kaisoumods: (Default)
Kaisou Mod Account ([personal profile] kaisoumods) wrote in [community profile] kaisou2022-09-03 10:57 pm

September Event Log


September Event
Dominant Element: Wind
Waning Element: Earth


It's autumn at long last. The summer heat finally ebbs away with cooler temperatures, with the first trees starting to change to bright hues of autumn colors. These cooler temperatures are made even more noticeable by the constant wind that blows throughout the month. Windy days are something of a regular this month. Be prepared for gusts of wind to blow things away that aren't weighed down. The town itself is getting decked out for the season change. Halloween costume shops are starting to open up in empty buildings, and just about every location has some variant of pumpkin spice.


Back to School

With the arrival of fall comes the new school year. Starting September 1st, classes begin at all the schools across the city. Whether you're in elementary, middle school, high school, or at the university - it's time to start the term off on the right foot! The halls and classes are abuzz with students reuniting and talking about what they did during the summer. As expected, most of the students don't seem to remember that dinosaurs walked the earth last month - instead treating those events as bad storms or gas leaks. But there's only so much time to dwell on that, as you're likely more busy with trying to find all your classes and getting a good spot in the cafeteria at lunch.

For those kids who somehow aren't getting enough schooling and wants more, Kaisou High will be holding their annual Spelling Bee competition halfway through the month! Students will go against kids their own age and grade level and asked to spell difficult words appropriate for their age in front of an audience that are abnormally engaged spectators. The spelling bee also has tournaments for elementary, middle school, and college too, so it's open for all ages! There's nothing truly noteworthy about winning the Spelling Bee - just a ribbon, a coupon for a free personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut, and an English teacher praising their accomplishments -- but sadly, we know for some of you this is more than enough of a prize, so best review how to spell "vicissitudes" just in case.

If you're an adult, or just looking for some education that covers topics not normally found at traditional school, the Enki Education center is launching their fall classes! You can enroll in these classes to learn more about magic, the Spirit Realm, and other related topics. The Enki Education Center is also proud to have their first puppet teacher! The Professor will be passionately teaching about various events in history, both the mundane and the paranormal. Professor Willow will also be continuing his lessons surrounding magical creatures and pokemon alike.



Up in the Air

With the winds being so strong this month, some have responded by doing some more daring hobbies. Throughout the month, a group is offering hang gliding lessons. This group has situated themselves up atop of Moghome, the floating island above the Kami State Park. They are trained professionals, and be happy to give anyone the ropes. Another group on the same island has also set up bungee jumping for anyone willing to take the plunge. Those those who are more physical minded than academic minded, this might be a great way to blow off some steam. You might want to be careful though, the moogles who live in Moghome might try to pull pranks on you, or at least try to get you to do work for them. They really are lazy and annoying guys.

Taking the train out to Stardew Valley you'll find the season has changed there as well. The trees are in full bright autumn colors and there's fall decorations such as jack-o-lanterns, haybales and scarecrows. It's almost an idyllic fall town, really. Pierre's shop is selling seeds for the autumn - pumpkins, cranberries, corn, yams and the like. If you head to the beach, while it's a bit too cold to swim, you might catch sight of a mermaid if you're patient. Fortunately, these guys are much more friendly than their siren cousins you met in July. While some will swim away at the sight of a human, some will come and chat.

If you want to be more productive and in ways that don't just benefit moogles, there's still clean up to be done from last month's disaster. Buildings that need to be repaired, streets repaved, debris to be picked up. It's a good way to get some volunteer hours in and help out your neighborhood. Every bit helps with getting the city back to normal.



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?



The Muses

Within a week, it'll become pretty clear that something is amiss. And to confirm as such, on September 9th, Zodiac will send a message through the app.

ALERT: SHIFTING GATE LOCATED IN UNIVERSITY DISTRICT.
Element Classification: Wind
Danger Level: Low
Designation: The Great Library of Alexandria
A new gate has been detected in the University district. We have reason to believe it's the Great Library of Alexandria, the realm of knowledge. We also believe it's connected to the incidents of memory loss, and should be investigated further. Anyone who goes to the library must bring a piece of knowledge to donate.

Visiting the Zodiac Office, visitors will notice that Professor Willow isn't here for once. According to the Zodiac member, he and the other members of POKEGO have already gone off to see the realm themselves- as of course professors can't resist the draw of knowledge.

When asked about the realm, the Zodiac member will explain that it was a library that once existed on Earth in ancient times built in honor of the Muses, nine sister goddesses that together are the gods of creativity, literature, science, and the arts. However it was famously set ablaze and in order to save it, the Muses recreated it in the Spirit Realm. The Zodiac member is confident that there should be relative little danger about visiting the library provided you make sure to follow the rules of the library. However, they do caution to avoid requesting inspiration from the Muses, and you should definitely not try to challenge their skills.

To find the gate, one simply has to head out to Kaisou University's main campus. Among all the class buildings and libraries, 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 an 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 library has a bad history with fire okay.

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. You might happen across the Professor or Professor Willow in this wing of the library, surrounded with books of their preferred subject and rambling on to anyone who will listen.

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's. Find out how Hamlet was performed when Shakespeare was still alive, 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.

Of course, not all shows are ones that we passively spectate. Besides the theaters, there is a room devoted to be a fighting simulator. Take any kind of weapon you'd like and choose to fight spectual foes from history and legend. Trade blows with the greatest samurai or battle a beast of legend. While it feels real, no actual injuries will come from these fights. And for those who prefer their battles to take place in the digital plane, there is a relatively newly added room with all the video games you could possibly want.

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.

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 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 are 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. But if these books say anything: it's that these memories you've been getting? They're coming from a past life.



Meeting the Muses

While the animal and apparitions do most of the running of the library, the true masters of this place are the Muses. Spend enough time in the library, and you may have a chance to come across any one of the nine sisters. While they are gracious hosts, they carry themselves with a pride that feels dangerous to step on. When asked about the memory loss suffered by some characters, they will explain that them or their sister simply wanted to give them the gift of inspiration and the memory loss is an unfortunate side effect mortals sometimes suffer from their divine gift. However, the damage isn't permanent! All one must do to return their forgotten memories is destroy anything they created while they were under that divine inspriation, and the Muses will return their memories. Doing just that will return their memories as promised, though some might find that their memories have been altered some - as if the Muses were inspired to tweak your past.

That said, the Muses really do love sharing inspiration, so anyone who is tempted to gain their divine inspiration may be offered to do just that. If you take the offer, the muses will draw upong your character's past and your character will gain a free regain that's worth up to 4 points - but in exchange they will permanently lose a memory of equal value (so if it's a 1 point regain, a small memory would be sufficient, meanwhile a four point regain might make them forget their most important person). Just how much are you willing to give up in order to gain?

Overall, the Muses will be happy to have the characters enjoying their library. That said, the Muses take great pride that they are the greatest at the arts and creation. Should you try to challenge them at their craft, expect them to not hold anything back. And whether you win or lose, they will be angry enough at your audacity that you might wind up cursed. So maybe be careful with these ladies.



Aftermath

With memories returned (or taken), the Great library will be available for the rest of the month. Take your time exploring and enjoy this great marvel. Zodiac will be willing to pay anyone who is willing to take notes on their findings in the library, as well as any notes copied from books they think will benefit them. Characters that attempt to take anything out of the library will find themselves unable to leave until they return the item, and anyone who causes damage to the library will find themselves removed from the library and forbidden to return. But all and all, it's shaping up to be a peaceful month.

You should probably enjoy it while it lasts.



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.

Players can use this event to modify their AU histories if they so desire! If you decide to change AU histories, please comment with the changes here so the mod team is aware! As for people willing to take up the deal for losing memories in exchange for a regain, please comment detailing what memories you intend to lose.

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

crystallinememories: (G'raha [Wistful])

Open to all

[personal profile] crystallinememories 2022-09-12 07:24 pm (UTC)(link)
1 - Knowledge for knowledge

A library. The library. Any plans Raha may have had for the month are thoroughly destroyed by this particular gate opening.

His tail is quivering with excitement as he enters the library, eyes wide as he looks around. This will take him a moment, just being here would be enough even without reading anything. Of course, he's absolutely going to read everything he can- he's brought his 'payment,' which he hopes is enough. A textbook from his undergraduate education that he's certain to never need anymore, but has kept around because what if he did need it later. Even now he's not sure if he'll regret giving it up.

(There may be a number of other books in his bag, just in case.)

2 - An adventure through words

It does not take him longer to assemble a pile of books, stacked around him as he finds a spot more or less out of the way to pour over them. There's quite a variety; some about folklore throughout various worlds, a few specifically on Eorzea and Sharlayan (including a series of memoirs by a certain Count Fortemps), and a few fiction ones thrown in for the inevitable time where his brain cannot handle more data.

Of course, what's in his hands down is his own 'history'- the life and times of G'raha Tia. He's not sure if this changes his theories on what's happening here or not...

3 - Cat nap

Considering Raha has basically not left the library unless he absolutely has to or is cajoled/threatened out, it's probably not surprising that he's fallen asleep amidst a pile of books. Sometimes he's slumped over a stack, sometimes he's tipped back against the bookcase, and sometimes he's full out sprawled on the floor. Maybe now is time for him to actually go home for a bit.
fionnuisce: (and lead me straight to your heart)

2

[personal profile] fionnuisce 2022-09-12 07:42 pm (UTC)(link)
...Now that's a strangely familiar sight.

[Said the one who would have been practically in a book fort of his own as a teenager, now carrying just one leatherbound tome he'd taken off a shelf.]

Studying anything of interest?
crystallinememories: (G'raha [Smile])

[personal profile] crystallinememories 2022-09-12 07:48 pm (UTC)(link)
[His ears perk up at the voice, and he looks up at the man with a sheepish sort of smile.]

Too many things, to be honest. This was already restraining myself.

[why can't he just absorb knowledge. That would be useful sometimes.]
fionnuisce: (forever be strong enough)

[personal profile] fionnuisce 2022-09-12 08:00 pm (UTC)(link)
I'll bet it was. I used to do just the same when I was in school.

[He stepped a little closer to glance over the piled up texts, the one under his own arm identifiable as a thick volume of a Celtic mythological cycle.]

Did I interrupt? Sorry, I was just a little curious.
crystallinememories: (Default)

[personal profile] crystallinememories 2022-09-12 08:38 pm (UTC)(link)
No, I've been reading for.... a while.

[he doesn't remember when he started. it's probably fine?? he has alarms for when he has to... go teach and such.]

What did you pick up?
fionnuisce: (i know it will never waver)

[personal profile] fionnuisce 2022-09-12 08:49 pm (UTC)(link)
[oh, relatable]

Me? Just some old legends I felt like taking a closer look at. Probably not hard to find in a normal library, but I figured that while I'm here, I might as well.
crystallinememories: (G'raha [Smile])

[personal profile] crystallinememories 2022-09-12 10:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah, I've picked up a number of books like that too...

[it's kind of his Thing.]

But it seems, for those of us that were born here, there are books about our lives in other worlds. It is... odd, to read about oneself, to say the least.

[But also... he really needs to know.]
fionnuisce: (bearing this miracle)

[personal profile] fionnuisce 2022-09-12 11:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh--yeah, I was talking about that with someone not too long ago. It seems...disorienting.

[for all involved]

Are you alright?
crystallinememories: (G'raha [Wistful])

[personal profile] crystallinememories 2022-09-19 09:25 pm (UTC)(link)
[Raha nods.]

I have heard a decent amount of this other life from people who've been dragged here like you, from that world. So this is mostly filling in the gaps, from times they didn't know about or didn't think to include.

[And there are some elements he's sort of glad to be reading rather than told, as awkward as those conversations might have been.]
fionnuisce: (your name's all it knows)

[personal profile] fionnuisce 2022-09-19 10:28 pm (UTC)(link)
...Mind if I join you? Seems like it's probably a difficult thing to unpack on your own, so if it would help I've got time.
crystallinememories: (G'raha [Thinking])

[personal profile] crystallinememories 2022-09-19 10:39 pm (UTC)(link)
[Raha smiles.] I certainly wouldn't mind the company, if nothing else.

[He flips back through a few pages, mostly to keep his hands busy- he's definitely not the best at confiding in people, but... this is an awful lot.]

Honestly, I think the strangest thing about it is... that it doesn't seem like anything I wouldn't do, if I knew how or had the cause. It's surprisingly easy to picture myself acting the way this other version of me does.
fionnuisce: (and lead me straight to your heart)

[personal profile] fionnuisce 2022-09-19 10:50 pm (UTC)(link)
[He leaned the cane he was carrying against the table, pulling up a chair with a look of mild concern.]

I admit I don't know a whole lot about reincarnation, so I can't say if that surprises me or not. There's probably something to be said about the nature of one's soul throughout iterations, right?
crystallinememories: (G'raha [Thinking])

[personal profile] crystallinememories 2022-09-19 11:18 pm (UTC)(link)
[Raha can't help but let out a soft laugh, nodding.]

Yes, I think there is. It's more...

[He hums over it for a moment, trying to think of how to phrase it.]

The things I did do are outrageous. Impossible, or very well should have been. I feel as though it should be more difficult to imagine.

Except, I've met the person[people] I was trying to help. To save. And... they seem to inspire that sort of thing. So maybe that makes the imagining easier?
fionnuisce: (may it follow you forever)

[personal profile] fionnuisce 2022-09-19 11:23 pm (UTC)(link)
'Impossible' and 'improbable' are two very different things, but the latter is easy to mistake for the former. I've found that people doing the 'impossible' isn't as unlikely as one might think, especially for someone else's sake.
crystallinememories: (G'raha [Wistful])

[personal profile] crystallinememories 2022-09-20 12:14 am (UTC)(link)
No... I suppose not.

[He smiles, glancing down at the book.]

And it wasn't just me. People banding together to change history-- to make sure another timeline didn't have to face the future they did. It is inspiring and humbling in equal measure.

[His fingers drum on the page, expression pensive.]

...I hope they're alright.
fionnuisce: (bearing this miracle)

[personal profile] fionnuisce 2022-09-20 12:41 am (UTC)(link)
Some people are just like that. When they see a catastrophe play out before them, they'll pull together to make sure it never happens again. That nobody has to suffer like they did. [He set the book he'd been carrying aside for the moment, hand lingering on the cover.] ...I'm sure that they are. Those are usually the resilient sort.
callmekacchan: Neutral, Annoyed, Safe (Why the hell would you text that?)

Cat Nap

[personal profile] callmekacchan 2022-09-16 12:37 am (UTC)(link)
[Katsuki is no stranger to finding people snoozing in weird places in the realms. And back in July he was the one snoozing all over the place.

Seeing Raha sleeping sprawled in the middle of the floor, he crouches and pokes at him to rouse him. He knows this guy. The guy who found him after all the bullshit in May.]


Oy. Wake up. This is a shitty place to sleep. You're gonna trip someone.
crystallinememories: (G'raha [Sheepish])

Re: Cat Nap

[personal profile] crystallinememories 2022-09-19 09:27 pm (UTC)(link)
[Raha has the bonus of now having new appendages that he's still learning control over- the red cat ears and tail are new to Katsuki, the latter flicking lazily as he stirs.]

Wha-- oh. Thank you. I didn't mean to--

[He yawns mid-sentence, stretching his arms out and the ears and tail following, working out the stiffness.]

--sleep here. It's just entirely too easy to get caught up in reading...
callmekacchan: Neutral, Annoyed, Safe (Why the hell would you text that?)

[personal profile] callmekacchan 2022-09-27 02:15 pm (UTC)(link)
[Katsuki’s eyes follow the motion of the ears and tail. So those are real then. This isn't his first time seeing someone with animal features. But it's still pretty fascinating when those features can move.

He plops down and reaches for one of the books piled near Raha, flipping through it.]


So just a typical college experience then. Studying until you pass out. Were you looking for something or just reading whatever you can get your hands on?
crystallinememories: (Default)

[personal profile] crystallinememories 2022-10-09 01:04 pm (UTC)(link)
[Raha chuckles sheepishly.] More or less.

[He looks around at the scattered pile, the book he'd fallen asleep with open next to him; he flips through to try and find the last bit he remembers.] A bit of both. But I've been trying to keep an eye out for the history of the world I'm 'from' in particular. Have you been reading much?
callmekacchan: Neutral, Curious, Safe (Hah?)

[personal profile] callmekacchan 2022-10-14 06:04 am (UTC)(link)
Not this much. But yeah. Found the records of the 'other me' over in the records wing.

[He'd expected to find records there, given things he'd seen in those memories. Although he'd apparently survived the thing Katsuki thought might have killed him... he hadn't read far enough in to see how things ended.]

Found anything you've been looking for yet?