epidemiology | EVENT ▸ EMPIRE OF THE CRASHING WAVE

EVENT ▸ EMPIRE OF THE CRASHING WAVE

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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

She was with ALASTAIR for a while. [ rey didn't meet her, but— ] And Keith mentioned her. Pidge, Shiro, Hunk, and Lance. Those were the pilots he told me about.

[ which brings her to. ]

Lance used to pilot the Blue Lion, right? He was a friend of mine. Keith mentioned he had moved to Red, but not who replaced Lance.

[ her mind is a little fuzzy at the edges now, so it takes a minute to occur to her that there's a sort of ... uneasy disappointment coming off of allura. she stops in the middle of reaching for her next cup of sake and asks, ]

Did I say something to upset you?

I see.

[The explanation makes sense, from what little she understands of Keith. Of course he would mention the pilots. And of course Rey would know of Pidge if she had been here at one point.

But to not have been mentioned at all among the lineup, especially when knowing Lance had moved on to Red--

She looks away, frowning down at her drink. She knows she's become a much better paladin, that she's capable, but there is still that doubt nestled inside her. There's a pause, and then she looks back up at Rey, smiling.]

No! No, not at all. [a pause, and she's quick to change the subject.] So you had known Keith during his days with ALASTAIR?

Yes!

[ rey sounds encouraged by this topic of conversation. she can feel allura's lingering doubt and uncertainty, but she doesn't really know allura well enough to pry, and hey, maybe it's not related to anything rey did at all. (that seems unlikely.) she grabs her next cup and gestures for allura to do the same. ]

He was still the Red Lion's pilot then, when we first met. Since then, he's ... he's really become my best friend. [ she smiles at that, like it's new to examine. ] I don't know what I'd do without him.

[ this unhealthy codependence may or may not, in large part, be what's keeping her here. she's just not ready to let go of urahara and keith. ]

[She's still trying to work the logistics of how personal timelines work among those who have joined this guild. Not that she particularly wishes Slav were here to offer some sort of explanation as to how alternate universes and dimensional hopping can work, but...

All she knows is that Keith--despite his inclination to disappear and do his own thing independent of the team, has almost always been a constant even when he hasn't been around. So hearing as he had been here while still being the paladin of the Red Lion, while still being among them in her universe is--

Well. It's been explained. But still.

It at least gives her something to focus on as opposed to her having not been mentioned, or at least memorable enough to be mentioned to someone who refers to Keith as her 'best friend.']

I will admit, it is still quite difficult picturing Keith having a best friend... [Barring Shiro, obviously.

And that's not the alcohol talking, it's her being blunt. And she realizes this, holding her hands up reflexively to wave her comment away.] A-and what I mean by that is, Keith has always come across as a bit of a loner.

[ The way Allura says it draws Rey's attention in a way that's more significant maybe than the remark warrants. Like she's thinking pretty deeply about it. That, maybe, is the alcohol. She can definitely feel a pleasant numbness buzzing in her fingertips now. Glancing down at her hand, she works it into a fist in consideration.

She could count on one hand the number of times she'd felt like this. Most of the time, it was dehydration, not alcohol. She sets her hand on the bar again.

It's just … She can't help but wonder, as Allura says it, how people talk of her when she's not around. Keith is so many things to her that she never feels like she can truly explain it properly when she's put to description, and so it perhaps gets broken up from one comm to the next. Hm. These thoughts are disjointed and don't really go anywhere. Another effect of the alcohol. ]

That might be part of it. I've been on my own a lot too. I know what it's like. [ She doesn't want to get into it much past that. The specifics are tender, now. More because of the truth of her parentage. ] That kind of life makes it hard to talk to people, but all it takes is a little patience.

[It's not a lifestyle she fully understands. To be alone for most of your life...

It's...sad to think about, and she frowns a little, this time out of sympathy towards Rey and, in part, Keith.

She moves on to the next sampling of sake, pouring it for herself, and then reaching over to pour the corresponding sample for Rey. One of the mice takes advantage of this moment to take a sip of Allura's cup, immediately shuddering and then backing off in clear regret of his decision.]

My whole life I had been raised to talk to people, from all over the galaxy... [regardless of how stubborn she may or may not have been during her lessons in diplomacy.] But I had always had my father to help guide me.

I cannot imagine being alone for most of my life.

[ Rey notices the mouse and laughs, reaching one finger out to brush it away from the cup. It's a gentle gesture; she's never been in a proper enough setting to have a mind for what counts as 'pests' and what counts as 'pets' unless it's venomous. It's perhaps that gesture, only, which keeps her from growing too sober in the face of the mention of a parent.

It's a difficult subject for her, especially now. ]

That makes sense. You're a princess. [ Princesses aren't supposed to be alone. They're supposed to be surrounded by people. For a time, when she was younger, Rey had imagined herself some kind of lost princess; that she had a family somewhere that was special in some way that was dearly missing her.

But those were the fantasies of a child. She's grown, now. And she knows better. ]

I was just a scavenger. [ This time, she doesn't fuss with cheers. She just takes the cup of sake and downs it all at once. This one is better. Or she's less sober. It seems to go down a little more smoothly, at least, despite the mouse's reaction. ]

[She's quiet for a bit, nursing the cup between her hands as opposed to downing it like Rey, looking down at the still surface of the water. Nothing is really off, but she does note the contrast between 'a princess' and 'just a scavenger' regardless.

Lifting up the sake, she takes a sip, still sober to notice its flavour, the texture, and noting that despite her mouse's averse reaction it is indeed good. But there's a question that lingers on her tongue.]

And you did that alone?

Yes.

[ She says it with a sort of hollow resignation. She did it alone like she did everything else. She looks down into her empty cup, but it doesn't have anything to offer her. Just more nothing. That's what she keeps coming back to — nothing. ]

But not anymore. I have Keith now. And Finn, and Kisuke-san, and ... It's better. So for Keith, maybe it's the same. He was alone, and he's getting better.

[The hollowness in Rey's voice doesn't go unnoticed, and Allura feels slightly bad having asked. But at the mention of Rey's friends, of Keith and others she doesn't exactly know, the small sad frown of sympathy turns to a small smile instead.

Though she still feels that small lingering sense of something, still thinking back to how he had left the team for the Blades.]

I hope so. [Here he reminds her more of the Keith coming into his own when he had been chosen to pilot Black, and now knowing that Rey considers him a best friend it's quite telling of his time here.] But I am glad that you are no longer alone, and I do hope to become a friend of yours as well.

I'd like that very much.

[ And she breaks into a full grin as she says it because, really, that's more than Rey could have asked for. It's enough to put aside the despondent navel-gazing that the alcohol has drawn out of her entirely, so she can focus instead on— ]

Tell me about yourself. How does a princess become a pilot of Voltron?

[She smiles back, a blush of excitement spreading across her face at Rey's full grin.

And the blush remains when she asks about her becoming a paladin, looking down and tapping her fingers at the rim of her cup.]

Well, it is a bit of a long story, and I am not sure how much Keith has told you. My father was the one who created the Lions, and he had been the original Red Paladin, so I have always had a connection with Voltron. [She thinks to Naxzela, how she had felt her willpower become one with her Lion and Voltron, how far she's come as a paladin in such a short amount of time...

She looks back up at Rey, giving her a sober smile.] When Keith had been chosen by the Black Lion to pilot and lead in Shiro's stead, we still feared we would be short one paladin.

Initially, I tried to bond with the Red Lion, like my father before me. [Her smile falters a bit, and she glances down, expression smoothing into something more serious.] But the Lions are unique, and the bond a paladin has with their Lion cannot be forced.

[But the sting of Red's rejection is long gone, and Lance has time and time again proven himself to truly be the Red Paladin of Voltron.]

When it came time to battle, the Red Lion had called to Lance to be its new pilot, and I was chosen by Blue.

How does that work?

[ She's thoughtful now, code-switching from a young girl excited to hear a fairytale to something more inquisitive and analytical. She wants to understand. ]

How can Lance be both the Red and the Blue paladin? How can Keith be both Black and Red, if their bond is so exceptional?

I am not sure. [She folds her hands together, leaning into the table slightly.

...(meanwhile the mice are off to the side busying themselves by teaming up to pour themselves a cup of sake).]

When my father created the Lions, much was still unknown, and even though he had been responsible in creating them, the forms they took and Voltron itself...it was a different force altogether.

What I can assume is that people change, and the Lions are able to sense such changes. The bond between Lion and Paladin is strong, but that does not mean it is to be forever.

[ Ah, the source. Maybe Allura can explain some of the things that Keith has had a hard time contextualizing to her. ]

The Lions ... What are they? Just ships, right? But sentient. [ She has gleaned this much. ] And Voltron is the weapon they create. How did your father build them, but not understand how they work?

He created the Lions through Altean alchemy, using an ore of unknown origin. It was imbued with a powerful energy known in our universe as quintessence. I would argue that the Lion's sentience makes them much more than just being ships, and Voltron itself is much more than a weapon, but--

[She frowns, looking down at her hands.]

I was very young when my father successfully made the Lions, and he was one of the greatest alchemists on my planet. And I am not my father; I cannot exactly understand how he built them while not fully understanding them himself.

All I know is that the Lions are not only sentient, but they evolve.

[ Quintessence. That's what Keith had mentioned that was like the Force. But she can't imagine anyone creating something with pure Force energy. That would be impossible. But then, Keith said something along those lines too: that it could be bottled, and the Force could not. ]

They evolve? What do you mean?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

EVENT ▸ EMPIRE OF THE CRASHING WAVE

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no take backsies rey u just made allura feel like the sixth wheel

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