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lunaecalamitas2024-05-18 12:19 pm
promittere) wrote in lunaecalamitas2024-05-18 12:19 pm
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...
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.
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...
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.
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?
no subject
Ah, why didn't I think of simply using a glamour? I must be getting myself too caught up with all of these new rules for how magic works...
[Which is to say, yes, please hide the ears and tail so she can be extra stealthy.]
My wardrobe is quite limited at the moment, but... It's certainly a start.
[It's not like G'raha's had much time to hit the markets or anything just yet, so she has little else but the clothes she arrived with and some more basic pants and shirts. Still, there's probably a way to tailor these pants to get them to look more feminine...]
Though I feel if I had come in wearing robes, it would be far easier. A shame, then.
no subject
[ Jing Yuan points out simply, because she does think it true. ]
Hmm, actually, if your wardrobe is very limited, I think we might want to hold off on changing anything, and shop for more material instead.
[ This amount is kind of pitiful, but considering G'raha didn't have time to get much, it is also realistic. Anyway, she starts to get moving. To the markets! ]
Follow me!
no subject
Alright. To the markets.
[She says this to herself, to help hype herself up, and as they're on their way to the markets another thought occurs to her.]
Should we... come up with code names for this mission? My name isn't very feminine, after all, though I know that sort of... cultural basis doesn't exist here.
[But would it help her get in character and sell the persona?]
no subject
I certainly never thought of it.
[ Do they need codenames, she wonders? She seems to stew in thought as they're still enroute. It's entirely possible that it might benefit, but she hates the idea of not using her name, so RIP to her. ]
It would be kind of awkward if we were somehow traced back to our normal identities, but if that's the case, we should think carefully about what we choose. Are there subjects or ideas that might sound ideal to you for considerations?
no subject
Well, for my people, women tend to take patronymics from the nunh that sired her, but I cannot say I remember him that well.
[She was quite young when she left the tribe, after all.]
Perhaps the name of another ancestor could work? [thinking...] Raha isn't quite a feminine name, but with some adjustment it could work...
no subject
Or maybe she can just borrow Fu Xuan's name for one night. That seems more apt, in retrospect. ]
Oh? Do you mind saying the reason why you didn't?
[ For obvious reasons she did not have that information before this conversation. ]
As for myself, I believe I shall go ahead with using the name of an ally, so why don't you go ahead and use one for an ancestor?
no subject
I was quite young when I had to leave my tribe. Staying there would have had... dreadful consequences, but it is quite a long tale to tell and I'm not sure you have the time for the story of someone you've just met.
[Mostly it's a lot because Jing Yuan doesn't have the context a native of Etheirys would have, and explaining the Allagan empire and the royal blood he inherited would... be an ordeal. Not that she's opposed to sharing it at all, if Jing Yuan truly wants to know.]
So I have far more memories of the man that took me in than the nunh that sired me, though there are few in my tribe who haven't heard of Desch.
no subject
I certainly would not wish to burden you with having to regale quite a long tale, even if, admittedly, I am very much curious to hear certain details.
...By which I mean, very curious.
But, perhaps we can settle first for talking a bit about your tribe in general or about the man who took you in?
[ She can't pretend she isn't interested to hear the deets, but she is willing to settle for a compromise. Anyone who has normally thought of Jing Yuan as a nosy grandpa is correct. ]
no subject
[G'raha's ears wiggle as she talks.]
The G tribe live on the island of Corvos, and have for many centuries now. Like many tribes, they were enslaved by the Allagan empire—an empire known for their technological marvels and mastery of magicks, though one of our distant ancestors gained the trust of the Allagan princess Salina and was bestowed with the power of Allagan royal blood. After the fall of the Allagan empire, my tribe took it upon themselves to ensure that Allagan technology did not fall into the hands of those who would use it for ill.
[It's quite a storied history, even if it's not a necessarily pleasant one. Though it's easy to tell, with how separated G'raha is from that history and her childhood. Everything happened so long ago, and it's not a particularly unique story with how so much of Etheirys has been at the whims of different empires over so many Astral Eras.]
The royal blood would continue to pass down through the tribe, though it began appearing less and less until... eventually, I was the last one born with the mark of Allag, and the last who held the key the Allagan relics littering the star. When Corvos was invaded by yet another empire who began to gather all the ancient relics they could, I was taken in by a scholar named Galuf Baldesion and moved to Sharlayan. Sharlayan is both a nation dedicated to knowledge above all else, but they have a very strict non-intervention policy in political affairs. It was the safest place for me, and Galuf helped me gain citizenship so I was able to enter the Studium.
[She takes a deep breath, before letting it all out with a "whew!"]
He was a kind man, and one of the few Sharlayans who traveled the world and stopped to get involved with the world around him.
no subject
Anyway, time to pay attention to the story since that is important. Which is, well, quite the tale. ]
...You did not exaggerate on the length of the story.
[ Which is, hm. Quite a time indeed. Most would probably be weary after all of that, maybe. But the other is in good spirits. ]
But, ever am I glad you had someone who was looking out for you. It still does not sound like quite an easy road of it.
I suppose given you refer to him as you do so now, he may no longer be among the living as well?
no subject
Ah... Well, I'm not sure.
[Things only get more complicated from here, surprisingly!]
He was on the Isle of Val, which disappeared under mysterious circumstances. The only one who was recovered was his granddaughter, Krile.
[The whole island just. Poof...]
no subject
Blinking slowly, just a bit. ]
Is that so?
[ How does an island vanish just like that?? ]
Was it because his granddaughter escaped the island before it disappeared, or...?
no subject
[because i haven't done that side content yet shhhhhh]
Or Krile has decided not to make me worry over her by telling me the truth. She wouldn't be the first to attempt such a thing, after all.
no subject
Anyway, they are probably nearing some shops now! Jing Yuan is taking a look to see which have potentially nice looking close from the glass windows.
Though there is a considering hum as she seems to consider something. ]
She wouldn't be the first?
...Do your friends often obscure the truth from you, G'raha? Or is it only when it is something painful?
no subject
[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.