The Day of Thunder

[Anjing]

Anjing felt she'd spent long enough in the village and its proximity. There might be monsters still there but they either wore human faces or were well hidden indeed. The surrounding forests deserved a good search and frankly after the last few days a chance to beat a corrupted monster over the head could help her loose some tension.

She'd crept quiet and low below the trees boughs, the fog wasn't exactly helping with visibility, but at least it made spotting her hard as well.
As soon as she entered she'd heard strange voices, whispers flitting in and out of her head quietly, urging her to commit depraved acts like asking peoples' opinions and then talking over them anyway, or getting your socks wet on purpose.

"Of course the forest is haunted." With a sigh, she continues her prowling.

[Sugri]

Having heard Shinsei's words, and knowing it was not his role to be the vanguard of what was to come, did not mean that Sugri felt no obligation in the conflict that was apparently brewing. If he was to have a hand in whatever struggle would happen then it would be best if he knew the terrain even those places that seemed unwelcoming... especially those places that seemed unwelcoming.

As a source of comfort his bow was strung. If any local took offense he could always pretend that he was hunting more traditional prey though he suspected that any who spent time in these woods would not begrudge another a weapon.

Hearing the voice ahead he's at least relieved that it sounds corporeal.

"I suppose a ghost would not complain of such things so you must be another traveler." He calls out to make sure his presence does not startle or surprise - he too would not begrudge someone a weapon but would prefer not to find it turned on him, "Greetings."

(Minor edit based on Birb info)

[Canary]

snip

She does hear some whispers. Rustling in the wind like distant voices, echoing from far away.

"H-Hida-dono, are you sure? You're- I mean, what about-"

"Don't worry about her right now..."

Sugri only hears rustling leaves.

[Anjing]

"Hush" Anjing glares at the...sound of the voices. Stupid non-corporeal voices. "And don't talk about my husband like that."

Snip

The sound of a far more human voices snaps her out of her ghost argument as she brings her weapon up, peering towards the sound in the mist.

"I'm no spirit of ghost. Not yet at least. Can you say the same?"

Slowly she starts heading towards the voice, weapon held close but not yet as if to strike the speaker.

[Sugri]

"I can - but I suppose so could a ghost if it truly meant to lure one to their doom. Evil spirits generally care little for truths I imagine."

As the fog parts to allow them to see each other he offers a slight bow.

"I could draw blood, I suppose, If one needed truest proof." He gestures towards the knife on his belt without taking any action to actually reach for it, "But I suspect teaching this land to taste for such things would only compound any problems."

[Canary]

Moving farther into the fog, the actual words become vague, but she can recognize one of the voices, at least. It's not just some Hida she's hearing. It's Hida himself.

[Anjing]

"I can - but I suppose so could a ghost if it truly meant to lure one to their doom. Evil spirits generally care little for truths I imagine."

As the fog parts to allow them to see each other he offers a slight bow.

"I could draw blood, I suppose, If one needed truest proof." He gestures towards the knife on his belt without taking any action to actually reach for it, "But I suspect teaching this land to taste for such things would only compound any problems."

"Hmmm" She peers at him for a long moment.

"No need, I have seen you and your mustache around the village, you're the outlander."

Moving farther into the fog, the actual words become vague, but she can recognize one of the voices, at least. It's not just some Hida she's hearing. It's Hida himself.

Anjing pauses, her brow furrowing deeply. "Apologies, this forest is mocking me in my husband's voice." She finds her knuckles whitening on the shaft of her weapon and visibly takes a moment to calm herself.

"Were it any other time perhaps I would see it burned. But for now I must bear it."
With an effort she focuses back on Sugri, nodding at his bow.

"You have traveled a long way, I have only heard tales of your people. And that was long ago."

[Sugri]

"Hmmm" She peers at him for a long moment.

"No need, I have seen you and your mustache around the village, you're the outlander."

He bows a little deeper again in acknowledgment of that fact.

Anjing pauses, her brow furrowing deeply. "Apologies, this forest is mocking me in my husband's voice." She finds her knuckles whitening on the shaft of her weapon and visibly takes a moment to calm herself.

"Were it any other time perhaps I would see it burned. But for now I must bear it."
With an effort she focuses back on Sugri, nodding at his bow.

"You have traveled a long way, I have only heard tales of your people. And that was long ago."

Sugri cocks his head for a moment listening to the wind but hearing nothing but leaves.

"It may be small solace but it seems I cannot hear it. So any lies it may speak will be for your ears alone."

"I have indeed. A few years among the rat-kin to help learn the language from some merchants who speak both our tongues and I have traveled a few more years within your lands themselves."

[Anjing]

Snip

"Good, I wouldn't want you listening in on my marital troubles."

Her expression darkens as he continues.
"I see." There's a slight pause.

"Well, far be it from me to speak on the company you keep, if you came from the south you would have had no choice. And there is not a one among my people who will deny a traveler, and you have come farther than most."
She rests her weapon on her shoulder, gesturing around to the forest.

"Why would you spend years journeying all the way here? There are less cursed parts of our land where the food and company are better. Don't tell me Shinsei called you."

[Sugri]

"Good, I wouldn't want you listening in on my marital troubles."

Her expression darkens as he continues.
"I see." There's a slight pause.

"Well, far be it from me to speak on the company you keep, if you came from the south you would have had no choice. And there is not a one among my people who will deny a traveler, and you have come farther than most."
She rests her weapon on her shoulder, gesturing around to the forest.

"Why would you spend years journeying all the way here? There are less cursed parts of our land where the food and company are better. Don't tell me Shinsei called you."

"I suppose one could say that, though only indirectly. I heard stories of your gods falling from the skies, of a great evil defeated that was seeking to take route in the lands of the rat-kin, and other great acts that were too recent to just be legend without backbone. When I began asking more and seeking more it seemed that all roads lead to Shinsei."

[Anjing]

"I suppose one could say that, though only indirectly. I heard stories of your gods falling from the skies, of a great evil defeated that was seeking to take route in the lands of the rat-kin, and other great acts that were too recent to just be legend without backbone. When I began asking more and seeking more it seemed that all roads lead to Shinsei."

"They were gods, it's complicated. I married one, long story. He's a good man deep down."
Anjing's mind briefly flashes back home.
"Hopefully I'll see him again, but who knows?"

As for Shinsei.
"He is legendary in these lands both for his alleged wisdom and for the many wild seeds he has sown. A most unusual monk, to put it midly."
Still, his tale makes sense.
"So, you had to see all this for yourself? The stories were not enough?"

[Sugri]

"They were gods, it's complicated. I married one, long story. He's a good man deep down."
Anjing's mind briefly flashes back home.
"Hopefully I'll see him again, but who knows?"

As for Shinsei.
"He is legendary in these lands both for his alleged wisdom and for the many wild seeds he has sown. A most unusual monk, to put it midly."
Still, his tale makes sense.
"So, you had to see all this for yourself? The stories were not enough?"

He raises an eyebrow, "Truly an impressive fate to find oneself wed to a god I am glad to hear it is a good one."

"Stories are important but so are truths. If unbound by duties of family and station would you not explore if you heard of new empires forming and new gods being born? All the more so once you heard dark tidings that, if this new empire failed, might one day threaten your own home."

[Anjing]

He raises an eyebrow, "Truly an impressive fate to find oneself wed to a god I am glad to hear it is a good one."

"Stories are important but so are truths. If unbound by duties of family and station would you not explore if you heard of new empires forming and new gods being born? All the more so once you heard dark tidings that, if this new empire failed, might one day threaten your own home."

"His snores are truly heavenly."
Now that she's closer she gives Sugri a curious once over as they talk, her eyes noting anything semeingly non-Rokugani

"If unbound by family and station I would have little to live for. Family is what gives us the reason to live. To honour our parents, work beside our siblings and protect our children. But I will admit,I have journeyed in the past when there were dark rumours that threatened my home. I won't begrudge you the same."

In a curious tone. "Would you walk with me? If we encounter any beasts I trust you know how to use those weapons?"

[Sugri]

"His snores are truly heavenly."
Now that she's closer she gives Sugri a curious once over as they talk, her eyes noting anything semeingly non-Rokugani

"If unbound by family and station I would have little to live for. Family is what gives us the reason to live. To honour our parents, work beside our siblings and protect our children. But I will admit,I have journeyed in the past when there were dark rumours that threatened my home. I won't begrudge you the same."

In a curious tone. "Would you walk with me? If we encounter any beasts I trust you know how to use those weapons?"

He chuckles at the comment regarding snoring and nods at the rest, "While I prefer not using them if it does come to that there will be no issue. Spare eyes, in this fog, are certainly not unwelcome either."

[Anjing]

He chuckles at the comment regarding snoring and nods at the rest, "While I prefer not using them if it does come to that there will be no issue. Spare eyes, in this fog, are certainly not unwelcome either."

"Glad to hear you're not some kind of pacifist. Always find them in the worst places."
Anjing sets off, setting a slow pace with plenty of time for the two to scan ahead as they move. No sense rushing through the fog of a haunted forest.

"So, your homeland. It is to the south? Is it like Rokugan, or different? And if it is so far south, what is south of it?"

[Sugri]

"Glad to hear you're not some kind of pacifist. Always find them in the worst places."
Anjing sets off, setting a slow pace with plenty of time for the two to scan ahead as they move. No sense rushing through the fog of a haunted forest.

"So, your homeland. It is to the south? Is it like Rokugan, or different? And if it is so far south, what is south of it?"

"I aim to cause minimal harm in this world but there are times one must protect oneself or others for that to be true. Allowing a greater harm through inaction is not somehow better than inflicting a lesser harm yourself." Sugri seems more than comfortable with the pace of movement. Though it does not always seem he is paying close attention a careful step around loose rocks or fluid move to avoid a branch without disturbing it suggests that his awareness of what is around him is greater than first apparent.

"To the south and west, yes. South from there one hits the great waters and to the west the burning sands of the great desert. There are some within the sands with whom we trade but mostly it has been the rat-kin until now."

[Anjing]

"I aim to cause minimal harm in this world but there are times one must protect oneself or others for that to be true. Allowing a greater harm through inaction is not somehow better than inflicting a lesser harm yourself."

"Sensible, dangerously close to what Shinsei might say to a paramour at the end of another tryst."

Sugri seems more than comfortable with the pace of movement. Though it does not always seem he is paying close attention a careful step around loose rocks or fluid move to avoid a branch without disturbing it suggests that his awareness of what is around him is greater than first apparent.

"To the south and west, yes. South from there one hits the great waters and to the west the burning sands of the great desert. There are some within the sands with whom we trade but mostly it has been the rat-kin until now."

Anjing is suitably impressed by the display of competent bushcraft. The outlander was clearly of use in the forest.

"I'm familiar with the rats, doubtless your trade with them will continue for many centuries. They are great friends of our emperor."
Her tone warms slightly as she continues on. "So south of you there is just water and nothing? Is that perhaps where the world ends? Or does it simple go north again?"

[Sugri]

"I have heard rumors of lands beyond the desert but they are too far, and too perilous, for regular travel and trade so far but sometimes those who trade within the desert bring back strange trinkets and designs that we have not seen from the desert before. I will admit to not knowing too much of such matters though. Trade is the purview of the Vaishyas - I imagine they will begin visiting your empire soon, if they have not already."

[Anjing]

"I have heard rumors of lands beyond the desert but they are too far, and too perilous, for regular travel and trade so far but sometimes those who trade within the desert bring back strange trinkets and designs that we have not seen from the desert before. I will admit to not knowing too much of such matters though. Trade is the purview of the Vaishyas - I imagine they will begin visiting your empire soon, if they have not already."

"The Vaishyas?"
She turns with a frown, crouching beside some thick foliage.
"Are they some kind of foreign rat man? I imagine their mustaches must be very thick indeed."

[Sugri]

Sugri can't help but laugh though he does muffle it enough that it is unlikely to attract attention.

"Some certainly bear such adornment. How to explain it...." He ponders for a moment, "If an empire is a body the Shudra are the hands and feet. The ones who do the labor and craft. The Vaishya are the veins and arteries the merchants and farmers who supply the body. Then the Kshatriya are the mind - the noble warriors who lead. Finally the Brahmin are the soul who bring wisdom, knowledge, and guidance."

"The Kshatriya are likely the easiest to compare as they are much like your samurai."