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

[hangfire]

[Wow, condescending teasing!! Time to bristle up like an angry cat.

He absolutely tries to grab at her in retaliation, so good thing he only has one hand. She slides effortlessly out of his reach, leaving him stumbling to keep up after her.]

Don't you fucking start with that bullshit. I'm not the one that didn't ask basic questions and I'm not the one who's taking this as some sort of day trip.

[The sight of something else alive and active ahead of them gets him to slow with an immediate halt of his speech, his hand moving to his empty gun on reflex. Damn it, right, no ammo. Knife it is, then.

Dark eyes narrow as his voice drops.]

You familiar with this kind of goblin at all, harpy, or are we going in blind?

[nefilim]

[How he stumbles as he misses her prompts another bark of laughter from her, rolling her eyes once more.]

And you need to stop acting like everything is the biggest fucking offence you've ever heard. Seriously, how have you not popped a blood vessel or ten yet.

[But she comes to a halt as well once the hilichurls and their little camp come into view, her hand moving to rest against the handle of her claymore. Glancing over at Lutha for a moment, crimson eyes focusing on the group intently soon after. Humming under her breath, seeming as if she might actually be serious now - ]

I've fought them a few times. So don't worry your precious little head, this harpy will handle it.

[- Except not really. Of course she has to to keep being as condescending as possible, flashing a grin before she steps out towards them, whistling so they focus on her rather than him. Her prowess was full-on, frontline combat, and here is no exception.]

[hangfire]

[WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS???]

Idiot--!!

[He's not about to go running in there when she has a broadsword, so he takes the moment she just stole for him, feinting to the side to get a better look. About half are coming towards her, and half are staying back despite having their attention drawn--

Shit, they have crossbows.

Lutha plucks his knife from where it sits against the inside of his boot, irritated as his mana tugs at the Vision at his belt. This is NOT how he wanted to learn how to use this stupid thing... but he can't think about consequences.

He's finding some quick cover as he throws out his hand and lets heat rise in an unfamiliar way, a rapid spiraling of flame shooting to the ground and blowing one of the archers off their feet and into the sand.]

They're ranged, watch yourself!! [why did you betray him gun he could REALLY use your help right now]

[nefilim]

[BECAUSE SHE CAN!!!

His outrage just gets a smug look, but Anastasia does have some idea of what she's doing - when he feints, she swings her sword into a wide arc, channeling her Vision so it sends out a curve of flame that sends them flying back - and on fire. It keeps them firmly fixated on her as the immediate threat, which should make it easier for him to move.

While it's annoying to be without her usual abilities, she still has enough experience to make this a simple fight. The hilichurls aren't exactly coordinated, and it makes it easy to cut them down - though the sight of one in the back getting knocked off its feet by a blast of fire gets her attention. Sighing heavily at how there's arches, because of course there is.]

Got it~! [Her sword is large enough to block their arrows at least, raising it up in response when the others still left standing fire at her. Good thing their arrows are flimsy too...]

[hangfire]

[The remaining archers fire, and he takes his moment of opportunity as they reload, darting forward and whipping his knife out to yank in a ragged slice against one of them, then promptly jamming it into a second's leg, momentarily downing it. The archer in the sand is starting to regain his footing, and Lutha doesn't quite have his mana together quick enough... so he grabs for his pistol, taking the barrel in hand and clubbing the archer across the head.]

Stay the fuck down--

[There were four, though, and the fourth has circled around, already reloaded and hopping back and forth anxiously as it takes aim at where Ana swings her blade like a hot knife through butter, using one of those red barrels for its cover.

Without thinking, Lutha pulls as much mana as he can, aiming to hit the archer and at least down him temporarily. Except this is still new magic to him, and that barrel is very, VERY explosive.]

[nefilim]

[The ones that had been approaching her fall quickly enough, now it's just to deal with the archers. Three are down, and the other...

It takes a moment for it to dawn on her that one. It's using one of those barrels as cover, and two. Lutha is aiming at said barrel. She knows how this is going to go, so she can only brace herself from the explosion - the force enough to both kill the hilichurl and send her flying back into the lake with a resounding splash. Not in too deep luckily, but certainly enough to submerge her before she sits upright and coughs for air.]

Oh fucking seriously - !

[Now she's wet, and her wings are going to be completely sodden and heavy, and they're going to be the WORST to dry!!!]

[hangfire]

[Welp.

The barrel explodes, and he curses as she goes flying straight for the water, his chest locking up immediately.

Damn it. Damn it damn it damn it --

The hilichurl at his feet gets another overly violent club to the head before Lutha drops his gun and rushes forward, hesitant to even step in the shallows. He has to go in there, he has to do something, she's not screaming yet but--

Rip Ana but he's immediately stripping his tunic off, exposing scars that spiral across all of his exposed skin as he wades forward. But fear takes control, freezing him in place, refusing to go any further than the line of his shins where his boots still offer at least a few moments protection, looking out to where she's sitting up and wailing with a face that's gone white.]

Don't just sit there! MOVE!

[nefilim]

Just give me a second!

[It takes a moment to heave herself up thanks to the added weight of her wings, groaning at the strain on her back before she focuses on Lutha.

Who has taken off his shirt??? And looks actually terrified. The sight of his scars don't deter her, especially as she finds herself wondering what has him so spooked... Judging by what he said about the lake earlier, and now this, he has some kind of issue with water.

Anastasia heaves a sigh as she wades her way out, brushing back damp strands before spreading out her arms once the water is lapping at her shins as well. Irritated she may be, but she has no desire to poke and prod at genuine fear.]

Look. I'm fine. I'm just wet and my wings weigh a ton, so I suggest you move it so I can shake the water off.

[hangfire]

[huh what was that didn't hear you

As soon as she is in arms' reach, the redhead is reaching out with his shirt wrapped against hand, grabbing Ana by the wrist and tugging her insistently towards the shore.]

[nefilim]

[Sir??? SIR???

Ana squawks indignantly as she finds herself tugged towards the shore, stunned enough that she goes along with it. For a moment.

Then she'll just be attempting to jerk her arm from his sharply, irritation spiking rapidly as her grumbles escalate to yells.]

Listen to me, you fucking idiot! I'm fine! Now put your damn shirt back on and let me shake off my wings!

[hangfire]

[His first instinct is to grab for her again, to get her out. But the tone of her screaming seems to crack whatever state he's in, and the tunnel-visioned mindset of keeping a girl from dying slowly starts to fade.

He immediately backs away from her, quickly advancing back up the shore in a pace a little too urgent to be a true frustrated stomp.]

Get out of the fucking water if you care that much.

[It's breathy, not bothering to watch her as he tosses his damp shirt into the grass and immediately kicks off his boots.

That stupid hilichurl is rousing itself again... time to grab his gun and club the poor thing a third time, a momentary distraction while he goes and fetches his knife.]

[nefilim]

There's nothing wrong with the water.

[Is all she snaps back as she waits for him to head towards the shore, flapping and shaking off her wings once he's a good distance away. Once the added weight is off, she trudges back to shore as well - squinting at how he tosses his shirt and boots now.

That's the exact opposite of what she asked for, but fine, whatever He can walk around half-naked if he wants to so badly! She retrieves her sword from where she droped it during the blast, finally going over to put that hilichurl out of its misery as she stabs the blade through it.]

Now will you believe me when I tell you I'm absolutely fine? [Because he still seems spooked, and she just does not need that right now nor does she have the emotional delicacy to handle something like that.]

[hangfire]

[The sounds alone from the splashing of water from her wings gets him to visibly draw up, shoulders tense. But he keeps his mouth closed as he drops his knife against his belt, reholstering his gun.

He looks at her, letting his eyes travel against her face, her wings, the edges of her outfit. Nothing. Not even a pockmark.

...

Grey eyes narrow as he shoves his foot against one of the fresh corpses, turning it onto its back as he bends down to examine it.]

Forget it. Would have been my fucking luck if you-- [A beat, and he blows out a sharp breath instead of continuing.] Keep your distance from the explosives next time, got it?

[nefilim]

[Oh good he's back to normal (???)

Ana heaves her claymore over her shoulder with a sigh, taking a glance over of their surroundings to make sure there aren't any stragglers. Only to instantly bristle at his words, glaring at him sharply before huffing - her tone dipping into something mockingly sweet.]

I don't want to hear that from someone who can't even control his damn Vision. Maybe try a little harder next time, o~kay?

[At least they worked together for like... five minutes.]

[hangfire]

[At least they had five minutes... now Lutha's just right back into bickering mode as he loots the corpses for supplies.]

I'm a marksman, not a wizard. Spirits, what the hell did you want me to do, let you get shot when I had a damn opening right there?

[nefilim]

[All is right in the world, and Ana is content to bicker as she turns her attention to the ore.]

Maybe don't try to blow me up in the process, now there's an idea! And we're all wizards now, genius, so maybe you should actually try.

[Said in the most obnoxiously cheerful tone she can manage, as she takes stock of the ore... There should be enough to take back to that blacksmith.]

[hangfire]

Lighting your sword on fire isn't being a damn wizard.

[The pelt's no good on this thing, what a shame. The mask is made of bone and the construction of the weapons is function over form, so this is something primitive... but they were advanced enough to have a handheld arrow system and had their own spoken language of some sort... gods but this is weird.]

And maybe you should pay attention to your surroundings during a fight! And, oh, I don't know, talk about a plan before just running right in!

[nefilim]

That's funny, last time I checked swords didn't come with a "flame on" button.

[Anastasia has already done her own examination of them when she first went out into the wilds, so she lets him go at it as she takes some stock of the ore. It all seems to be intact for now...]

A plan? Like what? You've got a knife, a gun that doesn't even work and a Vision you can hardly use. What kind of plan could your big ol' brain come up with that didn't involve me taking the frontline. Or were you gonna do that?

[hangfire]

[Ana's words are just digging deeper at his temper and it's visible on his face so I hope she is having a great time.

He shoves the corpse back to the side.]

How about one that deals with the fucking archers before you start getting shot??? If all you're bothering to do with your own magic is to use a weapon as a catalyst for some showy party trick, then you can stuff it for telling me how to use mine freely to try and save a thick-headed idiot like you.