Toyozo suppresses a sigh. "Very well. Since you both seem to desire this game, you will play each other and I shall play your second."

he says sitting down adjacent to Kedo.

 This... wasn't even slightly the plan. Not even a little bit - the board game was supposed to be a psychological distraction buying the two Bushi a little more time holding this street in order to deny it to a Lion advance - but it can't be denied that the opportunity to know a little more of the foe, as well as to settle its possession in a fashion that the Lion at least are likely to look on with amusement and approval shouldn't be passed up... and so:

 "Quite acceptable." Kedo replies with a bow of his head, before offering Toyozo a slightly sorrowful glance and then meeting the Lion officers eyes once more with a small smile playing about his lips as he wryly suggests, "If you wish Toyozo-san, we could always throw the pieces at one another with unrestrained viciousness when they are removed from the board?", gently chiding his companion despite their widely differing stations.

 As the pieces of the game are reset, the thinly disguised Dragon reaches out to pass over the dice cup to his opponent and asks "Tell me Ichiro-san, asides from the obvious, what brings you to Toshi Ranbo?" while leaning back to his relaxed position.

 ---

22:15, Today: Kedo rolled 37 using 6d10, dropping the 3 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 7,(10+9)19,9,4,9,5. Perception & Investigation.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:44, Thu 30 June 2011.

[Private to Kedo: What was said to the squad before they left.  "I sense a trap.  And, given what we've already encountered, I suspect a Daidoji to have planned the defense of the city.  Return quickly to the General and tell him that our runners need to go out in groups of at least three to keep our lines of communication open."]

"I was a resident of Toshi Ranbo for several years," Ichiro replies, shaking the dice cup, "I came to study early Hantei temple architecture and modern ikebana techniques.  I was on my way north to study the ikebana methods of Kitsuki Sadaharu upon the mountain, I was most impressed by his stark elemental style when he came to visit Lion lands last season."

With a flourish, he rolls the dice across the board.  His companion, a dour looking Lion follows his commander's lead, and also tosses the dice across the board, glaring silently at Doji Toyozo.

OOC: roll Void/Games, whichever games skill is highest, dice still explode if you do not have any games skill; normally it would be Awareness, but since you're not in court, Void seemed the most appropriate.

 "Ahhh, I am afraid that architecture has never been a passion of mine - I have always sought to understand those that pass beneath arches rather than those who design and create them..." Kedo replies, taking up the cup and giving them an elegent swirl before upending it and spilling them over the board, letting them rattle to a stop to define his opening moves, beginning a strategy not of outright offence, but of swirling defensive deception and distraction - his slowly forming intention to blunt thrusting attacks and divert flanking ones until hopelessly broken up and able to be disassembled... The very mirror in fact, of what is going on in the city beyond, "...for myself" continues the Ronin, not requiring his Lion opponent to lower himself to express interest in the affairs of a Wave-man "I have a great fascination with the working of steel, and so inevitably my path led me to the lands of the Crane, where I am afraid the recent excitement has for the moment limited my opportunities for study."

 The Siege of Toshi Ranbo, perceived as an inconvenient barrier to a Ronins education... The Dragon are nothing if not good at presenting alternate viewpoints.

 And while talking - why not share a cup? Kedo seems struck by the thought and raises a hand for a moment while his opponent contemplates his turn and suggests "Perhaps, as our guests for the moment, you might favour tea with the game?", making to rise and head towards the open-fronted tavern where he'll be in full view all the way as he collects the necessary components.

[Private to GM: 12:22, Today: Kedo rolled 47 using 9d10, rerolling max with rolls of 6,4,5,3,5,4,9,6,5. It works better with D10..]

Toyozo mirrored his opponents dour visage. He said nothing in regards to Ichiro and Kedo's discussion and it was not a small miracle that he kept from shaking his head and muttering curses.

He rolled his dice with no real strategy as games were not his forte. Relying on simple instincts he did his best to navigate the board.

16:35, Today: Doji Toyozo rolled 19 using 4d10, rerolling max with rolls of 4,5,7,3. Void roll.

"A spot of tea would be splendid," Ichiro replies, with a tilt of his head, "it seems you have a talent for these games," he says, studying the board, "and how are your studies in the nature of steel?" Ichiro asks.

"Fortunes damn these dice!" the other Lion curses, his luck being worse than Doji Toyozo, "why don't we just kill them and be done with it," he snarls to Ichiro, clutching at his blade.

"Are you so eager to die, Tamahoro?" Ichiro berates his subordinate, "live and learn."

OOC:  roll Perception/Investigation (notice) and (choice)/games (you may choose to roll Awareness, Perception, Willpower, Intelligence, or Void as you choose)

 The task of securing a tea seat from the small tavern is a simple one, and it's hadly worth mentioning that while he's doing so Kedo extends some trust towards the skills of the Daidoji marksmen scattered about the place and remarks as though to thin air, "The Lion appear to believe that the defence of the city was planned by a Daidoji general and it has been suggested that couriers travelling in threes might well serve to prevent further loss of command and control upon their part. I trust they are mistaken." before returning to where he can take part in the game carrying a small stove and the other necessary acoutrements of tea, setting them out in pleasing patterns of wholeness and grace that take account of the nearby soldiery and the stacked corpses, incorporating the devastation of war as a counterpoint to the cultural perfection of tea.

 There must be standards after all.

 Once he has set them out - plainly content to serve in this instance, as the lowest-station member of the tense little quartet - he resumes his original position on his mat and smiles gently, with the natural humility that's surprisingly easy to develop when you wake each morning in the shadow of a mountain a million times vaster and older than yourself "I flatter myself to think that I have  touched the sleeve of steel in my time here. I was honoured to earn perimission to study at the feet of Kakita Maru and have high hopes of winning an invitation to speak with Daidoji Kuromori, who was once Kaiu Kuromori and who is said to know much of alloying and the hardening of metals."

 Tamahoro's outburst wins Ichiro a small smile of sympathy however, one that very definitely does not come with a sidelong glance towards the similarly frustrated Toyozo (who probably hasn't realised that a game of strategy played between enemies in the middle of a deadly siege is the sort of thing that makes it into honoured stories) along with a measured look and the thoughtful observation that "If it is not inappropriate for me to ask Ichiro-san, since I do believe that you might be the most dangerous Lion it has been my pleasure to encounter this day... Do you have an opinion on the development of the battle so far?"

 Alright, perhaps it is a slightly forward inquiry, but eloquently put, and Kedo is only a Ronin... Wherein lies the harm?

[Private to GM: 13:20, Today: Kedo rolled 33 using 6d10, dropping the 3 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of (10+5)15,8,7,9,9,3. Perception & investigation.

13:21, Today: Kedo rolled 39 using 9d10, dropping the 4 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 1,3,8,8,3,8,6,7,8. Void/Battle(Games of Strategy).

13:18, Today: Kedo rolled 35 using 5d10, dropping the lowest dice only, rerolling max with rolls of 4,5,4,7,(10+9)19. Tea ceremony. ]

Toyozo accepts his tea and lifts it towards the hot headed Lion.  Annoyed though he was about this highly unusual turn of events, he would be damned if he would hold himself the same way a Lion would. So he resolved to push through, and remembered his training.

A smile crosses his lips. "I understand your frustration, Ichiro-san. However, we are all samurai here. If we cannot be civilized as we conduct our warfare then we are nothing more than animals. And animals are not good servants of the Empire.

Thank you, Kedo, for fetching the tea." he says with a small nod of the head to the ronin.

[Private to GM: 09:48, Today: Doji Toyozo rolled 18 using 4d10, rerolling max with rolls of 1,7,1,9. Awareness/games.
09:48, Today: Doji Toyozo rolled 10 using 2d10, rerolling max with rolls of 9,1. Percep/Invest. ]

"This isn't civility, it's a damned farce!" Tamahoro growls, glaring at Toyozo as he tosses the dice again, "games, tea, forced politeness!  It's all the worst parts of Winter Court!  Except that my brothers are out there earning glory, while I'm stuck here playing games of chance with a Crane!"

Tamahoro's luck isn't any better on his second roll than his first, but the difference is not as large.

"If you asked my commander," Ichiro replies, studying the board in an effort to hide his expression from his subordinate, "she would say that it is going splendidly.  We breached the walls with little loss of life, and after that what could be more difficult.  I am somewhat more skeptical.  Given that the Crane, and the Daidoji in particular, take Akodo's stance that there are no dishonorable actions in warfare, and given what we have seen so far, I do not think the battle is going as well as she believes.  Much like this game, war has an element of chance that cannot be planned for," he finishes wryly, as his dice fall far short of Kedo's roll.

OOC:  roll (choice)/games (you may choose to roll Awareness, Perception, Willpower, Intelligence, or Void as you choose)
[Private to Kedo: you see the Crane squad departing stealthily--presumably to intercept some of the messengers]

 The tea is merely good - it is its presentation which is exceptional, taking full account of ill humour and growing irritation and working around them in a fashion that would be calming, even soothing if only the recipients would let the ancient ceremony work its time-honoured magic.

 "There are many who have spoken in favour of the honoured Akodo's position, and while it is a fine aphormism, I do not know that I necessarily concur with it." Kedo replies with utmost delicacy, his turn of phrase and manner making it quite apparent that he holds the ancestor in the utmost respect even as he enters into the debate, "For it would seem to be that when one agrues that the end justifies the means one neglects to consider whether the means justify the end. Can any truly honourable task be founded in dishonour?"

 "This of course" - the eloquently meditative Dragon goes on - "Should not be taken to suggest that I feel there is dishonour in the methods of the Daidoji. They face a Lion host after all, to not employ strategems in such a situation would seem to be... less than wise."

 "No, it seems to me." he concludes as he takes up his dice-cup and swirls it once in-hand before spilling them across the board, coming full-circle from his first words to Daidoji Sakura some days before as he selects his pieces and moves them accordingly, his developing strategy plainly one intended to use the enemy momentum, its force against itself in an effort to seek a defeat with minimal loss to either side "That glory is what others know of you... but honour is what you know of yourself."

 He does not, it may be noted address Ichiro's speculation upon the course of the battle...

[Private to GM:  10:38, Today: Kedo rolled 27 using 9d10, dropping the 5 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 8,1,5,3,1,6,1,8,3. Void/Battle (Games of Strategy).]

Toyozo rolled the dice, and fought back the urge to swear.
[Private to GM: 11:08, Today: Doji Toyozo rolled 12 using 4d10, rerolling max with rolls of 2,4,5,1. Awareness/games.]

The Crane does not say anything in regards to the battle or what was honorable.

He was barely keeping his frustrations in check and would not discuss his opinions of his Daidoji brethern to the attacking force in this conflict.

"HA!" Tamahoro crows, the dice finally falling in his favor--not enough for him to overtake Toyozo, but a significant gain nonetheless.

"You are correct, of course," Ichiro shrugs, tossing the dice, seemingly unconcerned about their result, "and yet I am still puzzled by..."

Ichiro is interrupted by screams of pain as the sounds of combat suddenly erupt rather closer than could have been expected.

"Ah, and now I understand," he rises, bowing, "thank you, Kedo-san for the conversation and the tea, if you will excuse us..."

 "Not yet Ichiro-san... but I venture to say that you have come closer by far than many of those to whom you look for orders." Kedo replies with a certain warmth in his tone that seems to suggest he approves of the Lion officer, whether it's place to do so or not. Smoothly he takes one last sip of his tea and lays it down in regretful fashion then takes a long look at the board before remarking "I would appreciate the opportunity for us to finish our game later, should the Fortunes permit." as he too rises, recovering - but not yet drawing - his swords and setting them at his side for all the world as though he's been sitting in a tea-house upon the mountain rather than in the middle of a dusty Crane street.

 "Tamahoro-San, Toyozo-san... " he then ventures to state amiably as he moves to one side of tea-mat and game-settings, in order to give them at least a chance of being preserved through what is to follow, "I believe that our peaceful interlude may be at an end."

 Well if nothing else, he's a polite chap, isn't he?

Toyozo smirks at Tamharo's reaction. But goes deadly serious with the cries of battle. He rises smoothly and rests one hand over his sword the other behind his back, he says nothing and does not block the men's path.

OOC:  are you going to attempt to prevent Ichiro and Tamahoro from leaving or let them go?

 OOC: If they head into the city, they get regretfully stopped. For as long as we can stop them. If they head back the way they came and guards charge up in their place... that's a different matter. ^_^

What Kedo said.

With a final nod of acknowledgement, Ichiro and Tamahoro retreat back towards the Lion lines.

OOC:  +3 VP, +1 honor, +3 glory
[Private to Kedo: bonus +1 honor]

you can:
Push back against the Lion:  5 VP Challenge, +1 bonus Glory
+1d10 healing

Hold position:  3 VP Challenge, +2d10 healing

Fall back:  1 VP Challenge, +3d10 healing, -1 Glory

I feel like I'm missing something...

 "Well Toyozo-san, I believe that we are done for the moment with pleasant company. Shall we perhaps see if there is anything amiss on the next street over?" Kedo suggests, trusting to the Daidoji archers and skirmishers in the buildings nearby to keep this way closed for the moment at least and selecting the next most interesting spot in their vicinity.

 ---

 'Push Back' by way of cutting forwards and across, taking a different street to our hosts and trying to sever more of their communications, maybe take out an officer or banner-bearer I think. ^_^

"Hai, Kedo-san, perhaps there will be a shugenja there who wishes to play a round of Sadane with us." the Crane says a bit dourly.

------------------

PUSH ON!

 Pausing for a moment, Kedo can't help himself and grins with positively youthful playfulness as he remarks, "Ah yes, it would add a much-needed level of intellectual exercise to this otherwise decidedly sprawling conflict." whilst moving in their mutually-agreed-upon direction.

The two samurai make their way down to a parallel street.

OOC:  roll perception/investigation (notice) TN 15

 OOC: 22:09, Today: Kedo rolled 19 using 6d10, dropping the 3 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 4,3,7,4,8,3. Did you see that..?.

18:11, Today: Doji Toyozo rolled 11 using 2d10 with rolls of 7,4. Perception.

As the two bushi turn the next corner, Kedo, out of the corner of his eye, catches sight of a flight of arrows arching their way towards them...

OOC:  Kedo may make an Agility/Defense roll to avoid getting hit TN 43
or a Agility/Defense (Yadomejutsu) roll to cut the arrows from the air.

Doji Toyozo may spend a void to make an Agility/Defense roll to avoid getting hit TN 43 or a Agility/Defense (Yadomejutsu) roll to cut the arrows from the air.

yadomejutsu rules are in the house rules thread

Enemy bow strength 1

20:44, Today: Kaze no Kage rolled 25 using 6d10, dropping the 3 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 1,5,9,7,9,5. Ashigaru 6 attack Toyozo.
20:43, Today: Kaze no Kage rolled 40 using 6d10, dropping the 3 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 3,4,(10+6)16,5,3,(10+9)19. Ashigaru 5 attack Toyozo.
20:43, Today: Kaze no Kage rolled 43 using 6d10, dropping the 3 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of (10+10+8)28,4,7,3,8,1. Ashigaru 4 attack Toyozo.
20:43, Today: Kaze no Kage rolled 43 using 6d10, dropping the 3 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of (10+6)16,8,8,2,9,(10+8)18. Ashigaru 3 attack Kedo.
20:42, Today: Kaze no Kage rolled 22 using 6d10, dropping the 3 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 8,5,2,1,9,5. Ashigaru 2 attack Kedo.
20:42, Today: Kaze no Kage rolled 25 using 6d10, dropping the 3 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 1,4,(10+5)15,2,6,3. Ashigaru 1 attack Kedo.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:53, Mon 10 Oct 2011.