Dunamis
What up, I'm Fin, I'm 19, and I never freakin' learned how to sleep
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Post by Dunamis on Aug 14, 2019 18:37:33 GMT -5
[save]
(Has no idea what they're doing character option)
Ritsushima Amaya ~ 23 ~ Female Amaya is the kind of person everyone respects, but wouldn't choose to be a leader. Curly, jet black hair spills down her shoulders and she her mid-back, but most of the time is piled onto the top of her head in some hair-style or another. Her skin was on the tan side with a warm skin tone. Dark lashes frame her cornflower blue eyes. Across her button nose and cheeks were a light dusting of freckles. Only if you stood close to the woman would you be able to see them. She stood at 5'6", and her build was more on the round side. She was a healthy size, not skinny but not plump like many of the nobility tended to be. Amaya is a girl of simple interests. She enjoys the nice and quiet hobbies that can be found. Reading was a favorite of hers when she had the time, as well as gardening and the various social activities that her ladies in waiting and guest tended to do whenever they were visiting. She's very much a social person, also enjoying the company of those staying in the castle or those popping in for a surprise visit. Being the youngest of the siblings, she had a part to play, but there was a lot less responsibilities on her shoulders. So the woman had had the opportunity to take enjoyment of such simple and "boring" tasks many might not. She was not meant to take the throne. Her elder brother, Parker, had taken the throne at the age of 24 after the death of their father. He had fallen in the war, killed in battle as he would have intended to. Their father had never been a man to sit on the throne while his subjects sacrificed their lives for him. No, he had joined them on battlefield and that's where he had taken his final stand. Her brother had sat in his place for two years before he was ambushed on the way to visit one of the war camps, a visit that he thought would help boost moral as well as give him a chance to see the damages done in the fighting for himself. The next thing she knew, Amaya found herself the ruler of a country she had never expected to rule at the age of 20 and sorely unprepared.
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Dunamis
What up, I'm Fin, I'm 19, and I never freakin' learned how to sleep
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Post by Dunamis on Aug 14, 2019 18:37:46 GMT -5
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Dunamis
What up, I'm Fin, I'm 19, and I never freakin' learned how to sleep
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Post by Dunamis on Aug 14, 2019 18:38:31 GMT -5
{ 'fraid I can't do more than this at the 'mo! I might be able to get back on later though- }
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Dunamis
What up, I'm Fin, I'm 19, and I never freakin' learned how to sleep
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Post by Dunamis on Aug 14, 2019 20:13:05 GMT -5
{ I gotchu~ Posted both their info above- Let me know if there's anything you want to change! }
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Dunamis
What up, I'm Fin, I'm 19, and I never freakin' learned how to sleep
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Post by Dunamis on Aug 14, 2019 20:23:20 GMT -5
{ I think just the kingdom names? And in this instance Momo is only suspected of working with her enemy, so he might have an entirely different kingdom- but as he isn't royalty, he can just be a lord under Amaya? Like the equivalent of a Duke or count... }
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Aug 14, 2019 20:38:42 GMT -5
(*searches for name generators* For her kingdom (and feel free to suggest some of your own): Nara, Otaru, Kentori, Nagasaki, Souzaki, Yakoshi. I literally used a generator, so if you hate them all, it's okay to say so. XD
That sounds good to me. Perhaps Amaya has a adviser who is trying to use her inexperience of ruling and war, sees Momo as a threat with his efforts to form a cease-fire of sort (maybe), and that's part of the reason why he's captured as well? It could also put in place a possible traitor who could be responsible for the death of her brother and the main voice that wants Momo to be executed. I don't want to assume what all Momo does, but I do want to place an "evil" adviser within Amaya's court to help with needed drama whenever the plot calls for it.)
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Dunamis
What up, I'm Fin, I'm 19, and I never freakin' learned how to sleep
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Post by Dunamis on Aug 14, 2019 20:51:39 GMT -5
{ Those all sound great, actually~ We could use whichever you prefer, then! }
{ Oof that all sounds awesome! Let's go with that! Momo can be a warlord who established himself in the no-mans land in between the two kingdoms, and he ends up getting mixed up in a battle on his way to complain about the noise voice his concerns. While he's fighting, the opposing kingdom- influenced by Amaya's adviser- can incriminate him and he could be ordered in, and is fully prepared to refuse slaughter everyone until Amaya shows up- or is mentioned- How's that sound? Also as for a name for the opposing kingdom- we could just use whichever name we discard from the list~ }
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Dunamis
What up, I'm Fin, I'm 19, and I never freakin' learned how to sleep
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Post by Dunamis on Aug 15, 2019 13:52:01 GMT -5
{ I agree! Nagasaki can be the opposing kingdom, then~ }
{ Great! I think I'd start with him getting involved in the fight, on my end- that way I have more space to introduce his character and intentions~ Amaya is up to you- whether you want her present in some way, or the first time they meet is when he's escorted to her palace~ }
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Dunamis
What up, I'm Fin, I'm 19, and I never freakin' learned how to sleep
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Post by Dunamis on Aug 15, 2019 19:03:56 GMT -5
{ You're free to if you have the muse! I won't be able to yet ^^" }
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Aug 15, 2019 21:04:07 GMT -5
(I will apologize now if this isn't the best. Sorry!)
Akazawa Zeshin normally wouldn’t have bothered journeying to the borders of the Otaru kingdom. Being the chief adviser to the empress meant that he had more book-work then physical demands traveling. However, there was some information he had to gather that he didn’t trust a messenger with. Sometimes, to get the best results, one had to get the results oneself. Over the past two months, raids from Nagasaki soldiers had increased, and the locations of these attacks were moving further into their territory. Rumors had been spread that they were making their way through the Wilds, which made sense. If you wanted to infiltrate another kingdom, using an uninhabitable stretch of wilderness made fine spot as ever. No one lived for miles in that area that served as a natural barrier between the two kingdoms. It also kept the Otaru people “trapped” in their little section of coastal territory. There was a passage that would take them safely inland if they wished, and it was heavily guarded on both sides. Unless you had a completely valid reason for traveling at the moment, the passage was out of the question. Which meant that if the rumors were true and they had enemy soldiers hiding in the depths of the Wilds, finding them and stopping them was of the upmost importance.
“Shall we make camp here, Your Honor?” one of the men riding beside him asked as the group came to a stop outside the Wilds. The man was one of his personal guards, as well as a lower commander in the Imperial Army. While he might answer to the empress first, this man would follow out the orders Zenshin would give without question. There were quite a few members of the army who would do that.
“What for? We’ll be wasting daylight, and I don’t plan on being here any longer than I have to be,” Zenshin replied with obvious disdain. He would already be spending three days on this trip, and he didn’t want it to be extended any longer than that. They’re goal was to find as clear a path as possible through the Wilds to the other side, a passage that the enemy was using or a possible route for their own gain. Either way, three days had been all the time he had allotted for this mission. He didn’t trust the young empress to be on her own for too long in case something of heavy importance popped up. She panicked and over-thought petty matters as it was. It would do no good if she was left to decide the outcome of something larger and more pressing. “Well, what are we waiting for? Get the men moving!”
“Yes, Your Honor,” came the reply. And with that, the commander began shouting orders to the rest of the party. Scouts began to ride out in different directions, each searching for a good route into the Wilds that would hold even the slightest of promise.
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Dunamis
What up, I'm Fin, I'm 19, and I never freakin' learned how to sleep
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Post by Dunamis on Aug 19, 2019 2:08:08 GMT -5
It is a chill morning, pale silvery sunlight fighting its way through the tangled canopy overhead to illuminate choice spots on the forest floor. Truly, it doesn't do much to help discern a path, but those who traverse it are familiar enough that they move with confidence and a relatively soundless ease despite roots that threaten to trip less sure-footed mounts. Their breaths mist before their faces as they follow the rising of the sun, just visible through waving branches. Beyond that- beyond that lies the imperial palace, a splendid place upon which the rising sun casts its rays- and a turbulent one as well. When night falls, all its splendor can be seen as manufactured without the distraction of blinding gold. Or so it has been said- the empress was crowned relatively young and equally unprepared for heading an ongoing war. One that even now creeps ever further into her lands.
This is a threat that can no longer be dealt with by way of indirect action, and so the lord of the Wilds- as the people of Otaru and Nagasaki referred to the unruly stretch of land between their two kingdoms- was forced to leave his estate to see to the matter himself. He was elevated to warlord at a young age by the now-deceased emperor of Otaru, and at his request, was unofficially given ownership of the unclaimed land that edged the kingdom. Many avoided the twisted forest, claiming it to be haunted or inhabited by demons, which made it an ideal cover for a man who didn't want to be absorbed into the squabbles or intrigue of courtiers and other feudal lords. It wasn't long before his name was forgotten or outright dismissed in favor of the ever-worsening war, and his periods of long absence from either kingdom further cemented the idea that he wasn't likely to exist altogether. It is also entirely likely that his request to treat with both kingdoms wasn't taken seriously, as a man of questionable origins- resulting in his acting in the event that he does not receive a favorable response.
And so, his convoy leaves for the imperial palace before dawn. They will not reach it for a few days now, and it is unlikely that the messenger will fare any better, but in taking a circuitous route, he hopes to at least patrol the boundaries for signs of enemy movement on his land. The most recent assessments of his scouts suggest as much, and it soon becomes evident in the bend of low-hanging branches and prints half-hidden by dewy patches of grass.
"Looks like we have some unwelcome guests on our hands, eh, my lord?" A cheery male voice breaks the contemplative silence. The natural sounds of a forest waking up had already surrounded them, but the addition of a human voice is somewhat jarring after a period of relatively uninterrupted birdsong.
"We can all see that Saru. Be silent, you have no reason to speak." Another man hisses, immediately followed by a woman's amused chirp, "All guests are unwelcome to Inu~" The irate voice- Inu- urges her to shut up as well, but their bickering is soon cut short. It's an almost instantaneous stillness, one that precedes even their mounts, who after a moment, swivel their ears toward a distant clamor.
All eyes turn toward the man who rides ahead of them, lightly tapping his mare's side as she prances in place; Ume can be more bloodthirsty than his charger at times. "Hm." He doesn't say, dusky gold eyes slanting in the direction that has caught their attention. Then, "Kiji."
The woman's honey-brown eyes light up as she straightens and immediately hops off her mount. "Right away, my lord~" With that, she disappears into the trees with a flicker of her trailing teal scarf, leaving those behind to follow at a more sedate pace.
It isn't long before she returns in a flurry of leaves, kneeling on a sturdy branch to deliver her report. "A small contingent of scouts from Nagasaki and Otaru have converged at the swell of the river. It's nothing more than a skirmish at the moment, but their main forces are right behind them. They're almost equally matched in terms of size." She taps her chin thoughtfully. "Looks like they're spoiling for a fight more than they're anticipating one, though?"
"Good work Kiji." She preens under the simple praise, earning a scowl from Inu and a snort from Saru. "We will head them off before the situation can worsen." A wave and the convoy picks up its pace, wordlessly splitting in three though their numbers suffer for it. Only a small division carries the food and supplies necessary for the journey, those serving as armed accompaniment splitting to engage the volatile forces while the former continues on its way to be met with at a later date.
Though his intention is to intercept the commander of the Nagasaki forces before they could come upon the Otaru scouts, expectations of their ability to reason with him falls short.
The man in charge would be entirely unremarkable if not for his gratingly loud voice and matching attitude. He sits up straight on his dun as he trots within view of their cadre, as if he needs to seem taller than he is, and fairly sticks his nose in the air upon locking eyes on the man whose land he carelessly trods upon. Dark eyes scan them with suspicion, yet he doesn't bother to conceal himself or his men- or even pretend to have a less nefarious reason for being there. Smart, perhaps, given the circumstances.
"You there!" He calls, almost a warble. "To whom do you owe allegiance? I don't recognize your colors." He has likely gone uncontested so far. Believes the odds favor him with his greater numbers. Arrogant.
Inu fairly snarls, and Saru smilingly runs gloved fingers along his spear. Kiji responds by straightening in her saddle and projecting her beautiful voice to be heard above the sound of the man's next demand. "You stand now before the lord of this land, you would do well to show some respect, and courtesy dictates that you give your name first, stranger."
The man scoffs. "I owe no respect to a man who skulks around forests-"
Saru's brow furrows, "isn't that what you're doing?"
"-and there is no lord of the Wilds. This is a cursed land, its only use is in being a boundary. And a cover." His eyes gleam, and one of his men hisses at his giving away their intentions.
Throughout all of this, the warlord's expression remains cool, and he only deigns to speak when the captain is briefly silent to glare at the uncomfortable soldier. "You move with an agency that is not your own." Said firmly, but not unkindly. His voice is authoritative but light and almost conversational. "I will wave your transgressions if you would only parley with me for a while. It is my wish-"
"I don't have time to hear the wishes of a wandering loon, claiming to be the 'master' of nowhere!" The captain chops a hand down impatiently. "Now move aside- leave this place altogether if you value your life, 'my lord'!"
Inu's katana slips its sheath in a flash of silver, its point aimed at the scowling man's head. "How dare you disrespect Lord Hanazono you mudsucking-"
Lord Hanazono raises a hand to halt him, Ume tossing her head in response to the rising tension. She paws the ground, but calms under his gentle touch. "This is not the time or place to attempt a skirmish, captain. You are too close to the Otaru forces, and you hope for the element of surprise, yes?" The captain attempts to speak but Lord Hanazono continues in an even tone. "I know where both of you are located- particularly as that concerns your relative distance and who holds greater advantage over the terrain. You aren't in a favorable position right now. Challenge me if you wish, but know that I can just as easily have your backs bristling with Otaru arrows."
Inu fairly slams his sword back into its sheathe with a sneer.
The man gnashes his teeth at them, gripping the hilt of his sword. "You're bluffing!"
His expression remains placid as he extends a hand, palm up. "This is not a time for violence. I wish only to have a dialogue, it need not be today. Take your men and regroup, and we will meet at the Wild's western edge next sunrise." Again, another angry retort is headed off. "I was searching for a man in charge, but you seem more than capable of handling a negotiation on your own." He cants his head with a faint smile. "I see how well-trained your men are."
True they had silently watched the exchange, though warily. The captain grunts at this assessment. His grip doesn't loosen, but his posture relaxes somewhat. "Who are you to ask a parley of Nagasaki forces?"
"I am Hanazono Momonosuke of Muromachi." He inclines his head, hair spilling over his shoulder like golden silk. It catches the weak morning light, haloing his beautiful features with auric fire. "I-"
He's interrupted by a sudden spike in the once faraway cacophony of battle, a renewed round of battle cries startling the captain and his men into action. "He was a distraction!" One snarls, drawing his blade with an accusing gaze. "Otaru scum!"
"We don't have time for them, Takauji needs reinforcements!"
"Damn." Kiji mutters, flipping a kunai into one hand while wrapping her reins around the other.
"Aish! They broke the spell~" Saru slips his naginata from its holster at his horse's side and twirls it into his opposite hand- primarily to show off.
Momonosuke tsks and tugs on Ume's reins, already backing her up before the Nagasaki soldiers begin their charge, intending to go around- or through- him, considering the dearth of open space. "Delay them." He orders, wheeling the white mare around. She rears with an anticipatory cry, pawing the air in preemptive triumph before tearing off through the trees.
"Done, my lord!" Inu braces his own scarred charger, now drawing his katana in a definitive movement. There is deadly intent in his narrow gray eyes. "I'll curse you thrice if you dare to foul Lord Hanazono's lands with your blood. Die swift!"
And almost simultaneously, the Wilds descend into chaos.
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Dunamis
What up, I'm Fin, I'm 19, and I never freakin' learned how to sleep
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Post by Dunamis on Aug 19, 2019 2:12:40 GMT -5
{ No, no, you're good! I'm sorry that mine is disproportionately long! I don't know where this came from...Somehow I was just able to come home from work and write an entire chapter? You don't have to worry about matching me- I know Zeshin isn't your main character- and I care more about quality than quantity anyway~ }
{ My thought here was that Momo would arrive with some of the Nagasaki forces, so it would at first look like he's with them, at least? }
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*Nightwhisper
"And guilty I may be, but don't give up on me... We will still be thick as thieves."
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Post by *Nightwhisper on Aug 22, 2019 21:20:15 GMT -5
It took an hour or so before the scouts were able to find a path they could use safely. It wasn't much more than a game trail, but there was a path to follow nonetheless. Zenshin called for his men to regroup. While he waited for his party to reform, he sent the scouts on ahead. Going into a place like the Wilds, he wasn't going to go into it blind. There might not be a lot of people with him, but he had brought along some of his own guards. He wasn't about to risk injuring any of them more than he already was. He had spent too long gaining his supporters, and he wasn't going to lose them. So the scouts moved ahead on the trail a good ten minutes before the rest of them. They moved in pairs, that way, if they noticed anything, one could come and warn the others. Thus was how they progressed through the thick mass of trees and overgrowth, making slower progress then the adviser would have liked.
Two hours had passed, silence broken only by the sound of the horse's hoof-beats and natural sounds of the forest. It was at this point, Zeshin began to feel unease. The idea of the trip hadn't settled well with him, but he had made the decision to come because they needed to know if the rumors had been true. Now, however, there was a feeling of being watched. At first, he thought it was just his own paranoia. After all, there were plenty of folk tales about this place, of monsters and ghosts, and people who have entered and never returned. They were stories, of course, but if you hear a story enough times, even the biggest deniers couldn't help but think of them whenever faced in a certain situation. Yet the longer they rode, the sensation grew stronger. By the time he was getting ready to call a halt to the progression, that's when the Wilds exploded into life. All around them, soldiers jumped out of the surrounding forest, having hidden in the thicket as the scouts passed. The attackers weren't many, but the element of surprise could do a lot in a smaller force's favor. Suddenly, the small Otaru party had found themselves in an ambush.
(Sorry that was such a long wait for such a poor reply. >.> )
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