Children of the Emperor – Life and Death amidst the Clans of Japan

[Nonevah]

Become a Ninja, Novevah!!! We're cool!!!

Leonidas Barca,
Sensei in Kyoto
Head Ninja

Today, as I walked home from the Kagaku registration office back to my small home in Kyoto, I came across the Sensei Leonidas of the Shihai clan, wearing odd clothing. He offered for me to join the... Ninjas?, but I refused, after he insanely bragged about being able to assasinate the Esteemed Damiyo Jehoshua at the dinner table. Seeing how little influence he has there, even if he had a ton of far more highly ranked ninjas below him, I sincerely doubt he would be able to succeed at that goal. Resolving to stay away from those crazy Shihai, especially that one, I walked home, wondering what the Kami, and of course, the Oni, had in store for me...

OCC: What do you think of my little story?

 

[Jehoshua]

It was good, obviously it was short but your writing style is excellent. Plus you acknowledged the insanity of the Shihai how could I condemn that

 

[Nonevah]

Thanks... although I'm not a big Bunka fan, either. I'm just not a fan of those who focus inwards in general. We need our research agreements, after all.

Oh, and, another narrative:

Nonevah, waking up from his dreams, catapulted into a upright position. "This nightmare again? I haven't had these since I was a small child!," he thought. "It always started the same way, and ended the same way, althought the middle always changed. At the start, there was that sick man, king of the... French? lying down in bed. He talked to an advisor, asking him to make the general Yahzuk take control, along with the aristocrats. Then, I saw various things. The general looked somewhat like our own Oni. The others... they looked like some of our statesmen. There were the attacking Egyptians, the powerhungry Persians, even our previous immortal emporer was in the North, neutral to the fighting. Then, there was the fall. The French, they collapesed, the Persians conquering Orleans and forcing the French to surrender. I saw a confrence, the various mayors and general and leaders there, talking about surrender. Then, the General went back to his quarters, and something happened, what, I always forget. After, I see our grand lord sweeping through the land, beating the Persians into the dust, as his four chidren leave."
"But why? Why do I have these dreams? Is it a message of the Kami, or the Oni, a showing of what went before? Is it just a dream? However, what I do know, is that I shouldn't trust those preists about the Oni Yahzuk...

 

[grzybek]

Oh and I doubt your puny ninja's can kill me while im eating my sushi at this present instant in time. Im quite safe in Kyoto thanks to the puniness of the Shihai in the city and current game mechanics.

although later....

He has said that not only Shihai clan members can be a part of Ninja so your assumption on Ninja numbers and strength might be inadequate.

To be honest? With your love to coups and murders I wouldn't be surprised if you were one of Ninja members, too.

 

[DefoesRightBoot]

He has said that not only Shihai clan members can be a part of Ninja so your assumption on Ninja numbers and strength might be inadequate.

To be honest? With your love to coups and murders I wouldn't be surprised if you were one of Ninja members, too.

Interesting theory grzybek, I like it. A cunning bluff by the highest power in our Empire? As Japan develops, so does the intrigue, cross and double-cross run rife throughout the nation - but could the venerable Daimyo of Kyoto really be that sneaky?

 

[grzybek]

Interesting theory grzybek, I like it. A cunning bluff by the highest power in our Empire? As Japan develops, so does the intrigue, cross and double-cross run rife throughout the nation - but could the venerable Daimyo of Kyoto really be that sneaky?

We will never know that, until Mighty Ninjas will get the contract for Joshuas head and he himself will have to participate in his own murder.

Now, really funny is that even when the coup fails he will be the top influence character in it and will have to be executed anyways. And than we'll be sure he was one of The Ninjas

 

[Nonevah]

We will never know that, until Mighty Ninjas will get the contract for Joshuas head and he himself will have to participate in his own murder.

Now, really funny is that even when the coup fails he will be the top influence character in it and will have to be executed anyways. And than we'll be sure he was one of The Ninjas

But he's the oldest person in Japan, and therefore would be Damyio of any city he was in, adn as yo know, Damyios can't use coups, so he couldn't be in a coup!

Edit: Oh, and what's taking the Oni so long to update?

 

[Jehoshua]

I suppose you are right in the possibility of non-shihai being ninja's.

But considering that the vast majority of people in Kyoto are Bunka with the exception of one gaiko and the Shihai I used the term Shihai in my analysis of Ninja power in Kyoto as I sincerely doubt any of the Bunka in the city are ninja willing to assasinate me and thus damage their own best interests.

As to my 'love' of coups and assasinations I havent personally engaged in a single one . The two coup's and one assasinations the Bunka engaged in pre-empted my ascension to the council of sensei. Besides the reasons for the coups to remove Gethe and SecondSaber67 i've already mentioned.

As to myself being a ninja, I refuse to confirm or deny such an accusation.

 

[Jehoshua]

Thanks... although I'm not a big Bunka fan, either. I'm just not a fan of those who focus inwards in general. We need our research agreements, after all.[/I]

We do not focus inwards, we focus on bringing the purity of the soul and manifesting it physically for all to see in the form of large monuments and cultural activities such as music and art. Culture is the expression of the ultimate reality of humanity in tangible form. The entire Bunka philosophy is that through art, through culture, through making the intangible visible the world can be purified and liberated from emptiness and crafted into a heaven on earth, a utopia.

Oh and need I remind you who proposed the research agreemeents... oh thats right, ME, a Bunka. Whats Japan coming to when the Kagaku can;t even propose or request a simple research agreement

 

[yahzuk]

There are few forces in this world more powerful than the Oni. The great Kami are one. Real life commitments are another. Work on the next turnset is progressing slowly because I haven't had much free time this week.

 

[Robdude66]

It's all fine. We can wait. Or more accurately we will have to wait.

 

[Jehoshua]

So many impatient sensei. What is a single day compared to the progress of eternity.

 

[Ceskari]

So many impatient sensei. What is a single day compared to the progress of eternity.

Yes. There is so much beauty in watching the grass grow, for instance.

 

[Jehoshua]

On The "Impartiality" Of Those Idiots In Black.

the Ninja Paradigm

-

A prospective ninja may be obliged should he join the order to assasinate or partake of a coup against a member of his own clan.

This opens the door to a paradigm where the ninja has to choose between slaying a clansmen or siding with the order. Considering the logic that only with a recognised and true clan can the ninja partake of victory or he must logically side with his own clan thus keeping tabs with the potential for shared success . Insodoing the order of ninja's faces the challenge of keeping to its stated political niche while dealing with the logical action of an individual in such a situation, which by neccesity is against the best-interests of such a niche group.

How can this situation be resolved and explained?.

Perhaps this depends on the number of ninja adherents, if the order has a wide following then they could hypothetically use individuals from opposing clans to slay a target. But considering the complex web of interactions between the various clans this would be exceedingly difficult as a clan-members best interests may be with supporting the target because they are in a co-operative relationship with their own home clan. This opens the floodgates to intrigue within the ninjas and the almost guaranteed degeneration of the order as the greater and more tangible interests of the individual ninja's home clan take priority and as the ninjas become increasingly riven with internal dissention.

To avoid such a prospect logic dictates there can be one simple and sustainable structure for such a group as the ninjas. The only sustainable position for such an order is for it to become a sub-clan within a greater clan (in this case the Shihai). This does not negate the possibility for extra-clan members within the order but it accedes to a the reality that for stability in such a niche a dominance of a single clan is neccesary.

In such a paradigm the ninja's could take the aura of impartiality due ot the presence (percieved or otherwise) of extra-clan agents but in reality work as a mercenary arm of the Shihai to ingratiate themselves with other clans by engaging in their peculiar trade with the guarantee of anonymity to the client.

This also avoids the development of a institutional paradox of working against ones own clan by giving the ninja's the capacity to avoid actions that are against the interests of the host clan, in this case the Shihai. This proxy sub-clan reality is also the logical outcome regardless, as the founder is a Shihai and for the founder who has jurisdiction and control over the orders operations to work against his own clan would be counter-productive to his own best interests. Thus the ninja's can only work on issues of a neutral or beneficial nature to the Shihai clan-interests as the founder logically would not engage in destructive acts towards his own clan and would actively work for his own clans best-interests.

With this logical actuality in mind it is the sound and absolute conclusion of any reasonable member of non-shihai clans that the ninja's are merely a front organisation to project shihai influence through extraordinary means.

-

~ Daimyo Jehoshua

 

[Draknith]

it actauly works out great yahzuk. I have been away with little time myself. I will update you all soon with the wedding of Rhonin.

 

[Jehoshua]

(OOC: Happy Easter everyone )

 

[Prospo]

((Happy Easter))

The missionaries from america have begun celebrations of their lord's ressurection. Prospo will be observing the activities of them and their converts.

 

[Sparthage]

The missionaries from america have begun celebrations of their lord's ressurection. Prospo will be observing the activities of them and their converts.

The House of Sparthage is Christian from France (remember them?). We will be watching YOU, Prospo. The Ninjas will be watching you...

Leonidas Barca


HAPPY EASTER!!!

 

[DragonHead]

Happy easter! When will we continue?

 

[DragonHead]

Tales of the Japanese- Prologue

The declaration of war arrived at sunset, the fiery red ball peaked over the horizon like a malevolent eye, its gaze streaking the skyline in a haze of red and orange as though the sky itself was alight. The weary rider and horse approached, a mud-splattered, torn tunic bearing the emblem of the Japanese military plastered to the soldier’s back. He had black bags under his eyes and kept his head down as he approached, resembling a beaten hound. He was exhausted; he had not had a decent bath in weeks, hadn’t stopped riding for two days and was out of all rations of any kind. He had creases of fatigue lining his face and the looks of a dying man. This man had been broken.
Using the only last strength he had he urged the horse into a tired gallop, and sides heaving (the horse) and heart hammering (the rider) they flew the last remaining distance to the city.
Kyoto dominated its surroundings, great stone walls that soared upwards into turrets and towers, arrow slits and high above the battlement stuck out like the sides of an unfinished puzzle. Above that there were more towers, artistically sculpted into things of beauty while heavily-enforced; solid roofs and durable marble, while still beautiful it would resist storms of arrows, rocks and heavy bolts.
As the messenger made his progress, about ten crossbowman watched him closely from the battlements, their eyes scanning the horizon for assailants he hadn’t shook. They knelt in secret, their padded suits He collapsed at the gate right as the portcullis was descending; a full score of swordsman waited at the gate and signaled to other guardsman inside to stop the door, it did so with a screech of halting metal. Their colored armor and horned helmets of red and orange distinguished them as Samurai. They hurried forward, their partly sheathed blades flashing in the dying light of sunset. They caught the messenger right as he toppled from his steed. In a raspy voice that was less than a whisper he gasped out a single sentence,
“The Egyptians have declared war.”
He collapsed in their arms, black descending over the blanket of twinkling stars.


I have gotten a small bit more done on this idea that I've been toying with. Tell me what you think. This is supposedly the first japanese empire.