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lunaecalamitas2024-05-04 01:06 pm
promittere) wrote in lunaecalamitas2024-05-04 01:06 pm
look at me, i'm the wound you tried to hide
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.
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?
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
3/3 yeah i don't have the energy to go longer rip
[ Oh, he doesn't sound very happy saying that. Oops. He keeps ahold of Akira's hand even as he shifts his attention back to the cell across from him. ]
We're having some words about how you didn't tell the rest of us once we're outta here.
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It's fine if Bruno's treating him like a kid. He's probably had bags under his eyes for longer than Akira has been alive. For once, he'll allow it, relenting with a sigh.]
...Fine. I'll tell Totsuka. In the meantime, I need to know that you'll be alright in here. I have an idea, if you'll humor it.
[Solomon wouldn't. That's what Solomon leaves out of his thorough explanation— the attempt Akira made to forge a bond between their magics, a thread that would sever the moment one of them drew too far from the other, thus making it possible to stop this entire chain of events from going off long before it started. Solomon wouldn't allow it. Coward.]
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[He doesn't interrupt otherwise. It takes the anger off of Akira, and puts the responsibility on him. He was the older, he was the more experienced, he was the one who should have corrected. He can shoulder it, can continue to be the demon, so that the bright can keep shining.
As it should be.
The master must stay accountable for the apprentice.]
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There'll be words, that's for sure. Maybe more. Regardless, there's a scolding in Solomon's future, but for now, he focuses on Akira. ]
An idea...? Er, sure? If. If it'll help you feel better about this.
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[And Bruno can refuse, of course, but this is the best compromise Akira has come up with. It's either this or he leaves the two of them alone here for an indeterminable amount of time and deals with the anxiety of knowing he left them when it was in his power to help.]
It'll be temporary. We can break the connection as soon as you're out of here. That would help put my mind at ease.
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[It's a warning of a word, sharp.
But he doesn't move. It's Akira's choice to make. Not his.]
me tagging this anyway u can't stop me
I mean, I guess? If that would make you feel better. Have... have you done this before?
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I've tried, but the other party rejected me before I could get that far. Something about not being able to bear the weight of a real human connection.
[Sorry not sorry, Solomon. Maybe you should've explained to Akira why magical tethering was potentially ill-advised.]
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good job kid
He just exhales, resting one hand to his forehead. Sure. Sure, he'll go with that reason. That's fine.]
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[ Like, seriously.
Still, since Solomon is being Mr. Not Warning Other Old Men, Bruno can't help but offer Akira his hand. If it'll make him feel better about leaving them here, he'll do what he has to. The last thing he wants is for the kid to feel even worse than he already must be feeling. ]
Alright. Let's do this.
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[Unlike Solomon. Hmph!!
With their hands pressed palm to palm, Akira attempts a magical connection in the same way he had with Solomon before, extending his own magic into Bruno...
...When something hits him like an electric shock. In an instant, it shoots through him, a wellspring of magic coursing through his body from head to toe. Every nerve and synapse hums like a live wire, but this— it doesn't hurt at all, somehow. No, it's more like—]
...Bruno. I think we're soulmates.
[Platonically, of course. As it goes when you're Akira, taking a blind leap usually works out, but he couldn't have expected this. Remember how he mused about fate? Bruno better take everything he says super seriously from now on.]
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...
What a thing to say.
His gaze travels to Bruno instead. You okay over there, bud?]
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Ah, there we go. He jerks his hand back as he steps away quickly, shaking it. ]
Ay ay ay, eso picó...
[ Only no, it hadn't stung at all. He isn't sure how else to explain it, that being the first thought to come to mind and the words tumble out, though he knows Akira, at least, won't know what that means. Although, Akira's own claim draws an apprehensive look from Bruno himself.
Somehow, he knows it's true. ]
Soulmates? Wait. Is this what that weird fortune teller was going on about at the gates?! Oh no, that's. Geez, I'm sorry, if that's. If that's true, you're stuck with me.
[ Which, seeing how Bruno is, in fact, Bruno, and therefore considers that a bad thing. Akira deserved a much better soulmate. ]
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[Oh, Bruno. How could you see this as anything but a blessing? (Rhetorical question, we know Bruno can't)
Akira smiles, shakes his head.]
Why are you apologizing? This is a good thing. Maybe you're not excited, but I'm grateful we can lend each other our strength.
[And Bruno is so, so much stronger than he gives himself credit for. Just to make a point, Akira turns and addresses Stinky Old Man Solomon.]
Don't you think so, Jii-chan?
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You're the one stuck with Akira. Not the other way around.
You have a great deal you can teach, and Akira has an incredible amount of potential so long as he stays patient and willing to learn. He could benefit from your caution and experience, and you from his bravery and persistence.
Don't apologize for the gift you've given.
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Geez, Solomon, you're making it sound like I'm a teacher all of a sudden...
[ He isn't. He isn't! But with a sigh, Bruno steps back up to the bars. He'll settle his hands on them. ]
Akira. I don't know what this all is but... [ The feeling that Akira isn't wrong isn't one he can shake. Somehow, they're connected. Somehow, there's something, some strength they can offer one another. It has to be a wizard thing, but what exactly is it? ] Look, you need to go find Tatara. We can talk about this when I'm outta here.
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We'll figure it out as we go along. No need to worry about it too much.
[He pats Bruno's hand, touch lingering for a moment.]
I'll be back, but rest assured that I'll never be too far to help you out when you need it. I'll be relying on you too, Bruno.
[And with a quick flash of the peace sign, Akira returns to his rope and begins his climb back into the ceiling. He doesn't spare Solomon another glance. With the ceiling tile shifted back into place, Akira scurries off to inform the Sage. Ciao!]
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Seeing as Akira is in no mood to give him any further glances, Solomon raises himself from the bed, a stiff walk towards the bars as he looks down the hall opposite of where Akira climbs back up. He waits, watches, until he hears the movement back through the ceiling fading into pure silence.
With an exhale, his fingers drop from the bars.]
You're both very lucky that didn't drive you mad.
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Excuse me?!
[ He whips his attention from the ceiling to the wizard across the hall. ]
What do you mean by that?!
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Incompatible magic shared between people isn't a safe thing to risk. At best, you can thread the needle and make something work, should chance be on your side. At worst, the foreign magic overtakes your mind, overwhelming it to the point that you can no longer tell what's real and what isn't.
[He'd shut down Akira for many, many reasons that night, when Akira had tried to offer the same connection to him as he'd managed with Bruno. But after Ibuki, after the failed exorcism, after watching the boy lie so weakly in the bed trying to keep a grip on himself... it wasn't a risk worth taking, in his eyes.
He quietly turns to head back to the cot on the other side of his cell, waving a hand dismissively over his shoulder.]
What's done is done, Señor Madrigal. I just wouldn't recommend doing it again.
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[ And he's turning away like it's nothing! Dismissing the subject like this conversation is done?! ]
H-hey, I'm not done talking to you, Solomon!
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[He drops back down onto his seat on the bed, leaning on his knees with his hands laced together.]
After what I said before, would my opinion have changed yours? Especially if he'd retorted that I was the one who declined him the first time?
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[ Akira had wanted to do this with Solomon, too. Why, though? What is even going on between those two? ]
Did you tell him what could happen when he asked you that time? Did. Did he ask me to do that knowing it might go that badly?
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[...]
He attempted the spell directly on me while I was watching over him during the night of his possession, after I'd attempted the exorcism. We were both exhausted and shaken, but some part of him still wanted a way to help give a warning. When he attempted that out of the blue, I reacted poorly and forcefully stopped him from going any further. Because that is how magic works in my experience. Not here.
Before I'd had a chance to collect myself, he called me a coward and buried himself in his bed. He did not speak to or interact with me the rest of the evening after that.
So no. I didn't tell him. I don't blame him for his anger, because I don't know what that possession still had control over for his emotions. And I didn't know whether my fear of it was justified or not.
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Akira... [ Bruno says the name with a despondent sigh. Kid, c'mon. ] Guess that explains what all that tension was. It was kinda freaking me out back there.
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we can probably wrap up this one