july mingle

[stellafortunamods]

July Mingle
Welcome to Teyvat - a vast magical world of adventure.
It's time. For the sake of its future, Liyue must face unrest and a trial from the divine.

The Rite of Descension goes horribly awry, plunging the bustling harbour city into unrest and apprehension. You, Traveler, already know of the plan - but the people don't, and a good portion of them are unable to envision a world without their god. However, there are also those in Liyue who see this as an opportunity to show mortal strength. Give them your support, and the city will realize that they can move forward into the era of humanity.

While the Liyue Qixing scramble to investigate Rex Lapis' assassination, the funerary rites still have to be prepared. For this purpose Wangsheng Funeral Parlour is seeking the help of Travelers and locals alike - ritual implements, flowers, and peripherals all have to be gathered for the ceremony, and the Lord of Geo would expect only the best materials to be used. As for who's footing the bill... well, it's a good thing that you've got divine backing this time.

For those who mingle with the Fatui, they would find out that the Snezhayan 'diplomats' have begun to make a move on Guyun Stone Forest. The islands are a place where the remains of old gods have come to rest, and they are under the order of the Cryo Archon to unseal a demon god from where it had been pinned beneath the waves. As for how... it's a closely guarded secret, but travelers would be told that it is a blessing from the Tsaritsa that allows them to do so. There's no way for you to prevent it, only to prepare for battle when the inevitable comes. Such is the rules in a chess game that pits gods against each other, and against Celestia.

What will you do?

State of the World

The majority of activities for the first two weeks of July are set in Liyue and surrounding areas to gather rare historic materials for a god's funeral. Each of the special items needed for the Rite of Parting require hard work to be obtained. Characters will also be forewarned that they will need to face the Lord of the Vortex, Osial, very soon. Forneus' intention is for humanity to triumph against the god by joining forces with the Adepti and fighting together. As for what happens to Osial - should it be defeated, Forneus will ensure that it will never rise to menace Liyue again by erasing it from existence.

The success of this operation hinges on you all. Good luck.

Please direct all questions to July's OOC post!

Comments

npc interaction toplevel

[stellafortunamods]

[ Forneus can still be reached in his office next to Wangsheng Funeral Parlour. Zhongli is seen less often around Liyue, though. Wonder why. ]

hi forneus

[nefilim]

[A sudden jump through time must have a reason, and luckily it's rather easy to speak to the local expert on time shenanigans. There's no dramatics when Ana steps into Forenus' office, merely quiet curiosity as she steps in - absently rubbing at the small, faint, but still visible, sigil on her wrist that hadn't been there the night before.]

Sooooooo, what just happened? I spent like... seven or so months at home, but nothing has changed here.

'sup god next door

[whotao]

[Why is Zhongli around less? It's a mystery, and Hu Tao isn't going to spend too much time thinking about the reason. She trusts him, if nothing else.]

[Forneus, though, is a much more unknown entity. He's also right next door, and she's bored. Enter one 'Funeral Parlor Director.']

Hey, Forneus! Whatcha up to?

ZHONGLIII

[killtwice]

[ Trevor has some business with Zhongli today. He wants to talk about Liyue and other topics of intrest such as magic and visions.]

Hey, is there anyone home? I'm looking for Zhongli.

[ It's possible that Trevor somehow missed Zhongli and came at a bad time.]

kicks down forneus' door (let's just say this was the 13th)

[hangfire]

[As soon as Lutha gets wind of where exactly the time god can be found, he's beelining straight for the funeral parlor, his grip tight on the knob of the front door as he stiffly swings it open, then slams it shut behind him with the weight of his back, glaring daggers towards wherever Forneus has sat himself.

Hello again........... :\ :/

He'll need a second to catch his breath, still wrapped up in his winter garb. But his voice cracks, tired and confused.]

What the hell did you do this time?

Jun Kohinata | Geo | OTA

[whiteshroud]

I. Rite of Descension
[Jun watches the Rite of Descension. But not from the crowds, instead choosing to watch from a nearby rooftop in his shroud outfit - far enough away that it'd be hard for any normal human to make him out beyond a "white figure". He has a vague understanding of how this event will go, but he still wants to see it. As the Exuvia drops, he can't help let out a soft amused sound as he speaks out loud to himself, his voice distorted through a voice modulator. ]

It begins at last. Struggle against your chains, Liyue. Prove you can fly free.

[he lingers long enough to see if anyone catches sight on the roof - because nothing generates more chaos like rumors of a "suspicious white figure". Once they do, he'll talk directly to anyone that joined him on the roof]

Time to go.

II. Lurking - Nighttime
[Jun was given a Fatui disguise like everyone else, but outside of his trips to Northland Bank to blend in -- he usually opts for his shroud as it leaves a much deeper impression to the stories.

During the nights, he roams with the intent to cause tension. Some nights he just picks different secluded spots of the Harbor to linger, waiting for someone to spot him before he teleports away. Other nights, he causes property damage - using his unique powers to destroy things in way that can't be explained by visions or normal means. And once and awhile, he performs "strange rituals" that leave mysterious sigils burnt into the ground the next morning.

Anyone familiar with Earth magic or religions will be able to tell that the sigils are harmless, even meaningless. But to the unaware people of Liyue? It only adds to the tension and gives a sense that of a bad omen. Soon, on top of everything else, rumors start to spread of a dangerous white spirit in Liyue. Perhaps its Rex Lapis's killer, or something unleashed by his death, or maybe even his vengeful spirit.

Help the people of Liyue by "dealing" with this "spirit", or help cause chaos with him. The choice is yours]

III. Daytime - Totally Innocent
[During the day, Jun plays nice. He's out of uniform, appearing as a normal teenage boy. He's on his best behavior, doing everything he can not to raise suspicion about himself. Heck, he'll even help with the item gathering for the funeral parlor.]

Want to come with me to gather silk flowers?

IV - WILDCARD
[Got another prompt? Hit me up!]

1

[poisontippedcure]

[Jun is not the only person who's come in disguise today. Rose is also here, dressed as a Fatui witch, holding her latern close to her. Not because she's on board with the plan, of course. She's actually still very skeptical of plan "sow chaos in Liyue." But, she's already been framed for the fake death of a monarch once, and she's not looking to make that a second time.]

[She catches sight of Jun on the roof immediately, but waits until he comes down to approach him. Some things never change, including a certain teenager's penchant for over-dramatic entrances and exits.]

My, you certainly know how to cause quite a scene, don't you.

II

[nefilim]

[While Ana waking up to the current events could be summed up as this, she managed to quickly get back into the swing of things after some adjusting and telling a few select people what had happened to her. With "the swing of things" being causing some chaos here and there.

While she happily did her own thing, mostly some property destruction and some stirring up fights, she would also help out other trouble makers - such as her little brother. Snickering quietly as she meets up with him one evening after listening to some gossiping and anxious murmurs, Fatui disguise in place; her wings are a massive tell, and even she's not that reckless to let herself be that easily spotted.]

A "dangerous white spirit", huh? You've really gotten them all freaking out.

[It shouldn't be funny, but she does find it a little funny. Totally just a little.]

I

[dispassionatedevotion]

Of course.

[ Ledah has never been one for being personable. But he can't say he's ever had to terrorize normal people before...

However, with dark wings and in the guise, it probably makes him look scary as all hell.

But then he teleports out of there swiftly. Following that, he will begin to look for Jun. Where may he find him? ]

ii

[evilisnotatoy]

[Like Jun, Sooga has opted to cause chaos in a different guise than the provided Fatui one. Unlike Jun, his disguise was clearly constructed for this particular occasion, capitalizing on his size and fondness for masks by emphasizing them to appear as some sort of spirit.

Although they don't exactly coordinate, inevitably Sooga crosses paths with Jun one night while out moderately upsetting the locals. And by "crosses paths with", that of course means he spots the lad doing a "ritual" and decides to drop down off a roof to greet him, more noise being made by the hollow clinking of beads and soft rasp of dried straw than the actual landing.]

Enjoying yourself?

iii ! more child soldier adventures

[fortuna_tenax]

Oh- yeah, sure.

( she's been doing her own form of chaos- but it's hard work, even for professional public menaces... and. well. going back to that sort of thing after having been trying to change left a bit of a taste in her mouth.

doing some good would be nice. )

You know where they grow?

ii

[killtwice]

[ Trevor is in an odd position and the night is strange. He usually has good instincts about things and he can put up a fight in most situations.

He's just out keeping watch for a few hours.

Thankfully he's got a decent set of eyes and ears so he can spot trouble. This mysterious white figure looks like the very definition of trouble.]

Who might you be? Bloody hell. You're not a fucking ghost.

Yu Mei-ren | Cryo | OTA

[crimsonpoppy]

A - Ripperoni
[Well.

That sure happened.

Not that Yu cared much, anyway. The rites, the chaos? If she had to be frank, none of those were her concern. She is just gonna teleport the dodge out of there, go home to her nice and super cozy teapot, and open the window for a nice, long...session of groaning; the combination sounding like a cross between an exhausted turtle and stressed pterodactyl. Sorry not sorry to anyone who may be in the vicinity.]

B - Double Ripperoni
[Many hours of deliberation and begrudgingly later in the upcoming days, she will eventually set out to help with a couple of the tasks. Much as Yu wishes she could, she knows that staying inside her teapot for a long while will make people raise suspicion, especially during preparations for the funeral.

Find her anywhere, anyplace in Liyue! She’ll be doing one of the following 2 things:

1) Crouching beside a Glaze Lily as she’s softly humming a tune.
2) On some other days, later in the afternoon, when Yu is looking haggard as all heck, she’ll rush right up to someone and ask if they’ve seen a Cocogoat.

Help her? Of course, there's also the other option of causing more trouble too...]

C - Wildcard
[Let me know if you have something else in mind either here or by contacting me at jashinsexual!]

B 1

[killtwice]

[ There's a familiar face. Yu might be singing a cute song but Trevor is here to cause Chaos ]

Oh good God. Have you showered recently? After our litte chat last time I figured you might have taken at least ten baths.

Do I still smell like a pig sty? Actually, don't answer that question.

B 2

[missingache]

Cocogoat?

[What the hell is a cocogoat... As many worlds as Roxas has been to, a cocogoat is not something he's ever run into.]

I have no idea what that is... do you know what one looks like?

B1

[fiddlestick]

[Of course the musician of the group would agree to get Glaze Lilies. This was right up his alley. He just happens upon Yu as she's humming]

Oh! What a pretty melody!

B2

[nefilim]

A... huh?

[Yu has sadly run into Anastasia, who is basically zero help with this. Because what the hell is a cocogoat? And why is this person such a mess over it?]

What is that?

B2

[bowfaire]

(Yu rushes him with a question and he leans back, holding his hands up like... he's trying to prove he has nothing in his hands? He's innocent. He has nothing. Which is incredibly suspicious and something only a guilty person might say considering how unprompted all of this is.)

Woah, wait a minute.

(Oh, so she isn't going to blame him for something? Ask him if he's up to anything? Well, there's not really a reason for anyone to think that here, huh....)

You too? (Looking for a Cocogoat?) Let me guess... A little girl asked you for a favor and you couldn't say no?

(How could he say no? She was so... small...)

Rose | Anemo | FFXIV | OTA!

[poisontippedcure]

[The Rite of Falling Apart]

[Rose has been framed for regicide once, and that's more than enough. Though she's loathe to mingle with the Fatui, she's not entirely too fond of this plan, the Fatui garb does make for a convincing disguise.]

[She dresses as a Fatui Witch for the occasion, making sure that she's completely covered. As the Rite is set to begin, she hangs around the edge. While it would be best to avoid the situation entirely, there's a part of her that's curious to see how this pans out. She's felled many gods in her time, but never in a manner as public as this.]

[To anyone that approaches her after the event, in or out of disguise, she'll merely shrug her shoulders. She isn't being unfriendly this time, at least.]

Well, he certainly has a flair for the dramatic.

[A Flower for Your Thoughts]

[Even though this is ultimately a sham, Rose still understands the importance of the funerary rites. Spirits do need to be placated, after all, and it offers a rare but telling glimpse into the thoughts of Liyue's populace.]

[But do the materials need to be so bloody rare? Rose has set out in search of Glaze Lilies, and it's proving to be a difficult task. One, because she doesn't want to travel too far to get them. Two, because every time she attempts to sing ("attempt" is the apt choice of word here), the flowers refuse to bloom, and nearby animals frolic away in fear.]

I understand it's for a god, but does he need to be so high-maintenance?

[Someone please help.]

[A Drink in the Night]

[As usual, Rose can be found among the town's many taverns in the evening. The establishment is much less crowded than normal, most likely because of Rex Lapis' sudden demise. Rose has Opinions (tm) on this, and anyone unfortunate to sit next to her is going to hear about them. Have fun.]

Look at them. Most of them have never seen their god do anything for them in their life! But the moment he's gone, they panic.

[Very charming.]

[Wildcard]

[Want to do something not listed? Just let me know!]

a flower for your thoughts

[crimsonpoppy]

['Ah, someone's already at that spot...' Yu thinks, before she walks away to somewhere else.

Or rather, she would, but then she overhears that remark and lets out a grumble of agreement.]

If the apple falls far from the tree, then the same could be said in reverse, I suppose. Honestly, gods of this kind are annoying...!

Drink the night

[killtwice]

[ Trevor happens to be sitting beside Rose by mere chance. He's been looking for places to drink and this was a good spot! He overhears Rose talking and raises a brow at that. ]

First they panic and then next they'll be looking for someone to blame. Hopefully it won't be us.

[ He turns to his side and gets another good look at Rose. ]

Oh, I remember you.

A Drink in the Night

[fiddlestick]

[Elliot was grabbing a drink for himself when he hears Rose gripe. Oh...boy. She must've been a fun student to have in Sunday School, if her world has those]

Well, I think most societies would panic if they saw their god die in front of them suddenly...

a flower for your thoughts

[nefilim]

What god isn't high maintenance?

[Is the chipper reply from one Anastasia who was also out searching for Glaze Lilies. While this is an incredibly annoying task, at least it gives her a chance to wander the countryside. So there's that.

Too bad she sucks at singing so this is going to be a very long, frustrating fetch quest.]

At least he has good taste in flowers.

A Drink;

[dispassionatedevotion]

[ ... for whatever reason, he is here. Maybe to get a good read on the people in various locations to understand how well their mission was progressing.

He'll look at her for a moment, considering. ]

Do you consider it unnatural?

flower for your thoughts

[hangfire]

Could be worse. Here I thought all those animals were running from something threatening.

[He's intentionally keeping a distance, watching Rose struggle to wake up flowers like some sort of storybook princess. It's humorous, in a way, but there's something bittersweet in how he smirks in her direction.

That's one more familiar face still around and alive. Hm.]

You never came across as the type who'd like stuff like this. Color me surprised.