(IRR) The Rokugan IR Turn 0 Thread

[The Forsaken One]

Juiko dispells the spell and the words of the man for his words are wise. She listens facinated to his story about his homeland and the Faith but as he expresses his doubt and wavor she understands exactly what he means and she lays her hand comforting upon his shoulder.

"If youre Faith is so strong and the One you speak of offers such strengh and guidence let your faith not doubt but keep faith, believe for it will guide you in this perilous times. They will guide you through these times, if your Faith is as true as you say it will come through!"

With those words and a last glance at the morning sun rising over the green fields and shore of the Emerald Empire she guides him inside for some more privacy and comfort. She offers him a drink and some food and exquisite spices to exclamate the taste. When he asks her if she wanted to know more about him she gently nods and through her concerned look she manages to bring up a kind smile.

"Please continue, is there anything I can do for you or get you to comfort you for you seem worried. You as our guest demand that we serve you to the best of our ability so please do not hesitate to ask. Now please go on, your story facinates me!"

After that she leans back and listens carefully and full of facination, halfway the story she cracks a large smile.

"That is great and I think I would believe you as do most of my people! We of Clan Mantis are the Sailors of these lands, we have travelled far and wide for centuries past! We have seen alot and the most incredible things that man may lie eye on! My Clan Daimo who is very travelled herself would love to share stories and experiences with you about this exquisite and exotic adventures and experiences! My oh my! She would be most delighted indeed to speak to a man as well travelled as you! Fascinating that both our peoples are so well travelled and posess the same lust for exploration and discovery! And My Clan itself is formed out of old Minor Clans, who were united beneath one great man who led us in one great battle and against all odds our determination and our Faith in our duty brought us through! Faith indeed brings many together and binds their fate, who knows what Faith might bring our future Gautier!"

With it she pours another drink for herself and takes a bite from a delicious smelling freshly baken cinnamon cake.

"But seeing how much we have in common those things are evry pleasing indeed and I would love to introduce you to my Daimo those thing would have to wait for a moment. I'm curious to what brought you here, The One.. a vision? Or what drove you here and you seem to have made contact with our people before, the language would say as much! If you already met our people it might very well have been far exploration and trade missions from my own clan for we like I said are well travelled across the great sea and have visited many strange places. And what is this Gift of Salvation you speak of, what is it if I may ask and what does it do?"

As she sits back again she ponders a bit...

"But just one thing I'm wondering abuot.. if your faith is made to keep the darkness at bay.. why do you travel clad in black steel? Seems contradicting? But I'm sure you have a reason for that, so if you would be so kind to answer my questions, I'd be delighted!"

After that a knocking is heard...

"Excuse me for a moment Gautier, Enter!"

And a shugenja steps in and bends to the ear of her Daimo and whispers a few short lines. After the messenger leaves again the old woman look pondering...

"Someone else has come to see you but they can wait I presume? We have the time so please continue and let us not be hastened by any of this news."

With that she bids him to go on, very curious to what his mysterious man has to tell her, for what he already has said appeals very much to her and sounds familiar to her own Clan, they seem much alike!

A few hundred feet futher a small boat comming from the shore is intercepted by a Mantis frigate and the people are let aboard. Upon hearing the purpose of their precense a small boat sets out to the leading vessel which shortly returns. The Phoenix are told that there are certain matters being discussed and that both representives are occupied at the moment so they will have to wait for a little while. The Phoenix are guided to another larger boat where they are housed in elaborate and exotic quarters and given all honor and respect and service that they deserve.

 

[Rhialto]

Gautier smiles and laughs. "So many questions! But that is good, for as the Holy Writ says, 'The path to wisdom is a thousand words'. And that this Holy Emissary has met your clan first, of all the others it could have met surely shows the Divine Hand of Providence..." He sips from a drink, then an expression of surprise slips over his face. He quickly takes a much larger sip. "First as to our color--you must understand, the Faith and those who serve it travels under the hue of black, to remind us that all men labor under darkness, even we, without the Faith to guide them. And as to what sent me--well, madame, it was a vision, of a sort--a vision of spreading the glories of the Faith to corners of the world that had not yet experienced the chance for Salvation."


He pauses here, and takes another sip from his drink. "But as to what sent me the Emerald Empire, in particular--well, if you must know, I found in various manuscripts, some heathen, some of the Faith, and account of this great kingdom--by all accounts the greatest kingdom that the One has seen fit to create. I had hoped to win over your Emperor to the Faith, and so doing bring Salvation to thousands--nay, millions--in a single blow." He glances at her, a wry smile spreading over his face. "Unless, of course, this is the legendary land of the Priest-Kings, in which case I would stand in the greatest bastion of the Faith the world has ever seen. Tell me, madame, is that the case? Is this that marvelous land, where the Servants of God do eternal battle with the Thralls of Darkness...?"

 

[The Forsaken One]

Listening carefully to yhe wonderfull and colourfull tales and history of this... strange visitor, Juiko feels that it might be sign now that the tides of chaos and darkenss seem to encroach upon them....

"Providence... maybe but surely not impossible and not so unlikely at all dear Emissary! And I understand the color now for there is wisdom and most certainly truth in its motivation and choise, your people sound wise Gautier, wise indeed."

She takes a few sips from her drink, delighted at the arrival of the stranger and the stories he has to tell. His history and motivation she finds truly fascinating. But she snaps out of her marvel and looks at the pale man again.

"Great the Emerald empire is indeed for we have endured alot and we have been fighting the evil of the shadowlands to the south for centuries holding back the onslaught of demon and undead alike. In a seemingless hopeless battle against the unending waves of darkness my clan and several other minor clans at the time found themselves abandoned and alone. But through sheer determination and their faith in eachother and in the fortunes they fought on and they cleaved their way through thousands of minions of evil and they drove the shadow back through the gates hence it came from and so they earned now their status among the great clans of the empire. But darkness and shadow still lurk in the south and it creepes upon our walls and borders once again. If you truly are a bearer of the light then you could not have come at a better time!"

Her concerned look now changes into a smile that shows the spark of life still runs strong in this old body.

"But alass... our emperor has been taken from us... save his soul. And I am not sure what you would mean with priest-Kings and both our ways of religion but with that I invite you to our island citadels so that you may study at our libraries and book and scroll houses while you may marvel at our beautifull cities and temples! Maybe there you will find the answer to your question for I am not so learned in those matters and in our different ways of description and experience of certain things. So you are invited to learn for yourself and that you might learn and study from what our travellers have learned far and wide!"

The old womans smile widens and she seems content and she is truly happy to have been first to meet these facinating people, these carriers of the faith and followers of the one god...

"But before you choose to come with us, I must say I would be delighted if you would and my clan Champion most certainly as wel, there is another deligate from Clan Phoenix here who wishes to speak with you, after that I hope you choose to set sail with us and join us at our beautifull islands of spice and silk!"

She stands up and bids Gautier to follow her and as she walks to the door and bids a servant to hold it open for the guest she turns around as she steps outside into the noon sun.

"Time flies when you are amusing yourself! I don't know if we are the kingdom of your Priest-Kings but an eternal battle with the Thralls of Darkness we are fighting indeed and I but hope that it will end before eternity and that light may shine upon our lands and that a higher power may watch over us, it's childern and be content with our works!"

She bids the captain to set sail and the Mantis leadship sails into the bay where it comes at a full stop besides the other large ship where the Phoenix representatives are and where they are summoned to the upper deck.

Back on the lead ship as Gautier and Juiko stand on the upper deck watching the noon sun reflect its full beauty and marvel upon the deep blue waves.

"And we will speak later of the Gift your bring, a gift of Faith and purification from sin and dishonor I take.. I have heard of such. But we will speak of it later, for I hope you'll be joining us at our capital."

And with those last words she guides Gautier to the walking bridge to the other Mantis vessel.

 

[Rhialto]

Gautier, on hearing Juiko's offer, smiles.

"I would like very much to see this library of yours. It would be of great help to me in my efforts to learn your language fully. And your history as well, mind you. But first, let us see these other ambassadors. Courtesy is the first duty of the courtier, after all..."

As they walk up to the deck, Gautier continues speaking. "As for the land of the Priest-Kings--to be honest, I asked half in jest. The land is a legend, or near enough. Still, I have wondered if this is in fact the source of those legends..."

 

[Janos Audron]

Deep down Miir, in an enormous room Vorador and Dejoule meet.

"So, Dejoule, I take it the research is on scheduel?"

"It is, Vorador. It should be finished in about a year."

"Very good. With this room completed, we can start the first stage of the preparation."

"You do not forget that we still need the necessary components for our spell? They are very hard to aquire. They might take too much time. Are you sure they will not be a delaying factor?"

"I am certain about that. I will take care of it myself. As long as you make sure you find a way to acomplish my vision, I will take care of the rest. Order the construction."

"Very well, Vorador"

Then they leave.

 

[The Forsaken One]

As they walk to the plank Juiko puts her hand on his shoulder and right before the plank she halts for a second.

"Countesy indeed for these are men of peace and they deserve coutesy and respect. And my heart is gladdened that you will accompagny me back to our beloved lands! And as for the legendary land, we shall search together and probe the libraries for note of them on one of our long voyages or maybe, that this land is the source of that lagend, who knows.. time will tell my friend.. time will tell!"

And with those words she looks at Gautier as he crosses to plank to the other ship where the Phoenixes await him. The Mantis shall offer them luxurous accomodations and try to comfort them as much as they can and treat them with the utter most honor and respect.

 

[Knight Otu]

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Gautier. I am Isawa Akahita, a shugenja of the Phoenix clan.", Akahita greets the stranger
"May I ask what brought you to the Empire of Rokugan?"

- OOC: I'll assume that I'll get more or less the same information as TFO got. - OOC

Upon hearing that Gautier has been told of the Emperor's death, Akahita wonders why Juiko has revealed this to a stranger, but doesn't say anything.

"You are a wise man, Gautier, that I can see. You also are a man of faith, as I am. I see similarities in our religions, but also points where they may clash. Maybe it is the Will of the One, as you call him, that we learn from each other?"

"What can you tell me about this legendary land of the priest-kings? It is unlikely that it is our empire, as the only clan truly ruled by priests would be our clan, the Phoenix. But still, we fight countless wars against creatures of darkness, as Juiko-san already told you."

"You reportedly performed a ritual upon landing on the shores here. May I ask of the significance of this ritual? And you mentioned this Ars Magna. Is this the name for your priestly prayers?"

 

[Rhialto]

Gautier leans back and shuts his eyes. "Hmm--the kingdom of the Priest-kings is a dim legend in the lands of the Faith. There are of course, a hundred stories about it, and most of them contradict... Essentially, however, the kingdom of the Priest-kings is a large kingdom, the largest in the world, ruled over by a king and priest, who is of the Faith. The kingdom fights a never-ending battle against a land of devils and unclean spirits."

He opens his eyes again, and smiles. "As for the ritual--that was the sacrament of baptism, by which Salvation is achieved through pledging loyalty to the One." He pauses a moment. "The translator did explain that, yes?"

 

[Knight Otu]

"It appears as if the fishermen had some trouble in truly understanding the purpose of the ritual. I do not know if this is a failure of the translator, or a misunderstanding on the fishermen's behalf."

"Do you plan on sending part of your fleet back to your homeland? If so, I have a request to make, Gautier."

 

[Rhialto]

Gautier gives a slight nod.

"I am planning on sending three ships back, and keeping three within a month. However, I suspect my Emissary work here may last for some time..."