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

[stellafortunamods]

[ As always, Forneus seems to be looking at one of the indecipherable display screens. It's a mystery as to what they're actually conveying. ]

Hello there. Well, I thought it'll be more comfy if I redecorated a bit.

[ He looks satisfied with himself, at least? ]

[fiddlestick]

[Elliot notices the display screens and...boy. Not even going to try to decipher THAT. ]

Eheh, well I'd say mission accomplished there! It looks good.

Anyway...this isn't a bad time, is it? I just wanted to ask you some things.

[stellafortunamods]

It's never a bad time.

[ After all, he has all the time in the world... ]

What's up?

[fiddlestick]

[Elliot will give a small laugh at Forneus's semi-play on words. He truly is beyond saving]

Haha, right. You control time.

[He moves to sit down on the chair.]

It's about what corrupted Durin and Duvalin. What...is it exactly? Is it a type of curse?

[stellafortunamods]

[ Elliot is at least able to keep up a cordial conversation. Forneus appreciates that. ]

Yes and no. Durin was corrupted by an Abyss curse, while Dvalin was tainted by proxy when they fought. The curse went into Durin's body and his blood. Dvalin ingested that blood when they fought, since dragons tend to fight with claws and teeth.

[ Biting and stuff like that. ]

The curse can be casted o a victim, or it can be spread via a medium, like Durin's cursed blood.

[fiddlestick]

[Elliot gives a nod. So it can be cast...or it could be spread]

And what does the curse do exactly? Does it just drive someone mad with negative emotions, or is it a means of control by something else?

[stellafortunamods]

You're right about both. Heightened feelings of aggression and paranoia aside, long-term exposure makes the victim hear whispers from outside and believe that these are their own thoughts. They could also be manipulated to perceive friends as monsters, or that they are in a different place altogether.

[ Of course, Dvalin never went that far. Only Durin bore the brunt of the curse, veiling his eyes in a sweet dream as his body struggled in the snowy skies above. ]

The curse on Durin now is definitely not as strong as when it was first cast, but even so its infectious effects aren't to be taken lightly.

[fiddlestick]

[Boy...yep. It's not 100% the same, but it is similar enough to the curse back home that Elliot just feels that sense of dread being confirmed]

Ah...that's the answer that I was worried about.

[Gosh he'd been hoping it'd be something much tamer. But he guesses there's not much he can do about it]

Mm, I know it's not something to take lightly. How quickly does it infect once someone has it? Could you notice it right away, or does it take awhile?

[stellafortunamods]

Since it's being inhibited by the cold here, it would take a while. Maybe two, three days in close proximity. As long as you keep away from the blood stones, you should be fine. Though, you'll have to get next to it to clean it up, I'd imagine.

[ A pause as he appears to think ]

At least you won't die instantly if you get next to it.

[fiddlestick]

Forneus...

[It's said in that semi-stern tone that teachers use when they catch a student misbehaving and are warning them to stop. Does that mean he's chiding a god? Perhaps. But man he can tell you're trying to psych him with that last part]

So don't stay around it too long, got it. But if there is an infection, are there any clear signs? Would humans have crystals sticking out like Duvalin did? Or would they just start behaving differently?

[stellafortunamods]

[ Forneus doesn't seem to react to being chided. Maybe he doesn't notice. ]

Well, the behavioural traits are the first to appear. If someone gets fully corrupted, their physical appearance will change to more monstrous. But when they've gotten to that stage, you can only put them out of their misery.

[ He folds his arms ]

The easiest way to keep tabs on the corruption spreading would to be have a divine to look out for it, since they can sense that sort of thing. However, you're a bit short on divinity out there, and I'm not permitted to leave this space.

[fiddlestick]

[Put them out of their misery...that's...]

...Hopefully we won't have any cases that reach that point.

[He can keep an eye out for behavioral changes, he supposes. And just make sure no one spends too long with any of the red stones. Better safe than sorry]

Erm, yeah, that sounds handy, but considering you're the only divine I know personally ... not sure how much use that'll be.

[stellafortunamods]

[ Forneus seems about to say something, but then he appears to change his mind. ]

There is another god amongst your number, though he is keeping his divinity hidden. I will not reveal him before he deems it necessary, but - knowing his personality, he will definitely also keep an eye on this.

[ ?????? ]

1/2

[fiddlestick]

[ Another god...among them...?]

[fiddlestick]

Please tell me it's not Figaro.

[stellafortunamods]

[ EHH? ]

Huh? Figaro? Why would it be him?

[ Good job Elliot, Forneus looks surprised for once ]

[fiddlestick]

I don't know! I'm pretty sure he isn't, but he just has some weird enigmatic vibe about him. So what if it's because of that?

[In other words, Figaro is kinda a weird mysterious dude-- so maybe god?????]

I mean, it's not like I know how to spot a god. Religion's a lot simpler where I'm from.

[stellafortunamods]

He'll tell you who he is when it starts to matter. But for now, I'd respect his wishes and keep his identity a secret.

[ So Elliot will have some help in monitoring the corruption... not that Elliot will know who he is. Because gods are like that. ]

[fiddlestick]

Aw, but that makes me want to know even more...

[That's because you're a nosy gossip Elliot. But at least he knows to leave it]

Fine. I'll just have faith he'll speak up if he notices something wrong.

[extinctive]

[ no wait sorry, he's gonna laugh at this. ]

Ahahaha, that's a good one. I may be a doctor, but I can't save everyone like a god could. There's only so much a lowly wizard of the South like me can do.

[stellafortunamods]

[ LOOKS AT HIM POINTEDLY ]

[extinctive]

[ looks back innocently like shh ]

[fiddlestick]

[!!!

Jumps in his seat! He thought he was alone with Forneus. He turns to look at the doctor]

F-Figaro?! How long were you listening in?!

[extinctive]

Oh! I was just, as the kids would say, "chilling" in this supe-fresh room Forneus has.

[ look he's being Cool and Hip ]

You were talking about the dragon's curse, weren't you? I'd like to gain some input on the subject as well, since we were at close proximity of its heart a while back.

[fiddlestick]

[ 💧 ] "Supe-fresh"...?

[That's so cringe Figaro...yeah. Definitely not a god]

Yeah, I'm trying to figure out how similar it is to the curse in Erebonia I told you about. All this stuff with Celestia is kinda over my head, so I thought I should focus on something I have some experience in.