Horatu has been out gambling with his Unicorn courtier escort. They sat down with a pair of Mantis, one a large burly man, the other more graceful and refined. Others play various games at other tables in the impromptu dining area. Horatu and one of the Mantis (the refined one) have been doing quite well. The Unicorn courtier and the other Mantis were not doing so well. Over the course of several hands Horatu notices the winning refined Mantis is cheating. Horatu's escort (the Unicorn Courtier) notices as well and speaks up. The Mantis denies the charge but his companion, who has been drinking, takes offense, stands up and launches himself across the table smashing it in the process. Horatu takes up a guard position in front of the Unicorn courtier. The angry Mantis crushes the table as he goes past Horatu and crashes into the next table. Horatu steps over and grabs the man by the scruff of the neck prepatory to tossing him out of the dining tent. The Mantis struggles to get free as Horatu ejects the belligerent Mantis from the tent. The man tries to get to his feet and charge back in. A roving patrol of Unicorn sees the ruckus and stops him. The brute of a Mantis tosses a few insults and then makes his way off. The winning Mantis, the one accused of cheating, offers apologies for his clansman's behavior. He offers a koku or two to the proprietor of the establishment for the damages then leaves. For the rest of the night, the proprietor keeps Horatu in free tea and sake (not the good stuff). Horatu's companion has lost a fair amount, in his shame he apologies for the experience. Horatu assures the man that he had noticed the cheating as well. The courtier offers to recompense Horatu for his loss. Horatu assures the man that he's not concerned as it's only money. Horatu escorts the courtier back to his tent. Horatu notices that they are being followed. Those following him vanish after the courtier enters his tent.
Mikio wakes up the next morning, alone, rather surprised and with a big smile on his face. Most of the other sumai wake up in a similar state. Mikio has learned the names of the other sumai:
Mikio sizes up the others and notices the Yoritomo was elbowing the sumo next to him the previous evening after each toast. He could have been targeting pressure points. The Matsu looks stockier than most bushi but is of average size, ie. he's not sumo sized. The others look to be average sumo of decent festival attitude.
Koro spends a fair amount of time speaking with Ujina Ise and discovers that she is a shugenja tied to the earth element with a deficiency in water. She has dreams of opening the first Hare shugenja school. Koro decides to test her knowledge on some things, such as Herbalism. Her herbalism knowledge is quite strong. Koro brings out different mixtures he has prepared (for his Agasha Alchemy) and Ise examines them and offers her insights. Koro finds this conversation quite - stimulating. During the history of the Hare clan that Ise relates she offers the names of all four individuals involved in destroying her clan. She doesn't like bloodspeakers at all. Apparently the Scorpion moved in against the Hare violating imperial edict of great clans warring on minor clans, and there was no way any imperial troops could get there quick enough to help the Hare.
In the year 1123, the Hare Clan is attacked by Soshi Yukio. He is killed in battle by the Hare Clan heir, Usagi Ozaki. A Scorpion Army is then dispatched to deal with this lead by (currently in disfavor at court) Bayushi Tomaru. During the siege of Shiro Usagi (Hare Clan Castle), Usagi Oda (the clan daimyo) was slain in a duel. Ise-san tells Koro that according to storytellers of her clan, he sacrificed himself, loosing the duel, which allowed loyal retainers and peasants from the castle to escape. Bayushi Tomaru takes Oda's daughter, Usagi Tomoe and it was rumored he wished to marry her, but she went missing a few days later. The castle was burned to the ground. The official histories differ about the fate of Usagi Oda, saying he was captured and later commits seppuku, which Ise knows is a lie fostered by those who tried to destroy her clan.
To justify the attack, it is brought to the attention of the Imperial Magistrates - the Hare clan were accused of being Maho-Tsukai. Kitsune Hamato, Daidoji Unoko, Toritaka Bonugi and Yasuki Taka all provided testimony. It was said that when word of this gets out, the Hare clan are disgraced. Usagi Oda, daimyo of the Hare Clan commits seppuku to cleanse his honor, but Ise says that is untrue and that he had already died in the Inajutsu duel, just another lie spread to disgrace them further. Emperor Hantei XXXIX dissolves the Hare clan. Kuni Witch Hunters and Phoenix Inquisitors visit Hare lands but no arrests are made. Speculation is that if the Hare were practitioners of Maho, they have long fled. Any Hare bushi that had been captured at the siege were declared ronin and let go, many of them remain in the local area. Strangely the Scorpion did not move in and take over the lands or castle, they thought the lands haunted by the souls of the Hare clan. Of Oda's son Ozaki, no one knew where he went off to. Soon after, a ronin by the name of Ozaki is accused of murder in Phoenix Lands, of a local magistrate in a village near Mori Kage Toshi. He flees the scene and is not captured. Rumors persist of sightings next in Crab lands, the Yasuki territories.
In 1125, the ronin Ozaki (formerly Usagi Ozaki), manages to bring forth evidence of a vast plot and clears his clan and family of the charges of maho. The emperor reinstates their clan, family name and holdings, with Usagi Ozaki as their new Daimyo.
They continue to talk about other subjects, among which Koro finds that Ise is looking for a patron to either teach her or introduce her to the Haruchi family of the Unicorn. Koro points out that he may be able to put Ise in touch with someone to make her introductions to the Earth shugenja of the Unicorn. Koro leaves her in the tent and goes in search of Fume. It takes a few minutes but Koro manages to find and wake Fume. Fume inquires after Koro's evening. Koro assures him that it has been enjoyable and relates a little of the evenings conversation. Koro points out Ise's viewpoint on bloodspeakers and maho. He further relates Ise's desire to build a Hare clan shugenja school. As such, Koro asks if Fume has any contacts in the Horiuchi shugenja school amongst the Unicorn to which they can introduce her. Koro sees this as a potential boon to have some influence in a new shugenja school, especially one that might have a focus against Maho. Fume agrees that they may be able to find one or two Horiuchi at the Setsuban Festival. Fume asks if Koro is participating or interested in any of today's contests.
Todays events -
After his bath Mikio goes in search of sumai regalia.
Koro and Fume are out and about. They talk to a lot of people and encounter a lot of exotic sights. They try a dish of pheasant and find it to be tasty, although Koro does say that his mother would never even consider eating pheasant, and would be repulsed by it. They come across a Unicorn man similar in build and stature to Fume. When they mention they are looking for a Horiuchi to speak to he offers his services to guide them around. The man has a prayer satchel as well as a number of talismans. During the course of the conversation the man recognizes Koro as of the Agasha family (he states he saw the colors of the Phoenix and mons of the Agasha family on Koro). Introductions are offered around. The man offers his name as Shem-Zhe and greets Fume as Ide Fume rather than Morihito.
Shinsei takes Koro and Fume to a gate, the guards do not challenge him, they go through several tent flaps and into a private chamber. It's a very earthy, shugenja style of room. Shem-Zhe offers pillows for sitting around. Shem-Zhe asks who Koro would like to admit to his school. (Blink) Koro (recovering his composure) offers his reasons for why he would like Shem-Zhe to take Ujina Ise on as a student. Shem-Zhe questions Koro concerning Ujina-sans training and motivations. Koro answers honestly and as thoroughly as possible. Shem-Zhe clarifies that Koro wishes to sponsor Ujina-san to his school, since they are the smallest family of the Unicorn, and there are expenses to be covered in the proper training of a Shugenja.(Looking around the room, it does not seem that Shem-Zhe lacks for anything, the tent is more opulent that even Agasha Koro's home in Phoenix Lands.) Shem-Zhe declares his desire to meet with Ujina-sama at the end of the festival in two days. He will leave word with the guards at the front of the tent to expect them. They continue their conversation of shugenja philosophy over dinner. Beef and pork ribs are on the menu along with a great deal of fish. Shem-Zhe describes the origin of beef and pork. Over the course of the evening Koro notices that Fume has said virtually nothing since Shem-Zhe offered his name.
After Koro and Fume leave Fume makes a bee-line for a sake-house, downs a cup, orders a second and downs that as well. Fume pays for his drinks and then thinks to offer one to Koro. Koro asks about Fume's silence. Fume points out that they just had dinner with the daimyo of the Horiuchi family. Koro is mildly impressed with the man's demeanor. Fume explains that there are reasons he is wary around Horiuchi Shem-Zhe, he is a man of great insight and cunning. He scares most courtiers in what he knows or can discover about someone in a short period of time.
4 xp for everyone.