You awaken from a dreamless sleep long before dawn, surrounded by your fellow students slowly rising from their slumber. Together, you perform the same infuriating chores that have occupied your morning for the past the decade; you sweep the floor of the dōjō, you wash the sweat-stained clothes of the previous day and other such menial work, tasks meant for servants. You suppose that this labour is meant to instil some sort of loyalty and obedience in you, but all you can feel is a burning resentment. You were meant for more than this.

The sun rises outside of the dōjō and you can feel the heat and humidity of summer grow. Your chores come to an end and you continue with the daily routine, alongside the other children. After bathing yourself to cleanse your body of the night's sweat and grime, you find that the dōjō's servants have delivered a modest breakfast. A small bowl of rice, another of miso soup and a tepid cup of tea. You could almost appreciate the food, if it wasn't for how frequently you have to eat it. You try to pretend that the soup has been flavoured with exotic spices this time around, but the effort is futile. After forcing the meal down, you dress yourself and proceed to the courtyard with the others, to begin the day's exercises.

Barely a cloud can be seen in the brilliant blue sky once you step outside, and the radiance of the summer sun can almost be described as overbearing. Beyond the courtyard of the dōjō, armoured ashigaru and samurai patrol the grounds of the Seven Stings Keep while swarms of servants hurry about their duties. These training grounds that your life revolves around are only one aspect of castle life. To the North, the dark and foreboding mountains that lie only an hour's march away dominate a great deal of the heavens. They form the Spine of the World, the natural barrier that separates the territory of the Scorpion Clan from its militant neighbour, the Lion Clan.

Clad in the same white kosode and black hakama as the other pupils of the dōjō, you do not stand out whatsoever. Barely exchanging words with each other, you organise yourselves in ordered ranks to await the arrival of your sensei. Before long he arrives, towering above the rest of you, his sandals clicking against the courtyard's earth. Like the others, you maintain a disciplined stance, awaiting your sensei's commands.

Bayushi Narikata is a tall, broad-shouldered and austere man, his kimono emblazoned with the bloody red namesake of his clan and his face hidden behind a mask. It's an eerie-looking thing, the lacquered wood depicting the smiling expression of a shōjō, a spirit of the sea. When he tips his head down, its smile becomes an ugly smirk and when he tips it up, it becomes a grimace of despair. Such masks are a common thing amongst the samurai of the Scorpion Clan, worn out of respect for their founder and the teachings that he imparted. One day, you will earn a mask of your own and it will be glorious to behold.

The day begins with simple exercises, as it always does. Bokken are distributed among the students and the hilt of the wooden sword feels undeniably familiar. How many times have you rehearsed each stance, how many times have you practised each technique? You have lost count. Nonetheless, you adopt the same posture as the rest of the students, fluidly sliding between stances as your sensei commands. You shout out kiai with the rest of them each time you strike at the empty air, carrying yourself with an air of discipline that hides your discontent. You are above this, you should have become a samurai years ago. You shouldn't still be here, reciting such basic techniques.

“Yogo Utamara,” your sensei barks, breaking the routine. No doubt he is singling out students for a demonstration. “Bayushi Kiyoko,” he calls out next. The sound of your own name surprises you. He has shunned you for months, pretended that you don't exist despite the fact that you are the most senior student of the dōjō.

“Yes, sensei!” Those words are spoken in unison with the other pupil. Together, you step forward to stand in front of the looming teacher, his head bowed in a fashion that gives his mask an impish grin. You bow formally, granting your sensei the respect that he deserves. As you do so, you glance to your side at this Yogo Utamara. He is rather small, even for a boy of his age, only twelve years old. His bokken quivers ever so slightly in his grasp, the trembling giving away his nervousness. Is this really who your teacher picked out as your opponent?

“You will demonstrate your aptitude with the sword.” Narikata's voice is only slightly muffled by his mask, dark eyes peering out of the slits in the lacquered wood. You notice that his gaze seems to be trained on you, rather than the other student. “Kenjutsu, in particular. You will begin five paces apart from each other, with your bokken drawn. The victor shall be the one to land the first strike. Ready yourselves.”

“Yes, sensei.” Another hurried bow comes from Utamara and the boy turns to scurry away, gather his courage and prepare to face you. Are you really meant to fight this child, five years younger than you? It hardly seems fair. Why would Narikata want you to humiliate the poor fool in front of all of the others students, who obediently stand to attention, waiting for the demonstration to begin?

>For the time being, you are still a student. Stomach your pride and obey your teacher. If he wants you to make an embarrassment out of Utamara, who are you to refuse?
>Explain to your sensei that this isn't fair. The boy isn't anywhere near as skilled as you, why won't your teacher give you a real challenge and a chance to prove yourself?
>This is an opportunity for you to prove just how superior you really are. Drop the bokken, you can defeat this brat unarmed. Surely Narikata will recognise your talent then.

>>3977467
>For the time being, you are still a student. Stomach your pride and obey your teacher. If he wants you to make an embarrassment out of Utamara, who are you to refuse?

>>3977467
>For the time being, you are still a student. Stomach your pride and obey your teacher. If he wants you to make an embarrassment out of Utamara, who are you to refuse?

>>3977467
>For the time being, you are still a student. Stomach your pride and obey your teacher. If he wants you to make an embarrassment out of Utamara, who are you to refuse?
We can take our frustration out on the boy

>>3977467
>For the time being, you are still a student. Stomach your pride and obey your teacher. If he wants you to make an embarrassment out of Utamara, who are you to refuse?

>>3977472
This writing reminds me of a qm. Sandy?

what gender is our rival? i can't remember

>>3977511
I think they were also female.

>>3977511
wait i just read the character sheet its a she and it also seems that Yogo Utamara is related to our rival

>>3977523
Huh, I guess she wanted to revenge for us humiliating her brother.

>>3977529
no wait yogo is one of the other families in the scorpion clan, meaning that they don't have to be directly related to each other

“Yes, sensei.” The words leave your lips after a moment of hesitation, and you lower yourself in a bow before your teacher – respectful, but not too reverent. You still have your pride. You feel his eyes follow you as to turn away, to stand five paces away from Utamara as ordered. You aren't going to deny this opportunity to vent your frustration – especially against a Yogo. There is little chance that he is actually related to the girl who wronged you years ago, as the name of each great family is carried by tens of thousands of samurai, but it will still feel good.

The courtyard remains quiet as the two of you ready yourselves, planting your feet in the earth. The weight of the bokken feels familiar in your hands as you hold it at the ready, mirroring the stance of your opponent. He isn't ready for this, that much is obvious to you. The child's throat bulges as he swallows, his fingers flexing around the handle of the wooden sword and his skin slick with sweat in the sweltering summer heat. His hair is tied back in a traditional topknot, a style that looks ridiculous on one so young. It's hard to imagine such a boy ever becoming a loyal samurai of the Scorpion Clan, but you push such thoughts out of your mind. You have your own future to worry about, not his.

“Begin,” your teacher says at long last, the two syllables carrying throughout the courtyard. Rather than spur the young Utamara into action, the boy flinches at the sudden shout. You're already moving, preparing yourself to strike at your opponent. This isn't the time for hesitation or mercy, this is the time for action.

>There is no need to be reckless. You will attack but you will remain vigilant and in control, ready to evade any counter-attack that might come from Utamara. (You will adopt the Air stance.)
>Let's finish this quickly. Lash out with all of your fury and pour your anger into this attack. The poor child doesn't stand a chance against your wrath. (You will adopt the Fire stance.)
>Center yourself. Steady your breath and let the universe guide your strikes. There is no need to invest your emotions in battle, especially not one as easily won as this. (You will adopt the Void stance.)

>>3977566
>>Center yourself. Steady your breath and let the universe guide your strikes. There is no need to invest your emotions in battle, especially not one as easily won as this. (You will adopt the Void stance.)

>>3977511
Your childhood rival is Yogo Yukiko, a girl who once studied at the same dōjō as you. For a reason unknown to you, perhaps out of envy, she tried to poison you. While she was successful, you survived and she was expelled from the dōjō. You do not know what final fate she suffered.

As for her family, >>3977556 is correct. In Rokugan, countless samurai share the same family name and it is unlikely that they share the same blood, only that they were raised to share the same values.

>>3977566
>Center yourself. Steady your breath and let the universe guide your strikes. There is no need to invest your emotions in battle, especially not one as easily won as this. (You will adopt the Void stance

>>3977566
>Center yourself

>>3977566
>There is no need to be reckless. You will attack but you will remain vigilant and in control, ready to evade any counter-attack that might come from Utamara. (You will adopt the Air stance.)

>You have chosen to center yourself, to adopt the Void stance and use the Void ring for this attack.

>I will require a roll of 4d6, and then I will explain the basics of this system.

Rolled 4, 5, 1, 4 = 14 (4d6)

>>3977623

Rolled 5, 5, 3, 1 = 14 (4d6)

>>3977623

>>3977632
>I was writing out an elaborate explanation of the mechanics, but I have decided against it. For the purpose of running this smoothly, I will resolve most of the mechanical side of this quest underneath the hood. I will occasionally ask for rolls, but I will not waste your time by explaining all of the rules of the L5R system.

You take in a quiet breath between your lips and it's almost as though close your eyes. Yet you do not, you remain entirely aware of everything that unfolds around as your body moves on its own. Hefting the wooden length of the bokken into the air, you lash out at Utamara with several practised strikes. The boy raises his own weapon but he can do little other than desperately parry your attacks, his arms wobbling with each impact. The clacking of the two fake swords rebounds off of the nearby walls as he stumbles back away from you beneath the force of your assault. Yet you are serene, entirely unfeeling.

There are a few feeble efforts at a counter-attack from the boy but he is inexperienced, that much is evident. His sloppy swings are effortlessly parried and you even side-step out of the way of a few of them. The sweat runs down Utamara's face, his nervousness getting the better of the boy while you out-perform him. The tip of his bokken wildly sways about in the air as he creates distance, readying himself for the next onslaught. Your expression remains neutral and you remain entirely unattached, not showing any sign of suffering even in the heat of the summer, even under the watchful stare of the rest of the dōjō.

>You must remain in control. You can't risk the embarrassment of this boy putting up a fight at all. Continue with your attack, but cautiously and defensively. (You will adopt the Air stance and use your Air ring of 3.)
>This is a waste of time. One final assault and you should be able to wipe the floor with the brat. Then Naritaka will surely be impressed. (You will adopt the Fire stance and use your Fire ring of 3.)
>Maintain your inner peace, let instinct and the natural order of the world guide your sword. There is no need to attach yourself to the outcome of this battle. (You remain in the Void stance and use your Void ring of 2.)

>>3977701
>This is a waste of time. One final assault and you should be able to wipe the floor with the brat. Then Naritaka will surely be impressed. (You will adopt the Fire stance and use your Fire ring of 3.)

>>3977701
>This is a waste of time. One final assault and you should be able to wipe the floor with the brat. Then Naritaka will surely be impressed. (You will adopt the Fire stance and use your Fire ring of 3.)

Now is your moment. Snapping out of that trance-like serenity, you narrow your eyes at the child and focus all of your fury on the boy. Your lips part and you roar a fierce kiai, launching yourself forward with your bokken in hand. Your muscles strain as you bring it down again and again, hammering the wooden blade against your foe's as he desperately struggles to parry each attack. The boy flinches and staggers back, losing his footing more than once. Utamara has no opportunity to strike back at you.

The child cries out when one of your blows lands against his fingers. Stumbling back, he blinks the sweat and rising tears from his eyes. The bokken drops from his hands, clattering against the ground of the courtyard, leaving him unarmed and without any method of defending himself from your assault, should you wish to continue it. Your sensei does not intervene, watching patiently from the sideline as you recover your breath and let that brief burst of aggression subside. The boy is exhausted and has been bested, but you have not fulfilled the conditions of the demonstration. To be the victor, you need to land a blow, to strike true.

>No, there is no need for that. You have clearly won this contest and Narikata must be able to see that for yourself. You will not strike an opponent who cannot defend himself. Appeal to your sensei, and demand that he recognises this as your victory.
>This isn't over yet. Maintain your stance and give your opponent the opportunity to recover and fight you once more. There is no glory in besting an opponent who is unarmed and unable to defend himself against your attacks. (This choice will earn you a small amount of honour.)
>This is a contest and you intend to win it. Strike at the boy once last time and prove your supremacy over him, and put an end to this demonstration. Your sensei told you to land the first strike and you plan on doing exactly that.

>>3977769
>>This isn't over yet. Maintain your stance and give your opponent the opportunity to recover and fight you once more. There is no glory in besting an opponent who is unarmed and unable to defend himself against your attacks. (This choice will earn you a small amount of honour.)

>>3977769
>This is a contest and you intend to win it. Strike at the boy once last time and prove your supremacy over him, and put an end to this demonstration. Your sensei told you to land the first strike and you plan on doing exactly that

>>3977795
>>3977788
I'll wait fifteen minutes for a tie breaker between these options, otherwise I'll roll for it:
>This isn't over yet. Maintain your stance and give your opponent the opportunity to recover and fight you once more. There is no glory in besting an opponent who is unarmed and unable to defend himself against your attacks. (This choice will earn you a small amount of honour.)
>This is a contest and you intend to win it. Strike at the boy once last time and prove your supremacy over him, and put an end to this demonstration. Your sensei told you to land the first strike and you plan on doing exactly that.

>>3977769
>>This is a contest and you intend to win it. Strike at the boy once last time and prove your supremacy over him, and put an end to this demonstration. Your sensei told you to land the first strike and you plan on doing exactly that.

although the glory is tempting this seem more like what our character would do

Hmm...Could we chide him if we allowed him to recover?

>>3977830
if we can chide him while he is recovering then i will change my vote to allowing him to stand up

Enough of this. You intend to prove your worth to Narikata, and you are going to do that by winning. Your feet shift beneath you as you take a step forward and with a simple swing of the bokken from your left, you strike Utamara. The training blade hits him squarely in the ribs and a breathless grunt escapes from your fellow student as he is sent reeling. First he staggers and then he topples, winded and lying on the earth beside his discarded weapon. An effortless display of your prowess, for everyone to admire. But of course, there is no applause.

“Bayushi Isoshi!” The name is barked by your sensei, his mask swivelling towards another student standing in the ordered ranks. Isoshi is a familiar name to you, a little over a year younger than you and the second-most senior student of the dōjō. “Get Utamara up. You will continue the exercise in my absence.” And then, his masked face swivelling towards you. His head is tilted upwards, and the angle makes it seem as though the mask is frowning disdainfully at you. Does your teacher disapprove of your actions, or is he simply trying to throw you off balance? You never quite know.

“You, Kiyoko-san, will come with me.” The vibrant red of the scorpion emblazoned on his kimono catches the sun as he turns to stride away, marching towards the interior of the dōjō. Meanwhile, Isoshi comes rushing forward to wordlessly help Utamara up to his feet, even as the boy nurses his bruised ribs. You have your orders, but do you wish to share a few words to console your fellow student first?

>No. Orders are orders, it's best if you don't keep your teacher waiting. Whatever Narikata wishes to talk to you about, it must be important if he wants to do it privately.
>Yes. You publicly humiliated the boy, the least you can do is try to soothe his ego before you go to speak with Narikata. Surely your sensei will be understanding.

>>3977858
>No. Orders are orders, it's best if you don't keep your teacher waiting. Whatever Narikata wishes to talk to you about, it must be important if he wants to do it privately.

>>3977858
>No. Orders are orders, it's best if you don't keep your teacher waiting. Whatever Narikata wishes to talk to you about, it must be important if he wants to do it privately.

You welcome the opportunity to escape from the oppressing rays of the summer sun and without looking back at the bruised Utamara, you make your way into the dōjō.

It is rare for you to experience the dōjō like this. Usually it's bustling with other students going about their chores or their training, but right now they're all outside and you're free to enjoy the serenity that comes with emptiness. Looking from left to right, you observe the austere architecture, from the translucent paper of the walls to the lacquered wood of the pillars. It all looks so different in this light, in this moment of peace.

You don't have long to reflect though, as your teacher soon arrives at his destination and you follow in your footsteps. Seating himself on a zabuton in a smaller room, he gestures to the identical cushion opposite of him, a wordless command for you to seat yourself. Knowing better than to disobey, you take your seat opposite your sensei and wait for the man to speak. Naritaka seems to take some sort of pleasure in drawing out the unpleasant silence, his shōjō mask still grimacing down at you with unsettling intensity. After what feels like a minute but must have only been seconds, your sensei speaks.

“Your skills are wasted here,” he says at last. His tone is flat, and almost sounds bored. “I have little else to teach you, and I have seen less capable students that you pass their gempukku with ease.” Gempukku, the rite of passage that all children must go through before they are seen as adults, as samurai. You have pined for it for so long, and hearing him speak of it, you can't help but feel your heart soar in your chest...

“That is why I shall not withhold it from you any longer. Grown women have no place in my dōjō.”

These are the words that you have been waiting to hear for so long. A sigh of relief rattles past your lips as you sit on the zabuton, pondering what you can possible say in return.

>Thank your sensei. You have waited for this opportunity for your whole life, and you will not disappoint him, that is something that you swear.
>As thankful as you are, you can't help but be a little curious. Why has he kept you here for so long and why has he changed his mind now? Your age can't be the only reason.
>You focus on his earlier words, that less capable students that you are already samurai. You can't help but feel frustrated, and you will take this moment of privacy as a chance to vent at your teacher.

>>3977900
>As thankful as you are, you can't help but be a little curious. Why has he kept you here for so long and why has he changed his mind now? Your age can't be the only reason

>>3977900
As thankful as you are, you can't help but be a little curious. Why has he kept you here for so long and why has he changed his mind now? Your age can't be the only reason.
Nathing ever is like it seems.

>>3977900
>>As thankful as you are, you can't help but be a little curious. Why has he kept you here for so long and why has he changed his mind now? Your age can't be the only reason.

>>3977900
Glad to see that you have decided to do the quest.

>>3977900
>As thankful as you are, you can't help but be a little curious. Why has he kept you here for so long and why has he changed his mind now? Your age can't be the only reason
Such is the way of the Scorpion, to hide the truth in plain sight.

“Thank you, sensei.” You offer a bow of your head to display your gratitude, though you shoot a glance up towards your teacher after a moment's pause. “... Though I must ask, why do you believe that I am ready for my gempukku now? Was I not ready before today?” You keep your tone as respectful as you are able.

“You are still not ready,” comes his answer like a slap in your face. You are allowed a moment of silence to process Narikata's words before he continues, his voice stern and his words honest. “You have all of the skill and talent that a true samurai could ask for. What you lack is the discipline, something that you have not been able to learn over a decade.” You part your lips to protest, but your sensei cuts you off. “You have become more talented at hiding your hunger as you have grown older, but I can see the truth behind the mask, Kiyoko-san. You are loyal only to yourself. Once your gempukku is complete, you will either learn the true meaning of duty, or you will die. Either way, I will be rid of you.”

There is no polite way of replying to such harsh words. Your fingers dig into your palms and find yourself biting down on your lip as you fall silent, considering how to respond to such callous and accusatory words.

>There is no use in confronting your sensei about this. He is still superior to you and you can't possibly get away with talking back at him. Instead, try to move on from this topic and ask him about your gempukku, hopefully that will distract him from chastising you further.
>You are offended and there's no use in trying to hide that. If he really considers you so unworthy, why you are so here? Why were you not expelled like Yogo Yukiko, the girl who tried to poison you, or like other students who were too inept to become samurai?
>Take the opportunity to attack him in response. If you are not the perfect samurai, then that's a failure on his part. If he was a better teacher, then perhaps you might have a better grasp of duty. Any lack of discipline is a failure on his part, not yours.
>What use is there in saying anything at all? Remain silent and let your sensei continue. You will endure any insults that he throws your way, and you most certainly will not dignify them with a response. You're above that. Wait until he has something of value to say.

>>3977947
>You are offended and there's no use in trying to hide that. If he really considers you so unworthy, why you are so here? Why were you not expelled like Yogo Yukiko, the girl who tried to poison you, or like other students who were too inept to become samurai?

>>3977947
You are offended and there's no use in trying to hide that. If he really considers you so unworthy, why you are so here? Why were you not expelled like Yogo Yukiko, the girl who tried to poison you, or like other students who were too inept to become samurai?

>>3977947
>You are offended and there's no use in trying to hide that. If he really considers you so unworthy, why you are so here? Why were you not expelled like Yogo Yukiko, the girl who tried to poison you, or like other students who were too inept to become samurai?
So he knows. Perhaps we shall have an actual truth for why we were still allowed to train.

>>3977947
>You are offended and there's no use in trying to hide that. If he really considers you so unworthy, why you are so here? Why were you not expelled like Yogo Yukiko, the girl who tried to poison you, or like other students who were too inept to become samurai?
Not surprising that we can't fool him, but that doesn't explain why he's allowed us to stay.

>>3977996
Mybe we wore too good to be let go or our mumy had something over him?

>>3978000
The latter would definitely be interesting. If that's the case I wonder how on our side she actually is.

“With respect, sensei,” you begin, “surely the most sensible option is to expel students that you consider unworthy of becoming samurai. I have been here long enough to see the expulsion of other children. So why haven't you done the same with me? Why am I still here?” You have to bite your tongue to keep yourself from continuing, afraid that you might blurt out an insult at your teacher if you said anything else.

Narikata adjusts his head to look at you head-on. From that angle, it appears as though the shōjō mask is simply smiling. The expression isn't mirrored by his eyes however; they glare at you through the slits in the lacquered wood. “You are important to the clan,” is all that he says. There is no further explanation than that and he almost hissed the words, as though he didn't quite believe them himself. The silence lingers for a few seconds longer before he takes in a rattling breath, and continues.

“Let us speak of your gempukku, Kiyoko-san.” At this point he has regained his composure and his head tilts downward, allowing an impish grin to blossom over the surface of his mask. “It will be attended by many samurai, who will wish to revel in your accomplishments and celebrate your coming of age. It will be a night of celebration and merriment, during which you will give each of your noble guests a gift of your own creation, as thanks for their wishes of good will. Once this is done, you will receive your daishō, you will be given your ancestral name and you may declare your personal name. You will become samurai.”

This is... puzzling. You expected your gempukku to be a trial of sorts, to prove whether you are truly worthy of adulthood and all that it entails. Instead, all you will need to do is offer gifts? It seems far too simple.

>You can't help but confront your teacher about this. Isn't the rite of passage supposed to be a test? Surely there has to be more to it than that.
>You don't trust that your teacher is telling the truth. Focus on him, try to determine whether he is telling a lie or not. (This will require a roll.)
>Wait. Aren't samurai of the Scorpion Clan also supposed to receive their mask upon their gempukku? Ask him about that.
>This sounds almost like a trap. Focus on your sensei and try to determine his feelings, how he feels towards you at this moment. (This will require a roll.)

>>3978043
>You don't trust that your teacher is telling the truth. Focus on him, try to determine whether he is telling a lie or not. (This will require a roll.)
Looks like mom may be involved and this is definitely a trap

>>3978043
>This sounds almost like a trap. Focus on your sensei and try to determine his feelings, how he feels towards you at this moment. (This will require a roll.)

>>3978043
This sounds almost like a trap. Focus on your sensei and try to determine his feelings, how he feels towards you at this moment. (This will require a roll.)
>>3978054 # >>3978055 #

>>3978068
>>3978054
Il change to back this one.

>>3978043
>You don't trust that your teacher is telling the truth. Focus on him, try to determine whether he is telling a lie or not. (This will require a roll.)
The Scorpion Can Swim after all.

Something about this is clearly wrong. A rite of passage shouldn't be anywhere near this simple. Your eyes wander over the kneeling body of your sensei, observing how he breathes, his posture, even how he rests his hands in his lap and how he looks upon you through the slits in his smirking mask. If Narikata is hiding something from you, you will find out. The last thing that you want is to be tricked by this man on the night of your gempukku.

>I require a roll of 5d6.

File: [stares_in_japanese].jpg (14 KB, 512x326)

14 KB JPG

Rolled 5, 5, 1, 6, 5 = 22 (5d6)

>>3978090

Rolled 1, 4, 4, 2, 6 = 17 (5d6)

>>3978090

Rolled 5, 5, 4, 2, 5 = 21 (5d6)

>>3978090

You watch Narikata closely. He's confident and calm, showing no signs of the nervousness that typically accompanies deception. His hands rest on his lap, perfectly still and his breath is steady and natural. His focus is entirely on you, just as yours is on him. One thing is for sure, your sensei is telling you the truth, at least as far as you can tell. And yet... He is too confident, too pleased with himself for this to be usual. He isn't lying to you, everything that he has said to you is true. In that case, what about what he hasn't mentioned?

“This is all that I will need to do to become a samurai?” You never look away from him.

“Yes,” he answers plainly, his confidence never waning. His head remains dipped, that mask of his grinning its malevolent grin. It's the truth – you will become samurai after this. Why do you get the sense that there's more to it than that?

“Is this the gempukku that all students have to go through?” You chew the inside of your cheek as you watch your teacher but nothing about him changes.

“Yes,” he replies again. “You may ask the guards of the Seven Stings Keep. You may even send a letter to your mother and father. They all went through the same gempukku.” That smugness of his remains underneath the mask. He's too relaxed, too casual. He's enjoying whatever trickery he's putting you through, you can tell.

“Very well,” you let out a sigh. If you wish to become a fully-fledged samurai of the Scorpion Clan, you have no choice but to play along with this game. “What sort of gifts will I have to make for these guests?”

“That choice lies in your hands, Kiyoko-san. As for the guests themselves, I have five in mind that I shall invite to participate in your gempukku. However, there is the chance that more may arrive, and all are welcome to participate in this celebration. Even the heimin, though you need not worry about producing gifts for the peasants.” He makes a thoughtful noise beneath the mask. “The most that we have ever had attend in a single night is nine.”

Your teacher's attention remains riveted on you as he continues. “So tell me, how many gifts shall you prepare for the night? The more that you craft, the less time that you will have to refine them. I doubt that you wish to offer shoddy presents. However, should you not prepare enough, you will no doubt face a great deal of embarrassment, as shall your spurned guest.”

>Five. You are not expecting more than just the guests that your sensei has invited.
>Six. You'd like to be ready if at least one person shows up without an invitation from your teacher.
>Seven. You're expecting a couple of unexpected visitors at best.
>Eight. It's a safe middle ground. It's very unlikely that you'll have more than eight, you think.
>Nine. At the very least, you expect to match the record. You want to have enough gifts for everyone.
>Ten. You're expecting that the record will be beaten on that big night, and you want to be ready.

>>3978141
>Seven. You're expecting a couple of unexpected visitors at best.

>>3978141
>Eight. It's a safe middle ground. It's very unlikely that you'll have more than eight, you think

>>3978150
>>3978176
I'll wait for a tie-breaker between these two options. Fifteen minutes, or I'll roll a 1d2 to decide it.

>Eight. It's a safe middle ground. It's very unlikely that you'll have more than eight, you think

“Eight,” you say at last. You teacher nods, committing the number of memory. If he is judging you for the number that you have selected, you are unable to tell through the lacquered wood.

“Of course, you are meant to prepare these gifts yourself, as a demonstration of the skills that I have taught you in this dōjō.” As if Narikata is to thank for your natural talents. “However, it is not unusual for students to purchase a few of these gifts, typically for unexpected guests. I have no doubt that your mother might be willing to send you enough coin to purchase such things, should you make the request of her. This will give you more time to work on the gifts of your own creation.”

“Sensei,” you say after a moment's pause. “Samurai are not meant to handle coin. Commerce is the domain of heimin and hinin, are we not supposed to be above such things?”

“You are not samurai yet,” Narikata says sharply, seemingly eager to remind you of your place. Shortly after that, he continues. “Should you truly not wish to be seen sullying your hands with koku, then you may send a servant to the town of Beiden in your place, to purchase these presents on your behalf.”

“So, Kiyoko-san. Tell me how many gifts you plan to purchase. Once this is done, you can decide what you wish to craft for the patrons of your gempukku. You will be able to call upon the aid of heimin craftsmen but keep in mind, the purpose of this is to display your own talents, not that of the servants that you are able to call upon.” His explanation is practised, as though he has had to say all of this many times before.

>None. You want every gift to be a demonstration of your skills. To go down the easy route of purchasing these presents would be a betrayal of your talents.
>One. There is nothing wrong with spending a little coin in order to ease the workload, to buy a trinket that can be offered to an unexpected visitor.
>Two. This way, you can focus more on creating gifts of wonderful quality and those patrons that you like the least can be given these peasant-made presents.
>Three. The less work you have to do, the better. Your mother might not approve of you drawing so much funding from her, but she will certainly understand that it is for a good cause.

>>3978194
>None. You want every gift to be a demonstration of your skills. To go down the easy route of purchasing these presents would be a betrayal of your talents

>>3978194
Two. This way, you can focus more on creating gifts of wonderful quality and those patrons that you like the least can be given these peasant-made presents.

>>3978211
>>3978221
Once more, I'll need to ask for a tie-breaker within fifteen minutes. My next post will be the last for the night, but expect sporadic updates throughout the day before 20:00 GMT tomorrow.

>>3978258
I'll switch to two

“Two,” you say after a moment of deliberation, to a nod from your teacher. You expected him to judge you, for relying on coin rather than skill of your own, but you are one of hundreds of students that he has guided through this process. Not only that, but the Scorpion Clan sacrificed their honour long ago. It would be absurd of him, or anyone within the clan, to judge you for using commerce to your benefit.

“Two. So be it. You will be responsible for crafting the remaining six gifts. You will have two months for this task; you will no longer need to attend lessons in the afternoon, though you are to still required to attend your morning exercises.” Wonderful. A few more months of monotony was the last thing that you had hoped for. “All that remains is for you to decide what you shall create.”

You take the moment to visualize the different gifts that you will be crafting for the patrons of your gempukku, falling quiet as you consider the possibilities.

>Rather than choose one option, please choose SIX options from the following list. When I return, I will go with the six most popular options.

>An elaborate shōgi set comprised of the individual pieces and the board, that you will need to carve and paint yourself. (Your Aesthetics rank is 0.)
>An elegant incense burner, likely made out of iron or ceramics, that you will need to cover with intricate decorations. (Your Aesthetics rank is 0.)
>An ink wash painting of your own creation, that you will need to pour your heart and soul into. (Your Aesthetics rank is 0.)
>A compilation of poetry, from waka to tanka to haiku, all of your personal creation. You won't resort to plagiarism. (Your Composition rank is 0.)
>A compilation of essays, perhaps on the nature of honour or on the politics of the Great Clans. (Your Composition rank is 0.)
>A folding fan, typically for fanning away the heat but also for concealing your expression while in court. (Your Design rank is 1.)
>An oil-paper umbrella, excellent for protecting the wearer from all sorts of weather, from an overbearing sun to pouring rain. (Your Design rank is 1.)
>A hair ornament of some sort, a delicate and intricate thing that would be just perfect for a female courtier. (Your Design rank is 1.)
>A tanto, a single-edged knife that can be used for a great deals of things, including combat, though it isn't ideal. (Your Smithing rank is 0.)
>A bamboo walking stick intended to support the weight of the old. You should be able to carve all sorts of decorations into it. (Your Smithing rank is 0.)

>>3978285
>A folding fan, typically for fanning away the heat but also for concealing your expression while in court. (Your Design rank is 1.)
>An oil-paper umbrella, excellent for protecting the wearer from all sorts of weather, from an overbearing sun to pouring rain. (Your Design rank is 1.)
>A bamboo walking stick intended to support the weight of the old. You should be able to carve all sorts of decorations into it. (Your Smithing rank is 0.)
>An ink wash painting of your own creation, that you will need to pour your heart and soul into. (Your Aesthetics rank is 0.)
>An elaborate shōgi set comprised of the individual pieces and the board, that you will need to carve and paint yourself. (Your Aesthetics rank is 0.)
>A hair ornament of some sort, a delicate and intricate thing that would be just perfect for a female courtier. (Your Design rank is 1.)
>A tanto, a single-edged knife that can be used for a great deals of things, including combat, though it isn't ideal. (Your Smithing rank is 0.)

>>3978285
>A folding fan, typically for fanning away the heat but also for concealing your expression while in court. (Your Design rank is 1.)
>A compilation of poetry, from waka to tanka to haiku, all of your personal creation. You won't resort to plagiarism. (Your Composition rank is 0.)
>A tanto, a single-edged knife that can be used for a great deals of things, including combat, though it isn't ideal. (Your Smithing rank is 0.)
>An ink wash painting of your own creation, that you will need to pour your heart and soul into. (Your Aesthetics rank is 0.)
>A folding fan, typically for fanning away the heat but also for concealing your expression while in court. (Your Design rank is 1.)
>An oil-paper umbrella, excellent for protecting the wearer from all sorts of weather, from an overbearing sun to pouring rain. (Your Design rank is 1.)

>>3978285
>A folding fan, typically for fanning away the heat but also for concealing your expression while in court. (Your Design rank is 1.)
>An oil-paper umbrella, excellent for protecting the wearer from all sorts of weather, from an overbearing sun to pouring rain. (Your Design rank is 1.)
>A hair ornament of some sort, a delicate and intricate thing that would be just perfect for a female courtier. (Your Design rank is 1.)
>A tanto, a single-edged knife that can be used for a great deals of things, including combat, though it isn't ideal. (Your Smithing rank is 0.)
>A bamboo walking stick intended to support the weight of the old. You should be able to carve all sorts of decorations into it. (Your Smithing rank is 0.)
>An elegant incense burner, likely made out of iron or ceramics, that you will need to cover with intricate decorations. (Your Aesthetics rank is 0.)

>>3978285
>A tanto, a single-edged knife that can be used for a great deals of things, including combat, though it isn't ideal. (Your Smithing rank is 0.)
>An ink wash painting of your own creation, that you will need to pour your heart and soul into. (Your Aesthetics rank is 0.)
>A compilation of poetry, from waka to tanka to haiku, all of your personal creation. You won't resort to plagiarism. (Your Composition rank is 0.)
>A folding fan, typically for fanning away the heat but also for concealing your expression while in court. (Your Design rank is 1.)
>An oil-paper umbrella, excellent for protecting the wearer from all sorts of weather, from an overbearing sun to pouring rain. (Your Design rank is 1.)
>A compilation of essays, perhaps on the nature of honour or on the politics of the Great Clans. (Your Composition rank is 0.)

>>3978285
>An ink wash painting of your own creation, that you will need to pour your heart and soul into. (Your Aesthetics rank is 0.)
>>A compilation of poetry, from waka to tanka to haiku, all of your personal creation. You won't resort to plagiarism. (Your Composition rank is 0.)
>>A compilation of essays, perhaps on the nature of honour or on the politics of the Great Clans. (Your Composition rank is 0.)
>>A folding fan, typically for fanning away the heat but also for concealing your expression while in court. (Your Design rank is 1.)
>>A hair ornament of some sort, a delicate and intricate thing that would be just perfect for a female courtier. (Your Design rank is 1.)
>>A tanto, a single-edged knife that can be used for a great deals of things, including combat, though it isn't ideal. (Your Smithing rank is 0.)

>>3978315
Just noticed I chose Folding Fan twice. Switching one for
>A compilation of essays, perhaps on the nature of honour or on the politics of the Great Clans. (Your Composition rank is 0.)

Rolled 3 (1d3)

Five votes for the tanto and the fan, four votes for the umbrella and the painting, and three votes for the poetry, essays and hair ornament. That's seven gifts, one more than you are planning to make. So, I will need to eliminate one.

I'm going to roll 1d3 to determine which gift to eliminate. One for poetry, two for essays, three for hair ornament.

The next several minutes are spent discussing the possibilities with your sensei and writing them down. You mull over your options before you finally settle on a selection of gifts that shall most certainly satisfy your guests. A tanto, a folding fan, an umbrella, a painting and two compilations of your writing, one a collection of essays and the other a set of poems. You have two months to do all of this in, with the aid of assistants. That should hopefully be enough time but still, you cannot help but feel that this is strange. This was not what you expected your gempukku to be.

“Sensei,” you ask, “is it not strange that this is my final test? You train your students to be warriors, not to be artisans. So why is it that I must create all of this art in order to succeed? Why not a trial that tests all of the skills that you have taught me, rather than... this?”

“You misunderstand,” Narikata replies, his head still bowed and the grinning visage of that mask focused on you. “The creation of these gifts is not a test. On the night of your gempukku, you will become a samurai regardless of their quality. You will receive your ancestral name – I believe that your mother already has one in mind for you – and you will shed your childhood name to become an adult. You will cease to be Bayushi Kiyoko. You will become a true samurai, and you will live to serve the lord of this castle, Bayushi Tatsukichi.”

As much as you want to sneer at those words, you force yourself to keep a straight face. You will live to serve? You are destined to rule, not to be a servant. At the very least you will be free from the confines of this dōjō, and that will be a start on the path to greatness. You force your thoughts back on to the matter at hand, your rite of passage.

“So if I am to become a samurai regardless, what value is there in making these gifts? According to what you have said, sensei, it does not matter if I create anything at all.” It all seems like a bit of a farce to you, especially now that you know that Narikata is hiding something.

“To make a good impression on the guests that wish to celebrate your coming of age,” your teacher answers, almost too jovial. Again, he does not seem to be lying but it is evident that he is omitting some of the truth. “I have had other students who considered this rite to be a waste of time. They made no gifts, nor did they purchase any. They spent these two months revelling in newfound freedom. When the night of their gempukku came, their patrons were unimpressed. They made no friends or allies, and word soon spread of how frivolous and disrespectful they were. For most of them, their first duty as samurai was to serve in the vanguard, in our battles against the Lion and the Crane. An honourable charge, yes?”

You can clearly hear the mocking tone in how your sensei utters the word 'honourable.' He was not wrong, there was honour found in such duty. However, to serve in the vanguard with such little experience promised almost certain death. A respectable and illustrious demise, for samurai incapable of serving the Scorpion Clan in a more useful way. At long last, you reply. “I understand, sensei. I will not disappoint you.”

“Time shall tell,” came your teacher's response. “If there is nothing else that you wish to ask, you may take your leave to begin preparations and I shall return to my students.” Kneeling opposite of Narikata, you spend a moment in thought. Is there anything in particular that you wish to ask him about?

>Who are your guests going to be? He hasn't mentioned their identity at all. You'd like to know who will be attending, so you know who to give each gift to.
>Does your sensei have any idea of what duty awaits you after your gempukku? This is a chance for you to learn what sort of future you will have as a samurai.
>If you visit the nearby town of Beiden to purchase gifts and materials, are you expected to go on your own or will you have a guard to accompany you?
>Write in. If you have any questions of your own that you wish to ask your sensei about your rite of passage, now is the time to write them in here.
>None. You have wasted enough time with your teacher. Let him get back to training the other students, meanwhile you have your own matters to attend to.

>>3978963
>>Who are your guests going to be? He hasn't mentioned their identity at all. You'd like to know who will be attending, so you know who to give each gift to.
>Does your sensei have any idea of what duty awaits you after your gempukku? This is a chance for you to learn what sort of future you will have as a samurai.

>>3979004
+1

>>3978963
>Who are your guests going to be? He hasn't mentioned their identity at all. You'd like to know who will be attending, so you know who to give each gift to.
>If you visit the nearby town of Beiden to purchase gifts and materials, are you expected to go on your own or will you have a guard/minder to accompany you?

“Who will be attending the ceremony?” It's a fair question. This way you might be able to tailor your gifts to each particular guest. It's an opportunity to decide in advance who receives what from you. However, Narikata offers a shake of his head, that mask of his still grinning across at you.

“That is not for you to know, Kiyoko-san. You do not need to know who these samurai are. All you need to do is give each guest a gift as they arrive. That is all that is needed of you to complete your gempukku and become a samurai.” You can't keep yourself from frowning when you hear this. There is more to this than what your sensei is saying. There has to be some sort of test involved, though exactly how you will be tested has been hidden from you. You will need to tread carefully when the night finally comes, that is the only thing that you know for certain.

“Hm. In that case, sensei, may I know what sort of future awaits me once I become a samurai? You must have some sort of idea about the duty that I shall be given.” This time, your teacher is more reasonable and provides you with an answer that actually makes a little sense.

“It is most likely that you will serve the lord who oversees Seven Stings Keep, Bayushi Taheiji. With the skills that I have taught you, you are likely to serve as a yojimbo, a personal bodyguard assigned to one of his courtly representatives. You will be expected to give your life to protect your charge, and to watch over them at all times.” You catch the double-meaning in that last part. Yojimbo do not only watch over courtiers to guard them from harm, but to ensure that they remain loyal to their liege.

“There is a chance that he might have you serve as a guard of his court instead. You have excelled in matters of etiquette, which should put you above simple guard duty.” That's something that you are thankful for. You can't stand the idea of such a monotonous life. “There is also a chance that he might bid you to serve the provincial daimyō instead, Yogo Kanzaburo, should he feel that you do not have a place at Seven Stings Keep. Perhaps as a guard of his courts, or as a yoriki, a deputy to one of his magistrates.” All of these roles strike you as quite lowly, but you can already envision how you might climb up the ladder from each position. “Is there anything else, Kiyoko-san?”

“No, sensei. Thank you for your time.” You rise to your feet and lower yourself to your teacher in a formal bow, while you only get a nod of his head in return. With that, he turns to leave and return to his students out in the courtyard. You're left considering his words, the sting of embarrassment that you felt when he declared you unready, the mysterious manner in which he speaks of your rite of passage, refusing to share the whole truth with you. It's something for you to dwell upon as you prepare yourself for that big night.

The following weeks are spent working on these gifts, beginning with the items that are most familiar to you; the folding fan and the umbrella. Fashion is something that the Bayushi family has always excelled and you are no exception to this, as your mother was keen to impart the importance of style on you while you were at a young age. Even how you layer your clothes can have an impact on how you come across to others, and the design of a fan or umbrella can be just as important.

Your days are spent travelling from Seven Stings Keep to the nearby town of Beiden, underneath the sweltering sun as summer begins its slow transformation into autumn. You travel with a patrol of ashigaru when you can but sometimes, you need to make the journey on your own. While you are there, you collect materials and purchase the aid of craftsmen using coin granted to you by your teacher. He will not pay the gifts that you purchase however; you had to send a letter to your mother for that, asking her to finance this part of your gempukku.

Sooner than you expected, her reply arrives at the dōjō, complete with a small pouch containing the requested coin.

“Dearest Kiyoko,

“I pray that you have been doing well, and I am delighted to hear that you have been considered worthy of adulthood. You must forgive me for not being able to attend the ceremony, but I must tend to our estate. I know that you will perform admirably and that you will not only earn your daishō, but your mask as well.

“Remember what I have arranged. You are to be given the ancestral name of Bayushi Hiyumi, an ancestor of mine who was born into the Otomo family, but married into ours. The prestige that comes with such a name will serve you well, and improve your prospects significantly. I also send you this allowance, with which you might purchase gifts for guests unworthy of your creations.

“I know that you will not disappoint your father and I, and that you will bring glory to your family. You have our faith.”

“With regards, Bayushi Shizuko, your devoted mother.”

You ponder what sort of reply that you should send.

>Be polite and reverential. You have always been on good terms with your mother, and you are grateful for her assistance and her advice.
>While you are grateful for the coin, make it clear to her that you do not require her favour and that you seek to become a samurai based on your own merit, not her meddling.
>Use this as an opportunity to try and find out more about the ceremony from her. Why has she never told you about what your clan's gempukku involves?
>Don't reply at all. She has given you everything that you need and there's nothing else that you want from her. No need to waste time writing a letter when you

>In addition, I will require two rolls of 5d6.

Rolled 3, 3, 1, 5, 3 = 15 (5d6)

>>3979067
>Be polite and reverential. You have always been on good terms with your mother, and you are grateful for her assistance and her advice.

Rolled 3, 1, 4, 5, 5 = 18 (5d6)

>>3979067

>>3979067
you should create a discord to tell us when you have updated or at the very least say that you have updated in qtg, that would make it so that there would be more players here to vote

>>3979067
>Be polite and reverential. You have always been on good terms with your mother, and you are grateful for her assistance and her advice.

>>3979067
>Be polite and reverential. You have always been on good terms with your mother, and you are grateful for her assistance and her advice.

>>3979067
>Be polite and reverential. You have always been on good terms with your mother, and you are grateful for her assistance and her advice.

I do like the idea of our MC being close to her family. It'll make the inevitable betrayal after we shame ourselves in our rise to power all the more bittersweet.

You set about writing a reply that gives your mother the respect she deserves. She has always encouraged your ambitions and pushed you to try your hardest, and you have no doubt that you have her full support. You are proud to carry the name of her ancestor, especially one that is so prestigious, and are thankful for the koku that she has decided to impart on you. This comes across in the affectionate words that you write and once you deliver the letter to the messenger, you hope that the next time you hear from, you will be a true samurai.

Your work continues over the next few weeks, as summer gradually begins to ebb away and autumn takes over, with leaves gradually beginning to brown and fall. Monsoon season has arrived and the oppressive heat is suddenly disrupted by violent downpours, rain surging down from the heavens to turn the soil into mud. You try to limit your travels to the more pleasant days but sometimes, you are forced to trek through the pouring rain. During this period, you complete your first two creations.

You aren't happy with the folding fan whatsoever. It is a shoddy thing that frequently gets stuck, the wooden blades of the fan jamming against each other. It's just about functional, but it doesn't take an artisan to see that the device is poorly made. You might need to see about improving on it later, if you have the time. The umbrella on the other hand, is satisfactory. It is not a work of art but it is certainly serviceable, opening and closing perfectly. The oil-paper could do with a little decoration, but you'll think about that another time. You'll need to do a little better than this with the rest of your creations, if you are to impress your patrons.

You decide to leave the poetry and essays for last; as autumn drags on, the weather is getting worse and you'd rather not have to walk between Seven Stings Keep and Beiden in the cold and the rain. So instead, you take this opportunity to work on the tanto and the painting, to purchase liquid ink and to requisition the aid of a heimin metalworker, who will be able to assist you with the tanto. This is also the perfect opportunity to purchase those few additional gifts that you did not plan on making yourself.

So one afternoon, after all of the chores and exercises of the morning are complete, you decide to make your way down to Beiden on a market day, accompanying a patrol of ashigaru. The town is bustling and full of life, with farmers and craftsmen hawking their wares. Yet whenever samurai – or even a student like you – pass by, the peasant caste suddenly falls quiet and makes way, their raucous salesmanship replaced with a servile attitude. It is good that your lessers know their place.

But do you wish to be seen purchasing wares at a market like a commoner, or will you request the aid of a servant who will do your shopping on your behalf? After all, samurai are not meant to be seen engaging in commerce. Your caste is meant to be above such material concerns.

>Choose one of these two options:

>You are of the Scorpion Clan, why should you care about being seen bartering and trading? Like the founder of your clan, you sacrifice honour in the name of pragmatism. (You have a chance to lose glory, which represents your reputation, if you choose this option.)
>It is best that you ask a servant to purchase these presents on your behalf while you wait. This way, you will not risk your reputation, but you are forced to rely on a servant who might not share your eye for quality, and might purchase inappropriate things with your coin.

>Additionally, choose TWO out of the follow list, as the gifts that you want to buy:

>An omamori, a protective talisman that comes in the form of a written prayer contained within an envelope or a pouch of some sort, usually devoted to one of the Fortunes.
>A portable tea set, that's rather on the expensive side but you have the koku for it. It's a luxury gift, and it will be rather obvious that you didn't make it yourself.
>A chirping cricket trapped in an ornamental cage. The little creature will bring good fortune to whoever carries it, or so the superstitious claim.
>A pillow book. A type of small book that typically contains a fantastical, romantic or perhaps even lurid tale. Some of them are rather popular amongst samurai, while others are shunned as base and vile.

>And finally, I will require two rolls of 3d6.

>>3979117
I'm absolutely fine with waiting for responses, so I don't consider this an issue. My most active hours are later in the day, between 20:00 GMT and 02:00 GMT.

Rolled 1, 2, 1 = 4 (3d6)

>>3979180
>It is best that you ask a servant to purchase these presents on your behalf while you wait. This way, you will not risk your reputation, but you are forced to rely on a servant who might not share your eye for quality, and might purchase inappropriate things with your coin.
>A chirping cricket trapped in an ornamental cage. The little creature will bring good fortune to whoever carries it, or so the superstitious claim.
>An omamori, a protective talisman that comes in the form of a written prayer contained within an envelope or a pouch of some sort, usually devoted to one of the Fortunes.

Rolled 6, 6, 5 = 17 (3d6)

>>3979180
>>You are of the Scorpion Clan, why should you care about being seen bartering and trading? Like the founder of your clan, you sacrifice honour in the name of pragmatism. (You have a chance to lose glory, which represents your reputation, if you choose this option.)
>An omamori, a protective talisman that comes in the form of a written prayer contained within an envelope or a pouch of some sort, usually devoted to one of the Fortunes.
>A chirping cricket trapped in an ornamental cage. The little creature will bring good fortune to whoever carries it, or so the superstitious claim.

>>3979181
is big number good

>>3979236
The rule of thumb is that fours, fives and sixes are good and determine how successful something is. So yes, big is good.

Rolled 4, 1, 2 = 7 (3d6)

>>3979203
Il abck this

You make the decision to visit the market yourself, rather than rely on the aid of a peasant. Your gempukku is at stake and you aren't about to place your fate in the hands of a heimin. Even if it puts your reputation at risk, you take the opportunity to walk between the various merchants and craftsmen, examining their wares. They fall quiet as you approach, for you are most certainly out of place, dressed in the uniform of a dōjō's student. Nonetheless, you have koku to offer and they are most certainly willing to accept it. No samurai seem to take notice of your actions, or if they do, they have no interest in disturbing you and shaming you for your mercantile ways. It appears that this time, you got away with it.

You settle on less ostentatious goods, perhaps that will reflect positively on you when the night finally arrives. First of all, you purchase an omamori dedicated to Benten, the Fortune of Arts and Romance. Whoever you grant this to should be protected from ill fortune in matters of love and art, at least if you believe the suspicion. The second item that you acquire is an cage that contains a rather lively cricket, who chirps and leaps about the interior of his cage. You will need to care for the insect until the time comes for you to offer him as a gift but when you do, the one who carries him is supposed to be blessed with good fortune. Time shall tell just how true that is.

You return to the dōjō and to your labour, arduously going through the motions of creating this gifts. The monotony of it takes its toll on you for when you finally produce the ink wash painting, it is an utter disaster. It was supposed to be a painting of the mountains to the North, the Spine of the World, yet it looks more like a collection of ugly ink stains. There is nothing visually appealing or redeemable about it, not even in the eyes of the gentlest critic. As for the tanto however... That is far more successful. With the aid of the metalworker, you produce a work of art. The blade is polished until it has a mirror's sheen, the handle of the knife is expertly wrapped and a luxury to hold and you find yourself thoroughly impressed with your creation. The ink painting might have been a horrid disaster, but you're more than satisfied with the tanto.

With your gifts purchased and the last vestiges of summer disappearing entirely, you are content to remain within the shelter of the dōjō while the monsoon rains pour down from the heavens. You have no need to visit Beiden any longer, as the only projects that you have left to work on are the poems and the essays, which you will have bound into small books once you are finished with them.

It's during this period that you receive a letter that you did not expect; it is a missive from a friend who you met years ago, a visitor from another clan. Utaku Khulan, of the Unicorn Clan. Remembering the name always brings a smile to your face, no matter how foreign and strange it might be. One of the Battle Maidens renowned for riding into battle on mighty gaijin horses, Khulan came to Seven Stings Keep as a guest, the yojimbo of a Unicorn courtier. You couldn't help but be fascinated by the exotic manners of the woman and while she only tolerated you to begin with, Khulan quickly found you to be an endearing companion and entertained your curiosity whenever she found the time. On the day of her departure she swore to keep in touch and ever since, every four months or so, you received a new letter from her.

Sure enough, four months have passed since Utaku Khulan's last letter to you and you eagerly read the message, to see what she might have to say.

“Bayushi Kiyoko,

“I hope that the gods have treated you well since I last heard from you. I fear that I cannot say that they have shown me kindness.

“Ever since the end of spring, the Unicorn Clan has been skirmishing with the warriors of the Lion. It is no secret that they seek to seize the fertile lands that once belonged to their clan, but they shall never have them. These fields were ours before they were ever theirs, and it was only right that we reclaimed them from the descendants of Akodo when we returned to Rokugan.

“Though I am proud to say that my naginata shed the blood of many Lion on the battlefield, I did not leave these battles unscathed. I was dismounted and almost lost a leg to a warrior of the Matsu family, yet I fear that my beloved Bayan suffered far worse. He might never be able to carry me into battle again. We are being tended to by the finest healers that the Iuchi family has to offer and they insist that we shall both live, but I cannot help but doubt those words. Hope leads to disappointment so frequently.

“So I hope that you have better news to share than I, Kiyoko-chan. Do your studies fare well? I am certain that you will make the Scorpion Clan proud, should your sensei ever give you the chance. I cannot wait to hear from you.

“Utaku Khulan.”

>Focus your letter on your worry and your concern for Khulan, and your prayers that she will feel better soon. Youou never realised just how close to death she always was.
>Take the opportunity to send a letter asking for Khulan to cut ties, and stop sending letters. You are coming of age in a matter of weeks and you can't afford to maintain such a childish relationship.
>Focus your letter on yourself, since that is what she asked about. Tell her all about your coming gempukku and how you are finally getting the chance to become a great samurai, like she is.
>Send no response. You don't have the time for this, you must focus on your gempukku above all else.

>Additionally, I will require two rolls of 3d6.

>>3979375
>Focus your letter on yourself, since that is what she asked about. Tell her all about your coming gempukku and how you are finally getting the chance to become a great samurai, like she is.
She probably doesn't want to be heavily reminded of her misfortune.

Rolled 1, 4, 5 = 10 (3d6)

>>3979382

Rolled 5, 4, 3 = 12 (3d6)

>>3979375
>>Focus your letter on your worry and your concern for Khulan, and your prayers that she will feel better soon. Youou never realised just how close to death she always was.

>>3979375
>>Focus your letter on yourself, since that is what she asked about. Tell her all about your coming gempukku and how you are finally getting the chance to become a great samurai, like she is.

>>3979375
>>Focus your letter on yourself, since that is what she asked about. Tell her all about your coming gempukku and how you are finally getting the chance to become a great samurai, like she is.

>>3979375
Focus your letter on yourself, since that is what she asked about. Tell her all about your coming gempukku and how you are finally getting the chance to become a great samurai, like she is.

Khulan wants to know about you, and worrying about her will not help at all. She always seemed most comfortable when the subject of discussion was something other than herself. The Battle Maiden was everything that a loyal and obedient samurai was meant to be, humble and devoted to her clan above all else. So, for the sake of her happiness, you send her a letter that details your recent experiences, about your impending gempukku and what it entails. You extend your warmest wishes to her at the end, and your desire to hear from her again. The last thing you want is for this peculiar friend of yours to leave your life forever.

You finish your work on the poetry and essays and to your satisfaction, both of them turn out rather acceptable. Your poems focus on your life spent at Seven Stings Keep, on the regimented and orderly life led by the soldiers who serve there and on the rigours and rhythm of the training that you have gone through to become a samurai. None of them come across as particularly poignant or evocative but they are tolerable, with no observable errors in the writing. As for your essays, you write about the nature of duty and its complexities, a topic that will no doubt appeal to other Scorpion samurai. Like your poems, they are merely acceptable, without any obvious flaw but showing no sign of provoking thoughts or approaching difficult subjects.

With your work complete, you still have just under two weeks left before the night of your gempukku, giving you time to improve on your creations. At least one of them needs to be scrapped, and others could certain do with a few changes to make them into works of art. The question is, which is the most important?

>Choose THREE of the following options as the gifts that you would like to improve before the night of your gempukku arrives.

>The folding fan. It's an awkward, shoddy creation that barely folds at all. It functions once you're able to unfold it, but it's not a competent work at all. It needs work, clearly.
>The oil-paper umbrella. It's functional but it's sparse, a simple and undecorated thing. You could spice it up somewhat, should you wish to.
>The ink wash painting. You don't need to improve it, you need to start it all over again. It's humiliating to think that you even made that awful, awful thing. Even the youngest students in the dōjō could make something better than that. There's no way that you're taking this to your gempukku.
>The tanto. The one work that you've made that you're more than a little proud of, it's a masterpiece. But perhaps you could make it even better, and offer it to a guest that is truly deserving of such a present.
>The poetry. The poems are inoffensive and plain, and you're sure that you could rewrite them to be more evocative and interesting, given time.
>The essays. The groundwork has been laid and you've made all of the core points. You could put an addendum at the end that will make it so much more sophisticated, though.

>>3979434
The folding fan
The oil-paper umbrella
The ink wash painting

>>3979434
>>The folding fan. It's an awkward, shoddy creation that barely folds at all. It functions once you're able to unfold it, but it's not a competent work at all. It needs work, clearly.
>>The oil-paper umbrella. It's functional but it's sparse, a simple and undecorated thing. You could spice it up somewhat, should you wish to.
>>The ink wash painting. You don't need to improve it, you need to start it all over again. It's humiliating to think that you even made that awful, awful thing. Even the youngest students in the dōjō could make something better than that. There's no way that you're taking this to your gempukku.

>>3979434
>>The ink wash painting. You don't need to improve it, you need to start it all over again. It's humiliating to think that you even made that awful, awful thing. Even the youngest students in the dōjō could make something better than that. There's no way that you're taking this to your gempukku.
>The folding fan. It's an awkward, shoddy creation that barely folds at all. It functions once you're able to unfold it, but it's not a competent work at all. It needs work, clearly.
>The oil-paper umbrella. It's functional but it's sparse, a simple and undecorated thing. You could spice it up somewhat, should you wish to.

>>3979434
>>>The ink wash painting. You don't need to improve it, you need to start it all over again. It's humiliating to think that you even made that awful, awful thing. Even the youngest students in the dōjō could make something better than that. There's no way that you're taking this to your gempukku.
>The folding fan. It's an awkward, shoddy creation that barely folds at all. It functions once you're able to unfold it, but it's not a competent work at all. It needs work, clearly.
>The oil-paper umbrella. It's functional but it's sparse, a simple and undecorated thing. You could spice it up somewhat, should you wish to.

>>3979434
>>The folding fan. It's an awkward, shoddy creation that barely folds at all. It functions once you're able to unfold it, but it's not a competent work at all. It needs work, clearly.
>>The oil-paper umbrella. It's functional but it's sparse, a simple and undecorated thing. You could spice it up somewhat, should you wish to.
>>The tanto. The one work that you've made that you're more than a little proud of, it's a masterpiece. But perhaps you could make it even better, and offer it to a guest that is truly deserving of such a present.

I think it'd be nice to leave the painting as an absolute turboshitshow so we can give it to someone as an insult. Partially because I expect some dickwad to show up and partially because openly spurning one person may be an indirect endorsement of another. But mainly because I'm an asshole and want to insult someone.

>>3979434
>The folding fan. It's an awkward, shoddy creation that barely folds at all. It functions once you're able to unfold it, but it's not a competent work at all. It needs work, clearly.
>The oil-paper umbrella. It's functional but it's sparse, a simple and undecorated thing. You could spice it up somewhat, should you wish to.
>The ink wash painting. You don't need to improve it, you need to start it all over again. It's humiliating to think that you even made that awful, awful thing. Even the youngest students in the dōjō could make something better than that. There's no way that you're taking this to your gempukku.
>>3979454
Wouldn't it be better to do a beautiful painting of something horribly offensive? That way our skill can't be questioned.

>>3979458
>Wouldn't it be better to do a beautiful painting of something horribly offensive? That way our skill can't be questioned.
Both would be fine but we're not exactly the pinnacle of artistic talent. There's also something to be said of giving someone something that is unapologetically bad. You give someone something good that says something bad and it can still be shown ironically. You give someone a piece of shit and they can only really flush it. But I'm not gonna act like I'm not just trying to be a dick or imply I know what I'm talking about. I just think it'd be funny.

You settle on the folding fan, the umbrella and the ink painting. Your compositions can stand on their own merit and the tanto that you crafted is already a fine work of art, without any need for improvement. The fan needs some work before it is even of acceptable quality, the umbrella could do with some embellishment in order to make it more appealing to behold and the painting... That painting needs to be burned and the ashes scattered into the wind, while you work on a new one to replace it.

While you finish your work on those presents most in need of improvement, you turn your attention to other matters. You only have one rite of passage, and you need to make sure that you present yourself appropriately for it. Not only that, but there is the question of whether you should attend unarmed or not, knowing that your sensei is hiding something from you. Is there the possibility that something dangerous might happen that evening? What should you wear, and should you conceal your personal tanto on your person when you attend?

>Choose one of the following options:

>You will wear the furisode that Utaku Khulan gave to you before she left Seven Stings Keep. It's an elegant, ceremonial kimono that is perfect for courtly occasions, bloody red and embroidered with a golden pattern reminiscent of ears of wheat. It's wonderfully made and this is one way of honouring your wounded friend.
>You will wear your student clothes. You are not a samurai yet and you do not wish to offend anyone by acting as though you are higher than your actual station. Until you have your daishō and your personal name, you are still a student of your sensei and you should dress like it.

>Additionally, choose one of the following options:

>You will conceal a tanto on your person, perhaps secured against your forearm or your calf, or on the inside of your obi. The last thing that you want is to be caught unarmed should a fight of some sort break out.
>You won't bring any blade with you. If conflict does occur, you are able to handle yourself without any weapons and more importantly, it's not worth the risk of getting into trouble with your sensei, should he catch you carrying a concealed knife.

>Finally, I will require two rolls of 5d6, and then one roll of 3d6.

>>3979454
>>3979468
Everyone look up to this man, because he's already thinking like a proper Scorpion.

Rolled 5, 5, 6, 5, 1 = 22 (5d6)

>>3979477
>>You will wear your student clothes. You are not a samurai yet and you do not wish to offend anyone by acting as though you are higher than your actual station. Until you have your daishō and your personal name, you are still a student of your sensei and you should dress like it.
>You won't bring any blade with you. If conflict does occur, you are able to handle yourself without any weapons and more importantly, it's not worth the risk of getting into trouble with your sensei, should he catch you carrying a concealed knife.

Rolled 1, 4, 1, 6, 1 = 13 (5d6)

>>3979477
>>You will wear the furisode that Utaku Khulan gave to you before she left Seven Stings Keep. It's an elegant, ceremonial kimono that is perfect for courtly occasions, bloody red and embroidered with a golden pattern reminiscent of ears of wheat. It's wonderfully made and this is one way of honouring your wounded friend.

>You will conceal a tanto on your person, perhaps secured against your forearm or your calf, or on the inside of your obi. The last thing that you want is to be caught unarmed should a fight of some sort break out.

Rolled 6, 6, 1 = 13 (3d6)

>>3979477
>You will wear the furisode that Utaku Khulan gave to you before she left Seven Stings Keep. It's an elegant, ceremonial kimono that is perfect for courtly occasions, bloody red and embroidered with a golden pattern reminiscent of ears of wheat. It's wonderfully made and this is one way of honouring your wounded friend.
>You will conceal a tanto on your person, perhaps secured against your forearm or your calf, or on the inside of your obi. The last thing that you want is to be caught unarmed should a fight of some sort break out.

>>3979477
>>You will wear your student clothes. You are not a samurai yet and you do not wish to offend anyone by acting as though you are higher than your actual station. Until you have your daishō and your personal name, you are still a student of your sensei and you should dress like it.
>>You will conceal a tanto on your person, perhaps secured against your forearm or your calf, or on the inside of your obi. The last thing that you want is to be caught unarmed should a fight of some sort break out.
I'd be sad if something did happen and we got our fancy clothes ruined. But if there is a tie I'll change mine to it just to expedite the process.

>>3979477
>>You will wear the furisode that Utaku Khulan gave to you before she left Seven Stings Keep. It's an elegant, ceremonial kimono that is perfect for courtly occasions, bloody red and embroidered with a golden pattern reminiscent of ears of wheat. It's wonderfully made and this is one way of honouring your wounded friend.

>You will conceal a tanto on your person, perhaps secured against your forearm or your calf, or on the inside of your obi. The last thing that you want is to be caught unarmed should a fight of some sort break out.

>>3979477
You will wear the furisode that Utaku Khulan gave to you before she left Seven Stings Keep. It's an elegant, ceremonial kimono that is perfect for courtly occasions, bloody red and embroidered with a golden pattern reminiscent of ears of wheat. It's wonderfully made and this is one way of honouring your wounded friend.

You will conceal a tanto on your person, perhaps secured against your forearm or your calf, or on the inside of your obi. The last thing that you want is to be caught unarmed should a fight of some sort break out.
I dont think i need to roll as people have amredy done what you had asked.

It turns out that the folding fan was a diamond in the rough. Correcting how the blades overlapped as it folded was a simple task, allowing you plenty of time to lacquer the wood and decorate the paper. Pining for the lost summer now that the endless monsoon rains have arrived, you depict a glorious golden sun, the shining face of Amaterasu herself. You find that you're rather impressed with yourself as you behold the finished product. It's as good as the tanto, in fact.

As for the oil-paper umbrella, you add a few additional touches to it. Much of the umbrella remains untouched, but all around the outside edges of it, you paint the rolling waves of a river in bright and colourful blue. And amidst all of those waves, you paint the black carapace of little scorpions, braving the waters on their own. A little homage to the words that the Little Teacher, Shinsei, said to Bayushi all those years ago, when he told him his version of the Frog and the Scorpion. 'I can swim.'

Finally, there is the ink wash painting. This time you force yourself to focus, not daring to give anything but the paper that lies before you your attention, never letting your mind stray from the pressure of each brushstroke. It's painstaking and difficult, and the final product is... acceptable. The image that you have produced can clearly be identified as a mountain range, but there is nothing special about your technique. It does not evoke any emotions, or create a sense of awe. It is not art, it is simply a picture, and that shall have to do.

Everything is finished and you make the final preparations for the night, carefully unpacking that precious furisode that Khulan gave you so long ago. You smooth out the expertly woven silk and dust it off, making sure that it is immaculate. You want to leave a lasting impression on everyone you meet that evening. You also take the opportunity to find your tanto, to clean it and think of how you might hide it on your person when the night of your gempukku arrives. There are only a few days left now. Soon, you will be a true samurai.

>Is there anything else that you wish to do, or anyone that you wish to talk to before the night of your gempukku? If so, please write in. If not, I'll proceed to the big night.

>>3979517
I can't think of anything else to do.

>>3979517
Lets go to the big night.

>>3979517
Timeskip

>>3979517
big night

When the day finally arrives, Narikata is merciful enough to give you the entire day to yourself. You don't have to train with the other students in the morning, instead you have the entire day to yourself to prepare. It's an opportunity that you take to reread your essays and poetry for any mistakes and ensure that their binding is sound. It's a chance to polish the tanto one last time, to carefully store the painting, the fan and the umbrella so that they might not be spoiled. As the afternoon slowly transforms into evening, you don Khulan's furisode with pride, carefully layering it and ensuring that it is snugly tied.

It's definitely an unfamiliar outfit, and you need to focus on every step that you take and gesture that you make. The long, heavy sleeves dangle in a way that makes any sudden movement difficult and awkward, and that might snag the luxurious fabric on various obstacles if you are not careful. However, the kimono is beautiful enough that you overlook how impractical it is. Vigorously combing your hair, you decide to let it flow freely in the taregami style before you finally observe your reflection in a hand mirror. You're the picture of youth and elegance, or so you hope.

Carefully securing the tanto inside the stiff sleeves of the furisode and ensuring that it is concealed, you take the opportunity to meet with your mentor at the front of the dōjō, with the various gifts that you have crafted and bought. Mercifully, it is not raining tonight, so you need not worry about your guests tracking mud inside. Narisaka's head is tipped upwards, giving you the impression that his mask is grimacing at you, but your sensei doesn't offer any comment on the clothes that you wear. Instead, he launches into a simple explanation of how the night shall function.

“This is where we shall celebrate your gempukku,” he begins. “A handful of your fellow students shall tend to the needs of your guests, providing food and drink as is necessary. You shall offer a gift to each visitor as they arrive to celebrate your coming of age. That is all that you need to do, Kiyoko-san.”

“So you have explained to me, sensei,” you reply airily. You have no need to hear all of this again.

“Good. I shall be watching, and waiting until everyone has arrived. Let us see what impression you make on the samurai of your clan this night.” With that, Narisaka turns about and leaves you to stand by the door, to attend to the noble patrons of your gempukku.

The first guests are not samurai however, but heimin, various servants of Seven Stings Keep who are sheepishly taking this chance to indulge in celebration. This is how the Scorpion Clan keeps its peasantry in line, by granting them many opportunities to revel and enjoy the food and drink of the rich, opportunities such as this. As they pass you, they offer deep and formal bows and give you their prayers. All you dare to offer is a polite bow of your head in return. After all, you are above them.

It is ten, fifteen minutes before the first of your noble patrons arrives at long last. Even taller than Narisaka, his body seems to be a well-honed weapon, dressed in resplendent armour of red and black lacquer. It appears as though this samurai is more ready for battle than he is for celebration. With his daishō resting by his side, he approaches you. Only the bottom half of this man's face is covered, exposing his dark eyes, greying hair and furrowed brow to you. As for the mask itself, the wood is carved and painted to depict the snarling mouth of some hellish dog. An inugami, perhaps? Whatever it might, it's intimidating.

“Bayushi Kiyoko, if I am not mistaken?” A curt bow is offered, the rigid armour keeping him from lowering himself fully. “I offer you my congratulations, and I am certain that the Scorpion Clan shall benefit from adding one such as you to its ranks.” He is polite enough, but the courtesy is somewhat forced. This is a man who is more used to battle than he is to niceties such as this. He is likely a soldier, perhaps even a gunsō considering his armour.

>Choose one of the following options:

>Recall the words of your sensei. All you need to do is give him a gift and be done with it. That's all that your sensei told you to do, isn't it? Maybe this gempukku is supposed to be a test of your obedience.
>Take the opportunity to learn more about your guest. Perhaps if you are able to find out more about them, you'll be able to discover more about the nature of your gempukku.

>Additionally, choose one of the following gifts to give to him:

>The folding fan
>The umbrella
>The painting
>The tanto
>The poetry
>The essays
>The omamori
>The lucky cricket

>>3979625
>>Take the opportunity to learn more about your guest. Perhaps if you are able to find out more about them, you'll be able to discover more about the nature of your gempukku.
>The tanto

>>3979625
>Take the opportunity to learn more about your guest. Perhaps if you are able to find out more about them, you'll be able to discover more about the nature of your gempukku.
>The tanto

>>3979625
>Take the opportunity to learn more about your guest. Perhaps if you are able to find out more about them, you'll be able to discover more about the nature of your gempukku.
>The tanto
A warrior such as he might appreciate the blade above all else.

>>3979625
>>Take the opportunity to learn more about your guest. Perhaps if you are able to find out more about them, you'll be able to discover more about the nature of your gempukku.
>The tanto

>>3979625
>>Take the opportunity to learn more about your guest. Perhaps if you are able to find out more about them, you'll be able to discover more about the nature of your gempukku.
>>The omamori
He probably needs some help in the waifu department. He doesn't seem very smooth.

“Thank you for your kind words,” you reply with a formal bow, as best as you are able with how tightly the layers of the furisode are bound. It definitely is not a practical outfit. Nonetheless, you seem to have made a good impression so far. “Forgive me, but you have me at a disdavantage. You know of my name, whereas I know nothing of you. Might I ask your name?” An approving nod seems to come from the elder samurai as he looks down upon you. He seems satisfied with your words, for some reason.

“So be it. I am Bayushi Iesada, gunsō of the Seven Stings Keep garrison. I believe that you have something to offer me, Bayushi-san?” Iesada seems all too familiar with the gempukku. Turning to the various trinkets that you have arranged, you pick out the tanto, the blade neatly hidden in its sheath, and present it to the old samurai.

“A gift for a worthy warrior,” you offer. Taking the tanto in his hands, Iesada goes through the process of examining it, unsheathing the blade and turning it over in its hand, examining it carefully. His stern expression briefly relaxes into something somewhat surprised. He blinks in fact, gazing into his own reflection in its surface before the tanto is sheathed, and offered back to you.

“I cannot accept such a fine offering,” comes his reply at long last. For the briefest moment, you are stunned, you feel as though you have been slapped in the face... and then you recall the etiquette of gift-giving. It is an elaborate, absurd dance. A gift must be offered three times, and rejected twice, only accepted on the third offering. Through this, samurai are supposed to be able to display their generosity and gratitude. In truth, it is a waste of time.

“I insist, Bayushi-sama” you retort. “You honour me with your presence at my gempukku, the least that I can do in return is offer you this.”

There's a brief pause before he speaks, and he briefly seems disgruntled, his brow creasing in thought. It appears that Iesada is just as frustrated by the traditions of gift-giving as you are. “It is a privilege to attend your coming of age, Bayushi-san. There is no need to reward me with such a well-made blade.”

>Enough of this. Be direct with him and just tell him to take the knife already. If anything, the old soldier might appreciate such forwardness.
>Remain polite and earnestly offer the knife for the last time, as etiquette demands. You are at a disadvantage and need to make a good impression of every guest that attends, you can't afford to slip up.

>>3979674
>Enough of this. Be direct with him and just tell him to take the knife already. If anything, the old soldier might appreciate such forwardness.
He clearly isnt into the etiquette would rather have this over with.

>>3979674
>>Enough of this. Be direct with him and just tell him to take the knife already. If anything, the old soldier might appreciate such forwardness.

>>3979674
>>Enough of this. Be direct with him and just tell him to take the knife already. If anything, the old soldier might appreciate such forwardness.

>>3979674
>Enough of this. Be direct with him and just tell him to take the knife already. If anything, the old soldier might appreciate such forwardness.

>>3979674
>>Remain polite and earnestly offer the knife for the last time, as etiquette demands. You are at a disadvantage and need to make a good impression of every guest that attends, you can't afford to slip up.
I'm not buying it.

>>3979674
>Remain polite and earnestly offer the knife for the last time, as etiquette demands. You are at a disadvantage and need to make a good impression of every guest that attends, you can't afford to slip up.

>>3979674
>>Remain polite and earnestly offer the knife for the last time, as etiquette demands. You are at a disadvantage and need to make a good impression of every guest that attends, you can't afford to slip up.

>>3979682
I'll switch to
>Remain polite and earnestly offer the knife for the last time, as etiquette demands. You are at a disadvantage and need to make a good impression of every guest that attends, you can't afford to slip up.

“Bayushi-sama,” you say, bowing your head before him once last time, gesturing for him to keep the blade. “I offer this tanto not only because you attend my gempukku but because of your loyalty and service to the Scorpion Clan. There are none more worthy of this gift than you. Please, I ask that you accept it.” After a moment's pause, the only response that you seem to get from the old soldier is a nod. He withdraws the offered knife and you're taken aback when he removes his dog-like mask, exposing a scarred face, traces of grey stubble peppering his features.

“Keep this up, Bayushi-san,” Iesada replies, “and you might get more than your daishō tonight.” Holding the tanto in the hand that doesn't clutch his mask, he offers one final bow before he turns away, to step into the dōjō. You watch as he finds a seat and is attended to by one of the students, who is quick about offering the samurai sake. What exactly did he mean, you wonder?

It's not long before the next guest arrives, and he couldn't be more different from Iesada if he tried. His oily black hair is tied in a tight and stringent topknot and his skin shows little sign of age or combat. The flowing silk of his kimono is as black as night, disturbed only by golden embroidery that seems to represent dying birds, falling from the sky. A morbid sight, to be sure. His mask seems to be made out of iron rather than wood, and only covers the space around his eyes and nose. The dark metal is studded with small gemstones, glittering red jewels that are far brighter than his small, beady eyes.

“Bayushi Kiyoko,” he greets you, far less respectfully than the gunsō. There's not even a bow of his head, even though you offer him the same formal bow that you gave to the warrior. If anything, the man appears to be in a hurry, glancing from left to right and peering past you, into the confines of the dōjō. Not finding whatever he was looking for, he turns his attention back to you. “We both know how this works, yes? Make sure that whatever you give me is something of merit and I shall put in a good word with your sensei. There is no need to waste my time.”

>This man clearly has certain expectations of you, and it is best if you just play along. Provide him with a gift, and allow him to move on, to speak with Narikata.
>You can't help but be curious. Clearly, this samurai is looking for someone. Who is he and why is he here, if he has such little interest in your gempukku? Take the chance to question him.

>Additionally, choose one of the following gifts to give to him:

>The folding fan
>The umbrella
>The painting
>The poetry
>The essays
>The omamori
>The lucky cricket

>>3979735
>>This man clearly has certain expectations of you, and it is best if you just play along. Provide him with a gift, and allow him to move on, to speak with Narikata.
>>The lucky cricket
Bro chill.

>>3979735
This man clearly has certain expectations of you, and it is best if you just play along. Provide him with a gift, and allow him to move on, to speak with Narikata.

>The umbrella

>>3979735
>>This man clearly has certain expectations of you, and it is best if you just play along. Provide him with a gift, and allow him to move on, to speak with Narikata.
>The umbrella

>>3979735
>>>This man clearly has certain expectations of you, and it is best if you just play along. Provide him with a gift, and allow him to move on, to speak with Narikata.
>>The umbrella

>>3979735
>>You can't help but be curious. Clearly, this samurai is looking for someone. Who is he and why is he here, if he has such little interest in your gempukku? Take the chance to question him.
>The lucky cricket

I am going with the safe bet of giving him the lucky cricket since the scorpion clan is superstitious

>>3979735
>This man clearly has certain expectations of you, and it is best if you just play along. Provide him with a gift, and allow him to move on, to speak with Narikata.
>The lucky cricket

>>3979796
I just don't think he would think that, that gift would have meirt to it,
And the umbrella has its uses in the rain and would go with his outfit.

I just finished my post as well, darn it.

I need one last vote, to decide between the umbrella and the lucky cricket. If I don't get a deciding vote in fifteen minutes, I'll roll for it.

>>3979845
Wait, I'll switch to the umbrella

>>3979849
If the guy has managed to stay pale he probably already has umbrellas or stays indoors so much that he never needs one.

>>3979851
i too change me vote to umbrella since one can not have to many umbrella

Taking the umbrella from the collection that you have assembled, you turn towards this impatient samurai, likely a courtier of some kind, and offer the device towards him. Judgementally, he peers down at it, yet he does not make a disapproving remark like you expect him to. Instead, he spends a moment observing the painted oil-paper in thought and at long last his attention rises, his eyes meeting your own.

“I cannot accept,” he says, his tone flat. Beneath the mask, he stares across at you expectantly, waiting for you to fulfill your part of the exchange.

“I must ins--”

“I cannot accept,” he interrupts again, somewhat forcefully, those glowering eyes fixed on you as he waits for you to offer the gift one last time.

“Please, I--”

“Very well, I accept.” Snatching the umbrella from your grasp, he reaches up to peel away his mask and reveal the elegant features of his face, soft and immaculate. He's pretty in a way, but it's spoiled by his scowl and those small, angry eyes of his. Without another word to you, the samurai clad in black and gold steps away and makes his way further into the dōjō, to speak with your sensei.

The next guest who arrives, several minutes later, is certainly an oddity, for he is not a samurai of the Scorpion Clan at all. No mask rests on his face, which is only obscured by a full beard groomed in a foreign style, hanging from his face. His hair is obscured by a peculiar cap of fur and leather, and his face seems rather strange to you, with its broad, flat nose and swarthy skin. Everything that he wears seems to be a coarse combination of thick white fur, supple brown leather and wool that has been dyed a rich, gaudy purple. Without a doubt, this is a 'samurai' of the Unicorn Clan.

You offer him the same formal bow that you have offered to every other samurai, and try to contain your revulsion at the sight of all that leather and fur. There is nothing wrong with a little leather, but how can these people possibly live with themselves, wearing nothing but the carcasses of beasts? It's beyond belief. You're snapped out of these thoughts when the man suddenly thrusts out his hand towards you, for some reason that you cannot comprehend. There's a broad and cheerful smile on his face, rather than the disciplined neutrality that samurai are meant to express.

“You are Bayushi Kiyoko, yes?” His voice isn't lacking in enthusiasm, that is for sure. “Please call me Shinjo Sidurga, it is a great honour to meet you!”

Sidurga.

Sidurga.

It sounds like the sound you made when you tried to vomit up the poisoned water you drank all of those years ago. Are you really supposed to say that? How are you supposed to treat this man, and why is he holding out his hand towards you? Did your sensei invite him, or did he just wander in of his own accord? Utaku Khulan was nowhere near this barbaric, or at the very least, she knew how to keep her gaijin ways to herself.

>Try to play along with his gaijin customs. Thrust out your own hand to mirror his gesture, maybe that's the right thing to do? Try to say his name as well. (This will require a roll.)
>Play the part of an eloquent host and do what you can to compliment him. Hopefully this will mask the distaste that he makes you feel.
>Chastise him for even thinking of touching you, especially when he is covered in dead animals. What is a savage like him even doing here anyway?

>Additionally, choose one of the following gifts to give to him:

>The folding fan
>The painting
>The poetry
>The essays
>The omamori
>The lucky cricket

>>3979872
>>Play the part of an eloquent host and do what you can to compliment him. Hopefully this will mask the distaste that he makes you feel.
>>The essays
Ayo the fuck you got yo hand out for. You really want your gift that quickly? Damn greedy boi. Read.

Fatigue is hitting me, so that post is the last one that I'll make tonight.

I'll ask a quick question though, since it was mentioned earlier. Are you guys happy with me making a few posts whenever I can, or should I stick solely to the strict schedule between 20:00 and around about now?

>>3979872
>Play the part of an eloquent host and do what you can to compliment him. Hopefully this will mask the distaste that he makes you feel.
>The essays

>>3979872
>>Try to play along with his gaijin customs. Thrust out your own hand to mirror his gesture, maybe that's the right thing to do? Try to say his name as well. (This will require a roll.)
>The essays

>>3979872
>Play the part of an eloquent host and do what you can to compliment him. Hopefully this will mask the distaste that he makes you feel.
>The painting
>>3979910
The current system is fine as long as it's good for you.

>>3979872
>Try to play along with his gaijin customs. Thrust out your own hand to mirror his gesture, maybe that's the right thing to do? Try to say his name as well. (This will require a roll

The lucky cricket

>Try to play along with his gaijin customs. Thrust out your own hand to mirror his gesture, maybe that's the right thing to do? Try to say his name as well. (This will require a roll

>>3979910
Just caught up, so far so good, I'm enjoying the story and your writing. Mechanically it's fine as well. As far as when you should post, I'd say whatever works for you.

>>3979872
>Try to play along with his gaijin customs. Thrust out your own hand to mirror his gesture, maybe that's the right thing to do? Try to say his name as well. (This will require a roll.)

>The essays


I wish I had caught up sooner. Reading along I was thinking whilst we had that last day all to ourselves we should have spent a little time trying to sneak into our senseis room to see if we could find a list detailing who is coming. Might have helped with this whole procedure. Ah well

>>3979872
>Try to play along with his gaijin customs. Thrust out your own hand to mirror his gesture, maybe that's the right thing to do? Try to say his name as well. (This will require a roll.)
>The lucky cricket

While I appreciate >>3980061's words, I disagree about the mechanics. I made the mistake of trying to use L5R's system for this quest unadulterated, and I am quickly realising that it is not suitable whatsoever. So, I will very quickly explain a mucher simpler system that I am now using.

Whenever I ask for a roll, you roll a number of dice equal to the appropriate ring for the roll – Earth, Fire, Air, Water or Void – and you roll twice the number of dice equal to the appropriate skill. In the future, I'll make sure to announce what ring and skill a roll will use, so you know how difficult it might be.
However, only a number of these dice equal to the ring you're using can be kept, and contribute to whether you succed or not. The rest must be discarded.
Every 4, 5 or 6 that you keep contributes to your success and for every 6 that you keep, you may keep an additional die that you rolled.
If enough 4s, 5s and 6s are kept, the roll is successful. And if you keep more 4s, 5s and 6s than you need in order to succeed, you gain bonuses for having excelled at the roll.

>Try to play along with his gaijin customs. Thrust out your own hand to mirror his gesture, maybe that's the right thing to do? Try to say his name as well. (This will require a roll.)
>The essays.

In the case of this roll, because you are adapting to Sidurga's gaijin ways, you are using your Water ring of 1, as this is a matter of etiquette, you are using your Courtesy skill of 2.
This means that you can roll five dice for this roll, but you're only able to keep one of the dice that is rolled – unless it's a 6, then you may keep an additional die.
In the future, I will try to write such a post in a format like this:
>Try to play along with his gaijin customs. Thrust out your own hand to mirror his gesture, maybe that's the right thing to do? Try to say his name as well. (This will require a roll of 5d6 using your Water ring of 1 and your Courtesy skill of 2.)

Again, I apologise for being opaque and irregular with the mechanics so far, and hopefully now that I have laid out these rules, I'll be able to stick to a framework in the future. At least this isn't a high-stakes roll.

>I'll require a roll of 5d6 before I write up the next post.

Rolled 5, 4, 1, 2, 5 = 17 (5d6)

>>3980551

Rolled 4, 3, 3, 4, 1 = 15 (5d6)

>>3980551
Rolling my lord.

>>3980553
I'll be using this roll as a demonstration.
Using those five dice, we rolled a 5, 4, 1, 2 and 5. The 5, 4 and 5 count as successes, and if we keep those dice, they will contribute to the success of the roll.
However, as the ring that we are using for the roll only has a value of one, only one of the dice can be kept – so we will be keeping a 5, which counts as one success. As no 6s were kept, we can't keep any extra dice.
Whether or not this single success is enough for our samurai to succeed in her attempt at gaijin etiquette, we shall see in the coming post.

Again, I offer my apologies for how ramshackle the system has been up until now and if you have any criticism, I'll gladly hear it. So far I have only been accepting the roll of the first responder, would you like me to accept the best of three instead?

>>3980560
Bo3 works as well

>>3980560
yea let's go with bo3

>>3979872
>Play the part of an eloquent host and do what you can to compliment him. Hopefully this will mask the distaste that he makes you feel.
>lucky cricket

“The honour is mine, Shinjo Sidurgh-- Sudeugh-- S-sudoku?”

You thrust out your hand to mirror his own gesture as you desperately stumble over how to pronounce the foreign name. The result is pealing laughter that erupts from Shinjo Sidurga's mouth in a burst of sound and without warning, the man reaches forward to grasp your hand in your own and shake it vigorously. You can scarcely hide your horror from the man and you're very thankful when he finally releases your fingers, allowing you to withdraw from his coarse touch. You'll need to thoroughly clean that hand once the ceremony has come to an end.

“Close enough, Kiyoko! Most samurai refer to me as 'Shinjo-san' for a reason, I know that the Rokugani tongue is too delicate to wield such harsh sounds. I am here as a courier, to carry messages between the lords of your clan and mine... Though I believe when I first arrived in these lands weeks ago, I had to deliver a letter carrying your name! I pray that it carried good tidings?”

Your mind goes to Utaku Khulan and the message that she had sent to you, her story of how she was wounded in battle. Bowing your head before Sidurga, you remain muted. “The news was as good as I could hope for, Shinjo-san.”

The smile on the Unicorn courier's face seems to drop somewhat. “Ah. You have my sympathy then, Kiyoko. But I know that this night shall go well for you! How could a young woman with such grace and beauty not be destined to serve our beloved empire well?” Just like that, his smile has returned and you find yourself almost sharing the expression. Even if the man is horribly uncouth, Sidurga seems to mean well. Turning towards the selection of gifts, you pick out the small book of essays that you had prepared. Perhaps, you think, this might help the man become more accustomed to Rokugani culture.

“A gift, Shinjo-san, to thank you for attending this ceremony to celebrate my coming of age.” Curiosity is evident in Sidurga's eyes as he reaches over to accept the compilation of essays, to turn the book over his hands, appraising much like how Iesada examined the tanto that you gave him. Rather than deny the gift as tradition demands however... He simply slides into a pocket of that leather coat of his.

“You have my thanks for offering such a lovely gift, Kiyoko. I am sure to read it when I have the time, camped in the wilderness in the long nights to come. May this night be blessed, and may your future as a samurai be a glorious one!” And with that, the courier of the Unicorn Clan is on his way, striding further inside of the dōjō to join the others. You pray that the other samurai of your clan will be patient with him and his peculiar ways.

It takes some time for your next to arrive, another ten minutes of standing in that furisode, the chill of night gradually setting in and finding its way through the layers of your kimono. You fight to keep yourself from shivering, maintaining a dignified posture as you wait for the rest of the guests to arrive. Do you even know how many might attend? You prepared for eight and so far, there have only been three. Perhaps your sensei misled you?

Before you can ponder any further about such thoughts, the next guest arrived. She is roughly as old as Iesada, though she is most certainly not a warrior, her hair pinned back in a complicated shimada. The space around her eyes and nose is covered by a black, feathered mask, reminiscent of a crow, and the rest of her face is carefully powdered to a white pallor. The heavy kimono that she wears is black, although that colour is interrupted by bursts of red and gold in the form of embroidered flowers, beautiful blossoms that spread across the fabric. As for the bottom half of her face, it is concealed by a fan that she clutches at with frail-looking fingers. There's something unpleasantly intense about how she stares at you over the edge of it.

“So,” she begins, her voice devoid of emotion, as a samurai is meant to be. “You must be Bayushi Kiyoko.” The elderly woman keeps her distance for the time being, standing several feet away, idly fanning at her face even in the evening chill. Even the rude patron wearing the kimono of dying birds was more approachable than she is. Despite this, you do what you can to remain courteous and to fulfill your part of the gempukku.

“I am,” you answer, bowing as formally as you are able, your head dipping low before the aging courtier. “Thank you for honouring my gempukku with your presence. May I offer you a gift, out of gratitude for your patronage?” You find yourself forced to say more than before, as a way of compensating for just how standoffish this woman is. Yet that hawk-like stare of hers continues to pierce into your very soul as you rise to stand before her. The silence hovers in the air for a long, uncomfortable moment, as though your guest plans on making this as torturous for you as possible.

“You may,” she answers at long last. Do you hear a trace of disdain in her words? You cannot see any on her face, hidden as it is behind the mask and fan. Ill at ease, you turn towards the assembled gifts to pick out something suitable for the crone.

>Confront her as an equal. Meet her eyes and directly ask her why she is being so aloof and cold.
>Be respectful about it, but try to inquire about her. You would like to know who this haughty visitor of yours is.
>Just do as you were told by your sensei. Give her the gift as respectfully as you can and be done with it. If she wants to act like this, so be it.

>Additionally, choose one of the following gifts to give to her:

>The folding fan
>The painting
>The poetry
>The omamori
>The lucky cricket

>>3980597
>Be respectful about it, but try to inquire about her. You would like to know who this haughty visitor of yours is.
>The folding fan

>>3980597
>>Be respectful about it, but try to inquire about her. You would like to know who this haughty visitor of yours is.
>>The folding fan

>>3980597
>>Just do as you were told by your sensei. Give her the gift as respectfully as you can and be done with it. If she wants to act like this, so be it.
it.
>The painting

>>3980597
>>Be respectful about it, but try to inquire about her. You would like to know who this haughty visitor of yours is.

>The folding fan

Picking up the fan that you worked so hard to improve, you turn back to face the elderly samurai. You manage to keep your frustration from entering your tone or changing your expression, your head bowed so that the old woman might not see the irritation in your eyes.

“Forgive me,” you remark, “but I do not believe that I know you. I offer you this gift as thanks for your attendance, and I ask for your name, so that I might be familiar with the elder that is generous enough to celebrate my coming of age this evening.” You proffer the folded fan, the lacquered wood gleaming in the warm light that comes from the dōjō. Still fanning at her face, the old woman lowers her head to look upon the device.

“I cannot accept this,” she begins, offering her first refusal, “and as much as I wish for you to struggle with the trial that awaits you, I have waited too long for this moment to withhold the truth. I am Yogo Sakamae, and I believe that you are familiar with my daughter, Yogo Yukari... Though you might know her by her childhood name, Yogo Yukiko.”

Your blood goes cold. Yogo Yukiko was once a student at the Seven Stings Keep dōjō, much like you. Perhaps at one point you were friends but as the years went by, you became fiercely competitive. You have no doubt that the girl envied you, and perhaps it was this jealousy that made her decide to poison you. You spent an entire week retching until there was nothing left for you to spew but blood. It was thought that you would die your way, vomiting every last drop of blood from your body, yet you somehow recovered. The healer who tended to you claimed that you must be blessed by Jurōjin, the Fortune of Longevity, to survive such an ordeal.

It doesn't matter who you are blessed by. All that you know is that you are destined for greatness and that Yukiko, out of petty spite, tried to kill you. You pointed the finger at her, accused her of being the one who poisoned you and had her expelled from the dōjō. You never heard of her again. Not until now.

>You suffer a point of strife. Your strife is currently at 1 / 4.

>From now on, you will suffer a point of strife whenever you fail a roll, whenever you act in a way that goes against your delusions of grandeur, and whenever you arrive at a dramatic and stressful point in the story.

>Should your strife meet or exceed its maximum capacity, which is currently 4, your ability to succeed will be greatly impaired. Only your rolls of 6 will contribute to a roll's success.

>However, you can reduce your strife back down to 0 by surrendering to your emotions, which is called unmasking. By bursting into tears or giving into your rage, you are able to rid yourself of your strife, at the cost of damaging your reputation or escalating a situation.

>You have other methods of reducing your strife as well. You get to subtract a point whenever you engage in your love of wordplay and whenever you arrive at a positive and uplifting point in the story.

“Yogo Yukari,” you repeat to yourself. If she has a new name, then that means... “So she passed her gempukku at another dōjō? She is a samurai?”

“She is,” Sakamae replies, fanning vigorously at her face, staring across at you all the while. “Despite your best efforts to stymie her advancement, she serves the Scorpion Clan as a Shosuro Actress.”

The Shosuro School of Acting is their public name, at least. Behind closed doors, the Scorpion Clan refers to them as Shosuro Infiltrators. They are the knife in the dark, the agents that poison the enemies of the clan and ensure that no secrets remain hidden for long. Your old rival, the girl who once tried to kill you, is now an assassin. Worse, she passed her gempukku before you did.

It's beyond belief.

>Try to reason with Sakamae. Your rivalry with Yukiko – with Yukari – is in the past, there's no need for grudges to be held. (This will require a roll of 5d6 using your Earth ring of 1 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You are at a disadvantage when it comes to reasoning with your Sworn Enemy.)
>Take the opportunity to subtly jab at Sakamae's daughter. Isn't it convenient that the girl who poisoned you is now a shinobi? (This will require a roll of 7d6 using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will reduce your strife to 0 / 4 for engaging in your love of Wordplay.)
>Tell the truth, that Sakamae's daughter should have been exiled from the clan or executed for her crime. Taunt her, say that you've dreamed of her daughter's demise more than once. (This will require a roll of 7d6 using your Fire ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2.)

>>3980754
>Take the opportunity to subtly jab at Sakamae's daughter. Isn't it convenient that the girl who poisoned you is now a shinobi? (This will require a roll of 7d6 using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will reduce your strife to 0 / 4 for engaging in your love of Wordplay.)

Rolled 6, 2, 3, 4, 1, 1, 1 = 18 (7d6)

>>3980754
>Take the opportunity to subtly jab at Sakamae's daughter. Isn't it convenient that the girl who poisoned you is now a shinobi? (This will require a roll of 7d6 using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will reduce your strife to 0 / 4 for engaging in your love of Wordplay.)

are we supposed to roll now?

>>3980754
>Try to reason with Sakamae. Your rivalry with Yukiko – with Yukari – is in the past, there's no need for grudges to be held. (This will require a roll of 5d6 using your Earth ring of 1 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You are at a disadvantage when it comes to reasoning with your Sworn Enemy.)
Let's be happy for our (ex) friend!
I wonder if our own insecurity convinced us that it had to be her.

>>3980815
No need to roll now, sorry - I'll ask for the roll once we've had enough votes to confirm an option.

>>3980754
>Take the opportunity to subtly jab at Sakamae's daughter. Isn't it convenient that the girl who poisoned you is now a shinobi? (This will require a roll of 7d6 using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will reduce your strife to 0 / 4 for engaging in your love of Wordplay.)

>Take the opportunity to subtly jab at Sakamae's daughter. Isn't it convenient that the girl who poisoned you is now a shinobi? (This will require a roll of 7d6 using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will reduce your strife to 0 / 4 for engaging in your love of Wordplay.)

>I require a roll of 7d6, and will accept the best of three.

Rolled 5, 1, 3, 1, 5, 2, 6 = 23 (7d6)

>>3980923

Rolled 2, 5, 3, 5, 2, 3, 2 = 22 (7d6)

>>3980754
Take the opportunity to subtly jab at Sakamae's daughter. Isn't it convenient that the girl who poisoned you is now a shinobi? (This will require a roll of 7d6 using your Air ring of 3 and your Courtesy skill of 2. You will reduce your strife to 0 / 4 for engaging in your love of Wordplay.)

Rolled 6, 2, 5, 2, 4, 3, 6 = 28 (7d6)

>>3980923

Rolled 6, 4, 1, 5, 3, 3, 2 = 24 (7d6)

>>3980923

>Going with >>3980966, four successes.

>You lose a point of strife. Your strife is now at 0 / 4.

“An actress of the Shosuro School,” you remark. “I am glad that she has found her true calling. She was always a very convincing performer.”

“Is that so?” Yogo Sakamae's eyes remain fixed on you over the top of the fan, glowering at you from behind her bird-like mask.

“Yes,” you insist. “When we were both young, she managed to convince me that she was my friend. For years, she performed that role perfectly. I have never met anyone that was better than her, when it came to playing the part of someone kind and loyal. With the tutelage of the Shosuro family, I am certain that she will adopt even more complicated roles in the years to come. Perhaps a loving wife, or a devoted samurai? Why, with her talent for performance, she could pretend to be anything that she wants.”

The elderly Yogo fans at herself more vigorously than before, her knuckles whitening ever so slightly as she grasps at the fan. “Are you finished?”

“For now,” you reply, “though I could praise Yukari's skill as an actress for hours.” You can't stop a faint smile from rising to your lips at that, your smugness shining through despite your best efforts. You offer the folded fan towards Sakamae once more, continuing with the gift-giving ceremony. “I insist that you must have this gift, Yogo-sama. Consider it a reward for bringing such a cunning daughter into this world.”

“I cannot,” Sakamae repeats, her eyes glancing down from your face to look upon the folded fan, considering the gift that you offering her. “Though I am sure it must be well made, considering how long you have been studying at this dōjō for. Surely there must be a good reason for you to still be a student at such a... ripe age.”

>Offer the gift for a third time, as tradition demands. No matter how much this woman despises you and no matter how much you hate her two-faced daughter, you must see this through if you are to become a samurai.
>You've had enough of this. Take this as a chance to withdraw the gift. It's not like she deserves the fan anyway. It's disrespectful but she deserves it, considering what her daughter did to you. (This choice will cause you to lose a small amount of honour.)

>>3981040
>Offer the present for a third time, as tradition demands. No matter how much this woman despises you and no matter how much you hate her two-faced daughter, you must see this through if you are to become a samurai.

>>3981045
Offer the gift for a third time, as tradition demands. No matter how much this woman despises you and no matter how much you hate her two-faced daughter, you must see this through if you are to become a samurai.

>>3981045
>>Offer the gift for a third time, as tradition demands. No matter how much this woman despises you and no matter how much you hate her two-faced daughter, you must see this through if you are to become a samurai.

>>3981045
>Offer the gift for a third time, as tradition demands. No matter how much this woman despises you and no matter how much you hate her two-faced daughter, you must see this through if you are to become a samurai.
A pathetic riposte from the old bug, she has her daughter's way with words.

“Every day that I spent in the dōjō taught me a new lesson, Yogo-sama. I shall leave it as a samurai worthy of serving the Scorpion Clan – unlike some others. Now, I must insist that you accept this gift. This is my gratitude to you, for gracing this event with your presence and for sharing Yukari's fate with me.” For the last time, you proffer the folded fan.

And at long last, Sakamae takes it from you to inspect it, turning it over in her hand. “I suppose that I cannot deny it then. It is of an acceptable quality, I suppose...” With a deft flick of her wrist, she unfolds it, using the other to fan at her face all the while. Her eyes gaze down upon the brilliant sun painted on the paper and on the lacquered wood, a thoughtful sound leaving her lips. “Though it does not match this outfit. I will have to use it with another. Thank you for this gift, Bayushi-san.”

“Think nothing of it, Yogo-sama.” And without another word, you let the elderly woman pass you and make her way into the waiting dōjō, to be attended to by the other students. Both fans are folded as she goes, clutching them in a single hand and peeling off her mask with the other. You have never seen Scorpion samurai take off their masks in public before; perhaps that is connected to the gempukku somehow? You might need to ask. In any case, she is your fourth guest, out of your expected eight. Four more to go.

“Well, that was a fiery little encounter,” comes a comment from the darkness. The masked figure of a Scorpion samurai steps around the corner of a pillar and it seems that you won't need to wait for the fifth guest at all. He's already here. “Bayushi Kiyoko, yes? You have my congratulations. I am certain that you will serve the Scorpion Clan dutifully, in the days to come.”

The first thing that you notice is the mask that covers his entire face, a garish thing of black and white depicting some sort of howling, tortured spirit. His kimono is a similar spotless white, though the fabric is disrupted in places with bloody red embellishments, little scorpions embroidered into the silk. His long, black hair flows freely over his back and his shoulders, and he seems a little too slender for how tall he is. This samurai is certainly off-putting, though you feel this is intentional.

“Thank you for your kind words.” You offer him a low and formal bow. Is this one of the samurai that Narikata chose to invite, or is this man simply walking in on a whim? You wonder whether you should ask, though that might be rather rude. At the same time, you turn to seek a gift for the fifth guest.

>Question him a little. You'd like to know the people who attend your last night as a student and child.
>Just get on with the gift-giving, you'd rather not have to deal with this eerie-looking man for longer than you have to.

>Additionally, choose one of the following gifts to give to him:

>The painting
>The poetry
>The omamori
>The lucky cricket

>>3981155
>Question him a little. You'd like to know the people who attend your last night as a student and child.
>The lucky cricket

>>3981155
>Question him a little. You'd like to know the people who attend your last night as a student and child.
>The lucky cricket

“Please, accept this gift, so that you may always bear good fortune.” With those words, you offer the caged cricket to the white-clad samurai. The lively critter chirps and buzzes about the interior of his cage as it disturbed, held in both hands before your noble patron. “Might I ask for your name however, if you seek to attend my coming of age? I am afraid that I do not know of you.”

“In which case, you may call me Yogo Tsugumichi.” A mouthful. “As for this gift, I am afraid that I cannot accept it. Is this the sort of present that you have given to the rest of your guests? I must say that it is rather... disappointing.” It's difficult for you to see his eyes behind that mask of his. Its horrific expression is far too distracting.

“I insist that you accept this present, Yogo-sama. Forgive me if you do not consider it a worthy gift, but it is my wish that you have good luck, which this cricket shall most certainly bring.” If the superstition is to be believed, at least.

“I possess a great deal of knowledge when it comes to matter of fortune, Bayushi-san, and I know for certain that these insects bring no fortune at all. It is a tale of the sort that is invented to appease the heimin and keep them happy.” You struggle to keep yourself from blushing in shame as the gift is denied again. Are all of the Yogo family so abrasive and unpleasant to speak to? One last time, you proffer the caged cricket to the samurai as tradition dictates.

“Then do not accept it because of what it is, but because of what it represents, Yogo-sama. This is a symbol of my gratitude to you, my thanks for your presence at my gempukku. That is where its significance lies, does it not? In the sentiment of it, rather than the reality.”

“And for the third time, Bayushi-san, I refuse.” You feel that your pride is stung as the white-robed Tsugumichi denies your gift outright. He was not simply following tradition, he has no interest in the caged cricket that you purchased. “Should you wish for me to appreciate such sentiment, you should attach it to something of worth, something with meaning. You offend me by giving me nothing but a bauble more suited to peasants.” With that, he reaches up to remove his mask, revealing his face. He looks rather youthful, perhaps only five years older than you and on the verge of being handsome... Well, if it wasn't for the ugly scarring that creeps up the left side of his throat, spoiling the skin of his cheek and his jaw, clearly the result of some horrid burn.

“Forgive me, Yogo-sama. That was not my intention.” Once more you provide a formal bow, to avert your attention from that judgemental stare and his scarred, forwning face. Rather than accept your apology, Tsugumichi moves on, striding further into the dōjō. You silently pray that this will not impact how the rest of your gempukku progresses.

Thankfully, the next guest that arrives is a little less intimidating. Covered in lacquered black armor that carries the red mon of the Scorpion Clan, the lower half of her face is concealed with a veil of black silk, the features of her face just barely visible through the thin material. Her hair is tied back in a more practical style and like Iesada, she carries a daishō by her side. Clearly a warrior of some sort, perhaps a guard of Seven Stings Keep. Her armour isn't anywhere near as impressive as that of Iesada, so you doubt she is of any significant rank.

“Good evening,” you begin, your tone somewhat more demure after your encounter with Tsugumichi. The repetition of this bowing is beginning to make your back a little sore, but you need to make a good impression, so you do it anyway. “Would you be here to celebrate my gempukku?”

“If your name is Kiyoko, then I am,” your armoured guest begins, although she seems somewhat distracted by peering into the dōjō, searching for a sign of someone. A faint frown troubles her features as she looks back towards you, lowering her voice somewhat. “Though ah, I wish to know whether Yogo Tomoyuki has arrived here first.”

You've dealt with a Yogo Sakamae and a Yogo Tsugumichi, but someone called Tomoyuki? You haven't encountered them so far this evening, unless...

“Does he wear a kimono that is embroidered with... dying birds?” You do not know a kinder way of phrasing it. The armoured woman deflates somewhat when she hears you mention the outfit, and she offers a sullen nod.

“That would be him, yes. Forgive me for involving your coming of age in this, but the man has a rather strange grudge against me. He seeks to compete against me in all things, even celebrations such as this. You may know me as Bayushi Takako, and I pray that your gempukku goes well this night... Though I fear that there is little chance of that, if I need to be in the same room as that viper.”

>Apologise to her, as you have already given Tomoyuki a rather fine gift in the form of the umbrella that you made. She should be prepared for him to use that to his advantage.
>Ask her to avoid dragging whatever quarrel she might have with Tomoyuki into your gempukku. You'd rather not have tonight be more dramatic than it has to be.
>Take the opportunity to rile her up, and say that he mentioned a few rather unpleasant things about her. If nothing else, the ensuing conflict should make tonight more exciting.

>Additionally, choose one of the following gifts to give to him:

>The painting
>The poetry
>The omamori
>The lucky cricket

>>3981155
>Question him a little. You'd like to know the people who attend your last night as a student and child.
The poetry

>>3981249
>Apologise to her, as you have already given Tomoyuki a rather fine gift in the form of the umbrella that you made. She should be prepared for him to use that to his advantage.
>The painting

>>3981249
>>Apologise to her, as you have already given Tomoyuki a rather fine gift in the form of the umbrella that you made. She should be prepared for him to use that to his advantage.
>The painting

>>3981249
Apologise to her, as you have already given Tomoyuki a rather fine gift in the form of the umbrella that you made. She should be prepared for him to use that to his advantage.

>The omamori

They must like each other but cant admit it to one another.

“You will need to forgive me but ah, I have nothing that I can give you that will match his gift.” You chew the inside of your cheek as you warn Takako in advance. It's better than she knows now, so she's ready for whatever sort of torment Tomoyuki has in mind for her. The warrioress pinches at the bridge of her nose and takes in a breath, before she finally provides a nod.

“So be it. I will find a way to tolerate his sneering, I am sure. I was taught at this very dōjō ten years ago, you know.” She seems to smile a bit as she looks past you, peering at the interior of the structure. It's a wistful expression. “It doesn't seem to have changed a bit.”

Turning to the last of the gifts that you have laid out, you pick up the painting of the Spine of the World and turn your attention back towards Takako, offering the piece towards her. “Please accept this, as thanks for attending my gempukku and celebrating my coming age. Consider it a sign of my appreciation and ah, I must ask, Bayushi-sama... Were you taught by Narikata as well?”

“Oh, I cannot accept that, Bayushi-san, though I am sure that the brushstrokes appear to be very fine indeed.” She must be exaggerating for the sake of your ego. The painting is absolutely average. “As for Bayushi Naritaka, yes, though not for very long. He began teaching at this dōjō shortly before my own gempukku. He was always very severe. Has that changed at all..?”

You stifle a laugh and shake your head at that. The thought of Narikata as anything other than a harsh and stringent teacher is borderline impossible. “Oh no, not at all. He is very much as you describe him. But really, I insist that you accept this gift, as I would be honoured to know that it might be on display within your estate.”

“Oh, I am afraid that I have no estate at all. I dwell within the barracks of Seven Stings Keep. Perhaps once I get married I will get a home of my own but until then, I live with the other guards of this citadel.” That has you worried. Perhaps your future as a samurai will not be glamorous as you hope, and the thought of having to spend the rest of your life in a barracks makes you quail. The last ten years in this dōjō were bad enough. “So without a home to place this painting in, Bayushi-san, I cannot accept.”

“Then perhaps keep it until you do, Bayushi-sama? Please, I insist. I would be honoured to know that something that I have made lies in your possession.” And at long last, Takako accepts the offered painting to look it over, tipping it this way and that to examine the mountains that you have painted.

“It's certainly better than half of the refuse that I was responsible for making for my gempukku. Thank you, Bayushi-san, and I wish you the best of luck.” With that, she offers a bow of her head and visibly steels herself, before stepping into the dōjō.

Fifteen, twenty minutes pass before the next guest arrives and you find yourself wondering whether you should remain at the door at all. However, at long last, you receive your seventh guest, perhaps the least pleasant one so far. Weighed down by ragged, mud-stained travel clothes, he looks like a heimin in every possible way, except for the daishō that hangs by his side and how he styles his hair. He carries no mask, so he is clearly not a samurai of the Scorpion Clan, nor does he bear the mon of any other clan. This leaves only one possibility... The man is rōnin, a wave man, a vagrant samurai with no master.

“There was a sign saying there was some sort of celebration here. A gempukku of some sort, eh?” His tone is coarse and he offers no sort of bow to you. To be quite honest, you feel no desire to bow to him either; out of all of the guests you have had to greet so far, this is one who is of lesser status than you. There is no reason for you to owe him any respect.

“My coming of age, yes,” you reply rather curtly. “I am Bayushi Kiyoko and might I know who you are..?”

“Atshushi,” comes his reply as he straightens himself out, attempting to dust off his rather filthy clothes, stained with and stinking of his sweat. “So, can I come in?”

>You will not stop so low as to allow a rōnin to attend your gempukku. Deny him, and ask that he moves on. You aren't about to entertain any vagabonds this evening.
>Regardless of his station, he is a guest, and you will treat him like one. Bow before him like he deserves, and treat him with the same courtesy that you have granted your previous patrons. (This choice will earn you a small amount of honour. You will increase your strife to 1 / 4 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur.)
>You suppose that you have to let him in, considering that even heimin are allowed to participate to some extent. You'll go through the necessary steps and give him a gift, but no more than that.

>>3981346
>Regardless of his station, he is a guest, and you will treat him like one. Bow before him like he deserves, and treat him with the same courtesy that you have granted your previous patrons. (This choice will earn you a small amount of honour. You will increase your strife to 1 / 4 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur.)

>>3981346
>Regardless of his station, he is a guest, and you will treat him like one. Bow before him like he deserves, and treat him with the same courtesy that you have granted your previous patrons. (This choice will earn you a small amount of honour. You will increase your strife to 1 / 4 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur.)

>>3981400
Also ten bucks this guy is a bigwig Bayushi that is hiding what he really is as a test of character.

>>3981419
Ten bucks says he's literally just a ronin. But he works for a bigwig.

>>3981346
>>You suppose that you have to let him in, considering that even heimin are allowed to participate to some extent. You'll go through the necessary steps and give him a gift, but no more than that.

>>3981346
now that i think about it changing vote to >Regardless of his station, he is a guest, and you will treat him like one. Bow before him like he deserves, and treat him with the same courtesy that you have granted your previous patrons. (This choice will earn you a small amount of honour. You will increase your strife to 1 / 4 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur.)

>>3981346
>>Regardless of his station, he is a guest, and you will treat him like one. Bow before him like he deserves, and treat him with the same courtesy that you have granted your previous patrons. (This choice will earn you a small amount of honour. You will increase your strife to 1 / 4 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur.)

>You gain a point of strife. Your strife is now 1 / 4.

>You gain three points of honour for your Courtesy. Your honour is now 43.

You can't believe that you're doing this. This is a lowly rōnin, worthy of no respect, with no place in civilised society. You are above him in so many ways, and yet, you have your duty. Stomaching your pride, you lower yourself in a humble, formal bow, the same that you have given to all of the other patrons that has visited so far. The difference is that they were not wave men, they all contributed to the Emerald Empire in their own way. This man is masterless, mercenary, and has no place in the Celestial Order. He is revolting.

“Of course, Atshushi-sama,” you begin. “Before you join the others however, I ask that you accept a gift from me. It is the least that I can do, considering that you choose to... honour my gempukku with your presence.” At this moment in time, you despise Narikata for the duty that he has given you. Yet you cannot afford to slip up, for you have no doubt that your sensei is watching. What would he think, if he saw you giving this wave man the vitriol that he deserves? In the end, the right and honourable thing is to give this rōnin respect. He is still samurai, even if he is lordless. Sometimes, what is right must come before your ego.

“Hah! Can't remember the last time anyone used that honorific for me.” Atsushi brushes his fingers through his rather grubby beard in thought, looking across at you. “Can't remember the last time someone bowed to me either. Not even heimin do that. But if you've planning on giving me something, well, who am I to refuse, eh?”

Turning your attention towards the array of gifts that you have left, you pick one out of the lot to give to the rōnin, silently cursing your sensei, your guest and yourself all the while. You long for this night to be over, and to finally be a fully-fledged samurai. Hopefully, you will not have to suffer a humiliating ordeal like this ever again.

>Give him the poetry.
>Give him the omamori.
>Give him the lucky cricket.

>>3981456
>>Give him the omamori.

>>3981456
>>Give him the omamori.

>>3981456
>>Give him the omamori.

>>3981456
>>Give him the omamori.

“In that case, I ask that you accept this gift. May this talisman grant you good fortune in matters of art and love, and may it serve as a symbol of my gratitude, Atshushi-sama.” These are the words that you utter as you pick up that omamori and turn to face the rōnin, proffering it with your head bowed. The things that you must do for the sake of etiquette.

There's no refusal from Atshushi. He takes the omamori from your grasp, dangling it in front of his eyes. “The Fortunes know that I need help with such things,” he grunts, watching the envelope slowly spin this way and that as it dangles before him. “You'll have to forgive me, but I'm not going to go through the usual tradition. It's a waste of time, and you've shown me too much kindness for me to make you suffer through that.” You're not sure whether you should be offended by the wave man's words, or thankful. At the very least, it means you'll have to smell his unpleasant odour for a few seconds less. “Thank you for the hospitality, Bayushi-sama.”

It's his turn to lower himself in a deep, scraping bow, much unlike the nods and brief dips that you have gotten from the other samurai tonight. It's only fitting, considering that he is rōnin but you get the feeling that it is far more earnest than the bow that you gave him. The man's sincere in his gratitude, moreso than all of the others. After he straightens himself, he makes his way inside to join the others.

You remain by the door for a few more minutes but eventually, someone approaches you from inside rather than from the cold darkness of the night. By now, even the dull blue of twilight has passed and the only source of light in the heavens is the near-full moon and the occasional star. You turn towards the sound of footsteps to find yourself confronted by your teacher. This time, his head is angled so that the lacquered wood of his mask is grimacing at you in despair. Perhaps he disapproves of what he has seen tonight, or perhaps he is merely trying to throw you off balance. It is hard to say.

“I do not believe that we will have any other guests this evening, Kiyoko-san. You may join the rest of us, and the ceremony shall commence. It is time for you to receive your blades and your names.”

>Take the opportunity to ask him about the various guests that have arrived. Why are there two feuding samurai in attendance, and why is Yogo Yukari's mother present, of all people?
>This is a chance to leave one last positive impression on your sensei. If you will not be handing out any more of these gifts, then you will offer one of them to him. Perhaps he will appreciate it?
>At last. You've got nothing that you want to say to him and you're eager to get away from the chilly doorway of the dōjō.

>>3981488
>>Take the opportunity to ask him about the various guests that have arrived. Why are there two feuding samurai in attendance, and why is Yogo Yukari's mother present, of all people?
>>This is a chance to leave one last positive impression on your sensei. If you will not be handing out any more of these gifts, then you will offer one of them to him. Perhaps he will appreciate it?

>>3981488
>>Take the opportunity to ask him about the various guests that have arrived. Why are there two feuding samurai in attendance, and why is Yogo Yukari's mother present, of all people?
>>This is a chance to leave one last positive impression on your sensei. If you will not be handing out any more of these gifts, then you will offer one of them to him. Perhaps he will appreciate it?

>>3981490
+1

>>3981488

>Take the opportunity to ask him about the various guests that have arrived. Why are there two feuding samurai in attendance, and why is Yogo Yukari's mother present, of all people?
>This is a chance to leave one last positive impression on your sensei. If you will not be handing out any more of these gifts, then you will offer one of them to him. Perhaps he will appreciate it?

If you are to offer a gift to Narikata, you will need to choose which of the remaining items you want to give to him.

>You will give your teacher the poetry you have written.
>You will give your teacher the lucky cricket that you purchased.

>>3981505
>>You will give your teacher the lucky cricket that you purchased.

>>3981505
>>You will give your teacher the poetry you have written.

>>3981505
>>You will give your teacher the poetry you have written.

It's not amazing by any means but it's more meaningful than a cricket we bought

>>3981514
True, I'll switch to >You will give your teacher the poetry you have written

>>3981505
>You will give your teacher the poetry you have written.
The cricket was confirmed to be a garbage gift. Guess we can keep it as a pet.

>>3981505
>>You will give your teacher the poetry you have written.

“Of course, sensei. But first...” You turn towards the two gifts that are left waiting on the table, before finally selecting the book of poetry. You extend it towards him, your head bowed as you do so. “A symbol of my gratitude, for considering me worthy of gempukku.” The words taste bitter as they leave your mouth, and you cannot help but recall the discussion that you had with him. He doesn't believe that you are worthy at all, he just wants to be rid of you. Hopefully tonight has changed his opinion somewhat, and shown him that you are capable of discipline, of being a dutiful servant.

“Kiyoko-san, I cannot accept this.” As always, you are unsure of the sincerity of his words. Is he being genuine when he says this, or is he just playing his part, like everyone else did before him?

“I insist, sensei. If not as thanks for granting me this night, then as thanks for everything that you have taught me over the years.” It is true that you learned a great deal during your stay at the dōjō, as much as you resent your decade of studying, of communal living with all of the other students, of all the chores that were more appropriate for servants to perform.

“I performed my duty, nothing more. I need no payment for fulfilling the purpose that my lord has granted me.” Like a true samurai of the Scorpion Clan, Narikata values his loyalty to his liege above all else. At the very least, he pretends to.

“Then it is thanks for showing me what it means to be a dutiful servant, so that I might follow your example.” There is a moment of hesitation, before your sensei finally accepts the book from your grasp, turning it over in his hands. He does not open it to read its contents just yet and for that, you are thankful. After all, the poems that you composed are not particularly evocative.

“I suppose that I must thank you then, Kiyoko-san. Now let us be on our way.” With the small book of poetry in hand, Narikata turns back towards the interior of the dōjō and begins to walk. With as much haste as the stiff and restrictive furisode allows, you move to join him, asking questions as you walk.

“Sensei, I must ask, why did you choose to invite some of these samurai? Yogo Tomoyuki and Bayushi Takako seem to have brought some sort of feud with them, and why is Yukik-- Yukari's mother here? For what reason would she want to celebrate my coming of age?” At all of these questions, Narikata simply raises a hand, gesturing for you to speak no more. You obey, falling silent and allowing your teacher the opportunity to reply.

“Questions are to be asked once the ceremony and celebrations are over. First of all, you are to become samurai.”

The interior of the dōjō is pleasantly warm, and almost a little crowded. The senior students hurry about with cups of sake and bowls of rice, delivering them to the scattered patrons and heimin who gathered to celebrate your gempukku. You briefly wonder why you were never chosen for this duty yourself, only to recall Narikata's comments about your lack of discipline. Of course he wouldn't trust you to be an obedient serving girl, you're not sure that you would trust yourself to fulfill that role.

All of the samurai of the Scorpion Clan that are present have shed their masks, all except for your sensei. From the grizzled face of Bayushi Iesada to the scarred, scowling features of Yogo Tsugumichi, all of them have chosen to reveal themselves for the sake of the ceremony. You are led past the seated guests and patrons to the heart of the room, with a hush falling as you step past them. The time for waiting has passed, and the time for the rite of passage has arrived.

Two empty zabutons wait for you in the middle of the hall, typically intended for the teaching of lessons but repurposed for celebration and revelry tonight. Narikata takes his place in front of the centermost of the two, while you stand by his side, clasping your hands together and remaining as dignified as you are able. Everything becomes quiet, and all eyes seem to rest on you.

“We gather this night to celebrate the accomplishments of a student,” your sensei begins, his voice shattering the silence, “who has proven herself worthy of a greater purpose. You have borne witness to her gifts, and you have witnessed how she carries herself. She is no longer a child, but a woman worthy of serving her clan as a samurai. Bayushi Kiyoko, step forward.”

You do so, not quite knowing the etiquette of this situation; your sensei never bothered to teach you. You have no doubt that this was intentional, that you are meant to be ill at ease. Dozens of eyes trail after you as you look towards your sensei, waiting for what he might say not.

“You may take this moment to express your gratitude to those who are here to celebrate your coming of age, and to tell us of your loyalty to the Scorpion Clan, to all of Rokugan and to our glorious Emperor, Hantei, the thirty-seventh of his name.”

>Humble yourself before your audience. You are not worthy of their patronage, nor will you ever be worthy of this opportunity to serve as a samurai. There is no greater honour than the chance to devote yourself to this duty. (You will increase your strife to 2 / 4 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur.)
>Say what they want to hear. Thank them for coming to celebrate your gempukku, swear that you will serve with pride and zeal, and that declare that you would rather die than dishonour your clan, family and ancestors.
>This is a chance to be honest. Declare that this is only the first of many honours that you will receive, and that this is only the beginning of your rise to greatness.

With that, I'm logging for the night, I might be able to fit in a post in about four hours time, but I can't promise it.

>>3981599
>>Humble yourself before your audience. You are not worthy of their patronage, nor will you ever be worthy of this opportunity to serve as a samurai. There is no greater honour than the chance to devote yourself to this duty. (You will increase your strife to 2 / 4 for going against your Delusions of Grandeur.)

>>3981599
>Say what they want to hear. Thank them for coming to celebrate your gempukku, swear that you will serve with pride and zeal, and that declare that you would rather die than dishonour your clan, family and ancestors.

>>3981599
>>Say what they want to hear. Thank them for coming to celebrate your gempukku, swear that you will serve with pride and zeal, and that declare that you would rather die than dishonour your clan, family and ancestors.

>>3981605
Thanks for running, it's been interesting and fun

>>3981599
>>Say what they want to hear. Thank them for coming to celebrate your gempukku, swear that you will serve with pride and zeal, and that declare that you would rather die than dishonour your clan, family and ancestors.

>>3981599
Say what they want to hear. Thank them for coming to celebrate your gempukku, swear that you will serve with pride and zeal, and that declare that you would rather die than dishonour your clan, family and ancestors.

>>3981599
>Say what they want to hear. Thank them for coming to celebrate your gempukku, swear that you will serve with pride and zeal, and that declare that you would rather die than dishonour your clan, family and ancestors.
Even without a massive ego to swallow, there is such a thing as too humble.

You take the opportunity to bow twice more, first before your sensei and then before your audience. Low enough to be reverential and respectful to your elders, but not lower enough to debase yourself in front of these samurai. You have at least a shred of dignity, and you plan on keeping hold of it for the time being.

“Thank you, all of you, for attending this evening. You have done me great honour by coming to witness my ascension to a higher place and a greater purpose in our beloved empire. For ten years I have sought this opportunity and now that I have it in my grasp, I shall not squander it. I shall serve both Hantei and Rokugan with all of the skill and devotion that I am capable of.”

“Should this not prove enough, then I would gladly die in their name, for it is better to pass on with dignity than live as a disgrace to my ancestors, my family, my clan and my empire. For there is no greater cause worth sacrificing oneself for than the good of Rokugan.” You provide another bow, to the polite applaused of the assembled guests, nobility and peasantry alike. You stated what was expected of you, and what you were taught, though you are lefting wondering how much of your words you actually believe. How many samurai actually live up to this ideal, of valuing an emperor that they shall never meet higher than their own life?

It is during this applause that another student arrives, carrying a long and slender bundle wrapped in fine red silk, accompanied by a scroll that appears a little aged, likely several years old. The scroll is unfurled and the applause comes to an end. A calligraphy set already waits by the side of your sensei's zabuton as he takes a seat and lays out the scroll before himself, wetting his brush with ink and turning his gaze upon you once more.

“Bayushi Kiyoko. You are a child no longer, and are to be named in honour of your ancestors. Who is it that you seek the blessing of, who is the honoured ancestor that shall watch over you from the celestial realm of Yomi?”

“Bayushi Hiyumi,” you recite. This has been your mother's plan for years, for you to claim the name of her Imperial ancestor and all of the prestige that comes with such a name. “A daughter of the Otomo family, who carried the blood of Hantei in her veins. She married into the Bayushi family and brought it great honour. Now her blood flows through my veins, and I shall seek to honour her legacy with my actions.”

“So it shall be,” your sensei replies, carefully painting the kanji on the scroll laid before him, altering it with such care and precision, as though the very act is sacred. “And what of the name that Rokugan shall know you by, that shall forever bind you to your duty as a samurai?”

“As I leave behind my childhood, I leave behind the name of Bayushi Kiyoko,” you begin. “As I embrace my duty, I become...”

>Bayushi Hiyoko.
>Bayushi Shizumi.
>Bayushi Yumiko.
>Bayushi Koyumi.
>Bayushi Kimiko.
>Bayushi Hiyomi.

>>3981974
>Bayushi Yumiko

>>3981974
>Bayushi Kimiko

>>3981974
>>Bayushi Kimiko.

>>3981974
>Bayushi Yumiko.

>>3981974
>>Bayushi Kimiko.

Because I'd rather move forward

>>3982011
I appreciate the sentiment, but this is probably going to be my last post for a good eight or so hours, due to work. Don't worry about voting just to move the quest along.

>>3982028
Oh fair enough, time zones and shit, I thought you were back in action for a while.

Still going to let others pick the name because it's rarely something I care all that much about as long as it isn't a dumb memey name etc

>>3981974
>>Bayushi Kimiko.

>>3982038
A dumb memey name, you say? How about
>Bayushi Bayushi

>>3981974
>>Bayushi Yumiko.

“... Bayushi Kimiko,” you finish. You're quite happy with it. For the most part, it is identical to the name that you carried as a child – a subtle symbol that you shall remain true to your nature and your destiny, even as a samurai. There is only a little flourish in the middle that borrows inspiration from the name of your ancestor, in honour of her cunning and her ambition.

Bayushi Narikata jots down your new name with a few precise brushstrokes, before scattering a pinch of sand on the scroll to dry the ink. The document is placed to one side and your sensei's focus falls upon the silk-wrapped bundle. Once he picks up the slender thing, he rests it in his palms above his lap, his attention returning to you as he completes the ceremony.

“On the behalf of our lord, Bayush Taheiji, Castellan of Seven Stings Keep, I recognise your loyalty to Rokugan and your wish to serve Hantei, the thirty-seventh of his line. So I shall grant you your daishō, Bayushi Kimiko. It shall be your honour and your soul, your privilege and your responsibility. With it, you are samurai. Accept it, and you accept your duty, as a servant of the Son of Heaven.” With those final words, he extends the bundle towards you, some of the silk falling away to expose the finely wrapped hilt of a katana. Lowering yourself to kneel before you sensei, you offer a reverent bow of your head and extend your hands towards him, to accept the daishō.

The bundled swords are lighter than you expected. You were waiting for an unpleasant burden that you would struggle with but instead, it's a comfortable weight. Polite applause breaks out once more as you withdraw the daishō from your teacher, and you stand once more. You offer a terribly formal bow to your teacher and then to your patrons, the guests who came to celebrate your gempukku, samurai and heimin alike. You are no longer Bayushi Kiyoko, a frustrated child yearning for a chance to prove herself. You are Bayushi Kimiko, a grown woman and a samurai, at long last.

The next step of the ceremony is a rather simple one; each of the guests that you greeted at the door come forward to offer their congratulations, offering far more respect than they did only minutes before. After all, you are now one of them. Not only that, but they are now aware of your distant Imperial heritage, and all of the prestige that comes with it. They wouldn't dare show disrespect to a woman with even a drop of Hantei blood in her veins. Even Yogo Sakamae bows and scrapes for the sake of ceremony, seemingly having forgotten the ire that you have for each other.

Once the last of them have offered their compliments, the ceremonial aspect of the evening comes to a close and the celebration gets underway. The sake flows liberally and the faint buzz of civilised chatter can be heard throughout the hall. Eventually you rise from your seat at your sensei's side to join the conversation, though he vigilantly watches over the proceedings, seemingly the only samurai of the Scorpion Clan to not shed his mask.

>Speak with Bayushi Narikata. Take the opportunity to learn about how the night shall proceed, and ask him why the others have chosen to remove their masks.
>The two most senior samurai, Bayushi Iesada and Yogo Sakamae, seem to be sharing words with each other. Join them, though you should be polite about it. Even as a samurai, it is best to respect your elders.
>Shinjo Sidurga is alone for the time being, though he seems happy enough. He seems to be peering about, and occasionally jotting a few notes down in a small book using a stick of charcoal. Approach him, and ask him what he's doing.
>It seems that Yogo Tomoyuki and Bayushi Takako have found each other and having some sort of heated debate. Try to find out what it's about, or at the very least try to defuse it before it spirals out of control.
>Yogo Tsugumichi, the samurai dressed in red and white, appears to speaking with one of the students for whatever reason. He appears rather frustrated about something. Perhaps you should try and intervene, to find out what the source of his displeasure is?
>The rōnin Atshushi sits alone, busying himself with liquor. Take the opportunity to join him; after all, you're an adult now. You can drink as much as you like.

>>3982961
>>Speak with Bayushi Narikata. Take the opportunity to learn about how the night shall proceed, and ask him why the others have chosen to remove their masks.

>>3982961
>Speak with Bayushi Narikata. Take the opportunity to learn about how the night shall proceed, and ask him why the others have chosen to remove their masks.

>>3982961
>Speak with Bayushi Narikata. Take the opportunity to learn about how the night shall proceed, and ask him why the others have chosen to remove their masks.

>>3982961
It seems that Yogo Tomoyuki and Bayushi Takako have found each other and having some sort of heated debate. Try to find out what it's about, or at the very least try to defuse it before it spirals out of control.

>>3982961
>The rōnin Atshushi sits alone, busying himself with liquor. Take the opportunity to join him; after all, you're an adult now. You can drink as much as you like.

“I must ask, sensei,” you say as you turn to face Narikata. “What shall the rest of the evening involve, now that the ceremony is over?”

“Revelry, of course,” comes his answer through the mask. “Your guests shall eat and drink their fill in celebration of your newfound status. You are welcome to join them, should you wish. Once every last guest has departed, you and I shall speak again but until then, you may choose how you wish to spend the night.” Again, your teacher is being careful with his wording. Despite how well everything has gone so far, you get the feeling that there is more to the night than just that ceremony.

“In that case, why are all of the samurai of our clan without their masks? I thought that we were always meant to wear them, to honour our founder, Bayushi. They represent the truth that no one is as they seem, and that only we of the Scorpion Clan are honest about that.” At the very least, that is what you were taught.

“There are times where there is no need for secrets to be kept, Bayushi-san.” He no longer calls you by your name? You suppose that he has no right to, considering that you are no longer his student. But in that case, you shouldn't call him sensei either. You silently make a note of that. “On nights such as this, we allow our own to shed their masks and to be themselves. For the most part, secrecy is not necessary on these rare occasions.”

“If that is the case, Bayushi-san, why do you still wear your mask?” You test the waters by referring to your teacher as an equal. After all, you are no longer his student but a fully-fledged samurai, an adult that doesn't answer to him. There is a slight pause but other than that, you do not notice any reaction.

“Some secrets must always be kept, no matter the circumstance, no matter how light-hearted the moment may be.” You're not sure if you believe that. Does Narikata truly wear his mask just out of loyalty to symbolism, or is there something more to it?

As you ponder this and consider what to say in response, you feel a peculiar scratching at the back of your mind. It is as though something foreign is rattling around inside of your skull, a noisome distraction. It almost sounds like a string of words and you try to focus, to make sense of this strange sound reverberating inside of your head.

>I require a roll of 6d6 using your Void ring of 2 and your Skulduggery skill of 2. You have an advantage when it comes to identifying danger with the aid of your Spiritual Guardian.

>I will accept the best of three.

Rolled 5, 4, 6, 3, 5, 1 = 24 (6d6)

>>3983251