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Marked for Death: A Rational Naruto Quest

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Oh shoot, I didn't append "Action Plan:" to the front of it. Oh well, nothing I can do about it now.

1234qwerty said:
[X] Training Keiko: Whatever Takahashi Says
[X] Training Noburi: Atherosclerosis

@Cariyaga The plan semms pretty thorough and safe for the most part. For the Kannagi part, we can maybe try the angle that Yuno is unfit instead of Noburi. Something like she has to defeat Noburi's mom in nonlethal combat before they can get married. Inoue could even substitute for the role and Yuno would fail.

You could clarify that it's Keiko actually talking to Takahashi on our behalf so there's no misunderstanding. If you actually want the whole group to meet with him, you're going to need a way to force him. I second that the obstacle course is a bad idea. Eaglejarl commented that Inoue wouldn't want to leave Keiko's side, so having her follow Noburi would require some convincing. I'd also like a way that Yuno could be talked to without her minders, preferably by Inoue since she could grill her for the most info and not move up the marriage date by asking for details or something.

I liked the part in furiously sleepings' plan where Inoue can pass a message along to Kannagi via Noburi's manners teacher. Can you add a discussion about setting up a deadman's switch and possibly having Inoue leave the village if we're just discussing things without executing this update

I'll try to update my plan before too late, probably taking things from faflec's and furiously sleeping's plans that I like, though I think adding the things I want to the later's plan would be easier than adding to mine.
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I'm going to try to to simplify DRtB for Velorien's sake, but I'll add that stuff to it if I can.

@Sigil: Suggest to Kagome/Akane to make sure the traps are layed out such that we will not trigger them in the course of combat in the area.
 
@Traiden We are expressly forbidden from interfering in village politics. We lost XP last time for suggesting talking to other village elders alone. I think throwing a party would be worse.

The longer we fight, the more villagers can converge on us. If we stop to ambush them, they are likely to get more reinforcements than we are going to take out in the time we used to set an ambush. I like the idea of somehow working the fight over to the shrine, but I'm not sure if we would be able to hold off the whole village with one of our Jonin otherwise occupied and no fixed defenses.

@Cariyaga Thanks, I did mention that we maim them first if we can do it safely. I want to preserve our safety over theirs, they have attacked us enough times.

@1234qwerty The only idea I have for getting Yuno alone without minders is having Noburi invite her for a clandestine "walk"

Cariyaga said:
@Sigil: Suggest to Kagome/Akane to make sure the traps are layed out such that we will not trigger them in the course of combat in the area.
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I'm not sure what you mean precisely, but this seems like something that they would think of themselves? Trapping 101, don't trap yourself.
 
[X] Cariyaga

I caught up to this thread a while ago but never managed to make it to a vote until now. Hopefully I don't break anything.
 
openJacquard said:
[X] Cariyaga

I caught up to this thread a while ago but never managed to make it to a vote until now. Hopefully I don't break anything.
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I don't think that's an actual vote, unless Cariyaga is an arrogant sod and named a plan after himself. You need to vote for the actual plan, not for the person proposing the plan.

So like:

[X] Action Plan: Some plan

not

[X] faflec
 
@Sigil See, we are not going to talk with the other Village Elders, we are just going to throw the party for the village in a fait accompli style for the Elders to find out about.
 
Cariyaga said:
Thoughts on Faflec's/my updated plan?
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My problem with the plan is that we're actually supposed to rock the boat. There's a specific boat we've been told we should rock, and also that we need to then deal with the boat being unstable. This plan does none of that.

It includes a couple of concrete possibilities for what we plan to say about Noburi's suitability for marriage, but it has nothing about how we actually do the break-up, given that Kannagi is avoiding us (as well he should). It has nothing at all about what to do to mitigate retaliation if we do, despite the lack of an action element, actually manage to break off the wedding.

On top of that, despite being incomplete on the Yuno aspect, it appears to be written to take the rest of the fortnight until the council meeting, making it a de facto plan to not break off the wedding before the meeting. Which may wind up being what we need to do, since we're not putting a lot of hive mind effort into how to go about it. But if that's what we're going to do, we should at least make that decision. So for now, just in an effort to give us more time to think about what we should actually be doing:

[x] Action Plan: Lore Update
 
[x] Action Plan: Lore Update

Sleeps Furiously said:
My problem with the plan is that we're actually supposed to rock the boat. There's a specific boat we've been told we should rock, and also that we need to then deal with the boat being unstable. This plan does none of that.

It includes a couple of concrete possibilities for what we plan to say about Noburi's suitability for marriage, but it has nothing about how we actually do the break-up, given that Kannagi is avoiding us (as well he should). It has nothing at all about what to do to mitigate retaliation if we do, despite the lack of an action element, actually manage to break off the wedding.

On top of that, despite being incomplete on the Yuno aspect, it appears to be written to take the rest of the fortnight until the council meeting, making it a de facto plan to not break off the wedding before the meeting. Which may wind up being what we need to do, since we're not putting a lot of hive mind effort into how to go about it. But if that's what we're going to do, we should at least make that decision. So for now, just in an effort to give us more time to think about what we should actually be doing:

[x] Action Plan: Lore Update
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I'm not sure that I'm capable of writing for that right now. Damn do I have a lot of respect for Faflec and others that write plans, because this shit is headache-inducing.
 
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Faflec and the other main plan writers are amazing, making good plans is hard.

@Cariyaga
I have edited the plan to involve slightly slower escalation to lethal violence, it's up to you if it's enough, I think a fight is going to break out eventually, and I want us to win it.

I will probably not be around to make edits to the plan tomorrow, so keep that in mind while voting. I'm also heading to bed here, as it's late, night all.
 
Ugh. I hate not having a plan for an update (especially one where we have MORE time than we would for Eaglejarl), but I'd feel bad going through with a plan with the amount of discussion we've had so far. I also feel kind of bad asking for a lore update. It feels kind of cheap, and like we're gypping Velorien out of writing an actual update to the story. Maybe that's just me, though.
 
I added a spoiler in the plan that is a mildly shorter version of DRtB (and modified in a few places) for Velorien's sake. Thoughts on it, everyone?
Cariyaga said:
Changes in bold italics.
Goals:

1. Survive
2. Avoid interaction
3. Prepare Keiko for the trial
4. Figure out how to deal with Yuno
5. Prepare contingencies

Methods:

1. Minimize interaction with the village outside of standard operating procedure.
1.Sustain selves on stored food, water condensed by Nobby
2.Mari continues following Keiko to train. Suggest to Nobby to schedule dates around that so that Mari may follow him instead of Hazou and Akane.
3.Nobby stops seeking out people to heal (cite having exhausted those with immediate need).​
2. Prepare Keiko for the trial
1. Brainstorm ways the trial could play out with the team, given what we know about the village, the shrine, and the culture.
1. Suggest to Nobby (and run by Keiko and Mari, first) to ask Yuno about the trial, AFTER Takahashi suggests the trial to the council.​
2. Keep Keiko in peak physical condition; Nobby gives her a medical once-over before the trial
3. Anything that needs communicated to Takahashi goes through Keiko.
1. Can Mari sit in on vote like last time?​
3. What the hell do we do with Yuno?
1. Discuss Yuno-based plans with the whole team first, then run anything necessary by Takahashi.
2. Discuss with the team methods of delaying marriage, including: Killing enemy ninja combatant in combat, something he need do elsewhere (gather herb from x mountain or whatever), something Yuno need do elsewhere, Noburi finishing medical mastery.
1. Hazou expresses preference for the lattermost. The village clearly understands apprenticeships, and it should go over well that he need the clearance of his MedNin master to marry, even if not the apprenticeship finished. Nobby has the final say as resident expert on village culture, however.​
3. Discuss with the team methods of convincing Kannagi to cancel the marriage including: Causing clanwide disgrace, blackmail, making it advantageous to him to cancel the marriage. The last is most preferred. (Any ideas, other players?)
4. Socialize Yuno with the team some, if it would be diplomatically appropriate -- ask Nobby.
5. Preferably after the above, discuss how the team would feel about Yuno joining the group; first with Nobby in private, but with the clear indication that it would later be discussed with the rest of the group.​
4. Pump Yuno for cultural and religious information
1. Nobby should come across as diplomatically as possible and keep in mind that others will probably be listening in.
2. Acquire information on the following:
1.Religious or cultural practices.
Excuse: To ensure we'd be capable of doing them when the time comes.
Actual reason: To see if we can get more info from the shrine or the trial.​
2.How the wedding ceremony will take place.
Excuse: To make sure we don't flub things up since that would be fatally embarassing.
Actual reason: To make sure the wedding won't get sprung up against us.​
3.History and myths of Hillbilly Mountain.
Excuse: Cultural integration/exchange.
Actual reason: To ferret out information about the "prophecy of Ui's heir".​
5. Contingencies
1. If attacked in base:
1. We should have two genin (not Keiko!!) or Inoue-sensei on guard. At a minimum.
2. Run, within bounds of reason and safety. We should have traps everywhere but if they're confident enough to know this it's likely a village-wide assault. We can weather the initial storm but further attacks are gonna be bad. If a direct fight becomes necessary, attempt nonlethal combat, but do not hesitate to maim. If necessary, Noburi can heal them, so the bounds of nonlethal engagement are wider. If our opponents seem to be sufficiently skilled to warrant it, or the ambush sufficiently sways the fight such that a member is at risk, switch to lethal. If they run into our traps, that's on them; feel free to lead them in.​
2. If angry villagers attack during training/dates/etc.:
1. We run and stall. MEW, scare-you-away explosives...basically any AOE that scares enemies/keeps them from advancing but does not necessarily kill them. Clarify this explicitly to Kagome.
1.If a direct fight becomes necessary, attempt nonlethal combat, but do not hesitate to maim. If necessary, Noburi can heal them, so the bounds of nonlethal engagement are wider. If our opponents seem to be sufficiently skilled to warrant it, or the ambush sufficiently sways the fight such that a member is at risk, switch to lethal. If they run into our traps, that's on them; feel free to lead them in.
2.If they escalate to the point of being a significant threat to us, stop going easy.​
2. Prepare signals to notify the team, both explosive and non-explosive (does Kagome have any appropriate seals for that?)
3. Get ready to get out of the village.​
3. Stall marriage using above tactics.​
[X] Don't Rock the Boat
We've gotten Keiko what she needs to pass trial by combat, but we haven't gotten her what she needs to pass trial by diplomacy. Let's spend the rest of our time before the trial having her practice a bit of diplomacy, manipulation, and/or other "take-lead" activities.

Goals:
  1. Survive.
  2. Avoid serious village interaction.
  3. Prepare Keiko for the trial v2.
  4. Figure out how to deal with Yuno.
  5. Get information about religion and culture from Yuno.
  6. Prepare contingencies for if Takahashi/Kannagi/others betray us and/or start shit.
  7. Train/research.
Methods:
  1. Minimize interaction with the village outside of required communications and meetings.
    1. Sustain ourselves fully on hunted meatstuffs, Condense Water + streamwater, and heat from Elemental Mastery + furs + fire.
      1. We should have a metric shitton of this stuff, but if we're low we should stock up.
    2. Whenever Keiko goes to train, she goes with Inoue and Hazou.
      1. Noburi can set time to heal the villagers OR go on a date with Yuno ONLY when Keiko's not doing training. Make sure we have minimum separation of individuals.
      2. Inoue has to (read: pretty please sensei?) tail Noburi with the expectation of a sneak attack from pissed off Gasai or other religious fanatics.
    3. If asked about our lack of interaction, cite paranoia from angry Gasai revenge + desire to avoid another Kouta situation.
  2. Prepare Keiko for the trial.
    1. EVERYONE should brainstorm ways that the trial can play out and how they ought to be solved.
      1. We should take cues from the social and cultural dynamics of Hillbilly Mountain: It's completely possible that Akio passed on his values since they would be tested by the summon, and subsequently integrated into the trial.
    2. Keiko needs to not break a leg, sprain an ankle, or any other bullshit that can weaken her.
      1. Minimize use of her bloodline unless under Takahashi's training.
      2. Take most of the fortnight to relax but make sure to keep her muscles/brain limber.
        1. Suggest setting up obstacle courses for her to train on with her physical skills + Zephyr's Reach.
        2. Suggest Noburi give her a medical once-over beforehand.
      3. Commune with Takahashi on: the trial, Yuno, angered Gasai/Inoue/Aida, and other events that may change things up.
        1. Ask Takahashi more on the prophecy he hinted at in the last update.
        2. Discuss options on Yuno and angered villagers as seen in other stages of the plan.
        3. Ask Takahashi if Inoue-sensei can sit in on the vote like last time.
  3. Figure out how to deal with Yuno.
    1. Discuss ALL Yuno-based plans with Takahashi and the rest of our team before coming to a concensus. We want minimum bloodshed (as required by Takahashi's agreement).
    2. Discuss the viability of Noburi needing to do something before being allowed to marry:
      1. Kill an enemy combatant (read: ninja) in actual combat (not an execution).
      2. Discuss heavily: Noburi still has to learn the final bits of medical ninjutsu before being officially called a master.
    3. Discuss the viability of Noburi not meeting the requirements of Hillbilly Mountain's culture:
      1. Noburi has shed blood and been stained by blood before. Hillbilly Mountain has a serious hemophobia issue and this may be grounds to cancel the marriage, if Yuno's pariah status is any indication.
    4. Discuss the viability of getting the Kannagi disgraced and forcing them to cancel the marriage.
    5. Discuss the viability of other ways of convincing Kannagi to cancel the marriage himself.
  4. Try to get information on Hillbilly Mountain religion and culture from Yuno.
    1. We want to come across as wanting to make sure we don't do something inadvertently insulting and getting the marriage cancelled or attacked by insulted Kannagi clan members.
    2. Information to acquire:
      1. Religious or cultural practices.
        1. Excuse: To ensure we'd be capable of doing them when the time comes.
        2. Actual reason: To see if we can get more info from the shrine or the trial.
      2. How the wedding ceremony will take place.
        1. Excuse: To make sure we don't flub things up since that would be fatally embarassing.
        2. Actual reason: To make sure the wedding won't get sprung up against us.
      3. History and myths of Hillbilly Mountain.
        1. Excuse: Cultural integration/exchange.
        2. Actual reason: To ferret out information about the "prophecy of Ui's heir".
  5. Prepare contingencies for betrayal and attempted murder:
    1. If angry villagers try to attack us in our base:
      1. We should have two genin (not Keiko!!) or Inoue-sensei on guard. At a minimum.
      2. Run. We should have traps everywhere but if they're confident enough to know this it's likely a village-wide assault. We can weather the initial storm but further attacks are gonna be bad. If a direct fight becomes necessary, attempt nonlethal combat, but do not hesitate to maim. If necessary, Noburi can heal them, so the bounds of nonlethal engagement are wider. If our opponents seem to be sufficiently skilled to warrant it, or the ambush sufficiently sways the fight such that a member is at risk, switch to lethal. If they run into our traps, that's on them; feel free to lead them in.
    2. If angry villagers try to attack us during training/dates/healing/travel:
      1. We run and stall. MEW, scare-you-away explosives...basically any AOE that scares enemies/keeps them from advancing but does not necessarily kill them.
        1. If a direct fight becomes necessary, attempt nonlethal combat, but do not hesitate to maim. If necessary, Noburi can heal them, so the bounds of nonlethal engagement are wider. If our opponents seem to be sufficiently skilled to warrant it, or the ambush sufficiently sways the fight such that a member is at risk, switch to lethal. If they run into our traps, that's on them; feel free to lead them in.
        2. If they escalate so do we. If the whole village seems to be involved (read: >50% of the people) we go all out.
      2. Send up signals (prepared) to alert our team if we're separated.
      3. Get ready to bugger out of the village.
    3. If people try to force us to marry early, attempt to delay/stall using above plans. Run if failure.
    4. If Takahashi does not announce the vote to let Keiko take the trial, prepare to evac and/or steal the scroll.
      1. Scout the temple, asking Takahashi/Yuno for broad ceremony details (time taken, focus needed, general expectations, etc.).
  6. Train/research.
    1. This is a reminder.
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[X] Action Plan: You've Got Mail
[X] Armageddon Initiative.
[X] Darkest before the Dawn
[X] Don't Rock the Boat
[X] Plan Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!
 
Sleeps Furiously said:
Breaking up with Yuno, given that Takahashi believes that there will be more fallout than just losing his vote in the council.
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Is there anything in particular you'd suggest that could be done to that effect in a plan? Honestly, I think we'd get more participation if we got this arc over ASAP, so that's coloring my perceptions as well...
 
Fuck food poisoning

Sorry I didn't make a plan y'all.

Placeholder votes:

[X] Lore Update
[X] Action Plan: Option P for Party.

Props to @Traiden for making a plan while on mobile. Voting is tough enough for me, let alone all of that formatting involved on a phone.
 
I do have an idea to convince Mari to talk to Takahashi, but I doubt we have enough time to fix any flaws it would have, especially with me being on mobile.
 
Dictator4Hire said:
Fuck food poisoning

Sorry I didn't make a plan y'all.

Placeholder votes:

[X] Lore Update
[X] Action Plan: Option P for Party.

Props to @Traiden for making a plan while on mobile. Voting is tough enough for me, let alone all of that formatting involved on a phone.
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Oof, that's rough. Hope you feel better soon.

I may just kill my sleep schedule and stay up until voting closes just in case suggestions are made.

I feel a little ambivalent toward replacing the plan wholesale with what's inside the spoilers without people around to discuss it, but I also don't want to force Velorien to have to deal with a plan QUITE that long.
 
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Okay.

[-] Cariyaga
(I'm used to a slightly different voting system)

[X] Lore Update
[X] Don't Rock The Boat

I'm not confident enough in my ability to assess the mechanical or training things, but this seems like a reasonable course of action to me.
 
Also, belated welcome to the thread @openJacquard. Hope you enjoy the insanity that is the IMS Hazou as we valiantly sink to the bottom of the ocean while also on fire. Pick your favorite bailing bucket as the iceberg looms ever closer.

I think that go away from me there, hope that made some sort of sense.
 
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