Kyuden Oborezuki

Despite its name, the Castle of Misty Moon is more a collection of tall and sturdy skyscrapers than an actual fortification. Besides housing the offices of the lord governor and her government, the vast palace complex is also home to many of the lord governor's hatamoto and their families. The widest of the five towers that make up the 'castle' is dedicated for diplomats, having many rooms and small courts equipped with cutting edge communications equipment, allowing visiting Scorpion nobles and trade patrons to keep in touch with their allies and superiors. When residing on World of Dreams, the Scorpion champion and her staff stay in a purpose-built mansion above these diplomat quarters. Several businesses also maintain offices at the castle; though this is often a dubious honor as their Scorpion lords like to maintain a short leash on underlings they don't trust quite enough.

Kyuden Oborozuki is widely known for having had the honor of hosting the Imperial winter court six times during the past decade, reflecting the convenient location and vast docks which greatly smooth the logistics of relocating the Emperor and their entire court. Additionally, the excellent facilities built into the castle itself and the many services offered by the surrounding mega city which have made the location a particular favorite among traveling diplomats and courtiers, serve equally well to entertain the Imperial court.


Lord Magistrate's office
Located in the smallest of the five towers and large enough to host a small retinue, the Lord Magistrate's office is lavishly decorated with old paintings depicting legends most dear to the Scorpion. Among many works of art, the visitors can spy a scene of Bayushi-kami donning a veil, a small scorpion sitting by a river, and an old shugenja, presumably Yogo himself, prostrating himself before Bayushi-kami, the latter depicted as far taller than a mortal man. A large, mahogany conference table, surrounded by a dozen or so lush pillows, occupies the center of the room, lit by delicate metal lanterns that dangle from the ceiling. A faint scent of incense lingers in the air, mostly to ensure that the somewhat poorly ventilated room remains pleasant throughout the day.

Fifth Tower
The fifth tower is reserved for visiting Scorpion diplomats and traders, with each person provided lodgings in a luxuriously furnished two futon room with a small private bathroom and state of art computer terminal. Hosting non-Scorpion samurai in the tower is widely frowned upon as the common superstition among the local dignitaries and officials has it that anyone bringing 'a stranger' to the tower will suffer misfortune. Breaking this unwritten law might or might not have mechanical considerations.

Garden of Mists
Seemingly an ordinary park, the Garden of Mists offers visitors an enhanced experience with an array of spiritual holographic projectors hidden among the trees and hedges making the garden look more vibrant and lush than it really is. Skilled Soshi illusionists have created a landscape so realistic that one needs to touch any given flower or branch before they can be sure it is real. Wild lilac dragons can be seen among the foliage, the skittish flying lizards chasing large fuzzy white butterflies that flutter from flower to flower. The ubiquitous, iridescent shimmerwings are also present, chirping on the banks of the artificial stream that runs slowly through the gardens. Small fish, both illusory and real, swim in the stream and pools crafted by Scorpion gardeners.

The gardens are routinely tended by long-limbed, insectoid robots, carrying a selection of shears, probes, circular saws and plant syringes. These robots walk along the paths on their spindly legs, their soft clicking constantly echoing within the gardens. Programmed to yield to humans, the machines beep politely whenever they move aside to let a visitor pass.

Temple to Ancestors

Half esteemed shrine, half genetics laboratory, the vast Temple of the Ancestors is the largest Scorpion sanctuary dedicated to the souls that have entered Yomi. Tall stairs inscribed with quotes from the Tao, allow visitors to meditate upon matters of the soul as they ascend to the shrine. Above the main entrance an inspirational text reminds visitors that 'Heroes never die,’ while the ever-burning braziers fill the air within with the pungent scent of incense carrying prayers to Yomi and beyond.

Housing the remains of more than fifty thousand honorable ancestors, the shrine itself is tended by a small army of monks and archivists who both guide visitors and recite daily prayers for the deceased. With thousands upon thousands of souls enshrined within the tall building, only two dozen or so of the most important ancestors have altars of their own. Those wishing to pay their respects to one of the less well-known heroes of the clan have to make do with virtual altars. Upon request, monks will summon the plaque of the desired ancestor to one of the many terminals reserved for visitors. A row of vending machines provides a chance to purchase incense, small barrels of soboshu, as well as stylized boxes of mortuary candies to offer at the altars.

Beneath the temple itself lies the secretive Soshi-run genetics laboratory responsible for studying and replicating the genetic imprint of the clan's heroes. Row upon row of high end freezers contain hundreds of thousands of samples harvested from the honorable dead. It is widely rumored that the Soshi meddle with cloning and clinical eugenics, a claim that Soshi representatives are quick to deny. Public mention of such suspicions is a quick way to end up in trouble with the local authorities.

Golden Frog

Golden Frog, flagship store of Soshi Biochemicals, is among the finest sake houses on World of Dreams. The almost century-old establishment is well known for high quality spirits and impeccable service. Unsurprisingly, most of the spirits served are Soshi designed and produced, though Dragon and Crab sake and shochu are available as well. The City of Many Sins never sleeps and so this esteemed sake house never closes its doors, its four counters serving customers around the clock.

Located on the 64th and 65th floor of Hideyoshi Tower, Golden Frog has space to accommodate several large retinues at once. Small tables surrounded by tall chairs are scattered across the floor along with several larger tables surrounded by luxurious, if rather worn couches. Anyone sitting by the tall, darkened windows can enjoy an excellent view of the bustling city below. Live music is provided by skilled heimin performers playing songs that were popular roughly decade ago. Samurai performers are brought in regularly as well, as the manager likes to showcase new talent as well as stars of yesteryear.

Location Rules: This venue is open at all times, though those coming in the morning hours have to dodge quiet heimin cleaning crews mopping the floors and wiping tables.

A small list of drinks is provided for roleplay purposes.

Spirits
Pale Blossom Sake - a mild seishu type sake with a sweet aroma and delicate flavor
Tamori Golden Swallow - a potent junmai type sake with an earthy, almost mold-like aroma
Cherry Blossom Snow - a re-creation of an ancient blend known for its subtle scent and flavor of cherry
Purple Hydrangea Sake - a bold genshu type sake with a complex, but bitter flavor profile
Grey Cormorant - a soft seishu type sake with a pleasant taste and fruity scent


Cocktails
Swooping Dragon - two shots of shochu, soda, and sour cherry extract
Horny Toad - shochu, melon liquor, and a generous pour of energy drink
Crafty Frog - umeshu, apple liquor, and syrup
Stinger - aged sake, lime juice, and a slice of sour orange
Young Lover - amazake, cherry liquor, soda, and two sweet cherries
Sweet Lies - sake, soda, syrup, and chunks of bitter lemon

Beers
Black Hemlock - stout
Red Banner - lager
Winter Dragon - pale ale
Ghost Moth #3 - wheat ale
Dark Mist - dark lager
Lazy Cat - lager

Slums

Slightly over a dozen blocks within Pear Blossom Dome make up the slums reserved for the poorest of the heimin living aboveground. Serving the Scorpion as clerks, janitors, and food-service workers, they live in large dormitories with shared bathrooms and bathing facilities. The poorly maintained streets are lined with cheap sake houses and large, often jam-packed, eateries. Propaganda posters and reminders of the many regulations in effect here cover the poorly kept walls of aging buildings, reminding the commoners of the honor of serving the samurai and the consequences of dissidence. In reality, the peace here is primarily maintained by a coalition of gangs and thugs allowed to operate freely by Scorpion magistrates, so long as they maintain the governor's peace and pay their tithes. It is widely known that the Scorpion leadership turns a blind eye to such arrangements, attributing much of World of Dreams’ success to lax oversight and creative interpretation of regulations.

Many of the heimin living here work for the gangs in one way or another, often allowing the senior oyabun access to sensitive information not readily available elsewhere. This means that those willing to work with the thriving lowlife of World of Many Sins have ample opportunities to acquire information normally beyond their reach. For this reason most embassies maintain working relationships with a select few informants willingly trading koku for rumors and hearsay.

Location rules: Seeking Information

A character may spend a time slot in Slums seeking information regarding anything the world's lowlife might know, rolling Lore: Underworld / Intelligence or Investigation / Awareness against TN 25 and paying 1 koku plus 1 koku for each Raise called. Raise(s) will allow characters to discover secret or otherwise hard to discover information. In order to seek information, post the rolls and specify the topic in your private forum and link that post to the thread here.

This roll cannot be used to acquire Information points and is meant to provide the characters a way to learn things otherwise beyond their means.

Should you fail a roll on which you called Raises, please let the GM's know. While snooping around might not cause immediate problems, there is a small chance that someone will take notice and use the information in one way or another. While the thugs and mobsters hold few loyalties, they are keenly aware of the current political situation and thus Crane, Mantis and Spider samurai have a higher risk of ending up being mugged or worse should the underworld informants find a reason to doubt their motives.

Black House

Easily dwarfed by the many skyscrapers of the city and far from ostentatious, the House of Dark Steel is a rather modest eight floor building. Built to remind onlookers of the Spider's duty to serve as the dark mirror, the façade of the embassy has been crafted from black glass and alloys of steel that seem to reflect no light. This causes the building to stand apart from the brightly lit buildings that surround it, many of the locals refer to the embassy simply as 'black house'. However, the Spider have a rather good reputation among the many ronin living in the city; the Dark Mirror being known for paying fair wages and respecting its obligations to the letter. In fact, many of the Spider samurai guarding the embassy are former street wolves, now bearing the Daigotsu mon with pride.

The many halls of the embassy are devoid of the sculptures or other arts found in most diplomatic offices. Banners portraying the Daigotsu mon along with religious texts flank most doorways, the scriptures used to give a cue as to what lies behind the door. Thus people entering the mess hall can read how 'the devout soul is an abstemious one' and how 'samurai are honor-bound to remain healthy', the meals served are plain, but nutritious. While some courtiers might balk at the quality of the offerings, bushi will find these meals a huge improvement to what is served on Spider warships and planetary barracks.

The large common room located on the topmost floor of the embassy serves as a gathering place, as the uncomfortably small four-person sleeping rooms provided to guests are entirely unsuitable for social occasions, lacking both cushions and tea pots. Frugally furnished and almost ascetic in nature, the Spider common room consists of half a dozen, small low tables surrounded by flimsy cushions along with somewhat flimsy sofas and chairs surrounded by another half a dozen tables. In an effort to make the space feel at least a little homely, some ambassadors have imported plants from their home worlds. The common room is now hot and humid as a consequence of the irrigation system keeping those tropical plants alive, humidity condensing on the darkened windows that offer a view to the sprawling city.

Location special rules: Many of the monks serving at the shrines dedicated to Dark Fortunes are former Spider samurai and, while those who join the Brotherhood are expected to cast aside their former loyalties, some consider this more a guideline than a binding oath, willingly serving as the eyes and ears of the Spider. While the Scorpion are somewhat aware of this, there is only so much the Clan of Secrets can do without invoking the ire of the Brotherhood. Once per day, Spider characters 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 Lore: History 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).
GM-Squid

Tower of Night Eternal


Tower of Night Eternal is a dark and incredibly tall skyscraper that hosts both the offices and the vaunted R&D department of fabled Soshi Cybernetics. Curiously, the tower is also the home of the Soshi Cybernetics chairwoman, Soshi Kasumi, who lives in a vast and luxurious penthouse apartment on the 218th floor. Rumors have it that Kasumi suffers of a rare congenial disease that makes her skin vulnerable to ultraviolet light with even a short exposure causing hideous burns. For this reason the tower is wreathed in dim red lights, windows of the tall building glowing in ominous crimson hues in the night.

Perhaps more notably, the Tower of Night Eternal is also home of the fabled Benikage, a haute cuisine restaurant famous for its near pitch black dining hall and vaguely named dishes that leave the guests wondering what they are actually eating. The hand-picked waiters serving the customers are dressed in dark grey kimono to blend in with the shadows, wearing small night vision goggles that allows them to work in the darkness. Honoring the Rokugani traditions, Benikage serves only vegan foods, the master-chefs working for the Soshi crafting each and every dish like it was a work of art. Fresh radishes, carrots and turnips are carved to resemble fantastical beasts, each portion served with carefully seasoned vegetable purées and trademark hot sauce only available at Benikage.

House of Blooming Nightshades

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.

Ground Zero

The location of the former ill-fated Kinuran spirit furnace power plant, destroyed by a criticality incident back in 3119. An unfortunate series of theological engineering experiments caused spirit furnace number two to malfunction in a spectacular manner, leveling all buildings within a three-mile radius, killing upwards of 20,000 heimin and samurai and leaving a two-hundred-foot deep crater where the power plant had once been. The massive death toll caused by the explosion, combined with the cataclysmic burst of spiritual energies tore a hole in the fabric between realms, leaving the former industrial district haunted by Night Moths, Gakimushi and worse. Fully aware of the colossal effort needed to sanctify and rebuild the desolate grounds, the Scorpion have been content to leave the Dark Zone be, focusing their efforts elsewhere.

The plant was surrounded by several spiritual research facilities, many of which studied alien relics excavated from other Scorpion worlds. Many of these relics and experimental instruments now lie scattered across the Desolation, sought by both official expeditions and licensed treasure hunters. Besides lost relics, the treasure hunters seek glimmerstones, oddly smooth, glass-like baubles that lie scattered among the ruins, often embedded into what remains of the buildings that once housed thousands of souls. Sought after by shugenja for the spiritual powers they possess, these eerily shimmering baubles fetch a good price on the black market. Many ronin have made a fortune selling nemurenai thought to be lost; though for each such story, dozens of hopefuls have fallen to the spirits that haunt the region.

Location rules:
Ground Zero 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 Ground Zero 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.

Ground Zero is only partially in Ningen-do. 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.

Honor's Lesson Dojo

Responsible for training Bayushi bushi and courtiers, Honor's Lesson Dojo has half a dozen academies on World of Dreams, with the largest one located a few blocks from the Castle of Misty Moon. This esteemed dojo is open to the general public, and while lessons are conducted behind closed doors, many of the practice halls and shooting ranges can be used whenever a class is not in session. The practice halls have been built in a traditional fashion, with concrete walls hidden behind hand-carved wooden panels. The vast floor is covered with tatami-mats woven from artificial fibers, rather than traditional straw, making the mats easier to replace. Row upon row of bokken and other practice weapons hang from racks built along the walls, allowing visitors and students to spar without risking serious injury.

The shooting ranges are located underground for safety reasons, large signs indicating that the spaces reserved for gunnery practice and marksmanship are under constant video surveillance, ostensibly to allow the sensei to observe the form of the students. In reality, such surveillance is a standard safety procedure allowing the academy security to lock down individual rooms should something unusual happen. The shooting ranges themselves are simple, offering a choice between moving and suddenly appearing targets. Notably, the Bayushi bushi only ever shoot at roughly human-shaped targets to better condition the samurai to fire reflexively when spotting an enemy. Phoenix and Dragon bushi might find this slightly unsettling, while the Mantis and Crab bushi likely feel right at home. The shooting ranges are usually guarded by small groups of senior students who both instruct the younger students, who come to practice in their free time, and ensure that any visitors follow the rules of the dojo. Notably, anyone trying to bring a weapon heavier than a standard rifle will be turned away, the Scorpion sensei unwilling to let trigger happy visitors wreak havoc on shooting ranges graded for small weapons.

Location rules: While the dojo can be visited whenever, the shooting ranges and practice halls are open to the public between Late Afternoon and Late Night, as classes take place during the morning and early afternoon.

Practice weapons have the following DR:
Small weapons: 0k1
Medium weapons: 0k2
Large weapons: 0k3