D7LE, Searching for a Certain Kind of Someone (Sneaky)

Kasuga Seitouna · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 4:37 pm

Seitouna has found himself in a new town once again, this time part of a wave of refugees. And even here, he knows that he needs to look to the lower classes, searching out the undercurrents that the Tortoise sail easiest of all, and at the command of the Throne and the kizoku. Even in such circumstances as these, with war coming and tumult overtaking all, there are things to be found in back alleys and dark places, and some of that could well be turned to good--or at least used, which is acceptable.

So he watches closely for the signs he recognizes and asks around pointedly and discreetly, seeing if he can find anything--any unsavory connections, any word of who moves illicitly and where they can be found.

(In the interests of easing things for GMs, I'll go ahead and do the Lore: Underworld roll to watch for patterns, the Investigation roll to ferret things out, and the Courtier roll to elicit information from peasants. We'll see what all can be gotten from them, eh?

Lore: Underworld- 26
Investigation- 52
Courtier- 35)

Watching reveals who he should talk to. Gentle persuasion avails somewhat. A hand on the jitte and a few particularly pointed questions reveal a fair bit more...

"Look, just tell me who I need to talk to and where I can find them," he says, "and things will be fine."

Lucidicide · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 5:38 pm

Not looking to cause any trouble, you are pointed to the Lost Battle Tea House.

It is a small building with a greeter at the door that happens to be a large and physically imposing, well-muscled man. That's probably just a coincidence for a greeter, right?

It looks to be in fairly decent shape, and there are no newcomers setting up shop directly outside of it. All in all, it's one of the calmer places in the Lesser Streets.

Kasuga Seitouna · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 5:42 pm

Well, this is a likely place, thinks Seitouna as he approaches. And not as apt to be a haven for Fukurokujin's rejects.

He approaches, making to walk right on in. He belongs there, after all, or he acts the part. It is the best way, of course.

Lucidicide · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 5:47 pm

The man shifts his weight in a way that he's clearly more in front of the door, but he doesn't exactly move to block Seitouna.

"Good evening, sir, and welcome to the Lost Battle. Do you have a reservation?"

Kasuga Seitouna · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 5:52 pm

Seitouna smiles.

"Perhaps you could help me make one, friend. I'm new in town, of course, and looking to find a good cup of tea--especially a darker blend. I'm told that this is the place to go for such things; have I got the right of it?"

Lucidicide · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 5:57 pm

"We don't serve any tea here to those that don't have a reservation, regardless of what kind they want. It's a very busy establishment with a clientele that prefers that not just anyone be allowed in. Never know what kind of riff raff might try to get in."

He gestures around to the unwashed masses that are clearly crowding the streets.

Kasuga Seitouna · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 6:08 pm

Seitouna nods.

"Entirely understandable, friend. The question becomes, then, how one can make a reservation."

He smiles broadly.

"I'd not be just some kind of riffraff, after all."

Lucidicide · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 6:41 pm

He eyes Seitouna closely.

"Costs 2 koku to make a reservation."

He seems decently sincere.

Kasuga Seitouna · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 6:50 pm

Seitouna eyes him right back.

He is clearly not entirely truthful, thinks Seitouna. (Investigation 24; on the nose to disbelieve)

"I asked after the reservation, not a convenience fee, friend. I'm not riffraff; I'm also not quite so much a fool."

(Need to know: does this guy have a daisho? Is he peasanty?)

Lucidicide · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 6:59 pm

He clearly has a weapon, but you see no indication that he's a samurai.

He nods. "We don't let fools inside. The cost keeps out those not worth the time, and the test keeps out those who couldn't keep up with the tea service."

You're pretty sure that wasn't ACTUALLY a test.

"We might be able to squeeze you in in a few minutes. A private party is in there at the moment."

Kasuga Seitouna · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 7:03 pm

"That'd be fine, friend," Seitouna says.

Then he adds "Got a foreroom I can wait in? It's damned cold, and I don't want to show up shivering to tea. Tends to spill."

He smiles a bit to take the edge off of earlier comments, trying to smooth things over.

Lucidicide · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 7:06 pm

"Hm. Yeah, that'd probably be fine."

He shows you inside to a small room. It's uncomfortably small, but it does provide a nice divide between the outside and in so one door can be opened without revealing everything on the other side.

Through the walls, you can hear muffled voices speaking.

Kasuga Seitouna · **Posted:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 7:13 pm

Seitouna shakes the cold off of himself. He also does not press himself against the wall, but if anything filters through that would benefit the Tortoise, well, he'd be a fool not to avail himself, right?

And surveilling the underworld benefits the Tortoise.

(Stealth to not be remarked upon, 26
Investigation to pick up information, 24)

He hopes it is an adequate effort.

Lucidicide · **Posted:** Thu Apr 16, 2020 4:51 pm

No one took particular note of you entering the building, and you can't quite hear what is going on further inside. This room is fairly ornate by the standards of the overall surroundings of the tea house, but it's nothing noteworthy.

After a time, the voices stop, you hear some people moving around, and then nothing. A few moments later, the door deeper into the tea house opens.

"Welcome to the Lost Battle." A deep bow. "Thank you for waiting." A samurai stands before you by the weapons he wears, but he has no markings to indicate affiliations and has his face partially concealed in the dim light inside.

Kasuga Seitouna · **Posted:** Thu Apr 16, 2020 4:55 pm

Seitouna bows. "Thank you for hosting; I appreciate the reception. And I look forward to sampling the tea."

He steps forward. "I have heard that there is a wide assortment here, some of them difficult to find in other places. Do I have the right of it, friend?"

Lucidicide · **Posted:** Thu Apr 16, 2020 5:19 pm

"We have many teas, but I think more of our patrons prefer the company to the tea. Would you like a tea service before we begin getting to know each other?"

He leads you back to a fairly ornate table with comfortable cushions around it, and he kneels on one of the cushions.

Kasuga Seitouna · **Posted:** Thu Apr 16, 2020 5:31 pm

"A bit of something dark would be appreciated, indeed," Seitouna says as he follows his interlocutor and takes a cushion not quite opposite and that allows him to see the way in. He is not quite so much a fool, as he has said.

"And I imagine it will not be easy to keep the tea flowing in the coming days, given what's coming."

Lucidicide · **Posted:** Thu Apr 16, 2020 6:12 pm

"When a mountain pass is destroyed, one must merely move their trade over the water," he replies, sounding like a monk, and yet clearly making mention of recent events.

In a few minutes, a full tea service begins.

"As you can see, we have no problems with stocking what we need."

The tea is quite good.

Kasuga Seitouna · **Posted:** Thu Apr 16, 2020 6:34 pm

Seitouna comments to that effect.

"One wonders about storms sweeping in from the east, however. It seems that they would make the waters all the more difficult to sail, friend. And on ships, they might make a mess of the caulking in the seams. One hopes there's enough oakum about."

Lucidicide · **Posted:** Thu Apr 16, 2020 7:45 pm

"The Ningyo worried not about storms. Storms only affected those on the surface, in the open. Those that lived underneath of things needn't worry about such tempests."

D7LE, Searching for a Certain Kind of Someone (Sneaky)

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