epidemiology | EVENT ▸ DIPLOMACY

EVENT ▸ DIPLOMACY

DIPLOMACY

As the skirmishes between wandering Mountain and Sea Clan groups continue in the Flowerlands, by this point enough attackers have been interrogated by Guild Ophelia to paint a compelling picture of unorganized chaos. Each time a skirmish is interrupted, both sides blame the other for starting the impromptu fight, claiming no knowledge of or participation in an organized cabal; the conflicts are entirely coincidental, they say, just a situation where enemies clash in neutral territory.

The Flowerlands are suffering, crops trampled and livestock traumatized, and more and more Mountain and Sea Clan people are terrified to leave their cities, lest they be set upon by warriors from the opposing clan. Under this type of political strain, Hanabira threatens to erupt into full-out civil war at any moment, with or without the sanction of the empresses.

Two weeks after Ophelia's arrival in the Empire of the Crashing Wave, Doro sends word: Empress Nama and Empress Youmi have agreed to meet and discuss the term of an alliance. Doro's castle will serve as a meeting place, but the difficult part is bringing the empresses there safely. You foreigners have already proven yourselves to be capable and invested in seeing the conflict to a peaceful conclusion, so Doro contracts Ophelia to act as escorts and guards.

This might just be the perfect opportunity to whisper proposed solutions to advisors or, if you're lucky, to the empresses themselves.

▸ THE RETINUE

Ophelia has a few different options if they choose to take Doro's contract: escort Nama or escort Youmi and/or guard the Flowerlands castle.

ESCORT ▸ EMPRESS NAMA.
It's a week's worth of travel to return to the Land of Celestial Mountains from the Empire of the Crashing Wave, so the sooner Ophelia starts out, the better. Skirmishes between clans still dot the forests and farms of the Flowerlands, and each time the retinue encounters one, they must decide if they have the time to interfere or if they must push on. After all, the longer there is no peace in Hanabira, the more dire the situation becomes.

When the group finally reaches the Land of Celestial Mountains, they'll find that the entire city is locked down. Guards bar the gates, but upon seeing Doro's seal, they'll let the guild members inside and explain the situation:

Mountain Clan rebels have stormed Heavenly Summit, cutting a large swath through the castle. Much of Nama's court and guards lay dead inside, with the rebels holding the remainder hostage -- including Empress Nama herself -- unless war is declared against the Sea Clan. The city guards are afraid to approach, worried that this will only anger the rebels further and cause Nama's death, and have directed all townsfolk to stay in their homes until the situation has been resolved.

The guards caution Ophelia not to try any rescue efforts themselves, and instead ask them to either find a building to barricade themselves in or leave the city. Of course, it's not like they're keeping a close watch on everyone.

Those who choose to slip into Heavenly Summit Castle will find guards surrounding it, trying to stop anyone from coming in as well as keeping arrows trained on all windows in case a rebel shows her face. Stealth is the name of the game, or at least enough brute strength to knock a guard out in one blow before she sounds the alarm.

Inside the castle, rebels stalk the halls of every floor, masked in the green color of the Mountain Clan. Some are heavily armored and some only wear peasants' clothes, carrying farmers' sickles; it seems as though the attack on the castle was planned very quickly, too quickly to evenly distribute armor and weapons. There are corpses left where they were killed, with splashes of bright red blood beside them; there are hostages huddled in the corners of rooms, wide-eyed but silent at the sight of foreigners ostensibly here to save them; and, in the heavily-guarded throne room, Empress Nama herself.

Fight through the rebel guards with Nama's help, or find a back door and snatch her up before the rebels notice. Either way, once Ophelia lays eyes on her, the magitek will project words in front of them that only they can see:

» EMPRESS NAMA
Leader of the LAND OF CELESTIAL MOUNTAINS. 23 years old. SPECIES: Human. MEDICAL CONCERNS: Lactose intolerant, recent blow to the head.

Nama doesn't ask questions, recognizing the foreigners of Ophelia as those who were meddling after the festival attack and trusting they're here to help her escape. Longbow in hand, she leads the group through secret passageways in the castle, insisting they rescue the nobility on the way out. From there, Nama suggests stealthily escaping the castle and quickly riding out of the city to the safety of Doro's castle, unsure who she can still trust in her own empire.

With Empress Nama and her surviving courtiers added to the retinue, it's time to ride back to the Flowerlands -- and hope you aren't chased by rebels along the way.

ESCORT ▸ EMPRESS YOUMI.
It takes half a week to travel from the Empire of the Crashing Wave to Doro's castle in the Flowerlands. Youmi and two advisors ride in a carriage, with an entourage of royal guards on horseback in front and behind; those in Ophelia who choose to escort this group will either be on foot or must find a mount themselves.

The journey is peaceful, allowing for time to make camp by forested hot springs and in farmhouses (in which case Ophelia might need to sleep outside, depending on the size) along the way. The Sea Clan guards are open to idle chatter with the foreigners, curiously discussing cultural differences and indulging in quick lessons in archery.

Everything seems to be going smoothly until the entourage enters Flowerlands territory and is confronted by a winged spirit of the forest, angered by all the recent bloodshed in his home. There is no time to talk; the spirit does not wish to negotiate, only to stop the crew from moving any further into his territory by any means possible.

The spirit calls the creatures of the forest to his aid, controlling them as if they are under some sort of spell. Ogres, imps, bears, and wolves are the most worrisome among his helpers. His own attacks come from the sky, diving down to slash at his victims with exceptional speed. Those archery lessons will come in handy here, because ranged weapons are most effective against him as long as he remains in flight. He can take an astounding amount of hits, and once he is weakened, will land on the ground to fight in close quarters.

Once he is finally defeated, his spell on the forest animals is broken, and even the most aggressive of them scatter. His feathers are black, but up close, seem iridescent in the light, differentiating them from a common bird's. Youmi's guards suggest everyone take a feather to prove they felled a legendary beast.

GUARD ▸ FLOWERLANDS CASTLE.
Until the empresses and their escorts arrive, it's very uneventful at Doro's castle. It's a smart idea to keep an eye out in case someone hears about the summit and tries to interfere, but so far, things seem to be peaceful. Take the time to bolster defenses, relieve a guildmate of guard duty, or explore the castle.

▸ THE SUMMIT

Youmi and her entourage reach Doro's castle first, her royal guards immediately making a sweep of the castle and the grounds to ensure there is no danger lying in wait. Once the castle is cleared, Doro and Youmi disappear into a guarded room to begin discussions. Youmi's advisors are left out of this initial meeting, making now the perfect time to start some discussions of your own.

Days later, Nama's retinue arrives, and Doro and Youmi (and the rest of her entourage) meet her at the castle gates. The two empresses step cautiously forward to meet each other, bowing politely. Moments later, Doro steps forward to gather Nama into a hug, which she gladly returns, giggling like the young girl she is. She's had a rough time, which she quickly explains to Doro, and asks if she can first have a bath and a moment to breathe. Doro and Youmi are more than willing to give it to her after hearing her experience.

Doro tells Ophelia they have their run of the castle until dinner tonight, when Doro, Youmi, and Nama will all be together in the same room with the team. Sounds like the perfect time to propose a plan, so you'd better finish up discussions about what to do! There's a bit of a time limit.

▸ OOC NOTES

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.

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I think it would be wise to have an idea of what such a treaty would look like before they arrive. [ Not to say Veronica's idea isn't a good one — reluctantly admitted as that is — but ... ] I come from a galaxy at war, and I can't imagine its leadership setting the whole conflict aside with a marriage while their ideals still conflict. We should be prepared for the possibility that they refuse.

It's not up for us to determine what the treaty should consist of at this time. But we have to keep in mind that Nama's power is currently out of balance, so we'd need to determine some way to change that. As it is, I don't think the Empresses themselves are in conflict. Their people are just ... scared. And entitled to something to answer to that fear.

All the more reason to talk about a possible treaty now. The Mountain Clan wants war badly enough that they're willing to revolt against their own leadership. A marriage to Youmi might only make her look like a traitor.

Fair point, though the people revolting might be the ones who didn't leave the city because they were terrified of this exact thing happening. I might be wrong, but I assumed that part of her base is shaken and lacking foundation because her nobility took off.

[ Rey shakes her head. Accepting for the fact that she's having a hard time juggling the nuance of mob mentality here, she knows one thing for sure: ] "Took off?" She had us rescue nobles who had been locked in the Heavenly Summit with her.

Sorry. [A sincere one.] I wasn't there.

Do you think it's safe to say that people in power aren't the ones leading the rebellion? That'll tell us a lot about what resources they have, and whether we can handle them.

[ Like before, Rey softens. She had taken Veronica for a wrecking ball, set on her singular path and ready to smash through opposition in this conversation, but the way she eases up to apologize... Hm. She's hard to pin down. Frustrating one moment and soft and reasonable the next. ]

Yes. Some of them were well-off, but they were disorganized. It's not a coup.

I think it's only fair that we help. [A beat.] Assuming the Bruiser class is willing to do that. Admittedly, that's still not my specialty.

I'm confident the Bruisers will help. [ She will, at least. And Poe probably. ] But my point is that with the pressure she's under, Nama may simply not agree to the marriage. We need a back-up.

I think ... that Nama might be the one who's harder pressed to see this happen. She needs this more than Youmi does.

To regain her people's faith. Except they want a military victory.

[ At this point, it's clear that Rey isn't just digging her heels in; there's a gentleness about her that's trying to understand. ]

If I were in Nama's shoes, being forced to prove myself, I wouldn't see marriage as a way to do it. You might — you know better — but she's inexperienced. [ Thus, Rey trying to put herself (politically inexperienced) in Nama's shoes. ]

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They want war because they're scared and want to strike first, or... because they're stupid and just wanna fight. If it's the former, we've got that covered. If it's the latter, an alliance means Nama and Youmi would have the numbers to take down any rebels. Either way, there's whoever's still loyal to Nama, and all of Youmi's people.

They're scared because the ways of the Sea Clan threaten their way of life. Merging the empires may only make them more afraid of what they'll lose.

That right? Do you have evidence for that claim? Seems to me their anxieties are the same--they thought there was one Empress, and now there are two. Both of their cultures will likely change somewhat in unification.

I'm not trying to say that a political marriage isn't the best choice. I'm only saying that what I saw in the Mountain Clan may make Nama hesitant to agree to it, in which case, we'll want to be ready with what a possible peace treaty might look like.

From what I've heard [ that is to say, what simon shared, though he doesn't know simon's name ... ], Nama was eager to speak with Youmi. That's a big reason I think this idea is viable. They want to meet. They want to know each other.

[ He shrugs. ]

They might end up wanting to know each other well. We can't predict that, of course. But everything I've seen from both of them suggests they're willing to do what's necessary for peace.

[He should probably leave this alone, but he's not going to.]

It is not the Empresses who possess conflicting ideals, nor do I believe would they refuse a union based in politics if they believed it to be a proper display of unity.

[He's not much of a romantic, but given that he's the son of a princess...]

These people are traditionalists. If the rebellion continues after the union, there is a larger problem at play, and will need to be dealt with seperately.

[ Her attention snaps so sharply in his direction when he speaks to her ?? in front of other people ?? ? that she might well have given herself whiplash. Something flares in her gaze, something which blames him for forcing her to wrestle with the fact that they are in mixed present company, some of whom will want and expect her to hate every word that comes out of his mouth on principle, and some of whom have a nascent understanding of what is going on instead. ]

You didn't see the state of the Mountain Clan. [ Her voice is hard. Were this conversation private, she might have been inclined to defer and press for his reasoning. Instead, her tone is defensive— ] Was it traditionalist of them to revolt against their Empress in the first place?

They act out from fear of the Sea Clan's presence across the Flowerlands; how much more terrified will they be when Youmi has a place in their Heavenly Summit?

Rebels are rarely the majority of any population. They are upstarts, and they will continue to cause trouble until they get exactly what they want.

[He raises one eyebrow, ignoring the look she gives him.]

What makes you believe that they will cease revolting should Youmi wed someone else in their clan?

[Whoops, extremism.]

They want the total removal of Empress Youmi and the Sea Clan. Unless we are willing to entertain that idea, we will need to deal with that matter separately. The union should sate the rest of the population.

[ She's

visibly grinding her teeth at that First Order propaganda about rebels and extremism. But she lets it lie lest this turn into Poe's Network Post Vol. 2 ]

My concern is that no marriage will stop their revolting, and we need to be ready to suggest a more substantial treaty that actually addresses their anxieties instead of assuming that a union will take care of it, in the event that Nama does not see her people accepting it.

[He considers this silently for a moment. Its a circular argument to suggest that they won't actually concede to another compromise. So, instead:]

What might you suggest to a clan most concerned with power and territory?

[ She looks relieved, at first, but as silence lapses in which she can't really fill in with an answer, it occurs to Rey that all she has is ... concerns to poke in how over-simplistic she sees this plan to be, and not enough savvy to suggest an alternative. She tries, for a while, to think of something better.

And to her credit, she does think of some things. She just discards them with equal readiness for being terrible options. ]

I don't know. [ Though she isn't thrilled to admit it, she does, quietly and plaintively. ] I don't know enough about how any of this works. I just don't think a marriage is all it will take. [ She hunches her shoulders a little, sitting back in her seat, conceding; ] It's still a good first choice.

It is likely that it will not be all that it will take.

[He's always believed that much.]

I believe we must first deal with the insurgents. It is possible that they may back down, should Empress Nama choose to take a similar stance as Empress Youmi has.

[IE: Killing anyone who tries to escalate conflict.]

If their concern is that she lacks teeth, she must bare them to earn their respect.

[ That's his suggestion. 'Kill all the rebels.' She chafes against it for obvious reasons, but ultimately, the rebels here are not Her Rebels. They are not Leia's Rebels. They are not organized and holding a singular purpose to liberate their galaxy. They are scared, and scattered, and they want war. Not peace.

In truth, it's not so different from what Veronica had said. So Rey agrees, ] We should make an offer to stick around and help Nama put down the remainder of any uprisings.

[There is some danger to saying these words out loud probably, which is why he doesn't say them right away. He even makes a brief show of looking away from Rey when he says it, as if it pains him.]

I agree.