[D3 EN] Waves on the Beach

[Ikoma Ren]

Ren is mostly unobtrusive, starting a small fire. There are a few stumps that he's dragged over to sit on as he strums his shamisen.

How many heard? How many will come? How many will be interested?

It was a question that would be in the hands of the Fortunes to answer at this point.

[Sutorenja]

Sutorenja arrived with a calm expression, another ronin following her.

[Yoko]

Yoko wasn't one to let something of a gathering go unmet, and she'd met Ren too. So, even this spunky ronin managed an appearance. Likely helped she wouldn't have been all that far behind the first pair.

[Hida Daichi]

Daichi had heard rumor of the meeting on the beach and his curiosity was certainly piqued The big Crab arrived with both an instrument and a tetsubo strapped to his back, he didn't expect problem with the wave people but the beach wasn't known for being exactly safe after dark. He nodded to those he knew and looked to the Lion "You call this little meeting? I heard about it and got curious. Hope my presence here doesn't disturb you." he said in a tone that wasn't confrontational but also said he planned to stay whether it did or not.

[Kakita Konohamaru]

So this was it.

This was the ronin meeting which had him and Jinzo on edge. He didn't know how many he would have to kill - a tens, fifties, maybe a hundred ronin if any came in by Kobune. What had they gathered for - A riot? An army? A recruitment drive?

He burst from the side, ready to do die for the wedding an-

...Where was everyone?

Noticeably less on edge, he turned to the Hida and the Ikoma.

"Is this one of your meetings?"

[Ikoma Ren]

"I'm the one who called the meeting, yes." Ren plucks a few strings idly on his shamisen. He looks around and chuckles. "And what a meeting it's turned out to be. I wound up getting just as many Clan samurai as Ronin. It's a bit of a disappointment."

His humor dips as he realizes that it's a Crab and a Crane, and that he might be in serious trouble.

"Nothing nefarious or illegal is being planned. The Lion Clan is in an usual position, and I've been looking at an unorthodox solution. The first part of which would be to attempt to organize a Ronin band that my superiors could trust enough not to turn on their employer on a whim or sack a village to fill their coffers. It seems like a tall task, but there appeared to be a large number of them visiting, along with representatives who could offer honest work. Feel free to ask whatever questions you like."

[Kakita Konohamaru]

"I'm the one who called the meeting, yes." Ren plucks a few strings idly on his shamisen. He looks around and chuckles. "And what a meeting it's turned out to be. I wound up getting just as many Clan samurai as Ronin. It's a bit of a disappointment."

His humor dips as he realizes that it's a Crab and a Crane, and that he might be in serious trouble.

"Nothing nefarious or illegal is being planned. The Lion Clan is in an usual position, and I've been looking at an unorthodox solution. The first part of which would be to attempt to organize a Ronin band that my superiors could trust enough not to turn on their employer on a whim or sack a village to fill their coffers. It seems like a tall task, but there appeared to be a large number of them visiting, along with representatives who could offer honest work. Feel free to ask whatever questions you like."

After the previous events of the night, Konohamaru sighed.

"Please, Ikoma-san, make yourself known to the authorities the next time you plan such a gathering. We thought it was a planned coup or riot."

As he said this, he produced a green fan and held it high. The two runners stationed nearby sighed in relief, relaxing somewhat and casually heading back to report.

"As for questions, a few - how do you know Sutorenja or Yoko? Did you not know about the recent attacks near the dock area?"

[Ikoma Ren]

Ren blinks for a moment, looking around at the assembled group. "It would be quite a poor coup. And to what end? To have a Lion try to...hold a Crab village? Completely isolated and cut off? Led by ronin? I think that might have made the histories if purely for how immensely doomed to failure that would be, to be studied under the lines of "exactly what not to do""

He shakes his head. "But as to your other question, I met Sutorenja-san at the crossing, where a pair of Crab guards seemed intent on assaulting her honor in order to gain passage, if you understand by meaning. I thought that a word on my end, and a promise to take responsibility for her behavior would prevent damage on all sides. As for Yoko-san, I met her at the baths. She indicated that she would be looking for work after her current engagement with her employers concludes"

[Yoko]

"It's nice when coin comes in a way that's a little nicer than others," she commented, corroborating perhaps but really she just felt like she wasn't enough of a nuisance.

[Kakita Konohamaru]

Ren blinks for a moment, looking around at the assembled group. "It would be quite a poor coup. And to what end? To have a Lion try to...hold a Crab village? Completely isolated and cut off? Led by ronin? I think that might have made the histories if purely for how immensely doomed to failure that would be, to be studied under the lines of "exactly what not to do""

"Had we known it was Lion lead, we wouldn't have had such doubts. Our first assumption was a rich local merchant or the rumoured 'witch' haunting Hida Yoji."

He shakes his head. "But as to your other question, I met Sutorenja-san at the crossing, where a pair of Crab guards seemed intent on assaulting her honor in order to gain passage, if you understand by meaning. I thought that a word on my end, and a promise to take responsibility for her behavior would prevent damage on all sides. As for Yoko-san, I met her at the baths. She indicated that she would be looking for work after her current engagement with her employers concludes"

"I know what you mean."

A corrupt magistrate was a dead magistrate, by the time Ji caught a hold of them. Like most things about the dreaded one, it began as happenstance and then became law. He had come to find he could 'let loose' on such targets, as their abuse of power waned any sympathy for them.

So you

Not even

YOU ARE THE LU...

Eventually he simply coughed, and settled on

"Try and keep your yojimbo closer to you - an Imperial almost cut her down under false charges." He looked to Sutorenja. He did not say what they knew, but he showed it was deliberate. It would be her choice, he supposed.

[Sutorenja]

"I am fine, and Ikoma-sama has only the best of intentions," she said calmly.

[Hida Daichi]

Daichi shrugged "I was just curious, I'm no magistrate or official. I just wanted to know who was gathering a bunch of ronin on the beach in the night. You must admit Ikoma-san it sounds suspicious. Though I figured if it were anything nefarious the person wouldn't make it so easy to find out about." Daichi said leaning on the nearest support "im just a curious observer dont mind me."

[Ikoma Ren]

Ren sputters for a moment. "Sutorenja-san? What happened, are you alright?" He pauses, "Alright, now I realize how foolish a question that is to ask, but I had no idea." He sighs. "My apologies. I should have stayed closer to you."

[Sutorenja]

Ren sputters for a moment. "Sutorenja-san? What happened, are you alright?" He pauses, "Alright, now I realize how foolish a question that is to ask, but I had no idea." He sighs. "My apologies. I should have stayed closer to you."

"Your concern is enough my friend, please do not worry for me," she said with a nod.

[Yoko]

Daichi shrugged "I was just curious, I'm no magistrate or official. I just wanted to know who was gathering a bunch of ronin on the beach in the night. You must admit Ikoma-san it sounds suspicious. Though I figured if it were anything nefarious the person wouldn't make it so easy to find out about." Daichi said leaning on the nearest support "im just a curious observer dont mind me."

Yoko walked over a little closer to Daichi while the other bits were settled. Leaning in just a bit she said in a quieter voice, "Just a curious observer today, eh?" she looked up to the big guy with a smirk.

[Hida Daichi]

He smirked down at the smaller woman "what you think I'm here to impose Crab laws or look out for clan interest or something?" He said with a chuckle "when someone puts out word to gather the wolves at night its at minimum a curious thing."

[Kakita Konohamaru]

"Your concern is enough my friend, please do not worry for me," she said with a nod.

"A false warrant was made for her head. I barely spotted the ruse. Do, in fact, worry for her more than not."

It was direct contradiction, but he thought she was being stupid about the situation.

[Sutorenja]

That brought a rare glance of annoyance to the Crane but as he technically outranked her she just nodded and said, “I did not think we need to announce what happened to everyone in earshot, but this one bows to your prudence, Magistrate.”

[Yoko]

He smirked down at the smaller woman "what you think I'm here to impose Crab laws or look out for clan interest or something?" He said with a chuckle "when someone puts out word to gather the wolves at night its at minimum a curious thing."

"It is, isn't it? Half the reason I would have been here if I hadn't met Ikoma-sama the other day," she commented, glancing from this side conversation to the troublesome one. "Let me go do the thing I do best, eh?" she said, smirking as she walked back over more toward Ren.

"Ikoma-sama, you didn't go into much detail the other day, eh? What were you hoping to get this little band of ronin to do?" she said, her voice maybe a little louder than normal so it carried attention toward it.

[Kakita Konohamaru]

That brought a rare glance of annoyance to the Crane but as he technically outranked her she just nodded and said, “I did not think we need to announce what happened to everyone in earshot, but this one bowws to your prudence, Magistrate.”

The Kakita's stance was unmoving, unwavering. His gaze equally unaffected.

"It is too easy to say nothing behind closed doors. Better say what you think then hope someone else does."

[Hida Daichi]

"It is, isn't it? Half the reason I would have been here if I hadn't met Ikoma-sama the other day," she commented, glancing from this side conversation to the troublesome one. "Let me go do the thing I do best, eh?" she said, smirking as she walked back over more toward Ren.

"Ikoma-sama, you didn't go into much detail the other day, eh? What were you hoping to get this little band of ronin to do?" she said, her voice maybe a little louder than normal so it carried attention toward it.

Daichi nodded "do your thing, i like watching you work." He teased waving her toward the conversation.

[Ikoma Ren]

"There is an long explanation as to why, but the "what" is simple enough" Ren clears his throat. "The Lion face an issue, wherein they have need to decrease the size of their armies after the loss of favor of the Imperial families. This has led to a self-reinforcing problem, one we do not like sharing blithely with other clans." Ren looks over the Crab and Crane.

"If a master cannot afford to pay his samurai, or is a master perishes in battle and no heir can afford to pay his samurai, they are forced to become ronin. With a smaller army, it is harder to respond to bandits or keep as tight a watch over your provinces, which makes it harder to collect revenue from your holdings. Thus, it becomes harder to pay your samurai, and the problem self-reinforces. Of course, there is a traditional solution to this" Ren fixes his eyes on the Crab. "Make war with another Clan. The loss of your samurai means less strain, and you hope that you collect enough spoils to come ahead. But this begets animosity, and other Clans may join in defense of your target, souring relationships for generations to come."

Ren leans back and sighs. "I am pursuing an alternative to that. If a ronin band were to form with sufficient reknown, and reputation for honor, they could potentially resolve issues without causing a full mobilization. If they manage to gain Imperial Sanction, they would also become recruiting grounds for Families, and ronin who might resort to banditry may have an alternative. A more honorable one."

"Does this satisfy your curiosity?"

[Yoko]

"It answers the question for sure, Ikoma-sama," she said, giving a quick nod.

[Ikoma Ren]

"Now, interest is another question entirely, which is why I sought a small, out of the way meeting. I highly doubt that we will see any new arrivals." Ren sends a sidelong look at the Crane magistrate. "That higher purpose would be step eight or nine. I think I'm barely at step one"

[Kakita Konohamaru]

The magistrate nods to the Ikoma.

"Another Oturi's army, it sounds like. ...Or, if done wrongly, another Steel Magistrate corps."

...The timing was too perfect. Knowing what he knew, it was almost destined - like the Origami of man had shown him the board before folding him into place. The mask slips into place, in part to hid his mirth. He doubted Sutorenja would be ignorant of the reasons behind his convulsions, however.

"You aim for the stars, Ikoma-san. Speak to either Lady Hida or Hiruma Jinzo-san, they might platform you. Be careful who joins their ranks - this depends on the integrity of the core. And try in the day - nights here aren't currently safe."