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

[whiteshroud]

It's beautiful...no wonder the Adepti would make it their home.

[The view was picturesque by its own right, but after spending several weeks on this frozen mountain that's covered in ice, snow and ruins? The beautiful colors of Liyue's landscape pop all the more.

But he also said he could see Liyue harbor, so he'll look around until he points southward, to what looks like some populated area by the ocean]

Is that Liyue Harbor? Over there.

[justicefang]

[Inside the house the mounds covered in blankets are gathered together in a small group. A single golden box of the sort he has seen carefully laid out rests beside them. Shirou walks to the edge of the room and kneels down.

He can’t see what the bodies were reaching for but if he had to guess.] Each other.

They had time for what was happening to sink in. [He says in the crisp professional tones he has used time and time again when acting as a consultant.]

...I can’t understand it either. Even if one gains power like that...it’s better for all involved to use it only when necessary.

[justicefang]

[Shirou subsides with a sigh and crosses his arms over his chest.] Thats about what Forneus said too.

He knows they oppose Celestia and that’s all. [And that is not a lot to go on. His tail swishes with his displeasure.] Something to think about as we continue.

[beatnest]

Huh? You can do that?

[ why did you tell him this, this is dangerous information. ]

[fortuna_tenax]

Then we definitely shouldn't just go out like nothing then- we're both unfamiliar with what we've got.

( this is what happens when the newest recruits are a jrpg hero and a superhero respectively. )

No one's going to hold it against us if we decide to just take the time to acclimate.

[poisontippedcure]

[Were Rose pressed on the matter, she would probably admit that Jun trusts her enough to come to her for help. In her time working with him, there are only two reasons he’s approached her: 1) He has something to say about Magical Girl Alisa, or 2) he’s gotten himself hurt in the line of duty and needs help.]

[Given their current predicament (and his current garb), it’s incredibly unlikely to be the former. And given what she knows about him, asking for help either means he’s gotten incredibly hurt or done something incredibly stupid. Though she can’t see any injuries on him right now, she’s predisposed to think that it’s both.]

Yes, I am.

[A pause, for dramatic effect.]

What did you do this time?

[poisontippedcure]

[That call expression is almost unnerving to her now. How does she even broach this subject? How does she address it.]

I’ll get to the point. I saw your memories, and I know who you are. Rex Lapis.

[By being incredibly blunt, apparently.]

[whiteshroud]

[.... 💧

Rose knows him too well...too powerful. Of course, being a teenager, Jun's first impulse is to deny this accusation!]

What makes you think I did something?

[He definitely did something]

[poisontippedcure]

[It’s okay, Jun. She’s been around a lot of stupid heroes. She’s also a stupid hero herself.]

Experience.

[She shrugs.]

The fact that you’re trying to avoid the question doesn’t instill much confidence, either.

writing a tag to hit me in the honey nut feelsios, don’t mind me

[poisontippedcure]

[Try as she might, she can’t escape the weight of Shirou’s words. “Each other.”]

[As a mortal herself, especially one who constantly finds herself flirting with death, it’s a feeling she understands all too well. She can just as easily imagine herself reaching for Alisaie and Alphinaud in her last moments. Perhaps, in another timeline, she did just that.]

[Her normal facade is dropped, and there’s a look of sadness in her eyes as she kneels down next to Shirou. She reaches for a flower to put on top of the mound.]

Especially if one could use it to prevent this. I wonder, do you think Celestia was the downfall of this civilization? Or something else, perhaps.

[whiteshroud]

[Jun sigh.]

...Guess there's no fooling you.

[And also you know, bad idea to do that if you're going for healing. He'll will away his shroud so it's just the black suit on now. Sure enough, the side of his face is bruised and scraped up like he had a run in with the ground.]

I just took a hit during a spar. Think it might've cracked a rib.

[From the looks of his injuries, it looks like he sparred with a truck]

Dont mind 1000+ years of grief here

[justicefang]

[He can almost taste the rage and despair of the moment he rose above the fallen. A power so sharp and distinctive like a star brought to earth.

And too late.

Only the whispers of the dead and a bloody ruin that had once been home.

Whispers that he had listened to for eons now silent in this other world.] I don’t know.

All we can do is chase the answers and give the dead their justice when the time comes. [He slowly rises to his feet and traces the edge of one wall. This was a tragedy. Why it happened he would find out. Forneus wanted them to see it and he got the message.]

...and protect the living so such things don’t happen again. [He heads for the door with eyes gone sharp and turns slightly to look back at her.] Let’s check the others in this section. There has to be a clue somewhere.

[poisontippedcure]

[Rose sighs in return. It’s like having a little brother, but the little brother is also an idiot.]

[Her healing powers here aren’t what they once were, but they’re more than enough to see to his wounds. She summons a gust of air around Jun; it feels warm and gentle, like a summer breeze. As it passes by, he should feel the pain in his ribs ebb away, even if it doesn’t disappear completely.]

I’m not sure I would call any fight that could inflict these wounds a “spar.” What did you do, challenge a dragon?

[whiteshroud]

[Thanks big sis he loves you too.

Jun will hold still while she heals her, but he does visibly relax as the wind ebbs away his pain.] Ah...thanks.

[That's much better. But oh right, he should answer her question probably]

Forneus.

[So you know, something WORSE than a dragon]

Re: Base Camp

[fortuna_tenax]

( jinx does not jump even the slightest when he makes his presence known, shut up. when she turns to face him she wears a neutral expression, but like... bro. bro. SHE'S the ninja witch how could you--

wait fuck he's got actual advice. )

Is it that obvious that I'm from someplace warmer?

( yes. )

[fortuna_tenax]

So not entirely unlike my hexes, then. ... I've never been able to just, cast anything that wasn't them. So even knowing that, part of me feels like I need to do something...

( an unexpected hang-up. gross. but that's what happens when your affinity for misfortune prevents you from doing literally anything but misfortune. ... whatever. she'll adjust. )

[nefilim]

It's not that bad. If I was a human, on the other hand...

[Then the bathroom situation would be more dire. But usually it's just used to empower her own corrupted magic, so it's totally fine. Sometimes it just tastes bad.

Also look. Some things stick even after you've forsaken god and threatened to beat their ass.]

Yeah... Yeah, I can move. [Let her just. Push herself up, wincing a bit as she gets onto her feet.] It hurts, but the pain has eased a bit.

[dispassionatedevotion]

Demons are creatures of darkness who live in sin and are deserving of damnation; not comparable to gods in light, no matter how impetuous those gods are.

[ That said, Ledah had a hard time imagining a confrontation with the gods not ending in bloodshed. He's never been a very diplomatic person, so he just assumed it will end in a fight of some sort. It's possible that it may never come to blows, but he's too cynical to believe it wouldn't. If he were more optimistic, he would consider it may be a verbal one they'd have to win. ]

It's likely not impossible, though I doubt violence is unavoidable. Most gods are slow to change their minds, and their hearts are far more stubborn. Given the strength of gods in mind, it would be to the benefit of us 'outlanders' that it would not turn into an all-out battle.

[ Whether that be because they're slaughtered or because someone was able to reason with them. He found he's still ... "disappointed" enough that he did not find himself bothered with the extermination of those responsible for this. Part of his "enthusiasm" was due to the fact he owed Forneus, and would follow his orders or will above all other gods here. ]

[fortuna_tenax]

The flowers? ... Yeah. I was wondering what was up with those... A burial rite, maybe?

( still, in her search it doesn't seem like she's found anything. )

We can check another building.

[fiddlestick]

Well, I don't know how it is in your world... But believe me, this type of corruption curse is bad for any species.

[If Durin's fate and Duvalin's plight wasn't obvious enough. The beings he saw during the Great Twilight too... it's hard to forget.

With her getting up, he moves to push himself to his feet as well. He stands nearby, ready to catch her if needed.]

Mm, you got pretty beat up. I healed what I could, but you should take it easy and rest up at least through today.

[fiddlestick]

[....Oh no. The one thing he's real bad at cooking. His smile gets a little more nervous, but - he just has to try!! Maybe it'll turn out okay!!]

Ahaha...okay, a meat lover! Sure! I-I'll make sure there's plenty of meat for you!

[Hope you enjoy your meat rock hard]

[justicefang]

[He blinks. That’s twice he’s seen Elliot look nervous. But he nods,]

Alright. We can sort everything out before we go. Any extra can be stored here at camp.

[fiddlestick]

[Jokes on you Shirou- you've never seen actually him not nervous]

Alright! Sounds good.

[infreefall]

Mm, not really. I kind of just wanted to talk?

[ shrugs! ]

It makes sense to want to get to know the people you'll be working with, right? Especially if everything they said in that meeting was true.

[infreefall]

Most of them seem like the type who like being busy.

[ bakugou would fit right in with them all... why is ledah the only calm pyro around flkajsdj ]

Hey, electricity is supposed to be hot, too, right? Can't you use your Vision to stay a little warmer?

[ be our discount pyro, claude ]