The Wastes: Travel (The First Scroll)

[Phlale]

"Heat, I can deal with, and savages," the woman smiles, "This will not be your first trip to the colonies, Ide-san?"

[Hayabusa]

When the Spider turns her attention to her brother and doesn't reply or engage her Yukiko turns her own focus back to her husband. "The Ivory Kingdoms are in ruins, are they not?" She asks Naseru. "While there are some left I thought that the remains shouldn't be much of a problem anymore. Not that I am worried as you fought destroyers."

She turns a bit in her saddle towards the Moto. "Have you traveled to the Colonies too, Moto-san?"

[TetNak]

"Afraid not," Ryuu answers, "We'll see about the heat," he quips, not so sure the Spider knows what she's talking about. Ryuu does not, of course, elaborate on his time in the colonies.

[Muskrat]

Hiroake looks at the Spider with some curiosity, disguising any unease he feels. He says, "Before they were largely destroyed, the people of the Ivory Kingdoms were a noble people, at least for gaijin outside the Celestial Hierarchy." He knows this attitude will likely make non-Unicorn, especially the Dragon (the Spider had spent a long time outside the Celestial Hierarchy, if in a far darker way than the Unicorn), uncomfortable, but he believes it is important that those who travel to the Ivory Kingdoms and who may deal with the remnants of their people understand this. "And they knew how to live with the uncomfortable situations there. While we must deal harshly with any raiders, it is my hope it might be possible to deal with some survivors or find records in the their ruined cities that would help us learn how to better live in the Colonies and thereby better secure the Empress' rule there."

[ManWithDoor]

"I have never traveled to the High House of Light or anything, but I have traveled through Dragon lands during the War of Dark Fire. Avalanches were often more of a danger than the gaijin. The snow could wipe out an entire company without a sword drawn." He shivers in memory. "But most of my deployments have been to Scorpion and Crab lands, which I am sure you know are far warmer than this. Wearing heavy armour all day in the heat will not be an issue for me." Perhaps a bit of hubris, given that he has never been to the Colonies, but he's a confident man.

[Hayabusa]

"That is more than enough experience in my book," Yukiko replies to what Naseru has said. She stands up in the stirrups, leans over to her tall husband and bends down a bit so her face is only an inch away from his as she balances on only one foot, almost falling off the saddle. Her steed shifts a bit when she reaches for Naseru's head with one hand. "Zakyo Toshi was worse and now we can see the Colonies together and I don't have to worry about my husband having traveled further than me," she rolls her eyes in mock annoyance. A moment later she plants a kiss on his lips before speaking again. "But I still have to slay a destroyer on my own."

[Vardaen]

"The Gaijin Sorcerers of the Ivory Kingdoms do not do anything like the Shugenja of Rokugan." His words are overly harsh towards Ryuu's comment about them. "They do not beseech the kami in any way similar to us. Do not compare their curses and blood magic to what Shugenja do." For a Unicorn who prays to the once gaijin gods of the Shi-Tien Yeng Wang, this might seem a harsh reply, but he is adamant in his statements. Kicking his horse he trotts off a dozen feet and sits looking eastwards back into Rokugan before the caravan sets out.

[Phlale]

The Spider smiles at the public display of affection, "It would seem we are in good company, Tadao-san, and can look forward to both safety and interesting conversation until Journey's End," there is a hint of humour in her voice.

The Dragon speaks for the first time, short and perhaps a little harsh, "Yes, I'm sure you will find something to entertain you," looking to the assembled Unicorn he bows, "Thank you for your insights, Unicorn-sans."

[TetNak]

There's a smile on Ryuu's face, peering over to the Moto, "Domo, such insight," he says, laughing. "I have seen the kami bless men with the power of fire, and I have seen the same in the Burning Sands. Don't tell me they have no similarities. The end result is the same, a man screams as his flesh burns from the bone."

[Vardaen]

The Death Priest looks at Ryuu, "Having your skull crushed under the hooves of a Battle Maiden's horse, and committing honorable seppukku both have the same result -- death, but the similarities in the events there end. So too is it with gaijin magic and the speaking with the kami."