The New Winds

Day 3
25 Dragon, 1123

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ANNOUNCEMENTS:
-Due to feedback, selecting the proper ring for events on D3 and onward will now award 7 points instead of 5.
-Due to feedback and player votes, the spell Fire Kami's Blessing has been eratta'd

Old:

for the duration of this spell, the target gains a +Xk0 bonus (where X is the caster’s Fire Ring) to any High or Merchant Skill rolls using the Intelligence Trait.

Eratta (In bold)

for the duration of this spell, the target gains a +Xk0 bonus (where X is the caster’s Fire Ring, with a maximum bonus equal to the casters Mastery Level + Affinity ) to any High or Merchant Skill rolls using the Intelligence Trait.

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The third day of the Championship has the students gather outside of the Academy to be led to the fields outside of Tsuma to conduct two of their tests. There are many observers, keen to see how the samurai are doing. Additionally, a list stating how the contestants performed on day 2 is posted at the Academy, which can be found here: viewtopic.php?f=225&t=1486

-Weather: Gentle breeze, clear skies, and pleasantly warm

-Moon: The Moon is in its first third, and will be Full in roughly 3 days (Day 6)

-Events:

Late Morning: Obstacle Course
viewtopic.php?f=249&t=1113&p=14646#p14646

Early Afternoon: Horseback Riding
viewtopic.php?f=248&t=1114

Late Afternoon: Culture
viewtopic.php?f=228&t=996

Rumors:

Kaiu Aiichiro is a rude busybody who should stay out of other people’s business.

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Kakita Kenji was embarrassingly unprepared for his sumo match, he wouldn’t have gotten hurt if he knew what he was doing.

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I hear there is a talented Kaiu smith in town for the Topaz Championship. Any artisan worth their snuff would make a grave mistake if they didn't see him in action. He is staying at the House of the Laughing Carp, but I wonder where he works? There's only one forge for guests in town, maybe he works there.

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Around Dinner on Day 2, a young courtier wearing Ikoma mons was seen in one of the busiest squares of the city proclaiming the following story for all to hear:

"Matsu Qiang, master of the ring, won his first official match today against Kakita Kenji. In a hard fought battle, both sides pushed themselves to the limit and only when his body gave out, his honor untarnished and his courage unbroken, did Kakita Kenji fall. Matsu Qiang, showing sincerity and compassion for his opponent, sought a priest's assistance in healing his former foe.

They remain rivals even now with a newfound respect between Matsu and Kakita.

(Matsu Qiang and Kakita Kenji both earn 0.1 Glory!)
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--I had no idea that wasabi was habit-forming, did you?
--No! What makes you say that?
--I was walking down the street near the docks, and one of the Ikoma boys--not sure which one, if I'm honest--was shaking and rubbing at his upper lip. Then he took what I can only describe as a massive hit of wasabi! Just took it up with his thumb and plonked it right in his mouth! Well, he sure seemed to like that, I can tell you!
--My goodness! That poor soul! I must be more careful with it, then.

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--Matsu Qiang is a great bloody beast! Did you see that he nearly killed that Kakita boy?
--He wasn't always that way. When I knew him at Hirosaka, he was kind and honorable, as near to the ideal Lion samurai as one could imagine, Whatever could have made him forget his honor so?

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People are saying that the spirit of Doji Satsume appeared to the Bayushi boys last night.
Probably to tell them to get out of his lands, I would imagine.
Well, they're both still here. If he had said something like that to me, I'd have taken the next ticket home, dishonor or no dishonor!
Whatever could he have wanted, then? And why the Scorpion?

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--I have heard that the Imperial Nakodo has been very busy these last few months with the highborn children from the Hirosaka dojo.
--Oh? Who is the catch of the season?
--Otomo Nobuko, for certain, but she is already spoken for by that big Moto. The same applies to Kakita Kenji and Kakita Kazuko and Kitsune Zashi and Doji Sakura.
--Wow! That's a lot of beautiful couples! *swoons*
--Who is still up for grabs?
--Well, that devil Bayushi Jiro, for one, is looking for a husband with whom he can run the courts. He's on the fast track for high office in the Scorpion clan. And Kokyou, of course. Boy, I pity the woman who is tasked with holding that man down!
--That is a burden I would willingly shoulder!! I could tame his wild ways!! I could make him love me!! Kokyouuuu.... NOTICE ME!!!

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A Mantis guest got his room removed from the Inn where the competitors are staying without a clear explanation, and another was nearly bullied out of the Kakita Academy by Doji Kotomi, one of their most prominent students.

These are slights unfit to the Crane, the Clan of Lady Doji's courtesy.

One wonders if the Mantis is being targeted.

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The girl that ranked first at Hirosaka Dojo, Mai. She does to try hide, but boy, I tell you, what a beast! She's packed with all the blessings. I wonder how all the other girls are not intimidated by her.

Have you noticed how fit these Mantis are. Is there a special kind of fish they feed them with?

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Three times now, the Mantis have been mistreated at Tsuma. Hitoshi, one of their most devoted competitors, has had most of his points on the Heraldry test voided. I assure you he guessed them correctly. Is there some sort of prejudice going on among the ranks of the sensei toward the Minor Clans?

Someone must look at that. What a shame.

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Hitoshi is such a great and noble samurai, I can't believe how he is being treated!

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That Kitsune, Zashi, had quite the showing yesterday! Even the Kami wanted to help him!

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I swear, Hitoshi must have done something to make people mad, he keeps getting blatantly targeted for failure!

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Clarification for Obstacle Course and Horseback Riding:

Only your first roll matters for the obstacles and for the horseback riding. If you fail, you can't gain points for that roll even if you later pass. You do NOT have to continue rolling, but roleplay wise, it looks better to the sensei if you continue rolling until you pass. This however is not mandatory, so if you fail, you can just move on and not bother continuing to roll.

Note: If you fall into the mud on the obstacle course, you MUST roll until you get out of the mud.

Popup Event: Early Evening
viewtopic.php?f=226&t=1515#p18713