SEPTEMBER TDM + SETTING UPDATES

[beleos]

BEARING FRUIT (NEW CHARACTERS ONLY)

It starts out as a pleasant dream. You’re in your favorite place, with your favorite people. It’s a moment of idyllic comfort.

And then, it goes wrong.

The sky turns dark above, and as you look up, you see the black expanse of space spotted with faraway pinprick lights of stars. Yet, they’re not stars. You’re certain. They’re watching you. A billion eyes all looking down, and they spill forth as if sky itself was a dam holding back those dark waters. You reach back to the people you’re with, but they’re frozen in place. Their eyes are black, reflecting only the expanse of dark eyes.

So you run, even though you know you won’t escape it. You glance back and see it not overtaking, but consuming. The landscape around you is being devoured, and you can see it cracking apart. The world itself is breaking, and it cracks under your feet. You fall, and the billion eyes chase after you until the darkness swallows you whole. There’s agony as if you’re being ripped apart, and then—

You cannot see. You cannot feel. You simply are. Yet even so, impossibly, a woman’s voice speaks gently.

I’m sorry it couldn’t be saved. But, come, it’s time to wake.

You wake with a start, cradled by soft, velvety plants, and sticky with a sap that smells faintly of honey and iron. You can see the veins of the leaves that hold you, lit warmly and gently by what looks like a crystal embedded above you. Yet, it’s odd, because that crystal calls to you. When you reach out to touch it, it’s warm. Familiar. Important. You don’t know why, but you know you must hold onto this, because now it feels wrong for it to be suspended in these leaves. So, you pull it out.

The light starts to fade, but only in time to see as the leaves cradling you immediately start to soften and crumble, and with it comes a torrent of dirt. Soft, loamy soil starts to fill the space around you in the dark as you’re buried. Or, rather, you already were. You reach out through the dirt desperately, and your hands finds a root, so you pull while you clutch that precious crystal so close that it almost feels like it sinks into you (in your panic, you don’t notice that it does). You reach out again, and this time, your hand hits open air and plenty of sturdy roots around to grab.

From a seed you’re born, and like a sprout, you make your way out of the ground.

And once you’ve clawed your way out of the soft earth and the roots, nearby, you see the soil shift. Another hand comes up to grasp desperately for something, anything, just as you had been.

TWO CITIES, ALIKE IN DIGNITY

With the new Shard-Bearers present or en route, it is Kathova and Cetina that approach the established ones, requesting that they form mentorships with the new souls to assist them with the integration process. To this end, they have both provided a centralized zone in both Highstorm and Springstar for a small, casual meet-and-greet to be held before the new Shard-Bearers are unleashed upon Kenos as a whole.

Additionally, as Springstar and Highstorm are holding their events on different days, it is possible for the knowledge-hungry to participate in both informational sessions -- the tones and opinions held by both cities are doubtless to differ, and some Shard-Bearers who have chosen to harmonize with either faction may even find their way to the opposing faction's session as well.

However, for those who have attended such events in the past, they'll note a marked difference—Only newly arrived Shard-Bearers and members of the faction are welcome. If you're a member of the opposite faction, you'll be questioned and ultimately turned away. If you want to join the party, you'll have to be a little sneakier, it seems.

SPRINGSTAR, αιώνιος ήλιος

In Springstar, the seat of the Tribune becomes available for such a forum. While a section of the building itself has been reserved for the meeting between fresh faces and experienced Shard-Bearers alike, the hustle and bustle of Heliopolis continues around them -- acolytes still gather their robes and tomes, hurrying from their quarters to lessons. A score of young militants march in step across the yard to the training grounds.

The welcoming party is in the Seat of the Tribune, with tables draped in white-and-gold-trimmed fabrics fare filled with fare typical to Springstar's slowly fading winter -- fruits and wines, savory smoked meats and roasted vegetables, and large bowls of soups like youvarlakia and fasoalda have been lain out to encourage forum participants to snack as they speak. There are plenty of grains and other dishes that elude to an abundant harvest from Alenroux. The atmosphere is ambient with informality and friendliness, though topics will inevitably stray towards philosophic or political, Springstar's meeting grounds are decorated with handsome chaise lounges and slouching klismos chairs in small, intimate groupings. This is a forum in the classical sense, where people are encouraged to speak freely, no matter the topic. Though excitement charges the air, the gathering at the Seat is much more muted than what transpires outside the center of the city.

The mood in Springstar as a whole is jubilant, with not just a party at the seat of the tribune, but elsewhere, including the Psychagogía district. Parties line the streets, establishments that overflow with bodies, drink, and libations of all sorts. There is a sense of excitement in capturing the latest oracle, and the people seem to treat the shard-bearers of Meridian somewhat reverently, and new ones, they will pull aside and explain with excitement about how the Shard-Bearers captured the oracle (with varying degrees of accuracy) and how it is because of them that they will be seen to victory. Cyrus’s name, however, still comes with notes of disdain. It’s clear that the Tribune has not bought much good favor by their victory, and instead, if any ask, or follow the threads, they will hear the names Desmond Ó Ruadháin and Agapitos Voreen as likely successors to the Tribune. However if one asks how that happens… details become a bit more muddy. Apparently, the role of the Tribune is for life. And apparently, the denizens of Springstar trust the Shard-Bearers to see the oracles through, and still see Cyrus as a weak link in their chain.

HIGHSTORM, луны-близнецы

Eternally in opposition, Highstorm provides the Manor's courtyard as the setting for their informational meeting. Formality is of utmost importance here, with attending Zenith loyalists and residents dressed in beautiful, albeit austere attire -- they are, after all, standing before Lady Yima's home. A buffet-style luncheon is spread alongside one of the largest reflecting pools, wherein you may gaze and find your memories revealed in retrospect upon the water's surface. Soft tunes filter over the courtyard, and if the sounds of them sound familiar – perhaps remind one of home? That’s because they are! Yima’s musicians seem to be able to pilfer strings and strands of music, and weave it all together expertly, to give both new arrivals and old friends reminders of their home.

There are few places to be seated in the Manor's courtyard, resulting in a milling of bodies as they flow and ebb between smaller gatherings, clustering in small-to-large groups with small platters and shimmering flutes of drink held in their hands. Yet, as you look, you’ll see that the selection is also quite interesting. The foods and drinks on offer are from a multitude of worlds, and so you may find a new favorite! Or something not suited to your palate at all. It’s at least a chance to be adventurous. If you try something and don’t like it, might not want to say that out loud, lest you insult someone who’s from that world.

The city itself is more muted than usual. The last dregs of Highstorm’s chill summer are coming to an end, and the cold is an opportunity for Highstorm’s denizens to batter in more frequently, and the chill may have something to do with the lost oracle. Though, if asked, they’ll say nothing of the sort, of course! In opposition to Springstar’s mixed jubilation and doubt, Highstorm’s denizens seem determined that lady Yima will see them through, and that one loss is no reason to fall into despair. Though they are still disappointed, and will say so. Though blame does not seem to have a target, mere disappointment filters through the city, as they start preparing for winter. The prices seem higher, whether one is looking for potions, supplies, or even small trinkets from the The Antiques & Baubles Market. Things seem… leaner in a sense. There’s nobody starving on the streets in Highstorm, but the control of Alenroux continues to lead to tense relations, even though a compromise seems to have been recently reached between the two factions.

SETTING UPDATES

In both locations, information passes between all in a forum, spread and disseminated among the masses - it's a good opportunity for city residents, faction loyalists and interested new parties to share and share alike. Once the meet-and-greet has concluded, twin missives from both faction leads are read out -- invitations for all present to explore the cities to their heart's content, and warnings about stumbling ill-prepared ( or at all ) into the Below, or worse yet, the Beyond. As Shard-Bearers new and old take in their cities, they'll all see it change throughout the month...

OOC, these are all updates to the setting at large that players both new and old are free to interact with as little or as much as they wish! Feel free to use them as prompts on this post, in your characters on-going lives and arcs, or just let them go "that's none of my business" and ignore it. The world of Kenos is shaped by our playerbase, and these are some of the wider reaching effects of various player plots and actions.

THE BLIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

Since the Blight’s conclusion, both cities have undergone a fair bit of effort to reconstruct the districts and buildings that were destroyed in the Blight, though Springstar seems a touch further along than Highstorm, due to Shard-bearer efforts. The unusual weather pockets present previously have very nearly all disappeared, though there are some patches still present, lingering in the areas still somewhat ravaged by the Blight. The pockets seem to be losing their effects now, and if one finds themself within, will experience a mild slowing down or speeding up of time. Visions still appear within the small bubbles, reflections of dear ones or important events, though they seem to be only memory, though anyone within the bubble can bear witness.

FURTHER DETAILS

OOCly, characters can still stumble into small bubbles of time, though they are fewer and far between than they were 3 months ago! These time bubbles still have some time-warping energy, and will continue to allow characters to either speed up or slow down, depending on player preference! In addition, the time bubbles are no longer bringing back remnants of Kenosians past, but there is still the chance of some memory reflections to briefly manifest in the bubble. They will come from player characters as a whole, and are purely up to whatever is fun for you! Think of it as brief flickers of memory sharing, they can be as brief or as distorted as you like! Think of this as the last gasp of the Blight, as it withers away thanks to the concentrated efforts of all shard bearers!

CHECKS AND BALANCES

Alenroux continues to improve, and with the new balance between both Springstar and Highstorm, the separate island is safer than ever! The tensions between both factions seem to have reduced over the island, thanks to the efforts of several shard bearers, and the populace seems to be warming to both factions once again.

FURTHER DETAILS

After the resolution of the first Kenos Ambassador agreement, the balance of power in Alenroux is already starting to shift. The island already has a much more evenly-matched number of military forces from both Springstar and Highstorm, the number of troops in the area has reduced significantly. The number of monsters does not seem to have increased at this time, which bodes well for the area. The uptick of Highstorm locals has certainly led to more food flowing into Highstorm than had before, and the people seem pleased with the arrangement – for the moment! The small murmurs of discontent and unrest seem to have alleviated at this time. Though some still seem uncomfortable with the amount of troops, they seem less willing to say that out loud. Though nights in Alenroux will possibly never be wholly safe, the threats seem more manageable, though nobody will ever turn down Shard-Bearer assistance in a pinch!

TO INFINITY – AND BEYOND

Rumbling about temples being erected in the Beyond, which lies outside of Highstorm’s city limits, close to another that had been erected previously. Not one shrine out there, but two it seems. It shines like the sun when the moonlight catches it just right, and it’s visible over the line of trees that marks the edge of the Beyond. The more brave and curious of Highstorm’s denizens have started making more treks into the Beyond for both shrines, and the fact that most come back unharmed seems to encourage others to follow. And for those that may not be able to make the trek safely, there's an opportunity to make a bit of money by leading the way to the shrines and offering the curious pilgrims protection from the Beyond's dangers. There’s rumbling amongst them – Quetzalcoatl – Set – the names of gods of worlds long past, and though there are not many that will stray from Highstorm’s resident deified figure – Lady Yima – there are enough that it’s easy to catch pilgrimages out to the temple, and to visit them yourselves, as well!

FURTHER DETAILS

Quetzalcoatl erected a bright and gigantic temple right next to Set's in the Beyond! Right next to Highstorm! I'm sure that's fine and will not have any diplomatic consequences in the future! Both gods have been drawing in new curious individuals – some who may be worshippers with time – and it's drawn the curiosity of many.

SMALLER CHANGES

GRAND LARCENY

An uptick in crime between both Springstar and Highstorm has both the Legion and Yima’s own private guard scrambling as they struggle to find rhyme or reason behind the latest crime spree taken up in both cities. Though there doesn’t seem to be a specific source, local chatter suggests that it might be coming from a mysterious underground, though most can’t say where... there’s vague gestures, and remarks about Below, without any concrete details. Those who are familiar with – or find out about – Kowloon, may find plenty of stolen items within Kowloon’s markets, though if asked, the keeper will simply shrug and say they retrieved it from a reputable source. Who? Well, they don’t know, they don’t remember their face. I’m sure this is fine and won’t lead to trouble later down the line!

Completely unrelated, those who are known to be or obviously affiliated with Springstar continue to encounter difficulty in Kowloon. It’s become a touch more brazen – more pickpocketing, even higher prices, or even some outright derisiveness from some businesses, although they seem to be centered more around Draumahol, and the further one gets from the business in the underground city (or as far as one can get) the more willing businesses seem to engage with those from Springstar, and the more… apologetic they are about higher prices, though they do still seem to be across the board.

FAE MISCHEIF

It’s not just the underground that seems to be reeling from a spike of theft, though this one seems more obvious – and innocuous! Faeries from the Greenwood Yard seem to still be reeling from recent Shard-Bearer intrusions, so bearers new and old may find small items of varying importance are missing. They’ll generally come with a calling card; a small note that is part threat and part invitation for a game, to come find them within the Greenwood Yards. After hearing about the issue, a certain potion shop owner sets up a small stall by the yards, and will offer to help the shard bearer with their predicament – for a price, of course! Better have a few gold coins on you!

The owner will offer bearers a round-trip to tiny town yet again, to retrieve whatever was stolen, though this time it comes with no visions, and generally the fairies will consider things to be even, if bearers come to retrieve it with politeness and a request for it to be returned. If a bearer threatens them… well. Let’s hope you brought a friend along to help with this fae threat, then!

OOC NOTES

Welcome to Kenos! As a reminder, all new players need an invite to apply to the game, which are now open.

This log is Game Canon. Any characters who are not apped to the game will disappear. If Cyrus or Yima are asked, they’ll explain that this sometimes happens since not every soul has a strong tether to Kenos and sometimes return to the Timestream. They may return to Kenos one day, but for now, weren’t able to make the full journey.

As a note primarily for current players, closed toplevels/prompts are not allowed in this log. If you would like to interact with the setting changes in a way that isn't open to all characters (new and old), we ask that you instead make a log in kenoslogs.

FOR NEW PLAYERS:

When characters emerge from their cocoon/the ground, they may be wearing their normal clothes or nude. Up to you!

At some point in the days after leaving the Tree of Life, new Shard-Bearers will have a dream, even if they're usually not capable of sleeping. All new players should read this post since this details how they'll learn about both factions and their goals and should help them make a decision about which Faction they'd be drawn to.

As a reminder, your character has a Shard somewhere on their body that encompasses their soul, so keep note of where you're sticking it on their person for reference! Additionally, they have a tattoo of their Aspect somewhere on their body. Please be mindful this Aspect will be assigned to you upon approval and whatever you choose for the TDM may be temporary (for new characters)!

For the Highstorm and Springstar prompts, both cities will be fully open and accessible to all characters once they are freed from their rather harrowing ordeal at the Tree of Life. For prompt ideas and any general information about the cities and what you can find there, please see the Navigation page and check out the locations!

New characters will not have access to any canon abilities on the TDM until they Harmonize, AKA make a choice of which faction they choose to support. For some characters, this may be an easy decision, but it make take others time. We just ask you keep this in mind!

CODING

Comments

[reviven]

I will endeavor not to, I assure you.

[ True to his word, he keeps a respectable amount of distance between them as he takes a seat, though he's still working to balance his plate in his grip. He hasn't felt this spoiled in some time, even if the spoiling has mostly been relegated to food and paltry compliments.

At the stranger's question, his gaze drops back to his own clothes, feeling ever the sorry sight for traipsing through mud to get here. ]

As difficult it is to say no to a bath, I am aware how uncomfortable it is to invite a stranger into your home without knowing whether or not he'll be friend or foe.

[ Or to be the one invited to a stranger's home without knowing much about the city and its inhabitants. Like whether or not this one intends to hold a knife to his throat and rob him off what little possessions he has left. ]

That isn't to say that I don't appreciate the offer, but I would feel terrible putting you in that situation, unless you intended to point me towards a public bath.

[ As on edge as Joshua is being in a strange world without allies, he is honestly tempted by either offer just so he can feel clean again. ]

[wolfish]

My residence doesn't have a washroom, so that'd be a moot point.

[ Intoned gravely, for to this day he has not one idea how Byleth tolerates hosing himself off in the yard. Yuri has invested in an approximation of a tub, but filling it is an endeavor. One day, he really ought to see about an addition to the house, if only because a good, hot bath is such an indulgent experience.

Imagine knowing someone has never gotten to enjoy such a simple luxury. Tragic, really.

But for as unfortunate as the present lack is, Yuri's light tone rebounds in the next breath. He'd far from propose someone come into a house he still views himself as a guest in, nor would it be advisable for anyone to just waltz into a stranger's home. This fellow's discretion is well-placed.

His offer is of a different nature, far less intrusive for them both. ]

Rather, I've a spell that'd do the job. Couldn't access it when I first got here, and I distinctly remember how it felt.

[reviven]

[ Yuri, where do you and Byleth pee But also, the clarification makes Joshua's eyes widen slightly. ]

Cleaning by magic, you mean?

[ Not entirely out of the ordinary, to be honest. There are many bearers who had been used for menial tasks such as that since time immemorial, whether it be filling tubs or heating them to the right temperature. A waste of a precious resource, if anyone asked Joshua, which is why he shakes his head quickly. ]

There is no need to exert yourself on my account. I would rather see that your magic is preserved for times of utmost urgency of which this is not. Unless you mean to suggest my smell is truly unbearable...?

[ There's a bit of humor in those last few words, though he wouldn't take any offense if Yuri agreed. Joshua is not a fan of his own sorry state much at the moment either. ]

[wolfish]

[ This is a reason he'll try to buy an addition to the house... He offers a slant of a smile to his new companion. ]

A cleansing spell. I've found it pretty versatile, with time and practice.

[ Marianne had taught it to him to alleviate the effects of his terrible allergies, but Yuri has an abundance of fred time here with which to practice. He'd ended up finding that cleansing had all sorts of handy applications, small and mundane as they might appear next to a flashier spell.

It does wonders for blood, even, which has proven a greater convenience here than he'd first imagined. He supposes, despite lulls like this, that they're fighting a war just the same. A deeply peculiar one, but even so. ]

I'd be a terrible liar if I made a claim like that, considering I was pulled to this realm from a military encampment.

[ The odors are many and pungent. This very polite, muddied fellow beside him, at his respectable distance, doesn't hold a candle to any of that. Yuri simply remembers how much he hated being caked in dirt, how it practically itched through his clothing. He can tell from how this fellow carries himself that he likes the experience no better than he did. ]

But it's not a taxing spell by any means, I can assure you.

[reviven]

[ Treat yo' self. Get a toilet and a bidet. ]

It may seem like a drop in a bucket, but it does not take long for all those drops to add up over time. I have seen far too many succumb to the curse and live the rest of their days in agonizing pain from mere household chores carried out with magic.

[ It might even be a blessing that Joshua can't use his own at the moment. He knows his own body had been on the verge of ruin from calling upon the phoenix's flames too many times. It's a burden he would wish on no other nor a burden he would contribute to.

Unless.

Unless.

He frowns as he glances down at his plate, recalling he's in another world, one whose natural rules differ significantly from his own. As far as he's aware, he's heard no mention of eikons nor witnessed any hesitation to use magic. Has only bore witness to the fixation of shard-bearers, who appear to be more revered than enslaved –as far as he's aware anyway. ]

...Do those in this world suffer no risk of petrifaction from over-use of magic?

[wolfish]

[ Medieval men discovering a bidet...revolutionary.

Yuri waits patiently when it seems the guy beside him is processing something. What he spoke of regarding the negative impact of using spells over time is absolutely foreign, and he can't help the quizzical tilt of his head as he awaits where this peculiar train of thought is going to come to a halt.

Petrification. Imagine such a malady in exchange for magic. It seems a terrible thing, as notions go, but he doesn't linger on it for long. Doesn't leave the question hanging in the air, weighted as its implications are. ]

You're the first person I've known to mention such a thing. Where I hail from, people may exhaust their ability to cast for a time, much as one may grow exhausted by so much exercise, but little more than that.

[ He can't say this is a blessing of the goddess, for it appears true of those who hail from lands outside of Fódlan and realms beyond his own. ]

Small wonder you were so hesitant... here I thought you were just too polite for your own good.

[ An idle flap of a gloved hand as he says this bluntly. ]

[reviven]

[ Well, he is most definitely too polite for his own good, but yes, he was also worried this stranger would turn to stone on account of him being fussy over his soiled garments. Joshua wonders if that means he is exempt from the curse while in this world, but he has no means to test that theory without access to the Phoenix's powers at the moment.

What he does know is that he doesn't feel as much like death warmed over as he had in his own world –which isn't to say he's magically healed. His lungs still struggle to draw full breath, and he hasn't yet escaped the bindings of his own bone-deep weariness, but an improvement is an improvement. Granted, losing access to his magic also means that the prisoner he'd been carting around for five years may be on the loose, either in this world or his own, a realization that keeps filling him with dread.

He swallows his concerns down for now, unwilling to burden someone he just met with the possibility of a foreign entity bringing its megalomaniac imperatives to this world. They all have enough to deal with at the moment. ]

It is a tragically common fate in my world for those who wield magic. The process is long and slow –very painful. Potions can only do so much to numb the pain, but many simply wish for an accelerated death.

However, if the spell comes at no cost to your livelihood, I can't say I would have any further objections to it. Rather, I would owe you a great debt of gratitude.

[wolfish]

[ This fellow is, indeed, very polite. It brings to mind someone from home, in fact, though Yuri's quick to shelve the thought. Going down that rabbit hole would lead to more worries than anything else, and he's pragmatic enough to understand the lack of productivity to be found in those ruminations. ]

I can safely say I'd have offered to help with laundry sooner than I'd risk mortal peril over dirt.

[ Said airily, further reinforcing that this isn't a reality with which he contends. It sounds frankly horrifying, yet he wouldn't wish to make the fellow linger upon it. Newness to all of this is more than enough for anyone to contend with, he knows.

With that, he lifts a hand and focuses. The spell that flickers to life in his palm is modest, just a little sphere of white, shimmering light. He tosses it in his companion's direction and it bursts upon contact, glittering light washing over him and sapping away dirt and mud alike as it vanishes. All told, it's a matter of a brief moment. ]

There we are. [ Remembering his own dirt-laden arrival, it's a relief to be able to do something about it for someone facing the same. ] Incidentally, the food's safe, if that concerns you.

[ It had certainly concerned him when he was new. ]

[reviven]

[ Better. Much better. Joshua can actually stand to breathe in his own skin and in his garments, which look near new...minus the tattered ends, but this man has done enough for him already. No need to add impromptu seamster to his accolades. ]

Truly, I am grateful. All this, and I have yet to even give you a proper introduction.

[ He'd already compromised all sense of good decorum by showing up to a party dirty and smelling of swamp, but he's always one to compensate where he can. Balancing the plate with one hand, his other moves to his chest as he attempts a slight bow. ]

Joshua Rosfield. It is a pleasure to meet one as skilled in the sanitation arts as you.

[ He's sure the man's magic probably extends beyond that, but he can't help the small tease. ]

–And I was just about to sample this city's offerings, though this is far more than my stomach can hold, I am afraid. Would you care to have some?

[ He knows there's a whole buffet a few feet from them, but he's struggling to keep his plate leveled here. ]

[wolfish]

[ Sanitation arts. That's a good one, and enough to warrant an amused little huff from him. This fellow — Joshua, as it turns out — has a fine sense of humor. This place could use more of that, so far as Yuri's concerned. He finds it a touch surprising, though, given the bleak tidbit about his world.

Then again, that's just how some can reconcile with harsh realities. Or baffling ones, as is the case with this realm.

In any case, Yuri thinks to introduce himself, only to be offered food. There is indeed a buffet table right there, but Yuri is Faerghan born and raised. The notion of food going to waste is one he simply can't abide, so he finds himself nodding without much debate. ]

Alright. Tell me which bits you're most keen to have first, though.

[ Yes, he could get more, but in the interest of not wasting food here... ]

[reviven]

I am more partial to fruits and meats and not quite...any of the vegetables.

[ Joshua is just going to scooch them off to one side with a fork for Yuri to help himself. It's mostly a lot of broccoli, cabbage, and baby carrots. Even dressed with light seasoning and butter, Joshua still can't stomach the thought of them. ]

Even so, I believe this may be one turkey leg too many. [ He'll just nudge that towards Yuri as well. ] It has been ages since I have seen a feast this decadent. My world had been succumbing to a terrible blight that had withered many farmlands. What little we could grow in the Hideaway had been diminutive in number compared to the variety of dishes here.

[ Which makes him feel extra bad for not being able to eat it all, but he would rather not push his body. Regardless of him feeling a lot better at the moment, he's not going to start testing fate by being reckless. ]

Did your world face similar trials?

[wolfish]

[ So Yuri has found himself another Bernadetta in terms of eating habits. At least he did ask Joshua though, rather than the guy wordlessly dumping what he didn't want onto Yuri's metaphorical plate. He doesn't particularly mind it when he actually invited it.

Besides, the turkey leg is a charitable concession in his estimation. Yuri's a light eater, so he feels he understands, especially in the context of growing up with far from ideal food resources. ]

My homeland suffered no blight, but our soil is poor, and harvests are resultingly meager. It makes us fine foragers and hunters, to be sure, but it also means feasts such as this are more opulent than any I'd seen prior.

[ Sure, Adrestian nobility in Enbarr might flaunt their fortunes with a decadent spread, but what they have here far outshines even what. It makes Yuri wonder where some of it comes from, since surely all this can't only be sourced in Alenroux. A mystery for another time, he supposes, as he plucks a baby carrot from the furthesr edge of Joshua's plate. ]

War compounds the issue, back home, naturally... But there was something called a blight here that was evidently remedied around the time I arrived. You might talk to Bonnie about that — it might not prove to be the same, but it sounds similar.

[ I'm so sorry, KFC... ]

[reviven]

[ His hero!!! Protecting him from the horror of baby carrots. He can't thank him enough in his head, though he has enough sense not to make a fuss about it out loud, lest he let a bit of his immaturity show in front of someone he just met.

Especially not when the word 'blight' stems from his lips, gracing Joshua with a new source of dread. The banquet must be a distraction to the horrors that await them as much as it is a manipulation tool then. ]

Yes, comparing notes would be wise. At the very least, I have some experience to offer in the matter, though I have noticed there are no crystals to speak of here.

[ Can he just have this one small consolation of being in a world sans any, or is that too much to hope for? ]

The distance I traveled is likely relatively short compared to the entirety of this land mass, but I have become accustomed to seeing them even from afar in my world. Have you ventured further past the two cities, or is this another question I should save for Bonnie?

[wolfish]

[ Yuri will eat those vegetables dutifully, between not minding them and not wanting them to go to waste. He listens to what Joshua has to say as he does so. Crystals, as he refers to them, must be something important. An object of concern, perhaps? ]

I've not traveled to areas others have mentioned, but beyond the two cities? That I've had time for. Alenroux, I hear, was afflicted by blight until Bonnie and company sorted that out. Still a bit of a monster problem at night, but not nearly so bad as it was, I'm told.

[ He's rather fond of Alenroux, for all that it reminds him of home. These cities continue to feel alien to him still yet, and he doubts he'll ever adapt entirely to them, especially when night and day don't transition within them. ]

I've not heard anything noteworthy regarding crystals before.

[reviven]

[ A small mercy he doesn't have to deal with crystals here, but he's far from being out of the woods yet. Whatever danger lurks here still has the power to transplant them all from worlds beyond. Who knows what else it may be capable of?

At Yuri's words, Joshua gives a light chuckle. ]

It would have been more surprising had you claimed this world to be free of monsters. They are rather common in my world but no great cause to avoid travel, though lacking any access to magic would be a challenge.

[ He's a decent fighter but nowhere good enough to survive on that alone. Definitely best to avoid Alenroux at night for now. ]

Without the use of crystals, I am curious where magic stems from in this world then. Not everyone appears to be capable of learning and wielding it, according to the locals.

[ And the "shard" part of "shard-bearers" does leave him wondering. ]

[wolfish]

I...don't entirely trust what they tell us here, but according to the locals, that plays into the whole harmonization situation. Zenith and Meridian are forces of some sort, and forming that connection with one of them lets you use magic again.

[ A convenient system for those leading these factions, which is why Yuri doesn't quite believe that's all there is to it. Surely there's more to it than merely this, but information is far more difficult to come by whenever it extends beyond the sales pitch for Zenith and Meridian.

But there must be something to be found. It's just a matter of knowing where to look. ]

That's how it is for those of us brought here, anyhow. Evidently people can also learn spells they didn't know or lacked aptitude for, as well.

[ This part he finds rather remarkable, aware as he is that Dimitri's natural ability with magic wasn't all that great. Back home, he distinctly recalls the explosions he'd heard near the edge of camp, which were evidently His Majesty's attempts at learning a simple fire spell. Yuri has always advocated that effort can overcome natural gifts, but this place makes it seem easy.

What might the cost of that be, beyond their service? ]

[reviven]

[ The chance to grow his magic is rather enticing, he must admit. He'd always had plenty of limitations in his world due to his poor health, but being free of that and granted a position where he could evolve is definitely enough to make him at least consider aligning himself with a faction in the near future.

On the other hand, overuse of magic is what had led his world to degrade over time and his body may succumb once more if he were to push it too much right now rather than temper his own abilities. He has to be more careful with himself, unwilling to die before he can ever see his home, his brother, and their friends again. ]

Nothing is so freely offered without recompense, especially power to that extent. What must one do to gain it aside from choosing to devote themselves to either city?

[wolfish]

[ Joshua gets it. Yuri finishes munching another baby carrot before he responds, as is proper with polite company. And Joshua is thoroughly polite. ]

Our continued service, supposedly. It may in part be tied to more...zealous work, the more one wants to gain from them, but I've not dabbled in it myself.

[ Hard to devote oneself to a cause they believe to be founded on deception. He has given the matter of new magic some thought, but from an angle he considers more favorable in theory. ]

Though one might also learn a trick or two from other casters. Haven't tried it myself, but you'd think people could teach one another, if our power source is rendered the same by this place.

[reviven]

I had anticipated as much, though I would be curious to learn how magic functions in this world from a first-hand perspective and if the method of drawing it out is at all similar. We had been so reliant on crystals and aether before...

[ It might nice to be able to practice magic freely without so many caveats, but he still finds it hard to believe there wouldn't be some greater cost. On the other hand, he would need to declare his loyalty to either faction to even access magic he already has, which itself is already asking for a lot. ]

I assume cleansing is far from the extent of your own magical abilities. What else are you capable of? Or is that prying too much?

[ His curiosity is at risk of getting the better of him. ]

Do forgive me if that was a bit uncouth, but I wanted to know if magic here mostly consists of minor cantrips or more large-scale spells.

[ Does he have to think about going toe to toe with other Dominants here as well? ]

[wolfish]

Asking what I can do is hardly prying... And I'm used to dealing with a colorful bunch, so I doubt you could manage to be uncouth by my standards.

[ Well, depending on the person, it might be. Considering the circumstances they're saddled with, being expected to grapple against one another, there are advantages to one's abilities being unknown. That can only be maintained for so long, he reasons, unless one makes a habit of killing any witnesses.

Ruthless as Yuri may consider himself to be, he couldn't view that as a realistic prospect when they've all been dragged here by forces beyond their control. ]

The cleansing spell's just a little trick someone back home taught me. I dabble in both Faith and Reason magic. Sometimes people refer to them as white and black respectively, if that sounds more familiar. Can't demonstrate in the middle of a party, but spells where I come from range between small-single target numbers to ones fit for crowd-control, as combat goes.

[ Thus there exists a variety of spells he could go into detail regarding, but indeed it's more varied than parlor tricks. War and conflict always see to that. Yuri thinks of Constance's recent experiment as a prime example, making elemental spells rain upon a battlefield. It wasn't a very controlled experiment, so he hears, but the fact remains. ]

[reviven]

[ ...Faith and reason. What a peculiar way of wording it. He also has no familiarity with black and white magic. To him, magic is simply magic, but from the sounds of it, it seems like a blend of offensive and ...restorative spells? At least, as far as clothes and messes go. Not terribly unlike himself. ]

I can see how that would be useful to regain, especially with little knowledge of what awaits us on the horizon. Have you had much need to use your magic outside of practicing good hygiene?

[ It hasn't escaped him that the city bears some remnants of the ravages of what the locals referred to as "the blight," which seems not so dissimilar to their own blight. If creatures heere are turning akashic and attacking all who would step in their path, he would like to be well-prepared rather than caught unaware.

He also wonders if both factions have engaged in battle with one another before. Differing philosophies of that nature are bound to cause some skirmishes here and there, but he's heard nothing of an all-out war occurring. Yet. ]

[wolfish]

[ Yuri spares a moment to think back on his few months here with a soft, thoughtful hum. Thus far he mostly has relied on his knives, his sword, and a few tricks. He's never been above fighting dirty, and the less an opponent knows of his capabilities, the better it is for him.

Even so, he's had occasional uses for offensive magic. The more this battle for Oracles wears on, the higher the odds that he'll have to use more. It'd be naive to think he won't have to employ more spells in combat, especially when some among their number are willing to kill. ]

Mostly to treat injuries, fortunately... I can well imagine that may change, all things considered.

[ It's a grim reality, but such is the nature of war, no matter how strange. He can only hope that more people are unwilling to die for a potentially false premise than otherwise. ]

Whenever sides grapple over one of those Oracles, it can get ugly. Tended to someone cut up so badly she passed out from blood loss, last time... And as soon as she could find her feet, off she went to fight some more.

[ He huffs, and though he holds his composure, the concern's evident enough in his eyes. ]

No one should be going through that for higher-ups that might've just spun us a pretty bit of fiction.

[reviven]

[ No, they shouldn't, but– ]

Such is the nature of war. Even then, there are those who are hardly in need of such a prize as an excuse to kill, though it does bolster incentives.

[ The more he hears from Yuri, the more he's convince they've been brought here to participate in a petty war game rather than to actually fight over something meaningful. The locals can dress it up with pretty words and deep philosophies, but this perpetual butting of heads over whatever an 'oracle' is seems like a waste of time and resources for all involved.

If only there were a way to unite everyone under a single banner. If only the fate of their worlds wasn't a constant point of argument... ]

My own world had existed on the brink of destruction not unlike what we dreamt of prior to waking here, and that alone should have been enough to unite kingdoms under a common goal and a common enemy. Yet all it did was make everyone grow desperate and greedy for what few precious resources remained.

[ The vision of all their former leaders had been so myopic –even his own father who had dutifully played into the hands of tradition. ]

I doubt I am the first one to consider a more diplomatic approach. Why had all previous efforts failed?

[wolfish]

[ The war back home hadn't had such dire stakes, and Yuri can acknowledge that was a mercy. But he does know that desperation and greed run high in any conflict, for those who are either opportunists or deeply shortsighted will always crop up in those times. They're not even mutually exclusive, for that matter.

As for diplomacy in their present situation, well... ]

It's my understanding that efforts have been made, and we can credit those for hostilities not being worse than they are. Delaying some inevitability, perhaps, as more of these Oracles get claimed by one faction or the other.

[ Desperation for limited resources, just as Joshua had said, is ample motivation. ]

I suspect we're best off with neither having too many of them.

[reviven]

Naturally, especially when death is impermanent, leading to longer wars and a gradual attrition of all resources.

[ Not that that would stop unreasonable people from butting heads. He hasn't come across many keen on that conclusion yet, but his optimism isn't high that this tepid peace will last, knowing what he does of this world and the general nature of men. ]

Not that I intend to force you to dwell on that possibility nor to be my impromptu guide for the rest of the afternoon. I doubt that was your reason for making an appearance at these festivities.

[ It would seem most people came by for the free food and to check for familiar faces, which are both valid reasons. He's already taken enough of this poor stranger's time and has more of the world left to explore himself. ]

I am grateful for the assistance and do hope our paths will cross once more.