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

[justicefang]

You think. [He sighs and walks with him, keeping pace even as he scans around. No signs of a fight. It's just a silent town.

It's haunting. He focuses on his companion.] As if I'd lose you with how you're skipping like that.

[He's a wolf through and through. Movement will always catch his eye.]

[cranelike]

I'm not trying to lose you.

(If he wanted to slip away, he could. Maybe, He's pretty flighty (heh).)

So. (So,) Do you plan on introducing yourself to me?

[justicefang]

[Fair point. He doesn't really know the capabilities of those around him. It's a new feeling after so long being able to guess at a glance. He's not the strongest thing around either. Off-putting but...not that bad either.]

So long as you plan on doing the same. [He pauses then says,] Shirou Ogami. I arrived just before we ascended this mountain.

[cranelike]

A favor for a favor.

(Because Tsuru is always making references to his kin spirit. It's fine.)

Tsurumaru Kuninaga. (A name like "crane" fits someone tha tlooks like him, don't you think?) I've been here since... well, I would say the beginning but that isn't quite true.

(Since the things that brought them here started well before they arrived.)

[justicefang]

[He glances back towards the temple. His hands slightly curl towards his palms.] I heard before things were a lot less clear.

What changed that? [It's a good distraction to ask for information. And he wants to understand this Forneus. As much as he can anyway.]

[cranelike]

I wonder...

(He hums to himself and it looks like he might not answer at all until,)

Actions. The things we did, the decisions we made. (To help this world, to understand the mysteries,) Which led to our host finally appearing and sending us here...

[justicefang]

I see.

[He stares off into the middle distance. It was actions that changed his mind about humans. Michiru kept throwing herself into the same dangers as he. But he isn't so quick it is the same situation.]

Do you recall what he said when he appeared?

[cranelike]

Everything?

(Raising a brow,)

He said quite a bit...

[justicefang]

[He glances to the side.]

Anything you felt was important.

[cranelike]

Fuu...

(Just. Exhales; a cloud of smoke forming in the air in front of him as he does so. He's old, Shirou... he's old!)

We're here to change history. Apparently, we agreed to it.

[justicefang]

[And like any other wolf he waits patiently for a reply. Or the old. He's just as old and eventually, he gets his answers.]

We did. I was asked to help and I agreed. I remember that much.

[cranelike]

Then that's it!

(Everything that was important to him, at least. Sorry Shirou, Tsuru is? An oddball.)

Nothing else really mattered to me.

[justicefang]

I suppose it doesn’t.

[Really matter that is. Shirou looks up and they’re reached the edge of town. What was once farmland stretches out before them. He takes a deep breath but his sense of smell is still cut off. Even if he could this has been left too long.

There’s a tingle in his bones and down through his soul. It feels like the world turning right when the wind runs through fur and not over skin. Something subtle in him eases and he walks slowly to what has been a shed.]

I don’t see any tools laid out. It looks like you’re right. It was days not twenty four hours.

[cranelike]

(Tsurumaru follows. Something about seeing frozen and abandoned fields really makes everything feel even more dead than it already was.)

When you see a field, you should see the future.

(And here, there's nothing. He kicks at the snow with his shoe,)

No one could have lasted here.

[justicefang]

[He stares across the endless white and sees barren earth and ashes in the wind in his mind’s eye. His dreams won’t be pleasant tonight.] No.

They couldn’t have. [He traces his hand along the edge of the stone building where the tools should be. He steps inside. The tools are old, what remains of them. It’s enough to give him an idea just how long it’s been.

He steps out but leaves space for Tsuru to go inside.] I’m nose blind until my body adjusts. But even if I wasn’t this city has been dead too long to trace its history.

[cranelike]

(He doesn't need to go inside. He's seen all that he needs to see and anything else just brings back memories for him

(a wintery day nearly a thousand years ago, the desperation of a family he was meant to protect, the cries of an entire line being exterminated, the loss of innocence that was left behind).)

If you want to know the history, we're better off returning to the city. If they wanted to be remembered, they'll have left signs.

[justicefang]

[He glances at him then a weariness of the soul passing across his face. For a flicker of an instant it’s obvious he doesn’t want to know the history. He doesn’t want to be here in this dead land.

Then his expression goes blank and he glances towards the city.] Let’s go back. I’ve seen enough.

[Its been his self appointed job for so long to find the truths and protect those who need protected. No matter what haunts his steps. He turns and his ears swivel to catch the different sounds. What little there is.]

He made his point.

[cranelike]

(Ah, there's a look Tsurumaru is familiar with and he can only give Shirou a calm smile,)

Hmm... I'm tired of the cold, anyway. Have you met anyone here that can use Pyro yet?

(Just going to start leading the way back to the city! And change the conversation while he's at it.)

[justicefang]

A couple of them. [He says as he shakes his hand and adjusts his gloves. It feels far nicer to have claws again.]

I noticed Anemo can store it or Cryo. But only until I stop casting.

[That makes sense. Nothing lasts forever. He walks after Tsuru, tail swishing once. He still isn’t happy but he hasn’t been since he left Anima city.]

[cranelike]

It's easier to just be their friend.

(Instead of fussing with storing heat and managing their energy,)

Then you can stay warm and close much easier. In fact, the two of you would probably keep each other warmer.

(Because... fur. )

[justicefang]

[He flicks an ear to show he heard him.]

There's no doubt we're all better being comrades. It was just something I found interesting.

[Magic, well beastman abilities don't work like that back home. And it's a nice distraction.]

I haven't heard how 'geo' works just yet.

[cranelike]

Hmm, I know two but I haven't worked with either in a while...

(Probably because Tsurumaru keeps terrorizing teenagers with his bloodlust and general being-slightly-off-ness.)

Magic isn't really my style. (Waving one hand in the air before tucking it back into his sleeve to keep warm,) Usually master is the one that deals with magic while the rest of us fight.

[justicefang]

Magic doesn’t exist back home. [Shirou says then pauses, amending himself.]

Not outside of Beastmen. Even that isn’t something fully understood. [No one ever tried. He hadn’t really cared until recently. Their shifts to human work. Their lives are what they are.]

It didn’t seem that important. [Says the Silver Wolf of legend. If it works why question it?]