Too bad, but I understand. Good luck with everything!
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I'd like to continue as-is. Losing Tarja and Thirrion still leaves us with four characters.
Looks like we may have lost Tarja?
Are we waiting on Tarja now, or is it back to the GM?
Yamauchi shrieks a tengu warcry as he again attacks the wyvern, trying to fell it before it can kill Reinhardt.
Sorry to hear that, but glad you're back!
Pretty good! I am wondering if this campaign is going to sadly be stillborn, though.
I'll be traveling for two weeks starting tomorrow. I don't anticipate being without Internet for more than a day at a time, but it's possible, so if I'm silent for a bit that's why.
So, who hasn't posted yet this round?
Hideaki is on his feet almost as soon as he awakens, grabbing his daishō in his left hand as he races to the door of his room and throws it open. He sprints up the stairs and onto the deck, taking in the situation at a glance. He draws Kujirosou in a smooth motion while he runs at the wyvern, its fine blade glinting in the ship's lights as he slashes at the creature's chest.
RL has an annoying habit of doing that. I think it gets jealous.
Thanks! The artist is Jacob Blackmon, whose style you might recognize if you're into some of the 3rd-party Pathfinder supplements (at the least some Everyman Gaming stuff). It turns out he has a Patreon, which includes a tier that gets you a monthly character illustration. :) Oh, and I'd vote for block initiative, as well. Additionally, if I understand correctly, our first normal (non-surprise) round will be entirely consumed by getting up on deck?
I got a picture done of Hideaki. :) Look at the hilts of his blades!
Well, coming to understand that might well be what Hideaki helps Nox realize. One of the first steps to solving a problem is understanding it, after all. So while the realization that she's the source will probably shock her at first, I'd imagine it would be essential to make any headway into improving her situation. ...or at least coming to better control her powers. Up to you, of course. I'm just throwing some ideas out I think might be cool.
No problem! We'll just have to figure out what comes of Hideaki's resolve to help Nox face the Nightmares. I like the idea of it costing him something, perhaps injuring him somehow, but ultimately giving Nox some small measure of relief.
I could just RP forever, but we should probably move things along for the sake of those who want to get to some action. :D
Hideaki nods to Nox. "Whatever I may honorably do to aid you, I shall, in spite of the danger," he states. "One of the callings of a samurai is to defeat evil and undo injustice. I know not what happened to make these Nightmares pursue you, but I see neither good nor justice in it." ********************* Hideaki cocks his head slightly as he listens to Tarja. "I have spent little time in the Alliance's lands. As for myself..." He trails off and glances over to Nox, then back to Tarja. "This job sounded more honorable than many. The advancement of knowledge is a worthy goal, and I had been in the general area anyway."
Sooooo... who's waiting on what? Should we just end the RPing for now and move things along, or are people just busy?
One morning, contrary to his usual routine, Hideaki decides to meditate on the deck instead of in his room. He finds an out-of-the-way spot and sits down, taloned feet pressed together, and closes his eyes, slowing his breathing, letting the wind and the sounds of the ship and crew pass over and through him. ********************** About midday, Hideaki begins his usual combat practice. He bows to an imaginary opponent, then swiftly draws Kujirosou and begins a long and complicated kata involving strikes and blocks with both his blade and his feet, fists, and elbows. ********************** One fine afternoon, Hideaki emerges from his room with his calligraphy set. He politely asks if he can borrow a barrel as a writing desk for a while, then takes it and his tools over to a place he had noticed earlier that was sheltered from the wind. He sets his tools on the barrel and a sheet of paper on the deck itself, and begins to grind some ink.
"Because they are easier to defeat in the light of day," is Hideaki's instant response. He pauses, as if to consider what he had just said. "But it is never that easy, is it? While the occasional evil can be fought and slain, far more often it is only with long, hard work that it is diminished." He pauses again, then adds, "If it is possible, I would help you fight the Nightmares."
Secretly, Hideaki was pleased at Nox's words. In spite of her sometimes unsettling statements, he felt certain there was still good in her, and certainly her stated wishes seemed to confirm that. Aloud he says, "And yet, would we recognize beauty if it was all we ever saw?" He stops suddenly. He did not know what Nox had suffered to make her what she was. It might well be unwise to continue this train of thought. "Or perhaps those philosophers simply spent too much time thinking, yes?" he suggests, a hint of humor in his avian gaze.
"Indeed, for all its troubles, the world is beautiful," Hideaki agrees. He pauses a moment, then adds, "Some philosophers even say that hardship and beauty are inseparably intertwined, that one cannot have one without the other."
Hideaki comes up beside Nox as she sits on the railing. He is comfortable on the deck of an airship, but not that comfortable. Seeing her precarious perch makes him nervous, but he knows Nox has magic... "Good afternoon, Miss Nox," he says. "You seem in good spirits today." ******************** Hideaki is standing near the prow when Tarja comes up on deck. He enjoys airships--sometimes he wonders if it is a personal thing or a part of his avian nature as a tengu. He hears the heavy steps of someone behind him and swiftly turns his head, and sees Tarja walking the deck. After a few more moments of staring out into the open air he walks over to her. "Miss Steelcutter," he begins, bobbing his head in the slightest of bows, "We did not have much time to speak as we boarded. Where have you traveled since last we spoke?"
Hideaki easily keeps his feet as the ship lurches, swaying smoothly with the motion of the ship. "Thank you," is all he says to the dwarf for the moment.
So, who are we waiting on right now?
I often just use Google Translate, but I'll have to look at that link. Thanks!
Hideaki doesn't spend long in his room. Mostly he just quickly looks it over and sets down his pack, then leaves again. He hesitates a moment in the corridor, reminding himself again that Nox, in spite of appearances, is more than capable of taking care of herself, much less just for long enough to come back up on deck. Though he wonders if that isn't part of his nervousness about her... Pushing the thought aside, he heads back up on deck and looks around, his observant eyes noting the crew and the ship itself.
"My thanks," Hideaki says to the first mate, giving him a slight bow. He does, however, wait for Nox to go to her room before going to his own.
Hideaki notes the interaction between Reinhardt and Finrik with interest, but misses the hint of nervousness in the halfing's gaze. "Come, Nox, let us board," he says gently, waving her ahead of him onto the airship.
All right, Daoish it is.
All right, I should swap out Elven for that language, then. Any idea what to call it?
Random side note: I imagine Hideaki is dressed similar to the man in the center in this image, though with a darker-colored outfit.
Don't you just hate when that happens? On a different note, does Feicui Dao have its own language?
"I am Yamauchi Hideaki," Hideaki replies, returing Finrik's bow with one of his own.
While he did not try to eavesdrop, the tengu noted Tarja's attitude towards the other dwarf. Hopefully she would be able to keep the peace. He gestured towards the gangplank. "If we all now have our certificates, perhaps we should get situated? We shall have a long journey to become acquainted, or reacquainted, as the case may be."
Reflexively Hideaki puts an arm around Nox. Do nightmares fear that which does not dream? is his startled thought. "Mister Overdale, Mister Velding, greetings. It seems we bring a diverse set of skills to this job," he says, then swiftly turns his head to Nox. "It is all right, Miss Nox. He is a friend."
Hideaki tilts his head to one side in avian curiosity as Thirrion approaches. "A fascinating construct," he says after a moment. "You introduced him, but not yourself. I am Yamauchi Hideaki." The tengu gives Thirrion a slight bow.
Prologue wrap-up: Hideaki nods. She'd partially answered the question he hadn't dared ask, for which he was grateful.
"I believe such magic is called 'sorcery', though I am unschooled in the ways of magic myself, so..." He is interrupted by the captain's call that they're about to cast off. Hideaki settles himself a bit more in his seat. "There shall be more time on the journey to talk, I suppose. But for now, I do find the sight of casting off fascinating. Shall we watch?"
Hideaki gave Tarja a small bow. "Did you see a familiar face, Miss Steelcutter, or did you simply see a tengu with a katana and assume it was I?" he jokes. "I have a few more poems written for places I had not seen before," he continues. "As for companions," he turns to Nox, "This is Miss Nox." He hesitates a moment. How did one introduce someone like Nox? Realizing it would look odd to think too long on it, he finishes, "She is... life has not treated her kindly. But she has powerful magic."
Hideaki noted the dwarf's look at Nox with the same mix of protectiveness, nervousness, and fear that she always engendered in him. He opened his beak to say something to her when something--or rather, someone--else caught his eye. "Tharja!" he called out to the dwarf at the other end of their group. "I trust you have been well?"
More!:
"Kaliax University. I have heard that they often have need of guards for some of their research expeditions and the like," Hideaki replies. His feathers are starting to get less ruffled, his nerves settling a little while talking about something less... unsettling. "I prefer to fight for the sake of expanding knowledge instead of this man's money or that nation's land."
He pauses. There are so many questions he wishes to ask Nox--about the nature of the Nightmares she has spoken of, about what had happened to make her as she is--but they seemed rather like asking a tiger if it was hungry or if it thought birds tasted good. No, he would ask something related but hopefully less perilous. "You have spoken of magic. Are you trained in the ways of wizards, or do you have another sort of magic?" Oh, one thing. I think it was mentioned that we lack any kind of divine caster. Who has good enough UMD to activate wands?
Who says we need to stop when Gameplay starts? ;): Hideaki can't help but shudder at the combination of childlike innocence and violence in Nox's words.
"When I must kill, I aim where there are not bones," he says, slipping Kujirosou out from under Nox's paws and sheathing it with a practiced motion. What could he say to her? It was clear as day that something was very wrong with this child, and he wanted to help, but had no idea how. One thing he felt certain of was that she needed a friend, no matter how terrifying that prospect was. Maybe... maybe that was a start. "Where is your destination, Miss Nox?" Hideaki asks. "It is possible we travel to the same place. Perhaps I may keep you company on the way."
We can keep going!: Hideaki's feathers stuck out just a bit more, though he struggled valiantly to keep his emotions under control.
"I am sorry to have brought bad memories to mind, Miss Nox. At least you too find joy in the journey." The young kitsune was leaving Hideaki with much to think about, but for now he slowly drew out Kujirosou and held it so that she could see, displaying the intricate etchings on its blade. "This is Kujirosou, the Swooping Heron," he explains to Nox. "A finer blade you will likely never see. It has been in my family for a long time. Look, but please do not touch."
Having met before sounds good to me, and he'd respond to letters if she sends them. It might be hard for letters to reach each other with both of them moving around so much, though.
Given that we might not be done with this when he's ready to start, we may want to keep it here. Up to the GM, though. (And I'd be fine with Thirrion being on the ship) Prologue Cont.: Hideaki couldn't quite surpress a slight shudder at Nox's answer, his feathers fluffing out slightly in nervousness. There was something wrong with this child, and how had she known his name? And yet... ...and yet there was something pitiable in her first words, a loneliness that pricked his heart. Something terrible clung to her, it seemed, but that was more reason to speak with her, not less. "Fear is a servant, not a master, Miss Nox," he quietly says, setting his bag down on the floor and unbuckling his daishō so he could take the seat next to her. "I, too, am something of a wanderer. A ronin, truth be told, for I serve no master but my own honor." He set his blades on his lap as he took his seat, one hand resting lightly on them as if to be certain of their continued presence. "My path has taken me far from the fair isles of Feicui Dao, but I still remember them well. My home was on the great mountain, where my ancestors have lived since ancient times... though I am no longer welcome there. If I may, Miss Nox, where in the isles was your home?"
All right! Let's see... Hope you don't mind me setting the scene: Hideaki stepped lightly into the crowded passenger compartment of the airship, looking for a seat. They seemed to be quite full, but... wait, there beyond, it looked like there were several empty ones. How odd. Carefully, moving with his usual quiet grace, the tengu wove his way through the press of people to the seats, wondering why they were still unoccupied. When he neared them, however, he could feel it. A strange, creeping unease, a nameless fear. Subconsciously he started to step back, then stopped himself, grip tightening on Moretsunebi. What was going on? Were these seats haunted by some dark spirit? Resolutely the samurai put one taloned foot in front of the other, silently reciting a litany against fear in his mind. Fear is not my master. I will master my fear. I will let it pass through me, and weigh its meaning, but decide for myself my action. He was rather surprised to find, at middle of the empty section, a black-furred kitsune child? Hideaki just barely stopped himself from staring. Was she somehow the source of this? But how? She did not look to be a spirit... Realizing he was still being rude by standing there, he stepped closer. "It has been many months since last I saw a kitsune, much less one with whom I shared a color, young miss," he says, giving her a small bow. "Would it be acceptable to you were I to sit nearby and speak with you?"
Say, Nox, want to RP a quick scene of when you and Hideaki met? I'm thinking it was on an airship not long before the campaign started, if that's all right with you.
Ah, too late for me to add my two cents. :D I could have been fine with ABP, but it would have taken a bit of re-work.
Probably Finrik would have heard of the Yamauchi family, but mostly as a family to STAY AWAY from because they're actually still serious about the whole Bushido thing.
I love how many of us are ready to rally around the creepy dangerous fox child. :D It would be interesting for Hideaki to have met Nox briefly before the start of the campaign. Probably he was at first worried about an apparent child traveling alone, only to find out just how unnerving she really is... after which he'd associate with her out of sheer refusal to be put off by irrational fear (there may end up being some paraphrasing of a famous Dune quote...). He's probably determined to figure out just who and what she is, and to overcome the fear she radiates. Oh, speaking of which, are we going to have to save against her fear every day? You're only immune for 24 hours after making the save, after all. It would be kind of interesting to role-play through finding a way to become immune to her fear aura.
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