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The merchants providing this trip are a curious people. Their ship is so great and spacious, and they are all very friendly, yet I feel that I am somehow missing something. I am sure it is nothing to worry about, although I did find it curious that despite their insistence that the expenses be paid in advance, they still asked for my chop before allowing me aboard. They have all adopted the use of a few curious gaijin words. "Aroha" can apparently be used to mean several things, from "hello" to "goodby" and several other things, depending on how the speaker and listener are feeling. "Maharo" is easier, as it is apparently only used for "thank you."
The day started out rather well, with a glorious waterfall, but it soon turned to a more somber note. When the merchants promised a glimpse of all this land had to offer, I had not expected to be shown the Shadowlands as our first stop. The land is blasted and sere beyond my belief, had I not seen it with my own eyes. Blackened, cracked and rocky lands compete with blistering steam vents and even live lava. Almost nothing lives here. Only one sight turned the grim lands to hope, where the burning rock empties into the ocean.
Molten stream of earth
Flows into purifying ocean
Steam flies into sky
This vessel is truly remarkable. It seems to magically whisk us from one point to another overnight, without unduly disturbing a samurai's sleep. This day saw us in the lands of the Crane. We spent much of the day on one of the fine beaches this Clan holds. The women are wondrously beautiful, and the men are ... disturbingly beautiful, in some cases. Following our relaxation, we visited a renowned Yasuki trading house, where I was convinced to obtain a fine new silk kimono. The scenery was stupendous, with the ocean to one side, and mist-shrouded mountains to the other. I could easily make my home in such a place.
Today a smaller vessel took us out to visit the islands of the Mantis. They had a marvelous device that would allow a person to see beneath the surface of the sea, and into world of the Ningyo. I had never imagined such rich and wondrous life existed beneath the waves. The fish that are typically only seen prepared for food look fantastic when seen in their natural environment. This evening, the merchants provided entertainment from a yabuki theater troupe, although their performance lacked a certain touch I had come to expect from more experienced artists.
The crew is maintaining silence as to how their vessel can make port near this grand, land-locked city of the Scorpion. However they accomplished it, this place lives up to the reputation it has. The streets are lined with merchants, all selling their wares, and all attempting to lure a samurai in for a purchase he may not even need. I have found, though, that the merchant's claims about the sandals she sold me have proven accurate, and my feet are clamoring for my attention far less than they would generally after such a day full of walking. I found that I spent most of my day aboard the merchant vessel, simply relaxing.
Bringing the beauty inherent in nature to the forefront is a true art. The lands of the Phoenix seem to exemplify that with a simplicity that is stunning. With minimal interference, the artisans and shugenja of the Phoenix have brought the beauty of the lands to the forefront. Even their defenses and protective structures seem designed to work with nature, rather than against it. The meal provided at the end of the day was much the same, with simplicity in design and presentation that emphasized the food's true elegance and flavor.
If there is one thing the Crab excel at, it is the construction of fortifications. Those we visited today are no exception. In one place, they had taken a grand, sweeping canyon and transformed it into a great barrier against the enemy. By the time an attacking force made it to the wall, there would be plenty of defenders to repel the assault. In the evening, we cruised by a section of the great Wall of the Crab. I must say that merely looking on it from a distance, it seems even more forbidding than its reputation. I feel safer with the knowledge that the Crab are at our borders.
Today marked the end of the voyage, although the tour of the land has somehow not quite finished. After moving from the ship to our inn, we were taken to visit the lands of the Unicorn, where we were treated to a fascinating display of information about the various gaijin cultures encountered by that clan in their wanderings. I must admit to some confusion as to which was which, especially after the final event of the evening, which I would almost call a kabuki troupe, if they were less... unrestrained in their enthusiasm. However, the beauty and subtle messages of their performances was refreshing and enlightening, despite the lack of a common ground to make any meaning familiar.
As befits the most warlike of the clans, the Lion have erected some truly impressive and inspiring memorials to their honorable dead. Today's visit to their shrines caused deep thought about war and its consequences. While it may on occasion be necessary, war truly should be the last resort of diplomacy. The cost can be too high by far. It is best, however, to be prepared to make any necessary wars or other combats as quick and decisive as possible, perhaps by means of an individual duel, to lose as little life as possible.
The lands of the Dragon are, as always, serene and calming. Today saw many people communing in their own way with nature, as well as quiet meditation and thought at various shrines and temples throughout the Dragon mountains. This final day of the journey served to bring all that had come before into focus. The sometimes frantic pace of activities on previous days was absent today, allowing a person to savor the last part of the tour. It feels right to be once again in the mountains of home.