The path to Palace of Silk and Shadow is not an easy one. The nine-story castle is situated at the top of a small plateau and easily defended by its surrounding geography, but further complicating matters is Bayushi's Labyrinth encircling the castle. The cleverer among the castle's guests might test their sense of direction and the sharpness of their wit against the disorienting hedges, but the Scorpion take great pains to deliver their guests through without issue.<br/><br/>Once guests have been led you through the gate and into the castle grounds they are offered a bath to wash off the grime of the road — and it would be rude to refuse. Those who acquiesce pass the time pleasantly, but those who are resistant find themselves rubbed slightly raw by peasant servants, peasant servants between the visiting samurai and their weapons. The message is clear to those with a mind for such things: "We can kill you at any moment," phrased just obliquely enough to be polite.<br/><br/>Once the visitors' daisho have been taken "to be sharpened," as is the custom of every castle in the Emerald Empire, they are visited by one of the castle's courtiers and a cadre of servants to ensure that their stay among the shifting shoji screen walls of the palace is as comfortable as their hosts will allow.<br/><br/>Agasha Naoyuki, Akodo Shingo, and their assorted retainers arrived at almost the same time. A young Shosuro courtier has been dispatched to see to the newly arrived guests, here scarcely a day before the tournament is to start, with the castle's guest chambers almost full. That is where our story begins...