Scroll 1 - The Master Craftsman's Tea Vessel

[ffilz]

Mioru will also purchase a pair of geta as a gift.

[Marullus]

Having purchased the geta sandals and gotten her information from the merchant, Kaida follows the lead to Tanaka's shop and implements their plan.

She sees if the merchant is available, or if she can work the assistant present to get an introduction to the Villa to attend the merchant there. She allows the clink of coins in her full purse to whet the appetite of the greedy merchants, and implies the offer of a long-term lucrative deal if she is impressed with his standing.

How are you handling the interaction? Here's a Rhetoric test for the quick-tongued Kaida.
Rhetoric (BCS 15) [1d20]=18

It could be a full social test, but that would mean establishing the social standing of the priest cover story, incorporating the effect number of the Rhetoric test, and then determining the outcome with "mutual benefit" criteria added. That's likely to just result in a "I need this first" result for the merchant which might not be conducive to the story - we don't actually need success on the deal, just to talk our way into an inivitation to the Villa.

[jemmus]

Bushido's rules on social status, comparative social Status, and social interaction reactions (with random rolls) are really interesting. They start at 1062.0 (p. 22 of Book One). But TBH, it would take a lot of GM time, for I think provide limited benefit in this case. We'd have to figure out Kaida's hensu-jutsu priest's caste and rank within the cast and percentage bonuses for her role her internal group (the temple priests). (It would probably be rather high, considering that she's portraying negotiating an ongoing business arrangement). Then determine the NPC's Status and any modifiers for the situation ("of mutual benefit," "presented a valuable gift," etc.) Then do a roll. Again TBH, I'd rather spend the GM time moving the action along.

Since we're in cloak and dagger stealth tactical realism mode, Fuma and Jinsei don't know what Kaida and Minoru are doing, and vice versa. So I'm posting via PM to Kaida and Minoru.

[Marullus]

As the day fades towards dusk, Kaida returns to the shrine and waits, praying, as they agreed.

[Grognardsw]

Jinsei and Fuma returned to the shrine to meet the others.

“There is no spying spot outside the target compound. We will have to climb the wall and spy from within. Perhaps tonight.”

Jinsei looked at Fuma to elaborate.

[ffilz]

As the day fades towards dusk, Kaida returns to the shrine and waits, praying, as they agreed.

Minoru returned with Kaida.

[jemmus]

The two mountain fishermen and two priests separately make their way to the peaceful shrine of Hachiman, the god of war and battle. They pass through samurai and ronin checkpoints at the city's streets' intersections, each of them under the command of a mounted and armored samurai officer. The low ranking samurai foot soldiers growl, Remember, off of the streets by the Hour of the Serpent!* If you can't make it home or to an inn by then, stay where you are until sunrise. No excuses, no explanations, no exceptions!

At dusk a wind starts gusting, gray clouds block the Sun, and the smell of dark soil is in the air. Big drops of rain start to fall as the priests and fishermen enter the tranquil shrine.

The kindly-looking, wispy-bearded middle-aged kaminushi Shinto priest whom they had exchanged polite greetings with earlier in the day hurries along with a bamboo and lacquered paper umbrella. Welcome! I'm very sorry, I'm going home. Please shelter under the roof of the shrine's little pavilion until you can get home! Please take care of your health and don't get sick!


The rain starts to pour in a deluge, as if buckets are being dumped from the sky. The sound of water striking the roof, the stones, the plants, trees and the earth drowns all but the most immediate sounds.

It's the perfect time and place for the young ninja of the nakama to privately reunite, discuss, and plan.

*9:00 PM - 11:00 PM[/ooc]

[Rex]

Fuma

"I could only find one place to observe from and climbing to it would be exposed, can only safely be done after nightfall."

[Marullus]

Kaida quietly contemplates all things.

"We have learned that the master is away. The gardens are being redesigned - possibly by the paineter Zeami of the capital - so we have incentive to go while they are not at work, as well. We could not gain admittance and you could find no place to surveil, so our recognissance seems to be ended." She steeples her fingers. "It seems we attempt infiltration under cover of darkness, yes? You have a route for climbing in the dark? Minoru, you are our Rooster. What other roles will you each take?"

You can refresh on our capabilities here. We traded Ninjutsu for Hensu-Jutsu on Kaida - having failed recon and failed to gain access, she will sit out of the mission (she can't really climb or sneak) or can be a decoy at the front gate...

[Grognardsw]

Jinsei enjoys the rain as he listens for Minoru’s wisdom.



What is the time at the moment?

[jemmus]

It's dusk, just before dark.

[ffilz]

We need to consider if there is some way Kaida can assist. Is there a nearby place she could keep watch without arousing suspicion? I know, difficult with a lock down.

Who is best suited for climbing over and retrieving the tea vessel?

[Marullus]

Kawaishi-sensei had said, We don't know the number of servants and guards at Tanaka Jiro's mansion. Part of your mission is to find out that information, for future use. And to prepare a map of the grounds and the interior, if only an approximate one from memory upon your return. But we know generally what staff a residence of such size and wealth would have.
Guards. Two to four, usually stationed outside the residence. Tanaka Jiro is known to be thrifty, so it's possible he would substitute an outdoors watchdog for a ronin's pay.
Servants. A gardener. For an estate of this size, he should have at least one assistant.
A cook and an assistant, who is also a meals server.
Three to five maids for housekeeping and laundry.
A personal maid for lady's dressing, toiletry, chamber pot, and general assistance. Another (male or female) for the lord's. These maids must ready on a moment's notice to empty a chamber pot, day or night. They are light sleepers.
If there are young children, a nanny.
A head servant managing the others. Often this is an older woman who carries or has access to keys to locks.
A steward serving as the general manager of the residence and its maintenance and repairs, provisions and supplies, and security. This man is usually of the merchant caste, mid-rank. He is often the who instead carries or stores the keys.

Our mission is:

• Steal the teacup (and emplace the fake cup)
• Find the number of servants and guards
• Map the grounds and interior
• don't get noticed
• If noticed, don't get caught

Kaida can knock on the gate and prompt a response to draw out some personnel in that direction, allowing others to more easily infiltrate at a different part of the compound. Her disguises would allow her to knock on the door as a eta shugenja/performer (no disguise) or a visiting merchant from another province, either of which can be seeking hospitality with it getting dark, as the soldiers tell us to do. [Jemmus - if there's a reason we culturally should not expect strong rites of hospitality, please advise us upfront] Re-using the Wandering Priest disguise after already being rebuffed and denied audience is too much attention and this is not the time for a Buke daughter disguise.

What do you guys think?

You can refresh on each team member's capabilities here.


Otherwise, for her team-support role:

After a pause, she speaks again, her eyes lowered. "As you are my nakadan, I will speak of the gifts of my mother." She fidgets with her fingers on her lap. "For those that will infiltrate, I can make the ghost reveal itself to your eyes, should it be present, but only for the the span of an hour. My own sight also sees at night as if it were day and if I encounter difficulty I can ask locks or bindings to release themselves. Otherwise, I have several ways to facilitate escape should it be necessary by my ability with the elements - blinding with light, obscuring with smoke, disturbing the earth or making it slick with mud, or the most minor of illusions. If you become debilitated, I can aid you enough to escape, rather than face death... all of these things, though, must be held in reserve or risk our exposure."

[Rex]

Seems a reasonable plan.

[jemmus]

Nippon's culture doesn't have an particular tradition about providing hospitality to strangers. Except: a much lower ranking person could hardly refuse a much higher ranking person's request hospitality. For example a peasant farmer could hardly refuse a high rank samurai's request.

[Grognardsw]

“Fuma and I are similarly skilled at climbing, lock picking and stealth,” said Jinsei to the others. “With our ninjato scabbard or rope, climbing should not be difficult.”

“Perhaps Minoru stays up in the tree, and maps and observes staff that may be about or drawn to Kaida’s decoy visit. Fuma and I infiltrate from the northeast side and switch the teacup.”

“After Kaida’s distraction is played out, perhaps she could join Minoru in the tree. She could observe and listen for disturbances - meaning us in trouble - and spell cast to draw people away from us. Elemental smoke, light, sound, illusion or some such.”

Jinsei pondered privately... two ninja going in the house doubled the risk of noise and exposure. On the other hand, it was safer if things went sideways.

How tall is the wall?

[jemmus]

The wall is 3 yards high, and of course, roofed.

[Grognardsw]

Jinsei considered the wall. At about 9’ high with roof overhang, one could jump up, grab the roof edge and pull oneself up. A safer approach would be a boost up from a fellow ninja, to examine the roof line for glass or barbs, then climb onto roof and help the other up.

[Marullus]

Nippon's culture doesn't have an particular tradition about providing hospitality to strangers. Except: a much lower ranking person could hardly refuse a much higher ranking person's request hospitality. For example a peasant farmer could hardly refuse a high rank samurai's request.

Oh, so a "Buke daughter" who is a young Takeda and is caught too far from her home and can't be refused shelter is just the kind of social more that a ninja would exploit. Got it.

[jemmus]

There are a lot of Takeda in Kofu, so maybe a related clan such as the rural Andoh would be an option? Buke Kaida would need a good story about why she's asking for hospitality from a merchant caste house. And a Rhetoric roll. (FYI all, buke means warrior profession, of whatever caste).