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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(A-are we friends Jun. Powerful.

But Claude shakes his head,)

The tree-- (The Nail. It's clearly important and even if it's dangerous, that's never stopped Claude from pushing forward when he feels like he has to,) If we can get closer...

(One half step forward and there's a flash of light as a crescent moon appears in front of Claude. It fades as quickly as it comes but whatever effect it has, it's enough to make him take a few more steps.

Jun, did you know Claude is a hecking protag? )

[ !

Crap. He failed to realize he befriended another protag. He makes a surprised sound as Claude chooses to step forward, causing his crest to appear. While he doesn't know the extent of Claude's power, he tends to know his own seal flashing is usually not a good sign]

Claude!

[Okay so his friend is being too stubborn, so he has to think of something to keep him from dying. He quickly thinks through all his powers, but most of them aren't really useful here. It'd be nice if he had his light elemental powers back to work as a heat source, but--- Oh!

Well, this is worth a shot. He holds his fingers out and tries not to tremble as he draws a hexagram in the air and concentrates on a spot near where Claude is walking. Then with a surge of magic, a portal opens up. And more important, the harsh but much warmer winds from Starsnatch cliff blow through. ]

This is the best I can do for heat, so hurry!

[Do what you need to do Claude, preferably before he freezes!]

(JUN SURE DID BEFRIEND A PROTAG. A lazy, sneaky, suspicius and no good schemer... who is actually a RPG protag.

It's kind of amazing how a spell like this can still make a difference. The cold is so intense that every little bit really helps. He's never really thought about the cold feeling warm but he knows it's only because the cold from the portal is just less cold than the brutal cold of this domain.

Let's say this gives him another minute to get closer to the tree, the cold getting more intense the closer they get. It's close enough to be able to figure out that the nail seems to be the source of the cold and the tree doesn't look like it's alive... but nothing else. There'd definitely not going to get close enough to touch the tree or check out any of the finer details before Claude reaches out to grab Jun's hand without thinking. Call it survival instinct; a desire to live and not die like a curious cat.

It's definitely time to get out of here, Jun.)

[While Claude was doing his shonen best to get to that tree, Jun was focusing mostly on keeping that portal open. Normally it's not hard for him to open a portal and leave it, but it's harder to keep magic steady when he's in pain from the cold. And so he focuses on that, so the portal continues giving "warmer" air instead of destabilizing and exploding on them.

Thankfully, Claude's survival instincts kick in at a good time, before Jun gets too cold to do anything. As soon as he does, he'll close the portal. He then doesn't hesitate to lift his other hand and cast a teleportation spell. There's a blue glow, and then the area around them disappears for a moment.

When the scenery reappears, they're by the barbatos statue halfway down the mountain. Thankfully due to the statue's presence, it's warm here. Jun breathes out in relief]

You alright?

(The warmth washes over Claude and he can feel his body finally relax after being tense from the cold for so long. Everything feels like jelly and he wobbles on his feet before collapsing, sitting down in the snow and just needing a moment to collect himself,)

Yeah.

(He sounds breathy,)

I just need... a minute. (He never knew the cold could be so draining,) ... Thanks.

[Thank God. They got out of there before it got too bad. Jun will walk over to the edge of the walkway near the statue, sitting down with his legs dangling over the edge. He likes heights ok. Now that they're in a place that's not dangerously cold, he'll pull down his hood. ]

Ha...take your time. I need a minute too.

[Seems he's a little out of breath too. Doing a bunch of magic while also dealing with the unnatural cold was draining even for a Seal Knight. ]

(He's catching his breath. It feels like he's run a mile at full speed but he knows it's just from the cold earlier. When he finally his himself together again, he manages,)

Someone else... can probably get closer than we did and get a better look. (Huffs,) But it looks like we found the source of the cold.

Yeah...someone else for sure. [Not warm squishy Claudes. Jun won't chide further than that though. He exhales, slowly catching his breath]

Mm. It has to be. [...] I knew ahead of time that this was Celestia's doing, but seeing the reality for myself was ... something else.

(He's just going to smile at that; a little crooked but it's as audacious as ever. He would do it again Jun!!)

They must have known that, though, but instead, they just sat around praying until the very end...

[Of course he would. He makes a thoughtful sound at that]

Zhongli told me that in Vindagnyr's time, Celestia had a much more direct presence in the people's lives. I imagine that led to the people becoming over-reliant on them. Their society grew because of their gods constant presence.

So when Celestia choose to condemn them ... they probably didn't know how to fend for themselves. Like small children abandoned by their caretakers, all they could think to do was beg for them to come back.

I'm not sure if it would be much better even if Celestia was less involved...

(Speaking from his own experience.)

A god that would just abandon people who rely on them on a whim, though. I'd say everyone would be better off without them but looking at what happened here...

(It's more than that. The world is better off without the whole rotten system sometimes.)

[Yeah, considering Claude's own take on religion, he's not surprised by those words. Jun can only offer a slight shrug]

It's hard to say. The relationship between humans and gods by its very nature is ... complicated, to say the least. No system a god chooses will be without its flaws.

[An ever present god might cause over-reliance, while a distant god may cause feelings of abandonment and resentment. If there was a system that worked perfectly, Jun's never heard of it]

...If you ask me, Celestia is insane and as cruel as any demon. [He'd been leaning that way for awhile, but the sight they saw solidified that opinion further.] But... I still don't like the idea of outsiders deciding this world's future.

[None of them would have to live with the consequences of what they do here, and there'll be consequences for sure. It should be the Teyvat people deciding if they want to deal with that]

Edited 2021-05-11 18:09 (UTC)

(He offers Jun a glance, raising a brow as if to ask, "Are we really having this sort of conversation right now? Yeah?" He doesn't mind, not when it's warmer by the statue. He wouldn't mind hanging out around here a little longer if he was being honest.)

I agree.

(Celestia is definitely a problem if they believe everything they know about the village. )

It's not that I'm against stopping Celestia and helping this world but it doesn't feel right that we're the ones making the decision. I don't like that we're doing it because another god is leading us in that direction, either...

But this is their world and the people here should be the ones who decide what they want for their future... not a bunch of outsiders that are going to leave as soon as the job is done.

[We sure are, Claude. Jun needs a few minutes to regain magical energy anyway, what with the stunt back in that temple. ]

I'm relieved to hear you say that.

[He means that truly. As different as some of their viewpoints may be, he really did respect Claude's opinion. And Jun was still pretty new to forming his own opinions, so it feel nice to have someone agree]

I did bring it up. [To Zhongli, but eh. Details] Forneus is trying to see what he can do without Celestia noticing. Though I don't know how that'll turn out.

(It is nice when they're on the same page about things. Claude is someone who is so used to being offbeat and different from everyone else, it's always a little exciting when he meets someone who thinks like him. )

And if we can't get the people on our side first? What then?

(A question for Jun,)

... Personally, I'm not against carrying on without support. It wouldn't be my first time doing something people didn't know about; or even something that was unpopular.

But at least back home, it's well... My home too.

Edited (when u hit reply instead of preview u_u) 2021-05-15 09:54 (UTC)

[Jun is quiet for a moment]

I'm no stranger to having a bad reputation. Seal Knights aren't exactly popular back home among the Underground.

[To Say The Least. ]

If we can't get a clear indication from the people what's best for them, we're left with no choice but to follow our own beliefs and pray they're substantial ones. So long as I can see that this course is really in the best interest of the Teyvat people, I'll continue upholding my contract to Forneus.

[He pauses, before adding]

...If nothing else, Zhongli seems willing to go along with this plan. And even if I don't fully trust Forneus, I can't see Zhongli ever agreeing to something that'd be harmful to Liyue. He loves that country more than anything.

You'd probably fit in back at home.

(He could see Jun fitting right in at Garreg Mach. Maybe he'd train to join the Knights of Seiros? )

There's still a lot we don't know and we should probably figure that out before we really go running into things. What exactly happens if we get rid of Celestia, for example? And who's going to stick around and lead everyone when they're really going to need a leader...

(Maybe it sounds like he's thought of this before because he's able to just rattle things off without much extra thought,)

I'm not sticking around here, as much as I'd like to see more... I've got my own world to change back home.

[Fit into Claude's world huh? He guesses the Crest system was more well known there, and there's probably more knights too.]

I don't know...it's been hard enough being without internet and anime for this long while we're here. Can't imagine doing it longer...

[He says it as a joke. He spent most of his life without those things. But he knows as soon as this mission is done, it's back to Earth. He had his duties and he wanted to see Morimiya again, at least one more time.]

...Seems you've given this a lot of thought. [Jun's done the same, but it sounds like Claude might be more politically minded about it. Which made sense, Jun's understanding of government was pretty basic]

But I agree. We need more information on the people of Teyvat. Forneus's plan entails us traveling, so maybe that can give us a good chance to assess things. We can't hold a public election over what to do about Celestia, but maybe we can figure out if the people are ready for the change.

...There isn't an easy choice in this, so I think it's alright if we take our time deciding.

Hah! There's still plenty to do in Fodlan. (Also what's the internet? What's anime? Jun? He can only assume those are things to somehow pass the time...) I'll teach you a game some time.

(Because they're fr...iends........... Friends teach friends how to have fun, right? RIGHT??? Ah but back to the meet of the conversation,)

Hmm... I've been thinking about it for a while. Long before I ever came to Teyvat. (And he shrugs,) Elections are complicated, especially when it comes to changing from an old system to something new. The people already in power aren't going to want to give up what they have, you know? But they might not be the best ones to leave in power...

(How do the governments in Teyvat even work? THING TO HARASS ZHONGLI ABOUT LATER TBH.)

Regardless, we aren't going to change the world or find a great leader overnight.

(So yeah, they can take their time. For now.)

Haha, I'd like that. I enjoy learning new games. [He'll most likely be bad at it, but he'll have fun all the same!!

The kid is easy to please ok.

And...Jun doesn't know much about politics or leadership, so he'll make an "mmm" sound in agreement because what Claude says SOUNDS pretty right to what little knowledge he did have. Though his reason for dismissing elections is a little different]

Mm...and I'd imagine Celestia would crush us if we held an open vote to get rid of them.

[SO YOU KNOW- there's that very real risk too. Still, they're in agreement, gotta keep their eyes on humanity and judge from there]

Yeah, Rome wasn't built in a day. [...] Though, did you say you're planning to change your world after you get home?

Edited 2021-05-17 16:42 (UTC)

(Listen... Claude loves democracy in theory but sometimes it's best to just swoop in and take absolute power. Sometimes you just don't have time to create a whole new political system and you just have to work with what you have instead. Granted, it's always been his plan to step down and create a better system for after he leaves but that's getting way ahead of himself now.)

...

(He glances at Jun and seems to really think about if he wants to answer that or not. Like, he really thinks about it before turning away, tilting his head up at the sky and replying,)

Yeah. Back home... I wouldn't say things are a mess, at least, they weren't before. (Now there's war.) Everything's stagnated and become the same old, same old. Nothing's getting better and nothing seems to be getting worse, at least, on the surface. Sinc everything looks okay, there's no reason for anything to change... ever.

[Jun watches him, both as he silently considers answer and as he gives the answer himself. As for the answer, he tilts his head...putting together the pieces of what Claude has said about the system.

He's probably dodging because it involves the church, so he'll leave that there.]

...But you think things can get better, if the system changes.

Change is good. It's how we grow.

(He says it simply, even if he knows there's more to it than that,)

Imagine a world where your success isn't determined by birth. What if there was a world where everyone could be anything? A commoner could become a holy knight or even their captain. A merchant can join a nation's council. If a leader is poor at their job, someone better could take it. What if libraries could be filled with all of the books in the world instead of just the ones that are allowed?

(Hello, welcome to Claude's world.)

Imagine a world that could grow and be anything instead of small and stuck behind a bunch of walls?

(He might be lighting up the more he speaks; it's clearly something he's very passionate about.)

[Jun listens to Claude describe his dream. It's not hard for him in the least to imagine, considering it's more-or-less what most countries on Earth were like these days. Claude's world must be further behind in progress]

...Haha, sounds like you're the one who should visit my world instead.

[With ideals like that, he's sure Claude would love Earth. But he doesn't mean it too seriously, he can understand that Claude wants to return to his home to fix things. And with dreamers like Claude pushing forward, maybe it could catch up to Earth one day]

A world like this is nice to live in. [Earth had problems, for sure, but it was a good world] I pray you're able to cause the change that allows Fodlan to be like that too.

You're not the first person to invite me to see where they're from.

(To see where they're from. It's definitely... an experience to be invited to things when most people would leave him out.)

I appreciate it. (He might not be a believer but he'll never throw away someone's good wishes.) I might have to take care of other things first but I promise, I'll make it happen.

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whiteshroud - 2021-05-24 17:22 (UTC) - Expand

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