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buttrinthum2025-01-01 06:48 pm
JANUARY 2025 TDM
Whether it be sleep or death, you feel your eyes close, and as your body begins to let go, you see an inky starry nothingness spread out around you. You feel yourself mouth the words, “I wish, I wish..” and utter your deepest and darkest desire.
When you regain consciousness, you’ll find you are in an unfamiliar place with no recognition of how you arrived here. You have the clothes on your back, but nothing else. No weapons and if you had a particular superpower, you’ll notice it is missing. All you have is a satchel with a piece of bread, a vial of water, and a potion. The potion could be red, blue or golden. There are no instructions about these potions other than two words: Drink Me.
Though there is nothing to prove it, you just know you have made a promise, a contract of sorts, with something and someone who remains but a shadow in your memories.
- 💐 Agapanthus flowers dot the garden, their tiny blooms reaching for the sky like stars. Those who touch or pick them, however, may find themselves feeling a little sleepy. They may be prone to napping wherever, on WHOMever, but the effect will only last for a little while. Perhaps the sleepiness is preferred to the deep, bone-aching sorrow they may feel upon touching these blooms.
- 🌸 Snapdragons line the pathways, growing so much taller than they normally would. They seem to echo the purple and silver hues of the crystals that now make up most of Visium, but the odd pink bloom might cause those who touch its petals to be overcome by unending energy, as though driven by a motor deep within their soul. This energy is accompanied by a heartful sense of joy at any little thing, a direct contrast to the Agapanthus found elsewhere in the garden.
No matter your adventures in the garden with its many plants, before long you are found and guided by a dragonkin pair through the garden to the bridge that leads up high to a portal in the sky, rimmed by glowing starlight.
The sun has risen over Somnius again, but the frigid snow remains. Crystal overgrowth still bars anyone from entering areas outside of the town and residences. For newcomers and established Dreamers alike, locals are unfriendly, shunning Dreamers at every turn. It's rough, but dreamers don't seem to have much of a choice but to live with the consequences of Vaeros' passing. There's little hope that things will change any time soon, and Myrta herself is once again missing for the time being. Perhaps putting on such a loud party took a lot out of her? Hopefully she'll reappear again soon, as the Forest Witch is wont to do.
On January 1st, a bridge appears near the cliffs at the edge of town. It swirls into existence with a golden magic that starts at the crystal cliff walls and extends high into the sky over the water. It seems to pierce through any remaining magical barrier, and settles solidly as a warm golden swirl with twinkling lights at the edge. There's a sense of warmth and hope that radiates from the portal itself, and the disenchanted locals urge the Dreamers toward it, eager to be rid of them, or perhaps eager to use them as test subjects for something else new and scary to them.
Passing through the portal, the Dreamer will hear a voice - some may recognize it as Seravo:
Next, the Dreamer will feel it - an overwhelming, all-consuming desire: whatever they want most in the world. There is a bright flash - a vision of a crystal, shimmering and golden. There's a hum of a pure promise, absent the strange magical warbling that seems to thrum from the purple crystal in Somnius.
Life In Somnius
Some locals seem intrigued by the portal, and once enough dreamers go through and do not seem to be torn apart by errant magics, some murmurs begin that they too, will leave. They remember Seravo, at least a little, as their memories clear. Some refuse to leave determined to make a home in the land destroyed by recent events. They're not ready to give up on the land they've called home for so many years. It's a mixed bag, with some locals making the trip alongside dreamers. It's often that the ones that are leaving are the ones sympathetic to dreamers on some level, while the more antagonistic locals stay behind.
Dragonkin have taken up station near the bridge to the portal, and are offering water and food to those who wish to travel through the portal. They're also giving out maps with a land on them that is unfamiliar to anyone, as it is alongside the drawn portion of Visium. These maps are personalized, and cannot be lost no matter what happens to them. Much like the devices that Dreamers are given, these maps will simply reappear or reform if lost or torn.
The Dreamers emerge in the land of Lumindeas, only a carriage ride from the front gates of the Grand City of Stellari. They are free to explore as they will once they make it past the portal settlement and choose where they want to go first.
The land of Lumindeas. It's a magical land with a brighter feel than Visium harbored. Though dangers lurk in certain locations, there are plenty of safe havens to visit for those looking for adventures that are a little less weapon needy. From forests to plains, beaches and lakes, the land is beautiful and green. In the winter a light blanket of snow covers most of the land but the chill is crisp and pleasant to the lungs. The Grand City of Stellari takes up much of the lower third of the land, with the Briar Swamp beyond the city, held at bay by the Royal Guard. To the north are the Crystal Spires and Air Cliffs, as well as the large Lake Termina.
It's all open to explore, but where would you start?
- 🌇 Portal Settlement - On the side of Lumindeas, the portal location is already starting to fill out. With opportunistic merchants looking to sell dreamer and Somnius locals cheap deals, and the Royal Guard facilitating caravans into the city, it's almost as though a little temporary village is starting to form. Those who just arrive from Somnius are given papers to allow them into Stellari, and should Dreamers be hungry there are several little pop up cafes with warm soups and comfort food of the dragonkin for free.
A small purse of the local currency, cords, is offered to each Dreamer and former Somnius local alike, a small stipend to make their transition easier since thier currency here in Lumindeas is separate from the shards Visium inhabitants use. It's encouraged, however, no matter what those who come through the portal do, that they get a move on before night falls. The Portal settlement is safe due to the presence of the Royal Guard, but the land beyond is not quite as safe, and even the popup shops seem to know this. Those who linger might get put to work helping close things up for the night before being encouraged to leave with shop staff.
- 🐮 Farmland - The farmlands are prosperous and plenty, with both farms that focus on livestock and farms that focus on crops. Food and produce from the animals are bountiful and there's no end to work. Those who want to get a jump on earning cords might find themselves welcome at any farm to help out. The cattle are particularly picky about what they eat, and some will only be hand-fed . The farmhands say this makes the meat and eggs sweeter, richer somehow. So they encourage anyone who helps to treat the animals like pets, offering kind words even makes the milk taste better!
The farms that focus on crops are largely self-sufficient, but those who are mechanically inclined could easily find work helping to maintain the wagons and other vehicles used to maintain the farms and spread seed. Magical scythes are used to energize those who harvest, and are given out to volunteers for use should they want to try their hand at picking the winter crops of lettuce and other cold weather foods.
- 🌲 Yhaveh Forest - One of the more dangerous locations, Yhaveh forest is home to all sorts of magical creatures that are hunted for materials but also avoided due to their toxic nature or dangerous magics. It's possible to get lost in the twisted, labyrinth-like growth of trees, and a good fourth of the island is covered by this forest, making it hard to travel through. Getting lost in the forest is only ever temporary, but unless you make it out to the other end with intention you'll likely just get spit back out where you started.
Magical weaponry is rendered useless in this forest somehow like it is some kind of dead zone. It cannot even be drawn or used as normal weaponry. It's therefore highly recommended by the guard to anyone who goes in that they carry mundane supplies with them when exploring the forest to hunt creatures or complete quests. Those who aren't bold enough to enter might find themselves useful by patrolling the southern border on the side of the grand city. Combating flying creatures that try to snipe chickens and other small farm animals is particularly helpful.
- 🏖️ Silver Sleep Beach - Although it's cold out, the beach still offers blue waters and plenty of seasonal activities, such as a small shell collecting contest. Participants are encouraged to find the Best Shell on the Beach and bring it to the judges to have it evaluated, the prize being nothing more than bragging rights. Dreamers may find that the shells scuttle away from them when they get too close, despite having no animal inside. No wonder it's taking so long for people to submit their entries! If that doesn't interest you, there are always sandcastles to build, or perhaps a sunset walk along the shores. Vendors sell hot street foods nearby, and there are even a few booths offering games or souvenirs.
- 🛫 Airship Travel - The airship docks are positioned at the east and west ends of the city, both serving as ports to dock personal and business airships. The ones on the west in particular leave regularly for The Air Cliffs and Crystal Spires. When visiting the former, new Dreamers aren't left to their own devices, instead, they're given a small, little cramped room to sleep in overnight and upon arrival to the Air cliffs are given a riding tour through twisted tree and stone, showing off several mining settlements and encampments for hunting. The tour lasts most of the day and meals are prepared by an encampment of mystical meat and beer at lunch and vegetable soup at night. The trip ends once the ships dock back at Stellari, and little pamphlets to join mining companies are handed out to participants.
In contrast, the trip to the Crystal Spires is a day trip to the hot springs, where both single-gender and all-gender springs are ready for those looking for somewhere to relax. No hanky panky! Anything spicy happening will result in participants getting electrically zapped and banned from the springs for life! It might be best to enjoy the springs for the healing water and those who work at the small resort's amazing massages instead of anything more... personal. In public at least. If you acquire one of the overnight rooms in a hollowed-out crystal spire, no one's stopping you from doing what you want.
The Grand City of Stellari is a large, sprawling city that dwarfs Somnius in size and scope. Perhaps it also seems to eclipse Somnius in creature comforts and to a small extent technology. Magic is used commonly by all residents, making their lives simpler than their less magically inclined relatives from across the sea and within the barrier of dreams. Dragonkin are a clear and present majority, though goblin, gelfling and faerie alike can also be found as native locals. These dragonkin are scaled bipedal versions of their ancient dragon cousins, and boast strong fire magic capabilities and fiery boisterous personalities.
No matter what part of the city Dreamers wander into, it is busy. The night hours provide a quieter atmosphere, with glowing street lamps powered by enchanted dragonfire. Cobblestone roads lead from each district into the next, and overall the faces Dreamers come across are friendly and welcoming. This could change, should Dreamers not put their best face forward, so it may be best to be on your best behavior while exploring what the city has to offer.
- 💀 Vaeros at Rest - A week or so after dreamers have been let to arrive in Lumindeas and Stellari proper, a horn sounds from the Royal Castle and a booming announcement empowered by magic echoes through the sky.
"My brother's funeral will be tonight. Though you may hold your doubts about him, he was once dear to me. His passing is a tragedy for this land and his, one that we are still learning of the ramifications. Join us in the lantern lighting for his memory and the wishes of his people that their land may heal from the crystal scourge."
This evening, starting at the Castle in the Royal Quarter, paper lanterns will be lit and set aloft, the small dragonfire within lifting them high into the sky to twinkle like little stars. Those who participate in the ceremony may find themselves partnered with another to speak a gentle prayer to empower the dragonfire given by priestesses.
- 👑 Royal Quarter - Those who newly arrive in Stellari will find that they are welcome to live here should they choose. With a few small starter homes open for the taking, there are plenty of other examples of living styles. From smaller cottages to mansions that reside on high hills near the golden crystal, there's no end to choices of where to live in this part of the city.
Residents are currently decorating the streetlamps with colored paper in preparation for Vaeros' funeral. Each color evokes a different kind of emotion from those who work together to braid the streetlamps with the paper. Blue envokes sadness, while Red envokes anger. Other colors too evoke different emotions, yellow with happiness, and Purple with nostalgia. Perhaps the most powerful of all is Pink, which evokes romantic love, or White, with the feeling of trust. Luckily these feelings are only evoked when two people work together to decorate the streetlights.
- 🎭 The Greenery - Ah, artistry. It's a little livelier here than normal with an annual paint fight ramping up. Participants are given magical launchers that can be loaded with a special paint that spews out rainbow colors on command. The goal of course, is to color other participants with your unique color combination, and those with the most points at the end of the day get rewarded with a few pieces of unique art for their homes, and a miniature version of the paint gun to use for smaller, personal pranks.
- 💰 Markets - The busiest part of the Grand City by far, the Markets ring around the whole city like the ring of a tree trunk. Anything someone could need can be found here, within the scope and magical abilities of the local people. Shops of every kind line the streets, and more temporary stalls are set up daily. It's possible to get pickpocketed if you aren't careful, or get caught up in a haggling competition, and some merchants are less than fair about prices but others are gems where unique trinkets and foods can be found for a fair price.
The Quest Board can also be found here. It's massive, taller than any one person and wider than several shopfronts. There are ladders on wheels for those who want to climb up to see the top of the postings, and magnifying glasses for the smallest ones. Even small mailmice citizens have their own postings at the very foot of the board. There never seems to be much room for new postings, but somehow everything is readable in some way or another.
- ⛵ Dockyards - Fishmongers make this place their home, but at the moment they seem to be running short on help. Anyone who finds themselves exploring the docks may find themselves handed a pole and a hook and a bucket of bait fish. What are they supposed to do exactly? Get to fishing! Whether they use the pole or not is inconsequential. Should they manage to help out and gather some fish of any variety they might be offered a few cords for their trouble, and a fish or two to take home to roast for dinner. Be careful not to dive into the water as much of the water directly around the docks today is coated in a thin lining of magical residue from a recent spill coming in from one of the ships. This residue may temporarily render someone mute, color their hair strangely or even give them fish scales on parts of their bodies for 48 hours.
- 🔪 Criminal Element - Where there is prosperity there is also crime. In the seedier, darker corners of the city there is a clear criminal element, one that may either beckon dreamers to help with their own tasks or perhaps to rob dreamers blind of their shards. Those who are more inclined to the shadier walks of life may find themselves drawn to bars and smoking dens that litter these areas, offering refuge and rumor from the darker side of Stellari.
Unable to shake the earlier visions while passing through the portal, Dreamers will find themselves drawn to the golden crystal in the middle of the city. It is suspended in the Center of the Royal Quarter, hovering high above an ornate fountain. The crystal is surrounded at all times by apparent priests and priestesses, as well as devout worshippers, all of which wear a golden bracelet on their wrists as they complete complex but joyful rituals they take great pride in.
Rumors say that the bracelets contain the memories of the original wearer and may show dreams or visions of that wearer's world when taken care of in their absence. When this may happen is unclear, but those dreamers who might have in their possession a golden cuff of someone who had once been a visitor to Visium may find in the future they're gifted visions for their trouble. Perhaps, there is even a way for dreamers to earn these cuffs should they eventually gain the trust of this religious sect.
If asked, the worshippers will inform one that wishes can be made at this crystal, granting all manner of rewards. Dreamers will recognize that this system sounds identical to that of the one in Somnius, even going so far as to accept the shards Dreamers collect.
They promise of the crystal's ability to make a grander wish too. Dreamers are encouraged to whisper their greatest desire to the crystal, even if it's different than what they've wished for in the past.
To prove the crystals efficacy, worshippers promise that saying, "I wish to know you," to the crystal will result in a welcome gift, of which there are five possibilities. They encourage visitors to follow the ceremony and will even guide those who ask how to pray the way that they do, down to every little ritual. From lighting incense and the position to pray in, each step to commune with the crystal and its power is carefully choreographed and practiced.
Those who take the time to pray to the crystal may find they're gifted small items as a result.
- a palm-sized pair of golden wings that actually flies
- a dragon-scale bracelet that brings calm
- a pendant which allows a view of the nearby ocean
- a flower for the hair that blooms when the wearer is happy
- a golden, jeweled ring that plays a twinkling version of whatever was last sang to it
Expand to see our Event Summary
Garden of Dreams
Within Somnius
The Land of Lumindeas
Into Starlit Walls
Gilded Wishes
Welcome to our new setting! This is a setting expansion, not a replacement. Visium will remain available to all Dreamers and locals who wish to stay there. Perhaps in the future, there might be a chance to restore the destroyed land. Only time will tell. For now, Dreamers are expected and encouraged to focus on making themselves comfortable in their new available surroundings. Additional information can be found over in our locations and businesses, and it is highly encouraged for players to be creative with the setting so long as what is mentioned and played with aligns with the setting as presented.
Cords are the local currency of Lumindeas, but we will not be tracking this currency. We expect it to be handwaved in a reasonable manner by players. The only currency we will track is now the chiefly ooc currency of shards for rewards. In the future, changing your character's wish can be done at the golden crystal so long as a submission is made to your original application. Upon approval the wish is officially changed.
We politely request that any exhaustive questions about the setting be held back for now and what is currently given is focused on and explored for this month. More about this new land, its people, and the whole setting of Labyrinthum will be explained over time.
IV. WILDIN' AGAIN
Perhaps it's for the best. She isn't entirely certain how he's going to react and she wouldn't want him to feel trapped in the cottage.
Tugging her red coat a little more tightly around her to lessen the impact of the wind chill, Nao carries on at a good pace. She's initially quiet. Well, quieter than usual, which makes the snow crunching beneath their shoes as they walk seem that much louder to her.
After they're a good little distance away from the cottages, she finally speaks up. ]
Sorry to drag you out here like this. There's some things I wanted to talk with you about I'd rather not have ears at the door overhearing, y'know?
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His hands stuffed in his pockets, breath fogging the air, he looks at her, hoping his nervousness isn't betrayed on his face. (It is.)]
S-sure. You know you can talk to me about anythin'.
[And he means it, despite his slightly spooked expression.]
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With him, she feels like she can say it even louder.
It's scary in a way, the feelings he inspires in her about things, about him. Oh, it's exciting and wild and she'd be lying if she said she didn't love it. That makes it scarier. That he might reject her, that she might lose him to certain truths is its own kind of terrifying, enough to make her swallow in that moment when it squeezes her heart.
Looking at Basilio, Nao wonders when he became so important to her. ]
Yeah.
[ She really hopes that's true. More than anything, she wants it to be true. Well, almost anything. More than anything, she wants to take his hand, wipe that worried expression off his face, and make him smile easy.
She can only imagine what he must be thinking right now. She shouldn't leave him guessing, make him wait. ]
Do you remember when we first talked on the phone around the beginning of December? When you tried to tell me I shouldn't get involved with you because of everything?
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His tail swishes anxiously, his ears pinned back.]
I panicked, wanted you to keep your distance... Sorry 'bout that.
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Hey, no. You don't need to apologize for that, Bas. I understand -- understood! I understood back then, I just [ and she exhales, trying to find and grasp her words, to say them properly ] really didn't want you to push me away. I wasn't sure you'd let me back in if you did, if those thoughts and the fear consumed you.
[ "Consumed."
Her eyes flicker down and to one side. Her chest feels tight, but she forces her eyes up again, to find his. ]
I know what that's like.
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You do? [His nervous tail stills and he eyes her.] I mean, I know you been alone a long time, but what I didn't know was how much was by choice.
[Pushing people away out of that same fear, or just not being able to connect to people in the first place... Maybe she understood both those things far better than he ever could.]
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[ There's never been a time when that hasn't been the case. ]
Not just for me, but for everyone.
I like people, y'know? I like you.
[ She means it. How much she means it in the ways she does isn't something she meant to say, but it came together in a strangely complete way. She's too raw, threads twisting and tangling amidst too many, too much volatile emotion. Her cheeks are tinging pink; she can feel it like she feels the lingering smile on her lips. She needs to rein it in, keep herself together for both their sakes.
This isn't a conversation that should be interrupted. ]
If something were to happen, if I couldn't control myself, I --
[ She can't find the words. There's too many of them, too many threads crisscrossing and crashing into each other, and her chest feels too tight. She feels like she's going to burst. She wants to tell him everything and she's struggling to finish that sentence. She falls silent. ]
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Hey-- slow it down, Nao.
[He says gently, placing his other hand on her shoulder, as if to encourage her to focus. He's not dissimilar in that way, when his racing thoughts get ahead of him and he has no idea how to explain it, and it's usually Del who has to calm him down and take a step back. In this case, he's acting on his own brother's advice.]
You're trustin' me with this because you know I'll understand, yeah? Just start from the top and explain what you mean.
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I do trust you.
[ Despite her fear and her anxieties and that stupid voice that insists upon taunting her with the worst possible what-ifs, she's here with him now. That voice is wrong. He didn't tuck tail and run and neither is she. ]
You're safe.
[ She needs him to know that. She squeezes his hand a little too tightly, an almost insistent reassurance.
Where is from the top exactly? ]
It's called the Hunger and it begins when the body starts undergoing the usual changes to, y'know, grow up. Doesn't leave you for the rest of your life after that.
Me, I was twelve. I'm not sure I would've been prepared for it even if I'd had someone to guide me through it. It's [ she exhales ] a literal hunger unlike anything I've ever known. Insatiable, driven, sometimes ravenous, painful, but... it's not for traditional food. It came with a voracious appetite, a... primal lust for flesh and blood, human -- elda especially.
It came all at once on top of everything else.
[ She pauses. Waits for him to process what she's said, what it means, for... for what else, she isn't sure. Basilio is the first person she's told any of this and she isn't sure how he's going to react, what he's going to say. ]
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He believes her when she says he's safe, but she'll still be able to feel how much more tense he is from their joined hands.]
Nao... Why you, though? You cursed or somethin'?
[If that's the case, maybe it's something they can fix, or at least manage somehow. But he'll let her finish before he rushes to any conclusions.]
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Expectation couldn't prepare her to see the expressions she does on his face, feel the tension in his hand, which... he doesn't yank away? She blinks up at him for a moment, almost dumbfounded, then takes a swipe at her eyes with the sleeve of her free hand. Is she shaking a little? She definitely doesn't have tears trying to gather in her eyes.
That's just a trick of the light coming through the trees or something. ]
I wish. At least then there'd be some hope of getting rid of it. No, it's... 'm not ready to talk about it, but it's a clan -- a tribe thing.
[ That, she hadn't planned on revealing; and yet, like most things she says and does, it's deliberately disclosed. Ignoring it could put him and the others in danger, so if she has to at least glance at that part of it, then -- it just makes sense to her in the moment. She's quick to press on. ]
'S why you hear my stomach growl sometimes even after we eat, why I drink so much coffee and sleep so much sometimes. Coffee suppresses my appetite and I try to sleep through it when it's really bad.
I've never indulged, but I'm worried. I'm... I'm scared of what I might do if I lose control, if something in this place makes me lose control.
[ She squeezes his hand again. Hasn't realized just how tight her grip has become as she's continued to speak. ]
I meant what I said, Bas. I get it. I don't want to hurt you or any of our friends either, or... worse.
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[He figured there was more to her than met the eye, but he never would have guessed it was -- this. He's not sure whether he should be reassessing her as a potential threat or comforting her. And here he thought eating could be awkward for him, but for her it wasn't just a difficulty that could be worked around so much as a constant, insatiable urge...]
C'mere. [He uses the hand she's gripping so tightly to tug her into a rough hug. He's not really the type, frankly, thought he'd made himself hardened against such things years ago, but she looks like she could use it. (And, he supposes, after the dance, it came just that little bit easier to him.)] You got friends to rely on, now. If things start gettin' scary, we'll all help you out.
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The last time she was hugged, the last time she really hugged anyone was in another life. The last time she felt safe? Her thoughts, her aching heart stay there with him.
She just needs a minute. She doesn't want him to see her face like this. ]
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[He murmurs quietly. He wonders, too, how Fidelio might react to all this. Might tell him he's being stupid, and if it comes down to it, they should prepare for the worst. He doesn't want to think like that, though, so he rests his chin atop her head, his tail drooping.]
Don't really get all of what you mean, but I can't abandon you just 'cause of your tribe. No one can help how they were born.
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She exhales softly, not ready to pull back, but... almost ready to pull back. (She isn't. Even less so, feeling his chin atop her head.) It's something between a hiccupped sob and a laugh that escapes her, her words muffled but audible. There's more than a hint of a genuine smile in her voice, but something soberish teetering at the edge in its wake. ]
'M gonna get snot all over your coat.
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[It's gifter's privilege, or... something. He holds her tightly, relieved to hear that smile in her voice. He's glad to have coaxed a little levity out of her, despite how difficult this must be for her.]
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Ask me anything and I'll try my best to answer. Just remember I don't have all of 'em.
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[Hopefully he doesn't put his foot in it in the process of asking, as bad at words as he is, his tone becoming more somber as he deliberates his first question.]
What's your tribe? Never heard of one that makes anyone wanna... You know.
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If there's anything like it in your world, that'd be intentional.
[ She takes a breath. ]
The tribe is called the Onigumo. It's made up of the clans descended from the ancient spider goddess, demon, spirit, monster -- youkai -- of Kashikobuchi, the Clever Abyss. The clan that'd grudgingly claim me if they found me out is the Shizuoka.
'M only half, though. The other is elda.
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D'you change how you look, then?
[Not for the first time, he wonders how much her powers are comparable to Junah and her glamours.]
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Not regularly. The me you've seen's for the most part honest in appearance.
[ For the most part, it's true. She reaches into her pocket to tug her lens' case out. Contact lenses are funny things. They're small and delicate; and yet, they can make a world of difference in how one sees and is seen without the tiniest bit of energy exerted. She tilts her face down to remove them. As practiced as she is, it only takes a few seconds, but she hesitates to meet Basilio's gaze once they're out.
She's never liked her eyes since the color went out of them. Without her colored prescription lenses, she's looks too much like Haruka, a dead ringer for a member of the clan she doesn't claim. The light filtering through the branches above highlights the difference. In place of her usual amber-gold is not an intensely dark brown as would be human and natural, but a startlingly pure black onyx so dark, so deep it swallows every possible color of light. Even her pupils are lost in it. ]
It's a Tell. [ She exhales the words. ] The amber's closest to my original.
[ And, unfortunately, in Nao's opinion, being placed into their case for the moment. Her eyes are a little too sensitive from crying to replace them right now. ]
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Pretty clever trick. [And a little unsettling, but maybe that's just because he's unfamiliar with her tribe. People say the similar things about eugief or mustari back home, after all, and he doesn't want to react like them.] You don't want people to know that's how you really look?
cw: allusion to suicide
[ She pockets her lens case. ]
I'd be found out immediately and it'd be a death sentence.
[ Or worse, so much worse. She'd rather die on her feet than live on her knees. If she were to be caught, if she had a choice, an opportunity, nothing could stop her from taking it. She would never let them take it, her freedom, her life. ]
Nobody leaves the clan alive. I couldn't be sure Vaeros hadn't picked up any of them until I got proper again, but... truth is, I just don't like 'em. [ ... ] Someone once said they catch and reflect moonlight, but they don't reflect anything. They're boring.
[ And often cold. Not hers, but the ones that looked at Haruka were so cold. ]
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