S2E21: The Lion's Den

Podcast of the Five Rings

Tomo, Buro, and Kenshi were introduced to Tsubasa’s father, the Scorpion general Bayushi Togai. Togai commended the party for their mission into the Shadowlands and expressed his gratitude for their heroism. He told the party that he wished their courage could be a good example for his son. A deep tension could be felt between Tsubasa and his father-- the only time Tsubasa ever seemed outwardly anxious.

After his father left, Buro asked Tsubasa about the tension he felt between the two of them. Tsubasa admitted that it has been difficult living in the shadow of his father, the esteemed general. His father exudes greatness, and everything Tsubasa does seems to be the wrong thing. Buro could relate to Tsubasa’s difficult relationship with his father, and offered him words of encouragement. It is a struggle Tsubasa has dealt with all his life, but he now seems ready to atone for his wayward youth and accept responsibility for the life he has been thrust into. Nonetheless, he appreciated Buro’s sentiments and was happy to have bonded with him.

Wanting to make an impression on his clan’s leadership at Winter Court, Tomo moved to apologize for his clumsy behavior in front of the Emperor. Here, Tomo was introduced to Hiruma Kage, the son of the Hiruma daimyo. Kage began pouring sake and asking Tomo questions about his time in the Shadowlands, and thanked him for rescuing his ancestral homeland from the clutches of Atsumari no Oni. Kage mentioned that Clan Champion, Hida Kisada, is rallying the Crab armies to retake Shiro Hiruma and forge a new front against the hordes of the Shadowlands. The two talked late into the night, when Kage finally revealed that he had been sent to retrieve the armor of The Martyr Monk on behalf of the Hiruma family.

Meanwhile, Kenshi went to speak with his own clan’s leadership. He sat before Akodo Toturi, Matsu Tsuko, and Ikoma Ujiaki. Even from his brief interaction with them, Kenshi sensed a deep divide between the three leaders, especially from Tsuko, who claimed that court was a misuse of her skills and a waste of her time.

While at the banquet, Buro noticed Akari move to speak with the minor clans of Rokugan. Curious, Buro decided to eavesdrop on her conversation. He overheard her speaking with Suzume Yugoki, champion of the Sparrow Clan. Akari began with quaint small talk, but soon began asking Yugoki about the Hare Clan, and their association with maho. Uncomfortable by the line of questioning, Yugoki quickly left the conversation.

After the banquet, Buro decided to confront Akari about the growing distance he had sensed from her, and the cause of her discomfort at court. Akari expressed her mounting concern about bringing Yoshi’s armor to Otosan Uchi, and the growing web of intrigue which they have been caught in since arriving at the capital. She questioned if bringing Yoshi to court was a good idea after all. Buro admitted that a lot of suspicious things have been happening since arriving in the capital, but he expressed fear that if disaster were coming their way, they may already be in too deep to get themselves out of it. The two agreed to speak things over with the rest of the party before making a decision.

Kenshi followed the Lion delegate back to their guest house for a private meeting. He was brought in to play music for Toturi, Tsuko, and Ujiaki while they discussed their plans for the future of their clan. The three lions expressed very different strategies for the war: Toturi made it clear that he wants to sue for peace with the Crane Clan and end things as soon as possible. He felt the war had gone on long enough, and that more bloodshed would be pointless. Ujiaki, on the other hand, felt the Lion could still win the war. He laid out a plan to portray the Crane as belligerents in order to garner public support for the Lion war effort, and build alliances in the courts. Finally, Tsuko demanded that the Lion start throwing their full weight into the war. Up to this point, the Lion had been leery of escalating the war, but Tsuko believed such caution was foolish. If they were going to be dragged into this conflict, they needed to start fighting to win. Part of her strategy was to levy more troops, including conscripting soldiers from the Fox Clan. She described her plan to attack the Fox if Kitsune Ryosei does not respond to her negotiations.

Their meeting was interrupted when a courier broke into the room with a message for Matsu Tsuko from the front line. Commander Matsu Toshiro had been killed while deployed near Brittle Flower Village, the courier explained. As Tsuko began to open the letter, Kenshi declared that he was the one who killed Toshiro. With defiance in his voice, Kenshi proudly announced his Fox heritage before the heads of the Lion, and told them that Toshiro was a poor excuse for a samurai. All should strive to live a more honorable life than he.

“You killed my cousin,” were Tsuko’s last words.

Credits

Album Art by Dylon Munoz

Music

**To be added**

Artwork by Dylon Munoz

Music by Brandon Spain & Podcast of the Five Rings