TDM + GAME OPENING 🎉

[beleos]

Who: Shard-Bearers, new and old
What: Seeds take root
Where: The Tree of Life, Highstorm, Springstar
When: October 14th and onwards
Warnings: Potential for (mild) body horror, death, dismemberment

I. BEARING FRUIT (new characters only)

It starts out as a pleasant dream. You’re in your favorite place, with your favorite people. It’s a moment of idyllic comfort.

And then, it goes wrong.

The sky turns dark above, and as you look up, you see the black expanse of space spotted with faraway pinprick lights of stars. Yet, they’re not stars. You’re certain. They’re watching you. A billion eyes all looking down, and they spill forth as if sky itself was a dam holding back those dark waters. You reach back to the people you’re with, but they’re frozen in place. Their eyes are black, reflecting only the expanse of dark eyes.

So you run, even though you know you won’t escape it. You glance back and see it not overtaking, but consuming. The landscape around you is being devoured, and you can see it cracking apart. The world itself is breaking, and it cracks under your feet. You fall, and the billion eyes chase after you until the darkness swallows you whole. There’s agony as if you’re being ripped apart, and then—

You cannot see. You cannot feel. You simply are. Yet even so, impossibly, a woman’s voice speaks gently.

I’m sorry it couldn’t be saved. But, come, it’s time to wake.

You wake with a start, cradled by soft, velvety plants, and sticky with a sap that smells faintly of honey and iron. You can see the veins of the leaves that hold you, lit warmly and gently by what looks like a crystal embedded above you. Yet, it’s odd, because that crystal calls to you. When you reach out to touch it, it’s warm. Familiar. Important. You don’t know why, but you know you must hold onto this, because now it feels wrong for it to be suspended in these leaves. So, you pull it out.

The light starts to fade, but only in time to see as the leaves cradling you immediately start to soften and crumble, and with it comes a torrent of dirt. Soft, loamy soil starts to fill the space around you in the dark as you’re buried. Or, rather, you already were. You reach out through the dirt desperately, and your hands finds a root, so you pull while you clutch that precious crystal so close that it almost feels like it sinks into you (in your panic, you don’t notice that it does). You reach out again, and this time, your hand hits open air and plenty of sturdy roots around to grab.

From a seed you’re born, and like a sprout, you make your way out of the ground.

And once you’ve clawed your way out of the soft earth and the roots, nearby, you see the soil shift. Another hand comes up to grasp desperately for something, anything, just as you had been.

II. MORAL HAZARD

There are new Shard-Bearers at the Tree of Life, and Yima has asked that the earlier arrivals go to greet them and help them. These aren’t people from Horos, after all, so they’ll have many, many questions. As Yima explains, the roots of the tree rise up to create caverns underneath, and it’s there you’ll find the new Shard-Bearers. And indeed, with careful steps to not slip on the mossy roots, down you go. Perhaps Communion will help you find the new Shard-Bearers, but it might be a confusing process for them.

The roots all start to look the same, to the point that you’re sure that you’ve already been through this passage. You turn around, and most of the people you had come here with are gone, if not all of them. It’s confusing and unsettling, and strangest of all.. You’re starting to feel ill, even if that wasn’t something normally possible for you. But continuing forward, you do eventually find an unfamiliar face of a new Shard-Bearer. They look no better than you feel.

Before introductions, however, roots around you shift suddenly until you’re enclosed in a room together. From the roots, a face forms in the wall. It speaks in a creaking, uneven tone, as if it weren’t used to speaking at all.

Give to take. A sacrifice. To live.

---

LET'S PLAY A GAME...

As the Dryad will explain, characters are now trapped in a room and have been poisoned by the spores that the lichens underfoot release. An antidote lays beyond the roots the dryad has curled around you, but to access it, you must make a sacrifice.

Characters can pick one of the following options, but the decision must be made unanimously. If one character takes a drastic action (such as murdering another), it’s counted as a failure for the group.

• Each of you must offer up a personal/treasured memory. The memory will be shared in Communion with all characters assembled, and then will be destroyed. No character will retain the memory or memory of its Communion.
• Each of you must offer up something physical. A finger, a toe, an ear, it’s your choice. The dryad will offer a knife if this is chosen that will sever the body part of choice cleanly and immediately stop any bleeding.
• Offer up another. Kill one person in the room.
• Refusing is also a valid option. Characters will get more ill as they debate until they start to find it difficult to breathe, and they’ll die quickly after.

The following is OOC knowledge that will not be known IC: The consequences of this game are about intent, and thus are not real. When characters are freed from the tree’s thrall, they’ll have their memories/body parts/life intact.

This can be done in groups of 2 to 4 players, and Loremasters recommend three if you can swing it! It’s more fun when you get in philosophical debates, right? Regardless, when your group comes to a decision, please record it here. These don’t have to be fully threaded out to be recorded, so the conclusion can be discussed OOC if you prefer. Actions can be submitted until October 21st, after which groups will be informed of what comes of their choice…

When a group receives the antidote, they'll be released from the tree's thrall... But will have a hard time waking up. It feels like something has grabbed onto their spine.

III. DREAMING OF HOME

You may wake with a start from your deliberations (or arguments) with a jolt of pain from the base of your spine as something is pulled away rapidly. A dark-haired man who looks to be in his thirties or so holds you carefully, but as soon as you start to regain your senses, he sets you back and holds up his hands.

Woah— Woah there, it’s fine! The tree was, uh, trying to take you back is all. You’re fine now.

As long as you’re not going to attack him, he offers a friendly smile and a hand to shake.

Name’s Cyrus. Sorry about the rude awakening. Let’s get your friend here unhooked too.

And indeed, glancing over, you can see the person you met in that room laying nearby, and it looks like a vine has snaked underneath them to exactly where something had just been pulled from you… Best not to think about it, maybe. Or if you've been unlucky enough to be one of the last people rescued, you might find vines and roots starting to grow into your skin. It's fine!

---

CYRUS, THE TRIBUNE

Cyrus is the NPC heading up the Meridian Faction, and is available to thread with under this header. Cyrus has come to the Tree of Life to help rescue the Shard-Bearer’s from the Tree, so he’s not going to be inclined to explain too much right away, since he’s on a mission, but he’ll stick around once everyone is successfully freed from Prompt 2 to speak with anyone that wants to. The following is just an OOC summary of information in case you do not need to thread with Cyrus:

Cyrus will gladly introduce himself to everyone, and will further explain his position in Meridian and Springstar (see the NPC Page) and the goals of Meridian itself (see the Faction Page, save for the italicized section). But most importantly, he’ll explain that he knows it sounds like something overly optimistic. It’s fair to be skeptical. He’ll produce a small glass bead from a bag he’s carrying. It looks like the necklace he wears, though not lit up. He’ll explain that the force of Meridian is a gift and can be a tether to your home, if you let it. As his fingertips light up, the energy is infused into the bead, which he’ll hand to you.

Taking the bead into your hands, you’ll take a bird’s eye view of your home world as if your consciousness is split, since you’ll still perceive standing in front of Cyrus at the tree. Rather than a vision, the view of your world is absolutely real, you’re certain. It’s a glimpse at the world that you thought destroyed, and if you focus on a particular place or a particular person, you’ll find the view shifting rapidly to it. No one you watch is aware of your presence, but simply continues about their daily life, whatever that is. But after about a minute, the view will fade as the light in the bead also fades.

That’s an iliachtida, a sunbeam, and when infused with Meridian’s light, allows someone Harmonized to it to check in on their world, he explains. It also acts as an anchor that tethers their soul to their world in the Timestream. With it, their world can’t entirely disappear, so eventually, they can go home. It’s a gift he’ll allow anyone that wants it to keep it, but indeed, they’ll be unable to use it again without first Harmonizing to Meridian.

To help manage threadload for the Loremasters playing Cyrus, we ask that you only tag him with the character you are most likely to app. Similarly, new tag-ins will not be accepted after Monday, October 17th.

III. SPRINGSTAR, αιώνιος ήλιος

After your ordeals at the Tree of Life, perhaps you’re drawn to Springstar, the city of eternal sun and the seat of Meridian.

It’s currently (and fittingly) Spring in Springstar, and the bustling city is coming back to life after finishing up winter. It’s not as if the winters are especially harsh here, but you’ll quickly get the sense that the people of Springstar are vivacious and happy to celebrate. You’ll find the Entertainment District to be the liveliest, whether it’s at a rowdy bar or a brothel, but no matter what, you’re welcome with open arms and without question.

Of course, if you’d just like to use the chance to explore the city alongside your fellow Shard-Bearers, that’s fine too. It’s easy to get lost in the crowds of Springstar and see all the city has to offer.

IV. HIGHSTORM, луны-близнецы

Or maybe Highstorm, the city of twin moons and the seat of Zenith is more to your liking. It’s certainly the quieter of the two cities and is a relaxing, meditative place if that’s what you prefer. The chill in the air is constant, since it’s Autumn in Highstorm and the eternal night doesn’t help keep things warm, exactly. Snow isn’t out of the question at this time of the year, but it’s beautiful in the moonlight.

Because of the cooler weather than Highstorm is prone to, you’ll find many of its delights inside rather than outside. Libraries and museums are popular in the more introspective city, though it’s easy enough to find something that might please you. For example, the indoor hot baths are popular at this time of the year too. You’ll find the people are kind, if cool-tempered, though if you mention the fact that you’re a Shard-Bearer or allied with Zenith, they’re more likely to warm up.

Though much like Springstar, it may just be more interesting to explore the city with a fellow Shard-Bearer. And as a resident may warn you, it’s best to stay in the city. Wandering out into the marshes and forests isn’t advised. Of course, if you do, just contact a Loremaster to find out why. ♥

NOTES

Welcome to Kenos! As a reminder, all players are required to fill out an application, which are now open. This does include characters/players from Aion Teleos, so please don’t forget to fill one out! Any character/player that does not submit an application will be swept from the communities and the Discord after applications close.

Activity Check is optional this month, but is highly recommend so Christy can check her fancy program so that you can earn Activity Reward Tokens! Activity will be able to be submitted shortly after applications close. You can find more about how we do AC here.

This log is Game Canon. Any characters who are not apped to the game will disappear. If Cyrus or Yima are asked, they’ll explain that this happens sometimes, since not every soul has a strong tether to Kenos and sometimes return to the Timestream. They’re fine and may even return to Kenos one day, but for now weren’t able to make the full journey.

As a reminder, your character has a Shard somewhere on their body that encompasses their soul, so keep note of where you're sticking it on their person for reference! Additionally, they have a tattoo of their Aspect somewhere on their body. Please be mindful this Aspect will be assigned to you upon approval and whatever you choose for the TDM may be temporary (for new characters)!

For the Highstorm and Springstar prompts, both cities will be fully open and accessible to all characters once they are saved from their rather harrowing ordeal at the Tree of Life. For prompt ideas and any general information about the cities and what you can find there, please see the Navigation page and check out the locations!

FOR NEW PLAYERS:

New players are welcome to join our Discord Server if you haven't already!

When they emerge from their cocoon/the ground, characters may be wearing their normal clothes, or they might be nude. Up to you!

At some point in the days after leaving the Tree of Life, new Shard-Bearers will have a dream, even if they're usually not capable of sleeping. All new players should read this post, since this details how they'll learn about both factions and their goals and should help them make a decision in which Faction they'd be drawn to.

New characters will not have access to any canon abilities on the TDM.

Your character will be offered temporary housing either at the Heliopolis district or Yima's manor for the first few weeks after their arrival. They will also be given a stipend for basic supplies like clothing and personal effects, and food is served in the cantina (Heliopolis) and at regular meal times in the Dining Room (Yima's manor). Once they Harmonize, they will get personal permanent chambers and a fancy retainer in their Faction's city. Wow! 🌈

FOR OLD PLAYERS:

Characters may be Harmonized to their Faction (if that makes sense for the character, of course!) by the time of this log. This is more for IC reference, and just wait until application acceptance to do the OOC paperwork!

General reminder that your character won't have access to their powers until they have Harmonized.

CODING

Comments

QUESTIONS

[beleos]

Do you have any questions regarding the event? Please ask here!

[joyfully]

......... i'm so sorry but



does the sap also taste sweet like honey or does it taste like sap and it just smells that nice?

MORAL HAZARD DECISION SUBMISSION

[beleos]

Please submit using the following form!

Characters: Characters involved in thread
Decision: What did the characters chose to do to solve the trial?
Link to Thread: Link to the thread here!

<b>Characters</b>: <b>Decision</b>: <b>Link to Thread</b>: <a href=>Here</a>

[hundredpower]

Characters: Sophia, Emet-Selch and Barnaby
Decision: Emet activates a cheat code contacts Yima, and knowing they're not in any real danger, the group opts to sacrifice a lock of their hair each.
Link to Thread: Here

COMMITTED ACTIONS

[beleos]

If your character does something that would be notable to the wider setting or noted by NPCs, report it here! This applies to the Springstar + Highstorm prompts.

For example, if your character(s) got into a bar brawl, destroyed or stole property, helped an NPC run their shop for a bit, etc. Essentially let us know how character is impacting the wider world of Kenos!

CYRUS

[kenosnpcs]

After pulling Shard-Bearers out of the Tree of Life's roots (literally), Cyrus will hang around for a bit to chat! He's a man of average height and muscular build, and the smile on his face never falters. He seems genuinely happy that the Shard-Bearers are here and, uh, didn't get eaten by the tree. If you want to speak with him, he'll beckon you over with an easy grin and a welcome.

NOTE: Please tag into this thread no later than Monday, 10/17, if you would like to interact with Cyrus. Loremasters will not be replying to tag-ins that come in after this date in order to accommodate everyone in a timely fashion. Additionally, please only tag Cyrus with the character you are most likely to app if you're trying out multiple. Thank you!

cw: eye stuff

[warmare]

[Hayame has the dubious "pleasure" of being one of the last woken from the clutches of the tree. That, and the fact that removing the roots from a very long jinba spine had left her temporarily twitching and half-paralyzed on the mossy floor spares the man who introduces himself as Cyrus from an immediate interrogation. He can finish his work. But once she's up, once she's ascertained with a confused press of her hand to the side of her head that what she'd thought she'd sacrificed wasn't even gone...

Her hooves sink slightly into the plush moss and roots as she struggles up, a dark eye and an empty socket where an eye should be locked onto their rescuer.]

You-

[Despite having seemingly been "saved" from their fate by this man, Hayame locks on to him as if he were a potential enemy instead, pointing accusingly in his direction, yet unswayed by the easy smile and warmth radiating off him. (The only smile she wanted to see was already-)]

What are you?

sebastian michaelis - black butler - stargazer (TOLD YOU I WAS READY)

[cutlery]

In Highstorm—

1. bits & baubles

[ It’s a chilly, very lightly snowy not-quite-day in Highstorm, and as such, Sebastian is dressed for the cooler weather to explore the antiques and baubles market. He’s not looking for anything in particular, as he’s not really a material sort of person, but it’s just interest in seeing what’s on offer. As such, he’s impressed by what he finds. There’s beautiful craft in everything he’s seen so far, and that’s simply something he deeply appreciates. A combination of both beauty in aesthetic and practicality in build is the ideal, so far as he’s concerned.

He has a silver pocketwatch in hand that he’s inspecting with interest, but whatever you happen to be looking at catches his eye too. It’s to the point that he can’t help but to speak up, though his interest is of course warm and polite. ]

It is fine work, is it not? Highstorm seems to have a talented pool of craftsmen indeed.

2. caw caw mf

[ Greenwood yards is indeed beautiful to take a stroll in. An elegant garden lit by twinned moonlight is uniquely beautiful, and even not being so inclined to nature, Sebastian can resist spending some time here. Though it’s mostly just to stretch his wings, quite literally. Harmonizing to Zenith was near trivial, and so with his shapeshifting returned to him, there’s a larger than average crow that seems to enjoy hanging around the gardens… ]

a.

[ Are you the kind of poor sap that wants to make friends with a crow? This may be your chance, since as you wander through the gardens, it’s hard to miss the large bird that’s taken up a comfortable perch to observe passersby on a low sculpture. It doesn’t seem to fear people, since the path is very close to the statue, and it doesn’t so much as ruffle its feathers or flinch. In fact, if you choose to approach, its attention does turn towards you, but it stays similarly unbothered. Now is your chance to become the (goth) Disney princess of your dreams.

…Of course, Sebastian is just very amused by it. He’ll play along at being a Totally Very Normal Bird for as long as it pleases him. ]

b.

[ Or, you know, a little less mischievous. There’s all sorts of plants in the garden, and in the spirit of letting it go essentially untamed, it does mean they’re not all safe, exactly… There’s a small cluster of glowing, orange flowers that seem especially interesting. They give off a warm, sweet aroma, not unlike freshly baked cookies, actually? But as you approach, a hoarse voice speaks up. It’s the same voice as Sebastian’s for sure, but without the posh British accent and the hoarseness, it might be difficult to tell. ]

Oh, I would not recommend approaching. It bites, you know.

[ The source of the voice isn’t immediately obvious, but with a flutter of wings, a crow glides down from a nearby tree to instead land on the back of a bench. And, yep, that crow sure is talking to you, apparently. ]

Just a fair warning. You only just missed the gentleman that came by and lost a finger.

In Springstar—

3. old fashioned

[ If drinks are your preference, you’ll find Sebastian at one of the more upscale bars towards what passes as Springstar’s evening. It’s a busy night for the place, which means it’s standing room only, save for a seat at the bar next to Sebastian, naturally. gotta get the thread started somehow Regardless of whether he recognizes you or not, he’ll glance over from his conversation with the distinguished and draconic bartender to see someone enter and gestures to the seat with a welcoming smile. ]

It is open if you would like to sit. [ He gestures to the bartender ] It is a good seat, as Estic does make fine drinks. I am learning much about cocktails tonight, personally!

[ fun fact, cocktails were not really a thing in 1889 ]

4. one hell of a nerd

[ Or if you’re the more academic sort, it’s easy to find Sebastian in the halls of the Akadimaikos libraries. It’s the sort of place he’s naturally drawn to nerd, and in this one particular case, he prefers the offerings of Springstar to Highstorm slightly. The moonlight may be lovely and atmospheric, but he prefers natural light to read. After all, you’ll also see Sebastian wearing his glasses while he works. Even a demon isn’t immune to being farsighted, apparently. ]

a.

[ A book of recipes is propped open, and it seems like Sebastian is almost transcribing it, based on the amount of papers already delicately written out in a stack nearby. It’s probably also why he wants a break, since assuming his table partner seems open to conversation, he’ll pause as he places another paper into the pile to look their way. ]

If you do not mind… I am doing a bit of research on the diversity of cuisines available. What sort of food did you prefer where you are from?

b.

[ Or, you know, you may find Sebastian looking at significantly more, well. Occult materials. There’s a significant pile of books on witchcraft, religion, and, naturally, demonology. These aren’t getting notes in the same way as his new cookbook in progress, but he’s reading over them with more interest. And despite himself, at some point, he does laugh, though he politely reaches up to put a hand to his mouth as if to stifle it. ]

My, my. These stories get exceptionally creative about what demons are supposed to be like.

[ Considering it already being fairly well-established with no thanks to Horos, he doesn’t see any point in trying to hide what he is here so completely. It’s better to just present himself as a nice demon, or something like that… ]

Et Cetera—

[ me bursting onto the tdm to post first because 1) i cheated 2) to free everyone else, post without shame

Anyways, this is the "make up your own prompt"-Prompt! Sebastian can be found within Springstar and Highstorm roughly equally, though he slightly prefers Highstorm because #aesthetic. Also please know half of these are reworked prompts from my planned open log at [redacted], yes. ]

ii. moral hazarding

[joyfully]

[I'm placeholdering until we see if we get another person BUT SO THIS THREAD IS HERE...!!

As soon as the vines close around her, Morgan's immediately murmuring a quiet "uh oh". Once they're properly enclosed and the name of the game is made clear? Then she kind of rubs the back of her neck awkwardly.]

... You know, as far as icebreakers go, I have to admit that this one gets the job done. It's just kind of, you know... heavy-handed...?

Alphinaud Leveilleur | Final Fantasy XIV | Harbinger

[diplobrat]

I. Bearing Fruit

[ It feels real and dreamlike at the same time; that sense of terror, of being chased and overcome by something encroaches. Something that comes rushing toward him like an unstoppable force and he is falling, falling, falling, his mind and body feeling as if they are coming apart at the seams and then-

Then he is clawing his way to the surface with a gasp, as if he's emerging from a deep pool of water and then there's the loam and dirt and roots and a crystal that he clings to as if his life depends on it. And despite the tears that threaten and a thousand questions that go tumbling through his mind, he feels as if he can stand this. He must be able to. He did before, when he was pulled away from his world. He can do it again, no matter how strange this place feels and seems. He steadies himself, on hands and knees as he tries to take in the roots and plants and the movement of others out in the dim light. ]

Alisae? Alisae, are you here?

[ Is she here with him? Or is she crouched over his form in Garlemald? Or is he truly alone this time? ]

Can you hear me?

II. Moral Hazards

[ New faces, but a sickeningly familiar game. One of them - all of them - are going to have to give something up. He's barely had a chance to get his bearings and now he's expected to simply work with this? Alphinaud is not a fan. His gaze goes from the others to the dryad, his expression a touch stony. ]

...I am not about to play this particular game, I think. There must be another solution. Giving up parts of ourselves is... well. It reminds me too much of something else.

[ Although quietly he is resolving to perhaps give up something of his own, at the end of the day... ]

III. Highstorm

[ The idea of getting something back, of recovering what was lost, appeals to Alphinaud - if only because he cannot believe that his world is well and truly gone. This must be some sort of trick, some sort of misunderstanding. He's only just saved the First from oblivion. How could it have been consumed with barely a whisper? Without the Warrior of Light or the Scions noticing even a thing? Cyrus' words ring in his head and so it is in Highstorm that Alphinaud can be found as he tries to dig into what exactly is going on here. What exactly is happening to him in this strange, strange place. He is, of course, in the Tomes, digging through books and scrolls, trying to find something he can read or interpret. And if you're there, you're likely to find him as well. ]

...is that a step-ladder over there? Could you pass it to me? [ There's a high shelf he wants to look at!

After his investigation, there's a stop at the local cafe - one that provides him the most delicious of drinks. It's a small miracle, he thinks, but he can be found in a corner seat, taking notes and flipping through a book he's checked out. Something to do with dimensions in all liklihood. He's happy to say hello, though. Although... as his drink drains he pauses as he glances at the bottom of his cup. ]

...does it do that for everyone?

[ And of course there's the market. Objects he's never seen before or even dreamed of. But buried among it all is something else - a bauble or staff that looks to him like something from home. An object that might have answers. Alphinaud is, unfortunately, frustrated by the "NO TALKING" sign. His brow furrows, his voice just a touch irritated. ]

Come now, surely you can tell me a little about how this got here...?

[ But he may not have much luck - and he's broke! ]

i

[humainity]

I can hear you.

[ Though of course, it's not as though the voice who responds is going to be the one he wants to respond to him. Especially because said voice then clarifies, as this redhead trots closer, shedding dirt from the vigor of her movements alone-- ]

I am not Alisaie, unfortunately. My name is Sophia, humanity's companion.

Morgan - Fire Emblem: Awakening - Exalt

[joyfully]

i. how's the sap

[Morgan claws her way out of the dirt without too much to-do, coughing and dusting herself off a bit. Her hair is plastered to her head with the weird sap, and she grimaces a little as she wipes some from her face.

But then she spies another hand and by the time you pry yourself out of the dirt?

Morgan is there, sitting cross-legged and peering at you.]

Oh, hey, you made it! Have you tried the sap yet?

[what]

ii. city layouts - springstar

[Morgan can be found literally anywhere in Springstar as she wanders and meanders, peering around curiously at every little nook and cranny.

She seems to be... staring at some things in particular in this city? It's kind of hard to tell what.

But eventually:]

What are those? Do you know? Do you?

[She's pointing to a bicycle someone is riding.]

iii. tempting fate - highstorm

[Morgan can also be found at the very edge of the city, peering out into the wilderness with her hands on her hips.]

Huuuh... it doesn't look very dangerous. Wonder why everyone keeps saying to stay in the city...? Do you think it's propaganda?

[She could be talking to herself, or to you, or to the air.]

iv. wildcard

[or just hit me with whatever tbh, I AM ARMS WIDE OPEN, Morgan can be found anywhere and everyone because she does not stop.]

ii.

[executory]

[ Is this kid really asking her what the hell a bicycle is?

Then again, if this is anything like Seoul and the scenarios she's been put through, he might not be from a world that has transportation like bikes and cars and subways.

Her eyes slide between him and the bicycle, then back to him. Some of the bewilderment on her face disappears. Dressed in a simple shirt and pants, with her hair tied up in a bun, she looks like any other average citizen. ]

That thing is called a bicycle. You can ride on it to get around. [ As evidenced by....all the people getting around. ] Are there no bicycles where you come from?

flamebringer | arknights | harbringer

[hurricaneofblood]

i. moral hazards

[ Interesting.

Flamebringer cannot help but sneer as he hears the rules of the game. He glances around him -- none of the faces around him are familiar. His eyes narrow slightly as he seems to be deciding on something for himself. He cants his head to the side; there is a feeling like there is suffocating feeling that can only be described as violence emanating from him like he may lash out at any second. ]

All right. [ He says after a time; he stands a little straighter. This time, he doesn't look to anyone. ] You all seem to have more to lose than me. [ His tone is lighter, like this is just a game and has no consequences whatsoever to him. He only uses it to make it easier on those; to make them angry enough to choose him for they do not know him enough to cherish or care for him. ]

Why not let me see what's on the other side, then?

ii. springstar

a. arrival

[ It may be a fool's errand to believe he could get back what he lost, but he decides to seek it out. In his heart, he wants to hold onto hope -- he's experienced what it was like to lose it all and knows how precious it is to find something to hold onto. ]

Besides -- [ He says to no one, speaking only to the space ahead of him. ] -- I worked too hard on that greenhouse to let it all go. Might as well try to get it back.

b. a stationary city? weird?

[ Flamebringer walks to some of the structures of the city. He can't believe that this is one that doesn't move. Of course, he's in a new world; he is willing to accept that and yet it is still something that he can't help but be confused on.

Bizarre. I've seen a lot, but this is too strange not to say something. ]

This whole thing is really just here? [ There is an incredulous tone. ] Hey, what if something happens? Are you saying that your buildings are just going to remain where they are? You're not gonna try to move the city? [ Has no one really thought of this? Really? No one thought that might be a good idea? Especially with a group that knows where they are? ]

iii. wildcard

[ Come at me! Or message me on Discord (marvelouscheer#4580) if ya wanna check about anything. ]

I.

[cryomance]

[ Trapping her with strangers puts her in a tough spot, as she doesn't have the greatest amount of sympathy for those unfamiliar to her, but this one is likely in a similar position as her. World destroyed. Sudden existential despair. No connections to anything or anyone who survived. All that stuff she's tucked at the back of her for now.

Would she be doing him a favor if she executed him? She could just as easily bare her neck and wait for the same, but there is still this insistent little voice that sounds suspiciously like one of the other sisters, telling her not to abandon all hope. She was saved once, under similar grim conditions. She can be saved again –and so can this ...horned person.

Her arms cross over his chest as she leans against the nearest wall, demonstrating exactly what she feels about his offer. ]

Nothing to lose, huh? Why not snap off that thing on your head then? Do you actually need it for anything?

orochi | onmyoji | iconoclast

[necrotizes]

i. awakening

[ Ah, what is this?

For the first time in a long time, he dreamed. For the first time in a long time, he felt his body surrounded by something. This is not the Abyss. It is the first thought that hits him and he is only a little ashamed it is so uninspiring.

And so, he claws his way to the surface. How novel a feeling to have earth and dirt be against his skin. How interesting a sensation to feel the weight of it all give way to the surface. How long has it been since he's seen the world with his own eyes instead of the endless nothing of his prison?

Pulling himself free, he breathes out long and slow. ]

Ah... so there is a price for freedom, after all.

ii. springstar

Truly fascinating how other worlds have developed...

[ He walks the city -- he wanders to get used to the flow of people. His intention is gets used to the ebb and flow of everything. His clothes are in tatters but he does not seem to mind. What is there to mind when one can tip their head back to see the sky? ]

I wonder ... could this be somewhere my comrades were sent? Perhaps one or two? Were you sent here? Locked away without your power?

[ There is a melodic, almost hypnotic way that he speaks. ]

Hey... [ To the nearest person, he calls out: ] ... what do you know of sin?

iii. highstorm

[ The chill in the air is enough to cause even him to shiver and wrap his arms around his body, but still he walks around with a soft smile on his lips.

When the cold gets to be too much, when his pale skin turns a little red from being out; he starts to softly laugh. ]

iv. wildcard

[ Come at me! Or message me on Discord (marvelouscheer#4580) if ya wanna check about anything. ]

iii

[filikos]

Hythlodaeus hears the laughter and turns to glance at the source, smiling.

"Ah, thought of something amusing, have you? I do it often, myself. Well, I'm certainly glad you're having a good time!"

He's being entirely genuine, and even chuckles in return. "Ah, but you look perished with cold, my friend. What say you to finding somewhere warm, and mayhap you could tell me more about your funny little secret?"

Hythlodaeus // Final Fantasy XIV // Advocate

[filikos]

i. Bearing Fruit

The sap from the seed coats Hythlodaeus as he drags himself up through the dirt, his robes soaking as he coughs. He's still shaken from his vision of Amaurot being swallowed by so much darkness, and for a moment after freeing himself he does little but sit there, with the dirt and sap clinging to his hair and skin. Trying to at least clean it away from his eyes, he notices a hand reach from the dirt nearby, and he puts a pause on his own discomfort to help yank whoever it happens to be out of the ground.

"Are you well...?" Hythlodaeus peers at the fellow newcomer, though of course if they happen to be undressed he soon looks away again politely. "Or is that a silly question?"

ii. Highstorm: Café

After everything, a warm drink of tea is just what Hythlodaeus needs. He's sitting at a table alone, looking around almost hopefully- but with his ability to see souls non-existent, he can't look for the person he's truly hoping is here. Well, there are two people, but... he has no reason to think, after everything, that Azem would have been reborn with him. Alas, there are no familiar faces so far, and he sighs into his cup and rubs at the scattered pieces of rock embedded into his neck.

His shard had been jagged, and so while it's whole, its appearance is a little strange when only part of it can be seen. Circling one of the larger chunks of shard is the symbol for the Advocate, a symbol which means little and less to him right now but perhaps soon he'll find out what it means.

He wouldn't be averse to somebody coming to keep him company... indeed, his eyes may meet yours by chance as he continues to look through the bustling café. And he'll smile, because it's just what he does.

iii. Wildcard

Hythlodaeus can be found in Highstorm, in cafés and libraries and the market where he's just whiling away the time. By the time he gets here he's had his dream, so he knows about Cyrus, Yima and the factions!

3ish......... 🌧

[lachtara]

The shard had disappeared early that day. Disappeared. Not lost. The soul of his dear friend is not something he could ever misplace.

During the day it was tucked within his breast pocket so that it may accompany him where he ventured, and by night he had procured a small pillow for it to rest on as he slept. The shard was his constant companion who was treated just as well as any friend. Perhaps that is why Yima had sought him out the night prior to provide him some cryptic indication of the shard's fate - a mere suggestion that he might be reborn and that they could see each other once again.

After so long and so many disappointments, the ever-resilient part of him that he despises dares to feel a flicker of hope. The day wears on. And like so many times before, hope proves futile.

Emet-Selch resigns himself to work. Somewhere that he could try and bury the crushing disappointment that he'd tried to hide with typical irritation. He still needed to learn more about this world and its inner workings regardless, so the library is the logical place to go.

He snaps up a book from the shelf and opens it without concentrating on the words or content. Each page is noisily flipped even if he does not grasp the meaning behind any of their words. All he can think to do is clench his jaw and try to look busy as the flicker of hope within him begins to sputter out yet again.

Those he loves are always just out of reach.

archangel | baroque | harbringer

[impiety]

i. sticky awakening - bearing fruit

[ After breaking free, the Archangel rubs his hand across his face -- acknowledging the sap that is against his face. He pauses for a second before sticking the contents in his mouth, sucking on his index finger in an absent-minded way as he looks about to the other people popping up like daisies. ]

At least, it's a little sweet.

ii. moral hazards [ closed: dextera, amos, hythlodaeus ]

[ So, this is how we meet again.

His expression is surprisingly pleasant as he gazes upon Dextera. On the inside, however, he feels a sickening ache devouring his sanity. However, he cannot indulge such things -- not yet. There is the matter that there is poison in the air and a sacrifice must be made.

He gazes between the two others in the makeshift locked room. His chin lifts as he tries to gauge their personalities, their weaknesses. It is so odd to see people after so long. Saliva bathes the back of his teeth but he swallows it down. Instead, he shows a compassionate, patient expression.

Rather than walk to Dextera, rather than attempt to appeal to the bearded man, he crosses the distance to the beauty. They look soft; they look easy to mold to his decisions, his will. His smile softens in turn as he draws in close. Let's decide together who to sacrifice. Which one of you will fall for my survival?

Because he refuses to give up any piece of himself to something playing god. ]

Let's not be too hasty with our decision. I know that time is against us, but we do not wish to make a choice that we will regret. [ He directs his words around to everyone, glancing about to everyone yet not letting his gaze linger for long, but already coming to stand before the lovely stranger. Dextera will die. I just need enough votes to bring it to reality.

Let it never be said he is not a petty man. He cannot give me what I want and should suffer for his sins against me. ]

iii. wildcard

[ I am but one bean! Message me on Discord (marvelouscheer#4580) if ya wanna check about anything or plot something out. ]

i.

[joyfully]

Right! It's super tasty!

[The chipper voice belongs to a girl who's seated cross-legged on the ground, covered in dirt and sap that signifies that she clearly only just dug herself out as well.]

Imagine if we were covered in gross-tasting sap. That'd be so... so rude!

inumaki toge | jujutsu kaisen | advocate

[snakeandfangs]

i. bearing fruit

[ sometimes you miss the first train, so you have to make it up by getting on the second train that's full of strange faces, but that's fine. that just means you make new friends. however--- when that train arrives and it breaks the oddly idyllic dreams that one's been having, that's sort of a bummer. no one likes being woken up from something that gives them the kind of respite needed when just facing a danger and now facing a newer one.

odd how that description probably summarizes a few things as of late...

he's not sure what he's grabbed, but he knows it to be important and to not let go. that toge fights through the soil, barely packed, tries not to breathe in because the last thing he needs is to suffocate. to die before even having a chance to touch fresh air again. from the swirling darkness of billions of eyes to the crumbling darkness where light begins to pierce through and after grasping onto something solid and pulling himself out---

finally, he can open his mouth. spit out whatever got in that shouldn't be. sap, dirt, whatever. but as soon as he does, toge's ready for whatever dangers are waiting for him. that disorienting feeling, that tension that comes from knowing there has to be something unfortunate around him? he's ready to pull down his collar and say whatever he has to in order to get to safety.

then again, he's not ready for all the dirt stuck in the folds of his clothes and thus, has to do more spitting. sorry if it gets on anyone. pchoo~ ]

ii. springstar - commerce district

[ listen. he never had the chance to make his favorite food before, and this here district is the best place to try. gone are the familiar (not quite friendly in some cases) faces, but at least he remembers how to use a knife. he's not quite sure about the source of the fish or the rest of the ingredients, but they seem okay? probably about standard. not quite the freshest, but certainly not to the point where you could probably smell the stuff from a distance. that would've caused toge to fall into deep depression.

but there he is. it feels wrong not cooking the rice in a cooker (there is no happy music that accompanies any part of the process). one might call it morally reprehensible, but he makes do as anyone would in that kind of situation.

anyway. he's got a few that are done on a plate. the people that allowed him to use their ingredients and cookery... are kind of impressed? but also not quite impressed. anyone can just cram stuff into a sort of rounded triangle shape. at least toge is happy. and they're free for the taking! come eat a thing that could very well be onigiri OR not. it's fun. was that really tuna and mayo he used? does he even know how to make mayo??? great question. find out for yourself. ]

iii. springstar - residential district

[ there isn't a better place to run, and toge enjoys running. a light jog that helps clear his mind of anxieties. that he can take his time navigating the many streets that all circle around those gardens in the center. that he can find a patch of grass that isn't currently being tended to in order to stretch on, to lie back in, and just become zen. obviously he doesn't live in any of these particular homes, but maybe one day he will? maybe there's a chance. it's certainly a far cry from what he's used to, at least to an extent.

so after his small run, it's time to do something he hasn't done in a while. rather--- he hasn't needed to. there are times when he needs to be agile, to allow whatever force that might come his way to be mitigated purely by moving with it than against it, or to contort his body in a way that'll let him avoid it all together.

ever just see a boy practice doing flips and backflips? almost like he's trained himself to do it; not because it's flashy and acrobatic, but because if he can't get out of danger, it's harder for him to fight. that's all.

but he doesn't bother to cover his face. those little markings at the corners of his lips are plain as day. no need to conceal what could be a visible warning only to those who come from his world. ]

iv. wildcard

[ pm this journal if there's something else you'd like to do! you can also DM me in discord. i'm robin. ]

ii

[brutalizer]

[ She's more used to roasting meat over a campfire to get her stomach full, but who is she to say no to something pre-made? Yet the thing made of rice shaped into a ball intrigues her the most. It doesn't look especially filling but... ]

What is this?

[ She points at an onigiri and looks at Toge expectantly. ]

mamoru hijikata / until death do us part / a mystery

[prizeneck]

1. Fool me once…

[Climbing out of the dirt with a groan, Mamoru lays on the ground, taking careful, measured breaths, grimacing at the dampness of sweat and resin at his back, making his shirt cling onto it and the ground underneath him. The smell of moss and dirt is lodged in the back of his throat, and he makes a face, turns it to spit it out. He's wrapped in sap and chlorophyll, and the ache in his limbs tells him he's been there for a while.

Where? He can't say. Neither how long, exactly. The dream? He didn't run. A man with a $100 Million bounty on his head stops running after a while. The weird part of it all is that he hasn't dreamed of anything visible in years.

The first check, fingers to the bridge of his nose— his shades are there, but they're not working. He can't see his surroundings, so whatever beauty or detail around him is lost. Feeling the shard between his fingers, mind warring between leaving a goddamn rock alone and keeping it, he feels like a shield and curses, a breath of a word. First step: settle whatever is in his hand on his chest to gather his bearings; second: even out his breathing, and third: cast his senses.

Breathe in, breathe out. He hears the ground move. Maybe it's the step of someone getting closer, peering at him. (Does he look familiar?) Perhaps it's the nudge of a hand bursting through like a sprout, grabbing hold of his leg.]

What the—?! Let go!

2. 🤡

That ain't right…

[A mutter, but not at the actual requests. Dealing with Psychopathic demands means it's nothing but a day ending with 'y', and Mamoru looks unimpressed through his lenses at the voice's origin.

No, he's not exactly shocked at the demand, he's just unimpressed at the tactical validity of it all. With a gruff, he stretches his arm; no asking, no deliberation, no nothing.]

Give me the knife.

3. No lights, big city

[Maybe in one city, maybe in another, there's a weird person with shades on his face waving a stick around, tapping it along the edge of the sidewalk, a building, as he walks around. You may find him stopping at a particularly busy street, listening to the hullabaloo around him, taking his time. He may be even soaking a little bit of the sun in his already slightly tanned skin, or enjoying the cold on his face and hands — the man is a walking furnace, anyway.

Maybe he tilts his head when he notices you. Somehow, you know that he's not looking, somehow, but he knows you're there. Maybe you're making a fool of yourself and he's grinning, all jagged schadenfreude loving, or he's arching his eyebrows if you're doing something that probably won't end up well for you. Say, like, stepping on a banana peel, or trying to hit on someone whose partner is obviously beside them and you didn't notice.

Or maybe not, and you want to ask him for directions, so feel free to tap him on the shoulder. You can also catch him with legs stretched, crossed at the ankle, on a bench or a particularly wide staircase, leaning back, arms crossed. To all intents and purposes, the man looks like he's asleep.

If you do approach, he won't move, but his voice will skitter around like gravel across the road.] Of all places to sit, you decide on this one? Good call.

[ooc: Quick and snappy openings just to give you guys enough leeway to mess around, feel free to leave a wildcard! also up to make him get into other prompt 2 groups if necessary! just hmu on disco or pm! Mwah!]

🤡

[cryomance]

[ Well then.

She admires the decisiveness. Unless it's a ruse because he's planning on using the knife on her. In which case, he's already made a very terrible decision, but hopefully, he's smarter than that. She may not have her magic intact nor her spear, but she's confident she can move quickly enough to disarm him.

Her muscles tense as she feigns calmness, her gaze drifting back and forth from the stranger to the dryad. ]

By all means, go first. Then we'll know if the tree is lying or telling the truth.

[ Or if the stranger intends on actually lobbing something of his own off. She wonders what he'll choose... ]

amos burton | the expanse | exalt

[baltimores]

i. moral hazard

[ Of course, when asked to go to help new people, he would go. Of course. It's the right thing to do. It's the best thing he can possibly do. It's what he's meant to do. Make them feel safe. Help them find their way.

All things Amos cannot do as he is trapped within and held at a... tree's?... mercy.

He glances at those with him, keeping his breathing light, trying to buy himself as much time as he can before the poison gets to him, before making his way to the wall of roots, opposite from the... face. Amos brings a hand up to it, knocking against it. Chooses one root that's forming the wall and grips his hands around it, trying to break it off, to no avail. And sighs, turning back to his group. ]

Unless any of you have some way of tearing this thing apart, I think we gotta go through with this. [ A beat, and then he shrugs. ] I'm game for whatever.

[ Whatever's best for the group, right? However he can help. ]

[ ooc: let's plot this out a little before doing anything! my contact's below. ]


ii. in highstorm

[ Already harmonized with the Zenith, Amos knows, instinctually, that this place is now home. It's not quite like anything he's experienced before — calm, peaceful, and yet with plenty in the way of resources (free air, fresh water, good food...). In his experience, it's only ever been one or the other — that, or an apocalyptic situation, which... well.

But this isn't that.

He's maybe a little out of place as he navigates the city, dressed for cooler weather — long sleeves, heavy jacket, boots (it's nowhere near cold enough for a hat or proper coat yet; he'd know). He can be found wandering the streets, gazing in something akin to awe at their relative — for him, in a place like this — emptiness. Or maybe he's gazing up at the moons above them, contemplative. Or... ]

a. the tomes

[ He's almost certainly in the non-fiction section, thanks. More specifically, Amos is looking through anything the libraries have related to technological advancements, and coming up... kind of empty. It's not that surprising. He's from the 2350s, and the last place he'd been hadn't exactly been up to snuff, either.

Still.

If he hears you approach he'll exhale, shutting the book he's looking through and placing it back on the shelf, before looking up at you with a wry expression on his face. ]

You know, I'm pretty used to the whole world ending shit by now, but still can't help but feel out of place.

[ Yes, this is actually his biggest concern. ]

b. greenwood yards

[ The greenhouses are kind of interesting, but more in a I'll eat whatever's put in front of me as long as it's edible oh shit this is really good kind of way. The indoor baths, though...

They're some kind of heaven he didn't know was possible.

Amos can be found there, relaxed, body splayed out underwater and head tipped back against the edge. There's a cup of tea sitting beside him, partially drunk; for now, he just looks asleep.

He isn't, though. He's actually just vibing — though open to anyone who approaches. Everything feels too nice, his entirety too at peace, for him not to be. ]

iii. in springstar

[ Where Highstorm is now home, Springstar is home in a very different way. Of course he'll visit — and look less out of place here, used to bustling city life because sometimes you just grow up on an overpopulated Earth, and sometimes this feels exactly like where you spent your first fifteen years of living.

There's no discomfort on his end, rather just good-natured bemusement. This is what others are choosing, huh? Alright then. No harm vibing a little here, too. ]

a. emotional damage

[ Sometimes you just wanna get drunk for the hell of it, and sometimes you get recommended a place by the locals that has a theme you... maybe weren't expecting. Or didn't know was possible.

It's with a skeptical look on his face that Amos peruses the menu, not... sure... about having his state of mind manipulated so specifically. Or maybe not quite believing it.

Either way, after a long moment, he orders a regular beer. Maybe some other time he'll try the other stuff. Or maybe he can be bullied into it right after he finishes this one, who knows. For now, he's just sitting at the bar, enjoying a drink — one he'll lightly tip in your direction if you meet his gaze. ]

First time here?

[ It's pretty obviously his, at least. ]

b. madam dee's

[ Once again he has received a recommendation from the locals, and shit, he's new in town, why not treat himself to something upscale?

He doesn't need to cry (he'll leave that to certain others with weird little grudges against him thanks), but maybe you catch him on his way out, looking thoroughly sated.

That's just the way it is sometimes; man's got needs. ]

iv. wildcard

[ or whatever! arii#6412 or cadiai for plotting. ]

iib!!

[oomfies]

[ Lottie's gotten past that point of really caring about public baths — whether it's because she's a little too old or just a little too weary, she cant place it. No matter which, it means she's sauntering into the bath, an uncharacteristic slouch to her back as she's handed a cup of tea ('Is this single origin?' she asks the attendant, and they just give her a wink).

Her toes dip into the water, settling on sitting at the edge of the pool with her legs dipped in. It's close enough to Amos for him to realize her presence, but still far away enough to give him the option to continue vibing™. She's got her hair wrapped up in a towel, her bangs carefully arranged to still frame her face, a robe wrapped around her frame — she sniffs the tea curiously. ]

You try this stuff yet?

anca agarici - original character (ttrpg) - savant?

[esoterisk]

i. bearing fruit

[ She remembers darkness, and darkness, and endless unfeeling eyes, and then this earthen embrace. Instinct takes over. She climbs.

It's a clumsy, frantic sort of journey: dirt in her eyes and beneath her fingernails, arms reaching out blindly for the surface. Anca breaks through the loose soil into the open air above, and spits out a twig. Gracefully.

Propping herself up on one elbow, she takes a few deep breaths, flexes her fingers as if to confirm they're all still there, and... ]

Oh— the crystal.

[ She couldn't have dropped it, not with how tightly she'd clutched to the thing as she ascended through the earth, and yet there's nothing in her hand now... ]


ii. moral hazards

[ What a charming game. And by charming, she means the kind of pointless sadistic experiment that Ustalav's madder historical figures might conduct. Presumably on political enemies or helpess villagers. Anca squints at the others in the room, as if gauging how much they resemble helpless villagers.

Well. She clears her throat— half polite gesture, half disguised cough. It's getting a bit difficult to breathe. ]

Is there a particular body part you could stand to lose? I confess I have no great attachment to my littlest toe.


iii. springstar - academic district

No, that can't be right.

[ The little table Anca has claimed in the library stacks is piled high with books of various shapes and sizes. Three in particular are currently laid out in front of her: a massive tome with yellowed parchment pages, a leatherbound traveler's notebook, and a thin green hardcover that looks like a scientific journal. She glances back and forth between them, brow furrowed in obvious consternation. ]

Because it says here... but then here...

[ She leans back in her chair with a huff. ]

Are the laws of chemistry entirely different from one world to the next, or does this library just accept submissions from anyone with a pen and paper?


iv. wildcard

[ feel free to hit me up via DMs or discord (izzie's moving castle#3668)! :0 ]

iii

[executory]

[ Really, she's just here because libraries have a lot of books and Kim Dokja is a freak (affectionate) who loves to read. Surely the first place he would be is a place like this.

But no matter how much she walks through the aisles and peeks through the shelves, she can't seem to catch a glimpse of him at all. Maybe she needs to come back at a different time. Or maybe she should try a different place? Maybe a PC Bang would be better....actual books are different from webnovels, after all.

She's walking past a table when a voice calls out. Huiwon looks down, uncertain. ]

Huh?

[ Is this woman asking her about chemistry? She never did that well in school. ]

Uh, I'm not sure. Should they be?

Sophia | Persona 5 Strikers | Advocate

[humainity]

i. bearing fruit

[ She doesn't look bewildered so much as... lightly confused. And covered in dirt. And sap. Maybe there's a bit of an otherworldly quality to her, given that not only are her pigtails not actually attached to her head but they look like little hearts more than hair-- well, it's probably fine.

She pipes up after a second, regardless of whether you've just unearthed yourself or if you're sitting there and recovering from Everything. ]

Yo, mysterious stranger! Did you come from the ground or did you just find yourself there, too? This is very odd.


ii. moral hazards

[ Well. This is a new dilemma. And one Sophia appears to be pondering deeply, surely, given that she's humming a little tonelessly under her breath and then-- ]

Understood. I am humanity's companion and as such, you can kill me for your guaranteed health and well-being. Or chop something off? I think either would be fine.

[ SURE?? ]


iii. springstar

[ Golly gosh, she's found the Entertainment District. Which is maybe concerning when she looks to be a young teenage girl who looks like she's a good few inches off from five feet tall, but Sophia isn't concerned about your silly worries! This is new and fascinating and you can catch her staring wide-eyed at one thing or another to the point that she will probably bonk into you--

Or.

You can be the poor soul who gets asked, as she points to the brothel: ]

Excuse me. I cannot connect to the internet here, so I can't tell exactly what kind of establishment this is. Do they sell broth or do you make your own?

iii

[executory]

[ No? No! There's just no way she can let this girl walk into that kind of place! ]

--Uh.

[ Quickly, she grabs the girl by both shoulders, turns her around, and starts walking both of them in the opposite direction, all the while talking in a too-loud, too-quick voice. ]

Um, do you want noodles? This older sister will help you find a noodle place!

[ FAR AWAY FROM HERE, LET'S GO ]

Kainé | Nier: Replicant 1.22 | iconoclast

[brutalizer]

i. springstar (outside the brothel)

[ Kainé isn't accustomed to going into towns, let alone interacting with society. She keeps to herself and that's best for everyone. There isn't even the incentive to check on Yonah for her to venture in. So even though she was told to explore, she finds herself hanging outside alone in the entertainment district, arms crossed and leaning against the nearest building she could lay her back on. As long as she's here at the bare minimum, no one should bother her about why she isn't fitting in or whatever bullshit.

Some people give her looks and that much she's used to for how she chooses to dress in lingere. They can keep their opinions to themselves for all she cares. But every so often some drunk asshole comes up, shoots her a sleazy smile, and asks if she's available for the night. That gets them a sucker punch to the nose- ]

Keep walking, or the next one goes straight to the dick. And not in a fun way.

[ -and they're quick to walk off with their nose bent a whole new way they never knew could happen. This keeps happening and it doesn't occur to her that she's outside of a brothel. As far as she knows, people are just being real fucking assumptive about the sort of woman she is. ]

ii. springstar (residential district, gardens)

[ The last time she bothered to grow things was when grandma was alive. After her death, Kainé could barely get the motivation to go on a hunt, let alone spend the effort cultivating a healthy garden. She always admired Yonah's efforts to keep hers alive, no matter how sick she was. The flowers especially brought a smile that she never let anyone see. Image to maintain and all.

Being in a city with so little plant life, so little open fields, has been more of a culture shock that she would openly admit. Being here, surrounded by beautiful flowers and green plants, gives her a bit of peace. Even if it's still in the middle of a bustling city. Still, for all her searching... ]

Damn. No lunar tears? Not as impressive as it looks.

[ It's said like a joke for herself, a rare smile crossing her face. At least the one in her hair made the trip with her, even if it got a little fucked up by the sap. ]

wildcard

[ if you want a custom prompt, pm me. if you want to throw something at me, go ahead and do it! just finished the game (as in, an hour or so ago) so i'm heavily in the voicetesting zone. ]

i

[impiety]

[ There is a sense of loneliness that ate at Archangel. He found himself dazzled by the city, by the sky, by everything. Yet all the same, he longed for something else to soothe the abyss that made up his insides.

That is what brought him to the brothel, at first. But he pauses as he notes a young woman outside of it clock someone in the nose. It's a rush of bright blood as the drunk stumbles away with curses and apologies mingling together. What is this?

Archangel can't help but be a little intrigued by it. His head tilts as his first thought was that the rough play is quite different in this world, but then he realizes that no one is paying the miss for the violent response. It takes a few seconds later to realize what is happening -- and he covers his mouth to laugh.

A sighing laugh follows before he goes to meet her. She's been so amusing that he can't help but want to say 'hello.' ]

Miss, would you mind a word? And I promise I'm not attempting to proposition you. [ Because he would rather not get punched, as well. ]

Rosaria ✝ Genshin Impact ✝ Exalt

[cryomance]

I. Time to make like a tree and leaf

[ Waking up in a haze of distorted memories is nothing new, as Rosaria has often gotten lost in her own patchwork dreams of home –of her village, of the vagrants who raised and trained her, of her vision clutched between her bloodied fingers, of the city she'd learn to call her own and its persistently nosy inhabitants. All dreams she had now watched erode, gradually devoured by something shadowed and oppressive, leaving her pinioned to the ground by the same chilled edges that once signaled comfort and familiarity.

Shaking it all off is no easy feat, chalking up the dreams to a spiked drink, even if it's unlikely for Rosaria not to have noticed the strange taste. Even less likely she'd allow anyone close enough to her drink to tamper with it, but she's rapidly running out of other possibilities as she digs her way out of the ground, fingers clawing at the soil until she's finally out.

Her legs threaten to fold as she stumbles through the nearest passageway in her boots, resembling a newborn fawn more than a trained assassin of the church. It's becoming more increasingly likely by the second that she had actually died at some point, a theory further confirmed when she reaches to her lower back and finds her vision gone.

With a heavy sigh, she continues ambling her way forward, wondering what kind of hell she wound up in. Maybe she should have paid better attention to all that scripture in Mondstadt she'd ignored so she'd have been prepared to deal with this less than stellar afterlife.

If anyone's in hearing range, they'll pick up her grousing out loud– ]

...I'm starting to think I'm better off climbing back into the dirt and resuming my nap.

II. Saw 3D

[ A whole room made of dryad roots. No escape. And she's poisoned.

It's essentially a clusterfuck of unpleasantries, especially while she's vision-less and weapon-less. If the others she's trapped with intend to kill her to escape, she has no way of defending herself, except perhaps with her heels. They're sharp enough, she could conceivably crush someone's eyeball in with them, but hopefully... it won't have to come to that.

Murder isn't her first recourse either. Not without a good enough reason. She'd long move past the days of killing indiscriminately for food and money and now only sentences those who deserve it, which is not a judgment she feels confident enough making just yet.

It still doesn't stop her from scrutinizing whoever is trapped in here with her while the poison gradually ticks points off her proverbial life bar. Of all the options, she supposes she could offer up a toe to get out of here quicker. Does she really need all ten to move around? It would be a quick and easy removal. ]

Hm...What are you considering giving up?

III. I wear my sunglasses at night (Highstorm)

[ After taking one glance at Springstar and all its perpetual blinding-bright sunniness, she said fuck that and kept going. Highstorm is more of a welcomed sight with its cool temperatures and the veil of darkness cast upon its city. It's the perfect cover for her to move around the city, exploring, investigating, and looking for a tavern.

Mostly the third because it's already been a long day, and she just wants to decompress for a while. Maybe put together everything she's learned thus far and figure out what to do next.

Once that's accomplished, she can be found on the edge of a long bar stand, seated on a stool, nursing her second drink of the night as she rests her cheek on her palm. Her eyes are trained forward, but she can detect movement well enough either behind her or in her peripheral.

Because of the immediate gut-wrenching solitude that comes with the destruction of everything she's ever held dear, she finds herself slightly more amenable than usual to having someone sit near her. The stirrings of life around does offer her a vague sort of comfort, enough that she'll even attempt some conversation– ]

Are you a Highstorm local or another refugee? I'm looking for the former.

IV. Wildcard

[ Hit me with anything or message me at dreadwyrm#0962 if unsure. Dave is allowed to get stabbed. ]

iii. time for besties.

[subsist]

[ What a long day.

And yet, despite how tired he is, his first instinct isn't to return to Yima's manor, but to search for a tavern instead. It's been a while since his last drink — maybe a few weeks now, if he's still counting, but if time doesn't work the same here as it did in Horos, then maybe it's been much longer than that. Who knows. He doesn't really care too much about the details in the end.

What matters more is that he's found a tavern to crash into, revelling in the familiar hustle and bustle of its patrons. He scans the area for anything interesting and then finds it right away, all in the shape of one (1) nun he knows all too well. There's a split-second where he almost doesn't believe what he sees, but there he goes anyway, approaching her almost immediately.

Rather than let the person she spoke to say something for themself, he barges in with that devil-may-care smile she knows (and probably hates). He gestures for the other person to excuse them before he snags the seat next to her. ]

It's your lucky night. You've found one.

[ There are a million things he wants to say, but he settles for what's the easiest for now. He waves the bartender over to put in an order for a drink, and once they're left alone... ]

Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?

[ (He's lacking his Vision too.) ]

Vander | Arcane | Exalt

[exhound]

i. bearing fruit

[Vander barely has time to process his dream before he’s faced with what, at first, appears to be another one. But the feel of the leaves and the changes set in motion as he grabs that crystal immediately reveal themselves to be very real.

There’s an old familiarity to this feeling. As the light fades and the earth itself descends upon him, Vander recalls the suffocating press of the walls of a mineshaft around him, the cloying scents filling the scant space, the exhausted weight of his overworked body pressing forward through it all. It’s an old memory, one long left behind, but it is enough to anchor him. He holds it tight, centering himself as he begins the slow, sure work of digging himself free with considerably less panic pressing in on him than he would have otherwise.

Soon he feels the earth give way and part open to the air. One large hand reaches out to grasp for something to brace himself with—perhaps your own hand if you’re feeling helpful, or a leg if you happen to be standing just close enough when he breaks free. The rest of him soon follows his hand out of the dirt, and you’re faced with a very big man, disheveled and smeared with dirt and sap and (thankfully) clothed in a simple shirt and trousers, sitting up and blearily trying to regain his bearings.

He tries to shake some of the dirt from his hair—with mixed success thanks to the sap—and eyes you with a quiet look of appraisal.]

So I’m not the only one taking a surprise dirt nap, eh?

ii. springstar

[To say that Vander has a lot to sort through after the events at the Tree of Life is perhaps the understatement of the century. The disappearance of his world is only one thing to contend with—learning about what befalls his family and his home, just after he was snatched way to this place… it hurts him much more keenly in a way he hadn’t quite expected. He is loathe to burden the kids as he wrestles with his dour mood and takes the time to explore the city on his own to get his head on straight.

He opts for a distraction, just for a while; something to clear his head from these thoughts just long enough that he can face them with a bit more clarity. The bar, Emotional Damage, seems as fine a place to provide one as any. He asks the bartender to surprise him with something, and soon he’s turning away from the bar with a tall glass in hand, eyes scanning the room for an open seat where he can sit back and relax for a few. He is so focused on finding a seat, in fact, that he doesn’t even register you there in front of him until he’s nearly walking right into you.]

Woah…! [He reaches out with his free hand to try to steady you, an apologetic grimace on his face.] Sorry about that, friend. You’d think a big lug like me’d learn to look where he’s going.

iii. highstorm

[By the time Vander ventures out to get a feel for the other big city, he’s mostly succeeded in getting his head on straight. There is something comforting in the vague familiarity greeting him as he carefully makes his way through the open market and the perpetual twilight overhead. Not quite the crowded, winding streets of home, but it would make do for now.

The big, broad-shouldered man stops alongside you at one of the larger market stalls that had a long table with many varieties of knickknacks and collectibles offered on display. He picks up one of the baubles, turning it over appraisingly. It almost looks comically small in his large hand.]

Can’t say I’ve ever really understood the appeal of these sorts of things.

[Outside of stealing them back in the day from places topside and reselling them. Oops.]

iv. wildcard

[Feel free to throw whatever at me, or DM me here or on discord (thirteen#7519) if you want to discuss a thread idea or anything!]

Also just a quick note, this weekend is a busy one for me irl, so after tonight I will either be mostly unavailable or tagging slowly until Monday! But I’m still excited to get into things 👀

iii

[filikos]

The appeal?

[Hythlodaeus looks to the bauble and chuckles.]

I suppose some people might have a use for them. Personally, I find it rather beautiful.

[He smiles up at Vander, though being 6'6 himself he doesn't have to look up too far.]

What would interest you, friend?

HAYAME (JINBA) ➳ ICONOCLAST

[warmare]

(cw: usual JINBA warnings, eye injuries)

01 ↣ TREE OF LIFE (MORAL HAZARD) ↣ 生命の樹の下
OOC Note: Please touch base using contact detailed below before tagging! I'm open to newbies and oldbies alike but would prefer to decide the "loss" in advance! Thanks!

[Rebirth into yet another world she had never asked to exist had been hard on Hayame. Not just mentally, though her capacities there were indeed strained close to breaking, but physically as well. The crack across her shard had left her weak and disoriented, and after being soothed (robbed) of her rage and desperation in the arms of the woman called Yima, she had not been able to push herself past her limits. She had been forced into convalescence... and only recently regained her strength, just in time to join the others who venture into the labyrinth of roots beneath the tree in search of the newly arrived.

She does not go because she trusts that woman. No, she doesn't trust her at all. She goes because a pathetic part of her still hopes to encounter someone who looks like her... and because she must leave that place. She already is sure that she will not return, but on the way... She wants to see where she had supposedly come from. What mechanism had purportedly brought her kicking and screaming into another world not her own.

Instead... The deeper she goes searching into the mossy labyrinth for people she knows would be unfortunate to have the first face they see be hers... the more sick she begins to feel. Without her realizing, the others Yima had "selected" fade away down other paths and into the moss, and when the roots suddenly shift, too fast for her to prevent being trapped in the living-wood prison... There is a centaur woman staring at you from across the small space, one dark eye an angry pinprick, the other an eerie, empty space covered haphazardly by a thin cloth.]

02 ↣ SPRINGSTAR (EXPLORATION) ↣ 太陽の国

[Her search for answers and somewhere that doesn't make her skin crawl first begins in the land of Meridian. The land is bright, and full of... of life, of color, so much so that after the dark of her recovery ward in Yima's manor that she almost squints against the glare of the sun(s). But at least... unlike Horos, where she had stood out like a sore thumb (or, you know, like a centaur) in a sea of two-legged humans... there is at least far more variety in residents of this place. She can walk through the streets without being gawked at, she can blend in with the rest. So for just a little while... She gladly does.]

A. EMPORIO ↣ 失われた目
[The district of commerce is where she ends up. There is a certain problem she has with a relatively simply solution that she simply has not yet had the time nor the wherewithal to address. It takes her some time and asking, but eventually she locates a shop that seems to be run by a collection of tanners and leatherworkers. Various wars are hung and displayed out front of the workshop, including an example of what she's looking for...

The problem is, the shop is located at the mouth of one of the many shop-lined alleys that make up the district, and... her large body is blocking most of the entrance to the street. Her hair obscures why (an empty hole where a left eye used to be), but she doesn't seem to have noticed that there's someone trying to pass her or getting agitated with her presence as she flips between samples of leather on display for customers to choose from. A simple tawny color... a dark textured color... a silky smooth white...

You might have to say something or shove past her.]

B. AKADIMAÏKOS ↣ 失われた聖典
[She might can blend with the general populace a bit better in this world, but she definitely doesn't look like she belongs in the Academic District. Even if her form was a bit too large to navigate easily between stacks of books, there's just something distinctly uncomfortable about her body language that all but radiates off her, advertising that though no one has likely told her so... she doesn't feel like she should be here. And, mistaking someone looking through the books at one of the many libraries as some sort of staff... She clears her throat loudly.]

The Order of Numbers.

[Hayame is an intimidating woman, at over seven feet in height and half a ton in perfectly honed muscle. But she looks... embarrassed, almost, or ashamed, to be in this place and be asking what she is. She'd been told the chances might be slim, but that books from all worlds and recorded by people of many lands could be found here, so--]

Do you have it?

03 ↣ HIGHSTORM (EXPLORATION) ↣ 月光の国

[Hayame's time in Springstar doesn't provide her with what she's seeking. She doesn't know herself what it even is, any longer, but... She has to keep looking. Though she had no desire to return to the manor of the woman called Yima, unsettled by her abilities and distrusting of her motives in sending them to the depths of the tree and the dangerous clutch of the dryad who had appeared there... She does return to Highstorm, and the eerie eternal dark. At least here... there are less people. There are more trees and grasses and flowering plants beneath her hooves.]

A. ANTIQUES & BAUBLES MARKET ↣ 欲の匂い
[The more settled of the shard-bearers who had arrived from Horos might already have coin to their name... Maybe a clever or particularly logical new arrival has already secured funds somehow, even. But Hayame certainly is not among either of their numbers. Her mind has been occupied with far more important things than money or food, and yet...

Though she can't recall when she ate last, her body certainly can. The delicious aroma of meat and bread wafting from a stall fills her senses, it's enough to make her stop in the middle of the street and lift her head from her nearly-all-consuming thoughts... and her stomach rumbles so loudly than anyone in the vicinity would be able to hear. ... Actually, there's two separate sorts of noises.

Both of her stomachs are rumblings.]

B. FIELDS OF FANTASIA ↣ 失意の匂い
[It isn't quite the sort of natural place that she craves. There are no mountains to hide in, no moss-covered stone, no roaring waterfalls or ancient trees... But it is better than nothing. Maybe it's beautiful. If Matsukaze were here... he would surely know what those flowers were, how they could be used, if they could be eaten or made into medicine... and if he did not, she thinks- He would just ask someone, like the gardeners who bother her constantly and try to tell her that she shouldn't spend so much time amongst the blooms.

Hayame ignores them. She clutches a bead in her hand and is afraid to look at it. She longs for a bow or a blade to put in her hand. She doesn't know what to do. And at some point... she just lays down and doesn't seem to get up. She doesn't know why. A jinba was vulnerable on their belly, slower to rise and defend themselves, their own weight eventually a heavy burden on their organs, and yet... There's something on the edge of her senses, a sense of a sound that calls out to her...

Two local men on the edge of the field can be overheard discussing amongst themselves what is to be done about "the horse woman" half-hidden amidst the mysterious purple blooms. She doesn't seem to be heeding their advice, and it's not like they can drag her...]

04 ↣ WILDCARD ↣ 鬼札

[Hit up my CR Meme/send a PM/hit me up at stormcoming/ping me in the Discord chat if you'd prefer a custom starter or want to discuss a specific thread you'd like to do! ❤️]

01 and fair warning to anyone else this is going to be a nasty thread <3

[cutlery]

[ They certainly weren’t walking together, that much is certain. It’s more than circumstance had both led them down to the same area, and perhaps for a moment before the roots closed in, they both had a moment’s realization that they were face to face with a problem. Sebastian certainly did.

Horos was simply an exception to his usual rule, and in Kenos, he was trying to correct it. There was not a war here where his viciousness was a valuable asset. So far, it seemed this was a place where the polite, unassuming butler would thrive. A gentle hand and a gentle touch would bring about the desired result. But even in his short time in Horos, his actions weren’t forgotten, and much less by the woman that had received the most ruthless of them.

…But here in the roots (in a dream), he didn’t have the power that allowed him to overtake her with relative ease. The Dryad speaks its instructions, but Sebastian is ignoring them. His expression is immediately cold and cruel, and very much the sort that he only ever revealed before he killed someone. It’s more instinct than anything else, because he’s well aware that while confined to a human form, he’s outclassed compared to her. ]

My, my. We really must stop meeting like this, Miss Hayame.

[ He knows enough of her character to know that a confrontation was unavoidable, that smooth, sly words wouldn’t soothe her. It’s probably because he knows that he leans towards his nature rather than away from it. He takes a smooth step to the side, but it’s to keep distance between them. As if there was much to be had. But his cruel smile is mocking, because even if this is very much a situation not in his favor, he’ll at least provoke her and bring out the worst he can. That is his nature, after all. ]

I suppose you would be so willing to let bygones be bygones…?

lottie person | snotgirl ✨ iconoclast

[oomfies]

1. SPRINGSTAR

[ Bargaining.. Right. ]

So, what colors do you want?

[ Is what she asks, shoving down just how tired she is to put on something close to a smile. She's been aiming to restock her makeup collection, having approximately.. Zero, since waking up here. She's resolved to start new.. A mantra akin to 'new war, new Lottie!' running on a loop through her head when she travels to Springstar and into the commerce district. It was fairly easy to find a ye olde Sephora look-a-like, but finding out it was drastically out of her budget sent her for a loop.

One thing led to another (anything for the pursuit of discounted expensive makeup) and now she's out in the front of the store, wearing a lovely little smock over her clothing (the theme is painting, after all). You, the kind person taking pity on her, or maybe an actual employee of the establishment pressured you into it, are sitting before her.

Whatever hair is in front of your face is clipped back, courtesy of Lottie. ]

Lashes, no lashes? Talk to me.

2. HIGHSTORM

a) [ Why isn't Doordash real anymore? This is something Lottie still actively thinks of, fully having lived without it for months. She's got a bag full of books cradled in the crook of her arm, nails freshly done and looking half as glam as she's used to when she saunters into the cafe in question. Lottie has heard big things about this place, and it all centers around that barista. And while she isn't here for a picture, she's definitely here for some sweet validation that her soul is delicious. ]

Hi, sorry, could you hold my place in line?

[ Is what she says after having stood in it for a minute or so, having turned back to ask you, the person behind her. The bag is starting to weigh heavy in her arm, and it's clear she wants to lay claim to a nice table before having to carry a drink. ]


b) [ So what if Lottie is getting kind of addicted to the bathhouse?? Yes, she has her own bath but.. What about it???

In a weird way, it's a bit of a ritual for her to come every so often just to take her mind off things. Usually it's hot after she takes something close to medication for her allergies, some foreign concoction she has her retainer retrieve. It's enough to let her pretend she's normal, to smell the flowers and then remember she actually hates doing that. But the mystical feeling she gets from being here at least makes her mood better, despite that.

She's perched on a chair, a little ways from the water, body clad in a rope and slippers on her feet. Lottie's cheeks are a little rosy, just tipsy enough for her to sit in her thoughts and think rather than pay attention to anyone else.

It's, also, another reason why her book is held brazenly upside down in front of her face. ]

wildcard
[ or hit me up with any prompt!! feel free to hit me up on discord (wassup#2453) or snottie if you wanna plot anything specific. ]

misa

[oomfies]

[ Lottie is mad. Angry. Upset. Also, coughing. Of course the forest has some weird ass creature ready to just fuck with them when they're trying to do some good — her lungs burn and she's starting to feel sick when the Dryad is finished talking. She tries tugging her feet up once, twice, to see how sturdy those roots are and she grinds her teeth into her bottom lip when, yup. Sturdy.. Very sturdy, as it turns out.

She shoots her eyes up to Misa, beside her and just as bound as she is. Even if it's fucked up to think, she's happy she's here with her. That she isn't alone and having to make all the decisions by herself. Something like determination sets into her eyes, nestling alongside the pure, overwhelming sensation of fear. But she swallows it down, opts to ask: ]

What do you think?

[zauneyete]

Highstorm --

1. Nose to the grinds-tome --[ Silco would be honest, that the sights of Highstorm were... somewhat disappointing in some ways. The streets were quiet, and calm, and nothing like he would expect. It was mostly clean, pretentious, and Silco felt like a lone blight, as he walked the streets toward a place he was aware existed, which was the tomes.

Mind, he was not some well educated Academy brat whose parents had more money than sense (coughjaycetaliscough) and sent him away to learn to read and do numbers. No, but Silco was smart, and while he had gathered plenty of information from speaking to people, there was something to be said for the sorts of information one could find when the filters were gone, or when there was pure information. He'd perused the libraries on Horos as well, and there hadn't been much in the way of information. He wondered how much Yima would let slip by, in contrast.

The Tomes were... an interesting collection of individual libraries. Soft steps padded between silent shelves, and Silco perused the shelves, looking for books that would catch his interest. Occasionally, he pulled one out, flipped through it, and either put it back or kept it. It doesn't look like he's looking for anything in particular, but he does pick up several, and if he's found reading, it's with one or two piles. He would say he's no nerd, but he is actually a nerd, and quite apt to look for something new, or different.

If one peeks in, his piles of books would be focused on Kenos itself, Highstorm History, Springstar history, or on historical events about the entirety of the land. It's so much easier to get information this way, than dealing with talking through it with someone else. He even abstained from smoking, after one librarian gave him a look that would have fried even Silco into nothingness on the spot. He'd slipped his cigar back into his pocket, and went back to reading -- quietly.

Although he doesn't look hostile at the moment, Silco rubbed his fingers together, as he read -- almost an instinct at this point, a gentle motion of his thumb and forefinger rubbing against each other, as if he were rolling a piece of dust in between them. ]

2. Tapping the Vein -- [ The thing was, with only a few hours, the city of eternal night would open to him, had he explored it earlier. Long after -- or maybe even the days after -- Silco finally gets down to what could be considered "his business". Familiarizing himself with the world he found himself in had been the first step -- and it's a smoother transition than the last one -- and armed with information, history, and culture, Silco smoothly slipped in with the rest of the denizens. His clothing is unusual -- he's quick to adapt to something almost identical to what he'd worn before -- but it's all deep reds, velvet, and black and gold accents -- which really does fit in with the rest of them on the streets.

He found himself in a par, with a witty name about blood or somesuch -- and he's already situated himself at a table. It's a packed establishment, with fine chairs, the lighting dim, but there are people letting loose in the way that Silco always came to expect for an area with a thriving district of entertained masses. A single drink, an ashtray with more than one cigar in it, already stamped out, it's clear he's been here for a while. The dress in here varied from the dressed up to the dressed down, drinks and excess flowed like the blood that was "supposedly" flowing in the club as well. A bit of a misnomer, but Silco was hardly here to judge -- well, much -- he had seen some tacky establishments in his day.

Blowing smoke, Silco's head turned, at the sound of two people walking by -- their dress higher class than most -- speaking about something -- hushed tones, about someone they'd received something from. All subtle language, likely to preserve some air of mystery, but Silco pulled a small leatherbound book from his inner pocket, to make a quick note or two, once they'd long passed. It was filled with notes like this already. Little things -- from different groups of people who'd peeled off at one bar or another, to who came out of other locations looking inebriated -- more than inebriated.

It was of particular interest to him, after all. He slipped the book back into his inner pocket, and returned to people watching, and observing.

You know, unless someone bothers him before or after this. ]

3. Wildcard [ Let's plot something out! Maybe you have some idea? Silco will be about some of the seedier/entertainy parts of Springstar and Highstorm. He will also be around the tree on Yima's command, so I'll be around y'all's TLs! If you want to plot anything out, just hmu at hundreds or on Discord! ]

2

[cutlery]

[ At some point in the evening, a familiar face will enter the bar, but it’s nothing more than chance. It’s clear that’s the case right away, because Sebastian enters with someone. There’s a woman on his arm who’s wearing clothes on the finer end of the scale, and the two of them are chatting in a way that’s clearly friendly, from their body language, but not overly so. Still, it’s clear that she’s the one that’s familiar with the establishment and leading, since she leads the way over to the bar to get drinks, and Sebastian doesn’t give so much of a sweep of the place. Silco’s presence isn’t noticed, at least not for a while.

It gives some time though to watch Sebastian when he doesn’t know he’s being watched, if that’s of interest to Silco. By all appearances, it seems that he’s just out for a night in town with a new friend. It’s only odd because Silco has seen Sebastian at his more honest. He’d been open about enjoying the environment of bars and clubs, but it was in the distant, languid way of someone who didn’t partake in their pleasures himself. Yet, here he was, by all appearances doing exactly that.

It's not long after Silco lights a cigar that Sebastian finally notices, and it’s because of the smell. It’s casual, since he doesn’t want to reveal that his sense of smell is that sharp to his company, but it’s then his eyes finally meet Silco’s. He looks surprised for a moment, but his lips purse into a smile that reaches to the corners of his eyes easily. Yet, he doesn’t come over to say hello. His attention is back to his date for a while, surely until that cigar is snuffed out, and it seems her evening ends. They go through the motions of farewells, but after walking her out, Sebastian returns to head towards Silco’s table instead. ]

Fancy running into you here. [ There’s easy amusement and warmth in how he says it. Clearly, whatever he was doing, he’s not bothered by Silco having witnessed it. He motions to the table, ever polite. ] May I join you, Mr. Silco?

Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd | Fire Emblem: Three Houses | The Harbinger

[hauntedking]

I. Awake

[ At first, it is simply the blessedly dreamless sleep that has managed to stay with him after the war. Those moments of empty oblivion. Then it turns to something sharper; more painful. Something with more dread and fear than anything else. The world crumbles around Dimitri as everything seems to be stripped away - piece by piece, bit by bit - and then he is clawing his way through and past branches sticky with sap as he comes to the surface to gasp for air. He is lost and alone, his good eye wide as he tries to scramble to his feet.

He must still be dreaming, surely? ]

What is this? Who's done this?

[ He is staggered. But determined for all that. ]

II. Warm Up

[ In Highstorm Dimitri finds shades of familiar things. Bits and pieces that remind him a bit of home. The baths are one of those places. Warm and inviting and open to the public for a small fee, they're a place to go to relax and find a bit of peace. Even if Dimitri doesn't much feel like he's at peace. Funny - he'd just started to find his footing again and then the world fell apart. Literally.

Despite that, he's trying to maintain his focus and a visit to the baths sound like something will help him immensely. The moisture and heat will help chase away the headache that threatens and relax tired, tense muscles. Maybe he'll even spot a familiar face. Or a new one.

It's one such bathing room that he peers into, towel wrapped around his middle, his good eye glancing around the steamy chamber. ]

Ah. It's not too crowded in here already, is it?

III. Greenery

[ The great gardens draw his attention as well. He has no skill for gardening, or so he thinks, but he enjoys growing things. Perhaps especially because his home has trouble with growing so much of it. He is reminded of working with Dedue at Garreg Mach, especially, or others of his class. It takes him back to a simpler time, even if the plants are more exotic than he's used to. He spends time there, walking amongst them, taking it all in.

He cannot quite believe everything is gone.

But he does know he will do everything he can to bring it all back, if he can. ]
Can this really be all that's left of... so many different worlds? [ The question is more to himself than directed at anyone. But it's still spoken aloud. ]

It seems impossible.

IV. Wildcard!

[ Come up with something! Or ping me. ]

I

[leicesters]

[There's movement in the soil not far from Dimitri, and who emerges next is a familiar face, spluttering and shaking dirt out of his hair with a disgruntled noise.]

Ugh. [Claude doesn't notice Dimitri right away, distracted by the Shard gleaming in the palm of his hand, shaped like a golden crescent moon. He remembers it. One by one, his memories of Horos are filtering back through, and he pushes himself out of the soil and to sit up properly, a little unsteady.] Guess we're back, huh...

[He's about to give his Shard (himself) a mental little pep talk, but he looks around, which is when he spots who's down here with him, and startles.]

Whoa-- Dimitri?

Liem Talbott | Original (Pathfinder RPG) | Harbinger

[sterngaze]

I. SPRINGSTAR

a. [With the arrival of new faces from other worlds followed by a thought-provoking introduction to Cyrus, the Tribune, Liem finally ventures out of Highstorm's dark, quiet refuge to visit its sister city: the eternally sunny metropolis of Springstar. Bustling and eclectic, the atmosphere manages to remind him of home in a way that Yima's domain cannot. He spends hours touring the different districts, taking in thriving market streets and reverently-maintained residential neighbourhoods. But what seems to capture his interest most of all are the community centres. He visits one and attends a first-aid class that includes techniques he's never even heard of, and wonders what other kinds of skills the people of Kenos must have collected over the passing generations.

The next day, he's back—this time not to attend a class, but to teach one, at the request of the people running the facility. He's set up in a broad kitchen tucked toward one end of the building, and he's devoted the next hour or so to teaching a cozy little group of participants how to make a pasta dish from his home. Liem takes the assignment seriously, circling through the room to assist anyone who seems like they might need help. If you seem like you're struggling, or perhaps just during a quiet moment, he leans over to inspect your progress.]

And how are things going here?

b. [The weather in Springstar today is beautiful: warm without being hot, clear and calm with just a hint of a playful breeze. It's also deceptively sunny. Liem is still getting the hang of navigating the light-drenched city, unused to just how elusive a true, deep shadow is here, or how intense the glare of the twin suns can be despite the comfortable temperature. He tries his best to stick to the awnings and shaded areas set up along the broad, paved streets, but the stone and glass dominating the gleaming cityscape makes it almost impossible to fully escape the light reflecting from at least one of the suns. For the natives, the half-shade is probably ideal, providing plenty of light while still blocking most of the glare. For Liem, it's like using a sieve as an umbrella and hoping to stay dry.

By the time he's ready to make for the cornerstone on his way back to Highstorm, the sunlight feels suffocating. He's gone bone-white beneath the paltry shade of his wide-brimmed hat, and despite the dark lenses of his glasses he can feel the beginnings of a savage migraine threatening at the back of his skull. Dazzled and flagging, he ducks into a nearby boutique and trudges all the way into the back, away from the windows, for all the good that does him. He leans against a nearby wall for a moment, taking his glasses off to rub his hand over his eyes, and he doesn't seem to notice one of the people behind the counter asking if he's all right.]

II. HIGHSTORM

a. [When Liem has an hour or two he wants to spend in peace and quiet, The Tomes is an enticing place to visit. He's only just begun to appreciate the deep well of literature the libraries there contain, bedridden as he was for much of his first week in Highstorm. Now that he's returned to some semblance of health, he's taken great pleasure in exploring the city's mysteries one location at a time under the gentle light of its twin moons. The different fables collected within The Tomes are fascinating, though the real draw in his estimation is the wealth of poetry there, written in a seemingly endless variety of different styles. The worlds they evoke might now be dead, but they haven't been forgotten.

After spending much of his "afternoon" amongst the shelves, he emerges to seek refreshment at the peculiar cafe on the corner across from the library's doors. He's not sure how much stock he puts in the divinations that appear at the bottom of his cup whenever he's done, but the drinks here are incomparable, so he isn't too bothered to discover the truth of the gimmick. You can find him seated outside on the cafe patio, wrapped in a wool coat and warming his hands on a half-drained mug of some sort of black tea or coffee. When he sees you, he inclines his head in greeting.]

b. [Although Springstar is much more like Oppara than any part of Highstorm is, the markets scattered throughout the ever-dark city hold a nostalgic charm of their own for Liem. The hand-crafted wares here are more similar to the sorts of things he might find at a market in Taldor, foreign though the designs may be, and the more sedate, almost intimate atmosphere of the little shops and stalls hearkens to the kinds of small-town crafters he might have found running businesses in the country villages he used to visit in his younger years. He's always had a soft spot for markets, and on nights when the weather is calm, he's come to wander the ones in Highstorm just to see what manner of wares they hold.

Bundled against the chill in boots and a dark, woollen coat, he surveys stalls selling everything from bread to cured meats and cheeses to jewellery to scarves to wood carvings. After a while, he comes to a vendor offering baubles of a variety of sizes and purposes, all of which appear to be carved from either ivory or perhaps just bone. Liem picks up a small knife with a delicately-patterned handle and a matching sheath, pulling it out to regard the blade and finding to his pleasant surprise that the workmanship of the steel matches that of the carven handle. His eyes wander over to you as he slides the blade back into its sheath, and he glances as well at whatever item you've been eyeing.]

The artistry that's gone into these is impressive, don't you think?

III. WILDCARD

[Wildcard me! If you want to plot something, you can reach me on plurk at Sporelett, or on discord at November#9699.]

ii.a.

[galdorleod]

[ Without much of a warning at all — no friendly greeting, no calling of Liem's name, not even the sound of a person's footsteps approaching him — Howl suddenly appears at the dhampir's side, grinning widely, smacking his hands down on the patio table he's seated at. Dressed in a black and purple coat that trails past his knees, the wizard is practically glowing with beauty. (Or rather, beautification spells, but what's the difference really, if most cannot tell the difference?) ]

Liem! There you are! I'd heard you'd arrived with the others!

[ Howl pauses for a few seconds, looking him over. Seemingly satisfied with the healthy and whole state that he looks to be in, he continues enthusiastically. ]

Stars above, it's so good to see you. To see everyone! May I take this seat?

courier | arknights | stargazer

[couriering]

i. bearing fruit

Hang on, I got you!

[ he sees a hand break through the soil, and of course courier's going to take it. who knows what's on the other end of it! that's where the fun really is (it's gacha). but in all honesty, he really doesn't know what's going to happen. whoever he saves might not want to be saved. they might feel that courier is the enemy and let him have it. or, hopefully and logically, they'll come to the same conclusion that he must've also been underground at some point and was able to pull himself up.

either way? whoever he's helping will be greeted by a friendly smile, two ears that when flick will send a few specks of soil to the sides, and will feel a somewhat calloused hand that has clearly seen a lot of work already in its life. but also, the muscles: he's toned. strong. capable. ]

You okay?

[ courier can't help but smile. especially because no matter who it is, he knows he's not alone. ]

ii. springstar - heliopolis, training grounds

[ if there's a place to keep his skills honed, then courier will be there. why? because not every job is simple and even the simple ones can go south pretty quick if things go wrong, and wrong is always waiting around the corner.

and this is why he's spending some of his time with a thick stick/club/bat of sorts. heavier than his normal sword, something that has heft so when he does swing it, he can feel his muscles. there's something about repeatedly beating something over and over again, making sure to switch up his approaches and angles to make sure that he's not quite predictable.

if he feels someone's eyes on him, he'll definitely turn in their direction. offer a cheeky smile, and then a shrug. ]

Like what you're seeing?

iii. springstar - entertainment district

[ but there are times when courier prefers some silence. a drink, mostly to celebrate successful operations. or one to sort of ease some of the pain that comes from a day of delivering those letters to every single person that needs them. honestly, one drink can do a lot for someone like courier, who isn't necessarily tense all the time but could always use one to relax.

courier quietly swirls his drink in his glass. it's not particularly good--- but he doesn't look for something high quality. just something that'd warm him up after spending a lot of time in the frigid environment of kjerag.

as he takes a longer sip, the itra turns to look around him. it's a quiet bar compared to the rest of them that he passed, but he likes it like that. ]

Hey.

[ and he holds up his glass toward the person sitting closest to him. ]

Cheers!

ii

[hauntedking]

[ Training. Training is something he's used to. He's done quite a bit of it in his day and he still does, because that's all he can do at times to take his mind off of the present and thrust it into a place where there's nothing to do but move. Apparently there are others out here doing that sort of thing as well.

Dimitri has a long length of wood in his hand - a quarter-staff, really - but he seems to use it more like a lance. He's paused to glance at one of the other sharing the space and then he flusters a little.

Oops. ]

I. Uh. You're rather impressive, yes. Do you favor a sword?