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Entry tags:
- !event,
- arcane: vander,
- d. gray-man: tyki mikk,
- dragon age: anders,
- elder scrolls (the): voryn dagoth,
- ennead: set,
- expanse (the): amos burton,
- final fantasy xiv: emet-selch,
- final fantasy xiv: hythlodaeus,
- genshin impact: kaeya alberich,
- genshin impact: zhongli,
- mob psycho 100: reigen arataka,
- oc: liem talbott,
- orv: dokja kim,
- orv: sooyoung han,
- until death do us part: mamoru hijikata
⏳ 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...
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.
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
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...
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!
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.)
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
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.
Please see the "Blight" section below for more information on its effects.
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
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.”
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!
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?
Please refer to the OOC Summary for details on the Hall of Mirrors!
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
THE BLIGHT and TIME MECHANICS
BLIGHT
TIME
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!!!
1!
Gosh, I'm starving! A bunch of that food in the parlor is pretty weird...
[ And she's a little picky... so she's hoping what's in this parcel will be much better - she reaches out to take the offering.]
I didn't expect anyone to pack something beforehand! Wow, you're a pretty thoughtful guy.
no subject
I cannot take credit for the idea. Sebastian Michaelis is the one who cooked and prepared all the meals, I simply carried as many as I could through the "cornerstone" with me.
[It is labeled with a (D) written in a fine hand on the paper wrapped around the packed meal inside.]
I cannot taste for myself, but I have been assured that they are well-made. I would advise you avoid the local food for as long as possible.
no subject
[ She laughs, sounding fond. Mr. Good at Everything... why wouldn't he be cooking up everyone some fancy meals before a field trip. As ever, Sebastian only gets cuter in her eyes after this newest tidbit. She takes the parcel gratefully, honestly tempted to unpack it right now — surveying the castle has been pretty exhausting, after all. Only the apparent absence of a parcel being taken out for her companion (and his words, too) distract her from going to town on the brown paper packaging. ]
But hey, what do you mean you can't taste it? Do you not eat...? I thought it'd be nice if we could share a meal together.
[ Do cursed ones like apples, etc... ]
no subject
But his musing on the name is cut short.]
No, I do not eat. And I do not get hungry, so there is no need to feel pity for it.
[His voice is low and slightly rumbling, assuring, even though there doesn't seem to be... a visible mouth, anywhere, in the ink black of his throat or face, which is dominated by only the upper half of a caprine skull. If there was once a jawbone... it is no longer there.]
If it is company you prefer... I do not mind staying while you eat your meal.
[This was his last package, and he has hardly been given an order or mission to follow that required him to refuse.]
no subject
[ Shinigami didn't really have to eat, nor did they get hungry, but they could still enjoy apples... in her mind, he should have something like that too. Or maybe he can't? It doesn't particularly look like he has a normal mouth, so maybe she's overthinking it. Still, she looks disappointed by his words, puffing out her cheeks with some drama as she finds a reading table for them to sit at. ]
That's no fun. But you still know about "food," so that means you know about humans already... or animals, at least.
[ Even if he can't eat, that doesn't mean she's going to let him feel left out during their little impromptu dinnertime. She'd already been greatly curious about him ever since she had heard him through Communion, so it's as perfect of a time as any to get to talk to him. ]
no subject
[The phrasing is polite, the remnants of memories of how a man had used to speak, but... he does not feel sorrow for it. Or for much, perhaps. It is difficult to miss something you have forgotten. One thing he has not forgotten, however...]
I do know about humans, yes.
[The table is a good choice. It allows him to sit across from her (with a brush of his long jacket out of the way and a curl of a long, whip-like tail) but keep a certain distance and barrier between them. Best for preventing accidents.]
There was a young girl in my care. She had a healthy appetite.
[... And he had been one, once. But that is something... he keeps to himself, for now.]
no subject
[ Misa goes about untying the wrappings on Sebastian's carefully crafted parcel, setting aside the definitely included utensils and napkin before moving on to uncovering the actual meal. To no one's surprise, it looks delicious - her brows raise, impressed. She'll have to send her compliments to the chef later! ]
I can see that. You seem like you would be kinda good with kids. [ Polite, even tempered, probably very patient. All the things Misa isn't. ] Did you adopt her or something? It sort of sounded like you had to live far away from humans, what with the curse and all...
[ Even though the subject matter is probably grim, Misa keeps her tone casual, leaving ample room for him to refuse to tell her or tell her to buzz off if need be. She's just curious how a young girl ends up in the care of a being like the one across the table from her - it's probably not a happy story. So there's not any reason to draw attention to it, in her mind. If there's one thing Misa excels in, it's keeping the mood up, so she wants to get the answers she's seeking while avoiding truly dampening his spirits. ]
no subject
…]
Because people suspected her to be Cursed also, she was abandoned. I found her, with a note asking that someone look after her.
[And he had kept her, when he maybe should not. But something about her…]
… So, yes, I suppose I am-
[Was? No, he has her shard, it has to be “am”-]
Her guardian.
no subject
[ Her face softens with sympathy. Abandoning a child? Misa doesn't exactly have a functioning moral compass, but she can at least understand the cruelty of being left alone, or having the feeling that society has turned against you. ]
It's a good thing you were there, then. Who knows what might have happened if you hadn't been. Humans can be pretty rotten...
[ Accented by her taking a small bite of the food Sebastian had prepared, chewing thoughtfully - when she speaks again, her mouth is half full. ]
What's her name? Can I ask that?
no subject
Yes.
[It was good he was there. Humans could be cruel. She could also ask.]
Her name is... Shiva.
[Her name was? No, is...]
Perhaps if she returns to her proper state, I will introduce you.
[As tempting as it was to return to their usual way of living, to taking Shiva far away and guarding her... there were no Insiders here, no Outsiders... no one trying to take the girl away from him. And if that were the case... Perhaps she would enjoy it. Making friends. Living like she once had in her village.]
no subject
[ So it would be fun to get to talk to her, maybe tie her hair up or something like that. What can she say, most young girls are cute... plus, she feels a little bit of kinship with her, being used to having a being like him around that most other humans wouldn't understand. ]
Yima gave you her shard, right? She gave me one, too, so I get the feeling of missing them and wanting them to come back, but try not to say "if," okay? We'll get them back.
[ There's an easy confidence to her words - maybe it's delusion, denial, or something else, but Misa's faith in this fact is quite strong, despite the lack of evidence pointing to the possibility of getting them back. It just... well, has to be true. She'll make it be true, no matter what, and for that reason, she feels she can bet on it happening. ]