[D8, MA, EVENT] A Helping Hand, part 1

[Cearnach]

The courtyard, normally serene and tranquil, has an entirely new look this afternoon. The 2nd year students at the Open Hand dojo, all of 10 years old, have fanned out over the landscape in their ones and twos. They are bent over their miniature portable writing desks, pens in hand, brows furrowed in concentration. And all because it is that time of year again, the time when the 2nd years give their very first public speech from the Rostrum!

This represents a bit of an opportunity. While normally one would never dream of interfering with a child's education, there is nothing about this court that is normal, and there are messages to be spread...messages that might sound even more plausible from the mouths of babes than from someone suspect. And all for the low cost of playing the kindly sempai.

This is an Event in two parts. In part 1, participating characters will assist a 10 year old Ikoma in crafting their very first speech! In part 2 on Day 9, the child will make the speech in question from the Rostrum in front of a major crowd of serious functionaries. In part 1, you will generate the Free Raises that the child can use in part 2 in three steps.

Step 1: Select an Appropriate Topic
The official assignment, as the children will explain to you, is to speak in praise of something. That's fairly foundational to the Ikoma style. You just have to put your heads together and come up with something worth praising.
You may
* Make a Lore: History/Intelligence roll at TN 15
* Make a Lore: Bushido/Intelligence roll at TN 25, or
* Make a Lore: Great Clans (Lion Clan)/Intelligence roll at TN 20

Step 2: Craft the Speech
The actual nuts and bolts of rhetoric can be fairly tricky, but a good speech is a much better vehicle for a message than a poor one.
To write a speech, you may
* Make a Perform: Oratory/Awareness check at TN 15
* Make a Courtier (Rhetoric)/Awareness check at TN 20
* Make a Perform: Storytelling/Perception check at TN 25, or
* Make an Intimidation/Willpower check at TN 30

Step 3: Through the Mouths of Babes
Now comes the interesting part. On the face of it this is a simple speech from a juvenile speaker. The primary goal should be to maximize cuteness while demonstrating enough skill to get a passing grade from the sensei. Unfortunately, this is Winter Court. We are well beyond the face of things now. No, this is an opportunity to introduce an idea from a safe distance, and you'd be foolish not to avail yourself of the opportunity.

You may make a Courtier (Manipulation)/Awareness roll at TN 20 to insert a message into the speech. This message, if the speech in part 2 is successful with 5 raises, will be understood and considered by the attendees.

Results
Total all of your called raises on successful rolls. These translate to Free Raises that the child may use on their roll in part 2 tomorrow.

[Asahina Minase]

Minase was actually feeling very charitable, and after having seen the Lion Clan do their utmost to serve and run this court smoothly without much recognition, decided to help out the small Ikoma children.

Well mostly small, the one she chose to help actually turned out to be slightly taller than her when they stood up. A gangly girl by the name of Ikoma Erizako who appeared to be more arm and leg than anything else, but had the makings of a good bard with a little expert polishing.

But what to speak about. History lessons, although important at the Academy were far from the focus and, understandably, most of the ones involving the Lion were about the various conflicts between cat and bird. Luckily the (not so) little Ikoma's history lessons were much fresher to mins, although there was a slight miscommunication. A problem with accents and pronunciation that led to instead of a battle portrayed on an umbrella that Minase was referencing, Erizako ceased on a little known instance of an angry Matsu beating a Crane to death with an umbrella in a fit of rage and thus praising the prowess of the Matsu. Minase considered changing the subject but Erizako was insistent now.

"No, no, Asahina-sama. This is perfect to talk about. Imagine Matsu-dono's face when she hears the praise. Wouldn't it be lovely?"

Seeing at how fired up the young Lion was about a total misunderstanding gave Minase pause, but she was in this for the long run now. Training the words and the speech likewise progressed well at first but was soon buried under the young Ikoma's endless enthusiasm. It got a bit out of hand.

"The Crane are slain MAINLY ON THE PLAIN!!" Little Erizako pounded her chest in pride at the words, while a horrified Minase retreated behind her fan and admitted defeat. The small words of encouragement for a Lion-Crane peace treaty she had intended to slip into the speech fallen by the wayside.

"Thank you, Asahina-sama!! You've really helped my delivery. I will ace the test tomorrow now." Erizako beamed down on the slightly stunned Crane.

"Well yes, Ikoma-san, but I must be going now. I really need to get to the court on time . . . . "

--

D8 MA A Helping Hand: Step 1 Lore:History/Intelligence, VP for skill, 2 Called Raises | 4k3 ⇒ 19 (TN: 25) FAIL! DOH!!

D8 MA A Helping Hand: Step 2, Perform:Oratory/Awareness Sensation, Voice, 3 Called Raises | 6k5 ⇒ 26 (TN: 30) MORE FAIL!!!

D8 MA A Helping Hand: Step 2, pointless but rolling anyway! Courtier/Awareness | 7k4 ⇒ 35 (TN: 20) This would have worked . . . if the rest had not failed.

KITTEH CAN DO ANYTHING . . . . except I was not the Kitty this time around.

[Kuni Shiori]

A school was a foreign concept for most Kuni, considering that none of them were schooled, per se. No, instead Kuni were tutored by a sensei two students at most at any given time. This was done due to a vital necessity, corruption could be dangerous to the small Family if they were connected. Given the proximity to the wilds and the Shadowlands, as well as the outrageous tasks they had to do, this was a danger.

All in all, this meant that Shiori had quite the opportunity to step foot into an official dojo where the young were taught (complete with a sturdy roof and tatami flooring, which she didn't have) and play sensei for a day. It was going to be enlightening in many ways. A part of her did wonder if this was some master plan by Otomo Mariko to see how the single guests handled children but she dashed those suspicions to the side.

Her charge was a boy by the name of Ikoma Ichiro, which she found herself pitying already. She supposed he must have come from one of those super traditional and lame families where the children were literally named what they literally were. True to her suspicions, the boy wasn't even familiar with the Crab. "...Why is your face white? Are you a deathseeker?" The boy would question her.

"No...no, I'm not," Shiori would say to the child with a bit of gentle sternness on the matter. It looked like this was going to need some more education and this opportunity should give him a leg up to the world above some of his classmates.

When it came to her curriculum, she got to teach him some Crab history. She admittedly started at bog level, considering the boy's ignorance, she didn't want to overwhelm this vessel with too much information. Sensing that the young Lion would likely find some appreciation in a martial topic, she taught him the Battle of Tattered Ridge. It was a key skirmish in recent history where the Hiruma had spotted a gathering of ogres that had pushed their way through the borders and into the Crab wilderness for cover. They would intercept those ogres without waiting for suitable backup before they could strike a village. Outnumbered, they only serve to buy time for the village to escape their path. It seemed like their story would end there but they were suddenly aided by the strange rat-like creatures before they disappeared into the night once the ogres had retreated.

The story was to inspire great martial acumen, selflessness, and bravery.

While the boy was awed by the story and Shiori's inspiring coaching, he was pretty disgusted by the inclusion of rat creatures in the battle. Why would rats show bravery when such creatures are more prone to cowardice? "...It was dark and their appearance wasn't wholly confirmed by the Hiruma. Maybe they were more like...dog creatures," Shiori would reluctantly offer an alternative to the tale to make it more palatable to the youngling.

Rolls
Day 8 - Mid Afternoon, A Helping Hand: Lore: History/Intelligence at TN15, Phantom Skill! | 4k3 ⇒ 22 (TN: 15)

Day 8 - Mid Afternoon, A Helping Hand: Perform: Oratory/Awareness at TN15...Calling 3 Raises this time...Void used for +1K1 with Voice | 6k5 ⇒ 49 (TN: 30)

Day 8 - Mid Afternoon, A Helping Hand: Courtier (Manipulation)/Awareness at TN20...Calling 1 Raise because why not...No, because I MUST! WAN! WAN! | 4k3 ⇒ 29 (TN: 25)

Total: Four Raises for the Youngling!

[Doji Shinnosuke]

"My dear little friend, this won't do at all." Shinnosuke gestures grandly at the scrawled speech. "I can see your sensei have no notion of how to hold an audience. This reads like a magistrate's stenographer wrote it, poor thing. Wouldn't you rather an exciting story?"

"Like what?" The sturdy little girl looks a bit skeptical, but the fluffy white pillow of CUTE DOG in her lap is keeping her fixed in place and earning Shinnosuke a large dividend of goodwill.

"What about..." Shin thinks it over. "The Courtship of Lady Doji by Lord Kakita? That's a very good story. Lots of incident, ample scope for metaphor, a charmingly happy ending. Perfect for a young voice like yours. Not too heavy, but not frivolously light." He smiles at Ikoma Gen, inviting her in on the conspiracy, and she smiles shyly back.

"All right. Now, when you speak, you must project your voice like this..."

Shinnosuke's junior-level acting lesson is quite expert. Alas, whatever subtle message he might have been trying to embed in the little Ikoma's speech is quite lost in the technical details of vocal resonance, posture, eye contact, and hand gestures with which he spends the next half hour overstuffing her busy young mind.

--
D8 MA Corrupting the Youth! With Lore: History, 1 raise, VP | 5k4 ⇒ 29 (TN: 20)
D8 MA Corrupting the Youth! Step 2 With Perform: Oratory, 3 raises, Voice, VP | 7k6 ⇒ 55 (TN: 30)
D8 MA Corrupting the Youth! Step 3 With Courtier (Manipulation), 3 raises, VP | 9k5 ⇒ 25 (TN: 35)

Passed #1 with 1 raise, #2 with 3 raises, and failed #3. Four Raises for the kid, no secret message.

[Jihen]

Jihen was interested to see how the Ikoma would go about teaching their students to proclaim the histories. He had spent many months and years learning the methods of the Four Temples to become a truly proficient relayer of the Way. The Ikoma in the capital were always so boisterous, however, they sought to tap into a different kind of register when they presented their tales and Jihen always wondered how that register was developed.

So he was somewhat surprised to see the children been tutored by the various guests of the court. What would this generation of Ikoma bards look like when they went out into the world… and how could one humble follower of the Way pass the opportunity to influence one of these younglings in a more positive direction.

Jihen sat with a young girl and began talking to her about the histories of the empire. She was bright for her age and seemed to have a good knowledge about a fair number of things. Jihen brought up subtly some of the things he had been researching in his time here in Ikoma’s Eye. The subtle changes in protocol, ritual observances, proper conduct over the past century. How the world seemed to be heading down a regrettable path… If only it could be avoided by turning back to the proper ways of the Empire.

He practiced with her on her presentation skills, using his own experience to help coach the girl on the proper tone and timber in her voice.

By the end of it… Jihen was satisfied with his subtle redirection of this young child’s abilities. The pruning of the branches to help the trunk grow in a more pleasing way. He would only hope that her speech would help prune some of the many other hearts that needed spiritual pruning… and needed it now.

—————

D8 MA Event, Lore:History/Int, 4 Raises, VP | 9k8 ⇒ 54 (TN: 35)

D8 MA Event, Perform:Oratory/Awa, Voice, 4 Raises, VP | 10k7 ⇒ 59 (TN: 35)

D8 MA Event, Courtier/Awa, 2 Raises, VP | 9k6 ⇒ 52 (TN: 30)


The child has 10 raises tomorrow. Passed all three rolls.

Secret Message is something akin to the information Jihen got from the Ikoma libraries on D4. Since Gozoku times there has been less and less respect for proper protocol and religious observances as the clans fight for their own agendas over the Empire’s needs. The calamities are brushed over, erased, or ignored… and things are headed the down the wrong road unless people start acting in the proper ‘way’.

[Agasha Yuna]

Yuna was very interested in the topic and process of education, so she was delighted to have the opportunity to become involved and help the young lion.

She remembered being ten years old. She was a gentle presence with her student. A good teacher. And she could even give some special tips on how to remember the speech, introducing the child to mnemonic practices that had blossomed into a potent skill for Yuna over time.

The topic was an easy one to pick. The history of the Ikoma library! Its role as a temple to Tenjin. A topic sure to please the audience and one that Yuna was quite familiar with.

https://sakkaku.org/r/16301 27 v 15 with a free raise. The child receives one raise!

They worked together on crafting the speech. Yuna had suggestions, but it was important that it was the child's authentic voice. She encouraged her to include elements that were personal and relatable. Not just a dry recitation of historical facts. The student's own visits to the library. Her first visit? A visit that helped her solve a problem? A visit that helped her help another person? All good prompts that helped the student craft an engaging speech.

https://sakkaku.org/r/16302 27 v 25 with a called raise. The child receives one raise!

As they talked, Yuna asked a few leading questions, and guided the child to draw their own conclusion about a useful point to include. Remember, they will expect at least one original idea. What is a thoughtful suggestion about the library that isn't already in place? Hint, hint, hint.

https://sakkaku.org/r/16303 28 v 25 with a called raise. The child receives one raise!

The child has three free raises tomorrow. All three phases succeeded.

Hidden message: The child's idea (which they may or may not describe persuasively) is that monks of Tenjin - the library's librarians - could also honor the written word by reading it out loud to those who can't read. Maybe a reading out loud hour once a day of the texts most important to Akodo-no-kami. His standardized curricula.

(Note: Yuna is very familiar from her own research (see viewtopic.php?f=44&t=789) that Akodo-no-kami understood that teaching is needed, so his few programs are rigorously documented and described, allowing for standardization across multitudes.)

[Isawa Shingo]

Seeing the young Ikoma students hard at work gave Shingo a wide smile, recalling his younger siblings who were not so far removed from these early lessons. He chatted briefly with a couple of students as he strolled by, generally just encouraging them to do their best and spreading confidence they would make their houses proud.

Then the Isawa got an idea. A beautiful, awful, horrible idea. The kind of idea that, in another universe, might have gotten him labeled as some kind of *grumpus* or something. But in Rokugan, in such a tense era, it might be the kind of idea needed to save the empire.

Unfortunately for Shingo, the empire, and especially the adorable Ikoma girl he spotted immediately after devising his plan, it relied greatly on a very inexperienced Bard-to-be to do a very complicated thing. While remaining ignorant of exactly what she was doing and why. Which was probably never going to work out, at least not without a more skilled puppeteer than Shingo had any idea how to be. And so, after a couple of hours work with a teary-eyed, almost completely befuddled little girl sitting beside him, the Isawa returned to what he actually knew he knew: how to tell a good story, and in the process perhaps cast some honor and glory on a noble and dutiful grandfather who continues to look out for his descendants, even after he could be retired.


-------
Rolls:
Topic: Fails.
Speech: Pass w/2 CR
Special message: Fails.

Net: 2 free raises for this poor disgruntled child.

[Kitsu Sayomi]

Ah, it was always nice to see the young ones try to make speeches to impress. It wasn't the first time Sayomi was witnessing it, and she enjoyed it each time.

Though with the Imperial court here, and a literal race for the throne, stakes seemed higher. Much higher.

She approached a child that seemed to be struggling a bit. In times as these, she spoke of the first Hantei and his son Genji, the Shining Prince - and the virtues they upheld as they created an empire. That they were good and virtuous folks, with no pettiness or cruelty.

As for *actually* writing a speech though, she had no idea.

But she gave excellent pointers on what sort of message to include. Virtue, goodness, strength of heart. Yes, the young Ikoma who might've even been inspired to take the name Genji in the future now, had ideas!

----

D8 MA. A Helping Hand. Lore: History/Intelligence. 2 raises. | 5k4 ⇒ 26 (TN: 25) (success with 2 raises)
D8 MA. A Helping Hand. Courtier/Awareness to write a speech. +1k1 Void. 3 raises. | 8k5 ⇒ 31 (TN: 35) (Fail)
D8 MA. A Helping Hand. Courtier/Awareness to insert a message. +1k1 Void. 3 raises. | 8k5 ⇒ 35 (TN: 35) (success with 3 raises)

Ikoma Future-Genji will have 5 Free Raises tomorrow!

[Shiba Ryusei]

Ryusei... loved kids. All that boundless potential, not yet smacked on the snout by life.

So how could he turn down a chance to help a child out?

He helped little Nobuko craft a solid enough effort on the sacrifice Akodo made to protect Matsu, becoming Akodo One-Eye in the process.

His efforts to plant the idea of how real leaders protected their subordinates, instead of leaving them to go hang was a bit lost in some good-natured Lion patroitism on Nobuko's part, but that was all right.

It was still a good speech.

--
Step 1: Select an Appropriate Topic. Lore: History/Intelligence roll at TN 15. Good thing my boy has Sage! | 4k3 ⇒ 27 (TN: 15) Success!

Step 2: Craft the Speech. Courtier (Rhetoric)/Awareness check at TN 20 | 6k3 ⇒ 21 (TN: 20) Success! If Benten's blessing applies, EXTRA SUCCESS but glad I called no raises

Step 3: Through the Mouths of Babes.

Courtier (Manipulation)/Awareness roll at TN 20 | 6k3 ⇒ 15 (TN: 20)- Failure, no secret message here!

No called raises, therefore no Free raises for the kiddo unless I grossly misread the event rules

[Asako Kenichi]

As an older student from the Dojo Of the Open Hand, Kenichi was quite understanding of the situation thebkids found themselves in.

He quietly talked through the topics with one young girl, encouraging her to extoll the virtues of Bushido, especially from the leaders and rulers of clans and other positions.

Step 1
D8 Helping Hand 1, lore:history/int, Asako 1 for FR, 3 cr, tn 30 | 7k5 ⇒ 38 (TN: 30)
4 raises

D8 Helping Hand 1, courtier/awa, 3 cr, tn 35, vp for 1k1 | 9k5 ⇒ 55 (TN: 35)
3 raises

D8 Helping Hand 1, courtier/awa, 3 cr, tn 35, vp for 1k1 | 9k5 ⇒ 57 (TN: 35)

Total 5 raises
Mesage: Leaders are reaponsible to providong guidance and protection to their vassals, rather than petty manipulation

[Matsu Masumi]

Ah yes, this kid was in good hands. Strong, firm hands of a Matsu, that's whose! "Umm," Masumi said, "you'll want to refer to your ancestors. That's a good one." She nodded emphatically to the confused child. "You'll figure that part out yourself. I know you will."

As for the speech itself, she usually relied on her personality rather than her actual words. "People appreciate honesty... It's part of Bushido for a reason. In fact, why don't you improvise the whole thing? No plan survives the battlefield, so they say.

"Speaking of battlefields, that is where samurai are truly forged!" It wasn't as if she'd been part of any real fighting herself... but she still truly believed in that anyways. "Show the audience your might through your words and actions!"

---

D8 MA Event Roll 1: Lore: History / Intelligence TN 25, 2 CR (YOLO) | 3k2 ⇒ 13 (TN: 25)

D8 MA Event Roll 2: Courtier / Awareness TN 30, 2 CR (YOLO / will assume no Benten's ATM) | 6k3 ⇒ 23 (TN: 30) (Huh this actually completely passes if I get Benten's)

D8 MA Event Roll 3: Courtier / Awareness TN 20 (Will assume no Benten's ATM) | 6k3 ⇒ 25 (TN: 20)

Well at least the kid got something out of this... Muscles are cool!

[Yasuki Masaki]

"A good topic? Oh, history, of course!"

"But it should be the history of the Lion Clan, onee-san!"

"Ah... of course! How about the story of the... the... um... ahem..."

"Onee-san? Is everything alright? You seem to be getting pale!"

"Oh, dear, don't worry about me, onee-san will be fine! Just a bit dizzy, is all..."

"Oh... ok, then. Oh, I know! How about the story of when Hantei Ningi asked the Lion to invade the lands of the Mongoose clan?!

"The... mongoose?"

"They were a... a... group of traitors! Who... intermingled with the Snake clan!

"Snake clan? Ah... right, these Mongoose must have been treacherous indeed then, ne? Ok, good! Now, let's think about this speech..."

"Oh, great! My speech will be the best ever, Onee-san is great at writing!"

"Eh... no, not really, but... ok, this might do. What do you think, Kotaro-san?"

"Looks good!

"Kotaro-san, you should read it before you say that!"

"I'm sure it is, onee-san! No way it wouldn't!"

"Ok - focus on this part then. 'The Lion fights the strongest when the whole pride hunts together!'"

"The Lion's strongest will lead the pride!"

"No, Kotaro-san... I mean, yes, but no, this is about standing toge..."

"Fighting together to find out who is strongest! Of course, like my friends and I do! King of the hill! Yay, thanks onee-san!"

"Ah... hai... ganbatte, Kotaro-san..."

-----------------------
D8 MA - A Helping Hand. Roll 1, unskilled, TN 15. Lore: History | 3k3 ⇒ 12 (TN: 15)
=> History fail. The Mongoose clan is created!

D8 MA - A Helping Hand. Roll 2, Courtier (Rhetoric)/Awa, TN 20. 3 Raises called. Air Kami's Blessing adds +4 | 7k4+4 ⇒ 37 (TN: 35)
=> Kotaro-tan gets 3 Free Raises for part 2! The speech is good! (Facts aside, but, well, we all know how much facts matter...)

D8 MA - A Helping Hand. Roll 3, Courtier (Manipulation)/Awa, TN 20. 2 Raises called. Air Kami's Blessing adds +4 | 7k4+4 ⇒ 25 (TN: 30)
=> Secret message fail! The intended message was 'the Lion clan is strongest when its families stand together'. Whether that just doesn't go through or it backfires... who knows.

[Shosuro Reiko]

"Speeches? Why, certainly, I can assist with speeches. I know a great many speeches that have graced a great many stages and so, young Ikoma, speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue." Reiko said dramatically, with an equally dramatic flicking open of her fan.

It didn't seem to inspire much confidence in her young understudy.

Still, at least Reiko's grasp on broad historical facts seemed to check out against what Ikoma Yoko had been taught in her class, so that was a promising start.

The Scorpion's outsized theatrics seemed to come to a life of their own when it came time to write the actual speech, though. Even to the untested Yoko, there was stirring rhetoric there that she was sure the Shosuro had cribbed from much more reputable speeches given in popular plays.

"There. Strike that line, young Ikoma! Mend your speech lest it mar your fortunes! ...See, it reads better."

It did, in fact, not read better. High on her own supply, Reiko forgot the backside of the adage that simplicity made beautiful art in that beauty was when nothing else could be taken away - she had foolishly removed the hidden message she had wished to convey in the otherwise excellent oratory.

Damn.

----

Lore: History/Int, VP for skill | 4k3 ⇒ 21 (TN: 15)

D8 - MA EVENT - Courtier/Awareness, VP for 1k1, 3 CR | 8k5 ⇒ 50 (TN: 30)

D8 - MA EVENT - Roll 3: Courtier/Awareness, VP for 1k1, 3 CR | 8k5 ⇒ 29 (TN: 35) (FAIL)

+3 free raises!

[Asahina Hoshiko]

It was fascinating to see the training offered at another school. All the studious little heads bent over their scrolls everywhere today. They are so very young. Hoshiko wonders if she and the other young courtiers look like this to the many elders in the court.

She quietly approaches to look over the shoulder of an earnest dark haired youth, and finds them working hard on making an exceedingly obsure bit of history work into their speech. A small 'hmmm' draws attention, and soon she and Minoru are in earnest conversation. It doesn't take much to point to an event that fits their theme but will be infinitely more recognizable to the audience.

After that, the rapport is real. Hoshiko offers tips from her years conducting funerals and blessings that need to be heard and ought to be remembered. There are tricks to holding attention, after all.

With a bit of encouragement, Minoru's message shifts a bit, and is made stronger for it--at least in Hoshiko's opinion.


*********************************
D8 MA event: Appropriate Topic. Lore: History (untrained) VP for +1k1 One raise | 4k4 ⇒ 27 (TN: 20)
1 raise

D8 MA event: Craft the Speech Perform: Oratory/Awareness VP for + 1k1 3 raises | 8k5 ⇒ 34 (TN: 30)
3 raises

D8 MA event: Through the Mouths of Babes. Courtier (Manipulation)/Awareness VP for +1k1, 1 raise | 8k5 ⇒ 31 (TN: 25)
1 raise

5 raises total to incorporate the message raising piety and respect for the spiritual underpinnings of every aspect of life is important for the Empire to prosper.