Kenshin flicked the blood from his blade and sheathed his sword. The challenge was about to begin -- one way or another. The Lion were nothing if not predictable, and the Matsu even more so.

"I am Bayushi Kenshin" the Scorpion replied in kind, "the Mask of Honor. I am he who beheaded Matsu Hajimeko in the Unseen Draw after she had impugned Imperial Honor. I am he who is called Defender of Seppun Honor."

"Today you die by Scorpion hands. Will it be with Honor, as ordained by our Founding Kami?"

Kenshin left the implications hanging in the air, for anything other than an Iaijutsu duel would be "without honor". The Matsu would sense these implications of course -- and that was the plan. She would be infuriated (as Matsu knew no other emotion) and -- one way or another -- she would die on his blade.

Bayushi Kenshin may have been Honorable, but he was still Scorpion.

"HA!" Matsu Minako laughs, as her nodachi flashes in the sunlight deflecting Tsuruchi Sumi's arrow just enough so that it lodges harmlessly in the shoulder of her great armor

"It is you who will die to day, Scorpion," she sneers, sheathing her blade and placing her hand on the hilt of her katana, "though I have no doubt you will face your demise with as little honor as Shosuro Chiba faced his."

OOC:  Bayushi Kenshin:  roll Awareness/Iaijutsu
Tsuruchi Sumi:  post actions
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:53, Fri 15 July 2011.

Sumi swore softly, but it was Kenshin's fight. He could handle the Matsu. If not, then she would get to test her skill. Ignoring the Matsu for the time being, Sumi looked around for another target.

Tsuruchi Sumi (if an enemy is spotted):
rolled 9 using 3k3 with rolls of 5,3,1. Awareness / (no Iaijutsu).
rolled 20 using 6k3 with rolls of 5,1,9,4,2,6. Bow attack.
rolled 35 using 6k3 with rolls of 7,3,6,(10+1)11,(10+7)17,4. Possible arrow damage.

This message was last edited by the player at 14:23, Fri 15 July 2011.

"I cannot lose" Kenshin replied calmly, "you cannot win."

This was no casual bluff, for Kenshin knew his place. Live or die, he was Scorpion -- and this duel would serve his clan either way. Though he could die, he could not loose and that brought with it a certain amount of calmness. It was a Calm that Minako would not have serving her -- live or die, she was facing a Scorpion. Kenshin held Minako's eyes in his, allowing her spirit to tell him everything he needed to know.

The pincers hold ...

[Awareness/Iai -- total of 54 (including the exploding 9s, which I've been ignoring until now ...

18:45, Today: Bayushi Kenshin rolled 5 using 1d10, rerolling max with rolls of 5. Exploding 9.
18:44, Today: Bayushi Kenshin rolled 9 using 1d10, rerolling max with rolls of 9. Exploding 9.
18:43, Today: Bayushi Kenshin rolled 40 using 10d10, dropping the 6 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 3,8,8,9,8,7,7,2,(10+1)11,(10+2)12. Awr/Iai (9's &10's explode; free raise).]

"Spoken like a Crane," Minako growls, settling into her stance.

[Private to Bayushi Kenshin:
Matsu Minako
Agility 4
Awareness 3
Iaijutsu 7
Reflexes 4
Void 4/4
No Wounds

Minako chooses Agility
Focus or Strike?]

As Minako and Kenshin face off, Sumi catches sight of several Lion ashigaru approaching from a side street.  Letting off an arrow, Sumi manages to bring one down, though the others continue to approach, albeit with more caution.

[Private to Tsuruchi Sumi; Daidoji Sakura: Ashigaru TNtbH 25
6 remaining, 4 rounds until they arrive]

Kenshin settled into his stance, his face forming a mask beneath his mask. The time for talk was over -- now there was only "what was".

[Private to Kaze no Kage: Choosing Reflexes for her. Focus. (TN starts at what? Not that it really matters -- assuming 15 for now. Rolled 52 + Free raise.

(As I recall, raises don't really do anything during the Focus part of the duel, except add to the total.)


00:07, Today: Bayushi Kenshin rolled 12 using 3d10, rerolling max with rolls of 2,2,8. Exploding Nines.
00:07, Today: Bayushi Kenshin rolled 40 using 10d10, dropping the 5 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 9,9,1,5,4,2,4,4,8,9. Focus (+ Free Raise).]

Sumi fires off a shot at the ashigaru but misses her target.

Tsuruchi Sumi rolled 21 using 6d10, keeping the 3 highest rolls, with rolls of 2,1,1,1,(10+6)16,3. Bow attack.

OOC: Should I go ahead amd roll my shots for the next few rounds?
This message was last edited by the player at 16:17, Fri 26 Aug 2011.

Sakura went over her options in her mind. So long as the more Honorable were about she would need to stay back, acting as healer and distraction.

For now ...

The intensity of Minako's gaze matches Kenshin's as the focus of her world narrows.

[Private to Bayushi Kenshin: New Focus TN 25]

Wary of Sumi's arrows, two of the ashigaru shoulder their spears and draw their bows as the others continue to advance.

[Private to Tsuruchi Sumi: no, since Sakura might decide to take a hand in stopping them, and the two bowmen are going to start causing problems ^_^]
[Private to Daidoji Sakura; Tsuruchi Sumi: Ashigaru TNtbH 25
6 remaining, 3 rounds until they arrive]

[Focus]

[Private to Kaze no Kage: Barely. And when I say barely, I mean I rolled a 20 -- which gets bumped to 25 when the free raise is applied.

Talk about your sucky rolls.]

Sakura observed the scene carefully. For the moment, at any rate, she would do nothing.

But then, Nothing was her specialty.

Taking note of the two ashigaru archers, Sumi fired a rather ill-targeted arrow at one.

Tsuruchi Sumi rolled 16 using 6d10, keeping the 3 highest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 4,5,7,3,2,1. Bow attack @ archer.

Minako meets Kenshin's intense focus with her own.

[Focus]
new Focus TN 35

Undeterred by Sumi's barrage of arrows, the ashigaru continue their forward advance.  Behind them, the two archers fire their own arrows at Sumi and Sakura, with mixed results.


10:20, Today: Kaze no Kage rolled 19 using 6d10, dropping the 3 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 2,2,1,9,6,4. bow attack Sakura.
10:19, Today: Kaze no Kage rolled 25 using 6d10, dropping the 3 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 1,(10+1)11,4,1,7,7. bow attack Sumi.

Ashigaru TNtbH 25
6 remaining, 2 rounds until they arrive

Sumi grunted loudly as the ashigaru's arro stuck in her. Only by biting her lip did she keep from screaming. Angry, she immediately drew an arrow of her own and fired it. Her shot got closer to the mark than her last few shots, yet still missed.

Tsuruchi Sumi rolled 24 using 6k3 with rolls of 7,5,3,8,1,9. Bow attack @ archer.

Sensei was right.

Focusing in a nice, quiet Dojo was not the same as maintaining one's focus on the field of battle. Still, Kenshin's training was deep -- and it was that training that was saving him now.

Kenshin waited for the perfect time.

[Focus]


[Private to Kaze no Kage: Once again, he barely beat the TN. Total is 38 including using the free raise.

23:00, Today: Bayushi Kenshin rolled 33 using 10d10, dropping the 5 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of (10+4)14,2,4,5,2,6,4,4,3,3. Focus (+free raise).]

The Ashigaru arrow pierced Sakura's robes, but failed to pierce her skin. The young Shugenja's gaze was intense, though not intense enough to kill.

That would come later.

She was equipped with neither armor nor any weapons save her Wakizashi. But that did not mean that she was helpless -- far from it. Still, with so many Honorable about, she could not unleash her true terror.

Not yet.

Sakura waited ...

Showing remarkable patience for a Matsu, Kenshin's adversary intensifies her will.

[focus]
new focus TN 45
OOC:  seriously?  I expected Minako to fail last round...

The two archers continue their devastating barrage upon Sakura and Sumi as their compatriots approach ever closer.

Damage to Sumi (from last round) 14
Damage to Sakura 13
Ashigaru TNtbH 25
6 remaining, 1 round until they arrive

18:58, Today: Kaze no Kage rolled 13 using 2d10, rerolling max with rolls of 7,6. damage Sakura.
18:58, Today: Kaze no Kage rolled 14 using 2d10, rerolling max with rolls of 4, 10. damage Sumi (last round).
18:54, Today: Kaze no Kage rolled 42 using 6d10, dropping the 3 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 3,9,(10+8)18,4,(10+5)15,1. bow attack Sakura.
18:54, Today: Kaze no Kage rolled 18 using 6d10, dropping the 3 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 5,3,6,2,7,2. bow attack Sumi.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:53, Thu 15 Sept 2011.

Sumi looked for somewhere nearby where she could move to and hide, get some cover and begin sniping people again. The fortunes were favoring that other archer, she thought. She had to give them time to change their minds and favor her once again.

Tsuruchi Sumi rolled 21 using 7k3, with rolls of 1,7,6,7,4,7,5. Agility/Stealth if it applies.

[And I didn't expect to have to spend Void this quickly either ... :D]

Kenshin's awareness shifted subtly, becoming aware of all the ebbs and flows that surrounded him. The breeze, the smell of blood, even the wind flowing through his opponents hair. This was new to him, an experience he had never had before. He had heard about such things by those that taught him, but he had never expected to experience them -- not like this.

But then, his Sensei had always taught him that a real battle was better than a thousand practices.

Kenichi waited.

[Made it, but only by spending a Void on his new technique and the free raise. Dang that Matsu's tough!

23:33, Today: Bayushi Kenshin rolled 31 using 10d10, dropping the 5 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 3,3,2,4,1,7,4,6,6,8. Focus (plus free raise).]

[Hey, where's Kumi? :O]

Sakura slid behind the pile of debris, picking a place where she could see her attackers but they could not see her. Attacking a Shugenja as these did was strictly off limits, and very soon this sub-human filth would find out why.

Very soon ...

[Stealth: 25

23:47, Today: Daidoji Sakura rolled 25 using 10d10, dropping the 7 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 7,3,7,7,9,6,6,5,9,4. Stealth.]

Deep as Matsu Minako's focus was, Bayushi Kenshin's focus was nevertheless deeper.  As the ashigaru approached their position only to find Tsuruchi Sumi and Daidoji Sakura nowhere to be found, Minako's eyes flickered for a fraction of a second from Kenshin's...

Finally!
[Strike]

last I recall, Kumi got reassigned as one of Doji Kasarugi's yojimbo, did something happen after that?  That particular exchange saved Kakita Tsutomu from a heroic but tragic death sometime during the Lion March ^_^

A fraction of a second was all that Kenshin needed-- with her focus off ever so slightly it was the right time to strike. His blade flew effortlessly from its saya in a motion practiced and well honed over his years with the Crane, biting into Minako with a Perfect Strike.

The tail strikes ...

[Rolled a 71 to hit (the exploding nines finally paid off!); 53 damage if I calculated it right. 10k7 = 3k2 base + 2k0 Str + 5k5 from raises (9 free, one from a void point).

9 free raises = 6 raises from focusing + 1 free raise from skill + 2 free raises for exceeding the TN by more than 20.

Now for the odd question: if a die explodes three or more times, you get a void point back?

22:42, Today: Bayushi Kenshin rolled 53 using 10d10, dropping the 3 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 7,8,1,6,4,(10+9)19,6,1,3,2. Damage (spend 1 void).
22:35, Today: Bayushi Kenshin rolled 4 using 1d10, rerolling max with rolls of 4. Yet Another Exploding 9.
22:33, Today: Bayushi Kenshin rolled 26 using 2d10, rerolling max with rolls of 9,(10+7)17. Exploding 9's.
22:33, Today: Bayushi Kenshin rolled 41 using 10d10, dropping the 4 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 2,3,8,4,4,9,2,6,9,5. Strike! (10k6 + Freee Raise).]

OOC:  So where did Sumi and Sakura duck under cover to?  The approaching ashigaru don't see you, for now.

OOC: That's hard to say with no idea of where things are. Preferably some place I can continue sniping them.

In reply to Tsuruchi Sumi (msg #94):

OOC:  you could have ducked into a building, behind a pile of crates, down a perpendicular street or alley, or (if you want to take a second round) climb to a rooftop.  I'm willing to entertain other reasonable options ^_^