JANUARY MINGLE

[stellafortunamods]

January Mingle: A Ballad in Goblets
Welcome to Teyvat - a vast magical world of adventure.
You open your eyes to an unfamiliar sight. A cool breeze flits through rustic buildings and sunny streets, carrying the smell of flowers and wine. The very air itself seems charged with mana, the warm pulse of the land palpable beneath your feet. This is a new world, a world where the elements compose all of reality. Before you is a bubbling fountain, and a key is entwined between your fingers. And that weight on your hip? A sparkling bauble that you've never seen before, yet it feels natural, as if it had always been there.

Asking around nets you the name of this world - Teyvat - and the name of this city - Mondstadt, blessed by the Anemo Archon, Barbatos. Your new home is accessible with the key placed in your hands, though this also brings to mind another question. How will you get money? Food isn't free, after all.

Luckily for you, there's plenty of jobs available for the enterprising Traveler. Be it taking requests from the Adventurers' Guild, or working part-time at one of Mondstadt's many food establishments, Mora is to be had when hard work is involved. The cuisine of Mondstadt is best paired with its wine, served at bars or enjoyed in private with a few friends.

And about that shining gem. locals will tell you that it is a Vision, a sign of favour from Teyvat's elemental gods. With the Vision on hand, you find yourself capable of commanding one of the seven elements. What will you do with this newfound blessing? Use it for good... or for evil?

Mondstadt's liveliness doesn't diminish when night falls. Bards sing through the wee hours of the night, and the lights of the city help keep most evildoers at bay. All seems peaceful, a pastoral idyll of a life that seems more at home in a storybook. Yet for those Travelers who venture out beyond the city's walls and into the ruins dotting the landscape, they may discover hints of a bloodier past now forgotten.

Glancing at any of the calendars in the city will tell you the current date. August 10th was the day you arrived. As soon as the last minute of August 16th slips away, the world around you changes. A blink, and time itself rewinds by seven days. Looking outside, the mown lawns have regrown, the windmill needs fixing again, and the well is once again full. Just what is happening here? It seems only you, Traveler, remembers the week that never was.

State of the World

For the first two weeks of the game, IC time will be looping from August 10th to August 16th. It's currently late summer in Mondstadt, and the trees are just beginning to turn out their autumn colours. The weather is cool and pleasant, with light showers on Tuesday (11th) and Friday (14th). It's also a good time to go out gathering berries and nature's bounty from Mondstadt's forests and valleys.

These two weeks will let us trial out our commissions and regains system and craft improvements for February onwards. There will be no activity requirements for January, so all threads started during this time period can be used for regains!

For all questions regarding January's mingle and events, please head over to our OOC post.

Comments

[hildahilda]

[ i need to watch MORE!! maybe tomorrow... points to eyes to netfleex.

And aww, shucks... Hilda really wasn't trying to earn the love or affection of a few stray pups, but now that she has received it... It doesn't feel bad at all. Actually, she quite enjoys this. (They're heckin' cute!!) ]

Oh, please do. It's so hot I can barely think!

[ The puppies may appreciate Hilda, but they are very curious about the man beside her as well. As soon as the first of them is sated, it waddles over to nose at Seonho's robes. A second follows, pawing at his feet—and soon, they are completely surrounded by wagging tails and tiny yips. ]

...Mmm, this is an adequate amount of appreciation, I'd say.

[ She laughs, picking up one of the pups that's climbed up on her knees and gently depositing it in his lap. ]

[redbellion]

[ Listen........ ]

I've tried it out, yeah.

[ He's had at least a day to mess around with it, which is what he ended up doing for most of the evening on his first day here. Naturally, he'd find some sort of technique to make his vision work, and he's discovered something interesting: ]

My Vision lets me create and use water. I don't know if there's a name for it, but it's different than what I'm used to.

[ Which is basically not having any supernatural powers at all. He's no Altean. ]

Are you saying not everyone has a Vision here?

[redbellion]

[ Just. So much >:/// right now?? He's so unimpressed with these bards, god. Mercifully he slows down for Elliot, and once Elliot catches up, Keith starts picking up the pace again. ]

You heard nothing.

[redbellion]

I mean, I'm no detective either. It was a figure of speech.

[ He says it a little flatly, but otherwise nods at Tio and motions at her to follow him. ]

When you said you had access to certain kinds of abilities, what were you able to do?

[redbellion]

[ do you see this shit rean ]

Yeah. Let's get out of here.

[ Keith really doesn't feel like staying here any longer; something about hearing the date and having the realization that time has rewound itself makes him uneasy. At least he's not the only one who seems to realize what's going on, but it's still leaving a bad taste in his mouth. Shit. ]

Maybe this is what they meant when they said they needed help.

[redbellion]

...

[ Byakuya you are such a goddamn weirdo. Why are you so obsessed with your sister, holy shit. ]

Alright, I'm leaving.

[ He starts stepping away...BYE??? ]

[redbellion]

[ He's fine with letting her do the talking. He doesn't mind it but he never considered himself to be the best at diplomacy. But when she returns, well, she doesn't return with good news. An eyebrow shoots up when she reports her results. Uh. ]

What? Wasn't he the one who worked on the windmill just the other day?

[pragmatism]

[ Zhongli expected this question, so his answer is immediate and without hesitation. ]

You refer to the appearance of individuals from other worlds? I am afraid that such things are also entirely unfamiliar to me.

[ It's kind of ironic, really. He too is trapped in Mondstadt, which isn't even his own territory. Never mind that he's already retired from his position as Archon, but. ]

I know it must be difficult for you to not have a way home. I have been slowly investigating the matter.

[pragmatism]

[ Zhongli isn't one to smile easily, but he gives Takame a nod of acknowledgement before he sets off along the path back to Mondstadt. There are many ways that he can begin a conversation and many things that would be useful to ask, but he's far too polite to bombard an acquaintance with trivial things in their first meeting.

So he'll just walk. Zhongli holds himself with quiet confidence, matching Takame's pace easily. If the other man has anything to ask, now's the time. ]

SEE I KNOW WHAT UR ABOUT

[eolja]

[val do not ask me genshin lore im the only mod that knows nothing about the game,

Seonho claps for the happy couple too -- out of instinct and peer pressure tbh, but his gaze isn't focused on the loving couple before him. how can he focus on them, when he has Sudden Feeling Of Dread climbing up his spine....]

-- I am not going to catch the bouquet. [Seonho says, even as Zeta's dangerous hands are still on him.] I do not even know these people -- !

[can't believe zeta has gotten seonho to lose his composure in like FOUR TAGS??? HELLO???]

[magicdrain]

[ Guys, can we get some chill in here please.

While his companions dodge their way out of the path of flying debris, Lucas doesn't move much from where he stands, opting to throw up high charges of his Vision to disintegrate whatever comes too near. Look, he's been doing this magic thing for ages, and he's really been getting in the practice with what he's been newly given.

Once the explosion has mostly settled down, he hangs back for a moment, content to let Zeta and Seonho scoop up what's been uncovered. Lucas is just here to reap the rewards without doing too much work...

He'll finally amble over when he sees Seonho picking something up, and then peek over from behind the man's shoulder. Ah... It can't be rare if it crumbles, right?? SIGHS!!! ]

Well, there are three of us. It shouldn't take long to find if we spread out and search.

[ UGH THE PAIN of having to do cooperative work!! ]

[eolja]

[yeah so sad that someone here hasn't told him the great news yet!!!!

also wow, hwi... so harsh... but absolutely true. and maybe Seonho missed that too. everyone was too kind to him back in fogtown, usa after all. they'd only see the front he shown them, and thus treated him well for it. but Hwi continues to be the only person in Seonho's life who really knows him. funny how that also hurts too, in a way.

"It's better not to. You of all people should know that."]

I can work with others to accomplish my goal. That's all I need.

[yeah we know that seonho that's the whole problem... He turns his gaze to Hwi as if he knows what he's thinking -- that this singular thread binding them together now isn't trust either, not with their history.]

What about you, Hwi?

[can you stand to be around seonho long enough to work with him too?]

[eolja]

[the what now,

but also, ochako?? how is that this next question of hers stumps him yet again,]

We only knew each other for a brief time, but I do not think we disliked each other... [seonho? what does this mean?] That is, you were kind, and I was grateful for your help. So you truly have nothing to apologize for.

[so seonho liked ochako, but he has no idea if ochako liked him bc hello who would, hahahahaha.]

Allow me to properly introduce myself to you. My name is Nam Seonho.

[eolja]

[where did this question come from!!

ig it's Claude's turn to throw Seonho for a loop, because he pauses before eating this apple slice.]

...Their hides are worth a lot if you skin them correctly. [he only knows this because his ex-best friend is a hunter,] And they're often depicted in paintings or embroidered on clothing... Why do you ask?

i thot i sent my tag a few days back rip

[extinctive]

It's... [ his eyes widen upon taking that first bite. ] Very juicy. I bet it goes wonderfully with this drink.

[ said drink even comes in a bear-shaped glass! how cute. ]

You haven't answered my question the first time, though - Are you from around here? It's not fair if you've already regarded me as a friend when you're such a mystery to me.

[extinctive]

[ being used by a little kid(?) for intel... well, figaro will be willing to share what he knows about this world for now. no use trying to hide important info from the rest when they're all on the same playing field when it comes to their powers getting nerfed.

he speaks to wagner the blacksmith and as expected, the burly man only spat out the same dialogue when figaro had inquired him about weapons the week prior. he tried talking to his son, and even the various shopkeeps and baristas along the way - nothing. just the same old, same old.

the sight of lucas at the butcher's is something new, at least. figaro waltzes up to him. ]

Any luck?

[extinctive]

Is that so...

[ weird. then again figaro has only mostly hung out in north and south countries, where local governments there are close to nonexistent due to their respective cultures... ]

Seems you were taken away from a very important matter. Will your buddies back home be able to handle it without your help? Or are you one of those lone-wolf types?

[extinctive]

[ he is the good doctor who is treating you???the bartender looks at figaro, who just shrugs and shakes his head. ]

Please, just let him have it. No strings attached. Take whatever order he wants to take too, as long as it doesn't go over my budget.

[extinctive]

Roast sounds good! Guess we'll have to share it, since I don't think I could finish it all...

[ it's so huge...... ]

As for drinks, I'll be trying that dandelion wine. We could share a bottle as well if you're able to handle it? But their non-alcoholic drinks look just as appetizing too.

[ like so. ]

[extinctive]

[ jeez, what a deep question. figaro can't help but let out an awkward laugh at that. ]

Frankly, it's the opposite for me.

[ he's the one who'd quickly move on, because relationships are fleeting for a wizard. but that's a layer to be unraveled in the next hundred years or so. ]

But surely you can catch up with them? Unless they've changed too much to your liking.

[extinctive]

[ catgirls? in teyvat? seems it's more likely than you'd believe. ]

I see. I wonder how they decided on giving us a particular artifact, in that case - it seems I can only control ice at the moment.

[ he demonstrates by holding out his hand, a tiny ice crystal manifesting on his palm. ]

now that I've spent the last 6 hours wandering around genshin: hello

[hangfire]

[He breathes out a tiredly derisive sound at the mention of the winds protection, but doesn't let his words extend beyond that. This guy is starting to sound like a priest.

He'll give the man a half-hearted shrug, not bothering to look his way as he responds.]

Not like there's much else to do out here.

Not unless you're one of the religious types or something. [...] That... is what that statue's for, isn't it? Looks way too identical to that one in town to be coincidence.

[eolja]

[Seonho watches as the ink spreads throughout the paper, his brow raised.]

Then her anger is more than justified. [we've got character motive! hell yeah!

not that he's really thinking about that right now, not when Tsurumaru is not trying to a.) tickle him with a quill or b.) pretend he can't read or write. It's interesting the way one can learn things about another, even if he's not sure what exactly this moment might mean to him.]

Should she attempt to bargain with him? Or challenge him to a duel? If it's a family treasure, then she may be willing to risk her life for its return.

[extinctive]

[ the first query was only rhetorical, but figaro can't help but chuckle at albedo's clever answer. he's not that clumsy, at least - his student who excels in potionwork would've kicked his old-man knees in if he were. ]

I see. I'd better stock up on these the next time I go out there. The less I'd be affected by the elements, the more efficient I'll be at fieldwork.

[ the elements of this world are a lot more... reactionary compared to the world figaro came from, and since he's the obligatory healer character he knows the importance of staying alive more than ever in order to continue healing up his comrades. if the healer dies, the rest will soon follow.

he continues watching albedo putting in more finer details to the drawing, nodding along as if he'd just understood what the younger boy did. now that albedo has seen the doctor up close, it seems that his interest has shifted to his peculiar eyes... and that was magic just now, wasn't it? ]

Do they not call you a wizard around here? [ hopefully it's all right to strike up a conversation while the artist is busy. ]

iv.

[extinctive]

Are you sure? The sky looks fine to me.

[ figaro was about to sneak out of the window himself, and he was surprised to see someone right outside at this late hour. he laughs as if he's caught in the middle of an act. ]

Doors exist, you know.