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

[cranelike]

(Mumbling,)

An imperial treasure reduced to kitchen duty. The disrespect.

(...)

Help me up.

(Holding out one hand. Help him.)

[whiteshroud]

[ ????? indeed. But Jun goes quiet for a moment, trying to think of what that could mean. It takes a moment, but the pieces align together to a theory.]

...I see.

It was done as a precaution, wasn't it? To protect Celestia from other gods.

[missingache]

[............ well. Can't really blame Tsurumaru there.]

Would they give visions to spirits...

[Too bad his hair will just eventually bounce back to its messy self.]

[stellafortunamods]

You could interpret it that way. I can't confirm or deny it though. It's one of those 'if anyone talks about it they get smited' things.

[ SHRUG EMOJI ]

Still, it's one of the rules of this world. And that's why you can't use your Light powers freely.

[nefilim]

[tHAT DOESN'T MAKE HER FEEL BETTER -]

I... suppose so. I don't think he was even completely aware of his death as well.

[Which is. Really sad to think about, so let's move onto something else.]

I know he's long dead, and I know you mentioned those seeds that can purify the corruption to someone... But would that also purify his spirit?

[cranelike]

I got one. Kara and Kashuu, too.

(All sword spirits. He's going to try to pat that piece of hair back into place a little more... before he eventually gives up. How interesting.)

[stellafortunamods]

He'll be able to pass onto the next world, if that answers your question.

[ There's no way they can resurrect him, of course. ]

[whiteshroud]

Hm. [Ah yes. One of those. ] ... Well, it'd give reason to why all your names are listed in the Sealed Library.

[Another piece of puzzle is put down.]

I'll just have to adapt then. Anything I should be aware of when I use it?

[nefilim]

[At that she sighs, this time in visible relief. She knows bringing Durin back wouldn't be possible, but this is enough.]

So, where are the best places to find these seeds again?

[She may have stopped listening during the meeting and is very much regretting she did.]

[stellafortunamods]

Try not to.

[ A pause. ]

I'll try to shield you from the eyes of Celestia, but if you feel too much pushback when you're casting something big, it's probably a good sign that you should stop.

[stellafortunamods]

They're white and scattered around the mountain, which is useless when you're trying to locate them. They're more likely to be found on the east side, though. If you work with Shirou and Elliot, you might be able to find them faster. Once you get a working seed, plant it on the heart and it should do its job.

[nefilim]

[She hears those mumbles, and she just gives him the widest grin in response. Still full of zero regrets.

But she's nice(??) enough to help him up when he requests it, reaching for his hand and pulling him up.]

So, you gonna cooperate now?

[cranelike]

(He knows how time works, Forneus!!)

Except for the futures Celestia has predetermined for everyone...

(Tapping at the handle of his sword. He takes his time thinking,)

There's no returning to the present so we'll always be behind... Not quite in the past but not quite in the present either. (Because this past is their current present. It's easy enough for him to follow along.) The future isn't set but there's still a history that needs to happen.

... How it happens isn't important, as long as it happens. History is forgotten all the time, the details lost; as long as the end is the same, the steps can be different.

(Hello, chaos time traveling grandpa. His interpretation has always been more flexible than some others,)

[nefilim]

Mm, alright...

[Time to hit up Elliot again.]

Though is it safe to go near the heart? I know I absorbed the corruption willingly, but is there any side-effects of going near it?

[stellafortunamods]

Not if we change that predestined future.

[ Forneus puts his hands on his hips, a confident posture. ]

Or rather, it hasn't happened yet. There's a charted course, but it has yet to come to pass. For this world, the only repercussions are dictated by the gods.

[stellafortunamods]

Technically, it isn't. But if you only stay there for maybe half an hour? It shouldn't hurt you. The ice makes the heart a lot safer.

[whiteshroud]

[.......]

So in other words, I can't use my main power without risking making myself a target to some insane gods.

[G R E A T]

[stellafortunamods]

[ Forneus looks apologetic ]

I can't change that. Sorry. If I could, I would have already burned the whole lot of them down.

[cranelike]

(Sitting up in the snow, still holding her hand and....








Huffs.

He could pull her down but he'll let it go. So he'll get back onto his feet and dust himself off,)

I'll see what surprises I can make...

(Fine. He'll help. For now.)

[nefilim]

Yeah, I know.

[Luckily she had some ice nerf before.

But that seems to be her questions regarding Durin, though she hesitates. Opening and closing her mouth as she debates how to ask what else is on her mind. Which she pushes aside for a moment, arms folding tightly over her chest as she sighs.]

But... There's one thing. Won't Celestia notice how the mountain has become unfrozen, if we manage to purify it and destroy that nail?

[stellafortunamods]

It's not something they care about. Once they destroyed Vindagnyr, their job here was done.

[ It sounds depressing. ]

[nefilim]

[It SURE DOES.]

Of course. Well, that makes our job easier.

[...

Ugh, this is really uncomfortable to ask, but Forneus is technically the only person she can talk to about this.]

I'm gonna ask you something that's related to something personal. And if you breathe a word of it to anyone, I'll put multiple holes through your head.

[stellafortunamods]

[ Holds up his hands in surrender ]

Okayyyyyy.

[nefilim]

Good.

[With that, she takes a moment to think of how to word this.]

Do you know if there's... other gods, like you? Like, ones that are across dimensions?

[whiteshroud]

[There's a distorted sound that sounds like a sigh ]

If you could, I wouldn't be here in the first place.

[So. He gets it. But this is certainly an issue...he goes quiet again as he thinks over things.]

...Can I get a restraining seal? Something that'll stop me from using too much without realizing it.