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]

[ 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.

[stellafortunamods]

[ Forneus nods. ]

We're all in this together. I can try and get him to be more forthright if it helps your cooperation.

[fiddlestick]

[Elliot shakes his head]

Oh no, you don't have to do that! I still plan to cooperate.

I mean I'm curious, sure, but I'll respect his privacy. We all have stuff we rather keep to ourselves.

[stellafortunamods]

Yes, very true.

[ A little hum, as if he's satisfied with that answer ]

That being said, do you have any other questions for me?

[fiddlestick]

Hmm...

[oh, as always, he has loads of them. But unlike Forneus, Elliot had limited time. Shirou had already gotten information on a possible way to cleanse the curse, so he should probably focus on the other elephant in the room]

...I heard what you told Rean. About how you think the only real solution is to kill all the gods. And considering the perspective you have, I can see why you'd reach that conclusion. Tactically speaking, it makes logical sense considering your plans.

But to be clear: deep down, you wouldn't mind if we find a different solution that you didn't account for, would you?

[stellafortunamods]

I wouldn't.

[ And he means it, really! ]

My calculations that led me to choosing battle were done with parameters that only involved native agents. What I cannot predict is the effect that travelers from other worlds would have. The unknown that you bring into the simulation could give a victory obtainable via other means. That is my conclusion, borne from my faith in humanity's potential.

[fiddlestick]

[Well that's a relief to hear his suspicion confirmed. He relaxes and nods with a bit of a smile]

Exactly as I thought! Well, that makes things easier for me.

[Elliot always preferred deciding his own way of doing things, and knowing Forneus wasn't going to fight him to conform was some weight off his shoulders. Just as his Anemo Vision indicated, he was a free spirit through and through. ]

You remind me of a girl back home. She can see the world as a chessboard, so her tactical predictions are so accurate you'd think she was a seer. And yet when her best calculated solution to a war was too costly, she sought us out with the hope we'd find another way ... even if she didn't want to admit to herself that's what she was doing.

I get the same kind of feeling from you. Though, you're not a teenage girl, so it's not exactly a 1:1 comparison...

[stellafortunamods]

[ Forneus smiles, and for a moment Elliot sees an old man in his place, followed by a very young girl, and then a middle-aged woman. Then he's back to his usual form of a young man. ]

I can be whatever you want me to be, but that's besides the point. I'm putting my trust in you - in humanity. And that's what drives my plan.

[fiddlestick]

[Elliot's eyes widen with surprise as Forneus does that. Shapeshifting isn't that common in his life ok]

Whoa...!

Eheh, wow! Man I would've killed to have that ability in school!

[HE COULD'VE BEEN HOT. Also sorry what about humanity he's totally distracted ]

[stellafortunamods]

Doubt you'd want to give up your humanity in exchange, though.

[ Be careful of what you wish for, with great power comes great responsibility, etc etc. ]

[fiddlestick]

Haha, well no, of course not!

But when I was 16 I probably would've given it some thought. Puberty's tough when all your guy friends are hot and you look 12.

[He can laugh about it NOW but man. It was rough]

[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.

[extinctive]

[ he can totally be a god??? just watch him ]

That's a good angle to take. I'm sure everyone else in our group have asked everything else about that subject to Forneus, honestly. The poor man's probably overwhelmed.

[ he's literally right there, ]

Anyway, don't mind me, I'm just going to continue chilling on this couch.

[ i'll just move the actual discussion to the meeting threads anyway, shh ]

[fiddlestick]

Haha, well he did say we can come to him with any questions we have, so...

[Dude signed up for this fate. Elliot doesn't really feel all that bad]

Fine fine, "chill" away Figaro.