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lunaecalamitas2024-06-13 05:00 pm
promittere) wrote in lunaecalamitas2024-06-13 05:00 pm
let the magic take control, it's there wherever you go
CADENZA DI FIRST QUARTER
On this bright and sunny morning, Sage Tatara and Mentor G'raha call a meeting. It's mandatory.
Once every wizard is gathered in the lounge, Tatara settles into one of the plush armchairs, clearly too big for him, but absent is any of his silly expressions that might make light of the difference in size here. Instead, with a serious hue in his coral eyes and neatly pressed lilac dress shirt, he looks like he means business.
"Now that the Western wizards are back, we need to share what we've learned with each other. I know some of you have been sharing information privately amongst yourselves, but I think it's time we put all the pieces we have together.
"Everyone encountered a moon stone on their missions, and I think the general consensus is that neutralizing these stones brings the old wizards back physically, somehow. But we haven't received any reports of any of them waking up yet."
That isn't to mention the sage, who still remains missing...ostensibly. They'll get to that in a second.
"If there's anything else you've learned that you think might be related to these things, or to our situation specifically, then speak up now."
When the conversation dies down, Tatara raises his hand to get his attention back on him and G'raha again.
"For the second order of business, I have good news and bad news."
His tone and expression are lighter this time.
"The good news is that we've found a ritual that can send everyone back. There are details we can work out in the meanwhile, especially if you've decided not to go back to your home world, but for now, we need to talk about the ritual itself.
"In order for the ritual to work, we will need rare materials from all over the world. I'll be posting the materials on the job board so you know where to look."
G'raha adds, "We'll need these materials by next week, before the full moon. There's a reason for that, but we'll touch on that in a moment."
Tatara glances at him and nods.
"The ritual is far too powerful for any of us to perform, so we'll have to wait until the old wizards wake up. But...I have a feeling we might be able to do something about that."
When Tatara stands, G'raha follows suit.
"There's one last thing I need to show you."
With a silent gesture, Tatara makes for the door of the lounge and expects everyone to follow. Yes, everyone.
Sage and mentor then lead everyone down the winding corridors of the manor, past an indiscreet door into a wing of the building that has remained relatively untouched. The lights here are off, but the chandeliers and sconces quietly flick on as they make their way down the dust-laden corridors.
Soon, all will notice that the halls they walk through are a mirror image of the residential section of the manor, except it seems no one has lived here for quite a while.
You're led up the stairs, where Tatara and G'raha stop before a door that is a mirror location to Tatara's room on the second floor. A faint energy pulses from inside, one belonging to a person unfamiliar to all.
After an exchanged glance, Tatara pushes open the door and G'raha steps inside. He gestures to the sight at the center of the room: there, on his knees, is a young man. His face is frozen, twisted in panic—in fact, all of him is frozen, and his image practically see-through, just scarcely flickering on the razor-thin edge of existence. He holds his fist high above his head, as though clinging, with dear life, to five faint ethereal threads—yellow, purple, blue, pink, and green—that float in the air above his head. The threads are just as faint as he is, fading before they reach the walls.
"This is the previous sage," Tatara says. "He appeared here a little before the Western wizards returned from their mission. I'm guessing whatever they did to the last moon fragment is related."
G'raha nods. "The sage's soul seems incomplete. Putting him back together may be the key to waking him, and the rest of the wizards, up. However—" he pauses, reaching to gently run a finger over the purple thread. It flickers faintly. "The energy in these threads is too faint to see where they lead. They do seem to grow in strength as we get closer to the full moon, though. It's likely we'll see what lies at the end of them when the time comes, next week."
"Next week," Tatara repeats. G'raha steps out of the room, and Tatara closes the door behind him. "We'll wake him up next week.
"But before that, we have materials to collect."
Once every wizard is gathered in the lounge, Tatara settles into one of the plush armchairs, clearly too big for him, but absent is any of his silly expressions that might make light of the difference in size here. Instead, with a serious hue in his coral eyes and neatly pressed lilac dress shirt, he looks like he means business.
"Now that the Western wizards are back, we need to share what we've learned with each other. I know some of you have been sharing information privately amongst yourselves, but I think it's time we put all the pieces we have together.
"Everyone encountered a moon stone on their missions, and I think the general consensus is that neutralizing these stones brings the old wizards back physically, somehow. But we haven't received any reports of any of them waking up yet."
That isn't to mention the sage, who still remains missing...ostensibly. They'll get to that in a second.
"If there's anything else you've learned that you think might be related to these things, or to our situation specifically, then speak up now."
For a summary of everything discussed in the meeting, please see this comment. Thank you Mauyn!
When the conversation dies down, Tatara raises his hand to get his attention back on him and G'raha again.
"For the second order of business, I have good news and bad news."
His tone and expression are lighter this time.
"The good news is that we've found a ritual that can send everyone back. There are details we can work out in the meanwhile, especially if you've decided not to go back to your home world, but for now, we need to talk about the ritual itself.
"In order for the ritual to work, we will need rare materials from all over the world. I'll be posting the materials on the job board so you know where to look."
G'raha adds, "We'll need these materials by next week, before the full moon. There's a reason for that, but we'll touch on that in a moment."
Tatara glances at him and nods.
"The ritual is far too powerful for any of us to perform, so we'll have to wait until the old wizards wake up. But...I have a feeling we might be able to do something about that."
When Tatara stands, G'raha follows suit.
"There's one last thing I need to show you."
With a silent gesture, Tatara makes for the door of the lounge and expects everyone to follow. Yes, everyone.
Sage and mentor then lead everyone down the winding corridors of the manor, past an indiscreet door into a wing of the building that has remained relatively untouched. The lights here are off, but the chandeliers and sconces quietly flick on as they make their way down the dust-laden corridors.
Soon, all will notice that the halls they walk through are a mirror image of the residential section of the manor, except it seems no one has lived here for quite a while.
You're led up the stairs, where Tatara and G'raha stop before a door that is a mirror location to Tatara's room on the second floor. A faint energy pulses from inside, one belonging to a person unfamiliar to all.
After an exchanged glance, Tatara pushes open the door and G'raha steps inside. He gestures to the sight at the center of the room: there, on his knees, is a young man. His face is frozen, twisted in panic—in fact, all of him is frozen, and his image practically see-through, just scarcely flickering on the razor-thin edge of existence. He holds his fist high above his head, as though clinging, with dear life, to five faint ethereal threads—yellow, purple, blue, pink, and green—that float in the air above his head. The threads are just as faint as he is, fading before they reach the walls.
"This is the previous sage," Tatara says. "He appeared here a little before the Western wizards returned from their mission. I'm guessing whatever they did to the last moon fragment is related."
G'raha nods. "The sage's soul seems incomplete. Putting him back together may be the key to waking him, and the rest of the wizards, up. However—" he pauses, reaching to gently run a finger over the purple thread. It flickers faintly. "The energy in these threads is too faint to see where they lead. They do seem to grow in strength as we get closer to the full moon, though. It's likely we'll see what lies at the end of them when the time comes, next week."
"Next week," Tatara repeats. G'raha steps out of the room, and Tatara closes the door behind him. "We'll wake him up next week.
"But before that, we have materials to collect."
JOB BOARD
An important note for these tasks is that they are time sensitive. At least one completed thread of each material must be submitted before 11:59 AM EDT, June 22 for the gathering of the materials to be considered successful. Now's the time to coordinate and work together.
Water from the Lost Oasis. Mesa was once a great city of commerce in the southern part of the Central country...the part of the country that is now a vast desert. The city was once lost to the sands, and though it is said to have recently emerged from its sandy grave, it is still rather difficult to find in the desert. It is very easy to get lost, even on broom, so be careful.
Either way, your task is to collect a bottle-ful of water from this barren oasis. Your only choices may be to commune with the spirits to have them to show you a phantasm of what the bustling city was like in its heyday, before it was destroyed, or to brute force dig your way to the ground water. Why here, when there are other oases in the desert? This is an ancient place of power, and the land is special.
The Central spirits here are very old and very picky—Northern wizards beware, as your presence may not be entirely welcome. Acting out may cause the spirits to lash out and cause sandstorms.
Either way, your task is to collect a bottle-ful of water from this barren oasis. Your only choices may be to commune with the spirits to have them to show you a phantasm of what the bustling city was like in its heyday, before it was destroyed, or to brute force dig your way to the ground water. Why here, when there are other oases in the desert? This is an ancient place of power, and the land is special.
The Central spirits here are very old and very picky—Northern wizards beware, as your presence may not be entirely welcome. Acting out may cause the spirits to lash out and cause sandstorms.
The Frozen Oz Root. Named after the world's most powerful wizard, the Oz flower is a brilliant crimson and deathly poisonous. It grows in the vast snowy plains of the North, but it is said to be exceedingly rare, despite how the color of the flower stands out so starkly against the white of the snow. Finding it will not be easy and you will need sharp, tireless eyes.
Despite how beautiful the flower is, that is not what we need. All of the flower's poison is housed in its roots, and we need the poison. However, the most important thing is that the roots remain frozen. Do not let it thaw. Once it thaws, the poison loses the quality we need for the ritual.
Despite how beautiful the flower is, that is not what we need. All of the flower's poison is housed in its roots, and we need the poison. However, the most important thing is that the roots remain frozen. Do not let it thaw. Once it thaws, the poison loses the quality we need for the ritual.
A Storm in a Bottle. It's the fickle quality of the spirits in the Valley of Storms that cause the eponymous storms. They're shy and sensitive, a lot like the Eastern wizards themselves, and don't require a lot of prodding to elicit any sort of reaction from them. Your job is to agitate the spirits in the valley just enough to cause a storm, and to catch that storm, lightning and thunder and rain and all, in a bottle for use in the ritual. Western wizards in particular will have an easy time stressing them out, but be careful not to push the sensitive spirits too far—the valley is also known as the Valley of the Lost for a reason (don't get trapped, please come home!).
In contrast, if you accidentally make the spirits happy, they might take the form of cats instead... Which is nice, but the manor isn't exactly aching for more cats. Just don't get too distracted playing with them if this happens, okay?
In contrast, if you accidentally make the spirits happy, they might take the form of cats instead... Which is nice, but the manor isn't exactly aching for more cats. Just don't get too distracted playing with them if this happens, okay?
Blood of the Last Monster. The Western military and word on the street will tell you that all of the magical monsters in the West have been slain, their mana stones harvested. But is that true, when there has been no word of the death of the mythical tarasque? The legend of the tarasque tells of a large, ancient beast with six bear paws for legs and a massive turtle shell on its back, who slumbers in the depths of a remote ravine among the mountains on the Western Country's northern border. You are to collect a vial of this ancient creature's blood. Nothing more, nothing less.
Be careful not to wake it, and be careful not to kill it. If awakened, there's no telling if anyone would be able to stop a creature of that size and caliber. And if killed, its mana stones would attract all the wrong kind of attention. Besides, doesn't the West still deserve to keep some of its native fauna, magical or otherwise?
Be careful not to wake it, and be careful not to kill it. If awakened, there's no telling if anyone would be able to stop a creature of that size and caliber. And if killed, its mana stones would attract all the wrong kind of attention. Besides, doesn't the West still deserve to keep some of its native fauna, magical or otherwise?
Pestilence Frog Mucus. Though once a plague-ridden bog, the Swamp of Pestilence is now home to a thriving, diverse, and healthy ecosystem. It's now also home to a very rare type of frog, its stunning green, yellow, and blue stripes eye-catching and attractive. However, this frog only emerges from the depths of the bog on a clear twilight after a day of rain in the rainy season...except the Southern rainy season isn't for another few months yet. You don't exactly have the time to wait until then, do you? You'll have to figure out a way to trick the frog into thinking it's the rainy season to lure it out, or dig it out by force... Either way, you'll need at least a vial's worth of this frog's mucus. Make sure the swamp water (or rain water, for that matter) doesn't contaminate it.
OOC NOTES
🌙 Welcome to your final final mingle! It's time to share info and get down to business.
🌙 How do you feel about the bonds you've forged thus far? Was it all worth it?
🌙 Pair guesses are now closed! Thank you and congratulations to all who found their pair!
🌙 A reminder that rewards close at 11:59 PM EDT, June 19, and that includes mission rewards. If you have not submitted rewards for your mission participation yet, then now's your last chance!
🌙 Speaking of time limits, if you missed it above, all materials must be submitted before the finale for the gathering to be considered a success. Plan your time and your threads wisely.
🌙 Your OOC plotting post is here. Please note that this plotting post doubles as the sign-up for the finale and final encounter. Read it over carefully and fill out the form if you'd like todieplay.
🌙 Speaking of, what do you think is happening next week...?
CENTRAL MISSION DETAILS
[ So here goes nothing! Kurapika at least is incredibly meticulous, so you can bet he won't skip out on any important details. ]
We were summoned by two men from Granvelle Castle, namely the Minister of Arcane Management whose name I believe was Drummond. Regardless, he didn't exactly trust us, though he was professional. We were called upon to address a haunting that had grown so dire that the castle staff were refusing to come to work. They wanted us to neutralize what they presumed to be the item causing the haunting. [ ... ] I imagine they were afraid of just how bad it could become if they were willing to summon us there despite their obvious dislike.
[ ANYWAY. ]
That said, they accompanied us as we rode to the castle on horseback. The item we were looking was located in the vault, so we made our way down there. Of course, we encountered a large number of spirits, quite typical of ghost stories that I believe are common in other worlds. They were standing guard, determined to protect an individual by the name of Alec.
[ Which he may as well throw that name out there, in case it has some significance for someone here. ]
Ah, interestingly enough, they thought Akira was someone by the name of Lennox, so that did allow us to slip past the first few spirits without much of a fuss.
[ He'll just... skip past the long string of failure (aside from Kiryu) that was trying to fight off the ghosts. ]
The vault itself was dreadful—as in, we were all filled with dread just being in there. I've never felt anything quite like it, though I'm sure the rest of you know that feeling by now as being associated with the moon rocks. After fighting back ghosts and purifying the rock, we were thanked by four spirits, pale golden in color. Afterwards, we were allowed to stay overnight in the castle, which we all took advantage of.
As an aside, sharing the vault with the fragment of the moon was the Caledfwlch, the very sword that forced Central country. Prior to this mission, I had spoken with someone from Central regarding this sword. He had quite the attitude over it, so I imagine its location is still a hotly contested debate even now.
[ He shoves his hands into his pockets. ]
I'm sure everyone knows by now, but I made contact with the fragment of the moon before it had been purified. I'm well aware it was a stupid decision, so if anyone here would like to share that sentiment aloud, they'll be immediately silenced with a spell. [ Don't try him!! ] What I've been afflicted with manifests randomly, and I don't mind giving details on a one-on-one basis, but know that I've learned how to manage it since. Regardless, this affliction is insight into a portion of the perils we could face here. It's valuable information to have firsthand experience with, at least.
[ And, a pause. ]
...I believe I don't need to go into detail about the possession that followed this mission either.
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There are strong personalities in this group so he would not be surprised. Anyway once the moment has passed, he will ask idly: ]
What kind of attitude did he have with the sword, exactly? Dismissive about the blade? Or something else entirely?
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[ Kurapika shrugs. ]
He didn't trust wizards to protect it, especially not after Arthur disappeared.
not really here
this sword better not be some relic that sealed or felled an ancient evil or threat or something oh who is he kidding. ]
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Adults who act so childish are really tiring. He can only imagine Kurapika had the true strength of will not to break the nose of this bastard. ]
Unfortunate you had to deal with such unacceptable behavior.
Well, I doubt that it being in his hands would be a marked improvement, but it is unsurprising that there are entitled people everywhere. [ Anyway. ] Did you feel anything incredible about the sword when you were nearby it?
[ Like super-charged moon destroying powers? He just asks out of curiosity to see if it's further relevant somehow. ]
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[ Gestures at that auction....... ]
But no. Only members of the royal family can even unsheathe the sword, as far as I'm aware.
[ He couldn't do anything with it. :( ]
I do think it's worth knowing it's location however, considering someone looking for that could instead stumble upon Oz.
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A pity they all aren't taken care of, but it is what it is. ]
Mm, I see...
Well, yes. That is quite a likely possibility.
I wonder if there is something that can be done about that, though...I think there's been something about others still working on the barrier for the most part.
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Yes, Khun is reinforcing the barrier, I believe. I hope reinforcing it is enough, at least until we're able to stabilize the situation here and go our separate ways.
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Anyway, a thumbs up from the sage, thank you for your hard work, Kurapika.
Just a sidenote, though— ]
Oh, did the other old guy from the castle not introduce himself?
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That was Prince Vincent. He's the king's brother and second in line to the throne after Arthur.
[ lol... ]
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[ It does seem like Kurapika is contextualizing things, making connections...
Not really. ]
That explains why he didn't bother to get off of his horse to greet us.
[ Stuck up. ]
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He didn't? That definitely explains that.
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It does, doesn't it? Leave it to royalty to be stuck up in every world.
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Still, though. There's a big exception in Tatara's mind. He jumps on the tangent— ]
I hope you get to meet Arthur, Kurapika-kun.
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Why do you say that?
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[ His smile is sincere! Arthur really is a good guy. ]
That's why.
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So, he's basically the kind of person Kurapika really likes. ]
I think you're right about that. [ A pause. ] I wouldn't mind meeting him.
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