Empire Of the River God IC

You go out with the messenger, to folow him to where ever he may lead. He mounts and waits for you to mount/walk behind/enter your palanquin as the case may be. Once you are ready he sets off, you following him.

But the world around you does not seem to follow the pace set. The hooves of the messenger's horse not striking the ground, the world racing past in a blur. It is but a matter of moments before the world slows down, and you find yourself in a mountainous area, following the messenger through the gates of a great monastery. Even as you enter through the wide gates, so other messengers, leading others enter alongside you, the gates seemingly wide enough for all to travel through side by side, yet looking backthe gate seems but an ordinary one, only large enough to let through a single man at a time, it does not even look wide enough for a horse to pass through, let alone six, with space between them!

The messengers travel into a courtyard, stopping in a line. Slowly each dismounts, turns to face you, bows, and dissapears like they did before. A whisper of wind seems to carry the voice of the old man to you Thank you together with the slight smell of burning incense.

Descending down into the courtyard is a group of men, each dressed as the abbot of a monastery, seemingly from all across the Empire and beyond. They stop and bow.

"Chosen ones, please come with us. We have much to discuss and time is running out."

The speaker is different to the others, young, yet exuding an aura of authority that is undeniable and it is obvious that the others here defer to him, all listening to him respectfully, none looking at him directly. He turns and enters the monastery, the older abbots forming two lines, a path leading into the temple between them.

*Zokiro dismounts as Bunto comes up to take the reins of Joukai. Miko takes her place beside her master as they begin to follow the speaker through the lines of abbots.*

This is something of dire import indeed...

*Zokiro presents a rather curious sight. She is obviously armored as a samurai of the Dragon clan, in fine, green-laquered partial armor, and is bearing her daisho at her waist. However, she is even shorter than the maid at her side, and is carrying an elaborate heaven lotus phoenix tail in one hand.*

"I am Amanu," the strange looking Vanara before you, introduces himself. "It is good to see you again, friend, Shokai. I see you still continue your jouney of elightenment. Perhaps, these will be the steps you have yearned for."

Togashi Shokai, monk.

rangerjohn said:

"I am Amanu," the strange looking Vanara before you, introduces himself. "It is good to see you again, friend, Shokai. I see you still continue your jouney of elightenment. Perhaps, these will be the steps you have yearned for."

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Shokai bows deeply to the speaker before introducing himself.

"My name´s Togashi Shokai, a most humble student of the teachings of Togashi. I´m happy in my heart to see you again, my friend Amanu. We´ll talk later about how we treaded on our ways."

Kuni Akata, Shugenja

An average looking man steps forward. He is of the Crab clan, of average height and weight, with long black hair tied back into a single braid. He bows deeply to all present and says "I am Kuni Akata, student of the Order of the Impenetrable Crucible. It is an honor to meet you all”

As he dismounts, the lean, non-descript man in simple garb says "I am Tamejiro Iegara. The more florid introductions can come once we've learned why we're here."

Sakura steps down from her palanquin and gestures to her servants to stay there. She moves forward, following the speaker as he enters the monastery, taking quick graceful small steps.

Her white-painted face turns towards the other arrivals, jade-green eyes gazing at them from behind a painted half-mask. "Indeed, Tamejiro Iegara is correct. I am the Lady Asano."

Sakura is wearing a violet kimono with sleeves lined with golden silk. Irises and butterflies are embroidered on it, and it is tied with an obi with the Scorpion Clan symbol on it. Her hair is swept upwards into an elaborate style secured with a jeweled hair pin and falls to her waist. She steps inside the monastery after the monks, a lady's fan open in her right hand and raised to cover that of her face the mask does not.

The abbots bow at your introductions and wait for you to walk between them before following behind you. All the abbots carry small silver be;;s that they ring as you past, creating a pleasing sound for the kami that come to observe this meeting.

Inside it is obvious that the area has just been cleared. scuff marks on the floor show where tables are often kept and the large open area at the end still sends wafts of smoke towards you. the head abbot turns to you all and bows. Waiting for the other abbots to enter.

He claps his hands, and a table is rought in, on it are thirteen, tarnished golden straws, each resting on a sheet of paper. On some of these pages, pictures appear, your pictures. Each of you is depicted as standing before a throne, backs to the one seated there, fending off the fiends of the shadowlands. Each of you glows with health and as you examine the picture it is as if you are looking at yourself from above, the picture changing to show you in the room with the abbots.

"Honoured ones, as you can see the Guardian has let us know who are to be his champions, and how to find you. But there is more to do, we must summon the essence of the Guardian so that he may explain to you the task before you."

He steps back, without waiting for answers, and claps his hands. The surrounding monks start a chant, some providing a counter-point hum, all ringing their bells. The head Abbot speaks, a language both gutteral and sibbilant- the strange syllables flying into the air, setting your vision free. You float up with the words, ascending the steps into the celstial court, into an outside alcove in which te old man sits. He smiles, showing pure white teeth, but even as he does so a sudden cut appears on his head, quickly dispelled, but you sense that the displelling is but an illusion and the cut remains.

"Greetings my heroes. My task is simple. Find the one who is to replace me and bring it to my mundane place. I do not know if it is to be man or woman, human or other, merely that this one must be found soon. My strength wanes and I cannot long maintain."

He bows his head and you find yourselves once more in the room with the chanting Abbots. Silence slowly descends and the head Abbot looks at you.

"The time has come for questions. Ask, we will answer as best we can."

"It would seem that there are only two questions. How are we to find this person, and where is the 'mundane place' to which they must be brought?"

Togashi Shokai, monk

Paxus Asclepius said:

"It would seem that there are only two questions. How are we to find this person, and where is the 'mundane place' to which they must be brought?"

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A shake of surprise and proud runs through Shokai´s mind, but he does what he can to dismiss it. what must be, must be.

He smiles: "Like the sun, this mission is clear to see, but difficult to grasp."