Shadows and Fire

Rules and Regulations
Character generation, campaign background, and other general guidelines can be found here.

The Cast
Post a description of your character in the PC Cast thread, and check out the list of NPCs present in the city for Winter Court.

Events and the Weather
Here we'll fill you in on the daily gossip and weather patterns, and will provide a basic schedule of events for each day.

Day 0 Correspondence
A flurry of letters precedes every major Winter Court as its attendees begin the process of introducing or re-introducing themselves to their peers and establishing the foundations for their political work of the season.

The Governor's Court
A large chamber with plentiful screened-off alcoves for private conversations. Behind the governor's seat is a beautiful painted screen bearing the image of flowing waters and fantastical creatures.

The Crane Quarters
As befits the clan who has in the end claimed control of the province, Naishou's Crane are housed within the palace itself.

Dignitaries' Quarters
Here, important visitors from other clans are housed in suites dominated by paintings of various Fortunes.

Meeting Rooms
When court is not in session and important gatherings need to take place, there are rooms available in the palace.

The Crab Embassy
A square, practical, defensible building in simple dark blue and grey, surrounded by a sturdy-looking wall. Above the wall's gatehouse is emblazoned the Crab clan mon.

The Dragon Embassy
Standing away from the other embassies, this building is relatively stark and colorless save for a Dragon clan banner hanging by the front entrance.

The Lion Embassy
Less an embassy than a military encampment, the clearly-marked Lion estate boasts a military staging area/parade field and a dojo of its own.

The Mantis Embassy
Located next to the Palace, on the banks of the Itochu River, the Mantis embassy notably includes a small dock of its own.

The Phoenix Embassy
Built to resemble a temple, the Phoenix embassy can double as such should the need arise.

The Scorpion Embassy
Elegant and extravagant in vibrant crimson and pure black, the embassy of the Scorpion is the grandest building in the quarter save for the palace itself.

The Unicorn Embassy
Located near the gate leading out onto the Nobu Valley, the Unicorn embassy naturally includes stables for the clan's noble mounts.

The Seven Fortunes Temple
The second-largest building in the city after the palace itself, this temple contains shrines to each of the seven greater Fortunes and is tended by monks drawn from orders dedicated to each.

The Three Winds Inn
This peaceful inn and sake house is home to representatives of the Minor Clan Alliance and those few ronin who are in the city for the Imperial Winter Court.

The Southern Commercial Port
Nearly all of the trade to and from the city goes through this port on the Itochu River, and it serves as the central hub around which the Merchant District has formed. Storefronts and vendor stands are abundant in the area, where nearly anything can be bought or sold.

The Lonely Pearl Geisha House
When samurai must relax and relieve themselves of their burdens, they may find rest in one of this establishment's seven meeting rooms and enjoy the attentions of the house's skilled artists and performers.

The Main Barracks
The Naishou War is fresh in the minds of the province's people, and so the barracks remain quite active and are home to the kaisha that serves as the backbone of the city's defenses.

The Golden Trout Gambling House
While it presents itself as a restaurant - a rather good one, too, serving fish fresh from the river - the real draw of the Golden Trout is its back room, which is home to a variety of games to gamble on, as well as a fair share of the city's illicit dealings.

The Dutiful Daughter
This Noh theatre has seen better days, especially as it currently has no resident playwright or director.

The Walls
Toshi no Naishou is surrounded by a sturdy stone wall which is regularly patrolled by the city's guards. Occasionally, other samurai will ascend the stairs leading to the wall's walkway, as well, should they wish to enjoy the view of the city and the valley beyond.

The North Gate
Through this gate leads a road headed north of the city, through the small Eastern Villages through to Koso Mura, Sujuko Mura, and the mountain pass leading into Phoenix lands.

The Southern Gate
This gate leads to a bridge across the Itochu River, on the other side of which sits the den of iniquity known as Panchu Mura.

The Roads of Naishou
While there's little reason to undertake any great journeys during the winter, sometimes people just need to get out of the city for one reason or another.