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

[fallingsand]

ALMOST LADIES NIGHT

...geez, I don't know, how can I even tell if this fits well...?

[ Look, there's an occasion to try out shapeshifting magic, and Mr. Youngest Triplet has always wondered before what if he weren't the only son out of the trio, okay? Who wouldn't? Right? It isn't an idea he would have considered before but with that suggestion being up in the air, well.

He's given it a go and he's done so specifically to try on what seems to be an endless array of dresses from one of the wardrobes in the manor. So far, he's only been pulling them out and holding them up against, well, his... new... body? Is that weird? Is it that weird to think of it that way? He is still wearing his usual get-up of a loose button-up shirt and pants, the sandals, and all, although they're baggier than usual seeing how he is now a few inches shorter.

Shorter, and supposedly curvier, although his already comfortably baggy clothes don't show that off much. His voice, however, is feminine, and his curly hair is now much longer and wilder than ever. Overall, after a few tries? He's gotten his transformation very right.

THE DREAMING FOREST

[ Inevitably, Bruno... finds himself back in the North! Which is terrible. He's realized he doesn't like real snow in real snowy places that are meant to have snow. It's not great. That said, he can be found grimacing at the dead animals as he uses magic to return their bodies to the earth or tentatively pocketing the mana stones scattered amongst the trees.

That said, run into him and hang out long enough, and things will begin to get a little... odd, as the forest's toxins begin to warp the world around them, but until then, he'll turn and hold up a mana stone. ]

H-hey, do you want some of these? I don't. I don't really want any, since they're, uh. Y'know.

[ ooc: please specify if you want a) a memory (sad), b) a possible future (variable), or c) a dream (weird/less sad) in your subject line if you choose this option, thx! ]

[lighthaus]

[ the wardrobes, a place khun visits fairly often even if he keeps his own collection of clothes in his room. and who is this? khun can make a guess based off characteristics and what tonight is: a night he is apparently staying in, since he's in an oversized t-shirt and black leggings.

but he's apparently feeling generous, since he peeks his head around the corner with a grin. ]

You look like you need help.

[fallingsand]

[ Unlike most of the wizards choosing to do this, uh, surprising no one at all, Bruno's a lot less confident about the transformation, so when Khun appears and says that, he gives a jump and shoves the dress he'd been looking at back into the wardrobe. ]

What? No, no, I'm. Nope, I was just, y'know, putting this... stuff away... yeah, haha.

[ Here he goes, pretending nothing is different about him as he stuffs the wardrobe and shuts the door. It isn't rational, considering anyone could tell from his voice and hair alone, but, look, this has been an odd experiment, shush. ]

[lighthaus]

Putting it away? The dresses would fit you better than what you have on right now.

[ throwing a Look. ]

[fallingsand]

...you think so?

[ Bruno asks uncertainly. He turns slightly to give Khun a nervous look, almost as if he's expecting some sort of mockery, but, maybe not? ]

I mean, all of this is baggy enough to still fit... mostly.

[lighthaus]

Mostly.

That's not good enough. Move aside. [ time for him to look through the wardrobe himself for dress options. ]

Almost ladies' night!

[specialinquisitor]

Overall, very convincing.

[Bruno looks much more like a woman than Mòrag ever did, if we're being honest here. But she has some insights to offer, believe it or not...]

I suggest some attention to the exposed skin, ideally with a moisturizing cream or similar substance. Increasing the softness will assist your disguise.

[fallingsand]

Er, thanks?

[ Bruno won't even try to pretend he wasn't looking at dresses this time, at least, though he's still shy about turning to toss Mòrag a look from over a shoulder. Uncertain, as always. ]

A moisturizing cream? I. Huh. I wouldn't have even thought of that.

[specialinquisitor]

[There's a reason Mòrag isn't trying -- up until she speaks, many people mistake her for a man to begin with, and even then it can sometimes be iffy. But that being said, she still knows things about self-care and appearance.]

Just so. Fine skin is something women think about more than men, generally speaking. It will not only assist with the visual disguise, but help it endure other senses as well. There are elements to a person that only register in their absence, after all.

[fallingsand]

[ It's an unconscious movement but he can't help but reach up and feel his face. No stubble of a beard there is still bizarre to him. Regardless of how Mòrag sees herself — not bothering to try due to such a regular mistake — Bruno is taking the advice quite seriously. ]

I dunno, isn't that more for dry skin? I'd say mine is more, uh, oily? Is there a moisturizer for that? Will it interfere with make-up?

[specialinquisitor]

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.

Dreaming Forest (A or B surprise me)

[chronosynthesis]

[You would think at some point Syrlya would learn to recognize the signs of toxic air having dealt with is three or four times. And he does, at least, realize when his senses are muddling. He just thinks he can surely push through it.

He blinks a couple times as Bruno offers the stone, then raises his brows.] Since they're... you don't eat animals?

[Can quite call it meat, although it's conceptually the same?]

[fallingsand]

I mean, they're. They're from monsters, not. Hm. Are monsters animals?

[ Bruno isn't sure. Still, he'll give his head a shake. ]

It just creeps me out, know this was. I dunno. Something else's magic? Or whatever?

[chronosynthesis]

I suppose that depends how capable a monster is of talking. [It's not a very concrete description. Syrlya has been called a monster.] My impression dealing with them so far is that they can't.

[He shrugs, reaching to take the stone.] Is magic personal to you?

[fallingsand]

I... guess so?

[ He'll give Syrlya the stone, there ya go, plant buddy. ]

All my nephews and nieces have magical gifts, too. It's hard enough to deal with it when... when no one wants to hear about the problems they come with, y'know? Worrying about someone turning you into a bunch of magic rocks and eating you on top of that is just creepy.

[ Life's rough for kids with magic as it is. Why add something even worse? ]

[chronosynthesis]

[He absently turns the stone over in his hand.] Gifts... so it isn't possible for everyone to use magic where you come from? Is it rare?

The Dreaming Forest - Future

[dyingtohealyou]

[He's gathering mana stones too, pocketing them for later - though he pauses when he sees Bruno.He doesn't look okay... Hurrying over to check out the smol uncle.]

[fallingsand]

[ Wait, why is Ahito hurrying over? Wow, does the kid want mana stones that much? Bruno still thinks they're sort of gross but... Of course, while he's wondering about that, he isn't paying much mind to how thick the fog around them grows once Ahito is next to him. ]

Ahito? Is something wrong?

[dyingtohealyou]

[He is noticing that, and growing more concerned!!]

Did you put up a barrier against the toxins?

[He's about ready to try to cast one himself on the spot.]

[fallingsand]

Huh? Yeah? Of course. I wouldn't have wandered into here without one, Ahito.

[ He's fine, honest! If Ahito wants to check, a close enough scan with whatever wizardy senses they might have will prove there is at least some kind of spell active around the man.

It would seem that the thickening fog is unrelated... for now. ]

[dyingtohealyou]

...Then what's with the fog?

[Uhhh????]

dreaming forest - I asked to be fucked up

[divineth]

[Ah, Bruno is here too. Since he ran into him, Urianger decides to check in with him to see how the work is going. He wasn't expecting to be offered mana stones, though.]

I take it thou art also averse to consuming them.

[He's right there with Bruno on that one. But he does hold out his hand.]

I shall relieve thee of them, regardless. Perhaps I can find another use for them.

one fucked up coming down the line

[fallingsand]

Wait, you feel weird about eating these things, too? Wow, I was starting to feel real alone about that.

[ That's a relief. He was beginning to think he was the weirdo out here but no, now they can be the weirdo together. However, that does make him hesitate to give Urianger the mana stones. ]

I mean, I can just. I can find someone else who doesn't mind them. I... I know they're just monsters but... y'know.

[divineth]

[At least they're not alone in being weirdos! Not that Urianger needed an aversion to consuming mana stones in order to be a weirdo--]

Verily, I know. While I understand that these stones doth grant us additional power, I hesitate to consume them for a variety of reasons. I may change my mind if I find I have no other choice, but for now I shall refrain.

[With that said, he nods at Bruno's idea to pass them on to someone who wants to immediately use them.]

Very well. I imagine thou wilt not have to look far. I have observed several wizards seeking out stones here in the forest.

[fallingsand]

[ He'll pocket the stones for now, at least until he can find someone else to hand them off to. If not another wizard, then maybe Tatara. It's no secret that the magical elevator at the manor uses them. ]

Oh, I'm sure. Lots of folks poking around here despite the da... nger... oh.

[ Bruno can already see that thicker fog beginning to roll in. Not cool, forest, not cool. He'll step forward quickly, reaching to grab Urianger by the arm. ]

Uh, we should. We should probably start walking, um, this way, real fast.

[ Away from the fog, away! ]