Hirsu shrugged. "Knowing anything about the capabilities test beforehand would most likely lessen its effect, so no. I am prepared to begin when you are."

Ruse nodded with satisfaction.

"Very well then...and a most thoughtful response as well."

The lord of mist snapped his fingers, and a portal to the valley of mist appeared.

"Enter through this portal -  I will be right behind you. You will encounter a type 2 species similar in look to myself, but less gorgeous, although still more beautiful than any other god or species in the universe. They are the Mistella, and you must under all circumstances treat them well no matter how they may treat you - you actually will lose points if you're not careful. Your first assignment and the most intense part of the test is to heal, cleanse, and otherwise restore the vitality to as many Mistella as you can until your Theogenic field is about to collapse into exhaustion. That or unless you impressively manage to heal all of them before such a thing is an issue (bonus points for that feat!). Your range of motion is only the central province - for that matter, do not leave the central province at all. Come now, and demonstrate your domain, abilities, and critical thinking to me. You score more points if you can do your task quickly without losing efficiency, as well as if you utilize your various capabilites creatively without losing efficiency."

Ruse gesteured to the open portal. If Hirsu passes through, Ruse follows and the portal closes.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:39, Tue 24 Nov 2009.

Hirsu shrugged, and entered the portal. This would prove interesting.

((Alright, to save Nat some work let's take this on over to the valley of mist thread ourselves. He'll need to post to gauge your progress since he adjudicates abilities, but at least we can help him along this way.))

(Thanks for the management, Ruse, I owe you one :) )

Hirsu returned to his realm. He reappeared at the edge of the city where Ruse and he had departed. He looked at the sky, trying to determine how much time had passed here. After that attempt, he began to walk back to the room where he had left Xca and the smoker.

A few days had passed, perhaps - or maybe only twenty-four hours. Or maybe even less -- it was late afternoon and he'd left at roughly midday. But intuition told Hirsu that time had passed - less then a week, but more than a day.

He found the room easily. The smoker of the sacred herbs was there, and nodded towards his Lord, smiling broadly. "I knew you would return," he said. "The smoke told me so."

Hirsu nodded his acceptance to that. "I will need to walk elsewhere again soon. But first, let's see what I can do about the royal family's sickness. Can you take me through the hidden ways to them?"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:20, Sun 31 Jan 2010.

"I can. But it will be dangerous, Lord, for the smoke does not act kindly to the stronger blood. We will need to walk through the rivers of the dead.. but with the smoke, I can take you anywhere. Here, there, it matters not: all is united in death, and all unities are revealed by smoke. These are the hidden ways. They fall outside the jurisdiction of you or I or even the royal family. They are not ours, and are all the more powerful for it."

Hirsu nodded. "Death is only a part of the cycle. The dead are to be feared no more than the living. Let us proceed."

The smoker of the sacred herbs nodded in affirmation. "Yes. The opening of rivers is my greatest ability, and one coveted by only a select few witch-men in Elan. It is a tradition outside the typical shamanism of your people, Lord friend, as brought to us by the Purple-hooded Mystic.. forgive me if I seem hesitant to show it to a non-initiate. It is not a matter of trust, Lord, but of secrets.."

He shook his head, smiled.

"Nevertheless. Come with me.."

The smoker of the sacred herbs led Hirsu into the back room - which he'd assumed was the living room of the shaman, but which now was revealed to be a herb-room of sorts, filled with all manner of mushrooms, weeds, strange substances and powders..

Hirsu picked a small bag filled with a dark, grass-like substance.

"Grown in the rivers. Hardest herbs to find in the world," he said. "We smoke it. Do you have a pipe?"

Hirsu shook his head. "Unfortunately, I do not."

The smoker of the sacred herbs frowned. "That is not good. A man should have is own pipe. If I were to lend you mine it would mean my death; the smoke would forsake me. Go carve your own pipe, friend, and return. I will be waiting."

Hirsu shrugs, and leaves the smoker's hut.

He walks through the city in silence, and did what he perhaps should have done when he first arrived. He walked among his people, remaining silent and observing them. His eyes scanned the crowds, examining their life forces with a growing ease. Every time he saw someone who was injured, whether rich, poor, working or shopping, he approached them in an indirect manner, and gently lay a hand upon them. He healed their injury or illness without fuss, though he left any old scars or piercings in place. He spoke a single sentence to them as the surge faded. "I walk with you always."

He moved on without another word, losing himself in the crowd.

After a few hours, he began seriously looking for a carpenter. When he saw one, he approached them. "Hello. I need to make a new pipe. Could you teach me how?"
This message was last edited by the player at 01:13, Sat 06 Feb 2010.

"My Lord," said the carpenter. "It would be an honour. I did not know you had an interest in the lesser arts of sorcery - or are you just enjoying the rich weeds which line this fair city?"

Hirsu gently smiled at the man. He was somewhat surprised that he had been recognized so easily, but given his natural elan, he was most likely hard to miss. If the royal family had not isolated themselves, this would be much easier. "Probably both at some time or another. I've never had the pleasure of making a pipe, so we should most likely stick to a simple design. Please begin, and I shall follow your instructions as best as I am able."

"Yes, my Lord," said the carpenter, pleased with his task. "Do you have a preferred wood?"

Hirsu looked thoughtful, then nodded. "If you have any, I'll use wood from a mamey tree."

The wood wouldn't be as sturdy as some other options, but the symbolism of it pleased him. The tree gave its fruit nourishment and a means to survive to others, and provided fairly large branches which could be harvested without damaging it's fruit-bearing capability.

"If not, I will use what you would suggest as most suitable."

"I have the wood of a mamey tree," said the carpenter. "Come, let us work.."

He took Hirsu to his storage rooms, where he selected two trunks of mamey wood and two sharp whittling blades.

"This shouldn't be too difficult," said the carpenter. "Follow my instructions, and my actions, and you'll do fine."

Hirsu took the blade and the trunk of wood, and nodded. "I have no doubt. Please, let us begin."

The carpenter began carving, Hirsu with him. It was not an exceptionally difficult task, and soon the pipe was finished.

"My Lord," said the carpenter, bowing. "Thank you for the honour."

Hirsu smiled, and gently laid a hand on the man's shoulder. A small rush of energy filled the man at the touch, leaving a pleasant tingling. "Thank you for the instruction. I walk with you, always."

Hirsu took his new pipe, and walked through the city. He gently laid his hands on any injured person he came across, and made his way back to the Smoker's hut. He knocked once, gently, and entered. "I have the pipe. Are you prepared to walk together, Smoker?"

"I am prepared," called the smoker of the sacred herbs. "But are you? I have studied for this moment for my entire life. I am truly a master of everything that the sailing means, and I can avoid every attempt it has to ruin me. But it will be dangerous. We will not have an Eater of Bone to guide us."

He smiled.

"We will not be traveling far, of course, and on such short journeys the patronage of an Eater of Bone is not, perhaps, necessary." His face turned grim. "But do not delude yourself, friend - where we will be going is as real as any place we have ever, or ever will, travel. It occurs in the mind, yes, but not in the sense of dreams or illusions - it is summoned just as reality is summoned. Do you understand? You have a lovely pipe."

Hirsu nodded, his own face a mask for determination. "My thanks for the compliment, and the warnings. What occurs there is actually occuring, and it will be filled with dangers. My hope is that we can complete our task quickly, before many dangers become aware of us. But if you feel it is necessary for us to retreat, I will follow you."

The god studied the smoker intently, his eyes taking in the strength of his life force. It would not do to discover a heart defect or other dangerous illness when panic might ensure their doom. If there was any problem, he healed the man with a touch.

"Let's begin."

There was no problem; the smoker of the sacred herbs was, despite his mild habit, incredibly healthy.

The smoker nodded, pressing a little of the herbs into Hirsu's pipe, being especially careful not to touch the wood. He filled his owned, lit the two, and grabbed Hirsu's hand.

"Do not let go of my hand," said the smoker of the sacred herbs. "When you are ready, smoke."