L5R: Summer Comes In Crimson
- Thread starter StrigaRosa
- Start date
- Mature Fantasy
1-8 Red Wall Dreams
StrigaRosa
Priestess of Proserfina
- Location
- Fields of Asphodel
- Pronouns
- Any/All
It is quite easy for you to give everyone the slip; everyone cheers the grooms to be. Who cares about a little former Scorpion snooping around?
Your survey the threshold between the village and Dream, oddly quiet; it takes you some focus to realize that sound just does not travel as it should; diffused, as if through a great distance. This puts you off-balance, and it takes too long for you to notice that you are not alone in ignoring the ongoing contest.
A robed figure leans over the red wall, hands apart as their palm scans the surface. You recognize the mask; Lok Yi. Their mask scratches the wall as reality seems out of focus around them. You wonder for a moment what is happening; after a few minutes studying their wall-dance, you figure it out: they are doing the same thing you intend to do, peering through the threshold and trying to figure what may be in the hearts and futures of others.
Funny. This is how you, a mortal man with zero aptitude for spiritual matters, is trying to do it. Why would a Dreamwalker and diviner have to risk the same dangerous gamble? You cannot put two and two together, intoxicated by the raw potential of Dream.
You step towards the wall. It looms red. Way too bright and colourful; this is not how you remember it, but at the same time, it is quite underwhelming. It is like there is More Wall, like it's more real than reality; the most like itself version of itself.
You put your hands over the wall, mimicking Lok Yi's technique. There is no big shift, bending of realities or twists of light. The red walls are still walls, but as you press your hands against it, you just cannot avert your eyes as they become something else.
A fiery tornado.
A home in the woods; five thunderbolts fall and ignite seven trees.
A blunt knife, laying between parted seas.
Some kind of bokken, but round and heavy, almost club-like.
It takes all of your focus, but you finally force it to focus on the past of Cavernous Starfall.
You see the maple on the upper street, clad in Autumn. A large room - which must be the noble hall of the headsman home. A figure wearing the same robe as Lok Yi, but unmasked and hair shaven. A beam of light rests on their back; the suggestion of a door sliding open. Rushing through the floorboards, a samurai zig-zags and cuts twice, punctuating the opening blows with a lethal hilt strike against the back of the skull.
Lok Yi was dead before even understanding the nature of the attack. It was overkill. You push yourself, forming some definition to the figure of the assassin.
A middle-aged man, with a chiseled chin and pepper sprinkled. He wore a padded armor with the sigil of the Moth clan. As the man left, he covered the allegiance to the Minor Clan with a straw cloak.
Lok Yi was killed by a Moth clan samurai
What happened to the man? You need to know. You feel your legs shaking, telling to run away; you cannot turn your head away.
You see snow and the man walking the streets of Ryoki Owari, now a ronin. Dark waters rise; the man is swallowed.
That's him, that's your Moth ronin! No, no, he cannot have died there in the floods of the Great Hail. You need to see more.
You move your hands across the red wall.
Thoughts come racing about what you know has happened in the River of Gold during Spring, something is taking shape. The ronin! But before the image becomes something you could perceive, it changes drastically.
A tall, gaunt, pale figure stands in front of you: superimposed over the wall you are attached to. She wears a ceremonial robe that mimics folded wings, embracing her neck with fuzzy ethereal colar. Her eyes are pitch black - all but for a pinhole of judgement; her thin face seems to have intricate patterns of makeup. No, it is the subtle hint of a skull, more obvious under the nose's shade and lip. Antenna of bone is fused with her hairline.
You have no idea what this is. You know the tales about the guardians of Dream, that will stop at nothing to remove Mortals from their wanderings across that Realm; or is it some afterimage of a lived life or a ghost? You wish you had paid more attention to musings about the Tao.
In one hand, she holds a lantern. Spectral silkworm moths flicker around it; the lantern does not illuminate - in fact, it seems to dampen the light and colours around it. The apparition's other hand stands empty and raised. She extends a long nail, scratching the red wall.
It does not crack; it is not accompanied by cackle; where the long finger crossed, red disappears into nothing. As the pale haunt continues the pattern, you realize it is trying to enclose you in a doorway to who-know-where.
[] Fight this moth-haunt - somehow
[] Try to pull myself from the wall and leave
[] Call for the help of the "Lok Yi"
[] See what she is trying to do by pushing you through the doorway
[] Ignore the moth-haunt and try to get as much information about the Moth ronin before the worst happens
You also have 1 Opportunity. Pick One.
[] Figure what you can do to learn about the moth-haunt
[] Learn something about who created the red wall
[] Learn about the demeanour of the moth-haunt or "Lok Yi"
[] Act discreetly on your next course of action
Your survey the threshold between the village and Dream, oddly quiet; it takes you some focus to realize that sound just does not travel as it should; diffused, as if through a great distance. This puts you off-balance, and it takes too long for you to notice that you are not alone in ignoring the ongoing contest.
A robed figure leans over the red wall, hands apart as their palm scans the surface. You recognize the mask; Lok Yi. Their mask scratches the wall as reality seems out of focus around them. You wonder for a moment what is happening; after a few minutes studying their wall-dance, you figure it out: they are doing the same thing you intend to do, peering through the threshold and trying to figure what may be in the hearts and futures of others.
Funny. This is how you, a mortal man with zero aptitude for spiritual matters, is trying to do it. Why would a Dreamwalker and diviner have to risk the same dangerous gamble? You cannot put two and two together, intoxicated by the raw potential of Dream.
You step towards the wall. It looms red. Way too bright and colourful; this is not how you remember it, but at the same time, it is quite underwhelming. It is like there is More Wall, like it's more real than reality; the most like itself version of itself.
You put your hands over the wall, mimicking Lok Yi's technique. There is no big shift, bending of realities or twists of light. The red walls are still walls, but as you press your hands against it, you just cannot avert your eyes as they become something else.
A fiery tornado.
A home in the woods; five thunderbolts fall and ignite seven trees.
A blunt knife, laying between parted seas.
Some kind of bokken, but round and heavy, almost club-like.
It takes all of your focus, but you finally force it to focus on the past of Cavernous Starfall.
You see the maple on the upper street, clad in Autumn. A large room - which must be the noble hall of the headsman home. A figure wearing the same robe as Lok Yi, but unmasked and hair shaven. A beam of light rests on their back; the suggestion of a door sliding open. Rushing through the floorboards, a samurai zig-zags and cuts twice, punctuating the opening blows with a lethal hilt strike against the back of the skull.
Lok Yi was dead before even understanding the nature of the attack. It was overkill. You push yourself, forming some definition to the figure of the assassin.
A middle-aged man, with a chiseled chin and pepper sprinkled. He wore a padded armor with the sigil of the Moth clan. As the man left, he covered the allegiance to the Minor Clan with a straw cloak.
Lok Yi was killed by a Moth clan samurai
What happened to the man? You need to know. You feel your legs shaking, telling to run away; you cannot turn your head away.
You see snow and the man walking the streets of Ryoki Owari, now a ronin. Dark waters rise; the man is swallowed.
That's him, that's your Moth ronin! No, no, he cannot have died there in the floods of the Great Hail. You need to see more.
You move your hands across the red wall.
Thoughts come racing about what you know has happened in the River of Gold during Spring, something is taking shape. The ronin! But before the image becomes something you could perceive, it changes drastically.
A tall, gaunt, pale figure stands in front of you: superimposed over the wall you are attached to. She wears a ceremonial robe that mimics folded wings, embracing her neck with fuzzy ethereal colar. Her eyes are pitch black - all but for a pinhole of judgement; her thin face seems to have intricate patterns of makeup. No, it is the subtle hint of a skull, more obvious under the nose's shade and lip. Antenna of bone is fused with her hairline.
You have no idea what this is. You know the tales about the guardians of Dream, that will stop at nothing to remove Mortals from their wanderings across that Realm; or is it some afterimage of a lived life or a ghost? You wish you had paid more attention to musings about the Tao.
In one hand, she holds a lantern. Spectral silkworm moths flicker around it; the lantern does not illuminate - in fact, it seems to dampen the light and colours around it. The apparition's other hand stands empty and raised. She extends a long nail, scratching the red wall.
It does not crack; it is not accompanied by cackle; where the long finger crossed, red disappears into nothing. As the pale haunt continues the pattern, you realize it is trying to enclose you in a doorway to who-know-where.
[] Fight this moth-haunt - somehow
[] Try to pull myself from the wall and leave
[] Call for the help of the "Lok Yi"
[] See what she is trying to do by pushing you through the doorway
[] Ignore the moth-haunt and try to get as much information about the Moth ronin before the worst happens
You also have 1 Opportunity. Pick One.
[] Figure what you can do to learn about the moth-haunt
[] Learn something about who created the red wall
[] Learn about the demeanour of the moth-haunt or "Lok Yi"
[] Act discreetly on your next course of action
Last edited:
- Location
- SV's Only Complete Persona Quest
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[x] Call for the help of the "Lok Yi"
[x] Act discreetly on your next course of action
Bit of an impulse decision on my part, which may contradict the whole 'act discreetly' thing.
[x] Act discreetly on your next course of action
Bit of an impulse decision on my part, which may contradict the whole 'act discreetly' thing.
Brainbow
Jamais vu
At this point, I'm starting to get suspicious about the Moth killing that dream Lok Yi. I don't know if this was an event that happened back when the Moth purge began, or if this was an attempt to keep secrets from intruders. My head's spinning into a lot of different possibilities over what we're seeing, and I'm now left to wonder if we should slip back into Robuaro before we get blamed for shenanigans.
[X] Ignore the moth-haunt and try to get as much information about the Moth ronin before the worst happens
[X] Act discreetly on your next course of action
[X] Ignore the moth-haunt and try to get as much information about the Moth ronin before the worst happens
[X] Act discreetly on your next course of action
1-9 Black Cat Hostage
StrigaRosa
Priestess of Proserfina
- Location
- Fields of Asphodel
- Pronouns
- Any/All
You ignore the haunt - whatever it does to you, does not pale compared to the consequences of failure. Unblinking, you see kobune ships with dark sails recovering people from the water, including our Moth samurai. Pirates inspect people, celebrating once they see the swords carried by the ronin.
The image swirls, superimposed over the cadaverous glare of the moth-haunt. You see the former Moth, taken to a small river-fortress, taken to a secluded room. The season passes, and he remains there, a guest prisoner; hostage to a family that is long gone. Before things disappear, you see a black cat over sails and banners identifying the captor.
You heard about them, but never tangled with them; the Black Cat pirates are a nasty group of peasant pirates that had made the River of Gold effectively unnavigable. They often caused problems to every down-river, but had no interest in the Scorpion section of the river - which would draw further retaliation.
The Black Cats hold your Moth ronin hostage in their (one of theirs?) base.
As you cannot find more, see the dark hole in front of you - the work of the moth-haunt. A pale white arm emerges from it, open palm reaching for you. It grasps your neck handkerchief, pulling you closer to the open nothingness.
The other hand emerges, holding the lantern. Moths land on your face and arms as you struggle; the lantern rises as the apparition tries to push it towards you. You feel your legs give up and color vanish at its mere proximity. You do not know what will happen if you actually contact it.
You unwrap your neck handkerchief, as you spin to avoid the lantern. Then, riding the momentum, you wrap the piece of cloth around the creature's talons, throwing the haunt off balance. Gaining some distance, you realize that your quick reflex just saved you from a terrifying curse. Unable to reach you, the haunt claws at the darkness, trying to widen the gap in the protective red wall.
Nobody knows what has transpired here, and you can keep it that way. You also figured what drives the moth-haunt: a vengeful drive against those that would do warm to what or whom it is protecting or protected. They linger between Realms and are driven by their remaining emotions at the expense of eroding their connection to others.
[] Fight the haunt off
[] Walk away, satisfied
[] Try to communicate with the entity
[] Write-In
The image swirls, superimposed over the cadaverous glare of the moth-haunt. You see the former Moth, taken to a small river-fortress, taken to a secluded room. The season passes, and he remains there, a guest prisoner; hostage to a family that is long gone. Before things disappear, you see a black cat over sails and banners identifying the captor.
You heard about them, but never tangled with them; the Black Cat pirates are a nasty group of peasant pirates that had made the River of Gold effectively unnavigable. They often caused problems to every down-river, but had no interest in the Scorpion section of the river - which would draw further retaliation.
The Black Cats hold your Moth ronin hostage in their (one of theirs?) base.
As you cannot find more, see the dark hole in front of you - the work of the moth-haunt. A pale white arm emerges from it, open palm reaching for you. It grasps your neck handkerchief, pulling you closer to the open nothingness.
The other hand emerges, holding the lantern. Moths land on your face and arms as you struggle; the lantern rises as the apparition tries to push it towards you. You feel your legs give up and color vanish at its mere proximity. You do not know what will happen if you actually contact it.
You unwrap your neck handkerchief, as you spin to avoid the lantern. Then, riding the momentum, you wrap the piece of cloth around the creature's talons, throwing the haunt off balance. Gaining some distance, you realize that your quick reflex just saved you from a terrifying curse. Unable to reach you, the haunt claws at the darkness, trying to widen the gap in the protective red wall.
Nobody knows what has transpired here, and you can keep it that way. You also figured what drives the moth-haunt: a vengeful drive against those that would do warm to what or whom it is protecting or protected. They linger between Realms and are driven by their remaining emotions at the expense of eroding their connection to others.
[] Fight the haunt off
[] Walk away, satisfied
[] Try to communicate with the entity
[] Write-In
StrigaRosa
Priestess of Proserfina
- Location
- Fields of Asphodel
- Pronouns
- Any/All
We at 6 Strife, right near at the cusp.
Added Vengeful to the Moth-Haunt being (+2 Fire, -2 Void)
Added Vengeful to the Moth-Haunt being (+2 Fire, -2 Void)
1-10 Dream Contenance
StrigaRosa
Priestess of Proserfina
- Location
- Fields of Asphodel
- Pronouns
- Any/All
Having backed away, you still feel entranced in a liminal space of sorts. Perhaps you are also on one between violence and understanding. You step two feet back, raising your arms and exposing your flank - you are confident enough the spectral being would need to do much more to cross the threshold than just stepping through the wall. You close and stretch your fingers, settling on an open palm. Calm gestures, conveying your desire for non-violence (and keeping your terror in check).
"I have no quarrel with you." You reassure, trying to sound confident and composed.
No reaction; are you even reaching the moth-haunt?
"Someone wronged you." You lower your hands, exasperated; there is a jolt of dangerous intent coming from the spectre. "Not me! Not me!"
The reaction was to your words or to your frustrated gestures?
"Not to the Moth? The ronin? The man I was looking for? Yeah, you have nothing to fear from me."
It was not a lie, not really. It was just quite open to creative interpretation. All you want is information, and why would the man withhold? The former Moth seems to be on quite the tsukemono; if anything, you are improving their chances of survival. Unless you somehow use them for your manipulations of the Black Cat pirates.
"Do they mean anything to you?"
You are not getting anywhere. The being may look humanoid, but is still a being between Dream and Hunger.
Between Dream and Hunger. You know enough from the way priests commune with spirits involves more than just words; they also are strictly ritualized so that they be safely repeated over and over.
You are just going to do it without safeguards, skill or talent. But that does not mean you cannot do it.
Dream is all around you, specially this close to the Red Walls of Cavernous Starfall. You got information you could not have otherwise have got. This being is from Dreams or something close enough; it maneuvers dreams, so it must perceive and sense them somehow.
You open your dreams, you close your eyes. Not knowing if this is something that can be used or how, you try to remember and share a dream.
It is an old dream. A black horse, no older than one year, trots across a barren field. There is a lonely tree, three meager apples growing on it. The horse kicks the tree, splitting it open.
Hooves fall on the first tree; it is full of worms. The second apple rolls over, disappearing into the emptiness. The brown, ill-fated third apple is the only one providing sustenance.
When the horse continues on, sprouting seeds can be seen under the shade of the dead tree.
You open your eyes. The moth-haunt was gliding still inside the wall, hands imitating my own gestures. I had success! I could weave Dream and memory into a message. A conversation.
How and what now? Looking at the incorporeal nature entity: halfway between a gust and oblivion; driven by a vengeful desire sustained by a cage of lingering emotion. The moth-haunt was disconnected from all Realms, driftwood that could reach no one - even cursed violence had failed it.
You can be that bridge; you can gain its support by presenting yourself as a bridge, a way to connect.
Remembering what you just learned, you share it with the entity; you are gambling on that tie to the Moth.
The lines blurred; all there was in the world was you, the entity, the wall; blended on a torrent of recollection.
You got it. You are a bridge to nowhere.
The entity followed through. You walked through Dreams still, finding yourself in a towering keep. In front of you stands a much younger version of your mark, arming himself to leave in patrol.
"Kitaro, wait." The voice seems to come from you, or around you. A young woman's.
"What is it, Ren?" Kitaro stalls, dropping a saddlebag over a pony.
"There is unease among the Luminaries. It may happen again. And they are whispering it may come down to you, should the worst come to happen." There is a silence in the dream-simulacra, and you try to think about what this Luminaries thing is; instead, all you perceive is an all-encompassing whiteness, blocked my a lantern and the silhouette of moths. Your head hurts as you try to focus on the scene.
But it is not the Keep of the Moth. Is it the gardens of your liege, the maze leading to the private residents of the leadership of the Scorpion.
You are playing through them, running alongside your bound friend. You spot Bayushi Shoju, taking with your friend's parents.
"Our nephew has thrived from this friendship with Nobu. He will finally be able to join the others in the dojo." The voice of the Scorpion Clan Champion is harm but imperious. "However, it seems the trail of misfortune is upon us. They assure me there will be a disaster and he will be tested. You understand what I am asked to do."
The parents of your friend Nobu grow pale under their veils. "He raised him well. He will do what the Scorpion expects from him."
"It is time then, to make the best of this karmic bound."
Playtime is over, and you look away from the gardens, as you leave with Nobu's parents.
The taste of iron in your mouth provides a ferric awakening. Blood is coming through your nose. What was that? A nightmare? A memory? The entity messing up with your head. This never happened... no, this could not have happened. You would remember. You would remember?
You look up, seeing the figure unshackled from causality, hovering over you.
You are back at the Keep, this time welcoming an entourage of the Imperial family. A dozen samurai guide a snooty child with green eyes, braided hair and dark olive features.
"Welcome, Princess Amira." You find around you saying. "I'm Kaikoka Ren, one of the Caretakers here."
"I'm too old for caretakers, and I'm no shortage of those of Imperial breed." The child replied, defiant. "I am thankful for your hospitality, but this is a momentary inconvenience."
You feel your face twist in a warm smile. "I am not that kind of Caretaker. We venture in paths through which you may never come back." The smile twists. "So we make sure for all of you to come back, or not at all."
The scene changed. You are running across the stone garden between a teahouse and the main keep. To your left screams as the rising river takes out a bridge connecting to the governor's estate. You tip-toe across the refugees and wounded laying on the floor of the main hall and descend into an underground pass. You see Amira, now a teen, arguing with a few guards. A peasant servant, her age and build, stands near them.
"Why are you still here, Princess?" Ren says through you (or the other way around)? "The risk of flooding is real, we will soon be cutoff. We need to get you to a safe-house in the countryside."
"We have a ferryman waiting for you in the village of Joyful Oak. " One guard points out. "Follow the tunnel and get out, princess.
"Soon, go ahead with Adima." The guards reluctantly take the servant girl. You look at Amira, and know immediately that the princess does not intend to leave.
"It is unbecoming of you to lie to those willing to die for you."
"Won't that mean everyone?" The Princess morbidly jokes. "But nobody has to die today. I can save everyone."
Before you-Ren can say anything, a support beam collapses.
When vision recovers, the beam is over you. Amira is shaking, hair scorched and bleeding profusely from her nose and cheek.
"I c-can f-fix this." Amira shakes, waving a hand. Reality seems to fold over the beam, it refolding separated, rolling to the side as if severed. "This is my fault. This is all my fault. I can fix this yet.
There was a snap as air filled the void where reality was severed and quickly put together.
"Dont use that, you must Walk!" You shout as the rest of the roof collapses.
Then nothing.
You found yourself on the ground, shaking. One eye refuses to open; the scent of ammonia invades your nostril, and the aftertaste of acid reflux permeates your mouth. As you try to get up, the moth vanishes, leaving a name in the air.
KIRA.
As the words blend into the night, they split and form other characters.
YOU CANNOT GO HOME
Steps behind you.
"Samurai, would you need some water to compose yourself?"
Who has arrived?
[] Arada
[] Lok-Yi
[] A friendly stranger
[] A thief
[] Another samurai (Complication)
"I have no quarrel with you." You reassure, trying to sound confident and composed.
No reaction; are you even reaching the moth-haunt?
"Someone wronged you." You lower your hands, exasperated; there is a jolt of dangerous intent coming from the spectre. "Not me! Not me!"
The reaction was to your words or to your frustrated gestures?
"Not to the Moth? The ronin? The man I was looking for? Yeah, you have nothing to fear from me."
It was not a lie, not really. It was just quite open to creative interpretation. All you want is information, and why would the man withhold? The former Moth seems to be on quite the tsukemono; if anything, you are improving their chances of survival. Unless you somehow use them for your manipulations of the Black Cat pirates.
"Do they mean anything to you?"
You are not getting anywhere. The being may look humanoid, but is still a being between Dream and Hunger.
Between Dream and Hunger. You know enough from the way priests commune with spirits involves more than just words; they also are strictly ritualized so that they be safely repeated over and over.
You are just going to do it without safeguards, skill or talent. But that does not mean you cannot do it.
Dream is all around you, specially this close to the Red Walls of Cavernous Starfall. You got information you could not have otherwise have got. This being is from Dreams or something close enough; it maneuvers dreams, so it must perceive and sense them somehow.
You open your dreams, you close your eyes. Not knowing if this is something that can be used or how, you try to remember and share a dream.
It is an old dream. A black horse, no older than one year, trots across a barren field. There is a lonely tree, three meager apples growing on it. The horse kicks the tree, splitting it open.
Hooves fall on the first tree; it is full of worms. The second apple rolls over, disappearing into the emptiness. The brown, ill-fated third apple is the only one providing sustenance.
When the horse continues on, sprouting seeds can be seen under the shade of the dead tree.
You open your eyes. The moth-haunt was gliding still inside the wall, hands imitating my own gestures. I had success! I could weave Dream and memory into a message. A conversation.
How and what now? Looking at the incorporeal nature entity: halfway between a gust and oblivion; driven by a vengeful desire sustained by a cage of lingering emotion. The moth-haunt was disconnected from all Realms, driftwood that could reach no one - even cursed violence had failed it.
You can be that bridge; you can gain its support by presenting yourself as a bridge, a way to connect.
Remembering what you just learned, you share it with the entity; you are gambling on that tie to the Moth.
The lines blurred; all there was in the world was you, the entity, the wall; blended on a torrent of recollection.
You got it. You are a bridge to nowhere.
The entity followed through. You walked through Dreams still, finding yourself in a towering keep. In front of you stands a much younger version of your mark, arming himself to leave in patrol.
"Kitaro, wait." The voice seems to come from you, or around you. A young woman's.
"What is it, Ren?" Kitaro stalls, dropping a saddlebag over a pony.
"There is unease among the Luminaries. It may happen again. And they are whispering it may come down to you, should the worst come to happen." There is a silence in the dream-simulacra, and you try to think about what this Luminaries thing is; instead, all you perceive is an all-encompassing whiteness, blocked my a lantern and the silhouette of moths. Your head hurts as you try to focus on the scene.
But it is not the Keep of the Moth. Is it the gardens of your liege, the maze leading to the private residents of the leadership of the Scorpion.
You are playing through them, running alongside your bound friend. You spot Bayushi Shoju, taking with your friend's parents.
"Our nephew has thrived from this friendship with Nobu. He will finally be able to join the others in the dojo." The voice of the Scorpion Clan Champion is harm but imperious. "However, it seems the trail of misfortune is upon us. They assure me there will be a disaster and he will be tested. You understand what I am asked to do."
The parents of your friend Nobu grow pale under their veils. "He raised him well. He will do what the Scorpion expects from him."
"It is time then, to make the best of this karmic bound."
Playtime is over, and you look away from the gardens, as you leave with Nobu's parents.
The taste of iron in your mouth provides a ferric awakening. Blood is coming through your nose. What was that? A nightmare? A memory? The entity messing up with your head. This never happened... no, this could not have happened. You would remember. You would remember?
You look up, seeing the figure unshackled from causality, hovering over you.
You are back at the Keep, this time welcoming an entourage of the Imperial family. A dozen samurai guide a snooty child with green eyes, braided hair and dark olive features.
"Welcome, Princess Amira." You find around you saying. "I'm Kaikoka Ren, one of the Caretakers here."
"I'm too old for caretakers, and I'm no shortage of those of Imperial breed." The child replied, defiant. "I am thankful for your hospitality, but this is a momentary inconvenience."
You feel your face twist in a warm smile. "I am not that kind of Caretaker. We venture in paths through which you may never come back." The smile twists. "So we make sure for all of you to come back, or not at all."
The scene changed. You are running across the stone garden between a teahouse and the main keep. To your left screams as the rising river takes out a bridge connecting to the governor's estate. You tip-toe across the refugees and wounded laying on the floor of the main hall and descend into an underground pass. You see Amira, now a teen, arguing with a few guards. A peasant servant, her age and build, stands near them.
"Why are you still here, Princess?" Ren says through you (or the other way around)? "The risk of flooding is real, we will soon be cutoff. We need to get you to a safe-house in the countryside."
"We have a ferryman waiting for you in the village of Joyful Oak. " One guard points out. "Follow the tunnel and get out, princess.
"Soon, go ahead with Adima." The guards reluctantly take the servant girl. You look at Amira, and know immediately that the princess does not intend to leave.
"It is unbecoming of you to lie to those willing to die for you."
"Won't that mean everyone?" The Princess morbidly jokes. "But nobody has to die today. I can save everyone."
Before you-Ren can say anything, a support beam collapses.
When vision recovers, the beam is over you. Amira is shaking, hair scorched and bleeding profusely from her nose and cheek.
"I c-can f-fix this." Amira shakes, waving a hand. Reality seems to fold over the beam, it refolding separated, rolling to the side as if severed. "This is my fault. This is all my fault. I can fix this yet.
There was a snap as air filled the void where reality was severed and quickly put together.
"Dont use that, you must Walk!" You shout as the rest of the roof collapses.
Then nothing.
You found yourself on the ground, shaking. One eye refuses to open; the scent of ammonia invades your nostril, and the aftertaste of acid reflux permeates your mouth. As you try to get up, the moth vanishes, leaving a name in the air.
KIRA.
As the words blend into the night, they split and form other characters.
YOU CANNOT GO HOME
Steps behind you.
"Samurai, would you need some water to compose yourself?"
Who has arrived?
[] Arada
[] Lok-Yi
[] A friendly stranger
[] A thief
[] Another samurai (Complication)
Last edited:
Experience Ledger
StrigaRosa
Priestess of Proserfina
- Location
- Fields of Asphodel
- Pronouns
- Any/All
Total XP to spend: 5
Allowed Techniques:
Kata, Rituals, Shuji
Cost:
Ring: 3x value of new ring
Skill: 2x value of new skill
Technique: 3XP
School Rank 1
Total spending:
Curricular:
Extracurricular:
Total: 0/20
Curricula Rank 1
Martial Skills
Courtesy
Games
Skulduggery
General Kata Rank 1
Deceitful Strike
Spiteful Loss
Expenses:
How XP Works
StrigaRosa
Priestess of Proserfina
- Location
- Fields of Asphodel
- Pronouns
- Any/All
So you have got yourself 5XP
Here is how XP works.
You can buy rings at the cost of 3 times the value of the new ring (6XP to boost Void to 2, for example), to get skills (2XP to learn a new skill, for example) or to get new techniques (3XP except the rare exception), but you can only pick kata, shuji and rituals that match your school rank.
So you can save or buy them.
Now, where it gets tricky is school ranks. A rough figure of your relative power, a school rank is tracked on the basis of the XP spent at your current rank. This is not just 1:1. Each school as a curricula; things you buy from your curricula are valued 1 spent XP: 1 spent XP for school rank progression. Other expenses are halved to 2 spent XP: 1 spent XP for school rank progression. Ring spending is never curricular.
So, for example: spending 6XP to get Meditation 1 and 2 advances your progress in the curricula 6XP. But raising your Void to 2, costs 6XP but only progresses 3XP.
When you have a proposal for an expense, pitch it and it will be incorporated on the votes.
Here is how XP works.
You can buy rings at the cost of 3 times the value of the new ring (6XP to boost Void to 2, for example), to get skills (2XP to learn a new skill, for example) or to get new techniques (3XP except the rare exception), but you can only pick kata, shuji and rituals that match your school rank.
So you can save or buy them.
Now, where it gets tricky is school ranks. A rough figure of your relative power, a school rank is tracked on the basis of the XP spent at your current rank. This is not just 1:1. Each school as a curricula; things you buy from your curricula are valued 1 spent XP: 1 spent XP for school rank progression. Other expenses are halved to 2 spent XP: 1 spent XP for school rank progression. Ring spending is never curricular.
So, for example: spending 6XP to get Meditation 1 and 2 advances your progress in the curricula 6XP. But raising your Void to 2, costs 6XP but only progresses 3XP.
When you have a proposal for an expense, pitch it and it will be incorporated on the votes.
- Location
- St. Petersburg
"apple"?
Accidental slip into 1st person?
by
"It is"?
Not sure what was meant there.
"I have"?
Is it a noun or a verb? In either case, something else seems to be missing.
"cut off'
[x] A thief
Brainbow
Jamais vu
Okay... impressions on the choices:
Arada - we've already unmasked in front of her, and she's warned us from involving ourselves in Moth affairs. Her showing up might require explaining what we were doing, and I'm not sure we wanna do that...
Lok-Yi - I am still suspicious of him as a liaison for the Moth Clan. But having him there allows us to suss out what we've encountered from our private expedition to Dream.
A friendly stranger - Any help is welcome.
A thief - We'd have the chance to pump a thief for intel, and/or kill him if things go south.
Another Samurai - Either someone we must navigate around at best, or competition at worst. I remember we have a Blood Feud as an Adversity, though with whom I don't know. I'm also surprised that he sees us as a Samurai and not a ronin or pirate, which gives me the feeling there's only so much of our identity we can hide from him.
I'm open to persuasion on which may make more sense, but in the meantime.
[] A friendly stranger
EDIT: I'm gonna break the tie now and take our lumps from the Dreamseer.
[X] Lok-Yi
And I'm fine with holding onto the XP.
Arada - we've already unmasked in front of her, and she's warned us from involving ourselves in Moth affairs. Her showing up might require explaining what we were doing, and I'm not sure we wanna do that...
Lok-Yi - I am still suspicious of him as a liaison for the Moth Clan. But having him there allows us to suss out what we've encountered from our private expedition to Dream.
A friendly stranger - Any help is welcome.
A thief - We'd have the chance to pump a thief for intel, and/or kill him if things go south.
Another Samurai - Either someone we must navigate around at best, or competition at worst. I remember we have a Blood Feud as an Adversity, though with whom I don't know. I'm also surprised that he sees us as a Samurai and not a ronin or pirate, which gives me the feeling there's only so much of our identity we can hide from him.
I'm open to persuasion on which may make more sense, but in the meantime.
EDIT: I'm gonna break the tie now and take our lumps from the Dreamseer.
[X] Lok-Yi
And I'm fine with holding onto the XP.
Last edited:
1-11 False Prophet
StrigaRosa
Priestess of Proserfina
- Location
- Fields of Asphodel
- Pronouns
- Any/All
You focus your eyes, seeing someone gently nudging you up towards a half-empty bowl. Mouth dry, you give a quick nod of respectful appreciation before taking a composed sip. Your neurons misfire, and scented water hits like scorching shochu. Finding the strength to raise a hand, you cover your cough as you notice who came for you.
The long robe, the colourful ribbons, the wooden mask with a smug expression.
It is "Lok-Yi."
"Can you get up?"
Can you? You don't feel tired, just tense and emotionally beaten. You can: you're confident in it. Turning to face the false Lok-Yi, you exhaled a drained affirmation. You wonder how much you can talk about what just happened, but it seems the fake prophet has no sense of suspense.
"That was some journey, hum. Come with me to my home, we can talk about it there."
You turn around, accepting it is pointless to argue or resist - and attract even more unwanted attention? No way. You move towards the headsman house; your legs move, capable but weird, like you are wearing someone else's sandals. And legs.
"Hum." Lok-Yi taps their foot. "No, not that one. My home."
Ah. They really figured out you're into all their little secrets. No veils left. You guess they are on the lead now. Let's see where this goes.
"Lok-Yi" takes you alongside the wall, towards a small home and workstation. Carpenter tools lie around, surrounded by a bed of sawdust; dirty linen cannot cover an old lathe. It is a humble but comfortable home, and "Lok-Yi" leaves you alone while preparing tea; from a quick inspection, you figure out the owner is erratic but hard-working, with plenty of half-started projects and keeping tools visible. They return, the mask dangling from their neck; a middle-aged person with steel-grey eyes and nearly shaved dark hair.
""You may call me Ari." They introduce themselves as they serve you tea; it takes some effort to not think of them as Lok-Yi's impersonator. You chastise your idle thoughts; how silly - you don't even know if Lok-Yi was the dead man's real name.
"And I'm the great pirate Robauro." Ari-slash-False-Lok-Yi does not even blink. They either don't recognize it (unlikely) or believe you mistrust them.
"Right, samurai." They quickly change subjects. "That was a dangerous encounter right now; I assure you, it is not a common feature of the festival. Dream can be a dangerous Realm, but never like this. We have never seen an entity like that - tonight or any other night. "
"You should do something about it. Other guests may not be as lucky." You don't give an inch, keeping your cards close to your chest.
"I don't know why you chase this Moth; I don't want to know and you will find this a stance shared by many in the village. But yes, I was prying into the Dream at the same time you did; I have seen everything." Ari pauses. "Just you would have seen my own investigations, should you not have been… otherwise occupied."
Your shoulders tense. This can be a big problem; they have no context, but do they need a context to use this against you? All this has to do is reach the wrong people and your plans will get rather complicated.
"Fair is fair." Ari puts their teacup down. "Lok-Yi was once one of ours, someone who joined a remote shrine as a monk. After over a decade there, he came back, claiming he had awakened abilities that connected us to our Dream relatives in ways we never could before. Lok-Yi's dreamwalking allowed us to reestablish communication besides the rituals of Bridenight; but come Autumn, we had a poor harvest and a lot of our long-term storage spoiled - and we heard rumours we would be taxed that year."
If Ari is speaking the truth, there goes the rumors of a stash of wealth hidden somewhere in the village. Even so, it may be something to consider; you make a mental note and keep listening.
"Lok-Yi acted as a prophet and used his insight into Dream to gain the patronage of wealthy merchants and samurai alike. This was supposed to bring prosperity to Cavernous Starfall." Ari's mood turned sour. "We never tested this assumption. The tax collector skipped this year, but the Moth sent an assassin. They killed Lok-Yi for his abilities; what you saw is true."
"I am already hunting down this Moth." You offer. "For the right price I can make sure your community delivers vengeance to them. Justice even, - albeit that costs extra."
"That is not for me to decide. Check with the headsman, if samurai is serious about it." Ari deflects. "My problem is another. You saw the people that came here for Lok-Yi, the attention and trade it brought us this Summer. We need to use this reputation; not even the most remote place goes over five years without collecting. "
You try to convey as casually as possible how that is your problem.
"I could not get as much as I needed for my impersonation from Dream." Ari lets the implication hang that it is because of your intervention. "And you can't leave the village until tomorrow and the festival is gonna enter the more familiar and… intimate part. And unless I have misjudged you, I think you would like to join us in conning those that came here seeking prophecies."
It would be interesting, but what about the rest of the Festival? But you could make some money for your journey north to follow the Moth ronin's trail. Ari knows too much. Is this a peasant's attempt at blackmail? This may prove too dangerous.
"You can spend the night here, if you would prefer." Ari offers in your silence.
[] Intimacy? In the Festival? I'm coming back!
[] Attack and silence "Lok-Yi"
[] Let's con ourselves a prophet
[] Sleep seems like a good idea.
The long robe, the colourful ribbons, the wooden mask with a smug expression.
It is "Lok-Yi."
"Can you get up?"
Can you? You don't feel tired, just tense and emotionally beaten. You can: you're confident in it. Turning to face the false Lok-Yi, you exhaled a drained affirmation. You wonder how much you can talk about what just happened, but it seems the fake prophet has no sense of suspense.
"That was some journey, hum. Come with me to my home, we can talk about it there."
You turn around, accepting it is pointless to argue or resist - and attract even more unwanted attention? No way. You move towards the headsman house; your legs move, capable but weird, like you are wearing someone else's sandals. And legs.
"Hum." Lok-Yi taps their foot. "No, not that one. My home."
Ah. They really figured out you're into all their little secrets. No veils left. You guess they are on the lead now. Let's see where this goes.
"Lok-Yi" takes you alongside the wall, towards a small home and workstation. Carpenter tools lie around, surrounded by a bed of sawdust; dirty linen cannot cover an old lathe. It is a humble but comfortable home, and "Lok-Yi" leaves you alone while preparing tea; from a quick inspection, you figure out the owner is erratic but hard-working, with plenty of half-started projects and keeping tools visible. They return, the mask dangling from their neck; a middle-aged person with steel-grey eyes and nearly shaved dark hair.
""You may call me Ari." They introduce themselves as they serve you tea; it takes some effort to not think of them as Lok-Yi's impersonator. You chastise your idle thoughts; how silly - you don't even know if Lok-Yi was the dead man's real name.
"And I'm the great pirate Robauro." Ari-slash-False-Lok-Yi does not even blink. They either don't recognize it (unlikely) or believe you mistrust them.
"Right, samurai." They quickly change subjects. "That was a dangerous encounter right now; I assure you, it is not a common feature of the festival. Dream can be a dangerous Realm, but never like this. We have never seen an entity like that - tonight or any other night. "
"You should do something about it. Other guests may not be as lucky." You don't give an inch, keeping your cards close to your chest.
"I don't know why you chase this Moth; I don't want to know and you will find this a stance shared by many in the village. But yes, I was prying into the Dream at the same time you did; I have seen everything." Ari pauses. "Just you would have seen my own investigations, should you not have been… otherwise occupied."
Your shoulders tense. This can be a big problem; they have no context, but do they need a context to use this against you? All this has to do is reach the wrong people and your plans will get rather complicated.
"Fair is fair." Ari puts their teacup down. "Lok-Yi was once one of ours, someone who joined a remote shrine as a monk. After over a decade there, he came back, claiming he had awakened abilities that connected us to our Dream relatives in ways we never could before. Lok-Yi's dreamwalking allowed us to reestablish communication besides the rituals of Bridenight; but come Autumn, we had a poor harvest and a lot of our long-term storage spoiled - and we heard rumours we would be taxed that year."
If Ari is speaking the truth, there goes the rumors of a stash of wealth hidden somewhere in the village. Even so, it may be something to consider; you make a mental note and keep listening.
"Lok-Yi acted as a prophet and used his insight into Dream to gain the patronage of wealthy merchants and samurai alike. This was supposed to bring prosperity to Cavernous Starfall." Ari's mood turned sour. "We never tested this assumption. The tax collector skipped this year, but the Moth sent an assassin. They killed Lok-Yi for his abilities; what you saw is true."
"I am already hunting down this Moth." You offer. "For the right price I can make sure your community delivers vengeance to them. Justice even, - albeit that costs extra."
"That is not for me to decide. Check with the headsman, if samurai is serious about it." Ari deflects. "My problem is another. You saw the people that came here for Lok-Yi, the attention and trade it brought us this Summer. We need to use this reputation; not even the most remote place goes over five years without collecting. "
You try to convey as casually as possible how that is your problem.
"I could not get as much as I needed for my impersonation from Dream." Ari lets the implication hang that it is because of your intervention. "And you can't leave the village until tomorrow and the festival is gonna enter the more familiar and… intimate part. And unless I have misjudged you, I think you would like to join us in conning those that came here seeking prophecies."
It would be interesting, but what about the rest of the Festival? But you could make some money for your journey north to follow the Moth ronin's trail. Ari knows too much. Is this a peasant's attempt at blackmail? This may prove too dangerous.
"You can spend the night here, if you would prefer." Ari offers in your silence.
[] Intimacy? In the Festival? I'm coming back!
[] Attack and silence "Lok-Yi"
[] Let's con ourselves a prophet
[] Sleep seems like a good idea.
Last edited: