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

[promittere]

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!

» NAVIGATION

Comments

[fullspbar]

≫ WELCOME PARTY.

[ Most of the people here are well enough, when they step through the door. Emphasis on the most. Confused, disoriented, perhaps, but mostly in good enough health. A handful, however, including the tall teen at the back, are in less than optimal condition.

He seems disoriented through the whole explanation, even with his hand absentmindedly rubbing at the mark on the side of his neck— the pain is real, so this has to be real, too. He'll meander off once the explanation ends, but anyone doing a bit more looking about outside will be able to stumble across him; specifically, in the back gardens.

He's...not looking so hot, really. Pale, and there's red smeared at the corner of his mouth, halfway between dry and fresh. From where he's sitting, his face is scrunched, and when he lifts his hand ( palm coated in red, to match the blossoming stain on his back ), it's with an unsteady exhale. ]

...Shit. [ His voice is rough, and his fist clenches slowly, digging nails into the crimson skin of his hand. ] This really ain't a dream, huh...

[ He's fine. ]

≫ THE MAGIC WORD.

[ Day 2, once he's had some time to process, therein lies another dilemma. He can't say he's particularly...thrilled? Being handed yet another power he doesn't know how to control off the bat doesn't exactly sit well with him. Judging by the tense look on his features, he's not exactly chomping at the bit to start shooting fireworks or making things explode.

Still, there's what seems to be a gun in his hands, and he's frowning intensely at it. The practice of having a medium is familiar, at least, but it's not as 'simple' as what he's used to. Nor is he used to the idea asking for help, personally, which is why he goes about it in his own roundabout way. ]

Are we in some kind of fantasy story or something? [ An exasperated sharp click of the tongue. ] Where are you supposed to even pull an incantation from?

[ Personas are one thing, but he's not a nerd. ]

≫ INVENTORY WEEK.

[ It's late. Or somewhat late, as the clock has yet to strike midnight, but it's far later than anyone would usually be wandering about at. And yet, for other night owls pacing about, it'll become apparent quick someone is putzing about in the kitchen.

One Shinjiro is pacing about, coat hanging off a nearby chair as he seems to be going through all the cabinets and cupboards. Everything he takes out, he puts back after a cursory examination, so he's clearly not making anything...yet? But he does seem to be overtly focused, especially when he pulls down one jar and reads the label with a squint. ]

...'Feels like Kombu'? Geez, just feeling like it doesn't make it close to the real thing.

[ Either way, he's popping the lid and taking a closer look. Seaweed, anyone? ]

≫ OUT ON THE TOWN..

[ As much as it's being stressed as important, if he thinks anymore about magic today, his brain's going to fry. So, the last of the tasks seems both the least cringe and more useful of the options.

He's not going to go out of his way to buddy up, though. Should you be heading out at the same time as him, however-]

What. You heading out? [ A side glance. ] If you're gettin' food, I'm planning on picking some up.

[ If you want to come, that is. Really, with all the weird shit they have around here, maybe another opinion would do some good. He's antisocial, not stupid. ]

≫ WILDCARD..

Hit me, chief.

[leewards]

["Picking some up", he says, like he's dressed for hunting. Ithaqua has to eye him from head to toe, head tilting this way and that like a bird. All he really sees that make the human ready for a hunt are the long coat and the boots. Other than that?]

Find food where, hm?

You haven't a weapon for hunting.

[Because a certain someone saw food stalls... and immediately disregarded them.]

[fullspbar]

[ God, that sure is. A guy. Hard to do something completely mundane to ground yourself when you turn around and there's a guy walking on the world's most fucked-up looking stilts.

Shinjiro has to blink, again, before opting to turn his attention to the absurd question instead to avoid thinking about it too much. That's just asking for a headache, and he's had enough of those the past few days. ]

...Ah? What do you mean 'where'? The store, obviously. Or the market, or whatever the hell they have here.

[ The look he has is incredulous. ]

Who's going to go hunting around here? We wouldn't have the equipment for that even if someone did.

The Magic Word

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

Beats me. This all still sounds like some weird dream.

[Kiryu doesn't even have any frame of reference. He comes from an extremely realistic place without a shred of fantasy -- unless you're, like, hallucinating it for the fun of it like someone he knows -- so this all is so nonsensical Kiryu isn't sure how to interpret it!]

I haven't read manga in ages but it sounds like something straight out of one.

[fullspbar]

That's putting it lightly.

[ Not that he's a manga reader or anything, but he could definitely see it. The Dark Hour is one thing, but...

He runs a thumb over the metal of his evoker, frown dipping a bit deeper. ]

Got no interest in whatever flying broom stuff that guy's on about, but I guess giving the rest a shot can't be helped. [ Not exactly thrilled about the prospect, but not willing to run away, as it were. ] It's thinking of something that doesn't sound stupid that's the hard part.

inventory week

[fallingsand]

[ Bruno is still trying to keep to the sidelines of this whole mess and, required Wanderer classes aside, he's about as nocturnal as they come. So, it's no big surprise he'll come lurking down in search of something to snack on after inevitably skipping dinner with everyone else.

Only there's someone in the kitchen already. Oops.

He'll linger just outside the doorway, listening to see if this guy is planning to leave soon, but it sounds like that's a big fat nope. He could simply turn tail and go to bed hungry or... maybe... he could stop being a chicken?

At least he'll make a point to make some noise before pushing the door open to give Shinji some forewarning as he cracks that open and peeks in. ]

Um, hello?

[fullspbar]

[ Smells like seaweed...mainly looks like seaweed. But taste is what matters. All the stuff in here is edible, since it's in the kitchen, but there's some questionable glowing items he's not too sure if he trusts yet or not.

He's pulled out a small piece to pinch it between his fingers when the noise starts, but luckily isn't too startled, especially when the door slowly creaks open. There's one of those guys from before peeking in, if he remembers correctly, but he doesn't really know any names at this point.

A beat of silence, before he nods his head. ]

...What? If you're gonna come in, then go ahead. I'm just lookin' around.

[ He supposes it's not surprising he's not the only night owl here... ]

If you're looking for something to eat, though, there ain't a lot premade.

welcome party

[lustro]

[ When Ginger spots him as he explores their new surroundings, it seems to take him a moment before he realizes what he’s looking at. A peculiar focus washes over his previously distracted expression. ]

… Blood, again. [ Muttered under his breath, tone thoughtful. Then louder: ] Hey, are you hurt?

[fullspbar]

[ He starts, but only a little; he should have really figured someone would come here eventually...it just wasn't at the forefront of his mind, all things considered.

But even now, after everything, involving people in his business has never been his first choice. ]

...No. 'm fine.

[ It's his blood, certainly, but a preliminary patdown had found an absence of holes in his skin, so...there's that. But he probably doesn't seem very convincing, even as he drops his bloodied hand. ]

What, the inside of the mansion ain't fancy enough for you? There's not much to look at out here.

town

[lighthaus]

Sure, feel free to join me. [ khun seems unphased by the gruff exterior and speech, friendly smile on his face. ]

Khun Aguero Agnis, but you can just call me Khun. And you?

[fullspbar]

Might as well, if we're going to the same place.

[ Four hands are better than two, after all! There's a hell of a lot of foreigners around here, though... ]

Aragaki Shinjiro.

[ He can talk, but Shinjiro's already going to start walking. Better sooner than later. ]

out in the town

[discomposer]

Food~! I'd like some, I haven't eaten in a day or so!

[ And whose fault is that...! (It's his own fault.) ]

[fullspbar]

[ How many people skipped dinner the other day...? Well, he ate a little, but he's also guilty of having not much of an appetite at the time. ]

Not even breakfast, huh. Well, it's not my business what you do, but you're only gonna have yourself to blame for that.

[ His hands slip further into his pockets. ]

If you're coming, then you can help me carry the groceries.

kicks the kitchen door down

[jokey]

[Who could possibly be putzing around the kitchen at this hour? It's either somebody up to no good or someone in dire need of a midnight snack, and Akira can attest to falling into the latter category.

The guy he spies staring down that seaweed is... not particularly friendly-looking, but when has that ever stopped Akira from strolling right on up and making himself someone else's problem? Excuse him while he struts on over and takes a goosey gander at that seaweed packaging.]

You'll have to taste it to make sure it's got the right texture. It probably won't kill you.

put that back!!

[fullspbar]

[ He's neither of those, thank you very much. He's just familiarizing himself, nothing more, nothing less. Completely innocent behavior.

He's turning at the door opening, but he's not really expecting the culprit to just...saddle up to him? And get in his space? Excuse him? Shinjiro's lips purse tight as he leans a bit away, but he does let the guy read the label. ]

I doubt they'd put anything that would kill us in a damn kitchen.

[ Food-wise, anyway. But he does turn his attention but to the jar in question, pulling out a piece with a scrutinizing eye. Sure does Feel Like Kombu. ]

If they've gone through the trouble of labelling it, they've probably tried it already.

Out on the Town

[troublereduction]

Oh? Yeah, I'm heading out. I was planning on picking up some stuff for my room, but we can grab food too.

[ Might as well, since they're there. ]

[fullspbar]

Probably better to do two trips, then, unless you ain't getting much.

[ Personally, Shinjiro's not pressed about his room. He's never been much of a decorator to begin with, and it's...been a while since he's actually had space he knew he was going to be in for a while.

But, since the guy is offering. ]

Already checked the kitchen, but better to see all the oddball food they have here firsthand if we're gonna get used to it.

[ God, he hopes there's at least some normal food. The screaming seaweed has left an impression. ]

Out on the town

[dyingtohealyou]

[Tilting his head a little to catch those words, giving the guy a scan before nodding.]

Sure. I was just thinking about grabbing lunch anyway.

[He does obviously keep a gun holstered at his side. That's a thing.]

[fullspbar]

[ A nod back...well, at least this guy's agreeable. ]

Better to see what they've got, anyway, if it's all weird like the stuff in the kitchen.

[ And while the gun does get a vague glance, Shinjiro actually appears to have one holstered at his own side, so he's not one to talk. ]

The sooner we get used to this place the better, I guess.

the magic word

[positivize]

[It should probably be more concerning to her that there's more teenagers with guns here, but considering her own circumstances at home, she doesn't even really blink an eye at it.

The comparison to a fantasy story makes her laugh though.]

Well, if you put it that way, then maybe a line like the kind you'd hear in a TV show would work. Something like, "In the name of the sage, I'll punish you!"

[fullspbar]

[ Honestly, the amount of guns is jarring to him, too...if only because he knows his is fake. Everybody else? Doubtful. But considering the colorful cast they've got going on right now, it's probably better to not pry.

He huffs at the laugh. He's being serious!! ]

Hell no. I ain't making myself sound like a clown.

[ Normal people would find just having to say something to begin with to be cringe, but alas, Persona. ]

And what part of that is 'meaningful'?

welcome party

[shortleash]

( Mika had wandered off himself, not particularly social, though he does not come upon Shinjiro immediately; he keeps to shadows and explores the grounds like an animal pacing its cage, testing its strange new confines and uneasy with the faint tension in the air. He isn't happy. But he doesn't think anything could make him happy, right now.

He's inevitably drawn to those back gardens, keeping along the shadowed path. It's unconscious at first, drawn by the scent of blood the way good cooking might draw someone to the window; until finally he's close enough, and he picks up on the acrid iron that comprises Shinji's scent— rather, the taste of his blood.

He doesn't hurry, though he can gauge this is a human's blood. He approaches with caution, should this be a dangerous scene; but he doesn't think the blood is gushing. (Is it?) Which just makes it... weird. It's just there.

The sight he stumbles onto doesn't illuminate his guess any. A hand on his sword in caution, remaining still in the shadows, Mika approaches with caution as he studies the likeliest cause of his apparent injuries. )

... Did someone attack you here?

( Unfortunately, he doesn't ask out of concern. )

[fullspbar]

[ Shinji himself is...not particularly happy, either. He doesn't know what he feels, really, a convoluted mess wracking his mind and churning in his stomach. He can feel blood drying on his skin, a phantom throb of impact, and yet...nothing. No holes, no wounds, nothing.

When he had closed his eyes, that was supposed to be it. A weight pulled off his shoulders, leaving him lighter than he's felt in years, even as the cold settled in. And now...this?

Mikaela's approach goes largely unnoticed until the white registers in his peripherals, and then Shinjiro's gaze snaps up in a glare. There's not so much animosity as there is equal suspicion, but the tension in his shoulders drop gradually at the question.

Right. He does look like shit. ]

...That ain't it. [ Somebody had, yes, but nobody here. Not yet, anyway. ] Can't say I'd be surprised if someone went stir-crazy, though.

[ Compared to some, this guy doesn't really look particularly thrilled to be here either. ]

≫ THE MAGIC WORD.;

[foresightis2020]

Hmm...it could simply be the rules of the world, rather than strictly laws of fiction.

Though, it isn't like it is too odd. Words do have power, after all.

[ But, he gives pause, considering Shinjiro's words seriously. In a sense. There is no rush, after all.

He feels words and everything will come in due time. ]

Perhaps you'll need to concentrate? Whatever feels right to either one of us will come then to the forefront of our minds?

[ Is it too much to hope it'll be that simple? ]

[fullspbar]

Rules, huh.

[ Well, that could be true...he had stayed up late, sitting by the window, just to see for himself if the sky would turn that familiar eerie shade of green at the stroke of midnight. He was greeted by nothing but the bright glow of the moon. Things likely did work different here, in that case.

Still, it's a lot to swallow. Other dimensions and wizards and magic and what have you. ]

Not like it's the first time, but whatever comes to mind first ain't exactly right for it. That stuff's not my forte.

[ He no longer has one, judging by the calmness in his chest, so speaking of a Persona would only feel out of place. Never mind it's not like he ever really wanted to do so in the first place. ]