The Architects of Tea

[C-C-C-Cryptekz]

Name: Architects of Tea
Rank: C
IIC Length: 2 Days
Difficulty: Moderate
Description: A group of shinobi are to leave their headbands with the Takigake and pose as common wayfarers. Then, they are to travel to the Land of Tea. There, they must seek out the best architect(s) they can find, hire them, and bring them back to the village. Next, the architects must design the new village gates and hand them to the shinobi who will be partaking in reconstructing them.
Objective: Go to the Land of Tea and hire architects to plan the village gates.
Reward: 1500 Ryo
Maximum Shinobi: 3

And so, I found myself within the Land of Tea, both wearied and weathered, but my journey was far from over. I wiped the sweat from my brow, and proceeded to find a place to rest comfortably. There was much to be accomplished yet, but the first task of many was surviving the trip, so I found a patch of good grass, and the shelter of a shady tree, and let my heavy eyelids sag. Not long after, I was within the gentle hands of sleep.

I awoke some time later, with a deep yawn. Lax arms came taut in the serene night scape as I stumbled into consciousness. Rubbing my eyes, and scratching my head, I found that it was, indeed well into the dark hours of the night. I could have stopped there, and simply continued resting until the day came once more, but I am a ninja after all, and darkness is my preferred cover. So, standing on feeble, still sleepy limbs, I gathered my things, and continued on, free from the exhaustion of earlier.

After some time spent walking, I came upon traces of civilization. The road grew thicker, and paths sprouted off the main trail into smaller dirt roads, where farms had been started. Even in the light wind, and little moonlight, I could see the husks of tall plants swaying. A good sign, for that meant I must be coming closer. Indeed, after a brief further travel, I was upon what appeared to be a more populous area. The dirt was replaced with cobblestone, and many more houses and buildings loomed in the distance. I had come to a city.

Hurrying my pace, I came to find the vast town stunning in the moonlight. There was much to be seen, far too much for myself to take in at once. I could not hope to fathom the time, but I knew the dawn to be a few hours off still, so I decided to take a seat near a large, cascading fountain. A marvel of a work if ever there was one. A lone farmer stood with a sickle, harvesting his crops, while his wife stood beside him gathering the grains, and husking them. The text beneath read clearly. "Nihil Sine Labore" I couldn't make out what it meant, most likely a foreign language, but the statue itself was brilliant regardless.

I stood there, awed in its presence for some time, how long I am unsure, however, I believe that it was more than a half an hour before I turned away after hearing a chuckle from a passing woman.

"I take it you're new here, then."

She was right in assuming so, but still, the less she knew about me, the better. I turned to face her, to find a lady of what appeared to be fifty winters staring at my form. She noted the six arms I possessed, but was seemingly unimpressed.

"Been awhile since we've seen one of YOUR kind around here... Kami-sama... did the Daimyo hire another Sound Ninja to take care of the race again?"

I was many things then. Scared being one of them, surprised and awed another. So I wasn't the first Kaguya to come this way. Quickly I made clear my intentions.

"No Ma'am, not a ninja. Just a traveling artist, looking for employment as a sculptor."

I hoped she would buy it. After all, she had come across my stupefied self standing before a statue, so it could have been a convincing cover story.

"Hmm... a Six-arm that's not from a ninja village. I find that a little hard to believe..."

'Oh damned be it all!' was the thought of the moment. I didn't want to have to harm someone, especially a resident of the town where I was hoping to gain the blueprints for our village gates.

"But... if you're here to sculpt... you should probably look up Shinoki-san in the morning. He's the one who designed the fountain. I here he does a lot of commission work around the ninja provinces, so he could probably use an apprentice."

I had a name now. Not just a name, but the name of a man who had created such a grand piece of work to have stunned even myself into silent awe. I could only hope that such a man might be willing to aid us in the reconstruction of our village gates.

"Hai. Thank you very much Ma'am. I'll look him up as soon as possible."

"No need to thank me boy, just build us some beautiful things for the city."

And with that, she left me there, staring once more at the beauty of the fountain. Shinoki-san, eh? Takigakure might just have a use for you.

[C-C-C-Cryptekz]

I spent much of the night at that fountain, taking note of the intricacies of the marble that had been crafted. The man behind it was a genius, there was no doubt. I could not begin to state the intricacies, the duality of the fountain, the way it simply flowed. but needless to say, I was quite surprised to find sunlight breaking on the horizon as I admired the detail. So much time had passed already. I could feel my stomach groan, and another urge also crept up upon me. I looked for a nearby inn where I could be done with such bodily afflictions.

I soon found a proper establishment, only recently opened, as it were, and found service of it's restrooms. After which I promptly sat down to breakfast, enjoying a meal of eggs, duck, a soft bread, and tea. It was rather becoming, and the meal was divine as any a traveler could have wished for a morning meal. Leaving a tip behind for my waitress, I payed my dues, and left the inn, headed outside into what by then, was a dawning sun. Stretching once more, I set out to find the man who I had been told to search for. Shinoki-san was around this city somewhere...

I asked a few passers by where he might be, and got little from them, however, I was eventually informed by a passing gent that he lived within the commercial district of the town, within his studio. I hustled along in the large expanses of the streets, so much broader than I was used to, and eventually found my way to the studio. I reached the doorway just in time for a young student of the master flip a sign on the door, informing customers that the place was open for business for the day. Luck was with me.

I walked inside, and was greeted by the boy, but words fell upon deaf ears as my eyes beheld the beauty of the inside of the shop. I had thought the Fountain had been a beauty, but clearly, the shop was filled with even more treasures. My eyes took hold of a price-tag, and surely, yes, they could be called treasures. Any price that high would have to denote value of sterling grandeur.


"Uhhh... Sir?"


The young ward's voice caught my attention, and I turned to greet him apologetically. I couldn't help but be amazed by what I saw.

"Ano - I... is this all the work of Shinoki-san?"

The attendant beamed at me, rather strangely, I thought, but I suppose one who spoke in such awe must have been rather amusing.

"Well, yes and no. Shinoki-sama designs everything you see. We apprentices craft most of it. However, he does do a few of his own works, but those he refuses to sell."

The young boy pointed to the far wall, and I swear I heard my jaw collide with the floor. Before me were possibly the most beautiful, powerful, and inspiring things I had ever seen. Figurines, statues, paintings, designs of all kinds that I couldn't even begin to list.


"This is all so.... amazing!"


I couldn't believe what I was seeing, but a stern voice soon echoed out over the hustle and bustle of the shop. I turned to face an elderly man, bald, but with a long mustache and beard, drooping nearly to the floor. His wizened eyes glared at me, and I felt as though he read my very soul. He hobbled slowly over, the clacking of a cane dimmed by the tatami mats on the floor.

"If you're not here to buy anything, I suggest you leave. I don't take kindly to window shoppers."

I quickly bowed to the man, showing some humility to his genius.

"I'm sorry Shinoki-sama. I didn't mean to be a hindrance. However, I believe you'll be pleased to hear that I am, indeed a customer. Not only that, but I wish to commission what could possibly be one of the grandest works you ever model."


He looked at me with a withering glance, but I did not pale. The Takikage needed a man of such genius to aid in the construction of the new village gate, and I would not fail my village.


"Come into my office then, and we shall discuss what it is you seek."


I followed him obediently, into a room behind the showroom floor. There, a large workshop stood, where young student worked eagerly at carving away to make large scale models of miniatures crafted by the old master himself. He and I continued until we reached his office, a room with little creature comfort, and filled with blueprints and schematics everywhere.


"So, Ninja, why is it you seek my aid."


My eyes shot open. Had he just called me a ninja? I heard a small chuckle.

"Yes, I'm well aware of your profession, young one. You need not bear a headband to give of the distinct air of a soldier, and besides that, who else, besides a ninja, would belong to that six-armed clan of the sound village?"

While he did have me there, I was not a ninja of the sound village, and technically never had been. If he assumed so, I would do well to correct him.

"So, has your Otokage come to ask for me to make war machines for him? To craft cunning traps of doom and despair? If so, then leave, for I'll never be a part of such an operation."

"My apologies Shinoki-sama, but I am not from the Sound village. Why I belong to the Kumomusha clan is a secret I am not willing to discolse to anyone, let alone you, but I assure you that I am in no way affiliated with that particular ninja village. However, you are right in assuming I am a ninja, and I will inform you that in no way do I mean for you to craft any weapons of war or traps, or anything that might cause harm. The village of Takigakure requests that you aide us in designing and building a new set of village gates. If you choose to agree, you will be compensated well for your work. What say you?"

I awaited the old mans reply, as my words of ire lay still the air. It was up to him to decide, but even so, I was determined to get the result I desired.

[C-C-C-Cryptekz]

"My apologies Shinoki-sama, but I am not from the Sound village. Why I belong to the Kumomusha clan is a secret I am not willing to disclose to anyone, let alone you, but I assure you that I am in no way affiliated with that particular ninja village. However, you are right in assuming I am a ninja, and I will inform you that in no way do I mean for you to craft any weapons of war or traps, or anything that might cause harm. The village of Takigakure requests that you aide us in designing and building a new set of village gates. If you choose to agree, you will be compensated well for your work. What say you?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The old man stared me down. The fire in his eyes almost visible as he gauged my character. I stood steel faced before him. Let him judge me if he dared do so. I would command his respect the same way he demanded mine.

"So. You need a new set of gates, to protect your village from others. No weapons, no traps, just... a gate."


He sounded calm, resigned even. Was he willing to do the job?


"Yes. That is all Takikage-sama wishes for. All too often as of late, the village has been invaded and pillaged, and our secrets are being sold and distributed amongst the ninja world, and being put to ill use. We wish to stop it. Will you help us?"

Once again, the stare found me, almost as if assuring himself that I was telling the truth, which I was.

"And I suppose I'll need to accompany you back to your village in order to see where the gate is to be designed, won't I..."


He sighed in resignation, but a t the same time, I saw a sense of eagerness grace his face.

"Very well then. Let me gather my things, and we'll leave at once."

For the third time that day, I was rendered speechless. I had done it. Kami-sama I had done it! I had commissioned possibly the greatest artist and architect in all of Cha no Kuni to build the new village gates! I was ecstatic. I waited outside Shinoki-san's office eagerly as he gathered his tools, and some other belongings, before we readied ourselves to leave. Apparently, he had hired a cart-jockey to take us to the edge of the city.

I must say, the cart ride was rather enjoyable, up until the point where we parted company from the jockey. After a beating from the artists cane, I soon found out that I would be hauling the cart, along with the old man and all of his things all the way through Hi no Kuni, and pretty much all the way through to the village of Waterfall. Needless to say I was less than pleased with the development, but even so, I continued to do my duty, hauling his decrepit self back to the village one step at a time.

Exit-.]