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

[subruo]

[(vashti voice) that sounds hot]

Okay. [Another world? Huh. He purses his lips, confused, trying to guess what it might be.] Like...what was it like? The afterlife, or something?

[catasstrophy]

[About as hot as that bonfire, yup.]

Not like that. [He doesn't think so, anyway. He's pretty sure he didn't die, even ignoring how he's still alive, now.] It was somewhere I'd been in dreams, before.

Not like normal dreams! It was real, but not like being awake. [Well, this is just getting increasingly unclear, the more he tries to explain it.] More like... away from my body... I guess.

[subruo]

Huh.

[That's all he can say to that, at the moment. He's heard of prophetic dreams and all, but this seems different. More physical.]

Like...your mind was transported to another place, or something...?

[catasstrophy]

Maybe.

[Which is about all he can say in return. Who knows how demons work, really?]

I was asleep the first times, but not when I was taken here. Though I guess... I may have been unconscious.

[He thinks he remembers falling; it gets vague after that. The whole experience still feels blurred over, and frankly, he's not sure he wants to fix that. Everything about it was horrifying.

Ugh, he feels dumb just talking about that stuff! Anyway, he's not the only one who got taken here through some weird magical means.]

... How about you?

[subruo]

Oh, so that's why you're thinking it's like those times, then. That makes sense.

[But still, it feels weird if this is all just another's dream that they've all been swept up in, so it can't be the case. I mean, this guy doesn't look powerful enough to do something like that.]

Me?

[Now it's his turn to be a little flustered - he can't just go out and say the truth - the last thing he wants is to start off with a bad impression. So he has to come up with something quite different right on the spot.]

Ah, well... [An awkward smile.] It was...pretty bad for me, too. Honestly, I'm surprised I'm alive.

[catasstrophy]

[Konoe lets out a soft breath.]

... You, too?

[That's definitely too big a coincidence, isn't it? He doesn't want to pry too much, but at the same time, how could he ignore such a potentially huge discovery? What if everyone who came through the mirrors was pulled from some kind of life-or-death situation?

But that's not a question that can be answered right this minute, so he ventures into a matter of personal curiosity, instead, a little hesitant only because it does feel like prying.]

Was it... demons?

[subruo]

[He raises a hand to his chest at the word. That...is a bit too much to be coincidence, even though demons were really not the cause of everything that went wrong back home.]

[He was.]

H-how... [He starts, stops. Yes. Demons. Of course.] How did you know?

[catasstrophy]

[It really was the same for Vashti! It's a stunning revelation, and Konoe jumps on it, trying to find other similarities. (Not that he needs people to be in the same situation as him, or anything!!)]

Was it four snakes in four different colors? Were you cursed as well?!

[subruo]

[Annnnnnd now he's lost again. He blinks, gives a quick shake of his head. Snakes? Demons in the form of snakes?]

Uh. No? It was a man in pink, and a woman in blue...though they weren't really human at all. I never saw anything like snakes, and as far as I know, I was never cursed.

[catasstrophy]

[Demons in the form of snakes, for sure - not that Konoe thinks to elaborate. (Don't worry, the demons still turned out to be hot in humanoid form.)]

Oh. [Well, maybe that doesn't mean anything. After all, every world seems to be different from Konoe's, where everyone is cats and none of these "humans" exist.] Still, that there were demons for you too might mean something.

[subruo]

Perhaps. The demons I knew said that they came from the stars...

[They were basically just aliens but what's an alien?? HE SURE DOESN'T KNOW.]

[He shakes his head. There's a more pressing question, here.]

What were you cursed with, exactly?

[catasstrophy]

From the stars... [Somehow, Konoe never imagined the stars as something that could house evil.] The ones I knew never said where they were from.

My ears and tail turned black, and I got markings on my arms and legs... [That's not technically what he was cursed with, of course: it was just how the curse manifested itself.] They say that when the cat who looks like that appears, the end of the world is nigh.

[Then he got uncursed (apparently), and somehow ended up here...

... It's not because his own world ended, is it? No - then he would have ended with it, probably.]

[subruo]

End of the world...?

[Ohhh boy. OH boy. Finally getting to the good stuff! And now, this man in front of him seems all the more intriguing - to Vashti, it feels like he just picked up a crystal off the ground to find that it might have been a diamond all along.]

Oh my... [He shouldn't betray his feelings on his face - he keeps it locked in a look of concern. For this man, it's horrifying. Or rather, this...cat?] And what, the demons did that to you? They made you into some kind of harbinger?

[catasstrophy]

I'm really not sure... what they did.

[They crawled into him; he got cursed... but it wasn't like he changed much, apart from his looks? They kept asking him questions for some reason, but their end goal was anything but clear to him.

If it was a test, he seems to have passed it. At the same time, can he really be sure of that?]

At least I seem to be back to normal...

[He glances down, quickly checking the tip of his tail, as if talking about the curse may have turned it black all over again. But no, he's still safe.

Or as safe as he ever was.]

[subruo]

...Are you sure?

[The demons he knew were all about changing people into monsters, things they could manipulate to their whim. He spares a glance up and down at the other man.]

But, I mean, I'm sure everything is okay! [He really didn't need to ask that question before, but hey, why not? If he really is some demonic tool for ending the world in disguise, why not press on that a little?] You seem perfectly alright to me.

[catasstrophy]

...

[He really isn't sure. Ending up here is just another question to add to the ever-growing pile of them: he has no idea if this is truly real, or if it's something the demons did, or if Leaks is somehow responsible.

Then again, if it's happened to so many other people from so many different worlds, can it really have been the demons or Leaks? And if it's someone - or something - that got in their way, can it really be bad?

Even if whoever's responsible did something positive, though... that's not proof that Konoe isn't cursed anymore.]

At least the demons are gone.

[Whether they are in this world or not - and Konoe is pretty sure he would have noticed them in the mirror house! - they are no longer inside of him. That much, he knows.

He's pretty sure.]

[subruo]

At least the demons are gone.

[He repeats, because that's true in his case too. He lets out a slight sigh. True, there are no demons to deal with, but now they have to deal with that blight or whatever that Miss Nessie was talking about.]

[He folds his arms.]

So, if this all doesn't turn out to be a dream, would you be okay with that? Being here?

[catasstrophy]

Being here is fine. Wherever this is, it's just a place to be.

[If he sounds a little sulky in spite of what he's saying, it's not because he's lying. He really couldn't care less where he lives, blight or not; his own world had something similar enough.

No, his mood is for other reasons entirely.]

But I don't like not being able to go back. [It feels too much like being trapped here, and he objects to that just on principle.] And I guess... there are people I wouldn't mind seeing again.

[Not that he misses his friends or anything. They're barely even his friends!]

[subruo]

I think it's more than a place to be, considering, well...if it's true, this world isn't really in great shape.

[It's hardly a vacation resort, not that Vashti even really gets what a vacation is even supposed to be. But this isn't a place where they can sit and relax. It's dying, in its own way.]

Hm. I feel the same way... [A brief glance to the side, his expression falling, before it disappears as he focuses back on Konoe.] Maybe whenever we do what we have to do here, we can go back?

[catasstrophy]

Neither was mine. [He has no problem with sharing that, either. When faced with a situation that's both terrible and inescapable, acceptance (to a point) can be as good a coping mechanism as any.] There's not much you can do but deal with it.

[Now there's something Konoe hasn't considered yet. Could it be that they have a task here, and after that they can go? On the one hand: that kind of pisses him off, because if someone wanted his help, they should have just asked. On the other hand: ... it's nice to think they could return at some point.]

You think so? [He takes a moment to think about that.] Even if that's true, nobody seems to know how we got here, let alone why.

[subruo]

You can do more than deal with it...

[He says with a slight pout, like the idea of sitting back and watching everything go to hell isn't an option he approves of.]

[The confusion on Konoe's face is replied to with a smile.]

True, no one has an idea, but I think that if the world is really in such a terrible shape, maybe we're here to save it.

[catasstrophy]

Like what? [A sincere question to Mr. Pouty Pants. Konoe would be offended, if he wasn't so clueless.] It's not like we can just fix it.

[That was true for his world, and he's sure it's true here, too. They just arrived here; a whole bunch of magical experts have been trying to fix this blight or whatever for a really long time, and got nowhere. Konoe isn't arrogant enough to think that a bunch of new arrivals can do what expert witches could not.

But Vashti, apparently, disagrees.]

Save it? [There is so much wrong with that that Konoe isn't even sure where to start.] These people have been trying to save their world for ages. What can we do that they couldn't?

[subruo]

How can you be so sure?

[His tone is light, easy. Of course, they must be here to fix it all. It's logical. A bunch of heroes, here to eliminate evil where others have failed.]

[A small part of him is miffed that if it really is the case, they chose far too many people to do this. Chosen ones are few. They don't number in the hundreds.]

We have different perspectives, abilities, knowledge...if you can't solve a problem, why keep going at it the same way? You need fresh eyes! [He lets out a laugh, grinning.] Besides, I managed to save my world, even if I was in a bit of a tough situation at the end, so...this isn't exactly new to me.

[catasstrophy]

[Vashti makes it sound so logical... Easy, even. Honestly, Konoe isn't one to give up a fight against even the deadliest odds, but he still thinks there are things that you genuinely cannot fight. The Void of his own world; the Cwyld here... They're not so much an enemy as a force of nature. That's not something you can stop.

Still, he's almost starting to doubt that now. It's not so much that he thinks "fresh eyes" and different knowledge will save this world - how much of that knowledge etc. even applies here? - but the idea that something could be done even about such forces of nature as the Cwyld is exciting enough to prickle at his fur, even if he's still not convinced it can be done.]

You saved your entire world?

[subruo]

Haha, yes...yes I did.

[Said with all the sheepishness of a regular person who did something as simple as save a cat from a tree - there's clearly no arrogance here about the fact. Hey, yeah, he's a hero that saved the world! That's just how it is!]

I really couldn't have done it without the help of my friends, though - but believe me, if we hadn't done anything, I'm pretty sure everyone in the world would be dead right now. Those demons were out to destroy everything I knew and loved. [He grins.] So, if I could do that for the world I come from, I'm sure I could do it for this place, too! We could do it!