WEEK FOUR MINGLE

[grigori]

camebit: week 4 mingle the castle within clouds

29 Remain

We hope that, with the start of your fifth week traveling across worlds, that you would be used to waking up in unfamiliar surroundings. The arid heat and bustling noise of the markets are gone now, the luxurious beds replaced with more gently broken in ones. You've got yourself a new bedmate—or two—but there's a different sort of buzz outside your door. Opening it will reveal a lively and colorful tavern full of other people, not just you and your fellow travelers.

Exiting the tavern shows a city full of all manner of people—much like Ahnkeen, this is a world made of different races you could only dream of or had left behind. The square is full of life and commotion, people, creatures. The Watchers aren't alone in being winged people, but there are elves, ogres, dwarves, worgs, and even small bird-like beings that chirp in greeting and carry out their business.

And there's a lot of business! Everyone around you is busily working on... something. Stalls are being set up and filled to the brim with masks, fancy dresses and suits, accessories, food, games. Hawkers at these stands advertise further business to be found in the actual storefronts, and many more give out free samples of food and drink, along with flowers to give to one another. A grand, wrought iron gate has been affixed to the castle gate's open doors, decorated in wrapped bundles of flowers and tree boughs, white silks draped to flow freely in the wind, with various offerings placed on either side of them.

Further exploration of the city will come to the realization that it is very much a city in the sky. All around you are rust brown and deep mahogany wood trees, in full autumnal colors, but the forest is broken up on floating islands all along the southern edge of the walled-in city. It's beautiful, but dangerous, and the locals and guards posted will advise you to watch where you're going so that you don't fall off the edge of the world.

And maybe keep an eye on your things. Unfortunately, the grifflets are not the only winged things here. While there are pegasi and wyvern and small dragons, assorted vermin can be spotted throughout the city, winged as well to have adapted to their environment. They are bold, and prone to biting.



Waiting for you to join them in the town square, outside of the Prancing Pegasi, are Baraqiel and Suriel. Shamsiel is not with them currently. Neither of them seem to be reacting to the effect for the week, even if it's abundantly clear that they are also affected by it, the same as you. Their hoods have been modified for the new additions to their persons—two slits with clasps to allow them to easily remove or adjust their hoods for... ears.

Baraqiel speaks up first, a pair of dark but gold-dusted and straight ears standing upright on their head. One of them twitches a little, an earing jingling faintly with the movement. They appear to be healed of their injuries, from the stay in Otamo, or at least enough that they aren't visible any longer. "Welcome to Camebit, apparently. Don't completely ruin everything this week, like you did Ahnkeen."

Are they joking? A little, but also not, as they continue. "I mean it. They're preparing for the Masquerade of Souls, so at least try to be respectful for once—I'm not going to claim responsibility for any of you if you manage to piss off the locals during their equivalent of a Ghost Festival."

Suriel also appears to have been mostly healed, having ditched the splint and crutch in the new week. Their squirrel daemon sits between a pair of cat ears in glittering, dusty gold that poke out from under their hood. "This festival is really important to them, so try to get along with them, okay? It might even give us something to look forward to!" After a moment, they add, "And don't worry too much about Shamsiel. They'll be okay, they just... need a little time."


Ready for your effect of the week? From the moment you wake up, until you've arrived in another world, everyone will get to be a furry. Hooray! This means you take on physical traits of a single animal—some leeway is allowed for creatures that characters would know from their worlds and creatures of mythology, the same as with your daemons—as well as some of their behavioral traits. This can include ears, horns, tails, wings, et al. Per law ("what law?" my law), you will only have one set of ears. This isn't Loveless.

Additionally, there will be A Thing posted on Tuesday. Please stay tuned for further information—but be ready to get fancy for a masquerade.

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Comments

Talk to Baraqiel

[grigori]

[ baraqiel drifts through the castle town, mostly, inspecting the hustle and bustle of the stalls and shops. they don't seem particularly interested in the masks and costumes, but are at least checking things out. there are a few live performances in the square, as well, that they'll stop and watch for a little bit. any time someone comes close to them, their ears swivel towards the person in question even if they don't immediately acknowledge that they're being approached.

you can also find them in the castle library, feet propped up on their tiger daemon as it rests on the ground, having found a chair they can lounge in that was clearly built to accommodate someone with wings while they read. ]

[callalilies]

[ sup, b?

in the library, kaeya will find him, his own set of white ears twitching curiously on his head. he'll peer in from behind the chair the watcher is sitting on. ]

So about this Masquerade of Souls... what's that all about? You and Suriel mentioned it was quite a big deal. Could you tell me more? And don't go telling me to ask the locals just to get me off your back, I'll do that later.

[ polaris comes trotting in as well in wolf form, seemingly delighted by his jaunty little walk. ]

[grigori]

[ sup.

baraqiel twitches an ear at him before turning the page of his book, not immediately answering. their tiger opens an eye before closing it again, comfortable despite being used as a footrest. whatever goes with the ears are otherwise concealed by the cloak. ]

It's a single day in their calendar year where the dead come back to celebrate with them. You can ask the locals about it, more, but apparently we'll be sharing the city with additional, ghostly visitors.

[callalilies]

Real ghosts?

[ ah the tail betrayal begins. kaeya finds somewhere to sit, quickly wrapping his tail around himself, but the tip twitches still. ]

What a gift... to be able to see your loved ones from beyond again, even if just for a night. Imagine all of the words gone unsaid, all of the secrets. I suppose we're lucky to witness it, don't you think?

[grigori]

What's the alternative, pretend ghosts?

[ a glance is sent kaeya's way, taking note of the wiggly fox tail, before it's back to the book again. it doesn't seem to be anything important - local tales, mostly. ]

Speaking with the dead isn't something unfamiliar to me, personally, but I can understand where the opportunity could be something to cherish. Especially when it only presents itself once a year. That we arrived when it was going on is really the luck, though.

[uncoincidental]

[in the library! she's carrying a couple of books. having bunny ears means she's got some prey animal instincts, and when she spots baraqiel's tiger, she draws back a few steps on impulse - and then makes a face, takes a breath, and walks closer.

aura, who is sitting on top of one of the books in her stack, seems amused in her own bunny way.]

Hi, Baraqiel.

[grigori]

Hello, Sheba.

[ even if they don't look up from where they're reading, their tiger Perceived and chuffs as if amused. baraqiel's tone also seems to have a twist of humor to it. bless her bunny heart. ]

Some light reading, I see.

[uncoincidental]

Mmhm.

[she's ... picked up what look like a bunch of mystery novels. girl, please do not try to learn investigative techniques out of books.]

You, too? What sorts of things do you like to read?

[grigori]

[ sheba, please. you got the spirit, at least, so there's that. ]

Mostly reading about the fables of this world. Even the most fictional of stories has some sort of grain of truth, or says something about the place you're in. Worth checking it every now and then.

[uncoincidental]

That's true...

[hmm... well, maybe she'll finish one of the mystery novels and then switch over for some fairy tales.]

In my world, there's a legend that the people of an ancient city raised their land into the sky to leave the world behind, and that what we think of as the moon is actually the underside of that city. I don't know if that's true, but I've seen the crater where they say that city was.

So... some truth, like you've said.

[grigori]

I imagine that would fit right in, in a place like this.

[ considering, you know, floating city. ]

So, regardless, the city was probably there once - even if it wasn't the people that raised it, something certainly did.

[yueshen]

[ coming around the corner in the market - xie lian perks almost immediately when he sees baraqiel and comes trotting over to their side, bunny ears up and twitching. ]

Baraqiel-gege! [ !!

his cheeks are a little pink, as he comes to a stop at their side. it looks like he was going to say something

and then stops and just smiles up at them for a moment like a fool ]

[grigori]

[ while his ears are already rather straight, they perk up straighter when they hear xie lian call for them, before they're turning to look down at him. with xie lian coming to their side, they shift a little - and then there is no space left between them.

something moves under the back of their cloak. it's accompanied by a swishy noise. they are both staring stupidly at each other. hello? ]

Enjoying the change in scenery? [ what scenery, you're not looking at anything else right now.

coming around from their other side is their daemon, lowing and chuffing and looking up at xie lian and san lang with moon eyes, itself, since no one can see baraqiel's through the mask. ]

[yueshen]

This place is magnificent. I think I could sit in the stands all day and watch those tournaments - I have seen incredible swordplay, from the locals! I hope to join in one shortly, though I would like to get my hands on a sword or two of my own from the blacksmiths.... I was hoping perhaps I could win one.

[ that smile remains, pink cheeked and happy - xie lian fiddles with a longer piece of his hair with one hand, curling it around his fingers as he gazes up at them. ]

Perhaps Baraqiel-gege would also enter...?

[ san lang, ferret formed, makes a delighted chirrup noise and leaps down from xie lian's shoulder, almost immediately hopping up to the daemon to boop their noses together in greeting, then excitedly running through its legs. ]

[grigori]

I believe there are prizes that you would be able to win readily, including a sword - barring that, at least monetary rewards or something to trade. It's not as if there's many here that could stand up to you in a swordfight.

[ praise him more, why don't you, baraqiel. but the wing closest to him unfolds from under the cloak, curving it at xie lian's back as they watch him play with his hair. ah, cute... ]

Maybe. There's no rules in place saying that we can't participate in things. [ the swishing noise continues, and they don't even seem bothered by the public daemon affection, as the tiger growls and then - pop! goes the weasel, going to pounce and dance around san lang. ]

[yueshen]

Monetary rewards, then - how exciting. Baraqiel-gege is very kind, though I think you have proven that we are a fairly even match.

[ this is fine. he looks away from them for a moment, down at the ground, and then up at their face again, still playing with his hair before he scoots in a bit towards the wing pulling him in. hi. hello. ]

It would be an honor to go against you in a competition - I could think of nothing more exciting!! [ this is said in genuine, almost cooing delight. ]

[ meanwhile, san lang immediately begins also bouncing and jumping all over near baraqiel's daemon, delighted!! like some kind of weasel-ferret dance. ]

[greatdeduction]

[Hey.]

[There's just hare ears rising near the chair's arm rest. He's just crouching here, sneakily. Don't mind him.]

[grigori]

[ baraqiel does not acknowledge him, at first. just thumbs to the next page. their daemon doesn't seem to be reacting, either? their eyes are closed.

and then they reach out to grab him by the ears like this is a bugs bunny cartoon. ]

What are you doing, Sholmes.

[greatdeduction]

Agh-!

[Just yelping with pain what are you DOING]

C-Can you be a little easier on the ears? What are you, some kind of hooligan-!!

[grigori]

I've been called worse to that effect, yes.

[ at least they don't pull hard, and they do let go of him after the yelp. not with haste, because they don't feel bad about it, but small mercies! ]

[greatdeduction]

[His ears flop back with a frown.]

I'm simply curious in what you're doing. What are you reading?

[malewife]

[ Joonghyuk's wolf tail swishes back and forth when he sees them. Niah is also matching. ]

Mantou.

[grigori]

[ a very brief swish under the cloak, but baraqiel frowns visibly at him while the tiger chuffs at the two of them. ]

Are we really doing this.

[malewife]

"This" meaning?

[ He doesn't know what you mean? Niah is merely staring. He is a well-behaved daemon or maybe it's just the calm before the storm. ]

[rerouter]

[... silently leaning at an angle to figure out what kind of furry they are this week, tbh. her own ears twitch, tail swishing behind her.]