Trial of Perfection

Introduction
The Japanese Garden appeared out of nowhere, and the scroll on it's gates offered us the Trial of Perfection. If we refuse the whole city will fall into an eternal slumber. We need to demonstrate our skill in various Japanese arts. Who are the brave souls that will do this?

Stage 1
The philosophy of the Japanese Garden is simple: "be the best or die". Five heroes from the City must achieve perfection in special disciplines. Who is worthy enough to pass the first Trial - the Way of the Perfect Warrior?

Task: Achieve warrior's perfection on the Way of Valor

This Trial is for Huntress. She have to 'sharpen her warrior skills'. Her friends Detective, Isabelle, Inspector and also the Monk help her with the various weapons.

Quests:

1 Find: Shurikens (Quest: Cruel Stars, by Huntress)

The Shurikens are attribite of a ninja or a samurai

2 Find: Katana (Quest: Famous Blade, by Detective)

A Katana is a 'true symbol of a Japanese warrior' says the Detective, and you must bring it to the Huntress

3 Find: Kikko Armour (Quest: Rigid Protection, by Isabelle)

''The Kikko Armour protect the Huntress against enemy blows. But because it is rigid, it takes time to getting used to it. But Isabelle believes in the Huntress's ability to master any weapon and that she will pass the ''Warrior Trial. Isabelle has seen a piece of armour before, like the samurai wear.

4 Find: Kogake Shoes (Quest: Warrior's Stediness, by Inspector)

''The Kogake Shoes are also something protective that the samurai wear. So the Inspector tells you. And he asks you to look for them in the Garden.''

''Despite all the help is the Huntress at the end of her strenght, and 'her muscles ache from the incredible strain'. She thinks that the 'unseen observers are preaparing to assess her skills'. But you believe in her.''

5 Find: Armor Knot: Quest: The Toughest Knot, by Monk)

''The Monk knows about the samurai and their traditions and is willing to help the Huntress too with her Trial. He asks you to look for the Toughest Knot, because the knot 'holds the armour of the samurai together and the shape symbolizes the personality of the warrior'''

6 Assemble: Kabuto Helmet. You need: 3x Seal of Radiance, 3x Emerald Shuriken, 3x Lotus, 3x Beckoning Cat

''After the assembling of almost a full set of samurai armour, the Huntress is glad that she has perfected her katana and shuriken skills. She is still afraid that she will fail, but the faith of the townspeople lends her to follow the way of the warrior, and she passes the Trial of Valor. She receives the Kabuto Helmet.''

''Isabelle recognizes it from a picture in a reference book at City Hall. She also found a letter about the Bushido Code: 'a true samurai must be a faithful, righteous and brave warrior. The best warrior is the one who possesses all the virtues."''

Stage 2
The Huntress reached unprecendented heights in Japanese martial arts and passed the Trial of Valor. But she will lose her strenght if the others fail the trials. Martha is preparing to enter the Way of Contemplation, but how can she pass the Trial?

Task: Achieve perfection on the Way of Contemplation

Quests:

1 Find: Snake Netsuke (Quest: Serpentine Beauty, by Valerie)

2 Find: Tiger Netsuke (Quest: Tiger in the Garden, by Detective)

3 Find: Rabbit Netsuke (Quest: Moon Rabbit, by Juliette)

4 Find: Crane Netsuke (Quest: Circle of Life, by Monk)

5 Find: Rat Netsuke (Quest: Rodent of Wealth, by Cardsharp)

6 Assemble: Cherry Tree Netsuke. You need: 5x Seal of Radiance, 5x Emerald Shuriken, 5x Lotus, 5x Beckoning Cat

Stage 3
Netsuke figurines helped Martha look into her soul and achieve harmony. The Trial of Contemplation is over. The third stage of Perfection is the Trial of Creation, but only a patient and creative person can pass it. Who can walk the Way of Creation?

That will be Valerie. She knows a little about art and she is a creative person, so she said. Besides that she "always wanted to grow bonsai trees at home."

Task: Understand the philosophy of Perfect Creation.

Quests

1 Find: Cascade Bonsai (Quest: On the Edge, by Detective)

2 Find: Upright Bonsai (Quest: Stability and Balance, by Juliette)

3 Find: Windswept Bonsai (Quest: Where the Wind Blows, by Lady Peacock)

4 Find: Bush Bonsai (Quest: Generation Bridge, by Lady)

5 Find: Root over Rock Bonsai (Quest: Path Through the Park, by Huntress)

6 Assemble: Cherry Tree Bonsai. You need: 6x Seal of Radiance, 6x Emerald Shuriken, 6x Lotus, 6x Beckoning Cat

In the meantime you get the message to look for Temari Balls in the Japanese gifts. There are five different Temari's: Spring Meadow Temari, Power Lines Temari, Starry Sky Temari, Fun Stripes Temari and Chrysanthemum Temari, together they form the Temari Garland. This Temari Garland will help Valerie with her Trial ''Way of Creation. ''

For the Temari Garland you need: 7x Truth Powder, 7x Emerald Shuriken, 7x Medal, 7x Beckoning Cat.

And again popups a Scroll with a philosophical thought about "what is perfect creation". And it ends again with the warning that if the others champions fail to pass, they all lose their talents.

Stage 4
Valerie volunteered to pass the Trial of Creation and succeeded. She found the line between art and nature with the help of the bonsai. The fourth champion must pass the Trial of Humanity and learn the true feelings of people, but how can one learn to read other people's souls?

Juliette thinks that she can do this. She understands people and always empathize with them. She ask her friends and you to search in the Garden, because she had seen several masks there.

Task: Reach the heights of Humanity

Quests

1 Find; Trickster Mask (Quest: To Trick the Trickster, by Cardsharp) 

''Cardsharp knows how to look into the soul of a trickster, he said. He mentions a couple names. He has read that there is a mask of the trickster Usobuki that was used in the Kyogen theatre. It looks like blowing smoke, but in fact it is whispering sweet lies.''

2 Find: Lovely Girl Mask (Quest: Hidden Virtue, by Juliette)

''Juliette remembers a story about the mask of a lovely girl, Ko-omote, from the Japanes theatre Noh. With that mask she can master Humanity. It symbolizes purity and innocence.''

3 Find: Craftsman mask (Quest: ......, by Conductor)

Conductor is 'not good at all this theatrical stuff', but wants to help Juliette and he once saw a a doll's face in the museum of an old Japanese man from the Bunraku theatre.

4 Find: Hero Mask (Quest: True Hero, by Detective)

''Detective will not that 'his' Juliette becomes cold as ice, when she looses her empathics skills. He asks you to look for a mask with special mak-up, like the actors from the Japanese Kabuki Theatre use. When you found it, Detective tells you what the red lines on the mask mean.''

5 Find: Spirit Mask (Quest: Multifaceted Evil, by Alex)

''Alex came across a mask of the Tengu spirit used in different theatres. He askes you to look for it in the Garden.''

6 Assemble

Stage 5
Quests

1 find

2 find

3 find

4 find

5 find

6 assemble

Conclusion
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