[LM 13] Seeking Destiny (Open)

[Kyosei of the Isawa]

"Destiny? What destiny?" Kyosei looks around, and sees the pair. He gives a friendly nod, extending a hand holding a couple meat sticks.

[Nanzi]

He returned to his normal if doubting mien and thought, Nanzi guesses he must mean the child that giant brought with him. He wondered when the charlatan would start spouting Destiny and Fate. Nanzi must wonder no longer. Your thoughts Nanashi-san?

[Ongaku no Ryoko]

Hearing the hubbub, Ryoko drifted closer, but didn't interrupt, instead watching curiously. She'd check with Shinsei later about his rock - she wasn't sure if he'd want it back.

If not, she'd feel a right fool, lugging it along, but at least it had given her and Tago some exercise. The drummer had given her quite resentful looks at breakfast that morning.

[Jiyo Sora]

Sora quirked an eyebrow.

"Matsu? I've seen her in a future vision. It was... formidable."

[Noriaki no Yamadono]

The father and daughter pair stood. While he dwarfed most men, she herself was quite tall for her age. As warriors for the expedition, they each stood equipped to always be ready.

Matsu looked to Shinsei as he addressed the pair. Yamadono nodded back to Kyosei, taking the offered meatsticks and handing one to the girl.

Her face was a visage of determination and courage, as she looked about.

"What do you mean, destiny?" She asked, echoing Kyosei, and raising a thin eyebrow at Sora.

[Canary]

He returned to his normal if doubting mien and thought, Nanzi guesses he must mean the child that giant brought with him. He wondered when the charlatan would start spouting Destiny and Fate. Nanzi must wonder no longer. Your thoughts Nanashi-san?

Can you get a little bit closer to the child?

[Shinsei]

"What do you mean, destiny?" She asked, echoing Kyosei, and raising a thin eyebrow at Sora.

"A hero. A child of Thunder..." Shinsei said, balling one hand into a fist, gaze unwavering. He didn't seem to be fully aware of who was speaking.

[Nanzi]

Nanzi approached closer to Matsu and Shinsei and said, "What is this Thunder?"

[Canary]

Sora quirked an eyebrow.

"Matsu? I've seen her in a future vision. It was... formidable."

Sora is suddenly assaulted by a vision. He sees Matsu's adult figure, standing tall and fierce as he'd seen her at the marker, but it starts to become hazy and indistinct, flickering like a candle guttering in the rain.

[Noriaki no Yamadono]

The pair stood tall, before Matsu shook her head.

"I don't know anything about that. I am just Matsu. Samurai of the Spider Clan." She declared, warily looking at the others. She reached up to her necklace, clutching the piece of jade, as her eyes flashed with passion.

"I don't know about being a hero. Or a Thunder, or anything. But, I will be the greatest Samurai of all." Her chin raised as she smiled, and Yamadono looked on, standing behind her, as the past should.

[Ongaku no Ryoko]

Ryoko drifted closer, inadvertantly into the path of Nanzi as she tried to hear more clearly what Matsu and Shinsei were saying. Glancing at Yamadono, she nodded, seeing something different than what he intended, instead seeing a father, in the present, backing up his daughter.

That was handsome...

She was quite oblivious to the fact that she was now quite in the way of bystanders, loitering near the two as she was.

[Nanzi]

Nanzi nodded at the young girl’s words moving effortlessly past the horned girl with Crane grace, “The Empire will be better for it, Matsu-san, Nanzi is sure.”

Mentally he added to Nanashi, Greatest samurai of all… perhaps great among the Spider, she will not outshine my children. Is this charlatan speaking more falsehoods or is there some glimmer of destiny about this boastful child?

[Canary]

Nanzi nodded at the young girl’s words moving effortlessly past the horned girl with Crane grace, “The Empire will be better for it, Matsu-san, Nanzi is sure.”

Mentally he added to Nanashi, Greatest samurai of all… perhaps great among the Spider, she will not outshine my children. Is this charlatan speaking more falsehoods or is there some glimmer of destiny about this boastful child?

Get her away from that THING!

[Nanzi]

For a moment Nanzi was tempted to do nothing but that was not the way a samurai would act, not one who championed the Divine Blade. In a moment his blade is in hand and he took his stance in front of Matsu looking at Shinsei assuming it to be the thing in question.

“Yamadono-san, shield your daughter, this thing will not have her,” Nanzi said, narrowing his eyes.

“Protect the Thunder, that is our purpose in this moment of Destiny.”

OOC: Draw his sword using Iaijutsu 3.

[Ongaku no Ryoko]

Ryoko blinked, caught completely flat-footed, and then she struggled for a moment to try and understand what was happening.

"Sir... what? What is happening? What's wrong?"

She stepped closer to them both, trying to make sense of the moment.

[Noriaki no Yamadono]

Both father and daughter were surprised by the speed with which Nanzi drew his blade. Seeing a weapon drawn, they each drew their own weapons slowly.

Yamadono moved to stand before his daughter, questioning the sight. Behind him, the girl reached and grabbed for her polearm, her fingers gripping it tightly.

"What is the meaning of all this!" Yamadono commanded, his intimidating stature added to his words.

[Bakuriel]

shinsei_ikiryou.jpg (31.58 KiB) Viewed 2891 times

"Shinsei's" knuckles pop as he clenches and unclenches his fist, staring daggers into Nanzi. His eyes flicker around the camp as his concentration, and his facade, slowly fail. The face beneath the hood simply melts away into... nothing. Beneath the hood there is now little more than empty space and a faint, eery glow.

To those watching closely, the image of Shinsei grows faint, immaterial... and its feet no longer touch the ground. It shrieks once in anger, then flees to the side, passing clear through solid matter and bystander alike as if they were never there, circling, trying to get a batter angle at the young, prideful girl.

[This thread is now locked for planning purposes]

[Bakuriel]

The Ow of Shinsei

(THIS IS A COMBAT THREAD! DEATH, DISMEMBERMENT, AND OTHER BADNESS IS POSSIBLE)

This event is for up to four players

Something is wrong. Something is very, very wrong. The figure before you looks like Shinsei, but it very clearly isn't, and the way the hairs are standing up on the back of your neck suggest that whatever it wants isn't going to be pretty.

This event happens in three stages.

Stage 1: Evacuation

Any player involved in this thread that is not planning on staying to fight may exit for free with a "run screaming past the camera" post. The creature will not attack, instead using the confusion to slink away into the encampment. Players already in the thread who wish to participate are encouraged to do so.

Stage 2: The Hunt

Players will have to hunt down the creature using a Contested Hunting Roll against its Stealth. It will not be trying to ambush players during this stage, so bonuses such as Wary will not apply.

Given that the creature is using the tents to shield its escape, players who fail their roll may spend their post dismantling a tent for a single reroll, but will start combat 5 feet further away from the Matsu when combat begins. 6 successes are required to locate the enemy and determine its objective in the camp. For every 2 failures, all players start 5 feet further away from Matsu at the start of Stage 3 as players get further and further away during their hunt.

Stage 3: It's after Matsu!

After being hunted down successfully, the thing wearing Shinsei's face will go after Matsu, and will take great efforts to try to kill her. Matsu begins combat isolated, 15 feet from the closest player. If Noriaki no Yamadono is participating, he begins within 5 feet of her, but cannot contribute rolls in Stage 2.

Matsu, slightly panicked by the confusion and her own pride, will attempt to stand her ground unless ordered to do otherwise. Ordering Matsu to act requires a Simple Action and a Courtier (Manipulation) roll against a TN of 15. Yamadono is assumed to succeed this roll automatically.

For the purposes of this battle, Matsu uses the stats of an Idealistic Newcomer [EE pg 209] wearing ashigaru armor and wielding a Yari. She is also considered to have Great Destiny.

Combat ends immediately if Matsu and/or all of her defenders are put out of action, or the creature itself is defeated. If neither of these conditions are met after 10 rounds of combat, Shinjo arrives carrying the true Shinsei, who will put a swift end to the creature upon his arrival.


[Update: This thread will remain locked until all players involved have had a chance to opt out and all slots are filled]

[Bakuriel]

Participants:

Noriaki no Yamadono
Ongaku no Ryoko
Jiyo Sora
Nanzi no Nanzi

Kyosei may make a post to exit the thread but is otherwise considered not to be present. Please proceed with Stage 2 rolling.

[Kyosei of the Isawa]

Kyosei is shocked at the appearance of the thing! Particularly, as it had passed the jade test. Or, it had appeared to...

He charged off after the creature, and followed what he had assumed to be it's sighting, as the creature was fast, and seemed to always be just turning the corner of tents and around trees just ahead of it. Then he slowed, and saw that it what he had first taken as the creature was a branch, blowing in the wind. And he was now outside the camp. And, back in the camp's direction, he could hear the sounds of fighting...

Turning, he began to make his way back.

And he had been so hoping to talk to the hooded man. He had some questions for the real one, and also some thoughts.

/exit till after the battle.