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

[nefilim]

[Don't u ":)" at her!!!]

Ugh, I didn't really think about that. I was hoping you would just loredump like the old man.

[But where to start, where to start...]

That corruption, has he always had it?

[stellafortunamods]

You'll be here for days if I loredumped. Plus, there are some things that can't be spoken without consequences.

[ ANYWAYS, ]

It wasn't inborn, if that's what you're asking.

[nefilim]

You say that as if I don't willing sit there listening to Zhongli for hours. And of course there is.

[Look, underneath all that gremlin is Giant Nerd.

But that's what she figured. Her brows furrow a little more as she keeps thinking.]

It is. Though where did it come from?

[stellafortunamods]

The curse was placed by an alchemist called Gold a long time ago. Of course, the nature of the curse is from the Abyss.

[nefilim]

I guess that explains why that happened...

["That" being her little incident.]

But why did Gold do that? What was the point?

[stellafortunamods]

[ Forneus puts his hands on his hips and draws out a long sigh. ]

Sometimes humans do things just because they can, and they don't ask themselves if they should.

[nefilim]

So they just... did that because they could?

[Of course it's mindset she understands. She does things because she can and she wants to, uncaring of everything else.

But nothing like this. Never anything like this.]

Durin didn't even seem to understand what was happening! What kind of sick fuck are they...

[stellafortunamods]

As they say, pride comes before a fall. He wanted to use power that did not belong to the gods.

[nefilim]

Of course, it's always about wanting power and all that shit.

[She heaves out a sigh, about to ask something before she closes her mouth again. Quiet as another thought comes to mind.]

Is Gold dead, though? People like that don't really die from natural causes often.

[stellafortunamods]

If by 'dead' you mean they can't appear on this world anymore? Yeah, he's dead.

[ ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ]

[nefilim]

[??????????????????????????????????

Oh no they're going into weird territory again.]

Well, that's better than nothing! I guess...

[But it means Gold shouldn't be an issue. Hopefully.]

And what I saw, was that all Durin saw everything as? As something innocent?

[stellafortunamods]

Yeah. Luckily, he wasn't in much pain before he died.

[ '''''''''''''''''''' luckily ''''''''''''''''''''''''' ]

[nefilim]

[tHAT DOESN'T MAKE HER FEEL BETTER -]

I... suppose so. I don't think he was even completely aware of his death as well.

[Which is. Really sad to think about, so let's move onto something else.]

I know he's long dead, and I know you mentioned those seeds that can purify the corruption to someone... But would that also purify his spirit?

[stellafortunamods]

He'll be able to pass onto the next world, if that answers your question.

[ There's no way they can resurrect him, of course. ]

[nefilim]

[At that she sighs, this time in visible relief. She knows bringing Durin back wouldn't be possible, but this is enough.]

So, where are the best places to find these seeds again?

[She may have stopped listening during the meeting and is very much regretting she did.]

[stellafortunamods]

They're white and scattered around the mountain, which is useless when you're trying to locate them. They're more likely to be found on the east side, though. If you work with Shirou and Elliot, you might be able to find them faster. Once you get a working seed, plant it on the heart and it should do its job.

[nefilim]

Mm, alright...

[Time to hit up Elliot again.]

Though is it safe to go near the heart? I know I absorbed the corruption willingly, but is there any side-effects of going near it?

[stellafortunamods]

Technically, it isn't. But if you only stay there for maybe half an hour? It shouldn't hurt you. The ice makes the heart a lot safer.

[nefilim]

Yeah, I know.

[Luckily she had some ice nerf before.

But that seems to be her questions regarding Durin, though she hesitates. Opening and closing her mouth as she debates how to ask what else is on her mind. Which she pushes aside for a moment, arms folding tightly over her chest as she sighs.]

But... There's one thing. Won't Celestia notice how the mountain has become unfrozen, if we manage to purify it and destroy that nail?

[stellafortunamods]

It's not something they care about. Once they destroyed Vindagnyr, their job here was done.

[ It sounds depressing. ]

[nefilim]

[It SURE DOES.]

Of course. Well, that makes our job easier.

[...

Ugh, this is really uncomfortable to ask, but Forneus is technically the only person she can talk to about this.]

I'm gonna ask you something that's related to something personal. And if you breathe a word of it to anyone, I'll put multiple holes through your head.

[stellafortunamods]

[ Holds up his hands in surrender ]

Okayyyyyy.

[nefilim]

Good.

[With that, she takes a moment to think of how to word this.]

Do you know if there's... other gods, like you? Like, ones that are across dimensions?

[stellafortunamods]

[ Forneus taps his chin in thought ]

Hmm... are you referring to my multi-dimensional existence? It'd be accurate to say that most gods aren't capable of that. And this isn't related to me having the aspect of Time, either. Very very very few beings are capable of navigating the time stream without their sanity being destroyed by their inability to conceptualize paradoxes on an intimate level. It has to do with, hmmm..... well.

[ He tilts his head. ]

It has to do with your birth, I guess. The rules of time are different from all other rules. All that lives and dies are bound by time. Those that are already under the effect of time from the moment they come into being, can never really master time. Only a handful of people are able to control time as naturally as I can, because I am from an era before time itself.

[nefilim]

[Oh... man.

Just give her a moment. There's so much to unpack here. And now she has 1029405823 more things she's curious about.

But first:]

Okay, first of all. What the fuck, Forneus.

[She is learning so much, and she's not sure what to do with all of this.]

But so like... A major god in my world would only be isolated to my world, right? So if I do something to them there, it won't affect another version in another dimension?