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

[erythropoiesis]

Well, that would be because it isn't the first time it's happened to me. It seems like "waking up to something strange" is becoming a habit of mine, albeit unintentionally.

[Sometimes it be that way.]

[1145pm]

[ It's nice when his wizards keep him warm! Yippee!

Still, Tatara's all bundled up in winter gear (what is it? almost summer? and yet?), and he trudges through the trees as close to Day as he can manage. Save him, neighbor... ]

Still...it's hard to believe people will come all this way just to die. It's so far. [ And so cold!

Speaking of, the sky above them begins to darken. It's not a sudden dropping of the curtain of night, but it is quick enough and early enough in the day that it's both noticeable and unusual. Tatara gazes upward, his tracks slowing. ]

[troublereduction]

Good to know that this ain't the worst it could be, at least.

[ It's a slight joke. ]

[troublereduction]

There's always gonna be people who'll take a gentle death. [ Which is a morbid thing to say, but they're talking about morbid things right now, so it's only natural.

But then the sky changes, and Day also looks up in confusion. ]

Huh?

[erythropoiesis]

The world has yet to be destroyed, so, really, it's actually quite pleasant.

[sure, the world is on its way to being destroyed, but!! that's different!!]

[erythropoiesis]

I have!

[He answers cheerfully, going ahead and summoning his broom.]

It's awfully convenient, being able to summon this wherever you please.

[no mount-restricted areas to be found here...]

[troublereduction]

That's the bar we're workin' with?

[ Though like, mood. This world is less of a dumpster fire than Creation is, somehow, even though it's on the way to being destroyed. ]

[erythropoiesis]

Unfortunately.

[Catboy's seen some shit.]

Worlds end more often than I think many of us would like to admit, so the times one get to prevent that are important.

[troublereduction]

[ Oh, we're being serious. Day straightens up. ]

Well, I'm in the profession of avertin' the worst outcomes. And I'd hate to see this world end, too.

[leewards]

Hm~?

[He tilts his head.]

Whatever do you mean?

[lighthaus]

[ he really should be wearing a hat but he is not, because that would mess up his hair. it helps that he has innate cold resistance by virtue of his genes, but he still just doesn't like the cold personally. ]

Microscopic parasitic bees. [ maybe he should said it's more unexpected than weird but eh. he peers down at tatara briefly and then refocuses on what's in front of them.

...that's definitely not a scent he expected to get in the forest. hmm. he's gonna just try to lead them away from it. ]

[lighthaus]

[ flatly: ]

It's stupid. [ *only applies if you're anyone else but tatara. ]

You want me to be blunt? Sure. Show me what you can do that sets you apart from the rest of us.

[fellheart]

it appears the capital was(n't) spared the chaos

[ this is not his first trip to the north, so he's comfortable enough navigating the city and the villages there.

what he seems less comfortable with (or, perhaps, too comfortable with...?) is the way the villagers hold them in awe and regard, practically worshipping the ground they walk on. as the locations grow more remote, and the villagers more reverent, so too does his countenance freeze in a blank, fixed expression, a wide smile with none of his usual wry or sardonic amusement. ]

Of course ... [ he says, his face a pleasant mask, tone silken and purring. ] Fear not. I suppose your offerings are sufficient enough to warrant our favor; if you'll show us your what needs be done, we'll see what we might be able to do for you.

Mind that you keep enough to ration out for yourselves through these ... difficult times— after all, there's no telling how long our goodwill might last.

[ they cannot remain forever for these people, after all. this is, in truth, what he intends, but if the words are taken more as a veiled threat, of the possibility of them revoking their protection on a whim, then so be it.

after all, no one would claim that the fell dragon is kind. ]

id ~dilemnitynesturnpurhopinnings~

[ in addition to the usual hex for warmth and comfort he maintains on himself while in the north, a ward for clean air has been added. modified from some of the charms mages more fond of indiscriminate flame sometimes utilize, it's a faint but noticeable pull on his attention.

maybe that's why he seems uncharacteristically distracted as he searches for stones and lays the dead beasts to rest. you might be able to get surprisingly close in your approach to him (if you do indeed approach him), even, before he actually acknowledges your presence. ]

... You'd best keep your distance, and your wits about you. [ a thin smile, wan and distant. ] Surely you know what hazards this forest poses, and I've no shortage of things to feed it.

It wouldn't do for either of us to have any accidents, now.

[[ this prompt will by default be steered into a memory/dream share of some sort; you can see a(n extremely incomplete) sampler of options in my plotting post, so just hit me up on discord or in the plotting post and lmk what kind of memory you'd like! ]]

wildcard, other jobs, bring your own prompt, you know the deal

[ you do you, we all know the drill. come at me with whatever you like! ]

custom starters under here

[fellheart]

DAY

[foresightis2020]

[ The Forest of Dreams is certainly...a Time.

Picking up after others isn't exactly new, nor is it something that he considers to be all that bothersome. But, at least there's company! ]

Back to the usual activities, hm?

[ Though something resembling normalcy is good to have, isn't it? With everything bound to get out of hand more easier than not. ]

[erythropoiesis]

[sorry, he just has to laugh at khun for a second there.]

Ah, a delightfully predictable response. I almost missed dealing with an attitude like that.

[He raises an eyebrow.]

And if I choose not to provide a demonstration, you'll see it as me being too cowardly or inept to be worth the time you've spent talking to me?

[erythropoiesis]

[Sorry, it's a bad habit. Gotta do serious business first!!]

Are you something of a hero, then? Or is it more of a hobby of yours?

[He's genuinely curious how Day sees himself, after saying something like that.]

[erythropoiesis]

Though we may have a common goal, that's not to say we are united over it. It was assigned to us by forces beyond our ken, which means the threads that bind are may be incredibly fragile...

[But he continues on, upbeat.]

And this means that if we can do anything to put ourselves on the same page regarding each other, it's best to learn it now before there comes a time where we may accidentally offend one another. For example... your masks. I'm sure you wear it for a reason, and it may go against your beliefs in one way or another for me to ask you to remove it. Sorting out those sort of... cultural missteps will be important, as we continue to work together.

[Also he really just wants to learn about all of these wizards because he's sure they all have to have really good stories!!! So many of them have to be heroes, right...]

[lighthaus]

Don't limit yourself with only two options.

[ his expression hasn't changed much, though his gaze is sharper. ]

Are you going to or not?

[troublereduction]

"Hero" is a lil' too flatterin'. And I don't think I can call a job a hobby.

[ Is it a little self-depreciative? Maybe. ]

[leewards]

Hmm. Well then, let me see if I understand.

To use your example. [He taps at his cheek, just underneath his eye.] At first glance, it's obvious I keep it on for a reason, and despite your curiosity, you would rather not offend me if you were to ask questions about it, yes?

[Then he gives a shrug.]

To answer that, I shan't be, but that does not mean I will bear my whole face simply because one asked.

[foresightis2020]

[ Jing Yuan watches the exhaustion etch itself onto Solomon's face with that honesty and there's a moment where he feels a little wrapped up in it. Just like how he had been when he spoke those words:

I believe that is something worth fighting for. ]

Perhaps so.

That is why I doubt you would have wished to cause mayhem simply for the sake of doing so, and would have endeavored to cause as less carnage as possible. I saw the way you strode through it all efficiently, yet not cruelly.

[ Jing Yuan says, and then there is a moment where he pauses, still glancing upon that face, with the hints of cold visited harshly upon it. He then raises a hand to aim to lightly rest it upon one shoulder. ]

Just remember:

The path you weave need not be a lonely one even here, Solomon.

I know that you certainly have been—

[ Whatever he is about to say is suddenly dulled with the sound of memories suddenly converging upon them, revealing some memories that begin light, and may be briefly alighted by fire and brimstone. Though, this time, there is nothing like the ability to move around so freely. Only just watch until the end has come to pass. ]

[erythropoiesis]

Well, now that makes you sound more like a mercenary.

[Which isn't a bad thing!]

So, why not tell me what exactly your job is? It certainly sounds exciting, if you're saving worlds from their end.

[dyingtohealyou]

Recording what?

[?????]

[foresightis2020]

[ Not that long ago...?

...Oh. ]

...A spell that allowed you to view past memories, you mean?