[EVENT; CHIHUELANS] Domestic Disturbances

[cherrywood]

Characters: Chihuelans + OPEN
Date: Starting Sept 8, ongoing through the month
Location: All over Keeliai
Situation: The Chihuelan contingent has arrived in Keeliai as previously announced, to begin their task of routing out the deserter Chihuelans on the turtle, and the Grand Justicar is not a patient woman.
Warnings/Rating: Non-descriptive mentions of execution.

OOC NOTE: Additional starters will be added to this post as the month progresses, based on what happens within the threads. Characters do not need to interact directly with the NPCs for every thread, the starters are just so there's an idea of what is happening with them at a given time and for general timekeeping. Please feel free to thread amongst yourselves anywhere on this post as well! Replies by Chihuelan NPCs will come from the cherrywood journal, just for Li's sanity of not needing a new journal.

Please direct any questions to the Itinerary questions comment, thank you!

---

A. ARRIVAL - SEPT 8th;

The Chihuelans arrive shortly after daybreak, on a small ship approximately the size and shape of a mid-length Coast Guard cutter. It bears only minimal armor, and some weaponry, but the configuration suggests defensive capability rather than offensive. Certainly, it's nothing with the ability to attack land-based targets, as if the Grand Justicar is very aware of the image they are presenting. They do not seem surprised to be met by the Woodsmen as they land, but they do not rush as they make berth with the ship, securing it to the beach, and approximately a dozen armed sailors take up guard positions around it. Any move by the kedan or Foreigners toward the ship will result in defensive fire.

The Grand Justicar herself is a tall woman, a touch over six feet, with inhumanly sharp features and a calculating gaze. She wears the same formal dress uniform in red and black, as she did in the console broadcast. It has little ornamentation, straight-cut lines, and those who visited Atamsichar will find it (and the rest of the outfits) in keeping with the militaristic, minimalist style of that city. Chosheni also wears a white and red sash across one shoulder, which seems to denote authority, and is armed with two blades, one long and one short. Her second in command, Eakoven, is a stocky, shorter man who wears a similar outfit in yellow and black, but no sash. There are two dozen soldiers who stand in rigid formation, and their outfits are simpler versions of the two commanders, in black with either red or yellow accents. Each is armed with a blade and a firearm, although what type is difficult to tell, as they all remain firmly sheathed and holstered respectively, at the barked command of Eakoven.

The soldiers will not speak to anyone even if addressed during the trek back to Keeliai, and Eakoven will inquire about the state of lodgings, but seem satisfied when the Woodsmen inform them of the area set aside on the College campus grounds.

B. INTERVIEWS - SEPT 10th-13th;

Once the Chihuelans have settled in, Chosheni will make a console announcement to the general populace (although she does, at least, get permission before making this one) regarding taking interviews from kedan and Foreigners who might be able to provide information on the missing Chihuelans. She will receive people one at a time in a sparsely furnished office, with two soldiers outside the doors, and another two stationed at the main entrance.

Even though the space is functionally an office, the Justicar's stern presence makes it seem more like an interrogation room, albeit one with much nicer furniture. Still, she will neutrally offer to have anything fetched that they might require to feel comfortable.

"Please have a seat," she says crisply. "What information are you offering?"

C. SEARCH TEAMS - SEPT 10th-17th;

Beginning in the days after their arrival, the Chihuelans separate into different groups to begin their search for the deserters. Sixteen of their number, accompanied by Eakoven rotating through the teams for the first few days, then both he and Chosheni once she's concluded taking interviews. The soldiers divide into groups of four, two groups taking the outskirts of the city and out to the Shell's wilds, and two groups remaining inside the city.

Sixteen Chihuelans in the search teams, and four guarding the College campus, however, does not equal the twenty-four who came to the city. Somewhere along the line, four of them have completely vanished. Inquiries as to their whereabouts will be met with practiced deferrals to speak with the Grand Justicar.

The city search teams will move through the various Sectors with a confidence that suggests the layout is not entirely unfamiliar with them, stopping people on the streets and asking questions. Although their methods are brusque, they're very careful not to use violence-- although they will defend themselves if attacked first.

Despite resistance, at least some of the searches and at least a few interviews have produced results. By the end of the week, 11 Chihuelans -- seven from within the city, and four from the outlying areas -- have been caught, dragged back to the College campus, and summarily executed. At least the Justicar had the consideration not to do it on the front lawn.

---

UPDATES
Several interesting developments have happened as a result of the Foreigners' interactions with the Chihuelans!

First of all, Klaus negotiated with the Justicar in regards to the executed deserters, to see that their bodies were properly disposed of, which did however come with a cost: the news of forfeited technology, which was intended to be delivered at the conclusion of their stay.

Secondly, an arrest warrant has been issued in response to Lapis' attack on a search team around mid-month. They have her name, courtesy of Deon shouting it -- but the warrant remains for her specifically, not for a group at large.

---

D. SEARCH TEAMS - SEPT 17th-24th;

The search for the next few days runs slow. Despite the thoroughness of the searchers, the Chihuelans from the turtle seem to have grown savvy and are more difficult to find. For all that, the search patterns have grown more directed; still led by Eakoven, the places searched are no longer on a systematic layout, but appear to be cherry-picked.

After the brusque treatment previously, many kedan eye the searchers with belligerence and most outright refuse to help -- in some cases, borderline obstructing the search. Though in public the Chihuelans are still careful not to use violence, there are some instances of breaking and entering, and unsolicited searches, which occur only when the residents are absent.

Exactly where those four Chihuelans are gone is still unknown, but in spite of their apparently diminished numbers five more Chihuelans have been captured and executed. Though this still isn’t done publicly, and the bodies are at least properly disposed of, there is a growing crowd of kedan present near that area of the College campus, and they never look happy.

E. OBSTRUCTION OF ‘JUSTICE’ - SEPT 20th;

On the morning of the 20th a kedanese family refuses to let a group of Chihuelan searchers into their home, despite the fact that the Chihuelans claim they have good reason to believe clues can be located inside. The kedan object on the basis of Keeliai not being part of their empire, and therefore having no right to force their way into private dwellings, regardless of suspicion.

Another search-party will eventually arrive to back up the Chihuelan searchers, but kedanese supporters are generally either uninvolved or on the side of the kedanese family. Still, something dramatic is unlikely to happen without an instigation.

F. NEW ORDERS - SEPT 27;

On the 27th, two of the sailors which had been minding the Chihuelan ship come into the city, seeking the Justicar. It seems that they've received a transmission from Vesquesam. Those who are in the vicinity of the College to see the exchange will see Chosheni reacting with genuine frustration and anger at whatever the message contains.

Despite this, runners are shortly thereafter dispatched to the search teams, and they're recalled to the College campus. By the top of the hour, the campus is abuzz with Chihuelans who are readying things to depart. The word, should anyone ask the Chihuelan soldiers (the Justicar herself is a thundercloud, and therefore it is probably not wise to inquire with her directly) is that they're being recalled from Tu Vishan's shores.

G. DEPARTURE - SEPT 29;

Early on the morning of the 29th, the Chihuelans and their commander re-board their ship, and it casts off from Tu Vishan's shoreline.

---


OOC: Players are welcome to NPC the interrogated kedan and have them react in any way they choose (some will be quietly resentful, some actively belligerent, some intimidated into talking, etc) as well as their characters' reactions to these incidents.

Please keep in mind that ICA=ICC!

Comments

[purered]

There is a line that cannot be crossed. Let us see how far the Inquisitor is willing to go for these deserters.

Klaus moved between the soldiers and the entrance - he was like a walking brick wall. And then... he smiled.

It was an unfortunate smile. Klaus had probably been a very handsome man, once upon a time, but the fangs pulled down the corners of his mouth, and he wound up baring a lot more teeth and gum than he ever intended.

If anyone had ever looked into the maw of a hungry lion, that was about the closest approximation to what was on display.

"I would be happy to accompany you to Yunxu's estate and see what he has to say about your unauthorized break-ins in his territory," Klaus said calmly. "Until then, you will not set foot past this threshold."

If there are deserters in there, is there a way to get them out unseen?

[redlightgreenlight]

I'm not saying to abandon the Kedan, merely to ask them if that is an acceptable alternative. And while I doubt the Justicar is actually here for a war, attacking her people will not go over well with anyone. Just be certain that the first strike is theirs, us starting the fight will only reflect poorly on us.

Nonetheless, Valdis shifted her postion, allowing the red to seep into her eyes. If she could intimidate the Chihuelans, make them back off, then there wouldn't be a chance for a fight. She snarled and dropped her head back down, fixing the lead Chihuelan with a scarlet glare.

[michaeljangelo]

Getting into, and getting people out of, a place unseen? Sounds like you could use a Ninja. And as luck would have it, one arrives.

"Woah," he says padding up to the situation as if he didn't have a care in the world. "This seems tense. Does this seem tense to you?" he asks the person to his direct right...which could be anyone, really.

[phoenixstrut]

Dove sighs, having calmly made her way into the crowd. She's irritated, and it's obvious, though whether it's her own take on the intruders or a reflection of the entire group's surge of I'll feeling is up to anyone. "It does seem that way," she responds offhandedly, frowning at the bad energy before lifting herself into the air with late white wings and perching stop the roof of the home that they're trying to protect.

She'll just watch with a disapproving look for now, irritated by the entire situation.

[edgeoftheknife]

All of the attention is still focused elsewhere--Klaus at the door, Valdis in wolf form, Dove on the roof... and a walking, talking turtle? Erskine, still behind the main force of the Chihuelans, melts back into the shadows at the side of the building and shakes his head. No better time.

There's a window on the side of the building. It's easy enough to slip inside, and before his feet have even fully touched down inside he's got a finger to his lips, warning the occupants of the dwelling to be quiet, not to bring any undue attention to him or themselves.

There's no one inside, or at least no one that isn't a kedan. That becomes obvious immediately. The problem is that they've left in a hurry and that's just as obvious. If the group out front lets the Chihuelans through, they're going to be able to tell in an instant that someone's made a quick getaway. Erskine spreads his hands and focuses and the air shimmers around himself and the kedan still in the house. The air becomes denser around them; sound won't travel as well, which means the Chihuelans won't be able to hear voices.

"Clean it up, quick as you can. Straighten everything. I'll help. I don't know if they're coming in or not."

Valdis. They're not here anymore. We're straightening the place up. Stall them a little longer.

[wolfstrike]

The Chihuelans look uneasy, but they're still stubbornly holding their ground, even with the obvious intimidation tactics. However, they're not about to give the first strike either, effectively leaving the whole confrontation as a stalemate. Though as Erskine sneaks into the house, this is when the reinforcements around. Another search party coming to back this one up.

"We can stand here all day," said the lead Chihuelan. "But we're not leaving until we investigate this residence." They weren't about to return to the Justicar with nothing to report other than being chased away by these... foreigners. That would not be acceptable.

Yuri had caught sight of Erskine slinking around the building, but remained focused on the Chihuelans and keeping them distracted.

"Yeah? Cause we can stand here all day too."

[highprofilerichkid]

This is an impressive foreigner turnout, here, on such short notice. The Chihuelans are definitely intimidated, but they're not backing down. Tony has to grudgingly give them points for guts.

"Yep, I'm fine standing here all day. I can just lock the armor joints, relax, and watch movies until you guys get bored. I've got the entire Fast and Furious franchise on my hard drive." He knows that doesn't mean anything to them. He thinks they'll still get the point.

"If you really want to hang out here and stare at each other, you can send half of your men back, and keep the other half here for this thrilling Mexican standoff. See? Isn't that a nice compromise?"

Tony hasn't seen Erskine, but he has figured out that the best strategy right now is to stall. If there are Chihuelan fugitives in the house, it'll be better if they're long gone before this situation comes to a head.

[purered]

Nor am I. Only that if there are any Chihuelans in the house, they should be removed quickly and unseen if possible. This can only last so long until the other shoe drops.

"If your men can get permission from Yunxu to search the premises, I will move," Klaus said.

"Until then, it is a matter of how long you can endure."

[michaeljangelo]

"I've got like, a life expectancy of several hundred years," Mike begins, already lying through his teeth.

"All day is like, nothing. Blink of an eye, really."

[wrathfulkhan]

Stalling is good.

"I can be remarkably patient," Gene says...but he also stretches his arms and cracks his knuckles in the armor, letting the Chihuelans know that he's perfectly willing to fight if they are. It's like a lion yawning and showing entirely too many teeth.

[redlightgreenlight]

For an empath, the tension was almost deafening, pushing her emotional state off balance. She growled again. The arrival of Mike did nothing to help the issue, but at least he brought a lighter hearted feeling to the problem. Her ears flattened when Erskine informed her that the Chihuelans inside the house had gone.

Yuri, she directed the thought at him although all the foreigners would be able to hear, The Chihuelans inside are gone, Erskine just needs a few more minutes to help tidy up, we need to stall as long as possible.

[wolfstrike]

Hearing her voice in his head, Yuri still tilted his eyes in her direction for a moment.

Stall, huh? No problem.

At least the defectors already made it out. That was definitely a good thing. But with their reinforcement here, the search party had a bit more confidence and they didn't seem to be in the mood for waiting either. Thinking that they could call their bluff. So they started moving forward, planning to just walk or push past them.

But just as they started to do so, Yuri took a step forward with an all business look on his face. Taking up his sword, he swung it to the side. Letting the scabbard fly from the blade. The Chihuelans pausing as it whizzed past a few of their faces, their heads turning as they watched it go. Flipping the sword upright and catching it again, Yuri leveled his eyes on them, the light glinting off his blade.

"Look guys, I really don't want a fight." Lies. "And I'm pretty sure you don't either. But we're here to protect the Kedan, and if you force your way in, we're going to consider it an act of aggression."

[michaeljangelo]

Okay...this can't be good. Swords don't get drawn when things are good.
Scabbards certainly don't get just...hucked across a crowd scene when things are good. That's the kind of careless behavior that'll earn a guy extra flips in the dojo after practice is supposed to be over.

Or at least that's how Mike metabolizes the situation.
And he's willing to wager the Dude-in-Front is going to see it that way as well.

Which is why Mike decides, right then and there, to give him something else entirely to focus on.

"Woah, woah....woah! What the heck, man?! Whipping that out like that, right here in front of god and everyone?! There are women and children present!"

For a little guy, Mike can certainly project when he needs to. He's also surprisingly strong for his size, which is made apparent by how easily he pushes the gathered out of his way in an effort to get himself between the sword and the Chihuelans.

"Seriously," to one of the rank-and-file as he passes. "Guy who goes around tossing his scabbard like that? What's he trying to prove..."

[edgeoftheknife]

Just as Mike is pushing through the crowd there's a crash from inside the house and the sound of yelling. Male. Angry. Continuous.

The front door is flung open and Erskine practically falls out of it--along with the kedanese woman he's currently tangled up with. His hair is mussed, his tie undone, shirt untucked and askew. There's lipstick on his collar. And his neck. And his cheek. And his lips, where the woman is still kissing him.

Erskine's still steadfastly clinging to her, trying to get another kiss in, until something glass comes flying toward the two of them and crashes just outside the door on the paving stones. Then he's disentangling himself and promising to call and backpedaling so hard he doesn't even see Klaus standing there. Until he backs right into him.

He whirls, startled, and then visibly relaxes when he realizes who it is. "Klaus, just in time. Would you believe-"

There's another round of yelling and cursing from inside, and another crash. A porcelain plate, shattered on the paving stones at Erskine's feet. He yelps and ducks around Klaus, using the bigger man as a shield. The woman peeks out from around the door, waving forlornly, and then the door slams shut.

"Saved the day there, Klaus my... friend...." He's trying to catch his breath, grinning, and it's about this time that he 'notices' the Chihuelan troops all around them and the thought trails off. The grin is quickly replaced by a look of confusion.

"All this for me? Shit, I... I can explain."

[purered]

He didn't budge as the guards moved forward. He stood straight and rigid, arms behind his back. There was a mechanical whir as his knuckledusters fixed into place, however.

Yuri unsheathing his sword brought the tension to a boiling point. Klaus was ready.

And then there was muffled shouting, growing louder until the door swung open. A glass vase sailed over his head. A plate over his shoulder. And then with reflexes that should not be possible for a man who looked like he should be lumbering through life, Klaus caught a second plate that would have gotten him squarely in the back of his head. He hadn't even turned around. And then Erskine stumbled into his back and he finally turned his cold gaze from the guards.

He looked at Erskine slightly perplexed as he and the woman untangled, and then he realized what the ruse was. Clever man- it was the sort of thing Steven would have done. He was a terrible liar, but he could play along well enough.

"Is this what the Justicar is expending her resources on?" He asked, just a tinge of annoyance in his voice as he helped the Dead Man upright. "Mr Ravel, such behaviour is truly unbecoming," he chided.

[phoenixstrut]

Dove wasn't happy, and the scale tipping to boiling--and Yuri's rash actions-- only made it worse. Rising to her feet on the roof, she balances gracefully at its edge, lifting her hands at her sides as the soldiers advance as she prepares to put up a literal wall of fire between them and the home, even if only for theatrical purposes, until Erskine stumbles out.

Now she's just confused and wearing an absolutely incredulous look.

[michaeljangelo]

Mike comes to stand next to the second in command of the Chihuelan guards. The one who he figures is likely to be the most Raph-like of the contingent.

"Ugh, humans. Am I right?" he asks conversationally.

[highprofilerichkid]

Well, that was unexpected.

It's a good thing he's wearing a mask, because Tony spends several seconds wearing an expression of complete bewilderment. Then it clicks, and he mutes his speakers to indulge in some snickering. Nice save, Erskine.

"Reliable intel, huh? Any chance it was from an anonymous source?" Tony snickers again, out loud this time. "So, just out of curiosity, has anybody back home in Chihooley-land ever heard of the concept of a 'prank call'?"

[wolfstrike]

And just like he had been planning/hoping, someone intervened. Though this was the first look Yuri had actually gotten of the... whatever it... he... was. But just going along, he was about to say something when Erskine suddenly burst out of the house and made a scene. The raven haired man joining in on the staring.

Wow. Nice one Erskine. A little bit over the top, but nice.

Yuri just heaved a dramatic sigh at the whole thing. "Seriously? Is that all it was? And here I was hoping there actually was some deserters in there." He said, trying to make it look like they had nothing to do with it as much as possible.

The Chihuelans just stared as well and again looked visibly uncomfortable at both Tony and Yuri's words, looking at their group leader.

"That can't be right!" was the protest, but then Chihuelan also knew they couldn't prove anything. So he scowled and called one of his companions over.

"Fine. We'll leave, but I'm taking all of your names for obstructing our search process." And thus looked at all of them expectantly.

Yuri just shrugged, not particularly caring if they had his name or not. "Yuri Lowell," he said before waving a hand dismissively and then turning to leave. But not before picking up his scabbard of course.

[redlightgreenlight]

Valdis' eyes widened and her hackles lowered the instant Erskine came bursting out the door, tangled up with a kedan woman. She realized what he was doing, but shock stunned her into silence for several heartbeats. She stared at him, head tipped half in dismay and half in amusement.

It wasn't until the Chihuelan in charge asked for their names that Valdis looked at him, lifted a lip to show her teeth and then turned and walked away.

Good job, Erskine. I think we won.

[edgeoftheknife]

As the crowd began to disperse and it became evident that the house wasn't going to be searched, Erskine let himself look as though he were relaxing. The tension leaked out of his posture and he grinned at the Chihuelans. Just a little bit longer and then he could drop the ruse.

"Oh good, I'm glad we cleared that up. I'm too pretty for jail, I'd never survive."

He set to straightening his clothes and trying to brush some of the wayward lipstick from his face, although when the Chihuelan asked for names he piped right up. "Dexter Vex."

What Dex didn't know wouldn't hurt him, right?

Oh good. I'd hate to think I went to all that effort for nothing.

[michaeljangelo]

When eyes finally turned towards Mike, he attempted a mug of utter sincerity.

"Jingleheimer-Smitz. John-Jacob Jingleheimer-Smitz."

[wolfstrike]

Yuri suppressed the urge to roll his eyes at Erskine AND the turtle guy.

"Hey, I'm prettier than you, and I survived jail just fine."

The Chihuelans frowned at the names being offered them, particularly from the green fellow. "How do you spell that," one of them muttered.

[highprofilerichkid]

The fake names are funny, but Tony knows there's no chance of keeping his identity secret from the Chihuelans if they decide to do more than thirty seconds of investigating. So he takes the opposite approach.

"Anthony Edward Stark, at your service," he says, with a dramatic bow. "Former owner of Stark Industries Keeliai, also known as Iron Man, currently employed by the College," you know, the College that graciously offered to house the Chihuelans and was repaid by having corpses dumped on its front lawn, don't think he's forgotten that, "and full-time obstructor of people obstructing justice," he finishes, in the most obnoxiously chipper voice he can muster.

"And what about your names? I want to make sure the right people get credit for the great job you've all been doing with your 'search process'. There's no rush - I've already got high-res photos of all your faces, so I can just look you up later." In other words: if you make this a problem, I'll make it your problem. Bring it on, assholes.

Yeah, he just painted a target on his back. But, hey, he's never let a little danger stop him from trying to get in the last word.