Castles of Steel - Lesbians Good, Imperialism Bad

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Lieutenant Arisukawa Haruna

Balance Stats
❁ • ❁ Work / Life ❁ • ❁
❁ • ❁ Warrior / Princess ❁ • ❁
❁ • ❁ Radical / Respectable ❁ • ❁

Tactical Stats
Gunnery 0, Navigation +2, Command +2, Technology -4, Personal -2, Strategy +3

Stress: 3​


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PLEASE READ THE QUEST RULES BELOW

You collectively vote on the actions of Arisukawa Haruna, the first woman to serve openly in the Imperial Akitsukuni Navy.

This quest is set in a universe which is much like our own circa 1910, but with different politics, cultural norms, and ideas about gender and sexuality, as well as some unusual and advanced technology in places.

We are using this quest to explore themes like breaking the glass ceiling, divergent outlooks on gender and sexuality, colonialism and imperialism, and the place of royalty.

Content Warning
This quest goes some dark places.

There is violence, often explicit, often unfair, often against undeserving targets.

There are not always good options forward. The protagonist is not necessarily a good person.

There is implied content and discussion of sexual harassment and assault.

This is a world where people are often racist, sexist, queerphobic bigots. Sometimes, even the PC and the people they are friends with.

Voting Rules

We will tell you if write-in votes are allowed. If we do not say that write-ins are allowed, they are not. This is to prevent people from unrealistically hedging their bets.

You may proposal other options in a non-vote format, subject to approval, on non write-in votes.

We will tell you when a vote allows approved voting. If we don't say the answer is no, pick an option. We like making people commit.

Discussions makes the GM feel fuzzy.

Game Rules
When we ask you for a roll, roll 3d6. You are aiming to roll equal or under the value of your stat. If you succeed, Haruna gets through the situation with no real difficulties. If you roll above the target value, Haruna will still succeed, but this success will cost her something or add a complication.

Whenever Haruna loses something or faces hardship from a botched roll, she takes Stress. The more Stress Haruna has, the more the job and the circumstances she's in will get to her, and it'll be reflected in the narrative. Haruna must be kept under 10 Stress: if she reaches 10 Stress, she will suffer a breakdown and the results will not be great for her.

Haruna loses stress by taking time for herself, by making meaningful progress on her dreams, and by kissing tall, beautiful women.

Meta Rules
Author commentary is in italics so you know it's not story stuff.

Please don't complain about the system or the fact we have to roll dice. We've heard it before, we've heard it a thousand times across multiple quests. We're not going to change it, and it wears at our fucking souls.

Just going "oh noooo" or "Fish RNGesus Why!" is fun and fine. Complaining at length because you didn't get what you want less so.

If you have a question, tag both @open_sketchbook and @Artificial Girl. If you only tag one of us, you will be ignored. Seriously, we both write this quest.

And yes this is an alt-history type setting with openly gay and trans people, ahistoric medicine, and weird politics. Just... deal, please?

This quest employs a special system called Snippet Votes. Please read this post for more information.
 
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Do you think it would have helped if we'd said something like "if we spend much more time apart with only your letters and photos to keep me company, I'm likely to sprain my fingers"?
 
4-14: Be Gay, Commit Absolutely No Crimes Under Any Circumstances
  • Threadmarks
    • "Aiko…." You murmured her name as a warm spring breeze wafted through the open window, stirring the curtains. "Aiko, I've been thinking a lot," you said after another moment and she rolled onto her side so she could look at you more fully, her face serious.

    "About what, Haru?" She was serious, but still seemed a little sleepy, half dozing as she had been after your energetic reunion.

    "...Us. This whole… thing." You tried to find the right words and not for the first time wondered what good your classical education was if you couldn't find what to say to the person you loved. "Just. I'm gone so often and for so long. I worry that we'll drift apart--or that we've never managed to drift very close. We've been dating for what…? "

    "Almost seven months." She said. "It'll be an easy date to remember." The start of the war, right. You had to do it on the day.

    "Right. And I've spent something like… two weeks with you in that time. Actual time with you, not just kissing you over lunch while I wait for a train or something. Are you sure it's me you want to be with?" Had it only been seven months? It felt like the beginning of the war was a lifetime ago.

    "Yes! I'm sure! I know--Look, I know that this might have started out as some kind of… school crush for me but with your letters and the time I have gotten with you, I do want to try and make this work between us. You're so cultured and intelligent and brave and...and beautiful. Sometimes I wonder why you're wasting your time on someone like me." She laughed at that. "But then I think that I shouldn't be so hard on myself."

    "I was just about to say." It was unlike her to think like that. Was it? Did you just not know her well enough? That fear rose again. "You outdo me in the brains department. And… I wonder if maybe you'd rather have someone close to you. Not a woman who's constantly away at sea…"

    Maybe you already have that someone, you thought glumly.

    "Haruna. The only person I want is you. I--" She hesitated. "Yes, I had someone before we made it official but I made it clear that it was over once… once you asked me." Her hand reached out and found yours and she was warm and comforting and real.

    "I--" You tried to speak, tried to articulate yourself and found it hard to do so again. "Spirits, Aiko, I've been so lonely," you finally croaked out the words and tried to stop the tears that were coming to your eyes. Miyoshi had advised honesty. Forhtrightness. You could do this. "This is going to sound selfish and awful and stupid but I'm just going to say it and you can judge me-"

    "I'm not going to judge you." Aiko said, immediately, unhesitating.

    "... I feel as though I have the worst of both worlds. I am exclusive with somebody I never see."

    She looked at you, frowned, the gears clearly working in her head. You were looking for a sign she was hurt, but even you, adept as you were reading expressions, couldn't pick it out.

    "So, do you want to not be exclusive?" Her reply was matter-of-fact. Curious, even. Not a trace of the hurt you might have expected.

    "NO!" You snapped, instantly, unthinking. "I… no. I don't. I just. Miss you."

    "Yeah." She nodded, breathing slow. "I didn't think so, but I wanted to check. Some of my friends at school are into that so… I didn't know."

    This, you picked up on. She was guarding something with that language. Your mind went to the worst conclusion immediately, but you willed yourself to not jump to conclusions too hard. She'd been so patient.

    "I understand how you feel, though," she was saying. "I've definitely felt more than a little lonely some nights. And wished that you were in bed next to me, you know? Just so I know you're safe and I can listen to your breath."

    "So you haven't even… dated a man?" Super not your business, but you'd pried this far.

    "I have no interest in that." Okay, on that she sounded a touch exasperated. "I would tell you if I was, anyway. But you know my reasoning."

    Aiko was her own woman. She would not be owned. You were alike, in that way.

    "Right, but…" You hesitated. You didn't want to sound cruel. "You are attracted to men."

    "Yes, I am. But I'm with you right now, my promise aside. I don't want a man, I want you." Her free hand cupped your cheek. "Haruna, I love you and I don't want anyone else. You make me feel so amazing and special and beautiful."

    You brought her as close as you could, relieved. A hard talk, but one that needed to be had, you were so glad to get it out of the way, and it'd be a lot less difficult than you'd expected. You didn't fight the wide smile that crept across your face, the feeling of euphoria that accompanied it. You, Haruna, are the best at relationships.

    "I keep thinking, of all the women you could have picked, you picked me? I--" She sniffed a little, fighting back the same tears you were then pressed a kiss to your lips, short and sweet. "I feel so lucky. I'm this normal girl and you're so... "

    "Awesome?" You teased.

    "No! I mean, yes. But… special. Different. You're doing so many things that are new and exciting and you're a princess. You have tea with the Empress. I never thought…"

    "You do nothing but think, genius."

    "Haruna, this is serious. I--I think about your mother and the way she talked to me a lot. And… what if she finds someone for you that's…" She gripped your hand tighter, ducked her head into your shoulder and neck.

    "What if I'm just someone to keep you happy before you find a proper lover? Someone who isn't a commoner?" Her voice had gotten even quieter. Your blood felt cold when a moment before you had been euphoric. Did she really think that you'd toss her aside like that? Had she really picked up that much from mother?

    "Aiko, no! No! Never! I--I want to make you happy. I want to make us work. That's why we're talking about this. I would never be that cruel to you, that--that's hideous..." But.. you had done it before. You'd had lovers who had been brief flings that you had cut yourself loose from to avoid the commitment and the hard work of making something real when you were in school.

    "I promise you, that will never happen. I would never, ever cast you aside like that. Understand?"

    No matter what, she came first.

    ---

    The next day, you awoke to find mail waiting for you at the front desk, which was unusual. Your mail was probably being sent to your next posting, not here, but there was a single letter. Of course, a look at the stamp on the top answered all your questions.

    Your mother, of course.

    You read it at the front desk, a frown etching itself into your face with every line of lovingly scratched characters, then you headed back to your room.

    "What does it say?" Aiko asked immediately. She loved to pry, probably part of her curious nature. You handed it to her without question.

    "A date? With a man? She knows you're-"

    "Yes. Keep reading."

    "I thought you'd made it… oh, oh Spirits. Akibara."

    "The son of Admiral Akibara too." You said bitterly. "Heir to half the company and on the fast track to the top. His dad's my boss, and he's going to be taking that spot soon enough." Looping in the company as close to the Imperial family as possible would be an ideal consolidation of power for both your family and his. Politically, a brilliant move.

    "Wait, at six… your mum already arranged the date?" Aiko finished the letter. "That's ghastly! She should have at least asked you first! And, what, she managed to find out I was here and arrange the date in eighteen hours?"

    "The Admiral is my boss, remember? If he wanted this too it would be easy for him to tell mother when I'd be likely to be in town. Then all she has to do is have someone watch for me to arrive. She has people."

    Aiko sighed, once again having to process the sheer scale of the operation that surrounded you and your family.

    "I mean, it's pointless. I'm not interested in being a pawn in some marriage alliance." You said immediately. "Especially not to some new money brat."

    "Yeah, but this still doesn't sound like a guy you want to stand up. You're always telling me how everyone is just looking for an excuse to sink your career." She held the letter up to the light, as though inspecting it for hidden messages. "This looks like one of those excuses. I don't want you to go… but we'll still have tomorrow night."

    [ ] Yeah, sorry. I gotta at least show up and keep appearances.
    [ ] Consequences be damned, I'm staying in. (-1 Stress.)

    Haruna well and truly has no interest in dating, marrying, or anything-ing this dude. That is not a risk here. Instead, its that Haruna has something of an obligation to go on the date and hear out the offer now. Blowing him off will be a grave insult and a lot of people will be mad, but… be gay do crimes?

    Yes, this sucks and is a weird thing to foist on an adult. Akitsukuni is still getting over primarily having arranged marriages.    ​
     
  • Threadmarks
    • open_sketchbook said:
    [ ] Yeah, sorry. I gotta at least show up and keep appearances.
    [ ] Consequences be damned, I'm staying in. (-1 Stress.)
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    Oof, thats a mean choice... regarding stress, do we still get -2 stress from time with Aiko in this system? (i.e. we'll be at 3 even without this) if so, i'm thinking we have a good enough stress buffer that we may need to bite the bullet on this...
     
    I think we go to the omiai in naval uniform and spend precisely as long as necessary to politely say "no thank you."
     
    Can we hijack the date and turn it into a demonstration of Akibara's shipyards? Perhaps with some local student tagging along to explain the complex new technologies to Haruna?
     
    Okay, her mother can't actually suspect she'll agree to such a match?

    If she did think it likely, she'd be treating it with more delicacy then tossing it onto her as a surprise. That's the thing, at least? Unless she has power to literally force us to marry someone (I don't think she actually does anymore, even if in generations past she might have) then it doesn't seem like the best way to actually push for a match?

    Yet it's apparently a "good match" so... I dunno. Does she think Haruna won't be put out by any of this?
     
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    Akibara can go fuck itself in no uncertain terms.
    The leaders are incompetent, their company is corrupt, and their engines suck.
    So
    you know
    They can fuck off and stuff.
     
    Something to fix in post production, but shouldn't the miniskirt not be something that is worn in the year 2600 or so ? I mean the 2000s where a while ago :p


    [X] Yeah, sorry. I gotta at least show up and keep appearances.

    Duty , heavy mountain and all that while a womans touch is as soft as a feather.
     
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    Scia said:
    Something to fix in post production, but shouldn't the miniskirt not be something that is worn in the year 2600 or so ? I mean the 2000s where a while ago :p


    [X] Yeah, sorry. I gotta at least show up and keep appearances.

    Duty , heavy mountain and all that while a womans touch is as soft as a feather.
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    Um, this is set in not-our-world, but more importantly not-the-present-day?
     
    [X] Yeah, sorry. I gotta at least show up and keep appearances.

    Look, if we do show up, we can at least say it didn't work out, we wouldn't get along, whatever. Who knows, maybe we like the guy?

    If we don't, then she'll keep doing it. And we might not get so lucky next time.
     
    For anyone else I'd probably just bin it and knock another stress off. But this isn't just some schmo, this is Shinzo. He's a nice enough chap. We don't have to hold hands with him (yuck), we just have to show up, apologise that we're immensely gay and then make it a nice night out with a new friend. This whole thing is a bullshit court powerplay and the correct move for our career, for us and for Aiko is to powerplay back twice as hard.

    (As a note, I consider my half remembrance of Shinzo from ACDQ to be roughly equivalent to Haruna's half remembrance of Shinzo from society dos)

    Ramble said:
    Akibara can go fuck itself in no uncertain terms.
    The leaders are incompetent, their company is corrupt, and their engines suck.
    So
    you know
    They can fuck off and stuff.
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    No better reason to poach their favoured son to our side then!
     
    FrangibleCover said:
    For anyone else I'd probably just bin it and knock another stress off. But this isn't just some schmo, this is Shinzo. He's a nice enough chap. We don't have to hold hands with him (yuck), we just have to show up, apologise that we're immensely gay and then make it a nice night out with a new friend. This whole thing is a bullshit court powerplay and the correct move for our career, for us and for Aiko is to powerplay back twice as hard.

    (As a note, I consider my half remembrance of Shinzo from ACDQ to be roughly equivalent to Haruna's half remembrance of Shinzo from society dos)


    No better reason to poach their favoured son to our side then!
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    Can those of us who don't know about ACDQ be told a little about him?
     
    [X] Consequences be damned, I'm staying in. (-1 Stress.)

    Screw this, and anyone who thinks they can dictate our love life. We just made that commitment to Aiko, and ghosting on this is a very pointed way of demonstrating that WE need to be consulted before arrangements are made. People are going to be mad because they get egg on their faces from us blowing it all off, but the core of that is an embarrassment that they represented themselves as having control that they do not.

    I'm not here for humoring this sort of thing. Make a statement, set a boundary, dare them to take it public against the hero-princess.

    This is our mother attempting to exercise a veto on our relationship with Aiko, by trying to force us to acknowledge that her plans take precedence. Let us refuse.

    @Night_stalker I disagree. If we do this, it'll keep getting pushed on us. Better to slam the door on some fingers now and make people reluctant to eat the embarrassment of trying and failing in the future.

    I do kinda hate to do this to Shinzo since he is cool, but this really isn't about him. Hell, I'd be in favor of inviting him out the next night, as soon as dear mother gets the message. As long as we aren't being manipulated into it.
     
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    FrangibleCover said:
    Mind you, it's always possible that this isn't Shinzo and is the other son of Admiral Akibara, who the immutable laws of narrative causality dictate is a total shit.
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    Not only is it Shinzo, I'd like to remind you that he's the guy who Haruna plucked out of freezing water about a year back. He's also currently buds with Kenshin.
     
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