Memoirs of an Opium Eater

Nineteenth Year in the Reign of Hantei XXXVIII, Ninth Day, Month of the Horse:
It had been several years since I visited Ryoko Owari Toshi - but still, its walls upon the hill, and the great jagged stones of the Gate of Oni's Teeth still made my eyes widen with wonder, just as when I was a girl. Uncle Asako Kinto, however, seemed to have shrunk.
I did not recall him as being so tiny, so white haired, so frail!
He looks like a ricepaper kite to be blown away in the lightest wind.
He was delighted to see me, as always, and begged me to spend my first night in the city as his guest; although I was eager to see my own home, I couldn't refuse him.
After a fine supper, he took me out back to his garden.
It at least, has not shrunk!
In fact, he has obtained a parcel of land in back of his, leaving hismodest home at the front of a large and as always - but he had something else to showmeas well.
While digging in his garden, he found the stones of an ancient foundation.
He told me he used a scroll to speak with the spirits of the stones, and they answered him in a foreign tongue!
Convinced that he had found an ancient site, he has been digging industriously in the area and has unearthed several strange statues.
He showed them to me - their craftsmanship is very unusual.
They appear very detailed, but strangely stylized - as if they weren't trying to show the thing they obviously are.
He says that they are statues of Naga - women and men who are great serpents below the waist.

Nineteenth Year in the Reign of Hantei XXXVIII Nineteenth Day, Month of the Horse:
I had tea today with Bayushi Saisho, who was kind enough to issue my first invitation in Ryoko Owari.
She was a most thoughtful hostess; despite my social station, she treated me as an equal.
She said that Uncle Kinto had been very kind and patient with their daughter during her illness.
There was one awkward moment,when I realized that there was only a cup for Lady Saisho and none for me.
I hope I didn't lose my composure, because for a moment I was sure this was some sort of elaborate insult, that I was going to be used to bring shame to my family.
Lady Saisho was the embarrassed one, however.
"Oh!" she said. "I'm so sorry; you must not know about our custom of your own cup.
I of course did not.
"Well, it's tradition for hosts to allow guests to bring their own cups to meals and visits. In fact, on one visit to Otosan Uchi, one of our local gentlemen - I won't name names - actually brought out his own cup when having tea with a very prominent Crane official.
Now. the Crane was so polite and sincere that she concealed how insulted she must have been at what would be seen as a lack of trust in the host.
But you know some clans they have no appreciation for tradition, and just assume they've learned everything there is to know about a thousand years of Rokugani culture.
The honored Phoenix, of course, always recognize that what is appropriate in one place may be insulting in another.
"Certainly" I said, though I wasn't entirely sure what I was agreeing with - I find conversations with Scorpions and Cranes often affect me that way.
"But how did this custom originate?"
"I'm surprised your uncle didn't tell you - he is quite the historian, yes?
In any event, for a while Ryoko Owari was famous for its pottery - this was before the Unicorn started bringing in blackware from the badlands - and it seemed like every noble served as patron for a potter.
Well, the Governor of the City had a banquet, and invited everyone to bring a cup from their own potter, so that all the styles could be compared.
Since that time, people have often carried their own cups for style or good fortune.
At the end of our tea, she gave me a lovely porcelain sake cup to welcome me to the city.
It's exquisite. and I'll always carry it as 'my' cup.
(Later the same day)
I spoke with Uncle Kinto about the cup tradition, and he told me it came from something quite different.
According to him, samurai used to sneak over into the Fisherman Quarter to go drinking and wenching, and there were unscrupulous women there who would put drugs into sake and serve it to samurai, stealing their possessions when they fell asleep.
According to him, the custom of carrying your own cup has nothing to do with potters, but is instead to protect yourself from poisoning!
I'm not sure if I should believe him or not; I also asked him about the Bayushis' daughter, and he claimed that there was never anything wrong with her.
I think I may have misunderstood him, for nobody doubts that the girl is dead.
Perhaps he never looked at her at all, and Saisho simply said he had in order to make me fee l more comfortable.
Or perhaps he's become confused in his mind.
Or perhaps I'm the confused one, and Saisho lied to me for some reason I'm too simple to grasp.
I fear I shall never understand this city.

Nineteenth Year in the Reign of Hantei XXXVIII, Twenty Third Day, Month of the Horse:
Today I visited the Ide family.
Their house is very strange and foreign - the center is a round dome, with more proper, square edged halls to its side.
Around the dome are tall pillars - but not just two to frame the door.
I counted a dozen, all identical, fronting a sort of open area - not quite a courtyard, for it had a floor, but not an antechamber because one wall was open to the air, and it had no mats or furnishings.
The first person to greet me was Ide Michikane, who had issued my invitation.
He was waiting for me by the pillars - how different from my reception by Saisho, who waited while I was shown into her presence bya servant.
The interior of the house was fantastically ornate - it seemed that every surface had some foreign marvel or decoration on it, but I had little chance to examine them because Michikane was making conversation - asking where I was from, what the Phoenix lands were like, how I was adapting to Ryoko Owari.
He showed great animation and interest in my answers, saying that the Isawa Woodlands sounded wonderful and that someday he would make a visit there.
I immediately felt quite at ease with him.
I met his brother Ide Asamitsu as well, and his parents Ide Baranato and Ide Shikibu of course.
Their family seems to be a close and affectionate one - very different from the strict norm in Rokugan.
I do not know if this was particular to the Ide family of Ryoko Owari, or if it is a trait of the Unicorn Clan as a whole. While it was very strange, I found it pleasant aswell.

Nineteenth Year in the Reign of Hantei XXXVIII, Sixteenth Day, Month of the Sheep:
Today I went to the Temple of the Sun Goddess and was fortunate enough to see a service led by the high priestess Meiyo.
She is very old, and does not hold services on any regular schedule.
She is a tiny woman who moves with such grace and delicacy that she does not seem to walk, but float along.
Although I have seen the ceremony she performed hundreds of times in mylife, it was as if her very simplicity reinvented it for me.
While she was speaking, it felt as if sunlight was falling on mysoul.

Nineteenth Year in the Reign of Hantei XXXVIII, Month of the Monkey, First Day:
This was myfirst Day of Generosity - a very loud and joyous festival, nothing like the solemn and serious holy days back home.
The feast is held to show our gratitude for a good tax year, and I certainly am grateful - under the guidance of my Dear Friend, the silver business has been quite profitable, far more so than I had dared hope.
We were supposed to put names in a basket so one could be picked as a festival ruler - I didn't want to put in Uncle Kinto's name - he seems far too shy to enjoy it.
I put my own name in, and though I felt a little guilty, I was also excited and hopeful when they drew from the basket. I didn't get to be Ruler, however, that honor fell to Ide Michikane.

Nineteenth Year in the Reign of Hantei XXXVIII, Month of the Monkey, Second Day:
I gave Uncle Kinto a silver ring from our finest craftsman, and he gave me one of his peculiar little statues.
With each gift you give, you're also supposed to give something to the King of Generosity - I gave fans with some of my poems written on them.
For a while I thought I was only going to get a gift from Kinto, and it made me sad, but then a young man named luchi Michisuna gave me a lovely painted umbrella.
I wonder if he was planning to give it tome, or just saw that no one else was giving me anything?
King Michikane picked his cousin Otaku Naishi as the best giver because she gave small gifts to almost everyone it seemed (though not me).
I noticed that she did not pick one of my fans as a trophy, but I probably shouldn't have expected it.

Nineteenth Year in the Reign of Hantei XXXVIII, Twenty First Day, Month of the Monkey: Today I was invited to a gathering at Iuchi Michisuna's residence. He was a magnificent host, and soon everyone was in a jolly mood. Many were partaking in sake, even though I thought it was early in the day for such things, and I suspect some few were even smoking opium.
Bayushi Otado was drinking but not smoking, and he became very aggressive. He began to boast of the fine horse that he had gotten from his father.
The Unicorns present looked irked at that - apparently Otado's father got the better of the Unicorn clan in some business deal, and bragging about the horse was Otado's way of insulting them.
Ide Michikane stood up and said that the finest chef in Rokugan couldn't make a simple sashimi if all he had was pork.
When Otado asked what he meant by that, Michikane said that a horse was only as good as its rider.
"I'll wager you a koku that I can win a race around the entire city. In fact, I'll bet I can circle the city twice in the time it takes you to ride your horse around it one time:"
Otado accepted his challenge - on the condition that they raise the stakes.
"One koku? That's a bet for merchants. I'll stake my steed against yours!"
This was a grand wager indeed, but Michikane simply took a draw from his pipe and said ''As you wish."
There was great commotion and much discussion as to how the race was to be monitored, and it was settled as follows: • Ikoma Yoriko watched The Gate of Oni's Teeth, where the race was to begin.
• Kitsuki Jotomon volunteered to watch the Unicorn Gate and ensure that both contestants were outside the walls at that point.
The contestants would be allowed to enter at the Unicorn Gate and cross the Moment's Edge Bridge.
• Shingon was placed at the Fisherman's Gate to watch for both contestants to emerge (thus preventing a shortcut to the Bridge of Drunken Lovers).
It was decided that the Peasant's Gate would be a permissible point of return to the city, so the contestants would not have to go through the Leatherworker Quarter.
The two men looked magnificent as they lined their horses up.
Otado's steed was enormous, black as a winter night, with only a white star on its head and white bands by its hooves to break up the darkness.
Michikane's steed was smaller but still large - the color of honey, deepening into a flame auburn mane and tail.
When they took off, it looked like a sunrise chasing the night.
The race began exactly at noon, and Otado made an early lead, flogging his steed without mercy.
He did not look completely comfortable, however, since he had consumed a great deal of crab water.
When they were out of sight, we immediately made our way towards the Bridge of the Dragon, for there we had a fine view of the cliff's bottom by the river.
There was much discussion as we watched for the racers to emerge from The Little Gate.
It was agreed that Michikane was the better rider, but to circle the city twice before Otado could do so once seemed impossible.
It was Michikane we saw first - but not at the Little Gate!
He had ridden past the Peasant's Gate, through the Leatherworker Quarter and, to the cheers of his family, swam his horse across the river!
There was much discussion of how much time Michikane must have saved, swimming his horse across instead of taking one of the bridges - which of course, we now realized, would be very congested.
Our conjectures were all for nothing when we saw Otado ride forth - also from the Leatherworker Quarter.
Later, I learned that True Word had told him of Michikane's shortcut around the Moment's Edge Bridge.
Otado looked very ill, but also determined.
His horse balked and reared as he reached the river, but Otado struck it with his whip and it entered just as Michikane emerged from the Leatherworker Quarter for the second time.
Michikane's horse plunged into the water without hesitation, and it was clearly more calm in the water. Before our eyes, Michikane passed Otado,to the loud cheers ofthe Unicorns. Then the cheers turned to gasps; just as Michikane reached the shore, Otado was swept from his horse.
Hearing our cries, Michikane looked. He immediately turned his steed and entered the water again, reaching out for the younger samurai.
Michikane pulled his opponent to shore. It appeared that he was going to dismount to help him, but Otado pushed him away and staggered towards his horse.
Michikane shrugged, turned his own steed around, and began galloping south. Otado followed.
We all mounted up and made our best speed towards the Gate of Oni's Teeth, but even though our steeds were fresh, we still were unable to beat Michikane.
We arrived just as Otado charged through the gate. We could see that he had lost by a minute at most. Both men were panting, but Michikane, smiling, gave Otado a deep bow.
"Truly, I do believe your steed is the better; I never would have won without trickery."
Otado was silent, then closed his eyes, opened them and said, "My clan has always held that 'trickery' is just a word people use for when they envy another's idea. This fine steed is now yours."
"I cannot take it," Michikane said. "Having seen how well you ride, I would not separate you."
Otado offered twice more. Michikane finally said he would take the steed only if Otado would be mortified otherwise, but that he genuinely thought the horse andOtado belonged together.
Otado blinked, and in the end, kept the horse. The two rode off together, Otado scratching his head.

Nineteenth Year in the Reign of Hantei XXXVIII, Twenty-Fourth Day, Month of the Rooster:
There is a great stir throughout the city today; Ide Baranato and Shosuro Hyobu have announced a union of their families!
Iuchi Michisuna told me all about it - he was very excited, his face was flushed with pleasure and he was hard put to avoid grinning like a fool.
He explained to me that there has been bad feeling between the Shosuros and the Ides for a long time - the Ides felt that the Scorpions did not accept them, while the Shosuros regarded the Unicorns as pushy outsiders.
This marriage will put all that to the lie; no one would give her beloved daughter to a "foreigner". Michisuna even mentioned that he might want me to write words for a song to commemorate the occasion. I told him I would be most honored.
I meant what I said - I hope he wasn't just being polite. Everyone is so happy; it's like a second spring over the whole city. Michisuna has invited me to accompany him this evening to celebrate.
(later) The evening was delightful! Michisuna and I sailed out to The Licensed Quarter on a small, elegant skiff. There I met the bride-to- be - Hyobu's daughter Shosuro Kimi, a woman of great loveliness and grace. She was very quiet and demure when I congratulated her on her match - I hope I didn't inadvertently give offense.
The intended groom, Michikane was a contrast to his bride, being jolly and somewhat brash.
By the time we joined his party, he was already blushing - with drink or emotion, I could not say.
One thing he had in common with Kimi was the blessing of Benten - they will surely have beautiful children. This was the first time I went to Teardrop Island, and I was afraid at first, but all my apprehensions were silly and groundless.
The Licensed Quarter is not the seedy, furtive place I had been told of - it was beautiful, glamorous, joyful.
If such happiness is dishonorable, then what is the point of life?

Nineteenth Year in the Reign of Hantei XXXVIII, First Day, Month of the Dog: Who knew the world was big enough to hold so many wonders?
Shosuro Kimi took me to The House of Foreign Stories for my first time today, and I was overwhelmed.
I had never been to a geisha house before, let alone one run by a gaijin!
The woman who runs the House is named Magda and I find it hard to imagine that even the Shadowlands could hold anyone with a more outrageous appearance.
Her hair is the color of gold, and seems to naturally curl and coil like the body of a snake or the tail of a pig.
Her nose is almost absurdly high from her face, and her chin is long and pointed.
The bones beneath her eyes are so prominent that her entire face looks like a triangle.
Her eyes are her most amazing feature, however; the color of a clear sky, they are huge and round as coins.
She was dressed in an outlandish outfit of crimson silk - billowing trousers like hakama, only strangely tight around her feet, which were bare except for rings of gold on her toes.
She wore no robe, but only a sort of vest or shirt that left her stomach exposed to the gaze of any who passed by.
Kimi and I drank a strange beverage made from foreign fruit

it was sweet and tart, not harsh at all, but soon it made me

giggly and dizzy like sake.
Then Magda started to speak, and everyone was silent.
She spun out an incredible tale of her homeland, far beyond the Burning Sands, where it is winter for half the year and the mountain tops have ice on them that hasn't melted since time began.
She says that in her homeland there are giant wolves the size of houses, with tusks like a boar, only as long as a man is tall, and that her family hunted these creatures.
Then she told about her travels across the Burning Sands; she said her caravan was attacked by men who rode giant birds, bigger than a horse.
She was afraid they would be overcome, but their Unicorn guide had made a deal with a group of Tanuki, who distracted and confused the bird riders until the caravan was safe.
In return, their guide had to tell the Tanuki stories every night for a week.