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Ichitoko
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Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2011 9:00 pm

◄Speak plainly or not at all.►

Blanc's Acting Queen's given name is Helsa, but she prefers to be addressed by her title when dealing with stately matters. She reserves Helsa only for close company. As is tradition, Helsa inherited her position when she turned 21. Also traditionally, Helsa was to take over the role of Head Physician upon taking the title, but is more often found in the war room. Strangely enough, the roles of King Alabaster and Head Physician have reversed due to the 48th King's nature; he is far too gentle hearted for war.

She is King Alabaster's elder sister and, given her great sense of duty, she chose to spare her younger brother, Ivan, from the harshness of war. A particularly wise choice as well as Helsa's calculating and cold nature gives her the attitude necessary to make hard decisions. Prior to this decision, Helsa had already been trained somewhat in swordsmanship and archery. Now with Ivan's responsibilities on her shoulders, Helsa spends more time training than any soldier. Long hours under the sun have harden her muscles, tanned her skin and bleached her hair.

Age 34 years old. Unmarried.
Disposition Calculating, cold, serious, soft-spoken and pragmatic. A strong sense of duty to her kingdom and responsibility to her younger brother.
Preferences "My preferences do not matter. There is only what needs to be done."
Dislikes "Must I repeat myself?"

And so begins the story of the Royal Family with Helsa of Blanc! A prelude to Letters from a Lost Soldier.

"Repeat that, if you would," spoke Helsa. "Ivan has done..."

Chamberlain Morrow nervously repeated his statement, "His Majesty h-has gone into t-town, my Lady."

Helsa's eyes turned to ice. She brought her hands together so that each finger touched its opposite onto her desk, leaned forward in her chair and murmur just loud enough for Morrow to hear. "And you merely watched him go, Chamberlain Morrow?"

The old man wiped nervously at his bald head with a handkerchief, before shaking his head fervently. Well, he had watched Ivan stroll happily into town that much was true. But he did not think mentioning that he had observed it from the fifth floor, a location too far away to do more than yell at His Majesty to stop this instant. One cry of distress would send the King running without so much as a by your leave or a pause to gather a guard. It caused undue stress to the castle staff, but what would happen to the servants other than a reprimand from their closest superior? No. Chamberlain Morrow would be the one to take the heat. And from the Queen herself, no less.

"Er... well. I was under the impression that His Majesty was safe in the hospital wing, my Lady. I did not realize he c-could traverse the castle quickly enough to make it to town," Morrow explained hopelessly.

"It matters not how he got out without your notice. Find him and bring him back," the Queen commanded imperiously. "We cannot risk his safety in such tumultuous times. You knew this."

She leaned back into her chair and looked out the window. "You are dismissed, Chamberlain Morrow. Send the messengers in when you have gathered your composure."

The chamberlain quickly bowed, murmured his apologies and exited. In moments, several messenger Pawns poured in, each with a satchel of mail - one without. She motioned them to put it on her desk. They dutifully removed their load before stepping back. Once they had each regained their positions, she looked at them each carefully. With a wave of her hand, she dismissed them. Without looking up, she began to take the missives and letters from their piles. A small cough alerted her to the presence of the messenger without a satchel.

"Speak your business, Messenger," Helsa demanded.

"My Lady, two Knights apprehended a Noir Pawn in the town of Ornan three nights ago," the Pawn began without preamble.

Helsa straightened. Her Knights never bothered with a soldier as low ranked as a Pawn. And if they did, they only bothered to report it to the nearest Pawn squad. A Knight, much less two, would never bother with a Pawn as far away as Ornan. That was practically within the borders of Prohpylaxis. There would be no point as the Pawn would be healed soon after. Well, that had been before. Before her cousin, the Lady Amaranthe's declaration.

She nodded expectantly. Taking a deep breath, the Pawn continued, "Normally, this would not be reported to a Royal Messenger, as you know, but the Knights found on his person a letter freshly sealed. Naturally, they took it from him and promptly read it. They sent it along with a report."

The Pawn produced a crumpled bundle of letters from within his robes and presented to her. She took it and began to read. Upon finishing, Helsa gave the Pawn leave to sit. He sat gingerly on the armchair's edge.

"You are certain the letter has not been compromised....?"

"Oliver, second class Messenger, my Lady. And yes, they found me and gave it to me directly with express instructions to go straight here. W-without rest."

"Then things have gotten more dire since Prophylaxis declared her position. Very well. Oliver. Send in another messenger on your way out. You may take a two week leave and, " Helsa said while quickly writing a note and stamping it then handed it to him. "You may collect a bonus from the treasury. Thank you for your work. You are dismissed."

The Queen Helsa has sent out a command to all Blanc soldiers of any rank!

Throughout the roads and back roads of the Continent travel nine messengers from Ornan. They bear letters that may turn the tide of this war at last. Find them and conduct your investigations discretely. Do not alert any non-Blanc soldier to your activities.
All active soldiers without existing commands are charged with this mission. Report to your superior for details.

A chance to prove yourself at last! If you own a Blanc piece, write a journal entry or participate in an RP without another Blanc soldier for the chance to unlock a mission for Part Two: Letters from a Lost Soldier.

Journal Entries: How do you begin your mission? From where do you start? Who do you ask and what do you find out? Do you encounter any obstacles?

Role Play: You are partnered with another soldier by your superiors. Do you immediately run into issues concerning teamwork? Does it get in the way? Or do you seem to have chemistry from the get go? How do you two work together to begin your mission? What do you find out on your investigations?

*** Remember: You will not be finding any messengers during this prelude. We are only concerned with out you begin your search.

***The Noir Roles will begin tomorrow.

Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2011 9:01 pm

◄Do not mistake my mercy for tenderness.►

King Sable was born Lucian, but as with the Lady Ashe, none but the closest of friends call him so personally. Surprisingly, with their vastly different environments, Lucian and Helsa are similar in personality - with a minute difference. Lucian is prone to cruel actions, though not without reason. Where Helsa may consider the well being of those affected by her decisions, Lucian plows on regardless. He has no siblings and the only surviving member of his immediate family is his mother. She is frail and spends much of her time bedridden.

Lucian ascended the throne not long after Prophylaxis declared her intentions. His father passed due to an "accident" while on the road. Still considered young for the position, Lucian deals with stately matter as if age did not matter. His advisers still have their reservations, so he is often questioned while making decisions. His sharp tongue does quiet the doubts, but the tenacious advisers do not need long before they regain their courage. Before he inherited the crown, Lucian had been steadily building a vast spy network,with the sole purpose of infiltrating Prophylaxis and gathering information on the Gate. With the recent developments, the matter is more urgent than ever.

Age 28 years old. Unmarried but soon to be engaged to a princess from a distant kingdom.
Disposition Ruthless, cruel, blunt, sharp, meticulous. He acts with only Noir's interests in mind. Though, oddly or not oddly enough, he has a severe case of 'neat freak' and 'control freak,'
Preferences "It is none of your business."
Dislikes "When my orders go unheard and unheeded."

Thus arrives the Noir's role in our story with Lucian of Noir! A prelude to Letters from a Lost Soldier.

Lucian had retreated to his study with express instructions not to be disturbed. He was busy with the Prophylaxis debacle, headaches coming from other, less important, directions was the last thing he desired. Papers were stacked neatly on his desk in by an organizational system that really only made sense to him. Behind him was a large map with colored pins marking the locations of Noir military posts.

Dusk had come and gone and night was in full swing. Two small table lamps placed on each end of his desk were the only sources of light.

Rap rap rap!

Lucian came alert at once. He rearranged the documents before him to show only the civilian police's reports. Once finished, he stood to unlock the window. A figure in black silently slipped in and stood to attention before him.

"What have you learned?" Lucian ordered.

Wordlessly, the figured reached into his jacket to produce a crisp black envelope. Bowing, he offered it to his King. "From General Farland, Your Majesty."

Lucian took the letter and traveled back to his desk to slip it into a drawer for closer reading later. While doing so, he casually asked, "How are the roads, soldier?"

The soldier followed his King to the side of the desk. A moment of silence reigned while he thought of how to phrase his answer. "The roadside flowers are in full bloom with the coming spring, Your Majesty. Though this year, there seem to be more orange and yellow poppies than any other flower."

"Is there? And in which direction does the wind blow them?" Lucian inquired. He carefully extracted a sheaf of paper from one of his stacks.

"In all directions, Your Majesty," came the prompt reply.

"Do we know why?"

"The purpose is yet to be determined, Your Majesty."

King Sable briefly closed his eyes. So Blanc was in search for something. Or someone. What had prompted his cousin to send troops all over the continent? Should he issue an order to capture all Blanc soldiers spotted on the roads? No. Helsa would not be so foolish as to send her soldiers in full uniform if they were in search of something. It was only by the strength of his spies that he had learned of this at all.

No. Let her scour the continent. He would continue as planned.

Lucian turned to the soldier and handed him the sheaf of papers. "Thank you for your efforts. A ship awaits you in Half Moon Bay. You may take a days' rest to visit and recoup, if you wish. Do not linger."

A quick nod and the soldier disappeared through the window once more.

Resting his chin on the palm of his hands, Lucian pondered. If Helsa had decided to become more aggressive in this struggle, then so would he.

The Gate would reveal itself. One way or another.

King Sable has called all soldiers to the border town of Ravensfield! You are to meet him there in three days' time regardless of location.

Ravensfield borders Prophylaxis and Noir. Upon your arrival at the town, you to establish posts all along the border between Prophylaxis and Noir. Do not get caught by one of the Guard or Blanc Kinsgdom. Should you find yourself in a favorable position against either, do not engage in battle. Incapacitate and send them back to Ravensfield.
Failure to maintain your post will be a deduction in pay.

King Sable has strange plans in the works. ! If you own a Noir piece, write a journal entry or participate in an RP without another Noir soldier for the chance to unlock a mission for Part Two: Letters from a Lost Soldier.

Journal Entries: How do you begin your mission? Do you make any encounters? How do they play out? Speculate on what may be the purpose of your missions.

Role Play: You are partnered with another soldier by your superiors. Do you immediately run into issues concerning teamwork? Does it get in the way? Or do you seem to have chemistry from the get go? How do you two work together to begin your mission? Do you get caught by the enemy?

*** Remember: You will not be infiltrating Prophylaxis, or finding holes in her border patrol. You may have an encounter with the Guard, but it will inevitably end poorly on your side. If you are caught, what are the repercussions? You must show practice in discretion!

Ichitoko
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Ichitoko
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Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2011 9:02 pm

◄How goes our campaign in the West?►

Xifeng inherited the throne at the age of 19 during a time of political unrest rife with assassinations and conspiracy. The late Emperor, her father, was poisoned in his bed while she was vacationing in the countryside. A few days before she was due to return, her brothers - who would have inherited - died in an unfortunate accident. Upon her arrival home, Xifeng was immediately thrust into the position of ruler. Her coronation and marriage to her arranged fiancee followed in quick succession.

Xifeng was not groomed to be a ruler, but her fiancee was an ill fit. Wasteful, shallow and air-headed, her advisers urged her to not allow her husband to take the throne. Not a little reluctantly, Xifeng allowed her husband to play amongst the nobles in court while she sat in meetings. To continue the tradition of Hong conquest, the new Empress continued operations in the West while simultaneously exploring the seas. In the twelve years since she ascended the throne, maps have been redrawn more times than can be counted.

Also, as is her royal duty, Xifeng has given birth to to fraternal twins, Biyu and Desheng. Both are now five years old.

Age 31 years old. Arranged marriage.
Disposition Playful, mischievous, haughty, competitive, wily and prone to cruelty.
Preferences "Why having my every whim be catered to, of course! And absolute victory. Mustn't forget that."
Dislikes "I absolutely detest feelings of defeat."

The Hong enter the fray with Xifeng of Hong! A prelude to Letters from a Lost Soldier.

Chin resting in her hand, Xifeng idly moved a red Soldier figure around the map spread across the large table of the palace's war room. Generals bickered to and fro around her in increasingly louder voices. The arguments had been going on nigh five minutes and her interest in the meeting's purpose had long since run out. For now, she was merely waiting to see which pompous general would storm out in a huff first so she could demote him and put someone wiser in place. General 'Bald Head' and General 'Hooked Nose' seemed to vying for first place at the moment.

Then with an angry slam on the table, General 'Hooked Nose' declared that he could not discuss war matters with such idiotic swine! With a huff, he stormed out, his cape billowing behind him. Xifeng tapped the Soldier figure on the table before knocking it over with a flick of her fingers. She called over one of the assistant Soldiers to her side.

"Kindly inform General Zhang that his services to the Empire are no longer required," the Empress declared loudly enough for all to hear. "Oh and, perhaps suggest that a trip to the countryside might do him good? Palace life seems to be too harsh on him." She shooed the soldier away to carry out her orders.

Looking at each of her generals in turn, Xifeng inquired, "Are we ready to be adults now? Not children squabbling over a toy? I already have two children, I do not need to add ten more to the batch."

As one, the men and women in the room nervously resettled themselves in their chairs. They spoke not a word. Opting instead to wait for their Empress to speak first. It seemed that she was more restless than normal today.

"Someone tell me how many soldiers we currently have on ambassador duty," she demanded.

"E-ehem. An estimated 200, your Grace," a rather portly man replied.

"Double it. And find more aggressive ambassadors to strengthen our friendship with the West. I grow tired of this game of gentle overtures."

"They will get suspicious!" another man protested. The others began to murmur amongst themselves about the sudden change in tactics.

Xifeng slammed her palm on the table. "They are already suspicious! Of our motives! Of each other! But, as I have recently learned, they are more concerned with that territory, Prophylaxis. It has caused unrest amongst their army. We will take this opportunity to offer firepower in case full out war between Noir and Blanc occurs. In fact, I would... encourage war," Xifeng explained. "I will not miss this opportunity to gain a greater foothold in the West."

Silence reigned for but a moment. "Then what are your orders for us? Specifically, that is."

"Did I not just inform you mere moments before you began to act like skittish chipmunks?" Xifeng murmured. "I want you to send more soldiers on 'ambassador duty' to to the lands of White and Black. Replace the current diplomats with those who have more military experience. Perhaps have them ingratiate themselves to their Kings and Queens so that they might become advisers. Is that enough? Or must I also write out a step by step plan for you to follow to the letter?"

Immediately, the men and women began to sing their praises of her plan, agree with her decisions, and outline their own plans of action.

Rising, Xifeng snapped her fan open and addressed her generals, "Then I will leave you to it. I hope there won't be any messes to clean up." And with that, she swept out of the room, her assistants and attendants following close behind.

Hong soldiers spill into the borders of Noir and Blanc!

Empress Xifeng has given the order for more soldiers to be sent to the West. And you just happen to be one of them! A myriad of missions go into effect. Gathering intel, spying, creating relations with various peoples of power and sowing the seeds of suspicion and dissent.

A chance to prove yourself at last! If you own a Hong piece, write a journal entry for the chance to unlock a mission for Part Two: Letters from a Lost Soldier.

Journal Entries: What is your mission? How do you go about it? What do you believe you will learn?

Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2011 9:03 pm

◄Have all my soldiers arrived?►

"Assemble all of the soldier into the courtyard, General Farland," murmured Lucian as they arrived at the Ravensfield Mansion on horseback. He never raised his voice; he simply expected that he always held the attention of his audience. "Have all Grand Knights bring their reports to me before tomorrow evening." He dismounted, handed the reins to a nearby Pawn and headed inside to prepare for the next step of his plan. If cousin Amaranthe thought she could keep out the Noir, she was sorely mistaken. The Gate was for everyone, and he would be damned if the Prophylaxis idiots tried to keep it to themselves. Five hundred years they had been fighting. He would make sure that his reign would be the one where they were finally able to open the Gate at last. Lucian swore it on his dying breath.

He stopped. Ah, yes. He had received reports on some exceptional soldiers. The Grand Knight observing them had reccommended them to him. Perhaps they were up to the task he had planned? He turned to face Farland who had been faithfully standing at attention behind him. "Once the soldiers have assembled, call," what were their names? "Pawn Adelaide and Knight Ruxlin to my office. I require their services." Without waiting for a response, he swept across the threshold and into the mansion, towards a rather... large stack of documents. He could feel the pounding in his head already.

General Farland indulged in a moment of confusion before shaking his head to go do as his King bid.

(Temporary take over of your pieces. Buahaha. Very briefly, though. No worries.)
You stand at attention before your King.

"You must be curious as to why I have called you here specifically," Lucian spoke from his desk. "Do not fear. It is nothing negative, though it perhaps depends upon your perspective of the task I have for you." He withdrew a folder from a drawer behind his desk. Thumbing the pages to ensure that all of the sheets within were correct and in order, King Lucian stood.

As he paced back and forth, he spoke,"There is a very specific reason I have called our forces here. Intelligence has reported that Prophylaxis has ceased all activities concerning the border. Save for the bare minimum required to maintain the border, she has focused all of her energies inward. There is nothing of importance on that piece of land - save for one thing. I am sure you know what."

Lucian stopped to face them with a calculating eye. "Yes. There has been some activity near the vicinity of the Gate. I would not make the assumption that the Gate itself is displaying activity. However, there is enough evidence that the Gate is the cause."

He took his seat once more and placed the folder back on the desk. "I need two soldiers to check up on a certain... location close to the gate. And I have decided to charge you with this task. You will take it, of course. And you will carry it out to the best of your duty." Lucian paused to extract a sheet of paper from the folder. He held it up for them to see.

"This is engraved upon a stone in the forest near the gate. I ask that you find it and break the stone. However, the stone is made of a special rock. It cannot be cut by means of a normal sword. So, I have had our alchemists render a way to shatter it by means of a homunculus." At this part, Lucian withdrew a large bottle containing a purple fluid. Uncorking it, he spilled it upon the floor. Rather than splatter upon contact with the ground, it pooled like a viscuous liquid. Once the content had been emptied, the puddle began to take shape.

"This homunculus is of the fighting class - a rather special sub-class. I will lend it to you for the time being, Pawn Adelaide and Knight Ruxlin, to destroy this stone. It is of... significant importance to the Prophylaxis forces. If my suspicions are correct, our progress upon this damned war may propel us more forward than ever before. In any case, make haste, for the magic upon this creation is brief. Come back victorious, and I will supply you with the first of our fighting homunculus to be used in battle. If not, then my judgement was wrong and I am regretful that I did not choose more carefully."

Task In the guild is a post containing the image King Lucian has shown you. Find it and break it according to the instructions. Succeed and you will be rewarded as King Lucian as promised. Fail and well...y'know. Must be done once per piece.

Hint to subforum: It rests in a place where choices were made to move forward or fall back and their results laid bare.

Ichitoko
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Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2011 9:04 pm

◄So? Have you found them?►

The doors creaked open and a young girl Rook stepped inside. She bowed low from the waist, and upon straightening revealed that there were a bundle of envelopes in her arms. Under Helsa's patient gaze, she timidly crept forward to place the letters upon the desk. And it would have gone without mishap had she not tripped upon the rug. With a squeak, Helsa watched her tumble and the envelopes become scattered about the floor. Rising swiftly, Helsa came to the girl's aid and assisted her in gathering the missives.

"M-my Queen! You mustn't lower yourself to this! I can do it for you. No need to help me," the Rook cried in horror at causing her Queen to perform so lowly a task. She scrambled to gather all of the envelopes back into her arms.

Helsa looked up while still gathering envelopes. "Nonsense, Rook Ellen. It is much faster to gather them when there are two people with able hands. Do not worry yourself," she replied briskly. Pushing herself off the ground, Helsa laid what envelopes she gather upon a table and beckoned for the Rook to do the same.

Rook Ellen made whimpers of protest, but did not voice anymore concerns. She just hoped the Bishops didn't hear about this. They would be livid! But more than that, the Queen knew her name! Her! A Rook! She felt a little better at being in the room. After placing the envelopes on the table, she stepped back and stood at attention. There was something very important two soldiers had discovered while searching for the Ornan messengers.

Helsa raised an eyebrow. "You have something else to give me, Rook Ellen?"

"Yes! We were able to apprehend three of the messengers from Ornan, wrest from them their letters, and bring it back here. And, well, it seems that one of the envelopes were addressed to a different recipient than the others." Ellen bit her lip. Helsa smiled softly for the Rook to continue. "One recipient was General Farland, whose importance is evident enough for the first two letters to be sent to him. And we can safely assume that the other 7 were to him as well. However, the third letter was addressed to a person whose name has no significance within the higher ranks of the Noir army. In fact, since we know at least the names of all of the higher officers, this person seems to have no presence within the army at all!"

(Temporary take over of your pieces. Yeahh.)
You stand at attention before your Queen.

"Greetings, Pawn Mimi and Bishop Saitoku," welcomed Queen Helsa as the two soldiers enter the room. Glancing at the Bishop, she smiles softly. "And congratulations on your recent promotion, Bishop Saitoku."

Thrumming her hands upon the desk, Helsa paused to form her words. "I have a special request for the two of you. You are free to decline, of course, if you feel uncomfortable with the task. Nevertheless, I need information from a certain Noir soldier. It may seem odd, but I have reason to suspect that though she seems to be a lowly soldier in the Noir King's foot soldiers, her importance to the war has been greatly underestimated."

Helsa held up a letter. "This letter was addressed to a Noir Pawn named Wren. We know only her name and rank and the location to which this letter was sent. You may have the letter to discern whatever striking characteristics that may help you find her. The letter was to be delivered to Gibbous Town. I wish for you to go there and see if you can find her, and bring her back. By force, if necessary."

She pauses to see if the soldiers before her seem unsure. Satisified, Helsa makes one last comment. "Of course, I will not be sending you empty handed." She removes a bottle from a drawer containing a purple liquid. Already uncorked, she spills the liquid onto a coffee table near the soldiers. The liquid gathers itself in the middle and sees to grow into a defined shape as more and more is poured onto it. At last, there appears a small pudgy creature seeming to knee height. It pats itself frantically as if it were missing something essential. Also on the coffee table is a small box. Helsa opens it, and the little thing rushes towards it with a cry of relief. Inside her bottles and satchels and bags. With an inhuman speed, it quickly dons all of these things and more.

"This is a Healing Homunculus of the defensive class with very special capabilities. Our alchemists have been able to construct it from special herbs cultivated in Plumila. I will lend it to you in the hopes that it makes your search easier to conduct. If you can bring her back, I would be more than happy to present to you, Saitoku, a Healing Homunculus of your own and to you, Mimi, a Fighting Homunculus to help you in battle."

Task In the guild is a post containing the Pawn, Wren. Find her and catch her according to the instructions. Succeed and you will be rewarded as Queen Helsa has promised. Fail and well...y'know. Must be done once per piece.

Hint to subforum: It rests in a place where choices were made to move forward or fall back and their results laid bare.

Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2011 9:05 pm

◄And how many sycoph- friends do we have the West?►

Xifeng was enjoying a day in the garden. She had spent a fortune - well, to others - on its construction, even going so far as to involve herself directly in its planning. Today was a day of tea and gossip. Her courtiers surrounded her and acted every bit the shallow entourage that she absolutely delighted in mocking. Of course, they could not protest to such mocking, else she would throw them out. Their luxurious lives were possible solely upon her will alone. Still, she anticipated one of them to blow up one day and have some sort of melt down. In any case, today was a day of no headache inducing reports from the army.

But it was not to be. An adviser shuffled towards her and gracefully kowtowed at the bottom of the steps to her gazebo. On her cushion, Xifeng waved her fan in irritation. Did she not specifically say that today was a day of tea and gossip? Snapping her fan shut, she called for him to lift his head and state his business or begone.

Unperturbed (how annoying), he lifted his head slightly so as not to meet her eyes and murmured, "Imperial Empress, a soldier stationed in the West has conveyed a most urgent message."

"How urgent could it be for you to interrupt my tea and talk?"

"Our efforts in creating good relations in the West are slowing down and the ambassadors find it increasingly difficult to gain the good graces of their higher powers. It seems that the situation with Prophylaxis has made them more cautious than we thought. At this rate, our ambassadors may even be asked to return home."

Tapping the fan against her lips, Xifeng inwardly raged. On the outside, she only showed a thoughtful expression. "Then we will simply shift our energies elsewhere. We have left Prophylaxis alone because such a piece of land is inconsequential to our higher goals. But the pressures she has exerted upon the two powers of the West speaks of a power. How can so small a land, stir the Blanc and Noir so?"

The adviser remained silent. He knew from experience that the Empress did not appreciate interruptions.

"Lessen our presence in Blanc and Noir to only what is necessary to keep them nervous. Send a group of soldiers to Prophylaxis. I want that little piece of land to grant us entrance. Or, at the very least, some semblance of hospitality so that I may have a discussion with Lady Amaranthe. I will not hear more of this issue unless progress has been made. When you come back to see me, I expect there to be an invitation from the Lady Amaranthe herself inviting me to her abode. Now leave, I do not wish to deal with the matters of the State anymore today."

(Temporary take over of your pieces. Is this part getting old?)
A Hong messenger rushes up to you, red faced and wheezing.

"You are the Soldier, Rosencrantz?" huffed the messenger. He puts his hands on his knees to gather his breath. "Why... can't you... stay... in one place?" He collapses onto the ground and shakily reaches into his satchel. A scroll is withdrawn from the satchel and unrolled. Still breathing heavily, the messenger gathers the strength to stand upright.

Somehow, he is able to control his breathing enough to smoothly convey his message. "Empress Xifeng has chosen you, Soldier Rosencrantz, to become part of a group who will apprach Prophylaxis with an offer for a meeting of peace between the Empress and the Lady Amaranthe. You are to arrive at the town of Ornan to meet with the rest of your group. Your duty in this operation is as an offering. Should the person in charge so wish, you may be left at Prophylaxis to render what aid you can. Otherwise, you are to act as part of the security and ensure the safety of those in the group. A sufficient reward has been prepared should you perform your task well."

Message apparently finished, the messenger rolls the scroll up once more, hands it to you and dusts himself off. In a more conversational tone, "I don't have any answers to whatever questions you have so don't even ask. I'm only the guy who delivers stuff. And anyway, I don't have time to stand around anyway. I've gotta be at Spider Lily by next month. So. Goodbye and good luck with whatever the hell I just read to you."

With that, he turns around, sprints to a waiting horse and gallops off. (Into the sunset)

Task In the guild, recycle a thread (post in any already made thread) in the Events Archives or CYOA Archives, subforum. You must be persistent in persuading a member of the Guard to let you in. RNG a 1 - 10. The number you get is how persuasive you are. Get it above a 7 in five tries or less to gain access into Prophylaxis! Must be done once per piece.

If you succeed, you win an Offensive or Defensive Homunculus for you to use in battles! And not only that, it'll be a semi custom Homunculus. (I'll even break out photoshop for you if you want something special.) You may choose the colors and pattern/design (if you want one).

When you have accomplished this task, quote Ichitoko in the main thread with your results and your preferences for your brand new Homunculus!
For more information, refer to this page.

Ichitoko
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Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 12:15 am

◄And how are you today?►

Despite giving up most of his kingly duties to his sister, the Blanc kingdom and her subjects still regard Ivanovich as King Alabaster. For the traditional image of King Alabaster - compassionate, kind and generous - can found in Ivan by the bucketful. In fact, these three traits have been emphasized in him to such a degree that it overshadows all of his other qualities: clumsy, meek, soft-hearted. By far the youngest of the four we currently know, Ivan is also the most naive. In protest of a war he thinks is wrong, Ivan once ordered all the soldiers to shake hands and have a meal with the first Noir soldier they found. He very nearly made it a regular occurence until Helsa stepped in.

As per the siblings' agreement, Ivan has the role of Head Physician. He takes it very seriously and ventures out into the city often to provide aid. Without a guard or even assistants. He interacts with the city folk so often that they have come to love him dearly and even dare to use his first name. He rarely spends much of his free time in the castle, preferring to eat, sleep and breathe in the Royal Hospital or inspecting clinics. It is a source of exasperation and anxiety to Helsa who must constantly worry about his safety. Nevertheless, Ivan is practiced enough in self-defense that he can fend off a soldier or two.

Age 26 years old. Unmarried.
Disposition Compassionate, kind, generous to a fault, clumsy, meek and soft - hearted.
Preferences " W-well. As long as you're happy?"
Dislikes "Oh no. I couldn't possibly inconvenience you with that."

And enter Ivanovich!

Ivan was strolling across the palace courtyard with the Royal Hospital as his destination. A patient was brought in late last night with almost fatal wounds and he wanted to make sure that his condition had not worsened after the first of the medical administrations. Helsa had watched him leave the dining hall in exasperation. She had said that there were other issues to attend to first before checking on the soldier. "He'll still be there, no matter what time you visit, Ivan." But she was not Head Physician and did not know that sometimes death crept upon an ailing soul to snatch him away in the night. And how many times had he visited the ward only to learn that a patient - well on the way to recovery the night before - had gone the next morning?

Anyway, if he hurried, he could check up on the soldier and then make a trip to the apothecary to inquire about certain medicines. Or that was the plan anyway. He had left the palace grounds by then and had caught a faint scuffle. Cries of pain rang out and he quickened his pace into a desperate sprint. Thumps and clangs could be heard from within an alleyway off a backstreet. He arrived to find two cloaked figures attacking a Royal messenger.

Hands on his hips, he shouted, "And what are you two doing to that poor man?" Well. That didn't sound as intimidating as he thought it would.

The two looked up at him. One tsked and made for one more vicious kick at the messenger before pulling his cloak to his body and running off. The other quickly followed, but not before he glimpsed a snatch of blue almost always found in Noir. Ivan almost ran after them to investigate but remembered the messenger on the ground. Mentally making a note to report it to Helsa, Ivan rushed to the messenger's side.

"Where does it hurt? Can you breathe normally? Don't worry. You'll be all right."

The man gasped in pain as he tried to sit up straight. Ivan frowned visibly at the unnecessary action. "King... Alabaster? I-"

"Yes, yes. I'll listen to what you have to say later. But for now, I must administer aid. Hush. It'll hurt and I'm sorry, but it must be done," Ivan said. He reached in his pockets to withdraw a small roll of bandages and salve. "Show me your face."

"I have a... letter. From Ornan," the man attempted to reach into his satchel, but Ivan tutted and forced his head up by gripping his chin. Wordlessly, he dabbed the salve around the bloody lips and blackening eye. The ribs he quickly bandaged with an expert hand. He finished the rest of the first aid in minutes and stood.

"I'll have some soldiers bring you to the Hospital," Ivan explained. The messenger reached into his satchel and pulled out a worn and battered letter. He held it out for Ivan to take.

With a soft sigh and roll of his eyes, Ivan smiled and took the letter. They always wanted to finish the mission first, soldiers. They never cared a whit their health and try as he might, Ivan could not get a single soldier to to put their health first. "Thank you for your hard work. I'll make sure you get plenty of rest to recuperate. This letter will be important in ending the war, I'm sure."

The Letter from a Lost Soldier

To His Majesty King Sable,

I am deeply sorry for this letter's lack of formality, but I do not believe I have much time. I have sent multiple copies of this letter in the hopes that at least one will reach you from a remote location as this.

On the border of Prophylaxis near Ornan, I heard a conversation between two Prophylaxis Guards on the subject of the Gate of Paradise. Normally, one would quickly escape to avoid their ire, but I was injured and so hid myself instead.

The Gates, they said, were regaining color. Comments were made about how it used to shine like the sun. If what they say is indeed true, and I have little doubt it isn't, the Gate may be approaching a state in which it could be forced open. I wish I had more concrete information to tell you, but they quickly cut their conversation short and moved away.

However, on the subject of the task you assigned me, your suspicions about why only a Prophylaxis Guard can he approach the vicinity of the gate is confirmed. You know that despite all of my efforts to get as close to the Gate as possible without being seen that one blink and I am at the borders between Prophylaxis and our Kingdom. I have not even been able to glimpse the tops of its arch before being sent back to the border by some strange power.

I have observed Blanc and Noir soldiers alike making it a certain distance into Prophylaxis before fading out of existence. Presumably to the border. However, some I have seen simply pause and turn around without preamble.

I have no conclusions to offer as this baffles me. I am sure you have a greater idea of what this means than I.

A Pigeon Feather accompanies the letter.

Flecks of wax still cling to the envelope.

By now, all the messengers have had their letters delivered, either to their intended recipient or otherwise, and the whole continent knows of this revelation. The leaders of each nation have kept the news as much a secret from the general public as much as possible. But even a ruler cannot hide the new restlessness permeating the skies.

The armies of each power have been given a quick summary to boost morale, and motivation. Could the war be ending soon? Some say no. Some say yes. Nevertheless, after nearly half a millennium of fighting with no end in sight, this news has brought renewed vigor into the hearts of soldiers.

Journal Entries
To unlock a chance at a wonderful prize at the end of this very long event, write some journal entries, yo! Write for both, please. You do not need to have completed the missions prior this update.

For Blanc, Noir and Hong
「 Does your piece believe this letter? 」 Does it seem too good to be true? Or does it seem like a plot cooked up by some hare brained higher up to get your to fighter harder?

「 What about the previous army wide missions? 」 Do the two events seem to relate somehow?

For Prophylaxis
「 Is the Gate's renewed color ominous or hopeful? 」 Is it just a prelude to something disastrous or is the Gate truly appearing to return to its former glory?

「 How does this change your perspective on the Gate and your duty, if at all? 」

An Important Note Remember that Prophylaxis has had no direct outside contact, other than incapacitating soldiers and then throwing them out of the territory, since Lady Amaranthe's declaration. The majority of the Guard and even Prophylaxis itself have no idea that the other nations know about their leaked secret. Not for long, anyway.

DEADLINE: August 6th

Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2011 9:49 pm

Rubber Waffle

Rosencrantz and Valtyr have unlocked the third mission!

yylaayl

So has Estelle!

thyPOPE

And Hakam

Kunimai

And Saitoku

Mika Chiii

And Enma

Chemille

And Adelaide and Ruxlin.

[A.V.]

As well as Mimi! (That was getting repetitive. XDD)

◄Seek the Gate. The things you wish to find will not be found.►

Taken in and apprenticed to her predecessor at a young age Amaranthe fulfills a duty that only the Ladies preceding her will ever know. Upon her initiation as the newest Lady Amaranthe, she shed her old name to don the name all now know her by. Insightful and kind, soldiers and civilians alike often seek her advice wherever she may be found. Additionally, should a soldier of Blanc or Noir origin ever wish to defect she is the first the speak to of such a decision. Amaranthe must be the one to accept the soldier into the ranks of the Guard and no other.

She can often be found in the Temples attending to business or in the town administering help where it is needed. She is only recognized because of her clothing and Red Amaranths that guard her when she goes outside. Not a single soul save her teacher and the top Red and White Amaranths have seen her face. Some still question it but the majority take it in stride. Amaranthe conducts herself with such an open demeanor that they are able to trust her despite not knowing her face.

There is a myth that to be the Lady Amaranth one must be born with a certain gift - the same one the first Lady possessed. However, it has been such a long time since those fabled powers were needed that most consider it a simple exaggeration of the Lady's mystique.

Age 36 years old. Vow of celibacy.
Disposition Kind, insightful, honest, quirky, and infuriatingly cryptic at times.
Preferences "A good book and a peaceful place to read it in would be lovely."
Dislikes "When wounds don't close as they should."

Amaranthe makes her appearance!

Amaranthe stood at the base of the stairs to the Gate in quiet consideration. Her attempt to keep Blanc and Noir from finding out about its regained color had failed. Not that she had tried very hard, anyway. The two kingdoms were going to find out at some point. She simply wished to delay the unveiling of a truth they might not be ready for. And to buy Prophylaxis time to watch the Gate a little longer.

"Now that you have some color in you, you're a bit too bright," she murmured.

A Red Amaranth quietly tapped her on the shoulder. "U-um. The seal stone on the southern border has been destroyed, your Grace." He seemed nervous. Amaranth didn't think he had any reason to be nervous so she smiled to reassure him.

"Yes, I felt it. It is the farthest from the Heart so we have no reason to worry yet. Wipe the sweat away, Jillian." She turned back to watch the Gate once more. Gesturing for the soldier to follow, she ascended the steps. The Gate was quite high so it would take a few minutes. Obediently, the Red Amaranth followed close behind in silence. "What are your thoughts, Jillian?"

"Y-your Grace?" She pointed at the Gate in reply. "My thoughts on the Gate?" he repeated then looked down as he walked. "My thoughts, my thoughts..."

"'Twas only a simple question, my dear. No need to think so deeply. Perhaps a better question is: How do you feel about the Gate?"

While he thought, the Red Amaranth had fallen behind so he hurried to catch up. The Lady Amaranthe was fast paced! "W-well, I think that it is a... good thing? That the Gate is showing signs of activity? Perhaps it will not be so despairing a sight to behold and its presence no longer depressing. I would actually enjoy that bit the most. Not to feel like the only things I am made of are my fears and my shortcomings." Gate Duty was the most taxing of all tasks his half of the Guard had to endure and not many enjoyed being in the Gate's presence. He had no idea how the Lady Amaranthe could spend nights in the guardhouse and not be affected at all. Outwardly, anyway.

At last they made it to the top and Jillian found himself sweating just a bit. "Well! That was a most refreshing walk, wasn't it? I think I'll enjoy the descent much more, though. The scenery is more pleasant. You'll join me when I go down as well, Jillian?"

The Red Amaranth's left eye twitched. But they had just gone up the stairs! He sincerely hoped that she had not gone up the whole flight just to go back down! "Well, of course I'm not going to go back down after all the trouble I went through to go up! Don't be silly." Amaranthe serenely walked past the guardhouse and right up to the Gate itself.

As always, Jillian thought the Gate was majestic to behold. The majority of it was still black but at the bottom there was a hint of gold creeping up the bars. At last, he could see the intricate curlicues etched into its strange metal. The rest of the Gate's detail was marred but the blackness and only if one came up to the touch its surface could the grooves be noticed. But no one touched the Gate. The closer to the Gate they came the greater the feeling of despair. Already he could feel the overwhelming urge to simply give up. Collapse where he stood and never move again. Why did he ever join the Guard in the first place? Clearly he was not cut out for the life if he could not even handle being in the Gate's presence. He hadn't even been in that many skirmishes nor had he ever had too many encounters with Blanc or Noir. Jillian considered resigning from the Guard then and there.

A delicate hand placed itself on his cheek. "I apologize. I forgot that you had been newly promoted and that you have not built up an adequate defense against the Gate. It'll only be a moment longer and then we shall leave," said Amaranthe. She turned back to the Gate, walked right up to it and placed her hand upon it. The Gate pulsed once and the gold crept ever slowly upward a centimeter. Patting it, Amaranthe turned back and quickly descended the stairs whilst Jillian followed closely behind in wonder. What had she just done?

"I-if I might ask, what just happened?" he asked, dumbfounded.

With a twinkle of laughter, Amaranthe replied, "I said hello to an old friend." At the foot of the stairs stood another Red Amaranth. This one seemed annoyed. Jillian wondered why. When they came within speaking distance, annoyance had clearly won out over decorum as he yelled that some Hong were visiting and they had requested an audience with her. Jillian stared back in indignation at the lack of respect in the Lady's presence but she did not seem to mind.

"Send the leader to the Temple Gardens. I shall be there shortly. And take Jillian to the Temple clinic as well, he seems a bit peaky." Both Red Amaranths dutifully obeyed, but not before the rude Amaranth ordered a small group of Guards to watch over the Lady Amaranthe.

"And about the ban on Blanc and Noir?" called the unnamed soldier.

"We will keep it in place."

(There is a point to those lower NPCs after all!)

A short Hong soldier with a white scarf wrapped around his neck drummed his fingers impatiently upon the arm of his chair out in the garden's only gazebo. For such a large garden, he thought there should be more than one gazebo, but maybe they didn't quite have the funds for one. The one he was in looked a bit too... shabby. In any case, Jiao Long was bored and wondering how they thought he was the leader of the Hong party. He was a lowly Soldier, how on earth did he get straddled with Authority? Besides being of nobility, but that didn't matter this far west. He was definitely going to request for a very long leave after this. The kind that meant he never came back to this side of the globe. Perhaps somewhere tropical?

A petite woman (but she was still taller than him, damn it!) appeared as if out of thing air. Her face was covered by a long gray cloak so he couldn't measure her up and that was disconcerting. She wore a small, barely noticeable smile whilst inclining her head as she took a seat across from him. "Would you like some tea? I've recently tried the Jasmine tea from your land and it is simply delicious." Jiao shook his head. "I'm sure sure wouldn't mind a taste of home no? You are quite far." To keep her from continuing to wheedle him, he acquiesced. "Excellent! I am Lady Amaranthe, head of Prophylaxis, a pleasure to see someone from such an exotic land."

Jiao inclined his head. "And I am Wu Jiao Long, a Soldier of Empress Xifeng's Imperal Army. Thank you for the hospitality, my Lady." A young woman arrived with their tea and both took a moment to savor it. Lady Amaranthe seemed very serene and content with the silence. She didn't seem inclined to make the conversation move forward at all. "This tea almost smells of home," he ventured.

"Does it? Then I shall continue to drink this brew so that I might learn more of your home."

"Ah, if it is knowledge of the Empire you wish, then our Empress has a special brew of tea I am sure you would love to try," Jiao commented. Amaranthe set down her tea cup with a light clink! and cocked her head. "However, our Empress only ever shares such a tea with personal audiences."

"What a pity, then. It sounds lovely."

"Perhaps if you were to invite her to Prophylaxis, she would be more than happy to share...?"

The side of Amaranthe's mouth quirked. "She would come all this way just for a tea date with me? She seems quite busy with her vast Empire to run, would she have the time?" Jiao gave a minute shrug.

"I am sure our Empress would jump at the chance to escape the Court and stately matters. She would be delighted to meet the Keeper of the Gates."

Amaranthe quietly took another sip. "I will welcome Empress Xifeng so that we might discuss tea. Might I ask that she bring as many varieties as possible?"

"Of course, my Lady. I will relay the message to her immediately. But...and this is of personal interest, might I ask why you have suddenly cut yourself off from the rest of the world?"

"Cut off? I don't think so. You're here, aren't you? And I invited you in." She smiled again, the smile that meant she found this whole conversation amusing. Well! thought Jiao. I officially consider all Westerners oddballs.

"Then let me put it a different way: Why am I, a Hong, allowed to enter your lands whilst your neighbors are not?"

"We are all neighbors, Sir Wu." Another sip. "But I can sense your confusion mounting. I am protecting my neighbors and that is all I will say." She placed the now empty teacup back on its saucer. "You must be tired. I insist you stay one night to rest at the Temple. It may not be as lavish as you are accustomed to, but it is comfortable. I much prefer comfort to lavishness myself. Our business is done, yes? Then I will take my leave now. Your company was a pleasure, Sir Wu." She inclined her head.

Conversation now finished, two White Amaranths came forward to escort him to a room at the temple. Lady Amaranthe had already disappeared among the flowers humming merrily as she went. "I feel like I've been toyed with," muttered Jiao to himself. One of the Amaranths escorting him stifled a chuckle.

"That's just how she is, Sir Wu. Now, this way if you please."

Please read on to learn more about what this mission entails and what its reward is. If you have not been quoted, but believe you did finish the metaplot journal entries in time, please tell me!
All of these missions are along the same vein, but they should help you gain a little more insight into the greater motivations of these four alignments.

Your reward is a semi custom meta only Carp Homunculus from the City of Alchemy on the western coast. You may choose colors and patterns but no line edits.

For more information, go to this page/

For Prophylaxis
「 Go out and have adventures, young ones. 」 To help her Guards see more of the world, the Lady Amaranthe has insisted that the returning Hong party be accompanied by some of her own. Have fun!

Lady Amaranthe's parting words are: "Look for the gray among all the black and white." What could she possibly mean? Come up with as many interpretations as you can and perhaps you'll stumble upon the answer. Once you have, simply quote Ichitoko and she'll give yo Lady Amaranthe's reactions. If you need questions answered to help you, go ahead and ask.

For Hong
「 Time to go fetch Empress Xifeng. 」 Sigh. She's a force all her own and now you have to somehow tell her that she's going to Prophylaxis to have a tea date as well.

Given what you currently know about the Empress, what is the best way to tell her the conditions of her visit? Go to town with it! You may come up with as many ways as you wish. Once you have, simply quote Ichitoko and she'll give you Empress Xifeng's reactions. If you need questions answered to help you, go ahead and ask.

For Blanc
「 Remember the last time you found Wren? 」 Queen Helsa has deduced that Wren has a specific role in the Noir army and would like Saitoku and Mimi to investigate her origins. Don your civilian clothing and go have fun in Noir land.

Given what you know about King Sable, Wren and the Noir Kingdom, create a list of possible roles Wren might have to the Noir. Once you have, simply quote Ichitoko and she'll give you Queen Helsa's comments. If you need questions answered to help you, go ahead and ask.

For Noir
「 Look for the beetle! 」 Everyone belongs but the Noir! Outcaaaasts. Just kidding. The mission completed by Adelaide and Ruxlin have confirmed King Lucian's Suspicions. Remember when he asked them to find this?

There are actually twelve of them surrounding the Prophylaxis territory. Go find them. Destroy them. Return. They must be destroyed in 5 rolls or less.

To destroy it, RNG 1 - 5 (here). A 4 or higher will destroy it. Lower and it's still whole. Get to it kiddies. They're scattered throughout the CYOA Archives subforum. Once you've found them, send me a PM with the links to all twelve. Happy Hunting! Don't be sneaky and try to include the stone from Mission Two. That stone is already broken.

Deadline for your task is: August 14th

Ichitoko
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Ichitoko
Captain

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Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2011 2:54 pm

INTERLUDE: Wren?!

Both Blanc and Noir had been steadily building their operations along the Prophylaxis border.

In any case

Wren is walking along the streets of Dawn City in an obvious state of confusion.

Wren

Something is flicked at the back of her head and she turns around to see a waving figure with black hair.

???

Wren

Wren hurries over to the figure and the table he is seated at. She sits directly opposite him.

???

Wren

Sparrow

Wren

Sparrow

Wren quickly bobs her head.

Wren reaches into the bag at her side and draws out a tied bundle of envelopes.

Sparrow

Sparrow flips through the envelopes.

Wren

Wren quickly lists off names using her fingers.

Sparrow

Sparrow flicks an envelope towards Wren who scrambles to catch it.

Wren

Wren visibly slumps before straightening up again in interest.

Sparrow

A stare is leveled at Wren.

He tosses coins onto the table and quickly disappears into the crowd.

Wren is slumped at the table. A waiter approaches.

Waiter

Wren slumps lower.

Waiter collects payment and walks away.

Wren

Wren tucks the envelope away and exits the Laughing Pelican.

Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 1:15 am

◄I don't drink tea with just anyone.►

Lips hovered over the lip of the teacup, lidded eyes coolly observed the woman across the table. Both women enjoyed the freshly brewed Hong tea in silence. Neither seemed inclined to break it, but there were things to discuss and Xifeng could be patient in only very few situations. She was not in a patient mood today. Setting the teacup down in a careless yet elegant motion only an aristocrat could accomplish, the Empress trained her eyes on the Lady Amaranthe. The leader of Prophylaxis herself took another moment to inhale the warm aroma before also placing the teacup on its saucer. She directed a serene smile Xifeng's way and the Hong Empress suppressed the urge to sneer. Familiarity with a Westerner was distasteful at best, they were so... open.

"I give you my wholehearted thanks for such splendid company and an equally splendid cup of tea, Empress."

Xifeng inclined her head. "It is but a small gesture of gratitude for inviting me to your land. I will be sure to leave a case of this blend for you to enjoy as a gift."

Amaranthe smiled once more in thanks. "I will cherish your gift. Receiving gifts is just as enjoyable as giving them. Upon your departure, I will make sure you do not leave without a piece of Prophylaxis' hospitality." Xifeng's small smile twitched.

"It's much too soon to think of leaving! I had hoped we could bond over our mutual love of tea. And if possible... for our nations to become friends as well - a link between the East and West," suggest Xifeng.

"Oh! But aren't we already friends? We live on the same land, after all," Amaranthe exclaimed. And turning her head as if she had only just noticed her surroundings, then suggested that they take a walk to enjoy the day. Xifeng took a moment to glance back at her guards. They made a barely noticeable gesture, but it seemed to satisfy the Empress. She rose from her chair to join Amaranthe on a walk through the gardens.

And somewhere among the buildings in Cantelara Village, the only town in all of Prophylaxis, new faces appeared. But unfamiliar faces were common enough in Cantelara; the town's new inhabitants blended seamlessly into the everyday lives of those who lived close to the Gate.

Somewhere else a boy with hair the color of the sea released a dove into the skies. Days later a crimson haired girl sitting in a small unnamed park felt a dove alight upon her shoulder. Nimble fingers untied a small note and the dove lifted off again.

Ichitoko
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Ichitoko
Captain

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Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 10:13 pm

◄ Desheng Why are you following me? Stop it!►
◄ Biyu Biyu will go wherever Biyu wants to go. And De-De can't tell Biyu what to do!►

Notes: The twins' ages have been changed from two to five years because two year old babies aren't that great at talking. Aha. Ha.

"I can so tell you what to do!" exclaimed Crown Prince Desheng. His younger sister, Biyu, stood before him with her arms on her hips. He was annoyed that she seemed to make it her mission to follow him wherever he went. It was so annoying. He puffed his cheeks and exhaled loudly in irritation. "Stop following me, birdy! And don't call me De-De." Conversation considered finished, Desheng immediately turned around and continued with his business. Business being exploring the new land he was visiting with Mother. Mother said the people were protecting something and he wanted to know what was so important that even Mother would go to see it. It took a bit of time to escape his caretakers, but Desheng had done it and he wasn't going to let his stupid sister get in the way!

"Oh no you don't, De-De. You can't call Biyu a bird without Biyu making you sorry. Biyu's going to make you take that back. And she'll go wherever she wants!" Biyu announced. She ran ahead of him, hitting his head as she passed, her long golden sleeves dragging in the dirt behind her. She looked over her shoulder once to blow a raspberry and continued running and laughing. "Biyu's winning! Biyu's winning! Stupid brother!"

Desheng stamped his feet and cried, "We aren't racing!" Determined not to let his sister get the better of him, Desheng ran after her. And as they ran, their steps brought them closer and closer to the Gate.

User Image

「 Find the Royal Twins! 」
The caretakers for the twins, Desheng and Biyu, are beside themselves with panic. If Xifeng discovers their negligence, she'll have their heads for sure! And so they have turned to the Hong Army and Prophylaxis Guard to help them find the twins. For the Hong soldiers, it is to prevent the wrath of Xifeng from coming down on your heads. For the Prophylaxis, it is to prevent the twins from getting close to the Gate. The twins will occasionally appear in the main thread, RNG 1 - 10 to try and catch them. An 8 or 9 will catch them. Any other number will bring them closer to the gate. Five combined fails will place them at the Gate and the metaplot will continue from there. A success and the metaplot will be taken in a different direction.
Participation Reward: 1 Solid Colored Carp Homunculus of a color of your own choosing for the piece participating.

◄ Lucian Your progress?►
◄ Wren As well as can be expected, your majesty.►

In Dawn City.

Wren stood before her king, head bowed. "Sit, Wren," Lucian ordered from his seat at his desk. She complied. "You have news from Raven?" Wren inclined her head and produced a wrapped package. She silently passed it to him. The king took it and held it out. A hand from the shadows came forth to accept it. "And your efforts with the Red Amaranth from Prophylaxis?"

Wren stiffened. Nervously, she shook her head in a negative. "He d-d-doesn't seem to trust me. No matter how I e-e-emphasize that Noir is seeking to cease hostilities, he would n-n-not budge," Wren reported haltingly. "H-he says that he would reveal n-n-nothing unless his Lady bade him to." Wren looked up to see his reaction.

Silence. She began to fidget with her fingers.

"They are too paranoid to allow any means of negotiation. So we cannot find a way to allow our soldiers there openly, then," Lucian concluded. His fingers methodically tapped his desk in thought as his cheek rested between his thumb and index finger. "Continue your attempts. If anything, he may slip up and we may find an opening. Until then, Sparrow will continue sneaking our people in there."

Wren nodded to show that she understood. But something was still nagging at her and her curiosity just wouldn't abate. "U-um!" she squeaked. Lucian quirked an eyebrow. "W-what about u-um the Hong currently visiting? W-what if Prophylaxis and Hong f-form an alliance?" He gave a small smirk.

The figure once shrouded in shadows emerged to reveal that it was Cecile, Wren's direct superior. Wren squeaked and quickly stood up to bow. With a cruel smile, she said, "Why, sabotage, darling. Diffidence. Discord. Despair, my dear." She made to exit and as she passed, she patted Wren on the head affectionately.

Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2011 6:34 pm

◄ Desheng Now, look at what you did. We got caught!►
◄ Biyu Biyu did not get caught. Stinky De-de got caught and took Biyu down with him.►

◄ Xifeng Oh? Were my children being naughty?►

Note: Firo's not important enough in this update for an NPC image right now. 8D;;

The twins were right before the clearing of the Gate. Had they realized how close they were to the object of their curiosity, they surely would have been much more careful about their snooping. But, alas. They were soon snatched up by girl a soldier from Mama's army. She was pale and smiled funny and creepy.

As it was, Biyu merely squirmed and tried to break out of the soldier's grasp. "Let Biyu go!" she squealed. Her brother, to the young princess' irritation, merely lay limp in the soldier's other arm. She reached across and smacked her brother on the head with a scream. "Try harder, dummy! What if Mama knows!"

Desheng's head snapped up. "M-m-mother?" he stuttered while his eyes grew wide as saucers. Not mother! He began to put up a fight and together the twins squirmed and struggled in the soldier's arms to no avail. Their little five year old bodies simply weren't strong enough. That didn't stop them from trying, though. Their fear of their mother was greater than anything else.

"Enough."

The twins froze. They faced each other with identical expressions of wide eyed fear. Slowly, they turned to face the owner of the imperious and cold voice. There stood their mother, fan closed at her side while her other hand was held aloft by their father. Father was looking quite bored. Desheng wasn't surprised as they got caught often. Xifeng silently pointed her fan at Desheng, a silent command to speak.

Sweating profusely, he mumbled, "I w-w-wanted to walk...." Biyu stared at her brother incredulously. Stupid! she mouthed. Like Mama was going to accept that! She wanted to kick him. Xifeng's fan suddenly snapped open. The twins turned their attention back to her in horror. She opened the fan! Letting go of Firo's hand, Xifeng stepped forward while fanning herself.

Lifting Desheng's chin gently with her free hand, she commanded him to speak. "The truth, darling. Or Mother won't be lenient." Desheng's eyes wildly looked anywhere but into their Mother's. He ended up staring desperately at Biyu for help. Xifeng jerked his chin back, mouth in a thin line from growing impatience. "Uh. Um. That is... Mother... I-"

"B-Biyu wanted to play!" shouted the little girl. Xifeng shifted attention to her daughter. The Empress signaled to the soldier for her children to be released. Once they were on the ground, Biyu immediately hunched closer to her brother. "It was so boring and Biyu just wanted to find something fun to do..."

Mama crossed her arms. "And so you escape your attendants, tell no one of your whereabouts, leave the safety of our quarters simply to go find some fun?" she demanded coldly. "Darlings. Has Mother not told you to mind your behavior? Shall I have Father accompany you wherever you go? Your attendants are clearly not enough. Shall I give you more attendants? Is that what I must do so you will behave?" As she uttered each question, their Mother's voice remained its cold and high tone they were ever so familiar with.

Vigorously shaking their heads, the twins inched closer to one another. Biyu hid her head behind her brother's back in shame. With one look out of the corner of her eye to make sure Mama was focused on her brother, she whispered to him, "When Biyu tugs twice, we run, kay? We have to hide until Mama calms down."

Desheng's eyes widened. N-no! That would only make Mother angrier. Stupid Biyu! And of course he couldn't say that because Mother was looking at him. Stupid stupid! Tug. What? He wasn't... He wasn't... Tug. And like that, Biyu fluidly slipped like goldfish around the soldier who had caught them and was pelting down the road with her sleeves flying wildly behind her. In a panic and scared of being left alone, Desheng ran after her screaming. But not before he gave the soldier a sound kick in her shins.

Xifeng stood there fuming. "Fetch them! We cannot have them running wildly around this area!" she screeched. Turning around, the first person she saw was her husband who flinched upon noticing her gaze. Striding right towards him, she smack him on the arm with her fan. Hard. "You idiot! I told you to make sure they were safe while I was busy! But no! Where do I find you? Talking up women half your age in the garden! GO! Find my children, you incompetent twit! Find them or I will castrate you!" She continued abusing him with her fan until he called upon soldiers to begin their search.

Well. Looks like finding them didn't do much good. Now they're lost again. And this time they're trying to make sure they aren't caught! But we know where this path goes, don't we? It goes to the Gate. Let's do a scene skip!

◄If I find you slacking off, you'll eat my fist!►

Granyr was at the Gate house doing his weekly log inspection. If he ever caught one his Reds slacking off, he would give them hell. As it was, previous examples had taught his Guards their lessons and they made sure not to slack off even when he wasn't around. No change. No change. No change. He was nearly finished with the last log and was about to close it before he noticed a hastily scrawled note in the corner of the last filled page. He would have missed it were it not for his very meticulous perusing. Mentally making a note to reprimand whoever screwed up the neatness of the log, Granyr brought the logbook close to his face to try and make out the words.

"Whispers... What does that say? within the... Gate? Could not... make intelligible," Granyr muttered. "Hmm... What was the date? There's a one... and a five... Yesterday?" He slammed the logbook down in anger. Yesterday! And the... what was his name? Jillian? couldn't find the presence of mind to tell him of such an important development! He angrily stood up to go inspect the Gates up close.

Outside, Granyr stood a dozen feet from the Gate just before the stone paving began its path towards them. Steeling himself for the inevitable feelings of despair, he walked forward. Huffing and puffing noises began to steadily grow louder from behind him, and thinking it was one of his Reds to take over the next shift, he turned around only to find two small children in Hong attire on their knees trying to catch their breath.

"Hey. What are you kids doing here?" he demanded angrily. His expression must have been ominous as the little girl squeaked hid her face behind the little boy's back. "You aren't supposed to be here! How'd you get here?" He turned around fully and approached them. The little boy apparently took this as threatening and grabbing one of the girl's sleeves, shot forward between his legs. Surprised, Granyr quickly grabbed at the girl's yellow coat only to realize that she had hastily shrugged it off in response.

"Go away, dummy!" she screeched. "Biyu does not like you!" But he hadn't done anything! He quickly turned around to stop them from getting any closer to the Gate but they were already a mere few feet away.

"Stop! Get away!" The Gate's overwhelming presence grew stronger as the children drew closer and their panic heightened to an alarming degree. What glimpses of their faces he could see was a wild eyed panic. He sprinted forward to catch them, but the boy had reached his hand out and upwards towards the Gate's handles.

The little girl, Biyu, was still running when her brother had stopped and their collision propelled the boy an extra foot. He tipped forward and his hands brushed the Gate's service for only a second before it opened a mere crack. Tendrils of silver essence rapidly slid out, wrapping the boy's hands completely. It began to pull him in. More tendrils slipped out to wrap themselves around the boy's body. The girl was screaming angrily. "Biyu said let of De-de! Let go! Let go!" She had somehow gotten purchase on the boy's bottom robes and was tugging viciously. Her strength was no match and she too was slowly pulled in.

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Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2011 8:20 pm

◄Where is here?►

Where...where...where...

...?

Small hands reached out to grasp at wisps of purple smoke. As soon as the hand was close enough to make contact, the smoke dissipated. What strength was behind the arm to lift the hand abruptly left the soul and the arm dropped uselessly. Legs attempted to move forward, but the soul went nowhere. How to leave? The pressure was so heavy, the soul's heart? nearly burst with the weight. The 'sky' seemed to indicate that it was twilight and could the soul spy a horizon beyond?

Stop! You shan't make it if you do!

Why not...? Isn't it the way out?

It is one exit. But you must turn around. Turn around. Not safe. Leave. LEAVE.

The last word echoed through the air and the soul felt a compulsion to go somewhere. But where? It could not place its location as the area was so empty save for the hint of the horizon.

I'm sorry. So sorry. I cannot help you further. I cannot tell you where to go, but you'll find it. I promise. I will keep the evil away until you do. Find the way out. You cannot linger here. Night comes soon in this area and the broken souls will find their way to you if you do not move.

Wisps of purple smoke reappeared and seemed to float in place. Up and down. Up and down. The soul felt apprehension about coming near it now. A transparent hand appeared from the side and snatched it away. A small scream could be heard as the smoke was swallowed by disembodied limbs. It was so disconcerting that the soul willed itself all it could to move.

The twilight sky vanished and stone path appeared before the wandering soul. Soon it became aware of a small white ribbon floating through the air in front of it. The outline of hand - the soul's hand? - reached out the touch it. The ribbon vibrated and the soul felt the movement from within. With no other ideas, the soul proceeded to follow the ribbon to its destination.

◄Don't worry! Things are going well.►

Chemaia rests upon a plateau hundreds of feet above sea level. There are many roads leading up to it for travelers and would-be scholars but the journey is arduous. The city of alchemy was founded by a group of rather pompous young alchemists and chosen the high plateau so the city could be "at the top of world" to stroke their massive egos. The city resides at the very center of the plateau and plunges underground, making it seem smaller than it actually is. The surrounding area is full of greenhouses and cultivated land to grow ingredients for alchemic mixtures and conduct research. The nature of the plants make it look both wild and controlled. The most dangerous plants are sectioned off, while the most beautiful lined the roads leading towards the gate of the city.

The city itself sports one vast tower that sprouts bridges onto other smaller towers and buildings. The effect of this arrangement made it seem as if Chemeia was a crown perched atop a royal's head - more ego-stroking. There are no actual city walls, but multiple pale marble arches to designate various entrances. The architects of the city seemed to believe that the plateau itself would serve as a deterrent for any invaders. The central tower houses the heart of the city; the people inside take care of the daily duties that a city requires to function. The bridges lead to different towers that house schools of alchemy that each different academic pursuits. The formal schools for general learning are the more conventional looking buildings at the foot of the tower. All the rest of the city is housing and venues that cater to any and all academic needs. If it hasn't been made obvious just yet, the inhabitants of the city find academic pursuit to be sufficient entertainment and there are no recreational buildings. There isn't room. Of course, this does not mean that the city is somber and quiet. Rather, there are fantastical inventions and experiments being carried out in the open and within buildings. Enough of activity for the city to always be abuzz with minds working furiously to better society.

And it is at the mouth of one of the giant entrances stands Ivan with a nervous looking assistant. The assistant looks about anxiously while wringing his hands together. He is watching over horse laden down with bags. In the saddle is a young girl of brown hair rapidly turning her head around in awe. Ivan's own horse is grazing to the side of the road.

"Your majesty. Please. Let's turn around? We haven't stepped inside yet. There's still time! Before the Queen finds out!" pleaded the assistant.

Ivan turned to grace his assistant with a cheerful smile. He gently laid a hand on his shoulder, gently said, "Nonsense, Niri. Helsa knows I'm here. She even sent Odette to keep an eye on us. Why the worry?"

"Oh, sir. You know why!" Niri whined.

"I am choosing not to acknowledge it. Of course, if it makes you uncomfortable, you can leave at any time. I won't coerce you into doing something you are against," said Ivan compassionately.

Niri's heart swelled with love at His Majesty's care for him and his anxiety fell away somewhat to replaced by loyalty. "I would never abandon you, sir!"

"Excellent! Excellent! If your displays of affection are quite finished, let's go in already. Standing out here without moving makes me feel like idiot," interrupted Odette, a Knight. "Your Majesty, please mount your horse."

Ivan faced Odette with pleading eyes. "Oh, but I would much prefer to walk, Odette. I can't see the sights very well from a horse."

"I would feel reassured if you were mounted upon your horse, Your Majesty."

"Oh, but I would like for Niri to ride the horse. He's been walking the whole time. He must be exhausted. Aren't you, Niri?"

The poor assistant immediately backed away and cried, "Horses and I don't get along! Please don't make me ride it, sir. I am perfectly fine walking."

He pouted and whistled for his horse. The faithful creature trotted to his side and the King lifted himself onto the horse. Niri took the horse's reins and proceeded to lead the party into the city. The buildings on the main street had their windows thrust wide open and if one peeked inside, there would be a person, old and young, fiddling with some sort of contraption, concocting a brew or furiously writing. In some houses, lyrical music could be heard and others displayed beautiful works of art. However, none of these places were Ivan's destination. In one of the towers resided a team of alchemists whom he had asked to investigate a certain matter for him. He had assigned them with the task nearly two years ago, the same year he had attempted to make both Noir and Blanche forces get along. And then cousins Lucian and Amelie had immediately withdrawn their troops. It was vastly disappointing, but he supposed it was too much to hope for.

This project was his next plan and he hoped it would turn out well. If it did, the war would be practically over! It wasn't really his so much as he continuing the last Checkmate king. Tweaking it and improving it here and there, but it was the basics were still the same. Ivan had such high hopes for this project, but his sister probably wouldn't approve. The plan involved messing with the very of the essence of the Gate and that made her nervous. But if it was for the good of the world, Ivan would do it!

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2012 11:27 pm

Due to the unfortunate state of my laptop, we’ll be doing the metaplot in pieces to gradually bring the shop back to life (hopefully!). Instructions will be posted at the end of each update so you know what to do. When we reach the end of this part of metaplot, the pixelly portions will come in. But for now, we’ll have to make do with text. Also, we shall at last begin drawing more heavily on aspects of Chess – just the names of various moves that best describe the current part.

NOTE: You may participate with as many pieces/homunculi as you own. The more people or pieces that participate in the plot, the more we’ll be able to reveal about the situation surrounding Blanc, Noir, Prophylaxis and Hong.

STATE OF AFFAIRS

Past Metaplot Updates

Blanc

Helsa continues to investigate Wren, believing that she is crucial piece behind Lucian’s recent actions.
Ivan, with two companions, has arrived in Chemaia to meet with a senior researcher regarding a project. Helsa found out only after Ivan arrives in Chemaia.
Blanc is aware that Hong is in Prophylaxis, and has agents stationed along the Hong-Proph border to monitor the situation. They are observing only.

Noir
Lucian’s spy network have finally made it through to Prophylaxis.
The Lady Ashe’s movements are still unknown (???). Perhaps she is supporting Lucian from the shadows?
Noir is active in Prophylaxis. Their presence is still undetected.

Hong
Xifeng’s troops are now all over the continent.
An international incident threatens to break out due to the disappearance of the empire’s crown prince.
Hong is making preparations to take over Prophylaxis if the crown prince is not recovered.

Prophylaxis
Amaranthe has retreated in the Sanctuary to conduct research into the Gate.
No one is allowed near the Gate for fear of more danger.
The bulk of the Guard have been sent to tighten security around the Gate.

The Maróczy Bind A move involving two pawns and a horse, typically employed by White, to take control of the board.

Papers covered in diagrams and miniscule notes covered a table in one of Chemaia’s many research towers. A wizened old man hunched over the notes, muttering to himself as if searching for something. Ivan stood to the side looking over Researcher Geza’s shoulder excitedly. The young King seemed to be bursting with questions for the old scholar, but was reluctant to interrupt the man’s thinking. But, his excitement was too much to contain.

“Pardon me, Sir Geza, but you’ve conducted the procedure, correct? Months ago, in fact? Do these reports by the soldiers I sent out to Prophylaxis coincide with your predictions?” Ivan inquired as calmly as he could.

“Eh. Yes, procedure was successful on this end. Ehm, as for whether these reports match my predictions… I am slightly confused. Reports say Gate is rapidly regaining its golden brilliance?” Ivan nodded, concerned. “’Twas not to happen until phase two. Too fast a recovery may cause instability that will be harder to monitor and control further on in the project. Hmmm…”
Ivan was alarmed at this. Surely not…? It had been quiet for so long! The door to the room creaked open and a young man peeked inside. Geza continued to gaze at the notes and reports whilst absent-mindedly making notes on a fresh sheet of paper. The young man coughed and knocked on the inside of the door.

“S-sir? Sparrow has returned from the Grande Library in Dawn City.”

Instructions Below are a set of choices your piece may make in regard to the scene you have witnessed above. Allegiance does not matter. All that matters is the choice they make below. We assume the situation as outlined in the State of Affairs above is common knowledge. All pieces of are aware of the state of each nation.

Once your piece has made his/her choice, quote me with an answer. I’ll record it and I ask that you also keep track of what you’ve chosen to help you later on. Answers need not be more than several sentences long unless you’d like to take this opportunity to explore your piece more.

Participants may join in at any point. All pieces can participate. If you own more than one piece, all of your pieces can participate.

Who will I believe in…?
It seems that no rulers have been acting with much transparency as of late. Regardless of your allegiances, whose lead would you follow as things stand?

Helsa

Ivan

Lucian

Xifeng

Amaranthe

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Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2012 2:35 am

The Queen’s Gambit One of the oldest chess openings in the game, this move involves giving up a pawn in order to gain dominance over the center of the board.

Within a house size tent bearing the Hong Empire’s flag an empress sat alone boiling in rage. She was raging at the loss of an important person, her heir, her son. For far more political reasons, the loss of Desheng threatened to destabilize the fragile balance of powers between annexed territories and fragmented provinces under the Hong name. If any of the more ambitious generals learned of Desheng’s disappearance, they would immediately call for a review in the line of succession. Xifeng bit the nail she had been gnawing on absent-mindedly as she thought. The Ryuu dynasty will not end with me, she thought viciously.

How could she salvage the situation she was now put in? Firo was useless. Biyu was too callous to be the heir. Jiao Long? The young Soldier whose diplomacy skills had prevented Xifeng from tearing into Prophylaxis on several occasions in the last week since Desheng had been snatched behind that accursed Gate. But he was a fifth son, hardly worth any political clout. Why on heaven and earth were these Westerners so enamored with it anyway? She wanted to tear out her hair that the thing preventing her from completely taking over the continent was two measly kingdoms and a territory!

Xifeng stopped biting her nails. She took a deep breath, a visible shudder resonating through her body at her attempts to calm down. She needed tea. Preferably jasmine tea. A state of rage was not the way to think of solutions. What did she know about the Gate? Nothing besides that it was a the central focus of that ridiculous war between Blanc and Noir. Honestly, if they were going to engage in conflict, it could at least be something of worth. She was getting distracted.

Her biggest problem: lack of information. Well, that was easy. She had taken residence in the clear just outside of Cantalera Village. Information was a stone’s throw away. But she needed more than information. She needed to get her people close to the Gate so they could investigate it more closely. Xifeng was sure her scholars were much more knowledgeable about things of magic than the backward Westerners. Yes. She knew what to do.

She called for an attendant. Immediately a young man undid the flaps and bowed before her just outside the tent. “I am your servant, Empress,” he intoned.

“Call the Emperor. I can finally make use of that bumbling husband of mine,” she ordered with a smirk.

- - -

Firo sauntered inside the tent with a jovial grin. Once the flaps had closed, he swooped in to give his wife a peck on the check. Xifeng grimaced and waved him off. “You called, dear?” he asked as he sat in the chair opposite to her.

The Empress raised an eyebrow. “Clearly,” she drawled. Seeing no reason to indulge in pleasantries with her foppish husband (and she never did, though how he tried to cajole her into it), Xifeng immediately outlined what she wanted from him. “I need you to go to the Spider Lily Province and gather our greatest scholars to be transported here. As my son is in extreme danger, I am…well, the Empire requires this land to investigate the whereabouts of the nation’s Crown Prince.” She steepled her fingers together with a malicious smile. Firo pulled at his collar nervously; he was never one for his wife’s vicious tactics, but he recognized the necessity.

“Am I to understand that what is required of me is to only return with our best minds to investigate the Gate?” he asked, dreading the answer.

Xifeng cocked her head in mock thought. “Well, they are some of the nation’s greatest assets. They must be protected as fully as possible. I’m sure you know what that means, darling husband, “ she replied airily.

Firo deflated a little. He knew it. He just knew she would say that. She meant to subjugate Prophylaxis then, didn’t she? This would not bode well. For anyone when Xifeng donned the mentality of a conqueror. Reigning in his thoughts before Xifeng caught onto his thoughts, he nodded. “I will do as you asked, my dear.”

But Xifeng had already turned to other matters and Firo’s existence dismissed.

No activity required this update.

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