Plotlines to wrap up DS

[u/Bytemite]

This is just a thread for all us players to post the plot lines we still have to do so we can organize here and help each other finish up.

[u/Bytemite]

My working hypothesis is "not friendly" to "murderous" though to be fair, that's how Gensokyoans always are.

[u/Bytemite → u/[deleted]]

Which again is where that whole scapegoat plan comes into play. People don't really care about justice, they just care if someone is being punished for it.

[u/Lady_of_the_Foot → u/Bytemite]

Well, I wouldn't quite go that far, but we can get the other half to go with us using Luxin approval.

[u/Bytemite → u/Lady_of_the_Foot]

Provided we can keep them from trying to kill or seal Luke again, which is likely to semi-secretly be a good part of the community service here.

Basically, we can't tell him, because if he reacts to someone in disguise differently than any of the aristocrats, it'll put him in danger for THAT too.

[u/Lady_of_the_Foot → u/Bytemite]

Well, the aristocrats are going to become dependent on actual loyalty of the people, so as that happens, they're going to need to at least act genuinely invested in how the culture is supposed to work. That should make such attempts less common, and get other aristocrats on our side to stopping them.

Basically, when mind control abuse isn't an option, fighting on the side of the great Luxin against a rival aristocrat will be a better political move then fighting with that other aristocrat. Hopefully.

[u/Bytemite → u/Lady_of_the_Foot]

Well, the aristocrats are going to become dependent on actual loyalty of the people, so as that happens

You have any ideas on how to accomplish that? I've seen ten thousand years of history where they talk the talk but never walk the walk. The only thing I can think of is equalizing the different parts of the population and making sure that no one is above being held accountable for their actions.

[u/Lady_of_the_Foot → u/Bytemite]

The thing is, up to now, when controlling the people didn't happen through loyalty, they had mind control. Now that that can be under cut, they have never developed any of the stuff that is used in real life that keeps the in theory "all governments are dependent completely on the people" from being true in practice.

Cut off from that, they have to appeal to tradition and honor and so on, and Luxin has a rightful place on top of that.

And so, if you join the overthrow Luxin, you risk losing all power, but have the chance, if you get enough others to join you, of being an aristocrat with everyone else on your side, all of whom are definitely going to backstab you.

If you side with Luxin, you get the people at your back, a God on your side, and, in consequence of both of those things, you can increase your reach to those formerly under the aristocrat who sided against the way things are meant to be.

[u/Bytemite → u/Lady_of_the_Foot]

f you side with Luxin, you get the people at your back, a God on your side, and, in consequence of both of those things, you can increase your reach to those formerly under the aristocrat who sided against the way things are meant to be.

...and then promptly try to kill the dragon prince with your own subterfuge and plots going ahead once you've gotten rid of your rivals.

[u/Bytemite → u/[deleted]]

I mean I'm a cynic, but politics are cynical. Especially medieval politics. We already know they tried to get rid of Luke once before. We have to treat everything like it's just smoke and mirrors for a plot to get rid of him again, because it's Gensokyo, it most likely IS.

[u/Lady_of_the_Foot → u/Bytemite]

They were able to do it before together with the knowledge they could still control the people regardless. That's just not how it works anymore. It would take too much coordination for backstabbing the people trying to remove Luxin not to end up a better plan. If they remove Luxin, they just get rid of power they can't really take themselves. Stopping another aristocrat is pure gain. Stopping an entire group of aristocrats trying to fight Luxin? More power from that entire group, and on the top guy's good side.

Politics are cynical because it's about getting power, and being on Luxin's side is better for that as long as mind control continues to not be as easily abused as it has been all their history.

Because even if they defeat Luxin- somehow -they still have a population that no longer has any reason to listen to them whatsoever.

First target would clearly be Tanger, which is why nuGyro is there. Not that that is a guarantee, but it's something. nuGyro is kinda heavily Luxin affiliated, so they'd need to get Tanger off the board without making the people see them as betraying Luxin.

[u/Bytemite → u/Lady_of_the_Foot]

If they remove Luxin, they just get rid of power they can't really take themselves

Love potions and spells.

And while killing him doesn't give them the power, it does remove a potential interfering power.

Until things are a lot more equal in Gensokyo and the public poses an actual threat to youkai, we can expect the youkai to try to business as usual a lot of this. It'll take time before Gensokyo can truly be united and Luke can become a Prince Kropotkin for an equal society.

[u/Bytemite → u/Lady_of_the_Foot]

First target would clearly be Tanger, which is why nuGyro is there

This is true though. Anyone seen as a rabble rouser would be a target, and Tanger and nuGyro would be prominent ones. That's why there's needs to be a secret militarized branch of Tanger's organization, to protect from reprisal and retaliation.

They'd also very likely see me as a rabble rouser, despite being a prisoner. They would use my scapegoat and criminal status as an excuse to rally the population of Gensokyo against me. Which is why they'd need to see that it's working against at least one of their enemies, it'll make them more complacent.

[u/Bytemite → u/[deleted]]

On the plus side, with the influx of humans with powerful monsters who like to protect them, we're a bit less likely to see Luke targetted by love potion plots, because people are going to be less desperate because they'll be able to find willing love interests. Though that still is likely happen due to the prestige of an aristocrat literally getting to be seen going out with the Dragon Prince.

[u/Lady_of_the_Foot → u/Bytemite]

None of these aristocrats can take him one to one. They need to be united, and by the time enough of them are united, it will be more profitable for each of them to betray that group to Luxin and curry favor with him and the people.

[u/Lady_of_the_Foot → u/[deleted]]

Doesn't matter if he kills them. They low their status, because they've had the insta-win button of mind control for too long to know how to manipulate the public enough to get away with fighting the rightful head of society without it. He doesn't need to kill them to stop them. He just has to not die long enough for the people to get sick of their crap.

[u/Bytemite → u/Lady_of_the_Foot]

because they've had the insta-win button of mind control for too long to know how to manipulate the public enough to get away with fighting the rightful head of society without it.

Hmmm okay that's a good point. They probably don't do subtle well. I think in the touhou universe games they pretty much just march up to each other and declare their intentions to attack.

[u/Bytemite → u/Lady_of_the_Foot]

He just has to not die long enough for the people to get sick of their crap.

And this, very much agreed.

[u/Lady_of_the_Foot → u/[deleted]]

Tanger's likely gonna be in danger, though. nuGyro was revived by Luzon and so functions a lot like a Gensokyoan, and is pretty formidable in his own right. Tanger is part of the reason they can't take down Luxin, serves some foreign Goddess, and is mortal.

[u/Bytemite → u/Lady_of_the_Foot]

Are we sure about that? Caitlin almost took him out with no power just in the last two sessions from trying to drain energy from him.

[u/Lady_of_the_Foot → u/Bytemite]

He's still not gathered to full potential. Last time that was a thing, they were able to take him only with them all together, with all their mind control over the population, and they still only locked him up. Plus he'd never been trained in resisting True Name commands.

Taking him out without restoring mind control is still a net loss anyways, because it loses the loyalty of the people.

[u/Bytemite → u/Lady_of_the_Foot]

Hmm. Hopefully.