look at me, i'm the wound you tried to hide

[promittere]

ANDANTE ALLA WANING CRESCENT

Another day dawns for the Sage's wizards. It's been a month, now, since arriving in this world and being given a task nobody seems to fully understand—though after the jobs the Southern and Central wizards have taken on, it seems like it might just be possible after all.

And it seems like there's another task for the wizards, from the Eastern nation. However, unlike the other requests the Sage has been fielding, this task is far too big for five wizards alone. This is a task everyone will need to help tackle, whether they like it or not. Those that aren't particularly altruistic will still be whisked together by Tatara and Lazuli both, and they may still find the journey...illuminating. Answers to what happened to the original wizards may be just within reach.

Traveling via the elevator at the manor is familiar to some of you, at least, Lazuli setting a mana stone into the control not a surprise in a the slightest. The fact all of you can, somehow, fit in the elevator comfortably may be a surprise, but it's best not to dwell on it too much. You'll be staying at the City of Rain, Lazuli tells you with the air of someone reading you a court sentence, but you've been tasked with clearing up the site of some sort of disaster. He doesn't have much information beyond that—a fact that seems to greatly annoy him—and he warns you not to break any of the City of Rain's laws well before you're out of the elevator.

Which that shouldn't be too difficult, right? Right...?

Perhaps not, as the rules of the city are extreme. There are certain areas which forbid socialization and talking entirely, some areas where only talking to strangers is forbidden, only a handful of businesses allow chatter of any sort, and the list goes on. The most pressing law of all, though, is very simple: no use of any sort of magic within city limits. Do your best to follow the rules because breaking them will result in an arrest, and do you really want Lazuli and Tatara bailing you out? With the rules laid out and lodging sorted, Lazuli ushers you to the site you're tasked with dealing with. You will have downtime to explore the city, though, as it's expected to take several days to clear things up.

The site is a terrible, terrible mess. In what must have once been a peaceful patch of wilderness, there now sits a terrible gouge in the earth, several meters deep and twice as wide across, hollowed by what must have been a powerful force. The dirt is gray and sandy, dead in the manner the Southern wizards will recognize. Plants on the edges of the crater are dry and withered and splintered and broken. Permeating the air is a lingering dread, one both Southern and Central wizards will immediately recognize...

But it is clear now, now that your magic is considerably stronger, that the spirits are agitated by the disturbance in the fabric of magic. Dark clouds hang low over the site, and low thunder rumbles in the constant threat of a storm that will never come. The spirits' agitation, coupled with the dread hanging in the air, will feel uncomfortable, and perhaps leave the more sensitive of the bunch feeling on edge. This is not something that can will resolve on its own, so your most important task is to calm the spirits. That means doing the things they like: playing music, dancing, praying, telling stories, wearing fanciful and whimsical clothes to soothe their temperaments.

Your second most important task is to clear out monsters. The unusual energy in the air is attractive to beasts magical in nature—they slink out of their hiding places in the deep wilderness to the area, and their presence is threatening the humans who regularly use the nearby routes for trade and to commute. Kill them, take their mana stones for yourself. Win-win.

The third task is general clean-up. Remove the dead plants from the earth, remove the broken trees and any natural debris that might prove to be a hindrance. Characters are more than welcome to search inside the crater for any hint or clue as to what might have caused this strange explosion, but they'll find the site picked clean, earth having fallen into cavities where there might have been larger objects present at one point...like someone was here to clear out any evidence.

JOB BOARD

Reinforcement. Peace in Granvelle Castle has been restored. A liveliness and energy has returned to the castle and the surrounding parts of the city that hasn't been seen in nearly a month. Thank your Central friends for their hard work!

Their issues aren't quite resolved, however. The castle is asking for help in creating and then reinforcing a magical barrier around the castle. The barrier is a bit bigger than what one wizard alone is capable of at this point, so band together to create and reinforce what parts you can. Perhaps it's not a bad idea to use your own hair or blood as a conduit.

The type of barrier is specific, however—they want one that masks magical signatures. If you step inside, you'll feel a faint, but powerful presence within... What are they guarding?

Recycling. The Eastern country is known for its expertise in all things mechanical, particularly when it comes to clockwork. While not as bombastic or flashy as Western technology, the use of magic and mana stones being deeply frowned upon and rejected, Eastern artisans can create truly fantastical things just with gears and cogs and a bit of know-how... But, of course, sometimes it's better to scrap something and create something new than let the old items waste away, so some Eastern craftsman have asked for help gathering clockwork automatons and other creations in order to melt it all back down. Some of them seem a bit nervous and harried, but it's an easy enough job to scrap automatons and cart junk around.

Monster hunting. The few settlements in the North have been sending in frantic request after frantic request. There has been a disturbing increase in monster activity in the North, and the native Northern wizards are as unreliable as ever. They need your help in thinning the numbers, and that's all they really ask for—you can keep all the mana stones you earn.

For those of you who haven't been to the North yet, the weather is harsh, no matter the season. Protection on oneself to survive the negative degrees is crucial; make sure your magic is up to snuff enough to keep yourself at least room temperature. And using your magic to battle on top of that? This isn't going to be an easy job, not at your level. Be cautious, and good luck.

Mana areas & amulets. You've been here for a month now, and living in an unfamiliar place, alongside unfamiliar people, using unfamiliar magic must be wearing you down. Isn't it? In that case, it's time for the last piece of your wizardhood puzzle: your mana area.

Mana areas are spots where wizards feel most at peace with themselves, most whole, and a place where they can refill on the emotional load they've been chipping away at for their magic. It can be a specific location, or a conditional circumstance. Find more detail on the magic page. Your task—given to you by your sage and your mentor—is to traverse the continent, find your mana area, and recharge your batteries, so to speak. While there, make an amulet to take back with you, like a portable battery.

WANDERER TASKS

Listen to the spirits.

You've been here long enough that it's time to see if you can actually communicate with the spirits who've laid claim on you and have been empowering your spells. Try your listen and see if you can hear what they have to say to you.

OOC Note: For those attempting this task, ping one of the mods and roll a dice! Based on the dice roll, your character will get a little tidbit from the spirits... Or they might not hear anything yet, but they can always dedicate themselves to their studies and try again after leveling up!

TATARA ACTIVITIES

Don't make promises.

If you've made a promise, don't break it.

If you break a promise, you'll lose your magic. And I don't know if I can help you anymore or send you home if that happens. I'm sorry this is so late. But please...be careful.

OOC NOTES

🌙 Welcome to your third event! Everyone's lasted a month, congratulations! Keep working on your magic, keep forging those bonds.
🌙 As your characters settle into the world, they might find themselves irresistibly drawn to crowds, to music, to dancing. It's hard to resist the allure of a gathering, and it's hard to keep yourself from swaying to music when it fills your ears, no matter what sort of person you used to be. You're changing...
🌙 As we enter the second month, we are announcing a deadline for finding your pairs. This will be Friday, June 14 at 11:59 PM EDT. Remember, you may submit a guess at any time, and there is no penalty for getting a guess wrong, so long as you have a thread to back up your guess and consent from your partner. The pair page is here.
🌙 Your OOC plotting post is here! Remember to keep all wider plotting on this post, as not everyone checks plurk or discord frequently.
🌙 Next up for missions is East. Let's hope they don't have to talk to anyone for this one.

» NAVIGATION

Comments

[dyingtohealyou]

Repairing the City of Rain

[Or the site, rather.

Ahito can be found hard at work at two of the three tasks provided: that is to say, you can find him either hunting down monsters or calming the spirits.]

A. Monsters

[He's got a few more tricks up his sleeves these days!

When no monsters are around, he can be found using a stick to trace a simple magic circle on the ground that releases the scent of fresh meat - intended, apparently, to draw the monsters in. And once they arrive...

He promptly casts a spell to raise the earth in a jagged spike, impaling them on the spot with a quick, brutal efficiency.

While he doesn't seem to take pride in the slaughter, he doesn't seem especially perturbed, either, collecting any magestones left behind like he were plucking eggs from a coop. Naturally, he resets the earth while he's at it, too.]

B. Calming the Spirits

[He sits with his eyes closed near the gouge. He's so quiet and peaceful in his meditation, he could almost be asleep.

...

Wait, he isn't really...?

Nope, as it turns out, because he cracks an eye open at the sound of approach.]

-Hey. Want to try swapping stories?

Jobs

[As with before, I'd prefer to try to make sure each job is accounted for, but if only one prompt sparks joy I'm totally fine with doubling up!]

C. Reinforcement

[While he raises an eyebrow at the explanation of the task, he remains politely neutral until the officials have left.]

Well... guess we should get started, right?

[There's clearly a burning question on his tongue, but he'll wait until the officials are more occupied before bringing it up.]

D. Recycling

It's like a whole city of Morags...

[He's observing the law, we swear - this is an area where it's permitted to talk to people you know, albeit no one else.]

Well, shall we find some scraps?

F. Mana Areas

[The job posed by Wanderer and Totsuka provides a great excuse to ditch the Eastern country for a time, because there's no way in hell he'll ever be comfortable in such a restrictive place.

For now, he's hanging around the manor, looking at the options for places to teleport.]

Maybe Western...? ...Leaves a bad taste in my mouth, though.

[Hrmm.]

Wildcard

[Hit me up on his plotting post and we can come up with an alternate prompt if desired!]

Reinforcement

[troublereduction]

[ Day likely has the same burning question on his mind too, but he nods and smiles politely at the officials and just watches until they turn to leave. ]

How about over there? [ He gestures to a spot a little ways off from where the officials are busying themselves, but still within the perimeter of where they've been asked to set up the barrier. ]

Re: Reinforcement

[dyingtohealyou]

You read my mind.

[Off they go, caaaaaaaasually strolling out of earshot.]

[troublereduction]

[ Casually out of earshot, and very pointedly making a gesture like they're working on the barrier, just in case someone happens to spot them. ]

So it sounds mighty suspicious, don't it?

[dyingtohealyou]

100%.

[Though he will begin studying the surroundings so they can get the job done.]

[troublereduction]

I'd say we could snoop around, but I don't think it's gonna be easy.

[ Because it wouldn't be, obviously. ]

[dyingtohealyou]

I wonder if there's much we can study before we finish up with the barrier.

From a safe distance, of course. You can feel the magic held inside too, right?

stories

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

Stories?

[Huh]

What kind of stories?

[dyingtohealyou]

Any kind of story! As long as it's interesting, of course.

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

I suppose I have several I could tell...

[Kiryu has no lack of them, truthfully. He has known so many people and their shenanigans he knows a lot of stories -- and that's without including his own]

One question: why do you want to trade stories?

[dyingtohealyou]

It should help calm the spirits. Unless you'd like to perform a dance for them instead?

[His tone indicates this would be a purely Kiryu thing, he ain't dancing.]

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

It wouldn't be the first time I must do some nonsense to appease someone.

[Oh hey, which brings up storytime! Let's begin]

I get roped into all kind of things, for some reason. I was just walking down the street trying not to call attention when someone calls to me and tells me they need me to impersonate a TV producer because the real one got pissy for some reason and left. They had me dress up and try to act as if I wasn't some random guy off the street.

[dyingtohealyou]

...

TV?

[Nani.]

calming the spirits

[fellheart]

[ he was probably just making an inspection of his own of the gouge in the earth, and hadn't really counted on talking to anyone tonight. it's curiosity and not concern that takes his footsteps closer to ahito, but at the address he's not so uncouth as to simply walk away again. ]

And what did you have in mind that would be suitable fare?

[dyingtohealyou]

As long as it's interesting, that should be good enough, right?

[Maybe. Probably.]

[fellheart]

Interesting, huh... Well, I suppose we could always dress a few stories up to be more appropriately dramatic.

[ he shifts his weight, visibly deliberating on whether he wants to stick around for this. well—

sure. why not. (there are so many reasons why not, but do they matter here?) ]

Since you suggested it, why don't you start?

[dyingtohealyou]

Sure. How about a tell you about a place in my hometown with a pretty horrible history?

[fellheart]

Ah, is that the kind of story we're going for? Very well then. Go ahead.

[ meanwhile, what kind of story is he going to tell when it's his turn... ]

[dyingtohealyou]

There's an old mansion in town that's a wreck due to damages from the war. Most people dismiss it as nothing more than a casualty of battle, but it actually held a terrible secret, hidden deep in the basement.

[This kid... definitely loves telling spooky stories, judging by the tone his voice takes on.]

monsters b/c i'm rude to bruno

[fallingsand]

Ahito, should you really be doing this after... [ Oof, wait, he tripped on something buried in the snow. Once second. He doesn't faceplant but he does stagger and then corrects before he does. Okay, he thinks he dislikes snow. Anyway. ] ...after all of that?! With. With the ghost?

[ Bruno's had a time trying to track the young wizard down to check up on him. He is not actually Ahito's doctor — or anyone's — but he still feels like he should be checking in on those he's healed extensively. You know, in case! In case he did something wrong after all and... okay, he won't go down that train of thought too far, honest. In any case, he's come tromping out into the North after Ahito, dressed up in something somewhat more covering than his usual clothing, although he's added a coat and gloves on top of that to be sure. ]

[dyingtohealyou]

Hm? I'm not really moving around all that much or anything.

[His little ambush spell is doing most the work for him tbh.]

...Are you going to be alright out here?

[fallingsand]

That's not the point! You're out here fighting... things! Monstery things!

[ This is not a medically approved activity, Ahito! He moves to walk closer but he hits a patch of deeper snow and one leg sinks further than the other. ]

Hrk. [ And stumbles again! But he stops there, once again avoiding that inevitable faceplant into the snow. ] ...uh.

[ Is he going to be fine? Haha, well. ]

I'm. Well, I enchanted my coat to be warm, s-so. Yes?

[dyingtohealyou]

...

You can always use your broom, you know.

[It would be just Bruno's luck to faceplant right into a rock or something hidden under the snow...]

And anyway, I've been able to heal up the rest on my own. I'm not even low on blood anymore.

[fallingsand]

...right... my broom. Surely nothing can go wrong if I try hovering over snow instead.

[ He's pretty sure something will go wrong. At least he stops once he pulls his foot free of the deeper snow. ]

You have? Wait. How do you know you aren't low on blood? I don't. I don't actually know how that works?

[dyingtohealyou]

...Because I'm not dizzy anymore or anything?

[You know. Symptoms of bloodloss.]