un: absterge | video

[downswing]

( Dark and damp and Lan Wangji's pallor strained under moonlight. Behind him, flickers of broad, long temple columns — and the smoke smears of... ghosts, gathered. He seems short of breath, the silvered sheen of his sword half drawn from her scabbard, a spate of parchment papers littering the walls: active talismans. )

They have crowded their halls of the dead, to excess.

Here, the key withholds itself. Who hunts the other locations?

( And a pause, hesitant — whether to find his words or, absently, slap another talisman on the spirit that looms with a gaping maw behind him. ) Ke-Waihu stands safe?

( ooc: forwarded dated to the group's incursions in Ke-Waicai. Feel free to run into him in person, if you're also chasing the haunted temple key! )

Comments

un: sect leader jiang | audio

[consignation]

Was the video of you handsomely struggling in a handsome fashion really necessary, Lan Wangji? Is there not a Lan sect precept against vanity?

[ What does Jiang Cheng think about right here, in this pause? Wouldn't you like to know. ]

...hm, I guess there wouldn't be.

1/

[downswing]

( Running LanPrecepts.exe )

[downswing]

( Alcohol is prohibited.
Talking behind other people's back is prohibited.
Running is prohibited.
Killing livestock within the area is prohibited.
Fighting without permission is prohibited.
Promiscuity is prohibited.
Disturbing female cultivators is prohibited (seventh rule).
Venturing out at night is prohibited.
Causing noise is prohibited.
Sneering for no reason is prohibited.
Sitting improperly is prohibited.
Eating more than three bowls is prohibited.
Arrogance is forbidden.
Do not be picky with food.
Do not work after 9 PM.
Do not rise after 5AM.
Do not stand incorrectly.
Do not smile foolishly.
Do not be of two minds.
Do not succumb to rage.
Do not be miserly.
Do not steal.
Do not tell lies.
Do not use frivolous words.
Do not flatter.
Do not fear the strong.
Do not bully the weak.
Do not indulge in debauchery.
Do not be greedy.
Do not disrespect the elder.
Do not disrespect the younger.
Do not be haughty and complacent.
Do not praise yourself and slander others.
Do not say one thing and mean another.
Do not take advantage of your position to oppress others.
Do not mix public and private interests.
Do not break faith.
Do not make assumptions about others.
Do not take a life within the premises.
Do not exult in excess.
Do not grieve in excess.
Do not form a clique and exclude others.
Do not be promiscuous.
Do not insult people.
Do not laugh for no reason.
Do not build wealth by using others, for this wealth will not last.
Do not wallow in luxury and pleasure.
Do not argue with your family, for it does not matter who wins.
Speak meagerly, for too many words only bring harm.
Be a filial child.
Organize work properly.
Diligence is the root.
Morality is the priority.
Harmony is the value.
Learning comes first.
Do not take your own words lightly.
Do not act impulsively.
Do not give up on learning.
Make sure to act virtuously.
Do not forget the grace of the forefathers.
Be careful with your words.
Be respectful and humble.
Be loyal and filial.
Be amicable and unedited.
Be of one mind.
Train your body and your mind.
Stop the bad habits.
Be strict with yourself.
Be easy on others.
Do not hold grudges.
Love and respect yourself.
Maintain your own discipline.
If others win over you, do not envy them.
If others lose to you, do not look down on them.
Do not be wasteful.
Do not create damages.
Love all beings.
Honor good people.
Steer away from bad men.
Respect the filial ones.
Destroy the five poisons.
Nurture aspirations.
Uphold the value of justice.
Shoulder the weight of morality.
Embrace the entirety of the world.
Perform acts of chivalry.
Have courage and knowledge.
Have courtesy and integrity.
Have affection and gratefulness.
Have wins and losses.
Be fair, and others will follow.
Be trustworthy, and others will believe you.
Be mighty, and others will die for you.
Take the straight path.
Reject the crooked path.
Earn trust.
Believe sincerely.
Have a strong will and anything can be achieved.
Win friendships with kindness.
See friends as neighbors.
Be just.
Be generous.
Be ethical.
Be grateful.
Be loyal.
Appreciate the good people.
Banish demons, establish laws, immortalize Dao.[2]
Propriety suggests reciprocity. It is impolite not to reciprocate.[2]
No dishonest practices.
Do not privately use concealed weapons.
Do not accept disciples without careful screenings.
Avoid imparting knowledge to the wrong individuals.
No concealed sharp weapons.
Change clothes after taking a bath.
Your forehead headband reminds you of self-restraint.
You are not allowed to use other people’s headbands without authorization.
You cannot use your headband in any other ways.
No adorned beads, chains with bells, or anything that makes a sound.
No more than 3 pieces of adornment on your waist.
No alterations of clothes without permission.
Do not move arbitrarily.
Do not covet other’s property.
Do not harbor doubts and jealousy.
Discipline your own words and behavior.
Do not criticize other people.
No slandering.
No vulgar language.
No improper behavior.
Do not sow discord among people.
Do not fail to carry out your promise.
Honor your teacher and respect his teaching.
Honor the aged and the wise.
Do not sit when the elder is standing, you can sit only when the elder sits down.
Respect a knowledgeable man as your teacher, and follow a man with high moral integrity as an example.
Concentrate on cultivating.
Being frugal is a virtue.
Do not lead a luxurious and dissipated life.
Do not indulge in a life of pleasure and comfort.
Do not attach yourself to those in power and influence.
Do not be a follower of the rich and powerful.
Follow the righteous way, don’t take crooked ways.
Do not associate with evil.
Do not fall to evil.
Stay on the righteous path.
Don’t be unreasonable.
Do not treat others with contempt.
Do not desire to excel over others.
Do not look down on the poor.
Do not bully the weak.
Be kind, moderate, cautious, virtuous.
Be gentle and content in adversity.
Store your inner wisdom deeply.
Do not show off your skills.
Do not lose your life goal.
Do not let your studies go to waste.[3]
Firstly, one must not kill any living creature within the territory.
Second, one must not fight without permission.
Third, one must not commit acts of promiscuity.
Do not make loud noises.
Do not go out at night.
Do not walk too fast.
Do not bully the weak, or make fun of others.
Do not disregard laws and rules.
Do not disrespect the elders.
Do not skip class. Do not leave class early.
Do not laugh without reason.
Do not sit with a disgraceful pose. )

[downswing]

( ...nope, all good. )

→ text | done

[downswing]

They have crowded their halls of the dead, to excess.

Here, the key withholds itself. Who hunts the other locations?

Ke-Waihu stands safe?

[consignation]

[ Do not treat others with contempt. Wangji your whole personality is banned by your sect, how does that make you feel? ]

It's too late, I can still see your chest heaving, the delicate furrow of your brow, your moon-kissed face.

Awful.

action;

[fushichou]

[So. While Kanesada has done more on missions than straight up fighting, he still doesn't try to make a habit of thievery.

But sometimes you just gotta. And that Sang-hoon guy? Talking about human sacrifices and all that? Well, surely that can't be allowed to fly.

So he ends up at this temple which turns out to be significantly more haunted than any temple he's been in. He's not a sword who has history with ghosts or any kind of ghost-hunting skills, either.

He can be a little stealthy, though, despite the bright colors he wears or his height, so he sticks to the shadows and keeps an eye out for anything more corporeal. Which is how he finds a man in white, though it seems he's been having a rough go of it.

Kanesada freezes for a moment, but then approaches with a hand on the hilt of his sword. He Whispers, loudly.]

Hey, you're not dead, are you?

[downswing]

( Sixteen years, defunct in spirit. A lifetime — that of his son. Increasingly closer to expiry with each upturn of Jiang Wanyin's lip. Driven south of his life expectancy's threshold whenever Five crosses a road, or Anduin murmurs sweet, innocent nothings destined for murderous revelation, or perhaps Xie Lian casts a maudlin glance the way of a spoon.

But living, still, hand hard on his sword's hilt when step resonates beside him — until the inevitable introduction. )

Nor possessed of the key.

( So, you know. Some losses, some gains. )

text; un: iwannahexyouup

[incantates]

Define 'safe.'

By all definitions, it's still standing.
Maybe a little crispy in places,
but I'm pretty sure the volcano is going to eventually make everything
a lot crispy in places.

[ Also shouldn't this guy be more worried about the ghosts casually looming behind him? You okay there, buddy? ]

[downswing]

They have evolved to fear frenzy?

invited tagalong

[cairhien]

Are we certain of its shape?

( she's channelling as they walk, a ball of light floating by them a little ahead, lighting their way )

his bae

[downswing]

( Smear of dark on his cheek, her light nigh-blinds him. Hot white heat, and his step stumbles like the clutch of a pulsing heart. Catches himself, in the belly of the tomb — the temple halls, he remembers, damp and slick slipped beneath his feet.

There is an edge to his impatience turned sharp, tangible. An air of singed dust motes, wandered. Half of a shi in, he has found nothing — only gradually depleted his reserves of talismans, his energy roiling around the rooms, electric.

A wave of spirits trails behind him, hungry, like mourners. He cannot be bothered to extinguish them. )

We have no certainties. Not of the key. The dead. The — ( Please excuse him, another talisman strewn in passing. Too much noise. ) What lies ahead. We may yet circle.

( This could be the closest he's come to a tacit tantrum. )

un : dappled peals of the parted seas (voice)

[beitangmoran]

There appears to be one such key in the library I have stumbled upon, but m and my cohorts got a bit distracted with the books.

[downswing]

( Oh for





fffffffffffffffffffffffffffffs )


You recalled the key?



( Tell him you took the key. )

voice;

[techmaturgy]

I would also like to see the books.

un: ut malum pluvia | audio

[somebadnews]

[ Your favorite person is on it. He's not thrilled that he can only go after one key at a time, or that he has to take anyone with him once they get the keys, but at least Lan Wangji usually gets the job done. And he owes him one, so there's some helpful leverage involved. ]

You must feel right at home.

[ Five is having zero problems on his end. Absolutely none. As long as he sneaks by before anyone notices how out of place he is. This is doable and fine. ]

Do you know where you're going?

[downswing]

( The longest pause. Measured. )

North.

un: man's greatest treasure (audio)

[reparo]

Do you need help? I can find my way to you, somehow. [A pause.]

After due dillegence in the library, of course. [Here, Moran, she's going to apply that advice of not showing her feelings and giving Lan Wangji what he wants, complete with a small smile.]

We must make haste with the key, evidently.

[downswing]

We must. Claim the key.


( WILL ONE OF YOU, JUST ONE OF YOU. )

video;

[soulsrob]

[Applauds!]

My, don't you look dashing!

[She's Helping. it's called "cheerleading."]

[downswing]

( BUT IS HE DASHING ENOUGH TO LURE THE KEY OUT. )

Mistress Moiraine and I seek the temple.

un: mind your fucking business | audio

[ensanguines]

Does anyone around here ever shut the fuck up?

[ Seriously Wangji, you live like this? How does anything get done. ]

What needs killing? I've got two able bodies, plus me.

[downswing]

( BLESS U. )

A forge is unattended.

un: yiling laozu

[weifinder]

Aside from my brother flirting with you, has anyone managed to get the third key?

( hey husband how's it going, here's an amused glance before his expression is back to serious face, and his feed goes dark while audio remains.

he trusts in what lan wangji can do. all the dead there, he knows he can handle, or will. )

[downswing]

( tmw the cynophobe steers you towards the dog house. )

Do not stoke scandal.

( And secondly: ) Five claims the forge. An army to assist.

Those who pursue the library... pledge their conviction. The temple eludes.