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

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.]

[spaghettimonster]

Yeah, that's the normal place to have a skull...

[Skulls for hands, now, that would be unusual. Just imagine it. Like a crab, with jaws for pincers.]

Anyway, all my bones are where they belong. No surprises here.

[He's met enough humans by now to know she might be right - but really, even with humans who live alongside other monsters?? That's the sticking point of his disbelief.]

[indolentaxe]

[...does he seriously not get it, or is he just being purposely obtuse?]

Right. But it's just a skull. Usually people have flesh. Eyes. A face. Those sorts of things.

How are you even moving and talking? Is it a spell or something?

[Hilda leans back a bit to inspect the rear of him, as if she might find some clue there.]

[spaghettimonster]

[The back of him is just bones and clothing, no signs of wires or runes or anything that would cause the bones to be moving together. Papyrus holds fairly still for the inspection, with a secret roll of his eyesockets before he gets his helpful ambassador voice in place.]

You could say that... but you'd be wrong!! Unless making kids takes spells...

[A question of semantics for another time.]

No, the only spelling in my creation, was the spelling of my name. If you've never seen a monster before... We're basically made of magic. So I guess you're not far off.

[indolentaxe]

[Thanks, Hilda didn't want to think about skeletons having sex. And now she is.

This day is getting weirder and weirder.]

The monsters back home are more... giant beasts than anything like you. But I guess if you're made of magic, that makes sense.

[In as much as it gives her an excuse to stop thinking too much about it. She's not magically proficient back home, never having made the effort, so maybe this is some aspect of it she doesn't know about. Good enough of an explanation for her.

Leaving the pun alone, she shifts her focus to other parts of the conversation.]

So, what's your name?

[spaghettimonster]

[A baffling topic for any to dwell on. If Papyrus realizes what thoughts he raised there, he doesn't express anything about it. He's more focused on the question of giant beasts - and how giant they might be - and the even more important topic of introducing himself.]

I am: the Great Papyrus. Ambassador of monsterkind!

[He grins a little more brightly with the introduction, cheekbones slightly creasing upward in the way cheeks might on fleshier people.]

And, still not sure how I got in an ocean... How about you?

IIIb

[phantomshift]

An intriguing thought.

[To put it politely. Perhaps concerning as well.

Joon-gi Han was a little started to find his new conversational companion was a talking skeleton. That was certainly a first, even in this strange land. After he found himself staring for a few seconds too long he quickly averted his eyes with a small bow of the head in apology.

He continued the conversation smoothly as additional way of apology for his rudeness. He did not mean to make the other uncomfortable after all and would do his best to make the other comfortable once more.]

It is an interesting dilemma, is it not. We did not arrive here in a traditional manner and if we leave in much a similar way... that could very well be our fate, to return to the water that swept us here in the first place.

[spaghettimonster]

[Papyrus doesn't react to the silent staring, keeping a pensive skeletal smile on his face. Maybe he didn't notice, being distracted by his own thoughts - and the influence of the fruit.

More likely, he's pretending not to notice, as to let things slide into politeness with greater speed and ease. The silent staring is a thing he's encountered a lot, in the last several months of brushing elbows with humans, but it was an intriguing thought. Maybe the silence was just from deep contemplation! Easy to extend the benefit of the doubt.]

It's almost enough to put a skeleton off swimming... and bathing?

[He considers this, then rejects it with a shudder that faintly sounds of rattling bones.]

No, there's nothing for it. I guess the water will just take us, sooner or later.

[It's already almost the end of the month, after all. The timeframe they estimated people would be disappearing by, if this worked the way things went the last time.]

[phantomshift]

[Skeletons that bathed...well, why not. Bone would grow smelly and disgusting without maintenance, too, he supposed. It was an odd picture to image--one he would never have thought to try one day. Coincidentally, it made him think of Kasuga. That man had a very active imagination. He probably would have gone on about how this whole world felt like being sucked into a video game. And here a skeleton that fit the motif quite readily.

Only this one was not an enemy to be struck down. It was downright friendly. And quite contemplative.

Han wondered.] Is that what you expect to happen soon? We'll return home...via the water?

[If that were the case, the perhaps Han should spend more time near the docks. He didn't mind a dip in the water if it would return him to his life back in his world.]

[spaghettimonster]

If the other people returned the way they came, through mirrors...

[Including, apparently, Papyrus himself some months ago. Not that he remembers it, but he's gotten pieces of the story from people who count themselves his friend, and skimmed messages from familiar names. Not relevant enough to bring up, but he hesitates with the thought for a moment.]

...Then, I guess we will! I was on a lake, when I fell into the ocean... Going back definitely means going by water.

[Not that it's likely that everyone pulled onto the boat had been on or near bodies of water at the time, but he can generalize with his own experience and project it on others easily enough.]

[phantomshift]

Hmm.

[Han considered the idea for another moment but he did not have much of a similar situation. While there were plenty of waterways in Ijincho he did not recall being near one just before his arrival to this land. He wondered how it was for others that came here this unusual watery way as well. Not all of them were near water when it occurred, were they? He hadn't thought to ask prior.]

I can't say that I was particularly close to any water myself when this happened, unless I'm forgetting something. Though there may be some merit to the waters of this land holding the key to our return... I certainly hope not to end up in the waters back near where I was at home.

[Those dirty, dirty waters... eugh.]

[spaghettimonster]

Really?? Well... If you're sure you weren't, then...

[Papyrus trails off rather than elaborate what that would imply, voice emphasizing uncertainty and doubt. He doesn't know what it'd imply, anyway. He's had weeks to dwell on this theory, building on assumptions and his experiences and fragments of others' stories.]

I heard the Mirrorbound were all near reflections... and they're connected to mirrors. Maybe you're overlooking some water. Like... A glass of it.

[A reach and a concession. Mostly, he'd just prefer the confidence that he'll go back when and where he was, so friends will be onhand to help pull him from the water if he's disoriented on arrival.]

IIa - RELAXING PHYLAXING LESSONS

[silentsavant]

[Soren is by no means a Witch even capable of summoning a phylax of his own, but that does not stop him from tagging along to sate his curiosity for a class of magic originating from a land across the sea.

What he also notices among the batch present is someone he can't help but note as familiar. It's not at all difficult to puzzle out why someone like Papyrus can't be forgotten, even if the most they ever communicated was at a summons almost two years ago now. He's drifting along the group observing attempts of the Coven Witches when he catches Papyrus psyching himself up with qualities he may or may not actually possess. Hm. This possible lack of bodily fluids could pose a peculiar problem for the animated skeleton - the monster, as he now understands it thanks to a robotic Puca's explanation. The small, untransformed dragon pauses a distance behind him and greets him with a remark.]

You look dry as a bone to me.

[spaghettimonster]

[Ordinarily Papyrus might sense the skeletal wordplay coming from a mile away, but his focus is elsewhere. Between figuring out how this sort of magic works, pondering the logistics, and psyching himself up... He startles a little at the comment, and rolls his eye sockets when the words sink in.]

Well, okay, you're not wrong about the bone part.

[Not only would it be silly to deny being made of bones, he's a skeleton proud of the fact.]

But bones can be wet! I have loads of, bodily fluids.

[There's a slight hesitation on the last phrase, as he's not entirely sure of the full listing of fluids other people have, or what they do with them all.]

[silentsavant]

[... Seems about as doubtful as, well... a skeleton moving about without muscles. Soren doesn't seem entirely convinced, which brings him to prompt Papyrus with a very simple (if not rude) question. Maybe he'll regret asking what a bone excretes?]

Is that so? Can you give me a few examples?

[Hmm. Does bone marrow count? Or should he be maintaining a more... open mind about this?]

[spaghettimonster]

Oh, you know...

[The first answer that comes to mind is tears, but he's not about to admit to crying if he can help it. He hesitates as he pushes past the embarrassment factor, and settles on answer number two.]

I'm not as sweaty as my friend Undyne, but, when I work out...! I've been known to sweat a little.

[Fun fact, some skeletons (made of magic) can sweat (also magic, probably). In fact, that sounds like a far more promising avenue of dripping something onto the ritual circle than making himself safely bleed when he doesn't even have his healing magic.]

Maybe I should get exercising, instead of sitting here thinking...

[silentsavant]

[Uh, ew? Soren's stony face twitches in kneejerk disgust at being given too much information about himself and his sweaty friend. To be fair, he did ask, so... that's just what he gets.]

I'm not sure if you'll achieve the same results by stamping and sweating all over the paint, but if you've got little in the ways of alternatives, there may be no helping it. By the way, I'm curious about something. Do you remember being in Aefenglom before docking here?

[spaghettimonster]

[Papyrus frowns down at his supplies at the idea of stomping around on them. Just because he can sweat - and kind of aspires to doing so, out of an understanding that sweating is evidence of fitness-type activity - doesn't make it a more appealing prospect.]

No, but I've heard I was... Oh!

[He startles and looks back to Soren's (slightly disgusted-looking) face, eye sockets shifting as he takes in his facial features.]

No, but! If you're asking that... You must have met 'me' before!

ib

[lightblooming]

( Once new Mirrorbound start to show up, Aqua doesn't hesitate to see who may or may not come into this world. There's always a chance that a friend may show up here. She wants to be there to help them as soon as she can if that's the case. However, she stops when she hears Papyrus speaks.

A... skeleton? Aqua can't help but do a double take for a moment. As someone who travels from world to world, she's always been prepared to see any sort of people or creatures who may inhabit it, but this is a first. )

Oh-- Well... yes. ( A dragon-like girl answers him, icey wings folding against her back. ) ... Though, I've been here for a while. Are you new here, then?

[spaghettimonster]

Yeah, super new.

[For Papyrus's part, there's no need to double take. Her specific proportions are new to him, but between the ice wings and various draconic features, it's easy enough for him to think ice drake and move on. It'll take more experience for him to start recognizing the patterns in which Mirrorbound were originally monsters and which have transformed here.]

A bunch of us washed aboard a boat in a storm... No clue how we got out there. Even they don't know.

[He gestures with a hand towards the people of the Coven, the ones arranging for the Mirrorbound to come in and check the newest arrivals for friends and family.]

Something about mirrors...? But I didn't see any.

[lightblooming]

... I see. ( That does certainly sound familiar, but that does leave one question. )

Something like this happened before, but... when it did, things like monster changes happened much faster than they had before. And, they had left this world quickly, as well.

( There's a brief pause on her own end. She certainly doesn't want to offend this person - should they have arrived to this world in the way they had left their own. ) Do you know what this world has chosen for you?

[spaghettimonster]

Oh, yeah. Double monster puberty.

[That is not even slightly how the Coven folks described it, when they mentioned an earlier lot of people who arrived, changed, and disappeared in a month or so. But he only paid so much attention to that part of the explanation, distracted by searching for familiar faces and the word that he likely wouldn't be one.]

But no! They said I have magic, which makes me a witch... Which I already had, as a monster. The terms here seem a little backwards...

[lightblooming]

( That's... a unique way of putting it. It's also a little strange to hear a newcomer refer to themselves as a monster, but Aqua's traveled to enough world's to know that all of them are different from one another. )

The magic from your own world and the magic here may be unique from the kind that you used. That was the case for me, as well.

... And... the fact that you were a monster back at home may have determined what was decided for you here, as well. Those who arrived here as humans-- many of them have changed - physically, at least.

[spaghettimonster]

So everybody's going through all sorts of changes... even the magic that's part of them.

[That's the unsettling part of it, if he's being honest. Monsters didn't just have magic, they were magic, famously leaving barely any remains but a sprinkling of dust. For all of that to swap out with his bones intact...

He shakes his head, taking a second to take in the milling crowd around them with a more contemplative gaze. No shortage of human-looking humans, same as on the boat. But then, the people of the boat - and the Coven - are apparently all from this world.]

If people from other worlds are changing... Does that mean, you didn't always have ice wings?

[Or wings, or scales at all.]