(mostly) open journal post

[legbreakings]

Sender: Jiang Cheng
To: Everyone (except for Wei Wuxian)
Subject: A request for bow-makers

I have a question for the people of Songerein: Are you or anyone you know well-versed in crafting bows and arrows of good quality?

I'm seeking to commission the making of bows mostly to be used for hunting, though if they are sturdy enough to be suited to battle as well it would be all the better. We are currently using bows we found around town, which are serviceable enough but no permanent solution.

I can provide the materials and I will pay for your work in bartered goods or labor.

Comments

Sender: Hunter

[hashtagwoof]

Isn't there some kind of cupid's arrow thing on the dream board? Maybe they'll give you a bow for free if you help them out.

[legbreakings]

I hadn't thought about that yet.

I should take a look at the bows they have, if they have any. Even if that whole shooting people with these special arrows seems very silly. I don't understand the point.

[hashtagwoof]

They'll give you anything you ask. Like, I'm more used to ne nerf guns, so they let me use a crossbow.

Also, you know if they have pencils that work with these things? I'd like the ability to erase typos plz.

[legbreakings]

I didn't realize they have various weapons. Getting a new weapon I am allowed to keep would be reason enough to sign up for that ridiculousness.

I have never heard of a way to erase ink from paper like you can from parchment with a mixture of milk and oat bran, but you will want to see if an ink scraper works with these journals.

[hashtagwoof]

Well, yeah. I guess you'd still have to find/make non-magic arrows, but you should be supplied with a good quality bow.

What's an ink scraper?

[legbreakings]

[ Explaining that has him stumped for a moment, but finally he remembers you can visualize pictures onto the page. There are some attempts where he just creates various blobs of ink and jiggly lines, before a blurry drawing of an ink scraper appears on the page. ]

Something like this. An instrument with which you can carefully scrape the upper layers of the surface off. But I'm not sure if this paper is thick and sturdy enough to withstand it.

Today I learned white-out is called Tipp-ex in England

[hashtagwoof]

[ So, you're telling Hunter that people used to erase stuff by scraping chunks of paper off?? ]

No way. We have tippex for that!

[ This guy clearly has no idea what that is, so Hunter's gonna paste a sketchy bottle of correction fluid on the page here.]

This stuff. You spread it over the mistake and write over it when it's dry. Less likely to break the paper this way.

That's what it is called here in Germany, too. Pretty sure it's a brand name

[legbreakings]

[ Squint.

Squiiiint. ]

That is weird. But I wish we had that at home, it would make paperwork far less of a nuisance. I wonder if it could be easily recreated.

Must be, but we don't have that in America it seems.

[hashtagwoof]

What are you talking about? You can buy that stuff literally anywhere they sell office supplies!

[legbreakings]

You can not! I have never heard of this from the merchant who supplies us with paper, ink sticks and brushes!

1/2

[hashtagwoof]

OMG What merchant are you going to???

2/2

[hashtagwoof]

Wait. Hold up.

You're not from the dark ages or something, are you?

Re: 2/2

[legbreakings]

I don't know these Dark Ages you speak of but we don't like in a particularly dark time anymore. Unless this refers to an upsurge of demonic cultivation in general.

[hashtagwoof]

What? That's not what I was talking about!

And what do you mean "upsurge of demonic cultivation?" Are people farming demons or something???

[legbreakings]

[ Huh. ]

That is actually not the worst description I have heard for it. Demonic cultivation uses the resentful energy of restless spirits for spells, while orthodox cultivators our own body's cultivated qi for this purpose.

But that doesn't even matter! You still haven't explained what you do mean with Dark Agees, if not this.

[hashtagwoof]

[ Geez, talk about pushy. ]

I meant like are you from ancient times. You know, swords and castles. No cars. No electricity or indoor plumbing. That kinda thing.

Though now that you're talking about this cultivation stuff I'm probably way off the mark. What even is qi supposed to be, anyway?

[legbreakings]

Why did you not say so right away!

Yes, then I am from what is "ancient times" to you. We fight with swords, not these rifle things, we use carriages or ride on horses, or cultivators will fly. We certainly don't have automatic lights and our cold boxes are in the basement and kept cold with slabs of ice, or cooling talismans.

Qi is one of the energies inside all living bodies. Normally, it is simply there, like blood, and can cause health problems if imbalanced. Cultivators cultivate their qi and use it for what other people describe as magic.

[hashtagwoof]

IDK I thought you would know what that is.

[ As for the other things... Uh... That's a lot for the kid to wrap his head around. At least he has confirmed the bow and arrows guy is definitely from ye olde times of some sort. ]

Okay, you're definitely from some kind of alternate universe where humans just have magic soul stuff. Closest thing I've ever heard of that was from that one guy whose cousin had an owl for a spirit animal or something. And I met that bloke on here too.

[legbreakings]

We don't normally keep spiritual owls. Only animals like spiritual dogs, turtles, pigs and rabbits. Sensible domesticated animals. There are exceptions though where other kinds of animals are controlled with demonic cultivation.

[hashtagwoof]

I wasn't saying pets. I was saying that guy said his cousin turns into an owl sometimes in dreamscapes? Huge difference.

[legbreakings]

I turned into a pumpkin the first time I went into the dreamscape so I will believe it, unlikely as it sounds.

[hashtagwoof]

[ . . . ]

What.

[legbreakings]

I was a pumpkin. The first time I woke up in the dreamscape, when I was practicing. I grew my body back piece by piece, until I managed to fully transform myself.

There were rodents trying to gnaw at me, so I was motivated.

[hashtagwoof]

Again. WHAT.

[legbreakings]

Don't tell me! Tell these tapirs! They turned me into a pumpkin! Do you think I wasn't furious about it!

Sender: Asura

[abyssbound]

I have some basic experience with bowmaking for military purposes but I'm no master craftsman.

If you need supplies, I have a surplus of goose feathers for fletching that you're welcome to.

Sender: Jiang Cheng

[legbreakings]

Thank you for your offer. I would definitely like to trade you for the goose feathers, I'm sure I should provide supplies even if I can find a master craftsman here. If I can't, I might come to you for your bowmaking skills as well. I have no experience at all in building them, only in maintaining my weapon. If nothing else, you might have ideas to improve upon the ones we have.

[abyssbound]

Can't think of anything I'd want to trade them for, but you're free to take them since the geese drop them all the time.

I can teach you what little I know about bow construction if you want, but as I said, I'm not an expert in this field.

[legbreakings]

Even a little bit of knowledge shared is still valuable, and I will be grateful to you for it.

If there is nothing you want in return for the feathers, you may consider it a debt, in case this changes in the future. I'm not afraid of labor, if it is necessary.

[abyssbound]

You do realize that leaving a debt open-ended is dangerous, right?

[legbreakings]

I won't blindly accept just any obligation.

[abyssbound]

Good.

In that case, I will hold you to it in case I need anything in the future.

Where and when do you want to pick up these feathers?

[legbreakings]

I can pick them up wherever suits you, I can come to your home. I won't bother you further.

Where do you live?

[abyssbound]

That's fine.

There's a small cabin out in the farmlands to the east of town, you may have seen it. That's my house. You can come by to pick them up any time around dusk or later. I'm usually away from home before that.

[legbreakings]

I have noticed this house before, it looks very nice.

I can drop by in the evening when I return from hunting in the forest. You don't mind me bringing my dog, do you? She usually accompanies me.

[abyssbound]

I'm okay with it, but animals tend to be scared of me. Just a warning.

text to action

[legbreakings]

She isn't easily scared, but I will be careful. I will see you tomorrow.


[ The next day, Jiang Cheng takes another path home, Blossom at his side and his bow hung over his shoulder, while he has a hare in the bag he carries.

He approaches the cabin slowly, mindful of the warning that Blossom might react badly. He gives a few short raps on the door, eyes on the dog who is indeed growing increasingly restless on her leash and whining. He reaches down to scratch her head soothingly. ]

Are you home yet? This is Jiang Wanyin, we conversed about goose feathers yesterday.

Re: text to action

[abyssbound]

[Apart from the cabin itself, there is also clear evidence of a small patch of worked farmland nearby, though with the weather still chilly, there's nothing growing in it at the moment.

A goose hutch at the side of the cabin explains the source of the feathers, and the geese are presently happily honking away at the nearby pond, which bears the winter-withered husks of lotus pads peeking above the surface.

Asura opens the door a few moments after Jiang Cheng knocks (and as per usual, is hardly dressed for the season), a large burlap sack in hand.]

There's tail and wing feathers in here. [He offers the bag, which is light despite its size owing to the nature of its contents.] I have another one with down if you know anyone who could use it.

[legbreakings]

[ Jiang Cheng gives a small smile in greeting as the door is opened, the man who must be Asura already well-prepared for the delivery. ]

Thank you, I...

[ He had been ignoring the restless dog at his side, who had gone utterly still as soon as he got his first look at their host. Now, as Jiang Cheng reaches towards the man, Blossom gives a terrified yowl. And then she leaps into motion, the leash Jiang Cheng had been loosely holding yanked out of his hand as the dog runs off in a mindless panic - unfortunately, right for the geese. ]

I'm sorry! I don't know... She never does this!

[abyssbound]

[Asura only spares the panicked dog a brief tired look before shrugging.]

I told you this tends to happen. [And the geese can take care of themselves, not that Blossom appears to have much interest in them over fleeing for her life (even if there's no real danger).

Asura steps outside the doorway (taking care to close it behind him) to peer out across the yard and make sure the dog doesn't hurt itself.] I've never had much luck with cats or dogs. Geese don't fear me, but geese fear nothing anyway.

[legbreakings]

I'm not surprised birds would be like that [ Jiang Cheng mutters darkly and shakes his head. ] They are either fearless or simply the most malicious creatures around.

[ He keeps a wary eye on his dog as well, but while he had initially startled the birds by storming right at them, they aren't actually scared. His dog is now sniffing around there, only occasionally looking nervously back at Jiang Cheng as if she worries for him.

He chuckles and shakes his head. ] You did say this would happen. I underestimated her reaction. She is a former stray, and usually fearless.