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.

▸ Up now:

Proposal submissions and voting, due 21 February 23:59 UTC.
Uniform Design Contest, submissions due 28 February 23:59 UTC. Gamewide voting will be in March.

▸ Coming next:

Formal proposal arguments begin 22 February.
March calendar on 24 February.
February AC begins 1 March and lasts through 5 March. Please review our activity requirements to ensure you have the correct amount of proofs!

▸ Bounty Board ▸ Items Page ▸ General Plotting ▸ February Calendar

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Luckily for him, Majima didn't require long explanations. It was relatively easy to pick up what Hayame was checking for, and whatever quirk of kinetic wiring that allowed him to absorb advanced techniques by watching expert practitioners also gave him a leg up in this task.

He wasn't as fast as Hayame, but he picked up speed and skill as he proceeded with her arrow as example. ]

You must've practiced this a lot.

[Her fingers, thin and calloused, keep moving somewhat rhythmically. Tie, sight, bind, cut, all in practiced motion.

The reply is a bit slow, her gaze not having left the arrows she was making.]

Enough. My brother is the better fletcher by far.

[ Well, that was the first he'd ever heard of Hayame's brother, though it made sense that she'd have a sibling or two. Back then, families were larger. Were jinba families also larger, though?

...Maybe?

In any case, he continued to construct arrows for a little while, occasionally looking up at what Hayame was doing. Ex-yakuza or not, he could appreciate some good craftsmanship. ]

Yeah? Must be somethin' to see.

That one is his. It's sea eagle.

[She points at the one she has laid out in example, sinew wrapped around her fingers as she tightens the binding on an arrowhead. The best feathers for fletching, in his opinion- or so he had said.

And now, though her quiver had once been full of them... after all her missions with ALASTAIR, now Hathaway... despite her efforts to retrieve all of them that she could, the only thing she had left of the brother she was sure she'd never see again...

There were only ten left.]

[ Since she was busy constructing arrows, maybe there was little chance Hayame would actually catch the sudden, stricken expression on Majima's face as he looked up at her.

Oh, no.

Oh, no. ]

[ The sea eagle feather suddenly seemed to triple in weight; he set it carefully down in front of him, so as not to accidentally jostle it with the others. He didn't know so much as the guy's name, but he understood instinctively that these last few shafts were precious. And there were so few of them left in that quiver... ]

Sounds like someone to be proud of.

[She doesn't catch it because she's intentionally not looking at him when she speaks. She doesn't like to see what people do, or how they react- most of the time, but especially not when speaking of things like this. Anything remotely personal. Remotely weak.

If she did her duty here... at least Yubari might survive. Might escape their master, and the shame of having a traitor and a failure for a blood sister.]

... He was very good with his hands.

[Fletching arrows, making bows... if times were different, perhaps he wouldn't have been an archer. A craftsman, or something...

But that was a silly thought in a world at war.

And despite the words she doesn't say aloud... she was proud of him. He had always been the better of them. If he were here, instead of her... he would make friends, and smile, and joke, and be free.

And instead, it was her.]

[ Majima set aside another arrow.

Hayame's words were understated, but her body language said everything about how important her brother was to her. The way she turned away when she spoke, the way she praised his skill... even the way she quietly reserved those last few arrows.

Modern or not, era or not, there were some things that didn't need to be discussed in detail to be conveyed. It was the space around those words that spoke the loudest. ]

...I have a brother, too.

[ He said, after a long moment. Like her, he did not look up. He might as well have been speaking to the shaft of wood in his hands. ]

Ain't seen him in two years.

[It's better to look at the arrows. This sort of work requires concentration, requires focus, and it's a convenient excuse not to let emotion betray.

She is hesitant to reply to what he says, to continue the path of questioning that exposes her own weaknesses... but it requires something.]

Why?

[ Majima had no real answer for this question, even after two years -- ample time in which to relive his memories in nightmare and fevered half-dream. But no amount of despair or anger or self-recrimination could spin a solution from the fine thread of the lies they'd been fed. There was no reason.

There was the answer that he knew: Because they betrayed us.

And there was the answer of his heart: Because I betrayed him.

And there was the only answer that struck him now as not simultaneously false and true. The answer of the beast in its cage: ]

I failed him.

Edited 2018-02-20 00:38 (UTC)

[She remembers the last words she'd spoken to her brother, in the dark with her hands bound, ordering him to abandon her to her fate so that she might reclaim her honor through death, so that he might take her information to their master and therefore earn honor for himself enough to cleanse the association with her.

Do not fail as I did, Yubari. Go.

Her fingers do not falter in their work, but her gaze darkens, and her voice is pained despite her efforts for nonchalance.]

I see.

[She cannot say it out loud. "It seems we have that in common". It just hangs empty in the air.]

[ What else was there to say? No amount of discussion would change the way things were. Instead, Majima focused on his task. It was only after assembling several more completed arrows that Majima looked back up again. ]

One of the Sea Clan gave me a bow. 'Ppreciate if you'd look it over.

[Nothing they said would change those failures. Change what words had been said. What shame had been brought. So Hayame doesn't try and fill that silence with anything but the sounds of cutting feathers, carving wood, and tightening sinew.

... Saving as many of the arrows as she could wouldn't do it, either... but it was all she could manage.]

I can examine it.

Thank you.

[ It looked like the warriors were calling a break in the shifts, likely to allow for meals and rest. A good a time as any to present Hayame with the bow he'd used earlier. The weapon was banded in the colors of the Sea Clan -- a good forty or forty-five pounds.

Whoever it had belonged to had clearly cared for it. ]

[She takes it clinically, avoiding his own hands, and begins to look it over, smoothing her fingers along the wood looking for cracks and weakness, pulling the string back to test the draw weight. It was lighter than her own, perhaps by a factor of half, but that was more fitting for a human.

She smells it, too, strangely enough, holding it just beneath her nose and sniffing along the length. Sweat, and the scent of polish oil. Signs of a well cared for weapon, all in all.

Only then does she hand it back.]

The string will want for replacing soon, but the bow is sturdy.

[ Majima nodded as he accepted the bow back. ]

Ended up gettin' a battlefield course in using it. Got a nice feel when ya release.

[ Not that Majima really anticipated using a bow in further excursions -- surely the next mission would be a little more futuristic in setting? A 9mm was more practical in everyday life. Still, it had been part of his deal with Hayame... oh, right. ]

Speakin' of lessons. You get a chance to look over those hiragana I wrote out for ya?

[If only they'd all be worlds like this...]

Once or twice.

[She doesn't like being seen studying, and for the past weeks... she hasn't had much private time while racing across the Flowerlands, and then there was the fighting itself.

It's... not a great answer, but it's the honest one.]

[ Hayame......

This was actually a bit worse than Majima was expecting. He knew it wasn't going to be easy, but. ]

I don't wanna harp on ya or anything, but it does take a lot of practice to build up skill. Things've been hectic lately, but you can call me up any time if you have questions.

I agreed to this deal, so I wanna take the responsibility seriously.

It is precisely because things have been "hectic" that there has been little time to dedicate to such a thing.

[Because as much as a part of her wanted to do it, wanted to have something that had always been denied her kind... it wasn't her priority. Not when she had duties to attend to, a mission to oversee.]

I have no plans to disgrace your reputation by naming you as instructor.

[Until she had actually mastered it, at least.]

[ He was going to take that as an 'I'll try'. ]

Well, thanks for that. While we're here, do you wanna pick apart my stance?

[ Since technically, he'd sorta kiiiinda promised to be her student? Maybe. ]

[She pauses a moment before replying, analyzing whether he actually meant that comment as an insult on her teaching style, or a reflection on his own inexperience...

Generously, she decides to side with caution and assume he means little by it and that it is simply consequence of the rough and casual Japanese he seems to prefer.]

Very well.

[Archery critique, here she comes.

From where she is, though. She’s got more arrows to make.]

[ So generous Hayame!!

In any case, since there were a few targets set up nearby, Majima took the liberty of setting himself up, nocking an arrow to the string, and taking aim. His form was a near-perfect copy of the Hanabiran Sea Clan's form of archery, right down to the execution of the hikiwake.

While he hit the center of the target, there was a slight, odd twist to his stance -- which one might recognize as the habit of a female archer trying to keep out of the path of the bow string, as it were.

This was because he had actually copied a female archer, right down to the buttons. ]

[Hayame doesn't actually comment on his form at first, merely watching in glances in between the concentration she's prioritizing on her arrow work, idly testing an arrowhead against her hoof before she sets about securing it. There's something off about it, but she isn't about to open her mouth about it just yet- the sea clan style was slightly different than the mountain clan, and slightly different from her own, but...]

Stop twisting about so. It isn't as if you've breasts to bind.

[ To Majima, who hadn't even noticed he was doing it, this comment came seemingly out of nowhere; he did a visible double-take, letting the arrow in his hand slacken.

wow hayame

he thought you were a lady. YOU CAN'T JUST BUST OUT TALKING ABOUT BOOBS LIKE THAT ]

Uh... right. I'll try not to do that.

You're already preparing to twist away as you fire.

[She points at his shoulders with a halfmade arrow before she puts her gaze back between her forelegs and continues wrapping the fletching.]

It could affect your aim if you don't stop it.

[... It's. Hard to tell because of expertise born of how long she's been doing it, but. Hayame, being naturally gifted (cursed, for an archer), has quite a lot of binding experience to speak from. Makes it easier to note.]

Right.

[ With this tip in hand, he tried a follow-up shot -- this time, with the correction she'd recommended. his form was improved, and this pull and release felt a little more natural to him. Well, whattaya know. Sometimes listening to other people really worked out.

Nevertheless, he ought not to leave the others to their craft for too long without pitching in, so ultimately he lay the bow aside and returned to the work. ]

Never bothered much with weapons til pretty recently.

EVENT ▸ DIPLOMACY

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

baw majima's fais

feelings are literally the worst

kill them

Why you do him like this, Hayame

this is ur fault

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)