JUNE MINGLE

[stellafortunamods]

June Mingle: Time For A Hike
Welcome to Teyvat - a vast magical world of adventure.
Finally, it's time to leave Death Mountain for warmer climates. THe Travelers will begin their journey from Mondstadt to Liyue on the first of November, after packing up and saying goodbye the Mondstadt's Adventurers' Guild. But worry not - if you ever miss the City of Wind and Song, it's possible to teleport back for a brief visit.

The Travelers will head out of Mondstadt through Stone Gate, cross Dihua Marsh and then reach the Guili Plains. You'll be camping out under the stars on some days, while getting to enjoy various roadside inns on other days - including the famed Wangshu Inn, all under Forneus' bill. But it does bring up a question: where did he get all that mora from?

Speaking of Forneus, it seems that he's too busy to accompany you on this road trip. Instead, Zhongli will serve as his stand-in. For those who do not know him well, he introduces himself as an Adeptus... and also the Geo Archon, who has enlisted your help to test his nation. What will you do?

State of the World

June will be a lighter period in the game for characters to bond with each other while traveling as a group, and later while exploring and trolling Liyue to the best of their ability. Forneus will not be available for the first two weeks as he is busy; instead Zhongli is tasked with answering questions in his place. A reference of the scenery your character might see on the way can be found in this video here! Feel free to check out Liyue's music here as well.

For all questions regarding June's mingle and events, please head over to our OOC post.

Comments

[fortuna_tenax]

What could have possibly given it away?

( certainly not the black clothes and the witchy vibes. here? in her good catholic teenagerhood? never. ... wait was her mom even catholic- whatever, didn't matter, they had spooky places to explore.

she's not sure if she expects danger or if she slips the catalyst into her bag as well because she's just used to having to be ready to fight at any given moment, but she waits for jun to lead the way as a proper gentleman who extended an invitation should. )

What do you think the monster was?

[whiteshroud]

Haha, who knows?

[He jokes, it's definitely the goth vibes.

It's good she's going prepared. Jun himself has a bow on his back in case something comes up. If he really needs it, he can summon his sword- but eh, he doubts there's any actual demons left in this wood.

But like a true gentlemen, he'll start heading into the woods! Sure enough, it sure does have a creepy vibe to it. Liyue has a lot of ruins, but these feel more like something you'd see at halloween]

Good question. The stories said sea monster, and since it lured people with songs ... maybe it was a type of siren? It couldn't have been very big if it was in the river.

[fortuna_tenax]

I wonder if it got stuck? I've heard of animals being displaced in the wake of disasters and unable to get back to where they're supposed to be.

( can't really blame a thing that needs to eat if it can't get back to the usual hunting grounds. ... mostly. she's not that much of a monster apologist.

despite the chill air and the eerie silence, jinx seems right at home honestly. she always liked places like this- even as the sky darkens as they travel further, she can't help but feel content. even the lights that begin to flicker delight her, though she at least doesn't get too close to them. ... it's probably fine. )

[whiteshroud]

Hm, that's a very possible explanation.

[It'd make a lot of sense! He was still learning of the creatures of this world, but the sirens back on earth usually prefered seas and oceans...

Jun too is pretty calm about being this place. He climbs up the steep hills with relative ease, checking back occasionally to make sure Jinx is doing well. At the same time, he's flickering his elemental sight on and off, both of out of habit and to help explore this place further. ]

...This place has higher levels of elemental energy than the areas near the main road. It might've been what drew the monster to this place.

[fortuna_tenax]

( admittedly, after the ever-icy Dragonspine, the steep but pleasantly stable hill is much more of a relief. it may not be as easy as a city street, but jinx takes to challenges like fish take to water. any space between the two is simply her stopping to observe the world around them from time to time, taking everything in with her breath held until certain things are committed to memory for later. )

You said something about ley lines, right? If those are anything like back home, then that would mean a higher abundance of natural magic- monster and fairy bait right there. I'm sure the two go hand in hand. Of course, that would probably apply to anything, here...

[whiteshroud]

[It's true after Dragonspine anything is a cakewalk. Jun too is taking his time, giving himself opportunity to take in the landscape and everything around him. This wasn't a mission, just an outing- no need to rush.

After a bit more climbing, they reach the abandoned village square. Grass grows between the stone pavement, and the wooden buildings are in complete disrepair. No one's lived here in decades, at least]

Mm, exactly. [He nods. Cool, she knows about leylines. Less explaining he has to do] If I were to guess, this place just naturally attracts monsters and supernatural due to the high spirit energy. The "sea monster" was probably less prolific than the stories suggest, but it was a memorable enough that people attribute it to other unrelated incidents.

[fortuna_tenax]

I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case...

( man it sure would be funny if they had to deal with the oceanid later wouldn't it? but no jinx is like, baby mode still and fate isn't that cruel. ... yet.

the village gives the story some solemnity- and for all her fascination with the flow of life and death, jinx is quiet. this isn't the wrath of some cruel, petty gods though- this is simply how life goes on sometimes. this too, is committed to memory in it's own way. )

[whiteshroud]

[yet]

Mm...

[He notices Jinx has gone quiet, in that solemn sort of way. It's true there's some sadness to this places abandonment. Perhaps the villagers moved on, or died by incidents. Either way, a chapter of life had been closed. Just in a way more natural than what they witness on the mountain.

...

If she's taking a moment, he probably should too. He doesn't have flowers, so he'll conjure a smooth stone using his vision in the palm of his hand, and place it in front of one of the moss covered statues while silently giving a quick prayer. That'll have to do.

That taken care of, he looks around- noticing the old ladder that's been placed against the cliff.]

...Think there's something up that cliff. [Why else would that be put there?] We should take a look.

[fortuna_tenax]

( sometimes two goth kids go into the haunted woods without telling anybody where they're going or even that they're going, and they have a moment of remembrance in yet another died out village. it's fine. they're fine.

no, really, aside from the respectful silence, jinx is more than at peace. things happen. it can be tragic, yes, but such is the way of life. it's far too long passed for it to truly effect her.

but 'something' does sound better than ghosts long since passed. perking up, jinx follows his gaze. )

Wonder what it is... let's go.

( this time, she doesn't really wait for him. )

[whiteshroud]

[It's fine since when have teenagers ever gotten murdered because they wandered off into haunted woods???

Jun will follow after, but instead of climbing up the ladder behind her, he'll go another way. As she's halfway up the ladder, there's a blue light at the top of the cliff and he appears there as he teleports.

Hi.]

[fortuna_tenax]

( jinx... just squints, like. bitch? but in the end of the day, if she could do the same thing she absolutely would. not that she can with her unfortunate affinity... but fine, show off, she'll take the slow way. )

[whiteshroud]

[What a look! He gives a small laugh and scratches his jaw as she climbs up]

Sorry...figured it'd be easier.

[Somehow!! But once she's up, he'll walk with her as they continue onward. Not long as they get into the woods, they come upon blue glowing flames ]

Oh wow...

i love these two already this is delightful

[fortuna_tenax]

For you, maybe! Gosh, so inconsiderate.

( still, she's smiling so she's... probably? teasing. probably. but she moves on quickly because the air's getting colder and the ghost lights are... well, they should be concerning, really, but jinx only thinks they're beautiful. if only she had a camera, honestly... or more than just a pencil for her sketchbook. )

Yeah...

these two nerds 👌

[whiteshroud]

[He can see her smiling, so he won't take it seriously, just grinning in return before he takes to marveling the ghost lights]

Will-o'-the-wisp maybe? It's rare to see so many in such a stable state. [It's interesting!] It's possible the veil between reality and the spirit realm is thin here.

Make sure not to follow any of them off the path, just in case.

[fortuna_tenax]

Probably- or something similar, at any rate. Pretty, but definitely not worth it. ... Seems a lot of things about this hill is designed to lead you astray, really.

( but up the path is a river and even if everything is dangerous and eerie, jinx finds it beautiful. now she really wishes she had a camera. )

It's so nice here, honestly!

( JINX NO )

[whiteshroud]

[ .... 💧 ]

Wow, you're really into this place...

[Like Jun sure thinks its cool, but girl you look like you're eager enough to move here despite all the clear signs of DEATH]

Is your home in a haunted forest?

[fortuna_tenax]

No, I'm from California, actually. ( which does have it's haunted places, of course, but the point is: she's a beach baby. )

... My magic from back home is, uh... kinda like this? It's 'bad luck', but it also ties into destruction, decay, things like that. I didn't choose it- it chose me. And I've had it all my life- things like this just feel natural to me at this point.

( she did in fact choose the goth life, but uh. it grabbed her first in perhaps one of the worst ways possible. )

[whiteshroud]

So? I'm sure there's haunted forests in California. [Jun's knowledge of US was limited, but he knew they had a few seal knights in the states. And there other active Underground groups as well. But really - he's teasing, and his tone says a such.

Truthfully, he does seem to get what she's getting at. And he doesn't seem particularly bothered]

I see. I've heard of people with magic like yours before. No wonder you seem used to a place like this.

[You're one to talk Jun]

[fortuna_tenax]

But are they haunted enough? Truly? It has to be just the right levels of spookiness before I can grace it with my presence, you know.

( despite remaining impassive on the surface aside from when she jokes about, it's... a relief. there's a reason she let herself be renamed after a curse, after all- just made things easier. having someone just roll with it without a fuss is nice. )

Yeah. It basically feels like... I won't say 'what I already am', but. It's close? Like, I'm not about to run after will-o-wisps or anything, but I feel like if I stay here, the forest wouldn't mind.

[whiteshroud]

[He snorts] How should I know? I've never been to California.

[There were a lot of strange folks in the Underground, and his time outside his world has exposed him to even stranger folks. So yeah, Jinx doesn't seem weird to him by any comparison. He was probably the freakier of the two. ]

Mm, you share a compatible spiritual energy affinity. [Ya. Like that.] That's a rather useful affinity to have if you like traversing through places like this.

[fortuna_tenax]

( jinx isn't foolish enough to assume magic is the same in every universe- so she can at least trust that he knows what he's talking enough that he does have an accurate read of the situation under his own understanding. it doesn't seem entirely incorrect anyways, so. )

Something like that, yeah. Buuuut for the most part! Sometimes it's a bit more dangerous just because my presence can just... make bad things happen. Not right now, because it's gone, but yeah... You get used to it, learn to predict it... and when things are quiet, accept it. And when you're just as dark as places like this, they'll accept you too, regardless. Like now.

I'd love to just sit down here with some paint and my sketchbook, honestly.

[whiteshroud]

[Jun is quiet, but he is listening to her. So her magic also takes the form of bad luck charm huh. Lots of people claim they're cursed when they aren't, but she sounds both really confident in it and really accepting it. Like the same way he talks about the costs of his own powers. That alone makes him more inclined to believe her.]

I see ... sounds like you have a good handle on your abilities. No wonder Forneus picked you. [If someone can be that chill and accepting of constant misfortune, she must be really strong. Someone like that is useful to have around.]

Yeah, I didn't think to bring anything like that. Maybe you can come back some other time though. Sounds like we'll have plenty of down time before our next mission.

[fortuna_tenax]

As good as I can get. Misfortune affinities are... difficult. Maybe someday I'll be even better.

( the worst thing about her affinity is that it blocks her from everything else. she could be so much more- she knows it. she's smart, she has an overabundance of magic, and yet all she can do is hex and curse and cause disasters and bad luck.

oh well. )

Oh, yeah... I'll have to do that. ... After I get some paint. ( she's pretty sure she can do that, yeah? )

[whiteshroud]

Mm, I'm sure you will be. Just keep at it.

[He's sure a power like that does come at a disadvantage, but at the same time- with every misfortune she must face, it's a chance to grow stronger.

He's about to say something about the paint, when they round the corner and this building comes into view. Jun stops and stares at it with some recognition on his face]

...A domain. I had a feeling that'd be at the source of this.

[fortuna_tenax]

A... domain?

( oh, that sounds important. but unfortunately, as she's only just arrived a month ago... she's kind of baby comparatively. )

Should we go tell the others?