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Name: Return to Roots Difficulty: Long Participants: Ikazuchi, Tsukishima Higurashi Story: During Ikazuchi’s swordsmanship training and time in Seven, he made a wager at random based on his confidence and curiosity to obtain a technique that allowed him to form a unique spirit taking the form of a sword for himself. As he understood and trained with the technique, he was able to cross-reference the mana pattern used with that of his Cloud Ring, an item passed down through his father’s side of the family. As the one who repaired the item from a damaged state, he was familiar with its unique style and able to gain insight into the fact that the two possess similar Origins. Having stepped into the Realm of God of War with his swordsmanship, this particular insight encouraged him to pursue leads that would allow him to improve and strengthen his Sword Spirit as it seemed to be intricately tied to his swordsmanship. Through its creation, he had naturally understood that his swordsmanship didn’t need to be limited solely to what he can do with a physical sword. Through a broadened perspective, Ikazuchi came to understand that there are countless ways to express his swordsmanship including the Sword Spirit which serves as a sort of connection for him and the world around him. With the reformation of the guild complete and an unclear path forward after reaching the pinnacle of skill, Ikazuchi returns to Joya in search of whatever may remain of his relatives and their legacies. What awaits him at a glance is a small, collapsing clan in a rural village. Trusting in the insight that led him there, Ikazuchi continues to look deeper into the origins of the ring inherited from his father while resolving as many problems for the Clan as he can. His investigation would ultimately reveal that the clan was actually an offshoot related to the Celestial Empire of Sin many years ago, one that had long since lost connection to the country as Joya gained independence. With neither the qualifications nor desire to reconnect with the country the clan resigned itself to a solitary life in Joya. Records dating back more than a thousand years can be found in the storehouse of the clan, largely neglected after their fall. The reason for neglect was the fact that the technique legacy passed down within the clan was broken many years ago, and no way to recover it had ever been located in those, now useless, records. All that remained was the comprehensive foundations of martial arts that Ikazuchi inherited, the magical arts, and the defunct technique that had lost its most important, initial stages. The technique in question was actually a version of the Spirit formation technique that Ikazuchi obtained by chance, or perhaps fate, and his return would also represent the return of the clan. WIth his clan’s recovery as the gateway, Ikazuchi would come to understand that he had unintentionally stepped onto the path of Daoism and that he had long since become deeply connected to the country of Sin. Along for the ride would be Tsukishima Higurashi, the only new member among the founders of the re-established Sleeping Calamity. Convinced by Ikazuchi that it would be a worthwhile experience, and motivated by the promise of new equipment and information; the lich would find himself embroiled in what could only be described as the first step Ikazuchi would take towards ascension according to one of the countless paths practiced by Daoists after obtaining the middle stages of the Spirit Formation technique. Rewards: Legendary Objective: To connect with the remnants of his father’s family, understand the origins of the clan and techniques he uses, and to ultimately take a step towards ascension into an Immortal Sage by strengthening the Spirit with Tsukishima accompanying him. Key Events will include training and guiding his clan, crushing a local bandit group, and delving deep into the history of Sin as they search for a path to enlightenment and ascension as well as ultimately recovering the necessary techniques to strengthen his Sword Spirit. Lore Impact: N/A Required Progress: 4x A-Rank, 3xS-Rank - Equivalent Word Count: 15,500 |