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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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[ The human way, not the angel way. ]
If it's bad, you'll just have to teach me to do better.
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He leans closer to whisper: ]
Is that... no, Mika?
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Murmuring: )
... You should go be with the person you're happy with.
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He's right here.
[ He can't help it if he thinks even this is too cute, too endearing. ]
And I've been very reluctant to let him go.
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He does still doubt. He doubts because Rum exists, and because he feels twisted up for how he made Ginger feel during the mission, and because he can't see himself how Ginger sees him. But Ginger makes him want to try, and he just hopes that maybe all his trying will amount to something.
(It won't.)
He hesitates, his thoughts moving slow. But... he shifts in Ginger's hold, wrapping his arms loosely around Ginger's neck, and pressing his cheek against his neck - lips brushing light against the crook where neck meets shoulder, where Mika likes to bite (... and, these days, kiss).
Quiet, for Ginger's ears only: )
... Don't go.
( It's not too clear if he's speaking, specifically, of Ginger's planned outing; or addressing this phantom of a fear Mika has in his mind, so tangible and real in his dizzy head; or if he just means in general.
But whatever he says it for, he does mean it. It sounds like a plead. And it sounds like it's something he's scared of - has been scared of. (Because if Ginger won't ever set down his weight, then it'll be up to Mika to let go, and he's coming to worry that maybe he won't know how to, when the time comes. And if he can't let go, then Ginger will hurt - and that will be Mika's fault, as always, hurting the ones he loves. He's sorry; he's really sorry.)
And even with all that swirling in his mind, he doesn't think about how his doubts make Ginger feel - not while he's like this, anyway. )
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Whether these words were said before or after this conversation, the effect cascades the same. A foreign rumble, an unexpected jealousy, and Ginger’s heart quakes in fright. He is not made of love; that’s why he’s so desperate for it. The things that make him are sinful and incomplete. Faulty parts that barely slot together, and only then it’s with force. That Mika loves any part of him is miracle enough.
… He’s not all that different from those automatons, just more selfish. Slightly more self-preservation. More self-loathing. ]
I… [ Even if Mika desires so, even when the moon eclipses Ginger in turn, he will always, always… ]
… choose you. I will - every chance.
[ He hugs Mika to him, a hand cupping the back of his neck where the vine had wrapped all the way around. Where Mika had taken from himself for Ginger. Mika loves him now - for now.
His partially healed injury says as much. Ginger wants so much of Mika that his skin eats away at Mika’s love before the rest of him can have a taste. The surface is fine, but underneath? The wound raw, but it’s his heart that bleeds.
What was it that stopped his magic from protecting Mika back then - ? Which parts of him weren’t enough? Which parts didn’t Mika want? Or maybe he’s foolish to think any shade of Ginger would ever work on Mika, whose heart shines bright. The moon? When Mika’s right there?
Could he love it if Mika did? No, but he would love Mika, his own moon. Ginger’s the sunset, light dimmed and fading, darkened reds that fade to black. A temporary thing. His only strength is he would set again and again for the chance - to see Mika. That’s his choice. ]
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Mika has been very careful not to speak of certain things - in regards to how he feels. (It's terrible of him to swear he's honest with Ginger when sometimes that honesty in couched in speaking the truth only incompletely.) He has been mindful, especially, to - be supportive, about Ginger's chances with Rum, even if Rum has begun to frustrate Mika terribly. He has wanted to be supportive, about Ginger's chances with anybody. He has been careful to remind himself, at any time, his arrogant assumption that he exists in a unique tier in Ginger's may prove untrue, and maybe it's these constant reminders that made his heart feel tender (the way a fruit is tender because it is bruised) when he had seen Ginger soften with someone else.
Because if Ginger's dearest person is Rum, and Mika shares the tier below that with others, then - then - like with Yuu, he'd probably ... fall in priority, and fairly so. There are better people to treasure than people who don't hurt him, who aren't so comprised of failing, who aren't so haunted by a guilt without cure, who still live, who...
He has been careful not to voice these things, because he wants to try to be better for Ginger - or, at least, make Ginger happy so long as he's around him - and he doesn't want to hurt him by saying it, especially when Ginger wants to think these moments can last forever. But he's feeling unwell, and his thoughts swirl like an ill cauldron, and it slips out, when he doesn't mean it to, because he feels stupid and guilty and terrible thinking back on himself (especially if Shinjiro's snapped at them at this point). )
... But you'll go back to Rum.
( And if Rum is so frustrating - if Rum is so uncaring toward Ginger, but still has his heart - but Mika can't beat him, then - how much worse must he be? (He's begun to think this, in some ugly, selfish way, centreing Ginger's life around him - and he feels guilty for it, too. Rum probably doesn't have this sort of guilt. Rum is probably...)
But he seems to vaguely realize he didn't mean to say this, even if it's not yet with the panic attached he'd have if he were fully well. So he adds: )
... I just want to be allowed to be there when you do...
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But Ginger is surprised to find he does have an answer for Mika - of a sort. ]
Mika, I meant what I said. [ Into his hair, only for Mika. ] And I’ll still mean it later. But - let’s wait until you’ve recovered a little more. I’ll answer you about Rum then, okay?
[ Mika’s not all that here right now. Ginger’s more lucid, but he’s exhausted himself. ]
I want you to be sure of my words.
[ He wants to be sure of his own words, too. But if Mika asked now, Ginger would bend. ]
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The world always feels that much worse when you're sick and tired.
He's quiet for a time. He wants to say... he'll be sure of whatever Ginger says. But it isn't enough for him, is it? It's never quite enough for Mika, and he doesn't know how to make himself trust. He's starting to... understand this about himself, the more it comes up. )
... Okay.
( He exhales soft, as if deflating - powering down, because there's been all this commotion, but all he's really wanted to do is sleep. )
Okay. Sorry. Okay.
( And he seems as if he had meant to say more, but his lips fall closed, and he just presses his face into the crook of Ginger's neck, listening to his pulse like a heartbeat.
He'll have a lot to apologize for when he's a little more himself again, but, for now... he agrees they both need rest. )
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Count yourself lucky that my standards ain't high, then.
[ Aaaaand then Phil's gonna drop like a rock and Ginger gets to see Day hurry to heal him and carry him. ]
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[ Is that a compliment or an insult? Either way, Ginger nods him off. ]