[EM1] - Call To Temple (Closed)

[Ender]

In the darknesss of the early morning, before the first rooster has crowed, a hunched figure tends to the grounds. The sound of a broom working across the paved stone of the central portion of the shrine is accompanied by the sound of a man singing. Saito, the abbot of the Shrine, smiles to himself as he sings.

Yet even in his positivity, things are not as they should be. It seems he is the only monk in the shrine, and the revenue normally used from taxes to tend to the upkeep has dried up. The road leading to the shrine is beginning to fall apart. Cracks appear here and there.

Saito, though, continues his vigil. He works as best he can, but he is only one mortal man. His singing stops, as he begins to cough, stopping in his tracks. It is violent, his chest spasming, with the coughs sounding ragged and harsh.

Wiping his face with his sleeve, his singing resumes, as does the sweeping.

One lonely man.

[Kakita Ahiru]

Ready to pray for good luck on the first day of the tournament, a plainly dressed Ahiru with Kagehisa following behind her approaches the shrine of the Fortunes.

Having no interest to pray himself, Kagehisa stops a bit away from the temple as his charge continues onward. Seeing the lonely monk, the girl bows respectfully. "Lady Sun's blessings upon you, good monk."

[Funegao no Hirame]

Hirame wasn't the most pious fellow around. But he wasn't without piety entirely. And besides, it just made sense. If you were going to be doing something challenging, you needed every edge you could get. Might as well ask the Fortunes for a little extra help, right?

But the coughing of the monk drew a concerned look. And then a more concerned look as the coughing went on, wincing at the wet tearing sound of it.

Rising to his feet, Hirame moved over with his easy rolling stride. "Careful there, friend monk. Are you alright? Oh..." He bowed. "Good morning, Ahiru-san." He greeted his spouse to be (?!?!).

[Shiba Haru]

Comforted by his conversation with Kakita Yuji the previous night Haru was eager to attend the beleaguered temple, a fistful of cleaning rags tucked into one of his sleeves. He bowed as he reached the steps of the shrine and noted that he was not the only one to arrive despite the early hour.

"Good morning Devout One, Kakita-san, Mantis-san, I hope the fortunes have blessed you this day." He bowed to each person in turn and knelt to offer a quick prayer.

[Kakita Ahiru]

"Hirame-san, good morning, and to you too, Shiba-san," two more bows to the other samurai.

While she wasn't wearing several layers of fine silk today like she had the previous day, even her simpler clothing was stylish with fine details of swirling water patterns embroideried on the sleeves in silvery thread. Clearly the clothes were meant for more physical activity for the test later that morning.

[Isawa Natsuko]

Having woken early specifically to check on the state of the shrine her clanmates had spoken of, Natsuko pauses a moment, seeing a bit of a crowd. She tugs her hood up, but abandons the effort in the gusts that puff down the street. The air kami have other ideas, it seems.

She offers unobtrusive nods in greeting, pausing a moment to look longer at Haru before offering a similar greeting to the monk and looking around the shrine's construction, art and overall state before determining what offering might fit best with her prayers. It seems a lot for one old man to keep up with.

[Shiba Kuroneko]

Kuroneko had said he was coming to pray in the morning and noted the many people there. "Good morning Mina sama." He saw the singing monk and gave him a respectful bow. He nodded yo his cousins. "Seems many came to offer prayers today."

[Shiba Haru]

Enthused to see his kinsmen arrival Haru bowed to both of them.

"Natsuko-san, Kuroneko-san it is good to see you both here this morning."

[Ender]

Ready to pray for good luck on the first day of the tournament, a plainly dressed Ahiru with Kagehisa following behind her approaches the shrine of the Fortunes.

Having no interest to pray himself, Kagehisa stops a bit away from the temple as his charge continues onward. Seeing the lonely monk, the girl bows respectfully. "Lady Sun's blessings upon you, good monk."

"And a good morning to you, Crane-san." He beamed a bit, returning to sing his tune again, a simple folk diddy.

Hirame wasn't the most pious fellow around. But he wasn't without piety entirely. And besides, it just made sense. If you were going to be doing something challenging, you needed every edge you could get. Might as well ask the Fortunes for a little extra help, right?

But the coughing of the monk drew a concerned look. And then a more concerned look as the coughing went on, wincing at the wet tearing sound of it.

Rising to his feet, Hirame moved over with his easy rolling stride. "Careful there, friend monk. Are you alright? Oh..." He bowed. "Good morning, Ahiru-san." He greeted his spouse to be (?!?!).

"Thank you, young man. I will be fine, just an old man, feeling the passing of time is all." The sweeping sound of his broom keeping tempo with the song.

Comforted by his conversation with Kakita Yuji the previous night Haru was eager to attend the beleaguered temple, a fistful of cleaning rags tucked into one of his sleeves. He bowed as he reached the steps of the shrine and noted that he was not the only one to arrive despite the early hour.

"Good morning Devout One, Kakita-san, Mantis-san, I hope the fortunes have blessed you this day." He bowed to each person in turn and knelt to offer a quick prayer.

Having woken early specifically to check on the state of the shrine her clanmates had spoken of, Natsuko pauses a moment, seeing a bit of a crowd. She tugs her hood up, but abandons the effort in the gusts that puff down the street. The air kami have other ideas, it seems.

She offers unobtrusive nods in greeting, pausing a moment to look longer at Haru before offering a similar greeting to the monk and looking around the shrine's construction, art and overall state before determining what offering might fit best with her prayers. It seems a lot for one old man to keep up with.

Kuroneko had said he was coming to pray in the morning and noted the many people there. "Good morning Mina sama." He saw the singing monk and gave him a respectful bow. He nodded yo his cousins. "Seems many came to offer prayers today."

"And a menagerie of Phoenix, it seems. Truly, so many young ones coming to see an old man, and an older temple. It brings such warmth to my heart." He laughed, cheerily, before falling into another coughing fit.

If you have the sixth sense advantage, you can feel that the spirits around the shrine are quite sad, even weak. As if the health of the monk is reflected in the shrine itself, and the spirits there.

"Excuse me, friends. This past winter was especially cold. My vigor isn't what it once was. How can I be of service to you all?"

[Seppun Urusai]

Having prayed at the Temple to Amaterasu the day before, Urusai calls in at the Shrine to the Fortunes this morning.

Seeing the gathered assembly, he does not approach it, but instead begins to make a circuit, praying.

Seppun gonna Seppun, after all.

[Ender]

We have hit the limit of PCs I can handle in one thread. No new PCs may enter this thread.

[Isawa Natsuko]

(No sixth sense here)

Natsuko looks to the old man as he speaks. "Old temples, old kami oft need more attention, not less." Head tilted slightly she asks, "You would know better than I what offerings are preferred here, monk-san." She offers a bow without a direct question. "Others have noted some water imbalances in recent years. If you are feeling it, perhaps something to stoke fire?"

[Shiba Kuroneko]

"Honored monk san... mother asked me to come and pray to Inari and seek guidance of the Fortunes that not many follow. I might need some guidance." Kuro smiled at the man. "Sometimes a prayer is answered in the most interesting ways."

[Funegao no Hirame]

Hirame looked around, finding himself suddenly surrounded by birds. Phoenix, specifically. And a single Crane. "Funegao no Hirame." He introduced himself to the lot, including the two he already knew, and the monk.

"Yeah, uh..." Hirame brushed a hand back through his hair. "Why don't you let me take a turn with the broom, friend monk? Captain used to make me do that from time to time on the ship, mostly when I'd been misbehaving." He flashed a quick grin. "I don't think I've been misbehaving lately, but you never know. It's still early."

[Shiba Haru]

Haru turned his attention to the monk.

"Thank you for your kind works Abbot-sama and for your offer of aid. This one has come to offer his aid, how can the Phoenix be of service to you and the fortunes this day?"

He removed some cleaning clothes from his sleeves and began to tie them back.

[Seppun Urusai]

Hearing something like organization happening, Urusai heads that way, bowing and offering his name by way of introduction.

[Kakita Ahiru]

"And a good morning to you, Crane-san." He beamed a bit, returning to sing his tune again, a simple folk diddy.

Since introductions were going around, Ahiru introduced herself too with a bow. "Kakita Ahiru."

While the others were speaking directly to the monk, Ahiru turned a critical eye to the shrine itself. The monk would probably politely decline saying what the shrine needed, or so she thought, so she reasoned it was best to figure it out herself.

[Shiba Kuroneko]

"Oh my where are my manners, These are my cousins Shiba Haru and Isawa Natsuko and this one is Shiba Kuroneko." He bowed to the monk.

[Ender]

(No sixth sense here)

Natsuko looks to the old man as he speaks. "Old temples, old kami oft need more attention, not less." Head tilted slightly she asks, "You would know better than I what offerings are preferred here, monk-san." She offers a bow without a direct question. "Others have noted some water imbalances in recent years. If you are feeling it, perhaps something to stoke fire?"

The abbot stood tall, stretching his back before speaking. There was an audible pop as he cracked his bones, before stretching his neck one way, and then the other. "It's more than just that, I'm afraid." He sighed. "Even offerings that are left seem to wilt and not be as bright as they should." He sighed.

"Honored monk san... mother asked me to come and pray to Inari and seek guidance of the Fortunes that not many follow. I might need some guidance." Kuro smiled at the man. "Sometimes a prayer is answered in the most interesting ways."

"The spirits are always listening, son." He smiled back, the lines on his face seeming deeper when he did so. The wind whipped through the crowd briefly, before stopping a moment.

Hirame looked around, finding himself suddenly surrounded by birds. Phoenix, specifically. And a single Crane. "Funegao no Hirame." He introduced himself to the lot, including the two he already knew, and the monk.

"Yeah, uh..." Hirame brushed a hand back through his hair. "Why don't you let me take a turn with the broom, friend monk? Captain used to make me do that from time to time on the ship, mostly when I'd been misbehaving." He flashed a quick grin. "I don't think I've been misbehaving lately, but you never know. It's still early."

"You're a good lad. Kind and virtuous. I can tell." He handed over the broom without too much of a fuss. Still, he seemed sad, looking away from the group before returning to them.

Haru turned his attention to the monk.

"Thank you for your kind works Abbot-sama and for your offer of aid. This one has come to offer his aid, how can the Phoenix be of service to you and the fortunes this day?"

He removed some cleaning clothes from his sleeves and began to tie them back.

"To me, there's not much a whole Clan can do, young one. There's just so much to tend to. And the support and alms that used to come in regularly aren't as they once were. Tsuma, like a lot of places, has been stretched thin by the ravages of nature..." the tsunami still fresh in the minds of most.

Seeing the Imperial scion, he bowed deeply, and grateful for the introductions from Kuroneko.

"All of you are fine examples of those invited here. I am Saito. Abbot of this Shrine. The only monk here, I'm afraid. I sent my brothers and sisters away, not wanting to hand them the burdens of the starving we have been plighted here."

[Funegao no Hirame]

Cheerfully, Hirame accepted the broom, and began sweeping enthusiastically. He actually was pretty good at it; he clearly wasn't lying when he said he was an experienced sweeper. "That's nice of you to say." Hirame said, smiling. "My captain taught me to always do my best. That includes when being kind."

As he swept, he listened, frowning. "Starving? I haven't heard anything about that." He glanced around, looking at the surround Bird Clans to see if they knew what he was talking about.