The stage is set for the most controversial play in Rokugan history...

OOC: Observation for the event thread. The events of the play will take place in this thread in four parts. Players are free to join the crowd after the play ends.

Cast: Hisomu = Doji Dojihime, Hantei = Hantei Genji, Imperial Samurai = Togashi Satsuki, Spider Samurai = Akodo Moshi, Ratling Soldier = Hantei Genji, Nanzi = Doji Hikaru, Hantei Kinsen = Yoshitsune Chizu, and Shinjo = Ryoshun Ume

The stage is prepared with a dark curtains and backdrop to allow the servants an easy time to rearrange the stage for each act without being noticed. There is a small gathering of musicians to provide ambiance and accompaniment for the songs.

The play will begin shortly.

Dojihime took to the stage and said, “We are honored that you have come to this showing of the Great Rescue recounting the events that lead to the champion of the Spider returning to the Empire and sealing the wound that led to Jigoku. There were over thirty brave heroes that entered those cursed lands, and we are thankful to all of them. Our players will be masked to better become the role they are taking on.”

“When our scene begins, we see the heroes assembling before the journey…” she gestured and moved aside for the players.

Act 1

The scene opens with figures of a warriors of varying clans represented by wooden figures as Shinjo and Hantei debate the plan to rescue Hisomu. The Spider Samurai enters and begins the first song of the piece:

“Let’s get down to business,
To save a fallen son,
We have the strongest daughters,
And the keenest sons!”

“The best of Shiba’s Empire are here,
You can bet before we are through,
We’ll return your brother to you!”

“Tranquil as a forest,
But on fire within,
Once you find your Center,
We are sure to Win!”

Then all three join in:

“Save our man,
We must be swift as the coursing river,
Save our man,
With all the force of a great typhoon,
Save our man,
With all the strength of a raging fire,
Yet, mysterious as the dark side of Father Moon!”

Shinjo sang:
“Fate is racing toward us,
He fights to stay alive,
Heed my every order,
And you will survive!”

Once again all three sang:

“Save our man,
We must be swift as the coursing river,
Save our man,
With all the force of a great typhoon,
Save our man,
With all the strength of a raging fire,
Yet, mysterious as the dark side of Father Moon!”

The scene darkens and then reopens with a backdrop of sickly green to mimic flames and Hisomu takes the stage to sing a solo song that he would survive this ordeal… he knows his kin are coming for him he has faith to go on!

"Oh no, not I, I will survive
Oh, as long as I know how to love, I know I'll stay alive
I've got all my life to live
And I've got all my love to give and I'll survive
I will survive, hey, hey..."

End of Act 1.

OOC: I will space out the acts, so feel free to post and react.

Gusai takes his seat in the audience. He attends closely to the play, but, though he will not likely turn his eye away, his ears are open.

(Quote me to talk, please!)

Dressed in her fabulous white and golden multi-layered kimono made by none other than Doji herself, Kinsen amusedly pops her fan open to hide her grin as the musical antics kick in.

--
PM to talk

OOC: Act 2 will go up in about 5 hours and then Act 3 when I wake up at about 6ish Eastern and then Act 4, around 12 noon on the 23rd eastern time.

Likewise the Makime heiress was present, wearing a fine silk ensemble. Ayano was excited to see a grand play, though for the most part she kept a stoic exterior. Even if her green eyes betrayed excitement.

Nozomi settled into a comfortable seat to observe the play. Her daughter drew in close, and was about to say something when she gave a slight warning gesture. They were here to watch a ...

Watch a...

She snapped open a fan, covering her facial features, and her daughter looked up in sort of obvious confusion, leaning to whisper during the period between the portions of the first act and the second, in a very very low voice, hand covering her mouth. Nozomi could only shrug in somewhat obvious confusion, raising an eyebrow and looking at her as well.

They were clearly... confused, and Nozomi was controlling emotion, trying to gauge the reactions of others.

(OOC: Quote if you're approaching Nozomi please)

Act 2

The stage darkens and is not shifted to give the semblance of a fetid swamp, and we open on three figures, two samurai and a third to represent a nezumi. They seem to creep across the stage looking back and forth with concern.

Dojihime came to the stage and spoke, “The Expedition entered the dark corrupted swamps of the south, here they were set upon by dark apparitions and shades that sought to confuse and demoralize them, but they did not relent!”

She departed as the Ratling and Imperial Samurai began to sing and play fight black garbed extras in melodramatic battle:

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way….”

Then Nanzi appeared and sang:

“We must breach the lands of Hell today!
But the Forces of Hell say… nay, nay, nay!
We’re gonna march all day, all day, all day!
Where there’s a will there’s a way.”

Then all three players start singing once they have dispatched the enemy, clasping each other as friends:

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way….
Left, right, left, right, left,
Where there’s a will, there’s a way,
Left, right…”

Once more Nanzi sang solo:

“The duty on our back says we’re gonna fight,
We’re gonna march all day and night and more,
For we are heroes of Shiba’s noble War,
Left, right, left, right, left, right!”

Then all three sing:
“We must breach the lands of Hell today!
But the Forces of Hell say… nay, nay, nay!
We’re gonna march all day, all day, all day!
Where there’s a will there’s a way.”

Then the song dies down as the Imperial Smaurai and Ratling march off stage but Nanzi lingered behind and picked up a green stone and said aloud, “A sacred stone unblemished in the place, this sacred jade not even corruption could erase. We must keep it close to our heart, our soul protected from this dark art.”

Then Nanzi departed.

End of Act 2.

OOC: Inspiration is here.

Kuni was enjoying the show. He felt a little bad about dropping out, but it was for the best. He couldn't sing. He did know a lot about the topic and told his neighbors what was being done right, and wrong throughout the play. Surely, they were thrilled to be sitting next to an expert.

Bah what a thing to celebrate.

That woman has been dead for years, you're Doji Tsubaki now, remember this.

For a while longer at least... then another new life and a message to share.

The woman now known as Doji Tsubaki does not let such thoughts show on her features as she 'enjoys' the play now and then stepping aside to direct the staff and servants of the Camellia House to ensure all guests needs were properly seen to.

(Sincerity roll for maintaining face is in the event thread)

Act 3

Dojihime took to the stage to speak, “The heroes have reached the breach that was once the ancient city of the Nezumi, even as they fight another group entered hell itself to save the Champion of the Spider. It is a desperate battle… and it is not without cost.”

She departed.

The stage is cleared in darkness and the players take their place as the scene is shown as a chaotic battlefield in what is supposed to be a blasted hell scape with billowing red, yellow, and orange sheets for the sky. The scene opens with battle against black clad masked extras posing as foul nameless creatures attacking Hantei Kinsen, Nanzi, Ratling Soldier, and Shinjo in a desperate battle.

The Ratling begins to sing when he is stabbed and falls to one knee:

“We're leavin' together,
But still it's farewell,
And maybe we'll come back,
To Protected Lands, who can tell?
I guess there is no one to blame,
They're leaving ground (leaving ground),
Will things ever be the same again?”

Then all players sing:

“It’s the final countdown, the final countdown!”

The Ratling continued still bleeding but standing tall now as the others fight:

“Oh, they’re heading for Hell!
And still we stand tall,
Cause Maybe they’ve seen us,
And welcome us all, yeah,
With so many hours to go,
And things to be fought, to be fought,
I’m sure that we all miss them so…”

Then all the players sing as they gather around the dying Ratling having beat their foes:

“It's the final countdown,
The final countdown,
The final countdown (final countdown),
(Oh)!”
“It's the final countdown,
We're leavin' together,
(The final countdown),
We'll all miss her so,
It's the final countdown (final countdown),
(Oh),
It's the final countdown.”


Then the Ratling spoke aloud, “Never forget the sacrifice of our people, your people in this place. We are… leaving… together.”

The Ratling dies and the players weep as the scene darkens.

End of Act 3.

Sagara reached the theatre to watch the play, with her dark blue kimono over another kimono of dark grey below. She was interested in the interpretation of the complex show. She sat quietly and listened carefully. She listened carefully to the voice next to her, with his critical information on the real events.

Hisomu Kuni wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 23, 2021 4:58 am

Kuni was enjoying the show. He felt a little bad about dropping out, but it was for the best. He couldn't sing. He did know a lot about the topic and told his neighbors what was being done right, and wrong throughout the play. Surely, they were thrilled to be sitting next to an expert.

Act 4

Dojihime took to the stage again and said, “While the valiant heroes battle against the hordes of evil, down in the pit of hell valiant Lord Hantei leads the party to save his honored brother. They travel beyond the realm into the Realm of Evil and against all odds must do the impossible!”

She then departed the stage.

Hantei takes to the stage followed by the Imperial Samurai and the Spider Samurai with the backdrop of a strange otherworldly place of greens and purples, with billowing curtains and strange painted landscapes.

From off stage they hear the voice of Hisomu calling for them and Hantei points and begins to sing:

“What’s this? What’s this?
There’s voices everywhere,
What’s this?
There’s green flames in the air,
What’s this?
I can’t believe my eyes,
I must be dreaming.
Focus, Hantei, this isn’t there,
What’s this?”

Then the Imperial Samurai sang:

“What’s this? What’s this?
There’s something very wrong…
What’s this?
These demons chanting songs?”

The Spider Samurai began to sing next:

“What’s this?
The paths are lined with
Little things laughing,
Everything warps reality,
Have I possibly gone daffy?
WHAT IS THIS?!
What’s this?”

Now all three players sing as they move back and forth across the stage searching for Hisomu:

“There are monsters eating fireballs here,
And now their eating heads,
Their busy corrupting souls,
And leading the walking dead!”

“There’s blood in every pathway,
Oh we can’t believe our eyes,
And in our bones, we feel agony,
That’s coming from inside!”

Then only Hantei sang the next bit as he crouched to look at something:

“Oh, look,
What’s this?
I hear my brother’s song, he lives,
He sounds so distant, yet strong,
We must gather our courage, my friends,
Charge forward, right the wrong,
What’s this?
What’s this!”

Just then several extras dressed in black take to the stage carrying a large costume to mimic a giant monster with a massive mouth that approaches the heroes and the stage gets darker and darker until there is darkness.

Hantei sings again the light dim on the stage:

“The monsters are all missing,
Yet the nightmares are all around,
In this place there seems to be,
Darkness all around!”

From behind Hantei breathing to the right and left, two extras dressed in black breathe out fire as Hantei sacrifices his glow to defeat the monster and the stage returns to normal light revealing the trio plus now Hisomu.

The brothers embrace.

Hisomu then begins to sing as the background is dismantled by the black clad extras into something more peaceful and familiar:

“I’ve paid my dues,
Time after time,
I’ve done my sentence,
But committed no crime,
And bad mistakes,
I’ve made a few,
I’ve endured suffering,
Kicked in my face,
But I’ve come through…”

Hantei, the Imperial Samurai, and the Spider Samurai sang:

“And we mean to go on and on and on and on!”

Then Hantei continued solo:

“We are the Heroes, my friends,
And we’ll keep on fighting till the end,
We are the Heroes,
We are the Heroes,
No time for cowards,
Cause we are the Heroes of the World!”

Hisomu then sang solo:

“We’ve suffered blows,
Many close calls,
You braved flamed and misfortune,
And everything that goes with it,
I thank you all,
But it’s been no bed of roses,
No pleasure cruise,
We considered it a challenge before,
The Empire of Shiba,
And we didn’t lose!”

Now all players sing together for the thrilling finale:

“And we mean to go on and on and on and on and on,
We are the Heroes, my friends,
And we’ll keep on fighting till the end,
We are the Heroes,
We are the Heroes,
No time for cowards,
Cause we are the Heroes of the World!”

“And we mean to go on and on and on and on and on,
We are the Heroes, my friends,
And we’ll keep on fighting till the end,
We are the Heroes,
We are the Heroes,
No time for cowards,
Cause we are the Heroes of the World!”

Then the stage goes dark and soft music plays as all players take to the stage for a final bow and farewell and then refreshments and tea are brought out for all to enjoy as the play has now ended.

End of Act 4. The End.

Doji Tsubaki wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 23, 2021 9:23 am

Bah what a thing to celebrate.

That woman has been dead for years, you're Doji Tsubaki now, remember this.

For a while longer at least... then another new life and a message to share.

The woman now known as Doji Tsubaki does not let such thoughts show on her features as she 'enjoys' the play now and then stepping aside to direct the staff and servants of the Camellia House to ensure all guests needs were properly seen to.

(Sincerity roll for maintaining face is in the event thread)

Gusai makes his way over, tendering a bow.

"The hospitality of your establishment exceeds the reports," he says. "And I see that the chief flower is even more radiant amid the arrangement it leads."

Kinsen raises from her seat and applauds the presentation with her fan in hand.

A still clearly embarrassed Hikaru rejoined the audience, face still pale, lips pressed firmly together. He no longer wore the circlet that marked him as Nanzi.

He took up a position near the edge of the crowd, his posture and expression not exactly foreboding, but certainly not welcoming.

(nevertheless, PM if approached!)

Doji Hikaru wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 23, 2021 3:53 pm

A still clearly embarrassed Hikaru rejoined the audience, face still pale, lips pressed firmly together. He no longer wore the circlet that marked him as Nanzi.

He took up a position near the edge of the crowd, his posture and expression not exactly foreboding, but certainly not welcoming.

(nevertheless, PM if approached!)

Dojihime added lightly, "You did well, part an amateur performance are the small hiccups, my father would be proud. Plus he can't act to save his life either so it was true to life."

Satsuki joined the other actors in taking a bow, her mask removed now as it was getting rather hot and swampy under it.

The princess was all smiles and good cheer. "Hikaruuu, you should sing more often!" she said as she joined the others, unceremoniously patting the Crane man on the shoulder.

Doji Dojihime wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 23, 2021 4:15 pm

Dojihime added lightly, "You did well, part an amateur performance are the small hiccups, my father would be proud. Plus he can't act to save his life either so it was true to life."

Still pale, Hikaru bowed; still, some of the lines in his handsome features faded. "Thank you for your kind words, Doji-sama." Straightening, he took a deep breath. "I have performed better in the past. In truth, I think I allowed the thought of portraying Lord Nanzi affect me. Your father is a proven hero, a living legend, and I found myself strangely daunted."

Togashi Satsuki wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 23, 2021 4:19 pm

Satsuki joined the other actors in taking a bow, her mask removed now as it was getting rather hot and swampy under it.

The princess was all smiles and good cheer. "Hikaruuu, you should sing more often!" she said as she joined the others, unceremoniously patting the Crane man on the shoulder.

"You, however..." His words were cut off at the sudden appearance of a Dragon Princess with limited concept of personal space. His lips twisted as he struggled to either suppress a big smile or a deep frown. Probably both at once. Likewise, his eyes glinted with infectious cheer, even as they widened with alarm. People were complicated.

A moment, and he recovered his dignity. "I shall endeavor to do so, Togashi-sama, if only for the practice." He gave both Kami children a bow. "May I congratulate both of you on your performances? Both of your stars shone brightly tonight."

Misaki was the most dressed up she'd been in her time here, in honor of her Clan's production.



Still, she hoped she'd not crossed the line into ostentatious; She was here to support her Clanmates, not be a distraction. So she quietly found a seat before the performance started and quietly watched, providing polite applause and support up until the play wrapped up.