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Post by bladedwind on Apr 21, 2009 23:51:15 GMT -5
Masaki scoffed at Tadakatsu's offer. He seemed so eager to employ his services, but he did not take into account the man's pride. Masaki made a living out of fighting, not a monopoly. He was not after riches and jewels. He was after fame, glory, and a worthy master. There was no way his services could be purchased in peace time, either. It would simply be a waste of money of the daimyo's part, as well as a waste of time on Masaki's part. As far as he was concerned, there was not yet a single lord worthy of his services until they had actually proven themselves. Until then, Masaki was unavailable. He turned to the both of them.
"Hmph. It seems your officers are found of making extravagent offers. I am not so petty as to place value on loyalty; I am a samurai. I only make money to live. It would simply waste your time and mine to hire me now. If you have a battle, then leave a message at the inn. Until then, I decline."
Leaving his gruff, perhaps even scathingly insulting message, Masaki turned to his platter of sushi and continued to eat calmly, drinking his sake slowly to savor the taste. During the conversation, he had observed both men intently. Honda was a typical fortress of a man, resolute in his loyalty and duty. He had even offered his fortune to hire him into his lord's service. However, that also showed how foolish he could be. He offered a price for loyalty, something that no true samurai should do. Only a lackey or hired goon jumped at the chance to make quick money instead of making a decent living off of his craft. He was overly eager. Masaki had not yet seen his prowess, but he hoped to see it soon, whether they were friend or foe.
Tadakatsu's lord was another matter. He exuded humbleness and calmness, his eyes and face set in a serene expression. It was difficult to read the man's true intentions or feelings. In all honesty, he was simply not sure. In his short but violent life, Masaki had learned not to trust someone based on first impressions. People could hide their true nature in order to get what they wanted, then reveal their true nature. He did not assume Suehiro was a liar, but he did not assume he was an honest man either. Only time and careful observation would tell. He had a feeling this would not be their last meeting. If anything, it would only be the first of several. He would see the man's true mettle soon enough.
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Post by baiko on Apr 22, 2009 0:18:35 GMT -5
Tadakatsu rolled his eyes. Apparently Masaki had missed his true message.
It appears you missunderstood me. I am not placing a price on loyalty. How can you? It is priceless! You said you wanted a name as known as my own? How can you do that wandering around away from whats really important? I offer you my wealth because I care nothing for it. I ask you to look at the bigger picture. Join us or not, that choice is yours. But dont wait. take life and your destiny into your own hands? Why fight someone elses battle? I tell you this Sir, and I hope you do not overlook it.
Nobody remembers the man that watches, actions go down into history. What story is better? The one of the man who jumps into a fight when its easy? Or the man that fights FOR the fight? You slay your bandits and call that a life. Who am I to look down on your choice? But remember this... A samurai's real duty is to those in need not to himself.
Tadakatsu hoped this young man would take a stand. With or agaisnt him, the world needed heroes.
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Post by scholar on Apr 22, 2009 0:51:52 GMT -5
Suehiro was pleased with "the one who serves no master's" response. Only time would tell if he could be employed, but the voice of dignification that was shone from his single response was enough to make sure that in a time of peace he would be respected. But in these troubled times he would still be respected, but equally feared. A debate between two men that is now laying before him does almost cause him trouble. Tadakatsu has always been a direct and forward man, to people who prefer to be left in the gray areas of the world he is the worst of people to talk to, but with those of a sense of honor tend to agree with him, while those with a sense of not so much dishonor, but insecurity and greed tend to shift away from his focus. Suehiro then said one line to tadakatsu "Do not speak of common vice, but you must speak to the soul to signify resolve" of course he merely stated what anyone would state in this circumstance, or so he thought.
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Post by kaname on Apr 22, 2009 9:02:51 GMT -5
Sir Geoffrey watched intently from the opposite side of the bar as the pair beyond bickered, his left hand occupied by the small trimmed cup of sake whilst his right hand hung gingerly off of the table. He had been watching the commotion for only a few minutes, intrigued simply by the morality of the man’s debates rather than the reasoning itself for their presence there.
After all, this was a tavern and so such exclamations were often the result of too much liquor or joy. Back in England, he had recalled similar feats, when knights would embrace other knights on acts of chivalry or honour. But where was the honour in those wars...where was the chivalry?
He had only caught track of the last few phrases spoken by Honda before his eyes turned away from the pair, caught now by a much more fascinating male that had emerged at what he had suspected was the worst time imaginable.
For it was Seighard.
The brawling, German sadist from Europe, he had spent far too long with the man all ready, learning the grotesque mannerisms of the man that he had once referred to as ‘Seighard of the Black Sea’. Now such a title seemed meaningless, even the man’s appearance differed to the earlier days of his campaigns. Once, Seighard was tall, proud and filled with vitality, but now his shoulders slumped, his back arced and his eyes grew wide and hollow-like. There was no entertainment in Japan and facing off bandits or thugs was no life for a mercenary, especially not one that enjoyed the European ways of torture.
Still, Seighard was now his nakama. Even if they didn’t talk a lot – they had known each other for at least two years, working side by side for whatever reason that had come to them. It would have been strange, maybe even sad should he leave the man now.
“Seige,” he stated, slurring the words as they came out. “Spend not too long in hollow places, for the path beyond will sap the strength that remains within you.”
“Yes, yes.” Seighard had turned to the bartender, his eyes gazing past the three men that seemed to be deep in conversation. “Oi!”
He beckoned his hand out, pointing towards Suehiro and the others, “Do you know where an honest mercenary like me might find some work. I’ve been looking for weeks and yet still I’ve found nothing. It is almost as if I am cursed to suffer a plebeian’s life.”
He grinned, taking the cup of sake presented by the bartender before moving over to sit beside his friend, Sir Geoffrey.
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Post by finchy on Apr 22, 2009 11:56:30 GMT -5
Oukan Saku heard an accent he had never heard before and looked in the general direction. They looked like the Spanish traders he had known at home yet there was subtle differences. Delighted he headed towards the two men, maybe these two could be Christians and men God had meant for him to find!
He made a quick apology to Ujisato and then went over to introduce himself to the two warriors. "My name is Oukan Saku, Lord of Mutsu and your accent intrigued me. I fancy myself on being a bit of an expert on the traders from Spain and Portugal yet while you are similar to them you are not the same. So you see I want to know who you are and where yo come from."
(OOC: I hate writing introductionary speech's!)
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Post by bladedwind on Apr 22, 2009 14:05:51 GMT -5
Masaki may have misjudged Honda by first impression. It was as he was thinking earlier; no man could truly be judged by soley the first action he made. His true nature shone through as time passed, or revealed itself from the shadows, as the case may be. Here was a man who had been prepared to selflessly gave away his entire fortune to benefit his lord. A man who placed no value on his fortune was a man worthy of respect. He bowed his head in apology to Tadakatsu. Calling him a fool had been unwarranted, an incorrect evaluation on his part.
"Apologies, Lord Tadakatsu. I am used to seeing fools who think they can easily bribe me into service. I see you are different in that regard."
Out of the corner of his eye, Masaki spotted two unusual looking men in the corner. His intense expression immdietly became an even more intense scowl. They were two foreigners, disgusting people who could not even be called men. All the outsiders he had seen were concerned solely with profit and trade, disgusting merchants with no moral value. The rest of them were missionaries, men who looked down upon the Japanese and their culture, thinking them savage and barbaric. In Masaki's eyes, they were not a welcome people. His blood boiled when he spoke to the group so casually, asking for "honest mercenary work". How dare he assume he could get involved in Japanese affairs?! He was even more disgusted to see a daimyo practically scurry over to make favor with the man. There was no pride in consorting with such people.
"There is nothing honest about you, gai-jin. What makes you think you have a place here?!"
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Post by scholar on Apr 22, 2009 14:27:02 GMT -5
Suehiro quietly resigned to Tadakatsu in the dealings of Masaki, surely he can move his heart. Only time can tell if the right words were chosen, however he finds himself distracted by two men of foreign origin and that christian daimyo consorting with each other. Having only met visitors to his palace, and a man named Sho Hasshi he fashioned himself intrigued by the pair, but the thought of hiring them into service disgusted him in a slight manner. He had always been open minded to even the most narrow of people, even in dangerous endeavors he still managed to keep his head still, but the thought of an advancing army from the east fighting for hire in the state of Japan frustrated Suehiro's temperament. He wanted the men to go back from whence they came, but to outwardly speak in a manner to one whom he did not know true intentions would be against his nature. Quietly he sits sipping a cool cup of old fermented tea, a taste that is not unbecoming, watching the events unfold. If such intentions were ever given as to establish a base of power in Japan Suehiro would stand firmly against it.
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Post by kaname on Apr 22, 2009 15:57:53 GMT -5
He had spoken only the once when a man spoke out against him, his words ushering signs of hate and disgust as if he were some sort of decrepit demon wishing to dispel what remained of their old barbaric ways, which wasn’t the case. In fact all he had wanted was some work to do, but that dream slowly faded from his grasps.
Still, Sir Geoffrey hadn’t responded. His mannerisms were that of a well-kept admiral of the sea, or some chancellor or administrator. He kept himself posed, his lips curbed gently against each other as his dark eyes shifted to the other speaker, a man who had shown respect, even courtesy to the pair.
“Your skills of observation please this priest.” He stated clearly and defiantly, “But we are very different to those who harbour the lands of the Mediterranean. We are neither Spanish nor Portuguese. I am Sir Geoffrey, High Chancellor and High Priest of Southampton; I am here on matters of diplomacy between our nations. Word is strong in the West, of a rundown country that has yet to be reborn. Word even has it that artefacts of our great lord reside within these lands, which is why I am here.”
Seighard turned to the man with respect, grinning frantically and nodding a head in approval, “Aye, I’m Seighard Nadel, Mercenary and ex-commander of the English blockade. I am of German heritage, but I joined the English because of Diplomatic reasons. Still, you should see the ships that I have seen, so large they could fit three Inns inside, with guns and cannons, facing that of our neutral enemies.”
He smiled gently, turning back to refill his cup of sake, “I came to Japan to assist Sir Geoffrey. Even if you lack the sophistication of the West in terms of technological advances, you hold dear to your beliefs.”
He turned to the previous speaker, his once happy expression turning solemn within seconds, “You may never accept us foreigners, you may snigger at us beneath our backs – laugh at us and call us weird. Yet what we have done and will do will be significant to this countries development. I am however, no enemy of Japan, nor do I give a damn rats about your petty wars or Daimyo issues, I’m here on behalf of the English empire, to represent peace and service. I am a trainer and I am an expert with the use of guns.”
He pulled his hand back, lifting the musket and holding it with two hands, “In time, these guns will control all signs of warfare, it is a revolution...brought from.” He grinned as he paused, smiling manically, “The west!”
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Post by finchy on Apr 22, 2009 16:25:06 GMT -5
Oukan Saku was disgusted at the way that scum treated these foreigners. Everyone deserved respect, except it seemed increasingly to him those born from the upper rungs of Japanese society. Those arrogant pigs seemed to think they were the only people worth anything.
He turned to the daimyo who had spoken. He recognized him as his neighboring lord. He had been hoping to have good relations with the man but if this was him then... "Sir you disgrace your Japanese heritage, these men come to our great country looking for work and despite not having done anything to harm you, you insult them. I would rather spend time with gentlemen like these then you."
(OOC: Baiko we now have an excuse for our duel)
His speech delivered he turned back to the foreigners. "Ah the Spanish spoke of you English, they said that you too were Christians? I have a great interest in these new weapons you speak off, would they perhaps replace bows?"
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Post by kaname on Apr 22, 2009 17:01:13 GMT -5
Seighard smiled at Oukan’s passion for acceptance between the cultural and ethnical qualities of humans, yet the truth of the situation was not as defined as that, nor was it as willing to accept.
“It is hard.” He began, slowly. ”Men do not change overnight, nor do beliefs or reformations. One day you will all look back and remember it as something that changed everything, for the good or the bad – no one truly knows. But it is forever prudent in its change, we may merely accept it, or deny it. The result will never change.”
Sir Geoffrey turned suddenly at the comment made by his peer, he had not once heard such a dignified response from the man and he could not help but smile over it. Maybe he could change...maybe god could help this poor soul after all.
“But do not bicker over it; it is simply what it is.” Seighard turned back to his table to grab another cup of sake before continuing, “Geoffrey tells me there is only one God, a being that watches and loves us all, of a God that accepts us all ... yet still we fight. It is a wonder why we were bestowed the knowledge of his great existence.”
Geoffrey finally turned to Oukan, allowing Siege the moment to drink and ponder his own words whilst he cooled off. It was sad, but true – when Siege engaged in deep conversation, he would often lose the commitment to continue with it and slide back down the pole he originated from, back to the killing and training. Unfortunately that was the life he had chosen and only god could move him from it now.
“You know little of the West.” Sir Geoffrey said, smiling, “It is no trouble of course, but you are right to say we are Christians, as are most of the western civilisations. But you are wrong with saying muskets replace bows. The Genoese still honour their crossbows, just as we still honour our Yew bows. We still fight with sword and shield, but we have reformed our ranks – we have advanced, our knights wear plated armour and our peasants are levied with bills and arrows. We still use our traditional fighting skills, we merely enhanced them.”
The priest turned to the guests, allowing a moment to compose before continuing with his stories of the western lands, “The musket or pistol can never replace the crossbow or the bow. For a start bows are faster and more accurate, yet the guns are continuously being upgraded. Soon their range will match that of the bow, their bow thrice as deadly – their accuracy spot on. It is hard to imaginable what wonders we can now create, but even the Italians have proven wonders, with their cannons and weapons of destruction. It is a beautiful thing, given to us by the hand of god.”
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Post by baiko on Apr 22, 2009 20:47:26 GMT -5
Tadakatsu stood cool and collected. He knew how to deal with this situation. All the talks of bows sparked something in his mind. He grabbed his shortbow and fastned an arrow. Then released it aimed at the table Saku had been sitting at.
Tadakatsu then readied another arrow.
Excuse me Sir, what did you call my Lord?
Tadakatsu secretly hoped Masaki would be willing to lend aid in what seemed to be an oncoming brawl between these Japanese preservers, and foreign scum.
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Post by spartan on Apr 22, 2009 21:18:32 GMT -5
Dosan walked into the Cherry Blosom Inn and immediatly noticed the commotion caused by the foreigners and the local samurai. Dosan sighed and looked upon them wearily. More trouble. Dosan just wanted a nice cup of tea, but even that was difficult to get.
Dosan drew his katana and held it in an attack stance. He bellowed in his gruff voice.
"Put your weapons away! This is an inn, not a battlefield!"
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Post by baiko on Apr 22, 2009 21:25:15 GMT -5
With is bow still ready to fire, Tadakatsu turned to this new man.
What you see here is not of your concern. I ask you to leave now before it costs you your life Sir.
Tadakatsu in his heart did not want a fight with mutliple enemies. It would make it harder for him to keep an eye on his Lord.
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Post by scholar on Apr 22, 2009 22:09:39 GMT -5
Noticing the turn of events Suehiro decided to watch the unfolding events that lay before him. A crazed man, an insulting foreigner, the thought can amuse some. A simple taste of fermented tea was enough to make him content. Had his blood been boiling he would reach for the aquebus by his leg, but fate would seem to say there is no use for it. His tea grew cold and he ordered another one, only to find out that all the fermented tea had been used up during the course of the day. Suehiro then inquired about the non-fermented light colored teas, there was still plenty of those in their stock so the cup of fragmented fermented teas was soon filled with a light colored liquid.
The light setting in the Inn was rather dim, it is near the middle of the knight and all those who wished sleep had already began to slumber. Such violence would disturb the peace of the night, that is the only reason why the aquebus is not aimed squarely at the frenzied man's forehead. The moonlight was visible even inside the Inn. Suehiro thought to leave the area, he looked towards Masaki.
"Excuse me Masaki, I'm leaving for a night bound strole to leave the chaos of the inn, would you care to join me?" Looking towards Tadakatsu he whispered in his ear "Don't have too much fun will you?" A smile came about Suehiro's face and the time slowly passed. Not waiting for an answer he left the Inn carrying his Katana fully sheathed and his aquebus by his side. He then spoke the the crazed man "Nights like these are not to be disturbed, compose yourself before others do it for you" Suehiro left the Inn.
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Post by bladedwind on Apr 22, 2009 23:23:29 GMT -5
"Your kind are scum who seek to convert our people, and your gun is nothing more then the tool of fools who cannot fight!"
Masaki actually smiled as he finished his last sushi piece and stood up, and drew his blade after fastening his face mask. The commotion that was beggining did not bother him. In fact, Masaki felt right at home. He could not abide by foreigners, and here was one cocky bastard who had decided to taunt a samurai. In Japan, the samurai held the authority over life and death. They were the ones who decided who was fit to live, and who was deserving of execution. While they were expected to show a degree of responsibility, killing a foul mouthed foreigner would not count as a grave offense. The gun did not intimidate the man; he did not even fear death. And he was not impressed with the accuracy of the musket. And once that shot was fired, he could mow the man down using his skill with a blade.
The green armored samurai looked over at Tadakatsu Honda with eyes of amusement. It seemed that Honda shared some somewhat similar feelings, although it was mostly directed as animosity due to an insult towards his lord. That was fine by Masaki. Honda seemed like a crack shot with a bow and arrow, something he had never been particularly good at. It might even the odds should things get ugly. It also seemed like another samurai was about to get involved, simply to quell the fightining.He didn't like the aura he gave off, but he would see just what the man could do should he attempt to showcase his skill and probable folly.
Masaki could not believe he was hearing what Suehiro was suggesting. He obviously did not know Masaki. He enjoyed taking walks, yes, but this was Masaki's element. Besides, foreign trash needed to be killed, his spirit sent to the bowels of hell. He could understand if the man distasted violence, but he was not about to engage in a walk before standing up to a barbaric, stupid gai-jin. He simply shook his head at the gentle looking daimyo. Perhaps he would take the man up on the offer another time.
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