⏳ THE SCORCHING ISLE: Oracle Event One ⏳

[beleos]

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

Comments

[prizeneck]

[Mamoru has a lot of questions to ask. Gu Yun is armored, but he can see from the outline that his shades are projecting that his—whatever this is—is, too, but it is also blindfolded. As though a taunt. A jab in itself.

He doesn't look at the Gu Yun beside him, though, even if he wishes to. Even if there's a little pop-up label that stems from the weapon in his hands, and he wants to know more about it. He knows the length of a jiang is equivalent to the status of the one who carries it, has read and read of them but never really thought he'd come to actually face one.

He snorts, though it lingers in a chuckle because he's excited. For all the lofty airs that this impromptu fighting partner had scattergunned in both in people's minds and in this room, his focus as he prepares to fight feels like the tip of their swords. A thrum rolls through his ribcage like a drawn-out relieved sigh and the sharp intake of breath before you take a dive.

So when the attack begins, Mamoru is ready for the momentum of it, for the profundity of the strikes. His own doppelganger's attack is nothing but what he had said it would be, methodical, analytical, and not giving any room to breathe. He all but spars in kind, moving sideways so he doesn't go backwards, the metal rings—

the metal rings odd. How real is this being, exactly?

So he does pull back, he pulls back and stretches his arm sideways.

The hilt of his sword shatters glass. There's no superstition for a nonbeliever, and they had already filled this place with bad omens anyway.] What happens when you lose your home base, huh?

[prizeneck]

[The only thing in Gu Yun's mind is only a tsk. Is it a tut or a snort? Who knows.

Though as Mamoru steps into the library, he's quick to spot the marquis. Unfortunately, he can't read nor appreciate the beautiful handwriting, his shades only managing to pick up on the surface of the pages, not the ink in it. He walks over to him without much of a preamble or warning aside from his heavy boots on the floor.

Albeit, no, they do pause when he hears a very loud slap coming from another stack of shelves. Damn, who has that much of a heavy hand?

Still, back to the subject at hand, his voice carrying low but easily, lest someone else overhears.]

Find anything new so far?

[lockedon]

[ Tragically he's banged already and the ears didn't fall off, so he would be rejected from the Loveless universe.

Why was he accepted into this world then, full of its circus clown of freaks? Who can truly say. He's not unaware of how powerless he is in comparison to so many of the people he knows here. And while it doesn't bother him most days, because he has plenty of other skill at his disposal, sometimes he wonders how much he'll fall behind if he stays the way he is.

But there's no point unloading that on the earnest-looking swordman in front of him, so he tucks that all away. A flicker of a smile crosses his face. ]

It's not that exciting. Though it seems none of us are regular anythings anymore, after arriving here.

[ He's pretty sure that regular people don't have rocks embedded into their bodies that prevent them from dying permanently?? And that make them apparently very much sought-after by both Yima and Cyrus. ]

Have you chosen a side yet?

[epiprocta]

[ The last word's barely left Reigen's lips

when Gen's hand darts forth to slap him upside the head.

To be fair, it's a lighter blow this time. Gen's a fighter, but he also still abides by the standards of a 'normal delinquent teenage'; subconsciously, he ends up holding back unless his life's on the line, especially against people who won't fight back. And this loser sure doesn't look like he'd put up much of a fight. So the slap's just meant to disorient, to unbalance Reigen a bit and startle him out of his line of thought.

To provide just enough of a distraction that Gen can snatch that compacted chunk of sand out of Reigen's hand and pocket it. ]

Thanks.

[ His nonchalant 'gratitude,' thrown out at an insincere deadpan, is accompanied by a flat-handed shove at Reigen's chest to send him stumbling, ideally knocking him down onto his ass. But either way, Gen doesn't way before simply turning on heel to leave.

wow that negotiation sure went well, 10/10 ]

[shisho]

Whoa-ho.

[ The slap connects. He doesn't even bother ducking it, because like Gen, Reigen has fast little fingers that close around his Sand and snuff out the offering. Sure, he feels for the guy, but he's not trading something for nothing in return; the swat at his head, he rolls with, giving a little hook on his toes and a dart forward to uproot Gen's control of the situation -- like he's about to dart in for some fisticuffs of his own.

Except not in the slightest. He just wobbles back theatrically, with his bare hands raised. Honestly, Gen probably snagged some of was being offered, but not all. He was expecting it. Delinquents are delinquents, most of the time you can't crack them open.

( Mob would be able to. He knows it. Mob always connects with people, simple and sound. ) ]

[baltimores]

[ He perks up at that answer.

Amos sits up that much straighter, much more interested now that he's gotten some kind of direction out of Heine— no, not just that, a direction he might actually be able to do something with. His eyes are that much sharper, brighter — intrigued. ]

Anything in particular? I've been down there a fair bit. Might be able to help.

honks the horn at the cvs drive through

[shisho]

[ twirls my hair soooooooo anders,,,, about that guy who said he'd be a-okay, no problems??

Yeah, he's turning up in the library, probably late in the week, with a sheepish expression and one hand pressed firmly over the side of his face. He's clearly been hit, maybe a few times. A lurid bruise spreading over his jaw, splashed up his cheekbone and over his nose, which has crusted with blood and is thankfully not looking too busted up. All the same, he's failed to escape the Oracle Hunt unblemished, and he is -- also -- a Zenith entering a Meridian's zone.

It may be a neutral area, but there's still that to contend with. ]

Heyyyyy, Anders....... so, uh. Some things went south, and I was wondering if like, you'd take a look at my face.

[ He tried to be a good adult to Gen, of all people, and got punched for it. #deserved ]

ish but wildcard, make it the same room but later in the week!!

[redsoil]

[ Though he exists in a state of intensity, bright and red as could be, his steps are silent as he draws near Tyki's figure in the field. The Stargazers, he's come to find, are not at their best in this place - they are lethargic and slowed, and they do not make for satisfying prey. He is not against unfair advantages, used to trickery and maneuvering to ensure he comes out on top, but there is something about diving upon those he's wanted to meet upon the field when they are unable to have a proper conversation.

That is, after all, his goal in this Oracle war. At least in the beginning, he wants to come to know who is who and what they are capable of, to better know how to crush them when the time comes at the end. Tyki, and his self-Noah, Joyd, are among those he'd meant to located, and never could find himself crossing paths with him. Woe. Now, it is near the week's end, and Set has finally sniffed him out. Like a sleek, hunting beast that knows the sleek, smiling darkness and how to track it.

He finds him where a battle could break out without the need for justification; the library is the agreed-upon zone of neutrality, and Set has not rested in it save to catch up with his fellow Meridian. Instead, he stays in the Castle. Inviting and awaiting. Except with Tyki, whom he finds now -- Stargazer-sickly and winsome as ever. ]

Tyki.

[ And Joyd, he calls through their Communion link. Never one to deny the man's Noah its proper attention either. ]

You should have found me sooner. How am I to be satisfied if you are not at your best?

[investing]

[ He already hates how smug this guy looks — familiar in the way he's seen on every single corpo kid he's ever met, patronizing enough to make his fists clench and confidence squirm. Polite enough to make him actually rethink his stance for a single moment, even as he knows he's being sized up. David, of course, does the same, but maybe a bit too late. He already knows he's in over his head with no weapons, only his augmented body at hand when Sebastian isn't even shivering.

The hairs on the back of his neck stand up at that, skin prickles, because he's trying his best to clench his teeth to stop the chattering. It makes the harsh lines on his skin, on his face, stand out even more with the way his jaw clenches so hard. What could this guy have on him that's making him so calm? They both swam through the same water, didn't they? ]

Yeah.

[ Really, in a way David thinks himself to be nice by stating his intent. He's delusional just enough to consider this a charitable offer since this isn't the first time he'd had to steal, to resort to thievery (it's a skill many people pay for, after all) — he usually doesn't even say he's about to take. Half the time doesn't need to, with his implants.

He doesn't move from his spot, either. Simply stands at attention, angled expressly towards Sebastian. ]

You're telling me you're gonna use all this?

[redsoil]

[ Standing in his own near-nudity at the yawning mouth of the watery path they must traverse, Set observes the two in their preparations. There is a terrible wound upon his body, carved across his left pectoral -- jagged, as flesh that has been left bloodless and unhealed might be. Yet, it is not a wound at all, but the horrendously violent slash of his shard, well-hidden below the draped, golden collar of his normal attire. And now, left to be viewed by his compatriots, as he wears none of the metal upon him, save for his own long, golden earrings.

He sees wisdom, in accepting the enchantments from Voryn. The man is disagreeable at times, but an ally in nature and a well-versed combatant; he views the two of them, both Liem and Voryn, as agreeable to him. Yet, he turns his head slowly, deliberately, from the offer of magic. Not to spurn the man in his offering, but to indicate his elegant declination. If he cannot survive as he is, he needs to know where his vulnerabilities lie now, in this diminished state.

This battle for the Oracle is as much a battle within Set, against himself, as it is against Zenith's forces. It is the first test of ability, intellect, might, will and social prowess and he must see it through. Instead, he rakes his eyes over both of them, shameless in his examination of their bodies. ]

Begin your count.

[ He says it, tone resolved and expression severe, before he wheels upon the waters and leaps in, driving himself deep into the frozen bite of it with only a hitch in his lungs as the agonizing cold bites deep into his flesh and claws at his bones. Terrible, yet again. He must move, before the cold overpowers his strength and forces him to a standstill, and he begins his own journey forth -- reliant on his own eyes to peer through the gloom, as he carves marks in the wall for the other two to follow.

If he is able to stay in advance of them, they will not become lost and in danger of losing their breath. Set does not know how long the path is, nor where air pockets might be, but

it reminds him

so very much

of that morning in the Nile, with a young man breathing Shu's air under the surface of the river. Underwater breath holding, the competition had been. And in the back of Set's mind, he laughs ravenously -- ( Oh, I won then against you, Horus. I will win again, just watch me from the world I carry with me, even now. ) ]

[lockedon]

[ Yeah, that's his middle name. 'Calm, cool, and collected'. Too bad he doesn't have a last name to neatly close the whole thing off. ]

I'll panic next time, for a change of pace.

[ Another sort-of joke, said aloud dryly at the worst time as another voice rings out and he pivots on his feet towards the mirrors surrounding them. Weird how the sudden presence of a threat can immediately help clear his mind. Gone is whatever awkwardness had floated between the two of them earlier, muddying up the air and making him second-guess his words and actions. Right now, Dokja is his ally, someone he can trust to have his back.

And the person that materializes in the glass front of them, wearing a too familiar face and casually chatting in a too familiar voice.... Eustace's fingers tighten his knife, teeth clenching together. ]

You're right. He's even more annoying than you are.

[ One day Eustace will say a nice thing to Dokja's face(s) instead of twisting everything to be insulting, but that day is not today. ]

How do we get rid of him?

[ So he doesn't have to listen to more of Dokja's dirty laundry being aired out. ]

[redsoil]

[ +1 to kenos's clown population, thanks ]

A spade may be a spade, as a trident may be a trident, as lovely as it is. I may bring it to the otter in the end, and ensure it's kept among this land where it hails from. I have no use for it.

As for your Atirat dependents. It must be deeply unpleasant, to have to exist frozen in time for -- however long it's been, for the Isles. If they are too far gone, and suffering beyond what they can sensible bear, call on me and I will see them to the waters of Duat.

[consolation]

[Nothing much is growing on the Scorching Isle anymore, but his mark blooms regardless. The flame of less composed irritation that snaps off of Sebastian causes Caren's back molars to clench. Something is biting the inside of her chest, untamed and ill-contained and chewing to be free. And for the first time since arriving in this frozen graveyard, she feels hot.

She knows without a sliver of doubt now that he is beginning to roil, no matter how few cracks show in his composure. Demons really are the same no matter the world. If he intends to kill the Siren out of venting this violent, contained anger, there's no small chance he'll kill her, too.

Don't. She doesn't say it out loud, but Caren leans forward, almost, her hand brought to her torso - and is trapped there again as the Siren's lullaby resumes, frozen mid-flush of blossoming agony.

The hourglass. Even with the statuesque woman dominating the room, the relic catches the eye. The sand. The saying engraved upon it. Caren wills him to look at it, almost forcing the the sensation to commune. She won't be able to move the next time the Siren pauses for breath, but maybe her sand can be used first. To pass it between individuals requires both to be stationary, so perhaps it's the same for the creature's prize.

They really have nothing but time at their disposal here. And if it's the future embodied by this room, then surely there exists a future where they triumph.]

[halsband]

[Amos's interest is clear, and Heine's a little less annoyed at the intrusion now, simply because he might get more information or a different perspective then the people he'd been talking to about it.]

The experiments, enhancements. What they're doing to people... and why.

[Some of them are volunteers, he knows, but sometimes that just means they were offered something they couldn't say no to.]

I want to check out some places, like Draumahol.

[And the Church of Helios, but he's not yet ready to break Kaeya's confidence and talk about that part and how it might tie into what's going on in the Below.]

You got anything on a woman named Birdie?

[kenosevents]

Terms? You're afraid that I'll leave here and try to attack them? Me?

[ Insulted, he folds his arms and his cheeks puff out slightly. But he is a cute little otter? Why would you ever suspect anything bad? Ah....hem....]

Well, I never!

[kenosevents]

Zhongli will be met with a small amount of resistance upon unfreezing this NPC. This Atirat will do their best to push them away or put their hands up defensively. Luckily, he is a scribe and has spent more time toiling away with documents rather than anything labor-intensive. Overpowering him or waiting for him to calm down/tire out should be relatively easy.

That's where the good fortune ends.

Though he looks normal at first glance, the NPC is immediately overcome by Blight, which was stalled by being frozen in time. It seems like Zhongli will have to make a choice of how to proceed.

[joyd]

[Another wildcard has appeared. Not a face he recognizes, unsurprisingly, but no matter. Tyki can feel his pulse climbing, blood hot at the prospect of a proper fight, not at all dissuaded when his spear of Dark Matter is deflected. The weapon itself holds no value to him; he can leave it behind, where it will dissipate. Its essence is as much a part of him as his own blood.

When Kaeya speaks, however, he looks in his direction with disappointment.]

Already? Oh — well. [There's more he wants to say, but the fatigue is like a sudden wave, interrupting the track of his thoughts. Tyki wavers. He thinks that he ought to pass the Hourglass over to Kaeya, but his arms feel too heavy. His vision tilts blearily into the dark.] Hold on, give me a moment...

[And then he passes out cold.]

[regression]

Only fools would fight for lofty causes and goals so blindly.

[ Both Meridian and Zenith. He's had his time in the previous world, as short as that was, but it was enough to build scrutiny and wariness. It was investment and time lost in a gamble... That will not happen again. At least not until he feels secure and grounded.

He gives no attention to his hourglass, let alone Tyki's. All he hears is that the man leaning against the doorframe intends to stand in his way and pose as an obstacle. Tyki's words are mild, but it is deserving of his coldest and fiercest glower. Someone? Looking after him? ]

I don't need anyone.

[ The search for familiarity is rewarded. Like before, when pry and prod comes for Communion, territorial jaws snap at wrists—rejected. A whiff of hostility leaks in the split moment they connected, followed by an interrupted flood of murderous intent. Daggers come out from his coat in each hand, worn and chipped but sharp enough as long as its wielder doesn't mind carving into more flesh.

His injury doesn't slow him. In few strides, he dashes to his target. The murderous aura that was sensed in connection now emanates from his very person. ]

[regression]

[ Of course Joonghyuk finds this rude. He had offered it to hope Matsui could end this farce as soon as possible and protect his emotional scars. Again, he has a stupid way of being considerate and rude at the same time. ]

Stain it? Is that why you're prolonging this fight by not picking up a blade?

[ Is he judging without helping? Yes.

He doesn't think it is his place to interfere—Matsui is a sword, isn't he? Would it hurt his pride as a weapon if he can't handle his battles? They're not necessarily allies, so Joonghyuk wonders if further interference would be disrespectful. ]

[joyd]

[Now the look on his face is less mild amusement and more comedic strain.]

You think this would fit me? [Well, maybe he can't blame the lad for the assumption, as he is wearing a full suit. But the colored scales and fur... it's all a bit too done up for his tastes. He glances briefly at his companion.] I don't know about the blood part, but I'm sure if that's your style, you'll be able to obtain it outside this room. If you try.

[Tyki gently drapes the cloak over a chair. He'll take it with him, maybe for later haggling with someone else. The scales look valuable.]

Are you fighting for Meridian, or Zenith?

[joyd]

I didn't have the energy to look for these sleeping accomodations. Anywhere is good enough.

[As someone accustomed to sleeping in uncomfortable places, like the street or in train compartments, a library may as well be a bastion.]

What are you working on, anyway? There's nothing to do in here. Go back outside if you're determined to be such a busybody. Some of us aren't feeling well.

[kenosevents]

[ Wow you would really point a weapon at him? At HIM? Gen, you are the rudest.

Mr. Tibbs pops out of sight. Even if he can't be seen his voice can still be heard clearly. Unsettlingly closely. As if he were perched on Gen's shoulder. ]

That's Mr. Tibbs to you, rude little meatbag!

[ And within an instant, the voice seems to be by the opposite shoulder. How is an otter so fast? It's hard to say. ]

I'm related to everything because I saw it~ all~ happen~ You don't think something like this happens in a day, do you? No, no, no. It took years to pull this off!

[prizeneck]

[While not expecting someone to approach him, he's not entirely unaware of them. Mamoru's shades blip a pop-up into someone he had previously labeled as Meridian and, therefore, a friendly, but he wouldn't really peg them just yet as such. Everyone is a possible liability in his paranoid mind.

Though that he decides to talk to him is not met with animosity at all. Mamoru nods, though the last part of Liem's report is replied to with curiosity.] 'Blighted'? What do you mean? I was there just moments ago.

[kenosevents]

Ah, at last someone who knows of me and my talents. It has been so long since any has admired my skill. [ A huff. ] Even if they are rude enough not to bring anything for my flawless performance.

[ Her gaze roams to the castle around them. She seems to see the ice and dismiss it outright. The castle's state is none of her concern. ]

I stay here among my treasures, my friends, and my only remaining comfort in this world. Why should I bother with anything outside?

[regression]

[ It truly is not Dimitri's fault. Mirrors are often harmless... Joonghyuk is just a freak used to a freak world where anything can kill you. Quickly, he checks the state of his daggers. The double's lance chipped the blade in a spot which earns a frown, but they're still usable.

The words coming from the double are cutting, but they're not aimed at him. He checks on Dimitri, catching the wince... ]

From what I see, the only one it wants to cut is you. [ Literally and metaphorically. ] You think you can survive?