If you are in court during this timeslot, you must very publicly leave court if you wish to join this thread. You will suffer honor loss for a Minor Breach of Etiquette.
In the heat of the day, an elderly gentleman, dressed in sacramental robes and bearing the mons of the Seppun, emerges from Court bearing a serene expression. Seeming for a moment to be at a loss, he evidently makes up his mind and slowly moves down the hall toward the Genkan. That’s no way for a Seppun to go when court is in session. Something must be up.
And, indeed, as Seppun Tomaru will freely admit to any who ask, the court, in the persons of Otomo Keihime and Otomo Tooru, has tasked him to fetch three pails of water from the well in Ikoma’s Eye to ensure that the Crane clan delegation has enough to make tea for themselves. Just how one elderly man is meant to get three great pails full of water from town and into court on his own must not have figured into the Imperials’ considerations, but surely decency requires that you extend a little help to such a sweet and potentially powerful old man?
Event Mechanics wrote: Step 1: Finding the Implements
The first thing to do is to make sure that Seppun Tomaru can find some buckets without disgracing himself. Sometimes that means using some elbow grease, and sometimes that means taking the disgrace on the chin for your future Emperor.
Make an Investigation (Search)/Perception check at TN 20 to find a pail yourself or a Temptation (Bribery)/Awareness check at TN 15 and subtract 1 bu from your cash reserves to bribe a servant to get one for you.
Three pails are required, and you know that in a busy castle they can’t all be in one place, so we need at least 2 successful rolls to progress.
Step 2: The Way Into Town
The next thing to do is to smooth Seppun Tomaru’s journey through town, where he is initially stopped by Ikoma guards and then mobbed by curious townspeople. Each participant may roll once to bypass the guards and once to mollify the crowd.
In order to steer Tomaru safely past the guards, make an Etiquette (Bureaucracy)/Awareness check at TN 20 to explain your errand in the appropriate terms or a Courtier/Awareness roll at TN 25 to persuade them that a potential Imperial Heir’s sojourn through town isn’t going to cause any problems.
Only 1 successful roll is necessary here.
Benten's Blessing applies.
In order to mollify the crowds of curious onlookers hoping to touch the hand of or maybe get a piece of the clothing of a future Emperor, make either an Intimidation/Willpower check at TN 20 to force the crowd to back off or a Perform: Oratory/Awareness or Sincerity/Awareness roll at TN 25 to persuade them to listen to the better angels of their nature and let the very busy Seppun Tomaru through.
3 successful rolls are required to pass this step.
Voice applies.
Benten's Blesing applies
Step 3: Bucket Brigade.
The last thing to do is to help the old man carry the water back to court without spilling it. Not only is the journey long and the water heavy, but it has an annoying tendency to slosh around. Gosh! Is this what servants go through? No wonder they are always sweaty.
In order to preserve Seppun Tomaru’s dignity, the right thing for you to do is to take the buckets for him before he can pick them up. He will do his utmost to persuade you to let him take one, but you must resist!
Seppun Tomaru rolls a 25 to persuade you to give up your bucket. You must resist with an Etiquette (Courtesy)/Willpower or Lore: Bushido/Intelligence roll. This is a contested roll.
Then, you must lug some water back to court deftly. Make an Athletics/Stamina check at TN 15 or a Perform: Dance/Agility check at TN 20 to successfully tote a pail. A raise will allow you to tote an additional pail. You may not tote more than 2 pails. 3 pails are necessary for victory.
If the team is successful, you win favor with supporters and friends of Seppun Tomaru as the story spreads. Gain .6 glory and 1 favor from Seppun Sadako.
If the team fails, Seppun Tomaru is shamed when he arrives in court with a soiled kimono and one or more spilled pails. He will lose 10 campaign influence and will be excused from court for the remainder of the game.
