Usagi Quest (CK3/Princess Maker) (Sailor Moon)
Grue
滅亡迅雷
- Location
- -
Where in the quest was the Mercury Cell hinted again? I don't recall it, but there's been a lot of words in the quest.
We've gotten a few chances to research the Mercury Computer, or more accurately, the Mercury Terminal, as seen in this one:
That and a couple of times we've gotten hints that the actual palm-top is way less powerful than it appears. But on the flipside, the idea that 'all of mercury is a computer' is I think, fantastical and absurd. You do not need a planetary scale computer to do this.
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
Yes, and quest-Venus actually reclaimed it, back during the team's first visit to the Moon Palace. The problem is it's not in very good shape. The rust and damage and whatnot was implied to reflect the pain she's carrying, and trying to run away from by retreating into the identity of Sailor Venus.
I forget who, but somebody is tinkering with an omake that crosses over with the game Celeste so she can have a journey of self-discovery.
jwolfe_beta
Semi Genre-Savvy Overlord
- Location
- Canada
Though the extreme ruggedization of their Devices makes additional sense when you consider the Cartridge System. Considering it's basicilly a magical nitro boost to allow the device and mage to quickly get more magic than they could ever generate/gather normally, its to no surprise that using it would be very hard on the device.
Heck apparently in one of the side materials, Nanoha mentions that after adding the cartridge system to RH, the device's maintenance needs have skyrocketed.
- Location
- San Ramon, CA
The Boulder!
The Boulder rolls a 6! ...Is that good?
The Boulder rolls a 6! ...Is that good?
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- Location
- USA
I'll do punching.
Edit: Should we be worried about a sudden calamity if the third one is a 6 as well?
Edit: Should we be worried about a sudden calamity if the third one is a 6 as well?
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- Location
- USA
Whew...
It would be really funny if it had been a six.
Then a global magical call to arms from all the Christian factions that "It's time." interrupting everything with a sudden crisis.
I hate Mondays: Part 6
Lunaryon
Dual Aurora Wave
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Nadare drives all his magic into the weapon and pulls the trigger again and again. Though he's hardly the most practiced with this kind of weapon, though his hands twitch with the stress of battle and jerk against the recoil, he tries to aim for the glowing red diamond beneath the grille set in the monster's chest. Sparks fly again and again from the Nakewameke's head and chest. The sharp pops of gunfire, clangs of impact, and conflicting crackles and sizzles of fire and ice magic merge into an almost mechanical noise. The furnace-monster twitches and recoils a bit, growling and waving its arms like a bear stung by hornets.
But finally the slide clicks open. Nadare reaches down, fumbling towards his belt… and realizes he forgot to stop and grab spare magazines. Like the instructor said.
Sheer terror reaches him, then, and paralyzes him for a moment, but-
"NAKEWA-"
"GOTCHA!"
Dwim shouts in triumph, lunging forward, twisting to put his momentum into a kick that sweeps the monster's legs out from under it! The Nakewameke goes down with an enormous iron clatter, but immediately roars again and starts pushing itself back to its hands and knees.
And then a sudden, mighty wind washes over them all.
Something's wrong. Something's naggingly wrong.
Haruka's not injured. That's not it. She's been hurt in ordinary life before, of course. And in the early wild days against Oblivion. After that first day, when the Knights struck just outside that restaurant Michiru picked. When Michiru went down, stood back up as a terrifyingly beautiful and strangely dressed sorceress, struck down the cultists, turned to speak a few words to Haruka in an alien language, then passed out and reverted to her more conventionally beautiful self. After the explanations and secrets shared that night.
There were some difficult fights at first, and some of the Knights of Oblivion know what they're doing. But this isn't a wound, or a spell hurting her. It's certainly not the fault of the flying robots. They keep striking her with their little bolts, hitting her surprisingly often even as she runs and jumps with the speed of a Senshi, but they simply don't seem to have any effect.
Something's wrong.
And that wrongness is bothering her far more than anything the enemy's tried to do to her so far.
Damn it all! What kind of dashing heroic rescuer can't push a bit of unease out of her head? Haruka finds herself on the edge of voicing her complaints out loud, struggling to snap out of the fog and discomfort in her mind as she bounds higher, using one of the compound's buildings as a stepping stool to reach the highest of them all, trying to fix all the trouble spots in her mind.
Haruka turns.
"All right, let's-"
She asks Michiru what's happening, or starts to.
"...Oh. Right. I'm alone."
Haruka shakes her head. Her mouth twists into a grimace of wry self-mockery. Right. That's it. She's fought plenty of enemies as Sailor Uranus while Michiru has been otherwise occupied. But rarely, rarely, when she wasn't nearby. She was nearly always there with her, usually in body, always in spirit.
There were times last week, during the search for Cendrellion out east of Tokyo, that were a little like this. When Haruka felt that sense of being off balance, diminished somehow, by her lover's absence. But then, she was only a call away, no more than a few kilometers off- a minute or two's sprint. And what fighting Haruka did in that week barely qualified for the name; there wasn't serious opposition, and she could pick her battles comfortably, or leave them on the table.
This is different. Maybe it's something about the sounds and the feelings. The massed whines of dozens of stun-blasts passing through the air. The irregular pops of rifle fire. The roars of monsters from different directions. And just for a moment, Haruka feels something beyond sound. The thick fear and worry from the people in the buildings. The sense of pressure and consequence. The discord and chaos and Michiru would be able to somehow banish with her grace and her poise.
Shaking her head, Haruka tries to clear her mind and fight off the ache. There are more important things-
Ruler-straight lines of silver light slice the sky. Twenty beams, thirty, too many to register as individual things slash into a loose, swirling flock of the flying robots, sending them down in a rain of debris and white-hot flames that dazzle but sputter out fast. For a moment Haruka remembers burning magnesium strips from chemistry, last year, but-
What was that? Haruka's head whips around, tracking the path of the beams. They formed a sort of expanding cone, so they should track back to- ah.
That silhouette. Those braids. Usagi.
The princess is casting something- oh. She mentioned that trick last week…
And again, Haruka's getting distracted.
Enough of that! She can do this. She's no less strong, no less quick. Just… less, the worst of the nagging whispers says to her. No more indecision. Shaking her head, Haruka scans the battlefield. Two things draw her eye almost immediately. Two very different shapes, different creatures. But with a little experience in these things, she can pick them out as Zakenna, or Nakewameke, or something of the sort
Far across the compound, an enormous bloated pink blob lumbers back and forth. It lets out a bellow, staggering from a powerful blow struck by the lone warrior fighting it. It has to be one of Labyrinth's Nakewameke.
Senshi vision is something better than human, but at this distance she can't quite identify the hulking man in red. Not with any certainty, not through the aura of strange green flames that wraps around him. But…
Haruka only knows Dr. Sakurai by how other MCAT people talk about her. But she remembers from the Night Market how the prototype bit of mad science in Jadeite's hand sang as the man fought. That was a prototype of some kind. And, like Jadeite then, the man down there who fights wrapped in green fire and furious bellows comes with his own musical accompaniment as he lays into the monster. So it's probably Mr. Kazanari. He'll be all right. That simplifies matters.
The cobwebs are clearing a bit. The other monster looks a lot smaller, but from the way it's roaring and how much of a struggle it's giving oni trying to wrestle with it, it's not weak-
Shit!
If someone with a gun is desperate enough to step up to a thing that size, it is not a good sign. Haruka starts moving.
Haruka Red String of Fate Activates!
Nadare Wardbreaker Rounds Activates!
Nadare, Yua Fire Versus Ice Activates!
Allied Forces: d10+((36+1)*0.8)+(0.33*23)+((0.33)^2)*(15-3+2))+((0.33)^3)*(12-3)) = 3+39 = 42
Vs
Heater Nakewameke 8+28 = 36
Allied Forces Success!
Nadare Wardbreaker Rounds Activates!
Nadare, Yua Fire Versus Ice Activates!
Allied Forces: d10+((36+1)*0.8)+(0.33*23)+((0.33)^2)*(15-3+2))+((0.33)^3)*(12-3)) = 3+39 = 42
Vs
Heater Nakewameke 8+28 = 36
Allied Forces Success!
She rebounds off the creature, grimacing, flipping and kicking off the ground again with a one-legged hop that probably feels more awkward than it looks. She bounds to rest against a planter, thankfully without damaging it or sprawling across it.
Her foot hurts, but she can ignore it; it's not bad enough to mean anything's broken.
Besides, one of her old rules is in play. Never let the bastards see you sweat. Haruka channels the sting into the devil-may-care smile that she's been using since long before Michiru initiated her into this kind of fighting.
Haruka straightens and folds her arms. Aware of the MCAT yokai's eyes on her, she cocks an eyebrow at the sprawling, creaking monster. She calls up the old charm and dramatics-
*bong clang clang bong bong clang*
-And realizes, nonplussed, that the oni fighting for MCAT has already turned back to the work at hand. Namely, stomping and kicking the Nakewameke while it's down. No respect! But she snorts at the absurdity of her own resentment. The oni's massive iron-shod boots are at least leaving a few dents, after all. Haruka, for her part, notes with satisfaction that the monster's head wrenched to one side, seemingly jammed in place. She's not sure how much that will really hurt the thing, but she'll take what she can get. Especially if it's more permanent-looking than what the guy who stole her thunder managed-
"NAKEWAMEKE!"
The furnace-monster bellows, erupting in a cloud of ash and spurts of flame. At the same time, it rolls over with engine force. Dwim, off-balance with his kicking of the downed monster, topples backwards. Shit. Time to move. Haruka sprints forwards. And despite the sudden, startling, clockwork speed with which the thing rises into an unsteady crouch, it makes it to that position just in time for a white-gloved fist to crash into its shoulder.
This should be… manageable. Manageable.
It'd be so much easier if Michiru were here.
Young Swordsman d10 + 17 = 1 + 17 = 18
vs
Between Three And Infinity Drones d10 + 13 = 5 + 13 = 18
Tie!
vs
Between Three And Infinity Drones d10 + 13 = 5 + 13 = 18
Tie!
But even if the thing weren't immune to its own magic, Damien doesn't have time to notice his own accomplishment. He's immediately forced to twist frantically to deflect two more bolts, aided only by the eagerness and precision will-worked into the sword's steel.
A searing crackle of white light flashes behind Damien, but he does not see it clearly. Another. Another. By happenstance, always out of his immediate field of view, but he can see in the blurring backdrop of his defensive effort that many of the automata are going down in flames. Someone's working great sorceries, greater than Damien thinks that MCAT has. The Sailor Senshi?
The automata are descending, dipping lower. Out of sword's reach, but close enough that he considers the problem. Damien's studied the blade hard, and studied it just long enough to keep a tiny corner of his mind capable of thinking while his body reacts automatically. Which would be better? Trying to claw one down with his admittedly less than impressive magics, or try that 'Rising Dragon' trick he's toyed with, to launch himself at them?
.
Before he can decide, a disturbing- though not unlovely- vision distracts him.
A slender- woman?- sprints past him, dressed in a dark gray three-piece suit. Her face is a featureless white mask, but dark red hair swirls behind her like a blot of blood in the water.
Of course, the automata shoot- wait, him?- repeatedly, but- she?- makes no effort to defend herself. The stun-bolts shimmer and fade as though they were sinking into her? Clothes and skin. Damien is at least passingly familiar with most common forms of magical defense, and this is none of them. The stranger seems no more affected by the curses than the stones and the trees are. Perhaps less so.
And that aside, and all appearances aside, what is this hauntingly graceful faceless figure? Merely a masked human being, fit and well-warded but in no way sinister? Or something as uncanny as such an apparition seems to the uninitiated eye?
The corner of Damien's awareness not devoted purely to blocking and deflecting the rain of stunning magics is… disturbed. Any boy raised in the penumbra of the Golden Library knows that there are things dark and strange enough that no mage is truly wise or prudent to barter with them. Things alien to the world, whose thoughts are not rooted in Earthly ideas of reason or decency. Things that may merely be the presentable front of a much darker and more hostile force, or fair folk whose appearance disguises a cruelty beyond sanity. And things, fair or otherwise, that cannot arise on their own, and must be created like homunculi, often possessed by evil hungers that reflect the manner of their creation.
Things only occasionally not called 'demons,' and that only by necessary courtesy.
Did some reckless MCAT sorcerer, or a spirit that is not, when all is said and done, human, conjure up the suited figure in the bone-white mask? To what purpose? With what ends?
Is that even a mask to begin with? What, if anything, is underneath?
The lithe figure sprinting through the rain of spells sticks in Damien's mind, and he knows in a flash that it will be a long time before he forgets- her. Though MCAT may need a warning about- him?
Damien shakes his head in confusion, and resolves to at least learn enough to give that warning, if one is called for. Fortunately, the broadsword in his hand is too simple to forget its purpose, and so he isn't struck down in his distraction.
Such distraction, in fact, that recovering his poise and even beginning to think about making so much as a single offensive move takes full minutes to recover from the disquiet in his mind. And for those minutes, he doesn't move from the spot where he stands. He defends himself against the simpler threat, the lower-angle fire from the rapidly shrinking numbers of automata, but does no more than that.
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Nobility and the House of Peers
BritishGrenadier
Summon The Elector Counts!
- Location
- Nova Scotia Halifax
Nobility and the House of Peers
Following the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the ancient court nobility of Kyoto, the Kuge (公家), regained some of its lost status. The Meiji Oligarchs eventually merged the Kuge along with the former Daimyo to create a new aristocracy. They also ennobled other samurai families, for their significant role during the meiji restoration. They would form the Kazoku Japan's New Nobility. These Nobles had many rights and privileges, often serving as high ranking officials or military officers in the new regime. One of the more lucrative positions is of course the house of peers.
House of Peers
"Serving in the House of Peers is like climbing a mountain. Hard and cumbersome many try to scale its mighty peak and yet fail and fail again. For the Emperor and his subjects, I shall climb the mountain again. For service is its own reward." Yotsuba Daisuke, on his reelection campaign.
The Upper House of the Japanese Empire, The House of Peers. was established on November 29, 1890. Envisioned as a counter balance to the house of representatives in the diet. The House of Peers held considerable power compared to other Westminster style houses at the time. With it holding de facto supremacy due to the constitutional convention that only members of the Upper House (and specifically the nobility) could serve as prime minister.
Entry into the House of Peers
Entry to the House of Peers was automatic for male members of the imperial family and for princes and marquesses of the Kazoku. However for the counts, viscounts and barons they instead had to elect amongst themselves. The seat assignment goes as follows: 18 seats for counts, 66 for viscounts and 66 for barons. With the winners serving for 7 year terms. With the Yotsuba counts being well known for winning every election since their elevation to the status of count in 1906. 125 were appointed by the emperor with the recommendation from the privy council. 4 members of the Imperial Academy over the age of 30, elected by the academicians and nominated by the Emperor. Lastly 66 elected representatives from the 6000 highest taxpayers, over the age of 30 will serve seven-year terms.
Parties
Unlike in the house of representatives the House of Peers was not grouped into parties and was not ideologically divided, instead like the LDP after it most of the HoP divided themselves into informal groups. These groups formed blocs to coordinate policy and ensure bills were passed and even within these groups, rivalries were commonplace. With the clashes between the peace faction's Count Yotsuba Daisuke and Prince Konoe Fuminaro being well known in the news.
Kazumi Kaikan
"To conclude my speech, I would like to thank everyone for their efforts in helping our fellow peers in this economic crisis. I would like to also thank our most honoured guest His Imperial Majesty for his attendance and support in our efforts. Tenno Heika Banzai!" Yotsuba Seiji, 1990 during Kazumi Kaikan's new years meeting.
The House of Peers was dismantled and replaced by the house of councillors, the privileges and lands of the nobility taken away. The War and the occupation also destroyed the fortunes of many noble families, leaving them impoverished and weak. The Nobility however worked together to maintain at least some of their influence and wealth. Maintaining the traditions and priceless artefacts in their possession, and last but not least protecting the imperial house from political interference. At the centre of these efforts is the Kasumi Kaikan, renamed from the old Kazoku Kaikan. The Kazumi Kaikan have connections in the political establishment particularly LDP and its myriad factions. With some LDP members part of it or married to members of said noble club. However some may argue that the most important connection they have is of course His Imperial Majesty the Emperor. As former members of the nobility, Kazumi Kaikan has a very close relationship with the Emperor. With the emperor often visiting during special occasions. While the hard power of the emperor is all but gone, His influence cannot be underestimated.
As the LDP fractures from within. Members of Kazumi Kaikan also bicker amongst themselves. With Yotsuba Seiji's moderates and Extremist factions in heated debate on which LDP faction to support. While most of the group leans towards a more traditionalist outlook. Militarist and restorationist rhetoric has escalated within the halls of the Kazumi Kaikan. While cooler heads have so far prevailed. It has not resolved the situation in the slightest. Whether or not the current government can keep its trust amongst its noble backers remains to be seen.
Note Kaikan meens club in Japanese. Here a little bit of background on the former nobility of japan. as always I would love to hear your thoughts or questions on this.
Not sure why the italics aren't working. Maybe because the first bracket is bolded?
- Location
- San Ramon, CA
Ah, forgot about that. Looks like we're fighting a little more handicapped than we expected, but that's the price to pay for "civilian identities with obligations of their own".
Hmm, is Naru's true nature and godhood starting to leave an impression even through the Disguise Pen, or is Damien just discovering that mysterious women in professional business suits has... an effect on him?
Hmm, looks like the influence of old-school nobility is not entirely removed from modern Japanese politics. Appealing to a desire to bring back "the good old days" may give Onogoro a foot in door with some politicians; let's hope we can slam it in their faces.
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- Location
- Painting, Peach's Castle
Mysterious individuals of indeterminate gender in business suits.
The poor kid is going to have to work through this for years.
FictionPack
Monochromatic Ursine
- Location
- Tennessee
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I can't tell if Damien is just a standard hot headed anime idiot, or he's a hot-headed oblivious anime idiot with a crush on Sei...
He is rationalizing investigating her to learn about her. Is this magical Russia's version of pulling pig tails? Sending spooks after your crush?
He is rationalizing investigating her to learn about her. Is this magical Russia's version of pulling pig tails? Sending spooks after your crush?
- Location
- Pittsburgh PA
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Huh has Red String of Fate always been there? Though I guess it would have never come up before. The power of true love giveth and taketh away.
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
Damien did notice Sei devouring the magic attacks from the drones, and noted it was genuinely outside the paradigm of magical defenses as he understands them. In that regard, he has actually cottoned on to something genuinely unusual.
He's definitely blowing it out of proportion, but he's in a pretty high-stress situation right now. He's already planning to bring it up with MCAT, and they'll just tell him "Oh yeah, that's Sei. They're pretty chill."
He's definitely blowing it out of proportion, but he's in a pretty high-stress situation right now. He's already planning to bring it up with MCAT, and they'll just tell him "Oh yeah, that's Sei. They're pretty chill."
BritishGrenadier
Summon The Elector Counts!
- Location
- Nova Scotia Halifax
It's not as bad as it seems, the majority is still following Seiji's lead on following the status quo. Fudo thinks that if he could convince the nobility, He could convince the emperor. As the richest and most powerful member of the former nobility. Yotsuba will not let this threat to his powerbase slide. Even if he has to bribe the rest to submission. Not something to worry about at the moment but certainly something useful to know
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SuperBigMac
My titles: MacTheEditor; SuperiorPosterior
- Location
- Untitled States of Disarray
- Pronouns
- N/A
I'm just imagining Damien trying to argue that his concerns are probably still valid, likely while utterly flustered at the absolute nonchalance of whomever he's talking to (especially if they're a yokai). And then Sei walks up because she knows the yokai in question and starts asking about their family, and how their integration is going, etc, and Sei (sans mask) looks down at Damien and comments on his obvious ability to keep himself safe... and that he should try to reach the point where he can reach cover and recuperate instead of going full dodge/parry-Tank for tens of minutes at a time.
Just so you know, I'm imagining Sei/Naru immensely enjoying the ability to tease someone until they're tongue-tied, while Damien just wants to find the nearest manhole and hope there's a secret sewer-dwelling swordmaster who would take pity on an utterly embarrassed student of the blade.
Also also, is Damien's name the way it is because of the Kunzets economic curve thing, or because Damien Kunzets sounds like Darien and Kunzite, and thus is some other tie-in/bizarro-self like the Missy Moon crew?
- Pronouns
- He/Him
My guess was that @Lunaryon just looked up "Smith" in English-Russian dictionary and called it a day.
Which is probably not as common as "Ivanov" or even "Kuznetsov", but it's still an actual surname, so whatever.
We either need to get her used to operating alone or strenuously avoid having her do anything without Michiru.
An effectively guaranteed win. But given the opposition it could take a very long time for them to actually inflict disabling damage.
So is Naru being unusually apparent after binge eating stun lasers or is sword boy just dangerously (to him) perceptive?
Fake edit: Just to point out, Naru aka Pandora aka the Mother Of Monsters genuinely is the mortal manifestation of an eldritch entity.
This is not 'smitten'. This is 'I have seen something utterly beyond human'.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Potayto, potahto.