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

[bloodyromance]

So sure I'd be able to? You wouldn't pummel me into the ground if I tried? Guess I overestimated you, then.

[Oldest trick in the book: calling them chicken.]

[powerplay]

[ She does easily fall for this, it's a joke. ]

Maybe you would be sneaky! But if it were a battle of strength, I would crush you underfoot like the worm you are!

[ Hands on her hips! Confidence to the skies! Bahaha! ]

[bloodyromance]

Well, now you've got me convinced. No running off for me, then, no siree.

We got a deal?

[powerplay]

If you ran away, that would be an automatic win for me anyway!

[ That's a 'sounds good to me', apparently! She has no idea what she's signing up for. ]

[bloodyromance]

Alright, then, demon girl. Which bag are we robbing? You're the lady with a plan, aren't you?

[He's fairly sure he can take her, but honestly so far she's pretty fun so he thinks he'll spare her life.]

[powerplay]

This one.

[ Spike's bag. She just. Says that straight up. She also doesn't deny anything about demon girls. ]

[bloodyromance]

Oh for – other than this one. This one's mine.

[powerplay]

Why not? It had a cute pink sweater in it. [ By the grace of God and misread intros but this sweater is a part of this thread now. ]

[bloodyromance]

[If you say so....]

Touch that and I'll fucking kill you.

[There's no amusement in his voice anymore, just ice cold rage.]

You wanna rob me, fine, but you won't have anything of hers.

[powerplay]

Huh? What's with you?

[ She, unfortunately, doesn't seem to be really fazed by the threat to her life. Annoyed that she's being threatened, if anything? ]

It's just a sweater!

[bloodyromance]

It's the Slayer's sweater. The kind that makes mince meat out of beasties far nastier than you or anything you've ever met.

Just leave it alone.

[powerplay]

Hmph! I am a powerful devil, nothing will be making mince meat out of me!

[ Bleh. She just makes a face at how protective he's being over this sweater. Gross. ]

It's just a piece of cloth. 'Tis cold out here.

[bloodyromance]

Yeah well, so am I, demon brat.

[He sighs.]

If you're cold there's clothes in the houses, ripe for the picking. There's no other clothes in this bag.

[powerplay]

Tch.

[ SHE TCH'S HIM. ]

'Tis devil, I am a devil! At least say fiend!

[bloodyromance]

There's a difference?

[Sorry, demon brat.]

[powerplay]

It's like calling a wolf a dog and saying they're the same.

[ Said like, duh. ]

[bloodyromance]

[So like the way demons would react to vampires, or real demons would react to earth demons. Hmm.]

Yeah, alright, that's fair.

You wanna go rob some houses?

[powerplay]

[ Hmm. She's thinking about this. Normally she isn't allowed to rob because of the law, but there is no law here. ]

What do you have in mind to rob?

[bloodyromance]

Well, there was a house a couple of blocks away with a big shiny window. Reckon I could break it with one good kick, even without my full strength.

Could be some stuff worth grabbing there.

[powerplay]

I see. Then we shall go to this house and see what is worth having.

[ Can you steal things if you assign them as your property on sight? Can't steal what's your own. Fuck this bag discourse, let's get some other stuff that isn't magically bound to the ground! ]

[bloodyromance]

Now, that's what I like to hear.

[He shoves the sweater into the bag, strolling alongside Power to the house. The window is in fact shiny, and tinted. Bizarrely expensive. He looks at her.]

You wanna bust it or shall I? Your pick.

[powerplay]

[ She doesn't even say yes. She just punches in a window. ]

Quickly, I'll get bored if we dawdle!

[bloodyromance]

Well, we wouldn't want that. [Ignoring the window he decides to settle for kicking the door in. Even without his vampire strength he's still very strong.

He wanders into the home and just scans about.] Clothes tend to be in the bedroom. Upstairs. [And he starts running up the stairs, hoping to find some clothing that isn't a sexy nun costume.]

[powerplay]

[ Wow lame. Power is hopping through the window she just busted right into the room. Avoiding broken pretty stained glass like a pro, even though she does bend over and pick up a piece and raise it to the air to watch it glitter for a second. Pretty. ]

Hm, did humans live here? It's dusty and dark, not even devils would like this much. [ As she comes upstairs also! ]

[bloodyromance]

Dunno what nasties you're dealin' with. This is a classic hiding hole for a vampire or a bunch of types of demons. One fellow I knew lived in a sewer. Got a good signal, though, and he had Twin Peaks on DVD.

[He's going to kick open the closet and go looking for a long black coat of some kind. He feels naked without his stolen black duster, and something has to fill the hole.]