If we have the Imperial Explorer's technique, can we roll retroactively to gain Way of the Land in areas we've been in over the past few months?

Without exaggeration, but I've already allowed a roll for DGC prior to eventing starting on -3.

I am... still not sure where new PCs are staying in Dragon's Guard City?

They're not garrisoned. You have options to pick your abode. A house on Northern Outskirts or your son-in-law's place make sense, if you want to be on Campus it's possible too. With Status 4, you have much leeway. Just drop an idea in your PF for a likely nod.

Odd question that I don't think the setting treats consistently.

A ronin is a lordless samurai. There are completely viable lords who are not a part of a clan. Most notably, imperial organizations, like the Emerald Magistrates or the Imperial Legion. If a wolf joins the Imperial Legion, then they absolutely have a lord. They've sworn fealty to the Emerald Champion (or, in later parts of the timeline, the shogun). So, they cease to be lordless samurai.

In this game, the question is more relevant in the case of the explorers.

Is a ronin who joins the explorers still a ronin? Or is that a, "In the semantic sense, not really, and they get some more protections, but society will still probably treat them like ronin anyways and they're likely to run into far more road blocks toward career advancement," situation?

The latter more-so than the former.

When the issue of ronin joining the Emerald Magistrates or Legion has been brought up in the past, it was noted to be rare in the extreme; Since one needs a recommendation from a higher up to get in. This means a ronin really needs to stand out and have an ally to make it in, and I would say the situation is comparable with the Explorers.

Also from past fluff, those rare individuals with the skill and connections to get such invitations or recommendations are usually given the opportunity to swear fealty to whomever put them forwards; If a masterless samurai is skilled enough to gain a higher up's recommendation, it is often in their best interest to have that ronin's skills at their clan's disposal.

Could the Unicorn pregame section be made public? I like reading threads

Eventually.

Is the Voice advantage helpful during the Matchmaker's Garden Party? No worries if it isn't, but thought I'd ask since the event seems to be entirely based on talking to people.

A number of the roles refer to 'risk of breech of etiquette'. When does this come into effect - on attempting, on success or on failure?

On failure or possibly on a wide miss of the target TN.

Voice would actually apply to all rolls.

I may still be adding rolling options, so stay tuned.

The above - you get -1 if you beat the roll by 10 or more?

I can't remember, can you choose for dice not to explode?

E.g. The TN is 15. You have Skill Rank 3, but you feel comfortable in calling just 2 Raises. Roll vs. 25, get 37. You'd earn 3 Talk Points, but instead get 2. It doesn't work like this that it defaults to -1 the moment it over-rolls. You'd be in trouble only if it overrolled by 40. And no, you cannot choose whether it explodes. If it's skilled, it explodes.

Do negative talk points take away VIP?

Nope. If you end up under 0, you end up with 0.

Does Wary count for social ambushes?

/sigh

Did my Astrology emphasis for Divination count for the event roll?

Yes to both.

Does Kakita Artisan's Rank 1: Soul of the Artisan still apply in letting you raise as much as you want? Normally it says "no longer restricted by Void", but curious if it applies in this case.


EDIT: Also any rumours for Day 0?

No, because Artisan Skills don't count as such for this event.

Rumours will be there. Busy day, work till 9 pm.