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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[he nods]

Stuff like this has a way of causing problems whether you like to get involved or not.

[Speaking from experience. It was why the Radiant Wings wound up with so many allies from very different walks of life- it was pretty easy to agree with the notion that the end of the world would be bad for everyone]

Oh, I've used one of those before. Should be easy to use.

[Shirou gathers up the stone and string. He stares at it then slips it into one palm. Should he keep hold of it?]

I'm more familiar with a compass. ...do you want to keep it with you?

[He holds his hand out to him, fingers slightly curled as if he had claws. It's a habit years and years old.]

Sure, if that's easier I don't mind.

[He'll reach out and take the stone, noting his hand. He's polite enough not to pry in front of everyone about the odd hand position, so he just pulls away and pockets the item]

We'll have to make sure we're prepared before we go searching. I don't know anything about that side of the mountain, so who knows how long it'll take.

[Shirou drops his hand once the item is taken and nods.]

And we have to be careful of the corruption. It goes without saying but I’ll say it again. We should not touch or go near the bloodstones. It was advised anyone who goes near the corpse not to linger long. He will start talking to you.

[It is not a good thing. Not at all.] ...we could mark what trails had no reaction with some kind of marker. Likewise where the corpse of Durin is.

[He nods. All this sounds like standard procedure to him] Right. This isn't anything to take lightly.

Trail markers would be a good idea. With all the snow, things do start looking the same after awhile...it'd be better not to wind up going in circles.

Sturdy markers we can easily see and possibly tied with something that blows in the wind in case of a storm.

[Standard procedure. Or at least standard in Anima city. He almost suggests something else then catches himself. This would be enough for them, right? Still.

His brow furrows then he looks up.]

We don’t have any flyers, do we?

Right. I'll look into what we can use for those.

[Making a mental note! Maybe he should ask the Adventurer's guild. They might have some idea]

Flyers?

I wouldn’t advise anyone fly here but those who can need the signs to at least catch light. Anything reflective would do.

[It doesn’t have to be colorful. Just reflective.] I can help pick it out if they have anything like that.

Oh! You mean people can fly. [THAT MAKES SENSE] Good thinking. They should probably be colorful too, so they don't blend in with the snow...

It's fine, I'm pretty sure I can handle it. I was just going to ask the Adventurer's Guild what they use for markers, and then decide from there.

[Shirou only nods.]

Alright. And yes, I do. [He pauses and pulls out his journal he'd bought in town again. He turns the pages and shows Elliot the rough drawing.] This is what the seeds seem to look like.

Sorry, it slipped my mind to share this. [He'd been so focused on wondering why it didn't have a scent.]

Oh, you don't have to apologize!

[Really no harm done! He tilts his head as he looks at the drawing]

What a strange looking seed. Then again, it is magical so I guess that's to be expected...

It could have something to do with it being from something 'created' for one purpose.

[There's always a tell. Or so he believes, anyway.]

But this makes it more noticeable. Something in our favor.

Maybe.

[he shrugs. Whether it was intentionally designed to look like that or not, it doesn't matter much]

Yeah, I'm not complaining. The smoother this goes, the better.

Yes. [He shuts the journal and tucks it back into his coat.]

And we’ll be able to tell what they are when we run into them again. [And clear other cursed areas. Should they find them.] It’s something.

[He nods]

Alright. So I'll talk to the Adventurer's Guild tomorrow morning and then after that we can go look for them seeds. Does that work?

Edited 2021-05-15 18:17 (UTC)

[Shirou nods once,] While you talk to them I’ll mark the spots near camp that need suitable for trail markers.

[It will be a start and let them get to them quickly so at least people will have an extra guide to camp.]

Oh, great idea! That'll help for sure.

[Yay teamwork!]

What kinds of food do you like to eat? So I know what to pack.

[he does not anticipate this thing to be a quick hike ok, gotta be prepared or they all die]

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The bloodstones aren't so bad.

[ local doctor chiming in, hello ]

They provide you with enough warmth to survive this climate, but you shouldn't keep them on your person for more than a day. That's when you start seeing things.

[There’s a subtle relaxing of his shoulders but his eyes focus on said doctor like a wolf catching movement between the trees.]

Seeing things. What was seen at that point? [It could be how the dragon spoke.]

Blood on your clothes, for one. I heard that you could hear voices when you hold them for too long, but I haven't kept them on me for too long myself. They were cursed blood flowing through that dragon's veins at one point, after all.

That matches up with what he said. [Shirou says as he writes it down in his journal.]

He said it was the curse of the abyss. Does that sound familiar to you. [And even if he is suppressed by the magic of this place he absolutely can’t touch those stones anymore. The risk of what he would become is too great.] I was told they are in direct opposition to Celestia.

So it all goes back to the Abyss... Yes, it does sound familiar. Abyss magic was the reason why another dragon, Dvalin, went berserk a while back. Too bad the Mages aren't so keen in revealing secrets regarding their wicked practices no matter how much you punish them.

[ and he really tried too... ]

[His eyes narrow and anger rises up from the depths of him. His form shifts, the human guise being shed like a coat. He’s a little taller in his wolf beastman shape.] So they’re the ones.

[Shirou growls, a low sound that colors his voice.] If they’ll not talk under those conditions they either really believe in their cause or have a leader they’re loyal to.

...or both.

[ figaro holds up his hands like whoa there boy....... ]

Could be. There's not a lot we know about them right now, since there's so elusive... If only there's a way to wrangle out more information from them, like an insider.

[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.

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