Steading

A sample playthrough.

Beginnings

I'm a witch specializing in plants and greenery: growing them, speaking with them, how to use them in many types of spells and charms.

Today I come to this new steading. The cottage here is quite simple: one main room and one bathroom, connected by a short hallway. The walls are made of gray stone, the floor of dark, clean wood, the roof of dried bamboo.

Behind the house is a garden with a large variety of herbs, and around the entire house is a lavender garden for protection.

The First Ritual

In the northeast corner of the house is a bottle the color of smoke full of silver stardust. The bottle belonged to some previous witch.

I take out a black, smooth stone the size of the palm of my hand. While holding the stone in both hands, I close my eyes, then speak with the kami.

As the ritual nears its end, the power of the steading flows into me. I am filled with a feeling that reality is steady, firm. I needed that because reality is usually quite shakey.

The Second Ritual

One day I receive a letter delivered by the messenger bird. (Chim khách in Vietnamese.)

I prepare for a meeting this night by packaging containing a pinecone from an enormous and ancient tree, nestled in soft, black fabric. I head out to the place when night starts.

After waiting silently, a stag slowly steps towards me. From his mouth hangs a bundle smelling of burnt wood, from a mighty and ancient pine reduced to ashes. I take it solemnly and gift the seed cone to the stag. He leaves, disappearing amongst the trees of the forest.

I bury the bundle leaving no mark except for white flowers already growing, already budding.

For the first time I feel the earth full with the potential of life.

The Third Ritual

Several months after, I feel prepared to place my stone in the corner of the main room, beside the bottle from the previous witch.

The steading has become a place growing green and healthy full of the lifeblood of the kami.

I finally am at peace, entirely, firmly standing in reality.