An evening stroll (D6, LE)

[Shinjo Kemuri]

"Well, I'm not sure horses and boats mix well, anyway." he shrugged.

[Doji Fukawa]

"Probably not" Fukawa agrees with a nod. "But how are your horses with mountains?"

She looked off into the distance.

"From what I've seen, they are amazing creatures...as long as the land is perfectly flat."

[Shinjo Kemuri]

"It doesn't need to be flat, but mountains can be a problem." he nodded. "What are Crane lands like?"

[Doji Fukawa]

"Simply beautiful." she responds. "Of course, many people think that it's a land of nothing but flower gardens, but that is not true. There are, of course, many flower gardens and some of the Empire's largest farms. There's also woods, and gentle hills. Beautiful beaches alongside the shore. Mountains in the distance, even the occasional marsh. Every type of terrain is represented, and it gives one the sense of being both in nature and in art."

[Shinjo Kemuri]

"It sounds very nice." he smiled. "Are there many open fields?"

[Doji Fukawa]

Fukawa shrugs a bit.

"Not quite like the area surrounding this village. Open land tends to be worked, either for farming or other artistic endeavors. Of course, there are plenty of roads one could ride upon, but you won't have the absolutely freedom of going in whichever direction you wish like these lands." she admits.

[Shinjo Kemuri]

"It seems like that would be the case anywhere I might go." he sighed. "But, it will still be nice to see more of the Empire."

[Doji Fukawa]

Fukawa nods.

"It's a vast Empire to travel." she agrees. "There are many sights to see, both natural and man-made."

[Shinjo Kemuri]

"So I have been told. Is there anywhere Doji-sama likes in particular?" he asked.

[Doji Fukawa]

"I would have to say that the Fantastic Gardens of the Crane would be my favorite." she admits after little thought. "Originally it was Lady Doji's personal flower garden, but it has expanded to cover the entire top of Kyuden Doji's plateau. It's an amalgamation of every accepted style, and include story gardens, sand gardens, rock gardens, and water gardens. It's practically a city within itself with tea houses, markets, sake houses, theatres, geisha houses, and every other legitimate entertainment enterprise that can be imagined, each placed to not disrupt the Gardens pattern and beauty." she offers.


She looks around herself at the corner of boring street and generic.

"It's really something one has to see to believe." she says.

[Shinjo Kemuri]

"That sounds very impressive." He looked around. "Much different than what one finds here. Is Doji-sama a practitioner of garden arts?"

[Doji Fukawa]

Fukawa shakes her head.

"No, but I can appreciate the results. It makes for interesting conversation as one walks from one to the next." she says.

She looks at the Shinjo.

"Even in Winter, there are some truly remarkable displays, some even involving sculpting with snow and ice." she says.

[Shinjo Kemuri]

He smiled at that. "Such arts are not typical among the Unicorn. They require a permanence that we have rarely had. Smaller crafts are more common. Perhaps, that may change somewhat, now that we have a home."

[Doji Fukawa]

Fukawa nods.

"Certainly you have inspiration to draw upon unlike any that has been seen within the Empire." she says. "It will be interesting to see how it fits in to the established formats."

[Shinjo Kemuri]

"Or clash." he chuckled. "Adapting our customs and traditions to the expectations of Rokugan will not be easy. I suspect the Unicorn will always be outsiders to some extent. Each clan has its own distinct ways, of course. Hopefully we won't stand out too much."