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.

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The fate of their passing cannot be changed. Celestia gives and takes away in the same breath.

[ As is the fate of many things on this world... Zhongli turns away, making for the exit, and expects Ledah to follow him. ]

Are you not cold?

...It is not the idea of changing their passing that had compelled me. I had figured that would be an impossibility, since it is obvious it has been a long time.

[ Ledah's words came out quietly, but with an undercurrent of annoyance. Being in a situation like this was giving rise to feelings he was better at controlling on the usual. But maybe because it was rare he was bothered by much.

He fell silent for a bit, refusing to answer that question because he felt it unnecessary, and began to trail behind Zhongli, before catching up swiftly. ]

I wonder if those gods responsible for this had ever attempted to speak to the people before they decided those here must face retribution.

[ The sacrificial of lives for the sake of gods will to ensure harmony would persist against darkness was nothing new to him, but there seemed to be signs of nothing of the case here. There was no reason, it seemed. And if there was, it was based more on emotion, than logic. ]

If they had ever expressed their intent, the people here would have fled instead of barricading themselves in this city.

[ Humans have strong self-preservation instincts. It would take an even greater force to stop that instinct... a force such as faith. ]

They would have survived the snow if they left Vindagnyr. However, the scorn of Celestia would hound them wherever they tried to take refuge.

...It would've followed them? Even if a single person left, Celestia would've endeavored to punish the individual, no matter how long it took?

[ It wasn't unusual, for gods to take extreme measures against a threat. And...that's why it was difficult for him to understand.

Because he didn't see anywhere that indicated that there was a threat against the gods. That these people acted as harbingers of darkness or summoned demons or monsters of the like. ]

Perhaps. A few were able to leave Vindagnyr and carry word of its fate. Their small number was what protected them from coming to further harm. If the entire city were to migrate, then they would be followed.

[ Ledah is right on the money, though. The purge of Vindagnyr was, for the most part, unfounded. Their transgression was slight, from a mortal point of view; but it was heresy to the gods. ]

... I see.

[ He didn't feel it worth giving congratulation for the gods to not completely exterminating the people because that felt like a low bar. Yes, he was absolutely judging them, though a part of himself felt as if it weren't his place. That may be because he was created to serve gods. ]

Has there ever been an instance where they have reached out in previous cases like Vindagnyr? Or has it all just been the same?

[ Zhongli... sighs. It's a few moments of silence before he replies. ]

Celestia considers itself above needless conversation.

[ So, that's a no. While it is undeniable that they've done their job of keeping out bigger dangers from the world, they've still consigned other civilizations to ruin. ]

[ Another momentary silence came—this time from the Grim Angel as he considered Zhongli's reply carefully. ]

The majority of Celestia's gods seem to act far different than the ones I am accustomed to. It has been illuminating in some ways—though of course, not for the better in regards to holding them in high esteem.

[ Even though the gods from his world had long since perished, he didn't think he could imagine them doing this. They had given themselves so freely, without hesitation—their body and souls—in order to ensure that people and light would persist.

They would not have begrudged people due to wishing to advance their civilization or deem themselves so above communication with mortals, he believed. Though they too had kept their secrets and even though he served them, there were things in the War that concerned them which would be better to not see the light of day. ]

Most of the humans still alive regard them as the rightful arbiters of this world. They do not know of what transpired here. Yet, to incite rebellion amongst humanity would only spell their ruin.

[ He knew this would happen. Yet, his contract with Celestia forbade him from acting out against them. ]

To free them from Celestia's tyranny would require another approach. Their ways may have been justified thousands of years ago, but to continue their rules in a changing world is beyond unwise.

Before all of this, I don't believe I could have imagined there would be a group that opposed gods which were not aligned with demons.

[ That being said, he's not surprised about the likely end result of humans rebelling against gods. That may be because he couldn't really imagine mere, plain, and everyday mortals going up against gods.

To be quite honest, Ledah still had no idea how they were going to best gods themselves. But he didn't think it impossible; the war back home had shown gods weren't invincible. ]

...They must think that not changing their approach will lead to ruin. But, they clearly haven't considered that the opposite may be true.

What are demons, if not gods painted with a different brush?

[ Morax would never say such a thing, but Zhongli the mortal would. ]

For those as eternal as Heaven, they rarely tolerate dissent, or consider it productive. And when words fail to sway the hearts of the prideful, then only surreptitious change remains....

[ He ends the statement with a sigh, as if he had been contemplating it all as some sort of hypothetical. ]

Perhaps the outlanders are capable of overturning their perspective without bloodshed.

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. ]

[ Zhongli is silent for a few moments after Ledah finishes speaking. He had found the angel quite interesting, as a servant of one and now contracted to another, his views would be very different from that of the others here. ]

What do you think of your host?

[ It is to Forneus' benefit that Ledah is amiable to him; the same could not be said for quite a few others. ]

He is my benefactor. I will serve his cause, and do whatever he requires of me in return, as that is my current purpose in living out this life.

[ Yeah, he's...amiable alright. That's certainly a good word for it. ]

Additionally, he seems well-suited to being a god called the 'god of time', from what I can tell.

I see. He would consider it a compliment if you ever voiced that.

[ Most of the other travelers are of lower opinion of him, though Zhongli attributes that mostly to his employment of memory manipulation.

But, back to the immediate situation: ]

If we are to reverse the artificial winter here, we would need to first address the matter of the dragon's heart.

[ Ledah will bear witness to the low opinion soon enough, though that too would be something he'd understand, given the circumstances behind their recruitment being a little dodgy. It'd make sense not everyone would accept it.

...That said, he will not accept cruel derision of his benefactor or insinuations that he's untrustworthy, should he be in the presence of it being uttered. ]

I see. I wouldn't know how, but I imagine that is something I can inquire about with the others.

[ And by this time, they have more or less returned to camp successfully. ]

Before I do so, have you any advice to impart regarding that matter?

[ Zhongli appears to think for a moment ]

I believe Forneus has told some of the outlanders about the White Tree's seeds. These trees were intended to purify and recycle magic. If you seek out Shirou or Elliot, they may already have begun searching for the seeds.

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MAY MINGLE

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