Untitled

Logfile from Fulcrum
Log opened 22/03/2025  -  16:45:07


The Ordway Gardens - Teahouse 

     The teahouse, like all others, is composed of several strictly defined spaces: the anteroom, where the utensils for the ceremony are readied beforehand; the sitting room, where the tea ceremony is performed; and the tokonoma alcove beside the entrance where flowers and a calligraphy scroll are displayed. Four-and-a-half tatami mats, which are the standard dimensions of a traditional tea house, cover the floor. Although the teahouse is an authentic structure, it also features unusual elements, including walls of sliding shoji screen doors around the tatami mat area.

     Outside, it's fair and chilly.


[ ...in the Dreaming... ]

      If one looks closely the tiny sprites can be seen moving in the nooks and crannies of the teahouse. Brown robed monks and faithful villagers, some carrying smoking plant stalks giving off a sweet aroma. A group of them might sit around a teacher here and there or be gathered for tea in this holy place.

------------------------------------ Players -----------------------------------
Nowell              0s    Pretty Sidhe boy in black. Green eyes, silver hair.
Loki                31s   
Amber               2m    
Aleksander          4m    Tall but slouches, rail-thin with dark curly hair. Sluagh
Georgia             29m   
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Obvious exits:
Out <O> 


The dragon is reclining on top of the tea house, long and white with tiny legs, he is certainly not western dragon. Probably about the size of Camila if he coiled himself all together.


Nowell and his little entourage make their way to the Teahouse. Thanks to it being February, there are only a few stalwart diehard fans of the Zoo wandering the grounds.


Amber does not have Camilla with her this go round.


Nowell extends a bow towards the Dragon as he introduces himself. "Gok shoukai shimasu? Watashi no namae was Nowell desu." His accent is rough, especially with the Quebecer accent on top of it all.


Aleksander is a few paces behind Nowell, and bows even lower than the sidhe does. Practically at an acute angle, and does not rise when Nowell speaks. Like he's waiting for osmething.

Amber is not to far from the Nowell either, but she's not bowing, just grinning at the dragon. She gives Nowell a curious look, "Gesundheit!"


Nowell also keeps his bow, awaiting the Dragon's response, if any.


Nowell says, "Go yujin no shi o itamimasu Masuta Osaka." <<My condolences on the loss of your companion Master Osaka.>>


Nowell politely waits for the Dragon to respond, should he choose to.


The dragon looks down at Nowell from atop the tea house. <<You may call me SHiro, little one.>> He brings his head closer so that he can look at Nowell more intently. <<Master Osaka returned to the wheel many years ago, but he has returned.>>


Aleksander actually bends over so far he can put his hands on the ground and crab-crawl forward. Which he does, just enough to get ahead of Nowell but still WELL away from the honorable dragon, and uncurls JUST enough to face both the sidhe lord and the massive reptile. His spindly hands and too-long arms move in gestures that may not make sense to many of those present.


Nowell glances over towards Aleksander, as the Sluagh is going to handle things from here. The Sidhe has exhausted most of his hastily acquired rudimentary Japanese. He gets contextual clues, however, and he replies to Shiro, unfortunately in French, in his nervousness. "Merci, seigneur Shiro!"


Amber murmurs, "Josie's boy."


Aleksander clears his throat, which is honestly louder than his following statement, "<<Noble Dragon Shiro, forgive this one's low tones, as we humbly seek your advice. Our Duchy is in trouble.>>" which may be a strained bass-heavy croak, but is still fluent Japanese in the most respectful keigo one could utter. Said perhaps a little slowly, as he signs at the same time.


Nowell watches Aleksander's fingers as the Sluagh speaks with the Dragon, getting an on-the-fly translation from him via signing.


Aleksander whispers "signing <<'shiro' means white, so he is not silver>>"


Shiro looks down at Aleksander. "I can give my advice as I am able."


Aleksander was in the middle of signing but does take a moment to goggle ever so slightly as the dragon speaks English. He looks from the now-called Shiro to Nowell as if for any need for him to continue.


Nowell gives a little nod at Aleksander's quiet statement. He then looks respectfully up at Shiro, the glimmer of an idea in his eye. He takes a chance, and whispers to Aleksander, "Ask him if he is a river Dragon, please, Sasha?"


Aleksander just nods slightly and continues translating, "<<Pardon our impudence, but are you in fact connected to a river, as some dragons are said to be? Are there other dragons like yourself within the Duchy? It is regarding dragons that we have such questions, with our Duchy so imperiled.>>" The tail ends of his sentences take on a slight wheeze, as he almost runs out of breath.


Nowell reaches over and places his hand upon his spidery friend. "Breathe, Sasha..."


Shiro says "<<The dragons that are like unto me are across the sea. I am here because Master Osaka came here on a boat. Did they look like me?>>"


Nowell turns thoughtful as Aleksander translates. "We have not seen any Dragons like yourself...you are unique." He has Aleksader translate this for him.


Shiro says "I am unique in this kingdom."


Nowell hasn't forgotten what Amber said earlier about Josie's child, either.


Aleksander does in fact try and take steadying breaths, if a little raggedly, "<<Truly, you are unique within this realm. We have seen no others, for it is quite different dragons who make up the threat the Ducky faces.. >>"


Nowell gets another idea. It's a bit of a risk, but he goes for it anyway. He takes a breath and murmurs,"Dear Sasha, could you ask him if he finds meaning in the phrase Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi?"


Amber scratches at her head, listening as Alek speaks japanese along with the dragon and Nowell randomly speaks english. She scratches her head, "I think I'm gunna jet. I am not helpful here."


Shiro shakes his head, "This does not mean anything to me." (assuming Alek translates)


Aleksander actually says directly at Nowell, "God of the Swift Amber River?" and then turns slightly to say "<<Lord Nowell asked of the title 'God of the Swift Amber River', apologies, as there is much we sort through before asking aught of you, and we appreciate your patience...>>" before he flat stops and puts his hands on his knees, breathing heavily.


"I do not know this god."


Nowell bows his head, having struck out. He still has his hand resting upon Alek. "I have asked much of you today, dear friend...do you feel well enough to continue on?"


Amber gives a chipper cheerful wave to the dragon, "Have a good day!"


Aleksander says after a moment of heavy breathing, and still in a faint croak says to Nowell "I can ask, what we need to ask, and then go lay down, it's.... fine."


"YOu are not well. Do you carry the plague?"


Amber wanders off.


Nowell looks over to Amber. "I do now wonder if Shiro and the Colonel Camila would be able to communicate with each other, even if the Colonel cannot manage our speech." He gives Aleksander a critical look. "I had a few more names to test out, but we ought take this slow, both for yourself and Shiro." He gazes up into one of Shiro's huge eyes. "Just another question or two, and then we turn it over to him and ask what we can do in return for his patience and kindness."


Nowell requests Aleksander, "Could you please ask him if the names Azor Ahai or Haku mean anything to him?"


Aleksander holds back a cough and says "<<Just a weak constitution, noble one. Lord Nowell has but two further questions, if we may. And we intend to ask of yourself, what we may do in return for this audience, your patience and kindness. Do you know the names Azor Ahai, or Haku?>>"


The dragon shakes his head. "I do not know Azor Ahai, Haku......." He seems to ponder this then laughs. "Oh of course I remember now. Haku! Master Osaka loved those fights. I called them soap operas. Ha ha ha ha!"


Aleksander definitely cannot hide a puzzled expression as he signs this out, in particular the 'ha ha ha ha' at the end.


,---------------------------- FM Dice -- WoD Style -----------------------------
| Nowell rolls 6 dice (Perception + Empathy) against a 6 difficulty:
|	4 2 2 3 8 1
| for a total of 0 successes.
`-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Nowell is also puzzled by the laughter. "Most curious...I know the name Haku only from the master storyteller Miyazaki. Thank you."


"He was a professional wrestler. Sometimes he called himself Meng."


Nowell gets another idea. "Great Shiro, may I Ken you?"


"I do not understand what he is asking of me."


You say "I am asking if I can look at you magically, Noble Shiro. I can get a better understanding of you. There is no harm; I simply observe."


,---------------------------- FM Dice -- WoD Style -----------------------------
| Nowell rolls 10 dice (Perception + Kenning) against a 6 difficulty:
|	2 10 8 5 2 10 7 7 6 8
| for a total of 7 successes.
`-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Nowell watches the beautiful Dragon as he curls around the Teahouse rooftop. He takes a good moment to really study the mighty being.


Shiro is a powerful chimerical creature. His brightness in the autumn world suggests that he lives here, not in the dreaming. It is most likely that he is the chimerical companion of Master Osaka. Perhaps created when Osaka was chrysalized.

,---------------------------- FM Dice -- WoD Style -----------------------------
| Nowell rolls 9 dice (Intelligence + Gremayre) against a 6 difficulty:
|	7 9 5 10 2 6 10 3 10
| for a total of 6 successes.
`-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Nowell drums his fingers against his mouth as he further scrutinizes Shiro, clearly pondering something.


HIs appearance and his accent indicate Japan which makes you wonder if Master Osaka was really a boggan at all. The fae of Japan are called Sei. Sei are a breed apart from the western Kithain, and there are many striking cultural and psychological differences. Indeed, even as Kithain find the Sei strange, the Sei find the Kithain equally baffling, referring to them as Fushigi-no Itoko ('Strange Cousins'). Despite the great Imperial past of Japan, the Sei have always stood apart from such rigid social structures, and if anything have long ridiculed and loathed such establishments. In fact, the Sei have often deliberately targeted the most conservative individuals, especially religious types, and people with over-inflated self-egos, as their main victims. The Sei are outlaws, and outlaws they will remain.


Nowell exhales softly as he recalls what he knows. "Yourself and Knight Roque might be at odds," he murmurs, mostly to himself. He has Aleksander translate, "Is there any small boon or favour you would ask of me in return for all of your wisdom?" Oh yes, he is going to continue buttering up the tricksy bugger.


Shiro looks confused. "Why am I at odds with this knight?"


Nowell smiles and has Aleks pass along, "Knight Roque is a good man, but quite conservative in many ways."


Shiro looks closer at you. "That doesnt explain my question."


Nowell bows his head humbly, and elaborates. "Where you are from, the Fae are very culturally different, and their society functions differently as well. The Sai are disinclined to conservatism, and the Duchy here is quite conservative, with Knight Roque seemingly the most so."


The dragon peers down at you. "Master Osaka was not a very good fit for them, that is why he came here. Probably I would get along fine with this Knight. In fact we came here because the conservativism of Grass was more so than other places like Apples or Pacifica."


Nowell asks, "So what is it that we can do for you in the Duchy? I am so pleased you chose to stay here with us, Shiro," he adds, a genuine smile on his face.


Shiro says "YOu can get Master Osaka to come here and let me take care of him sometimes. His father is very overbearing."


Nowell blinks. "You know where he is right now? I can talk with my Countess to get permission to bring him here."


Shiro says "Yes, he is under the care of a woman named Joe Cee."


Shiro says "His mother."


You say "Is he in Japan, or is he here?"


Shiro says "Here now."


Nowell vows to the Dragon. "We shall find him. Is he Childling or Wilder now?"


"He is a baby."


Nowell makes a quiet noise. "Is his mother also victim of this overbearing father?"


Shiro says "Everyone is the victim of an overbearing father."


Nowell bows his head to Shiro. "Absolutely so. I should not want to separate a Childling from his mother; I have comrades I can work with to rescue them both from their situation. Would this be ideal?"


Shiro says "Return to me with word I hope."


Nowell bows his head even deeper to Shiro. "I shall, Noble Shiro. Perhaps with even more than word."