Tengu Reporter Quest (Touhou) (World 7 - Wheel of Time)
- Thread starter Entropy Judge
- Start date
- Crossover
[X] Don't tell Mora about what you did.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Votes are not locked.
[X] Don't tell Mora about what you did.
[X] Don't tell Mora about what you did.
SolipsistSerpent
Endlessly Devouring
Wow, no one wants to go to the wedding, eh? It might not be a bad idea to schmooze Hardy more, she's our only real established ally in this world at this point.
Nottheunmaker
Altman be praised
- Location
- USG Ishimura
The whole thing feels very rapey, so I want nothing to do with it.
SolipsistSerpent
Endlessly Devouring
Fair enough. We'll just have to hope a very polite refusal gives no offense, then.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
EDIT: Votes are locked.
Last edited:
A Definite Maybe
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Don't tell Mora about what you did.
You look over the girl's head, staring at the wall behind her, then grin mischievously. She perks up, misinterpreting your expression. "Nope!" The attendant sighs as Mora takes several seconds to process your response, and you can't stifle the giggle that erupts as her expression crashes.
"Aww … please?" She pouts, sprouting adorable puppy-dog eyes that just beg for matching ears and tail, but you just pat her head.
"Sorry, but it's not that interesting. And if you're so close to Hardy, you could just ask her yourself, you know." Mora pouts grumpily and crosses her arms.
"I'll get that stupid lady to beat you up!" You raise an eyebrow at the intended threat, but before Mora can react to you, her attendant reaches over and cuffs her right behind the ear, knocking her off the seat and onto the floor.
"Keep talking about Cassandra that way and I'll tell her about it. Or did she not stop you from breaking your promise to not leave the temple without an escort earlier today?" Mora hunches her shoulders defensively, and the old woman rolls her eyes before turning back to you. "Shall you be needing wyverns to take you to Belnago?" You take a breath and release it slowly; on the one hand, it's not every day that you get to see a major wedding between a god and a demigod, but on the other, you're wary of the extra 'reward' and of being seen as too subservient to Hardy in general.
"Thank you, but that won't be necessary," you say, and the woman frowns. "We can handle our own movement – although, would you happen to know when the wedding is taking place?" Mora pops up excitedly, then puffs her cheeks and looks away, clearly wanting you to ask her, specifically … so you watch the attendant, who sighs.
"I believe it will only be a few days from now; we will be leaving tomorrow morning, so I hope you are able to acquire transport for yourselves. We do have to be a bit early, but -" Mora spins suddenly and claps her hands.
"I get to be the maid of honor for the bride! So I have to make sure she knows how the wedding is supposed to go, and what she's supposed to say and do. It's really important, so Hardy wants us there nice and early to make sure everything goes smoothly!" She beams happily, wiggling in excitement, and you chuckle before rising and taking a step forward to pat her head.
"Well, we'll try to make it, but we do have other responsibilities," you say, ignoring the older woman's surprised expression. "Our duty might require us to be elsewhere at that time. I hope not, because I do like weddings, but if we can't make it, would you let Hardy know that our thoughts are with the couple?" Mora nods energetically, as the attendant's face shifts into a suspicious frown. "We should be off now, then. Take care." Mora nods again, then rushes past you to get the door. The priestess of Emroy – the same one who was with Mora earlier, although without her weapon – is sitting on a bench near the door, and rises when you and Hatate start walking out. She glances warily at you, then nods a greeting and walks into Hardy's temple. You frown at the closed door behind you, then shrug and start walking toward the entrance, looking at the marked doors for anything that likely represents a deity of the sky. There isn't anything immediately obvious, however – there must be someone, though, so it's probably just something you don't recognize. You'll just have to ask around the next time you're in.
"... Why wouldn't we be able to go?" You glance at Hatate before taking a step out into the rain, throwing up a column of wind to shield you from the falling drops. "I mean, it wouldn't take us that long to get there." You sigh and shake your head as she follows you, crafting an umbrella and getting her legs wet before adopting your tapering column.
"Because we might be somewhere that we can't take that time. We've been here a week already, and Remilia guessed about two to three weeks for the army to begin moving through that 'Gate' they have. So we'll be here for the next two or three days, but then we'll have to check at Alnus to see how soon they're likely to move – and if they are ready to pass through, we have to decide whether to go to Hardy's wedding, or if seeing what's on the other side is more important." Hatate frowns at you, and you shake your head before looking around carefully – but you're finally far enough from the few people who're hurrying through the rain that you can risk flying, and you launch yourself into the air, Hatate only a moment behind you.
"It won't make that much of a difference, right? Just step through and see what it's like, then go back and head to Belnago." You roll your eyes.
"Unless whatever's on the other side is too dangerous, or the portal is blocked on that side, or something else makes it problematic to leave right away. I'd like to go to the wedding – I like weddings, and I'd like to see how they go here, especially one between a deity and a demigod, but I also have to think about our responsibilities." Hatate sighs as you land and stretches, but you grab her arm firmly before she can go relax. "Oh, no, not yet. You're going to tell me about what you did to that poor girl." She pales and tries to lean away.
"O-oh, Suissesse? I … I didn't really do anything to her," she says unconvincingly, and you cross your arms and give her a proper glare. She wilts, looking down at your feet and wringing her hands. "I just … I accidentally beat her at archery." You snort disparagingly and she looks up, glaring.
"You accidentally beat her? How did you manage that?" She starts to snarl back at you, but forces down her anger a bit and stomps away – at least, as much as you can stomp in geta. She turns back as she sits down next to her bag.
"She's … look, she's actually really good for a human, but only at short range. I …." She sighs and shakes her head, then draws her knees up and leans against them. "I was throwing against her, not shooting as well as I could have – and, no, I wasn't cheating. I … I've kind of practiced a bit, even if the bows they have here are really different than the kinds I'm used to. Anyway, at short range, she's really good. Like, humans just don't get better than that. But over fifty meters, her accuracy starts dropping. Part of it's her equipment – the arrows she uses just aren't good at long-range shots – but part of it is her and what she's trained for. Anyway, I'd been doing … okay, for a human, and then I suggested we go for a really far shot. Ninety meters, three arrows each. Two of my shots went wide, and one just tagged the target, but … all three of her arrows fell short. Like, her closest shot was ten meters from the target. And wide." She looks embarrassed for the girl and shakes her head.
"Was that a possible shot for a human with that equipment?" Hatate looks indignant.
"Of course! Difficult, sure, but even she expected to make her shots. But … she didn't, and I hit the target once, so …." She trails off uncomfortably and rests her forehead against her knees. You smile; of course, as young as she is, she never got to test anyone, but that is something tengu did. Test humans, to see if they could improve. Like Beefeater, this Suissesse might be worth encouraging – maybe someone'll tie a flag to a mast and challenge her to shoot it down! But … that's for later.
"Well, think about tomorrow," you say cheerily, and Hatate looks up suspiciously. "Sadera is much bigger than Italica, and there's a lot to see. We'll probably stay here for a few days, then head back to Alnus to see how close they are to going through that 'Gate' of theirs." Her eyes widen and she takes a deep breath. You pat her head, grinning at her scowl, and then curl up to think and, eventually, to sleep.
The night passes without incident, and you and Hatate make an early-morning flight to the ocean to wash off before returning to the capital. You float high above the dragon-riders – wyvern-riders, apparently – and watch them yawn while trying to keep from setting their faces on fire with their torches. The dark before the dawn is always the worst for humans, and even if they keep up the motions, there's obviously nothing actually happening that they need to keep a close watch for. You turn your attention to the city itself, still snoring peacefully in the dark. Where to go …?
What do you do?
[ ][Aya] Find one of the Crime Families.
- [ ] Watch them sneakily.
- [ ] Talk to them openly.
[ ][Aya] Sneak into one of the Palaces.
- [ ] Diabo's.
- [ ] Zorzal's.
[ ][Aya] See what the big arena is like.
[ ][Aya] Find the prime merchant district and see what it's like.
[ ][Aya] Go to the temple and find out which god is in charge of the sky.
[ ][Hatate] Stay with Aya.
[ ][Hatate] Study the farms in the northeast along the river.
[ ][Hatate] See what the big arena is like.
[ ][Hatate] Find the prime merchant district and see what it's like.
[ ] Other?
You look over the girl's head, staring at the wall behind her, then grin mischievously. She perks up, misinterpreting your expression. "Nope!" The attendant sighs as Mora takes several seconds to process your response, and you can't stifle the giggle that erupts as her expression crashes.
"Aww … please?" She pouts, sprouting adorable puppy-dog eyes that just beg for matching ears and tail, but you just pat her head.
"Sorry, but it's not that interesting. And if you're so close to Hardy, you could just ask her yourself, you know." Mora pouts grumpily and crosses her arms.
"I'll get that stupid lady to beat you up!" You raise an eyebrow at the intended threat, but before Mora can react to you, her attendant reaches over and cuffs her right behind the ear, knocking her off the seat and onto the floor.
"Keep talking about Cassandra that way and I'll tell her about it. Or did she not stop you from breaking your promise to not leave the temple without an escort earlier today?" Mora hunches her shoulders defensively, and the old woman rolls her eyes before turning back to you. "Shall you be needing wyverns to take you to Belnago?" You take a breath and release it slowly; on the one hand, it's not every day that you get to see a major wedding between a god and a demigod, but on the other, you're wary of the extra 'reward' and of being seen as too subservient to Hardy in general.
"Thank you, but that won't be necessary," you say, and the woman frowns. "We can handle our own movement – although, would you happen to know when the wedding is taking place?" Mora pops up excitedly, then puffs her cheeks and looks away, clearly wanting you to ask her, specifically … so you watch the attendant, who sighs.
"I believe it will only be a few days from now; we will be leaving tomorrow morning, so I hope you are able to acquire transport for yourselves. We do have to be a bit early, but -" Mora spins suddenly and claps her hands.
"I get to be the maid of honor for the bride! So I have to make sure she knows how the wedding is supposed to go, and what she's supposed to say and do. It's really important, so Hardy wants us there nice and early to make sure everything goes smoothly!" She beams happily, wiggling in excitement, and you chuckle before rising and taking a step forward to pat her head.
"Well, we'll try to make it, but we do have other responsibilities," you say, ignoring the older woman's surprised expression. "Our duty might require us to be elsewhere at that time. I hope not, because I do like weddings, but if we can't make it, would you let Hardy know that our thoughts are with the couple?" Mora nods energetically, as the attendant's face shifts into a suspicious frown. "We should be off now, then. Take care." Mora nods again, then rushes past you to get the door. The priestess of Emroy – the same one who was with Mora earlier, although without her weapon – is sitting on a bench near the door, and rises when you and Hatate start walking out. She glances warily at you, then nods a greeting and walks into Hardy's temple. You frown at the closed door behind you, then shrug and start walking toward the entrance, looking at the marked doors for anything that likely represents a deity of the sky. There isn't anything immediately obvious, however – there must be someone, though, so it's probably just something you don't recognize. You'll just have to ask around the next time you're in.
"... Why wouldn't we be able to go?" You glance at Hatate before taking a step out into the rain, throwing up a column of wind to shield you from the falling drops. "I mean, it wouldn't take us that long to get there." You sigh and shake your head as she follows you, crafting an umbrella and getting her legs wet before adopting your tapering column.
"Because we might be somewhere that we can't take that time. We've been here a week already, and Remilia guessed about two to three weeks for the army to begin moving through that 'Gate' they have. So we'll be here for the next two or three days, but then we'll have to check at Alnus to see how soon they're likely to move – and if they are ready to pass through, we have to decide whether to go to Hardy's wedding, or if seeing what's on the other side is more important." Hatate frowns at you, and you shake your head before looking around carefully – but you're finally far enough from the few people who're hurrying through the rain that you can risk flying, and you launch yourself into the air, Hatate only a moment behind you.
"It won't make that much of a difference, right? Just step through and see what it's like, then go back and head to Belnago." You roll your eyes.
"Unless whatever's on the other side is too dangerous, or the portal is blocked on that side, or something else makes it problematic to leave right away. I'd like to go to the wedding – I like weddings, and I'd like to see how they go here, especially one between a deity and a demigod, but I also have to think about our responsibilities." Hatate sighs as you land and stretches, but you grab her arm firmly before she can go relax. "Oh, no, not yet. You're going to tell me about what you did to that poor girl." She pales and tries to lean away.
"O-oh, Suissesse? I … I didn't really do anything to her," she says unconvincingly, and you cross your arms and give her a proper glare. She wilts, looking down at your feet and wringing her hands. "I just … I accidentally beat her at archery." You snort disparagingly and she looks up, glaring.
"You accidentally beat her? How did you manage that?" She starts to snarl back at you, but forces down her anger a bit and stomps away – at least, as much as you can stomp in geta. She turns back as she sits down next to her bag.
"She's … look, she's actually really good for a human, but only at short range. I …." She sighs and shakes her head, then draws her knees up and leans against them. "I was throwing against her, not shooting as well as I could have – and, no, I wasn't cheating. I … I've kind of practiced a bit, even if the bows they have here are really different than the kinds I'm used to. Anyway, at short range, she's really good. Like, humans just don't get better than that. But over fifty meters, her accuracy starts dropping. Part of it's her equipment – the arrows she uses just aren't good at long-range shots – but part of it is her and what she's trained for. Anyway, I'd been doing … okay, for a human, and then I suggested we go for a really far shot. Ninety meters, three arrows each. Two of my shots went wide, and one just tagged the target, but … all three of her arrows fell short. Like, her closest shot was ten meters from the target. And wide." She looks embarrassed for the girl and shakes her head.
"Was that a possible shot for a human with that equipment?" Hatate looks indignant.
"Of course! Difficult, sure, but even she expected to make her shots. But … she didn't, and I hit the target once, so …." She trails off uncomfortably and rests her forehead against her knees. You smile; of course, as young as she is, she never got to test anyone, but that is something tengu did. Test humans, to see if they could improve. Like Beefeater, this Suissesse might be worth encouraging – maybe someone'll tie a flag to a mast and challenge her to shoot it down! But … that's for later.
"Well, think about tomorrow," you say cheerily, and Hatate looks up suspiciously. "Sadera is much bigger than Italica, and there's a lot to see. We'll probably stay here for a few days, then head back to Alnus to see how close they are to going through that 'Gate' of theirs." Her eyes widen and she takes a deep breath. You pat her head, grinning at her scowl, and then curl up to think and, eventually, to sleep.
***
The night passes without incident, and you and Hatate make an early-morning flight to the ocean to wash off before returning to the capital. You float high above the dragon-riders – wyvern-riders, apparently – and watch them yawn while trying to keep from setting their faces on fire with their torches. The dark before the dawn is always the worst for humans, and even if they keep up the motions, there's obviously nothing actually happening that they need to keep a close watch for. You turn your attention to the city itself, still snoring peacefully in the dark. Where to go …?
What do you do?
[ ][Aya] Find one of the Crime Families.
- [ ] Watch them sneakily.
- [ ] Talk to them openly.
[ ][Aya] Sneak into one of the Palaces.
- [ ] Diabo's.
- [ ] Zorzal's.
[ ][Aya] See what the big arena is like.
[ ][Aya] Find the prime merchant district and see what it's like.
[ ][Aya] Go to the temple and find out which god is in charge of the sky.
[ ][Hatate] Stay with Aya.
[ ][Hatate] Study the farms in the northeast along the river.
[ ][Hatate] See what the big arena is like.
[ ][Hatate] Find the prime merchant district and see what it's like.
[ ] Other?
- Location
- Taken by the hand to a land that they understand
[X][Aya] Find the prime merchant district and see what it's like.
[X][Hatate] Stay with Aya.
First rule of adventuring, never split the party too far.
[X][Hatate] Stay with Aya.
First rule of adventuring, never split the party too far.
- Location
- London
That honestly sounds like a really short range to struggle at. Wikipedia suggests that English longbows had a range of ~300m during practise and ~150m during battle when firing repeatedly for hours. I suppose a woman's bow would have to be a lower draw weight and that would hurt the max range, and I guess a different type of bow might not make as good use of that draw weight, but "the best archer in the group can only shoot 80m on the practise field" doesn't say good things about how useful in battle the archers will be.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Maximum range, sure. On the other hand, Suissesse isn't using an English longbow; she's using a shorter bow with a much lower draw weight. Ninety meters is about triple what Suissesse normally shoots at, and she just doesn't practice that kind of shooting so she isn't good at it as she is at shooting an eye-sized target at twenty meters while riding a horse at full gallop. And while a longbow might have a 'reach out and touch you' range of over 200 meters, practically speaking you aren't going to get many shots that can actually go through mail until you're closer than fifty. A 160-lb longbow can penetrate mail at 10 meters, sure, but history is full of accounts of armored men being pin-cushioned by arrows from farther out and just not being affected. So Suissesse doesn't bother shooting that far, because there's not a realistic chance of her hitting a weak point at that range.
Which is completely different from the Imperial Army, which fields archers grouped in hundreds and absolutely starts shooting at over a hundred meters, because they have the numbers of arrows to not really care about the fact that 95%+ of those shots are going to be wasted.
Nottheunmaker
Altman be praised
- Location
- USG Ishimura
[X][Aya] Go to the temple and find out which god is in charge of the sky.
[X][Hatate] See what the big arena is like.
[X][Hatate] See what the big arena is like.
- Location
- London
Just by virtue of how physics works maximum range has got to be pretty strongly correlated with penetrative power, which is part of why I was dubious of how useful a bow with such a short maximum practise range would be in an actual battle. It's not at all surprising that she couldn't hit the target, after all at that kind of range you'd be aiming at a formation rather than an individual even if you did train for it, but I do think she should be able to shoot that far.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Range is affected by plenty more than just the poundage of the bow, though - length/size of the fletching, and whether the fletching is straight or curved/at an angle, the size and weight of the arrow shaft, stiffness of the shaft, the arrow's balance, potentially the arrowhead. A straight-fletched, three-vaned arrow will probably fly faster, but less accurately, than an arrow with four angled vanes, and an arrow that's really good at penetration won't necessarily be good at long-range shots. Gerald of Wales specifically called out the Welsh longbows as not being good at long range but quite capable of inflicting devastating injuries close-up:
Suissess's problem isn't so much her equipment, though; it's perfectly capable of making a 90-meter flight fairly accurately. Her problem is the fact that she doesn't practice long-range shots. For her, fifty meters is long range.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Votes are not locked.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Votes are locked.
Investigating Gods
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
[Aya] Go to the temple and find out which god is in charge of the sky.
[Hatate] See what the big arena is like.
"Well, Hatate? Have you thought of what you should do today?" She winces and looks over at you, but you keep your attention on the fliers below.
"Um … I'm going to have to where local clothes, won't I?" You chuckle and she sighs.
"That big arena, I think. It's some kind of entertainment area, so you should be able to enjoy yourself; I'll even give you some spending money." She grimaces, most likely at the thought of being surrounded by humans, and you wonder about the best way to get some extra money. Probably just find some criminals and shake them down. "You don't have to spend all day there, but try to be there until midday. I'll try to find you there first when I finish." She grunts unhappily.
"And where will you be?" You raise an eyebrow and wait for her to look at least a little shameful before diving back into the city. Back at the roost, you stretch and look at the almost-lightening sky.
"... I'll be at the main temple, looking up some more information on religious matters. You already have some things about that, right?" She frowns and nods, digging out her notebook and flipping back through it.
"Mmm … gods of death, of order, of the sun, of covenants, of guardianship … stuff humans like to have. What – oh, you're after a sky god, aren't you?" You nod and she frowns at her notebook again before shaking her head. "I didn't hear anything about one back in Italica, but I didn't exactly go door to door and ask everyone. Do you think we'll get along with him?" You shrug.
"It would help, even if Hardy is cooperating with us. She's an underground goddess, after all." Hatate nods and puts her notebook away, then sighs and takes out one of her local dresses, scowling at it. You grin, pat her shoulder, and get ready to change as well. Sure, you'll stand out a bit in the temple, but if it means you don't have to come back here to change if you do go meet Hatate, it's probably worth it.
You walk into the temple, sighing quietly as you leave the sunlight. There's not really a good way to ask someone which god you want to talk to, but you have come up with a plan! You just need to wait until the right people come along … and, eventually, as you walk around and make notes of the various divine symbols, you see someone who seems to fit the bill. Sidling against a wall, unnoticed, you whisper into the wind, hoping that whatever blocked your ability before doesn't cause you problems inside the temple. Your first tests worked, sure, but ….
"Which one?" The woman glowers at her children, whacking one on the head when he gives her a look.
"Uh, which one what?" The boy receives another whack, and then the woman pulls his ear.
"'Which one what,' he asks. Which sky god were you asking about! Storms, winds, or beasts?" You suppress a chuckle – despite Giselle's insistence on 'one god for a purpose,' it seems deities here do still divide portfolios. Well, if subordinate deities can take over for a patron's portfolio, it makes sense that would happen … but which one do you want? The boy, however, doesn't cooperate – but the toddling girl with them does.
"Fluffy cloud ponies!" The matron sighs as the little girl gurgles and wraps herself around her legs as the boy darts away toward some other deity.
"We've been through this, Miranda, that beast doesn't have any cloud ponies. No, no, we'll see some cloud deer once we're done here, so don't cry. Yes, they're cute, aren't they? Yes, be good." She picks up the girl, nearly panicking when she starts to cry, and you slip sideways to keep an eye on your next subject. He doesn't answer right away, though, instead spinning around warily before swallowing nervously as your muffled voice enters his ear. He does, however, stammer out that 'the beast' – that is, a deity called Neran – has its temple upstairs, marked by a terrifying bird. Then he rushes to one of the temple doors and pounds on it, face white. You make your way upstairs and find the temple he indicated. You knock gently on it, then push the door open.
"Ugh, go 'way! Don' wanna talk to humans." The woman on the floor glares at you, flaps her large white wings twice, then pouts at the wine jug in her hand. It is disappointingly empty, and she whines before covering her head with a pillow. "Go 'way, human. I don' wanna be here." You shake your head as she mumbles to herself, slurring her words and not quite crying, and step inside before closing the door behind you.
"You serve Neran, right? Lord of winged creatures?" She sighs and sits upright, scowling at you before taking a deep breath and assuming a slightly more dignified look.
"I do. And any humans who come here should bring an offering. Preferably something better than this trash." She tosses the jug toward you, and it cracks as it hits the wall. You glance at it, then at the woman as she tosses her brown hair and gives you a disgusted look. "But you don't have anything, do you? Just came here to stare at the winged woman who's been exiled to this … this festering lowland miserable human garbage pile! Get out!" You hold her vicious stare for a long moment, then slowly back out of the room and close the door. Sure, you could reveal yourself to her, if she isn't already so drunk as to disregard the transformation as a trick of her condition, or a trick of yours … but if she's in that kind of condition when the most likely people to visit are humans anyway, maybe you should find someone a little less grouchy. Maybe the god of winds? You turn, intending to head back down and trick some other human into letting you know what you want, but someone across the hall is watching you, and when he realizes you're paying attention to him, he waves for you to approach.
"Poor girl hates humans, and priests not generally being allowed to leave the temple doesn't help matters much. I'm Rex – at least, that's what everyone calls me. Mocking, I'm sure, but it's just a name. What were you after in Neran's temple?" You nod a greeting at the middle-aged-looking man. He seems human, but – well, after what just happened ….
"I'm Aya. I was interested in learning more about Neran and his followers, but …." Rex smiles and shakes his head.
"Neran doesn't have much against humans, per se, but poor Shara hates all of us. Even we priests of Tseran don't get much slack if we don't have good alcohol to make up for it. The only way to get her to treat you politely, much less let you meet Keza, the High Priestess, is to be a feather-winged creature. That's Neran's province, you know; most everyone thinks it's just flying creatures, but he only really cares about feather-winged critters. Fur-winged, scale-winged – they're not things he cares about." You nod and look around.
"And I guess with how the Empire treats everything that's not human, he doesn't much care for it?" Rex chuckles and waves for you to follow him into his temple – Tseran? You look around, confused by the many, many hanging wind-chimes in the room. Rex brushes a few out of the way as he picks the shortest path to a small couch; some are glass, others stone, and all soon hang still in the enclosed room.
"So I gather," he responds after you take a seat in a chair, raising an eyebrow at your notebook. "The way the Empire kills and enslaves any of the feather-winged species bothers him. Not, that I understand, that he particularly cared for anything else before the rise of the Empire, but he's really turned to hating humans and the Empire over the centuries, and if he were able, he'd probably work to destroy the Empire. But Tseran's too kind, too interested in the winds to help her lover, and the Stormbringer's more interested in spiting her rival than helping him attack the Empire, especially if it means Tseran spends more time with her. That they're both nominally Neran's subordinates, since he's the one that raised them to godhood …." You smile understandingly, then look back toward the obscured door.
"Is there a way to talk to a priest of Neran who is … less hostile?" Rex shrugs.
"No idea. Most of his temples are located away from human domains, and I'm sure if he thought it would work out he'd pull his followers away from here, too. But it's still better for most gods to communicate through intermediaries instead of actually meeting each other. Supposedly Neran actually takes a physical form, but that's been hearsay for centuries now, so who knows how true it is? Not many people willing to try and find the highest peak in the Mountains of Ice and Snow to verify it, much less actually capable of succeeding and reporting back."
"Especially if his subjects follow his views, since, if I were them, I'd make an effort to stop anyone from even remotely succeeding unless they were already an ally." You frown down at your notes. If Neran is the lord of winged – feather-winged – creatures, and the Stormbringer follows her title, then Tseran should be the goddess of winds. But if she's kind, then she's unlikely to be particularly interested in working with tengu. You could go back to Neran's temple and reveal yourself, or ask Rex to introduce you to the Stormbringer's priest, since you probably have more in common with them than with either of the other two sky gods … or maybe you should keep talking with him. Hmm ….
What do you do?
[ ] Go back to Neran's temple and show Shara what you really are.
[ ] Keep talking with Rex.
- [ ] About the relationships between the three sky gods.
- [ ] About who you really are and what you're doing here.
[ ] Ask Rex to introduce you to the priest at the Stormbringer's temple.
- [ ] Reveal yourself to that priest.
[ ] Other?
[Hatate] See what the big arena is like.
"Well, Hatate? Have you thought of what you should do today?" She winces and looks over at you, but you keep your attention on the fliers below.
"Um … I'm going to have to where local clothes, won't I?" You chuckle and she sighs.
"That big arena, I think. It's some kind of entertainment area, so you should be able to enjoy yourself; I'll even give you some spending money." She grimaces, most likely at the thought of being surrounded by humans, and you wonder about the best way to get some extra money. Probably just find some criminals and shake them down. "You don't have to spend all day there, but try to be there until midday. I'll try to find you there first when I finish." She grunts unhappily.
"And where will you be?" You raise an eyebrow and wait for her to look at least a little shameful before diving back into the city. Back at the roost, you stretch and look at the almost-lightening sky.
"... I'll be at the main temple, looking up some more information on religious matters. You already have some things about that, right?" She frowns and nods, digging out her notebook and flipping back through it.
"Mmm … gods of death, of order, of the sun, of covenants, of guardianship … stuff humans like to have. What – oh, you're after a sky god, aren't you?" You nod and she frowns at her notebook again before shaking her head. "I didn't hear anything about one back in Italica, but I didn't exactly go door to door and ask everyone. Do you think we'll get along with him?" You shrug.
"It would help, even if Hardy is cooperating with us. She's an underground goddess, after all." Hatate nods and puts her notebook away, then sighs and takes out one of her local dresses, scowling at it. You grin, pat her shoulder, and get ready to change as well. Sure, you'll stand out a bit in the temple, but if it means you don't have to come back here to change if you do go meet Hatate, it's probably worth it.
***
You walk into the temple, sighing quietly as you leave the sunlight. There's not really a good way to ask someone which god you want to talk to, but you have come up with a plan! You just need to wait until the right people come along … and, eventually, as you walk around and make notes of the various divine symbols, you see someone who seems to fit the bill. Sidling against a wall, unnoticed, you whisper into the wind, hoping that whatever blocked your ability before doesn't cause you problems inside the temple. Your first tests worked, sure, but ….
"Which one?" The woman glowers at her children, whacking one on the head when he gives her a look.
"Uh, which one what?" The boy receives another whack, and then the woman pulls his ear.
"'Which one what,' he asks. Which sky god were you asking about! Storms, winds, or beasts?" You suppress a chuckle – despite Giselle's insistence on 'one god for a purpose,' it seems deities here do still divide portfolios. Well, if subordinate deities can take over for a patron's portfolio, it makes sense that would happen … but which one do you want? The boy, however, doesn't cooperate – but the toddling girl with them does.
"Fluffy cloud ponies!" The matron sighs as the little girl gurgles and wraps herself around her legs as the boy darts away toward some other deity.
"We've been through this, Miranda, that beast doesn't have any cloud ponies. No, no, we'll see some cloud deer once we're done here, so don't cry. Yes, they're cute, aren't they? Yes, be good." She picks up the girl, nearly panicking when she starts to cry, and you slip sideways to keep an eye on your next subject. He doesn't answer right away, though, instead spinning around warily before swallowing nervously as your muffled voice enters his ear. He does, however, stammer out that 'the beast' – that is, a deity called Neran – has its temple upstairs, marked by a terrifying bird. Then he rushes to one of the temple doors and pounds on it, face white. You make your way upstairs and find the temple he indicated. You knock gently on it, then push the door open.
"Ugh, go 'way! Don' wanna talk to humans." The woman on the floor glares at you, flaps her large white wings twice, then pouts at the wine jug in her hand. It is disappointingly empty, and she whines before covering her head with a pillow. "Go 'way, human. I don' wanna be here." You shake your head as she mumbles to herself, slurring her words and not quite crying, and step inside before closing the door behind you.
"You serve Neran, right? Lord of winged creatures?" She sighs and sits upright, scowling at you before taking a deep breath and assuming a slightly more dignified look.
"I do. And any humans who come here should bring an offering. Preferably something better than this trash." She tosses the jug toward you, and it cracks as it hits the wall. You glance at it, then at the woman as she tosses her brown hair and gives you a disgusted look. "But you don't have anything, do you? Just came here to stare at the winged woman who's been exiled to this … this festering lowland miserable human garbage pile! Get out!" You hold her vicious stare for a long moment, then slowly back out of the room and close the door. Sure, you could reveal yourself to her, if she isn't already so drunk as to disregard the transformation as a trick of her condition, or a trick of yours … but if she's in that kind of condition when the most likely people to visit are humans anyway, maybe you should find someone a little less grouchy. Maybe the god of winds? You turn, intending to head back down and trick some other human into letting you know what you want, but someone across the hall is watching you, and when he realizes you're paying attention to him, he waves for you to approach.
"Poor girl hates humans, and priests not generally being allowed to leave the temple doesn't help matters much. I'm Rex – at least, that's what everyone calls me. Mocking, I'm sure, but it's just a name. What were you after in Neran's temple?" You nod a greeting at the middle-aged-looking man. He seems human, but – well, after what just happened ….
"I'm Aya. I was interested in learning more about Neran and his followers, but …." Rex smiles and shakes his head.
"Neran doesn't have much against humans, per se, but poor Shara hates all of us. Even we priests of Tseran don't get much slack if we don't have good alcohol to make up for it. The only way to get her to treat you politely, much less let you meet Keza, the High Priestess, is to be a feather-winged creature. That's Neran's province, you know; most everyone thinks it's just flying creatures, but he only really cares about feather-winged critters. Fur-winged, scale-winged – they're not things he cares about." You nod and look around.
"And I guess with how the Empire treats everything that's not human, he doesn't much care for it?" Rex chuckles and waves for you to follow him into his temple – Tseran? You look around, confused by the many, many hanging wind-chimes in the room. Rex brushes a few out of the way as he picks the shortest path to a small couch; some are glass, others stone, and all soon hang still in the enclosed room.
"So I gather," he responds after you take a seat in a chair, raising an eyebrow at your notebook. "The way the Empire kills and enslaves any of the feather-winged species bothers him. Not, that I understand, that he particularly cared for anything else before the rise of the Empire, but he's really turned to hating humans and the Empire over the centuries, and if he were able, he'd probably work to destroy the Empire. But Tseran's too kind, too interested in the winds to help her lover, and the Stormbringer's more interested in spiting her rival than helping him attack the Empire, especially if it means Tseran spends more time with her. That they're both nominally Neran's subordinates, since he's the one that raised them to godhood …." You smile understandingly, then look back toward the obscured door.
"Is there a way to talk to a priest of Neran who is … less hostile?" Rex shrugs.
"No idea. Most of his temples are located away from human domains, and I'm sure if he thought it would work out he'd pull his followers away from here, too. But it's still better for most gods to communicate through intermediaries instead of actually meeting each other. Supposedly Neran actually takes a physical form, but that's been hearsay for centuries now, so who knows how true it is? Not many people willing to try and find the highest peak in the Mountains of Ice and Snow to verify it, much less actually capable of succeeding and reporting back."
"Especially if his subjects follow his views, since, if I were them, I'd make an effort to stop anyone from even remotely succeeding unless they were already an ally." You frown down at your notes. If Neran is the lord of winged – feather-winged – creatures, and the Stormbringer follows her title, then Tseran should be the goddess of winds. But if she's kind, then she's unlikely to be particularly interested in working with tengu. You could go back to Neran's temple and reveal yourself, or ask Rex to introduce you to the Stormbringer's priest, since you probably have more in common with them than with either of the other two sky gods … or maybe you should keep talking with him. Hmm ….
What do you do?
[ ] Go back to Neran's temple and show Shara what you really are.
[ ] Keep talking with Rex.
- [ ] About the relationships between the three sky gods.
- [ ] About who you really are and what you're doing here.
[ ] Ask Rex to introduce you to the priest at the Stormbringer's temple.
- [ ] Reveal yourself to that priest.
[ ] Other?