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

Gone Fishing

[chronosynthesis]

[Syrlya had noticed Solomon's missing presence the past few days, but with no idea where he'd gone or who had seen him there wasn't much Syrlya could do to inquire about it.

And there's work to be done besides. Syrlya heads up north with a heavy cloak as soon as it's asked, and he wastes no time reinforcing barrier and deflecting creatures from the borders of the down. The people are grateful... perhaps too grateful. He wonders what it is that they feel the need to beg and grovel for salvation, as if they weren't worthy of protection in the frigid north. He wonders if they have struggled to survive since the disappearance of the wizards.

He turns down the excessive gifts. Assures them that he's here to help, and they owe nothing for it. Just the food and shelter while they're here is enough for him.

It's when he's getting some space deeper in the forest that he catches sight of a white that stands out from the trees and so. He pursues, of course, with a hurried step to confirm--] Solomon?

[impacter]

[He'd spotted their plantlike Central wizard amidst the hubbub, following the noise of the villagers to mark a more obvious sign that a wizard is in town. And while he works his own tasks, he keeps an eye out, watching and observing the choices and actions of his peer.

When Syr catches him in his retreat, he stops very casually, a look back and a tired smile as he gives a small little wave. He looks rather exhausted, scraped up around the edges with skin that tinges red from exposure to the cold.]

Hello, dear Syrlya. You're being rather compassionate, aren't you?

[chronosynthesis]

These people seem like they need some compassion. [Solomon looks like he does as well, frankly.

Syrlya strides up to his side casually.] Is this where you've been the past few days? I don't believe you've been around the manor.

[impacter]

They certainly do. It's been pleasant to see you following through with that.

[He'll give Syr a little pat on the shoulder for emphasis. Thank you for being decent, mister tree.]

I've been otherwise occupied, yes. Did someone take down the note on my door?

[chronosynthesis]

[Syrlya blinks, glancing aside briefly at his shoulder being pat.]

I am afraid I didn't see a note, no. [He quirks a brow.] What did it say?

[impacter]

That I'd gone to see a friend, of course.

[Said as though this is a sufficient enough answer.]

It's been good timing to have the rest of you around. The North has been need of this level of help since the ball. I'm grateful we were able to prioritize them as a group this time.

[chronosynthesis]

A friend from a village? [He tilts his head in its direction.] I hope you at least told Tatara directly instead of leaving it to a note on a door. How dire would you consider the situation? Have the barriers failed at all before we arrived?

[impacter]

Yes, Tatara is aware. The note was more for the rest of you than it was for our Sage.

[Though he sees that tilt towards the village they currently face, and he shakes his head. Not them.]

Failed, no, but the concern was there. The balance of this area is rather fragile, and the absence of the existing wizards was creating a power gap that many things would be eager to take advantage of, natural and hostile alike. At the time of the ball, it was not guaranteed to be dire. But the possibility was there.

[chronosynthesis]

That's good to hear. [It didn't looks bad on arrival, but faltering at all had him worried it wasn't the first time in recent memory.]

Actually, speaking of that--have you seen anything in particular that's been encroaching on the villages? Something of a larger threat than the monsters that wander close.