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Post by The Storyteller on Nov 6, 2014 1:47:59 GMT
The first day of tests started a bit windy as expected from the end of Fall, and the first activity of the day, Game, was scheduled to start in the Hour of the Serpent. The contenders were taken to a garden where three small pergolas, large enough to up 6 persons at once, were set. The garden had been built to not be disturbed by winds, within the walls of the palace. Its exotic beauty was enhanced by the golden leaves of the season, and red pavilions and bridges, mixing the old style of Scorpion taste with the arabesques the Unicorn was so fond of. The garden also had a pond and enough space for a display of kemari dexterity. In the two first pavilions, everything was set up for shogi and go games, and two veteran sensei of the Akodo were waiting the lucky candidate to draw one of those strategy games. In the third open pavilion, servants prepared tea and the famous Otomo triplets Hinode, Hakushu and Iriai were expectantly waiting for an opportunity to play Sadane or Karuta with one of the contenders. The small and selected audience was allowed to walk by the garden but never to speak with the contestants after the beginning of the test. After the call of the gongo, the Ruby Champion permitted the first candidate, the Dragon Monk most known as Kurimuzon Te, to draw his game from the golden box. This time, the balls just bore each the plain name of a game.
OOC: Before the tests, paste your dice roll on the top, followed by your roll (distinctions and the such). If you feel need to explain some distinction is okay. Then post describing the events as you see fit. If someone will use a card, follow the instructions to post before or after. Posts of alters in the audience are allowed. This thread also involves what will happen after the tests within the castle, if not included in a separated thread.
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Post by Kurimuzon Te on Nov 6, 2014 2:19:13 GMT
Dragon monk 1+Fire 4 + Scholar of tao 1 = 6 Te walked over to the box and drew his ball. He stared at it... Karuta... He hadn't played Karuta since he was a child. For that matter he hadn't played any game that required quick thinking since he was a child. His only chance was to be quicker than his opponents if he were even able to figure out which torifuda it was he was supposed to find. This was a wonderful way to start the tournament.
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Bayushi Izo
Scorpion Clan
Posts: 245| Likes: 75
Rings: Earth:5 Water:4 Fire:3 Air:3 Void:1
Scorpion Hatamoto
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Post by Bayushi Izo on Nov 6, 2014 23:35:42 GMT
Izo drew his ball and blinked singularly. It wouldn't have been such a problem if it hadn't taken him a full second to remember what in Jigoku Kemari was. Which fortune had he scorned to earn that mess? It had only one down from there. It took, but a single scorching glances from his eyes to direct the official who was bringing him that stupid hat to simply turn away. What was the point of wearing the equivalent of a black bucket on ones head? Once that mess had been sorted out he gave it a token effort, but it was certainly not his cup of tea. Hida Bushi +Fire 3= 4 Once finished he owed to those present and went to find Te once he was finished and murmured to the man "I cannot even recall the last time I played a game. You?" he had recalled the man was a good fighter and a good companion in the Dawn Tower and he had always enjoyed the perspective of the Dragon even when he did not agree with it.
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Bayushi Satomi
Unwanted Betrothed
Scorpion Clan
Posts: 1,080| Likes: 322
Rings: Earth 4 * Fire: 5 *Air 3 * Water 1 * Void 3
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Post by Bayushi Satomi on Nov 6, 2014 23:47:26 GMT
Satomi observed her tournament rivals (and real life friends) with disbelief. Were they doing that on purpose? Were the balls swapped and Te doing the Kemari while Izo performed the Karuta, things would habe been far less awkard. Anyway, at least seing Izo in a full court outfit, hat included, was a sight to remember for the rest of her days.
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Post by Kurimuzon Te on Nov 7, 2014 0:28:57 GMT
What in the world was her brother doing? He only matched 4 sets! She thought that if the cards were anything other than a set on the tao he would have done even worse, or maybe if he took off that stupid hood he could have seen more and done better.
After Te's attempt, Mizuki walked around for a bit until the second contestant was announced. She looked at the man, and what a tall one he was. She then did a double take, he was wearing a mempo? What was with these people and hiding their faces?
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Post by Kurimuzon Te on Nov 7, 2014 0:34:54 GMT
"Not since before I climbed my first mountain" Te responded. Te raised his eyes enough to see how the magistrate was dressed. "I don't travel south as often as most of you, but I don't think those are Crab colors you're wearing are they?" He chuckled "Did Satomi talk you into joining her?"
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Post by The Storyteller on Nov 7, 2014 1:11:22 GMT
Being the first is somewhat unnerving, that's all. A casual male voice was heard next to Mizuki. If she turned to acknowledge the speaker, the Dragon shugenja met the friendly gaze of the Emerald Champion. He wasn't capable of reading thoughts, but managed to guess that the Dragon belle he never had seen before was concerned about her compatriot's performance in the first test of the tournament. I relate to the feeling.
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Post by Kurimuzon Te on Nov 7, 2014 1:59:21 GMT
Quickly snapping her fan in front of her face she turns to see who had spoken with her. "I'm sure that could be the case sama, though I doubt you could have any such troubles". She started to mutter something to herself before speaking aloud again "He might have done better if he had picked Kemari. He is surprisingly agile for his size."
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Post by The Storyteller on Nov 7, 2014 2:15:03 GMT
The Emerald Champion lined to her side, so they could keep talking while watching the other contestants. I've heard so. Kurimuzon Te was able to disarm Hida Reiha once, I was told by the Yasuki Guards. For all accounts, it was a quite impressive feat. In fact Hachi remembered very well of the mess the Dragon and Satomi went into (and indirectly put him into) when they should have TOLD HIM what was going on from the beginning; and also how the large Dragon monk was kind of snoring in his seat, while people was either killing or threatening each other in that awful trial. Hachi flashed her a smile. Are you part of his retinue, milady?
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Post by Kurimuzon Te on Nov 7, 2014 2:22:08 GMT
Mizuki laughs lightly behind her fan before closing it, allowing the Champion to see her face. "My brother was instructed by our champion to bring me along. You could say I am his only retinue."
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Post by The Storyteller on Nov 7, 2014 2:57:28 GMT
Ahh…! Satsu-sama, wise as always! He sighed at her movement, confirming that the Dragon maiden was, in fact, as beautiful as he imagined in his first assessment of her presence in the garden. Making sure they were both with their backs to the Scorpion retinue, Hachi leaned a little in her direction. "The sight of Kurimuzon's sister is like the Jugatsuzakura blooming against the autumn colors… Enrapturing and outstanding… Were I a judge in this tournament, I'd be faulty to my duty, unable to focus in anything else but the sight of her…" he whispered loud enough for Misuki to hear but inaudible for all the rest. The Dragon's maiden fresh and pretty face was too tempting to pass.
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Post by Kurimuzon Te on Nov 7, 2014 3:19:18 GMT
Light pink roses seemed to bloom on Mizuki's alabaster cheeks. "I thank you Yasuki-sama." Not quite sure how she should respond she was happy to see that the next contestant, an emerald magistrate no less, was about to draw her ball. Hopefully she would do better than the last two.
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Post by tsuruchi kasumi on Nov 7, 2014 6:59:24 GMT
Fire 4 + tsuruchi archer 1 + emerald magistrate 1 =6 -Tsuruchi Archer and emerald magistrate I think can apply because Go is a game of strategy, which is being learned in every bushi Dojo. Also it's a skill that's used for the test of Emerald Champion (test of strategy, done by either a battle roll or a games (go) roll). Also the game is part unnerving your opponent, something emerald magistrates do as well (and know how to counter). Having done Go IRL I know the game a bit.
Kasumi had been watching the others, as she wanted to know the opposition. While it had been fun seeing Izo in full court dress, she wondered about the pickings. It turned out that she might get lucky, as both who went before her clearly had something that wasn't their strong point. Hopefully she would get a better choice. Next it was Kasumi to draw a ball. She would have to play a game of Go apparently. She wouldn't call herself a very good player, although she did know the rules, having learned in the dojo as part of a lesson on strategy, and when her pregnancy had been too advanced to work out, she and Takeshi had played some go and shogi. Her adversary was an Akodo, often considered one of the better Go players. They drew lots and she got the white stones, meaning she could start. She placed a stone and immediately her opponent did likewise. It was clear that this was going to be very tough, but she knew tough and refused to be intimidated by his speed. She took her time to think about her next move, just as she did when shooting arrows or when interrogating Kolat agents. If you were too intimidated, you wouldn't last long as Emerald magistrate. After about a dozen moves, her opponent also slowed down, as now the game became more tactical, with more parts of the board to keep in mind. All in all the game took about one hour before she saw that she wasn't going to win this, although she refused to give up and tried to win as many points as possible by playing a more defensive game.
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Bayushi Satomi
Unwanted Betrothed
Scorpion Clan
Posts: 1,080| Likes: 322
Rings: Earth 4 * Fire: 5 *Air 3 * Water 1 * Void 3
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Post by Bayushi Satomi on Nov 7, 2014 10:14:43 GMT
Fire 5+ Feared 1+Scorpion 1=7Satomi got the karuta and couldn't believe she was meant to play that stupid game with those stupid Otomo triplets. She sat in front of them in the table and first of all, decided to ask the judge to check the cards before the start of the game (it was her right, and well, she'd use it). It gave her time to observe him matching the cards for a while, and although she wasn't able to see the front of them, she used this moment when the judge was distracted to look into the eyes of every of those damn rumormongers she was about to beat in Karuta. She sustained her gaze until each of them got nervous. Satomi seemed to appraise every of them as if considering the best means of torturing an Otomo. Iriai even gasped. Then the judge shuffled the cards and declared the start of the game, and Satomi smirked sardonically to her opponents. From time to time she reminded them through a meaningful and menacing glance how she was displeased on their paced reading, or their delay in drawing a new card, and so on, and even when one of them stuttered in a word, out of nervousness. It of course increased the desired effect of uneasiness, and she had more time to look for the right card. All in all, a reasonable result.
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Post by The Storyteller on Nov 7, 2014 10:17:48 GMT
Kitsu 1+Fire 3+ clan magistrate 1+Master of games 1 =6 The Kitsu Shugenja was well versed in a variety of court games, but the anscestors knew, his mind wasn't focused enough today. It was as if something from the others realms were trying to reach someone in this garden... he looked around, trying to identify the target, and maybe with this, shut up the distant blabbering and the "white noise" in his mind. He wandered across the garden, and everytime he got near the Scorpion retinue it seemed to become strong. Then his name was called and he should present himself for the game. Go, it was. But how can one focus in a strategy game with his mind being disturbed in such a way? Hiraku was astonished as he could only manage to last around 15 minutes of game before losing. Oh, shame! he thought, feeling defeated in one of his strong points.
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