Soup, Death, and the Fisherman

Long ago when messages moved in months instead of moments, Greater spirits would walk mortal soil to know the world they hold so much power over. On one such night, Death of Deep Waters stood barefooted in the raid atop a cliff overlooking the sea.

Soup, Death, and the Fisherman is an old fireside tale or bedtime story most common in the coastal regions of Coasnia.

Farlend's book of spirit tales and their origins says this about it: Its origins are debated on to an extent as while credible accounts of greater spirits traveling through the mortal realm exist they do not reference Greater Aspects such as The Deaths. Usually the spirits are an ancestor spirit or the guardian spirit of a nearby location. Less commonly High ranking individuals of spirit peoples such as the dragons or fey appear to mortals either as an emissary of a shared benefactor as is the case of many historical magicians. Or as an emissary of punishment that a mortal committed knowingly or unknowingly. While this seemed to be an occurrence that while rare would not be taken oddly it seems now that spirits have taken a step away from mortal affairs for some reason or the other.

Honestly I'd bet greater spirits walk on mortal soil way more then these guys think. Have they considered that maybe they don't want a paparazzi following them around?

— Syl on a passage from a book on legends with spirits and their history

Synopsis

The tale outlines a fisherman coming across a woman standing alone in the rain so he invites her to shelter at his home for the night. While the night passes she asks him dour questions about life which he answers with varying skill depending on the version. At some point he finishes making dinner that he had splurged and used the rest of his vegetables and fine grain in. As they eat she asks him about why humans live. The broadness of the question confuses him at first but he does give an answer.

I don't know everything and cant see the big picture even as much as a the mayor of a town would. But when it comes to living as a human I can say I have a nice bowl of soup, some good company and if I am ever at a loss for that I can reach for it again.

— The Fisherman

To this she doesn't respond and they sit in silence finishing their soup. After the soup is gone she stand up, thanks the fisherman for dinner, that it was indeed good soup and company before vanishing into thin air as she passes through his threshold.

Years later he gets tangled in a net during a sudden storm and drowns but the same lady appears to him and tells him

Another chance at life for another look at life.

— Death

and he wakes up on shore still tangled in his net.