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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...?
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[He knows what training dummies are for, but he never expected Bruno of all people to be near one. There's Kiryu, examining the corn cobs on the third dummy, curious about why this all had to look similar to people they know, haha]
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[ Bruno looks between the two: Kiryu and the oddly familiar dummies. ]
Only I'm going to, y'know, defend them? Or. Or try to, anyway.
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[Kiryu takes a few steps back]
Just to be sure, how do you plan to defend them?
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[ Bruno turns walk off over to the dummies, turning to face Kiryu once he's positioned in front of them. ]
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[Kiryu pretty much muscles his way into testing this with Bruno, yup]
Be ready. Going in, in three seconds.
[True, in a real battle you more often than not don't have a chance to prepare, but this is no real battle. No reason to throw Bruno into the deep end when he instead can ease Bruno into this]
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[ Oh god, he's going to get his ass kicked, isn't he? No, no, don't think that way, prepare! Prepare! Bruno reaches into his pocket and grips his focus, while he raises his other hand to get a shield spell prepped and ready to cast.
Three, two... ]
just bruno
Kurapika is here often to practice his spells, so Bruno doesn't have to wait long for someone to stop by. For a brief, brief moment he looks unsure. But... hm. Bruno has resolved to do this, hasn't he? ]
I'll use my preferred weapon on you, created with magic.
[ Which he summons forth now, five metal rings appearing on his fingers, chains attached to each one and weaving up along his arm underneath his sleeve. ]
I have the ability to heal as well, and I won't hesitate to do so. [ He fixes Bruno with a look. ] But I won't hold back either.
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Right.
[ Bruno can't pretend that he isn't nervous. He is. It's in the way he fidgets with the pocket watch he has in hand. His focus, to help him with his magic. His gaze focuses on the rings and chains that Kurapika calls forth for a moment, not sure how those are even going to be used...
Probably nothing good. ]
I... I don't want you to hold back, so it's fine.
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He nods, taking in the way Bruno practically radiates anxiety. There's determination there, however. Bruno has made his decision, so... ]
Trust me to heal you promptly, alright?
[ Some degree of trust here is necessary, he thinks. ]
Don't hold back either.
[ Without warning, Kurapika sends one of his chains lashing out towards Bruno. His aim isn't to hit him, not this time around. Instead, he guides the small, heavy ball on the end of his chain to curve just right around Bruno in an attempt to see just how alert and ready to go he is. The movement is quick and sharp, the air around Bruno whooshing with the crisp movement as it swings just past him, coming within mere centimeters of making contact—it's close enough that Bruno can feel just how much it would hurt if the hit connected (20). ]
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...gah!
[ Thud. Welp. At least he didn't stumble into the swinging ball. That would have been much worse. ]
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Kurapika at least has the decency to walk over and hold out his hand to help him up. ]
Attacks won't always be warned for. It didn't feel fair to actually aim to hit you that time, but I thought I'd try to test your preparedness for anything that might come at you when you aren't expecting it.
Trust in your body to tell you when a hit is going to come. Do the hairs on the back of your neck suddenly stand up? Do you feel goosebumps, or otherwise prompted to move in a certain direction? You may not always be right, but focusing in on that feeling is the first step.
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I, uh. I guess? Sort of? But I think I kinda always feel that way... How do I tell the difference between what's only in my head and what's actually a danger?
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Practice.
[ Unfortunately. ]
Centering yourself could help as well, and doing so via meditation may be the most beneficial to you. Taking a deep breath and trusting your senses to tell you the things you need to know... even if some of that is an overreaction due to anxiety, with time you'll learn to correct or subdue that instinct.
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[ Practice on top of practice. He doesn't want to seem too down about hearing that but he sure is trying to pack a lot into one week, oops. ]
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[ He's seen people make huge progress within hours, so he believes in Bruno. ]
How strong is your resolve? I'll help you every day, if you're willing.
[ It isn't something Kurapika minds doing, not at all. ]
Just know that I intend to push you, so you have to tell me when you've had enough.
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straw training dummies
...He can't help but quirk a smile at the training dummies.]
Thy creative endeavors ne'er fail to impress, Bruno. I take it they are meant for barriers?
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Yep! Exactly! I figure I can start by trying to protect these before I ask folks to try and hit me directly.
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[Any way to minimize the damage Bruno's gonna take to his own body during practice...]
May I assist thee? I may provide offensive magicks to test thy barriers.
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[ Is this what it feels like to have a friend you enjoy seeing? ]
Um, though, about earlier. [ He'll fidget with the dummy's makeshift cloak a bit. ] I... I didn't mean to be weird about the whole offensive spells thing, when you offered.
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'Twould be my pleasure.
[He retrieves his star globe from his back as he listens, ultimately shaking his head.]
While I was initially confused, further clarification helped me gain a better understanding of thine intent. I apologize for the misunderstanding.
I should add that there is naught wrong with preferring a defensive style of combat. I believe practicing barrier magicks will aid thee in feeling more engaged in battle outside of healing, without needing to bring direct harm to thine enemies.
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...thanks, Urianger. I was worried people would think I was being a coward, y'know?
[ But he has to prepare. He reaches for his focus, a brass pocket watch, to help him power his shields. ]
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[He goes on standby while Bruno gets the barriers ready.]
Wouldst thou prefer me to begin with a weak spell, and work our way up from there?
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[ Bruno will set up three shields on the dummies first. Once he gets the hang of that, they can move on to something more complex. ]
Okay. Uh, that should... That should do it. Ready when you are.
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[Utilizing his star globe, he generates three small orbs of stellar magic to shoot at each dummy. The first orb is the weakest, with each subsequent orb becoming stronger to give a gradual representation of damage done to the shields.]
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