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

commission!

[picolin]

[ link ]

Eeeeh ... It should be here, I believe.

[ It had started with a spot of idle chatter while hanging around the bulletin board. 'Oh, are you thinking of doing one of these strange quests?' 'Haha, they sure are unusual, aren't they?' 'Hm, but this one looks fairly harmless, doesn't it? Though I'm not certain I could pull it off alone ...' 'Really! If you'd have me, I'd be glad to assist you!'

The flow of conversation had been so easy and thoughtless that it's not until they're actually standing before the door to a certain Charles Mingle's humble abode that Serpico realizes just how weird this situation is. He's been helping keep them oriented in these unfamiliar streets, guiding the two of them to the required location for the job, and Serpico gives a sheepish little smile as he scuffs a hand through his hair. ]

Once again, I'll do my best not to be a hindrance for you. But please do forgive me for my shortcomings, Sir Figaro. I've some confidence in my reading and writing, but a herald is meant to prioritize geography and tactics over literature, in the end.

[extinctive]

[ is their situation really that weird, though? maybe it is, but figaro can be too easygoing at times. one can chalk it up to how friendly and helpful everyone is in southern country, where the inhabitants have to pitch in together as a community, so no use acting like they're strangers when they're going to know more about each other in the coming months. ]

And once again you won't be, Serpico. It's not as though a doctor like myself is qualified for this odd job myself.

[ a magical doctor who's lived for far too long, anyway. he raps on the door and they're greeted with the relieved face of charles mingle, who ushers them inside and offers them tea and snacks as they're to sit down on the couch. hold on, let him get the necessary materials for a bit-- ]

And there's nothing wrong with specializing one over the other either. Who knows, maybe your experience as a herald might be a nice setup for a story we're about to help compose.

[picolin]

[ 'Doctor,' he notes to himself. 'Easygoing. Seems intelligent enough. Open-minded and personable.' All positive enough observations. Though, for whatever reason, he can't quite shake the gut feeling that Figaro is a little too accepting about the situation. ... perhaps he's simply more acclimated to these sorts of things? ]

Haha, do you think so? The job of a herald isn't a terribly exciting one.

[ Neither is that of a valet-cum-glorified-punching-bag, but he's not going to say that out loud. ]

But I suppose it may be be interesting enough to younger folk. If we're to be writing something for audiences of all ages. [ Pause. On second thought, Figaro had been the one to accept the job first, and he'd come tagging along at the last moment thanks to a tip from the adventurer's guild. ] ... we are assisting with a book in that vein, correct?

[extinctive]

[ oh, right, they have to decide on a genre of this book first. charles mingle returns right on cue, settling down on a seat with his pen and paper ready and gesturing to the two to start brainstorm. ]

Well, that is the original plan. But to tell you the truth, I always end up picking the same types of books if I ever go out and shop for them. And even then it's been a long time since I read one? So I'm not too sure what's "in" in your world, Mr. Mingle.

[ charles mingle merely waves his hand like don't worry about it! he's flexible. he even jokingly mentions that he'd write erotica for a nice change of pace. ]

Erotica? My, my. You sure you want a doctor's expertise on that? [ his laugh is light. ] If we want this book to be a success, it has to set itself apart from its other competitors. I imagine it's hard to write a book about that without alienating your audience. [ hm. ] Well, we could always glean from experience if nothing else. Do you have something to share to the class, Serpico?

[ tommy wiseau voice: anyway how's your sex life ]

[picolin]

[ Ah. He. Doesn't like where this conversation is going??? He'd been nodding along with the conversation, perfectly placid and obedient, like the perfectly lapdog, but stiffens slightly the instant he hears the word 'erotica.' Because while he isn't familiar with the word itself (no such thing as erotica in his days!), he can ... hazard a guess at what it is.

Too bad Figaro turns towards him before he can fully steel himself for this vein of conversation. ]

Aaaah ... [ That half-hearted noise trails off into a vague noise, and Serpico makes a vague gesture with his hands. ] ... I, ah.

[ Oh. This is hard. He's used to navigating odd social situations, but this one is utterly new, and it takes him a moment to try and orient himself. And he can't help looking just a little awkward (for real this time, not fabricated), as he rubs a hand at the back of his neck. Surreptitiously giving Figaro a look that says 'go easy on me???' ]

Well, I should be able to chime in with some suggestions. I can't claim this is exactly my area of expertise, but ... you are our employer, Sir Mingle. I'll do my best to oblige.

[ It's fine! It's fine. Sure, he's a knight working for the church, but he did grow up in the slums, hearing and seeing plenty of unsavory things. How saucy could things get? It'll be fine! Surely!!! ]

[extinctive]

[ ...ah. of course any self-respecting person would be too shy to share any of that savory stuff. but catching serpico off-guard and seeing that reaction makes it all worth it, figaro thinks. he could go easy on the poor guy, but where's the fun in that?

the all-too bright and mischievous smile is still plastered on figaro's face even as mr. mingle cuts in with a laugh, saying that serpico shouldn't be forced to divulge anything that he doesn't feel like sharing. "ah, but does that mean you have some level of experience yourself, doctor?" he asks curiously. ]

Mm, who could say? [ he says teasingly. ] While I'm also not obligated to tell anyone of that aspect of my life, I'm still a doctor after all. I have to ask my patients if they did this or that during examinations, but only that.

[ so he doesn't get why serpico's being bashful about it?? smh. ]

Anyway, we should start brainstorming. As I said earlier, we have to differentiate this novel from everything else in the market. To be honest, it's been a while since I sat down and read a book from start to finish myself, let alone one of erotica. But what if we focus on the more emotional aspects of sex? Something that most people can relate and ruminate upon after reading it... We could probably make the main character a herald as I suggested to Serpico earlier.

[ not as a self-insert (although it'd be very funny if it were), mind you. just throwing darts on the wall and seeing what sticks. ]

[picolin]

[ Oh my god Figaro, you can just say S-E-X so casually like that? He'd been thinking over what to say next, and Figaro may or may not notice the way Serpico inhales just a little more sharply at that. And then a muffle cough at the next sentence. ]

A -- a herald? Ahaha, surely, you jest! It's quite the unglamorous job, and doesn't leave much time for socialization! Let alone any sort intimacy.

[ He's good at maintaining a poker face, but even he's not that good. And as he realizes what he just said implies about his own sexual status, his cheeks pink juuuuust a touch.

So there's a pause before he clears his throat. Fine. Fine! He'll talk about something, just to change the subject a little bit and divert the attention away from himself! ]

But, ah. I shouldn't be saying this, but there are knights in the Order I serve who manage to maintain relationships with women. Whether it be with the prostitutes in the refuge camps, or with women who'd like to show their gratitude or earn an individual's favor. I imagine the former option may be a little too lacking in, ah, romance, to be of much use for your book, but perhaps the latter may be appropriate?

[ Okay, that's enough, right? Giving Figaro another sideways glance asking for help as he peters off. ]

And many of the nobles who serves as knights do keep lovers as well as legitimate wives. Though I'm afraid I wouldn't know of the details of such arrangements ...

[extinctive]

[ you can't just make the doctor stop saying the word sex?? he's still a professional, despite his propensity to drink and be merry. throwing serpico under the bus repeatedly has been fun, he's not going to lie, but he will genuinely help the poor herald out if he needs to. the human did mention knowing how to read and write, but how much education did he actually get?

not that it matters. figaro may be a teacher to his fellow wizards in the south as they prepare to combat the great calamity in the near future, but he's a doctor first and foremost. perhaps he'll teach him about the birds and the bees sometime? ]

Oh, that'll do. [ he brightens up at serpico's contribution, like he didn't just make the guy indirectly admit that he's sorely inexperienced in that field. ] I think a nobleman who's been trying to find love in all the wrong places would be relatable to the masses; I'd go for making him a knight, but I'm not sure if the Knights of Favonius would take it lightly...

[ it's too scandelous, ok. they're in this for the long haul now. charles mingle nods and continues jotting down notes, asking them about the general plot and feel of the story. ]

Well, obviously it's going to be sexy. But a nobleman seeking love in anyone who takes even a little bit of interest in him would have his comeuppance at one point - and I think it's only fair that he'd get his just desserts once he's driven in a corner. Wouldn't you think so?

[ he turns to serpico again. at least he's no longer going to embarrass him from here on out? maybe. ]