epidemiology | EVENT ▸ WELCOME TO HANABIRA

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EVENT ▸ WELCOME TO HANABIRA

LAND OF CELESTIAL MOUNTAINS

Following guild Ophelia's first mission, after which the temporal shard was found and safely disposed of back on Headquarters, Guild Master Imogen informs them they've received a contract to help ease tensions in a land known as Hanabira, on an unnamed planet designated as Hathaway-484. However, the contract is from a third party and the Hanabirans themselves do not know about interdimensional travel, she explains, so it'll be best to announce Ophelia as visitors from a foreign land. Any strange appearances or abilities will be able to be brushed off as magic, as the Hanabirans are no strangers to things such as ogres and imps. They're given five days to look over the dossier, and then it's through the rift they go.

Those who are new to rift travel may find themselves a bit dizzy on the way out, but overall, everything seems to have gone according to plan. Upon arrival, their magitek projects words in front of their eyes that only they can see:

Location reached: HANABIRA.

No events scheduled. You may wish to survey the surrounding area.

» LAND OF CELESTIAL MOUNTAINS
A militaristic society that values strength. Main sources of income: mining, foresting, hunting, blacksmithing. Heavy matriarchal ideals. Empress NAMA resides at the HEAVENLY SUMMIT.

Those who attempt to reach the Heavenly Summit, which turns out to be the name of a castle situated on the tallest mountain peak, will not make it very far. Empress Nama's guards have no time for foreign strangers attempting to enter the castle without an audience, and there are plenty of them. It looks like that plan of action is going to take some time to rethink.

There's still much more to look at, though. In the Merchant's District, you can stock up on everything you'll need to blend in. A cursory look at all the clothing and it's clear that the Mountain Clan style focuses on a more powerful look, with broad shoulder accents and thick fabrics. Both men and women wear kimonos, but it seems men's fashion changes depending on their age and marital status. Time to figure out those backstories! There are several more items for sale as well, as long as you're willing to pay -- or if you're particularly good at sleight of hand.

The Commoner's District, derogatorily called the Slums by some, is where many of the lower class Mountain Clan work and live. Those who don't have the coin to buy a space in the Merchant's District sell their wares here; they are at a lower price, but often of lower quality as well, unless you're particularly lucky. This is the most densely populated area of the Celestial Mountains, and also the most egalitarian. Here, both men and women must do the same work to provide for their families. However, you will still find that the prevailing cultural attitude supports the matriarchy.

On the other side of town is the Noble's District, which is patrolled by guards on regular routes. Men on their own will arouse suspicion in this area, as will anyone in any garb but the noble disguise. Troublemakers will be asked to leave and unceremoniously escorted out. Those who manage to stay will be able to find conversation with the nobility, many of whom are high-ranking military leaders.

The rest of the town belongs to the lower to upper middle class, who are friendliest to women or groups with at least one woman in them. Women's reactions to sole men may range from dismissive to awkward, although men alone are not in any danger of angry or violent reactions (as long as they don't provoke anyone).

▸ SPRING FESTIVAL

After a bit of time for exploring, a new message flashes in front of recruits' eyes.

New event scheduled: MOUNTAIN CLAN FESTIVAL.

» INFORMATION: Analysis of all mentions of 'festival' since the arrival of OPHELIA suggests heavy HANABIRAN presence at this time, during which guild members may wish to gather intel.

It appears as though Ophelia has arrived just in time for the Spring Festival, a yearly celebration in honor of the changing of seasons. Plum and cherry trees throughout the Celestial Mountains flower in white and pink blossoms, creating a cheerful atmosphere as the population goes about their daily business during the day. Workers view the flowers during their lunch and tea times, and nobles can be found strolling through gardens in the Noble's District at all times.

In the early afternoon, food stalls begin to appear in the Merchant's District, and by the late afternoon, the festival is in full swing: dumplings, noodles, persimmons, and skewered meat are available at various stalls, as well as plenty of sake. Other stalls sell beautifully designed kites, fans, and kimonos, and as the sun begins to sink down, some stalls begin to sell incense-stick fireworks.

There are also games to take part in, from the light-hearted collaborative ball game kemari, to an archery competition, the winners of which are rewarded with plums and sake. An old man near the archery competition invites any passersby to join him in a game of Go, and he'll even offer to teach foreigners the rules of the game. There is also a falconry competition for the nobles, but unless you have a disguise, you'll just have to content yourself with watching.

With so many people milling around, it's a good time to ask questions and try to get a feel for the political opinions of the people of the mountain clan. They are all in favor of their empress ruling Hanabira, supporting the spread of their traditional culture over the more lax culture of the sea clan. If asked their opinions on how to ensure there is no war, suggestions will range from preemptively killing the sea empress and her army, to banishing them across the sea. It should be noted that the mountain clan is not especially known for their expertise in diplomacy.

As the sky darkens, fireworks light up the sky. It's very beautiful, but also very distracting -- the perfect time for something to go wrong.

▸ AN AMBUSH

The fireworks are loud, and everyone -- even guards milling around -- are looking skyward toward the display. No one notices the danger until it's too late.

A scream pierces the air, and everything after that happens quick and sudden: people are running in all directions, panicked, trying to escape. Stands are knocked over and food goes flying through the air. A merchant struggles to reach her wife, caught across the fearful throng of festivalgoers. It's chaos.

As the panicked crowd begins to thin, those of Ophelia who stay behind to help will see the cause -- women wearing clothes of the sea clan and masks covering their faces are laying waste to the festival ground. They begin to set stalls ablaze, and though they aren't targeting any civilians, a handful lay dead or injured, crushed by the panicked stampede.

Guards rush in to stop the women, and they could probably use help; they will be trying to capture them, but if your character is killing an ambusher instead, please let the mods know with a link to the thread.

For those who aren't the fighting type, there are plenty of other things to do -- direct traffic, try to rescue civilians from the stampede, or go find someplace to hide yourself. Once the immediate trouble is dealt with, the festival unceremoniously ended, the civilians drift back to their homes to begin a restless sleep. If your character hasn't found lodgings for the night yet, they'd better get that matter settled soon.

The morning after the ambush, there is tension and unease in the air. The people of the mountain clan mutter about taking revenge or continuing peaceably; the ambush and its effect on their relations with the sea clan is the topic of the day. Was this an attack sanctioned by the Empress of the Crashing Wave? Were these sea people acting of their own volition? Does it matter?

The festival grounds could use cleaning up, and tending to the injured can be a good way to ingratiate foreigners (that's you) to the mountain clan. Otherwise, the forests of the Celestial Mountains are open for exploration, or the Flowerlands and its farms below.

▸ OOC NOTES

Welcome to the first mission of the season! Apps are now closed and will remain closed until the mission is over. If you have questions about this log or the overall mission, please ask them on the dossier. Questions about Futurology in general should be directed to the FAQ.

▸ The festival and ambush lasts one IC day, after which characters may continue to explore. Areas currently open are the Land of Celestial Mountains or the Flowerlands. The Empire of the Crashing Wave will be introduced in the next log on 3 February.

▸ The Bounty Board is now live, as well as an items page. The February calendar will go live in late January.

▸ January AC will go up on 1 February. You will only need to supply one proof. February AC will require full activity.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Oliver looks surprised at the interruption at first, but seeing the stall owner nod understandingly he quickly realizes going along with this guy might be the best option he has.

He nods, smiling apologetically.]

She normally picks them out for me. [And if that isn't the most humiliating thing he's had to say lately...] That one's nice. Could we buy it?

[It was a better choice than the one he'd initially liked the look of, and she agrees without criticism this time.]

[ Of course, it seemed like her assistant couldn't help chiming in one last time as she turned to Oliver:

"That's no good, spoiling men like that -- they'll get all kinds of nonsense in their heads! And you, dear... you look like the age where you should be married already!"

wow roasted ]

That, er... that's the plan!

[ keEPING AN EVEN EXPRESSION ]

[For someone who has spent most of his life doing what other people expected of him, Oliver's having a hard time keeping his mouth shut now. He manages to succeed, but his smile lacks any sign of being genuine.]

Thank you. You've been a lot of help.

[He takes his purchase, ducking away from the stall before they can get into more trouble. When they're far enough away he turns back to Majima, assuming that he will have come with him.]

You... actually were helpful. Thank you. It's always hard figuring out somewhere new.

[ Oliver was right; Majima had come up casually behind him like they actually knew each other. It'd look even more suspicious if he'd turned around and walked the other way. He let out a small laugh. ]

Don't mention it. Figure we'll be workin' together at some point.

My name's Majima. Nice to meet ya.

Oliver.

[He extends a hand now they're far enough away that the introduction won't be noticed.]

You're new, right?

That's right. Guess you can imagine the look on my face when some weirdos from beyond time showed up to offer me a magic wish.

[ He shook Oliver's hand. Common enough practice nowadays. ]

Thought I'd gotten a concussion.

[Oliver laughs at that. Having being overwhelmed himself he can easily imagine the expression he might have had.]

Yeah, this whole thing is pretty crazy when you're used to somewhere normal. It took me forever to think I could ever be useful on a team like this.

Yep, I'm tryin' not to think about it too much. I figure they had some kinda plan in mind when they started signing people up. Probably even had a little checklist. Computer supergenius, check. Shoots lasers out of their ears, check.

Way I figure it, it's just a matter of doing what you do.

[ Which was what in Majima's case, exactly? ~~Having no depth perception.~~ ]

So what's your plan now? I was thinkin' about going down to the commoners' area and hitting a pub or two -- people loosen up when they've had a couple.

It didn't used to be so intentional, but I figure they wouldn't have let me stay on if they didn't think I could help.

[At least that's what he hopes. He's sure he's come a long way since he first joined Audentes, but his experiences are nothing compared to some of the others.]

Sounds like a plan. I think we might fit in a little better there. Do you want company?

Of course. Nothin' sadder than a man drinking alone.

[ And off he went, towards where he'd spotted a few drinking holes earlier. ]

So what'd you do? Before they scooped you up for these missions.

[Oliver's happy to follow after, holding his purchase close. He seems to have somewhere in mind, and bars are one thing he hasn't been looking for.]

Nothing too exciting. I was an IT tech. I'd just started working for a law professor.

IT?

[ The mild puzzlement on his face looked to be genuine. Majima was from the 80s, praise. ]

Never heard of it. Is that some kinda clerical work?

[He's not entirely unused to people not knowing what he means, but surprise does pass over his face for a brief moment before he answers.]

You know computers?

[It's entirely possible he won't even know about computers, but it makes explaining his job much easier if he does.]

[ Majima nodded, though he'd been picked up only a scant few years after Windows had first shipped. He made sure to smile deferentially to a few women they passed. ]

Sure, of course. Never really worked with 'em myself, though.

[ Ask him about his thoughts on cell phones. ]

[He can't be from a timeline too dissimilar to his own if he is from Earth, which makes simplifying it easier.]

My job was to make sure they were running okay.

[They're coming up to the outskirts of the commoner's district now, the scenery around them gradually becoming more run down.]

Sounds like a full-time job. 'Specially if you were workin' for an academic.

[ Majima's experience with professors and their kindred was that frankly, they could get a little high-strung, and he doubted a law professor would be particularly into learning how to baby machines along.

They passed a few children, a few adults out shopping, but didn't receive as many odd looks as they might have elsewhere. Most were happy to go about their business, and as Majima rounded a corner, there it was: a storefront with a cloth overhang covering its entrance. He brushed this aside as he ducked in. ]

That was the plan, but I'd barely started when I got recruited into this. Not that I'm complaining.

[It's more exciting and generally he's a lot more certain he's doing something good.

Oliver's hand reaches up to catch the curtain as he ducks into the store. It's poorly lit and a little shabby, but the atmosphere seems relaxed if not completely welcoming. The woman who owns the place smiles at them as they enter, but otherwise they don't get more than a vaguely curious glance as they walk in.]

What are you drinking? I kind of owe you for your help back there.

Thanks. I'll take some plum sake.

[ No sense protesting; it was best to let people express their appreciation without doing the whole song and dance. There were several other customers inside, including an old man grumbling into his drink and a weary-looking pair of laborers.

The waiter came by to take their order. "I heard 'sake'... will you be having the same, sir?" ]

Two plum sakes.

[Oliver nods his agreement to the waiter, who then retreats momentarily to fetch them their order. He counts out the money as they wait for their drinks, taking in the other customers who were already present. They all seem to be lower class, and there are a lot more single or paired men here than there had been in the merchant's district.]

At least we fit in better here.

[Well. Sort of. Oliver's short hair and Ophelia uniform strongly implies he's either not local or doesn't conform, but it's far less of a problem.]

No kidding. You ever been to Japan?

[ Oliver didn't look too comfortable shopping for kimono, at the very least.

The drinks came in the form of a bottle and two cups. Majima took up the bottle without comment and poured some sake out for Oliver in a practiced, elegant motion. ]

Never.

[Oliver shakes his head, feeling like the answer is probably obvious. He suspects modern Japan is a completely different experience to this, but he gets the feeling like it's clear to Majima regardless.]

I've been to the Philippines a few times, and to Europe, but mostly I've stayed in America.

[ Majima nodded. It was sort of a relief, being able to instantly understand at least some of where Oliver was coming from. Not that centaur ladies weren't nice and all. ]

Used to work out of Tokyo. Now I'm based in Kansai -- Osaka area. This place is more like out of a costume drama, but at least I've seen those.

[ He lifted his glass. ]

Cheers.

You like costume dramas?

[That really shouldn't have been what Oliver got out of that sentence, and he seems to realize that as he's saying it. He clears his throat, looking more subdued as he raises his glass to Majima's.]

Cheers.

[He stares into his drink thoughtfully for a moment.]

It'll probably help if you know a little about Japan in this time period. Your hair looks like it fits with the fashion too.

[ Majima blinked, caught slightly off guard. Then the moment was over, and he took a sip of his sake. ]

Yeah, guess it does. Didn't think it'd quite work out like this, though.

Say, you mentioned that it took you a good while before you figured you'd be useful here, right? What made ya change your mind?

[Oliver has to think about that. It wasn't something that had happened quickly, and he can't pinpoint the exact moment he stopped feeling useless and started feeling as though he had something to contribute.]

I don't know. I guess I stopped looking at what I couldn't do, and started paying more attention to the things I could do.

[He pauses for a moment to take a drink of the sake.]

There was a mission based somewhere a lot like Earth, back in the 90s. So many people just didn't understand it, but for me it was easy to fit in. It taught me I didn't need to be good at the same things as everyone else. I don't have to be a soldier with super cool powers from way out in the future to be useful. We need people from all kinds of backgrounds to be at our best.

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