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[groundrules]

This log covers 7-25 April, drawing from previous discoveries. Feel free to tag in here or make your own posts/logs!

Sign-ups for NPC threads remain open until 23:59 GMT on 9 April.

THE LION’S DEN

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WEN QING’S RESCUE | THE HUNTRESS’ CURES | THE HUNT | THE OLD MOUNTAIN

Image source.

SWEET HISSED NOTHINGS

CONTENT WARNING: MENTIONS OF SNAKES, SERPENT CREATURES

Prior to the Huntress’ arrival, the group’s healer Wen Qing is captured by a feral half human, half serpent creature. Characters might overhear visiting woodsmen who say a woman was heaved into the woods at night by a large serpent.

After journeying through the illusion-casting forests of Ke-Waihu, prospective rescuers discover that traces of struggle lead them to a 20m-deep, wide pit on brittle pale soil, close to the Fortune fetters ruins:

■ If you cross the Fetters, local prophetesses cryptically advise you to shed torches or clothes and to run to cold streams, if you encounter danger. A distressed Hyang-Tai pleads kindness for ‘ancients’ and ‘children.’

■ The surroundings of the pit are eerily silent.

■ Rescuers can spot a sleeping Wen Qing at the bottom of the pit, patches of her bared skin covered in a slick shine and showing the start of growing scales. She is surrounded by dozens of dormant snakes and nagas, tightly and peacefully coiled around her.

■ Wooden stakes have been thrust into the pit walls — serving as challenging, but workable steps.

■ Some snakes are poisonous — with many cures available in the forest or back in Ke-Waihu — but most bite viciously without venom. Some nagas emit phlegm that briefly impairs the vision or blinds.

■ Watch your step! The creatures are drawn to warmth, fire magic and sound. They stir and climb the pit to attack if they feel threatened.
■ Rusted weapons and broken shields litter the bottom of the pit, dropped in by previous… visitors.

OBJECTIVES

■ Remove Wen Qing from her dire straits.

■ Wen Qing is left with serpentine sensitivities, instincts and scales. To cure her, healers advise a seven-day brew treatment of widow’s lace — an opiate plant found in large forest bushes.

■ Grab a few flowers at a time and store them well — collectors exposed extensively to widow’s lace experience four-six hours of light euphoria, paranoia or bizarre visions — swindling foxes and philosophical parrots are apparently commonly imagined.

Image source.

THE MAIDEN’S WATCH

The Huntress joins the group, deprived of her powers and absent her steed. She pointedly stares at the ground, but those who meet her gaze may revisit harrowing moments in their lives.

Following group conversations, her shelter is rotated between two locations: a shallow forest cave and the now deserted snake pit that previously hosted Wen Qing.

Take turns shielding her from the animals that seem drawn to besiege her. The Huntress spends her time in tears or penitence and speaks in a maddened tongue. Voice coarse and wet, she summons the composure to share her knowledge:

■ The Beastmaster and she both seek to witness the imminent eruption of the Ke-Sanwon volcano, expected within a month. The Beastmaster will become more human as that time draws.

■ Ravens excepted, local animals obey the Beastmaster and spy for him.

■ To avoid the pull of the Beastmaster and his Hunt, seek out:

THE SHRINE

Trek through Ke-Waihu’s haunted forests and find the village’s only shrine devoted to ravens, outside of the elusive House of Ravens.

■ Wear pebbles or wood splinters from the shrine to disrupt the Beastmaster’s thrall on you. These items must be replaced after three days.

■ Fox spirits have raised dozens of illusionary copies of the shrine. The stone of the original altar is marked for ravens in a small wooden carving, while copy shrines worship foxes.

■ Young fox spirits imitate ravens or play distant bells to distract travellers from finding the raven shrine.

■ Sometimes, fox spirits swarm, offering to show the way if visitors perform a small dare or tell them a meaningful secret.

■ If asked, Ke-Waihu locals share the shrine was raised by a wanderer, who spent a month in the village many years ago. He was disgusted with the arrogance of Ke-Waicai’s zealots, who insist ravens are sacred and can only be worshipped in the House of Ravens.

THE BRIDGE

Ke-Waihu has briefly reopened its gates to the nearby village of Ke-Waiar — to which it is connected by a fragile and narrow bridge high above a misted abyss.

■ Wind gusts shake the ropes of the rickety bridge, and several wooden steps are putrid, dangling or loose.

■ Ad you near the bridge’s end to Ke-Waiar, you may find a couple of fox spirits are purposefully rattling the ropes to unsaddle travellers. Plead or barter: you can offer anything from riddles to treats, a good performance, a poem, a favour, a shouted confession of true love…

■ The village gates open between sunrise and sunset. Characters who arrive early find many villagers sleep until late in the day. By sundown, some locals become frantic, alert, increasingly irritable.

■ Water can be freely taken from any of the wells within Ke-Waiar to satisfy the quest. Villagers offer it gladly — they too suffer from resurging drought and dark waters.

■ If you arrive at sunset or night, you can see villagers turning to werewolves in various stages of transformation, between humanoid and large wolf beast. They are lured out of Ke-Waiar, gates closing behind them, and released into the thick, vibrant woods — with you.

■ Take cover in the forest, to escape the pack of werewolves and wolves. Some might prove lenient if they catch you, while others feel compelled to draw blood.

■ To wait out the night: climb the forest’s sturdiest trees with help of the ropes purposefully bound from tall branches. Some trees even host rudimentary treehouses.

Image source.

THE HUNT

The Beastmaster, his xenomorphic creatures and mutated animals arrive in Ke-Waihu to behold the ‘imminent’ volcanic eruption.

The Beastmaster’s creatures possess sharpened senses and hearing, intense speed and hard carcasses that provide additional but imperfect protection from blows and missiles. They often hunt in packs, but behave themselves in Ke-Waihu during daytime.

The Beastmaster excuses himself from the underground Hok-Shinn clan’s attempts at a welcome celebration, taking residence with his beasts in his village hut. He may be encountered walking the village beside five or six of his creatures, inspecting the markets and even advising new huntsmen — his manner slow, speech rough in a way that suggests oral injury beneath his facial bandages.

THE TRIBUTES

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 then held in groups of five across four abandoned homes, each closely watched by six-seven men of the Hok-Shinn.

■ Team up, rescue some tributes — and get out alive.

■ For easier infiltration, try the forest-facing back of the houses, or the generously large, defective chimneys. Beware slippery or broken roof tiles

■ Hok-Shinn guards possess great brute force… and gratefully accept liquor.

■ Some tributes might fight their rescuers and attempt to alert the guards. Some claim it is their privilege to join the Beastmaster, while others say they should be sacrificed to the volcano Ke-Sanwon for their families.

■ You can hide the rescued tributes in the witches’ huts or the Fetters — gather them coin so they can book seats on the next ship out of Ke-Waihu.

THE HUNTING SEASON

The Beastmaster’s creatures are mannered during the day, but join the Hunting season that kicks off after the full moon:

■ Participation is (OOCly) optional.

■ For five nights, come moonrise, some 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 and forest animals.

■ You can chase each other or ‘pack’ up against a common target or enemy.

■ Anyone can ‘hunt’ or ‘be hunted.' Roles can swap across the five nights.

■ Characters can develop overnight instincts akin to an animal of hunt or prey of your choice, and they will be helped by these animals for the night. Snakes and ravens do not participate.

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

■ Certain characters 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.

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

A couple of fun locations for hunt participants:

■ A tree enclosure where characters can hide for up to an hour, invisible to their pursuers. They can still be heard or scented.

■ A small lake, silvered at night, in whose waters you can breathe freely.

■ A fox spirit shrine, where a group of four-five vulpine friends defend you alongside their territory.

■ Abandoned wells and the forest streams previously touched by dark waters. The Beastmaster’s creatures seem very curious about the liquid, but ultimately pull back, as if obeying instructions.

■ Areas with strong fire or utter dark deter the Beastmaster's creatures.

Image source.

OLD MAN MOUNTAIN

Dormant volcano Ke-Sanwon shows signs of upcoming eruption: soil swells, increases in local temperature and small, low-grade earthquakes.

■ Characters with magical powers may find their strength sometimes fluctuates, suddenly swelling or briefly waning completely.

■ Dark waters fill out some of the ground cracks that follow earthquakes. The liquid is cold, settling as if it were iced. This dark water heals shallow wounds on any skin it touches, or gently revives vegetation over one-three days on any ground it is set on.

■ The strength of the dark water fades over a week’s time.

■ Digging through the ground cracks reveals thin rivulets of the dark water are present all around Ke-Sanwon.They are more numerous the closer you get to the volcano. Dark water also smears the mouths of hell.

THE JEWELLER

A few days after the earthquakes state (after 20 April, for network posts), characters wake to distant screams, as a group of 10 of Ke-Waihu's masked concerned citizens drag handsome young jeweller Dong-Yun out of Ke-Waihu.

■ The group is taking Dong-Yun through the predatory forests.

■ You can play out finding the captors’ convoy separately, or tag into the jeweller’s rescue here.

■ Bring the jeweller back to Ke-Waihu. Dong-Yun can share that his abductors intended to sacrifice him to the Ke-Sanwon volcano. One of the participants in the rescue: please share with the rest of the class!

”I’ve heard, but I’ve never — they used to, when my mother was young… she told, me even when she had me, all the mothers hid their young. She told me, they used to give them to Sanwon. The prettiest, the smartest, the most skilled. Give it all to Brother Sanwon, give it to… so it won’t take everything else. Give it our best, and it will leave us the rest. But this doesn’t happen anymore. The mountain doesn’t want it.”

Image source.

QUESTIONS

Comments

xiao xingchen | open

[binghua]

1. the bridge

[This seemed like a good idea at the time.

Xingchen has traveled fair distances even as a blind man that the thought of heading to the neighboring village on his own never gave him cause for worry. Even when he approaches that bridge and hears how the wind makes it creak and moan, almost as if it were alive, he bunches up his courage and steps onto the rickety thing. It's just a bridge, after all. He need only hold onto the rope railings and take it slow -

But then the bridge shakes violently and he throws his arms around that rope, holding on for dear life. He thinks it must have just been a strong gust of wind, but then laughter sails toward him on the air.

Ah. It must be naughty children, then. They can be terribly cruel.]

Please, don't do that again. What if someone falls and gets hurt?

[Getting hurt is probably not in the cards. Who knows how high up this bridge is? The echo is pretty evident.

Instead of an answer, Xingchen only hears that laughter grow in volume, two, maybe three voices altogether. He just grips on tighter and hopes they'll grow tired of this game.]


2. the wolves (CW for some blood and violence)

[Despite his treacherous bridge-crossing, Xingchen made it to Ke-Waiar and manages to fill up three vials of the well water there. He intends to bring the extra two back for anyone back in Ke-Waihu who needs it's protection. He contemplates staying in the village for the night, but he also wants to get back as soon as possible. Tarrying won't do anyone any favors.

But when he hears the village gates shut behind him, the noise seems to reverberate throughout his entire body. He shudders, either from the bad feeling in his gut or the sudden chill in the air. Maybe it's nighttime and they close the gates for this reason. That makes the most sense.

He travels for a time, hoping his intuition on which direction to go is correct. And then the howling starts, farther away at first, but rapidly approaching. Xingchen reaches into his robes and pulls out a talisman, one he had prepared ahead of time. Wolves and other animals tend to stay away if there's a fire. The talisman won't last long, though, and he can't make a proper campfire, so this is his best bet.

When something rustles in the trees to his left, he injects the talisman with some of his qi, igniting it immediately. The creature snuffles at the sudden light and holds off, long enough for Xingchen to reach for Shuanghua on his back, slowly drawing the blade defensively.

That probably wasn't the best idea, it turns out. Another wolf, unbeknownst to Xingchen as he was focusing on the first, sees that weapon and leaps at him, teeth and claws sinking into his bicep, ripping the fabric of his robes and tearing at his flesh until blood quickly soaks the remnants of the sleeve and drips along his side.

Xingchen cries out in pain and drops his sword, the weapon dully clanging against the ground. The talisman sputters out and he's left in another kind of darkness.]


3. the crossroads

[Xingchen has been through it. Surely begging with the other homeless and orphaned and invalids won't put his life in danger.

He doesn't do this for himself, of course. Xingchen has managed on his own for a couple years. But the rescued tributes back in Ke-Waihu need money to escape and they can't exactly do it themselves right now.

Xingchen, on the other hand, fits right in. He sits there with a few other unwanteds, one of his mended baskets in front of where he sits on the ground. His robes are still bloody from his werewolf run-in and his right arm rests in a makeshift sling, though his core speeds up the healing process.

The problem is Xingchen isn't good at begging. So the first few hours he sits here, he doesn't know what to say and ends up saying nothing. But after listening to the others around him, he grows a little more brave.

Upon hearing someone step closer, he raises his head and offers a small smile, one that wouldn't reach his eyes if he still had them.]

Might one show some mercy for a lowly beggar?


4. wildcard

[you know how this works baybee]

3

[scrapgege]

... Xiao-daozhang?

[It's.... extremely weird to see him there, and in a position that is all too familiar for him, but...]

What are you doing here? Is that blood?!

[binghua]

[Ah. This was bound to happen, to be discovered by one of their own while in an embarrassing situation.

And also while still wounded. Right. That's a thing people can see. Xingchen at least has the shame to bow his head a little.]

Xie-daozhang. I suppose it is blood. I...had a run-in outside of Ke-Waiar.

[scrapgege]

Has your wound been seen to?

[That is the priority after all, and Xie Lian is good at bandaging for... reasons.

[binghua]

I've done the best I can, considering.

[Hence the makeshift sling and what is noticeably a sad attempt at bandaging and cleaning himself. But when he cant see...]

My Core is taking care of the worst of it.

[scrapgege]

I'm sure it is, but... would you allow me to have a look? I've bandaged myself a lot, I might be able to help you secure it a bit better.

[And while he does that, he might be able to ask what exactly Xiao-daozhang is doing here.]

[binghua]

[That admission makes Xingchen frown. Why would a god need to do that for himself? All the same, he nods.]

I'm sure you can. I've probably made a mess of things.

[Just like how he's surely made a mess of his clothes. He hasn't had the proper time to wash these robes, despite them being ruined anyway, and can't see just how much blood has stained the right side.]

Do I look frightening?

[scrapgege]

Well, it looks like you bled a lot, and your robes are white. We'll see about cleaning them up. I've done that a lot too.

(By now, he is a pro at getting mud and blood out of white cloth. but first, he'll smile at the beggars surrounding Xiao-daozhang, yet they seem to think nothing of waving him closer. Truly, there must be something about him that tells them, he is just like them. And he was, for a time.]

Your arm is splintered properly, at least... but let me see if any wound might need cleaning. I... might need to remove some of your robes for that.

[binghua]

[So he definitely is a sight. Xingchen nods his acquiescence.]

Let us move some distance from the road, in that case.

[He reaches for his basket and gingerly gets up, taking a few steps away from the commotion of the crossroads. Surely there are some trees that can shelter him from traveling eyes.]

Xie-daozhang sounds knowledgeable in this. Do you find yourself often in fights and altercations?

2

[consignation]

[ There's the crack of a whip close enough to Xingchen for him to feel the rush of air as it cuts through the space beside him, snapping around the wolf's neck and jerking it away with a sharp, bestial whine. Jiang Cheng casts the wolf hard into a tree, then cracks the whip again at the second beast. ]

Xiao-daozhang, are you badly hurt? [ Jiang Cheng calls out as he shifts the grip on his sword, tense, waiting to see what the animal does in response to the threat. It growls low and he snaps the whip again, electricity crackling through it with this swing. The wolf thinks better of this particular prey and turns away, disappearing into the darkness of the woods. Jiang Cheng breathes out a sigh of relief.

He turns to Xiao Xingchen, expression alarmed as he investigates the blood. He's not any kind of medic or healer— ]

What are you doing out here...?

[binghua]

[That crack shouldn't surprise Xingchen as much as it does since he's already on high alert dealing with these creatures. But it does and suddenly the wolf at his side is torn away, its claws leaving longer scratches as it goes. Xingchen falls to his knees and instantly grasps his arm with his left hand. It's hot and wet and he must be a terrible sight for whoever has come to his aid. His hand shakes.

He doesn't answer the voice right away, just grateful that someone was around to help. Otherwise, he probably would be dead. Sometimes things happen that make him realize he doesn't always want to die.]

I'm... It's been some time since...since I was wounded this badly.

[He breathes out in something that might resemble a weak laugh.]

2

[eternallywandering]

[Xingchen's cry rips through him and Zishu finds himself racing towards the source. He draws his Baiyi, furious, slicing into the beasts that surround what he hopes is a still living man. The bright crimson spray and the howls of the wounded animals do nothing to appease him, but he is done with them. Either they will die or find some way to flee.

Gritting his teeth, Zishu kneels down beside Xingchen and gently searches for the man's pulse. He rips cloth from his robes to staunch the gravest wound, applying pressure to encourage the wound to clot.]

Xingchen? Can you hear me? [Even if he receives an answer, he lifts the man into his arms, readying himself to take him...somewhere safer. Anywhere than this hell pit.] I've got you. You're safe.

[binghua]

[It's difficult to hear anything over his pounding heartbeat and harsh breathing, but Xingchen thinks he recognizes the all-too-familiar sound of steel slicing through flesh. Ah...those poor creatures, even if they did just try to tear his arm off.

And then there's a familiar voice and that sharp pain returns to his arm and he's in someone else's arms and Xingchen grasps for whatever clothing he can with his good arm, as if to stop all this moving.]

I'm alive, I'm alive.

[Just...worse for wear.]

Shuanghua... My sword.

[This man can take him wherever he wants, but Xingchen can't be parted from his spiritual weapon.]

[eternallywandering]

[Forget those "poor" creatures. They overstepped the moment they threatened Xingchen. Zishu has no pity and no time for them. He does, however, have plenty of time and strength for his friend.

The color leaves his cheeks when he realizes the pain his movements are causing, but it can't be helped...]

Your sword. Don't worry. [He looks around until he finds Shuanghua, shifting Xingchen's weight so he can grab the hilt. He tucks the blade into his belt - just for the time being - and begins their retreat again.]

Hold still and keep your breathing under control. It will help the bleeding.

[binghua]

[Well, there's only so still he can actually stay when he's in considerable pain and awash with the knowledge that they aren't entirely safe. Xingchen wishes he could run, could unburden Zhou Zishu with his wounded body. That wouldn't end so well, of course, not when he's already directing some of his spiritual powers to keep his wound under some control.]

...Thank you. Are they...are they still nearby?

[There are some howls still, but they sound distant enough to his ears.]

[eternallywandering]

We have space between them and us. [Especially if he keeps moving. Zishu tries to hold Xingchen against his chest, to only use his lower body to get them to safety, but he can't help jostling the poor man now and then. He too is listening to the howls and wondering how fast werewolves can travel.]

You don't have to worry about them. I'll stop them if they follow us.

[He finds a small cave - much too little to interest a bear - and he sets Xingchen down in it, crawling in after him.]

Let me see your arm.

[binghua]

Let us hope they don't catch up. I'm weighing you down.

[He tries to lift his wounded arm to test its usefulness in case he does have to help protect them, but he's rewarded with a sharp pang, similar to what it had felt like when the wolf's claws had found purchase in his flesh. He sucks in a breath and gives up on that endeavor.

Thankfully Zhou Zishu finds some sort of shelter, a cave if their echoes are any indication, and Xingchen drags himself to lean against a wall. He puts up no fight when Zhou Zishu wants to look at his wound.]

It's still attached, right?

[A short, choked-off laugh.]

[eternallywandering]

You are not. [Zishu snaps, regretting the harsh whisper almost immediately. But it's true. Xiao Xingchen could never be a burden - even if he tried to be one!

In the cave, they have some time to breathe. Pushing Xingchen's tattered sleeve out of the way, he narrows his eyes, quickly engineering a plan.]

Yes, it's attached. Your tendons have been severed. Don't try to lift your arm. I'm going to make you a sling until we can get back to a proper healer.

[Baiyi cuts through Zishu's robe with ease and he quickly fashions a sling, tying the material around Xingchen's neck.]

I'm going to give you some healing now to help ease the pain. Are you ready?

3. the crossroads

[cairhien]

( moiraine had also travelled across, had also heard the plight of ke-waihu, though she'd worked as well as she could with their sick and injured, healing what she could, bandaging and soothing others.

it was how she found him, walking through, seeing him before he speaks )

Perhaps I could do something else for you?

( it's easy to see the blood on his robes, the bandage holding his arm and she kneels by him )

How long ago were you hurt?

[binghua]

[It takes Xingchen a moment for that voice to register as one he's heard before, since it has been some time since he last spoke with Moiraine, but once it does, he offers her a small smile.]

Perhaps, but only if it is no hardship to you.

[She's a healer, he thinks, or at least knows what plants are good for what purpose.]

Ah...two nights ago? Maybe three. The passage of time sometimes eludes me.

[cairhien]

It's no hardship to help a friend.

( or a would-be friend. their conversations have been friendly enough even if not so recent )

Hopefully nothing has set in during that time.

( she reaches to him, a light touch to his arm, guiding it closer to her, speaking through her actions as she opens the bandage. it's always better to see what she'll be healing before she does )

It'll be as if it didn't happen.

[binghua]

That is very kind of you to say.

[That she considers him a friend. Xingchen has always been able to get along with most people, though, so it's not a surprise. It does still feel nice.]

This one will be a dutiful patient for his friend, then.

[As Moiraine gets to work unwinding his crude bandages, Xingchen reassures her.]

I haven't noticed any stench of infection. I can smell a fair amount.

[You know, what with being blind and having heightened senses.]

[cairhien]

It looks better than it could. You've been fortunate.

( that he wasn't injured worse, that nothing came after. and to have a skilled healer for a friend.

one hand keeps a hold on his arm as her other channels, small motions of her hand as she draws the weaves before resting that hand also on his arm.

he'll feel something a little uncomfortable as his body effectively pulls itself back together, though the sensation lasts only a short moment before relieving. as will any pain he felt, his arm renewed as if he was never injured )

[binghua]

[Xingchen has no idea what to expect from Moiraine, whether she'll put a salve on his wounds that may be more effective than anything he's ever used, or share energies similar to his own qi. Those are reasonable expectations, he thinks.

Even when she gets to work and he feels that discomfort at first, Xingchen only clenches his teeth through that pain. Healing involves a little bit of it, after all, so it's no surprise to him. Except...the pain subsides almost instantly, not even a dull ache as a shadow of a reminder.

His brows knit in confusion and he tentatively lifts that arm, though he knows he shouldn't. What if she's still working and he makes things worse? But there's no pain. There's nothing. He feels...normal.

Xingchen lifts his other hand to touch what was once mauled, only to be met with a newly-whole arm.]

How did you...?

[cairhien]

I healed you. ( no kidding, though they simply call that weave healing not solely for the act of it )

Your strength, mine. You'll need to eat more tonight and may feel more tired but your injury is gone.