[19:26] <May> Half a day up the Si river, Akeha approaches Lee on the prow of the ship. "Have you ever done anything... even remotely like this?" she asks, curious and yet hesitant in her blue yukata and white hair swept up in a ponytail. "Sweep into a foreign nation like demi-gods, seeking an audience with their pantheon as if we have any such worth?" she asks, her voice tilting nervously.
01[19:38] <@AndrewRogue> The samurai stand at alert at various posts on the ship, while the boatsmen are far more relaxed and at ease. Though a few watch the waters and shores nervously, as if the beasts could leap out at any moment.
[19:45] <Euphemia> "Something like it? Why, yes! Just the other day in Inaba," replies Lee, swirling about to face Akeha. The singer has returned to wearing her more relaxed brown skirts, with the addition of a heavy padded jacket that hangs loosely from her shoulders and looks just a touch too big for her. "Feudal lords, deities of the land, the general feeling is similar, don't you think?"
03[19:46] * Euphemia_ (uid75559@192.184.10.9) has joined #DLExalted
[19:51] <May> "Just the other day? In Inaba?" Akeha chuckles softly. "That's an interesting perspective, though I hardly think we qualify as anything such as this," she gestures at the river. "I guess I understand your reference, though. But truly... what does one say to a God?"
[20:07] <Euphemia_> "It might sound trite, but it depends on the god," replies Lee. "Gods desire homage. Worship. Respect for their dominions, contributions to their aspect. We must begin by making it clear we recognize the Nine Sisters and their sway over the rivers of the land, and though I am not familiar with whatever ritual prayer the locals engage in, Master Khun and I
[20:07] <Euphemia_> have worked on developing appropriate paeans to their generosity to mankind.
[20:07] <Euphemia_> "After all, rivers give us their bounty of fresh water, fish, and easy movement, all vital thinks for the prosperity of mankind. It's important to show we understand that."
[20:21] <May> "Mmmm... it's like praying in person?" Akeha wonders, glancing out at the river, one hand resting on the pommel of her sword. "Interesting...is it always like thid? Have you ever spoken to Gods otherwise?" she wonders, staring towards the glow of the sun through the fog.
[20:21] <Euphemia_> "Not since we left home," replies Lee, turning aside slightly.
[20:30] <May> "And at home?" Akeha wonders quietly, not pushing Lee any closer with her gaze. "I was raised to revere the Dragon-Blooded, and now I find myself their anathema... how do you abandon the Gods you were raised with?"
[20:36] <Euphemia_> "We didn't abandon him. He abandoned us," replies Lee, refocusing on Akeha. "It would be foolish to maintain our fealty to a delusional murderer, which is all he turned out to be."
[20:44] <May> Akeha pauses, her eyes carefully measuring Lee. "You worshipped a single God? And rebelled against him?" she wonders, leaning on the railing of the ship.
[20:52] <Euphemia_> "That's right," replies Lee. "Not the kind of reputation a ruling lady would want in those she takes in, I imagine! But my daughter was killed over crossing a minor theological dictum, and in the dying threw into stark relief the insanity of our former temple. When you know evil, there's no righteous choice but to turn on it. Even if you've served it your
[20:52] <Euphemia_> whole life." She lowers her eyes. "We haven't met, but I think I will admire your father. I wasn't able to prevent Mia's death. Maybe I could have done something, but it's all the past now... But he was able to prevent yours! I think that is a marvellous thing."
[21:08] <May> "It's more a matter of interest than of repulsion," Akeha suggests carefully. "Your..." Akeha shudders visibly, shaking her head. "I'm sorry for probing, I didn't know that..." she struggles, just sighing deeply again. "We were merely fortunate enough that this all occured far from most prying eyes, and my father could control the steps taken..."
[21:14] <Euphemia_> Lee shakes her head. "Don't be sorry, please. I meant to talk about it sooner or later, and I do not mind sharing the story, just... it isn't the kind of thing you just tell someone out of the blue," she admits. "Certainly not during the first few times you talk to someone."
[21:14] <Euphemia_> She clasps her hands. "What do you suppose you shall do?" she wonders. "It would be difficult for things to remain at the status quo for long. There are many Chosen in this part of the world, so sooner or later our talents will be required and there will be no hiding anything..."
[21:25] <May> Akeha laughs bitterly. "We don't know," she admits, shaking her head. "In a time of peace I would have confidence... in Lord Uetsuru's value of my father and myself, of the skills of our Hikoutsur and Kawazuru cousins... but we are at ware with the Lion, and they will stop it nothing to destroy or disgrace us and take the northern hinterlands and their rich fields," she sighs, claspign her
[21:25] <May> hands in unconscious mimicry of Lee. "In Inaba and beyond, perhaps, there might be hope of hiding what I am. It is when things become too tumultuous within Suizasho that I worry the most. If I am called back to repel the Lion, there will be no hiding what I am. And we will have to answer for that to the priests."
[21:31] <Euphemia> "You believe that war is inevitable?"
[21:35] <May> "Wars of one sort or another between the Crane and the Lion have been inevitable for a few centuries now," Akeha muses. "Too many grudges, too many territories changing hands every few decades. The Dragon-Blooded that rules us live long enough to remember the last two, three wars? It felt as natural as tying an obi for us all, to move from skirmishes to bloody and bitter warfare, though the
[21:35] <May> deaths of our friends certainly did not..."
[21:40] <Euphemia> "Perhaps you were Chosen to settle the conflict once and for all?" suggests Lee. "One way or the other."
[21:45] <May> "The only way I can think of to settle it would be to destroy the Lion," Akeha admits, looking closely at Lee. "That would be a remarkable tumult for us... almost unthinkable."
[21:56] <Euphemia> "I wonder if it is that simple." Lee ponders this for a moment. "Might I ask who benefits from this conflict between your clans?"
[21:59] <May> "The Lion do, gaining access to farmlands they never had a right to..." Akeha muses. "The Imperial Families, as it keeps all four clans focused on one another more than them."
[22:07] <Euphemia> Lee nods for a moment. "So, if the Crane were to hypothetically uproot the Lion, it is not beyond the pale that the Imperial Families might well contrive other dangers to keep your clan distracted, if they could not prevent the balance tilting that far altogether?"
[22:11] <May> "At least, those Imperial Families without deep ties to us, yes," Akeha nods. "Most likely they would want to see us occupied by something or other on our rear flank, not just hte outside world that we can turn to our advantage."
[22:21] <Euphemia> "It's an unfortunate state of affairs, where your nation is kept in this constant state of turmoil," Lee replies, sympathetically. "The Lion are your immediate danger, of course. But the root concerns are deeper and more difficult to address, in a way," she muses. "Suizasho is a little too well defended. By geology, the Dragon-Blooded, and so on. Tora was telling me about it, actually. Most
[22:21] <Euphemia> of the Hundred Kingdoms to the west are faced with rivals at every corner, and as such the successful amongst them have very strong hegemons, but because Suizasho doesn't have to deal with that so much, internal conflict is inevitable.
[22:21] <Euphemia> "As well as that, you mentioned the Dragon-Blooded themselves are long-lived and carry old grudges, and are also revered as demigods by the ordinary people, giving them an unquestionable divine mein. Their concerns become holy concerns, their wars holy wars, of a sort. These two factors, I think, will ensure continued strife for some time. A kind of endless civil war which will never have
[22:21] <Euphemia> a victor. To me," she admits. "It seems quite a terrible situation. But perhaps it's not as bad as I'm making it sound?"
[16:49] <May> "It's not quite so terrible when a major conflict isn't in progress," Akeha offers wryly. "For much of my life thus far there have only been small skirmishes, minor quarrels about the terms of our peace... as a matter of national supply, the Lion can only field their regiments in times of plenty, or when the Crane do not stockpile rice at Kawazuru for fear of a Lion siege. But for us to
[16:49] <May> starve them so comes at great financial and political costs with the rest of the Clans and most Imperial Families. So we have been for decades," Akeha lifts and lowers her hands in opposite directions, a balancing act gesture. "Except when our Daimyo insult each other, and only Imperial intervention kept them from blows. Now irregardless of the harvest or costs we must be at war for the sake
[16:49] <May> of honor. There has been a pause with my exile, as courtiers maneuver for favor and try to play the sacrifice my father has made or the rumors of my status as a Forsaken against each other... I fear conflict will resume all too quickly though."
[17:09] <Euphemia> Lee inclines her head. "I can only assume they have the perfect religious excuse to recommence an assault. Calling you 'Forsaken', what rot..." She sighs. "I want to change that stigma. Perhaps by doing so, we can create new opportunities for you, and for your people? But I'd hope to avoid a war for as long as possible, for no matter the outcome it would only feed into the worst suspicions
[17:09] <Euphemia> of our religious detractors."
[17:23] <May> "If they could prove what happened," Akeha agrees, shaking her head. "For now it is only rumor, the tales of Lion soldiers that fled in fear... and among the Lion Clan, that paints you as quite an unreliable figure. And their Captain fled first... and accusation from Matsu Kita will be viewed with skepticism by the Lions and the other Clans, so until they can find some other proof than her
[17:23] <May> word..." Akeha smiles coldly. "We are at a standstill. The stigma... that will be hard to scrub away, certainly. We are proud descendants of the Shogunate that overthrew the Celestial Rule... I have some trouble reconciling myself with my own status..." she admits.
[17:30] <Euphemia> "Perhaps it would be a good time to discuss your doubts?" suggests Lee. "Why do you feel troubled still, in this regard?"
[17:34] <May> "Are we not the Celestial Harbingers of Tyranny that ruled Creation with iron fists, and were driven mad by the crimes of our creators in the Old Realm?" Akeha asks, the characterization of history flowing off her tongue with the ease of lacking any other belief.
[17:35] <Euphemia> "Are we?"
[17:38] <May> "I have never heard otherwise."
[17:42] <Euphemia> "But do you feel compelled to conquer your foes? To rule like a tyrant?" challenges Lee. "Certainly you are a warrior and will one day chase victory through bloodshed, but so what? You're in good company throughout the Hundred Kingdoms, a land filled with would-be conquered and warlords. And as for ruling with an iron fist, I've heard much of the Realm to the west and how it ruthlessly
[17:42] <Euphemia> subjugates states throughout the threshold. They talk a lot about Anathema as well, but have a poor sense of irony, to my reckoning..."
[17:42] <Euphemia> *conquerers
[17:51] <May> "I feel as I ever have, I think... my place is at the head of an army, seeing to the perpetuity and prosperity of the Crane Clan and Tetsuzuru family," Akeha shrugs. "Even if none of us have yet gone mad... don't the legends say we are bound to? That it's a perpetual curse on the Celestial orders?" She sighs, leaning onto the ship's railing. "More, I think, I just don't know what I am. Before
[17:51] <May> I was a mortal destined and foreshadowed to Exalt one day under the Dragon of Air, as my father did. I would be the champion of the clan, the eldest Exalted child. And now... now I have been granted yet greater power, but feel helpless to fulfill everything we could have hoped for. I have no purpose but to lead armies, that I still feel. But now which armies?"
[18:00] <Euphemia> "Is that what your legends say?" wonders Lee. "The ones I have heard say we are demons in human skin! Possessing the bodies of unfortunate mortals and plotting to bring darkness to all Creation!" She laughs, shaking her head. "All nonsense. Dragon-Blooded propaganda. I won't say I know the past, but I know those must be lies."
[18:00] <Euphemia> She frowns, though, and paces across the deck. "What is worth fighting for? We have our people to protect, to make proud, so that's obvious. But if we were alone in the world, I still think we would strive to achieve some purpose, some ideal."
[18:08] <May> "The standards of honor and civility taught to me as a Crane Samurai?" Akeha suggests wryly. "I have little else for purpose in the world... to be a guardian for my charges and see their lives administered with decency, to be a sagacious or at least competent sovereign or aid my sovereign in achieving such..." she sighs a bit. "In some ways that is a relief. I would make a poor family Daimyo,
[18:08] <May> and this insures one of my brothers will take the mantle instead. They are much better suited to court and administration."
[18:14] <Euphemia> "You feel that you would make a poor leader?" wonders Lee. "Inaba does not seem such a bad place, you know. And here we are, boldly striking out to deal with a threat before it can injure your people. A sound decision." She leans on the railing next to Akeha, turning her head to her with an encouraging smile.
03[18:25] * Euphemia is now known as Kallen
[18:28] <May> "Inaba offers a comparatively simple arena, and has handed me competent aids I can trust," Akeha admits. "Not the least of which is another Solar with a penchant for bureaucracy in Vol, who has few other loyalties to concern me," she shakes her head. "I wonder how well I would do with the more intricate politics of Imperial Court, or even just the Crane families. And I am happy to see my
[18:28] <May> brothers attend to that over myself. I still worry that something... some aspect of what we are now will be detrimental to what I hope to be, with all the tales of curses and madness... but what can I do?"
[18:37] <Magey> As Rishi's shift in the crows' nest ends, he drops down and notices Akeha and Lee talking to each other entirely separate from the rest of the crew, and wanders to stand with them, catching the last of what Akeha mentioned. "Sorry for intruding, but when it comes to curses and madness? You can keep your head up and do your damn best, and that's all anyone can ask for."
[18:39] <Kallen> "Exactly right. Besides, it's a blessing, not a curse. What else can you call it, when it affords us such power and skill?"
03[18:42] * Pluck (uid75559@tooting.irccloud.com) has joined #DLExalted
[18:43] <Magey> "Oh, no, it's still a curse for sure, but that doesn't mean it's not also a blessing. We are blessed with power and skill limited solely by our imaginations, but we are also cursed to suffer the fate of a Destined, and that is either a gruesome one or a lonesome one. We will be bound to fight great foes and undertake epic tasks, such as this, but that also means greater risks, no?"
[18:46] <Pluck> "It is in no way a curse," Lee replies. "Our fates aren't set in stone. And how can we be lonesome? Why, we had one another to confide in, do we not?"
[18:49] <Magey> "I apologize, I am... not very good with my words. I meant that the ending to our tales will be such. We shall either be slain in a horrific fashion, driven to madness, or we shall die alone and forgotten in a dark corner somewhere. I fear that last one shall be mine, if my dreams are any indication."
[18:51] <Magey> "However! Regardless of what fate we shall see, we must keep moving forward, keep trying, keep aiming to do right no matter the obstacle. We are only Forsaken if we give in and let the innocent suffer, if we let evil reign."
[18:51] <Pluck> "Why do you say this will be our fate?" asks Lee, looking slightly shocked.
[18:51] <Pluck> M
[18:53] <May> Akeha just raises her eyebrows at the back and forth. "Clearly, in spite of our shared attribute, our myriad origins are on full display today," she laughs.
[18:56] <Magey> Rishi sighs audibly as he thinks to himself. "Dreams, stories, tales that I was told were mere myths and have proven true." He laughs with Akeha a small bit, then looks at both of them quizically. "Have neither of you been having strange dreams since the change? I sleep, and it feels like I am living another life, like it is more than just a dream, but I am lucky if I ever remember more than
[18:56] <Magey> the tiniest of slivers, such as a certain smell or a name I do not know."
[18:59] <Pluck> "Not as such," replies Lee. "I have received a command from the unconquered sun to make the world a righteous place, not prophetic visions."
[19:01] <May> "I receive none of this. Merely the confidence of power, the same urging of battle and victory in a new and soaring power commensurate with the blessing of the Unconquered Sun," Akeha adds, shrugging a little. "Were it not for being considered Anathema, I would have hardly changed perspectives."
[19:02] <Pluck> "Had I not been chosen, I would have died. It's hard to see it as a curse in that light."
[19:04] <Magey> "Hmm..." Rishi turns and looks over the landscape ahead. "I suppose it is more like this feeling that my life is not my own, that I am part of something more. Though I can't put a finger on why or how, so I suppose it is pointless to discuss. Especially as Khun would probably have a proper answer to why we all feel and experience our change so differently," he chuckles
[19:08] <Pluck> "There's no need for a special answer. We're not the same person, of course we will see things differently." Lee gestures to the ship, turning to lean her back against the railing. "But I can understand your feelings. We've been guided together by an invisible hand, have we not? And that's a blessing for certain. Let's look to the gifts we've received,
[19:08] <Pluck> rather than an imaginary dire fate."
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