Casual game of letters

Initial Description

Shosuro_Shinju: An exchange of letters - poems, clues, tokens - pointing to new experiences. A sort of puzzle treasure hunt continued till one or the other is unable or unwilling to continue

Tarek: An interesting proposal. Tell me more.

Tsume_Nagare is watching Shinju closely now.

Shosuro_Shinju swallows, "Nothing suicidal - not literally or politically, not necessarily pleasant, but interesting. Neither of us is familiar with Shiro Shiba, and you are new to Rokugan and there is much I have not tried."

<Tsume_Nagare> Shosuro-san, will you be playing, or will your younger friend?

<Shosuro_Shinju> I will be playing. Should we formally allow assistance in creating challenges and others to be included in the resulting experience?

<Tsume_Nagare> Mmm. Perhaps. I think a judge on how damaging something is would be important. I wish to not offend Tarek-san nor yourself, but simple requests can be more harming then one might think.

<Tarek> It seems as though I would be at a severe disadvantage in such a game.

Shosuro_Shinju shrugs, "Played this way there is no winner or loser"

<Tarek> A strange game, to have no winner or loser. Merely a way to pass the time, then?

Shosuro_Shinju pauses

<Tsume_Nagare> Much of winter court is finding ways to pass time. There is also running out of time to do what's important because it wasn't important until it's too late.

<Shosuro_Shinju> it is a pastime, but it is also inevitably somewhat revealing of the player's thoughts and interests.

<Tarek> Introduce me to this game, then, Shosuro-san. I will endeavour to play, though I may be forced to admit defeat.

<Shosuro_Shinju> If you wish to be secretive about your intentions for the tournament it may be best to not play for long. Shosuro_Shinju smiles, "You may expect an owl to bring you a letter tomorrow"

<Tarek> Secretive? Me? Perish the thought. We of the Windless Air have no talent for secrecy. Trickery, definitely, but not secrecy.

First Letter

haiku

crepuscular guide

long slog with winter rain finds

mortal love of warmth

explanation

It's a little mean, but it ties in with something Shinju likes about mortal existence. Shigure's going to lead Tarek wandering for an hour or so - depends how long it takes for him to be cold/miserable-ish without quite being annoyed - entry garden will probably be the place since Shinju is trying to avoid alarming his guards. Following sufficient cold misery, Tarek gets led to the bath.