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"There likely is no sword, Hoshi-san.  It sounds like the library, or perhaps this Seppun, has attracted the attention of a trickster spirit.  I'd suspect a Tanuki."  Akio eyed the Seppun for a moment, seeing if that bit of information sunk in.  "They like to imitate both inanimate objects and people.  Likely a powerful one if it can imitate a Naga or a ghost."  There was another option - that it *was* a Naga who the shugenja had seen, but Akio din't want to go that far yet.

A glance toward the Otomo in the room - particularly Zenzen and Sakura, "I could help, if you wish.  I would guess somewhere in this library is a prayer for sensing spirits?  It might be best to commune with the creature.  Perhaps wants something - or simply desires to be prophetic.

It was something of a segue from the discussion of Nabiki, but that was a topic that Akio wasn't sure if he was ready to approach.  It was a touchy subject - knowledge of the woman contradicting some prior Imperial's revisionist history.

 Seppun Zenzen grinned and turned to Sakura.

"You see, Sakura-Chan! That is how the reports of juniors are supposed to be treated in the Imperial Families! Within minutes, they have a plausible explanation and a way to seek out the truth of the matter. No aspersions, just seeing to the safety of the Son of Heaven and Otomo-Dono!"

He looked at the others, still beaming -- although the particularly observant [Perception/Notice: TN: 25] would notice that he stayed focused for perhaps an extra heartbeat on three of the present Samurai: Kitsu Akio, little Yuki, and ... Kitsune Sorano?

"Seppun Sakura-Chan" he continued with an overly formal (and somewhat humorous) tone, "inform the Elders that, by the orders of the Emperor, I am escorting the Lady of the Otomo and her team to the ancient libraries. And, uh, don't hurry about it."

"But I do expect your report before they get here."

Sakura bowed and hurried (though not too quickly!) away while Zenzen continued leading the party. "I wouldn't worry too much, Kitsu-San."

He led the way into what appeared to be an old study chamber, used by the elders of the Shugenja School, and after sliding the door he drew a metal smoking pipe out of his jacket. He lit it up before pulling up a couple of the mats, revealing a secret tunnel. The tunnel was not well used, with only a couple sets of footprints going down it. As he led the way, his form was replaced with that of an oversized, humanoid pot-bellied badger.

Zenzen was a Tanuki.

"I've been with the Imperial Family for quite some time, Kitsu-San. And they are getting ... complacent, I'm afraid. So I had to shake things up a bit. Well, that and train Sakura-Chan."

"You will understand when I ask that you keep this a secret."

Sorano waited patiently as the Akio unwound his explanation, all the while watching the Imperial shugenja.  It was fortunate to have the Lion around; his skill at explaining things to the unfamiliar was very useful.

She did naught but raise an eyebrow as Zenzen glanced her way, waiting politely for him to finish his lesson.

The Fox's eyes gleamed in the dim light of the tunnel; she seemed unperturbed as the form of the man leading them gave way to Tanuki.  Stranger things were known to happen.



"One can see the reasoning behind that.  How did you come to know the Ki-Rin were returning?"

"A white nine-tail told me" Zenzen replied casually.

Rina had been listening carefully the entire time, but finally spoke up. "Perhaps I should tell the Emperor you are impersonating one of his cousins?" she asked warily. Zenzen chuckled.

"Just tell him 'Zenzen said thanks for the gift'. I think the response will be sufficient."

Hoshi, though young, relatively, is a well trained and disciplined bushi.  She is quite willing to go down the passage ahead of her lord, or behind, or to whichever side there may be danger.  Yet, here she does not presume to do more than bring up the rear;perhaps seeing who might be spying in on them -- Not that a secret passage is much use as a secret if the Otomo librarians are in the habit of revealing it to guests.

  So, Hoshi is perhaps then doubly over the last person in the cadre to know Zenzen's nature (except for maybe Yuki).  She is at least calm, unflinching, without a sign of going for her sword when the revelation comes.  A glance toward her sister seems to interest her much more.

  Or she is checks that her spiritual half is at ease with the creature as well.

Urako and Hoshi shared a moment, like so many times before. Like her sister, she was reasonably comfortable with this creature ... who was, apparently, impersonating an Imperial Shugenja. But, even so ...

"My sister and I would like to know why you have chosen to take non-Imperials into this obviously well hidden, secret area?"

Little Yuki was filled with wonder, looking at the entire area and paying more attention to the stone walls and carefully crafted steps than she was the strange creature before her.

[OOC: Hmmm, new concept: Future Reference Rolls:

I would like to get two or three Perception/Investigation and Awareness/Investigation rolls from you. For future reference. So I don't give anything away when I ask for rolls ... ]

Akio shuddered as a vision of how this situation would be received in the Kitsu libraries passed through his thoughts.

But he wasn't in the Kitsu libraries, so he cautiously eyed the other Imperials - Hoshi, Urako, Rina.  He tried to recall just how his sensei would have told him to react in this situation, and he settled on to do his best to ignore it.  It was like being invited to someone's house for tea and having someone's elderly grandmother ramble incoherently -- you tried to pretend it was normal.

The Kitsu soden-senzo wasn't experienced in meeting with Tanuki - or other non-human spirits, for that matter - so he decided to simply trust the badger-spirit.

"Just how long have you been with the Imperial family, Tanuki-san?"  Because one doesn't know unless they ask.

"Well" the Tanuki began, "A certain Scorpion has been snooping around in the Void. I figured if he knew, It'd be best it not be a Secret from Otomo Rina-Hime. Not to mention that both Kitsune Sorano-San and Kitsu Akio have ... reputations for dealing with what's down here."

He didn't mention the two Scorpion present -- or the Kitsu Daimyo. But ... the more the merrier?

He delayed answering Akio's question for just a little bit before finally answering. "I can't really say. It's been so long, though ... I must have had more than a dozen identities by now..."
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:12, Fri 03 Aug 2018.

The Tanuki's explanation is not even half satisfying.  Knowledge of this will be preserved by these clans. Surely their minister of some form of skullduggery or another, who might typically be called 'chamberlain' will take a detailed report.

  Or, there are ways that the secret could be preserved, but they are almost unthinkable to Hoshi.  Such a method will also invite inconvenient questions.  Certainly the ways are not the wish of her lord.

  More annoyingly, the decisions to reveal this things--and this is the vexing part--has been made without involving the Otomo Daimyo, or any Otomo leader at all, as far as Hoshi can reason.  But, it has been done, and so they will have to cope now.

  One of Zenzen's admissions does catch Hoshi's attention.  It is worrying.  "We wish to know what is that that is down here."

That the Tanuki seemed eager and reference Sorano and Akio by name gave him some leverage of his own.  Whatever was down below was obviously a problem that Zenzen needed solved - perhaps the ancient spirit would be willing to exchange favors.

After a brief glance at Sorano, and then another glance to judge the size of the entry and consider if he could, actually fit, Akio finally added to Hoshi's statement.

"Zenzen-san, I too, wish to know what's down there.  And you might as well finish what you started back there as we descend.  You know... the Tale of Nabiki."

Zen zen stops and turns around. He has a confused look on his face as he scans the party, stopping on each person in the party just moment -- and an odd spot by the wall . Both Urako and Yuki wince as he looks at the blank spot.

He shrugs as he turns and comments wearily "I may have been somewhat mislead. I was under the impression that you already knew what was down here."

"This passage goes nowhere else, so knowing of it tells you very little. By the way, you might want to take a closer look at the magic down here. The entire place is protected magically ..."

After a moment he comes to the bottom, which appears to be yet another wall -- which opens, or perhaps "fades from existence" would be more accurate showing a very old room with three items present: An ancient set of armor; an ancient sword, presumably identical to the one Zenzen had been imitating; and a scroll ... that looks incredibly familiar.

Urako, meanwhile had been looking around and her eyes scrunched up a bit ...

[OOC: Before Urako does so, you may all make Awareness/Spellcraft rolls to determine something about the magic on: the room/passage; the armor; the sword; and/or the scroll. One per, should you choose to do so.

Appropriate Lore skills (i.e Magic Items, engineering, ...) are at TN 60.]

Sorano watched the other samurai with the same curiosity she showed the Tanuki.  The badger spirits were rare, but not unheard of... for one who dealt with such matters.  The reactions when those who were not so well acclimated always proved informative.

With the Otomo and Lion taking charge, she saw no reason to upset the conversation.  It was, after all, far easier to catch a fish in undisturbed waters.  When Akio sought her approval, she acceded; he knew his way around spirits well enough.

As they came to the end of their journey, other matters demanded her attention than the petty niceties of small talk.

[OOC:
45 Awareness/Spellcraft (the scroll)
53 Awareness/Spellcraft (the sword)
76 Awareness/Spellcraft (the armor)
63 Awareness/Spellcraft (the room/passage)]

Though confident in his knowledge, Akio cast a defferential eye toward Sorano.  Though he had his own passion for nemuranai his skill tended more toward research.  He'd learned to trust the instinct of the lithe mystic almost as much.

He kept an eye on the Fox while she pondered, but still hedged by asking permission of the Otomo daimyo.

"Otomo-dono, would you mind if I sought the aid of the kami?  Sometimes it helps to listen."  He wasn't entirely sure if Otomo Rina would understand, the Kitsu was looking for permission to see knowledge from the kami but didn't want to break some Otomo trust.  He hoped if Rina didn't understand that that Urako would jump in to translate.

A slight glance toward Zenzen, "Unless you'd prefer to tell us what we're looking at?"


[OOC:
34 Awareness/Spellcraft (the scroll)
36 Awareness/Spellcraft (the sword)
30 Awareness/Spellcraft (the armor)
65 Awareness/Spellcraft (the room/passage)]

Urako looked around, trying to absorb everything ... trying to figure out ... something. Little Yuki stayed close, but was also staring at everything, her eyes wide and her mouth slack-jawed.

"I haven't seen anything like this mentioned in the Phoenix libraries" she finally said.

Zenzen looked to that blank spot by the wall before finally saying "Apparently my source of information has not been as reliable as I was led to believe."

Otomo Rina looked to Urako before granting her blessing for the spell.

"Your source of information brought us here to meet you... and discover ourselves.  She seems to be more of the 'show' not 'tell' type."  Akio didn't bother to look at the blank spot on the wall.  Seppun had guided them here for a reason... she could have probably just told them, but preferred to let the information unfold.

It crossed his mind that this might be some sort of test - Seppun judging their worthiness and that there might be some penalty for failure.  The thought drifted away, however, as Akio's Lion pragmatism pushed him past worrying about it and focus on the task in front of him.

With the blessing, the Kitsu dropped his hand to his scroll case, fingers deftly finding what they needed.  As he laid it out in front of himself to prepare his prayer he addressed Urako's statement.  "No, nor I in my own studies.  Though perhaps a visit to a certain Phoenix shrine might still be in order."

He began focusing and chanting, welcoming the wisdom of the kami into his mind.  The prayer was relatively brief, and his gaze kept drifting to Sorano - almost as if for strength.  Air, she'd know, was Akio a particularly challenging element for Akio and could often give even the relatively expert shugenja fits.  This time, however, it did not.

Casting/Wisdom of the Kami (w/Void): 43

As his brain struggled to sort out the ramblings of the kami, Akio approached the items, kneeling in front of each for a moment before moving on to the next: sword first, then armor, then the scroll.

Lore: History (Nemuranai) Sword - 52
Lore: History (Nemuranai) Armor - 52
Lore: History (Nemuranai) Scroll - 75


A grimace for the sword, and something similar for the armor.  Finally the scroll brought a smile to Akio's now tired face.  He risked picking it up.

Hoshi's knowledge is not perhaps the most suited here, as she quickly finds while examining the objects from her station near the Otomo Rina. It might be easy to relax and leave matters entirely to the others, particularly her sister, but Hoshi is trained as a member of the Imperial watch.  She does not lapse.

  Magic around her lord is a risky business.  And, though Hoshi might seem upright and unengaged, she is as a good guard should be: unobtrusive.  Akio is free to entreat the kami, right up until any sign of suspicious play, when Hoshi might cause a need to answer some difficult questions to the Lion.

All of my rolls were 20 points under 60.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:46, Sat 11 Aug 2018.

The Tanuki looked up the stairway and nodded. "They're here. The rest of our conversation will have to wait until later." He then transformed himself into the same Imperial -- Seppun Zenzen -- that they saw.

Akio picked up the scroll, and it began to unravel itself as the small group of newcomers arrived.

"Zenzen!" the elder of the newcomers said. "What have you ...?!?"

It was then that the scroll began to speak and an image, one easily recognizable as Lady Seppun to anyone who had seen her, appeared over the scroll. "This is an authentic copy of the Tales of Nabiki, Daughter of Seppun, heir." She stopped, though whether she was complete or just halted was a good question. She looked at the assembled briefly, but then looked at Zenzen, Rina, and finally ... Hoshi?

"She is not ready." she said to Hoshi. "Return her to me when she is properly prepared."

Then she disappeared, and the scroll rerolled itself.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:02, Fri 17 Aug 2018.

OOC: I don't know if its really necessary, but just so I don't slow anything down and since it was left ambiguous ^_^: Lore:Heraldry (newcomers): 35.

The Kitsu's attention first drifted to the newcomers, eying them for a moment.  This not being a public byway Akio assumed they were Otomo but his eyes sought verification anyway.

It would be a momentary distraction, he assumed and gave his next glance toward Sorano.  It was a look she would recognize well enough, a request for her opinion a concession that she might be better suited to identify the items.  When working alone her skill and knowledge made her an equal (if not more), but in the complex social context of court (or this packed room with daimyo, Otomo, Great and Minor clans) the context could be taken as a status superior delegating.

His grasp had tightened around the scroll, not crushing it but not willing to give it up.  Akio knew who he'd need to talk to about it.

Lips sealed his eyes finally drifted to Rina and Hoshi, wondering exactly how they'd handle the situation.

Hoshi spends much more time than usual with those who speak to the Kami, but she does not spend time with the kami themselves.  And so, the visage that appears is unfamiliar to her.  With a glance to her sister, she determines what attitude she should have, which is polite.  This is the soul of someone important, if not one of Zenzen's tricks.

  The closed nature of the passage leaves Hoshi feeling trapped, even though the foot steps at the aperture are undoubtedly not a threat. So, she forces herself to attend to the apparition.  "I will endevour," she replies.  Yet, who is not ready?  Urako: unthinkable; they have just met the Emperor himself; how can Urako be not ready for anything? Rina then, or perhaps their young ward.

  It is something Urako will have to clarify later.

With Akio's sign, Sorano opened her scroll case.  Glancing to the Otomo for permission, she selected a page and held it outward, leaving the others to ponder the newcomers.(OOC: assuming they give it)

Her prayers were brief and melodic; an invisible breeze stirring her robes and loose-kept hair.  Though the Air kami could be fickle, her expertise was plainly apparent.

Casting Wisdom of the Kami (w/Void): 62

Returning the scroll to her case, she selected another and began her chant anew.  The new chant proved discordant, and she returned the scroll to its case with a frown.

Casting Drawing the Void: 23 (fail)

Her prayers completed, she stepped forward and meditated briefly on the mysterious relics.

Lore: History (Nemuranai) Sword- 62
Lore: History (Nemuranai) Armor- 32
Lore: History (Nemuranai) Scroll- 55

Her eyes widened at the sword, though she stared in puzzlement at the armor and scroll.  Her task complete, she approached the blade reverently.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:47, Fri 17 Aug 2018.