Outside the city, nestled within the proud Lion lands, stands a humble shrine dedicated to Inari, the Fortune of Rice. Not long ago, the local villagers pooled their hard-earned koku to purchase a cask of exquisite sake—a sacred offering meant to ensure a bountiful harvest. When thieves made off with the tribute, a group of brave and compassionate samurai stepped forward, recovered the stolen brew, and returned it to the shrine.
But peace, it seems, is fleeting.
Weeks have passed since the offering was restored, yet a new plight plagues the village. Under the cover of darkness, sake is quietly vanishing from the very homes of the villagers. No doors are broken, no guards are alerted. Who—or what—is spiriting away their spirits?
Greetings, Samurai!
Prepare yourselves to investigate a rural mystery and catch a brazen thief in the act.
A New Frontier: Voice & Foundry
Welcome to my very first Voice Session! To ensure the story flows smoothly and the action remains dynamic, we will be utilizing Foundry VTT for all of our dice rolls and initiative tracking. Please make sure you have access to the platform and a working microphone before we begin.
Attendance Priority & Sign-Ups
Because this investigation follows previous events in the village, characters who have already established a connection to this plight will be favored.
- The Vanguard: Any character who completed the Downtime (DT) job "Stolen Sake offering" will receive a +5 Priority bonus during the application selection process.
Helpful Skills
To unravel this mystery, you will need to rely on a versatile set of skills. Depending on your approach, you may need to call upon:
- Survival: To search for tracks and hidden clues outside the village bounds.
- Commerce, Labor, & Skulduggery: To search for clues, ask the right questions, and gather information within the village itself.
- Theology: To uncover spiritual or physical clues around the Shrine of Inari.
- Fitness: To maintain your stamina and keep up in the event of a sudden foot chase.
- Sentiment: To read the unspoken words of the villagers and understand their true motivations.
- Government: To know the laws of the Lion Clan and determine what sort of punishments would legally apply to the culprit.
- Command: To firmly interrogate suspects and instruct the local peasantry.
- Courtesy: To gracefully sway opinions and convince others to aid your investigation.
The Elements & Their Approaches
As a quick reminder, consider how the Five Rings dictate your character's approach to the challenges ahead. Keep these aspects in mind when deciding how to tackle an obstacle:
- Earth: Restore, Withstand, Recall, Reason, Produce.
- Water: Adapt, Shift, Survey, Charm, Exchange.
- Fire: Invent, Overwhelm, Theorize, Incite, Innovate.
- Air: Refine, Feint, Analyze, Trick, Con.
- Void: Attune, Sacrifice, Sense, Enlighten, Subsist.
The Code of Conduct: Preparation
A Samurai is always prepared, and the golden rule remains: know your capabilities before the first die is cast.
- Up-to-Date Sheets: Please ensure that your character sheet is completely up to date in Foundry before the session begins.
- Master Your Techniques: Read up on your techniques, invocations, and abilities in advance. We want to spend our time investigating and roleplaying, not flipping through rulebooks!
- Ask Early: If any questions come up during your preparation, do not hesitate to reach out. Ping me directly in your private channel, or ask your questions in the Discord thread located in the event sign-up forum.
The Bounties of Honor (Rewards)
For your time, bravery, and investigative prowess, you will be compensated with up to 3 XP:
- 1 XP for your presence and punctuality.
- 1 XP for active engagement (rolling dice, thoroughly investigating, and interacting with PCs and NPCs).
- 1 XP for successfully catching the culprit behind the vanishing sake.
Work together, trust your instincts, and let’s bring peace back to the Lion lands!
