A Foothold on Oriab

Founding

With those meddlesome Cardinal Generals on their way back to Earth, Hashinara Yoshitakatomo was finally free to ponder this foothold in the Dreamlands. Her* loyal retainer, Hosokawa Gracia stood by her* right hand. On Yoshitakatomo's left, Carmilla, the madwoman she'd* found in this very land, gazed emptily into the middle distance.   There was much to do if the Hashinara Clan would establish a foothold here on the Isle of Oriab. This work Yoshitakatomo began in earnest. First, she* wove magic to speak to the ground itself, uncovering a few useful deposits of copper and ore. From the sheer rock cliffs of Mount Ngranek in the distance, it seemed stone would be no obstacle. Still, Yoshitakatomo had no desire to despoil the natural beauty of this land. Instead, she* ordered that the necessary resources would be brought through the portal. Around that gate between worlds, they would build a shrine to Omoikane to mirror Ise Grand Shrine on its other side.

To this decree, Gracia asked if Yoshitakatomo had an architect in mind. The Princess-Daimyō did not. Not yet. Instead, she* prophesied that one would surely arise from those who took on the pilgrimage to this new world. Reaching across the interminable distance between planes, Yoshitakatomo called upon Tōdaisen Nobuhara. Her* adviser was to make the people of the Hashinara Clan aware that new opportunities awaited them in the Dreamlands. Only the bravest need apply, however, as the creatures in this place were just as dangerous, if not more, than a rampaging oni. At the moment, they would note anyone who wanted to come through, and allow civilian access after the initial shrine was built.   Nobuhara noted these orders as was his duty. Before cutting the connection, he mentioned that the Silver Meteor Storm had an architect of note in reserve. Of course, the Aotsuki Clan boasted that mysterious "Master" who would have been perfect for such a task. Regrettably, the legend was already occupied with tasks for his home clan. Yoshitakatomo's original plan of awaiting the right individual would remain for now.   With such arrangements in place, Yoshitakatomo turned her* attentions to Carmilla. The pale woman in red had barely reacted except to give her opinion on a name for this new settlement: Queen's Landing. Technically, Yoshitakatomo was not a queen, but there were those who called her* such. It had stuck. Perhaps that simple suggestion, pulled from the depths of the maelstrom raging in Carmilla's soul, had some significance to her past. Yoshitakatomo intended to delve deeper.   Questions about the Dreamlands yielded not response. Nor did any mentions of Lake Yath, the Ruins of Tyrhhia, or even Baharna. Perhaps Carmilla truly was not from this realm at all. Eventually, Yoshitakatomo managed to tease a single name from the madwoman's lips: Yhtill.   Even with her* history of arcane studies, the name meant little. All that Yoshitakatomo could scrounge from her* memory was a brief mention in a treatise on the other planes. If it was another realm, perhaps it would be best to ask a summoner, an onmyōji, an expert. She* called upon the "twins" Hano Sadao and Hano Kansei. Fortunately, both were awake despite the late hour.   Taking turns speaking as was their wont, the two onmyōji mentally relayed what they knew of Yhtill. It was indeed an extraplanar city; the largest in the foreign world of Carcosa. Beyond that, there was little to say. Most onmyōji learned of other planes by conversing with the creatures summoned from thence. With Carcosa, this was not an option. The entire plane was desolate, as the most powerful of magicians had long-since confirmed. Not a single living being seemed to dwell there now, although ruins of some past civilization were greatly evident.   As a result, Carcosa was largely useless to onmyōji. What could a summoner do with a plane that boasted nothing to summon? They had largely neglected it in their training beyond a brief mention as a result. Still, Yoshitakatomo thanked them. It was a different realm of magic than that she* had studied, and their report had been invaluable in its own way. As the Princess-Daimyō stared into Carmilla's empty eyes, another piece of this strange puzzle slotted into place.