Video | un: a jug of wine amidst the flowers

[wenderer]

[ A man with long dark hair, dressed in green silk robes, is lazily fanning himself and smiling, as he lounges by a campfire. He’s singing along with a group of children seated next to him:

Stitch by stitch,
The love of a witch
Will unravel

Dusk to dawn
Each morning to mourn
With blood and gravel

He lifts his hand, stopping them. ]

I think I’ve learned it now, I’ll teach you all a verse also, come listen.

[ He clears his throat, and in a formal style, speaks as if he were reciting before a large audience. As he does so, the man’s eyes drift away to something just out of view. ]

When mountain peaks wear away, when all the rivers run dry
When thunderstorms rumble in winter, and snow falls from the summer sky
When heaven and earth seal back together, only then will I dare to—

[ A hand abruptly darts out from off camera, obscuring the scene for a moment. When it draws away, the stone has been forcibly moved, revealing the face of another man. ]

That’s not why we’re here. We’ve found out a few things about Lord Arha. If the song these children have been singing is true, this ghost army isn’t trying to rescue anyone, it’s out for revenge.

[ The first man scoots back into the scene, sitting right next to and parking his chin on the second man’s shoulder. ]

Ah-Xu, the man was betrayed!

[ He clicks his tongue, shaking his head sadly.]

He went to rescue his lady, but she joined hands with her enemies instead. The whole army was slaughtered!

[ "Ah-Xu," with a slightly frozen smile, says through his teeth: ]

Keep it down.

[ The undead army is clearly changing its guard in the background. More softly, the first man says, leaning towards the stone: ]

I’ve met some people who say they know how to deal with ghosts. Kindly share your knowledge, I have a feeling we’re all going to need it.

[ Meanwhile, the children have started softly singing again:

Love, her love
Hatisse’s sweet dove
Arha fell last

Vowed to return
His lady to scorn
And spit on their past

With strike of sword
The love of a lord
Will unravel

Dawn to dusk
His memory a husk
Each year he will travel.


ooc: replies from Wen Kexing wenderer and/or Zhou Zishu fated_dance ]

Comments

[fated_dance]

Carefully.

[wenderer]

Then how do you plan to rest or heal the man, seeing as he wants neither of these?

[softheartedshizun]

Then perhaps it's not completely hopeless, but that person will need a willing master and dedication to their teachings.

[ Somewhere inside he felt like maybe he was a brat collector.... Though he would never co sider any of his diciples brats, so well behaved they were. Binghe... a complicated exception. ]

[softheartedshizun]

Damaged meridians is an issue....

[ A grave one and suddenly he felt super self conscious about his own meridians and qi flow. ]

This master is not one of medicine, and can only offer rudimentary knowledge. It is not impossible to repair damaged meridians through cultuvation, but it will take someone with a lot of cultivation and time to assist in that.

[ For a small moment he thought of the fact this body should not have functioning meridians and that Luo Binghe must have gone through quite a lot of effort to repair them....

Better not to dwell on that though! ]

[fated_dance]

[ For a moment, Zishu thought Kexing actually would. And he wouldn't stop him. Not this time. He searches those familiar eyes, waiting.

And recognizes what stops his silly soulmate this time when Kexing pulls back only to shift down, those arms slipping around his waist. He lets his arms drape around Kexing's shoulders, cradling him close in that same manner of a parent to a child. ]

My thorns will not harm my Lao Wen.

[downswing]

You care for children.

[downswing]

You give little time.

un: daozhang

[binghua]

I believe there are quite a few of us who are experienced when it comes to putting ghosts to rest, myself included. Ideally, one would try to appease the restless spirit first, try to find a solution that does not involve violence. But that isn't always possible, and I have a feeling it won't work for Lord Arha. Not to mention, we don't necessarily have enough time or resources to investigate fully. I don't like it, but eradication of the spirit might be the best solution if the rest of us are to get out of this unscathed.

[A small sigh.]

I know there have been letter fragments scattered over our camp, but I don't know how much was ever translated for us. Nor could I read any of it anyway. But from what I've gathered, that should be helpful in providing a solution.

[fated_dance]

Aah. [ Agreement.

He hates talking about it too.

Not of medicine. Zishu doesn't allow himself the freedom to feel disappointed. Instead, he focuses on what is offered. Or seems to be offered. ]

Even rudimentary knowledge would be of help.

[softheartedshizun]

Then at least a basic examination will be needed.

[ He paused a moment. ]

And someone with a lot of qi, preferably one who has a golden core, or is near to one.

[paperbutterflies]

I am not the one who says things that would make that person listen.

And if there had been people who had meddled back then, would that person not have been happier? Would that person not have survived?

[paperbutterflies]

Anything that I may help with, I will.

[weifinder]

If his bones are found, we can also send him on forcibly, as needed. Which is where I'm useful, and capable, along with those of the Lans likewise here with us.

( soulmate bae and son, but hey, we all need some kind of posse right )

[paperbutterflies]

From what we have found this far, she seems to have made sure that they were buried properly and it is possible that she is trying to keep them from doing worse, but - even with the song, it seems that there are important parts of this story that we are missing still.

It is... complicated when we don't know enough and they are getting as they are. If something we do to defend ourselves triggers things making worse, or changing irreversibly, that might be rather bad.

[thesuspense]

I've no idea where the lady started out, but I'd not be surprised if she tired.

[That is the conclusion he has come to on behalf of the tediousness.]

Lords seem to know little about satisfying anyone other than themselves.

[downswing]

It appears we are under duress of urgency.

[paperbutterflies]

So, we attempt it tonight? Tomorrow night?

[wenderer]

Agreed. Someone who's made such a journey year after year, all for the sake of revenge, even after death: I doubt such a person could be appeased. Also, someone said that Lord Arha is beginning to understand that he's dead. We might not have much time before he decides to unleash his ire.

How does one eradicate a spirit? I've been trained in martial arts, but that isn't something I've ever had to do.

[ Not to mention, it's a potentially useful skill. If he ever gets home and enacts his own revenge, it would be beyond satisfying to eradicate the actual souls of the people responsible for his parents' death. ]

[downswing]

The spirit will be unprepared.

[fated_dance]

[ His expression remains frozen, but there's a rather telling look to the side, to where Kexing is. ]

If that is what is required, then I will allow it.

[ For Kexing...he'll do anything. He looks back to Shizun. ]

I'm not worried about that. [ He figures Kexing has enough qi for this. ]

[paperbutterflies]

Should they be prepared?

[softheartedshizun]

You're not...?

[ He was! He most definitely was! In fact, hadn't it been a little too long already? Were his organs already starting to rot!? Had he ever quite gone this long without fixing the problem?

Now that he thought about he... he definitely should have been trying to find a solution sooner than this....

He didn't want to ask for help from strangers though! ]

Then this master would like to meet them....

[downswing]

Easier to see the deed done.

[paperbutterflies]

As you say, Hanguang-jun.

How can we make the spirits prepared?

[downswing]

Speak to them. Introduce the notion.