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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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[ It truly is random in many senses of the world, which makes it difficult to control at all. ]
no subject
I see. I do appreciate the elaboration.
[ ... ]
...Is this the first time you have found yourself in quite such a difficult position, Kurapika?
no subject
No, it isn't. [ ... ] This isn't as dire.
[ Which probably explains why he's so nonchalant about it all. ]
no subject
...Though, he does have enough tact that he does try not to be too blunt. ]
That does explain how you have been able to handle it as you have.
[ ...Which makes sense in the end if Kurapika has experienced even more dire situations, given his job occupation. ]
no subject
[ And the pain? He can push aside the pain. He's done it before. ]
I see this as something I can still work with, even if it's incurable.
no subject
I suppose if you need assistance in that, I can always offer a hand.
[ Jing Yuan would prefer Kurapika take it easy. The problem is that even if he did, this condition seems supernatural, not unlike the onset of someone being Marastruck. Which means to him that even if he rested, it wouldn't really abate or decrease the problem.
He also doubts Kurapika would listen, and might just feel frustrated at being able to do nothing about it. ]
I should hope it is not incurable regardless. However, it is also true that in the absence of a solution or mitigation as of yet, backup solutions must be considered.
no subject
Mm, and the only solution I've thought of so far is working on my reaction times while blindfolded. [ ... ] Are you sure you wouldn't mind helping?
no subject
[ Jing Yuan will point out, because he sees no reason in hiding that!! Most might just straight up lie, but really, he sees no point in that. ]
There is a great risk in pushing yourself too far if you do take practice. This is an affliction that, while has not been as dire as what you have experienced previous, could prove to ultimately increase in its duration or severity.
However, I also realize I wouldn't be able to stop you if you decided to go it alone. Which is infinitely more dangerous than if you did not have assistance.
no subject
[ And it isn't as if Jing Yuan's words don't hold some weight with him, because he very much does like and respect the man. However, there are certain things about Kurapika that won't ever change, and his propensity for overworking himself is one of those things. ]
I think it's that worry that it could grow more severe that I want to take countermeasures. I don't want anyone to get hurt because I need to be protected out on a job.
no subject
I understand.
[ Even if he pointed out his worries, he does. ]
Avoiding being a liability is paramount. Particularly as time goes on, and matters will eventually become all the more difficult for us all.
no subject
[ Because boy was Central mission difficult! ]
I'm good at combat, so I'd like to be of help and not rendered useless because of a curse.
no subject
[ Jing Yuan thinks of so many people here as combat proficient. That being said, he supposes this is the first they've truly delved a bit deeper into such matters. ]
Ah, while we're on the subject...do you fight with a weapon or are you the type to use other methods instead?
no subject
[ In other words, he's tried to be an all-rounder when it comes to combat, which isn't that far off from his magic here. ]
I mainly use chains that I conjure myself, however.
no subject
I see. I typically use a glaive, though I have great skill in general martial arts, and can wield a blade as well.
[ Not exactly too all-rounded in comparison, but there are Options. ]
The chains you call forth is something like a form of magic?
no subject
Yes. Or at least, my world's equivalent to magic. Conjuration has a lot of benefits—you can create conditions on your conjurations to make them stronger, you're able to expend more of your "magic" to turn them invisible, and you can materialize and dispel them in an instant.
no subject
Oh? That does sound quite beneficial to have.
Are you one of those strongest at it as well?
[ He wouldn't be surprised. Kurapika seems the type to train and hone his craft well; keeping mastery in a variety of differing weaponry isn't something, for example, that can be done by a lazy fellow. Not to mention, his good work ethic. ]
no subject
I'm flattered you would make that assumption.
[ And Jing Yuan isn't exactly wrong, either. ]
You could say that I am, though only against certain opponents. I've tailored my skills to be specific. Their usefulness outside of their purpose is questionable.
no subject
I see I was not wrong to make such a presumption.
[ He says cheerfully, as he does most things. Jing Yuan has a lieutenant who is rather skilled as well for his young age; though, Kurapika is probably older. Maybe. ]
Even if it is particularly strong against certain opponents, would you still say it encompasses a wide net of possible effective targets even so?
no subject
[ But he's well aware of his lack of any real strength when it comes to his abilities, which is why he's always got a gun on his person. ]
I've adjusted my abilities to help somewhat against other targets, but... the main purpose of my abilities are for that small group of people.
no subject
[ Sometimes :gun: is truly an equalizer when it comes to those wonderful back-up plans...anyway, that is quite interesting. Cultivating something meant for twelve individuals instead of having it more broad. ]
Why did you decide to adjust for these twelve? Are they dangerous foes?
cw genocide
They killed my people. I'm the only member of the Kurta Clan left, and as such, it's my responsibility to kill the perpetrators.
no subject
The path to vengeance is a thorny one indeed, but the fact there are twelve responsible, who are evidently dangerous in of themselves, makes it even moreso. Still, may these twelve eventually rest in pieces. ]
That is a heavy burden to bear on your own. Are there others who are assisting you in this endeavor? And, for what reason did they slaughter your people for?
cw eye horror
[ Otherwise, he has his employees. It's why he's in the mafia, after all. ]
My people were killed for their eyes. When enraged, they turn red... that red is considered one of the most beautiful colors in the world. So much so that people would pay exorbitant prices just to display a pair of them.
[ He sighs. ]
I'm sure you can imagine what they did to my people once they were dead.
no subject
Jing Yuan is lying back on the grass but he brings his own hands together, since they are unoccupied, staring up at the sky, before closing his eyes for a moment. Just for that...those people were killed for something like that? It is nothing so different from the barbaric actions of the borisin, in some respects. At least he is well familiar with the idea of cruelty. ]
Yes, I can.
[ He takes a little pause on his end, but despite his own disgust, responds calmly. ]
For what it's worth, even though I know such an endeavor must be taking quite a toll on you, I do hope you are able to put a stop to them for good. And then, that you are able to make peace with what has happened.
no subject
[ Though he certainly appreciates Jing Yuan's sentiment. It's just that the rage he holds inside of himself will likely never fade, or at least not enough for him to easily make peace with everything.
But he won't argue against the toll it's taking. It weighs him down mercilessly. ]
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