[D10, LE, EVENT] The Winding Water Banquet

[Cearnach]

An ancient tradition, the Winding Water Banquet represents one of the more refined undertakings of the court. The discourse around this event concerns its rarified atmosphere, the cultivation of its attendees, and the way it manifests the dedication the samurai caste has to the arts. Needless to say, attendance is mandatory. No delegation can afford to create the impression that one of its members is less than a perfect exemplar of the samurai tradition, whatever the reality of his skills or the samurai tradition might actually be.

Even if you choose not to post in the event, your character is considered to be in attendance. If you appear in a different thread during this timeslot, your character is considered to have performed a Blasphemous Breach of Etiquette, suffering the corresponding honor loss, and they will appear in the rumors the next day, with all that may eventually entail.

The Banquet itself is a substantial meal followed by drink and art. PCs who wish to participate actively will need to make a series of paired rolls, earning Banquet Points for each success. The first will be a raw Earth roll to maintain composure with each drink taken.

Characters with the Advantages Balance, Clear Thinker, Crafty, Enlightened, Large, and Strength of the Earth add 1 to each such roll for each listed Advantage they have.

Characters with the Disadvantages Bad Health and/or Frail Mind subtract 1 from each such roll for each listed Disadvantage they have.

Note that Seven Fortunes’ Blessings: Jurojin applies to each such roll, since alcohol is a poison.

Note that characters with Compulsion: Sake must roll against their Compulsion to refuse to participate further.

Note that Seven Fortunes’ Curses: Jurojin applies to each such roll, since alcohol is a poison.

The second will be an Awareness or Intelligence / Artisan: Poetry (Haiku) to recall or compose a poem. Raises may be made on this roll to increase the number of Banquet Points earned in each round.

Note that Voice applies to the Awareness roll, while Precise Memory applies to the Intelligence roll.

The TN for each roll begins at 5 and increases by 2 for each successive round (i.e., the second round is TN 7, the third TN 9, etc.). Each passed roll, either Earth or Artisan: Poetry, yields 1 Banquet Point, plus 1 Banquet Point per Raise on the Poetry roll. At the end of the event, players may apply earned Banquet Points to their Winds’ Influence scores (if they declare or have declared for a Wind), or apply them to the Influence score of their House at a rate of 2:1 at their discretion (please note this in personal forums; players not noting will be assumed to apply their points to their Clans). Additionally, the character earning the most Banquet Points will be acknowledged by Shiba Rumiko, with the appropriate Glory gain (Core, pg. 93).

Characters may voluntarily stop competing at any time without penalty. Characters who fail an Earth roll involuntarily stop competing and lose Honor equivalent to a minor breach of etiquette (Core, pg. 91). Characters who fail an Artisan: Poetry roll without Raises involuntarily stop competing but suffer no additional penalties. Characters who fail an Artisan: Poetry roll with Called Raises involuntarily stop competing and forfeit all Banquet Points gained, as well as losing Honor equivalent to a minor breach of etiquette (Core, pg. 91). Characters who fail their Earth Roll are considered intoxicated for the purposes of Here Comes the Night.

If you do choose to participate in the Winding Water Banquet, please do so promptly. With the results of the banquet potentially affecting the events of Here Comes the Night, we would like to establish everyone's sobriety (or otherwise) quickly.

[Ikoma Honoka]

Honoka joins in with the banquet, however does not hold her alcohol well.

D10 LE Winding water banquet event. First round- earth vs TN5 | 2k2 ⇒ 2 (TN: 5) fail first roll 1 honour lost

[Soshi Eiji]

The Winding Water Banquet. Eiji had been dreading this occassion. Now, it was widely whispered that Eiji hated poetry. This was not entirely true. What Eiji hated was people who valued form to the near exclusion of function. Speaking from the heart should not be constrained by mere rules. If your heart could speak in 3 syllables, it should, if it needed 30, it should have them. And if it was just a matter of someone not liking the poem, fine, they didn't like the poem. But it was the absolutely talentless hacks, the ones whose heart had nothing of value to say, who latched on to those rules as if they were the only things that mattered. Who crowed like a rooster at the tiniest deviation from their oh so important rules....those are what Eiji truly hated.

But it was expected. Eiji could have simply took a single cup, said one poem and been done for the night. As a performer, though, Eiji felt driven to push himself. He would do at least three poems, and then see how the sake was sitting.

He took the first cup of sake and led with his best poem. It was always smart to lead with your best poem, because it was the one people were still sober enough to remember the next day.

And it was well received.

He took another cup. It truly was fine sake. His second poem, he pulled back a little bit, but it was still quite a fine poem.

Eiji was finding his pace. One more cup of sake, and one more poem to make his trilogy. Oh, he'd probably keep drinking for quite a while, but this was going to be the last poem where he pushed himself. The next were simply going to be excuses to keep drinking.

And that's when it happened.

Eiji used a word that, while it did fit the theme of the poem like a glove, the number of syllables depended on your regional dialect. In the lands of the Lion, it was most certainly five. But in the lands of the Scorpion, it was considered six.

"Six! That's six syllables! What's wrong, Soshi-san, cantcha count?" taunted someone who may or may have not been Shosuro Ryosuke (Sake and masks would make it difficult for many to discern).

"Most certainly, Shosuro-san. Allow me to demonstrate." he replied, the sake bringing a rush of heat to Eiji's cheeks.

"One, the word is five syllables in the lands of our hosts and two If it stirs the soul, the only number that should matter is how many drinks you've had, which for you is quite possibly one higher than you should have." he replied, anger mounting.

"Oooooh, the mighty Eiji can count to 2! Children can count as high as ten. You should ask one of them help you with the difference between five and six. Because the rules state you need to use five syllables, not six! Five not six!" the irksome man repeated.

"The rules state that we're to demonstrate our refinement and appreciation of the arts while enjoying sake, instead of drowning someone in the river." Eiji said getting really angry.

"Five not six! Five not six!" the man taunted in a sing-songy voice.

Nope, Eiji was done with poetry for the night and done with this man. There was no use in trying to inspire those who had naught but a void where their appreciation should have been.

0 Banquet points, Loss of Honor.

[Shiba Ryusei]

Ryusei had no intention of getting drunk. He had Views on that sort of thing.

But he did intend to participate in a token round.

Because he wanted to offer a poem for someone... when else would he be able to do that at the Imperial Winter Court?

So he had a drink, and then rose.

"Winter's cold winds howl
Sandpiper is not troubled
Hope of spring warms him"

Best to stop it there. A couple more drinks and he might start putting Yuna's name in his poems...

--
Winding Water Stage 1, Earth versus TN 5 for holding his alcohol. | 3k3 ⇒ 20 (TN: 5)

Winding Water Stage 1, Awareness versus TN 5 for a poem! | 3k3 ⇒ 9 (TN: 5)

One round and voluntarily out, but Ryusei had to show willing

2 points to House Shigi, I guess

[Doji Arai]

Arai just participates for the fun of it. She's not much of a drinker. Or of a poet. But she can handle a single cup and a few lyrics.

When it's time, she drinks up and recites:

"Rain falls, light as breath,
spilling whispers to the breeze.
Streams laugh through the woods."

And that's as far as she will go.

/D10, LE, Earth roll | 2k2 ⇒ 12 (TN: 5)

D10, LE, poetry/awareness | 4k4 ⇒ 28 (TN: 5)

2 points

[Daidoji Sae]

Sae was not a drinker, but the Daidoji could drink when she had to. Life seemed to always throw an interminable amount of banquets and by now she had built up a resistance.

Although she was no poet by any means the tall Crane offers one verse in between shotgunning cups:

Cold hands but warm lips
The sweetness of last year's rice
Let us feel that heat

-----------

Day 10, LE, Winding Water Earth roll 1, strength of the earth, earth roll | 3k3+1 ⇒ 18 (TN: 5)
first earth roll = +1 point
Day 10, LE, Winding Water poetry/awareness roll 1, unskilled | 3k3 ⇒ 23 (TN: 5)
first poetry roll = +1 point
Day 10, LE, Winding Water earth roll 2, strength of the earth | 3k3+1 ⇒ 14 (TN: 7)
2nd earth roll= +1 point
Day 10, LE, Winding Water poetry/awareness roll 2, unskilled | 3k3 ⇒ 21 (TN: 7)
2nd poetry roll= +1 point
Day 10, LE, Winding Water earth roll 3, strength of the earth | 3k3+1 ⇒ 26 (TN: 9)
3rd earth roll= +1 point
Day 10, LE, Winding Water poetry roll 3, poetry/awareness unskilled | 3k3 ⇒ 11 (TN: 9)
3rd poetry roll= +1 point
Day 10, LE, Winding Water earth roll 4, strength of the earth | 3k3+1 ⇒ 15 (TN: 11)
4th earth roll= +1 point
Day 10, LE, Winding Water poetry roll 4, poetry/awareness unskilled | 3k3 ⇒ 20 (TN: 11)
4th poetry roll= +1 point
Day 10, LE, Winding Water earth roll 5, strength of the earth | 3k3+1 ⇒ 31 (TN: 13)
5th earth roll= +1 point
Day 10, LE, Winding Water poetry roll 5, poetry/awareness unskilled | 3k3 ⇒ 15 (TN: 13)
5th poetry roll= +1 point
Day 10, LE, Winding Water earth roll 6, strength of the earth | 3k3+1 ⇒ 23 (TN: 15)
6th earth roll= +1 point
Day 10, LE, Winding Water poetry roll 6, poetry/awareness unskilled | 3k3 ⇒ 23 (TN: 15)
6th poetry roll= +1 point

Total, +12 Banquet points and stopping there

[Agasha Yuna]

Yuna decided to give it a try. The Ageki loved the earth, and the earth loved the Ageki. Right?

She knew the poems she would recite, too. Her precise memory helped, and there had been an Ageki poet several generations back who wrote an entire book of poems about the earth, and it had been one of her favorite books as a child.

She didn't have much experience drinking. But hey, worth a try, right?

The first drink didn't hit her too hard.
“Majestic mountains,
Silent sentinels of earth,
Guardians of sky.”

Another drink. Another chance to praise the earth.
“Climbing the mountain
Exhausts the weary body
Into tranquil rest.”

Still around. Okay. This was unexpected, but she owed it to the earth to continue. Praise the earth kami! Remember the Tao!
“The mountain is still.
The silent sleeping giant
Is best undisturbed.”

Ha, this was a lot of drinking. How could she keep going? Bless the earth kami! This was steadfast as she'd been taught. No flourish. No tricks. Nothing but praise. Strength and endurance. The Little Teacher's words.
“Earth’s Way is steadfast,
Eternally virtuous,
Eternally true.”

Was this ... reasonable? What was happening? She definitely was no shugenja. Her entire life depended on that fact. She couldn't stop, clearly. Focus on the earth. Focus on the earth. Praise the earth! The earth wanted praising.
“Laying down in dirt
I can become more grounded
In earth’s strong embrace.”

This next drink would have her sick as a dog, right? She should probably stop. She should probably definitely stop. But how could she turn her back on whatever was happening? No, she had to continue. Steady. Patient. Resilient. Praise the earth!
“The mountain’s glory
Is her shining golden hair.
She lets me cut it.”

One more drink. One more drink. For her family. For her papa, the Smiling Mountain. For Ageki Isao who had written all these poems so many years ago. Praise the earth!
“Ward, balm, and armor,
Earth shields, strengthens, and protects,
For this I thank you.”

Maybe it was best her brother never hear about this. She was no late bloomer. She wasn't. She was just trusting and trying, and trusting and trying. Steady. Steady. Her mind was getting very ... very blank. What was the next poem? There were so many.

And then there was only one. Clear as a bell. Needing her to speak it. And not speak it.
“In the deepest earth,
Silence … … … … …
… … … … … … …”

That didn't qualify as a haiku. She was done. But it felt true. Enlightening. She returned to her seat. And remained still and sober and stunned.

15 banquet points
(Please donate to Seppun Tomaru)

Drink 1 (earth roll) 24 v 5 - https://sakkaku.org/r/16604
Poem 1 (precise mem) 17 v 5 - https://sakkaku.org/r/16605

Drink 2 (earth roll) 9 v 7 - https://sakkaku.org/r/16606
Poem 2 (precise me 25 v 7 - https://sakkaku.org/r/16607

Drink 3 (earth roll) 20 v 9 - https://sakkaku.org/r/16609
Poem 3 (precise mem) 26 v 9 - https://sakkaku.org/r/16610

Drink 4 (earth roll) 31 v 11 – https://sakkaku.org/r/16611
Poem 4 (precise mem) 36 v 11 – https://sakkaku.org/r/16612

Drink 5 (earth roll) 14 v 13 – https://sakkaku.org/r/16613
Poem 5 (precise mem) 34 v 13 – https://sakkaku.org/r/16614

Drink 6 (earth roll) 17 v 15 - https://sakkaku.org/r/16615
Poem 6 (precise mem) 16 v 15 - https://sakkaku.org/r/16616

Drink 7 (earth roll) 19 v 17 - https://sakkaku.org/r/16617
Poem 7 (precise mem) 23 v 17 - https://sakkaku.org/r/16618

Drink 8 (earth roll) 38 v 19 – https://sakkaku.org/r/16619
Poem 8 (precise mem) 17 v 19 – FAIL; no raises; game stops; no penalties

[Daidoji Ryu]

Ryu was a courtier, yes, but he was also a soldier. He knew how to toss back a few drinks, albeit not quite as many as his older, bigger, tougher cousin. As the largest of his cousins, she could simply consume the others' amount of sake.

He stepped forward, reciting another poem.

Winter's frost chills us
shadows fall, but we don't mind
inside there is warmth

It was a fine poem. It had also been fine the first time he'd recited it; it was his first poem of the evening. Whoops!

While not quite a failure, it was clear that Ryu should prudently withdraw at that point.

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

D10LE Winding Water Earth roll#1, SotE | 3k3+1 ⇒ 16 (TN: 5) - 1 point
D10LE Winding Water Poetry/Aware roll#1, 2CR | 5k4 ⇒ 21 (TN: 15) - 3 points
D10LE Winding Water Earth roll#2, SotE | 3k3+1 ⇒ 18 (TN: 7) - 1 point
D10LE Winding Water Poetry/roll#2, 2CR | 5k4 ⇒ 21 (TN: 17) - 3 points
D10LE Winding Water Earth roll#3, SotE | 3k3+1 ⇒ 26 (TN: 9) - 1 point
D10LE Winding Water Poetry/Aware roll#3, 1CR | 5k4 ⇒ 34 (TN: 14) - 2 points
D10LE Winding Water Earth roll#4, SotE | 3k3+1 ⇒ 26 (TN: 11) - 1 point
D10LE Winding Water Poetry/aware roll#4, 1CR | 5k4 ⇒ 22 (TN: 16) - 2 points
D10LE Winding Water Earth roll#5, SotE | 3k3+1 ⇒ 13 (TN: 13) - 1 point
D10LE Winding Water Poetry/Aware roll#5 | 5k4 ⇒ 12 (TN: 13) - fail without raises

Total: 15 points (going to House influence)

[Mirumoto Jinkan]

Jinkan drinks, and recites poetry. Most of it was even good. All of it was about a certain Scorpion.

([D10, LE, EVENT] The Winding Water Banquet, Drinking, Earth/Earth, TN5, 3k3 | 3k3 ⇒ 23 (TN: 5)

+1

[D10, LE, EVENT] The Winding Water Banquet, Drinking, Artisan:Poetry/Awareness, 2 raises, TN15, Void for 1k1, 5k4 | 5k4 ⇒ 22 (TN: 15)

+3

[D10, LE, EVENT] The Winding Water Banquet, Earth/Earth, TN7, 3k3 | 3k3 ⇒ 11 (TN: 7)

+1

[D10, LE, EVENT] The Winding Water Banquet, Artisan:Poetry/Awareness, TN12, 1 raise, 4k3 | 4k3 ⇒ 19 (TN: 12)

+2

[D10, LE, EVENT] The Winding Water Banquet, Earth/Earth, TN9, 3k3 | 3k3 ⇒ 27 (TN: 9)

+1

[D10, LE, EVENT] The Winding Water Banquet, Artisan:Poetry/Awareness, 1 raise, TN14, 4k3 | 4k3 ⇒ 19 (TN: 14)

+2

[D10, LE, EVENT] The Winding Water Banquet, Earth/Earth, Void for 1k1, TN11, 4k4 | 4k4 ⇒ 29 (TN: 11)

+1

[D10, LE, EVENT] The Winding Water Banquet, Artisan:Poetry/Awareness, TN11, 4k3 | 4k3 ⇒ 35 (TN: 11)

+1 = 12 points. Voluntary stop here. Any way to send the influence to Kaguya's house?)

[Kitsu Sayomi]

A night of poetry? What wasn't to love about this!? Sayomi was ecstatic that she was attending the famed Winding Water Banquet, and could spend the hour listening to, and composing poetry herself that others could listen to.

But what theme to stick to this eve? Winter seemed very obvious, but the artist should be forward-thinking she had been told. But... well, they could start there.

After a first round of drinks, she offered her first poem.

"Kage sae ya
koyoi wa niou
kiku no hana
ama teru tsuki ni
ka no sowaruran"

("Even their shape
Fills tonight with a scented glow; Chrysanthemum blooms
To the heaven-shining moon
Seem to add their fragrance.")

People seemed to really enjoy it as a good opening poem from her, and the mood kept improving as the drinks kept flowing too. I have to remember to not get drunk. A samurai shouldn't overindulge. And the expectations came for another poem.

"Ima yori wa
fukeyuku made ni
tsuki wa mishi
sono koto to naku
namida ochikeri"

("From now
Until it set,
Did I gaze upon the moon
Had it not been there, then
Would have my tears fell.")

Ah, very good. She had started with the theme of winter, and then connected it to moon... now how would she weave in the next poem? Another drink, and Sayomi decided that would be her last, to avoid embarrassing herself.

"Mune no hi o
o shimo nukaneba
midare’otsuru
namida no tama ni
katsu zo kechitsuru"

("The fire within my breast
Will not thread upon a string, but
My disorderly dripping
Gemstone tears will
Yet extinguish it.")

With that, she decided it was best to quit while she was ahead, and was content to sit and listen to the others recite their poems.

------

D10 LE Winding Water Banquet. #1 Earth roll. | 2k2 ⇒ 8 (TN: 5) +1 Banquet Point
D10 LE Winding Water Banquet. #1 Artisan: Poetry/Awareness. 3 raises. | 6k4 ⇒ 32 (TN: 20) +4 Banquet Points

D10 LE Winding Water Banquet. #2 Earth roll | 2k2 ⇒ 9 (TN: 7) +1 Banquet Point
D10 LE Winding Water Banquet. #2 Artisan: Poetry/Awareness. 2 Raises | 6k4 ⇒ 57 (TN: 17) +3 Banquet Points

D10 LE Winding Water Banquet. #3 Earth roll. +1k1 Void | 3k3 ⇒ 12 (TN: 9) +1 Banquet Point
D10 LE Winding Water Banquet. #3 Artisan: Poetry/Awareness. 2 Raises | 6k4 ⇒ 42 (TN: 19) +3 Banquet Points

Total of 13 Banquet Points (Donating to Wind Seppun Tomaru please)

[Seppun Tomaru]

Tomaru has been off-shift for some time, and though most of the game is for the young, he sees no reason not to offer some small contribution to events, to drink of the cup provided.

The cup, of course, is good. The sake is smooth and goes down easily.

It evidently moves him strongly, surprisingly so. Indeed, nobody who had known the man would believe that he had had such a thing in him, to be able to fold into so few syllables something so pure, so profound, so urgent. And such was the shock of it that the words he used were lost to time, never to be recovered.

Booze roll succeeded, https://sakkaku.org/r/16687
Poem roll very succeeded, https://sakkaku.org/r/16693
Just had to make sure he didn't fail; no points unless all the Winds roll, but 2 points if they do, per GM fiat.

[Otomo Mariko]

The game is for the young, and Otomo Mariko knows herself to be a young woman. And with drink flowing freely, her eyes glimmer at the possibilities.

The first cup goes down swiftly, her hand seeming to barely move as the sake vanishes. From her mouth soon after comes

See the winter sun
Often staring through her veil
What can we reveal

The second cup soon follows the first, and again, they marvel who look on to see such speed. And after, she declaims

We should hide some things
Not all needs to grace our view
Follow the Sun's ways

A third cup runs after its cousins, going no less quickly for going later. Mariko then versifies again:

The Sun warms the day
The things we do in the night
Serve then in Her place

A fourth joins its fellows, fleeing fast from further wanderings. Another poem in sequence emerges.

Who needs eyes to see
Has not been long on the path
Better walk it more

The fifth cup, however, somehow misses her dainty mouth, spilling down her chin and onto the front of her clothing, and she excuses herself for the remainder of the evening.

Booze roll 1 succeeded, https://sakkaku.org/r/16693
Verse roll 1 very succeeded, https://sakkaku.org/r/16700
Booze roll 2 succeeded, https://sakkaku.org/r/16701
Verse roll 2 very succeeded, https://sakkaku.org/r/16702
Booze roll 3 succeeded, https://sakkaku.org/r/16704
Verse roll 3 very succeeded, https://sakkaku.org/r/16706
Booze roll 4 succeeded, https://sakkaku.org/r/16707
Verse roll 4 succeeded, https://sakkaku.org/r/16708
Booze roll 5 failed, https://sakkaku.org/r/16710; party foul for spilling a drink
Per fiat, no points for NPCs unless all Winds roll; 8 points if they do

[Agasha Sanjuro]

Agasha Sanjuro appreciates poetry, but has never been so good at creating it. He prefers if there is a usefulness in the poem, regardless of the subject.

He takes his first drink of the fine sake, savoring it. He then begins to recite his poem and does a fine rendition of a poem honoring the hosts. They receive it with some surprise, as do his housemates who have never heard him utter one before.

He listens attentively to the poetry of others as each have had their turns. He nods to Agasha-san when she performs hers, knowing how much the poems about the earth are dear to his cousin.

During the second round, Sanjuro again enjoys the sake, but realizes to continue will become a challenge. For now, he is able to hold his wits about him.

"Golden orb ascends
Chasing away night's darkness
Embracing Dawn warmly"

Sanjuro puts for the second poem, but he has struggled to make it work. Ugh! The last line has 6 syllables, not 5. He sits down quietly and knows this is over for him. At least he will not be drunk this evening.

D10 LE The Winding Water Banquet first round Earth Roll | 3k3 ⇒ 22 (TN: 5)

D10 LE The Winding Water Banquet first round Poetry/AWA 3 Raises| 5k4 ⇒ 44 (TN: 20)

D10 LE The Winding Water Banquet second round Earth 1 raise | 3k3 ⇒ 13 (TN: 12)

D10 LE The Winding Water Banquet second round Poetry/Awareness 2 raises| 5k4 ⇒ 15 (TN: 17)

No points and - 1 honor

[Kuni Shiori]

Now this felt all too similar to something she had seen hosted in the Crab lands. It didn't take much of an excuse for Crab to partake in drinks off-duty, obviously. But it was further made the perfect pair when honested alongside a contest of endurance and bravado. Shiori wasn't overly enthused or goaded by such contests, especially when it meant that there would be a good share of samurai who would come to regret their decisions later and some would need to approach her to prescribe some much-needed tonics later). However, she was abroad and needed to represent her House, so she felt rather obligated to participate.

She handled the first initial drinks easily, crafting rather simple poems with each drink. There wasn't a strategy in mind, only to see how far she could get. Her grasp on poetry was rather shaky. It was her hope that it would get easier with each drink as she would be inspired with new ideas and become more courageous. Unfortunately, drinks were as much of a boon as they were a bane, especially when they became increasingly heavy on the mind and she was already testing her midway. She assumed that she would run out of ideas before she could get drunk, betting more on her stamina than her creativity.

Her last offering would be...

"Morning it rains and
Ferns unfurls in light green color,
But when?"

When she would take her fifth drink, her hand wobbled and she would spill her sake on the ground unexpectedly. That was perhaps one of the greatest crimes that a Crab would commit and Shiori was red with embarrassment (it was likely the drink too) under her facepaint. She could only stumble out and hope that everyone would forget in the morning.

Rolls
Day 10- Late Evening, The Winding Water Banquet, Earth Roll 1 | 3k3 ⇒ 10 (TN: 5)
Day 10- Late Evening, The Winding Water Banquet, Poetry/Awareness Roll 1: Voice, Unskilled | 4k4 ⇒ 27 (TN: 5)
Day 10- Late Evening, The Winding Water Banquet, Earth Roll 2 | 3k3 ⇒ 14 (TN: 7)
Day 10- Late Evening, The Winding Water Banquet, Poetry/Awareness Roll 2: Voice, Unskilled | 4k4 ⇒ 25 (TN: 7)
Day 10- Late Evening, The Winding Water Banquet, Earth Roll 3 | 3k3 ⇒ 15 (TN: 9)
Day 10- Late Evening, The Winding Water Banquet, Poetry/Awareness Roll 3: Voice, Unskilled | 4k4 ⇒ 15 (TN: 9)
Day 10- Late Evening, The Winding Water Banquet, Earth Roll 4 | 3k3 ⇒ 13 (TN: 11)
Day 10- Late Evening, The Winding Water Banquet, Poetry/Awareness Roll 4: Voice, Unskilled | 4k4 ⇒ 23 (TN: 11)
Day 10- Late Evening, The Winding Water Banquet, Earth Roll 5 | 3k3 ⇒ 5 (TN: 13)
0 Honour Lost for being 2 or less Honour!

8 Banquet Points Total and Intoxicated

[Yasuki Ryoichi]

Ryoichi felt merry at the Winding Water Banquet. He had worked hard in Court so far, and he was determined to enjoy the party.

With his first drink, he extemporized a quick but trifling poem about sailing ships:

“Sunshine and water,
Trading ships ply their trade
Sailors return home.”

His poetry continued in this light vein for some time. After his second drink, the Yasuki ventured a slightly better effort:

”Sailors in far ports
Tell tales of lovely ningyo
Dreams of summer seas.”

But after his third drink, the Yasuki’s mood seemed to grow darker. Keeping the sailing ship motif, he declaimed:

“The winter winds blow
Our ships every which way
Sailors secure lines
For the storm that is coming
When will we reach safe harbor?”

After composing this poem, Ryoichi seemed a bit unsteady. The drink was hitting him, and he thought the metaphor was perhaps too obvious.

“Please excuse me,” he said at last, and stumbled off towards his quarters in Crab House.

—
10LE Winding Water Banquet Drink #1, Earth TN5 | 3k3 ⇒ 10 (TN: 5)
10LE Winding Water Banquet Poem #1, unskilled Awareness TN5 | 3k3 ⇒ 17 (TN: 5)
10LE Winding Water Banquet Drink #2, Earth TN7 | 3k3 ⇒ 15 (TN: 7)
10LE Winding Water Banquet Poem #2, unskilled Awareness TN7 | 4k4 ⇒ 17 (TN: 7)
10LE Winding Water Banquet Drink #3, Earth TN9 | 3k3 ⇒ 22 (TN: 9)
10LE Winding Water Banquet Poem #3, unskilled Awareness TN9 | 4k4 ⇒ 21 (TN: 9)
10LE Winding Water Banquet Drink #4, Earth TN11 | 3k3 ⇒ 10 (TN: 11) fails

Total: -0.2 Honor, 6 Banquet points

[Doji Noriko]

Winding Water Banquet, Round 1 Earth | 3k3 ⇒ 14 (TN: 5)

Winding Water Banquet, Round 1 Artisan: Poetry/Awareness, 3 raises | 8k4 ⇒ 44 (TN: 20)

Cold mist rising up
leaves dewdrops on tender grass;
Night into new dawn

Winding Water Banquet, Round 2 Earth | 3k3 ⇒ 5 (TN: 7)

It appears the drink done snuck up on Doji Noriko.

4 Banquet Points; loss of honor.

[Otomo Gorobei]

Otomo Gorobei was not a dab hand at poetry, but he was a tough man, and he knew if he paced himself, he could show some of these guys what was up.

Winding Water Banquet, Round 1 Earth | 4k4 ⇒ 26 (TN: 5)
Winding Water Banquet, Round 1 Artisan:Poetry/Awareness, 1 raise | 4k3 ⇒ 28 (TN: 10)

Doshi, take my right
Draw closer, and fight by me:
Deep roots well-grounded!

Winding Water Banquet, Round 2 Earth | 4k4 ⇒ 14 (TN: 7)
Winding Water Banquet, Round 2. Artisan: Poetry/Awareness | 4k3 ⇒ 22 (TN: 7)

Winding Water Banquet, Round 2. Earth | 4k4 ⇒ 27 (TN: 9)
Winding Water Banquet, Round 2. Artisan: Poetry/Awareness | 4k3 ⇒ 17 (TN: 9)

Winding Water Banquet, Round 4, Earth | 4k4 ⇒ 23 (TN: 11)
Winding Water Banquet, Round 4, Artisan: Poetry/Awareness | 4k3 ⇒ 26 (TN: 11)

Winding Water Banquet, Earth | 4k4 ⇒ 20 (TN: 13)
Winding Water Banquet, Artisan: Poetry/Awarness | 4k3 ⇒ 17 (TN: 13)

"Poetry is lots
of fun when you've drunk a lot
Rivers are fast-like."

Winding Water Banquet, Earth | 4k4 ⇒ 20 (TN: 15)
Winding Water Banquet, Artisan: Poetry/Awareness | 4k3 ⇒ 22 (TN: 15)

Winding Water Banquet, Earth | 4k4 ⇒ 22 (TN: 17)
Winding Water Banquet, Artisan: Poetry/Awareness | 4k3 ⇒ 17 (TN: 17)

Winding Water Banquet, Artisan: Poetry/Awareness | 4k4 ⇒ 39 (TN: 19)
Winding Water Banquet, Artisan: Poetry/Awareness | 4k3 ⇒ 12 (TN: 19)

"Um...I've exhausted
All my poems tonight
But I'm not done drinkin'"

And, with that, Gorobei sat his butt down.

16 Banquet Points (?!?!!)

[Akodo Kenji]

Kenji wasn't going to pass up the banquet but it wasn't really his style to get blind driving and stuffed with food. Also he was more on the side of elegantly presenting the poetry of others in a lovely script than coming up with his own.

It was a lovely meal though, and he managed to drink some exquisite sake before politely refusing further consumption.

The poem he chose was an old style long form rather than the more popular haiku. For some reason it had stuck with him, perhaps because Granny had told it to him in one of her unusually reflective moments:

To wash and rinse our souls of their age-old sorrows,
We drained a hundred jugs of wine.
A splendid night it was . . . .
In the clear moonlight we were loath to go to bed,
But at last drunkenness overtook us;
And we laid ourselves down on the empty mountain,
The earth for pillow, and the great heaven for coverlet.

- Li Po, A Mountain Revelry

D10. LE. Winding Water. Earth roll 1. | 2k2 ⇒ 12 (TN: 5)
Success! 1 point.

D10. LE. Winding Water. Int/Artisan: Poetry roll 1. | 4k4 ⇒ 20 (TN: 5)
Success! 1 point.

Stopping right there! +1 Influence.

[Doji Shinnosuke]

Shinnosuke has been sleeping and waking poetry in his spare moments since receiving his invitation to court. While he'd been considered a talented amateur poet at best in his schooldays, he takes the art quite seriously. The heart of a good Noh play is poetry, and he couldn't have fallen in love with one without also falling for the other--nor, someday, could he write good scripts for the one without mastering the other. Will all his reading and practicing finally start to bear fruit this season, or will he make himself ridiculous? Or possibly a bit of both?

As the first cup floats by, he seizes on the moon hanging overhead, not far past full, as a theme.

rare
the light shining from
the moon upon this wine cup
in our grasp
let it circle for a thousand years

D10 LE Banquet--Round 1 drinky | 2k2 ⇒ 8 (TN: 5)
D10 LE Banquet--Round 1 poem. Poetry/Awareness, Prodigy, KA3. VP. 6 Raises over base TN5 | 9k6 ⇒ 47 (TN: 35)
+8 Banquet Points

A winter moon... well, not very wintry, in the unseasonable climate of Kyuden Ikoma, though its light is as chilly here as at home in northern Crane lands.

last night the moonlight
in the broad skies was so bright
that the waters which
reflected it have frozen
to translucence -- first of all

D10 LE Banquet--Round 2 drinky | 2k2 ⇒ 14 (TN: 7)
D10 LE Banquet--Round 2 poem. Poetry/Awareness, Prodigy, KA3. VP. 6 Raises over base TN7 | 9k6 ⇒ 40 (TN: 37)
+8 Banquet Points

The water of the stream isn't really frozen, but it still steals the warmth from his fingers as he intercepts his third floating cup.

the blades of bamboo
grasses -- covered in crystal
frost -- stand rigidly--
yet far colder is the sleeve
of one who must sleep alone

D10 LE Banquet--Round 3 drinky | 2k2 ⇒ 13 (TN: 9)
D10 LE Banquet--Round 3 poem. Poetry/Awareness, Prodigy, KA3. 4 Raises over base TN9 | 8k5 ⇒ 37 (TN: 29)
+6 Banquet Points

At which point he should probably stop, but the wings of poetic fancy (and sake) are under him now, and he claims a fourth cup, melancholy in flavor.

every night I
try to choose a different
direction to turn
my pillow -- which way did it
face that night we met in dreams

D10 LE Banquet--Round 4 drinky. VP. | 3k3 ⇒ 16 (TN: 11)
D10 LE Banquet--Round 4 poem. Poetry/Awareness, Prodigy, KA3. 4 Raises over base TN11 | 8k5 ⇒ 34 (TN: 31)
+6 Banquet Points

On the fifth cup, though, he starts hiccoughing before he can get the first line of his poem out. Wine as the wind of poetic flight is all very well, but as Shinnosuke learns this evening, on court occasions in particular one has to balance the freedom of altitude against the tedious gravity of propriety. Ah, well, a good time was had by... one, at least.

D10 LE Banquet--Round 5 drinky YOLO! | 2k2 ⇒ 2 (TN: 13) ((Okay, that's definitive. Out!))


---
Event totals: +28 Banquet Points, -.2 Honor

Attributions:
1. Mezurashiki / hikari sashisou / sakazuki ha / mochinagara koso / chiyo mo megurame (Murasaki Shikibu)
2. Ōzora no / tsuki no hikari shi / kiyokereba / kage mishi mizu zo / mazu kōrikeru (Kokinshu 316)
3. Sasa no ha ni / oku shimo yori mo / hitori nuru / waga koromode zo / sae masarikeru Kokinshu 563
4. yoi yoi ni / makura sadamen / kata mo nashi / ika ni neshi yo ka / yume ni mieken Kokinshu 516

[Hiruma Daichi]

Daichi wasn't an expert at poems, he was a fair hand at drinking though and expected to have more than his fair share of drinks this evening if he was honest. He'd have to if he expected to attempt to write any sort of poems especially if he was going to read them aloud. Sadly, he couldn't get completely sloshed before he started though.

Which if probably for the best as his first poem almost fell flat. It was still early though, and the audience was forgiving, so his quest continued to find the perfect balance of alcohol for Poetic Glory. Which the second drink seemed to help with or maybe everyone was just happily tipsy enough to not mind so much.

The third was great as well the drink hit just right, and he felt like he was on fire! Disaster struck not long after though as his mind went blank trying to find out what to say. With little else to do he was about to break into My on is Flirtay full version complete when he was shuffled away from the stage so others could have a go at it.

Which was likely for the better as that type of thing was better for Crab only gatherings.

------------------------------------------------------------
Day 10 winding water banquet. LE. Raw earth with +1 from soe to drink TN 5. | 3k3+1 ⇒ 19
Day 10 winding water banquet. LE. Poetry at tn5 raw awarness | 3k3 ⇒ 5
2 points

Day 10 winding water banquet. LE. Round 2 drink. TN 7, SOE, | 3k3+1 ⇒ 22 (TN: 7)
Day 10 winding water banquet. LE. Round 2 poetry | 3k3 ⇒ 16 (TN: 7)
2 points

Day 10 winding water banquet. LE. Round 3 drinking, some, TN 9 | 3k3+1 ⇒ 36 (TN: 7)
Day 10 winding water banquet. LE. Round 3 poetry TN 9 | 3k3 ⇒ 13 (TN: 9)
2 Points

Walking on water drinking Round 4, The Drink tn 11. Strength of earth, earth 3, | 3k3+1 ⇒ 22 (TN: 11)
Walking on water Poetry Round 4, The Poem tn 11. raw Awareness! Let's go! | 3k3 ⇒ 10 (TN: 11)

1 point

7 Total. +3 Influence to House Tetsumura.