THE DROUGHT | KE-WAICAI

[groundrules]

Hello, hello! In line with the previous heads-up, we'll take it a tiny bit easier until mid-May, to accommodate hiatuses.

Below is a set of plot rolls, for which you'll receive full details on Thursday, 28 April. You can sign up your character until 17:00 GMT of that day and play things out over 29 April — 15 May. We'll need at least two characters signed up for a quest to carry it out.

If you don't think you'll be available for posting / tagging with your roll mates over that period, it might be easier on you to have your character support folks who are leading a plot roll, and jump in on their open logs or posts on the topic.

THAT'S HOW MAY ROLLS

THE DROUGHT The villagers of Ke-Waihu dread their odds for winter, as more wells dry, crops start failing and even parts of the lush nearby forests seem at risk of catching flame. Objectives: help procure food supplies and disinfect and prepare granaries. Reap crops before they are corrupted. Rescue and calm down shrine spirits and woodland animals. Clean fields of... interesting plant tentacle monstrosities organisms. Touch base with the witches of the fetters to learn more about the cure that sustained Ke-Waihu's agriculture in recent years. Help devise a temporary substitute. Find out what's behind the dark waters and the woman-who-is-half-head-half-snake — and what happened during the last attempt to sacrifice someone to Ke-Sanwon. Content warning: you are not required to interact with snakes, but know that they're present in the Fetters. Talk of previous attempted human sacrifice. SIGN UP FOR THE QUEST and flag if you want your character to speak with Fetters witch leader Hyang-Tai or the Beastmaster. We'll pick one winner via RNG for each conversation. Image source.

KE-WAICAI An envoy of the elusive third village Ke-Waicai joins Ke-Waihu to champion a return to the old way of offering worthy human sacrifices to stall Ke-Sanwon's eruptions. Ke-Waicai holds three keys to the sacred sacrifice site, the House of Ravens, but will only allow passage to the faithful. Unexpectedly, the Huntress offers assistance to infiltrate Ke-Waicai and capture the keys. Objectives: secure the envoy's help to reach Ke-Waicai by raising money for a bribe, or arranging a very convincing cover (ex: marrying into the village, a merchant caravan, a sudden burst of faith etc). Alternatively, join the Huntress on a dangerous forests trek to reach Ke-Waicai. Collaborate to steal the key from Ke-Waicai. Content warning: cultists, man. Talk of previous human sacrifice. SIGN UP FOR THE QUEST and give a shout if you want your character to talk shop with the Huntress or to steal one of the three keys. RNG draw will decide who talks to the Huntress and who gets a key (note: everyone can contribute to help get keys, this is just to decide who obtains the physical items). Image source.

Comments

QUESTIONS & INFO COLLECTION

[groundrules]

For all your question needs, or if you require any information or rolling to carry out your own alternative quests, sleuthing or exploration.

[somebadnews]

Say someone would want to get to a sacred sacrifice site with the full intention of destroying it and maybe anyone associated idk they would have to evaluate but it seems like a great idea. Assuming they're able to get in, how successful might one be? Of course I'm sure there are missing details, but! A thought.

Of course he can always case the place for later, but what a good low-key way to beat a curse about sacrifices. Just putting it out there.

[groundrules]

Hey! Sorry, are you talking about the House of Ravens?

[somebadnews]

Oh yes, I suppose I am! Just a little bit. Of course there are many reasons why this might not work and alternate ways to hold them up if destroying is too extreme (idk some people going might not agree with him), but I wanted to see what options were out there!

[groundrules]

I'm not adverse to ruining it, if that ends up the final decision, but I think you should wait until it's open, as there's a lot you don't know about it yet.

[somebadnews]

Yes true! I will put a pin in this and wait for more information. :>

books books books loot loot loot

[reparo]

Hello, darling mod ❤

Library shelves of Ke-Waicai are being raided by a handful of procrastinating, multitaskin nerds, and they've been getting requests.

Here is the list raided for you to decide what, exactly, is the info they're getting from them:
- one book that randomly turns out to be erotica oops
- history of magic/history of the world/political machinations of the past (big interest around how the magic of this world works, how the cult was formed, whatever they'll have written down)
- astronomy/astrology-looking stuff for Moran
- mechanics/techy looking books with schematics for Viktor and Jens
- a book that looks like it's about curses, breaking curses, cursing people, cleansing curses, whatever floats your boat

Re: books books books loot loot loot

[groundrules]

Hey guys - I'll roll you some books, but that's a very specific list, when they wouldn't really have had the time to read through and get choosy. So I'll give you something in the genres listed, but I can't promise a book that turns out to be erotica, etc.

[reparo]

Roll away! And yes, they were mostly impulsively grabbing whatever looked good, but I wouldn't call it a browse-before-you-yank sort of read, so I think we'll be happy with approximations to the genres asked.

They'll just have to write their own erotica. All three of them. Please enjoy picturing that result.

[groundrules]

I think the current depth of specificity is just a little too overwhelming for me to work with. If you guys really want something this custom, can you reduce the number to no more than three, please? Alternatively, happy to do the agreed five, but might work better to give me a breakdown a la "two books on humanities, two on sciences, one fiction" or something like that.

[reparo]

Ohhh, I get you - sorry, then, my bad. I misunderstood the breadth of vagueness. In that case, can we have two books on history, two on sciences, and one fiction? Roll at will.

[groundrules]

Okay, let's go with:

Iron Wrought and Iron New

A thorough technical discussion on the merits and chemical attributes of iron, including a map that illustrates ore-heavy mountains both within the Ke-Sanwon region and globally. Instructions on how to achieve common alloys, which local metals best bind with iron, the most efficient local tools to utilise, and a few recipes to forge bolts, cutlery, coarse swords. A good starter's guide on mining, cleansing, working with and forging iron.

Sickness Spells across the Continent

Follows the spread of pox and fever sicknesses across the (now-severed) eastern continent, including a majority of old folks' tales and superstitious cures, and moving into medical healing. Covers a variety of largely extinct illnesses and documents their anecdotal impact on local culture and politics. Small incursions into poisons, typically when the lethal ingredient was organically found commonplace across a region and obliviously ingested by the local populace (leading to addictions to a brand of light opiates, indigestions or poison because of local mushrooms, etc). The focus of the book is ultimately historical — this is not a thorough medical text.

Thermal Processes: From Toil to Tumble

Physical thermodynamics, with some incursions into magical application. Examples range from water and hydrogen (known here as the lung coils) to obscure chemicals unique to the world of Akhuras. The inevitable section on volcanos details the states of lava. The book includes several theoretical and mathematical exercises, some of which past readers have solved with the appropriate formulas on the edges or corners of some pages.

Miraculous Mermaids

A history of evolving sentience among fish kind, culminating in the appearance of mermaids. Deep detail on the politics, mating and migration patterns and feeding rites of various tribes. Specifies where mermaids can be encountered. Details how some became extinct, while others thrived. Includes a clearly repeatedly read chapter on whether there is merit to the tales of romance kindled between mermaids and humans (the author posits that these stories must have originated because of sailors' interactions with the highly social mermaids of the now defunct Lessardus tribe; the author further believes landlocked individuals projected their own behaviours onto mermaids — aka, misunderstood the errant twitches of their facial muscles as 'smiling.')

The Song of Master Moon

A visibly newer, original manuscript written in ink. The story of Master Moon, who descended from the heavens, incensed that he winked at the earth, and the red eye of a mountain winked back with impunity. He crossed lands to reach this mountain, swearing to stab its eye shut. On his way, Master Moon started to know the people of the realms, and their strange devotion to their mountain. As he got closer to the mountain's lid, he met three knights who opposed him, defeating each: one with a riddle, another at drink, the third in combat. Finally, reaching the edge of the mountain, he called for the eye within to meet him in contest or battle. But the mountain refused him, and Master Moon called on every one of its ancestors to come witness the mountain's cowardice, shaming it. And the more spirits of the elders gathered, the more they ridiculed the mountain, and the more the mountain's eye whittled shut. Until Master Moon was content once more, and he flew back into the heavens, as every elder stood up, cried and clapped.

THE DROUGHT

[groundrules]

Respond to this comment by 17:00 GMT on 28 April if you want your character to take on this quest.

Flag if you want to submit your character for a RNG draw to speak to either Hyang-Tai or the Beastmaster. Please state which of the two you'd like your character to talk to. Only pick one!

[scrapgege]

Xie Lian will help with the drought because how better to heal from your trauma than by subjecting yourself to it again?

Waving participation to talk to one of the NPcs for now since I did get some NPC bits earlier myself, so leaving some for others.

[chosenbylight]

Having just rescued the last guy they tried to throw into the volcano, Anduin REALLY would like to think there's a better way than human sacrifice to save the village...

Also submitting him for RNG to speak to Hyang-Tai!

[cairhien]

volunteering moiraine to help with the drought, girl is very good at weather related things and could try to channel some rain for a immediate effect whilst trying to also find a longer term thing?

she'd go talk with the witches 😌

(as long as i dont have to see any pictures i am a-okay with knowing they exist)

[groundrules]

Heya! Just want to confirm, since I remember this is an area of triggers for you — this quest can absolutely be performed without dealing with the snakes, they are just going to be... accessories if you guys decide to use them in a log. But they would not be imposed on you in any way.

[cairhien]

you are the best egg 💕

[thebrideoffire]

Volunteering Dany for both this and speaking to Hyang-Tai. She's got some experience dealing with this because of Meereen.

[groundrules]

Heya — Hyang-Tai is all Dany's. Please try to share any notable information gleaned with the group, after. Thanks!

[thebrideoffire]

Yay! Thank you!

[techmaturgy]

Probably best suited to reverse-engineering a substitute for the agricultural cure but also don't mind if he just takes some samples of weird plants

I will go for the Beastmaster bc why not

[groundrules]

Hello! Viktor gets the dubious privilege of engaging the undead lord, the Beastmaster. Try to share any interesting information with the class after. Thanks!

[reparo]

Hey I was going to have Hermione join this party because she wants to have another go at the Fetters' territory - with a side of being conscripted by the enemy. If you need support at any point with the NPC thread, reach out!

[techmaturgy]

Oh, amazing! I'll hit you up if it looks like things are going that way. Thanks for the heads up!

KE-WAICAI

[groundrules]

Respond to this comment by 17:00 GMT on 28 April if you want your character to take a merry stroll to Ke-Waicai.

Signal if you want to submit your character for a RNG draw to speak to the Huntress or to steal a key. Please state which of the two you'd like your character to do.

[traaaaaash]

I'd be interested in key theft!!

[beitangmoran]

I was told someone was needed to make eyes at an envoy, so here is Moran for that. he might leave the actual stealing to others though.

[somebadnews]

100% this one. Five will perk up at any talk about human sacrifice, he's very sure he can fix his curse if he keeps taking drastic measures. He may or may not take extra advantage of certain opportunities during this.

Also his teleport shenanigans are useful for stealing keys.

[blackscales]

Putting Wrathion forward to talk to The Huntress so he can get to the bottom of this week's Unsolved. They both currently hang out in caves and hate The Beastmaster, so yknow they have something in common?

[groundrules]

Hello! The Huntress is ready for dinner, and also, possibly, a word. Please try to share any interesting information with the class after — thanks!

[reparo]

Belatedly I'm replying to say - strolling merrily to Ke-Waicai, but doesn't have to speak to the Huntress or steal a key. (Books are free game tho right?)