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]

[He had been aware that Ana had followed after him into the Domain, but it was easy to forget the presence of anyone else upon a sight like this. Having the orb of flame near him helps him from freezing to death, but emotionally he still feels the icy pain.

Still, he heeds her words quietly and takes a step back. ]

...I'd pieced together what happened here already, but to use the temple to house the source of these people's demise...

[Jun had always known such places to be safe places. Even when cities were dragged in hell itself, the grounds of churches and temples provided refuge to anyone who sought it. For this one to be twisted in such a way...what Celestia did was already evil and cruel, but this only twisted that knife. ]

[nefilim]

[It probably helped that, for once, she wasn't her usual loud and boisterous self. She hangs back still, arms wrapped tightly around herself as she sighs heavily - the flame still bobbing next to Jun as he steps away from the nail.]

It's a fucking sick joke.

[To put it mildly. They had certainly been told of Celestia's cruelty, but seeing it like this was... Well, it's a lot to take in. And even with her own aversion to religion, using the holy ground as the center point of all this pain is too much.

This was where they had worshipped Celestia, and this is all they got in return. It makes her sick.]

... We shouldn't hang around for too long.

[whiteshroud]

[...

Jun is quiet for a moment, looking at the priests frozen. From the looks of it, they prayed until the very end. Prayed to gods who left their dying prayers unheeded as they had already condemned them to damnation. No one had given them a funeral or their last rites.

It's wrong to leave them without doing anything, the idle thought passed by, only for his mind to grab onto it and form it into an idea. And as Ana was about to learn, once an idea forms in Jun's mind? There's little stopping him.]

Forgive me, Father. I can't call upon you this time. [He can be heard saying that quietly to himself as he steps forward once more towards the frozen priests. When he can get as close as possible without touching the priests, he kneels down on one knee, clasps his hands together and starts to pray ... to Barbatos.]

Lord Barbatos, please take these souls upon your winds
Guide them to the land of eternal rest.
May the souls of these faithful departed,
through the mercy of Barbatos, rest in peace.
Amen.

[As Jun says the prayer, he appears to be in pain. Part of it is the cold, but there was something more to it. It's enough pain to cause him to stutter once or twice, and yet he endures it until he finishes the prayer.

When he does finish, he'll staggers back to his feet, unsteady now. His hand moves to clutch unto his upper right arm, as if he hurt himself. Going to be feeling this one alright.

Finally, he nods to Ana.]

...Alright, let's go.

[nefilim]

[She's quiet as she watches Jun, brow raising as she waits - only for her expression to tense at that quiet whisper, her frown deepening more so when he kneels down and prays. Yet it's not to who she was expecting, and she just heaves a sigh and turns her head away; tuning out the prayer. She has no desire to snap at him about it, especially considering what he's praying for, but neither does she really want to hear it either.

What she does pay attention to is how he staggers to his feet, her eyes focusing on where he clutches his arm. But she doesn't say anything yet, instead nodding in return before turning on her heel to head out; the orb of fire still floating beside them.

It's only when they're further from the nail and splintered remains of the tree that she speaks up.]

What's wrong? You looked like you were in pain.

[whiteshroud]

[He's quiet as he walks away from the frozen priests. While he's a little slower than before, he's not staggering in pain. It's more the walk of someone that's a little winded. He rubs his arm a little more, soothing it, until he eventually lets go and lets his arm drop to his side.

There's a pause before he answers her question, deliberating what to say]

Nothing. Just a penalty for a contract violation. [Whatever that means] Zhongli and I came across a Barbatos statue while exploring the mountain. If there's any lingering souls here, he has the best chance of reaching them.

[nefilim]

[She glances over at Jun, watching as he rubs at his arm before she focuses her eyes ahead once more. A quiet huff then escaping her, raising her brows again for a moment - she won't press, but she imagines him saying that prayer is said "violation".]

A contract? You're starting to sound like the old man. [Zhongli. She means Zhongli. She means this in a totally affectionate way, she swears.]

... Then I hope the wind carries them to him. [She cares little for gods and whatever salvation they may bring, but even that is better than being trapped in this icy hell. It's the thing closest to a prayer she's willing to offer.]

[whiteshroud]

[There is a distorted sound that is possibly a "heh" at her pointing that out]

Perhaps. [He's around Zhongli a lot, it's inevitable he'd start to rub off on Jun] I feel it's a more apt way to phrase it than the flowery language the church uses.

[You know, blah blah the gift and acknowledgement of god's divine grace, blah blah. "Contract" was simple and apt - much more fitting to Jun's view of things]

[But awww Ana you do care. Jun pauses, before nodding just slightly] ...Me too.

[nefilim]

[At least Zhongli is a good influence. Besides the whole "not carrying money" thing.]

True. The church does like to use ten words where one is enough.

[And she'll hold back on the church bashing for today, too. She's not even in the mood to do that much.

And at first there's only a low hum in response, letting the silence hang for a moment before giving Jun a sideways squint.]

... Just don't tell anyone else I said something like that. [She has a reputation!!!]

[whiteshroud]

Tell me about it.

[The sheer number of times "this could've been an email" was true when dealing with the church, honestly. But he won't elaborate further than that.

But...seriously Ana? He gives her a look. Even if you can't see his face, it's pretty easy to guess it's a "r u serious" expression because first why would he tell anyone, and second hoping people rest in peace isn't that wild a take.

So in the most deadpan of tones:]

Alright. I'll tell them you started cackling and monologuing like an anime villain.

[nefilim]

[Look. Look.

She pretty much proclaimed she would kill god back home, okay. That was A Lot coming from her, and also she has to ruin any kind of nice thing she does always.

And the dry tone does little to deter her, easily responding with a nod and a just as dry:]

Good, I hope you make it clear just how heartless I was.

[whiteshroud]

[Jun gives a nod as he continues walking. They can see the door of the domain now, almost out of here.]

Yes. Not sure what the part about you making a coat out of puppies had to do with anything, but it was a focal point of the speech.

[nefilim]

[Now that gets a laugh from her, the light of her fireball illuminating the rest of the way.]

What's more terrible than a coat made out of puppies? I had to emphasize it somehow.

[And once they reach the door, she doesn't hesitate to shove it open - glad to be out of there, away from what remains of that tree and what surrounds it.]

[whiteshroud]

True. That's one way of doing it.

[He steps out of the domain without looking back. It's still cold out here, but not nearly as cold as in there- so he can't help but make a relieved sound at the perceived warmth. ]

... Thank you, Ana.

[nefilim]

[Oh. She wasn't expecting to be thanked.

There's a lot of things she could say in response, but after a moment she just shrugs and waves a hand.]

You don't have to thank me. But you're welcome. [Not completely dismissive, at least.]

Though are you gonna be warm enough for wherever you're heading to next? [Since she plans to keep exploring around the city.]

[whiteshroud]

[Ah, so she's not the most comfortable around thank you's either. Well Jun can relate to that, so he won't push it further and leave the thanks at that.

He pauses at the question]

...Yeah. I don't think it'd be a good idea for me to hang around the others too much right now, so I'll probably head back to Mondstadt.

[The city is bad enough, but once word gets out about what's inside the temple and what happened...Jun gets the sense a holy knight is the last thing anyone will want to be around. Not to mention, he still had his own emotions about this to sift through. That alone was difficult enough.]

[nefilim]

[His reasoning makes sense, and honestly some time away from the mountain in general sounds like a good idea. But for now, she wants to keep looking before she calls it quits.

So she nods, hesitating for a moment before following it up with;]

If anyone gives you shit, I'll throw them off the mountain.

[She's kidding, she swears. And she knows Jun can look after himself, but the... thought is there? At least???]

[whiteshroud]

[ ... 💧 ANA]

Really embracing that anime villain role, I see.

[He's joking, really. Still, it's nice to hear someone care about him. He's not sure he's worth it, especially considering her, uh, takes on religion. But...]

Thanks Ana. I'll be back later. Do you want me to get you anything from Mondstadt?

[nefilim]

[✨✨✨]

It's my new calling in life, after all.

[Luckily Ana has learned that it's better to judge the individuals than the whole. Grandpa Zhongli being a good influence and all that.]

I'm all good. Though maybe see if you can get the guild to send up more winter gear? It doesn't seem like there's enough Pyro's here for everyone.

[whiteshroud]

[There is a faint sound that sounds like a "heh" through the modulator. Yeah, you be that evil anime queen. Own it Ana]

Yeah, seems like we've lost a few... [Pyros, he means] I'll see what I can do.

Be safe, Ana.