A number of things have happened, yet Ikoma Tanji does not miss an opportunity to take another task. This time, he is heading to a meeting with a delegation head for another clan. He goes through the motions and politely finds his way.

Ichiro Himari's arrival was announced a solid ten minutes before he arrived in the meeting chamber, minutes he spent glad-handing other Lion delegates he encountered along the way.

Finally entering the chamber, he beamed at Tanji and performed an elegant bow in spite of his mass, and said "Good Afternoon, Ikoma-san! How wonderful it is to be able to do business with you! Are you well?"

He returns the bow in kind, showing proper deference for the difference in station, no matter how minor. "I am as well as one can be as a humble servant in the service of the host of the Empress. Have you had your rice today Ichiro-sama?"

Himari is all smiles.

"Well said! And I have had rice, thank you. Please, have a seat, Ikoma-san. Can I set you up with tea?"

"That would be nice, thank you very much." He then takes a seat and assumes respectfully stays quiet for the implied ceremony.

The ceremony was elaborate and lengthy. Himari used every element of the Imperial tea service, taxing even Tanji's encyclopedic knowledge of the art form.

At the end, he sat back and with perfect poise sipped at his tea, then set it down with finality.

"Alright, to business. I won't mess you around, Ikoma-san. You've got something I want, and I've got something you want."

"Straight to business indeed. I assume we are talking on the scale of clan to clan? You have made the assertion, so let's hear the suggestion." (Investigation to get a read on the guy?)

Sincerity/Awareness | 7k4 ⇒ 29

"Of course we are! Look, I've got 2 units of arms and equipment and 2 units of Iron with your name on it, and all I want from you is for you to knock down tarriffs for the Badger and for the Boar clan by about 20% and 3 rice."

(Clarification, is this asking deal they're offering Lion: -6 rice (3 boar, 3 badger) and -20% tax to both? for Badger: +2 Arms, +2 Iron)

D2 LA: Read the guy, Investigation (notice)/perception. Contested roll, Technique +1k0, other technique +1k0 | 6k3 ⇒ 20 (TN: 29)
fail contested roll

Ikoma Tanji wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 09, 2025 1:58 am

(Clarification, is this asking deal they're offering Lion: -6 rice (3 boar, 3 badger) and -20% tax to both? for Badger: +2 Arms, +2 Iron)

This is saying "we'll give you 2 iron and 2 arms in exchange for 3 rice. Also, you should knock off 20% tariff on goods moving through Lion lands for both the Badger and the Boar."

(assuming this is just an initial offer, but I assume a commerce roll to figure out just how one-sided this initial offer was)

You could make a commerce/intelligence roll, here, if you wished.

(assuming not contested, so not good dice, but we'll see)

D2 LA: Commerce/Intelligence, analyze deal | 4k3 ⇒ 22

You get the sense that he's not robbing you blind. The tariff deal would be really expensive if it were with a Great Clan, but the Badger are notoriously weak economically. The commodities, well, that's up to your judgment how you value those two things vs. rice.

(Brain is fried, going to come back later, but clarification again. 1. I assume he knows I'll have to get back to the delegation first. 2. I assume the fact he's already talked about this with others means he really wants to get this sort of deal through. 3. I assume this could very easily be seen as an aggressive kind of deal if put out in the open as is. Could I find a way to broach the topic of adding a little bit more to the deal to make it appear less obviously to funnel for war potentially?)

Cearnach wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 09, 2025 2:09 am

Ikoma Tanji wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 09, 2025 1:58 am

(Clarification, is this asking deal they're offering Lion: -6 rice (3 boar, 3 badger) and -20% tax to both? for Badger: +2 Arms, +2 Iron)

This is saying "we'll give you 2 iron and 2 arms in exchange for 3 rice. Also, you should knock off 20% tariff on goods moving through Lion lands for both the Badger and the Boar."

With as good an understanding as is possible for a junior delegate, he processes the request and then writes down some notes. The logic is sound, mountains are no place for farms, but they do provide plenty of mining opportunities. "I'll be sure to bring the proposal to my seniors. Any other business to take care of while we're at it?"

Himari shakes his head. "No, Ikoma-san. That's what I want. Talk it over with your colleagues."