intro log: august

[faileas]

Intro Log: August

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

II. THE WELCOME PARTY Whether you've decided to find a way out of the building you've arrived in, or decided to explore the rest of the Looking-Glass House - and perhaps finding a few familiar faces among the crowd - you feel a pull towards the foyer of the first floor. It's like a firm suggestion, as if to take you by the hand and draw you to where it begins, and the source of it becomes quite apparent upon finding one's way to the front room: a tall, comfortably-dressed older woman and her even taller wolfish companion. "There's always a right lot of you coming in, aren't there." The woman sets her hands on her hips, with her Bonded casting a glance at those looking confused - newly arrived - and those who may have followed them in to talk to the newest addition of their mirrorbound bunch. "About time for introductions though- this here's Mhairi Ainsley, ambassador to the Parliament and my Bonded, and I'm Nerissa Bell, Head Witch of the Coven - but you can just call me Miss Nessie, you can," she adds, winking. "The lot of you must be as tired and confused as the last batch - hullo to those who've joined us, too! - so just a moment, dearests, I'll set all you right up—" With nothing more than a wave of her hand, rows of insanely colorful seats are summoned; half of them are wooden (sturdy and comfortable besides that), with the rest being misshapen and bag-like. Regardless, the seats fill the foyer and spread out a ways into the lawn behind them, making room for all of the new arrivals as well as the previous batch, should they have come to check on things. The Witches and Monsters that accompanied Nessie and Mhairi move to make room, and some disperse into the building itself to see if there's anyone who needs tending to. Mhairi steps forward as the chairs materialize. "Please, those who are able, join us for a moment. There are many questions that I'm sure you have - we will do our utmost best to answer them, and you may take any that we can't as a promise to find some sort of solution or answer." NOTE: If you wish to interact with Nessie and Mhairi, please comment here. You have the option of handwaving the IC interaction to OOCly ask what questions your character might have for them, for us to summarize an answer for, or you can request an IC thread. Simply specify in your comment's subject and we'll respond accordingly. Additionally, those with notable injuries or sickness will be attended to ASAP by Coven-based witches, and should anyone be curious about what they are - if they have magic potential, or if they swing a different way - then this can be done during this and the general hour or so the new arrivals are within the Coven's grounds. There are ongoing classes on magic, monsters, and Bonding as well, though they take place more during the day than at night - feel free to have your characters attend them at any time!

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

IV. LÙNASA Just like three months ago, those new to Aefenglom have found themselves brought to the city in the middle of a celebration. From dusk of Aguril 1st to the dusk of Aguril 3rd, Aefenglom celebrates something fairly special: Lùnasa. Traditionally, Lùnasa celebrates all kinds of traditional marriages sanctioned by Parliament, generally of the arranged kind, and handfastings, a ceremony based more on love and how long it lasts. The Coven's Bonds err on this side of things, though some Witches do have official spouses - Miss Nessie and Mhairi are an example of this, though not everyone marries their Bonded, either. Many of them are made during this festival, prompting the city to dress for the occasion just in case they find themselves in the middle of a ceremony, and just as many of them are formally renewed. Like during Litha, shops offer lovemaking potions, but only to those renewing vows or taking them; smaller fireworks, like sparklers and fountains, are also a common sight. Lùnasa is also home to the city's largest fashion show, showcasing fun and upcoming trends in the city. No experience is required to sign up to show off designs or to model them, and hundreds of tailors and needlework experts come together to quickly make dreams into reality for the end of the festival, when the show happens in genuine. The clothing is often wild and sorted into three categories: children, where those 14 and younger can submit their designs and model them as well; popular, where those 15 and older can do the same to try and vie for the judges' vote on what's in and what's out; and bonding, where all ages aspire to modify and make personal the traditional garbs of marriage and handfasting. While circumstances might be a little weird - and the month is a little cold coming in, given the snowstorm that happened at the end of last month - there's plenty to do, plenty to see, and plenty to take your mind off of just what a weird experience this all might be. Though those who have been in Aefenglom for a while now might notice something different over the course of the festival: they're a little more powerful than before, almost similar to the free-feeling that Boaltinn encouraged. Spells can still go awry, but the results will be much bigger - but it's frowned upon to use magic during festivals. Then again, characters will feel as if they're about to burn up if they don't use it a little... Well, just one spell beneath the shadow of the new moons wouldn't hurt, would it? a. JUST IN CASE While the city is dressed up on the off chance they might be roped into an impromptu wedding ceremony - it's likely that those who aren't native to Aefenglom don't have such luck. Thankfully, the tailors of city are offering free clothes on the caveat they advertise for them by wearing them around the festivities - they're long yet breathable garments, with colors that are fairly muted oranges and reds, not unlike the coming fall. It'd seem the fear of red skies from Litha has started to fade as nothing else too terrible has happened to the city at large, at least on the surface. And as it turns out, those offers might be better timed than they think: characters will be pulled into ceremonies at random to act as witnesses, to serve as dance partners for lonely folk, or just because they really needed someone to even out the numbers. b. ON THE CATWALK An annual occasion, the Aefenglom Fashion Show is always a bustling, bright time for those young and old to strut their stuff and try their best to either follow the latest trends, or spark them into being. Unfortunately, they're running a little low on models this year - many of their other ones decided to try their hand at sewing themselves - and so they're accepting volunteers! Willing or not; many of the more aggressive youths aren't above dragging those they deem perfect enough to wear their clothing to the back of the stage set up in the center of the Shopping District and pushing them out onto the catwalk dressed to the nines in all sorts of ridiculous-looking styles. c. EYE-CATCHING A few of the newest fashionistas in town have tried their hand at some rather... peculiar-looking clothing - but none so peculiar as those found in Precogstitchin' or Arwel's Tailory, in two completely different ways. While those who try on a piece or two of Precogstichin's wares will find themselves the center of attention due to their rather avant-garde shape, color, and pattern choices - not to mention accessories and rumor of being made of arachne silk! - those who try on Arwel's wares will find themselves being stopped quite frequently in the street despite the rather plain and dull colors and formless shapes the tailory provides as free samples. d. NEW MOON RITES While native Witches bemoan their weakened magics - some even expressing relief the new moon happens to land on a festival this year so they don't have to notice just how weak they are, mirrorbound Witches will find themselves feeling just the opposite: they're stronger. For those that chance a little magic despite the unspoken rules of the festivals in Aefenglom, they'll find the expelling of energy to be very relieving, as if a weight lifts off their shoulders. For those that refuse the siren's song of release, however, sparks of magical energy will fly from them, with a myriad of results - enchanting inanimate objects, transforming animals from one thing to another, starting small fires, creating illusions of the person or creature they fear the most... and so on.

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

Comments

[chosenside]

arrival;
[Honestly, for the first few minutes upon arriving in this strange room with mirrors, he thought Grindelwald or a similar Dark Wizard cursed him.

But there's just something inexplicably different about his current situation. Surely, he would've still recognized if a certain charm or curse was placed on him, suddenly robbing him with the familiarity of his own magic. Because he still feels something, it's just off and not what he's accustomed to. Nonetheless, Theseus finds himself moving away from his own mirror; there's no use standing around and he doesn't want to look at the engravings on his mirror's border much longer.

So, he walks around with his wand out, every so often tapping one of the 'plain' mirrors with it. He seems disappointed when nothing happens-- and hopefully that's not your mirror he's tapping on. Either way, the first person that he sees, Theseus won't hesitate to call out to them.]

How did you get here? [Oh, does that make him sound suspicious? Oops. Although, if the character he's speaking to looks young, Theseus will sound far more worried.]

haven (barracks);
[At least he doesn't have to worry that someone from his world is responsible for his current situation. Still, after hearing everything from Nessie and Mhairi, there's not much cause for celebration either. Seems like he's getting involved with another crisis here, one involving the Cwyld. And while he wants to return home, Theseus can't simply ignore what's happening here either. If people are in trouble, who's he to ignore their plight? That would be wrong. So, he must find out more, familiarize himself with the city.

And any good place to check out first is the barracks, despite it no longer holding military personnel.

With a cautious, but dignified step, he steps into the main lobby of the first building he's able to get into. Looking around, he smiles politely, a certain charm to his persona as he introduces himself.]

Hello, I'm Theseus Scamander. I've just found myself in Aefenglom not too long ago and I've been trying to acquaint myself with the area.

Lùnasa
[It's truly bittersweet to see a wedding taking place in front of him. While Theseus is certainly happy for the couple, pangs of grief echo through the young wizard, causing him to tightly shut his eyes as he thinks about his fallen fiancee. The memory, the wound, is honestly still fresh, but Theseus is trying his hardest to shove that pain back for now. This isn't about him. He can soldier up.

Okay, just. Think about what needs to be done. Right. His face doesn't feel wet, so success?

And it's probably just in time, because one moment he's standing and watching a ceremony take place, the next moment he's pulled into the dance floor with someone shouting 'hey stop being a loner and dance!' before they make their escape.

Theseus can only blink once, before looking at the person that he's supposed to dance with.]

Do I really appear that way? [Ah, nevermind that...]

arrival;

[yokeye]

Through a mirror~!

[Toki doesn't sound worried himself, but he's smiling a bit too much to cover other feelings. He waves vaguely down the hall, where his own mirror is.]

Did you come through one too!? There's no way back, right!? Because I've tried to like activate several of them or whatever, and they're just... mirrors!

[He never could use his powers well, but he's getting absolutely nothing in here for all his efforts.]

[chosenside]

[The combination of Toki being rather young and his cheery disposition gets Theseus to lower his wand more. While all of this is rather confusing, even to someone that's dealt with magic all his life, there's no reason to take out any frustration he might hold on him.]

I did come through one and I regret to tell you that I haven't found a way to return. It's a one way trip. [He does seem a little apologetic, even though they just met. Theseus doesn't like feeling useless and right now, he feels that and lost.] I thought that one of these mirrors might hold a different passageway and I've attempted to break through whichever enchantment has been placed on then, but they don't react.

[Is it because of his weakened state? He's felt that way ever since coming here, but that's not something he's going to mention. Also he might just be assuming that Toki is from Earth and familiar with magic.] Have you seen anyone else here?

[yokeye]

A one way trip...

[That was his assessment too.]

I thought maybe one would open or turn on or something an- Oh! I just tried like- [He wiggles his fingers in some gesture of "magic~" or the like.] -you know, power stuff, but! What if it's electronic and there's like a wall panel that opens them somewhere!?

[He attempts to remove the nearest mirror from the wall, to maybe look behind it.]

No, I haven't seen anyone else yet! What's the stick for?

Barracks

[newtralize]

[There's a loud roar of a creature that rattles the windows of the buildings in the barracks while Theseus is inside trying to acquaint himself with those that may reside there.

How fortunate that a certain magizoologist had decided to settle in the barracks instead of the houses; not feeling quite right being in a district so fanciful. He was more of a down to earth and modest guy and he didn't really need much in terms of lodgings. He had slept in some of the most uncomfortable situations, so a bed and roof over his head was good enough.

If he even needed those.

But the roar that can be head is followed by a quiet little yelp that sounds much more human than whatever had let out the much larger noise.

The person isn't exactly in distress though. If Theseus were to quickly venture out, he'll find a large feline creature mauling(read: cuddling) a poor man who is trying to wriggle free from the other. A mop of curls and freckles that were surely familiar.] G-Greg. Greg, please. I really- I have somewhere to go. [Newt's intention was to go see if there were new arrivals after he had delivered mail with his zouwu companion. The timing was about right to at least check if there were new faces and there was a face in particular he was looking out for after such a harrowing and strange dream.

Which is to say, he looks up and freezes because-] The-Theseus. [Speaking of.]

[chosenside]

[The moment Theseus hears the almost deafening roar, he politely, but quickly finishes his current conversation and heads straight towards the direction of the noise. It might be foolish, especially given his weakened powers at the moment, but he's not going to let that stop him. At the very least, he can see what's going on and decide the best course of action from there (which most likely, if Theseus is honest with himself, tossing himself into the situation immediately. He's completely responsible).

And the quieter, human shout only makes him worry more, not to mention because of the familiarity of the yell to him.

Is it... could it really be Newt? Well, if he did find his younger brother in this place, it would definitely be near a fantastic beast! The thought doesn't do much to lessen Theseus' worry, however, despite knowing how much of an expert Newt is as well. This world is different, the beasts are different, so what if--

He quickly pushes through the door and... cannot help but gap at the sight before him.

Despite preparing himself to see Newt tangled with a large creature, he still feels himself blinking and staring at the zouwu nuzzling against his brother. Where did...? And its name is Greg?

It's only when Newt's eyes reaches his own and hearing his name coming from his brother that the Auror responds in turn.]

N-Newt?

[So eloquent, Theseus. But he's already finding himself making his way to Newt, his legs just carrying him towards the younger wizard and his zouwu.]

[newtralize]

[Greg seems to pick up the change in body language from the other as she stops nuzzling against the man and looks up to fix her eyes on Theseus for a moment. She then pulls away from her distracted owner, tail swishing around him as she moves to settle down in the shade between the building of the barracks and the high walls; eyes still trained on Theseus. While she probably senses that the other wasn't going to harm the man, she most definitely was going to watch carefully anyways.

Newt rights himself and dusts his clothes off a bit before glancing at the other. He lets his gaze drop to Theseus' shoes. Always shy from making eye contact with others.]

Theseus. [He really hadn't expected to see any familiar faces here. It had been some months and a year since he had seen anyone from home.] You. You must have just arrived. I suppose it is that time.

[Newt wasn't unhappy to see the other, of course. While his relationship with Theseus was complicated, they were still his brother. He just also was never very good with greetings and the such. Theseus, well, they seemed...off? Not in a suspicious manner. A quick glance though and Theseus looked worn out.

But then his head snaps back at the other.] You're not- You aren't a monster are you?! [Not because there's issues with being a monster or anything, but he had seen how painful the changes could be. He didn't want to see that happen to his brother.]

Lùnasa

[succored]

[ After an hour or two outside and more than one extremely awkward event, Sora has finally, thankfully, figured out how to do the most basic two-step. As someone is tossed onto the dance floor near him, he doesn't sigh (at least not outwardly) before offering the stranger a hand.

He has not, however, learned to carry on a conversation that well. ]

Are you okay?

[ Or be tactful. ]

[chosenside]

[Theseus looks at the hand for a moment, not out of disgust, but just unfamiliarity because he's actually never danced with another guy before. Sure, maybe when he was learning how to dance in the first place when he was a lot younger with an instructor, but this is something a little different.

But he doesn't want to be rude, and while he doesn't yet take Sora's hand, he looks at him with a confident smile, trying to erase the pain he was displaying earlier. It wouldn't do to make a stranger worry about him, especially at a wedding.]

Oh, I am, just remembering something. [He doesn't talk about that, instead bowing slightly and almost awkwardly, at least for Theseus, taking Sora's hand. Still, he seems a little more relaxed than earlier.] Now, I believe I owe you a dance, the people seem quite lively here.

[succored]

[ Sora isn't sure exactly what he'd seen, but he isn't interested in pushing anyone too hard. And definitely not a stranger. He lets the moment pass with only a slight furrow of his brow, which fades as he takes the man's hand and nods. ]

They're getting married.

[ So the concept makes sense, even though Sora is very unfamiliar with weddings themselves. As the energetic music begins, Sora grasps one of his hands and moves the other to barely touch his side. He might even be better served by holding the hem of his jacket. But this is what he's seen, and so it's what he's copying. At a pace just behind the music he begins to follow the rest of the group's moves. It's still awkward, but he's trying his best. He just might also be holding his breath. ]

barracks

[thisisamazing]

[The person he runs into in the barracks isn't actually a resident here - he's just visiting, has a couple of friends that live down this way. Toothless is outside, though probably climbing up the roof; he hasn't had the time to take them on a long flight in a few days, and the dragon's energy levels are too high to confine him to buildings. Besides, he's probably hoping for a playdate with a zouwu, not wanting to go indoors for boring human stuff.

So it's just Hiccup for now, a smiling young man in clothes that look like he sewed them himself and mismatched feet.] Just got here, right? The other night. It always happens at 3 in the morning, I'm not sure why.

Hi, I'm Hiccup- Hiccup Haddock. Are you uh, looking for somewhere in particular?

[chosenside]

[Comparatively, Theseus is well-dressed and prim, obvious that the man pays no small amount of attention to how he appears. But he nonetheless smiles at Hiccup, no hint of judgment or distaste upon looking at his appearance. After all, he has a little brother that fumbles around, sometimes looking like he just stumbled out of bed.

Concern for his brother, for everyone back in his world is still there, but Theseus knows that he can't do much about it now. What must be done is learning about this new world.]

That would be right... Hiccup, you said? [Interesting name, but Theseus figures that he's going to run across people with very different customs and cultures from his own now. Honestly, it's one of the more enlightening things about his current situation.] Well, it's certainly good to know that I fall into a normal pattern here.

And I'm just here to look around. I feel I'm a little behind, so I want to absolve some of that by knowing what I can about the buildings and areas of Aefenglom.

But it's good to meet you, I'm Theseus Scamander.

[thisisamazing]

Well, I- you know, I'm not sure I'd call it a normal pattern, I was in the first group and they weren't expecting us at all, but it's happened two more times since then. Including your group. [It's starting to be a pattern, that is, albeit an unpredictable one.] The second group came the month after mine, but- well, last month, there was nobody. It's strange.

[He perks up when he hears that name, eyes brightening in recognition. For the last name, at least.] Scamander? That's- wow, I know a Newt Scamander, is it just a common name or-?

Lunasa

[interlucere]

[ His partner, it turns out, is a bit young, and unlike him, she has taken at least a few turns around the square. Obviously the intent here is to place him with someone who wants to be here, to convince him that this really is fun, despite what he might think.

dressed like one of the bride's, small mage smiles up at him apologetically. ]

They do that to everyone they think isn't participating enough.

[ He just happens to be their latest victim. ]

I'm happy to teach you, but we don't have to dance if you don't want to. But I doubt they plan on leaving you alone until you do.

[chosenside]

[Theseus looks down at the young mage, who is quite a bit shorter than him, but an easy smile still reaches the Auror, his earlier grief easily shoved aside. It would be quite ungentlemanly to deny her a dance.]

I may know a few dances. [He bows lightly at her, still mostly just playing along with the traditions of this wedding. Theseus isn't going to be the spoilsport in a wedding, no matter how painful the reminder may be.] But I'd still be honored to have a dance with you, young lady.

[interlucere]

[ At least he's amicable about this, unlike some others. Her smile turns encouraging as she meets his bow with a sweeping curtsey of her own. ]

It's Lux.

[ "Young lady" is way, way too formal for her liking. Quietly, she offers her hand out to him. ]

Do you know how to waltz? [ They can start with something easy and work their way up. ]

lùnasa

[bloodwit]

[ considering viren has likewise been yanked onto the dancefloor (of which he jerks away from whoever's touch with a scowl), he's faced with someone equally uprooted. ]

[ he pinches the bridge of his nose, and with a tired sigh, ]

... Yes, likely.

[ hey, he apparently looked the same. ]

I'm not much in the mood for dancing. [ he glances to one of the freer tables, pointedly. and, slow-to-warm as he is to the idea - ] I don't supposed you would care to sit. Perhaps if we're seen socializing, we're marginally less likely to be bothered.'

[ just marginally, though. he has his doubts. ]

[chosenside]

[Two people stuck in the same situation, that's a good way to start any conversation. At least it's not a battlefield and just a dance floor, but in a way, one shouldn't underestimate that. There may be no actual fighting, but there's certainly a level of expectation sometimes placed on people.

And while Theseus was more willing to give in and dance, he also has no objections to just sitting around and socializing. That's something that usually comes naturally to him.]

Surely they wouldn't bother two gentlemen that are deep in conversation, maybe trying a drink or two.

[bloodwit]

[ ... perhaps viren should've been choosier in his words. pretend to socialize is what he meant - he doesn't think he's actually properly socialized in. actually too long to recall. ]

[ and over drinks too? that does seem to be a commodity here, huh. it sure is a wedding. ]

Right. ... Well, this way, then.

[ he leads the way to an open table - as predicted, there are a few drinks available. are they poisoned? they don't seem poisoned. wine or somesuch. viren takes a set, tucking his robes neatly beneath him. ]

arrival

[cspd]

[ Ah, but that is Lloyd's mirror you're tapping on. ]

- it doesn't do anything when I touch it, either, and this one's definitely "mine."

[ It's weird to assert ownership over a mirror he's never seen in a place he's never been, but how else is one to interpret these things, honestly? But okay, to answer the question. ]

I was down in the Geofront. I thought there was something strange about the water...

[ Why...was his reaction to "something's weird in there" to touch the water, though? When he thinks about it, that doesn't make much sense, and normally Lloyd is all about making sense. ]

[chosenside]

[Theseus turns around sharply with wand in hand, somewhat ashamed that he didn't notice anyone else in the same vicinity as him. If this was a battle, he'd probably be taken out by now, and that honestly goes double given how weak his magic is at the moment. It's unlike him to be caught off guard and Theseus is not sure if it's good or not to blame it on his weakened self.

But it looks like he's having some luck today, because he's not facing an enemy, but a kid-- probably a muggle? Theseus tries to discreetly hold his wand behind his back as he talks to him.]

This plain mirror is yours? [He takes one look at the mirror again before returning his attention to Lloyd.] If you're able to, can you tell me more about this Geofront and how you arrived here?

Lùnasa

[showsnopiety]

Loner? No. Too serious? Yes.

[Which is almost a joke, considering he's paired with a tiny, cynical figure of a woman. Out of her back are two still growing wings; if he looks down, past her golden gaze, he might see the slightest swish of a big cat's tail.]

However-movement can sometimes jog ideas to the surface. But I don't know if you were simply thinking.

[He could have just had gas tbh.]

[chosenside]

[While he's certainly fine being described as 'too serious' in certain situations, a wedding is not one of them. He really doesn't intend to be a spoilsport at a ceremony that's usually filled with a high amount of energy and optimism, so he gives Caren a small smile, wanting to show that he's more focused on the present rather than some upsetting thoughts.

And if he wasn't so used to seeing monsters everywhere, he might've been surprised by her appearance, but Theseus only looks at her wings and tail for a seconds.]

Thinking, mostly. So there's one solution to that-- think less, right? [He lightly jokes, mostly wanting to avoid how grim he appeared earlier.] I know that we're supposed to dance, but if you wish to find another partner, I won't be offended.

[He's old and Theseus assumes that she would rather dance with someone her age.]

arrival

[ragefield]

[Chris isn't sure when he managed to get inside the old looking room. It reminds him of a mansion, dusty and winding and filled with strange things. It's definitely not where he was minutes ago. He's walking slowly, not drawing a weapon just yet, but ready for attack at any moment. When he hears a clear voice, he turns to see where it's coming from. Another man that apparently got dumped off the same way he did. He doesn't look infected or like he really fits in with the rest of the surrounding, at least at first glance. Chris hesitates, but approaches Theseus with a hand hovering near his gun.]

That's what I'd like to know. What the hell is going on?

[Yeah, he's taking it well.]

I was... in a helicopter. [Which he definitely isn't in now. But he is still bleeding. It's hard to tell what is real at the moment.]

Who are you?

[Straight to the point.]

[chosenside]

[Theseus is definitely no stranger to guns, because even though he's never used one himself, he's personally seen them up close during the great war. Effective pieces of muggle technology they are, although he considers them to be barbaric in a way as well. It's why he warily looks at the gun still attached to Chris' belt, before slowly holding his hands up, showing that he's unarmed.

Well, besides a wand in his hand, but he doesn't think it looks threatening.]

When I find the answer to that, I'll let you know.

[This bloke looks like he's been extracted straight off a battlefield though. While his uniform is different from what he's seen, Theseus doesn't think he's too far off his mark there. Hearing that he was just in a helicopter confirms his thoughts. ...Although, that's a very odd place to be taken from. Did someone enchant that helicopter or place a Portkey in it? It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to him.

He also takes note of Chris' injury, explicit concern showing in his face, but unfortunately he doesn't trust himself enough to heal his wound at the moment.

I'm Theseus Scamander. [He answers calmly, not hesitating in his response. At least he's asking questions first and not shooting him, so that's nice.] And who might you be?