To the Emerald Empire, the Ikoma family are respected keepers of tradition—roaring orators who can rouse armies, and meticulous historians who record the deeds of legends. But when the ink dries and the banners are lowered, historian Ikoma Yoshinaga lives by a different creed: live hard, fight clean, and seek out the forgotten stories of the realm.

Middle-aged but far from mellowed, this charismatic scholar shares a legendary appetite for premium sake, a sharp ear for ancient poetry, and a passion for unearthing lost lore. Having recently pored over faded scrolls and ancient maps dating back to the 9th century, Yoshinaga has made a tantalizing discovery: references to a shrine marked somewhere within the city’s Lion District. Though he knows the general location, sacred building remains undiscovered and unknown to everyone he had asked so far. Knowing that finding its sacred grounds will require both sharp minds and strong arms, Yoshinaga has thrown open his estate gates and called upon brave samurai to assist him in locating the site, learning who it is dedicated to, and restoring its sanctified grounds!

Will you help unearth history?

Ground Rules for the Mission

1. Attendance & Sign-Ups

• Roster Selection: 48 hours before the start of the session. Because Momentum is calculated based on attending characters' skills, final preparations will be posted 24 hours prior.
• Restriction: Characters from the Lion, Dragon, Dragonfly and Phoenix Clan will get chosen first.
• The Grace Period: If you give advance warning that you're running late, you will be granted a 15-minute grace period. Failing to show up within 15 minutes forfeits your spot.

2. Pacing & Response Times

• You have a 10-minute window to post your action.
• Exceeding 10 minutes without communication leads to a forfeit of your turn.
• Typing "I'm writing, give me a sec" or asking a GM question instantly resets your timer.

Six Hours of Search and Discovery: The Schedule

This is a fast-paced event where the sun waits for no one. We have a six-hour window to resolve the trials, locate the lost shrine, and claim victory.

• 0:00 – 1:00 | Arrival & The Call (Hour 1): We set the scene in medias res. Introduce your characters, settle into the scene, and hear Ikoma Yoshinaga reveal his ancient 9th-century map and documents marking the lost shrine in the Lion District.
• 1:00 – 5:00 | The Search & The Trials (Hours 2–5): Four hours of high-intensity investigation, social maneuvering, and physical challenges. Navigate the overgrown ruins of the Lion District, debate local history, and perform cleansing rites across 4 distinct round windows.
• 5:00 – 6:00 | The Consecration & Departure (Hour 6): Uncover the shrine's true dedication, present proper offerings, toast to the ancestors, weave narrative threads together, and say your goodbyes.

How We Play

To keep the pace electric, we’ll be using Intrigue Initiative!

• Initiative: Roll Sentiment + Focus (TN 1) at the start to determine the turn order and state your scene objective.

Skills in Play

You’ll need to be versatile to navigate both the party and the urban wilderness:

• Culture: Utilize your knowledge of regional customs, historical traditions, and Bushidō.
• Government: Understand the legal structures, precedents, and power dynamics of the district.
• Theology: Uncover ancient symbols to reveal the shrine's purpose and cleanse sacred grounds.
• Fitness: Push your body through physical obstacles on rugged terrain and avoid overindulging.
• Commerce: Assess goods, navigate city markets, and manage resources during the expedition.
• Labor: Handle physical groundwork, construction, and tool usage to restore the shrine in case rebuilding is required.

Special Guidelines for the Expedition

The Art of Investigation Searching for an ancient, hidden shrine relies on expertise rather than simple perception. You will fall back on skills matching your environment and approach:

• Large Cities / District: Commerce or Skulduggery.
• Shrines / Religious Locales: Theology.

Spiritual Offerings

To appease any neglected spirits or Fortunes tied to the site, appropriate offerings are essential for success:

• Air Spirits: Incense, feathers, flowers.
• Earth Spirits: Salt, soil or stones from sacred places, seeds.
• Water Spirits: Coins, seashells, precious materials, seaweed, sake.
• Fire Spirits: Kindling, paper, ash, small flammable objects.
• Fortunes: Texts, food, origami, works of art.
• Ancestor Spirits: Food, incense, sake, or other libations.

Choosing Your Approach

While Air (finesse), Water (adaptability), and Fire (candor) will be your bread and butter, don't count out an Earth-fueled stance of thoroughness or a Void-touched moment of spiritual intuition if the site's ancient spirits demand it!

The Goal: Momentum

The total Momentum required to locate the shrine, verify its original dedication, and complete the consecration will be revealed when we begin.

Rewards

3 XP

1 Favor

Glory and Honor may be gained or lost based on your courtly etiquette and sacrifices.