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Lightblade Since: Jan, 2001
#1726: Oct 3rd 2014 at 3:54:58 PM

Well, it won't let her swim, but she probably can't drown, so I guess she could walk across the bottom to get around, but that wouldn't let her reach boats, so... floaties? Inner tube?

I now have an image in my head of Murasa using her anchor as a grappling hook to pull boats into the water with.

joergenjetsam from The city of constant rain Since: Dec, 2012 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
#1727: Oct 3rd 2014 at 3:55:59 PM

[up]So... Nautilus from League of Legends?

Conception is sin Birth is pain Life is toil Death is inevitable
Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#1728: Oct 3rd 2014 at 10:16:49 PM

I must be pretty stupid, because I just now realized the symbolism of a ship ghost being attached to an anchor.

Honestly, there's not much to say. There's an anchor. There's a chain, but only so much slack. There's something at the top, but it wants to drift away. It's loose, floaty, and valuable. The currents are trying to take it away, but it's much too valuable for that. Thus the anchor.

It's heavy. There's nothing at the bottom. It's dark. It's cold, and wet, and it's lonely. Once you're there there's no escape. But in a way it's also comforting. As long as the anchor sits alone in the darkness, the ship will never drift away. There is a purpose, a meaning hidden away in the dark. But it's mostly just cold.

Murasa is, of course, chained to the anchor. Take the darkness away and, well, that's scary. The ship will draft away.

That's all I have to say.

GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#1729: Oct 4th 2014 at 2:56:40 AM

Murasa will never again sink another ship honest......just let her have one mroe ship and she will be over it. tongue

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#1730: Oct 4th 2014 at 10:04:54 PM

[up] Oh, and capsizing doesn't count, does it? I mean, the ship's still usable, you just gotta flip it.

[up][up] Imagine how different her character would be if she flung life preservers for her projectile attacks.

I now have an image in my head of Murasa using her anchor as a grappling hook to pull boats into the water with.

Oooh, or many anchors collected from all the wrecks she's caused. One moment you're sailing along, then there's this tremendous series of splashes as a dozen corroded, kelp-wrapped anchors burst from the water, then the crash as they sink into your ship's hull like claws, and suddenly you're underwater. Or floating in a field of debris because your boat was torn apart in a single sudden attack.

edited 4th Oct '14 10:05:15 PM by Tacitus

Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#1731: Oct 6th 2014 at 11:00:14 PM

I'm having trouble reconciling Murasa's history with her supposedly cheerful, conversational personality.

I think of a ship ghost, I imagine someone who spends a lot of time sitting in dark at the bottom of the ocean, waiting for prey to pass above, with nothing for company until then but the remains of previous victims. Not the sort of scenario that develops good conversation skills, or makes one bright and cheerful. It'd be easy to characterize Murasa as Soggy Mokou.

But somehow, she isn't. She still kills people, but she's charming about it, and good company as you go down. So where did that come from? Is this part of Murasa's pre-youkai existence that has survived her death and however many years spent hunting humans, or sitting alone in the crushing dark? Or did she rediscover these skills through contact with Byakuren's followers? Or did she pass her time waiting for the next attack by chatting with the bones of those she drowned previously, perfecting her conversational skills by having one-sided talks?

Oh, wait, that's right. "Drowning humans in water lets her create companions." Hmm.

We haven't seen any lesser ship ghosts in Gensokyo, which isn't to say there aren't any. But that would explain things, wouldn't it? Being able to hold actual conversations with your undead spawn, building yourself a surrogate family at the bottom of the sea. Or maybe it should be considered a crew?

And I guess this might prove Murasa's innocence when it comes to murder - since we haven't seen her spawn around, it suggests she hasn't succeeded in killing anyone. Just frightened or mostly drowned them.

Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#1732: Oct 6th 2014 at 11:04:48 PM

Ghosts aren't alive. They don't have life experiences. They're fundamentally stuck in a very inhuman way. Mokou is special because she's merely human, and you'll note that she's the only ancient character who's had any problems with her immortality. It's something that the human psyche isn't prepared to deal with, but most characters aren't human. Such as Murasa.

Diamite Rainy Echoes Since: Jul, 2013
Rainy Echoes
#1733: Oct 7th 2014 at 2:09:57 AM

Maybe Murasa's a sailor girl. Or she loved luxury cruise liners because she greatly admired her parents' line of work. Cool-looking ships, good hospitality to the passengers. Working out at sea, making sure everyone has a nice trip. Yeah, it was her calling.

Then the ship she was working on capsized. Filled with lingering regret, she became a vengeful spirit. Now, why was she cheerful while drowning people later on? She may have been a tad insane. Kinda like Brook.

Of course, meeting Byakuren restored her sanity, if she had lost it in the first place.

edited 7th Oct '14 5:38:52 PM by Diamite

Lightblade Since: Jan, 2001
#1734: Oct 7th 2014 at 7:16:52 PM

There's one thing about her habit of conversing with the owners of the ships she's flooding that confuses me. Why would a ship captain want to have a casual conversation with the being that's trying to sink it and kill everyone aboard? If I were in that situation, I'd be trying to do everything in my power to stop her.

And while I was looking at her Symposium entry to do some fact-checking, I came across this tidbit;

However, despite being a ship phantom, she can still empathize with humans because of her connection to the Myouren Temple. It is believed that she has changed from listening to the stories of many other humans there. Nowadays, she puts thought into choosing her drowning victims.

It makes me wonder what she looks for in a victim. Is she some kind of vigilante or something?

Antimatter625 Baring hearts for years from my secret place Since: Jan, 2012
Baring hearts for years
#1735: Oct 8th 2014 at 5:52:00 PM

I think it's just her way to coping with her drownaholism. If she's gotta kill people, she owes to to others and Byakuren especially to make sure they're at least people who ought to die, right?

Why would a ship captain want to have a casual conversation with the being that's trying to sink it and kill everyone aboard? If I were in that situation, I'd be trying to do everything in my power to stop her.

Turns out "everything in your power" might not be like... anything at all.

It's also possible its part of the attack. She just strikes up a light conversation, and while the captain is distracted, just pours a wee bit of water into the boat. Then by the time he even notices, the boat's screwed.

edited 8th Oct '14 5:55:44 PM by Antimatter625

I write some fanfiction. Satori's Tale is done... but I'm not.
Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#1736: Oct 8th 2014 at 9:47:41 PM

And I mean, what else are you gonna do while you wait for your ship to finish sinking? Die with dignity, have a pleasant conversation in the meantime.

Ghosts aren't alive. They don't have life experiences. They're fundamentally stuck in a very inhuman way.

Maybe, but as Lightblade brings up, Murasa has changed. Somewhat. Granted, not enough to stop drowning people, but she's a-wigglin' within the bounds of her nature.

Makes me wonder what Byakuren is capable of. She unbound Murasa from a shipwreck and made her captain of a flying ship - did that "redefine" who Murasa was and could be? Is that the monk's ultimate goal, taking a supernatural predator and giving her a new role to play? Sorta like the theory that Remilia changed Sakuya's fate with a new name.

Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#1737: Oct 8th 2014 at 10:06:53 PM

Yes, that is the monk's ultimate goal. To turn youkai into things that don't need human belief to exist.

Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#1738: Oct 9th 2014 at 10:29:06 PM

And it's really just as easy as a new job? Huh. Guess we know why the flying boat is back as of HM.

Nah, can't be that easy. Remilia's presumably working her fate shenanigans into renaming Sakuya, and Byakuren had to get a deity's intervention to turn Shou from a not-tiger into an avatar. Though Mystia seems to have settled down since starting a food cart, and Kyouko's sustaining herself as a novice/sweeper, so...

So wait, if Kyouko was able to redefine herself, and abandoned being an echo to join a temple, why did Murasa decide to return to attacking people after losing her ship? Presumably she could've followed the yamabiko's example, or Mystia's. Is she basically evil? Even if she has changed somewhat from her contact with the temple crew?

Maybe this is a youkai vs ghost situation, like the former have more leeway in choosing their destinies. Youkai incarnate certain fears or superstitions, but Murasa is fundamentally a being of jealous aggression towards humanity.

Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#1739: Oct 9th 2014 at 11:28:35 PM

No, it's not that easy. Byakuren is implied to be failing. Kyouko is also having some problems adjusting (thus Punk Rock).

edited 9th Oct '14 11:29:13 PM by Clarste

Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#1740: Oct 10th 2014 at 10:27:35 PM

Maybe "obvious" should have been the word choice instead of "easy." Like the road to change is as simple as picking a new career, but getting a youkai (or ghost) to stick to it may be difficult.

Let's call this a picdive. I'm annoyed that creepy, ghostly Murasa pics are rated much lower than beach party fanservice Murasa pics.



DJ of the ship of the dead
Pipe, tat
And eyepatch, perfect
The gang ruins more fine art
All of the speed
Dominant
Intrepid
Saucy
Ohhh, so she can make watery clones of herself to fight with
Temple ensemble
With a special guest from "Funa Benkei"
Watercolor?
Wacky sky adventures
Ready for the trip to Rath
Looks like they got Rika to help refit it
The Nagato
See a lot of these two
Have to say, they don't look drastically different as dudes
On the left
I prefer the one on the right
On the far left
...Zero?
Ready to command!
Ready for duty!
Check out those medals, by the way
The rare black uniform
The coolest of chairs
Something about the red cape
Shark my anchor
Or be literal about it
By the light of the moon
There must've been some magic in that captain's hat they found
That's a rapeface
Just when you thought it was safe to ferry the souls of the dead
A slightly foggy apparition
Don't bother her crew
And her watery friends
Green to the gills
Feelin' blue
'ell, chum
It's late at night, you can't sleep, go out on deck, look down into the water, see this
The hands resist her
Going down
Bubbles and brine
Something to startle a submersible crew
Quite a collection
Nice view
And that's how it's done
Good scenery, but...
Rapture of the deep
A former woman in white?
Backstory picture
A moment for reflection
Gorgeous until you notice the buildings are sinking
Stylish but soggy
Time to start quoting Ahab
Captain's cove
Death metal scream
Holy crap there's so much going on
She is boss
Trouble brewing
Rocket powered rubber dingy
Looks like a job for Aquawoman
Not much of a talker after all
Now I know what you're thinking: "You can't serve soup with a bottomless ladle!" Well, my friend, you did not know Captain Minamitsu Murasa.
The burden of leadership

edited 10th Oct '14 10:27:48 PM by Tacitus

Diamite Rainy Echoes Since: Jul, 2013
Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#1742: Oct 11th 2014 at 10:29:36 PM

Some good 'uns. "Spirited Travel" sounds very "Bad Apple!!"-ish, and the samples for "Captain of Time" could be better but it's a neat arrangement of three great themes. And oooh, TAM...

On a less musical note, now would probably be a good time for any last minute Murasa thoughts before Yuki and Mai show up sometime tomorrow.

Diamite Rainy Echoes Since: Jul, 2013
Rainy Echoes
#1743: Oct 12th 2014 at 8:16:09 AM

A different take on how Byakuren recruited Murasa.

Byakuren wanted Murasa to come with her, but she didn't feel like joining. After all, she was the captain of her ghastly crew. But then Murasa had a great idea.

She would join Byakuren's cause, if she beat her and her crew in a battle. A contest of strength, of you will. And those ghosts weren't pushovers, with endgame stats that make the final chapter of a game look like cakewalk.

In the end, Byakuren beat her, and a promise is a promise. Her crew was kinda sad that she was leaving, so they decided to have one last bout with her before she started her new life. This gallery of ghouls who shared the same oceanic end like her. How could Murasa pass on something like that?

And so, after a bout filled with laughter and tears, Murasa joined Byakuren's cause.

...No, this is definitely not reminiscent of the hardest bonus map outside of DLC in this game. Not at all.tongue

edited 12th Oct '14 8:16:47 AM by Diamite

Lightblade Since: Jan, 2001
#1744: Oct 12th 2014 at 12:06:13 PM

I think I'll take this opportunity to say how much I like this Murasa theme remix.

edited 12th Oct '14 12:06:24 PM by Lightblade

Tacitus Since: Jan, 2001
#1745: Oct 12th 2014 at 8:25:19 PM

That's what was missing for this Murasa conversation. I knew something felt off...

After this next topic we'll be discussing the human village, Kanako, aaaand Remilia Scarlet! But first, from Stage Four of Mystic Square...



Black Witch and White Witch
Yuki and Mai

Appearances:

Stage: In the Frozen World ~ Ice Dream
BGM: "Maple Wise"*


Themes: "Forbidden Magic"* (shared), "Crimson Maiden ~ Crimson Dead!!"* (Yuki), "Treacherous Maiden ~ Judas Kiss"* (Mai)

Write-up:
Two witches of Makai with complementary elemental powers and personalities. Yuki is the fire-flinging spitfire, Mai is the ice-wielding quiet type. They fight the protagonist together over the icy fields of Makai, and if Mai is the first to drop, Yuki redoubles her efforts to avenge her friend. While if Yuki falls first... well, in the Divine Comedy, frozen Cocytus was the lowest level of Hell, reserved for traitors.

Relations

  • each other (friend, "friend")
  • Shinki (goddess, creator?)
  • Other Mystic Square characters (neighbors, siblings?)
  • Makai route Highly Responsive to Prayers characters (???)

Alternate Character Interpretations:

"Blazing Tundra"
by Diamite

"Two of Three"
by Tacitus

See also the first two compendiums.

edited 22nd Oct '14 8:01:40 PM by Tacitus

Otherarrow Since: Jul, 2010
#1746: Oct 13th 2014 at 7:26:44 AM

As our heroines make their poorly justified rampage of Makai, they come across a frozen land guarded by two witches, Yuki and Mai.

Guarding the way to Pandemonium, the two engage our chosen heroine with battle, with the hot blooded Yuki attacking with fire, and the cool Mai with ice. Once one is felled however, well...

Yuki will become enraged by the defeat of her dear friend and will step up her game to avenge her!

Mai, on the other hand, will praise the heroine and claims that Yuki was only holding her back and without her, Mai can easily deal with the heroine!

(Yuki is the stronger solo fighter, incidentally).

So yeah. Yuki is hot blooded and passionate, while Mai is a cold hearted Judas.

I wonder if Yuki is aware of her comrade's duplicity?

edited 13th Oct '14 7:27:21 AM by Otherarrow

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Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#1747: Oct 13th 2014 at 7:45:12 AM

I don't know whether it really is treachery towards a friend or whether she's trying to psyche out her opponent.

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
Otherarrow Since: Jul, 2010
#1748: Oct 13th 2014 at 8:06:24 AM

Probably both. If I recall, she gets a really smarmy look too, like, she is glad to finally drop the sweet and quiet act now that Yuki brat is gone.

Don't PM me. We don't like being PMed.
Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#1749: Oct 13th 2014 at 8:45:47 AM

That might also be part of the ruse.

You're not going to sell the 'I'm more dangerous now because that chump was chumping me back with her chumpity' if you say it while crying or looking furious.

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
Otherarrow Since: Jul, 2010
#1750: Oct 13th 2014 at 8:58:40 AM

I dunno, I think purposely setting yourself off like a ungrateful backstabber will make the shrinemagicghostflower more motivated to shoot you in the face. For once it will be justified!

Also, her theme kinda gives it away.

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