Event Log: January, Return to Dorchacht

[faileas]

Event Log: January, Return to Dorchacht

I. A Tarnished Reality The teleporter to Dorchacht becomes operational by the 4th and the ambassadors return to their city with the first open, ceremonial operation of the device - along with any Mirrorbound who wish to join them, and Theodore Rosethorne and Sowilo, who make the trip as representatives of the Coven to ensure that all is well. Those who missed the first teleportation, never fear! Now that both waypoints are functional, Mirrorbound and others may travel freely between Aefenglom and Dorchacht at any point they choose to. Notably absent from the group, though - most of the Dorchacht refugees originally smuggled into Aefenglom. Only three or four are going back with the ambassadors, and they're primarily Witches. The rest have chosen to stay. Upon return to Dorchacht, it's obvious that some major changes have been made with the new regime. The sky is overcast, but it's merely fault of the weather at this time of year - the oppressive fog that used to hang over the Black City is gone, along with its effects on the natural lunar cycle. The auction blocks, damaged in the fires of the event the locals now call "The Rising", have been fully torn down, not a trace of them left to sully the streets. Where the triple stars of the Resistance used to be worn in secret, a majority of citizens now bear them openly (and in many cases, proudly) on pins and on clothing. In fact, any Witches who do not display the triple stars on their person somewhere, are generally regarded with suspicion, disgust, or fear unless they're recognized as Mirrorbound Witches - careful not to be mistaken for a Drummond sympathizer. The Monster citizens won't be outwardly cruel to any Witches, but will be somewhat fearful, hurrying their children along or crossing the street to get away. Recognizable Mirrorbound, those who were there during The Rising and before, are treated a bit like celebrities on the streets, though any Mirrorbound are given a warm welcome, albeit a little less warm for Witches. Storytellers share tales of how diplomats treating one another, Witches and Monsters alike, as equals so publicly and openly within Dorchacht gave them hope that such a life is attainable, or how a band of Mirrorbound snuck into the city under the cover of darkness and helped give their Resistance a leg up in the good fight against Drummond's extremists. Others share stories of being rescued from burning buildings or cruel Witches during The Rising by brave heroes. Many of these tales are shared in the form of song, as homage to those Mirrorbound who brought hopeful music to Dorchacht through the radio, which is still operational and playing a selection of music with a little more variety. Still a bit soft, their speakers and songs are, but as time passes, they grow a little more experimental, branching out from the lullabies that used to be played. Overall, the Black City is much less black these days, a little greener and brighter from the plants left by Mirrorbound before. Where the old Dorchacht could take your breath away with its feeling of barred oppression, many of those barricaded windows have been opened, reinforcements on the doors broken down. Though things are never perfect after a revolution, and it's clear that the work continues. Armed Resistance guards patrol the streets in trios, normally two Monsters and a Witch, to keep the peace. Their first priority is the protection of Monsters, many of whom still seem anxious and scared as they go about their days - not of the guards themselves, who they often greet with smiles, but of the Witches and humans they pass on the streets. In some cases, keeping the peace means breaking up fights between their own and those humans and Witches who do not want to accept Monsters as their equals, and in some cases it means putting Drummond sympathizers in their places with intimidation and force. While they do their best to keep skirmishes out of Mirrorbound sight, it's clear that despite the improvements, Dorchacht is still no utopia, and the road to a true peace is fraught with speedbumps. As noted, characters are free to travel between Aefenglom and Dorchacht by teleporter as often as they'd like! The waypoints will remain open even after this month and travel will be unrestricted; we will note if this situation changes in the future. Dorchacht quests are also now available ICly!

II. A Few Alterations a. The Coven Major changes are still underway. One of the biggest that Mirrorbound will notice is that the new administration of Dorchacht have moved the Coven. The old building is in a state of disrepair right now, doors and windows wide open, the interior stripped of trappings. The library has shed its books to somewhere else. The basement where so many horrors took place is abandoned. Instead, a sign has been erected outside it, stating that this center of Drummond's operations will be turned into a museum to remember their unpleasant history, and to memorialize those who lost their lives fighting for freedom. It's still a work in progress, and not high on the priority list when survival and care of the citizens have to take precedence, but inside, characters may still find small shrines set up in various places to Resistance members who died there. Instead, Dorchacht's new Coven is currently based inside an old manor located just a handful of blocks from the town square, and it's a much more informal affair. Magic lessons have continued with Resistance Witches, though the subject matter has changed instead. They experiment with different types of magic based on their own interests, but many are studying plant magic, medicine, and defensive spells that can be used out in the Wilde. Anything that will prove to be practical going forward. Lessons are also open to Monsters now, so they can see what their magical brethren are learning (and know that the compulsion and control spells that Morgana loved so much are no longer being taught). With the Coven being moved, visitors from Aefenglom are offered places to stay either within the manor of the new Coven, or in various empty houses around the city. Stay as long as you'd like, they say, and apologize that the accommodations aren't nicer - reconstruction is still obviously ongoing all over the city, repairing damages from The Rising and the fighting that happened afterward. They don't really have anywhere as nice as the rooms their ambassadors were given in Aefenglom. b. The Walls One of the biggest on-going projects in Dorchacht right now is removing the Monster control spells from the set of enchantments on their city walls. High on the list of priorities is making sure that Monsters can feel safe again, secure in their own minds and bodies. As the spells are made visible, particular sets of runes have to be ground down and smoothed over. A spell is either cast or provided to soften the stone temporarily, and then it's basically going at it with magitech-powered sanders created by Hilda. The particular runes that need to be gotten rid of will be provided on reference sheets - please don't touch the others, they chide! Those are to protect from the Cwyld, and are still very important. While help is welcomed with open arms and enthusiasm at most sections of the walls, those guards posted at one particular small district, guarded with trios of Resistance members at each entrance and warded with alarm magic to warn of escape, turn Mirrorbound away; these runes are being altered, not removed, to help contain unruly Drummond loyalists, they say. The people who now live in that guarded district are all human, whether they're Witches or no, and all refuse to bear the triple stars. "Troublemakers," the guards will explain grimly. "We have to contain them for now. It isn't a perfect solution, but they've hurt people, or tried to hurt people, since Drummond was run out of town." c. Bond Lessons Bonding is a bit of a tricky subject in the new Dorchacht. Many Monsters are afraid of the idea, as it was once used as one of the collars around their necks, but the Circle of Three recognize it as an important way to wean citizens off the lullabies and calming draughts that prevent going feral during full moons. As part of encouraging others to form Bonds, partnerships at the very least the way most Resistance members describe theirs, there are demonstrations and public seminars that pop up around Dorchacht on the regular. They may be as informal as a circle in what's going to be a park or as official-seeming as a talk held inside a shop or lecture hall, but they have one thing in common. Many of the citizens are keen on getting Mirrorbound in on it -- mostly by dragging them in, asking if they have a Bonded, and if they do, they tell the Mirrorbound to talk about their Bonded. They're interested in the ups and downs (but mostly ups) of having one in order to show that if the Mirrorbound are into it, you should be too! They accept all stories but prefer the happy ones - the aim is to encourage their Monster citizens and help them be less afraid of taking that step with Witches. And for those who aren't in a Bond, or decline to talk -- well, they get what amounts to a "flour sack baby" in the form of a Dorchacht citizen of the opposite role of their own (a Monster would receive a human/Witch, a Witch would receive a Monster) that they must hang with for a day, ensuring no harm comes to them, bound by one of the temporary Bonding potions so popular in the Wilders' ranks. (As a note, for the second option, you have free reign of the NPC; do the personalities you find fun, be they cooperative or mischievous, shy or loud, abrasive to your character or someone they can genuinely get along with. They are all willing - no one is being forced into this. No Fae or Dragons allowed for Monster NPCs, unfortunately, as they are still very much not about.)

III. Ahoy Mateys! With Dorchacht opening up again after the last few months of closed off internal fighting, plenty of trading ships' Captains are ready and raring to go build business relations with the new regime and find a new market for some of their wares. There has been increased interest in finding a shorter route to Dorchacht by sea - the teleporter is useful for small groups of people, sure, but it can't handle much cargo. The only problem? Ships are being turned back, barely halfway there, with significant damage to their hulls. Brave individuals looking for a seafaring adventure are asked to come aboard and help the crew navigate tumultuous waters, hopefully figuring out along the way what's causing the damage to previous ships. It's a three day trip to Dorchacht if the waters are kind, and characters can simply teleport back home once there. On board the various ships brave enough to return to the sea, Mirrorbound find the problem halfway through the trip: a colossal squid that's made it home at this point, thrashing ships that come too close to its den. While uninfected, it does have injuries on its body, which may be the source of its lashing out. The ships are able to bring themselves close enough for longer ranged attacks, and the Harpy on board are careful not to be captured by the churning waves caused by the thrashing, but there's others who want to seek a less violent mean to end this surf and turf conflict. Killing, healing, subduing, or relocating it are all valid options, but getting in close to do any of those will be difficult, as it has a tendency to ink up the waters around it and reduce visibility to nothing. Be careful of any creatures swimming around that are interested in the weakened squid as well, such as various carnivorous fish, sea-plants, and things that appear alike to Merrow, but rely only on instinct. The Merrow cannot be spoken to, nor are they infected; the Captains of the ships will explain that they're "wild", and refer to them as distant cousins to the Merrow that sparsely populate Aefenglom itself.

IV. Back At Home Back in Aefenglom, the stir caused by the Circle of Three's arrival takes time to calm. It's the talk of the town for days - many seem happy about Morgana Drummond's apparent demise. "Good for them," is the general sentiment in the residential areas more populated by Monsters and the Harbor District. They're glad to know that things are on the way up there. Others think this is a boon; should anything happen, now Aefenglom has an ally city to stand with them, one in their debt. Others still don't really care either way, and go about their lives as if nothing's happened. The refugees, in their neighborhoods on the far reaches of the Haven, seem happy to hear news from home and find The Dragon/Starlight/Fafnir freed, and while a few of them choose to return to Dorchacht, having never put down roots in Aefenglom, more still don't wish to leave the homes and families they've formed here, or the Mirrorbound who have helped them so much over the months. Some even doubt that things are as good as they say, and choose to remain for that reason - slavery and ill treatment from the upper class in Aefenglom instilled in them a sense of (well-earned) paranoia regarding the intentions of Witches, especially those back home. They hear that things have changed, but don't necessarily want to find out for themselves. Even still, the mood is upbeat, with a general consensus that if Morgana is really gone, that's at least a solid step in the right direction. In the Aristocratic District, though, the atmosphere is sour. The general sentiment is that they wish the refugees would have left with those ambassadors. The kinder ones think Aefenglom should focus on its own citizens - the people from the Outer City brought in to weather the blizzard have never left, after all, still living in the neighborhoods with the refugees. Those who are more vocally outspoken about the Mirrorbounds' presence in the city think they should have all left to Dorchacht. Let another city shoulder all the misfortune they bring with them! Many of the people grumbling about that are ones who were directly affected by the Mists back in October, either through temporary changes themselves or through being attacked by ferals. Some of the more hot-headed young people try to spread this message - through graffiti, on homes and businesses in the Haven and the refugees' district, though if caught, they're quick to run away and not willing to enter into a confrontation. The graffiti is wholly mundane and not particularly difficult to remove, just unpleasant, telling Mirrorbound and refugees alike to "go home" or "go back to Dorchacht", in so much colorful language. Seems there's still some work to do at home, as well.

Welcome to your establishing post for the current situation in Dorchacht! This log takes place through the entire month; characters can come and go as they please. As always, you can direct all your questions HERE. This month we're also putting up a City Tracker for PC actions, both in Aefenglom's plot later on and Dorchacht's log here. Let us know what your character is doing, good or bad! The cut-off for the tracker is February 3rd.

Comments

[darkcharge]

Maybe I'd have some cheer if there was any Light remaining in me. Alas!

[ Van gives off a bark of laughter as he begins to walk and inspect the building. Sure there had been that wonderful decoration, but had that been it? Was there no more destruction? ]

[poisontippedcure]

[As Vanitas gets closer to the building, he may notice some structural damage. However, it’s hard to tell how recent the structural damage is; it doesn’t look like anything done by the taggers, maybe from the riots?]

[Meanwhile, Rose is keeping her eyes trained on him. ‘If there was any Light remaining in me?’]

I certainly doubt a lack of light is the reason for your demeanor. When I was filled to the brim with light, I was hardly cheerful.

[darkcharge]

[ Well it's nothing that Vanitas is going to bother with... Not that he had any intentions of repairing a building anyway. He's just curious. ]

Filled to the brim, you say...

[ Definitely not the same as what he is referring to, of course. So he may want clarification on what she means by that. Light and Darkness aren't aetherical properties where he comes from... But on a different star, that's how it goes, right? ]

shadowbringers spoilers

[poisontippedcure]

[Rose frowns. She walked into this one. She knows she shouldn’t, but she’s curious, and this could be a fair trade of information. Even if it wasn’t, what’s this brat going to do, sell her out to Garlemald?]

Yes, to the point I almost transformed into a monster.

[Her eyes look downcast.]

It was not pleasant.

[darkcharge]

[ He clicks his tongue against his teeth. To hear her tell it... ]

A monster created due to overbearing Light? Sounds awfully close to one of those "sin eaters" I've heard mentioned.

[ He knows about them. Knows about a lot of things. ]

Can't say that the Light creates monsters where I come from. Not literal ones, anyway.

[poisontippedcure]

[Rose immediately recoils, and it clicks. That’s right, the others. This is the unfortunate reality of having three different people who have lived the same existence as you: All your secrets are out, for better or worse. She takes a minute to regain her composure before she replies.]

I take it Mira told you the story, then? Far be it for me to tell it to you again.

[Granted, it could be Irhya or K’rihnn that befriended the kid, but given his demeanor, their resident Dark Knight is the greatest possibility. Of course, there’s always the chance he’s friends with Emet—

—And she doesn’t want to imagine that, thank you very much.]

Oh? I imagine the darkness does, then.

[darkcharge]

[ That definitely confirms something at least... ]

So you are another Warrior of Light. There are a lot of you running around here, hmm?

[ He shakes his head and leans against the wall of the shop. Arms folded across his chest, head tilted and fully taking her in now. ]

Though you are wrong about one thing. Mira hasn't told me that much. Our discussion of sin eaters was due to some commonalities between your star and my many stars. So nearly becoming one yourself is news to me.

[ Since they all share the same existence. So who is letting whose secrets out now? ]

As for monsters... That all depends upon the strength of one's heart. Darkness can consume it and create a manifestation of that selfsame Darkness. The shape and form can vary.

[poisontippedcure]

Only four, if you must know the truth of it. But yes, you’re correct; back home I’m known as the Warrior of Light.

[What she leaves unsaid is the fact that she hates the title, and that she’s grateful there’s more than one Warrior here. Rose has never wanted to be a hero, and if there’s someone else here happy to take up the mantle, she’s happy to let them.]

[She doesn’t bother responding to the fact that nobody else has shared with him the secret of the sin eaters. It’s not worth it, in her opinion. Instead, she focuses on the darkness.]

And I take it you’re one of those ‘darkness’ monsters? You did admit that there isn’t a speck of light left in you.

[darkcharge]

Four, you say? Remind me to cross that off of my Bingo card.

[ He's met everyone else then. Interesting. Though he'd also be interested in knowing Rose's thoughts and opinions on it all. Mira doesn't always seem to like it, but she does do the hero thing despite that, right? Always needing to help people out and putting herself into those positions. And later exhausting herself ]

Me? A Heartless? Oh no no. [ Vanitas waves that off. ] There's no Light left in me because I was removed from my other half. Darkness didn't consume our heart.

[ But he knows that... Is likely confusing. So he doesn't mind offering an explanation. Vanitas never does. ]

Light and Darkness are not aetheric-based where I come from. Every heart, every soul, contains both Light and Darkness. There is a balance that must be maintained. So when my other half and I were separated, we both took half of that balance with us. He kept all the Light and I kept all the Darkness.

shb spoilers!

[poisontippedcure]

Your bingo card?. You’re keeping track of us, then.

[In all honesty, she isn’t sure how she feels about this, but it could be worse. If nothing else, this kid doesn’t seem objectively dangerous, at least. But he does seem very confusing.]

So, you’re telling me that you’re part of a soul that was split in two? And somewhere out there, there’s a being of pure light? That sounds ridiculous.

[Not that it’s impossible given Eorzea’s standards. If everything the Ascian said is to be believed, Rose is also part of a soul once shattered. Not evenly, though, and certainly not in the way that Vanitas is describing.]

I take it the Heartless are the monsters?

[darkcharge]

Coincidentally, I have run into a lot of people from your star. You guys are pretty entertaining, to say the least.

[ Yeah he's keeping track of you guys. How can he not with their backstory? A world sundered into different fragments? A group that wants to protect the status quo while Thirteen steeped in Darkness wish to recomplete their world? Oh yeah... Vanitas is kind off invested for personal reasons. ]

And really it shouldn't seem so ridiculous. After all aren't you, yourself, divided into fourteen pieces? Or is that much less now after so many Rejoinings? You get a fragment of yourself back after a Calamity, right?

[ Vanitas scoffs and shrugs. It isn't ridiculous at all. He ignores her question, pushing on. ]

Besides, isn't your goddess a being of pure Light? Sounds pretty backwards to me... A god of Darkness that saves the star and a goddess of Light so vicious that she'd rather break your star into pieces than suffer his presence?

more shb spoilers!

[poisontippedcure]

[‘Pretty entertaining’? If the people he’s met include Mira and possibly Emet Selch, she’s not sure how she feels about that. Far be it for her to correct him, however. She’s not entertaining, and that involves not taking the bait. Instead, she’s taking the other bait.]

It’s eight, if you have to know. And for your information, I’m not happy about this. I was a complete person before any of these rejoinings, and I don’t fancy losing myself and becoming someone else.

[Nobody’s really told her what happens if all fourteen pieces collide, and she’s not looking forward to figuring out. Also, Vanitas just pushed one of her buttons, surprising nobody..]

And before you get any misconceived notions of me being a ‘Champion of Hydaelyn,’ or whatever, I’ll be happy to tell you that I care for the mother crystal just as much as I care for Zodiark. Just because she happened to choose me, ruining my life in the process mind you, doesn’t mean that I agree with Her.

[darkcharge]

[ Ah, but she has still taken some bait and, really, some is better than none. He can still see her reaction. Figure out what are buttons that can be pressed and which ones aren't. ]

Is that right... So you don't care at all for all of those that were left behind. All of the souls that had been attached to yours, connected with yours... They mean nothing to you now that you have a different life and a different set of friends?

[ No different than Ventus then. This is a little disappointing, but not unexpected. Vanitas knows that the majority of people won't care... ]

What about your other fragments that do care about such things? That can feel the loss? It's not impossible that they can sense these things, after all.

[ Vanitas can. He can and he does. Fragments of memory, of who he used to be, come and go. Forgotten as soon as they reappear. Just because Ventus doesn't want any of that back doesn't mean that Vanitas shares the same sentiment. He wants to be whole, wants that life back.

He then shrugs, smirking just a little. ]

But hey, if you don't want to be a hero no one is really making you right? It's not like you're tempered or anything. Your will is your own so just walk away.

[poisontippedcure]

[Now she’s taking all the bait, which she really shouldn’t. Rose needs an adult. Instead, all she has are the Scions.]

Of course I care about them. But I have people now that I care about to, and their needs happen to outweigh a civilization that perished more than a thousand years ago. The dead are just that, dead, and I happen to prioritize the living.

[‘And the people I care about.’ It’s not that she wants anyone to perish, but there are things that she has to protect.]

And I should give up my entire existence for them? That hardly seems fair.

[Vanitas is exactly right—it’s not impossible. But it also cuts both ways. If her fragments had feelings, dreams, and desires, so does she. There’s hardly any reason that she should give those up, especially for someone she’s never even met.]

[She’s fully aware of what he’s doing. She’s fully aware of the trap she’s walking into. But she can’t stop herself.]

You’re correct, no one is making me. But there are people I love that I want to protect. If I walk away, what becomes of them?

[darkcharge]

A civilization that broke apart only because your goddess decided that it must be so. Had she not committed such a terrible act of violence, then those people would still continue to exist, correct?

[ In the end, Vanitas isn't actually invested in that old civilization. He doesn't really care about that battle of Light and Darkness. Now he's just feeding off of her reactions and will continue to pull them out of her any way he can. ...In this he isn't that much different than the Ascian is he? He does this to alleviate his own suffering in a way. It's a distraction to pass the time. ]

I mean sure, go ahead and protect those that are living now... But who is your goddess really calling you into service to protect? Them or herself? She didn't seem to care about all of the people she killed in sundering your star, so why should she care about you or the people you want to protect? How many times has she called upon heroes in the past?

[ Van sighs, looking off to the side. ]

So, really, you're just doing the bidding of a mass murderer. She is oh so willing to sacrifice you and yours repeatedly until the end of time. If you really cared about your friends and loved ones, you'd find a way to make a compromise to end this stalemate.

[poisontippedcure]

[Thankfully, now not only does Rose know what Vanitas is doing, he’s also moved onto a subject she cares considerably less about. She sighs. Rose is looking exasperated right now, and really, who can blame her?]

If you think I’m not fully aware of all of this, you’re wrong. I understand that Hydaelyn is using me for her own ends. Right now, I don’t have any other choice. I told you before, I have no love for Hydaelyn in my heart.

[Which is really not something Rose shouldn’t say as the Warrior of Light, but what’s Hydaelyn going to do? Rose is the only champion she has.]

I understand you’re trying to provoke me, but you’ll need to try harder than that.

[Or find better hobbies.]

[darkcharge]

No other choice, you say... Interesting.

[ It's the same kind of lie that he's told himself for years. Because what choice did he have but to go along with what Xehanort had tasked him to do? What other choice could Vanitas make but to join the actual Organization XIII to create the Keyblade? And, in the end, what choice could he have made but to fade away when he realized there's a good chance he'll never be whole anyway.

All lies. All excuses. Though he's not quite ready to face all of that head on now is he? Vanitas isn't in a place to confront those comfortable lies he tells himself. ]

Oh no. I really am not that invested to provoke you into anything. Besides if you're okay - really content - with your role in all of this then who am I to ultimately judge?

[poisontippedcure]

Yes, I had no other choice. Or rather, the choices I had weren’t worth even considering.

[Rose may be self-serving, but the last thing she’s going to do is do something that puts her loved ones at risk. Looking at Vanitas, he has a similar look in his eyes. Not loved ones, perhaps, but a choice that’s hardly a choice at all.]

[Part of her wants to pry, but she knows better. It’s not worth torturing a kid she’s only talked to once, even if he is the actual worst.]

Honestly, I would hardly care if you did judge. I don’t put much stock into the opinions of others.

[darkcharge]

If you really didn't care overmuch then you wouldn't be so defensive, now would you? You wouldn't really be trying to explain yourself.

[ A careless shrug. ]

I's fine, really. You don't actually have to answer those questions.

[poisontippedcure]

I’m not being defensive!

[She absolutely is. Rose is not nearly as smart as she thinks.]

I could ask you the same. You claim to not care, but you continue to ask questions. Has something I said struck a chord in you?

[darkcharge]

[ Sorry, Rose. It has little to do with how smart one is. This has to do with practice and experience. These are both things that Vanitas carries with him in spades.

In fact, there's a small little smirk that just blooms on his face. She is defensive. They both know it. ]

The lady protests overmuch, don't you think?

[ She isn't going to get under his skin so easily. ]

How can something you say not strike a chord? After all I am the very manifestation of all those nasty things that people don't like about themselves. I am the desire of the heart that people don't like to admit. While I am half of another, a version of me exists within you as well.