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

[partnerinheels]

[Dry humor is not only acceptable, but welcome addition to the conversation and this place. It earns a wry smile from her as she sweeps her gaze over the various posted ads.]

Perhaps, but honesty certainly has its merits. As does wit.

[She shrugs, returning her attention to him.]

I would recommend taking the time to meet anyone you might consider living with first. People are trying to make themselves sound more appealing on these things.

[heartsbane]

Ah. Perhaps I have my two other words right there. Tired, honest, witty. Surely some will find use in that combination.

[ he isn't sure if he is giving serious consideration to these surveys in the first place. everyone has a foreign face to Jorah, and worst yet, they didn't even appear to be from Essos. the idea of housing with a stranger to that degree is concerning, to say the least. ]

Good advice. I would have serious concerns for anyone who chooses a lazy, funny man over these more favorable options.

[partnerinheels]

Some have already. [At least in the moment. He's still a stranger, but this interaction doesn't feel forced, nor is it depleting her rather low socialization capacity.

Honestly, in such a strange world of magic and friendly monsters, Sheva's already been having difficulty with this place, and she hasn't even taken into plausible consideration that she would become anything beyond herself. She doesn't exactly want an audience in the likely chance that she displays extreme weakness in handling such Weird Shit.

So, she keeps to the lighter side of the conversation for now.]

Ah, well if you're so lazy, perhaps you'd be willing to gift a lady your sword? [The teasing is so slight that she comes off as quite serious at first, but the corners of her eyes give her away. Worth a shot regardless.]

[heartsbane]

[ lighter is good. the less they know about the future — and in particular, what will happen to them in the future — the better of an idea it is to try and avoid disclosure of one's life story. he never fathomed being drawn to such a diverse, exotic world in the first place. now he must prepare for any and everything to happen.

perhaps that means he could use at least one friend as well. going at it alone will not yield great results, he fears. ]

My sword? [ Jorah glances down at his sheath, all before giving her another once-over. he can't help the genuine chuckle that crawls out from his throat. ] Unless what you wear is for decoration, I believe you are in no need of a sword. You will be encumbered before you know it.

[ okay. fuck it. he can't help himself: ]

... And what is it that you are bearing, exactly?

[partnerinheels]

[She's apt to call anyone stubborn enough to go at things alone horribly misguided, but she's gone at things alone for a good chunk of her life. Truth be told, regardless of what horrors she's survived, and likely will continue to survive, alone, there are far more experiences where her survival hinged on the existence of a friend. It's a lesson that will never be forgotten.

And, she's got a good feeling about this one so far.]

Mhm. [She answers as he glances her over, making a few educated guesses of the contents of his thoughts. All the while, her own grin grows. The agent's not a large woman, even with heeled boots, but she's packing quite a bit of heat. He's smart to recognize that, even if he can't identify the weapons exactly.]

I thought you'd never ask. [All but purring in her accent, she clears the chamber of her rifle to offer him the bullet to examine.
Her voice becomes more businesslike, but there's a fondness still.] This is a rifle, and it's used to shoot targets from a great distance away. [Gently, she taps her finger to the scope.] This, the shotgun on my back, and the handgun strapped to my thigh are all firearms.

[Palm up, she requests the bullet back. After the battle with Wesker, she's frightfully low on the resource.]

Like knives and swords, they can have specialized uses depending on their design. That's why they look different.

[There's obviously more to it, but she's teaching and allowing him time to process and ask questions, not lecturing for an hour.]

[heartsbane]

[ this conversation accelerated rather quickly. Jorah accepts that she was ready to all but jump on the chance to flaunt her weaponry. it's clear she's prideful of how she maintains her inventory, and the fact that she would sooner offer him a bullet from one of her guns before an introduction says volumes. she certainly has his attention, however, quickly discarding the survey to instead turn his body and take the ammunition from her.

he continues to study it in the midst of her pointing at each weapon strapped to various parts of her body. Jorah avoids staring for too long in an attempt to remain respectful, instead carefully inspecting the casing as it's brought to his eyes and rolled between his fingertips. ]

It is clear to me that it is metal. Surely it isn't steel? I can only imagine how expensive this must be.

[ here he is, thinking just one bullet is worth more than the armor on his back. he gives it back to her delicately, all before folding his arms to listen to her continue. ]

I see. So it is like a bow, but more advanced. Interesting. You may make a better "roommate" than I, miss.

[partnerinheels]

[Story of her life to be honest. Besides, with everything that's happened and the reality of their situation, Sheva will take joy where she can find it. And teaching someone with a proper sword about firearms brought her visible pleasure.

And even if he stares, the young woman doesn't take any offense.

There's a hum at his question.] Sometimes. It's usually brass. As for cost... There's the cost of materials and manufacturing, then there's the market price.

[Supply and demand can be a blessing or a curse. Carefully, she takes the cartridge back from him.]

Be careful with these around high heat like open flames. The propellant inside, what makes it shoot forward really fast, is explosive.

[She can't help but chuckle softly at the conclusion he draws, particularly given the current subject.]

Thank you. And the bow is an excellent comparison. [A beat.] I'm Sheva, by the way.

[heartsbane]

[ if there's anything that has turned out to be pleasant about this impossibly hellish, impossibly long day, it is that Jorah is preparing to learn more regarding one of his favorite subjects. he hadn't planned on it while studying a piece of ridiculous paper, but to be fair to himself and others — he hadn't planned for much of any of this.

also, the true struggle is trying to think if alloy metal was even a thing in Essos. since Valyrian steel is a thing, let's say yes. ]

They are bite-sized. I assume they hurt upon contact. [ hahaha hopefully he never finds out how much. ] I imagine they may be hard to find here. You would do well to reserve those for a bad day. Hopefully that does not happen.

[ he's of the notion that today is pretty bad as is. still, the science behind her ammunition is fascinating, and it offers him a brief distraction from the headache of everything else he is currently dealing. she introduces herself and he offers an open hand in return. the man's armor and gloves cover him for the time being, so there isn't much to be apprehensive to. ]

Jorah. A pleasure.

[partnerinheels]

They do. Sometimes they go straight through. Make a real mess. [She doesn't have to explain the nastiness of wounds to him. He's probably seen more than enough in his lifetime.

There's a bit of a smile, a slight nod of agreement. He's identified the crux of a gun, and hers in particular. Clever man.] I have yet to see this technology here. And, I haven't quite figured what one considers a 'bad day' here.

[For all she knows, her definition of bad might be several magnitudes off base. That and there's the very real possibility that guns wouldn't be able to help stave off the nightmares lurking here. A topic she brushes aside in favor of the man at hand, and she takes his in a firm grip.]

A rare treat so far. [She pauses, thoughtful as she looks over his armor.
And because she's nosy and doesn't want to talk about the nightmares here:] How much does that weigh?

[heartsbane]

Must be better than remaining inside.

[ he's always thought having an arrow stuck inside your body was bad enough. at least it's easy to find and separate cleanly. just envisioning fingers or tools having to pry about looking for fragments causes him to temporarily cringe. nasty little buggers. maybe it's good that they're of a limited supply after all. ]

Perhaps I am wrong. But considering you make my armor look normal by comparison, I must assume what you have is exotic.

[ she's been able to use those guns for nightmares of a different variety. he has been able to use his sword. hopefully they both still have some use in their crutches. but yes, talk of nightmares might be a little too soon for the both of them. her question warrants him to look down at himself, moving his arms about to test the weight on his arms. ]

I would roughly place it at about two stone. It's spread throughout the body, and I have worn it so often that I barely notice. I daresay your weaponry may weigh more.

[partnerinheels]

You're right. [He's clearly battle worn enough to know what wounds are more worrisome.] Internally, the best case scenario is a through and through... One that doesn't hit anything major like organs or arteries.

[It'll still hurt like a bitch, but at least the risk of surgery, and therefore infection and sepsis, are far less. She wonders at the level of understanding the doctors in his world have about microorganisms and the transmission of diseases.

At the mention of her own armor being exotic, Sheva glances down at the bulletproof vest and realizes how exposed she must appear. Relatively speaking, she's quite exposed.] When I was brought here, I had been in the middle of a mission where supplies were sparse and failure was not an option.

[Meaning her death was an acceptable exchange to complete it.

Luckily, his armor is an excellent focus point.] So... [Quick math.] Approximately 13 kilograms? [Considering his estimate on her weapons, and she hums in soft disagreement a moment later.] Probably about the same actually, so long as you're not counting the sword.

[heartsbane]

It warms my heart to be right about something here.

[ any previous speculation or theorizing about what was going on and how witches and monsters were suddenly as common as swordsmen had conditioned him to believe he knew nothing anymore. at least he can make some proper guesses when it comes to foreign weaponry. the old man still has it in him.

he's seen many a wound fester and end lives without proper sterilization, but they aren't about to dive into how dirty and unclean people are where he is from. medical science is still antiquated to say the least, especially when considering what took place to cure him of his own disease. ]

I suppose it is safe to say that failure here will not provide the results you are looking for, either. [ he musters a laugh in the back of his throat when he thinks about what they must look like from a distance. ] —I imagine we make quite the pair, you and I. Dazed and confused, still clinging to the only things we have from home.

[ yes. armor. great focus point. he appreciates that they're both basically nerding out about each other's inventory, letting half of a smile linger on his face as she makes her comparisons. ]

Only one way to find out. I give you all of my armor, you give me all of your weapons.

[ he says it so plainly that it almost seems like he is serious. is he? who knows. ]

[partnerinheels]

[Whether it was meant as a joke or not, Sheva finds his comment genuinely amusing, and while he appears to fit into the aesthetic and time period of this place more closely, it's become clear that their both suffering from the pull in their own ways.]

Congratulations. Don't get used to it. [It's a tease back, perhaps an attempt to claw her own way out of the overwhelming pit of information that required digestion and serious adjustment.

And let's just say they both would probably benefit from a hot shower or bath. She knows she's keen on finding means to do just that for her sanity's sake.]

I haven't figured this place out enough to know what it means to fail here, not on a comparable scale to that, at least. [She exhales. Back to reality of it all.] The last thing I remember involves certain death.

[So yeah, Sheva's still trying to figure out how everything relates with that in mind, which is why she keenly settles back into the sassier portion of their conversation. After all, playing chicken with men is one of her favorite forms of distraction.]

Why do that when there are other, more fun ways to get you out of that armor that don't require me relinquishing all of my weapons?

[Her mouth slowly curls into a playful half smirk, and she even throws him a wink. She doesn't have any intentions of making good on such an offer in this moment, but it's not talk of magic and monsters.]

I was on my way to the barracks, in hopes of finding a way to clean up and maybe a hot meal.

[That's at least a definite offer, at least for him to find the same amenities.]

[heartsbane]

Never. I am to remain a humble soul 'til the day of my death.

[ he picks up on the humorous tone in her voice and responds in kind. his mind has been constantly pulling him in different directions, both wanting to create distance with those around him just as much as he would like to learn more about their own unique situations. Jorah has gone ahead and accepted that there's a rapport between the two of them. fellow warriors or soldiers often find much to agree with, after all. war stories, battle scars, their favorite weapon of choice...

... you'd think they'd get tired of it over the years, but no. certainly not when it's one of the only normal things he can cling onto while settling within Aefenglom.

idle flirtations, however? not so common. years of being surrounded by nothing but Dothraki and Unsullied, a focused queen and pure solitude made sure of that. her little quip is enough to make him let out an airless laugh, tongue wetting his lips as he clearly tries to muster up a proper response. she has him on the ropes for sure. kudos to Sheva. ]

I... believe the curiosity was to see if we share the same weight. Not to see what I look like underneath it all. Besides, perhaps I would like to try my hand at all of your weapons.

[ he narrows his eyes, making the intention of his words purposely inconclusive. she can't have all of the fun. at the mention of changing locales, he quickly nods and pins the survey he had been glancing over back onto the board. ]

Assuming that is an invitation, I am happy to provide you some company. Ladies first.