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Raga Shrine-Crusher	The afternoon winter sun shines coldly down on Great Forks, particularly one of the lower ledges of the many-terraced crisscrossing levels of the city. Raga, called Shrine-Crusher for her opposition to some of the crueler shrine-gangs in the City, is crossing a walkway railed with rope and flags in the colors and patterns of several ofthe gods who have temples and smaller shrines nearby. Petals float gently through the air as perhaps a harvest, beauty, or art deity is being honored some several stories above. Today she seeks out a storyteller of the Veh people, her ancestral culture yet one she's never had a lot of contact with. The past holds meaning to her, and the lack of her history as she understands it is a source of emptiness and curiosity at the same time. Where she finds this lorekeeper is another matter entirely, as he may be focused on something or someone she hadn't foreseen...
Misa	While they are charged with keeping alive history, tradition and culture, a savvy storyteller ever has an ear for the present- after all, today's present is tomorrow's history, and perhaps next week's meal if one is on the road. Which is perhaps why this storyteller, dressed in rather dramatized flair on traditional Veh garb is speaking with some animation to a rather... less animated woman. She looks to have the features of Lookshy, this woman being interrogated, though a savvy eye might catch hints of another bloodline- mixed in, but overshadowed by proportion or happenstance of birth. It's not hard to tell the tone of the conversation- the storyteller is not quiet, and is desperately dragging details about the tournament and specific matches out of this apparent competitor in it. It's... not terribly fruitful. The apparent-Lookshyan is quiet, and reserved, and relates the details and stories with all the flair and charm of a particularly dull rock on the side of the road.
Raga Shrine-Crusher	Raga's own approach may, perhaps, be noticed as she finally catches up to the older man with a charismatic and engaged air. Stopping to pluck a few petals out of her shorter hair, she waves. "Hey." she says, calling out a little over the noise of the crowds that pass by above and below. It's not so loud as to be truly difficult to hear one another, but sometimes it helps if someone's quite focused too. "Oh!" she says, grinning at Misa. "I think I remember running into you at the... Market? Talking about Prasad. Haven't seen you in a while, I guess I need to get out more. How've you been?" she asks. "I'm still having trouble finding a caravan for that trip, but maybe I should just walk at this point." she muses.
Misa	A pause of Misa, and there's mild surprise on her face at the interruption- though she masks any further feelings on the matter out of sheer habit. "Ah- yes, ah... I would the the caravans would be on their way back here, at the moment- most align themselves just before the yearly tribute to the Realm, at this time of year, and said tribute likely set out on its own path towards the inland sea within the past few days, I should think, given the date," she notes, shifting her stance to open it to Raga in this conversation. "Have you met... this man who is asking me questions?" She offers the storyteller an apologetic smile. "With my regrets sir, I believe you may have requested tales before names in this instance."
Raga Shrine-Crusher	"Ah! Yeah." Raga says, "I wanted to catch up on some stuff I never learned." she says, "Twisting Oak here was going tell me but I don't want to get in the way of him hearing about your... Dramatic, heroic expoits." she says with a smirk. "Heroic, certainly, but scarcely dramatic in this telling." Oak replies. "Truly this is a part of the storyteller's duty and privilege, but sometimes I wish there wasn't so much to be filled." he says. Raga shrugs. "Some people are like that, not everyone has a larger-than-life presence even if what they do is incredible." she observes. "Honestly, I should've been there for the tournament. Who came out on top anyway?" she asks.
Misa	"It is not quite yet resolved- though the forerunners seem to be Fudou the Mountain and Raullaur, as favourites to take the final victory. Much larger and more striking figures than I- perhaps better to interview?" she suggests, glancing at the storyteller. She folds her hands together, nodding slightly. "And... yes. My actions are simply my actions. I see no campfire story hero to it- just the actions and results."
Raga Shrine-Crusher	"Hehe." Raga says, "Yeah, they cut pretty impressive figures. Me, I just teach people to punch straight and say their mantras to repel evil spirits right. Not like I'm about to barge in and wrestle a thousand hungry ghosts to the ground at once. I've only got two arms after all." she observes, spreading them out a little more. She is visibly strong, but... Still. Maybe she has a point? "And yet still you strike fear into the hearts of gods who forget themselves, not to mention keep impious fools from disrespecting gods who have done nothing but good for their worshippers." Twisting Oak says, then looks over to Misa. "Perhaps it is humility. You keep your feet on the ground so firmly you don't quite see how someone might paint a picture of you from afar, or weave your image into a tapestry. Better than thinking you deserve a statue or parade simply for breathing, wouldn't you agree?" he asks.
Misa	"I suppose... Misa says, shrugging slightly. "I just... don't care for the crowds, admittedly. And know there are better than me out there, always. If I might wax somewhat poetic about -one- thing..." she pauses, thinking her words over for a long moment as she considers Raga's presence. "Many practitioners use a metaphor of a mountain, the peak of which is true mastery and enlightenment. Of late... I have come to not agree. I see the martial arts as something of a vast ocean- extending farther than one could ever swim, and deeper than one could ever dive. No end, no possibility of exploring it all in one's life, even for the Exalted. It is more about finding... the currents with which one is comfortable, the depths one is willing to go- and the places one can reach upon developing those to one's satisfaction." Though by her voice, there has yet to be a satisfaction in Misa's metaphorical swim through this metaphor.
Raga Shrine-Crusher	Raga's expression is surprised. "...Y'know there is this one place that's a literal mountain of enlightenment. I wouldn't recommend it, it's... The area around it is pretty nasty. Sometimes people die on it trying to head to the next plateau... I learned some crazy stuff there but it's not my first choice to recommend to anyone." she says, shaking her head. "Ha! Part of your travels that you don't talk about eh? I can't blame you, it sounds dark and burdensome." Twisting Oak says, his at first jovial comment turning serious and sympathetic. "I've only said much to the Three. I... Owe Weaver that much, for all she's done for me and my people." she says, shaking her head. "I used to have a lot of hate for gods. I still think we all have our place, and we shouldn't mess with each other. Gods being powerful, more often it's mortals that need help... But the world changes you. You learn there are worse things than gods that grow too proud. Learn that sometimes, that doesn't matter so much and you need to keep yourself grounded by fighting for people around you. That's why I want to head to Prasad, see if it really needs change like I think it might."
Misa	Misa pauses, nonplussed for a moment. "That sounded... dark? I thought it a happy thought. That no matter what, we will never exhaust the opportunity to learn," she notes, frowning slightly. She shrugs it off, looking back at the other two for a moment. "My past life was investigating cults of demons and the like. I... understand what you mean, by other potential problems," she says softly, hands folding within her sleeves in front of her.
Raga Shrine-Crusher	"Oh, yeah, it is. We keep on traveling, keep on finding new things." Raga says, "It just reminded me of something darker is all. I guess on one level I do agree with that too, the only literal mountain of enlightenment I've ever seen was harsh. Didn't so much care whether someone learned, so long as it got to hand out new trials. I've never actually... Been to an ocean before. Maybe I should go, sometime." she consisders.
Misa	"Well, there is the Dreaming Sea, if you will be around Prasad," notes Misa, nodding. "If you can find a group to travel with that is prepared for the possibility of the fae and able to adjust to changes in the terrain," she adds, frowning slightly. "But- I do not wish to keep anyone... you wished to speak to this man?" she questions, looking at Raga but nodding to Twisting Oak. "I am happy to stay here and continue to answer questions after, but do not let me stop you in your own inquiries, Raga."
Raga Shrine-Crusher	"Heh. Maybe!" Raga says, though Twisting Oak shrugs. "I will be here after you two have finished, I am old... But not that old." he says with a smile as he turns to a few others nearby. "So... Past life, huh? Not many people have access to that kind of information. I guess you know a really good soothsayer or something?" she asks. "I think a lot of people would be curious to know that kind of stuff."
Misa	"Metaphorically speaking," Misa corrects, shaking her head. "Lethe put its hold on my soul the same as most anyone- I mean before I became itinerant, and eventually settled into opening my small hardly-trafficed dojo by the river to the west," she explains, smiling faintly. "I know no soothsayers- I know too much about their craft to be taken in by the charlatans among them and the proper ones... I would rather learn for myself, what is to come."
Raga Shrine-Crusher	"Oh! Yeah, I..." Raga says, looking a little embarrassed. "Though you look more like a swordswoman first than a savant. How'd you pick that up?" she asks. "Sounds like there's a story there, and an intereseting one at that."
Misa	A faint smile at that and Misa bows her head. "My mother. She was a superlative investigator and blademaster both- I had a love for the latter... and joined her group in the former. The two pursuits collided perhaps more often than one might think," she answers, some amusement playing about her lips. "You were... an arena fighter at times, if I recall correctly?"
Raga Shrine-Crusher	"...Sort of." Raga says, "Slave. Started to teach people to keep their communities safe later, got called on to intervene sometimes when gods got rowdy. Usually Shrine-Gangs, so there's the title. I want a world where people don't... Compete like this. Where people don't think abuse is somehow part of life, just because you're a god, because you've got a crown... Master or slave. Struggle should be for something you want, and shouldn't be something that takes from someone else."
Misa	"A curious battle to choose," Misa muses, tilting her head as she considers Raga for a long moment- suddenly, her gaze is remarkably analytical, and the investigator in her shows through. "You choose a fight against not just the hierarchy of spirits, but an element of the nature of the very people you seek to free from those concerns. I do wonder how one reconciles that?"
Raga Shrine-Crusher	"Eh." Raga says, shrugging. "I do what I can. I don't care a lot about the future. I can't change it all myself, so I find the problems I can. Maybe I'll wind up raising an order to retake Thorns with some... Elemental or glowy or whatever person. Maybe I'll discover a secret to ensure all hungry dead no longer rise. Or protect mortals from demonic violence once and for all. Who knows? I just want to step in now and worry about how big it gets later, today's got enough crazy."
Misa	"... Very well. I can understand an approach like that," Misa muses, hands folding into her sleeves once again. "Though you may wish to visit some libraries and the like, for that one about hungry ghosts. I doubt that will be a problem you strike with closed fist," she notes, ever so slightly smirking