That is a very old tale, but that when Land-Mother, one of the Great Spirits, tore herself apart in a great dance with Sea-Father, the shards of her fell into a thousand, thousand pieces. The Sea-Father took them all into the depths, and tended them there until they were strong enough to go out, and become all things of life. Some became the essence of a hundred other spirits, some became the trees and the hills and the valleys, and some became living beings, like you and I.

[ Which she has learned many times now, that when she talks of these things, there is a horrible habit of many other void-touched thinking she might mean allegorical, or something of faith, a story with no proof. ]

It is quite literal, before you ask. You can in fact meet - and talk, in a way - to the Great Spirits, that is Sea-Father, Sister-Fire and Air-Brother, though the easiest to speak with is the largest part of the Land-Mother that remains as three Dragons, known as the Shadow Dragons. As for myself, when I say I am Child of the Sea-Father, Daughter-Sea, I mean that inside of my soul, the sea resides, and I may take its form as gifted to from the ancient and holy bond my family shares.

[ With a polite nod, she set down the items on the table, laying them out more comfortably into the different dishes she had made for her. ]