Evening visitor (day 4 late evening, Bayushi Hotaru's tent)

[Moto Baatar]

"So art is more important?" Baatar asked. "What kinds of art do you mean? I've heard that poetry is popular. But I'm still not quite sure what makes a poem a poem, and not just, well, a bunch of words." He furrowed his brow.

"Do you know?" he asked. "Or what kind of art do you like?"

[Bayushi Hotaru]

"Poetry...is something my more courtly cousins may know about. Poems should be thought as a vassal that sends your love and affection to another. They also hide the identity of you and your intended, allowing them to be shared around the courts and be the envy of many people, that's how it goes in the pillow books. Sure, you can talk and write about how you feel...or you can show how you feel with a poem. Maybe hint some good memories together to make it a little more obvious?"

"I..." Hotaru looked up as she considered voicing her answer, not finding her answer. "I like pretty and cute things! Things I can put on display and have others look at in fascination. Paintings, carvings, ceramics, and even plants. Nothing to be worn, however."

Those were the sort of gifts reserved for a later aspect of a relationship.

[Moto Baatar]

"That does sound nice," Baatar agreed. "I haven't gotten to see a lot of things like that; my family's been moving around for a long time. Are there a lot of pretty paintings and sculptures where you come from? That would be, where, Bayushi City?"

[Bayushi Hotaru]

"I get the feeling you mean Kyuden Bayushi, which would be our major castle and city. Not all Bayushi come from Kyuden Bayushi and I can't say that I've been there before." She said with a rueful smile. "There's bound to be countless pieces of art too, especially if it were to remotely match the grandeur I've heard about it! Where I'm from, things are far humbler and simpler in comparison, as Tengoku's Path is just a small town. We get a few things, some local works and a few things that come from Hotei Seido."

[Moto Baatar]

"I don't know Tengoku's Path," Baatar admitted. "It's a pretty name, though. Why is it called that? Is it on a high mountain or something?"

[Bayushi Hotaru]

She took up her cup of tea and took a small sip from it, shaking her head. "Most haven't heard of it, outside of the Scorpion lands. If you're interested, I'd be happy to mark it on your map, in case you're curious! It's a pilgrimage town located a bit east from the River of Gold, on a crossroad that takes you right into Hotei Seido, the largest temple devoted to the Fortune of Contentment. I suppose it was named that because it serves as a pilgrimage town and a gateway for the pious. I think the intention was to make it sound grand...but it's a town that's more humble, for proper reasons."

[Moto Baatar]

"A small town on the path to Heaven sounds very nice," Baatar said thoughtfully. "It must be very peaceful, especially under Hotei's shadow. I have to admit, the size of the big cities of the Empire is a little daunting."

"You must live in the shrine, there, then? Does the river really run with gold, or is that just a saying?"

[Bayushi Hotaru]

Uhm... "Well, I'd be happy to hear of your opinion of my humble town when you drop by a for a visit! I found the cities overwhelming too, as someone who lived in a small time for most of her life. Hai, I'm found at the town's local temple, the Shining Retreat. Most people know me there, so it shouldn't be hard to get directions."

"Not with gold, exactly." Maybe with filth? "I get the feeling that it was named that because of all the commerce that flows through it, which is essentially generating riches like gold, in a sense!"

[Moto Baatar]

"There is a river like that in the far north," Baatar recalled. "The Nahrumar river, it's called. It winds through the Burning Sands, but along the river are rich fields and jeweled cities. There is much trade along this river, too. If you go far enough north, there's a whole 'nother Empire on the banks of the river; a place where they worship ten thousand different gods. I haven't been there, myself, but I've met merchants from there. They talk with a funny accent, and wear a mon of a beetle."

[Bayushi Hotaru]

Hotaru narrowed her eyes and tried to fathom some understanding about this foreign culture. It was the first time she heard of any foreign culture in further details.

"Such a strange culture...do you think they worship the Fortunes as well? We have a Thousand Fortunes, ourselves, but not ten thousand." Of course, they might have less or more. A 'Thousand' was a round about way to say 'many'. It was hard to compare numbers. "They talk with a funny accent, do you mean that they also speak Rougani?"

It was perhaps a silly question, but there was a possibility that their great culture was respected by another. Perhaps, there was a lost tribe of the Bettle that left Rokugan aeons ago to set up their own colony.

[Moto Baatar]

"I don't think they worship the same gods as you easterners," Baatar said thoughtfully. "I mean, a lot of Fortunes were named by the Emperor, right? There's no way they could've heard about those."

"They did speak Rokugani, though not very well," he added. "They had their own tongue, too; it sounded kinda flowery, like all the words ran together. Some of the Ide were able to speak it; they're good at that sort of thing. I think that's why the Ide wanted to test whether we could learn new languages. I never had much gift for it, though." The young Unicorn shrugged.

"I'm hoping there will be some riding and fighting games in the days ahead; I'm sure I'll do better at those."

[Bayushi Hotaru]

"Unlikely..." she agreed with him, a bit. "However, the Divine Emperor does speak with the will of the Heavens. I just wondering if the will of the Heavens managed to trickle its way to other lands beyond the Emerald Empire. The Fortunes are great and powerful, so their domain would influence all land on the Realm of Mortals."

"But, they know Rokugani?" She said on a surprised note. "I wonder where they learned our language, perhaps from the Unicorn?"

She smiled faintly. "Those are both things I might need some practice on...maybe your Familly will have an idea for an event that will incorporate both?"

[Moto Baatar]

"Yes, I'm hoping so," Baatar enthused. "Moto are known for riding and chopping things, so a contest where we do both of those would be perfect."

"Well... for someone like me, anyway," he added, suddenly realizing that riding and chopping things might not be the sort of thing shrine maidens did. "I'd, uh, be glad to give you some pointers on those things if you could use them. Or are there other contests that you hope to see? I bet the Iuchi would have some temple related stuff."

[Bayushi Hotaru]

She smiled shyly, "Maybe I could consider picking up on chopping stuff but I don't really have a weapon suited for something like that. There are some shrine maidens that know their way with a bow or the naginata. As for the Iuchi, probably! But from the few I spoke to, they mentioned that the Unicorn never had much in the way of shrines and temples. Maybe relating to the Fortunes, but that would be just catering to my expertise. Probably wishful thinking on my part!"

[Moto Baatar]

"Maybe the Fortunes could give you a hint of what is to come," Baatar suggested with a grin. "Or, if not, maybe I can. The Iuchi are fond of lucky charms; they often make amulets and talismans and such. Do you sell that sort of thing at your little shrine in Tengoku's Path? Maybe they will have a game to make things like that."