Nakatura Valley -- Traveler's Prologue IC

mfrench · Nov 15, 2007

As the mountain snows began to melt and the valley below prepared for the life-giving wet season, two new acquintances made their way out of the secluded Monastery of the Singing Phoenix. Their journey would take them out of the mountains to the Korobokuru village of Ten-min Falls, and from there, into the greater Nakatura River valley. The journey to the village should take three days by the normal paths, with a rope bridge over a gorge on the second day.

DrZombie · Nov 15, 2007

At sunup Li is already packed. He shaves his scalp and looks at himself in the mirror. The brown, weathered face with the bushy white sideburns and the curly short-cropped white beard looks back. He looks at his amber colored eyes. The eyes of a beast. That is what the humans will see. I will frighten them, and in fear they will react to me. I shall be hated. He finishes breakfast quickly. He goes to his old mentor, and bows as deep as possible, his head almost touching the ground.

"I will act with honor always, mentor-san. I wil return in a year and a day."

He looks at the stranger, and bows a lot less deep.

"I am ready to depart."

******

Li walks silently on the road. The familiar scenery soon makes way for new visages. Li just soaks up the new landscapes, finding new things every step he takes.

"Each moment exists separately from the previous one. I had not seen it before." he says suddenly, the first words he has spoken in three hours.

Nac Mac Feegle · Nov 16, 2007

Bouncing among the tall mountain peaks the sounds of drunken singing echoes in once-silent valleys. Along the winding road through the wilderness two figures walk, one silent and carrying no weapon but a simple staff, the other - the source of the sound - walks with one hand on the hilt of a blade and the other carrying an earthenware jug. As he walks, periodically he pauses to take a swig from the jug before launching into song again.

When, after several days of silence, his guide speaks, Ryo's song breaks off and for a few moments silence reigns. After apparent thought, he speaks slowly - his voice rough and a little slurred, but strong. "It sounds profound yes, but it misleads. It is the nature of honor that we must take account for actions past - our own and others. To say that this moment exists apart from all others is to make honor worthless."

DrZombie · Nov 16, 2007

Nac Mac Feegle said:
When, after several days of silence, his guide speaks, Ryo's song breaks off and for a few moments silence reigns. After apparent thought, he speaks slowly - his voice rough and a little slurred, but strong. "It sounds profound yes, but it misleads. It is the nature of honor that we must take account for actions past - our own and others. To say that this moment exists apart from all others is to make honor worthless."

Li looks at the swordman, silent.

"Honor is part of the moment. One dishonourable action in this moment marks you with dishonor for the rest of your life, independent of previous honor."

"My apologies. I spoke to rashly,speaking of the endpoint of a thought without giving you the beginning" the monk points at the surroundings "This has existed for eternity. Yet every moment of it is different from those before or after, and each has it's own beauty. Each step shows beauty, and that beauty, for me, is undulled by the beauty before or the beauty thereafter. They are all seperate moments. I fear such will be the same for horror and fear. But for now, I am content to be here and enjoy. Even with the singing." At that he smiles.

DrZombie · Nov 21, 2007

The monk continues walking in silence, enjoying the surroundings.

Nac Mac Feegle · Nov 21, 2007

Ryo takes another swig from his jug as he walks, contemplating, and finally says - his tone of voice indicating that he considers this statement particularly profound - "That's the problem with you monks, when you explain it enough nothing you ever say makes sense."

mfrench · Nov 27, 2007

Into Ten-min Falls

Three days of mountain roads have brought the travelers to the top of the falls, where the entire sprawl of Ten-min is laid out before their eyes. The side nearest them contains the largest permanent dwellings. At the center of town is a bustling market with dozens of tent stalls surrounding a fountain. The far end of town includes wide stretches of animal enclosures: camels and giraffes, sheep and goats, oxen and the occasional horse.

mfrench · Nov 27, 2007

As they make their way down into the town proper, a korobokuru sits on the porch of a trading post, whittling away at a piece of wood with a knife. His hair is worn in the typical Kor style: a dirty, bushy black tangle. His clothes, like everything else on this street, are dusty and in desperate need of cleaning. He slowly comes to awareness of the approaching travelers, and hops out of his chair, replacing the knife in his belt and placing the carved wood on a table next to his chair. He sweeps out a wide, shallow bow, greeting them in heavily accented, harsh Common: "Ah, welcome strangers. What business leads brave men such as yourselves down from the mountains on this fine day?"

DrZombie · Nov 30, 2007

Li clasps his hands in front of his chests and bows. "I am but a humble monk from the Singing Phoenix monastery, and am guiding this slightly drunk swordsman to the town."

Nac Mac Feegle · Dec 7, 2007

Ryo sweeps a bow, stumbling slightly, and grins. "I am Ryo, wandering oathblade."

Nakatura Valley -- Traveler's Prologue IC

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