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

[hangfire]

S-stop.

[It's a croak of a response, seeing that look in Tsuru's eyes, feeling his gut twist, breaking his glance before he dares to see that knowing gaze turn into pity. But Tsuru pushes forward, arms outreached, and what little frustration he has starts to crumble, stumbling backwards under unsteady feet.

His weapon skids far out of reach but he makes no move to grab it, his palm meeting water against the ground as he tries to back up and it burns like fire--]

No-- N-no, stop, stop, don't touch me--!

[Tsuru is overtop him, and all the redhead can do is draw his limbs close with his forehead nearly against his knees, arms wrapped against his head and shuddering for breath as though he's in physical pain. It burns and burns and he's back on the cliffside and back in the river and he can't see and can't breathe and spirits above he's going to die--

There's nothing wrong with him. He's sopping wet and covered with the wounds that came with battle. But even under the shadow of Tsurumaru's arms, covering up enough of the downpour to offer momentary relief, Lutha still chokes out a panicked wretch of a sob from beneath his arms.]

[cranelike]

(He does not stop. In fact, he does the opposite, carrying on without any sign of reprieve. He's steady as he covers Lutha and kneels down with him, a constant source of shelter from the rain. He lets the water wash down his back like drops on the very crane he shares his name with.

He shifts position just slightly, lowering his arms close over the crown of Lutha's head, untouching but only just barely. Leaning in close, his voice soft and quiet for only him to hear.)

There, there. Cry if you must, let your heart be heard. (There's a light, songlike quality to it as he speaks,) I'm listening.

But where ever you are, you're here.

(A gentle reminder, an attempt to ground him,)

You've been given shelter. Take it.

(Maybe not safe given their current situation. But certainly safer. Tsurumaru will make sure of it.)

[hangfire]

[He tenses at first. The words are distant and muffled, nearly drowned out under the rain, under the tight protection of his own arms viced around his head, one side still brutally silent to the world while the other pounds with a racing heartbeat that feels like it would explode in his throat. Were he not so panicked, he would lash out, plow his knuckles into flesh and let the pain drive him back, give him space, give him anything--

Don't treat him like a child. Don't speak to him like he's uncapable, like he needs to give in to his emotions at a time like this, that he can't pull his own weight...

Don't remind him that he's weak.

...

The redhead's breath catches hard in his chest in a strong attempt not to hyperventilate, staying tensely drawn into himself with only the sound of dry, drawn shudders of panic. The paralyzing inaction slowly unravels, habit turning from cowering at death to something a little more practical -- for him, at least. His gloved hand stiffly jerks up to plaster his hair up and out of his face, shakily shoving moisture out of the way of his eyes and mouth as best he can. The waterlogged leather only does so much, however, and with a pained exhale through his teeth, Lutha brings his wrist to his mouth, catching the glove in his teeth and frantically peeling it off.

His hand shares the same reddened, gnarling scars that creep up his neck and face, the joints marred and stiff underneath inflexible tissue that seeps well up his forearm and out of site. It's still about as soaked as the rest of him, but it's the best he can do, trying to clear the rain from his face and neck and shaking his hand off like every swipe of his fingers was meeting hot oil rather than simple rainwater.

He can hear Kai. The feel against his face and mouth, even when his eyes couldn't see... but it's distant. The moment has passed, the rush of a river now the pattering of rain against fabric and his own quickened breathing echoing against the small space.

Catch his breath... he just has to catch his breath, and maybe... maybe he could just pretend. He could pretend that Tsurumaru wasn't still overtop him, and that he wasn't tasting bile in his own mouth.]