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

[powerplay]

[ Yes she is in the sexy nun outfit for all of this. ]

A. PRETTY NORMAL REACTION(?)

[ Well, Power's just wandering around the city, a little wide-eyed, of course a tad confused. She's got a big giant frown on her face though, like she's super unhappy. ]

This isn't Topknot's place... this isn't Denji's either. And this isn't Hell. Where is this, I can't read -- whatever this is!

[ She has the neatly printed coupon for Hotel Nido di Gazza in her hand. Which she throws to the ground. Pointlessly since it flutters. She picks it up and tries again. This is just going to keep happening. ]

B. 'TIS MINE, ALL MINE

[ Hey, you here to come pick up your bags? Well, lookie here, since a scrawny girl (?) might be trying to pick up yours, but clearly struggling to because it's just so damn heavy... to her. Even though she already has a bag over her own shoulders as it is. Well... this is happening now. ]

C. WAY BACK HOME

[ Power is out here, running around with the shitty umbrella in the fog and rain -- if you're close by, she's ignoring you. She seems to be looking for something. 'Meowy? Meowy!' she keeps calling out, as she makes her way through. She appears to be in some kind of panic, rushing through the rain in her scantily-clad outfit, far more worried about something else.

As she passes in an alleyway, there's a rustle, and an orange cat jumps out -- and into her arms. She looks stunned for a minute. ]

You're --

[ And then she frowns, sharp and bitter, but hugs the cat close. And then she spots you, and immediately frowns, vibes taking a 180. ]

Hey, what're you looking at!

A

[perfectdistance]

[He watches this go on for a while before he says anything. As if maybe if he waits for long enough, she will stop.]

What are you trying to read?

[powerplay]

[ Huh! Human(?)! She snatches the ticket out of the air and frowns big at Nero. And then just thrusts the ticket into his chest. ]

You there! What does this ticket say, it's not any word I know!

II

[bloodyromance]

[Spike doesn't seem angry. If anything, he seems a bit amused. He raises an eyebrow at this feral demon girl attempting to run off with his stuff.]

Need some help there?

[powerplay]

No!

[ She doesn't need help!! ]

The bag is just a bit heavy but I'm out of practice, so -- I lost a lot of blood in a brave battle, recently, so I'm just -- warming up!

[ PULL -- and fail. ]

Ugh! What's so heavy in this stupid thing?! Cannot be as useful as mine if it's not made for me to be able to carry around!

b.

[booksleeves]

[Susato is just watching her do this for a moment, head tilted to the side, frowning regretfully.]

. . . Oh dear, are you having trouble? I think that one might be mine.

[powerplay]

[ Huuuuggghhhhh. She's still trying to tug this away. ]

No! 'Tis mine, I'm -- certain of it! Hgggh! What is in this! Seems unfair that different bags have different things in them!

C!

[yueshen]

[ oh... xie lian looks a little surprised when he's addressed with what are you looking at - he's holding his own umbrella in both hands, and his daemon is settled around his neck. it seems the sight of this poor woman panicking caught his attention, and he was trying to see if maybe he could help! good thing there wasn't any need, maybe?

anyway. he blinks when he's addressed, and then shakes his head. expression softening with genuine concern, he asks, gently: ] Is your cat alright, Miss...? Do you need something to dry it off with?

[ xie lian is also dressed in his scantily clad nun outfit still, though he's abandoned his shoes; he reaches for the weird habit thing on his head and starts to untie it, since it's now fairly dry. ]

[powerplay]

[ She pets the thing in her arms, which looks at Xie Lian with an unreadable but fairly neutral face. A curious glance to his daemon, but not much more than that for now. ]

He's fine. [ Half-muttered, though seemingly still a little embittered. ] ...I guess, this is my cat...

...But it's not Meowy.

C

[sponsoredby]

[ Well, Kotetsu is used to getting sass from people from time to time. No reason to let it get to him. ]

I'm looking at a happy reunion if I had to guess.

[ His tiger sits nearby, doesn't seem phased by any of this. And yes, he is wearing the nun outfit, too. ]

[powerplay]

[ I can't be a rebellious teenage daughter yet!! She just scoffs at him though, just like said rebellious teenage daughter, and though she hugs the cat close and seems far less of being in a panic, she doesn't seem too happy. ]

'Tis not the happy reunion I was looking for.

b

[senjinrouha]

[ ......


........................

he picks her up by the collar like the unruly cat she apparently is. ]

What you got there?

[powerplay]

[ HUUH. She does freeze up for a second when she's picked up by the scruff. You have done her a spook. But as soon as she realises it is not who she thinks it might've been, she is flailing. ]

Wh -- let me go! [ BAPPING. ]

b

[allyship]

[rochalizo, looking somewhat beat up, just watches her for a bit.]

Is that...? You appear to be struggling, miss.

[powerplay]

[ Rocha buddy what happened to you. ]

I am not struggling! I am just -- out of practice a little bit because of reasons!

[ Is that not the same as struggling? Not according to her apparently! She will not stop attempting to drag away this bag. ]

c

[quiz]

[ Her eyes are fixed to the fog and soft pitter-patter of the rain as it hits the cheap umbrella. The mouse huddles close on her shoulder, moving to hide in the curve of her neck as she hears an unfamiliar voice shouting -- almost in hysterics, a piece of her wants to laugh.

Reze's gaze leaves the focused area of the fog, another half of her wishing to explore, and watches as the girl is reunited with the cat that jumps straight into her arms.

She blinks thrice, when addressed, and knows that paired with the glare are all meant for her. ]

Two alley cats being reunited. [ She states, her tone just a bit too flat. ] ... I think. For a moment you almost looked confused, like a lost dog.

[powerplay]

Foolish, if you think I looked like a lost dog...

[ She does frown, though. And it turns into a furrow of brows, as she sniffs, then narrows her eyes. Hm? Hm??? The earlier description of an alleycat isn't so wrong though. The cat in her arms also perks up with curiosity, nose twitching. ]

Who are you?

B

[perceivedrevalry]

[Oh come on, now the horned one is messing with the bag he knows belongs to him. This is ridiculous]

Did you lose anything in there?

[Said with the bemused tone he can muster. Finders keepers doesn't work like that! Mostly due to the magic, but still!]

A

[aono]

['This isn't Hell', she says. Well, at least Rin can figure out why she would say that, and he's not going to ask too many questions about it because 1) demons are commonplace in his world (and she definitely looks like she's at least part-demon), and 2) girl hot. So instead-]

Don't feel too bad, I can't read it either. Let's find my brother, he knows English so he'll read it for us.

[Nevermind that it's not in English either.]

A: Totally Normal Reaction

[drinkingproblem]

How's this not hell? Seems pretty close to me. That especially.

[It's amused and kind of sardonic; he doesn't look especially uncomfortable even in all this rain and gloom and fog, actually, but that might be because he's a bikini nun -- unlike all the moist sad nuns in the rain.

Either way, the point is that he looks unnecessarily at home being rained on, and so does his jellyfish daemon.

He's also pointing pointedly at her horns. Like????]

b

[arcsplainist]

[ ... Huh. Isn't that his? ]

Having trouble, are you?

c.

[naqqali]

[ she was Fine literally until the second power perceived her: ]

Aah! I'm sorry, please do not kill me!

c

[cranelike]

(Ah, he's been spotted. He has his umbrella up, keeping himself as dry as he can in the rain. This woman seems to be quite anxious though. Actually, there's a lot to take in right now and he wonders how to best intervene until she turns around to snap at him.

Despite the attitude, he doesn't seem bothered. He tilts his head to one side and crosses one arm over his center letting some of the rain slide off the umbrella behind him,)

An oni, perhaps?

b.

[magichammer]

[ hm, Ulrika's pretty sure that's her name on that bag... and this lady is walking(?) away with it... ]

Oh, are you offering to carry my stuff for me? Thanks! Could you carry this too?

[ all of this is said in a sickly sweet super girly voice ]

b

[syndromed]

Are you trying to steal?

[ rika doesn't sound like that's a bad thing, though. ]