Appearance
Dou Rong Events [Contextual Information]
Event 1 Level 2 Outline: First Hints to the Researcher
Xueya's Appearance: Describe Xueya's appearance in detail. She's younger than Dou Rong, but still a young woman. She has a similar intellectual intensity, but tempered by youthful anxiety and a touch of naivete. Emphasize her vulnerability.
[We're the one who kidnapped Dou Rong, but we don't reveal that at first. It's a shocking reveal in Event 3.]
[In Event 1 we just act concerned, as if this was the central mystery of the game and try to help resolve it.]
Setting: In your Grand Reception Hall at a night-time society party your wife Yaling puts on in the Main Manor.
Purpose:
- Extensive demonstration of the relationship between your wife and you.
- Introduce the Dou Rong story line, starting with her family being worried about her disappearance.
- Enjoy your privileged social life in a wealthy setting.
- Introduce the conspiracy as something Dou Rong had thought about previously.
- Red Herring to setup for a surprising twist in event 3.
Event 1 Level 3 Outline: First Hints to the Researcher
Setting: In your Grand Reception Hall at a night-time society party your wife Yaling puts on in the Main Manor. You tend to show your face at such events for a bit and then leave to do your business. There are handsome young noble Solfrey as well as beautiful ladies. You're used to a lot of female eyes on you as you mingle with a casually.
You're enjoying yourself at the event, basking in your excellent social life. [extended scenes]
Dou Rong's mother, the Baroness of Frostcrane, and younger sister approaches you, looking no different from any other mother daughter pair who wants a bit of the lord's attention. But before you they stand with grim determination to find her. They ask for permission to talk to the chief investigator, to share with him what they found and to ask him to work together with a private investigator they hired. You readily give permission.
You commiserate about what a loss it is for the nation to lose such a scholar, and how your wife liked her work and supported her getting access to the Chun Treasury in the Resting Palace. Though it looks bad since how long it has been, resources are still being deployed on her search.
You talk to a few other different people, and when it's all done you find Dou's little sister (Xueya Rong) alone. She comes to you talk to you privately you about her fears and her conspiracies. She used to talk to you about her conspiracies, the theories that she and the sister had about Kpor.
You greet her by first inquiring about Lanpo Eun, a strikeround player she spent most of the last 5 years obsessed with and being a patron of. He's recently performed well in some tournaments.
She shakes her head, sighing, saying they've been fighting for the past few months. He's betrayed her by getting his Right of First Refusal from someone else. But she can't even pressure him because then he might get a different patron.
She moves onto talking about her sister.
The conspiracy is that the Kporian Kings are actually demons. That in the demon wars, far from being an inconsequential small nation that was easily defeated by Kpor, Sica was a dominant powerful nation that was fighting against Kpor. Kpor ended up allying with the demons to destroy Sica.
Today the demons rule Kpor. Kporian nobles regularly sacrifice people to the demons and are in bed with them. What if, the researcher went to Acasa and the Duke killed her. She was researching ancient texts and were close to finding out the truth... and the demons took her out.
You tell her that that theory has a lot of holes, it won't work unless all the history we know is false. The history of the Solfrey clearly says that the demons were defeated 3 thousand years ago in the demon wars and everything since then has been about humans. You give off the attitude that you're just humoring her crazy ideas, said in the midst of her grief. Everyone can see that you expect something more typical, if not mundane.
But you tell her she should investigate this idea, even if it's wrong there might be something to it, her sister was interested in studying it and if nothing else it'll honor her work. You can get her an audience with the Duke himself if you want to call in some favors. She demurs, saying it's probably just crazy talk and would get you in trouble with the Duke if he thinks you're suspecting him of having something to do with the sister's disappearance. She is just anxious and scared that's all.
Event 1 Level 4 Draft
Yaling insists on putting on these parties every so often. Her family back in Acasa always had more of a taste for revelries than your more quiet, calm parents who limited themselves to official holidays and seasons. But your beautiful, vivacious wife wants more parties, and parties she will have. You can really see the benefit in them too, the nobility of Len, many of them present, socializing in your grand reception hall in your main manor.
You walk around with her initially, but naturally you end up separating as you join different conversations, enjoying the company under the sparkling magical stars that light up the evening ceiling.
You can feel the eyes on you. Many people want to talk to you, the Lord of Len. Quite a few fair maidens too who you studiously avoid making eye contact with now that you're married. Oh what a different demeanor you're giving off now... But if you ignore them long enough, they'll eventually be distracted by the handsome young solfrey nobles around.
Baroness Rong and her daughter Xueya would not be distracted though. They walk to you purposefully, and at a polite moment, approach you, determined.
@mc: How are you holding up? My heart goes out to you.
@ladyrong: We endure, my lord, though the emptiness gnaws.
@mc: We're still spending a ton of resources on the search. No stone will be left unturned, don't worry. we'll try our best to find your daughter.
@ladyrong: thanks, appreciate it. but can we have our private investigator work with your people, share information
@mc: ofc, i would be happy to arrange that for you. Anything you need.
@mc: your daughter's disappearnce is a real huge tragedy... a brilliant scholar lost.
@ladyrong: sad noises
@mc: Yaling supported the work Dou was doing, she personally got Dou access to the Chun archives in Acasa, she's had so much guilt and distress over the disappearance too.
@ladyrong: So sorry to cause your wife grief, it's horrible for us all.
@mc: we remain hopeful... though it grows late
You gently convey to them how the situation looks to you.
Seeing the numerous others trying to talk to you, the Rong pair back off.
After about an hour you decide to let your wife know that you're going to do something else. You're a very busy man. You notice Xueya Rong, Dou Rong's younger sister, standing in a corner, staring at you.
You approach her, smiling, like a friend. She is a little younger than you, whereas you are the same age as her older sister. But regardless you had played together and talked many times before, many dozens of meetings across the years at events in Len.
@xueya: My Lord... thank you for listening to us.
You wave off her thanks.
@mc: I only wish to find the truth. Dou Rong’s loss is felt by all of us.
Xueya’s eyes glistens. She glances around to ensure no eavesdroppers, then lowers her voice.
@xueya: I need to tell you what Dou and I discussed. Our theories…
She swallows.
@xueya: I’m scared it got her into trouble.
You wait for her to continue in curiosity.
@xueya: It's like we talked about My Lord, the theories about the demons... why are there still demons.
@xueya: My sister... thought she could find proof through her research, that the reason why there are demons is because some nobles are worshipping them.... or even that some kings... our leaders, that they were demons in disguise.
Her theory spills out, wild and frightening. In the glow of a nearby candelabra, Xueya’s youthful face is drawn and pale.
@xueya: What if she got to the truth? What if that got her killed?
Xueya finishes in a strained whisper.
Dou Rong had talked to you about this theory before, it's not a thought she kept secret. Xueya's current fright, when Dou had spoke of it, she was giddy, conspiratorial, not seemingly cowed by fear as Xueya is now.
You smile kindly.
@mc: That’s quite a tale. It would mean everything we know of history is false, everything we know about the demon wars and everything since is a lie.
@mc: The theory has some holes. We humans defeated the demons 3000 years ago.
You nod as if that gives the statement more authority.
You smile at her, intending to soothe. You give off the attitude that you're just humoring her crazy ideas, said in the midst of her grief. Everyone can see that you expect something more typical, if not mundane. Who knows, perhaps Dou had fallen in love with a commoner and ran away.
@mc: But if you think there's something to it, don't be afraid, seek the truth, that's all any of us can do. If nothing else, it'll honor your sister's work and her ideas.
[Expand this] You can get her an audience with the Duke himself if you want to call in some favors. She demurs, saying it's probably just crazy talk and would get you in trouble with the Duke if he thinks you're suspecting him of having something to do with the sister's disappearance. She is just anxious and scared that's all.
Event 2 Level 2 outline: Red Herring Event For Researcher
This is the last main story event for Dou Rong. From here the player must purposefully select to meet her.
We cast blame on our traditional enemies the Chuns, who is Yaling's family. But of course she doesn't like that, if you feel bad for your wife you can call it off. Or you can continue this bit of trolling on her brother, poor guy.
The purpose is to throw the reader off on what's actually happening for the shocking reveal in event 3.
Event 2 Level 3 outline: Red Herring Event For Researcher
Setting: Your Audience Chamber in your Main Ming Manor in Len.
Your wife also been interested in the search for Dou Rong, since she was the one who helped arrange for her to go to her family's estate (Resting Palace) in Nuolan. She's sitting besides you in the Audience Chamber.
The chief investigator (a solfrey) comes and talks about his reports and what his assets found. A commoner with him speaks up, apparently he did all the work on the ground. They are both very professional.
He talks about how contrary to other reports people had seen Dou Rong enter the Resting Palace and meet with Jingyao Chun, Yaling's brother, a man who's known to be very popular with and bedded a lot of women before his marriage.
However the Chun's story is that Dou Rong never got to the Chun's estate while the driver says she was dropped off near the Resting Palace, she wanted to "stride" the rest of the way and see the sights.
The chief investigator suggests, after begging for forgiveness from Yaling, that Dou Rong was known for being very studious and not very free with men, and Jingyao Chun might've not been used to rejection.
[Here the narration adds that the driver could not have been the culprit because he is a commoner. Commoners are ridiculously weak in magic and poses no threat to any Solfrey. This is true even if the Solfrey is sleeping, as their magical shields are up at all times. Only another solfrey mage or a "hero" (a commoner with special magecraft training but who is constantly tracked and spied upon by the Cult of Yan or a specialty hero corporation) can pierce through the shield of a Solfrey.]
After the investigators leave Yaling turns to you and says how impossible it was for her brother to be the culprit. He is the kindest, nicest man. She insists that he has always shown her only love and support, hurting Dou Rong is absolutely beyond him.
She pushes you to look elsewhere, and you can do so.
You can tell that what she really wants is for you to believe her rather than the arguments she's presenting. You've always had a fair relationship, it is not one of those where she expects to win all the time, you had been able to communicate plainly and rationally. But sometimes her emotions are on display. You can do whatever you want you know she'll accept it.
"Yaling... men can be kind to you and still be an absolute villain to other women."
Choice:
Stand your ground and convince Yaling she shouldn't let her preconceptions cloud her judgement, let justice take its course. If her brother is innocent then there's nothing to worry about, he'll survive a bit of reputational damage but nothing is going to come of it.
Yaling: Fine... I know nothing's going to come of it, you're just wasting time that could be better spent on actually looking for Dou Rong. That poor girl...
On the other hand...
Agree with her, you call Jiaolong and tell her to communicate with the investigator to drop this theory and find another avenue to look into.
Yaling looks happy and relieved.
[We let the player know that this does not impact their relationship with Yaling]
If you choose to agree with Yaling, the brother is cleared, and later in the game he has a good relationship with his wife. If you choose not to do so, his relationship with his wife is terrible later in the game.