thousand dreams, lotus boats upon the waters

[promittere]

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

Comments

[revengier]

[ The bids go up and up and up, until without missing a single beat, Kurapika raises his hand. ]

Five hundred million!

[ That should place him ahead enough of everyone else for him to safely retrieve them. That should be enough.

That is, until someone steps out from behind Jing Yuan, short in stature but overtly slimy.

"One billion." He laughs at Kurapika's shocked expression, but he's no less determined to win. Ask forgiveness later, not permission.

...

And so... the eyes are sold for 2.9 billion, with Kurapika as the winner. Shaking with anger, Kurapika steps out into the hallway as the auction wraps up so he can make a phone call. It's hard, trying to unlock his phone when he's so angry. ]

[dyingtohealyou]

I helped with the barrier around the Central castle, and a few personal barriers. I wouldn't say I'm good at it, but good enough.

[It's not his specialty, more of something to dabble in as needed and nothing more.]

[impacter]

[Kurapika does pose an intimidating figure, sliding out of the shadows. But the volume control does help to ease the considerable tension in the boy's frame, tentatively looking over his shoulder with those frightened eyes, before flicking towards the still-closed door.

You feel dread. Dread at being spotted. Fear, childlike and raw, of death. Confusion, at the sight of the locked door. And yet, curiosity, as though gazing at something unknown. Something not allowed.]

I'm... I-I'm just sick. I'm sick...

[Though the boy is frail and filthy, he does not look ill in the slightest. It's a fearful response, a taught response.]

[dyingtohealyou]

[The memory is surprising in multiple ways, least of all because Ahito has never seen a TV before. Thankfully, he's pretty quick to put one and two together, even if much of the information on the technological level is stuff he'll have to figure out... Later.]

Those people were... talking about your family?

[Via a recording, something like what Tatara could do with his camera?]

[dyingtohealyou]

[There's an audible pause as he processes that. It's unexpected - or maybe that's his own bias, when there's clearly so much distrust of magic in this world alone.

Is this another area where his world is the odd one out?]

That's the sort of thing that happens in your world?

[jokey]

[...These are the phantoms that haunt Ahito's past, aren't they? If Akira didn't know the story, at least in part, he might be willing to chalk it up to the forest's hallucinogenic tendencies.

Ahito is a precious test subject. Akira knows this, and yet it angers him. Sickens him.

Akira had wanted to know what made Ahito tick, the reason why he refused to cry even for himself. Now, he realizes, he was better off not knowing.

Akira remains silent at Ahito's side for the duration of the memory. No smarmy remarks this time, and certainly no judgment. For a moment after the memory fades, Akira remains still, subdued, before turning to Ahito.]

...Do you feel responsible for what happened to her?

[dyingtohealyou]

[He makes a face.]

Yeah, I have. It's about as pleasant as eating a rock would be.

[dyingtohealyou]

[He glances Akira's way - has to turn his head a little more fully than might be expected, though Akira knows, now, why he can't rely on his vision in his right eye anymore.]

...I did. For a really long time, too. But I know better now.

[Even if it took years and years to confront - later is better than never, right?]

[dyingtohealyou]

I really don't know why you thought I was just going to play along.

[It's not like he's been acting like an annoyed cat this whole time...]

[jokey]

...Happy to hear it.

[Is that what it takes to forgive yourself for a death you didn't cause? Years and years and years? Akira wonders.]

It never gets any easier, losing someone like that. I wish I could give you more unwarranted advice, but you've come farther than me.

[erythropoiesis]

A liking to me already? I'm flattered.

[But more things he wants to know... Where does he even start?]

I suppose the most pressing thing is whether or not you think this goal is achievable in the first place.

[dyingtohealyou]

Oh yeah? Have I earned the right to hear that one yet?

[A little needling, but more a prick than a stab - lightly though not so maliciously pointing out Akira's penchant for taking others' stories and giving little of his own in return.]

[leewards]

Is that so surprising. [Ithaqua gives a theatrical shrug.]

Humans hate that is what is different, and if they hate something, they often seek to remove it.

noooo I missed a you = thou I’m so cringe

[divineth]

[“Monster” is absolutely not the word that Urianger would use. But he still understands well enough. Ithaqua was once human, but cast that humanity away to gain power.

And the reason why Ithaqua went to such lengths…]

Humans must have been the source of thy troubles from the start.

[And if that is true, then he’s hardly about to take offense. Not that he is human in the strictest sense either, but he’s close enough. And he is fully aware of the many, many wrongs done by humans- something that never seems to change no matter which star he travels to.]

[dyingtohealyou]

It's just different in my world, I guess.

Magic users aren't revered, but they're respected - the talent for magic is uncommon, but there's still plenty of people who study it in schools supported by the royal family itself.

...Besides, that, the country's relied on magic for military strength, too. The power that comes from having magic users on your side is indisputable.

[Though it's clear from his tone he finds it all distasteful.]

[leewards]

Hmm?

[Ithaqua tilts his head.]

Enlighten me-- what goal are you speaking of? [Their overall goal as wizards? Or smaller ones?]

i closed my eyes and pretended it was a thou

[leewards]

It has always been them.

[Then he sighs. Now Urianger knows this, and he knows, from experience, that many here balk at the idea of someone disliking humans. That they take it personally. Those people don't matter, anyway.

Urianger, however, he matters.]

Does that bother you?

[dyingtohealyou]

[He falls quiet as he follows Bruno through this... sad and twisted rendition of his home, gazing at their surroundings and trying to imagine them in a brighter, livelier time.

It's incredibly hard to do once they get to Casita, the ravages of... whatever it was having laid it low so completely, he can't even imagine what the original shape and layout was meant to be.]

...What was the miracle? How did it even begin...?

cw broken bones

[dyingtohealyou]

[He watches the battle play out with a sort of quiet awe - he's never seen the likes of this kind of martial prowess before, in a world that relies mostly on swords (or living weapons...) for combat rather than the body's own strength. For a moment, he has to seriously consider if a magic user, those stereotyped as bookish and concerned more with academia than anything else, could reach this level of power by augmenting their own bodies rather than rotting it on their research, but...

No. No, he would not be confident at all, trying to believe any of the mages in his world would be capable of this even with their magic.

He instinctively raises his arm to cover his face from the dust, wincing at the audible sound of bones breaking. Honestly, it seems to be a miracle to him that it took this long, though it's dismaying to see Kurapika was the recipient. Still...

He's already got spoilers on how this ends, and he trusts Kurapika will turn it around and show him exactly how that comes to be.]

[revengier]

[ He swallows past that feeling, pushing it down as he does most intense emotions that flow through him—a bodily and mental response he's trained himself to do so as not to give himself away.

And so, he keeps calm as he looks at the child before him. ]

You're ill? [ He doesn't look it, but Kurapika has a fondness for children that keeps him from voicing that thought aloud. ] Is there any form of treatment I could get for you?

[chronosynthesis]

I suppose it was--I apologize for not following up sooner. [They had hardly any time before being shuffled off to a mission and then it was all work all the time for Syrlya.] But it was quite the fall.

[chronosynthesis]

An intro? Well, I... [Am very unprepared for this. He clears his throats, standing straight.] Hello, I'm Syrlya. I am a wizard from Tyria representing the Central Country.

[impacter]

[He goes quiet, hesitant, as though he's never been asked that before and doesn't know how to answer.]

Um... n-no... no, nobody gets better. That's why you gotta go. 'Cause... c-cause I'm sick... and...

[His voice is starting to waver, in that familiar way of a child desperately trying to lie through something that scares them and realizing they're not being convincing. He tucks his face down again, shoulders hunching.]

... Don't take me away.

[revengier]

[ And the Kurapika beside him? He breathes quietly, in and out, as he watches the scene. It's a memory he'd much rather leave behind him, but... it'll always find a way to haunt him in some form, won't it?

The younger Kurapika withdraws, landing on a clifftop opposite the real Kurapika and Ahito. He lifts his hand, stating that he's able to hide the presence of his power. That prompts his opponent to try to move... only to find out he can't.

He's quite literally chained in place. There's a back and forth about powers, talked about in terms and phrases that Kurapika hasn't gone over in depth with Ahito, but what he can gather? Kurapika purposefully obscured the type of power he had just for this very moment. In other words—

"My bluff just paid off. While you were making empty threats, my chains were already wrapped around your body." And each of those hits? Those were moments Kurapika took advantage of to slowly wind his chains around the other man's body. Kurapika pulls, tugging him forward and knocking him off balance just enough to make him stumble, but not so much that he falls to the ground. There's an eerie calmness to his demeanor as he does so, as if he's testing his opponent rather than taunting him.

This is an assessment.

"You've been captured." There's a stillness to his voice as he says so, and his posture matches, a cool calmness as he watches his opponent try to work out why he's losing this battle. "I see you're having trouble understanding. Let me illuminate this for you before I send you to the other side."

With his free hand, Kurapika removes the contacts in his eyes, revealing an eerily bright red. They're similar to what Ahito saw as part of Kurapika's curse, but there's a key difference—his eyes here are only red in the iris. There's an almost supernatural quality to them, like gemstones that shine underneath the moonlight, betraying their supernatural sort of power.

His opponent perks up in understand, if only just a little. "Those eyes. I remember them, there were a bunch of them out in the middle of nowhere. The boss really liked those eyes." He laughs. "They were pretty strong! So, you're a survivor? Then let's see what's stronger—your grudge or my power!"

Kurapika frowns, spitting out that he'll never be able to break the chains wrapped around him. And the man tries, attempting to summon up his aura in the same way he had before, when it had come easily to him. The surge of oppressive power that's meant to come, however, simply... doesn't. He falters back a few steps, sweating from the futile effort and looking confused.

"When my eyes turn Scarlet, I become a Specialist. I wield full control over every category of Nen."

And in a one-on-one fight? That means he has full advantage, which he demonstrates by immediately healing the shattered bones in his arm with one of his chains. Within seconds, it's as if he hadn't been hit at all.

There's a reason he chose a one-on-one fight, too, and the opponent currently wrapped in his chains. Kurapika has no problem revealing this information to the man either, and that he'd picked the strongest member of the Phantom Troupe for a reason—to see if he could truly break out of his Chain Jail through physical strength alone. And, as the man struggles against the chains...

That certainly proves that none of them will be able to break them. ]

[jokey]

Only fair, right? I saw something you didn't want to show me.

[A prick is right, but Ahito's the kind of prick Akira likes. He's been told on several occasions now that he's straight up shitass at talking about himself, but he... can try, at least?

But uh, first things first. Akira broadly gestures to everything that is this damn cold forest.]

Why don't we get out of here first? This place isn't exactly a safe space for storytiming.