[D2LM] That's why we can't have nice things (Open)

[Moto Mitsuki]

After her talk with the Deer higher-up, Mitsuki walked to the temple as she had done the previous day, still convinced that building up a reputation for piety would help her gain points with the Shika.

Plus, it was the best place within the city limits she had found to refocus her mind in peace in-between two social events.

She wasn't as sumptuously dressed as the day before, but she didn't think it would be an issue. She was proven wrong about ten minutes later when a monk unnaturally coughed behind the spot she was sitting on.

"Samurai-sama... Could you come back tomorrow? Today the temple is closed due to... a late spring cleaning taking place."

This was so obviously a lie Mitsuki just glared at the monk, whose voice shifted to a whisper:

"Please samurai-sama. You're making the novices nervous. This morning augury forewarned us against an unpure white cavalier sneaking its way into the place today. And while it's likely to be a metaphor for a disease-riddled rodent..."

Mitsuki was dressed in white and riding clothes. Of course.

---

Omen of Bad Luck Anxiety: +3 strife, +1 Void Point

[Susaki Tanabe]

Tanabe had never heard of this Musubi but he was far from a pious individual. Never the less going to the temple sounded interesting and he'd heard there was a huge cherry blossom tree which sounded at minimum a good place to relax and meditate.

As he entered he saw the woman in white talking to a monk. The monks posture seemed negative and the conversation had a bad vibe so Tanabe walked over. The large Badger was wearing simple brown kimono that was just a touch too small and bore the Otter mon in a blue somewhere between the Crane's powder blue and the Crabs navy.

"Good morning, is everything ok here?" He asked looking over the two, his tone was inquisitive but he still had he usual easy smile and general happy vibe with him.

[Moto Mitsuki]

The monk bowed to the newcomer:

"Just a friendly discussion about comparative theology samurai-sama.

About how, in several texts about Bushido, it is discussed how sometimes the best path of action is to accept an unjust blame to one self, if in doing so one shields the honor of their lord or host.

About the many discussions from theologists on the subject of presages, how they are always true in essence, how easily they can be misinterpreted by mortals, and how these interpretations, rightful or wrongful, shape the mind of those who learn of them."

He bowed again:

"May you find wisdom in these words and enjoy a good day samurai-sama."

And he left.

Mitsuki muttered something under her breath, foreign words that could translated by Fuck my life was anyone able to hear them and knew the Ujik language. Then she turned to face yet another giant. Seriously, what were they feeding the people in this side of the country?

"Hello samurai-sama. Not a big deal in truth, I just appear to have fallen on the wrong side of the horoscope today.

Not the first time it happened to me either. The thing is, when you travel as much as me, you're doomed to accidentally carry from one place to the next an item that was perfectly fine in a given setting, but is negatively charged in another. I try to be careful about that, but one would need to be full-time epistomelo... eposti... specialist in signs to keep with them all.

Apparently, the white rider is the symbol of the plague rat or something here. Bad call on my side."

[Susaki Tanabe]

Tanabe gave the monk an inquisitive look before he wondered off he then turned back to Mitsuki "huh weird but I never really understood monks much. Don't have any temples on the river so I've only seen a few of them."

He offered her a bow "Well Unicorn-sama this one is Susaki Tanabe and i don't know if it means anything but you certainly don't seem like a bad omen to me."

[Moto Mitsuki]

Mitsuki answered with an enigmatic smile:

"One of the Lords of Death, Tarkun the Timely is also nicknamed the White Rider. The legends about him are somewhat confusing, but a recurring motif is that he always appears just in the nick of time to save the day.

So indeed, anything that can be seen can be interpreted in a myriad of ways."

She returned the bow:

"Moto Mitsuki, of the ten thousand blades of the Khan. Let's move outside if you will, as a gesture of good will to our hosts."

She'll have them relocate in the external courtyard if he accepts, keeping talking along the way:

"The world has more than one river. Are you referring to one in particular or is this just an idiom I don't know of?"

[Susaki Tanabe]

Tanabe had no objection to moving outside so he moved with her to the external courtyard and listened intently "Well Lord's of Death is certainly an imposing name! They don't sound like the savior type but that is very cool." He said smiling as they moved.

"Well met Moto-sama! The samurai of the Otter Clan are not contained to just one river. I said the River just to mean any river we might find ourselves on. We have no real land or holdings as we simply float along the rivers of the Empire in groups and live among those ships." He explained cheerily.

"You sound well traveled yourself Moto-sama. I know the clan of the Wind enjoys their freedom. Do you travel any part of the Empire in particular?"

[Moto Mitsuki]

"The whole Burning Sands and the lands they lead to are my ordinary playing ground, and my home is where I set up camp for the night. The Unicorn owns a few stone and brick holdings in the desert and around it of course, but the sands are just so big for one to gaze upon them every so often.

Not that it bothers me, quite the contrary. I'm from an ancient and proud nomadic tradition, one where we're always on the road and the family only gathers fully for festivals and weddings. The world just too big and interesting to not try to have a glimpse at more of it in your lifetime."

[Susaki Tanabe]

Tanabe listened and nodded with a smile "huh not so different from me then. Well you explore a lot more space but the Otter are basically nomads of the river as well no permanent place just sailing across the rivers and coasts of the Empire. That's really cool though, we don't make it outside of the Empire's borders often. What's it like out there in the Burning Sands, not too pleasant of a name I'll admit." He says chuckling a little.

[Moto Mitsuki]

"The Burning Sands go on and on for several weeks on horseback in all directions. They just cannot be described in a few sentences.

The key to understanding them however can be summed up to a single word: Water. Where there's water, a river, a lake, an oasis, sometimes just a well, there's life, there's plants, there's animals, there's people. Sometimes simple temporary camps. Sometimes magnificent cities that could compete in size and beauty with any Rokugani Kyuden.

And in-between the places where water can be found, there's nothing permanent. Patches of empty, harsh lands, that people travel through but where they never remain willingly."

[Susaki Tanabe]

Tanabe listened intently nodding along as she spoke "Well that certainly beats the jigoku out of any experience I got. But I was right that it doesn't sound like a very fun place to go. So much harsh, vast, emptiness. Why do you enjoy wandering there instead of throughout the Empire?" He asked curiously