Mid Season Finale - The Duel

Tsuma, 1019. On a cold spring night.

Doji Satsume, The Emerald Champion, was known as The Grinning Crane. He once was with The Emperor's Guard and, during a ninja incursion, he got a scar that goes from his left eyebrow to the corner of his mouth while protecting The Hantei. As the wound healed, it contracted the skin of his face leaving him with a permanent half-grin. A constant reminder, for him and anyone else, of his loyalty to The Emerald Throne.

Lately, tensions between his Clan, which he still led, and the Lion, and his duties as Emerald Champion have left him to rely more and more on his son, Hoturi, despite their relationship not being the best. But tonight he was faced with something he could not pass onto Hoturi, something that could increase the tension between the aforementioned Clans: Ichiro Akimoto, The Champion of the Badger Clan was slain. And the only witness was a boy who had not gone through gempukku: Bayushi Sugai, Bayushi Kachiko's nephew.

Just moments ago Sugai had given his testimony, claiming that one of Ichiro's retinue was an infiltrated ninja that had slain him and his yojimbos. "Fortunately, I was drawn to the sounds of battle, took a sword from one of the fallen, chased the traitor and killed him". With no other witnesses to counter his story and evidence of a ninja attack in the corpses The Emerald Champion praised Sugai for his actions although it may be clear to many in the room, Otaku Shiko included, that Sugai was not telling everything or was involved in the murder somehow. But Rokugani justice concerns itself with direct evidence an eyewitness accounts, not suspicion and deduction. So everyone stood quiet... Everyone but Otaku Shiko.

"You cannot leave yet, he IS the killer! You all know this to be truth!" Those had been Otaku Shiko's words to Doji stasume. The room was silent as a crypt. All eyes were locked onto Otaku Shiko. Only the hiss of The Emerald Champion's breath could be heard as he tried to contain his anger and decide the fate of the young and impetuous samurai-ko. Sugai, however broke the silence "You have insulted the honor of My Lady Kachiko and mine!! Such a stain can only be cleansed by your death."

Silence. Then a nod from the Emerald Champion and the duel was sanctioned.

Satsume left the room before it happened and left Bayushi Shoju, Akodo Toturi and Doji Hoturi as witness. Otaku Shiko and her companions were shocked when they saw students of the Kakita Iaiutsu school bring in beautiful katanas as they realized how serious this matter was.

Shiko was nervous. She wasn't expecting this. She was young, inexperienced, and she had made a terrible etiquette breach, but she meant no disrespect; at least not to Lady Kachiko anyways. But now she could barely grasp the severity of her mistake. Both Sugai and Shiko took the swords, stood in front of each other but only she bowed. Both took the dueling stance. Kitsu Mitsuko saw the flaw on Shiko's technique just an instant before the duelists drew their blades. Saugai bested his opponent with ease, but she did not die with a single stroke. Shiko fell to the floor with tears in her eyes as Sugai walked towards her and slowly raised his sword. With a swift motion he cut off her head.

He took a cloth from his pocket, cleaned his sword and respectfully gave it back to the students that brought it. He bowed to the witnesses and glared at Shiko's companions as he went out. The first witness to leave was Bayushi Shoju, Hoturi looked at Toturi for a moment and then they both stood up and left, leaving Shiko's companions shocked, and alone in the room.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author's note:
Merry belated Xmas and a Happy New Year to all my players, this is for them. They are:
Hiruma Wakukomaru, Doji Ishiko, Kakita Moriko, Togashi Bakatono, Akodo Makushi, Kitsu Mitsuko, Asako Maori, Isawa Hikari, Shosuro Yukiko, Iuchi Temujin and Tsuruchi Kayo.

You say you love the game and you say thanks to your Game Master, but the truth is that without you guys I'm just a geek with some weird books. So thank YOU.

Truly yours:
-Arashi no HeavyMetalGuaji-