promittere: (Default)
lunae calamitas mods ([personal profile] promittere) wrote in [community profile] lunaecalamitas2024-04-04 11:33 pm

if you say it's magic, then you're my wizard

WANING GIBBOUS OVERTURE
The seconds tick by, the elevator rattles. There's a soft, musical chime announcing your arrival before the elevator doors creak open, leaving you and a number of others in the courtyard of a stone manor. The manor is large, looming over the trees surrounding it, and the gardens are well maintained, rows of hedges and beds of blooming flowers as far as you can see. The doors linger open until you clear the threshold, as if waiting patiently for you. Dawdle too long and youโ€™ll feel a gentle push, nudging you out into the yard. The doors shut with more rattles and a cheerful ding!, and if you turn to look at it there's nothing to be seen behind you but the milling strangers.

Then there's a sting, mild at first. But soon, the spot where your sage's crest is starts to burn. It's as though you have been branded, and the searing heat clings to your skin. Should you look at your crest, you'll find it glows a faint red, like the dying embers of a fire, but given enough time it will cool to black and no longer hurt.

Once the pain fades, you notice is that the air around you feels distinctly different. It's hard to say exactly what makes it different, or how. It feels brittle, but malleable. That perhaps if you said or did the right thing, you could command reality to your liking—

The wind blows, stirring leaves and flowers, and that's when you notice there are two people in the courtyard that did not emerge from the elevator like everyone else. The taller of the two looks briefly shocked, before a warm smile blots it out, while the shorter of the two looks remarkably unimpressed—for as much as you can make out his expression under the large hat he wears. He glances at the taller man, the charms that hang from his hat clinking, and crosses his arm over his chest.

The taller man nods, turns to the group, and says, "Sorry. I know you were probably in the middle of something important. But...I need you. My name is Tatara Totsuka. I'm your sage, and you are my witches and wizards."

He looks up to the moon hanging in the sky, still pale and visible despite the light of day, and lays it all out for you: a wizard under the sage's guidance is supposed to fight off the Great Calamity—the moon—when it nears. But you are not meant to carry out this task. The original sage and twenty-one wizards suddenly vanished not long ago. No one knows what happened to them, or where they are. They aren't dead. They are gone.

That you are here, that there are so many of you, that you came from different worlds, means that this is a mistake. Something, somewhere, isn't right. Yet the world has decided to claim you in a frantic attempt to keep itself together.

This world is breaking. If you don't fix this, then you'll be stuck here fighting the Calamity yourselves.

When Tatara looks back down to the rest of you, there's a smile on his face, tinged with apology. "But I think it'll be okay. We'll figure this out... Right?"

The golden light of sunset is oddly cold. It settles over you not in a welcoming embrace, but in a possessive hold. There is a sinking feeling in your gut: whatever your home was before matters no longer. Welcome to a world on the brink of destruction—let's hope it's not for good.


The day begins to draw to a close. You're given the rest of the day to process Tatara's words and to familiarize yourselves with the manor. There are plenty of empty spaces in the manor with sparse furniture where you can rest and try to unwind, and hopefully get some sleep. Everything about today might be a lot to unpack, but surely you can at least relax and prepare for the next day.

The morning starts with the sound of bells. A cacophonous racket of them, ringing in your rooms, in your head, jolting you from whatever slumber you can grasp. The source seems to be a note, unassuming if not for the way it shakes with each toll of the bells, and the noise only stops when you read it.

"Go to the courtyard," it says, and if you try to ignore it the noise returns, growing louder and louder until your vision swims and you find yourself standing in the courtyard with everyone else—and the shorter of the two men from yesterday.

"Practice starts right now," he says, looking bored and just as unimpressed as he did yesterday. The sun has barely started over the horizon—it's early, almost absurdly so. "You need to learn magic sooner instead of later, unless you want to die like miserable worms. If you do, just quit now so we can replace you with someone useful."

His explanation on magic is brief—he explains that magic is a deal struck between caster and the spirits of the world, using a meaningful word or phrase to communicate your will to the as-of-yet unseen spirits of the world, who will respond to your desires and power your magic. A focus, an object of significant meaning, will help strengthen your ties to the land and direct the magic for your spells. If you have nothing that would work as a focus right now, he says, chances are the perfect thing will find you anyways.

While he looks unhappy to do so, he emphasizes that magic—as it works here—is all tied to your emotions and your convictions, and then he assigns you a challenge for the week. He wants you to come up with your incantation—the words you'll use to cast all of your magic—as well as find or draw forward your focus, with the final task being summoning a magic broom you'll use for transportation.
Threading out magic practice and ICly discovering your characters' magic words, manifesting their foci, and summoning their broom will count as three different jobs, and will be eligible for a set of rewards each. While not technically classified as a job this time around, this is a special circumstance. When you've accomplished any of these things, please submit them to the rewards page as a job submission.

If you're having trouble coming up with a focus or incantation, think about your answers for the first and third mandatory questions on your app! Your focus of choice does not have to be in your character's inventory—if what works best for them as a focus did not come with them, then they can focus and reach across universes to bring it here with them.

JOB BOARD
You may have just gotten here, but people across the continent still need the sage's wizards to do things for them. The job board will typically have 2 - 3 requests each event that can be turned in for rewards when completed.
Sugar delivery. Confectionery shops and pharmacies put in regular orders for wizard sugar to the manor, and despite the unusual circumstances, now is no different. Wizard sugar—sugar spontaneously created through a wizard's magic—is said to have restorative properties and said to bless those that consume it, so it's no wonder it's in high demand. It also happens to be one of the first things young wizards learn to do. So once you've perfected your sugar, go deliver it to the shops in Central capital and to the Southern merchants waiting for shipment near the Central tower.

The Southern merchants, in particular, seem rather anxious to receive as much sugar as possible, as soon as possible.

WANDERER TASKS
The wizards' new mentor knows that this must be an incredibly overwhelming experience, so he has a list of things that should help break down the process of learning and understanding magic. Or that's what he says, at least, but it feels like he's trying to make things more difficult...
Nobody is going to hold your hands for you, and the best way to learn is to understand the root cause of an issue. Use that paper being left around for something actually useful and do some research on the spirits of the countries you've been tasked to represent. I'll be expecting some actual thought out papers within the week.

For the idiots who can't research to save their lives, prove you can actually manage the bare minimum. There's a spot you can't reach without magic within the manor grounds—bring me one of the trinkets you find there.

For the even bigger idiots who are overconfident, come find me and we can spar. I won't go easy on you.

TATARA ACTIVITIES
Tatara knows things are tense and uncomfortable for his new wizards, so he'll offer up a few activities each event post to help them relax if things get too tough.
We're all new here, but we'll be friends before long, I know it! There's a table in the dining room with paper, pens, markers, glitter, and pins so we can all make name tags and get to know each other better. We'll go from strangers to neighbors to besties before you know it!

Oh, you should probably get a feel of the manor, too. This IS your new home, after all! And what better way than...hide and seek?! Sounds fun, right? I'd tell you MY favorite spot to hide, but then that wouldn't be fair!

I don't know how long we're going to be here, so it probably wouldn't hurt to settle in. Grab a friend or two and head to the market in the Central capital to stock up on whatever food you like and stuff for your room. May as well get comfortable!

OOC NOTES
๐ŸŒ™ Welcome to Lunae Calamitas's first event post! Yer a wizard, whether you like it or not.
๐ŸŒ™ While not technically jobs, ICly working out your character's focus, incantation, and broom are all separately eligible for rewards. Good luck on your basics, little wizards! You'll need them...
๐ŸŒ™ Your OOC plotting post is here! Please keep all your plotting on the plotting post, since not everyone uses discord or plurk.
๐ŸŒ™ The South will be going on their mission next week to get this party started. Keep an eye out, Southies!
themanwhoerasedhisname: (1)

[personal profile] themanwhoerasedhisname 2024-04-16 03:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Somewhat. It just happens [Kiryu turns to his younger companion] Tell me, do I look like an easy target? It can't be the age, it's been happening for decades.
1145pm: (pic#16970054)

[personal profile] 1145pm 2024-04-16 03:26 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Given money and a little bit of freedom, he may have gone a little wild picking up things he thought were interesting. Lots and lots and lots of weird little trinkets...

Tatara hovers over Cid's shoulder as he examines the camera. It's a little scuffed from having fallen on concrete on the day he arrived here, but it generally looks to be in good shape. Nothing terribly wrong with it. It just doesn't turn on. ]


Hmm. [ He leans back when asked, tapping a finger to his chin. ] I guess there isn't, really, but if I had to bring up anything else... It'd be nice to have a projector to play the video I record...

[ And he lets that hang in the air, because he knows full well he's asking for a different contraption entirely and that he's being cheeky about it. ]
leewards: (010)

[personal profile] leewards 2024-04-16 03:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh? Were you planning on using this common language, or the intricate one the other incantations were in?

[Of course, Ithaqua would have learned what it means later on because he'll be diving deep into learning the language... but he doesn't even know if now.

Nevertheless, he meant his question rhetorically. After all, no one's said it can be any language... he just assumes that's how the rules of this world's magic are.]
lighthaus: (084)

[personal profile] lighthaus 2024-04-16 04:02 pm (UTC)(link)
You won't be disappointed. Just call me Khun, though.

[ he's endlessly confident too. yamato gets a nod. ]

That meets the task requirements, but you might want to add one flourish just in case that guy says writing your name isn't decorating. How about a sticker?
lighthaus: (020)

[personal profile] lighthaus 2024-04-16 04:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Or admiration.

[ the curve of his lips also suggests experience in this area.

time to find a desk to work on...it's only then that he realizes. ]


How do they expect us to actually write the report? [ not by hand hopefully, is the implication. ]
revengier: (05)

[personal profile] revengier 2024-04-16 04:28 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Ah. So that's how it is. Just like that, the behaviors of this man make a lot more sense. Who wouldn't be relaxed, knowing they couldn't go back, no matter what?

With a sigh, Kurapika fights the urge to step to the side so Tatara can't look over his shoulder. ]


A few things.

[ In his hands now is a book about a knight rebelling against a king. ]
revengier: (82)

[personal profile] revengier 2024-04-16 04:36 pm (UTC)(link)
[ And Kurapika pulls a dog toy from the shingles—

No, he actually catches a glint of something near Cid. ]


Actually, I see something near you.

[ From here, it looks like a small accessory of some kind. It definitely doesn't belong on a roof. ]
revengier: (20)

[personal profile] revengier 2024-04-16 04:40 pm (UTC)(link)
The intricate one, of course.

[ He's a huge nerd, so naturally he'll be going for the hardest thing to do. ]

I'll need to consult a few books for properly translating it, I'm sure.
lighthaus: (075)

[personal profile] lighthaus 2024-04-16 04:41 pm (UTC)(link)
It's not. [ a sigh. ]

My father's immortal and his favorite things are fighting, women, and booze. It's not like he knows how many children he has anymore either—I doubt he remembers who's his current head wife unless he's looking at her.
revengier: (91)

[personal profile] revengier 2024-04-16 04:44 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Kurapika looks around the library for any signs of a typewriter at the very least and... shrugs. ]

By hand, it seems. This place is lacking in technology, after all.
lighthaus: (1)

[personal profile] lighthaus 2024-04-16 04:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Everything does. But sure, we'll play it your usual way then. You hide, and I have to find you within...let's say, five minutes?

[ that little bit of information is worth it, even if he would have preferred to play for higher stakes. ]
leewards: (011)

[personal profile] leewards 2024-04-16 04:52 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm fully capable of working with others even if I prefer to be alone, heheh. [He just doesn't promise anything decent.]

As long as I'm compensated for my work with time to myself, and nothing is expected of me outside of my wizardly duties.

Then again, all they want are our wizardly duties, and I can do whatever I want in between.
lighthaus: (010)

[personal profile] lighthaus 2024-04-16 04:55 pm (UTC)(link)
[ what's a typewriter... khun sighs.]

You sound like you have more experience there than me.
lustro: (093)

[personal profile] lustro 2024-04-16 06:41 pm (UTC)(link)
[ One day Mika will learn that Ginger is very reluctant to care deeply about a lot of people. If his heartache over Rum is anything to go by, when Ginger cares too much, it hurts and hurts and hurts.

Thereโ€™s alsoโ€ฆ that possessiveness inside him that wants sole possession of his important people - well, person. He doesnโ€™t want to share; he doesnโ€™t need others.

Right now, none of that is on his mind. ]


Yeah! Letโ€™s do it!

[ This is the most excited heโ€™s been about learning - or learning magic. He tells himself he wonโ€™t even fall asleep on Mika. Heโ€™ll be good.

Maybe this is one what-if he doesnโ€™t have to be scared of. ]
jorunna: (comet13)

[personal profile] jorunna 2024-04-16 08:35 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Well then...
Let's do things in order.

You know that thing kids do where they lean back on a monkey bar at the playground and swing upside down? Yeah, like that except Comet purposefully(?) fails at pretending to be a recess kid and falls off.

It'll be fine. Surely. ]
dyingtohealyou: ([Sweat] they're transparent)

[personal profile] dyingtohealyou 2024-04-16 08:38 pm (UTC)(link)
See, that would be helpful for tracking down info.
dyingtohealyou: ([Sigh] If there's a heart)

[personal profile] dyingtohealyou 2024-04-16 08:39 pm (UTC)(link)
...

So basically, you don't know what we have to do here, either.

[Is what he's getting from this.]
1145pm: (pic#17103108)

[personal profile] 1145pm 2024-04-16 09:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Ooh.

[ Tatara can read, so he just skims a few lines of what he can see, then lets Kurapika have his personal space back. ]

You wanna bring that back to the manor? You'll have more time to read there instead of here.
1145pm: (pic#17103110)

[personal profile] 1145pm 2024-04-16 09:40 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Tatara shrugs. Ahito's words, not his! ]

Like I said, we'll figure it out.

[ Did he say that? Or is he just vocalizing what he's thinking at this point. ]

Your job is to master your new magic, and I'll figure out what we're supposed to do in the meanwhile. [ He smiles, and nods towards Lazuli. ] Go get practicing. I'll be around if you need me.
shadowkin: (022)

pika looks like a pika mouse in some of his icons and it compels me

[personal profile] shadowkin 2024-04-16 10:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Hm? Looks like your broom's a genius.

[Why is the broom getting the compliment.

Cid rolls over and starts combing through the shingles -- it's not too hard to find whatever's glinting?

He pulls out something that looks like a chopstick, but fancier and with a tassel. Huh. But it's not not an accessory, so he brightens up even if he still looks faintly baffled.]

...... I don't think you can eat with this.
foresightis2020: (46)

[personal profile] foresightis2020 2024-04-16 11:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Hmm...I believe the bakery close by can be a place of dire importance.

[ Help.

He sounds so serious (?)?? Anyway, he begins to head in that direction, expecting Kurapika to come along. Let's check out the lore of these...bakeries. ]
revengier: (19)

[personal profile] revengier 2024-04-16 11:12 pm (UTC)(link)
I was considering it.

[ And he sees no reason why he shouldn't. There's plenty of value in fiction and it's been a long time since he's read an actual story that he finds himself craving it.

Closing the book in his hand, he looks over at Tatara. ]


Would you be interested in reading it when I'm done?

[ Maybe it will distract from the Horrors, if only just a little. ]
foresightis2020: (05)

[personal profile] foresightis2020 2024-04-16 11:13 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Alas...but, that is alright. Jing Yuan can explain what that is just fine; good thing he believes there can be adequate comparisons, even if he is uncertain of the tech in each worlds, paintings are a consistent presence (or should be.) ]

Think of it as a miniature painting. Except it can be made in an instant with a device that fits in the palm of your hand. Sounds incredible, no?

[ As for the question: ]

You can say that. But, it's also good to have as something to eat right away. Would you like to have one?
shadowkin: (009)

[personal profile] shadowkin 2024-04-16 11:31 pm (UTC)(link)
[Somehow the hoarding and collecting is wizard-like...... even if he's not a wizard. Are all wizards and wizard-adjacents just bachelors and divorcees?? Vote now on your phones.

Unfortunately, they are not technologically advanced enough to have phones, so Cid just handles the camcorder with the sort of reverence you'd reserve for a dinosaur tooth or something. It really is akin to being handed part of an extinct life form, but maybe a little more intelligible. It's a bit beat up, but at a first glance nothing seems to be busted.

He starts popping stuff open to check on batteries and stuff... Hopefully the batteries haven't gone bad by now.]

If it's just power, I guess hooking it up to a wizard and hooking it up to a mana stone come out to the same thing. Mana stone might be less likely to burn it out, though. [little does he know they are the same at the core?!] Projectors... Like I said, I've only seen the magical type, but maybe...

[... can wizards be HDMI cables. He's facing so many questions about magic he hasn't thought about before.]
revengier: (50)

[personal profile] revengier 2024-04-16 11:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Dire importance?

[ Ridiculous... but his seriousness makes a corner of Kurapika's lips quirk up as he catches up to Jing Yuan. ]

What are you hoping for? Scones? A loaf of bread? Cake?