EVENT: No More Toshigoku! (D12, Late Evening)

Mindshred · **Joined:** Sat Dec 07, 2019 7:24 am **Posts:** 1559

Scenario: The enemy army may have departed, but tensions are still high in Nikesake. After some debate, the rescued monks from the Twin Shrines have come to believe that the essence of Toshigoku follows the Steel Chrysanthemum's armies, spreading from their ranks like an unseen sickness.

A sickness that, if left untreated, will surely cause further bloodshed and violence as it permeates the fields and city itself. To that end, the monks have asked some of the city's residents to assist them in purifying the area around the castle where the army had camped out.

Participants: Unlimited

Imperialist Victory: If characters achieve 40 or more Purification Points, the influence of Toshigoku is purged from the city and its surrounding lands. Each character in the event gains Honor for "fulfilling a Promise Despite Great Personal Cost."

Imperialist Bonus: If characters achieve 70 or more Purification Points, the calm brought to Nikesake adversely affects the spirit army, which becomes disorganized and confused, hampering its effectiveness against the Imperial Legions.

Traditionalist Victory: If characters achieve less than 40 Purification Points, then the raw essence of Toshigoku remains in Nikesake. Conflict and anger become commonplace in the city and its surrounding lands, spurring further disputes in the future. The Empire gains +20 Traditionalist Points.

Traditionalist Bonus: If characters achieve less than 20 Purification Points, then the corruption of Toshigoku settles into the city's foundation. Infused with the raw essence of slaughter, the residents rise up in rebellion against their masters... over and over again. The Empire gains +40 Traditionalist Points.

Rules: This event has 4 steps that every character must attempt. A character can attempt to cast one spell or kiho before every step of this event. If the duration of the spell or kiho is two hours or longer, then it applies to the entire event; otherwise, it ends after that step of the event.

Still Soul:

Ritual Implements:

Earnest Prayers:

Resisting Toshigoku:

Exposing oneself to the influence of Toshigoku is dangerous, even with prayers. The character must attempt a TN 20 Etiquette/Willpower Skill Roll. On a success, the character manages to resist the influence of Toshigoku. On a failure, the character succumbs to the influence and gains the Cursed by the Realms (Toshigoku) disadvantage.

Matsu Eika · **Joined:** Tue Apr 21, 2020 3:50 pm **Posts:** 143

Eika tried to help the monks. She really did. The meditation part came easy, having two warcats interrupt you normally while meditating made that a breeze.

However, crafting ritual implements for purification... how do those work? She tried something with cloth... and string... and had a tangled mess. She tried.

Still soul:25
Ritual implements(tailoring):11 spent VP

The Shakanar · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:04 am **Posts:** 218

The Shakanar could still his heart easily. He had much practice with it after all, with sifting through the akasha for bits and pieces of memory. But these ritual implements they wanted him to build....he just....he couldn't understand what it was they were looking for, and ended up giving up frustrated.

Still Soul: 23
Ritual Implements: 13

Kakita Masahiko · **Joined:** Sun Apr 19, 2020 5:04 am **Posts:** 272

Masahiko, still troubled by the events in his city, could not find his center. This proved costly, as the hand of fate smacked him upside the head.

Meditation roll=5
Craft: Woodworking roll=24

Yasuki Daisuke · **Joined:** Tue Apr 07, 2020 6:34 am **Posts:** 45

LE12 - No More Toshigoku! - Step 1: Still Soul (Void 2, Meditation 0, TN15): 2d10 12 Unnerved by Toshigoku, +5 TNs

LE12 - No More Toshigoku! - Step 2: Ritual Implements (Int 2, Commerce 3, Prodigy 1k0, Daikoku +1k1, VP +1k1, 1 Free Raise, 2 Called Raises, +5 TN from step 1, TN40): 9d10o10k5 61 3 Purification Points, -2 Koku

LE12 - No More Toshigoku! - Step 3: Earnest Prayers (Intellect 3, Lore: Theology 0, VP for Skill, +5 TN from step 1, TN30): 4d10o10k3 25 +0 Purification Points
LE12 - No More Toshigoku! - Step 4: Resisting Toshigoku (Willpower 3, Etiquette 3, Prodigy +1k0, +5 TN Step 1, TN30): 7d10o10k3 23 Cursed by Toshigoku

Daisuke pursed his lips as he surveyed the corruption, the effort of slaughter here. Even as he tried to still his thoughts, he could not.

But even in times like these, koku talked. Coins exchanged, and with his skill in seeking out the best deals, he found suitable implements at bargain basement prices!

But it seemed that the Fortunes could not be swayed by prayers purchased with gold.

And for his transgression, the Carp felt something take hold. Something hot and unnatural coursing through him. A certain bloody tint in his eyes. A sneer for a moment, and it passed.

Kasuga Seitouna · **Posted:** Fri May 01, 2020 3:37 pm

Seitouna is unable to center himself to the tasks at hand, and when he attempts to procure ritual materials, he cannot find any.

Grumbling, he withdraws.

(Failed Steps 1 and 2; no further progress possible.)

Akodo Ren · **Joined:** Thu Apr 02, 2020 5:10 am **Posts:** 380

A woman in simple Lion robes walked along the streets of Nikesake with an air of peace and serenity. She had been through this before... knew what it felt to have the world around her crying out for vengeance.

Within herself she knew there were seeds of this same vengeance. She was no less human than any other person in this city... in fact her mind brought to her the idea that perhaps because of her path... it was possible she was more human than many of those around her.

This army had taken from her the two people she had been closest to her in her youth... There was every reason to succumb to the same hatred which consumed the aggressors. But she knew in the quiet of her mind that despite her baseness... there was strength in her humanity that would see her through.

The higher you stand above modesty, the easier it becomes to lose your footing.

As she walked the streets she saw people begin to work on a collection of implements the monks were going to use to help purify the city. She noticed an elderly man carving into wood the design of a fortune... Despite his pious work she saw a look on his face that was anything but pious.

She approached him gently and sat down by his side. He paused and looked to her with surprise... She simply smiled in return. She motioned to the woodblock in his hands and said, "Teach me."

As the pair of them worked on the carvings, she could see the hate and resentment in the man slowly ebb out of his heart... he became much more comfortable... even cracking a joke or two to the Lion courtier. The only way to root out Toshigoku's influence was one soul at a time...

Take away your enemy's foundation and you will find he is not as threatening as he once was.

Ren eventually brought her work to the monks who responded positively. They asked if she would be able to help them... to pray to the Fortunes and help cleanse the city. She smiled and replied, "I will do so in the best way I know how."

Ren climbed the stairs to get atop the city walls and walked calmly to the northeast corner. She set the implements down in front of her and closed her eyes to reach out with her soul to the realms above...

May I be a guard for those who need protection
A guide for those on the path
A boat, a raft, a bridge for those who wish to cross the flood
May I be a lamp in the darkness
A resting place for the weary
A healing medicine for all who are sick
A vase of plenty, a tree of miracles
And for the boundless multitudes of living beings
May I bring sustenance and awakening
Enduring like the earth and sky
Until all beings are freed from sorrow
And all are awakened.

Finishing her prayer she let out a gentle sigh and glanced over the city beneath her... Her hopes rekindled... and motivation restored.

Just as water washes away the stains of the earth, so does it wash the soul clean of the stains of fear.

She descended from the walls and began walking through the streets again. The hope within her soul still burned brightly... but with it the depth of the darkness of Toshigoku rose to challenge it. She saw the images of blood-soaked blue and orange robes in the street... a giant wave washing away a man in bright red robes... visages of the spirits of Toshigoku slashing into a young warrior in red armor while children ran in fear...

Ren stopped abruptly and looked around her. The lingering images were obviously not in the world... nor were they illusions concocted by some priest or sorcerer. She released a deep breath... She then realized the things which push one towards destruction and fear do not originate from the outside; they are from within. I will no longer allow myself to drag itself down... These things are part of me, but my purpose is greater than the obstacles sent to hinder me. In a moment the images dissipated... Never to return again.

Those with pure purpose have the strength to never fall.

----

D12 Purification Event Meditation TN 15: 5d10o10k3 16
D12 Purification Event Craft: Woodworking VP for Skill, 1 Raise TN 25: 7d10o10k6 50
D12 Purification Event Theology 2 Raises: 8d10o10k6 41
D12 Purification Event Etiquette TN 20: 9d10o10k6 42

Total of 1 + 3 = 4 Purification Points

Yasuki Yukarin · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 9:22 pm **Posts:** 802

Yukarin was still agitated by the events; That the army had left was no solace. They had still killed or captured people important to her, and in a way, she was just letting them walk away having done so. Not that she was about to chase the army down or anything, but it felt like she was betraying the trust of those who had been effected.

Still, she'd promised herself not to focus too much on that and do what she could. So she set about requisitioning supplies to perform purification to ensure the army of Toshigoku at least would not leave a lasting legacy. Fortunately, her pockets were nearly endless for the actual supplies, and she had basic training in such things thanks to originally being from a shugenja family, even if she did not possess the Gift herself.

--------

* Still Soul - TN15, roll = 9
* Ritual Implements - TN40 (25+10+5), roll = 63 (+2 Purification Points)
* Earnest Prayers - TN25 (20+5), roll = 28 (+1 Purification Point)
* Resisting Toshigoku - TN25 (20+5), roll = 25

Total Purification Points = 3

Isawa Miwako · **Joined:** Sat Apr 04, 2020 7:21 am **Posts:** 590

The past few days had been a difficult test. Lord Moon's influence had taken hold of Miwako for two nights. Yhe Rain Dragon had left and removed its blessing. Kashiwagi was gone. This morning, it had been a relief to see the enemy leave. But, anger had continued to build within the Tattooed tensai. She felt Toshigoku's influence strongly.

In the evening, she had managed to find a sense of peace and sought to join others in trying to purge the influence of the Realm of Slaughter, but she couldn't find the items she needed. The merchants she spoke with told her they did not have enough. The gave her what they could spare for her coin, but it was just not enough.

They were probably lying, trying to earn more profit. They were taking advantage of her. They weren't afraid of her. Not the way they should be. She should show them. They should be taught the proper way to serve an Isawa. They should be shown her strength....

- - -
EVENT: No More Toshigoku! (D12, Late Evening), Meditation/Void, TN 15: 6d10o10k3 32

EVENT: No More Toshigoku! (D12, Late Evening), Commerce/Intelligence, TN 25: 5d10o10k4 23
Void spent, 2 koku spent

Kodama · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:17 pm **Posts:** 404

He needed the calm after the earlier task of insuring people weren't killed by those who seemed corrupted by Toshigoku.

He found rest here, back in the center of himself. With a nod to his fellow monk, he then got to work creating a simple ōnusa by cutting and sewing together different shide. It was repetitive, but in a way, even further distanced him from the bloody battlefield. That was a thing to be thankful for.

He spent even longer going over the grounds, shaking the ōnusa he'd made and calling on the Fortunes to help cleanse Nigen-do from Toshigoku's touch. It wasn't a fire that you poured bucket after bucket of water onto; but each step in the ritual would add up. Each soul dedicated towards the task could make the difference. If they knew what it was they were doing was that important to the people of Nikesake.

*********
d12 Still Soul, Meditation/Void TN 15: 32
D12 Ritual Implements, Void, Craft: Tailoring/Intellect TN 20: 22
D12 Earnest Prayers, Lore: Theology, void, 2 raises TN 30: 34 = 3 Purification Points
D12 Resisting Toshigoku, Void, Etiq/Will TN 20: 33 = Safe from Toshigoku

Moshi Yuko · **Joined:** Tue Apr 28, 2020 2:38 pm **Posts:** 108

The Peace of Lady Sun is with me as I seek to do this task. Unfortunately, all of her ritual garments and equipment lay -probably destroyed- back in the ruins of the Winter Court.

So she set about trying to craft something that would please the kami. They were not exquisite but they would do.

Sadly, her prayers were unfocused and failed to drive away any of the lingering taint. She did fight off the spiritual claws trying to corrupt her, however.

OOC: Still Soul, 38
Ritual Implements, 21
Ernest Prayers, 19
Resisting Toshigoku, 35

Asako Tamaki · **Joined:** Thu Apr 02, 2020 12:17 am **Posts:** 167

Tamaki sat and drew upon the serenity of the void to ready herself for the task at hand.

Success!

Tamaki was sure her knowledge in weaponsmithing would aid her in creating the ritutal instruments.

She was wrong.

Failure!

Suzume Chihaya · **Joined:** Wed Apr 01, 2020 3:29 pm **Posts:** 850

Chihaya, after a quick bath, a change of clothes, and a moment to center herself, made her way to the monks, hoping to put the souls she had dispatched a few hours ago to peace.

It was part of the same duty. Cleaning up.

One did not leave things half-done.

Unfortunately, she was not experienced with metalworking, and found herself engrossed in the process far past the allotted time.

Indeed, the work had finished by the time she proudly held up a misshapen charm, beaten out of pot metal and awkwardly melded with bits of wire and brass.

The smith was happy to see the Sparrow on her way with assurances that if they needed it, they'd make use of it next time.

Because, you know, spirit armies might pop out of a portal on any given Tuesday.

-----

meditation: Passed https://orokos.com/roll/803917
Crafting: Failed https://orokos.com/roll/803919

Mirumoto Wasako · **Joined:** Sun Apr 05, 2020 4:56 pm **Posts:** 945

Wasako wasn't adept in the talent of hearing the kami and cooperating with them but she could sense a sort of spiritual unease that dominated the air. She wouldn't be able to logically explain it but she could easily point to the chaos that sat at the front gates for several days. While the Steel Chrysanthemum's forces were gone, his presence continued to plague Nikesake. Hopelessness and unease were in the hearts of the locals.

She was more than willing to aid the monks in whatever manner she could and it required a calm heart for the job. Yesterday, she suffered a defeat in retrieving Matsu Tani and losing the others in the operation, it tainted her mind with anxiety and doubt. However, she managed to purge those thoughts from her mind and channel herself to a singular intent. It perhaps wasn't the peace that she had hope for when she opened her eyes but this deed called for decisiveness. Peace and clarity must be earned here, especially when she had mistakenly taken it for granted since she arrived here.

When it came to crafting her implement, she attempted to craft an ema prayer board. Unfortunately, she didn't have much knowledge on how to properly shave the board into something presentable and only manage to crack it half before she could even scribe her well-wishes to purge the influence and hope for a better tomorrow. It seemed the ritual would have to go on without her.

Day 12, Late Evening Event: TN 15 Meditation/Void: 7d10o10k4 25
Day 12, Late Evening Event: TN 20 Craft: Woodworking/Intellect, Void Spent.: 3d10 13

/Failure

Bayushi Degarashi · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 7:02 pm **Posts:** 1027

Wholly unused to working simply out of a sense of duty and self sacrifice, Degarashi for once in his life decided to do something positive.

Maybe it was because he'd grown tired of all the slaughter influence hanging in the air.

Maybe.

It didn't take much, thankfully, to center his thoughts and start the process of working towards purification. Having already tinkered with woodcraft today, he decided to continue that pursuit, and found himself uncommonly focused on the task at hand. He probably could have made dozens of the little charms.

The actual process of finding spirits or territory to purify continued to elude him, unfortunately, and he found himself wishing he knew where Aya was.

As he made to leave, the frustration of failure threatened to overwhelm him, the whispers of anger and fury rising around him. He listened to them, for a brief while, then smiled and laughed into the wind.

"No," he said. "For once, I'm not angry."

*****

Still Soul, VP 1k1: 4d10o10k3 26
Success

Craft Woodworking TN20: 4d10o10k3 43
Success

Lore Theology VP for skill, 1 raise, TN25: 4d10o10k3 23
Failure

Etiquette Willpower TN20: 5d10o10k2 32
Success

Doji Monkhbaatar · **Joined:** Wed Apr 15, 2020 9:29 am **Posts:** 231

The influence of a spirit realm like Toshigoku was guaranteed to have terrible effects on this city. When the call was heard for devout samurai to help rid the city of it's influence, Monkhbaatar heeded it.

Preparing himself for his tasks, he found a spot out of the way to center his soul and steel himself for the path ahead. As he was working, someone working with hammer and nail across the room split a piece of wood they were working on, sending a shard flying directly at the back of his head. But fate was not having it, and halfway to it's destination a bird that had been loose in the temple crossed the path of the shard, struck down and stunned for a few seconds without Monkhbaatar being aware that anything had happened at all.

When he felt himself ready for the next step of the process, he rose and found some wood and a carving knife to begin shaping a charm. The guidance of one of the monks told him that something that bore the name of Hotei and suggested calm and inner peace would be best. And so that was what he made. It was rudimentary at best, given his lack of skill, but it would do the job.

After he had his charm he took his place among those praying to begin his own chanting. He repeated a prayer to Hotei, beseeching the Fortune for clarity and inner truth, followed by a prayer that wished those things upon the residents of the city. He maintained his focus on the prayers with constancy and vigilance, not allowing anything to dissuade him.

Not even the whispers left behind by the Steel Chrysanthemum's army. And they did try. But Monkhbaatar fell back on the stubbornness of his father, refusing to hear anything but his own voice and the voices of the others offering prayers.

----

No More Toshigoku, D12 LE, Still Soul, Meditation / Void, TN 15: 3d10 10

No More Toshigoku, D12 LE, Still Soul, Meditation / Void, TN 15, Luck Reroll: 3d10 23

No More Toshigoku, D12 LE, Ritual Implements, Craft: Woodworking / Intelligence, VP Phantom Rank, TN 20: 3d10o10k2 33

No More Toshigoku, D12 LE, Earnest Prayers, Lore: Theology, VP +1k1, 1 CR, TN 25: 4d10o10k3 34 +2 Purification Points

No More Toshigoku, D12 LE, Resisting Toshigoku, Etiquette / Willpower, VP +1k1, TN 20: 6d10o10k3 36

Total: 2 Purification Points

Togashi Myo-en · **Joined:** Mon Apr 06, 2020 4:27 am **Posts:** 418

Myo-en is more than willing to help the monks she'd spirited into the city yesterday. She can't disagree about the uncanny influence hanging over the city. If anything, it feels heavier now that the half-spirit, half-ningen enemy army has marched away and left the denizens of Nikesake--temporary and permanent--alone again with their own contradictions and fractures. But she has had to steady her mind against worse before, and does again now.

Nearly two years of answering Karasu-san's insatiable taste for smart bird-accessories has made Myo-en a fair hand at macrame, in a pinch, and she's able to help knot and braid the sanctified cords accurately. However, when it comes time to actually perform the invocation, she falters. Togashi monks--at least, the ones who had inducted Myo-en into the Order--are not so concerned with ritual and ceremony as the average Brotherhood sect, and internal cultivation, at least in this case, seems to be a worse preparation than she'd thought for carrying out a public rite to communicate with spirits.

Couldn't she just punch them away? It totally worked on those ghosts in Ryoko Owari that one time!

Myo-en completes the rite, but it seems to have little effect, on her or on the ghosts. At least Karasu-san seems diverted--in fact, the crow is all too eager to claim the loose ends from Myo-en's sacred knotwork when the Togashi's fruitless ritual finally comes to an end. Myo-en has to smile at that. At least the oppressive atmosphere isn't getting to the two of them--though, as is all too common, she does have the distinct feeling that the large crow knows exactly how a more skilled practitioner would handle this, and is simply judging her amateur efforts in beady-eyed silence.

---
Crunch:

Pass step 1:
D12 LE Event-- Step 1, Meditate! TN 15.: 7d10o10k4 24

Pass step 2 (no raises):
D12 LE Event-- Step 2, Get the [sanctified] Goods, Craft:Tailoring/Int TN20, unskilled +VP: 4d10 24

Fail step 3 (with a raise):
D12 LE Event-- Step 3, "Are You There, God? It's Me, Myo-en" -Theology/Int, VP for skill, 1CR = TN25: 4d10o10k3 22
Ki-rin reroll ~ D12 LE Event-- Step 3, "Are You There, God? It's Me, Myo-en" -Theology/Int, VP for skill, 1CR = TN25: 4d10o10k3 17

Pass step 4:
D12 LE Event-- Step 4, don't get cursed! TN20 Etiquette/Will, add 4 of 6 Crane Tattoo dice: 8d10o10k3 27

Zero points, one sheepish monk.

Asako Ayanojo · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 3:25 pm **Posts:** 132

The small priest was aware that the Shrines needed aid, but the necessary items for the ritual were nowhere to be found and his attempts to create his own were sorely lacking.

--

Stage 1: D12 Event Meditation/Void, VP for +1k1, TN 15: 5d10o10k4 21 Success

Stage 2: D12 Event Craft:Woodworking/Intelligence VP for skill TN 20: 4d10o10k3 16 Failed and out.

Agasha Poemu · **Joined:** Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:47 pm **Posts:** 896

To be honest, she didn't know how she did it.

-------------
Mediation, unskilled = 24 (Success)

Tailoring for implements = 25 (Success)

Lore: Theology = 21 (1 Purification)

46 for Toshigoku Roll

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

Maiya joined in the efforts to help out. While she wasn't angry she also wasn't especially useful. Perhaps the monks should have asked her to work on some armour instead?

/ Failure

EVENT: No More Toshigoku! (D12, Late Evening)

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