The Day of Thunder

[Anjing]

"My apologies. Hopefully you are right that this sun and these children will tell a different tale. There is not much purpose to repeating it, after all, though sometimes our failings do cause such things to happen."

She nods, continuing on for a few moments before pausing.
"So the sun really just...destroyed everything it saw? The whole place? I'd heard the desert was vast but... that is more destruction than I could comprehend. All that power and it used it to destroy."

[Sugri]

She nods, continuing on for a few moments before pausing.
"So the sun really just...destroyed everything it saw? The whole place? I'd heard the desert was vast but... that is more destruction than I could comprehend. All that power and it used it to destroy."

"From what I have heard from the Vaishya is that the wastes are larger than our kingdom and the lands of the rat-kin combined and possibly even larger still. There may be some exaggeration, perhaps, but I know they border both and likely your own as well."

[Anjing]

"From what I have heard from the Vaishya is that the wastes are larger than our kingdom and the lands of the rat-kin combined and possibly even larger still. There may be some exaggeration, perhaps, but I know they border both and likely your own as well."

She shakes her head.
"Such a thing is...hard to conceive. But hardly impossible I suppose. Hopefully nobody in our lands is as foolish as to kidnap the Sun Goddess. Or if they are, it can be resolved differently."

With a conversational tone.
"Lady Amatersasu is my mother-in-law, but I've never actually met her. I think her divine presence might scorch my flesh from my bones in an instant. Still, she's an important person to keep happy."

[Sugri]

She shakes her head.
"Such a thing is...hard to conceive. But hardly impossible I suppose. Hopefully nobody in our lands is as foolish as to kidnap the Sun Goddess. Or if they are, it can be resolved differently."

With a conversational tone.
"Lady Amatersasu is my mother-in-law, but I've never actually met her. I think her divine presence might scorch my flesh from my bones in an instant. Still, she's an important person to keep happy."

"I have heard it joked that all wives fear the wrath of their new mothers but it does seem you have more cause for caution than most."

[Anjing]

"I have heard it joked that all wives fear the wrath of their new mothers but it does seem you have more cause for caution than most."

"Tell me about it, what if she comes to say and I don't have the good furs out and she just decides to blast the entire land? Be a stupid way to get my people cursed."
She casts a wary gaze upwards, but no angry sun appears.

"Although I hear Akodo married a fish, so it could always be more complicated I suppose. Cannot imagine that went down well in heaven."
She was pretty sure it was a fish anyway.

"You probably past through the lion lands on your way here. They're the uptight ones, very serious all the time. How were the lands looking?"

[Sugri]

"Tell me about it, what if she comes to say and I don't have the good furs out and she just decides to blast the entire land? Be a stupid way to get my people cursed."
She casts a wary gaze upwards, but no angry sun appears.

"Although I hear Akodo married a fish, so it could always be more complicated I suppose. Cannot imagine that went down well in heaven."
She was pretty sure it was a fish anyway.

"You probably past through the lion lands on your way here. They're the uptight ones, very serious all the time. How were the lands looking?"

"A... fish?" Sugri tried not to judge people and customs he did not know but that was certainly a new one.

He shakes his head slightly and focuses on the easier concept, "I do not think now is a fair time to judge them as I did not visit them before all this. They're cautious, fearful, untrusting at first but that seems to apply to everywhere and everyone since the nightmares began. Even with that I still found those among them willing to share food with a traveler so, at the core, there is still goodness there."

[Anjing]

"A... fish?" Sugri tried not to judge people and customs he did not know but that was certainly a new one.

He shakes his head slightly and focuses on the easier concept, "I do not think now is a fair time to judge them as I did not visit them before all this. They're cautious, fearful, untrusting at first but that seems to apply to everywhere and everyone since the nightmares began. Even with that I still found those among them willing to share food with a traveler so, at the core, there is still goodness there."

"You could be describing any Clan in the empire, even my own. But I will tell Makime that, it will be worthwhile to see her expression."
She pauses for a moment as if to consider. "Mmmmhm, I may leave your name out of it." Very magnanimous.

"And would one of my people expect the same reception in your homeland? Or are you more welcoming to outlanders?"

[Sugri]

"You could be describing any Clan in the empire, even my own. But I will tell Makime that, it will be worthwhile to see her expression."
She pauses for a moment as if to consider. "Mmmmhm, I may leave your name out of it." Very magnanimous.

"And would one of my people expect the same reception in your homeland? Or are you more welcoming to outlanders?"

"We are. But I do not say that from any belief of inherent moral or cultural superiority. Yours is a young empire and one facing a grave crisis at that. I am sure, when our empire was newly birthed, we would have been much the same. We have generations now of trade and experience with those outside our borders as few as they may be. If anything that has taught us that conflict is more likely to arise from within than without... though I suppose all but one border being hazardous aids in that."

[Anjing]

"We are. But I do not say that from any belief of inherent moral or cultural superiority. Yours is a young empire and one facing a grave crisis at that. I am sure, when our empire was newly birthed, we would have been much the same. We have generations now of trade and experience with those outside our borders as few as they may be. If anything that has taught us that conflict is more likely to arise from within than without... though I suppose all but one border being hazardous aids in that."

Anjing looks back at him as the two reach out a tighter cluster of trees and the going slows for a few moments.
"It is? How was your empire founded? Not by falling gods by the sounds of it. Making an empire is...complicated, I am interested to hear how else it could be done. Or if there is only the one way."

[Sugri]

Anjing looks back at him as the two reach out a tighter cluster of trees and the going slows for a few moments.
"It is? How was your empire founded? Not by falling gods by the sounds of it. Making an empire is...complicated, I am interested to hear how else it could be done. Or if there is only the one way."

"The falling of gods might have been easier. From tribes it became petty kingdoms warring among each other for land and power and control. As they grew and expanded and consumed each other eventually they reached limits. Natural barriers, the amount of land one could reasonably enforce their control over, external threats, and the like and it slowly solidified into a handful of true kingdoms. The gods were active in this time, though subtly so, incarnating to be wise teachers, to preach the strength of unity, or to lead rebellions against the truly malign. This presence slowly helped enlighten and civilize these kingdoms and, while it did not prevent war from ever occurring, open conflict between them became rarer."

He touches the carving on his bow, "Then a time of darkness came. A great demon, Revan, and his kin, the Rakshasa, conquered the kingdoms and ruled them with terror and fear - slaughtering and feasting upon those who opposed them... or just those they felt like in the moment. Eventually the gods have to intervene lest we be destroyed entirely. Vishnu, the Great Preserver, incarnated as a mortal prince, Arun. Rallying those who remained and were willing to risk their lives to save what had been built, as well as an army of spirits, Arun eventually slew Revan and the forces he gathered slew, or drove out, the other Rakshasa though at great cost."

"Realizing that it had taken unity to defeat this threat and that, perhaps, if the kingdoms had been one from the start instead of rivals perhaps Revan could never have conquered it as he did, the rulers of the kingdoms formed into the empire that we now have. Each is still ruled by a Raja, the head of a Kshatriya house, but they in turn are lead by a Maharaja... a king of kings, like your emperor... descended from Arun's household. In the lifetimes since the fall of Revan we have grown into what we now are today."

[Anjing]

Snip

"All of this before the fall of the Kami?"
Anjing shakes her head, the Rokugani seemed to have reached the point of 'Your gods are running around and things are very bad' quite late indeed.

"It is impressive what your people and Vishnu achieved. Not only to win the war, but to win the peace two. Although from what you tell me these Kshatriya still have their little wars from time to time. But your apocalypse, the demon. Without such hardship do you think your land would ever have united?"

She gestures at the haunted forest, the fog, the distant haunted, foggy village, the state of the world in general. Is the reward for overcoming such evil a happy and peaceful land?"

[Sugri]

"All of this before the fall of the Kami?"
Anjing shakes her head, the Rokugani seemed to have reached the point of 'Your gods are running around and things are very bad' quite late indeed.

"It is impressive what your people and Vishnu achieved. Not only to win the war, but to win the peace two. Although from what you tell me these Kshatriya still have their little wars from time to time. But your apocalypse, the demon. Without such hardship do you think your land would ever have united?"

She gestures at the haunted forest, the fog, the distant haunted, foggy village, the state of the world in general. Is the reward for overcoming such evil a happy and peaceful land?"

He considers, "It is hard to say. It may be that unity would have come eventually with lesser hardship although perhaps that would have been the unity of a mortal conqueror as opposed to one that the gods saw fit to stand against themselves. Or perhaps we would still be separate and lesser for it."

He looks around as she gestures, honestly the forest didn't seem that bad, "I believe the reward for overcoming evil is simply overcoming evil. Right deeds seldom come with promise of reward but they often open the opportunity. Whether that opportunity is then properly seized or not will depend on the people."

[Anjing]

He considers, "It is hard to say. It may be that unity would have come eventually with lesser hardship although perhaps that would have been the unity of a mortal conqueror as opposed to one that the gods saw fit to stand against themselves. Or perhaps we would still be separate and lesser for it."

"Always more easy to say what happened than what might have happened. That's the burden of leadership. All the 'could have beens' cause trouble. Sounds like the invasion helped in the long run though. Your people united and found their way unlike the peoples to the west who just got a desert.

He looks around as she gestures, honestly the forest didn't seem that bad,

Noticing the look. "You'd understand if the forest kept trying to bring your husband into things. Be glad it's not whispering in the back of your mind."
Frowning.
"You really don't hear anything?"

[Sugri]

Noticing the look. "You'd understand if the forest kept trying to bring your husband into things. Be glad it's not whispering in the back of your mind."
Frowning.
"You really don't hear anything?"

He shakes his head, "Just the wind in the leaves. If spirits are tied to a land and a culture perhaps they do not perceive me or I do not perceive them... or both I suppose."

[Anjing]

He shakes his head, "Just the wind in the leaves. If spirits are tied to a land and a culture perhaps they do not perceive me or I do not perceive them... or both I suppose."

That prompts an even more curious look.

"Our spirits are...discriminatory?"
She eyes the forest.
"I suppose they are evil spirits, it makes a certain sense. Still, you would think they would at least attempt to corrupt you."

[Sugri]

That prompts an even more curious look.

"Our spirits are...discriminatory?"
She eyes the forest.
"I suppose they are evil spirits, it makes a certain sense. Still, you would think they would at least attempt to corrupt you."

"If Shinsei is right that only your people can serve as champions against this force I suppose it makes sense for the force not to waste its time and effort on those of us who are not considered a threat to it."

[Anjing]

"If Shinsei is right that only your people can serve as champions against this force I suppose it makes sense for the force not to waste its time and effort on those of us who are not considered a threat to it."

"Maybe. I suppose destiny has its set way of things. The stories would not be quite so compelling is a mysterious moustached outlander struck the killing blow, only to vanish."

The two reach a small hillock and can start climbing the somewhat slick grassy sides.

"Shinsei might not be right though, he is only one man after all. Were I you I would feel a little insulted by the enemy."

[Sugri]

"Maybe. I suppose destiny has its set way of things. The stories would not be quite so compelling is a mysterious moustached outlander struck the killing blow, only to vanish."

The two reach a small hillock and can start climbing the somewhat slick grassy sides.

"Shinsei might not be right though, he is only one man after all. Were I you I would feel a little insulted by the enemy."

He grins through the effort of the climb, "It is not an insult to be overlooked by an enemy so much as a grave error on their part. Whether I shall have a role or not I do not intend to be passive in the face of darkness and if it cannot see me coming then all the better."

[Anjing]

He grins through the effort of the climb, "It is not an insult to be overlooked by an enemy so much as a grave error on their part. Whether I shall have a role or not I do not intend to be passive in the face of darkness and if it cannot see me coming then all the better."

Anjing grins back as they reach the top panting, the fog is still thick around them, although now above most of the trees they can see a little further over the forest.

"So, you can keep stabbing it until it pays attention? Now that would be a tale."
Although then a thought strikes her.
"I wonder if it works the same in reverse, if one of my people would pass unnoticed by your spirits. Do you have wisepeople as we do?"

[Sugri]

Anjing grins back as they reach the top panting, the fog is still thick around them, although now above most of the trees they can see a little further over the forest.

"So, you can keep stabbing it until it pays attention? Now that would be a tale."
Although then a thought strikes her.
"I wonder if it works the same in reverse, if one of my people would pass unnoticed by your spirits. Do you have wisepeople as we do?"

"There are certainly those wiser than myself. Though some look up to me as wise so I suppose the worth of that is dependent on perspective. Those of the Brahmin who devote themselves to the gods and serve their temples can call on miracles on their behalf as well."