Artificial Islands

Pride of the Soshi worldmancers, the artificial islands have been literally been raised from the bottom of the sea to to form a small archipelago to protect the harbor of the 3rd mercantile district. Keen to utilize every square foot of land, the third governor of the Oborozuki province commissioned the Soshi to turn the barren rocky islands into a tourist attraction. Today, the small chain of islands hosts more than a half a dozen high end hotels and miles upon miles of pristine beaches allowing both tourists and locals to enjoy seaside around the year. On some beaches, vast automated praying wheels summon carefully engineered gales to allow the wave riders a prefect opportunity to show off their skills. On other beached similar machines are used to create gentler winds to control the local climate. Tag-oshidama courts and ice cream kiosks are an ubiquitous sight on seaside and while many of the beaches are exclusive to hotel guests, a dozen or so beaches are open to the samurai of all ranks.

Location rules: Ice cream, flavored ice shavings and low-alcohol content drinks can be purchased from kiosks manned by surprisingly fetching commoners dressed in skimpy swimwear for 1-2 zeni.

Shrine of Passion

Shrine of Passion is is the largest shrine dedicated to Dark Fortune Kyuso outside Spider lands. Also known as The Undying Passion of the South and The Grand Fortune of Obsession, Kyoso is worshipped by substance and gambling addicts who flock to her shrine in hopes of deliverance. Built as a copy of the 17th century shrine found on Shiro Susumu on Rokugan, the now venerable Shrine of Passion on World of Dreams is almost two hundred years old, its once bright red walls now covered in decades of grime and soot despite the best efforts of the dutiful monks that tend to the vast temple complex. The large alter within the main shrine shows a sixteen foot tall statue of Kyoso in her Dark Glory, a vaguely feminine figure dressed in heavy red robes holding a long rod entwined with two snakes in her hands. Acrid scent of sacred incense fills the shine with large braziers dangling from the ceiling. Series of old, lovingly maintained vending machines provide the faithful with both religious souvenirs as well as snacks and drinks.

Many of the monks serving at the shrine are retired Spider doctors and therapists, providing both spiritual guidance as well as running a grueling detoxification program for those willing to seek salvation. To serve this purpose, the Brotherhood has constructed a small boarding house on the temple grounds, the threadbare rooms housing dozens of hemin and ronin seeking a new chance in life. Many of the addicts staying at the dormitory wander around the temple grounds dressed in long crimson robes, chanting the Sutra of Deliverance even as they chew on roots of various medial plants grown by the monks.

Temple of Shosuro

Originally built as a replica of the famous Temple of Shosuro in Ryoko Owari Toshi, this temple been expanded four times over the years, the shrine and annexed buildings now taking up most of a block in the 8th temple district. Built from dark basalt and shrouded in crimson banners bearing religious texts and adages, the imposing temple is popular among ji-samurai, who associate themselves with Bayushi's first and foremost follower. Beyond the heavy doors a series of large thuribles dangle from the ceiling, filling the inner sanctum with the heavy scent of incense carrying the prayers of the temple’s resident monks into the Heavens. Behind a low fence, is an imposing statue of veiled Lady Shosuro sitting with her legs crossed. Almost twenty feet tall, the carefully carved statue is covered with gold leaf that glimmers in the warm yellow light cast by dozens of electric lanterns lining the tall ceilings. Dozens and dozens of worn pillows lay carefully arranged before the statue, allowing the devout to perform their prayer without having to kneel on the hard floor.

The monks tending to the shrine are mostly retired Shosuro who have been rewarded for their lifetime of service with this relatively peaceful and comfortable retirement. Old habits die hard, however, and the monks are known to approach visitors as quietly as possible, often startling the unwary. The abbess responsible for running the shrine is a frequent visitor at the Castle of Misty Moon and so it is no wonder that rumors associate her with the Scorpion intelligence agencies, even if she nominally serves the Brotherhood first and foremost.

House of Stone

The new Crab embassy stands only two blocks from the Castle of Misty Moon, the Scorpion having honored their allies by allowing them to set up their diplomatic mission in an estate that once belonged to a Bayushi hatamoto whose property was confiscated by the planetary governor. The records do not detail the events that led to the banner bearer losing her favor and her possessions. Similarly, the name of the hatamoto has been struck from records. Those who remember the woman seem hesitant to speak her name, the topic seemingly taboo among the locals. Built almost one hundred and fifty years ago, the mansion now serving as the Crab embassy was lovingly crafted by Scorpion artisans using both achingly beautiful stone and sturdy modern alloys, creating a modern marvel that the Soshi and Shosuro architects study even today. Within, the embassy retains many of the original designs, the Yasuki and Kaiu both appreciative of the detailed stonework. The dozen or so bedrooms originally reserved for the hatamoto's family now house Crab diplomats and dignitaries, with each room housing two to four people. The heimin staff working at the embassy hail from Green Carp, each and every servant having been schooled by the Yasuki. A spacious lounge serves as a common room, comfortably furnished with chairs and cushions large enough to accommodate the largest Hida bushi. Behind a large sofa sits an expansive paludarium hosting a pair of lesser death pangolins. The antics of the small, curious, and bloodthirsty creatures native to Hida Prime provide amusement for those present. Kuni shugenja have bound a benevolent Water kami into a hologram floating above one of the tables, the spirit often takes the shape of a large carp as it observes the people within the room, often turning to face the door moments before someone enters the room.


Location special rules: Curiously enough, the kind and rather bubby kami bound to the Kuni built hologram is attuned with Path Not Taken - any character performing divinations in the room may converse with the kami as they perform the rites, gaining a Free Raise on their Intelligence/Divination roll. The spirit grows easily bored and so no character may benefit from the Free Raise more than once per day.
Lesser death pangolins: The two adorably murderous creatures have been named Ketsuyoku (血浴) and Zansatsu (惨殺). A character in the room may try to hand feed crickets to the beasts - [REDACTED]

Wicked Wasp

Located at the topmost floor of the Mizui tower, the esteemed and honorable Wicked Wasp is one of the most 'hip' nightclubs in the city. Employing the services of popular DJ's such as 'MC Shrike' and 'Black Orchid', the nightclub is frequented by both celebrities and young Scorpion peers. The large dance floor is illuminated by the finest Soshi-made light projectors while automated praying wheels capable of invoking simple illusions are used entertain the crowds, insubstantial small chromatic dragons and birds of paradise fluttering and swooping just above the dancers, their ephemeral movements synchronized with music. Like many other clubs in the City of Many Sins, the Wicked Wasp also employs small group of well-groomed and athletic geisha dancers in skimpy clothing that perform on an elevated stage throughout the night.

For those less inclined to dance their worries away, the Wicked Wasp offers well-stocked bar serving both hot and cold drinks. While the large dancefloor occupies most of the space within the club, a dozen or so small tables lay cluttered by the tall windows that allow an unimpeded view of the never sleeping world-city, the neon lights stretching all the way to the horizon. Each of the tables has a small in-built touch screen, allowing the patrons to order drinks without getting up, a small counter on the screen showing when the order is being processed.

Location rules: Wicked Wasp is open from Late Afternoon to Early Morning. Shugenja may interact with the illusions by casting Commune (Air) with two Raises called to have some of the dragons and birds to dance around themselves or another target person for a minute, after which the capricious kami grow bored and return to their perpetual dance in the air.

House of Steel

Surrounded by a tranquil garden and tall walls, the Lion embassy on World of Dreams is more a fortified building than an estate proper. The vast koi pond that snakes around the building doubles as a moat of old with a narrow wooden bridge leading to the armored doors. Much to the horror of Crane architects, the building has no windows on the first floor. Meanwhile the small windows on the second and third floor have been placed to allow good fields of fire should the embassy ever end up besieged. The roof of the building is surrounded by barbed wire with a small group of 'honor guards' armed to the teeth occupying a tactical pagoda to keep an eye on the garden below. While many question the sanity of this arrangement, Lion are quick to point out how they are honor bound to defend every last inch on Lion soil.

Inside, the embassy is rather spartan with worn tatami mats covering the floors. The worn plasticrete walls are bare for the most part, though scrolls detailing lessons from Akodo's Leadership can be found scattered across the building. The rooms reserved for the visiting Lion samurai are simplistic, containing three or four Lion-made futons, a computer terminal, and an inspirational propaganda poster. The common room, which also serves as a cafeteria, has half a dozen low tables with go board grids carved on the surface. Ornamental cups containing stones needed to play the game can be found on a shelf by the large informator broadcasting Imperial news around the clock. The embassy also hosts an impressive shrine dedicated to the Lion ancestors, with digital altars allowing the visitors to call forth the likeness of their forebears so that they may properly contemplate their actions. Heavy scent of incense lingers in the shrine, the scent meant to carry the prayers to the Heavens. However, due to the poor ventilation the scent of incense also seeps into the servant's sleeping quarters, leaving the staff and their garments smelling faintly of smoke.

Lion embassy is also home to a cat known as Chiyo, the elderly feline behaving as if she owned the building. The purebred Kitsu longhair is actually the former Lion ambassador to World of Dreams, Kitsu Chiyo, the woman having transformed herself into a cat by means unknown to the embassy personnel. The note left by Chiyo made it rather clear that this transformation was no accident as she wrote how she was 'fed up with the Scorpion' and how she would 'enjoy her retirement chasing rats'.

Chiyo


Location special rules: Once per day, a Lion character may spend a timeslot meditating at the small shrine dedicated to the honorable ancestors by rolling Meditation / Willpower against TN 15. If they succeed, they are in equal parts inspired and feel the weight of the duty upon their shoulders, allowing them to add half their Honor Rank, rounded down, to the total of any one Etiquette or Sincerity Skill Roll during the next social occasion they partake to. (If this benefit is not used by the end of the occasion or before the end of the day, it is lost.)

Hakuzuru

The ever frugal Daidoji Trading Council purchased the Hakuzuru shopping complex some fifty years ago to serve as the Crane clan storehouse on World of Dreams. When the need to expand the clan's diplomatic mission on the world became evident, the Daidoji offered to dedicate the top three floors of the Hakuzuru for the purpose and while the Kakita were less than happy about being made to refurbish a department store, the Doji were more than happy to take up the offer. Today the unique location of the embassy allows the resident diplomats and dignitaries an unimpeded view over the city while an ornitopher landing pad on top of the tower allows the Crane ambassador to largely ignore the traffic jams that plague the city.

The bottommost of the three floors is reserved for domiciles, large rooms that house both the servants and visiting dignitaries. While the heimin have to share two large dormitories between them, the dignitaries staying at the embassy can enjoy well-furnished two-bed rooms with stunning views. The large lounge occupying most of the second floor serves as a meeting space for the diplomats and traders. Small groups of sofas have been sunk into the ground while large windows leave the room bathed in warm light during daytime. A small group of servants is present in the room around the clock, ready to serve the samurai with tea and sweets should refreshments be needed. All of the tea served within the embassy comes from the Asahina plantations on Miyabi that also provide tea to the Emperor's own household, something the Crane are quick to point out to any visitor they might be hosting.

Location special rules: The Crane embassy is equipped with the latest version of Kakita-built stochastic couturier device, which when fed information on past and current fashions, will try to predict the upcoming trends, producing garments that are deemed most likely to become fashionable in the near future. A character may design a probabilistic outfit by spending a time slot to acquire desired cloth and an additional time slot programming the device to their specifications (thus spending two time slots in total). After the second time slot, the machine will start cutting and sewing a potentially fashionable garment. This process takes an entire day to complete (e.g. if a character spends two time slots EM and LM on D1, the outfit will be ready on D2 EA). To determine the quality of the garment, the character must roll a single d10. On a roll of 7 to 9, the outfit grants them +1 to all Etiquette rolls while worn. On a roll of 10, the outfit grants them +2 on all etiquette rolls instead. These garments can be gifted to others. For sake of clarity, a character wearing one of the Kakita stochastic outfits should note so in their signature.

House of Blooming Nightshades
https://i.imgur.com/sJ4BOlT.png

Conveniently located near all the major embassies, the esteemed House of Blooming Nightshades is favored by both diplomats and Scorpion merchant patrons alike. Originally built in the early 30th century and modernized in 3119, this vast and luxurious hotel can host almost two thousand guests, offering hundreds of suites and smaller rooms to its patrons. The rooms are all air conditioned and come equipped with what the staff insist is the most secure console on World of Dreams - a phrase even the most inexperienced diplomats can understand to be nothing but a gesture of sincerity. The front is open around the clock, allowing the esteemed guests to check-in at their leisure while room service takes care of any and all needs visitors might have. House of Blooming Nightshades also has ties with all the major department stores in the city, allowing its visitors to shop from the comfort of their rooms. Should a guest fancy a designer necklace or new kimono delivered to their rooms, the staff of the hotel can usually arrange that within hours.

Each dimly lit room is lined with wooden panels covered with carved flowers with various nightshades showing prominently, the Scorpion artists having painstakingly rendered each and every detail. A canny visitor might be able to spy flowers of the eggplants and bell peppers among the ubiquitous belladonnas and henbanes. Both the regular rooms and suites are furnished with a large bed and a comfortable sofa aligned to offer access to both the informator and the computer terminal. A low, wooden table and several large pillows allow small, intimate gatherings. Chakin, chasen, chawan and other items required for a tea ceremony can be found in a cabinet hidden under the informator, allowing the visitors to serve tea for their guests. While regular rooms have bathrooms with massaging showers that comfortably accommodate two, the suites have large jacuzzi lined with fragrant hinoki wood imported from the Lion-held world of Rekishi, allowing guests to enjoy a luxurious bath whenever they wish.


Rates
Normal room: 6 bu per night
Suite: 2 koku per night

No discounts for longer stays.

Desolation
https://i.imgur.com/7hlBn5f.png
The cursed grounds surrounding the location of the destroyed Kinuran spirit furnace are known as Desolation. Located by the 71st habitation district and surrounded by a series of Soshi-maintained wards and watchtowers, the area beyond the wards and warning signs is technically off limits to unauthorized personnel, and the Scorpion security is more than happy to arrest anyone found there without the appropriate paperwork. However, the long, heavily-warded fence surrounding the 120 square mile region has mainly been constructed to keep the hungry spirits within and offers little resistance to a cunning and determined intruder. This has allowed several criminal gangs to tuck hideouts into relatively ‘safe’ areas inside the fenced space, creating one more hazard for crews attempting to reclaim artifacts from the Desolation. Soshi security forces occasionally patrol the region near the fence, both to keep an eye on any dangerous spirits they might come across and to apprehend any thugs found within.


Location rules:
Desolation cannot be accessed without appropriate paperwork. However, a savvy character may spend a time slot to hunt down a corrupt magistrate by rolling Lore: Underworld / Intelligence against TN 20. Should a character succeed, they may purchase one or more 'Excavation permits'. Permits note the name of the person allowed access to the Desolation and cost 5 koku for Scorpion and ronin characters or 10 koku for everyone else.

Brotherhood characters offering to perform rites to placate the restless spirits can usually acquire such papers for free, though they do need to spend a time slot acquiring the paperwork.

The Desolation is haunted by hungry and vengeful spirits. Characters with Cursed by Gaki-Do Disadvantage are likely to garner unwanted attention from the spirits lingering around. Other characters wandering into the location are subjected to random encounters. These random encounters have potential to be lethal.

https://i.imgur.com/jjYdYt7.png

The Dragon embassy is hosted on a repurposed luxury yacht called Without Within that usually can be found berthing at one of the many guest docks scattered across the artificial islands. However, much to the dismay of pretty much everyone not the Dragon Ambassador, Without Within seems to move from island to island without much rhyme or reason, meaning that both the Dragon dignitaries staying on board and diplomats paying a visit have to figure out where the embassy actually is before heading there. Originally gifted to the Dragon clan by an affluent Mirumoto merchant patron upset with his next of kin, the Without Within has been converted into something of a floating temple-office. With most of the expensive and gaudy furniture stripped from the ship, the once luxurious vessel can easily be described as threadbare. The intricate mosaics detailing the life and deeds of Togashi-kami decorating the walls of the yacht remain however, making a walk across the ship something akin to a history lesson.

Many of the once opulent cabins have been repurposed to serve as simple domiciles with two or three futons covering the hard floor. Old pillows sewn from recycled cloth lay scattered around the futons, but anyone wishing for a table or computer terminal will have to venture into the mess hall serving as the common room. The former mess hall is almost as ascetic as the rooms, hosting half a dozen low tables surrounded by the same pillows that can be found in the cabins. Several computer terminals sit on a long table against the starboard wall, allowing the Dragon diplomats and merchant patrons to stay in touch with their home worlds. While a persistent samurai might be able to find a servant on the vessel, most of the embassy staff are sailors and thus anyone wishing a nice pot of tea is better served by brewing the draught by themselves using the small stove found in the common room.


Location special rules: Dragon character rolling Void / Meditation while using one of the brutally ascetic meditation chambers on board of Without Within gain a free Raise on their roll.

House of Storms

Built on one of the two Mantis owned artificial islands, the esteemed House of Storms resembles more a seaside resort than diplomatic office, and the Yoritomo responsible for the Mantis diplomatic mission on World of Dreams would not have it any other way. Traders and dignitaries staying at the embassy can enjoy luxurious single person rooms furnished with large futons, low tables and enough cushions to host a small party. Each room has a sizable bar cabinet stocked with Mantis produced sake and umeshu, a small electronic heater and ice machine ensuring that drinks can be enjoyed both warmed and chilled. Thanks to the locations, nearly all of the rooms offer a seaside view allowing samurai staying at the House of Storms to enjoy a sea breeze simply by opening a window.

While the luxurious suites provided for the Mantis samurai are sizable enough to host guests, the embassy also has a large lounge built on the topmost floor of the building. The lounge sports a large, well-stocked bar cabinet, whose contents are freely available to those staying at the embassy. Large cushions embroidered with various sea monsters surround low and sturdy tables carved from actual wood. A good half of this floor remains uncovered, the exposed space having been turned into a sun-bathing area with an oval jacuzzi large enough to fit two dozen people. Loudhailers and spotlights have been installed in every nook and corner of the lounge, making it easy for the staff to turn the space into a makeshift nightclub, enabling Mantis courtiers to enact a softer sort of diplomacy.

Location special rules: Mantis maintain close ties with many of the smuggling cartels and rogue trade patrons that call World of Dreams their home, well aware that the Scorpion are at least somewhat conscious of their dealings. Yet the Clan of Secrets allow Mantis to benefit from the lax regulations and taxes, knowing that the koku Mantis bring to the city end up fueling the Scorpion economy one way or another. Once per day, a Mantis character may spend a time slot at the embassy contacting the clan's informants. If they do so, they gain a Free Raise on any one Lore: Underworld or Commerce roll the following day (the skill to which the Free Raise is applied must be decided on the day the character spends the time slot at the embassy).

House of Winds

Located on the far end of the diplomatic district, the Unicorn embassy is but a stone's throw away from the 3rd Mercantile district and infamous Mizui Tower. Close to the pulsating (and some would say corrupt) heart of the city, visiting Unicorn diplomats and dignitaries often end up rather familiar with all the vices the city has to offer. Smaller than many other embassies, the House of Winds provides several rather claustrophobic one-futon rooms for visitors. While allowing a modicum of privacy, these sleep-chambers offer little space, the small fridge and computer terminal leaving barely enough room for the rather fluffy woolen futon. This lack of space makes it impossible to entertain guests in sleep-chambers, a problem the Ide have solved by setting up a large lounge on the fifth floor of the building that serves both as a mess hall and a meeting space.

Offering a good view of the street below, the lounge has a particularly tall ceiling with a complex array of lights providing what the Unicorn call 'mood lighting' with most of the Crane visitors referring to the arrangement as a 'travesty of interior design'. Comfortable Shinjo-designed sofas and chairs lay scattered in the room in a seemingly haphazard manner. However, staff are quick to point out that the layout is carefully designed according to the 'The Art of Office Feng Shui' by one Iuchi Airi. Decorated with bonsai and antique pottery, the lounge is a bit chaotic to anyone not used to the somewhat gaudy Unicorn aesthetics. Samurai working in the common room can enjoy hot beverages from both a tea kettle as well as a modern autobarista that brews a variety of milk-based coffees for anyone willing to brave the exotic drinks.

Location special rules: Following a large renovation by the current ambassador, Ide Qirui, the bottom floor of the embassy now houses a large garage with embassy staff lovingly maintaining a small collection of bikes, the oldest of which predate the embassy itself. While Qirui would rather cut of his right arm than let anyone take out his 'precious steeds', the garage is also home to half a dozen old and tried Shinjo Mototech Hayabusa mk. III's clad in Unicorn purple that those staying in the embassy are free to take for a ride as long as they return them within 24 hours. Many of these bikes have become awakened during decades of loving maintenance. While riding one of the Hayabusa, Unicorn character cannot get lost within Oborozuki province and become aware of the location of any legally available resource to be found in the city (GMs gets the final call on this, however).

The one-futon rooms trigger any Phobia that might refer to tight or small places.

Autobarista installed in the lobby can be programmed to brew spiced lattes, and cappuccinos as well as 'Rakuen style' coffee that blends roast coffee beans with almond and cacao.

House of Fire

Located between a private Aotora garden and the manor of a Yogo lord, the Phoenix embassy on World of Dreams is rather peaceful with experimental, and highly temperamental, acoustic wards keeping the din of the never-sleeping city at bay. While working as planned most of the time, the wards have an unfortunate tendency to crackle with static, shooting a shower of iridescent sparks in the air whenever the spiritual arrays are overwhelmed. Because of this, the building has been dubbed the House of Sneezing Thunder by the Scorpion mass-media, while the general population prefers to keep a healthy distance from the embassy.

Inside, the embassy is much like any other diplomatic office. Several well-furnished two-bed rooms stand ready to host visiting dignitaries and merchant patrons with a small, but dedicated staff of heimin taking care of daily upkeep. A large, comfortable lounge serves as a gathering space for the samurai present. With soft pillows cluttering the floor, low tables allow the visitors to work while enjoying refreshments or meeting with local dignitaries. Two large, muted informators showing Imperial and Scorpion newsfeeds hang from the ceiling, angled in such a way that one may sit down without having to see the flickering screens. Two small and relatively quiet cleaning bots lurk beneath the tables, darting out with the grace of an elderly cat when their sensors detect trash on the floor. An ancient, and largely automated, electric kettle sits next to a kamidana, serving high quality green and barley tea mostly following the programmed specifications.

Location special rules: Infused by the spiritual energies running through the building, the electric kettle located at the common room of the embassy is partially-awakened. A samurai requesting the machine to brew themselves a cup of tea will be served scalding hot tea with a healthy helping of sweetener unless the player can commune with the kettle (casting Commune: Fire with one Raise) to persuade the kettle to serve the tea at an appropriate temperature and sweetened as player wishes. However, when operating as it should, the kettle produces excellent tea that sooths both the mind and soul, allowing the character to regain any one spent Spell slot. This effect cannot trigger more than once per day per character.

Hakumyo
https://i.imgur.com/IJp9wQf.png
A trendy cat cafe that offers its patrons a chance to enjoy an assortment of tea blends and desserts ranging from mizu yokan to macha ice cream, though the main attraction of the establishment are the five cats roaming freely within the premises. Cat toys lay scattered on tables, allowing the visitors to entertain both themselves and the cats. Cute and playful, the cats have been named following Scorpion superstitions to ensure that Daikoku, the Fortune of wealth won't take offense to their presence in the house.

Location rules: The establishment has five cats as listed below. Since Hakumyo uses the one thread per one time slot rule, you need to consider everyone in the same thread to avoid duplicating cats. We recommend that should a time slot have more than two groups of characters meeting, the players would allow the cats meander between the groups.


Ugly

This rather pretty and amicable, if a bit shy cat that prefers to lounge on the pillows by the patrons. Ugly is friends with Garbo and the two can be often seen grooming each other.

Mongrel

A purebreed Shosuro companion, Mongrel is a haughty tomcat, though readily bribable with treats. Mongrel will rarely find his way on patron's lap, preferring to lounge on the tables, shinnying his rear against cups and mugs containing hot drinks when possible.

Garbo

Small and pluffy young cat, Garbo has a long, thick fur and almost squirrel like tail. A monster of sorts, Garbo will gnaw on anything and everything she can get her small teeth on.

Mold

An exceedingly friendly tabby that eagerly pushes against any and all hands he can find, his nose particularly cold and damp. Mold is morbidly fascinated by communicators and a patron pulling out his or her device will inevitably find a cat staring their screen.

Debris

This playful cat is still learning to handle her 'adult' body, wobbling around on her long and slender limbs, eager to make friends with each and every patron walking through the doors, meowing happily to greet everyone.

House of Chrysanthemums
https://i.imgur.com/TgGJ5Sn.png
The Imperial Household maintains several missions across the Empire, both to maintain ties with the Clans and to ensure that Imperial Mandates are followed to the letter. Diplomats and dignitaries working in these offices gather and compile information for the Seppun progonsticators, who maintain a complex set of simulations in hopes of predicting calamities and conflicts before they arise. The Imperial mission on World of Dreams is the oldest and largest deployment, consisting of hundreds of clerks and diplomats working to ensure the power of balance within the Empire. The embassy itself, consisting of a dozen or so buildings, is located at the heart of the diplomatic district on a large plot of land reserved for the Imperial Household. Only the tallest of the buildings, the House of Chrysanthemums, is open to visitors. It is surrounded by the myriad smaller buildings which house a small army of servants and clerks. Their number is a hint as to the bureaucratic nightmare involved in running this mission on World of Dreams.

Diplomats staying at the embassy are given luxurious single person rooms with a large futon, dining table and modern computer terminal connected to the Empire spanning Imperial network, allowing the Imperial diplomats to work from their room should they need to. Each room also comes with a large, fully stocked bar cabinet and a sizable bathroom with a Kakita made jacuzzi large enough to accommodate four people. Two servants are assigned to each visitor, allowing foods and drinks to be delivered around the clock. Due to the access these rooms provide to the Imperial networks, bringing guests to the rooms is largely frowned upon, though prominent senior diplomats can usually get away with it.

In order to host guests and to show the magnanimity of the Imperial Household, one of the floors of the House of Chrysanthemums has been converted to a massive lobby, decked with luxurious sofas, polished cherry wood tables, lush cushions, and secure computer terminals. A small host of servants bearing the Miya and Seppun mon linger in the room, ready to serve drinks and food to the samurai working here at all hours, as the City of Many Sins never truly sleeps. The teas served here are the finest of the Empire, ranging from black and bitter Crab teas to the delicate Crane-cultivated gyokuro, the Otomo having installed a tradition of serving Spider teas to the Crab and Lion teas to the Mantis.

Location special rules: The Imperial Household provides each Imperial shugenja and courtier with Status 2 or higher with a personal yojimbo that will follow them as directed - leaving them be if asked to do so. The yojimbo is tasked with protecting the life and honor of their ward. However, should their ward do something illegal and/or suicidal, the yojimbo will not follow them blindly. To avoid suddenly teleporting yojimbo, if you are assigned one, your first post in a given thread must mention their presence - otherwise your bodyguard is not present in that thread.

Akatsubaki

Akatsubaki, one of the many esteemed oiran houses of the City of Many Sins, can be found at the entrance of the district’s pleasure alley; the building jutting out of the façade of an old entertainment complex filled with cinemas, clubs and restaurants. Closed during the day, Akatsubaki comes alive after sunset, its dimmed windows glowing warmly in the night. While the exterior of the old building has been worn down by sunlight and acid rains, the interior is lavishly decorated with crimson and gold, giving an appearance of decadence and luxury.

At Akatsubaki, discretion is valued and each client is given privacy in their appointments. An elevator connecting the house to a quiet alley is available for those who wish not to be seen stepping through the colorful front doors. A pre-arranged appointment is expected when seeking out any of the oiran working there. Those who come without an appointment are at the mercy of the schedule and the oiran’s whim, with a well-armed security detail ensuring the safety of the oiran and their patrons.

Akatsubaki employs both male and female courtesans, all of whom are classically trained in the ways of conversation, art, and games.

Location rules: Akatsubaki is open from Early Evening to Midnight. Please do not expect the GM to play as the entertainers for you - this location is meant as a classy meeting place and the players setting up threads here should write the staff performing and serving them drinks. Anyone writing the staff doing anything that goes past PG-13 will duly get booted out of the game.

New Grove

Just south of Oborezuki castle lies a small grove of trees simply known as 'New Grove' where those Scorpion who betray their Clan are brought for punishment. Soshi shugenja bind the traitor to a tree and prepare their body and soul for the painful ritual to come. After hours of prayers and dousing the traitor with pungent incense, a long knife is pressed to their chest while a magistrate reads out the traitor’s crimes. As the crimes are read, the priests press the knife slowly through the convicted traitor’s chest. The magic invoked keeps them alive throughout this part of the ritual, feeling the knife sink through their heart and into the tree, transferring their soul into the tree for all eternity. The body is cremated and buried beneath the tree, while the traitor's mask and belongings are hung from the branches. The warped and gnarly trees growing in the grove produce continual, unearthly creaking and moaning sounds, as if they are forever in pain.

The Scorpion make no effort to hide the New Grove and, while the location is not marked on the official maps, the curious who do wander into the haunted woods are allowed to witness the price of betraying the Scorpion first hand. While it is impossible to be absolutely certain that this punishment is actually eternal, the Scorpion believe that the souls bound to the trees will suffer eternal agony without a chance of rebirth - a punishment most of the other Clans find barbaric and borderline blasphemous.

Horogai mall

Located at the heart of the 3rd mercantile district, Horogai Mall is the largest shopping center on World of Dreams, covering four entire blocks filled with department stores, restaurants, make-up parlours, hairdressers and specialty stores selling anything and everything a samurai might need. While individual stores might close occasionally to allow cleaning crews to perform their duties, the immense mall is open around the clock, bright neon lanterns and holographic maps guiding customers to their destinations. The corridors and covered alleys that connect different parts of the mall into a single, vast complex are kept clean by a small horde of diligent heimin and sanitation automata. For the numerous ji-samurai crowding the mall, the pristine and well-maintained space is a world apart from their over-crowded habitation complexes, allowing them to escape the tedium of their lives for at least a short moment. For those with more wealth than common sense, Horogai offers a myriad of chances to demonstrate just how affluent one is; many of the specialty stores catering exclusively to those with exotic and expensive tastes. In many ways, the colossal shopping complex stands as a living proof of the claim that anything and everything can be purchased on World of Dreams.
Location rules: When making a thread in this location, please indicate if the thread takes place in the streets or at one of the sublocations listed below. While Horonogai Maill is exception to the 'one thread at one location at given time slot' rule, the sublocations are not. Thus when drafting your thread, please check that the sublocation is not booked already.

Among the innumerable boutiques, department stores and street vendors the following can be found.

Red Dragon Tattoos
A shady tattoo parlor ran by a pair of outcast Dragon monks, both of whom have several fleshcrafts. Taking walk-ins, the duo works with both modern machinery and old fashioned needles, their style reminiscent of the neo-traditional Togashi-style popularized by Togashi Satsuki in last decade of the 31s century.

Naugh-tea Little Store
A trendy tea shop best known for its adventurous and questionable blends, serving several unique and original creations. Midnight Blossom, the flagship product of the store, mixes heavily smoked black tea with nutmeg, anis and chunks of cinnamon. The store also carries a series of blends dedicated to Fortunes, with Shahai's Kiss mixing hibiscus tea with chunks of dried blood oranges and small pieces of crystallized sugar being particularly trendy at the moment.

Tian Bubble Tea
Tian Bubble Tea is a well-known among the Unicorn Clan and the store on World of Dreams is nearly hundred years old. The bubble tea chain serves an assortment of traditional bubble teas while also offering a variety of milk-based creations. For the adventurous, they have milk teas, cheese mousse, and cheese cakes.

Silver Frog, 3rd district
Third location of the largest chain of department stores on the World of Dreams, nearly anything and everything can be purchased within, as long as one is willing to pay the premium for 'shopping with frogs'. The department store carries garments from all the major Scorpion brands as well as several lines from notable Dragon and Crab designers. Anyone seeking to purchase Crane or Spider style kimono will walk out with empty hands however, as the Scorpion purchasing agents act under strict political guidance.

Grey Carp
A combination of small sake house and beverage store, Grey Carp sells a large varieties of both local and imported spirits, specializing on Kuni and Yasuki produced sake and shochu. The establishment is ran by a large Yasuki family with no fewer than six children, whom all can be found working within the premises during the night time, their parents keen to teach them the tricks of the trade.

Gilded Claw
Claw is a small trendy boutique selling Ikoma and Akodo designed accessories, focusing on ear rings and bracelets but also selling more exotic jewellery. Piercings are performed on an appointment in a small backroom salon.

Sole Hero
Operated by an old heimin couple and presumably owned by Bayushi Hiro, this old fashioned shoe store sells both locally produced artisanal geta and imported, Unicorn made leather boots and moccasins.

Kochako Fried Chicken
This small fast food chain sells deep fried chicken along with a variety of locally manufactured spicy dipping sauces, a 'flavor to die for' as their commercials put it.

Kinken 金拳
This Hida operated sake house is famous for the inexpensive import spirits served in cheapest glassware found on the planet, as well as the four feet tall maneki-neko by the door, which for some peculiar reason, has a massive right paw reminiscent of a sumo-wrestlers arm.

Gokuraku

Located on the 14th floor of the Natsukaze Tower and busy around the clock, the Gokuraku is the largest bathhouse of the Oborozuki province, housing almost two dozen pools of various sizes along with steam rooms and lounges capable of accommodating hundreds of patrons. Following the usual norms, both showers and bathing spaces are unisex, with linen towels provided to those who prefer to cover themselves. Entering the bathhouse, visitors are given bracelets linked to their credit cards, allowing them to pay for refreshments and other services with a simple flick of a wrist; though more frugal samurai are likely to note how everything seems to be priced as if the bathhouse were a busy spaceport. The ground between the baths is covered by faux-wood paneling, heating elements hidden beneath ensuring that these floors remain warm and dry.

With both hot and cold pools available, as well as several smaller jazuzzi-type baths, patrons are truly spoiled for choices. Heimin responsible for the pool section dart gracefully between bar and baths, carrying a dazzling array of drinks and cocktails on small trays, serving each and every customer with a somewhat forced smile on their lips. The heimin are polite to a fault, often feeling more than a little nervous around the samurai. A canny observer might be able to spy a kimono-clad woman standing on the balcony that oversees the baths, her eyes intent on the staff. Tamori Mizue, the heavily tattooed proprietress of the Gokuraku is known both for her expensive tastes and her disdain for the lower classes. Rumors associate the bathhouse with several heimin that have gone missing, never to be found again. Mizue herself refuses to comment on such 'slanderous gossip'.

Dark Iron Forge

Half mechanized mine, half a forge factory, Dark Iron Forge is a marvel of Yogo engineering, a self-sustaining building that extracts precious metals from the crust of the world, refines them into alloys that are then molded into accessories and jewelry. Once located well outside the city proper, the complex has since been assimilated as part of the 71st district, its almost thousand-foot tall chimneys spewing black smoke and soot high into the atmosphere. Employing more than ten thousand heimin and eta, the facility also sports an extensive factory outlet to sell the mass-produced–and thus quite affordable–accessories designed by Dark Forge artisans. A maglev line connects the factory to the 3rd Mercantile District meaning that no visitor needs to mingle with the lower classes on the way.

Some say that the Yogo have delved too greedily and too deep that they have awoken something lumbering deep beneath the surface; and that the complex is cursed, haunted or both. There are rumors of heimin living near the faculty going missing. The Yogo dismiss any and all such tales as idle rumors, insisting that their facility follows the safety policies of the Scorpion and that the number of 'incidents' are well within tolerances considering the size of the forges.