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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.
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No. Out here is fine.
[ This is nothing to hide, not unless Tatara deems it so. Kurapika has no shame in his mistakes.
Which is exactly why he quickly launches into his explanation: ]
I touched a cursed object on the mission. I think I've been given a curse as a result.
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[ Tatara's eyes widen, but his expression quickly sobers. If there's something wrong, then it needs to be fixed ASAP. If it's fixable, anyway. ]
Cursed object? What cursed object? [ ... ] Are you okay?
[ Please don't be the moon rock. ]
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The one from the mission. One of those large rocks.
[ Sorry, Tatara. Worst case scenario for you. But Kurapika quickly jumps straight into business. ]
I'll be fine. I've managed to figure out the effects and have started coming up with a plan to mitigate those effects when they occur. The biggest issue is that they occur completely by random... I've found no specific trigger for them.
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But he's not a totally useless sage; his mind jumps to action, and so does he. He grabs Kurapika's wrist, the one not holding the hot chocolate, and tries to drag him inside. ]
If it's the same one the Southern wizards brought back, then that would've been the moon fragment. You touched it?
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I did. You don't have to tell me it was a stupid thing to do. I'm well aware.
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Tatara just shakes his head as they push past the doors, march quickly down the hall. ]
Why would I yell at you? It already happened—that wouldn't change anything.
[ They round the corner into the corridor that leads to the rooms. ]
But what we can do is learn. We'll write it down and think about what we can do about it.
[ He also remembers reading about this, so— ]
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He continues to march after Tatara, thankful that they're the same height so he's not being pulled along like an unlucky dog owner when their gigantic dog has their prey drive activated and they refuse to let go of the leash. ]
I've thought of a few methods. I plan on training with blindfolds should I be affected during battle.
[ Wait. He should probably lay out the symptoms. It's quite easy for him to jump right into his scientific observations, maybe a little bit too easy. ]
You should know that this occurs randomly. There's no specific trigger, as I've been doing different things every time it's happened.
no subject
You lose your sight?
[ That lines up with something else he's read.
They climb the stairs, but get off at the second floor. It's clear that Tatara's taking them to his room; he pushes the door open. It wasn't locked.
Once inside, he deposits Kurapika by letting go and grabs two tomes: one a royal purple with gold embellishments, and the other a plain red with a stylized flame painted on the cover in black.
He flips the red one open, grabs a pen. ]
Okay. Tell me.
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I've been told my eyes turn completely red, the whites and all. It seems that loss of sight comes with it. I feel pain, too, though its location and how much pain I feel tends to vary. Pain is still very much present, however.
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He lifts his head, and stares at Kurapika. ]
How long does it usually last?
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[ And the first few occurrences, he was so exhausted that he just fell asleep rather than checking the time. ]
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There's a moment of silence before he reaches for the purple tome and flips it open. His eyes scan the page before he looks up at Kurapika. ]
The last sage writes that these are called "strange afflictions." They're supposedly injuries to the soul the moon dealt to the last wizards when the Calamity got too close.
[ His brows knit; it's an unusual look on him. ]
That you have one scares me. Does anyone else know?
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[ Hm. He doesn't like that, not at all, but there isn't much he can do about it, is there? It's possible there may be an answer somewhere, but an injury like that doesn't simply go away. ]
Yes. I told a number of people who visited me after we came back from the mission. But only Yamato, Khun, Ahito, and Akira have seen it happen to me.
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He thinks about his king. ]
Okay. Got it. [ He writes down those names. Just in case. ]
And just to be safe, word of this shouldn't leave the manor. I think I trust all the people you've listed, and I hope you trust the people you've told. [ He glances at the previous sage's tomes, and he knows how big of a liability some of those are. ] It could be a lot worse, but I still don't want you taken advantage of.
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[ He'll embrace the consequences of his own actions, considering them worth it so long as at least one other person doesn't have to deal with this type of injury. ]
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You don't have to regret anything. [ He shakes his head. ] You don't have to blame yourself if that happens, either. We'll deal with it if it comes to that.
[ He's not the type of person to worry... ]
I'm glad you told people, and me.
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[ Even if that means causing risk to himself or admitting to his own stupidity. ]
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And I can try and do what I can to minimize your pain.
[ He lifts the book, then looks back to Kurapika with a silly little smile. ]
If I'm ever around when it happens...I might be able to help.
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How so?
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[ When he looks at Kurapika again, he smiles sheepishly. ]
That's all it says here, though. No detail on what I'm supposed to do.
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[ They have to start somewhere, and if Tatara has an inkling or even any intuition as to what he could do... that's something. ]
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[ Thinking... ]
Then we probably hold hands.
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[ Hm. That's really not too bad, all things considered. It's a simple enough action that he could do it without much trouble, even in the state that his curse puts him in. ]
Should you ever happen to be around when it strikes, let's try it.
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[ He smiles. ]
I hope it doesn't happen, but we'll be ready if it does.
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We will. Let's hope it's not in the middle of a dangerous situation.
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