As the small hours crept across the threshold, Tatsuya stirred in fitful sleep. Bitter dreams of far-off fields and bloody mornings hustled him to wakefulness. Opening bloodshot eyes, he looked across the narrow floor to where his son lay sleeping. Even as a boy, Ryunosuke had slept like the dead–-still, eyes open wide. Tatsuya found it comforting.

The rhythms of life continue at night, he thought, no matter what madness flies by day.

But if the rhythms of an Imperial Heir’s life might be thought of as regular quarter time, those of a ronin are all syncopation, and so Tatsuya could not claim to be entirely surprised when moonlight threw itself through the widening gap between the door and the wall-–leaving the blade in the assassin’s hand silhouetted against the floor. Tatsuya blinked; his hand shot out for his sword. He winced at the shriek of his saya as it dragged against the floor, but at least it woke Ryunosuke, who was on his feet, blade in hand, before Tatsuya could even exhale a warning.

The door slid open wide. Eight shadows. He did not spare a glance for his son; he knew what he would see in those cold eyes. He took up his stance, gave a great shout, and let the rhythm take him.

Event Mechanics wrote: This is a combat event. Your character may be killed. Do not join this thread if the thought of saying goodbye to your character seems wrong in this situation.

In order to successfully join this thread, you must first make an Investigation (Notice)/Perception check at TN 10 to hear Tatsuya’s kiai from inside the delegation houses. If you were intoxicated during the Winding Water Banquet Event, your TN for this roll is 15.

If you are successful, you may choose to grab one weapon and begin moving toward the sound, or you may spend rounds getting your equipment together. If you grab more than one weapon, you must spend a round doing so. You cannot put on armor and arrive in time for combat. Tatsuya and Ryunosuke are good, but not that good.

If you are in the Lion, Phoenix, or Dragon delegation houses, you begin 70 feet away from the battle raging in the shrine area.

If you are in the Scorpion, Crane, Crab, or Minor Clan delegation houses, you begin 100’ away from the battle.

If your name is Jihen, you begin 20 feet away from the battle, because you live in the Shrine Complex.

If you are within the Imperial Apartments or Lord Ikoma's Villa, you will not be able to participate in this event: it will be over before you can arrive.

Round 1 will begin tomorrow at 12:00 CST; participation will be locked at that moment. Please post your Investigation roll as soon as you are aware of your results in the Winding Water Banquet, if you are actively participating in that event, or as soon as possible, if not. If you are successful, post your initiative roll right along with it. If you choose to join this thread, make sure that your combat ghosting instructions are up to date. We will be aggressive with ghosting; this is a larger engagement than usually occurs in pbp games.

The loud shout from the Temple district disturbed even the slightly drunk sleeping Ikoma. Even though it took her a moment to clear her thoughts she realised who cried out and grabbing her katana ran out the houses.

(ooc: D10 LN Here Comes the Night, Investigation (Notice)/Perception + ILS2 vs TN15 due to fail in water banquet event | 5k2 ⇒ 16 (TN: 15) passed, in event)
Combat:
D10 LN Here Comes the Night initiative | 7k4 ⇒ 28
Armour tn: 25
Weapon: Kanata

Once again Arai wakes up in the middle of the night due to a strange sound. Once again she grabs her katana and heads towards the source of the disturbance still dressed in the hakama and gi she is sleeping in.

/D10, LN investigation/Perception | 5k3 ⇒ 25 (TN: 10)

D10, LN initiative | 5k3+10 ⇒ 34

Initiative: 34
ATN 20
Katana

Sae starts awake, blearily wondering what had jolted her out of sleep then she hears the distant shouts of battle.
An attack! But not in Crane house? She rolls out of her futon and sleepily grabs her blade before hurrying out.

The temple? Fortunes, she'd warned Tatsuya they might come for him.

Barefoot the tall Crane starts to run straight for the combat, her ocean blue pajamas with little dog print billowing around her.

Initiative: 15
Strength of the Crane Activated
ATN 26
Weapon: Katana

--------
Day 10, LE, Here Comes the Night, Investigation/Perception to hear the kiai, TN 10, spending a void point | 4k3 ⇒ 15 (TN: 10)
Sae hears what is up

Day 10, LE, Here Comes the Night, initiative roll | 6k3 ⇒ 15
Initiative: 15

At the kiai, Ryu was up in a flash.

The possibility that it was some sort of trick occurred to him. It was discarded on the basis of being untargeted. Based on how far away it seemed to be, if someone was targeted it would probably be someone else...

He saw his cousin going. Right. Grunting, Ryu grabbed his bow and quiver. Where she went, he'd do his best to follow...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

D10LN Inv/Perception can you hear the people kiai? | 7k2 ⇒ 36 (TN: 10)
D10LN Initiative | 6k3 ⇒ 14

Init: 14
ATN: 23 (defense stance)
Grabbing bow and arrows

Jinkan heard a shout in the night and bolted up from his bedroll. He didn't even stop to think about what was going on, using the shortest distance between two points to fly like the wind!

(Noticed the shout, coming running. Initiative: 13, Stance: Defense, ATN:24 (or 30 if dual wielding), weapon: katana (or daisho). Probably spending his first round moving 60' with two simple move actions at Water x 10' each.)

[D10, LN, EVENT] Here Comes the Night, Investigation/Perception, Void for 1k1, TN10, 5k4 | 5k4 ⇒ 22

[D10, LN, EVENT] Here Comes the Night, Initiative, Rank/Reflexes, 6k3 | 6k3 ⇒ 13

Hoshiko hears the commotion, likely as much the crowd of Crane warrior rattling through the halls as the shouts from the temple. She rolls out of bed, scooping up her scroll satchel as she goes with a prayer to Bishamon for her fellow Crane as she runs after. Her white sleepwear flapping as she catches up.


***************************
D10 LN: Who needs sleep right? Investigation/Perception | 5k3 ⇒ 23 (TN: 10)
Initiative

Initiative: 19
ATN: 20
Weapon: scrolls! and Asahina Care Bear Stare

After drinking heavily at the banquet, Ryoichi had retired to his bed. He dreamed fitfully….

The Yasuki sat across the negotiating table from the beautiful Lion courtier. “Yes, I will trade Silk for Wood,” she whispered, her eyes bright above her painted fan. “Yes…. I want your Wood….” The fan lowered. Her lips were impossibly luscious. Ryoichi leaned closer.... Suddenly, the Lion let out a fierce battlecry, taking him completely by surprise.

Ryoichi started awake. Wh-what was that? Blearily, he grabbed his family sword and staggered outside… only to see the dark figures surrounding Tatsuya. The ronin. The son of an Emperor.

He began running towards the fight.

—
10LN Do I hear Tatsuya fighting? Investigation/Perception +Void Point TN15 | 5k3 ⇒ 15 (TN: 15)
10LN Combat Initiative: Rank/Reflexes | 6k4 ⇒ 29
Stance: Defense. ATN 30 (unarmored)
Weapon: the sword Yamikiri

It seemed loud enough to wake the dead.

Kenji was only lightly sleeping. He leapt to his feet and grabbed his katana from the rack at the foot of his bedroll. There was no time to assess, it was a time for action. The Lion had been embarrassed once before during this court, not again. He sprinted off towards the sound of danger.

----

D10. LN. Here comes the night. Investigation (Notice)/Perception. Not drunk. | 4k3 ⇒ 13 (TN: 10)

D10. LN. Here comes the night. Initiative. | 5k3 ⇒ 25

Initiative 25
ATN: 20
Weapon: Katana
Activate Kata

Daichi hadn't drank enough to get drunk, he did happen to have a bit of a buzz though. Which is why he wasn't immediately able to hear the commotion at the Temple. It was a moment later he snapped awake and rose to his feet, grabbing his katana before he moved outside to find the source of the commotion.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Day 10 LN Investigation/perception to hear a commotion in the temple district. | 5k3 ⇒ 11 (TN: 10)

Day 10 LN Combat. Can I go last? Initiative | 5k3 ⇒ 24


init: 24
Stance: defense
Weapon Katana
Atn: 23

Ghosting here
viewtopic.php?f=81&t=395&p=12859#p1455

Masaki had taken even longer to get to sleep than usual tonight - and the drunken dreams were even weirder than usual.

At some point, in the middle of a rather heated argument, when things got more heated, her mom gave a kiai shout. A really loud, powerful one.

And she sounded like a man.

In fact, she'd heard that Ronin wind's voice just a few times since Ryoichi, Sae and the others brought him back at the Empress' request, but somehow her mom's shout sounded exactly like him.

This whole succession thing was really getting to her, it seemed.

She turned on her futon, and her mom yelled again. Masaki, come on! Hurry! Can't you even do that properly?

That was just like her, of course... but it was the ronin's voice again. Something was definitely not right.

As she properly woke up, she heard sounds coming from other parts of the Crab House. A step outside her futon and she saw Daichi and Ryoichi moving. She quickly reached for her spell satchel and a knife and off she went into the night into her comfy nightgown.

(A decent 'good morning' was said to Ryoichi and Daichi while running, of course. You can only be so improper before your mom's voice - or Tatsuya's - starts ringing inside your head again.)

-------
D10 LN - Investigation/Per, TN 15 (intoxicated) | 5k3 ⇒ 32 (TN: 15)

D10 LN - Initiative | 7k4 ⇒ 54


Intoxicated (if that affects rolls)
Defence Stance; +5 to ATN
AKB from EN still active for +4 to Awa rolls and ATN

Init 54
ATN 34 (25 + 5 def stance +4 AKB)
Water 3, so runs up to 60 ft/round if both Simple Actions used for this (45 ft if a single SA + Free Action, 15 ft if only a Free Action)

Weapon: ... what? If the knife mentioned in the base equipment is a weapon, she'll have that. But I think that's more like a butter knife
She does have her Scroll Satchel with her

Ghosting:
viewtopic.php?f=63&t=944

A short distance away Jihen's mind swam with images of chrysanthemums, stars, and chrysanthemums with eyes that shone like stars as his body tried to burn off the alcohol that filled his mind and prevented him from hearing his neighbors' kiai.

----

D10 LN Fight, Investigation/Perc | 3k2 ⇒ 11 (TN: 15)

After her proper (if awkward) greeting to the other two Crab, Masaki will dart outside (nightgown and all) and in the direction of her mother's, erm, the ronin's shout.

As she runs, she'll start arranging her Scroll Satchel to a more comfortable position to make it easier to reach in a pinch.

--------
Round 1
Defence Stance (can't change in round 1 anyway!)

Two Simple Move actions, running 60 ft towards the temple.

ATN 34

Battle is joined! The 2 ronin are inside the shrine where they sleep. The entryway is crowded by 2 guys with swords, with a guy with a spear making a nuisance of himself as well. Within 10' of the entryway, a further 2 guys with swords and a guy with a spear seem to be waiting their turn. There are also (unbeknownst to all but themselves and Tatsuya) 2 further guys skulking in the shadows. These men are armed with knives and are not very nice. Characters can catch sight of the 2 guys hanging back in the shadows when they reach 20' from the combat with a TN 24 Investigation (Notice)/Perception check. This is a contested roll.

You can see the guys that are in the open at 50'. Of course, they are also going to see you.

Battle Business wrote: Initiative: Round 1
Yasuki Masaki: 54 Yasuki Masaki is now 40' away from the fight.
Doji Arai: 34 Doji Arai is 100' away from the fight.
Naughty Guy with Spear 1: 33
Ryunosuke: 32
Tatsuya: 31
Yasuki Ryoichi: 29 Yasuki Ryoichi is 100' away from the fight
Ikoma Honoka: 28 Ikoma Honoka is 70' away from the fight
Skulking Guy in the Shadows 1: 27
Akodo Kenji: 25 Akodo Kenji is 70' away from the fight
Hiruma Daichi: 24 Hiruma Daichi is 100' away from the fight
Skulking Guy in the Shadows 2/Naughty Guy with Spear 2: 22
Ugly Dude with Sword 1: 20
Asahina Hoshiko: 19 Asahina Hoshiko is 100' away from the fight
Mean Fella with Sword 2: 17
Probably Okay in Other Circumstances Dude with Sword 3: 16
Daidoji Sae: 15 Daidoji Sae is 100' away from the fight
Daidoji Ryu: 14 Daidoji Ryu is 100' away from the fight
Mirumoto Jinkan: 13 Mirumoto Jinkan is 60' away from the fight, because he is bursting through the wall of Dragon House like a true action hero.
Daydreaming Monster Fella with Sword 4: 9

ATNS:
Skulking Guys: 30
Guys with Spears: 28
Dudes with Swords: 23
All bad guys: Reduction 1

It is the turn of Doji Arai. Naught Guy with Spear 1 is on deck.

Arai runs towards the temple, sword in hand.

/water 2 so 40 ft max distance, I believe

[[It sure is!]

Even as Doji Arai begins to close the middle distance, Naughty Guy with a Spear #1 lunges with what may be the single luckiest attack of his life!

Poke! Poke the Ronin! Spending a Void to help it along, because he's a dodgy one. | 10k4 ⇒ 45 (TN: 28)

He pokes Tatsuya in the shoulder! Ouch!

Damage! | 5k2 ⇒ 15

Ryunosuke's dark eyes take in the spear-thrust, then follow the shaft to its source. Unfortunately, Ugly Dude with a Sword #1 stand between him and what is right. So, he must die. Silently, but with incredible speed and those terrible eyes, he surges forward and strikes with deadly force.

Ryunosuke is in Full Attack Stance.

Full Attack, 2 raises for damage | 10k7 ⇒ 62 (TN: 33) A palpable hit!
Damage, spending Void from katana | 10k3+3 ⇒ 56

Ryunosuke's sword slides up the Ugly Dude's arm and neatly severs his jugular. The spray is everywhere. Ugly Guy with a Sword #1 is Down.

Tatsuya remains in Defense stance and moves to guard Ryunosuke from their assailants.

Yasuki Ryoichi begins in Defense Stance (cautiously!) and is moving 40' in the direction of danger! He is now 60' away from the enemy!

Not to be outdone, the Smiling Blade rushes toward the enemy as well!

Beginning only 70' away, she is now 30' from the fight.