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

sorry for the delay!

[promittere]

[ They are...

There comes a tired, bitter sigh, breathed into something close. The crook of an elbow, a table, the like. Soon, it's followed by a low groan. He's disappointed. He's disappointed in himself, most importantly.

Somewhere in the distance, far out of attention, is the clinking of glasses, the soft hush of running water, shoes on hardwood. There is a voice, smooth and soothing, but he doesn't seem to respond well to whatever was said.

"My research..."

The other person in the room gives a click of the tongue, but he sighs. How precious his research must have been to him.

"It's all gone... My life's work, up in smoke..."

The weight in his voice is equal parts to the years he lives, it seems—a wizard lives a very long time. Could a wizard as long lived as he have single-handedly pushed an entire world into scientific advancement?

He sighs again into the crook of his elbow, into the bar. Faint in the back of his mind does he register, only scarcely, how the other in the room shuts up shop for the evening, just for his privacy. Blinds pulled shut, latches locked, shoes on hardwood.

"What if..."

The quality of his voice changes, his clothes rustle as he changes position. No longer does he speak despondently into his elbow. His voice carries quiet, but clear through the air.

"What if, after I manage to recoup as much as I can..."

The stool creaks, the footsteps stop. If there could be a sound of gazes locking, the bats would most certainly play that, too.

"...I spread it out, all over the world, hidden? So that should something happen again..."

The other presence sighs, and begins to walk around again. But he continues his thought, mostly to himself, partially to the moon that he cannot see beyond shuttered windows.

"...We won't lose it all at once." ]

[troublereduction]

[ Day looks thoughtful for a long moment, seriously considering how to answer this... ]

Well, I'm gonna have to ask: are you takin' revenge 'cause of your principles, too?

[divineth]

[He sure would be!!!

This is so difficult to hear, though. Bruno was asked to look into this, so how could everyone blame him for any of it? They should have been thanking him for the forewarning! With that information, they could have looked into it- looked for the warning signs so as to make an attempt to avert it. Or at the very least prepare for it to minimize the damage.

He shakes his head, frustrated. This had to have been the catalyst for Bruno's leaving, right...]

[foresightis2020]

[ People that need constant vigilance, huh? Jing Yuan thinks about what he had seen of Chrom, of his valor, of his stalwart determination in the face of a man who held neither. He does not know the man like Robin had, but he can also equally imagine with ease the other could have stayed reliably by Chrom's side. Not just as his tactician in the line of duty, but as a dear friend.

So while Jing Yuan finds himself believing that it was undeniably out of concern...he thinks he might imagine what other potential happy moments of conversation the two might have had, without any dialogue to fill the pieces.

It is not, perhaps, a universal kindness. But, Jing Yuan has always found those who can treasure their loved ones ardently as noteworthy. ]

Well, he had to have someone to watch over him. Better it someone who knew him than a stranger, and one who knew how reckless he acted.

[ At least that's what he thinks. As he speaks of this, the surroundings about them begin to alter, ever so slightly, all the same. The area darkening slightly in general lightning. Then, spots of strange green-yellow colors not too unlike ghost lights hanging dreadfully in the background, positioned behind Jing Yuan as he speaks.

In the midst of this, he is also perhaps unaware of also the irony of his own words. ]

You say you suppose, but...you would know most certainly what would have killed him, would you not?

[ As his tactician, he imagines. ]

[foresightis2020]

Hmm...perhaps so, or rather, we could get them from the creatures.

I do recall that one of the requests by the villagers was to take some of them out. I do not know you all that well, however. Are you one who is skilled in combat?

[ How are your monster wrangling skills...? ]

[fallingsand]

[ Mirable is stunned into silence for a moment, gazing down upon the tablet, shifting the way she looks at it to see the two different possibilities, before, quietly, she realizes, ]

You left... You left to protect me.

[ This is where the vision, this memory, begins to become hazy, slowly dissipating back into the forest's thick fog, but Bruno's voice remains, or does it? This time, he sounds like he's right next to Urianger, and should he look, hey!

He is! ]

That vision, it would have torn the family apart...

[divineth]

[To protect Mirabel... Indeed, had everyone looked at this with the worst expectations in mind, there is a chance she would have been to blame for the house's collapse in that potential future. What would the family have done with her to avert it?

So to avoid putting her through all of that, Bruno just...left. He left, even though he loves his family and didn't want to. No, he left because he loves his family. Even if they all seemingly treated him so...

...

Oh, it's over. That's Bruno actually talking to him. Urianger turns to look down at him, pained.

So...if he were to kneel and give this man a long overdue hug, would he allow it?]

[fallingsand]

[ Wait, what is Urianger do— oh. Bruno won't try to avoid the hug but it feels very foreign to him after so long of, well, just. Never being hugged? It's wild how strange a common gesture can be in total absence. He sure hopes Urianger will understand when it takes him a moment to turn into the hug and return it, face finding a shoulder to bury itself against. ]

...aw, c'mon. [ He sounds teary, though he fights against actually crying here, in the middle of a deadly forest and all. ] Don't be like that, ya big dope, you'll make me cry.

[troublereduction]

[ Day almost hates how much he understands Robin's concern here because it's what Flint told him once (or twice, or any number of times) during training. Not necessarily that he was reckless, but that he cared too much for a job where one day, inevitably, he would have to make choices that other people would pay for.

After a while, Day moves to where the current Robin is standing, silent for a moment. ]

...You were even younger than I am.

[divineth]

[Urianger does understand, at one point having been just as unused to hugs himself. He would've even understood if Bruno had turned him away. But now that the embrace has been reciprocated, he gives the other man a gentle squeeze.]

Mine apologies. I wish to comfort thee, and this felt more appropriate than any words I could conjure up.

[Which in itself is saying a lot, considering Urianger's affinity for flowery speech. Sometimes, a simple action speaks far louder than words.]

I am sorry thou hast endured so much. Truly, I am.

[1145pm]

Did one?

[ It looks like Tatara takes this question very seriously, putting on his dramatic thinking face. But in reality he's just being silly.

He kicks his feet lazily in the air. ]

Hmm... I don't know if I ever had a sister. If I did, I never met her. She could've been killed by a chair.

[ Also totally derailing from this conversation, ]

[dyingtohealyou]

Sometimes you hear about people who are so similar they end up conflicting with each other. Guess we lucked out there, too.

[dyingtohealyou]

Fair enough.

[Channeling a bit more magic in and... done.]

Should we go make our report?

[foresightis2020]

[ After a moment, Jing Yuan so happens to take note of that little smile, and he holds back a chuckle.

It is rare that he finds himself surprised; whether in amusement or otherwise, so he supposes in the end this will be sectioned in the former. Though, that still remains brief, all the same, even with the little smile on his face. ]

The political climate is such that those who are not seen as conforming are treated as second-class citizens; I believe I made that point clear. Either way, those who practice magic are scorned upon, to the point of facing retaliatory action for simply being. Indeed, those who are wizards are viewed as sub-human, to the extent one's privileged status might even be in danger if there is a hint one can belong to such a category.

[ The rumors about the Blanchett heir's being a wizard, which seem to be whispers, has reached his ears. And though the people do not make chats easy, it's easy to view what consequences occur should one reveal themselves to be a mage in their presence. That too is a form of information gathering. ]

I still assert that the laws encourage such discriminatory behavior and cannot be viewed in any positive light. In fact, your own experience seems to suggest evidence as to why such governance is far too heavy-handed and nowhere near pleasant nor correct.

To that end, I will once again assert that their laws are draconian regardless of whatever original reasoning they had. I suppose if you were ignorant of their actions and what else was going on, in the end I cannot fault you for being hesitant to think the same.

But, consider yourself now in the know.

[lustro]

[ Ginger, who doesn’t have any makeup on and who honestly forgot that was a thing, just blinks at Mika with a funny, confused smile. But Mika’s laugh is always… ]

Mmm.

[ That’s a pleased hum as he runs a finger from Mika’s cheeks to his lips. Mika’s laugh - even a little airier, a shade new - feels as gentle as a spring breeze; his kiss like the first snowflake of winter, melting directly on skin, sending shivers straight to Ginger’s stomach.

He’s beautiful in every season. ]

It’s special this way, kind of like a side of you I’m discovering for the first time. Were you thinking anything in particular when you decided on your - um - body?

[ His breasts are very lovely and distracting and - big - now that Ginger’s noticing. His eyes flick down to them (melt in his mouth, soft…), then up to meet Mika’s, and he wonders how obvious it is that he’s really attracted to - everything Mika. ]

For Ginger

[troublereduction]

[ When it's two wizards cleaning up a ton of dead animals and mana stones in a forest full of toxins, sometimes the only thing you can do to try and make this busy work more bearable is chit-chat. ]

Hey Ginger, have you ever eaten a mana stone?

[ And maybe this is a morbid question to be asking, but Day's kind of curious. He's been mulling ever since a sack of mana stones just showed up in his room one day.

(...For some reason, there's a faint scent of fresh orchids starting to waft in?) ]

[jorunna]

[ Yes, like popcorn! Or those malted balls of chocolate. Not shown is Comet would sometimes hide snacks in their sleeves if the wait to talk to the elders was gonna be long...

They keep getting headpats... And they're usually unsure if they like the. Clearly their growth will be stunted at this rate... But this one they take fine without getting surprised. ]

Thank you. Hearing that from you really means a lot to me too... Especially when I know how hard much you're trying, unlike the Moon People I've grown up with.

[ "(LC's) moon here is evil and may behaunted?"

Wow! Cool! Moving on, it's a day ending in Y. There's a real reason now Comet isn't even bothered by these tales about the moon.

On a whim, they too ear a man stone with Malice. With no illusions of Moon Elders around, Comet brings their arms high up. Don't mind the crutches as they explain. ]

Those people... won't ever change... So when I got that rare chance to leave... I did. I only knew what the Earth was like from my mom, but surely... it's worth spending some of my shorter life to see.

[ The last little memory is faint among the bright dreamy trees, but it's fine because they'd rather just carry on with their conversation with Malice and attention on him. He's real and he's being the kind of person he clearly wants to be. A good person, a supportive one. He smiles as they leans on their knees.

If Malice wants to take a glance... It's just an ocean under the moonlight, with a horizon that seems to go on forever. The Comet there is alone at the shallows, gazing at the full moon. Their hair is messily cut short, fluttering in the sea breeze. They're content. ]

[fellheart]

And yet Emmeryn was barely over half our ages then when she took to the throne.

[ it is, in part, a bit of a diversion away from himself. his gaze is focused on nothing in particular, though it remains watching the scene regardless. if day means to say that the two in front of them are too young for what they've inherited, then the fact of the matter is that there have been younger.

... a quiet, long sigh. his arms are folded over his front. ]

Their father wasn't kind to anyone. Not to his family, not to his own countrymen, to say nothing of the country he all but razed in his crusade to wipe out the wicked infidels and heretics who would worship a fell god. It engendered him faith and loyalty in... oh, just about no one, and he was killed when Emmeryn was but maybe ten, Chrom less than half that. An uneasy peace followed, but...

[ well. ]

We were old enough to know war. All that matters is that.

[annihilator]

[Huh, makes sense why Comet's pretty chill about the moon being a threat, because that's how they viewed the Moon People. Or something like that, anyway.]

Did ya like it? Earth. You've probably seen all sorts of great things, yeah?

[His attention drifts to the scene before them, of Comet all alone, but looking content this time. It seems his guess may be right - Earth must have provided Comet with so many different experiences that they wouldn't have had on the moon.]

[annihilator]

...Yeah.

[The scene shifts - a point later in time, it seems, given that the Malice in the scene is older. He's sitting at a table with the woman next to him. She seems to be explaining something, pointing to a book and then to the piece of paper little Malice is working on. Writing lessons, it seems, though little Malice keeps getting frustrated and eventually he overturns the entire table in a fit.]

...She was the woman who raised me. Never knew my parents, didn't have anyone else, growin' up. But she was there for me, an' she was...

[Kind, gentle, patient - all words that become pretty clear as the woman cleans up the mess and gently sets the book back on the table to try again. She takes the lessons slow, and slowly little Malice starts to settle, looking at the book with interest even though it's clear he doesn't quite understand.]

[annihilator]

Yeah, good point. But I don't see much of a reason in not eatin' 'em? I mean, what else are you gonna do with 'em? Might as well make their power yours, so it still has a use. That's what I'd want if I were to bite it.

[Because he's spent so much time trying to make himself stronger; it'd be more of an insult for his power to go to waste, really.]

[annihilator]

[Malice has noticed it too, eye narrowing.]

You noticin' all this mist, yeah? Seems unnatural. Keep your guard up, somethin' might try to ambush us.

[He's paying close attention to their surroundings now, trying to pick out anything that might be a threat.]

[jorunna]

I can take care of that. The borders between worlds is a trifling matter for a well-traveled god.

[ Suddenly, the Death God turns and jumps out of the water swallowing the boat and the pair.

They're back in the Forest of Dreams when Ahito wakes up near a tree root. There are even mana stones littered about, what a lucky find.

Comet's curled up by another tree, still sleeping. ]

[annihilator]

I can imagine, yeah.

[Better now that he's seen some of it play out, but that's not the point.]

What d'ya think things'll look like when you get back home? Will they be okay without you?

[Not that he wants Jing Yuan to leave, but it seems like he's the kind of guy who is so important that he has to return home to help them out. There simply isn't another option.]

[annihilator]

[He snarls through gritted teeth as the scene around him begins to change into something else entirely. Gone are the humans, replaced with a tall woman with long, white hair. Oddly, her appearance is quite reminiscent of Malice's; sharp features, yellow eyes, and a lanky build, though she holds herself properly and does not smile. Her expression is ice cold as she looks down at...

Well, Malice is kind of in the way. He backs up to join Day, eye narrowed.]

You're about to find out.

[Illusionary Malice is there again, pinned down by two guards. He tries to struggle, but he's not making it very far and the woman speaks up. "So the reports were right. Interesting."

"The hell does that mean?"

The woman turns her attention to the guards. "Release him. He is one of mine."

Both guards step back and free Malice, and he stumbles to his feet, gripping his damaged prosthetic arm. It doesn't look like it's in any condition to fight, and for once Malice seems to have the foresight to recognize that jumping straight to the fight option would probably be a bad idea. "Whaddya mean 'one of yours'?"

"Can't you tell?" She asks, extending a hand. Malice flinches away from it. "You are the son I thought lost to me."

Though the illusionary Malice looks on with surprise and something akin to wonder, the real Malice folds his arms and scoffs.

The woman continues, "I'll offer you a choice: remain here with me and become one of Annihilation Eclipse... or return to your life with the rebels. I will consider you an enemy, should you deny me. I will treat you as much child, if you accept."

It probably isn't surprising that Malice doesn't take long to consider it. "I'll stay. I'll stay with you - an'... an' I'll even give you the location of the rebels! So you know how serious I am 'bout this! I'll work for you, I'll do whatever you want, I just..."

That Malice looks desperate, and when he reaches out for her hand, it's not to shake it - to finalize their deal. It's to cling on, with the look of a man drowning, searching for salvation. Salvation he apparently won't find, given the real Malice's clear disgust with the whole scene. Slowly, the figures fade out, leaving Malice for last.]

So I sold 'em out. The friends I'd made, the people I'd come to care for... for a chance at family. At wealth. At power. So I could have a better life.

[His posture is tense and tightly-wound as if he's preparing to fight something - but it's not like Malice can fight his own past, now is it?]