july mid-month event

[stellafortunamods]

July Mid-Month Event
Welcome to Teyvat - a vast magical world of adventure.
Two weeks of unease is all Liyue gets to experience before their world is almost turned upside down.

Those with sharp eyes will notice a marked decline in Fatui appearances around Liyue. As for the cause...? These Fatui will now accost you, Traveler, seeking answers to the whereabouts of Rex Lapis' Gnosis. You'll have to flee from them, or otherwise convince them to back off by force. It seems they're very persistent, and their stubbornness is borne from their duty given by the Tsaritsa. Should they fail, her wrath will fall upon them instead. Surely, you can understand, right?

The Fatui's hurried search only lasts for a few days. In the wee hours of 18th December, Liyue will wake to an oppressive storm and rough seas. The bright glow from Guyun Stone Forest and subsequent ear-splitting roar confirms the worst - Osial has risen from the ocean floor, and without Rex Lapis to defend them, Liyue has to take things into their own hands.

It's a race against time for the civilians to climb Mount Tianheng towards relative safety, and for the Millelith to combat smaller water monsters that crawl out from the ocean. The Jade Chamber hovering above Liyue sails towards the storm instead, a last-ditch defensive effort by the Adepti and the Qixing together.

You, Traveler, are destined for something greater. An Adeptus appears before you, beseeching your help. Should you agree, she will teleport you atop the Jade Chamber, where Adepti ballistae are firing against the demon god from above. However, the Adepti manning these contraptions need help to fend off the seemingly never-ending waves of Fatui coming at them. They will also lend you some enchantments to bolster your strength while you fight - the eventual proof that unity can overcome all.

Alas, Osial fires a final blast that fractures the Jade Chamber. Just as all hope seems lost, Forneus' voice sounds in your mind.

It's not over yet. Focus your mind... think of your companions, your dreams, and your wish to liberate this world. Let your hopes illuminate the way forward!

Golden light begins to surround your body, coalescing into an orb in your palm. The light streams out from your hands and into the sky, piercing the demon god's body as a multitude of bright spears. Osial howls as familiar runes appear all over its body, fracturing it in a distinctive manner similar to glass. You glance at the Adepti - none of them seem to have expected this, but none of them seem to disapprove of it, either.

The Jade Chamber is still breaking apart, though. Better leave before it's too late - the Adepti will carry you down to safety.


State of the World

As planned, the Fatui have awakened Osial from its watery prison beneath Guyun Stone Forest. A confrontation with the demon god is inevitable - in the past, Rex Lapis was the one who sealed it away. This time, humanity has to prove that it can stand on its own without the intervention of gods. Forneus will also step in this time, using the power of your adversary to alter the course of history once and for all. After all, the only way to kill a god is to take their aspect away from them... or by repurposing it for something else.

There's also the matter of helping Liyue clean up after that near-tsunami. But this isn't the first time you've helped with disaster relief in Teyvat, yes?

Questions about this event can be asked below!

Comments

Tsurumaru Kuninaga | Cryo | OTA

[cranelike]

1.

(Tsurumaru is a war sword and being in the thick of battle is where he feels most natural. He's an agile and skilled fighter able to hold his own well against many opponents and he can knock back but there's definitely something brutal about the way he brings his sword down, relentlessly attacking anyone that comes at him. He strikes at the Fatui with a combination of swordsmanship and his vision, though, he prefers the former by far. Always calm and cool, he seems particularly alive right now, a smile on his face as he cuts through his opponents or knocks them back.

Whatever you might think about his style, he's a reliable ally to have on your side, though. When one of the Fatui charge at you, Tsurumaru is quick to change directions and knock them back--)

-- Behind you! (That's one member down and out of commission for now.) Ah, are you surprised?

2.

(After the battle, Tsurumaru can be in a quiet place, holding his robe in his hands. Usually a bright, clean white, it's currently torn and stained with blood and dirt.

He wipes at a patch of dirt with his fingers and frowns when it doesn't come out,)

How dirty...

(He sounds disappointed but he pushes those feelings aside, looking up to speak to you,)

Do you have a moment?

3.

(Wildcard me! PSA I'll be canon updating Tsurumaru in August so prompt 2 will kind of set that up. )

2!

[whotao]

[After the battle ends, it’s time to set things in order. For Hu Tao, that means any final preparations for those who need it. She is, after all, a funeral parlor director who takes her job seriously.]

[Not that anyone could tell with the way she casually answers Tsurumaru.]

Sure, what’s up?

[cranelike]

(Ah, he has someone's attention and he leans back, relaxing,)

What did you think about the battle?

[whotao]

Huh, what did I think?

[What did she think?]

I think it was pretty easy!

[She pauses. This is about to be a poem.]

On the first attack, the fearsome beast was defeated by a god. On the second attack, their god was no more, so the people banded together and defeated the vile serpent themselves.

[cranelike]

Hmm...

(He hums, thinking about her answer,)

It was easy. Even if it was full of surprises, it felt... (He doesn't sound too sure about the word he's about to use but he uses it anyway,) boring?

[whotao]

Fighting should never be for fun or enjoyment, but rather a means to an end.

[Hu Tao pauses. The response came without thinking.]

But still, I had expected it to be harder, Y’know? Fighting a legend and all that.

[cranelike]

(And that gets Tsurumaru to make a face, raising an eye brow at Hu Tao and then glancing away,)

In the end, it was surprising but even that wasn't enough. (A loud, over dramatic sigh,) Maybe it's because their wishes are coming true...

(For a world that doesn't need to rely on Celestia or gods, where people can live freely and make their own decisions. The feeling of a wish manifesting takes away some of the uncertain chaos he thrives off of.)

[whotao]

Their wishes?

[Hu Tao looks at Tsurumaru with a quizzical expression on her face. It feels like he knows something.]

The wishes of ten thousand citizens flutter into the night sky. Each one a star, it burns brightly. You mean the wishes of the citizens of Liyue, right?

[cranelike]

(Their wishes. But he doesn't continue the conversation there, instead, moving on,)

Hmm... in the moment, I'm sure they collectively wished for the same thing. There's nothing like a calamity to bring people together.

2

[evilisnotatoy]

Perhaps. What do you need?

[He might have time, but Sooga isn't exactly the sort to commit to something before he hears the details, and the one person who he'll make exceptions for in that regard isn't here, so...]

[cranelike]

(A smart one!! Figuring out what Tsurumaru is up to before accepting, huh...

He leans back, relaxing. He's not up to anything!)

What did you think about the battle? Did you find it surprising?

[evilisnotatoy]

That people chosen by a deity to do battle in their stead against another deity akin to a natural disaster would manifest a golden power to deal the final blow? No.

[He might be entirely mortal, but his tone sure could be mistaken for someone who's lived through enough ages to see this kind of thing happen a lot rather than just someone who actually attention to past history and myths.]

[cranelike]

(Tsurumaru wrinkles his nose at that, making a face that looks something like a pout,)

You heard his voice, right? Think of your companions and dreams, your wish to liberate this world... did you do that?

[evilisnotatoy]

I am Yiga; whatever the world might say about us, we always think of our companions.

[The words are spoken plainly, a simple statement of fact in answer to a question that clearly had something more to it.]

[cranelike]

"Yiga?" (He tries it out for himself to make sure he's got it right,) Hm... was it really that easy for you to think of a wish?

[evilisnotatoy]

["Yiga" sounds awfully similar to the name of a certain ninja clan, doesn't it?]

...Perhaps it was difficult for others. My own wish is for my people never to be used and thrown away ever again.

[You, uh, might've found a bit of an emotional wound there, Tsuru.]

[cranelike]

(It sure does sound like a certain clan one of Tsuru's masters might have tried to wipe out. It's fine. Which is why he sets his sword down, standing it in front of him on the ground and leaning forward, balancing his chin on his hands on his sword,)

You were treated like tools instead of people.

(Is it a question? It doesn't really sound like one. It's more of a statement.)

time to give ur 1 prompt some attention

[hangfire]

[This is awful. Awful awful awful awful awful awful awful.

There's a feral sort of desperation as Lutha fights, a constant wide-eyed look of a frightened wild dog ready to bite, even as he snaps his pistol around to shoot a Fatui agent between the eyes, or to whip the knife out from his waist and drive it through someone's ribs before shoving them away to load his weapon. His grip shakes, and the rain that plasters his hair to his face and weighs down his clothing seems to hit him harder than any physical blows.

His mind screams to leave, to dry off, to survive. To catch in the rain means death, and even if this water falls harmlessly, he can still remember vividly what it SHOULD feel like...

To see the white-haired swordsman suddenly alive with energy instead of the soft, cryptic sort he'd been in Mondstadt is a welcome change for Lutha. While his Vision is practically useless under the press of the rain, he will still take time to shove his fist down against the ground, a spread of affect that reacts just enough against Tsuru's own Cyro attacks, sending the fighter off balance and giving the Touken a burst of strength at the same time. It will give Lutha enough time to reload... his hand needs to stop shaking, it needs to stop, he CAN'T drop more bullets --

And then Tsuru yells, another body practically on top of Lutha from his deaf side. Lutha barely lets out a mangled swear with a reach for his own blade before the Touken has jumped in, knocking the Fatui back in a tumble.

Rather than answer Tsuru's question, Lutha stumbles to the side, just enough to shoot at that agent Tsuru had knocked prone, nailing him in one of his knees. Keep him down. Give him some time.

Slowly, he'll nod, swallowing hard and looking more bone-deep shaken than truly surprised.]

I... thank you. I couldn't tell where he was.

[cranelike]

(He's riding a high that comes from being in battle. If he were back home, there would surely be a flurry of cherry blossoms around him. Alas, he's just an ordinary swordsman right now...

He gives his sword a quick flick, shaking the blood off his blade and looks at Lutha. He's as calm as ever, looking the young man up and down with a raise brow, as if he was making some sort of casual assessment... which he is.

He's anxious, Tsurumaru thinks, and something like that only makes him want to take him under his wing.)

Stay close. (Sword at the ready once again,) We can help each other.

[hangfire]

[He mutters a half-hearted, distant sound in affirmation, taking a moment to load his weapon and catch his breath. The longer they stand still, the more he can feel panic creeping up his body like a thousand hot needles.]

Just-- just give me space to shoot. I'll cover you if you can manage that much. [A beat, his hand twisting tight against the grip of his gun as he flicks back the hammer with the stump of his left forearm. Stiffly, he adds:] Watch my right if you can. I'm not as quick with my knife.

[If Tsuru is expecting an explanation, he ain't getting one, because Lutha's letting his Vision touch at his fingertips in that same circle of orange and red, giving them both that momentary surge of energy even if the heat of Pyro dissipates almost instantly under the rain. Fight first, talk later.]

[cranelike]

(Interesting, Tsurumaru thinks but he makes no outward show of it. The battlefield is no place to judge and instead, Tsurumaru nods, keeping to Lutha's side as instructed.

He turns his attention to the enemy in front of them, eyes bright with a fire that comes from the excitement of battle and he charges forward, his sword cutting wide and skillfully, a burst of Cryo accompanying it,)

Eyes on me!

(Not to Lutha but at his enemy instead,)

You've seen me dyed red. Consider yourself lucky!

[hangfire]

[Lutha rolls his eyes at what he can hear of Tsuru's preening, scrambling a few steps distance as their Electro-powered beast of an opponent charges forward with uncanny speed, gauntlets crackling. Figures that Tsuru leans toward the dramatic... but it definitely has earned the desired attention, the meeting of Cyro and Electro a viable chance for a reaction of lowered defense in Tsurumaru's favor.

Lutha knows he could easily trigger an explosion if he were to time his own Vision right... but with Tsuru in close range and his own mind swimming, looking for an opening is out of the question for the time being. With armor coating the Fatui's shoulders and chest, Lutha is quick to aim for the legs, eager to at least get this brute's speed down and even the fight a little more.

The shot hits the back of his calf, but the man only stumbles momentarily. Lutha curses as he shoves another round into the gun, a little hastier in his aiming.] Tsurumaru! Keep him down, stay out of his reach!

[cranelike]

(He's used to fighting larger, stronger opponents than himself. Tsurumaru is skilled and fast but compared to some of the other Touken Danshi, he's hardly the strongest. His strength has always been in his skill and movement. While attacks might not be strong, he always seems to know exactly where to hit and how to catch his opponent. His movements are graceful, too, looking more like a sword dance than typical fighting. Lutha is right-- he's a dramatic fighter and rightfully so.

The Fatui aims at him and Tsurumaru manages to deflect, catching his attack with his blade and pushing back with the help of an extra, icy blast from his Cryo vision. Still, the attack is jarring, reverberating through his body and making his ears ring for a moment before he recovers,)

This is nothing--!

(He's confident, delivering attack with the sheath of his sword, essentially dual armed at the moment.)

[hangfire]

Don't get fucking cocky--!!

[Not that he needs to say that. It's obvious that Tsurumaru knows exactly what he's doing, making it all look practically effortless at times. Lutha might thing the Touken was having fun.

His hand is still shaking, even as Tsuru recovers and swings with the sheath of his weapon. Fuck. Fuck, no, he had to keep it together. If he couldn't stay stable enough at long-range, then...

He breaks into a sprint, following the direction of the force of Tsuru's blow as their opponent tries to follow through and counter the blow. Circling around behind the man, he makes the risky move to break the distance, following the movement of the brute's counter and sliding in close to aim the barrel of his gun against the inner crook of the knee supporting the man's stance.

He's risking getting clocked in the head, but right now he could care less. So he fires once more, letting the man crumple to one knee as the rebound of the shot drags the redhead back.

If Tsuru can get the man to stay down, then maybe an explosion might work after all.]

[cranelike]

(It's interesting to watch Lutha fight and Tsurumaru makes sure to not wander too far, keeping close to what he can only assume is his weaker side. It doesn't take him long to start noticing the signs. After all, he's fought by Mitsu's side enough times to recognize what he's seeing.

To cover Lutha, he focuses his Cryo vision to slash at the air once more, releasing an icy strike at the Fatui to further throw him off. Tsurumaru is relentless when he fights, never once letting up against his opponent. There's little chanec for his enemy to recover or refocus and Tsurumaru is just a flurry of attacks; a large flash of white that flies at and aims to overwhelm with his attacks. It's not unlike watching a very large bird attack relentlessly...

His next move however is to use his Cryo vision... to freeze the ground, sending his opponent slipping back, losing his balance. Tsurumaru pulls back, bracing himself for a final attack but gives Lutha an opening,)

Fire!

(The gun? Or his Vision?)