Ok, Each of you will be split into these threads when the time comes. As free time is given I will jump to these threads to handle some of the more complex 'solo' oriented content.

We start off in the Room in the Imperial Palace that is connected to your individual rooms.

[OOC]Assuming you sheathed these weapons and just brought them with you...[OOC]

Moving down the corridor, Azrael comes to a split with a turn to the left and the right. There are two Imperial Guards stationed there. As he passes them they make no notice of him and he continues on....

[OOC]Left or Right?[OOC]

Right.

Azrael moves down the corridor. He passes another set of guards, but he pays them no attention and they return the favor. After a few minutes he comes to some steps that lead down to what looks like a small grass covered training area. Various planks of wood decorate the area in different configurations. There is a woman, a man, and two younger men in the area. Azrael pulls up to an etched portal that he cannot help but think should have a window of some sort in it, he does not complain however because this particular spot gives him a good spot to watch the people without being seen.

The first thing that stikes Azreal is the beauty of the woman. She appears to be average height and her hair is pulled up into ponytail. She wears a yellow and brown gi with a symbol on the back...

...she also has a sword at her side with both hands on it.

She screams out with a blood churning roar and rushes down the middle of the area. She quickly draws her sword and cuts the closest set of wooden planks in half. Without stopping, she continues on to the second and repeats this action, then the third, then the fourth, and when she arrives at the fifth she splits in it half lengthwise. After this she ceases screaming and sheathes her sword.

Azreal is a bit shaken by the ferocity of this women, but he is compelled to continue watching.

The older man approaches he applauding,"Excellent work, Tsuko. Nothing could stand against your might. You will surely be the next Emerald Champion."

She bows to the man,"Your words pay me too much kindness, but I will not let our clan down. We have suffered much since The Emporer shamed Toturi and the Akodo. It is time for The Lion to show the empire the meaning of strength."

The man applauds again,"Spoken like a True Champion. You do the Matsu justice."

She bows again,"Again your words pay me kindness. I give my all to prove myself worthy of your praise."

The man smiles,"I know you will, Tsuko. I know you will."

Tsuko then walks over to the edge of the training area, kneels, and places her sword on a mat she has prepaired there. She picks up what looks like a wooden sword and returns to the middle of the room. The two younger men rise and move towards the center. They too have wooden swords. The older man produces a small fan, unfolds it, and holds it up into the air. He then quickly lowers it and the two men attack Tsuko. Within a matter of seconds she has bested them both. They repeat this exercise for what seems to be an hour. Then they each bow to one another and head back to their respective mats to gather their belongings.

At this point Azrael decides it's best to take his leave of this scene before he is detected. He sneaks back down the corridor. For the next few hours he explores the palace, but the most he finds are some servants doing laundry in a courtyard. He decides to make his way back to his room. Once inside his room he explores it thoroughly and goes to his belongings. He produces a few items and goes back to the door. After a few minutes of tinkering he stands, rather pleased with himself, and decides to get some sleep. So he goes to bed.

[OOC] And with this, Azreal is ready for the party.[OOC]

Azreal stays back from the others and considers the positions that the corpses of the two guards, trying to gather more information on how they were killed. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he sees the outline of what appears to be a person peering around the corner from ahead. He narrows his eyes in an attempt to better make out the details when suddenly the shadow runs off down the corridor.

[OOC] So you.......???[OOC]

I slip into the shadows and follow.

Azrael tries to follow the shadowed form without being detected. This works for a little while as it moves down the corridors, but shortly thereafter the shadowed form seems to notice his presence and abandons all attempts at concealment. It breaks into a full run, heads down the corridor, turns left, heads down the next corridor, and turns left again. It seems to no longer care about concealment as much as it cares about not being caught.

I chase him/her/it, waiting for a clear shot to use my bolos

The shadowed figure dashes down the corridor and through a doorway into one of the gardens. Azrael gives chase, but stops at the doorway to the garden. He readies his bolos and scans the garden.

The moonlight bathes the garden in a beautiful light. The only sound is that of water trickling down the statue of a large man with a staff in the center of the fountain. The moonlight accents the statue's features. In the back corner he sees the shadowed form. It's standing in the shadow of the great fountain and and appears to be moving about the various plants frantically. Then it stands, turns towards Azrael, and reaches it's arms out towards him. There appears to be something in it's right hand.

[OOC]Your Action[OOC]

I raise my bolos and begin swing them above my head, I wait on the figure, and throw them at the first sign of a charge, or flight, and wait to see what he is doing.

The shadowed figure quickly steps to it's right and Azrael let's loose with his bolo. The bolo wraps around the chest of the figure and drops it to the ground. Before it hit's the ground Azrael hears a faint grunt of pain from the shadowed figure.

I draw my sword and approach cautiously.

Azrael cautiously crosses the garden with sword drawn. As his eyes adjust to the dark he can make out more details. The figure before him is that of a beautiful young woman in a dark grey robe. The bolo is wrapped around her midsection. The item, now in both of her hands, was a long dagger. She has stabbed herself with the dagger and appears to be motionless.

I coutiously check to see if she is dead, if so I search her.

After careful examination and several momments Azrael decides that the woman is, indeed, dead. He looks over her her body, she is dressed in grey robes. Upon closer examination he notices that these robes have no Mon like most of the others he has seen at tonight's celebration. She does not appear to be carrying anything more than the dagger that is now lodged into her chest. The dagger, guestimating from what is not embedded in flesh, appears to be longer than he is used to seeing. The woman's left hand falls away from the blade and Azrael steps back for a momment, but decides she is still dead. He examines the blade closely and notices that there is a small Unicorn Mon carved into the side of the handle.

[OOC] What will you do now? [OOC]

I take the dagger, and return to the party.

[OOC] Party = Group? Party = Celebration?[OOC]

(Party = celebration. Where all the dignataries were)

Azrael makes his way back towards the celebration. He clenches the dagger close to him as he moves. As he enters the room he is suprised to see the scene before him. Most of the guests have retired for the evening except for the large group of what appears to be Crab, Unicorn, and Imperial Guards. The sea of people moves violently around the room and occasionally Azrael is able to fix onto a specific detail such as a Unicorn having a table broken over his head by a large Crab. The Imperial Guards appear to be making an attempt to break up the brawl and although they outnumber both groups by at least double, Azrael wonders if they will be able to handle the task set before them.

[OOC]Aren't you glad you specified which party? ;) [OOC]

I put away the dagger and scream with as much charisma as I can muster. "WHAT THE heck IS GOING ON HERE!"

Azrael's cries fall on deaf ears as the brawl continues.

[OOC] Sorry, that didn't seem to work. Times like this are when a shotgun would come in handy. "This is my BOOMSTICK!" ;) [OOC]

Return to room.

Does there seem to be anyone in charge here, or are these just the boys letting off some steam?

Azrael scans the crowd. He can make out the colors and Mons of what appear to be the Crab and Unicorn in the middle of the fight. Around the perimiter of the brawl he sees what appears to be the Imperial Guards trying to break up the scuffle. He catches sight of Shoan, just as a stray table knocks him to the ground. Azrael stands back and surveys the scene as the participants fight with all the strength they can muster. It is quite a spectacle.

I head back to where I last saw the rest of the party.

Azrael decides he has had enough of this scene and makes his way back to the rooms. When he arrives at the main corridor he sees several servants hauling away the corpse of the oni. The Yasuki seem to still be surveying the area, but the Kuni appear to have finished their investigations and retired for the night.

I approach Yasuki and ask him if he has seen the rest of the party.

Kiyushichi turns, failing to conceal a minor amount of annoyance from having been taken from his work, and informs Azrael that he believes most of his friends have retired for the night.

[OOC] At this point you have returned to the main thread. [OOC]

(Where is the main thread?)

[OOC] Click Me. ;) [OOC]

After several minutes the historian returns with a rather large scroll tucked neatly under his arm. He holds the scroll out before him and opens the seal on it before rolling it outon the desk in front of Azrael.

Azreal leans forward intently and reads the scroll....

____________________________________________________________________
Overview of The Six Great Clans
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The Crab:
For a thousand years, the Crab Clan has performed its duty of guarding the Emerald Empire against the horrors of the Shadowlands. Its samurai are among the most highly trained in Rokugan. Their schools teach the ways that a small army can defeat a larger one, for so often is the case that when the armies of the Shadowlands assault the fortresses of the Crab, that the samurai are outnumbered by at least three to one.

The Daimyo of the Crab Clan has always been from the Hida family, directly descended from the original Hida who fell from the sky, and swore to the original Hantei that his dynasty would protect the Empire from the foul armies of their dark brother Fu Leng. The Hiruma Family was the first to follow Hida to the Shadowlands. Their devotion to the Hida family is well known in the Empire. Often, the bodyguards of the Daimyo are from the Hiruma family. While the Kuni family does occasionally produce samurai, the family has devoted itself to discovering the secrets of the Shadowlands, and so most of their family don the robes of the shugenja. The history of the Yasuki family is a curious one. During the first Clan wars a thousand years ago, the family had sworn fealty to the Doji family. During the war, however, they betrayed the Crane and swore fealty to Lord Hida. It is a slight that has never been forgiven.

Unlike other Clans, the Crab do not value sincerity as highly as they do honesty. "There are no lies between allies on a battlefield," is an old saying that every Crab samurai knows and understands. They carry this philosophy from the battlefield into the court, and are quick to be drawn into a flash of red-hot temper when they feel they are being lied to. The Crab view the political situation in very simple terms. The strong have more right to rule than the weak. Those who cannot protect the Empire do not deserve to rule it. Because of the first Hida's defeat by Hantei, they view the Hantei dynasty with respect. However, if such a time arose where a Hida could take the throne from the ruling Hantei, then they would do so without question.
____________________________________________________________________
The Crane:
For centuries, the Crane have used political maneuvering to gain its position as advisors to the Emperor. When the First Hantei needed a bride, there was the Crane Clan with a host of beautiful girls for him to consider. When Hantei II needed a bride, there was the Crane Clan with a host of beautiful girls for him to consider. Every generation of Hantei has been married to a woman from the Crane Clan. But Hantei is not the only one. A thousand generations of Cranes have made their way into the dynasties of other Clans, thus providing the Crane Clan with sympathy in every Clan. Because the mother of every Emperor (and many Daimyo) has been a Crane, this has provided the Clan with many advantages. They are able to call upon favors on nearly every occasion from nearly every Clan.

The Crane Clan also managed to attract the finest swordsmen in the Empire to its dojos to train the Crane samurai in the art of kenjutsu, and now, the Kakita School of Kenjutsu is the pre-eminent kenjutsu (swordplay) school in Rokugan. Attending the school is considered one of the greatest honors a samurai can be given. Of course, attendance is by invitation only, which means many samurai must pay highly to have their sons and daughters receive the finest kenjutsu training in the land.

As the Emperor's political and economic advisors, the Doji are able to keep an eye on all the other Clans. They are the first to hear any news, the first to hear of troops being moved across provincial lines and they are the first to speak to the Emperor about his actions. The Asahina family were originally from the Phoenix Clan, but when an Asahina shugenja was saved by a Kakita samurai-maiden, a marriage was struck and the Crane inherited all the wisdom of a Phoenix shugenja family.
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The Dragon:
There is so little that can be said with certainty about the Dragon Clan. They were founded by the samurai Togashi a thousand years ago, a samurai who refused to fight against his brother for the right to rule. His refusal was seen by Hida as an act of cowardice, but Hantei was wise enough to know that Togashi refused because he already knew the outcome: his own defeat at the hands of his brother. Togashi then retired to the mountains and built a monastery where he remained for many years. It wasn't until three samurai-Mirumoto, Kitsuki and Agasha-joined him in his temple that the Dragon Clan was actually born. Since then, the remainder of what is known can only be drawn from speculation.

There are rumored to be many secret Orders in the Clan. One Order, the Ise zumi, have gained great recognition in Rokugan. Their practice of tattooing their entire bodies with elaborate designs, symbols and pictures is better known than understood. Tales of the Ise zumi leaping over horses, breathing fire, spitting poison and shapeshifting are as prolific as they are entertaining. Their shugenja are equally mysterious. They use powers that no other shugenja can explain, and yet, when they speak to shugenja from other Clans, the other Clans say that the Dragons do not understand the basic principles of magic. The Dragon always seem to defy definition.

The Dragon Clan is also the first Clan to teach the "two sword technique." The Dragon samurai are famous for their katana/wakizashi style, and while Kakita School students may mock it, they do so out to protect the honor of their school rather than out of genuine disrespect for the style. Of all the Clans, the Dragon samurai are regarded as the most devout to the religion of Rokugan. They are literally "warrior-poets," masters of both the sword and the pen.
____________________________________________________________________
The Lion:
The Lion Clan was founded by Akodo, child of the Moon and Sun. When Akodo sought a bride, he did not seek out a pretty Doji girl, for he did not wish to be a servant to the Crane Clan. He found a beautiful strong-willed woman named Matsu and tried to woo her for his own. Matsu was a proud woman who would have nothing to do with the samurai and took his courtship as an insult. She challenged him to combat and Akodo agreed. The duel between Akodo and Matsu is a classic tale that is told again and again by storytellers and is often depicted in art and theatre. The winner, it is said, would also win the Clan. Each of the combatants, however, added a condition. Akodo added the condition that if she won, Matsu would have to marry him. Matsu added the condition that if he won, she would not have to marry him. The ending of the duel depends on who tells the tale, but the outcome is always the same: Akodo wins the Lion Clan and Matsu swears fealty to him, but does not have to marry him.

The Lion Clan are the traditional defenders of the Emerald Throne. A Matsu Lion samurai is known for his passion and his temper. He is quick to judge and quick to take insult, and he never takes insult lightly. An Akodo samurai is known for passion and courage, but they are also known for their knowledge of tactics and leadership. While the Matsu win with fierceness and fearlessness, the Akodo is the master tactician. Both are regarded as the bravest of all the samurai of Rokugan. A tale is often told to children about a famous ambush against the First Hantei. The Emperor's bodyguard-Akodo Sato-threw himself from his horse and gave it to the Emperor so he could escape while Sato remained to keep the enemy occupied.

The shugenja family of the Lion Clan-Kitsu-is not regarded very high in shugenja circles. They regard the Kitsu school as "old fashioned" and too entrenched in tradition. This complaint could be made about many Lions, however.
____________________________________________________________________
The Phoenix:
The mysteries of the universe are the domain of the Phoenix Clan. Long ago, before the little man who called himself 'Shinsei' arrived in Rokugan, the people worshipped the Seven Fortunes. They were fickle gods who were easily pleased and easily angered, who provided blessings to any who asked properly and curses to those who did not. The secret chants and rituals that were used to communicate with the gods were kept by an order of holy men called shugenja. These shugenja practiced their arts in a language known only to them, written on scrolls which were passed down from parent to child.

When Shinsei arrived in the Empire, the shugenja embraced his philosophy of the Five Rings and incorporated it into the religion of the Seven Fortunes. This fusion created an entirely new philosophy for shugenja to ponder, and no one ponders the nature of reality quite like the Phoenix Clan. There are three families in the Phoenix Clan, and only one of them has a school of bushido. The other two are devoted to the training of shugenja, and no other shugenja schools in Rokugan can match them. They are devoted to the search for knowledge. Of all the other Clans (even Crane), Phoenix is the least militant. They prefer peace over warfare and enter into it only if forced to do so. At least the Crane are willing to defend the lands of allies. A Phoenix shugenja will always look for a peaceful solution to a problem, even when his enemy is knocking down his walls with ballista. A Phoenix samurai, on the other hand, is a bit of a different story. The Shiba family is responsible for guarding the walls of the Phoenix Clan, and while they are also the Daimyos of the Clan, the real decisions are made by the five Elemental Masters of the Isawa family. Shiba samurai have often found difficulty in getting permission from the Council of Masters to use military force, so while the other Clans view the Phoenix as reluctant to fight, their attitude is only half correct. The samurai are willing to fight, it is the shugenja that are difficult to convince.
____________________________________________________________________
The Scorpion:
Every bright star and Sun must cast a shadow somewhere. When Hantei brought the light of his rule to the people of Rokugan, he commanded Bayushi to stand in the shadows of his Empire and destroy those that would strike at the Emperor or Empire from the darkness. Bayushi’s duty was to protect the Empire, no matter the cost. He knew it would stain both himself and his followers to obey Hantei’s command, but he did not flinch. Since that day, the Scorpion have become aware of or involved in every shadowy deal inside the borders of the Empire, and several outside. Some Scorpion samurai see the tasks they must perform as necessary duties for the good of the Empire. Others find the resources of their clan to be avenues to personal power. Some see no difference between the two.

Many Scorpion are among the most cheerful and inviting people in Rokugan. With their reputation as back-stabbers, thieves, liars, and slanderers preceding them, most Scorpion do not bother to intimidate each person they meet. Scorpion are intelligent and crafty, excellent friends and deadly enemies. A Scorpion’s loyalty can be counted on once earned — the clan has no need for a Scorpion who cannot remain true to those worthy of their trust. Once you can count one Scorpion among your true allies, it’s not a far stretch to say that the whole clan is your ally. Of course, knowing whether or not a Scorpion’s smile is true is another matter completely. Every Scorpion can turn just as menacing as they are welcoming, and a Scorpion’s anger can lead to the dishonorable deaths of entire families.

All Scorpions wear masks. Each mask is unique to the individual, but the intent is still the same. The mask is telling the world, "You cannot trust me." And yet, the Scorpion wield so much temporal power, many find that they must. There are many tales samurai who find themselves trapped in a Scorpion plot, and once they discover the truth, they commit seppuku to avoid furthering the scheme. But then the story ends to show that is exactly what the Scorpion wanted to happen.

Every Scorpion worth his family name remembers Bayushi’s promise to Hantei, the first emperor: protect the Empire, no matter the cost to self, clan, or honor. Though all the clans claim that they would give their lives for the Empire, none but the Scorpion openly proclaim that they will throw away their honor at a moment’s notice should it benefit Rokugan. A Scorpion deals in secrets, lies, and truths, peddling the first two and keeping the last. No matter how well you believe your darkest secret kept, never doubt that some Scorpion has already learned it.

Azreal notices that a recent addition has been made to this entry by the freshness of the ink in which it is penned...he continues reading

Due to the treachery of The Scorpion Clan Daimyo Bayushi Shoju and his acts during The Scorpion Clan Coup the Emporer has decreed that they are no longer one of The Great Clans. They remain on this document as both a reminder of their shame and as a matter of history.
____________________________________________________________________
The Unicorn:
The Unicorn are a clan of outsiders. Directly following the first War Against Fu Leng, Shinjo and her followers, the Ki-Rin Clan, chose to explore the lands outside of the Empire. They did not return for eight hundred years. They returned with a new name — the Unicorn Clan — and a great deal of gaijin technology, magic, and customs. What resulted was a strange amalgam of Rokugani tradition and gaijin ingenuity. The Unicorn have taken the best of both worlds to create a strange hybrid culture unlike any other. The wise have learned not to misjudge the unpredictable People of the Wind. Though many consider the Unicorn a rustic clan, it is in fact an extremely wealthy clan due to its healthy (and unsanctioned) trade in materials from outside Rokugan. They do not make a great personal show of their wealth with fine clothes as a Crane or Phoenix might, but Unicorn palaces are works of extraordinary exotic beauty that must be seen to be believed.

Unicorn tend to be blunt, straightforward, and extremely curious. While other samurai learn to be content with what they have, Unicorn tend to be restless and ambitious. A Unicorn always wants to know what lies over the next rise, what he might discover past the next patch of forest. They are natural explorers, with a strong nomadic tradition. The few permanent cities and castles within Unicorn lands seem to be constructed more out of a courtesy to visitors rather than any desire on the Unicorn’s part to settle in one place. Due to their strong nomadic traditions, the Unicorn rely heavily upon horses to get from place to place. A Unicorn stranded in the wilderness with no steed may well die, and for this reason the Unicorn treat horses with respect and reverence.

The Unicorn steeds are not like the ones normally found in Rokugan. They are much larger and some would dare say much faster than any mere horse to be found in these lands. The secret of The Unicorn is that their horses were aquired from a place known as The Burning Sands which lies outside of Rokugan. Their stable masters have maintained the strength of this breed for many centuries in this land but it is something they rarely, if ever, share with outsiders.

____________________________________________________________________
Closing:
And this concludes The Overview of The Six Great Clans. There are many other smaller clans to learn about but these are the six that assist The Emporer with ruling the lands of Rokugan.
____________________________________________________________________
[OOC] And that's your 1st request completed...now to finish the requests of the others. I hope you enjoyed your read and learned much from it. ;) [OOC]

I thank the man and return the scroll, I am done for now.