Intro Log: October 2020

[faileas]

Intro Log: October

I. ARRIVAL Out of nowhere, a glint of light catches your eye; your heart thunders in your ears as your body moves on its own, your mind consumed with inspecting the source. Your reflection stares back at you, just as curious from the surface - a mirror, a pool of water, your most trusted sword, something fleeting that your mind can barely remember - then ripples at your touch. A moment later, you feel a tug, and you find yourself stumbling into a dark, musty room. Behind you, a mirror stands ornately decorated with reminders of home wrought in brass and wood: the faces of people you know, and symbols important to you; all things that send a pang through your chest with the desire to return to them. Touching the mirror's surface does nothing but leave the stain of your fingerprints. When you turn to survey the room, you find there are hundreds of other mirrors. None of them are as decorated as yours - they're plain and dusty, speckled with age. Then you realize a second thing: You're not alone. Distantly, the ringing bell of a clocktower can be heard. But no matter its distance, the time is clear to make out: it chimes three times, stark, resonating like a pulse of something in this mirrored hall that you and many others have found yourselves in. For those familiar with magic, they might feel the power of the witching hour upon them, though it will feel different from what they're used to - in fact, everything does. You're certainly not the only ones here, however. On the first floor, with the doors wide open behind them in the foyer, is a small group headed by two individuals. As people begin to arrive, to come from the higher floor, they're waiting - and they're waiting for you, and your questions. Explore the rest of the mirrored halls you've now found yourselves in, or proceed to the foyer? Leaving the Looking-Glass House makes it obvious that the clock striking three was for 3 AM - the night sky is faintly cloudy, but the stars are dim in the face of two moons, even so close to the new moon as it is. The Looking-Glass House is rather nondescript two-story cottage made of grey brick, sitting at the edge of The Coven's courtyard; stones which glow as you step on them mark the path to and from the two buildings. While fairly small and plain on the outside, the inside has been enchanted to be the size of a large library, with hundreds upon hundreds of mirrors hanging, standing, and resting inside its walls. Some are broken, some are cracked, and some seem completely uninjured - but all of them are just as plain as the cottage itself, showing age in the silver beneath their glass and in the greening of their metals... Well, all except a character's personal mirror; to characters, one mirror - the one they came through - will be decorated lavishly with metal-and-wood-wrought reminders of home, and the surface will be as clear as a brand-new mirror.

II. THE WELCOME PARTY Whether you've decided to find a way out of the building you've arrived in, or decided to explore the rest of the Looking-Glass House - and perhaps finding a few familiar faces among the crowd - you feel a pull towards the foyer of the first floor. It's like a firm suggestion, as if to take you by the hand and draw you to where it begins, and the source of it becomes quite apparent upon finding one's way to the front room: a tall, comfortably-dressed older woman and her even taller wolfish companion, along with those which feel to resemble yourselves in a world-traversing sense: Mirrorbound, they're called. "My goodness. In the middle of the month! We weren't expecting you, we weren't!" The woman smiles broadly, with her Bonded glancing over the newly arrived and those who may have followed them in to volunteer explanations and assistance to the newest addition of their Mirrorbound bunch. "Let's get through the introductions, shall we? This here's Mhairi Ainsley, ambassador to the Parliament, and of course, my Bonded. And I'm Nerissa Bell, Head Witch of the Coven -- but you can just call me Miss Nessie, you can," she adds with a wink. "I know you must all be tired and confused after all that. We're here to help get you settled, dearest. Let me just..." With nothing more than a wave of her hand, rows of seats are summoned; despite their wooden nature, they're all sturdy and comfortable, filling the foyer and spreading out a ways into the lawn behind them, making room for all of the new arrivals as well as the previous batch. After all, they'll find this just as interesting. The Witches and Monsters that accompanied Nessie and Mhairi move to make room, and some disperse into the building itself to see if there's anyone who needs tending to. Mhairi steps forward as the chairs materialize. "Please, those who are able, join us for a moment. There are many questions that I'm sure you have. We will do our utmost best to answer them, and you may take any that we can't as a promise to find some sort of solution or answer." NOTE: If you wish to handwave interaction with Nessie and Mhairi, please comment here. All responses will be summarized answers rather than an IC thread. For those that'd like a more player-based interaction, Aefenglom has its own Welcome Wagon! These are players who've volunteered for the role, and those that didn't sign up may assist as well if they'd feel their character would -- have fun, and make friends. Additionally, those with notable injuries or sickness will be attended to ASAP by Coven-based witches, and should anyone be curious about what they are -- namely, if they have magic potential or not -- then this can be done during this and the general hour or so the new arrivals are within the Coven's grounds. There are ongoing classes on magic, monsters, and Bonding as well, though they take place more during the day than at night. Feel free to have your characters attend them at any time!

III. THE HAVEN After an hour or two of general chaos, questions that the natives attempt to help with, and injuries tended to for those who arrive in poor condition, it's time to make the trek to where you'll be staying. As you're leaving -- with Coven and/or Mirrobound escorts as guides -- you'll be given a peculiar-looking device. It's a very special watch, the native Witches explain, compliments of Parliament. These watches are passed around to all the new arrivals, who are given a quick rundown on their functions and encouraged to test them out when they can. They can even do it as they make their way out of the Coven's courtyard and to the Haven. Formerly part of the Aristocratic District, The Haven is just as well-kept and brightly-lit as the district it hails from. The houses err on the tall and ornamental side, large enough to fit several families (or, according to the upper class, their one family, several dozen servants, and guests), especially closest to the Aristocratic District. They become a little more modest and smaller as one gets away from the realm of high society and nearer to the Residential District proper. Newcomers are shuffled here and invited to find somewhere to live, free of cost. The Coven is currently handling expenses for the houses themselves in a program implemented by the Parliament, though if your character wishes to have anything extra -- like maids, chefs, and so on -- they'll have to pay for them with their own earned money. Much of the landscape and fixtures are the same as in the Aristocratic Districts, though it lacks formal emergency services. Much of the housing already has furnishing as well: standard items such as kitchenware, couches, beds, etc. were left behind by the relocated owners for those moving in. Though some are fairly newly-unoccupied, the dust on the floors of other houses suggests they were left long before the new arrivals even showed up -- a reminder that the Cwyld can strike just about anyone, regardless of standing. Another portion of this district has been opened up to the new arrivals: the barracks, the row of buildings pressed against the very edge of the Bright Wall. As the city's military force no longer has the same presence it previously did, the barracks have gone into disuse, and a cleanup effort has been in place since before the new arrivals came through the Looking-Glass House. For those who desire something a little less opulent, the barracks might just be the answer. The barracks can also be used for business, for a welcome center, a communal space, for anything that the residents of the Haven see fit to use them for -- so long as the legality isn't questionable, at least on the surface. To help with filling up the larger houses -- and even some of the smaller ones, or the shared rooms in the barracks -- the Coven put together a little roommate finding service, on a smaller scale from the grand opening of the Haven a while back. For those who aren't entirely sure who they want to shack up with, they have a small survey for them to fill out and post on the board they've magicked up in the center of The Haven. The board also very helpfully reads aloud each form for everyone to hear in a cheerful, monotone voice. It isn't able to be shut up, nor is it easy to ignore, being imbued with a kind of amplification magic. It simply reads the information you've offered up yourself -- or that someone might have written up for you, should that be their idea of fun.

Welcome to the intro log! While mingling on the log itself is highly encouraged, feel free to make your own logs if you prefer! The network system is free to use once characters have their watches as well; information on that can be found at the bottom of the Setting page, while any extra questions about it can be found in the FAQ index. Quests can be picked up throughout the month as well! While new characters will have to get settled in, you can go ahead and put your name on some by replying to the October's Quest Pickup thread on the Quest Board. Finally, if your character is getting into any Shenanigans or if you have any other questions, just let the mods know here!

Comments

d) after a beginners evocation class

[cyclopticsadist]

[After a new batch of arrivals, Niles always makes time to lurk around the classrooms as they're letting out. If Leo were to arrive here, the first place he would wind up would be the library, followed by the classroom. So while on the lookout for a familiar blonde head, he catches sight of Light. Taken aback, he scans the dispersing crowd again, looking for the puppet master, but sees him nowhere. What was L doing sending Light to school? Was he dabbling in new elements and too proud to be a beginner again? Possible. Was he just refining his skill at convincing lifelike illusions? Even with his new protection, the idea of L being able to fake a whole person successfully doesn't sit well with him.

He didn't think invisibility was a tool L had on his belt. If so it's more likely that the puppet's strings were just longer than he thought. He shadows Light, waiting to see L pop up to either play with his doll, dispel it, or whatever, but it doesn't happen. By the time Light has strayed from the busier streets Niles is fed up with pondering motives and decides to just ask. It was a good low stakes opportunity to test his new blade if things went south anyway. He speaks up from the shadows, tail swaying lazily from side to side as he comes closer.]

So can L see me through you, or does he use you like a recorder for lessons he doesn't feel like going to?

[worldcleansing]

[ At first, Light attributes the confusion of the question to being surprised. He didn't expect to be approached when a world where only one person presumably knows him. The second striking detail is that this person uses L's 'real' name as opposed to Linden.

Even after spinning the question over in his head, the confusion remains. How does this man know their connection? Why would he assume Light's a stand-in for L? ]

I'll be upset if I learn anyone can see through me.

[ Bonded as that may be, that isn't supposed to be possible.

Ah, this person also knows Light came from class. He's been followed. That adds a layer of danger to the question. ]

Those are odd questions to ask a stranger.

[cyclopticsadist]

[Niles clicks his tongue in an annoyed sort of way.]

Well I've met you before even if you don't remember. I guess each time he casts you you start fresh.

[He tilts his head to the side, putting Light more squarely in the center of his vision. That confusion was a lot more nuanced than the stock, almost blank, reactions he'd gotten from the illusion last time he'd probed it. Could it be-? His face cracks into a smile and he gives an apologetic little nod.]

But nevermind that, my apologies. [He offers his left hand for a shake.] Welcome to Aefenglom, I'm Niles.

[worldcleansing]

I'm Light.

[ Still somewhat confused but gaining confidence, he reaches to shake the offered hand. ]

But it's not something I can ignore. I don't think we've met, and I don't know what you mean when you say 'he casts me'.

[ That isn't something he can gloss over. ]

[cyclopticsadist]

[And he won't have to. Niles tests his growing theory that this Light is the original rather than the imitation by using his right hand to unsheathe the spectral dagger from the tattoo on the inside of his forearm. His grip tightens on Light's hand and he pulls him forward with a jerk. He glides the dagger across Light's throat, but passes through his very real flesh harmlessly.

He drops Light's hand, takes a step back lets out a short cackle of laughter. He drops his weapon and it vanishes like smoke on the wind. The motion of his tail becomes jerkier, more irregular.]

It was my mistake. I've met an illusion of you. That's what I meant by casting. [His smile widens.] But you're the real deal, huh? I have to admit I'm curious to see how you're different from the puppet.

[worldcleansing]

[ With wide eyes, Light stumbles back, a hand going to his throat. There's no pain, no blood, no interruption in his breathing; he's fine. The shock of it keeps his eyes wide. ]

If his illusion of me allowed you to cut its throat, nothing at all.

[ What was this man? He pretends to cut through Light's throat and then casually moves on in conversation?

The hand drops, but brown eyes take the time to assure there's no blood. ]

A conversation would have given you the same results.

[ Horror causes Light to miss the initial implication. L cast illusions of him? Why? Did he use Light's image for things? He did know Illusion magic. Who else assumed they'd met him before? It's definitely something they'll have to discuss when he makes it home. ]

[cyclopticsadist]

[Niles crosses his arms and leans against the wall, deliberately opting for a nonthreatening pose.]

But I would have wasted a chance to test out my new toy. [From what he'd seen between L and his mannequin, he knows that they're relationship is...complex to say the least. He settles into a more serious tone. This could be an enemy of my enemy situation. Or it could be the same kind of time bomb M had been, with a calmer face. For now he offers only vague information that was was already certainly public.] We have bad blood, and I recently got a ward against his illusions. Forgive me for assuming you were fake.

[worldcleansing]

[ Bad blood? Considering L's personality, he's likely made many enemies, but Light's mind flashes to a thin line running down his fingers. Just as the number of enemies may be high, the extent is also large. Without knowing the extent of their bad blood, how important Niles considers Light to L, and whether or not he'd see Light as a way to get to L, he has to proceed with caution. After all, as a human who hasn't been here for a month yet, he's among the more vulnerable population.

Still unhappy with the situation, he does force his body to relax. It really wasn't a real knife. ]

I just ask that if you have questions, just ask next time. A knife, even a magic one, doesn't have to be what gives you the answer.

[ He sighs. ]

Why are you fighting with him?

[cyclopticsadist]

A more than reasonable request. [Not actually a confirmation that knives won't continue to be a part of his communication. He's got to leave his options open.]

I'm not, anymore. [He gestures to his inner arm again.] This was part of a compromise. So far peace is holding. [The corner of his lip curls right in synch with his tail. His single eye travels up and down Light. The unsaid but now here you are hangs in the air. He legitimately doesn't want that to change, but if it's going to shift the equation he wants to be ahead of it, not playing on the defensive.]

[worldcleansing]

[ Light notices the wording. A slippery man. He'll have to be careful around him. ]

If you're worried I'm going to change that, I won't. I don't know you, or what started your feud, but if you've found a compromise, it sounds safer for both of you.

It sounds like you're still suspicious. I'll talk to him about the projections for my own reasons so if you see me, it's really me.

[ Who is this man? What threat does he pose? ]

It's probably better if we start over, this time without the knife.

[cyclopticsadist]

Oh, I'll know next time. His imitation was much...[He takes a moment to find the right word. The tone and cadence of the voice really was spot on, but the illusion wasn't aware the way this one was. L had once thrown an empty bottle at its feet during a particularly bad Friday and the false Light didn't even flinch.]...flatter. I just needed to make sure he hadn't suddenly made leaps and bounds with his illusion skills.

[He nods and holds up both hands, the universal 'I'm not armed' gesture. It's undercut a little by the claws at the tip of each finger, but at least the tattoo on his left forearm is inert for the moment. Nothing more than ink on skin. His right hand and forearm, (now finally exposed from under Niles' half cape), are marked by several large scars. Not puncture or laceration wounds, but a strange, irregularly branching pattern of burns.]

Agreed. [He crosses his arms again, returning to a more comfortable pose.] I'd just like to know one thing first; Are you really his friend?

[worldcleansing]

[ If Niles attacks Light, there's no question who will win. No matter how confident he may be in himself, the man has almost half a foot on him, a lot more muscle, and claws that would slice through skin easier than a knife. While it isn't something he considers of everyone he meets, Light knows him to be L's enemy and someone willing to attack should he need to. ]

I am.

[ Maybe that isn't the exact truth, but it's a much shorter, less confusing answer. He and L are more than friends, more than enemies, but without a title that really matches.

In spite of his suspicions, his voice isn't hostile. Light knows that if he replies with hostility, he's more likely to have it returned. ]

Should I be offended that it wasn't obvious from whatever he projected?

[cyclopticsadist]

[Niles chuckles.]

No, I just know he's a liar. A lot of what he did with his little copy seemed like...[Niles' tail flicks back and forth behind him as a hand goes to his chin, as he pauses both for emphasis and to find a suitably suggestive phrase.] wish fulfillment, fantasy. Winning lofty debates, getting attention from someone he needed, enjoying your companionship.

[The teasing lilt in his voice makes it clear what he's hinting at. Niles never saw L using the construct to get him off, but he can spot an unhealthy fixation from a mile away, and knows first hand the kind of appetites L has, whether he's willing to admit to them or not. Whether or not he ever actually crossed that line doesn't really matter to Niles. The important part is that, to his eye, it was clear that L wanted to. He wants to know if Light knows it too. He wants to know if Light wants it too.]

[worldcleansing]

[ Misa had her uses, and an expected one is that she's prepared Light for this. He's not someone who embarrasses easily, even when confronted with something like this. After all, no part of him believes L was projecting his image in order to have sex. The L Light knows didn't even have a lot of interest in sex. Things have changed here, but that doesn't seem like something that would shift.

Light is wrong, but he doesn't know that.

It's also obvious that Niles is trying to use him to dig at L. This is a mind game, and Light's very good at games. ]

If what you're implying is true, seeing it would mean you're closer to him than I am. Missing somebody doesn't imply any kind of specific companionship.

[cyclopticsadist]

[Good poker face on this one. Just makes him want to press harder until it cracks.

He's right, they are positively perversely close. Which means he knows exactly what he was looking at when L turned to the false Light at night for fleeting and unsatisfying comfort. The games he played with his toy were the same ones he tried to set up with Niles while satisfying his thirst for "justice". But he holds his tongue. A little voice that sounds not unlike Azura yells something about cats and curiosity. Light was...stable in a way Mello clearly wasn't. That's what mattered here, not the messy details of some drama worlds away. He relaxes a little.]

Maybe, maybe not. [He shrugs. Feel free to ignore him.] I'm just telling you what I saw.

[worldcleansing]

[ A lot of people are stable in a way Mello wasn't. ]

If you really think there was something like that between us, I'll offer a correction: there wasn't. We're friends, that's all.

[ While that may not be the truth, they really hadn't moved in that direction.

Yet. ]

If you're trying to make a friend of his feel uncomfortable, that's not going to work either. Even if it's not something I plan to talk about with a stranger, both of us are too old to get embarrassed by the topic.

[cyclopticsadist]

[Niles again has to hold himself back. Too old to get embarrassed? Light hasn't even seen a fraction of how embarrassing Niles can be. If he started spilling all the dirty details he knows he bets he could get Light's face to match his tie. Or turn him green depending on how strong his stomach is. But he clenches his jaw through a smile, and tones himself down. For now.]

Oh, I believe you. Like I said, those lonely nights reeked of fantasy. He'd never be honest enough about himself or another to actually act on his more unappealing appetites. [He thinks back over the last few months, the kinds of hunger he's helped L slake.] At least, not without an invitation.

[worldcleansing]

They were lonely, but with an audience who can tell me about it?

[ To Light, who has only known L to be someone who actively disliked the human touch, this is clearly Niles' attempt to mess with someone who's claimed a friendship with L. The friend of my enemy is someone I'd like to see squirm. ]

Is there a reason you want me to think Linden's created illusions of me to satisfy some loneliness you think he's feeling? You said you were curious how I told up to the illusion, but I doubt this topic is giving you a very good comparison.

[cyclopticsadist]

[Niles gives a short huff of breath and pushes off the wall, taking half a step towards the exit of the alleyway. Light wasn't going to keep letting him take shots without probing him for information, so he'd better be on his way.]

I was just trying to do you a favor. If someone were using my likeness without my knowledge I'd want to know what they were up to, but to each their own.

[He turns his back on Light, heading out of the alleyway without another word.]

[worldcleansing]

[ Keep your friends close and your enemies closer; it's cliche but still holds some water. He and Niles aren't active enemies, not yet, but there's a chance they will be. And if they're not? Everyone Light has met that knows of L thinks very highly of him. This is a chance for him to get another view. ]

I'm glad you told me about the illusions. I'm going to talk to Linden about it when I get home. I just have trouble believing he'd use it for the reason you think.

Do you hold my friendship with him against me?

[cyclopticsadist]

[Niles stops, ears swiveling back but not his face. He tilts his head. Wanting to know if he was on Niles good side, even after all that prodding. Interesting.

He chuckles, finally tossing Light a glance over his shoulder.]

Not yet. His bonded Myr and I are generally on good terms. [Connor on the other hand. His smile wanes but doesn't die.] My thoughts of you depend on your actions towards me, simple as that.

[worldcleansing]

[ More than a good side, Light wants to know if they're starting with a semi-blank slate or from a place of hatred. Hatred would make him more dangerous than he seems to be naturally. There's already an aura about him that says it's probably not too safe to turn you back to him when walking down a dark alley. ]

If you're free, walk with me to the library. I'm curious. I don't think I've met a monster like you before. Chimera?

[cyclopticsadist]

[Exiting class to head immediately to the library? No wonder they were friends.

Niles briefly considers a flippant and dramatic exit, but Light's willingness to engage with him still is intriguing. The fact that Light is interested in his physical changes wins him over. He hadn't been flustered much by his earlier insinuations, but how would he handle the advances coming directly at him? Niles twists his torso to face Light, a potentially unnerving display of feline flexibility.]

I am.

[Then he straightens himself out to fully face Light once more.]

Although we're more common than you might think. If you've got a consistent color scheme some of us are easy enough to confuse with turnskin.

[worldcleansing]

[ With casual steps, Light moves to close the distance and catch up with Niles. ]

I'm sure they are. Since I'm new, a lot of things are still pretty rare for me. I'll get used to them in time.

[ There's still a lot of things for Light to learn, a lot of things to familiarize himself with. He's working on it, but he can only manage so much in a short time. ]

There's a lot of different forms for every monster so it's not always easy to tell right away. Is your change something that bothers you to talk about?

[ It seems to have traumatized some people. ]

[cyclopticsadist]

[He falls into step just half a pace behind Light, still easily within comfortable conversational distance, but clearly letting Light take the lead. He of course knows where the library is, (knows more than a few routes to, in, and around it even), but he's interested to know how familiar Light is with the city. At that question he lets out a low chuckle.]

Absolutely not. I'm more than happy to- [Here, his tail swings broadly around, trailing up the outside of Light's outside leg with a little shiver just for flare.] -indulge your curiosity.