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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Black Omega" data-source="post: 711880" data-attributes="member: 79">The banquet that night was surprisingly peaceful.  Verick and his sensei were more focused on preparing for the next day’s events.  There was plenty of clan business going on over tea and sake.  Hantei Naseru, the Emperor’s youngest son, and Lion Champion Matsu Nimuro held the positions of honor and even in the midst of a banquet the watchful presence of the Imperial guards was felt.  More the most part the group had a quiet evening.  Mir was with Doji Shiima, who was pointing out the various alliances.  Dragon and Scorpion.  Lion and Phoenix. Crab and Mantis.  And all currying favor with the Imperial Naseru.Toshiro and Kaz stayed with their fellow Crab Clan samurai.  Toshiro was very interested to hear about the Kaiu Wall and the battles there.  Someday he was sure he’d have the chance to fight there.  Probably the moment his family thought his Crane like tendencies would not get him killed.  One topic of conversation popped up that did get his attention, though.  The Nezumi and something called a Nameseeker.  It turned out the ratling’s form of magic had nothing to do with both Rokugani and Western Kingdoms magic.  Instead they used the power of names.  It was rumored they could take a individual’s name away from them.  If they could do that, perhaps they could restore a name someone had lost?  Toshiro was getting ideas, now if Hachi could just help by finding the name to go with that Kakita katana…While the other gaijin were left mostly out of the events going on, Mindra found a way around that.  Using his amulet to assume his Chen identity, the charismatic monkey was finding people willing to talk while he worked his way toward the Monkey clanners.  He never made it that far, however.  His attention was captured by a pretty Crane girl who introduced herself as Kakita Asami.  Still a little awkward dealing with humans, ‘Chen’ could not think of a polite way to escape being taken by a walk with Asami, though chatting with her was pleasant enough.  And the politically naive monkey was unaware Asami was making sure he was seen talking with her.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The next morning while Verick was preparing for his first challenge and the others were just getting to their seats a young Crane Clan page came up to ‘Chen’ to deliver a note.  A simple friendly note discussing how much she had enjoyed their talk the previous night.  And finishing with the words ‘Why don’t you send me a poem?  I’d love to see your work.’.  Innocently enough, ‘Chen’ worked up a poem, with Mir’s help, and sent it back with the page.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Event #6:  PoetryThe next morning the tournament resumed, starting with the simple beauty of haiku.  Chief Judge Miya Yoto would give a simple theme for the haiku and the two competitors would compose on the spot a haiku to fit the theme.  It was a contest that favored the more sophisticated and courtly.  So it was no surprise Mirumoto Uriko defeated her Unicorn opponent with ease.  Matsu Shorisuro also easily won over Yoritomo Tadamo, though if the Mantis had been allowed sea faring limericks the result would likely have been the reverse.  In a battle of classic haiku Bayushi Sakura out dueled Daidoji Suwa.  But the real highlight of the round was Isawa Oroko against Toturi Sitha.  The Monkey girl’s haiku was creative and non-traditional while Oroko’s haiku was classic perfection.  A preference for the traditional on the part of the judges was likely the main reason why Isawa Oroko was given the victory.The final two were Akodo Verick and Hiruma Fujizaka.  Intense non-traditional Lion against intense, rough Crab.  After a moment’s deliberation Chief Judge Miya Yoto stood and called out “The theme for this round will be...Sadness!”  Clearly putting the two warriors to the test to see if they could manage a theme with softer emotions.The two set to work, a couple of minutes of thought followed by intense concentration as they wrote out their poems.  Hiruma Fujizaka was called upon to go first.The Green Leaves Turn BrownWinter’s Grayness Comes Too SoonStill We Struggle On.Verick stood next:The Start Of WinterGrey And Cold, The Gentle WindWarms My Nighted Heart The judges conferred, now and then glancing over the written haiku.  Finally Chief Judge Miya Yoto stood and called out “Two fine poems.  Clearly for both Crab and Lion winter’s onset is a time for sadness.  Hiruma Fujizaka’s haiku embodies traditional Crab Clan virtues like persistence.  Akodo Verick’s haiku leaves off Sadness with a hint of hope.  And the winner is…Hiruma Fujizaka!By a unanimous vote of 5-0 Hiruma Fujizaka picked up a badly needed victory and Verick was left needing two wins in the next four contests.[DM Note:  Probably the most fun we had for any event.  Verick’s player had commented the week before that he had done haiku before and wouldn’t mind something like this.  I had my previous experience writing bad haiku for Doji Shiima.  Mindra’s player was made Chief Judge and came up with the theme of Sadness.  Mir’s player acted as East German Judge, not liking either poem.  The event went pretty well.  Enough so that while Verick and I were working on our poems a few of the others gave it a try as well.  Volar’s PlayerEyes With Tears Need DriedHearts Heavy With Misery Needs LovedLoss Is Great, Oh WoeToshiro’s PlayerThe Setting Sun MeltsInto The Motionless SeaThe Night Devours DayMir’s PlayerTears Fall From An EyeRemembrance And EmotionsMemories Will Fade~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Event #7: Go The last of the courtier events.  And Isawa Oroko took full advantage, gaining a tiny measure of revenge on Yoritomo Tadamo for the Mantis invasion of the Phoenix decades ago.  Clever Toturi Sitha played circles around Mirumoto Uriko.  Utaku Manami outclassed Hiruma Fujizaka.  In a battle of young masters, Matsu Shorisuro came up just short against Daidoji Suwa in a sparkling battle.  That left Akodo Verick and his small experience in Go against Bayushi Sakura.  And this time the Scorpion stung the Lion.  This left Verick needed two wins in the next three events to avoid failure. Standings Bayushi Sakura and Toturi Sitha at 5-2, enough to move on to the final round.Daidoji Suwa, Isawa Oroko and Utaku Manami at 4-3 and looking good.Akodo Verick, Matsu Shorisuro, Mirumoto Uriko and Hiruma Fujizaka struggling at 3-4, but with the courtier events finished.Yoritomo Tadamo bringing up at rear at 1-6 and already eliminated.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  Event #8: Archery Your basic, classic archery duel.  Targets set at intervals, with the closer you come to the bull’s-eye worth more points.  Nice as the courtier skills are, a true samurai must be able to fight.  Though Isawa Oroko seemed to contradict that by defaulting her match against Mirumoto Uriko.  Hiruma Fujizaka proved his warrior skills with a victory over Toturi Sitha.  Utaku Manami easily out shot Yoritomo Tadamo to get her 5th win.  Matsu Shorisuro managed to keep in the hunt with a victory over Bayushi Sakura.  Verick began his comeback, a close victory over Daidoji Suwa that left the young Lion Cub at 4-4.[DM Note:  As good as he is with a bow, Verick never uses it.  Toshiro and Kaz also carry bows and never use them.  Must be a samurai thing.  It’s also worth noting that just in case Verick didn’t get his five wins Volar already had a plan in place.  A little creative use of Polymorph Other would see Verick through.  Even if Verick himself had no plans to escape if he failed.  Volar rarely overcomplicates a plan by asking permission first.]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Event #9: Hunting The only contest of the day outside the castle.  The task was simple and straightforward.  Go out, find an area where the Tsu fish were nesting.  Avoid harming the fish while gathering and returning with three of the eggs.  The first back wins.  Complicating matters are that the Tsu fish during mating season grow legs, establish their nests on land, and tend to gather together for protection.  And the only weapon allowed against the toothy fish is a small knife.Given she’s not trained with a katana, this was the make or break round for Isawa Oroko and in a show of steel nerves and spirit she finished just ahead of Yoritomo Tadamo to gain her fifth win.  Similarly, Hiruma Fujizaka beat out local boy Matsu Shorisuro and Daidoji Suwa defeated Mirumoto Uriko for their fifth wins.  Clever Monkey girl Sitha finished ahead of Utaku Manami.  Verick was matched up against Bayushi Sakura again, but this time in a match up more suited to his strengths.  He was the first to locate the Tsu fish and in an impressive display of stealth he not only snuck in close enough to steal a few of the eggs without giving alarm but he also out sneaked the Scorpion on his way back.It was an impressive victory and gave Verick his fifth win with just a round to spare.  It even seemed to impressive his Scorpion opponent as Bayushi Sakura made a point of looking him up after the event.  Her mask was bone white ceramic in the form of a young woman’s face and it’s painted red lips seemed to reflect a truer smile beneath as she said “Congratulations on your victory.  I look forward to seeing how you handle your final round opponent even more.”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Event #10: Kenjutsu The truest test of a samurai.  Skill with a katana.  Traditionally the final event and the ultimate test for those on the edge.  All duels were fought with blunted katana, but if one was careless, the risk was still real. In this case Mirumoto Uriko and Matsu Shorisuro.  If the Dragon lady failed she would return to Dragon lands in failure.  If the Matsu lost, failing in a contest held in Shiro Matsu itself?  Either dishonor or death, and no one had any doubt which a true Lion would choose.The first challenge was over before it began, Isawa Oroko defaulting her contest against Utaku Manami.  The Phoenix Courtier had her five wins, more than most had expected her to get.  The Unicorn maiden finished with six wins.The next duel was rather more dire.  Probably the finest duelist in the tournament, Daidoji Suwa, facing off against Mirumoto Uriko.  Crane against Dragon, single katana against two sword technique, a rivalry going back centuries.  Despite all the anticipation, the duel was disappointingly short.  Daidoji Suwa’s flawless technique disposed of his Dragon rival in ten seconds, eliminating her from the competition and allowing him to finish with six wins.Hiruma Fujizaka came next; the burly Crab matched up well against poor Yoritomo Tadamo.  The duel was probably Yoritomo’s best showing of the tournament, a vicious struggle that went back and forth as steel clashed and the powerful Mantis drove his opponent to the edge of the stone dueling area.  But he could not deal with Fujizaka’s rage, the Crab’s face turning red as he went berserk, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory as a savage stroke split Tadamo’s helmet, and no small amount of blood from his face.  Several tense seconds passed before healers were able to revive the Mantis, and though the Crab had won, the majority of those watching made their disapproval as his loss of control clear.Next was a battle of speed.  Toturi Sitha against Bayushi Sakura.  Another short, somewhat disappointing duel.  Fast and skilled as the Monkey girl was, Sakura’s speed matched her, and Sitha could not deal with the Scorpion’s tricky feints.  Bayushi Sakura gained the victory in less than a minute.This left the final match.  Akodo Verick, already through to the final round, against Matsu Shorisuro, who still had only four victories.  Now truly the pressure was on.  Matsu Shorisuro marched out to the center of the dueling area, bowing to the judges before turning to wait on his opponent, his face utterly impassive, showing none of the emotion that surely must be raging inside.Akodo Verick followed a few seconds later.  The respectful bows to the judges then his opponent.  Verick’s next move surprised everyone.  He resigned the match before it ever began.  A Phoenix courtier defaulting was one thing.  But an Akodo samurai doing so…  There would have been suspicion of some sort of conspiracy if Matsu Shorisuro had not been so obviously surprised.  But from the look on his face it was clear he was just as taken off guard by Verick’s actions as everyone else.And so Matsu Shorisuro gained his fifth win and advanced to the final round.  Akodo Verick was left to his own thoughts after the ‘match’ until his sensei walked up to him.  Verick steeled himself for what he expected would be his sensei’s sharp words.  But Akodo-sensei simply patted Verick on the shoulder and said “A samurai is a warrior.  A Matsu is even more fierce a warrior.  But an Akodo is must be something more.  A leader.  You have to put the clan before your own interests.  You did well.”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Next up, a breakfast with Hachi!  The Iaijustsu Duels!  And Ryoko Owari!</blockquote>

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