An RP idea - on Deadly Ground

[Daigotsu Thrakhath]

I'm so glad I play an honorless dog and therefore don't have to worry about such things.

[Akodo Jereru]

Jan 26, 2011 13:52:16 GMT -5 Daigotsu Thrakhath said:

I'm so glad I play an honorless dog and therefore don't have to worry about such things.

Nah, you "just" need to worry about not having your head cut off for being an honourless dog

[Daigotsu Thrakhath]

lol fair enough!

[Matsu Domotai]

Well If you get your head cut off you won't find it fair I wouldn't think I have a question concerning the death of a character. Imagine my character dies during an RP session. Do I have to seppuku on the EE facebook application and start again or we consider that I play a knew guy with the same sort of competences?I don't know if anyone as already given it a thought?

[Doji Hyuu]

I don't know about a general rule but I'm not planning to have anybody die in this session so forced seppuku isn't an issue. I'd see it more the other way round, personally - I might decide to seppuku a character and RP how his death occurred, but it'd feel a bit iffy to force a character death on a player as the result of RP unless he was blatantly asking for it (peeing on the Steel Throne level asking for it).

Regarding methods of capture I envisaged each character getting captured individually and meeting in captivity. If you want to RP some torture or some such before then, fair enough, but I'm trying to get us to a point where we're all being held together in a single prison in the Yobanjin camp. I was thinking the Yobanjin would probably keep their prisoners outdoors in a fenced off stockade.

Re: the necessity of seppuku as a consequence of captivity, I think this is a grey area. Some Lords might require seppuku, some might not. I think in most cases the Samurai would attempt to escape even if they are expecting to be required to execute themselves. But I don't think captivity automatically equates to seppuku - I'm pretty sure there are some canon examples of characters being captured in battle and not being required to kill themselves.

That being said if you want your character to commit seppuku as a result of captivity, I won't stop you! :-) It's fairly easy to come up with ways for your character to be captured that don't result from cowardice or incompetence on their part - battle is a chaotic affair governed by chance, and even the greatest tactics don't ensure victory, as any Akodo will tell you. My only guideline would be to avoid what I think of as Mary Sue style writing, where you use the story of your captivity to talk about how your character killed thousands of Yobanjin while armed only with a peeling knife while looking totally sexy and handsome. Nobody wants to read that.

[Doji Hyuu]

Having said all that I think this is probably a good point to begin, since we have four characters - and probably the best way to begin is to write about our capture, any trials that might follow that capture, and finally our waking up in the Yobanjin stockade.

[utakumoli]

Have we started a new thread for this somewhere? Will our capture stories go in this thread? Please, Hyuu-san, tell us! Inquiring minds need to know! *breathes into a paper bag*

(In all seriousness, I'm just curious. The hysterics were all for show )

[Doji Hyuu]

Well, absent a specific place for RP posting I think it's probably best to minimise clutter and just continue here.

[Bayushi Senshi]

(Occ then: I would never enforce sepukku on anyone, if a player wishes to do so as a result of their rp, then go ahead. Just weighing in.)

[utakumoli]

[OOC Please let me know if I need to move this.]

Utaku Mo-Li had just found a brief pause in fighting. Her troops were enjoying the first hot, fire-cooked meal meal in days and she was doing the same, though she never ate with her troops. Years of solitude, of being labelled as an outsider (even among her clanmates), had conditioned her to spending what free time she had alone. She sat at the outskirts of camp, watching and listening to the night. Her horse, Takaki, grazed just paces away.

Mo-Li enjoyed the night noises. After days of fighting, the din of battle had begun to grind at her soul, and the chirping of crickets was a welcome change from the screams of the dying and sounds of flesh being torn from flesh, limbs rended asunder, and horses' hooves crushing the bones of the dead... She took a deep, cleansing breath and sipped from her waterskin. She would have preferred tea, but water would have to do. She smiled softly,
remembering fondly the time she spent training with the Kakita, her father's family.

Father, you were so different from mother. So contemplative and steady. Nothing escaped your notice... Mother was wild, wasn't she, Father? But so beautiful.

Mo-Li knitted her brow and bit her lip to fight back a lonely, nostalgic tear. She ran her

thumb over the netsuke tied to her obi. It was a chubby little tanuki figure, grinning widely and making a crude gesture. Her father had bought it for her at the market when she was a child. Looking back, he must have been so embarrased, but she - not understanding its rude nature at such a young age - had insisted that he buy it for her because she thought it was funny. She looked down at its gross, distended belly and lacivious grin, and she smirked, shaking her head at how ridiculous the thing was. And yet...

She stopped. If she could have willed it, she would have willed her heart to stop beating.

There was a figure coming at her in the darkness. The hair on her neck stood on end and a chill seized her spine. The figure moved silently and without fear. She reached behind her and put her hand on the grip of her lance. Tensing every muscle, she coiled for the strike, and waited.

In the firelight, she could just make out the shape of the figure. As it approached, she could just barely make out the shape of its clothing, and it was Rokugani-style clothing.

Mo-Li relaxed.

The figure, a young man dressed in scout's clothes, bowed low and held out a rolled-up scroll in his hands.

"Utaku-sama, I bring urgent news," the scout gasped. "The Yobanjin... are moving to flank..." He dropped to one knee, exhausted.

"Thank you. Gokurousama," Mo-Li replied, looking over the scroll. It was stamped with the chop of one of the commanders whose troops were fighting further north.

"Tell my lieutenent that I have gone to evaluate the threat. I will return within the hour." As she turned away, the scout bowed.

In seconds, Mo-Li had taken up her lance, mounted her horse and had begun to ride in the direction of the flank. The report had said that they were using infantry, so she would be able to verify the maneuver and return to camp before the Yobanjin could reach them and complete the maneuver. Fools, she spat. Have they learned nothing of their foes? Using infantry to flank us is almost insulting. They will suffer for their pride.

As Mo-Li disappeared into the darkness, the scout sneered and threw the report into the fire. He dissolved into the night and was gone.

When she reached the location in the report, she slowed Takaki to a walk. In a well-concealed panic, she looked in all directions, but saw nothing. The ride had been enough for her eyes to adjust to using only the moonlight, yet she could see no sign of any flanking maneuver. There were no footmen, no fires, nothing. She checked her bearing against the stars. There was no doubt: this was the right place. This is impossible. There isn't a single human being here for miles.

As she turned to return to camp, she felt the sting of a needle at the base of her skull. $h**... she thought blearily as the world around her started to melt and fade. Am...bush...

She collapsed forward, then crumpled off her horse and fell to the ground.

Takaki reared and bucked, taking off in a tear back towards camp as a small band of dark figures formed out of the shadows and closed in on the unconscious Mo-Li.

[Matsu Domotai]

(OOC: I will re post my capture story a bit later since I'm not even in mountain watch keep for the moment)

[Doji Hyuu]

The daisho felt heavy and unwieldy at Hyuu's waist. Despite having been gifted with a heavy winter kimono by his Unicorn hosts, he felt cold and out of place. He wasn't used to carrying a katana - it felt cumbersome. But the same Daimyo who had insisted he be sent to Mountain Watch Keep had insisted he arm himself. His yojimbo, Kakita Michiko, had viewed him with subtle amusement as he placed the sword at his side, but Hyuu had resisted the impulse to start an argument. Usually he enjoyed verbal sparring with Michiko as much as he did anybody else but he was out of his element here, on a battlefield, and he knew better than to start a debate in that situation.

He'd always liked the Unicorn, even if the gaijin ways were often confusing, and he'd thought they liked him, but here their attitude was brusque and dismissive. He supposed it was because, while they were happy enough to receive a courtier in Shiro Ide, on a battlefield he'd just get in the way. Why was he here? For a moment he was nostalgic for the warm, quiet courts, but he didn't allow himself that luxury of self pity. He had a job to do, and he was going to do it.

He took a draft of tea and savoured the feeling of its warmth spreading from his belly. Outside the sounds of battle were an intermittent, dull roar. He struggled to point them out of his mind and turn his attention to the task at hand. The Yobanjin prisoner seemed to be an officer of some kind, judging from his finer-than-usual furs, his relatively well groomed beard and the fact that he spoke heavily accented Rokugani. The Moto who'd captured him had reported he wielded a katana - probably a prize taken from some lost Samurai. The man had been severely beaten by the Moto and nearly killed, but he was conscious, and he spoke Rokugani, which made him potentially an intelligence bonanza. So here Hyuu was, trying to interrogate him. The man's name was Chuktur, and beyond that, Hyuu had found nothing. It wasn't going well.

"Tea?" Hyuu enquired. Chuktur snorted. "Women's piss. Give me a real drink"

"So you're not interested in Rokugani civilisation then. Why the weapon? Why the language?"

"I learned it sneaking around your <i>dak-hatay</i> castles. The things you fools throw away, it's criminal"

"You obviously have a talent for the language if you can pick it up with such minimal contact"

The Yobanjin shrugged, but Hyuu sensed he enjoyed the flattery.

"If you've got so much contempt for us, why attack us? What do we have to offer you? I imagine there is somebody telling you to attack us - maybe promising some kind of prize. Tell me about them. Are they Rokugani too?"

Chuktur snorted. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"So you don't deny it"

Another snort. Hyuu's eyes narrowed. Was this some form of confirmation?

The tent flap opened and Michiko leaned in, wary, hand on the hilt of her katana. "Hyuu-san. The Yobanjin are mounting an attack. Kangun-san says we need to withdraw"

"Tell him to arrange an escort to take the pris..." Michiko cut Hyuu off. "He says there's no time, he can't spare the men"

Hyuu was on his feet. "That fool... tell him this barbarian is a more precious prize of victory than any hill or barricade!" He had to raise his voice over the yells and shouts of battle as they drew closer. The tent's roof rippled as an arrow hit it at an oblique angle and slid away, falling to penetrate the tough hide, but there'd be more where that come from. "Surely he can spare one man"

"Hyuu-sama, I don't..."

"Tell him I'm not leaving unless this prisoner does!" Hyuu sat back down petulantly, ignoring the contemptuous frown on Michiko's face that he knew was there. He turned back to Chuktur. "You see my friend, battle nears. You're safe now. Best to tell me something so I keep you safe"

"Safe!" Chuktur scoffed. "Safe here? Little fool, those battle cries you hear? Those are the cries of the Broken Hammer Brotherhood, my own finest warriors. They are coming here to rescue me - and to punish those who dared capture me. You should begin to beg me for mercy now"

Hyuu turned, eyes flashing with anger, drawing himself up to his not very impressive height. "You dare! I am a son of Doji, I do not beg!"

"Then you will crawl. Or you will die"

"Who is behind these attacks, barbarian! Tell me, or I will..." Hyuu's words were broken as the tent collapsed. A Yobanjin warrior, wielding a mighty two-handed scimitar, had sliced through the guy ropes. Everything was a chaos of heavy furs, entangling ropes and Chuktur's laughter. He even heard the Yobanjin prisoner calling out commands. So he hadn't lied, Hyuu realised even as he thrashed to free himself. Those really were his men.

Hyuu managed to free his wakizashi - the folds of the tent were too heavy on his arms to allow him to draw his more cumbersome katana - and slice his way free. The air tasted of smoke, sweat and blood. The camp was being over-run. He watched as a Moto fell from his horse, peppered with arrows. Another two Unicorn warriors fought back to back, surrounded by Yobanjin, giving their lives dearly but doomed to fall. A flash of bright blue caught his eye as he saw Michiko running toward him, her face smudged with soot and her blade bright with blood. "Hyuu-san! We need to go, now! Stay with..."

She stopped in her tracks and peered dumbly at the head of the spear protruding from her chest. She took a single, weak step and then collapsed like empty clothes. From behind her a Yobanjin warrior appeared and tugged his spear from her corpse. In almost a trance of fear, Hyuu drew his katana. It felt unfamiliar and dangerous, but hopefully it was as dangerous to his foe. The Yobanjin's face was a mask of sweat, as terrible as any Oni's in the dark. So this is it, Hyuu thought. Finally drawing steel in the face of an enemy. He remembered Akodo Jin's words in Winter Court. So maybe now he would find out what it meant to be a bushi.

He heard a sharp inhalation of breath behind him and began to turn, but it was too late. His head rung with pain as the heavy wood club smashed down on it. He staggered once and fell, unconscious, next to the corpse of his yojimbo. His katana fell from his hands, unblooded. Captured, he managed to think to himself through the maze of nausea and pain his brain had become. So hopefully he had some value to them...

[Matsu Domotai]

Matsu Domotai on the first line of battle was waiting for the Yobanjin to get closer. No need to lose men as Tomatsu sama said if we can kill them from afar. The sky was blackened by arrows and flaming boulders. The view was a taste of apocalypse that Domotai always loved to see when a battle started. His mind started to drift away in his past battle memories. The Lion samurai next to him falls and roars due to an arrow that pierced through is leg and Domotai leaps out of his dreams and focuses on the Yobanjin that are getting closer and closer charging up the hill we where perched on.

Domotai looked at his troups that where only waiting for a slight gesture of mine to release hell on our foes. The death seekers where showing their teeth and dribbling like angry dogs.

“Honourable samurais, wait for them, wait for them, wait for them."

The Yobanjins were now only 30 meters away. Domotai with a rapid gesture lowers his hand and cries:

"Chargeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee."

That was it. What Domotai and his whole army where waiting for. The heart of battle. This insane amount of adrenaline that runs through your body, this impression of fighting in another dimension were nothing around you cares anymore, the smell of blood, the clinging of Katanas, the feeling of bravoury, honor and glory that our ancestors have experienced before us.

Domotai is slashing through his enemies one by one while he is trying to indicate his heavy infantry to contain the enemies on both sides so they don't try and flank us. The death seekers were out of control creating huge breaches in the enemy lines. That is when I saw a Yobanjin mounted on a great black stallion. He seemed to be giving orders to the troops that where engaging us. Probably the enemy general. I ordered 10 of the closest heavy infantries in the battle to breach the lines ahead and help the death seekers.

Domotai watched quickly around him and saw a dismounted horse in the middle of the battlefield. Probably is owner just got dismounted brutally during the charge? Domotai ran towards the scared white steed and jumped into the saddle before riding frenetically in the breach that his troops had formed. Domotai rode through the breach wielding his Katana left and right of his new acquired steed. After a few seconds, that was it! He was in the open. Only that man and his steed where in front of him. The man anticipated Domotai's move and had already started a high paste gallop towards a bordering forest on the west side of the battlefield. Domotai rode after him and started to catch up with the enemy once he entered the forest. Domotai was having a hard time following the Yobanjin since his horse riding skills where not perfect and the terrain was very rough and full of turns and obstacles. After a few minutes of chasing the enemy slowed down in a turn. Domotai though this is my change to knock him off his horse but he had planned an ambush and before he realized what was happening his steed had two spears in its body and Domotai was catapulted out of his saddle and landed head first on a large stone.He tried to stand up and fight these newly arrived enemies, at least 20 spearmen, but his vision was blurred, his head was paining while a river of blood was flowing out of his upper skull. Domotai managed to slay one or two spearmen, at least he thinks, but then someone pierced his left leg with a Yari. Domotai tried to summon his last strengths but before he could even stand up he was knocked out by a whistling bulb launched at full speed into his left cheek. The last few words he heard were:

" I want him alive."

[OOC: Ready to start this RP when ever you guys are. I'm captured for real this time. Are we missing players?]

[Doji Hyuu]

OOC: OK, I'm going to post the "wake-up captured" post now in the interest of moving things along... Thrakath you're still welcome to join us, you'll just have to post your captivity as a flashback.

IC: A light snow had fallen, not enough to coat the ground but a testimony to the chill that hung in the air like a threatening knife. The Yobanjin cared little for prisoner comfort - as long as the Samurai they had captured were not going to actually die of frostbite, that was all that concerned them. Queasy-looking patinas of frost clung to the wooden posts crudely but efficiently thrust into the hard earth. Even the most athletic samurai would struggle to climb the stockade that hemmed them in, and even if they did they would be met by a short but lethal flurry of arrows from the Yobanjin watchpost that surveyed the stockade. Presumably the stockade was part of some larger encampment, to judge by the smells of food and cooking and the noises of Yobanjin going about their business that occasionally wafted through it, but the only contact with the samurai had with their captors was the unflinching gaze of the guards and the twice daily deliveries of food and freezing water, dropped over the edge of the stockade by a bucket on a rope. There was no gateway in the stockade walls - it must have literally been built around the prisoners as they lay unconscious.

Hyuu was still in the heavy winter robes he had worn when he was captured. His hands were buried in his armpits to keep warm, but his face was freezing. He could no longer feel his nose, and the moisture around his eyes froze, making his gaze irritated and bloodshot. He had no idea how long he had been captive, but his stomach churned with a consistent hunger that the scanty meals the Yobanjin delivered did nothing but temporarily subdue. His hair was tangled and matted with blood - the wound on the back of his head ached dully, an ache that turned into a stabbing crescendo of pain when he dared touch it, something he quickly learned not to do.

He shared the enclosure with three others - a Lion wearing the mon of the Matsu who was clearly a high-ranking officer, a battle maiden, and a Hida bushi. The Hida was closest so, after a few hours of wakefulness, Hyuu awkwardly crawled over towards him and attempted to shake him awake. The Hida seemed unresponsive, his massive frame barely shifting in Hyuu's grasp. Cursing in a most uncourtly way, Hyuu even went so far as to slap the Crab's fearsome features. He envisaged a tirade of anger, maybe even blows, certainly the insults he had learned to expect from the Crab Clan's members when confronted with a courtier. But at least he'd have somebody else on his side. He was disappointed. The slap knocked the Crab's eyes open, but they continued to stare sightlessly at the stockade walls. The man's mouth gaped open dumbly. The Crab was dead. Looking down, Hyuu saw several ragged holes in the Crab's padded under-jerkin, arrow wounds probably. Around his belly the bushi's clothes were stained with almost midnight-black dried blood. Hyuu slowly let the man fall. He buried his hands back in his armpits. The Crab was dead. He must have died of blood loss. Was this what this stockade was? Just a place for the Yobanjin's prisoners to die early? Hyuu was tempted once again to touch his wound but he resisted - he knew enough of the healing arts to know that a head wound that did not bring with it mental impairment would not be fatal if the victim survived the first few hours.

But what of the other two? Turning awkwardly in his kneeling pose, he surveyed them. Tiny mists of frozen air rose from their mouths. They were breathing, which meant they were alive, at least. He began to make his way over to them, but then stopped as one of the sleeping bodies began to stir itself.

[Daigotsu Thrakhath]

OOC: I'll try to have a post up tomorrow.