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kaisou2024-08-03 10:43 am
August Event Log
August Event Log
Dominant Element: Fire
Waning Element: Wind
Full Moon: August 18th - August 19th
※
July ends and the Spirit Vein shifts from blue to red as fire takes over as the dominant element. If you were hoping for some relief, however, you'll be sorely disappointed. It's drier now, sure, but it's somehow even hotter and there's hardly any breeze to speak of. Stay hydrated, stay cool, and try not to get sunburned.
Kaisou County FairWith the high heat of the summer also comes the Kaisou County Fair- set up just on the edge of Blue Fish Park. The first thing you will notice upon entering the fairground is the smell of fried food. Multitudes of stalls can be found dotted around, offering all manner of food to eat. Some are standard fare like burgers, hot dogs and doughnuts- delicious and deeply unhealthy. But the stalls offer some more... unusual treats too. You can find deep-fried jelly beans (they won't turn you into a puppet, probably), chocolate-covered bacon on a stick, and pickle lemonade. Some mad chef even managed to make a cheeseburger with ringed doughnuts in place of a bun- for those who really want to make themselves suffer. Whatever wild combinations of food you can think of are likely on show here and are even more likely deep-fried and put on a stick.
At the outskirts of the fair, livestock pens are set up. They promise pony rides, pig racing and, worryingly, the most attractive sheep competition. The Terrible Geese have somehow got into this, and can be seen strutting around with little red bows around their neck, occasionally stealing people's belongings. It's probably bets to leave them to it. Finally, you can see the triceratops that always makes an appearance at the fair since the Jurassic Park Incident. The normies still believe it is a prize bull.
There are many fair rides to partake in at the fair. There's a huge Ferris wheel for romantic rides that boasts an amazing view of the city. There's a thrilling, if slightly rickety roller coaster and a spooky ghost train amongst many other rides to try. The fair also has multitudes of carnival games to play. Ring toss, milk bottle toss, shoot the target- all kinds are available. Naturally, they're all also various levels of rigged in the carnies' favor. Not to be outdone by this (and because the fair IS in their territory) the Kitsune have set up a little fairground game in which you need to catch floating rubber ducks with a hook on a pole. The ducks have stickers on them promising fabulous prizes! For once, this doesn't seem to be rigged but the prizes, well...
A Meance To SocietyThe Kitsunes have properly got into the spirit of carnie games. As always, they require a secret or an embarrassing story to play the game, but the prizes they offer from their little hook-a-duck game are very legitimate. Each sticker under a duck denotes a prize, and you can play as many times as you like. Naturally, like all things the Kitsune do, everything is just a little bit cursed:
Red sticker: Invisibility scarf - A scarf that makes the wearer invisible. Except for their skeleton. Taking off the scarf does not make the wearer visible again.
Blue sticker: A goldfish - When you fall asleep, the goldfish sprouts legs, escapes its bowl and eats all the food in your kitchen. It then returns to the bowl, the legs vanish and it acts like a normal fish. Giving the fish away only passes this curse onto someone else.
Yellow sticker: Rainbow candy laces - Eating these will turn your hair a bright rainbow colour. Cutting it off will still mean your rainbow hair grows back.
Purple sticker: Lava lamp - A lamp which, once turned on, makes you hallucinate that the floor really IS made of lava. It definitely isn't, but the hallucination is pretty convincing, it feels hot and everything! Turning it off does not end the hallucination.
Orange sticker: A mime beret - A cute little beret! Like the mimes wear! Putting it one makes you unable to speak in anything but mime. Taking it off does not remove the curse.
If you bring your cursed items back to the Kitsune's stall, they remind you they work on a strict no-refund policy, and refuse to take the damn thing back or lift the curse, even if you offer it back for free. Even if you offer to pay for it. They do tell you that you can contact the guy who runs the Goodwill shop, he might be willing to take the item off your hands and remove whatever curse is befalling you. The shopkeeper, when told of your plight, will consider for a moment and then say that "the stars" have told him that he can help you- but only if you partake in a series of quests for him first. These "quests" involve picking up his dry cleaning, going his grocery shopping, cleaning his store and other such banal chores. Once these "quests" have been completed, he will take the item away from you, freeing you of the curse it holds. You walk away free of that nonsense, but can't shake the feeling you've just been the victim of a racketeering scam.
The Calvary is Here!Towards the end of July, several members of the Black Order (and a few former members) received interesting phone calls and text messages. Apparently, it was not only the Kaisou team who were fed up with the way the Order's been run. Quite a few guardians are fed up, actually, and are coming as support.
They're not all coming together, though, so it's over the course of a day or two that a total of thirteen allies all arrive. Some arrive by bus, though doubtlessly some in Kaisou really wish at least one of them hadn't. Some, mostly those stationed in Europe, come by plane and train. A few come by means of a farm truck, which seems to surprise some of the other allies. And the Florida Crew themselves arrive by van... though if you were expecting a certain earth malak you'll be sorely disappointed. Eizen's fine, he just got left somewhere in Tennessee and no one noticed they'd picked up the very lost and confused Acheron until they were across the Kentucky border. It happens.
It's not a lot, but it's thirteen more people than anyone expected, and they're all fairly skilled fighters. Some members of the Order might want to use this chance to catch up with old friends, and perhaps the app users might make new ones. (Or maybe you'll just end up fighting, given who some of these allies are.) Either way, they're here to help in whatever form that takes. Try your best to be welcoming hosts... most of them lack hinges.
Encounter: The Steel MaidenA couple days after the arrival of your new allies, Zodiac will send out a message on the Libra app.
ALERT: THREAT DETECTED IN HYRULE
Element Classification: Unknown
Danger Level: High
Designation: Hyrule
Zodiac has received a message from the Steel Maiden, one of the leaders of the Black Order. She has issued a challenge to the Libra app users, asking to meet her in the fields of Hyrule where she can "test your conviction". We'd like to caution anyone who chooses to take up her challenge to take extreme caution.
Should you head to the Zodiac offices, the staff there will seem... understandably anxious! These are folks who joined Zodiac in order to get a comfortable corporate jobs, not fight a whole revolution against the Black Order. They will explain that the Steel Maiden came by with the challenge earlier today. She was polite enough ("and pretty!" one of the female interns will chime in), but extremely intimidating. They speculate that by choosing to go to Hyrule field, she's hoping to avoid any collateral damage in whatever onslaught she's plotting. In other words, she's not planning on holding back.
If you plan to meet her challenge, you should make sure you're well prepared. Those who have met her in the past can warn you of what you'll be up against, and all the stories sound daunting. You don't want to wing this fight that is coming.
When you're ready, it's a short trip through the portal to Hyrule. In the center fields of Hyrule, with the backdrop of the ruins of Hyrule castle behind her, you can see an armored figure standing patiently in the field. With her, she has a massive lance that is easily the size of two adults.
It's time to take on the first of the unyielding.
Encounter: The Seraph♪- End of a Thought (Beat the Angel Remix)
Just as steel begins to clash on the fields of Hyrule, an alarm will sound in the Fortress of Meropide. The room containing Yggdrasil, which has been dormant this whole time, will activate the gate from Asgard. Anyone who is unlucky enough to be in the room at the time (such as the Zodiac employees assigned to figure out how to get Yggdrasil working) can watch through the gate will come a redheaded swordsmen. While he seems rather ordinary looking, anyone with any kind of power sensing will be able to tell he is incredibly strong.
Upon seeing others in the room, he'll draw his blade. It seems the Steel Maiden's challenge was a diversion to try to draw some of the stronger combatants away, while the Seraph deals with stragglers. Fight all you can to beat the angel.
With the attack by the Steel Maiden and the Seraph, one thing has become painfully clear: the critical moment in the rebellion is finally here. No more Zealot fodder being thrown at you, they were now dealing with the leaders themselves. It is time to take the battle to them and show them that they are no longer the ones in control. At least, once Zodiac's ready with preparing the way to Asgard. Until then, you have about a week to recover and prepare for the next phase.
On the evening of August 10th, the Zodiac employees will signal that the passage to Asgard will be open tomorrow morning. They've had their own fairshare of hardships collecting the materials to make a proper bifrost key, but it seems all their hard work won't be in vain. But now you'll have one final evening to prepare for the final battle. Make sure your equipment is ready, get in one last sparring session, confession your love, drink the night away - the evening is yours to do as you see fit.
The next morning, it's time gather in the Fortress of Meropide. There's a lot of hustle and bustle going on as people gather and make their final preparations. There's an energy in the air: nerves? excitement? It's hard to say what it is. But once everyone is gathered, it's time to head down to the sluice gate area under Wriothesley's office. Past the sluice gate, sits the room with part of Yggdrasil that you guys found in the previous month. The Zodiac employees will use the key they device to get the rooms mechanisms working, and as soon as they do, the bridge that leads to the Asgard gate will weave together from the branches of Yggdrasil.
Once you activate the gate and step through it, you'll find yourself on a path atop a gigantic tree. The tree that was in the other room? Was just a piece of the world tree. The Zodiac employees will tell you it's extremely important that you do not leave the path, unless you want to either die from the fall or wind up a snack for Nidhogg. Those brave enough to look over the path's edge might even catch the glimpse of the legendary beast near the bottom of the tree. Even from this high up, it's clear she's extremely massive. At this time, she pays no notice to your group... better keep it that way and keep moving on.
Keep walking on the the path. After a few minutes of walking, a glowing gate will appear in the center of the path. This is your last chance to turn back before stepping into Asgard. But if your nerves are steel, then just step through and onto your destiny.
Welcome to AsgardAs you step into Asgard, you're hit with a desolate and eerie version of the realm known to be the home of the Aesir gods. Those who've been on the Libra app for awhile likely has their run-ins with the divine and their realms. Compared to the breathtaking Jade Palace, or the Great Library of Alexander, or the vibrant Land of the Remembered... this realm feels so much emptier, and lifeless. Like a party hall after all the guests have gone home, but on a divine scale. Even the famous rainbow bifrost bridge you walk on seems more drained of its color.
A few of you will know the reason why: Ragnarok, the world-ending war between the Norse gods, took place a long time ago. And with the death of Odin and most of the other Aesir gods, this realm has been abandoned and the divinity that was once housed here has slowly depleted away. Off in the distance you can see the shattered remains of other parts of the rainbow Bifrost, still hanging limply in the sky. And the climate in this realm is cold compared to Kaisou's summer heat, thanks to the lingering effects of Fimbulwinter. Patches of snow are laying around, and you might even be able to see your own breath in the air.
It's truly an unsettling place. No wonder the Black Order made it their base of operations.
It's a short walk down the bridge before the main building comes into view. The base of it is a grand keep, one that wouldn't be out of place in the fjords of Scandinavia. However even from far away, you can tell that throughout the centuries there's been plenty of renovations and additions added on, such as extra space or electrical wiring. None of it quite matches the original architecture, as if the Order prioritized utility over restoration.
But even those who don't pay much mind to architecture choices will notice that the keep is tall. About twenty-seven stories tall. You best hope there's an elevator inside, or you're going to be faced with quite a climb.
As you approach the front gate, you'll see that there are several Black Order guards that stand in your way. It's a combination of left over gardemeks, trained magical beasts, and human loyalists to the Unyielding that have chosen to fight to preserve the Order they know. Perhaps you can convince some of the loyalists to flee with enough luck, otherwise you're going to have to fight your way through and show no hesitation in your conviction.
Get past the front guard and through the gate, and you'll find yourself in the grand entry hall of headquarters. There's loads of corridors and stairwells leading you to various parts of the headquarters. Interrogating a loyalist or asking one of the older Black Order members on your team will reveal the likely locations of the last three Unyielding: the library, the chapel and the throne room at the top of the keep.
Unfortunately, despite all your searching, you'll quickly realize that even with the modern upgrades, this place is missing one thing: an elevator. The entire place only has stairs.
Better get walking.
Exploring the KeepEven if they aren't the Aesir gods, the Black Order has made this their home for a long times, and there's plenty of signs of that as you wander through the halls. All the common areas have been well maintained, with not any specks of dust to be found. Curiously, while the Black Order members would remember there being lots of personnel staff around normally, not a single one of them can be found. It seems they had been told to evacuate not long ago, aware that you were coming.
If you're being thorough in your search, or you're simply lost, there are plenty of places of note to check out along the way
The Mess HallFound on the second floor is the mess hall, where the Order members would cook and eat their meals. It's a rather spacious place, with long wooden tables stretching across the room to sit at in the middle, while much smaller tables stood against the walls for the folks who preferred to eat alone. No doubt this was once a hall where the Aesir would hold a great many feasts, and judging by some of the broken tables and chairs stashed away in the corners - the current occupants were capable of getting just as rowdy as the Viking gods.
Attached to the mess hall was a kitchen, one large enough to easily cater to an entire banquet hall of people. While it was clearly originally built in ancient times, there's been plenty of modern upgrades added through the years. Fridges, sinks, cleaning supplies. Most of the food in the place seems to be a collection of food you'd typically find in Denmark, but there's a number of ingredients from other parts of the world that must've been put on special order to cater to some people's personal tastes. There's even a few fridges that are marked for people to keep personal items for themselves.... with several memos telling people to make sure to clearly mark if something is yours, and a passive aggressive sticky note about someone taking "Dale's sandwich".
Take a moment to rest, grab some food, or steal more of Dale's lunch before moving on.
The Temporary DormitoriesA good chunk of the keep are dedicated to the living quarters of the various Black Order members. Between the Guardians and the support staff, the Order could have hundreds of members at any given time, so it's no surprise the living areas would take up so much space. Black Order members would know that the Order was flexible with their housing, allowing the Guardians to choose whether they wanted to have a permanent residence in the Keep, or live elsewhere.
Those who didn't want a permanent place to stay in the Order, but needed to stay at Headquarters for awhile would find themselves staying in the temporary dormitory wing. This area looks like a shared living area, with communal bathrooms and common areas. The sleeping areas are sectioned off with a few beds or bunk beds in each of the rooms. There were a couple private sleeping rooms for those who insisted on privacy, but actually getting one could sometimes prove to be a herculean feat. Most of the beds do look like they were well kept by the house staff before they left, though notably- one bed, the one that Ardyn would always call dibs on, is currently covered items that seem more in line with a certain Earth dragon's taste: old books, a Chinese zither dating from the Song Dynasty, other priceless antiques ranging from $2000-8000 dollars in value. There's a passive aggressive note nearby, asking Ardyn to talk to the house staff about getting a proper room rather than leaving his possessions in an open room without saying anything. As for Ardyn's actual possessions? They've been shoved in a random storage closet on another floor, along with any possession that Fugo and Ash left behind when they left the Order.
The Permanent RoomsFor those who choose to take up the Order's offer to have a permanent living space, their rooms can be found in another wing. In this wing, there's a series of long hallways full of doors with Guardian names on them. Behind each door is a small studio-sized apartment for the Guardians to live in, complete with their own bathroom (no full kitchen though).
Most of these rooms are inaccessible, as they are warded with a powerful magic that only allows the tenant of the room and their allowed guests to enter. Guardians (and their friends) are allowed to access their own rooms, either to reclaim stuff they left behind or simply take some time to relax.
However, should the Guardian in question be no longer alive (such as the zealots you fought), the protective ward on their door will have faded and you should be able to enter their room without any issue. That is, so long as you don't have any issues with snooping around a dead person's belongings.
[OOC Note: If there's a zealot's room you wish to explore, go ahead and indicate which one in the questions section of the OOC plotting post, and we'll be happy to supply you with the info you need!]
The Training GroundsWander enough on the ground floor, and you'll eventually find yourself stepping outside into the training grounds in the back of the keep. It's a wide expanse of land, with various stations set up to serve as a training ground for the Guardians to fight. Everything from target dummies, to obstacle courses, to a shooting range, to an open area that's clearly designated for duels and spars. Not far from the fighting ring, there is a cot set up underneath an awning with some of Cu's personal belongings. Seem he rather stayed here rather than sleep up in the barracks.
On the far side of the training grounds sits a stone and wood shack that looks like it hasn't been upgraded in ages. Inside is the living quarters of Kratos, though to call it a living space is rather generous. The entire place is rather spartan, with barely any decorations. The straw and linen bed looks like it's never been slept on, and there's dust gathering on the single bookshelf. The only personal item is a locket on his nightstand. Inside the locket is a painted portrait of a woman and her brown hair baby. There's no indication of who the two might be.
The ArmoryNear the training grounds is the armory. Unsurprisingly, the armory is full of weapons and armor that are at the disposable of the Black Order Guardians to use. Anything from old fashion swords to modern weaponry. Looks like for the ordinary weapons there was a pretty lengthy rental process the Guardians would have to go through, judging by the various instructional signs and paperwork lying around. All the weapons themselves are locked up with regular locks, so you'll need someone with lock-picking abilities in order to grab any.
Past the room with ordinary weapons is a room that's been magically sealed off. From the signs, it seems this is the room where they keep all the magical or special weapons. While some of you may have your curiosity piqued, it might be better to move on for now. You came here to stop the Unyielding, not to loot.
The DungeonShould you manage to get into the basement floors, you'll find yourself in the dungeon. While most of the Order's prisoners would get shipped to the Fortress of Meropide, there were some that were best kept in Asgard properly. There's two main levels of the dungeon. On the upper floor, there are cells that are built to hold human size prisoners. Guardians would recognize this area as the place they kept temporary prisoners, such as people they needed to interrogate, or when a Guardian got out of line enough to need a time-out. Thankfully, there doesn't seem to be any prisoners being held currently.
As for the lower floor, the cells are much larger in size... much, much larger. It seems this floor is dedicated to the prisoners that were otherwise too big to fit in the Fortress of Meropide. There is a large empty cell that once housed Azhdaha before the break-out that happened last year. Further down the hall, there is cell that's been magically sealed. Should you peek through the bars on the door, you'll see an enormous black and purple dragon that's also been placed in a deep slumber with various magic charms. It's... probably a good idea to leave that one alone for now.
At the end of the hallway on the lower level, there will be a door that's labeled "RESTRICTED", and has been heavily sealed by magics. One may wonder what's behind this door, but for now it's probably best to keep moving on.
Encounter: The BookkeeperThe Library never stands unattended. But while entering the library, there seems to be no attendants--one still can't shake off the feeling of being watched. As if the books have eyes themselves--or perhaps, because there's something watching you from the shadows. There's something deeply unsettling about this library, and upon entering, there are glowing glyphs on the floor. Don't worry--they're not traps, but rather, anyone who enters the library will soon find any sort of magic ability they have that can cause them to grow in exponential size has been disabled.
Nothing personal, a low, dragging voice echoes from the ceiling, its register deep enough to rattle someone who's not heard it before. I just can't risk you destroying anything. The voice cuts deep as a man emerges--unnaturally tall, but slumped in posture, a beautiful golden kiseru in one hand curling a plume of smoke up towards the expansive ceiling. A small fox sat quietly on his shoulder, the man will give a long-suffering sigh. He doesn't seem to want to be here, much less does he move to attack.
Until the room starts to distort as the floor drops out underneath your character--and all of a sudden you feel intensely, unshakably tired. Exhausted enough to fall off into a deep sleep...
It'll be better for everyone if you just don't wake up, okay.
With the fall of the illusory magic trapping people within twisted dreams and sweet nightmares, The Black Order's expansive library can now be fully viewed in all its glory. Bookshelves are as tall as the ceiling and has a couple of ways to gain access to specific books. One is the old fashioned way of getting a rolling ladder to climb up to the higher shelves. Another is for those of spider-inclination since the top of the library has some magical webbing to allow the Bookkeeper to traverse quickly. The last way is by going to what appears to be a podium and writing down either the title, author, or specific subject you're looking for and the books will magically fly over to you. Be very careful that it's specific or else you might summon an entire swarm of books!
There are not just books from recent print within the bookshelves, either, but ones that are ancient, lost, possibly stolen reclaimed, and ones that are distinctly otherworldly. Some books are sealed by complicated magic to prevent them from being so much as touched, such as one that is labeled The Book of Night with Moon and a series with the title The Sibylline Books. As The Bookkeeper warns, you should definitely not touch such books or else there will be some extremely dire consequences.
Other than the files the gloomy spider will encourage you to stay away from --for your own safety--in his final moments he's allowed he will pass on information about other parts of the library that aren't dangerous, but hold information that his fellow unyielding would have sought to destroy were it not for his incessant desire to protect all knowledge at all costs.
Among this is a well-kept section that is more like an archive than a place for books and tomes of great knowledge. It's an entire corridor that seems to go on forever--but it's very well alphabetized and neat, and one will find files describing several hundreds of thousands of individuals that have been in the employ of the Black Order throughout the years.
This includes current members from Kaisou, as well as the allies who have come to aid in the battle. There are many files that are empty with their names torn away and smudged--but the file still exists, despite how hauntingly empty it is. And interesting, there's some files among them that belong to app users that never have been in the Order, and yet the files read as if they are. Though, looking at the dates, all of them are accounted for years well before your current life was ever born. The app users native to this Earth already know they've been reincarnated once from a previous world, so what's to say this life cycle isn't the only reincarnation you've experienced?
However, as you read these files? You'll notice that for some, it wasn't a simple matter of a single lifetime serving with the Order. Rather, their files record many lifetimes of service. One or two lifetimes could be reasoned as just being a funny coincidence of fate, but more than that? It feels much more... intentional.
And if there was any doubt in your mind about the intentionality of these lifetimes of service, the research reports that are amongst these files all but confirms any nagging of paranoia in one's mind.
So therein comes the Order's darkest secret: in order to ensure they'd have a consistent supply of Guardians, the Order has resorted to truly dubious methods. First by using the Bookkeeper's ability to see their future and their potential utility, they track down new recruits (in fact, now that you think about it, it is odd how quick the Order would show up after someone's past memories and abilities activated). Then, should someone prove themselves to be a good Guardian? The Order would use various means to... increase the chances of being able to recruit them again the next time they reincarnated.
The methods they came up with didn't have a perfect success rate. There wasn't any guarantees where and when a person would reincarnate, or if they would do so at all. Perhaps that's why the Order was so invested in the idea of controlling gods, as an attempt to find a way to gain mastery over the world's lifecycle itself. Not only that, but it seems whatever triggers people's past lives memories varies from person to person. But for those they did find out the specific trigger, they'd utilize it again and again, all to gain a Guardian for another generation.
[OOC Note: should you wish to have your AU character to have been a former Order member in their past life, you can! Just talk to the mods about it and we can work something out!]
As for the Otherworlders among you, while there's no indication you've served the Order at anytime- you still have your own files marking you as people of interest. In the files, are information sheets that was gathered from Order intelligence reports, and the Bookkeeper's foresight abilities. Throughout them, are general assessment reports about whether they should attempt to recruit them, or seal them. Basically, they were really interested in the potential and/or threat of the Otherworlders, and things surely would've escalated had the Order continued to have been left to their own devices.
At the apex of this section lies several large tomes and folders that relate to the lives of the Unyielding themselves. The spider's own section losing an odd glow as what seems to be protective glyphs are slowly wearing off of it, giving any who choose access to his files--as well as the files of any of the other Unyielding who have been put off the map. There are two, the Ghost General and the Executor, that are still under heavy protection, and any who try to touch them will find them completely impenetrable.
As some might remember, there were originally seven members of the Unyielding. Yet so far, everything indicates that you're only dealing with five of them now. Well, it seems There are also two sections that name a pair of Unyielding that have so far been MIA. Studying their files will provide a quick and easy answer as to why: they had originally been part of the Unyielding as valued allies, but eventually were deemed an enemy and slain by other members of the group.
Their names are listed as Edea Kramer and Sousuke Aizen, and their files are unfortunately, free to read.
[OOC: if your character would look into their files, let us know in the questions section of the Plotting post and we'll be happy to give info!]
Confrontation: The ExecutorAs you travel deeper into Asgard, pushing open a pair of heavy wooden double doors leads you to a spacious Catholic chapel, dimly lit and rarely visited. Wildly out of place in what was once the home of pagan gods, looking hard enough might lead one to determine it was remodeled over the course of many years; logic would dictate it was previously some form of grand hall before its current inhabitant took residence.
Before the altar at the far end of the room stands a tall and imposing man in a long coat, hands clasped in silent prayer. As he turns to greet you with an empty-eyed smile, those with a sense for magic will immediately realize something is wrong here. Though he may not look as immediately dangerous as Kratos or Arianrhod, his presence alone is like the feeling of missing a step on a flight of stairs.
The air is thick with malicious intent and a strange sense of something decidedly ungodly; you may want to consider your next move carefully.
Encounter: Ghost GeneralUpon entering the throne room, the first thing you will notice is that this room is a fusion of two cultural architecture design philosophies: Old Norse and Chinese. Along the left and right walls streams down glowing, clean water straight from Alfheim. The back wall has an intricate yet ancient map of the Nine Realms and how they’re placed on the World Tree at any given second. It seems to be tracking the Realms’ movements in real time, even though the original masters are long gone from this place. In front of the map is a tall throne that’s very clearly of Chinese make. Twin dragon-lion statues made of pure gold stand proudly halfway between the doors and the throne itself, as if protecting the man who sits upon it.
The man who sits on the throne is calmly composed yet severe. His bearing is one that commands respect, and it’s clear to see why many followed him as a general. He’s dressed in armor befitting an old warrior of China. A sword hangs from his hip, which gives off a sinister aura as if it has a will of its own - and that will is full of killing intent. The Ghost General Jun Wu doesn’t seem as if he’s surprised to see you here. Indeed, he seems to have expected you to have made it this far.
You’d best steel yourself for a brutal fight to the death ahead.
As the final members of the Unyielding fall, so does the Black Order as they know it. This war has finally been won. No more will people have to fear being forced to serve the Order, in this lifetime or in the next one. While many of the Unyielding once held to noble ideas, it's clear in their final hours they had fallen wayward of their original vision. And now with them gone, new eyes can start envisioning things anew.
For many app users, this is a job well done. You're free to go back to Kaisou through Yggdrasil and enjoy a peaceful rest of the month. However, for some of you, the work is only just beginning. As corrupt as they were, the Black Order had an important role in the Paranormal World. Without their might, folks who seek to use the Spirit Realm for ill will can now run uncheck. You'll have to figure out what your next steps are now, and how to manage the power vaccuum your actions caused.
Have a celebration for all you accomplished, and then? Get back to work.
The dominant element this month is Fire! Anyone with an affinity to the fire 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 Wind 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.
The original OOC plotting post for this event can be found here. This log will be updated on August 10th to include the second half of the log, so stay tuned!
no subject
And on the other side of it, is a recognisable, smiling cat. His face is perfect, just as she remembered it the day before she'd cut his head off. a pleasant look on his face and
the ringing
of bells. ]
You're lingering extra long here, today, Goddess.
[ douman's voice nearly echoes in the minimalistic, quiet room of Lapis' dorm. He doesn't move from the Threshold to come inside, but oh, you can almost feel the shadows crawling into the room from behind him as he stands there, fresh and clear as if he'd never died to the hands of the Order at all.
There's an odd glow to his eyes. ]
You called out sick on the last mission, and you're idling here today. Maaaaaa, if you keep doing this, you're going to get in trouble for not heeding the orders from above.
We all have a job to do, even if we don't like it.
[ the creature gives an Evil Smile. an unsettling aura escaping him, as if it's trying to surround her. (3). ]
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No, no, no, no he can't be standing there. He's dead, she took his head herself, so how can he be standing there like nothing happened?
She's finally free of the bastard, so how can he be standing there chastising her as he always did. For a moment she freezes, that familiar sense of panic tightening in her chest, breath stuttering for a moment as she takes a step back.
Then she flinches, shaking her head as she gathers herself - he's dead, she knows he is. This is nothing more than some trick conjured up by this place, that's all this is. ( 18 + 4 ) The aura is pushed back with one of her own, shadows spreading from her feet as she settles her expression into a glare at the phantom who haunts her door.
Panic settles into fury, sharp and cold, as she bares her fangs at the illusion standing in front of her. She will not panic nor will she run - this isn't real. ]
Shut up. I'm not going to listen to the clown I saw die at my feet.
You have no power over me, not anymore.
[ She laid that nightmare to rest months ago, and she's not letting him crawl back in now. Especially when it's all some sort of trick.
And so she projects her voice, raising it though she knows he'll be able to hear her either way - ]
I'm not playing this game, Tsuchigomori, not with this bastard. Let me out.
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Ashiya Douman--or at least, the Visage of the clown goes so deathly still, it's unnatural. Expression pulled tight, not even a hair twitching as the room almost shifts around her. Like the walls are breathing.
The image of the still clown of a man also shifts in the next moment, and shadows fall over his face. ...Shadows, or what look to be shadows, at least--but in truth, after a moment, the man pitches over. And when he hits the ground, his body deflates like it had never been there at all, leaving dozens and dozens of a strange cluster of strange creatures which scuttle away, up the walls, along Lapis' legs-- disappearing in the cracks and folds of her floor, her bed--until not a single one remains.
It leaves the door a yawning maw that... no longer holds the dimly lit library, but instead, it's something else. It's difficult to see from where she's standing, but the longer she lingers, she might feel a cold breeze starting to curl around her ankles. The sound of trees rustling their leaves in the dead of night as upon a closer look, the moon seems to be out.
Behind her, her room still exists, and there's a window that leads outside of Asgard--a beautiful golden day, but ever silent as the realm outside, as she knows, had long ago been abandoned.
Tsuchigomori still does not answer, instead leaving her to choose what to do next. ]
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She wasn't expecting that something to be him to just fall to the ground and... deflate? Separate into these little shadow things? Immediately her eyes focus on those, resisting the urge to chase as they work their way into any gaps and cracks they could find. For a moment, she just blinks at the empty space - though her gaze lingers on the clock, watching it tick.
Then she focuses on the open door, brows furrowed at the darkness that lies before it - behind her the sun still shines, illuminating the grounds of Asgard. Though she has no desire to linger in a facsimile of it, especially after the spider already shoved that unpleasant memory at her.
Maybe it's a foolish option to walk into the dark, but she trusts that more than the empty light behind her. So she steps towards the door, eyes focusing on the moon looming overhead as she steps over the threshold. ]
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When she exits her room and into the field--which, now that she's out of her old room, she'll realise it's not a field but rather, the front lawn of a quiet, dark house--she'll find the man who had once been hiding in her shadow.
He gives her a sheepish look. ]
There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you. [ god he looks ready to sit the fuck down. ] First the guy shoves me into a maze where I can barely move, then I walk through this door where he stuck me back in Florida on my first week of Recruitment...
[ do you mind if he just
puts his head on Lapis' shoulder because he literally looks ready to wilt. ]
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Though when she shoves her hands into her coat pockets, she blinks when she finds her phone still sitting there.
Right, of course! If she can text them, then maybe...
Except when she tries texting their group chat, it seems like nothing is going through. She frowns at the screen as she taps away, eyes drifting up to the house she's now standing in front of -
- And the man she had lost earlier. With one last text fired off, she puts her phone in her pocket as she steps closer. Relief rushes through her at the sound of his voice, lips twitching into a sympathetic smile at his words. ]
I was really worried about you... You look exhausted. Though I guess that's not surprising, considering...
[ Yet, as his head rests against her shoulder, her words trail off as she hesitates. Usually her arms would wrap around him as she laughed and listened to his woes - and at this moment, after seeing that clown again, all she wants is to be close to him.
But she knows ( 19 + 4 ). How could she not, when she spends practically everyday with him? When she has gotten to know him in a way that she can see even the tiniest tells?
This isn't Jinwoo. This isn't the man she loves - but reaching for his shoulder, to push him away still hurts. ]
How about... you go sit down, and I'll investigate this house. I won't take long.
[ She can't bring herself to be cruel. But her tone makes it clear that she's only accepting one answer.
She's tired of this game, Tsuchigomori. ]
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Jinwoo continues to be quiet at her side, head slumped against her even as she hesitates. The figure doesn't try to wrap his arms around her, perhaps because the puppeteer behind the strings knows she knows, but.
It doesn't matter. It was just another part of the dream, after all. Another attempt to make her stall, to waver--as there's a sound coming from the house as she pushes jinwoo away.
A long, slender figure, shadowy and misshapen, all but crawling out of the house as it towers over the pair of them--
One large and deformed hand moving to grab Jinwoo away from her. The man screaming out in terror and GRABBING onto her as the thing tries to drag him up and into a slowly opening maw of the void. ]
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Her eyes widen at the hand as it towers over them, though it's the sound of Jinwoo screaming that has fear coil in her chest - tight and cold.
None of this is real, she knows this. Every little thing here could be used against her -
- But she's not going to just stand here either. ( 17 + 4, dicebot said fuck Tsuchi ) ]
Enough! Do you think I'm going to just roll over and take this, Tsuchigomori?
[ Her own shadows roll up around her feet, holding her firm in place and swarming around the hand as she holds tight onto Jinwoo. Even if this is a trick, even if he isn't real, she's still not letting this play out like this.
Even if he's not real, she'll always protect Jinwoo. ]
I'm not letting anybody else treat me like their damn toy anymore, not even you!
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[ the voice echoes, from the large creature, looming far above Lapis. The voice is that low, rumbling tenor that is Tsuchigomori's voice, and, as she watches that beast she's saved her 'boyfriend' from, it slowly melts away, and in its place is the many-armed spider, hung up in a hammock of spider's webs. In his hand is a book--and in one of his many hands is that still slowly smoking his pipe.
His eyes narrow at her, and the man in her arms becomes--a small, round fox. Who hisses at her a little with a little puff of magic. (...1, so the spell doesn't take effect, and the creature just scrambles away.) ]
I don't really like games, Lapis. They tend to be a waste of time. As for how I feel you should be 'taking' this, I feel it should be obvious.
You and yours came here for war.
You aim to take my life.
Tell me why I should just give it to you.
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Well, all of that was a great waste of time, wasn't it. [ Gone is the quiet and docile girl who had only the faintest sparks of life inside her, now revealing the fierce temper and sharp words that lurked underneath. Fury burns in her chest now, but it mixes with something else - that makes her glare lessen, hands clenching at her sides now.
This is a war, and one she signed up for. But still... ]
I don't want your life, I don't want to fight you. So no, you shouldn't just give it to me. [ Because even if she is furious at him for using the clown and Jinwoo against her, it still doesn't change what he had done for her. When he let her hide in the library, when he would speak to her (and scold her) all the times she would visit, when he would listen to her talk about the stars she had seen...
When he pointed her towards the city that would change her life entirely. ]
... Why did you help me? You had no reason to, I was meant to be a tool for the Order.
[ So it makes no sense. But it's also why she makes no moves to attack him, the shadows simply settling at her feet once more. ]
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[ he'd seen her do it--more than once. Lose to her emotions. Throw herself against the metaphorical walls of her false cage--and die, a miserable death.
The fact that Lapis had stood tall against his apparitions, remained steadfast against his probing of her worst fears and greatest nightmares shows him.
Maybe this life is the one where she doesn't end in misery.
When she says she doesn't want to fight him, he... raises his head in surprise. Staring down at her in a sort of quiet, mute disbelief that she'd not want to take his head for being so cruel to her.
He can't... quite understand it. But. When she asks him that, there's a shift in his demeanor.
Like a petulant child having been caught in some act they were ashamed of. He withdraws many of his arms in around himself, turning his head to look away from her.
He doesn't want her to look up at him with those bright, pitying eyes. Orange and full of stars. ]
...
Because I did not want to see you die.
Is that really so strange.
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[ But with that out of the way, she falls silent. Maybe if it was her last year, she would have given in... She had been so tired back then, so drained and raw and losing herself no matter how desperately her father tried to save her.
Oblivion would've been a better fate than becoming a monster.
But she stands here now, determined to keep living. With a family who cares for her, a man who loves her and friends who stand by her. Even if she may doubt her life's worth sometimes, it means something to them - and that's more than enough for her. ]
I made a promise. When we're all free, I'll be standing there beside them. So I can't stop now.
[ Though then there's a blink at his reaction to her question, head tilting as she watches. She can only wonder why he would withdraw into himself, but -
"Because I did not want to see you die," he says, and she freezes for a moment. But he's always been like this, hasn't he? Actions and words never aligning exactly, scruff and scolding as he nudged her towards things that would brighten her day.
So after a moment, she just...
Smiles, with a gentle laugh. ]
Aha, thought so. You always were softer than you acted. [ The words may have a slight change, but the smile is still one he'll be so painfully familiar with. Bright and uninhibited, before it softens into something more thoughtful. ]
... I had dreaded seeing you. I was worried we would have to fight, but... But there's still one thing I've always wanted to say to you.
[ Even with how she's still mad at him, still sore from having her nightmares used against her, her words are genuine; ]
Thank you, Tsuchigomori. For giving me a place to hide, for letting me stay here for hours to look at stars, for talking to me even when you called me 'stupid'...
And for helping me find something better. Thank you.
[ GOOD END ]
How many years has it been since... he'd last seen that boy? For all of the time he'd spent as caretaker over the past and present and future of this world, how come he'd never been able to find them? The little fox that'd run from Lapis earlier scurries up his back--settling on his shoulder quietly. Even she was just...
His teeth grit and he gives Lapis the biggest frown he can manage as she accuses him of being soft.
He doesn't interrupt anyone--ever. An old habit he'd gotten from his original upbringing, thousands of years ago. He won't try to cut her off as she continues her piece, even if something wild and angry in him so very much wishes to.
His shoulders tense up when she thanks him and a hand reaches forward--pointer finger pressing to the middle of her forehead as he pushes her back.
The floor under her disappears again, and just like when she'd first arrived in the Labyrinth, she'll find herself falling.
It doesn't last as long this time, however, as she'll suddenly become very aware that she isn't actually falling, but rather, she's being held up by a hammock of webs somewhere in the library. Grogginess fleeing her mind as she wakes up from ... a deep, solid sleep where everything had seemed so entirely real.
Tsuchigomori is nowhere to be seen, but. As she wakes, his voice will find her. ]
Stupid girl. Thanking your enemy while trapped in his lair. Does a butterfly thank the spider for making his web weak when it's able to break free?
...
Come find me in my office once you've met up with the others. I have something to give to you, before it's time to say goodbye.
[ congratulations on clearing phase 1. ]