History Webcomic / BeneathTheClouds

''[[http://www.beneaththecloudscomic.com Beneath the Clouds]]'' is a completed {{webcomic}} set in [[JidaiGeki Heian Japan]]. It is part of the ''Website/SpiderForest'' webcomic collective and adapted and drawn by the artist of ''Webcomic/{{Sunbird}}''.

''[[http://www.beneaththecloudscomic.com Beneath the Clouds]]'' is a {{webcomic}} set in [[JidaiGeki Heian Japan]]. It is part of the Webcomic/SpiderForest webcomic collective

Beneath The Clouds updates Mondays and Wednesdays. The first page can be found [[http://www.beneaththecloudscomic.com/?comic_id=0 here]] and the author's website [[http://carolineparkinson.co.uk here]].

As of July 2019 a [[VisualNovel Visual Novel]] ''[[https://carolinebtclouds.itch.io/the-long-rains The Long Rains]]'' based in the same world, can be downloaded for free at itch.io.

* OverprotectiveDad: Genza rebuffs Juro's attempts to court Masako because he wants his daughter to have a comfortable life in the city, even though Juro saved their lives, and Genza admits that he's a good man. To be fair, Juro's province is at war.

* IllBoy: The Heian Emperor.

* DeadlyDecadentCourt: The Heian Imperial Court.

''[[http://beneaththecloudscomic.smackjeeves.com Beneath the Clouds ]]'' is a {{webcomic}} set in [[JidaiGeki Heian Japan]]. It is part of the Webcomic/SpiderForest webcomic collective

As of July 2019 a [[VisualNovel Visual Novel]] ''[[https://carolinebtclouds.itch.io/the-long-rains The Long Rains ]]'' based in the same world, can be downloaded for free at itch.io.

* ShoutOut: One of the court ladies remarks [[VideoGame/BioShock1 "Is there someone new?" ]] and various characters from [[StudioGhibli Studio Ghibli]] films appear in the backgrouds of city scenes,

''[[http://beneaththecloudscomic.smackjeeves.com Beneath The Clouds ]]'' is a {{webcomic}} set in [[JidaiGeki Heian Japan]]. It is part of the Webcomic/SpiderForest webcomic collective

* Expy: The character designs for Juro and Eiji are younger versions of Tajoumaru and The Dead Samurai from [[Film/Rashomon Rashomon by Akira Kurosawa]].

* Expy: The character designs for Juro and Eiji are younger versions of Tajoumaru and The Dead Samurai from Rashomon.

* Expy: The character designs for Juro and Eiji are younger versions of Tajoumaru and The Dead Samurai from [[Rashomon]].

* Expy: The character designs for Juro and Eiji are younger versions of Tajoumaru and The Dead Samurai from [[Film/Rashomon]].

* Expy: The character designs for Juro and Eiji are younger versions of Tajoumaru and The Dead Samurai from Film/Rashomon.

* FantasyGunControl: Averted, as the Satake clan have discovered Chinese gunpowder, but can't figure out how to use it without blowing themselves up. They decide to offer it to the Emperor in exchange for support against their rivals, the Kiyohara.

* Main.IllBoy: The Heian Emperor.

* Creator.SunTzu: Juro quotes the book occasionally, for example when giving Masako helpful tips to prepare for the Emperor's exorcism ceremony. It doesn't impress her:

* TheNiceGuy: Juro.

* AnAstralProjectionNotAGhost: The evil spirit possessing the Emperor is an ikiryo, the spirit of a living person.

* ComingOfAge: Masako starts out as a rather naive teenager unsure of her place in the world.

* HolierThanThou: The ikiryo accuses Genza of being a "hypocritical priest". To be fair, it has a point.

* Miko: Masako dresses like one.

* OverprotectiveDad: Genza rebuffs Juro's attempts to court Masako because Genza wants his daughter to have a comfortable life in the city, even though Juro saved their lives, and Genza admits that he's a good man. To be fair, Juro's province is at war...

* RedemptionQuest: Genza was a rich courtier before he was exiled. He is offered the chance to redeem himself by curing the sick Emperor.
* RedemptionEqualsDeath:[[spoiler: Genza's bitterness and resentment created a living spirit to torment the Emperor who exiled him. He sacrifices himself to exorcise the spirit. It is implied that Genza's sacrifice redeemed him, and he's reunited with his late wife in the afterlife.]]

* RichSuitorPoorSuitor: The wealthy courtier Nobutaka and the provincial warrior Juro are both interested in Masako. Subverted in that while Juro is poor by court standards, he's still a lord's son.
* RoadTripPlot
* SarcasticDevotee: Eiji

* TheArtOfWarSunTzu: Juro gives Masako helpful tips to prepare for the Emerpro's exorcism ceremony by quoting from the book. It doesn't impress her:

-->Nobutaka: "Let me guess, the Hitachi clan's losing the latest turf war?...Ladies and gentlemen - another rustic begging for an audience with the Emperor! You haven't figured it out yet? If the warrior clans unite you're a threat! The Emperor wants you to fight each other! It's what you do! It weeds out the feeble! We'll employ whoever wins! Give up and go home!

* TurnTheOtherCheek: Genza agrees to try to save the Emperor who sent him into exile. However he does admit to himself that he'd like to refuse "just to see the look in his eyes", before admitting the thought isn't worthy of him as a monk.

* DownerEnding: The ending of Chapter Nine.[[spoiler: The exorcism ceremony fails. Masako is forced to banish the living spirit of her father, killing him. The Emperor is dead and fires are ravaging the city. Juro and Eiji are a lauging stock at court and have no choice but to return to Hitachi with nothing to help their family's fight against the Kiyohara.They also have no iea what happenned to Masako,and Juro has searched for her for weeks.

As of July 2019 a [[VisualNovel Visual Novel]] ''[[https://carolinebtclouds.itch.io/the-long-rains The Long Rains ]]'' based in the same world, can be downloaded for free at itch.io

* Shoutout: One of the court ladies remarks [[BioShock1 "Is there someone new?" ]] and various characters from [[StudioGhibli Studio Ghibli]] films appear in the backgrouds of city scenes,

-->Masako: "It's a religious ceremony!..."

* TheNiceGuy: Juro
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Nobutaka gives Juro a fairly epic one when he tries to get an appointment with the Emperor:

-->Masako:"It's a religious ceremony!..."
-->Juro:"Do you want to win or not?"

-->Nobutaka:"Let me guess, the Hitachi clan's losing the latest turf war?...Ladies and gentlemen - another rustic begging for an audience with the Emperor! You haven't figured it out yet? If the warrior clans unite you're a threat! The Emperor wants you to fight each other! It's what you do! It weeds out the feeble! We'll employ whoever wins! Give up and go home!

* AllMonksKnowKungFu: Subverted.

* CountryMouse: Juro and Masako at court.

* DeathIsTheOnlyOption: [[spoiler:The Ikiryo is Genza's living spirit and he will die when it is exorcised ]].

-->Follow that palanquin!

* HolierThanThou: The ikiryp accuses Genza of being a "hypocritical priest".
* HonorBeforeReason: Played straight by Genza, who holds a funeral for murder victims even though this puts his companions, including his teenage daughter, at risk of bandit ambush. Subverted by Juro and Eiji, who ambush and shoot attackers from a distance rather than fighting them with swords.

* ISeeDeadPeople: The two main characters can see ghosts, but only during their exorcism rituals. However the ghosts can possess Masako during the ceremony, giving them the ability to interact with others.

* KillItWithFire: Masako attempts to kill an ikiryo with a lamp stand. It doesn't work.

* MilkingTheGiantCow: The court messenger Masahiro is quite fond of this. It ends badly for him.

* NaginatasAreFeminine: Juro teaches Masako to use a naginata because "if they can't get close to you, they can't hit you." She puts the training to good use against the ikiryo.

* OverprotectiveDad: Genza rebuffs Juro's attempts to court Masako because Genza wants his daughter to have a comfortable life in the city, even though Juro saved their lives, and Genza admits that he's a good man.To be fair, Juro's province is at war.

* RedemptionQuest: Genza was a rich courtier in his youth before he was exiled. He is offered the chance to redeem himself by curing the sick Emperor.

* SwordPointing: Masako does this at the end of the bandit attack. It impresses Juro, even though she doesn't know how to use it.
* TheArtOfWarSunTzu: Juro gives Masako helpful tips to perpare for the Emerpro's exorcism ceremony by quoting from the book. It doesn't impress her:
-->' '''Masako:'''It's a religious ceremony!...'''
-->' '''Juro:'''Do you want to win or not?'''

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Nobutaka gives Juro one when he tries to get an appointment with the Emperor: -->'''Nobutaka:'''Let me guess, the Hitachi clan's losing the latest turf war?[...]Ladies and gentleman- another rustic begging for an audience with the Emperor! You haven't figured it out yet? If the warrior clans unite you're a threat! The emperor wants you to fight each other! It's what you do! It weeds out the feeble! We'll employ whoever wins! Give up and go home!

As of July 2019 a [[VisualNovel Visual Novel]] ''[[https://carolinebtclouds.itch.io/the-long-rains The Long Rains ]]'' based in the same world, though featuring none of the comic characters, can be downloaded for free at itch.io

* RichBitch: The Heian courtiers, who entertain themselves by baiting provincial visitors and comment that a house fire doesn't matter because the property was probably owned by a peasant.

* Shoutout: One of the court ladies remarks [[Bioshock "Is there someone new?" ]] and various characters from Studio Ghibli films appear in the backgrouds of city scenes,
* SwordPointing: Masako does this at the end of the bandit attack. It impresses Juro and Eiji, even though she doesn't know how to use it.

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: Nobutaka gives Juro one when he tries to get an appointment with the Emperor :k-->'''Nobutaka:'''Let me guess, the Hitachi clan's losing the latest turf war?[...]Ladies and gentleman- another rustic begging for an audience with the Emperor! You haven't figured it out yet? If the warrior clans unite you're a threat! The emperor wants you to fight each other! It's what you do! It weeds out the feeble! We'll employ whoever wins! Give up and go home!