahouse or guard station. Honestly, grandfather could comfortably make this trip alone."

Shonogen exaggerates the safety of the road so he can avoid discussing the petty and devious games of one-upmanship that merchants play against each other. He also doesn't want to discuss the commercial matters of his grandfather's business, so he leaves her other question unanswered. Feeling the conversation's obligation on him, he thinks of what to say or ask. He wasn't as curious about her work as she seemed to be about his.

"I haven't seen a single dish with pears in it. After sampling the pears yesterday afternoon, I was looking forward to eating them again. Have you seen any pears?"

[Muskrat]

Ryoko mentally shrugs. Shonogen would evidently not be much direct help in her mission--but perhaps me might introduce her to his grandfather later. Lost in thought, she doesn't immediately register and reply to Shonogen's comments. When she does, she says, "Oh, pears? I haven't seen any." She scans the food in the room, which, up until now, she has not given close scrutiny. "Perhaps we should see the lack of pears as an opportunity to try something new."

[Hermit]

In one corner of the room sits a rōnin, a young Asahina, a vassal family samurai, and an old miko. They talk of pleasant things, the food, the garden, the coast, and the party. Kyo brings up the matter of Gensai's art, "Please Gensai, tell us, what did you decide to do for our host, art-wise?"

His hand pausing halfway through the process of snatching up his third daifuku, Gensai’s easy expression turns deeply contemplative. Several seconds go by, his body unnaturally still save for the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest and the occasional blink of his eyes. An impish smirk eventually graces his rugged face. “Why, sculpture of course,” he responds casually, his outstretched hand resuming its course towards the pastry and rolling it deftly between his fingers before nimbly popping it into his mouth, savoring the honeyed sweetness of the red bean paste with every chew. “As for what I intend to carve,” he adds after swallowing the doughy confection, “well, you’ll find out soon enough.”

Deciding to change the topic of conversation, the rōnin takes the opportunity to pose questions of his own, starting with Kyo’s student, Kanko-Cho. Noticing her flushed features just barely peeking over her exquisite hand fan, Gensai frowns in concern. His original query regarding her apprenticeship to Kyo shifts towards discerning the cause behind her florid countenance instead. “Pardon my forwardness but are you alright, Asahina-sama? You look a bit feverish.”

[Sasori]

The young Shugenja blushes slightly more over the question. She buys herself some time with taking a sip of her tea.
"I am feeling well, thank you, Gensai-san. It is just that I am not used to such situations. Forgive me to make you worrying about my health."
Kanko-Cho drinks again from her tea, since she has the feeling of her mouth being suddenly dry. She thinks about how to calm down, but somehow that makes her even more nervous. After a moment she somes up with the idea of talking about one of her favorite topics: arts. Afterall it seems that this ronin is something of an artist himself.
"So you are not only a warrior, but also an artisan? Do you also practice other arts?"

[Graven]

Jun sends the ronin an appraising look, "Wood carving? A man that size, I would be unsurprised if you had said stone." His eyes flash toward the keeper of the local shrine, "Is Kyo-sama a patron of the arts?" The Unicorns hand makes it almost all the way to the trinket at his neck before he instead reaches for his tea.

[Orvost]

"Perhaps we should see the lack of pears as an opportunity to try something new."

Shonogen takes Ryoko's 'something new' comment as a signal that she wanted to end the conversation and mingle with other guests. After his awkward conversation transition to pears, he could hardly blame her.

"Let me go see if I can extract my grandfather from his conversations. If I can, I will point him your way. I must warn you; he can be long-winded, especially if he finds you ... charming."

He offers this as consolation for his inability and unwillingness to discuss his grandfather's business in detail. He gives a bow to one of equal rank to Ryoko and begins to move away. He walks slowly toward his grandfather, but also toward the old Asahina woman. He tries to determine which one he would have more luck talking to.

[Hermit]

“I am feeling well, thank you, Gensai-san. It is just that I am not used to such situations. Forgive me for making you worry about my health.”

Gensai's gaze lingers on the shugenja for a moment longer before relenting with a wordless nod. He considers grabbing another daifuku but changes his mind, not wanting to spoil his appetite too early when the main course has not yet been served. The rōnin instead politely requests his own steaming cup of the tea that Kanko-Cho is currently drinking from a nearby servant.

"So you are not only a warrior, but also an artisan? Do you also practice other arts?"

“An aspiring artisan,” the vagabond gently corrects while waiting for his freshly poured cup to cool. “It is something that I have only recently come to truly appreciate and develop a passion for while on my Pilgrimage throughout the Empire these past several months, so I’ve not had much time to consider trying other mediums beyond the one I’ve chosen as a starting point in such endeavors.”

Gensai’s fingers tentatively brush along the surface of his cup, finding the residual heat having lessened enough for him to lift up without risk of blistering his digits. Holding the cup aloft, a pleasant aroma tickles his nose as he lightly blows away the steam wafting up before taking a sip of the fragrant beverage. Soon after he glances up from his cup in Kanko-Cho's direction and asks, “How about you?”

[Muskrat]

"Let me go see if I can extract my grandfather from his conversations. If I can, I will point him your way. I must warn you; he can be long-winded, especially if he finds you ... charming."

He offers this as consolation for his inability and unwillingness to discuss his grandfather's business in detail. He gives a bow to one of equal rank to Ryoko and begins to move away. He walks slowly toward his grandfather, but also toward the old Asahina woman. He tries to determine which one he would have more luck talking to.

Ryoko bows to Shonogen and says, "Thank you. I would be honored if your grandfather found me charming enough to talk at length about his travels."

She hopes the smile that she can't keep off her face conveys that she is enjoying this situation simply at the social level, not that some part of her is taking a certain joy in the game of trying to ferret out people's secrets, even if she has been wholly unsuccessful so far. It surprises her that she enjoys this. Normally, she prefers to be reserved in situations like this, especially given her reputation in Crane lands, but something about treating the whole affair as a scouting expedition changes her perspective on the whole thing.

She examines some of the art work, while waiting to see if Shonogen is successful at steering his grandfather over to speak to her. If not, she will have to devise some other line of action.

[Sasori]

Kanko-Chos eyes start to glow with enthusiasm.
"Well, I know a little about various arts. As a child I loved folding Origami and dancing. My parents tried to educate me in all the various arts...", the glow grew dimm for a second here, "But in the last few years I focused on jewelry."
Her cheeks are still slightly red from the excitement of finding someone to talk with about one of her biggest interest, but not as bright as a few moments ago.
"I guess most Samurai won't accept art I created, no matter how good it is, but the kami and fortunes don't care for my looks. So I create most of my art as offerings to them."
Somehow her voice seems to carry some sadness and loneliness at the last two sentences.