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

[ hm. ]

Rohan will do. [ and he takes the hand after a moment of hesitance. he doesn't... really like shaking hands, but he'll do it to make nice with the people he works with. ] Now then, are you interested?

Rohan it is then. My name's Apollo Justice. [ He's glad to get introductions out of the way. ]

I'm interested in looking at your work. You have any samples for potential customers?

Sample.

[ he says the word disdainfully. people used to just know who he was. it's frustrating. ]

One moment. [ he takes his leave from his wooden stool and steps behind his stall, grabbing his large drawing pad and opening it up. inside are illustrations of the sea, pirates, a shady tavern of many comers. all of it stemming from their last mission out to the sea. ]

Whoa!!

[This is serious stuff. Apollo's staring in amazement for a bit.]

This is the ocean??? It's so detailed. Guess you don't call yourself a master for nothing. Impressive.

[ he grins. ]

So you understand. Good, good. [ he closes the pad and sits back in his stool. ] In that case, will you have a painting made of you?

The answer is still no. Although...I can think of someone who might want one.

Do you know Maya Fey?

[SO NOT SORRY MAYA. Apollo's dragging a poor innocent girl into this. Rest in pieces.]

Ah, I do. I met her during the prior mission. She's a very excitable girl - also very good at working together with others.

[ what rohan doesn't say is that he basically told three threatening pirates that maya insulted their disgusting breath and used her as a distraction before he attacked them. she was very good bait, he appreciates her for that. ]

Oh, so you do know her. Yeah, Maya's a hyper one.

You might have a hard time keeping her still for a portrait. Can you draw subjects that move?

[Rohan...please. The master can draw anything, right?]

Of course!

[ he says jabbing a pen toward apollo, pulling it back and then jabbing continuously, but never actually hitting him with the tip. ]

Conveying motion through art is a staple of the action genre. To show how someone feels in that passionate moment, the expression they make, the way they move their arms, ready for whatever is ahead. And most important is to be precise.

We shouldn't have a problem then. I can count on you to get her portrait.

How much do you charge for a single picture?

[This is important. Rohan mentioned having fair prices earlier.]

[ he sniffs and pulls a small piece of receipt paper he's been using to record his charges. he thinks for a moment and jotts down a number. mostly rohan wants to see how apollo would react to seeing two zeroes in front of a number. ]

Did you add an extra 0 by accident?

There's no way I can pay that much!!

[Yikes, talk about having high prices. With that level of skill, Apollo assumes that it's only fair. He still can't afford Rohan's paintings though. Rip. ]

Oh? Hm, I see. Poor Maya, she'll be disappointed. I'm sure she would have loved a beautiful painting. What a shame you're such a penny pincher.

Mr.Wright hasn't paid me yet! I'm short on funds at the moment.

[Which is why his incentive is funding to begin with. Apollo's woes grow deep.]

Could I possible contact you another time then???

Edited 2018-01-19 03:18 (UTC)

[ oh? ...he wags a finger. ]

No need. [ he writes another quick note and gives it to apollo. it's the equivalent of a dollar for this world's currency. ] I'm not doing any of this for money.

You could have said that at first! I wouldn't mind paying in that case.

[He offers Rohan money for his services.]

If it's not for money, then why go through the trouble?

[ he takes the cash and sets it behind his stand's counter, his mouth pursed into a thoughtful look that isn't even really focused on apollo. ]

I wanted to see how you would react. You can learn a lot about a person just by evaluating what they do in the moment. You showed me a part of your character that I think is appealing.

Geez, you're craftier than I thought. Do you do this to everyone you meet?

[Oh no....Please no.]

I might have to change my first impression of you.

Not particularly. [ he usually does... well, let's say they are things people don't seem to approve of. ] Your impression of me doesn't matter. I am who I am regardless of what you think.

I can tell you aren't lying.

[His bracelet has no reaction!! Apollo's not sensing anything strange from Rohan's statements either. ]

I get the feeling that you're the type of guy who sticks to their guns. Am I wrong??

You can? [ what an odd way to put it. is he an observant man or something more? he smiles nonetheless, because a compliment is a compliment, and rohan devours them all no matter what. ] I am. You must be confident in whatever path you take in life, or else what's the point of it all?

Oh yeah. I'm good at reading people. You just give off that kinda vibe.

[He wouldn't be a negotiator if he wasn't good with people anyways. Apollo smiles upon learning this about Rohan.]

There isn't much point in doing something unless you go through all the way! I agree with you on that.

I'm good at reading people too. [ he smirks. ] We must be alike in that sense. What did you say your name was?

[ he wasn't really listening before oops. ]

You're right. Even artists have to understand people well.

[Good job Rohan.]

I'm Apollo Justice. I swear upon my badge that my name is real and not fake.

[To be fair, it really does sound fake. That's why he wants to make this clear.]

Hm. Your name doesn't sound fake, but more unrealistic. It's the kind of cheesy name a character on a children's cartoon show would have.

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