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

[fullspbar]

≫ I.

[ Considering how soon their arrival is after...everything that happened thus far, Shinjiro is not exactly go-getting to get work down. He walks just the slightest bit slower, prone to the occasional bout of dizziness, and has the still-fading remnants of bruises dotting his features. That being said, he's also not about to sit on his ass.

The day the 'strenuous activity' clause is lifted, Shinjiro will be more active around the site of their current mission besides pulling weeds; axe in hand, today you can find him slinking off somewhere. If you decide to approach, he sends a scrutinizing look. ]

I'm just doin' some cleaning up. [ Of monsters or tree stumps, whichever seems more appropriate. ] You comin', or what?

[ Alternatively, feel free to admonish him for trying to sling a giant axe after he got stabbed like a week ago. ]

≫ II.

[ When they come back, Shinjiro seems to have taken a somewhat...newly vested interest in magic. Not because of his own curiosity, mind you, but recent events have shown he's severely lacking compared to others.

Normally, you wouldn't catch him dead in the library. That's exactly why he's commandeered a small, small corner, tucked away (hopefully) from the sight of everyone else. With just one or two books nearby, Shinjiro is currently hunched over his coat, seemingly trying to scrawl something...at least, until there's a loud hissing like an ember popping in a fireplace. ]

Shit-!

[ Luckily, nothing catches fire, but he still backs up with an aggravated growl and frustration evident in the twist of his features. Things are not looking too hot, and he's none too happy about it. ]

≫ III.

Wildcard! If you'd like something else or to do a job, just let me know, and I'll write us something! Alternatively, just hit me with whatever you desire. If I die, I die.

ii

[divineth]

[Try as Shinjiro might to hide, the sudden expletive gives away his location. Urianger hears it as he's pursuing the shelves, and curiosity draws him to the source.]

Is aught amiss...?

[You good, Shinji? Wait, shouldn't you be on bed rest right now...]

[fullspbar]

[ Ah, damn it. It had been pretty quiet today, so he'd been hoping nobody else would be hanging around...idiot that he was, apparently.

Shinjiro doesn't bother hiding his grimace, even if he doesn't even know this guy personally. ]

...Nothing. [ None of his business, anyway, but he still casts a frustrated glance towards the coat laid out on the table. ] This magic shit's just more annoying than I woulda thought.

[ Sure, he's gotten better, but he knows he's dragging his feet compared to some of these guys. ]

[divineth]

[Alas, nerds are always gonna nerd.

Urianger follows Shinjiro’s gaze, giving the coat a once-over.]

What wert thou attempting to accomplish?

[There’s no judgement in his tone. He knows magic doesn’t come easy for everyone, but maybe he can help.]

[fullspbar]

[ ...'Wert thou'...he knows they come from all walks of life around here, but he can tell this one is already gonna give his gruff teenage brain a headache.

The idea of sharing doesn't exactly thrill him, if only because he'd prefer to get this stuff on his own, but...he also isn't stupid. ]

...Charms, I guess? Whatever you wanna call it. [ He's not exactly good with all this magic mumbo-jumbo and all the different terms. ] Would prefer to use it on my axe, but I'm startin' small so I don't...blow it up or something.

[ He has had something blow up in his face, and he would like it to not happen again. ]

II

[specialinquisitor]

[That sound earns an immediate response from someone known on her world as the Flamebringer; she almost smashes down the library door as she rushes through it, quickly scanning all around for evidence that a lingering spark might be growing into a gradual inferno.]

As you all right?

[fullspbar]

[ Sweet christ-

Shinji, reasonably, jumps at the sound of the door slamming open, and looks even more unnerved at the someone practically stomping their way through the stacks. What the hell? How did she even hear that from all the way out there-?! ]

What- I'm fine! [ You're gonna embarrass him. God, he hopes no-one else is here to be subjected to this. ] Quit stompin' around...! I just fucked up, alright?

[specialinquisitor]

[He can be embarrassed later! Right now, emergency response takes priority.]

Did any sparks or embers land anywhere?

[fullspbar]

[ It's a bit late for that!! ]

No. There's nothing. I dealt with it already, so just relax!

[ And it's true! Not a spark to be seen. Just Shinji and his coat. ]

i.;

[foresightis2020]

[ Shinjiro is truly not the type of person to remain confined for long to his bed, or for any singular location for long, really.

Monsters are a common threat, no matter which country one happens to be in. He's smiling until he sees how heavy the axe is, which causes it to fade somewhat. ]

Yes, I'm coming, though I am certain we can afford to take our time. Also, while we're at it, you should know that overly stressing your body is incredibly unwise.

Therefore, engagement with creatures should be kept to a limited number.

[ He is familiar with this kind of attitude. Though, whether his words will be well-received is another question. ]

[fullspbar]

[ Ugh, dad.

Somehow, for all Jing Yuan's lax demeanor, Shinjiro can practically see some form of scolding disappointment lingering in that gaze and the diminishing of his smile. Now he knows what he's in for before the older man even opens his mouth.

His hand comes up to rub at the back of his head, not even hiding the grimace. Figures he'd be getting read dead to rights before he even gets a chance to step back into the field. Not to say Jing Yuan doesn't have a point, but...still. ]

Oi...I already got cleared off bed rest. [ 'Strenuous activity', as Day liked to call it. ] It's not like I'm darting out fresh off a hospital visit to run into danger.

[ Even if, technically, that's what he did during Akiragate, but that was a special situation, and not one he wants to replicate. ]

I'll watch it, since I ain't stupid. If I get dizzy or tired, I'll call it quits. Happy? [ So he says. ] This is all I can do, anyway; I'm sure as hell not makin' a clown of myself singing and dancing over there like some of them.

[foresightis2020]

[ Maybe because it's precisely the exact kind that can be easily noticeable in terms of his usual demeanor when it's coming, as opposed to his usual antics.

He hums a little (let's call it that) in consideration in regards to Shinji's response, though he certainly does understand the other male's eagerness to place himself out into somewhere any place near the battlefield.

At least he waits until what the other has to say completely, because regardless of who cleared him off bed rest, he doesn't see reason to not use his own judgement either. ]

Hmmm...hmmmmm...

...Very well, then. I wouldn't exactly call myself happy just yet, but if we can get through it without incident, then that will work just fine.

[ The smile is still relatively faint, but it is edging somewhere back to his usual ones as they continue to move forward. They are also likely far enough outwards already that it is an inevitability for an encounter, and already he summons his weapon. ]

...On the other hand, I will finally have the opportunity to see what you're capable of. I have been admittedly curious, if I had to be honest.

I assume you're prepared, even if we do not know what kind of enemy will be upon us?

[fullspbar]

[ What's with all this damn 'hmmm hmm'ing...there's a part of him that's irked at being treated like a child run off the leash, especially since it reminds him far too much of his gripes with Akihiko and his bad habits. Is this his karma for all that?

...Or has the whole situation just made him a bit more reckless than he'd like? The thought makes his lips purse tight for a brief moment before shaking it off. At least he waited to get approved before actually trying to throw himself out there...even if it did make him feel largely useless while the others were working days prior.

Jing Yuan is, as usual, great at giving him a headache. ]

What're you, my mom? [ Says local designated dorm mother. ] Fine. I ain't that reckless to begin with, regardless what you think of me.

[ Still, they're trudging on, and his eyes snap the moment Jing Yuan opts to pull his weapon out...he should really learn to do that next, he thinks. Way easier than hauling the damn axe around all the time.... ]

If you're expecting any big magic attacks or whatever, then don't. I've always just fought with this; physical stuff's more my style, always has been.

[ That being said, if Jing Yuan cares to notice, there is the faint pulse of Shinjiro-brand magic around the metal blade of his axe. Somebody's gone ahead and charmed it beforehand, clearly. ]

I

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

[A lot of people would tell Shinjiro to knock it out and go rest, but unfortunately Kiryu has done similar things to Shinjiro and therefore he feels it'd be hypocritical of him to say anything. Instead he figures it's fine as long as there's someone near Shinjiro]

Depends on what you'll get rid of. Got anything in mind?

[That's not true, Kiryu is coming anyway -- not only to keep an eye on Shinjiro but also because he likes to make himself useful. Getting rid of monsters or tree stumps or anything is good]

[fullspbar]

[ Fortunately, Shinjiro isn't exactly planning on tossing himself into a crowd of monsters right after getting stabbed. Sure, he's out to stretch his legs, but he likes to think he knows his limits...unlike some people.

(Other people may disagree on this, for good reason.)

Kiryu's an alright presence, nor is he gonna yap his ear off, so he makes no move to dismiss him. ]

There's some more of that dead stuff over there. Figure it'd be a good chance to get rid of it, and whatever decides to come crawling out of the forest while we're at it.

[ Two for one! Either way, Shinjiro's getting to shake some of the rust off, and it's not too strenuous. Besides, he can sling this thing with one hand, so swinging it right after pulling weeds or smashing the dead wood won't be a problem. ]

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

Sure. I'll loosen anything for you.

[Since he figures Shinjiro will want to do effort instead of having someone else do too much work for him, leaving to Shinjiro the part of getting the stuff out and disposing of it. Let the young guy exert himself and shake off the rust, Kiryu just there to ensure it won't be too much to deal with.

That goes for monsters too, really. Lately Kiryu is trying to figure out how to train the likes of Akira, and trying to find the balance between letting the understudy work and intervening is what he hopes to do]

[fullspbar]

Ah? [ Loosen, huh...he guesses even this guy is trying to look out for him in some way. It makes his shoulders heave, but at least he's technically not stopping him... ] Sure, whatever.

[ Kiryu isn't the most awful of companions, really, if somebody has to babysit him. This is probably a two-person job, anyway.

Fortunately, it's not too far away, with the dead plants and withered trees that haven't been attended to dotting the landscape a bit aways from the crater. He'd been eyeballing the thing before, but now properly looking around, this was a shitshow. ]

This place looks like hell.

ii

[revengier]

[ Cursing in a library? Wow, how uncouth. Though honestly, Shinjiro's presence in the library at all is more notable than the cursing or potential fire.

It's what has Kurapika interested enough to actually approach him. ]

What are you doing?

[ Having trouble, it seems, but he wants to know what sort of spell Shinjiro was attempting. ]

[fullspbar]

[ Buddy, not allowed to talk about uncouth with your taste in men-

Anyway. He knows fully well he's an unexpected figure between the shelves, and is already partly biting his tongue for deciding to do this here instead of hauling some back to his room. ]

...Trynna enchant something. Not that it's much to you.

[ Charm? Enchant? Whatever. He's clearly a bit embarrassed, and covering it up by tugging his hat further over his eyes to avoid the gaze. ]

[revengier]

[ Wow!!! Shots fired already.... ]

No, it really isn't.

[ Despite his words, his tone is calm and rather collected. Honestly, he's just kind of a dick, speaking aloud his exact thoughts. ]

I could help you out with it, if you need it.

[fullspbar]

[ If you can't handle the heat...get out of the kitchen...

It's surprising the guy runs with that without complaint, but he doesn't let it show; not like how his brow twitches at the offer of help, gaze shifting.

He doesn't really want help; but it's an annoying feeling, dragging behind everyone else. He'd rather not be dead weight.

A sigh. ]

...You know how to do enchantments or some shit?

i

[fallingsand]

[ Same as Bruno's been doing to everyone else who was injured that terrible morning, the way he hangs back and sort of lingers in the distance near where Shinjiro is, if nothing else, at least less direct than he's been when hassling Ahito or Yodarha. This guy seems crabbier than the other two but...

Regardless, there's a chance Shinjiro may have picked up on it, the way he seems to follow him around at what he thinks is a not-so-obvious distance, making sure he's doing alright from afar right up until the guy turns and addresses him directly. This causes Bruno to give a jump and immediately look guilty. Oh. Oops. ]

Er, I, um. I don't think you can... are you sure you... that you want to clean stuff up with an axe?

[fullspbar]

[ While not completely positive, he's been able to tell a few people have been eyeballing him in recent days since the incident. Partially his own fault, but it does feel a bit frustrating to be...babysat, maybe? He can understand the concern, but he's not really used to being the one people look after.

This one, though, is less confident and more skittish than the rest, which makes him kind of obvious compared to some of them. ]

There's trees and shit to cut down. [ Unbothered. ] And all those damn monsters show up here and there, so might as well get rid of'em if they do.

[ Admittedly, he's not used to using said axe to actually cut trees...but hey, how hard can it be compared to axing shadows. ]

[fallingsand]

[ Hey, if there were more places to lurk around, he wouldn't even be visible, but by this scary-feeling hole in the ground? Nah, man, nah. ]

Do you... use an axe for that, like, a lot? Are you like some kinda forester back home?

[fullspbar]

[ And he'd be utterly valid in that, really. For all the work going on, Shinjiro himself can't say he wants to stay near the weird cursed hole, either.

That being said, that's...a question he probably should have expected at some point? And yet it still brings him a moment of pause, before he shrugs. ]

Not really. [ Like, ever actually. ] I used it to fight. But just swingin' at a tree instead can't be much different.