lunaecalamitas | you opened your eyes, spreading it wide

you opened your eyes, spreading it wide

THIRD QUARTER ALLEGRO

While our newly-arrived wizards have been settling in, learning their magic, and getting to know one another, the sage and their mentor have been busy with a different kind of work behind the scenes—bureaucratic work. It hasn't been particularly exciting, but it has paid off.

Because now, the world is ready to receive them.

Put on your finest clothes, because Granvelle Castle invites you to a welcome ball in your honor.

Didn't bring any fine clothes with you? No need to worry—specially chosen tailors from Central Capital have been commissioned to take care of you, and they will be visiting the manor to get you gussied up in the fashion of your choice for the day (by this, we mean feel free to pick whatever fancy clothes you want for the ball).

As the sun sets on the designated day, all the residents of the manor make their way to the castle. Granvelle Castle stands proud in Central Capital, its lights a beacon in the darkening city, and its doors open to outsiders for the first time in weeks. Upon arrival they're greeted by brightly lit halls, welcoming staff, and a grand ballroom, windows flung open to let in the spring breeze and pale moonlight. Everyone and everything seems determined to make this a cheerful affair, despite the underlying sense of dread and tension.

Live music fills the air, played the greatest musicians in the world. There are some larger ensembles, solo acts; some pieces are of more traditional folk dances, while some are slower, and some are upbeat and avant-garde. Regardless, the floor is open for dancing—grab a buddy and dance the night away!

Lining one wall is a long banquet table, filled with plenty of food and drink, both alcoholic and non to sate the new arrivals. The hors d'oeuvres and small plates comprise an array of delicacies from around the world, with everything from savory lobster bites to the sweetest portions of tres leches you have ever tasted. It seems someone has also put in a specific request for Japanese food—a part of the banquet table has been set aside specifically for Japanese dishes, and this includes small portions of ramen. There also seems to be a plate on the far end of the table filled with lovingly stacked pieces of charcoal... Is that meant to be food?

You aren't the only ones in attendance tonight. Representatives and dignitaries from around the world are also present—they have quite a lot to say about the unusual situation, and they are most curious about these otherworldly individuals tasked with fending off the moon under their national banners. The most dignitaries are from Central, West, and East, while there do seem to be a few representatives from the less populated North and South. Those from Central, West, and South in general seem to be the most social, while the rest are more reserved. There are also a few of the castle staff that seem (begrudgingly) willing to speak with the new wizards. Most are here to chat and mingle—lend them an ear, you may learn something new...

For those tired of socializing, the ballroom opens out onto a breezy, spacious balcony. It looks out over the main thoroughfare leading to the main castle entrance, and the nighttime lights of the Central capital twinkle in the near distance. For those that would rather take a breather, there is a small patio table and a couple of chairs. Despite the waxing moon in the sky, it is a very nice evening.

If you would like to have a chat with an NPC, then please respond to this comment. NPCs will be assigned randomly if no preference is given. While everyone has something valuable to say, they're not giving potentially sensitive info out for free—let's hope your diplomatic skills are up to snuff. We're doing our best to give everyone meaningful conversations, so please bear with us!

JOB BOARD

Rejuvenation. Thanks to your Southern friends' hard work, the South has been saved from a potentially devastating crop failure, and these fledgling towns can continue to grow as they're meant to! Give them a pat on the back and a round of applause.

But the South is not without its scars. While the root cause has been taken care of, the damage has been done. A town's wheat field has been partially destroyed—help them tear out the blackened, dead wheat, till and fertilize the soil, and replant what can be replanted. The City of Clouds, the most prosperous of the Southern settlements, have also offered extra tools, hands, and seeds to help set the town back on the path to recovery. Transport these supplies to the town. Let's hope your broom skills are up to snuff too, because it's a long ride.

Shadows in the night. The residents of the Central capital have recently been reporting eerie sightings after sundown: shadowy figures lurking in corners, the constant feeling of being watched, and, in some extreme cases, these shadowy figures attacking when traveling alone at night. Many reports seem to indicate an odd concentration of these creepy figures lurking around the Granvelle Castle moat, as though trying to find a way into the castle. Residents are understandably frightened and unnerved and cannot go about their nightly business—beat back what shadows you find and make the streets safer for the Central capital residents.

While physical attacks don't seem to do much against them, they dissipate rather easily under magic. Try not to wear yourself to the bone, though—there are a lot of them.

Escorting nobility. The Eastern Blanchett noble family have called an important meeting, inviting nobles and others of import from across the Eastern Country. However, their castle lies beyond Sherwood Forest, a very large, dense, and deep wood—while a fine natural defense for the Blanchett family, it's a bit of trouble for those looking to visit. While the Blanchett's own forest guard is absent, it is your job to safely escort these nobles to the Blanchett abode, and back out. But be careful: lurking in the shadows amongst the trees are all sorts of territorial predators like bears and wolves, not to mention the magical beasts that sneak up on unsuspecting prey. You may come across a brigand or bandit or two, since the forest is a near perfect hiding place for illegal activity. And please—try not to get lost.

Typical of any Easterner, the nobles are reluctant to make much small talk and are a bit suspicious of the new wizards, but they are otherwise pleasant and will generally comply with most requests.

WANDERER TASKS

Can you go a week without ruining food or the pots and pans? Stop being so wasteful and learn how to cook or stop trying.

Learn how to use magic to repair things. Again, if you're going to keep ruining the kitchen at least learn how to put it back together.

TATARA ACTIVITIES

I need milk. I'm trying to perfect latte foam art, but I haven't really gotten the hang of it yet... I used up all the milk (oops, sorry!), so I need more. Actually, could you grab me other kinds of milk while you're at it? I want to experiment! I'm sure other markets in the farther reaches of the world will have weirder milk... Please!

We should start a veggie garden! Or an herb garden? Doesn't matter! I found a nice sunny patch of grass in the training forest—we could dig up that spot, right? Help me get it set up! I need people to dig, and till... Oh! We need seeds to plant, too! Please and thank you~

OOC NOTES

🌙 Welcome to your second event post! Get out your snazzy outfits. It's time to party.
🌙 As you grow into your magic, your character might start realizing they can differentiate between everyone's magic. Everyone has a unique signature, and you may be able to start sensing who cast what, where. Someone put a magical seal on the kitchen door? Smells like Shinjiro's magic. Akira had some of Solomon's sugar? You can sense that, too!
🌙 As you start getting past the basics, your character might realize they have a much easier time with certain kinds of magic over others. For North, this will be offensive and attack spells; for East, this will be intricate seals and curses; for West, this will be manipulative magic like illusions and transformation; for South, this will be healing, purification, and protection. Central? A little bit of everything. Read up on your country if you need a refresher!
🌙 It's been peaceful at home in the manor thus far, hasn't it? Do you think that will last?
🌙 Your OOC plotting post is here! Remember to keep all wider plotting contained to the OOC post, since not everyone checks plurk or discord frequently.
🌙 Our next group to go on their mission is Central. Be ready, heroes...

» NAVIGATION

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Time to mingle with the politicians~

North and Central preference, but I'll leave it up to RNG and/or whatever mods think will be funnier.]

[The delegate from the North seems less like a politician compared to the people from the East and West. Their clothing is simple, and they seem incredibly meek—especially when Solomon approaches them.

He's heard, by now, of how aggressive the Northern spirits are, and he's likely read many tales about the arrogant, powerful Northern wizards, so it might come as a surprise how this human bows his head, not meeting Solomon's eyes.]

Are you one of the new Northern wizards?

[He has his eyes tracing the crowd, seeing who is even willing to meet the eyes of the fledgling wizards. So to pass over the bold, the curious, the confident and the judgmental, and only finding the North in the more submissive parts of the crowd...

Hm.

His expression stays as it always does, calm and pleasant and polite but not quite reaching his eyes.]

I am. [Quiet, confident, light.]

Who do I have the pleasure of speaking to?

[He glances up, for a moment, before his eyes trail down again.]

Ah, you can call me Henry.

[He fidgets with his cuffs, as if weighing something over.]

Is... Is Oz really gone?

[Mm.]

It's good to meet you, Henry.

[At the question, his mouth thins slightly, but he doesn't nod. There are many people in this room within a political climate that is unfamiliar. He would rather approach this carefully.]

I haven't met anyone by that name, I'm afraid.

Are you worried about his absence?

I am, yes.

[He frowns to himself, Solomon's answer seeming to make him more worry. Not about talking to him, no, but...]

I'm worried about how our village will survive without him. Without Oz to protect us, it's...

[Totally not a concerning thing, nope.]

Are you... new Sage's wizards going to take over protection for him? Will you be strong enough for that?

[Good thing he made sure to read up on the North's basic situation while he could...]

It sounds like a valid concern. The North isn't exactly a forgiving place.

I imagine the last few weeks must have been quite the struggle. That you still made it here shows resilience, you know.

[What a question, though. Tatara and Dhor haven't exactly mentioned what the plan is for the North specifically yet. If power is the concern, maybe that was by design?

How to respond to this...

...]

If the North chose us as its representatives, then I'd say that speaks for itself.

Do you believe you'll be abandoned?

Well, Oz was the most powerful wizard in the world. Without his protection...

[There's a lot of things that could happen, starting with the environment and ending with other wizards seeking an upper hand.]

Is there any chance you'd get anywhere close to being that powerful? Oz might have been... very intimidating...

[He speaks carefully, nervously, as if he's afraid Oz will just pop up out of nowhere and strike him down in offense.]

But our lives at the foot of the mountain were good, compared to the lives we would have had underneath another wizard.

[The most powerful wizard in the world...

Calmly, precisely:]

I have no intention to take that life away from you.

[And then, with a little more bite.]

I would, however, like to know what these other wizards are threatening to do to you.

[For a moment, the man's expression shifts, looking more wry.]

You're not familiar with life in the North yet, I take it.

[But then the worries set back in, and he sighs.]

It's less of a "threat" when there's nothing we can do to stop them.

Only in broad strokes. Enough to know that resilience alone isn't enough. I'd rather not belittle the situation at hand out of ignorance, but my statement remains the same.

[He has enough confidence in his personal ability, even if he's still in the midst of practicing, and he has no desire to play dictator.]

I would still like to know. Protection or otherwise, I would like to hear the extent of how the people are being treated from your own mouth, not that of a wizard.

...We were safe, under Oz's protection, and we were able to live our lives without having to answer any demands, but I've heard of other wizards and other villages...

[He glances over to the other Northern representative, a grim look on his face.]

He doesn't ask for any tribute from us, he doesn't kill any of us, his magic keeps our village safe from the weather and avalanches. Despite how powerful he was, he treated us well.

[Largely because Oz wasn't concerned about the human village at the base of the mountains, but that's neither here nor there.]

[It's like back then, the fearmongering and the paranoia, but if it had all been correct. There's a sickening hurt, seeing someone's fear be justified like this. But he knows better than to dwell.

Solomon's eyes flick momentarily to the other representative, but don't stay for long. That can wait for its own time.

...]

It's no wonder you look to Oz specifically, then, Henry. There's enough to fear from the world without your people's dignity and safety being crushed by someone who is supposed to be your protector.

[When it stops being an agreement for protection and starts showing the signs of subservience with fear of consequence and no control... it's too familiar, and something he can't agree with.]

Are you the only village he looks over?

[Welcome to Wizardlandia, where everything is super good and normal all the time.

The look Henry gives him at that statement is best described as "politely confused". Like he gets what you're saying, but [huhcat]?]

As far as I know, yes. Not many humans are foolhardy enough to settle that close.

[That is not an expression that brings confidence, but at least Solomon is good at keeping his composure. He won't push the idea further. Action will speak more than words here.]

Close to the mountains, you mean?

Dangers of the environment aside, are the resources there enough to keep things afloat?

[He looks increasingly nervous as this conversation goes on, however. Talking to wizards is scary, okay?]

For the time being, yes, we have... enough in terms of food and the like...

[His eyes soften slightly in response to the fear. Not surprised, not judgemental. It's not the first intimidated face he's seen in the midst of good intentions, and he knows it will never be the last.]

That's a good start.

Any sick or injured? Has there been any incidents since Oz was last seen?

[He shakes his head.]

No, nobody's been ill or hurt lately. Incidents... it's hard to say, as isolated as our village is, but the village itself has been fine.

[There's a brief pause.]

Truthfully, I'm surprised we got an invitation to this ball, considering that.

...

Now why would something like that affect your invitation? Is the North not deserving as any others to ask for help?

[Blinks..

It looks like he wants to say something, before he reins it back in.]

No, it's just...

[He gestures, vaguely.]

It's not like the North has much sway on what happens in the rest of the world, a-and our village isn't nearly as big as the City of Ice, so I just... wonder...

Even a small piece can be just as important as a gaudy one. [His voice lowers.] Unless you think there was a more concerning reason behind the choice.

[He glances up at Solomon, his gaze seemingly fixed on something above his eyes, before he looks over through the crowd. It seems like his gaze stops on an older man with white hair, but then he turns his attention back to the wizard.]

Well, it's just, you know... The, the crown prince of Central would stop by our village quite a lot when he was living with Oz...

The Prince is one of those that are missing, right?

[Hm, that's a fun little wrinkle. Political entanglement... why would the prince be so far from the castle? Unless the royal family has problems with their child being magical...

Wouldn't be the first time, he supposes.]

Are you worried that the monarchy might view your people as responsible? How long ago was he with Oz, anyway?

[He nods.]

They could... I'm not sure. He was with Oz for some years—nearly ten all told, I believe...?

[He didn't see the prince much himself, truthfully.]

I was not even aware that little boy was the prince until recently, when one of our village enlisted the help of the Sage's wizards.

Then Oz kept a very important secret. I wonder why he didn't stay.

[Interesting things to chew on. If the prince was brought back, that still leaves the question of why Oz had him in the first place. And the prince came back later under the Sage, it sounds like? It doesn't sound like he had a bad welcome, just a surprised one...]

I could see why that would cause some unease, but not to the point of tensions... Does the monarchy interfere with any problems in your village, or is that completely on the wizards right now?

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