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

[freeing]

[ Fortunately, she had long since forgiven Jorah and sent him on a mission where his life truly depended on it. The world they find themselves now was not one of political games or thrones to claim – it was one where they must adapt and find a way home.

Dany's nose scrunches up a bit at the mention of humble beginnings. It's true – he's seen her wed to a horselord's clan which valued the soil against their backs and grass to their slumbering heads. ]

I do not want to attract attention or find a better dwelling. I want to go home.

[ They both know the definition of home is ... subjective. What Dany truly means by going home is honestly anywhere but here – back to Westeros. Back to the path they were meant to be on.

However, she chews on Jorah's words. Eyes shut as she stops at the front door leading into the hallways towards the stairs leading up to the fifth floor. ]

No one knows what Targaryen means here. No one knows who I am – it is as if I am the little urchin in Essos once more. [ It's bittersweet – a blessing and an insult. Even if she's given a distinction of Queen to a select few, it was simply a title. ] You need not worry of my braids, Missandei has taught me well enough.

[ That was at least a small, warm jest. The expanse of the hallway lined doors into individual apartments but she approaches the stairs, steps up and stops to look back to him. ]

We have more to talk about than the braids in my hair, Ser Jorah. We shall shelve this concern for another time. Come.

[ And up she goes up the stairs. Enjoy the view, dumb bear. :) ]

[heartsbane]

Wants and needs are two different things, Daenerys. Until we find a solution, this place will have to make do.

[ Jorah has spoken to several people that have been here for sometime now. there have been those that have disappeared after arriving, but he can't be so sure as to how and if it was even to their respective homes. whatever they do, he isn't going to allow himself to be separated from her ever again. he will not return until he knows exactly how to bring the both of them back, safely and together. ]

This is true. But perhaps this can be seen as a blessing. I always wished you had the chance to live a normal life, but knew your blood would never allow it.

[ his words conflict with what he had just said moments ago, but truthfully, he doesn't think he would complain if Daenerys got to enjoy being a young twenty-year-old lady for a little while. not as a Queen or a Targaryen who needed to pursue her family's ancestral destiny. just Dany. he has to chew on his thoughts for a while before he can settle on which mindset he likes more — the pursuit of something familiar like power, or to help her make the most out of her anonymity. only time will tell.

Jorah follows her into the building, inspecting the intricate differences between the homes in their world and that of what is currently surrounding them. it's not the worst thing he's lived in by far, and some may even find such a place comforting. he doesn't know how he feels at this point.

he does know he's more than comfortable walking up the stairs behind Dany, however. dayum, girl. ]

And I assume you will be at the top floor of this building? You are going to be testing how limber my knees are, you know.

[freeing]

[ She remains quiet as she ascends. He knows not to question her. She refuses to have him force his limited view of the world on her – the woman who made dreams come true. There is wisdom in his words, in his own suggestions. She may be swayed, but Daenerys was far too stubborn to be convinced unless she saw value.

She wants to get back, but they both need to as well. It weaves together in her heart, adding a pressure that makes her feel nervous. As if this woman had to put the weight of an entire world on her shoulders already. The small discomfort she has since arriving in this realm of beasts is curious – but her mind wanders far from witches and monsters. ]

I do not believe a normal life will be in the writings of fate for me. From Westeros to a world where men and beast are one? Where magic is wielded freely?

[ She does not take offense or sadness into it. She laughs, almost bitterly. One flight under her belt, they continue their climb. ]

It will keep you in a shape suitable for returning to my Queensguard then. [ An official offer, even if it was already implied hangs in the air. ] You scaled a pyramid for my summons, you will live.

[heartsbane]

[ he remains quiet as he inspects the booty. just kidding. not really. regardless, Jorah has no problem remaining silent until he needs to speak, simply enjoying and embracing the fact that he has gone from alone to having his khaleesi near him in the matter of minutes. things have not gone Jorah's way for a long, long time, but at least something finally has. he can't even begin to wonder the chances of it all, if there's an actual reason why it's just the two of them so far. there will be time for him to think about everything.

when he isn't looking at the booty, anyway. ]

Men have always been beasts in Essos, if you ask me. [ he had to insert that little quip, okay. ] But yes, you are correct, khaleesi. Perhaps normal is not a word that should be in either of our vocabularies.

[ Daenerys is quick to tell him to step the fuck up, and he'd laugh if the official invitation to being in her Queensguard wasn't included. he happily sighs and has to resist the urge to pull the damn woman into a hug for allowing him back into her life so easily and warmly. Jorah instead picks up his pace, ensuring that he climbs the stairs as proficiently as possible. ]

I would scale entire mountains for you, Daenerys. Of course I will live.

[freeing]

[ s l o w b u r n.

Daenerys did not ask for much in this world, she thinks. She has earned everything she wanted. Fought for it. Lost and suffered for it. Having someone here – knowing that her dearest friend had found himself back to her like he did in Qarth when she needed him most? It was a true blessing. ]

Bad men have been beasts, no matter the Kingdom. [ She thinks of Robert Baratheon who wanted to poison a pregnant woman, first of all. Of course, it brings a sting in her heart but – Jorah's involvement... ah, still complicated and fresh. The thought was pushed aside. ] We... will take it one day at a time, adjust as much as we need to.

[ Jorah may be horny on main for the young Queen, but she leads him up the stairs with a few fleeting glances back, curious of his words even if they still bring conflict in her heart. Who was she to ignore such loyalty...? ]

Scale the distance to a comfortable silken bed. No mountains in sight, fortunately.

[ And finally, to the 5th floor they go! ]

Ser, I have so many questions for you and not enough energy... I would look a child if I fell asleep seeking answers in your company.

[heartsbane]

[ more like q u i c k f r e e z e. he is Ser Cuck for a reason.

and a more defensive, less regretful Jorah would be quick to try and defend himself by saying he wanted nothing to do with her attempted poisoning, but it was futile. there's no undoing the fact that he was aware of the plot against her life. he can't award himself for preventing something he could have helped her avoid long before. it's all so complicated. he would like to pretend that he's willing to talk about it with her... but he isn't. it's an uncomfortable past that he can only hope they are both capable of moving past. ]

We are all beasts, Daenerys. Every last one of us.

[ even the good men — good men like Jorah — have acted like shameful animals in the past. it is only fair that some of them begin to look the same as how they are internally. he isn't about to beat down on himself, however, knowing full and well that his Queen wouldn't allow such behavior. he's much more content in showering her with praise, constantly reminding her that his allegiance to the woman could never be stronger than it is right now. ]

You talk as if sleep would not be wise. I can — I can watch over you, if you would prefer. I am unsure if you have been able to sleep well the last few nights.

[ he won't be a creep. promise. ]

[freeing]

[ They will not have talks of regret and mistakes. All had been forgiven. It was a stain that shall not be erased from their story, but they turn a page in hoping for a better chapter. One where Daenerys will not be betrayed.

He speaks in his own grace about beasts. All she does is return to him in Dothraki: ]

Better a beast than a monster, then.

[ It sounds aggressive, but it was most likely coming to terms with what was going on. How men turn and shift into sights Dany had never imagined. ...Even when the maegi claimed her son was such, her mind refuses to piece together the puzzle and now? It looks and talks with her as if nothing was wrong. These people... Dany does not judge, but only feels pity.

As they arrive in the long hallway, she does not stop until she is at the absolute end. A small door that has been carved above the lock with the Targaryen symbol – sorry, she's dramatic. ]

I will sleep once you have settled. Ser Jorah, this is where I have claimed. It is not much, but it will be home until we can find a solution to our problems. No one has stepped foot here since I arrived. I am of a confident mind that these places are free to be chosen, the keys underneath the at the entranceway. Please pick one.

[heartsbane]

Only time will tell.

[ Jorah replies in the Dothraki tongue, short but succinct in his words. monsters take a different meaning here to most, and he has to learn to embrace that if he is to know anything. perhaps these creatures here have better hearts than that of the normal humans that play games from the Red Tower in King's Landing. perhaps they are just as cruel and bloodthirsty as stories after say. he'll be on guard until he finds his answers — for the both of them.

he inspects that Targaryen symbol that has been (rather quickly) embedded into the door, smirking with satisfaction as the pad of his thumb runs along the etching. Daenerys certainly placed her stake in territory quickly enough. good for her. ]

Of course. I hope you won't mind that I pick the one adjacent to you. The closer I am, the quicker I can be at your side if you need me.

[ she'll certainly let him know if it's a problem, so he assumes it isn't by the time he walks over to the door of the apartment beside that of her own. Jorah groans as he bends down to grab the key, picking it up and inserting it into the door to open it for the first time. he's about to step inside when he remembers Dany isn't going anywhere. a step back and an extended arm towards the entranceway immediately follows. ]

Ladies first. Perhaps you can give me a tour if you are so familiar with the amenities already.

[freeing]

[ In the madness of the situation they find themselves in, Daenerys must find something for her own. She would be lost if she looks back, looks and sees nothing to be hopeful for. The symbol etched into her door was hers, it was a simple freedom she allows herself to have. For she must or she fears the feeling that she would have otherwise.

Jorah gets her approval with a nod. ]

Thank you. [ Short, sweet — it was appreciated in ways she could not express. Someone here for her? She was selfish in that instance, although she won't guilt herself for it. As he chooses his 'home', she watches. He's tired — he has to be. She was as well. His manners yield her to move forward. Past him and into the small entranceway. A small living room left behind — with decor not of their own choosing, a small kitchen attached with two lonely chairs at a table. It was simple and she stands in the middle with hands clasped in front of her. ] It seems there are enough amenities that will keep you comfortable here. Your private quarters are attached, I believe, through this door to the left. You can cook, rest, and host company here. Small... but we were never picky before arriving in Meereen, were we?

[ The khalasar never took pride in the lavish, after all. She gives a small look around, his a bit different than the apartment she claimed. ]

Welcome "home", Ser Jorah.

[heartsbane]

[ he had no enthusiasm or excitement over his residence up until about... ten, fifteen minutes ago? how long has it even been since running into Daenerys? it is clearly not long, but he already feels as if he's never been separated from her. not too long ago, the Ser had been looking at silly surveys regarding favorite colors and how to best describe himself in hopes of finding someone to reside with. how fortunate of him to have not pulled the trigger on something more permanent. now he has the best "roommate" he could ask for.

sort of. no shared living spaces (or beds) for them. Jorah can't win it all. ]

I have certainly dealt with less leading up to this. Small victories mean something.

[ Jorah speaks as he follows her into the room, taking a look around what the apartment has offered him. it's more than the four walls that kept him more of a prisoner than anything at the Citadel, and it certainly beats the constant rocking of the boats he has been on for who knows how long. he hasn't been the most optimistic soul regarding the transition here, but the most recent events have done good to change his outlook.

upon the proper greeting, he simply offers her a genuine smile. it feels nice to hear those words for a multitude of reasons. Jorah can't help himself when it comes to what he does next. he takes another step forward, likely while she isn't even looking at him, and takes her into another embrace. there's no apprehension or caution from him this time, no concern over scars spreading across his body. it isn't like him to want for much, and he pushes his luck with becoming physical with his Queen. surely she can find it in her to understand. ]

Home is where the heart is, as they say. So yes. Welcome home, indeed.

[freeing]

[ Neither had she. She simply wanted privacy. Something she feels she was owed after the invasive tests and the kidnapping, you know! It was a corner of this world that she could claim as her own, where she can shield herself.

Jorah's arrival here was a blessing and she truly feels humbled. For the first time in her life, she does not feel hatred or empowered to seek justice – she offers forgiveness to a man truly willing to serve his Queen.

Both of her hands clasp in front of her and she inspects the small differences all the same. Until Jorah does something as bold as to take her into his embrace, Dany believed it would be a time to dismiss herself and allow him time to rest.

He is strong now, far more invigorated than he was when he left her. That is all she had wanted. They stand there like that for a few secure moments – where she cradles his head and simply allows him to feel safe and wanted. Welcomed, in every sense of the word. ]

You will settle now. We have safety here, privacy.

[ As she pulls back, she offers a small awkward smile and touch to his cheek – to emphasize that she was far too happy to scold him. She tugs towards the small lounge chairs – taking seat on one and motioning to the one across from her. ]

We will take tomorrow when the sun rises, but tonight is ours until our eyes can no longer stay open. Sit with me, for just a little while longer.