EVENT ▸ EMPIRE OF THE CRASHING WAVE

[futurologists]

EMPIRE OF THE CRASHING WAVE The royalty of Guild Ophelia has managed to hold an audience with Empress Nama of the Celestial Mountains, urging her to meet with the Empress of the Crashing Wave in the interest of finding an accord between their clans. In return, Nama requests that Ophelia take two letters to the Crashing Wave's court, where, as foreigners, they should be received better than any of her own people. The Empire of the Crashing Wave is a week's travel by foot from the Land of Celestial Mountains, through the forests and farms of the Flowerlands. There is no visible indication that this universe was once two, with even the road leading through the Flowerlands heading seamlessly toward the sea. The farms and villages in the outskirts of the Empire of the Crashing Wave are decorated in seashells and motifs of the sea, and the closer one gets to the city, the stronger the scent of the ocean becomes. Once the city proper is reached, Ophelia's magitek projects words in front of their eyes that only they can see: Location reached: » EMPIRE OF THE CRASHING WAVE A progressive society that values innovation. Main sources of income: fishing, pearl diving, jewelry crafting, shipbuilding. Politically matriarchal; socially egalitarian. Empress YOUMI resides at the PEACEFUL TIDE. No events scheduled. You may wish to survey the surrounding area. The city is built right on the ocean's edge, with some parts of it even jutting out into the sea on bridges and piers. The castle, Peaceful Tide, is built high above the rest; guards will stop anyone at the gates and, if shown the correspondence from Empress Nama, will deliver the letters directly to Empress Youmi. Attempts to seek an audience with Youmi will be rebuffed for the time being, so you may as well take in the sights... ▸ A PROMISING DEVELOPMENT Unlike the Land of Celestial Mountains, men may move freely here, the matriarchal rules of the land only extending to politics. Men and women work alongside each other in all sections of the city, nobles and commoners alike, and even the guards have men among their ranks. In the Artisan District, potters, musicians, and artists line the streets and sell their wares, work, or discuss their craft with each other. Closer to the Beach, there is a boardwalk where young couples stroll alongside grandparents chasing after their grandchildren, electric lamps bathing the wooden planks in a warm glow at night. Fishermen haul in their daily catch in buckets and nets, trailed by a gaggle of hopeful cats. Beachcombers and pearl divers populate the beach as well, making it a clear place for work instead of play. A few days after Ophelia's arrival in sea clan territory, a bell rings loudly in the late afternoon, drawing citizens toward the castle. Guards stop anyone from getting too close, though the populace seems to know what to expect -- soon, a beautiful woman in an elaborate blue kimono appears in an upper balcony. When viewing the woman, Ophelia's magitek will tell them: » EMPRESS YOUMI Leader of the EMPIRE OF THE CRASHING WAVE. 30 years old. SPECIES: Human. MEDICAL CONCERNS: Lactose intolerant. The crowd cheers at Youmi's arrival, only quieting once she raises her hand. She speaks clearly and confidently, her voice carrying easily across the assembly. "I have received a letter from Her Imperial Majesty Nama of the Land of Celestial Mountains. She informs me that their spring festival was interrupted by an attack from our own people, working without my knowledge or consent," Youmi begins, holding her hand up again when a displeased rumble begins to ripple through the crowd. It's unclear if they're perturbed by the ambush or by Nama herself. Once all is silent again, she continues. "She has detained the criminals, for that is what they are, and assures me she will not bring this to the battlefield. I will send her an agreement to the terms, but hear this: any who escalate this further will be slain by my order. I have spoken. The spirits of the sea watch over us all." Youmi then retreats back into the castle. While some citizens cheer their empress's decree, others mutter unhappily amongst themselves as they disperse and go about their business. ▸ BUT TROUBLE CONTINUES The rest of the day following Youmi's decree goes by without incident, leaving time for Ophelia to stop by the sake breweries near the sea or travel back through the forests of the Flowerlands for hunting, hot springs, or simply enjoying the nature of Hanabira. With war averted and the empresses in communication, it seems as though Ophelia's time in this universe will draw to a close soon. As the sun sinks down, finding a place to sleep might be a good idea. There are hotels in the city, but for those who are trying to be a little more frugal, the Flowerlands is a good place to set up camp for free. Doro, the Lord of the Flowerlands, has heard of Ophelia's efforts in starting communication between the empresses as well, and offers rooms in his castle in thanks; if war were to start between the two, his land would suffer for it. During the night, those who accept Doro's invitation will hear a commotion very nearby, steel clashing against steel. Doro and his daughters rush out, weapons drawn, and straight into a skirmish between sea and mountain clan ronin. The warriors are fighting to kill, and in their fervor, someone's fire arrow alights a farmhouse on Doro's property. The farmers need to be rescued and the fire put out, and while the warriors will likely kill each other, they could also be subdued to prevent further damage. Please let the mods know with a link to the thread if your character is killing or capturing any of the ronin. After the skirmish, Doro must be brought back inside his castle, having been wounded during the battle. He pleads with Ophelia to continue to help, as it looks like a tentative truce by the empresses is not enough to calm the citizens. Since they were so successful in receiving an audience with Nama, he believes they can propose a way the two empires can live in harmony. Throughout the next two weeks, skirmishes between the clans are peppered throughout the Flowerlands, some leaving bodies behind and some leaving damage to farms and forest. It looks like Ophelia's peacekeeping mission just became a lot more hands-on: keep the skirmishes from getting out of control while still working toward a way to end the conflict once and for all. ▸ OOC NOTES This log will last for two IC weeks: the first three days will be free exploration, and day four is Youmi's proclamation and the skirmish in the Flowerlands. Your characters are free to explore for the next ten days, during which further skirmishes will occur. 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. ▸ Coming next log: Peace proposals! Get your brainstorming started now. ▸ Activity Check is due on 5 February 23:59 UTC. We do not accept late submissions, so make sure you fill it out! ▸ Uniform Design Contest is open! Submissions are due 28 February 23:59 UTC. Gamewide voting will be in March. ▸ Bounty Board ▸ Items Page ▸ Exploration Group Planning ▸ General Plotting ▸ February Calendar

Comments

[hackedhistory]

I look forward to that, then.

[There's a small smile in return, because veterans were actually some of the people she'd been looking to talk to.]

If you don't mind my asking, why did you come back? Just for the incentive?

[bestaround]

[ She's as easy to read as an open book, and he really, really does not like it. Thankfully, he isn't feeling as if there's a whole lot to worry about in the moment. If she truly wanted to do something, she would have already.

Even so, his scowl grows a touch deeper, taking steps back to put distance between them. He can do without her looming over him, thanks. ]

Sheesh. I haven't even done anything.

[bestaround]

Huh?

[ Well, that... sure is a change in tune, but not necessarily a bad one. ]

Uh, okay. [ As 9S swipes a hand over the hologram, it disappears beneath his palm, vanishing as if it were never there to begin with. They're good to go; 9S doesn't get lost, after all. ] Well... Pod's just a tactical support unit. They're good for things like being a line of communication, extra aid in a battle, repairs, searching for important stuff... a little handy assistant, you could say.

[bestaround]

Well, sure. They have the capacity for conversation, and I've had to work on my own a lot. Sometimes Pod was the only company I had.

[ Which was nice, from time to time, but it never is quite the same as talking to a person. (But don't get him wrong, his Pod is important to him.) ]

[fourscores]

Are you certain? You don't look that great.

[He won't push, but fine is something this guy is clearly not.]

Didn't get hurt in all the chaos tonight, did you?

[grunehexe]

To say "just" seems a bit lacking, with all that they were able to promise us, but.

[She nods, tucking a lank of dark hair behind her ear.]

I actually did not ask Hathaway for an incentive. Only for the guarantee that I would be allowed to return to my world with all my notes and anything gathered in my journey with them.

[bestaround]

Wait—!

[ Without so much a second thought, 9S absentmindedly pulls away from her Pod, reaching out with his other hand to grab at 2B's sleeve and yank her back. ]

Don't do it, 2B.

[followhim]

Like that was what he wanted all along? ... Huh.

[people are weird. just, in general. wtf.]

[dailydouble]

[ There's a dryness to his voice, when he speaks. ]

For you, I believe I could tolerate one thank you. As long as it does not happen with any frequency.

[ Ahad isn't one to open up without good reason. If Sieg wants an explanation, she will have to ask directly.

Not that asking directly guarantees a direct answer. ]

[wyvil]

[It takes all of Wylan's effort to not tilt to the side and lean on Girono's shoulder when he's nudged. He really is exhausted, not just from the days travels but from sleepness nights since the ambush.]

I can take care of myself, you know. This isn't the first time I've done a job like this... [It's a sign of his exhaustion that he calls it a job, a phrasing he usually hates. He's just so tired, and it's the easiest way to explain things.]

[notthatjason]

Ah. [There's a pause. He wants to make sure he doesn't come across as accusatory because that is not his intention. But when you say you knocked someone through a wall that only leads to questions.] What happened where that ended up being the result?

[notthatjason]

...now that you mention it, yeah I can see that.

[He thought about Leo and Festus the mechanical dragon that was certainly more than machine after Piper's charmspeak influence. He was pretty sure even in his own world there was a blur there.]

Either way, probably best not to think about it too much.

[evenslimmer]

They were trying to get behind Rey. I didn't have a sword and I wasn't going to be able to get to her in time before the blow fell. So I knocked them back.

[ He hadn't actually expected to damage the wall as badly as he had, but it happened. ]

I can't blame them for being wary.

[rhinostagros]

Uh... yeah. [ And as she leans in to look at him, he leans back a bit awkwardly. Until one of his little cat companions crawls into view, poking its nose at the lens. ] Not many people in the guild have.

[ Talking about his previous incarnation might have been a sensitive subject, if it was an event that he clearly remembered. He considers his current self to be completely separate from a previous life. The only reason he's aware of his life from before is through visions that the world showed him. ]

I was reincarnated from a human.

[ And he goes on easily enough, expecting there would be more questions if he left it at that. ]

My mom— the mother of my previous incarnation. She took a long fall and died, along with the baby she was pregnant with. And now I'm that unborn child's reincarnation.

[ Well, that's still the watered down version of the entire story. ]

[datapoint]

[Aloy makes a little face at the cats not appreciating her herculean efforts here, just about ready to throw the stick back at Aizawa if they dislike her technique so much.]

There are a lot more important things to worry about. [She doesn't seem too bothered either way.]

[eyedrop]

True. That's why you need less important things. Helps make the big stuff bearable.

[ He's not so fixed on his own philosophy of logic that he can't admit that, though he doesn't always say as much out loud.

The cats nip at Aloy's hand, though it's playful; some of them are headbutting her, rumbling loud in their throats. Maybe they just want to be loved right now? ]

[datapoint]

Peaches. [She probably doesn't know what that is, but sweeter -- that sounds better.

Reaching over for the cup, she gives the liquid a tentative sniff -- out of habit -- and then an equally-tentative sip, her eyes all scrunched up.

After she actually processes the taste, her expression relaxes.] Oh... that's not bad. Why isn't it all like this?

[datapoint]

[That earns a little huff of amusement from Aloy, and she points up to the sky to indicate other worlds.]

All people are like that. Humans, anyway. I don't know much about the, uh. Other types of people. [Hayame being her only exposure so far, though if all non-humans are like her... then war doesn't sound like an unreasonable quality, either.]

[datapoint]

[Less important things... like endless side-quests?? She would agree.

When the cats don't really seem interested in her attempts at playing anymore, she flops back to sit properly, crossing her ankles. The cats, then, take the opportunity to climb all over her. And Aloy laughs.] Oh, my -- well, I guess I understand why you like them.

[They're SOFT.]

[eyedrop]

[ He smiles a little, looking back to his line. Something's there, but it hasn't quite taken the bait yet. ]

It's only logical.

[ She has about six cats surging on her at present; the biggest one, a plump calico, is snuffling right at her face. Her purr is robust. ]

[cachemoney]

[And WHOSE FAULT IS THAT?? It's Jin's, the answer is Jin. Fiona is nothing if not constantly, unerringly pleasant.]

Well. [Making a clicking noise with her mouth, she shoots a little finger gun at Jin.] If there's anything I learned in life, it's to get used to messes.

[cachemoney]

[Yeah, shockingly a people person likes to know about people. I know it's hard to imagine.]

A peninsula, [she repeats, knowing the word but never having actually experienced one. There's a lot of things she hasn't experienced, though, so it's not unusual.]

You'd like The Dust, then. The desert where I live. [She moves her hand in a panorama gesture, indicating wide open spaces.] Nothing around for miles.

[notthatjason]

So collateral damage then. I'm honestly surprised there hasn't been more of that.

[Which probably speaks to the amount of times he's been in scrapes here and also his background with skirmishes and fights before now. He understands the need to help others though, but mostly he's just glad to have the story.]

I'm glad Rey's okay though. She's capable, but that might not have been the case if you hadn't intervened.

[Although this made him miss the Mist from home, something to cover up their problems was starting to seem more convenient than a nusiance as he had sometimes seen it.]

[opensup]

[ hm... he much rather use the full name, out of courtesy and a distaste for nicknames in particular. but that name is rather a mouthful. ]

Likewise. [ he says with a bow of his head - his values are highly traditional despite all other things about him reflecting modern sensibilities for his time. and he is always respectful to those older than him, perceived or otherwise. ] ...Do you mind repeating your name one more time? The full name proper.

[opensup]

[ he once again startles in response, immensely frustrated. he hates that she has a point, and is offering good advice, he hates it. mostly he hates being lectured to by people clearly younger than him, as if they have half the life experience that he does! the nerve. ]

You seem to have quite an experience in conning people, don't you? What great advice you have given - and how little I asked for it! Thank you.

[ (when in doubt, double down.) ]