epidemiology | 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

[ A child? Rey looks at the door, puzzling for a moment before she figures his meaning. Scared of the fighting. The worst of it has died down, but that won't mean the girl feels safe. Rey frowns. ]

She probably thinks you're with them.

[ An outsider she doesn't recognize could easily be mountain clan to a little girl who didn't know enough to realize that men from the mountain clan wouldn't be fighters. ]

We should find her parents.

[ immediately, bellamy shakes his head. ] I'm not leaving her in there.

[ it would be a hell of a lot easier to assume she'd stay put, but bellamy feels like he knows her type. the moment there's no silhouette perched at the door, she'll take that as her invitation to run to higher and safer ground. he should leave with his fellow hathaway recruit and find her parents, and hope to all gods that she stays, as if in hope of her mother or father or sibling to come and tell her it's safe to come outside. but bellamy can't let himself do it. he can't help but think about clarke, on how he'd left her on the ground as the wave of praimfaya had swept the earth. he won't do it again. ]

How else do you think you're going to convince her to come out of there?

[ Rey doesn't sound judgy, exactly, but rather practical and purposeful. She's trying to stay focused on actually helping this girl rather than the reasons Bellamy is fixated — though she does notice, for the record, the extent of his stubbornness against what Rey feels is logical. ]

She probably thinks we're both part of the raid.

[ that's way too logical for his emotionally stupid brain. my people, my responsibility seems to be ringing a bell. for this bell, he looks torn, and almost like he's going to stitch himself to the door. ]

Okay. [ there's truth and logic to her answer. bellamy had refused to think about it, wishing for things to be simple — black and white, like the world used to be. he looks to the door again, as though he can see through it. ] How long can it take to find someone who knows her?

[ a really long time, unless you've got maury involved. ]

[ looking at rey, ] Did you see anyone who looked like they were searching for anyone?

[ Bellamy probably didn't mean for that to hit a nerve, but it just forced Rey to confront fifteen years of pointless pining. How long? It's a punch in the gut. She barely shows it, though. A twitch in her expression. She swallows it down. Conceal don't feel. ]

No. Or — Yeah, but everyone who's still out is looking for someone. [ Yeah, that's closer to what she wants to articulate. ] Maybe if we spit up, or … [ She looks at the door. ] I could pick the lock.

[ none of these suggestions speak to bellamy, only amplifying the anxiety he feels swell up inside of him like a storm. leaving this little girl means letting her down, and bellamy can’t let another person down. ]

[ he perks up at her second suggestion. taking a step away from the door, she has her answer before he even speaks. ]

It’s all yours. I’m rusty.

[ if he looks a little hopeful, well ... no pressure. ]

[ That's iffier. Rey looks back at Bellamy, clearly not as thrilled about this idea. The girl's panic within is a palpable thing, felt through the Force. She can't quantify it in a way Bellamy would understand, though, and when Rey reaches for him, she feels only desperation.

The last she can do is be here to mediate what comes next. So she nods, reluctantly, and crouches beside the door, pulling tools out of her sleeve pockets. She had been forced to transfer only a few of her tools from her belt pouch when she'd changed into Hanabiran clothing, so she starts with her utility knife and a screwdriver. ]

What are you going to say to her when you get in there?

I have no idea.

[ that certainly speaks to confidence, doesn't it? still antsy, despite the presence of tools that speak to knowledge and skill, bellamy finds himself watching her more than he finds himself in the moment. how many times had he been told he knew exactly what to say and how to say it? clarke had always fumbled over her words, even if she spoke with confidence. it was he who was the one who inspired those into action … he had to have faith in himself that his gut would tell him what it was he needed to say. ]

It doesn't matter how many times I find myself in a situation like this. I never know what to say. [ he lets out a breath, as if that's meant to help them in this situation. it does neither. ] It never does.

[ as uninspiring and insecure as those words are, bellamy doesn't find himself feeling insecure. he knows what to do. he simply doesn't know how to do it. similarly to getting through a locked door — he doesn't know how to pick it. ]

[ She listens to him without judgment while she works at the lock. She can feel his anxiety, something bordering on a meandering impatience, through the Force. It helps her keep her own patience with his pushing, despite the illogical nature of it. ]

Have you found yourself in these situations often, scaring little girls? [ There's a dry joke there, but the question itself is genuine. Calm despite the chaos of the raid, despite the pressing situation at hand. ]

[ there's a brief moment that makes it appear like bellamy blake hadn't heard her, until: ]

Yeah.

[ was he meant to take it as a joke? they'd removed his funny bone somewhere in the caves of mount weather. he sounds so grave, without an ounce of humour in it. despite his impatience, bellamy doesn't shift on his feet. conversation, regardless of whether it's a joke or if it's serious, seems to be grounding him. ]

[ with a touch of humour: ] Usually it isn't me that's scaring them. What about you?

No.

[ She jiggles the screwdriver, seemingly trying to get it to turn a latch. It's not going just yet. She tries again. ]

Children on Jakku are hard to scare, and there aren't many in the Resistance. This girl is lucky. Being afraid means she felt safe to start with. [ The lock clicks and turns. She straightens, pulling the door open. ] There.

EVENT ▸ DIPLOMACY

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