#lonely reflection

[dreamblightillustrations]

Click on the link to see the process of me creating the picture below!

[ministerofwu]

What to do with life after death was one of the more difficult questions he’d never expected he’d need to answer. As far as he’d always known, spirits were to be respected, but avoided. When he’d first arrived, survival was the primary concern. Survive the demons. Survive the new alliances. Survive forgotten relationships.

And he did. No. He did not just survive, he thrived. He had carved himself a holding at He Fei castle, and mostly extricated himself from the politics of Wu. Few bothered him, and even the demons had retreated from poking at his holdings ever since Kyūbi had been locked back in the mirror. With Da Ji back in the shadows and Orochi doing whatever he did between cataclysmic incarnations, Boyan had time to breath. He could focus on his own goals. But what were they?

His Grand Strategy had always been determined for him by Zhongmou, and Strategy was usually discussed in committee. From there, he would define operational objectives and tactical movements in his forces. But, now he had somewhat separated himself from Wu’s Grand Strategy. And was no longer in the council to define the military strategy. It was foolish to consider himself his own ruler, but the thought did dance through his head.

But, he was again thinking on war, likely a residual of the reasons of this place. Could he think of something else? With that challenge in mind, he put brush to scroll.

Apologize to Lady Sun Shang Xiang for my roles against her husband.

Amend my ties with Sun Zhongmou.

Challenge Lord Sun Bofu to a mock battle of Lujiang Commandery.

Host a successful grand ball that fills the terraces of He Fei without colors or affiliations, only merriment and masks.

Discern a manner in which to industrialize He Fei to move away from farming and into production similar to what the Japanese have introduced.

Continue to develop new acquaintances and relationships with those brought to this realm outside of the familiar lands of Former Han.

TREBUCHET

Study Clausewitz, Machiavelli (satire?), Renatus, Xenophon

Climb a waterfall.

Jump a waterfall.

Learn weaponless combat

Shoot a rifle and hit a target that would be an extreme archery challenge

Steal wine from each nation and have a semi-blind tasting.

Revisit this list to add more

[ministerofwu]

The soldiers in his command now were difficult for the Minister to empathize with. In his previous life, the soldiers under his command were filled a wide variety of motivations: families to return to, honor to gain, treasures to plunder, fears and superstitions to spread, needs to fill and wants to attain. The ones he commanded in this demon realm were different. They wanted only to survive and battle. Each wore similar raiment. And between the hundreds of soldiers, he was unnerved to find there was only seven or eight body and face types among them.

It was unsettling.

They looked and talked like Han militia. They did not act the part very well. Their obedience left little to be desired, but in that came a curiosity to its source. Why were they obedient to him? What might cause it to break? Sure, thoughts that the soldiers in his command were just constructs of the realm, a creation of Orochi to set an appropriate theme for his unending wars kept him up some nights as he laid in bed some nights and the soothing of wine faded from his mind. He was almost certain they weren't human at all.

Not knowing was not acceptable, so today he dressed in their raiment, bound his short hair up, and took up a staff to join them in their routine practices and formations. It was a rough day. They didn't call him out as being their Minister... though he couldn't tell if that was because their lack of awareness or some misplaced respect.