Sapphire Ambassadors

With so many artists from across the Empire, there are a diverse display of traditions on full display. Many, of course, seek to emulate the ways of Lady Doji herself: seemingly effortless grace, drawing inspiration from a variety of sources, such as the moon upon the waters, and relying upon the support of others without a second thought.

But then there are are those who instead draw their strength from the teachings of Akodo: waking early and personally attending to things, no matter how small to ensure that everything is in readiness. Having secured permission from the hosts, Kaiu Kunio has invited their fellow artists to wake up well before Lady Sun to assist with any final preparations for the competition, no matter how small.

Step 1: Securing help first thing in the morning
Fighting off the last vestiges of Yume-Do, the artists go about the dark town to secure help that doesn't overly interfere with assigned duties. This requires a Sta/Courtier roll at TN 10. If you fail this roll, increase the TN of steps 2 and 3 by 5.

Step 2: What have we here?
The Crane have spared no expense in making sure that all the materials needed for the competitions are available. Still, a quick inventory check to assess the situation may reveal some hidden gems. This requires an Int/Investigation roll at TN 15. A pass generates one wealth point, plus 1 wealth point per raise called.

Step 3: Door Buster Deals
With the inventory checked, it's time for a quick shopping trip at the market for those last minute items. The merchants would love to extort a premium for such assistance, but savvy negotiators may be able to squeeze out an advantageous deal. This requires a Awa/Commerce check at TN 20. A pass earns two wealth points, plus one wealth pont per raise called.

With negotiations complete and Lady Sun smiling down upon those who've labored to assist with the launching of the tournament, a few lucky artists have managed to secure a little extra for themselves in their negotiations:

Prizes (total wealth points generated):

1st place: A bolt of fine silk cloth
2nd Place: A lucky cricket
3rd Place: A set of divination coins

Ties are friendly (there's enough silk, crickets, and coins to go around)

Kaiu Kunio, instead, earns 1 point of Glory per participant (2 if the character in question informs the gms that they enjoyed the event) as he coordinates the efforts.

GM Notes wrote:Please use this thread for event-rolling only. Conversation should please be held in the relevant thread, here: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=135

And if y'all like this, please let GMs know.

Morning once again found Bayushi Choudai in something of a State.

After his boozing the night before, he'd really wanted to go to Hatsuki's room and give her a foot rub. Maybe share snarky comments about the people they'd met during the day.

Far, far more... domestic fantasies than a Scorpion in love with another man's wife should indulge in, going by the pillow books.

Pillow books are shit.

And every bit as impossible as sweeping her into his arms and carrying her off someplace where they could just live out their lives together.

Additionally, he'd been thrown off of his stride by not preparing his own breakfast. He figured shouldering his way into the kitchen of the Jinabori would be frowned upon, and simply ate what was offered.

Unnatural.

Still, you'd never know it by the polite and unnervingly cheerful face he put on while looking for help when he discovered that doing so was needful.

Or maybe the locals were just a bit unnerved by a smiling Scorpion still faintly redolent of midrange sake.

When it came to nosing around, including in places he probably wasn't supposed to be, Choudai was an old hand. And anyway, he followed his nose.

Then came the bargaining.

The local merchants found themselves up against a man who had pretended to be a Yasuki trader with some success during the war in Naishou. They never really had a chance. Somehow, the accursed Bayushi knew exactly what everything was worth, right down to the last miserable bent zeni, and his bland smile as he haggled was something that would haunt more than one local vendor's nightmares.

Well, that wasn't so bad...

[Step 1- Success (Even though I screwed up and rolled two fewer dice than I should have )
Step 2- Basic success, 1 Wealth Point
Step 3- 1-raise success, 3 wealth points

4 wealth points total]

Yua had decided to involve herself in this odd game that the Crane had allowed a Crab to arrange for them. Such public displays of commerce she found strange, but she wasn't one to judge (openly). It wasn't difficult to prepare herself for the day, and she even looked very presentable despite the early morning wakeup.

Her investigation among the materials found some very good quality paints, however there was an expectation to barter for them? Yua held firm her gaze, and while she would have spent more than the item was worth she kept her dignity intact.

(OOC:
D1EM Legionnaire event roll 1 - Stamina/Courtier TN10 | 5k2 ⇒ 21 (TN: 10) pass
D1EM Legionnaire event roll 2 Intelligence/Investigation. TN15+1 raise. VP spent | 5k4 ⇒ 26 (TN: 20) pass, 2 points
D1EM Legionnaire event roll 3 Awareness/Commerce. VP for skill. TN20+1 raise | 5k4 ⇒ 16 (TN: 20) fail (was actually TN25!)

2 points

Sriyani tended to rise early, and the impulse to assist with preparations was never far from mind, though she had expected little opportunity to do so given the extensive work the organizers had already done. But inventory? She'd been pressed into that more times than she could count at the temple or when keeping the wagons stocked. There were some amazing specimens among the vases of flowers cut both to decorate around the town and for those artists in need of fresh flowers for their work. She swapped a few that had been designated for the former into the vases for the latter, knowing the artists would appreciate having the best variety of buds to flowers to chose from.

Filling out the last of the materials from shops in town was a bit more challenging. She didn't know any of the shopkeepers and was quite obviously not from anywhere important, but she managed to save the organizers a few koku appealing to the merchants' desire to show their clan in a good light by supplying the contestants well.

***********************
Step 1: Securing help first thing in the morning
Day 1 Event: Securing Help. Sta/Courtier VP for skill | 4k3 ⇒ 22 (TN: 10)

Step 2: What have we here?
Day 1 Event: What have we here? Int/Investigation Void for +1k1, 1 Raise TN 20 | 6k4 ⇒ 42 (TN: 20)
+2 Wealth Points

Step 3: Door Buster Deals
Day 1 Event: Door Buster Deals. Awa/Commerce VP for +1k1 | 5k5 ⇒ 22 (TN: 20)
+2 Wealth Points

4 total

Asano was half awake; Mornings were only sometimes her thing, depending on how she'd slept the night before. Last night hadn't been great though; Every little sound had her wondering what it was, and it didn't help how excited she was.

So when she found such a... dry competition for day one, it was all she could do to keep her eyes open. Still, she was at least composed and looking the part of a Crane, honoring her family and Clan with her appearance here appropriately. But she still paid absolutely no attention to the materials given, simply taking what she needed with a bright smile. Her smile did help her unintentionally though; Apparently a beautiful, innocent Crane maiden could expect a few deals... or at least pity!

------

Day 1, Early Morning, Step 1: Securing help first thing in the morning, Stamina/Courtier unskilled | 3k3 ⇒ 8 (TN: 10)

Day 1, Early Morning, Step 2: What have we here?, Investigation/Int unskilled, +5 tn from Step 1 | 3k3 ⇒ 17 (TN: 20) - 0 points

Day 1, Early Morning, Step 3: Door Buster Deals, Commerce/Awareness unskilled, +5 TN from step 1, spending 1/3 VP from Day 1 for 1k1 | 5k5 ⇒ 30 (TN: 25) - 2 points!

Although he does make it in time to help out, his lack of sleep shows despite his best efforts. D1/EM event, Step 1, Couetier/stamina. TN 10, 4k2 | 4k2 ⇒ 7 (TN: 10)

Thankfully his time as a quarter master's assistant taught him how to keep track of supplies without the need of others. D1/EM Event, Step 2, Investigation/Intelligence TN 15 base, +5 from failing part 1, 2 called raises, void point +1k1, TN 30 total, 7k5 | 7k5 ⇒ 34 (TN: 10)
(Not counting points since this is my event)

Then he ensures the books are correct before retiring to the stands to see how the others are doing.D1/EM Event, Step 3, Commerce/Awareness, TN 20 base, +5 from failing step 1, TN 25 total, 5k3 | 5k3 ⇒ 42 (TN: 10)

(Sorry for not changing the TN in the box, wasn't thinking)

It was not Yoshino's preference to wake up before dawn. On the other hand it was her way to respect the hospitality offered by others. With some reluctance she woke up and lit a candle to wash and dress as there was a gentle tap on her door. She stepped out where she was greeted by a Crane servant. She'd had the foresight to make arrangements the night before.

After her morning wake up call Yoshino left to check what materials were on offer. She wasn't surprised by their quality. Still, there was always a little more that could be done. If she was going to participant she at least intended to put in a good show. Some quick assessment of the items led to her visiting the market for some last minute purchases. In this she was only too familiar. Her willingness to immediately and aggressively haggle combined with her knowledge of prices for similar goods elsewhere to shock the merchants she met. It didn't faze her. It wasn't her money to waste. Perhaps she could have pushed herself for an even better deal at the end, but she had no desire to unduly stand out or cause any drama. The minimum amount of good artistic items were secured for her purposes.

-----

D1/EM Event, Step 1, 4k2 vs TN5 from free raise -> 7 = Pass
D1/EM Event, Step 2, 5k4 vs TN20, void and raise -> 30 = Pass, 2 Wealth points
D1/EM Event, Step 3, 6k4 vs TN 15 from free raise -> 30 = Pass, 2 Wealth points

Total: 4 Wealth Points

Shizenko was an early riser and found the preparations. She noticed that there were some nice materials yet the price was a bit off. She couldn't make the deal.

//Rolls
1WP earned

Moshi Tatsuya didn't like to rise early. But he really didn't like to have anyone get the drop on him, even at something as innocuous as checking supplies and other work that was probably beneath a samurai - according to someone. It seemed like someone could always come up with some reason for samurai not to do hard work, but Tatsuya wasn't above going where other samurai wouldn't or doing what other samurai wouldn't. Those were often profitable paths.

Unfortunately, Tatsuya's displeasure at rising so early on a day that didn't even require competition seemed to linger for a time, disrupting his usually clear memory for inventory and leaving him rather out of sorts. He was pacing unhappily as he saw some of his artistic competitors joining in some haggling that he found delightfully unbecoming of "honorable" samurai. At this, he couldn't hide a self-satisfied grin.

"It's so nice to see so many noble samurai aspiring to the skills of the Yasuki School," he said more loudly than necessary - and as many times as it took to make sure all those samurai heard him.

Sustaining that bit of mischief while also haggling his way through what he knew needed to be obtained was no great challenge for a dedicated student of the Yasuki, which the young Moshi assuredly was.

----------
Rolls:
Securing help: Sta/Courtier roll at TN 10. Pass.

What have we here?
Int/Investigation roll at TN 15. Just missed it.

Door Buster Deals
Awa/Commerce check at TN 20. Pass w/2 CR and 1 FR.
Total: 5 wealth points.

With the supplies for the competition triple-checked and Lady Sun fully roused, a few of those samurai who helped out find themselves with some small tokens of the Crane's appreciate for their efforts:

1st: Bolt of fine silk cloth for Moshi Tatsuya
2nd: A lucky Cricket for Doji Yoshino, Horiuchi Siryani, and Bayushi Choudai
3rd: A set of divination coins for Asahina Asano and Otomo Yua,

Kaiu Kunio receives 0.7 Glory for his coordination efforts.