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Post by Mirumoto Horimono on Jan 7, 2014 16:47:12 GMT
Horimono once served as a Gunso as a member of the Mirumoto House Guard where he personally protected Togashi Hoshi. Before then he had fought in the War of Spirits. Needless to say, the Dragon samurai understood war and with Dragon-Phoenix tensions on the rise with the War of Fire and Snow, a trip to the Southdown Abbey felt necessary. Once he was given leave to the abbey he collected his trappings and traveled east through the rough mountains and foothills of the Mirumoto provinces. During the final stretch of his journey when the abbey appeared on the horizon, he was met with rain. He produced a straw cloak from his pack and continued on his way under the rain and swollen clouds above.
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Post by kasigiomi on Jan 9, 2014 2:52:58 GMT
Yatsuji-sama, this is an omnibus post, moving my posts from the Northern Rokugan Imperial Mandate notices to the more appropriate board.
[from 06JAN14] The cold rain finally eased off as Usagi Kocho rode up the final rise in the land and took in his first sight of Southdown Abbey. His horse shivered and shook it's head, casting a light mist of raindrops from it's mane. Reaching down, Kocho offered a sympathetic and comforting hand to his mount.
"Easy, Kiri-chan, easy. We'll both be warm and dry in a couple hours."
Taking a leaf from his horse's scroll, he gave his shoulders a shake in an admittedly useless gesture. His mino rain cape was soaked through, but the gesture felt defiant enough. Giving the horse a light tap to the ribs, they continued their journey. Yasuki Hachi-sama has sent Usagi Kocho to a library to wage peace, and that was not getting accomplished sitting in the road talking to a horse about the rain.
[from 08JAN14] [Horimono-san, I will write you into this next post, but if you prefer to do the Mandate alone, just ignore me. The only 'finagaling' with your character that I'll be doing here is giving you a horse and working with the rainy weather.]
Usagi Kocho continued his canter-walk-canter pace that the Emerald Magistrates taught him and, after a brief interval, catches up with the esteemed Mirumoto Horimono. With an amiable nod, they match pace to finally arrive at the Abbey, as eager as their horses for some food and to get out of the damp wind.
[Yatsuji-sama, I'm doing a description of the Abbey gates and porter here, but if anything doesn't meet with your approval, feel free to correct it. I'm trying to be generic as possible but still move the story along]
The road changes from mud into stone on finely crushed gravel base for the final ri [Japanese distance measurement about 4000 m or 4300 yards-- the Japanese 'mile'], a welcome change for men whose tabi are already soaked with wet mud kicked up by their horses' hooves. Finally, the two arrive as dusk falls, in the Hour of the Rooster, and are met at the wooden gates of the compound by a tall aesthetic man in monks robes of Phoenix colors.
Pulling up a polite distance away from him, the two bushi address the porter...
"Good evening, honored Asako. We are Mirumoto Horimono and Usagi Kocho, come at the command of the Emerald Champion to see your holy abbot. May we take shelter for the night?"
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Post by Togashi Moeru on Jan 12, 2014 17:41:57 GMT
Moeru had spent the bulk of his time since the end of the wars in the Shadowlands traveling the empire, seeking guidance of the fortunes and Kami. His blindness was both a blessing and a curse, gone was his ability to see the true beauty of the empire, in it's place, just the resounding vision of the empire through the boundlessness of the void.
He had recently left the Dragon's Heart plains where he visited several shrines lost to time, long abandoned. Part of his mind still lingered on the last shrine. For some reason, it felt more home than any place that he had visited in recent times. Had he the means, or sight, he could have seen himself taking over the duties of tending to the shrine. In his time since, he had followed what the void had whispered to him, and traveled towards a library. He was unsure why he felt the need to visit such a place. What could he possible do in a libary? Pester a monk to read to him? Surely, they would have better things to do than read to a blind ise zumi.
But on he pressed, at the beckoning of the elements.
(You can figure that Moeru arrived slightly later, and separate from the others.)
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Post by Kakita Kanehitsu on Jan 13, 2014 19:14:50 GMT
"There will be little need to wait."
From behind a pillar stepped a man all dressed in long robes with a large rosary around his neck. He carried in one hand a shakujo staff, the rings of which tinkled with every step he took. Just behind him was another man holding a large umbrella over the two of them, clearly a lesser monk of the abbey. Both men bore signs of being aligned with the Asako family. The long robed man came forward, followed by his umbrella carrier, and bowed slightly to the two Dragon's on horses.
"I am Asako Honjin, the keeper of this abbey. I do hate to be impertinent but i must ask your full business before allowing you to enter these hallowed halls. Do you come from the Dragon Lords or are you here for the purpose of learning?"
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Post by Togashi Moeru on Jan 14, 2014 13:19:36 GMT
As Moeru reached the stone road leading up to the abbey, he was filled with a sense of urgency. It wasn't the rain, the monk was already drenched to the core. It wasn't a feeling of dread. For the first time in a week, Moeru felt completely comfortable with his surroundings, (the Dragon's Heart plain would can make the most stalwart Crab feel on edge). It was as if he were filled with a burning need to reach his destination, soon.
Moeru's leg glowed faintly from under his Hakama, and he was filled with a burst of speed. The final distance was bridged in a flash of time.
As Moeru arrived, he could feel the presnce of Dragon, and Phoenix in the void. Sensing the tension, Moeru knelt, and began whispering to the kami. The tension was everywhere, hanging thick in the air. As he finished whispering, he stood, removed his Bo from his back, and bowed deeply.
"I am Togashi Moeru. I have come today in the name of Togashi Satsu-Dono, who has put me on the quest of enlightenment." Moeru straighted. "I come, not because I have been ordered, but because the elements requested my attendance." He tilted his head slightly and grinned. "And Tea. Tea sounds good as well."
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Post by Kakita Kanehitsu on Jan 15, 2014 17:20:58 GMT
Honjin considered the Dragon Monk and his odd appearance. After a little while he nodded to another nearby monk and said simply, "Tea for the Dragon, if you please." then he turned back to the assembled envoy.
"I am sorry, good Dragons, but we do not allow representatives of Togashi Satsu-sama inside the abbey at this time. I'm sure you understand," he smiled. "However we do not wish to be inhospitable. We will be happy to serve you tea here under the eaves of our gate and then we can recommend a place for you to stay in a nearby village. It is only a day's journey away."
Soon, tea was brought to the gates where the utensils were all set out and several mats were brought to allow the dragon to rest themselves by the gate, where it was dry.
"If you like, good Dragons, we can help to replenish you by performing a tea ceremony right here. Shall I mix the tea for you?"
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Post by Togashi Moeru on Jan 15, 2014 22:46:17 GMT
Moeru considered the plight of the Monks. They were but keepers of such a fantastical treasure that was now at odds with two clans, all because of rights to land. He was certain that the monks had no care about the plight of the land claims, only in respecting the wishes of their clan, and the historical archives of knowledge kept within such a wondrous place.
Moeru bowed to the Abbot, and spoke. "Mmmmm A Ceremony sounds like a great place to start, thank you Asako-san." Moeru bowed walked to the outside of the gate, and placed his Bo outside the gate. He hoped that it would show the Phoenix that he was not "with" his fellow dragon in mandate.
As he returned the short distance to where the rest of them stood, he unbuttoned his overcoat and knelt in the path, left hand in a fist against his forehead. If ever he could use guidance from the elements, now would be that time. After a short moment, he stood, and moved towards the rest of the group, and smiled. "Asako-san, If you would humor me, How long have you been here, within the walls?"
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