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Will post and do XP when not on iPad.
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Jun 29, 2013 01:18
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| # ? Apr 27, 2024 01:21 |
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Kaiya Kaiya just stands there, hand on her katana and ready to draw. It's probably a little rude, but she doesn't care. Bumped Craft (Weaponsmithing) to 5 and Kenjutsu 2, 3 XP left!
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Jun 29, 2013 04:22
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Tora Spending 8xp for Stealth ->3, Battle 1->2, Investigation 1, and Horsemanship 1. Banking 2.
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Jun 30, 2013 05:03
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Kotone With a cloth, Kotone tries her best to wipe the blood from her face, at least, trying to maintain her mask of indifference despite the pain. No time for more than a basic bandaging, so far. And parley feels rather more complicated when you're covered in what remains of your foes, after all. Not exactly the graceful perfection of courtly tournaments she was trained on, and then eyes the coming group. "Those who put themselves above others simply achieve a greater height to fall from.", she says softly, quoting Shinsei. Raising Battle from 1 to 2 for 2 XP, and banking the 8 remaining.
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Jul 1, 2013 16:27
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Ai Heavy Weapons to 3, Kenjutsu to 4, 3 banked. Ai moves cautiously, but makes sure to place herself at the head, in the most danger. She is unhurt, after all, and it is her duty to take on the most dangerous job. "We can quote scripture and books all day. But what we need is readiness. Be prepared for anything from them - they can't be trusted." Still, she seems...almost relaxed. Ai is confident, and her reaction to fear and anger usually involves barely restrained violence. Which may not be the best thing right now, but at least it means that if she is nervous, it doesn't show except in her scowl.
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Jul 4, 2013 19:16
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The Parley The group of riders reaches you eventually, keeping a respectful distance. The apparent leader of the approaching party is a high ranking in Imperial colors, not Scorpion colors. He holds up a hand for his men to stop, then approaches a few more meters alone. "I will make this brief. We have learned that a vast army of Lost has arrived at the Kaiu Wall, led by Hida Kisada and Hida Yakamo. Hida O-Ushi is dead, and Hida Tsukune leads the Crab. Our orders are to wipe you rebels off the map, but frankly, my intention is to ride south and make drat well sure there's a map to worry about. Even now my men strike camp. We are leaving, one way or another. If you are, as your propagandists would have the Empire believe, loyal servants of the Empire, then you will not delay or harry us as we travel in defense of our land. If you would truly demonstrate your loyalty, join us--I will order a truce among the soldiers under my command if you wish to do so. If you would reveal yourselves for cowards, then do nothing, and if you would prove yourselves traitors, then act against us. I do not care how you decide, save only that if you intend to join us, send word within the hour." He and his men ride off without waiting for a response. Not...exactly...what you expected.
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Jul 6, 2013 03:38
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Yogo Minoru Minoru stays rooted to the ground for a long moment, mind frozen. Finally, it siezes upon a single thought, and he spins sharply on his heel. "Well, what are we waiting around here for!" he declares, voice hoarse. "No matter if we are given that liberty later-- this is not our decision, and we are not the ones who need to know this. Come on, let's go! Either way, there's not a lot of time!" And he starts heading back, at his best sprint.
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Jul 7, 2013 22:22
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Kotone Kotone nods to Minoru, simply, saluting with a sheathed katana before starting back at a simpler pace. It only takes one samurai to deliver a message, after all. She looks back once more, as if a little flabbergasted nothing is coming to strike them in the back just yet. She slides her sheath into her belt. Quiet, though, she seems thoughtful, though the pain is certainly working to distract her, even though she hides it relatively well.
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Jul 8, 2013 04:32
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Kaiya "Cowards?! How dare he! How dare he speak of loyalty when..." Kaiya exhales. "Was that real? An army of Lost... hmm." She follows Minoru, too busy fretting to move quickly.
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Jul 8, 2013 05:23
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Tora Tora watches the Imperial read off, then reaches down and picks up the humming bulb arrow. He raises it in one fist towards the other army, then shoves it into his obi before heading back towards their own lines. "Have what ever discussions you like. Tomorrow I ride for the Wall, alone if need be."
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Jul 9, 2013 03:08
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Kyuden Morikage, Evening Word has spread like a fire through dry grass of the reason for the departure of the assaulting army. The atmosphere is tense, and many debates are occurring all around the fortifications. The most important one, however, is between Toku, Haru, and Gennosuke...and that is the discussion to which all of you have been summoned. "As it stands, our decision is at a stalemate," Haru explains as you all enter the chamber. "Toku-san is in favor of marching to support the wall. Gennosuke-san believes this to be a Scorpion trap. I have recused myself from the decision, in light of recent, unfortunate events that may cast question on my loyalty." "Your loyalty is not in question, as far as I am concerned, old friend," Gennosuke interrupts. "You know that." Toku nods his agreement. "As you may have gathered," he says, "We were already aware of Haru-san's history. That's not relevant right now, though--we must reach a decision. You have all demonstrated the qualities this army needs for command, and so we ask you now: what is the right course of action?"
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Jul 10, 2013 18:07
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Ai Ai has not been as vocal on this issue as on others - not least because she doesn't trust the enemy. But once Toku weighs in, she throws all of her support behind his decision. Which isn't especially rare, really. "I say we should support the Wall. If it is a trap, then we will defeat it. If it is not, then we will prove that we stand for the people and the Empire, despite the Scorpion. We should go, and simply be prepared for when the Scorpion forces betray us." She doesn't have any eloquent arguments for the Wall, and even if there are Lost, there will be a Scorpion trap. Of that she is sure. But Toku's teachings make it clear: you don't give up just because it will be difficult. You fight harder. "We know they will. But even so, we cannot afford to ignore the Lost. We are the last bastion of the true Rokugan, after all."
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Jul 10, 2013 18:18
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Tora Tora hasn't bothered to find a seat, standing near the door. "It most certainly is a trap." He steps forward, holding up one hand. "The trap is to ignore it. Such a thing is too extreme to be a lie, too easily proven false. But truth can cut deeper than falsehood. If we do not go, we would lose all respect, honor, and credibility." He holds up the other hand. "And the trap is to go. For then we will face the full fury of Shadowlands, and do not doubt that we will find ourselves on the very front of this war." He brings his hands together suddenly. "We don't have to look out for a trap. We've already fallen into it. And the only way to escape is to charge forward and cut our way out - or die gloriously in the attempt." He inclines his head. "Liberating to have only one choice, isn't it? Death or glory - death and glory, most likely."
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Jul 11, 2013 04:32
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Minoru Minoru has spent nearly every moment left to spare flipping coins and hastily flipping back and forth through scrolls, but the slightly wild-eyed look he brings to the discussion suggests he's found little insight there. His frayed nerves are entirely obvious, and he's practically wringing his hands as he says, "You know, I would love to be able to say without reservation that yes, yes, we should go. For a lot of reasons, really. I'll let the better tactical minds talk about traps and whatnot other than to also state the obvious-- that even if this isn't a trap in and of itself, there's going to be a trap, because, well, really." He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. "But I have to ask myself why I want to not go, and in the end, all of my reasons are reasons that apply to me alone, and no further. That's not a basis for a decision, so I can't look at that. "So what it comes down to really is-- if this is true, can we afford to do anything other than go? Moreover... how much can we afford to take a chance that this story is a lie?"
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Jul 11, 2013 05:07
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Ikoma Takakage Takakage listened to the gathered commanders. Most of them circled the same course of action, yet held reservations. The traitors had them in a tidy spot. What could he do to set his friends at ease? Drinks, of course, and perhaps a jovial tale, but later. After the business at hand. When the conversation allows, he says his piece: "All of the great tacticians encourage the use of scouts and rear guards, in varying capacities." He motions to his copy of Leadership, which is on the table. "Just because we commit to a course of action doesn't mean we need to lower our heads and charge blindly. It will take time to mobilize. Unless our esteemed "allies" expect to share their supplies with us, we would necessarily travel slower than them. In the meanwhile, our cleverest minds and sharpest eyes figure out exactly what's happening here." Takakage smiles reassuringly, despite the knot in his stomach. It would be easy to label him a coward for such talk. "I'm not suggesting any tricks. No cowardice or dirty dealings, even against those who might deserve it. Just caution. It would do us no good to run ourselves ragged to get to a battle, only to be ambushed and too tired to fight. Moreover, there's the matter of the reserves. Many of today's wounded would better serve Rokugan staying behind to defend Kyuden Morikage. But they needn't stay idle." He flicks his eyes to Lord Gennosuke, trusting the suggestion is both polite and deniable: honor and righteousness can be satisfied without risking everything. And who knows what their scouts would find?
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Jul 12, 2013 09:50
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Kaiya "Zakennayo!" Kaiya flops into a seat. "The thought of helping the Scorpion Clan makes me want to vomit. Even indirectly." "But what does that matter? I have no choice. Except seppuku, of course. Ha ha. Ha." Kaiya rubs her temple and wishes she were talking about this with the bottom of a sake bottle. "We should leave enough behind to hold this place. But if you're all going, I'll go with you. I don't care if it's a trap. I've escaped with my life enough times, I'm ready to go now. The least I can do is take as many Lost and Scorpion I can with me before they destroy the Empire."
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Jul 13, 2013 16:08
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Kotone "If it is a trick, it is a bold one.", Kotone says thoughtfully. "And with a fair number of risks for them..." Arms folded, she ponders quietly, closing her eyes for a moment before considering her position. Finally, she answers, "I will go. We cannot guess too much on what awaits us, but Ikoma-san is wise on this, I think. If they can make a show of alliance, then we can walk with them. Otherwise, we may follow our own path." "And we murder any dogs that try and nip at our heels."
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Jul 13, 2013 22:13
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Yogo Minoru The visible part of Minoru's face flashes through a variety of emotions, none of them pleasant, as Kaiya speaks, each reined in sharply after no more than a second or so. He seems as though he might speak right after he stops a sharp glare in the act, but instead he just turns half-away, one hand lifting to rub the bridge of his nose between two fingers.
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Jul 13, 2013 22:46
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Batu looks at the others in confusion. "The Lost are storied foes, but then, so are the Scorpions." He gives a bloody smirk. "We survived the one, we should survive the other. The real question is, should we bring the others? Our honor has been formally challenged and we're committed, but I doubt our fellows will appreciate extending the snare around them as well, and after all, we do need men to hold the keep." He acknowledges Kaiya. "I will go, but I will leave it to you to consult with the others." 5 XP to Hunting (Tracking), saving the other five.
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Jul 14, 2013 02:04
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Tora Tora tilts his head towards Kaiya. "My apologies, I should have been clearer. It's a trap for them as well. To have to ask the aid of their most dedicated foes? To have made so many errors as to leave only that recourse left? And if we help save Rokugan, will the false Emperor be able to cast us as mere brigands so easily?" "One of my tutors told me a story once. A tiger was out hunting, and fell into a pit that a hunter had set. In the pit was an asp. The tiger pressed itself against the side of the pit to stay away from it, and when he heard someone approaching, called out to them, 'Help me, brothers! I am trapped in here with an asp!' At the same moment, the asp cried out, 'Help me, brothers! I am trapped in here with an tiger!'"
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Jul 15, 2013 01:34
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Ikoma Takakage He wasn't shouted down. Splendid! "Splendid!" Takakage announces. "I, too, will travel to the Wall as a sign of good faith, if my service here can be spared. As Brother Tora says, for the foe to strike at virtuous warriors who seek only to defend their homelands, would deal more damage than a thousand blades! However the die falls, the results of this perplexing bargain will be recorded and shared with all who have even the barest flicker of justice in their hearts." Takakage pauses and takes a drag on his pipe. "And as Brother Batu says, those who defend the keep are likewise glorious, despite what those bereft of honor would have them believe."
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Jul 16, 2013 00:25
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Kaiya Kaiya brightens a little. "That's true. Maybe it's not so dire after all..."
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Jul 16, 2013 07:04
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Debate Gennosuke frowns. "Of course I need not remind everyone present that we have sworn our blades to the cause of Hantei Kenta. As he is our liege lord, can we truly ride to battle without his approval?"
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Jul 19, 2013 02:16
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Yogo Minoru Minoru tugs at his sleeve a little. "Of course not-- we will surely need to obtain that. A suitably-powerful shugenja of the air would be able to get us in touch and solve the problem of doing so in time. Terribly impertinent, but we are in a rather dire situation. That's assuming we have one-- I regret to say that I don't keep track of such things, and the prayer involved is highly complex." He paces a little, then continues. "So, if we don't have someone who can do that-- we still find ourselves facing a dire situation, and more dire than it appears on the surface. We need a yes, or we need a no, and we need it right away. 'Maybe, but we need to report this development' is clearly not an answer that we can give at this time. So if we cannot do this immediately, we are already in a state of needing to either seek retroactive permission or forgiveness-- no matter what decision we make here. After all, remaining here might be the thing he does not wish us to do. Either way we should not presume that he would favour the decision that we ourselves prefer." "So no matter what occurs, somone will need to be sent, if we do not have someone capable of so dealing with the kami of the air. Likely best a contingent drawn from those who favour the opposite course of action, so they need not feel compelled to act against their conscience. After all-- is conscience not what drew us here?" There's like a 5th-level air spell that'll let you talk to anyone in the empire. That still needs like a rank 4 air specialist which is still high enough that I'm guessing it's not likely we have one.
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Jul 19, 2013 05:16
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"And if we are not given leave?" Batu asks. "What then? Do we allow the wall to be overrun?" He shakes his head. "The Scorpions have graciously given us an hour to make our decision, and we have spent much of that time debating here. As I see it, we go now, without waiting for Hantei's word, or we do not go at all." Batu's voice has lost its usual bluster, though. He's distinctly uncomfortable with what he's saying, but he says it anyway. "We are an army, and to desert would be unimaginable, but to neglect our land and allow our people to be struck," Batu sucks in his breath through his teeth and exhales, "I cannot allow that."
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Jul 19, 2013 15:00
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Tora Tora holds up a hand at Batu's words. "We will not arrive at the Wall in the next hour. And was not our plan to draw the Emperor's forces here for battle? They are leaving with our without us, and we cannot fight those who are not here. Even if we were forbidden to engage the forces of the Shadowlands, at least part of our force would need to follow the Imperial army if we are to carry out the tasks we have already been given." "We should inform our lord of these events and the actions we are taking; there will be time for him to countermand our decision here if that is his desire. But as true vassals, we must do our best to anticipate the needs and wishes of the one we are sworn to. This seems the course he would most likely choose to me. Do any here think it otherwise?"
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Jul 21, 2013 21:11
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Yogo Minoru Minoru shrugs lightly. "He must be informed of the situation at hand, whether we have the means at hand to do so in advance or not, whether we go or not. And if we do not have someone able to call to him now-- well, we still must decide now. And, well-- how can he be Emperor if there is no Empire? There is much to mislike of this matter, but there will any of us be able to mislike anything anymore if the Wall falls?"
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Jul 24, 2013 04:04
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Kaiya Kaiya shrugs. "I wouldn't dare speak for him, but I don't see any other reasonable options. If we suffer the consequences later, so be it."
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Jul 24, 2013 14:11
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Ai Ai looks at Gennosuke, then the others. "Do we have the time to ask permission? If need be...we can send a smaller, elite squad to fight now, while a messenger rides to him to ask permission for the rest. But it is the duty of a servant to strike at dangers to the master, even if the master is not yet aware of them. We can't ignore this."
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Jul 26, 2013 01:11
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Ikoma Takakage Takakage laughs at Ai's apt metaphor. "Indeed, my sister! It is as she says, great lords. A sentry does not ignore the wolf at the gates if he was told to watch for bandits. He recalls his training and does that which is best for his lord. Akodo tells us to seize opportunity on the battlefield. If we do not, we dishonor our training and the lessons our sensei have taught us."
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Jul 26, 2013 10:30
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Kotone "When it comes to matters of the Shadowlands, a samurai does not wait for permission from one's lord to bring down a madman or an oni!", Kotone says in a raised tone. She looks aside to Minoru and then Batu. "Yes, we should inform him as soon as possible. We also need to act as soon as possible." She rises, hand on her hilt loosely, more just in consideration than ready. She looks to Gennosuke with a tense expression. "I will be going. I came here to serve the needs of the Empire. Anything else is not my concern."
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Jul 26, 2013 19:06
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The Meeting "I think it would be best," Haru says, speaking for the first time, very quietly, "if the elite squad was sent to inform the Emperor of the situation, and see to his safety--as I imagine that this is exactly the kind of situation that will go a long way towards establishing his legitimacy in the minds of the people of Rokugan. In the meantime, the rest of our forces shall march to the Wall to reinforce it. This threat cannot be left in the hands of a small group, or ignored outright." Toku looks to all of you. "Will you accept this duty instead of rushing to the Wall? Will you carry word to the Son of Heaven, and bring him to lead our army against Jigoku? Many of you have stated that you wish to travel to the wall, but there are few others I would trust to send on a mission of such importance..."
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Jul 27, 2013 02:18
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Yogo Minoru Well, that was a notion that worked better for him by far. He certainly didn't want to work even tangentially in a manner that would also benefit the current emperor, and frankly even working together being so near other Scorpions could drastically shorten his lifespan in foolish ways. Yet going to the Wall needed to be done. Just... not by him. "I'll go," says Minoru, then halfway turns. "By your leave, I'd best get packing." He certainly didn't want to lose his notes on the omens and readings again.
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Jul 27, 2013 06:08
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Tora Tora stands perfectly still for a moment, whatever thoughts he wrestles with hidden behind his mask. Then he nods. "I will do this," he says simply.
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Jul 27, 2013 19:59
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Ai Were it anyone else, Ai might argue. She likes to fight. But anyone else isn't asking. Ai nods immediately. "As you wish. I will not disappoint you."
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Jul 27, 2013 20:08
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Ikoma Takakage Takakage wonders about the reasoning behind Haru's orders, but smiles and nods. Was he keeping them away because they seemed too eager? At the appropriate moment, he responds. "I gladly accept this charge. You honor me with your trust. None among us will fail!"
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Jul 28, 2013 10:26
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Kaiya Kaiya stands and nods. Anything works for her, as long as she's helping. "I'll get my things. We should ride out as soon as we can."
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Jul 28, 2013 12:00
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Kotone Closing her eyes, Kotone exhales sharply, and cocks her head as she looks over, opening her eyes. She doesn't come across as entirely convinced, but... ... to be honest, she doesn't know a thing about fighting the Shadowlands. Eager, yes. Ready? Hard to say. Much of her life as a samurai has been training in technical mastery. Practical mastery, however, is another story, and one she has recently been made aware of in the last battle. With this in mind, she bows... and then rises. "Very well. I will help carry the word."
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Jul 31, 2013 04:04
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Journey It's quite a trek to the lands of the Dragon, especially in the wintertime. The safest route for a band of rebels such as yourselves leads through Unicorn lands, the only other pass through the mountains being held by the Scorpion. Neither route has any other features to particularly recommend it--conceivably you could bring word to some of the Lion allies if you choose the Scorpion held pass, but you would delay your journey somewhat to do so. On the other hand, the Unicorn have been somewhat aloof of late, and it's anyone's guess what would occur if you are caught there. Which route will you choose?
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Jul 31, 2013 04:41
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| # ? Apr 27, 2024 01:21 |
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Kaiya Kaiya is carrying her unfinished katana and tools in her pack, less out of a desire to finish it as soon as possible and more because she'll be damned if she entrusts her work to anyone else. It's a lot of tamahagane plates. "So, Unicorn or Scorpion? I'd rather finish this quickly and without Scorpions, but if you want to warn the Lion I'll bite my tongue."
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Aug 1, 2013 15:21
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