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So it's purely an RP aspect? I can see the RP usage of them, in most cases, but certain things don't seem like they do anything, if that makes any sense. Leadership, for example...I read the part of Factions that states how many troops you get based on Wis and Str, but Leadership says "more people will follow you". So, does this increase any type of quest followers (like SPQs or quests that have troop counts) or troop recruitment in general? Like...B-Rank being the requirement, would having A-Rank or S-Rank in Leadership grant a bonus to starting troops? Same for the other profiencies. There's no real measure of stealth or marksmanship in the game, so I'm not sure what having either proficiency would do in the game. Do I get RP consideration in events that require stealth or marksmanship, and that's the extent of the effects? Or does Marksmanship grant some universal bonus to using ranged weapons in events?

I guess...I understand what they are and what they do in terms of their description, I just don't know how they actively effect anything we actually DO. Like...aside from saying "I have Fitness - Rank B" and RP'ing as being super fit, for example, does having Fitness - Rank B actually give me any type of benefit in in-game events? I know this isn't a mechanics-heavy site like I'm used to, and I'm not trying to pick apart aspects of the game, but I want to understand how proficiencies actually effect things in the game. If they're entirely RP badges to gauge how good characters are at these particular subjects, that's fine, I just want to clarify for myself >.>

Satsumaru leaned slightly on the shovel, admittedly a little tired from digging the grave. He was in excellent physical condition, but the truth remained that he wasn't a physical titan. He took a moment to consider the daimyo's proposal.

The ronin didn't necessarily have anything planned for the moment, but he wasn't so sure on the idea of being permanently attached to a single force. Satsumaru still felt that he was learning a lot in his travels, by taking on obstacles he wouldn't normally be put up against. They weren't grand or landscape-changing, of course. He wasn't conquering territory or being credited with major battles, but there was another sort of learning in the wide range of tasks he accomplished on a smaller scale.

But...surprisingly, Takehiro didn't demand permanent loyalty or service. Whether he knew it or not, that was the deal-breaker.

"I'm not currently set on anything in particular, so perhaps we could come to an agreement. I could work as your strategist for a contracted period of time. A monthly agreement would probably work best for both of us. If, at any time, you feel like you no longer require my services, you may discharge me. If, on the other hand, I feel that I am better off elsewhere, I have the opportunity to leave after I serve my contracted time," the long-haired ronin proposed.

Giving a shrug, he added, "And if, by some chance, we meet with some sort of great success and it seems like I'm better off tied to your banner, then so be it."

He was honest. His words weren't rude or cold, but held a tone of respectful honesty. Satsumaru didn't want to take a position permanently that neither he nor the daimyo were sure he would thrive in. A contract that allowed easy renewal and cancellation would give them both a place to start.

Frowning, Satsumaru replied, "I...think not. Though, it's flattering that you consider me a treasure."

He looked around, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. This one was a bit puzzling. But...did they really need the chest itself?

"Perhaps we don't need to take the whole chest. Let's check to see if we can open it, first. There may not even be a counterweight, but if there is, it might not be set to the exact weight of the chest," he suggested.

It was worth a look, at least. And maybe, it might allow them a chance to determine if there were any traps around it or not.

Pointing to her weapons, the red-eyed ronin remarked, "You might want to give your sai a shot. Use those to try to open the chest, just in case there's some sort of spike or something waiting to impale your hand."

That...sounded pretty grim, after he said it, but at least he was trying to avoid getting her hand impaled.

Satsumaru noticed out of his periphery (Strategist's Ring! Enhanced Perception, ftw!) the arrival of another onlooker. He didn't feel awkward until he realized that he wasn't the only one watching the procession. Instead of looking like a creeper spying on a funeral, he decided to speak up.

"Are you familiar with the Christian ways?" he asked the stranger bluntly, "I'm afraid other than some of the basics, I'm not really knowledgeable on their methods."

Satsumaru ran a hand through his long hair, taking a deep breath. These were curious people. He wasn't religious himself, but it was definitely an interesting topic.

They were coming. Given the fact that it was creating dust, he could surmise that he wouldn't be lucky enough that the bandits were a mere handful of men. Regardless, whether it was ten or a hundred, there was no backing down now.

Satsumaru gripped his bow tightly and closed his eyes. He had a good head and a good deal of patience. His many senses of perception would play their part in timing the attack, but now was the time for his sense of hearing to do its job. His ears would listen to locate the enemy's progress through their ambush area.

He didn't want to hit them head-on. That would be pointless, and it would narrow their target area. The first few men would act as human shields for the incoming arrows, though probably not intentionally. The casualties from the initial surprise attack would be minimal. And the same would come of a full-on attack once they had passed. They would be at a worse position to defend themselves, but again, less initial casualties would leave a more even playing field.

No, Satsumaru wanted to wait until a good number had passed. Then, the two sides of his ambush could turn and fire, creating a wall of arrows from both sides. Even if they weren't accurate archers, shooting at such an angle and with such a spread of them would give the best chance at killing more of them from the first attack.

Once the first volley was out, the red-eyed captain could play it by ear depending on how they responded. If they panicked, another volley could work. If they began to charge, he would order his volunteers to close in on the road and flank the bandits.

[Actions: Satsumaru waits for the bandits to pass in the middle of the ambushers. Once they're all within range of the ambush, he will give the signal for them to fire.]

With a grin, Satsumaru looked at Ryunosuke and remarked, "Sometimes it's the men 'just doing their job' who are more valuable than those who claim to be doing more."

With a shrug, he went to work on the grave, picking up where the militia commander left off. Each thrust of the shovel was strong and precise. He still took the matter seriously, even amidst a discussion. Rude or not, he couldn't ignore his obligation to dig the grave and stop for conversation. Either way, the ronin had a feeling that the daimyo and his captain wouldn't be offended. They seemed to genuinely understand.

"As for Kawanakajima...I don't think it was as grandiose as the stories make it out to be. Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin are masters of strategy, so every move they make is calculated and full of tests for their opponent. I was in two battles of their Kawanakajima excursions, and only one could really be called a battle," Satsumaru admitted, looking a little regretful, "For the most part, it was a series of probing advances. We managed to take a few fortresses, but aside from those victories we snatched from the Uesugi, Takeda Shingen wisely avoided any pitched battle to retain them. They spent months in a stalemate, but I left within the first. Knowing the reputation of both men, I deduced that it would end that way and chose not to wait around for it."

With a slight grin, he went on to note, "And to take a page from Ryunosuke's book, I was just doing my job. The Takeda contracted my assistance, I contributed to some of their successes, and I was remunerated for it. Hardly anything worth praise, I assure you."

A slight chuckle escaped his otherwise serious face.

Type of Quest: Ambush the Bandits
Quest Info: Satsumaru has been hired by a local prefect to deal with a gang of troublesome bandits. Armed with bows, Satsumaru and a few volunteers are preparing an ambush to take the bandits by surprise on the road. His intention is to eradicate them entirely.
Location: Outside a village in Totomi, along a road surrounded by woodlands.
People Involved: Satsumaru, NPC volunteers, NPC bandits.
Plot-Important: Not in the slightest

With arms crossed, an imposing figure watched over a group of Christian converts going about the burial of a lost member of their flock. His name was Yoshiyuki Satsumaru, and he watched with curiosity. The Christians had always been an interesting group, and a powerful variable in the conflicts that were beginning to erupt across Japan. Their beliefs, aside from their weapons and technology, were what made Satsumaru so interested in them.

There were some universal truths to what he had heard of them, but to him, it was as alien and strange as Shinto-Buddhism must've been to the Christians themselves.

"So...those who do not sin go to Heaven...but everyone is born with sin? And...people are expected to sin, but must be forgiven by their church to have their sins removed?" Satsumaru mused to himself, "And no matter what the case, only the dead may go to Heaven?"

With a scoff, he thought, "So...Heaven is a ghost town."

And with that, the ponderous mercenary stood by and watched as everyone went about their business.

Crimson eyes scanned the battlefield, a slight look of displeasure on Satsumaru's face. His armored frame stood tall, his arms firmly crossed as he surveyed the situation. Ten of his men remained compared to twenty of the enemy's own number. A heavy rain of arrows had "killed" ten of his men already. To Satsumaru, this was an embarrassment. Granted, it was only a mock battle, so outside factors had no play in the engagement, but he was a man who believed in the Art of War's text.

His men were clearly losing heart, expecting to be swept from the practice field in an embarrassing defeat. Satsumaru would not accept this. He had been hired by the daimyo to test his general's tactical prowess, and he would hardly let himself be simply brushed aside.

"Commander, we're pinned down. Half of our men have been dropped, and the enemy seems dug in," his subcommander related, more to himself and to try to press a response from Satsumaru than to actually tell the man what he already knew.

"Thus, the expert in battle moves his enemy and is not moved by him," the red-eyed ronin muttered with a wry grin.

"I beg your pardon, commander, but what in the scary, decrepit hell are you talking about?" the subcommander blurted out, visibly annoyed through his panic.

Raising his war fan, Satsumaru gestured to his remaining men.

From side to side, he swept his fan, ordering, "Myself and three others will feint at the enemy, falling back and using the trees as cover as soon as they unleash the first volley. We will then continue to fall back through cover. Three men will use that display as a distraction to move on the left and hold, while you take the remaining two and move to the right. You will both hold until I signal you."

Not waiting for a response or confirmation, Satsumaru moved forward and divided the men per his orders. As soon as they were prepared, he led his unit forward in a loud display. To the unfamiliar general, this seemed like a desparate blitz from a commander with no patience or options remaining. However, a greater plan was at work. As soon as the arrows touched the sky, Satsumaru's unit hid behind trees and waited for the hail to pass. Once it did, they ran away, giving a very convincing show of fleeing.

As he suspected, the overconfident general ordered his twenty men to give chase and crush them. Once they had crossed the intial location of Satsumaru's force, the long-haired commander gave a whistle and waved his war fan. Three men on either side flanked the daimyo's general, "cutting down" the general himself, his subcommander, and five other men. With another flash of his war fan, he and his distraction force reversed direction and met the incoming attackers with their weapons. If it had been a real battle, it would've been a bloodbath.

A mere two of Satsumaru's men fell, yet the entirety of the twenty men led by his opponent were defeated. As requested, the strategist not only displayed his own prowess, but showed the daimyo where his own men were lacking. Yet, despite this victory, he regarded the loss of twelve men as a defeat. Victory should be overwhelming, not self-destructive...

Rather abruptly a small group of villagers dispersed from amidst a crowd. Some formed a circle, masking whatever incident was in the center, while others scurried from the scene with hushed whispers. A few gasps could be heard, but for the most part, a silence gripped the crowd.

In the middle, a tall man stood firm, and emotionless gaze held on his otherwise youthful and handsome visage. Crimson streams fell from the katana still held firmly in his right hand, dripping on the soft earth below. Nearby, a young woman was bowing profusely, though the black-garbed man didn't seem to pay her any attention. His strange red eyes were fixed on the fresh corpse splayed out on the ground, a small puddle of blood growing by the second underneath it.

He wasn't fond of such displays, or the attention they brought, but this one could not be avoided...

"I apologize for the disturbance," was all the man would say, addressing no one in particular, but leaving it open to the frightened onlookers to accept as their own.