We are in City of the Rich Frog where the Setsubon Festival is being held have found a place to stay and store out gear. The time of day is mid-afternoon.
Morohito Fume has bumped into Agasha Koro and invited everyone to come drinking. Koro accepts a cup and discreetly pours it out when Fume turns and begins herding everyone off to collect more cups. Fume notices Koro has poured out the drink. Fume barrages Koro with questions as to their business here. Koro answers the questions he feels like and simply replies that he is looking the Unicorn clan over for his people and is there for the Festival.
Fume recognizes Koro from the Tournament of the Emperors Favored from Kitsu lands and says as much to Koro. Mikio looks Fume over and can only see a tanto in evidence on the portly, older man. Fume has two men with him, one a stern faced man, an obvious guard in Ox colors and wearing sea-green trimmed in black. Both men carry daisho. The man in see-green, a Mantis, is jovial in manner and sharing drinks with Fume.
Koro asks after the history of the Setsuban Festival. Fume guides them over to an open air seating area and regales them with the requested history. The Setsuban Festival is celebrated, in some manner, by every clan. Mikio's eyes light up when Fume mentions the sumai tournament. He looks at Koro who simple waves. Mikio asks Fume, "Where?" Fume calls over a peasant to take Mikio to the tournament signups. The peasant tries to scamper off and Mikio claps a hand on his shoulder telling him to stay close and follows after him.
At some point Hisa wanders off to signup for the archery contest. He also discovers a philosophy contest.
Haruto asks after gambling. Fume says that there are always games of chance going on and asks Haruto to invite him along if he finds a game. Discussion turns to Winter Court and where Fume may be spending it: He's hoping to spend time with the Dragon or Unicorn but may be with the Lion if he doesn't leave there in time.
The drink Fume is offering is called mead. Koro and some others try it. Hoshiko never leaves her post behind Koro.
Haruto stops by a geisha house and ask for someone to show him around. They advise him to engage the services of a courtier for the information he is looking to understand. Horatu makes his way to the courtier's house the madam described. There, Horatu makes the acquaintance of a young man dressed in furs and leather boots rather than silks and sandals. Most Rokugan would be squicked by the thought of dead, cured flesh on the mans feet. The courtier guides Horatu around and points out various areas of interest, where the various clans tend to congregate, the guards in purple, the Moto in pure white armor. The Moto are more squarish in appearance, hairier. Security is more lax, esp. in comparison to Lion lands. The guards are aware but their demeanor is more relaxed - sitting, leaning against tent poles, laughing. No part of this tent city is cordoned off or forbidden. Horatu is advised to stay away from the Mantis and Scorpion areas. Lots of different types of alcohol are available as are different foods, esp. meat which most Rokugan don't eat. After some time the young courtier discernes that Horatu is interested in games of chance. The courtier offers to meet with Horatu later and make the rounds of games. Horatu accepts.
Koro has not noticed any poisoning effects of the mead Fume has shared around. In the spirit of the festival Koro has agreed to try a meal of Unicorn cuisine. Fume points out an old manuscript that the Unicorn have recently re-discovered that provides a delicious meal. The manuscript is titled, One-Hundred-and-One Ways to Wok Your Dog (Joke told by Valen and inserted into notes by Kevin ;) ). Fume suggests that since Koro is a Fire Shukenja he may like a booth that offers some spicey choices. Fume offers samples to anyone still there.
GM Note - check on bonus for awareness based rolls for Friends of Air advantage.
As they walk about, Fume points out the glassblowers. Koro and Hisa notice various shukenja as they walk. Another group of folks walking around carry themselves with the bearing of shukenja but carry no prayer pouches. Fume states that they are the Yen Lo Wang, a group of Unicorn that brought back a different form of magic from the Burning Sands. They do not worship the Kami.
As all this has been going on, Mikio manages to sign up for the sumai tournament. There were about half the spaces still available. Many other tournaments are available though no contact weapon competions.
Fume and Koro discuss Koro's performance at the Tournament of the Emperor's Favored. They come around to the Jade Tanto. Fume doesn't want to hold the weapon and Koro is insistant. Present: Koro & Hoshiko, Fume, his guard and Mantis friend. Hoshiko places her hand near her tetsubo, Fume's yojimbo notices and becomes a bit more alert. Koro finally wins Fume over and Fume examines the Jade Tanto. Fume has no reaction to the jade in the hilt.
Hoshiko requests to enter the Archery contest along with Hisa. Hisa, Mikio and Hoshiko are entering the open Juijutsu contest with Mikio entering the sumai as well. Hisa and Koro are entering the Theology contest. Horato is entering the poetry contest. Mikio is entering the swimming contest along with Horatu and Hisa. Hisa and Koro are entering the sudane (insults) contest. Koro has decided to try something new and has entered the horse race (oh, look - a fire shukenja on a horse... Blazing Saddles?).
Two days before the actual festival the contests begin.
The poetry contest is the first one to take place. Horatu and Koro do well. Horatu's haiku was well received. Note - both players earn an additional XP for writing their poems.
The horsemanship contest (think dresage) takes place throughout the day. Many people entered and are weeded out through the day. Seven of the eight people who make it to the next days final are Unicorn. The eighth is an unknown Phoenix.
The calligraphy contest takes place next. We find that Morohito Fume is entered with Hisa and Koro. Fume didn't do as well as he had hoped. Koro does very well and wins this contest.
Archery is the next contest. Horatu decides to try some wagers on the outcome. Hisa and Hoshiko are entered. They both pass the first round. Hoshiko misses on the second round and Hisa passes on to the third. Hisa nails the third round. At this point Hisa is shooting against one other person at 350 yds. Hisa's opponent barely misses at this range. Hisa manages to take the target for this round and wins the contest.
That night will be the dance contest. A lot of people enter, the majority of which are women. It's an open air venue with torches and an impromptu stage. During this contest Fume does a fair amount of socialiazation. He returns with a new drink for Koro to try. As Koro looks the drink over Fume offers to take Koro to another venue of dance the Unicorn perform. Hoshiko is behind Koro as usual.
Mikio is off partying with the rest of the sumo. Present are a Dragon and Mantis. There is a side of beef on a rotisserie here and a great deal of alcohol flowing, mead, sake etc. A couple of the wrestlers are near to his size. Mikio is treated to an experience he's never had before: dancers in diaphanous silks one with pale skin and red hair. Heavily armoured guards accompany these dancers in and when they finish escort them out. Mikio has several offers to pillow from some of the other women around the wrestlers. Mikio is mildly confused between the alcohol and the unique experience. Mikio remembers someone saying "Compliments of the Khan."
Slightly befuddled and out of his element Mikio accepts an offer to pillow.
Horatu has disappeared with the young courtier to find various games of chance.
Hisa and Koro are treated to a unique experience that Fume had mentioned. In other courts this type of dance would be considered scandalous. The dancers are scantily clad and engage in a vigorous and skilled form of dance (think belly dance). Fume asks Hoshiko, directly and by name, her thoughts on the dance. Hoshiko responded that it was quite skilled. After the dance Fume becomes direct and asks Koro what Koro's problem is with Fume. Koro states that it is disconcerting that Fume knows them all including details of them. Fume answers that he knows them from the Tournament of the Emperor's Favored as any good courtier would. He then dismisses his yojimbo stating that he felt he was safe.
We find out that Morihito Fume was born before the Ox clan came into existance. As a young boy he grew up in the Unicorn clan before his mother joined his father when his father became a vassal to Morohito Shiba (?). He spent time travelling and trading for his clan before becoming a courtier and acting as a mediator. He is possibly the most renowned courtier of the Ox clan. He's worked with most of the clans of Rokugan, most recently with the Mantis. To answer Koro's question, he has been to the northen lands of the Phoenix. Fume asks, to clarify, if this has to do with the Rain of Blood. Koro states that he is correct and that Fume's name has been associated with corruption. Fume states that these are rumors, for variuos reasons, and are unfounded. He further states that he would like to know more of who accuses him. Fume asks if Koro was testing him for taint when Koro had him touch the Jade Tanto. Koro responds that there is one sure way to know and then tries to cast Jade Fire. Before he can do so Fume stops him and asks what his intentions are. Koro explains that it is a test of earth. Fume is reluctant to try this. Hoshiko offers herself as a test subject. Koro explains, in more detail, the mechanics of the spell. Fume thanks Hoshiko for her offer and accepts Koro's offer to test him.
Koro goes through the motions of his spell and casts it flawlessly. Fume asks if he passed. Koro assures him that he has. Hoshiko, for the first time since meeting Fume, sits down. Koro becomes forthright and identifies himself completely and as a Jade magistrate. Fume is mildly surprised. Koro further explains what his purpose is in investigating the possible return of the Bloodspeakers. Fume remembers that he met the corrupt Osako Jonghi, a monk Koro encountered around the time of the birth of the Ox clan. Koro asks why this monk would know Fume. Fume allows that he had angered the monk not long after he had graduated his courtier training. Fume had led the Ox delegation that met with the Phoenix delegation to discuss the granting of the Morohito lands. Jonghi was the one who led the Phoenix delegation. Jonghi's approach was not appreciated by the Ox. Fume was under specific orders from his lord Morohito in negotion. These orders were in conflict with Jonghi's negotiation. Fume stayed true to his lord's desires.
Koro realizes that the list of names he obtained from Jonghi may not be a list of conspirators but a list of targets. Koro asks if Fume knows a Master Tiger. Fume doesn't know of anyone by that title. Koro works his way down the list of names he has:
Fume clarifies that Koro is asking for favors and that he is linking his fate and destiny to that of a Jade Magistrate. Koro answers yes. Fume asserts that he is quite willing to work with that. Fume notes that over the past thirty plus years he has made a number of friends as well as enemies and that it is truly amazing what he has heard.
Koro offers a toast. Fume asks if Koro likes saki. Koro states he does indeed. Fume levers himself up and leaves the tent for a few minutes only to return with his guard. He asks his guard to get the saki out of the box with the X on it. His guard is surprised. Fume whispers that the guard can have a cup too. Fume tells Koro that this is Ramma brand saki from the Dragon lands. It is the best saki that Koro has ever tasted or even heard of. Even Hoshiko indulges in a cup. Koro and Fume agree to finish off the opened bottle.
Fume points out there are other - diversions - that Koro could indulge in. Koro so chooses. Hoshiko decides to wait outside. Fume offers Hoshiko furs to keep her more comfortable for the evening. An hour or so later Fume returns with a young woman wearing a kimono of red with white trim. Hoshiko recognizes the woman as beonging to the Hare clan. Fume introduces her as Ugina Isa. Ugina-san politely offers that she is interested in discussing magic and philosophy with another shukenja. Ugina-san is eager to discuss these things and seems to be lightly buzzed. Koro begins to ask questions about the Hare clan. Ugina-san provides him with the recent history of the Hare clan, about the last 50 years.
4 XP for the evening.