But if this quest is an accurate reflection and exploration of a dystopic-capitalist world I'm bailing here. Art that aligns with my fundamental worldview makes me either heartbroken or furious, and I can achieve either or both of those by looking at the world we live in.
Unfortunate to see you go. The previous comment aside, I am not sure why you even seek out Project Moon stuff if the depiction of its world upsets you.
If you took that part to mean I will hammer Ciel with tragedy over tragedy later because nobody can have nice things, that is kind of hurtful because I expect at least some trust that I will not screw everyone over like that in the end. I feel I earned at least that much by now. It is also not the message this entire setting conveys.
If you are averse to bad things happening to the protagonist in general, then this is definitely where you should see yourself out.
But if this quest is an accurate reflection and exploration of a dystopic-capitalist world I'm bailing here. Art that aligns with my fundamental worldview makes me either heartbroken or furious, and I can achieve either or both of those by looking at the world we live in.
The City is a capitalist nightmare, but the setting is almost entirely based around the idea of trying to get out of that and making progress.
Lobotomy Corporation is made to create the seed of light and cure the disease of the mind afflicting the City, and Wonderlab does show that the period during which the light was spreading led to people being happy.
Library of Ruina is Angela trying to be human, and ultimately deciding *to hell with human, I'm going to be humane!*, then redistributing the seed of light, giving hope to The City once again.
It's not a setting that wants you to give up before the uncaring corpos, it's one where you fight and keep hope to allow people to be better.
Unfortunate to see you go. The previous comment aside, I am not sure why you even seek out Project Moon stuff if the depiction of its world upsets you.
If you took that part to mean I will hammer Ciel with tragedy over tragedy later because nobody can have nice things, that is kind of hurtful because I expect at least some trust that I will not screw everyone over like that in the end. I feel I earned at least that much by now. It is also not the message this entire setting conveys.
If you are averse to bad things happening to the protagonist in general, then this is definitely where you should see yourself out.
I'm sorry I worded my post in a way that communicated I didn't trust you to not make like... misery porn. That was not what I intended.
I don't know a thing about Project Moon except... something LobCorp? something a quest on SB.
I wandered in here on a whim and was hooked by the superb writing and magnificent characterisation.
For context, I can't rewatch Showpiercer as I was getting angry and heartbroken, and I stopped watching Arcane after the first or second episode.
I don't think you'd make it impossible for Ciel to have nice things, that wouldn't fit with the art you've been creating so far, just... the themes you said you are going for - themes you have been nailing now I look back, are just.
I see, that makes more sense. Though I have not seen either of the things you referenced, I get the sentiment. And I guess I can take it as a mark of pride that someone completely unaffiliated with the franchise came by and read up to this point.
Good luck finding stuff that appeals to you more than this. And I mean it, this is not meant in a sarcastic way.
[] Plan blackmail
-[] Approach one of the fixer members of the cult while they're alone and blackmail them with the threat of losing their job.
--[] If they still seem hesitant make it clear that even if you fail the Shi main branch is going to follow up and the cult is finished either way.
You ultimately agree that sending a single person into the den of an Urban Plague is too risky; much the same goes for staking out the place. Even if it is not too large for just three to cover, there will be guards and maybe patrols.
Parvati finds the approach everyone is happy with: "How about we do a bit of interrogation without grabbing anyone? The Fixers are right there, we just need to visit their Offices." She grins and nods to Giano. "Not like they can say no when a Hana Fixer stands on their doorstep."
You like the idea a whole lot and Giano nods as well, though she then puts a damper on things: "Just remember that I'm the sidekick for this one. If you use Hana's reputation to get it done, then I get most of the credit."
Parvati frowns at that, though her expression clears quickly. "Easy enough, just let me do the talking. Ciel can take notes or something to seem official. Do you know any Fixers in the prophet's pocket?"
She is handed a short list and pours over it for a few minutes, then points out one in particular. "How about this one? Yaling of Jade Office, the Operator on top of it. He's got a lot to lose."
You and Giano both look over the name and find a Grade 6 leading a Grade 8 Office. So basically a peer of yours, which makes talking to him easier. Giano keeps herself back while you mull over Parvati's choice and point at the list. "Maybe one or two others in case he doesn't talk? And to corroborate his story if he does?"
"Good idea. That works. Jade Office, I think I heard the name before. They're a bit to the west, but I'd rather check a map just to make sure."
You do just that and find Jade Office about an hour's worth of time away, that being for you at a comfortable jog. Parvati prints out a map and the three of you get going onto a slightly odd journey; Giano being there with you means everyone makes room. Even the one Thumb patrol you pass by quickly jumps aside and lowers their heads respectfully.
"Thumb and Index in the same area?" you can not help but wonder. "Are they fighting about the District?"
Giano fields the question with a shake of her head: "The Fingers aren't constantly at each other's throats, especially the Index. They don't own the entire Nest either. The area we live is mostly Index-held territory, but this direction is where the Thumb takes over. Except for that guy, apparently," she ends with a nod to a lone Index Proselyte hopping down the street on one arm. He flips back over onto his feet the moment you pass him by and stretches in clear relief.
You try to smooth out your scowl and keep going, but it is still not easy; if only you could get away with ramming the business end of your Lucerne through that Proselyte.
Giano and Parvati are talking further behind, though only scraps of conversation make it to your ears. Your partner seems suspicious of something is what you gather from looking back, but Giano engages her with the same easy-going attitude she does you. Whatever it is, they are done by the time you reach Jade Office. A pair of Zwei Fixers stand at attention nearby, making it clear this is a higher-class neighbourhood
"Just remember," Parvati reminds you both, "I do the talking. Ciel, you take your notepad and take notes. Or just pretend, main thing is that you look busy. Giano, you just say nothing and look all official-like."
"Curious how this is going to go," Giano quips before glancing your way. With no rebuke for Parvati coming, she nods along. "Lead the way."
After another look to each of you, Parvati takes a deep breath and firms up some more. Hands clasped behind her back, she steps right toward Jade Office.
You can see how well-staffed the place is as soon as the door opens; a receptionist looks up from his desk, sees the three of you, and immediately inclines his head. "Good morning, how can Jade Office be of assistance?"
His eyes almost involuntarily stray to Giano, but are pulled back to Parvati when she speaks: "We were hoping to have a quick chat with Yaling, the Operator. Is he in?"
"O-Oh, of course. Just a moment, please."
And just like that he shuffles from the desk before darting into the Office proper. Giano smirks ever so faintly but only speaks once he returns and waves you inside. A simple comment in passing that has the receptionist freeze up in shock, amazement, and worry: "Good to see you do well for yourself, Simon."
You imagine this is another of Giano's, if one who did not come back into her net. His lack of response seems to amuse the redhead even more.
Hats are tipped and nods exchanged as you make your way through the office space, nobody questions your presence; Yaling's door is open and he behind his desk with the complementary paperwork. The pen is set down as soon as Parvati passes through the frame and Yaling stands, of average height and wiry with a pair of twin swords on his belt.
"A pleasure to have you, please have a seat."
He waits until everyone sits before continuing: "What is it you need from me? This seems rather short-notice."
He, too, glances Giano's way before focussing back on Parvati. Your friend has her legs crossed primly and you get out your notepad as she asked.
"Our time is limited so I will get right to the point, Mr. Yaling: your name was mentioned in connection with the Prophet of Yesteryear." That is enough to have him freeze up visibly, though Parvati keeps going with the same polite tone: "I hope you know what that means?"
He glances back to Giano and clears his throat, clearly uncomfortable. "Well, I'm not sure I know what you mean."
Nobody believes him, not even Yaling himself. Giano merely arches a brow and makes him sweat while you scribble the start of a shopping list onto your notepad. Parvati does not seem bothered by the deflection.
"Let me be more clear then: colluding with a number of Syndicates is a serious offense. Your career is basically over if you're found working with criminals." And the Office as well as his life, she does not say but clearly implies. Yaling swallows in worry, which is when Parvati puts on another smile. "So how about you make amends and tell us what you know. If things go well, you may get off with just a slap on the wrist after helping us put a stop to this."
You can clearly see the battle of desires in Yaling; he is deathly afraid of facing the consequences yet just as willing to protect the prophet for some reason. Parvati played this well, there is no way he will end up putting someone else before his own wellbeing despite whatever brainwashing happened.
Just like you thought, Yaling caves within a minute of oppressive silence. He does not even pretend not to know after a few more glances to Giano, shoulders slumped.
"Alright, I'll tell you what I know. Seeing her again isn't worth sacrificing everything I worked for."
"Her?" Parvati asks immediately, to a sad nod.
"The prophet, the first time I saw her, she reminded me so much of Marissa, that is my late wife, that I just had to come back. There were differences but they were so subtle, they could have been sisters for all I know." He heaves a sigh, not meeting anyone's gaze in his misery. "It feels like I had Marissa back whenever the prophet takes a minute to speak with me. She knows about our past as if she were there."
Giano's smirk has frozen on her face, though you can tell her brow is twitching. You are just as befuddled by the unexpected turn of events and a little weirded out by how open Yaling is about his prviate life. Parvati bears it better and keeps going with only a light tinge of confusion to her tone: "And did you ever hear about the prophet fighting anyone?"
At first he shakes his head, but then pauses. "There was that one time a woman in the audience climbed on the stage she always appears on. Shouted some name I don't remember and went right for the prophet, but she dodged her pretty nimbly. Didn't fight back though, no weapon. She just kept away until her guards took care of the woman."
You switch to another page and note that down, together with the other things Yaling said just in case. Your own brow is furrowed as you try to make sense of this. Giano implied the prophet is a man, but apparently this was false?
Parvati asks a few more questions about the prophet's ability to 'predict the future' and Yaling readily explains how he was told several spots a Syndicate will attack and when; at first he was astonished when they actually arrived, but by now he truly believes that the prophet is prescient.
"I never saw her talk with those in particular, but they were there at the time and place anyway," is what he has to say when Giano points it out.
This is curious and all of you have to consider what this means after leaving a worried Yaling to his paperwork. A quick stop at a small café has the three of you each with a coffee and a sandwich.
"Seems like some mind-based tool or augment," Giano starts thoughtfully. "We need to ask some more just to make sure, but so far my bet is on that. So we did the right thing not sending anyone as a mole, the prophet would have caught on."
You and Parvati nod with severe expressions. You are incredibly glad for how things went but also worried what is going to happen. "If she can read minds, does that mean she always knows we're going to attack and where we are attacking? In the middle of a fight, I mean," you clarify quickly.
Giano just shakes her head.
"Reading the minds of people in front of you or calmly waiting for you is a different beast than doing it when someone comes at you swinging, especially if you need to react to them too. So either the prophet is way out of our league or she only dodges 'cause that's all she has time to do. Besides, how much do you actually think when fighting?"
That is a good question. Thinking back to your training and how much the motions have become second nature, you realise that there are barely any thoughts in your head then. Giano grins at your realisation. "Exactly. So let's go for another two or so and see what we get. Nicely solved by the way, Parvati. Everything works out as long as you don't claim this is Hana business and people just assume it is."
Your partner grins back and rises, her quick snack already gone. You finish yours and follow to the next destination, where things repeat similarly. Only the next Operator talks about the prophet resembling his husband and the third you interrogate speaks of seeing her little brother. All dead, of course.
By evening the three of you sit over dinner in a more familiar bar; Parvati is deep in thought while Giano slurps some noodles. You pour over the notes you took, most of which confirm what Yaling told you.
"The prophet appears as lost family to people," you finally decide. "It sounds like some sort of Singularity, but I never heard of anything like it before. And they can read minds in some capacity but don't seem to have any offensive abilities."
"Let's not get hasty there," Giano advises. "Just because they don't showcase something doesn't mean they don't have it. You summarised it pretty well, though. From what the Fixers said, we're dealing with a bunch of security but only two or three of them are on our level. It's just a decent number of chaff that can distract stronger opponents. I imagine the prophet will run away when we attack."
"And because they can look like anyone, we don't know who to attack before they get on stage," Parvati adds with a sigh. "If they get off the stage, they can hide in the crowd."
"Worst case, yes." Giano nods. "But if whatever they use is a purely mental effect and not a physical illusion, I can spot them once I know their face." She grins and runs a finger over the golden trim on her jacket. "Grade 5 means I got a bit of Moonstone on my uniform, so anything attacking my mind isn't much of a problem anymore."
You are immediately envious that she just got a Singularity gifted to her, but hold back on it; this is what happens when working for an Association. Giano earned it and you will, too.
"So what do we do?" Parvati finally asks. "We have a big, open building they hold their sermons in and a week to prepare for the next one." [] Rush in once it starts, just hit them fast and hard before they can react
[] Sneak in ahead of time and lay an ambush
[] Call your favour with Shadow the Shi assassin to take care of the prophet
[] Come in with the crowd and attack from there
[] Just kill everyone in the building before things start, that should hit the prophet as well
[] write-in another approach
Two-hour Moratorium. Do not vote for 2 hours! View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XgK_ME-EJE&ab_channel=Nepsol Prophet of Yesteryear
Current Classification: Urban Plague
Number of Opponents: 1 + a lot of people (3 guards are on par with Grade 6 Fixers, none past that)
Goal: ??? (Assumed money)
Displayed Strategy: Run Away and let the guards handle it
Scythe Office
Number of People: 3
Current Grades: 6 (Ciel, Parvati), 5 (Giano)
Goal: Kill the Prophet of Yesteryear
Situation
-Target building has an open roof
-several hundred people are expected to attend, a decent number of them Fixers or gangsters
-The prophet's appearance is unknown
-The prophet may be able to adjust their appearance at will
I think rushing in, killing everyone or just attacking from the crowd is out of the question here. Too many people in the crowd that are fixers or syndicates who will probably join in stopping the group if Ciel & Co. try something. Way too many bodies to deal with if it goes wrong here. We don't have the firepower for that. Being in the crowd also put the group in a terrible position for whatever mental BS the yesteryear prophet can pull.
Ambushing may work, but I don't know how their mind reading work. If it is by proximity then going for the ambush might end up tipping them off.
I think this is the right time to call in our Shi friend. This is a high reward assassination request, which is as good as we will get from Hifumi. He should be able to wait at the rooftop for the right time to strike, and then get away right after.
Only issue is if the person sent is a body double... I want to put Giano in the crowd near the front since she has some immunity to mental attacks to watch and send a signal once this person is confirmed to be the prophet.
Not sure what I want Ciel & Pravati to do though, doesn't seem like a good idea to have them near the prophet so I guess they should stay back and wait?
Edit: I just remembered that Giano is too prominent in her Hana outfit, and might draw unwanted attention and cause the prophet to dip. Dang, Ciel and Pravati may have to go in instead.
Could possibly be an ego user
There is an abberant abnormality called skin prophet...... and demons are known to shapeshift in order to make clients comfortable last I checked
I kinda agree with the "Send in the Shi guy", although it does raise a bit of a concern if the Prophet ends up appearing to Shadow as someone he didn't feel like killing. The chance of this happening is slim in my opinion (everyone is equal in death to the Shi after all) but it's not impossible. We don't know a lot about Shadow/Hifumi, which includes those whom he's close to.
As Giano would tell you if asked, Hana Association members have to wear their uniforms while on the job. Unless that job requires blending in, such as for being a bodyguard.
Damn, I kinda wished to keep Shi favor until Hana exam. I don't think there would be safer choice.
[X] Call your favour with Shadow the Shi assassin to take care of the prophet
Did the Prophet exclusively appear as Dead loved ones? Or did they also appear as estranged loved ones as well? Did they appear as the loved ones of multiple people simultaneously?
Asking in case they can decide to appear as someone already present for a doppelganger scenario or to blend into and disappear in the crowd, Otherwise we can just say to shoot anyone you know is already dead. Also, did the shapeshifting/illusion cover outfits?
If guns were allowed I'd go for sniping the prophet from somewhere far away, but then again, sniping from afar works on a lot of problems.
In any case, Ciel should probably mentally prepare himself to kill his dead rat pack, same with Parvati and her family.
[X] Rush in once it starts, just hit them fast and hard before they can react
Sometimes a simple plan is really best. They seem to try to just get into people's heads and dodge until their guards can deal with the problem. So hammer them hard with multiple people and kill them quick before they can try any tricky crap.
[X] Call your favour with Shadow the Shi assassin to take care of the prophet
Edit:
[X] Plan: Two Fronts.
-[X] Have Parvati sneak in ahead of time to lay an ambush. Scout the place out for us if possible.
--[X] Once it starts, Ciel and Giano will hit them hard and fast before they can react.
---[X] If the opportunity presents itself, Parvati will spring the ambush and kill the Prophet.
Giano and Parvati are talking further behind, though only scraps of conversation make it to your ears. Your partner seems suspicious of something is what you gather from looking back, but Giano engages her with the same easy-going attitude she does you.
His eyes almost involuntarily stray to Giano, but are pulled back to Parvati when she speaks: "We were hoping to have a quick chat with Yaling, the Operator. Is he in?"
"The prophet, the first time I saw her, she reminded me so much of Marissa, that is my late wife, that I just had to come back. There were differences but they were so subtle, they could have been sisters for all I know." He heaves a sigh, not meeting anyone's gaze in his misery. "It feels like I had Marissa back whenever the prophet takes a minute to speak with me. She knows about our past as if she were there."
I see, manipulation of this kind is interesting, how much mind control is involved, that is the question, not enough to truly make them utterly devoted, but I can guarantee you that every single member could tell you the Prophet looks like *insert important person to them there* if we asked, despite how contradictory it actually is.
Only the next Operator talks about the prophet resembling his husband and the third you interrogate speaks of seeing her little brother. All dead, of course.
Yep, we have a potential counter there, and given that the Prophet appeared as different persons at the same time, it is extremely to be a mental effect.
Nobody reacted to the Prophet looking like someone that isn't the correct one during their sermons, so, yes, they did appear as multiple people to different witnesses simultaneously.
This is almost certainly a mental effect, you can't get that out of a physical disguise.
Reminder that the first time we see guns in LoR, it is to see the target dodge Sniper fire without much problems.
Guns really don't matter much in the City as soon as anyone is even a little important.
[X] Rush in once it starts, just hit them fast and hard before they can react
I don't think sending an individual is a good idea there, particularly against a target that is all about mind games, the less opponents, the easier it is for the Prophet to manipulate them, no, you want to overwhelm and don't let them get their bearings, hit hard, hit fast, and don't stop hitting till you're sure they're dead.
My issue with the rush in vote is that it seems to ignore the 'several hundreds of people expected to attend, a decent number of them Fixers or gangsters'. Like, what is the plan for that? Are we really assuming that they are just going to let 3 people with weapons rush to the prophet, whom they see as their loved one, and then proceed to do nothing while Ciel & Co. try to kill him/her? How are they going to deal with the aftermath?
This just calls for an assassination, through and through. And Shadow would be perfect for it.
[X] Call your favour with Shadow the Shi assassin to take care of the prophet
I'd argue about this. Full-Stop Office was deployed against a foe armed with explicitly precognitive abilities- and even then she barely dodged, was hit on the shoulder and disabled immediately, and couldn't dodge the second shot, Argalia, a Color, had to bail her out.
[X] Call your favour with Shadow the Shi assassin to take care of the prophet
I do like rushing. Apparently, a woman climbed on the stage and was able to engage the Prophet, so we probably at least get our shots in if we rush. I also think the crowd will lose morale if their idol bites it. If Parvati was someone else, I'd go for it. You never know what combat tricks the opponent has, and I don't want a situation where we need to worry about her safety. Maybe we could keep her behind since combat isn't her big shtick, but I don't want to imply distrust or find a fixer to replace her.
And if the building has an open roof, that's got to be a bonus to assassination attempts.
It's like Shadow's waving her hands, screaming "PICK ME" at the top of her lungs.
I would personally want to save the favor we have with Shadow for our big bad exam because I feel like that would require extremely heavy thoughts with everything we have at our disposal. What happens if the big exam has an even harder stealth requirement than this?
Here's the one thing we need to remember is, if we can break that illusion, we wouldn't even need to kill the Prophet. The crowd will murder whoever they are for us.
Shadow is the easy route. But it's too "lazy" for me. And I believe that making Shadow do our job for us isn't exactly a good showing of our own problem-solving skills that no doubt will be required once the exam comes around.
I'm going to wait till we have a better plan than merely just a one-action vote.
If we do call over Shadow, we should make a better vote than merely having Shadow rush in and do the job herself.
Something like this.
[] Rush in once it starts, hit them fast and hard before they can react
-[] Call your favor with Shadow the Shi assassin to take care of the prophet during the chaos
If you are going to waste an important favor with a goddamn SHI ASSASSIN of all things on a mission like this, you should stack everything on the deck to make absolutely sure said assassin succeeds. And a distraction is probably what she'd like.
Here's the one thing we need to remember is, if we can break that illusion, we wouldn't even need to kill the Prophet. The crowd will murder whoever they are for us.
That's kind of a good point, actually. If we're able to deduce how the Prophet is doing this in the first place, then we should be able to break that illusion and let the masses do the dirty work for us.
If it's from a technology or Singularity, then destroy it or steal it. If it's some sort of E.G.O., then...kill the Prophet? There's quite a few possibilities thrown around by the characters and the readers and we don't exactly know the true nature of what makes the Prophet appear like that to many people all at once yet.
I'd be willing to change my vote to try to disable whatever is causing the illusions, but we'd need to come up with a proper plan for that first.
Shadow is the easy route. But it's too "lazy" for me. And I believe that making Shadow do our job for us isn't exactly a good showing of our own problem-solving skills that no doubt will be required once the exam comes around.
If using Shadow's favor to solve problems for us makes us appear "lazy", doesn't this mean doing so during the exam, where there is a stake that makes or breaks our chance to get into Hana, make us look worse?
