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

[fiddlestick]

[It's only the swing that Elliot realizes that his attacker was not a monster but someone pulling a prank. His eyes widen as he sees Tsuru now frozen on the spot in this frozen wasteland. Yep. This is bad alright.]

Ah- oh crap! I'm so sorry! I thought you were a monster!

[extinctive]

[ of course he's with her all the way; even he hadn't anticipated the abnormally freezing temperature upon arriving at the peak of the mountain. and he thought his cryo vision can serve as an immunity from the harsh temperatures...

what he did anticipate somewhat, was the remains of this once abundant city laying to waste. figaro's smile is somber as he sidles up besides persephone, looking at this rather depressing landscape. ]

It is upsetting, no matter how you look at it. These humans did nothing to anger the gods as far as we know, and yet they were forsaken by the very beings they worshipped. It's despicable.

[ he sheds his doctor's coat, and hands it to her. ] Here. You definitely need this more than I do right now.

[extinctive]

We weren't the first ones to be summoned here, were we? But that might mean we are going through the same motions as those people.

[ if they fail this mission, does that mean forneus will have to make his next group of adventurers go through a couple more timeloops in mondstadt again? jeez. ]

[cranelike]

A monster?!

(Now he's just insulted. He huffs and puts his one free arm on his hip, looking annoyed,)

Are you saying I look like a monster?

(EXCUSE YOU, HE IS BEAUTIFUL? A CULTURAL ARTIFACT? AN ACTUAL NATIONAL TREASURE???)

[unfriendliest]

[ unlike tsurumaru, the sound makes ookurikara tense, though he follows without question. ]

It sounds strange. Not like a real dragon.

[ dvalin's roar is still fresh in his mind, as if it were only yesterday that they'd fought. it almost sounded like that, but... off. and with all the talk of the corrupted remains of a dead dragon in the meeting... this really won't be good. ​]

[cranelike]

(Yes. He's so delicate. Except for the fact he's regained his ability to be thrown through walls and get back up like nothing happened. So maybe he isn't that delicate after all. Hm.)

Ah! We're the same!

(He puts one hand on his hip as he speaks,)

Have you practiced with it yet?

[fiddlestick]

Well when you lunge out at me and all I see is a white form- yes?

[Elliot feels bad, but he's also not here to protect any delicate sensibilities. He's more concerned at this guy being trapped]

Hold on, I'll use Ameno to break the ice. It might hurt a little, sorry.

[cranelike]

They say history repeats.

(So it would make sense if they're just following in the same steps of he last group of summonees.)

Then we should offer something, too. Have you seen where these flowers might have come from?

[nefilim]

[They won't have to search long for the source of the sound, the currently draconic angel having taken to the skies in search of... something. When Tsurumaru and Ookurikara approach though, it doesn't hesitate to turn towards them. In her mind, Durin only sees them as potential playmates, the birdsong still filling her ears.

Which means her course is now set towards them, another twisted roar escaping her as she lands before them and charges, uncaring of who she attacks first. While she can't set anyone on fire thanks to the winter of the mountain, she does still have the strength of the dragon.]

[justicefang]

[Shirou rewards him with a flat look. He seems hardly bothered too. This is just a dance he’a done so many times.

He settles in with just that in mind. It’s a learned practice.] You came up to me. You’re not going to see what I intend to do when I get there?

[Like a mink, this one.]

[cranelike]

(A crane, actually, thank you.)

Ah! Is that an invitation? (He looks excited,) Then I accept.

(Because any chance to get away from these bodies and the memories they bring up for him is a welcome opportunity.)

[cranelike]

— Pardon the intrusion~

(Says Tsurumaru as he just waltzes in without even looking sorry. He's been in a mood all day ever since they found the city.)

It's been a while.

(Since they last spoke.)

[justicefang]

That matches up with what he said. [Shirou says as he writes it down in his journal.]

He said it was the curse of the abyss. Does that sound familiar to you. [And even if he is suppressed by the magic of this place he absolutely can’t touch those stones anymore. The risk of what he would become is too great.] I was told they are in direct opposition to Celestia.

[cranelike]

My first thought would have been a ghost before a monster...

(He's absolutely judging Elliot right now but wow wait? He holds up a hand to stop Elliot,)

I can do it, I can do it.

(He's just going to reach for his sword at his waist, unclasping it from his side. Like him, the sheath is all white with gold fastenings. It actually... resembles him? Like it's all part of some common aesthetic. Hm. Anyway, he holds his sword vertically, still in its sheath, and brings it down on the ice at his feet. The force is much stronger than what one would expect and at least at his feet, it seems to shatter. That just leaves the part of his robe that's stuck to this ice wall of wave.)

Do you think you can dry me off, instead.

(And this time with his sword (again, still sheathed) he pierces at the wall and


breaks off a chunk that just hangs from his sleeve instead. Don't mind him trying to shake it off now.

Shake, shake-- hitting himself in the face with it.)

[cranelike]

(He's just a grieving spirit and "fight" is definitely one of the stages, right? It doesn't take them long to find the source and Tsurumaru's eyes flash for a moment when he sees the source--)

Ah.

(He recognizes her. It's Ana. And yet, that doesn't stop him from drawing his sword,)

It looks like our friend has gotten into some trouble, Kara.

(Corruption. How familiar,)

Let's take care of it.

(Before others come. Before anyone can get hurt.)

[extinctive]

Oh, they're all over the mountains. Particularly inside of caves. Seems they thrive more in a harsh environment like this one.

[ he gave some to persie a while back, shh ]

It might take us an entire day to offer each person a flower, though. I don't think anyone here has survived at all.

[justicefang]

[Shirou steps to the side and gestures loosely.] Come on then. Show me where it is.

[Deep down getting away from these bodies will pull him out of memories himself. It isn’t hard to look at this and remember how he felt on that terrible day a thousand and more years ago.]

[fiddlestick]

Same difference where I'm from....

[He's from an JRPG world, so it's a safe bet that anything you can think of has probably tried to kill him at some point. Ghosts on many occasions!

Elliot holds off on the ameno spell when Tsuru protests, watching him. He notices the sword, but mostly it strikes him as a sign this is one of those vain aesthetic type of fighters that prioritize aesthetic over everything. Whatever. His concert partner is the same way.

In fact he won't even act surprised at Tsuru breaking the ice with his sword. He's lived a life. ]

Nice sword move! But sure hold on--

[And then Tsuru hits himself in the face. He winces empathically ]

-- Oh, careful there! Are you ok?

[joies]

It can be hard to fathom, but for the incredibly devoted the gods are the very center of their lives. Anything less would be unthinkable.

[Also Elliot your dad... Please, Olaf, sir.

Though Persephone is speaking based on her own experiences of such faith, forced as it was, and the still eternal siren call that Arcadia has for her kind. It's not very pleasant to remember, so she sighs after a moment as she casts her eye towards their surroundings.]

I just hope that there are some who still managed to escape, despite this.

[cranelike]

(Just gonna bundle up his scarf around him and skip ahead then. All things considered, he's coping by acting as whimsical as ever,)

This way, I think. (Maybe. He's still figuring out this city.) Stay close! You wouldn't want to lose me.

(Because hes' all white in the snow. Get it?)

[cranelike]

(It would have been more accurate if he'd assumed Tsurumaru was a ghost! But ugh. He's just going to hold his face. He's fine but considering it's the only part of him not completely wrapped in winter clothes, it kind of just... stings?)

I'm fine, I'm fine.

(Waving one hand in the air (not one with the frozen sleeve) and rubbing his face with the other,)

... How does it look?

(A little red on the cheek tbh.)

[missingache]

[One day Roxas will be sturdier again, too.... one day...]

Not really. I don't know what to do with it... it doesn't feel like the magic I used back home. And I don't have the weapons I'm used to with me, either.

[justicefang]

You think. [He sighs and walks with him, keeping pace even as he scans around. No signs of a fight. It's just a silent town.

It's haunting. He focuses on his companion.] As if I'd lose you with how you're skipping like that.

[He's a wolf through and through. Movement will always catch his eye.]

[cranelike]

I never used magic back home. (He waves a hand in the air,) Master handles the magic and I do the fighting.

(They are apparently two different things.)

This mountain has the same magic as us, though. I wonder if that makes it better or worse to try...

[cranelike]

I'm not trying to lose you.

(If he wanted to slip away, he could. Maybe, He's pretty flighty (heh).)

So. (So,) Do you plan on introducing yourself to me?