A topic from AEG's L5R CCG Rules forum, copied for Oracle of the Void from a copy of the forum saved in October 2015, so pages it didn't save are missing. Players' names are left out; the rules officials are named. Rulings are as they stood on these dates; later rulings, the rulebooks and the Rules Archive may differ.
A player, 15 February 2008
I am confused about the interaction between Kitsune Tsutaro and Failure of Duty.
When may I trigger Tsutaro's ability? Immediately after I play Failure of Duty, or must I wait until after battle resolution begins and I search my deck for a political action?
Additionally, is the rules team answering HV questions (there is a sticky which says no, but then a couple of them have been answered, so, I wasn't sure).
Paul Ashman
Kitsune Tsutaro's ability: Reaction: After you resolve a Political action, bow Tsutaro: Look at the top card of your Fate deck. You may place it on the bottom of your deck.
Failure of Duty text: Political Battle: Target one of your Courtiers at any location: Target a defending Personality. If he is bowed or at home when this battle's resolution begins, dishonor him, and you may search your Fate deck for a Political Action card, show it, and put it in your hand.
Martin Lund (rules official), 27 February 2008
I am confused about the interaction between Kitsune Tsutaro and Failure of Duty.
When may I trigger Tsutaro's ability? Immediately after I play Failure of Duty, or must I wait until after battle resolution begins and I search my deck for a political action?
Failure of Duty is "resolved" after it is played. The clause about doing something "when this battle's resolution begins" is a Delayed Effect, and thus you don't wait until it is applied to consider the Action resolved.
1. An action or trait begins to resolve when its sequence of effect activation begins, assuming costs, targeting and conditions have been met. It stops resolving when its sequence of effect activation has ended, even if the application of some effects has been delayed.
Comprehensive Rules: Glossary - R - "Resolve"
So you read through the Action and activate all the effects in order. The ones that are not delayed are applied immediately when activated. The ones that are delayed are applied later. When you reach the end of the ability's text and have activated the last effect (regardless of whether you applied it, delayed it, or had it fail / get Negated) the Action is Resolved.