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
πŸŒ™ Welcome to Lunae Calamitas's first event post! Yer a wizard, whether you like it or not.
πŸŒ™ 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...
πŸŒ™ Your OOC plotting post is here! Please keep all your plotting on the plotting post, since not everyone uses discord or plurk.
πŸŒ™ The South will be going on their mission next week to get this party started. Keep an eye out, Southies!
fallingsand: (84;)

[personal profile] fallingsand 2024-04-07 07:48 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Man, he's been dragged here from home at the worst possible time and now this kid is shoving coats at him and telling him what to do and acting like he needs to be positive about it instead? ]

Yeah? Well, get used to it, because my attitude is one thing magic sure ain't fixing.

[ Right, maybe he's being unnecasairily irritated here, but hey, Ginger did tell him to, what was it? Get angry and demand kindness? Well. It isn't that exactly but close enough. ]

You could at least show us all this stuff you're tellin' us to do. What's your incantation? Where's your focus, huh?
impacter: (010)

[personal profile] impacter 2024-04-07 07:48 pm (UTC)(link)
[It's your rules around here, man, he won't complain.

Time to rummage around the cupboards and see if anything is recognizable.]


Are they always pulled from Japan? The library seemed to have more than just Japanese texts present.
dyingtohealyou: ([Ow] whole self through)

[personal profile] dyingtohealyou 2024-04-07 07:48 pm (UTC)(link)
[His eyes narrow.]

So I should just take on that burden, give myself up for the sake of others, just for that?

Don't screw with me! I don't owe anything to the people here - or to you.
1145pm: (pic#17103110)

[personal profile] 1145pm 2024-04-07 07:53 pm (UTC)(link)
Mm, not exactly.

[ While Kurapika browses, Tatara shoves his hands in his pockets and leans up against a neighboring bookshelf. Close enough to have a conversation, but not too close that he intrudes on his space. When he does that, it almost seems quite clear he does not belong in a bookstore. ]

After 21? 22 days? I realized I was repeating numbers when I was counting. [ He shrugs. He does not seem as bothered by this as he perhaps should be. ] I guess that's when I started to accept that I wasn't leaving any time soon.
troublereduction: (day59)

[personal profile] troublereduction 2024-04-07 07:54 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, it's over. [ Or at least, not going to be an immediate problem for the next however long this is going to take. He tries to manage a smile. ] And thanks.
foresightis2020: (33)

[personal profile] foresightis2020 2024-04-07 07:56 pm (UTC)(link)
I receive special privileges that allow me to invent new sayings.

[ No he does not have a permit that says he can do whatever he wants. ]

Fortunately, for you, I'll have to admit straight away I merely jest. Though, I doubt there would be much I'd find myself objecting to answering.

[ Or so he says now. ]

But, just to at least give you a hint as answer to your original question...I'm about a little over several centuries old.
serenesinker: not quite sure how to feel about that... (neutral)

[personal profile] serenesinker 2024-04-07 07:56 pm (UTC)(link)
Crest?

[There's visible confusion on Yodarha's face.]

Last time I checked, both my eyes were fine. So that stinging pain must've been this crest thingy appearing... Maybe check your stomach to see if you have one there?
chronosynthesis: (❖ Psychic Force)

A spoonful

[personal profile] chronosynthesis 2024-04-07 07:58 pm (UTC)(link)
[That's... probably more smoke than should be coming out of a kitchen.

So Syrlya peers around the doorway.]
Is everything all right in here?
foresightis2020: (05)

[personal profile] foresightis2020 2024-04-07 08:01 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Slow and steady wins the race. ]

I'd like to return home as soon as possible as well.

[ Even if he seems like he is the type that is laid back, haha. ]

I suppose there's no point in not learning what we're supposed to as soon as possible. Oh, speaking of learning, we haven't done introductions, have we? I am Jing Yuan.
positivize: (pic#17104135)

[personal profile] positivize 2024-04-07 08:03 pm (UTC)(link)
[Birds of a feather!]

We'll both have to do our parts, then. But if you're ever looking for an extra helping hand, give me a call!

[Can't hurt to learn more about how traveling between these places work, if that's how they got here in the first place.]

Those wizards you mentioned also sound like a treasure trove of information, so I'd love to speak with them. Think you could set me up for an appointment with one of them sometime?
fallingsand: (55;)

[personal profile] fallingsand 2024-04-07 08:03 pm (UTC)(link)
[ There's dust, sure enough, but no debris. There is a bucket. He's clutching that to his chest like it's his only lifeline here. The rat peeking out from over the edge looks right back at Kurapika, about as calm with this as Kurapika is. ]

Uh, just that burning thing a minute ago? But I don't think that's from the house or... anything like that?
1145pm: (pic#17103106)

[personal profile] 1145pm 2024-04-07 08:07 pm (UTC)(link)
[ i said DON'T LOOK

Akira will learn what sort of person Tatara is in time. In the meanwhile... ]


Yeah. [ That's him! ] I've been hearing about different Japans, but is there really any way to tell?

[ He hums, thinking for a moment. ]

Tell me about your Japan then, Akira-san.
fallingsand: (53;)

[personal profile] fallingsand 2024-04-07 08:07 pm (UTC)(link)
I think it's... complicated. What it is.

[ He's never had to explain this to anyone before, leaving him without any actual thought-out way to do so. The people of the valley just knew his family had the miracle and the miracle protected the valley. ]

Oh, no, neither of those. You just, well, usually, you just get given one when you're five?
revengier: (91)

[personal profile] revengier 2024-04-07 08:08 pm (UTC)(link)
[ He certainly doesn't, almost sticking out like a sore thumb with body language that screams he doesn't read, but Kurapika can make up for that with the way he flips through books like nobody's business. ]

You gave up early.

[ For Kurapika, at least. It would have to be more than a thousand days before he finally resigned himself to staying, but that's just the kind of person he is. ]

You don't have a strong desire to go home?
chronosynthesis: (❖ Ether Feast)

[personal profile] chronosynthesis 2024-04-07 08:09 pm (UTC)(link)
He doesn't seem inclined to make things easy. [Syrlya spares Wanderer another, brief glance.] But it is only around the manor. Would you like to start around the perimeter, or inside?
chronosynthesis: (❖ Chaos Vortex)

[personal profile] chronosynthesis 2024-04-07 08:12 pm (UTC)(link)
Rodrigo? [Some kind of pet, probably.] No, I don't advise channeling magic through a living creature. Even if it is more meaningful to you than a bucket. Perhaps instead, try to visualize an object from your home which is sentimental?
revengier: (39)

[personal profile] revengier 2024-04-07 08:12 pm (UTC)(link)
[ With Jing Yuan's leisurely way of doing, well... everything, Kurapika is a bit surprised to hear that they share that sentiment. So much so that his eyebrows briefly raise. ]

Kurapika.

[ Short and sweet, no "nice to meet you"s or anything. ]

How is your training going so far?
troublereduction: (pic#17020440)

[personal profile] troublereduction 2024-04-07 08:13 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Funny that he mentions fortune telling... But hm, this would be a lot like home, then. ]

So no time travel, and no resurrecting the dead. But something like teleportation is possible?
troublereduction: (day55)

[personal profile] troublereduction 2024-04-07 08:14 pm (UTC)(link)
I've got a couple of ideas, but the ones I've tried so far turned up nothing. [ Which...has led him to wonder if maybe they're not meaningful enough. Realizations he isn't sure he wants about himself. ] Kinda makes me wonder if the spirits might be a little friendlier if they heard it in a language they're more familiar with.
fallingsand: (87;)

[personal profile] fallingsand 2024-04-07 08:15 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Where does Bruno even start? ]

I... it's. Well. I don't feel a, um, firm connection to what makes me bad luck right now, but if it comes back, it's just. I have or. Or had this gift, like a thing I could do, and all it ever does is cause problems. For me, for other people, all-around not a great time for anyone.
chronosynthesis: (❖ Continuum Split)

[personal profile] chronosynthesis 2024-04-07 08:17 pm (UTC)(link)
[There's a pause, and in it Syrlya realizes that his collar is still in place and that Kiryu has, in fact, just had a similar reaction.

His shoulders sink a little.]
I'm sorry, this all just has me on edge. Did you feel that too?
serenesinker: i'm in a good mood! (neutral happy)

[personal profile] serenesinker 2024-04-07 08:27 pm (UTC)(link)
[Yodarha nods thoughtfully.]

So we start with the focus...

[Holding his hand out, a crimson blade flashes into his grasp.]

...Then we imagine what we want and speak our word...

[Getting into position, Yodarha grips his sword tightly and swings at the open air.]

Ougi!

[A small tear in reality rips open in the air behind the blade swing, causing several dozen pieces of wizard sugar to rain down from the rift. In one swift motion, Yodarha sweeps along and gathers all of the sugar with his free arm.]

Oh hey, it worked! Hyuk-hyuk!
positivize: (pic#17104135)

[personal profile] positivize 2024-04-07 08:34 pm (UTC)(link)
[i just realized he's only an inch taller than her...... rest in pieces kurapika if this ever comes to pass

In any case, she does appreciate the sentiment but you can't stop her and her unfounded confidence in her broom-riding skills!!]


Aw, thanks for the concern. But I don't think you have to worry about that! This guy's been pretty good to me [another pat of the broomstick], so I'm sure I could get myself out if I ever got stuck.
jokey: (22)

[personal profile] jokey 2024-04-07 08:40 pm (UTC)(link)
[Please, he's dying! Give him the answer already!!

And when the answer finally comes, Akira nods approvingly. Thanks for the taste test help.]


There's just one problem with it: it's too sweet. It might work fine for baking and cooking, but that's not what I'd use it for.
jokey: (EpmTv6N)

[personal profile] jokey 2024-04-07 08:40 pm (UTC)(link)
There are a lot of fascinating people in the worldβ€” not that you aren't special, Solomon.

[Fine, fiiine, no honorifics... but the buttering up? That will never cease.]

Sensei's something you'll have to earn. I have to say, we sound awfully similar... but I'm way more of a people person. The loner lifestyle doesn't suit me. With a personality like yours, I'm guessing you keep your circle small on purpose.