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

[jokey]

GIVE ME SOME SUGAR

[Akira has his reasons for needing mounds and mounds of sugar and it isn't just to fulfill the Sisyphean task of pleasing those Southern merchants. He's practicing his newfound skills in the courtyard, and would you believe the place is absolutely coated in sugar? As you approach, Akira motions to the piles of it surrounding the bench he's sat himself on.]

Watch your step. Actually, good timing. I need a taste tester.

A BROOM WITH A VIEW

[To those who may be enjoying a nice walk around the manor, today is not your day. Something comes tumbling down from the roof and bonks you squarely on the head, or maybe your reflexes are fast enough that you'll manage to dodge the thing in time. That, uh, "broom" appears to belong to the boy clamoring over to the edge of the roof and shouting down at you.]

Sorry! You think you could bring that up here?

[No shame. None. You didn't die, so don't complain to him!]

PROFESSIONAL STUDENT FOR HIRE

[For whatever reason, maybe you've decided it isn't a terrible idea to ask Akira for help with one of Wanderer's tasks. An essay on wizard bullshit? No problem. Akira's written a million of these bad boys, just— not about wizards specifically.

Still, he's armed to the teeth with nerd knowledge and tips, starting with the most important:]

I say we go on a little adventure first. Shorty wants a paper that proves we know what we're talking about. Shall we?

WORDS TO LIVE BY

[What's Akira's problem? That he has too many potential choices for his super special wizard words. He'll be milling about the manor considering his options when, inevitably, he bumbles into someone and asks them kindly (you can't say no) to hear him out.

A ways into the conversation—]

...So they need to be something cool. Something badass. I'm thinking "steal your heart~"

SHOP 'TIL YOU DROP

[He's gonna need food. Lots of food. It's only a shame wizards, with all their fancy magic, haven't invented shopping carts. Akira realizes belatedly that he could have grabbed himself a basket, but eh. It's too late for that, his arms piled up with various vegetables and grains and some coffee beans as a treat.

He's managed to pile his goodies up such that there's a window in the middle revealing his sweet little face, and that's how he sees that he isn't alone. He might even be getting stared at, but that's nothing new. Calling people out for it isn't new either.]

Cat got your tongue? If you insist, I'll let you carry some stuff.

[Because that's totally what you want, right?]

WILDCARD

[You know the drill. Hit me!]

sugar

[1145pm]

[ When Tatara comes across Akira and his mounds of sugar on his aimless rounds of the manor, his face lights up. Quite literally, like a kid in a candy store. ]

Whoa, you've made so much!

[ Without waiting or minding personal space, he goes right to the bench and crouches by it, observing the sheen in the light. ]

Now? [ He glances up at Akira, his finger hovering close to the sugar. Now?? Sugar now?? ]

[jokey]

[Mmmmyessssss, praise him more. Akira smirks, making space on the bench and patting the newly vacated spot beside him. Take a load off, boss... or just. Crouch there if you insist. Makes no difference to Akira!]

No time like the present. Promise you won't punish me if it doesn't taste quite right.

A BROOM WITH A VIEW 1/2

[dyingtohealyou]

[Ow.

He's rubbing at his head and glaring up at Akira, excuse him but what the fuck.]

You're awful high up for someone who can't control their broom yet!

[Speaking of which, looking at the "broom"-]

2/2

[dyingtohealyou]

[...Hoooh, interesting.

Looking a lot less peeved than he did a moment ago, he'll summon his own broom and hop on it, balancing on it like it's a skateboard rather than riding it like a stuffy mage - not that he needs to maneuver much, he just floats it upwards so he's level with Akira, tossing it over to him.]

Try not to drop it this time.

broom with a view

[annihilator]

[Ow?? Thankfully, it doesn't hurt that much, and Malice does manage to catch the "broom" before it hits the ground, but he looks at said broom, then up at Akira, and frowns.]

You already managed to summon one? Damn. I really am crap at this.

[Thanks, Malice.]

How'd you do it? Tell ya what, I'll bring it back if you can help me summon mine. Fair?

[Obviously he needs the broom to get back up to you anyway, so!!]

[jokey]

Chin up. You'll figure it out.

[You know, probably? Surely only people fit to become wizards were brought here, or so Akira tells himself. Leaning over the edge of the roof, he doesn't take long to consider his offer before nodding in agreement.]

You wanna come up here, or am I meeting you down there? It's gonna take a minute either way.

words to live by

[lustro]

[ This is not the strangest conversation, he's had, but - ]

I'm still waiting for the cool or the badass part...

[jokey]

Hey.

[Not. Cool!! You just heard the most badass incantation and you're going to diss him like that? Jerk. Odd-eyed jerk.]

Let's hear yours. Go on, I'm all ears.

words to live by

[positivize]

[Well, she doesn't really mind hearing him out considering she's still pondering on her own, but she does laugh a little at Akira's choice.]

Wow, that's pretty bold! You must be quite the heartbreaker back home then, huh?

[jokey]

Oh, I don't know about that. I just thought it sounded cool.

[But the fact that he's preening like a proud bird is confirmation enough. If he could get away with it, he'd have eighty girlfriends.]

And what about you? Got your incantation all figured out?

words to live by

[impacter]

[Oh, a chat? Sure! He's all polite smiles and gentle tones as he listens to the teen work out whatever it is that's on his mind. As Akira pitches his phrase, Solomon laughs, light and airy as he brings a hand to his own chin in thought.]

Hahah - it's definitely flashy.

Should it make someone jealous of your confidence, or strike fear in them?

[jokey]

[Look guys, laughing at his incantation isn't going to make it any less badass, and it is badass. Ginger doesn't know what he's talking about.

Akira sighs, affecting dramatics, but he's not particularly upset. Back to the drawing board.]

A little bit of both. Who knows? Maybe it's literal. [A smirk.] You wouldn't take me for the type, would you?

[A humble boy like Akira, a thief and/or murderer? No way.]

a broom with a view

[fallingsand]

[ Yeah, because he would go out for a walk and get beaned in the head with a... Bruno recovers from nearly wiping out after getting hit in the head, hand coming up to rub where he'd been thwacked by the— ]

What. [ No, that is not a broom, Akira. That is not a broom! He cranes his head up to give him a tired look. ] What are you even doing up there?! If you're going to summon things, do... do it on the ground?!

[jokey]

[Oh. Christ. He nearly killed an old man with a broom?? Akira doesn't need more trouble with the law. Time to go on the run...............]

Why the ground? We're supposed to be able to fly with these things. The best place to start's up high, so you should join me.

GIVE ME SOME SUGAR;

[foresightis2020]

[ Has Jing Yuan been working at his sugar? ...Ehh. Quality product takes time, you know? But, he has been stretching his legs.

When he hears the other male warn for him to be careful, he is at least attentive enough to listen. Well, he has been keeping an eye on his surroundings, but stuff like this is fine. Finer than a needle in a haystack. ]

Do you? How much of it?

[ Not that he cares. He has time to spare. ]

A broom with a view

[mirristry]

[Because Phil rolled a 1 in dexterity, the broom clocks him square on the head and sends him sprawling to the ground with a startled squawk. It's only by sheer luck that it didn't manage to dislodge his monocle and make the situation even worse, but the voice that calls down to him as he sits there rubbing the sore spot on his head does a great job at accomplishing that instead.]

... bring that up to you? You don't mean... climb, do you...?

[PLEASE, HE'S GOING TO DIE.]

professional student

[discomposer]

[ On the other end of the scholastic spectrum is the guy who almost never attended his classes and who frequently ditched anything and everything he didn't find interesting enough...Leo's a genius in a lot of ways and there's plenty of things he'll work hard on!

Essays about things other than music are not one of those things he'll work hard on or even considers himself any good at. He stopped doing traditional schooling to attend and graduate from an idol academy for a reason and that reason is he's way too eccentric for Normal Essays, and even making that essay bout wizardry has him sulking...

Though he perks up immediately at "adventure". ]

Whoa, an adventure~? Well, if it'll make writing a paper interesting I'm in! [ "Adventure" is more appealing to him than "sit down and write words". Maybe it's all about how you frame it. ]

sugar

[dadsandals]

[ Dude... ]

Haha, a taste tester? Don't mind if I do, then. Your hard work shouldn't go to waste.

[ Yamato walks over to Akira and observes the other's process. Not that he really wants to entertain this job anyway, but he won't lie: It's fascinating to see what's going on, here. ]

Aren't you an overachiever?

Professional student for hire

[jorunna]

...We were assigned homework, even here.

[ By someone who looks their age??? The sound of disbelief goes here. ]

An adventure sounds good though.

[ They can get their broom! They do the little clap one does at a shrine for luck and poof. There it is. ]

Sugar

[chronosynthesis]

You seem to have got quite a handle on this spell. [Syrlya glances over the piles of sand.] Are you attempting to modify the taste to something else?

words to live(?) by

[shadowkin]

[Cid is, in fact, perfect for this job -- in the sense that he has absolutely perfected the art of smiling and nodding, with a definite emphasis on the nodding. He is practically a bobblehead by the time they get to the crux (or the heart...?) of the matter, and continues nodding for a moment or two before he realizes his opinion is being asked.

There's a blink or two. He stares at the ceiling as he actually revs up his two braincells to give this some consideration. No, wait, it's just the one braincell.]

I mean... It's catchy, but it's something you'd go with if you were looking to come across as either a playboy or a serial killer. Depends on which one you're going for.

[This seems to be sincere advice.]

student

[themanwhoerasedhisname]

You sure you're not trying to procrastinate?

[...okay, no, truthfully he did come to Akira for possible aid with an essay. It's been ages since he wrote anything like that]

words to live by

[fellheart]

[ this is, unfortunately, who he's bumbled into, and apparently this particular pest simply disregards the clear signals that robin does not, actually, care to hear him out. here he is anyway.

oh, is this a chance finally to get in a word edgewise? ]

... "Steal your heart?" Did you get that out of a cheap bodice-ripper?

a broom with a view

[shortleash]

( His reflexes are fast enough that he catches the broom in a hand. Slowly, he turns his gaze up at the guilty party. )

And if I refuse?