Forums of the Coast

Yuuta will stick around to gather information, though he's not really trained for it. (Diplo 18+6=24)

( I meant if there was something specific you were looking for =P ; since I already gave the general info~ )

Yuuta gathers information on how well regarded Tougou is and how the people view the former lords.

Yuuta finds out that most people aren't even aware of Tougou re-entering the picture; the commoners seem to assume that the clan was wiped out ten years ago and that's that. There is news circulating around that one of the exiles in the west that broke out from the Death Lands claim to be one of the Tougou's clan... but those who did express care for those news still question the legitimacy involved.
There seem to be mixed feeling towards the former lords: on one hand there was no way they could have gone 10 years without provoking any big wars like the Tanuki, but then they also didn't enact ridiculous laws on a whim. Given how easily the Tougou clan was toppled by a coup, those who remember the past also believe that the old lord (and by extension, the rest of the family) must have fallen weak and incompetent...

On the way back from Nakakuni, Terasaka will talk to Touka and Genichirou about the Saji, trying to learn everything he can about the current key members of the clan, as well as any contacts the rebels might have with them.

Knowledge (Nobility) check to learn about Saji: 1d20+35 = 47

Before sleeping that night, he will ask the following Commune questions:

1. Will the Saji leaders turn us in to the Tokugawa when we contact them?
2. Do the Tokugawa have informants placed to observe the Saji?
3. Will the Saji be receptive to the idea of overthrowing the Tokugawa?

(plus more based on info results...)

(slightly later than expected)

The Saji clan are the most prominent samurai clan remaining in Mikawa province, with most of their families around the Okazaki Castle area. Their new head, Saji Kazu, is still relatively young in his early thirties. He rose to power ten years ago when the previous clan head died during the tanuki's insurgency. Once considered the Tougou's most reliable vassal clan, the Saji promptly submitted to the Tanuki and gave their allegiance around the same time of the previous head's death.

Speculation is aplenty, as many believe that should the old head lived, the Saji may not have submitted so easily --- many consider Saji Kazu a traitor precisely because of this, since he was particularly well-treated by the Tougou back then (as Tougou Tsuyoshi says, he was a childhood friend of Princess Sen of the Tougou clan). However, despite being official supporters of Tanuki policies and foremost leaders among the 'human vassals', the Saji clan has continuously provided aid to the various resistance groups, albeit through very indirect routes. Furthermore, many tanuki policies have been notably reduced in strictness thanks to Saji influences, which gave them some support from the people despite many doubts.

Due to the secrecy of the support lanes (which runs through a dozen merchants; several of which only visit the area occasionally), the rebels have no direct contact with the Saji whatsoever. In fact Genichirou admits that his information of Saji being the source may very well be inaccurate.

1. Will the Saji leaders turn us in to the Tokugawa when we contact them?
--- Maybe/Depends

2. Do the Tokugawa have informants placed to observe the Saji?
--- Yes

3. Will the Saji be receptive to the idea of overthrowing the Tokugawa?
--- Yes

(oh shit its an update!)

Further Questions:
Are there Tokugawa informants on the Saji's inner council?
Will Saji Kazu agree to meet and discuss our plans if we provide proof that Lord Tougou has returned?

Will an appeal to honor (ie. It is your duty to help the rightful lord) more likely than not increase the probability of Saji agreeing to help us?
Will an appeal to the common good (ie. The people of the country will be better off with Lord Tougou in charge) more likely than not increase the probability of Saji agreeing to help us?
Will an appeal to patriotism (ie. Mikawa will be swallowed up and disappear forever from history unless we act) more likely than not increase the probability of Saji agreeing to help us?
Will a tactful appeal to self interest (ie. You personally will be better off if you follow us) more likely than not increase the probability of Saji agreeing to help us?

Are there Tokugawa informants on the Saji's inner council?
- No

Will Saji Kazu agree to meet and discuss our plans if we provide proof that Lord Tougou has returned?
- Yes

Will an appeal to honor (ie. It is your duty to help the rightful lord) more likely than not increase the probability of Saji agreeing to help us?
- Maybe

Will an appeal to the common good (ie. The people of the country will be better off with Lord Tougou in charge) more likely than not increase the probability of Saji agreeing to help us?
- Yes

Will an appeal to patriotism (ie. Mikawa will be swallowed up and disappear forever from history unless we act) more likely than not increase the probability of Saji agreeing to help us?
- No

Will a tactful appeal to self interest (ie. You personally will be better off if you follow us) more likely than not increase the probability of Saji agreeing to help us?
- Always

( Judson : we need a skype/AIM meeting to discuss this stuff over and any actions so it doesn't keep bogging everything down. What's a few good times for you? )

Terasaka will use Sending to update Lord Tougou: "Meeting set tomorrow at 4. Want to teleport you in after area is secure."

He will bring the news to the rest of the party along with Taira, Genichirou and Touka, asking them to help organize the disguise wagons.

(The bottom line: we have a meeting with the Saji on the 4th where we will bring in Lord Tougou and negotiate. I'd like to bring the party for security just in case of a double-cross by the Saji or other danger. Plan is for us on this end to meet up with the Saji, scout/secure the area, then teleport in Tougou and get down to business.)

(DM: please post if you don't have a conflict, and also anything you might want to get done next day -- especially before the meeting).

Rainer blinking, steps into the sun, and realizes that there is more to see than can ever be seen, and more to do than can ever be done. There's far too much to take in in the camp, and more to find than can ever be found. He looks up at the sun rolling high, through the sapphire sky, greeting great and small on it's endless rounds, and is overcome with a compulsion to look at some of the circles on his construct that helped give it life.

After spending a few minutes tweaking his magnum opus, he goes to find the scout soldiers and asks them if they would be interested in any tools that they might not have, such as spyglasses simple traps, or some spare daggers/arrows/bolts. He also sits down with them to get to know them better, asking about their previous lord.

After 2 hours or so with the scouts, he bids them adieu and goes to see how his friend Shigeru is doing with his SCIENCEing.

The rest of his day is spent talking with some of the front line soldiers, namely asking them how to use a shield in battle, and gathering information on possibly designing a lightweight Pavise type shield that compacts itself for easy travel (possibly folding in half to use as a Light or Heavy shield with extra ACP?) (? do many of the warriors use shields? or are they mostly pikemen?)

Shigeru steps out of his laboratory, turns his headband around, winds up, and throws a small red and white bottle at the ground! An eagle pops into existence, hops around for a minute or so, and then flies away. Letting loose a shout of "SCIENCE!" Shigeru heads back into the lab and returns with a case of bottles filled with a red fluid. He then sets off in search of Yumi.

Tougou responds to Terasaka that they'll be there... Akiyama sends back a message that he needs you to teleport him bring him there once so he can mark the location (Clerical teleport after all =P; so you'll need 2 Word of Recalls)

Rainer does find some various tools that the rebel warriors complain about not having, and most of them have little to do with combat; it's mostly a case that some of these tools require custom ordering which many of them aren't quite willing to go to town to do.
(The skirmishers carry heavy wooden shields; the crossbowmen none at all. They don't exactly fight in formation or even hold lines, so pavises aren't really useful to them and they can't afford any encumuberance).

Shigeru didn't even need to find Yumi since she was waiting for its completion, and thanks him much for the help. She also offers some additional samples that may be of help. (If Shigeru isn't doing anything tomorrow until the 'meetup' and will be doing additional research, consider your inventor skills having managed a breakthrough and obtaining Bottled Ally II by then).

(Dave?)

Terasaka will bring Akiyama out later in the day on the 3rd to familiarize with the meeting location. While at Nakakuni he will make a full report of the initial contact to Lord Tougou and answer any questions that arise.

(GM: the 5th actually...)