L5R Storytime thread: I see a red Stonewalls don't fear the reaper edition

I arrange for [my clan's ninja analog] to fix the duel overwhelmingly in my favor.

[A sarcastic note about you being so easily flustered]

GM, what's your ruling on this bullshit?

Ninjas don't exist, so ninja analogues can't exist either. DENIED.

Bullshit. You're obviously Scorpion/Daidoji Infiltrator/Sesai Ninja/Ikoma Lion's Shadow user!

[An ironic comment about your previous case of embarrassment, similar to a current situation]

One who sees a black cat in every dark room will hit his head on a wall.

[Unearthing a person who witnessed the event you are referencing, who confirms that you shamelessly twist the events from how they truly transpired]

What the FUCK is going on in this thread?!

Just a harmless exchange of wits.

I think its some sort of meta argument.

The true chaos of unsanctioned duels in Rokugan

This user has a cool name
What about Hitomi? She's not better than Kisada.

Looks like a shameless eta-posting, quite frankly.

Ironic eta-posting is just kabuki-posting

If I had to guess it's one schizo talking to themselves...

[Flippant dismissal of this threads contents and anyone enjoying it]

I see absolutely nothing ironic about the etaness of the exchange I have witnessed. Cease this shame immediately.

Perfect summary of

youtu.be/n31i85fDv5Y

Story so far.

579 pages.

273,913 words.

I'm getting better at prose but I still need to do a third pass and place chapters/acts/whatever division works best.

you are a saint archivist-user

I am just an user like the rest of you.

The rest of us does not make pdf files of this for other to read.

Threadly reminder that all members of [your clan] are really Scorpions, Spiders, or both in disguise.

Doing edits.

Kyujutsu tourney.

Ishigaki to Naomi: “I know, I'm just saying that if we ever end up staring down another horde of zombies I want you with a bow and some flaming arrows.”

Delicious foreshadowing.

Good work. Don't edit TOO too much, though.

I'm just changing it from greentext to prose, with a few added [character] said/spoke/added/questioned/etc so that its easier to read conversations.

On a serious note, if there's any issue with my editing let me know. I do my best but I'm not sure what I am not doing right.

Your ancestors are surely pleased with you.

>I woke up in the night with my hand clenched around a small figure
>I stopped myself from crushing it, my mind confused with sleeep
>then pain shot through my arm
>I clampled down on my reflexes, still uncertain of what was occuring and looked cloesley at what I held
>It was a goblin
>that was stabbing at my arm with a wakizashi
>I ceased restraining myself and broke it's neck
>Awake and hyper alert, I heard the sounds
>The terrifying familier sounds
>Naomi, Naomi wake up!
>I hissed, and shook my wife awake
>huwah...? Eh?
>She woke up very quickly; I didn't have to explain to her
>I quickly tugged on a kimono top and tossed one to her. No time to get fully dressed
>Snatching up my tetsubo I ran outside
>As I looked out at Ishigaki Mura, I was once more a boy paralyzed with fear and indecision
>The seal was broken
>Goblins were everywhere.
>But they were just fodder
>I saw several Oni moving about as well
>I could hear my father shouting orders, but he was long dead, killed this very night.
>No, that was me. I was yelling for jade
>Out of the corner of my eye I saw Nana One-Eye smashing a goblins brains out with her walking stick.
>An Oni, like a cat with six legs that had been turned inside out was staling up behind her
>I dove at the thing, shoving my tetsubo into it's slavering jaws and pinning it down with my wieght
>My sister ran up, a bucket of jade powder in her hands. Norkiko's manly face was twisted in pain, and she was limping, but she was making the the jade would get where it was needed
>When I will find her body tommorow her jade covered hands will be clenched around an ogre's throat. A death worthy of a Crab.
>But that is tomorow, and my sister is already dead, and I don't see any Ogres tonight.
>I yelled for Akiko to pull my wakizahis out of my obi and powder it as the cat oni raked at my body with it's legs
>My training kept me alive long enough to take the powdered blade and stab the beast again and again.

Talk about tempting fate.

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHIT

Wait, so is this a dream or not?

Apparently, Ishigaki is having flashbacks (actual flashbacks, not meme ones).

>I saw Noritoshi passing out yari to the peasants. His arm was gone. He bled to death from that wound. He was my oldest brother, and handsome.
>Though he died before he could marry, I had wondered if I might have a nephew or a niece I didn't know about from time to time.
>No. No that's all wrong. This isn't right.
>What the hell am I doing?
>That's right. I'm applying jade powder to my tetsubo now. I have to face the Oni, the peasants can't stand up to them. I'll leave the goblins to them
>I focuesd my mind on my tetsubo, on the jade, on the sap used to keep the jade powder on.
>I shut out everything else
>When I was done, my mind was clear again.
>Monkey, Naomi and Toshiro were on the front pourch of the house, a defensive wall around the children of the village.
>Kitsuki-san was carrying wounded peasants clear of the fighting
>I saw Mantis-san engaging an Oni. It looked like an emaciated, starving man, save that it had two large pincers for hands and a barbed, segmented tail.
>I rushed in to help him
>He still had jade on his kama so I yelled at him to cover up
>I slammed into the creature, swining my tetsubo at it's knees.
>It was agile and jumped over my attack.
>I had, however, gotten it's attention
>It tried to seize me in it's pincers, but Mantis-san struck lightly at it's arm, disrupting the attack. It's tail flashed out angrily at him, and he was forced to leap far back
>We circled the oni, trying to keep it pincered between us
>Mantis-san continued to cover himself, ready to aid me if the thing attacked
>Trusting in my friend, I used a Kata taught at the Hida-ryu. Adding my own earth to my strikes I sought to topple my foes.
>And with a tetsubo in hand what was already easy became even easier.
>I threw myself headlong at the Oni, and saw it's eyes widen in surpise at my reckless assault
>I struck it on the crown of it's almost skeletal head, and kept going throwing my shoulder into it's chest.
>It toppled

Does anyone else have the sudden, unsettling thought that this is Ishigaki going off the deep end?

>Mantis-san, who was waiting for just this moment, pounced like a panther
>His kama peirced the Oni's chest and black ichor spruted from the wound.
>The Oni unleashed a shriek no human throat could make and went still
>We moved on, while several pesants came up and stabbed it over and over to make sure it was truly dead
>There were more Oni
>Gouts of flame burst about the village as Toshiro strove to stem the tide of Goblins
>Monkey was a blur, a soft blue light surrounding his body as he slashed and cut and stabbed, determined to protect the children behind him
>I could see Naomi, tending to the wounded Kitsuki-san brought to her. Ayame stood just beside her, sheilding her from threats so she could work
>Several barrels came rolling into the groups of goblins
>The brewmaster grinned, then dropped his torch
>The alcohol caught fire and the goblins burned
>I saw the large shape of an Oni thrashing around in the flames as well
>Jade fire engulfed it, and it howled and fell
>Mantis-san and I found another Oni to deal with
>It was...a rock.
>vaguely humanoid in shape, it stood 8 feet tall
>A single red eye that looked crystaline burned in the center of it's chest
>What is that?!
>It's new. At least to me...
>So, we have to figure out how to kill it?
>yeah.
>great.
>He rushed it, trying to take it's legs out from under it.
>I covered his advance
>But not even Mantis-san's great strength, nor his training in toppling foes could overcome the thing's might
>It stood, unfazed and brought down it's heavy fists
>I managed to get between Mantis-san and it, and stopped it's attack on my tetsubo
>Spikes broke off from it where the creature's hands struck.
>I glanced to where Mantis-san had struck it.
>It was bleeding, something red and glowing, yet not hot.
>But the cuts were shallow, scrapes really
>I switched my stance up, adding power to my attacks. If we couldn't topple it, we'd just have to grind it down

>Of course, you were supposed to be wearing armor when using this technuiqe
>You threw yourself onto your enemies attacks, letting your armor turn aside fatal blows so you could strike a decisve blow when the enemy was most exposed
>But I was Defender of the Wall, I was the Wall.
>Even wearing nothing but a Kimono top I was still difficult to wound
>As the Oni attacked me, I recived his blow
>I heard and felt ribs crack.
>And I smashed my tetsubo into it in return sending chips of rock flying and opening a rent in it's body
>I struck again, this time at it's eye, and it flinched back
>Mantis-san saw that, and I could see him begin to focus
>I stuck at the creature again, and used up the last of the jade on my tetsubo.
>As it lashed back I dove to the side
>It clipped my thigh, and my whole leg went numb
>But as it turned to keep track of me, it's eye came into line with Mantis-san
>Who lashed out, slaming both kama into it's crystaline eye
>I do not know how a thing without a mouth roared, but it did so as the crystal shattered
>It's rock like skin began to flake off, and it flailed around wildly as it died
>We backed away and looked for another target
>But there were none
>As the first rays of dawn broke over the Horizon, Ishigaki Mura was safe

...

>as eta dragged the bodies of the dead to the pyres Naomi and Toshiro tended to the worst injured
>Nana One-Eye had survived, as had Akiko, and they worked to bandage the lesser injuries
>Shino came up to me, panting heavily and leaning on a dai tsuchi
>What, how did such a force get here?
>I pointed to where the seal had been
>...how?
>I don't know. All the shugenja said there was no way for a creature of the shadowlands to approach that rock, let alone break it like that.
>Toshiro thumdragged over to me
>I should go look at that
>He glanced at me
>Are you alright?
>I looked back
>I'd be lying if I said I don't feel it, but I can still fight.
>not what I meant
>I arched an eyebrow.
>You were...strange, earlier.
>...
>I decided to tell him the truth
>I kept seeing my family, at first.
>Memories of that night were overlapping with reality, and I couldn't tell the difference between the two.
>Truthfully, I was worried about that. Not being able to trust your own senses...we trained for times when we were so exhausted our bodies would fight when our minds were not there, and we trained to deal with Jigoku's trickery, but it was still an unsettling thing.
>Toshiro looked closely at me
>You are alright now though, right?
>Yeah. I think anyway. You aren't a dream, are you?
>No. I'm not.
>What did you do?
>I just shut everything else out and focused on powdering my tetsubo.
>He nodded. Yes, that is the correct action when you see the past so vividly.
>We came upon the boulder
>Toshiro produced a scroll and spoke with the kami that had been part of the seal
>He walked around, looking and poking at things.
>He peered deeper into the cave
>I looked around the outside
>He came back to me
>The rock was split by the Oni
>I was told they couldn't even get near it
>They could not.
>But... somone else could come by and disrupt the magic making that so
>He held up a torn sutra
>It was drenched in blood
>I looked at him
>He nodded.
>THEY were behind this

AW SHIT, NOW they AFTER HIS KIDS? IT'S DOUBLE ON NOW

Imagine if, suddenly, Shoji uses this as leverage; saying that he can keep Tetsute safe while Ishigaki obviously cannot.
That be so... convenient.

I hope if that happens Ishigaki literally bites his head off.

Tsuyosa, not Tetsute.

>Memories of that night were overlapping with reality
Unless this was actually intervention from Yomi, to protect the last of the family.

>they were behind this
OH crap.

A bit late, but does no one else feel for the old gunso, Hotaru? The man is duty bound to follow his Lord's order, and the order was simply to remove the eye of a junior, who, though found innocent, did manage to involve herself in maho. It could be that he was under duress, or that given his skill, he can be certain that if he did it, only an eye would be lost and no more.

Then the heroes show up and shove his face in. I mean, this Hotaru guy basically treads the line that all samurai love. Duty to Lord, and pull to do the right thing.

Wait a minute...
Where the FUCK is one armed robin?!

He was passing out Yari, Ishigakit just saw Osako as the brother(?) that died after gettin an arm ripped off because of flahsbacks.

>one armed robin
>robin

Slap the shit out of your auto correct.

>One armed robin
If anything, Osako is the Batman while Ayame is the Robin.

Kinda difficult to feel for him, even with all that. He was ordered to commit a dishonourable act by his lord, and I think there had been precendents of underlings refusing to follow such order and even get out of this without opening their bellies.
So he should not have followed that order, maybe then he would have lived, because following that order was what utlimately killed him. Plus Sleepy-chan would still have full set of eyes.

I mean I am extrapolating here, but it could very well be that he thought if he didn't do it, some other guy who is less able to do it in a controlled manner or if he didn't do it, shoji mightve planned something worse for her

Even if so, it doesn't change the fact that out of all the bad choices he picked the one that was also a wrong one. Such loyalty is wasted on Shoji (which would have been apparent from the fact that he ordered maiming a subordinate out of spite). So, he could have refused and washed his hands, refused and tried to seek help for Sleepy-chan and/or himself, or commited seppuku in protest - either option would be a better one in retrospect. He could have not died, and in the latter case he would have at least died an honourable death and possibly prevented a dishonourable deed from happening by attracting attention to the matter. Which kinda makes one think that he wasn't that of an honourable person to begin with, and more likely than not did not think things as you said.
So, in the end, as things were, he died as a petty croony to a rotten lord.

>Toshiro did some shugenja things I didn't quite understand,frowned and turned away
>I wish I could do more.
>That'll stall anything coming up from the mines.
>Stall?
>He looked at me and grimaced
>Stall.
>I nodded
>We need proper troops stationed here until the Kuni can repair the barrier.
>He nodded
>We went back to the village
>There had been some minor damage to buildings, and the pesants were already swarming about making things right
>If the samurai of the Crab were the mountain, then the peasants were the bamboo forest. Able to spring to life no mater how badly damaged, growing fast and strong.
>As we moved through the village I offered words of encouragment here and there, even calling to a few by name
>My wounds were as yet untreated. I did not call attention to them. I simply pretended they did not exist
>They had known me to be a friendly man, I had pounded the mochi and played with the few children in the village.
>Now they all saw that I had shed my own blood in their defense.
>These pesants would trust me to the very gates of Jigoku now.
>As I came up the house Naomi ran out to me
>She looked me up and down
>Baka! I cannot believe you have not yet treated these!
>In truth, I was certain I looked worse off than I was, but seeing Naomi's concern I bit back the protest
>I just smiled at her
>There were many worse off than me though, Naomi. It's not as though these wounds are about to kill me.
>Still, you should have sought treatment sooner!
>Hai, I am sorry
>I sat down as she grumbled about my recklessness
>that gentle sensation of being wrapped in life itself flowed over me, and my wounds closed up.
>I rolled my neck at the relief form the pain and placed my hand over hers
>Thank you, Hana-chan.
>We are not done yet, you need to be purified!
>Hai, hai.
>As she cleansed me with water and salt I asked
>The children?
>she pointed outside
>see for yourself

>I looked
>Daiko and Tetsute were surounded by the pesant children who were all bowing and thanking them
>Awkwardly, as they were children but nonetheless
>I arched an eyebrow
>Naomi smiled
>Of course all the children were terrified last night, but Daiko and Tetsute stood up straight and firm, in between us and the peasant children.
>It was as though those two were saying that if something got past us they would handle it
>The other children realized this, and stayed put instead of running off in fear.
>Is that so?
>I walked out to where all the children were gathered
>I folded my arms and looked down at Daiko and Tetsute
>I heard what you did last night.
>Weren't you two scared?
>Daiko nodded
>Then...why?
>Tetsute answered
>It's what you would do, right daddy?
>I laughed
>I knelt down to rub their heads
>yes, I would have. Good work, both of you
>They smiled at the praise
>I yelled for Shino to get some sweet rice cakes for all the village children for being so brave last night, then rounded everyone else up
>Faces grew dark when Toshiro explained what he had found at the seal
>Mantis-san filled in Osako and Ayame, telling them all about our dealings with THEM
>Then Toshiro and I wrote out letters explaining the situation. I wrote for bushi to come keep watch on the mine, and he wrote for Kuni to come and replace the seal
>Shino came back in halfway through
>We will need to replace our jade stores as well. Since we're not a fortress of garrison, we should probably just buy it ourselves rather then ask for it from the Clan.
>Naomi nodded to him
>Do it. Even if you have to divert funds from construction.
>Hai.
>Osako looked at the letters we wrote.
>Guess getting these into the right hands is a job for me.
>I looked over to Shino, who went and got a map of the area
>I showed Osako where the patrols moved around
>You should be able to meet one quickly if you stick to these areas
>Hold up your jade in a bare hand as the approach

>He took the letters
>The sooner these get into the right hands the better, yeah? I'll go now then.
>Be carefull, some things may have scattered in the night
>Right.
>As he began to leave, Naomi began to cough again.
>Everyone moved to get her medicine prepared
>As she sipped it she smilled
>Thank you all. I am trully blessed to have such friends
>I rubbed at her back
>I am just a bit worn out Ishigaki-kun. I will be fine once I rest some
>I looked around. Naomi wasn't the only one feeling the fatuige
>awakening in the middle of the night to a desperate battle will do that
>Even Toshiro was drooping from using so much magic
>You should all get some rest
>Naomi looked up at me in surpise
>What about you?
>I'm going to keep an eye on the mine for now
>But...
>This sort of thing is normal on the Wall, Naomi. It dosen't bother me as much as my body is used to it.
>o...okay.
>I got into my armor. Naomi curled up with the children, and the others slept wherever
>Making sure they were all comfortable I walked out to patroll
>I made up my mind as I did so that I would find the one who broke that seal.
>They would pay for this, a thousand fold

Found the Spider, using "honor" as an excuse to get out of doing your duty.

>Before the guardsman could finish his sentence, I was rushing past him
>"Wait, Kakita-san! You are not safe here!"
>When he finally noticed I was no longer listening to him, he called for other guards to help stop me
>Before the could react, I had already entered the Grand Courtroom
>The usual crowd of courtiers had been replaced by a troop of guards, keeping the governor and the heir safe, alongside the few aides that were allowed in here
>Suikihime-sama and Seiken-sama were in conversation, standing in the centre of the room
>They did not notice me until I had approached them
>I knelt, turning my gaze downward, and spoke loudly enough to fill the entire courtroom
>"Suikihime-sama, Seiken-sama, I have just received news of what has happened to your humble servants
>The samurai that once acted as my yoriki, and the Ivory Magistrate Tsuruchi-san
>I am but a humble servant of the empire
>But they were once in my charge
>They were my responsibility
>They are here because of my investigation
>They are here because of me
>It is through my actions that they were in a position to be put in danger
>Therefore, I ask
>No
>I demand to be put in charge of the investigation
>It is for my own honor's sake that I must demand this
>I must demand that I be allowed to find the ones that have acted against servants of the Emperor
>And bring them the swift justice that they deserve!
>I cannot allow anyone else to take this responsibility!"
>Suikihime-sama looked down at my knelt form
>Glancing over to Seiken-sama, the heir of the throne
>Then I realized what I had done
>Approaching my superiors unannounced
>Not keeping my distance
>Speaking before spoken to
>Breaking so many rules of etiquette, of proper form, committing such a taboo as a Crane
>All because I was blinded by zealous rage
>It was only now that I noticed several guards leveling yari towards me, in defense of the governor and the heir
>And then, Suikihime-sama smiled

Want to know a secret? Honor IS duty. It is the duty owed by a lord to his retainer, and by the Emperor to all of Rokugan, and by the Samurai to the peasants. It is the promise that, although the superior can ask for anything from his loyal followers, there are some things that he will never ask.
This balance of Honor is of utmost importance to the Empire, and it is the very foundation upon which Rokugan is built, for without Honor, the entire social convention of Rokugan breaks down.

I respectfully disagree. Against the weight of duty, personal honor means nothing.
Part of that social contract you mention is loyalty. That means you trust your lord to be doing the right thing and obey, even when you don't understand. You may not necessarily see the whole picture.

After all, this could all be part of a long con on Shoji's part to get someone into a position of trust near the kids. He's not a good parent or person, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't take steps to preserve his descendents.

This shit right here IS samurai drama. Arguments just like this have raged throughout the courts of the Empire since it was founded

shoji get out

Do not take me for an empty-headed Junshin. I know that Honor is a lie, but it is a lie that must be believed.

If the peasants don't believe that the samurai have Honor, they will wonder why they should pay taxes, for a dishonorable samurai will not protect them as is their duty.
If the foolish do not believe that the wise have Honor, they will wonder why they should listen, for the merits of wisdom are lost on the foolish.
If the Samurai do not believe that the Emperor has Honor, well, I'm certain you can connect the dots.

Truly, all the evil committed by man can be traced back to a lack of Honor; to a believe that those above hate them, just as they hate those above.

If you do not wish to be known as Junshin, cease to act like one.
The eta pay taxes because it is their duty, and they know it is the duty of the samurai to protect them, the duty of their lord to make decisions for the good of them all, and the duty of the clan to protect the empire. Too much time at court can make one forget the little truths.

Duty is Honor and Honor is Duty. It is all part of the way one must behave.

You are correct in the belief that Ayame was wronged by a dishonorable superior, that he acted incorrectly, but you are wrong that Honor is a lie. It is everything.
Duty is important, i do agree, but even Akodo stated that a superior had a duty to his men, one which must be earned rather than demanded. By having his underling act so, by giving him such an order that he would have one representing him disgrace himself, he has failed his own duty to those beneath him.

Shoji's order is neither here nor there. We were discussing Hotaru's actions, which I believe were in line with both his duty and his honor as a servant of his lord.
And as I originally said, there's a possibility she is still loyal to Shoji and this is simply a long game. One that cost him the life of one retainer, and the public honor of another, but sometimes that's necessary.

>"Kakita-san.
>I am glad to see that you are well and unharmed
>And I am glad to see that the zeal for justice that has made you so famous has not been exaggerated."
>She waved away the guards, and beckoned me to stand
>"Seeing as you are to become an Emerald Magistrate, and we are in the Colonies, I unfortunately grant you the request
>The Ivory Champion himself is overseeing this investigation
>However, you can aid the investigation in any way you see fit
>And I will let Shinjo Tselu-san know that you shall be granted full access to any information uncovered by the investigation
>Now please, return to your embassy
>The assassins' have not been found as of yet
>And it may be dangerous still for one of our guests of honor."
>I bowed deeply at Suikihime-sama's reply
>"Thank you, Suikihime-sama
>I promise that I shall ensure justice will be served!"
>I bow deeply to Seiken-sama as well, who seems to acknowledge and permit Suikihime-sama's reply
>Finally, the guardsman from earlier, as well as a proper escort, bring me back to the Crane Embassy
>Where Doji-no-kimi is waiting for me
>"Kakita-san, what a pleasure it is to see that you are safe and sound, returned to your clan brothers and sisters
>Suikihime-sama has told all the embassies that due to todays tragic events
>And the danger that is now present at the Summer Court
>The usual activities of the day have been cancelled
>For your safety's sake, please stay at the embassy for the rest of today
>It would grieve me so if something were to happen to our honored guest"
>I could see how much she meant that last sentence
>"I am grateful for such a warm welcome, Doji-no-kimi
>But i must work now to find whoever has done this injustice
>If you will excuse me..."
>We bow, and I head to my chambers
>My daisho, having stood there for several days
>Now it returns to its proper side at my hip
>And opposite it, the ancestral jitte of the Daikakita family

The Tsuruchi really died, then?

>Before I leave, a servant comes running to me
>Bowing deeply before me
>"Please, Kakita-san, before you go, I bring news from Doji-no-kimi
>She has received a letter from the Ivory Magistrates regarding one of your companions, Tsuruchi-san!
>It seems he has survived the attack, sending a body double to his would-be assassins instead!
>Is this not joyous news?
>Doji-no-kimi asks if she should invite him over, so you and him maybe spend the day together in safety?"
>I take a deep breath
>So he had survived anyway
>As pleased as I was with this knowledge, it did not change my demeanor
>It simply meant that instead of Tsuruchi-san, another Mantis had been murdered instead
>A loyal servant of the Empire, dead at the hands of these criminals
>"Servant, let Doji-no-kimi know that I am very pleased at this news
>But it does not change that I have work to do
>Let her know that she may invite him over out of courtesy, if she wishes
>But I will be assisting with the investigation
>Now, let me out of your way"
>As I exit the embassy compound, a good dozen Second City Guardsmen await me
>It seems that nobody wants to take any risks regarding my safety after these attacks
>I make sure that the letter I received this morning is securely pocketed
>It seemed strange that out of the heroes of Rokugan
>I was spared an attack
>And while the others were being attacked, I was speaking to Otomo Setsuko
>Daidoji-san had been summoned by a letter very much like mine
>What if the others had been summoned similarly?
>What if Setsuko was trying to send a message to me?
>His parting words were quite... poignant, all things considered
>Might be that he was behind it all
>Unless I was letting my personal grievance cloud my judgement
>Might even be that someone knew of this letter being sent to me, and was trying to implicate the Otomo
>If that was the case...
>I found myself torn between my duties, to my Clan, and to the Law

But Crane-sama, you are the law

Funny thing is, I wasn't kidding when I told him that the guy he send as proxy was meant to be him.
I was out for blood during that session.
His instincts saved his life.

Too scary. Would not play.

The wheels are turning in the background and the stakes are getting high for the players.
Nothing beats a proper assassination attempt.
His Ritsuryo was his savior.

Not all are like us, brother; they don't hold to Duty for its sake and it's sake alone. They see their duty as being to the honorable, and the honorable as being worthy of loyalty. Their foolish belief must be upheld, or else chaos will reign in the empire.

>Trying to use the words of Akodo to convince a Scorpion
Truly, you are as brave as you foolish, and honest as you are wrong.

Better an honest fool than a deceiving wisdom.

Samuraiiiiiiii Drop

Junshin, you truly are the epitome of honesty and integrity.
It is unfortunate that your lord died because you were unwilling to tell a lie.
I hope the waves treat you gently, we have no room for such naivety.

The lord who builds his throne on dishonesty is not worthy of serving.

Found the Toku bushi, everyone.

"Akodo speaks eloquently of the virtue of honesty. “No harm can come of the truth,” he says, “and a lie kills someone in the world.” If a lie were to save the Emperor and the truth doom him, I would ask the Lion what he might choose. A lie does indeed kill someone in the world, but what if it saved the Emperor? Who would not give his life for the Son of Heaven? If Lord Akodo is unwilling to do so, I certainly shall take his place."

The Throne of Heaven is held up by a multitude of small lies, both of deceit and of omission.

The virtue is not just for fair weather, and nothing from that gives you an excuse to abide by virtue when it's convenient and discard it when it's no longer so.

And the Throne of Heaven is held up by these virtues, lies held up only people that may sit on it. And there has been more than one Emperor who disgraced his seat.

Oh, you poor monkey, it must be nice to believe the world so simple. The virtue you aspire to is nothing but mist, and the throne itself is nothing but a chair, riven by Ambition. It is the people upon it, and the "truths" that surround them that hold the empire together, or break it asunder. The truth must be carefully guided, much as the eta.

I would not trust advice on how the Empire is run from one who is so lacking in Courtesy and Compassion that he cannot properly ascribe the castes of those beneath his station and give them the respect they are due.

And this is why you were retconned, Spider.

Look at this fool, spouting of quotes from Lies; He seems quite odd, having such respect for the first Junchin, but not for any other. You ARE aware that easily 90% or more of Lies is purposely incorrect, right? Let me elaborate.

The intent of Lies was, in Tangen's words, to "bring wisdom to the Emperor, to show him the errors of other's "wisdom", in addition to educating him on the nature of treacherous men, so he may root out duplicity and kill it before this bitter fruit has a chance to spread its seeds."

The "treacherous man" that Tangen was referring to was himself. He was being a good Scorpion and pretending to be the villain, giving the emperor a guide on how a traitorous man thinks and what values he holds; by reading the treatise, the Emperor would come to see the treachery in it, and know what to look out for rather than what to do.
Isn't that fantastic? Lies is, literally, just a collection of lies.

If you don't believe me, compare Lies to Little Truths. Little Truths is succinct, to the point, and gives advice that is practical and, most importantly, subtle. Lies, on the other hand, makes bold claims and provides poor and highly complex solutions to simple questions. Even its tone is treacherous, sounding like it came from the lips of an ambitious man with an overly inflated ego and a childish rivalry with his contemporaries.

Perhaps, brother, you should try your hand at being Junchin. It will give you a frame of mind to understand villainy in all its forms, instead of the stunted view of it that you are clearly cursed with.

I am aware of that. Forgive me for assuming others were equally versed in the lore, and for playing the role of my preferred clan as I have all day.

And for assuming that others would understand that I was playing a role.
Really user, use a bit of critical thinking. Obviously I'm playing a foil here. It's entertaining while we wait for Ishigaki-kun. Though I really do think Hotaru was acting in keeping with bushido. He made the scorpion choice, which I approve of. Between duty and honor, you always choose duty.

I agree with you, but I think that Duty and Loyalty are primarily to the clan/empire/group/organization, rather than to any one individual. Shoji acted in a way that was against the best wishes of basically everybody, all for his own personal benefit; duty does not demand that one follow such orders

This "joke's on you, I was only pretending to be dishonourable" attitude you flaunt so much creates more problems than it solves.

You should have never returned from the Burning Sands.

enjoy the riceballs

You're not helping your (clan's) case.