[D6 EA] Watching the lancers

[Doji Fukawa]

Fukawa nods.


"Hopefully so, and with a minimum of injury" she offers, really not into this bushi thing.

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"Well... everyone of us has fallen of a horse at least once. Most more than once. You get used to it." he shrugged. "There's trick to it, but well... you learn by doing, as they say."

[Doji Fukawa]

Fukawa watches, with her best neutral face as Matsu Kogo, Champion of Scum, took to the field first. It was disappointing to see her strike the target 3 times, it was more disappointing to see her not break her head open.

"Hmm, that didn't seem particularly impressive. Was that particularly impressive, Iuchi-san?" she asked, having no experience judging such things.

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"I think that was pretty good, all things considered. " Dong-Ha mused. "Not that I am an expert, but clearly she had an idea what she was doing. It looks easier than it is, that I can tell you."

[Doji Fukawa]

She was followed by Shinjo Monktomuchnametotype. While he did stay mounted, his skill with the lance seemed fairly disappointing.


"Hmmm. Shinjo-san did at least stay mounted, but those targets do seem pretty small." she mused.

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"They seem even smaller when you ride that fast, and with a pole that big... even the slightest movement means that you miss the target. You know, the Shinjo shoot bows from horse back. How they do it, I do not know."

[Doji Fukawa]

Fukawa takes her fan up as the tiniest Matsu takes the field.

"Perhaps a smaller lancer is the answer?" she suggests.

Then watches him go flying on the first pass.


"I guess not."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"Perhaps..." he watched the tiniest Matsu end on the ground. "As I said, it's not as easy as it looks." Dong-Ha mused. "So, Matsu-san did pretty well. Err, the other Matsu-san."

"Oh, pray tell me, Doji-san... are arrangements like this.." he waved his hand at the general direction of the gathered samurai. ".. common among the Crane? Wouldn't there be an easier way to arrange marriages."

[Doji Fukawa]

Fukawa shakes her head.

"No, they're almost entirely unheard of." she reveals. "Normally marriage arrangements are made well in advance, typically as a part of a treaty of some kind. They're even often made before birth, as a symbol of ties between families. This feels more like a tournament of some kind. To be fair, it's not like your clan had any standing marriage arrangements when they returned, and I suppose this is a fast way to determine marriages for now."


Fukawa thinks about it.

"I've heard stories about the Phoenix doing it once before as some sort of test of worthiness. But that story included an ice monster among the competitors, and samurai racing peacocks, and a rat in the shape of a Crab samurai......so, I'm pretty sure that didn't happen except in some bored writer's mind."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"So, would Doji-san then happen to know why her clan suggested an arrangement like this?" Crane had called for such a miai and the Unicorn had obliged. "That sounds... deranged." he nodded when peacocks, ice maidens and rat samurai were mentioned.

[Doji Fukawa]

Fukawa shrugged.

"I can not claim to know the minds of those who did." she said honestly. "My guess would be both so the Unicorn can see some of the Empire's traditions, so the non-Unicorn can see some of the Unicorn traditions, and explore how the two can integrate."


She gestures towards the field where the competition was continuing.

"For example, I would be willing to bet that the more martial clans upon seeing this demonstration are trying to envision what facing a Unicorn cavalry charge would be like on the battlefield, while the Unicorn are seeing who, if anyone, could meet them in such a charge."

Fukawa watches as a Scorpion this time goes flying.

"From what I've seen so far, it's showing that a Unicorn cavalry charge may in fact, be something to take very very seriously, both in a fight, and in considering whether or not you even want to fight with the Unicorn."

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"Well, I am fine with the traditions and all that... and this is a good occasion to meet people..." he admitted. "But the arrangement feels bit arbitrary. Why not let people marry those they get best along with... or who compliment each other, instead of holding a tournament?"

"Well, you don't have real horses so... there's that." he huffed. "Though, I don't think we are planning to march against anyone anytime soon. We need time to recover and rebuild. Peace, peace is what we need."

[Doji Fukawa]

Fukawa watches as a Phoenix stays on, but only takes a couple of passes, giving up, as she considers the answer.


"Again, Iuchi-san, I cannot know the minds of those who came up with this arrangement." she reminds him. "But marriages based on the relationship between the two samurai are pretty rare in, and of themselves. The purpose of marriage, after all, is to strengthen the ties between allies, and to continue family lines."


"My guess would be that it's to ensure that the matches made are for worthy samurai. One can imagine lords who are very distrustful towards the Unicorn sending....less than their best. One would also assume that the Unicorn would want those who will be representing them in the Empire at large to have some demonstrated skill." she offers.

[Iuchi Dong-Ha]

"Well yes, but then you could just as well flip coins rather than to drag us all here." he looked markedly at the Crane. "The end result would be much the same. Or perhaps consult omens and portents, ask a diviner to take a look into fates of the people to arrange best matches." Hotaru coud have probably done it. Not pro bono, of course but still. The Empire had the talent.

"Uh... but still, people who earn fame and glory sure do have the chance to pick first, but they could pick anyone, so regardless of anyone's success, you'd need to trust that the person is making a choice pleasing to their lord, eh." Dong-Ha did not drop the topic. "And if you look at how Ide-dono values us... not that many of us has made a.. positive impact."

[Doji Fukawa]

Fukawa was absolutely fine with the Iuchi not dropping the topic. After all, it was important for samurai to be able to discuss such matter intelligibly. It was certainly better than watching the Kaiu repeatedly miss the target. That was disappointing, but unsurprising.

"Or they could have picked names out of a kabuto. Or they could have matched us by height. How we are matched really is less important than the fact that the Unicorn clan will have ties again to the Empire. If our lords wish to give us some say in the process by rewarding those who can demonstrate various skills, that is certainly a kindness on their behalf, since normally we would have no say at all."

She looked over to the Iuchi.

"As to how Ide-dono values his fellow Unicorn.....well, I have even less claim to knowing his mind than my lord's." she says. "It could be that he wishes only the cream of the Unicorn to marry, so as to not cause embarrassment by wedding those who might be considered unacceptable. It may be that by valuing them lower comparative to the other samurai, that he wishes the Unicorn to spread throughout the Empire, to better bring back information to the clan as a whole. And of course, if a Unicorn does marry out, and is later proven to have been unfit for such, Ide-dono can argue that they tested as best they could, and they were chosen by a representative of the marrying clan, not the Unicorn."