Tea Ceremony

[crow_dad]

Who: Kogarasumaru and you!
Broadcast: Yes
Action: The Dojo on the Iskaulit
When: 8/2

Broadcast

[The pretty sword appears on the screen with a smile on his ever polished face. Politely, he bows his head before speaking.]

Greetings. I would like to host a tea ceremony for those interested in attending. If you do then I will be holding these ceremonies in my dojo on the Iskaulit. There is no requirement for dress code aside from the removal of your shoes when you enter.

[Lowering himself down, he bows where he is kneeling, hands brushing the floor.]

I look forward to seeing those of you who are interested.


The Dojo

[For those who are interested in coming, the dojo looks the same on arrival. The same traditional Japanese setup. In the center of the room Kogarasumaru can be found kneeling, bowing politely to the ones who enter before rising to his feet.]

Please come in. I will get you a cushion to sit on.

[He is not going to expect anyone to kneel like he will. It can be terribly uncomfortable for most.]

Have you ever attended a Japanese tea ceremony before?

Comments

/slams into this late

[nosferatanking]

[Morgan is always up for trying something new, and the ceremony that Kogarasumaru mentions easily grabs his interest.]

[He's there almost as soon as Kogasumaru opens the Dojo, smiling broadly.]

I haven't! What do we do?

/accepts with open arms

[crow_dad]

[He laughs softly.]

Kneel here please. If you are uncomfortable you may use this cushion to sit upon instead. I will talk you through the ceremony.

[nosferatanking]

Okay.

[Morgan takes a seat on the floor, kneeling. It's clear he's not accustomed to it, but he's trying his best.]

How do we start?

[crow_dad]

[He fetches his supplies and sets them before himself and a cloth before Morgan.]

That will be for later. For now you simply watch while I clean the tools that will be used for the ceremony. It is how these begin as a sign of respect between host and guest.

[nosferatanking]

Oh, I get it!

[Morgan watches intently. He's not the best at diplomatic stuff, but he's always happy to learn more.]

Are these kinds of ceremonies common where you're from?

[crow_dad]

Perhaps it is fair to say that their are common in how uncommon they are. If one wishes to partake then one attends. However, they are not a requirement for people to go or learn to hold.

[That perhaps makes the most sense, he thinks.]

[nosferatanking]

Ah, so it's kind of like a hobby, right? That's still pretty cool.

[It's about this point that Morgan realizes he's in pain. Seiza, you are not his friend. As subtlety as he can, he changes his position. He would very much like to feel his knees again.]

[crow_dad]

Perhaps less hobby and more a way of honoring tradition and history.

[Tools clean, he lifts the empty bowl and presents it to him.]

You will look upon this bowl and admire it. Lift and turn it. Study the craftsmanship behind it.

[nosferatanking]

[Morgan lifts the bowl, studying it with a keen eye. As much as he kids around, he does know how to spot detail. He'd be a sorry excuse for a strategist if he couldn't.]

It looks like it was broken, and then put back together. Is there some meaning in that?

[crow_dad]

There is beauty in that which is broken and put back together. Just as there is beauty found in the imperfections of others.

[He smiles, pleased to have had that detail noticed.]

[nosferatanking]

Oh, I get it! So, it's not that the bowl loses value because it's broken, but it gains it, right? Just like the life experiences that hurt us make us stronger?

[crow_dad]

Exactly. You have a good eye for detail.