MAY MINGLE

[stellafortunamods]

May Mingle: Entombed City
Welcome to Teyvat - a vast magical world of adventure.
Everyone's hard work resulted in the gate to upper Dragonspine opening. These ruins have not been traversed in years, if not centuries - everything within has been lost to time and living memory. An entire city has been buried in the snow.

People once lived there. The broken buildings host damaged furniture and weathered streets. There are various cloth-covered mounds in a house here and there, accompanied by a sprig of blue flowers. Someone has laid these people to rest after they passed away.

Traces of technology can be found in the city - golden boxes that contain crystals capable of recording and playing back holograms. One of the boxes introduces this place as Vindagnyr; a land once full of greenery and life. Just what happened to these people? What caused the eternal winter?

The highest point in the city is occupied by a temple built into a Domain. Within the Domain is a pale white tree, split in half by a strange object that has fallen through the Domain's ceiling. This temple was once a site for worship for Vindagnyr's people, and even in death they continue to pray for salvation. The priests have been frozen in ice, and the sheer cold emanating from the Skyfrost Nail makes it obvious that it is the cause of winter.

The city's inhabitants worshipped Celestia. Why then were they left to die?

State of the World

On October 1st, the entombed city of Vindagnyr becomes open for exploration. Travelers can choose to look for clues or try to scavenge the city for ancient materials or tools. Recording boxes all around the city tell stories of Vindagnyr's greener past, and of the days when winter suddenly arrived. This is the cruelty of Celestia that Forneus wished you to see.

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

Comments

[nefilim]

[Some of the tension leaves her, a brief glimpse of relief. Not everyone suffered, some of them were free - and their families still live on in that freedom. It's something, even if they all forgot... Maybe that was for the best, at the time. But is it still?

Her mind drifts to the cube she found earlier, still remembering the message as clear as day. Her eyes stay focused on his own, even as she frowns softly.]

And we can bring that truth to light. [But people put so much faith in gods. Too much. Could they handle this?

Ana doesn't care, but she also knows she won't have to deal with the aftermath. Back home it's different - she's accepted she has to deal with what comes next.]

... Could I ask your help with something?

[stellafortunamods]

Ask away. I will help if I am able.

[ He cannot intervene directly in the outside world, but he could find someone to do it for him... maybe. ]

[nefilim]

I found a message, from a young man. He talked about escaping and left a message for others to join him. But any sort of markings he left behind would've been long buried.

[And if he did leave, did he leave entirely? Or is his body still somewhere on that mountain? She shouldn't care, but she wants to hope that maybe...]

I want to find out if he did escape, and if he managed to live. But I'm not sure how...

[stellafortunamods]

[ He puts a hand on his chin, looking thoughtful. ]

It's from a data cube, right? If you bring it to me, I could trace his path in the flow of time.

[nefilim]

[Immediately her expression lights up, crimson eyes gleaming bright as her feathers ruffle in clear excitement.]

Really? You can? I'll go get it right now!

[And out she goes before he can say anything. At least she returns just as quickly with the cube in hand, not at all winded from her mad rush.]

[stellafortunamods]

[ #justangelthings

Forneus is right where she left him, taking the cube from her and walking to one of the tables. He holds out a hand, and the cube levitates into the air, surrounded by those familiar glowing runes. ]

Hmm...

[ The screen before him begins to spit out lines and lines of illegible text. ]

I see him descending the mountain. Hilichurls and the like weren't abundant in the past, you know - the real danger is the snow and ice. But he's young, and determined. He went towards the sea.

[ In those distant times, the land had not yet been raised by Morax. The Archons would come into power much later. ]

He was joined by several companions. They survived on the coastline, before finding refuge further north. He would never arrive in what is now Mondstadt, but his descendants will.

[ Forneus opens his eyes. ]

The memory of Vindagnyr lived on in his children. He was fortunate to find humans from another city. Teyvat wasn't as populated back then.

[nefilim]

[Ana watches him with a great deal of fidgeting, fingers wringing together in anxious energy as she watches these runes and lines of text. It means nothing to her, especially in comparison to what he says.

It makes no sense, to be so worried over the fate of someone who is long dead either way. But she wants to hope. Hope there was a glimpse of something good in the disaster that befell this mountain.

And the man did live. He escaped and lived and didn't have to suffer this horrible fate. A breath leaves her that she didn't even realise she was holding in, closing her eyes for a moment.]

So he lived... He lived and so does his family. [It's silly, and when she opens her eyes again she flashes him a smile both bright and sheepish.]

I don't know why I was so worked up over this, but it's a relief to hear that. Thank you, Forneus.

[cranelike]

(That gets a tilt of the head from Tsurumaru. Curious, Jun...)

Hmm. You're human?

[whiteshroud]

[That question gets a shrug, because boy, that's a complex philosophical question he can't really get into right now.]

I'm a holy knight. I serve a God and have been granted abilities because of that.

[cranelike]

Is it? (Enough?) Is it everything? Nothing. Something. Less or more. Just right. Too much.

(In one of the rooms, a golden box in the center of the room catches his attention. He kneels down to pick it up,)

There are things that can't be measured. You only do what you can.

[fiddlestick]

I. Entombed City

[This isn't the first time Elliot's seen the ruins of a town like this. Vindagnyr was different from Hamel in a lot of ways, but the sorrowful atmosphere was still the same. He lingers around the area, looking at all the bodies that'd been laid to rest under blankets, as well as at the ruins that once housed these people.

He can be overheard remarking to himself quietly.]

This is a sight I was hoping to never see again...

[He shakes his head a little to himself. He feels like he should do something for these people, but he's at a bit of a loss to what for a few minutes, before he finally makes up his mind]

Do you think we can find some more of those flowers around here? So we can pay our respects, if nothing else.

II. The Princess

[Eventually, Elliot will join in the search through the city for clues. It's heart-wrenching, finding household objects that these people probably once used, now abandoned and frozen to the cold. But like others, he's eventually drawn to the golden boxes lying around. It reminds him a little of an orbment back home, so it just takes some fiddling before he gets one to work]

Hey, I think I got it-

[The hologram begins to play, a young woman with a crown and a flowing dress: royalty, most likely. She looks ill, sometimes her words interrupted with coughing as someone off screen can be heard calling her princess in concern.]

"My father, the head priest, is still at the temple. While he's gone, I've continued working on the flower mural in the shelter for the sick and injured, as he requested. I pray--" [She coughs, and then corrects herself, as if she doesn't want to appear weak in front of those watching her.]

"- No, I have faith the mural will help and Father will get Celestia to listen to us again. Then they'll drive away this winter for good. We just need to hold on a little longer..."

[She breaks into another fits of coughing, and then the recording ends. Elliot stares at the box, both sad and confused by the information]

They tried to fix this with...praying and a mural?

[Elliot is all about the power of the arts, but even he thinks this one is a stretch. ]

III. Wildcard

[Got another prompt for me? Hit me up at neutronstar or just comment here!]

Entombed City

[evilisnotatoy]

[Even knowing as little of this world as he does, he'd pieced together enough from the ruins he'd seen on the climb that the sight of the bodies brings somber acceptance rather than surprise.]

...Your opinion is noted.

[Said opinion shall also be ignored if he finds anything not on the bodies that would be of use. What's the point of appeasing the dead at the cost of the living, after all?

Still...]

...It seems wrong to leave them like this. This was meant to be a home, not a tomb.

II

[evilisnotatoy]

It makes one wonder why anyone bothers to pray to gods at all? Neglecting their duties to their people without explanation seems a common theme.

[Granted, he is decidedly biased and Forneus at least seems to be making some attempt, but three out of four examples being useless at best is not a great track record.]

[fiddlestick]

Well, people have their reasons. I don't think praying's a bad thing.

[That's the most diplomatic way he can say it. He's not gonna take a strong stance when his best friend belongs to the church.]

But ... you shouldn't expect a god to solve all your problems. And I really don't see what a mural would do.

[evilisnotatoy]

I concede that praying itself does no harm, provided that one doesn't expect an answer.

[He crosses his arms, giving the box a critical look as if trying to intimidate it into telling him its secrets.]

...She mentioned flowers. Perhaps it was an offering. [A pause, and his tone becomes somber.] ...Or perhaps it was simply to convey their hope for spring.

[fiddlestick]

[...]

...Yeah, maybe.

[He's hesitant to criticize them too much. Because yes, at a glance it feels like there is more this princess could've done. But..it's not like he was there, in that situation. And it's not like anything he said now would bring them back]

Too bad it didn't work...from the looks of it.

[dispassionatedevotion]

Entombed City

[ Ledah hadn't anticipated to see the sight he had. Indeed, he did imagine there would be a wreck, ruins, or something of that nature. But frozen bodies were not something he considered; he wondered if him not thinking of such a thing meant he had been too limited in his thinking.

Either way, he's definitely stumbled upon one or two already given that he's been poking around the houses, or what's remained of them. He's silent as death as he moved around, expression quiet, though when someone approached, he won't say anything.

He's still not good at this talking to people thing. ]

The Skyfrost Nail

[ Ledah stood a ways from the tree, with an expression that seemed plain but unmovable as always. But...his eyes were on the priests encased inside, staring.

It's a pitiful end, to people who had been so dependable on gods. As he thought this, there's a slight shadow that came over his face. When he felt the presence of another, he'll turn to face them, expression cold as the frost that surrounded them. His words came with a familiar, but single-minded determination as he spoke them. ]

We have to destroy it.

Wildcard.

[ Feel free to hit me up with something else or leyfi @ plurk; Ledah will definitely be around, doing things. ]

Entombed City

[dispassionatedevotion]

It appears to be the case.

[ Had it brought them peace, that someone acknowledged their passing? ]

...Perhaps it was relatively recent.

[ Though how recent was up in the air. ]

[whiteshroud]

I. Entombed City

[Jun had pieced together what they might find before they arrived on the peak, but it didn't make seeing such a sight any less unsettling. It's one thing to know that people died, it's another to see the results of it firsthand.

As everyone reacts to the bodies, he hangs back. He's wearing his hood to keep himself warm, so it's hard to make out his expression. His head is lowered though, either he's quietly praying or he's just trying to avoid eye contact as people react. If you approach him, he may be able to give some information though.]

II. The Temple

[It's only natural Jun would be drawn to the Domain. Domain were essentially the same thing as Eclipse, which meant it fell under his usual line of work. Besides, he wanted to get to the bottom of this.

It's cold as hell in the Domain. Even someone trained to endure extreme conditions and pain like Jun is slowed by it. Still, eventually he makes it far enough in to see what secrets lay within, and even he's stunned as he takes in the scene]

...Jesus Christ...

[It's a horrifying sight for anyone to see. But between the temple setting, the priests, and the shattered trees that remind him of the spirit trees the Orden grows ... this hits a bit close to home for Jun.]

III. Breather Time (feat. Dog)

[Eventually they have to return to camp. The atmosphere is quiet, somber- no surprise there. Jun has his hood down as he warms himself by the fire. But he isn't alone. Minako's dog is laying next to him, with his head resting on Jun's lap. The dog seems pretty down, which is pretty expected considering his real master's gone. Jun meanwhile seems a little...stiff, as if he's not sure what to do about this animal. At all.

Looking over a person next to him, he'll try asking. ]

Hey...do you know anything about taking care of dogs?

IV. Wildcard

[Got another prompt for me? Hit me up!]

Out and About

[missingache]

[Having a robe draped over his shoulder out of nowhere makes Roxas tense up. The voice that accompanies this act doesn't sound unfriendly, but he's still going to slowly look back at whoever this is.]

Uh... I think you need it more than I do.

[He does have his coat on. Even if it doesn't keep much of the cold out.]

I

[missingache]

[That was a strange remark to overhear. Roxas hasn't ever been in a place like this. Sure, he's been stuck in a winter hell scape, but there hadn't been bodies laying around. If this guy had seen something like this before, then.... yikes. That's rough.

The other comment he'll reply to.]

Pay our respects? What does that mean?

[How do you pay respects to a dead body?]

[fiddlestick]

[Elliot pauses briefly at the question, because Roxas sure looks old enough to understand the meaning of doing that for the dead. But...hey, you know. He knows two preteen looking girls who were actually test tube babies - so maybe he shouldn't assume!

So he'll just gently explain]

It's when you do something to honor the spirits of the dead, and show that you care.

[stellafortunamods]

Because you care.

[ Forneus' eyes glitter with amusement. ]

That's very human. Kindness is a good thing to have. [ Pause. ] No need to thank me, I barely did anything.

I. Entombed City

[missingache]

[This entire place was it's own hell. Going from one winter to another, without anyone Roxas knows here (that he's aware of), in a way makes him regret agreeing to help. If only his friends were here. Heck, he'd take Vanitas over complete strangers.

Or that very familiar coated stranger standing away from everyone. While everyone panics about dead bodies, which was understandable, Roxas was more preoccupied with this situation.]

.... Orden?

[whiteshroud]

[Jun hadn't noticed Roxas among the new arrivals, mostly thanks to him keeping his distance ever since he had put two and two together about what's going on. So when he hears his old code name said outloud by a familiar voice, he's shaken from whatever thoughts he was lost in and looks over in surprise.

Or, we assume it's surprise. It's hard to tell with the hood]

Roxas? You're here?