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Post by Shoju on Aug 11, 2011 6:46:25 GMT -5
When the guard returns and informs him he can see Shodai, but to remember the peace bond, Shoju removes the No-Dachi from his back, sees he forgot the peace bond, and smiles. Good catch. Shoju removes a piece of silk from his obi, and fastens it tightly.
With the peace bond in place, he enters Shodai's quarters and bows. "Greetings Shodai-san. I am terribly sorry to disturb you at such a late hour. I felt that after what happened with the Toku, I should come to speak with you, and inform you of the dilemma we all face."
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Asahina Yukihime
Crane Clan
Crane Clan Ikazuchi
* Air * Water * Shugenja * Artisan * Asahina Family Daimyo *
Posts: 750
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Post by Asahina Yukihime on Aug 11, 2011 22:24:12 GMT -5
Asahina felt some incomprehensive disturbance. She was far from familiar to maho, she knew something had happened but was totally unable to tell what it was.
Nevertheless, she was sure the Phoenix could handle their lands and keep it safe. Whatever happened it was no reason to worries. Besides, the jade ward, a fine pendent tsangusuri was nicely wrapped around her neck. She kept reading some scrolls, with a not very focused mind, trying to make herself ready for the presentation to come.
(OOC: Useless post, but I had to "participate" as I'm reading/watching it all ;P)
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Agasha Shodai
Phoenix Clan Mod
Phoenix Clan * The Void Master * Tensai * Taisa * Enlightened * Paragon of Compassion * Unique
Posts: 783
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Post by Agasha Shodai on Aug 17, 2011 12:54:26 GMT -5
Agasha Shodai looked at the khadi with a thoughtful frown on his face. "If it's about your word of honor that no one would use Maho, you're off the hook... All the registered competitors are alive and accounted for; the villains you and Kenpachi had to deal with were not here for the festival and as such I cannot make them your responsibility."[/b]
'More's the pity.' The thought whispered in the back of the Void Master's mind, but was well hidden on his face.
The Phoenix shugenja steepled his fingers as he leaned back in his chair. "But there are a great many troubles plaguing the Empire now, so which dilemma in particular did you have in mind, Chuda?"[/b]
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Post by Shoju on Aug 17, 2011 13:57:07 GMT -5
Shoju smiled. I appreciate your not holding that against me. Truth be told, one of them was a follower of mine, though, I was under the impression he remained in the keep, tending to my library. Shoju folded his arms, and his face settled into a more emotionless expression. While they assaulted us, the spoke of the Empire rejecting the help of the Spider. When I delivered the traitor to my home, reports were coming in to confirm this. The Spider has been drive from Toshi Ranbo. You are no longer bound to guarantee my safety.
Shoju stood a little taller, and squared his shoulders. I come with the hope that an agreement can be reached to allow myself and the gaijin Chuda the chance to compete. And when we our competitions complete the time to withdraw from the land. I came here not at the behest of my Lord, but at the behest of my ancestors. You see, I may be reviled, and I may be the embodiment of a clan's anger and rage, but I am hoping to move forward, and prove that while some may find my actions.... 'deplorable', I do have the Empires best interests at heart. Shoju looked at the Master of the Void. I would be willing to trade for the safety of those who answer to me if need be.
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Agasha Shodai
Phoenix Clan Mod
Phoenix Clan * The Void Master * Tensai * Taisa * Enlightened * Paragon of Compassion * Unique
Posts: 783
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Post by Agasha Shodai on Aug 17, 2011 17:03:16 GMT -5
Agasha Shodai shook his head. "The ambassador issue in Toshi Ranbo had nothing to do with the guarantee of the safety of yourself or the other Chuda. You won that for yourself when you spotted the caveat in the rules and got the blessing of the head monk of the temple - misconception or no - and I will not sully my own honor in making you betray your own as 'payment' to remain in the competition."[/b]
The Void Master rose from his chair pacing slightly on his side of his desk. "I will be the first to admit that I would like nothing more than to see the world free of the blight that is the Taint. I even agreed to assist Bayushi Senshi to hunt you for no reason other than the fact that you are what you are. I didn't even ask the man WHY he sought to give you a final death; it didn't matter to me."[/b]
Shodai paused. "However... You acted contrary to the stereotypical Spider shugenja this night. You did not goad Kenpachi into betraying himself by slaughtering the servant that betrayed you. I consider Kenpachi's son a friend of mine, so I am willing to set aside my natural inclinations - for the time being, at least - and treat you civilly.
So tell me; you speak of 'moving forward,' yet you would not exist if NOT for the existance of the Taint, so clearly your vision of the future of your kind differs from my own. I will make no promise to help or not to hinder it, only that I am willing to listen for as long as we can maintain a measure of civility. What precisely does your vision of forward entail, Chuda?"[/b]
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Post by Shoju on Aug 18, 2011 10:11:38 GMT -5
Shoju smiled, Let me help you understand Shodai-san. It is technically incorrect to say that I would not exist without the taint. The ritual that bound me to this world as a Khadi was not based in the foul magics of the Shadowlands, but by gaijin magics of the burning sands.
You are correct though, without the taint I wouldn't be here. I will spare you the details, but I once shared your view. My existence is not one that I entered into willingly. My life was to end in a small shrine during the beginnings of the Yobanjin War. But the taint, and the bloodspeakers that I had pursued won that battle.
Sicne then, Yes I have been a willing servant of the Spider, and Daigotsu. I have been a fearsome Tsukai. I have destroyed lives. I have raised the dead. I have assaulted people with Maho. But, I have done so in an effort to secure the Empire.
I have fought the same enemies you fight. I have championed the same causes you have, save one. We have a decidedly different opinion on the Mark of Fu Leng.
Why did I save Kenpachi from dishonor? Perhaps there is more honorable samurai in me than people think. Or maybe, I favor the Monkey. Or, maybe I was so incensed by the betrayal of the old man that I couldn't allow him the simple pleasure of a peaceful death. or maybe all of that is true.
You see, In my first life, and in the life I have had since, I have always had a thirst and desire for the secrets. It is what drove me to a position of weakness, and capture. It is what drove me to study my acenstry. It is what has driven my research of maho. Now, I have come to realize that Maho wasn't always what it is now. When the Great and Venerable Isawa and his followers wielded it, it was pure. Willing. And not linked to Fu Leng. I have a copy of the mad Kuni's writings on the taint, and Maho. what I'm looking for now, is the collection of Isawa's writings. I believe with the two, I can find the link, and a way around it.
Maho will never be removed from the face of the Empire. And neither will taint. For as long as there are mortal beings, there will be mortals searching for power to rival the Kami.
My forward vision Shodai-san, is simple. I wish to eliminate those who abuse Maho. Those who don't respect maho. I wish to be the one who elevates maho from a primitive, sinister art, to where it used to be. It is a long road, and sacrifices have to be made. If you have spoken with Senshi, you will know that he thought me slain. In truth, he slew part of me.
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Agasha Shodai
Phoenix Clan Mod
Phoenix Clan * The Void Master * Tensai * Taisa * Enlightened * Paragon of Compassion * Unique
Posts: 783
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Post by Agasha Shodai on Aug 20, 2011 10:48:40 GMT -5
Agasha Shodai remained silent as he listened to the Chuda. Perhaps he - and the rest of the Empire - had jumped to the conclusion that becoming a khadi was no different than the other magics that involved life beyond life. Not that they could be blamed; the only other example of the magic the Rokugani had encountered was the Hantei-line traitor: the Bloodspeaker Iuchiban. The Void Master also had to conceed the man's point about mortals striving to capture a fragment of the power of the Kami: there would always be light and darkness within the souls of Man...
And though he did not wish to face it, Shodai had to admit there was a sort of dark nobility behind Shoju's dream.
"Your goal is impressive, Chuda, and some parts of it might even be within the realm of possibility, but there are several great roadblocks between you and your goal as I see it...
"First and foremost being the fact that there is a fundamental difference in the world that great Isawa lived within and now: when the worship of the seven principal Fortunes expanded beyond the Tribe of Isawa, the power of the Seven was spread so thin that they could no longer protect the people of Ningen-do of the corruptive side-effects of Maho. When my Isawa ancestors realized this ten centuries ago, they discontinued the practice of the so-called 'Sixth Element;' stories to the contrary not withstanding."[/b]
Shodai placed his hands on the back rest of his chair. "Second is that the maho as it was performed by the tribe of Isawa is a far cry from the maho that Kuni Nakanu and the foul traitor Iuchiban practiced. It would literally require you and the others that would follow you to unlearn what you have learned and start over from the very beginning so that you could divorce the power from its fundamental connection to the Ninth Kami... And that would only be possible if any of the Writings of the Isawa have survived the centuries and the countless purges of anything remotely resembling Maho use. If any such records exist, they would be hidden somewhere within the city that Isawa built."[/b] By this, Shodai referred to the hidden city of Gisei Toshi which nearly everyone in the world - even the vast majority of the Phoenix Clan - believed to have been destroyed in 234.
The Void Master drummed his fingers on the back of his chair. "And even if you somehow manage to get over those hurdles, Chuda, you will then have what will likely be the toughest challenge of all: gaining the acceptance of the Emperor and proving to the Jade Champion and the other maho-hunting organizations that your way is appreciably different from the way that your ancestors practiced and you and your followers have practiced your entire lives."[/b]
A slight smile creased the Void Master's lips. "But as I believe Shinsei once said: I never said it would be easy; only that it would be worth it."[/b]
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Post by Shoju on Aug 22, 2011 12:16:56 GMT -5
Shoju listened to Shodai, and grinned as he mentioned Shinsei. "I believe, that the answer to the first problem lies somwhere between where I am, and where you are in a matter of speaking. You see, my soul isn't tethered to this realm by my body. It is tethered to this realm by a piece of me. This allows me a greater control over my faculties. It is a barrier between myself and certain aspects of the repercussions of practicing arts that would leave others changed. It is not a 'permanent', or impervious barrier, but it is a barrier. Similar to that which you have built in yourself to contain the flows of the energy you master.
Shoju thought for a moment. Yes, you are right though. Nakanu and Iuchiban took the principals of Maho, and used them as a foundation for a corrupted, twisted, and blasphemous practice. I would relish the chance to become something different than them. Though, I was under the impression that nothing had been saved from Isawa's Jewel.
Shoju paced slightly. I believe that I will be able to gain the acceptance of the Inquisitors, and the Kuroiban easier than the Witch hunters. They will be blinded by who and what I am, and I can't say that I blame them. But, I think when they see that I am willing to destroy any who abuse knowledge in the name of power, they will begin to see. Shoju stopped pacing and smiled wide at the Void Master. One just needs the proper perspective.
Shoju slid into the chair, and thought for a moment. My Lineage could help me procure the time needed for the perspective.... Though, I imagine invoking my claim to what is my birthright could only serve to anger some if I step too heavily....
Shoju began to think heavily... almost forgetting where he was, or that he was with company.
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Agasha Shodai
Phoenix Clan Mod
Phoenix Clan * The Void Master * Tensai * Taisa * Enlightened * Paragon of Compassion * Unique
Posts: 783
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Post by Agasha Shodai on Aug 29, 2011 13:41:19 GMT -5
"And there may not be anything left of Isawa's writings on the subject. I DID qualify my statement with 'If,' after all. I have only recently become the Void Master and my first few months has been filled with traveling the breadth of the Empire, delve into the ruins of Otosan Uchi, and much, much more. It has left me scant little time for looking through the odds and ends that are now open to me."[/b] Agasha Shodai said.
The Void Master kept his silence at the mention of a birthright... There was only one thing that Chuda could mean that would buy him the time he mentioned: resurrecting the Snake Clan and laying claim to Shiro Chuda and the Dragon Heart Plain as a sovereign state nestled between the Dragon and Phoenix lands. But the Snake Clan...
Shodai blinked as a stray thought clicked in the back of his mind... It was something he'd asked one of his teachers as a child what would happen if a member of the Snake Clan had survived the massacre, but hadn't been infected by the Shuten Doji.
He'd had never been given an answer that satisfied his curiousity until now, twenty-four years after he'd asked the question, Agasha Shodai had his answer.
'I must give the khadi credit to find that loophole.' Shodai thought to himself. 'The Chuda family was believed exterminated after the Five Nights of Shame 763 years ago, so the Emperor of the time saw no point to officially revoke the Snake Clan's status as a minor clan. Their lands reverted to the Phoenix clan by default - it was Isawa Chuda who was granted permission to form the minor clan after saving the Emperor's life, after all...'
'The lands of the Snake have been left to go to seed, but if he were to petition the Emperor, Shoju COULD make claim to the mantle of the lost clan, resurrect the Snake and rebuild it in his image...'
The Void Master felt a chill down his spine... The potential for Shoju's experiment to backfire or open the doors for new Bloodspeakers - ones more wily and cunning than the ones Shodai had dealt with in the past - left him almost speachless.
The only questions, though, were: 1) Would the Emperor agree to the risk and permit the experiment? and 2) What safeguards would have to be implimented to prevent another disaster like the Shuten Doji infection and mitigate the risks of the experiment?
'Well, no need to worry about that for now... There's no way the Emperor will try and deal with the potential political suicide this experiment would require while Kaneka continues this madness of his claim.'
Agasha Shodai rolled up the last of his scrolls on the table. "Well, Chuda, if that is all for the moment, I suggest that calling it an evening might be in order - the tournament starts tomorrow, after all."[/b]
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Post by Shoju on Aug 29, 2011 14:03:30 GMT -5
Shoju could see the puzzlement cross Shodai's mind. He saw the thoughts blaze throught the Void Master's eyes in an instant. That would suffice. Yes Shodai-san, that is all for now. Shoju bowed to him and as he left a smile was growing on his face. He stopped for a moment, and looked slightly over his shoulder. Sometimes Shodai-san, when I'm faced with a troublesome moment, and I find myself questioning things, I reflect on what my Bayushi Sensei taught me as a young boy. Fear not what you can see with your eyes. Fear that which remains obscured from vision.
Shoju headed back out of the tent, and went to his own dwelling. Much meditation would be needed to prepare for the event tomorrow.
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