Marullus wrote: ↑Wed Feb 23, 2022 3:13 pm
The city of
Takayama is the capital of Hido province and the principal seat of power for the Washima clan. The Daimyo rules from his castle here, brisk trade flowing in and out of the city as the powerful clans all come here to sit in their councils. With almost 12,000 residents, its crowded streets teem with activity and it is easy to move about with anonymity for those who choose it. The tea house is located on the opposite side of the city from the
Sho-gawa river and its multitude of fisheries, from which the city derives most of its income. Besides the citadel, you see the red, upturned roofs of
Kogyoku-o-tara, The Jade Temple, and
Majime-na-hoshii-o-tara, The Temple of Earnest Desires for Enlightenment, rising serenely above the din of the streets on high ground, across the city from each other. Each temple is large enough to qualify as a village itself, but is dwarfed by city around them.
(Class D city, Level 4 Citadel)
Hida Province:
It is a comfortable life, being
honored guests of the Daimyo with rooms in the Citadel. Now washed and with good, clean clothes, the ministers around you are much more comfortable and acclimated to your presence. You have fine meals as befits honored guests and are granted a room to dine together and discuss your private matters each evening.
The month of Satsuki, when the rice seedlings are planted, is before you and full of opportunity. The chill of weather has passed - the nights no longer dip close to freezing
(48f)and are comfortable enough to walk without a coat and the days rise to a pleasant temperature for outdoor work
(68f) with mid-day showers each day to water the rice a fill the fields and in four or five months lead to harvest. You know by the end of the month it will average higher
(79f) - a fine Nippon summer. The river teems with fry, the fisheries busy each day with their catch, feeding the population and keeping the lingering smell of drying fish everpresent as they prepare portions to ship to the rest of the province as well.
Attached to the outer courts of the citadel is the
Senso-Ryu, the War School, which is subsidized and patroned by the Daimyo. It is exclusive and difficult to gain entry and those not in-service often have to step aside to make room should more prominent samurai require teaching. The Daimyo's grace allows you all assured access as a rare privlege. Several at the school are renowned masters
(i.e. Level 6) and highly sought. Sensei Washima Masakage runs the school and focuses instruction on the most promising swordsmen, teaching the okuden of the Piercing Thrust and Reverse Cut. He is served by two other renowned masters, Yasui Arimoto and Kozuki Yoshinori, who teach kenjutsu and iaijutsu. All other bushi skills are offered as well, with assistance from their senior staff Matsumine Shokken and Kano Tadonori. There is also a Budoka, Getory, who teaches knowledge of Atemi-waza, Shinobi, and Shurikenjutsu.
Zenrin feels the weight of sin upon his soul and the need for reflective contemplation and absolution.
Kogyoku-o-tera, the Jade Temple beckons, known throughout Hida for their piety and as a place of meditation and contemplation. The monks there are withdrawn and ascetic, which appeals to Zenrin's needs, even if it makes it more difficult to convince them to take on a pupil. He receives a letter of introduction to the Abbot, Tansui Jichu, who would need to oversee any instruction in the ways of the Buddha himself (Butsu-do), but his senior staff - Kenzan, Ansai, and Shisei - all also mentor supplicants in meditation and could absolve his sins.
Keiso seeks the
Majime-no-hoshii-o-tera, the Temple of Earnest Desires for Enlightenment, on the other side of the city. This temple is the largest in the city and more politically active, not lost in personal contemplation. That means, however, that they offer instruction to Buddhist gakusho in all of the Yoga, bojutsu, jujutsu, and divination rather than just in contemplation of silence. A letter to the Abbot, Tomiku Mitsuhira, secures him entry.
Saizo knows that the Stalking Shadows clan operates in Hida province, but they have an unusually low profile even for ninja. Since Washima Fuhito ended the war ten years ago and forged a peace among the families, business has slackened off. Their clan is not enemies with his own, at least, and he may be able to barter with his present position as a ronin emplaced in the Citadel. To seek their base and request training, he would need to go into the Hide-Sanmyaku mountains outside the border of the province. His keen eye, however, has seen some likely prospects here in the city if he is willing to risk approaching them and appealing to them for mentorship.
Please read 1052.0 Study and Training. Each 'study turn' is a week, so you can train four weeks for four turns. You get normal advancement as noted by the Learning Bonuses and Learning Hinderances for attending classes at the schools above. If you roll to be accepted by a Teacher, that allows the Private Instruction bonus but if you attempt the roll and fail that teacher will not have you in class at all and you'll need to make do with other instructors (or if no other instructor teaches it, a different skill). If attempting it, roll 1d100 and I'll adjudicate. Learning in class requires rolepaly and stating intent, but no rolls because you already are granted access.
