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#Post#: 19--------------------------------------------------
Locales of Zakyo Toshi
By: Beebs Date: August 27, 2018, 9:28 pm
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All Rokugani cities are populated largely by commoners,
but Zakyo Toshi holds the distinction of also being founded
and, for most of its history, governed by commoners.
Those samurai who reside in the city long-term tend
to be heavily influenced by their surroundings, and are
quite accustomed to rubbing shoulders with peasants and
merchants. To outsiders, the samurai of Zakyo Toshi –
most of them ronin – seem almost blasphemous in their
behavior. Furthermore, the city’s most powerful factions
are not samurai at all, but criminal gangs.
There are a number of such gangs operating within Zakyo
Toshi, ranging from small packs to four major organizations
with formidable resources. The first of these is known
simply as the Firemen. While the term Firemen in Rokugan
usually refers to a group of citizens organized to fight
fires (an important duty in fire-prone Rokugani cities), in
Zakyo Toshi this group is a thinly disguised criminal gang,
concerned with the collection of protection money from
merchants, geisha houses, and gambling dens. They get
their name from the flame-like tattoos that cover their right
arms, as well as the fact that they are known to burn down
the buildings of people who do not pay protection money.
However, when they do burn down buildings, they are very
careful not to let the fire spread to those who have actually
paid for their protection – an uncontrolled fire would bring
down the wrath of the merchants and possibly draw the
attention of the Imperial Guard, and now the Scorpion. The
oyabun (bossman) of this group is an elderly gentleman
named Kagi, known for his taste for fine-quality sake.
The Bawdy Carp, another of the four largest gangs in
Zakyo Toshi, are recognizable by their water-motif tattoos,
which always have a white koi and a black koi entwined
together somewhere in the design. They own a number
of geisha houses and less reputable establishments, the
latter catering to those entertainments that geisha do not
provide. In addition to these shady business practices,
they also involve themselves in extortion for money and
political gain. They tend to confine their activities to
within the Pleasure and Gambling districts of Zakyo Toshi,
where their strength is greatest. The oyabun of the Bawdy
Carp is a man named Noriko.
The Silent Canary, the third of the four largest gangs
in Zakyo Toshi, get their name from both their reluctance
to talk when captured and the silence with which they
move while on a smuggling job. Their identifying tattoo,
naturally, is a yellow canary. Additionally, if the canary
is shown in a cage, it means the gang member has been
incarcerated at least once. The Silent Canary’s main
business is moneylending and smuggling in contraband
items, such as gaijin gear (but not opium – that market
is controlled by the Brotherhood of Autumn). They have
a number of methods for smuggling things into the city,
including a natural cave system that passes beneath the walls of
the city. As moneylenders, they prefer to lend
their money to the city’s merchants, since that offers the
highest profit margins, but they are not above making
loans to samurai or even ronin. After all, it never hurts to
have a good swordsman in their debt. The oyabun of the
Silent Canary is Daisuke.
The last of the four large gangs is known as the
Brotherhood of Autumn. At first glance they appear
to be monks, what with their shaved heads and brown
robes, and this look has earned them the ire of the few
representatives of the Brotherhood of Shinsei in the city.
Their distinguishing tattoo is either a tree shedding its
leaves, or a leaf turning from green to an autumnal color.
The Brotherhood of Autumn is concerned with the opium
trade in Zakyo Toshi, and they control the infamous
so-called Ugokasu Ichiba, the “Moving Market” (see
the Location Guide for details). While they supply most
of the opium dens in Zakyo Toshi, they do not actually
operate any of them – their concern is only supply, not
distribution. Their oyabun is named Qiuye.
Locale Guide:
Zakyo Toshi is a chaotic city, one often lacking
in the sort of clear neighborhoods and district lines
that characterize more conventional Rokugani cities.
Businesses of questionable nature can be found in many
different districts and there are few controls on movement
within the city walls.
The southern half of Zakyo Toshi has no bridges across the
Small Trade River. While this would be an inconvenience
in most cities, here, enterprising individuals have turned
it into an opportunity. These individuals, known as the
Ferrymen, use small boats to transport customers from
one side of the river to the other, charging a small fee.
(The Ferrymen are cautious about how much they charge samurai,
especially those from outside the city, since they
could easily take offense and cut the ferryman down.) Their
raucous cries of “ferry for passage, one bu” are notorious
in the city, and some claim that the riverbanks here are
almost as loud as the dock district when trade barges are
unloading. Of course, the Ferrymen’s small skiffs have to
share the river with those same trade barges, making things
very dangerous for the small boats if a barge captain is not
paying attention to the waterway. Still, the inconvenience
of having to take the time to walk to the bridges often
outweighs the danger, so the ferrymen stay in business.
Unlike the city it tried to imitate, Ryoko Owari Toshi,
Zakyo Toshi does not have an island for its Floating World.
The geisha district is located right in midst of the city, and
most samurai walk right into the geisha houses carrying
their weapons. Each house treats this differently – some
hire a sword polisher to meet their samurai guests at the
door, some have a weapons closet much like those found
in many inns in Rokugan. No true geisha house will allow
a samurai to remain armed with anything larger then a
tanto once he enters, but of course, not all the houses in
Zakyo Toshi are “true” geisha houses, and deadly brawls
are not unknown. All houses, regardless of their nature,
have hired help to restrain and subdue troublemakers.
Inside Zakyo Toshi’s geisha houses, the matron and the
bouncers are the law – not even the Imperial Guard likes
to have to settle disputes in these establishments.
It may be noted that even the most formal of Zakyo Toshi’s
geisha houses do not follow the general Rokugani custom of
requiring an introduction from their customers. This custom
began early in the city’s history, on the reasoning that if this
was to truly become a city of pleasure, a city where samurai
could relax, it would be easier to allow the samurai to gain
entrance without the need for such elaborate rituals. After
all, visitors to Zakyo Toshi would be coming from all parts
of Rokugan and would not necessarily know anyone in the
city who would vouch for them. This policy both worked and
failed. It worked in attracting samurai from around the
Empire, but failed to attract the caliber of samurai the city’s
rulers had hoped for.
Locations and Denziens
The Slippery Eel
One of the most famous geisha houses in Zakyo Toshi,
renowned for its food and its excellent back massages.
There are some nasty rumors that it has ties to the Bawdy
Carp gang, which are true, as many of the bouncers here
work for that gang. As such, samurai visiting this place
can easily get more entertainment then a mere night of
song and dance, if they are seeking something less savory.
However, it may cost them more then they bargained for.
Due to the Bawdy Carp gang acting as the house’s
enforcers, trouble here is usually dealt with fairly quickly.
The gang members carry easily concealed clubs or tonfa
to subdue their more rowdy guests. Those guests who
do suffer the attentions of the bouncers are often beaten
unconscious, stripped naked, and left in the street with their
swords. Repeat offenders tend to disappear.
The Carp use this house as a source of information and
blackmail, but they use what they get very sparingly –
they do not wish to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.
Shinsei’s Cup
Shinsei’s Cup is an unusual geisha house that has opened
only recently. It offers the usual selection of entertainments,
but all visitors to the house are required to wear a mask. If
the visitor does not have a mask, the house will provide one
for them as long as they promise to return it (they require
a samurai’s chop in order to lend out a mask). The house
claims it is easier for a samurai to take his face off if he is
not worried about showing it at all, and the mask also saves
the samurai from any possible embarrassment due to seeing
someone that he knows.
In fact, the Scorpion have opened this
house, a small attempt at beginning the process of putting
themselves in a position of control of the city. They
have offered to buy the contract of
any geisha in the city who can prove
her worth to them. This method
secures the loyalty of the geisha,
especially since the Scorpion can also
guarantee a safe work environment.
Many prominent geisha have already
relocated to Shinsei’s Cup, bringing
their clientele with them.
The game of the masks is a new touch
for Zakyo Toshi, one that has worked
quite well for the Scorpion at their own
settlement of Toshi Aitate. They hope that
samurai wearing such masks will feel more
relaxed and will talk more freely. Since
the masks the samurai guests wear can
be matched with their chops, the Scorpion
know exactly who is saying what.
The House of Song
Owned by an older woman named Chiasa, the
House of Song is known (as its name suggests)
for its unparalleled singers. It is said that no finer
pleasure can be found in Zakyo Toshi than to spend
the evening at the House of Song. It is also said that
the owner has a way of ferreting out a samurai’s
secret desires and catering to them.
However, Chiasa permits absolutely no overt
bawdiness in her establishment, nor does she
tolerate brawling or crudity. And while some
houses in this city will not hesitate to admit
anyone, even someone clearly afflicted with
the Shadowlands Taint, Chiasa is far more
selective. Those who violate her rules are
politely asked to leave and are banned from the
house for one week. If the perpetrator has the
gall to commit a second offense, or returns before
the banishment ends, they soon find themselves falling
afoul of the law. Chiasa has an excellent memory for
faces, and one of her favorite customers is the local
Emerald Magistrate. Even the city’s most powerful gangs
have learned to give this house a wide berth.
The Blue Lotus
Another unusual geisha house, located in the southern
districts of Zakyo Toshi. Many samurai who have visited it
claim, “One has not truly partaken of the delights of Zakyo
Toshi until one has visited the Blue Lotus.”
What makes the Blue Lotus so unusual is that only
half the clientele are in the house at any one time. The
house owns and employs a number of small skiffs, and its
customers are able to punt up and down the river with their
geisha companions, in complete and delightful privacy.
Often they light candles and set them afloat on the river, a
style which others Rokugani might consider unpleasantly
close to the customs of the Bon Festival, but here is simply
a way of giving the night a special ambience.
Oddly, the Blue Lotus is independently owned and is not
controlled by any Clan or gang.
The Jade Cup
A small gambling house whose main claim to fame
is the green porcelain cups they use in their dice game.
It is also one of the rowdier houses in Zakyo Toshi, and
fights from drunken patrons often spill out into the streets.
This establishment has only opened within the last couple
years, and seems to attract the baser elements of Zakyo
Toshi. Rumor has it that more then just gambling goes on
inside its walls. It is, in fact, controlled by the Bawdy Carp.
The Naga’s Gaze
The Naga’s Gaze was originally opened by one of the
Unicorn who came to patrol the Shinomen Mori. He and
his brethren needed something to do to ease their boredom
between their shifts on duty, and a gambling house suited
their tastes perfectly. The business has been passed down
from father to son for several generations.
The Naga’s Gaze is known not only for its dice games,
but also for strange gambling games using thin placards
of wood with pictures on them, a concept the Unicorn
brought back from the Burning Sands.
Shinsei’s Wind
Owned and operated by a merchant known as Iwao, the
Shinsei’s Wind is notorious for the signboard outside. The
sign depicts the revered monk Shinsei with a gust of wind
coming from his backside.
That being said, Shinsei’s Wind is one of the cleaner
and more honest establishments in the city. It does have its
rough nights, and the occasional fight erupts, but Iwao’s
bouncers clear out such troublesome customers swiftly.
Iwao tries to keep the worst sorts out of his establishment
altogether, and keeps a sharp eye out for anyone showing
symptoms of the Shadowlands Taint, finding excuses to
turn away such dubious patrons.
Iwao does have something of a soft spot for those who
are down on their luck, however, and often puts them up
for the night in one of the spare rooms on the second
floor. He is even known to lend them money if they truly
need it. Those who try to take advantage of his generosity
are sorry, though, for he seems to have a knack for telling
which people really are down on their luck and which are
just trying to sell him a sob story.
The Chicken Dinner
The Hiyoko Seisan, or Chicken Dinner, is a popular
gambling den of many ronin. It is named for the house’s
tradition of giving any ronin a chicken dinner on their
first win of the evening. This makes it a popular place
to go when money gets tight. The house does not extend
credit to ronin, however, and no exceptions are made for
unfortunate circumstances.
The Garrison
Originally assigned to keep watch over the potentially troubled
border between the Scorpion, the Fox, and the Sparrow
Clans, the Imperial Guard soon found itself brought into
policing the city as much as watching the frontier. It
is thus with someo relief the court has arrived.
The small Imperial force that remains now shares the
barrack with the Scorpion Clan guards that have arrived
to take over protecting and policing the city. This has
caused a certain amount of tension between the two sets
of troops, but so far no overt hostilities have occurred.
A new barracks is currently under construction next to
the old barracks. Once it is complete, the two groups of
troops will be separated. Even to the untrained eye, the
new barracks seem to be heavily fortified
The Ugokasu Ichiba or “Moving Market” is a loose conglomeration
of smugglers and illicit opium dealers. The
market is so named because it never stays in one place in
the city for more then a day at a time. The Brotherhood
of Autumn provides security for the market and scouts
locations for it to take up residence, most often in an alley
or side street. The stalls of the market are simple affairs of
wood and cheap silk, easily assembled and taken down, or
just as easily left behind in haste.
The market does a brisk business in many different illicit
substances, including opium, other drugs, and a few
poisons. It is actually fairly easy to find, as the booths tend
to be quite colorful, and anyone asking around town can
locate it fairly easily.
In the past, the Imperial Guard tended to leave the Moving
Market alone, mainly because every time they tried to squash
it, it reappeared within a week. No matter how many arrests
they made, no matter how many stalls they burned, it always
came back, so eventually they gave up and let it be. For their
part, the merchants of the market have also been cautious
about how freely they sell their more questionable products.
After all, if someone were to use what they bought at the
market to do harm to an influential person, the merchants
would likely be hunted down and hung like common thieves.
Pearl Gate
Pearl Gate, also known as Exile’s Gate, is the westernmost
gate of the city, and the gate nearest the Shinomen Mori.
When the Naga first visited the city in 1125, they entered
through this gate. It was renamed the Pearl Gate in their
honor.
Lately it has taken on a different name, Exile’s Gate.
Ronin who cause too much trouble in Zakyo Toshi are
marched out of the city through this gate, with the obvious
implications of being told to go get themselves lost in the
Shinomen. It is also the gate through which the city’s eta
enter and leave every day for work.
The Pearl Gate is kept closed at night.
The Plum Blossom Gate
The northernmost gate in the city is known as Sumomo
Sakari, the Plum Blossom Gate. This is the main entrance
to the residential section of Zakyo Toshi. It was named for
the sacred fruit that sustained Shinsei during his fasting,
in the hope that this would bring good luck and prosperity
to the city. This gate also closes at nightfall.
Snowfall Gate
The northeastern gate is known as the Kosetsu or
Snowfall Gate. It gained this name from the habit of many
residents coming to this gate to watch the first snowfall of
the year, especially if they have no garden in their home
to do so. This gate, due to its location near the pleasure
and gambling districts, remains open at all hours unless
the city is under attack.
Honeymoon Gate
The city’s southeastern gate, known as the Shinkonryoko
or Honeymoon Gate, leads directly to the gambling
and pleasure district of Zakyo Toshi. This is the gate
most travelers enter when they come to the city to relax.
Originally named in the hope of attracting newlyweds to
the city, this gate’s name has become something of a joke
in modern times. Much like the Snowfall Gate, this one
always remains open unless the city is threatened by war.
Opportunity Gate
The southernmost gate is known as the Kikai or
Opportunity Gate. It leads to the merchant district of Zakyo
Toshi, and is the main route by which trade caravans enter
and leave the city. The gate itself is of thick mahogany
wood with the symbol of a koku carved into each door.
This gate also remains open at all times, since caravans
respect no hour for arrival or departure.
The Docks
Small Trade River flows from Shinomen Mori, through
Zakyo Toshi, and down into the River of Gold. The river is,
as its name implies, fairly small, with only enough breadth
and depth to let two trading barges pass – and then only
if their captains know what they are doing.
The eastern bank of the river is home to the docks
district. These docks are a very loud and raucous business
center during the day, as barges come in almost hourly
and goods are offloaded into warehouses or merchant
carts. Some merchants have even opened stalls along the
docks, hocking fresh fruit and vegetables straight off the
barges.
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