beleos: (Default)
beleos ([personal profile] beleos) wrote in [community profile] kenoslogs2023-01-13 05:00 pm

⏳ THE SCORCHING ISLE: Oracle Event One ⏳


ARRIVAL
All Bearers have heard whispers of them - the Oracles. Mysterious and unknown entities of an abstract nature, they serve as the heart of each faction’s cause - both as a means to an end and a very real stepping stone in achieving their objectives. To claim an Oracle means growing ever closer to victory: to see your homes restored as they were, or to herald in a new one of your making.

So you go.

A Cornerstone has been set up for each faction; one for the Zenith and one for the Meridian in Yima’s manor and Heliopolis, respectively. They warn you that upon transportation, your safety cannot be guaranteed and there is no telling what waits for you beyond - to be prepared. To make sure you have whatever you deem necessary with you before you go, as there is no telling when - or how - you will be coming back. CONTINUED HERE...

NOTES

  • Upon your arrival, you woke up with an HOURGLASS NECKLACE. Please refer to the Time Mechanics on the OOC Summary and bottom of this post for details on its usage.
  • The COURTYARD is frozen in time. Player Characters and the Great Tree are the only signs of moving, free life in the courtyard. During the intro, time magic does not work.
  • Characters are free to investigate but cannot move beyond the courtyard if you choose a prompt during the intro. You may mingle among your fellow Bearers or speak with [MR. TIBBS] if you so choose. (Also? LOOK AT HIM HELP)
  • Iconoclasts and Stargazers will notice Aspect benefits/detriments now.
  • All characters will be weak for the 24 hours - think like mild flu - and unable to leave until Mr. Tibbs has dispersed them. This is the time in which any threads with the NPC will be carried out.
  • The INTRO concludes with said dispersal of PC’s once interactions concluded. They will be sent to a location around the castle of your choosing; they are free to move about freely from here. Your prompts can start with you waking alone or in the presence of others - whatever you’d like!
  • Your character will innately understand how to use time magic from this point forward. It will come naturally to them, like a skill they were born with.


  • CASTLE: OVERVIEW (p a s t)
    The Scorching Isles is home to the Atirat, a people of sea-dwellers who have the ability to walk on land. (Think mermaids with the ability to shift back and forth between human and mermaid forms.) As such, much of the Scorching Isles is covered in large bodies of blue water and glistening pieces of ice to accommodate their lifestyle.

    THE CASTLE, however, is what dominates the landscape and it's where the Shard-Bearers will be spending their time. The white castle with colorful glass windows is obscured by a thick layer of clouds and fog. Nearly every location on the island has a thin layer of fog that rolls through it, which gives the entire Island an inescapable chill. The castle has artfully built rooms with a CAVALCADE OF DECORATIVE ICE, lavish mirrors, and white plants accented with blue decorations. Several portions of the castle are submerged due to the aquatic nature of the native residents.

    And everywhere you go, you find them - STATUESQUE BODIES FROZEN mid-movement. They are haunting reminders of the power in your Hourglass - the very real power to decide their fates.

    The castle has many winding paths to explore, as castles often do. There are sleeping quarters, HALLWAYS, a wine cellar, and a few large rooms presumably for diplomatic affairs. Players can use these rooms at their own leisure for whatever purposes they see fit. (Exploration, combat, or supply gathering.)

    However, many of these rooms will require some strategy to access their full potential! Atirat were much more comfortable being underwater than many Kenosians may be. Therefore, rooms of higher importance may be COMPLETELY SUBMERGED or require swimming through an underwater pathway to reach them. Very minimal supplies will be kept out in the open for all to reach. More desirable supplies - such as warm clothing, small weapons, treasure, and the like - will be located past or within one of these flooded areas.

    Players may gather supplies within and preserve their Sand or use their Sand to make other rooms accessible and gather whatever lies within! The larger the asset you attempt to unfreeze, the more Sand it costs - and the more drained/vulnerable you will be as a consequence, so choose your path ahead wisely.

    Currently, a pervasive fog is preventing you from wandering beyond the Castle's limits. Should you try to venture past it, your Sand will rapidly be stolen and you will find yourself suffering the same fate as the islanders if you don't move back to safety quickly... However, if you ask Mr. Tibbs what lays beyond the mist - he will tell you about the thriving farmland, the once-bustling village surrounding the castle, and the beautiful coral reefs beneath it. Sadly, they're beyond your reach - but maybe if the Bearers decide to unfreeze them when the week is up...

    LIBRARY (s a f e z o n e)
    The ROYAL LIBRARY - A treasure trove of knowledge, history, and glimpses of a fractured past scattered throughout. The lower floor of the Library is void of much reading material and contains several intricate-looking art pieces on decorative pedestals.

    A spiral staircase dominates the center of the room, with its once delicate structure overtaken by sheets of formidable ice; it leads you toward the upper levels where a sea of books awaits. There are isles and isles of books, most perched on intricately carved shelves. Many books lay in piles or are discarded onto the floor, and scattered papers are common throughout.

    Curious Kenosians may pick out books from the shelves and read on various topics, but players may also pass through this room on their way elsewhere. This area will function as a safe haven where violence and the taking of others' Sand is not allowed; do not disturb the books or Mr. Tibbs won’t be happy!

    NOTES

  • Characters who wish to receive a book with lore specific to the island may comment [HERE]. You will be RNGed a book from a pre-written list of topics. The books may give you a deeper look into the island, its inhabitants, and its history! (Only 1 book per player! Please assume all other books they read are about commonly-available topics.)


  • THE EATING PARLOR (p a s t)
    There are no basic amenities on the island. No hot water, no warm beds, and no salacious magazines (that you know of. heh heh). That would make the Eating Parlour a wise stop for anyone. After all, this could be the perfect chance to procure some provisions!

    The EATING PARLOUR has all the equipment one would need for meal preparation. Dried plants hang from the ceiling, and the walls are lined with mason jars filled with every strange manner of presumably edible thing (Is that a head over there? Hmm… maybe you should check).

    The parlour also comes with a garden under a massive windowed dome so that the inhabitants could have fresh produce at hand. Many plants have withered, but there are some salvageable plants if you know how to look for them. But beware… Some of the plants have a strange blue glow. These plants can spell potential disaster.

    If someone should make contact with these glowing plants, they will crumble into glass shards - glass that will quickly burrow its way under the skin and curse that person with Blight. Blight will make all resources within that person's vicinity slowly age and eventually crumble to dust. (Which I relate to on a personal level tbh.) Iconoclasts will be immune to its effects.

    NOTES

  • Please see the "Blight" section below for more information on its effects.


  • TREASURE ROOM (f u t u r e)
    Faint singing can be heard coming from this room. Once you hear the song, it dulls your senses and leaves you in a haze. There is no stopping your feet from guiding you to it through the doors and into the Treasure room. The door slams shut at your back, sealed with a wall of ice and magic.

    Players will find themselves lured to an icy chamber bordered by a ring of cold blue fire. There is a deep pond that surrounds the platform you’ve found yourself standing on. Beyond its glassy surface and crystal clear water, one can glimpse all manner of treasures - from crowns, jewels, ornate statues in various statues of repair, scepters, spears, and books that seem impervious to the water's cold chill.

    As you come to your senses, you will find yourself frozen in place and at the mercy of a large statuesque being before you. This beautiful and horrifying figure in a perpetual song is the SIREN, the only Atirat you’ve seen in person. She measures nearly 20 feet (6 meters) from her head to the tip of her long-finned tail. She cradles an icy shard in her arms, singing to it as if it were a child.

    She sits serenely in front of a large hourglass filled with white sand, which is bordered by a spear and a lance. Emblazoned in faint text at the base of where she sits reads: “The future lies in our hands.”

    NOTES


    Welcome to the Siren’s Chamber! Players must use their wit, charisma, or some good ol' fashioned elbow grease to escape the room or break the Siren’s magic. The Shard that the Siren holds contains dormant time magic that players may activate by using the Sand within their necklace. Players can access the future in 5-second intervals and use whatever they find in that time period to escape their predicament.

    For example, if they activate the shard by using their time magic, that shard will begin to glow blue. The room around them will shift, and it could change to a point in the future where there is a sword nearby. If you can grab it, now you have a weapon! When the 5 seconds are up and time returns to the present, you will still have that weapon on your person. You may also try verbal communication if you’d like. If your character is someone who would try and talk their way out of a situation diplomatically, they may give it a try!

    It is up to player discretion/creativity to think of a scenario you’d like. Each “future" does not have to be the same across player encounters! What one group experiences may be tailored to the player wants (because branching timelines exist). Let your imagination run free!

    HALL OF MIRRORS (p r e s e n t)
    Should you reach the rightmost wing of the massive castle Library, you will find a door hidden in the very back of one aisle against a wall; it looks as though the door used to be concealed by magicks that have since dissolved.

    The stairwell leads down and into darkness. Once you reach the bottom, shimmering light cast from an unknown source beneath sheets of glistening ice will illuminate your new surroundings; you are in a maze of mirror-like ice. This labyrinth is silent save for the quiet creaking of shifting ice that may disquiet you and leave you uneasy regarding the stability of this area… but it holds beneath your feet.

    Mr. Tibbs had told you that the “Kaleidoscope” - where your Sand is counted - rests through here, so eventually, you must brave the journey. Is it a trick of the light? Maybe the product of an especially active imagination…?

    Did you just see one of your reflections move without you?

    NOTES

  • Please refer to the OOC Summary for details on the Hall of Mirrors!


  • THE BLIGHT and TIME MECHANICS

    BLIGHT

  • Blight is an infliction that will age supplies and infect people with a creeping disease that steals their Sand. For objects, this includes weapons, food, and items like cloth. It will take a few days to deteriorate things beyond use - so watching your supplies and acting accordingly is in your best interest. Generally, it will make it more difficult for PC's to get by given that their already scarce resources will dwindle and deteriorate - especially since it's 'contagious' through touch.
  • The Blight will not act quickly enough to severely hamper infected persons, but repeated exposure will cause effects to a person's body - notedly protruding VEINS in the face and extremities, a lower body temperature, and increased agitation. These effects start out mild and grow more severe with each 'dose.'
  • Characters must touch an object/person that is Blighted to become inflicted with Blight themselves. When that happens, it will become easily identifiable as Blighted from the faint blue, shimmering outline around the infected subject, as well as the WITHERED, FROSTBITTEN or ashy appearance it takes as it progresses.
  • However, there is one single perk with Blight. (Or is it a perk?) Players will feel reduced impact by the cold surroundings, making the climate around them somewhat more hospitable. Beware of falling victim to a chill you can't feel...
  • TIME

  • To use your Sand, each character is granted access to and innate knowledge of a spell they channel from their Shard that automatically manipulates their Hourglass. This allows the remote control of Sand (aka gathering and dispersing), as well as the ability to pull Fragments of time from Shards.
  • Fragments are literal pieces of you taken from your Shard. They manifest as memories or images displayed on little shards of broken glass (think of the memory being played out in real-time on the mirror's surface), and can be crushed to convert into Sand automatically, either voluntarily or by force. The only stipulation is that the parties must be close to one another, and the Fragment must be exchanged while both Bearers are still. This means someone has to give it to you, or you need to immobilize them before you take it - one way or another.
  • Once the Fragment is crushed, the memory and associated time of that person's life is lost and your character will suffer amnesia until the Oracle is claimed. How deep this goes is up to you; they could lose a large chunk of time - even all their memories surrounding a person or place for a big payload of Sand, or they could lose very little for a meager net gain.
  • Sand is automatically gathered or distributed by your Hourglass and added/subtracted to your running total. No need to micromanage. Convenient!
  • Please note that using Sand to unfreeze anything (resources, a door which can be then opened, etc) is an unpleasant experience. Each time you use Sand in this way, your character will be left feeling weakened and flu-like for an hour or two, which will leave them vulnerable. This effect stacks and scales up to outright KO-ing them for a few hours if they go crazy, so unfreezing too large of an area is off the table!

  • NOTES
    • An OOC POST will be coming shortly explaining how Sand is going to be tallied and the Oracle claimed.
    • Should your character attempt to unfreeze any NPC's, please respond [HERE]. NOTE: unfreezing NPC's may result in physical violence with CW's for severe mental instability/illness and a potential reference to self-harm.
    • HAVE FUN!!!
    CODING
    warmare: (悔しい)

    [personal profile] warmare 2023-01-22 04:23 pm (UTC)(link)
    [… He looks pleased or something. For some reason. The one eye Hayame has left (the gaping hole where the other used to be hidden beneath a leather patch) narrows slightly in confusion… but so be it.

    He was new. Perhaps he just did not know.]


    You say that now.

    [All she’s ever had was her strength, her speed, and her wits. And it had been enough to earn her a privileged position amongst slaves, use as a captive. But in this place? She had met magic users who ripped the very earth out from under her hooves, who could animate their blades, who could burn with a wave of their hands…

    Who taught her to fear the unknown of magic, when she had once dismissed it as a fairytale not worth believing in. Hah. Haha.]


    I cannot even track the bastard, the air just smells like cold-

    [And her advanced senses were little use when everything was so damned icy. She does not put her bow down, nor her quivers out of position for an easy draw, but there seems to be no one there except them-

    And he is not the one whose neck she wishes to wring.]
    lachtara: (Warming)

    [personal profile] lachtara 2023-01-22 04:54 pm (UTC)(link)
    There is no smile in return as he looks down at Hythlodaeus. True to being reserved with his displays of affection as ever, the fondness in his glance is subtle, and allowing him to stay leaning against him speaks volumes in its own way.

    "Oh, very well." He says through a sigh. He plucks the piece of bread from Hythlodaeus' grasp and takes a small bite. It looked less than desirable and its appearance certainly matches the taste.

    Emet-Selch makes an 'ugh' noise while he chews with a scrunched face to match. "Utterly deplorable, but beggars can't be choosers."
    lachtara: (Coyness)

    [personal profile] lachtara 2023-01-22 05:02 pm (UTC)(link)
    I am capable of observation, yes.

    [ The flat and unimpressed look is certainly returned - although that just might be Emet's typical expression. ]

    Sleeping or no, you were making a racket that makes it impossible to work. There are sleeping accommodations elsewhere which would prove more comfortable and alleviate such noise.
    Edited 2023-01-22 17:02 (UTC)
    kenosevents: (Default)

    [personal profile] kenosevents 2023-01-22 05:04 pm (UTC)(link)
    On it 👍
    kenosevents: (Default)

    [personal profile] kenosevents 2023-01-22 05:07 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ The item will sit there for a while untouched. But eventually, if Douman leaves and comes back to check on his adorable trap, everything will have disappeared. To where? How??? It's a mystery. ]
    hauntedking: (28)

    [personal profile] hauntedking 2023-01-22 06:13 pm (UTC)(link)
    A double of yourself? Yes, that's certainly different-!

    [ He grunts as the double tries to get the shard back. He's not going to let that happen! He puts his weight and strength into the doppelganger and shoves him hard back into the mirror. There's another crack. Another splinter. ]

    He won't listen - or give in!
    kenosevents: (Default)

    [personal profile] kenosevents 2023-01-22 06:24 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ It would not take much to lengthen a breath. As they work out their strategy, the Siren's expression begins to sour. They speak to one another without the focus being on her song. Ignoring her just as all others had begun to do near the end.

    The song stops abruptly as she speaks. The tone is sharp, and there is something distinctly wrong with her speaking voice. It sounds as though two people speak in unison rather than clear tones one might expect. ]


    Quiet, the both of you! As fellow women of elegance, you should know not to interrupt my performance.

    [ She begins to slowly turn back to her shard with the intent to begin singing once again. They would likely be able to feel the paralysis begin to ease just a little during her few short words. ]
    Edited 2023-01-22 18:26 (UTC)
    oomfies: 𝑜𝑜𝓂𝒻𝒾𝑒𝓈 (🧨 what.)

    [personal profile] oomfies 2023-01-22 07:27 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ A 'what the fuck' at the implication he wouldn't nearly leaves her mouth, but Lottie's a bit too winded from the sudden change in trajectory to even manage it. All that leaves her lips is a weird, angry, little sound when she realizes his hands are on her and he's.. ]

    Oh, ha ha.. I get it! You learned some new magic. Congrats..

    [ Her confidence in the statement manages to waver the slightest bit — not through her tone, but from the uneasy way her shoulders tense, how she recoils back to angle herself closer towards him. He's always seemed like the #humble type, so why flex now? Or flex so.. Hm, menacingly like? No, menacing, why do it so menacingly, she frets.

    The vibes are rather rancid in this hall, even with the chill and the warmth of someone else beside her, and it has everything to do with the ever silent, strangely foreboding, Mamoru shifting from mirror to mirror.

    Like he isn't really walking, simply sliding from glass pane to glass pane with an ease that looks supernatural. Like he's not in a rush to be at pace with them, like he doesn't have to be. And there's something like a smile that teeters on his lips, head angled in their (her?) direction — but the reflection eases his way to a crawl, then a stop, close enough to make her acutely aware of how scary Mamoru can be when he isn't humoring her. Far enough to where she feels safe enough to say: ]


    Now quit it. [ But her voice manages to wobble, ] He's making me uncomfortable..
    oomfies: 𝑜𝑜𝓂𝒻𝒾𝑒𝓈 (🧻 data.)

    [personal profile] oomfies 2023-01-22 07:42 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ Luckily, Reigen's aim is prime and he manages to get both girls with his exorcism salt blast. They both shriek and scream, because ow?? What the hell??

    And just like any girl with debilitating allergies, their runny noses make them sneeze, and cry, and writhe on the ground. It'd be comical if it weren't for the very clear evidence of a fight having happened around them, from them, or the fact the salt got into Lottie's bite wound and it burns like hell. ]


    W-Why — [ A weepy sort of exhale, as he drags her out and away from the equally weepy double opposite to them. ] why the fuck did you bring salt with you??

    [ She can barely see and she probably looks terrible, god damn it. Her doppelganger groans and growls on the floor opposite to them, nails clawing at the icy ground and sneezing all the while. The Lottie (the all gross original™) in Reigen's arms, who realizes he's helping her get away, manages to kick her legs into gear and, thankfully, stand. But she's still very much blind, squinting her eyes shut as she clutches at his arms to walk in, well, any direction really!! ]

    Ohmygod, this is — why salt?! It hurts!!
    oomfies: 𝑜𝑜𝓂𝒻𝒾𝑒𝓈 (💚 kiss.)

    [personal profile] oomfies 2023-01-22 08:12 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ Swimming? Does she look like she'd go swimming? Lottie is, happily, distracted by this thought, enough to forget about the throb of pain that lingers from Caren's careful touch. It still lingers, sure, but it's easy to allow herself to be completely consumed by something ordinarily simple as swimming at the beach. Lounging.. Something warm and pleasant instead of frigid and cold. Ooo, like a bubble bath — ]

    ..Hm?

    [ Comes her dazed, barely there reply. ]

    What? Who, me?

    [ Honestly, this is the first time anyone has ever really asked her that. Or asked her opinion about anything that isn't very mundane or normal, so Lottie's stumped. She's managed to coast by with having the power of association and friend circles on her side, with no one questioning much of anything from her perspective. This is both as exciting as it is terrifying, Caren indulging her in this. Will she judge her? What should she say?? ]

    Well.. Ideally a war would not be nice? It's so highly dramatic and very.. [ Kinda scary, also, long term?? ] Much. I don't see why we can't talk or something.
    oomfies: 𝑜𝑜𝓂𝒻𝒾𝑒𝓈 (✨ feed.)

    [personal profile] oomfies 2023-01-22 08:49 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ Damn.. Lottie was hoping a miracle of life happened and he could indulge her, despite the fact he's already told her twice he can't eat. She watches him paw at his neck, vaguely entranced. ]

    I mean..

    [ Comes the noncommittal, wishy washy, tone. ]

    It's not strange. [ She hopes he realizes she means this, especially considering she's already expressed how convenient it must be to still be alive but never have to eat (think of the time). ] Maybe if I met you when I first came here I'd be more weirded out.. No offense!

    [ She figures it wouldn't be worth explaining that everyone from her world needed to eat to survive in any capacity, but he sounds like he's well aware of it. He must be, to have to so kindly explain it to her and probably many others who assume they might find a loophole or something (like her). She's quiet for some moments, pursing her lips as she puts her coffee down long enough to unwrap her little package. ]

    But you have hair, right?
    redsoil: — PLEASE CREDIT! (Default)

    [personal profile] redsoil 2023-01-22 08:49 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ Hayame has seen a difficult battle, he knows. There is no injury in the world he has not born witness to, save perhaps the agonies of bombs and bullets -- and even then, it is simply because the eternal sprawl of his consciousness is bound to this moment. One day, he will be all that he will be. Thankfully, Hayame's injuries now are familiar to him, known on sight as signs of her struggle and proximity to her attacker. He can smell the blood upon her, as readily as he sees the heave of her flanks.

    The steps he takes are quiet, for all the heavy brocade and faux-fur lining of his sleek ensemble ought to add weight and rasp against themselves, he is a silent creature. Descending to her, brilliant and red, until he can draw himself into a crouch and settle upon the stair near to her collapsed form. A warrior's pride is vital to their strength of will, and to diminish her in this moment would be a criminal act; one that Egypt's greatest soldier could never do unto another, not when he was not there to rob her of her will. ]


    You did well, to survive your trial.

    [ Lightly said, as he rests the trident upon the floor near to the two of them. Within his reach, should he need to bring it to bear. ]

    Are you willing to show me your injuries? I am no god of healing, however, my sister did see fit to teach me some rudimentary techniques.
    pyojeol: (pic#16173892)

    [personal profile] pyojeol 2023-01-22 09:02 pm (UTC)(link)
    [. . . .

    this hairbells guy.... is kind of funny...... If Douman is the bristling kitty cat, then Sooyoung is the kitty extending one furry paw onto the tip of Douman's tail... ]


    Eh, the snail one was better anyway.

    [how gracious... now she can give poor Douman a break and move on to better subjects,]

    SO is it the guy you hate, or the premise? [OR BOTH?]
    redsoil: — PLEASE CREDIT! (Default)

    [personal profile] redsoil 2023-01-22 09:06 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ The warriors who are gathered from the ends of their world are like music to him, who knows only the lovely refrain of Hathor's harp playing sweetly by the Nile and the audible battlesong held in the mouths of those who prayed for the safety of their loved ones, for those who roared their might across the sands of Egypt and beyond.

    Gu Yun is a song - sleek and dark and lovely in his stillness, readily acknowledged by a foreign god of war. Set rises to take his place in preparation, seeking information through the gap in the door. ]


    I am perfectly effective in all things I do.

    [ Gu Yun asks 'how well', and Set answers without hesitation -- he will tailor his method, as he balances the trident in the crook of his thigh and brings down the warmly-lined hood about his face. Braided hair falls free of the confines, and he pushes it back over his ears. He remembers what it was like, soon after dealing with the Dryad of the tree the first time. His hearing mangled, his sense of balance thrown violently -- to have to damage himself again?

    He shakes his hands free of the gloves, knuckles popping as he flexes his fingers, cups his palms. Slowly, he guides them to cover his ears, as though he will simply hold them there and block her song that way. By the severe expression on his face, though, he has something else planned entirely. ]


    Tell me what you need me to do. You'll need to signal visually to me, once I do this.
    pyojeol: (pic#16173892)

    [personal profile] pyojeol 2023-01-22 09:14 pm (UTC)(link)
    [at first, Sooyoung thinks the Look is because Anders doesn't believe in demons and thinks she's foolish for even bringing it up, but then he provides his own demon knowledge? interesting.... demon bestie.....]

    Maybe they tried using a solution from another world, and it exploded in their face?

    [It really is all conjecture at the moment, but Sooyoung sounds energized instead of frustrated. It's interesting... Demons are interesting... A little tired, but always a reliable plot device.]

    Especially if it wasn't limitless knowledge. [since anders did say that demons don't have any, and he must be the demonic expert?]

    The freezing could have been the problem they were trying to fix... But I still think that's timeline-related. [hmmm] You're a healer guy, right? Got any experience with time magic?
    redsoil: — PLEASE CREDIT! (Default)

    [personal profile] redsoil 2023-01-22 09:19 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ To him, Ruby's obedience is not out of the ordinary. She does not alarm him with her fawning or following, for that is the nature of humans where he comes from; they are kine to him, however sorrowful his wife's voice had been when she instructed him that he was wrong to think so. It was the gods who guided the humans, who urged them to grow until they no longer needed their divine shepherds. It was not the humans who served at the gods's pleasure. This was not the world of the gods, but that of men and women. It is a matter he is unready to consider, a haunting statement that flows within the curse he bears -- Nephthys's harmony, as she seeks to keep him safe even apart as they are.

    He misses her. The soft gold of her hair and the slender length of her fingers, the warm press of her mouth over his eye as she'd nudge his headdress free and bare his face to her -- smiling. He catches the gleam of Ruby's hair, and it startles him. Her task is complete, her posture doubled-over. He crosses the room then, the back of his hand nudging at her ribs, urging her towards one of the seats that she has dutifully unfrozen.

    Permission, he grants her, to sit. Such is the order of things between them, isn't it? ( Isn't it correct? Ruby wants this. ) ]


    You ask a sensible question. A plague would require a vector, such as vermin, to pass it on. A curse would require a single, powerful wish.

    [ Removing his glove, he holds up his right hand to her; the dark, pretty lines of what is -- it's not a tattoo. It's not even the mark of an aspect. It is, horrendous to look upon. It evokes a miasma so bleak and wretched, that it seeks to bleed out from his pores and poison the world around him. The brief sound of screaming fills the air, before he fills the hand with papers, and all seems righted. ]

    I am of the belief that this is the latter. I know curses. I know how they take on a life of their own, so powerful and pristine. To overtake this many people? Someone must have been furious. Or perhaps, in mourning.
    oomfies: (✨ szn. ( 🌡 ))

    [personal profile] oomfies 2023-01-22 09:28 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ Cool. She gives a soft nod, just to show that when he pats the seat next to him she's understood. And is, in fact, putting her butt up there to sidle up beside him. That box in question is placed delicately right in front of them, probably just as finely wrapped as the one Sebastian prepared for the lot of them. ]

    ..Noowwww that I'm thinking about it it's kind of super inappropriate, but also I thought this was only gonna be like a few days in the wild or something and even saying that out loud I feel kinda silly? And I was like oh okay, why not maybe??

    [ She rambles, because he doesn't know, clearly, he is asking about the box but Lottie is too preoccupied feeling nervous for virtually no reason at all. Amos was here surviving and doing things and she's over here, bringing pastries and cakes. The latter, being what's unveiled when she gingerly pulls at the bow and unravels the box. It's gaudy, the slice of pure sugar on the doily beneath it. And maybe providing a complete whiplash, because why is a slice of strawberry shortcake (strawberry and all) so perfectly kept in this dumpster fire of a situation?

    (Lottie. Lottie is the reason why..) ]


    Sorry, I, um, thought it'd be fun or something to pack this and have you try it so surprise?? And also no pressure? Or I can also just take it back it's really no big deal!
    redsoil: — PLEASE CREDIT! (Default)

    [personal profile] redsoil 2023-01-22 09:39 pm (UTC)(link)
    Haa?

    [ The sound is rude, incredulous as Joonghyuk battles the thrust of his weapon aside and Set is forced to yield the strength of it, lest he drive the weapon deeply into the ground instead. Descending still, he plants his foot along the arch of Joonghyuk's hipbone, and uses the man's own body to slow himself. It's not a kick, just the flexible crook of his knee, until he could be perched upon Joonghyuk's body -- an overlarge, red bird.

    He sees that second blade of his, and would rather not let it bite him so easily. ]


    Neither do I. You just have a face that makes me angry.

    [ That's it. A face that he doesn't enjoy. It's handsome, okay, but it also just.

    Evokes this sense of ire in him!!! ]
    redsoil: — PLEASE CREDIT! (Default)

    [personal profile] redsoil 2023-01-22 09:45 pm (UTC)(link)
    I have not seen anything to hint at who it might belong to. The Siren's room had unique polearms as well, though. When we were there, I had wondered if it was part of the display.

    [ gu yun's got the same from him, tbh. ur a goofy man but set coils like a satisfied cat because he's met another fine warrior... ]

    Hmm. Have they said anything of note?
    shisho: (pic#16114668)

    [personal profile] shisho 2023-01-22 09:55 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ Even in the library, it's cold. His nose bleeds for less time than he expects it to, gone sluggish and clotted by the time Gen's coming at him with his foot - Reigen hooks his knees up, another yelp escaping him. Honestly, who wouldn't react that way when their goods are being threatened! Still, he flinches like anyone would, but goes nowhere. There's no running, no scrambling to put distance between the two of them. Just a guy with a half-beaten face and a hostile youth snarling at him.

    ( His eyes dart to Gen's ears. Pubby. )

    Rubbing at the pain in his jaw, he slowly curls his knees toward his chest, looking to get one leg out from around Gen's ankle without pissing the kid off any further than he already has. Time is currency, but so is patience. He just wants to protect his junk now, in case Gen tries kicking him next. Jesus, that'd suck. ]


    Oh. You think I had any of this planned?

    [ He laughs, a little sudden and a little shrill. ]

    I, uh. I dunno. You could hit me again, instead. Except, that really hurt and I don't think it'd be a good way of discussing this. What if I traded you some Sand for the rest of your carton?

    [ His hands go wild, articulating his offer. ]

    -- you see, it's just not good for you to be smoking. Someone's got to do the hard thing, and ask you to stop before you get sick. You're young, you deserve to be healthy in your youth.
    lockedon: (pic#14244915)

    [personal profile] lockedon 2023-01-22 09:58 pm (UTC)(link)
    No, but I doubt it was because they were [ gods, what was it ] 'disappointing their womenfolk in the bedroom'.

    [ Show him the EVIDENCE if that's what it was!!! ]
    salvageable: commissioned from yeonmo ( pls dnt ) ⇾ (pic#16171946)

    [personal profile] salvageable 2023-01-22 10:00 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ Huh... Dokja quietly listens on, attention occasionally going to his arm where it's already starting to feel better, but most of it directed to what he's hearing.

    He'd always simply thought of magic as being convenient. A stepping stone toward more power, apparently unlimited in its resources and available to anyone who wanted to partake. But... he also comes from That Kind of story, no real prejudice against magic in sight. ]


    Even here?

    [ There's surprise in his voice because? There's so much magic in this world?? ]

    They must be having a difficult time, then. This world doesn't shy away at all from using magic.
    pyojeol: (pic#15992640)

    [personal profile] pyojeol 2023-01-22 10:01 pm (UTC)(link)
    [THIS ISN'T RUNNING OUT THE DOOR IT'S DIGGING A TUNNEL TO A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BUILDING???

    anyway this is technically a weird thing to say but Sooyoung's accepted this as Matsui behavior, hilariously the broccoli comment is what she thinks is actually weird even though it's just a normal statement about broccoli soup]


    -- What?

    [WHAT?]
    salvageable: (pic#15563162)

    [personal profile] salvageable 2023-01-22 10:03 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ And Dokja does make it over fairly quick! He's gotten used to the layout of the library, and it's not long before he spots the familiar face he'd been looking for. The notes he'd mentioned before are tucked under his arm, and he presents them to Gu Yun as soon as he draws close enough. ]

    Go ahead and compare them.

    [ too bad they will not match ]
    salvageable: (pic#15563162)

    [personal profile] salvageable 2023-01-22 10:04 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ COVERS YOUR EYES ]

    I found some very interesting books, actually.

    [ ... Does not elaborate. ]