Karesh !KXp41Q0gcg 2010/12/01 (Wed) 23:33 No. 131034 ▼ File 129124639891.jpg - (614.29KB, 595x842 , a53ef17ca2c68a9d5d22e4345ba8f051.jpg)
[x] Stay
-[x] Listen quietly
You decide to remain seated for the time being, as more people and youkai file back in, a few begin moving chairs and other obstacles out of the center of the room. Thankfully your seat in the back is, apparently well out of the way of whatever they're preparing for. It doesn't take long for the group to have a large circle of space within the center. As the others clear out, forming a crowd of both youkai and humans around her, Byakuren remains in the center of the room.
The murmur of the crowd is silenced as she places the scroll she carries on the floor, her voice seemingly resounds through your ear: "Earlier, we discussed some of the suggestions to changes for the treaty we've proposed. But I feel it's important that tonight we begin discussing the details in depth." The scroll emanates light, which quickly bursts forth into the same map you'd seen earlier, a full and detailed model of the landscape for miles around. Almost as soon as the colors settle in, the map shifts once more, closing in and giving a better view of the area around the village near the temple. Each stretch of land begins to gain a more defined hue, the village itself is soon engulfed in green, which stretches away for a small distance in various directions, with several dots in varied size spread throughout the areas around the village.
What patches of forest you can see have become red, with various spots of blue spread about, from what you can see, the main source of blue is focused in areas that are nearer the edge of the forest, but along the river, and one of the larger areas you can see is the base of the nearby Mountain, as well as the tips of the mountain itself.
Thankfully Byakuren continues: "For those who weren't here last week: this is our best guess at the current population of this area. The green represents human populations, the blue, sentient youkai regardless of their thoughts on our agreement with the red being..."
There's a pause as she searches for the right word, but from the crowd you can hear a deep the voice speak up, you recognize it as one of the voices the three headed lion from earlier had: "Beasts."
Byakuren seems slightly disheartened at the term, but nods. "For lack of a better term, yes. Both regular animals and the more...mindless Youkai are represented in red. While there are not enough to cover all of this, they mill about frequently, and attack almost any that enter."
She motions her hand around the room, and the map follows, zooming back out to give the full view of the land. "The problem is...with the deal we've crafted, the human village is required to produce more crops, more crop means more fields, and whether it's by terrain or proximity to fresh water, the areas that can be tilled are limited."
A human to your right shoots his hand up, Byakuren pauses and nods toward him "Yes? You have something to say?"
The man, wrinkled and old, steps out of the crowd. before speaking, it's clear he's favoring one leg, using a cane to keep himself balanced. "Yes, ma'am. As we were discussing earlier, before the meeting resumed: the lands directly to the north of my farm are adequate, the terrain is acceptable and the ground fertile. The problem" he motions toward the three headed lion "Is the land is taken already."
The left mouth of the lion opens, but the center shoots a glare at it, causing it to stay silent. Byakuren follows the motion of the human and acknowledges him "I remember your conversation earlier, but for the benefit of others. Would you reiterate?"
The lion bows slightly before stepping out of the circle, his left mouth speaks "My family and I have resided along the river, in this location" He rises to stand on his hind legs to point toward one of the blue spots along the river. "For four generations. We haven't always been...friendly with this man and his farmhands, but we've never been of harm to them, or any other. We will not leave simply because he believes our home would be better suited as a farm."
Surprisingly the right head speaks in counter to it's left. "Hard as it may be. If we're to make any progress we must be willing to make some sacrifice."
The center head speaks up "It's not just about our home, we hunt the beasts of the forest. If we leave they will return, bringing with them whatever creatures we push out during our move. The humans will pay the price."
It's odd, seeing a creature debate with itself. Odder still is when the old man raises his cane, and in defiance of any self concern begins berating the creature which could most probably tear him in two: "You only need to go across the damn river, or up it! Or down it! Wherever!"
The lions right head nods, but the center and left shake in unison. "Unacceptable. Our home is a small cave situated on the bank. There is no other place to shelter our cubs, nowhere for them to go. Even living alongside one another is a problem, to till the land could compromise the safety of our home."
The mans cane is lowered, obviously strained from the sudden activity, he leans upon it as he turns to Hijiri: "You see, ma'am? We're at an impasse, almost everywhere that's safe, or a good place to grow already has someone, or something there. We can't meet the quota that's been agreed upon."
You don't know much about farming, but a glance toward the map seems to confirm what the man says. Without a large source of water like the river nearby, you can't grow effectively. Most of the river seems to wind back and forth through the forest, which is by your own experience an unacceptable place to be. The areas that are at the edge are where sentient youkai live, where it runs into the village is where the humans live, or where they already have farms anyway...You go follow the river all the way through, too rocky, too hilly, too close to the forest, too far from the village. There's a myriad of problems seemingly everywhere. Even at a glance.
You can see a few spots, but it seems that there's not enough to go around. Them aside, there's something bothering you...A pair of flower fields, far apart from one another to be sure, but both independently seem perfect locations. Flat land, proximity to the water, ideal. Perfect.
You raise your hand, and pray to god you're not going to sound like an idiot for asking about them. Hijiri spots you immediately, and gestures for you to enter the circle with the others.
She introduces you as you step up, placing a hand on your shoulder: "Gentlemen, allow me to introduce the man you met outside earlier today. Our new guard."
The lion and old man bow, and you return the gesture. Content with the silent greeting Hijiri addresses you, "So, ______. What is it?"
You motion toward the map, the pair of flower fields that stand out "These two flower fields...What's wrong with using them? Or the areas around them?"
There's a muttering that spreads around the room, but it's silenced as the old man bellows at you while shaking his hand in your direction: "You're daft! That's suicide!"
"What? Flowers?" you reply, honestly confused.
Hijiri places a hand on the mans arm, slowly pushing it down. "Calm yourself...He only arrived here the other day, he doesn't know much of anything about the area.
I'm afraid the fields are inaccessible, the smaller is...toxic. To anyone and everyone, youkai or human."
"Ah..."
"And the other...Well, it's not feasible. There's a resident who will not leave, and no one is willing to try and make her do so."
[] Surely they're just not willing to trek all the way there to ask a question, I'll do it (Oh god what are you thinking)
[] If nobody here wants to, there must be a reason. (Go back to your chair and never speak of the flower field again)
