Heavenfall

As soon as the party had come to a stop the siren call of the strange ruins had drawn Jin in. Of course, after his encounter with the stone marker, he would be determined to explore this further as soon as he possibly could.

That said he was not foolhardy and had his armor and jade equipped as he began to investigate. Seeking familiar looking writing and other signs.

Given his keen interest in the other old and advanced nonhuman culture he had encountered, Sora was hardly going to pass this up.

But he carried two pieces of jade, wore his armor, and came loaded for bear. After all, he hadn't really trusted the last place they'd been, and they'd only drawn closer to the crater in the time since.

Jin nods to the warrior as he approaches, "Sora. I wonder if this was built by the creators of the marker or if it is yet another race we never knew of. How old this world must be for there to be so much we never even imagined." He shakes his head in wonderment, "Let me know if you spot anything like writing. I can compare it to what I took from the marker."

"Sure thing."

He cocked his head to the side.

"The marker was admittedly eroded and all, but the Five... the Nezumi told me a bit about them. This hardly looks like something the 'fish-of-coral-palace' would build, but the 'clever-black-bird,' 'copper-diggers,' 'red lion-heads,' and trolls also seem a bit... well, admittedly, I only have those names and what the Seidou say about trolls to go on, but..."

Jin nods, "Yeah not much of an aquatic theme that is for certain. The marker also mentioned a serpent race that Shinjo confirmed once existed if it is not of the Five perhaps it is theirs." He ponders and chuckles, "I suppose if there are stairs we can rule them out."

"Unless they kept slaves from or had dealings with species that had legs."

Sora made a mock-grimace.

"Thing get so complicated once you learn just how long they've been going on..."

"True, true. Slavery does seem to be a reoccurring theme unfortunately."

"Well, hopefully we'll get that one right, whatever else we screw up..."

"I trust Shiba and Shinjo not to allow that practice to stand. Hida too, perhaps, as he seems to have a love of honest work and slavery is anything but. Togashi... I think Togashi would let us make our own mistakes regardless of what he himself thought. The rest I'm not so sure. We are lucky the results have been as they are."

"To put it mildly."

He chuckled.

"Of course, with you, me, Koyama, and Shinjo all on this possible suicide mission... I'm very glad Yuzuru and I were able to talk Shiba out of coming."

Jin nods, "Chaihime is still safe back north... or at least as safe as anyone is if we fail... so the work will continue. I haven't really told Iuchi of my plans yet in that regard but he has a good head on his shoulders and I left him back to help guide the family in my stead while I'm gone or if I don't make it back. On the path or not he'll be happy to help another Ki-Rin so Chaihime can count on his support."

"I also picked a successor- no one you'd know, her name is Hana. Not the fighter I am, but... has the right mindset for it. I think she'll be joining Yuzuru's family if the matter comes up, which is fine. I may be more open to... direct action than you are, but I don't like it much more than you do. Gentle persuasion has more lasting effects..."

Another had also set off after waking this morning. He was always interested in stone, earth, and the ways it could be worked. He'd missed the stone set in the ground previously, though he hoped to see it on the way back.

But this was new (to him!), and exciting, and he was interested in seeing it.

He should, perhaps, have brought a companion, but he still didn't think that way...

Jin nods, "Embracing the tools of the enemy will slowly turn you into them. If we were to use nothing but force to influence things we would be no better than our worst fears of the Kami and nor could we trust our descendants would stay pure in their motives. I haven't made a final decision on a successor on that front but, if I don't make it back, I've left a message for Chaihime with recommendations - some from among my students, others promising individuals from outside the clan. It pays to not have the vast majority of us in one place after all lest some natural disaster do more damage than even the godlings could."

Seeing a familiar figure in the near distance Jin let that portion of conversation lapse with a nod to Sora.

"Hail, Kyosei!"

Sora turned and gave the Isawa a friendly wave.

"Hmm? Oh, good morning." Kyosei looks up from the rocks he was looking at. He meandered closer, while looking around.

"Interesting, isn't it?"

"It is- although it's hard to say much more at this point..."

"I do wonder. Except that one structure, nothing is above head height. Could this be more of an underground settlement?"

"It could be. Or perhaps just a small outpost of some kind and not a full settlement. There is so much we don't know."

"Lot of that on this trip."