Intro Log: May

[moustre]

Intro Log: May, Game Start

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 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. Besides the new arrivals, however, there's one more person in the building, and only one. A young teen stands; previously bored and mulish, he's now owl-eyed and slackjawed as he takes in each arrival, either from the mirrors or coming from another floor as you try to get your bearings. In his hands he's clutching a broom like a security blanket, until - "M... Miss Nessie! Miss Nessie, something's happened!" he yells, as he drops the broom and turns tail out of the building. Leaving the Looking-Glass House makes it obvious that the clock striking three was for 3 AM - the night sky is clear, but the stars are dim in the face of two moons, regardless of their waning crescent phases. Follow, or explore the rest of the mirrored halls you've now found yourselves in? 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. "MISS NESSIE" Whether you've decided to follow the hapless young man, 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. The woman covers her mouth with a soft "Oh my!" as she surveys those who begin to crowd in, and she turns to the werewolf (?), lowering her hand once more. (The handful of others who'd come with her peer as best they can from a ways behind her with unconcealed curiosity, closer to the door out than not. The boy previously seen before he ran off can be spotted at the very back of the group.) "This is right unexpected, isn't it?" She not-quite whispers, delight and confusion in equal measure in her voice. Her companion makes a quiet noise in her throat, unscarred eye narrowed - it's hard to tell if that delight is one shared by both parties. "Well, they've always said the veil is thinner during Boaltinn... We'll have to talk to James and see if he was doing anything other than cleaning, we will, but for now, we've got a full house to attend to, don't we? Ah, if they're all Witches, that'll be something, it will!" Without wasting another beat - much to the fond irritation of her companion, certainly - the woman turns back to the newcomers of Aefenglom, clapping her hands together in glee. "Well then! I'm certain you all have many, many questions... As do we! First thing's first, though, first thing's first! I am Nerissa Bell, the Head Witch of the Coven - that's where this house is located right now, on Coven grounds - and this is my Bonded, Mhairi Ainsley. Don't worry, she's a right softie despite her looks! You can simply call me Miss Nessie - everyone does, short of those stuffy folks up in the Parliament, but, well, that's just how things are with them, I suppose." She pauses a beat, for breath, before continuing with a wave of her hand; dozens of chairs and stools, all surprisingly comfortable despite their wooden looks, are conjured in an instant, and Nessie smiles wide as she gives a small bow. "Take a seat, and let's get familiar with one another for a spell! The city'll celebrate without us one way or another, and we've already finished our business for tonight anyway. Isn't that right, Mhairi dear?" Despite the onslaught of information and excitement at three in the morning, Mhairi inclines her head slightly after a huge sigh; her voice is likely exactly as expected, low and akin to a growl. "Best to take advantage of the distraction. Let's begin, before I have to report this to Parliament." 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.

III. THE COVEN 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, a solution is presented. Though they certainly can't answer every question, Nerissa and Mhairi promise to help find the answers, and open the doors of the Coven to all new arrivals in the Looking-Glass House. The walk from the quaint cottage to the imposing structure ahead is lit only by magic provided by Miss Nessie and the Witches accompanying her, as well as the path of stepping stones coming aglow with each step that's taken across them. Beyond the courtyard, with its high, opalescent walls, a city can be seen. There are torches accompanying the flickering light posts outside, and the sounds of life clear even this far from the heart of Aefenglom, something that sounds like... merriment? Festivities are in full swing, even this close to dawn. The rest of the world continues on, even though you've arrived, confused and perhaps missing a few aspects of your usual persons. But while they certainly weren't expecting to spend the festival like this, the Coven has worked as quickly as it can. Their doors, decorated in cowslip flowers, are wide open - welcoming to the public, and to new arrivals as well. The Coven's main building has a surprisingly large front room, compared to its outside; the ceiling stretches ever onward, with stairs of the solidly-flush-against-the-wall variety and floating-ethereally-in-the-middle-of-things variety both. Magic and mundane intermingle as if meant to, with brooms inscribed with runes to clean making quick work of dirt and dust, shadowy figures opening and closing doors as people enter and exit, plates of snacks drifting around as if carried by invisible servers. The brooms are especially attentive to the door as new arrivals step in - they don't apologize for knocking into anyone, and really, anyone particularly scruffy will get swept at until the brooms are satisfied. None of this seems to mind the Witches coming in, with small murmurs of gratitude given to the busybody brooms instead of reprimands. Doors lead this way and that, on higher floors and on the ground floor, but runes glow by their frames in indecipherable patterns. 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, and Nessie waits for things to calm before she steps up the floating stairs and addresses the room. "We'll see to it you all have lodgings for a bit, we will, but for now, the festival's still going on - if you couldn't tell!" She laughs a little, hands on her hips. "There's nothing we can do about things right now, so you might as well enjoy yourselves, you might. If any of you want to stay in 'til morning though, well, we can provide - just mind your manners, magic's real particular about them. At least," she winks, head tilting with the motion, "that's how I teach all my classes, it is." Those deciding to stay will be lead to doors that seem to follow no real pattern by native Witches; the rule is "two to a bed," so get cozy with the person next to you. They're the ones you'll be sleeping with tonight. The beds aren't too small - enough to accommodate at least three humans - and they're fairly comfortable too, for their old-looking age.

IV. BOALTINN For those who journey out into the city, they'll be sent off with a word of warning to keep out of trouble from Mhairi, to find everything still quite lively - and still quite unaware of what's taken place. There's very little left to the shadows, with dim light filling in the gaps between the flickering streetlamps and the extra candles and such people have put up themselves. Curiously, small bonfires seem to follow a pattern, culminating into a wide plaza in the center of the Residential District where a larger, brighter one burns, with people dancing around it, their clothing jingling softly with little bells hanging from their hems. The same is mirrored on the direct other side of the city - the only difference is in who's dancing. The Eastern Bonfire has more visibly humanoid beings enjoying themselves, while the Western Bonfire has creatures more monstrous in looks. Regardless, they all seem to be happy- And the reason is this: Boaltinn, a festival lasting the next two dusks. The nights and early mornings are filled with flickering firelight, while the morning and daytime have all but the small fires leading the way to the giant bonfires extinguished; the bonfires, however, stay lit. - and in general, it seems the city is quite happy, quite cheerful, and quite close. a. The Bonfires The main attraction of Boaltinn, as they are with any fire festival, the bonfires on each side of the city are tended to by various Monsters every hour of the day. While much of the scenes are similar - there's plenty of food to be shared, with those partaking in it cowed into sitting with someone else regardless of how familiar they might be, and children of all kinds play together and invite those sitting or watching to come too, in all manner of games, such as jacks, hopscotch, and running ribbons around the tall poles at the bonfires. But there are marked differences, too. The Eastern Bonfire primarily has humans or those that can pass as humanoid in attendance, and they're much friendlier to those who look similar to them; to those that look a little more monster-like, though, their replies are far more curt and their shoulders colder. The area around the bonfire is also littered with trinkets and baubles, all shiny and new and utterly forgotten by their playmates; the ribbon poles are similarly new, made professionally as if by commission. Characters are invited to try and jump through the bonfire's flames to burn away any poor relationship experiences, be it romantic or platonic, past or present; to aid them in this, those at the Eastern Bonfire will give those participating rune-etched accessories to protect them from the fire. Meanwhile, the Western Bonfire has primarily those who are more monstrous in looks, and they're similarly friendlier to those who resemble them, with a similar brusque and cold manner to those who look more human. The area around the bonfire is carefully kept clean, however, and the ribbon poles look handcrafted from lumber and grass, with tightly-woven knots and clumsily-made paper decorations. Those attending here are also invited to jump through the flames, but no such protection is offered; it's simply assumed that, as a Monster, you're likely much better at handling a little fire. b. A Little Entertainment It isn't only the bonfire celebrations that one can participate in, however. All throughout both the East and West Residential Districts, as well as a portion of the Shopping and Entertainment Districts, there's a number of stalls, stands, and stores available for perusal. Take a gander at the rest of the city and find something to do. Of note: Divination readings are available in various stalls, set up by Coven-official Witches as well as homegrown ones, with tarot cards that vary from pristine art pieces that one would almost hesitate to touch to the personally drawn and cut. They offer free readings, enticing all who pass by to join them at their table. Good or bad, the cards seem to bring with them lessons and words of wisdom, interpreted expertly by those handling them... or as expertly as possible; some readings seem a little unsure and muddy. Regardless of belief, those who take part in these readings will suddenly find their day going either exceptionally well or incredibly poor, depending on the overall feel of their reading. Carts and booths are available for one to partake in more food, however there's a stipulation to taking anything from these vendors: one must share this food with others, either in pairs or a group. While relations between humans and beasts seem to be a little frosty, they can be seen intermingling a tad more freely when it comes to this portion of the celebrations, sharing the treats and small meals that are being offered to everyone. The food available all seem to be those easy to hold in hand, not unlike modern-day food trucks; of note, the thin pancake wraps seem to be the most popular, with a bubbly drink similar to a milkshake filled to the brim with drinking straws for best sharing experience coming in second. Flavors are plentiful and varied, though they err closer to the fruits, vegetables, and spices side of the spectrum. Finally, the more pleasure-based businesses offer the chance to relax one's weary feet and take a chance with a little aromatherapy with their rose baths. While traditionally this had its roots in imbuing the bather with good tidings and blessings for the upcoming seasons (or so they'll say when asked), nowadays, it's simply become a luxury treatment for those needing a little TLC. The waters here do have the added bonus of making those who share them friendlier and more talkative with their partner(s) - and yes, all baths are a shared experience. Rather than being split by sex, baths are split by monster and human; co-ed bathing exists for those who don't mind mingling with the opposite species, and if really pressed, they can offer separate baths for different sexes, but their focus seems elsewhere. c. Impulsive Compulsion Throughout the whole festival, new arrivals, particularly those with magic talent gifted to them by the world, will feel like they can do anything and will push themselves to the limit. While not inherently detrimental, those who feel it will become more reckless, their inhibitions lessened and impulses heightened; trying new things is easy as pie, with any thoughts of fear left far in the back of their minds. While magic is highly discouraged on festival days, given their rest day quality, those under the spell of Boaltinn's madness will feel the temptation to try some anyway, regardless of knowing the proper way of performing it - perhaps it's about time to try out what one discovered in that strange dream... Those found doing magic will get a firm scolding, but no actual punishment; it's only looked down on, and they'll be cautioned against using too much. If any property damage occurs due to reckless magic use, however, there are fines; those without any money to their name can be recruited to pay it off by working at the buildings and stalls they may have accidentally damaged, serving people, looks, or whatever else the business might offer.

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 technically most of them won't start until after festivities, you can go ahead and put your name on some by replying to the May 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

[givemewings]

...Maybe not.

Home isn’t always a good place. Some people don’t have a home. [WELL THAT’S DOWER AND GRIM. Maybe she’s just venting her own feelings of confliction? No, that couldn’t be true. She’s just embracing the despair of the world, right?]

Not everyone is going to want to help you.

[littlemperor]

[oh



okay, so, this guy is Weird, but if he likes animals he can't be that bad..?]

what kind of animals???
i have a dog.
yuzuru usually takes care of him, but since he's not here i have to take care of king by myself...
which isn't a problem or anything!!! i can totally do it!!! he's my dog, you know? what kind of pet owner would i be if i couldn't do that much?


but i guess i'd follow it just to see if you had any advice. you should feel totally honored.

[spiritwrangler]

Pierce pauses, casting a look over at him before stepping back from the mirror in a huff. "Yeah, well this one already did somethin' that wasn't too normal." It's not just his accent that's out of place, either - Pierce is wearing an open frock coat as part of a three-piece suit, with a cut that's nowhere near modern.

He then turns to get a better look at the younger man, frowning a little. He seemed... familiar somehow, in a vague way he couldn't put his finger on. Huh. Maybe he just had one of those faces.

"You just came outta one of those too, right? This isn't some fancy I went an' dreamed up?"

[fifty]

[She's not wrong. That doesn't make America want to figure out how to get home any less, though.] Well, they can stay here if they want. But if someone won't help, it's fine, I'll do it myself!

[fuckingpassw0rd]

[To say that he has someone else in this godfucking nightmare world who he knows is an understatement. However, Hank deals worry best when he starts complaining.]

Oh for fuck's sake, did you really have to tell everyone my goddamn weight and age?

[Look, he's a little fat for his age and now that he's starting to try and cope back with his life, having that number just stare at him is like a punch to his fatty gut.

But mostly, it's just how Hank is. He's happy to see Connor too.]

[dialtones]

From the sound of it, he's not the most coordinated or organized person.

[A deck of cards missing one, items like curse books with apologetic descriptions, begging a journal not to be read... To be honest, it's a little sketchy, but Kurapika is the type to be skeptical at first glance. His eyes scan the woods as they walk, just in case he might catch sight of where this person had been. Actually, Kurapika looks a little used to random tasks like this, with how he's handling it.]

It's also possible that he was moving urgently from something and didn't mention it to us, for fear that no one would go to retrieve his items. We should be cautious, just in case.

[Who knows what sort of wild animals there are, after all.]

[topslug]

It had caught her off guard to start with, but Yako's always been readily adaptable. She listens to Steven's explanation solemnly, nodding as she makes quick work of a wrap while Steven talks. Hey, she can multitask, okay?

"Well, he's got the right idea. Things are always easier to deal with when you've got food in your stomach," Yako declares, giving Steven a quick smile. "You were with the people who came in through the mirrors too, weren't you? I'm Yako."

[didnotlaugh]

I'm not really used to sleeping in a bed like this. At home I have a futon.

[There's a couple seconds of silence and looking at King before Shigeo can't help it anymore.]

Can I pet him?

[fifty]

"I mean--maybe?" America's not entirely sure how he got here. He glances back at where he came from, back where his own mirror is presumably still standing. "I was in front of a mirror, anyway, but you can't just walk through mirrors, so it had to be something else."

He has no idea what that something else could be, mind.

[kaowont]

[ Does he, really? Have something precious enough to love him unconditionally and more than anything or anyone else? No... -- no, not really. That something's gone and left him, probably, but he's not about to voice it openly and make things awkward.

He defends against the feeling by smiling further, because he's enjoying their talk at least. It's always cute to see someone get excited over their pets, right? ]

My fans, I guess? ♪ I've got plenty of people doting on me back home, so...

[ He pauses again, and it's easy to hear Tori's big pupper splashing about in the background. ]

So ... Tori-kun, right? Not going to get your hair wet? Hmm... actually, are you afraid to approach me or something? I won't eat you up, I promise. Really.

[fordola]

1) ARRIVAL

a) [ Stepping out of the mirror, Fordola did notice she was elsewhere. She noticed she was elsewhere, and she noticed one big issue with that.

Well, not an issue. But a lack of one. Everything was silent. She couldn't feel anybody around her, their emotions. As she looked to the mirrors, as she looked to herself, she could notice little changes. Her Resonant eye had turned a dull red, but she couldn't feel the emotions of anybody. Even somebody she sees in the reflection. You.

She turns, her smile fading. ] Hey. You do this?

b) [ Later, when she looks outside and wanders out for a bit? Fordola seems to be staring up at the sky. ]

...Two moons, huh.


3) BOALTINN

a) --There's beastmen here. [ Of course Fordola is gonna be like that, as she examines the west. She, of course, is going to stick away from those of the west, disgust on her face. ]

b) [ Somebody (who knows, it might have been your muse) managed to talk Fordola into taking a rose bath. She's keeping a towel over her body, but mostly to cover scars then her own body. But she seems a little more relaxed, less on-edge then she's been around everybody... ]

Wildcard

[ If you want other things, hit me up! My discord is shslivalice, and my CR comment is here! ]

coven

[dialtones]

Julian.

[He speaks the name once he's close enough to catch that rambling, a solid voice bordering on scolding— at least until he continues, a little more hesitant.]

That... is what you said your name was, I believe. [In the dream, of course.

Honestly, Kurapika is just as unsettled. Not about the issue of magic so much as the issue of not having his own abilities, and no longer being able to do anything with the power he'd felt in his dreams. In other words, he was much worse off, stranded in an unknown land without any of his fellow bodyguards or even his friends, and left to figure everything out. He could stay calm and rational and figure it out, and the first thing he'd wanted to do was head out and see what this festival was, since there's no way he can sleep, no way he'd let himself sleep...

But Julian's pacing had caught his eye, and though he'd hesitated for a moment, here he was now, standing behind him. Without commenting on those rambling words, he speaks again.]

Are you busy?

[fordeath]

Hi! Am I right to assume there's some music at the bonfires? If so, what sort of instruments are present, but mostly will Amadeus be able to successfully convince the locals to let him borrow one?

If not, is there any other area in the city he might be able to do so? Thanks!

[littlemperor]

[saying lines like that........... looking like that............... kaoru hakaze is another sort of person entirely. maybe he is a worthy foe.]

If you're offering to pet my head or something, you can forget it. Also, anyone who says that definitely has plans to eat someone up, and the only person I want putting his mouth on me is--

[-- is, is, he can't, say it, to eichi's classmate and a senior and also a fellow idol, that's scandalous on like ten levels and tori isn't going to sully eichi's name in this way..!!!]

Any--Anyway, I bet you don't even know how to do it right! Rubbing someone's head, I mean. Not eating someone. I don't even want to know how someone knows how to do that right.

arrival

[fordola]

Depends. [ Fordola shrugs. She has never seen this person before in her life, but... ] You look a mess already - that's not good to get answers out of you.

[fortunyx]

[His eyes widen slightly when he’s suddenly stricken with a sense of deja vu. He swears he’s seen this girl in a dream. And not in a pick up line “you’re my dream girl” type of way. Like he’s really, really seen her before. When she steps closer, it seems she may also have seem him. As he looks down at that face, noticing those freckles, he smiles when a name comes to mind and says it out loud.]

Mukuro-chan...

[Ah, yes! It’s her. It has to be! She seems to be wearing different clothes from last time.]

It’s nice to see you again! Your outfit is different. Now I feel kind of lame wearing the same clothes as last time...

[They’re the only clothes he’s got. But, who knows, maybe he’ll go shopping. One day...]

I hope things have been well for you so far! Would you be willing to share this with me? There shouldn’t be any magical consequences this time!

Arrival

[fordola]

[ A pink lion-esque thing growling at her? Sure, it's not as muscly as the lions she's seen, but... of course, Fordola is going to... not fight, but only because she's weaponless. Instead, she's going to get into a fighting stance. ]

Th'hells you looking at, beast?

Arrival

[fordola]

--Stop feelin' sorry for yourself.

[ Fordola says, a deep frown painted on her face. ]

[givemewings]

[Have things been well? No, not really. But that’s a good thing. Junko would be so happy to see the despair crashing down on her. Mukuro runs her hand along the loose tie that hangs around her neck.]

...I’ll drink some. [She guesses. At least he’s a somewhat familiar face. Safe.]

Looks like we’re in it for the long haul, this time.

[topslug]

[ Hearing someone else's voice was enough to startle Yako out of her daze, looking up at Majima in surprise at first, and then wonder. She thought she'd seen someone who looked like him, when they were all being shuffled around, but with so many bodies it was hard to keep track, and it was a pleasant surprise to see a face she'd assumed was a figment of her imagination wasn't so imaginary, after all. ]

Ah! Majima-s -- gyaaah! [ The sudden yelp was more from being caught off guard than pain, since without quite realizing it, she'd already kept walking straight into the plant and accidentally plunged an arm into one 'pitcher.' The sweet smell hit her harder, then, and Yako slumped to an awkward, sitting position on the ground, legs splayed, as her mind tried to process the sudden overwhelming sensory input it was getting. Stay, the scent seemed to urge. Come here and stay for a while. ]

OOC

[fordola]

I'll be asking this OOCly, because she will have questions. Some of them... very rude. (I am sorry in advance.)

1) She will ask for somebody to examine her red eye (which is the remains of her Resonant power, inert but leaving a physical mark. She doesn't know that, though.)

2) Is it common for Beasts (as she calls the monsters) to just roam around here? (She will sound insulted at suggesting it. She's trying, okay?)

3) She will also ask if there's any way she can get employed as a guard, like. As fast as possible, if she's going to be sticking around.

coven

[veilfires]

[Solas is also lingering here, letting the brooms freely do their work, watching the one presently dusting him down with open eagerness.

This is a strictly physical world – yet its magic runs so free. It’s strange, and should be impossible - and it's delightful. All the witches are perfectly at their ease, moreso than even he would be in his world in its present form. There is no necessary caution, no fear in the air. It is -]

Wonderful.

[He says it thoughtlessly, then looks up with a trace of embarrassment. He’s not, of course, alone. He gives an apologetic smile at being caught thinking aloud.]

Ah. The magic, that is.

[littlemperor]

[king does sniff it!! and then nudges under to see if he can get a pet, much to tori's chagrin.]

They already have my little sister, they don't need another... Anyway, I didn't die, so don't talk about things like that.

[replacing him and all. ugh.]

... It's really not a dream..? King's here, but he wasn't with me before. And you're wearing something really odd too.

[though.... familiar... because halloween, which i want to be fine this year.]

iv c

[dialtones]

[For the most part, Kurapika has been sticking to sidelines, gathering information and watching others, being silent and calm, having no fun at all. But something about Souji catches his eye, and he glances over just in time to hear the crackle of static. He remembers enough from his dream to feel like he knows what that is, and it pulls his interest immediately.]

How did you do that? [Enough that he just walks over and asks this without even a greeting, it seems... Sorry Souji.]

[fortunyx]

[Ryoji freezes up for a second. He wonders if it’s directed towards him. Turning around to face the voice only provides him an answer.]

I—

[He can’t exactly find enough energy to pretend to smile. So, he simply bows his head.]

I-I apologize. I didn’t mean to bother you.