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Entry tags:
WEEK ONE MINGLE
krankaz: week 1 mingle
Depths of the Leviathan
Depths of the Leviathan
38 Remain
Waking up this morning will reveal some unfamiliar surroundings. The familiar sights and sounds of Cittàgazze are long gone, replaced by something much more ancient, yet still radiant. The sound of children playing in the streets and scampering about have been replaced by the echoes from deep. Try not to hold your breath for too long when you finally take the first steps outside to soak in all of new sights. Ideally, "soak" being used as a metaphor instead of literally as well, and it can stay that way just as long as the "Bubble" is respected. What? A "Bubble?"
You all awaken in your beds—although they aren't the beds that you found yourself falling asleep in previously, and you might not even see the same face as you had the previous night. But one by one, as you filter out, you find yourselves in what had once been a grand and imperious castle. The halls stand massive, arching and textured in reliefs and carvings of beautiful faces and creatures. Old paintings adorn the walls, or have even been knocked down to prop against them, rotten from moisture and dust and neglect. Great landscape scenes, the tales of battlefields, and royal portraits of strangers vary where you can make them out.
As the journey through these halls continues, everyone comes to the same conclusion: this place is twice as empty as the city of magpies was. It would probably be dimly lit, were it not for a faint blue glow from outside (from the Bubble over everything, you'll come to realize) and the fact there's bioluminescent corral, plants, and even small creatures everywhere, washing everything in salmon, pinks, purples, oranges, reds. Light posts and fixtures are adorned with once-white crystals that illuminated things, now covered in these same warm hues to replace their glow.
Coming down to the join of the two castle wings and into the throne room, you'll meet some familiar faces. Or unfamiliar? We don't know your lives. They seem to be anticipating your eventual arrival.
Each of the three hooded figures have a distinctly colored cloak with one being dark like the night, the second in a cloak of bright and soft dawn, and the last in robes of stormy sunset. Once again, two appear to stand at the same height, but this time the third is of a shorter stature. It's that shorter one, in the dawn-colored cloak, that speaks first.
They clap their hands once, twice, three times - and then their voice, strong but chipper, is loud and clear. "Hello, everyone! Apologies for the surprise, we, ah, weren't exactly expecting this to happen until it did? My name is Satariel, and we're the Temporal Watchers. The Celestials are still here with us, but it's our turn to speak with all of you like this. If we haven't met before, it's nice to meet you now! If we've met before, it's good to see you again. Please let us know if there's anything we can do to help you, as we all figure things out, as we know that things are already fairly stressful as is right now."
They fold their hands together in front of themself, bowing politely, and pass it onto the next in line who stands taller than Satariel and dressed in a long dark cloak like the night. "Satariel is so great! It makes me wonder why we're even here." They'll say with a laugh before properly addressing everyone else after raising their left hand up to the side of their face in the shape of a paw.
"It's as they say—we're the Temporal Watchers and I'm Rameel, so hello, hello! I hope everyone enjoyed my gift last week. Unfortunately, I don't have anything for you this week but if you talk to me later maybe I can arrange something. We are but your humble servants."
To conclude their turn speaking, they'll give a deep, flourishing bow and step aside for the one in a cloak reminiscent of a stormy day. "Yomiel." They wave a hand at the other two. "They covered most of it already, so just let one of us know if you have any questions. We'll answer messages, too, if you need us."
With the new week, travelers will find that their daemons have stopped hiccuping and shifting without warning. Instead, they will find that they and their daemon have limited control over one of four elements - earth, fire, water, or air. Some examples would be shifting sand, warming a cup of tea with your hands, sweating more than normal (if you aren't like Bertolt), or always looking like you're in a hair commercial. This effect lasts all week.
And, if you're worried about your things, just check your rooms. They'll be stored away safe and sound.
full navigation
private conversations ✨ murder proposals ✨ curfew ✨ daemons ✨
private conversations ✨ murder proposals ✨ curfew ✨ daemons ✨
no subject
Is it truly prudent to have someone so...
[gestures.]
flighty in an administrative role?
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Probably not, but I wasn't the one who chose them. They'll get their job done when it really matters, but they're going to be annoying about it no matter what.
no subject
no subject
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Would you prefer it verbally or in writing?
no subject
...Writing.
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Anyway Van Zieks pulls several papers out of his bag. He already had it in writing, in his fancy rich guy script.]
To Our As Yet Unnamed Host;
As you no doubt are aware, given the posting of such information the previous week, I, Barok van Zieks, am a seasoned practitioner of the law. As such, perhaps you can imagine the level of grievance I take with the poor facsimile of a legal system you have devised, not to mention the as to unyet properly explained or justified abduction of 40 individuals whose names I imagine you already know. Furthermore, I should hold you accountable in part for the death of Mr Marius Pontmercy, and the death via so called "execution" of Mr Qi Rong.
While Mr Qi Rong was guilty of murder and therefore, under proper circumstances, may have been given capital punishment, in our circumstances was not allotted any sort of due process. To enumerate;
1. A full and proper investigation was not carried out prior to the trial. This is necessary in order to construct a concept of the facts of the case. Prior to the "trial" we had not produced a body or even confirmed the death of Mr Pontmercy. To have a trial for a crime that has not even been assessed previously is absurd.
2. As to what you may call a trial, again, there was nothing of proper structure. No accused, no defense nor prosecution, no judge nor jury, unless perhaps you wish to consider us the latter, but then I would point out it is not the job of the judiciary to carry out investigation nor to argue a case.
3. A predetermined time limit only serves to rush a judgement and risk the underdevelopment of the true picture of a case. Would you put a time limit on the measure of the cost of a man's life?
4. It is clear that Mr Qi Rong was not held in properly warded conditions, as some as to yet unnamed individual had leave to bring grievous bodily injury to him between trial and execution. I hold no fondness for the man however any good system of law will ensure people are treated fairly and not subject to undue cruelty.
5. An execution should be carried out by authorized persons, and again, not cause undue cruelty to the one being executed. If we are to judge who lives and dies, we should rightly seek to lessen the burden from the executioner and convict, lest we lower ourselves to being no better than the killer we seek to punish. A fight to the death is barbaric, and an unwilling executioner is beyond even that.
Whatever you wished for us to accomplish here, I suggest you reevaluate you approach to how you comport yourself and your agents if you expect any level of compliance. Clear instructions and proper planning are key if you wish to exert your authority by any method beyond brute force, and if you were to choose to continue on you dictatorial tilt, I caution you that you will be met with only further levels of reluctance to comply.
-Barok van Zieks
[This is what he hands to Yomiel.]
I would have you deliver this at your earliest convenience.
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...Right. I'll do that. I can't guarantee any response, though.
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I will expect, at the very least, receipt of its delivery.
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And what's that mean, exactly?
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I would like you to give me confirmation that you have delivered the letter to whom it is addressed, upon having done so.
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You'll have to come to me, but sure. That's easy enough.
[ they're just glad he's not expecting [redacted] to write back or anything honestly? absolutely laughable. ]
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Understood. I will contact you later this week.
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[ the tone says they've clearly decided that this week is going to be terrible ]