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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[ Help.

He assumes Shiiko is a nickname, so...he gestures for them to keep walking, but as he does so, he continues speaking. ]

Yes, her.

What is the story behind her, exactly?

[ Jing Yuan just sees it as being pragmatic. But, he can see how it might or possibly be unusual for someone to be concerned over a giant dragon.

Anyway, there is a small pause as he looks at how big Robin is.

Kind of a telling one. ]

...Are you not already drawing attention?

[ What a crowd, what a crowd...

At least they seem ready to listen to that. By which I mean at least 2/3 of the rest, leaving about 1/3 left because some are too afraid or still prostrating themselves.

Jing Yuan decides to take care of the rest. ]

If you will listen to him, that'd be great. After all, there's bound to be something pleasant on the horizon for your compliance.

[ Finally, the rest get the picture, and move out of the way. After that, he begins to walk a bit briskly away from the crowd, though does ensure to slow down too. ]

...Hmm. I sure hope you are not used to such occurrences yourself.

Well, if you wish to make it a joint activity, we can both make it so.

[ Jing Yuan often has not much reason to go shopping, just in general, having made it a point of getting what she happens to need in a single sitting in as few trips as possible. But, there are always things like books and such which are worth purchases.

When Bruno steps closer, she responds, voice appropriately quieter, fan raised this time to cover her mouth instead of simply fanning the air: ]

I do happen to have some suspicions, my friend. It could be very well in the same realm with manipulation of particular light-based machinery and the like, albeit more sophisticated. To the point that I imagine it may contain certain marvels that I am more accustomed to than perhaps most...such as holographic projections and the like. Though, for a world like this, that would be rather highly advanced.

That being said, please be aware this is merely just speculation.

[Look Ithaqua is not expecting a visitor... so when he opens the door for Kurapika, he stares, confused and surprised, and these emotions are so obvious on his expression due to his lack of a mask. He's the most vulnerable he's been in a while, in just nightclothes and his head bare.]

Er. [Eloquent.]

Right. You did say you would be coming. Ah, well.

[He steps aside to let Kurapika in.]

[ Ahh, he knows this feeling.

Emotions that are distinctly not his own swirl in his chest and Tatara places a hand there, as though trying to calm them. Solomon feels quite a lot, doesn't he? Maybe that should be a given, but there was a part of him that thought someone as old and wise as Solomon could float through life unaffected. But it's the other way around, it seems. Tatara, a leaf dislodged from his branch at 22, stares at the scene before him, and wonders if he'd feel this strongly in a situation like this.

That one particular feeling, though. He knows that one.

His attention flits among parties, but ultimately rests on the real Solomon for most of the time. Through what he feels he analyzes, studies, tries to understand him better.

Even as the memory fades, he doesn't move or shift his attention. Even when Solomon gestures to follow, he only takes a few steps, ultimately stopping far out of his reach. ]

Did you save them?

[...

As Tatara drifts to a halt, so does Solomon, looking back at his Sage with a tense expression.

A beat, two, and he shakes his head.]

Not yet.

That is the state I left them when I was summoned here instead.

[ That remark draws a bright smile out of Tatara. ]

It's weird. It does feel like that, doesn't it?

[ He hums as he taps the page, thinking for a second. ]

When I first got here, I wasn't sure what was going to happen. But now it feels like everything's happening as it should.

Aww.

[ Tatara stops the tape and lowers the camera. As much as he wants to keep recording, he's got 25 other wizards to get through. ]

Why do you think that?

Ooh, I see, I see! I'm glad you like the manor!

[ It is comfy. And much more luxurious than anything Tatara's ever experienced. ]

What would you say's been the biggest adjustment?

You're right, I got no reason to worry!

[ And so he doesn't! Their weird little corner of the library is turning out to be interesting.

Ithaqua sits, and it's time to move onto the next question. ]

How are you finding life here, then? Found any spots you'd recommend to future sages?

Mmm.

[ Tatara taps his pen to his nose and lets his gaze drift upwards, contemplative. He kicks his feet again. ]

So you mean that...the significance is in that we're all different? Like...do you think we were chosen specifically to suit the wizards we have?

[ He purses his lips in thought again. Because then he just goes back to his original question of why him. ]

Hmm... there is a vegetable patch out in the grounds-- the one you requested, as a matter of fact. [He gives a nod to Tatara.] We've grown more than just vegetables there, the plants are growing well, and Ginger is more taken with it by the day.

[He believes that only Mikaela is more important to him than the flowers, at this point.

Then he pauses to think, when has he ever thought this much about other people? He's been doing it more often recently, and he has no idea why this is so. And why he isn't more alarmed about this.]

Living here is... interesting. Every day is not exactly the same as the previous, the exact opposite of life in the heart of the forest. I would say it's because of the people.

[ Would that it have been any easier answer.

But oftentimes, in situations like these when someone is chosen for a given role, there are hardly many simple conclusions. They end up merely non-existent in the face of something more abstract, seemingly small, or insignificant, when in truth it is not. ]

I believe so. Both would certainly make sense.

I suppose in the grand scheme of things it could seem underwhelming or unsatisfactory...though this is also only speculation.

[ So it isn't like he knows for certain either. Though, he does ask: ]

What do you think of it?

Edited 2024-05-28 15:34 (UTC)

[Having been the one to go through it firsthand, Urianger has the benefit of knowing the end result. After much sacrifice from his comrades, the Warrior of Light would go on to reach Meteion and use Azem's crystal to bring them all back.

Thus it is a great surprise to him when Ithaqua takes him into his arms.]

Ithaqua... [He gasps at the ferocity of this embrace, and the distraught fueling it.] 'Tis all right. I am here before thee now.

[The scene begins to dissolve around them as Urianger returns the embrace. As it fades and the forest begins to encroach once more, a bright path upward opens for the remaining party. A sign that everything will be okay.

Urianger closes his eyes and gently rests his head against Ithaqua's own.]

I am truly sorry that thou hadst to witness my sacrifice, but know that I did survive. Y'shtola and I both, as well as the star we labored to save.

I have been more concerned with mastering physical manipulations. In my estimation, I serve our mission better by playing to my strengths, rather than attempting to generalize too widely.

[Ithaqua mumbles incoherently before deciding he must use his words.]

Do not do this for anyone. [He leans back enough to look Urianger in the face, the lines of his body curled and curved just so he can do this, with his hands on Urianger's shoulders.] Not for me, not for the sage, not for anyone else, in this world or yours. Anyone or anything.

[Then he takes a deep breath and exhales-- though his body is cool enough that he doesn't expel mist when he breathes.]

I am not asking you to promise. Just... keep it in mind.

Dʀᴀᴡɪɴɢ ᴀᴛᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ ғᴏʀ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴀɴ ᴜɴᴜsᴜᴀʟ sɪɢʜᴛ ᴅᴏᴇs ɴᴏᴛ ɴᴇᴄᴇssᴀʀɪʟʏ ɪɴᴠᴏʟᴠᴇ ᴅʀᴀᴡɪɴɢ ᴀᴛᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ᴀɴʏ ɪɴᴊᴜʀɪᴇs sᴀɪᴅ sɪɢʜᴛ ᴍᴀʏ ᴏʀ ᴍᴀʏ ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ.

[ his coloring makes it easy to overlook injury? nevermind the inhuman anatomy. plenty of people have dropped by to go ?! so far; few of them are going quite this far with concern, pragmatic or not.

also people seem much more distracted by solomon and ahito. very convenient. ]

[If he wants her to be less glarey, he has yet to say the right words.]

Tell me, what is the origin of said laws?

[Urianger closes his eyes for a moment in reaction to Ithaqua's murderhappiness. It's okay, though. This wouldn't be the first of his comrades to find excitement in a good scrap.]

I am pleased to hear of thy successful teamwork. It provides me with hope that we may yet come together as one to fend off the moon's advance.

[Aaand done. Ithaqua's healing is complete, and Urianger can quickly go back to averting his eyes until the other wizard puts some fresh clothes on.]

[ He will never say the right words with that kind of smile on his face...though he does end up yawning all the same. ]

Hmm? That would be its leadership, of course.

I don't know the full history behind them, unfortunately. Only that it has been like that for apparently quite awhile. Though, I have suspicions it has to do with their intense dislike towards wizards in general.

...Among other things.

Ah! [Ithaqua is pleased with the way he feels after Urianger is done, examining his limbs and marveling at how they lack colour once more. Yes, there are a few old scars, but no longer anything new.]

Your magic is potent. [High praise as he digs through his chest of drawers for his nightclothes.] I do wish I got a chance to use your amulet in battle.

[When he's dressed in a pajama set he's taken a liking to in this world, he leans against Urianger and gives him a hug from behind.]

I have no doubt they have their reasons. Even if those reasons are wrong, they certainly do not believe so.

I...

[It shocks him to hear any of this. His eyes waver, almost being unable to meet Ithaqua's own behind the mask. His decision that day was the result of much internal reflection and the desire to stand with his comrades rather than the shadows he had grown so weary of. His conviction had never been stronger in that moment.

And now Ithaqua is asking him to never make such a decision again.

He closes his eyes and shakes his head.]

I am glad thou aren't, for I cannot make such a promise. If the situation doth become dire and the world is at stake, I...

[He can't sit idly by. He just can't. He's so tired of it.]

There certainly are. You require something without oil to begin with, after which you should apply enough only that it soaks in, not that any lingers. That way it should not interfere with makeup.

Though you will have to ask someone else for assistance on that score. I don't bother. It rarely survives battle.

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thousand dreams, lotus boats upon the waters

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