Temple of the Immortal
You pull into the parking lot and think you may have been given the wrong address. You see before you a red Japanese style gate with a small Shinto Shrine beyond. Lots of red and white decorate the architecture. The tall bamboo trees line the fence line and limit what you can see, but it doesn't seem like much. Orihime waits patiently for you at the gate. As you approach she gives a slight bow as she says, "Welcome to the Temple of the Immortal." As you step through the gateway, you see a slight shimmer. Everything before you fades and you take in a whole new wondrous sight. A large Japanese Castle sits before you now. Green landscaping with calm koi ponds surround this idyllic castle. Light pink cherry blossoms seem to be everywhere. You are not sure how they are even blooming in this wintery weather, but here they are. Come to think about it, the breeze feels warm here. Not like the chilly winter afternoon you just left behind. Wait, where are we? Orihime gives you a small knowing smile as she sees the look of confusion cross your face. "All your questions will be answered inside." She leads you to the magnificent stone doors etched with an Asian dragon and Phoenix. As soon as you enter you see lines of slippers on the side of the doorway. She asks you to take off your shoes and don a pair. Hmmm.... They all seem one size but automatically adjust to the size of your feet as you slip them on. That can't be right, can it?
The walls around you seem to glow with strange runes and symbols. She leads you to an area that looks like it is used for training. You see black robed men and women who seem to be teaching and evaluating others in white uniforms. Some of these uniforms are decorated in blood. You are not sure if it is from the wearer or their opponent. Everyone is training hard, most don't even seem to notice your passing by. You follow Orihime as she guides you through another hallway. The doorway is flanked by two stone warriors. Orihime tells you they are the Terra Cotta Samuri. As you enter this room, you see a large desk with ancient looking scrolls piled on one side. You don't recognize the script on them, they look like Kanji or maybe Chinese? The man sitting behind the desk with an open scroll before him looks to be in his 40's. Long dark brown hair is tied back in a row of several knots. He looks up as you both enter the room. "Ah, Orihime, thank you for bringing our guest." he says as he sits back in his chair. He stands and bows slightly in greeting, asks you both to sit down. "Welcome to the Kyu no shinden, or in english, The Temple of the Nine." he says. "You and your group have shown promise. We would like to extend an invitation for your group to join our organization." He continues, "We offer many resources and training opportunities. All we ask for in return is for you to abide by our laws. In short they are: deny the existence of this organization, leave no trace of your passing and continue to maintain the balance." He tells you they have long upheld the code of the samurai, in fact he is a founding member of the original Shogunate in feudal Japan. The Nine Clans have worked in the shadows to maintain the balance at all costs. Your host tells you, "We are the last line of defense for humanity against supernatural enemies that seek to enslave or destroy humans. If you not interested in becoming a member, simply leave the way you came. Your memories of our existence and this place, will be erased. If you are interested in becoming a member, you can shut off that recording device now." He says with a knowing look. Embarrassed at being found out, you turn it off. You are definitely interested in what they have to offer. You want to know more.
The walls around you seem to glow with strange runes and symbols. She leads you to an area that looks like it is used for training. You see black robed men and women who seem to be teaching and evaluating others in white uniforms. Some of these uniforms are decorated in blood. You are not sure if it is from the wearer or their opponent. Everyone is training hard, most don't even seem to notice your passing by. You follow Orihime as she guides you through another hallway. The doorway is flanked by two stone warriors. Orihime tells you they are the Terra Cotta Samuri. As you enter this room, you see a large desk with ancient looking scrolls piled on one side. You don't recognize the script on them, they look like Kanji or maybe Chinese? The man sitting behind the desk with an open scroll before him looks to be in his 40's. Long dark brown hair is tied back in a row of several knots. He looks up as you both enter the room. "Ah, Orihime, thank you for bringing our guest." he says as he sits back in his chair. He stands and bows slightly in greeting, asks you both to sit down. "Welcome to the Kyu no shinden, or in english, The Temple of the Nine." he says. "You and your group have shown promise. We would like to extend an invitation for your group to join our organization." He continues, "We offer many resources and training opportunities. All we ask for in return is for you to abide by our laws. In short they are: deny the existence of this organization, leave no trace of your passing and continue to maintain the balance." He tells you they have long upheld the code of the samurai, in fact he is a founding member of the original Shogunate in feudal Japan. The Nine Clans have worked in the shadows to maintain the balance at all costs. Your host tells you, "We are the last line of defense for humanity against supernatural enemies that seek to enslave or destroy humans. If you not interested in becoming a member, simply leave the way you came. Your memories of our existence and this place, will be erased. If you are interested in becoming a member, you can shut off that recording device now." He says with a knowing look. Embarrassed at being found out, you turn it off. You are definitely interested in what they have to offer. You want to know more.
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