[LM8] - Test of Piety

[Ender]

Yogo Kou knelt in prayer before the altar to Amaterasu. Their posture was relaxed, if reverential. The Scorpion priest slowly stands, their mask modeled after a great bear's maw. Kou's head was shaved bald, save for a stylish scorpion tail topknot. Their eyes, a lustrous blue, were highlighted by perfectly applied wing tips, and crimson eyeshadow. Their kimono was subdued, for a Scorpion, deep scarlet and brushed copper. Their fingers wrapped around a staff with several rings upon the head of it. With every step they took, the staff clapped against the marble of the floor, and the rings clattered musically.

"To be a proper Samurai, is to be reverential in all things." Their voice was melodic, a soothing tenor as they spoke. Kou looked over all the contestants. "To honor the kami, and the spirits. And to think on the nature of the universe. These are things we have learned, and have been passed down. Truths that burn past all of our masks." There was a small chuckle there....

Disadvantages that must be triggered once on a roll of the affected PCs choice, if they choose the approach tied to the disadvantage:

[Fortune's] Curse (Respective Ring), Disdain For a Bushido Tenet: Righteousness (Void), Haunting (Void), Momoku (Void), Shadowlands Taint (All), Whispers of Doom (Void), Materialism (Void), Superstition (Void)

School Abilities that are applicable:

Asako Loremaster (Step 1)
Kitsuki Investigator (Step 1)

Please feel free to ask if your School Ability could apply

Magic is not allowed for this event

Scoring:
1 Piety Point for a Basic Success
+1 Piety Point for every 2 successes after the first,
+1 Piety Point for using Yogo Kou'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: "Look Inward. Commune with the very nature of the universe itself. Ponder your place within it." The Priest sits down, legs crossed, into the lotus position. Their eyes closed, breathing in deeply.

This is a TN 2 Theology Check. This is an untyped skill check.

Step Two: "Upon communing with the universe, one must forgo personal desire, surmounting those feelings as you take that inward look, and remove your ego." They speak softly, level and firm, a bedrock of stoicism.

This is a TN 2 Meditation check, as an untyped action.

Step Three: "But this is a journey. One that is just beginning for each of you. What place does fate have for you? What understanding can you gleam from any sacrifice you are willing to make. To see beyond the horizon..." Finally, Kou goes silent, their eyes closed. Unmoving, perfectly still.

This is a TN 3 Meditation check, as an untyped action.

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

Okay, now they're just fucking with me.

It seemed it would be another day of eating shit ladled out by the Great Clans and having to pretend she was grateful for the opportunity.

Well. They could make her participate, but they couldn't make her care. Not anymore.

What a pile of shit.

Communing with the nature of the universe?

Fuck you.

So that was that.

Removing ego?

Fuck you, you Great Clan shits have been trying to do that since I got here, culminating in that assbag Haru coming whining for an apology for shit he said. I've had it. Fuck all of you.

Something in her banked rage seemed, paradoxically, to meet with at least grudging approval. At that stage.

Fate? Destiny? What a load of crap. I don't try to discern fate, I try to make it.

It... did not go well.

[Roll 1: Unskilled Theology/Water, TN 2 | TN: 2 | Success: 0 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 0


Zilch. 2 Water Opportunities.

Roll 2: Unskilled Meditation/Water, TN 2 | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 1


1 point, 1 strife, water approach.

Roll 3: Unskilled Water/Meditation, TN 3 | TN: 3 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 3


Failure. 1 opp, using it to offset one of the three strife rolled.

1 point
Fail/Water/Fail
3 opportunities total
4 strife (3 actually taken)]

[Shiba Jiro]

He hadn't known that tis would be the test. But he had spent all morning in meditation.

You have failed, you are not dead. You can move forward. It may not look the way you thought it would, but you cannot see the future. You can see now. You feel, you have acted on those feelings. But even if they represent failures you cannot regret them.

You are a single drop of water in an ocean of time. You live your life, evaporate, become rain then return to that ocean. The things you do will impact the other drops you touch, but you do not change the ocean.

But the future is in motion. Do not assume, do not presume.
Move where you will and make better decisions. You will be able to find peace and understanding.

D8 LM, Test of Piety, Step One, Void approach | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 1


D8 LM, Test of Piety, Step Two, Earth approach | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 1


D8 LM, Test of Piety, Step Three, Void approach, VP | TN: 3 | Success: 4 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 2


3 Piety points (Void/Earth/Void)
4 Opportunity
4 Strife

Strife: 2/8

[Kakita Ahiru]

Ahiru had learned the basics of meditation, as most Kakita did no matter what path in life they took. She had never been particularly good at it, but who really was *good* at something like meditating?

Despite knowing little about philosophy or theology, she did alright when asked about it, performing satisfactory for the judge and their inscrutible preferences.

But when left to her own devices of meditation... Ahiru had a hard time keeping her mind still, as it was instead running off with all other thoughts in her head.

Those thoughts were known only to her, but near the end of the test, she got up and excused herself, knowing she had failed, but was that why she was hiding most of her distressed face behind her sleeves?


-----

D8 Test of Piety. "Look inward...". Theology 0/Void 2 + 1 Void point. TN2 | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 0

1 Piety Point.


D8 Test of Piety. "Commune with the universe..." Meditation 1/Water 3. TN2 | TN: 2 | Success: 1 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 2

0 Points.


D8 Test of Piety. "See beyond the horizon..." Meditation 1/Void 2. TN2 | TN: 2 | Success: 0 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 1

0 Points.

1 Piety Point (Void, Fail, Fail).
3 Opportunity. 3 Strife.

[Shosuro Kaoru]

Kaoru had made no mystery theology was her weak subject. She actually had no clue what the Yogo was talking about, and not the single idea by where to even begin.

But this was of no importance. Trials were rigged to the brim, judges partial as crooked merchants. If the Scorpion wanted for her to place, she would. If they had other plans, she wouldn't. It was as simple as that.

---

D8LM | Test of Piety | Theology (Void) | Sixth Sense | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 1



D8LM | Test of Piety | Meditation (Void) TN2 | Sixth Sense | TN: 2 | Success: 1 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 0


D8LM | Test of Piety | Meditation (Void) TN3 | Sixth Sense | Void point | TN: 3 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 1


1 point (Void/-/-), 0 opp, 2 strife

[Funegao no Hirame]

Okay, Hirame thought. He could do this. He just needed to sit down, focus, breath rhythmically... in fact, Hirame could do that. What he couldn't do was focus. His breaths came steadily in and out, and he was definitely focusing on how he was doing that. Which, of course, was not really the goal.

Right. Try it again. Taking a deep breath, Hirame found his core. He resumed his rhythmic breathing. He began to look inside himself. He considered his place in the universe...

...

This... sucked!

Hirame shifted irritably. What was this about considering their place in the universe? Shouldn't they be out actually DOING something in the universe? He could easily think about this stuff while practicing dueling, or something, for the big competition coming up...

Finishing, Hirame rose with a grimace.

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

Test of Piety, Water 3 Theology 0 | TN: 2 | Success: 1 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 0


Fail, 1 Opp

Test of Piety, Meditation TN 2, Earth 2 Meditation 1 | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 2


1 Point (EARTH), 0 opp, 2 strife

Test of Piety, Meditation TN 3, Void 1 Meditation 1 | TN: 3 | Success: 0 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 0


Fail, 1 Opp
Anxiety - 3 strife, +1 void

Final: 1 Point (Fail, EARTH, Fail), 2 opp 2 strife

[Seppun Urusai]

Refreshed after an intensive and dangerous dojo session--that one Crane child had nearly taken his head off!--Urusai takes a deep breath, nodding, to the priest's words. His heart pounds in his chest, and the voice in his mind rails against being so quiet and still--and with eyes closed--in such a situation as this. But the youth exhales, perhaps a bit loudly, and shoves aside all the distractions, finding in one heartbeat and with great strain the true center of stillness for which the Seppun strive, the single point at the origin of which the Little Teacher spoke, the quiet where the echoes of the voices of the gods can be heard. And it is beautiful, more so than he can really believe.

Urusai tries to ground himself, his body quivering as he seeks firmness from which to view the glory--and he cannot find a stable place, falling away from that moment of perfection back into his own insufficient self, quivering with loss and desperation.

Urusai tries to center himself, his body shaking as he focuses inward, inward, inward--and he finds the stillness again, beginning to calm himself, the quivering easing, easing, easing, easing, until it is a mere tremor in his hands.

He opens his eyes to the world again, bows, and excuses himself.

~~~~~
Step 1: Void / Theology, TN 2, affected by Haunting and Loneliness, VP spent and regained due to Anxiety, https://sakkaku.org/rolls/2989; passes at 7 sux, 1 opp, 5 strife; opp to cancel strife, +3 strife for Anxiety, so at 8/8
Step 2: Earth / Meditation, TN 2, https://sakkaku.org/rolls/2994; failed at 1 sux, 1 opp, 1 strife; opp to eat strife
Step 3: Void / Meditation, TN 3, VP, https://sakkaku.org/rolls/2995; passes at 3 sux, 2 opps, 1 strife; 1 opp to eat strife

4 Piety Points
3 Opportunities
7 Strife rolled, 8 incurred due to Anxiety and opp spends

[Asahina Sakura]

There's so much ephemeral noise here, spiritual energy pulsing and vibing, ebbing and flowing, but Sakura manages to swim along with the current, finding herself ruminating on the teachings of her school, her family: finding beauty in all things, and encompassing peace above all else.

However, despite herself, she finds she can't maintain this inner peace for long and her mind starts to drift, listening instead to her heart. She cannot settle down, cannot silence the noise inside herself. Finding distraction after distraction, even so much as to cause her to pry one eye open before remembering that, no, she's trying to focus, but sitting in silence has never been her strong suit.

Unable to really quiet her mind and listen to the universe as instructed, too distracted by the recent events and developments, too caught up in her emotions, she admitted her inability to do what was asked and rose, bowed, and excused herself quietly.


LM8 Step one - Void 3 Theology 2 - Sixth sense, Haunting | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 1

1 PP
1 opp spent to -1 strife

LM8 Step two - Void 3 Meditation 0 - Sixth sense, Haunting | TN: 2 | Success: 0 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 0


LM8 Step three - Void 3 Meditation 0 + VP - Sixth sense, Haunting | TN: 3 | Success: 1 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 1

1 opp spent to -1 strife

Totals
1 PP
3 opp
2 strife

[Ikoma Aya]

Aya was somewhat surprised to have a Scorpion as the judge - and guide - in what was, to her, one of the most important tests in the tournament. But that didn't prevent her from doing her best.

Not that it was easy, especially trying to do things as the Yogo suggested. Communing with the universe was hard when she kept coming back to the same faces and traditions... so she let herself flow with what she was more used to. Forgoing personal desire was easier, even though her Akodo sensei's lessons on doing things directly almost got in the way. But her time with her Mirumoto friend, and the painful, hard lesson she had learned after what happened took her through it. Seeking what place fate had for her was hard to do as the Yogo suggested again - she knew what place fate had for her. Or, at least, she felt she knew it - her sister's smile, good memories of her childhood, and the traditional role of many of her family came peacefully to her mind, and she let herself settle on that.

It was probably not what the Yogo had in mind, but it was a peaceful moment of piety - ancestor-focused, but that was hardly unexpected for a Lion.

OOC:
Step 1
D8 LM - Test of Piety. Step 1: "Commune with the very nature of the universe itself.". Theology(0)/Water(3) TN2 | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 2

2 sux, 2 strife
1 Piety point! (Water approach)
Composure at 2/8

Step 2
D8 LM - Test of Piety. Step 2: "One must forgo personal desire.". Meditation(2)/Earth(1) TN2. Bullheaded. VP to Seize the Moment. | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 3

3 sux, 1 opp, 3 strife; 1 opp negates 1 strife
1 Piety point! (Earth approach)
Composure at 4/8

Step 3
D8 LM - Test of Piety. Step 3: "What place does fate have for you?.". Meditation(2)/Water(3) TN3. | TN: 3 | Success: 4 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 1

4 sux, 1 opp, 1 strife; opp negates strife
1 Piety point! (Water approach)
Composure at 4/8

Final results:
3 piety points (Water, Earth, Water)
2 Opps
6 Strife

[Kakita Yuji]

It was certainly the oddest test since the Test of Waves. In Yuji's grandfather's time (or so he claimed), allowing a Yogo in to Tsuma during the Topaz Championship would have been scandalous beyond belief. But allowing one whose family's bloodline was literally famous as being cursed to betray to judge one of the events? It was unthinkable.

But Yuji listened to the judge's instructions, a samurai's duty was to obey. He had been expecting some sort of quiz about religious topics, perhaps a debate on some philosophical matter but....guided meditation? He had participated regularly in such in his training but.....you can't be best at meditation. You could not race for spiritual enlightenment, you could not Om the hardest, you could not judge someone's technique superior. There was nothing but the judge's word...who again was a Yogo.

There were very quiet rumors about Lord Toshimoko. That his recognition of his son among the Mantis was a sign that age was perhaps catching up with the man. The test of the waves had lent some more credence to those, but this was....a surrender to the Scorpion. Even if this was the world's most fair Yogo who'd already fulfilled her betrayal, rumors would only grow that the contest was rigged or tainted by their involvement.

It was a very worldly manner to meditate on, but Yuij had learned that sitting still and being quiet would at least give the impression that he was meditating peacefully. But he was thinking about how he was going to have to explain this one to the next competitor who wanted to discuss the test.

Earth 3/Thelogy 3: 0 Sux, 3 Opp, 0 strife

Earth 3/ Meditation2: 3 sux, 1 opp, 1 strife, opp used to cancel strife

Earth 3/Medtiation2 3 sux, 1 opp:

Total "Score":

2 Piety points
-/Earth/Earth
5 Opportunities
1 strife

[Akodo Michi]

Michi thought about her place in the universe, which was to throw soldiers at a problem. Those soldiers were Akodo, like her. Some of them she would know the faces of. Some she may have called cousin, aunt, uncle...but she would never call one niece or nephew, not anymore.

She had no desires past her will to perform her duty, however. An empty cup, something pointless beyond the task before it. It was the only option. To pursue matters of the self was a road to chaos and an ignoble death. The screaming of the self, the demand for just a moment of care, of actual understanding with another, was ignored. This is the way.

Yet you cannot ignore the self, cannot hope to be at peace with a thing that is truly you when it is shunned and ignored. Despite her righteous cause, despite the necessity of her future, despite the promises of glory, Michi simply wanted none of it. She wanted her brother back. All that could make her stay composed was the thought of cleaving Tsume Retsu's head from his body, then returning it and his daisho to Doji Satsume, a fair greater honor than her brother was afforded.

When she finished she stood and bowed to the old monk, then sat calmly among the others to not disturb the meditations.

OOC
D8 Piety Check, Theology/Earth, Distinction | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 0

D8 Piety Check, Meditation/Earth, Distinction, Void | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 3 / Strife: 2

Anxiety triggered, +3 strife, +1 void (5 strife total)
D8 Piety Check, Void/Meditation, Distinction, Void | TN: 3 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 1

2 points (Earth/Earth/Void)
3 opportunities
3 strife from dice

[Togashi Shinko]

Shinko feel a bit of a blush at the back of her neck. She should be an expert in theology, what with being a Togashi and all, but well...the details about theology were not exactly her best subject.

The meditation though....that she had plenty of experience in. She drifts into a deep meditative state, not stirring, in absolute relaxation.

____________________________________


D8 Test of Piety - Void 2 Theology 0 TN 2- VP spent | TN: 2 | Success: 1 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 0


D8 Test of Piety - Void 2 Meditation 2 TN 2 | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 1


D8 Test of Piety - Void 2 Meditation 2 TN 3 | TN: 3 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 3


Points before approach: 2
Approach: Void for all (potential +2)
Opportunity: 0
Strife: 4

[Kaiu Taura]

Oh, a test of sitting still, that was not a task designed for this one. She sighed. Still, one must make the attempt for form's sake, ne?

Her place in the Universe? That Taura knew, complete with organizational charts and notations. She happily pondered that until she was reminded that there was more to the task at hand.
Success: 2 (required: 2) Opportunity: 1 Strife: 1

Ugh, meditation, so pointless. There are things that need doing. So, she focused on that instead. It seemed that it was a passable enough meditation . . . so far. But it was becoming hard not to fidget.
Success: 3 (required: 2) Opportunity: 0 Strife: 2

Nothing to it but to continue to endure. But she could not help herself, she had to look around, it spoiled the whole effect.
Success: 0 (required: 2) Opportunity: 1 Strife: 0

Earth/Void/Fail (Void)
Stife 3

[Shiba Ichiro]

Though they did not care about winning the tournament, or even placing, they were still determined to do their best to show they had deserved to be here and this was the final opportunity... and one distinctly suited to their training.

As such, while nothing is visible on the surface other than serenity, internally Ichiro pushes the limits of training and soul to dive deeper and deeper into the void. Perhaps deeper than is totally safe though, in the end, they eventually resurface into their own self once again.

(Step 1:

D8, LM: Step 1 - Theology 2/Void 3 - Sixth Sense | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 0


1 Piety Point, 2 Opportunity, 0 Strife

Step 2:

D8, LM: Step 2 - Meditation 1/Void 3 - Void spent, Sixth Sense | TN: 2 | Success: 7 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 5


3 Piety Points (4 total), 2 Opportunity (4 total), 5 Strife, 1 Fatigue

Step 3:

D8, LM: Step 3 - Meditation 1/Void 3 - Void spent, Sixth Sense | TN: 3 | Success: 4 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 1


1 Piety Point (5 total), 1 Strife (6 total)

Final Scoring: 5 Piety Points (Void/Void/Void), 4 Opportunity, 6 Strife)

[Isawa Natsuko]

This test would have been an embarrassing one to fail, if Natsuko ever really felt embarrassment. That lack wouldn't be tested today though. There was no difficulty at all in settling into such a well-practiced seat and mental state. Her place in the universe, in this moment, was as an observer, spotting the flickers and ripples of realities that were not or never were. The sense of her fellow competitors rippled as others took their places in alternately shaped universes, the quiet shifting and murmuring is merely background noise.

She does not usually look at her own alternate selves, at the shape of how things might be. There are dangers there. But this entire tournament, the chance meeting beforehand, the way this gathering becomes a fulcrum of encounters that might not have happened and yet change everything for some of those here, is...tempting. It's a force of will to pull herself back into the proper flow--observe and release each observation as it comes. No chasing visions, though she knows the halo of those she wanted to run down are going to hover painfully behind her eyes for much of the day.

*********************
Step One:
Day 8: Test of Piety: Look Inward: Theology/Void | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 0 / Magnitude: 0


+1 PP

Step Two:
Day 8: Test of Piety: Upon communing with the universe: Meditation/Earth Void used | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 0


+1 PP

Step Three:
Pile of 'needed to roll declared void' here

Final roll.
No link because it's just edited to show the correct images
Day 8: Test of Piety: But this is a journey: Meditation/Void, using Void | TN: 3 | Success: 5 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 2 / Magnitude: 0


+2 PP
Opportunities to remove strife
+1 fatigue on last roll

Totals:
4 points (void/earth/void)
4 opportunities
2 strife

[Nekoma Seto]

Seto did as he was told and looked inward. All he saw was a teapot toppling off a table in slow motion. He was reliving his failed test from earlier in the week.

It tipped very slowly. He could see the individual droplets of tea escaping the spout and from the lid as it parted company from the main body of the pot. It slowly turned in his mind, spraying tea so agonisingly slowly. He knew none of it hit the Crane, because none of it had, but his meditations were now leading to 'What If' territory and the lid rolled, flicking tea directly at the elder samurai. In equal slow motion he shouted 'Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!' and tried to reach out for the imagined teapot, but all he succeeded in doing was decapitating the bonsai that now appeared in front of it . . . this was getting weird . . .

And then he woke up.

--
ToP Theology unskilled TN 2 Air Approach | TN: 2 | Success: 0 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 0


0 Piety, 2 Opportunity, 0 Strife

ToP Meditation unskilled TN 2 Air Approach Void Spent | TN: 2 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 2

Opportunity spent to cancel Strife.

1 Piety, 1 Opportunity, 2 Strife (1 taken)

ToP Meditation Unskilled TN 3 Air Approach | TN: 3 | Success: 1 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 0


. . . nothing at all.

Totals 1 Piety Point, 3 Opportunity, 2 Strife (1 Taken)

[Suzume Rin]

Day 8 Test of Piety

Step 1 Look Inward. Theology/Void TN 2

Spending a Void Point | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 1


Rin turns her focus inward. Umm...hello universe it's Rin...um, Rin of the Sezume. We're this small clan that lives...oh, what's a clan? Well it's sorta like a big family, I can explain that no worries. Despite herself, the Sparrow begins to feel very...centered

Day 8 Test of Piety

Step 2 Upon Communing with the Universe

Meditation/Earth. TN 2. Spending a void point | TN: 2 | Success: 4 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 3


Remove? My Ego?

Rin thinks for half a second.

Done.

Day 8 Test of Piety

Step 3 But this is a Journey

Using Suzume tech to make it a performance roll. Void approach TN 3 | TN: 3 | Success: 4 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 1


"A journey about sacrifice eh?...Well that kinds reminds me of a story actually. See, it's about this Mastu.

He and his Lion were companions on a journey, and as they were walking and talking they started boasting, as friends do when they're board. And each claims to be superior to the other in strength and courage. Things get pretty heated until come to a cross-road where there;s was a statue of a Man strangling a Lion. "There!" says the Man triumphantly, "look at that! Doesn't that prove to you that we are stronger than you?" "Not so fast, my friend," says the Lion: "that is only your view of the case. If we Lions could make statues, you may be sure that in most of them you would see the Man underneath."

See, I reckon we gotta remember there's two sides to everything, can't just be be looking at the statues."

The Sparrow yawns and opens her eyes, noticing the Yogo giving her a long look before continuing their lesson.

(( 4 points before approaches
4 opps, 5 strife))

[Kuni Mitsuko]

Mitsuko knew how to do these things. I am Kuni.

Generations of her ancestors could do these things easily. I may not be a shugenja, but I can do this.

This was exactly the sort of test that the young Crab was hoping for, to show her well-roundedness. I will make my parents proud.

Then it all started to fall apart.

She did not remember what she needed to from her studies of the fundamentals of the void. A baby Kuni could see through as she tried to contemplate what was waiting for her in the universe.

Part of her suspected an evil spirit. Some terrible feeling crept around her and she started to sweat, but she held her focus on the meditation - held it long and deep, like the Yogo wanted - and saw that beyond who and beyond sacrifice, there was nothing for her. What in all the hells? In perhaps the most meaningful meditation of her life, the void offered... What does this even mean? There's... Nothing? Like nothing required or guaranteed, or... Or nothing nothing?

The Crab sat, feeling deeply alone, for a long time as she tried to make sense of what had been 'revealed' to her.

----------
Rolls

D8 event roll 1: Theology TN 2. Void 3, skill 1, void point | TN: 2 | Success: 0 / Opportunity: 4 / Strife: 4

0 points, 4 opps reduce strife, 0 net strife

D8 event roll 2: Meditation TN 2. Void 3, skill 1, void point, Superstition anxiety | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 0

1 Soul point (+1 if Void favored), 0 opps, 3 net strife (from anxiety), 1 void point added
Composure 3/10

D8 event roll 3: Meditation TN 3. Void 3, skill 1, void point | TN: 3 | Success: 4 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 3

1 Soul point (+1 if Void favored), 1 opp reduces strife, net 2 strife
Composure 5/10

Totals
2 Soul Points (fail/Void/Void)
5 opportunities kept
7 strife kept

[Shiba Kuroneko]

Was he trying his best? Maybe not. He almost slipped out of himself but he returned to normal. The young shugenja didn't know who he is and but he had a goal in mind no that it was one for the best of the empire but a goal is a goal.

//D8 LM Event Look in Theology Void approach Adversity Cognitive lapse | TN: 2 | Success: 2 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 0


1 SP
0 strife
0 opportunity

D8 LM Event Commune Meditation water approach | TN: 2 | Success: 1 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 0

0 SP
0 Strife
2 Opportunity

D8 LM Event fate Meditation Fire approach | TN: 3 | Success: 4 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 1

1SP
1 Strife
2 Opportunity (-1 strife)

total SP: 2
Total strife: 1
Total opportunity: 4

[Shinjo Jingyi]

Meditation was not something Jingyi was familiar with. She understood what it was and had even attempted it in the past. But, she had never found any benefit from it. Calming herself was simple enough, but gained no extra sense of self or what might be.

- - -
[LM8] - Test of Piety, Step 1, Water 3/Theology 0, TN 2 | TN: 2 | Success: 4 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 2


[LM8] - Test of Piety, Step 1, Water 3/Meditation 0, TN 2 | TN: 2 | Success: 0 / Opportunity: 3 / Strife: 2

Water Opportunity to Reduce Strife

[LM8] - Test of Piety, Step 1, Water 3/Meditation 0, TN 3 | TN: 3 | Success: 1 / Opportunity: 2 / Strife: 2

Water Opportunity to Reduce Strife

Approach: Water
Points: 2
Opportunities: 5
Strife: 6