[Godbound] Ten Buried Blades IC

[igordragonian]

Starislav hate every bit of it.
Or was it Timniev?
He clenched his teeth.
"I apreciate your understanding, Golden Lord. I am tainted with dark powers... But I will use them for the good of the people." he say, straightening up.
His head hurt from wishpers of evil and bloodlust, but he doesn't hold his forehead. He stand up tall.
"My k'heart filled with darkness... and I see darkness everywhere. I will... contain it. I am prepared to battle the real enemies."

[Theoboldi]

"Very good." The Golden Lord nods, his tone gravely serious. You can feel his intent to see this through, heavy in the air. It is a certainty that seems to almost oppress any wishes to the contrary, that feels almost physical. It bolsters Starislav, ever so slightly lessening the pain within him. The Unfettered Will may yet have its uses, it seems.

Without acknowledging any such thing, the shining god turns towards Rem. "So then, what shall be our plan? I say we gather our forces, and march upon the yamen before the magistrate knows what hit him."

[Merilan]

Upon the question of what it is they should do, Rem considers for a moment. To be quite honest, a simple attack on the Magistrate's palace would be quite effective. They have the forces to do it.

"I agree with taking the element of surprise. The people we have who have kept tabs on the city ought to be able to help us achieve that. I would also like to ensure that the people of the city are not caught in any conflict that erupts during our attack."

She folds her arms for a quiet moment to say, "If at all possible, I would like the Magistrate to stand down. To send a message to the Governor that this is the will of the people, who have thrown off the yokes and shackles cast upon them. But I know he has warriors and other powerful people at his side, so it may not resolve so cleanly."

[Theoboldi]

After listening intently, and giving Starislav a moment to bring in his own thoughts as a capable warrior, the Golden Lord clears his throat to draw your attention. "None of the resources of the regency will march swiftly enough at the magistrate's call. He is too minor of a figure, and Gongfang too small of a town for them to pay such attention. Only he and his men will stand in our way." For a moment, his eyes glance aside, and he scoffs. "No, he will not be an issue. He would not be for me alone, and he will not be for our combined forces. We would do well to prepare for the eventual retaliation from the great city."

At this point, one of his monks interjects. "Yizhao, my lord?" The mention draws some nervous mumbling from the students behind you, who suddenly seem quite a bit less jubilant.

"Wait, have we been rescued by rebels?"

"They'd have to face the Yizhao Six, right? Those guys are worth an army in their own right!"

"The governor is General Wu Jiang! My uncle served under him, and he's no joke himself!"

Then, a glare from the Golden Lord silences them, his impatience feeling almost intangible.

"Better." he says once the noise has died down. "And yes, Yizhao. Now, since you are so intend on sparing lives, it is even more important that we take down the magistrate directly. The sooner the better, before he grows suspicious. If need be, we can personally rush into the yamen before he knows what happened."

You get the feeling that the Golden Lord will not come up with a more sophisticated strategy than this. Should you have any useful powers or ideas, now may be the time to decide on them, before he decides to go ahead with his plan.

[igordragonian]

'Can you fly, Golden Lord?' Starisav ask quitly.
Maybe we can sneak in flying, and just kill the ones we k'have to.'

[Theoboldi]

The Golden Lord stares at Starislav, then at Rem, then back at Starislav again. His face, for once, seems almost expressionless, though there is a certain stiffness to his stance all of a sudden. After a moment of awkward silence, he finally admits "No. I cannot say that I can."

A second later, he averts his eyes and adds "Before you ask, I will not be carried. Either I ride you or we do not fly."

Even his monks shift about somewhat awkwardly at the conversation.

[igordragonian]

A rare smile strech a bit the middle aged man's lips.
Not grim, a simple amuse.
'I see.' he manage not to express his amusment with more this minimal grin.
'I can destory anything in my path, maybe I can dig a tunnel underneath, passing the walls, and get us right inside' he suggest

[Merilan]

"A tunnel would serve us quite well, even more than flight," Rem expresses. "I am capable of flight, but I cannot carry all our fellows."

The earlier conversation draws her interest as well. To have to defend against retaliation from the great city... that would be inevitable.

That would have to be a worry for another time, however.

"Do not be concerned. We have prepared long for this day, and for the days to come; I shall not abandon people under my watch -- our watch."

[igordragonian]

"Then I'l get to work.' Starislav get off his horse.

[Theoboldi]

You note a slight twitch to the Golden Lord's expression, betraying some level of annoyance at Starislav's amusement. "Let us go with the tunnel, then." he says hurriedly, trying to move the conversation onwards. "I have already commanded some of my followers to set up camp with a family of sympathetic farmers near town. We can begin the tunnel from there."

There are some murmurs of discontent from the students you freed, but seeing as they are in the company of three divine figures and two of their direct servants, none of them are willing to oppose your decision.

From there on, things happen rather swiftly. The Golden Lord leads to a small, isolated farmstead, barely out of sight of Gongfang thanks to a surrounding patch of woodlands. A ragtag group of armed rebels has gathered at his command, equipped with farming equipment and simple, self-crafted weapons, and more fervor than discipline. They're not a big or particularly capable fighting force, but there are quite a few of them and some of the Golden Lord's monks bolster their ranks, improving both their effectiveness and moral. No time is spent on speeches, as orders are given and innocent-looking messengers are sent to the redeemers within the city, to prepare them for the upcoming uprising. There is an air of hurriedness to it all, as you know that you must strike before Magistrate Li grows suspicious.

Then, the tunneling process begins. It's an easy enough matter for Starislav to simply erase parts of the earth to create a path, and with his sheer brute strength bringing in material for support beams is an easy task, though setting everything up so that the tunnel does not collapse on your heads still takes its time. The distance to Gongfang is considerable, and it is only through your divine capabilities that it is happening in any sort of reasonable timeframe. Hours pass, each second bringing you closer and closer, until early in the morning, before the sun has risen, you can confidently say that you must be directly below the yamen.

With you are the Golden Lord, as well as a small task force of rebels bolstered by two monks. From what you know, this should be plenty to take over the yamen, especially if the guards are not expecting trouble. Usually, Magistrate Li has only a small mob of constables on hand.

You take a moment to ensure that everyone is ready, then put your plan into action. With one final blast of destructive energy, the earth between you and the surface quietly collapses in on itself, and you pour out into the twilight of the yamen courtyard. Guards are on the walls and in front of the buildings, but they react sluggishly to your sudden appearance. Many do not even seem to have noticed you yet. It's time to make use of their surprise, and bring this conflict to a swift end.

[igordragonian]

Starislav were shirtless and helmetless at this point, pouring rivers of toxic sweat, his grey hair and beard, are now brown wet mane,like a lion digging his way out of grave.
When they reach the destination, his whole right arm is draconic, and so his left palm.
He wear his armor and helmet back in hurry-more as symbol for him being a bogatyr then practicality.
Starislav rush up, shield and spear.
He pant, making sure everyone climbing up safely, waiting mostpy for Rem.
The beasts roared in his head, and he had power over them when Rem was near. The one who belived in his humanity.

[Merilan]

Rem spends her time tending to those that they've led away from Real Man Xiao's monastery -- those that wish to leave and return to their families, she lets go; she finds the Redeemer nearest to Gongfang to send them word to Ming and Po of their action as well.

And the angel does help where she can as well, with the tunnel - though strength is not her chief discipline, she can at least do the work of several men, and in the interim when she isn't working surveil the area with flight in turn. And she can check on Starislav too, who is bearing most of the burden of this work, reassuring him if his strength should lapse and healing him.

And when all was said and done, and ready...

The archangel rises -- and becomes a beacon of light, intending fully to draw the attention of the guards as their monks and warriors filter on through from the tunnel. "I am the Angel Rem, come to topple the machinations of the Magistrate Li!" she announces. "For long enough, Gongfang has suffered under a destructive rule that has seen its impoverished even more so, a rule that has seen fit to let slavery reign unchecked!"

She raises her hand, and a glowing sword of light forms in it. "No more! Gongfang is for its people!"

The rousing speech is not entirely for show - her eyes are keeping track, as she peers towards the building to see if she can spot the Magistrate through one of the windows.

Spoiler: OOC

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Turning on Burning Body of Light with an Effort, and using Eyes Above to try to scan for the Magistrate.

[Theoboldi]

Chaos erupts. The yamen guards scramble desperately in response to Rem's appearance and speech, falling over themselves to get ready for combat. It's clear that these men did not expect an attack, and certainly not one from underground inside their own fortifications. You even spot a pair that is still unarmed, running to get their weapons from the guard barracks. There are other officials too, clerks and messengers, fleeing with their hands over their heads. Somewhere, somebody just about manages to ring the alarm gong, not that it helps much.

The magistrate is nowhere to be seen for now, even with Rem's birds eye view. However, she is able to quickly identify Li's living quarters, a comparatively large house at the back of the compound. He and his family should still be in there, as it is still very early in the morning. No doubt his guards are trying to wake them up right now, as you see several running into the building.

Behind you, the Golden Lord and his followers emerge from the tunnel, the ancient god himself glowing brightly from his many scars. His steps thunder as he suddenly shoots across the ground, grabs a constable by the throat and throws him onto the ground with a resounding smash.

"Hear me!" he roars, his voice echoing with a frightful power. "Today, Gongfang's corrupt masters pay for their insolence! Their sins will be weighted and punished!" The sound of his followers cheering him on almost disappears under the sheer power of his own voice, not due to its volume but rather the sheer amount of willpower he packs behind it. It seems that finally, you are seeing some of the Golden Lord's power in action, as his eyes start shining just as brightly as his scars.

"Feel the rage of an ancient people! Feel the anger of your common folk! Feel our unfettered will, no longer shackled by you!

FEEL OUR WRATH!"

There is something frightening to his voice, something that hits at a primal part of your minds. Thankfully, his willpower is directed not at you, but rather at the guards and officials who stand in your way. And it is quite effective against them. Their already existing fear turns into a blind panic, most simply tossing aside their weapons and running for their lives, while those few who retain some level of courage start easily getting mopped up by the Golden Lord's monks. In accordance with your wishes, they do not attack lethally, though they still break quite a few bones.

Spoiler: OOC

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The Golden Lord used the Passion miracle Terrifying Mien. While this normally would just cause a Morale Check from his enemies, the yamen guards are a mob, so a mass-disabling attack like this instead just dealt 2 HD per level to them. As a result, he utterly defeated them with this power alone.

Consider it a reward for recruiting him.

[igordragonian]

Starislav let his shinier partners to do the grand entrance.

The Bogatyr draw his sword, trying to focus on Rem's words.
His hands are alresdy draonic, but he still hope to fight it as a true champion of goodness.

From the ground, dripping earthly sweat, with lifted shield and raised blade he charge, slamming away any puny mortal from his way, and when he get to a wall, he channel the entropy through his sword to crush it.
"Magistrate!" he roar as three.
"Show yourself! At least die as a man!"

[Merilan]

The twin powers of the Golden Lord and Starislav are awe-inspiring indeed. The rage of an ancient people, the Unfettered Will... even she can feel it in herself. The Bogatyr has joined the battle as well, and Rem knows it is her duty to guide her folk at this point in time.

"There!" Rem shouts, pointing towards the living quarters. "The Magistrate should still be quartered there - surround the abode."

The angel hovers towards the quarters themselves, still brimming with sunlight. "Magistrate Li. I would have you come out and surrender, that we may spare more blood shed!" she announces.

[Theoboldi]

Starislav goes through the yamen like a tornado, throwing people left and right from the mere blowback of his strikes and tearing a massive hole into the courthouse in his rage. If your enemies hadn't been in a panic before, they would certainly be now. Even your own warriors start to mainly cover and try to stay out of the way rather than fight anyone.

Rather predictably, the magistrate does not leave his house in response to all this. Through the windows and open doorways, you spot the last two constables and a squabble of untrained servants, armed with makeshift weaponry, all scared out of their wits and rallied for a desperate last defense. There's not near enough of them to put up any proper resistance.

Meanwhile, Li himself appears at one of the second floor windows, his face pale and his eyes bulging. You note that he is still wearing a simple, blue-dyed changshan, the sleeping dress of the Dulimbaians. It's a clear enough indicator of just how surprised he is by all this.

"Wh-What....Are you insane?!" he shrieks, indecisively covering every now and then in case you decide to send something flying his way. "This is treason! It's rebellion! Have you.....Have you lost your minds?! Do you understand what you are doing?!"

"They know quite well, magistrate." Comes the Golden Lord's response, who slowly walks up next to Rem after he's ascertained himself that there is no more resistance in the courtyard. "It is you who never understood a thing in the first place. All that is happening is the result of your corruption." That last word in particular he spits out with a seething hatred that makes Magistrate Li duck down again.

"You can't.....what is that thing? What kind of demon have you allied with?!"

[igordragonian]

Starislav, point his sword at the Magistrate.
'The Demons within me, wish you will defy us. Surrender, and no more lives need to be lost!'

[Theoboldi]

The magistrate scrambles to get away from your weapon even at this distance, and as a result stumbles over his own clothes. A second later, his head re-emerges with a now very scrambled beard.

"No live- NO LIVES?! Do you even-....You are rebels! You.....You allied yourself with a Patrian!" Wildly, the magistrate gesticulates at the Golden Lord, who rolls his eyes at the mistaken claim. The mistake is understandable, however. While the Golden Lord would indeed predate the Patrian Empire if he truly lived to witness the Shattering as he claimed, his dark skin and angular features mark him as of an unmistakably related ethnicity.

Magistrate Li, for his part, continues to be unaware of such subtleties. "They'll have me hanged for this! Don't you understand? Or even worse, beheaded! Or boiled! I let you deal with Big Feet Zu and Real Man Xiao as you wished! Is that not enough?! Giving a town to a bunch of barbarians.....that's the last straw for me! I'd be doomed!"

His words earn him only jeers and boos from the small crowd of rebels that you have with you. The Golden Lord stares impatiently, waiting for you to do away with this final obstacle.

[Merilan]

Rem sweeps gently down as she listens to the barbed talk between Magistrate Li and the Golden Lord; when she sees the glint of Starislav's sword, however, she holds her hand and urges him for caution. "Wait," she reasons with the Bogatyr. "A man of his stature must have servants inside. I do not wish to see them harmed."

The angel lifts her head. "That you would look down on other races, view them as barbarians, inferior, speaks a lot to your upbringing, Magistrate. All human folk are equal in my eyes, regardless of their views, their beliefs, their speech, the deities that they believe in."

She raises her head. "I have here with me a mighty warrior, the Bogatyr. He can crush your abode in a single swing. Step out now, before you harm your family with your inaction!"

[Theoboldi]

Silence ensues for a short time, as the magistrate seemingly considers his options, hidden away in his chambers. More now than ever, your followers move to cover every possible escape vector so he may not flee. With your victory being on the cusp of becoming total, they do all they can to ensure it.

Finally, there comes an answer from Li, his voice quietly despairing. "This is madness. They'll never....you understand that the regent will never allow a bunch of foreigners to rule in his land, right?" Despite his objections, there is not protest to his tone. Rather, he matter of factly states what he thinks.

"Spare me your whining, magistrate! You are more of a foreigner than I am." The Golden Lord mocks your enemy, a hint of a smile on his face. It appears that he considers the magistrate to no longer be an obstacle.

"Tell that to the regent." Li responds, actually earning him an annoyed glare from your divine ally. "This damnable town....I never wanted this post in the first place! If you'd just arrived a months later, I could have convinced Governor Jiang to move me back to a better office. None of this would be on me..."

His lamenting comes to a sudden stop as other people within the house start talking to him. It's difficult to hear what is being said from this distance, but when Li emerges behind the window again, they seem to have convinced him. "Lady Rem! Golden Lord! I surrender! We'll...we'll come out peacefully. I expect you'll not harm any of us!" Then, assuming you do not stop him for some reason, Li will do as he promised, leaving the building with his wife and concubines as well as his remaining servants and guards. Though you do note that he himself emerges from the doorway last, and is still quite hesitant to do so.

Your followers quickly apprehend them, and look to you for what to do next.

[igordragonian]

Starislav pant, but manage to control himself.
Remembering his values.
Be strong.
Protect The Weak.

'I welcome those citizens.' he say.
'Preffering k'his famiyover his pride... now Li is another mortal worthy of protection."
He look at him.
'We aren't like your masters. If you stay k'here and know your place, as far as I care, you are another one in our care.'

[Merilan]

"I understand all too well," Rem speaks. "But fear is how a greater power oppresses its people. It is well past the time of that."

Li steps outwards and speaks that he never wanted the post, and steps out to surrender. Good; she didn't want a fight in her hands, not when there are servants and people that aren't really responsible for this.

"You have my word I will not harm you," Rem also insists, looking towards Starislav and the Golden Lord. Then she looks towards the magistrate.

The Bogatyr speaks -- and catches Rem with surprise at his mercy. She'd wanted to speak to exile him, but she reconsiders, thinking of how proud she feels.

"I'd wanted to grant you supplies and ask you to leave these lands. But in respect to my comrade's dedication, we will allow you to serve these people. The choice is yours, Magistrate."

[Theoboldi]

Despite your more cheerful disposition, the Golden Lord gives an annoyed sigh at your decision. "You are absolutely going to regret this later." he quietly says to you as the magistrate is apprehended, his voice stern. "That man's loyalties will not change. For too long, he's honored his conquering ancestors and entangled himself in the worldly fruits of their crimes." For now, he makes no motion to act on these thoughts further, only watching Li with an eagle eye.

Realizing that you are still willing to bargain, the disheveled magistrate slowly, haltingly steps up towards you. "I....we.." Realizing that his first sentence died before leaving his mouth, he gulps and tries again. "Both....Both leaving and staying..you don't understand, both will bring shame to....to my family." His face contorts in frustration, when suddenly, his eyes and mouth open wide, as though a bolt of inspiration just struck him.

"W-Wait! I have an idea! I-If you let me live....I can help you avoid conflict...with the regency!" A desperate, not at all confident smile spreads on his face, much like a fissure in a rock.

"Assuming we trust you and want to avoid conflict with the regent." The Golden Lord interjects, making the poor magistrate almost topple over with fear.

"W-Well, at least for now! And it would be easier to deal with him diplomatically, wouldn't it?"

[Merilan]

Rem frowns quietly as she steps closer, gaining an edge to her voice. "Li," she speaks. "We are offering you much greater terms than I would consider, on the account of the mercy my companion is showing you."

She narrows her eyes. "Make no mistake. You are a villain. And to live in shame of what you've done is a light punishment compared to the lives you've trampled, the families you've thrown into disarray."

Her aura burns brighter as she questions him directly. "If I cannot sense penance in your soul, then I will take away the terms of this deal."

[Theoboldi]

"N-No! Wait! I'm penant! As penant as can be!" As if to prove his point, the magistrate throws himself to the ground, kowtowing pitifully. Nearby, you note his wife and concubines huddling up fearfully, most likely worrying that they will share their husband's fate.

"But think about it! In openly fighting the Regent, many of your followers will die! It is inevitable should you clash with his warriors! N-Not just that, but Gongfang will also lose much of its income, should the foreign merchants become afraid to come here! How will you feed the people? Or-urk!"

Without warning, the Golden Lord puts down a foot on the magistrate's back, glaring down at the pathetic figure. "I believe we've heard enough. Don't you agree, Redeemers?" He's not pressing down too hard, his intent seeming to shut up Li rather than to kill him. Though you do get the sense that he'd really like to do that instead, if you would let him.

[igordragonian]

"For now..." Starislav pant, holding themselves from devouring the quivering man.
"You need time. Think. Regret. If my words would be k'heeded... I would put you in the lowest kind of house which can offer the minimal ssutainment for you and your family. You try to k'hold your power. But you k'have lost. I would give you a week to understand your new situation. You will be provided,but if you get out, I won't k'hold the people's rage in bay. I am a monster myself. You are the most digusting'uman I k'have met. But ffor your family's sake... I will give you a chance
"

[Merilan]

"I was not chosen by the divine shards to uphold a status quo out of fear, Li," Rem speaks in turn. "Since my arrival at these lands, I have worked to free those under the yoke of slavery, and gathered those who wish to fight for the freedom of these lands. And they know that freedom can not come only from obeying those who would exert their power on others."

She gives the Golden Lord a quiet gesture, to not kill him. And when Starislav speaks that he'll be given a basic home, she nods.

[Theoboldi]

"N-No, wait, you don't under- Urgh!" Though he once again tries to protest Li does not get far this time around. The Golden Lord, with an annoyed grimace, brings down his knee on the unfortunate official, at once knocking the wind out of his chest and sending him into quiet unconsciousness.

"Let us leave him to sleep on it. He'll have a much clearer head later." your ally justifies himself, already stepping away from Li. He motions for some of your rebels to take the magistrate and his family away, and his orders are promptly followed. "Come on, then. The town is not yet conquered. We must make sure that all of the regent's dogs know we have won."

As you and your followers set out to finalize your takeover, however, the Golden Lord takes you aside for one more moment, away from everyone else's prying eyes. "You've done well not to listen to that snake. The path forward that you have chosen will not be easy, but by holding to your beliefs, it may yet be one of righteousness." Though you may answer him, he'll insist on waiting with any further deliberation until later, when Gongfang is secured.

You spend the rest of the day marching through town, taking out small remaining pockets of constables and other loyalists where you go. Initial fighting between your rebels and the government forces has brought about some casualties, both on your side and theirs, but thanks to the surprise of your attack, the quick defeat of the magistrate, and your own overwhelming power wherever you show up to help, they are kept to a lucky minimum. More worryingly, you do note that there are many people who have fled the town, foreign merchants most of all just as Li predicted, but also loyalist forces that will be sure to inform the governor in Yizhao if the more neutral escapees do not do so first.

Still, even so, you eventually manage to secure Gongfang by the late afternoon, defeating all remaining stragglers and setting up makeshift guards to create some level of order. With everything taken care of, you meet within the still intact part of the yamen with your allies and closest followers. Ming, Po and the Golden Lord, as well as his highest-ranking monks have gathered with you around a table, to discuss the situation and where to go from here.

"We've done it now! We've really done it now! This is really going to get us all killed!" As per usual, Po is panicking. Rem may be able to tell through her medical expertise that his average blood pressure has risen to worrying levels ever since you came into his life.

"Quiet down for once, Po! You need to have more faith in Rem and Starislav. You saw what happened last night, didn't you? We have a real dragon on our side!" Clearly emboldened by your most recent victories, it appears that Ming is particularly optimistic about the future.

"Sure, we have a dragon, but even he can only do so much against the regent! Especially since we're working with a Patrian-"

The Golden Lord slams down his fist on the table, frustration clear on his face. "How many times do I have to explain this? I am not Patrian! My people are far more ancient and glorious than that self-indulgent, slavering rabble!"

In response, Po shrieks and ducks down, leaving Ming to smirk and shake her head. She turns to you, taking the moment to speak up. "Well, even if he is an idiot, Po has a point. Patrian or not, the regent will not accept a whole town rising in rebellion. We should do something about it while we have the initiative, and before they know what hit them."

The others quieten down for a moment, allowing you to give your opinions and thoughts, as well as any questions that you may wish to pose.

Spoiler: OOC

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Alright then! If you wish to work any miracles or perform any actions in the securing of Gongfang, say so now. Whatever you wish to do, you can assume that there is no worthwhile opposition within the town or anywhere near it.

You also each gain 4 points of Dominion! 2 from conquering Gongfang, and 2 points from your now Gongfang-sized cult. I'll soon enact one last short time-skip to the inevitable response from Yizhao and the Regency's forces, during which your characters will have time to enact some changes that may help them prepare for the inevitable conflict, or which can improve the situation for your people. You may want to do something about the likely food shortage that you'll have without the usual amount of trade, or find a way to deal with the remaining loyalists and the displaced bandits from when Starislav cursed them to be unable of robbing people.

What exactly you wish to do you do not need to decide yet. Feel free to listen to ideas from your allies first, or to perform some personal investigations before the time skip. Keep in mind that, although the Golden Lord cannot give you any further dominion, he has powers equal to the Word of Passion through his immense willpower, and he is an expert in a magical martial art. Both of these can give you permission to perform changes that you would otherwise not be able to do on your own.

[Merilan]

Rem quietly sighs her agreement, as the Golden Lord knocks Li out. "Place them under watch, but do not harm them," she urges the rebels.

She looks towards the Golden Lord and nods again in turn. "I was not intending for this rebellion to be a half-hearted one. To cut off the snake's head only to have two regrow..."

Rem does her job in helping with the conflicts, though she focuses more on what she truly excels at -- healing those that need to be healed. Though her golden glow is never far from sight, as if reminding their followers that she is nearby.

By the later afternoon, Rem's going through a list from her scouts to see what needs tending where. As Po exclaims his outburst, she steps closer to say, "If this is concerning you too deeply, Po, I understand if you wish to step away. But is that what you truly want?"

She smiles at Ming's optimism in turn. It's nice to hear. And she rubs her chin, even as the two argue. "Yes, I agree. There is much to do. I am concerned about mid-term food stocks, given we won't be seeing much food from the outside... and there must be pockets of resistance yet remaining. Ideally, we can turn them."

She looks to Ming and says, "I'd like to make sure we are fed and have supplies for the foreseeable future. I'd also like to review the likely routes the Regency's forces will take, so that we can handle this upcoming battle on our own terms."

A pause, as she reaches for that celestial shard that she's kept with her. "Perhaps the time has come to use this at last..."

Spoiler: Thoughts

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As mentioned in the OOC, Rem's focus will be on Gongfang's welfare and people - securing food and other supplies, finding homes and healing those needy, re-distributing wealth and other items wrongly confiscated during the long reign of Magistrate Li.

I like Starislav's suggestion of some kind of clockwork guardian, though! That might be a fun thing to use the shard on, perhaps?

Finally, as a personal investigation, Rem wants to know if it's possible to figure out where Perfected Woman Wen might have gone to.

[igordragonian]

Starislav would probably police and keep order- prevent pillaging, and also train willing warriors in the ways of the Bogatyr- even if there are no tradional Bogatyr weaponry, in attitude and philosophy-
Be strong, protect the weak.

They were mid heavy armor, big shields and big one handed weapons. He also give second chance to criminals, to use their ferocity for society's sake.
Those who fail him,he maim and scar and give another chance,if they cant handle it, they are always welcomed back to jail.