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

[fulgency]

[Ozymandias offers a wrist when prompted by one of the assistants, allowing her to start picking and choosing between various bracelets and cuffs to place on him. He largely ignores this and instead laughs at Iskandar's misunderstanding. It is exactly as Ozymandias would expect of him to both assume a more mortal sort of peril and to be eager to jump in the fray.]

It is a battle of a different sort that you will find here, I'm afraid. [He takes back his wrist, inspecting what he's now adorned with. He starts rearranging the order and though the woman who placed them there looks like she wants to say something, she merely bites her lower lip and stays quiet.] Instead of a blade, you are armed with accessories and garments as these tailors vie for supremacy over the others.

[Pausing a moment, he studies his work before taking off a cuff and passing it back to the assistant. Now he's satisfied.]

I would normally not fight another's battles, [at least not while there isn't explicitly something in his favor,] but I find myself in need of a distraction.

[towards_okeanos]

[The explanation makes him raise an eyebrow but after giving it more than a passing thought Iskandar has to agree with Ozymandias. If poets and athletes can have competitions why not tailors? Aren't they artisans as well?]

That so?

[Iskandar casts a glance at the designer. This one is taking part in no competition looking as he does. But of course! He bursts in laughter.]

I see now! No way he could show those clothes with such a meager posture.

[He slams the poor man's back and while it's not Servants strength it still makes him wonder if his spine is still in one piece.]

My good man! You should get out more! Train a little. Only then you could be your own champion.

[The designer clearly does not want to be anyone's champion, he's happy as he is, thank you, but Iskandar already turned his back to him choosing to speak to Ozymandias instead.]

A distraction, you say?

[He stops shaking his head. Where are his manners? One does not converse with another royal in such a manner. Unless already acquainted. Which clearly is not the case.]

Bah, I am being so uncivilized! Let me start properly now. I am Iskandar [He pauses to deliver a small bow. Polite, yes, but far from subservient.]

With whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?

[fulgency]

[Ozymandias does not bother with suppressing his grin or his laughter at Iskandar's open displays of warmth and encouragement to this designer. (Even if the latter finds it completely bewildering.) He would expect nothing less from a man who, much like Ozymandias, embodies the sun, but especially so from Iskandar. His means of leading and inspiring others are unlikely to ever change.]

[Which can be said of his manners as well. He never truly forgets them for long as Iskandar is not without respect or truly crude, but in his familiar warmth they can sometimes lag behind.]

[But, if there were any doubt that Iskandar held no memory for Ozymandias, it was in his greeting alone.]

You are in the presence of the King of Kings, Ozymandias. [Ozymandias bows to no one, but for a fellow pharaoh, he is willing to offer the barest inclinations of his head. The movement is so slight that his earrings barely sway with the motion.] This is the first time we've met to your recollection, but that is not so to mine, King of Conquerors.

[towards_okeanos]

Ho! Ho! The greatest Pharaoh himself, in person! Truly, that is the most fortunate encounter!

[That last statement makes him pause though...]

We've met, you say? I hope we were allies then. [There's a hint of a smirk forming. Pity he does not have those memories yet.] As much as I find the prospect of a match alluring [Does he even stand a chance against King of Kings? He wouldn't be himself if he ever even thought about asking such a question. It matters not. What does is that would be most glorious battle.] I'd loathe having to fight another pharaoh. That would be just sad.

[Almost like waging a civil war against the most illustrious ruler of a country he loves as much as his own. He'd hate that.]

[fulgency]

[If there was any doubt as to who this giant of a man was, his talk of a match against Ozymandias certainly confirms it. No other pharaoh would dare allude to such a possibility let alone speak of it as something of interest. Even if they could see the glory in such a challenge, they wouldn't risk his offense like that. But likely because it is Iskandar who suggests it and because Ozymandias is more than confident that his power would remain unmatched, Ozymandias sees no reason to be offended.]

We are allies, [he confirms, head canting slightly to one side.] As it so happens, we share a Master.

[Perhaps a little unworthy to truly have command over him or Iskandar, but suitable enough. And growing worthier by the day.]

[towards_okeanos]

That is good to hear.

[Iskandar is quick to reply but then he pauses. A shared Master? That's some tale to tell.]

Ha! He must be a remarkable magus then! To be able to even sustain such power as yours, he must be a true prodigy!

[Or someone very convincing so they both would be willing to run on their own reserves. Iskandar already has done it once. While he's quite confident about his own reserves there is not a sliver of doubt that they pale in comparison with what King of Kings has at his fingertips.

The Master must be exceptional indeed.]

[fulgency]

[A true prodigy is... Well, it's more than a little bit of a stretch in Ozymandias' opinion, which he believes to be a fair assessment of Ritsuka. But Ozymandias' agreement to a temporary contract was based far less on talent or raw potential so much as it was Ritsuka's spirit and goals.]

Our Master is remarkable indeed, [he agrees with a proud smile.] But discussing matters such as what has not yet come to pass for you can wait.

I am curious as to what your understanding of the present situation is and how long it has been since you were summoned to this world through the mirror.

[towards_okeanos]

[Talents falter and strength can fail. Swords break, potential can be squandered, knowledge has to bow before the mystery and the unknowable. So it is not the one who is strongest or wisest or most talented but a man of proper conviction that is able to endure and prevail against any hardship.]

I have just arrived.

[Iskandars lets out a long sigh. What is his understanding of the situation? That is a question as loaded as they come. So his answer better be measured.]

So my understanding is at best limited but I keep my eyes open. If I have to list one observation that would that the locals are not exactly a military superpower. Unless they hide their troops somewhere outside of the city.

[That wouldn't be a bad idea either.]

[fulgency]

Your assumption is correct, [Ozymandias confirms with a slight nod.] They are not completely unorganized, but I've yet to see any ambition for conquest or concerns about protecting themselves from a foreign power.

[It's possible that it may not seem like Ozymandias is being specific in saying a foreign power, but he is. What Aefenglom has to fear does not take the shape of a nation intent on invading their lands.]

[towards_okeanos]

That is what I thought. [They got other problems. That one thing has always been obvious from the moment Iskandar arrived.] They don't have to fear invasion when they are surrounded by lands lost to the infestation. I'd say that's enough to protect them from any foreign invasion. Unless the invaders have an army immune to the Cwyld.

[The infected have no allegiance, they care not about freedom nor who rules the land.]

Alas, should such an army exist I'm willing to bet they would be welcomed with open arms, invaders or not.

[fulgency]

Perhaps. It seems also possible that they would also be feared just as much as the infected.

[While true that the infected lack their own inherent allegiance, behaving more as beast than anything else, that is not to say that if such a hypothetical army existed they could not potentially identify how to manipulate and control the infected over time.]

[towards_okeanos]

It depends. Should they be willing to share their secret they might win the hearts of many.

[Should they not ... Iskandar knows too little about the infected to speculate about their military uses. Yet even with as little as he does know he can't fully rule out their use a strategic resource. All rests on how possible is to control them.]

[fulgency]

Would you be so willing in their position?

[It seems entirely unlikely to Ozymandias that anyone would ever part with such a secret.]

[towards_okeanos]

Probably not. [Iskandar laughs.] Unless I was feeling unusually gracious.

[There are strategic reasons for being merciful from time to time. That Iskandar himself wasn't known for being especially kind-hearted is another matter altogether. Though, even he had his moments.]

[fulgency]

I thought as much, [Ozymandias says, echoing Iskandar's laughter with his own.] Have you any other thoughts or impressions?

wrap? they can always have another discussion on the boat to Dorchacha

[towards_okeanos]

[Iskandar shakes his head.]

I'm here too short a time to warrant more than speculations on most of the subjects. [He sighs.] This place is so different from most that I visited.