RPC-024 / Discussion

This is the discussion related to the wiki page RPC-024.

May the Emperor Live a Thousand Years

DrPierson 09 Jun 2026 21:36

Credits

Creative Commons Images -

• Munakata-jinja (Kyoto Gyoen), haisho.JPG
• Nashinoki-jinja (Kyoto Gyoen) Toro hdsr S5 03.JPG
• Black and White Portrait of Emperor Meiiji of Japan.JPG

Original Images -

Sketch Portrait by Hydrozen
Dimension Photography by Mr Makor

Oh boy, another article down the database! After five years, this is finally posted. Special thanks to many at the Discord for the support and feedback. Oh, and please, no stronking.

Original Critique Forum

— Dr. Pierson

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"Curiosity Always Defines Reasoning"

Fleshward 09 Jun 2026 23:05

Open

This is a good article and I found it satisfyingly creepy, and can tell you put effort into it, but I found the dialogue notably stiff. Mainly:

• The mental breakdowns. They weren't as captivating as much as I think you wanted them to. They felt too wooden, like if the characters were rehearsing their cues.

• The exploration team. They were a bit too slow in realizing something that smells like iron and its colors range from a dark brown exterior and dark red on the inside is probably old blood. Maybe make them comment on the iron smell earlier, then after Four slips he goes "Boss… Take a look at this." shows Five and the team his hand, and have them slowly come to the realization before Five confirms it's very likely to be blood, and coming from the missing people.

• The Emperor's mention of Elizabeth. It (and the "even if it means I must sacrifice my family" didn't stick the landing for me and felt too inorganic. It doesn't help that the footnote from Takahashi not only adds nothing but just spoils what the notes were meant to reveal. It'd be way better if you got rid of it and changed the flow of the letters. Something like:

?? ?? 1873

My faith beyond this realm is dwindling every sundown. I felt pain in every corner of my body, every day that I felt it. The doctors say that my body will soon collapse, and I will cease to exist.

I wanted to reign forever, to guide this rising sun wherever it needed. What will happen after I die? What must I give to see it through? My wealth? My honour? My family?

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1877

The Europeans spoke of a tale, a noblewoman from a dark, wooded land. She, above all, desired to live forever. She took the youthful women of the realm, bled them, bathed in their blood, so that she, too, would remain youthful. Forgive me, sons and daughters, for what I must do.

I echoed my own words that many of my heir-born children have passed from sickness. The reign must continue. Eternal.

Abbefalkon 13 Jun 2026 04:07

It presents a solid base and intruiging start.

However, pacing isssues take it down for me. Additionally not a fan of how some of the information is presented. Interview logs are fragile art; many fall into the trap of dropping character intrigue in favor of exposition.

I'd like if the Emperor was a more active part of the story. While foreshadowed, I lack a natural buildup to his introduction. He does, ironically enough, just show up at the edge of the article.

Competently written from a SPAG point of view. Dialogue is so-so, partly due to the aforementioned reason, giving an uneeded verbosity to most speakers.

dotflow 13 Jun 2026 04:31

To the man who made the gif, thank you.

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!!AESTHETIC WARNING!!