and i'll stay yours, no matter sunrise, nightfall

[promittere]

WAXING CRESCENT PRESTO

Things haven't been easy the past two months for the new sage's wizards, but their hard work is paying off. All twenty-five, including sage and mentor, have been personally invited to the home of the newly-appointed Lady Diane Chenon of Borda Island, located in the Western Country.

Borda Island is a popular holiday desination located off the western coast of the mainland, and as the local ruler, Lady Diane's abode is nothing less than a beautiful castle—a gorgeous piece of architecture, even if it isn't as grand as Granvelle Castle.

She invites everyone to stay for an entire weekend. But when they all arrive to their destination, they'll find that she's...absent, due to sudden business she has to attend to. No matter, though. Her staff is ready to receive you anyway, and you're given free reign over both the castle and the island.

In the castle, the staff have set out an entire feast for the crew, with all sorts of food imaginable. From large savory dishes to delectable sweets, everything is exquisite, and it's set out in a buffet style so everyone can pick and choose what they want to eat. The castle also has stunning views of the town and the western expanse of sea beyond the mainland.

Outside of the castle, the world is your oyster. Borda Island's beaches are pristine, well-maintained, with silky sand and shining blue water. While there are several other beachgoers at this time of year, the sands and seas are mostly open for the sage's wizards to lounge in as they please. If you think your water breathing magic is up to snuff, then why not go diving? There are whispers of a sunken city far off the coast (if you think you can find it!), and you may be lucky enough to run across a mermaid...

The markets aren't far from the beach, and they hold a vast array of trinkets, activities, and foods catering to every taste imaginable. What's unique about these markets is that a large section of the markets are wizard-owned, which means there are plenty of magical trinkets for sale. And that also means the native wizards are quite curious about you, the alien wizards...

Alternatively, feel free to return to the mainland to visit the Nectar District, which is not that far, all things considered. This is the wizard-only pleasure district of the Western Country, for those who wish to indulge in a bit of depravity. And it is worth visiting at least once while you're here, if at least to connect with some native wizards and learn about wizard culture. But be careful, and do be home in time for dinner—it's hard to escape a Western wizard's charms once they decide they want to play with you.

As night falls, everyone is treated to a spectacular sight. Some may have heard whispers of its arrival, some may not. Either way, the Venator meteor shower darts across the sky as dusk falls.

The meteor shower has another name among wizards—the Lineal meteor shower. Wizards live for a very, very long time, yet their pasts and experiences live on in the teachings they hand down to their apprentices. The stars, too, live a very long time, and as the meteor shower comes by every year, they trace the slight differences in time and in these relationships.

In the past, shooting stars have been considered bad omens. And though the perception of them as simply natural phenomena has become more prevalent, the superstition remains. But some see them as travelers, foreign visitors who are here to usher in a new age of change. How do you see them?

Regardless, every wizard has a memory or two closely related to the meteor shower. Take a moment to look up to the shooting stars as they color the sky, and take in the life you have now—what sort of memory are you going to make on this night, and how will you pass it on?

JOB BOARD

Rekindling. Thanks to your Northern friends' hard work, the worst of the damages have been avoided for the City of Ice. But that doesn't mean they don't need your help still.

The earthquakes left by the chimera's rampage have rattled some buildings, and they need repair. The magical blizzards also seem to have injured some people and damaged some of the stained glass decorations the townsfolk value so highly. Collect crystals from the Forest of Ice to try and replicate them, and try to put in as much protective magic as you can—they need it.

They also request a barrier that blocks magical signatures, much like the one erected around Granvelle Castle. It seems their patrons are back and comatose, and they would like to avoid any attacks by other opportunistic Northern wizards...

Theatrical assistance and celebration. The West is a country of the arts, as well as science, which means there is always some sort of production going on that needs hands and talent. One of the largest theaters in the City of Affluence is in need of help with costuming, prop manufacturing, and is holding auditions for roles in their upcoming play. Maybe now's a good time to get some good publicity for wizards? Or the promise of remuneration and a share of the profits will be enough, as anyone who helps the theater or helps draw crowds to their new play will get quite the financial compensation. And free tickets!

Those more musically inclined or prone to stage fright can also help with the theater's upcoming parade through the city. Those with no marching band experiences can play the most important instrument of all, the cymbal. Or triangle, pick your poison.

If that's still too much, there's always passing out flyers to advertise the new production.

The advent of summer. The summer solstice nears, and the City of Clouds has asked for your assistance! Their yearly summer solstice celebration is coming up and they need help preparing for the festival. Their usual magical muscle is unfortunately still out of commission, so they've turned to the current sage's wizards for assistance. They need help building sets for their dances and music, setting up magical illusions and lights for the main event, and clearing the land where they'll have the food and activity stalls. This may not be as grand in caliber as your previous jobs, but at this point, it may be best to begin building regular goodwill among the natives of this world. Who knows if it may end up being your home...

G'RAHA TASKS

I've heard that some wizards have found that they're capable of a unique sort of spell with another wizard around them, and that those spells can be quite powerful. While I've yet to see any for myself, I've been doing some digging to see if I can understand where it comes from and how it might be replicable. To that end, I think it may be fun to host some sort of gathering where people can try out spells with their comrades and see what happens...?

(OOC Note: This is basically G'raha sanctioned speed-dating, so go wild with this!)

TATARA ACTIVITIES

You know what the best way to bond is? Food! We should have a huge potluck feast one day—everyone make one dish they consider to be their specialty, and we'll have them all out for dinner one day in the dining hall! Don't miss it! I expect all of you to be there!

I really want to fill out my sage tome. I haven't gotten everyone so far, so I'm relying on your trusty submissions! If you could please write down what you like, what you don't like, what you're good at, and what you're bad at and then leave your papers in a stack on a library table, I'd be ever grateful! Thank you~

OOC NOTES

🌙 Welcome to your fifth and final (?) event! Sick of sand yet? Have some more!
🌙 Everyone made AC and that's dope, actually. Thank you all so much for sticking with us!!! We're in the home stretch. Things may be low key right now, but do you think you're ready for what's to come?
🌙 A quick reminder of the deadline for submitting your pair guesses: Friday, June 14, 11:59 PM. There's still time to guess!
🌙 We'll also be closing the rewards page on Wednesday, June 19, 11:59 PM. That's your last chance to get your random items, and your last chance to get your mission rewards. Don't miss out!
🌙 Don't forget, your OOC plotting post is here! Please be sure to use this post, since not everyone checks plurk or discord frequently.
🌙 Our last group to go on their mission will be West. Don't fuck it up, Westies!

» NAVIGATION

Comments

[leewards]

rekindling

Ah! To return to the great white North!

[That declaration is quite jubilant, and full of relief because Ithaqua? Ithaqua hates the heat. He's stretching his arms in the middle of the street, enjoying the cold. The abominable snowman is no longer in danger of melting. For now.

Though he's ignoring the looks the residents give him, as if they want to come up to him and... ask for a few things. Nope! No thank you, he's already here to work, no need to bribe him.]

nectar district: what is wizard culture

[So. Ithaqua has been here already so he can try not to be so surprised about a lot of their wares on sale (maybe try and fail because they're not quite helpful with his desire to go at Urianger's pace, no matter what they have already done). But he is a bit overwhelmed so he distracts himself with learning wizard culture instead, because these people? These people are more open than all the other wizards.

He has to wonder why.]

Aah~ [That sound is one of Ithaqua thinking. Really, deeply thinking. He has a chest of jewels in his room that has not been used, and they might as well do something rather than sit there.] So gifting gemstones in the colour of one's lover's eyes is considered a romantic gesture, is it? Unusual, most would simply gift rings and offer a mutual roof to reside in.

[To which the native wizard laughs, and puts a hand on Ithaqua's arm... and then the smile on his face, visible due to him wearing a half-mask, turns icy. Someone might want to rescue this poor guy before the creature bites.]

tatara activities: cooking

Do not, under any circumstances, allow Solomon in here. I've seen what he can do, and while his experiments are fine, accidentally poisoning us with whatever he cooks is not acceptable.

[That's said with a furtive murmur as he begins to mince meat with a heavy cleaver. He has a lot of ingredients around him, but no obvious recipe or final dish around. There are vegetables, cheese, meat and even some baguettes proofing on some cotton cloth nearby.]

I did not live this long only to be poisoned by an idiot at a meal.

tatara's activities: submission writing

[Ithaqua, over his time here, has learned the fine art of twirling pens around his fingers as he thinks of what to write.

Which means that he twirls a pen and it goes flying... and he just picks up another one close by. Sorry if that previous pen narrowly missed you. Sorry if that new pen was the one you wanted! Even if one were to complain, Ithaqua would just give an absentminded apology.]

Mm, apologies.

cooking

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

That bad?

[Kiryu hasn't seen Solomon's doings in the kitchen! Whatever Kiryu is picturing it's guaranteed he's underestimating the disaster this can be]

[leewards]

The first time I met him, he was working with wizard sugar and creating noxious fumes.

[Which... yes. Ithaqua didn't mind at the time because he wasn't going to eat wizard sugar anyway. But now he minds.]

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

...this manor better have fire alarms.

[For when people like Solomon mess around in the kitchen]

[leewards]

[Ithaqua waves a hand, before returning to the meat.]

The best solution to that problem is prevention. Thus far, we've managed to avoid a fiery death, so I'd say someone has been successful, somehow.

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

...you're implying Solomon realizing he's no good and should stay out wasn't what did the trick here.

[That it was someone's vigilance and carefulness what allowed them to keep an eye on things and spare everyone Solomon's cooking.

In other words, that Solomon would have the gall to keep coming back to mess with the kitchen were he left to his own devices, hah]

[leewards]

Oh no, he's well aware that he's no good, and lacks the ability to care.

[A lot of Solomon slander! But Ithaqua knows that he speaks true.]

Rekindling

[dyingtohealyou]

Missed it that much, huh...

[Not that he's surprised, after all the beach parties they keep having. He's already got his ward against cold up and ready to go, let's do this.]

[leewards]

Should I not? The West is warm and humid.

[What is a snowman to do but long for the forest?

He crouches down to make a simple little snowman, packing two small snowballs on top of each other, and then raising his mask enough to blow on it, bring it to life. Well, relatively. All it does in his hand is spin its featureless head until he sets it down, and then it settles for circling his stilts like a kitty.]

[dyingtohealyou]

[He watches the lil snowman with mild curiosity.]

Even making some little friends to come with us this time? You must be in a really good mood.

[leewards]

It's best to keep my skills sharp. If I wanted to make true companions, I;d spend my time building a proper beast.

[dyingtohealyou]

...Have you tried that here?

[He'll summon his broom so they can get going while they chat.]

[leewards]

With what time? We've been kept busy elsewhere, have we not?

[He didn't even get a change to try when they were here, with all of the work placed on them, and his personal preparations for whatever venture the sage had for them-- which ended up useless given what happened.]

Perhaps later, I shall. [The snowman, unfortunately, can't keep up with them, and finds a spot for it to sit for eternity by the steps of a house, losing the magic that kept it animated when Ithaqua is far enough from it.]

nectar district

[annihilator]

[Malice has zero shame, so of course he's perfectly fine exploring here - but he's far more interested in learning more from the wizards here. So when he catches Ithaqua conversing with one, Malice is quick to join, listening in as Ithaqua repeats what he's learned.]

Huh, that's...

[Oh no. Malice can't exactly blame Ithaqua for his less-than-pleasant smile and whatever reaction will come next, but he reaches out to grab Ithaqua's shoulder to hopefully try to steer him away.]

Sorry, I need my friend for somethin', c'mon Itha!

[leewards]

[Fortunate that Malice intervened when he did, because Ithaqua had already begun to growl. Had he been allowed to continue, it would not have ended well.

As it is, he shakes himself so he can pull himself out of the attack mindset, and concentrate.]

What are you dragging me along for? [Even if Ithaqua is much taller with his stilts on, and thus more difficult to steer around. He willingly goes along, at least.]

[annihilator]

[how did i forget the stilts....]

Didn't wanna make a scene, y'know? Last thing we want's to piss off all the local wizards if we don't gotta.

But I wanted to ask ya 'bout what you were talkin' about! That whole thing 'bout the gemstones matchin' eye colors thing?

[This is totally not for personal reasons and entirely because he is very interested in Wizard Lore, shhhhh.]

[leewards]

[You know what. That's a good distraction for Ithaqua, and he's happy enough to just forget about the fact that a stranger touched him.]

It's a custom here, apparently-- specific to wizards. A... declaration of romantic feelings.

[Which is relevant to both of them...!]

[annihilator]

Great, I'm gonna have'ta find the perfect one...

[heh heh heh]

But you're interested in that too, yeah? Who's your special someone?

[It's so hard to keep up with who everyone is dating in the manor...]

[leewards]

Why, Urianger, of course. Who else would I choose but the most handsome elf in the manor?

[Well, there are more descriptors he could attach to Urianger... but "handsome" is certainly one of them.]

???

[jorunna]

[ Take your feverish moon mouse, Mister Ithaqua. They wandered away from Solomon in a feverish haze, maybe understanding that the problem might not fix themselves so easily by just hanging around the source of their suffering. Ithaqua stands out! As always. ]

May I have a snowball, Ithaqua?

[ Surrender one of your prospective children, it's for the greater good. ]

[leewards]

Mmm? [What an odd question to be asking, but Comet usually has a reason... So Ithaqua leans over to begin to comply with their request-- then realized exactly how Comet looks.]

Are you well? [No wait, that's a stupid question--] You look feverish, are you sure you should be here and not in bed?

[jorunna]

[ The reason is that they might have used it as an ice pack for their heas. Or eaten it. Their insides are at war here. ]

Am I...? I've never gotten sick before. Maybe I should...

[ They tilt their head... And then sway a little too far. About to fall over...! ]

[leewards]

[Ithaqua leans forward to catch them before they actually hit the floor, and then places his hand on their forehead. It's bare, rough and calloused from many fights over his years, but it's cooler than a human's-- perhaps soothing enough for now.]

You insist on staying here?

[jorunna]

[ Their savior! It's appreciated, even when they didn't quite realize how off kilter they they were until caught. They've never felt rough hands before, but the coolness helps. For Ithaqua, Comet's forehead will definitely feel warm to his touch. ]

If I do, you could probably just pick me up.

[ They kind of relent if that's what he wants to do, but in a tone that implies being rather laid-back, maybe even amused about it, what with negative strength/evasion here... It would be easy, like a sack of small potatoes. ]

Maybe there will be potluck leftovers...

[leewards]

[Ah... right. The food.

Ithaqua is callous to think he could just ask someone to sit out something they wanted to do, something that will surely happen just once in a lifetime.

So he holds out one hand, blows into it, and manifests the requested snowball for Comet to take.]