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theunrivaled2017-07-31 07:05 pm
musoumods) wrote in theunrivaled2017-07-31 07:05 pm
Entry tags:
Open Log - Welcome to the Main Camp
Moments ago, there was an earthquake. You might not have felt it, but it definitely happened. The collapsed tents and spooked horses serve as evidence that something unsettling shook the main camp not that long ago. The soldiers and citizens don't seem terribly frightened, as if they've gotten used to the ground trembling by now, but more than one stops to look toward the tall spires of rock separating the comfortable and well-ordered areas of the camp from a deserted battlefield. It's as if they wonder to themselves whether something deep in the pit on the other side might have caused it...again...
And then they realize that something else has happened.
You are here – or near here.
Prompt 1:
Immediately after the latest quake, people simply appear in and around the main camp. The residents don't actually see it happen, but they turn around to find a person where there wasn't one a moment ago. You might be that person! You might wake up inside a canvas tent, perhaps even lucky enough to be resting comfortably on an unoccupied cot. You might wake up on the open ground outside with an awful lot of gawkers standing around you. Or, you might wake up about ten meters down the road from the gates of the camp, in clear sight of the guards and the tents just beyond them. This is definitely the time and place to start grabbing strangers and asking them where you are, why you're there, and what the hell is going on.
Prompt 2:
Maybe it's not so right-away, but you've woken up all the same and had a look around. Maybe some of the soldiers have done their best to answer your burning questions. At least one thing is clear: the natives all dress in simple robes and tunics, the soldiers in similar plate or mail armor, making anyone in other garb stick out like a sore thumb. The women who run the Teahouse have noticed this first, and are doing a fine job offering the utmost in hospitality to the strangers in the off chance that they're allied with one of the lords of the land. They'll make sure you have a place to sleep, a good meal, and the best tea the Han Dynasty can provide. It may be a bit rustic for some, but it's comfortable and pleasant. Can it be worth settling down here for a while? Or is this place missing something crucial – like the ability to use your magic?
Prompt 3:
There's a lot to explore in and around the Main Camp. The various tents set up on different levels overlooking the middle area are open to be claimed, and some of them look a lot more fancy than others. As long as there's no famous lord laying his head there, why shouldn't you? The central ground of the camp contains the Merchant's stall, the Teahouse, and the Armory, as well as the stocks for the misbehaving. The bathing area is downstream from everything else, where the river passes under the rocks and empties out onto the plain beyond. There's a few areas of interest outside the camp perimeter, too, and none of the guards are stopping you from going out there. The main road looks well-traveled and vanishes eastward into the distance across rolling plains. On the west side there are high cliffs of cooled lava separating the camp from the former battleground where the Hydra was destroyed. It's rocky and perilous ground, but the adventurous can climb down winding, crumbling paths into a deep crevasse. There doesn't appear to be anything down here, but those of a magical or mystical inclination will sense the lingering aftereffects of great power.
If one were to travel a short distance northward, they'll find the Wuzhang Plains standing quiet and empty, the fortifications left in whatever half-damaged state they were in from the last battle waged here. There is also a temple along the southern ridge, looking decidedly like it doesn't belong there with more traces of mystical energy at its center. Here, the wayward traveler will be beset by small units of spindly, gray-skinned soldiers bearing spears and swords, no more than half a dozen at a time.
Prompt 4: Wildcard
Whatever floats your boat or isn't covered above! Refer to the Arrival page for details of what is and isn't to be found in the Main Camp.
In time, the Merchant makes an announcement. Not long after the Great Cataclysm, some of the mystic soldiers now guarding the main camp arrived with mirrors they claim to have enchanted so that the scattered warlords can speak to each other from a distance. He is under obligation to give one to anyone who asks, and suggests that they may try it out whenever they have the courage to do so.
And then they realize that something else has happened.
You are here – or near here.
Prompt 1:
Immediately after the latest quake, people simply appear in and around the main camp. The residents don't actually see it happen, but they turn around to find a person where there wasn't one a moment ago. You might be that person! You might wake up inside a canvas tent, perhaps even lucky enough to be resting comfortably on an unoccupied cot. You might wake up on the open ground outside with an awful lot of gawkers standing around you. Or, you might wake up about ten meters down the road from the gates of the camp, in clear sight of the guards and the tents just beyond them. This is definitely the time and place to start grabbing strangers and asking them where you are, why you're there, and what the hell is going on.
Prompt 2:
Maybe it's not so right-away, but you've woken up all the same and had a look around. Maybe some of the soldiers have done their best to answer your burning questions. At least one thing is clear: the natives all dress in simple robes and tunics, the soldiers in similar plate or mail armor, making anyone in other garb stick out like a sore thumb. The women who run the Teahouse have noticed this first, and are doing a fine job offering the utmost in hospitality to the strangers in the off chance that they're allied with one of the lords of the land. They'll make sure you have a place to sleep, a good meal, and the best tea the Han Dynasty can provide. It may be a bit rustic for some, but it's comfortable and pleasant. Can it be worth settling down here for a while? Or is this place missing something crucial – like the ability to use your magic?
Prompt 3:
There's a lot to explore in and around the Main Camp. The various tents set up on different levels overlooking the middle area are open to be claimed, and some of them look a lot more fancy than others. As long as there's no famous lord laying his head there, why shouldn't you? The central ground of the camp contains the Merchant's stall, the Teahouse, and the Armory, as well as the stocks for the misbehaving. The bathing area is downstream from everything else, where the river passes under the rocks and empties out onto the plain beyond. There's a few areas of interest outside the camp perimeter, too, and none of the guards are stopping you from going out there. The main road looks well-traveled and vanishes eastward into the distance across rolling plains. On the west side there are high cliffs of cooled lava separating the camp from the former battleground where the Hydra was destroyed. It's rocky and perilous ground, but the adventurous can climb down winding, crumbling paths into a deep crevasse. There doesn't appear to be anything down here, but those of a magical or mystical inclination will sense the lingering aftereffects of great power.
If one were to travel a short distance northward, they'll find the Wuzhang Plains standing quiet and empty, the fortifications left in whatever half-damaged state they were in from the last battle waged here. There is also a temple along the southern ridge, looking decidedly like it doesn't belong there with more traces of mystical energy at its center. Here, the wayward traveler will be beset by small units of spindly, gray-skinned soldiers bearing spears and swords, no more than half a dozen at a time.
Prompt 4: Wildcard
Whatever floats your boat or isn't covered above! Refer to the Arrival page for details of what is and isn't to be found in the Main Camp.
In time, the Merchant makes an announcement. Not long after the Great Cataclysm, some of the mystic soldiers now guarding the main camp arrived with mirrors they claim to have enchanted so that the scattered warlords can speak to each other from a distance. He is under obligation to give one to anyone who asks, and suggests that they may try it out whenever they have the courage to do so.
no subject
Of course, of course. It's likely figuring out the one will relate to the other. Regretfully, I cannot offer the resources of the Inquisition for obvious reasons, but with any luck my understanding of magic and my knowledge of history, combat, and survival may come in handy.
[Ad maybe his luck in regards to surviving the sheer amount of bad luck that seem to befall him. Probably not worth mentioning that much though.
The mention of political machinations reminded him of the whole ordeal at the Winter Palace, and just... existing in Orlais. He offers the other a laugh though, obviously he was at least aware of how ridiculous politics could be. That was a small comfort.]
Ah, political machinations. Unfortunately I am afraid there's not enough cheap Fereldan ale to burn the taste of overly complex political rituals out of my mouth after. Perhaps if you plan to hold an open discussion, I could offer my insight, or perhaps a simple chat over some tea instead.
no subject
In that case, I will make it a point to clear some time in my schedule for tea with a fellow leader. 'Inquisitor' isn't a term common to my people but it seems you may have the kind of insight I should like to explore fully, later.
As for right now, if you have any pressing questions, I will do my best to answer.
no subject
[Jokes aside he did have some questions that may be relevant, things he's dealt with from personal experience.]
I think I can spare us the redundancy of asking who saw who last and where, because nothing is ever that simple. [Ever.] Has there been anything else unusual aside from our arrival? Other disappearances of servants or others who would not be noticed? Or any odd behavior among soldiers?
no subject
No, it really isn't. [thinking!] Hm. Servants or soldiers? No, I don't believe so. Granted, there were contingents of our soldiers who went with my father and other retainers to our other holdings, and I have not yet heard from them, so it is possible they've disappeared as well. Or, they are simply having a difficult time reaching me. That is yet to be determined.
no subject
I only ask since it seems like an inside job. I have seen spells that warp the minds of others, or perhaps this is the result of a spell that was practiced in smaller scale beforehand.
And in personal experience, the servants are the first to fall victim to such things, given how they're easily overlooked and rarely missed by those of higher rankings.
no subject
[it's the first he's thought of Orochi's sorcerer, so far, and the first he's mentioned his existence. Hmm.]
You have a point. Retainers and servants are the easiest to bribe to get in close to someone higher-ranked. Yet, knowing what I know of Orochi's people and how they operate, they overlook servants just the same in order to go straight for the more tempting target.
[like himself]
no subject
[He steps forward to walk alongside the fellow leader. It let him lower his tone enough to keep prying ears from listening in on his next suggestion. Even if there were no enemy forces within the camp, he knew there was always someone willing to sell information for a quick buck.]
Then maybe I propose we should bribe some servants? Maybe even slip a few of your own men among the lower ranks? Even if this Orochi you speak of isn't responsible, they may have information we lack.
no subject
He falls in stride, ambling vaguely off toward the command tends on the hill in the distance]
That will be quite impossible. [with a dark chuckle] Orochi's troops are demons. Anyone from our army would be picked out in an instant and executed. It would take a human commander purportedly changing sides to back Orochi again to give us a platform through which to work, and at that point, we might as well simply use the commander themselves.
no subject
[He let the other choose where they walked, he likely knew the place better than he did after all.]
Oh demons, and here I thought I'd finally get a vacation. [He let out a sigh and dropped the sarcastic excitement before he continued.] If I weren't so painfully conspicuous, I'd offer to feign possession, but I'd probably stick out like a rabbit among wolves.
[Referring to his ears of course. Having experience regarding demons if simply being so... different. Between being Elvish, being an arm short, and having a very noticeable doodle on his face.]
no subject
Either way, it still does not solve the question of our missing officers. My intention, now that I'm here and getting a good look at the bigger picture, is to at least investigate and learn whether they've been captured, sent back to the real world, or are simply so far out of contact and prevented from reaching me that they might as well be captured.
no subject
[That was only one of many theories though, the hardest thing now would be trying to figure out a plan of action. Most of the resources he'd rely on were missing, which was the problem.]
But hopefully, that's not the case. Even mass kidnapping would be better than that. [Not much better, but still better. In a kidnapping they could at least be found and rescued hopefully.] I've heard of places from other worlds showing up here as well, perhaps those should be explored? See what came with them, if anything but the structures. Something simple that won't take too much coordination while you do what you can replace missing officers.
The good news, if it can even be called that, is that other nations are just as weakened if not more than your own, so you don't have to worry about being attacked by them specifically.
no subject
You heard of the other lands...? [good, that's one thing he doesn't have to bring up, then, although he wonders who the Inquisitor has been speaking to] Yes, that is true. Let me think...there were unusual places appearing at Anegawa, Kyuushuu, Yan, and even a large wooden horse appearing inside Nanzhong at one of the Nanman villages. But that was some time ago. It's possible that even more have appeared in other territories, now.
no subject
And I am uncertain how magic in your world works, but in mine a spell of such magnitude would cost a lot of blood...
[He trails off on a sour note. He hoped such was not the case but if so many people had truly gone missing, not to mention the demons this Orochi fellow commanded.]
no subject
There are many loose ends at the moment, many uncertainties. Your arrival... [with a nod toward the Inquisitor to suggest he means everyone, not just one elf] ...is but one of the newest mysteries. It will take time to look into all of them, but time is one thing we have in abundance.