Lisa
*I am **So** Out of my element*, Setsuka thought sullenly as she walked through the streets of Ryoko Owari Toshi. Perhaps it was the city's reputation and size, the amount of people, the gazes her miko attire drew, the strange land, or the fact that she was tired - or a combination of all of those things - but she felt deeply uncomfortable. 

Homesickness washed over Setsuka like a wave, not an unfamiliar feeling, but particularly strong today. She missed her small village built around Sanpuku Seido, and the fresh mountain air; she missed the familiar kami of her ancestral lands, and tending to the ancient shrine.
Setsuka hurried her steps towards the Phoenix Embassy, her only anchor point of relative familiarity and safety in this city. It was only after reaching the calmer noble quarters that she finally relaxed her grip on her wakizashi, an act she had done subconsciously.

The sight of the embassy and shrine immediately calmed Setsuka's nerves. Although she was on a strange land and hadn't yet formed deep, personal relationships with the kami located there, the shrines to the Seven Great Fortunes were powerful enough that she could sense their presence. She bowed as a greeting to the shrine keepers that tended to the temple, both parties recognizing each other as colleagues, but also being too busy with their duties to talk at length. 
Slowing her breath, Setsuka also bowed before each of the shrines within the temple, praying to them and thanking them for their guidance and help.

Making her way to the Embassy proper, Setsuka approached the guard at the gate, presenting her travel pass, which also bore the mark of the Elemental Council, a sign of her purpose for traveling.
"Kaito Setsuka, shrine keeper of Sanpuku Seido, here on a mission for the Phoenix Clan," She introduced herself briefly, suddenly feeling shy.

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Roger
The ashigaru on duty seemed to pick up on Setsuka's nerves. Exchanging a look and adjusting their stance slightly, one of the soldiers approached. « Greetings, Samurai-sama. A moment to review you papers, please. »

The silence while they perused the documents likely did little to settle Setsuka, especially with the occasional upwards glance as if to verify that she hadn't suddenly chosen violence. Though the symbol of the Elemental Council spoke to the opposite, the general atmosphere warranted some due diligence.

« Everything appears to be in order. Please be welcome and follow me, Samurai-sama. I will show you to a meeting room and request that the administration check in with you shortly. »

Turning on their heel, the ashigaru guided her into the embassy proper. In short order, she was admitted to a room prone to dark woods, rustic motifs, and paintings of nature scenes. Some few minutes later, a young man in an earth-colored kimono bearing only the clan mon entered in - a servant with tea just behind him.

His shoulder-length dark hair swishing as he did so, the courtier bowed. « It is a pleasure to meet you, Kaito Setsuka-san. I am Asako Sanumo, the Ambassador's Karo. » He crossed the room and sat himself at the table. As the servant delivered the tea, he began to pour for his guest. « I'm to understand that the Ambassador himself should not be far behind me. In the meantime, partake of our hospitality. If you need anything, you need but ask. »

The words, though delivered with sincerity, lacked much warmth. It was not that the man had any sort of grudge or irritation with the Kaito, but moreso that this was simply a basic function of his job. He did this because it was proper and expected of him - and for no other reason.

Perhaps that would change with time.

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Joan
*The tea has beaten me here, it seems the staff has learned the rhythm I prefer all too well.* Iemon thought with slight amusement as he stepped into the room, another servant opening the door for him. Functionally official in dress and topknot without being ostentatious beyond the flame colors of his orange ambassadorial kimono, the Phoenix mon proudly displayed. 

"Kaito-san, welcome to our humble embassy here in Ryoko Owari Toshi. I hope that your journey was not too tiresome for you." He offered a bow of greeting to the two of them, quickly moving to pour tea for this small meeting. "If you would like any further refreshment, please do not hesitate to ask."

He allowed them to settle in before turning to their new guest. "I have been told you have been sent here on a mission on behalf of our Clan. What is its nature, and how may we be of assistance?" His measured tone was polite, but the sincerity and warmth was undeniable. 

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Lisa
Setsuka did her best to follow etiquette and good manners when meeting the Karo and Ambassador, such as offering them ofuda she had crafted herself - more artistic pieces rather than practical charms - as gifts. 

"Thank you both for the warm welcome, my lords. I have gotten accustomed to traveling, as I have been on the road for almost a year now, but it is always a joy and pleasure to meet with my own Clan, this far away from home," She smiled shyly.

Sanumo's politeness and Iemon's genuine curiosity encouraged Setsuka. She cleared her throat and spoke formally, the mission engraved in her mind and effortlessly repeated it:
"The honorable and wise Elemental Council has honored me and other spiritually attuned individuals to travel across Rokugan to inspect the elemental and spiritual balance and health of our Empire to ensure its continued safety and prosperity, and for its people to keep receiving the blessings of the kami," She paused, before continuing less formally.
"In practice, this means I have been inspecting shrines and other holy or elementally powerful locations as directed by the Council. I have a set list of locations to visit, but this list is updated occasionally if the Council receives intel or news of potential locations, or when other Clans have taken care of such instances.
"I have also been encouraged to act independently - within reasonable limits of course - to seek out, purify and balance out any anomalies and report these to the Council," She finished her summary. 

Setsuka took a longer pause to drink some more tea. Its taste was refreshing and she gave compliments of it to her hosts before continuing.
"As for what I may need, my lords, if I may so humbly request, is any information on spiritual or elemental anomalies you may have heard of," She concluded. Suddenly, Setsuka looked a little sheepish and added: "And, um, where may I find lodging?"

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Roger
Sanumo accepted the gifted ofuda after the typical number of refusals. It didn't seem overly impactful to the man, but the gift's purpose was nothing more than to satisfy tradition - and that it did well.

« Lodging is a simple affair, Kaito-san. The embassy has sufficient space to house you or, if you find that not to be preferable, you may arrange a home within the Noble Quarter for the duration of your stay. »

« As far as these anomalies... There are almost certainly many more than we know of. I am no shugenja, but the two most curious to my mind are as follows: »

« There is a member of the underworld that has garnered a bit of a spiritual following. Shrines have been erected where people worship them as though they are among the Fortunes. We already have other samurai looking into this. »

« The other, which I would personally like your assistance with,-» he glanced briefly to Iemon, «-involves retrieving the missing daughter of a Phoenix Governor. »

He hesitated before continuing, troubling memories resurfacing before he swallowed stiffly and continued.

« Isawa Komako-sama and her yojimbo went missing shortly after her arrival to the city. We have acquired information that paints a peculiar picture as to **Why**. It appears that she has enlisted the efforts of heimin to restore a temple in the Scorpion countryside. »

« I have no idea why she would believe this to be more important than the betrothal she was en route to fulfill - and I have been unable to reach the temple myself to inquire. We attempted to reach it once, only to have an encounter with... Isawa Kashikoi-san later told me that he thinks they are gaki. »

It still bothered Sanumo that such things were real and that he'd had such a close call with them. If only he'd managed to adhere to his more spiritual-oriented studies at the dojo, he might find comfort in at least knowing what they were up against.

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Lisa
Setsuka bowed her head in gratitude when she heard she could stay at the Embassy.
"The embassy is more than enough for me, thank you," She said, sincerely. It was pure luxury compared to some of the run-down shrines or shady inns she has rested in during her journey.

Setsuka listened intently as Sanumo explained the situation with Isawa Komako. At the mention of gaki, her brows furrowed and she pursed her lips.
"The gaki are a great evil indeed, and the notion of Isawa Komako-sama restoring a temple fills me with dread. Shrines can be corrupted and turned into malicious nexuses, or even become portals to other worlds - like gaki-do," Setsuka thought out loud. "Of course I do not mean to imply our lady to be evil, but her abnormal behavior may be a result of possession or other such nefarious influences. But these are just theories," She added.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Setsuka bowed deeply towards Iemon and Sanumo. 
"It would be my great pleasure to undertake this task, seeing as how this not only involves supernatural elements I have been trained to deal with, but also concerns the Governor's missing daughter," She said solemnly. 

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Joan
Iemon followed Sanumo's summary with attention, nodding along to corroborate his words. "Indeed, Kaito-san, I think your assisting with the matter pertaining to Isawa Komako will be a much-needed addition. The gaki as a more direct threat has been noticed by at least two of the other Clans, from what I am aware. Joining the efforts of removing them will also help to give access to this temple, and allow us to resolve our internal matter."

He paused, considering further. "Beyond that, I believe our small shrine that we have here on the embassy grounds would do well to have you inspect it as well, for the sake of thoroughness."

He returned the bow with equal solemnity. "We are grateful for your service, Kaito-san, and your presence."

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