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!
shortleash: (pic#17103508)

[personal profile] shortleash 2024-04-08 11:27 pm (UTC)(link)
( say u disagree to his face???

But really, Mika doesn't care. Notes it, ignores it (rude). It beats his home, and if he's interpreting right and Tatara would rather be home, then he obviously came from a better place than Mika (Mika is making a lot of assumptions here). )


Don't talk to me like I'm an grade schooler. ( His first day at elementary school... ) I'm figuring out this magic stuff, if that's what you mean. My abracadabra phrase isn't producing consistent results, but I figure I'm the problem.

( Yuu-chan is flawless, obvs. More seriously, considering his emotional decay... he does assume that's the problem, and not how he feels about Yuu, because obviously his feelings for Yuu are straightforward. )

Not sure about a focus or broom yet. I'll work on the broom thing and then go to the market for a focus, I guess.

( Treating it like a status report since he figures Tatara's job is to be a manager, basically. )
fallingsand: (25;)

[personal profile] fallingsand 2024-04-08 11:32 pm (UTC)(link)
My what?

[ Give him a second, he's trying to think of what could be a pet— oh. He looks down at the rat in the bucket, realizing. Yeah, it must look that way! ]

Rodrigo? Uhhh, I... Yeah? Sort of? I mean, he was with me when I was trying to, y'know, get out of the house, but he and all the other rats kinda do their own thing. They just happen to live with me.
fallingsand: (35;)

[personal profile] fallingsand 2024-04-08 11:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Right. Right. Mentor, not... sure. I'll. I'll remember that.

[ Noted, don't call the lil' guy an assistant. ]

Really, though? I mean, if. If you don't want a name, I'm not gonna make one up for you?
Edited 2024-04-08 23:34 (UTC)
positivize: (pic#17104058)

[personal profile] positivize 2024-04-08 11:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, it's a good trait to have!

[Like yeah, there's people here to mentor them, but also the guy in charge of their magic 'lessons' also seems like the type to just toss them straight in the deep end, so!]

But I guess I shouldn't be surprised... the magic here doesn't work like anything I've seen, either. [A considering look.] Does it mean that this way is easier for you, then?

[No formal system, no 'price' that he mentioned...]
fallingsand: (53;)

[personal profile] fallingsand 2024-04-08 11:36 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Oof, that has Bruno flinching back into his chair. ]

Yeah? You don't gotta be cranky about it. We could just ask the sage guy.
fallingsand: (54;)

[personal profile] fallingsand 2024-04-08 11:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah...

[ It's a miracle he isn't hiding in his room. Admittedly, he probably wouldn't be allowed to with how loud those alarm notes are. ]

And I dunno. You'd think, right? But I only had to worry about being able to do one magical thing, not... not a whole bunch!
fallingsand: (37;)

[personal profile] fallingsand 2024-04-08 11:49 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm beginning to think I'd be better at this if I were a swordsman.

[ First Syrlya, now this guy.

Bruno sighs and checks his pockets briefly, searching out his own token. Once he finds it, out it comes, and sitting in his hand is a brass pocket watch with an intricate hourglass design inscribed on its cover.
]

I mean, not that this is a bad token or anything, just. Not really what I expected.
fallingsand: (17;)

[personal profile] fallingsand 2024-04-08 11:50 pm (UTC)(link)
[ And Bruno, who's never been in an actual library before, looks up to blink at Comet as they peek around the bookshelf at him. ]

What? Is that a thing?
fallingsand: (55;)

[personal profile] fallingsand 2024-04-08 11:54 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Okay, seems fine, then, for Bruno to shuffle into the kitchen and let the door close behind him. ]

Right. Yeah, I. I figured that I could just rustle up some fruit or somethin'. Don't mind us, then. We'll keep out of the way.

[ Wait, what does he mean by 'we'? Well, if Shinji looks close enough, he'll be able to spot the rat poking its little fuzzy head out from under the curtain of Bruno's dark curly hair, perched on his shoulder just right to disguise itself to a cursory glance. ]
fallingsand: (52;)

[personal profile] fallingsand 2024-04-09 12:04 am (UTC)(link)
[ There's reluctance there, written plainly across Bruno's face when asked. He knew this question would come up, yet he had hoped he wouldn't have to say. It would make sense, though, wouldn't it? For at least the guy they're meant to be helping to know?

His fingers curl up in the thick green wool of his ruana where it's settled across his lap.
]

It's a. Thing. Everyone in my family gets a different one and I just. Well. [ He drags the answer out but he'll get there eventually. ] I can see the future. Or could. Or maybe will again. I dunno. Honestly, if I could ignore it and pretend it wasn't there? I would, since nearly all of it ends up being terrible. It's no good.

[ Exactly like him. ]
annihilator: (➤ 34)

[personal profile] annihilator 2024-04-09 12:38 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah, it's been...

[He wiggles a hand as if to say "so-so".]

Got the incantation down, at least. The focus, though? Not so much. Most I've managed is to make it burst into smoke.
annihilator: (➤ 58)

[personal profile] annihilator 2024-04-09 12:40 am (UTC)(link)
[Sounds good, off we go!]

Painkillers work. Had to use some of 'em before. But we don't get sick, so I dunno 'bout anythin' else.
annihilator: (➤ 12)

[personal profile] annihilator 2024-04-09 12:41 am (UTC)(link)
Couldn't hurt to give it a try, I guess.

[He's unenthused about it, but it's better than being alone, so! C'mon, let's head on over there!]
annihilator: (➤ 12)

[personal profile] annihilator 2024-04-09 12:42 am (UTC)(link)
Eh, are we?

[...yeah, okay even he can see that, they are both very laid-back about this, huh...]

Well, I guess I'll take it as a compliment. The guy seems to have a good head on his shoulders.

[does he though...]
annihilator: (➤ 71)

[personal profile] annihilator 2024-04-09 12:45 am (UTC)(link)
[tbf malice is an edgy teen in every way that matters except years so like. fair.]

Dunno what a bullet is or what silver has to do with anythin'. Anythin' sharp enough to the heart'll kill us, sure. An' most of us can't even go out in the sun to begin with, so I'm not sure why they'd be sparklin' in it?

[Notably, Malice himself has been out in the sunlight here without bursting into flames, but he greatly prefers to stick to the shadows or be around at night.]

So most of that's crap. But I'm not surprised; humans tend to get really weird ideas of what vampires are like even where I'm from. They like to think we can all turn into smoke. Or bats? Only a few of us can do that.
annihilator: (➤ 49)

[personal profile] annihilator 2024-04-09 12:45 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, orange is a fun color. Which one'd you get? I got purple, which is one of the best ones.
annihilator: (➤ 39)

[personal profile] annihilator 2024-04-09 12:47 am (UTC)(link)
That sure would be nice. I'm hopin' I can figure somethin' out there, but even just the startin' stuff's a little...

[He waves his good hand as if to say "a little much".]

I'm not supposed to be able to use magic to begin with, so it's been a pretty steep learnin' curve.
annihilator: (➤ 71)

[personal profile] annihilator 2024-04-09 12:48 am (UTC)(link)
Shouldn't be too hard if you're loud enough.

[...no.

But anyway, Malice lifts his shoulders a bit at that.]


It's supposed to be somethin' important to us in some way, yeah? Most of the stuff I got here's practical rather than sentimental. So I've gotta make it first, which is part of the problem... an' I'm not really sure what to try to make to begin with. Never really had much sentimental stuff, I guess.
annihilator: (➤ 19)

[personal profile] annihilator 2024-04-09 12:49 am (UTC)(link)
True, an' maybe that's what I'll have to go with. I've got my other arm here, anyway! But it's not workin', so...
annihilator: (➤ 13)

[personal profile] annihilator 2024-04-09 12:53 am (UTC)(link)
I asked a human that, actually. I've always been kinda curious 'bout it. Vampires can drink from other vampires, but it tastes bad an' ain't exactly helpful. But I've never been bitten, so I wanted to hear what it was like.

[Talking about Cody like this when the guy's dead because of Malice's own actions should probably make him feel bad or something, but he just sounds chill about it. Don't focus on the guy and it's fine, obviously!!]

He said the bite hurt at first, but apparently it stops hurtin' pretty quick an' then you just sorta... almost drift off, I guess? You're still awake an' all, but you're calm 'bout the whole thing an' you just sorta let it happen. Never really had any humans fight back, so that seems to be how it works for everyone.

[So you zone out and chill until the vampire's done, but who knows if it'll work the same here??]
annihilator: (➤ 40)

[personal profile] annihilator 2024-04-09 12:55 am (UTC)(link)
That how it works where you're from? I'm just better at rememberin' shorter names.

[And he gives everyone nicknames whether they want them or not, so.]

Jin's good, though, I'll remember that.
annihilator: (➤ 12)

[personal profile] annihilator 2024-04-09 12:56 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah? Sage guy?

[............oh right—]

Guess his name's Tatara, but it's easier for me to remember shorter names, so.

[and yet he remembered the full name, hmm.]
shortleash: (pic#17103544)

[personal profile] shortleash 2024-04-09 12:57 am (UTC)(link)
( ??? )

I don't usually have "an audience." What are you, a performer? Or are you just saying that?

( A professional jester, or simply a casual? )
annihilator: (➤ 31)

[personal profile] annihilator 2024-04-09 12:58 am (UTC)(link)
Eh... Kinda?

[Sure, that works well enough, he supposes. Anyway, off we go, walking as we talk!]

Last place I was in was more like a cell than a room, an' the place before that was already decorated an' all.

[He lifts his shoulders a bit in a shrug.]

It'll be nice to have somewhere that's mine an' not someone else's.
shortleash: (pic#17103513)

[personal profile] shortleash 2024-04-09 12:59 am (UTC)(link)
Not a good enough head if he offered up his neck to a vampire...

( He's not attending the funeral. rip tatara. )

I don't think being a vampire's what's stopping you, also. Unless your damage runs deeper than you described. I'm learning magic... fine enough.

( He's not going to say it's going great, but. It's... going. )