stellafortunalogs | MAY MINGLE

MAY MINGLE

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[It's a quiet, peaceful afternoon in Forneus' office.

And it's promptly ruined by a storm of anger and distress in the form of one Anastasia who bursts in, slamming the door open. He isn't to blame for what they saw, but that doesn't mean she'll be reasonable about this.]

What the actual fuck is all of this, Forneus?!

[ Poor Forneus, just minding his own business looking over data. He quickly raises his arms in a sign of surrender ]

Whoa, whoa, whoa there young lady! I'm gonna have to ask you to be more specific.

You knew what was up here! And you didn't warn any of us!

[It would be more potent if they found it themselves, yes, but that's not the point!!!]

And where were you when this happened!?

I was in the interdimensional void doing time maintenance.

[ It's true!!! ]

You didn't ask, so I thought you wanted the surprise.

Time - [Huh???]

Time maintenance? No, whatever, that's not - [Deep breaths, Ana, deep breaths.]

The... surprise? What the hell would make you think anyone would want the surprise of something like this?

Well, I don't know. You didn't tell me to tell you, and I did say this place would demonstrate Celestia's cruelty to you.

[ vague handwavy time god motions ]

It's a mountain full of corpses, and you didn't think it warranted any warning. Any at all.

[There's a number of ways to respond to this. Many things a rational, calm person would do. But Ana is neither of those things right now.

So she decides to storm closer, rearing her fist back to aim it right towards his face.]

[ To his credit, Forneus doesn't flinch. He just stands there as Ana punches him in the face... through his face. There's a clear, gaping hole where her fist went through, but there's no blood or gruesome innards that one might expect from smashing another's skull in.

Of course. Gods don't have skulls. Gods don't have organs... ]

[There's no resistance, no feeling of flesh and bone, no... anything. Her fist goes right through his head, and she flinches back as if she's the one been hit.

And just like that, her anger evaporates; instead replaced with shock and confusion.]

What? You aren't... solid?

[ Luckily for the both of them, he walks backward to disengage her hand from his face, then pats himself. Pretty solid-looking there. ]

For certain definitions of solid, maybe.

[ This is just an avatar. His real body is elsewhere. ]

Would you like to punch me again?

[Ana takes a moment to flex her fingers in stunned surprise, looking back at Forneus and squinting intensely.

Before choking on air for a moment when he asks if she would like to punch him again since NO SHE'S GOOD THANKS-]

Uh. No. Once was enough.

[She will, however, approach him for another reason. Mostly to take his hands in hers and test for solid-ness.]

[ Forneus stands still and lets Ana grab his hands. His skin feels smooth and cool to the touch - there's no human body heat in his form, but he seems mostly there.

Mostly. There's also not much weight to his hands, or to the rest of him either. ]

[She holds his hands in hers for a moment, canting her head slightly. Similar but not completely... almost like a doll.]

Is this your actual body?

[ Forneus shakes his head a little, like how a dog would shake off water, and his face reforms so he can talk properly. ]

Yes? And no. I am kind of a multidimensional being. This is my body... while I'm here.

[Oh, okay, that's kind of weird. Though she just makes a slight face, before realising she's still holding his hands. Time to just... gently puts them back to his sides, now focusing on something much more important. Like what he's saying.]

So... You have like, a projection of yourself for each world?

[Pause.]

And do you actually look like this?

Yes... and no. It's complicated. There is one of me in each possible future, yet there is only one of me in the entire universe.

[ something something four dimensional time stream stabilization something ]

If you were to see me in my true form, you would go insane and die. I would dearly not wish such a fate upon you. I take a disguised form so that I don't burn everyone else's eyes out.

[Oh boy, this is rapidly reaching the scope of her already limited knowledge concerning space and time. Her brows furrow as she mulls over this, now dearly wishing Ran or Sonali were here - they would understand this way better.]

I... don't really get it, so I'll just accept that you're here and there's only one you right now.

[Said with a firm nod to herself. Now her arms fold over her chest, the truth about his actual form not too surprising considering that's a bit similar to how true angels are in her world.]

If I were in my actual state I might be able to handle it, but I'd rather not risk it. And at least you fit in with the other gods by being a cute guy.

[ That gets a slight chuckle out of him as he makes a pointed motion to smooth his hair back - it had become messy when she punched him. ]

My, thank you for the compliment. I picked this form because it looks quite cool. To me, at least.

[ ?????? ]

[It's just an objective observation!!!! She blanches a little when she realizes what she said, but. Whatever. It's fine.]

I guess so. Did you see someone like that and decided to copy them? [Back to being a shit. Though...]

... Sorry for punching you. I know you don't think like how we do.

I hybridized a few traits that I saw and liked. No harm was done to mortals in this process, rest assured: I only copied parts of their style.

[ He tilts his head. ]

Don't worry about it. Being upset after seeing Vindagnyr is only natural. [ He sounds more serious now ] Knowledge of this place is restricted to only a select few. Celestia buried the evidence all in snow.

The eyes were a good choice.

[That's all she says about that. It's a topic of anxiety for her usually, but also something she takes pride in. After all, a dear friend has red eyes too.

Though her own expression falls slightly as the topic changes to that city.]

It unearthed some bad memories. [That's all she says, before she heaves a sigh, reaching to run her hand through her hair in a motion that yells exhaustion.]

It's so cruel... To leave their own people to die in such a painful way. Do you know if anyone escaped?

Some did. They eventually arrived in Mondstadt and settled there. Over time, the memories of that entombed city too faded away. Spring returned under the graces of Barbatos.

[ He meets her crimson eyes with his own, clear and bright like gems. ]

For them, forgetting was less painful than remembering. But in being forgotten, Vindagnyr was lost, and the truth of the gods along with it.

[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?

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. ]

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...

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