Session 5 Recap

General Summary

Miya Ansho informs his advisors that he has decided to leave the Lion Clan army in Sujuu Mura, station the Crane Clan army at Moku Mura, and station the Scorpion Clan army at Shizu Mura. He will also have Shiba Gaijitsu remain as governor of Koso Mura.   The PCs are deep into planning for the governor's ball now. They recommend an invitation to each of the 9 delegations that allows them 10 samurai guests for the affair at the Governor's Palace. The remaining samurai in each delegation are invited to a broader celebration that will take place in the Samurai Quarter at the same time as the ball. Each of the legions will be allowed to send 50 soldiers to the festival in the Samurai Quarter, as will the Phoenix. All 65 of the resident samurai of Naishou Province will be invited to the ball at the palace, as will the 5 known ronin. Akodo Konomi is also tasked with sending 10 representatives from her Emerald Legion to the ball.   To go along with the ball and Samurai Quarter party, a local festival will be held in each of the 12 largest settlements of the province for the peasants, paid for by the Governor but organized by the local leaders of each place and held the week before the ball, on the 28th day of Hare.   As a way to involve the monks of the brotherhood, given their importance in the province, the group suggests that the leading Fortunist and Taoist monks in the province be invited to bless the palace before the ball.   Ansho-sama approves of the approach to the guest list, as well as to the Samurai Quarter festival and peasant festivals and the monks' blessings. The group now turns to logistics.   Additional guards, stables, and servants will be required. The wording of the invitations needs to be decided and local paper, ink, and sealing wax acquired. Entertainment must be arranged, a menu planned, and extra servingware and place settings must be found. Personally, new kimonos are a must and perhaps escorts for the ball, as well.   Togashi Chiyoko sets off to acquire paper and discovers that the best quality paper made in the province comes from the Kawa Forest and Toshi no Naishou's biggest paper merchant, Taro, has very little of it and it is very highly priced (at least 3 times what Chiyoko thinks it should). Apparently most of it is sold in Koso Mura and little finds its way to Toshi no Naishou.   Hida Haundo, Kuni Taka, and Isawa Kazue visit the city's largest ink merchant, Chuko, who informs them that the best locally made inks are produced right here in the Nobu Valley and she can supply them in quantity. Taka and Kazue jointly agree on what to puchase and pay the asked price without question.   Shosuro Genjiro is tasked with acquiring the sealing wax and visits, Nanami, the peasant merchant with the best supply of wax in the city. Beekeeping, it turns out, is common in the Nobu Valley and she has plenty to supply the governor's needs. Genjiro pays the asked price and takes the opportunity to get Nanami's recommendations on the best local honeys, too.   Kitsune Sou spends his day working on the wording of the different invitations that will be needed. All 4 subtly stress the stewardship of the land.   The group meets over lunch and decides that paper is critical and if someone left immediately, they'd reach Koso Mura by midnight. It's decided that Chiyoko, Kazue, and Shiba Daisuke will set off immediately with 6 Emerald Legionnaires and that Taka, Haundo, and Togashi Akemi will follow with 2 additional soldiers the day after. In addition to the paper, this group will attempt to recruit the artists Doji Takozawa, Iuchi Lassat, and Moshi Masako to display their works during the ball and they will determine if the peasant chef Otsu would be suitable to coordinate the catering of the ball.   While Chiyoko and Kazue head for Koso Mura, Genjiro spends the afternoon buying more servingware and place settings for the palace. The non-Nobu Valley styles are very expensive in Toshi no Naishou and at the merchant's recommendation, Genjiro decides to go for a mixed Naishou Province theme and buy all of the highest quality goods in their different styles, despite the prices. She explains that for the past 2 years, there have been difficulties getting goods from the outlying settlements in Toshi no Naishou.   That evening, Sou and Kitsune Yukika attend the performance at the Dutiful Daughter and are impressed. They speak with Kakita Jottei afterward invite him and his company to perform at the governor's ball. Something is going on, however, because Jottei does not seem to relish the idea. He doesn't refuse and he tries not to let it show, but in his insistence that he will have to get Doji Shunpei's before accepting, Sou detects his lack of interest.   More positively, Sou comments on the ikebana arrangement in the room and Jottei explains that his sister created it. He summons her and Sou and Kakita Amihiko have an animated discussion of ikebana that culminates in an invitation to provide flower arrangements for the main court chamber of the palace for the ball.   That same night, elsewhere in town, Genjiro and Asahina Junko visit the Lonely Pearl Geisha House to inquire with the madam, Kikuko, about hiring her geisha to perform during the ball. The top two geisha, Suzuko and Hichihiko, are already booked tonight and they settle for spending time with Hanako, the number 4 geisha, who proves to be a good singer, but a better samisen player. They also book an appointment for the next night with Hichihiko, but Suzuko is booked for the next 2 weeks, solid. Kikuko offers to inquire with her appointment for the night of the ball to see if they would be amenable to rescheduling so that Suzuko could perform at the ball.

Rewards Granted

5XP
2XP bonus for anyone who uploaded an adventure journal of the previous session