Event Log: May, Arrivals from Distant Lands

[faileas]

Event Log: May, Arrivals from Distant Lands

I. Boaltinn Down The Hatches It makes for a soggy celebration when Boaltinn arrives with the first day of Maiuril, and so too arrives a massive thunderstorm, sudden and quite unexpected. The rain alternates between coming down in sheets and coming down merely steadily, leaving large puddles on the sides of the streets and raising the water level in the River Temese (to most Merrows' joy, though the lightning flashing in the sky periodically has them worried). Boaltinn celebrations usually involve bonfires scattered through the city, where feasting and dancing and leaping over the flames take place, but it's harder this year. A few are still lit to herald summer's arrival, set up under makeshift coverings, but there are grumblings among the people that it's just not the same and it's a right bad omen. There is a call to help mitigate some of the minor flooding, and anyone with an open garden will find it vastly overwatered, but the storm, for those in Aefenglom, is a dreary inconvenience more than anything. Elsewhere, some others only wish they could say that. a. The Efthymia (4th Wall Characters' Arrival) The last thing you remember before the raging sea is your home, and a glimpse of your reflection. Maybe in a mirror, in a puddle on the ground, in the corner of a windowpane, anything reflective, you stopped and glanced, for just a moment, and then- Then there is only being bandied about on the waves, the storm churning the sea around you, salt water stinging your eyes and splashing up your nose and mouth. It's hard to tell which way is down or up as the wave rises, carrying you with it, literally tossing you through the wind and rain to land heavily on the wooden deck of a rocking ship, coughing and sputtering. There are others like you, all around you, in a similar sad, soggy state, and there are also strange people the likes of which you have likely never seen, staring at you like you've grown three heads. Men and women in loose, belted clothing, often without sleeves, the light fabric stuck wetly to their bodies. Some have tall, proud horns decorated in shining metals and jewels. Others, green-skinned, have heads covered in leaves. Some have flowing hair of water or silvery wind whipping about their winged feet. Animal features, fangs, claws, feathered wings, at least half the people around you are not human, and the other half? Almost every one of them has some small, glowing, intangible creature following them, taking orders, helping out with bursts of spellwork. After their moment of shock, a few more experienced strangers who speak a language you can understand (unlike many of them) are quick to usher you and your soggy fellows down below deck, out of the rain, to give you hot drinks and towels, assuring you that all will be well, their Sylphs and Harpies have spotted land, a harbor, very close by and they're making for it right now. The Undines and Merrows are guiding the ship. Stay in the belly of the ship away from the storm if you want, but you might be experiencing the very beginnings of your burgeoning magic or strange, Monstrous changes, and if you can help out any, they won't say no. b. The Newcomers The ship, named the Efthymia and bearing a carved Merrow figurehead on its bow, practically limps toward the Harbor the last stretch of the way, as the storm breaks on the dawn of the 4th. They have suffered heavy damages, and need a little help docking safely. The Coven is on the scene, alerted by sailors in the Harbor District, who pointed out that the ship looks like one from Neahealand (as Aefenglomites call it), a series of islands to the south - a rare sight around Aefenglom these days. Those who can swim and those who can fly are encouraged to help out in pulling the half-wrecked ship the rest of the way to the Harbor, helped along by their own people, Harpies and Merrows and odd, pale people with wings on their feet, who carry the breeze with them. Others will be needed to help care for any wounded, or start assessing the damage to their ship. They're not expecting the others on board. Aefenglom has seen one batch of untraditional Mirror-unbound from a year before, and it's easy to recognize that they don't belong with the Neahealanders, so as the original inhabitants of the ship and the newcomers disembark onto not-currently-dry land, they're ushered off separately and directed to the Coven for orientation, and to have a chance at finding friends or family members who might already be here. Mirrorbound are all sent a message through their Watches, and asked by Nessie to play tour guide, to help the newcomers get fresh clothes and hot meals and find places to stay. And, if they can, to try to begin to explain to them where they find themselves now. If experience proves correct, these newcomers will start changing into Monsters, or developing their magic, very soon - if they haven't already. c. The Other Newcomers The original inhabitants of the Efthymia pour into the Harbor District, close to 150 of them soon taking up most of the available inn space and then some, drinking in the taverns with a sort of cheer despite their wrecked ship, and enjoying their first time on dry land in close to six months. Most of them don't speak the language common to Geardagas, or only a smattering of it, but a handful do, those who had been sailors or merchants before they set sail, and any of them will tell their tale for a beer. They come from an archipelago to the south, a land they call Diasteros, the jeweled isles. A lovely place, before the Cwyld came a decade or more ago. No one knows exactly how, whether it came with traders, or spread through the sea, or was cursed upon them by some vengeful force of nature, but it spread, eventually forcing them onto one island out of many. Boxed in, their group, the ones on the ship, set sail looking for a better life elsewhere, about six months ago. Hey, maybe they could stay here? What would you think about that, fella? Think your city would go for it? They're willing to answer questions about the strange Monsters with them, the Aeternae and the Sagani and the Dryads, who were never seen on Geardagas before now, but were common enough on Diasteros. The Witches among them can answer questions about their glowing, spirit-like Phylaxes. About the ship, about their home, about their mission to find a new place to settle. Unfortunately, they have no answers about the strangers that literally washed up on their decks! Weird, innit? How about another beer?

II. A Busy Coven With everything that's happened just recently, between the recent miraculous return of the Dryads to Geardagas, the Diasterans from the damaged ship, and the extra Mirrorbound who do not have mirrors, who will no doubt experience their changes and growing magic very rapidly (always a recipe for disaster!), the Coven is a busy place these days. There always seems to be something going on, day or night, and there are always people, Witches and Monsters alike, bustling about with armfuls of books or papers or in some cases, large potted plants or cauldrons of strange-colored, bubbling potions. (The Coven teaches many kinds of magic.) Attending these classes is optional, but highly encouraged. They all welcome drop-ins, no appointments or sign-ups needed, and even if the subject isn't directly relevant to you, they won't kick you out. It's important to know as much as possible in this world, so you stand less of a chance of hurting yourself and others, or so you can help others as much as yourself. a. Don't Be Phy-lax About Your Studies The Coven entertains some Diasteran guest instructors from the ship a couple of times a week. In exchange for helping them out with regards to lodging, and petitioning Parliament to let their people stay in Aefenglom for a time, they've offered to teach the Witches of Aefenglom how to summon their own Phylaxes. This is an old school of magic from their homeland, the ability to conjure up a companion for life that can assist with spellcasting, extra energy, and more. Made up of magic and a little piece of the Witch's soul, the Phylax is an extension of the Witch, though often with a will of its own. Nearly every Diasteran Witch they see around will have a Phylax with them, some glowing, translucent animal that flits around their head or feet. Those who want a Phylax of their own (which is many of the Witches at the Coven, so the classes are always full of other Witches) are encouraged to attend a one day workshop, which can last anywhere from a handful of hours to a full day and night, depending on how quickly the students' Phylaxes manifest. The first hour of each class starts the same, with the instructor, a smiling Witch with a playful, pink-hued fox Phylax darting around to inspect the students (perhaps even passing right through you like a ghost!), explaining what a Phylax is, what they can and cannot do, how to summon and un-summon it after the initial meeting, and how to look after one. With the basics covered, it's time for a field trip for the ritual part. She teaches everyone the circle that needs to be drawn in paint on the ground, and imbued with a drop of the Witch's blood, and from there, she says, that's all she can do to help! The rest is up to you. She takes the classes out to the Wilde around the city, finding scenic routes free of Cwyld to wander, and encourages participants to find a place that speaks to you, a place that lets you calm your thoughts and clear your mind. Maybe it speaks to more than one of you and you get stuck next to someone! Maybe they breathe too loudly for you to concentrate. You'll just have to deal with it, or maybe say something? From there, draw your circle, drip just a little of your blood into it, sit inside, and wait. Maybe yours shows up right away, or maybe it takes a while. You can talk to anyone nearby to pass the time, as long as you stay in your circle. Leaving it means having to do it all over again fresh, in a new spot. And then… When the Phylaxes do begin to appear, the instructor just forgot to mention that, well. They can go a little wild at first! You might have trouble getting your new companion under control, or maybe yours is very well-behaved and you want to help someone else corral theirs. These newborn Phylaxes tend to fly all over the area, full of new magic and energy, and cast little spells that could be dangerous if left unchecked, like giving off tiny flames or levitating other people's belongings into the lake. Whoops. b. Monster Misunderstandings The Coven isn't just a center of knowledge for Witches. Monsters are incredibly important to balance out Witches' overflow of magic, and they have their own things to learn. Classes are held by native Monsters to teach budding Monsters of all kinds a bit about what they can do, how to be safe, how to accept and control their new instincts and abilities. This is especially important with some Mirrorbound turning into Aeternae, Sagani, or Dryads - two Monsters never before seen on this continent, and one that's been extinct for hundreds of years. The Coven gets some guest instructors of the Aeternae and all four Sagani types, and one of the Dryads freed from the tree last month, Filomena, teaches a class about her people. Even those who don't seem to be Aeternae, Sagani, or Dryads are welcome to sit in on the class, since maybe one day they'll Bond with one! You never know, and it doesn't hurt to be prepared. But the classes for the new Monsters… are a bit of a well-intentioned mess. The Aeternae and Sagani teachers are not fluent in the language of Geardagas, and tend to mix up words and phrases, with destructive or hilarious results. As well, it's difficult for new Monsters of any type to control their more magical abilities, and the Sagani especially have these abilities in spades. Maybe you aren't even attending one of these classes, just passing across the lawn, and get your hair singed by a Salamander's stray fireball, or knocked over by an ill-timed earthquake from a budding Gnome. They're trying their best! Meanwhile, the Dryad classes have an experienced teacher, but… well, the problem is, Filomena is very rusty and out of practice. Being frozen in horrified stasis for hundreds of years will do that to you. At some point, trying to teach new Dryads how to control the growth of a potted flower results in a burst of growth inside the Coven greenhouse, plants growing much bigger than they should and bursting out of the glass, flytraps snapping at people rather than flies, and six foot tall flowers releasing bursts of pollen. Even if you weren't at that one, you might get asked to come help clean up after! c. Bonding for Dummies Bonding is incredibly important in Geardagas. Many classes at the Coven cover Bonding specifically - extolling its benefits and upsides, mostly, with much less talk about the downsides. (There aren't many, as far as most native residents of Aefenglom are concerned. They keep you stable, and your Bonded is the best kind of company, so what's wrong with that?) The instructors tell the newcomers and old-comers alike what to expect, why they should Bond, and why a Witch and a Monster makes for the most perfect, balanced pair. For those who are curious to try one out, temporary Bonding potions are provided, should you find a partner! Maybe another curious soul, or maybe someone you know already, even strangers can Bond temporarily to see how they like it. These can be broken at any point with none of the pains that come from annulling or breaking a regular Bond, so what do you have to lose? The instructor will pair you with someone if you're shy! In fact, she gets a little pushy urging you to give it a go with someone, anyone. Do you fend her off, or do you try out a temporary Bond just to shut her up?

III. Twin Flower Blood Moons CW: Drinking, mentions of smoking pot, mentions of group sex (implied, not explicit). If you choose to use these elements, please mark your threads accordingly! The Sisters, the world's twin moons, go dark and new in the sky on the 11th, and despite being dim round shapes in the sky, the very edges take on an almost petal-pink hue. While native Witches are weaker during the new moons, Mirrorbound Witches, including those who are newly arrived on the ship, are much stronger than normal. The effect seems to be multiplied this month, and newer Witches may not be used to the rush of power, leading to magical mishaps. Any Witches still getting used to having a Phylax might notice their spirit companion is more active, whether they want it to be or not, casting spells without their say-so, wanting to run free and use their magic to the fullest. But that isn't why the moons are the talk of the city this month. That petal pink hue intensifies and brightens gradually as more of the Sisters become visible over the coming days, getting the Coven and the Diasterans talking excitedly, and the civilian Aefenglom residents with a superstitious dread, about the Twin Flower Blood Moons. Some Aefenglom residents think that any shade of red in the sky is an ill omen that portends bad things to come, but others in the Coven think it could be a good thing, a celebration that the Dryads have returned to Geardagas, even in small numbers. The Sisters are full and bright, seeming bigger in the sky than normal, on the 26th, a vivid reddish-pink and casting a warm moonlit glow over the city. Witches will find themselves weaker, unless they have a Monster Bond, permanent or temporary, and then they'll find themselves feeling just as good as Monsters. Monsters get a power boost as their instincts rise to the surface, and while they can try to shove them down, that only tends to make things worse. You can go feral if you clamp down on yourself too tightly, cling too hard to your human (or whatever you were before) nature. Meanwhile, the Diasterans have their own view on the Twin Flower Blood Moons. They're a cause for celebration, for Monsters to revel in their natures. Sagani feel more connected to their elements, Undines frolicking with Merrow in the river or the harbor, Sylphs flying overhead with Harpies and a few Dragons in some complicated dance, Gnomes shaking the earth joyfully, Salamanders dancing through bonfires and lighting every candle or torch they come across for good luck. The Dryads, both the two who returned to Aefenglom from the Heart Tree, and the ones who came over on the ship from Diasteros, along with Faun friends, find a patch of land outside the city and grow a magnificent garden laden with fruits and flowers, where they can play music and drink, open to anyone who wants to stop and smell the roses or taste fruit wine fermented on the vine. And the Aeternae? They find a public park and set up a full on party that lasts for hours and garners a new record of noise and indecency complaints to the City Guard (who, frankly, will let this pass unless someone gets hurt). How they get it all together quickly, no one can say, but they have rich food, gambling, drink, and, if you're of age and know who to ask, weed (from a Dryad friend, supposedly, primo stuff). They have music and dancing and all the finer things in life to enjoy. At some point, they kick out anyone who is underage, and start to lose their clothes. Maybe that's your thing. Maybe it's not! But if it's not, it might be time for you to go, because they show no signs of stopping until the sun has risen. Whether you stick to the tamer celebrations with the Sagani or in the Dryads' garden, or party hard with the Aeternae, it's never a bad thing to experience some different culture. The Diasterans seem much more free and open, in tune with nature and the underlying magic of the world.

IV. Mis-Communication Devices Not a day passes after their arrival before Miss Nessie makes sure that all of the wave-tossed Mirror-unbound (some are jokingly calling them the "Oceanbound", but she has more manners than that!) get hooked up with Watches, communication devices used by the Mirrorbound. They can be used to make general inquiries to the network, asking after anything someone might want their fellow Mirrorbound to tell them, and just so there are no difficulties, she makes sure there are people on hand to teach the arrivals how to use them. Except. Well. With all the magic in the air this month, the network, a complex sort of magitech, is acting up a bit. Maybe your Watch broadcasts something you didn't mean to send, or didn't even type (did your speech to text function get turned on?)! Maybe it turns on and starts playing other people's messages at top volume at 3 in the morning. Maybe it butt-dials someone you don't want to talk to. They'll be working on recalibrating things at the Coven, but, well, it might take a couple of weeks to fix, sorry!

Welcome to May's event log: Arrivals from Distant Lands! This is our 2nd anniversary and our 2nd Fourth Wall Event, meaning if you want to try a new character or aren't part of the game at all, you're welcome to come play with us for the month and see how you like things! The log and network comms, aefenglom & middaeg, are now open to non-member commenting and will remain so until June 1st.

Fourth Wall characters can top level on this log using the event prompts, or make up your own wildcards! You can also use this post for making network posts of your own, since the comms do not allow non-member posting. That said, feel free to comment around on logs or network posts made by our current players, unless they specify that they do not want fourth wall guests. We also still have a Fourth Wall EMP right here that everyone is welcome to use! As a note: we do allow characters who would be otherwise unappable such as doubles, though we are not allowing CRAU characters from other games on the fourth wall.

Play nice and have fun! We hope to see you all when our Reserves Open on May 18th! Your fourth wall threads can be used as samples, or for AC for current players.

Comments

QUESTIONS

[moustre]

GENERAL

[moustre]

EVENT

[moustre]

Remi | D&D OC | Sagani (fire) - Visiting!

[wheresmywrit]

1. The Efthymia

A. A Wet Arrival
[ It had been a puddle. A simple, innocuous puddle. Except then it wasn't and she'd felt her head spin, her balance tipping sideways and...

...and suddenly the puddle isn't a puddle at all, but an ocean. Which is ridiculous, because Remi had been in the middle of a forest, at least a good two weeks trek from the nearest lake, let alone an ocean. For a moment, she thinks she's drowning, choking and sputtering as a wave slaps her in the face and crashes over her head, forcing her under until she can kick her way to the surface again.

Hands grab for her, pulling - and stranger still, she can feel others pushing from below, as if there are others here far deeper than she, helping from beneath the waves. But that's probably ridiculous, too, because she very much doubts there are many benevolent beings that could lurk beneath the surface of the oceans. She's heard too many old sailors' tales to ever fall for that.

Whatever strangeness is happening around her, she's hauled onto the deck of a ship, which is the weirdest piece of luck so far. As she spills onto wooden planks, sprawled ungracefully in a sodden, sopping mess, she looks up to see who her rescuers are...

...and then just finds herself staring at the strange creatures looming over her, all of them unfamiliar and some of them races even she's never heard of. She doesn't miss that she's not the only one who's been dragged to safety (???) aboard this ship, but for the moment, her attention is entirely on the strange creatures surrounding her. ]

....Where in the nine hells have I landed this time?!

B. A Flickering Flame
[ Remi is huddled below in the hold of the ship, wrapped up as tightly in a spare blanket as she can get. Her hair is still damp and straggly around her face, which lets the pointed tips of her elf ears poke even more noticeably to either side of her head. She's not unused to being soaked through, as she spends so much time dwelling in the wilderness, but something about this time has somehow made her even more susceptible to the bite of cold and damp and she can't seem to warm up at first, sitting there shivering and chattering.

If left to her own devices without any help, however, after a while something a little more strange begins to happen. Someone nearby might start feeling waves of heat emanating from her corner, or the sight of steam rising from the blanket around her. Or the faint flickers of light that occasionally seem to spark and ember in her dark hair, just out of her range of sight.

Even more noticeable is her startled yelp when, rubbing her hands together vigorously to warm them up, a flickering flame spontaneously springs up between her palms and startling her so badly she falls backwards out of her blanket. And then stares in shock at her now empty - and entirely unburned - hands. ]

2. Aefenglom

A. The Harbor
[ There's an elf standing on the docks. Or... part elf, as the changes since she'd been fished up from the sea have already started taking effect. Her dark hair, pulled back off her face in a series of intricate braids, has started taking on a far more flame-like quality and will occasionally dance around behind her in an invisible breeze. There is a scattering of scales along her arms and legs, dark like lava, but veined with a strange sort of pulsing fire deep within it. And her eyes now hold the amber hue of heated coals.

Remi looks unsettled by all of this, although mostly by the strange translucent qualities at the edges of her fingers that she lifts to stare at, looking disturbed that she can see through parts of herself now. Then again, it's been nothing but weirdness after weirdness ever since she'd plummeted into the middle of the ocean - this one just seems to have her the most uneasy, although she looks far from pleased with any of it.

Either way, she is certainly looking very lost, even if she does eventually trail after those who are being directed toward the Coven. Not that she looks like she's in much of a hurry to get there either. In fact, upon arriving, she hovers outside the doorway and searches what she can see of the interior with suspicion. She's not sure she trusts witches to tell her the truth about anything... ]

B. Monster Misunderstandings
[ At least she didn't have to interact with these strange witches for long. Although as she's hustled off into one of the smaller side courtyards, she's not sure the array of monsters lined up there are much better. Eyeing everyone around her with suspicion for the time being seems to be her go-to state of being and anyone approaching her might find her hostile and defensive, despite the fact that that she's slight and short and fairly delicate looking - especially in comparison to many of the other monsters gathered here.

Either way, if one lingers to watch her practice, they'll find her combat skills to be exceptional - quick, efficient and ruthless, someone who is clearly used to needing to fight to stay alive, rather than for flashy show.

However, when she switches to try and control this new magic she now apparently possesses... Well. Let's just say the Dryads are very distressed when she accidentally sets one of the Coven's pretty trees on fire... ]

C. Bonding for Dummies
[ She stares at the potion she'd been handed, an incredulous look on her face as she tries to wrap her head around what she'd just been urged to do. And then gives the instructor who'd handed this to her a look as if she'd grown a second head. ]

Are you crazy? Why would I want to magically bind myself to anyone?! I assure you, I'm not going to like it, I've been there and done that [ and has the scars to prove it ] and I don't need a repeat of the disaster. Not to mention, do I look stupid enough to just take whatever potion gets shoved at me without knowing what's in it?

[ And she tries to shove the temporary bonding potion back to where it had come from, uncaring that she's raised her voice and has possibly started causing a scene. Or that, along with her flare-up of temper, her hair had suddenly seemed to flicker and flame hotter and brighter in reaction. ]

3. Twin Flower Blood Moons

A. Full Moon
[ Remi is not at all comfortable with the fact that she's now numbered among the monsters. Considering she hunted a great many of these races back in her home realm, it's made for some rather uncomfortable encounters in her time here. And she still looks overly wary around all the strange races, as if just waiting for the other shoe to drop and their ruse of civility to be drowned out in violence and bloodshed.

But she will give them credit - they do seem to know how to throw a party. All that pent-up frustration and tension she's been carrying around her entire time here finally seems to simmer down some as she wanders through the public park, a bottle of beer in one hand, gripped by flame-tipped, translucent fingers. Her hair, burning bright beneath the glow of the moons overhead, casts a halo of light around her as she wanders through the revelers and in her wake, the bonfires and lanterns and candles scattered about seem to flare brighter and more vibrantly in reaction to her passing.

She doesn't really take part in any of the music or dancing, but she can be lured into indulging in drinking or smoking something from one of the Dryads - at least this aspect of this strange new world certainly feels like home. She also gets drawn to a lot of the gambling going around, cheerfully settling in to toss dice or trade cards here and there. Although she seems to have an uncanny lucky streak when it comes to the games - no matter what one she stops to play.

She's looking relaxed and like she's actually enjoying herself when the party takes a wilder turn, which gets an amused look from her, even if she's not quite so quick to jump into that sort of entertainment just yet. ]

Well, now it's a real party, I guess.

4. Wildcard!

(( Feel free to hit her up at any point of the event or the month. For frame of reference, Remi is a half-elf monster hunter from a D&D realm who'll be visiting here as a fire sagani. If you have any questions or you want to plot something out, hit me up at chaneystarr. ]

3A

[indolentaxe]

This is what people do at parties where you're from?

[The question comes from a young Aeternae woman who flops down next to her, although Remi may or may not recognize her as having been human when they arrived together earlier in the month. She's clearly been partying hard throughout the night, inebriated and flushed--as much as someone with gray skin can be, anyway--from dancing and drinking and everything else she's been up to.]

I'm pretty sure something like this back in Fódlan would cause people to die from the shock of it.

[If she has to be honest, there's a not-small part of her that's also scandalized by how far things have gone. She's down for a good time, sure, and she's behaved in a manner tonight that's very unbecoming of a young noblewoman such as herself, but the direction in which the party is now headed is... well, too much.

(The monstrous instinct within her wants desperately to join what is quickly becoming an orgy, but she's currently clinging to sensibilities that won't allow it.)

Of course, none of those thoughts are apparent in the moment. Instead, she lets her head fall back and shoots the Sagani woman a grin.]

I'm Hilda, by the way.

Connor | Detroit: Become Human | Vampire | Visitor

[justamachine]

I-A

[When he was tossed onto the ship, Connor neither coughed nor sputtered, although that's not to say he was in a much more decent state than the rest. With the pouring in of impossibilities, the constant glitching of his interface and scanning software, and the last moments he remembers in Detroit, he can reach no logical conclusion... although one thing does come to mind, pulled not-so-gently out of his memories of the last twenty-four hours.

If there is an android heaven, this isn't it. But is there an android hell?

As inquisitive as he normally is, now he finds there are no productive questions to ask regarding the how or where or when of it, and with his energy levels already strangely low from the start, he can't muster up the processing power for anything existential. He focuses instead on the practical issues of the present, the fact that the ship is being torn to pieces by the storm and the others who seem just as unsettled as—

No... no, he isn't unsettled. He's uncertain. That's all...

He's turned down the offered drink, having literally no stomach for them, and neither does he have a particular need to dry himself off. After a few minutes of staring at the wall of the cabin, he gets to his feet.]

△1

[At first, he offers to help distribute the aforementioned drinks and blankets, partly in order to assess the situation and acquire more relevant information from those around him. Having no access to any mirrored surface, he doesn't notice the red coloring to his irises nor the sharper points of his canines, and in the low light it's too difficult to tell that the pigmentation of his artificial skin is any paler than usual. He is, however, acutely aware of the blue stain over his shoulder and the damaged parts underneath.

Regardless, he offers a steaming cup of tea or cider with a simple:]

Here.

△2

[Even in the absence of particularly helpful information, one thing Connor does have is strength—if not particularly superhuman, then the ability to wield what he has without restraint or concern for pain, and for a longer period. He provides extra manpower for the tasks at hand, the glowing blue lines of his jacket like a beacon through the rain.

Eventually, though, he's shoved back down below deck after staggering a few times, and he's too tired to argue for very long. Drenched from head to toe with a blanket haphazardly tossed over him, he sits against a wall, the circular light on his right temple blinking yellow. He looks as exhausted as he feels, which is to say, considerably.]

I-B

△

[Once he's escorted to the Coven, he acquires more information, which is good! But it is largely nonsensical, which is bad. The most he can appreciate about it is that it seems to follow a very, very loose sense of its own logic, even if it seems incompatible with reality as he knows it.

He has been evaluated and deemed a Monster, whatever that may mean in the end. It hardly seems relevant at the moment. What is relevant is that his energy is dwindling more quickly than he anticipated, and that he has no access to his usual fuel or repairs. When more people arrive at the Coven (other Mirrorbound, although he hasn't yet made the distinction), he approaches someone on slow feet, his expression neutral but the exhaustion clear in his posture and the tone of his voice. He's turned off a few human-emulation functions to further conserve energy—blinking, "natural" eye movement, weight shifting, idle changes in posture—and only "breathes" in order to move the air needed for speech. It makes him move like the automaton he is.]

Would you happen to know where I could find any Thirium? [It's a long shot. An incredibly long shot, given what he's seen and experienced, and he's well aware of it. But he has to try. If this truly isn't whatever comes after death, he must survive and find a way to return... and anticipating an answer in the negative, he's ready to follow up with:] Is the term android familiar to you?

Wildcard

[OOC: Hit me up at lumieresdedragon or at my plotting comment and we can get something else fun going. I also have some further prompts to come later below!]

ADDITIONAL PROMPTS

[justamachine]

II(ish)

[The main reason it takes Connor so long to get the sustenance he needs as a Vampire isn't because of any moral scruples or disgust in regards to the process; it's that the idea never occurs to him that he needs something different, especially given that ingesting anything other than the blue substance that powers him could further damage his systems and kind of make the whole survival goal next to impossible.

But eventually, he reaches a low point, and makes the decision to test if these changes have actually made human blood valid as a fuel source. Desperation is definitely not a part of the process. Nope.

The Coven-provided sample was enough to test the theory and restore a small amount of his energy, but as these things go, he now needs more. So he's out in the city, attempting to find somewhere that might sell it for consumption. He'd rather not take it from any medical purposes if he can help it, so he ends up calling to a passerby who's entering a nearby building.]

Excuse me—

[Connor is not shy about invading people's spaces, whether that means a personal bubble, a home, a station where he's clearly not wanted, or a business with a sign proclaiming he's not allowed. This building, meanwhile, has no signs or indications that Vampires are welcome. Normally, this would cause him no difficulty.

The enormous red wall that's covered his entire internal interface labeled DO NOT ENTER, however, stops him in his tracks, locking his joints in place as a baffled and mildly perturbed frown comes to his face. No matter how many commands he sends to his feet to carry him past the threshold, he can advance no further, and to the outsider it seems as if he's paralyzed for no reason at all.]

Death

[What's the optimal solution when you're terrified of facing your death(?) all alone? Asking strangers over the internet, obviously.]

III

[Drinking blood in itself isn't something Connor has any particular feelings about. Androids refilled their Thirium reserves by drinking the fluid known as their blood, after all, and putting human blood in his mouth was quite literally something he was designed to do. Combining the two isn't too much of an adjustment, even if he'd prefer a simple notification that he needs to refuel rather than the awful sensation of hunger. He just has to adapt. There are resources available to him that he has no qualms taking advantage of.

So even if the... process of becoming a "vampire" wasn't exactly pleasant, the requirements to sustain himself haven't been a problem. Thus, when the full moons arrive, he's largely in control of his faculties.

He has, however, taken on an incredibly unweidly form.

To say that the Vampire's body is that of a humanoid bat would be a stretch, although the shape is generally as expected: two wings, bent legs mostly suited for shuffling about, pointed ears atop his head, and the longer snout of a flying fox. However, instead of flesh and fur, the creature is made of a shiny plastic of white and grey, bright LED on its right temple, its wing membranes blue with a manufactured hexagonal pattern. Connor is certainly weirded out by this turn of events, even if he's always had something of a detached relationship with his body, but mostly it's just very hard to move around.

This fact may be demonstrated by the way he suddenly tumbles down from the sky or a roof, knocking something over or just unceremoneously flopping on top of someone, plastic claws careful to avoid scratching.]

Agh—

[Why is this so hard! His voice, despite his strange appearance, is the same as always. To whomever he's (nearly) crashed into:]

Sorry! I thought flying would be less difficult...

[Hopefully he hasn't made a mess of anyone's partying, even if he has no desire to join in.]

lunafreya nox fleuret | ffxv | visitor!

[coincollection]

on deck;
[Coming to in the waves doesn’t shock Lunafreya - the fact she’s alive is the surprise, but perhaps these are her final moments, dragged underneath the waves by Leviathan. Landing on the deck of a boat is the real shock, and so is the appearance of some of the people who greet her.

She stands on shaky feet, hand going to her side - her white dress is torn and bloodied, but when she pulls her hand back there’s no fresh blood. Her brows furrow. The crew of the ship have no answers for her, but she thanks them nonetheless. She still has her trident, at least, and she’s kindly given something to wear over her dress.

It seems she’s not the only person being tossed up by the waves, and while this place is so new and strange she can feel magic thrumming in her veins. She greets those new souls with a gentle smile, reaching out to soothe any cuts or bruises they might have.]

Are you alright?

phylax;
[The arrival to Aefenglom is highlighted by being told she’s a witch, and that she’s capable of magic. Lunafreya isn’t surprised after being able to heal people with powers that were decidedly not simply her abilities as Oracle, but it’s still a new, strange thing. She gets work to studying, drawn to healing magics first and foremost. She’ll branch out soon, she knows, not wanting to squander this opportunity, but… It’s what comes easiest and is the most familiar.

When offered the opportunity to take part in the ritual to summon a phylax she gladly goes along, and she’s not surprised that it’s taken on the shape of a dog. It reminds her of Umbra and Pryna - fluffy tail and all. The dog skips around, which is adorable, but… It’s not nearly as well behaved as the two Messengers, bounding around and jumping at anyone nearby. Luna follows after it, apologies on her lips, but the dog is very demanding of attention.]

party time;
[The celebrations are awe-inspiring, to say the least. It’s a vibrant occasion, and she’s curious. She hasn’t celebrated anything like this perhaps ever, the parties on the street far different from royal affairs, but it’s been a long time since there’s even been that much celebration.

She finds herself in the Dryad-created garden, marvelling at the flowers. They’re all quite beautiful. She had accepted the fact she wouldn’t see anything like the sylleblossom fields of home again, so this is… Nice, to put it simply. She doesn’t quite have the words for how this second life has touched her.

When she notices she’s not alone she looks up - her phylax is much better behaved now, sitting by her feet though its tail thumps the ground - and offers her companion a soft, small smile.]

Good evening. Are you here for the festivities…?

[Or, perhaps, they were looking for somewhere quiet.]

wildcard;
[Feel free to make something up, or hit me up at revelries or lavender#8156 to hash something out!]

party time

[getting_better]

[ He wasn't in any mood for a party, and he certainly didn't believe he was in any state to really be around people but, if knows that if he wants to get past this fog he's in he needed to be out in the world. That also meant doing things in baby steps but, he didn't think that luxury would really help. Go big or go home.

He floated through the crowd like a ghost, there but unnoticed for the most part, until he rested somewhere relatively quiet. A wallflower, he recalled. That's what they called people like him, silent to one side with a drink in hand. Or at least until he was spoken to. ]

Huh?

[ The surprise was evident on his face. He didn't even realize she was next to him, though it quickly fades as her question registered. ]

Oh, uh, yeah. Yeah I am. It's, uhhhh, not bad.

[ He's clumsy in small talk and quickly takes a sip to hide his evident embarrassment. ]

Are you...new? I haven't seen you around.

Hilda Valentine Goneril | Fire Emblem: Three Houses | Aeternae | Visitor

[indolentaxe]

I. The Efthymia

[Hilda, as someone who makes jewelry and works with shiny objects as a hobby, is surrounded by no shortage of reflective surfaces that can pull her into Geargadas. She's not even sure what she last looked at prior to suddenly being drowned in a storm-surged sea and then being unceremoniously dumped onto the hard deck of a ship she's never seen before in her life.

Needless to say, she's not happy about this new development.

She's quickly approached by someone who shouts at her in a language she doesn't understand, then by someone who shouts at her in a language she does. "Don't you worry your pretty head, girlie! We'll get you taken care of and on dry land soon."

Not having very many other options, she follows. She's given towels, blankets, and something to eat, and she's full of charm and thank you's to her rescuers as they settle her in. They're weird, but they did bring her in from the elements instead of throwing her back out to sea. That's not nothing.

As soon as they're gone, however, she slumps and sighs dramatically.]

Ugggggggh. What did I ever do to deserve this?

[Of course, she isn't the only washed up arrival sitting in the hold. None of the other arrivals are any better off than she is. But that doesn't matter right now--she's miserable, and she's going to make sure make other people are aware of it.]


II. Aefenglom

[By the time the ship arrives and Hilda is put through a harried and breakneck orientation, she's already starting to show signs of change. Her skin is losing its warm undertones, becoming more similar in color to porcelain than flesh, and her ears come to small points at the end. Two small horns, mere nubs at the moment, have started coming up from her skull. She hates all of it, and does the best she can to cover it up under her clothing and hair.

The weather is improved, at least, and Hilda takes advantage of the sunshine to do a bit of exploring. The task quickly backfires as she soon finds herself unable to find her way back to the barracks.

No matter. She simply walks up to the nearest person--you--and sighs helplessly.]

Hi, I'm new here and I think I've gotten lost. This is a really big city, and it's easy to get turned around, and I'm still really shaken up from the boat and all of this new... everything.

[None of this is untrue, but she makes it a point to act more upset and worried about her circumstances than she actually feels. No one is going to drop everything to help her if she comes off as too competant or capable, after all.]


III. Twin Flower Blood Moon

[The power of the full moons, bright and red in the night sky, basically saps away what remaining resistance Hilda has to the changes that have overtaken her this past month. By now she's fully Aeternae, with pale gray skin, two perfectly curved horns growing out of either side of her head, and a thin tail that swishes as she walks. Her eyes, still rosy-hued, are all iris with no pupil or sclera to speak of. Tonight, they glow ever so slightly in the moonlight.

She hasn't gone feral, per se, but finds herself open to suggestion and easily convinced to join the native Aeternae in their wild celebration. It's a party, they say. The night is young! What does she have to lose?

Her inhibitions, as it turns out. There's plenty of food and drink and attention to be had, and Hilda wholeheartedly indulges in all of it. At one point she literally loses her shirt, trading it for a more flowy, more revealing Diasteran fare.

Already bold and social even without the high of the full moons urging her onward, Hilda approaches people with a coy smile that reveals sharp canines.]

These Diasteros people certainly know how to throw a party, don't they?


IV. Wildcard

[Have other ideas to pester Hilda with? Feel free to tag in! I'm available on plurk (asondeiru) or discord (asondeiru #9009) if you'd like to plot something.]

II. Aefenglom (sort of)

[darkestbefore]

[ Rumors spread fast in Aefenglom, but Yona had been lucky to be down in one of the taverns in the harbor already with some friends when word came racing through that a near-demolished ship was being dragged into the harbor with a bedraggled crew aboard. Abandoning her seat in the tavern, she'd hurried down to see if she could help, as people started spilling out from the half-wrecked ship. Far more than the ship should have been able to hold, as she eyes it. She's impressed they made it to shore at all, in fact.

She spots the girl when she disembarks, quickly pushing her distracted thoughts away for now as she steps closer and gives her a warm smile. Swinging the simple cloak off her own shoulders, she's quick to wrap it around the girl who looks like she's literally been fished from the ocean. ]

You look like you've had quite a day. Are you hurt?

Hazel Lockwood | OC | Chimera | Visitor

[deadtective]

arrival; cw panic attack

[Hazel is no stranger to unasked-for portals. she'd nearly been hurled through one in the past, stranded out in the strange existence beyond existence where the old ones dwelt...to say nothing of the way she'd crossed between life and death like a pendulum at the start of this wretched mess. it almost doesn't startle her when a blink to rid her sight of her own hideous reflection inserts her into a raging storm rather than a city street - but she can taste the saltwater on her tongue, and the alarm bells instantly begin to ring in her head.

even if she could understand more crew members onboard her rescue ship - even if the monstrous appearance of so many still held the ability to bother her - it wouldn't matter. Hazel's focus has shifted completely inward as she fights against the onslaught of overstimulation that unexpectedly being alive again has thrust upon her. every time she thinks she's got a handle on things the realization that she's struggling with her humanity, the very thing she'd claimed to still retain in some form, sends her spiraling back over the edge.

it's difficult enough to walk below decks like this, but once she's left to her own devices as she'd so desperately wanted her state only worsens. chest tightening, she realizes that she's forgotten about the need to breathe now. inhales turn into violent, shuddering gasps, overtaking her slight frame like some sort of invader; despite her attempts to rein herself in she rapidly begins to hyperventilate. the room is swimming but she can't stop, blanket slipping over her eyes from the force of her shuddering. at this rate she's going to pass out, but she can't - all she wants is to just get away.]


the coven;

[of course she's a monster. Hazel hadn't needed the tutorial or test from these overly friendly witches to know that. she carried that mark on her soul, after all, and finally she'd been thrust into a world where it could properly manifest itself on her body. those with otherworldly eyes would no longer be the only ones to see her rotten core.

in that way she's glad to have been returned to her human state - it allowed her to feel the pain of this transformation, every sharp ache an experience she treasured. she's attended the classes for every species despite having made only the most nominal attempts to discover which she herself belonged to now, using them as a means to gather information on weaknesses should any future encounters go south. claws, a mouth full of sharp teeth, the strange discoloration of her skin around the multitude of scars on her body...honestly, it could be fucking anything with vague 'hints' like that.

at present she's taking a break from all of this voluntary learning in the library, head rested atop folded arms as she half-dozes in the sunlight filtering down from a nearby mirror. Hazel had never remembered herself being so prone to naps when she'd last drawn breath, but...maybe she still wasn't used to being tired in the first place. disgusting.

the communal table she's resting at contains a stack of borrowed books piled prodigiously high considering how close to the edge it's placed. maybe they're yours, or maybe they're one of the nascent witches' scurrying about in search of some required text or another. whatever the case may be, her gaze has been resting upon it for some time. for some reason she just can't help wondering what would happen if she just...reached out a little, and...

thud.

the entire stack crashes to the floor with the most satisfying note of chaos she's ever fucking heard. there's no change in Hazel's languid posture, certainly no fucking guilt - but an almost feline quality to the self-satisfied grin spreading across her features.]


blood moons rising;

[Hazel's in a bit of a better mood tonight, as she always is when the opportunity to cause some mischief arises. demons by any other name are...less than attractive company, considering her past history, but a party is a party - or more importantly, gambling is gambling.

her changes have progressed even further since her arrival, although it's unlikely anyone aside from herself has been paying close enough attention to her to notice. her tail (resembling a crocodile's in miniature, save for the curious tuft of tan fur at the end) thumps invitingly as she flashes far too many sharp teeth at a passerby whose gaze lingers just a bit too long. those with eyes sharper than her dentition will notice the patches of scales beneath her eyes, cute as they are, bear scabbing along every edge. it's almost as if the skin previously shielding them had been clawed away to hasten the emergence...]

Hey, come on! How about a bet or two, huh? You know, unless you're a fucking chicken.

[dice, cards, some niche game native to this world...it doesn't matter, Hazel's willing to give it a spin. Hazel's also more than willing to cheat if necessary to win, because what's more fun than getting away with shit like that?

unfortunately the grip she has on her growing ferality is far looser in actuality than what she imagines in her own mind. if your character cheats at any point and Hazel catches them she will become extremely violent. while giving that much of a shit about morals isn't in her usual nature, the blatant hypocrisy, on the other hand, is all her.]


wildcard;

[feel free to tag in with or request a starter for any of the other prompts! Hazel will be attending all of the Coven classes to varying degrees as well as admiring the beautiful flora in the dryads' garden during the twin blood moons and maaaybe getting a little tipsy. later into the evening she'll also be losing control of herself and going completely feral (oops) if you'd like to encounter her in that state.

she has a network post as well, if you're interested in that! please hmu, I'm super open. ;;]

the coven;

[silentsavant]

[well, wouldn't you know it? those books were soren's, and hazel, having hijacked the spot he vacated some time ago, just knocked them over at the precise moment he returns like comedic clockwork, a few more books clutched in his hands for the impressive tower he did not create (she probably did, just to fuck with him. who framed hazel lockwood?!). one of the crashing tomes faceplants atop his bare, coal-scaled and clawed dragon foot.

narrowing scarlet eyes rise up at her. his perpetual frown levels up into a bitter scowl.]

Very funny. Now pick those up.

[he would be a little more intimidating if he were big and had a voice to match. that said, there is no contesting his simmering discontent.]

ryuji sakamoto | persona 5 | witch | visitor

[chariotkidd]

I. OVERBOARD

[ Y'know, it's taken some time for him to catch up, but Ryuji's started to put together that this? This ain't the Metaverse. Or is it? It's not any kind that he's familiar with because the things around him look a hell of a lot like Shadows, but they're not. They're actually friendly?

And his clothes haven't changed. That's also a clue. He feels like he's putting things together, a little bit, which causes a brief surge of pride that deflates just as quickly when he realizes he hasn't solved anything at all.

Honestly, thinking about it kinda hurts his head. He can't even text his friends. His phone's completely waterlogged, and no matter how much he shakes it or rubs it dry on his shirt or slaps it in desperation, the storm keeps pouring down and the waves keep tossing the boat back and forth, and his phone continues to be on the fritz.

Eventually, his stomach gets tossed back and forth, too. Ugh. He knew he shouldn't have eaten all that. (It was so good, though...) It's not fair. The ocean always looks so nice on the beach when it's sunny and bright out. Now it's freaking awful.

The green on his skin rises quickly. As another wave crashes, Ryuji sprints for the railing and leans over it to hurl most of his dinner into the sea.

Then shortly after, the boat breaks to pieces and all of him gets hurled into the sea. This is the worst experience of his life. (It's not.) Somehow, he drags himself onto the shores, dripping wet and coughing up salty water.

He flops onto his back, unwilling to move. ] Man, this sucks!

III. MOON PARTY

[ Once he's dry and on land, he goes back and forth between Some of this stuff is kinda cool and You don't have these?! All those fancy houses that he can stay in for free? Awesome. It's like a mini vacation! The fact that there's no train? Horrible. How's he supposed to get anywhere? With those old fashioned horses?

Plus, he misses his friends. His mom must be worried sick, too...And what about his exams? Not that he wants to study for them, but he can't just miss them. Miss Head Witch has assured him it won't be a problem, explaining that should he return to his world, all will be well. She sounds sincere and kindly, and it makes him want to trust her, but.

He sighs, kicking the fence in front of the tall stone building. That's when a scorching ball of fire flings his way from out of a classroom window. His eyes widen. He ducks out of the way, the heat singeing him. ]

What the— [ He slaps at the smoking tips of his hair. He yells into the air up at the window. ] That's not cool! You could kill someone!

III. TWIN FLOWER

[ The celebration in the garden draws his attention. It's the trees full of delicious fruit that does it. There are a million of those demon or monster things, too. He's learned that there's a difference between them and Shades (Shadows) which lurk in the woods. It's hard to get used to, but Ryuji's been keeping an open mind. It's probably not fair to judge them when they haven't hurt him. In fact, most are kinda helpful, showing him around and one even bought him lunch when he complained that the shops wouldn't take the money he had.

Speaking of food. That's a lot of fruit.

Ryuji reaches up to take a handful of cherries from the branches. They're delicious. He stuffs one in his mouth, then another, and then another. His cheeks are full as he chews, but he's ready to share, too. If you look like you wanna approach, he'll offer you and equally generous handful. ]

Hey, you want some? I swear these are magic.

[ Wait. Are they magic? ]

[oathkeeper]

[Boaltinn is supposed to be an exciting time of the year. With a ton of of warm bonfires, street performances and other celebrations. But the thunderstorms are putting a pretty big damper on all of that. Sora has to say he's pretty bummed out about it. And he keeps hearing about this being a pretty bad omen for the area too... Geeze. What a downer.

The strangest thing to happen is at the shore, though. Sora is used to seeing newcomers arrive through mirrors or out of water reflections in the city. He's never seen them arrive on a ship or falling onto the beach like that before.]

Heeey---!! Are you okay?!

[He comes running to help the blond boy up. But he might be a little bit of a shock to see. As a normal boy in one world in this one Sora has turned into a monster. He dons long brown rabbit ears that stick up from his head, has short young buck deer antlers there too and his hands are clawed. But don't worry, he doesn't scratch! Bright yellow eyes make him seem luminous from a distance but his smile and concern are real.]

You look really green in the face.

Vandelin Emith | Dragon Age (OC) | Fae | Visitor

[voidmancy]

A. The Efthymia

[Like his cousin Myr Shivana, the elf currently bobbing among the waves like a small angry cork is a delicate desert flower whose previous experience with water has been mostly limited to washbasins and buckets. In recent years, said experience has admittedly expanded to encompass miserable boat excursions, deceptively deep streams, and lethal snowstorms--but even in his most fervent wishes to be far away from those things, he hadn't imagined being flung into anything like this. Andraste's flambeed tits, he's come too far and survived too much to be drowned like a rat in a well by some unseen force abducting him out of nowhere--

--oh. Well, whatever that force is, perhaps it agrees. He flops shivering on the deck, too sodden and exhausted at first to worry more than a little about the indignity of his predicament (but Vandelin is never not worrying about looking ridiculous to others, not even seconds after a near-death experience, and so he ceases coughing as soon as mortally possible.)

To the rescuing crew, it may seem as though the stormy water has affected him more seriously than it has the other survivors, but...no, his clothes had already been in tatters, and those bruises and cuts were there before he ever caught his reflection in that frozen puddle. He remains silent and poker-faced as the nightmarish things around him stare, as if daring any of them to say anything about it or offer assistance. (He is a mage, after all, and it's an unwise practice in Thedas to accept anything offered by something that looks like a creature out of a fever dream.)]

No, thank you, nothing to drink for me--no, the rain isn't bothering me. [It is.]

B. The Newcomers

[Being herded off a boat into a magical orientation meeting is a tough sell for a man who risked his life to escape from a Circle tower, but Vandelin has finally come to accept that he's really not spoiled for options at the moment. Maybe this is the Fade, maybe it's something altogether different, but it seems that right now, the only way out is through.

The mention of friends or family members coming to help with the motley little crew of wet refugees doesn't initially register as something that could be relevant to him. The only family (or, really, friend) he's had for as long as he can remember is Myrobalan, and he left Myr behind for good years ago. Wherever his cousin is now, it's not likely to be here. Not even if this is the Fade. (And if it is the Fade...what would it mean to find Myr there? It doesn't bear thinking about. Not now.)

Anyone who does know Myr would certainly be pardoned for not noticing any kind of familial resemblance to the elf sitting and half-listening to the orientation speech. Vandelin is small and gaunt where Myr is stocky, black-haired where Myr is towheaded, pale where his cousin is tan, and possessed of large, prominent leaf-green eyes where Myr is...y'know. And several of these features, as yet unbeknownst to him, are more prominent now than they had been when he arrived...but don't tell him he's shrinking, or that his eyes are somehow taking up even more of his face. He'll despair.

After the speech, he gets up and sidles over to wherever it looks like the fresh clothes and hot meals are likeliest to be dispensed. If he can piggyback on someone else's assistance, he'll feel slightly less like a charity case. Maybe.]

C. Twin Flower Blood Moons

[Two years of starving and freezing in the woods while hiding from marauding templars are hard to shake off in just a few days. But festivals and celebrations like these are things Vandelin has only read longingly about in old library books, never seen or heard or felt for himself, and how could he not investigate? He's never seen such a crowd of people in all his life, bigger than the entire population of his childhood alienage, and feasting on more food than the alienage ever contained even on holidays.

That's what draws him in, the sheer richness and variety of the things to eat and drink. He's always been an experimental cook when he can afford to be, and this garden is more glorious than anything the creation mages he knows could bring to life. The fruit wine he's handed is already the subject of half a dozen new dessert recipes in his head before he's even taken a sip.

It only takes a sip. Whatever tolerance Vandelin may have had for alcohol before now--not that much contraband booze ever did make its way into the Circle for him to find out--it's flown blissfully out the window, and he doesn't even have the wherewithal to be mortified. He will tomorrow, for sure, because self-discipline would be his middle name if they did middle names in Hasmal, but who the hell cares about that now when there's revelry to be done? Doesn't he deserve to celebrate wildly for once in his life? He's alive, well, warm and dry, safe and fed, and free beyond his wildest dreams--why shouldn't he grab another glass of that wine and dance his way out of the garden while belting out "Andraste's Mabari?"

And why shouldn't he accept the invitation into the park from that charming shirtless gentleman with the qunari horns? What could go wrong?]

D. Wildcard

[Anything you like, just hit me up! Vandelin's app is here for more info, and there are more details in his journal!]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA (ii!)

[faithlikeaseed]

[And anyone who only knows Myr from Aefenglom could certainly be pardoned for not connecting the snowy-furred Faun to a burgeoning Fae. Not even when chance (or the Maker's hand, moving somehow across worlds and all the Fade) has put Myr smack dab in the middle of the line of Mirrorbound waiting to greet the newcomers and see them settled, not at all far from where Van creeps closer in the shadow of another newcomer. The Faun'd been leaning against his staff while waiting for the interminable orientation to come to a close, but straightens up quickly at the sound of approaching footsteps and babble of the dispersing crowd.]

If any of you've come in with antlers, horns, or hooves, [he calls out cheerfully, to all and sundry,] you're probably a Faun and you'll want to talk to me before you find yourself headbutting a lamppost or trying to rearrange a stranger's garden.

[To say nothing of the other kinds of trouble their breed could get up to but, well, that part could wait until later, as far as he's concerned.

(Little does he know he's not going to be orienting any new Fauns today.)]

zuko | a:tla | witch | visitor

[honorbend]

🔥 I. The Efthymia

[He's had some experience on the sea—battling storms on the deck of a ship and fighting off violent waves that threatened to overturn it, but what didn't come naturally to him was being hurled into them by what was a mere puddle on the ground. One second, he was lamenting about his now-soaked shoe and the next, the universe says, "to hell with the shoe!" and he's being lobbed this way and that, swallowing mouthfuls of sea water into his lungs.

He tries to bend to get himself up to the surface, but he knows his attempt will be futile. With this much water, there's no way that fire will work at all... but that doesn't stop him from trying. Again and again and again. Confusion and frustration get the better of him when nothing he tries seems to do the trick, and another large wave takes Zuko out and he only comes to when he's flat on his back beneath the deck of a rocking ship with a blanket stretched over him.

He's quick to get up, and a glance around tells him immediately that this isn't where he's supposed to be, with people he doesn't know. People with... all kinds of unnatural limbs. Horns, antlers, tails, even wings... What the actual... Some of them immediately rush over to loom over him and try to help, but when he asks questions about where he is, who's in charge, they all tell him to hush and get some rest and drink some water first, and to worry about all of that later.]

Leave me alone! I said I don't want any hot water! [It isn't easy to shake them off, and he's causing a bit of a scene in his corner of the ship...] I don't want any water at all! Get off me!

[He throws the blanket off himself, and it flies at whoever is nearest him. Heads up? Or maybe you're more inclined to help get these people away from him?]

🔥 II. Don't Be Phy-lax About Your Studies

[For someone who's just been thrust into a new world without his bending, and is pissed about it, he's surprisingly attentive in the Coven classes. If he has any chance of getting home, then he figures he ought to learn how to wield the magic given to him. He's diligent about taking notes, listening and shushing others when they start to whisper near him, and is adamant about finding just the right spot for the summoning ritual.

Being a great student doesn't make for a patient person outside of the classroom, though. Once he finds his spot, he sits cross-legged on the ground and begins to "clear his mind"—meditation? Is that even supposed to work? The only problem is... He isn't the only person here. Perhaps you wandered in with him, or later when he peeks one annoyed eye open to look at who's joined in, but either way, he'll pipe up eventually, snapping at you from where he sits.]

Could you breathe a little quieter!? I'm trying to concentrate.

[ >:( ]

🔥 III. Twin Flower Blood Moons

[Poor Zuko had been in the park minding his own business because you know... it's a public place? Meant for anyone to visit at any time? He didn't expect to be forcefully ushered out by a bunch of demonic looking monsters with tails while he was trying to enjoy a late-night snack courtesy of the Aeternae. Hey, it was out in the open on one of the spreads, so he assumed it was for everyone? It's delicious to boot!

His mood is about to take a real hit.]

Hey! This is a public place! You can't kick me—

[He drops his sandwich to the ground as he's pushed past the gates of the park, and when he turns around, he's pretty sure his eyes deceive him. He spots several of these monsters shedding their clothes without an ounce of shame, and when one of them makes eye contact and waves at him, he feels his face go beet red and he shoves a hand over his eyes.]

I have a girlfriend!!

[Since when do people just go and take their clothes off in the middle of a park? Mai would kill him ten times over if she knew he even looked!

Should you happen to pass, either on the way in, out, or just passing through, Zuko will bark out a warning.]

You shouldn't go in there, unless you wanna be— [There's that Aeternae girl again, waving at him, and he turns around. asdfdksdflsk] Just don't if you know what's good for you, okay?

🔥 IV. Wildcard

( None of these work? Feel free to leave something below. Just throwing him on here for some voice-testing fun since he's a brand new muse, so please be gentle! )

II.

[al_bhed]

[Rikku realized that there was another person sitting under the tree where she's decided to have lunch, but she doesn't pay him any mind as she settles in. It's a large enough tree that they can share, she figures, and it's a really nice day. He'll understand, probably.

As it turns out, he doesn't. He goes from quietly minding his own business to screaming at her in a matter of seconds, which gets her back up pretty much immediately.]

No!

[And, mature person that she is, she blows in his face.]

Ledo | Suisei no Gargantia | Visitor | Sagani (Fire)

[ferrytale]

↳ { i. roll with it; open to all }

[ there's plenty of activity going on in the belly of the efthymia but within all of that ledo potentially sticks out like a sore thumb. he's dripping too, seawater sluicing down off of him, but given what he's wearing at least none of it'll stick?

someone's given him something hot to drink, and he's peering down at it like he's never seen a mug before, his expression confused even through the yellow-tinted visor of his helmet. speaking of, he reaches up with one hand to touch something near his collar, the helmet coming apart automatically with a hiss of air before it flips back over his head and out of the way. there are other people here who look human, so if he might need his reserve supply of air later on, he best conserve it now if the air here is breathable.

his silver hair looks messy but dry and fluffy thanks to his airtight suit. almost at once, he shifts the drink into one hand to cover his nose and mouth with the other, glancing around like he might be able to identify what awful smell that is. even with half his face hidden, he looks disgusted.

according to his understanding of the universe, none of this should be possible. he doesn't even have the words to name half of what he's seeing. the mug would probably feel warm to the touch, but his protective suit forms a barrier that keeps him from sensing it directly. it's when the ship rocks again, and a bit of the drink sloshes out of the container that he takes notice again and soon, the rest of the drink and the mug it was in ends up on the deck too. ]

What is... happening?

[ his wastefulness is unintentional, but given the circumstances, could anyone blame him? he stares down at his hand and drops the other from his face to examine both, fingers trembling visibly from the shock of the realisation that he see through them. soldiers go into battle prepared to die but this is nothing like that. will he just cease to exist here? ]

↳ { ii. life party; open to all }

[ hey, you there!

ledo had been trying to take a few minutes for himself, retreating into a quiet spot to carve more grooves into the object he's working on — because he has no idea what it is, really, only that it's somewhat meditative to precisely carve holes in a Hideauze nail — trying to make it look like the first one he has.

that was the plan. but then someone had spotted him and decided there was a better use of his time than idle. ledo would agree, so he doesn't mind being put to task. he's led to the greenhouse, an almost laughable concept. honestly, it's the most amused he's been since he's come to this place. buildings made of metal and stone make sense. what could anyone want with a transparent building? why not just put things outside?

the temperature differential between outside and inside surprises him, and by now, the person who'd brought him here possibly regrets it given the number of times they've had to deal with his random bouts of inquisitiveness. his long, pointed ears — which are very new — are rather mobile, perking up and twitching when something catches his attention.

at the end of their journey, a broom is pressed into ledo's hands, and he's asked to help sweep up the mess of spilt soil and leaves and other things from whatever trouble had happened here. maybe it's the combination of how he's dressed with the blank expression on his face that makes the poor witch take pity on him one more time, showing him the motion of sweeping. ]

I understand.

[ who doesn't know how to sweep? he can manage the rest of the instructions, at least, simply to bring everything into a pile that will be dealt with later with a spell. ledo gets to work, the unfamiliar motion making his movements awkward and wooden. he's probably kicking up more dust into the air than he is getting it effectively into a pile, but he seems determined.

what he didn't anticipate was the pollen. how could he? there's no pollen in space! the way his face feels itchy at first is mildly concerning, but the witch didn't warn him about any possible toxins he might encounter. it's while he's still trying to figure it out that it happens, a most unexpected sneeze. allergic reactions officially feel miserable. then he notices a flicker of light out of the corner of his eye. as it turns out, some of the overgrown potted plants are burning now. ]

No way!

[ he looks around seeking an explanation because it's not possible that that fire came from him! as it happens, fire suppression isn't one of his known skills either. it's unnecessary when there are sensors and automated fire fighting systems. worst comes to worst, you can always suck all the air out of a room. having to figure this one out for himself and unsure how he even caused it, ledo's found himself in a rare state of paralysis thanks to his uncertainty. ]

↳ { iii. take care of u; open to all }

[ that witch from earlier has taken a special interest — or is at least averting a potential disaster — and he's presently sitting in on one of the Coven's bonding classes at their request. insistence? here he is. it's not an unreasonable concern, seeing as he's a hopelessly clueless boy who is experiencing the concept of magic for the first time in the midst of becoming an elemental creature not even native to the continent.

after listening to the presentation, he's somewhat less averse to the concept than he seemed like he might be given his reluctance to attend. but then he asks several questions, rejecting any answers that veer off into talking about things like moods or feelings. they're unneeded. he only wants what's plain and measurable; someone's description of their contentedness is subjective but knowing that bonds stave off the danger of slipping into a feral state is objective.

maybe this is why he's being volunteered right now. at least he's potentially less intimidating than the people enthusiastically volunteering themselves? he doesn't look particularly moved either way. this might be a bit uncomfortable since he isn't the warmest person despite turning into a salamander. it's sort of like having a parent awkwardly arrange a play date. ]

I can find no logical reason to disagree with them. If you are concerned about privacy or personal feelings, neither of these matter to me. As for myself, it seems no different from my connection to Chamber.

[ he pauses, realising he will probably need to elaborate. ]

Chamber is an artificial intelligence. At any time, it was capable of reading and analysing my biometrics and brain waves. It often asked for clarification regarding the changes to the latter.

[ how bad could it be? ]

↳ { iv. redline; open to all }

[ closing in on the end of the month, ledo has at least adapted to life in aefenglom enough to not stop and gawk at everything. by now his transformation is nearly complete and in the dark he burns with his own light. his hair is a white-hot flame at the root, cooling to colours at the tips and is always shifting and changing. the top half of his spacesuit has been rolled down and secured at his waist, leaving him in the sleeveless military issue shirt beneath it. even his skin is radiant, like the glow of hot metal.

the twin flower blood moons near the end of the month usher in a shift in the energy he couldn't anticipate. the transformation so far still unsettles him, but what's changed is mostly appearances. he has magic now, of course, but that's largely been positive; feeling connected to his element has helped him to feel more grounded in this place even as he still desires to return to where he belongs.

he doesn't so much appreciate the sudden burst of energy and the way his body feels strange. if he were secure and in tune with it, he would just let it be, let his magic surge but let it be a... controlled burn. instead, he fights it, stubbornly trying to hold himself together. fortunately for him, he has years of experience at muting things and detaching himself and in every other way stripping away anything unnecessary. he might feel successful that he can hold it together so well. unfortunately, that's not a good thing.

it doesn't matter that there are other sagani around. he doesn't know anything about dancing, it only looks like a pointless waste of energy. it doesn't help that his emotions are a mess as well. irritation just adds another pressure. the air around him feels just the same as it always does, so he's unaware of the heat he's capable of giving off. the ring of blackened vegetation immediately around him goes unnoticed. he could probably stand to have someone tell him to chill out — at least figuratively. or at least to go stand near the water or something? ]

↳ { v. wildcard; }

[ ooc; anything else? hmu @ koutenko ]

ii ; life party.

[bloomly]

( it's no surprise that in the wake of all the potential trouble, she would find herself trying to help out the fauna as much as she can: it's what finds her in the greenhouse, trying gently to re-pot plants that have been blown out of their casings, or bogged down with too much water in the soil to be able to breathe. her hands are filthy as always, soaked down into the soil, and after awhile, she's nearly forgotten that there could be anyone else around; but that's how it always is, too. humming and preoccupied, she's standing near the back end of the greenhouse at a long table, and though the witches initially checked on her, a little, they know better by now. she's got some sort of talent in this, at least enough to be left to her own devices--some people are not that lucky.

it's in the midst of some nonsense song that she's making up that she hears a voice: and the distinct sound, the smell, of burning plants. immediate, her head snaps up, but getting her hands detangled from the soil is a much more difficult task; she's shaking it out as she walks, hurries down the crowded rows to the sound, and the slowly growing drizzle of smoke in the air. her expertise is in healing magic--has been, since she arrived--but she's taken a few evocation classes, she's just... clumsy.

not as clumsy as this stranger, apparently. )

Watch out! ( she says, firmly, but mostly because she--is going to be terrible at this. both of her hands jerk out, dirt-covered, and yes, she gets a bit of water to come from her fingers, but it's more like a giant bubble of it that comes splashing out, dousing the plants. uncertain, she skips forward a few steps, peering: it's done its job, mostly, but-- )

You too! ( what if he's on fire, too? she's a little too panicked about it, and flings her wrist out: a bubble of water comes from her fingers, and splashes her new companion right in the face. )

Tseng | FF7 | Vampire | Visitor

[untseng]

A. Boaltinn Down The Hatches
[ As the leader of the Turks, Tseng has always prided himself on having a contingency plan for everything. Or, at the very least, leave himself options for adapting on the fly, because no plan ever stood up to (or survived) the reality of a crisis. Of course, going from a nice quiet ride in an elevator before catching his reflection in the mirrored doors... and then suddenly being plunged into the coldness of a stormy, angry ocean. Well. Who would think to plan for that, really?

The man that hauls himself onto the wrecked remains of what was a ship of some sort is sopping wet, his normally pristine suit looking far worse for wear, and his hair had come undone from the tie that held it back from his face to hang around him in dripping strings. In short, he looked like some sort of pissed-off water monster as he tried to wring the saltwater out of the long length of his dark hair and looks around him at the chaos unfolding on the overloaded ship before setting out to approach the nearest person with a curt demand. ]

You! What's going on here?

B. Newcomer
[ Getting answers or not, Tseng at least had the fortune to pitch into the ocean in the dead of night and when the ship limps into Aefenglom's harbor, the sky is still dark, although the far horizon has started to lighten with the hints of dawn. Still looking wet and bedraggled - which was insulting enough - he'd stepped out onto the harbor docks and took in the state of buildings and architecture here, which only confirmed his belief that he was a very long way from any city he'd ever visited before.

He's still standing there when the first few rays of sunrise start stretching out across the eastern sky and over the water. Reaching the edges of the docks, he feels a strange sense of warning suddenly, although looking around shows him no hint of threat or danger. At least until he glances down at him and realizes his skin has started to steam beneath his wet clothing. A moment later, he realizes it's not steam at all, but smoke. Smoke with no fire, although there's a sharp burning pain a moment later that has him hissing out a surprised, pained sound as he lifts his hand in front of him to see a faint burn mark where a splash of sunlight had flickered across it a moment before.

It's instinct that kicks in more than anything else. There's a flash of movement, a puff of blurred smoke, and then suddenly Tseng is several feet away in the shadow of an alleyway between two of the buildings on the docks. And staring down at himself in confused horror.

If someone happened to see that sudden panic - or worse, smell the scent of smoke nearby - he could probably use a bit of an explanation before he accidentally fries himself out of ignorance. Either way, staying where he is when the sun rises isn't going to be a wise idea and his time to get to safety is already dwindling. ]

C. Monster Misunderstandings
[ Vampire lessons, of course, had to take place after dark. Although this entire thing was still rubbing him the wrong way, it was hard to argue with the fact that he'd gotten a sunburn on his hand just from the distant flicker of dawn on the horizon. Still, he listens to the monster instructing the others like him with an impassive expression and an intent look.

Resting towards the back of the room, Tseng leans against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest, and while everything about him appears to give off a casual and relaxed air, to those who look closer, there's something sharp and dangerous that lurks in his gaze. In the occasional tick of his jaw as he learns more about what he is meant to be now.

He talks very little, preferring to listen, but when he does speak, it's to ask very pointed, observant questions on something the vampire instructor had perhaps glossed over or hadn't explained in much detail. It was clear he wanted as much information as he could get, despite it being his first night here, and he was committing everything he learned to memory. Even if he didn't look all that pleased about any of it. He didn't look precisely shocked, either. ]

D. Liquid Courage
[ Later, once he feels he's gotten through Vampire 101, Tseng can be found at a nearby tavern, sitting alone at one end of a bar and nursing a glass of amber-colored liquor. It's clearly not his first, but he doesn't look to be suffering any ill effects from it yet. In fact, his eyes are still clear, if narrowed in thought, as he swirls the alcohol about the glass he holds. The suit he wears is once more clean and pressed, his hair neatly pulled back in a simple tie once more.

His skin has turned paler still since his arrival and his eyes have taken on a faintly reddish hue - both perhaps a little more pronounced considering he hasn't fed. Well. "fed" as he'd been instructed to, at least. The idea is still turning his stomach sickly, which is why he's here distracting himself with alcohol instead. Or trying to, at least. Fortunately, the place was welcoming to vampires, as the tavern he'd tried to enter first had clearly not been and he hadn't been able to even cross the threshold. He'd tested a few other things he'd learned tonight as well, but so far, everything the instructor had given them had turned out to be true.

He didn't doubt the feeding was, as well, but he'd prefer to put that off for a while. At least as long as he could. He'd worry about finding a meal later. When the urge to find who was responsible for this calamity and rip their throat out with his new fangs faded somewhat, perhaps. ]

E. Wildcard!
(( Feel free to hit up Tseng anywhere during the early part of the event here, or leave a prompt of your own. Have questions or want something specific? Feel free to PM me or hit me up at chaneystarr. ))

D

[electrod]

[ Ever since Efthymia docked, and a new batch of Mirrorbounds along with it, the city has gotten... liveler? A little more interesting. Word on the street was about different Monsters, their strengths, and weaknesses; people seeing familiar faces, and those not so much. There was a mention about a man that fit the description of someone Reno knew. It could have been a mere coincidence, the man just a stranger— but Reno wouldn't be a Turk if he didn't check it out to confirm.

When he finds himself in the tavern, and finally, finally spots a familiar silhouette it feels strange. Almost unexpected. Like he expected to confirm that it's been stranger all along, and not Tseng.

He saunters towards the spot occupied by his boss, and sits himself down next to him. ]

Yo— long time no see.

Papyrus | Undertale - Witch | Visitor

[spaghettimonster]

THE EFTHYMIA
[Despite how that last ice hockey game went, not long after the winter party saw the friends on ice again. Even a few extras came along, though whether drawn by rumors of Undyne's triumph or the dog's sabotage it was hard to say. (Especially since Papyrus didn't bother asking.)

Fortunately for him, he was wearing a waterproof sweater when the reflective ice underfoot seemed to break, dropping him into choppy waters. Unfortunately, he was wearing a lot of other padded clothes over the sweater - the better to buffer his bones against tackles - and none of it was waterproofed. Even blue magic had nothing on the sheer weight of it all - or maybe, it wasn't working? Only a chance wave saw him splashed back onto land.

...Or, instead of the frozen lake, onto a boat. One with a bunch of unfamiliar faces around, some human and some various sorts of monsters, some wet. No sign of the ice, or the game, or any hint this was some prank of his brother's... just a whole ship, in a storm, apparently at sea. The (relatively) drier people already standing on the boat stare, and after a hubbub of confusion usher him - and the other sputtering ocean-goers - downstairs to dry off.]

💀 Iai - WATERLOGGED SKELETON

[Now safely underdeck, Papyrus immediately works to shed the heavy, wet outer layers of his hockey attire. It takes more yanking than usual, as the water weight makes it more a challenge than usual - and gravity keeps stubbornly persisting, despite multiple attempts to nudge it up with gravity magic. Trying not to rip anything, he complains as he tugs at his three layers of gloves.]

Ugh. I've never met water so heavy it stopped magic. Who's even heard of something like that.

💀 Iaii - THE COST OF FAME?

[Once he's shed that burden, wrung clothes out and attempted to hang them to dry, and even accepted a warm drink, he has a chance to take in the scenery. A lot of humans, but followed by oddly spectral animals. Plenty of monsters, too - but not sorts he's seen very much of, or at all.

He's been on the surface months, long enough to get used to the reactions of humans who've never seen a monster before, but this is different - there's already plenty of monsters on this boat. Yet it seems like a lot of them keep staring at him especially, so much so that he eventually leans to one of the people nearby:]

Do you think they're staring... because they recognize the ambassador of monsterkind?? Or maybe they're impressed by my layering techniques...

A BUSY COVEN
[The rescuers were right about shore being near, and better than that, there were people on shore waiting to help pull the ship in. They were surprisingly only somewhat surprised to see all the extra people onboard, pulled from the sea - so much so that they already had a whole routine for bringing them along into the city, with talk of watches and mirrors and the possibility of getting them in touch with friends. Did the storm swallow monsters up and spit them out all over the area??

Apparently not, the later explanations reveal, but the incredible story of another world, and magic mirrors that pull people from their reality, no electronics or internet, and transformations of humans into monsters and other humans into humans with magic... It's all a lot.]

💀 Ib - TOUR GUIDES AND OTHER KINDS OF HELPFULNESS

[By the time the 'Mirrorbound' start showing up, Papyrus is ready to joke away his disorientation.]

Hey, I hear you've been in the same boat as us...

💀 IIa - RELAXING PHYLAXING LESSONS

[It's strange enough not to have his own magic working, occasionally leaving him standing still when he means to slide or skip out of a conversation with a little flourish. Stranger still to hear he's apparently bubbling with some other kind of magic - the stuff of this world, which takes studying to learn to use it well.

While he could wait patiently, doing some late night reading by candle and practicing to get the basics down before leaping into new, untried things... Being the Great Papyrus, he skips directly into joining one of the crowded workshops about those little animal friends from the ship.

The concept of splitting off a little bit of one's soul, and that being a safe thing to do, is maybe one of the more alarming things he's heard yet. The instructions of how to go about doing it are almost bafflingly simplistic, if not for the details.]

So... I have to relax, and drip a little... blood... into it. Yeah, of course! That's easy. I'm great at relaxing. And I have lots of blood.

TWIN FLOWER BLOOD MOONS
[Over the days, Papyrus learns a bit more about how magic here works. Some reading, some workshops... Even advice from older Witches, sympathetic to his expressed interest in classic techniques before bonding with a Monster - especially since he might disappear by the end of the month anyway, no need to put anyone through that heartache. A bit of trading around later, he's the proud owner of a wand of pale wood, shaped to resemble a bone.

He's heard some of the warnings about the moons, how for the people of Aefenglom magic wanes and waxes with their brightness - and how it seems to go the other way around for the 'Mirrorbound.' And despite not having a mirror... it seems true enough.]

💀 IIIa - NEW MOONS

[By the time the moons go dark with faintly pink edges, about a week after arriving, Papyrus has figured out a few little things. Making a little light, so he can see where he's going when wandering at night. An incantation for making magical things faintly glow, the better to figure out what magitech here is like. He's even figured out the Phylax question, bringing out a small, pointy, blue and white bird.

As the moons go dimmer and he finds himself more energized, the bird is too - and it turns out to be even more prone to making noise than he is, loudly calling out hoarse songs whenever people draw near, even swooping at them and dropping ice hail out of thin air. Maybe Papyrus should scold the bird for starting fights, but instead he cracks up laughing and urging it on - unless its target seems sincerely hurt.]

💀 IIIb - FULL MOONS - (dryad party, alcohol use)

[The full moons make for a much quieter night, lacking a bond as he does. The bird Phylax is almost subdued in fluttering along as he wanders out near where he'd summoned it, joining a few of the Diasterans at their dryad and faun party. Stopping and smelling the flowers is just the kind of lowkey experience the skeleton needs, after the number of people he's met this month who know him, from apparently having been here before...

He enjoys the food, compliments the chefs, and mills around. As the night gets later and more philosophical, he tries out some of the adult fruits. It's a neat trick, controlling the fermentation just so with magic. He hasn't gotten the hang of it, but maybe something to learn later...? If there is a later. Eventually he confides to other party-goers, especially the people he recognizes from the voyage to shore, Diasterans and rescuees alike.]

They said, at the Coven... 'Mirrorbound' disappear into their mirrors. But there aren't mirrors in the ocean. Do you think... we go home, by disappearing into the water?

WILDCARD
[ooc: Interested in another prompt as starting point, whether as a reunion or a first meeting? You can find Papyrus on the network here with a prompt from the first day, or pm this account, or find me on swirlingflight or discord to plot a little something!]

Iaii

[indolentaxe]

[The person Papyrus directs his question to, a young woman with pink hair and matching eyes, stares back at him like he's grown another head.]

I think they're staring because you have a skull for a head.

[That... really should be explanation enough, Hilda thinks.

Why can't she run into anyone normal on this boat? First a walking machine, and now this.]

lan wangji // the untamed // visitor // vampire // OTA

[taciturnly]

( mention of blood & weed )

i. boaltinn down the hatches

( water drips. around him, strangers, and the sight is an odd one for salty eyes. above, the hull creaks and carves into the waves, a path with no certain destination. down below, lan wangji shivers, slightly withdrawn from the others and wrapped in rough linen, remnants of the ocean trickling down his face. a dream. it has to be, for how peculiar everything seems. even he feels off-kilter, mind reeling, pulse simmering erratic beneath his skin. if he manages to remain relatively poised, his eyes tell another story, wider than they should be, a crack in his practiced inexorability.

he doesn’t speak. he barely breathes, until another sits closeby, but in the dark, lan wangji struggles to decipher any singularity. he blinks, still groggy from his abrupt landing, hand firmly closed around the hilt of his sword. to be fair, as bizarre as this is, a few glances around him are enough to reveal the same level of confusion in his fellow newcomers, gasps and coughs and questions hushed under the cacophony of the raging sea. he recognizes no one, hears no familiar tone, and something in his chest sinks cold and dense, untying his tongue. )

Apologies. ( in lieu of a proper greeting, lan wangji slightly bows his head, catching better glimpses of the stranger every time the hanging lamp wavers with the ship. ) Have you seen a man dressed in similar attires? ( slowly he removes the blanket around him, revealing white and pale blue robes, a faint gesture of his hand towards the ribbon around his head. he should leave it at that. rationally, there’s nothing more to ask, but his throat closes dry and his chest squeezes tight, and he asks anyway. ) Another, perhaps, dressed in black? ( and the distant, broken hope in his voice stings in his eyes. )

ii. twin flower blood moons

a. ( some have grown leaves in their hair. others, fur on their skin, or wings protruding from their back. some have learned how to breathe underwater, how to fly, yet lan wangji’s feet remain mostly rooted to the ground. mostly, because ever since the moons rose high and full, he’s been poofing in and out of his human form, uncontrollably, a stoic cultivator one second and a giant bat the next. blink and you’ll miss it. or you won’t, as the deep rumble in lan wangji’s chest is a little hard to miss if you happen to walk by. is he growling? he’s definitely annoyed, hungry, and his bottom lip stings, a crimson droplet running down his chin.

in lieu of more noble features, lan wangji grew fangs, and he bit himself. )

b. ( ...and he keeps on doing so, accidentally, unused to his new reality. but the pain subsides here, and even his hunger, to an extent. wrapped in swirls of smoke, lan wangji feels a little light-headed, a little giddy, fragments of laughter bubbling in his throat and dying there just as quickly as they rose. get a grip, lan wangji. the breeze tingles his senses and he stands tall but slightly crooked beside a bonfire, nostrils full of an odd scent. his lips rarely widen larger than a simple smile, and just as they start stretching witlessly, they part instead, a deep crease between his brows as he immediately recoils.

skin. sighs. and lan wangji ultimately freezes on the spot, horrified by the spectacle offered before him. )

iii. miscommunication devices; text

Do not be picky with food.
Do not be greedy.
Do not work after 9 PM.
Do not rise after 5AM.
Make sure to act virtuously.
Train your body and your mind.
Maintain your own discipline.
Your forehead headband reminds you of self-restraint.
Do not be picky with food.
Do not be picky with food.

iv. wildcard

( feel free to PM me or poke me @ guqinstring if you have anything else in mind! )

Twin flower blood moons: a

[turmoiling]

[It's a good thing that Jin Guangyao can't blink, and miss it. He'd been staring from some distance away, complicated feelings simmering inside -- but if he could blink, he certainly would have at the momentary transformation.

He'd heard, at one point, from Lan Xichen about the duplicate visitors in the past. Perhaps it was possible for this to be different, even if only by a little.

Undoubtedly a bit of a startling sight, all of Jin Guangyao's human skin shed in favor of shimmering scales shimmering an almost rose-gold under the moons' light, he slithers down the street to conversational distance and bows with a smile.]

Hanguang-jun. What a pleasure to see you again. Here, please... no doubt your own transformation is a little awkward as well.

[He remarks, offering a handkerchief for that bleeding lip. He might resent the man's presence here again, deeply, even with the problems that arose a few months ago... he still has a life to lead here, and a need to improve it as much as he can.]

Everett Vaughan | Dryad | closed to previous CR

[rollfordiplomacy]

New Dryad, who dis?

[Everett's disappearance from Aefenglom had been abrupt and his return just as unceremonious. Returning home to Myddvai had removed his faunish elements, something he was glad for once thrown into the ocean, as heavy horns and goat legs wouldn't have done well to keep him above water. No, all that is gone, but he's not returned human. This time around, he's something else. Something unfamiliar to him for Aefenglom, but eerily familiar to a Druid one he's got time to take stock on the (far safer) ship.

When they arrive at the city, Everett is buzzing with questions and worries. How long has he been gone? Were his previous bonded still in the city? Still bound to their mirrors? He seemed to be cast here somewhat similar to how Adelheid and Silas arrived, which meant time would be short. His heart aches to see those he knew and loved dearly.

Not waiting to be collected at the dock, he's marching straight through the familiar town. Stopping to get better clothes would be wise, but he's too impatient.

He wants to see if his shop is still there! And who might be there, if it is... And it is! DIPLOMATEA. He breathes a sigh of relief, then a second, deeper, and more ironic sigh. The tea leaves newly sprouting from his hair will surely make a statement.

Everett Vaughan enters the establishment and promptly ducks behind a floral display, all too easily blending into it. He looks around from between stems, hoping to see familiar faces at work. Then he'll need to consider his approach... if someone at the front of the store doesn't notice him first, looking conspicuous]

gloms on like a facehugger

[faithlikeaseed]

[Everett's in two-fold luck today: One of his former Bonded is in at DiplomaTea--and it's also not the one who'd notice him looking conspicuous, anywhere.

Of course, Myr certainly does notice the sound of another person making their way into the store, even over the quiet bustle of mid-afternoon... And catches an appreciative breath of the scent of new tea leaves, over where he's busy arranging bundles of drying flowers behind the counter.

Hm! Now who would be bringing fresh tea into a tea shop...]

Little early for the weekly delivery, isn't it, Bec? [he calls, making a wild guess at the identity of the new visitor. It hadn't sounded quite like their usual delivery-Puca, but maybe he had a really heavy box of tea.]

Sophie Hatter | Howl's Moving Castle | Fae | Visiting!

[modesties]

i. The Efthymia

[She doesn't have time to adjust from looking at her elderly reflection in Howl's bathroom mirror to being suddenly on the deck of a heaving ship before she's thrown to the ground and covered in salt water. She coughs against it only to immediately inhale more, only saved from breathing it in further by being frozen in shock by the people she sees around her.

Are they even people?

Once below deck she huddles herself down in a towel and holds a warm mug between her hands, and she sits there in numb shock. It has to be a dream, doesn't it? But pinching the inside of her wrist until it's red does nothing to rouse her from it. She looks around warily, from one strange face to another, and can't summon a single word to ask just what's going on.

A couple of hours later, the beginnings of the monster transformation that no one has explained anything about begin to come over her. When Sophie discovers some iridescent green scales on the back of her hands and an undeniable point to the tips of her ears she does what any sane, rational person would do when faced with abrupt alterations to their body.

She starts to panic, and it finally frees her voice.]

What is going on?!

ii. The Newcomers

[Sophie steps on shore with little urging needed. She's still high on the anxiety of not really understanding what's happening to her body - and it's far, far more alarming than being turned into an old woman by the Witch of the Wastes. The chance at getting some more information is one she jumps at immediately and she follows direction to the Coven without complaint, not at all expecting to find anyone she knows there.

In fact, she rather hopes not to see any of her family there.

After a change of clothes and a warm meal, she would no doubt feel a lot better. Right now though, she's standing in the middle of a crowd believing she's entirely alone here, entirely unsure of where she's supposed to go next.]

iii. Twin Flower Blood Moons - Dryad's Garden

[By the time the full moons roll around, the changes running rampant through Sophies body are well underway. The scales that had alarmed her so much to begin with have spread up her arms to her shoulders, her ears have taken on an undeniable elfin shape, and she's sure she's lost a couple of inches in height.

The most marked change in her, though, is the pair of wings she's now carrying on her back. Though she keeps them folded down for the most part they have a tendency to spring up when she's surprised. She's also sporting a pair of slightly fuzzy antenna poking out of her hair. The pace at which it all happened gave her little time to get used to the idea, but also little time to be anxious about it.

She isn't sure she really minds it all that much.

And it's curiosity that takes her to the party being thrown by the Dryads. The pull of the full moons draws her to mischief and she arrives in her full, iridescently shining glory with both wings outspread and her eyes alight with magic.

With a glass of wine in her hand she flutters in mid-air, a reluctant wallflower uncertain of how to take part in the celebrations despite being entirely eager to.]

iv. Mis-Communication Devices

Is it supposed to itch like this?

[The message diverts as she's in the middle of conversing with someone about the fae changes taking over her body - specifically the scales working their way up her arms. Out of context, it... sounds more than a little strange.]

v. Wildcard

[Want to use another prompt? Got another idea? Wildcard me!]

iv.

[sneakofhand]

I think itching is a bad sign no matter what, mate.

Goro Majima | Yakuza 0 | Aeternae | visitor

[hikae]

» I Arrival

[ This entire night was just a continuous, crazy dream Majima was certain he is going to wake up from any minute. Come on, any minute now. Starting with the ship and storm adventure, to the landing in a weirdest looking city, to being herded into some magical academy (????) with witches, and what else? Fairy godmothers and seven dwarfs? There weren't any, but there should have been— Would fit right among all those monsterfolk. At least he wasn't alone in this chaos, few other faces being continuously marked by the "what the fuck is going on" in every flavour imaginable. Poor sods.

Anyway

The waking up any minute now, unfortunately, didn't happen. And as his clothes dried up on him, growing uncomfortable due to the residue salt from seawater the realization that this is his current sorry state of being, had hit him like a truck. Not allowing himself to mull over it for too long he decides to take an advantage of the people gathered around here. Time to put his best Polite Face to work, and ask the first person that will give him an ear. ]

Pardon me— how would a new arrival such as us, take care of resupplying, so to speak? I do not have a local currency on myself, and I'm willin' to put myself to work— but is there a way to get some kind of advance? Gonna be hard to find work when we're exhausted and wearin' rags

[ Yes, nailed it! Sounding perfectly reasonable, despite everything— or at least he hopes so. He's tired, and that's when his Polite Face tend to slip ]


» II Bonding for Dummies

[ It's been a few days. Just enough to settle in, find a bed, get some food. And apparently, start growing horns. One of these things is not like the other, it is also something he'd prefer to ignore. Or maybe that others would.

At least locals are helpful enough, makes you have faith in people all over again (or not). That's how he finds himself in Coven.

Listening to the whole Bonding tirade is an odd mix of second-hand embarrassment, and downright uncomfortable over some parts. Back in Sotenbori, every other day a random drunk would start lecturing couples leaving love hotels about the importance of marriage and true love— and this is exactly what this class reminds him of. No one is drunk though, at least visibly, because he remains suspicious</>.

He leans to the neighbor in misery to whisper theatrically ]

So what, this like a blind-date only for soulmates that can stare into yer very soul? Sounds like a scam.

[ Since Majima turned his one good eye away from the room, that means he hears, not sees being approached— thus gets a little startled when one of the witches puts a temporary bonding potion into his hands, and gives another to person next to him. There is an expectant look, and then the witch leaves to continue the hand-out ]

Uhh, now what?

[ Awkward ]

» III Twin Flower Blood Moons

[ A month is a lot. Alright, a little over three weeks to be absolutely pedantic, but that still makes it nearly a month. And that. is. a lot. Enough to get drunk on the unexpected freedom— not enough to stop feeling the choking force of the hand of duty and worry. For once, it releases its choking hold with the Moons shining so brightly and so colorful.

For this night, Majima appears as a proper Aeternae, with their improper fashion sense. Long hair let loose, and who needs a shirt, when you can wear just a jacket, open-wide? The tattoo on his chest in full display, one of the snakes ready to spring and attack, the other slithering away, avoidant; as his skin took an ashen tone the red of the petals become more striking.

He takes his time between festivities of the dryad and his kind— his kind, what the actual fuck, he's not one of that horny bunch, even if his current biology (and yes, horns) says otherwise—— Wine has never been his first choice, but he's not going to turn down a free drink, or free snacks. Games and gambling are a good distraction, but neither satisfies the craving, and that craving makes him hope that the city guard would take the noise complaints seriously; just so a good old brawl could break.

Should he meet someone on his trips, he approaches with a chipper tone, and saunters a little too close for comfort, breaking personal space. Offering helpfully— simultaneously friendly, and just a tad bit threateningly ]

Whatcha lookin' for? Maybe I know juuuust where to find it.

II Bonding for Dummies

[phantomshift]

[Han honestly couldn't agree more with the strange man with an eyepatch. Despite the oddity of the dark haired man, Joon-gi had been drawn to him. His origin was obvious--most likely from Japan--and there was an air of danger and mystery about the man. That made him of great interest to Han.

So he had sat next to the guy just before the lesson had begun. The teachings were odd and honestly a little uncomfortable. He wasn't looking forward to it if it was true about it being truly needed to function properly.

He hesitated before replying to the long haired man and that's when the witch came up to dump a potion on the two of them. Wait, they genuinely expected them to try it out now? Right on the spot and with a complete stranger?? How absurd.]

This is absurd. Do they really expect us to do this after all that they just told us about it?

Joon-gi Han | Yakuza | Fox Turnskin | Visitor

[phantomshift]

I. Boaltinn Arrival

[Joon-gi Han hated not knowing something. It went against his very nature, especially after joining the Geomijul whose priority was constant and complete information gathering. Thus not knowing how and not understanding why he was where he currently was, was a bit annoying. Maybe a lot of annoying but Han knew how to keep a straight face and calm demeanor.

The boat trip was a mess. Getting over the fact that he was clueless for a change, Joon-gi Han lent a hand if only so he could keep an eye on his surroundings. And learn something while he was keeping busy. He kept getting distracted by the sight of the two moons in the sky but quickly got back to business once called to by anyone on the boat.

He was grateful when it all came to an end. On shore he certainly felt better. But now came the daunting task to figure out what was going on. What had happened.

The plus side was that there was an orientation. The minus side was that he was being herded like a group of confused and bedraggled cats. Still, he decided it best to go along for now. No one seemed particularly malevolent in intentions and most seemed genuinely concerned with everyone's well being. A rare sight. He allowed himself to go with the flow for now.]

II. Monster Pains

[It didn't take long for Joon-gi Han to show signs of his fate in Geardagas--that of a Turnskin type Monster. His canines elongated and the rest of his teeth became mostly pointed. His nails hardened and grew into sharper claws fit for a compact predator. His eyes brightened into a golden hued color and light-shined readily in the darkness.

More was certainly coming around the bend, maybe just a few more days. He could feel an itchiness under his skin as it felt like it was crawling just beneath the surface sometimes. His tail bone ached.

He absolutely refused to show signs of distress to the outside world. This whole place, this whole scenario, still felt largely like a dream. But no matter how many times he woke up in the week he never found himself back home in Japan. He was stuck here like the rest of the Mirrorbound and Mirrorunbound.

Another few days passed and sure enough he grew fur across his shoulders and other select areas. The color of the fur matched the silver ash tone of his hair--which, he noted, no longer needed dying since that seemed to be his color of hair now. He wondered what sort of creature he was. Some sort of grey canine, it seemed. Han got his answer when his tail finally grew out. Bushy and distinctive; the tail of a fox was unmistakable. The pointed ears followed shortly after.

The physical traits weren't the only differences he began to notice. The psychological changes were more subtle but he eventually realized that he was hanging around bars and cafes a lot more than usual. The open, friendly atmosphere of such places filled him with an odd sort of content. He found himself starting conversations with strangers with no intent of gathering much in the way of information, which was typically the sole reason he would engage in such endeavors. He decided to not let it bother him. Having formerly worked in a cabaret club as his predecessor's body double gave him all the practice he needed to be polite and charming and well versed in holding a conversation for nothing. It didn't hurt him any to call upon those skills now to keep this new-found desire to be with people satiated.

As a fox and someone that was used to working on his own in the shadows though, he still kept to himself for the most part. His Turnskin instincts wanted something akin to a small, tight-knit pack but the group he had bonded so closely with in recent days was no where to be found here. It left a small ache in his chest. That was fine, he could substitute with one on one sessions with random people. For a while, that would work.]

III. Twin Flower Blood Moons

[The festivities reminded Joon-gi of his previous life in Sotenbori, where every night was a party for the gluttonous. It had been a relatively happy part of his life--his superior had become as his friend and brother, and he looked forward to work rather than dreading the day to day of his life with his family, with his bitter father. Playing host at the Stardust hadn't been that bad. He tended towards the polite and charming if a bit aloof persona of his superior, less capable of the hardened and cruel streaks when they appeared. It worked well enough for his job as a body double especially when he was on the floor of the Stardust.

All those ancient memories aside, Joon-gi Han found himself out during the wild festivities of the Twin Flower Blood Moons. He managed to remain sober for most of the night though he did partake in drinks and food while he moved seamlessly through the crowds. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to blend in and gather information that normally wouldn't slip past sealed lips, and it was a good opportunity. Except that the further the night(s) went along, the harder Han found it to concentrate. The moons called to him; he tried to ignore the strange feeling tugging at him but it was harder than usual. It wasn't like him to loose control over nothing...

Eventually though, he slipped. There was an argument over--hell, he couldn't really remember the details--and suddenly he found himself out in the less populated area of the park, running under the trees. When he finally stopped running, pausing under a particularly large tree with great branches spreading out wide, he discovered that he was down on all fours and he had shed his jacket at some point, revealing the thicker, further-reaching covering of fur that had grown out for his moon inspired transformation. His fox features were much more prominent and his senses so much sharper. His legs had gone full digitigrade and as an extra bonus surprise when Han flicked his long, bushy tail he realized it had split into nine distinctive limbs that moved together almost as one at first. They split wide and moved separately, almost hypnotically when he was startled, making him appear much larger than he actually was, probably a defensive technique the animal would have utilized on purpose.

He settled onto his haunches in a very animalistic pose and, the essence of prim and proper all of a sudden as if nothing had just startled him into a fright, he carefully rearranged his furry hair atop his head as if that would fix everything. Nothing wrong here, nothing at all. He was fine. Just grooming a bit as...foxes...did. Sure. Let's go with that.]

IV. Wildcard

[[Have another idea? Shoot it at me. Game for just about anything. Need me? PMs or aisuyoukai. Don't be shy!]]

3

[futhark]

[ Aefenglom rarely hosted guests (that weren't the Mirrorbound) so Twin Moon festivities happening with the flavor the sailors of Efthymia brought was good and perhaps needed change. The fact that the mirrorless Mirrorbound had also appeared—? Only more reasons to not ignore what is happening.

Ignoring things has been a little too easy lately. It's been two years here already. Two years of living with flesh and blood, and fewer and fewer answers.

Cú was there to witness the argument; and how it ended with the silver Turnskin leaving. Call it a hunch, but something made him follow the man. Grabbing another drink, a mulled wine sweet and spicy— he waited politely a bit before entering into the silver Turnskin's field of view. ]

Would you mind a drink? I think I grabbed one too many, and you look like you could use some

rider (alexander) | fate/grand order | witch

[rosy_cheeked]

I. The Efthymia

[ he has to be dragged down into the lower level of the boat, below the deck where the blankets and warm mugs of tea happen to be, but not because he's itching to fight some monsters! no, he wants to be helping lead this boat toward wherever it's going, despite the fact that the people piloting said boat know their destination already. ]

H-hey! Let me go, I wish to help with the effort above!

[ a harpy gently fluffs his hair and then pats his cheeks before leaving him wrapped up with the drink in his hand. slowly, the boy deflates in some resignation, though as soon as the monster wanders away? his eyes light up and a wide smile explodes onto his face. ]

The monsters here... do you recognize them? How lucky we are to witness so many in one place, and all of them working together to help us!

[ and not like, trying to kill them. he's unarmed after all. ]

II. The Newcomers

[ with a big stretch, he's already out of the boat and raring to go. a brand new world! new discoveries! potential conquests abound! but there's not much else he can do--- basically being held back until someone comes by to act as a tourguide of sorts. slightly impatient, the young man is shadowboxing, bouncing on the balls of his feet as he moves from side to side while throwing a few punches at the air.

it's when he throws what he feels would be the hardest hitting one, drawing his fist back with a wide and cocky grin, that surprises him the most: the air crackles around the spot where he would've struck someone and flashes brightly. it's the sound that makes him half-gasp, half-yelp, and quickly pull his hand back into his other one out of wanting to keep it safe. ]

Oops... hm. Didn't mean to do that.

[ but instead of shying away and coming off nervous? he's all smiles. ]

III.) Don't Be Phy-lax About Your Studies

[ an open field is where alexander feels the most at peace. the most at ease... wind gently pushing at the long braid of hair hanging down his shoulder. with a circle drawn, he uses a drop of blood to hopefully conjure up the phylax sooner rather than later. after all--- he wants to do a little more exploring of this world. the safer parts, of course. he's heard of the cwyld and as much as he wants to charge out into the wilderness... the boy doesn't want to put himself into too much danger. not yet, and especially not without the proper steed.

so he sits. waits. and then finally, falls back and lets himself rest in the grass while staying in his circle. it's too easy for him to close his eyes and sort of doze off, humming to himself. ]

II.

[phantomshift]

[A silver haired man in black clothing watched as the boy shadowboxed. He, too, had been aboard the boat that had the fortune to pick up the newcomers from the ocean. Such an odd thing--but it was what it was and couldn't be changed, so it seemed.

Han watched the boy's form, intrigued. He was a boxer himself. Unlike the boy, however, Joon-gi Han was a newly minted Turnskin with teeth beginning to sharpen into predator's fangs, pointed furry ears starting to form, and eyes that were once dark changed to a bright golden hue. When the unexpected magic happened, he was surprised.]

What was that?

jill valentine | resident evil | witch

[torsion]

01. ARRIVAL AT HARBOR DISTRICT.

[ There is an eerie sense of unease about all of this -- beyond the obvious, beyond feeling like she's trapped in a daydream. At the dock, she sits comfortably at the edge, feet hung over. Her thoughts are comfortably blank, but now interrupted by the near-fluorescent buzzing of nothingness and a recollection of her appearance in the wet blur on the ground; blonde, not a brunette. It's a reminder of events that remain raw and still fresh, yet come with a lingering sense of comfort that she can't fully explain. It's confusing and doesn't match up, but she lets it take hold of her better than if it shook her. Her core is sturdy and rigid, unmoved by the swarming darkness in her thoughts.

She can still taste dirt and sea salt on her tongue, but it's not from coming here.

Rather than take her leave and explore further inland, for the moment, Jill tries to place anything visible out in the water. Something like the curves of raised land or buildings stacked high, but nothing can be seen out there in what seems to be the endless wet nothing. Voices behind her beckon her to move, perhaps in welcoming, but she's rigid in her stubbornness and needing of a moment to gather her thoughts. Rather than take off just yet, she's enjoying the quiet and letting it permeate and ease her into further comfort which not long ago she's needed in a way she might consider to be dire. The beating of her heart evens out with the stillness even if there's a feeling of warning prickling under her skin, something others might define as magic but will take some convincing for her to believe in.

So far, she's seen no sign of monsters or madmen and that alone manages to grip her. Jill isn't quite on her toes, though hardly wobbly, and instead is trying to just live in this moment.

It's pleasant; she sighs. ]

02. COVEN (FIELD TRIP + BONDING).

[ Jill, naturally, has a disbelief in all sorts of things like magic. Science is something solid and real that she can believe in, that there's proof of and there's nothing to suggest all this magic nonsense isn't just some kind of enhancement via science (worst case scenario, mutation) and it takes some effort not to interrupt during the lesson with questions that come to mind. Jill even manages to keep any snide remarks about disbelief to herself, although it's tempting to ease off some frustration by way of sarcasm. If this is a dream, after all, it's an awfully detailed one -- and she's always been the type to play by the rules set out before her for most games. This one isn't an exception to that.

THE FIELD TRIP isn't really up to her speed (or is it her that's being left behind?). She's too pent-up to ease into something calmer and more focused at the moment and her mind races. There's too many places to be, too much to do both here and where she's come from. She hates the idea of partnering up as much as she does giving in, but it might be ideal. Finding someone else that is in the same predicament, she might give them a soft "hey," and mean to strike up a conversation but it's just as likely that she'll stubbornly look like she needs a hand.

BONDING on the other hand is something she internally is refusing for the moment. She doesn't trust shit and to let someone in that she doesn't know, however this might work, temporarily and through a potion or otherwise, doesn't exactly jive with her. In the best case scenario she'll begrudgingly join up with someone else who is equally uncomfortable. Worst case, she'll commiserate and do nothing if forced. Regardless, everything about her comes off tense, in waves of discomfort yet there's still something about her that is uniquely approachable. Maybe it's the concern on brow and the way her thoughts drag on in other directions. Depending on if she's approached or assigned, she'll be more open about it. The latter being more likely, her first question to her partner is if they've done this before -- complete with taut, uneasy smile in place. ]

03. TWIN FLOWER BLOOD MOONS.

[ Rather than get too rowdy (for the moment), Jill will be drinking in a quiet pocket of the park on her lonesome. Not drunk or planning to be, she remains in perfect control while pouring herself another drink, leaving the glass half-full (or, in her pessimist nature, half-empty) before taking another pull.

She's likely to get into a bar fight if bothered enough or maybe loosen up if someone takes her company more seriously. Either way, it's going to be an interesting evening. ]

04. OBLIGATORY TRAINING MONTAGE.

[ She's around the edge of the city limits where it twists into forestry. Just far enough that the outline of buildings can be seen beyond the tree canopy in the distance. Despite the fact she's training, she comes off as a friendly sight to an weary travelers that might be out hunting, though she's not one of them this time around.

Jill is savaging a tree. Excess energy and adrenaline still coursing through her with nowhere to go. No revenge or rescue to fuel, it builds and stacks without a run-off. It's charged into her body, lightening the weight in her chest each time it exerts from her legs and feet, trailing through her fingertips. There's pent-up energy crackling through her in a way she can't escape now that she's left the oil refinery and has nothing to fight against.

Though her movement isn't quite vicious, there's a desperate edge and lack of hesitation. A draping intensity even when she pauses for a break, wiping at her wet forehead with the back of her hand. Shoulders rising and falling even as she drinks from a bottle that's quickly picked up from a small pile of supplies nearby. Noise isn't ignored, but she only vaguely glances in the direction it comes from. Pointed, but not an invitation or lack of one. ]

05. WILD CARD OPTION.

[ EMP plot post here! Feel free to HMU there or PM me for something unique or just drop a starter for me to respond to! Message me for Discord. c: ]

04

[towards_okeanos]

[One is never safe outside the Bright Wall. Iskandar has been out enough times to be painfully aware of that fact. No matter how much the situation has improved over the years. No matter if the Cwyltid attacks became less frequent now that there has been a sustained effort to keep them at bay. It is still not safe.

So the sight he encounters on his way back from visiting one of the more remote Wilders outposts is quite a surprise for him. He expected an angry boar judging from the noises. Instead, he found a woman pummelling a tree trunk with ferocity not often encountered. He'd recruit her for his army had he still had one for that one trait alone.

Iskandar stops at the edge of the clearing. He waits watching her in silence, giving her time to notice him and decide if he's worth a break in her tree-murder. He pays attention to the forest too. Who knows what could crawl out of it lured by the noise.

Still, he's a big guy, easy to notice. Could easily be mistaken for a wrestler or a boxer.]

Lahabrea, Aeternae now - OTA. Impromptu shoreline party

[fuelingfire]

The aeternae are newcomers to the city, but they've been working on making themselves at home quickly. Ordinarily, Lahabrea would not consider indulging in their company - after all the rumors had already begun that they were vice-filled gluttons, hedonists and sex-addicts one and all (though how much of that was true weighed heavily on the individual..), and if he had to keep company he generally preferred the more scholarly sorts. Books, education, knowledge. Even the dragon that edged his thoughts felt there were better things to do than eating, drinking and being merry.

At least, until his dreams had gone strange.

And then he'd lost every mark of being a dragon, seemingly in an instant, before he'd even finally gained the only thing that would have made the changes tolerable: his wings.

Early evening mid-month finds the Ascian uncharacteristically out and about though.. and not shrouded in the all-concealing black cloth he'd made a habit of since his changes had begun in the fall. The fabric had been multi-purpose, hiding the shame of his deformed appearance as well as maintaining some level of propriety, but now.. well, it might be the company he's keeping for the moment, but that's gone out the window. As had any trace of him ever being among the dragon-kin. there's a small gardenish plot fauns frequented along the river-bank, a place that had become popular with the aeternae too, open to fresh air and cool breezes, with just enough cover from groomed hedges that anyone could be doing anything if they hunkered down a bit. There's drink, there's food, there's the warm inviting scent of fire and honey, and a handful of aeternae and a faun or two.

And Lahabrea. Who does not visibly stand out in this group ... not anymore. It would take someone very familiar with him indeed to even recognize him based on appearance alone, with all hints of dragon gone, replaced by dusky skin peppered with tiny crimson and gold freckles, half-grown spiralling translucent horns, cloven hooves of matching color, and a long lean tail currently wound around the base of a long-stemmed glass filled with some form of drink or other while he simply lounges, with all appearance of absolute comfort, right out in public. Like the others present, he's.. not precisely wearing all that much, little more than a comfortable pair of shorts and several choice bits of gleaming golden jewelry, content to feel the warmth of the last rays of an evening sun on his still sturdy, muscular frame. He's visibly not .. quite.. done with his changes, by the patchy coloration of his skin and the way his horns don't quite seem to be full size, or other numerous tiny differences between him and the ship-arrived aeternae, but there's no mistaking a demonish form for some other species, these days.

Shame and humiliation had edged his actions since he'd arrived in Aefenglom so many months ago.

It's gone now, as if it never were. Maybe it's the company he's keeping, certainly there's a boisterousness in the air; likely this is just going to end up as one of many other spontaneous parties sooner or later as the evening goes on. The invitation's there, for any passer-by: Here's food, here's drink, here's company.

Stay a while!

as promised, here's a fellow aeternae

[indolentaxe]

A figure blocks the sunlight for a few moments as a similarly half-transformed Aeternae approaches and has a seat next to him. Hilda's changes seem to be the opposite of Lahabrea's, her skin paling in patches to a pale gray that's nearly porcelain in appearance. Small horns, black and bony, are growing out from either side of her head. So far, she has no tail to speak of--what has grown in is still too small to do anything other than protrude a little in the waistband of her skirts.

The pink color of her hair and eyes are as they ever were.

"Hello, fellow newly-monster-person." The grin she gives him shows small, fanged cuspids.

Without waiting for him to indicate that he company is wanted or not, she stretches out and makes herself comfortable. Once settled, she gives him a once-over as she sips a sparkling green beverage.

"You certainly have outdone yourself with all the jewelry."

It's not a judgement. If anything, she's impressed.

ren wuying (shenmue) - aeternae

[afterburner2]

[ A. damp disembark ]

Two days have passed since he was unceremoniously woken up by the wet wooden floor of a boat slamming him in the face, and in that time, Ren has not been able to figure out where the hell he is or what the fuck is going on. Well, scratch that - after enough hours had passed, he could rule out the possibility of this being a bad drug trip, although he never thought that's what it could be anyway, not unless someone had put shit in his food or something. And, to be fair, by the time the boat - "Efthymia," these weirdos are calling it - is pulling into the harbor that they'd been hyping since he woke up, he could also definitively rule out that this sure as hell isn't any part of Hong Kong, or the mainland, or really anywhere he's ever heard of before.

But aside from those two things, he has no clue. Everything else that he's being told is nonsense and he has no intention of accepting that bullshit as the truth, even as he walks through streets filled with unbelievable monsters and creatures, halfheartedly following the ushers leading his group towards the Coven.

"You've got to be kidding me," he mutters to himself. Ren still hasn't heard a reason to believe anything he's been told so far, much less anything he's about to be told by these people. More importantly, this is boring as hell. Why not just give them a rundown right there in the harbor?

He leans over to one of the people next to him, unaware of whether they came off the boat with him or are part of the greeting team, and keeps his head down and his voice low as he speaks. "Hey. You into this? You wanna ditch?"

[ B. professional ]

A guy's gotta support himself somehow, and like hell if he's going to accept unconditional handouts in an unknown city. Ren has been taking care of himself for too long to fall for a blatant scam like that.

So, within the day, the young man falls back on his most reliable source of income: pickpocketing. Considering he's in such a bizarre place, he takes it slow at first, going for only the most sittingest of sitting ducks. It isn't the most reliable way to get paid, but it is the fastest, and a guy can scrape together enough to take care of himself for the day if he's lucky. Steering clear of anything with too many teeth or limbs, he makes attempts at wallets and coin purses jutting out of pockets as he passes by their owners on the street. If the situation requires it and the opportunity allows for it, he uses his switchblade to discreetly pop off buttons and loosen seams, making the pilfering easier.

But as routine as this is for him, he doesn't notice that every filched item gives him a more intense feeling of satisfaction that usual. Just going through a wally puts a grin on his face, whether it's got any cash in it or not. Eventually, he starts nicking inconsequential items off his victims - handkerchiefs, folded notes, eyeglasses. Just the mischief alone is kinda fun for some reason, like he's a little kid on the streets of Aberdeen again, drunk with the realization that he's good at stealing things without getting caught.

Of course, this is Aefenglom, not Hong Kong. He very easily can get caught here, if not seen by onlookers, with Witches and Monsters everywhere...

[ C. wildcard ]

((idk, hit me with something else, y'all know how the welcome wagon goes and what's on the location page. This is Howl-mun by the way! you can poke me on plurk at lazdo.))

B.

[al_bhed]

Rikku isn't mad at whoever this guy is. Just disappointed.

Not because he's just pickpocketed her, of course. Or even that he's pickpocketing at all. It's because he slipped something out of the pockets of the woman she's been tracking for the last hour. Despite the fact that it's done nothing aside from make her feel better and ruin the days of a few awful people, Rikku's been keeping up her one-person petty crime spree against members of the Evergreen Circle who have so far evaded justice. Someone beating her to it takes half the satisfaction out of the whole thing.

So, once the woman is well out of earshot, she approaches the man and whines at him.

"No fair, I was trying to get something off of her."

She pauses, her displeasure made known, and then pivots quickly to curiosity.

"So, what'd you get?"