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

[bestaround]

[ That... is definitely a set of tattoos. Whoa. The androids back on Earth never did anything of the sort—who knows if their artificial skin was compatible with ink in the first place—so it's definitely his first time seeing someone's body covered in such intricate designs.

But he doesn't linger on those for too long, after Majima speaks up again. After all— ]

Right? This is way better than sitting in a cramped tub. [ Which was nice, when it was all he had. ] I'm gonna miss these when we're all finished up here.

[justbeingknife]

Yeah. Heard from Hayame-han that they don't really have Japanese food back at HQ, either, so I'm tryin' to enjoy it while I can.

[ A few days out from under the thumb of the Omi Alliance, and Majima was really starting to enjoy his freedom -- it showed in the more relaxed set of his shoulders as he let the heat of the water seep into his skin. ]

So, you been in this game for a while, or are ya new?

[bestaround]

[ Oh, right, the food... Not that the types around made a difference to 9S, who barely knew anything about it to begin with—nor was it necessary for him to ever know. But from what he's begun to understand, it made a huge difference to those it did matter to, though he has to admit he doesn't fully get why. Oh well. Humans were mysterious beings.

9S lets out a small, thoughtful hum as his company settles in more. ]

It's been a little while. I came in not long before ALASTAIR disbanded, at least.

[justbeingknife]

[ He nodded, gesturing loosely with one hand as he spoke. ]

First mission for me. From what I've been hearin' from other agents, it wasn't too big a transition to Hathaway. And it sounds like people are willing to stick around for a little while.

[ Although, frankly... even if it was kinda bad, Majima would still stick around. As past events had shown, he wasn't really the quitting type. ]

You got any advice?

[bestaround]

—Advice?

[ 9S echoes, with a much more surprised edge to it. It's not something he ever expected to be asked, truth be told, given how far out of his element he still feels these days. And given how little he knows about anything and everything. ]

Um... [ His eyes flick off to the side, uncertain. ] Is there something you're having trouble with?

[justbeingknife]

Nah. Thought it'd be a good idea to ask, since you're my senior.

[ It hadn't been Majima's intention to put him on the spot... but it was interesting that everyone he'd asked about ALASTAIR and Hathaway seemed disinclined to discuss it all that much. Maybe they'd already hashed it all out when they'd started.

Or maybe they were all here with their own purpose, and the rest was simply a secondary concern. ]

Also tryin' to keep up the conversation. That's my job back home.

[bestaround]

[ His senoir. It's one simple word that leaves 9S more dumbfounded than Majima could possibly realize, and he's quick to protest it, like kneejerk. ]

You—no, no, you don't have to call me that.

[ It feels wrong, as an adroid built to believe he's a lesser being than humans—despite how often they tend to act contrary to all he ever thought they were. Sigh. ]

... Uh, sorry, either way. I don't think I'm that much more of a seasoned veteran compared to you, though.

[justbeingknife]

Huh? Whatcha gettin' all flustered for? You're a weird guy.

[ Sort of like talking to some of the younger fellas, back when he was still in the business. Majima smiled slightly at the thought. ]

Anyway, sorry to put you on the spot. Let's see... never introduced myself, did I? Name's Majima. Back in Japan, I'm a cabaret manager.

[bestaround]

[ "Weird guy", thanks Majima. He moves on swiftly through topics though, which 9S is thankful for, and he goes from gradually sinking further into the water to shifting back a bit straighter. ]

—Oh, I'm 9S. [ To get introductions out there. He pauses briefly in thought, then goes on to ask: ] What's a cabaret?

[justbeingknife]

It's a...

[ nightclub, he almost said. Only he had a feeling that would get a blank look. ]

It's a place you go to listen to music, drink booze, and talk to pretty girls.

[bestaround]

[ Unfortunately, it still gets Majima a blank look. Not because 9S doesn't understand, but because— ]

... There are establishments just for that?

[ It sounds so weird. ]

[justbeingknife]

Yep. Top cabaret in Sotenbori.

[ This was actually easier for Majima to understand than 'what's a cabaret', because it was entirely possible for 9S to just not be interested in girls. Or booze. Or music? Ok, that last one was kind of weird. ]

Got a live band, which is somethin' you won't find at the Odyssea. Those guys can really play, too.

[bestaround]

[ Huh. Strange as 9S may find it, the very thought of it feels so... carefree. ]

It's something people do for fun, right? ... It sounds like they had a lot of time to spare if a place like that can exist.

[ Despite how it's phrased, it's not a patronizing statement; 9S always was interested in finding out what humans did in a time of peace, and from what little he knows, it must have been filled with ordinary days spent doing activities solely meant for one's enjoyment. It always sounds so nice. ]

[justbeingknife]

[ Majima laughed. ]

Sure, plenty. We're in the middle of a huge boom back where I'm from, so everyone's got cash to spare. Means plenty of time to kick back and enjoy themselves.

Since I work in the business, though, it ain't have much pull for me. I'd rather go bowl or karaoke or somethin'.

[bestaround]

[ Really, how much work could it be. (Obviously, 9S hasn't a clue.) ]

Oh. How're those different from cabarets?

[ Welcome to dealing with a kid who Knows Nothing, Majima. ]

[justbeingknife]

Bowling's totally different. It's a game of skill where ya have to knock down a bunch of pins with a ball.

[ As Majima said 'pins', he put out his hands to indicate the height of a bowling pin. ]

It's tougher than it sounds, since you gotta put enough power in it to bowl the pins over, but still aim so that the first pins ya hit take out the ones the ball can't reach.

Anyway, in a cabaret, it's usually someone else singin' for ya. In karaoke, you sing yourself. Granted, a lot of people who go ain't so great at holding a tune, but that's what makes it fun. You can belt it out without reservations.

[bestaround]

Sooo, bad singing is considered fun. Got it.

[ 9S slips out a wry 'heh', mostly because it's difficult to fathom why, but despite this— ]

Y'think any of those would be around Hanabira somewhere? I haven't seen any, but...

[ Maybe he hadn't been looking in the right places. ]

[justbeingknife]

Nah, they're both modern inventions, so I really doubt it. But ya never know -- there might be somethin' like it once we get back from this mission.

So what do you do for fun? Besides hangin' out in hot springs.

[ And... having robot pals? Did that count as fun ]

[bestaround]

[ Pod was the closest thing he had to fun company back home... ]

Hm... I guess I'm still trying to figure that out.

[ 9S takes this moment to stretch back, lazily leaning against a large rock along the edge of the water. ]

I'm not familiar with most of the leisurely activities most people do, but it's probably worth trying some of them. Though, I have to admit, I don't think I understand the appeal of movies.

[ All the pop culture—and culture in general—go right over his head. ]

[justbeingknife]

Yeah? Why's that, don't like sittin' still that long?

[ Majima slipped the elastic band from his hair; the damp was making it too heavy to comfortably keep up. ]

I don't have much time for movies myself. After about 30 minutes or so, I wanna get up and do something more interesting.

[bestaround]

Huh. Maybe that's it.

[ Being what they are, Scanners are prone to getting bored easily, after all. And it's just sitting there watching something... ]

I felt the ones I saw were hard to follow– [ For... him, anyway—again, it's all subjects he knows so little about. ] –but that's probably because we didn't have any movies where I'm from. Maybe I just need to watch more.

[justbeingknife]

Maybe. But don't force yourself if ya really ain't that interested. Plenty of other ways to have fun.

[ Majima sat back in the water and sighed. ]

People got all kinds of hobbies. Collecting bottlecaps, shopping, horse races... say, where were ya before, if you ain't had the time to find one?

[bestaround]

Oh—uh, I'm from Earth.

[ Which Majima is clearly very familiar with, being from Japan as he's mentioned. However— ]

It isn't the same as what anyone here would remember it as. Most things from the old world were pretty much gone.

[justbeingknife]

Oh, so you're from some kinda science fiction Earth.

[ Man, he was glad he didn't live there. 80s Japan was fucking baller. ]

At least the planet survived, I guess.

[bestaround]

"Science fiction Earth"...? [ His expression scrunches together out of confusion. ] What's that supposed to mean?