Such a simple question that managed to embody so much truth. Jigano smiled at her innocence but nodded slowly, acknowledging what she said and agreeing with it. "Yes," he said quietly. "It is a dangerous, hard, sad place. When you find joy here you learn to hold tight to it, because all too soon... well. Never take moments of happiness for granted. They're worth more than all the gold or riches in the world." He, too, had once thought to make it a better place. So many of them did, when they first arrived. It had taken a goddess's smiting to shove his head out of the clouds and slam him back down into the dirt, and though he struggled to be more, he all too often found himself coming up short.
Still, if he wasn't a hero, at least he was a Loreseeker, a scholar-adventurer, and he would do that to the best of his ability, come hell or high water.
A tale of less tragedy and more adventure, though, even if it lacked in romance, seemed like the right offering for the afternoon. He smiled at her enthusiasm, this time with more warmth, and chuckled as Isuma flopped down between them so they could both reach her for scritches. "It's a lantern that, when combined with a certain, special song, can be used to draw in and protect lost souls. Normally when someone dies their soul goes to Ludo, the masked god, who leads them to Mort and the realm of the dead - a place of joy and rest, where you can be with your family and loved ones who died before you." He raised a cautionary finger. "But sometimes a soul gets lost, or becomes trapped somewhere. Sometimes it ends up some place that Ludo can't follow. So I asked for Ludo to make me something to help collect those lost spirits. That 'something' is the lantern called 'SoulKeeper.'" He winked at his audience, reaching out to work his fingers into Isuma's neck fur until her tail lashed with approval as she tried to arch up into the scritches. "In order to make it, Ludo told me to bring it the scales of a Goldfish, the branch of a Wicker Woman, and the feather of a Spark Bird." He paused for any questions, knowing they'd be coming sooner or later. His eyes were bright as he regarded Libbs, looking forward to what her curiosity would lead her to ask this time.
Still, if he wasn't a hero, at least he was a Loreseeker, a scholar-adventurer, and he would do that to the best of his ability, come hell or high water.
A tale of less tragedy and more adventure, though, even if it lacked in romance, seemed like the right offering for the afternoon. He smiled at her enthusiasm, this time with more warmth, and chuckled as Isuma flopped down between them so they could both reach her for scritches. "It's a lantern that, when combined with a certain, special song, can be used to draw in and protect lost souls. Normally when someone dies their soul goes to Ludo, the masked god, who leads them to Mort and the realm of the dead - a place of joy and rest, where you can be with your family and loved ones who died before you." He raised a cautionary finger. "But sometimes a soul gets lost, or becomes trapped somewhere. Sometimes it ends up some place that Ludo can't follow. So I asked for Ludo to make me something to help collect those lost spirits. That 'something' is the lantern called 'SoulKeeper.'" He winked at his audience, reaching out to work his fingers into Isuma's neck fur until her tail lashed with approval as she tried to arch up into the scritches. "In order to make it, Ludo told me to bring it the scales of a Goldfish, the branch of a Wicker Woman, and the feather of a Spark Bird." He paused for any questions, knowing they'd be coming sooner or later. His eyes were bright as he regarded Libbs, looking forward to what her curiosity would lead her to ask this time.
