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

[dyingtohealyou]

The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can keep complaining.

[Haha jk... unless? That said once he actually focuses, his magic flow is strong and steady and quickly seeks out any cracks, holes, or thinning in the barrier, filling and reinforcing them.]

[leewards]

[Ithaqua has already reinforced the foundation of the old, failing barrier, so only smaller details are left, filling in the gaps.

However, Ithaqua weaves in his own little touch, the signature of a predator that would deter any weaker creature from coming and attempting to take territory or resources for itself. It wouldn't keep the braver, more desperate or stronger ones, but the little ones may just run. That's the plan, in any case. It's a bit of a mean barrier, now, though not as capricious as Ithaqua himself.

When he's done with that, he stretches his arms and looks at Ahito.]

[dyingtohealyou]

[Sensing that additional layer and-]

Oh- that's smart.

[Huh! New technique learned.]

[leewards]

Heh.

It's a technique best imparted if you, yourself, are familiar with the ways a beast operates. [Which Ithaqua is! Because he is one...]

[dyingtohealyou]

So what you're saying is, I don't qualify.

[leewards]

Not unless you live with beasts in their home for a little while.

[Which is just about the same...!]

[dyingtohealyou]

...Is that what you did?

[leewards]

Come now, do you truly think it is that simple? [With all the hints that he's given?

He's disappointed, honestly.]

[dyingtohealyou]

It's not like I know much about you other than you've seen magic users persecuted in your own world, and you seem to do well in the cold and with stealth.

[And also loves cats. Apparently.]

[leewards]

Heheheh! [Very well, he'll enlighten Ahito.]

I was raised in a forest not unlike the Forest of Ice, but with far less magic, and blizzards 'round the year. We've no neighbours but the forest's beasts. Now, how would a witch and her newly-found child be able to survive in such harsh conditions?

[dyingtohealyou]

...Hunting? Unless you're telling me the beasts turned out friendly.

[leewards]

[Ithaqua's voice grows ever softer.]

The world is not a fairy tale, and the animals, too, must eat their fill lest they freeze to death in the unending snow.

No, we hunted, foraged, and tried to grow our own food. When we did not need to hunt, we found ways of keeping them from hunting us. [Which is magic-- he's quite sure his mother used magic to keep them alive in many ways, because they just should not have survived that long. He shouldn't have lived to be an adult.]

[dyingtohealyou]

...She sounds powerful.

[Though he still has to wonder, new "found" child...

...]

Is this spell one she used, too?

[leewards]

Not at all. This? [He waves his hand at the invisible banner.]

This is a product of my experiences.

[dyingtohealyou]

Mm. From all the hunting?

[leewards]

And my own beastly nature, heheh!

[Who better to understand beasts than another one? And this one talks, too.]

[dyingtohealyou]

...Are you one?

[Look. They have vampires, which Ahito's never met in person before, but also all kinds of humans that still count as human despite having powers and abilities he would not consider human. He is trying not to be too judgmental here.]

[leewards]

[Ithaqua pulls his mask up just a little bit, enough to show his mouth.

Which he opens wide, revealing almost two human-like rows of teeth, if not for the sharp fangs just after the incisors.]

[dyingtohealyou]

[Uh... uh-huh...

...]

Were you... born that way, or...?

[leewards]

Heheh!

What are your ideas on that?

[dyingtohealyou]

Well... you did mention you were found...

Were you originally of the beasts of the forest, or...?

[leewards]

Mm. Beasts eat their dead. [A bit disgusting, but true. Take the nutrients in their bodies, fill their bellies, and move on.]

No, humans left me in the forest, and a witch found me. Then one day, I decided I'd had enough of humans, and cast away what little humanity I have left to become a monster.

[Of course, there is a lot he's skipping, but he's not about to elaborate.]

[dyingtohealyou]

Sounds like quite the tale.

[Not that he's going to push for any more than that - far be it from him to assume he can get Ithaqua to talk about anything he doesn't feel like discussing.

Especially when this is not the first time he's mentioned a witch in particular...]

[leewards]

It is. [Ithaqua now summons his broom to sit on it, crossing his legs.]

But! It is not a story for today.

[dyingtohealyou]

Fair enough.

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

Should we go make our report?