[D7, EA, Court] Prince and Pauper: the Floor

[Miya Hachi]

It was time at last for court to re-open for business. The Empire could not long endure without it, and though the Empress' loss would be enough to shake the will of the staunchest Kuni, yet life must find a way to go on.

To that point, the Imperial Officers took up their seats and Miya Hachi, in his role as Imperial Herald, stepped up to open proceedings.

"Good Afternoon, Delegates. It is my duty to commend you all for returning to the business of the Empire. It is as the Empress would have wanted." He frowned a bit, but continued.

"I have two announcements. The first of these is that the Winter Sumai Exhibition will take place in 5 days' time [D12] in the Early Evening. The Banzuke has arrived at court, so please do not be alarmed if you find yourself in conversation with some very large men."

He waited for the polite laughter to fade.

"The other announcement is that the delegates commissioned by the late Empress to carry out her will in regards to the missing son of Hantei Muhaki have returned." Here, he turned and nodded to the Seppun guarding the rear entrance.

(Hachi is the Miya Herald. It is a Courtier School.)

[Tatsuya]

And the doors opened wide to admit two men. The first was a bearded man of about 40, dressed in simple but well-appointed clothes (clearly lent to him--the kimono was a little tight in the chest).

[Ryunosuke]

The second was a much younger man with wide eyes, who could not help but look about the room, staring at the great and powerful people guilelessly.

[Miya Hachi]

Hachi continued.

"Though these men are ronin, yet the late Empress recognized that they carried within them the blood of Hantei. As such, they are under the protection of the Imperial Families, who have ever and will always act in accordance with the wishes of Sons and Daughters of Heaven. We ask that you make them welcome and extend to them the courtesy due their blood."

He paused, clearly finished with his speech, but then turned to Tatsuya. "Is there anything you wish to say, Tatsuya-san?"

[Tatsuya]

Tatsuya's eyes widened slightly. "Oh! Well, I...would like to thank you, Miya-sama, and Seppun-sama for the kind welcome we have received thus far, and I would like to say to the great samurai gathered here that I was very sad to learn of the Empress' passing. The Empire is in a bad spot. Even one with my humble perspective can see it. And I think it will take all of us, great and lowly, to put it where it needs to be. Um...I think that's all I wish to say at this time."

He bowed firmly.

[Miya Hachi]

Hachi nodded. "Right. So, you can take your places down in the gallery." And he waited while Tatsuya and Ryunosuke descended from the dais.

"That covers today's announcements. This court is now open to entertain the business of the Empire."

Court has been declared open for business. Miya Hachi is presiding, so the TN for Court Actions is 21.

[Agasha Yuna]

Agasha Yuna stepped forward and gave a deep bow to Miya Hachi.

Today, she wore an elegant green kimono with gold embroidery, lines suggesting rounded mountains and blooms of gold and orange flowers. The matching obi was gold. She wore her usual golden headdress.

https://ibb.co/s9sjZDG

"Miya-sama, it is my honor and privilege today to present a motion on behalf of the Dragon and the Phoenix."

"Our clans wish to continue to work together and have agreed to support each other with mutual trade and inter-marriage to affirm our enduring commitment. This agreement has been reviewed by both clans. The proposed marriages have been reviewed by the Imperial Matchmaker."

"The Phoenix will provide:
4 units of lumber
3 units of paper
A blessing of crops that will make the Dragon rice yield increase next season."

"The Dragon will provide:
2 gold
4 iron
4 silver
3 stone"

"Agasha-ke no kashin Ageki Yuna from the Dragon, a courtier, will marry Shiba-ke no kashin Shigi Ryusei, a bushi and heir of House Shigi, and become a Phoenix."

"Isawa-ke no kashin Miwa Akihiro from the Phoenix, a shugenja skilled with the earth kami, will be given the opportunity to study at House Ageki with the family and scholars there, and learn about their great work and vow. At the end of six months, she will either take the Ageki vow and marry Agasha-ke no kashin Ageki Riku, the heir of House Ageki, or she will choose not to take the Ageki vow and shall marry another Agasha shugenja to be selected at that time. She will become a Dragon."

"I thank you for the opportunity to share this proposal so that the court may understand and comment upon the exchange."

https://sakkaku.org/r/16107 50 vs 26, 1 raise called

[Miya Hachi]

"It is well that two neighbors grow more committed, the one to the other," Miya Hachi replies.

"Are there any who wish to comment upon this treaty?"

[Otomo Mariko]

Otomo Mariko presents herself, bowing deeply to those assembled and most deeply to the Adviser.

"The marital arrangements are acceptable," she says, "and the accompanying gifts seem fit."

[Successful basic concurrence with Yuna, https://sakkaku.org/r/16115]

[Miya Hachi]

"Thank you, Otomo-san, for your blessing on this treaty," Hachi says warmly, with a bow of respect.

[Miya Hachi]

"It would appear not. Therefore, the court is happy to accept this agreement as a sign of the welcome peace that grows between the clans."

"Is there further business to put before the court?"

[Cearnach]

Agasha Yuna stepped forward again and gave another deep bow to Miya Hachi.

"Miya-sama, it is my honor and privilege today to now present a motion on behalf of the Dragon and the Sparrow."

"Our clans acknowledge a shared respect and spiritual focus. To deepen our relationship, we propose both trade and inter-marriage."

"This agreement has been reviewed by both clans. The proposed marriages have been reviewed by the Imperial Matchmaker."

"The Sparrow will provide 7 vegetables."

"The Dragon will provide 2 stone and 2 copper."

"Suzume Suga, a young musician and holder of minor office shall marry Mirumoto-ke no kashin Toda Yoshiko who was just appointed the manager of the hereditary estate of the Grand Master of Niten. He marries into the Dragon."

"Mirumoto Kichinitonda, an acclaimed calligrapher of the Dragon, shall marry Suzume Niitaka, an equally acclaimed storyteller of the Sparrow. He shall marry into the Sparrow, and can thereafter play a role documenting the never previously documented Sparrow stories, and sending the records to a library in Dragon lands with a shelf dedicated to that purpose, as a sign of enduring alliance between the clans."

"I thank you for the opportunity to share this proposal so that the court may understand and comment upon the exchange."

https://sakkaku.org/r/16111 44 vs 26

[Ikoma Honoka]

"Forgive me mina-sama, but I have a concern."

Honoka made her way to the floor, bowing and then first giving Yuna a long look then moving to Hachi and then smiling.

"Not with the Sparrow, for it is honourable to want to stand with all clans in a united way, but one must be confident and sure of their trading partner. The Lion and the Dragon have been preparing an example of thus, presented to our respective superiors and even a marriage proposal ready to submit to Otomo-sama for approval" a small nod in the direction of the matchmaker "all ready to present today in fact. However!"

There was a small snap of her fan.

"We were informed by the Dragon that the items they had arranged to trade with us they simply did not have! A surprise for sure, but not something that can't be rearranged and re discussed. Imagine our surprise then when the very items the Dragon said they did not have to trade are being presented today for trade to the court."

She looked towards the host.

"It is my concern that the Dragon are arranging trades with resources they seem to not have, which would then be ratified by the court only for the items to not be presented as part of the deal. It would look bad upon the court that has signed off the deal, as well as placing the clans they are trading with at an awkward position of lacking resource they thought they had. I believe that these deals should be paused while the Dragon consult their resources and understand how they can state they do not have a resource, and yet in fact have the resource to present to others. Because I'm sure the Dragon would never agree a deal with the Lion just to revoke the deal and give the same resource to another, ne?"


(ooc: refuting Dragons deal due to Dragon default a deal with lack of a resource but now presenting it in court as available
D7 EA court floor - refuting Dragon deal. Courtier/awareness+IL1+ILS2+ILS3+void+Bentens. TN26+4 raises (TN46 total) | 10k8 ⇒ 44

(forgot to retick exploding 10, rolled and added D7 EA court floor - refuting Dragon deal. Rolling a 1k1 to add to the previous exploding 10 | 1k1 ⇒ 6
Total of roll is 50 so passed

-30 to Dragons position

[Miya Hachi]

"Oh my," Miya Hachi said, momentarily at a loss.

[Agasha Yuna]

Yuna looked at the young Lion, perplexed.

"I assure you that we have the items we have proposed in each trade proposed this morning with the Phoenix and Sparrow. If someone asked about something that was already promised as part of a trade approved by our Daimyo, we would have indicated that we did not have it remaining to trade. As is only proper."

"I am not aware of anything more than the most casual conversation about a potential deal with the Lion. Certainly nothing has been brought to Togashi-ue. The deals presented in court have been. And were approved by him."

"Our deals thus far have prioritized access to the resources our clan needs most, as is surely our duty."


https://sakkaku.org/r/16160 23 v TN 21

[Ikoma Honoka]

"Agasha-san states she is the control of what has been brought to Togashi-dono, and yet we have been approached by a member of the Dragon that it not her in regards to both arrange and agree a deal. Agasha-san wishes to question the honour of the Lion? That we would feign deals that did not happen?"

Honoka looked up to the galleries for a moment towards someone then back to the host.

"This one challenges the insult to our honour from Agasha-san and the one that arranged and confirmed a deal with the Lion only to renegade it for others, and the heavens can decide whether we are right or not."

(unsure if roll is required)

[Togashi Mizohachi]

Togashi Mizohachi approaches the floor.

"Minna-samas, I hope that you will accept my sincere apology for the unusual turn this court has taken. That the first since the Empress' death should be so tense is, I am afraid, entirely due to my actions, which have, indeed, slighted the Lion clan.

However, it is my understanding that a slight to the honor of the Lion cannot be turned aside by mere apologies, and so I must accept, humbly, the challenge of Ikoma Honoka."

The old monk bowed formally to Ikoma Honoka, and then to Miya Hachi, and finally to the Emerald Champion.

[Kakita Hajime]

Kakita Hajime rose from his position to the right of the throne.

"As Emerald Champion, I acknowledge the act of challenge and acceptance, and will personally adjudicate this duel at dawn tomorrow."

[Miya Hachi]

"Ah, well, the matter of the Dragon and the Sparrow treaty must be taken from the table until this matter is resolved, so we will go on to further business."

[Cearnach]

It was time to Eiji to take the greatest stage again. The stakes were even higher this time. When he was motioned that it was his turn to address the court, he did so.

He bowed deeply to the assemblage.

"Noble samurai of the Empire. Today I would wish to introduce a treaty to your learned selves. Rather than simply recite the contents of the treaty as a bored scribe might, I thought it might entertain you, were I to preface it with a small tale."

"Winter court is the time when the very learned come together and exchange ideas. And so it was that a topic that is a perinniel favorite came up this season: which is migthier, the brush or the sword?

Now there was a Phoenix who, as many Phoeinix do, believe wholeheartedly in the power of the brush. And his opponent, was a Scorpion who believed in the strength of the blade.

'Gaze upon the bounty of the Phoenix, Scorpion-san. Our forests are verdant and our skilled craftsmen have turned that verdancy into enough paper to hold several courts.'

The Scorpion was unimpressed.

'The Scorpion craftsmen have been using their time to forge mighty weapons of war. Perhaps you would supply the court, but with our blades, we would hold it.'

'Ah, but Scorpion-san, would it not be better to peacefully trade? Rather than writing ransom notes as your arrows rained down, we could simply trade you the paper now, and you could give us the arrows rather than firing them.'

The Scorpion snorted.

'You would have to write far more ransom notes than we would fire arrows, such trade would have to reflect such.'

The Phoenix nodded sagely.

'That is fair, Scorpion-san. I feel we have gained much wisdom in this exchange. Would it not be wise to gather even more?'

The Scorpion looked at the Phoenix suspiciously.

'What did you have in mind, Phoenix-san?'

'Well, as it so happens, the Master of Air would like to do some research in the Yogo libraries. Would not both our clans benefit from bringing such a gifted mind to such a vast resource?'

It sounded good, but the Scorpion was suspicious.

'There is no guarantee he would not learn what he wished and leave us no wiser. We would need a guarantee of knowledge.'

'Indeed, Scorpion-san? What sort of guarantee, a samurai's word is his bond after all.'

'A marriage, Phoenix-san. Were one of your number to marry into the Scorpion, then we have definitely gained knowledge.'

The Phoenix smiled.

'Of course, that is only fitting, Scorpion-san.'

The Scorpion was pleased by his cleverness, but there was one more thought bothering him.

"Is the Master of Air at court this season? We will need to work out many details for such a momentous project.'

'Alas he is not, but fear not my good Scorpion, there is a solution ready to hand.'

The Scorpion was surprised.

'What might that be?'

'We will exchange correspondance. On paper.'

A small bow.

"And in the spirit of that story, I present the court this treaty between the Phoenix and the Scorpion:"

The Phoenix will provide (6 units) of paper to the Scorpion. In exchange, the Scorpion will provide (2 units) of weapons and armor to the Phoenix, and agree to discuss via correspondance a research project between the Phoenix and the Yogo. This treaty is bound by the marriage of Shiba Ryusei's younger brother into the Scorpion clan, with Shosuro Bibari-san as their spouse."

Advance position: 42