[WORLD ONE | OCTOBER INTRO LOG]

[spellbindmods]

Who: The new coven members and old blood
Where: In and around the hub island
When: Day 92
Open/Closed: Open to All

All characters are told briefly what their powers are by Genette -- no extemporaneous details. For instance, if your character has the ability to detect lies, they'll be told as such -- no warning about limitations, repercussions or the like. They'll also be given a variant of this letter so they aren't totally ignorant of the situation -- though of course adapt this letter to the current setting and surroundings of the game.

This setting may be familiar to you -- maybe you caught a glimpse of it when you first visited. Maybe this is your first time experiencing this weird world and the panic is setting in. If you're totally lost, a tall human woman with a long scroll of paper will stop by to give you the run down. She'll also give you a letter, which may give you more questions than answers since the information is a wee out of date. (Maybe someone else can fill in some gaps for you). What is at first painfully obvious is that you're ill-equipped. Any magic or powers you had previously are suddenly replaced with an empty hole in your being. That's not all that's gone, but perhaps that's what's most pressing. Another thing you may notice is that there are others just like you, wandering around and just as confused. If you feel so inclined, you may want to ask around and see if anyone else knows what's up. A ▢ If one of your characters isn't looking to introduce themselves to others, someone's willing to do it for them. Genette is trying to make sure all newbies are accounted for and have a buddy, so she's grabbing them when she finds them and tossing them at the first coven member she sees. "Hi, so-and-so, this is so-and-so! They're new, so show them the ropes -- be friends, okay?" You get the gist. Your character may be paired up with another newbie, a seasoned character or both! Five times, even! Timelines in RPing are weird! B ▢ Let's say that instead of milling about and doing nothing entirely productive, your character has decided to try and venture off to find a way off this huge floating rock. That's nice -- but be warned that the forest is filled with interesting things. For instance, they've happened to find a hollowed out tree that happens to be where a hoard of land crabs are living. They move fast -- run quick! C ▢ Other characters may want to establish shelter before they do anything else -- and that's their right! The problem is that if your character wants to be well-supplied, they're going to have to do things for themselves. There's something of an assembly line set up, but not a lot has been done in way of making things workable. Genette wanted all new coven members to have a little food parcel to take to their hut, but time constraints, you know? If you want any food for now -- or for later -- you may want to cook some of this (poisonous) eel, salt some boar jerky or cut into one of these rabbits. You've also got some berries to eat in the meantime, if you want something simple!

By the time afternoon sets in, everyone should be a little more adjusted -- or, they should at least be a little more aware of the situation. From there, things still need to be done and exploring is always an option! D ▢ For those characters who want to stick around the base camp, there's something worthwhile in discovering the buildings around the area. One such building is the mansion, which contains extra supplies and a renovated kitchen. The kitchen is now functional with electricity and running water, with a few raw ingredients for making whatever your character would like. It's minimal, but also not totally useless. E ▢ If you mill about too long, you'll be put to work. Run into Genette and you'll be sent to pick western part of the island to look for strawberries, wheat and deer (good luck hunting if your character doesn't have the capabilities, but maybe someone else can help?). Run into Genette and she'll offer your character an ax to chop wood with (is this a wise idea? probably not), or a request to go fishing in either a stream or the ocean attached to the island on the eastern side. Or your character can do both if they so choose...? F ▢ With all of these new people milling about, telepathy is on the fritz again. At least, it certainly is for those who are new! Your character may not realize their broadcasting frustrations to the network, or maybe a stupid secret. Their mental filter is certainly broken, but that's at least a great conversation starter. Night finally falls on the exhausting day, and it's time to rest. Thankfully the island is beautiful at night, especially the sky. The night is filled with space worms, relaxing mist and wondrous sights in the stars. G ▢ Adding to the excitement of the beautiful night, Genette has set up something of a...talent show? In an effort to get new coven members acclimated with their magic, she's asked them all to use their magic in some way -- it may take a volunteer, or maybe they can show it off all on their own. In any case, show me what you got. H ▢ Of course, some characters aren't going to be up for this fancy display and will want to go about their own business. There are plenty of places to sit and stew on this island, both private and in plain sight. The stars are spectacularly bright, and the higher up your character gets the less it seems like night time. If they're lucky, they may catch sight of a shooting star, though it's of course much larger than usual. They're directly in space, after all! I ▢ Wildcard! How will your character interact with this new and unusual world?

Comments

[finagles]

[ "Used to be..."

His own smile wavers. He'd like to be optimistic, so perhaps they had merely completed enough tasks for the witch. ]

I'm sorry to hear that you lost some of that company. Familiarity in foreign places can help to bolster us in times of need. Did Qri or her minions grant the other two safe passage back home?

[sealeted]

I don’t know. I hope so, at least. But, they’re Servants now; whatever happens l, they exist separately in the Throne of Heroes, and should be able to be summoned anew, by a suitable Master in a suitable world.

[finagles]

[ Well, that's good news for Servants and bad news for normies. Like himself. This was the answer he was hoping not to receive. ]

Ah - you don't know? Their disappearance was random and remains unaccounted for?

[sealeted]

...yeah.

[Her lips curve up, but there’s a weak, rueful self-mockery shadowing the almost-smile.]

...sorry, I must sound pretty callous right now, right? But... this sort of ambiguous parting, now that I know they’re now proper Servants... it’s so much better than having to watch their existence get erased, like last time back in the Moon Cell. At least to me.

[finagles]

[ When she apologizes, he shakes his head. ]

Not at all. I won't pretend to understand the nuances of your world quite yet -- if you say they're better off having become party to this Servant class, I believe you. It's quite natural to take solace in facts that provide us with peace of mind.

[ Moon Cell... sounds like they died, or something close enough to it. ]

However, I do find it alarming to learn that people in the coven have gone missing with no explanation. Have you attempted to consult with Genette?

[sealeted]

If they weren’t Servants, they would just be dead, instead of individuals who had once lived.

[That’s worse, to Hakuno.]

No, I haven’t. Not yet, at least. I’m not sure how to best phrase that question...

[finagles]

[ That sort of half-existence...

Well, as stated, he knows very little about what it actually entails. Accepting her view on it comes easy. ]

Hm... I imagine she would plead ignorance, no matter the method of questioning. She professes to know little about the mechanisms of Qri's plan. That's rather convenient for quelling dissent.

[sealeted]

...yes. Honestly I don’t really trust any of Qri’s people. I’m a little different from most because being here isn’t very different from not being here, after all. Where I’m from, Gilgamesh took me from the Moon Cell, and was going to bring me to all sorts of worlds so I could properly learn to live.

[She sighs.]

Then again, it’s not like she’s all that different from anyone talking about their religion either...

[finagles]

[ Gilgamesh.

Legendary heroes. That phrasing returns from where it had stuck neatly in his mind during the earlier part of their conversation, when she mentions the epic of Gilgamesh of all stories. This young girl he's talking to has actually spoken with him?

Being here isn’t very different from not being here. Fantastic possibility applies.

McGillis's eyes widen a small amount, the reference stirring him to old memory. He looks at Hakuno with an expression that skirts on fascinated. Gilgamesh and his fated friend, the wild Enkidu, ignorant of humans until his cavorting with civilization made it so he was unable to return to the wilderness. How he had related to Enkidu, one of many quiet secrets that he kept to himself, and sometimes gazing on that pastel-colored top as he read aloud, wondered if his Gilgamesh was nearby.

Gaelio, a proper heir, a ruler with no conditions placed on his ruling. McGillis, once-wild, now forever civilized. Their unlikely friendship. But -- that was a very long time ago. His eyes saw somewhat brighter days during that stage of his life. First brush with hobbling away from a wretched childhood, adulthood somewhere on the horizon still, his days spent away from his father and in class, his days spent away from his father and with Gaelio.

A bright sheen around those memories. They would darken eventually. He would darken them further, but something kept about them. Kept to this day.

Still, that Hakuno would accidentally bring him back to that time is unexpected. He shifts his arms, still gripping across his chest, but repositioning them as if momentarily distracted. The topic was Qri's people and how it would be difficult to trust their word. Retraining his expression, calm smile returning, McGillis lets out a small huff of acknowledgment. ]

Religion, hm? What if we are meant to be Qri's sacrifices, and not her helpful servants?

[ Wow, dark take. It almost sounds like a cynical joke but it's not...funny...

He even furrows his brow at himself a moment later. ]

I should hope not.

[sealeted]

...I'm not so generous as to just die for some random godlike creature.

[There's a sudden edge to Hakuno, at that sentence. Her voice is as soft and quiet as ever, her expression is calm, but there's a dark, stubborn steel in her eyes now.

Hakuno's life came at a cost. She stepped over countless bodies, just to grasp at one more day alive.]

Well, that aside, there's not much we can do but live as well as we can for as long as we can, in the end.

[finagles]

[ Ah, that's the type of spirit he likes.

Quietly approving of the steely look that becomes her countenance, McGillis lets a smirk settle on his mouth. ]

Neither am I, and I would vow to fight to my last breath before doing so. I have more important work to do beyond this witch's plans and promises to keep.

[sealeted]

[It seems to vanish as soon as it comes, sinking back beyond the normal, doll-like softness.]

...well, I don't know if I can say I have important business to attend to, but I'm not about to do anything I don't want to, just because I'm asked to do it.

[finagles]

That's reason well enough on its own.

[ As if responding to the spikes and drops in her energy, his own softens again. ]

My apologies for skipping back to an earlier topic -- did you mention knowing Gilgamesh?

[sealeted]

Yes. In my world, people called 'Masters' in a certain conflict known as the Holy Grail War contracted with 'Servants' to fight for them. Servants are resurrected, powerful individuals of history and legend. I got through most of the competition with a Berserker-type Servant, but then somebody threw the entire War in disarray and things were... side-tracked. As a result of that, my original contract was severed, and I was... lucky enough to contract with Gilgamesh at that point. We beat the interloper, and finished the War together.

[She pauses.]

The Servant I contracted with after coming here is a man called Robin Hood.

[finagles]

[ Incredible. If he could've "contracted" directly with powerful individuals of history and legend, resurrecting them to fight with him...

Someone's a little jealous over here. ]

Robin Hood, as well? How utterly fascinating. I wonder if, now that we exist on this shared plane, that same summoning mechanism can be learned, or picked up...

[ no, mcg ]

[sealeted]

[I dare you to tell Hakuno that.]

As long as you can properly provide prana or mana directly I think so, but as far as I know all the Servants here have found Masters for themselves. One of the people I know who’s no longer here was contracted when she vanished, which is strange, and I am technically still contracted with Gilgamesh, even if he isn’t here... it’s weird, since contracts and command seals aren’t easy to break or mess with, but I’ve seen it happen before, back home.

[finagles]

[ Ah, the signet on her hand. ]

What happens if a command seal is broken? Does the contract merely become void?

[sealeted]

Well, unless your Servant has a legendary and inhuman amount of will or some kind of nullification effect, they will never be able to refuse a Command Seal. My first contract was interrupted by very unique, extenuating circumstances, but usually a contract is only supposed to officially end when you use all three seals, at which point the Moon Cell would revoke your right to exist and both Master and Servant would be erased. ...in the Moon Cell, anyways.

[finagles]

[ They would never be able to refuse... ]

I see. Revoke the right to exist, hm? What a harsh punishment. It must be viewed as an awful crime.

[ He almost wishes he could ask her to write a report on each item they've reviewed together and bring it to him in the morning. Only he's no longer a General, not here, nor is she one of his subordinates. ]

It sounds like the "Moon Cell" is an arbiter of law in your world, if it governs these contracts and interactions between servants and masters.