Isawa Mitsuru
Phoenix Clan
Shugenja ? Void ? Experienced
Posts: 113
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Post by Isawa Mitsuru on Feb 8, 2012 1:04:08 GMT -5
In absence of a fan, I stifled a little snort behind my sleeve.
“Kuwarimu-san, what I imagine will be most helpful to this investigation is men of honor whose word is beyond question. I’m sure that Surutan-sama requires no less in the loyalty of his servants.
“That being said, I am sorry to inform you that your outburst is unwarranted, and belies your level of knowledge of the Void. My spell does not do anything so crude as to invade your mind, and in fact it does not do anything to you at all. You see, as a priest of the Void I am already capable of sensing the delicate strings of your spirit in the tapestry of the universe. I will simply focus my thoughts and look at these strings more carefully. The result is rather like how one can look at a fine piece of calligraphy and read the spirit and emotion of the calligrapher.
“I hope that by doing so we can gain some insight as to what transpired between you and this man, Yoee. Perhaps we will be able to find information that you yourself were unaware of. After all, I am sorry to say that you are likely unaccustomed to the delicacy of Rokugani culture. All in all, I promise you that the spell is not invasive and we will not be simply pulling thoughts from your mind.”
I turned back to Sojiro, “However, perhaps we should focus our initial efforts on finding this other Spider in our midst. Unfortunately, it occurs to me that gathering the strength I will need to question so many will require a good deal of meditative preparation. Perhaps a days worth or so? I am quite sorry to hold up you investigation. What exactly is your plan from here Kakita-san? Perhaps we can coordinat eour efforts to maximum effect.”
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Kakita Sojiro
Crane Clan Global Mod ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star.png) ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star.png)
When you die, will you be remembered, or will you be just another strand in the tapestry?
Posts: 900
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Post by Kakita Sojiro on Feb 8, 2012 1:23:06 GMT -5
"Your spell is our best bet in uncovering the truth of this matter, and I don't think one day of preparation is too much to ask for such a thing." His gaze turned to Quarim, suddenly icy.
"As for you Quarim...san, I would remind you of your place here in this court as a gaijin. On top of that, by your own admission you were recently conversing with a Spider. You WILL submit yourself to any requests made of you during the course of this investigation, so long as I am in charge of it, or they will cease to be requests. I trust I make myself perfectly clear." Sojro's voice brooked no room for dissent in the matter. It was the first time anyone in the room had seen a hint of the steel in his soul.
"Please, Mitsuru-san, begin your preparations. Kazekoto-san and I will question this captive spider and go from there."
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quarim
Dragon Clan
Merchant*Qolat*Gaijin
Posts: 334
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Post by quarim on Feb 8, 2012 1:55:14 GMT -5
Quarim knew now was the time to take control of events. He laid the bait and they had taken it. Now was the time to make them understand what power he truly had.
Due to the manner in which this spell will work I will submit to it's use. However, He turned and looked at Sojiro, allow me to be the one to remind you of my place. I have the ear of the Sultan who wishes to gain riches from your land. War is one way of gaining riches. Another is to have an Emperor in debt to you. If My Lord were to take a side in this current war I believe the arrival of an additional army may prove too much for any clan. Perhaps you should show me the respect my station is due. It would be quite shameful for any samurai to be the cause of his Lords demise.
He allowed the threat to hang a moment. To allow the full gravity of his words to sink in. This "merchant" had the power to decide the outcome of the war. It showed how dishonorable he truly was that he would even consider using such a threat, let alone act on one. But what more could be expected of a gaijin?
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Usagi Izutsu
Ronin
Hare Clane Samurai
* Hare Clan Regent * Samurai * Jade Magistrate * Master Tracker * Heir *
Posts: 54
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Post by Usagi Izutsu on Feb 8, 2012 1:56:43 GMT -5
His gaze was icy as he fixed it to Quarim. "Enough. Quarim, Sojiro-san is correct. You are now involved in this investigation, and you will conduct yourself accordingly. I don't feel I need to remind you where you are and who's company you are in."
He turned back to Sojiro. "Very well, my guards will take you to where this man is being held. Do whatever you feel necessary, and make sure that any information is documented and taken to my office." He stood and bowed to everyone in attendance, though his look towards Quarim was more than distrustful. "Your assistance in this matter will not go unnoticed, any of you. Good luck, honorable samas." He bowed again and exited the room swiftly, his personal guard following leaving only two others behind.
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Kakita Sojiro
Crane Clan Global Mod ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star.png) ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star.png)
When you die, will you be remembered, or will you be just another strand in the tapestry?
Posts: 900
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Post by Kakita Sojiro on Feb 8, 2012 2:30:37 GMT -5
"No ruler worthy of the title would mobilize his army based on the words of one merchant. If your Sultan is that foolish, I have no doubt in Rokugan's ability to win that war, but frankly, I find it more likely that you are bluffing, gaijin. However, this is not a bluff - threaten my homeland again, and I will remove your head from your shoulders and move on to more productive matters in my day. Besides, at this point such an action may simply be redundant - do you really think the Seppun Guard, those entrusted with the protection of the emperor, and his empire by proxy, are not listening to this conversation right now?"
He waited for the gaijin to turn to leave, obviously intending to keep him between the guards, and himself and Kazekoto.
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Isawa Mitsuru
Phoenix Clan
Shugenja ? Void ? Experienced
Posts: 113
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Post by Isawa Mitsuru on Feb 8, 2012 15:09:04 GMT -5
I felt myself physically tense up to match the suddenly awkward feel of the entire room. Where our little conclave had previously been united in a single cause it seemed that now walls had been thrown up between each of us and we were now all rivals with those we had previously been allied with. As I do in all difficult situations, I fell back on my sense of propriety.
“Kakita-sama,” I smiled, “I’m sure that our honored guest meant nothing by his remark. He was most likely unaware how upset his remarks would make us. After all, he is not from our land and we should allow him some leeway with his manners. After all, we do not execute children for complaining to their parents.”
I turned to Quarim to garner his support in the argument.
“Is that not correct O-kyaku-sama ((OOC: My most honored lord guest))? Certainly we want to maintain open trade relations between our nations. It would be best for all of us if we admit that it was an unexpected reaction to a situation that had not been fully explained to you. After all, once we were kind enough to fully brief you on the nature of our activities, it did not sound at all offensive did it?”
I continued to smile, in hopes that it would relieve the aggression in the gaijin’s heart.
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quarim
Dragon Clan
Merchant*Qolat*Gaijin
Posts: 334
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Post by quarim on Feb 9, 2012 0:17:32 GMT -5
Quarim was amazed at how everyone played their role perfectly. The magistrate tried to take control. The duelist made threats. And the Phoenix attempted peace. It was as each personality was born to it's clan. Or was it they were taught to be that way?
Suddenly Quarim began to wonder how much had he been taught to be the person he was standing here now. He had many masters who each attempted to shape him into a tool to be used. Who was he without them to guide him?
He became lost in his thoughts for just a bit too long. Suddenly he shook his head. It was obvious to everyone his mind was elsewhere.
Forgive me. I was warned that many would distrust me just for being an outsider. I had become accustomed to the hospitality shown by Lady Kakita. Of course I would look suspicious to you. But understand I am trying to help you. I offer my assistance and I get treated as if I am the criminal. You can understand why I was offended? I will continue to do what I can to help this investigation and hopefully earn a small amount of respect from you as I have your Daimyo.
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Isawa Mitsuru
Phoenix Clan
Shugenja ? Void ? Experienced
Posts: 113
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Post by Isawa Mitsuru on Feb 11, 2012 12:36:43 GMT -5
To this day, I’m not entirely sure why I did what I did next.
“Well, as long as we have an understanding then. If my lords will excuse me I will go and prepare for tomorrow.”
I bowed to Izutsu and Sojiro in turn and then turned and left the room. As soon as I had moved into the foyer I reached into my satchel and unrolled a spell scroll. My eyes glided across the scribbled code and I murmured the requisite chant to pull out the void energies in the immediate area.
“Shugendo. Kaminari Tabegata.”
I closed my eyes and my senses flowered open to the surrounding rooms. Quarim was easy to pick out as his thread was wound entirely differently than the proper Rokugani in the room. I grabbed onto that thread and opened it up to the Void. I allowed Quarim a brief glimpse into the endless world of ten thousand things. If everything was going as planned Quarim should have been able to inexplicably see every particle of the room and the people around him with crystal clarity. The dim lights in the room would have exploded into lanterns with the brightness of the noonday sun, and the feeling of his own clothing against his skin would have changed from a simple sheet to thousands and thousands of individual strands. The awkward fishy smell of the rokugani in the room would elevate to something comparable to the center of a fish market whiel he would simultaneously become horrifically aware of his own scent of rotting flesh and intense spices.
Then, after one single eternal moment I pulled the revelation of details back and shut him off from the colorful intense world and slammed him back into the comparative greys and browns of normal existence. Surely, the shock of even this instantaneous peek into the experience of void enhanced senses would leave him reeling.
And then I grabbed Quarim and ripped his senses open again.
And then I forced those same senses closed for a second time.
I began to flicker him back and forth between the bright sensations of the almost blindness of normality with cruel frequency. The intended effect of this particular spell was that his mind would be come so confused and assaulted by the constant change of sensory levels that it would simply retreat into itself and leave his body a crumpled unconscious form.
For the very short time it took to enact this spell I simply stood concentrating, waiting to see if my incantation would be as effective as I hoped.
((OOC: I don’t want to be too god-moddy or anything so if there are any complaints, send me a PM about this post.))
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quarim
Dragon Clan
Merchant*Qolat*Gaijin
Posts: 334
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Post by quarim on Feb 14, 2012 12:02:29 GMT -5
Quarim's senses were out of control. The pain filled his head and over took him. But he was trained to resist torture. He had several experiences similar to this where drugs were used to increase his senses. He would then be tortured for hours. This was quite easy compared to that. But torture is torture regardless of how bad it is. I seem to be developing a headache. If you will excuse me I believe I shall retire for the evening. If am I required I shall be resting.And with that Quarim left. ((to be continued here: rokuganee.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=ic&action=display&thread=2094 ))
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