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lunaecalamitas2024-04-18 11:41 pm
promittere) wrote in lunaecalamitas2024-04-18 11:41 pm
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.
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.
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.
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.
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...
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[ Tatara's face lights up so much at that, he practically sparkles at the thought. He immediately sets anything he was holding down, takes on a dramatic thinking pose, and lets his mind roam the world map. ]
Hmm... If I had to pick out special milk...then there's probably a plant or animal we could get from, say...the Forest of Dreams, that might have a special effect to it, too...
[ He doesn't know if it'd be good, but it sure would be hallucinogenic. ]
But! [ He holds out a finger, and lowers his voice in the most dramatic fashion possible. ] It's going to be dangerous. You'll have to protect both of us, otherwise we'll both die out there. The North is cold, and the Forest of Dreams is toxic. Would you be ready to brave the toxic cold, Akira-san?!
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[What are you thinking, Tatara? You're the adult here! Encouraging an innocent young boy like Akira to trip out on hallucinogenic cow milk is wild as hell, but he's down to clown.]
Ooh, scary scary. Be a good boy and say behind big, strong Akira, okay? I don't want our Sensei getting hurt on my watch.
[Or anyone's, for that matter. Akira's already up on his feet and padding around the kitchen in eager circles while jotting down a mental list of items to prepare for their trip.]
You busy? We can head out after I grab some supplies.
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Roger that, Akira-san! [ He gives a little play salute. Tatara might know things, but he'd shrivel and die the moment he step foot in the North alone. He's glad he's got the big (?) and strong (?) Akira to protect him. ]
I'll go get ready, then. Come get me in my room when you're done.
[ He's about to leave, when he whirls around again, steps into Akira's personal space, and says quietly: ]
Oh, don't tell Laz. [ There's a mischievous twinkle in his eye. ] He'd probably kill both of us if he found out we were going North.
feel free to timeskip us
...You mean Wanderer? Sure. I'm good at keeping secrets.
[He'll ask about that nickname later. For now, Akira claps Tatara on the shoulder and breaks away to make his preparations. When he comes to collect him, Akira's donned his winter coat, his weapons tucked away. He knocks on the door and extends his open palm to Tatara with a flourish. Magic man, take him by the hand...]
Shall we, m'Totsuka?
timeskips ur ass
When the door opens, Tatara is wearing his winter coat, a cozy knitted scarf, a hat, and a bright smile. ]
Yeah! Let's go!
[ They both know where the tower is at this point. Akira will have seen the process of someone dropping in a mana stone into the elevator and pulling the lever; the box inside rattling as it moves.
As they wait, Tatara turns to him with a bright, beaming smile. ]
This is so exciting! I've never been to the North before!
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Akira can hardly contain his excitement. This is a bad idea and they both know it somewhere deep in their hearts, but is that going to stop either of them? He turns to Totsuka with a grin.]
Wouldn't that mean you have no idea what to expect? What if we get hurt?
[Does Akira sound the least bit worried about getting hurt? He should, but he doesn't.]
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[ Tatara puts his finger to his chin in mock thought, but then goes with his usual response for these things. ]
It's fine! It'll work out!
[ Ding! Elevator's here!
And after what feels like a relatively short ride...
The doors roll open, and they're both immediately hit with a frigid blast of Northern air. Tatara immediately huddles into himself, and shuts his eyes. This cold is lethal without protection. Quick Akira, do something! ]
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[Fuck, fuck, fuck, it's cold—!]
S-s-stay behind me, Totsuka—!
[Akira erects a magical barrier to isolate them from the cold! Yay! Ha ha ha... Yay!!]
...Whew. We probably should've checked the forecast before we headed out. [what forecast] Take my hand, O Sage of Sages. I wouldn't want you wandering off and getting lost.
[Or maybe he just wants Totsuka close in case his magic betrays him and he needs backup..............]
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Tatara hops behind him and huddles in his shadow, though he'll grab his hand anyway. (This is what he's here for, after all.)
At least they're shielded from the cold. Tatara scans his memory of the world map and calls over the howling wind: ]
I think the Forest of Dreams is straight east from here!
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[Damn, should've brought a compass. Akira starts off in what he assumes is that direction... buuut he doesn't get too far before glancing back at Tatara over his shoulder. He thinks he sees lush forestry a ways ahead of them, but Tatara is the expert here, at least in theory.]
That's it, right? Why do they call it the Forest of Dreams anyway?
cw suicide mention
When Akira glances at him, Tatara looks up. ]
You didn't look it up? [ He teases. ] The trees apparently emit some kind of...toxic poison? It's fatal without protection. But the toxins are supposed to make people who inhale it have nice dreams...
[ He goes quiet for a moment. ]
Dying people go there to have nice dreams before they go.
[ He huddles a little more, trudging in the snow. ]
Can we fly, Akira-san?
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What are the chances we'll stumble upon a dead body or two?
[
maybe they'll run into jake paul thereThis is beginning to sound like a bad idea, but surely a Sage-sanctioned trip can't possibly go wrong. Affirming his grip on the neck of his broom, Akira kicks it into gear, mentally shifting into leader mode.]
Be prepared to fight if necessary. Don't take any unnecessary risks.
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helpTatara quickly hops on behind Akira's broom, ducking behind him to shield himself from the wind. One hand grabs onto the back of Akira's shirt, while the other clings to the broom. ]
We might.
[ Said nonchalantly... Ah, imagine if Tatara had a normal response to the prospect of death. ]
But, Akira-san... [ HMM. Maybe he should have said this beforehand. Oops. ] I actually don't fight, so...please protect me.
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He takes off, braving the winds to guide them towards the forest.]
Why not? Is that by choice, or do you not know how?
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[ He tries to chuckle, but it probably gets lost in the whipping of the wind. ]
And by the rules of this world, that means I can't use magic.
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[Fucked up if true!!]
What are these rules, exactly?
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[ Is that the answer...
Tatara tries to get a peek at Akira over his shoulder. ]
I'm not sure what the sage's power is supposed to be. I can give boosts, I can summon wizards, but...I'm not sure what else I'm supposed to do?
[ No one told him! ]
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[He's human too, sir! What a fucked up world this is.]
Maybe you're like the king in a game of chess. You're the most important piece on the board, but the other pieces are charged with protecting you and acting on your behalf. If they expected you to do anything else, they should've given you a manual.
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[ He sighs. Technically he can look at what the previous sages have written, but they're not much better off than him.
And too bad this is too early in canon for him to have the conductor analogy.]I guess my real job is to lead you in the fight against the calamity. But I just hope we don't have to.
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thought that was going to say "too bad tatara never learned how to read"Akira can't exactly reach back and give Totsuka a reassuring pap on the shoulder right now, but it's in the tone of his voice, warm and just a little gentle.]
Guide us well and we'll win against any enemy. Just focus on the here and now. Speaking of now...
[...Here they are! Le forest.]
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wow he made it thru 9th grade ok]Oh, there it is.
[ Good thing Tatara can read, right! Because at least he knows what comes next. ]
First the cold, and now the toxin. I don't want either of us to die. Protect us, please!
[ More magits!!!
As they get closer, they can see the colorful crystals that dot the forest, adding an eerie glow to the dim, empty area. The trees look a little different here, too. It's obvious they're different from the regular ones up here... ]
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[Akira casts another barrier around them, this one against toxins. The forest is beautiful to be sure, but like most beautiful things in nature, they tend to be the most deadly.
Akira smiles at Tatara over his shoulder.]
Keep your eyes out for anything that looks even vaguely milkable. Living mushrooms aren't safe from us either.
[If them shrooms got udders, Akira's gonna milk 'em. Dismounting from his broom, Akira takes the lead, his initial steps cautious, eyes sweeping around the periphery of the forest. Even the air here feels different.]
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Er... [ Thinking... ] Like soybeans?
[ He huddles close behind Akira. Kya!
There's a path that stretches down to their left that looks particularly lush. He pokes at his back and points. ]
That way might be promising.
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[There are animals here, right? If there aren't, Akira will settle for soybeans, but he came here on a mission to harvest some good old-fashioned titty milk. Their future lattes are counting on them to bring home the goods.
Akira sets off down the path Tatara points out, scanning the treetops as they walk.]
...This place smells weird and it's only getting weirder as we go. How safe is this place?
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Good thing Akira is looking at the trees, because he definitely doesn't want to see the smile on his face at the question. ]
Not very.
[ Ahaha... ]
We'd probably die if we're not careful.
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