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

[reglaze]

[Her smile falters as she blinks, his statement catching her off guard. It strikes a chord somehow, somewhere deep inside her. She knows exactly why, due to the feelings it evokes, but it's something she wants to share yet. Not with someone she's meeting for the first time.

However, the flickering of emotions play out on her face, something a person attuned to a more hidden meaning might pick up on.]

O-Of course. [Ganyu regains her composure, never meaning to appear unwelcoming.] I'd be happy to help if I can. I do come from this world, just not this region of it.

[A gesture to the chair across from her serves as an invitation.]

[extinctive]

[ if he does spot the split-second reaction on her face, figaro makes no signs of point it out. it only means she's just as lonely in her own way, like how he's been for the past two-thousand years as a wizard.

but like her, he isn't about to dump all that baggage on someone he just met, and instead he gladly takes a seat across from her with a grin. ]

Thank you. Should we order while we're at it? [ he'll give a quick scan of the menu - ] Ah, I almost forgot. I'm Figaro -- a wizard who works as a doctor in Southern Country.

[ their countries are named after cardinal directions, it's fine. and boring, compared to places named mondstadt. ]

[reglaze]

[Darn these millenniumals and their issues.]

Oh, I've already eaten. A late breakfast works wonders in curbing your appetite. But please, if you'd like to, I'be happy to keep you company.

[The quick scan turns into an introduction, leaving her with a sheepish smile in place.]

As did I. My name's Ganyu, I'm... well, a traveler of sorts now I think. But I'm also a government secretary. That's the best way to put it. It's nice to meet you.

[extinctive]

[ sometimes you just live for way too long..........

but all right, if she says so. he'll just order himself a plate of pile 'em ups for the meantime. ]

Likewise. Although you must be so busy working for your region's government - are you on vacation right now?

[ do the qixing give their workers paid leaves, even, ]

[reglaze]

That might be a way to phrase it, but unfortunately, it's much like the rest of the arrivals here. I have no idea how I got here, and I'm unable to cross the borders to head back home. It really is perplexing.

[A small furrow appears in her brow as she speaks. Never mind the fact that one this world's own archons is also trapped outside of his country, there's also the issue of her memories remaining hazy.]

But I'm sure that's not nearly as jarring as it is for most of us. I could consider myself lucky in comparison.

[extinctive]

Lucky as you are, it doesn't make your circumstances a lot less troubling. This world must be going through something so dire that it needs the help of otherworlders like me to get the job done. If only we know where to start...

[ if someone like ganyu, who's from this world, doesn't know what's up, then they're at a loss. but figaro thinks that the problem itself will show up one way or another so maybe they need not look too far. this young lady is trapped here as well, after all ]

Ah, but I don't mean to put a damper on our mood. Where do you come from then, if not here?

[ his plate of pile 'em ups arrive, and figaro wastes no time wielding his fork and knife and make good work on slicing it here and there. ]

[reglaze]

Ah, yes... I wish I had any sort of answers, but I'm in the dark like everyone else. [As is her "boss", which is the most troubling part of all. Good thing she's skilled at keeping that under wraps.]

I'm from the neighboring nation, Liyue. I've dealt with Mondstadt in a governmental capacity for many years, but I've never visited. This wasn't exactly how I pictured doing so.

[There's a slightly humorous smile as she shares that piece of information. Might as well make the best of it for now, right?]

[extinctive]

[ figaro was eating while ganyu explains herself, and when it's his turn to reply - ]

Oh? And how did you picture yourself coming here?

[ there's a bit of a teasing tone in his voice, but pay it no mind. ]

Well, vacation or not, you may as well look around the city for the meantime. It might help improve governmental relations between the two nations the more you become more familiar with their culture.

[ figaro she's just a mere secretary. and he may not have any experience with politics at all, but as a traveler, visiting a new land and observing the ins and outs of it might deepen one's perspective. ]

[reglaze]

Something much more work related.

[It's more of a murmur, but that answer is easy. All Ganyu does is work, so picturing herself involved in anything is going to be work related. Spare her, please.]

Oh, that does sound like a fruitful endeavor indeed! [The adepti perks right up. How come she hasn't thought of that? Nevermind the fact she's a secretary, it's highly probable that daily operations are heavily impeded by her absence.

In fact, she's so thrilled with the idea, she stands right up and begins looking around.]

I should find something to write this all down with.

[extinctive]

Eh?

[ that's an odd answer? figaro blinks in surprise as she stands up and begins looking around for something. ah, she's totally one of those diligent hardworking types, isn't she... ]

No need to jot this all down! I was just suggesting that we could look around Mondstadt together. Even though you're from this world yourself, there's still so much to learn about the place.

[ maybe she needs that vacation more than ever, huh ]

[reglaze]

[Yes, she damn well is. Partly contract, partly dedication and sense of purpose at this point. Regardless, it all boils down to the same thing: what is time off?

In her work themed excitement, she almost misses what he says, as she's searching their immediate proximity for a writing implement. But she does indeed hear him and stops what she's doing mid-looking-under-the-table-for-some-reason. Give her a moment.]

... ah. Yes, that makes sense. [Slowly, Ganyu reemerges, now a lovely shade of dusty pink. She clears her throat.] That's also a good idea. I'd be happy to do that.

[....] You also have, um, nice shoes.

[Good save?]

[extinctive]

[ figaro looks down on his feet, blinking. well, she isn't wrong? who wouldn't want to walk a mile in these louboutins?

but he digresses, and lets out a short, lighthearted laugh. ]

Thank you. Your horns don't look half-bad either.

[ is it bad to point them out, uh ]

[reglaze]

Ah-! [Reflexively, her hands shoot up to cover her horns as best she can, which honestly, isn't that good.]

I-- they're not... [Oh, darn it. Who is she even kidding here. With a defeated sigh, she drops her arms, shoulders drooping as well.]

Uh, thank you. I suppose. I'm not used... to discussing them.

[extinctive]

[ he waves his hand casually, it's fine. ]

It's all right if you don't want to talk about it. You must have a personal reason why you had to hide the fact from people. I'm not human, if that helps?

[ just tossing it out there ]

[reglaze]

[Ganyu stops and looks at him in something just shy of disbelief. However, with all the oddities taking place, who is she to doubt it?]

No? [Is there a polite way to ask what he is? She can't really think of one. Perhaps a little more clarification will come if she leaves it open ended.

Or maybe not.]

[extinctive]

[ a shake of his head. ]

Far from it. I'm a wizard, the only ones capable of magic. Though I can only do ice for now.

[ it's so limiting... ]