make way for the lion

[groundrules]

Have a look & plot for what to expect in the mod log of 6-7 April! There will be some additional exploration/adventure opportunities, but this covers items that could benefit from plotting, planning and sign-ups.

Uncovered so far:

■ The Beastmaster was formerly Hyang-Won, relative of blind prophet Hyang-Tai. The village bullies Hok-Shinn clan give him regular tribute.

■ Ke-Waihu locals fear serpents and the blind witches, whose gifts emerged after the last volcano eruption.

■ Villagers have struggled with drought and famine. Young, beautiful or skilled young villagers have been mysteriously disappearing.

■ Some plants, crops and animals have been corrupted by dark water, which once also dried up local up well waters. The long-disappeared Anui may be connected to this.

■ The volcano hosts an underground labyrinth, occupied by strange tar-like, feral creatures.

■ The Huntress wishes to witness the volcano’s eruption. She is at odds with the Beastmaster.

---

WHO YOU GONNA CALL?

This mission takes place before the Huntress' arrival: pursuing a lead, Wen Qing is captured by a feral half human, half serpent creature. Wen Qing, her taskmate Hermione or a well-meaning peasant can sound the alarm about the abduction.

The group can find Wen Qing in a large and deeply-dug pit, filled with dormant nagas and serpents. Retrieving her will require either fast brute force or very delicate infiltration into the depths.

After, help her get forest opiates to combat her new... serpentine affliction.

→ Get involved with Wen Qing’s rescue & cure.

---

THE MAIDEN’S WATCH

The Huntress arrives, deprived of her powers. The group will be taking her in.

They will need to figure out where to shelter her (the woods? The fetters? A cave? Get some local inspo) and defend her against wild beasts, which besiege her. We'll go with the shelter location that gets the most support by 23:59 GMT on 5 April.

The Huntress largely prays and weeps, but stops long enough to pay up in knowledge:

■ The Beastmaster becomes more human as the volcano nears eruption.

■ Local animals obey the Beastmaster and spy for him. This excludes ravens.

■ To avoid the pull of the Beastmaster and his Hunt: locate a forest temple raised by the white wanderer, and wear wood or stone from it. These pieces will have to be replaced.

■ Alternatively: cross a fragile and narrow bridge high above a misted abyss, to reach the second village Ke-Waiar and steal some well water. Drop a line if you want to go to Ke-Waiar.

---

THE HUNT

The Beastmaster, his xenomorphic creatures and mutated animals arrive in Ke-Waihu, awaiting the volcanic eruption. He takes residence in the village, guarded by his beasts.

The Hok-Shinn and an envoy of Ke-Waiar each present 10 distinguished but eerily listless youths of their village to the Beastmaster. These tributes are afterwards closely watched by the Hok-Shinn and held in an abandoned home. Get in and rescue some tributes.

The Beastmaster’s arrival triggers the start of the Hunting season.

■ For five nights, come moonrise, characters feel compelled to flee into the forests and run, hide or avoid detection — alternatively, they join the Beastmaster’s creatures as hunters, chasing this quarry.

■ Anyone can ‘hunt’ or ‘be hunted.' Roles can swap across the five nights. Characters can develop overnight instincts akin to a specific animal of hunt or prey, and they will be helped by these animals for the night.

■ Hunting can be vicious (seeking to injure, kill or consume prey) or symbolic (just violently giving chase).

■ Certain characters will feel especially compelled to join the hunt and to protect the Beastmaster outside of it. These include characters who are given to war, hunting, violence, wrath, gluttony or feral/animal characteristics. It also applies to those who previously turned xenomorphic during the Beastmaster's trip in Taravast, or whom he marked (sup, Jon, Wrathion?).

■ To avoid the hunt, stay out of the forest, apply the Huntress’ cures or lock yourself very tightly indoors.

---

OLD MAN MOUNTAIN

The dormant volcano shows subtle signs of upcoming eruption: soil swells, increases in local temperature and small, low-grade earthquakes.

One night, characters wake to screams, as a handsome young jeweller is dragged by a group of Ke-Waihu's cultists concerned citizens — seemingly bound for the volcano. Show of hands, if you want to rescue him during the trek.

---

SIGN-UPS

We'll choose the 'lucky' winner by RNG draw, but comment by 23:59 GMT on 9 April for a chance to chat with:

■ The Beastmaster

■ The envoy of Ke-Waiar

■ The jeweller

Small request to please be consistently available to tag this. Your mission is to have your character to get as much information about Ke-Waihu, the volcano or the Brotherhood.


QUESTIONS

Otherwise, to plot and plan, fill out:

<b><small>PLAYER</small>:</b> <b><small>CHARACTER</small>:</b> <b><small>CONTACT</small>:</b> <b><small>WHAT ARE THEY GETTING UP TO</small>:</b> <b><small>PARTICIPATING IN THE HUNT?</small>:</b> <b><small>NEED HELP WITH ANYTHING?</small></b>

Comments

QUESTIONS

[groundrules]

You got'em, you flaunt'em.

Before you ask: that's all the weeping Huntress can share so far.

[blackscales]

How much warning will the village get of the Beastmaster's arrival? I was thinking like, in the sense of do creatures turn up before he does or is there a subtle atmosphere change or is it just like OH HE'S HERE, HELLO!

Does the Beastmaster hunt WITH his creatures or does he just hang back and chat to his village friends while his creatures go wild in the woods and drag back things for him?

[weifinder]

During the hunting, can any of the hunters be necromancer played into traps to keep them from continuing said hunt (for a while, or whatever time, this is just seeing about sideline engagement with that aspect)? a la Phoenix Mountain hunting times

[chosenbylight]

How far away is the village of Ke-Waiar from the village they are in now? Asking for a priest who is afraid of leaving his dragon in the presence of the Beastmaster for too long but also is interested in acquiring some of that Special Water for him on the same hand...

[lancifolium]

So how out of their minds are the folks who got xeno'ed likely to be? A little on edge? Clawing the walls? Charging out of the house to chase down people in the night? Is there any recurrence of their previous affliction?

[scrapgege]

Can Xie Lian punch Taksui? Not too hard, we don't want to kill him, just to shut up.

[binghua]

hey so do the villagers treat xingchen any differently in general since he's, you know, blind

[reparo]

Can I learn more about the amulets mentioned to resist the Beastmaster's pull? Would love Hermione to hear about them from reliable sources and then decide to go ahead and organise a supply-gathering party to create a number of them for the dragons.

[violetchaos]

Okay, so how big is too big to set a fire whilst rescuing the tributes? Like small 5 acres orrrrr a little bigger?

Not so much a question…

[northerndragon]

The thing with Jon being “quarry of the hunt” due to the nature of his arrival in Taravast… it was my understanding that it was only if one of the creatures he fought drew blood on him, and I didn’t actually go with that! I did leave the option open for the people who helped him.

There were two reasons I didn’t go for this. One is that he’s already undead himself, and already has that condition where he has to obey certain compulsions of the undead lords. The other is that so many people volunteered to help that I figured the fights were easier than they would have been otherwise.

However, if you think this is unrealistic in light of the stuff they were fighting, then he can have gotten one of his typical “decorative head scratch wounds” or something.

I do think he still has some of the feral conditions etc related to the hunt, so this note might be irrelevant, because he’s probably affected either way. Just not for the same reasons! 😅

WEN QING'S RESCUE

[groundrules]

Comment here & around to each other, to get involved with rescuing mistress Wen Qing and helping her get her drug fix after. Please note how'd you'd suggest going into the pit!

...alternatively, sit around and clap while Wen Qing makes a stairwell out of serpents and nagas, we're all reasonably sure she's got this.

[consignation]

WANGJI WE NEED BRUTE FORCE COME HELP OR WE'RE GOING TO CUDDLE YOU AGAIN

THE HUNTRESS' SHIELDING

[groundrules]

Where are we putting this girl?

Comment here with a suggestion for a good hide-out, or reply to +1 existing suggestions.

The idea with the most support by 23:59 GMT on 5 April gets to be it.

[weifinder]

Wifi's recommendation would be away from the village, in a location with more than a singular entrance/exit, that forces people into a narrow entrance at some section for ease of defense. Could be a cave, a ravine, a valley, but that's his thought he'd communicate around!

TRAVEL TO KE-WAIAR

[groundrules]

Just comment here if you're 99% sure you'd like to have your character go there and we'll piece together some village info for you in the log, in that case.

[weifinder]

You said narrow bridge and I heard "thematically relevant" hello

RESCUE THE TRIBUTES

[groundrules]

Comment with a suggestion to get these poor lads and ladies free like birds. Or +1 an existing suggestion. Just do your thing*





*please note: historically, the group's 'thing' has been crossdressing

[weifinder]

Okay so we have obvious people, how many sneaky people do we have to work at the same time as very obvious and/or annoying to distraction people, plus also maybe setting whatever is nearby on fire?

- cause a distraction
- extract the tributes
- set everything on fire

Wifi can offer to investigate the place as a paperman first to find where the people are, but yes, hello. Five, you'll love it, Wangji, you'll hate it.

RESCUE THE JEWELLER

[groundrules]

Show of hands if you're in.

[weifinder]

Literally what gets this guy in trouble, hand is raised

NPC POST SIGN-UPS

[groundrules]

Sign up by 23:59 GMT on 9 April if you'd like your character to talk to the Beastmaster, the Ke-Waiar envoy or the jeweller.

Only one person will be chosen — via RNG draw — per NPC talk.

Please note: the thread with the jeweller is only available to his rescuers.

THE BEASTMASTER

[groundrules]

A-wooooooooooo!

lan wangji | the untamed

[downswing]

PLAYER: ruxi
CHARACTER: Lan Wangji
CONTACT: PM, exar @ plurk.com

WHAT ARE THEY GETTING UP TO:

— save Wen Qing, save the world

— crossing that bridge, I guess

— save the jeweller

— that bloody hunt (if needed)

PARTICIPATING IN THE HUNT?: yes, if needed! Happy to go either way with him:

Hunter: he's unfortunately quite... ruthless when it comes to kills, so he'd be giving a pretty thorough, indefatigable chase. Not to say 'Lan Wangji will try to go to the ends of the world to getchu getchu getchu,' but.

Hunted: he's very fast, so if you want your hunter character distracted through a merry chase to avoid them killing anyone, he's your guy.

He's got too much natural advantage, so I wouldn't be giving him the animal link for either.

NEED HELP WITH ANYTHING? A lot of his spare time will be spent ensuring the Huntress / Beastmaster don't mind control or thrall their close ones or necromancers again. It happened last time, and they were pretty defenceless against it, so he's up for whatever.

[somebadnews]

A scenario where Lan Wangji hunts Five is amusing to me... can you imagine? A good time.

[blackscales]

PLAYER: Jack
CHARACTER: Wrathion
CONTACT: PM or discord!

WHAT ARE THEY GETTING UP TO:

Wrathion will probably spend MOST of this adventure outside the village. As soon as the Beastmaster turns up, he's in fact leaving. Goodbye! It's a no from him! He'll start to feel the vibes creeping over him and no, nobody wants that happening while he's in the village.

He'll be bolting (semi-stealthily, you know, in a hurry) from the village in human form, but he'll be flying around the forest occasionally in his true shape trying to avoid the Beastmaster's creatures. Down for people hunting or being hunted to see him, or for someone to just be sitting on their porch peacefully drinking tea and be all 'weird, could swear I saw a dragon flying in the forest. OH WELL.'

PARTICIPATING IN THE HUNT?:

In a manner of speaking, yes! Wrathion will be slipping in and out of mind control. I'm not letting it stick for too long because that will... undo his entire BfA arc that was about overcoming mind control and not being like the rest of his family, yknow, but he'll probably be smacking himself into the mountain and trees and things like a dog with something that bothers it, trying to shake it off and... being pursued by creatures!

Apologies for the minor forest damage.

NEED HELP WITH ANYTHING?

The Great Crane once said... With the support of friends, nothing is impossible.

Wrathion will need a cave warded up so he can better hide from the Beastmaster's little friends, and also probably some of that magic water, and those fancy bits of temple stone/wood so he wear a charm bracelet of 'do not mind control me please and thank you'.

Also maybe a warm blanket? You know. If you're feeling generous.

[weifinder]

bro we gonna get you some of that water, okay, we're walking that bridge for you--

[balancedwire]

PLAYER: Kitty
CHARACTER: Xie Yun
CONTACT: PM

WHAT ARE THEY GETTING UP TO:

- Save the good doctor, why not?

- Save the jeweler

- Rescue tributes

- The hunt (if needed)

PARTICIPATING IN THE HUNT?: If he's needed. Can be hunter or hunted; I'm good with either.

If any of the hunters want to go for him, they can have fun. Man has excellent qinggong and doesn't leave traces of where he's been, he's also fond of that parkour crap. So, he'll use the terrain to his advantage.

If he's the one doing the hunting, he's good at blending in. He's not one for killing, but that doesn't mean he won't treat you like a mouse that cat is taunting and teasing. That is, of course, until he gets bored with you.


NEED HELP WITH ANYTHING?

Keep him alive and he'll do his best to keep you alive.

[downswing]

'Keep him alive' sounds so easy, and yet.

number five | the umbrella academy

[somebadnews]

PLAYER: Sheep
CHARACTER: Number Five
CONTACT: lonesheep

WHAT ARE THEY GETTING UP TO: VAGUE PLANS. He'll be looking out for family and getting tied up in some rescue situations where teleporting is needed. He'll probably poke his nose wherever the Huntress ends up being stored and trying to decide how they can better put this to their advantage. Spreading his valuable opinions and then going off to do his own thing anyway.

PARTICIPATING IN THE HUNT?: Why not? Five is very violence prone, so you know. This seems fun if you want to go there!

Hunter: He's very good at murder and can be quite the little psychopath, so be careful. Teleports all over the place, and he is extremely efficient. Proceed with caution and let me know how far you want to take that. I have no limit, but maybe have an exit strategy in mind.
Hunted: Five had this infamous speech in the comics about being a gazelle in the jungle while he's killing a load of Commission agents. Maybe let's do something with this as a cute little nod.

NEED HELP WITH ANYTHING?: Five is a mess who always needs help, but also no he doesn't, he has his sanity under total control. He's cursed three times over, and could very feasibly snap at any point if things go a bad way. But forget that: if you're helping to keep his siblings alive when he doesn't have an eye on them, Five will remember this.

[downswing]

I'm just rubbing my hands at the thought of the world's worst chase, please make this terrible for him, Five.

Prepare to appreciate Wangji's "creative" insults

marcos | the gifted

[soloritur]

PLAYER: Sheep
CHARACTER: Marcos Diaz
CONTACT: lonesheep

WHAT ARE THEY GETTING UP TO: Marcos will be thrown into the tribute rescue, and possibly wanting to guard the Huntress at some point. For the rescue, he's very able to start fires and well accustomed to rescuing people. Completely his jam. Otherwise he'd very much like to reconnect with Lorna, check on his friends, and find out what happened in the volcano. Let me know if you need him for support anywhere!

PARTICIPATING IN THE HUNT?: At request! If his CR would like to get him involved or if you have a good idea, I'm all for it. Marcos has heat/light powers and can get excitable when he sets things on fire.

NEED HELP WITH ANYTHING?: He hasn't gotten rid of his sloth curse, so if there is anything you'd like to do to play this up it's very possible that it will get in the way of his various helping-scenarios. If you have any ideas where this might be of interest I'm here for them.

Anduin Wrynn | Warcraft

[chosenbylight]

PLAYER: Teresa
CHARACTER: Anduin Wrynn
CONTACT: discord or lycanthropy101 on plurk

WHAT ARE THEY GETTING UP TO: Anduin is LARGELY preoccupied with the fact that the Beastmaster has a hold over Wrathion, and Wrathion has since fled into the forest to try and escape the worst of it. With a frightened dragon on the loose, a dragon that he happens to care a great deal for, he's REALLY hoping no one gets the wrong idea and hunts him down.

When he is not guarding his dragon, he is Possibly getting involved with guarding the Huntress. Largely because he believes helping her will help give them a defense against the Beastmaster should things take a turn, and also because he hopes that in return for this help she will grant them a favor in kind. Also yes he is almost definitely going to help rescue the tributes, because anything he can do to help weaken the Beastmaster, he will...

And as always, he is available for any healing that anyone might need!

PARTICIPATING IN THE HUNT?: Not 100% sure whether he'll be participating in the Hunt or not, he's taking pretty great lengths to try and acquire all the Huntress' cures that he can for Wrathion. So in the sense that he is chasing an angry dragon around the forest trying to throw cures at him, yes??? Otherwise, not so much HAHA

NEED HELP WITH ANYTHING? BASICALLY Anduin is Very Concerned about the hold that the Beastmaster has on Wrathion. He will be collecting wood and stone from the forest shrine, but he'll also be looking for people who have traveled/will be traveling to Ke-Waiar that can collect some well water from there for him. He's willing to barter for it if necessary. Basically the distance there and back is too far for him to risk, being a 6-8 hour journey. His nerves would NOT be able to take it, but he'd be forever grateful to whoever might be able to do it for him.

[blackscales]

He objects to "frightened dragon" this is a tactical retreat.

Beitang Moran

[beitangmoran]

PLAYER: Dùlin
CHARACTER: Beitang Moran
CONTACT: on the discord server or journal PM is fine

WHAT ARE THEY GETTING UP TO: Moran has taken up some plot rolls last month so he's gonna step back and let other people have fun... but he might be planning a public call out of the Hok-shinn. You know, because they absolutely suck at being leaders.

PARTICIPATING IN THE HUNT?: Moran is available, mostly as hunted because he would not want to willingly participate in hunting people.
His predictive abilities will probably kick in if he's hunted, allowing him to evade after a certain point, but I'm open to him getting roughened up a bit before he escapes, he's a soldier, so he can fight but he has no special abilities apart from your standard Chinese martial arts stuff.

NEED HELP WITH ANYTHING? he's gotten rid of his curse, so he's doing okay. he can bring sarcastic comments to all of your parties if needed, he hasn't done so in a while and he might be in need of being a bitch for a minute or two.

((As a note, I will be on holiday next week and gone from Tuesday to Friday. I will have internet access but probably be busy during the day.))

[downswing]

Okay, but we need someone to make eyes at this envoy.

Xie Lian

[scrapgege]

PLAYER: Dùlin
CHARACTER: Xie Lian
CONTACT: Discord server or journal PM

WHAT ARE THEY GETTING UP TO: Xie Lian will be trying to stay out of trouble and not meddle too much, but he's available if talismans are needed for the Huntress thing, and mostly, he'll want to try and help the villagers not get too enthralled if he can... he's not going to be planning for it, but punching Taksui is something that will happen at some point.

PARTICIPATING IN THE HUNT?: probably form afar, also available to be hunted because what is his luck, and he can take an insane amount of damage because he just... can't die. so yeah.

NEED HELP WITH ANYTHING?He really is starting to think he should get more interested into what those undead are and how they work, because this is unlike what he's seen before.

((Same as above re: holiday))

jiang cheng

[consignation]

PLAYER: morgan
CHARACTER: jiang cheng
CONTACT: loaf#3886

WHAT ARE THEY GETTING UP TO: jiang cheng's UNREQUITED LOVE INTEREST is iN DANGER. he will be SCREAMING INCOHERENTLY, desperately hitting up castmates for help, and generally be in a furious panic.

PARTICIPATING IN THE HUNT?: yes, my dream is to make jiang cheng full of badass ruthless fury so he will be a-hunting. the whip will be used. please sign up for whipping.

NEED HELP WITH ANYTHING? help im a small confused sprout trying to make sense of a plot i lost the thread of about six months ago due to irl burnout. please hand-hold me until i figure out what's going on.

[reparo]

i apologise pre-emptively for having been around when your unrequited love interest decided to CHASE A NAGA AT FULL SPEED
do you want
an egg in this trying time?