[D3 EM, Crane open] Matcha Shake

[Doji Shinnosuke]

The sun is just over the horizon and starting to send lances of light through the screens of the Crane delegation common area, but thanks to the disruption a little earlier, Shinnosuke is already up and dressed. While the Ikoma guards have come and gone, servants are probably still at work repairing the damage from earlier... most of it caused by Haku, to exactly one paper door. The little dog is now happily tearing into his bowl of breakfast, delivered for him with the sunrise by Toichi.

Shin, meanwhile, is tending a boiling kettle. After all, what better way to smooth over a shocking development than tea!

"Well, if that's the most exciting thing to happen all winter, I suppose we can consider ourselves fortunate," he comments to the other Crane as he passes across a couple of bowls of freshly prepared tea.

---

D3 EM--Tea Ceremony, 1 raise for extra person | 5k3 ⇒ 21 (TN: 20)

Two fellow Crane who spent Void in the LN of Day 2 can claim a restored Void Point! Please note if you do so. First come, first served, but please hop in whether you want tea or not. Things will start shaking in a minute...

[Asahina Minase]

Minase was still quietly shocked that such things could happen! How dare mysterious miscreants sneak into their quarters in the dead of night. If they hadn't been scared off they might have actually disturbed Minase's very important dream of inventing . . . . oh what was it now? The dream was fading already, something about pink birds, umbrellas and tea cups . . .

Suffice to say she was slightly distracted this morning. The materials she was selecting for the shrine decoration umbrellas going unsorted beside her.

--
No need of the Void here.

[Daidoji Ryu]

Ryu had been busy since the event happened. Poking around, talking to guards, giving his report. It was only now, some time later, that he was pausing to do the thing Crane always do at times like this: have a cup of tea.

"Thank you." He said, grimacing in thanks. He paused a moment, sipping carefully. "We'll see. I don't think they'll try again immediately. I expect they will try again before the season is over, though."

[Daidoji Sae]

Sae enters quietly and bows to all, slightly deeper for Shinnosuke as the provider of tea.

"The darkness has fallen away, and now we have light and tea. A blessing indeed."

She settles quietly on a pillow, listening quietly as Ryu explained his concerns.
"Then we will be ready. In the meantime, a quiet investigation may be in order."

[Daidoji Ryu]

"Hmph." Ryu said, frowning. "A challenging one. This black scrap of cloth may be useful for direct physical evidence," which was not just a Dragon thing, "-but I doubt we'll see someone wearing it in court."

He lifted his cup, but didn't drink yet. "The name, perhaps moreso. We can see if we can find someone with the same writing. Various possibilities..." He trailed off, then took another sip of tea.

[Doji Shinnosuke]

"Attacking the House of Doji right in the Empress's lap, if that's what this was--it seems quite mad," Shinnosuke says, shaking his head. Not that he's an expert or anything, but... "Lady Noriko had to travel through much more exposed places to come here. Whoever it is was foolish not to strike on the road instead, weren't th--"

At that moment, his thoughts are interrupted as the floor beneath him seems somehow to lift up, then jolt sideways and down again. The beams of the house creak and groan, and after a stunned moment, another sound like a clap of thunder rolls over the assembled Crane.

Haku leaps to his feet and starts howling furiously (and deafeningly).

--

1 Tea Serving went to Ryu

1 Tea Serving remains for someone who wants to say you were here and drank it before things got Exciting!

[Doji Hikaru]

"What's all this then?"

Hikaru is a bit groggy as he hears noises. His morning is about to get a whole lot worse


D3 EM - Epilepsy check | 3k3 ⇒ 14 (TN: 15)

_______

Fail Epilepsy roll, Bad Time Ensues

[Doji Arai]

Before long Doji Arai also joins them. The young Ishimoto offers a bow and sits in seiza, but doesn't speak for now. Not before she has a clear view on what everyone has found.

Shinosuke's words make her ponder further though. "Perhaps it was a set up meant to get politics moving. An effort to scare her. Or an effort to humiliate our hosts even. Whichever the case, it was only hours after the Daughter of Heavens proclaimed that no blades are to be drawn for now. This might be connected. A direct challenge to Her authority." She takes a cup of tea and sips. Revitalizing! But, but, can they not rest even for a minute? What is happening now?

[Daidoji Ryu]

Ryu made sure to get a firm grip on his tea before stepping close to one of the supports for the house. An earthquake was one disaster, spilled tea would be another.

[Daidoji Sae]

Sae goes deathly pale for a few moments as the house shakes and rocks around them, her grip tightening into a vice before she is able to get her breathing under control and stand somewhat shakily.

Day 3 EM, Epilepsy event triggered, rolling TN 15 willpower | 3k3 ⇒ 21 (TN: 15)

"It would seem all those ill omens were accurate."
She quietly mouths a prayer, hoping against hope that this was the worst of it and the disaster had spread no further.

[Doji Hikaru]

Hikaru jolts back up, a thriving pain in the back of his head. He's on the floor, with no memory of how he had gotten there.

Slowly he picks himself up and joins the others. "Hello" He manages to croak. "It would seem I missed something"

[Doji Shinnosuke]

"What...?" Shin had been sitting down, so the quake didn't unbalance him, but all the pieces of his tea set had rattled most dramatically on the low table. "Shh! Haku, shush! Come here, boy!" Rather abruptly and ungracefully (for him), he lurches over to the yowling, hollering dog and bundles Haku tightly into his arms, the little white face nearly disappearing amid the folds of kimono sleeve fabric. "Shh. Shh. You're fine. Don't be scared. Be brave," he murmurs, along with a string of other such nonsense, until the barking tails off.

"... was that an earthquake? That was an earthquake, right?" Shin looks up at the others again with his arms still full of dog. "Oh, no, Ikehara-san, are you all right?"

Hikaru jolts back up, a thriving pain in the back of his head. He's on the floor, with no memory of how he had gotten there.

Slowly he picks himself up and joins the others. "Hello" He manages to croak. "It would seem I missed something"

[Doji Hikaru]

"What...?" Shin had been sitting down, so the quake didn't unbalance him, but all the pieces of his tea set had rattled most dramatically on the low table. "Shh! Haku, shush! Come here, boy!" Rather abruptly and ungracefully (for him), he lurches over to the yowling, hollering dog and bundles Haku tightly into his arms, the little white face nearly disappearing amid the folds of kimono sleeve fabric. "Shh. Shh. You're fine. Don't be scared. Be brave," he murmurs, along with a string of other such nonsense, until the barking tails off.

"... was that an earthquake? That was an earthquake, right?" Shin looks up at the others again with his arms still full of dog. "Oh, no, Ikehara-san, are you all right?"

Hikaru jolts back up, a thriving pain in the back of his head. He's on the floor, with no memory of how he had gotten there.

Slowly he picks himself up and joins the others. "Hello" He manages to croak. "It woul

"Was I chewing on a copper coin for some reason?" He rambles "I think I hit my head and it might have fallen out? "

[Daidoji Sae]

Snip

Sae looks at the younger Doji for a few moments before agreeing and adding quietly.
"Yes, that may well have been it, you fell when the room shook, these things happen."

She offers the slightest supportive nod.

[Daidoji Ryu]

Ryu looked at the young man, then looked at Sae, frowning.

"Come have some tea." He finally invited Hikaru. "That will do you good." He then looked at Sae, concern in his eyes, but after a few moments he gave her a nod, nothing else said.

"Hopefully there won't be much damage. Fire often follows a quake." He said grimly.

[Asahina Minase]

Minase would have leapt to protect the most important thing in the room at first signs of the earthquake. Her umbrella materials . . . but wait . . her tea!

Umbrella tea umbrella tea umbrella tea umbrella tea

The conundrum went on for some time and she had finally decided the protect the umbrella materials while holding her tea in the other hand when everything calmed down.

Fortunately she was so distracted with the very important protection quandary, that other possible things did not rear their heads.

--

D3 EM. Willpower trait roll vs the Falling Sickness. SO SORRY OTHERS WITH THIS. I shouldn't have asked it it triggered. ;_; | 2k2 ⇒ 19 (TN: 15)

[Doji Arai]

"That was intense." The Doji comments. She hasn't really moved from her position. She just takes another sip of tea.

"Hopefully no fire," she looks at Ryu, "or other disaster follows."

"Back to business? Any official orders how to handle the intrusion?"

[Doji Hikaru]

"Tea sounds lovely" Hikaru seems to be gradually recovering. "That is an auspicious start to the day"

[Daidoji Ryu]

Ryu let one eyebrow go up, but he didn't comment.

Instead, after a brief hesitation, he knelt down again, sipping from his thankfully undisturbed teacup. "If anything has happened, I suppose it's the duty of our hosts to handle it."

He glanced at Arai. "Speaking of which, no, nothing yet. Although my cousin is an Emerald Magistrate. An office unto herself." He inclined his head towards Sae.

[Daidoji Sae]

"I intend to have this matter investigated, we will respond on multiple fronts, in the courts and where necessary more forcefully."

Looking at the assembled samurai, and still feeling a little out of sorts from the earthquake.

"I would welcome what support any of us are prepared to give, but I will ask for your discretion. Rumour and hearsay can slay as quickly as a sword when at court."

Nodding back slightly at Ryu. "My cousin has all the talents necessary for us to find the information we seek."