September Event Log

[kaisoumods]

September Event Log
Dominant Element: Wind
Waning Element: Earth

Full Moon: September 6th - 8th: LUNAR ECLIPSE

※
The temperature of September are mild, with cool days and chilly nights. The days are a mix of sun and rain, but nothing too drastic. The most notable part of the weather is the wind. Nearly every day, there are strong gusts of wind that blow through the city. If you have anything that could be blown away in the wind, make sure to keep a good hold of it, or you'll be chasing it down the street.

Lunar Eclipse

By now, the monsters in the city have long adapted to the full moon effect they have to deal with every month. Three days of the month, and their monster sides become much harder to repress. For newer monsters, this will easily result in a full transformation. And for those who actively try to resist their monster side... it can get pretty dangerous quickly.

But this month will come a rare total lunar eclipse that happens over the city. When this happens? The effect of the full moon will increase massively in intensity. Transformations, even for seasoned monsters, will be extremely difficult to avoid- and it'll be even more difficult to resist any of your more monsterous instincts. Your best hope for retaining any semblance of your human mind is to just go along with the change, no matter how counterintuitive it may feel. Indulge in some late night hunts, pull some fae pranks, spend time with your mate, or just get the zoomies out.

However for those who are feeling like they need to fight something during the night, there'll be plenty to fight outside the barrier. The various monsters that now call Kami State park home are also in a restless and berserk state. Whether it be the dragons, the furyhorns, the pokemon- or anything else lurking out there- they're all looking for a fight to get through this full moon, and this might be a good chance to unleash some claws.

Lost to the Muses

It'll happen with little fanfare. One morning in early September, characters with a creative streak will be struck with inspiration. Inspiration stronger and clearer than any inspiration strikes they've had before. Artists will paint or draw better than they have before, Musicians will think up a song destined to make the charts, cooks will develop new recipes, writers might actually write something-- the rush of inspiration and creative is truly miraculous.

However, there's a danger to this swell of miraculous inspiration. As characters indulge in this inspiration, they will find themselves forgetting other things. At first it'll be mild things, such as forgetting to eat dinner or the other tasks you had to do for the day. Things that are normal to forget when you're in the midst of the creative process, right? However if you keep going, the memory loss will grow more severe. You'll forget details about your life, or the names and faces of the people you know. And in truly worst case scenarios, the ones that truly can't pull themselves away, will find that they can't remember anything but the creative work they're working on. Just how much of yourself are you willing to give up in pursuit of creation?

A New Job

On the morning of September 4th, Zodiac will send out an alert message.

ALERT: SPIRIT REALM GATE DETECTED IN UNIVERSITY DISTRICT.
Element Classification: Wind
Danger Level: Low
Designation: Great Library of Alexandria
Zodiac has detected a spirit realm gate appearing in the University district, and confirmed it to be the Great Library of Alexandria. We have also has received a mission request from the muses. Please come to our offices for more information.

You will find the Zodiac offices full of their usual hustle and bustle. Some staff members have started to add Halloween decorations to the place - though it's clear some have been replaces with Generic Fall Themed decorations. It looks like there might have been the usual interoffice conflict over acceptable times to decorate again.

Professor Barbie greets you as she always does, absolutely aglow with excitement. She tells you the Library of Alexandria has made a comeback! It's traveled to Kaisou twice before, of course, but Barbie hadn't come into this world then to see it. She's absolutely thrilled about all the knowledge she will be able to read up on - and Ken is excited to see some tacky 80's fashion shows!

She tells you that the library is run by the Muses, yes those muses, and they have asked for the city's help. One of the many areas of the library has a fighting simulator. It allows patrons to fight spectral foes - anyone from history or legend. Normally, it's a training room like no other, giving people the chance to brag they really did defeat Hercules and the like. Unfortunately, this time, the room has been possessed by a malicious spirit, that somehow got released within the library. Where once you could not be harmed in the simulator, now you very much can be. The muses need help in defeating this spirit so that the fighting simulator can go back to its normal, nonfatal functions.

To find the gate, one simply has to head out to Kaisou University's main campus. Atop the highest part of the tree that the University now sits, the spot that'd seem fitting for a god to have their shrine, there's a new building front that seems to have appeared. White columns and stone stairs are hardly unusual among a college campus, so it might be easy to overlook, except that the entryway is glowing with a bright energy. No doubt about it, this is the gate.

The Great Library of Alexandria

Stepping through the gate, characters will find themselves in a grand marble hall that would put most to shame. Around the hall are statues of the nine muses, posing in different fashions with objects associated with each one. There are signs with the rules of the library. Even though it's written in Ancient Greek, you find yourself able to read what it says like it was perfect English:

I. Take nothing out of the Great Library, leave it all as you found it.
II. Damage nothing in these halls.
III. To obtain knowledge, you must share knowledge.

In the center of the hall is a pedestal that stands four feet tall. It is here that you place the knowledge that you've brought to share. Books, movies, comics, art pieces, fact sheets, personal notes - anything that could technically be considered either knowledge or art are accepted. Once you place your item on the pedestal, it will disappear and a bracelet made of olive tree wood will appear around their wrist. This is their proof that they are allowed entrance into the rest of the library. Anyone who tries to go into the halls without donating a piece of knowledge will find the entryways into the other wings magically blocked.

Once the admission fee has been paid, it's off to explore the rest of the library! There are several wings to explore, each of them chock full of knowledge. A person could easily spend a lifetime in a single wing and not see everything there is to offer. Even though it offers works written and created in countless languages, you'll find yourself able to understand all of them as if they were written in your native language. That said, any cameras will not work while within the hall, so if you want to remember the things you read- you'll have to take notes. Any character with fire magic will find their fire powers do not work while in this realm either.

The wings are as followed:

The Literature Wing

This wing is devoted entirely to any work of literature that's ever been written. Novels, poems, short stories, comics, fables - anything that counts as a story would be found within this wing. There's even a section devoted to fanfictions throughout the ages, if that's what you're really about. There are braille and audiobooks with headphones, for those who get their reading through that way. Throughout the wing, there are comfortable chairs and window seats to sit in. The wing is managed by a legion of cats, who are clever enough to understand human language. They will carry books to and from their shelves, bring book recommendations, bring snacks and drinks as refreshments on a little push cart, or just curl up on your lap as you read.

The Knowledge Wing

Next to the Literature Wing, the Knowledge wing contains any non-fiction texts or documents that have ever been written. Any topic of non-fiction is covered here: history, science, mathematics, cookbooks - the list goes on. Interestingly, there are more than just books about this Earth found in these halls. It's possible to find textbooks detailing events or information about other worlds as well - so long as it covers events already taken place (meaning before any OU's canon point). Unlike the literature wing, the seating are set up more as study tables and chairs, but are still comfortable enough to sit in for hours on end. This wing is managed by a bunch of owls, who will fly up and down the aisles with books in their talons.

The Music Wing

A wing designed to have perfect acoustics, no matter where you go within the hall. Here, you can find every music piece ever composed, as well as any type of instrument ever created. There's plenty of practice rooms for any size group, all of which are soundproofed. In the back of the wing, there is a concert hall where you can either perform your own shows, or watch astral recordings of any concert that's ever taken place. Want to see Beethoven perform his famous 9th symphony? You can do that! All the musicians past will appear as ghostly apparitions as they perform. Songbirds are the maintainer of these halls, who will fly by on errands or maybe even stop by to sing along with your performances.

The Theatre Wing

Next to the music wing, there is the theater wing. This area has play stages and movie theaters all set up. You can either watch any movie or show in existence (no worries about streaming rights here!), or rewatch any theater performance that's happened in history in the form of ghostly visages. Find out how Hamlet was performed when Shakespeare was still alive (in fact Shakespeare's visage himself might look... familiar), or see the first Greek tragedy. Mice and rats are the maintainers of this wing, they will help out pick out movies and also run a concession stand with any movie snacks you'd like to consume during the show.

While there is normally a working fighting simulator in this ring... well, we'll get to that in a moment.

The Planetarium Wing

The planetarium is the wing devoted to astronomy and the heavens. While there's plenty of shelves of books here with information about space, the main event in this hall is a planetarium. A massive dome that can be set to display the night sky as it appeared at any time or day- and not just on Earth either. You can find out what the sky looks like on any number of worlds. All of them feel hyper-realistic, like you're looking at the real night sky. Bats help run this part of the library, the dark starry skies doing nothing to hinder their assistance with visitors.

Should anyone use this room to investigate the moon, they will find that the moon itself? Is still a perfectly normal moon. No, really. It's normal. However much like it affects the tide, the moon will also affect the magical energies of Spirit Veins. And the higher level of concentration of magical energy, the larger the effect. So the reason the full moon is affecting more monsters? Is less about the moon and more the increasing spirit energy that is ever growing in Kaisou.

The Museum Wing

The museum wing covers all artifacts that relate to knowledge, but wouldn't quite fit in the other wings. Dinosaur fossils, vases, paintings, tapestries, all of them are carefully displayed with information about each item. These items have been collected across different worlds and throughout history, with all of them carefully preserved. One room of the museum is devoted to divine donations - donations given by deities when they came once came to visit, and clearly the shining gem of the museum. Items such as a Dharma Wheel, an apple from the Tree of Knowledge, an actual eye (thanks Odin), and other items relating to knowledge have all been carefully put on pedestals. While trying to steal from the other wings will have magic measures that simply prevent you from doing so, the consequences of trying to steal from this part of the library will lead to much more dire consequences. To reflect that, this wing is patrolled by crocodiles who will guide you to exhibits, but will also snap their jaws anytime they feel you're getting too close to an artifact.

The Mess Hall

With so much to see in this library, it'd be a shame if hunger got in the way. Just head down into the basement, where an expansive dining hall and kitchen await you. The goats that run this part of the library will be happy to cook you up any kind of meal that has ever existed. Or, if you're the type to want to cook for yourself, you'll have free access to the kitchen, which is full of any ingredients you could possibly want. The walls are lined with cooking tools and cookbooks to help you along, as well. Cooking is a form of art, after all.

The Records Wing

The final wing contains records of every person who has ever lived and died. Each person's life is recorded in a hardcover book that is decorated in ways to reflect the person. The length of a book will depend on how long the person has lived, and it will cover events that happened throughout their lives. While you can access records of people that live in different worlds, you can only access records of people who have died (the permanent kind). Not only that, but the keepers of this wing (ghostly apparitions of scholars) will only allow you access to the records of people that are part of your family or somehow related to you.

Hauntingly, AU characters will be able to find books of their past selves among these shelves, as well as the records of their past selves relatives. It will detail their lives in their previous worlds, the events described lining up with memories you've experienced. The causes of death will vary. Some will go on to live long lives before dying of old age, while others will be killed abruptly by something either within or out of their control. Either way, it's probably rather unsettling to read about how your life once came to an end.

[OOC Note: Please note, doing anything that would damage or destroy the life recording books will cause permanent long lasting consequences for your character, as their memories will be wiped from the world. Please consult the mods if you wish to go this route.]

Gladiator Match

However, you're not only here to do research and reading- as there's been a task set out to do. Within the theater, there is a room that is dedicated to running a fight simulator that'll allow one to relive battles with famous past warriors and fiends- as combat is it's own form of art and knowledge. Normally this room is perfectly safe, with the fight simulator causing no actual risk to the people using it. However... something has gone awry.

Should you ask the Muses, they will explain with great irritation, that there is an section of the library that is forbidden to the public due to it containing dangerous relics, including a set of Sealed books entrusted to them that contained malicious demons and spirits. Unfortunately, an earlier visitor managed to slip into one of the forbidden sections of the library and tampered with one of the Sealed books - causing the malicious spirit that'd been trapped within its pages to get freed.

That spirit? Was now possessing the fight simulator. Not only is the room stuck in the appearance of a Roman Coliseum, but instead of harmless battle recreations? The battles were now fully capable of causing injury and even death. Characters will not get an option of which opponent they will face when they enter the ring- the malevolent spirit will use enemies from memory past against you- such as old foes from both your past lives, canon worlds, or even ones you've faced in Kaisou.

Unfortunately the only way to defeat this malevolent spirit? Is through combat. Defeat enough foes that it throws at you, and eventually the spirit who has been fueled by all the battles- will finally appear in its true form: a massive horned skeleton with wings, four arms and just as many blades. The demon skeleton, known as Sword Dancer, will be incredibly strong in both its swordsmen ship and it's elemental magic of many elements. The best way to beat him is to fight together as a team and overpowering him in sheer force of strength.

When the battle is over, the Sword Dancer will fade and disappear, returning the fight simulator back to its original form. There's a lot of unanswered questions about how this incident occurred, but... at least it's mission accomplished.

[OOC: Players are welcome to NPC their own fights! Feel free to pull out any foes from your character's canons OR past foes from previous kaisou plots.]

Aftermath

With the fight simulator returned to its former state, the Muses will be appreciative of your help. They won't really offer anything in reward (they did let you have free access to their library)- but they will hear you out if you approach them about anyone whose been heavily stricken by their inspiration effect. While they don't personally feel it's a big deal, they will be willing to ease the effects of it so the person can return to actually being able to function.

Otherwise, the rest of the month will pass peacefully. Characters will be allowed to access the library for the rest of the month, using what chance they have to access the great knowledge within.

OOC Notes

The dominant element this month is Wind! Anyone with an affinity to the wind 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 Earth 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.

Feel free to use the catch-alls if you want to make a quick top-level prompt, or to make your very own toplevel if you have a bunch of specific prompts you want to do!

Comments

Persephone | Stray Gods | OTA

[aslowburn]

How trapped we were, so far from shore - The Music Wing

[Persephone knew that the library would hurt her. She knew that this place, that was partly hers would only have painful memories in it. But she walked into it freely anyway. Because painful as those memories are, they are hers, something they shared together, and she would not give them up for anything. She doesn't get to have anything of Calliope again in this world- and even if she were home, it would be years before the veil would lift for Freddie, and even then, the version of Calliope that she loved so deeply was gone. Forever.

Not even the Queen of the Dead could bring her back.

Persephone likes music just fine - she did own a nightclub, after all - but it wasn't something she pursued herself. But music was Calliope's realm, and being here, in an area that was ruled by her... it felt as close as she could to connect to the person who'd taught her how to feel something other than anger and hate for the first time in millennia. So she wanders this hall, stopping to listen to the music, before finding a place to sit and just... be. If she concentrates hard enough, she can almost feel her here. ]

I've still not forgiven you for leaving me. [ It's said quietly, mostly to herself. ] But you were right. It was better to think of the cherished memories instead of... dwelling. [She closes her eyes, tilting her head back to rest against one of the pillars. ] Oh, but I miss you, though.

[Perhaps she senses your presence, because she stills. Normally, having the gall to come across her in a moment of weakness would be something she'd lash out about. But she won't do that here. Not in Calliope's place. So she opens one eye to regard you.]

Are you here to listen to her music? She was always so proud of it.

Lost little girls - seems like a theme, here -Gladiator Match

[After having to deal with her past pain disturbed, Persephone is spoiling for a fight. Something to shake it all loose. To feel better about something. She's delighted to find a fight simulator - even more so to find that it has a problem to solve with battle. Good. She's spoiling for a fight.

There's another battle before the spirit though, and when her target appears - a blonde woman, garbed in a toga and a Corinthian helmet, Persephone grins. She pulls out a sword, as the woman pulls out a spear. ]

Good. I always did think Grace should have punched you. You got off lightly. Now? It's my turn.

[She'll glance your way, clearly pleased with this battle prospect. ]

How would you like to fight a battle god today? I assure you, she deserves it.

Wildcard [ Want something else? Holler! ]

The Music Wing;

[ganymed]

[ The pain isn't something that can be easily left behind, though Ganymede should have done his best to stray from a place that registers as dangerous...he has a multitude of reasons to be drawn to it.

He comes upon Persephone in such a private moment that he freezes like a deer in headlights. Although he is certain he can run if needed, he doesn't. He isn't too sure of the reaction, but it is one nonetheless...so, he is somewhat relieved when it isn't bad, at least. ]

Who are you talking about?

music wing

[end_singer]

[Though capable of stealth nowadays, Nito has always been quite deliberately unsubtle when approaching his friend, so it's no surprise when she addresses him.]

In a manner of speaking. If her collection truly contains every performance, I had hoped to find a particular voice within it.

[He shuffles slightly, readjusting his wings.]

If you would like to search for hers' - your version of her - as well, I wouldn't mind the company.

Hermes | Stray Gods | ota

[doublethumbsup]

The Knowledge OR Literature Wing
[Are Greek Myths considered fiction or nonfiction? Given Hermes exists, and aren't just a story, they're not sure. They start in one area, and then pop over to the other. Several times.]

So like... if you're actually a Greek god...? Do you think your stuff's in history or like... mythology?

[Were you expecting to get a librarian-worthy question? No? Sorry. Hermes is asking anyway. Because they have zero clue and they're starting to get frustrated. They actually want to learn! And they don't have a good option!]

[Eventually, they settle in the Literature wing, grumpily pouring over some Bat-Man comics, surrounded by cats.]


The Music Wing
[Hermes didn't know Calliope. Not like Persephone. They'd run into her once, before everything changed. And she was so angry... They know why, now, sure. Doesn't change that it's sad they never really got to meet her for real.]

[They know Grace much better. They like Grace. But being in here doesn't feel like meeting Grace. It feels like Calliope. Like a piece of her eidolon is somehow here. They sit on the edge of the stage, swinging their legs back and forth, regarding the empty concert hall.]

Hey uh... Hi, Calliope. I figured I should say something since... we're family and stuff. [Their heels drum on the front of the stage.] Feels kinda weird, you know? Talking like this.

I mean, you didn't know me - me, me. You know Hermes... Everybody knows Hermes. Me? I - I dunno.

[They look down. Grace never used the Muse's power with them. They wonder why, sometimes. Were they too new? But it worked on Freddie... why not them? But... hey. Nobody's here. They're in the hall of music. They're under the eye of Calliope-Grace-Freddie. And they did kind of want to leave her something.]

[Everybody knows Hermes - people like 'this' Hermes quite well - you will find your footing.]

[Their voice isn't perfect, like the others. It's pretty simple, and quiet. But for once, this Hermes gets to join the idol chorus.]

The Music Wing;

[ganymed]

[ Simple and quiet, but it carries nonetheless in an expansive area.

Ganymede peers into the area, and doesn't exactly stop listening in - for what audience does Hermes sing for? Evidently, not for a huge one; but perhaps it isn't a song that is designed for the ears of others.

Though, it seems a shame to leave it heard by no one else. So, he waits, and waits, until they're done, hands held behind their back, before they appear from behind a curtain. ]

It's melancholy, but the lyrics are deep, and profound.

...What inspired singing that?

Cotton Cookie | Cookie Run Kingdom | OTA

[creamcottonshepherd]

[THE ZODIAC KNITTER]

[The workplace war that is Halloween versus Autumnal theming is always strong this time of year. Pumpkins versus Jack-o-lanterns. Scarecrows with cute smiles and triangle noses versus scarecrows that scream when you walk too close to the desk. The last one, one could probably admit, might not be acceptable in the work place even during Halloween itself, but it doesn't matter.

Because what matters is what side Cotton's on, and hers is the side that rocks. There are spider-web doilies all over the desk. There are cute little ghosts hovering on hanger wires.

There's a tin of cookies. They all have little ghosts.

She's holding it out to you with a smile.

Join the dark side.]

[OVER-TIPPING IN THE LIBRARY]

[One could be forgiven for assuming, perhaps, that the reason Cotton is in the library is because Janet wanted her out of the building as fast as possible so she could start waging further war on early Halloween. It could also to be fair, have much more to do with the fact that no one wants to send someone in their mid to late sixties on land surveys, no matter how well she's been taking the physical exertion these days. All told, it's really not clear.

What is clear though, is that when approaching the 'payment pedestal' for the library, someone else was loitering about to root through their bag for something. Cotton, being her delightful self, started yapping a story to offer.

The loiterer listened.

Cotton kept yapping.

One loiterer became two. More.

Cotton is still sharing her yarns. She has a lot to talk about.]

...and that's just the thing about tanks you see...you need to be very careful what you put in, there's no telling how different creatures will react to the other...

[It's not exactly clogging the hallway, but does anyone really want to wait until it reaches that point??]

[THE MUSEUM OF BAKED HISTORY]

[The library museum being what it is, many probably aren't surprised to see displays from their home in here. Cotton naturally, manages to be in that category of people. There's a pleasant hum, an amused 'ohhhhh!', and she's soon off wandering halls filled with relics that she recognizes largely from cultural context rather than anything else.

The world of Earthbread was big, after all.

In particular though, she's quite enamored by...Well, it looks like a throne?]

Now look at that... [she marvels, gasping quietly.] You know...I always heard stories about the grand, impressive kingdom that apparently neighbored the mountains I used to live in. They would say their king had taken the power of two great dragons into his blade, forever taking them as his own...

[She beams at the motifs of...Cookie headed dragons around the throne.] ...They look quite adorable from our perspective now don't they though? Hohohooh..!

[YOU KNEW SHE'D END UP HERE]

[She eventually ends up in the kitchen.

No one can be surprised by this. It's her element. It's her zone. She's soon cooking up anything her mind really comes up with, and then some. Baked goods, of course. Cookies. Pies. Cakes.

But then, maybe she should try something else?

At the very least, as she looks over a cookbook and squints at the writing, she seems to be considering it.] Ohhhhhh...now this looks interesting...

anastasia "ana" fabre | original | closed

[nefilim]

the records wing - closed to close cr

[ While Ana was curious about the library, there was one place in particular she wanted to see. One place where she could find out about one of the most elusive figures in her life.

Ana never knew her mother, and now was the chance to find out more about her.

It's no shock to learn of her death - honestly, she would be more surprised if she wasn't - and so when she finds her name, she simply retrieves the book and takes it to one of the tables so she can read through it. Heloise Fabre, where did life take you before you ended up tangled in Krusnik...

Most of the read isn't too shocking; child of a wealthy family, an extravagant socialite and mother of just one child. A child that was the product of a one night stand with...

...

. . .

Wait a minute.

The father's name isn't Dumah. Isn't the scientist who raised her, called himself her 'father'. It's someone else entirely.

She closes the book. Opens it again to that page, proudly declaring her father's name. Closes it again.

What the fuck?




Opens it again. Name is still unchanging, as if it's mocking her.

Slams the book closed, stands up and storms over a few feet to the side with her face in her hands. ]

What the FUCK?!

[ She feels being a little loud is valid in this situation. ]

[whiteshroud]

[Jun didn't have any interest in looking up his own family records. He had already looked into his biological family back in high school, and he can't say the results left him with many good feelings. But he was spending a lot of time in the library anyway between Haru and Varian, and so he was currently in carbuncle form, curled up on the table near her and napping- feeling safe being near his sister.

It's only when she starts yelling does he wake up, his head lifting in alert]

Huh? What's wrong?

Harumasa Asaba | Zenless Zone Zero | OTA (with a closed prompt)

[life_ethereal]

A is for Apollo (Open)

[The Nine Muses have taken an instant liking to Harumasa since he's Apollo's vessel, but they also have taken a liking to him as a person. Apparently. Having nine gorgeous goddesses give him their attention and being flirted by them leaves him briefly overwhelmed for... all of five minutes. Because in that time the Nine Muses discover that Harumasa loves getting pets, so he's immediately in cat heaven. He's only a man, please!

Anyway, because of this, Harumasa is going to be hanging out in the Library pretty much for the rest of the month. Not just because of the attention, though that certainly helps, but also so that Apollo gets a chance to catch up with them.

When he's able to get away, though, the young man can be found napping in various spots in the Library. ... Actually, scratch that, literally anywhere in the Library is his newest nap spot. The Muses have set him up and he's living his best cat life. People Harumasa trusts he'll most likely continue napping when they approach, but people he doesn't know will have him yawning as he blinks awake (OOC: dealer's choice on whether Harumasa is in his human form or tiger form when this occurs).]

Is September over already?

[Yes. He did make that joke. Your ears aren't playing tricks on you. Or your eyes if you're unfortunate enough to have a tiger ask you that.]


B is for Boss Rush (Closed: Ragna and Jun)
♪ Endless Tower Theme

[Harumasa has a new trick that he hasn't had the chance to pull out yet. He holds his hand out. In a flash of golden light, Dormant Tide is in his hand and a quiver full of arrows is slung across his shoulder. Despite getting the feeling that he's going to be up against very strong enemies, he's got a smile on his face and is humming softly. It seems Harumasa's in a very good mood right now!

And how can he not be in a good mood? He'll be fighting alongside his little brother and Ragna. Two people he trusts to have his back in any battle. Not to mention it's the perfect excuse to see how well Ragna fights with them... and also spend time with him. Harumasa's just not going to admit that since he's pretty sure their favorite tsundere might explode in embarrassment.

Agent Gulliver is getting ready with its little laser gun with a look of determination on its face. It's ready to bust down doors and kick monster ass!

Harumasa looks back at them.]

We ready to head in?

Ehn-na! (Yes!)

[whiteshroud]

[Jun too is pretty excited about this, even if he keeps it pretty well contained. He's doing one last check of his own weaponry- his holy sword is floating in front of him as he checks the elements he has equipped in it. It's a sight that Harumasa is probably used to from training and their missions, but for Ragna? It's sure a reminder how big that sword is. He's in his shroud uniform, though he's not bothering to wear the hood today- both Ragna and Haru know who he is, after all]

Just about.

[He'll make some quick rearrangements, before he closes the swords power core and move to take it in one of his hands.]

Alright, should be good.

A is for Apollo

[doublethumbsup]

[Hermes is still trying to figure out if Greek Mythology is in the fiction or nonfiction section. They finished up in one, and are heading over to the next. They're strolling, casually, all relaxed and curious and - ]

[They skid to a halt. Their sneakers squeak loudly on the floor. Their mouth drops open.]

N... nice kitty. Haaah. Hahah. Good kitty.

[And then the tiger speaks, and Hermes about leaps up into the convenient arms of a statue.]

- What!?

Aftermath of Boss Rush (CLOSED to ZZZ Cast, Ragna, and Jun)

[life_ethereal]

[The three triumphant heroes have created a new meta team and... honestly they don't look at all worse for wear. Even though Harumasa is currently leaning "heavily" against Ragna, he's not truly all that exhausted. A little tired, certainly, especially after the fight with the Twilight Apostle phase. Yet he doesn't have a single scratch on him. Even his momentary weakness from the evil presence of the Sword Dancer seems to have left him, if only somewhat.]

I'm so tired. Next time I have an idea like that to avoid the spotlight, put me to bed like an old man. We went through two weakened calamities only for the last one to be a generic JRPG boss? That's so anticlimactic... but it went down easy, so fine. I'll take it.

[Don't mind him. He's just being a cat.

That being said, on seeing the others from New Eridu, his expression does seem to brighten. He gives a lazy yet friendly wave to them.]

... So I might have called in backup just in case things went way sideways! Specifically, the people from New Eridu in our past lives.

Zevran Arainai | Dragon Age | OTA

[mmmleather]

The Records Wing
[To be honest, Zevran isn't sure what he expected. He's never been one for vast repositories of knowledge. Novels, especially the smutty kind, are all fine and good - learning is important, and all of that. But this place seems especially important. Not quite Urn of Sacred Ashes important, though, so he reserves about the same sort of ambivalence.]

[At least unless someone finds him in the records wing.]

[There, he's on a hunt, of sorts. Several options are denied - which isn't entirely surprising. Being sold to a House didn't mean you were actually family, after all. So, no surprise access to records on fellow Crows are all but sealed. And following the third time one of the ghostly keepers chases him away from a certain section...]

[... After that, he just sort of wanders, looking through anything he seems to have access to.]

So what is one to do when they do not know the name of the person they seek...?


Gladiator Match
[What a better way to work off the frustration from the hall of records, than by fighting? Truly, the best solution there is! Zevran may have returned back to where he was staying to put his armor back on, to grab his weapons. But he looks perfectly cheerful about the whole prospect.]

Ah, combat! Time to be covered in blood, for the good of others. Shall we?

(1) Darkspawn
[Option 1 is a group of... wow, those things look nasty. They're a slavering cluster of humanoid monsters. Drooling black ichor through jaws that don't seem to want to close completely. Their limbs are deformed, twisted, and their hands are tipped in ugly claws. They carry blackened, bloodied weapons, and when they spot Zevran, and anyone with him, they roar, throwing their hands into the air.]

Oh, Darkspawn. Go, team us. Hurrah.

[... At least pretend you believe in your chances, Zev.]

(2) Ogre
[Or, maybe, he had a point.]

[That's not a small creature. That thing is the size of an elephant. If elephants had cruelly twisted horns, a mouth full of razor sharp teeth, and opposable thumbs. It looks down at its opponents, and roars, sending rancid spittle flying through the simulator.]

Ah - they have an ogre. We should leave. Expediently.

[RIP the rogue with leather armor.]

Edward Kenway | OTA

[jackdawvision]

[one: records room]

[The first time he'd come to the Library of Alexandria, he'd been young and stupid, and had been stopped by his friend before he did something he knows now he would've dearly regretted. Now Edward finds himself in the records room again, lingering near a particular shelf, a hand holding the locket around his neck.

It's funny. A part of him still wants to bring those files on his family out with him, it's true, but now that he's older he finds it's not nearly as urgent as it felt. He won't take those files out of this library.

But now that he's here, he finds himself just staring at the shelves, wondering.]

They're alive, the both of them. [This, he says to himself, but it might be loud enough for others to hear.] Isn't that enough? Should I even try to look into what happened after that night?

[two: fighting wing]

[Sometimes you are just a little Assassin and you don't have your pistols and you're staring down this heavily armored fuck from across the way and you think to yourself: well, shit.

He pulls a Dressphere off his belt, and when the magic glow fades, he's dressed not too dissimilar to this, the coat billowing out as he unsheathes the wicked-looking sword off his back.]

I'll keep his attention. Last time I fought him I shot him to death, but that's not an option here. [A hum.] Should be fine, he's as human as anyone else. It's just the armor you need to get past.

2

[mmmleather]

That... is a sexy sword.

[The whole frustration over not finding what he was looking for in this library is strong. Very strong. So, clearly, the best option is to blow off some steam! And since his other favorite way to do that isn't possible at the moment-! Fighting!]

[And flirting. Always the flirting. Sorry, Edward. But despite the awful lines, he draws his own blades. Much shorter, like long daggers.]

How fortunate that I am an expert in getting under armor...! [No, really. Not just in the innuendo sense. Assassin party here in this gladiator ring.]

Hunter | The Owl House | OTA

[clonizo]

The Records- DENIED
[For the past few months, Hunter has... been forced to take a long, hard look at his past and what that means for him. There are... things. That the world outside of Krusnik and the Order has taught him. Things like how strange his upbringing was, how... complicated it was.

But nothing had put that into perspective quite like the Red Gate.

There are so many questions bouncing around in his mind, little flickers of memories he knows he shouldn't have- smiles on faces he can't quite see, arms slung around his shoulders, a hand in his own, warm and comforting, the crescent moon and stars flying low above trees, a forest full of skeletons, and so so so so so many owls. It's so much that once word of this mighty library spreads over the app... there's no way he can resist the call.

Which is how he stands, now, in the records wing of this mighty library. He'd paid the price of all the bird songs and notes he'd been recording for the past few weeks just to stand here. To be amongst the books and just... try to figure something out.

He sucks in a breath, approaching one of the ghosts tending to these halls, and squares his shoulders, puffs out his chest.]

I'm here to see Philip Wittebane's book. [Because no matter how his uncle met his end, no matter how he had treated Hunter near that end, as well... he always had answers.

But the apparition does not react, doesn't even seem to acknowledge Hunter's request, instead moving down the aisle as he had been, hands clasped behind his back and eyes facing forward.] I-- He's my uncle. You guys have everything, don't you? You have all the records of everyone who lived and died! That's the point of this place, isn't it?!

[He's following behind the ghost, voice getting a little loud and shrill in his desperation to figure this out.]

Philip! Philip Wittebane! -- Belos!! He went by Belos to everyone else, so maybe that-- Wait!


The Records - Careful What You Ask For
[It takes a few days for Hunter to stop trying to gain access to Philip's book. A few days of growing increasingly frustrated and desperate, of trying everything he could to try and find it. Asking every ghost he could find, looking for it himself, even, but it's just... not there.

So today, he's trying something a little different. Today, when he finds himself in the library's halls, fiddling anxiously with the wooden bracelet acting as his ticket inside... he's going to tackle this from a different angle.

With determination, he approaches one of the apparitions, gaining their attention before saying, simply; ] I want to see Caleb Wittebane's book.

[He doesn't know what to expect, here. After all, that's his name. But after venting to Flapjack the night before, his small companion had whistled that name out. And for some reason, hearing his Palisman say it and not just himself-- it was different. It meant something. It felt... different. From who he was.

The apparition nods his head, turning and guiding Hunter down the aisle before turning and moving into a bookshelf, leaving him alone in the massive halls. Leaving him to reach forward and run his fingers down the thin spine of an old book and watching as the letters there shimmer under his touch, spelling out the very name he'd asked for: Caleb Wittebane.

With slow and shaking hands, Hunter takes that book from the shelf, tucking it up against his chest as he looks around nervously before heading off to find a nice, private corner to hide himself in. And once there, sitting cross-legged on the floor, he opens that book and rests it in his lap, hunched over the old and tattered pages, and begins... to read.

Caleb Wittebane. Older brother to Philip Wittebane. He was born hundreds of years ago, at the height of religious paranoia against anyone with magic.

The Wittebanes were poor. They were desperate. But they were very, very good at one thing: hunting those the society they lived in deemed as evil. As dangerous. Philip proudly called them Witch Hunters - a phrase that sends a chill down Hunter's back, that makes him feel a little sick to his stomach - but Caleb wasn't convinced. He couldn't find the true danger to the people they were hunting, just as he couldn't quite bring himself to be comfortable with the society they lived in.

And one day, Caleb was proven right. He met one of the mages they were being sent to hunt and in an instant, he fell in love. She taught him about magic, taught him to use magic, to the small extent he was able to. She brought him flying, showed him the world from high above, showed him how expansive and beautiful and brilliant it was. And most importantly, she offered Caleb the strength and safety to leave his stagnant life and come with her.

Only... there aren't many pages left in this book at this point. And as Hunter turns to those final few pages, he sees exactly why.

Philip found out.

Out of jealousy, out of anger, he ambushed and tried to attack the woman who had bewitched his brother. And as Caleb leapt between them, as the knife cut deep into his back, as he laid there dying on the forest floor, watching the love of his life escape into the night, devastated but safe, the final words in this record of life are Philip's twisted, hollow whisper:

You should have let me save your soul, brother.
It's all Hunter can do to sit there on the library's floor, paler than he usually is, covered in a cold sweat, his heart hammering in his chest as he turns those last few pages back and forth. As he reads and rereads the final moments of Caleb Wittebane again and again and again, as if he'll find any more meaning or understanding in the words on the page. As if there's some secret that's going to leap out and solve everything once and for all.

In the end, it's all he can do to whisper into the quiet.]

... but then... who am I?

The Records

[whiteshroud]

[Jun had been resting in the Records Hall as his siblings were doing their own research. He had no interest in finding out his biological relations and the wind month made him more sleepy, so he was currently curled up among a stack of books.

It's Hunter's yelling that stirs him awake. He would've dismissed it until he hears a specific name uttered- one he recognizes from Krusnik.

Philip Wittebane.

Immediately Jun goes into alert mode. He jumps up (onto a stack of books) and moves into a defensive position- as if he's ready to lunge at Hunter at any moment. He'll use his voice mimicry to mimic Shroud's voice]

Why are you inquiring about Philip Whittebane?

[He's intended to come off as threatening as possible except.

...

He forgot he was still in his carbuncle form. So it's definitely way less threatening]

careful what you wish for

[greatlydares]

[Belle raises a hand as she enters, about to flag down an apparition to ask for her brother's book. Then she stops, catching sight of a young man sitting on the library floor, reading and rereading the last pages in a book. As if doing so might change the meaning, rewrite the ending. Belle watches him for a long moment, then steps forward and kneels down in front of him.

This would be easier, she thinks, if she brought Eous with her. But the Bangboo's back in Random Play, doing its job, so here she is instead.]

Are you okay? You've been sitting on the floor a while and you're looking pale.

the records

[switchaxe]

[Ash is not here to find information on his family. He has his siblings, his has his dads, his grandparents, his boyfriend--he's good. Besides, he did that family dig last time the library was here. He might have some living relatives somewhere, but at this age? Doesn't matter. He's in the library for other research, and maybe to see if the library can answer questions related to the Order's latest round of work.

So to hear someone asking about fucking Wittebane, the fucking bastard who didn't like Ash for some reason and shoved him and others in that goddamn gate...

Well. He's got to figure out what's going on there, doesn't he? He finds the voice and doesn't hesitate to put his switchaxe between the spirit and the person following them. He doesn't even recognize Hunter, not at first glance.]

How do you know that name?

Dr. Ratio | Honkai: Star Rail | OTA

[mediocrites]

[Knowledge Wing]

[The bulk of Ratio's time in the library is going to be spent here. He's accepting assistance from the owls but also occasionally following them back to the shelves on his own wings to search the stacks for himself. He's pulled out every book he can find on spirit veins and magical energy, and is making notes and connecting facts just as quickly as his summonable pen can write. Pages are accumulating around him in neatly-divided stacks.

Prominently set in the workspace he's claimed is a list of questions and research topics he seems to be focusing on:]

1. Define magic
2. How is it measured?
3. Where does it originate?
4. Elemental manipulation - conservation of energy?
5. Artifacts of power [beside this is a small sketch of his Anemo Vision and a less-detailed sketch of Aventurine's Cryo Vision]
6. Other manifestations [Here is for some reason a drawing of a weeping figure with blackened wings and fiery limbs.

He doesn't seem much interested in conversation, but you could probably interrupt him anyway.]

[Planetarium Wing]

[Although he's mostly dedicating himself to research on his pet project this month, he's not immune to the lure of curiosity about his history. Looking for the records of his other life in the records hall feels too risky somehow, like he might learn something he's not ready to know yet. So instead he's found the projector settings, and is staring up at a starry sky that doesn't match anything visible from Earth.

He looks disappointed.]

...Nothing at all.

[Wildcard]

[He's going to be spending at least some time in every wing except records, so feel free to encounter him wherever else seems interesting.]

Knowledge Wing

[rupturingheaven]

[On the one hand, Bailey was more than content to leave Ratio to his research.

On the other, as they were passing by with their own books, they notice the sketches of the Visions and that makes them pause.

After some consideration, Bailey unhooks the Dendro Vision from their belt and silently places that down next to the list of questions and topics.]

Maxima Priscus | FFXIV | OTA

[moderni]

[Theater Wing]

How astonishing.

[He looks thrilled to be here, canine ears standing up and tail waving steadily behind him as he addresses anyone who approaches.]

I hardly know where to begin. What's your favorite?

[Mess Hall]

[Down in the kitchen, he's going through the cupboards looking for ingredients.]

They have knowledge here from other worlds...I wonder if they have ingredients, as well? The recipes I know from home just aren't quite the same with goat cheese, but no one here seems to know what an Ovibos is.

[Records Hall]

[Here, finally, his mood is considerably lower. He's sitting in an alcove off to the side with two books. The one he's currently reading is open to the last few pages - the spine of the other one reads Fabrice cen Priscus.

The troubled expression on his face does not invite company, but if he's approached by someone he recognizes he'll try to offer a tight smile in response.]

records!!!

[poisontippedcure]

[Rose doesn’t know why she came here. Part of her felt that she was finally ready to look through her past, to find the answers to some questions.]

[But the part of her that was afraid won out. Instead of looking into her own records, she’s wandering aimlessly. At least, she is until she sees Maxima.]


[One look at his face, and it’s clear he is concerned. She is worried.]

Would having someone nearby help?

Varian | Tangled | OTA

[droptheious]

The Knowledge Wing

[ This is the first time Varian has ever been allowed into the library. The last two times it came to Kaisou, he was denied access. Largely because the muses didn't trust him to have access to knowledge he might end up being a danger with. He's clearly proven himself to them... somehow, something he's very glad for.

While he does sometimes get distracted by the sheer amount on offer - Varian loves learning, and this is a place full of it - he's here on a mission. So for the most of his time here, he can be found in the magical illness and magical artefact sections. He has his glove of Babel next to him, ready to translate anything he needs to, as he takes notes from books piled high next to him. His brow is a worried furrow, and if you come near him, he'll glance up.]

Sorry. I'll be done with it in a sec. I'm just... checking something.

[ That said, he does take "breaks" to read up on what he actually understands a lot better - physics, chemistry and engineering. But that's fun reading. That's different! He's smart enough to avoid the records wing. He knows his own sorry tale already and doesn't need to revisit it. But at some point he comes across a Complete History of Corona, and he figures sure, why not? He doesn't really learn anything new, but it is interesting seeing something from a perspective that's not been heavily skewed towards the royal family. Unfortunately, he didn't realise that he was a pretty solid piece of his homeland's history, and finding his own name amongst the pages... the things he did against the crown is a horrific surprise, one that makes him yell in shock, dropping the book. He's quick to look up, clearing his throat and fumbling for the book, trying to shove it back into place. ]

Ha ha. Never mind me. I saw- [ he stares at the book, tyring to think of a reasonable excuse ] ... a spider.

[ Given he's white as a sheet and there's a tremble in his hand that is... probably not accurate. ]

The Mess Hall

[ Thanks to Haru (or more accurately, Apollo) the muses have allowed them to stay here. He's glad for it, it means he can keep researching while he has this window of opportunity while not breaking his promise to Jun to return to him every night and rest. He keeps his word to eating too, and he can be found in the mess hall regularly.

This time he has piles of Coronan food, food from his own time period, food he hasn't eaten in three years. He's currently eating what looks like a meat dish, making happy noises as he does so. He grins up if you come over. ]

Hey! You should try these Rinderrouladen! They taste just like Dad used to make them. [A pause. Clarification: ] Corona Dad. Not Kaisou Dad.

The Planetarium Wing

[Even Varian needs to give his brain a break at some point. He hasn't really thought about space too much since Event Horizon last year. When you end up on a murder spaceship with everyone losing their damn minds and you end up getting your neck broken on it... well, space doesn't have the best of memories. But Varian doesn't want to hate space forever, so he can be found lying on the floor of the planetarium at quieter moments, hands resting on his chest, staring up at the sky above them, all the stars dotted around like twinkling lights. Endless possibilities. Endless worlds. ]

...You know, if you don't think too hard about the vast emptiness of space... this is actually pretty relaxing.

Wildcard: [ Want something else? let me know! ]

Ghilley Adair | FFXIV OC | ota!

[tonberrykin]

POKEMON RACES!; before

[ so Ghilley has some "hero'ing" to do, and if it's gotta be done by sacrificing a five year old, then so be it. if you catch him, tiny and pink and full of purpose at the Pokemon Racetrack, he's got Koukou in his arms as he gives the little pepper a 'peptalk, one hand held in a loose fist. ]

... so we don't have to be the fastest, or the strongest, or the most likely to finish--you just gotta run where your heart takes you, okay, Koukou? You know where you need to go, and I believe in you.

[ he had, after all, seen it in a vision, and the ghost in his teeth was only ever so wrong about his predictions. so here Ghilley is, acting totally not suspicious as he keeps hyping his little buddy boy up, scanning the crowd for a familiar face with a sort of keen-eyed interest that fails real hard at looking casual. ]

AND THEY'RE OFF; what we came for

[ so, uh. if the weird pepper peppertalk hadn't pinged your interest, maybe what the pepper does when he steps up to the plate will instead. Koukou takes his place in the race, as anticipated--and he immediately drops back to last place because he's got two little legs and a head full of dreams. he runs for a bit, sure, but then.

a smell catches his attention. a smelly smell that's smelly. it happens in slow motion--Koukou's head turning and his beady little eyes locking onto a child that's holding a walking taco, watching as the four-legged fast 'mons go zipping along, and little does Little Timmy know, he's now part of the race parameters as Koukou runs with his heart.

right with arms and mouth wide open. Little Timmy, somewhat incorrectly, shrieks and ends up dropping his treat--and a few moments later Ghilley melts out of the crowd to scoop Koukou up before he can actually chow down on the mystery meat, giving it a hard look and then raising his voice just so. ]

Hey, why's the taco in this blue?

[ loud enough to ping the crowd's interest and distract them at the new predicament, and then, he must away.

he remains very brightly pink and carrying a Fuecoco. ]

AFTERMATH; victory screech

[ after the Dubious Walking Taco stand is well-shuttered, Ghilley's gonna take a selfie and send it to Jun--peace signs and jobs well done all around. ]

And now for a hero's snack that doesn't involve rancid and potentially illegal meat, eh, Koukou? Who's a good little food-poisoning stopper? Is it you? It's you! Yes it is!

THE FORTRESS OF MEROPIDE GC; september 18th
text; un: DOINK!!!

[ it is once again like Fuck O Clock in the morning sorry girlies ]

does getting a visit from the sadness present skeleton ever get less alarming or am I just in a unique situation because of my whole preference for tight sleeping quarters

text: un: theDuke

[loupmorque]

[ hey he read everything that ghilley wrote here but
the most important part here is: ]

Oh, it's your birthday? I didn't know. I'll send Dukeboo out to get a cake for you for dinner tonight.

But no. The Skeleton is always ... startling. I wonder if he shows up out of nowhere on purpose.

Zarina Kassir | Dead by Daylight | OTA

[pluckydocumentarian]

The Great Library: The Knowledge Wing

[Besides her homework from school, Zarina had volunteered to help research EARS from the post on the network. Her attempt to take pictures of some of the medical diagrams didn't work, it seemed there was magic afoot here (not that she blamed the keepers).

Glancing at the bracelet, she remembered offering up her notes on Mad Mick to the pedestal. She'd been worried it wouldn't accept it, but instead, it disappeared, and she got her pass.

Pulling out a worn looking Steno Pad and a couple of pens, she sets up her note taking before grabbing one of the thicker looking medical texts in front of her.]

Let's see what we can find~

The Mess Hall

[Spending as much time as she was planning in the library, she found herself hungry, then walking down to the Mess Hall. The goats offer to make her a meal, but she decides to make something herself, remembering her mom's recipes from childhood. She hadn't appreciated them then, but now.. Well, now things had changed.

Pulling out a cookbook, she opened it to a recipe she remembered before heading to get the ingredients.]

Time to see if I remember how to do all this.

[The Records Wing]

[At some point in the month she's going to find herself looking through the records wing. It was an interesting experience to pick up books and read about people she once knew. Especially the one for her father. Reading the story of his arrival to the US helped her understand him a bit more... and feel a bit of guilt for trying to push away that heritage when she was a teenager.

After putting that book back, she wanders the aisles some more before pausing near the end of one. There was a black fog rolling out of the end of another aisle.

A familiar black fog.

She walks over slowly, before bracing herself on the end of the aisle and reaching into the fog to pull out a book from the shelf.]

The Deathslinger? They have books on them too?

[ooc: or feel free to hit me up with a wildcard... she'll be in and around the library most of the month.]

Yugo | Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V | OTA

[oneracetrackmind]

The Records Wing

[Let's be real here, Yugo isn't much for museums and reading. But the idea of a place that has info about everyone's past lives is enough to peak his curiosity, so here he is, in the records wing, looking for his past self's book.

And when he finds it, well...]

Heh, this is kinda stupid. Says here past me was some sort of... split soul? Or something?

[It's really weird, even ignoring all the stuff about card games on motorcycles and the random dimension jumping!]

[blueeyeswhitedoppelganger]

[Noa looks at Yugo with a special type of exhaustion. He was surprised enough when Yugo came here at all. Now they're looking at...god.

Dimensional transport on card game motorcycles? He thought he got the worst of it from his own idle daydreams about whatever it was in one reality or another. There were too many to be bothered with.

This just confirms that trying to dig deeper is a fools errand that he should never try.

Not the least because of what, precisely, Yugo has picked out as stupid.]

You'll accept playing holographic card games on motorcycles over split souls? [He finally says.]