INTRO MINGLE

[grigori]

cittàgazze: week 0 intro 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

Attached to the side of each satchel is one of those small, single-person umbrellas that come in a variety of patterns and are prone to turning inside out in a stiff breeze or yeeting off the handle when the button is pressed when used too frequently or not just right. There's a note attached in that loopy but legible handwriting saying: sorry, there weren't any better ones in the city. :(


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 ✨ locations ✨ statuses ✨ profiles ✨ audiences ✨
private conversations ✨ murder proposals ✨ curfew ✨ daemons ✨

Comments

[yueshen]

on arrival.

[ walking in from the fog feels like waking up - for xie lian, the memory of a dream clings to the back of his neck in a cold sweat. he moves forward in something of a daze, and his daemon, a white ferret, is curled around his neck, tiny claws dug into the fabric of... whatever he's wearing. xie lian hasn't even really noticed, because the minute he gets out of the haze, his voice rings out as clear as a bell. ]

Feng Xin? Mu Qing!

[ and - nothing.

absolutely nothing. his expression shifts, from sort of shaken, far off surprise - xie lian shakes his head, hard, glances at the little creature on his neck, and then back outwards, starting to move through the foggy city itself, still calling those two names. feng xin, mu qing, feng xin, mu qing?

after a few moments, though, xie lian stops, because he realizes the condition of the place he's in. the abandoned city, the worn down buildings.

his expression tightens, and for the moment, xie lian just stands there, frozen to the spot, his hands clenched into fists at his side and his gaze, for a moment, bitter. it would be a serious, pensive moment if he wasn't. you know. dressed like this?

at least it's white... ]

thievery...?

[ or maybe a little later, you might find xie lian standing in front of one of the shops that's already been broken into - he's taken off the habit of the...uh, costume, and has tied it sort of haphazardly around his muscled thighs, holding the knot at his hip. xie lian's entire face is red, and he is staring very intently at the interior of the shop, where a stack of fantastically nineties clothes are visible.

the ferret on his shoulder gives him a nudge, pushing its cute little face against xie lian's cheek, and he frowns, speaking in a just slightly hushed tone - ] San Lang ah. I can't.

[ the ferret chitters again. ]

No! There's no shopkeeper or anything like that - there's not even anyone I can pay for it.

[ chitter chitter chitter.

a little huffily: ] It's - I have - I'm not going to stay like this, of course not, but I can't - let's just find something we can trade, then.

[ the ferret paps xie lian on the cheek with a paw. this argument (?) continues. what's happening here. ]

pottery

[ so no feng xin, no mu qing, no swords, no mother and father, nothing. this is bizarre - and being in this strange place that is so similar to the town of their stopping point back home is giving him the goosebumps. still, xie lian explores the entire place looking for them, the daemon still curled around his neck.

eventually, he finds his way to the little ramshackle courtyard, and curiosity drives him to peek through the wares, still looking for human presence or familiar faces. as he's absently looking over one of the pottery stalls, xie lian freezes in place, deathly still - his daemon stands straight up and the fur on its back puffs up immediately, as both of their attention is drawn to whatever they saw.

...a second later, there's a loud CRASH as something white shatters into pieces against the cobblestones at xie lian's feet; xie lian stands over it, breathing harder than he should, his daemon still puffed up and hissing angrily at whatever he just broke. ]

wildcard or pcs!

[ u already kno. im xianle or hit me up on discord for pcs! ]

thievery

[booksleeves]

[Well. She is going through a similar thought process so let's put these two goodie two shoes together. Susato is wearing this one, and is walking very awkwardly. When she sees him, though, she can't really bring herself to look at him directly.]

. . . Oh dear. I couldn't help but overhear.

[yueshen]

[ it's

fine. if xie lian is any more or less embarrassed by the presence of someone else, his face doesn't show it, mostly because he is just scarlet red. he looks a little surprised, actually, and then just - isn't sure whether to laugh or to cry... ]

...did you also wake up in these strange clothes...? I was looking for a shopkeeper to purchase something else, but...

[booksleeves]

I did, yes. They aren't suitable at all, are they?

[She looks slightly away from him with great sympathy.]

I suppose if the shopkeeper is out and left his door unlocked, he must not be particularly concerned about theft. Perhaps if we were to borrow a few items and leave a note. . .

pottery;

[senjinrouha]

[ there's a long-- well, not a silence. there's too much angry hissing for it to be a silence. but there's definitely a stretch of nothing other than that, before yuri's head just appears around the corner.

there's a moment where he's just looking around the courtyard, and then a wolf's head appears around by his knees, also looking around for the source of the commotion. ]

... Everything okay in here...?

[ said with the air of someone who knows damn well everything probably isn't okay, given that wild hissing he's hearing. ]

[yueshen]

[ xie lian's head shoots up the minute he hears someone call out, golden brown eyes wide, and expression moving from a sort of horrified anger to confusion. his ferret stops hissing, but he's still bristly. ]

What?

[ at his feet, the pieces of the pottery are a little more obvious - this looks like it could have been some sort of mask.

xie lian shakes his head, like he's trying to clear whatever it was, blinking quickly. ] I - sorry. I'm sorry. I just...thought I saw something.

[ he's still breathing a little hard, though. the ceramic at his feet isn't completely destroyed - yuri can maybe tell it was some sort of mask. ]

[senjinrouha]

…

[ huh. ]

Not my pottery, so not sure why you’re apologising.

[ pravda stares for a moment longer, before padding her way into the courtyard and nosing at the broken shards cautiously and curiously. ]

You didn’t injure yourself, did you?

pottery

[uncoincidental]

[that loud crash has sheba - who has already stolen some 90s-esque clothes to change into - come running. she may not have her usual weapon with her, but she does have a nicely-sized rock that she picked up off the ground. it kind of sounds like a fight of some kind?

...or maybe not? she looks poised to fight, but - there doesn't seem to be any monsters to fight off. her daemon, in peregrine falcon form, flutters down to perch on her shoulder.]

Are you okay...?!

[yueshen]

[ some people are smart enough to steal clothes and xie lian is not one of those people. he's still in his nun outfit, with the habit now tied around his waist. hilarious.

anyway, when someone addresses him, xie lian almost jumps. he turns around, surprised, expression somewhere between shocked, horrified, and angry and then slipping to confused. ]

I - what? Yes. [ odd. he looks down at the thing he shattered, again, sees the curve of a black slice in it, and then shakes his head, rapidly, kicking the shard out of the way and trying to gather his composure again. ] ...sorry. I thought I saw something. Everything is fine.

[uncoincidental]

[well, if it's fine, she'll just drop her rock. goodbye, rock.]

I'm glad to hear that. At first I thought a monster was attacking or something...

[and yet this tiny 14 year old came running despite not having a weapon. smh.]

This place is kind of... eerie, don't you think?

thievery

[third_alternative]

Trade with who? It's not like there's anyone running any of these shops. I'm sure they won't mind if you grab some pants while they're out. Consider it...a public service! For not making everyone look at you in these outfits!

[yueshen]

[ this makes him turn a little pink, and he shifts a little, pulling the habit over his thighs. at least he's mostly covered compared to some people? no fishnets. as pretty as a lady in this outfit if you ignore the muscles. ]

There could be someone - there are people running about, aren't there? Children, but children must come from somewhere...

I suppose I could leave a note.

thievery!

[arcsplainist]

[ Given that Alphinaud is no longer dressed indecently, he evidently had little issue grabbing what he could. That doesn't seem to be the same for everyone, though. ]

Forgive me for eavesdropping, but—should there be aught you find, 'twould appear there is not a soul to give it to.

[yueshen]

[ sometimes you are a certified good boy

xie lian looks over...and down, a little surprised! but then nods, turning his attention back to the shop, chewing on his lip. ]

But there were - and there are children around here, as well. It isn't as if they simply appeared out of nowhere.

on arrival

[sponsoredby]

[ it looks like this guy is pensive about things, as well. but he quickly shakes off that look when he sees another person in need. it seems like he's not the only one that's been taken from home... ]

I'm guessing you don't know this place, either?

[yueshen]

[ oh! an unfamiliar face. xie lian lifts his head to look up at him, then presses his hand to his fist and bows his head. ]

I do not - it is a bit similar to where I was, but... [ but very different, all the same. ] You haven't seen anyone who looks somewhat like me around, have you, good sir? Long hair - one is tan skinned, and one is fairer. Their names are Feng Xin and Mu Qing.

thievery

[bloodread]

[ akira listens to this back and forth as he gets his bearings in his recently thieved outfit, he had been running back and forth to test it out for mobility or maybe he's just this much of a musclehead. ]

Seriously? You're gonna be here all day. [ his look is matched by the snake that peers out from behind a corner. ]

[yueshen]

[ he just might be actually. his ferret sits up on his shoulder at the new presence, alert and attentive, ears pricking forward. ]

I'm not just going to take things without trading something for them. [ what is he a heathen!!! ]

thievery

[cranelike]

(And very quietly, Tsurumaru will approach. Do his nun heels even make a sound? Hm. He doesn't seem to be too bothered by the fact that he's dressed like a nun. He's beautiful and he knows it's going to take more than a tacky costume to bring him down. )

My, my... is it really that difficult?

(He stops a small distance away from Xie Lian, keeping some space between them. He likes watching. And from here, he can get a good look and hear what else is being said.)

Though, I can't say I condone stealing...

(Voice trailing a bit at the end there. He's curious to see how Xie Lian will respond.)

[yueshen]

[ oh, hello. xie lian glances backwards at this white haired person - he frowns a little bit at first, and then shakes his head. ]

I'm not going to steal something from someone. Just taking them not being here like it's free is cruel.

[ san lang chitters on his shoulders in agreement. ] I don't have much to trade, though, besides... I suppose this outfit.

pottery

[syndromed]

[ rika is here. both she, and the black cat around her feet, seem... pretty unbothered by this? ]

Careful. There might be sharp shards on the ground, now.

[yueshen]

[ oh - oh, there's someone else there. xie lian jumps, surprised at the voice, and then, his expression immediately changes to guilt and worry. ]

... Sorry. I'm - sorry, I must have startled you, I just...

[ well. it just looked familiar. ] ... thought I saw something strange. Thank you for your concern, young lady...

pottery

[magichammer]

Whoa!

[ the sound of breaking things just brings out the rubberneckers, it seems, judging by the teenager/ferret duo that pops up behind him ]

Jeez, what's your problem? Was it too ugly or something?

[yueshen]

[ xie lian and the ferret on his shoulder both jump when there's another voice - he whirls around, expression sort of haunted and far away and angry all at once? but then it fades into confusion. ]

I... sorry.

[ a little shaken, he tries to clear it off, shaking his head. ] Just... thought I saw something familiar, was all. Did I startle you, miss..?

Xieladdin and the Frothy Thieves--

[drinkingproblem]

Who're you paying, the overseer for the afterlife? Seriously, this is a ghost town, you just making problems for yourself?

[Suigetsu pops up behind him, though it isn't anything quite that abrupt: he has to haul his wheelbarrow over from not far away, after all, where he's been clattering about just like. Hauling things away. There's a lot of borrowing going on here -- but he might be forgiven considering his daemon is sloshing around in a laundry basin.

The jellyfish taps a tentacle against the side of its basin, like a sign of impatience, even if it isn't very loud on account of being, well, jelly.

Suigetsu is looking on judgingly next to the wheelbarrow, poised with it pointed at the shop window.]

The rest of us really need some new threads. I just paid for new ones not that long ago, too...

[He's. Well, he's wearing a nun bathing suit, so you can see why he's being pushy.]