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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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[ But either way, Akira confirmed whether it was right or wrong, which is what matters. ]
I understood that well enough when you said the word 'swagger', but yes.
Supernatural creatures aren't the type to necessarily easily bend the knee. Even if they are more benevolent.
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[ ... ]
You are also right that I do. They are not uncommon back home, though if one is facing down something supernatural, they should give up on the idea of controlling it. Containment is the best action if they are something like a spirit.
And extermination is the best option if they are tangible.
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[But as for other supernatural beings and spirits? Akira has no clue. Clearly ghosts aren't bound by rules and pacts in the same way demons are.]
Mm, but I bet you're right about that. Is that what you do, then? Are you some kind of ghost buster?
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[ Creatures, ghosts, or whathaveyou? They can break a promise/agreement very easily even if you get them to agree. It's not a sign of weakness or anything, it is just how it is. ]
More like I am responsible for keeping the peace. The actual 'ghost busting' is usually handled by others, though on the occasion they need someone with great authority or force to combat an unruly enough 'problem', it is entirely possible I would be called to help take care of it.
[ Like how one of his predecessors had been. ]
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Oh really? You do have that kind of air about you.
[Jing Yuan's got those I'm A Pretty Big Deal But I'm Modest About It vibes.]
So what's your job description? "Big man in charge"?
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Anyway yeah...Jing Yuan doesn't go around flaunting his title. He prefers not to use it altogether, because it's easier that way, but one can't just nip those kinda vibes in the bud. ]
I am one of the several Arbiter-Generals of the Xianzhou Alliance.
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[Bro!! He figured you were a big deal, but come on!]
Thank you for humbling me with your presence, Sir General.
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Jing Yuan simply can only smile helplessly and feel tired all of a sudden. ]
...I appreciate your respect.
However, such a title does not really carry the same weight in a world that is so far and dissimilar from my own that it feels disingenuous to expect others to treat me any different from my fellow comrades. Please feel free to simply refer to me by my name—Jing Yuan.
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Jing Yuan it is. You must feel out of your element here, right? Suddenly going from having an important job to do to, well, not having it must've thrown you for a loop.
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...Though, he also isn't surprised at Akira's reasoning either. ]
I've dealt with far worse scenarios, so while there has been an adjustment period, I have more or less settled into an acceptable routine.
We've all had to acclimate, for better or worse. Some have had an easier time of it, while others are likely still struggling even now. Though, you seem like someone who would strive to be somewhere within the former of the two, yes?
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Sharp eye, JY.
[Whoops. Nicknamed already... That one's gonna stick.]
Change is one of the only constants in life. I try to stay flexible. If I didn't, it would be too easy to get bent out of shape whenever something doesn't go my way.
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There are far worse nicknames; he looks faintly amused, so it seems like he's accepted his fate. ]
Now that too is something I agree on.
And, of course, life can be far too short to become frustrated when matters go awry. Being able to adapt to change will aid in keeping a cooler head as well, and eventually finding solutions, even if they may seem impossible.
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Enemies can always ruin even best laid plans within a moment's notice. To be inflexible is to invite death in the worse case scenario.
[ Jing Yuan isn't thinking of any specific incident in particular, exactly; only reinforcing Akira's words. ]
Unacceptable when the fate of an entire civilization can rest upon one's actions.
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[Consider Akira awed. JY, you're so cool...]
I don't know how you don't cave from the pressure. An entire civilization? I'd be sweating holes in my clothes.
[But he also relishes the moments where fate hangs in the balance and his careful plans are the only things that determine success or failure. Some people are simply adrenaline junkies.]
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Most cannot handle the pressure indeed.
[ A hum of consideration, recalling some of the even younger folks have dealt with great pressures for their age, however. ]
Though, I can believe you could conceivably handle some great burdens, given you seem to have extensive experience with the supernatural, even if it may not exactly match my own. Which reminds me...what reason do you usually have to contract [ Which he interprets from 'promise' and discussion thus far is what it is... ] with spirits and demons? I doubt you simply do it for fun.
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[Will he insist upon hearing the answer anyway?]
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[ Jing Yuan simply says, but something in his tone seems to indicate that his amusement levels and curiosity have suddenly increased. ]
Even so, what is it?
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[But of course he is. Akira snorts.]
I fight crime and societal injustice with them. What else?
[He doesn't expect Jing Yuan to believe him, so his delivery reads like a joke.]
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[ He says that, in a jocular manner.
As for the words spoken as so happens to be perhaps like a joking delivery in return, he thinks back to the other's previous words, then the way Akira seemed quick to apologize.
Two incidents have occurred; the responses in each are like night and day. He smiles again. ]
There are other ways they can be used for indeed. Do you have others who support you in your efforts? And I do not mean the individuals you made contracts with.
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Yeah. I have a lot of good people behind me back home. If it hadn't been for them, I wouldn't have gotten far. Hell, I probably wouldn't be here right now either.
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Ah, that's good.
While it is true for this in general, it is also especially true when pursuing endeavors of a certain magnitude, that having those who you can rely on is certainly invaluable.
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I do have a number of allies that I can expect support from.
Otherwise, I would certainly have to rely simply on what I have at my disposal in the most minimal of ways.
[ Imagine...making enemies out of different departments. Well, it is not impossible. Jing Yuan has seen it. Politics suck. ]
Ultimately, without collaboration between others, we cannot hope to conquer the most fiercest of threats. That being said, how was it you came to know your friends? Incidental meetings, or was it in the midst of your activities in fighting for the sake of justice?
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