Sapphire Ambassadors

There's always more going on than the main event, after all...

Three Amigos
Each of Shiba Aibou, Shosuro Otoko, and Yoritomo Tomodachi seeks to be the host of the next Sapphire Championship; the possible prestige of the event attracts them, as do the additional lobbying and influence opportunities. The decision rests with Doji Utemaro, as he successfully convened the first such and is being given wide latitude in establishing its traditions; influencing his decision can be accomplished in several ways:

• Direct Lobbying: Once per IC day, during conversation with any of the Major Players (see the list of Major NPCs), a PC may roll Courtier (Rhetoric), Etiquette (Bureaucracy or Conversation), or Sincerity / Awareness, TN 20. Success earns 1 Amigo Point, +1 Amigo Point / Raise; failure loses the Amigo a number of Amigo Points equal to the number of Called Raises on the roll. PCs Allied with an Amigo are assumed to give Amigo Points to their Ally; other PCs must specify the target of their lobbying.
• Mudslinging: Once per IC day, during conversation with any of the Major Players, a PC may roll Courtier (Gossip), Sincerity, or Games: Sadane / Awareness, TN 20. Success loses a named Amigo 1 Amigo Point, +1 Amigo Point / Raise; failure gainst that Amigo a number of Amigo Points equal to the number of Called Raises on the roll. PCs Allied with an Amigo are assumed to target their Amigo’s hated factor; other PCs must specify the target of their mudslinging.
• Victory: With each of the Chosen Art rolls, the PC may dedicate the work to one of the Amigos. The Amigo receives a number of Amigo Points equal to the number of the Sapphire Points earned by the roll; this can result in negative gains. PCs Allied to an Amigo are assumed to dedicate their work to that Amigo; other PCs must specify the target of their dedication.

Each influence attempt must be made in a publicly viewable thread (unless otherwise noted), but it may be made in conjunction with another activity. All such attempts must be flagged to GM attention in a targeted thread in the player’s PF; a link to the attempt is needed. Any attempts not noted in the PF will be disregarded.

The Amigo with the most Amigo Points when the Finale begins will be awarded the right to host the next Sapphire Championship. Supporters of that Amigo gain a rank of the Fame Advantage; PCs Allied to the winning Amigo additionally gain XP equal to the amount of Devotion not expended (i.e., a PC Allied to the winning Amigo with Devotion 4 and who does not expend the Devotion for the bonus to the Chosen Art roll gains 4 XP). PCs Allied to losing Amigos gain points of Infamy equal to the Devotion of their Allied Amigo.

There is a special rule that may apply if conditions for it are triggered. Those conditions and that rule will be kept secret until they apply.

Tea Wars
The four tea houses in Teitaku Town are operated by four cousins. They are close in age and in skill, and each is trying to maneuver to take over the other three. PCs can help or hinder one or all of them, with a potential for reward in each case.

To participate in the Tea Wars, once per day, a PC can do one of the following:

• Patronize a tea room: Go to a tea room, buy tea, drink it, get one Tea Point for the establishment (may not coincide with buying into a tea room).
• Buy into a tea room: Go to a tea room, meet with the proprietor, offer patronage at the rate of 1 Koku = 3 Tea Points, pay up, get the Tea Points for the establishment; may make a Commerce / Intelligence roll (counts as an uncontested Social Skill roll with a peasant with no Disadvantages), TN 15, to add an additional Tea Point, +1 Tea Point / Raise. (This may not coincide with patronizing a tea room.)
• Promote a tea room: Outside of a tea room, talk up said tea room to others; make an Applicable Skill / Trait* roll (counts as an uncontested Social Skill roll with a samurai of equivalent Status and no Disadvantages), TN 15, to get 1 Tea Point for the establishment, +1 Tea Point per Raise--failure without Called Raises incurs no penalty, but failure with Called Raises loses the establishment the number of Tea Points that would have been gained on a success (this can result in negative Tea Points applied).
• Denigrate a tea room: Outside of a tea room, badmouth said tea room to others; make an Applicable Skill / Trait* roll (counts as an uncontested Social Skill roll with a samurai of equivalent Status and no Disadvantages), TN 15, to lose 1 Tea Point for the establishment, losing 1 additional Tea Point per Raise--failure without Called Raises incurs no penalty, but failure with Called Raises gains the establishment the number of Tea Points that would have been deducted on a success.

*Applicable Skills / Traits include Commerce / Intelligence, Courtier (Rhetoric) / Awareness, Etiquette / Awareness, Intimidation / Willpower, Lore: Tea / Intelligence, Lore: Underworld / Awareness, Sincerity / Willpower, and Tea Ceremony / Void. If you think you can justify another Skill / Trait, ask a GM.

The attempt must be made in a publicly viewable thread (unless otherwise noted), but it may be made in conjunction with another activity. All such attempts must be flagged to GM attention in a thread in the player’s PF; a link to the attempt is needed. Any attempts not noted in the PF will be disregarded.

During the Epilogue, the manager of the tea room that has gotten the most Tea Points takes over the operations of the other three. Patrons of the winner who earned at least 10 Tea Points for the establishment gain 1 rank of Wealthy as merchant patrons; the patron of the winner who earned the most Tea Points for it gains an additional rank of Wealthy. (This is not subject to by-Clan or by-School cost reductions; 2 to 4 more Koku in the stipend is plenty enough, thank you.)

Hosting Your Own Event!

Whenever samurai from across the land seek to gather, they seek to test themselves against each other. The Crane have provided a competition for the most prestigious artists across the Empire, and yet some yearn for other ways to test their mettle and bring glory to their name.

With the following limitations, players may design the event as they see fit in regards to number of rolls, skills used, TNs, and scoring:

• There can only be one player created event per day (excluding Day 0 and Day 10, which may have no events). If more than one player event is proposed for a given day, it is up to the GMs to decide which event is run and which are delayed/cancelled.
• A player can only run one player event during the game. This includes if they opt to co-host with other players.
• Players must propose their event at least one day in advance (you cannot launch a player event on the same day you propose it.)
• Player events may not disrupt the main competition.
• Player events cannot be overly disruptive to the hosts and guests in general (GM determination).
• Player events may not be more damaging than a standard first strike iaijitsu tournament.
• Player events must have an honorable theme and a reasonable, honorable way to win. Adding in dishonorable routes is fine, but it cannot define the event.
• Player events may draw upon the resources of the hosts within reason. Tournament areas, judges, tools, and servants can be called upon within reason (GM determination).
• The Crane will provide 10 koku value of prizes This may be divided up however the player sees fit, but it is expected that the prizes are items, not just sacks of money.

Reward:
Not counting the player/s hosting the event, every participant in the event grants +0.1 Glory to the player/players hosting the event. If a participant communicates to the GMs that they found the event fun/good/worthy, they will gain +0.2 Glory for that participant, instead.