PopUp Con 2018

Kasuga Tsukaisute heads back out into the town, looking for something. He's not sure what, actually, although he knows it will be the kind of thing that does not much admit of full daylight. He could likely do better, but there's always a chance, right?

The cool of the evening is a welcome relief from the heat of the day, and some of the townsfolk are taking advantage of the respite to move about the streets and visit what shops and drinking establishments remain open in the evening.

There's a small night market in one of the street intersections, an assortment of push-carts and wooden tables lit by round paper lanterns selling food, knickknacks and minor fripperies. One of the vendors does seem to be selling raw silk of decent quality. Another sells crude clay figurines of the Sun Goddess, "guaranteed to bring luck!" The smell of cooking coming from a noodle cart is enticing, as well.

On one street corner, a pair of Lion patrolmen are rousting out an old gap-toothed beggar. Some of the bystanders give the Lion patrol unfriendly looks, before glancing away without a word.

Tsukaisute will keep something of a weather eye on the Lion as he approaches the noodle cart. As he orders, he'll put on his most sympathetic face and ask "Who's the old man, there? He seems to be having a hard time of it."

Mechanics:
Awareness / Sincerity to demonstrate concern for the old man to the noodle vendor, 37, here: http://orokos.com/roll/667894

"It's old man Mo," the noodle vendor said, a hint of sympathy in his voice as he handed Tsukaisute a bowl of steaming buckwheat noodles. "He's not been quite right in the head since his son died in the war. The terrible summer dried his rice field right up, and now Mo's got nothing left."

The vendor tsked as the guards drove the ragged beggar away.

"I receive it humbly" says Tsukaisute as he accepts the bowl. After he slurps his first noodles down, he asks "There's been a lot of that going on, hasn't there? Lots of folks lost things, lots of others...less than sympathetic to them.

"Damned shame, really."

"As you say, samurai," the noodle seller agreed. "There's a damned lot of hard luck going around. It's a shame."

By now the old beggar has vanished from sight, and the Lion patrol has returned to making its rounds. The nearby onlookers turn back to shopping at the carts and tables of the night market.

Tsukaisute lowers his voice.

"It's enough that one might wonder if anything is being done to aid those who are in straitened circumstances. Perhaps such a man as Hitaro, for whom there has been some searching."

The noodle seller raises an eyebrow at this comment. Is it possible he knows something?

--
OOC:
I think this is enough RP justification to get another Investigation roll, albeit at a higher TN.
You can roll a PER/Investigation TN25. You can roll this for Day 2 even though I am advancing to Day 3 since it took awhile for me to reply; however, if you succeed it may unlock a different Day 3 event. As the previously failed Investigation roll was not a Social Skill roll, Kasuga technique does not apply. Notice emphasis does not apply.

Tsukaisute sees the eyebrow and offers a tight little smile. He slurps at his noodles before saying in a low voice "There are some who had been here before who are interested in knowing how such a man might fare. They cannot look about so freely or devotedly as they might hope to do under the light of the sun, but that does not mean they are not...concerned. And there are some who know that it is in the bases of things that their true strength lies."

That will hopefully get the point across, he thinks.

Another voice thinks back at him If he's a stage-actor, maybe.

Mechanics:
The permitted second Perception / Investigation roll against TN 25, passed with a 27, here: http://orokos.com/roll/668626

"Well, then," the noodle seller mused. "Not all those who lost out in the war have been reduced to begging, or banditry. I heard from a woodcutter that there's a ronin who's been living by himself up in the mountains ever since the war. I wouldn't want to bring any trouble down on him, but might be that's the fellow you're looking for."

Tsukaisute nods.

"I might have to take a walk up in the high places, then."

He finishes his bowl of noodles and adds "If Mo-san should come this way, give him a bowl of noodles--on me." The Tortoise then slides some coins across to the vendor before he makes his /exit.

The coins swiftly vanish. "I'll see to it, samurai," the noodle vendor promised with a nod, before turning to his next customer.