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

[foresightis2020]

[ Seeing Solomon like this causes his heart for a moment to stop, but logic wins the day even if his mind immediately jumps to the worst conclusion for a single second. All that blood, all those wounds, and he can't help but think the worst. Because why else would anything good come of it? Will he hear that laugh again or will he be consigned to die right here?

(Maybe, just maybe, he had seen the bloodied cloak earlier. Maybe, just maybe, he hadn't been able to say anything for once.

He lamented his inability to do anything, prepared for the worst then, as he had always previous. Time and time again, he ended up being in a position to not be there when he was needed most.

A walk in the courtyard had seemed like running, but he had resigned himself to losing whatever what might have been in a single moment because that is how it is with him. To lose what he might have had; to be too late. But now...)

But now...it's different, he heads forward towards him. ]

...Solomon.

[ Whatever words he is going to say are otherwise left unsaid, for but a moment. He struggles to come up with a coherent response, and even if he isn't a healer, he will try to send something along to help. Even if marginally, because if he stands here and does nothing he might actually lose his mind...just a little.

But he is glad Malice is safe as well, so he directs his question also to him, after giving him a proper once over: ]

What dangers resulted in this?

[annihilator]

[Whoa, he never thought he'd see Jing Yuan this bothered... Are the grandpas dating...????]

We ended up havin' to fight some real tough enemies. Two witches an' a monster made up of... other creatures? [A chimera.] Sol took a lotta hits an' used a lotta magic, so seems like that's weakened him a lot.

[foresightis2020]

[ It's a mystery for all the ages...

But, Jing Yuan doesn't make a habit out of sounding this bothered, it's true. So at the least, there is...whatever this is. He is also admittedly grateful that Malice is giving out some deets, even if admittedly he could have listened from respective conversations happening around them.

Under normal circumstances, that is. At least he is here for a little longer before Akirambulance time. ]

...I see. That would explain why he turned out the way that he did.

[ He sighs, feeling his sensibilities return to him, even if worry clings to him. ]

Fortunately, we do have capable healers who can provide assistance to him. He looks to be in dire straits from what I can see.

It is good you and the others seemed to have come out as well you have, however.

[annihilator]

Yeah.

[He's quiet for a moment, considering.]

Sol used up a lotta magic. More than most of us, I think. He was very helpful an' I doubt we would'a made it out without his help, but I'm sorry that we brought him back like this. None of us are great healers...

[norths are only good at attack ok :c ]

[foresightis2020]

[ The Norths being basically only attack people tracks, especially since Jing Yuan hasn't heard otherwise; he's been healed by Ahito before, actually, but he can tell the variances in terms of magic proficiency naturally assigned by each country. Not that Jing Yuan considers it their fault...it seems truly just the state of things, and reasonable for him to accept the fact that they are well. Not so great at healing. ]

I know you all certainly would have done your best, and it would not be due to any lacking skill or otherwise on your parts that he ended up like this.

Therefore, there is no need to apologize. The fact that you are all here alive, is most important. I do wonder why you were all attacked by these people in particular, however.

[annihilator]

[Nods!! That sounds like praise to him...!!!]

Yeah. I guess I didn't realize how serious it was for him...

[sorry solomon, he would've been at least a bit more serious if he'd realized!!]

Seemed like the monster was just on a rampage, but those witches? Said they were after the monsters mana stones an' they threatened to kill us an' take ours. Obviously we weren't gonna let that fly, so we killed 'em. Itha's got their mana stones, I think?

[Northies are going to eat so many wizard rocks, Jing Yuan.]

[foresightis2020]

[ Well, Malice wouldn't be wrong. It indeed is praise. ]

Mm. There is a difference between yourself and humans. But, it can be harder to judge the severity of wounds when you have certain expectations based on your experiences.

[ Either way, this does sound like a whole heap of trouble to him. A rampaging random monster? And then suddenly, two witches. ]

...Ah, so those who use magic can turn into mana stones. [ It is here he finally learns this, help. ] But, they certainly did get what they deserved.

I suppose that explains why he had those mana stones when he did.

[ Power up, Northies...! ]

[annihilator]

Yeah. Even though I worked with humans for awhile, I never really saw any major injuries for 'em.

[Usually humans are either fine or they just outright die, so he has a skewed perception on what he thinks humans can deal with, and Solomon's a special case just because he's so... different. He wouldn't be surprised to learn that Solomon isn't human, actually.]

But yeah, he went ahead of us. Though now that I'm thinkin' 'bout it, I guess that could'a looked a little worryin'...

[Eh. Oh well!!]

Anyway, Sol's in good hands, so I'm sure things'll work out fine. Still, I'm hopin' he has a speedy recovery.

[And then, after a moment of pause...]

You gonna be alright, Jin?

[foresightis2020]

[ That's absolutely hilarious...Malice thinking humans are basically pretty tough dudes.

And then indeed there is Solomon. Anyways... ]

Yes, I hope the same—though with a vigilant healer and him being cautious, that shouldn't be difficult.

[ He ignores the worry in his heart. Solomon is going to be fine. Of course he is—and then Malice asks his question, and it is so surprising that he blinks. Give him a moment. Then he responds accordingly: ]

...I am uninjured, so yes, I will be alright.

[ Help. ]

[annihilator]

[...wow. What a response. Malice stares for a moment, as if waiting for Jing Yuan to drop the act and say it was a joke, but...]

Yeah, I know you're physically alright? But I'm talkin' 'bout emotionally? 'Cause you seemed pretty damn upset 'bout Sol.

[You know. Like how he was upset about Yamato. Wink wink.]

[foresightis2020]

[ HELP NOT THE CALLOUT

Jing Yuan lets the words settle in for a moment as Malice asks him, and there is further pause instead, as if he doesn't know what to say.

How he was acting a moment ago, seeing Solomon like that in the first place, in front of everyone else. What it could mean, what it might mean.

He simply lets out a sigh, raising a hand to hold his own head. ]

As long as Solomon is alright, I think I'll be fine.

[ ... ]

My apologies for worrying you so. It was not my intention to cause any such trouble to anyone. But, it is just...

[ He pauses, again. ]

I'm not sure how to explain it. I was simply at a loss, at the idea of something happening to him.

[fellheart]

Tʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴏ̨ᴜɪᴛᴇ ᴄʟᴇᴀʀ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ɪɴᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ᴄʟᴀɪᴍ ᴏᴜʀ ᴍᴀɴᴀ sᴛᴏɴᴇs ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇᴍsᴇʟᴠᴇs, ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴛᴏ ᴄʟᴀɪᴍ ᴛʜᴇ sᴘᴏɪʟs ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇᴀsᴛ ᴀs ᴡᴇʟʟ. Iᴛ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴡᴀsɴ'ᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟɪᴄᴀᴛᴇᴅ. Pᴏᴡᴇʀ ɪs ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ.

Aʟʟ ᴛʜɪɴɢs ᴄᴏɴsɪᴅᴇʀᴇᴅ, ᴛʜɪɴɢs ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴᴇᴅ ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴏ̨ᴜɪᴄᴋʟʏ. Tʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀsɴ'ᴛ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴀɴʏ ᴏғ ᴜs ᴛᴏ ᴅʀᴏᴘ ᴏᴜʀ ᴏᴡɴ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀs ᴛᴏ ᴀᴛᴛᴇɴᴅ ᴛᴏ Sᴏʟᴏᴍᴏɴ, ᴏɴᴄᴇ ʜᴇ sᴛᴀʀᴛɪɴɢ ᴛᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ʜᴇᴀᴠʏ ғɪʀᴇ.

[ not dying to the village sized chimera and witches seemed a pertinent thing at the time. ]

[foresightis2020]

[ Power hungry people...

Honestly, a tiresome commonplace even in a foreign land, but one nonetheless. ]

...Considering you all had to deal with a rampaging beast and two magic users, I am hardly surprised you could devote your time to him.

As regrettable as that is. Though, it seems you also did ensure to arrive as soon as possible.

[ So there is that! ]

[fellheart]

[ man, he sure can't shrug very well as what is essentially a snake with six wings. ]

Iᴛʜᴀᴏ̨ᴜᴀ ᴡᴀs ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴠᴇʟʏ ᴀʙʟᴇ-ʙᴏᴅɪᴇᴅ. [ so he went ahead with the smaller rocks. ] Tʜᴇ ʀᴇsᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ʜᴇᴀʟᴇᴅ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴄᴀᴍᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴇ ɪɴsᴛᴇᴀᴅ ᴅᴜᴇ ᴛᴏ ʜᴏᴡ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴄᴏʟʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇʟʏ sᴘᴇɴᴛ.

[ someone had to haul the moon rock back, and some people were not trusted to not fall off their brooms.

and then some... just wanted to have the novel experience of riding a dragon? in any case, robin avoids talking about himself. ]

[foresightis2020]

[ That would be extremely funny to watch happen, not going to lie. ]

Ah, so that's why he didn't come with you.

[ Jing Yuan had been wondering for a little bit why, but with his explanation given, the pieces do so happen to fall into place.

There's also a small beat, because he is also well-tuned to people talking in certain ways that may or may not exclude themselves. He casts his golden eyes in curiosity up at the other man, humming in consideration. ]

The rest have been healed...including yourself?

[fellheart]

[ he's just going to toss his head dismissively at the question. what, think he's lying by omission?

(injuries are hard to make out against dark scales and maroon feathers. if there's bruising or open wounds, it's hard to tell. if there's blood, it blends in with his coloring.) ]

Wᴇʀᴇ I ᴛʀᴜʟʏ sᴏ ɪɴᴊᴜʀᴇᴅ, ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ I ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛᴏ ғʟʏ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ʙᴀᴄᴋ?

[ though if jing yuan's really looking, there are traces of frostburn, patches along his flank and across his back where it seems some of the scales were torn away, and at least a few more don't seem to sit quite right against the flesh. ]

[foresightis2020]

[ Robin.

Jing Yuan's golden gaze turns intent, noticing the discrepancies amongst the scales. Those torn away, the ones seemingly settled all wrong, and frostburn as well. And, honestly, since his previous Teacher excelled in ice magic, he knows what frostburn looks like on various surfaces, people, and beings. He can spot it quicker than most, absolutely! ]

Do you believe hiding your injuries helps you?

[ His voice is filled with admonishment. Does Robin think himself exempt from his concerns because he likes to be mysterious at times? ]

I know what frostburn looks like, amongst other injuries. Those are not exactly minor, even if I would not say they're fatal. Let them be seen to.

[fellheart]

[ robin's going to chime in, at this point: ]

I ᴅᴀʀᴇsᴀʏ ʜᴇ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛᴀᴋᴇɴ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ʜɪᴛs ʜᴇ ᴅɪᴅ ɪғ ʜᴇ ʜᴀᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴅᴇᴄɪᴅᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴀᴍʙɪᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʀʏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴠɪsɪʙʟʏ ᴘʀᴏᴠᴏᴋᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡɪᴛᴄʜᴇs.

[ solomon out here making himself an easy target because he wanted to do ... solomon things. ]

Aɴᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ᴛᴏ sᴘᴀʀᴇ ᴀɴʏ ᴏғ ᴜs, ᴍɪɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜ.

[foresightis2020]

Oh?

[ I just want to say that the extreme contrast between Malice and Robin's answers are absolutely hilarious.

As it is, Jing Yuan does move his attention from Malice to Robin when he speaks those words. He has to wonder, why in the name of all the Aeons would Solomon go ahead and provoke the enemy so carelessly? Well, whatever the case, he will not necessarily assume it was entirely carelessness until he has the details.

So, here he is, asking bluntly: ]

If it was not to spare anyone, then why would he be trying to provoke one of the witches?

[fellheart]

Tᴏ ғᴏʀᴄᴇ ʜᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ʟᴏsᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ʜᴇʀ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ, I'ᴅ ɪᴍᴀɢɪɴᴇ.

Tʜᴀᴛ sᴀɪᴅ, ʜᴇʀ ʟᴏss ᴏғ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟ ᴡᴀsɴ'ᴛ ᴀ ᴏ̨ᴜɪᴇᴛ ᴏɴᴇ. Rᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴀɴ ɪɴᴀʙɪʟɪᴛʏ ᴛᴏ ᴡɪᴇʟᴅ ɪᴛ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ ʀᴀɴ ᴡɪʟᴅ.

[ note for anyone else who wants to try to play the 'piss them off so hard they can't do magic anymore' game. ]

1/2

[foresightis2020]

[ :notgreat: ]

2/2

[foresightis2020]

[ Jing Yuan just sighs. Solomon...

He understands why he tried, at the least (no he doesn't, he is assuming this was still strategic), so no rude commentary from him. ]

I see. So, it essentially ended up making things unfortunately more complicated, it sounds like.

When it ran wild, how did that look like? Explosions? Or anything having to do with the monster they had going crazy as well?

[ Probably good to know more intricate details just in case for the future so they know what it looks like, even if it seems possibly straight forward. ]

[fellheart]

Sʜᴇ'ᴅ ᴄᴏɴᴊᴜʀᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ ᴀ ʙʟɪᴢᴢᴀʀᴅ ᴘʀɪᴏʀ ɪɴ ɢʀɪᴇғ. Wʜᴇɴ sʜᴇ ʟᴏsᴛ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟ, ʜᴇʀ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ ʙᴜʀsᴛ ғʀᴏᴍ ʜᴇʀ ᴀs ᴘᴜʀᴇ ᴇɴᴇʀɢʏ, ɪᴛ sᴇᴇᴍs, ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʟɪᴢᴢᴀʀᴅ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜᴇᴅ. Sʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴘᴇʀғᴇᴄᴛʟʏ ᴄᴀᴘᴀʙʟᴇ ᴏғ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ғɪɢʜᴛ- ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴘᴇʀʜᴀᴘs ɴᴏᴛ ᴀs ʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ.

Those ʙᴜʀsᴛs were, ᴘᴇʀʜᴀᴘs, sᴏᴍᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ sᴇᴠᴇʀᴇ ʙʟᴏᴡs I sᴀᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀs ᴛᴀᴋᴇ.

[foresightis2020]

...In grief? From the provocation?

[ That sounds a little unexpected. From losing the other witch, maybe? Or, was it something else that conjured such a reaction due to Solomon's prodding? Hm. ]

Hrm, either way, this is pertinent information to know.

And I do appreciate you delivering it post-haste.

[fellheart]

Tʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴄᴏɴғɪᴅᴇɴᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴘɪᴄᴋᴇᴅ ᴀ ғɪɢʜᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴜs ᴛʜɪɴᴋɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴡɪɴ. Tʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴠᴇɴ ᴡʀᴏɴɢ.

[ his maw creaks open, a fanged smile that holds little reassurance in it. ]

Tʜᴇ ᴍᴇɴᴛᴏʀ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴡᴀs ɴᴏᴛ ᴘᴀʀᴛɪᴄᴜʟᴀʀʟʏ ᴡɪʟʟɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴀᴄᴄᴇᴘᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ʜᴇʀ ᴏᴡɴ ᴀʀʀᴏɢᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʜᴇʀ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴇɴᴛɪᴄᴇ's ᴅᴇᴍɪsᴇ.

[ how pitiful, to blame others for what was one's own fault. ]