Remove ads

Marked for Death: A Rational Naruto Quest

Reader mode
Roomba said:
[X] Action Plan: Out of Character?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
In addition to going to Bakuchioka over the Sunset Racer (which is in Noodle), I also recommend that we look at some of the other people in our travels. Honami and Emi are obvious candidates, as are some members of the Merchant Council Mari's been corralling, but still others could be considered. Yagura may have been a fuck, but he brought Jonin with him that may not have been the utter monsters he was. The skinwaste clerk who couldn't read is another candidate: how do we know he couldn't see well and couldn't afford glasses, like Harumitsu?

Don't have to add them, just food for thought.
 
faflec said:
In addition to going to Bakuchioka over the Sunset Racer (which is in Noodle), I also recommend that we look at some of the other people in our travels. Honami and Emi are obvious candidates, as are some members of the Merchant Council Mari's been corralling, but still others could be considered. Yagura may have been a fuck, but he brought Jonin with him that may not have been the utter monsters he was. The skinwaste clerk who couldn't read is another candidate: how do we know he couldn't see well and couldn't afford glasses, like Harumitsu?

Don't have to add them, just food for thought.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Changed Sunset Racer to Bakuchioka. Would've been a cool visual for Hazou to reflect while looking at the water slowly flow over the wreck of the Sunset Racer, but we gotta make do with the realistic.

For those people, what kind of theme or context did you have in mind? People we've wronged or hurt along the way? I've gone with the framing of "price" for the cases I brought up because they were concious decisions Hazou made with an understanding of the consequences, whereas the Hot Springs fiasco was simply a failure of execution. The deaths of Yagura and his entourage were primarily caused by geopolitics between Leaf and Mist, where we simply provided an opportunity.

By the way, I'll be going to sleep soon-ish - as always, if anyone wants to copy my plan and put in paranoid precautions, feel free to knock yourselves out.
 
Are we really sending Hazou out to other nations alone?

Makes for a cool story beat, but like 2 genin could capture him right now. A dozen or so civilians could capture him right now. Much less chakra beasts roaming all over.

EDIT: To be clear (once mediums removed, since they should be cleared)

Alertness 17
Athletics 21
Taijutsu 20

A baseline human peaks around level 10. Genin have stats in the 30s. Hazou is practically an academy graduate right now...
 
Last edited:
Paperclipped said:
[X] Action Plan: Whiplash is Peak Performance
Word Count: 251

Seventh Path:
  • Declare (if necessary): We've produced enough HOWS that we're limited by the time needed to activate them, not the number of seals.
    • Teach any Arachnids that are willing to activate seals and to hide them.
  • Prepare and test suitable ways of hiding the seals under rocks so the light doesn't show.
  • Go to the Great Seal and place the HOWS.
    • If possible, test implosion seals versus the Dragons during the distraction.
  • Take a sample of the rock near there (not from the Great Seal!)
Asuma:
  • Probably not going after the Arachnid Scroll -- Rock's probably found it already with a facility there.
  • Update on the situation: Apocalypse delayed, we have a rock sample to try to figure out how to reproduce the seal.
    • Does Leaf intelligence have any leads on this rock, or types of rock like it?
    • Does Leaf have any precise stonecarving techniques that could be used to make seals out of stone?
Akane:
  • Goal: don't want to invalidate her feelings or absolve Hazou, just set expectations and decide on next steps.
  • First, Hazou is an imperfect embodiment of Uplift.
    • No one can embody their ideals perfectly.
    • It's good that you say something when Hazou fails to live up to his ideals.
    • By working together, we can get closer to the ideal.
  • Second, we do need to take steps on Haru's actions. Since Akane sees more clearly on this issue, what would she recommend we do?
  • Unless Akane wants to engage any further, give her space after that.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Sir Stompy said:
I think we should have an entire 1 on 1 conversation with Ino about this, but if we don't do that, I don't think we should have her play mediator. It's not really a fair thing to ask her to do.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Removed Ino playing mediator. I think we shouldn't have our first one-on-one conversation with Ino after starting to date her to be about Akane. That's asking for trouble. Therefore, talking with Akane first is our only choice, unless we want to loop someone else in (who else?).

Why I think this plan is good:

Has three distinct scenes:
  1. Object-level actions -- going to the Great Seal and placing our mechanism for stalling.
  2. High stakes conversation -- talking with Asuma
  3. Interpersonal management -- since many players felt blindsided by Akane's reaction, instead of commit to a certain worldview for Hazou, instead collect information how they both feel.
Also:
  • Gets a chakra rock sample of some sort
  • Closes the loop on earthshaping jutsu, so we know if we can get something else quickly or if we should level MEW (which is at level 1, so leveling another earth jutsu would not be a big deal)
I don't know if it would be another scene to have both 1) talk with Summon Bosses and 2) Place the seals, but I suspect it would be, since having a sane-Hazou POV when seeing the Dragons/Great Seal would be quite different. Otherwise, I would have liked to talk to summon bosses as well.

If anyone is on the fence about voting for the plan, please do tell me so I can try to address your concerns.
 
Paperclipped said:
Removed Ino playing mediator. I think we shouldn't have our first one-on-one conversation with Ino after starting to date her to be about Akane. That's asking for trouble.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Point of information: you've hung out with Ino a few times, doing generic "people who enjoy each other's company" stuff, since you started dating (mostly in hospital when you couldn't get on with clan head or Dragon stuff).
 
Shrooms said:
holy balls man

I just feel sorry for Hazou. Man got his mind put in a blender twice, broke all the bones in his body, got kidnapped by one of the scariest people on the planet, nearly got executed by the Hokage several times, all in a single year, on top of a trillion other traumas probably. And he has to manage not just his own wacky projects, but he's also one of the only clan heads that gives a single fuck about a large portion of the population and is the only currently qualified person to head opposition to the LITERAL END OF THE WORLD.

ON TOP OF THAT he has to constantly keep all the people he loves from killing each other 24/7 because apparently no one else is up to the task, and when he tries to keep things together and can't he just gets shit on. Then when he actually asks for help when talking to other people for once the 2 people who were supposed to help him either bail from the responsibility or take issue with him not handling the situation 100% perfectly and abandon him.

I thought Kei was just being ridiculous with her lofty expectations of Hazou but she might legitimately be the only person in Uplift who actually has a halfway decent level of expectations for him now, because apparently everyone expects him to pull everything together somehow.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Let's be honest though: Ignoring Haru's murder spree for three weeks and then thinking about just giving him a slap on the wrist is quite bad and only an artefact of Hazō's behavior being guided by votes that a) come from people who are disconnected from his reality and b) are made through plans that are limited in size and span multiple days each time. I mean, how many chapters ago did we learn of Haru's murders? And how big was both the importance and the word count of the plans between then and now?
Eisenhelm said:
  1. what does uplift mean to him?
  2. what would he be willing to sacrifice for uplift, leaf, the resurrection project and his family? Not in the ethereal way, have a proper list of what would be acceptable losses, there will be a test sometime in the future.
  3. Is killing criminals wrong? Is killing civilians for the greater good right? What would be a proper punishment for Haru according to his criteria
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
The problem with this plan is that the people who are supposed to answer those questions are us the players, not the QMs
Shrooms said:
Bring HOWS, explain lifespan/how to tell if they need replacing.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
HOWS work directly adjacent to the Great Seal, no? The one nobody but Kumogoko or her lawfully wedded husband are allowed to look at.
 
@Lord Marshal

Lord Marshal said:
  • Hazou:
    • Akane is right, you saved Daizen, and you just forgot about civilians?
    • This is not Uplift, and you didn't even think about it.
  • Akane & Ino (OPSEC if necesssary)
    • You fucked up. You didn't even realize it.
      • You shouldn't be capable of doing that: An Hazou without Uplift shouldn't even exist.
    • It's too much.
      • It's been never-ending parade of impossible tasks and tragedies
      • Ending in a 3d seal built by the Sage to seal an horde of SS-Rank monsters that will kill everything, unless you, the barely chunin sealmaster, fixes it.
        • Orochimaru is Orochimaru, Asuma half-believes it's just a lie and the summons hate you.
    • You're streched too thin, and started leaving things behind, because you...just cannot deal with them. You're only one person.
    • These are not excuses. You're not special: Jiraiya? Better than you. Many people better than you gave up, in their little ways.
      • You cannot do that, because once you do it and accept it, it's over.
    • But it seems just wanting it is not enough, under pressure, it just happens.
    • You're scared, because that is worse than dying.
    • You understand how much of a betrayal that was not only to her, but also to himself. Whatever action Akane wants to take, you understand.
    • But to be clear: You have no intention of giving up. If you break, you just need to pick up the pieces and keep going.
      • If you stop feeling, then you'll just need to fight yourself too to realize Uplift. It's simple as that.
    • Thank Akane, without her, you would have never realized it.
    • To be sincere, you have no idea what to do. You don't really have a choice.
      • What should you do?
    • You wanted to give her time but...the sooner the HOWS are put the better, and well...
      • SS-Rank monsters and all.
  • Kumokogo
    • Bring HOWS, explain lifespan/how to tell if they need replacing.
    • Pitch Ami's Crusader idea.
      • Condor Scouts are visiting to verify Dragons exist, on Enma's recommendation. Pardon us if that's rude.
    • Describe landmarks around Rock fort, verify it's the same island/lake.
    • Manage research time expectations.
      • Any lore helps. How long have arachnids guarded it? Did Kumokogo see its creation?
    • Are they allowed to use seals?
      • If yes, explain the Kamizake Implosion Seals Plan
      • Exercise proper respect
    • Apply HOWS to Great Seal, ensure functionality, get out.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Is this post supposed to be a plan? Because it has no title and no [X], making voting for it impossible.

Edit: Quoted the wrong comment at first. Sorry Shrooms.
 
Last edited:
[X] Action Plan: Whiplash is Peak Performance
[X] Action Plan: Out of Character?
[X] Everyone is Something to Someone
 
[X] Action Plan: Whiplash is Peak Performance

This seems pretty well thought-out. The only other thing I might include is running the Crusades by Cannai offscreen before presenting them to Kumokogo.
 
Paperclipped said:
Declare (if necessary): We've produced enough HOWS that we're limited by the time needed to activate them, not the number of seals.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
@eaglejarl Is this OK in your eyes (IE state that we have enough HOWS for our purposes)?
Paperclipped said:
Teach any Arachnids that are willing to activate seals and to hide them.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
This is something that's going to take days, if not weeks, and I don't think we should be waiting to apply HOWS. Not that it matters anyway, since only Hazou and Kumokogo can actually approach the Great Seal.
Paperclipped said:
If possible, test implosion seals versus the Dragons during the distraction.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
From my recollections, we wanted to test if the implosion seals would collapse the Dragons' lungs, correct? However, this is something that the implosion seals do when activated, not when destroyed; therefore, you will need to have Hornets/Arachnids do, and would require us to teach them how to make seals. Leading to the above issue.
Paperclipped said:
Akane:
  • Goal: don't want to invalidate her feelings or absolve Hazou, just set expectations and decide on next steps.
  • First, Hazou is an imperfect embodiment of Uplift.
    • No one can embody their ideals perfectly.
    • It's good that you say something when Hazou fails to live up to his ideals.
    • By working together, we can get closer to the ideal.
  • Second, we do need to take steps on Haru's actions. Since Akane sees more clearly on this issue, what would she recommend we do?
  • Unless Akane wants to engage any further, give her space after that.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I'd recommend we deliver something tangible as per Kei's suggestion. I suggested organizing classes/meetings/something with the other members of Gouketsu (most notably Atomu, Reo, and Mai, but other ninja living on our lands, or even the civilians, should qualify). Personally think an introspective would be most appropriate here.

I think the best plan we can make RN is to do the HOWS and, while going on a multi-day journey to get to the Great Seal, introspect on Uplift and what it means.
Completely terrifying side-note, but what if us appearing to be publicly shamed/Haru being forced to pay restitution emboldens the Merchant Council to call for an embargo, thus getting Haru (and/or us) killed?

Methinks we should talk to Mari to lean on the Merchant Council IFF they start to act that way, just to cut off the edge case.
 
A couple thoughts on "Whiplash is Peak Performance"
Paperclipped said:
Probably not going after the Arachnid Scroll -- Rock's probably found it already with a facility there.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Is this something that needs to be stated? I'm not wholly against it, since it's not obvious to me which of inaction and explicit communication send the best signals, but by the same token I'm not sold on it either. What's your reasoning on why this is the better path?
Update on the situation: Apocalypse delayed, we have a rock sample to try to figure out how to reproduce the seal.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
This is a little presumptive on the assumptions that a) the HOWS operation will proceed as planned (and won't be immediately undone when the dragons return) and b) that the HOWS are actually sufficient to delay the apocalypse.

But more importantly, while having a rock sample is useful for analysis we still are not trying to reproduce the Great Seal. That kind of Sealing is far beyond any of Leaf's sealmasters, even working together. The rock is still useful, the metaphorical uninfused chakra ink of Great Seal style sealing, but our goal is to better understand what's wrong with the Great Seal and how it might be fixed.
First, Hazou is an imperfect embodiment of Uplift.
No one can embody their ideals perfectly.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
This scans too close to 'making excuses' territory for my liking. While it's true, and that sentiment is the centerpiece of my effortpost on the matter, opening with it in as many words sounds like 'it can't really be helped, these things happen' which sounds like deferring blame to vague unavoidable factors instead of ourself.

A better initial approach, I feel, would be to convey the following: "We definitely messed up. We were past our limits on due diligence and moral consideration and didn't even realize it. We should have recognized that and either surpassed our limits or relied more on the rest of Team Uplift for support."

Identify the mistake, own up to the mistake in no unclear terms, and then ask for forgiveness and support.

I haven't read the rest of the plans so I can't vote right now, but those are my thoughts on your plan.
 
Reader mode
You must login or register to reply here.
Remove ads
Back
Top