MrMunnin's TTRPG Session Notes

November 1118, Week 1: Introductions Throughout the Empire, the Kaiu are renowned as the greatest of all architects & engineers. After all, it was they who built the Carpenter Wall that defends against the Shadowlands. It should come as no surprise that the family’s seat of power would be married to their greatest creation: Shiro Kaiu, the great Carpenter Castle, adjoined the bulwark of Rokugan.   Though its exterior carries the familiar utilitarian look of the Crab, its interior is a wonder of mechanical feats. Paper screen doors that move on tracks, conveyor belts powered by silent gears- there are even platform elevators to navigate its expanse.   Our heroes had decided to spend the cold season here, attending the Crab’s Winter Court. Having the shortest distance to travel, Kiyuki arrived first. She was greeted at the gates by Yudai. He remained at this station after welcoming her into the castle.   Later that day, Megumi came riding into view on he...

Arc 3- 1118, Winter Allies now by writ Brought to court of chitin masks Do they bleed the same? Many letters were sent between the group over the back half of Autumn. Each clan was eager to meet & assess the new allies their samurai had been bound to, especially given the creation of a new Imperial Office. In time, it was decided the group would all attend the Winter Court held in Shiro Kaiu.   Though not known for the beauty of their accommodations, the Crab are always practical: a winter spent here will certainly entail some form of work, but is likely to be reimbursed with useful material gifts. Certainly not a place to expect relaxation, but perhaps an industrious samurai can secure a visit to the famous Kaui’s Forge.   The councils to be held here are no less important than those in the rest of the Empire. As honored guests for the season, each of the attending samurai will have their voices heard & respected throughout the debates. After all, the strength...

October 16th, 1118 After quickly perusing the documents they had found, the group began their trek back towards Mori Springs. They had not been on the path long when they spotted distant torches speeding in their direction. Following Kiyuki’s instructions, the samurai hid to the side of the path to observe. A sizeable group of the samurai from Closed Shell Castle were fleeing from the forest. Several were missing pieces of armor, while others had splashes of blood on their clothing. Their number seemed smaller than expected; it was a decent guess that the guards had run afoul of some of the gaki in the woods. The survivors had chosen the path of discretion. Once the cowardly guards had passed, our heroes returned to the path. It did not take long for them to come upon the hot springs once more. Yudai counseled that it would be best to summon the Kunshu-uso immediately, to end its threat all the sooner. On this, the others agreed: a point of contention was what to do with Reju no ...

October 15th, 1118 Dawn broke slowly over Twin Blessings Village. Kiyuki & Hayata awoke to the pleasant bustle of the townsfolk beginning the day’s work. They spent some time enjoying a slow start themselves: eating & perusing the small shops abound. Hayata spent a few Bu on various souvenirs in the village’s name. Following the suggestion of the note Kiyuki had found beneath her door, the pair made their way to the familiar teahouse at noon. Kiriko sat alone at the back table, as if she had not moved since the day prior. Idle pleasantries were exchanged along with the tea & fruit. The older woman hinted that she had more to say in private. When it came time to leave- alas! She had forgotten her coin purse. Ever-generous Hayata gladly paid their bill as Kiriko suggested a short walk towards the local falls. Upon reaching the spot, they could see a small group of young boys playing at the edge of the pool. Satisfied that the sounds of both water & laughter would ...

October 13th, 1118, Continued The three samurai in Nestled Village were uncertain where Yudai could be. The last they had seen of him, he had been carrying Narumi back towards her home. Having seen the man’s exhaustion, they had assumed him to merely be resting at the inn- yet he was not found in his room when they decided to check. With little else to go on, they decided to stop by Narumi’s house. Despite her bruises, the forager looked in fairly good health. Seiki was at her side before the door was even fully open. The mother offered sincere thanks to the samurai for saving her life as she prostrated herself on the ground. Unfortunately, she had no idea where the Crab could be found. The trio next examined the nearby ground, hoping to spot any telltale tracks. Sure enough, a set of large footsteps lurched away into the forest’s eaves. Nature quickly obscured the path. At least they had been able to determine Yudai had appeared to be heading North. Hoping to find him, they made...

October 12, 1118, Continued The trio of samurai checked around the inn, finding Takeshi still in the stable. Wherever Megumi had gone, she had done so on foot. From what little she had shared the day prior, it was a safe guess that she would have, at the least, paid a momentary stop at the Mori Springs. So, they set forth on that path once more. To little surprise, Megumi was found sitting atop one of the rocks near the pool. Her still-drying hair showed that she had spent some time soaking- perhaps it had helped with what must have been a terrible hangover. Teruo, seeming a bit on edge, moved to do some cleaning in back of the shrine. While Yudai spoke with Megumi, Kiyuki took the opportunity to entreat the earth kami of the springs. They, too, showed no evidence of having been used in any sorcerous capacity. The spirits enjoyed Kiyuki’s offering so much that they gave her a few tips on how to avoid getting lost in the forest. They also warned her of something quite odd: the fir...

  October 6th, 1118 Representatives from the various clans arriving in Otosan Uchi is an everyday occurrence. For some, this has become routine- but for most, being summoned there is an event forever marked in their memory. So, it has come to pass that our four heroes have made travels large & small to answer the call. They each arrived via different means & at different times. After showing the Imperial Seal on their letters, the samurai were given spacious rooms for the duration of their stay. Not in the palace, of course, but near enough. When October 6th arrived, the four of them found themselves reunited at the gates to the palace grounds. A guide led them to a small sitting area in a beautifully-tended garden to wait. Despite some initial awkwardness, they each reintroduced themselves & spoke some. Comparisons showed that the letters each had received were near identical. In the middle of the light discussion, a falcon tore by overhead, coming to a screec...