[Day 8 - Early Morning] Seeking the Source

[Kuni Shiori]

Shiori ventured out to the fringes of the Ikoma's domain once more and made her way toward the same mine where the collapse happened a few days ago. She was curious to see if Lion efficiency would have the mine return to working order so soon after the earthquake. However, her interests weren't entirely just the mine itself but rather the cause of it.

Once she found a suitable place, she began to summon the earth kami to see if she could glean some insight from the elements. Surely, they had been stirred from their stoic facade and must have been restless since.

Roll
Day 8 - Early Morning: Casting Commune at TN10 with 2 Called Raises | 5k3 ⇒ 32 (TN: 20)

[Fukurokujin]

Shiori ventured out to the fringes of the Ikoma's domain once more and made her way toward the same mine where the collapse happened a few days ago. She was curious to see if Lion efficiency would have the mine return to working order so soon after the earthquake. However, her interests weren't entirely just the mine itself but rather the cause of it.

Once she found a suitable place, she began to summon the earth kami to see if she could glean some insight from the elements. Surely, they had been stirred from their stoic facade and must have been restless since.

Roll
Day 8 - Early Morning: Casting Commune at TN10 with 2 Called Raises | 5k3 ⇒ 32 (TN: 20)

From within her, Shiori will feel the kami respond to her--a crushing, heavy feeling in the middle of her chest, as if a stone has suddenly dropped inside her own heart. And she does not hear but feel the seething anger that demands to know what her tiny human self wants.

[Kuni Shiori]

Response

Shiori was admittedly taken aback by the response when she managed to make a connection with the earth kami, perhaps it had been some time since she tried having a direct conversation (rather than the one-way interaction she usually did) or maybe the response was stronger than she anticipated. Nevertheless, she found herself sitting on the ground just in case the ground would suddenly find itself uneven for whatever reason.

"...What was the source of the earthquake?" She would ask the kami in the language that it would understand.

[Fukurokujin]

The feeling of anger persists, and WRONG echoes in her as if in a hollow in the rock. THE DEEP ROOTS CRUMBLE.

[Kuni Shiori]

The feeling of anger persists, and WRONG echoes in her as if in a hollow in the rock. THE DEEP ROOTS CRUMBLE.

"...Where does one find these deep roots, the late Empress?" She asked more directly with clarification. Just because the earth was being cryptic, didn't mean the Kuni had to be.

[Fukurokujin]

DEEPER

OLDER STONE

THE FOUNDATIONS FALL AWAY

ALL ABOVE CRUMBLES

[Kuni Shiori]

DEEPER

OLDER STONE

THE FOUNDATIONS FALL AWAY

ALL ABOVE CRUMBLES

Shiori raised her brows curiously at the response. Like every conversation with the kami, she had more questions and answers here.

Is that I felt a few days ago the foundations falling away? She thought to herself but it might have been something that didn't need asking the kami. Instead, she wanted to find the source or get closer to the actual answer. "...and where is this older stone found?"

[Fukurokujin]

The very bones of Shiori's skull seem to pull her around until she faces Kyuden Ikoma, above which the Tenshu looms.

[Kuni Shiori]

The very bones of Shiori's skull seem to pull her around until she faces Kyuden Ikoma, above which the Tenshu looms.

...That was an unexpected experience when she found herself forcibly facing the Kyuden. She gave the direction of the Kyuden a perplexed look. Getting warmer but still not quite there. "...one last question before you return to your...rest. How does one find this old stone? Give me any clue or a sign..."

[Fukurokujin]

The soil shifts between her feet.

Something like a hexagram of pebbles shows--but there are only five such stones. Where the sixth should be is a small hole...and it seems to grow.

She feels herself released, only the echo of anger remaining.

[Kuni Shiori]

"Waah," Shiori would say the moment she was released from that certain trip. As before, she didn't feel like she gained more clarity on the matter but at least there was a direction to look. At the very least, she should consider asking others.

She rose from her seat and dusted herself off before looking about her surroundings. This was likely not a good spot to have breakfast.

[Kuni Shiori]

/scene!