stellafortunalogs | october mingle

october mingle

October Mingle
Welcome to Teyvat - a vast magical world of adventure.
The Miko of the Grand Narukami Shrine has arranged for your passage out of Ritou and into the Inazuma islands at large. The nation has been gripped by an oppressive atmosphere ever since the enactment of the Vision Hunt Decree, and only someone unyoked by the Electro Archon can hope to break this stalemate.

Konda Village sits on the outskirts of Inazuma city. A pillar of its community now seeks to move out after losing his Vision. A samurai employed by the Shogunate is being accosted of hiding rations by his neighbours, and he has no recollection of ever dealing in such matters. Forgetting something seems to be the thread that links every former Vision holder's story together, yet their tragedies differ greatly in circumstance. Is the loss of a Vision truly so profound? If so, then why did the gods deliver such a poisoned gift to their people?

A mysterious priestess approaches you with a sincere request - Kazari seeks your aid in purifying the Thunder Sakura around Inazuma, as well as the Sacred Sakura on Mount Yougou. She tells you that these trees absorb the evil from the very land, but cannot dispel it without outside intervention. Here's where you come in: you need to dispel the sealing sigils around the holy trees, so that the filth accumulated within their roots can take form and then be swiftly cut down.

The seals, the trees, and Kazari herself are relics from the olden days - the mystical Inazuma, where kitsune and tengu lived and worked alongside humans and their god. But those days have since ended, and all that is left is a stifling eternity.

State of the World

The Land of Eternity is not without failings. By pursuing 'Eternity' and closing the doors of her nation, the Raiden Shogun has only made the lives of her people more difficult. Exploring the country may give you some clues as to how you can break her enforced stasis. You must first understand the situation of the nation, and then find the natives who also wish to change their world.

Please direct all questions to October's OOC post!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Inazuma seems oddly similar to Japan in the past. He's been feeling like he was transported back in time to Earth's past in some ways. The magic definitely sets it apart, though. ]

I've heard that Visions are given in response to someone's strong wishes or desperation. If taking them away makes their owners listless and depressed, then the Vision might be holding some part of their soul.

[Jun would agree with that assessment of Inazuma. It feels weird. There are some things about this place that are more familiar than Liyue and Mondstadt, but in other ways it was at least a century behind his Tokyo. ]

Mm ... that's what I'm thinking too. It also makes me wonder if the creation of Visions have anything to do with the gods after all.

What do you mean?

[ Gods were able to make Visions... or at least Forneus did. It's true that the Visions are simply teleported to the wielder instead of the god physically giving it to them, though. But he had assumed it was to preserve the gods' air of mystery. ]

In my world, we have a similar thing called a Soul Device. They manifest when a person with enough innate spirit power is in proximity to the spirit realm and shows willpower. They usually come in the form of weapons, but they are elemental based like a Vision.

As far as we can tell, Soul Devices aren't linked to any gods. It's purely the power in a person's soul, taking form.

At first I didn't think much of it, but now...I'm wonder if Visions and Soul Devices are more alike than I thought.

Edited 2021-10-06 03:42 (UTC)

If you take away the Soul Device, does the person become like that too?

[ It's hard for him to believe it either way, given that he's from an entirely technological world. ]

If the gods do not bestow Visions, then who would do it?

No, that's one difference. Good thing too, since mine is all the way back on Earth.

[He hasn't really bothered to use it since getting his Seal, after all]

The people themselves, essentially. They just don't realize it, since they've been told it's from the gods.

...Of course, this is just a theory.

There has to be some sort of catalyst for the transformation. Likely magical. To detect human wishes, and on such a vast world, would require significant invested resources in running the sensor array as well as teleport the right elemental Vision to the right person.

[ The only thing powerful enough would be a system made by the gods, at least in his opinion. ]

To me, it seems like a way to control humans. You give them a tool that can also cripple them if you take it away as punishment for their misbehaviour.

No, that's exactly what I'm arguing against. Soul Devices don't come from any system like that. No gods, no sensor array. They simply manifest for certain people under the right conditions, from people's own souls. What if Visions are this world's equivalent?

[He shrugs]

And of course, if you make everyone believe Visions are gifts from the gods ... well, it's easier to control them.

[ Louis frowns. He's clearly trying to wrap his mind around this; being too used to entirely scientific reasoning. ]

So you're saying that the gods might have hijacked a natural system for their own use?

To put it simply, yes.

[He nods. ]

They are gods, so perhaps they adjusted some things to work in their favor. But...it'd be easier to hijack a natural system than create an entire new one from scratch, don't you think?

[ He gives a hum of acknowledgement, though it's a while more before he says anything ]

I don't suppose we have a way of testing this other than going up to a god face to face. Though we would have to face the one here if we are to retrieve and return their Visions, either way.

Mm...that's true. For right now, it's nothing more than a simple theory.

Though if the theory is correct, it'd solve a major concern of mine. [He pauses for a moment, before realizing oh right, people like it when you actually say what you're thinking.] To put it another way, if I'm wrong and Visions do come from the gods - putting an end to the gods would mean putting an end to Visions, wouldn't it? Where would that leave the people of this world?

Technology, [ is what he says after a moment of consideration. ] This world being magical, it would take them time to adapt to electronics, but I don't think it's impossible.

[ Even after the horrors destroyed his world, they were still able to improvise. He has that kind of hope for humanity. ]

[He shakes his head]

Technology and electronics won't help them against evil gods, demons, or the Abyss. All of which are viable threats in this world....and will become more so once they lose Celestia and they sense a power vacuum.

And worse, if the Visions are powered by Celestia, does that mean there's a chance that once we remove Celestia, what's happening to these poor souls could happen to every Vision holder in Teyvat?

[ There's a longer moment of silence as Louis considers this. He had assumed Forneus was throwing out the whole lot of them - gods, demons, the Abyss - but maybe that wasn't exactly the case. ]

I don't know. [ He's quick to admit this, at least. ] You'd think our employer would have some sort of plan?

[Even if Forneus intended that, Jun knew full well that wouldn't keep things out permanently. If they found a way into this world, other things could as well. Someday, Teyvat would have to face grave threats again.

As for the question about the time god having a plan....well, there's a noticeable pause. He certainly has some thoughts about the concept of gods having "A Plan", being someone who devotes themselves to a god. But not only are the unpleasant thoughts, they step rather close to things he's forbidden to say.

So finally, he opts to dodge the question with a shrug]

Well, gods always have a plan. [THATS VAGUE ENOUGH, he moves on-]

...Really, it's just conjecture at this point. It's not like I have any hard evidence either way. I was just saying, if my theory is true, it'd take care of a lot of problems that'd need to be solved later on.

Mm.

[ And that's all he has to say. It's conjecture like Jun said, and he's horribly out of his element when it comes to souls and magic. ]

That aside, do you have any ideas on what we can do right now?

[he goes quiet, thinking]

Continuing observing and getting familiar with the situation here? I've also heard a Shrine maiden is looking for help with a cleansing ceremony, if you want something with more action.

That would be more suited to my skills, yes.

[ Surely people with more social skills would be able to talk to the villagers. Louis feels unequipped to handle intricacies when he's been long used to working in a ruined world. ]

Do you know where she is?

Haha, thought so.

[Not that he knows Louis well, but there were plenty of people in their group that liked to throw themselves into things rather than observe]

I heard she's outside of Ritou. Wears a fox mask.

[ A fox mask. Sounds ominous, except this also seems to be on the par for most of the locals. ]

Thanks. Do you want to come too?

[ Unless Jun wants to talk to people, and he feels like the youth doesn't. ]

[He considers, before nodding]

Sure.

[Because yeah he doesn't feel like talking to more people. Better to do seal knight-type of work]

[ That makes two of them. ]

Alright then.

[ And so they'll make their way towards the place where Kazari had been seen, in silence because they're both awkward at making small talk.

It takes a while before Louis says anything. ]

Do you feel like this place is some sort of medieval Japan?

[Jun walks in silence along with Louis. He tends to be a pretty quiet person, so he isn't even thinking of making small talk or that it's awkward. He's perfectly comfortable with silence what's wrong with it!!

But that doesn't mean he minds talking either.]

Mm, I do. It's rather uncanny how close it gets. I was in Tokyo before I left Earth, and sometimes it almost feels like I'm back there in some of the older parts of town.

Edited 2021-10-14 03:17 (UTC)

[ Louis looks like he's about to say something, but doesn't. It's another half a minute before he finally replies. ]

What year was it when you left?

[ Truly... would it possibly be the same Earth? Or that there were parallel Earths as well? ]

I

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