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

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.

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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I think that much is true anywhere. Legends have to come from somewhere, after all, whether an exaggeration of imagination or simply a story of truth that has long outgrown its roots.

[He settles his eyes towards another gemstone. Mm, no, this one wasn't quite right either. The blue is closer, deeper, but it was missing something crucial.]

Is the world aware of their delegations, or is that kept to a realm beyond?

[ Day just watches Solomon browse through the gemstones, still trying to figure out what it is Solomon is looking for, exactly. ]

...A realm beyond. A couple of Maidens don't have much in the way of cults these days, even. [ This probably already says quite a bit, actually? ]

[He's definitely sticking to the blues across quite a few pieces, so it looks like the gemstone is what's important to him here.]

So that must mean you have some close ties to that side, if you know about all that? [why does he suddenly look so at home...] I wonder if you'd consider yourself angelic.

Edited 2024-05-10 16:45 (UTC)

[ Why does he look so at home. It's not helping the senior colleague vibes at all. ]

I didn't even know what an angel was 'till I met Ginger. [ So not quite. ]

Ah, my apologies, then. Ginger's more similar to what I know as well, though only in concept.

[Good luck, Day, he's only gonna get worse from here.]

You do have me curious in what your place would be in all of this, though. Are you part of the realm of those that are mortal, or those that are not?

[ Rip Day.

At that, though, Solomon can watch Day's face scrunch up in thought, like he has to seriously consider what the answer to the question actually is. Because saying that he's not mortal feels disingenuous, when he lived like one up until that fateful day, and they will all meet their end at the appointed hour, eventually.

But you can't really call someone tied to the stars and fate a mere mortal anymore, either. Especially not when it means living among mortals has become harder. ]

Let's just say say...I'm a mortal with a bunch of extras, and I work for Heaven.

Edited 2024-05-12 00:23 (UTC)

A bunch of extras... ahahah. You make it sound like you're a utility knife or a cellphone!

[Does Day even know what those are? Eh.

Anyway.]

Some would call that a prophet in some circles, regardless of whether one speaks in the matter of prophecy. In my experience, to work for the Celestial Realm by design when you're not part of their number is a very, very rare thing.

[ There's a look of confusion at the first comment like, cellphone? Huh? ]

I dunno how else to describe it. I can't be called immortal, but just callin' me a mortal ain't really right either.

[ And another pause, as he seems to weigh what to say, but it's also like...well, this doesn't seem like Solomon's first rodeo with celestial matters, huh. ]

Bureau of Destiny, Division of Serenity. That's what I work for.

Ahh. It sounds like you're deeply in the realm of fate, then.

[He's completely paused in his browsing at this point, a finger tapping against his lips.]

To what extent? Serenity normally is the matter of acceptance. Is that the case for your Division?

[ Huh. Is Serenity normally a matter of acceptance? He feels like the older members of the division would have a better answer to give there, because Day still feels like he fails Step One of achieving serenity when he shouldn't sometimes. ]

How do I put this... Serenity is about joy and happiness. Kinda like, serenity waters moments of joy, and those moments should bring about serenity in yourself and the world. So I guess it's about acceptance too. We handle destinies involvin' things that bring joy, like relationships and the arts.

There is a prayer common in our world - to grant the serenity to accept things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things you can, and wisdom to know the difference. There is a peace in the existence of serenity, regardless of the circumstance. It is, in my experience, what keeps joy from feeling hollow.

[A beat, before his expression grows a little more distant.]

Are you in charge of the flow of time to make sure those destinies reach where they need?

[ ...?

He won't disagree with what Solomon has said, because to him it is essentially correct: meaningful happiness requires a sense of serenity, in some form. But it's the change in his expression that makes Day wonder about the question. ]

If you mean if we have any control over it, then... [ There's a pause, while Day is trying to understand what "in charge of the flow of time" is supposed to mean here. ] No. We can see potential futures, and our job is to make sure destiny happens, but at best, we have limited power over time. We have to plan things in the present based on whatever timeframes we have, just like regular business.

[Ah. So he is just like the rest.]

You would fit well alongside a friend of mine. [Cheery, but he goes back to browsing almost immediately.]

I wonder what it is that says which destiny is correct, what it is that requires it to be controlled.

[ ...Day gets the sense he accidentally hit a nerve somehow but he can't figure out what. Hm,,, ]

It's not really 'bout bein' correct, more 'bout...interests, I guess. Depends on who's on the committee whenever they plan destiny. Sometimes it's about how much rainfall a place should get for the next year for good harvests, sometimes it's whether to broker peace between two warring cities or to let them keep goin' 'cause one god wants it to stop while another one wants to let it drag out. Things like that. And they kinda just debate and scrutinize until they come to a consensus.

[ That said, Day doesn't often get to sit in on those committee meetings: he only did it once when his mentor brought him along to observe on an occasion when he was a committee member. ]

[Bureaucracy indeed. The will of the powerful to guide the lives of those under them, to bicker and take it upon themselves. What a constant. What a shame.]

Are the gods the only ones who table the discussion for those kind of arguments?

[ "Arguments", though Day wouldn't say Solomon is wrong either, from some of what he's heard. ]

Elementals. ...Other members of the Bureau of Destiny.

[With a wave to their shopkeeper, Solomon points out a specific stone to take a closer look at. The man begrudgingly fumbles for his keys.]

Are mortals like yourself common on the Bureau? Are their opinions treated well?

'Bout 20 of us in each division, but never more than that. [ Something something allocations, as far as he knows.

...At this, though, Day has to pause and think long and hard, even as he's trying to see what Solomon's picked out. ]

For most of the part, yeah. The ones in the bureau work with us the most and are pretty respectful, for obvious reasons. Lotta gods also kind of think we're novelties, but that ain't surprisin'.

Mn, that isn't a surprise. The relationship between mortal and immortal can be an amusing one, I'm sure.

[The shopkeeper emerges from the confines of the case, gloved hands presenting a rather simple pendant. The small stone embedded in it is a deep, deep blue, with a wavering ann iridescent line of greens and pinks cutting through its center.

His focus stays unbroken from the stone as their conversation continues.]

Do you ever disagree with the decisions made? Is that something you feel is receptive, or brushed away?

[ A part of Day can't help but think the stone is somehow appropriate, for whatever reason. He doesn't even know why or what for, that's just what his gut is telling him.

But that question is when Day finally stiffens despite himself. ]

...Sorry Solomon, but I ain't answerin' that. [ Which is probably a pretty telling answer in of itself, in a way. ]

[Ah, there's the first wall to hit. It's simple blessings that Day is upfront with his boundary.

Solomon's gentle, polite smile contrasts with the sharpness of his gaze, a sidelong glance towards Day.]

There's no need to apologize. A refusal is as much of an answer as needed.

[ Really not helping the elder colleague vibes here, Solomon. Day's own smile remains polite, even though on some internal level he's sweating a little. ]

I think I at least oughta apologise when I've been answerin' your questions up until this point.

And why is that? As much as I like hearing your explanations, you're not obligated to provide me an answer. That is not something I'm going to expect from you.

[He quietly asks the shopkeeper for the price of the item, before waving it off to be put back in the case. Maybe he'd changed his mind?]

[ ...Solomon has a point, damn it. ]

Guess I just figured you'd sorta get what it's like dealin' with that kinda thing. [ The only other person who comes to mind is Ginger, and that's because he's dealt with his own kind of bureaucratic hell. ]

Do I come across that way?

[He can't help himself. Sorry, Day.]

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