october mid-month event

[stellafortunamods]

October Mid-Month Event
Welcome to Teyvat - a vast magical world of adventure.
Two weeks after the Travelers arrive in Inazuma, the conflict between the Shogunate and the Sangonomiya Resistance begin to intensify. At Forneus' behest, you venture west to survey the battlegrounds and consider your next move.

Heading west from Narukami Island will bring you to Kannazuka, the location of the Mikage Furnace. This furnace uses the power of the Tatarigami to produce high-quality swords for the Shogunate. However, sabotage by members of the Resistance have led to the furnace becoming unstable. The Shogunate's soldiers and the Shrine Maidens have set up camp on the island, but the two factions cannot decide on how to address the problem. That's where you come in. Unfettered by the chains of bureaucracy, you can act as you wish. Venture into the Furnace and stabilize it before it blows the island away.

Yashiori Island lies even further west. Its position means that it is currently the middle ground where the Shogunate and the Resistance skirmish. However, the fighting has died down due to torrential rain that blankets the island, as well as the intense Electro energy within Musoujin Gorge. Once, this island was the battlefield between the Raiden Shogun and Orobashi, with the latter defeated and sealed. However, someone broke its seals during the civil war, and the lingering resentment of the Serpent has possessed soldiers on the island, turning them violent.

Once again, a stalemate that can only be broken from the outside. This isn't anything new now, is it?

State of the World

The Sangonomiya Resistance have declared civil war on the Shogunate after the establishment of the Vision Hunt Decree. As you travel through Inazuma, you will eventually meet them, as well as their leader. It becomes evident that the two sides are locked in equal balance, and that the civil war does nothing good for anyone... which is why the overseer of the Narukami Shrine has asked you to come. You are unbound by any destiny, and thus able to tip the scales. But to do that, you will need a complete picture of the situation, and to solve problems that no one is willing to face.

No one has seen the Shogun out in public for quite a while. It seems that only a sufficiently grave danger will provoke her from within her castle. The enemy of eternity is change, and you are just that.

Questions about this event can be asked below!

Comments

Lutha | PYRO

[hangfire]

[Though he had been sporting a pretty impressive black eye for their first week in Inazuma City, Lutha now appears relatively normal. Looks like someone was gracious enough (or was threatened enough) to heal him. Still, he's far more subdued as they head out, always staying off the bows of the boats in favor of staying beneath deck. Boats are bad and he will never stop being a boat hermit.]

MIKAGE FURNACE

[The atmosphere around the furnace drips of an unfamiliar element, one that sinks into the bones and almost hurts. Lutha's legitimately surprised to see that other living things are actively brooding around the grounds. The color of the water on the grounds underneath their feet has his blood running cold, but with plenty of entrances up above the ground, it's easier to swallow down his dread.

Besides, they have more of an issue at hand. Listening to the Shrine Maidens and the Shogunate army bicker back and forth was too much of a pain when neither would bother to action. It's... familiar, in a way, this impatience that stirs him up.

Thankfully, he's not stupid enough to go alone this time. He's tagging along with the group that's headed off to investigate, having to take an alarmed breath at the feel of Electro that comes from the Tatarigumi.

By reflex, his hand reaches for his gun. Instead, he grips his Vision, letting out a breath.]

If something can be sabotaged, it can be put back together. And if other people are in there, there has to be a way to get to the middle of it safely.

[He'll give a nod of his head.] Come on. We need a better look.

YASHIORI ISLAND -- THREE OPTIONS

[Wow! This sucks!

Whenever the boats land on the shores to the sound of heavy rain battering the decks, his soul about exits his body through his mouth. Clearly the gods hate him and he's just going to be in a constant state of disaster. Woe is him.

Thankfully, Lutha's combat is almost completely ranged. While he can't quite set things on fire due to all the rain, a gun is still a gun, and so long as the young man has cover he'll still provide support to others trying to fend off those affected by whatever is infecting this island. The serpent's head, for as intimidating as it looks, is a blessing in disguise, and one might find him off in a dry corner trying to re-collect himself.

---

It's when the group first encounters the gorge that something changes about Lutha's countenance. His face goes almost ashen, even with their height up from the water below. Water which radiates an unnatural purple, that radiates with the same manic energy as the furnace. It looks like a safe enough jump to make with a glider, and others might be making it themselves to get to the village, or to get to the serpent's winding skeleton. So why does he seem frozen in place?

---

The village itself that sits on Yashiori Island has its own combat. So many soldiers, so much combat, and exhaustion comes quickly. He's stumbling onto the porch of one of the many buildings, catching his breath as he slides his back against the wall, making sure he's faced away from the wind. To look over what remains of the people who still live on this island, of houses that were very obviously once lived in and now driven empty by something beyond their control...

It's hard not to see this possibly happening at home, and his exhaustion turns somber as he takes a softer look around the village, now littered with the downed bodies of the mad samurai.]

...It's too quiet like this.

Mikage Furnace

[whiteshroud]

[Another day, another mission. Whether or not Jun is happy about this pair up, he won't say. In fact it's hard to read his emotions, what with his hood on and the voice modifier distorting his voice. It didn't really matter anyway in the end. To a Seal Knight, the mission was what mattered above all else.

And as for the mission...well, it was a mess alright. Jun was familiar enough to recognize with these kinds of things the Tatarigumi energy for what it was: something that humans had no place messing with. But it wasn't his mission to dispose of the Tatarigumi entirely. Just simply resolve this crisis. So, he'll focus on that]

If we can get to the furnace, I can create seal that'll hold until proper repairs can be made.

[He'll summon his sacred sword. It'd do little good here to hold back. He then starts to head in. No point in waiting around after all! ]

[hangfire]

[Fine by him. Anything to not have to discuss what happened the last time he'd seen Jun... as unsettling as the modulator sounds, at least it keeps them from maintaining eye contact.

That's fine. That's safe.

He'll keep his palm against the base of his gun as he follows behind Jun as best he can.]

Are we talking a physical or elemental seal?

[whiteshroud]

[yeah eye contact is the worst. let's avoid that.]

A magic seal, designed to contain evil. However it uses an element that doesn't exist in this world, so it'll be a temporary solution.

[hangfire]

Better than nothing. If it gives us a chance to take a closer look without people possibly dying, then we might as well.

[why the hell are there so many fatui around this place.... he hates it here :(]

Not sure if the energy of a furnace can be considered "evil", though. What are the odds of your seal failing?

[whiteshroud]

[He gives a slight nod at that first part. They'll probably need an actual expert to look at the thing for permanent repairs. His own mechanical skills were basic. But yeah, it's better than nothing.]

"Evil"'s just a general term to keep it simple. [In other words, he's not gonna throw around a bunch of Seal Knight terms that might go over Lutha's head] It'll hold, provided you can protect me while I cast it.

[hangfire]

[SHRUGS. Whatever you say, dude, he's not a magician.] So long as your casting doesn't summon its own monsters, I think I can manage.

Getting in there's more of a priority right now. If we can get further up the cliffsides, that can at least keep us out of range of all those Fatui down there.

[And also, Balethunder is a bitch and a half and climbing from the bottom is a chore they can hopefully avoid.]

yashiori island jump

[codeprometheus]

[ This place is bad. It's worse than miasma, because at least humans are immune to miasma. Nobody is immune to balethunder, and it's making him uneasy. There's no telling what the high electric charge would do to the parasite that animates his deceased body.

Surely, it's safer to go over the gorge and to the village by using a glider, but Lutha isn't doing so good. Maybe he has a fear of heights? ]

Hey, [ Louis calls out to him gently, or as much as he can given the rain. ] Do you need a hand?

yells hello to louis

[hangfire]

[He starts at the call, seemingly unaware for a moment before looking over at Louis with an oddly open shock, one that takes him a moment to reel back in.]

I... n-no, no. I'm fine.

[YA DONT LOOK FINE FAM. But he still swallows, looking off towards the village, following the line of the cliff with his gaze to look for a better crossing point... hopefully one that didn't involve jumping over the river.]

There... there has to be another way around.

[codeprometheus]

[ Louis has an idea. Maybe if Lutha walks straight without looking down, it might work? ]

I can make a bridge, if you want. [ He holds out a hand, Geo energy crystallizing in his palm. It's useful being a Geo user, letting him make constructs. ]

yashiori island jump

[higanbana]

[Ris knows that look on Lutha's face. She's worn it herself plenty of times, after all.

She's made it this far only through the guidance of others. If it weren't for her fellow travelers, she might still be in Inazuma City, staring out wide-eyed into the unknown of the grasslands.

And those were grasslands. This terrifying mixture of the elements is certainly much worse. So, despite her probably being the last person in the world that ought to try and help anyone else, she speaks up, trying her very best not to startle Lutha.

Sure, he's a ranged fighter, but at the end of the day he looks like he could probably take her out and Ris really doesn't want to get punched if she can avoid it.]

Ah... sir.

Are you quite all right?

[She knows he's not. But it would be rude to just go "hey, what's up with you?"]

[hangfire]

[The voice seems to startle him, shaking his head as though he was drifting off and turning dark eyes on the unfamiliar girl.

Ah. The eyepatch. Was this god mocking him or something?

There is an open, raw hint of something borderline nostalgic that creeps across his face before he tears his eyes away, taking a few steps back from the cliff face.]

I... I'm fine. I'll be fine.

[He lets out a breath sharply, glancing at their surroundings. The bridge had collapsed, sure, but--.]

Just have to find another way around. That's all. If you've seen anything outside the damn bridge, point me to it.

[higanbana]

[Ris is just glad his startling is pretty tame, all things considered. She nods in understanding when he says he's fine, even though she knows damn well he's lying.

She would say the same, after all.]

I have not, but I would not be opposed to searching. I am not in any mood to attempt to cross that, myself.

I have enough trouble with my feet on solid ground around here. I do not understand in the least how the others are just taking off over that like it is nothing.

[hangfire]

[Oh my god someone who actually speaks vocabulary he understands.]

Either they're braver, or they're stupider, or both. [He only half-believes that, and it comes through his tone as he wrings his grip against the holster of his weapon, glancing back towards the ravine, then at Ris.]

Do you have a name?

[higanbana]

[Hm, someone seems to have hang-ups over other people here! That's fine, Ris gets it. She can't trust most people here any further than she can throw them, herself.]

They certainly are something. I dare not place any bets.

[And she'll leave it at that, focusing her gaze on Lutha. She's definitely sizing him up for herself, taking note of the various aspects of his appearance, but she says nothing and neither her face nor voice indicates any judgement.

It would be hypocritical if she did.]

My name is Ris. And yours?

yashiori island, keeping dry

[sufferean]

[Things have been too hectic for Rean to try to pull Lutha aside and talk to him, which has probably been for the best. Elliot's had enough of a time with him, anyway, and Rean's still a bit uneasy.

But they have a second to breathe, for now, and when Rean sees him huddling in the corner, he knows he can't put this off forever.

Everyone here is on the same team, at the end of the day. So, steeling himself, he takes a deep breath and walks over.]

...Hey.

[It's awkward, despite Rean's best attempt. But when he continues on, it's definitely more natural and genuine.]

You holding up okay? I know you're... not the biggest fan of water.

[Understatement of the century, but hey.]

why are my only threads with rean in the middle of the rain.... poetry

[hangfire]

[He's tucked back far enough into the skeleton's open mouth that the blowing rain can't quite reach, his Vision alight as he summons up enough Pyro energy to try and warm his hands, dry his face, pin him to the present. He's definitely shaken, but still alert enough that Rean's approach gets him to turn just enough to make eye contact.

Ah. Yeah.

His face goes red right as his eyes go dark, turning back to the flame in his palm. All of China knows etc etc etc. He doesn't question it.]

Save it. [...Mmn, but he winces at the tone of his own voice, his expression twisting with displeasure before softening, tiring.] We survived that damn ocean god. Regardless of how I feel, a storm shouldn't matter.

[sufferean]

[Rean just sighs.]

It's called empathy, Lutha. You could stand to try it.

[He doesn't even sound angry, just disappointed, which might be worse.]

Sure, we did. And logically, you might just be right.

But in my experience, the heart doesn't care all too much about the way that things should work.

[hangfire]

[wow no wonder you two are dating you are like the disappointed dad to elliot's fussy mom

He flinches with a tense inhale, but doesn't rebuttal. Elliot had already given him a nice long lecture on his issues. He wasn't about to start another one.

...]

Yeah. It doesn't. Tends to be an inconvenient bastard like that.

[There's an awkward pause, the redhead continuing to stare down at the flame, before he openly turns to Rean with a look of exhaustion, his posture loose and slightly defeated.]

...What are you trying to do here, exactly? [He doesn't have the energy to fight. If Rean was here to chide him too, then he might as well hear it.]

[sufferean]

[Pretty much, yeah.]

Yeah, that's the long and the short of it.

[As for Lutha's reaction, he definitely softens up a bit when he sees that it looks rather like he's talking to a kicked puppy.]

I'm checking up on you, is what I'm doing.

Sooga's my friend and I'm dating Elliot. I already know what's been going on, and after all Elliot told me I don't think another lecture from me is going to do you any good.

I'm not pretending that puts all of that behind us, because it doesn't. But I know you don't handle this [y'know, water] well, and giving you the cold shoulder isn't going to help anyone. Least of all you.

Yashiori Island, Dry

[bad_crowmance]

[ A young man with vibrant white hair and red eyes flops down nearby. ]

Nice work with the gun.

[ His tone is friendly, conversational. ]

[hangfire]

[jaws music.mp3

He's preoccupied trying to use his vision to dry himself off even a little bit, to try and shake his nerves. But Crow speaks up, and Lutha starts despite himself, the flame in his open palm nearly flickering out.]

It's nothing. [That is about the only acknowledgement of that compliment he is willing to give right now, gods he is so tired.] Spirits only know how long the powder's going to last in this damn weather. It'd be idiotic not to make it count.

...

[Wordlessly, he looks Crow over with all the suspicion of a feral cat. Who the fuck is this?]

[bad_crowmance]

Your guns use gunpowder?

[ He's curious okay. Guns-with-gunpowder exist back home in Zemuria, but orbal guns are far more commonplace.

....Also, if he notices that suspicion (he does), he's not letting any of it show on his face. ]

[hangfire]

[Thankfully the suspicion softens into just a flat exhaustion pretty fast. He's tired and reeling himself down from an anxious meltdown - as much as he'd rather be alone, he doesn't have the bite to follow through with his normal bitching.]

...Yeah. Most of the time. Teyvat works a little different.

I wouldn't normally be able to shoot fire magic directly from this thing.

[bad_crowmance]

No kidding. I brought my guns with me, but they don't work at all. Talk about inconvenient!

[ Said guns are not currently visible on him, but he does have a double saber strapped to his back. ]