July Event Log

[kaisoumods]

July Event
Dominant Element: Water
Waning Element: Fire

Full Moon: July 2nd - July 4th

※
July comes to Kaisou and brings with two things: heat and rain, leaving the city a humid mess. Time to get dehumidifiers and make sure your AC works, because otherwise, you might just end up melting. The summer storms seem heavier and more frequent this year, with one occurring every couple days and lasting for several hours. All this rain is enough to flood basements and low areas. Wonderful.

Beat the Heat With the Power of Anime

Despite the miserable weather, it's still summertime in the city, so that means the city is alive with activity. With Kaisou being in America, you can fully expect the fourth of July celebrations to be in full swing during the first week of the month. Attend a barbeque or watch the firework show at the beach, which thankfully isn't rained out.

However if you want to go a little more nerd in your summertime celebrations - KaiCon, Kaisou's local anime con, is back in town! Normally, this would have been held in June, but thanks to the tornado last month, it got postponed. Held the week of July 16th, the convention brings in a ton of tourists both in and out of cosplay. There's lot of to do at the convention, from shopping for merchandise, trying Japanese foods, attending panels, entering cosplay competitions, and sitting in a ballpit. For once, those app users with odd changes or body parts won't stand out so badly!

Finally, if you're looking for a more educational way to pass the time, the Kaisou history museum is holding a special exhibit about artifacts from the ancient world. Throughout the exhibit are a collection of artifacts from the Ancient Greek era that are in remarkable condition. In fact, those with archeological training might find it a bit too remarkable, finding pieces in such a pristine condition. Those with a keen magical sense will detect energy signatures indicative of the Spirit Realm. There's even a few objects that hold curses from the Greek pantheon that could be triggered in the wrong hands.

Crystal Rain

It's never fun to be caught in a summer microburst. Even under normal circumstances, they will drench you within a minute and you can kiss any electronic device that hasn't been waterproofed goodbye. And unfortunately, thanks to the damage done to the Spirit Vein, these summertime annoyances have only gotten worse. While regular rain will still act normally, should you get caught in a microburst, you will find your limbs begin to stiffen as crystals begin to form on your skin. The longer you stay out in the crystal-inducing rain, the worse the effect will get and the harder you will find it to move around. Be careful not to let it get so bad that you're stuck as a crystal statue for a while.

Fortunately, the effects seem to be temporary. Once you get to a dry place and dry yourself off properly, the crystals will fall off and your limbs will return to their normal mobility range. While the plant life (which is still growing out of control) doesn't seem to be affected by the rain, animals caught in the microbursts do seem to be. It wouldn't be a bad idea to help out your fellow creature and help dry the crystals off their furs or feathers. As for the normal people, they don't seem to notice the actual crystalizing effect and will just blame any mobility issues on their muscles and bones not handling this rainy season well. Sure Jan.

Mysterious Fathoms Below

Blue Fish Lake has always been a decent sized lake. It's large enough to be a good place to take a take a boat onto it and spend the day fishing the healthy lake fish population. That said, it's not that big. You could always see the other side from the shore, and it's depth couldn't be more than thirty or so feet. A good sized lake, sure, but hardly one that's going to be in any record books anytime soon.

On the night of July 6th, there is an extremely heavy rain storm - one that stands out from the other storms throughout the month. Torrential rains and strong wind blast the city. Make sure not to drive through any standing water, as you might end up with your car getting submerged in water.The next morning, after the storm has cleared and people can begin to (relatively) dry off, there will be reports that not only has Blue Fish Lake flooded, but it's gotten much deeper from the rain. Thousands of feet deeper.

While the normal people in the city don't question why Blue Fish Lake is now as deep as the ocean, it's pretty easy for app users to conclude that there's no way a summer rain storm could cause Blue Fish Lake to get that much deeper. And Zodiac seems to agree, as on July 7th they send out a message over the Libra app.

ALERT: SPIRIT REALM GATE DETECTED IN BLUE FISH LAKE.
Element Classification: Water
Danger Level: High
Designation: Atlantis
Zodiac has detected a Spirit Gate within Blue Fish Lake. Early reports indicate that this may be the lost city of Atlantis and might be worth investigating. Please go to the Zodiac offices for more information.

Should you head to the Zodiac office, there's a sense of excitement in the air. After all, the lost city of Atlantis isn't something you happen upon every day. The (fuzzy) Professor is there, and he's more than happy to tell you what he knows about Atlantis: It was a country that the philosopher Plato wrote of, one that fell into the ocean thanks to its hubris. Since then, there's been loads of people throughout history who have attempted to locate where the lost city was at, though usually with no success. A Zodiac intern will chime in to add that even many paranormal-based researches suspected it to be nothing more than a fanciful story, what with how long it had been since it'd been supposedly sighted. So the chance to confirm that Atlantis really does exist? It truly is a once in a life time opportunity.

That said, there is the issue of how to get to that realm, with it being so deeply underwater. In order to pull it off, Zodiac has decided to pull some strings and use what resources they can afford. They've been able to get in contact with the Bermuda Brotherhood - a paranormal group that specializes in researching and safeguarding the Bermuda Triangle - and convinced them to loan Zodiac a submarine and crew. Black Order and POKEGO members may have heard of the Bermuda Brotherhood before. They have a reputation for being an ornery group that is extremely territorial about the Bermuda Triangle and, convinced it's the crown jewel of supernatural hotspots. Not bad people by any stretch, but could probably stand to go to shore and touch some grass. Still, eccentricities aside, there's no doubt they're experts on deep sea diving and you'll be in good hands.

Once you're done preparing, it's time to head off. Sitting in Blue Fish Lake is an old-timey-looking submarine. It wouldn't be far out of place in a Jules Verne novel. Ancient as it looks, this is everyone's ticket through the spirit gate, which is submerged under the lake. The geese are, naturally, furious about this, and can be seen swimming around it and occasionally pecking ineffectively at both it and the crew sent by Zodiac to man the damn thing. The sub is big enough to hold a decent number of people, and once everyone's aboard (after dodging any of the angry geese nearby) the sub descends under the waters of the lake.

The sub goes deeper and deeper, much deeper than any lake should be able to go. Seaweed starts to appear, jutting out through rocky outcrops as schools of fish hurry out of the submarine's wake. It's clear you are definitely no longer in a lake, but under the ocean depths. Deeper and deeper you go, as light fades from dappled rays to almost nothing. Eventually, the only lights around are those from the submarine itself, lighting the way down.

At some point in the journey a deep, guttural, pulsating call can be heard in the darkness. For a moment, you could be forgiven for thinking a whale is making the noise, but as it gets closer and closer, it's clear that this is something completely different. The lights of the sub sometimes catch a shadow on a rocky crag, before it vanishes once again. Eventually, though, whatever is stalking you makes an attack on the sub. The craft is suddenly and violently jarred to one side as something very large slams against it. If characters aren't holding onto something, they're going to hit the deck HARD. The crew starts panicking, rushing about trying to assess the damage as the sub is slammed into again, and at this point, the submarine is definitely taking on water. In a desperate attempt to save everyone, the captain orders the submarine through a tunnel in the rocks the lights have just glanced off. Thankfully, this works, and as the submarine moves into the tunnel, a current picks up the downed craft and pushes it through to the other side, where it breaks the surface of the water into a cavern. The submarine is seriously damaged, and the captain states it will take time to fix it. However, the cave does seem to have a way out, and it might well be worth exploring that while no one can go anywhere else.

The Lost City of Atlantis

Following the exit to the cave, you will find yourself entering a beautiful city. Ancient temples rise to the sky, with huge columns of stone decorating the entrances. It looks almost ancient Greek in origin, but not quite. Stranger still is that even though this looks like a city from ancient times, the people seem to enjoy many modern conveniences, magically powered by the crystals worn around their necks. The city runs in a circle, living and thriving. There are people here, who will happily welcome you to Atlantis- the first explorers that they have seen in...well, forever! If you squint and look to the very borders of the city, you can see stone monoliths holding up some invisible barrier. The ocean shifts behind it; fish and seaweed abound in an undersea world full of life. The people are excited to show you their city, though they come across as a very pious lot. If you comment on the city's beauty or vibrance, they downplay it, almost fearfully. If that strange behavior is brought up to them, they quietly point out that their pride and avarice is what angered the Gods enough to sink their city. They do not intend to incur the wrath of the Gods again.

Luckily, there is plenty for you to do in the city. You can eat almost wholly seafood-based meals from people only too happy to open their meals or food stalls to those explorers looking for a bite to eat. If you really want, you can go and get yourself a tattoo with glow-in-the-dark ink. If you request a tat of anything that existed after 1000 B.C, though, you will likely get very confused looks. Better stick to fish or Atlantean symbols. You can also get involved in crafting- though as might be expected, a lot of the crafts involve making fish spears or nets. Speaking of, natives will be glad to take you out on boats to the tranquil waters that surround the city, where there's plentiful fish and sea life to catch- you might even be able to catch your own meal! The natives will be very nervous about getting TOO close to the barrier, though, muttering that things have been unsettled with that as of late.

For the more academically minded, you can investigate the crystals all the Atlanteans wear around their necks. They are more than happy to hand one over to you to check out, explaining that the crystals were a gift from the Gods and were what allowed them to be such a thriving utopia in "the old days". For those with either an ability to sense or otherwise investigate the crystals, you will find them to be a perfect blend of magic and an unknown, almost alien technology. You will find that the crystals power everything - from lights, to starting fires, to boat engines, to even acting as a magic translator (just in case you were wondering how they speak English). You can also use them to power stone, fish-shaped vehicles, which you can ride somewhat like a motorcycle. These fly into the air, giving you a chance to view the city from above.

Unfortunately those hoping to find reading material will be out of luck. While the most important events are recorded through murals and stone tablets, scholars will explain that the humidity from being under the ocean makes preserving paper basically impossible. As such, most of their stories are pass down through the oral tradition, with storytellers and theater performers being treated with reverence. You'll be welcome to attend any storytellers performance if you wish to hear about tales of Atlantean history. If you're more interested in the arts, Atlantean theater offers a wide variety of plays- so long as you don't mind all of them being morality plays about the virtues of being pious.

Meanwhile, members of the Black Order who are keeping a watchful eye will notice that somehow they acquired an extra person that wasn't on the submarine. As it turns out, a curator from Kaisou Museum has been using one of the magic stripper poles from the Goodwill to go into different Spirit Realms and grab up relics to put into the museum. The Ancient Greek relics in his exhibit now? Were lifted from the tear Ash was dragged through last month. The curator seems to have no regard for the actual safety or origin of the items, rather just grabbing whatever he thinks would attract visitors. The Black Order will need to figure out how to deal with this man, and return any unsafe items back to the Spirit Realm where they belong.

The Price of Hubris

Once you have enjoyed the city and gotten to know the people well enough, they will lead you to the tribal council, leaders of the city who watch over all that occurs within. They explain that there have been breaks happening in the barrier which blocks Atlantis from the ocean- that leaks have been appearing, and they are worried if this continues, the city will once again sink, and this time the Gods will not protect them.

Finally, with the blessing of the elders, some of the native Atlanteans will take you to the borders of the city. You can see for yourself small cracks in the barrier, water leaking through them. Some have been hastily patched with pitch or mortar, but it's clear this will not hold forever. The people are frightened - they've been so careful, so pious. They've been sure to never let their pride overtake them again, and yet it feels like the Gods are threatening to finish the job. They will allow you to explore, explaining there are some ancient parts of the city they will not go near as they are blessed ground to Atlanteans, but perhaps outsiders would be able to go there.

The "blessed ground" ends up being an ancient cave, untouched for millennia. Ancient texts are stored here, as are cave paintings, made with the same glow-in-the-dark ink that is used for tattoos these days. While you look through the cave, it's clear that things were put here to be hidden away; to avoid, like a dirty secret. Eventually, once you put enough clues together, you learn that "the Gods" did not sink Atlantis, nor did they give the Atlanteans the crystals that they're so proud of. The Crystals were plundered from the Spirit Realm by the Atlanteans themselves. Taken and crafted for their own use, to power their cities and give them an upper hand against the rest of the world. Unfortunately, the Spirit Realm is temperamental and prone to taking back what belongs to it. When it reached out to reclaim the crystals, it took the whole city with it, pulling it into the realm the crystals originated from. It was the ancient Atlanteans' own magictech that saved them, the barriers they'd built against potential invaders sealing them safely from the oceanic Spirit Gate that swallowed them whole.

Battle with Leviathan

As you exit the cave with all this newfound knowledge, the barrier is SHAKEN by another shockwave. This time, however, you're close enough to see what's caused it. This is no act of the Gods either. A huge sea serpent is slamming against the barrier, full of snarling, frothing rage. Get close to the city and the Atlanteans will offer a terrified explanation- that is the Leviathan, a sea monster which has haunted their city since it "sank". You realize quickly this is what attacked your sub when you were coming to the city in the first place. The Atlanteans say it was only a threat to anyone trying to leave the city previously, making it impossible to explore outside their literal bubble. It's never attacked them directly like this before, and they don't understand the change in behavior.

Regardless of what can be causing the increased aggression, this needs to be dealt with, or Atlantis really will be sunk beneath the waves. The Atlanteans luckily do have a means to breathe underwater- thanks to the crystals, they have invented a breathing mask to allow you to breathe underwater for about an hour at a time. They could never use it to truly escape the city thanks to the Leviathan's presence, and they were too fearful of it to actually attempt to fight it. But now you're all here, and maybe things can be different! Maybe you can be rid of the creature for good!

If you head to the cave where you originally entered, you will find the captain still working on the sub. He explains it's not ready yet- but you have other fish to fry. Literally. Using the flying fish vehicles, you drive into the water and use the apparatus to follow the tunnel out into the open ocean again, where the Leviathan is waiting for you. You will have to be able to swim and fight at the same time, and if you're a fire user ... well, good luck. The creature puts up one hell of a fight - it's fast and it's HUGE. Easily fifty feet in length. It can churn the water around it, sending out blasts of the stuff like aquatic projectiles. It will not be an easy battle at all. During the fight, you might notice it stop to swallow a discarded crystal- it seems this is what the creature feeds on, which would also explain the attacks on the city itself. Either way, it will give no ground, and you will have to work together to dispatch it for good.

Aftermath

Once the waters have settled and the Leviathan has been defeated, the barriers will slowly begin to show signs of repair. The Atlantean elders are surprised by the revelations of what actually caused their downfall, and they will request discretion as they sort out how to go about telling their people (after all, news on this scale could completely undo their way of life). Should you ignore their request and tell the population on your own, you can expect Atlantis to experience several instances of unrest throughout the month.

Either way, the people of Atlantis will be thankful for your help. The elders will grant you permission to keep your own power crystals, should you wish. Which leaves characters with a choice. A magic energy source like this could easily give you the power you need to build your own version of the Libra app, and even break free from relying on Zodiac or any other faction. However, if not handled carefully... these could drag all of Kaisou into the Spirit Realm, just like Atlantis.

It's not an easy decision to make, so characters should probably talk it over with one another before deciding.

No matter what you decide, the submarine will be repaired and ready to go within a few days. Once everyone returns to the surface, with the waters now safer, the city of Atlantis will be available to visit for the rest of the month before it disappears back into the dark oceans of the Spirit Realm.

OOC Notes

The dominant element this month is Water! Anyone with an affinity to the water element will find themselves boosted throughout the month. This could mean a boost to their power, having more energy, feeling more inspired with creativity, having better luck on different attempts -- the boost can manifest in all sorts of different ways. By contrast, anyone with an affinity for Fire will be experiencing the opposite. Perhaps their powers will be weaker, they have less energy, they're having a creative block or general worse luck - again it can manifest in all sorts of way and players are free to play with this mechanic as they'd like.

NOTE REGARDING THE POWER SOURCE: Whether characters decide to take the Atlanteans offer on the power source will have lasting consequences in the game, as such this will be put up to a vote among players that'll be open until July 12th. The vote can be found over here.

The original OOC plotting post for this event can be found here. Another Zodiac Post will be going up July 15th to serve as an intro post for new characters and allow characters to react to developments over the network.

Comments

Waver Velvet | fate/ servantswap au | ota

[fionnuisce]

[i; crystal rain]

[Under whatever awning, tree, or other such cover one may have retreated to escape from the crystal-spawning microburst, there was a chance they might encounter a bird perched under the same shelter. No larger than a pigeon save for it's too-long tail, it seemed to be making a valiant effort to shake crystal out of bright red-orange feathers.]

[...Could birds look annoyed? This one certainly seemed to, fluttering its wings to try and shake off the crystals while angrily huffing a tiny flicker of fire.]

[ii; mysterious fathoms below]

[While everyone else was no doubt milling about and boarding the submarine, Waver stood a short distance back and looked from the water to the submarine and back again. And then at the alert on his phone, with an uneasy look as if he was thinking you're not serious, right? Whatever it was he was internally debating, he was sure starting to look pale while thinking about it.]

[After a few minutes, he'd pocket his phone and just...very nervously take a step back like he was hoping to leave without being noticed.]

[ii; wildcard]

[anything else! he won't be in atlantis, but the rest of the month will probably find him teaching at cygnus academy or just generally around the city in a normal capacity trying to stay the hell out of the rain!]

Crystal rain!

[poisontippedcure]

[Waver isn’t the only one caught out in the rain. Rose had been out for a walk when the downpour started. Unsurprisingly, she doesn’t like rain much to begin with, and the fact that this rain causes crystals to form on her ears makes things that much worse.]

[She heads to cover to find someone already there. Or, better yet, somebirdy already there. Wait, it couldn’t be...]

Waver, is that you?

Wildcard [Cygnus Academy]

[a_cute_batata]

[Luz staggers into her first class, having to take a minute to crack the crystal off her soft sole shoes. Luz is actually pretty good at avoiding getting actually crystallized, but that didn't mean that there weren't going to be some casualties, and in this case, she was likely going to have to opt for stronger shoes when the weather is like this.

Once she's managed to scrape enough crystals off her shoes, she'd practically radiating excitement, glad to have found that there's someone here able to teach magic]!

Wait. Um. Was I supposed to bring a staff, or a wand or-

[Crap. NOW she thinking of this]?!

Crystal Rain

[fiddlestick]

[Elliot had been doing an outdoor performance when the rain set in. Fortunately, he had managed to make it to the awning before it could do anything to damage his violin (oh and get him wet I guess). Mostly he's just looking annoyed at the rain outside]

Gah, I hate this season.

[He does hear the fluttering of the bird. He looks around until he spots an red-orange pigeon. Which wait- he recognizes that pigeon]

Waver?

ii

[makura]

[ At the top of her lungs, in front of God and everyone: ]

Prof's making a break for it!

Varian | Tangled | OTA

[droptheious]

Crystal Rain

[Naturally, Varian is all about trying to understand the properties of this rain. He's a scientist, he's not a natural curiosity about it. But he is a little gunshy after the whole peach incident. When experimenting with magic permanently ties you, your boyfriend and your best friend to this world, you tend to be a little bit more careful how you go about your study. He absolutely plans to study it safely. No explosives this time! Look at this lad growing!

So he can be found holding out a beaker to catch the falling rain, a look of determination on his face. Crystallization hits... a little too close to home for him, but he's trying to push that to one side. If he catches sight of you while he's collecting his samples, he smiles, giving an awkward little wave.]

Uh- you might wanna avoid staying out in this for too long. The rain is pretty strange, it seems to have crystallisation properties.

Mysterious Fathoms Below

[There's absolutely NO WAY that Varian would miss out on a trip to Atlantis. He couldn't visit Alexandria and that's STILL something he's salty about, he's not letting this one pass him by. He's immediately heading to the submarine, cooing over it as he looks it over like it's the coolest thing ever- muttering engineering terms under his breath almost reverentially as he does so. He'll drag anyone who comes near into a lecture about the amazing makeup of the sub.

As they cross over into the Spirit Realm in the sub, he changes into his werewolf form- he still changes control that particular change. At least it doesn't seem to bother him. He's used to it by now, he treats it with all the importance of needing to stretch. Once the change is over, he carries on like it didn't happen at all, cooing over the machinery of the sub to the chagrin of the crew on board. He does dive into action when the sub is attacked, though, pulling out tools and rushing to help patch up the worst of it as the sub tries to escape. He casts you a worried look as he's running off to help. ]

Something BIG hit us, I think it ruptured something!

The Lost City of Atlantis

Once Varian's in the city, he's absolutely delighted. He can be found running around everywhere- still in his werewolf form of course- which the locals are pretty bemused about. He wanders the city taking in everything he can. You might find him playing about with one of the crystals- hovering it in his hand as he tries to work out exactly what it's made of - or you might find him trying to understand the complexities of a fish vehicle- though he's pointedly NOT getting on it to ride it.

"This is fascinating! The crystals seem to power absolutely everything. It's a little like electricity, except... self-generating? I'm not quite sure how they emit so much power to be this versatile. It's amazing!"

Or maybe you'll see him sitting cross-legged on a rock, scribbling away in his notebook, his staff propped up next to him, his tail occasionally wagging excitedly as he thinks of something else to put in there. If you're unfortunate to cross his line of vision, he waves you over.

"Hey! Hey, have you seen any of their plays? Or heard their stories? I'm trying to compile their history to have a detailed record to bring back to Kaisou with us. I wanna make sure I get everything.

The Price of Hubris

Well. This is all horribly familiar. After the portal mess here and...god, so much he did back home, this is far too familiar for comfort. Varian can be found staring at the cave paintings, his arms folded, looking deeply uncomfortable about all of this.

"...There's no way they could have known this would have happened...right? They wouldn't have done this if they...if they knew the risks. Like. All of them?"

He already knows the answer, because he's made the same mistakes himself, but he's trying to find some reasonable loophole here.

Wildcard [Have something else in mind? Let me know!]

[[OOC:As always, will match style!]]

The Lost City of Atlantis

[a_cute_batata]

Luz had come to expect being in a different world and taking in the ways it differed from her own experiences (and in some cases reminded her of old stories, like last month). This time she recalled legends of Atlantis and the stories about it sinking. Finding that it was still around and somehow powered through strange crystals was so compelling to Luz that she had to take in as much as she could, asking around and trying not to get too irritating.

Once she spotted Varian though, she had to imagine he was as fascinated as she was and, sure enough, she spotted his tail wagging in earnest as he questioned her about what she'd seen so far.

"The plays sound like moral lessons," Luz observed, "but the lore? WOW! I'm still trying to fish out the fact and the exaggeration, hehe! What did you have on their history so far?"

Jamie Carter/Harry Potter | Harry Potter (Paranormal AU)

[phoenixwiz]

Power of Anime (and Cursed Greek Artifacts)
(It has been a long while since he has stepped into Kaicon with getting ready for the swimming season taking up much of his time the previous year, but Jamie is back to coming to the con again and he is excited to check it out. He has gone to some of the panels, admired the artwork, and enjoyed the food but it was an exhibit that peaked his interest. But not in the way the he was hoping.

It happened when he arrives at the museum exhibit and begins to notice something unusual with the ancient Greek ‘artifacts’: they look do unusually clean compared to the ones he had often seen in the museum for such a long time. Something is not right and Jamie wants to know why. Which means one thing: how on Earth did the museum managed to procure these items?)

The Price of Hubris
(The element of Water has been blessed with a remarkable boost that increases Jamie’s curiosity by tenfold as he decides to ignore the Atlanteans’ warning to not wander into the blessed grounds, which is actually a cave as he soon discovers, and he tries to find anything about the place and why they are so nervous about their current predicament.

As he sneaks himself inside the cave, he then notices the ancient writings and cave wall paintings depicting crystals and people taking them for their own use? That’s strange, the Atlanteans claimed that the Gods sank them below the water due to pride and arrogance during the city. This is getting to be very suspicious in his eyes and that has him scratching his head in utter confusion.

Wondering what these relics are trying to tell him, he does his best to look into them even if he isn’t super fluent in Atlantean. Anyone who might want to get into the caves will likely find him pouring through old scrolls at this time.)

How strange. I wonder why they are trying to hide this from everyone for so long.

Wildcard
(Got something else in mind? Throw them down below.)

Isabela Madrigal | Encanto (OU)

[senorita_perfecta]

Power of Anime
(Isabela has never been to a convention in her life, so of course she has to rectify it by attending one now. The eager anticipation is flowing in her veins as she checks out the booths and see the new stuff. You can find her looking at the artist’s corner or trying to get a spot in a panel. This is her first con so apologies in advance if she gets very excited or gets lost too easily today.)

Crystal Rain
(Well this sucks. She has been meaning to go on a nice lunch in a nearby eatery right now, but these microbursts of raining crystals just came out of nowhere, throwing those plans aside and forcing her to stay inside the flower shop she is working for hours. Olivia, her capybara Palisman, is getting very antsy as she floats in the air inside the shop while Isabela is trying to clear the storefront from crystal debris.

The young lady narrowly avoids getting crystalized with her newfound forcefields but it could only last for a little while before she has to get back inside or she gets crystalized herself. Seriously, how worse can this day get?)

Atlantis
(The long trip on the sub did took on some interesting twists and turns, but eventually everyone has arrived in Atlantis. What a strange but unique location to be in and she is starting to dig quite a bit. But as she is given a tour around the city, she remarks about how wonderful its beauty is, much to the concern of the locals who tried to tell her that Gods will hate it if they show any signs of pride and arrogance.

Needless to say, after the tour is concluded, Isabela is free to explore Atlantis at her own and try out the many things it has to offer.)

Oh gee, where to start off first? I was told that the food here is quite the feast to behold. Maybe we can stop by at the stalls to see what they have to offer.

Wildcard
(Got something else in mind? Throw them down below. Isabela is open to all Atlantis prompts too.)

Power of Anime

[a_cute_batata]

"Isabela! Hey!"

Luz approaches the girl in full cosplay attire. it was a surprise to see that Isabela was here, but a welcome one. She had no idea the older girl was interested in cons!

"How's it going? I didn't know you came to these! Or is this your first?"

Luz Noceda | The Owl House

[a_cute_batata]

The Power of anime!

Luz had not expected another con so soon, and sadly, she didn't have the money to enjoy herself quite as much as she would have liked this time. Still, there was still plenty to do, from trying out some of the food to seeing the different panels and admiring how much people were attached to some of their favorite fandoms! Luz was wearing one one con outfit one day, but the rest Luz was in regular attire, trying to have as much fun as she could!

Crystal Rain

There was a time for fun, but clearly not everything was quite so easy going in Kaisou. Luz might not have been expecting the crystal rain, but with the boiling rain on the isles, Luz knew enough to keep out of weather that was potentially hazardous.

Unfortunately, the wildlife did not know enough to stay out of the microbursts, so once she came back outdoors to observe the damage, she noted the damage the rain did to keep them immobile. Luz was luckily able to call on her Kricketune to sing and her Lurantis to tantalize with her scent while Luz worked on freeing the crystalized animals. It at least helped to calm them down.

"Hey," Luz calls out, waving to you. "Think you could give me a hand?"

Lost City of Atlantis: Flying High

It had been at least two months since Owlbert left Kaisou. In that time, Luz had tried to make do with bikes, an embarrassing few days on skates (with skinned knees for her trouble) and the most humbling one, taking the bus.

The opportunity to visit Atlantis brought some new possibilities, but by far her favorite is riding the fish vehicle! It's the first in some time that she finds herself in the sky, and though she starts off pretty rickety at first, its only because relying on a vehicle was different from a staff. An hour later, Luz is zipping pretty confidently across the skies, and notices you wandering about.

"Need a lift?"

Wildcard!

[OOC:I'll also have Luz in the academy, trying to improve her magic if you want to find her there]

Yasuho Hirose | JoJolion (JJBA-8) | OTA

[youwouldntdownloada]

{A KINDA YELLOW SUBMARINE}

[That. Is a submarine.] ...Oh so that's how we're going into the lake.

[This. Is a submarine.] ...

[Yasuho is dressed as well as she can for a trip where her particular skill set may be needed- the app said this place was going to be dangerous. She didn't think she'd be of use. Josuke, healer that he was, pointed out that she would probably be really great for espionage, actually, especially since those headphones of hers seemed to....do things. Which, yes, they do, and so does her kitty cloak, but she's still nervous.

Now more than ever, now that she's inside a freaking submarine that looks like it belongs in a sci-fi.] S...so....

[Oh god she's stuck starting small talk. Oh god, oh god-]

This is...neat, right?

[Please say yes, she is So full of bees.]

{WHEN IN ATLANTIS... PROMPTS IN UNDERLINE}

[So. They're Stranded. Yasuho comes out of the cave after that fantastic revelation looking more than a little wound up. It's no surprise why- she might have packed a few things, but she didn't exactly pack to be stuck here for a number of days if not longer. Not to mention, that submarine isn't made for sleeping in. And on top of that- !

She putus her head in her hands.] Where are we supposed to stay...

[That is...the question of the day.

...But fortunately, not the question of the night. Or the Next Day, as by then, the problem has in fact been resolved! The populace of Atlantis are kind- welcoming and eager, and it ends up little trouble to find an old couple willing to let her stay with their family. The matron of the house eagerly helps the girl into something better suited for the incredibly humid weather as her husband chats about the sea, and their young son and his own wife are equally happy to offer some points of just what to do around the great city. Over all, her 'Atlantean Fit' is....simple? Really a lot is simple if she doesn't look at the tattoos (she turns those down) and glowing crystals (ominous).

But! It does mean that she can actually do what she came here for, even if she finds herself leaving her cloak and bag at the house. Browsing wares comes alongside doing what she can to gather any information on the city and just how it came to be here; it's a good opportunity to get a feel for what the people are like while she's at it, and as she inspects what's frankly a beautiful piece of coral jewelry, she quickly finds out why.] Oh....it's lovely-

Oh- no, no, it's nothing too fancy, [the craftsman quickly counters, looking incredibly anxious. He calms down when he explains it 'properly'.] It's just for protection- the red represents the blood of the seas, turning away feelings of jealousy, and pride!

Oh- ...I see. ...Is it really expensive then, it seems important...

[......it's simple sure, but it really is kind of pretty she thinks...and actually, that kind of definition suits the whole city.

Especially From Above. She may have convinced someone to take her up on a 'Fish'- holding her phone out (she's so glad she brought a battery pack honestly...), and recording the scenery from far in the air.] It really is beautiful... [She'll say- either to whoever's driving her, or to those down below going over the video feed with her.] I think I spotted a few caves too, but really this place is amazing...

[....She can...sort of say that about the Films. Sort of....] ...they really held onto that fear for thousands of years didn't they... [She's filming these too of course. Why wouldn't she? But the themes of each show sure are...] I don't want to say it feels like finding biblically inclined papers, but it kind of feels like when I find biblically inclined papers, [she whispers to whoever's nearest, looking just a bit conflicted.] ....or maybe just an aesop..?

[Maybe closer to the Aesops. It's not all sightseeing and touring though- Yasuho feels like she needs to be doing something to give back to the Atlanteans helping them out (especially after the young daughter-in-law buys her that red coral piece), so she's going to give Fishing a try.] O...okay....so I just aim under the fish..?

Yes, yes- try to be calm...they can tell if you're nervous, you'll scare them away.

R...right...

[Spoilers. She will scare them away. The fishermen at least don't seem to mind too much- actually, they seem genuinely charmed by the attempts to at least Try and catch something. And! After a few different tries with various methods..!]

I...! I think I've got something in the trap..! [Wow! A Catch..!]

...uh.... ...now what...

[The fishermen are kind enough to handle what comes immediately next. What she does get to handle next though, is something that she spends a fair amount of her time in Atlantis figuring out alongside the terrible attempts at fishing-

Cooking! And perhaps another just might join her in learning.]

Okay, so this is what it should look like while the food is browning...

[Yes she's recording this what do you want from her.]

{THE AFTERMATH}

[Yasuho is somewhat shaken when she comes back from Atlantis. It's so much so that she ends up making a video post- a video post!- like one of her old highschool friends would have done after a tourist shopping haul, and when the camera finally turns off she feels like she's breaking into hives.

She's not of course, but that's how it feels. All the way to Gen, she's rubbing her head with one hand, the other one gripping her purse strap like it's a life line. Even Paisley's gone quiet- then again, that might just be because of how many times she needed to leave the phone on shore in Atlantis, leaving her Stand bored and grumpy in her shadow.

But, she's home. She wasn't eaten by a Leviathan (difficult, since she mostly stayed in Atlantis and wondered and waited and wondered some more until the news came back to her afterward), more importantly her friends weren't eaten by a Leviathan...

Patrons of Gen are free to prod the now returning regular customer with concerns. She's. Looking a little tense.

As for the one who she normally talks to in this place-] If I had....some really old recipes, would you want to see those...?

Yellow Submarine

[phoenixwiz]

(Jamie had been intrigued by the idea of submarine travel since getting the alert in his app. Having gotten dressed for travel and packing enough clothing to last him for a couple of days, he has gotten to Blue Fish Park where the submarine awaits.

Yasuho is here too, thank goodness for a moment he thought he might be the only one waiting to get on board.)

Yeah. That looks pretty neat looking. I never got to see or ride anything like this before.

Fern | Adventure Time | OTA

[laminae]

Mysterious Fathoms Below

[Weirdly enough, this isn't the first time Fern has been in a submarine. Yeah, apparently they had those in post-apocalypse.

At the edge of Blue Fish Lake he looks pretty eager to get going, albeit with some nervous energy mixed in. He can be found peering at the sub curiously, with one foot absently pushing a goose away that seems very intent on snapping at him.]

Hah, wow, last time I was in one of these sea cucumbers my bro was trying to make me get over my fear of the ocean. I nearly drowned both of us.

[He laughs, a little unsure, about going back in one of these things after an incident like that.]

The Lost City of Atlantis

[Having made it to Atlantis, Fern is eager to explore. The city is pretty cool, different from anything he's seen before. Though, he quickly finds himself trying to avoid all the little food stands and restaurants - those aren't exactly fun when you can't eat like a regular person. Luckily, there are plenty of other things to distract him, so his dour mood at being unable to enjoy the sea food doesn't last for very long.

He can be found sitting off a little pier, having found himself a couple of fishing poles some kind of citizen was happy to lend him. He's grabbed one for himself and is chilling there, happily fishing. While he can't eat what he catches, that doesn't mean he can't enjoy fishing itself.

He can also be found further in the city, admiring one of those fish-shaped flying motorbike-vehicles.] Dang, this thing is sick!

Aftermath

[Revelations have never been things Fern has been all that good with. He had assumed the fight with the sea monster would be simple - in and out, slice its head off, save the day, blah blah blah - and that it would fix things, but it turned out neither of those things were true. It's more complicated than anyone could have realized, and now he isn't sure what the heck anyone should do. These kinds of big decisions get left up to people like princesses.

He's found somewhere a bit quieter to sit in the city, and he's rolling a crystal around in his hands thoughtfully.]

Geez... this is a real big decision.

The Lost City of Atlantis

[senorita_perfecta]

(The submarine trip has been quite a doozy but now that they’re in Atlantis, Isabela decides to check out the city herself. Aside from one or two instances where she admits about the the amazing beauty it had and getting a heads up on arrogance and pride, she has been doing really well on her first underwater adventure.

She is already passing by the fish looking flying motorbikes when she finds Fern admiring them as well.)

Oh yeah, these look really sick and cool. I wonder if we can get to ride on them too.

Jun Nightroad | Tokyo Xanadu | OTA

[whiteshroud]

I. Anime Convention
[There is no way Jun is missing the anime convention. Should you go to the convention, there's a good chance you'll run into Jun cosplaying as Sailor Neptune. He's often browsing the artist gallery to get merch, or listening intently on panels. He's also got a sizable collection of doujinshi he's seem to grab up. Gotta stock up his collection while he can okay]

Okay...one more stall, and then it's time for lunch. [He can be heard saying either to himself ...or possibly the seraph with him]

II. City of Atlantis
[Of course he wasn't going to turn down the chance to see Atlantis. It's Atlantis, after all. Sure, the trip here was rough, but that didn't deter Jun from exploring the city. He's drawn to the theater, sitting in on some of the shows...enough so he starts to notice the worrying trend with all these morality plays. These people really were stuck in the trauma of what happened all those years ago...it's sad to see. He wonders if there's any way to help.

Though, that certainly doesn't stop Jun from goading someone near the tattoo parlor]

Dare you to get a tattoo.

[He says idly]

III. Wildcard
[Got another prompt for me? Hit me up! Jun can pretty much get involved with all the prompts this month]

CLOSED TO JUSIS

[whiteshroud]

[Mission Details]

[Another day, another quest in Kanto. Today his assignment was with Jusis. The last time he worked with Jusis, several people got dragged into the Spirit Realm, but he felt pretty confident that wouldn't happen again. Still, Jun had been strangely quiet (or rather quieter) as they met with Alba to go over the details of the quest. This seems to continue as they head for the gate, with Jun seemingly lost in thought.]

Hm...

Ash Carbide/Ash Cabott | OTA + 1 closed

[switchaxe]

KaiCon + Around Town

[Ash is on medical leave from the Order after the events of last month, and this means he has plenty of time to be a Nuisance(TM) at KaiCon. He's not really causing problems, but this is his first convention and he is maybe still a little high on the adrenaline from last month. The only reason he's not literally bouncing off the walls is because of the elemental balance in Kaisou right now.

So feel free to stop him around KaiCon, if you're there! If you're not...he's probably easy to find at any fast food place or other place of convenient food. Having an eight-year possession broken apparently leaves a boy hungry. Or that's just the elemental stuff again.]

Closed to Zhongli

[They get to the museum and Ash sticks out his hand.]

Wallet, old man.

[infezione]

[There isn't terribly much going on at the convention right now, but it is only just opening up. Pat's taken it upon himself to grab a schedule or two (and maybe a flyer for a nearby restaurant that they can maybe go to later, but shhhh).

One of the schedules is handed off to Ash immediately, the other stays out, with Pat pulling out a couple of differently colored highlighters.]

Anything immediately catching your eye?

[poisontippedcure]

[Arrival]

[Rose is beginning to feel restless again, with a side of wanderlust. It's easy for her to sign up for the mission this month. If nothing else, she doesn't like the water, but she does know how to deal with it. And breathing underwater is a thing that she can do, probably!]

[She seems remarkably nervous on the way down, but when the group arrives at the city, she'll be absolutely awestruck. So awestruck, in fact, that she might run into you. Sorry about that.]

[Mingling]

[She's happy to explore the city, and she's more than interested in the crafts. Fishing isn't something that interests her innately, but there's something about the Atlanteans that catches her eye. She's so interested, they ask her if she'd like to try, and she eventually accepts.]

[It's a mistake. It's a horrible mistake. This isn't what a net looks like. This isn't even what the idea of a net looks like. The people who were crafting originally are trying their best to be nice about it, but it's clear that they're taken aback that anyone can be this bad at crafting.]

[Rose looks remarkably defeated.]

I suppose some things never change.

[Testing.]

[Somehow, Rose ends up on a fishing boat. She's seen the cracks, and she understands that the water is a threat. The outside is a threat. But, she still hasn't tested her ability to breathe water.]

[Once no one's looking, she dunks her head into the water without any warning. She stays under for about a minute before popping back up. Unless you say something, she isn't going to say anything. People do this all the time, right?]

[Fighting]

[Rose isn't super talented at swimming, but she does her best. Having a voidsent friend and being able to breathe underwater indefinitely help her case, at least. Her scythe is drawn and she's ready to attack. She'll be happy to team up with anyone else trying to take down the creature.]

I've already killed you once. I won't hesitate to do it again.

testing :)

[hoshikiri]

[Hey. Hey Rose, guess who was in fact looking.

It's ya boi Kesi. Also on a fishing boat. Seeing Rose play bobbing for fimshes. Staring at her until she pulls her head out of the water.

Out of nowhere:]

... Can you breathe?

Luca Paguro | OTA

[schoolingfish]

Beat the Heat With the Power of Anime

If there's one thing Luca loves, it's learning about and engaging with human culture. Dressing up is pretty high on the list of things he loves, too. And sure, there are lots of gaps in his knowledge about human TV shows, but the second he finds out there's a show where the main group of characters are all named after planets (plus the moon), he knows exactly who he's going to dress up as, even if he doesn't really know the plot or the characters.

It just takes a green wig and a sailor scout dress and he's transformed into Sailor Neptune. Who he selected because Neptune, the association with the sea, and it just seemed perfect. Alberto's there at the convention dressed as Sailor Uranus because...well, that's just the one he picked, it doesn't matter why.

He's glad he brought plenty of money, too, because all the booths filled with brightly colored merch and art is catching his eye, and he knows he and Alberto will be going home with a lot of stuff.

As he slowly moves with the crowd, he'll also leave through the brochure they got when they came in, commenting, "Oh! And there's a bunch of panels, too! Where you can learn stuff like costuming and drawing! I definitely have to go to some of these!"

Crystal Rain

When the clouds begin to darken much faster than Luca can get to shelter it's bad enough, especially when the rain forcefully pours down onto him, forcing him to instantly change into his sea monster form. He races under an awning, noticing it's strangely more difficult to run than it usually is, and only noticing the crystals that had formed once he makes it to safety. He runs his fingers over the crystals, breaking one off to look at it.

"What is this?"

Mysterious Fathoms Below

A city that fell into the ocean? Who could possibly be more equipped to help with that than Luca, who literally grew up in the sea? Of course, he's still young enough to need a chaperon because apparently Zodiac has different ideas of what constitutes 'the most equipped to handle this', but that shouldn't be too hard, right?

Luca stands outside near where the submarine is docked, looking around and trying to spot anyone that seems like the type to sign on to be someone's adult supervision.

The Lost City of Atlantis

Fortunately, Luca gets what he was looking for when Jamie agrees to take him on the submarine. Once they reach the city, he spends his time exploring. He samples the food, watches several performances with rapt attention, and tries to learn all he can from the Atlanteans. He's having a lot of fun...until the whole barrier shakes.

He runs to see what it is...then stops when he sees the giant sea serpent. A sea monster. He knows it's not a sea monster in the same way that he is, that it's probably just an animal, and he has no idea why it would attack, but still...

"Do...do we have to fight it? I don't want to fight it."

And many people probably think he's afraid. And he is, the creature is large and powerful and could probably eat Luca in one gulp, but he also just feels bad, and wishes there was some other way. Something they could do to lure it away. It somehow feels wrong to Luca to hunt this creature the same way he was hunted, though he can understand that it's different. This creature is actually dangerous, it's not like him and Alberto.

Fortunately, it's not something he'll really have to deal with, because no one's going to blame a kid for staying behind and letting others do the fighting. He'll just stay back, watch from a distance and hope for the best.

The Lost City of Atlantis

[phoenixwiz]

He is not going to lie: Jamie is also quite scared to see how big the Leviathan in front really is. He knew that there were some dangers underwater beforehand but he didn’t expect it to be this huge or menacing. Plus the investigation he had on the cave’s scrolls and paintings did shook him up over what the elders told him.

“It appears that we might to have fight it. But I can try to tackle it for you if you’re not comfortable in fighting the Leviathan, I have Water magic with me so I can try to use it against it.”

The month has given Water a major boost, he can try to tackle that pesky Leviathan down, if not kill it.

Venti | Genshin Impact | OTA

[venti_late]

A: Make It Crystal Rain

[Venti has been going through a rough period in his life. Having woken up one morning feeling distinctly and unnervingly different is definitely a way to add fuel to his existential crisis fire. He's confirmed some of it, and it leaves a sinking pit in his stomach. It seems he's run out of time to think about certain aspects of his past life. Or maybe that time has been cut significantly shorter, which is a much more hopeful thought that he'll cling onto like a life raft for now.

He leaves home to wander the streets of Kaisou aimlessly in an effort to clear his head. His home has started to feel like a cage, and he needs to shake that idea before it takes root in his mind. With some luck, maybe a little adventure will help.

The bard really isn't expecting the microburst as he looks out the window of a café. Venti almost dismisses it as a typical bit of rain, but he sees that something isn't right. He frowns and steps outside, keeping himself under the awning. Using the wind, he can hear that it's not making the sound water should make as it hits people and animals. It sounds more like... crystals or maybe it's sleet? As a person comes closer to get out of the rain, Venti can now see that it's definitely crystals, and it's even growing on people and slowing their movements.

When the microburst stops, Venti scans the area for anyone in distress. What he sees first is a bird. It seems to be almost completely covered in that strange crystal substance, and it's immobilized in the middle of the road. A quick glance tells him no cars are coming immediately, so he runs out and scoops the bird up into his arms. Venti keeps running to the other side, and barely gets out of the way of a car while doing so. He doesn't seem to have noticed as he kneels down, carefully brushing the crystals off of the bird while checking to make sure neither of its wings are broken.]

You're okay, little friend. You'll be free in a second. I just gotta make sure you didn't hurt yourself.

B: Fathoms Below

[Venti's absolutely on board for this once-in-a-lifetime adventure! He can't say he's a fan of being in a submarine, though. Even one as 'roomy' as this. It just feels so cramped and stifling. The bard can't stay still on the sub, which indicates his discomfort more than anything else. Planes can at least force Venti to sit down for the entire flight, but not this thing!

Don't mind him just making his fake Anemo Vision into a lyre to softly play. It's better than him getting in the way. Venti even hums a little as he does, but he'll engage in conversation if anyone gets his attention. Anything to distract him from the fact he's in a metal deathtrap on the way to the deepest part of a lake-turned-ocean.]

C: The Lost City of Atlantis

[Honestly, now that he's a god again, Venti does feel a keen sense of discomfort being in Atlantis. However, his curiosity wins out over his unease. Atlantis has always been a heavily debated topic in paranormal circles, after all! To have the chance to see it with his own eyes and learn about this lost piece of underground history? Sign him up!

The first thing he does is hop on a ship to take in the sights from there. It's also the perfect excuse to get a closer look at the barrier around the city. Venti can be seen at the side of the ship, looking out at the water below with half his body bent over the side fearlessly. The wind carries mutterings from the sailors that he's surreptitiously listening in on. To whoever happens to be next to him, the bard will suddenly ask:]

I'm not much for fish, but do you recognize any of these?

D: Wildcard

[Have an idea for something else that's not in these prompts? Hit this twink up!]

a

[lapislazily]

[Zhongli is out on a walk despite the foreboding weather. He feels more restless than usual. He's also looking for Venti, who wasn't at his house when he went to visit him. There had been no cheerful text message this morning (the kind he liked to ignore), even though he planned on responding to it. Venti has made it a point to text him almost every single day since they reunited for... some reason, so it's unusual to have silence.

As the rain starts, Zhongli retrieves an umbrella from inside his long coat and flicks it open in one graceful motion. That wouldn't be such a big deal, except the wind is making it more like a fucking monsoon. He notices crystals forming on his coat like he's in a cold winter storm, except they are clearly crystals. That's not normal.

He stops across the street from a café and considers crossing the street so that he can get out of this annoying rain, which is trying to freeze him in place. He makes a noise of displeasure and abuses his Jade Shield to form a nice barrier around him that keeps the crystals at bay for a minute. That's much better.

The microburst seems to be tapering off, at least, and dialing back to a steady rain. He's about to resume his walk when he sees a familiar teal flash go darting into the road. What the—]

Venti!

[He hurries closer only to see a car narrowly avoid the selfless bard. It's such a near thing that Zhongli can see the driver panic and lay on the horn before speeding off with a squeal of their tires. At last he stops just behind the bard, and holds the umbrella slightly forward to shield Venti from the rain, too. Hopefully that will make the situation less dire.]

There you are, [he says with the same tired consternation in his voice as a thousand years ago.] Did you even bother looking before you ran into the road? You need to be more... cautious.

[He notices Venti is poring over something and drops to a crouch, still holding the umbrella to shield them both. Maybe it's a wound?]

What is it?

Scintilla Caminus | FFXIV [WoL OC] | ota

[sunforging]

[i; lost city of atlantis]

[Largely unfazed by the rough journey over save only for worrying about those much more (justifiably) shaken, Scintilla took to the city very quickly. Cheerfully accepting an offer to try some manner of seafood skewer or much more likely animatedly chatting to a craftsman over a metal spearhead. In a sharp change of pace, she was discussing the metal's durability and weight as well as the efficiency of the shape for a fishing harpoon, advising that this specific example had some minute flaws in it--see, if'n y' look here an' here, you got a couple weak spots. Shape n' construction's perfect, prob'ly just got some imperfections in th' metal, ought to remake just this one t' be safe-]

[...She looked aboutthisclose to cracking her knuckles and helping out at the forge, so she might be there for a good while.]

[ii; LEVIATHAN LEVIATHAN]

[Or, more likely, it was open combat. She'd hesitantly accepted a breathing mask despite assurances that, quote, 'really, ought to save it for folk what really need it'. Even then she seemed...unusually calm for someone faced with the assault of a giant sea serpent. Hopping right onto one of the stone fish vehicles with a glowing rapier in hand, she cast a wind spell at the creature that turned into something more like churning ocean in its own right--fighting completely underwater was a little new, but that wasn't a problem.]

'Til sea swallows all, aye? Ain't swallowin' nothin' today, mate.

[No reason to panic, this was really just round three for her.]

[iii; wildcard]

[whatever else! fishing, swimming, or anything going on back in the city!]

Vergil | Devil May Cry | OTA

[kowase]

:// Crystal Rain -

[ it's probably a disconcerting sight, to see a nearly 40-year old man, crouched in the rain with an umbrella, trying his damndest not to? maybe panic? or something? His head keeps looking up and darting around as he questions himself on what he should do in this insanely odd situation.

He'd gone out, as he normally does, to do a little bit of shopping for a trip he plans on taking soon, and as usual, a certain duck had followed him around as it usually does.

Except the problem now is that the duck is encased in crystal as it had patiently waited outside the store for nearly an hour and... got stuck.

Well.
Vergil hadn't PLANNED on keeping the duck that had followed him home one day, but he had. And now he's rather distressed that it's become a crystal lump on the sidewalk and he's at a very awkward loss at what to do.

He might cast anyone who stops to try to help a sort of pained look, and while he LOATHES the idea for asking for help... ]

I am not entirely certain what to do with this.
If I knew leaving her outside would have turned her to stone, I would have hidden her in my coat.

[ what if she's dead and it's his fault? fuck. ]

.// Mysterious Fathoms Below -

[ be it one of his family members or friends who he reached out to in order to make it abundantly apparent that Vergil had planned on going to atlantis, nothing was going to stop him from a trip like this. After the scuffle with a certain Tiger on Zulius' roof, as well as a certain katana strapped to his belt at his he might be feeling a little less vulnerable than he did when he first arrived in Kaisou.

Which means he's absolutely not passing up the opportunity to visit a country said to be that of myth and legend, lost under the fathoms of the sea for thousands of thousands of years.

And while Vergil does put a certain amount of faith in the absolutely huge machine that is being sunk into the ocean in order to bring the dozens of volunteers there--once it starts listing and throwing itself around; vergil takes no time to pass into his devil trigger form in order to protect himself--and attempt to grab someone else so they don't go flying facefirst down into the metal of the submarine floor as well.

Which means you get save yourself from passing out via giving your head a good clang against the submarine floor--

But that also means that you've got a big ten-foot-tall or more devil bracing you against a wall.

It's fine. ]

--Can hear water. [ the devil's voice comes out in a frightening reverb--like two voices at once. ] What in the hell are the crew doing.

Need to go see if everyone is okay.

.// And Onto Atlantis

[ and once the panic of crashing and drowning in a large machine under the depths of the ocean in some far away, ancient cave is no longer a worry, Vergil isn't going to be even 1% chill about the city. He's like a man on a mission, travelling between shop stalls and restaurants, trying to take in absolutely everything that he can see.

If you are one of his friends who came along with him, you may well need to try to slow down the man who is absolutely clearly on a mission--or you'll probably have to do your best to keep up with him.

Perhaps stop with him to try the weird looking local fare--because he's absolutely setting down to try the food. Notebook in hand to write down everything he can observe--albeit it's all in Italian.
He will be visiting the theatre as well, though the plays are likely not to his taste--something weird about a devil watching a play about being good and pious sets his teeth on edge.

He's disappointed that there aren't any books he can buy, but he will be idling a long time near any big tablets he can find. He can't read them, but he's quite good at copying down the text into his notebook.

Bullying him to get a tattoo, though, might be a touch too far. ]

I am nearly forty years old. Do you think I would want to get a tattoo at this age. What would I even get. I have never once in my life even considered it, why would I want one now.

If you are so interested, perhaps you should get one.
That way I can see how it is done.

Mysterious Fathoms Below

[droptheious]

[Varian has been all about this submarine, hell the entire trip is an exciting event for him. The chance to LEARN is something this lad will never miss out on. The submarine has been a particular point of interest to him, and the crew have absolutely had to scare him off from touching things he shouldn't at least ten times by now.

He's stuck in his werewolf form when they get hit, and it's a good thing Vergil is there, or this kid would have been eating the metal floor of the sub. He's been in the city for well over a year at this point, so he's only mildly surprised by the devil trigger form. More due to never seeing it before than any actual fear. ]

Uh. Thanks. [His wolfy ears swivel to pick up the noise.] Iiiii'm gonna guess they're uh- trying to stop this thing taking on more water. That's gonna cause way more problems for us than drowning if it changes the pressure on this vessel too much. I've got tools, I can help!

Vash the Stampede | Trigun: Maxiumum | OTA

[doubledollar]

.//Power of Anime

[ for a guy who's nearly six feet tall and dresses in a tattered, bright red trenchcoat? This place is where he belongs. For once he actually doesn't get stares from people by looking like a walking wild-western distopian weirdo, and actually, it's more than once that he gets stopped by people thinking he's in some sort of cosplay from some show he's never heard of.

He'll take his gun out and do the best pose that he can--having already made sure to leave the bullets out of the chamber, of course. it's totally just a prop.

He's not watched anime, really, he has no idea what it is--but that wouldn't stop vash the stampede from showing up somewhere that's gathered a big crowd.

when he isn't excitedly buying things or talking to people who might approach him with 'where did you get your coat', or 'was it hard to dye your hair that colour', he's being followed closely around by a little mini version of himself, apparently--except the kid is wearing a certain cowboy hat and poncho some may recognise as the outfit he'd worn during the Zodiac building raid.

He doesn't look too happy to be here.
If he recognises your character wandering about the convention, you'd best believe you're getting a long-armed, excited wave from the one and only humanoid typhon--if not a shout of your name if you don't notice his obnoxious wave. ]

--Heyyyy! Nice costume. ...It is a costume, right? people keep calling my outfit a costume and now I'm feeling weird about just coming in my regular outfit...

[ whine. ]

.// Crystal Rain

[ it wouldn't be the first time that vash has left the house without an umbrella. being he's from the desert, he doesn't actually mind the feeling of rain on his skin--his coat being waterproof enough that he doesn't feel the need to bring an umbrella sometimes.

which, were it any other day, maybe it'd be Fine. Maybe it wouldn't be such a big deal.

Instead, he finds his arm locking up the longer he spends time out in it. Which is weird. it's really weird.

So it's time to stop into a dunkin donuts and try to figure out what's going on.

Which means you might find {1} vash the stampede sitting inside a dunkin donuts, with a whole box of donuts to himself, trying to scrub crystals off his fake arm which he's absolutely detached from his body so he can peel the little assholes out from under all the little crevices in it... ]

.// Clocktower's Haunted - Closed to Garrett

[ it's a clear night for once--none of that crystal-making rain, the air is hot, even deep into the night that it is. the benefit of only having to sleep for two hours a night comes with a downside, and that's being bored at about 2 and 3am in the morning when most of your friends and family are asleep.

Vash has found a way to alleviate that boredom--and that was to take the wing at night and practice using them--he wasn't a great flyer, but he was trying to change that. At night, he felt less likely to get caught flipping around on rooves and getting used to the feeling of the plantlike feathers that spread out of his body in uneven, jagged wings--and beside, it was kind of nice to look over the entire place when it was dark. His eyes lightly shining in the deep dark of night, he's currently sitting on a roof of one of the buildings he often catches glimpses of a certain cloaked friend of his--and he has to wonder if the man lives somewhere nearby.

He could never get any such information out of the catty thief, even when he was offering to bring him fresh veggies and fruit from the garden. At the very least, if he left baskets up here, they always tended to be gone by the next time he visited, so.

Enough with resting today, Vash gets to his feet with a stretch--moving to hop up at the corner of the building to leap off--

Only to nearly crash into someone who --was there?
Wasn't there?

His eyes felt fuzzy as he tries to get a good look at the person--reactively trying to grab at him--her, them--

But his hands couldn't properly find where they'd went. They were there a moment ago, he swears he saw eyes-- ]

--Hey, don't freak out! I'm not gonna' hurt you!

[ was it a... ghost? Did he almost just grab a ghost?
How long had it been there? ]

[blackhand]

[It's been like this since nearly the first full moon when he arrived in this city.

Garrett is not a man who enjoys being flashy. He prefers being alone, a hidden face in the dark, something that's more a shadow then anything tangible or visible at all. "Child of the shadows," the Queen of Beggars calls him, and it's a title he strives to keep even now. But it's gotten harder, quite literally, when you suddenly can't hold anything, you fall through floors, you suddenly dematerialize and re-materialize at the drop of a hat if you're startled. It makes his work hard, frustrating, his tools completely useless when he's like this, wandering being his only option until it finally wears off.

The first night this came about, Garrett had torn out of the clocktower like a bat out of hell. His mind was overridden with the need to seek out ones who had wronged others, the master thief clearly toeing the line between his own mantra and being vengeance itself. Nowadays, it's easier to control and stay in control, but that doesn't mean he likes it, or that he's not afraid of it happening every time.

"Hey, Garrett. Make sure you don't become a ghost yourself."
"I've been a ghost my entire life."

The irony isn't lost on him. Here, in Kaisou, it's just as familiar as back home, though this time- he actually is a ghost. Garrett's not sure if Basso would laugh or be concerned, and he doesn't want to dwell on it. Not right now. Which is why he'd been keeping to one of the higher buildings here, out of sight, willing himself to at least stay tangible enough to not just fall through the rooftop itself. Once daylight comes, things will get easier.

And then he'd found that he wasn't the only one there- Vash had soon shown up and sat down, causing the thief to panic and fall through the floor. Luckily he caught himself before he'd gone further into the building, but this has now become annoying if only because he has to be fast to get out of here. Garrett quietly pokes his head up into the rooftop floor, eyes watching and moving quietly as possible to try and not get any attention on him. If he can just move quickly-

It's not fast enough. Vash spots him, or at least spots the echoes of him, trying to reach for a man who doesn't have a physical form currently, hands going through Garrett's arm as he jerks back in surprise. Of course, this only makes it worse, as he suddenly dematerializes where he is, only going and re-materializing a few feet away, irritation in his tone.

While he may not exactly look like he usually does- a different outfit; red eyes, the left one flaring brightly with wisps of a faint smoke trailing upwards; any open skin appearing more like someone dunked him in black ink and then painted every bone in stark white like a partial skeleton- the voice that speaks back is familiar, reverb or no.]

Go away.

[Vash is one who worries for the people he cares about, if he knows something's wrong. That's how it's been since the master thief has met him. Any chance he's had to interact with Garrett, there's been kindness and friendliness, there's been banter and a stalwart sense of companionship despite Garrett repeatedly trying to get out of said companionship. Despite his best efforts, he cannot get rid of the plant man, and so the thief has finally stopped trying. Here and now, he knows, knows that Vash isn't going to just leave him alone. Not after seeing this.

He's fine (he's not fine). He's used to it (he's not, it still terrifies him). He's had worse and it'll go back to normal soon enough (please help him).]

Ritsuka Fujimaru | Fate/Grand Order | Open~

[prunedworlds]

[I. Well it's no Nautilus...]

Even from what limited information she'd learned in her first few hours in the city, Ritsuka decidedly did not trust Zodiac. This does not, however, stop her from taking an interest in the announcement. Partly because after all her time in Chaldea, it's hard to not want to investigate, but also very specifically because of what this was about.

Atlantis.

It undoubtedly isn't the same as the lostbelt she visited months ago, but in a way that makes her all the more curious.

All of which is a long way of saying that, sure enough, here she is, checking out that old fashioned-looking sub with the air of someone who's not entirely unfamiliar with such things.

"Too bad Nemo's not here..."


[II. A not so lost city]

Once in Atlantis, well. Since there's not much she can do to contribute while the sub's being repaired, that means exploring the city! Trying out the food, checking out the handicrafts.... And definitely eyeing those magic flying fish-motorbikes.

Surely this won't end poorly.


[III. After the battle]

Ritsuka is definitely too new here to have that much to say about the crystals. Oh, were she still in contact with Chaldea, or even had reason to still believe this was yet another singularity, that would be an entirely different story. But it's not, and so she probably doesn't have any business messing around with absurdly powerful magical artifacts. Except that...

"Is there someone who can transport and store something like that? If there's the right equipment and facility..."

Look, you retrieve enough holy grails, you eventually kind of get an understanding of what makes handling this sort of thing relatively safe to do.


[IV. Nerd things]

Regardless of the outcome of the trip to Atlantis, however, there's soon another very important matter to address:

There's an honest to goodness perfectly ordinary anime con in town.

Yeah, Ritsuka's totally there. She may have had to borrow money or ask for an advance on her pay or whatever the case may be, but there's no way she can miss this. Whether it's getting a few of those overpriced snacks for a nostalgic taste of home (don't think too hard on how long it's been), checking out whether there's any new doujin of interest, or staring in awe at the 1:4 scale model promoting some new mecha anime, it's full-on nerd mood now.


[Wildcard/notes]

HIT ME. Or PM/poke me in discord (altocumulus) to plot! Ritsuka is new to town and thus doesn't have any real routine yet, so I'm flexible~

iii.

[hoshikiri]

Takame meanwhile has been here long enough, but he didn't need to be to know the danger that came with handling powerful artifacts. Especially crystals which here were confirmed to be used in a similar way to his home. And to the vision he had. Power sources.

He was exhausted by the fight with the Leviathan despite having fought two of them before. Three? Two and a half. More stress was added on with the fact Ritsuka decided to jump into this Spirit Realm, but he had very subtle tells.

As for her question, Takame just shook his head.

"I'm unsure. This realm has their own means of regulating the power of these crystals and being fathoms deep under the water surely is its own means of security. As for outside of here, I have my doubts."

Sung Jin Woo | Solo Leveling | Closed to BO members

[lowestclass]

[ given his role coming up in a certain mission with his new assignment, Jinwoo is definitely taking the whole thing pretty seriously. How long has it been since he hasn't just been backup or support, but having offered himself as an actual front-line member for any sort of mission? Of course he's nervous. Switching from one foot to the other as he stands outside the museum, waiting for one of the few members of the order he'd invited--on different days--to stake out the museum with him.

He had no idea what sort of relics they were looking for. Which ones were the ones needing to be returned. Which ones were cursed--he was totally out of his element with this.

Which is why he'd asked for a few stakeouts with other members--so he could figure out which ones were the ones he'd have to aim for when mission d-day was on them.

Which also means being outside during the daytime, which was already making his skin itch, as even with the microbursts of rain, there were still patches of sunlight that made his shadows shrink in close to his body.

When one of those he invited out shows up to greet him--either he'll be surprised they saw him first...

...or...

enjoy having the little shadowy cryptid sneak up on you, and tap your shoulder because you didn't notice he had been standing there this entire time. The shadows that seem to cling to his body making him rather hard to notice half the time.

Just don't scream. He doesn't want to drop his umbrella. ]

--It's been a busy place for a few days. Bet the curator is delighted with how much attention the stuff he has is getting...

[lapislazily]

[Zhongli is staring at a brochure in his hand for the Ancient China exhibit, which actually covers from 221 BC to 220 AD, when he feels someone tap his shoulder. He's been trying to run into Jinwoo intentionally so it's not like it's a surprise.]

Ah, Jinwoo. [He's been standing out here without an umbrella because he's figured out how to cheat with magic, and it's only for a little bit.] There is no doubt in my mind that he believes in his own success.

I've already visited the other exhibits, so we don't need to waste any time investigating them. I know the items we're looking for. Are you ready?

Pepa Madrigal | OTA

[weatherforecast]

Crystal Rain:

Pepa has been carrying an umbrella around just because of her gift, honestly. You never know when a mood shift if going to mean rain (or snow) with her. So she has started coming prepared. So if you need a place to duck to wait out the rain, she's happy to share.

She also carried a towel on her for such reasons and if you get caught in the showers, expect her to come rushing to help dry you off once it's safe to do so.



Fathoms Below:

Last month, stepping into Oz was actually pretty nice for Pepa. She enioyed helping rebuild the houses and bringing food for anyone working too hard.

So she figured she'd brave the spirit realm again this month. Unfortunately this means when the submarine started filling with water, she added to the trouble with a small snow flurry inside that froze some of the water.

Oops?

Look, she was stressed, okay? It happens.

But once they're safe on dry land, she can be seen wringing water from her skirt and muttering "Clear skies" over and over to herself to stay calm. Even so, a few clouds loom ominously overhead threatening downpour.

Either help her out or give her a minute and she'll be ready to go explore the caves. Provided she isn't going alone...


Lost City Of Atlantis:

Once inside the city, Pepa is ready to help. So she volunteers to help craft nets if they show her how.

And she may potentially go out to help fish as well. Again if someone will show her.

Lost City of Atlantis

[senorita_perfecta]

Isabela has recovered from the terrifying experience of riding a narrowly sinking submarine trip that shook up her aunt and Palisman Olivia quite a bit and is starting to slowly warm up to Atlantis. She has been walking for a while when she comes across a group of locals working on nets at the port. That looks a lot of fun.

Now she did wished that she had Mirabel’s sewing skills right about now, but new places means new things to learn so she is all for it. Plus she happens upon Pepa also wanting to help in the net making as well. It may seem to be a weird thing to bond with, but hey whichever works.

“Oh hi Tía Pepa! It looks like we’re going to help the Atlanteans out with getting the nets done. I can join in if you want to.”

Fukuda Tamotsu | ID: INVADED | OTA

[holeful]

[1. Very Convincing Cosplays]
[Fukuda's shied away from the public eye for most of his time here, but for the Convention, he's out in high spirits, without any sort of hat or hood. This means that anyone can clearly see that there's a hole going straight through his head in addition to the scarring covering most of the right side of his face. But at the convention, this doesn't elicit cries of horror or worry. No, instead, people here will just think it's very elaborate visual effects.

Maybe you're the one who asks, or maybe you simply overheard someone else asking how he achieved it. Either way, you hear Fukuda laugh good naturedly, and answer;]

Haha, how else? I used a drill.
[He says it with a sense of humor, as if he's making a joke or playing into some sort of character. But that doesn't really answer the costuming question, does it? Anyone with a particularly critical eye might be a bit skeptical at how this "effect" could be achieved, especially if they notice you can see all the way through Fukuda's head if you look at the hole straight on.]

[2. Museum Trip]
[While it's technically outside the Convention bounds, on the days the con is taking place, you might catch Fukuda at the new exhibit, since he has the excuse of the convention if anyone asks about his appearance. He's very interested in these suspiciously pristine artifacts, his newly acquired dog tail wagging as he reads the information tablets. If you happen to be standing nearby, he might remark;]

Have you ever been to a museum exhibit this impressive? I'm trying to decide whether I should be suspicious or not, none of the museums I grew up going to were that impressive, so my standards might just be low.

[3. Wildcard]
[Hit me up if you want a bespoke TL! Otherwise fee free to freestyle with any other con interraction. Fukuda will be milling about mostly keeping to himself, maybe getting excited at merch of any anime that are adaptations of novels or about detectives. Maybe he accidentally knocks something off a table with the tail he's still getting used to? I'm up for whatever.]

very convincing

[doubledollar]

[ vash is absolutely not the sort of person to ask such a question bald-facedly and rudely--he disliked it when people asked about how he lost his arm, or how he got some of his scars, after all, so it made sense that he avoided doing it to others.

that doesn't mean he doesn't actually listen in when he hears someone ask it of the tall man who, he too, started to wonder if the visual effect of a hole in the idividual's head was a clever effect too; but...

hearing that...

He waits until the small group, now complaining that the guy can 'keep his secrets' after snapping a photo of him back away. Vash sliiiidin on up to the guy with a crooked smile, pushing his glasses up onto his nose. ]

Some secrets are just worth keeping, I guess. If you're that good at costuming, it'd ruin the magic, right?

xiao / genshin impact / ota.

[alatum]

─ CRYSTAL RAIN.

[ rain isn't something that xiao has ever truly had a problem with, in fact one might say that he has a fondness for those times were the world becomes nothing more than a sheet of rain from the heavens. there is something soothing about how the rest of the world fades away, how the noises from the city are drowned out by the echoes of rain hitting tiles and roofs and other such things. but these microbursts? he has very little love for the microbursts of heavy rain that all but drowning everything that dares step out into it.

for the most part, xiao had been careful not to be caught in the rain up until the last bursts that caught him in his larger form far from any shelter to hide in. the rain is quick to solidify, first at his wings before spreading along his back, as he tried to find some sort of shelter, resulting in the bird to come crashing down with a heavy and disgruntled squawk.

thus does xiao scramble as much as his slowly crystalizing form can allow, to the nearest shelter he can find, uncaring to whoever might be nearby. ]

─ THE LOST CITY.

[ curiosity is exactly what brings to xiao to the city itself, determined to explore a city once thought completely lost. he has no real destination in mind, and can be found amongst the crowds watching the storytellers performances. one might even find him by one of the many piers with a fishing pole in hand, aiding a local with their daily catch. after all his luck in catching fish may as well be used in the service of someone else, if he cannot provide his own father seafood-based meals.

chances are you will find him in the city somewhere, you simply only need to look. ]

─ WILD CARD.

[ wanna do something else with the cryptid? hit me up!! he'll be around pretty much everywhere if you squint hard enough. ]

crystal rain

[lapislazily]

[He is fairly sure he just saw a flash of familiar teal go zipping by down the end of the street. No, he's definitely sure that's Xiao. He looked... unwell, and that's not a shock considering this damned crystal rain. Zhongli picks up the pace with his umbrella taking most of the abuse and rain, and steps into the park to see where a giant bird could possibly hide.

It isn't long before he sees the gazebo in the center of this park block. There are a few other people frozen in place along the way. Zhongli ignores them and jogs off the path until he sees Xiao. He's almost there, but--]

Xiao!

[Zhongli reaches out, calling to the earth for a little boost, and conjures a golden shield big enough for Xiao and himself. With it comes a little bit of healing, hopefully enough to ease any pain the crystals or the fall might have incurred. The most important part is that it shields them from the wicked rain.]

Are you hurt? [He will carry this boy if he has to.]

Amal Vasiya (OC) | Final Fantasy XIV | OTA

[thavnairian]

[I. anniversary]
[Thankful that the weather is cooperating today, Amal can be found at the beach during the fireworks show. He's brought a big beach blanket and pillows to lay on, as well as a picnic basket stuffed with homemade snacks that smell pretty damn good. He also has a bottle of champagne and a few extra wineglasses for people who want to share a drink with him, though he's already poured himself a glass.

The humidity, the fireworks, the reflections of the moon and stars on the water accented by the fire in the sky-- it's nostalgic and familiar. He doesn't think about home too often anymore, since home is here, but it's impossible not to when it's been two years to the day since he arrived.]

[II. leviathan]
[If one could hear fitting music, this would be playing. It's just an unfortunate thing that Amal can't breathe underwater anymore, not without the crystal mask. Whatever, it's fine. It's fine. It's fine, it's fine-- let's ignore the fact that he's armed with a sword and shield and fuck all for armor, but armor would weigh him down anyway. How is he supposed to throw chakrams underwater? Or use a scythe? Fuck it, it's paladin time. At least he can stab underwater.

He barely manages to dodge out of the way of one of the blasts of water, but all it does is make him more annoyed. As he loses his grip on his temper, little white antlers pop out of his hair, and a red-orange feathery dragon tail can be seen trailing behind him.]

Hey, fishface! I can do that too!

[He lifts his sword hand and summons a blast of holy magic that comes down from nowhere, followed by a big magic sword, followed by even more swords, followed by yet more magic swords.]

Fuck you, you salty bitch!

[Of course, that's when Leviathan sweeps its tail through the water and catches Amal squarely in the middle. He wheezes and goes spinning uncontrollably through the water for a distance, but he manages not to drop his weapon. Just... give him a minute. Which way is up? Woof.]

[III. wildcard]
[Got a prompt of your own? Want something not mentioned here? Throughout the city of Atlantis: Amal can be found playing an old-fashioned lyre he 'borrowed' as he watches the water, frequenting the glow in the dark tattoo parlor, and listening in on the storytelling for himself.]

i

[sunforging]

[Having opted for something undeniably summer suitable rather than her preferred coat, Scintilla dropped to sit next to Amal with next to no warning--finishing off an appropriately festive hot dog in a sizeable bite and extending a second to him in offering.]

Any clue what this one's celebratin', or we just settin' shite off like an average night of drinkin' in Limsa? Not that you'll hear me complain either way.