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

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

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!

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And what if we're forced to leave? [Ithaqua's voice is not at all judgemental. In fact, he lowers it, softens his tone, just so no one else can here. Then he crouches down to watch the flowers, even if he still towers over them with his stilts.]

Do not miscontrue my words-- I am sympathetic. Our goals are not so different.

[ He’s quiet at that, gazing down at the red flowers. For a while he says nothing. But he knows, he knows - ]

… I would do anything to stay with him…

[ There’s no Ginger without Mika. ]

You understand, don’t you? You mean to stay, too…?

I do. [What use is there to lie?]

If I cannot stay here, then I will follow Urianger to his home. However.

[That however hangs heavy in the air.]

I cannot completely leave my old home unattended. If at all possible... I want to finish my business there and then take mother with me, but who knows how I shall manage returning here.

I think… we would need some sort of anchor.

[ Look, he’s using his brain for love. ]

We can exist in this world - and this is just my, uh, speculation - but we exist here because it took us and put in us parts of it. Whatever makes us wizards. Mika said our blood has changed.

[ But it makes sense - to him. Even with the 3rd mankind, once one of them breaks free of their world and is corrupted by too much of the outside, they no longer fit the space they had once belonged. It makes it easier for them to live between. ]

So if you plan to go back, if you can keep something of this world in you, I believe… it’s possible to return here one day.

[Ithaqua listens intently-- that's quite a lot of information Ginger's just given him. How long has he been working on this plan of his? Ithaqua is a little ashamed that he didn't start thinking about it until recently.

That he only started thinking seriously about the idea when he began that relationship with Urianger-- even if he is not Ithaqua's only reason for wanting to stay. Even without him, Ithaqua imagines that he would have begun to dread the silence and loneliness that awaits him in the forest.]

I wonder if the mana stones I consumed would be enough. [Then he shakes his head-- he was just thinking out loud, and his thoughts tend to lean towards the morbid.]

Where did you learn all of this?

Like I said, speculation... But I guess I'm using what I know of how worlds work - from my own world. It's what I do - back... home...

[ There's a pause here. Home is still home, but Mika is his home now, too. Ah... ]

You could say I help regulate humanity's creations. It's a little complicated to explain.

[ But let's try. He'll continue tending to the flowers as he does. ]

But - um, let's say each creation is a different story, which means it has its own world and its own rules. Take all of humanity creating things all the time and you have nigh infinite worlds that need to be kept separate. [ But keeping them separate implies that they can come together - that they can collide. ] They loop in the way stories do - once the plot ends, you find yourself rereading or remembering. But the beings - the characters living in those world, sometimes they break out. And if they break out often enough, if they're changed enough by what they experience outside, then it starts becoming impossible for them to go back to the way things were. They don't... belong in just one place anymore.

How'd I do?

Hm. [That doesn't exactly inspire confidence, really. He's going off of half-baked ideas from his home, and who knows if the rules are the same here-- or if there are rules...

But then again, this is not a definitive answer to their dilemma, is it? Ithaqua wants to find a solution, he cannot discount what Ginger knows.]

If your ideas hold water, you had better start finding a way to anchor yourself here... But best search for a back-up. I myself, I have been looking into the books, but with a limited amount of time, I've not combed through the whole library.

Have you spoken to Tatara about this? [Just... humour him. he has a good reason to ask this.]

Edited 2024-06-10 01:56 (UTC)

Tatara? Not yet.

[ Tatara may be their sage, but Ginger thinks he’s there for diplomatic tasks more than actual… magic stuff. Not Ginger remembering how belated Tatara’s warning about promises was. ]

I was thinking of asking the spirits first.

[ He does… have a backup; one that’s a great and terrible beauty in the sky. But his mind immediately empties itself of all thoughts when the idea becomes too invasive. No, no. He won’t consider that.

(Yet.)

(But like he said, like he promised himself, he’d do anything to be with Mika.) ]

So… you’re trying to find a book from - what, an alien wizard that stayed?

No-- I want to find something on travel in general. If we were brought here, there surely is a way we can manipulate that for ourselves. You must remember, I must bring my mother with me, not merely leave with no notice. [If only they still had knowledge from their previous mentor...

But their current one may also have clues, given the way he arrived.]

Tatara may or may not have plans-- but you should ask him about that. And it may be worth speaking to G'raha as well. [Then he points at Ginger with one clawed finger.]

Were you planning on accomplishing this by yourself?

Mm, leave nothing important behind… I was just thinking in terms of… how long I live and how the people I call friends and family live just as long. We’re - constant. Not that I wasn’t considering traveling between worlds, but it’s not… something I need to rush.

[ He’d forgotten time was often a race for others. He’s always been kind of lost in his own world. ]

I’d like to meet your mother and hear her stories though.

[ Just as a quick note before he goes back to Ithaqua’s suggestions. ]

Then - should we work together? Do you want to approach G’raha and I’ll poke Tatara?

[His mother's stories, eh? Would that she could speak... but that's part of the reason why he wants to take her somewhere with magic. Surrounded by people who are not human, perhaps someone knows a way to heal her.

And in the meantime, the care she can receive here will be much better. He just hopes she still lives when he returns.

To Ginger, he gives a nod.]

I shall see if I can pay a visit to G'raha before he becomes busy. [Such as with the impending mission the Western wizards will undoubtedly have.] If not, I shall approach him when we both have time.

In the meantime... [He points at the flowers.] You had better make this larger, if you do plan on staying.

He’s my forever, so it’ll get pretty big I think.

[ Once day, they’ll probably have to uproot this garden and move it to wherever they end up living. When they do, he hopes the people they’ve met will visit and mark how far they’ve come. ]

I’ll let you know once I talk to Tatara - and the Eastern spirits, I want to know their thoughts. Wait, did you already talk to Urianger about this??

Not yet. [Maybe he should... get on that... But he does have a good reason for not doing so yet.] I do not want him to be burdened when it's time for him to leave for his mission. In fact, it will be connected to a promise I shall make him.

He is the sort to be worried about that, and I shan't give him that right now.

[ Possibly for the first time ever, he turns and makes an exasperated face at Ithaqua. This is the guy who was telling him to step on it and work things out with Mika. ]

Isn’t that up to him to decide? It’s a given that he’ll be burdened - love is never light - but he would gladly make the choice with you, I’d think. He’s a cool guy.

[Ithaqua raises a hand. He knows exactly what this looks like, he's well aware of the consequences.]

It is also for me to decide, and given his personality, I believe it's best he concentrates. And then we can talk, when he returns. I have already asked him to return, and that will be enough.

You know him best…

[ He’ll concede, he’ll concede - he’s not really interested in inserting his opinions into their relationship. He just wants them to be happy, that’s all. ]

Feel free to take from the garden when he returns - though I guess it might be in a different spot by then.

[Ithaqua gives Ginger a pat on the head.]

I appreciate the offer, but I've no intention of giving him a rose. I already have plans of giving him something else entirely.

[Like a wizard promise and more.]

Eh? Ever?? But it’s romantic…

Mmm. [Perhaps not "ever" but what if he were to give a different sort of flower?

Anyway.]

I have plans. Have you ever heard of a certain piece of wizard culture surrounding gemstones?

Ah - the… gemstone exchange that works as a profession of love?

[ His cheeks go a little pink, but he gamely admits: ]

I heard about it when I was asking around the, uh, Nectar… District. For info.

[Ithaqua gives a nod. Good, he's heard of it. So this makes his next point easier-- he just reaches into his cape and pulls out a cluster of pendants or charms attached to each other, but no chain just yet. Yellow sea glass and a yellow gem, the same colour as Urianger's eyes.]

[ He admires the pendants as the light hits them. So this is Urianger’s eye color? He hadn’t realize they were this shade, but love means always wanting to catch the eye of your beloved. Ginger could close his eyes and write poems about the exact shade of Mika’s and all the ways they reflect light and life; he thinks Ithaqua must be similar. ]

I hope he gives you the best kind of smile for them. [ Ginger wonders what Urianger will say with his unique lexicon. But that’s for Ithaqua alone to know. ] Say… Ithaqua… have you considered… marriage?

[That question makes Ithaqua snort so hard that his breath puffs back at him in his mask.]

Marriage is a religious affair, and I have no interest in religion.

[ He doesn’t bother to hide his smile, very amused. ]

Okay, I was just wondering. That’s what humans like to claim - that it’s tied to some sacred higher purpose, but it’s not. It’s a human concept through and through.

… But some people like the idea of… the rest of it, so…

Pledges of forever with someone needn't be a large spectacle before god and mankind.

[There's an obvious hmph in his tone.]

Just do it if you want.

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

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