Intro Log: November & Event: Nothing to Be Drone About It

[faileas]

Intro Log: November & Event: Nothing to Be Drone About It

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 others have found yourselves in, along with... several items, perhaps even creatures scattered across the floor around other mirrors? 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. 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. "Just a few of you this month, hm? Don't mind the junk across the floor where you came out, someone is sorting that!" The woman sets her hands on her hips, with her Bonded casting a glance at those looking confused - newly arrived - and those who may have followed them in to talk to the newest addition of their mirrorbound bunch. "About time for introductions though- this here's Mhairi Ainsley, ambassador to the Parliament and my Bonded, and I'm Nerissa Bell, Head Witch of the Coven - but you can just call me Miss Nessie, you can," she adds, winking. "The lot of you must be as tired and confused as the last batch - hullo to those who've joined us, too! - so just a moment, dearests, I'll set all you right up—" 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 interact with Nessie and Mhairi, please comment here for a handwaved, summarized answer to your character's burning questions. 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 - if they have magic potential, or if they swing a different way - 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 a trek to where you'll be staying while Nessie and Mhairi continue to search for a solution to the situation. As you're leaving with a few Bonded for guides, peculiar-looking devices - watches, the native Witches explain, compliments of Parliament - are passed around to all the new arrivals; they're given a quick rundown on their functions and bid 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 - 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 themselves 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 due to its roots as part of a district that already did. Much of the housing already has furnishing due to the speed at which homeowners were relocated; they were given enough time to collect their valuables, but standard furniture such as kitchenware, couches, beds, etc. were left behind for those moving in. Other houses appear the same, but the dust on the floors suggest these houses were left 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 it for - so long as the legality isn't questionable, on the surface. To help with filling up the larger houses - and even some of the smaller ones, and the shared rooms in the barracks - the Witches put together a little roommate finding service, on a smaller scale from the grand opening of the Haven. 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 reads simply the information you've offered up yourself, or that someone might have written up for you, should that be their idea of fun.

IV. Nothing to Be Drone About It While a handful of mirrors in the Looking Glass House at 3 am on the 15th spat out people - new Mirrorbound or perhaps returned Mirrorbound - many other mirrors poured forth items or small creatures, all on their own. The night cleaner resigns himself to a long night as he has to deal with mess and confused folk, but he isn't terribly surprised. It was around this time last year that something similar happened with the mirrors. They may not understand it, but it looks like it may be a pattern, relics of the Mirrorbound's lives reaching out to them from home as gift or curse. The night cleaner fetches Miss Nessie to handle the arrival of a handful of new Mirrorbound, and then returns to start tidying up everything else. Luckily, she assigns him some help in the form of a young Witch named Emmelie, eager to prove herself. Not wanting to crowd the Looking Glass House, in the ensuing hours, she turns to an invention of hers to sort out the stuff littering the room with the mirrors. The goal, of course, is to get each item back to its rightful owner, and she firmly believes in better living through magic innovation! Unfortunately, it becomes clear fairly soon that Emmelie's brass flying saucers, which she had hoped would effortlessly deliver each item based on magical signature matching, could use a little... fine-tuning. The big saucers complete with six segmented mechanical 'arms' to hold the cargo in place are persistent as they zip around the city, often trying to take the shortest path to their programmed destination - whether it means they bump endlessly into barriers such as walls, get stuck on rooftops or in the River Temese, or knock over people, natives and Mirrorbound alike, who happen to be in their flight path. Some of them end up at the wrong Mirrorbound, and bump incessantly into them until they take the offered item, uncaring if they're who it belongs to or not. Of course, some deliveries go smoothly, exactly as they are intended to, but... they're in the minority. By the early afternoon, Emmelie is sending out a voice message that can be heard by Mirrorbound anywhere in the city, her young voice panicked as she explains what happened with her inventions and your mementos of home, adding at the end: "Ahh, it's such a mess! Look, you've got to help me, and please don't tell Miss Nessie, she'll never trust me with anything important ever again! I'll owe all of you so much if you'll just help find and return everything to where it needs to go!"

Welcome to November's combo Intro Log and event! While mingling on the log itself is highly encouraged, feel free to make your own logs. 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 as well right over here at November's Quest Pickup thread. Finally, if your character is getting into any Shenanigans, let the mods know and if you have any questions about the log, ask them here!

Comments

i

[bloomly]

( she's fidgeting, a small bundle of energy that seems hardly contained as she perches at the end of her seat, waiting for her chance to pulse forward with questions--and then thinks better of it, deciding that there are some things she'd rather not know; and, comparatively, some things she thinks may be better that she doesn't know, some things that are better off not having answers to. there's no one here that she really recognizes, outside of the girl who explored the mirror room with her, and the sinking realization that maybe this isn't the city that she dreamed about makes her gaze fall to where her knees press together, steadying herself with a breath.

until she gives the room another glance, and her heart leaps up into her throat. )

Tifa!

( she doesn't care if it's loud, doesn't care if her voice startles a group chatting softly near her, or that one of the witches gives her a Look like she's meant to quiet down--she pushes up from her chair, moving gently through the crowd, past all the rows and the people, offering her quiet apologies until she's finally standing in front of the girl she saw from across the room, with her bright red eyes and her lips pursed as though trying to take in the entirety of the room at once.

she gives her a once over, as though reassuring that she's not injured--and not about to be, when she tosses her arms around her shoulders and pulls her in for a hug, one that she stands up on her toes to really feel, balancing with little back and forth steps until she finally flattens back down and lets her go. )

I'm so glad you're here... ( there's an immediate relief in her voice, peering at her, before she offers a sheepish sort of smile. ) Are you okay? Did you come through the mirror too?

( and then, softly, like she doesn't want to be overheard-- ) They said this place... What did they tell you the name of the city was?

[somersaulting]

[ She's barely been a part of the group for a minute - she hasn't even had a chance to sit down - when she hears a familiar voice call her name, and where anxiety had taken a firm grip of her heart, relief now floods in; her eyes dart toward the sound and a smile finds her lips when she sees Aerith pushing past people to reach her, despite the dirty looks her friend gets in the process.

And then they're right next to each other; Aerith's arms tug, and Tifa's own hold finds her in turn, arms circling her friend's torso as she's pulled in close. Her eyes close, her head dips, and it's not until the other steps back that she does too, that small smile still curving her lips upward. There's something decidedly unhappy about their situation, about the fact that they're stuck somewhere so clearly far away from home, but having the other here makes it feel better somehow.

She nods. ]

Mm, yeah. I'm okay. I came through the mirror... kind of just now. What about you?

[ She hasn't even had a proper chance to sit down and learn about their situation, or what this place is - where this place is - or why they're here. Is it their fault? Did their battle against the Whispers cause this, somehow? It doesn't make sense... but neither does anything else about their situation.

Tifa sighs, shaking herself out of her thoughts, her hands coming up to take Aerith's. ]

I don't know anything about where we are. That's what this... meeting is for, right?

[ She knows that they should sit down and listen, try to understand better, but there's a nervousness that wants her to keep on the move, too, wants to grab Aerith and get out of here, find somewhere safer - if somewhere safer exists.

In the end, all she can do is offer the other a small, helpless smile. ]

What do you think?

[bloomly]

They were talking, already, actually...

( she lets tifa take her hands, though there's some part of her that wants to put her arms around her again, wants to sandwich her in against the wall as if she could be some bodily shield from whatever the rest of the room may want with her, despite the fact that no one has seemed dangerous at all. outside of all the strange explanations, and even stranger implications of this world, everyone has been relatively kind and polite, understanding even to the oddest of questions, but there's still this vague sense of discomfort at being in a strange town in a strange world, and she doesn't want tifa to have to suffer at all.

so she squeezes her hands, looking at them--and wonders if she's supposed to say any of this, or if it will just sound ridiculous. she decides she's better off trusting her friend, than keeping it buried down inside. maybe someone like cloud wouldn't be able to handle this--but tifa's always been so good at listening to her. )

This city, I've... I've heard of it. In a dream.

( nervous, her eyes flicker up--and then go back down again to their hands. )

I was here. And I was with... I was with someone I haven't seen in a very long time. The first person I fell in love with.

But then, that dream... maybe it...

( there's a soft shake of her head, like she's afraid to say it out loud. )

Do you think I did this? Did I take us here, after the battle...?

[somersaulting]

[ The shake of Aerith's head is answered with a shake of Tifa's in return, a firmer grasp on the other's hands. There's no way she would ever blame her for this, not even when just a moment she was wondering if perhaps it's something they all did together. The other woman thinks she's seen the place before, but that doesn't mean anything, not really - that's just the kind of thing Aerith does, like when she knew to look for Marlene before Tifa could even find the words. And so she shakes her head again, more firmly this time, a gentle resolution in her eyes. ]

It's not your fault, Aerith.

[ Wouldn't it be good if Tifa could give her answers? Could reassure her beyond saying those words? But she knows nothing at all, and so can only repeat words she's already spoken, thoughts she's already visited. ]

I don't know why we're here, but... if you brought us, we'd all be here together, right? [ She gestures around them: a room full of strangers, no Cloud or Barret or Red XIII in sight. (No Cloud. It's a feeling that twists in her gut, an anxiety that goes unvoiced.) ] But it looks like it's just you and me.

[ Tifa finds a smile, twines her fingers around Aerith's, and she doesn't know that the other is feeling protective, only that she is, and she hates that the other woman is worried about her part in this. ]

We'll figure this out. Together.

[bloomly]

Maybe, but...

( her gaze goes out to the room, where tifa gestures, but she's right: there's no fluffy head of blond hair, no large, broad shoulders, not even the puff of a tail winding out from the crowd. there's just a sea of strangers, and then, when she looks back, there's tifa; tifa, who is kind enough to smile at her, who sets aside all of those feelings she must be having and tries, for her sake, to be brave.

and she should be brave, too. she curves her lips up, effortless, answers the smile with one of her own and shakes her head again, squeezing pointedly at tifa's hand. they can figure it out as long as they stick together; they can walk the path they're meant to, can find the way through. even if it's her fault that they're here. )

It doesn't matter. I have you, and I won't let you out of my sight, okay?

( and if something tries to break them apart, well--hell hath no fury like an aerith scorned. )

First thing's first, though... If you talk to the people over there, they'll tell you what you're meant to be in this place. I thought it was a joke, but apparently there's... Monsters. Monsters, and witches, and this whole city is full of them.