(D5, ME, Open) Endless Wailing and Lamentations: The Funeral of Lady Beatorisu

[Yasuki Taraka]

With the death of Lady Beatorisu, so died the dream of a return to the true ways. Narrative cooperative storytelling had triumphed over random tables. The whole of leech-wraithdom was being defanged, to be replaced with sparkles and roses. With such a momentous occasion there was only one true way to grieve:

Angsty speeches, politicking, drinking, and burning stuff.

An effigy of Lady Beatorisu had been constructed to be burned at the conclusion of the ceremony, two lit torches flickered nearby, the flame hungry for the offering.

Bottles of Essence (sake and beer) had been gathered to slake the eternal hunger of the guests.

Their new leader, Atarya, Lady Archivist, had been reached out to, to give their eulogy, though others who wished to say a few words need only take up the blackened bell and strike it before addressing the crowd to let loose their grief over the passing of Beattorisu.

Of course, while this gathering was meant for the rebels, it was entirely possible that loyalists would infiltrate the event. The ancient traditions forbid fighting at a gathering such as this, but there was always the chance to politick, to win people back over to their side, or to sway them that Atarya was actually the leader they truly wanted to follow.

Of course, Sumie wasn't invited to this gathering, the dead can't talk, and she was definitely dead.

Lady Rapace Avide D'Argent surveyed the scene. Who would come brood? What new angst filled cries would fill the night skies? Who was going to duck out and make out? Only the moon knew.

[Suzume Hitomi]

snip

After fielding messages through the day, with more than a little disbelief and amusement, Hitomi...sorry, Atarya, Lady Archivist, arrives with a cloak of deep red velvet covering her costume. She holds a giant, ancient looking tome in one arm, skin shining faintly blue and iridescent in the torchlight.

She approaches tentatively, walking down the beach from where she's parked the scooter, standing a bit away from the gathering and looking back toward the parking lot a few times before drawing herself up and striding across the sand.

The tome is set down before the effigy with a rustle that sounds more paper mache than weighty parchment as Atarya throws back her hood to survey her tiny 'court'.

"Lady Beatorisu failed us and has paid the price. She relied on the power of ancient writ instead of preparation. We will remember her sacrifice, her dedication to the old ways and strength of will that drew us to challenge the decadent usurpers. But next time." She pauses dramatically. Yes, that's definitely drama and not hunting for words. "And there *will* be a next time. Next time we will prepare. It needs more than a night, or a short week to infiltrate the Rose's lairs. Next time...it is the Rose that will burn!" As she says the last, she takes a torch and lights another of those waiting nearby.

She retains her torch as she steps back to allow other speakers space to address the gathering and take their own torches for the presumed finale.

Hitomi takes a bottle to slake her thirst and stifle hysterical giggles at the crazyness of all this.

[Moto Shiwahime]

''She failed because she was weak...'' came as a dry and dismissive reply from behind the assembly ''...weak and just as vain as Besanii''



The voice who uttered those words where none other then Marquise Chimère herself, who slowly clapped as she made her way closer.

''But nice little speech, Archivist'' La Dreadful Chevalière continued with a degree of challenge in her voice ''But lady Beatorisu also spoke quite a bit...and made promises and oaths that were as solid as dead leaves in the wind. Tell us, how will you be different? You speak of plans...of preparation...pray tell us more.''

[Suzume Hitomi]

*Oh Doji's ass, this is going to be like one of those serial dramas isn't it?* Well, it was still politics; the previous century's view of much older politics at that. She took her time finishing her pull at the bottle, lowering it as she drew that courtly *On* over her like a second cloak.

"And who are you to care? Blown in with the wind. You'll be gone tomorrow and forgotten while we continue the work." She gestures with the torch toward the effigy, "she'd at least been here before to have some idea of the lay of things...and she still deeply miscalculated the leanings of all the visitors."

"We have never had the numbers. So...*we* are weak if you like, or the Rose would be long since fallen. Fight them head on, as happened yesterday, and..." She walks over to look up at the hanging effigy, lifting the bottle in ironic toast.

Then she starts pulling from yesterday's dive into the lore, while making up more as she goes. "Do *you* know where the ancestral wraith tomb is with the great old ones quiet in stasis, their power untapped? Can you reach the sea vents of the frenzy-yokai? They have a mask that draws on the moon's madness that would be a boon." She pauses with a shrug. "Less epic is knowing whose umm...'essence-bound servants' are ripe for subversion." She couldn't pull up the game glossary in the middle of this, right? "And where their holdings are weak. It's not so flashy, but it's sound strategy when the numbers aren't in your favor." She looks around at the tiny gathering "And they're certainly not in our favor. We're undying. Take the time to do things right, or this mess is what you get."

She shoots a surreptitious glance at Taraka. Was that *close* to how things played here?

[Yasuki Taraka]

"Kch-kch-kch," laughed Lady Rapace Avide D'Argent. "I am not certain if you earned the name archivist because of your ability to read a person like a book or how you can put things in their final place forever, Lady Atarya. Both are to be feared and respected."

She took a long pull of essence, the dark color of the essence reflecting on pale skin.

"What I do know, is how you fought at the Harbourfront. If we had two or three more of your caliber, the day would have been ours. But unlike our dear departed leader, I know how to count. Her plan was doomed to failure. We should have infiltrated and struck at the head, not tried to fight our way through the bloated body of her following."

She offered a toast to the effigy.

"To the departed, your reign was as brief as your wit. May you not be remembered at all." before taking up her own torch.

[Moto Shiwahime]

''I am one who fought and conquered, little Archivist, but most of all I am not a coward like you.'' She laughed unperturbed ''Of course I'll be gone...why would I spend more effort to fight for another fool?''

The Dreadful Chevalière held the Archivist's gaze, proud

''You speak a lot but say very little. Let me make it simple for the others here: Your plan is to pin your hopes on the finding of a fancy guffin to, hopefully, give you the magical key to victory. You ask me if I know where those things are...and no I don't. However my guess is you don't know either or else you'd have already harnessed that power for last night's assault.''

The Moto placed a fist before her chest, thumb to the side...a vibe check

She turned her attention to Lady Rapace

''This one, at least as some sense''

[Suzume Hitomi]

"Eh?" The archivist looks at the Chevalière in honest confusion. "I believe Lady..." she pauses to search her memory banks, "D'Argent was agreeing that infiltration and knowing their weaknesses was wiser than full on assault."

She shrugs. "I fought through the Harbourfront, and I'm still standing here, so...I'm not sure you understand the word coward either." Drawing herself up to say more, she thinks better of it, taking another pull of her Essence. It can wait.

"There's a rite to complete. If you're not planning to bother, there's time later for...whatever it is you're aiming for."

[Yasuki Taraka]

Lady Rapace Avide D'Argent. nodded.

"You can think want you want, Marquise Chimère, but we are not squabbling mortals to mewl over our fates first and foremost. Our traditions demand that you offer your words of memory to the fallen leader so we might complete the rite of departure. If you wish to issue a formal challenge for leadership, you must wait until after that. And the actual challenge cannot take place until....." Rapace says.

She looks up to the sky.

"Three full lunar cycles from this date. Rebel those she may be, even the late Beatorisu would say that to defy that commandement is lame."

[Moto Shiwahime]

Shiwahime was now confused...there was so much she could improvise when the scene was...muddled, Who was talking to who?

Well...this seemed to be a thing for the locals anyway. Some light trouble could be fun since the rebel sect where pretty much arseholes but she wondered how that might be taken. It's not like they knew each other anyway, or each other's limits. Also pretty sure a lot of things were just made up as she did not read any of this in any of the books.

Maybe it'd be better if she'd leave now.

''Finish what you have started. You won't ear from me again'' Marquise Chimère turned to leave.

At least a little drama, she though, as she mounted her bike. Quite happy to get rid of the high boots as soon as possible

And /Exit

[Suzume Hitomi]

Hitomi looks after the departed, then to Taraka still standing with the torch, a touch confused. Was that how a social challenge ought to go?

Well, the effigy was still there, and she'd come at request to oversee the 'funeral' which apparently required burning, even for leech-wraiths. She'd ponder how that worked later.

She draws herself up, shaking her head. "I'm not sure what the point of that was, but I will hold off on completing the rite if we expect anyone else to participate"

After a pause she adds, "I hope you are well, Lady, since the events of last night?"

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka was also confused a bit by the Moto's reaction. But, on the other hand, some people just got too invested in their characters. Edge of Darkness attracted some people who were just...not well socially adjusted.

For a moment she had thought that it had broken the spell, but no, the Archivist was simply testing the waters.

She put an overly dramatic hand to her forehead.

"Alas, I am beset by ennui and emptiness." she admitted. "Despite the results, last night I truly felt alive, the thrill of the hunt, tasting the fear of those who did not understand what was happening to them before I sent them to sweet oblivion. But the hunger is only held in temporary abeyance. Soon the beast must feed once more. Happily, the bars are overrun by tourists from other worlds So much can happen when so far away from home. Some will not see it again."

She looked curiously at the Archivist.

"You are relatively new to your power. The vagaries of fate have tossed you upon strange shores indeed. However, I believe with your knowledge, our faction can rise again, though now we are broken and scattered." she mused.

[Suzume Hitomi]

Her lips twitch at the dramatic turn. "Ah, the hunt," the book had gone deeply into that. "I may be new to the position, but not to the power or...or the hunger. It grew quite distracting as the night went on." She sighed, "but there was no time! Even if all that work came to nothing in the end."

She lifts the bottle a bit, "If it was you who thought to supply something to take the edge off, it is appreciated." There's a pause as she considers. She's supposed to be a leader of this faction, that probably means... "that thoughtfulness should be rewarded as we carry forward and recover ourselves." She'd have to look closer at what rewards even made sense there.

"Is that sort of thing," she gestures toward the departed, "common?" It would make it hard to add members to the faction if there were constant challenges. "And I have to wonder, with the...hmm, daylight positions that many of us inhabit, how much do our factional conflicts carry into that light?" It was a fascinating game culture, but did anyone carry their hard feelings into the business beyond?

[Kakita Haruhi]

She looked curiously at the Archivist.

"You are relatively new to your power. The vagaries of fate have tossed you upon strange shores indeed. However, I believe with your knowledge, our faction can rise again, though now we are broken and scattered." she mused.

Her lips twitch at the dramatic turn. "Ah, the hunt," the book had gone deeply into that. "I may be new to the position, but not to the power or...or the hunger. It grew quite distracting as the night went on." She sighed, "but there was no time! Even if all that work came to nothing in the end."

She lifts the bottle a bit, "If it was you who thought to supply something to take the edge off, it is appreciated." There's a pause as she considers. She's supposed to be a leader of this faction, that probably means... "that thoughtfulness should be rewarded as we carry forward and recover ourselves." She'd have to look closer at what rewards even made sense there.

"Is that sort of thing," she gestures toward the departed, "common?" It would make it hard to add members to the faction if there were constant challenges. "And I have to wonder, with the...hmm, daylight positions that many of us inhabit, how much do our factional conflicts carry into that light?" It was a fascinating game culture, but did anyone carry their hard feelings into the business beyond?

A gathering of the rebels! How fun. She had enjoyed her character, the Queen of Snow and Blood, and was looking forward to playing a bit more with the others - and the chance to meet the ones unknown to her out of character.

She had clearly arrived a bit late, passing a departing Unicorn, and finding two women in conversation.

"Lady Archivist Atarya, Lady Rapace Avide D'Argent, thank you for organizing this rite of mourning for our fallen leader."

"Though I call myself a Queen, it is only an echo from my mortal days. Here, I pledge my fealty to our new leader, Lady Archivist." She knelt and bowed her head to the floor. Did rebels value oaths of fealty? Surely they needed them, despite their rebellious nature. Maybe even more so because of it! And definitely before praising the one that fell.

"I can share what I learned about our enemies plans, though I fear it was too little, too late. I look forward to any task you may give me to undermine them."

"But for now, I look backwards rather than forward. And look forward to the eulogy and rememberances of she who we have lost."

[Utaku Itsuka]

From the shadows of the Where.... a dark recess in Azuma Beach, the face of a Green Mooner suddenly appears, expression empty, eyes hollow as she surveyed the scene.



She doesn't speak for now, just Creeping (3 successes at diff 7! None at diff 8 though...) close to Atarya.

"My lady archivist, master of antiques.", is all the voice close to their new leader whispers. The tone itself suggests as much an acknowledgment as a question of sorts, as if waiting for an assessment of future plans.

[Yasuki Taraka]

Taraka was a bit relieved when others showed up. As much as she was enjoying the antiquarian being ridiculous with her, with just the two of them she was starting to feel a bit silly. But four people! Clearly they were not being silly, this was a society!

She acknowledged the Queen's compliment.

"A grim rite, but one that must be performed. The old must burn to make way for the new to rise from the ashes." she said.

Checking her sheet, she did not see the Utaku, so she had to not acknowledge her presence. Which was a shame, because she liked the Utaku, but the rules were strict. Still, she'd listen in to the exchange while pretending not to hear.

[Suzume Hitomi]

Truth be told, Atarya was rather relieved as well. It just felt more like an actual club or game with more people, vs some weird obsession for only two. Though the whisper close beside her startles her quite authentically. She turns and sees the little power card...and so pretends not to see. She's not going to go looking at her sheet right now to see if she actually could beat that result.

To the Queen, she nods, "we all bear many titles across the centuries. And here, we bear the freedom to hold whichever we chose, free of the stifling ranks and steps of those we stand against. They sneer at the tables marking our hunger, our hunts, and yet are too insecure to allow others their own names." She'd noticed that complaint in the old message lists, at least. Hopefully it was still a modern complaint!

For the benefit of the newly arrived she repeats a version of her eulogy for the fallen leader, and plans.

"Lady Beatorisu rallied us to remember the old ways, remember the harsh realities of hunger and thrill of the hunt. But she relied on the power of ancient writ instead of preparation. We will remember and dedication But next time we will prepare, we will infiltrate and avoid the mistake of thinking we have the force for a head on assault."

She gestures to the torches, and the effigy. "Light your torch and speak what remembrance you wish for the fallen," and then to the table of Essence, and presumably some dice discreetly tucked into the gloomy decorations. "Drink your fill, thanks to the beneficence of Lady D'Argent."

Looking out over the city lights. "And then we plan. There should be weapons of power we might benefit from before we make another attempt; allies to suborn; and new leech-wraiths to draw to our banner. I imagine the information learned last night will be shared and form the base of a new strategy." There could be 'orders' next week. Tonight was to pull a continuing game out of a defeat...and to generally enjoy the very moody evening before the rains really set in. A flash and rumble off across the water, drove that point home.

[Kakita Haruhi]

Haruhi (Queen of Snow and Blood) nodded at their new leader's words.

She took a cup of the libation and drank in a way she hoped conveyed 'thirsty', rather than 'dainty'. "I do apologize that the blood overtook my senses last night. Some nights, it is just overwhelming. I lost focus." It was always better to get a mistake on the table before your new patron found out.

"A subtle infiltration may avoid some of that risk. Cool and calculated, rather than a fiery frontal assault." Oh yes. Hot and cold. She was Queen of Snow. This was on theme!

"Let the fire consume the one we followed, and as the embers dim, a new era is born not in conflagration but in the dying of the spark. In the cold that follows." She lifted a prop torch, and touched it to the effigy prop. And pretended to flinch back from the light of the fire. Like a creature that liked the dark and cold better.

[Yasuki Taraka]

As a group, they would bring their torches to the effigy having said their words. (The Utaku probably saying something that no one heard because of her high Creeping skill. No one even saw her pick up a burning torch!), and the effigy burst in to flame, causing those gathered to shrink back from the hated heat and light provided by the bonfire.

"Ssss, burn in Hell Beatorisu. May you serve as the fuel to light our way in the endless dark to the true Endless Night!" she Rapace proclaimed.

The rite complete, Rapace would pour four cups of essence...for some reason. Maybe she was expecting someone here besides the Queen and the Archivist. Or for the chest thumper to return. Or maybe it was a last cup for Beatorisu. But probably it was so the Utaku wasn't actually left out of the wake.

She looked to the gathering rain clouds.

"The skies shall weep for our failure, but will wash away the ashes of it, and we will still be here."

[Suzume Hitomi]

She aims to maintain the dignity that a leader should probably have, while recoiling from the terrible flames, despite finding the warmth rather nice as the stormfront-fueled gusts ran along the beach. It feels awkward, but fun in the same way her childhood running around historical spaces pretending to be someone else was fun. "A fitting beacon marking the path to the Endless Night!"

"We will vanish with fire and storm, letting the Rose think us scattered," an idea strikes her, "In the coming weeks I will craft a token that we may know one another by." She had more than enough old bits and pieces for some ancient tokens of some sort. Little Senpet beetle carvings maybe? Did this mean she was actually thinking of continuing with this game, this group?

It was kind of fun to have something social that didn't revolve around talking shop, so...yes?

The excitement of a head full of ideas bubbled beneath her tone as she waved off the Queen's apology. "Last night drew on all our reserves, the hunger strikes harder then for any of us. Let it hone your awareness, that it not happen again."

"We should have more secure places to meet as well." Perhaps creating fewer strange rumors. She wondered if this beach gathering would spark any. "I know there are some among us with an eye for remote and private places." At least one of whom was currently 'unseen'. She took the cup Taraka/Lady D'Argent poured, raising it to toast the incoming storm. "To rebuilding, surviving to fight another day, and our inevitable rise to depose the Rose!"

Was that lame? Probably. She hid a smile as she drank.

[Kakita Haruhi]

"Ooh a token is a good idea!" Haruhi said, and then added in her more measured 'Queen' voice: "A token will make it harder for an enemy to infiltrate our meetings."

"To rebuilding!" she echoed.

"Perhaps we can keep eyes in different areas of the city."