From earcaraxe at menta.net Mon Dec 30 00:34:40 2002 From: earcaraxe at menta.net (Draud Giovanni) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:51 2003 Subject: [dragon] I'm newest Message-ID: <003301c2af92$dc0e35c0$b7b8393e@menta.net> Hi i'm a new member of this mailing list i'm from barcelona - Spain nice to meet you -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/attachments/20021230/e7db2aff/attachment.html From kitsuki.mitsu at wanadoo.fr Mon Dec 30 11:08:32 2002 From: kitsuki.mitsu at wanadoo.fr (Kitsuki Mitsu) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:52 2003 Subject: [dragon] I'm newest References: <003301c2af92$dc0e35c0$b7b8393e@menta.net> Message-ID: <003201c2afeb$69038950$ae2b0b50@OrdiOlivier> Welcome, Friend. I hope u will enjoy ur sojourn in our mountain Kitsuki Mitsu Happy New Year! ----- Original Message ----- From: "Draud Giovanni" To: Sent: Monday, December 30, 2002 12:34 AM Subject: [dragon] I'm newest Hi i'm a new member of this mailing list i'm from barcelona - Spain nice to meet you From Dragncln1 at aol.com Mon Dec 30 12:21:35 2002 From: Dragncln1 at aol.com (Dragncln1@aol.com) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:52 2003 Subject: [dragon] I'm newest Message-ID: <17d.145ecfcc.2b41da9f@aol.com> In a message dated 12/30/2002 4:11:49 AM Central Standard Time, kitsuki.mitsu@wanadoo.fr writes: > > Hi > > i'm a new member of this mailing list > i'm from barcelona - Spain > > nice to meet you > > Welcome to the Mountains...When the circle is complete...Enlightment is just a ring away...be the riddle. (Bows) Togashi Sutero story Unknown Samurai Exp. 4 Unique Dragon Clan Monk Order of Togashi Tattooed Dahar Master Masked Will join Lion for 2 less Reaction: When Sutero comes into play get any tattoo card from your Fate deck and put it in your hand. Reaction Limited: If Doji Shizue Exp. is in play, Sutero gains +3+3 and may not be assigned to an attacking army. "What we do in Life...Echoes in Eternity...Strength and Honor." -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/attachments/20021230/b8d80987/attachment.html From irishcream113 at hotmail.com Mon Dec 30 08:47:52 2002 From: irishcream113 at hotmail.com (Dennis Griffith) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:52 2003 Subject: [dragon] I'm newest Message-ID: An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/attachments/20021230/263e30c3/attachment.html From juboke at yahoo.com Tue Dec 31 07:13:36 2002 From: juboke at yahoo.com (Kent Read) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:52 2003 Subject: [dragon] Dragon Clan Wallpaper Message-ID: <20021231151336.2730.qmail@web12807.mail.yahoo.com> Hello all, I'm looking for Dragon Clan wallpaper, any would be fine but really I'm looking for the picture of Hitomi from Ambition's Debt that was on the rulebook and poster from that expansion. Thank you in advance. Mirumoto Jai --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/attachments/20021231/24fc3772/attachment.html From videodroned1 at hotmail.com Tue Dec 31 09:43:15 2002 From: videodroned1 at hotmail.com (shelby perry) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:52 2003 Subject: [dragon] Dragon Clan Wallpaper Message-ID: I have that one with hitomi from ambitions debt. I'm not at home but I'll look for it later. Shelby Hitomi Rninish Dragon Clan Tattoo Man* Samuari* Ashalan* _________________________________________________________________ MSN 8 with e-mail virus protection service: 3 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus&xAPID=42&PS=47575&PI=7324&DI=7474&SU= http://www.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/getmsg&HL=1216hotmailtaglines_eliminateviruses_3mf From TattooedSamurai at cs.com Tue Dec 31 19:00:36 2002 From: TattooedSamurai at cs.com (TattooedSamurai@cs.com) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:52 2003 Subject: [dragon] Dragon Clan Wallpaper Message-ID: <12.2af8e738.2b4389a4@cs.com> In a message dated 12/31/2002 10:45:19 AM Mountain Standard Time, videodroned1@hotmail.com writes: << I have that one with hitomi from ambitions debt. I'm not at home but I'll look for it later. >> ******** great i want it too! In fact anything that as to do with hitomi is awesome ... I would like a copy also, and any other hitomi wallpaper or dragon wall paper anyone has as well. also the screen saver five elemental symbols anyone? Hitomi Kenryoku Dragon Clan Hitoden * Samurai * Tattooed * Double Chi * Tactician DR++++ S++ G++ Y+ M+ H+ E(3) O+ EJ+ SJ+ I+ C+++ E+ U- - T- D+ K - H++ TK- !IC U+++ From Vortex35 at aol.com Tue Dec 31 19:52:52 2002 From: Vortex35 at aol.com (Vortex35@aol.com) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:52 2003 Subject: [dragon] Dragon Clan Wallpaper Message-ID: If anyone finds that screen saver, let me know. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/attachments/20021231/4c43e5a6/attachment.html From box at metrocast.net Tue Dec 31 22:47:09 2002 From: box at metrocast.net (Mister Stuff) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:52 2003 Subject: [dragon] Dragon Clan Wallpaper In-Reply-To: Message-ID: Hey, I still have the Chuichi one up: http://www.thekeeponline.com/tb/Chuichi1600x1200.jpg If you want my absurdly-huge Dragon mon one, let me know and I'll either email the 2MB file to you or I'll temporarily host it somewhere. -T Togashi Ashido I like to smile. From togashilove at hotmail.com Wed Jan 1 20:17:51 2003 From: togashilove at hotmail.com (John Panagiotakis) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:52 2003 Subject: [dragon] Dragon Clan Wallpaper Message-ID: Greetings and happy new year, >From: Vortex35@aol.com > >If anyone finds that screen saver, let me know. Hey me too!!! ___Togashi Agozatsu___ *Dragon Clan Samurai*Monk*Tattooed* Acolyte_of_Maths*Storyteller*exp* *Will only join the Dragon or Scorpion clan* "Each path that is true is dangerous. If there is no one to bar your way, no challenge to overcome, then you know that the choice is honorless." -Hitomi ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ _________________________________________________________________ Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963 From whiteveils at attbi.com Wed Jan 1 14:01:58 2003 From: whiteveils at attbi.com (Kakita Kaori) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:52 2003 Subject: [dragon] Email Address Update Message-ID: General Information! My email address is changing, starting today. It is now: WhiteVeils@attbi.com (it used to be Jadehunter@msn.com) It looks like I probably won't be able to get mail sent to the previous account, so if you sent something to the previous account for me, I fear it is lost. For those who didn't care, I apologize. :) Be well, and may the Fortunes favor you in the coming year. Kakita Kaori Littlest Kenshinzen From SLcpUnK420002 at aol.com Wed Jan 1 22:14:56 2003 From: SLcpUnK420002 at aol.com (SLcpUnK420002@aol.com) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:52 2003 Subject: [dragon] I'm newest Message-ID: In a message dated 12/29/2002 5:38:12 PM Central America Standard Ti, earcaraxe@menta.net writes: > Hi > > i'm a new member of this mailing list > i'm from barcelona - Spain > > nice to meet you > Welcome to the list.Pardon my very late reply(Aol tried to screw me over again). Mirumoto Jon Dragon Clan Tattooed Samurai*Crab Clan* Experienced 2*Unique* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/attachments/20030101/1a04b955/attachment.html From Togashiheijin at aol.com Thu Jan 2 00:23:02 2003 From: Togashiheijin at aol.com (Togashiheijin@aol.com) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:52 2003 Subject: [dragon] Kokujin's Intent? Message-ID: <195.132b93f1.2b4526b6@aol.com> I was going through my post-holiday email deluge and found this interesting post from Scott and was surprised that there wasn't much response. So, I'll throw my 2 cents in, b/c it's something that's bugging me right now too. > Well its great that we all have differing opinions on pt3, as I was not > surprised to see, but what I want to know is - what the hell is Kokujin's > overall goal? > > Forging his 'Dark Daisho' if you want to call it that, and then stating > that > he's willing to give Satsu his grandpappy's swords with no problem and the > stories with Hitomi, etc. lead me to believe a couple things. > Yeah, that kind of made me scratch my head a bit too. > Kokujin isn't an idiot. As a matter of fact in a twisted way he's a lot > like...well.... me. This is what I think he's going to do. > > From the stories and his relations and reactions to Yokuni and Hitomi, > besides his obvious delusions, it seems very clear. He's trying to prove > himself in the grand scheme of things. He sees Yokuni and Hitomi change > the > whole of Rokugan in one lifetime and has interacted personally with both of > > them. (this is all speculation of course) Now he's to a point where he > feels as though it's -his- time to change all of Rokugan, but he's still > not > sure of himself. That's why he's going to let Satsu have Yokuni's swords > back at the end of this thing. He and Satsu will fight, of that I have no > doubt. Kokujin is giving his enemy the necessary weapons to fight, because > > there's little challenge left or Satsu with the Daisho is the ONLY > challenge > left. > > After that, if he's alive, I've no idea what he'll do and I dont think > Satsu > or Kokujin is going to die during this duel. > I'm thinking at this point that Kokujin wants Satsu to have a vendetta against him. He's supremely confident in his own abilities - I have no doubt who he believes would win that contest. However, I don't think he believes Satsu's ready for the contest. Hence returning Yokuni's daisho - he wants Satsu to be complete, as he stated in part 2. But I think it's so that he can absorb Satsu's power when Kokujin defeats him, as he believes he will. Satsu's not at his peak yet, so it wouldn't be in Kokujin's best interest to destroy him yet. Mitsu said as much in part 2 - Satsu's not ready to face him yet and would probably lose. Kokujin also thinks he's immortal, so I wouldn't be surprised to find that he believes absorbing the soul of a part-kami would grant him near kami-level power. His goal then I think is to give Satsu a reason to hate him, a reason to hunt him down, and the means to become "complete" so that when Kokujin defeats Satsu he'll reap the most benefit. Togashi Heijin Dragon Clan Monk * Tattooed * Angry -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/attachments/20030102/ef4dd004/attachment.html From baz at thedragonclan.com Thu Jan 2 13:37:19 2003 From: baz at thedragonclan.com (Hitomi Hokosaki) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:52 2003 Subject: [dragon] New Fiction/Shadowlands Followers of Kokujin In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <20030102133719.GB27005@SDF.LONESTAR.ORG> > >From: Rich Wulf > >0 cards = pure > > > >1-2 cards = Tainted; Shadowlands may be involved somehow > >3+ cards = Corrupt; Shadowlands directly controls or harms those who win > > > >Happy Holidays > > > >Rich > ************************************************************ > Plenty clear, and I hope the answer *FROM RICH* is equally clear > "Shadowlands directly controls or harms those that win". I want to point > out the "... or harms those that win." So any question on who benifits if > a corrupt Dragon deck wins a storyline event? So you and Anassi want to > discuss this any further ;)? Now that is interesting, you have of course forgotten the actual victory from the tournament itself so a corrupt win would be actual victory + Shadowlands directly controls or harms those who win Would the benefits of the story prize out weigh harm from the shadowlands? How far does "directly controls" extend, does it imply control in story or might shadowlands snatch the actual victory in addition? Interesting, I'll have to mail Rich myself :) capital work, a clearer idea of the actual consquences of shadowlands cards could settle many of the corruption arguments this list is prone to. Hitomi Hokosaki www.dragonstrategy.net (some server problems atm) From baz at thedragonclan.com Thu Jan 2 13:56:30 2003 From: baz at thedragonclan.com (Hitomi Hokosaki) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:52 2003 Subject: [dragon] Empress In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <20030102135630.GC27005@SDF.LONESTAR.ORG> > >Too bad we didn't take out Tamori when we had the chance. > > It was very unfortunate that certain people did not see the situation for > what it was. Take out Tamori? Take out Tamori? For Tea and crumpets Maybe! If the option had been destroy Tamori believe me I would have been physically beating people to make sure Jon picked that. Alas never that simple. Quite happy to see Tsudao's comments on Junnosuke "he was a great warrior and leader. A patriot of his clan." Also those on the dragon/feenix conflict "perhaps if Aikune was given the title of Phoenix Clan Champion, he could at last make peace with the Dragon. The ongoing struggle between those two clans benefits no one, and innocents suffer" Even if I notice the lack of anyone sympathetic to the dragon on her staff. Aikune's side of the Tamori story proves perfect for our aims, Aikune needs to be informed and informed quickly of Tamori's deception. The real result of Tsuge's permissions will be revealed later I would expect. Shall we see Hoshi or Shaitung destroying feenix armies just as Aikune has been destroying dragon ones? On that matter, are we any closer to finding out who gave Tamori permission to start any of this at all? Taeruko perhaps? It is to that feenix (probably) which we must lay the blame for all this bloodshed. Hitomi Hokosaki www.dragonstrategy.net From ben at strangecompany.org Thu Jan 2 22:15:06 2003 From: ben at strangecompany.org (Ben Moss) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:52 2003 Subject: [dragon] Empress References: <20030102135630.GC27005@SDF.LONESTAR.ORG> Message-ID: <001e01c2b2ad$396a0150$f839fea9@spaniel> From: "Hitomi Hokosaki" > Take out Tamori? Take out Tamori? For Tea and crumpets Maybe! > > If the option had been destroy Tamori believe me I would have been > physically beating people to make sure Jon picked that. > Alas never that simple. I don't think much beating would have been necessary. > Quite happy to see Tsudao's comments on Junnosuke > "he was a great warrior and leader. A patriot of his clan." > > Also those on the dragon/feenix conflict > "perhaps if Aikune was given the title of Phoenix Clan Champion, he could > at last make peace with the Dragon. The ongoing struggle between those two > clans benefits no one, and innocents suffer" > > Even if I notice the lack of anyone sympathetic to the dragon on her > staff. > > Aikune's side of the Tamori story proves perfect for our aims, Aikune > needs to be informed and informed quickly of Tamori's deception. > The real result of Tsuge's permissions will be revealed later I would > expect. Shall we see Hoshi or Shaitung destroying feenix armies just as > Aikune has been destroying dragon ones? > On that matter, are we any closer to finding out who gave Tamori > permission to start any of this at all? Taeruko perhaps? It is to that > feenix (probably) which we must lay the blame for all this bloodshed. It could be argued that the reason Taeruko wanted Aikune to choose wisdom over power (flavour text on "using the wish") was that she was afraid that with it's power her involvement/plan may be thwarted but I think this is unlikely. Now I haven't had a chance to read the new herald fiction that Zembu-san has mentioned but from what he has said we do know that very powerful air magic has been used. Decidely too much air magic has been used round Tamori (if that is who we believe is responsible for Aikune's "appearance") for it to be purely coincidence. The dark aspect of fire is impulsive and destructive, not cunning and deceitful. This brings me once again to the idea that the culprit is Nakamuro. As the master of air he'd be one of the few shugenja capable of creating a convincing image of Aikune and retinue that could then attack the dragon forces. Without the illusion Tamori's involvement would be seen through very swiftly. On rereading the "compromise" story looking for further evidence I came across what could be a very interesting piece of foreshadowing: "By that count I should blame you for the Dark Oracle of Fire," Nakamuro answered. "Is he not a Dragon? Is he thus not your responsibility? And, as a Dragon is ultimately responsible for the war that killed your family, are you not as much to blame as I?" Also of possible interest was a comment from Shaitung to Nakamuro, which seems quite innocent in the context of the answer Nakamuro gives but purely in it's own right is possibly more telling: "You have changed much since I first met you, Isawa Nakamuro. Once, you avoided confrontation." This is just the kind of change in behaviour that one would expect to see in someone with a growing affinity to fire or the taint (or both), something we've already discussed at great length on this list. Unfortunately without Zembu-san's story it's hard to go much further. I completely misread your final spoiler from the break of dawn story previously. I'd read it as Tamori helping in his own destruction if Nyima was strong enough. Having reread it I'm pretty sure that it's refering to Lord Sun, but it's one of those statements that is just asking to mean the opposite of what you think it says. So just for you Zembu-san I'll say that I think there may still be some hope of redemption for Tamori ;p (perhaps through Yakamo's intervention in some way, afterall he almost fell to a similar fate once...). Either way we still need to find who invited Tamori to get involved in the first place. Hitomi Touken From Togashiheijin at aol.com Thu Jan 2 22:52:32 2003 From: Togashiheijin at aol.com (Togashiheijin@aol.com) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:52 2003 Subject: [dragon] Dragonstrategy down? Message-ID: <127.1e99d777.2b466300@aol.com> Anyone else having trouble getting on to dragonstrategy.net? Togashi Heijin Dragon Clan Monk * Tattooed * Angry -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/attachments/20030102/edaa11a7/attachment.html From barryakunz at hotmail.com Fri Jan 3 01:25:49 2003 From: barryakunz at hotmail.com (Barry Kunz) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:53 2003 Subject: [dragon] Empress Message-ID: >From: "Ben Moss" > > > Take out Tamori? Take out Tamori? For Tea and crumpets Maybe! > > > > If the option had been destroy Tamori believe me I would have been > > physically beating people to make sure Jon picked that. > > Alas never that simple. > >I don't think much beating would have been necessary. It was that simple for some.:) Not that I want to start that debate again. The point is that Tamori has once again manipulated us into war. He did it by activating the volcanoes and he has now done it by pretending to be Aikune to make sure the dragon continue to counter strike the phoenix which end up looking like unprovoked attacks from us. He has played the whole clan for fools TWICE now. I REALLY don't want it to happen again. > > Quite happy to see Tsudao's comments on Junnosuke > > "he was a great warrior and leader. A patriot of his clan." > > > > Also those on the dragon/feenix conflict > > "perhaps if Aikune was given the title of Phoenix Clan Champion, he >could > > at last make peace with the Dragon. The ongoing struggle between those >two > > clans benefits no one, and innocents suffer" > > > > Even if I notice the lack of anyone sympathetic to the dragon on her > > staff. > > > > Aikune's side of the Tamori story proves perfect for our aims, Aikune > > needs to be informed and informed quickly of Tamori's deception. > > The real result of Tsuge's permissions will be revealed later I would > > expect. Shall we see Hoshi or Shaitung destroying feenix armies just as > > Aikune has been destroying dragon ones? There is no need for Tamori to pose as one of our clan leaders because we are doing to killing for him by continuing to attack the phoenix in what we think is rightful retribution.. Besides, we already know that he has openly attacked phoenix armies with Dragons at his side as evidenced by flavor text. Don't remember which one but it was one of the phoenix peeps from FUO. > > On that matter, are we any closer to finding out who gave Tamori > > permission to start any of this at all? Taeruko perhaps? It is to that > > feenix (probably) which we must lay the blame for all this bloodshed. > >It could be argued that the reason Taeruko wanted Aikune to choose >wisdom >over power (flavour text on "using the wish") was that she was >afraid that >with it's power her involvement/plan may be thwarted but I >think this is >unlikely. That would be a bad arguement. Power gives one military might/ strength. Wisdom gives one knowlegde and information. Taeruko wanted Aikune to choose wisdom so he wouldn't be powerful enough to take control of the clan away from Taeruko and the council. Now I haven't had a chance to read the new herald fiction that >Zembu-san has mentioned but from what he has said we do know that very >powerful air magic has been used. Decidely too much air magic has been >used >round Tamori (if that is who we believe is responsible for Aikune's >"appearance") for it to be purely coincidence. The dark aspect of fire is >impulsive and destructive, not cunning and deceitful. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt since you haven't read the fiction but Osano-Wo clearly states that the 'Aikune' Nyima and company saw was actually Tamori. Tamori may be impulsive sometimes and he is certainly destructive but he has already demonstrated his cunning and deceitfulness by blowing the volcanoes and keeping it hidden, and trapping Tsuge. >This brings me once again to the idea that the culprit is Nakamuro. >As >the master of air he'd be one of the few shugenja capable of >creating a >convincing image of Aikune and retinue that could then >attack the dragon >forces. There was no Retinue. The dragon were defeating a retreating phoenix army when Aikune appeared. I think you over-estimate the difficulty someone of Tamori's power would have creating the allusion of Aikune. Just because he is the dark oracle of fire now doesn't mean he can't call on the other elements. >Without the illusion Tamori's involvement would be seen through very >swiftly. How you come to this conclusion so easily, I'm not sure. What makes you think Tamori would be incapable of pretending to be Aikune? He's got the flaming sword down, I'm sure. Besides, and again I know you haven't had the chance to read 'The Break of Dawn', Osano-Wo says that Nyima saw Aikune but he wasn't there. Osano-Wo tells Nyima it was really Tamori. Some how I don't think Osano-Wo is the lying type especially when he is running erands for Lord Sun. Simply put, the fiction tells us that Tamori is acting as Aikune and killing our armies. There is no room there for us to think it was actually Nakamuro. Could Nakamuro still be involved? I suppose it's a possibility but I think Osano-Wo would have been up front with that as well. Nakamuro may be good with Air but not so good to be able to fool a fortune. On rereading the "compromise" story looking for further >evidence I came across what could be a very interesting piece of >foreshadowing: > >"By that count I should blame you for the Dark Oracle of Fire," Nakamuro >answered. "Is he not a Dragon? Is he thus not your responsibility? And, as >a >Dragon is ultimately responsible for the war that killed your family, are >you not as much to blame as I?" > You've quoted this before. Nakamuro is simply saying that he and his clan aren't the only ones to blame in the war. Remember that Tsuge was being very combative with Nakamuro before he said this. > >Also of possible interest was a comment from Shaitung to Nakamuro, which >seems quite innocent in the context of the answer Nakamuro gives but purely >in it's own right is possibly more telling: >"You have changed much since I first met you, Isawa Nakamuro. Once, you >avoided confrontation." > >This is just the kind of change in behaviour that one would expect to see >in >someone with a growing affinity to fire or the taint (or both), something >we've already discussed at great length on this list. > >Unfortunately without Zembu-san's story it's hard to go much further. I wish I could post it but I'm waiting 30 days from when I got it I >completely misread your final spoiler from the break of dawn story >previously. I'd read it as Tamori helping in his own destruction if Nyima >was strong enough. Having reread it I'm pretty sure that it's refering to >Lord Sun, but it's one of those statements that is just asking to mean the >opposite of what you think it says. Actually, it totally isn't. Osano-Wo telling Nyima that Lord Sun doesn't like the shadowlands followed by him saying it will ultimately be Nyima's responsibility to take out Tamori and finishing up by saying that Tamori will help Nyima destroy Tamori if Nyima is strong enough is complete non-sense. The 'him' in the second sentence I spoiled is obviously refering to Lord Sun and it is not asking to mean anything else. So just for you Zembu-san I'll say that >I think there may still be some hope of redemption for Tamori ;p Yeah, and Fu Leng is on a diplomatice mission to the Heavens. (perhaps >through Yakamo's intervention in some way, afterall he almost fell to a >similar fate once...). Either way we still need to find who invited > >Tamori to get involved in the first place. That is important and I'm sure it will be found out or revealed eventually, but it is more important for us to take Tamori out. And no, not for crumpets and tea. :) >Hitomi Touken Touken-san, thanks for keeping me engaged in this topic of conversation. You too Baz. I just wish the break of Dawn fiction was one that everyone could read at the same time so we could all have an informed discussion on it. Seeing that some people in the states just got their heralds in the past few days, I think someone at AEG was looking out for me and made sure my herald was in the first batch mailed out. Either that or they've really pressured the international distributors to make sure they mail the heralds out on time. Has anyone read the fiction from the SotP booklet? I find it odd that Nakamuro hasn't yet returned to the Phoenix. I wonder if there actually has been a time lapse between his being let go from the dragon and the fiction in the SotP booklet? If so, Nakamuro may very well be involved with Tamori in some way, just not the way Touken speculates above. See, I have an open mind even if I think Nakamuro isn't the one who gave Tamori permission.:) Barry Kunz Togashi Zembu Herald of the New Dawn _________________________________________________________________ MSN 8 with e-mail virus protection service: 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus From bowman_rob at hotmail.com Fri Jan 3 09:30:13 2003 From: bowman_rob at hotmail.com (Rob Bowman) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:53 2003 Subject: [dragon] New Fiction/Shadowlands Followers of Kokujin Message-ID: Greetings, This email reformatted to try and make easier... >From: Hitomi Hokosaki > >Now that is interesting, you have of course forgotten the actual victory >from the tournament itself so a corrupt win would be >actual victory + Shadowlands directly controls or harms those who win I believe you are infering something you want that is not in the conditions. Read the conditions of a corrupt deck victory. It clearly states the corrupt Clan in question will have one of two bad effects happen. No where does it say anything good comes from the win. You are assuming something good comes from the actual victory, but there is nothing written here as I understand it that supports that claim. I *assume* the actual victory brings nothing more than a story, which of course would contain one of the two evils :(. It is also nothing more than my opinion, but I think a corrupt win inflicts nothing but misery on your own Clan for the sake of victory. Which kind of fits the Hordes MO imo anyway. Here is Rich's quote again so you all can judge... > > >3+ cards = Corrupt; Shadowlands directly controls or harms those who >win You, or someone else, will have to explain yourself much better if you really want me to believe anything good can happen from such a simple a straitforward statement that has only a choice of two negative conditions listed and nothing positive listed :(. >Would the benefits of the story prize out weigh harm from the shadowlands? >How far does "directly controls" extend, does it imply control in story or >might shadowlands snatch the actual victory in addition? Again where is any "benefit" listed? "Directly controling" seems pretty clear and strong to me. The verb in question is not "share", "influence", or "guide", now add the adverb "directly" and it would seem any goals we have are completely inconsiquetial. The only thing we do know without making assumptions is that we will help our Enemy (or the other possibility which you have skipped asking but is just as likely, which is to actually hurt ourselves) :(. >Interesting, I'll have to mail Rich myself :) capital work, a clearer idea >of the actual consquences of shadowlands cards could settle many of the >corruption arguments this list is prone to. Feel free but I fail to see how this could be any clearer :/. Take care, Rob- Mirumoto Shokan _________________________________________________________________ Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail From bowman_rob at hotmail.com Fri Jan 3 09:36:58 2003 From: bowman_rob at hotmail.com (Rob Bowman) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:53 2003 Subject: [dragon] Empress Message-ID: Greetings, >From: Hitomi Hokosaki > > > >Too bad we didn't take out Tamori when we had the chance. > > > > It was very unfortunate that certain people did not see the situation >for > > what it was. > >Take out Tamori? Take out Tamori? For Tea and crumpets Maybe! > >If the option had been destroy Tamori believe me I would have been >physically beating people to make sure Jon picked that. >Alas never that simple. Uhm, Baz, it was *that* simple to many of us. Some of whom actually went to the trouble to privately contact those that would attend to make sure they saw the real danger *before* the event itself. Just because you could not see the danger for what it was is no reason to try and cloud the issue with statemenst such as "Alas never that simple." As always ymmv, I am just asking you not to tell me what my milage was or will be :). Take care, Rob- Mirumoto Shokan _________________________________________________________________ Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963 From mlevoyageur at libertysurf.fr Fri Jan 3 13:55:56 2003 From: mlevoyageur at libertysurf.fr (=?iso-8859-1?Q?mlevoyageur@libertysurf.fr?=) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:53 2003 Subject: [dragon] (no subject) Message-ID: Dear fellow dragons, may the boundless wisdom of Togashi be with you always !! And by the way I hope you all had a happy New Year?s Celebration. 2 Things : first, I designed a new deck. Feel free to tear it up. See below. Second, in connexion with that deck : how often do you come across a 0-focus value card ? I?d want to slip 2 or 3 strike of flowing water in my to be on the safe side but I may too paranoid. I find that a blade of truth is just not enough. "Unavoidable fate" rev.1 SH : shiro mirumoto wind : tsudao streets of Otosan Uchi ( ironically, btw) welcome home imperial gift boastful proclamation chrysanthemum festival a plague spreads 3 gm 3 st 3 shintao library 3 jw 2 hd 2 tg 1 k-r?s exp 1 Hoshi Wayan exp2 1 ----- Chuichi 1 ----- Eisai exp 3 ----- Takeji 2 ----- Tadao (possibly 3) 1 hitmi Kagetora exp 1 tamori shaitung exp 2 ------ Chieko 3 Mirumoto Shiryu (possibly 2) 2 -------- Tsuge (I want to redeem him) 1 togashi hoshi exp2 1 ------- satsu 1 kaelung 2 fires of retribution 3 wind?s truth 3 aid of the grand master 3 will of fire 1 ring of fire 3 iai challenge 2 iai duel 2 facing your devils 4 tonfa 1 blade of truth 1 celestial 1 imperial standard 1 fist of osano-wo 2 crab tattoo 3 dragon tattoo 2 avoid fate 2 investigation (possibly none) 2 deeds not words 1 tsutomu no shiryo 3 focus (possibly none) Some of the cards I?d want included in my decks : 2 shrine of the sun, 2 or 3 strike of flowing water, ring of the void, 1 more iai duel. As a matter of fact, I tested this deck twice ( both against a lion shiro matsu) and I won both games. The cards are flowing at such a speed that I often worried about not having more than 3 cards to ward off any attack at any time. In that light, and if I manage to include the RotV, I?d probably raise my fate deck to 50 ( after all 5 in Japan is good luck) Hitomi Ryokosha dragon clan traveler tattooed samurai Mirumoto ryokosha exp2 unique master of the hitomi and daisho techniques will certainly not join a phoenix clan player will gladly join Yoritomo Kumiko for 2 less gold ------------- SPECIAL ADSL L'ADSL ? partir de 15,95 EUR/mois et le modem ADSL offert ? C'est en exclusivit? chez Tiscali ! Pour profiter de cette offre, cliquez ici: http://register.tiscali.fr/adsl/ Offre soumise ? conditions. From baz at thedragonclan.com Fri Jan 3 13:19:51 2003 From: baz at thedragonclan.com (Hitomi Hokosaki) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:53 2003 Subject: [dragon] New Fiction/Shadowlands Followers of Kokujin In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <20030103131951.GA28593@SDF.LONESTAR.ORG> > You are assuming something good comes from the actual victory, but there is > nothing written here as I understand it that supports that claim. I > *assume* the actual victory brings nothing more than a story, which of > course would contain one of the two evils :(. It is after all a storyline 'prize' so there should be some good in winning for your faction, a good which would have to be weighed against the two evils. > You, or someone else, will have to explain yourself much better if you > really want me to believe anything good can happen from such a simple a > straitforward statement that has only a choice of two negative conditions > listed and nothing positive listed :(. Each storyline has a storyline prize, for example (and a rather poor example but its close to home) The Dark Gaijin's Legacy tournament is being held near me (Cork, Ireland). "Hundreds of years ago the gaijin pirate, Garen, led an assault on the capital city of Otosan Uchi. Months ago, Garen returned, an undead abomination leading a fleet of corrupted vessels. A hero from the faction played by the winner of this tournament will now finally tell the tale of Garen's defeat, and bring back the undead pirate's sword. " The benefit of the winner is to "tell the tale of Garen's defeat" which may possibly include actually defeating him "and bring back the undead pirate's sword" To continue in the format of the previous examples. A pure dragon win: A dragon hero tells the tale of garens defeat and brings back the pirates sword. A tainted dragon win: A dragon hero tells the tale of garens defeat and brings back the pirates sword, the shadowlands are involved somehow perhaps in defeating garen or 'gifting' the sword. Since we are dragon any of the following may be involved as well as the dragon hero: Kokujin, Taki, Tamori. A Corrupt Dragon win: A dragon hero controlled by the shadowlands tells the tale of garens defeat and brings back the pirates sword which hurts the clan in some way. The hero may become tainted, some dragon may die. Alternatively Taki (for example) defeats Garen for some reason (fun maybe) and gets himself a new sword (with his plan to rival ginawa). The final example of course is the one we are interested in the most. In this case the benefits are a) defeating garen and b) getting his sword The draw backs are vague but still quite scary, in this I don't believe the good out weighs the bad. In the alternative version we have an ex-dragon gaining more power within the shadowlands faction (Taki is quite cool in my book). There is no actual gain or hurt to the dragon clan some however would prefer to see a dragon prosper amongst the corrupt more than another faction in the lost. I know I would. So in this storyline example were I to play corrupt I would pedition the powers that be for more Taki action as _that_ corrupt option would be the better. That said, it would be no more than a risky suggestion but if the kami accepted it, it would be the best option from all the bad and that best option would merely break even giving no real benefit to the clan. In summary, this storyline tournament would be best won by an honourable dragon deck as the consequences of a corrupt win would most likely have greater evil than good. If corrupt were our best archetype this would not be a tournament in which to play it. Other tournaments would have different outcomes, some of which might justify use of a corrupt deck... Hitomi Hokosaki www.dragonstrategy.net From baz at thedragonclan.com Fri Jan 3 13:21:36 2003 From: baz at thedragonclan.com (Hitomi Hokosaki) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:53 2003 Subject: [dragon] Dragonstrategy down? In-Reply-To: <127.1e99d777.2b466300@aol.com> References: <127.1e99d777.2b466300@aol.com> Message-ID: <20030103132135.GB28593@SDF.LONESTAR.ORG> > Anyone else having trouble getting on to dragonstrategy.net? :( sorry having some server problems at the minute. Hopefully its being tinkered with by a swarm of highly trained nerds as we speak... Hitomi Hokosaki www.dragonstrategy.net From baz at thedragonclan.com Fri Jan 3 13:28:26 2003 From: baz at thedragonclan.com (Hitomi Hokosaki) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:53 2003 Subject: [dragon] Empress In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <20030103132826.GC28593@SDF.LONESTAR.ORG> > >Take out Tamori? Take out Tamori? For Tea and crumpets Maybe! > > > >If the option had been destroy Tamori believe me I would have been > >physically beating people to make sure Jon picked that. > >Alas never that simple. > > Uhm, Baz, it was *that* simple to many of us. Some of whom actually went > to the trouble to privately contact those that would attend to make sure > they saw the real danger *before* the event itself. Just because you could > not see the danger for what it was is no reason to try and cloud the issue > with statemenst such as "Alas never that simple." As always ymmv, I am > just asking you not to tell me what my milage was or will be :). Miles and Miles and Miles :) "For the Dragon - The Dark Oracle of Fire, a fallen Dragon, now dwells beneath the mountains of the Dragon and uses his terrible power to drive his kinsmen from their homes. The top placing Dragon may choose as follows: A) Attack the Dark Oracle and drive him from the mountains, ignoring the threat of the Phoenix Clan. B) Ally with the Oracle and convince him to turn his power against the Phoenix. " Had option A) been kill Tamori, it would have had far more weight, it was however "take Tamori out for tea and crumpets". This is old news though... Anyone have a list of the upcoming tournaments and stories? Would be nice to see what our upcoming options are like. Hitomi Hokosaki From bowman_rob at hotmail.com Fri Jan 3 14:19:50 2003 From: bowman_rob at hotmail.com (Rob Bowman) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:53 2003 Subject: [dragon] New Fiction/Shadowlands Followers of Kokujin Message-ID: Greetings, >From: Hitomi Hokosaki > > > You are assuming something good comes from the actual victory, but there >is > > nothing written here as I understand it that supports that claim. I > > *assume* the actual victory brings nothing more than a story, which of > > course would contain one of the two evils :(. > >It is after all a storyline 'prize' so there should be some good in >winning for your faction, a good which would have to be weighed against >the two evils. Yep the prize is a story. Anything else is assumption be it good or ill. Unless of course conditions are laid out, and in this case they are and the conditions are not good. Now to your specific example... >A pure dragon win: A dragon hero tells the tale of garens defeat and >brings back the pirates sword. This is very good :)!! >A tainted dragon win: A dragon hero tells the tale of garens defeat and >brings back the pirates sword, the shadowlands are involved somehow >perhaps in defeating garen or 'gifting' the sword. Since we are dragon any >of the following may be involved as well as the dragon hero: Kokujin, >Taki, Tamori. This is bearable ;). It also fits the tainted definition imo. >A Corrupt Dragon win: A dragon hero controlled by the shadowlands tells >the tale of garens defeat and brings back the pirates sword which hurts >the clan in some way. The hero may become tainted, some dragon may die. >Alternatively Taki (for example) defeats Garen for some reason (fun maybe) >and gets himself a new sword (with his plan to rival ginawa). Hmm, this is not so good, but exactly what the conditions laid out. Either the Horde gets something they want, we hurt ourselves, or possibly both. >The final example of course is the one we are interested in the most. In >this case the benefits are >a) defeating garen and This is given. You are correct here. >b) getting his sword This is not. If Taki gets the sword, then "we" did not get the sword. Taki doesn't live here anymore remember ;)? >The draw backs are vague but still quite scary, in this I don't believe >the good out weighs the bad. >In the alternative version we have an ex-dragon gaining more power within >the shadowlands faction (Taki is quite cool in my book). There is no >actual gain or hurt to the dragon clan some however would prefer to see a >dragon prosper amongst the corrupt more than another faction in the lost. >I know I would. WHOA!! I most certainly do not agree with this. We have NEVER as a clan encouraged this and this opinion may be yours, but here is exactly where you are getting in trouble with many on the list, as many of us do not view any news is good news and do not find it supported in the stories. Now if you just want to win, then say so, but you and others keep saying you are trying to help the Clan, and I am sorry, but this is not help in my, and many others, humble opinion. More to the point I want to cast light on all the rest of the options which you are potentially risking us to. Playing corrupt could really cost us here as potentially winning the sword "hurts the clan in some way." While additionally "The hero may become tainted, some dragon may die." In this scenario we are getting hurt *and* helping the enemy. This is why many of us are scoffing at those of you who say you are playing corrupt to "help" the clan. So my summary looks like this for a corrupt win. Barely break even or really get hurt and help the enemy. This seems a pretty big risk imo for absolutely no gain. >So in this storyline example were I to play corrupt I would pedition the >powers that be for more Taki action as _that_ corrupt option would be the >better. That said, it would be no more than a risky suggestion but if the >kami accepted it, it would be the best option from all the bad and that >best option would merely break even giving no real benefit to the clan. So here you admit that killing Garren, and Taki getting the sword which you call the "best option" is at best a break even proposition. Thanks you just made my arguement for me, moving on now :)! >In summary, this storyline tournament would be best won by an honourable >dragon deck as the consequences of a corrupt win would most likely have >greater evil than good. >If corrupt were our best archetype this would not be a tournament in >which to play it. >Other tournaments would have different outcomes, some of which might >justify >use of a corrupt deck... Hey I have always acknowledged that there are exceptions. So please feel free to engaged that subject when the time arises. For general matters though, your arguement only confirms what I and many other have been saying. Storylinewise, you do not benefit the Dragon Clan playing corrupt. Take care, Rob- Mirumoto Shokan _________________________________________________________________ STOP MORE SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail From bowman_rob at hotmail.com Fri Jan 3 14:25:37 2003 From: bowman_rob at hotmail.com (Rob Bowman) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:53 2003 Subject: [dragon] Empress Message-ID: Greetings, >Had option A) been kill Tamori, it would have had far more weight, it was >however "take Tamori out for tea and crumpets". You know Baz, I never really understood your hangup here. Are you saying you will only follow the "good" path if guaranteed of success? I mean you complete infatuation with justifying winning a storyline tournament regardless of deck type seems to me to be in the same vein. Am I off? Take care, Rob- Mirumoto Shokan _________________________________________________________________ The new MSN 8 is here: Try it free* for 2 months http://join.msn.com/?page=dept/dialup From earcaraxe at menta.net Fri Jan 3 17:56:58 2003 From: earcaraxe at menta.net (Draud Giovanni) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:53 2003 Subject: [dragon] New Fiction/Shadowlands Followers of Kokujin References: Message-ID: <002701c2b349$20f66b80$dbb8393e@menta.net> The shadowlands are always bad... The soul who thinks to be more powerfull with them is a soul of a non-Honorable Dragon-cln member... Tamori-kitsuki-mirumoto-hoshi-togashi-hitomi... Only one was Corrupted... only one was shadowlands and dragon Clan member...At the end he lefts the clan !!!! The way not give us to "play with madness"... Togashi Draud Shugenja Monk Samurai Profet Double chi Adept of the void From SLcpUnK420002 at aol.com Fri Jan 3 14:26:34 2003 From: SLcpUnK420002 at aol.com (SLcpUnK420002@aol.com) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:53 2003 Subject: [dragon] New Fiction/Shadowlands Followers of Kokujin Message-ID: <76.28197acf.2b473dea@aol.com> In a message dated 1/3/2003 7:20:55 AM Central America Standard Time, baz@thedragonclan.com writes: > Alternatively Taki (for example) defeats Garen for some reason (fun maybe) > and gets himself a new sword (with his plan to rival ginawa). > > The final example of course is the one we are interested in the most. In > this case the benefits are > a) defeating garen and > b) getting his sword > > The draw backs are vague but still quite scary, in this I don't believe > the good out weighs the bad. > In the alternative version we have an ex-dragon gaining more power within > the shadowlands faction (Taki is quite cool in my book). There is no > actual gain or hurt to the dragon clan some however would prefer to see a > dragon prosper amongst the corrupt more than another faction in the lost. > I know I would. > > So in this storyline example were I to play corrupt I would pedition the > powers that be for more Taki action as _that_ corrupt option would be the > better. That said, it would be no more than a risky suggestion but if the > kami accepted it, it would be the best option from all the bad and that > best option would merely break even giving no real benefit to the clan. > > In summary, this storyline tournament would be best won by an honourable > dragon deck as the consequences of a corrupt win would most likely have > greater evil than good. > If corrupt were our best archetype this would not be a tournament in > which to play it. > Other tournaments would have different outcomes, some of which might > justify > use of a corrupt deck... > > Hitomi Hokosaki > www.dragonstrategy.net > > I Have a question about taki.What happened to him that he joined the shadowlands?Did he die? He was one of my favorite dragons since i got him in my first starter.I have tried finding answers to this but they have all failed, so any replies would be greatly appreciated. Mirumoto Jon Dragon Clan Tattooed Samurai*Crab Clan* Experienced 2*Unique -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/attachments/20030103/b2b135fa/attachment.html From SLcpUnK420002 at aol.com Fri Jan 3 14:30:19 2003 From: SLcpUnK420002 at aol.com (SLcpUnK420002@aol.com) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:53 2003 Subject: [dragon] New Fiction/Shadowlands Followers of Kokujin Message-ID: <42.3310336e.2b473ecb@aol.com> In a message dated 1/3/2003 10:58:55 AM Central America Standard Tim, earcaraxe@menta.net writes: > The shadowlands are always bad... > The soul who thinks to be more powerfull with them is a soul of a > non-Honorable Dragon-cln member... > > Tamori-kitsuki-mirumoto-hoshi-togashi-hitomi... > > Only one was Corrupted... only one was shadowlands and dragon Clan > member...At the end he lefts the clan !!!! > > The way not give us to "play with madness"... > > Togashi Draud > Shugenja Monk Samurai Profet Double chi > Adept of the void > Yea finally someone explains it the way it should be said! Domo! Mirumoto Jon Dragon Clan Tattooed Samurai*Crab Clan* Experienced 2*Unique -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/attachments/20030103/58de409b/attachment.html From hsendatsu at hotmail.com Fri Jan 3 19:36:02 2003 From: hsendatsu at hotmail.com (=?iso-8859-1?B?VG9t4XMgUGVsbPNu?=) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:53 2003 Subject: [dragon] New Fiction/Shadowlands Followers of Kokujin Message-ID: >I Have a question about taki.What happened to him that he joined the >shadowlands?Did he die? He was one of my favorite dragons since i got him >in >my first starter.I have tried finding answers to this but they have all >failed, so any replies would be greatly appreciated. > >Mirumoto Jon >Dragon Clan Tattooed Samurai*Crab Clan* >Experienced 2*Unique A GenCon 2000 (I hink i was that one), whenever a Shadowlands player won a game, he/she could choose one from a series of Personalities to corrupt. Whenever somebody beated a Shadowlands player, he could either save one of the Personalities or kill one of the tainted ones. Taki was chosen by some Shadowlands player and ended up corrupt (Like Tamori and other Dragon Clan Personalities. Hope this answers your questions. Hitomi Sendatsu Dragon Clan Tattooed Samurai - Butei _________________________________________________________________ MSN. M?s ?til Cada D?a http://www.msn.es/intmap/ From videodroned1 at hotmail.com Thu Jan 2 11:53:18 2003 From: videodroned1 at hotmail.com (shelby perry) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:54 2003 Subject: [dragon] Kokujin's Intent? Message-ID: Here's the Hitomi picture everyone been wanting for whoever needs it. Hitomi Rinsin Dragon Tattooed Man* Ashalan* Samurai _________________________________________________________________ Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: HITOMI.JPG Type: image/pjpeg Size: 124060 bytes Desc: not available Url : /pipermail/attachments/20030102/b919c5b9/HITOMI.bin From SLcpUnK420002 at aol.com Fri Jan 3 19:21:53 2003 From: SLcpUnK420002 at aol.com (SLcpUnK420002@aol.com) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:54 2003 Subject: [dragon] New Fiction/Shadowlands Followers of Kokujin Message-ID: <65.62a1527.2b478321@aol.com> In a message dated 3/1/2003 12:44:40 PM, hsendatsu@hotmail.com writes: << A GenCon 2000 (I hink i was that one), whenever a Shadowlands player won a game, he/she could choose one from a series of Personalities to corrupt. Whenever somebody beated a Shadowlands player, he could either save one of the Personalities or kill one of the tainted ones. Taki was chosen by some Shadowlands player and ended up corrupt (Like Tamori and other Dragon Clan Personalities. Hope this answers your questions. Hitomi Sendatsu Dragon Clan Tattooed Samurai - Butei >> Thanks, is there any story on it? Mirumoto Jon Dragon Clan Tattooed Samurai*Crab Clan* Experienced 2*Unique From teiran at prodigy.net Sat Jan 4 00:17:54 2003 From: teiran at prodigy.net (Teiran) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:54 2003 Subject: [dragon] Wondering about Chieko and Hogai Message-ID: <00fd01c2b3ca$3f76a120$9016bcd0@dragon> Its been three chapters now since Satsu, Chieko, and Hogai have been captured by Kokujin. In that time, neither Chieko or Hogai have been placed on the Anvil, and I'm begining to wonder something. Is Rich going to kill either of them? I mean, yes, Kokujin is intending on killing one of them to make his swords and Satsu suffer, but Rich has been really tempting us here. Yes, screams are echoing through the castle, but a battle causes screams just like someone dying on the Anvil will. Thatis what I'm hoping it is honestly. I don't think any of us want to see Chieko die. She's one of the favorite characters of our clan, and after reading this story she's even cooler. But then, before reading this fiction I though Hogai wasn't that cool, but he became very cool thats to Rich. The idea that Hitomi would send Satsu a servant both as a protector and as a warning of the dangers of being a killer. Kokujin is a killer, and Hitomi wanted to warn her brother's name sake away from that path. As you can probably tell, I'm just sorta rambling here, hoping that Chieko isn't dead. And Rich, I like the twist Kokujin gave to his words to cause the most harm to Satsu in order to force him into his true potential. -Togashi Teiran We are the Dragon, We make our own path. ICQ# 3012794 From Rick.Beidleman at cs.oag.state.tx.us Sat Jan 4 00:18:37 2003 From: Rick.Beidleman at cs.oag.state.tx.us (Rick Beidleman) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:54 2003 Subject: [dragon] Wondering about Chieko and Hogai Message-ID: Well, pt 4 is up! It's.....well....it's as good as the others, and it's still not the final piece. I won't spoil the whole story, but the decision is made. Check it out. On a similar note.....Togashi Mikoto anyone? Kitsuki Kyomitsu >>> teiran@prodigy.net 01/04/03 00:14 AM >>> Its been three chapters now since Satsu, Chieko, and Hogai have been captured by Kokujin. In that time, neither Chieko or Hogai have been placed on the Anvil, and I'm begining to wonder something. Is Rich going to kill either of them? I mean, yes, Kokujin is intending on killing one of them to make his swords and Satsu suffer, but Rich has been really tempting us here. Yes, screams are echoing through the castle, but a battle causes screams just like someone dying on the Anvil will. Thatis what I'm hoping it is honestly. I don't think any of us want to see Chieko die. She's one of the favorite characters of our clan, and after reading this story she's even cooler. But then, before reading this fiction I though Hogai wasn't that cool, but he became very cool thats to Rich. The idea that Hitomi would send Satsu a servant both as a protector and as a warning of the dangers of being a killer. Kokujin is a killer, and Hitomi wanted to warn her brother's name sake away from that path. As you can probably tell, I'm just sorta rambling here, hoping that Chieko isn't dead. And Rich, I like the twist Kokujin gave to his words to cause the most harm to Satsu in order to force him into his true potential. -Togashi Teiran We are the Dragon, We make our own path. ICQ# 3012794 _______________________________________________ Dragon mailing list Dragon@michonline.com http://michonline.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/dragon From togashilove at hotmail.com Sat Jan 4 18:46:44 2003 From: togashilove at hotmail.com (John Panagiotakis) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:54 2003 Subject: [dragon] (SPOILERS) Wondering about Chieko and Hogai Message-ID: Greetings, >From: "Rick Beidleman" > >Well, pt 4 is up! It's.....well....it's as good as the others, and >it's >still not the final piece. I won't spoil the whole story, but >the >decision is made. Check it out. If you still haven't read the story do not tarry any longer! S P O I L E R S P A C E Well, part 5 is on the horizon. Can't say that this bothers me at all! ;) Unfortunatelly, Chieko is on the anvil due to Kokujin's perverted machinations. On the other hand, this is my favorite part of all (part 5 could change that of course). Yoshune/Satsu early times fiction is, to say the least, beyond divine greatness. >>Yoshune’s eyes gleamed. "Will you teach me how to turn into a dragon >>as >>you do, as grandfather did?" *snif* :o) *snif* Such a soulful moment. Other clan champion's kids ask when they will be able to carry a daisho and ours ask questions like these...8p *snif* I so touched. 8) In addition... Hogie story!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 8)!! I can only pray that Rich will write, in the near future, a story about the adventures of Vedau and Hogai! 8> Double HEADPUNCH!! >>"Shiba Hayoto would have taken you hostage. I convinced him such an >> >>action was not wise and sent him back to Shiro Shiba. He was not >> >>pleased." Hogai looked at the dead horse. "I think he did not want to >> >>walk." I fell from my chair when I first read this extract!! 8p!! Shiba Cavalry Squad vs Moustache Madman: 0-1 > >On a similar note.....Togashi Mikoto anyone? > E?? Am I missing something? Isn't he the tattooed samurai with the nifty ability? >Kitsuki Kyomitsu Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that from the original 7 (+2 Mitsu & Kaelung) Wayan and Chieko (not much at least) haven't had their time in the spotlight?? It's highly possible for Wayan to be smashing heads on part 5. As for Chieko it's way past possible for her to be in the spotlight... or maybe forge. 8( ___Togashi Agozatsu___ *Dragon Clan Samurai*Monk*Tattooed* Acolyte_of_Maths*Storyteller*exp* *Will only join the Dragon or Scorpion clan* "Each path that is true is dangerous. If there is no one to bar your way, no challenge to overcome, then you know that the choice is honorless." -Hitomi ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ _________________________________________________________________ MSN 8 helps eliminate e-mail viruses. Get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus From box at metrocast.net Sat Jan 4 12:13:13 2003 From: box at metrocast.net (Mister Stuff) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:54 2003 Subject: [dragon] (SPOILERS) Wondering about Chieko and Hogai In-Reply-To: Message-ID: On Saturday, January 4, 2003, at 08:46 AM, John Panagiotakis wrote: >> On a similar note.....Togashi Mikoto anyone? >> > > E?? Am I missing something? Isn't he the tattooed samurai with the > nifty ability? He was the Tattooed Samurai who had the utterly useless duel ability. Okay, not utterly useless ... he protected against anti-duel meta, but wasn't a duelest himself, having only 3C. You had to put a Dragon Tattoo or a weapon or Biting Steel on him to make him a duelist. Or Togashi Yoshi him; those were the days, man. Sigh. But, yes, wonderful story, Rich. This thing just gets better and better! Thank you so much. *deep bow* -T Togashi Ashido Dragon Clan Monk * Tattooed * Experienced The Wandering Monk * Unique From togashilove at hotmail.com Sat Jan 4 23:36:55 2003 From: togashilove at hotmail.com (John Panagiotakis) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:54 2003 Subject: [dragon] (SPOILERS) Wondering about Chieko and Hogai Message-ID: Greetings, >From: Mister Stuff > > He was the Tattooed Samurai who had the utterly useless duel ability. >Okay, not utterly useless ... he protected against anti-duel meta, but >wasn't a duelest himself, having only 3C. You had to put a Dragon Tattoo or >a weapon or Biting Steel on him to make him a duelist. Or Togashi Yoshi >him; those were the days, man. Sigh. > >-T >Togashi Ashido (Although, I still don't get why Mikoto was ever mentioned on this thread...) Ehhmm, I'm (as always 8p) having some memory problems which make me unable to recall any Dragon personality utterly broken, nifty, cheesy, etc, etc... Not to mention related non-peep cards. I was just reffering to a fairly good peep, thought for his stats it was a bit overcosted. Yet, set aside Hitomi_da_man_Reju, I can't remember any dragon peep that can *solely* win a duel with ease. And *Double Chi* was hard to find back in those days... All in all, Togashi Yoshi, Dragon Tattoo, Togashi's Daisho, etc were heavily used and I will be the first to plead guilty on this charge. ;) And the old fashioned trick: Togashi Mitsu & Tetsubo. I can barely visualize how it could occur in Rokugan reality...8> ___Togashi Agozatsu___ *Dragon Clan Samurai*Monk*Tattooed* Acolyte_of_Maths*Storyteller*exp* *Will only join the Dragon or Scorpion clan* "Each path that is true is dangerous. If there is no one to bar your way, no challenge to overcome, then you know that the choice is honorless." -Hitomi ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ _________________________________________________________________ MSN 8 with e-mail virus protection service: 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus From SLcpUnK420002 at aol.com Sat Jan 4 18:41:18 2003 From: SLcpUnK420002 at aol.com (SLcpUnK420002@aol.com) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:54 2003 Subject: [dragon] (SPOILERS) Wondering about Chieko and Hogai Message-ID: <8.323ec47c.2b48cb1e@aol.com> In a message dated 4/1/2003 9:49:34 AM, togashilove@hotmail.com writes: << Well, part 5 is on the horizon. Can't say that this bothers me at all! ;) Unfortunatelly, Chieko is on the anvil due to Kokujin's perverted machinations. On the other hand, this is my favorite part of all (part 5 could change that of course). Yoshune/Satsu early times fiction is, to say the least, beyond divine greatness. >> That story makes me know why i am a dragon. Mirumoto Jon Dragon Clan Tattooed Samurai*Crab Clan* Experienced 2*Unique From loki_lamesang at hotmail.com Sun Jan 5 01:07:15 2003 From: loki_lamesang at hotmail.com (Loki) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:54 2003 Subject: [dragon] (SPOILERS) Wondering about Chieko and Hogai References: Message-ID: ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Panagiotakis" To: > (Although, I still don't get why Mikoto was ever mentioned on this > thread...) Maybe because of the name of the village ravaged by plague, named after a minor hero from the Clan War (Mura Mikoto) ? ^_^ > ___Togashi Agozatsu___ Mirumoto Loki Dragon Clan Youth. Samurai. Yojimbo. Kaze no Ryu Agent. Emissary to the Phoenix Reborn From box at metrocast.net Sat Jan 4 23:14:07 2003 From: box at metrocast.net (Mister Stuff) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:55 2003 Subject: [dragon] (SPOILERS) Wondering about Chieko and Hogai In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <47A9EC5D-207D-11D7-B902-003065E72BF2@metrocast.net> On Saturday, January 4, 2003, at 01:36 PM, John Panagiotakis wrote: > (Although, I still don't get why Mikoto was ever mentioned on this > thread...) It's the plague-ridden town where Satsu first meets Chieko. Named after Mikoto. > Ehhmm, I'm (as always 8p) having some memory problems which make me > unable to recall any Dragon personality utterly broken, nifty, cheesy, > etc, etc... Not to mention related non-peep cards. I was just > reffering to a fairly good peep, thought for his stats it was a bit > overcosted. Yeah. Well, Senai can be broken in a Tattooed military deck, although it costs you most of your hand. Gennai can be broken in a Voiding deck, although again it requires a near-empty hand. Tsuge is way undercosted, but not broken. Goju Hitomi KYD is absolutely disgusting, except that I haven't played Open in a year and a half. But, yeah, we pretty much have never gotten a flat-out broken Personality. I'm actually somewhat glad of that. -T Togashi Ashido Dragon Clan Monk * Tattooed * Experienced The Wandering Monk * Unique From togashilove at hotmail.com Sun Jan 5 13:03:10 2003 From: togashilove at hotmail.com (John Panagiotakis) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:55 2003 Subject: [dragon] (SPOILERS) Wondering about Chieko and Hogai Message-ID: Greetings, Mister Stuff wrote: > > It's the plague-ridden town where Satsu first meets Chieko. Named after >Mikoto. *Our* Togashi Mikoto??? Whoa, I certainly didn't know that! 8) Is there any related info/story from any recent rpg materials or books?? > Yeah. Well, Senai can be broken in a Tattooed military deck, although >it costs you most of your hand. Gennai can be broken in a Voiding deck, >although again it requires a near-empty hand. Tsuge is way undercosted, but >not broken. I'll toss in Mirumoto Daini. 5 gold for a traitor with -HR and 3PH was simply vital for any non-military deck... >Goju Hitomi KYD is absolutely disgusting, The card or the artwork?? Or both? 8( *sigh* I haven't got a clue on why the artist painted Hitomi like that... It's certainly not a matter of incapability since William O'Connor is one of my favorite artists. *sigh* As for the card's abilities, well, they speak for themselves! ;) >except that I haven't played Open in a year and a half. But, yeah, we > >pretty much have never gotten a flat-out broken Personality. I'm > >actually somewhat glad of that. > >-T >Togashi Ashido Hey, I also like my hands not to be dripping with cheese...8> Leave that to the Crane and the feenix. 8p ___Togashi Agozatsu___ *Dragon Clan Samurai*Monk*Tattooed* Acolyte_of_Maths*Storyteller*exp* *Will only join the Dragon or Scorpion clan* "Each path that is true is dangerous. If there is no one to bar your way, no challenge to overcome, then you know that the choice is honorless." -Hitomi ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ _________________________________________________________________ Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail From ramela at cs.helsinki.fi Sun Jan 5 17:26:08 2003 From: ramela at cs.helsinki.fi (Anssi Ramela) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:55 2003 Subject: [dragon] New Fiction/Shadowlands Followers of Kokujin References: Message-ID: <3E184E90.2000800@cs.helsinki.fi> Rob Bowman wrote: >> The more options you have, the more fun you have making >> choises, IMO. :) > > > Perfectly fine opinion, just understand that this opinion is not the > reality here in L5R. Here in L5R choices have consequences, so while I > do not see any reduction in choices, I do see ramifications on the > impact of those choices. So all I can say is choose wisely ;)!! IMO, I make only wise choises. ;) I'll have to wait and see if we get a more elaborate definition of those ramifications from the story team. Who knows, I might have to start playing totally pure in tournaments. > I also want to apologize for any poor manners I may have shown > throughout. The above simple points were all the issues I was trying to > make clear. As I think we are now all clear, all I can say is go have > fun, it is a game, play whatever you want :)... !! My sentiments also. :) -- Anssi Ramela I punch like a girl? So what? I only fight against little girls anyway. Choose yellow. Choose green. Choose two swords. Choose bare shoulders. Choose Dragon. (Choose the Dark Side, [if it's fun]) From box at metrocast.net Sun Jan 5 20:22:32 2003 From: box at metrocast.net (Mister Stuff) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:55 2003 Subject: [dragon] (SPOILERS) Wondering about Chieko and Hogai In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <79D734E9-212E-11D7-B283-003065E72BF2@metrocast.net> On Sunday, January 5, 2003, at 03:03 AM, John Panagiotakis wrote: > The card or the artwork?? Or both? 8( *sigh* I haven't got a clue on > why the artist painted Hitomi like that... It's certainly not a matter > of incapability since William O'Connor is one of my favorite artists. > *sigh* As for the card's abilities, well, they speak for themselves! > ;) Art blows, card's ability rocks. -T I like to smile. From damnukids at yahoo.com Fri Jan 3 17:22:29 2003 From: damnukids at yahoo.com (M S Colson) Date: Sun May 11 20:52:59 2003 Subject: [dragon] Weekly Fiction #55 Message-ID: <20030104012229.4233.qmail@web12705.mail.yahoo.com> Enlightened Madness Part Four By Rich "Silky D" Wulf Eighteen Years Ago… Togashi Yoshune ran as swiftly as he could, never looking back. His bare feet moved easily over the rugged terrain of the Great Climb. His long black hair flowed behind him on the fierce mountain wind. The little boy grinned eagerly as he dodged to one side, tucking behind a large outcropping of stone. He peered back the way he had come and waited. After several minutes a tall man appeared on the road, fierce eyes searching everywhere as he marched swiftly forward. He wore the topknot and daisho of a samurai and the brilliant green kimono of a Dragon Clan lord. He climbed a tall pillar of stone with remarkable ease and looked all around. “I know you are here, Yoshune,” he said. “I know you are hiding from me.” Yoshune said nothing, only crouched deeper in his hiding place. The samurai scowled. “You cannot hide forever!” he promised. “I will find you!” “Not likely, father,” Yoshune called back. He threw his voice as the ise zumi taught him so that it would echo off the mountain walls and come from all directions at once. “The Great Climb is no place for a child,” the samurai answered. “These lands are treacherous. Even the Mirumoto bushi are wary of them.” “Then when I return home I shall be a strong as a Mirumoto bushi!” Yoshune said boldly. “Go back home, and I shall return when I am done with my adventure!” The samurai looked thoughtful for a moment, shrugged, and seated himself on the rock pillar. Reaching into his kimono, he drew out a small package and began to unwrap it. Taking out one of the small cakes inside, he began to chew noisily. A few seconds later, Yoshune appeared at the base of the pillar, looking up with wide eyes. “Are those the rice cakes mother makes?” Yoshune asked in a small voice. The samurai nodded. “With the plum jelly, yes,” he replied. He took out another, looked at it with great pleasure, and took a bite. “Those are my favorite,” Yoshune said. The boy’s stomach growled. “I would have brought you one,” the samurai said, looking down at Yoshune with mild surprise, “but I thought you were off on an adventure.” “I’m done now, father,” Yoshune said in a firm voice, watching the rice cake hungrily. “We all learn something from our adventures,” Yoshune’s father said, looking at the cake patiently. “What have you learned, little Yoshune?” “Not to forget to bring food with me,” he said, climbing up onto the pillar next to his father. Yoshune’s father smiled and handed the boy a fresh cake. Yoshune took it with both hands and chewed hungrily. Togashi Hoshi was the most mysterious man in the lands of the Dragon. Champion of the Dragon Clan, son of the Kami Togashi, the legendary Man-Beast, an entire order of monks had dedicated themselves to understanding his power and wisdom. To Yoshune, he was just “father.” “You should not run away on these adventures, Yoshune,” Hoshi said. “You will kill your mother with worry.” “And were you worried about me?” Yoshune asked, looking up at his father. “Yes,” Hoshi said. “I was.” “Then why could you not find me?” Yoshune asked. “You could have used your magic to discover me in an instant.” “Because I wanted it to be your choice to return,” Hoshi said, chewing on his own cake as he studied the swirling clouds far below. “If I had turned myself into a dragon, cast my flaming eye upon the mountains, sought you out in your hiding place, and whisked you back home in a mighty claw then you would have learned nothing. Tomorrow you would have left again… or worse yet, you would have never left again.” Yoshune chewed quietly for a few seconds, then looked up at his father. “Either way, I would have learned nothing.” “Precisely,” Hoshi said, smiling proudly. “May I ask you a question, father?” Yoshune asked. “It is something I have been thinking about for a long time…” “Of course,” Hoshi replied. “Ask me whatever you like.” Yoshune’s eyes gleamed. “Will you teach me how to turn into a dragon as you do, as grandfather did?” Hoshi laughed out loud. “That is not the sort of thing that can be taught, my son,” he said. “Though in time you may unravel that mystery for yourself.” “How much time?” Yoshune asked, shoulders slumping in disappointment. “I do not know,” Hoshi asked, “but when the time comes I think you will come to be even stronger than me, in your own way.” “I want to be a dragon now,” Yoshune said with a sigh. Hoshi wrapped one arm around his son’s shoulder and hugged him fondly. “Some day,” he said. “But until then, how about a ride back home?” Yoshune tried to contain his grin, pretending as if this had not been his plan all along. Hoshi stood atop the stone pillar and leapt into the air. His form shimmered and twisted, transforming into a coiling red dragon that danced upon the winds. Turning agilely in midair he swam back toward Yoshune and dipped his head. With a wild hoot, Yoshune leapt onto his father’s shoulders and seized his fiery mane. Togashi Hoshi let loose a roar that echoed across the Great Climb and soared into the sky. “I can see the whole world from here,” Yoshune shouted over the howling winds. “Mark it well, my son,” Hoshi said. “One day it will fall to you to protect it.” “To me?” Yoshune asked, “but you are immortal, father. Will you not rule the Dragon forever?” “I am no leader,” Hoshi said. “I am neither human enough to understand the Dragon nor divine enough to guide them. My destiny lies elsewhere.” Yoshune frowned. “Do not worry, little Yoshune,” he said. “I will not leave for a long time yet. We will still have time to fly through the mountains together. And I would never miss your gempukku. Have you given any thought to what name you will choose?” “Satsu,” Yoshune said without hesitation. Hoshi seemed surprised. “Satsu?” he said. “For Hitomi’s brother?” “He died for the future, even though he did not understand it,” Yoshune answered. “I do not know how he had the wisdom to do something so difficult. I hope by taking his name I will understand. Is that a good reason to take a name, father?” “Yes, Yoshune,” Hoshi said, smiling with pride again. “It is a very good reason to take a name.” • Today… “I have brought you a gift,” Togashi Matsuo said. The countless Shakoki Dogu suddenly ceased their advance on the solitary tattooed man and looked at one another with unblinking eyes. Heichi Jianzhen looked similarly surprised by the tattooed man’s words. “A gift?” Jianzhen replied. “What are you talking about, Dragon?” “Is it not customary when entering another samurai’s territory to bring a gift?” Matsuo asked. “It would be impolite to kill me before you accepted mine, Jianzhen-sama.” The hovering shugenja watched Matsuo suspiciously. “You could give me nothing that I would desire save your death, which will occur shortly.” “What if I rid you of Kokujin?” Matsuo replied. “As I said, we do not want your war here, Dragon,” Jianzhen snarled. “We can rid ourselves of Kokujin as easily as we rid ourselves of you.” The Shakoki Dogu began to advance again. “No,” Matsuo said. “You cannot.” The statues stopped again, now only a few feet from Matsuo. “Why do you say this?” Jianzhen asked. She moved closer to Matsuo, the Shakoki Dogu parting as she approached. “Look at the army you have here,” Matsuo said, gesturing to the Shakoki Dogu. “I have been told much of Kokujin. If you were any threat to him, he would not be here. Somehow he has found a way to protect himself from your spirits, hasn’t he?” “You are a clever man, Matsuo,” Jianzhen said. She now stood only a dozen feet from Matsuo. “Even so, what makes you believe that you can succeed where I have failed? My Shakoki Dogu watched as your party was ambushed. We saw your leader dragged away in chains, along with your shugenja and your strongest warriors.” “It is true that alone we could not defeat Kokujin,” Matsuo said. “Perhaps if we help one another we can find a way.” “Are you certain you wish to ally with us?” Jianzhen asked with a severe look. “When you learn the forces that are truly arrayed against you, you might pray that I had killed you.” “A cryptic comment like that only makes me more eager,” Matsuo said with a laugh. “Very well, then,” Jianzhen said. “Collect the wounded monk and the hiding archer, Togashi Matsuo. Bring them to the temple at the base of that mountain.” She pointed to a nearby crest. “I shall wait for you there, and all shall be explained.” Matsuo looked at the mountain then turned to Jianzhen to reply. She had vanished into shadow. The Shakoki Dogu figures looked at Matsuo in silence and melted back into the earth. Mirumoto Rosanjin stepped out of the bushes and let out a breath of relief. He shouldered his bow and ran to meet Matsuo. “Well done, Togashi,” Rosanjin said. “I thought I was going to have to put an arrow through her head at one point.” “When she threatened to rid herself of me?” Matsuo asked. “Actually, no,” Rosanjin said with a smirk. “It was when she said I wasn’t the strongest Dragon warrior.” “Careful, Rosanjin,” Matsuo warned as they headed off to collect Wayan. “The mountains whisper their secrets to her, you know.” • One Year Ago… Plague. As if the horrors of war were not quite horrible enough, now disease ran rampant in the lands of the Dragon. Satsu knew that outbreaks of disease were a part of war - the presence of rotting corpses and lack of decent food often lead to pestilence. To know it and to see it were two very different things. Satsu stood at the edge of Mikoto Mura, a small Dragon village named for a minor hero of the Clan Wars. Now it was a dead husk. Many of the houses had been burned to try to contain the plague. Many others were marked with bright red kanji to prevent those yet uninfected from entering and becoming victims. A few Dragon shugenja in silken green robes, robes now stained with blood and filth, moved about the village trying to bring hope to the survivors and peace to the dying. There were too few. Satsu steadied the large sack over his shoulder and strode into the village. An old shugenja immediately ran forward to stop him. “Togashi-san,” the man said, noting Satsu’s shaven head and vibrant tattoos. “This village is not safe. You must leave before you are infected.” Satsu bowed respectfully to the shugenja. “Do not fear for me, Tamori-san,” he said. “My tattoos protect me as your magic protects you. I am Satsu, son of Hoshi.” The man’s wrinkled face suddenly brightened with hope. “Satsu-sama?” he said in a quavering voice. “Here?” “I have brought food and medicine,” he said, nodding to the sack he carried. “Arigato, Satsu-sama,” the shugenja said, bowing deeply. “Such things are greatly needed, and deeply appreciated. Please follow me.” The shugenja led Satsu through the dying village, toward a large temple in its center. A statue of Jurojin stood watch over the temple gates. Satsu could not help but think that the elder Fortune looked saddened by the fate of Mikoto Mura. He bowed his head respectfully to the Fortune of Longevity and stepped inside. The stench within the temple made him choke. Heaps of dead bodies wrapped in straw mats stood stacked beside the doors, prepared for later cremation. Beyond the doors, the temple had been transformed into a makeshift hospital. Infected villagers lay everywhere. A few shugenja tried to make them as comfortable as possible with straw pallets and small cushions. Sadly the number of sick was small compared to the number of dead. “Togashi Satsu-sama, allow me to introduce Tamori Chieko,” the old shugenja said, pausing beside one of the nearest pallets. “She leads the fight against the plague here. Her healing powers are matched only by her boundless compassion.” A dainty woman knelt beside a dying man covered with festering boils. Her head was bowed in prayer, and when she looked up her cheeks were stained with tears. Satsu was surprised by her beauty, especially amid such horror. “He is dead,” she said. “I am sorry,” Satsu replied. “I wish I could do more.” “Then do more, son of Hoshi,” she said as she rose. “End this war with the Phoenix. Bring peace so that no more innocents will die.” “It is not that simple,” Satsu said. “Then stop wishing for what you do not truly desire,” Chieko said coldly. “This war is a war of pride. Your father has the power of a god. Why does he allow this misery? Is the pride of the Dragon Clan so valuable?” “Hoshi cannot stop this plague,” Satsu said. “If mortal problems were solved so easily we would only make greater mistakes.” Chieko looked down at the dead man, then back at Satsu. “This man was the father of three children,” she said. “Tell me what fate is worse for them than his death.” “I hope a future worse than this never comes to pass,” Satsu replied. “My father is not ignorant of your plight. He sent me to give you all that you require.” “All he cared to give, you mean,” she said. “I am not your enemy,” Satsu said calmly. “Would you turn me aside? Would you commit the same sin of which you accuse my father? Would you kill these people for your pride?” Chieko looked down at the ground and was quiet for a long time. The wails of the sick and dying filled the silence. When she looked up at Satsu again, her anger was replaced by respect and understanding. “Follow me, Satsu-sama,” she said. “I will show you how to help us.” • Today… “The old monk will live,” Jianzhen said, startling Matsuo from his meditations. “I have not drawn upon my magic for healing in some time, but he is very strong. He is too stubborn to die, I think.” Rosanjin laughed. “That sounds like Wayan.” The samurai leaned against the temple wall and nodded respectfully to the Boar. Jianzhen knelt beside Matsuo in the small shrine. The wind moaned through the mountains around the tiny temple. The building was little more than a ruin, with many of the walls crumbling badly in places. The shrine bore no symbols of any ancestors or Fortunes. Whatever had been here once had long since been removed. “So how did the Boar return?” Matsuo asked. “We never left,” Jianzhen replied. “We merely changed.” Matsuo looked at Jianzhen patiently. “Our clan was founded when a band of Crab became lost in the Twilight Mountains. The small fortress they had constructed was buried in an earthquake. For almost sixty years they were forgotten until, unexpectedly, the descendants of the lost samurai returned. They considered themselves Crab no longer. They had spent their time mining the wealth of the Twilight Mountains, wealth they used to secure their position as a Minor Clan. They became the Boar. They were my ancestors.” “An incredible story,” Rosanjin said. “They remained undiscovered all that time and no one looked for them?” “The Crab were at war; they could not afford to lose so many troops,” Jianzhen said. “They looked for my ancestors with all the troops they could spare, but they found nothing. My descendants were nowhere that they could be found.” Matsuo and Rosanjin quietly waited for Jianzhen to explain. Jianzhen looked down at her hands, trying to choose the right words. “My ancestors should have perished in the earthquake, but they were saved by the Shakoki Dogu. They are ancient spirits who dwell deep within the earth, but were brought to the surface by a great catastrophe.” “The earthquake?” Rosanjin asked. “No, something far worse than that,” Jianzhen said. “A thousand years ago a terrible beast came here to die,” Jianzhen said. “Its name has been long forgotten; legend speaks of it as the First Oni. Wounded by the Kami Shiba, it perished in the Twilight Mountains. Its blood tainted the earth. It was the First Oni’s foul essence that awakened the Shakoki Dogu. It is their duty to contain the First Oni’s evil, to prevent it from returning to the mortal realm.” “So why did they save your ancestors?” Matsuo asked. Jianzhen smiled. “They were lonely,” she said. “They saw my ancestors as worthy companions to while away their endless vigil. So they took the lost Crab to the place where they dwell, a place that is a part of the mortal realm, and yet beyond it. After sixty years, my ancestors convinced the Shakoki Dogu to release them, to let them return to the mortal world, in return for the promise that we would forever guard the Twilight Mountains. We kept our promise for many centuries… until Yajinden came.” “Asahina Yajinden?” Matsuo said with a shiver. “He served Iuchiban the Bloodspeaker.” Jianzhen nodded. “He came in the company of a corrupted Dragon named Agasha Ryuden. Ryuden and Yajinden had heard legends about the rich iron beneath the Twilight Mountains, and wished to use it to forge weapons of evil. A foolish Boar allowed the two Bloodspeakers to enter the mines, where they found the veins of iron corrupted by the First Oni’s blood. Using corrupted Agasha metal smithing techniques and Yajinden’s own perverted skill with artificing, they made a nemuranai more horrible than any the Empire has seen - a tainted nemuranai that creates other tainted nemuranai. The Anvil of Despair. Yajinden began to slaughter the Boar Clan to feed the Anvil. The Shakoki Dogu could not fight him; the Anvil is so strong with dark magic that they could not approach it. The best they could do was to gather the surviving Boar and take us back to their realm.” “And there you have lived ever since,” Rosanjin said. “That is why your castles lie in ruins. That is why this temple looks as if no one has worshipped here in years.” Matsuo reached out one hand impulsively toward Jianzhen, his fingers passed through her arm as if she were only smoke. “You say you are protected,” Rosanjin said in a disgusted voice. “It seems to me you are imprisoned.” She looked at him with a sad smile, tears welling in her eyes. “It is not such a bad life, really,” she said. “The Shakoki Dogu have it much worse than we do. They eternally feel the pain the First Oni’s corruption inflicts on these mountains. It drives them mad sometimes. We Boar do all that we can to ameliorate their pain.” “Do all your clan walk the mountains like you do, as a ghost?” Matsuo asked. “Only me,” Jianzhen answered, “and only recently. Something is happening here that the Shakoki Dogu do not understand; they often do not understand the behavior of humans. They allowed me a small bit of freedom to help unravel the mystery. My magic can still affect the mortal world, even if I cannot.” “What have you learned?” Matsuo asked. “Since the arrival of Kokujin and his minions,” Jianzhen replied, “The Shakoki Dogu can no longer enter Shiro Heichi. Every time I approach I sense a great evil.” The realization struck Matsuo suddenly. “Kokujin has the Anvil of Despair,” he said. “He is using the tainted iron to craft some kind of weapon.” Jianzhen nodded sadly. “What do we do?” Matsuo asked. • Five months ago… “To the south!” Satsu shouted, knocking a Shiba samurai to the ground with a fierce kick. “Their shugenja are hidden behind the tree line!” The attack had been unexpected. Satsu and his retinue had been returning to the Shrine of the Ki-Rin to bolster the Mirumoto forces there. His group was mostly composed of ise zumi, traveling swiftly and silently off the commonly used roads. The Phoenix forces should not have predicted their arrival, let alone had time to ambush them, and yet they had. Samurai in brilliant orange armor surrounded them on all sides. Bolts of screaming white lightning exploded from the heavens, though Satsu noticed the bolts never struck anyone directly. Instead they hammered the ground nearby, stunning and deafening his Dragon allies. Satsu seized the naginata from the fallen Phoenix and looked back to see if any had heard his rallying cry. His comrades were still engaged in battle with the Phoenix, unable to answer his call. He set off alone; if the Phoenix shugenja could be dealt with then they might yet have a chance. “There he is!” shouted a triumphant voice. “There is the Man-Beast’s son!” Satsu looked up to see a quartet of Phoenix horseman galloping toward him. The leader wore the extravagant back banner of a shireikan, obviously the leader of the group. The riders kept their swords sheathed, wielding short handled jo staves instead. Their intent was obvious; they meant to capture him alive, to use him as a hostage against his father. Satsu held his spear low, aiming it against the chest of the closest horseman. A bolt of lightning hammered the earth behind him, pitching him forward onto the ground. His mouth filled with dirt and blood. A piercing ring echoed through his head, numbing all other sound. He tried to command his legs to stand again, but they would not. He was weak, helpless, and any moment he would be a prisoner of the Phoenix Clan. Except that he was not. Slowly, the ringing faded and the strength returned to his limbs. Satsu sat up painfully and looked around. The earth was strewn with the bodies of dead Phoenix. A horse lay beside him, its neck twisted savagely. Satsu looked around for some sign of his savior. A massive ise zumi sat cross-legged on a tree stump. The dark tattoos of a kikage zumi, the Moon-worshipping order of the tattooed men, crossed his thick chest but his face was familiar. “You are Hogai,” Satsu said in disbelief, “the Crab ambassador.” “Not a Crab anymore,” Hogai said bluntly. “Yesterday I heard the Lady’s call. I am Hitomi Hogai now.” Satsu was surprised despite his disgust for the carnage that surrounded them. He looked up at the sky. Lady Moon shone brightly upon them. “So Hitomi has taken to recruiting members of other clans again, even from the Heavens?” “Only when it is important,” Hogai said. “Shiba Hayoto would have taken you hostage. I convinced him such an action was not wise and sent him back to Shiro Shiba. He was not pleased.” Hogai looked at the dead horse. “I think he did not want to walk.” Satsu looked at Hogai in disbelief. “What happened to the other Phoenix?” Hogai regarded Satsu calmly. “I killed them,” he said. “Just as they killed your retinue.” Satsu felt a cold sensation deep in his chest. He suddenly felt very tired. He rubbed his eyes with one hand as the enormity of it all sank in. He had seen death before, but not like this. “No,” Satsu said. “I killed them. None of them would have been here if I had not come. Father could have sent another emissary, but I thought I could help. I should have known better.” Hogai folded his arms across his chest and leaned forward on his knees, cupping one meaty hand on each shoulder. “So what will you do?” he asked eagerly. “Return to Togashi Mountain?” “No,” Satsu said. “I have come this far. I will not hide from this war.” “So then you will go to Ki-Rin’s Shrine and feast on the blood of the Phoenix?” Hogai asked eagerly. “If so, I am with you.” “I will go to Ki-Rin’s Shrine,” Satsu said, “but not to seek revenge. I want to find an end to this war. Thank you for saving my life, Hogai-san.” “I ask a favor in return,” the kikage zumi said bluntly. Satsu studied Hogai warily. “What is that?” he asked. “When you go into battle, take me with you,” Hogai said with a savage grin. “I am not the sort who fears spilling blood.” “I do not fear battle either,” Satsu said. He was uneasy in the kikage zumi’s presence, as if Hogai might explode into violence again at any moment. “There is a difference between a warrior and a killer, Satsu,” Hogai replied. “You are a warrior. I am a killer. Keep me by your side, to guard against your enemies.” “And why would I want a killer by my side?” Satsu asked. “So that you can see my example,” Hogai said, “and never become like me.” Satsu considered the grim tattooed man’s words. He nodded slowly. “Very well, Hogai-san,” he said. “I accept.” • Today… “I choose Hogai,” Satsu said, lowering his head in defeat. “Are you sure that is the wise choice?” Kokujin asked in an amused voice. “The kikage zumi has a great deal of blood, and his heart is the heart of a killer. His soul will give my sword quite an edge.” Satsu looked up at Kokujin. “You asked me to choose and I have chosen,” he spat. “I choose Hitomi Hogai.” Satsu looked at Hogai. The kikage zumi looked back at Satsu with quiet courage, resigned to his fate. “Very well,” Kokujin said with a small smile. Behind him, a quartet of tattooed goblins filed into the chamber and looked up at their master curiously. Kokujin looked down at them with a charming smile. “Chain the girl to the Anvil,” he said. The goblins cackled and obediently hurried to Tamori Chieko. They loosened her chains and led her toward the Anvil of Despair. She stumbled along numbly, unwilling to believe what was happening. “Kokujin, no!” Satsu shouted. “I chose Hogai!” “I know what you chose,” Kokujin said. “You forget that I am a Dragon too, so not all that I say is as it appears. You think that my objective here was to force you to condemn a friend and watch him die. No. My goal was for you to condemn a friend and watch him live. Now every time you look into Hitomi Hogai’s eyes you will remember how you damned him.” “Damn you Kokujin,” Satsu hissed. “I will kill you for this.” Kokujin frowned. “Damn me indeed. That’s all you have to say? How disappointing. Perhaps you will think of something more clever after I kill Chieko.” Kokujin turned back toward the Anvil, lifting his unfinished katana high. Satsu’s eyes met Tamori Chieko’s. Strangely, he saw no fear. She was serene, as if all that was about to occur was meant to be. For a single instant, she smiled at Satsu. Then the castle filled with screams. • “We are here,” Kaelung said, gasping for breath as he collapsed against a large boulder. The Twilight Mountains lay before them, eternal and foreboding. Togashi Mitsu fell on his knees, bracing one hand against the ground as the world returned to normal speed. He gasped as he fell into a sitting position and wiped the sweat from his eyes. “We should begin our search at Shiro Heichi,” Mitsu said. “It is well fortified; Kokujin would find it a suitable fortress.” “You know where to find it?” Kaelung asked. “I have been there once before,” Mitsu said. “Some days I think I have been everywhere once before.” “We have to rest,” Kaelung said. “The Centipede’s power has drained us both. We cannot fight like this.” “We cannot rest for long,” Mitsu replied. “Satsu and the others are in danger.” “Then Satsu and the others should have never come,” Kaelung replied, glaring at Mitsu. “I am not here for them, Mitsu. I am here for Kokujin. If you place us in danger to save their lives, I will leave you behind.” “And if you place the others in danger to kill Kokujin you will find me equally unforgiving,” Mitsu said. “Then let us hope that we are not forced into disagreement,” Kaelung answered. __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com