Voting is open
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


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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[X] Plan Politics and Self-Care

Interesting choices. I can see arguments for leaning either way for all the options forming up, with the exception of work/life - people seem to want either balance or Aiko there.
 
[X] Plan Balanced Warrior Radical
-[X] You leave when you're supposed to, no later and no earlier. (Balanced)
-[X] You've been braving the officer's club after working hours cease once a week, and it has almost started to feel like you belong there. Almost.(More Warrior, less Princess)
-[X] Aiko is a big fan of this dance hall near her school. All the latest Western music and dance, absolutely scandalous. Your mother would have a fit. (Less Respectable, More Radical)

There isn't that much to currently do at work, so finding make work for ourselves seems a bit excessive.

Officer's club feels like a good way to make connections and improve our standing in the military without going totally ham on the hobnobbing.

And dancing is good Civilization
 
[X] You try to get home on time as frequently as you can. You don't want to miss precious Aiko-time. ( Mostly Life, less Work)

[X] You've somehow managed to get an invite to a poker night through your friend Kenshin: the table is full of officers attached to various admirals. It's a career miracle. (Completely Warrior, no Princess)

[X] Aiko is a big fan of this dance hall near her school. All the latest Western music and dance, absolutely scandalous. Your mother would have a fit. (Less Respectable, More Radical)


Honestly, I just want to see how you two are gonna write high stakes poker and then somehow segue to shibari play 😉
 
[x] Plan Little Balance, No Extremes
-[x] You try to get home on time as frequently as you can. You don't want to miss precious Aiko-time. ( Mostly Life, less Work)
-[x] You've been braving the officer's club after working hours cease once a week, and it has almost started to feel like you belong there. Almost.(More Warrior, less Princess)
-[x] Aiko is a big fan of this dance hall near her school. All the latest Western music and dance, absolutely scandalous. Your mother would have a fit. (Less Respectable, More Radical)

Why these? The work/life one I feel like Haruna's gotta take her chance here and spend time with Aiko. We've just gotten out of a war and we know that the Big One is coming soon. The second one I feel like we do want to start working our way into the officer's clubs. If Haruna's going to do navy politics I expect she'll need to have friends in the mess, not just the people she can convince on the job, though that's been working pretty well to be fair. And then to the last one don't really have a strong opinion, but thought it'd be amusing down the line to scandalize mom at a function when we show that we know Western dance. I was also strongly tempted by the nice restaurant option but I think that's mostly out of a desire to eat at said restaurant.
 
[X] Plan Balanced Warrior Radical
-[X] You leave when you're supposed to, no later and no earlier. (Balanced)
-[X] You've been braving the officer's club after working hours cease once a week, and it has almost started to feel like you belong there. Almost.(More Warrior, less Princess)
-[X] Aiko is a big fan of this dance hall near her school. All the latest Western music and dance, absolutely scandalous. Your mother would have a fit. (Less Respectable, More Radical)
 
[X] You leave when you're supposed to, no later and no earlier. (Balanced)
[X] You've promised to accompany Akio to one of her WEL meetings. That ought to be interesting. Hopefully the ladies don't freak out too much. (Less Warrior, more Princess)
[X] Aiko is a big fan of this dance hall near her school. All the latest Western music and dance, absolutely scandalous. Your mother would have a fit. (Less Respectable, More Radical)
 
[X] You try to get home on time as frequently as you can. You don't want to miss precious Aiko-time. ( Mostly Life, less Work)

[X] You've somehow managed to get an invite to a poker night through your friend Kenshin: the table is full of officers attached to various admirals. It's a career miracle. (Completely Warrior, no Princess)

[X] Aiko is a big fan of this dance hall near her school. All the latest Western music and dance, absolutely scandalous. Your mother would have a fit. (Less Respectable, More Radical)
 
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- [X] You stay late to work more than you leave on time: you have to set a good example. (Less Life, more Work)
- [X] You've promised to accompany Aiko to one of her WEL meetings. That ought to be interesting. Hopefully the ladies don't freak out too much. (Less Warrior, more Princess)
- [X] Aiko is a big fan of this dance hall near her school. All the latest Western music and dance, absolutely scandalous. Your mother would have a fit. (Less Respectable, More Radical)

Accompanying Aiko to a WEL meeting is too fun for me to want to pass up so that's the one I feel strongly about, but it was close between that and poker night. I picked more work cause I feel like that balances out less warrior a bit.
 
[X] Plan Politics and Self-Care

I think the WEL could be productive and interesting. We don't have that much work anyway so let's take the time to be with Aiko. And a bit of fun on the side.
 
Dramatis Personae - The Cast
So we finally decided we should make this list, for our edification and yours. This contains characters we expect to recur in the future more than the others. These are our internal notes to keep us on track with writing these people, please enjoy them.

Arisugawa Haruna - The main character. You. A princess

Your family
Lady Arisukawa Rin - Your mother. Consummate socialite and political climber. Supports your naval ambitions, but doesn't like your choice of girlfriend. Long term affair with her secretary.
Prince Arisukawa Shigeyori - Your younger brother. A delicate young man. You worry for him.
Prince Arisukawa Tokiari: A Good Boy. A Bad Dad. Wants to reconnect with you but you're not sure how you feel about it yet. Def has two mistresses.
The Empress Mitsuko - Your 2nd cousin and reigning Empress of Akitsukuni. You and she share the same great-grandmother. Obsessed with modernity, even if her household ministers wish she'd be a bit more traditional.

The Navy
Commander Akibara Shinzo - You fake-dated for a hot minute, a friend in high places. Has a commoner girlfriend, running out the clock until he can inherit the Akibara company and become the richest man in the country.
Ensign Ishinari Ryu - Your former XO of the torpedo boat Kari, Icthysian, teetotaler. Good kid.
Lieutenant Kehara Akio - Gunnery officer. Used to be a prick but mellowed out when he got into a positive relationship. Now a reliable friend and shipmate.
Lieutenant Kishimoto Hideaki - An old classmate, signals officer. A literal giant by Akitsukuni standards (6' tall), but one of your best friends.
Commander Kusakabe Kenshin - Extremely attractive straight man. Also opposes the Purity Club. From an old samurai family. Served on a submarine with Haruna. Haruna's exception.
Petty Officer 1st Class Kwon Ji-Hu: A transfer from the remnants of the formerly independent Joseon naval forces. Served with you in Joseon and was wounded in action. He was out of the hospital last time you heard about him
Captain Nashimoto Hisanobu, Prince of the Imperial blood - Former captain of the Hachinosu and your cousin. Arrogant, conceited, bully. Last you heard he had resigned his commission.
Ensign Nashimoto Kageyasu, Prince of the Imperial blood - A Naval pilot. He seems to like you better now, you think? At least he doesn't hate you.
Seaman 1st Class Ota Atsumori: Anarcho-communist, related to a famous terrorist, served in the mini-sub, probably nearing the end of his conscripted service. Constantly getting promoted for his skills and initiative, and then demoted for being a shit. Smoochy Kwon.

Kishimoto Family
Kishimoto Aiko - Hideaki's younger sister, your girlfriend. Great at everything she tries, the perfect nerd/jock/prep combo. Infinity tall (5'7") and fairly steppy. Studying electrical engineering with a focus on radios, on a rowing team. Is a radical feminist with some serious hang-ups, but she's working on it.
Kishimoto Junji - Hideaki's younger brother, the middle child. Really political.
Kishimoto Yasuko - Homemaker, Hideaki's mom. Warm, friendly, comforting. Everything your own mother isn't.
Kishimoto Kenji - Hideaki's father, small business owner . Owns a hardware store. Laconic, likes to smoke.
Sakakibara Osamu - Hideaki's husband. A drafter at a shipyard.

Civilians
Miss Clara Rose Sanders - Albian emigre, kind of a weeb. Moved here because she's gay as fuck and doesn't want to hide it like she does back home. Related to the owner of Albian arms manufacturer Naylor. Probably on the spectrum a bit.
Watanuki Mai - Friend of Aiko's, former roommate. Works as a ticket handler/conductor on the streetcars. Trans lady. A Good.
 
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Wait, so are we going to get more snippets about Major Arita and Matsura in the future, or are there no plans to feature them again for now?

Ramble said:
I wonder if Aiko's impression of Kenshin has improved any.

I certainly hope so, even if it's just a little bit.
 
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