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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[ It's nice to be here with a bit less urgency than last time. Less dead and dark looking too, so it's prettier like it's supposed to be.

Comet is kinda here with Malice for the conveniemce of getting and observing more fire magic for warmth, and now, helping him collect mana stones. He's so happy eating them... Like they're candy.

Comet would like a few to keep in their pockets for the future, but the rest are for Malice to claim, as they come over with a batch just for him. ]

Here you go!

[ This is going to distract them from proper precautions, huh. Oh well! ]

Edited (I wanted to match the others shhh) 2024-05-29 23:14 (UTC)

Back to the manor. I'm sick and tired of the cold.

[For... various reasons, but they're in the business of not talking much about themselves and their traumas, so Akira leaves it at that. Summoning his broom, he sits on it sidesaddle and heads back towards home.]

You ever drink? I've got a bottle or two that need drinking. I could use some help.

[Comet, you're the best. You are his favorite person right now.]

Thanks! [chomps down on another one!] I'm gonna be so much stronger by the time I leave...

[He looks so pleased with this. He truly is a North in that he wants power...

But Comet may notice something behind Malice - semi-see through figures begin taking shape. The first is familiar - it's Malice! He looks exactly the same as he does now, right down to the claws. He seems to be in a good mood, listening intently to the other figure chatter away.

The other man looks quite average - he wouldn't really stand out from a crowd if not for his bright smile. His hair is dark, as are his eyes, and there's nothing particularly noteworthy about his stature or dress, but that smile could light up a room. He's animated as he chats, and he carries himself with a confident ease that seems relaxing, despite the fact that he's conversing with a vampire.

Needless to say, whatever they're talking about seems to be entertaining, and they seem to be quite close.]

[ Tatara grips their hands tighter as Aguero leans in, his own eyes falling shut. The warmth from the contact is genuine, as opposed to the magic keeping him warm (not that he doesn't like that, though), and despite the situation he's comfortable.

He breathes. ]

But I can't help but wonder... If he's anything like me, then maybe he would've been fine with it regardless. Because that's who you are.

[ Unless this was one sided?

Tatara shifts, draws his eyes open just slightly. Because in actuality, that wasn't the meaning behind his question. ]

Did he know...you loved him?

[ As a friend, as family, romantically. ]

I suppose I am always curious to hear about teachers from other places. Perhaps because I had one of my own that I followed quite closely myself.

And, of course, I do like to hear about good people in general.

[ Maybe tangentially tied in with how much he thinks Galaxy Rangers are cool, but anyways. ]

[Kurapika stumbles into the northern forest and finds his boyfriend dead in a glue trap. The end.

That would be funny, but there's nothing funny about finding Akira unconscious and face down in the snow. He's been here long enough that snow has begun to accumulate on his back, starkly contrasting his black clothing. Hopefully Kurapika doesn't trip over him and break an ankle.]

Well, I wasn't part of those that was abruptly summoned away. Tatara and I had to follow after them and try to find them.

[Which is, you know, something he's still concerned about!]

Sometimes, it feels easier to keep things to yourself for any sundry reason.

[G'raha peers into the windows of the stores, not sure which seem like the best option, before glancing back to Jing Yuan.]

Though as I'm guilty of the same thing myself, I can hardly hold it against them.

If you needed a better ward against the cold, you could've just asked...

[He's been getting a lot of practice in, and for good reason. The second part gives him pause, however.]

...What, like wine?

...Fights over succession?

[Literally.]

[...? Why the sudden sad vibe? As if this line of thinking isn't inherently depressing.]

There's plenty of other wizards, you know. No one's going to notice if the records of one aren't around anymore.

You're right. It is wretched.

[ He still refuses to turn around, the seething anger in his chest threatening to bubble over any moment. If he were to actually look at this man—

A deep breath. ]

I suppose that's why you didn't bid.

[ He would recognize the voice, after all, having committed each and ever single bidder to memory. ]

[ Ugh. Kurapika rolls his eyes, about to say something, when he hears... laughter?

He frowns, looking around. ]

Do you hear that?

[ If Day knew what Kurapika was thinking, he'd say that, yeah, apparently two months can change a person a lot. Who knew?

But he watches. He doesn't flinch as more blood is spilled, and more bones are broken, though he ends up biting on his lower lip as things grow more intense. It's hard to watch, not just because of the violence, but because of how the Kurapika in the memory is being affected. Because Day can tell when someone is cutting a part of themselves in service of something higher, be it ideals, goals, or whatever else.

Which might be why he asks, ]

Was that the first time?

If you're sure.

[This is his last warning!

G'raha takes another sip of tea, mulling over the best way to explain.]

In Etheirys, thousands of years before my birth, there was the empire of Allag. They were incredibly technologically advanced, and like many empires before and since, they would fall from power and collapse as a society in the fourth of what my world calls Umbral Calamities. Before this happened, the princess Salina passed on the power of Allagan royal blood to my ancestor, Desch.

This power would pass down through my tribe, until I was the last child born with the Allag eye. I had to leave my tribe behind when the Garlean empire invaded and conquered my home and began gathering Allagan relics, as the dormant power in me could be incredibly dangerous in the wrong hands.

[Imperialism is the root of all evil in the world, or something.]

...That power would go from dormant to active when clones of Allagan royalty that had been dormant for millennia found themselves awake in the wake of Garlean interference. They transferred the full strength abilities of Allagan royalty to me, which mean I could connect myself to Allagan technology. This included Syrcus Tower, which had been created to store and generate aether... which meant it was an incredibly dangerous power source. After clearing the Tower of dangers, I sealed myself inside of it and put myself into a magical sleep.

[He remembers being woken up, sitting around the fire with Biggs the Second, and being asked a simple question with a simple answer:

What would you have done if we didn't wake you?

Slept for eternity, I suppose.]

Two hundred years later, I was woken up by descendants of those who I had first explored the Tower with. The world had been utterly decimated in the Eigth Umbral Calamity, and nought remained but people who knew there was no hope for their star, but... hoped there would be a possibility that the Eighth Umbral Calamity could be avoided entirely. To do this they would need to send someone across time and space to a reflection of Etheirys known as the First, as the cause of Umbral Calamities is the rejoining of source and reflection. I was the one sent to the First, using the power of the Tower, and I had one hundred years to gather my power so I could call forth the Warrior of Light... who's death helped catalyze the destruction in the Eighth Umbral Calamity. I failed several times in this attempt, terribly so, instead bringing over the souls of his companions... They could maintain physical forms, but the separation of soul and body would be dangerous and deadly in the long term.

[Sorry, he needs to drink a bit more tea.]

I need not bore you with all of our plans and schemes from here on for how we would save the First, as what is most important is setting the stage. I was someone from a world that no longer existed, in a reflection of a world where a version of me still existed as time passed incredibly differently... A century in the First had only been months, perhaps years, on the Source, so there was still a G'raha Tia sleeping in Syrcus Tower. This ended up quite a boon for me, really, even if it meant I had to take a gamble.

After all was said and done on the First, we had to find a way to reunite the souls of the Warrior's companions to their bodies. The aether of their souls could be carried in a type of substance known as auracite, however... that did not mean that their body would accept their soul. As I said, a person is both soul and memory, so... we needed to find a way to infuse the auracite with their memories as well. I was able to do this by imbuing the auracite with my blood, as it would hold onto their memories. I was the first test subject, giving up my life on the first and becoming a part of the Tower to infuse the auracite.

The Warrior of Light took the auracite to where this body was sleeping in the Tower, and... by incredible luck it accepted my memories and I was awoken once again.

[God, he really talked a lot, didn't he? He looks bashful, ducking his head and ears drooping.]

It's quite a lot, I know, but that is what I mean when I say this body is only 24.

[ Comet nods, but sincerely as they watch him eat, not the "nod along" way. Wanting power on its own can go either way. They never asked where Malice is from, but the North are ambitious because of circumstances and it's kind of admirable!

But then, it's easy to see those magenta eyes wander a little, looking behind Malice. They can recognize Malice, since it's almost like looking at an afterimage of him. The other person who has that Malice's attention... now they're curious. ]

Malice, who's that over there?

[ They'll point towards his shoulder and lead their gaze that way to indicate he should look behind him. ]

[WHEW thank god.]

Er- yeah, definitely cleaning up first.

[Food can come if he's still conscious by the end of said cleaning up.]

...Before I go?

Your magic definitely saved our asses out there. Some of us can heal, but... it would've been a lot harder to handle without all the power you packed into your matches.

So, seriously - thanks.

[He notices and turns to see what Comet is looking at. Considering he didn't pick up on any signs of danger, it can't be a monster, so he's still rather relaxed.

And then he tenses sharply when he sees exactly who Comet is looking at.]

...Cody. Leader of the rebels I was workin' with. But he's...

[Well, it doesn't really matter. He's just a vision, after all.

Cody gestures for Malice to follow him, and the visions walk off, fading away. There's a moment of downtime before the next one, at least...!]

[ It helps, a little. It keeps Kurapika's feet solidly on the ground, reminds him that he's here and not back in that fight.

He breathes out, a soft exhale that betrays a bit of his exhaustion. ]

They're necessary.

[ The fight continues, the Kurapika down below rushing towards his opponent with a punch powerful enough that his fist digs into the man's abdomen, causing blood to spill forth from his mouth and onto the dirt.

"It looks as though my enhanced fist is slightly stronger than your physical brawn," Kurapika remarks, almost mechanically. This is an important observation, one that will serve him well. "This is valuable information. I can beat every member of the Troupe barehanded, provided I've chained them." He moves the chains around his opponent, momentarily constricting them around his body before easing their grip just a bit. "Tell me everything you know."

Silence. After a moment, Kurapika aims another punch towards just underneath his ribs, forcing up more blood.

"Where are the others?"

"Kill me."

Kurapika's expression darkens, his mouth turning down into an angry frown, as he surges forward and aims for the man's arm instead. The bones crush under his fist and his opponent grits his teeth.

"What abilities do they have?"

"Kill me."

Calm, quiet, resolute. He'd rather Kurapika kill him than give away any real answers, and that prompts Kurapika to hit him again. Again. Again. Again. Each strike breaks and fractures new bones, damages organs, forces him to expel more blood until Kurapika is covered in it—it's on his hair, his clothes, his face.

Finally, Kurapika steps back, breaths heavy and uneven. His voice trembles and he doesn't mean to yell, yet it happens anyway.

"It makes me sick... The sensation left on my hand. The grating sound of each strike. The smell of blood. It all throws my senses into a disarray. How can you do these things, yet feel and think nothing at all?! Answer me!"

"Kill me."

That seems to be the last straw, as Kurapika extends a chain that pierces him in the heart, wrapping around the organ. It's a conditional bond, the sort that will allow him to live just a little bit longer if he obeys Kurapika's order. If he doesn't, the bond activates, crushing his heart and killing him. He must answer a question and answer it honestly. Kurapika's question is the same as it has been: Where are the others?

And just like that, his opponent laughs.

"Die, fool."

The rule is broken, and his opponent is dead.

He falls in a large heap in the dirt, and Kurapika walks over to a spot on the ground where he left his phone and makes a phone call. It's a one-sided conversation, but it sounds like he's checking in on his employer. It's quick enough, and he hangs up, an empty look in his eyes as he regards the result of his revenge.

Then, he grabs the shovel he brought and begins to dig a hole, every movement mechanical, as if he can't allow his mind or his emotions to be in the moment. But he has to do this. Everyone deserves a proper burial, to be honored in some fashion after their death. And as he digs underneath the moonlight, the scenery around them begins to melt away and shift back into the forest. ]

Well, it's good to see you too.

[ It's strange seeing Ithaqua so... vulnerable, though, and he feels a little bit awkward even as he steps into his room.

He holds up two thermoses. ]

I have black coffee and tea. Both are enchanted to encourage relaxation.

[ Akira helped him with the coffee, too, so it actually tastes good but he knows better than to mention that... ]

I will. I'll say "Malice sent me to check on you."

[ Yes, apparently this guy has jokes now. ]

But in all seriousness, I'll be sure that they're at least aware of what happened nearby.

...If you're happier here... I don't see why you have to go back.

[Ahito knows what he'd pick, were he in Bruno's situation. But...]

It's true, there probably aren't as many people as good as her. ...But that's exactly why there's some things she can't get involved in.

[And also why Ahito has no allies he can fall back on against that organization.]

What could you possibly do that wouldn't be disruptive?

[ He pulls out a little eyeshadow compact and motions for Mika to lift his chin up. For all that Mika looks awkward, Kurapika doesn't seem to have much issue leaning into his space, now in Professional Mode. ]

Close your eyes.

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thousand dreams, lotus boats upon the waters

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