extramural | CONTACT ;; eachdraidh

All done at the Aghmhor coastal shrine Wan put together.

[Wan finished putting the shrine together to his satisfaction. He'd originally intended to put the skull of a fish on the shrine, but he'd found the shark took in a small shop near the docks being sold as a 'sailor's charm for luck'. He figured it would work just as good.

He leaned back and stood up, then bowed to the shrine. He didn't intend to stay long. Just make sure it was 'dedicated' properly so he could contact the Outsider quickly if another emergency happened that he needed help with.

Being the man he was, he took the most direct route in doing so:]

Outsider, I dedicate this shrine to you. I hope the mirror will be a window to the ocean you love even when you're not close.

[The letter comes with a small pile of sea glass.]

To The Outsider,

I hope the new year is seeing you well. I'm not used to the new year starting so early in the winter. In my world it is celebrated near the end of the winter, when the winter starts to break but has not yet given way to spring. The tracking of this world's year is strange to me. I'm sure I'll get used to it. It's just strange. It makes me curious how the years are tracked in other worlds.

I've been staying in the small town near here for the last couple weeks and will be for the rest of the winter. Until the end of the second month, February. If you decide you want to visit, come to The Barrel after dark and ask to be shown to Rin Tohsaka's office. She has one above the coffee house and we meet there after dark. She's been teaching me about the magic theory of her world.

If you come closer to the dawn, in the time before the sun rises, I'm usually at the camp I set up. It's a quarter mile or so from here, just on the other side of the windbreak the cliffs make between the ocean and the land. It's a small area, protected by the rocks. Should be easy to find if you walk straight from here toward the town.

I have two friends with me for the winter. Qing Lin is a snakedog that Zuko found this summer at the Treun Tourney. She's very sweet and very protective of ZhenZhen. ZhenZhen is a chocobo that Lumina gave to me last month when I was traveling south. I'm not used to having an actual 'pet' animal around. One that depends on me so much, like a small child would a parent. Even Qing Lin doesn't depend on me entirely for survival. But all Zhen Zhen has known in her short life is humans taking care of her. Choosing when to feed her and when to see to her cleaning. I'm hopeful that I'll be able to teach her to care for herself should something happen to me, though. She's still very young. Only five months now.

Speaking of friends, how are yours? The maidenfish and the wolfhounds. Are they well since we last traveled together? How big are Firtha and Varian now? Are they fully grown yet? If I don't see them this winter, I hope to see them in the spring.

萬

[Every couple days, Wan shows up to tend to the shrine and keep it clean of sand and debris. He says hello without expectation of a visit in return. Sometimes he leaves more sea glass or an interesting thing he found that the thinks the Outsider will like. More often he leaves gifts for the Maidenfish and Wolfhounds. Small bits of dried meat as treats and chew toys made of scrap cloth for the dogs. Colorful wooden rings to swim through as a game and small charms made of sea glass for them to wear like necklaces if they're able. (He's not really sure what to get fish, but he's trying).

Sometimes Wan won't say anything and will simply leave a short letter with a random update about who he's met and what stories he's heard lately, give a bow, and then walk away.

He visits because he can, not for anything else.]

[Wan set the gift he'd brought very carefully on the ground in front of the shrine. He took the time to brew the tea he'd brought as well, then bowed.]

I'm going to be leaving the area in the next couple days. I though we could share some tea if you were up for it. If not, it's okay. The tea set is for you to keep. It was made pretty hastily by the potter El-Melloi II and I found earlier this winter, so it's a little lumpy in places. But it's a decent pot for brewing tea in.

[After that, and without waiting to see if the Outsider showed up, Wan poured himself a cup and started to drink.]

CONTACT ;; eachdraidh

Shrine Visits/Letters During Winter 2701/2702

Second Week, January 2701 - Shrine Completion

Third Week, January 2701 - Letter left on the shrine

Last Week of January through Second Week of February

Early March 2702