The drums of the Lion army can be heard well before they are sighted on the horizon.  Rank upon rank of yellow clad bushi march in coordinated step across the plain towards Toshi Ranbo.  Chants praising the history of the Lion echo across the fields until the armies pause outside the walls of the city.

"Children of Doji!" the Lion commander shouts, "the Lion come to claim what is rightfully theirs, taken by treachery!  Either surrender honorably or prepare to meet your ancestors!"

"The Crane have held Toshi Ranbo for generations against the Lion!" Doji Kasarugi replies, his voice enhanced by Asahina magic, "we have held it in battle and in court, if you want it, come and claim it in battle!"

Expecting no less from their old enemies, the Lion begin their inexorable advance upon Toshi Ranbo.  The Crane lining the walls put up a token resistance, firing several volleys of arrows into the Lion ranks, but the out pouring of Crane the the Lion had been expecting to flood out of the city never materializes.  Never one to be cautious the Matsu general orders his warriors into the apparently defenseless city...and the battle for Toshi Ranbo wo Shien Shite Reigisaho begins.

The chaos of the battle lines is great, but the chaos within the city, as Crane bushi and shugenja struggle to get into position, is greater.  At your station, which was meant to erect a barricade preventing the first onrushing of Lion from retreating, many of those who were supposed to be there did not arrive.  It now falls to you to barricade the street before the next wave of Lion approach or the current group attempts to retreat.  Fortunately all of the material that you need is present.

OOC:  make a Strength/Athletics roll to move the barricade into place, you must have a total of 150 on your combined rolls over the next few rounds in order to do so.

Other options are possible if you think of them.

Observing the marching horde from a safe distance is Kagehisa, who just finished supervising his ambush squads inside and outside the city. His orders were to do hit and run skirmishes to harry the Lion troops enough to let the Crane counterattack wipe them with minimum casualties, but of course, that was his best case scenerio, and only the Kami could tell if it might become a reality.

"Well, well, this is going to be a problem, isn't it? *Sigh* If someone sliced that braggart Kasuragi's throat maybe we wouldn't even have to prepare to this siege. Only a few coins to the right courtesan and he'd be bleeding like a pig."

Sumi was still grumpy over being what she considered grossly misplaced, however she kept most of her griping to herself. There was no call for it and if the wrong person heard then word could eventually get to whoever was actually responsible and things would not go well.

Today: Tsuruchi Sumi rolled 23 using 4d10, keeping the 2 highest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of (10+4)14,5,9,6. Strength/Athletics for barricade work.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:20, Tue 07 Dec 2010.

Tactical Combat wasn't really Kenshin's forte'. Oh, he was a pretty good swordsman one-on-one, but he was not trained for the "thrill" of the battlefield. Still, the Bushi must perform their duty to the best of their ability. How did that go?

"There is no failure -- only success or death."

Of course it didn't help that he was being "kept out of the loop" by both sides. To the Crane he was just another Scorpion; to the Scorpion he was Junshin -- "not of the Blood". He had no idea that there was gunpowder in some of the walls, and even less of an idea that there might be Tactical Weaknesses for the Lion to exploit.

Nor did he really care.

Kenshin never really thought about dying of old age. For a duelist -- and a Scorpion one at that -- death would almost certainly be by the sword. But he would never complain. So long as it was an Honorable death -- an Honorable death that would serve their Lady and their Clan he would be happy to do so. Still, something needed doing so he pitched in how feebly he could.

Death could wait.

[ Athletics: 9; Battle: 13.
20:58, Today: Bayushi Kenshin rolled 9 using 2d10 with rolls of 2,7. Str/Athletics (unskilled).
20:58, Today: Bayushi Kenshin rolled 13 using 3d10, dropping the lowest dice only, rerolling max with rolls of 4,3,9. Per/Battle.]

Sakura was thinking about death as well, but it was not her own death that was on her mind. She had been thinking for some time about what she could do ... what she could do and what she should do. Her skills as an assassin could come in handy, but she shouldn't risk exposure. There was some question of how her Yojimbo would react and, frankly, the troops that had arrived would probably be better at it anyway.

What of escape?

There was probably no need. Shugenja were traditionally captured rather than killed since they were too valuable to simply execute without a very good cause -- even the most arrogant Lion Bushi would do so as a matter of honor. The only thing left, then was Morale.

For the moment, at any rate.

"Come now!" she said, doing her best to rally the troops stationed where she was, "To the task! Let's give the Lion something to recall to their Ancestors when they meet them!"

Then Sakura began to sing. It was a rousing melody, a battle him actually. Glory in victory. Glory in survival. Glory in death. Glory in battle. Let them all remember what they fought for ... and why they were here.

[Athletics (unskilled): 11. Did not roll Battle as it's impossible (unskilled) for her to make the TN. Storytelling: Not sure which bonuses/advantages apply, or what it will do, so I didn't roll Storytelling (Oratory) yet.

21:06, Today: Daidoji Sakura rolled 11 using 2d10 with rolls of 2,9. Strength/Athletics (unskilled).]

Daidoji Sakura, Tsuruchi Sumi, and Bayushi Kenshin put their backs into putting the barricade into place and manage to complete a significant portion of it.

Daidoji Sakura's call to action does not go unanswered, as several unskilled laborers rise to the task.  [Private to Daidoji Sakura: roll Awareness/Storytelling (oratory), TN 10, for every raise you you get one more person to help with the barricade (1k1 die to the str/athletics roll)]

Unfortunately, a few Lion ashigaru have discovered the weakness in the Crane defense and are rapidly approaching.

OOC:
Barracade: 43/150
if you don't have athletics, you can just roll it as a strength feat (dice explode), didn't make a difference on this round, just letting you know

you have 1 more round before you'll have to roll initiative
you can still continue working on the barracade during combat
standing on the barracade gives you Higher Ground

PM[Private to Shosuro Kagehisa: As you watch, the Lion cavalry separates itself from the main body of the army, and begins to dismount and rearm--presumably because cavalry will be less useful within the confines of the city.  The separated cavalry is within reach of the Scorpion forces.

OOC:  btw, Doji Kasuragi is the governor of Toshi Ranbo]

Sumi hurried on with the work of getting the barricade up while also getting her bow ready for use.

Tsuruchi Sumi rolled 18 using 4d10 on Strength/Athletics for barricade.

PM[Private to GM:

Kagehisa grins as he sees the unmounting cavalry. Such an opportunity would not go to waste, he thinks. He gives a silent wave to his troops as they silently approach the Lion cavalry.

"Why why, seems like our friends are lost. Mayhaps we should direct them to their deaths?"

OOC: You rolled 36 using 7d10+3, rerolling max ((3,7,7,5,1,4,6)).]

Sakura kept up her speech, making sure that the laborers knew who they were laboring for, that the Crane Ancestors were watching everything. Her clear voice echoed, finding resonance with a few laborers.

[Private to GM: With her Voice advantage she makes it, though barely. Added three laborers to the STR roll. Dice roller isn't liking me.

13:28, Today: Daidoji Sakura rolled 28 using 5d10, rerolling max with rolls of 1,7,8,3,9. Str/Athletics.
13:25, Today: Daidoji Sakura rolled 23 using 5d10, rerolling max with rolls of 3,3,2,8,7. Awareness/Storytelling (three raises).]

"Please continue" Kenshin said to the assembled, "I'll take care of the Ashigaru."

Ashigaru. They were not Samurai, so they could not be challenged to an honorable duel. That mean that he would have to take care of this the old-fashioned way -- or die trying.

"There is no Failure, only Success or Death."

Kenshin climbed to the top of the barricade and assumed his stance. He was quite aware of the spectacle that he made of himself -- a lone Scorpion Samurai standing on the Barricade, his mask Gleaming with the word "Honor". If they did not know him then they would most likely assume it was a trap.

"Where are your Samurai?" he shouted to the approaching Ashigaru. Let the Ashigaru imply the reason for the question. Let them stop and engage in conversation, or charge with rage and engage in battle; it mattered not.

[Hoping I can stall them a round or two; if not, I hope to at least alter their tactics a bit.]

Kenshin's words serve only as a goad to the Lion ashigaru who hope to prove their worth to their ancestors.  With a wordless shout they charge the lone samurai standing upon the rapidly rising barricade.

89/150 Barracade
Roll initiative and post actions

Lion Initiative:  10
Lion TNtbH:  15 (13 if you are standing on the barricade)

[Private to Shosuro Kagehisa: The Lion cavalry is taken completely by surprise by the sudden descent of Scorpion forces upon their undefended flanks.

Roll initiative, and, if you wish to attack from concealment, roll Reflexes/Stealth]

Private text!

[Private to GM: Kagehisa points both his Wakizashi and his Ninja-to to the Lion cavalry, a devilish smile rising on his face.

"Leave no survivors."

OOC:
18:11, Today: Shosuro Kagehisa rolled 46 using 6d10, rerolling max with rolls of 9,(10+3)13,4,8,9,3. Initiative.
18:04, Today: Shosuro Kagehisa rolled 44 using 6d10, rerolling max with rolls of 6,9,6,9,5,9. Ref+Stealth.]

Bayushi Kenshin waited until the last possible moment, unsheathing his blades as the two approached the barrier, looking for the perfect strike. The strike was not picture-perfect, but it was probably sufficient biting into both of his opponents at the same time.

It would probably not kill either of them, but it would be sufficient.

[Init 69. Hit both; 1 uncalled raise on the first and 3 on the second. 17 Damage to the first; 23 on the second.]

[Private to Kaze no Kage:
11:05, Today: Secret Roll: Bayushi Kenshin rolled 23 using 7d10, dropping the 4 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 9,4,6,3,6,8,2. Damage 2 (3 raises, non-called).
11:04, Today: Secret Roll: Bayushi Kenshin rolled 17 using 6d10, dropping the 4 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 2,9,8,4,4,3. Damage 1 (1 raise, non-called).
11:03, Today: Secret Roll: Bayushi Kenshin rolled 65 using 10d10, dropping the 4 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 5,9,2,(10+3)13,(10+3)13,5,9,(10+6)16,3,4. First Strikex 2(use free raise;call 3).
11:02, Today: Secret Roll: Bayushi Kenshin rolled 43 using 10d10, dropping the 4 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 2,4,4,6,8,9,2,7,6,7. First Strikex 2(use free raise;call 3).
10:59, Today: Bayushi Kenshin rolled 69 using 8d10+20, dropping the 4 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 7,2,(10+3)13,1,(10+4)14,(10+5)15,4,3. Initiative.]

PM
[Private to Kaze no Kage: better; 50 on the first & 42 on the second. That should do some damage.

18:20, Today: Secret Roll: Bayushi Kenshin rolled 42 using 9d10, dropping the 3 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 6,2,9,6,8,4,4,8,5. Reroll 2, 8 total raises.
18:19, Today: Secret Roll: Bayushi Kenshin rolled 50 using 8d10, dropping the 3 lowest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of (10+10+5)25,(10+2)12,4,4,1,3,4,5. Reroll damage 1 (6 raises, one nocalled). ]

Sakura continued shouting encouragement while working on the barricade. The Jun Shin would be able to take care of the Lion.

[09:50, Today: Daidoji Sakura rolled 23 using 5d10, rerolling max with rolls of 9,4,3,4,3. Building Barricade. ]

The sudden explosion of movement from Bayushi Kenshin takes everyone by surprise.  While the cut appears less than perfect from the point of view of the honorable Scorpion Bushi, from the point of view of the watching samurai nothing could be more so.  From the point of view of the ashigaru, nothing.

125/150 Barracade
Both ashigaru out
[Private to Shosuro Kagehisa: you are completely undetected and act before your target; post actions and roll attack and damage]

Secret.

[Private to GM: Like a tiger leaping upon its prey, Kagehisa quickly jumps on the Lion cavalryman with the best-looking armor. Killing their leader would make this ambush a greater success than expected.

04:25, Today: Secret Roll: Shosuro Kagehisa rolled 14 using 5d10, keeping the 2 highest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of 1,5,6,6,8. Damage Wakizashi.
04:24, Today: Secret Roll: Shosuro Kagehisa rolled 22 using 5d10, keeping the 2 highest rolls, rerolling max with rolls of (10+6)16,4,6,6,3. Damage Ninja-to. 04:17, Today: Secret Roll: Shosuro Kagehisa rolled 29 using 7d10, rerolling max with rolls of 4,1,4,4,4,3,9. Wakizashi.
04:17, Today: Secret Roll: Shosuro Kagehisa rolled 34 using 7d10, rerolling max with rolls of 5,7,6,8,1,1,6. Ninja-to. ]

Kenshin flicked the blood off his Katana before he resheated it. Staring down at the Ashigaru for only a moment, Kenshin returned to his place on top of the barricade.

"More will be coming soon" he said by way of explanation, "Lion never travel in pairs ... only Prides."

Once again he became aware of the contrast as the Scorpion Mask of Honor glittered in the sun.