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 you’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
🌙 Welcome to Lunae Calamitas's first event post! Yer a wizard, whether you like it or not.
🌙 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...
🌙 Your OOC plotting post is here! Please keep all your plotting on the plotting post, since not everyone uses discord or plurk.
🌙 The South will be going on their mission next week to get this party started. Keep an eye out, Southies!
fallingsand: (51;)

[personal profile] fallingsand 2024-04-19 02:40 am (UTC)(link)
[ Bruno shrinks back into his chair at the very thought. ]

A t-trip? Out there? In a place, full of people, that I know nothing about? Uh, I. I think I'll pass. I mean, who needs a break, right? Haha, not me, I'll just. Just keep at it. Forever, I guess... since... this doesn't seem to be working, so... yeah...
lustro: (034)

[personal profile] lustro 2024-04-19 02:40 am (UTC)(link)
[ Oh.

Ginger stares at Solomon like he’s seeing him for the first time. A peek, maybe, of what this man truly is. ]


… You’re kind, too.

[ As though he’s surprised, as though he’s sad about it. Why is it always smiling, kind people… ]
positivize: (pic#17104136)

[personal profile] positivize 2024-04-19 02:55 am (UTC)(link)
[There's a blink at Ginger's response. It makes sense, to want to have this go both ways, but she can't help but be a bit flustered at the sudden turnaround.]

Oh no, it's alright! I offered to listen, after all... but sure, I don't mind telling you about myself. Um, what do you want to know?
mirristry: (11)

i

[personal profile] mirristry 2024-04-19 02:59 am (UTC)(link)
[As luck would have it, Phil is in fact carrying a stack of books that is definitely too heavy for him as Ginger approaches to ask if he needs any help.

But before he can answer verbally, the fact that the books are preventing him from being able to see exactly where he's stepping means that he manages to catch his toe on a slight bump in the rug and, with a startled yelp, he and the entire stack of books pitch forward abruptly, sending him toppling to the ground and the books flying everywhere.

... well. It's an answer of sorts, at least?]
shortleash: (Default)

[personal profile] shortleash 2024-04-19 03:00 am (UTC)(link)
( Thank god he found someone who doesn't mince words. Mika doesn't even respond - he just turns on his heel, expecting Day to follow him, making rapid pace toward the living room. )

Yamato and Tatara have it worst. Yamato's been short on blood longest. ( Triaging. ) Start with them.

( Day can do whatever he wants though and Mika probably won't stop him - but this is his way of contributing. )
impacter: (007)

[personal profile] impacter 2024-04-19 03:01 am (UTC)(link)
[He's in his room this particular night and high up enough in the building that the scent doesn't draw him. The knock does, and the normally polite smile on his face instantly drops when he sees the flash of red coating Mika.

Brassy eyes sharpen as he looks Mika in the eyes.]


...Another vampire, then.

[It's not spoken in judgement, merely filling a hole in his knowledge. The commentary thankfully ends at that, his wand slipping into his hand as he swings the door open and slides out into the hallway, gesturing for Mika to either follow or lead the way.]

Explain as we go, there's no time to lose. Are you lucid?
shortleash: (pic#17121573)

[personal profile] shortleash 2024-04-19 03:01 am (UTC)(link)
( rip phil's abandoned door...

He doesn't even look back. He's just pulling along Phil rapidly as he makes down the hall. )


Lacerations. They got bit up and they're suffering blood loss. Yamato and Tatara have lost the most blood, and Yamato's been drained longer.
fellheart: (ιғ ι'м тнe only one)

[personal profile] fellheart 2024-04-19 03:03 am (UTC)(link)
[ some people might be alarmed or at least shocked upon seeing the amount of people apparently injured and bleeding in what is ostensibly, more or less, safe territory. at the very least neutral.

robin is not one of those people. he's probably been approached by mika, and upon answering not in the negative (but with a raised brow), here he is. ]


While I was waiting for something like this to happen... it hasn't even been a week yet.

Should I be impressed, or concerned for what this means for our prospects of leaving? [ a chiding click of the tongue as he eyes the injured, at the back of his head cataloguing injuries and falling back into the old habit of battlefield triage he never quite forgot, because while he has been working on adapting to this world's magic... he's fully aware he's nowhere near the level of ability that afforded him the effortless ease he'd had in pulling validar back from his untimely death. ] Who's the worst off?

[ who's been bleeding the freest, longest, hasn't been helped by others yet, etc etc. ]
shortleash: (pic#17121573)

[personal profile] shortleash 2024-04-19 03:05 am (UTC)(link)
( His eyes narrow as Solomon calls him what he is, but he does not protest.

He turns on his heel without a word, heading brisk for the common room. )


... I am right now. ( He's had his fill. ) Yamato and Tatara have bled out a lot. Yamato for longer. Shinjiro and Ginger are wounded but not as gravely.
positivize: (pic#17104136)

[personal profile] positivize 2024-04-19 03:05 am (UTC)(link)
[She can get the vibe that there's some weight behind those words--there usually is, when it comes to things you'd rather not forget. Maya's not here to pry though, so she rolls the information around in her head, thinking about potential angles. But that's always the trouble with these things, really. It needing to be meaningful to the caster means that in the end, it really just has to come from him.]

So not letting go your memories... Then maybe there's a specific one you can connect the words to instead?
dyingtohealyou: ([Serious] someone to notice me)

[personal profile] dyingtohealyou 2024-04-19 03:07 am (UTC)(link)
[I mean, I used to- is about all Ahito gets before he's dragged along for the ride and, well, what a wild ride this is. It's easy enough to put together one and two, not that he really needs to know the solution is to understand the new problem in front of him.

It takes him a short moment but he removes his shades (not that there's anything for them to block, not that he has any power in him suited for this anymore) and looks around to see who still needs- well, whatever healing he can provide, with a magic still largely unknown and uncooperative with him, but-

He'll do what he can.
]
Edited 2024-04-19 03:07 (UTC)
shortleash: (pic#17120830)

[personal profile] shortleash 2024-04-19 03:07 am (UTC)(link)
Yamato for the longest. Tatara close behind.

( A quick, curt reply from the wall. He points as he names them should this guy not know them that intimately. )

They've lost a lot of blood. But everyone might need multiple healers.

( This is his guess, anyway. He's highly doubtful anyone is a genius at healing here. )
positivize: (pic#17104136)

[personal profile] positivize 2024-04-19 03:09 am (UTC)(link)
[Usually the punchline of a knock knock joke isn't 'hello i am covered with blood and also can you heal', so Maya can't help but feel taken aback by Mika just showing up at the door looking like... all of that. Of course, her first assumption is that he was spitting up blood due to some internal damage here, and therefore he gets this response:]

Y-yeah, I can! Are you okay? Where does it hurt?

[She's just looking him over like she's trying to figure out where to start because sir?? What even happened??]
annihilator: (➤ 92)

[personal profile] annihilator 2024-04-19 03:11 am (UTC)(link)
[Hey, something smells really good, is there a buffet in here—

Oh. Hmm. Yeah, you know what's probably not a good idea? Leaving the other vampire around these poor guys. So Malice takes one look at this, makes a face, and promptly says:]
Someone call me when you've got 'em all cleaned up an' healed, yeah?

[And then he's just gonna leave, bye!!]
impacter: (032)

[personal profile] impacter 2024-04-19 03:11 am (UTC)(link)
[He got his surprise out of the way with Malice already, this might as well just be a Tuesday afternoon.

He does wince a bit hearing that the Sage was mixed in as well, though it doesn't surprise him.]


Did you feed from all four of them? Was there a fight at all?
impacter: (061)

[personal profile] impacter 2024-04-19 03:14 am (UTC)(link)
[And there he goes... that's what he was worried about.

He's gonna come find you later, sir.]
annihilator: (➤ 31)

[personal profile] annihilator 2024-04-19 03:15 am (UTC)(link)
[No worries, he'll be hanging out in his room so feel free to swing by after everyone is no longer dying!!]
revengier: (91)

[personal profile] revengier 2024-04-19 03:23 am (UTC)(link)
[ Kurapika is just leaving his room when he runs right into Mika, and he quirks an eyebrow at the blood smeared across his mouth and his shirt. It doesn't seem like Mika himself is injured, but Kurapika can put two and two together here. ]

I've been working on it.

[ Will he be all that successful? It's hard to say, really, but that doesn't mean he won't try. ]

Lead the way.
mirristry: (7)

Magic practice

[personal profile] mirristry 2024-04-19 03:23 am (UTC)(link)
[Phil has also wandered back inside to avoid the sun for a different reason-- namely, the sunburn sort. He too keeps extending a hand as though trying to cast a spell, occasionally raising his right hand up to touch his monocle lightly, and then frowning when nothing seems to happen.]

The focus, yes, but the words... I'm used to each arte having its own particular incantation. It seems as though things are different here...
mirristry: (15)

[personal profile] mirristry 2024-04-19 03:25 am (UTC)(link)
['Bit up'? When combined with the blood surrounding Mika's mouth, that statement suddenly takes a much more alarming turn, but Phil wisely chooses to keep his mouth shut about that fact for the time being.]

Right. So Yamato should be dealt with first...

[If only Mileena were here... but she isn't, and so this falls on his shoulders instead.]

I presume basic first aid has already been administered?
troublereduction: (day69)

[personal profile] troublereduction 2024-04-19 03:28 am (UTC)(link)
[ Suddenly he has a lot more sympathy for his colleagues over at the Division of Endings. ]

Alright, thanks. [ Can the spirits replace blood loss, he's gonna find that out soon enough. But before he leaves, he has to ask Mika: ] ...Do you want to clean up some of that blood?

[ He's starting to put two and two together, though in his head, vampires are more or less aswang? ]
impacter: (079)

[personal profile] impacter 2024-04-19 03:31 am (UTC)(link)
[A chuckle, though it's not quite as genuine, lacking enthusiasm.]

You're the first person to tell me that in a while. [But that tone... Ginger sounds almost disappointed. Why?]

Is that what made Tatara difficult?
fellheart: (perнapѕ ι can мaĸe yoυ)

[personal profile] fellheart 2024-04-19 03:31 am (UTC)(link)
[ ... ]

Hah. At least you're honest. I suppose that merits at least an answer, simply for the novelty of it.

[ it's not a friendly answer, exactly, even if his smile is— almost kind. a hair too sharp, the glint in his eyes a bit too weighing. ]

If you beg sincerely and genuinely enough ... I may decide to lend my aid. Do not make the mistake of doing so lightly, however. I am not someone to be called at every little misfortune.

[ he's not here to handhold baby wizards, and keeping people safe has not been his job in a while. ]
annihilator: (➤ 14)

[personal profile] annihilator 2024-04-19 03:34 am (UTC)(link)
Sure thing. I won't be much help bringin' it back unless I can get my arm workin', but maybe I'll have a better grasp of magic by then!

[He's definitely improving so it's possible...!]
shadowkin: (Default)

[personal profile] shadowkin 2024-04-19 03:35 am (UTC)(link)
[I guess because Cid is Cid and we're keeping him Cid for the purposes of this buffet conga line, he just trips over this entire ensemble (not literally, hopefully) on a snack run or something, for maximum irony. He blinks a few dozen times at the pileup, glances back down at his croissant or whatever and then shakes his head in confusion.]

Whoa whoa whoa, did you guys start a battle royale out here or something?? You know we all have to share the one guy, right?

[Waves his croissant at Tatara. Takes a bite. Looking quite nonplussed in the middle of all this, but then it's not as though there's a good way to take everything in at once.

We're going to say he arrived when Mika was off fishing for healers. After watching more of them filter in for a bit...]

... Who's still alive, I think? Where's the first aid kit, anyway?

[Feel free to use him for errands or like, I guess if you want some nominal heals he's your guy.]