We're a gun using Gaijin.

We are...

The Man With No Name.

Six seconds until death.

Warrior
From: Huntress
Name: Lincoln Osis
Clan: Smoke Jaguar

Tsi smith or Tsuruchi bounty hunter.
True ronin or bushi specializing in bows if tsuruchi. Or a Ronin with a Das tsuchi/ono/something smashy if Tsi.

>>9116224
What?

>Allowed Choices

Like the Gamemaster has any say in what play. I hate games like this. Lets put the player in a nice little box. Ugh. No thanks.

>>9116254
Go true Ronin and ass fuck the plot.

>>9116254
The allowed choices is nearly everything in L5R. It mostly there to establish which Minor Clans exist at this time.

A story in the clear blue sky,
We are a Sparrow Samurai.

>>9116224
I am Khan Marthe Pryde, of the Jad Falcon Clan, and this is my Batchall to you, Osis of the Jaguars!

We are an archer from the Sparrow clan. How's that work?

>>9116308
>>9116284
>>9116235
We have votes for True Ronin, Tsi Ronin, Wasp, and Sparrow.

Any other voices?

>>9116374

I say we go Wasp on that pseudo-ronin pilgrimage thing. I forget the name.

>>9116374
I have given my voice, my single vote,
A Sparrow Bushi, says I, with a violent note!

>>9116374
Crab Bushi.

Wasp. So we can abuse english and shoot people that ask us to bow.

>>9116315

>Jad Falcon Clan

White men can't jump and creche-freaks CAN'T SPELL

Here's my batchtall- my swinging cock is contesting for all your hot bitches. What's your bid, hobag?

>>9116410

I'd go True Ronin, but this guy that randomly Sparrow Raps nearly convinced me.

Who are the Sparrow clan, and why should I like them over all others?

>>9116397
Musha Shugyo is the warrior pilgrimage. For all purposes you count as Ronin until you complete your pilgrimage.

>>9116463
The Sparrow are an awesome offshoot of the Crane. They live in humble poverty as guardians of the most fertile and sacred land in Rokugan, the Golden Sun Plains. They are renowned as storytellers and are welcomed in most courts.

>>9116288
>>9116284
With all due respect I had a player who wanted to play a ratling Unicorn samurai. You know what? I let him. It was one of the most fun games we ever had.

>>9116463
>Who are the Sparrow Clan?

I'd tell you the story of my people, friend,
But I shall not derail for a simple trend.

>>9116558
>>9116494

Then I'll vote for a Sparrow Clan member. We can always go FUCK IT and go ronin later, if we really want to.

Besides, I want to be able to say, "Let me tell you the story of my people" and then FLIP OUT and kill every motherfucker in the room.

Spider clan.

>>9116585
Well you'll be saying that at the beginning and end of every sentence..So that should happen a lot.

>>9116635
Why paint the Sparrow in such an unbecoming light?
I'll admit, 'tis true our bark far outpaces our bite,
But such generalizations are still grounds for a fight.

>>9116628
Sorry, the Spider clan does not yet exist, its founder is but a small child.

Current votes
Sparrow 2
Wasp 2
True Ronin 1
Tsi 1
Crab 1

I chose TIGER

I'm changing my vote from Crab to Sparrow then. Not a Wasp fan...

>>9116713

>implying that "Let me tell you the story of my people" followed by righteous asskickings is not going to be the ONLY thing we ever, ever say.

I choose something different. I choose... RAPTURE

Real Men play Scorpion

Scorpion clan.

>>9116798
To tell the tale of our people would be sublime;
Alas, I do not think we'd have the time.
Of course, we could try and tell it anyway;
We shall battle and sing throughout the day!

>>9116796

I voted for Wasp, but now I'd just like to see this thing get started.

How about we all just settle for Sparrow (that's right, I said SETTLE for), and start the thread for real?

Voting for Sparrow Clan, simply because they're already related to the Crane and we can be Rokugan's first Skald.

>>9116864
Yea, I suggested a couple others but I think the sparrow wins it.
Especially with a rhyming sparrow bushi, instant awesome.

Sparrow Clan it is. You were born from the Suzume family. Your mother hailed from the Wasp family. You are the result of a political marriage that went well. Your parents respect each other and you are given every opportunity your family could provide.

Where did you train? Was it at your family's dojo, amongst your cousins in the Wasp clan, or somewhere else entirely?

>>9116953
Amongst the Sparrow were we did we train,
With skills and feats learned from the Crane.

>>9116953
So as Sparrow we train in bows too? I wonder if we should just do that because holyfuckmeleehorrible.

Or maybe something else..? Like scorpion? And just pull the backstab? Pic related.

>>9117025
If I was not clear, I apologize for lack of clarity;
We trained in the family's dojo, for simplicity.

>>9117083
Sparrows are off-shoots of the Crane, who are pretty awesome (at least fluff-wise) at dueling and stuff. While it might be a good idea to get into melee, simply due to Rokugan's deadliness when it comes to combat, we'd probably be able to hold our own in melee if it came down to it.

>>9117095
Fair enough, if we're an offshoot family it makes more sense anyway.

>>9117025
Amongst your family you have trained. You have been taught the ways of the pen and the sword. From your mother you inherited a keen eye and often pick up on things others do not.

Your family's situation appears dire. The Lion have been stymied in their attacks on the Crane. They now look towards the Scorpion to sate their bloodlust. Unfortunately your Clan's lands lie inbetween the Lion and Scorpion. It is your sacred duty to protect the sanctity of the Golden Sun Plains.

You have been sent forth to stop the two great clans from clashing on your lands. What shall you do?

>>9116953
Phoenix Void Shugenja, all the way.

>>9117159
>thiswillnotendwell.jpeg

>>9117159
Your have:
Your Grandfather's Daisho
A footman's bow
20 standard arrows
5 bu (silver coins)
Traveling Papers (Good to for travel to Kyuden Akodo, Kyuden Bayushi, Kyuden Asahinabachi, and Otosan Uchi)
A fine writing set
Average Quality Traveling and Courtly clothes.

>>9117159

Establish allowed routes of progress over your lands for the Lion Clan, along which their armies and supply trains may march unmolested.

Their adherence to this agreement will be enforced by their line of supply being completely and totally within our grasp.

If they don't like it, then bluntly state that the Sparrow Clan will ally with the Scorpion and unleash a can of whup-ass that will bleed the Lion Clan dry, and won't the Cranes get a chuckle out of THAT.

>>9117159
We are the Sparrow, fearless and bold!
We will parley, and soothe these enemies of old;
The blood of the Scorpion must not be spilled,
Nor can we let the bloodthirsty Lions be killed.

>>9117299
Technically we'd also get Imperial backing, because lord knows what they'd do if Golden Sun Plains was attacked.

>>9117289

Hmm, this seems to indicate we're going about it wrong. We should start with the actual journey to somebody's capital, right? Is there some kind of meeting or arbitration in progress?

>>9117159
Guess we should go to whichever clan is closer, create the opportunity to make a petition in court and what he said.
>>9117299

>>9117345

>Golden Suns plain

I know jack shit about L5r. Does our clan own the breadbasket of Japan?

>>9117345
Either that or we'd get blamed for letting the attack happen in the first place and end up disgraced in the eyes of the Empire...

>>9117370
Technically, we're the stewards of the Imperial Breadbasket. We live on land above the plains, and are charged with defending them, but we don't own them/don't go down there.

>>9117373

If we're worried about that, then we can just go ahead and cut their supply lines anyways.

>>9117373
Well there is that. But dammit, we're the Sparrow; what fun is life if you don't take a little risk?

>>9117391

>Stewards

So agarian land is important/rare enough that it's under the control of the Imperial government, which further implies that nobody is too keen on damaging it because they like not starving. Interesting. That removes the "plunder and local supply" option from the Lion clan's arsenal, which means they'll have to have looooong supply lines across our territory.

.... these guys are fucking stupid.

>>9117399
I'm thinking we could halt the conflict by stopping the lions supplies, but if we did, the scorpion would murder them and then the lion would petition everyone with an ear for our heads. Being a minor clan the wrath of a greater clan focused on us would probably spell the end..
>>9117441
Unless they just claim all our shit and butcher our families...

>>9117441
Nobody ever credited the Lion Clan with an excessive amount of tactical intellect; they're a huge beatstick, not a fine weapon :p

>>9117351
Currently the Lion are under political siege from Crane over an attack on the city of Toshi Rambo. The Scorpion took advantage of the Lion's distraction and sabotaging several Lion Castles in the Mountains overlooking Scorpion lands.

The Lion wish to use the passes on their border with the Fox, Wasp, and Sparrow Minor Clans and strike at the Scorpion's underbelly. They sent messengers to the Minor Clans involved telling them had two choices, allow the Lion through their lands, or be crushed.

Imperial Law is technically on your side, but the Lion do not care at this point.

>>9117500
Some clear objectives I'm seeing:
-Cut off the Lion supply lines
-Keep the Scorpions from taking out the hamstrung Lions
-Keep both sides from fucking us up
-LET ME TELL YOU THE STORY OF MY PEOPLE

>>9117441
The Golden Sun Plains are sacrosanct. They are among the most fertile lands in the Empire. But the Emperor has decreed that they are to be left untamed as a sacrifice to the fortunes. The Sparrow have been entrusted to their care. They must feed themselves on the rocky hills above the Golden Sun Plain and let their potential wealth be unspoiled.

>>9117500

Yeah, and everybody'd be willing to hop to and do the Lion clan-

OH WAIT they lost an entire army AND a few supply trains, and the Crane is pretty pissed off about the whole "war" thing and is breathing down their neck.

Yeah, fuck the Lion. And besides, the Scorpion would have reason to like us after that.

My vote- we journey to the court of the Scorpion to negotiate with them first and make our offers, and lay out our strategy. I'm counting on Scorpion pride to make them want to meet the Lion head-on. The issue of long supply lines and limited advancement rounds will make a Lion conquest unlikely even without treachery on our part, so the Scorpion shouldn't be to worried about butting heads.

>>9117527
Tell the Scorpion exactly what the Lion has planned.

Also tell the Crane. And the Unicorn, who would love to take the place of the Lion as the primary military of the Emperor.

On a completely different note, Mantis not being a Great Clan due to timeframe makes me sad.

>>9117572
Isn't that actually as punishment for some sort of past fuckup by the Sparrow?

>>9117572

... well the Emparah is... yeah. Well. Anyway. That makes things more complex, since the Lion might be able to opt for "loot your shit, fuck supply lines."

In which case we could still just allow the Scorpion's armies access to our lands to engage them there, and they'd be willing, since they wouldn't want THEIR land to be looted and pillaged by the Lion. Soviet border-state, natch.

>>9117594
>Mantis not being a Great Clan due to timeframe makes me sad.

I chose the timeframe I did because it puts everything before the metaplot fucks it up.

Also for those that do not know your papers give you the right to travel to Kyuden Akodo (Lion Capital), Kyuden Bayushi (Scorpion Castle), Kyuden Asahinabachi (Wasp Capital), and Otosan Uchi (Imperial Capital). Due to the separation of these locales you have pretty much free run of Central Rokugan, about the only places you might run into trouble are Crab and Unicorn Lands.

>>9117527
The drums of war and winds of change blow,
And only the gods know what trouble this discord will sow.
The path is shrouded, the empire waits with bated breath;
Shall we rise above, or will this conflict be our death?

I say we rise, rise and stand!
The Sparrow will not accept this insult out of hand!

I agree with >>9117585 and >>9117594 ;
The Lion shall not pass to the Scorpion core.

>>9117626
I cannot tell the tale of our people at this moment;
Suffice to say, Suzume's fief was a political appointment.

>>9117689
This.
Should we also get a horse visit the wasp and secretly proposition them for aid in case a greater clan moves against us? Or maybe a minor crane family or something? Is that even possible?

>>9117689

you make this thread better btw.

>>9117686

My vote is, we hump it to the Scorpion Castle and make our petition.

>>9117626
Sparrow Clan's chief made a perceived off-color remark to head of the Crane Clan during peace negotiations with the Crab, Emperor settled it by granting Suzume Minor Clan status and giving him a token fief. Basically, what >>9117736 said.

>>9117686
Oh, I know, and for the most part I approve.

It's just that I'm of the opinion that one of the few genuinely good things the metaplot produced was the Mantis saying "well fuck your shit!" and bootstrapping their way up into Great Clan status.

>>9117770

I doubt we need tell the Crane anything. Once the Lion commits to another war, they might just take the oppertunity to hand out hot dickings all around.

>>9117626
Yes it was due to a misspoke word during delicate trade negotiations between the Crab and Crane. Doji Suzume's words embarrassed all involved and shamed them into submission. He was "rewarded" by the Emperor and his clan champion with the right to form the Sparrow clan and prove the worth of pious poverty.

>>9117689
>>9117585
>>9117770
>>9117775
You begin the trek to the Scorpion capital. After a few days travel you begin to see signs of the Scorpion Army, a few outriders and scouts. All accept your papers with a wry smile. One of the scouts tells you that the main force commander Bayushi Hiroshi is staying a nearby village he has converted to his main camp. The village is about a day out of your way.

>>9117872

I say we visit with him, and have a brief chat to the effect of "how to rape Lions." We'd all like to think that the Lion will play ball, here, but... nah. And I think we ALL want to take them down a peg.

>>9117872
I say we talk to the Force Commander. Hope he treats us as an equal instead of just going FUFUFUFUFUFU at the fact that we're wet behind the ears (in Bushi terms) <_<

Yes. Let us tell the experienced military commander how to plan a war and form strategy. I'm sure there is no possible way he could be insulted by this. Amateurs telling old hand professionals how to do their job is often a great show of respect and confidence in their abilities.

>>9117947

>implying we're instructing him in tactics

>implying we're not stopping by to discuss this with a seasoned commander specifically to get educated insight from somebody with better military intel

I don't want to show up at the Scorpion castle and dicker over strategery with a bunch of politicians who all too often don't know jack shit about warfare. This is the man we need to talk to, because either way he's the one going to be doing the fighting, dawg. This is the man to inform our co-operative strategy.

The rest, at the castle, that's salesmanship.

>>9117915

As for this, we ARE acting as the official emissary of our clan, and unlike many, we've been raised with military discipline, instead of being a career court personality, which he probably has little reason to like.

It's unlikely that he'll pay much heed to our strategic suggestions, but his reactions to our offers/plots are going to be more indicative of how effective they'll actually be then anything else. We're just offering him some blunt objects to help him do what he does best- fuck shit up.

>>9117912
>>9117915
You divert to Bayushi Hiroshi's camp. As you near the village you see a very large camp has been set up around it. Your keen eyes determine that the camp is not fully occupied, the Scorpion are trying to create an illusion of having a larger army present.

You are shown to a small dwelling where Bayushi Hiroshi has set up his command post. He looks up from his maps as you enter. "Ah Suzume-san, my scouts told me your were coming to visit. I am Bayushi Hiroshi. What did I do gain a visit from such an illustrious vistor?"

The faintest smile is barely visible under his silken mask.

>>9118067
>Suzume-san

...Holy shit. Are we the Clan head, or is it just a naming coincidence?

WHY THE FUCK DO SCORPIONS KEEP SMILING AT US? IT MAKES ME THINK THEY'RE GONNA FUCK US.

>>9118110
"Just as planned."

>>9118100
He has not been formally introduced to you. He addressing you by the only name he knows, your family name. He is being polite, nothing more.

That said, you never did decide on a name, what is your name young Sparrow?

>>9118067
Regale him with tales of our wonderful patch of land, and how little we'd like for the Lion to destroy it.

Make sure we spend at least an hour on our incredibly boring discussion of our lands. He insulted us, we're not idiots, he can have a taste of his own medicine. He might even respect us more for it.

>>9118067

*formal polite greeting,* "I was drawn by your reputation as a professional asskicker. Now, sir, down to brass tacks. The Lion clan intends to march through my clan's lands on their way to fight you. Naturally we'll have eyes in every tree and shrub, so it might be prudent to work out a communications system so you can have information on Lion clan supply, order-of-battle, morale, and exact location days before they get close to your own border.

This is, of course, assuming they accept our limited offer of safe passage, which would put their supply lines in our hands, which we could... lean on, to hasten a cease-fire after you've bloodied them a bit. You've been killing Lions since before my birth, of course, so I'll defer to your judgment here.

In short, how can the Sparrow help you fight your war?

>>9118110
(Between you and me, I agree. We are addressing the scorpion by the tail, and not the head. Grandiose promises from underlings -- no matter how poweful or revered among their own clan -- can be soon forgotten once the war is over. We may be giving Scorpion Clan just enough room to betray us without even so much as the loss what little honor they have. Still, we are committed. Best to do what we can here, then continue on to the Scorpion capitol at Kyuden Bayushi.)

>>9118149
>>9118149

My vote is for Tiberius McAwesome. Not terribly thematic, I suppose, but what the hell.

rolled 3, 2 = 5

>>9118171
You begin to tell your story...(the first dice+4d10 will tell us how impressed he is, if you fail to beat his roll you have annoyed the Commander)

>>9118194

Not like he has much authority to make promises anyways. I just want to hear how he plans to use his army, and how he sees us as being useful in those plans.

Or what he wants us to think and do, which is useful information as well. What they don't say, etc.

rolled 1, 9, 3, 9 = 22

>>9118221
Keep how many?

>>9118067
>>9118067
Bayushi-sama, I greet thee as well,
Though I fear I bring tidings most fell.
The Lion has reared its golden head,
Promising life for the willing and for others only dread.

I've come to warn you of this dire danger,
For our time is short, and the Lion are quick to anger.
They march through the lands of Wasp and Fox,
While in their path lie the lands of the Sparrow, our fief and our rocks.

>>9118149
Our name is Toranaga Suzume, oh gracious host,
At least, that is my vote for the vacant post.

>>9118149
Kureno. Suzume Kureno.

Suzume Suzume. Just to confuse the shit out of everybody.

So the Sparrow clan rules over rocky land, hmm? And... hills, too, I take it?

We wouldn't happen to field an archer-heavy force, do we?

>>9118293
Alas, it seems I forgot Rokugani naming convention;
I shall change the name to Suzume Toranaga with this intervention.

>>9118293
Good sir, I wish you lived near me and were in my L5R group. Moto Rola the martial artist would totally have your back.

>>9118370
In Moonland surname comes first.

>>9118361
The emphasis is probably a bit broader than the Crane's on Dueling, but we still pay homage to the Parent Clan; I'm guessing more of a broad-spectrum education, with occasional focus on dueling technique. I can see a Sparrow learning the principles of the Bow and Arrow and refining them as well.

>>9118259
bah, it was 4k2.

Hiroshi is taken to your tales and earnest manner (>>9118176).

He tells you that the main force from Kyuden Bayushi is already deployed over much of the border. The Scorpion intend to let the Lion penetrate their territory and then fall onto them from all sides. Unfortunately this will force the Lion to retreat into your lands.

"Perhaps another arrangement could be made if you were get permission from the Fox and the Wasp to allow us to use their territories to strike at the Lion. The Wasp are still upset with us due a little spat involving Tsuruchi and a few arrows at night. And the Fox have never been friendly with us, they prefer to ally themselves with the Crane."

You are now aware that the Book of Five Rings, which inspired this game, is about how honor and chivalry are lies meant for children, and that people should be considerate of their fellows.

>>9118416

Defense in depth- a good way to deal with a hard-charging reckless enemy.

Indicate our pleasure with the General's preference for a pre-emptive offense and indicate that we'll seek the diplomatic solutions needed to favor his strategy, both abroad and at the Scorpion castle.

Ask him if there is anything he would have us know to better enable our quest.

>>9118414

So the Sparrow clan has a combined-arms army? That's useful.

That's very useful.

(disclaimer- "army" being... yeah.)

>>9118416
Leave the Fox and Wasp to the Sparrow;
I am sure they will see that their options are narrow.
The Wasp will see reason or perish in the coming flood,
The Fox are friends of old, as in our veins courses Crane blood.

>>9118361
Don't even think of trying to take on a major clans army alone... Unless we make our version of Yoritomo's Alliance among the minor clans, we'd be screwed even if we won. Besides, we'd make the Lion eternal enemies until they got us back, especially if a Matsu led them (Lawl Kakita-Matsu rivalry). The last minor clan to get in the Lion's path in the storyline... Didn't end up so well.

>>9118416
In other words, an opportunity for us to replace the Mantis as leaders of a Grand Alliance of the Minor Clans.

Not what the Scorpion intended, but we'll take the opportunities when we get them.

Time to go talk to some Wasp and Fox clan fellas.

>>9118560
This man is rolling a solid 6k4 on his rapping rolls. Consider whatever he says seconded on general principles.

Argh if only I'd seen this thread sooner
Off to bed

>>9118574
We can bore the Lion Clan members to death by using a primitive megaphone or some Air shugenja magic to let us tell our boring-I mean, "fascinating", stories of Sparrow life to them 24/7.

>>9118574

>Don't even think of trying to take on a major clans army alone

>alone

>as if the Lion ever has a shortage of enemies

It's not a matter of brute strength. It's just a matter of putting a little force where it's needed most, at the penultimate moment.

While they're dressed in Scorpion uniforms.

>>9118312
I support this one.

Because I'm a Furuba fan.

>>9118613

I second Suzume Suzume.

Just like Mario Mario.

>>9118627
If Aladdin is a Sparrow, the Lion Clan is Razoul.

MOTHERFUCKING STREET RAAAAAAAAAAATS

>>9118663

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

>>9118627
Oh they definitely don't lack for enemies. They also don't have a short memory. Do we want to put our clan in the position where the Lion will use any chance in the future, when we won't be as prepared or have allies to help us right away, to get revenge on us for this? There's no Sezaru around to protect us, so if the Lion go all Dragonfly on our asses, we screwed.

>>9118527
>>9118560
"If you wish to continue to Kyuden Bayushi, Toranaga-san, this will speed your way through the bureaucracy a bit." Hiroshi hands you a small wooden block bearing his chop. "When Shoju-dono deployed me here it was with the orders to conserve our strength. By forcing an indirect battle we steal the Lion's strength. We will use the one thing the Lion cannot defeat, time. When winter comes they will either return home or conquer the Sparrow and Wasp. Tsuruchi's mother was a Lion and the Lion still feel the sting of her betrayal. If they utterly destroy both clans before the Hantei's Winter Court is called into session even if the Lion are censured, you still are lost. You are wise to seek help from the others that stand to lose in this, for the Scorpion will not."

>>9118746
Sorry, but our name is Suzume Suzume.

>>9118730
The Lion crushing us would be like the effort the Klingons went to to crush the Tribbles: not something that would go down as a glorious event in Lion history. Or worth the expense, for that matter.

>>9118730

Screwed now or screwed later, take your pick. Either they instigate a war that will be fought in our own lands and will devastate what little we have, and see us starve ere winter, or they'll seek to crush us later. But if we can engineer a significant loss for them now, their enemies will close in and keep them busy for a while.

And this is all assuming that our hand in it will be obvious.If we committed the entire Sparrow army to the field in the middle of a Lion/Scorpion clash, they'd have to shout and wave their banners to be recognized as a third party and not just the advance guard of one of the REAL clans, anyway. Imagine if we tried to be subtle.

Currently the Sparrow clan looks like it's the oft-ignored laughingstock of the land, which works to our advantage in more ways then one. I'm not advocating for coming to grips with a half-million man army... but by the same token, it never hurts to know how expensive you could make an enemy advance. It might change the Lion's calculus of the situation in a multi-front war.

>>9118765
Then you don't know how petty the Lion can be. If we beat them militarily in any means, they will see it as a slight on their honour. That's justification enough for them to war on us.

>>9118765
>>9118807

The Lion love kicking around minor clans, it one of their favorite hobbies.

>>9118746

Awesome. We nod, thank him for his counsel and aid, deliver whatever ritual parting statements are expected of us, and hump it to the Castle.

Now the REAL fun begins.

Uh, should we go meet the head of the Scorpion clan?

>>9118794
Oh I have no problem trying to get them to not screw up our lands. Actively fighting their army though would only lead to disaster if we were caught (And how could we not be caught? Surely we're not dishonourable samurai...? <_<)

If it comes down to it, I say pull a Crane move. Get the Lion general to challenge us in some way and beat them in a duel they have no chance of winning.

Let's go visit Wasp first. We know more about what we're getting into there, given our mother.

Fox comes after.

Once we've got our allies together, we all head for Kyuden Bayushi and chat with the Scorpion.

We also may want to put "talk to Yoritomo" on our to-do list. The Mantis are looking for allies themselves, so they'd be a good stop for forging a Minor Clans Alliance. As long as we make sure they aren't the only ones leading it, anyway...

>>9118746
Thank him for his chop and his advice. Then we've got to get going, silently wishing that we had a horse to let us move faster.

>>9118835
We challenge him to a storytelling contest.

We go first, and put him to sleep with our story. We win by default.

>>9118829

Which raises the question of weather we want to bother GOING to the Scorpion castle. What could we possibly achieve diplomatically there? Perhaps it's best to make a beeline to the Wasp and the Fox? And also bypass any spies and eager ears that might be perked in the halls of the Scorpion castle?

What say ye?

>>9118856
Suzume Suzume should follow this plan of action.

>>9118821
You know, I do have to wonder what in the hell they actually exist to do. I mean, they sure as fuck don't ever seem to help with the main external threat (the Shadowlands), and the Unicorn are the closest to foreign invaders (that aren't also hell demons) that Rokugan has ever had to deal with.

>>9118835

I'd just say, challenge them to settle the grievance with a 1v1 duel. Send our best man to flip out. even if he dies, the Lion's pride is assuaged, and if they decide to attack anyways, it'd invoke an Imperial censure of a more severe variety.

>>9118848
Pretty much what I was thinking but only if there's no Ikoma nearby. We might lose then. Damn Ikoma historians.

>>9118861

It's settled then. If we need to chat to the Scorpion brass afterwards, we'll do that afterwards.

We've got five silver pieces? How much does it cost to buy a decent horse around here?

>>9118856
Agreed with seeing the minor clans. I say Fox first. Mantis might be easier to work with if we already have some kind of alliance in the works. If it looks like we might pull it off, they WILL want a piece of that pie and it gives us some power in negotiating with them.

What is to be gained and lost from this exercise?

If we concur with the scorpions plans, and allow them to harass the Lions in our lands, then it is certain that all minor clans will put their holdings firmly in Scorpion's hands.

Neither Wasp nor Fox will consent to this arrangement as it stands.

If we allow the Lions to march through our fields, they won't depart until Scorpion yields. Our lands will be taken for camps and barrows: lost and despoiled, twice dishonoring poor Sparrow.

We must find some way to keep both from our fief.

>>9118877
We're Sparrow Clan, our entire courtier strategy revolves around "bore them to death and get them to sign what we want so we'll go away". The real point is to just make our story so agonizingly slow and drawn-out that the Lion opponent can't think of anything but gnawing off their own limbs to escape.

>>9118840
>>9118843
>>9118560
You begin to backtrack towards Wasp Lands. The Golden Sun Plains make for easy travel. At dusk of the third day away from Hiroshi's Camp you spot a pair of riding towards you. They are wearing Lion colors. The drab browns of your clan colors have provided you with an unexpected bonus, the Lion have yet to spot you.

>>9118856
We want to go to the Scorpion castle, but only AFTER we've successfully gotten our fellow Minor Clans on board with an alternate battle plan. The chop will help with our cred then.

>>9118901
Mantis is a more long-term thing.

Right now, we're pulling together a Sparrow-Wasp-Fox alliance. Once we can get that together, and the threat from Lion Clan is over, we chat with the Mantis about Minor Clan solidarity.

>>9118910
Normally that would be fine. Unless there's an Ikoma historian there to document crap or whatever they do during Lion war. Someone like that might not be so bored by such a ploy. Let's face it - someone who reads over the Ikoma histories and crap for a living likely can take being bored.

>>9118916
>>9118916

Duck down as far as possible and ready our bow, with arrow nocked but not drawn. If they are diplomatic emissaries, then so be it; our status as emissary should keep us safe. If they are military scouts, then I marvel at either their balls in traversing nominally forbidden land, or the laxness of the Sparrow military that lets enemy scouts range free.

Either way, hide, and prepare to fire.

>>9118930
Right. Forgot this is taking place before the Wasp joined the Mantis.

>>9118856
I say again: we cannot let this delicate matter hinge on the word of a mere soldier. If the clans are to be aligned, we must be firmly aligned, and if we are to allow the Scorpions on our land, we must have some guarantee of getting them off.

Better still: we need a way to make our lands unattractive to either. I wouldn't pray for a plague, but I also wouldn't curse it as vehemently as I once would have.

>>9118916
Continue onwards. The Lion Clan has to put together an excuse before they can attack us, or they get jumped by literally everybody else as part of the "no starting wars against Minor Clans" rule. They won't fuck with us just yet, and if they do we can get away and use it as evidence against them.

>>9118947
Do the Sparrow get one of those handy clan/school features that makes ambushing people less horribly dishonorable? That would be nice to have about now.

>>9118901
I say we check out the Dragonfly clan, simply so we can start up more shenanigans with the Lion Clan. But that's just the troll in me speaking.

>>9118947
If these are our lands, we should just go out and question them. The majority of Lion are honourable enough that they likely won't attack us. If they have travel papers or are emissaries, let them go. If not, then we could be in trouble yes but let's hope Lion honour holds.

>>9118916
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

Remember Lion superstition; if a peasant crosses a horseman's path, the horseman is cursed with bad luck. It might not be true, but those fuckers will be on us like stink on a gaijin if we don't move off to the side.

>>9118964
You mean testimony. If we piss someone off enough, they could just start making up BS and since we're minor clan and of low status, it's the truth.

>>9118963

That's percisely why we didn't offer to let the Scorpion general wage his defense-in-depth in the rough and favorable terrain of our own lands- and why we're pulling together to ensure the fighting happens in Lion territory, not our own.

It also assumes the Scorpions wouldn't just steamroll us anyway, long ago, if they wanted, and "rules against not attacking minor clans" be damned. It shouldn't be terribly hard for them to engineer diplomatic incidents, after all.

and I marvel as to why they'd WANT the place, besides as a border defense.

>>9118979
First, hide the chop, off of our persons. Second, send one of our party to investigate the Lions, preferably be circling 'round to approach from the position opposite us. Third, keep bows at the ready: if they attack our man, we can take a few down before our location is spotted, giving us a small advantage. (Providence forbid we should need it in dealing with our... honorable guests.)

>>9118947
As they get closer you see that they are wearing light armor, one is armed with a spear, the other with a horsemen's bow.

>>9118969
No they do not. If you leave any survivors of an ambush word will get out of your dishonorable tactics.

>>9118979

>Honor

What's that?

Get low and hide?

>>9119041
Something the Lion are damn well known for, despite that fact that I imagine a lot of people on this board will disregard it. We must use that to our advantage when we can. If we were facing the Scorpion, you can damn well bet we'd be boned and end up like the Hare did.

>>9118940
I'm pretty sure that nobody, even the Ikoma, can do boring like Sparrow can do boring.

>>9118997
We're bushi and therefore nobility. That superstition doesn't apply to us.

So they're military scouts.

I know nothing of L5R, so- what are the chances they'd waste us out of hand if we were to stand up and bellow our status as a Clan family member and emissary?

>>9119018
>and I marvel as to why they'd WANT the place, besides as a border defense.

A merchant will dream of Jade, but still count his coppers twice. When desire is great, nothing is too little to be precious. Worse things could happen to Scorpion Clan's standing in court than to take the burden of the Plains of the Golden Sun off poor, ailing Sparrow's shoulders. Particularly if Lion -- or another -- wipes us out.

The Lion Scouts are getting closer. If you wish to remain hidden make a 4k3 Stealth check, beating my roll to remain hidden.

>>9119082

I vote we stay hidden and only reveal ourselves if spotted and challenged. I don't want the Lion knowing that Sparrow emissaries are abroad.

>>9119082
Depends on their honour. Chance are we'd be alright unless the Lion were told to look for an excuse to start shit with a minor clan. Assuming we're alone, they could just off us and report that we attacked them on our land and then have an excuse to run us into the ground.

rolled 2, 1, 4, 3 = 10

>>9119097
derp forgot my dice.

>>9119041
Literally the most important thing in Rokugan.

Yes, even to the Scorpion. They just see it rather differently. And put their job as the Underhand of the Emperor above their own personal or clan honor on the priority list.

Think of them like a combination of the Inquisition and the Officio Assassinorum in what they do, except not as well liked by anybody and with much less overt power.

What the fuck is 4k3?

>>9119091

good point.

>>9119097

4k3

I have no idea what this means in terms of dice.

>>9119120
>>9119121
Roll 4d10 keep the best 3.

>>9119120
Roll 4 d10's and keep any 3 of the results and that is your total.

>>9119114
As a clan, Scorpion has a... somewhat more liberal definition of honor. No witnesses, no dishonor.

>>9119121
Roll 4, keep 3 highest

rolled 9, 1, 7, 6 = 23

>>9119138

Very well then. Rolling to hide.

rolled 9, 1, 1, 2 = 13

>>9119147

I really like the Scorpion all of the sudden.

Course, that means you have to watch them closely, but at least we're on the same page.

>>9119162
That's why they wear the masks, you know. To warn others that they're not to be trusted.

It doesn't help much.

>>9119150
You have remained out of sight. The Lion ride on towards Scorpion lands. You begin to wonder what has happened to the Wasp. They control most of the passes in between your lands and the Lion. You pray that these scouts were just a lucky pair that slipped through.

>>9119162
They can be pretty harsh but they are damn awesome allies if you can accomplish it. If you can get a Scorpion's loyalty, you're pretty much in like flint unless they've been directly ordered to betray you. Even then, a truly loyal Scorpion would try to betray you in the least harmful manner possible while accomplishing his goal.

>>9119184
Who's closer? Fox or the Wasp? I assume we should likely still head to the Wasp but it might be better to hit the Fox first if they're closer.

>>9119184

Continue on towards Wasp lands at top speed. The enemy might be trying for an end-run through Wasp and Fox lands, the classic Belgian feint. In which case we'll need to steal a horse (yes, you fucking heard me, steal,) and hump it back to Scorpion lands to alert them that the enemy will be coming from a different direction and that they had best redeploy.

Otherwise, we'll continue with our diplomatic mission. And once we're off the Golden Suns, for the love of Christ get on those travelers clothes and deck them out with foliage or whatever for camoflauge.

>>9119209
Our papers include Wasp's capitol, but not Fox's. I believe Fox is closer, but if not we may have reached a bit of a stumbling block.

>>9119193
The whole problem, of course, is that you can never be sure if you actually have a Scorpion's loyalty or if they were just ordered to get close to you. And also that their clan has been known to implement wide-scale simultaneous betrayals which may leave even a good friend with no choice but to assassinate you.

>>9119184
By the end of the next day you reach the border with the Wasp. You are beginning to see the signs of war, refugees. They tell you that Wasp are still holding the main passes but the Lion are massing on the borders.

>>9119184
We must ride for the lands of the Wasp Clan;
Pray they have not been slaughtered to a man.

>>9119238
Indeed. I was just speaking from the average PC's point of view though. You're not going to be a person the Scorpion would put that kind of effort into all the time. The assassination part, you don't really have much chance except maybe a bit of hesitation on the Scorpion's part where you kill him before he gets over that and does his duty.

>>9119233
Let's not be rash. There are Scorpion all across the borderlands, and I trust that several well-placed, well trains Scorpion scouts can get a proper warning back to their clan faster than we could. Best to continue on to Fox or Wasp.

>>9119209
>>9119236
Kyuden Kitsune is deep within the forests that make up Fox lands. It is slightly closer than the Wasp Castle but less accessible.

>>9119300
In that case, I say Wasp. It sounds like the journey takes roughly the same amount of time no matter what. If so, better to know the state of Wasp before consulting with Fox. If Wasp still stands, they may have allied with Lion, and maybe already with Fox as well. Our plan could be unraveled before us.

We can detour to Fox Clan's holdings on the way back home.

>>9119270
If things are this bad, we best see the Wasp first then and get an idea of what exactly is going on and how they might be able to work with us/if they're willing to work with us.

>>9119289

That's a good point. One man can't take responsibility for a large nations military intel. Let's trust that they're doing their job.

As for Diplomacy, given the distances we could hit the Fox castle first, then the Wasp in short order. Or Wasp and then Fox on the way back.

The Wasp might be a tough sell, but the Fox have old ties. What it boils down to at this point is, pull together a hasty alliance and move our collective armies to block those passes NOW. Then the Lion will have to come through Sparrow land, and the old considerations come into play.

Going to sleep nao. Keep up the good quest, gentlemen~

>>9119372
>>9119364
>>9119276
As you work your way through the refugees you see a man in the yellow and black of the Wasp. He too is fighting the flow of people away from the coming battle. And perhaps more importantly he is mounted.

>>9119393
The Wasp have felt the Lion's wrath;
I'm sure they will see our's is the one true path.

>>9119468
Try to get persuade him to lend us his mount. Obviously via a story of how important our quest is to both our clans and how it could also help the Wasp, etc etc.

Let me tell you the story of my mission

I say on to Wasp.

On the way, we can ponder what plans may keep all the larger clans away from our holdings... a sudden plague is unlikely to be believed.

Another war during these tense times is more likely. If Fox and Sparrow appeared to have a falling out -- we unable to strike at the Fox in their wooded lands, and Fox unable to confront us on our rocky terrain -- it might make the region seem too risky to run supply lines through. It would also give Fox and Sparrow a reason to request some Crane Clan presence: to act as arbiter between her quarreling children. I'd feel better about a few months of sharing our homes with visiting Crane and Fox than I would Lion or Scorpion.

>>9119468
Okay, let's flag down the man from Wasp. First, we find out what he's doing out here. (For example, was he with the Lions? Is he an emissary returning from Fox Clan holdings?) We should tell him we are sent from Sparrow to confer with our neighbors, but not commit to specifics or reveal information until we get to the capitol and can judge for ourselves the state of things.

>>9119468
With >>9119617 I agree,
We must speak with this Wasp Bushi.

Wish I could stick around for more but it's just way too late where I am. I hope I don't wake up and find the Sparrow lands a wreck, heh.

I got some bad news. This is a friend of the OP, he just texted me and told me his internet went down. He wanted me to apologize for him and let you know he is not abandoning the quest and that he will be back as soon as his internet comes back.

>>9119731
Yeah, I'm with you there. Good luck to those remaining. If it's completely fallen through, maybe we can pick it up again some night.

>>9119732
Alas, I lament our leader's loss;
But at least the thread got archived, boss!

>>9119775
SHOULD BE BACK SOON
YOU GORILLA FACED BUFFOON

>>9119815
NOW HOLD ON THERE, YOU LOUD-MOUTHED FOOL,
I THINK YOU NEED TO CHILL, BE STILL, BE COOL.

I merely meant it was good the thread got an archive,
For doubtless it would have been a great loss to lose the first part of the Quest of the Rings 5.

>>9119873
YOU'RE MAKING ME FROWN
BY LOOKING DOWN
AT ME
LIKE I WOULD BE
A SEMEN FACED CLOWN
PO PO ZOW . . . N

>>9119892
Your rhymes are lacking, my anonymous friend,
Though the practice is nice, and I don't mean to offend,
You really should think these things through more,
'cause frankly? Right now you're a bore!

>>9119951

>>9119775
Where was it archived? I just checked 4chanarchive.org, and mine was the first request.

>>9120002
The archive is at http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/9116176

This thread has been magnificent :3

>L5R Quest
>Sparrow Rap Battles