Neoseki - Simply Suiseki

No. No, it's not. I'm here to bring you something... a little bit special. A little more cerebral.

Suiseki is a hobby I first encountered amongst the beautiful bonsai of Shenkuu, a mysterious and delicate traditional art of appreciating simple natural beauty - the elegance of rocks, literally translating as "Water stones". Neopia has a wonderous array of places to go "Suiseki hunting" - but before we begin, we need to learn just what makes a "good" rock.

There is no such thing. Yes, you heard me right. There's no such thing as a good, or bad stone - only the experience and emotion your stone can evoke. If you find a rock you like, you probably got a good one. It can look like a comet, a flower, whatever you see in it - it's about the appreciation of nature found in the stone. Interestingly, if we take one of our most famous stones, the Lu codestone, we can actually find a Suiseki translation for "Lu": "exquisite beauty and linked channels depicting a path". Fascinating then that it does indeed look to me like a pleasant walk around the woods at night. You may see different things, but that's part of the fun!

There are many great places for gathering pebbles, rocks, boulders and the like in Neopia, Tyrannia being ideal for the new collector. Choose a stone with instinct - if you are drawn to one, then stick with it. Do be careful you're picking a "wild" rock, though; make sure it's not one of a local's prized possessions, otherwise you might find yourself in a spot of bother with a rather large and angry Grarrl! There are also a variety of stores where you can buy complementary rock themed items - particularly, check out the "Ahh-aka-aka-gal!" Tyrannian Furniture shop in the Jungles, where you can set an entire theme for your Neohome! Oh, and don't forget to get some Stone Shelves for displaying your finds!

If you want to find unusual stones, you need to get clever with your hunting places and look in areas people wouldn't normally think of. I've found some wonderful Mossy Rocks when I've been fishing in the Underwater Cavern, Maraqua, pulling up a lovely range of greens and browns and greys...

On the other hand, if you're a little more flush with the NP, then a trip up to the Station and from there to Kreludor will provide a whole array of literally otherworldly objects and meteors, including one to really brighten you up; the Glowing Meteor Rock! Be sure to sterilise your Meteor Rocks before bringing them home, though, as Kreludor is rife with patches of dangerous Unstable Slime. Whilst handy as a battle weapon if you can contain it, it is VERY painful if you come into contact with it. Ouch!

Of course, Shenkuu is ideal for finding the perfect display piece; the mountains and waterfalls make for a prime rockhounding site - all those stones worn by water and wind and weather... If you're really lucky, you may even find some Soothing Stones. They look like they've absorbed the calm of the mountains and the cleanliness of the water. Better yet, if you're afraid of needles, they have the power to remove Neomites!

But if you REALLY want to complete your collection, then you mustn't miss out on a trip to Moltara. Hot, dangerous and prone to rockfalls and lava spills, this risky territory hides a whole treasure trove of wonderful things. We've all seen the Market flooding with bits of cheap, Shiny Obsidian pulled from the searing magma - but if you can gather up a good torch and the right safety equipment (don't forget to tell people where you're going and when you're due back, just in case something happens and you require a rescue party) then trekking into the caves will reveal something amazing: Red Moltite. Sparkling with mysterious blood red depths, this cuboid gem will really brighten your collection. Be careful not to store it with metallic items, however - strange things have been known to happen...

There was once a time when you could even turn your pets into the prize of your collection, using the now-retired Stone Paint Brush. Though still a fit item for any collector, the Stone Paint Brush no longer works. However, talking of unusual items for your gallery, if you find your collection has a tendency to get up and wander off on its own - you may find you've accidentally picked up a Mibblie!

To admire some of the finest rocks to be found in Neopia, I recommend a trip out to Mystery Island. Take a Tiki Tour and make a slight diversion at the Rock Pool to see the mysterious and massive Stone Heads. As the story has slipped into obscurity over the years, the Island became known simply as Mystery Island rather than TikuTaku Island. Legend states the great warrior god Tiku Taku saved the Island from doom and despair, and so these great carvings were erected in his honour. "Even now, the three rock heads found on the Northeast isle of Tiku Taku Island form a shrine to the great god Tiku Taku, who is venerated by the Cocos for protecting their island far in the past."

Mystery Island is also reputed to be a good place to find codestones of all kinds - quite what the symbols mean, or how they got there, is a mystery too, but take some advice from the Eo Codestone; jump up and get there early before everyone else picks them from the volcano's lava first.

The most famous collections of stones available for public viewing is over at the notorious Stone Dome - monolithic standing stones surrounding a hallowed battleground. Due to the history of the stones, you can sense an overwhelming power of victory, defeat and war making them ideal subjects for focussing on your techniques in battle. Once you're all done mystifying yourself with the spirits of warriors past, then you can truly satisfy yourself with the essence of the stone, by tucking into a tasty Solid Stone Pizza from the Pizzaroo.

Be sure to have a good dentist on hand after, though...