Season 4 - Resolutions

[crazynuto]

Prismed Rim - Tithe Trouble

VOTE - Should Dormor be forced to pay their tithes at long last?

A) Order Dormor to pay their tithes in full.

Nezaripped themself is very unhappy about this whole ordeal, as they had intended for the money to be spent on some sick new weights for the half-built Volcano Gym he was working on. The Church, hoping to prevent such an issue from rearing it's ugly head in the future, decide to invest this money in the Church. Dormorians...Dormorese? The people of Dormor don't particularly take to these holy sites until a free protein shake is offered with each visit. Then they're all about it.

(Defiance +1, Wealth -1000 [Dormor], Faith +1)

---

Provincia Smaragdina - A Powerful Storm

A terrible storm has struck the South. Unfortunately, many houses have been swept away in the floods and the roads are totally impassable in Ronpa Plains. Zi Hao struggles to keep his territory afloat, and seeks aid from the council. [Farming -1, Trade -1]

VOTE - What should be done about this crushing calamity?

B) Send extra troops from North Ultima to clear the roads.

Soldiers from North Ultima come in droves to assist in these humanitarian efforts. Their no-nonsense attitude and frigid demeanor cause them to butt heads with the more level-headed leaders of the Ronpa Plains, yet they manage to put their differences aside and work together to fix the damaged infrastructure. The people of North Ultima are rather happy that they were put to such good use, all things considered.

(Defiance +1 [Ronpa Plains], Defiance -1 [North Ultima], Military -1 [North Ultima], Trade +1, Farming +1)

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United States of Azulongmon - Blizzard

A strange otherworldly cold has killed off all crops growing in North Ultima. This is the worst winter seen in decades, if not centuries. Most wildlife have gone into early hibernation, leaving the normally meat and game rich lands barren. [Farming -1]

VOTE - What should be done to combat these frigid frozen fields?

D) Research magical solutions.

With help from the Isle of Men, North Ultima discover a spell that will put up a magical forcefield over most of the region in accordance to ancient leylines that weave throughout the lands. Unfortunately for the church, most of these leylines are on holy ground. While they do protest, many holy buildings have to be destroyed in order for the appropriate magical machines to be properly connected.

(North Ultima Wealth -500, Farming +1, Stability +1, Faith -2)

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Capitol - The Smithy’s Fate

It's the event in this thread, you know what it's about.

VOTE - What should be done about this…blight of a blacksmith?

Due to the Pope's whole thing, Faith gain/loss has been set to 0. Anyone who's faith goals would've benefited from Faith gain will be compensated accordingly.

A) There shall be no mercy. Sentence him to death.

The execution-watchers leave with an uncomfortable feeling in their gut. Is this what "guilt" feels like? It'll certainly shake their faith in the King and by extension, the Church of Blaiddyd. Ryoma's sons begrudgingly take up his father's mantle as Head Blacksmiths, yet there has been an air of distrust around the Capitol towards the military. Are more of them corrupt? Or will others be accused next? Still most citizens fear the King's wrath, and don't make too much of a fuss.

(+2 Authority / -1 Military Nationwide / +2 Faith Nationwide / -1 Defiance Nationwide)

---

The trial and execution date of Cody Ryoma was quick to say the least. Perhaps it was due to an archaic tradition of having no trials last more than 3 days. Regardless, Ryoma was prosecuted privately by Zi Hao and sentenced to death. Word spread quickly that the leader of the conspiracy had been caught (even if that wasn't entirely true). Thousands flocked to the Capitol to see the one who defiled the Queen's tomb get what he rightfully deserved. A makeshift platform was erected outside of the castle's gates where all could see the execution take place. 

In a rather unorthodox display, the King decided to handle the...executing part of the execution personally. This was a rather personal crime after all. Pope Clairmont and Viscountess Vanyara would join him up on stage, where a set of stocks and a bucket sit center-stage. Zi Hao would stand off to the side, to read his crimes aloud to the crowd. The other nobles would sit on the sidelines, where they were in prime objection-ing range (or ejection-ing range if they make too much of a fuss).

As the day approached, dark clouds loomed over the horizon. The more superstitious sort saw this as upcoming divine punishment, while the realists prepared for rain. Still these clouds almost appeared to...hover around the castle? Perhaps it's just a slow-moving storm. 

We join our King, Pope, Viscountess, and Shogun up on stage. Cody Ryoma is being dragged out from inside the castle gates. His wife sits by the other nobles, bawling her eyes out, while his two sons look more disgusted than emotional. Ryoma himself suffers quite a few more bruises and bumps than you remember him having. He is currently gagged.

King Tyronius holds out his trustworthy Battleaxe, addressing the crowd of blood-hungry peasants in front of him.




People of Ronpa.
As you have no doubt surmised, a terrible crime has been committed on the holiest of grounds. This...creature here was complicit in the theft of the Ring of Matrimony, and the exhumation and desecration of the late Queen's body to retrieve it. Such a vile, barbaric act has no place, no reason in our fair and just society. Not a soul in our glorious Kingdom is above the law. It is my divine duty as your King to pass judgment as Blaiddyd wills it. What say you all? Does this man deserve this punishment?

The crowd erupts into cheers, a chant of kill him! reverberating throughout the courtyard. King Tyronius smiles. He very much seems to be enjoying this moment. He looks to the three up on stage, waiting for their input.

[Sachi]

Chibimon averts his gaze from the stage. His brother on the other hand is quite interested, so Chibimon is forced to drag him away quite literally by the tail feathers. That's the benefit of having limbs.

They leave the "festivities" behind, to Pinamon's chagrin, and search for wherever Almond and Oat might be hiding out. It's very unlikely either of them would be attending the execution, but with many nobles gathering in one place for something other than the council, this was probably Chibimon's best chance to ask...

When they come upon them, Chibimon will tug on Almond's trousers, probably eliciting something of an "AAAAAAAAAAAAH", if Chibimon understands his character right. He has a sort of somber, gloomy look on his face that can't be captured by an image because all of his sprites and official artwork have a big fat smile.

"Uncle Almond... Sorry that I had to talk to you in a place like this, but do you remember when I was Azulongmon? I asked you to research the whirlpool a little more... I never had the time to get back to you on that. Did you find anything?"

Meanwhile, Pinamon plays with Oat in the corner. He's doing his best to not be punted like the football.

[Ame]

[Source] crazynuto said:

People of Ronpa.
As you have no doubt surmised, a terrible crime has been committed on the holiest of grounds. This...creature here was complicit in the theft of the Ring of Matrimony, and the exhumation and desecration of the late Queen's body to retrieve it. Such a vile, barbaric act has no place, no reason in our fair and just society. Not a soul in our glorious Kingdom is above the law. It is my divine duty as your King to pass judgment as Blaiddyd wills it. What say you all? Does this man deserve this punishment?

"Good people of Ronpa! Before we begin the ultimate judgement of Cody Ryoma, I would like your attention for just a moment."

"In other words, please, calm yourselves. We are few up on this stage, and there are many of you, dear citizens. I would like all of you to hear what I have to say."

Once the crowd cheers and shouts begin to quiet down, they will continue.

"It is true that the chief blacksmith has committed a heinous crime. This is no defence of the accused, nor an attack on the prosecution of the Shogunate, but rather, my plea to you all, on behalf of Blaiddyd."

"It is with the utmost importance that I inform you all of some truths behind this case, some truths which have perhaps been left opaque."

"Indeed, the framing of this crime has been that the blacksmith alone is the sole perpetrator of this crime, but I ask of you all, is that quite true?"

"Please recall the honourable King Tyronius's words: Cody is charged with being complicit! There is no evidence to suggest that Cody themselves stole the ring, but rather, that he merely reforged it."

"It is undeniable that Cody should have known better, but I beg of you, think about the life of this man. He's a commoner, who has made his way to the prestigious position of chief blacksmith, and how has he done this?"

"By pledging himself to Blaiddyd, by spending the best years of his life working tirelessly, mastering his craft and becoming recognised for it."

"Cody is a family man. A hard-working man. A devout man, who has always put his kids' futures first, before anyone else."

"And yet, the reward we choose to give him is bathed in blood. A bitter, unfair end for a man whose crime was working, doing his job, before thinking about what he had done."

"It would appear to me as though Cody was just following orders. Like you or I do, every day."

Clairmont takes a moment, trying to gauge how the audience is feeling, and reacting to their statements so far.

"I wholeheartedly believe that, if Cody knew the gravity of his actions, he would have acted differently."

"Alas, there is more I wish to say. For when we consider that his crime was to forge the ring, it must mean that someone else had stolen it!"

"After all, no ordinary blacksmith has the authority to visit the Royal Tomb. And for a man as celebrated and recognised as Cody, he would have been spotted out in a moment. I remind you again, that there is no evidence to suggest that Cody stole the ring, and that intuitively, it would be extremely difficult for him to commit the crime. This must mean that someone else is the mastermind behind the crime."

"In addition to this, this man's execution was a highly contentious issue amongst the nobles of this land. Indeed, the vote was completely even split between those who voted to imprison the man, and search for the true culprit, or culprits, and those who wanted this man executed."

"It, however, is essential to recall that the Holy Beast Nezaripped is absent, and could not vote in this solution. Similarly, another nation was present, but did not vote at all!"

"And yet, the king's tie-breaker vote is what pushed his execution over the line. The king is, of course, entitled to his own beliefs, but for a decision that was made so close to the margins, and with at least two missing votes, I believe this is hardly a fair decision to be made! Especially that it was three days after the vote took place!"

"In three days you cannot even get from the East of Ronpan Plains to the west! Cody's execution has been rushed along significantly, so we can execute a faithful, hardworking, and honest man for just doing his job?!"

"My king, who has led us so far in the past, and you, the people of Dangan, I urge you, please reconsider the immediate execution of Cody Ryoma. There is still so much we don't know about these untoward forces at play. Far too much to throw away the only thing we have linking us to the true culprits out of revenge!"

Clairmont is out of breath. They're tired. They've been up for three days straight trying to come up with a defence, meeting with anyone they can who can tell them anything about Cody. They're completely and utterly exhausted.

"Alas, let us not forget the teachings of Blaiddyd as well."

"You, who are familiar with the passages of Edelgard, may you recall what it says."

"It is that those who know that their punishment will be death will fight the hardest to undermine you. Remember the saying, a cornered dog is the most likely to bite."

"By setting a precedent that anyone involved with this case, no matter how big or small, is sentenced to death, all you will do is encourage those acting against you to be more extreme and act more rashly. If the result will be death no matter what, you will surely fight to deal the most damage you can before that."

"Similarly with the passages of Fleche! By wronging one, you wrong a hundred!"

"The tales of Fleche are of a regular girl, who wanted to do no harm, but whose life was ruined by an ancient war. She was never personally affected by the actions of the war, but her family was. All of the wrongs against her family did not dissuade her from getting involved, but to get into the thick of it, and make things more violent than they were before."

"Think of the children of Cody. Lukas and Dusty. Think of Cody's wife, Violet, or their dog, Boney, they do not believe their father and husband is a guilty man. Think of all the colleagues, friends, and family members of Cody, the loving and kind man he has shown himself to always be, Do you think that they will see this as a righteous act? Or, will they grow to act defiant of the king, their faith in Blaiddyd, their faith in the Kingdom of Ronpa will be forever and irreparably tarnished by this?"

"And so I beg to you all once more. Think, with calm minds, if this is the right decision, when all that will result is the execution of a man whose crime was heinous, but whose involvement was minor, the disenfranchisement of those who love Cody so dearly, and that the true culprit is still at large!"

"I ask you, is this what you want to see? Is this what you want? "

Clairmont will gesture to the crowd, hoping to get a cheer from the crowd that backs her case.

[Sachi]

Oat takes his eyes away for one second, and Pinamon has vanished once again into the crowd. He squirms through them until he's at the front, then sits on the head of a random nameless minor noble who's never invited to the Councill.

"Squak! She's trying to rob us of a good show! Don't let her fool you, pina! The Holy God of Gains would have voted for blood, same as us! He's just on vacation! And whoever didn't vote, uh... I guess they were just lazy? 

Either way, no pushback! Let's start it back up! Say it with me, boys and girls!

KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL!

ALL HAIL TYRONIUS!

KILL! KILL! KILL!"

[Nekomaru]

A dashing man is among the zealous crowd.

"Damn... I miss the council meeting Lady Diana asked me to attend, and this happens? She's gonna be PISSED. The missing vote must be from Sugarvine. This is all on me..."
The man clears his throat.

"Hey, this is all a bit barbaric isn't it? We're all civilized here."

"I'm sure this man's learned his lesson, so let's all just head on home. Throw him in the dungeon, or something."

[Sachi]

Pinamon is sitting on his head.

[⋆⋅ Sage ⋅⋆]

Chibimon: "Uncle Almond... Sorry that I had to talk to you in a place like this, but do you remember when I was Azulongmon? I asked you to research the whirlpool a little more... I never had the time to get back to you on that. Did you find anything?"

—

Almond Milque nearly jumps a foot in the air when he’s approached by the two… things. God, he never fully got used to Azulongmon, and now he’s expected to just accept the fact that the huge dragon died and became… this little blob that thinks of him as an uncle?

“I, well. Y-Yes, I remember talking to Azulongmon about that. And I did end up researching it — I was able to consult the Prince’s private library during the chaos of his room search. Everyone was too focused on Oat going under the bed… fuhihi… um!”

He clears his throat, embarrassed.

“A-Anyway! The whirlpool. Well… I did find a book that mentioned it. The prince had it on his shelf of fairy tales, so I assume that’s all he thought of it. But it seemed to be more of an academic journal to me. It was from about fifty years ago… a scholar began to research a whirlpool near his home because his little sister swore she saw it move. Apparently, his parents and other siblings all laughed at his sister when she said it, but he believed her for whatever reason. Anyway, he began to write down the coordinates of the whirlpool twice a day: once when he first woke up, and once right before he went to bed.

“Now get this. This scholar and his family lived in the Kingdom of Petrard. Nowhere near where we’ve seen the whirlpool. And there’s more… the scholar writes that one of his brothers pushed his sister into the mud and called her a liar. On his next fishing trip, that brother almost drowned when the currents became impossibly strong. They were able to save his life, but apparently the brother was never the same afterward. All he did was cry about how he’d heard some terrible whispers that made him jump into the water…”

[Ame]

[Source] Sachi said:

"Squak! They're trying to rob us of a good show! Don't let them fool you, pina! The Holy God of Gains would have voted for blood, same as us! He's just on vacation! And whoever didn't vote, uh... I guess they were just lazy? 

Either way, no pushback! Let's start it back up! Say it with me, boys and girls!

KILL! KILL! KILL! KILL!

ALL HAIL TYRONIUS!

KILL! KILL! KILL!"

While Clairmont had no intention of making their case any further, a hecklers' cries gave them an idea

"And thus you see, ladies and gentlemen, the beliefs of those who wish to see this man executed."

"The whims of someone who does not care who is being executed, but only to see that there is blood to be spilled."

"This is naught but barbarism. The very word!"

"These are the calls of those who think not of their futures, who think not of the crime committed, and not of who is effected by their demands, but act selfishly, and for their own entertainment!"

"We are better than this. We are civilised. We have empathy and emotion, the ability to have foresight and reasoning. To throw that out is... is...!"

"It's a defiance of the very gift that Blaiddyd blessed us with: sentience!"

Clairmont takes a moment to cool themselves. If their heart rate gets much higher, they very possibly could have a heart attack.

They turn to King Tyronius, and kneel before him

"My King. Once more, I plea to you. Won't you reconsider the execution of Chief Blacksmith, Cody Ryoma?"

[Ktoasty]

G'Ontagnon weaves through the crowd, trying to find where Pinamon went off to. He's not so surprised to find the digimon on a new fellow's head.

"Pinamon, there you are! Remember, not everyone's going to be okay with you nesting in their hair. We have to ask permission first."

Then he looks a little lower to the man just below Pinamon.

"Sorry for the intrusion. My son loves how much cooler he got after becoming the Phoenix Lord, but he lost a little reasonability in the process. I can help him off your head if it's uncomfortable at all."

He guesses Pinamon just wants a taller view of the event, seeing as how the little one's been chanting with the crowd this whole time. Still, the conflict happening between the nobles on stage is curious. Will Cody's fate change?

[Sachi]

Pinamon is a bit uncomfortable with all the attention this has drawn to him, so leaves Kent's head and moves over to his Papa's. He mutters a very quiet Sorry Sir under his breath.

Meanwhile, Chibimon is fascinated by Uncle Almond's discoveries!

"Whoa... We've seen the whirlpool move a whole lot ourselves, haven't we? I don't think it's too odd that it was over near Petrard at one point... But why was it there?

And also, also - didn't Papa used to say he could hear it talking to him? Just like the man from that story!

It sounds like it can be violent, like most whirlpools, but there's definitely a reason behind it all!

...Hey, do you think it can hold a conversation? What if Papa tried talking to it again, and we noted down its replies?"

[Nekomaru]

Jul 10, 2024 8:26:25 GMT -6 Ktoasty said:

"Sorry for the intrusion. My son loves how much cooler he got after becoming the Phoenix Lord, but he lost a little reasonability in the process. I can help him off your head if it's uncomfortable at all."

"Heh... It's no worry. Beasts and maidens alike have always been drawn to my Sunburst Aura."

[⋆⋅ Sage ⋅⋆]

“A conversation, huh?” Almond considers this for a moment. “It’s definitely worth a try. We haven’t seen much of the whirlpool lately — since Soy is living with G’ontagnan on land, I was able to take Oat and move into a place on former Morgan Embassy land. Soy manages the salmon farm, so I haven’t been to the whirlpool since the wedding. I know it’s still there, though. Since it moved with us, some of the citizens like to pray to it.”

Almond shudders.

“It really does seem dangerous. The thought of trying to communicate with it frightens me, but I can’t rest until I know what’s going on with it… what kind of entity I exposed my younger brothers to.”

[Ktoasty]

”Sunburst Aura?!”

G’Ontagnon’s eyes sparkle. What could this thin headband-donning man be referring to? A new form of magic?

”Well, you’re such a radiant fellow, I’d very much be interested in learning more about this Sunburst Aura. Does it function as a charismatic force? How did you gain such a skill? I believe such an ability can help the kingdom unify toward greatness, don’t you?”

Oh, he’s getting ahead of himself. G’Ontagnon takes out a snack bar and brings it up to Pinamon to help his son feel more comfortable and at ease.

”I should introduce myself first. I’m Ambassador G’Ontagnon, a leader of the Morwhirl Pridelands. And, thank you for being so kind to my son, Phoenix Lord Pinamon.”

[Nekomaru]

Jul 10, 2024 13:49:54 GMT -6 Ktoasty said:

”Sunburst Aura?!”

"Hoho! My Sunburst Aura is not something mere mortals can obtain. You see I was born with a power most would crumble beneath! Just in my right arm is the power to erase a thousand suns! Oh, no, my Sunburst Aura is too much for the kingdom to handle, I'm afraid."

Jul 10, 2024 13:49:54 GMT -6 Ktoasty said:

”I should introduce myself first. I’m Ambassador G’Ontagnon, a leader of the Morwhirl Pridelands. And, thank you for being so kind to my son, Phoenix Lord Pinamon.”

"Hark! You may know me as THUNDERLORD KENT FORGER OF THE SUGARVINE ISLANDS. As the ambassador, you must have been at the council, I trust? You must forgive me for Sugarvine's absence. Upon reaching the capital, my sister scampered off. I absolutely had to find her, you see. If The Dark Reunion had caught my sister and used her to complete their nefarious plans, all hope would be lost. By the time I found her, I'm afraid the council had long finished up."

[Sachi]

Pinamon stops nibbling on his snack to stare at Thunderlord Kent in absolute awe.

"You forged the islands?! Papa... I think this guy might be the real deal. I don't wanna get on his bad side... Sorry for resting in your head, Thunderlord. When we bring back our brother Baihumon, you should spar with him! He loves powerful enemies!"