Monday 29 August 2011

Miyamoto Mirumoto's Report - I

Most Honourable Lord Mirumoto Kaisan of the grand Mirumoto lineage,

I, your humble servant, Miyamoto Mirumoto of the Dragon Clan write this letter to you as a report of recent events that I feel might be worthy of your attention.

As per our instructions, myself, my charge Kitsuki Aeimata, and her young brother; arrived at the residence of Lord Kikita Matakhane approximately a week ago as of this writing. By Lord Matakhane's behest we were grouped up with one of his Crane vassals, Daidoji Hiro of the Kakita Bushi School; and the visiting Lion Matsu Hiatai of the Matsu Berserker School; to look into a matter of concern in the local Crane village of Soruba overseen by one Doji Tazumi.

After a fairly unremarkable journey through dull Crane pasturage we arrived at the settlement. The first impression I received was seeming lack of heimin working the rice patties, this struck me as suspicious. After talking with the Lady Doji, we learned their concerns were two fold: The bonge were becoming ill and dying from an unknown ailment, and the belief that local river kami have been angered somehow, leading them to wreak destruction upon a dam.

As we supped, my charge Kitsuki made a social gaff by rebuking the Phoenix Ronin our host had taking upon. As unorthodox as this arrangement was, it was not our place I reminded her to insult our host, although I was quietly curious if Lord Matakhane knew of this.

Over the next short period we cleared away the cobwebs of mystery. We discovered the source of both the ill heimin and angered water kami was a that local saki brewed and offered to them by the Phoenix Ronin had been 'impure'. [Tainted] A pity it was we did not notice this impurity whilst my companions and I sampled it the night prior. To his small credit, the Crane Hiro managed to appease the kami; and we confronted the Ronin and placed him under arrest. Whilst speaking to Lady Doji about these discoveries, we were beset by a 'twilight foe' [Zombie], which my companions quickly dispatched of.

I quickly moved to assure Kitsuki's brother's safety, but discovered that the Ronin had absconded with him by horseback to the north. Still within sight in the fading light, I mounted my steed and rode after them. Eventually I, and soon my companions caught up with young Aeimata, whom the Ronin left behind as he was slowing his escape. My charge safe, I chose not to pursue the 'vile' Ronin into the night. [I suspect the Ronin to be a source of the Taint.]

After formalities were concluded the following morning we returned to Matakhane's abode and gave our report. Gratitude was lightly given to us from him because of several things of supposed interest that were omitted from the report and a distinct lack of etiquette by some members of our clan to my dismay, one of them being young Aeimata. Lord Matakhane heard that we are grooming young Aeimata for entry into a school, and he felt that the boy's lack in etiquette could be remedied by enrolment in Crane's Doji Courtier school. I politely declined Matakhane's offer of enrolment and boarding of young Aeimata on your behalf, as 'I strongly feel that it is not your wish for him to be placed in such a artful school'. [I do not trust Lord Matakhane's motives behind his so called generous offer.]

Crane Court A Stageplay
Theatre Of Courtesy
But Noh Masks Are On

As for the young boy's training, I shall continue searching for a vocation that would be worthy of our clan. The boy himself as expressed interest in Shugenja arts, and I strongly feel that if his interest reflects his aptitude in matters of the kami, he enrolment in such school could be a great boon to our clan.

Concerning the elder Kitsuki Aeimata, as per your wishes, I have been assessing men whom might be worthy of betrothment to her. So far two shown some promise:

The Lion Matsu Hiatai has shown both great honour and glory, as well as a fierceness in battle. Though Lions' tend to be head-strong, I feel that Kitsuki's stubborn personality and courtier training can place a high degree of control over the somewhat weak-minded Lion, giving us an inside to their Clans' ways.

The Crane Daidoji Hiro, though of stronger mind and more verse to subtle manipulation that comes with living amongst Cranes, a union between the two would still be 'favourable to us'. [Kitsuki's skills in the courtly affairs would give Dragons a degree of sway.]

Continuing on our journey, we to leave on the morrow for the boarder of Lion territory, where we are to meet with of Hiatai's clan. I hope this missive finds you quickly via the Mantis Clan merchants I have instructed to deliver it.

your humble servant
-Mirumoto Miyamoto




Sunday 28 August 2011

Hey all. It has been a busy, stressful month. But all in all everything had turned out well in the end. I ended up missing all of this month's Exhalted so I have little to say about it as I didn't get a full impression of it. A few interesting things to note amongst the chaos:

-My mother passed away the previous month and we had her memorial this month, which was very emotional but wonderful to see the huge amount of people who came out for it. Thank you all so very much.

-We had to empty out & organize a storage unit that contained a her furniture, possessions, etc. We brought back as much stuff to my place as we could, but a lot of it remains over with family on the mainland or up island. I've been spending time trying to fit the furniture into our large house that is already full with it. I've been mostly successful incorporating most pieces I think, and I've actually been able to transform my computer room more into a proper study or 'Man Cave'. I'm grateful the three women I live with agree I should have my own male space. :)

-Speaking of male spaces, Victory, a new barber shop that focuses on wet shaves and other manly sundries has recently opened here in Victoria. Talking with a good friend of mine whom appreciates things of gentlemanliness like myself, we have formed a fraternal society called the 'Ministry of Mandates' whose focus is organizing 'Man Dates' of gentlemanly and/or manly nature. Our first one, Mandate: Man Date I, is going to be a group of us stylishly dressed visiting Victory for shaves & haircuts, and then off to partake in good food, billiards, pubs, and/or fine pipe tobacco.

-My co-worker and guildmate got into the Star Wars: Old Republic Beta. I got around an hour and a half of play in as a Sith Warrior. I shall expose further on my impressions in the related guild thread. But I will say this: :D Here's hoping for Beta weekends next month and possible Guild Beta.

-I found a used copy of the Shadows of Yog-Sothoth at local bookstore and snatched it up. Once I've finished reading the Core book, I think I'm going to run it for my first puray into CoC when I get the chance.

-Next month we're picking up L5R again; I am excited to start writing more haikus!

-Deus Ex: Human Revolution has been taking up most of my time right now. I'm on a cyberpunk kick right now and really wishing I had grabbed that used copy of Ecilpse Phase I saw at the same store I got Shadows of Yog-Sothoth from, but when I looked again a few days ago someone else had pounced on that bargain.

That's all folks! Cheers!

Monday 1 August 2011

Happy BC Day!

So last night was our last Legend of the Five Rings session for the time being. Right now, my group and I are running a different system/game a month, and next month is going to be Exhalted. I'm sorry that it'll be a bit of time before we start up L5R again because I was really getting into it, not to mention I missed 2 out of the 4 sessions so I barely got a taste. But what I tasted was sweet. :D I even started writing a few Haiku's cronicaling my character's thoughts & feelings:

Crane Court A Stageplay
Theatre Of Courtesy
But Noh Masks Are On

So like L5R I've never played Exhalted before, and know even less about it beyond that its a system is similar to White Wolf's World of Darkness d10 dice pools and the theme is playing a fledgling demigod. I am excited a bit to again try something new, to broaden my RPG horizons. The majority of systems since I started playing have been d20.

Over a month or so ago when my friends picked up their copies of the L5R and Exhalted Corebooks from our FLGS, I ordered a copy of the Call of Cthulhu RPG 30th Anniversary Collector’s Edition, and recieved word that it has shipped three days ago. Can't wait till it arrives. Depending on what we play next I may finally get to try out this system that I've wanted to run for the longest time.

Looks like a fun couple months of gaming ahead! Then Star Wars: The Old Republic will probably be out and my RPG gaming will no doubt suffer for it. :S