Pre-Game Contact/Links

[Shinjo Koyama]

I mean, Kozan is still largely illiterate. So he's not up for epistolography. Wanna talk over distance, send him singing messengers or a beer skin.

[Jiyo Sora]

Sora was something of a loner among the Hikaru, and actually left the tribe the day after Shiba won the Tournament (or was it day of? Anyway. He had a one-post thread called "goodbye to all that," so...). He also proved incredibly hard to get along with for a lot of people at the Tournament, largely because he wasn't able to communicate his concerns about the potential tyranny of the Kami very well and generally ended up sounding like he was accusing them of being opportunistic toadies out to kiss the first ass that offered them security.

He followed Shiba after the tournament, was one of the first to join the Jiyo family (he has a mild crush on Jiyo, and the family's duties suited his inclinations), and .has largely gone wherever the Imperial Family has gone in the time since.

He is also a founding member of the proto-Kolat, occupying the post that would, in main canon, be known as Master Lotus.
He is, however, a pretty crappy Kolat, since he told Shiba everything he knows, including names, directions of travel at the time, all of that.

Part of his duties over the last five years has been serving as a yojimbo (kind of) and companion to Shiba's child(ren?), since they reflect his primary philosophical hope for the post-Kami world (not domination by the Kami, but gradual synthesis with them), and it's entirely possible that he's had to kill a few people in the intervening time. He has also been Uncle Sora, a guy who protects them partly out of duty, but mostly because that's just what he does.

That said, his sense of trust and welcome by Shiba, plus the fact that the kids have no hangups about him, have lightened him up slightly (and he bought off his Antisocial Disad with the last XP in the last game, yay!), and mean he's definitely on reasonably good terms with Shiba, Yuzuru, and Jiyo, along with anyone else who takes care of the heirs.

Reiko, Shiba, and... was it Jin? Kyosei? Somebody... taught him how to read and write in the course the tournament, and he's been practicing for the past five years, including regular letters to Reiko (which often came back covered in corrections along with friendly replies, if OOC banter memory serves). He could easily have taught someone else how to read and write if a new character has a reason to want to know him. Likewise, anyone with even a tiny interest in joining his version of the lotus Sect would at this point, have been personally recruited by him, and would be in for an earful of ideology (not recommended, because Sora's take on it is wildly different from canon, so player expectations would likely be disappointed)

Given his abrasive conversational style and deep-seated philosophical differences with some present, he rubbed a lot of people the wrong way at the tournament-

• He and Nanzi share a mutual dislike that may or may not have mellowed over five years of not dealing with one another except when absolutely necessary (and which pointedly excludes any of Nanzi's kids, because Sora has Views on people who take things out on children).
• He and Kinsen had one friendly chat, and then one really unfriendly chat which basically marked the end of their interactions.
• He and Karanoko of the Ayakashi, who also followed Shiba... completely failed to understand one another. His opinion of her five years ago was contempt bordering on hatred. Presumably that has mellowed somewhat, but not necessarily! Amusingly, he got along swimmingly with her husband, Tsubo.
• His wall-top shouting match with Seidou Anjing is why the "Way of the Wallspeaker" path has the name it does. They really don't like each other.
• Makime and Kenshiro of the Kuwagaya likewise didn't get on with him.

Anyone beholden to or recruited by any of them might well have a pretty dim view of Sora, if they have any opinion on him at all.

Conversely, there are people he would have made efforts to stay in touch with, even if it's just by a letter, or arranging to be there when their respective Kami checked in with Shiba over the course of a year.

• Kozan/Shinjo Koyama was a fellow Hikaru who he actually got along with, and a fellow proto-Kolat who ended up swearing in with a Kami! Definitely someone he feels he has a lot on common with.
• Reiko. As mentioned, she's one of his primary literacy instructors, so he's kept in touch.
• Jin. Another fellow proto-Kolat, and someone who seems to broadly share his philosophical reasons for being one. They got along remarkably well, and even without the "blood oath to stay in touch" that the founders took, he probably would have kept in touch.
• Chaihime of the Seidou. Yet another proto-Kolat, and yet another whose resistance to the Kami's rule was pretty tepid. Noteworthy for being the only person whose relations with Sora were actually improved by a misunderstanding (he thought she was more anti-Hida than she really was)
• Shirayuki of the Ayakashi/Togashi Saruko. He really liked her on short notice, and her patience with his flailing style of conversation means that has only solidified. Of course, five years ago she was illiterate, so who knows how many letters he's actually sent her, but...
• Yozora of the Ayakashi/Whoever she is with the Ki-Rin, for similar reasons of broad friendliness and patience with his myriad social difficulties.

[Anjing Xia]

Xia is Anjing's niece and so has a view of some of the other PCs filtered through that, the horror.

She's also likely to know any other Seidou, or anyone particularly literate or well educated who has visited her tribe's lands in the past.

[Ch’chit T’kkiri]

The Seidou were having some rows with the nezumi moving north in the past decade. Seidou kidnapped some pups. I was traded for the pups as a deterrent when a treaty was signed two years ago. Been a hostage in Seidou lands since then... now with the excursion am being turned over to the strike force as a guide with the promise of freedom upon completion of the task.

[Canary]

Well, from the last game, he was heavily invested in discovering Jade, and one of his goals was creating Jade Strike (not because he knows of it's anti-Sahdowland's powers, but because he's curious on Earth things). Also, was invited to Stag clan, but chose not to join (at least as of yet).

It's worth noting that one of Anjing's goals was to open a jade mine in Seidou lands. So there is that.

[Noriaki no Yamadono]

Yamadono, and with him his daughter, Matsu, have been at the edges of the acolytes of the Spider. Always watching, protecting in thr dark, as a pair of hunters.

As she has reached adolescence, Matsu has proven herself to be headstrong, confident, and the same temper her father has.

For his part, Yamadono realizes that while he won't likely ever move on from his dead wife, Matsu, now, more than ever, needs a mother. And so he has actively been looking for a good wife and more importantly, mother figure for the apple of his eye.

[Kyosei of the Isawa]

I could see Jin and Kyosei having kept in some contact on the magical front since they had connected on that matter a bit in the last game. Doubt they're buddy buddy especially given distances and no mail system at this point in time but I could see a check in once a year or the like.

Sounds reasonable. A couple of contacts over the five years seems reasonable.

Sora, I don't remember teaching you to read, but we did have a good conversation, so Kyosei at least regards you well.

Anjing's goal might mean they collaborated on that a little. At the least, if he learned of it, Kyosei would be interested in what was found.

Reiko convinced Kyosei to commit to this endeavor, so he definitely has contact with her.

So, a few prospects, it seems.

[Doji Kaze]

Kaze was an outcast from the Chinsei tribe living ferally in the woods before he was found by Doji and introduced to the higher concepts of the new world. Since then, he has been a bodyguard of sorts to Lady Doji. He loves her and the other kami like a drowning man loves oxygen, and things like art, writing, civilization in general seem like miracles to him. He is suspicious of a lot of the humans that are joining the kami in government, but is doing his best to put his wild past behind him.

[Nanzi]

Kaze was an outcast from the Chinsei tribe living ferally in the woods before he was found by Doji and introduced to the higher concepts of the new world. Since then, he has been a bodyguard of sorts to Lady Doji. He loves her and the other kami like a drowning man loves oxygen, and things like art, writing, civilization in general seem like miracles to him. He is suspicious of a lot of the humans that are joining the kami in government, but is doing his best to put his wild past behind him.

I get the feeling we see each other quite a bit then.

[Nanzi]

He and Nanzi share a mutual dislike that may or may not have mellowed over five years of not dealing with one another except when absolutely necessary (and which pointedly excludes any of Nanzi's kids, because Sora has Views on people who take things out on children).

I am guessing it is probably cooled due to distance, Nanzi forgives but he never forgets.

[Doji Kaze]

I get the feeling we see each other quite a bit then.

Seems that way to me. Kaze would probably be pretty intimidated by Nanzi's bearing and culture, but would respect the heck out of him for Doji's choice.

[Kanna]

Reiko has visited every clan and tribe in the last five years - while much of that would have been spent with the kami of each clan, as a prophet of note and through spreading the word of Fu Leng she has likely met and spoke with many.

Those from the Isawa tribe likely know her the best, as she was from that tribe originally..

Since the Spider Clan formed, Kanna has more or less constantly traveled with Reiko. She wouldn't have other *close* contacts, but it's entirely possible she's met people during these travels.

[Hanzou]

I'm still deciding on my character for this game, but if anyone wanted to work out connections with the Bat or Nazo, I'm happy to help.

[Doji Kakuro]

Kakuro is a rather simple man, which is a big contrast with the nascent Crane clan. He should be a close advisor to kami Doji and one of the first that has learned her ways.

If birb approves of my post Dawn 1 stuff, then Kakuro should had been working first in a temple at the base of the Seppun Hill, known as the Temple of the Heavenly New Dawn in honor of the kami and the new ways they brought to Rokugan.

Besides that, Kakuro has been working on a small school of his own, specialized in building and the crafts. His ideology which he preaches focus on helping people, education, social mobility and understanding.

He should had worked with other kami into bringing unity among the different factions and tribes that are joining in by going around and bringing the kami's word and prosperity to other lands.

He was a tribeless wanderer before the arrival of the kami, and he still has difficulties in staying in one place. Always moving and searching for more knowledge that he could share to others.

If anyone is interested in him, please poke me on discord or in PM here

[Jiyo Ayumu]

Nothing engraved in stone yet of course, but Ayumu might be an Isawa who followed the other cool kids of his tribe that have joined Shiba. Missed the first wave of followers cause he was sick, came in later. Missed a hella lot of things cause he was sick actually.

Used to be a tailor but lost the spark for it. Now works as one of the Emperor's people with pointy sticks and oversize knifes. Always enthusiast and volunteer for the oddest tasks though, even if they're more menial than martial.

Unlikely to have wander far from the Isawa or Shiba lands unless it was as part of an imperial delegation.

[Shoji Nashi]

Still finishing up the character sheet and bio, but Nashi of the Shoji here is a cattle herder and I'd like her to have an obligation to someone as her reason for joining up with this whole shebang if possible. I can find another reason, but I like the idea of her superstitious butt being dragged into saving a Kami because she owed someone a massive favor. Best reasons for owing someone: they saved the life of a family member or the livestock she helps protect and tend, they helped feed the tribe and her immediate family directly during a drought, they protected her/her family/livestock from a bandit raid that she couldn't handle alone.

She hasn't really left the lands around the Shoji Tribe's home too much, but she doesn't frequent the deeper forest because the livestock are generally too scared to go there. Which means she's had more chance to interact with those who have passed by or through the lands for any reason since the Kami fell.

[Miyako]

If you have spent time with the Chinsei Tribe in the past year or so, perhaps we've run across each other!

If you've gone walking around in the forests near Chinsei territory, we may have crossed paths - and if you are a hunter, perhaps we may have been in a hunting party together once upon a time! Or had a conversation about herbs and what to eat and what to avoid while on a foraging expedition!

Around the evening campfire, you may know her as the one spinning the stories fantastical as well as the more down-to-earth ones about the tribal past and things of the natural realm. She tells some pretty good ones and has a knack for it even, pretty pleasant to listen to! But she also listens to them just as well - maybe we've traded a few or had some long discussions lasting well into the night!

She's been sighted lugging around a pretty big bow for a lady her size. If you wield a bow, maybe we've talked firing technique and even fine craftsmanship of bows! She's more than happy to have answered your challenge for a little friendly fun competition too: she's an okay shot...

Those of the Scorpion (more likely, but any other clans that have swung by in the past year as well) that have come through the Chinsei on recruitment drives may have seen her milling around the crowds listening to talk of the Kami and the clans and all those sorts of things. One may or may not remember that she did not step forward to join, but those that eyed the gathered crowds might have noted throughout the talks that she at least appeared to be paying pretty close attention to the speakers...

[Ryoshun Mai]

I'm still deciding on my character for this game, but if anyone wanted to work out connections with the Bat or Nazo, I'm happy to help.

*friendly Bat wave*

I am from the northern mountains and a very distant cousin several times removed from Nazo. Pledged fealty early on to further my smithing skills and aid Nazo's cause.

[Bayushi Umeno]

I might be the only Scorpion this game, and might be the only Kawagaya, former or otherwise. If anyone's visited either land however, we might have met.

[Ongaku no Ryoko]

I doubt I've met anyone before now - I'm from a ranchin village in the south. We're friendly though!