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Entry tags:
INTRO MINGLE
cittàgazze: week 0 intro
the city of magpies
the city of magpies
40 Remain
Whatever you were doing previously, wherever you were, you come back into yourself very abruptly, after going through a haze. Quite literally, as it turns out. You and your daemon are left to wander through a thick, cloying fog, where sights and sounds are muffled. All attempts to call out don't result in much, and your voice is just swallowed up. At least you're not alone—no matter their form, you know who and what they are, and they stick close to you, just as without answers as you are. How unfortunate.
But your feet carry you until, finally, the actual fog clears—at least, enough to let you see the street you walk along—and now your surroundings are a little more apparent. Even if you're far from home, maybe in less than ideal condition at the moment, at least you're not alone in this? Turns out it isn't just the two of you. As if they've walked right out of the fog, themselves, there are others on this long boulevard lined with palm trees, breathing in the stormy sea air, just like you.
Hard to say where you've wound up, and just when in the day, with the storm overhead. It's not night, that's for sure, and it's some sort of city, though it looks a little... worn down. Abandoned. Weird. Where are all the people, besides you? There's movement, occasionally, but whoever it is skitters away and disappears before you have a chance to get a closer look—at first, anyways. Maybe you can catch them after exploring a bit?
... though, maybe you want to change, first? ( 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 ) Wow, you're really dressed up for... well, what sort of occasion would warrant this...
Some further walking on the boulevard leads you along storefronts of various kinds, but one in particular stands out. Looks like there's a message that's been posted up on a shop bulletin board, standing out due to intent. Just pinned in place, after the rest of it was obviously cleared out in a hurry, with some pages having been torn off and leaving corners and bits behind.
- The note's colors seem to change dependent on the angle you're looking at it from, either shimmery gold or silver, with a faint sheen of another color that varies depending on the penmanship.
In handwriting that barely seems legible will read the following: I hope you enjoy my gift!! And don't worry you're ALL beautiful. ;)
In loopy but legible handwriting, with little hearts for the dots over their I's: We'll try to get some answers for you guys, since I'm sure you have a lot of questions. For now, check out the shop for some bags! I'm sorry that it's not much, considering the situation, but if there's anything else you need—there's plenty of other shops around the city. Looking forward to seeing you all soon!!
Just below that in neat handwriting that almost looks straight out of a text book: I know it might be scary to find yourselves in a new place, but I promise that things will be okay. We'll make sure it's okay. Maybe there's something here that you can find out before we can get to you. Try to get along the meantime—we'll talk to you as soon as we can.
And in bubbly handwriting at the bottom: Sorry we can't welcome you in person yet, but we'll be there soon! We're trying to work out some things right now, like how to get your stuff back to you. You're in a safe place, though, so try to take it easy and stick together until we get there, okay? See you soon!
Inside the shop, it's as the message says: there are bags neatly lined up. There's something... enchanted about them, almost, that leads you to the one that is apparently yours, and prevents anyone else from picking up someone else's. (Literally, like they weigh a ton, even if you're normally capable of lifting said ton.) The enchantment wears off once you've claimed your bag. Each one contains:
- ★ a travel size first aid kit, with bandages, gauze pads, and a little tube of antibiotic ointment
★ a small dessert box of edible sugar flowers
★ a coupon for a meal at the Hotel Nido di Gazza
★ a golden coin, specific to you and your daemon alone
At present, a thick fog and threatening thunderclouds have encased the city. Rain is intermittent, as are the flashes of lightning, but it's a rather oppressive atmosphere to welcome you in with. Any attempts to leave the city walls, or to step off of the boulevard into the unknown (even if you can clearly see the sand of the beach, hear the waves beyond, see a beacon of light cutting through the thick fog), will be met with a feeling of dread and your steps turning you back around into the city proper again. Your daemons may even tug at your clothes with a self preservation instinct that kicks in for the both of you. Isn't it safer here?
welcome to cittàgazze
Hello, everybody! Welcome to the start of the game—please enjoy the weekend zero intro to the fullest, as we get everyone settled in, and feel free to explore the setting to your heart's contents. Additionally, please note two things of particular interest as your characters familiarize themselves with their new home away from home:
The first, of course, being that IC profiles are not ICly available yet. Once they are, we'll let you know. Just make sure you're filling them out this weekend!
The second is that your character does not have their item from home or canon changes of clothes yet. If you'd like to change out of the clothing that you've been so graciously given—why? They're nice, aren't they? Don't you appreciate them? But I guess you can raid the homes and shops of the city, if need be, until further notice. Clothing styles are 90s function over fashion you might find in a humid climate like this one, though there are some... outdated, if simple, trendier styles available.
Let the mods know if you need anything, and enjoy!
full navigation
private conversations ✨ murder proposals ✨ curfew ✨ daemons ✨
private conversations ✨ murder proposals ✨ curfew ✨ daemons ✨
no subject
thoughtfully: ]
What if what I want is to become your friend?
no subject
A strange desire that would be, after hearing what I just said. Or did it just go through your ears?
[ A ponderous look, momentarily. Friendship, such a human concept, really. ]
Why would you want to be friends with a devil? I'd like to see you suffer, you know?
no subject
[ no, it definitely didn't go through his ears. xie lian is entirely familiar with devils from his own realm, and the things they do. intimately so, devastatingly so. (a white clothed calamity, standing on the wall of a city) but this one...
he clasps his hands in front of himself as they walk. ] Well. I think... humans, gods, devils - in the end, what matters is you, and not the state of you, isn't it? I think it is a rare chance, for someone like you and someone like me to get to know each other, and have conversation as we are.
...And while you may want to cause humans to suffer - I am the opposite. All I've ever wanted is to help them. So... perhaps as opposites, we can learn a little from each other. After all, we have common ground, [ and with that xie lian smiles: ] we both quite like cats! And that most certainly is a start.
no subject
[ She just looks at him like -- that's all it is. Simple, isn't it? Well, except the IQ bit, there is definitely some citation needed for that. ]
So what are you then, if you are neither human nor devil? I suppose if you like cats, then you can't be all that bad.
no subject
humanity's fears checks out with his world, too. xie lian doesn't flinch, really, but he turns his gaze away from power for a moment, looking out at the decrepit city they've found themselves in, silent for a bit longer than before. but even still, he doesn't refer to power's being the blood devil, besides huffing a little bit at her IQ. not that he knows what that is! ]
I'm glad, then, that we can speak. [ a pause, as he considers exactly what he wants to say? ] And as for me...well... I've been human.
[ that seems like a place to start. his hand comes up, absently touching his neck where san lang is. ] ...but, I am a martial god.
no subject
What is a 'martial god'? I have never seen a god before -- it just sounded like some fictional stuff humans made up to feel safer.
[ Ostensibly true, right? Or maybe her world's just been doing its thing, and 'gods' were deleted from everyone's memories a long time ago. ]
no subject
[ that gets a little laugh. ] I was a human, once, but I ascended to godhood after winning a battle when I was a bit younger. A martial god is a god of the martial arts - I have always trained with swords, but I have trained in hand to hand as well.
[ thus the couch lifting earlier. ]
no subject
[ Opposite in more ways than one! ]
What purpose does a martial god have? Teaching humans how to fight? [ ??? If he's the opposite of devils... well, if he was a devil, he'd maybe be something like the Violence Devil...? Actually, this makes for a surprisingly apt comparison.
Ironically, the Violence Devil is quite kind and patient. ]
no subject
xie lian looks away from her for a moment; san lang curls up a little more around his neck. something in him falters, just a little. ]
...Something like that. I am to help give guidance to them, and offer protection. I have done many things besides help in a martial capacity, though - or... at least I have tried to. People pray to gods for many reasons, after all.
no subject
[ It's not derisive in the slightest. It's really just a question. After all, she can't understand something that's completely foreign to the core of what she is. ]
no subject
he looks - a little surprised, for a moment, turning his head to look at her as the question registers. why do you want to help humans so much?
he thinks, for a moment, of a heated argument in the middle of a forest, in a moment of desperation. he thinks of the screaming, desperate faces in the holy pagoda, of the white-clothed individual with the fluttering, large sleeves, of the words, it's pointless, your highness. why do you think you can achieve anything you want to do?
of believers. of temples, of statues, golden and prostrate alike.
xie lian closes his eyes. ]
....I want to help because I can.
It has nothing to do with what they've done for me, or not, whether they're considerate of me, or not. If I have the ability to help, then I will - because that is the path that I have chosen to walk, no matter how difficult or ungrateful or wonderful it may be.
no subject
She does consider this, though. Just looking at him. Her expression is fairly blank, if only because -- well, she's selfish. All devils are, that way. They don't understand what it really means to be selfless, to help because they just can. Power only helps who she wants to. That's her form of greed. ]
Huh. [ And she just looks away. ] Sounds like a pretty dumb reason. Guess we really are opposites.
[ She's said it before, those words, to a trashy blond boy whose goals she didn't understand either. ]
No sign of Meowy?