Recording the Tao

During the course of what should have been an ordinary court, Shinsei approached the Emperor began a long conversation with the Emperor. Anyone listening can hear the wisdom in his words. Those who had known him before are shocked at the difference that these last fifteen years have made in his experience and insights into the world. Someone needs to write this down.

Participants: Anyone

Time: Early Afternoon, Day 5

Magic: Not Allowed

Rules:

[Note: Writing tools and paper will be provided by the servants at the character's request - they do not need them on hand to participate.]

Wait, What Did That Even Mean?
A basic understanding of what's being discussed is important if you're going to make a proper record of the conversation that people can read and understand afterward. Players must make a Lore: Theology/Intelligence roll, TN 20. Success grants 1 Recording Point, with 1 additional Recording Point per Raise. The player must succeed to continue in this event.

Take A Deep Breath
While one must understand what's being said to record it properly, it's more difficult to keep one's own biases and opinions from coloring the text. The recorder must be able to step outside of themselves while they work. Players must make a Meditation/Void roll, TN 25. Success grants 1 Recording Point, with 1 additional Recording Point per Raise. While failure will not stop them from continuing, a work based on a failed roll may acquire a questionable reputation.

Make It Pretty
Writing the actual words in a legible hand is also, you know, kind of important. Players must make a Calligraphy/Intelligence roll, TN 25. Success grants 1 Recording Point, with 1 additional Recording Point per Raise. Failing this section of the event creates an difficult to read and interpret copy that gets not traction, failing the event.

Rewards and Consequences:
Each participant who successfully finishes the event gains 2 Influence Points. The participant who earns the most Recording points will gain 4 Influence points, and their work will become the definitive Tao of Shinsei, immortalizing them for the foreseeable future. The event takes one slot, but the writing takes until late evening. The winner and those who choose to stay and record their own version may make threads later - consider it taking a short break from recording.

Man, I wish Kinyoubi were here...

Because he knew his wife would do a superb job.

Whereas he...

Lost the thread good and early, as Orokos-no-Oni trampled him beneath its eighty-seven iron hooves.

Nozomi quietly sat for the first portion, listening as the two began to converse. She smiled as she listened, and she tried to document some of it for her own personal reflections, but there was an honest look in her eyes of not comprehending ... any of it. None of it. It was a gentle reminder that she was only just a student of the teacher, one who had only recently begun her journey, a journey he was deeper and further on than she could hope to be at this point. And she ... was not jealous.

She was not upset.

No, she had to accept that she had a lot to leaarn. When, eventually she rose and began to leave, Mayumi looked up at her mother. "Mother, I want to stay," she said quietly. Nozomi just smiled at her daughter. "Of course. You are safe here. Remain as long as you need. Tell me if you learn anything interesting."

======

Failure on the Lore-Theology check. Nozomi will not be able to continue.
--I'll be NPCing that Mayumi, as the Heir of Shinsei, will remain for the entirety of the penning of the Tao, regardless of who actually does this. This will have no mechanical effect whatsoever, as Mayumi has no stat block.

Satsuki listened with great attention, and while she was fairly intelligent, it was above her level of understanding.


-------

D5 EA EVENT: Recording The Tao. Theology/Intelligence. +1k1 Void. 2 raise. TN 30: 6d10o10k5 26

Washes out of the event. Shouldn't have been a greedy dragon.

It was not the best interpretation. Hikaru's version of the text was very much how he understood the nature of theology, based on the very brief lessons he had, filtered through his extensive study of Bushido as written by Lord Akodo, and the etiquette lessons he'd received from Lady Doji.

After all that filtering, it was mostly just short.

Still, even if it was short, it was at least written prettily enough, and had enough of interest to make it worth recording. Hikaru worked on into the evening, if not tirelessly, at least without complaint, his brow furrowed with concentration.

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D5EA event, Lore:Theology, what's a theology, void 1k1 unskilled: 4d10 22 - 1 Recording Point
D5EA event, Meditation, what's a meditation, unskilled: 3d10 15
D5EA event, Calligraphy, I HAVE THIS! void 1k1: 5d10o10k4 38 - 1 Recording point

2 Recording Points

(Having had a bout of inspiration)
Ayano is largely unconcerned with the theological important of what is going on. She recognizes it is important and dutifully records it. Around part way through the mind numbing tedium of all this starts to wear at hair mind, she remains ever perceptive so the text is accurate to what they say.

How they say it starts to take on a new cast. Without altering the words spoken, little tidbits are inserted, descriptions of the two men involved. Context that is completely absent materializes. Shiba's attentive and thoughtful words become warm and caring, Shinsei's responses turn from serious discussion to an almost playful joyfulness. The intensity with which they discuss turns from the realm of the academic to...a far closer and more primal feeling. Suddenly deep and meaningful ideas are massaged into metaphors of the most sensitive sort.

By the end of writing all these, Ayano finds herself blushing deeply and panting softly.

Her version of Tao would never been the one studied by scholars...a whole different sort of individuals would find value in the young Lioness's writings.
---------------------
Theology/Intelligence to record Tao. Phantom rank from Sage. 1CR TN25. VP for 1k1: 6d10o10k5 31 - 2 points

Meditation/Void. 1VP for Skill. TN25: 4d10o10k3 15 - Fail (I knew you still loved me Orokos)

Calligraphy/Intelligence. Void for +1k1. TN25: 6d10o10k5 50 - 1 point....(go home Orokos you are drunk)

3 points

Yua was nothing if not studious. She wasn't sure that Shinsei had a great deal to offer on the topics she truly enjoyed, but surely there was wisdom to be found and perhaps justification to pick up some ranks in Theology.

Settling herself to listen, she ground the ink carefully on its stone, tested the brushes provided for one that fit her hand and took both a proper point and the ink well. With several long, deep breaths, she settled herself to act as a conduit for what she heard, for while she had only the most rudimentary understanding off all that a Kami and Shinsei might converse about, she could readily let their words flow through her like water to run out the end of the brush upon the page. There was no thought to frivolity or even an elegant tidiness, the words simply filling the pages in clear, sedate rows.


Wait, What Did That Even Mean?
D5 EA Recording the Tao: Wait, What Did That Even Mean? Lore: Theology/Intelligence TN 20, Void for +1k1, Sage: 5d10o10k4 31 1 point

Take A Deep Breath
D5 EA Recording the Tao: take A Deep Breath Meditation/Void 1 CR, TN 30, Void for +1k1,: 7d10o10k5 43 2 points

Make It Pretty
D5 EA Recording the Tao: Make It Pretty Calligraphy/Intelligence TN 25, Void for +1k1: 4d10 25
1 point

4 Recording points
2 Influence

Susumu is no great scholar, but he understands the importance of what is happening here.

Father will have my hide if I don't at least try to jot something down.

He actually manages to make sense of some of the topics and gets some notes to take home but they are in the cramped style of librarian shorthand, not beautiful characters and are ignored by people in general.

____
Recording the Tao-Wait what did that even mean-lore theology/Intelligence untrained-TN 20-VP spent for 1k1: 3d10 21
Recording the Tao-Wait what did that even mean-Meditation/Void-VP spent for phantom rank-TN 25: 4d10o10k3 30
Recording the Tao-Wait what did that even mean-Calligraphy/Intelligence untrained-TN 25-VP spent for 1k1: 3d10 14 Fail no points

Ayumu didn't expect today's court to turn into a contest of the best scribe, but here they were.

He did his part, calmly, trying to recopy what he was hearing as faithfully as possible. His experience as a teacher of course helped him a lot with ignoring the parasitic noises and following from start to finish some overly long and convoluted sentences.

To help alleviate some of the confusion, he deliberately wrote in bigger than normal characters, with well defined strokes, the kind used to teach kids how to read. This gave his notebook the aspect of a children's book and that fact made Ayumu smile heartfully when he proofread it at the end.

An end that came after hours and hours of discussion, way past nightfall. While he was reasonably tired, having taken breaks here and there, he noted that a few people in the room were looking dangerously exhausted and dehydrated, likely too enthralled to have allowed themselves such leniency.

He hoped there were still people at the Palace's infirmary at this hour, and they were ready to treat a plague of dizziness from the weirdest of causes.

---

D5EA | Recording the Tao | Wait, What Did That Even Mean? | Lore: Theology/Intelligence TN 20 | 1CR (TN25) | VP for +1k1 + Tawagoto's Army: 6d10o10k4+4 49 -> 2 points
D5EA | Recording the Tao | Take A Deep Breath | Meditation/Void TN 25 | 2CR (TN35) | VP for +1k1 + Tawagoto's Army: 8d10o10k5+4 73 -> 3 points
D5EA | Recording the Tao | Make It Pretty | Calligraphy/Intelligence TN 25 | No Raise | 2VP for +2k2 (Shiba Bushi 1) + Tawagoto's Army: 6d10o10k5+4 50 -> 1 point

Total: 6 points

Due to Chizu’s low status, her place was not very close to the Emperor, and so she had a hard time hearing exactly what Shinsei was saying. Nevertheless, it sounded Important, so the big Crab dutifully recorded what she thought the Enlightened One said.

The Tao, maybe? wrote:“Every journey begins with a single sheep. Sheep well, and your journey will be filled with four tons. Sheep poorly, and it will be rocks with disaster.”

That … kind of made sense? Chizu thought, straining to understand the koan. A good sheep could give you warm clothes…. maybe even four tons of clothes, after long enough. Shinsei was all about patience.

Chizu nodded sagely and kept writing. With all the parables and allegories, you had to be pretty smart to understand the Tao. Good thing she was here.

—
5EA Tao, What did that mean? INT/Lore Theology +Void Point TN20: 3d10 18 failed

Kinsen goes to court expecting to see advances in politics and other matters of state, but, instead, sees that Emperor is with Shinsei. That man's presence always meant two things: monsters and lewdness.

Soon, an avalanche of nerds join up in court to talk nonsense to each other and make notes.

She chuckles and scoots out of that crazy place before it is too late.

--
D5, EA, Wait, What Did That Even Mean? TN 20 + VP Unskilled: 3d10 13

Kogi makes a sincere effort to understand the teacher's exposition and record it faithfully. Knowing herself somewhat out of her depth in these matters--she just met her first-ever monks a few days ago, for Heaven's sake--she doesn't make ambitious attempts at exegesis, just does her best to write down what she hears without introducing any misunderstandings. At this, she's moderately successful. The Scorpion Tao is a bit blandly composed; many passages will be amenable to multiple possible interpretation, without a clear scribal preference for one reading over any others.

It is neat and legible--even at the end, when Kogi's hand starts cramping on her brush, the kanji are not notably different in style from the beginning of the text--and that might be her proudest achievement of the afternoon, honestly. Others will have to evaluate her religious record-keeping, but she knows for herself when she's managed to write a proper, clear hand.



--
Step 1, What Did That Mean
D5 EA event--what *is* Tao, Lore:Theology [Sage] TN 20: 5d10o10k4 34
Pass, 1 point

Step 2, Deep Breath
D5 EA event--very Meditation wow TN25. Void: 4d10 29
Pass, 1 point

Step 3, Make It Pretty
D5 EA event--pretty handwriting, Calligraphy TN 25, VP: 6d10o10k4 23
This should actually pass with a result of 26 (keeping the proper 5 dice), per official response in the GM Questions thread. 1 point.

3 points, event completed successfully (if not with amazing panache).

More than others many others, but perhaps not her peers here, Ko was dutiful when she was learning. This primed her with the knowledge her mentor once taught her of the theological quandaries of the world, the histories rooted deep within and the affects it often had on the moralities of the people in these lands. Even more so she knew that this too was one field of study she could devote herself into when she returned to the fold, her mothers people. As a Dragon in her position she had plenty of access to those whom granted her enough understanding of the topics and concepts on display here to not only have a decent grasp but truly shine as one knowing in the field.

However, a mind she was and she was not a woman to simply transcribe like a page. Ko was a woman with her own mind, and the very spirit which drove her to learn shone through in her work. Creating perhaps different meanings without intention as questions or uncertainty of the validity of a thing wormed their way into her record. Had she had the time afterwards to review, and correct mistakes, she was a mind who would find none in the work she presented. Arguing perhaps that it is in the nature to question such things. As a woman who grew to adulthood amid the trees, within the forests of home, she was both caring and obstinate about things that conflicted with this rising society and this Tao was no exception.

Despite these difficulties, however, Ko was still that dutiful student. One who practiced long and hard on the handwriting taught to her by her peers back home in Dragon lands as she rose to prominence among them in some small way. There were no questions about what was right or wrong in regards to handwriting, simply what was appealing and legible and what was not. With such practiced skills there was plenty of room for different interpretations and opinions that did not affect the quality of a well controlled hand and beautiful lettering.

[Rolls:]

D5: Event | Lore: Theology/Intelligence, Void +1k1 vs TN 30 (2 Raises): 5d10o10k4 30

D5: Event | Meditation/Void, Void +1k1 vs TN 30 (1 Raise): 5d10o10k4 27

D5: Event | Calligraphy/Intelligence, Void +1k1 vs TN 30 (1 Raise): 5d10o10k4 34

Total: 5 Points, and Ko's work may acquire a questionable reputation.

[Edit: Correcting Point Total]

Kuu truly understood what was spoken of, but he reached too far on his artistic expression and could not get the result he wanted. It was a personal failure that he would likely never let himself live down.

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D5 EA, Recording the Tao, Lore: Theology/Intelligence, VP +1k1, 2 CR, TN 30: 6d10o10k4 31
D5 EA, Recording the Tao, Meditation/Void, VP +1k1, 1 CR, TN 30: 7d10o10k4 31
D5 EA, Recording the Tao, Calligraphy/Intelligence, VP +1k1, Inheritance +1k1, 3 CR, TN 40: 9d10o10k5 38 Luck Reroll
D5 EA, Recording the Tao, Calligraphy/Intelligence, VP +1k1, Inheritance +1k1, 3 CR, TN 40, Luck Reroll: 9d10o10k5 34 Luck Reroll
D5 EA, Recording the Tao, Calligraphy/Intelligence, VP +1k1, Inheritance +1k1, 3 CR, TN 40: 9d10o10k5 32 Failed

Incoherent Failure... Damn you Orokos, no 10s on 27 dice

Rei's studies had been about the elements and spirits. Theology was not something she was well versed in.


- - -
[D5, EA] Recording the Tao (Event), Lore: Theology/Intelligence, TN 20, VP for Skill: 4d10o10k3 19

Fail

Kuni tried to follow along, but he was apparently uninterested in all the stuff that did not deal with Jigoku.

Lore: Theology/Intelligence Sage for Skill Void: 5d10o10k4 17

As the spiritual one from the Crab clan, Sagara thought that she should listen to the small monk´s lessons. The shugenja took a deep breath with the calligraphy set before her. She looked into the man's face and felt a sudden peace invading her. She was able to scribble quickly through quickly, as neatly as she could.

-What? Int/Theo. TN20: 20 - Barely, 1 Recording Point
-Deep Breath. Void/Med. TN25: 36, 1 Recording Point
-Making pretty. Int/Cali. TN25: 32, 1 Recording Point

2 Influence points and 3 Recording points.

Gusai thinks to trust to his good fortune as he makes an attempt to follow the discussion. But it is clear that he is entirely, entirely out of his element, and he finds himself stymied swiftly.

~~~~~
Wait, What Did That Even Mean?, failed at 18, https://orokos.com/roll/897596
No good.

Misaki understood what was being said and was fascinated by it... but transcribing just was not her thing.

Day 5, EA, Wait What Did That Even Mean, Lore: Theology/Int, 2 called raises, TN30, VP1k1: 7d10o10k5 35

Day 5, EA, Take a Deep Breath, Meditation/Void TN25: 3d10o10k2 10

Day 5, EA, Make it Pretty, Calligraphy/Int, 2CR, TN35, VP1k1: 6d10o10k5 16

Yatsu managed to understand what was discussed between the Emperor and Shinsei. Perhaps was his understanding the Void that made him somewhat feel the words between the two.

But unfortunately, he failed to transcribe them correctly, as he was too much focused on what the two discussed instead of making the trascription readable.

*****************************

[OOC-Rolls]

Lore:Theology/Int, +1k1 VP - 24|Pass [TN20, 1 VP]
Meditation/Void, +1k1 VP - 25|Pass [TN25, 1 VP]
Calligraphy/Int, +1k1 VP - 20|Fail [TN25, 1 VP]

Failed the event