After spending 7 days on land Shinju dives into the river and swims downstream into the ocean. She keeps swimming eventually diving into the depths near the shelf of the main trench between Harrowport and the Vast. She gets to the gloom region and finds a newer shipwreck at 250 ft. Investigating it she finds some cabins that are relatively closed and with few holes in the sides. She sets up her camp there and waits for her spirits to come to her.
She swims around the inside of the ship ignoring the bodies with crabs and crustations covering them to make sure no one is there. She disturbs a vampire squid. It takes flight spraying ink in her direction. She waits for it to dissipate and continues her search.
Ending her search and finding nothing else but crabs and the occasional shrimp she settles down in her new cabin The ocean spirit comes first and smiles as he settles in and sits beside her. The Hoo bird comes after about an hour perching in an empty spot laid out for it. Shinju is about to greet them formally when both suddenly swim out of the door. She stays still for a time then gets up to investigate what has happened. She peeks out the door to see an octopus moving along the floor slowly as if investigating the wreck. Its body is about 4 ft in diameter so not a small octopus but still no danger to her. She swims out into the corridor and faces it. “There is plenty of room here if you are not aggressive. I can share.”
The octopus doesn’t swim off or get frightened by her presence she worries a bit, for though it is too small to do great damage to her, it might become hostile making her fight it. The creature moves slowly up to her. It regards her keeping her attention. That is when a voice behind speaks, “Now you…... are a very long way from home!”
Shinju spins round and goes into a defensive stance. The man behind her looks somewhat like a triton with golden hair and handsome green eyes. He wears a white robe and there seems to be some form of towel or shawl draped over his shoulder. She studies him closely and says, “And you……. Are not who you appear. There is something wrong with you. This isn’t your natural form.”
The man laughs, “Women are always so much more astute than men at seeing through my guises.”
Shinju still in a defensive stance asks, “Who are you? What are you?”
He smirks, “No need to worry spirit folk. Unlike a few of my people I wish no harm to you. My name is Mimu I myself saw you diving and followed you here to investigate what would come to this realm from the surface. What I am. Well let's just say I’m a nosy neighbor.”
Shinju relaxes after she checks on the octopus behind her. She bows. “Shinju of the Heavens gate monastery.”
He seems a bit surprised. “A monk as well as a shaman. Intriguing.”
Shinju looks around. “You can see them?”
“Oh, yes. My kind can see them though rarely speak with them.”
“The octopus?”
“Chamise. She’s a pet of sorts, a companion.”
“As long as you cause no harm Mimu you are welcome to my light.”
“Oh, an invitation That sounds right neighborly of you.”
She leads him to her cabin. “I must shut the door if we want light so as not to garner unwanted attention.”
The man looks around. “A few holes it should only attract small predators.” He nods his approval.
She casts a light spell and sits down. He sits across from her. The octopus Chamise floats behind him in the corner.”
There is silence for several minutes as the two regard each other. He is the first to speak, “You’ve been on land for several days it seems. Your wraps are bloodstained. You have dirt on your robes. Why are they not wet?”
“The clothing of Sea spirit folk does not get wet in the water. Only when we will it will our clothes become wet.”
“And your skin? Your gills?”
“A different matter altogether any exposed skin is wet. I must pass water through my gills to breath.”
What do you do up there on the surface on land? Tell me about your time on the surface. I bear an interest in the humans and other land peoples.”
Shinju thinks a moment. Seeing no harm, she tells her story of the days she was on the surface.
Of Two Worlds
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Re: Of Two Worlds
“I am from a land called Kozakura. It’s an empire of islands far to the east. I was stranded here and decided to stay. I will not give my reasons. This will be my new home.
I have been here some two months now and when I rose to the surface this last time one of the first things I found was my sister. She went looking for me after I disappeared.”
Mimu Asks, “How did she find you?”
“I am unsure. Her mother is an elf with long ears longer than most.”
Mimu seems to understand something she does not and just nods.
Shinju continues, “I was so happy. I have not seen much of my family since 5 and I love my sister. They would not visit the monastery often enough. It was a special reunion if fleeting. For I only saw her one other time working a forge these last 7 days and do not know how long she will stay. I hope long enough to get to know her better. She likes to forge metal. She says I should gem cut. I guess she has a reason for me to do so. I am not sure. I have my art already. It is called Kung fu. Still, it is a wonderful reunion.
I found a new town called Hillsfar. I do not know much about it other than it has a place that is filled with either the people of Wa or Kozakura. It is called the Eel and Dragon restaurant, a place to eat our food. It also has a merchant called Sei Lu that sells a few weapons from my home Tessen, Nun chucks, and other things. They have a bank and also have a place to put your unused things. It’s called a vault. I have a key now and store a whole scroll case of treasure maps. It also has a zoo. It has pandas and other things from the east. A wonderful place and yet sad, for all the animals are caged.
The man who keeps the zoo looks rather worried though. I may have to speak with him in the future about what is wrong: Why he looks so worried.
Mimu nods. “It’s not right to keep animals trapped far away from their homeland. They do not understand why they are caged and I am sure they wish to be with their own kind.”
Shinju nods, “But if you wish to correct an injustice especially within a society you must do it the right way through convincing enough that it is wrong to make a change otherwise in time the same injustice will be enacted again. If not with the same generation than with the next.”
Mimu smirks, “The people of the land are small minded and ignorant most times that I have spoken to them near the shore. They hardly ever learn and will repeat mistakes each generation.”
Shinju is about to retort what he says and stops. She has to think about her next words. She gets a sense that they will be important. She says, “I have faith that someday. Some 10 day, some month or year the land people will grow and learn from their past mistakes.”
Mimu laughs. “You are obviously very young. Come back to me in 500 years and tell me the same.”
Shinju gets a distant look in her eyes and says, “I will do that.
There is a place by a waterfall if you swim up the nearest river where people called adventurers meet. I sit and listen to them for many hours while on land. We were sitting around talking early in the days I walked on land when these giant orange gourds started to grow really fast around the trees. They suddenly seemed to surround us. Someone said they were pumpkins.
As we tried to figure out what is going on more of these pumpkins appeared, but these ones had faces and they attacked us. Again and again, we killed these gourds. I think they were trying to invade our camp. It seemed a never-ending sea of orange assaulting us. Finally, we fell the last of them. Those last gourds released something called a queen’s mark. They are special coins worth a lot of money. It was my third queen’s mark. I put it in my vault. My hands also got very gooey from punching all those moving vegetables.”
Mimu chuckles as if he knows what may have happened. Shinju smiles but starts to wonder about the strange man.
Shinju stops a minute to gather her thoughts then says, “People have started to ask me what I will do in this new place. I gave it much thought and decided that if this is to be my new home that I should do something. I took council with my spirits, and we came up with a plan. My goal will be to build a monastery and teach the path to these people. Even if they worship other gods, they can learn great things about how to treat others. Thus, I have decided this, and this will be my goal in this new home.
I envision a temple with gardens and training area, a pool of still water to rest in, a clinic to help heal the sick and help the poor with food and fresh water. And will train any who wish to follow the path so that there are people who can help when or if tragedy strikes the land.
I have taken council with a few here. Earmisa and another to whom I do not know her name. They have given me good council. It will take many millions of gold, and many, many queens mark but I believe it is worth it.”
Mimu again smirks, “The real question is: Are you doing this for the people of these lands or are you doing this for your own grandeur?”
Shinju almost replies offhandedly then stops, thinks the smile she has turns into a look of confusion, “I… am really not sure at this point.”
“An honest answer for a question so close to the soul. Thank you. Ask yourself before you truly start this endeavor to ask that question. Your own answer will guide you.”
Shinju nods and then changes the subject. “I was taken to a new place called a desert. It was a horrible place for me. The heat itself did not bother me, but the very air seemed to want to tear me apart… even with a shield. We fought men with squid like heads, Floating eyes, all manner of creature even a dragon called a shadow dragon. I found two more queens marks and a new set of armor that protects me completely from most hedge magic.”
Mimu chuckles, “The desert is not for those who are of the water. The very air wants to dissipate our forms always use a shield in the desert, Shinju. Your life will depend upon it.”
Mingzhu nods after such a horrendous experience. “I could feel it down to my bones.
Over the entire 7 days I was on land I searched for a new spirit. You see I have grown quickly as a monk but now my shamanism is stalled. I cannot grow further until I seek out a new spirit that accepts me and that I myself accept as a guide. It is as if they are hiding from me. I am uncertain what to do. I constantly cast my eyes to the spirit plane when there now but still there are no spirits other than those that are trapped within the undead, I often find myself fighting against.”
Mimu smirks, “Patience shamaness, all things come in due time.”
Shinju reluctantly nods. “I will have patience.”
Mimu gets up and smiles, “I am satisfied I have a good neighbor. Thank you, Shinju. I will disturb you and your spirits no longer. Do watch for predators. There are a few giant squids and the sperm whales that follow them at these depths often enough. Though you will not be bothered by most sharks. Adieu I will be going.”
Shinju gets up and places the palms of her hands together bowing. Mimu takes his leave. He leaves and closes the door behind him after Chamise follows him. As he makes sure, she isn’t looking he changes form to that of a woman. The Nereid swims off to her own private sanctuary.
Shinju not used to such creatures, sits back down and waits. Presently her spirits come back, and she takes council with them.
I have been here some two months now and when I rose to the surface this last time one of the first things I found was my sister. She went looking for me after I disappeared.”
Mimu Asks, “How did she find you?”
“I am unsure. Her mother is an elf with long ears longer than most.”
Mimu seems to understand something she does not and just nods.
Shinju continues, “I was so happy. I have not seen much of my family since 5 and I love my sister. They would not visit the monastery often enough. It was a special reunion if fleeting. For I only saw her one other time working a forge these last 7 days and do not know how long she will stay. I hope long enough to get to know her better. She likes to forge metal. She says I should gem cut. I guess she has a reason for me to do so. I am not sure. I have my art already. It is called Kung fu. Still, it is a wonderful reunion.
I found a new town called Hillsfar. I do not know much about it other than it has a place that is filled with either the people of Wa or Kozakura. It is called the Eel and Dragon restaurant, a place to eat our food. It also has a merchant called Sei Lu that sells a few weapons from my home Tessen, Nun chucks, and other things. They have a bank and also have a place to put your unused things. It’s called a vault. I have a key now and store a whole scroll case of treasure maps. It also has a zoo. It has pandas and other things from the east. A wonderful place and yet sad, for all the animals are caged.
The man who keeps the zoo looks rather worried though. I may have to speak with him in the future about what is wrong: Why he looks so worried.
Mimu nods. “It’s not right to keep animals trapped far away from their homeland. They do not understand why they are caged and I am sure they wish to be with their own kind.”
Shinju nods, “But if you wish to correct an injustice especially within a society you must do it the right way through convincing enough that it is wrong to make a change otherwise in time the same injustice will be enacted again. If not with the same generation than with the next.”
Mimu smirks, “The people of the land are small minded and ignorant most times that I have spoken to them near the shore. They hardly ever learn and will repeat mistakes each generation.”
Shinju is about to retort what he says and stops. She has to think about her next words. She gets a sense that they will be important. She says, “I have faith that someday. Some 10 day, some month or year the land people will grow and learn from their past mistakes.”
Mimu laughs. “You are obviously very young. Come back to me in 500 years and tell me the same.”
Shinju gets a distant look in her eyes and says, “I will do that.
There is a place by a waterfall if you swim up the nearest river where people called adventurers meet. I sit and listen to them for many hours while on land. We were sitting around talking early in the days I walked on land when these giant orange gourds started to grow really fast around the trees. They suddenly seemed to surround us. Someone said they were pumpkins.
As we tried to figure out what is going on more of these pumpkins appeared, but these ones had faces and they attacked us. Again and again, we killed these gourds. I think they were trying to invade our camp. It seemed a never-ending sea of orange assaulting us. Finally, we fell the last of them. Those last gourds released something called a queen’s mark. They are special coins worth a lot of money. It was my third queen’s mark. I put it in my vault. My hands also got very gooey from punching all those moving vegetables.”
Mimu chuckles as if he knows what may have happened. Shinju smiles but starts to wonder about the strange man.
Shinju stops a minute to gather her thoughts then says, “People have started to ask me what I will do in this new place. I gave it much thought and decided that if this is to be my new home that I should do something. I took council with my spirits, and we came up with a plan. My goal will be to build a monastery and teach the path to these people. Even if they worship other gods, they can learn great things about how to treat others. Thus, I have decided this, and this will be my goal in this new home.
I envision a temple with gardens and training area, a pool of still water to rest in, a clinic to help heal the sick and help the poor with food and fresh water. And will train any who wish to follow the path so that there are people who can help when or if tragedy strikes the land.
I have taken council with a few here. Earmisa and another to whom I do not know her name. They have given me good council. It will take many millions of gold, and many, many queens mark but I believe it is worth it.”
Mimu again smirks, “The real question is: Are you doing this for the people of these lands or are you doing this for your own grandeur?”
Shinju almost replies offhandedly then stops, thinks the smile she has turns into a look of confusion, “I… am really not sure at this point.”
“An honest answer for a question so close to the soul. Thank you. Ask yourself before you truly start this endeavor to ask that question. Your own answer will guide you.”
Shinju nods and then changes the subject. “I was taken to a new place called a desert. It was a horrible place for me. The heat itself did not bother me, but the very air seemed to want to tear me apart… even with a shield. We fought men with squid like heads, Floating eyes, all manner of creature even a dragon called a shadow dragon. I found two more queens marks and a new set of armor that protects me completely from most hedge magic.”
Mimu chuckles, “The desert is not for those who are of the water. The very air wants to dissipate our forms always use a shield in the desert, Shinju. Your life will depend upon it.”
Mingzhu nods after such a horrendous experience. “I could feel it down to my bones.
Over the entire 7 days I was on land I searched for a new spirit. You see I have grown quickly as a monk but now my shamanism is stalled. I cannot grow further until I seek out a new spirit that accepts me and that I myself accept as a guide. It is as if they are hiding from me. I am uncertain what to do. I constantly cast my eyes to the spirit plane when there now but still there are no spirits other than those that are trapped within the undead, I often find myself fighting against.”
Mimu smirks, “Patience shamaness, all things come in due time.”
Shinju reluctantly nods. “I will have patience.”
Mimu gets up and smiles, “I am satisfied I have a good neighbor. Thank you, Shinju. I will disturb you and your spirits no longer. Do watch for predators. There are a few giant squids and the sperm whales that follow them at these depths often enough. Though you will not be bothered by most sharks. Adieu I will be going.”
Shinju gets up and places the palms of her hands together bowing. Mimu takes his leave. He leaves and closes the door behind him after Chamise follows him. As he makes sure, she isn’t looking he changes form to that of a woman. The Nereid swims off to her own private sanctuary.
Shinju not used to such creatures, sits back down and waits. Presently her spirits come back, and she takes council with them.
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Winterhawk99
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Re: Of Two Worlds
Shinju dives down to her wreck to find some new denizens covering everything. She sighs and exclaims in agitation, “How do I get rid of these Crabs!” A voice in the not too far distance laughs loudly. She turns to see Mimu swimming toward her. Chamise on his tail. “Nosy neighbor did you do this?”
“Well, there is still some flesh on the bodies. You might want to clean them up. Plus, whatever other organic food may be laying around.” Mimu smirks.
Shinju nods, “It’s only fitting their souls are laid to rest. I’ll start pulling bodies from the wreck and line them up in a flat spot.”
“Great idea, I’ll watch. After all it’s your home not mine. By the way what did you find up there?”
Shinju looks just a little bit irritated, “Let me get this straight. You want me to tell you what’s on the surface while I’m cleaning up these dead bodies?”
“Well yea what are neighbors for, anyway?”
She side-eyes him, “Stuff it Mimu!”
“Oh, so cruel! You hurt my feelings……. Alright I’ll give you a hand with the bodies if you tell me about your days up there.”
The two of them along with Shamise work to remove the bodies from the wreck. Shinju finds a relatively level spot and she lines them all up one by one. She gets out one of her waterproof prayer books and performs a Path burial service for the souls of the crew. Chamise seems to be chewing on something here and there while helping. Shinju looks at the octopus, “Will you tell Chamise to stop. That’s just gross.”
Mimu smirks, “Well octopus have to eat too.”
“Not on bodies that I’m doing last rites for!”
The octopus stops what it is doing and swims to Mimu’s side. The pair stay quiet now until she’s completed the service. After she swims back to the wreck. Kicking crabs as she walks down the gunwale. They start to vacate the ship. Mimu follows her. “Well now that we are done what happened up there.”
Shinju goes to her room and sits down throwing up a light spell. Chamise stays at the door. Mimu sits down beside her.
“There’s not really much to tell other than I used a spell called Commune with Greater Spirit and was answered by 4. I had my answer and have chosen a 3rd spirit guide.”
Mimu laughs, “There has to be much more like, why are your eyes glowing now?”
Shinju nods, “It’s a condition called Perfect Self. My ki has become so strong, that my eyes glow. It means I have completely mastered my body and if still at the monastery would be inducted into the masters of the temple.
Mimu smiles, “Congratulations then are in order. I have this 500-year-old bottle of wine.”
Shinju just raises and eyebrow, “No thanks I’m not so sure it’s still wine.”
“Erm! Maybe not. What about this Commune thing?”
“It’s a shaman spell more ritualistic than most in nature. I first must use a spell called trance to better see into the spirit world: The ethereal plane. It attracts the spirits to me. I then cast Commune with Lesser or Greater Spirit and can ask the spirits which come questions. In this case it was my own spirit guide Hoo bird.”
“And?”
“I found myself in the sea with a distant shore in front of me. There were 4 things there. The first a castle representing the Celestial court itself. That one I knew. Another was a Li Lung an earth dragon that was sitting quietly on the beach looking out. The third was a woman with a shield with a child behind it. She seemed to be guarding the child. And the last was a woman made of wood.
I watched while asking the Hoo bird questions about the four on the beach. I asked it about the woman with the shield first. Hoo bird said that it was a spirit of protection. I next asked about the woman made of wood. The answer I got was that it was a wood nymph whose tree had fallen. I asked why the celestial court had shown itself. Hoo bird told me that I align strongly with the court so that it now shows itself inviting me in. I finally asked about the Li Lung, for I did not know what to even think about that because I have little affinity for earth. The Hoo bird did not know why the Li lung showed up. Which made it a mystery.
I had one more question so asked why they showed up in my vision. Hoo bird told me that these are the spirits that are open to teaching me and now I must choose who to let guide me to continue my journey as a shamaness. With the last question spoken and answered the spell broke and I found myself back in the real world.
There was someone there with me: A woman by the name of Atra. I told her of my vision. She counseled me to choose the one I am most unfamiliar with. I am well steeped in the teaching of the celestial court, and my family has always been aligned with spirits of protection being from a samurai family. Those two I was most familiar with. The two I was most unfamiliar with were the Li Lung and the Nymph: A spirit of nature.
For two days I mulled over this vision until, at last, it was time that I had to choose.”
The fish and crabs suddenly vacate the area and swim away. Chamise becomes ultra nervous. Mimu looks around and peeks his head out the door. His skin grows pale, and he suddenly grabs one of the octopuses’ arms drawing it into the room and slams the door close. “There’s something out there and its huge!”
“Well, there is still some flesh on the bodies. You might want to clean them up. Plus, whatever other organic food may be laying around.” Mimu smirks.
Shinju nods, “It’s only fitting their souls are laid to rest. I’ll start pulling bodies from the wreck and line them up in a flat spot.”
“Great idea, I’ll watch. After all it’s your home not mine. By the way what did you find up there?”
Shinju looks just a little bit irritated, “Let me get this straight. You want me to tell you what’s on the surface while I’m cleaning up these dead bodies?”
“Well yea what are neighbors for, anyway?”
She side-eyes him, “Stuff it Mimu!”
“Oh, so cruel! You hurt my feelings……. Alright I’ll give you a hand with the bodies if you tell me about your days up there.”
The two of them along with Shamise work to remove the bodies from the wreck. Shinju finds a relatively level spot and she lines them all up one by one. She gets out one of her waterproof prayer books and performs a Path burial service for the souls of the crew. Chamise seems to be chewing on something here and there while helping. Shinju looks at the octopus, “Will you tell Chamise to stop. That’s just gross.”
Mimu smirks, “Well octopus have to eat too.”
“Not on bodies that I’m doing last rites for!”
The octopus stops what it is doing and swims to Mimu’s side. The pair stay quiet now until she’s completed the service. After she swims back to the wreck. Kicking crabs as she walks down the gunwale. They start to vacate the ship. Mimu follows her. “Well now that we are done what happened up there.”
Shinju goes to her room and sits down throwing up a light spell. Chamise stays at the door. Mimu sits down beside her.
“There’s not really much to tell other than I used a spell called Commune with Greater Spirit and was answered by 4. I had my answer and have chosen a 3rd spirit guide.”
Mimu laughs, “There has to be much more like, why are your eyes glowing now?”
Shinju nods, “It’s a condition called Perfect Self. My ki has become so strong, that my eyes glow. It means I have completely mastered my body and if still at the monastery would be inducted into the masters of the temple.
Mimu smiles, “Congratulations then are in order. I have this 500-year-old bottle of wine.”
Shinju just raises and eyebrow, “No thanks I’m not so sure it’s still wine.”
“Erm! Maybe not. What about this Commune thing?”
“It’s a shaman spell more ritualistic than most in nature. I first must use a spell called trance to better see into the spirit world: The ethereal plane. It attracts the spirits to me. I then cast Commune with Lesser or Greater Spirit and can ask the spirits which come questions. In this case it was my own spirit guide Hoo bird.”
“And?”
“I found myself in the sea with a distant shore in front of me. There were 4 things there. The first a castle representing the Celestial court itself. That one I knew. Another was a Li Lung an earth dragon that was sitting quietly on the beach looking out. The third was a woman with a shield with a child behind it. She seemed to be guarding the child. And the last was a woman made of wood.
I watched while asking the Hoo bird questions about the four on the beach. I asked it about the woman with the shield first. Hoo bird said that it was a spirit of protection. I next asked about the woman made of wood. The answer I got was that it was a wood nymph whose tree had fallen. I asked why the celestial court had shown itself. Hoo bird told me that I align strongly with the court so that it now shows itself inviting me in. I finally asked about the Li Lung, for I did not know what to even think about that because I have little affinity for earth. The Hoo bird did not know why the Li lung showed up. Which made it a mystery.
I had one more question so asked why they showed up in my vision. Hoo bird told me that these are the spirits that are open to teaching me and now I must choose who to let guide me to continue my journey as a shamaness. With the last question spoken and answered the spell broke and I found myself back in the real world.
There was someone there with me: A woman by the name of Atra. I told her of my vision. She counseled me to choose the one I am most unfamiliar with. I am well steeped in the teaching of the celestial court, and my family has always been aligned with spirits of protection being from a samurai family. Those two I was most familiar with. The two I was most unfamiliar with were the Li Lung and the Nymph: A spirit of nature.
For two days I mulled over this vision until, at last, it was time that I had to choose.”
The fish and crabs suddenly vacate the area and swim away. Chamise becomes ultra nervous. Mimu looks around and peeks his head out the door. His skin grows pale, and he suddenly grabs one of the octopuses’ arms drawing it into the room and slams the door close. “There’s something out there and its huge!”
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Winterhawk99
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Re: Of Two Worlds
It’s time for Shinju to smirk. She swims to the door and reopens it. There is a creature sitting beside the ship which is almost as large as the ship itself. It has the face of a human, the body of a lion and great wings upon its back. Mimu cringes and grabs on to Shinju’s back hugging her tightly. “A giant sphinx creature! Close the door! It will eat us after we haven’t solved its riddle.”
Shinju giggles, “No silly it’s an earth dragon, a Li Lung. Hello there. It’s my earth spirit guide.”
“That thing can’t be a spirit. IT’S ALIVE!”
Again, Shinju chuckles, “Almost all Lung dragons are spirits and are beholden to the celestial court.”
“It’s the size of the entire ship we are on!”
The Li lung now decides to speak. “I am Shan and I really dislike this open environment. Can we go somewhere more suitable?”
“Ack! It talks too! There’s a devious riddle coming! I just know it!”
Shinju shakes her head. She puts the palms of her hands together and bows to the dragon. Shinju of the Heaven’s gate Monastery. Welcome Shan. This is my home. I’m sorry but two other spirits will be joining us soon to dance. Could you change into a more suitable form for us?” Shan transforms into a male sea spirit folk. Shinju continues, “If you knew I was sea spirit folk why did you show yourself when I did my casting?”
Shan walks in. Mimu detaches himself from Shinju and moves to the corner of the room still unsure of what he has seen. Shan looks around obviously disappointed in the cabin, “The celestial court called for an earth spirit to help with the matter of spirit guides I answered its call. You Uesuki Shinju wish to build a monastery in the west. A difficult task with the separation of east and west though it might be accomplished. You need grounding and a steadiness to task, to accomplish such an endeavor. Your ocean spirit cannot help with this for he is of a whimsical nature, and your Hoo bird of rebirth knows not of the steady hand and influence you need to achieve such goals. That is why I answered the call of the spell.”
Shinju thinks about it a long time then asks, “The other spirits?”
Shan answers her, “I do not know specifically but their influence would have pulled you into slightly different directions as you communed with them. The question I ask is why have you chosen me over the others?”
The ocean spirit goes through Shan and sits down by the light as Shinju answers. “I was advised by a nature lover perhaps one of the Way to choose the spirit who represents the domain I know least about so that I may grow more balanced.”
The dragon answers her, “You have more affinity and are tuned to earth much more than you know Shinju. The monastery that you grew up in is dedicated to the earth spirits of the region. Your favorite kung-fu style is leopard. It is an earth style thus much of the ki build up while you practice your art is of an earth elemental nature. You have ties to earth magic you did not know that is one of the many reasons and earth spirit was called to you during your ritual casting.”
Shinju is at a loss for words for a moment trying to digest it all. She asks, “Well, where do we start?”
Shan looks around at the other spirits and Mimu, “Let’s start with a bit of truth. First and foremost, your water spirit wants to ravage your body, and the girl does to even though she’s polymorphed as a man.”
Mimu suddenly makes a break for it out the door and swims away as fast as he can. Shinju blinks and looks at her water spirit guide. It shrugs its shoulders and smiles innocently. “Um ok who or what exactly is Mimu first of all?”
The li lung looks back. “She is a nereid. A water spirit of a sort that can polymorph. She’s not one of the evil types, just mischievous. I wanted to warn you what was happening after all I am now one of your three spirit guides.
Shinju looks back at the ocean spirit, “No! and no!” The water spirit just smiles and shakes his head.
Shan asks, “Is this form pleasing enough to you, Shinju.”
“Yes and no! to you too. No one's going to be fucking me any time soon!”
Shan chuckles, “You’re too squishy for one like me besides I like my own kind. Water spirits are all too squishy.” He continues to grumble trailing off.
Shinju nods. “We dance together every dawn and now I’m keeping my eye on you Ocean spirit.”
The spirit just shrugs. The Hoo bird shakes its head thinking about renewal. Shinju gets up. “Well, let us dance then since its near dawn. We’ll sort all this new stuff as we go.”
Shinju giggles, “No silly it’s an earth dragon, a Li Lung. Hello there. It’s my earth spirit guide.”
“That thing can’t be a spirit. IT’S ALIVE!”
Again, Shinju chuckles, “Almost all Lung dragons are spirits and are beholden to the celestial court.”
“It’s the size of the entire ship we are on!”
The Li lung now decides to speak. “I am Shan and I really dislike this open environment. Can we go somewhere more suitable?”
“Ack! It talks too! There’s a devious riddle coming! I just know it!”
Shinju shakes her head. She puts the palms of her hands together and bows to the dragon. Shinju of the Heaven’s gate Monastery. Welcome Shan. This is my home. I’m sorry but two other spirits will be joining us soon to dance. Could you change into a more suitable form for us?” Shan transforms into a male sea spirit folk. Shinju continues, “If you knew I was sea spirit folk why did you show yourself when I did my casting?”
Shan walks in. Mimu detaches himself from Shinju and moves to the corner of the room still unsure of what he has seen. Shan looks around obviously disappointed in the cabin, “The celestial court called for an earth spirit to help with the matter of spirit guides I answered its call. You Uesuki Shinju wish to build a monastery in the west. A difficult task with the separation of east and west though it might be accomplished. You need grounding and a steadiness to task, to accomplish such an endeavor. Your ocean spirit cannot help with this for he is of a whimsical nature, and your Hoo bird of rebirth knows not of the steady hand and influence you need to achieve such goals. That is why I answered the call of the spell.”
Shinju thinks about it a long time then asks, “The other spirits?”
Shan answers her, “I do not know specifically but their influence would have pulled you into slightly different directions as you communed with them. The question I ask is why have you chosen me over the others?”
The ocean spirit goes through Shan and sits down by the light as Shinju answers. “I was advised by a nature lover perhaps one of the Way to choose the spirit who represents the domain I know least about so that I may grow more balanced.”
The dragon answers her, “You have more affinity and are tuned to earth much more than you know Shinju. The monastery that you grew up in is dedicated to the earth spirits of the region. Your favorite kung-fu style is leopard. It is an earth style thus much of the ki build up while you practice your art is of an earth elemental nature. You have ties to earth magic you did not know that is one of the many reasons and earth spirit was called to you during your ritual casting.”
Shinju is at a loss for words for a moment trying to digest it all. She asks, “Well, where do we start?”
Shan looks around at the other spirits and Mimu, “Let’s start with a bit of truth. First and foremost, your water spirit wants to ravage your body, and the girl does to even though she’s polymorphed as a man.”
Mimu suddenly makes a break for it out the door and swims away as fast as he can. Shinju blinks and looks at her water spirit guide. It shrugs its shoulders and smiles innocently. “Um ok who or what exactly is Mimu first of all?”
The li lung looks back. “She is a nereid. A water spirit of a sort that can polymorph. She’s not one of the evil types, just mischievous. I wanted to warn you what was happening after all I am now one of your three spirit guides.
Shinju looks back at the ocean spirit, “No! and no!” The water spirit just smiles and shakes his head.
Shan asks, “Is this form pleasing enough to you, Shinju.”
“Yes and no! to you too. No one's going to be fucking me any time soon!”
Shan chuckles, “You’re too squishy for one like me besides I like my own kind. Water spirits are all too squishy.” He continues to grumble trailing off.
Shinju nods. “We dance together every dawn and now I’m keeping my eye on you Ocean spirit.”
The spirit just shrugs. The Hoo bird shakes its head thinking about renewal. Shinju gets up. “Well, let us dance then since its near dawn. We’ll sort all this new stuff as we go.”
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Winterhawk99
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Re: Of Two Worlds
Shinju dives into the river and swims to the ocean then the trench to her underwater home on a shipwreck. Once there she rests and meditates for a day and a night. The next morning, she dances with her spirits and welcomes them into her home. Sitting down around the center of the Light spell they all sit down. Shinju in full lotus position.
She looks at them all. “I have a confession to make to you all. I am about to do something that is not rare in Kozakura but not common either. All samurai families have secrets. Secrets that they hide to save face.” The Hoo bird seems the most interested, its sharp eyes studying the shamaness.
“I found out that my sister Siora as been sleeping with a woman. There is no shame in that she is single and it is ok as you all know. The problem is an accident happened and her virginity was taken. Which as you all know is a huge problem in a samurai family for a woman to lose her proof.
An elf as volunteer to marry her to save face and give her permission papers to see women. Still, it is a marriage in name only. She will be expected to give the family heirs especially our family as by contract one female from each family descended from Hojo Miwa must be sent to Onna-musha training at the ancestral farm.
The elf is also an artisan though a master of crafts which puts him much higher on the social scale. Still an artisan is a very low class. She also wants to stay with me here in the west and yet she is in an elite female unit back home.
Marrying for convenience is done often enough in situations like this, however I feel I am doing something inauthentic and I am ashamed.”
The three spirits listen patiently and give her their advice. They are conflicting. Shinju meditates on it and nods. “I will do this one time so that the family may save face.” Hoo bird who is aligned with the celestial court becomes very agitated but eventually settles down.
Shinju then looks at them. “Something happened the other day. I was at camp then all of a sudden someone or something teleported me to a place I did not know. Others were also teleported there. We were surrounded by many strange creatures including what looked like a miniaturized earth dragon. In fact, it looked like a tiny baby earth dragon. They were a race called Fey.
They wanted to play a game with us. It was truth or dare. They asked for volunteers to play the game. I raised my hand interested in it all. Many, when it came to their turn, said truth and the fey asked them questions that were very personal. I think that part was a mental game. It hurt a lot of them to think back to things they would like not to remember. Some said Dare and they fought monsters or had to do other things like stare at the sun.
When it became my turn, I said ‘truth’. They asked me to explain my most embarrassing moment that I would not like anyone to know. I told them about you, sea spirit and Mimu wanting to ravage me. It seems I passed their test. When it all had finished, we got a box of stuff including a queen’s mark. Also, flowers and other things. In the end no one was permanently hurt other than their feelings. I think the one hurt the most was a strange mechanical man by the name of inspector who they disassembled then put back together. It may take him months or years to get over the experience.
The three spirits each talk to Shinju about the experience and the creatures there. Many she did not know. A few she did know. The spirits quiet down and all look at her.
It seems I have gone from a follower to a leader. I led several groups to the hill giants and defeated the orcs of the tower alone for the first time. I did not expect something like this to happen, but it worked out and no one died. The evil creatures will take time to grow their strength again. So are not apt to attack the villages in these lands.
I also came off the beaten path a little bit and found a cave. There I encountered one of these western dragons. It was not as big as I expected. A giant winged lizard that could spit acid and gas. I took my hound archon with me, but the dragon started to kick my but quite soundly. I as able to flee combat. I will get my revenge later. I need to maintain my honor.
I have so far collected 13 queen’s marks and about 450,000 in the bank for the monastery. Siora has helped me greatly with this so I will make a small place for her if she needs it when I start the building process.
I’ve also collected 25 treasure maps but do not know how to follow all these foreign symbols. Siora is working on that soon we should be able to do it. It will help build the monastery.
And that was pretty much my 4 days on land.
The spirits again talk to her and ask her questions. They all give her advice and sometimes admonishment according to their own temperaments. She listens and nods as she communes with them. After a very long day she sleeps dreaming of the vision she calls ‘The Water Temple’
She looks at them all. “I have a confession to make to you all. I am about to do something that is not rare in Kozakura but not common either. All samurai families have secrets. Secrets that they hide to save face.” The Hoo bird seems the most interested, its sharp eyes studying the shamaness.
“I found out that my sister Siora as been sleeping with a woman. There is no shame in that she is single and it is ok as you all know. The problem is an accident happened and her virginity was taken. Which as you all know is a huge problem in a samurai family for a woman to lose her proof.
An elf as volunteer to marry her to save face and give her permission papers to see women. Still, it is a marriage in name only. She will be expected to give the family heirs especially our family as by contract one female from each family descended from Hojo Miwa must be sent to Onna-musha training at the ancestral farm.
The elf is also an artisan though a master of crafts which puts him much higher on the social scale. Still an artisan is a very low class. She also wants to stay with me here in the west and yet she is in an elite female unit back home.
Marrying for convenience is done often enough in situations like this, however I feel I am doing something inauthentic and I am ashamed.”
The three spirits listen patiently and give her their advice. They are conflicting. Shinju meditates on it and nods. “I will do this one time so that the family may save face.” Hoo bird who is aligned with the celestial court becomes very agitated but eventually settles down.
Shinju then looks at them. “Something happened the other day. I was at camp then all of a sudden someone or something teleported me to a place I did not know. Others were also teleported there. We were surrounded by many strange creatures including what looked like a miniaturized earth dragon. In fact, it looked like a tiny baby earth dragon. They were a race called Fey.
They wanted to play a game with us. It was truth or dare. They asked for volunteers to play the game. I raised my hand interested in it all. Many, when it came to their turn, said truth and the fey asked them questions that were very personal. I think that part was a mental game. It hurt a lot of them to think back to things they would like not to remember. Some said Dare and they fought monsters or had to do other things like stare at the sun.
When it became my turn, I said ‘truth’. They asked me to explain my most embarrassing moment that I would not like anyone to know. I told them about you, sea spirit and Mimu wanting to ravage me. It seems I passed their test. When it all had finished, we got a box of stuff including a queen’s mark. Also, flowers and other things. In the end no one was permanently hurt other than their feelings. I think the one hurt the most was a strange mechanical man by the name of inspector who they disassembled then put back together. It may take him months or years to get over the experience.
The three spirits each talk to Shinju about the experience and the creatures there. Many she did not know. A few she did know. The spirits quiet down and all look at her.
It seems I have gone from a follower to a leader. I led several groups to the hill giants and defeated the orcs of the tower alone for the first time. I did not expect something like this to happen, but it worked out and no one died. The evil creatures will take time to grow their strength again. So are not apt to attack the villages in these lands.
I also came off the beaten path a little bit and found a cave. There I encountered one of these western dragons. It was not as big as I expected. A giant winged lizard that could spit acid and gas. I took my hound archon with me, but the dragon started to kick my but quite soundly. I as able to flee combat. I will get my revenge later. I need to maintain my honor.
I have so far collected 13 queen’s marks and about 450,000 in the bank for the monastery. Siora has helped me greatly with this so I will make a small place for her if she needs it when I start the building process.
I’ve also collected 25 treasure maps but do not know how to follow all these foreign symbols. Siora is working on that soon we should be able to do it. It will help build the monastery.
And that was pretty much my 4 days on land.
The spirits again talk to her and ask her questions. They all give her advice and sometimes admonishment according to their own temperaments. She listens and nods as she communes with them. After a very long day she sleeps dreaming of the vision she calls ‘The Water Temple’
-
Winterhawk99
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Re: Of Two Worlds
Shinju’s time on land ends and she knows she needs to recede to the trench of the Dragon’s Reach. Still, she lingers. Instead of swimming down river to the sea she goes to Harrowport then north along the beaches between the city and the town of Elwood. She finds a nice place by an old tree free of crabs and sits down meditating.
It isn’t long before her spirit of renewal comes in the form of a great phoenix like bird. In Kozakura it is called a Hoo bird spirit. It lands on a branch and stretches its wings, casting a shadow over the shamaness. Its wingspan being almost 4 meters tip to tip. It then folds its wings down and cranes its neck to her tapping her on the head.
She sighs and looks up. “Yes, I know time to go back to the ship in the trench. I just have a lot to think about.” The bird cocks its head to the side studying her. She shakes her head and half smiles. “Alright, Alright. I will go through it. So much as happened in four days.”
Shinju thinks, “Where do I start? Well, I guess with the most mundane of things. I have all these treasure maps. More than 25 now. What I don’t have is either the digging or cartography skills to use them. So Siora suggested that we split duties. She does the cartography. I do the digging. I spent a lot of time digging up salt and selling it to the locals of both Elwood and Harrowport. Now I have become an expert digger. Not a grand master mind you but I am getting there and am proud of myself.” she smiles.
“There are these people in the west called red wizards. Also known as Thayans. I do not know them directly, but everyone says they are slavers. We have slaves in Kozakura too but nothing like these people, so I understand.
Anyway, there is a man named Luys that had these red wizards mark on him. From what I understand he picked up some kind of wand and mark appeared on his head. Another monk of some god called Illmater preformed a ceremony to remove the mark. I and many others gathered to help the two of them. The monk removed the mark by transferring it to himself and taking on the consequences. That being he is now marked as a slave and is somewhat controlled by these red wizards. I think. I’m not certain that is how it works but that’s what I got from conversation.”
Shinju shakes her head and continues, “As soon as the ceremony ended the monk Tzu said that Gwen is in trouble. Now I have met Gwen. She was representing these red wizards in some court case in Hillsfar. Gwen is a nice girl. What you would call a half-elven, I think. I warned her against it having heard so much about these evil wizards. She told me that everyone needs representation. I could not dissuade her from her path.
Chizyx the kami casted some form of divination spell to find her. After nearly 20 minutes of casting, he came out of his trance and said that Gwen was somewhere under the earth in Elwood. Well, there is only one place where that could be. The averial ruin that the town is built upon. We went rushing off to Elwood.”
We searched all over that place and saw nothing at first. Some of us went back outside looking for fresh graves. Still nothing. Tzu stayed in the dungeon. We eventually went back into the dungeon to find that Tzu and Marius had found her. I looked closely into the spirit world and immediately picked her out. She was invisible against a wall and in some form of trance.”
Shinju sighs, “Then we made a grand mistake. Several people tried to dispel the invisibility and trance like state with no luck. We decided we would rest in a magic mansion someone created. Tzu stayed outside to watch over Gwen. We all went into the mansion and rested. I called up my spirits to change my spells to acquire Trance and Commune with Greater Spirits. After we were all ready, we stepped out of the magic mansion. Tzu and Gwen…. were gone.”
Chizyx casted his divination spell again but this time he came up with nothing. It was my turn to act. I casted Trance to gather the spirits around me then Commune with Greater Spirits. I got to ask them 5 questions as you know Hoo bird. Some of my questions they did not know. I first asked are Tzu and Gwen still alive? They say yes. I ask are Tzu and Gwen above or below ground. They say above. I then ask if they are east or west of Elventree? The spirits did not know this question, so Gwen and Tzu are partially, but not all hidden from even the spirits eyes, since they know both are above ground but do not know where above ground.
Then with the last two questions I find out that Gwen put herself in this trance state to hide from the red wizards and she did not use magic. I do not know how she did this or learn to do this but that is what the greater spirits said. With very few clues our quest ended until more clues are revealed. We have very basic clues but not enough for action. I know we must have patience. Perhaps they will find Gwen and Tzu when I am in the trench.
There are two more things that happened, Hoo bird. Let me meditate for a few moments and I will tell you about my sister, Amir, and Neisha and about my plans for a monastery for some are wanting to help me build it now and I have collected a lot of money and queen's marks that I must prepare for this.”
It isn’t long before her spirit of renewal comes in the form of a great phoenix like bird. In Kozakura it is called a Hoo bird spirit. It lands on a branch and stretches its wings, casting a shadow over the shamaness. Its wingspan being almost 4 meters tip to tip. It then folds its wings down and cranes its neck to her tapping her on the head.
She sighs and looks up. “Yes, I know time to go back to the ship in the trench. I just have a lot to think about.” The bird cocks its head to the side studying her. She shakes her head and half smiles. “Alright, Alright. I will go through it. So much as happened in four days.”
Shinju thinks, “Where do I start? Well, I guess with the most mundane of things. I have all these treasure maps. More than 25 now. What I don’t have is either the digging or cartography skills to use them. So Siora suggested that we split duties. She does the cartography. I do the digging. I spent a lot of time digging up salt and selling it to the locals of both Elwood and Harrowport. Now I have become an expert digger. Not a grand master mind you but I am getting there and am proud of myself.” she smiles.
“There are these people in the west called red wizards. Also known as Thayans. I do not know them directly, but everyone says they are slavers. We have slaves in Kozakura too but nothing like these people, so I understand.
Anyway, there is a man named Luys that had these red wizards mark on him. From what I understand he picked up some kind of wand and mark appeared on his head. Another monk of some god called Illmater preformed a ceremony to remove the mark. I and many others gathered to help the two of them. The monk removed the mark by transferring it to himself and taking on the consequences. That being he is now marked as a slave and is somewhat controlled by these red wizards. I think. I’m not certain that is how it works but that’s what I got from conversation.”
Shinju shakes her head and continues, “As soon as the ceremony ended the monk Tzu said that Gwen is in trouble. Now I have met Gwen. She was representing these red wizards in some court case in Hillsfar. Gwen is a nice girl. What you would call a half-elven, I think. I warned her against it having heard so much about these evil wizards. She told me that everyone needs representation. I could not dissuade her from her path.
Chizyx the kami casted some form of divination spell to find her. After nearly 20 minutes of casting, he came out of his trance and said that Gwen was somewhere under the earth in Elwood. Well, there is only one place where that could be. The averial ruin that the town is built upon. We went rushing off to Elwood.”
We searched all over that place and saw nothing at first. Some of us went back outside looking for fresh graves. Still nothing. Tzu stayed in the dungeon. We eventually went back into the dungeon to find that Tzu and Marius had found her. I looked closely into the spirit world and immediately picked her out. She was invisible against a wall and in some form of trance.”
Shinju sighs, “Then we made a grand mistake. Several people tried to dispel the invisibility and trance like state with no luck. We decided we would rest in a magic mansion someone created. Tzu stayed outside to watch over Gwen. We all went into the mansion and rested. I called up my spirits to change my spells to acquire Trance and Commune with Greater Spirits. After we were all ready, we stepped out of the magic mansion. Tzu and Gwen…. were gone.”
Chizyx casted his divination spell again but this time he came up with nothing. It was my turn to act. I casted Trance to gather the spirits around me then Commune with Greater Spirits. I got to ask them 5 questions as you know Hoo bird. Some of my questions they did not know. I first asked are Tzu and Gwen still alive? They say yes. I ask are Tzu and Gwen above or below ground. They say above. I then ask if they are east or west of Elventree? The spirits did not know this question, so Gwen and Tzu are partially, but not all hidden from even the spirits eyes, since they know both are above ground but do not know where above ground.
Then with the last two questions I find out that Gwen put herself in this trance state to hide from the red wizards and she did not use magic. I do not know how she did this or learn to do this but that is what the greater spirits said. With very few clues our quest ended until more clues are revealed. We have very basic clues but not enough for action. I know we must have patience. Perhaps they will find Gwen and Tzu when I am in the trench.
There are two more things that happened, Hoo bird. Let me meditate for a few moments and I will tell you about my sister, Amir, and Neisha and about my plans for a monastery for some are wanting to help me build it now and I have collected a lot of money and queen's marks that I must prepare for this.”
-
Winterhawk99
- Posts: 2273
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Re: Of Two Worlds
Shinju mediates for more than an hour staring out into the ocean. The tie pulls back exposing all the shore creatures that scuttle around and dig themselves in waiting for the next to come in. The great bird starts to peck at the top of her head again. “Ouch! Ok! Ok! I will tell you the rest of the story, Hoo bird.”
She clears her throat and stares out at the ocean again. The bird cranks its neck down again. She begins the tale again. “There was a festival. A celebration of some local goddess of merriment, I think. It was fun well I did get a tad drunk. We went to the festival Siora and I. We really weren’t sure what to do except get a plate to eat. Everyone had drinks but I had this bottle of Iron blood scotch that Duncan had given to me. I decided to drink that instead of what was offered. It was strong but very tasty. I drank quite a bit too much though and got drunk off my rocker.
I think I passed out several times and eventually woke up outside the festival with a bouncer watching over me. The cool air helped and I waited just long enough to be ok. I went back to the game called Nine Lives or something. It was a fun game. You got nine tokens representing your cat’s life. Then everyone rolled a die. On a 1 or 2: you lost a life. On a 3,4 or 5 nothing happened. On a six you got to steal a life from someone else. I was so drunk and I did so poorly but still it was fun. Everyone picked on, poor Duncan. I wanted to just hug him. He was a good sport about it though and seemed to still have fun.
I and Siora then had our fortunes read by a wu-jen diviner. Erm, I don’t quite remember all that she said. I do remember that I would succeed in my goals, but it would be a lonely path.”
Shinju shrugs. “Being both monk and shamaness is hard work. If anything I have the three of you, and I get to dance with all three every dawn. After the reading everyone played another game. This one I was really good out. We rolled a 20-sided dice and the highest score won. I won 4 out of 10 and there were 5 other people playing. I won ½ million in coin and 3 queen’s marks. I put it all toward the monastery. And I’m still embarrassed about getting so drunk. Afterward I slept at the bottom of the river till dawn and time when it became time to dance.”
Shinju sighs, “That takes us to the last thing of significance I was involved in these last 4 days. Something I have some trepidation about. That is Siora’s and Amir’s marriage and the whole thing between Siora, Amir, Neshia, and Naza.
I know that marriages like this happen often enough back home, but it seems so……I do not know Hoo bird. And it’s my first wedding. I just hope to get through with it before any of our relatives show up then it will be too late. Siora has her kimono now and Amir has his. I will get some sake and the other proper things for the wedding. The purifying water for cleansing the evergreen branch and other necessities.
I have listened and counseled them as their shamaness as best I could. Siora is worried and I am too. Father can be delt with. If Aunt Takara comes… I don’t know. I just don’t know. Anyway, come what may I will deal with it as best I can. Everyone deserves love that finds it. Siora being who she is makes it somewhat difficult for her to deal with this. I pray things work out.”
Shinju looks out over the ocean, “That was my 4 days on land. Now I will live my other life in the sea and commune with the three of you. That part of my life is so much easier than dealing with all that goes on above where the many people walk. Yes, there is Mimu, but she may or may not come around. I would still invite her to a good meal if she came. I rather enjoy her antics at times.”
Done with her little oration she looks up at the phoenix. It flaps its great wings and bobs his head up and down. Shinju stands and smells the air. After, she walks with dignified grace into the ocean and dives. Another life awaits her there. One so unlike her life on land. It is a place where few creatures swim. Deep within a trench where only the sound of whales disturbed it has a peaceful restfulness. Baring a giant squid, nosey neighbor, or deep-sea shark her meditations will be undisturbed.
She clears her throat and stares out at the ocean again. The bird cranks its neck down again. She begins the tale again. “There was a festival. A celebration of some local goddess of merriment, I think. It was fun well I did get a tad drunk. We went to the festival Siora and I. We really weren’t sure what to do except get a plate to eat. Everyone had drinks but I had this bottle of Iron blood scotch that Duncan had given to me. I decided to drink that instead of what was offered. It was strong but very tasty. I drank quite a bit too much though and got drunk off my rocker.
I think I passed out several times and eventually woke up outside the festival with a bouncer watching over me. The cool air helped and I waited just long enough to be ok. I went back to the game called Nine Lives or something. It was a fun game. You got nine tokens representing your cat’s life. Then everyone rolled a die. On a 1 or 2: you lost a life. On a 3,4 or 5 nothing happened. On a six you got to steal a life from someone else. I was so drunk and I did so poorly but still it was fun. Everyone picked on, poor Duncan. I wanted to just hug him. He was a good sport about it though and seemed to still have fun.
I and Siora then had our fortunes read by a wu-jen diviner. Erm, I don’t quite remember all that she said. I do remember that I would succeed in my goals, but it would be a lonely path.”
Shinju shrugs. “Being both monk and shamaness is hard work. If anything I have the three of you, and I get to dance with all three every dawn. After the reading everyone played another game. This one I was really good out. We rolled a 20-sided dice and the highest score won. I won 4 out of 10 and there were 5 other people playing. I won ½ million in coin and 3 queen’s marks. I put it all toward the monastery. And I’m still embarrassed about getting so drunk. Afterward I slept at the bottom of the river till dawn and time when it became time to dance.”
Shinju sighs, “That takes us to the last thing of significance I was involved in these last 4 days. Something I have some trepidation about. That is Siora’s and Amir’s marriage and the whole thing between Siora, Amir, Neshia, and Naza.
I know that marriages like this happen often enough back home, but it seems so……I do not know Hoo bird. And it’s my first wedding. I just hope to get through with it before any of our relatives show up then it will be too late. Siora has her kimono now and Amir has his. I will get some sake and the other proper things for the wedding. The purifying water for cleansing the evergreen branch and other necessities.
I have listened and counseled them as their shamaness as best I could. Siora is worried and I am too. Father can be delt with. If Aunt Takara comes… I don’t know. I just don’t know. Anyway, come what may I will deal with it as best I can. Everyone deserves love that finds it. Siora being who she is makes it somewhat difficult for her to deal with this. I pray things work out.”
Shinju looks out over the ocean, “That was my 4 days on land. Now I will live my other life in the sea and commune with the three of you. That part of my life is so much easier than dealing with all that goes on above where the many people walk. Yes, there is Mimu, but she may or may not come around. I would still invite her to a good meal if she came. I rather enjoy her antics at times.”
Done with her little oration she looks up at the phoenix. It flaps its great wings and bobs his head up and down. Shinju stands and smells the air. After, she walks with dignified grace into the ocean and dives. Another life awaits her there. One so unlike her life on land. It is a place where few creatures swim. Deep within a trench where only the sound of whales disturbed it has a peaceful restfulness. Baring a giant squid, nosey neighbor, or deep-sea shark her meditations will be undisturbed.
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Winterhawk99
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Re: Of Two Worlds
Shinju swims down to her wreck at the bottom of the trench and meditates. She has spent 4 days on land and is now thoroughly confused. Her sister was about to marry a very nice elf by the name of Amir and on her last trip that had all changed. She dumped Amir and now says she wants to marry a former noble dwarf by the name of Duncan.
Duncan has already started to treat her as a sister-in-law. As Shinju traveled with them, she found Duncan to be also a very nice man. Shinju sighs. All three of them went to the bathhouse and Shinju got the feeling Duncan was trying to hit on her as well as be with Siora. That disturbed Shinju a bit.
It’s not the Shinju didn’t want a man. She did. But the same man as her sister…… It just wasn’t in her own mind to do that. In Kozakura bathhouses are common for both sexes so seeing a naked man did not disturb her. Also, men often have more than one wife. That did not disturb her either as Duncan has more than one already. That was quite normal for her. Having two sisters as wives. That is a bit different. Shinju just didn’t want any part of that.
Still Duncan was a nice person, and Shinju approves of him being Siora’s husband more than Amir. Mainly because it solves an important question within the family. Duncan also seems to genuinely love Siora, unlike Amir who is in love with another. That solves another problem Shinju was having with Amir and Siora’s relationship. Duncan being noble makes sure that both their father and their aunt could very well choke the marriage down though Siora would not be able to perform her duties as a Hummingbird and would potentially loose her commission.
Other than Siora’s often confusing and exasperating love life, Shinju generally had a good time with her time on land. Her spirits were happy with her. Her morning dancing with them are becoming more fluid and meaningful to her. Her digging ability has improved greatly. She is now an adept digger and could dig up all but the deepest buried treasures. Her shamanism has greatly improved she can now cast 7th circle shaman spells. She felt generally happy.
Her temple project has also progressed slightly. She now has 2 million in gold and 27 queen marks. She figured out she would need about 50 queens marks. Or perhaps a little more. Things were going well. Her fighting skills were very slowly improving even being a mistress of kung-fu. Still, she has this ominous feeling, things are about to change somehow. How she does not know. It’s just a feeling about the future. Perhaps the spirits are sending her messages she cannot comprehend as of yet. Whatever this feeling about the future, she believes with all the kind people in the region she will be able to face it together with them. She is prepared to suffer the tragedy or share in the victories to come.
She sighs. There is still so much to do. Then she laughs thinking, ‘Siora did not fall very far from daddy’s tree did she’. Her love life has become even more complex than his. It’s good to have a sister even with her faults. Shinju laughs and starts to spruce up the shipwreck she occupies.
Duncan has already started to treat her as a sister-in-law. As Shinju traveled with them, she found Duncan to be also a very nice man. Shinju sighs. All three of them went to the bathhouse and Shinju got the feeling Duncan was trying to hit on her as well as be with Siora. That disturbed Shinju a bit.
It’s not the Shinju didn’t want a man. She did. But the same man as her sister…… It just wasn’t in her own mind to do that. In Kozakura bathhouses are common for both sexes so seeing a naked man did not disturb her. Also, men often have more than one wife. That did not disturb her either as Duncan has more than one already. That was quite normal for her. Having two sisters as wives. That is a bit different. Shinju just didn’t want any part of that.
Still Duncan was a nice person, and Shinju approves of him being Siora’s husband more than Amir. Mainly because it solves an important question within the family. Duncan also seems to genuinely love Siora, unlike Amir who is in love with another. That solves another problem Shinju was having with Amir and Siora’s relationship. Duncan being noble makes sure that both their father and their aunt could very well choke the marriage down though Siora would not be able to perform her duties as a Hummingbird and would potentially loose her commission.
Other than Siora’s often confusing and exasperating love life, Shinju generally had a good time with her time on land. Her spirits were happy with her. Her morning dancing with them are becoming more fluid and meaningful to her. Her digging ability has improved greatly. She is now an adept digger and could dig up all but the deepest buried treasures. Her shamanism has greatly improved she can now cast 7th circle shaman spells. She felt generally happy.
Her temple project has also progressed slightly. She now has 2 million in gold and 27 queen marks. She figured out she would need about 50 queens marks. Or perhaps a little more. Things were going well. Her fighting skills were very slowly improving even being a mistress of kung-fu. Still, she has this ominous feeling, things are about to change somehow. How she does not know. It’s just a feeling about the future. Perhaps the spirits are sending her messages she cannot comprehend as of yet. Whatever this feeling about the future, she believes with all the kind people in the region she will be able to face it together with them. She is prepared to suffer the tragedy or share in the victories to come.
She sighs. There is still so much to do. Then she laughs thinking, ‘Siora did not fall very far from daddy’s tree did she’. Her love life has become even more complex than his. It’s good to have a sister even with her faults. Shinju laughs and starts to spruce up the shipwreck she occupies.