lunaecalamitas | thousand dreams, lotus boats upon the waters

thousand dreams, lotus boats upon the waters

NEW MOON ADAGIO

Between the constant requests from the North and the sense of tension that pervades the manor, Sage Tatara makes an executive decision: we're going North, baby.

Of all the things that have happened thus far, let this be the ultimate test of your magic. Even as we near summer, it's frigid. Protect yourselves and your allies from the cold. Protect yourselves while also fighting off monsters (or other territorial wizards, should you make the terrible mistake of wandering into another's territory), flying through the vast wilderness, or protecting the poor humans who need your help to survive. Time to blow off some of your steam. Just be sure to obey Tatara's one rule: don't kill each other.

One particular problem of note is in the Forest of Dreams. Without its guardian, many of these rogue monsters and dangerous predators, displaced from their normal habitats, have found their way into the forest. Many of them, however, are unable to survive against the fatal toxin, and there are plenty of animal corpses and mana stones that litter the forest. It might be best to clean these up before the forest guardian returns...

That said, the toxin is yet another thing you must protect yourself against in addition to the cold. While you can likely keep yourself from dying from the toxins, you may not be immune to its effects. This deadly toxin causes anyone who breathes it in to dream and hallucinate vividly, be it images of the past, imagined futures, thoughts of the present processed and warped...

Strangely enough, those nearby may end up sharing in your dreams... Did you want the darkest recesses of your thoughts, hopes, and fears unearthed for others to see?

Those who decide to venture far past the more populated (in relative terms) parts of the North may find themselves stumbling upon what looks to be an abandoned bandit hideout. It seems it's been abandoned for quite a while—nothing to loot here, sorry!—but there sure are a whole lot of monsters that have decided to make this hidden corner of the North their home.

While you're at it, you may find a nearby cave. Beautiful crystals dot the walls and the floors, and there are small pools of hot spring water free for relaxing. It seems to be relatively free of monsters, too. So maybe this wouldn't be a bad spot to relax, away from everything else?

However, there's one thing that makes this cave truly unique, and it isn't the vistas or the springs—it's the bats. These bats hear echoes of the past and replay them for visitors. Should you stay a while and listen, a bat may pay you a visit. And when it does, it may play for you the voices from the memories of visitors past, whose stories may hold a clue or two to your circumstances...

While the Forest of Dreams is a memory/dreamshare free for all, the aural memories replayed by the bats in the Cave of Time will come from one of the original wizards only. If you'd like an audio replay of a perhaps significant moment either in their personal life or a clue as to what happened to them (it will be randomized), then please reply to this comment!

JOB BOARD

Clean-up and repairs. While thanks to the hard work of your Eastern friends the worst was prevented, the City of Rain emerged from their short ordeal a little worse for wear.

Buildings need repair, blood needs to be cleaned off the streets, the injured need help. This is, perhaps, the only time you will be allowed to use magic openly in the city (you've been given permits and everything!), but you still are not allowed to talk outside of designated zones. Please, please don't get arrested...

As for the scrap that litters the streets? Unfortunately, you'll have to take it back to the scrapyard. But this time, there's a big, roaring bonfire out there. Just chuck all the scrap and debris in the fire. The city isn't taking any second chances—extreme situations call for extreme measures.

Reverence. Several Northern villages are currently outside the protection of a wizard, and have requested the sage's wizards' presence. They're terrified of the monsters and worried the barriers for their villages will fail sooner than later. They don't simply ask for help for free, however, and these smaller villages are steeped in their tradition—they'll pay you their respects, praying to you, offering you gifts, groveling at your feet, in hopes for a modicum of your time and protection. Do their offerings please you? Then assist them with what you deem appropriate for their worship to you: kill a few monsters for them, or a lot if you're pleased. Strengthen the barrier a lot, or not at all if you're displeased. It's up to you! You have the power here. What's it like to be a god for a day?

Ladies' night. The monthly lady officers' gathering is coming up in the City of Affluence—it's an exclusive meetup for the women involved in and related to Western military and bureaucratic affairs. Anyone is welcome, so long as they meet two requirements: they are outwardly presenting feminine, and they have an invitation to the gathering. Here's your chance to flex your transformation and glamour spells! Infiltrate the meetup with a disguise and a fake invitation, mingle, enjoy the drinks, the jazz, the entertainment, and find out what you can... What's the Western army up to? Be careful, though—don't get caught and kicked out!

The attendees seem to be excited about the new phantasmagoria technology and the upcoming display, and many whisper about the upcoming Venator meteor shower...

G'RAHA TASKS

Greetings, new friends! I am G'raha Tia, and while I hesitate to call myself a mentor or a replacement for the one you had, I am eternally grateful for the assistance I received and will do my best to help your cause in any way I can. To that end, I feel I may need to be caught up to speed on the events and get to know all of you.

We can have some tea and sandwiches and have a discussion! That's the best way to learn, sometimes.

TATARA ACTIVITIES

Even if we're not here for very long, I think we should leave our mark (not literally! Don't paint on the walls!). I got paint and big paper in the dining hall, but no brushes... Do you know what that means? Finger paint! Finger paint a portrait of yourself with your name and I'll hang it up in the library when they're all done!

Thanks to Cid and Khun, my camcorder works now. The thing is, what's the point of filming anything if we have no way to watch the film?! Could you guys work together to make some kind of projector? Or like...VHS player? We could have a movie night together!

OOC NOTES

🌙 Welcome to your fourth event! It's your dreamshare and memshare event! Ready to open up with your deepest and darkest secrets?
🌙 We're halfway through the game. How do you feel?
🌙 Back at the manor, Kurapika and Maya have set up a bulletin board! Leave comments, argue with your neighbors, have fun. Be nice. Don't set it on fire.
🌙 On the admin side of things, Lav has swapped out Wanderer for G'raha! Please say hello to your new mentor NPC.
🌙 Your OOC plotting post is here! Remember to keep all wider plotting to the post, and remember to check back frequently, since not everyone checks plurk or discord all the time.
🌙 The next country to go on their mission is North. Do you think a PVP-enabled mission will go well?

» NAVIGATION

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Oh.

[Okay, yeah, that makes a lot of sense.]

Yes, I suppose it is a bit foolish to assume everything has a deeper meaning.

[But he's just going to roll with it, shaking off the faux pas.]

It would have been a shame to lose everything I've made, so I'm glad you decided to forego them.

[ Bruno gives a slight jump when Jing Yuan appears by him, as dressed up as can be. His own transformation is pretty good, although he has had help figuring out make-up and getting his now quite long, curly hair braided. In picking a dress out, too.

But, for the most part, he's doing the same as before, at the castle's ball: wallflowering.

Due to the West's warmth, though, he picked up a pretty little folding fan on the way in to infiltrate. He's been idly fanning himself with that and wondering over what can even be expected from a get-together like this. Gossip, maybe? Ah, but no matter now.

Jing Yuan is pretty obvious even as a woman. The same can be said for Bruno. ]

O-oh, uh. [ Excuse him for looking you up and down, Jing Yuan. It's an interesting dress and he's quick to bring his eyes back up, honest. ] I guess? It seems like a fun time. Getting together, catching up, all that.

[ Lurk all you want, Mika, but Bruno is a master lurker himself. Sooner or later, he'll come looking for the saddest vampire ever around the manor, and when he spots him, he'll raise an arm and wave him down. ]

Mika! Hey, Mika! I got it to work!

[fu yuan.............]

I was quite young when I had to leave my tribe. Staying there would have had... dreadful consequences, but it is quite a long tale to tell and I'm not sure you have the time for the story of someone you've just met.

[Mostly it's a lot because Jing Yuan doesn't have the context a native of Etheirys would have, and explaining the Allagan empire and the royal blood he inherited would... be an ordeal. Not that she's opposed to sharing it at all, if Jing Yuan truly wants to know.]

So I have far more memories of the man that took me in than the nunh that sired me, though there are few in my tribe who haven't heard of Desch.

[The space is welcome, if only for letting him unravel some of the tension he wasn't aware had climbed up his spine. Save for the escalation... it really had been a very exhilarating moment, and he can feel the slight heat to his face and neck left behind from it all. It's a shame.

He gives the apology its time and attention, hand idling against the edge of the scarf closest to his mouth as though he might be able to hide behind it. He lets it sit, lets it sit more, before finally letting out another sigh.]

Intentions or otherwise, your actions will speak louder. I will be the judge of that.

[So apology sort of... accepted. So long as Jing Yuan shows he means it? Maybe he can try that again, on a day that isn't quite so cold and poisonous.

...

He clears his throat, pulling his hood further over his head as he motions for Jing Yuan to follow him.]

Quickly, then. I'd rather not let this forest play any more tricks on our hearts.

You wanted to talk about your student, right? What is it that you teach?

Edited 2024-05-23 22:13 (UTC)

[...

Headtilt.]

Starskiff?

[ There's a unique sort of sound that only a fresh snowfall brings. The blanket of silence is comforting, and the world hushes beneath the majesty of the cold.

It must be that sort of winter night, because there is a muted hush in the way the fire crackles, in the way his wine glass taps softly against the wood of the end table, in the way the page crinkles as he turns it.

Perhaps there is a softness, even, in the way the quick patter of little feet rush through the hall. His attention narrows on the footsteps, cautious, alert.

There's the soft tap, tap of his finger on the page; he clearly cannot concentrate while the other runs about.

He inhales, perhaps to speak, but he is quickly interrupted by the loud clack of the door opening, of the little footsteps rushing towards him.

There comes a child's voice, delighted and eager. His clothes rustle as they're tugged.

"Do not run, Arthur," he speaks, his voice low, smooth, calming. "You will hurt yourself."

But it seems the child pays no mind to his warning; the young voice goes on and on and on, cadence delighted, eager to share knowledge he already knows. On occasion he inhales, ready to speak, but cannot speak fast enough. The child talks over him, and he cannot keep up.

"It is late. You should sleep," he interjects eventually. But the response he receives is a whine. There comes a soft thud of a book landing on the sofa cushion beside him.

A pause. He sighs.

"Very well. I will read to you. But only one story."

There comes the rustle of clothes, movement on the sofa as the child nestles in beside him. The pages flip open, and he begins to read. His tone is even, quiet, comforting...

And soon the crackling fire and the hush of snow is all muted beneath the soft snores of the child's breath in slumber. His voice quiets, and he no longer reads. He sighs, fond.

Good night, sweet prince. ]

I can't say it's pleasant, but... I really don't want to end up like Central.

[Sometimes the real motivation is trying to prove to your friends that you can do a thing without being stupid about it and somehow that leads to eating magic rocks. It's fine.]

[ He thinks part of him hoped Jing Yuan would say nothing. That'd he'd just do what Shinjiro does; swallow it down. This is something he's come to terms with himself, but it's not something he thinks people should want to see. Should need to.

Worst of all, there's something so sickingly familiar in that statement that has him thinking if he turns around, he's not going to see a grown man standing there.

He's gonna see another boy, with white hair cropped so much shorter and frustration plastered all over that face of his to go with that silly, stupid bandage. Why, Shinji? Why? ]

...That's none of your business. Whatever happened, happened.

[ So stop asking. Please.

Not that his attempts to close it out do much, because no matter how he tightens his lips and lets his knuckles go white, it keeps going. On, and on, to the point the additional sound of steps sound louder than the sound of his own heartbeat in his ears. Ken is saying something again, about his lack of regret, how he'll regret nothing-

He's correct.

Cool and confident. If Ken hadn't been speaking, it almost would have sounded like he was agreeing with Shinjiro himself. The tone doesn't suit the man it comes from, who solidifies a few steps away from them. The gauntness of his bare skin is more corpselike than living person, paper-white and practically glowing under the sickening light.

That is the nature of revenge. Is it not permissible to kill those who are themselves killers?

The silence is stormy. Both the apparitions of Shinjiro and Ken are standing still, breath quiet, eyeballing the newcomer with features that shift between wariness and suspicion. The real one looks away, the moment your meddling cannot be ignored anymore slips out.

The object lodged in his belt slides free, barrel silver under the light of the moon. It clicks, hammer cocks.

Do not fear. This life is, after all, but a stepping stone. Salvation is close at hand.

If Jing Yuan blinks, a flash of panic will grip taut at his chest, as the rippling image of the taller boy promptly darts in front of the smaller one, arm thrown out protectively. For all he feels right now, he'll be able to realize it's not his own. ]

Hey-

[ Shinjiro is abruptly leaning over, realization dawning uncomfortably as if he's forgotten something, and he's hissing even over the din of static and fear. Wait, hold on. He had forgotten, for a brief moment, but this part is rushing back in too much clarity.

...My. Protecting your would-be murderer? Oh, but that's right. Whether or not to this boy's revenge- ]

Old man, quit listening-

[ You're fated to die, regardless. ]

Edited 2024-05-23 22:55 (UTC)

[ There's a moment of silence, before the response actually registers, and he tries to shake himself out of it. ]

...Sure. [ Tense. ] Still not sure how I feel about eating monster-rocks.

[ Hallucinogens. Yeah, that's true. He was hoping the charms would protect them from the worst of it, but while the poison seems to be no problem, things just keep steadily getting...greener. Darker. The ground feels harder than it did before, and he exhales slow in an attempt to see if he can shake it off.

Aragaki. Are you listening?

Except that voice isn't Khun, it's too feminine, too familiar. It sounds elegant and disciplined, in comparison to the din of teenage boys. Shinjiro's back straightens, and he's already turning to his companion. ]

...You ain't hearing that, right?

[ it is, it turns out, strangely easy to lose sight of robin in the forest. perhaps it's the shock of white hair blending in with the snow, the dark clothing seeming little more than a stray shadow or trunk or bough at a great enough distance,

or perhaps it's the way the man skirts away from company like a ghost as he flits through the forest, attending to the same busywork most everyone else is. the promise of mana stones and beasts that become mana stones; it's reason enough, in the end, for robin to bother with remaining despite the threat of knowing the enchanted forest poses. that's fine. robin can minimize the risks in the little ways he can, keep to times and locations people aren't so active at, wander an eerily silent forest in the eerily cast half-light of dusk, the shadows stretching longer with every minute that passes.

perhaps that's why it's hard to immediately tell exactly when the surroundings begin to warp and shift, twilit forest melting into candlelit chambers, stone and architecture in place of wild nature. however day comes across robin, whether through happenstance or design, he'll find now that the man sucks in a breath through his teeth, shoulders squaring away as his expression grows shadowed beneath his hood. ]

Edited 2024-05-24 01:27 (UTC)

[ death by airborne toxin tends to leave most of the non-magical corpses relatively intact, compared to other possible methods. predation, for one; injury from an attack in a struggle due to overlapping territory another.

still, not every one of the creatures felled by an unfortunate choice in temporary home is quite so unmarred. to that end, as robin walks the forest and collects mana stones and tends to corpses both, sometimes he'll just... pause. kneel down, nearby one of the more unfortunate seeming carcasses.

let feed a small trickle of his power into the deceased forms, even as he minds the wards maintaining both warm and clean air carefully. the method is not quite the same as he knew from his home, several missing intermediaries rendering an exact replication impossible, but he understands all the mechanisms involved, the anatomy and systems that must be preserved and how they do and don't fit together. it should not be difficult to recreate them via a magic that is, in some ways, more freeform than the systems in place whence he came.

so bones and flesh, even in varying states of decay, knit themselves back together. in one aspect, it's healing, because he's certain it will be a valuable skill to have in reserve should they be called out to deal with anything untoward. he knows life and death well, after all, and he's mentioned as such before, that he can be a capable healer if one is willing to accept the cold mercies of the north, the healing that isn't so much a surplus of life as it is a lack of death.

in another, it's ... well. you cannot properly heal the dead, cannot bring them back to life, but you can certainly do something else with them. a small wolf, whatever it is he's knelt over, eventually shambles slowly to its feet, tongue lolling out in breathless pants as robin checks over the integrity of its limbs. its eyes glow a color somewhere between ocher and red as it paces in circles for him to test the soundness of its reconstruction.

most likely, it will be in the middle of these kinds of experiments and exercises that jing yuan will come across robin in the forest of dreams, where surely nothing involving dreams or memories will happen. ]

Edited 2024-05-24 23:46 (UTC)

[ The murmur of voices echo in through the caverns. They settle low, serious. His own breathing is louder than usual, frustrated. For a few more moments, he waits, listening, but eventually, he clicks his tongue.

That's his conclusion.

A hush falls over the area as his clothes shift, his shoes tap on stone as he walks.

"Who was it that got a good look at 'em?"

There comes a lone voice in response from the silence.

"And?"

The response he gets from that displeases him. He clicks his tongue again.

"Bastards. Don't like that we've got Westerners skulking in our territory. They get anywhere near here, kill 'em. I ain't lettin' go of our hard work here."

A few other voices pipe up, louder and louder than the last. They argue over one another, but before the volume reaches a peak, there is the quiet rustle of fabric as he raises a hand to stop them. A hush falls over them again.

"The meteor? Did you say they're taking pieces of the meteor?"

A low murmur in affirmation, and he barks loud in laughter. The answer changes his mind completely, it seems.

"Damned idiots. Leave them be, then. They're givin' themselves bad luck with that thing. If I find any of you bringin' that shit in here, I'm killin' you myself."

Again, his shoes tap against the stone as he walks away. That's not business he's willing to deal with. ]

Yeah... I know East and West are at it, but it seems like South and North are beneath the others' notice.

Maybe this is just where the undesirables end up.

That's true...

[Hm.]

I wonder if it's even possible to find wizards willing to take their place without letting it go to their heads.

[ Sorry Shinjiro, he definitely can't say nothing.

Can't pretend to be "diplomatic" or stoically stand there, listening as the General. Maybe it is his fault for caring too much.

Not to mention, that kind of response — around the same time as Akihiro's interjection, at that — feels like it conjures something explosively incredulous. Even if his question is phrased, somehow calmly— ]

What do you — ?

[ But, no, everything else is happening so fast that whatever else he is going to question is—thankfully for Shinji?—aborted when there is suddenly a new player to all of this. He doesn't even know why he's reacting this much.

Indeed, upon seeing this new man enter the fray, say those words as if he has any right to speak them make his hackles rise even further.

It's just a memory, he tells himself. Shinjiro is the one who is certainly experiencing the most distress right now. He tells himself, just like always, he shouldn't get too caught up in it. But, seeing the gun held out, he is aware of how much he wants to wrap his hands around the throat of that strange man.

Then, he watches Shinjiro throw himself in the way of the boy he definitely seems to have been poised to be his would-be murderer. He...does understand why he would; the boy is just a child, even if the kid's motivations must certainly be wrong (this is his personal opinion.) ]

...What does he mean, fated to die?

[ ...it's too late.

Jing Yuan definitely heard and Shinjiro's words bidding him to stop listening would have never worked anyway. But, the revelation feels even worse.

All this time...does this mean it applies, even now? Is it something he can do about? ]

Edited 2024-05-24 00:15 (UTC)

[ Welcome to the party, fellow Westie! Jing Yuan definitely casts her attention on over at Urianger as they're chatting. The robes are looking positively fashionable, if one had to ask her. ]

Haha, well.

You will find that my answer to that would be very much something similar.

[ She feels that Urianger need not shift her speech pattern nonetheless. ]

In fact, meteor showers would be most definitely something more my speed. A pity that is not occurring instead of this dance. Politics never interested me much in general, in fact.

[ Fortunately, Jing Yuan is the type of person who can very well accept the consequences of his actions without much personal incident — that part he is very much willing to prove. Even if he too is definitely weary, not from the same sense Solomon is by far.

He doesn't seem to object at Solomon's response either — if he is ultimately unaccepting of his apology, that is entirely his prerogative and his alone. He simply accepts this, and moves onwards.

Jing Yuan will follow once Solomon gets moving, though. ]

Well, as a General back home, I started off teaching my student swordplay. It is what my teacher taught me first and foremost — though, that isn't the only reason.

He always had quite a proficiency with such weaponry, above all. I had ensured to find what suited him best since Cloud Knights can wield a variety of weapons, and the same can be said of anyone who wishes to become a fighter of some sort in general.

Though, as he has grown older, and reached the rank of Lieutenant not only under my careful instruction, but his personal merit, I have been teaching him more than simply combat. Even if that is still a priority.

I also now ensure that he starts to refine his swordplay further, and his leading skills. After all, as skilled as he is, he is quite young, and has a lot to learn in terms of knowing which battles he has to pick.

[ Though the awkward situation still hasn't completely left, just moments ago fresh in his mind, at the image of Yanqing's immaturity, he (unseen) shakes his head with visible amusement. Even as he is swift to fill the air with this talk on the subject, it is not for simple easing of the tension, almost feeling it with a simplicity, rather than any difficulty. ]

He oft asks to be sent on tasks beyond his capability even so. Perhaps, though, that is the nature of youth. Wishing to prove himself as soon as possible, even if experience will teach him that isn't necessarily always the best to come at the speed he desires it to.

[ Jing Yuan certainly hadn't meant to surprise Bruno any, looking on over to observe the transformation with discerning eyes.

The dress, perhaps, most of all looks well chosen, in her own opinion. Well, whatever the case, she is definitely offering Bruno a little smile, perhaps hoping to soothe the teensiest bits of surprise she almost certainly unintentionally startled from the other.

Though, amusement grows when she notices she is being oogled. Eyes up here. ]

I suppose there are worst get-togethers to attend. I can't say I knew what I was expecting, in truth.

But, everyone does seem like they're having the time of their lives. Perhaps it is simply the nature of people to enjoy their hard-earned time off, however.

Though, I wonder if politics are also your thing?

Edited 2024-05-24 00:05 (UTC)

[ Fu Yuan, reporting for party time deluxe! ]

I certainly would not wish to burden you with having to regale quite a long tale, even if, admittedly, I am very much curious to hear certain details.

...By which I mean, very curious.

But, perhaps we can settle first for talking a bit about your tribe in general or about the man who took you in?

[ She can't pretend she isn't interested to hear the deets, but she is willing to settle for a compromise. Anyone who has normally thought of Jing Yuan as a nosy grandpa is correct. ]

[ Oh, right.

Jing Yuan forgets the technology disparity and sometimes certain aspects of different world hurdles that may elude others. ]

Oh, right, many here probably haven't heard of it before.

It's something like a ship that takes to the air, rather than the water — have you heard of such things before?

Edited 2024-05-24 00:07 (UTC)

[ Eyes up there indeed. Look, he can see, and he has a question that he is never, ever going to ask Jing Yuan: was the size of the bust a choice or just how they turned out? Sadly, seeing as that would be inappropriate, we will never hear what would undoubtedly be a humorous answer. ]

The music is way better than what was at the castle, that's for sure. [ This is a man who can get behind some jazz. ] Also everyone seems so excited and friendly. I mean, I know I'm mostly just. Just hanging out over here but people keep complimenting my dress?

[ It's nice? It's nice. ]

Politics, though. Hm. It's interesting to hear about them, so I don't mind the politics, but what I'm really interested in is that meteor shower.

[Ibuki...

Ithaqua who? No, Solomon reaches out towards his apprentice instead, a moment of exhausted weakness. But when it withdraws, the world back to normal and the bright pop of red against his gloved hand... he's left feeling slightly empty. Separate, so far out from the rest of the ones he'd wanted to see grow, from the ones he said he'd cared about. Ibuki was no closer, their state no different, and his connection to time felt so paper thin as to be nonexistent.

...

The red string of fate, perhaps. He knows the concept well, even if this string has no obvious direction to point. But he carefully removes his glove, using his opposite hands and a tug of his teeth to tie the string to one of his fingers.]

A worthwhile reminder, my friends.

Thank you.

[He won't even pick the flowers of the fairy ring, look how much self control he's showing! wow.]

[...

What if he just does a lil gesture to summon a piece of notebook paper to block the lens. ~*Magic*~!]

...Airplane?

[Is a thing he's heard of

from other people here,,]

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thousand dreams, lotus boats upon the waters

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ladies night

since you've been goooone-- i mean recovering

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JING YUAN

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