Troubles in Teng Hua
By Rowan (Brookelyn Gingras)
Even amidst dark times of festival cancellations and travel restrictions, Teng Hua remains an immersive place filled with many places and things to see. Yosei, art, haikus, games, fried rice, temples, quests, ceremonies - so much to do, and so little time! Do not tarry; there is time to experience everything if only you do not linger.
To those who have not yet had the fortune of visiting, the first thing to know is that Teng Hua is a land of elemental spirits. Specifically, the seven elements - fire, water, wind, and earth, yes, but do not forget wood, metal, and void. We encountered many of these spirits as playful Yosei, and others as violent, disrupted elementals in need of balance.
Yosei collecting and battling is a hobby for some, but a passion for many. The act of attracting and appeasing spirits of the various elements is an art form. But for some, the real excitement comes from battling. Yosei love to play, and to them fighting is just that. A few people have devoted their lives to the study and understanding of these boundless spirits. Doctor Professor Blossom is one such devotee, and my fellows and I enjoyed our time assisting him with research tasks. That was until we returned to find a gang of our fellow adventurers harassing poor Dr. Professor Blossom! They accused him of holding the Yosei against their will and using them as slaves to do his bidding. As if any one could keep a Yosei, a fickle and quasi-immortal spirit, against their will - let alone command them to do anything more than their own desire! A laughable notion really, but sadly one that threatens to marr the sanctity of Yosei battling. Jerrick stood resolutely to the Professor’s defense and even succeeded in communing with the Yosei spirits before the crowd in an attempt to ease their fears. I don’t know anyone who has a more true and pure connection to the Yosei than Jerrick. In truth, Yosei are eternal beings that seek out fun to fend off the boredom of immortality, and as we adventurers can relate, a good spar is one of the best ways to pass the time.
The events of the evening and the following morning were, to put plainly, a librarian’s worst nightmare. A precious library ransacked by a ghost army, tomes and scrolls tossed about in a vicious hurricane, an infestation of hungry bookworms, every shelf out of order, noisy adventurers talking over haikus, and dodgeball played with books! Truly horrific. (At least we managed to catch up to the pillagers in time to rescue most of the museum’s collection...). The spirit who presides over the library is a haiku-speaking bird known as Crane, attended by his staff of foxy assistants. I only hope that their hearts were as warmed as mine was when our party happened upon the ransacked library and, before a single word was uttered, began picking up the scattered books off the ground to return to their rightful place on the shelves. Although I must say that I am still unsure what the correct shelf placement was, as it seemed that every time we returned to the library we were tasked with re-organizing the collection by another method entirely. Separate by size, or color? Alphabetical or decimal? I’m glad I’m not a fox.
We finally departed the library for the (hopefully) last time, and peeled our more well-read comrades away from the precious books (“what are you reading?” I asked Rosetta. “EVERYTHING,” he said, not taking his eyes away from the hurriedly turned pages). Ahead was a field of stars. We fought our way through a maze of bridges, unlocked the paths forward and at last confronted the General on the hill. The General of Wind was a fearsome foe capable of manifesting gusts and tornados, but in the end he was slain in honorable combat with a skilled adventurer.
The following morning I visited the temple with a renewed sense of purpose. A second general has been defeated - first water, now air - but the others remain, and they will stop at nothing to revive their infamous leader. My companions have been taking on their own quests throughout their time in Teng Hua, learning from healers or samurai. Now I have found a path that speaks to me - achieve balance with the elements and with myself. The path is long and the tasks for each person are unique, and perhaps on this path I might learn something that our adversaries have not.
Signed,
Rowan
Friend of Yosei