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

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

I did check the other direction for a while. [He jerks his thumb towards it.] I just happened to overhear you remind them to keep things for themselves instead of placing it all at our feet.

[Albeit with much harsher posturing than Syrlya would have done.]

[ Well, actually...since Jing Yuan is very happy with the child he raised, it is no surprise that asking about him does put him in a good mood. ]

I'd like to say he is perfectly behaved, but at times, Yanqing can be quite impatient. Though it isn't like he goes out of his way to be a prankster.

It is more like, let us say, he sees a challenge and believes if he can strike it down with his collection of blades he will chase after it even if it is very inadvisable. Or at times walk away when I am attempting to lecture him on some matters when he thinks he can go ahead and solve it himself.

But, ultimately he is a good leader, and a capable fighter when he is able to get past those little weaknesses. He has so much room to grow, and yet I am rather proud at the progress he has made.

[ He is talking much like a happy dad who likes to show pictures of his family (kids, etc.)

Jing Yuan would have maybe even shown him a picture too on his cell or whatever but thanks to the memory he hadn't. ]

Oh, by the way, do let me know if you have any experience mentoring anyone in turn.

Edited 2024-05-24 05:49 (UTC)

Oh, it creates recordings! [That much he can understand. He's used to records or hologram devices doing that and we're not going to think about the strange technological advancements that still haven't figured out a camera.]

So, wait, are you recording this right now?

[He absently turns the stone over in his hand.] Gifts... so it isn't possible for everyone to use magic where you come from? Is it rare?

[G'raha recognizes the boy as one of the few who came to rescue him from his untimely arrival, but as he raises a hand in greeting he sees the boy freeze up.

Distantly, he hears children laughing, and his eyes twitch as he follows the noise.]

Ahito, was it?

It's fine.

[Exasperated...]

It's not like I keep my past secret or anything, so you don't have to tiptoe around it.

[It is what it is.]

[ Womp womp...

A pity trains have just came into style, but he can roll with it. Kind of? ]

Hmm, I suppose then I'd ask you to imagine a boat that can take to the sky. But with wings.

Those who pilot these vehicles are also beholden to traffic laws. And they are not exactly inexpensive.

[ Whatever hand he might have been extending stops before it even reaches the older man, fingers pulling back as they curl tight into another white-knuckled fist.

Of course it wouldn't be that easy.

The silence takes over again, but only for them; the scene continues on, even as Shinjiro whips his gaze away.

Haven't you been taking those pills for a while now? You don't have much longer.

And even as the apparitions denial is barked with rage, the man himself seems to deflate partially. He feels he should be angrier, like he usually is. Shut the door and lock it, throw away the key, so nobody else has to feel it. But for some reason, he feels just as he had on that day; Tired. Knowing. Like someone who knows he's heading off to the execution grounds, and has already accepted his fate. A abnormal haze of exhaustion. ]

...Like you need me to tell you what that means.

[ In between the arguments in the background, Shinjiro's hand raises to his own face, peering down at it. ]

I ruined that kid's life, all because of something I couldn't control. I wanted it to go away. I knew it wasn't gonna end well, and I didn't care. [ The nightmares, the guilt, the ghosts. They never really left. ] Do you get it, now?

[ He can't hear the commentary right now anymore, himself. Nor see the panic in his own eyes as the figure turns to look at the child behind him, lips mouthing Amada? What?

No, the silence only continues because he seems like he's...bracing himself. Eyes squeezing shut, shoulders sinking lower, because it's coming, and he knows it. Just like his dreams. And just like his dreams-

Shut the fuck up!

-It's loud. The gunshot, that is.

Louder than the agonized gasp of pain, or the noise the vision of himself in front of them makes as he collapses to one knee, shaky hand pressed to his stomach.

It smells like blood. It tastes like it, too. ]

Impossible. There are other wizards, but if they were capable, they would have been under the sage's direction already.

[And he shrugs over that.]

I doubt settin' a fire off in a forest full of poison is gonna do us any favors.

[ Who knows if this stuff is flammable. Best to not find out.

Shinjiro's gaze snaps to Ahito, before it leaves again. ]

Ah? I just don't like the cold.

[ Although- after they've spoken about fire, there's now a distinct smell hanging in the air. Faintly acrid, like something burning. ]

...Yeah. Did you hear that too?

[He's way more tense than he was when they first met, that's for sure, scanning the forest for the source of the sound.]

Well, who am I to deny curiosity. Don't say I didn't warn you about how long a story this might be.

[G'raha's ears wiggle as she talks.]

The G tribe live on the island of Corvos, and have for many centuries now. Like many tribes, they were enslaved by the Allagan empire—an empire known for their technological marvels and mastery of magicks, though one of our distant ancestors gained the trust of the Allagan princess Salina and was bestowed with the power of Allagan royal blood. After the fall of the Allagan empire, my tribe took it upon themselves to ensure that Allagan technology did not fall into the hands of those who would use it for ill.

[It's quite a storied history, even if it's not a necessarily pleasant one. Though it's easy to tell, with how separated G'raha is from that history and her childhood. Everything happened so long ago, and it's not a particularly unique story with how so much of Etheirys has been at the whims of different empires over so many Astral Eras.]

The royal blood would continue to pass down through the tribe, though it began appearing less and less until... eventually, I was the last one born with the mark of Allag, and the last who held the key the Allagan relics littering the star. When Corvos was invaded by yet another empire who began to gather all the ancient relics they could, I was taken in by a scholar named Galuf Baldesion and moved to Sharlayan. Sharlayan is both a nation dedicated to knowledge above all else, but they have a very strict non-intervention policy in political affairs. It was the safest place for me, and Galuf helped me gain citizenship so I was able to enter the Studium.

[She takes a deep breath, before letting it all out with a "whew!"]

He was a kind man, and one of the few Sharlayans who traveled the world and stopped to get involved with the world around him.

( As Ithaqua speaks, Mika's attention fades slightly as he tries to extend the reach of his influence, like a pulse. If there's anything Easterners are supposed to be good at, it's weaving and unweaving these sorts of things, though he doesn't feel like he has solid ground here.

But it ripples back in concert with the scream, and Mika grimaces at the recoil, his heel digging to keep himself from stumbling back; he shakes his head. His gaze follows the scene vaguely as he collects himself. He knew North was inhospitable, but he didn't expect it to be that bad. Might makes right, and mighty Easterners are not. They lack the privilege to influence the environment.

But Ithaqua goes as he's collecting himself, and Mika pauses, considering. After a moment, he follows after the Ithaqua he knows - all of them in a line, chasing ghosts. )

... Who is she?

[ A glance around, frown still on his features. Hm. ]

...Don't wander off. This place makes you see shit, so who knows.

[ At least this one isn't quite so...ominous?

Although, amidst the smell of sea salt, there's also the sounds of seagulls. The faint rush of the waves. Maybe it would be less disconcerting if it wasn't this far out in the North. ]

[G'raha follows his gaze, humming softly.]

Yes, I'd agree with that. I'd be a much different person were it not for the people I have had in my life, those who I could rely on.

[Who he's put too much burden on, who he could trust with his life, who he was ready to die for...]

...And those who most would call my enemies.

[But would he consider Emet-Selch an enemy, now? With everything he knows now and everything he's seen at the edge of the universe, it's hard to say. Still, he cannot deny the Ascian influenced how his life went, just as the Ascians had done for many others.]

How responsible of you.

( Though not a statement made with derision, it's not necessarily a compliment. He keeps his voice low. Though he does not indulge the villagers, he isn't here to pick a fight with them, nor torment them. Humans are rarely worth the effort. )

It's true Eastern wizards have a reputation for being unfriendly, apparently. ( Convenient excuse for him to be antisocial. ) I've heard Northerners like to torment the people. If you're worried about being in-character, why not start there?

( This does not sound like a serious suggestion, and it isn't - but it is needling at the idea: what do we owe these people, anyway? Whether or not they indulge them, the wizards are still generally doing their jobs, and surely that is the only thing that fundamentally matters. )

[ He's technically not really here for the tea party...it's not really his thing. He's also not the most...sociable, when you think about it. There's lots of people who would be better suited for that.

But if this guy is replacing the other one, then there's the big question of...his problem.

Truthfully, part of him thinks about just leaving it. After all, Totsuka already knows. Does he really need to tell anybody else? He's been content all this time, just to keep it to himself. It's what has Shinjiro standing in the doorway for a few moments, expression unreadable, before he finally steps inside. ]

...Aragaki Shinjiro. Guess we're gonna be workin' together from now on. [ He still does have some manners...even if he's just 🧍‍♂️ ] You settling in all right?

[ This time, Jing Yuan falls silent, watching and listening as each part of this continues as long as it has. Indeed, Shinjiro doesn't even have to answer, since the apparition of that accursed man answers it for him.

The pills were the cause of this condition of his.

Though, he turns his gaze back upon Shinji, who has long since turned away from all of this. Perhaps once more; perhaps once again, but he does not blame him...for a moment he even sees himself reach out, only to pause, letting it fall.

And, well, is it much of a surprise Jing Yuan doesn't blame him when this memory is so terrible to invoke likely a myriad of feelings through the other man? Many unpleasant ones; leaving nothing kind in its wake.

As Shinjiro asks the question, Do you get it now?, Jing Yuan doesn't reply.

Because what can he say to that? He's watching what happens, the little details, the expressions on the reflections' faces. Then, the shout comes.

And...what happens afterwards. Despite the loud noise, he doesn't even flinch, even as he watches that past Shinji fall to one knee. ]

I understand what you wished for. Not much else.

...But, I wonder — did you truly wish for things to end up like this scene, by this man's hands?

[ To fall at the hand of a cruel man, even if the world seemed unbearable. A man he hopes didn't make it out of this alive. The sick, metallic scent of blood is nauseating — even moreso when he knows its origin.

He has more questions, thoughts, and even multiple things to say. But, instead, he waits a little longer still, so that they all don't get swallowed up in the sounds of a memory. ]

[Solomon focuses on listening, as well as on trying to keep the protective spell around him and the heating spell on them both stable as they walk. The settling of emotions helps him concentrate, enough that he can listen to Jing Yuan's tale with a careful ear.]

It's the never-ending challenge of balancing the eagerness to learn and prove themselves with the caution needed to prevent them from falling too far, isn't it?

I saw you wield a blade, both in our previous strokes of combat and the shade of that memory. If you know more than that, you really are more passionate about the craft than I gave you credit for...

[They start to break the line of the trees. The outside edges of the forest will be here soon. Solomon's face is still fairly covered up between the hood and the scarf, but his eyes still trace to Jing Yuan for an answer with a hint of empathy. One teacher to the other, noting the care given for the student..]

You sound very fond of him. What is his name?

( okay... true... BUT...

Mika looks like he's looking for a means to argue, but he doesn't have a great excuse, and he really does not want to have to redo the transformation... It was such a pain...

Eventually: )

... And you're good enough at makeup to make a difference?

( Mika shrugs. )

Humans like excuses to celebrate. I'm guessing yours don't.

( By "yours" he means the humans where Khun lived - in that tower - relative to the average human here. Mika's definitely overheard all sorts of talk of varied festivals and celebrations in crowds while in towns here. )

You can just ignore them.

( ... but he's guessing there's a reason Khun is quite specifically researching them, instead of taking note of the quantity and moving on. )

Edited 2024-05-24 06:34 (UTC)

It looks more than just a dislike of the cold... Want me to add another ward against the chill for you?

[Your opinion is not gonna affect the redness of your face, my dude. That said, he does pause, looking around in confusion when he catches a hint of smoke on the air.]

...?

Would they? Never did get the rundown on what gets people roped in as the Sage's Wizards, specifically.

[ Day doesn't say anything. If anything, he's staring into the distance, expression unreadable as he decides that he hates all this, actually. He's never hated or even disliked Solomon, but he doesn't want to sympathize with him over this.

Day is someone who has clung to the world through the maxim of love endures, that you can keep loving something that is lost to you forever, and love something even knowing it will inevitably be lost. Because if he cannot say "yes" to either of those things, then there's nothing left for him. Love is the lifeline and survival mantra he's had a vice grip on for the past five years, so Solomon's heartache is far too relatable and painful for comfort.

He ends up closing his eyes and holding his head with one hand. By the gods, he hates all this. ]

[The memory fades back to white, to cold and snow and just two amidst the trees.

The grief still aches. But Solomon blows out a long breath through the nose, before crossing over to where Day now rests.

A palm is rested against his shoulder. Gently, easy to shrug off.]

...Take your time. I'll hold your barrier if it starts to waver.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 26 of 117

thousand dreams, lotus boats upon the waters

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

mems mems mems mems

no subject

no subject

cw: suicide mention/ideation

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject