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

[jokey]

Thanks.

[Akira can handle stripping out of the rest, pulling his shirt off overhead and wiggling out of his jeans. He folds his clothes and sets them aside, though he did consider yeeting them into the corner to join his socks.

Pulling on the t-shirt and shorts, he tugs at the duvet to curl up beneath it. He motions for Kurapika to join him with grabby hands extended out from the side of the blanket.]

[revengier]

[ Well, if Akira won't yeet them... Kurapika will at least push them off of his bed and into a nice little folded pile on the floor. He takes his sweet time peeling off all of his layers before pulling his pajamas on, his hair sticking up in a few places once he gets his shirt over his head.

There's no time to waste brushing his hair back down, though, not when Akira's reaching out his hands for him. Shuffling over to the side of the bed, he lifts up the covers and climbs in. ]

Casual clothes like this look good on you.

[jokey]

[Eh, leave the messy hair. It suits Kurapika anyway. Akira wastes no time looping his arms around Kurapika, his hold loose but no less yearning. He needs this whether he's willing to admit it or not.]

Really? [Skeptical tbh...] Should I start dressing like this every day?

[revengier]

[ Kurapika scoots close enough to let their legs tangle a bit, one of his hands settling on Akira's waist. ]

If you wanted to. I think you dress nicely as it is, however.

[ Akira has a nice sense of style, and while Kurapika doesn't really care when it comes to the way others dress, he would happily admit that he likes the way Akira dresses. ]

[jokey]

I'm glad I have a fan. Some haters would tell you my sense of style is totally whack, yo.

[Like Ryuji who likes to ape on his joker ensemble as if it isn't the tightest fit this side of Japan. Akira curls in a little closer, his shock of messy black hair tickling the underside of Kurapika's jaw. Kurapika said he wouldn't judge him for being a weak and vulnerable little babyman, so let him at least try it and see if he likes the coddling.]

You look pretty good in a suit... but the smoking doesn't fit you at all.

[revengier]

Then they lack taste.

[ Which he would probably agree with when it comes to Ryuji, so. His hand rests on the back of Akira's head, pulling him closer so he can bury his face in Kurapika's collarbones. ]

The smoking is something I picked up when making deals. It's bad form to reject a cigarette or even a cigar, you know.

[jokey]

[Akira snorts, laughter rumbling against Kurapika's palms. Mmm, collarbones...]

Sure, but you aren't wheeling and dealing here. You're addicted.

[revengier]

[ He huffs indignantly. ]

What of it? This isn't about me anyway.

[ Stop shifting the focus onto him, Akira! He'll even kick his feet a little bit in protest. ]

[jokey]

[Heheh, cute. Kurapika's fussiness is part of his charm. Akira pats his back. There, there... No throwing a microtantrum...]

Chill out. I'm allowed to worry about your health. Where do you keep your cigs?

[revengier]

Figure it out yourself.

[ He stuffs Akira's face right into his shoulder, grip a little bit tighter on his hair. No moving right now. ]

You have plenty of time to worry about my health later. Weren't we going to talk about you?

[jokey]

[Akira blows a raspberry on Kurapika's shoulder. Fine, fine!! He's staying still.]

Do we have to?

[revengier]

[ Akira can't see his expression, but there's a very displeased look on his face right now. Eugh. He hated that. ]

You offered to. So, yes. We do have to.

[ Did Akira really think Kurapika was going to let him off the hook here? Come on. ]

What tale were you going to spin for me?

[jokey]

Ah, right. Tales.

[Mmm... Which one does he choose? The lack of an immediate response on Akira's end isn't because he's bullshitting, but because he's thinking hard about which of his stories would interest Kurapika most.]

Did I tell you about the time I caught the Guardian of the Pond?

[Yeah. The most interesting story.]

[revengier]

[ While he's waiting, Kurapika lightly runs his fingers through Akira's hair, fingernails scraping against his scalp. Does that feel good...? He hopes it does. Physical affection really isn't his strong suit, but he's trying here. ]

A fishing story...? No, you didn't.

[ Not what he expected, but he wants to hear it. ]

[jokey]

[That feels incredible, frankly, but Akira doesn't say so lest he scare Kurapika away from engaging in acts of physical affection. You never know which way a tsundere will go when you pay them a compliment.]

Rumor has it the Guardian of the Pond only shows its gills to the fisherman deserving of its glory. It was a rainy day in Ichigaya when I rolled up to the fishing pond with my rod and a dream...

[revengier]

[ Good choice, Akira, because Kurapika would have stopped out of sheer embarrassment and awkwardness. As such, he continues. ]

You really don't need to embellish the story.

[ It's corny.

And Kurapika is eating it up. ]

[jokey]

Aww, c'mon. I'm setting the mood.

[Don't be a wet blanket, Kurapika! Akira snickers and nips his collarbone.]

Anyway, I'd been hunting that sucker for months. I spent hours researching the best gear and bait to take him down, but he eluded me month after month. I'm not gonna lie, there were times when I thought about hanging up my rod and giving in.

[revengier]

[ He smacks Akira on the shoulder for that nip. You know he's sensitive, asshole. ]

You, giving up? How humiliating, nearly being defeated by a fish.

[ But also... he's now wondering if Akira is this intense about all of his hobbies. When the hell did he have the time to fish between everything else he mentioned? ]

[jokey]

[Another snort and Akira lets up, wiggling closer to rest his cheek on Kurapika's chest. No more bites, he promises.]

You're so harsh. If you'd seen the size of this thing, you would've struggled too.

In the end, I managed to catch him. My hype man Ryuji was there too, so if you don't believe me, you can ask him.

[...Does that imply he's taking Kurapika home to Japan? If Akira has things his way, he certainly will.]

[revengier]

I doubt it. I've done extensive weight training. A fish is nothing.

[ He has skills, Akira. Skills involving many things.

The phrase "hype man" has Kurapika muttering something under his breath, most likely some sort of judgment on the fact that Akira considers anyone to be that for him. Ah, but that little implication pulls his attention away from being an ass. ]

You intend to take me back, don't you?

[jokey]

Come ooooon. Don't put down my accomplishments like that.

[Kurapika would understand if and only if he took on that massive monster of a fish himself. Tch, hater...

Oh, but... ah. Yeah. Akira does intend to take Kurapika home, but he hadn't realized he let that slip. His lips purse, his answer delayed.]

...Yeah, but not right away. You have a mission to accomplish first.

[Deep breath in.]

I'm coming with you.

[revengier]

[ That delay speaks for itself. ]

You'll die if you come with me.

[ But he isn't about to force Akira to break a promise either. That wouldn't be fair, and Kurapika isn't the type to abandon anyone either. ]

...I'm still considering my priorities. There's a chance I might not go back. [ A pause, and his voice softens. ] I'm still thinking it over.

[jokey]

You don't know that.

[Whatever the challenges are, Akira is certain he can adapt and overcome them. He won't let Kurapika call him weak and incapable.]

...No matter what, I'll be by your side. I'm not about to break a promise to you no matter what's at stake.

[revengier]

I know.

[ He wraps his arms around Akira, squeezing him tight like he's afraid that if he lets go, the worst of his fears will come true.

Quiet, nearly a whisper: ]

I wouldn't forgive myself if you died as a result of my decisions.

[jokey]

[He's rendered silent by the concern in Kurapika's voice— the fear and the worry. Kurapika... Silently, Akira wraps his arms around him and holds fast.]

Then don't blame yourself for something that hasn't happened. You believe in me, don't you?

[Or does Kurapika truly see him as weak and incapable, unable to learn and adapt to the hardships of his world?]