Seppun Hitomi stood before the gathered contestants. An obstacle course was laid out. Actually two obstacle courses. One was laid out as if it was some kind of most extreme elimination challenge. The other was... a maze. Within the maze, several ashigaru patrolled in patterns, as if it was some kind of tactical espionage action drill.

"Today, is the ultimate test before we see who will compete for the title of Topaz Champion." The Seppun woman quoted. "We will see if you are as swift as a coursing river. To see if you strike with the force of the great typhoon. We must see if you have the strength of the raging fire, Or perhaps you are as mysterious as the dark side of the moon." She nodded. Her kimono was quite elegant, something ideally suited for Court. Yet she looked every bit as deadly as her reputation stated. "You have all shown that your ancestors have truly made samurai out of you. You should all be proud for what you have accomplished here in Tsuma. I speak for all the judges when I say, it has been our honor." She bowed, then moved, to allow the competitors to truly see the test.

Disadvantages that must be triggered once on a roll of the affected PCs choice, if they choose the approach tied to the disadvantage:
Bishamon's Curse (Water), Damaged Heart or Organ (Earth), Fractured Spine (Earth), Lost Arm or Lost Hand (Fire), Lost Fingers (Fire), Lost Leg (Water), Maimed Arm (Fire), Battle Trauma (Fire), Ferocity (Air), Softheartedness (Fire)

School Abilities that are applicable:

Kaiu Engineer - Masterful Builder (Step 1)
Asahina Artificer - Spiritual Artisan (Step 1)
Akodo Commander - Way of the Lion (Step 1 and Step 3)

Please feel free to ask if your School Ability could apply

Magic is not allowed for this event

Scoring:
1 Warrior Point for a Basic Success
+1 Warrior Point for every 2 successes after the first,
+1 Warrior Point for using Seppun Hitomi's favored approach, if successful on the roll.
Tiebreaker 1 - Opportunity on Kept Dice
Tiebreaker 2 - Strife on kept dice (whoever has the last amount of strife kept)

1st Place - 3 Topaz Points, 3 Glory
2nd Place - 2 Topaz Points, 2 Glory
3rd Place - 1 Topaz Point, 1 Glory

Step One: "The Weapons of a Samurai are their soul. If they are in poor condition, they will not serve you, just as if you are in poor condition, you will not serve your Lords well. Before you are the jian's you will use for this competition. They are dulled, some have rolls and chips in the edges. You must restore these weapons, showing that you know how to properly care for your equipment, and thus, are steadfast in the service to your Lords and the Emperor..."

This is a TN 2 Smithing Check, as a Support action. If you fail this check, you must reroll 1 Die in step 3 set to a success or explosive success.

Step Two: "Now, you will choose. There are many ways to display your physical capabilities. Direct or indirect path, you must choose one of our courses. The direct path is a grueling obstacle course, known as Mount Midoriyama. You must cross the uneven steps, climb the cargo net, leap across the spider wall climb, hold on to a falling log as it slides down a zipline, and finally... scale the warped wall." She smiles. "This will require you to be adaptable and shifting."

Then she moved. "Or take the indirect path. It is key when in the field, that the enemy not know your movements. To scout ahead and be discovered is to fail. This is... an approximation of that style of test. You must be precise, swift and subtle. Grace and cunning is the name of this game.

This is a TN 2 Fitness (Direct) OR Skulduggery (Indirect) Check, as a Movement action.

Step Three: Then finally, on the other side of the obstacle course, are a series of straw dummies wearing armor. "And lastly... the kill test. Here we will see how well you prepared your weapon. Bringing down killing strikes and blows against the targets. Each blow should be overwhelming, aggressive, direct attacks, to best showcase your skill." She nodded.

This is a TN 2 Martial Arts - Melee Check, as an Attack action.

Finally, Seppun Hitomi smiled. She was truly beautiful, her long, raven hair flowing behind her as she looked to the contestants. "Ganbatte, young Samurai!"

The Mantis... were big on cheap, easily-replaced weapons, since no amount of smithing could help a sword that had gone over the side.

But Kasumi, lacking as she was in formal training on the subject... still knew how to care for a weapon.

Keep that fuckin' thing SHIPSHAPE! A dull knife's the one you cut yourself on...

She knew she coudl be sneaky. She knew it.

But an obstacle course? Please. Uneven steps? Cargo net? Spider wall? Ziplining?

Try running the ratlines if you wanna be impressed by this stuff!

And then, as if some capricious numerical engine in another reality had chosen to crap on her, her strike at the dummy was... well. Not enough.

FUCK'S SAKE!

As one of the only Topaz contestants present to have actually killed anyone stalked away from the last hurdle in defeat, it was probably a good thing her accent was so thickened by rage. It made the bad words harder to understand.

[Roll 1- Test of the Warrior, Roll 1- TN 2 Smithing, Using Earth, Spending Void | TN: 2 | Success: 5 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 3


2 warrior points gained- Earth Approach.
0 Opps
3 Strife

Roll 2- Test of the Warrior, Roll 2- Direct Approach, TN 2 Fitness, using Water | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 1


1 Warrior point gained- Water approach on Fitness
1 Opp (used to offset strife gain)
1 Strife

Roll 3- Test of the Warrior, Roll 3- TN 2 Martial Arts [Melee], using Fire | TN: 2 | Success: 1 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 0


0 Warrior points gained, THANKS SAKKAKU!
1 success
2 opps

3 warrior points on two successful rolls (Earth/Water/Fail)
3 opps rolled
4 strife gained]

Natsuko had learned a few things about maintaining a weapon with her minimal bits of weapons training. Combined with careful, almost reverent attention, it was enough to find and repair the damaged edges. She had not held real weapons before, and offered them the respect she felt such deadly equipment deserved.

The obstacle course was far more varied and fancy than anything she had done in training, but not insurmountable. Reaching, twisting, jumping...she managed to cling, twist, and climb her way through the obstacles, catching her breath only briefly before accepting the practice weapon and facing the straw-filled mock enemies.

Natsuko knew that the direct route was never her strongest. She was too slight to overcome defenses with any consistency, better to settle into that awareness of everything that focuses on nothing until focus is needed. Just an overall awareness of how the straw stuck out, the shadowed dents indicative of stress. The first strike landed point-first and solid against existing armor damage, just over the imaginary heart, both hands driving the blow home, though she winced with the pain of the blow vibrating back through her palms and arms.

***********
Step One:
Day 9: Test of the Warrior. Step 1. Smithing/Earth, using VP | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 1

Success: +1 point
Strife (1/8)
Void (1/2)

Step Two: "Day 9: Test of the Warrior. Step 2, Fitness/Water, VP, Flexibility Distinction (Doin' Kitteh ancestors a proud! mebbe) | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 2


Success: +1 point
Opportunity to cancel 1 strife
Strife: (2/8)
Void: (0/2)

Step Three: Day 9: Test of the Warrior. Step 3, Martial Arts: Melee/Void | TN: 2 | Success: 4 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 2 / Magnitude: 1


Success: +2 points
Opportunity to reduce 1 Strife
Strife: (3/8)
Fatigue: (1/6)

Totals: 4 points (Earth/(Fitness)Water/Void)
Opportunity: 2
Strife: 5

This was the first trial with an explicit element of choice to it. All trials had had some degree of choices to them of course. Even something as basic as juggling a ball could be done in many different styles, with an emphasis on strength, grace, endurance, risk-taking, etc.

But this was the first time the judge has explicitly asked them to do either A or B instead or A and B. And Kaoru was overthinking that to death. Was it bone-throwing to a particular faction? The Crane maybe? "Move like the wind" sounded more Kakita than "Endure as the mountain".

Was the Seppun just being polite to their host? Were there deeper ramifications in terms of alliances to that choice? A counter deal to what the Mantis was offering maybe? Or perhaps it was not a gift to the Crane? But then whom? The Scorpion? Might have been nice to tell her if it was.

How she did in the trial itself? It was about properly looking after one's blades and executing clear sword strikes, two things her methodical sensei had her practice and repeat so many times she was doomed to have at least some of the right reflexes, performing the task from her spinal cord alone.

But this was not important. What was important was politics.

---

D9LM | Test of the Warrior | TN 2 Smithing | Earth | Void Point | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 2


+1 point
Strife: 2/10

D9LM | Test of the Warrior | TN 2 Skulduggery | Air | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 1


(clicked too quickly on Sakkaku but since keeping the third die does nothing but adding extra strife, please assume I didn't)

+1 point
Strife: 3/10

D9LM | Test of the Warrior | TN 2 Martial Arts [Melee] | Fire | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 1


+1 point
Strife: 4/10

3 points (Earth/Air with Skulduggery/Fire)
Tiebreakers: 0 opportunity, 4 strife

It had been unsurprising that Ichiro had placed in the test of piety it might, however, be a surprise at how well they did in the test of the warrior. Still fate, it seemed, had decided their classmate would still fare better yet. Thankfully they had put aside ego... well put aside enough not to be too upset at least.


(Step 1:

D9, LM: Step 1 - Smithing Unskilled/Earth 2, Void spent | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 1


1 Warrior Point, 1 Opportunity, 1 Strife

Step 2:

D9, LM: Step 2 - Fitness 2/Water 2, Void spent | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 2


1 Warrior Point (2 total), 0 Opportunity (1 total), 2 Strife (3 total)

Step 3:

D9, LM: Step 3 - Martial Arts Melee 2/Void 3 | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 3 / Strife: 1


1 Warrior Point (3 total), 3 Opportunity (4 total), 1 Strife (4 total)

Final scoring: 3 Warrior Points (Earth/Fitness Water/Void), 4 Opportunities, 4 Strife)

This was certainly not the test for him. He was no warrior and did not enjoy the idea of fighting. And smithing is a craft that he had barely touched. It was explained to him, but he just has never.

He picks out a weapon and puts a few extra chips in the edge. "Serrated right?" he says, to a sigh.

Once he gets rhat he starts on the obstacle course, which he completes, in triple the amount of expected time, wheezing and clearly annoyed. "Why... am... I... so..." he forces out through heaving breaths.

But then comes the part he likes the least. Looking at the target, he tries to imagine something he hated before swinging. His sensei in the middle of training him wit a bamboo stick? No, that had helped him. It was painful but helpful. His brother during a fight? Not at all, and it actually discourages him. Some angry enemy samurai? What is to be mad at, they're just doing their duty. His own stupid face? He had been cruel, selfish and terrible to his betrothed that hadn't deser...

He stopped thinking as he looks at the blade buried in the neck of the target. He hadn't heard the sad attempt at a growl that was more like an angry whimper. But he was now realizing just how much he hated himself for his actions. And he took it out on the practice target. He had never been so aggressive.


D9 LM, Test of Warrior, Step One, Smithing/Earth | TN: 2 | Success: 1 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 1

Fail, opp offset strife

D9 LM, Test of Warrior, Step Two, Fitness Air | TN: 2 | Success: 1 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 0

Fail

D9 LM, Test of Warrior Step Three, Martial Arts/Fire | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 2

Succeed, 1 opp offsets 1 strife, +1 strife
+3 strife for softheartedness

Strife: 4/8

1 Warrior Point ( Earth, Fitness/Air, Fire)

[Fluff in the morning]

----------------------------
Test of the warrior smiting/Earth seize | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 2
1 point (earth) 1 opp
2/10 strife

Test of the warrior Skullduggery/air | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 2
1 point (air)
4/10 strife


Test of the warrior martial (melee)/fire | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 1
1 point (fire), 1 opp
5/10 Strife

3 points (earth/air(skullduggery)/fire)
2 opps
5 strife

This morning, Hirame was not wearing his usual sharkskin leather jacket. Instead, he wore a beautiful set of ceremonial clothing in seagreen color, woven in a pattern similar to sharkskin. A shark was on the shoulder as well, embroidered on. He grinned, looking around happily as he arrived.

Okay! Test of the Warrior! Let's get down to business. Hirame had been waiting for this. He couldn't wait to get out there and... fix some swords. Okay! No problem! He could do this! A Mantis was nothing if not adaptable. Putting on his serious face, Hirame got to work on the weapons. Strong, steady work, to get it done, that was the key. Unfortunately, not knowing a thing about smithing really held him back.

Next was the obstacle course! Okay, Hirame actually kinda had been looking forward to this, even if it wasn't hitting something with a weapon. The rocking and rolling of the sea meant that Hirame, like most Mantis, were nimble and adaptable. He pretended that it was just like the deck of a ship as he jumped and climbed, sliding over the obstacles. It wasn't a perfect comparison, but it certainly helped him to make a respectable time.

Phew, this is hard. I'm never gonna catch my breath.

Okay, this it! He was ready! Be a man! After all, fortune favors the mortal man! No holding back! Grinning fiercely, Hirame charged the straw dummy. "Hahhhh!" He yelled as he brought down his sword with all the strength of a raging fire.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Way of the Warrior, Smithing, Earth 2 Skill 0 VP spent CORRECTED | TN: 2 | Success: 0 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 2


Test of the Warrior, Water 3 Fitness 1 | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 1


Test of the Warrior, Fire 3 Melee 2 | TN: 2 | Success: 5 / Opportunity: 3 / Strife: 6


Rerolled one of the non-kept dice:

Way of the Warrior, Melee, reroll 1 skill die | TN: 2 | Success: 1 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 0


No change

3 Points (Fail, Water, Fire)
6 opps
9 strife

Urusai bows deeply to Hitomi, holding the bow longer than most. She is the seniormost representative of the Family on site, and her words will carry weight in Kyuden Seppun. If anyone's words will, hers will be the ones to sway Tokaji...

He rises, makes his way to the jian. Bowing as he takes one up, both to the rack and the weapon, he slowly and methodically inspects it. Hands that seem practiced hone the edges of the weapon, and he takes the additional step of passing an oiled cloth over the blade to help protect it.

Urusai turns to face the obstacle course, determining not to go around but through, smiling at the thought of the challenge. But it does not go well; he slips early, and the slip causes him to struggle as he makes his way through the rest of the course.

The young Seppun perseveres, however, arriving at the end of the course a bit damp and chilly, perhaps, but eager to redeem himself. And that he does, launching directly into the fray with a surprisingly loud kiai, striking one of the dummies hard enough that its severed top knocks the "head" off of another. He follows up similarly, leaving some almost-sullen younger students to reset the exercise.

He returns to Hitomi and bows, saying to her "Thank you for the opportunity, Seppun-sama!"

~~~~~
Step 1, Earth / Smithing 2, https://sakkaku.org/rolls/3115; passes at 2 sux, 0 opps, 1 strife
Step 2, Water / Fitness 2, https://sakkaku.org/rolls/3116; fails at 0 sux, 2 opps, 1 strife; 1 opp to eat strife
Step 3, Fire / MA: Melee 2, https://sakkaku.org/rolls/3118; passes at 5 sux, 1 opp, 3 strife; 1 opp to eat 1 strife

3 Warrior Points (plus E/-/F bonuses, if applicable)
3 Opportunities
3 Strife

This was her last chance. Ahiru had no delusions of winning the tournament, but she had wanted the opportunity to prove her family wrong - for deciding that she was not to be a warrior due to stupid circumstances that were outside of her ability to do anything about. It wasn't even because she was a cripple or anything like that! Just some stupid, old, superstition...

Dressed sensibly for the test, she bound her hair back and finished with tying a white ribbon over her forehead like her cousin Rin would do, knowing it would help her keep sweat away from her eyes.

Although things were already off to a bad start with the task of restoring an old weapon. Ahiru had never even stepped into a smithy before, so... she tried her best to kind of cover up the faults and damages. Not that the judges bought it.

However for the "obstacle course" (for lack of a better word), she was much more in her element, moving with ease and elegance despite taking the direct path that required much more physica intensity. Things were looking up at this point...

... Until confronted with the dummy. It was just a dummy, of course, and she had hit dummies before, but the words of "striking to kill" was echoing in her mind more than she had wanted. She'd never killed, and being forbidden to learn it, she had never had the chance to build up a samurai's determination to take another life. With a kiai, Ahiru swung her weapon, but the broken jian kind of crumpled upon impact, leaving the dummy "alive".

Frustrated, Kakita Ahiru bowed to the judges and stepped back to give the space to the next contender.

--------------

D9 Test of the Warrior. "The weapon of your soul". Smithing 0/Air 3. TN2 | TN: 2 | Success: 0 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 1


D9 Test of the Warrior. "The Direct Path". Fitness 1/Water 3. TN2 | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 2


D9 Test of the Warrior. "Strike to Kill". Martial Arts [Melee] 1/Fire 2. Void Point. Soft-hearted. TN2 | TN: 2 | Success: 1 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 0


1 Warrior Point (fail, Direct-Water, fail)
6 Opportunity
3 Strife (+3 Strife from Anxiety)

Firstly was the soothing practice of hands-on work, and Sakura set into a contemplative state, setting to work to improve and imbue spiritual energy into her jian. She took her time, whispering prayers to herself while she mended the weapon. What came to be was acceptable, not nothing spectacular. The ever-present voice behind her was pleased.

Sakura paled when the next part of the test was before her. Looking over the monstrously vast obstacle course, she swallowed sandpaper in her throat anxiously, but a certain very-dead someone was adamant that she go through the ordeal, not around. So she did.

Her ghostly chaperone screamed from the sidelines as she attempted Mount Midoriyama. "If you die now, at least you won't have any descendants to disappoint you, Saku-chan!"
With gritted teeth of determination, she was off in a flash; scaling easily and dashing quickly, leaping with the air itself seeming to lift her.

Breathing hard and heavy by time the course is completed with hands shaking from adrenaline and strain, the voice of her ancestor persistent and relentlessly thrumming in her ear, Sakura moves to retrieve her weapon, and warily approaches the dummy. She is not a fighter, no, the pacifist Asahina is far from it.

Closing her eyes to centre herself, to feel the pull of energies around the dummy, she takes a deep and calming breath before she strikes. It hits true. Her eyes open, and the smallest, purest smile crosses her lips before she returns the jian and gives a deep and humble bow to the Seppun judge.


LM9 Step one - Void 3 Smith 0 - Artificer tech | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 2

1 WP
1 opp spent to -1 strife (1/4)

LM9 Step two - Air 3 Fitness 0 + VP | TN: 2 | Success: 6 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 5

3 WP
2 opp spent to -2 strife (4/4)

LM9 Step three - Void 3 MA Melee 0 | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 1

1 WP
1 opp spent to -1 strife (4/4)

Totals
5 WP
4 opp
8 strife (haaaaaa)

Seto looked rather blankly at the smith's tools. He'd seen a blacksmith at work . . . but as both smith and apprentice had been shirtless Seto had not been watching the hammers . . . He hammered a dent flat without realising he'd just transferred the dent to the other side and weakened the weapon even more.

Then came the obstacle course. He chose indirect and was not seen. Not heard. Not witnessed in any way whatsoever. He was one with the maze and the maze was with him. The ashigaru did not even know he had started and definitely did not know he had finished.

Then came the final test. With cat-like tread, Seto approached silently from behind the dummy and struck hard with the jian . . . which snapped in two at the weak point he'd created and clattered off into the distance leaving the Cat holding half a sword with an embarrassed look.

"Gosh darnit. Why do I keep breaking things???"


--
ToW Smithing Unskilled Air Approach | TN: 2 | Success: 1 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 1

Opportunity to cancel strife.

Fail, 2 Opportunity, 1 Strife (0 taken)

ToW Skulduggery TN 2 Air Approach | TN: 2 | Success: 4 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 3

Opportunity to cancel strife.

2 Warrior Points, 1 Opportunity, 3 Strife (2 taken)

ToW Martial Arts Melee TN 2 Unskilled Air Approach. Roll 1 Failed so forced re reroll of a success required. Void Spent. | TN: 2 | Success: 0 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 1

Opportunity to cancel strife.

Fail, 1 Opportunity, 1 Strife (0 taken). No need to re roll as no successes rolled.

Totals: 2 Warrior Points, 4 Opportunity, 5 Strife (2 taken).

So, the “Test of the Warrior” had Shinko excited. At least until she heard what it was about.

Wait, how does my ability to fix a sword affect how I can use one? How many warriors make the weapons that they use? I mean - BREATH, girl. You are Shinko, Child of the Sword. But yourself into this. Steady.

Shinko gathers up her hair and ties it into a messy bun, rolling up her sleeves as she reaches for a jian, heading to a whetstone. She hums along as she works it over the stone, trying to channel the days of steady preparation with a blade.

“I go out late at night just to see what I can find
Stayin' in the shadows where the light don't ever shine
Having one-way conversations with the darkness in my mind
He does all the talking 'cause I'm the quiet kind

So peel it off, pull 'em down
Let me see it, turn around
Just lay back, let it happen
And remember to breathe”

By the end, the jian cuts the air with an audible sharpness when she swings. Shinko nods her head, satisfied.

With weapon in hand, she heads to the course. Sneaking and scouting her head just wasn’t her style. She needed to try to react as things came. A song comes to her mind, though her lungs burn too much to speak them aloud.

“Reluctantly crouched at the starting line,
Legs pumping and thumping in time.
The green banner rises, the flags go up.
Churning and burning, they yearn for the cup.

They deftly maneuver and muscle for rank,
Fuel burning fast on an empty tank.
Reckless and wild, they pour through the turns.
Their prowess is potent and secretly stern.

As they speed through the finish, the flags go down.
The fans fold up and guest get out of town.
The arena is empty except for one man,
Still driving and striving as fast as he can.

The sun has gone down and the moon has come up,
And long ago somebody left with the cup.
But he's driving and striving and hugging the turns.
And thinking of someone for whom he still burns.

He's going the distance.
He's going for speed.
She's all alone, all alone
In her time of need.
Because he's racing and pacing and plotting the course,
He's fighting and biting and riding on his horse,
He's going the distance. Ahhhhh ahhhhh”



She tumbles, years of honed reflexes keeping her going as she makes her way through.Finally through, Shinko faces down a dummy and the song changes. She can feel the weight of the jian in her hand, and though it’s not quite the swords she trained with, it is undeniably a sword.

“Hellio there my friend
I see how you glisten
See this one shine
How he smiles in the light
My friend, my faithful friend

Speak to me, friend
Whisper, I'll listen
I know, I know
You've been locked out of sight
All these years, like me, my friend
Well, I've come here to find you waiting
Here, and we're together”

Shinko looks ahead.

“All we’ll do wonders. Won’t we?” This time, the words are aloud, a musical tilt to her voice. She levels the jian.

“At last my arm is complete again!”

Shinko goes to town, venting everything in her being on kicking this dummy’s shit in, battering it in every killing stroke she can think of. Finally, panting for breath, she bows, spent from her exertion.

_____________
D9 Test of the Warrior - Smithing 0 Earth 2 - VP spent | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 3
Pass, +1 warrior point

D9 Test of the Warrior - Water 2 Fitness 1 (asked for a reroll by Ender | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 2
pass, + 1 warrior point

D9 Test of the Warrior- Melee 2 Fire 3 | TN: 2 | Success: 4 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 2
+2 warrior points

Warrior Points before stances: 4
(Earth / water(fitness) / Fire)
Opportunity: 3
Strife: 7

Oh no, I hope those were weapons worn from proper use and not damaged just for this test! That would be so disrespectful to their makers and the spirits of the weapons. She was so wrapped up in her concerns that she almost missed the instructions for the rest of the test. Running, hitting, those I can do!

Taura approached the weapons, her eyes darting from one to another. Would they let her repair the other ones when they are done with the test? She select one at random and set to work, her tools in her hand without conscious thought. She had to consciously keep from continuing the reairs once the weapon was in usable condition, though she wanted to do more. With one last glance at the other neglected weapons, she moved on.
Success: 4 (required: 2) Opportunity: 0 Strife: 1

Slow and steady, move from place to place with thought, more haste, less speed, all of the advice come back to her from talking with the Hiruma scouts but how to apply it. She kept low, easy enough as she was small and slim, and moved with caution from place to place. It was not quick or graceful but reasonably effective.
Success: 2 (required: 2) Opportunity: 1 Strife: 1

May her ancestors smile upon her! She charged and struck with best blow she could muster. "For the Crab!" she said firmly. it was a fair blow, nothing a Hida would boast about, but Taura was pleased.
Success: 3 (required: 2) Opportunity: 2 Strife: 2

Earth/Earth/Earth (sense a theme?)
4 Warrior Points + stance bonus if any
3 Opportunity
3 Strife

Michi would do her best. Despite having absolutely no experience with a forge hammer, she followed her calm, determined instincts and beat a jian into a keen shape.

Next, something she was well acquainted with: moving through difficult terrain. She did not falter or slip, making it to the end in good time, flowing like water across nets, logs and balance beams alike.

As quickly as she could, she drew the jian and attacked the dummies swiftly, efficiently and with focused fury expected of an Akodo.

Having finished, she bowed, relinquished the weapon and returned to her seat.

D9 Warrior Test, Earth/Smithing, Distinction, Akodo Tech | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 2

D9 Warrior Test, Water/Fitness, Distinction | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 1

D9 Warrior Test. Fire/Martial Arts, Void. Akodo Tech. | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 0
Drop 1 strife, take fatigue, gain +1 success.
4 Points (Earth/Water/Fire)
5 opportunities (miswrote as success, so edited)
2 Strife
1 Fatigue

Mitsuko's Crab ancestors could be proud of her competent showing.

As long as they missed the part where she failed spectacularly to manage the obstacle course. Apparenly she was too used to a clear and steady Kaiu Wall.

Still, she did look fabulous on the slow motion replay of her flipping through the air - before crashing into the ground like a runaway cabbage cart.

----------------------------

D9 event roll 1: Smithing TN 2. Earth 3, 0 skill, void point | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 2

1 Warrior point (+1 if Earth favoured), 0 opps, net 2 strife
Composure: 2/10

D9 event roll 2: Fitness TN 2. Water 2, skill 1 | TN: 2 | Success: 0 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 0

0 points, 2 opps, 0 strife
Composure: 2/10

D9 event roll 3: MAMelee TN 2. Fire 2, Skill1, void point | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 1

1 Warrior point (+1 if Fire favoured), 1 opp reduces strife, 0 net strife
Composure: 2/10

Totals:
2 Warrior points (plus Earth/fail/Fire)
3 opps
3 kept strife

To say Aya was surprised by the praise some had given her on her performance the last few days was an understatement. Whenever she did well enough, her sister's face came back to her mind, and she knew she had to work even harder. She could never honour her spirit by doing 'well enough'. Even when she heard Ikoma Ryuko's words of praise on the Test of the Ancestor, she took them humbly, feeling in her heart she had done the least that her sister and her family would expect of her - an Ikoma herself, after all.

Now if there was one of the traditional tests of the Topaz championship she knew she had to put all of her effort in, it was the Test of the Warrior. She would not become a soldier at the frontlines, not in the near future - or at least she didn't expect to. But even as a temple guardian, she knew she was a warrior, first and foremost. That was the tradition of so many among her ancestors. That was the way of her people. That was the training she had received in the Akodo War College. If she failed here, how could she close her eyes and see her sister's face? How could she look into her parents' eyes? (Little did she know they would be more worried than stern).

The first part of the test made her worry - this was not an aspect she had focused on, and Hitomi asking them to repair the Jian before setting out to the rest of the test made her very conscious of that. She had seen her sister, her father and her grandmother doing it as they talked, since her childhood, though. She had heard from her father how his grandmother did it the same way, and the movements and words had become etched into her mind. So, when she set to repair the weapon herself, she let her memory guide her through the movements without thinking... and when she stopped and looked at the blade, it had a keen edge again.

She whispered a quick prayer to her ancestors, and set off.

The choice of which path to take was hardly a question for her. As her sensei Akodo Hoshin said: "The way to victory is a direct one". The obstacle course, intimidating as it might be, was not something she could not overcome. Her mind went to her childhood climbing trees, running as fast as she could besides Yume-chan, jumping into the river and not stopping until they were on the other bank. Her teen years, when she raced her sister to the nearest town. Her training, when she had to climb ropes and do her best in obstacle courses. And she heard her friend Koi's mysterious, soothing voice - The obstacle is the Path, Aya! See it as it is, not as it seems..

Training, memory, speed, flexibility. It all pushed her forward, and before she knew it, she was at the top of the warped wall, and back to a sprint towards the last challenge.

A straw dummy in armour. That was a scenario she had seen more times than she could remember. The way to victory is a direct one, the words resonated in her mind again as she dashed forward. A single, clean strike, before any other thoughts come to your mind. Before your opponent can move; before you can hesitate or have second thoughts.

Shing

SWISH

Thump

A part of the straw dummy falls to the ground even before she rolls around and strikes it again, with full force. Then again.

Sheathing her sword, she takes one deep breath. Two. Three.

She bows low, says another quick prayer.

Steps back. Slowly makes her way back to watch the others' performances, still panting slightly, but her mind now much calmer.

She doesn't know how well the others would do, and in fact felt herself hoping some of the others she'd known would do well.

But she could breathe calmly. She was almost sure she hadn't failed her sister or her ancestors, this time.

OOC:
Step 1
D9 LM - Test of the Warrior. Step 1 - Restore these weapons. Earth(1)/Smithing(0), VP to Seize the Moment. Traditional Adherent Distinction for rote process! | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 1

2 sux, 0 opp, 1 strife
1 Warrior point! (Earth approach)
Composure 1/8

Step 2
D9 LM - Test of the Warrior. Step 2 - Climbing mount impro...Midoriyama. Water(3)/Fitness(2) TN2. | TN: 2 | Success: 4 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 3

- Using Akodo Soldier technique as Movement action (forgot to add in description!) - remove 1 strife, add 1 fatigue and 1 opp
4 sux, 2 opp, 3 strife.
2 Opps offset 2 strife
2 Warrior points (Fitness/Water - direct approach)
Composure 1/8
Fatigue 1/8

Step 3
D9 LM - Test of the Warrior. Step 3 - The overwhelming strike. Fire(3)/Martial [Melee](2) TN2. Quick reflexes Distinction to hit it before it knows it! (Also - Akodo Soldier tech used here and for Step 2, forgot to add it for Step 2!) | TN: 2 | Success: 5 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 3

Using Akodo Soldier technique as Attack action (forgot to add in description!) - remove 1 strife, add 1 fatigue and 1 opp
5 sux, 2 opp, 3 strife.
2 opp offset 2 strife
2 Warrior points (Fire approach)
Composure 1/8
Fatigue 2/8

Final Results
5 Warrior points (approaches: Earth, Water (Fitness/Direct), Fire)
4 Opps
7 Strife

Day 9 The Test of the Warrior

Step One, the weapons of a samurai are their soul

Smithing/Earth, TN 2 | TN: 2 | Success: 0 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 0


"Ummm..."
Rin stares at the battered Jian

"So I just....fix it?"
Everyone else appears to be working furiously at the portable forges so Rian grits her teeth, raises a hammer and brings it down on the weapon.
It cracks immediately
"Fiddlesticks!"

Day 9 The Test of the Warrior

Step 2, Now you will choose.

Indirect path,

Skulduggery/Air TN 2, spending a void point. | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 1


At least being flexible is easier. Rin hurries after a heimin attendant to ask them where the course is and ends up being congratulated by one of the sensei for choosing the secret staff route.

Day 9 The Test of the Warrior

Step 3 Then Finally

Fire/Martial Arts Melee. Spending a void point | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 1


And Rin can stab a dummy pretty hard.

Yuji considered the poor blade that had been entrusted to his care. Just as the shrine was a house for the spirits, the sword was the soul of a samurai, and just like the temple, this had been let fall into disgrace for no truly good reason. It should have been better cared for. A little maintenance would have gone such a long way. You could not subject something to repeated stress without end. And just as the temple had served the community until it was worn down, so too had this sword given of itself until it could no longer give. And instead of being taken care of by those of importance, it was another task pushed onto the young. What sort of uncaring oaf had thought this a good idea?

While Yuji was no smith, he put everything into restore the blade, carefully working with it to make it sharp and ready to serve once more.

Earth 3/Smithing 0: 3 sux, 2 stife, 1 opp, opp used to kill strife.

Yuji appreciated the obstacle course for what it was. It truly looked like a lot of fun, and he wanted to show people that the Crane were not some delicate blossoms incapble of enduring. But....attempting to win was more important than having fun. He would need the key to victory, but could he obtain it?

3 Air, 0 skullduggery 2 Sux, 2 strife, 1 opp, opp to kill strife.

He was clearly no scout, but he achieved the objective and moved on to the final task.

And finally came what most would consider the actual test of the warrior, to raise a sword, and strike a target.

"One more fight, fair blade, and then you can rest." he promised the blade.

He felled his foes, what more could be said? the blade was sheathed and returned, hopefully to find it's way to someone more deserving than it's previous bearer.

Fire 2/ MA: Melee 2 2 sux, 2 strife, 1 opp


Totals: 3 warrior points
Approaches: Earth/Air (on skulldugery path/Fire)
3 opportunity
6 strife.

This looked like it would be fun.

Jingyi spent many hours tending to her equipment in the wilderness. Her methods were, perhaps not the same as the others, but she had her way of keeping her blades sharp.

She debated for a moment on how she wanted to undertake the obstacle course. She was trained as a scout, the indirect path was what she usually favored. But, she had always wanted to climb a mountain. Her movements were fluid and powerful, steadily carrying her through the course and to the top.

The Unicorn's strike against the target was similar to her path through the course, fluid, powerful and decisive.

- - -
[LM9] - The Test of the Warrior, Step 1, Water 3/Smithing 0, TN 2, Void Point | TN: 2 | Success: 5 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 4


[LM9] - The Test of the Warrior, Step 1, Water 3/Fitness 1, TN 2 | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 1

Water Opportunity to reduce Strife

[LM9] - The Test of the Warrior, Step 3, Water 3/Martial Arts Melee 1, TN 2 | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 2

Water Opportunity to reduce Strife

Approach: Water
Points: 4 [2/1 (Fitness)/1]
Opportunities: 2
Strife: 7