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

[Maya can spot a fellow Hathaway..... er... from a mile away, especially one that sticks out like Majima. So, while she'd come here to investigate the stolen tea boxes, she finds herself witnessing an incident. Particularly, this long haired guy with an eyepatch getting into a skirmish with several woman who are singling him out as suspicious and not buying anything he has to say in his defense. Maybe it's not so great of a defense, but either way, things are going south fast and these women are already starting to draw their weapons]

[Maya, in a noble's outfit, hastily puts herself in between Majima and the irate women, employing her best snobby impression.... one directly of her aunt. Sleeve up to her face, she tut tuts]

Aipatchi--- [this is the worst fake name ever] what do you think you are doing? I believe I instructed you to purchase my tea thirty minutes ago, and yet, here you are, wasting your time? This is unacceptable, boy.

[SAYS.... the teenage girl.... but she peeks at him over his sleeve with a clear "play along" kind of look, then turns back to the women] My deepest apologies for my assistant. [She gives a snooty little laugh here, man, she is nailing this Morgan impression] I assure you, I will deal with disciplining. Come along, Aipatchi.

[They seem to be buying it, removing their hands from their weapons... though they hardly look impressed.]

A poor choice of assistants, indeed.

[Maya nods in agreement!!! Majima may be saved, (hopefully) but at what cost to his ego?]

[

you know what, fine. He'd dealt with worse. ]

Of course, my lady. I apologize for the delay.

[ Majima bowed courteously to the women who'd been all up in his grill, then turned to take his place behind Maya when one of the armed ones spoke up: "Hold on. Aipatchi? What sort of name is that for a noblewoman's servant?"

Great. A would-be detective. ]

Ah, I beg your pardon --

[ "I didn't ask you, Eyepatch," said the woman, cutting him off to look at Maya expectantly instead. think... fast.... ]

That is more like it. [Maya sniffs indignantly, nailing her Morgan impression] We will discuss your punishment for your behavior later, Aipatchi.

[But it looks like her "brilliant" choice of names isn't working out for her..... maybe she should have spent more than 1.2 seconds to think it up. Maya clears her throat]

Ah, it was not I who named this simple man, but his simple father..... you see, he has a horrible disfiguration on that eye, and was forced to wear this eyepatch since he was but a small baby.... his father was evidently not creative with names.

[Maya titters snootily, and one or two join in..... but that woman still looks a little skeptical. Maybe Majima can help sell this completely believable backstory]

[ He could FEEL the skepticism coming off the suspicious woman in waves. Erngh.... ]

...It was a freak dentistry accident.

[ NAILED IT.

The woman stared at him...................... and then, suddenly, her face cleared. "Ah, truly tragic. I understand. I, too, have suffered greatly at the hands of those manglers!"

"Chitose-san, you wouldn't have so much trouble if you'd simply stop eating so many sweets during your break," scolded the woman beside her, one with salt-and-pepper hair.

"E...enough!" said Chitose, jamming the butt of her spear into the earth. "You may go, Aipatchi, with a proper warning! Do not let me catch you wandering about again!" ]

Ah, yes, I understand. I too indulge in sweets when the proper time arises. After all, women must be rewarded for good work.
[Wow, Majima's even worse at this than she is. That's saying something.]

[And yet.. it seems to work? Maya hides a genuine look of relief behind her sleeve before clearing her throat in a loud and passive-aggressive manner, obviously directed at him]

My apologies for his behavior. I will see to it that he is properly punished for his transgressions. [She gives a haughty sniff for effect, then bows towards the women, and starts off in the opposite direction] Come along, Aipatchi. Before you lose the other eye.

[come along, sidekick.....]

[ Maya seemed a little too good at this, frankly, but Majima followed her a few steps behind. When they were out of earshot of the other women, he'd add: ]

Thanks for the save, kid.

That group was way more persistent than the rest.

[Once they're alone, Maya's demeanor changes completely and she grins, clapping her hands together]

No problem! I can't believe they bought your tragic dentistry accident!

[Maybe it was all in the delivery all along.... in any case, she bounces a little on her feet now that she doesn't have to bust out the Morgan impression]

You've been running into trouble, huh? Maybe they're jealous of your eyepatch.

...Me neither. Anyway, I was going to look into this tea theft, but it looks like my last escort had to bail. You have any plans right now?

[ w h a t serendipity...... ]

[Yeah, she's heard of that tea vendor asking for help, and it's piqued her interest, to say the least] That depends. Can you kick some serious tea thief butt?!

[sure, Majima might be recruiting a teenage girl to fight bandits with him, but she seems pretty enthusiastic about the idea]

[it might not necessarily translate to useful, but hey]

You bet your f... uh, fancy robes I can. In fact, the merchant even gave me somethin' to help out with it, although I really ain't sure what for...

[ Majima reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bamboo... whistle? Weird. ]

She said not to use it once I got further out in the woods.

[Maya's eyes light up as he pulls it out of his pocket, and she tries to make a snatch for it to get a better look like the little rudeass she is]

A... whistle? Do you think it's to summon the tea? Or a dog that will fetch the tea?

[If he couldn't tell: she's totally in]

[ Maya tries, and... gets it.

do it maya blow this shady ass whistle ]

Can't see as how it'd summon the tea though, unless it was on the dog...

[ Like literally in a little doggy backpack ]

It could happen. The dog would just need a special dogpack, that's all.

[She's going to do it, she blows it]

Well... let's find out what this baby can do. [Without further ado, she blows as hard as humanly possible. Gross, where has that thing been?]

[ There was no sound from the whistle, and yet.....

With a magnificent, screeching cry and a rush of dark wings, a shadow dove out of the sky -- a falcon, who landed on Majima's sleeve and raised its beak to the sun. ]

Holy fucking shit!

[ There was a little bamboo tube tied around the bird's neck, out of which a note fell out:

Please use Mametaro to locate my lost shipment.

-Mr. T ]

[Maya, being the jumpy weenie that she is, initially shrieks and jumps back a little, but when she sees it's a bird, it's right back to excited in ten seconds flat]

Wow--- It's like, a hawk or something! A messenger hawk! [Falcon actually, but nice try] That's so cool!

[ Majima still looked... a little freaked out, to be honest. This was a little weird even for him. ]

'Mr. T'? Uhh... I think that tea seller said her name was Tachibana, so maybe her husband...? But how are we even supposed to --

[ At the mention of 'tea', the bird had perked up. Now it took flight again, soaring up and flying deeper toward the forest's interior. Majima was after it at once. ]

Wait up, you damn chicken!

[It's a true mystery indeed. Maya would have thought the woman was in charge, like they were all over the place here --- but maybe the husband just stays at home to raise tea and hawks or something. Anyway, there's no time to dwell, because the bird's flying off, and Majima's following.]

[Maya scrambles to keep up]

H-Hey! Don't leave me behind!

[ Majima slowed as much as he could without losing the bird, but come on, move those tiny legs Maya!!! ]

There! It's landin'!

[ He pushed his way past some scratchy thorns to a small clearing, where the falcon was now perched on an old, sawn-off tree stump. ]

Looks like this ground's still soft. Someone's been digging here...

[Listen, tall nerd, what's the point of being tall if you're not going to give Maya a piggyback!!!]

[Maya catches up with him when he's examining the ground, a little winded from the effort]

Like.... they buried it?

[ HE WOULD if she got injured..... ]

Maybe. I don't see anything else outta place around here. Sure is out of the way, though; ain't whoever hid it afraid of those ogres that're supposed to be skulkin' around?

[ Majima knelt down and brushed some dirt away, revealing the top of a dark wooden box. Though it did look to be pretty large, whoever had buried it must have been in a hurry if they didn't even bother to --

snap ]

...What was that?

[ it had come from somewhere in the woods..... close by... ]

[No, 24/7 piggybacks!!! The burden of the tall man]

Maybe it was the ogres..... in disguise! They're trying to throw us off the scent by stealing tea! That, or they've got a sensitive side and are all really into tea.

[Which idea is more ludicrous, really? Maya's just about to start snooping through the box, true to form, when she hears the noise too, and he squeaks loudly (very subtle, Maya -- she just made their position extremely clear to whatever's out ther) and dives behind Majima]

T-They've come for us! They're gonna kill us to keep their sensitive side a secret!

[There's some rustling following the snap, and a couple of other snaps, and --- ah, they're not alone.]

[Seems like the bandits have come for their stolen tea. Possibly to sell it to the sensitive ogres. Just kidding, they're probably just gonna murder the dynamic duo and sell the tea]

[ And what a surprise -- at the forefront of the bandits' number was... Chitose, the spear woman from earlier? Yep.

"I should have known," she said, the corners of her mouth curling into a snarl. "With the way you were snooping around, and that suspicious behavior! I ought to have taken care of you both from the start...!"

Majima would put an arm out in front of Maya (should she be peeking out from one side or the other), expression grim. ]

So you were secret-tea the bandits all along.

[

(he wasn't sorry)

Chitose's face flushed a dark, angry red. "...DISPOSE OF THEM!"

On his perch, Mametaro the falcon flapped his wings and screeched. ]

[Since Majima is allowing this weenie to use him as a human shield of sorts and not shoving her away, Maya is absolutely peeking out from behind him, prepared to yell at Chitose for being a jerk---]

[then pauses to snigger at the pun]

I gotta admit, that one was pretty good.

[But their cover's pretty much blown now, so abandons her Morgan impression to hoist herself up a little using his arm and yell:]

You should have leafed us alone when you had the chance!

[Apparently, she wanted to get in on the pun action.]

[And either Majima's pun was the breaking point for one of the other bandits, or just that Maya's pun wasn't even as clever (probably a combination, let's be real), one of the bandits tries to go around Majima to spear her while the others are all focused on him. Aside from Chitose, it seems she's hanging back for the moment to watch them fight. Or, more accurately, to watch Majima fight, because she doesn't think Maya is going to be of any use in this battle. She may be partially right. Sure, Maya's hiding behind Majima for the moment, but she's fully prepared to jump out in front of him and use her shielding power to make sure he doesn't get skewered the second any of those bandits try. Which will likely be any second now.....]

[ Not cool, bandit. One of the most advantageous things about Hanabira was that everyone was so much shorter than him. True, it wasn't that often that Majima ran into someone taller even back home, but his comparative reach here gave him an extra edge.

He took a quick step forward, bypassing the tip of the spear to punch the bandit hard in the face. The man fell on the ground clutching at his nose while Majima caught his spear. This done, it was a simple matter to whirl about, using the end of the spear like a staff to beat the others back. ]

See if that whistle does ya any good!

[ He said to Maya, mostly because he wanted to see whAT WOULD HAPPEN. ]

[Well, as far as she can tell, this man is handling himself great. Maya is no brawler herself, or really, any sort of fighter -- she has her shielding and healing from ALASTAIR, and aside from jumping on people to stop them from attacking, she's got nothing. So she more or less just keeps close to Majima, ready to shield on a moment's notice, if he ends up needing it]

[The whistle, though, she forgot about that.]

Oh... right!

[She grabs it and blows it as hard as she can. The sound's enough to distract a few of the bandits, including Chitose, and before she knows it --- Mametaro takes up the fight by attacking Chitose's hair.]

[She does not appreciate it, screaming in response and trying to spear the poor bird. Unsuccessfully -- at least for the moment]

G-Go Mametaro! And.... um, Mr. Eyepatch Guy!

[Maya's helping]

EVENT ▸ WELCOME TO HANABIRA

wildcard!!

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