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

[impacter]

No room for feeling cocky in a fight, I imagine? [It makes sense in general, but he'd rather hold his tongue on saying further just yet.]

An amulet in my experience is less something to be called upon and more something to pull from. Back home, it would be a blessing, or a protection ward, or even act for absorbing certain types of energy.

If they're made to be a temporary charging for our magic, then you can think of it as dipping a container into a river to store water on a journey. The tedious part is going to be finding something that's... appropriate.

[revengier]

[ Kurapika shakes his head. Solomon is right about that, and Kurapika has to agree despite his tendency to bring shovels to fights. ]

It has to be meaningful in some way, right? Or at least related to the mana area we've chosen.

[ He figures that, ideally, it has to be both. ]

[impacter]

That's my understanding of it. If our magic is based on the emotional, then our amulet has to have just as much of an emotional connection as our mana area.

Have you had any ideas for the first step, at least?

[Ah, this one might work... He pulls out a box filled with various sanded gems set in simple silver, all in shades of blue or green.]

[revengier]

[ He eyes the gems, taking in their blues and greens. It's calming, and he wonders if it's has the same effect on Solomon. ]

I have. My mana area is the ruins in the south of Central.

[ Hm. ]

I suppose something old would fit, in that case.

[impacter]

[Who knows for sure! He's definitely sorting through them at a pace to show he's leaning towards a preference. Darker blue with some green, but nothing seems to be quite right.]

It depends on what instinct is telling you.

What is it about the ruins that calls to you so strongly?

[revengier]

The idea that people who are long gone can leave something tangible behind.

[ Because that's at the core of it. Sure, the ruins are quiet when there's no one there and they have a mystique about them that only comes with manmade objects that have been reclaimed by nature, but that is the real reason. ]

[impacter]

Mm. Like a fingerprint of other's memories, scarred over the pulse of the world.

People are extremely resilient. That includes in the history they leave, whether good or bad. It's an important thing not to ignore those stories that pass in front of us.

[Not that he thinks Kurapika needs to be told this. It's just nice to see.]

[revengier]

[ He nods, picking up a small leather notebook, the cover worn from time. ]

I agree. I like the idea of anyone being able to leave their mark on the world, however small it may be.

[ Even just a single line in a notebook is enough. ]

Have you picked a mana area yet?

[impacter]

I have indeed. Ahito thinks it's not the smartest choice, but maybe it's just because he relies so heavily on the practical.

[Or maybe it's because Ahito can't stand him. Maybe both.]

[revengier]

What is it?

[ He and Ahito are on the same wavelength a lot of the time, so he's actually pretty curious. ]

[impacter]

The night sky.

It has to be clear enough weather out - enough to see the stars without interruption - so Ahito believes the conditional nature makes it too unreliable to be useful.

I disagree.

[revengier]

[ He thinks the same thing, honestly, but... ]

Why do you disagree, then?

[impacter]

I would rather have where I know my emotion is strongest and at peace part of the time, than to search for something less powerful for the sake of reliability.

Does it mean I will need to exercise more caution to take advantage of what timeframes I'm given? Yes. But it's an effort I'm willing to expend for myself. I'm not expecting others to follow my lead.

[revengier]

It's not something I'd ever gamble on, but...

[ He sets the notebook down. ]

You seem like the kind of person that knows what they're doing. I'm sure you've given the risks enough thought.

[impacter]

I appreciate the sentiment.

You're correct. I have. Not only for risk, but the fact that I am capable of handling the consequences of my choices, should they not work in my favor in the end.

Were this something that were to affect the whole of our mission more than myself, this would be a different discussion. But I know well how to listen to the instinct of my own magic.

[revengier]

[ And instinct here is important, especially when it comes to their magic. Although... ]

You speak like you're experienced with magic in general. Is the magic here similar to what you're already used to?

[impacter]

In ways, yes. The involvement of spirits, the way feelings can strengthen spells, the use of circles - that's all incredibly familiar.

Emotional involvement of this complexity is what's taken some getting used to. That, and just not being at the level I remember anymore.

[He chuckles as he lifts one particular pendant up, checking how it catches the light.]

It's like relearning my baby steps all over again.

[revengier]

Spirits don't exist in my world, so for me, this is adjacent to baby steps, I suppose.

[ Familiar but not all that familiar. It's a lot of relearning basic principles, but he can use the same training tactics for magic here, at least. ]

So, what was your level back home?

[impacter]

Experienced enough to have a reputation. [He smiles brightly.] You should ask Akira about it sometime.

[Sorry, Akira. Have fun with the additional chance to bullshit on his legacy.]

Though some ability can be gained with aptitude and study, some can also be born with the gift of magic outright, similar to this world and their wizards. That was the case for me.

[revengier]

[ His gaze snaps up to Solomon at the mention of Akira, but he doesn't say anything, merely acknowledging the suggestion with a nod. He'll probably ask at some point, but that's something to ponder over later. ]

Ah, so there are quite a few similarities for you. In my world, everyone is capable of using our equivalent to magic, though it's kept a secret. Only a small portion of the population knows about it.

[impacter]

[Given the reaction to the previous weekend, he knows they are at least friends at bare minimum, so Akira might be receptive to some storytelling of questionable variety. If not? Eh, Akira can come yell at him later. Not his problem (yet).]

It can be a wise decision. Especially if magic can lead to dangerous outcomes, keeping it contained to only those who need to know is ultimately better for the whole.

Ours is kept secret as well, even with the varying branches. The remainder of the world believes it to be legend, superstition, or the stuff of fairytales, though even that is a change from the past.

[revengier]

I think most in my world don't know about it at all, not even from legends.

[ He picks up another notepad, this one in a lot better condition. ]

But you're right, it's better to keep it contained. I like to believe in the good in others, but those that would use it for evil would find ways to master it quickly.

[impacter]

They definitely would.

I think humanity is capable of quite a lot, and deserves to make the choices for their own future. But that can only be done if they are not under the thumb of someone, or something, that means to snuff them out by pure power. Those that possess that sort of power have a responsibility in how they use it.

[To extend it to the everyday man, though? He does not want to think of the consequence that would bring. Humanity was scared enough of what was not part of their normal life.]

...It's good to hear you hold onto at least a bit of that optimism. Bitterness towards our common man can be warranted... but to expect it without reason never leads to anything but unnecessary suffering, whether it be others or towards ourselves.

[revengier]

I've seen a lot of kindness in the world, and I'd like to think that it can prevail over cruelty someday.

[ It could be wishful thinking or excessive optimism, but he truly does believe it.

He flips through the notepad, taking in the quality of the pages. ]

The way you speak of humanity is interesting, you know.

[ Their capabilities, their choices... it's as if Solomon is speaking separately from himself here. ]

[impacter]

So long as it's given the space to grow, then yes. I'd have to agree.

[His eyes flick to Kurapika's choices. Something tactile, something to record. Perhaps that was a way to connect, to leaving behind another mark? The written word was a good start.]

Mm? Well, people are an interesting thing to speak about. I'd hope that would come across pretty clearly.