[D8 - LM] Compassion (Wide Open)

Mari · **Joined:** Sun Apr 12, 2020 4:43 am **Posts:** 702

Mari decided that things were bad enough at this point that it was time to do something about it. And, frankly, she didn't expect a single one of the people wearing fine mons except for maybe a dragon or phoenix to be making the rounds. The monks would, sure, but there were thousands clogging the street. So, she set herself out on the porch of the building next to where she'd pitched her tent and pulled out a medical kit and a trio of her scrolls.

Nobody was making hushed whispers about the impending death of everyone being in the next twenty-four hours, so she could offer her services to any of the heimin who had need of it, and there were bound to be refugees who were in need of it. But, first thing was first. She began with a prayer to Inari, and when she did, there was a large supply of rice and fresh water. Not the most flavorful, but she figured her uncle would be proud of her right then.

Smiling at the first peasant that happened to eye the food, she made a motion for the to sit, and if anyone else wished to join in, she wouldn't say no.

( Inari's Blessing Cast: Successful with one raise, 1 VP. Food for 4 for one day produced, spread out as a single meal for 12. )

The Hilsilage · **Joined:** Sat Apr 04, 2020 9:15 pm **Posts:** 160

The Hilsilage wanders through the crowd, checking on the various ailments of the commoners and catching up with their needs. There is never enough to go around.

Word of miracles garners his attention, and he winds his way to watch the power of the kami again come to the aid of the people.

Mari · **Joined:** Sun Apr 12, 2020 4:43 am **Posts:** 702

For the moment, the Naga would get to see the after-effects of a simple spell, but this was not to say that he might not see another 'miracle' before this whole process was done. Admittedly, Mari didn't consider these things miracles so much as the simple, practical asking of a spirit for some assistance that mortals couldn't accomplish.

But you try telling that to peasants...

She caught sight of the strange creature and her eyebrow raised. She knew of his race. She had heard many tales of the war, and of the shinomen mori itself, though she'd never been close to that great wood for long, preferring her own smaller copse. Still, they were permitted here, and who was she to judge? Bowing low because she had no clue where he stood in the grand scheme of things, she motioned towards a space nearby.

"Naga-sama, please join us. I'm just trying to tend to a few of the refugee's needs. There's a lot of us around, yes?" she said amiably enough. Some of the peasants were clearly very nervous, others in awe, but she tried to give them a reassuring look. Either way... they were hungry, so it wasn't going to stop them.

The Hilsilage · **Joined:** Sat Apr 04, 2020 9:15 pm **Posts:** 160

"I thank you, this bounty is indeed the paragon of charity. I am called the Hilsilage. I have been helping these poor souls for six or seven days now. It was a very long hike to get here. I fear they will not be able to shelter long."

The Hilsilage bows as well, though not as deeply.

Mari · **Joined:** Sun Apr 12, 2020 4:43 am **Posts:** 702

She laughed a little openly and smiled over at the Naga with a flash of pearly whites. "Naga-sama, you are being far too kind," she said as she rose from the bow and continued to distribute rice balls and water. This much would only go so far, so she suspected that she would have to move to another spell again soon. In truth? She didn't imagine she'd be healing too many folks. They'd traveled for nearly a week. The refugees would not have many wounds untreated by now, hopefully. But bellies to fill? Yes. "I certainly would than Inari for answering my prayers, but being able to conjure such bounty is more of a gift to me than it is to them. Most ronin have to work for their rice."

Which... might have been underselling it a bit, but hey. She didn't want too much credit.

The Hilsilage · **Joined:** Sat Apr 04, 2020 9:15 pm **Posts:** 160

"Oh, I see. The human system of occupation and specialty is very strange and interesting to me."

The Hilsilage smiles warmly to and seems to know a few of the peasants.

Mari · **Joined:** Sun Apr 12, 2020 4:43 am **Posts:** 702

"I confess that I know nothing of your own people's occupations," she said as she took hold of the scroll and began to chant once again. She was inevitably grateful that what she had done at this point was made so much easier because of the presence of the water dragon above, though she did not know that this was the actual reason for it. The spirits did not question or fight what should have been a fairly basic spell, and again there was more rice ready to be balled up.

She offered some over to the naga to help her with after closing the scroll once more. "But if you wished to know, I am a ronin, a clanless. I am simply a priest who serves no lord, and therefore makes my daily bread from the generosity of the kami, or doing whatever the samurai usually do not wish to be bothered with."

( A Second Helping of Inari's Blessing - 24 )

The Hilsilage · **Joined:** Sat Apr 04, 2020 9:15 pm **Posts:** 160

"Our positions are assigned with our names. We fullfil them as long as we are able, then we return to the Akasha, where all our memories can be accessed by those who would benefit from our wisdom."

The Naga assists with the distribution as he talks, nodding and smiling.

"I would think, as the spirits provide for you, that being free from a lord would give you the capacity to further refine your relationship with your spirits without distraction. Though I suppose the secrets of the bloodlines are not accessible to you either."

Mari · **Joined:** Sun Apr 12, 2020 4:43 am **Posts:** 702

"I... am not entirely sure that most of that translates exactly," she said, chuckling to herself. "Though... to be assigned from birth or at least one's youth isn't that unusual. Most people are first trained in their family's trade or skills."

As she passed out the food, she considered quietly for a moment how best to put the other issue. It was... something of a doozy to explain. It wasn't a bloodline issue. The training that she'd received was the training she'd received. "I... do not lose what I already know. Those techniques I was taught are still mine, but prayers of the kami are jealously guarded secrets, protected by the priesthoods of the clans. To be clanless means that one must earn the privilege to partake in such a bounty, and that is ... difficult at best."

The Hilsilage · **Joined:** Sat Apr 04, 2020 9:15 pm **Posts:** 160

"I am curious by nature. Are the kami innately helpful, but unable to easily understand what you need?"

The Hilsilage turns his head slightly, inquisitive.

Mari · **Joined:** Sun Apr 12, 2020 4:43 am **Posts:** 702

She laughed pretty openly. "They're fickle, tricksome and prideful creatures who view the world in ways that none of us can understand. We learn to speak with them, to placate them, to ask for their favor. And if they feel like doing it, they will." She smiled as she looked at one of the rice balls. "Inari, the Fortune of Rice... a prayer to him is meant to beg his favor, but like all foxes... he is a wiley one. Best not to assume he will help just because you said the right words."

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

The heck? Maiya was started for a moment by the Hilsilage's presence. She had seen naga before, from a distance, and been told about them. She hadn't expected to see any in Lion lands however. The Lion clan were not known for their love of other species.

Observing the naga, Maiya took a few long moments to decide he wasn't a threat. He seemed to be conversing easily with some sort of ronin. Maiya realised her hand had slide up her katana to rest on the hilt. She leg it drop and gave it a shake. Calm down. Mentally she pushed away the stories some Crab had told her of their time fighting naga during the war not too long ago.

When a person had to apologise to get around her she slowly walked toward the gathering to be out of the way of passers-by. Approaching the naga and Mari she waited in eyesight before giving a bow. "Ohayo gozaimasu." Maybe one of them could tell her more about the enemy? She'd also be able to say she'd spoken to a snake man. Pretty neat!

Mari · **Joined:** Sun Apr 12, 2020 4:43 am **Posts:** 702

"Ah, good morning Crab-sama!" Mari said, shifting in her seat and bowing low and appropriate to the Kaiu as she approached. "I welcome you this fine day. Enjoying this lovely weather?" One of the peasants nearby suppressed a chuckle. Oh yes, lovely weather.

She rose from the bow only when the Kaiu had done so. "You may call me Mari, and this esteemed personage is called the ...er... the Hilsilage. Have you eaten rice today?" The irony of that old fashioned greeting about rice with rice being handed out to those who wanted it wasn't lost on her.

The Hilsilage · **Joined:** Sat Apr 04, 2020 9:15 pm **Posts:** 160

"Greetings, samurai-sama. As you can see, we are extending organization and compassion to our poor compulsory traveling companions. Though mostly I am just lending familiarity and hands."

The Hilsilage offers a bow.

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

Okay, so, the ronin was pretty friendly and the snake man was well spoken. Maiya could handle that. That name though. Hill-Sil-Age? She didn't get it.

"Nice to meet you. I am Kaiu Maiya. I enjoy fighting." She states simply. "I am in your care."

She bows for a second time as she completes her introduction. Looking around the table she smiles ever so slightly.

"I've eaten, hai, but this is a nice gesture." By which she meant the food for the peasants. "Ano, I hoped to ask you both a few questions. It won't take much time."

Mari · **Joined:** Sun Apr 12, 2020 4:43 am **Posts:** 702

"One blessing and gift that I have," Mari said as she rose from a second returned bow and motioned for her to take a seat before continuing to hand out rice to those approaching them. She smirked about the 'I like fighting' comment but kept commentary to herself. The woman was Crab. It was like calling water wet, after all. "Time. We have ample of it. Hopefully I can offer the information that you seek or my companion of the moment can."

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

Then again, if you asked some Crab bushi to describe water they probably would just call it wet...

"Thank you."

Moving to sit down so they could converse the armoured Crab has a closer look at the food. Had the ronin woman meant a blessing in the literal or figurative sense? She wasn't sure, but she did not the scroll satchel.

"I hoped to ask if you knew much about the enemy on our doorstep. My cousin and I will be joining the defence. Information would be invaluable."

Mari · **Joined:** Sun Apr 12, 2020 4:43 am **Posts:** 702

"Ah... no, -sama. I know relatively little of them. They are spirits of the realm of slaughter. Neither undead and tainted, nor are they noble shiryo. Condemned to fight forever, they live even now as they lived in life. Spirits of war, implacable. Anything else, another would tell you," she said, making sure the peasants weren't too close when she said that portion, wanting them not to become fearful of it. "But I came from the west, by way of the roads from Shiro Akodo, though I had to skirt the city. I have never fought any of them."

"Naga-sama? Did you face them?"

The Hilsilage · **Joined:** Sat Apr 04, 2020 9:15 pm **Posts:** 160

"Not directly, but I heard about them while tending the wounded. They are brutal and vicious, and apparently can appear as one's honored ancestors. That seems to trouble humans considerably. Impersonation is not a problem we naga are used to addressing."

The Hilsilage pulls out a black and red fan and taps it against his chin thoughtfully.

Kaiu Maiya · **Joined:** Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:43 am **Posts:** 878

All of this was useful information. Much of it was new too. Maiya did her best to commit it to memory so she could later share it with her cousin. The naga having what looked like a Scorpion fan was, in her mind, a little odd however. Then again, she really didn't know much about the Hilsilage's peoples.

"Thank you, this is helpful. I am a little confused still about the nature of these spirits. Are they yurei, like in stories, or something else? There have been conflicting accounts of them as being ghost like or real in the flesh. I heard some re-joined and interacted with their families before brutally turning on them. It was hard to believe, even when I saw some of the aftermath first hand."

Unlike the ronin shugenja, the Crab bushi didn't seem much concerned about their conversation being overheard by the peasants. Either she didn't care or she thought it was better that they knew what to expect.

[D8 - LM] Compassion (Wide Open)

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