Army with out banners.

[Mirumoto Machu]

This story begins with a story. An adventure.
In a common inn at the main village at the Tetsu Kama Mura the one handed Dragon is speaking to a group of eager young peasants.
A montage of scenes-
Machu at Shiro Kuni tending the sick,
A scout arrives with tales of an iron tower,
Machu traveling in the shadowlands and finding the tower,
Machu fighting bloodspeaker guards and rescuing hostages,
Leading the peasants home along major trade routes pirates attack,
Machu duels the pirate captain,
finally a happy reunion and humble gifts of gratitude.

Only now dose Machu hear of the Shoguns challenge.
-"You have saved me my lord, my life is yours, lead me where you will"
-"I will follow you as well. Do we go join Toutouri or The Hantei?"
"Neither"
"Clashing armies will not help the empire. Civil war will not protect your people from bandits and darker threats."
-"But, the emperor"
There have already been forty two emperors before Kaneka made his claim. Even Hantei Kami died it is the empire it's self that must live on. I will do as I have done these last few moth help those in need. We do not need armies with the banners of Touturi and Hantei we need an army with out banners.

[Mirumoto Machu]

My intention for this thread is to take a roll call of all the characters who refuse to take sides in the civil war.
And with enough people to form a coallition of some kind.

[Ojii]

OOC: WOW, interesting, some more problems to come ;-)

[Kitsuki Yuushahime]

ooc: Interesting. I think a lot of people will IC think you are weak though or trying to remain blissfully unaware of the problem. You are saying you do not see either as Emperor or will not respond to the command of your Emperor. That's grounds for seppuku ^^; . Still, I admire your stance and you do have the argument of saying "I thought it was a brother vs brother feud and best not to involve ourselves". Particuarly if you are going to get on with righteous things like hunting bloodspeakers. Good luck

[Mirumoto Machu]

OOC- could either man after winning say it was wrong for me to keep bandits and blood speakers out of HIS empire?

[Kitsuki Yuushahime]

ooc: Possibly by arguing that the revolt was a larger danger and he personally ordered all honourable samurai to aid him. You could then say you didn't hear it or you aren't honourable or you were aiding him, just not directly... but, none of those sound too great. Anyhow, it doesn't matter, go grab some players for a fun rp!

[Mirumoto Machu]

Remember you do not have to randomlly be in the same town. Just let us know who you are and what you are doing if you are not takeing sides.

[Mirumoto Shigen]

Finally. A True Dragon who honours the traditions of Togashi-Kami.
The traditions of the Dragon since time Immemorial.
I too, brother, have seen the vileness belched forth from the Iron Tower.
There is no weakness in wisdom. There is no cowardice in fighting the true enemy of the Empire, and refusing to further weaken the Empire by contributing to it's internal destruction.
There is a shadowy hand at work, and it pains me to see it manipulate so many of our cousins so easily.
Assassins also were sent against the Wolf. The timing. The Iron Tower arising, the Assassins striking... and failing... Oni in every court, and now the screams for a return to the Age of War.
It is painfully obvious.
Of all the Clans, it has fallen to the Dragon to be too aloof to fall for these illusions. Yet now, the banner raised by the one Kami who would not fight in the tournament to rule the land, is waved by hands that are forced so easily.

I am Mirumoto Shigen.
My blade has tasted the blood of a hundred barbarians. I have silenced Bloodspeakers in the dark, forgotten places of our land, and have lead sorties against their very source in the Shadowlands.
As I live, there is no evil that shall stand.
In this conflict, there is only one thing I can offer. My life.
I accept that in my criticism of my own Clan's Lord's and Lady's decisions, my name is forfeit. So be it. They may have it back if it pleases their politic ambitions.
But I will not turn half of my swords against myself, when there are so many blight-ridden foes remaining, and apparently so few who see then. I will not betray Rokugan like that. I will not betray the memories of Togashi-Kami and Mirumoto-dono. I swore allegiance to the name of a Thunder who stood against Fu Leng at all costs. Even if I am stripped of that name, I will not tarnish it's spirit.
My current service to the Empire keeps me in the South, combating the Plague and the Bloodspeakers of the Iron Tower. When I must resupply, I scour the lands where I find support for other corrupt enclaves, such as the Silver mine in our own lands.

[Kitsuki Yuushahime]

Be less hasty with some of your words. Some of us adopted our stance as we saw the predations of our enemies and wanted to, in the long term, ensure that they were defeated.

Having an Emperor on the throne who allows corruption to fester will ensure that all of your actions, however noble and honourable, are worthless - you will be using a bucket to scoop the water from the oceans.

I fully commend your desire to fight against the hidden threats, though I will advise it is hard to uncover them. Yet, you must temper those actions with the knowledge that they are a symptom rather than the disease. The disease is complacency and unwillingness to act. A lethargy that has influenced so many in our land to turn a blind eye to the foes gathering around us.

I pray for your success but I fear you will only delay the inevitable should Hantei be allowed to continue his ignorance. I would support him if he would make a stand, as you do, against the darkness. So far though I only believe Toturi is capable of this

[Mirumoto Machu]

Shigen-san the willingness to be made ronin is not needed.
Our Champion Takezo has in this matter ordered all Dragon to follow what they belive is right.
Even if one day he may face the Tamori Dymiyo on the feild of battle he will not hate him for his choice as long as he made his choice honorably

[Toku Hirotomo]

I'm bouncing ideas around in my soft, soft head. I am thinking of doing something similar. Yes, vote Toturi III and all that, but just because I support the man, does not mean that I must fight for him. I'm thinking of following the "Toturi's Army" ideal, protecting the people, not fighting for an Emperor. Something like "Toku's Army" cause it's what my Grandfather would have done. I'm still just bouncing it around. Thought the best place to bounce that idea was here.

It was not hogwash when I said I'd fight for the Empire. To me that means the commoners, who literally are helpless. I will not allow the Crane to butcher Crab peasants anymore than I would let the Lion devour whole towns.

Maybe this is the ex-soldier in me talking. I can't help but think that something has to be done for those that have no way to defend themselves.

[Mirumoto Machu]

Well I have been going back and getting full mastery in most fight bandits jobs.
I was just the first to make a thread. Once we get more then the 3 of us we can start makeing plans as to what it is we want to do. Besides soldier followers we may want to gather food commodities for use in relief efforts.
Also hopefully Kenpachi can become the figure head for what ever combinrd effort faction we come up with so that humble unassuming and forgotten Machu can fade back to obscurity.

[Toku Hirotomo]

If my idea pans out, and I can support Toturi politically, while helping ALL commoners physically, yeah Kenpachi will probably front the operation if need be.

[Kenji]

"I will not allow the Crane to butcher Crab peasants anymore than I would let the Lion devour whole towns."
Well, these events have become reality.

A messenger, bearing an unknown symbol so far, brings a letter to both Toku Torid-E and Testu Kama Mura.
"Greetings samurai.

My otokodate and I were once followers of Toturi's army. It's not defeat who drive us away but the escalating violence of the conflict. Each side will go further into aggression to prove its legitimacy.

I cannot support this anymore. We are leaving the conflict, both politically and military. Much is to be done : smoothing misunderstanding, fighting against bandits, help curing the plague, fight bloodspeakers and aid the Crab remaining on the Kaiu Kabe to strenghten against the shadowlands.

Our operating base is in White Shore Plains, but we do have emissaries and representative in every corner of the empire.
I hope that if we join efforts, we can relieve Rokugan from its suffering.

Kenji,
for the Otokodate of the Scarab"

OOC : If we can all concentrate on the same jobs we could make something important and of notice. I'm currently working on Smoothing misunderstanding in Kyuden Doji, then I'll go back to fight bandits at face of the east castle. This should bring me Clues to spend on "Blame the scorpion" (truth before anything) job in Beiten Seido. I will then move to cure the plague.
Hope we can work together

[Mirumoto Machu]

A rider in the rugged outfit of a scout arrives at the camp of the Otokodate of the Scarab bearing a message marked with the mons of the Mirimoto and Shiba.

To Kenji of the scarab brotherhood
I will gladly coordinate the actions of my few allies and followers with you for the protection of those who can not defend themselves. This sensless war has escelated to the point where not only men but the land it's self has been wounded. I am at this time gathering troops to scatter the dishonest ronin army threatening the Kitsune Mori.

Machu of the Shiba school and the house of Mirimoto,
Dutifule retainer of the Dragon

The scout waits patiently for a reply and then withdraws. Only as he fumbles a moment climbing on his horse is it noticed that he seams to be missing one hand.