TDM #11

[calderaevents]

ARRIVAL

It happens in an instant. A heavy weight in your gut, a trembling of your limbs, the world spins and you barely have time to register that you're falling before you lose consciousness. And when you awaken, it's not where you were last. Dark, unadorned oak walls surround you in a tiny room, the only furniture the bed you are currently resting upon, and the bedside table with a folded piece of parchment resting atop it that simply reads:

"The Tavernkeeper is awaiting your arrival downstairs."

As you exit you find others like yourself emerging from the surrounding rooms. You are indeed in a tavern, but there is no hustle and bustle one might think to hear in such a place. The only person down on the main floor is--

Not who any expect.

Due to popular demand, the starter tavern and the drinks provided are available to in game characters via a portal accessible only to those with a faction gem.

DRINK MENU

TIRAMISU TWIST A coffee and cocoa-kissed martini that calls upon friendly little wisps of elemental light that cling to the drinker and occasionally coo like a dove. Each bears the name of the drinker's loved one written on its 'body', and come in larger sizes the closer the drinker feels to the keeper of the name.

PASSIONFRUIT BLOOM A chilled, sweet indulgence topped with flowers. The drinker finds themselves coughing up flowers on a temporary basis. Those with hidden or otherwise unrequited feelings may find themselves with a more intense onset of this strange effect.

WINTER'S BREATH BELLINI Sweet with strawberry and tangy with peach, this treat will cool you down. It cools you down a little TOO much. The drinker feels increasingly colder until they seek or receive the touch of another. Best huddle up for warmth!

WIND WISP SPARKLER This prosecco-forward drink is refreshing, and you feel lighter than air... literally. Drinkers begin to float for a limited time. Watch the ceiling.

CARAMEL CADENZA Sweet and smooth, this confectionary shot warms the belly and puts a song in your heart! Drinkers feel like singing to anyone who will listen... or to someone very special.

CHOOSE YOUR DESTINY

As the effects of your drink wear off, the Tavernkeeper speaks once more:

"It is time, my friends, for you to find your new homes."

You are compelled to walk through the only door leading out of the tavern, finding yourself not outside, but in a deep black, seemingly endless room with five portals arranged in a circle. As the last of you leave and the door closes behind you, gone when you look back again and replaced with nothing but that black void, three of the portals illuminate:

The first portal is surrounded by an almost blinding light, prismatic rainbows shining brightly in the dewy air outside of the tavern. A soft breeze may gently caress you, pulling you toward it. The portal seems to lead to a city in the clouds, airships and winged beings of all sorts soaring through the skies. Of the little bits of visible land, much of it boasts giant waterfalls that look like clouds melting into the land below. The portal calls to those who crave independence and freedom; and especially to anyone that wishes to find the strong bond of a family not forged in blood.

The second portal is encircled by a fairy ring of spotted white capped mushrooms, the faint scent of damp stone and rich earth wafting from within the faint green glow. Peering inside, one can see a sprawling harbor city of gray hewn stone, a melting pot of humanoid beings going about their day, and beyond, rolling green farmland and cottages clustered in small villages. This portal is destined for those who crave stability and solid ground beneath their feet. A simple life, an adventurous one, and everything in between can be found within.

The last portal is adorned with shells and seaweed, the glow of blue around it catching on droplets cascading down the circular opening. Beyond it you see a city housed inside a massive bubble deep under the ocean, spiraling towers encrusted with coral, and a variety of different creatures mingling about the streets. Outside of that bubble, merfolk swim, a massive squid engulfs the view from the portal as it smoothly glides through the water, and schools of fish disperse as it passes. A sanctuary in the sea that calls to those with a hunger for knowledge and a desire to aid those in need. Or perhaps it is the mystery that beckons you - the lure of the unknown in the depths that bids you explore it.

---

Upon following the pull of the breeze through the first portal, you are thrust into the beauty of a lively city that goes by the name of Heaven's Bow. Much of this main city feels exactly as you would expect on a city below, but there are clouds surrounding every direction you look. The walls of buildings are made with light-colored limestone, and buildings are generally built up to heights made even more grandiose by their position in the sky.

The Skyfall Docks are the first thing you notice, boasting hundreds of airships sailing in and out across the clouds with shouts that accompany a typical port city. Just outside is a fantastic market with goods not only from the other regions of Caldera, but from what some shopkeepers claim are other worlds--items sold or left behind by Visitors. Almost anything can be found in the markets if one is willing to look hard enough. Transport to other locations throughout the sky and even to the land or sea can be found here.

If the docks are too lively for you, you may instead find yourself roaming the underbelly of Heaven's Bow and finding brothels and gambling parlors filled with the promise of pleasure and fortune. The guild house for the Sylphs can be found here as well, giving out quests and training to prospective adventurers and guards alike--though none of them seem concerned with the illicit activities that surround them. Perhaps the freedom the Sylphs boast of extends to what others may deem an undesirable activity.

But most curious of all, you find a shimmering opal gemstone in your hand. When placed anywhere on the body, it will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.

---

If it was the second portal that called to you, you will find yourself in the busy city of Grey Ward, with its cobblestone streets and sturdy grey stone buildings. You are in the heart of the city, the Glass Market, so named for the colorful stained glass windows of the surrounding buildings. The scent of cooking food and the sound of barkers fills the air; watchful guards keep an eye out for pickpockets and thieves, and citizens go about their day. From here, one can investigate the rest of the city: the Sundown Docks, where both sea and sky faring skips transport people and goods. The Soot Spire, home of inventors and engineers. The Hearthstill, the main residential area. The Downs, a smaller residential area for those with less means.

Outside the city walls, one can explore acres of farmlands to the east and west, or follow Terra's Pass to the less settled areas, but take care. Past the Skyward Range, out in the smaller burrows and villages, the influence of the city guard diminishes quickly, and you'll have to keep your wits about you. Bandits along the road are always a risk, and the wildlife are less controlled by regimented hunting.

In your hand is a gemstone, a brilliantly green emerald that, when placed anywhere on the body, will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.

---

If the last portal beckoned you through it, you find yourself within that bubble covered city beneath the sea, the city of Salt Spire. Your ears pop with the change in pressure, and the smell of the salty sea fills your nostrils. All around you buildings made of dark stone encrusted with coral and seagrass tower high above your head, the backdrop outside the dome a deep blue, seemingly endless sea filled with fish and merfolk and all other manner of creature swimming through the water. You stand in the heart of it all, surrounded by people with gils on their necks and scales upon their vibrantly colored skin, all of whom seem intrigued by your arrival. You have many options of where to visit in the city under the sea, but where oh where will you go first?

The Salt Spire Library is right before you, an impossibly large building housing thousands upon thousands of books of all genres. Fiction, non-fiction, romance and mystery and all between. You may even find books from your world and others! Oddly enough though, no Calderan history books are to be found, and if you ask for them, the librarians and locals all choose to ignore your questions.

If scholarly pursuits aren't to your interest currently, perhaps a trip to Bluetide Market would be more your style? The marketplace is host to every manner of shop one might ever need: artisans of all varieties, apothecaries and healers in the Shimmer Quarter, the most in fashion undersea clothing shops, food stalls, and all between can be found in Bluetide. There are also the Tideshore and Fogbottom docks on either end of the city. The former allows transport to the surface via large, magical bubbles for those that cannot hold their breath or make the swim themselves yet. The latter allows people to venture further into the sea. Those without their underwater abilities are offered rebreathers for travel that last for four hours before needing to be replaced.

In your hand is a gemstone, a shining sapphire that, when placed anywhere on the body, will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.

---

Visitors in all starter cities are offered a standard home with basic necessities provided (your choice in design, etc.) that can house 1-4 people if they so choose. If you aren't ready for a permanent home yet, there is an inn in Grey Ward, where accommodations and food are free for Visitors.

NOT YOUR REGULAR TAVERNKEEPER

The usual Tavernkeeper, a calming presence with a familiarity you cannot place, is shockingly absent for the first time since Visitors arrived in Caldera. Behind the bar, instead, is a tall and imposing figure — bright silver eyes like storm clouds, wild hair that crackles with electricity, the smell of ozone in the air. To those familiar with the Storm God, leader of the Sylph, they know this is Nymion, the arrogant, cocky Star God who rose to power in the stead of the previous ruler after her death. It has recently been revealed that he is an auditor of sorts, sent to assess Caldera's worthiness to remain in the universe, here to judge his fellow Star Gods—and the Visitors themselves—on their performance.

Here, now, he seems to be... pleasant, for all Nymion could be described as pleasant. This could be a trick. Some sort of process his audit demands… or he could be bored and looking to entertain himself. It is difficult to tell.

"Morning, sunshine," he greets, his voice thunderous, deep and rumbling like an oncoming storm. His grin is cocky, his tone easy — he is a man who knows he is powerful enough to destroy everything there ever was or ever could be on this planet with a snap of his fingers, a gust of godly wind, and lightning. "Care for a drink? Your usual Tavernkeeper is... indisposed," he says, perhaps ominously, perhaps simply to toy with you. "I can answer all your questions. Don't worry." He winks.

CRYSTAL CLEAR

During the month of February, Caldera is abuzz with juicy gossip about budding romances.

Did you hear? Sera was seen holding hands with Morgan!
You will not believe what he confessed to me...
I saw them making off into the woods together! It was right by that strange new pond!

All the rumors center around a heart-shaped pond that has appeared in Dusklight, a serene locale up in the clouds where you can always see the stars, not just in the sky but seemingly floating as glowing crystals in the air above you. Couples, friends, and families skate on the icy pond or sit on benches around it, holding hands, harmonious. As you step onto the path wrapping around the body of water, wisps of sparkling snow blow past you, bringing with them a strange feeling. You get the slow, creeping urge to confess something to whoever you are with. This is not an upsetting feeling; in fact, you feel almost giddy with excitement to reveal something in your heart that you've been keeping from them. You may want to share something from your past you rarely speak of, knowing that in this place, it is more likely to be well-received. Whether your connection is platonic or romantic, now is the perfect time to deepen it. If your feelings are romantic, you may also have the urge to kiss them. Don't be shy, now...

QUESTBOARD

Settled in? Good. It's time to make your way to the Questboard located in every city in numerous, easy to access locations. That is, if you want to make any kind of impact on the world or just get some Bones for anything you might wish to purchase. Visitors are given a very small stipend in which to survive every month, but all it does is keep you fed and housed. These quests will assure you greater wealth, and they're the main reason you're here: each finished quest helps the Calderans fix their shattering world.

Quests can be accepted at the questboard via magically signed parchment upon the board. Just sign your name to accept and the paper will be whisked away... somewhere. You're not actually sure. Probably nothing to concern yourself with.

Once quests are completed, earned Bones will be dropped off at the character's residence by Bonita, the mysterious artisan who has supposedly handcrafted every Bone circulating in Caldera. Please do not speak to her, she startles easily.

OOC NOTES

Welcome to Caldera's 11th TDM! All characters awaken in a strange tavern with nothing save the clothes on their backs, all of their powers stripped, and a piece of parchment directing them downstairs to the Tavernkeeper. However, the resident Sylph leader, Nymion, has taken it upon himself to answer all questions here. You are welcome to begin a thread with him.

◾For OOC questions, please direct themhere.

◾All locations are available to be explored!

◾The TDM is game canon and all completed quests can be carried over once accepted into the game.

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Comments

ASK... NYMION? (IC QUESTIONS)

[calderanpcs]

You read that correctly. Reply to this thread to ask Nymion any questions you have about Caldera.

Ymmv.

Involving AGGRESSIVE eye contact

[twice_cursed]

What have you done with the original jerk bartender.
[You...you...you OTHER jerk!]

[sidhean]

I'm not tipping you.

[Having made the mistake of drinking the Passionfruit Bloom, Courtney has two cups in front of her. One for the remainder of the drink. The other, overflowing, for all the stupid petals she keeps hacking up. She's emotionally repressed, so sue her.

But there's no reason Nymion should care about that, and she wasn't going to tip him anyway.]

Do you actually enjoy this, or is it just a nine-to-five you can never punch out of? All of you gods are weird here, but you're the weirdest.

[invigorates]

Lioriley sat at the bar, watching Nymion as he "worked," her smile as polite as always.

"How is queen Cordelia faring?"

[heartofthestar]

From whence sprang the gods?

[Give her the opportunity, she'll take it. Truth be told, she's very curious about what existence may have created them for this world, as were the Twelve created for Etheirys.]

[lonelysmiles]

Alastor hummed thoughtfully for a moment. "As much as I'd like a sazerac, let's keep it simple: whiskey on the rocks."

He propped his chin up in his hand as he watched the leader of his faction pour the drinks.

"As amusing as this is, I'd have thought you'd consider bartending beneath you."

OOC QUESTIONS

[calderaevents]

NEW CHARACTER TOPLEVELS

[calderaevents]

Link your top levels here!

Verso

[halfpedal]

Haunted Victorian Man (TM)

Barcus Wroot | Dryad (existing character) | ota

[lost_and_foundry]

Drinks: Tiramisu Twist

On a barstool, there's a figure surrounded by soft lights. There's a gnome under there somewhere, we swear it. At the moment, he looks like a holiday tree with far too many glow in the dark ornaments. People are using him as illumination to read the menu. This is almost embarrassing. He fishes one out of his drink, shakes it off gently, and sets it back on his shoulder, where it promptly snuggles up into his collar.

Come see if you can find your name, or like...find the person underneath all these gently cooing elementals.


Crystal Clear

Wearing not one, but two knitted hats, because he needs the insulation on his head and also Bel makes things for him, Barcus finds himself circling the path around the pond for exercise on more than one occasion. Gossip is a guilty pleasure. There's a lot of it within the Ironhands, there was a lot of it within the community growing up, and while he's very discreet about passing things on, he loves to hear it. Pour the tea, please. Or maybe you can talk him into confessing things, himself?

Drinks: Tiramisu Twist

[lettersfrombel]

Look, Bel is a lot more secure in his relationships than he was when he first started having them in Caldera. There's still a little thrill of seeing his name on one of the elementals. He doesn't need the validation, but it's still nice to have. And... well, Bel is also happy to see that Barcus is deservedly a center of the community given how many of the things he spawned. Even if it looks a little awkward.

"What drink was that?" Bel had ordered the bellini and was realizing that he was starting to get cold, and given how the tavern worked, it probably was not something that could be resolved by sitting by the fire.

Courtney Crumrin | Sylph (existing character) | ota

[sidhean]

Drinks: Passionfruit Bloom

A hanahaki drink? What could possibly go wrong? Courtney genuinely thought it wouldn't be a big deal. She's been honest with Balthiel, he knows she's into him. She's not exactly demonstrative with her friends, but most of them seem to understand that being less bitchy is how she expresses affection.

What she didn't count on is how wildly emotionally repressed she's been the last decade or so, and now she's paying the price. An extra glass beside her is overflowing with petals, and there are a few scattered on the floor, too. It sounds like she has a case of severe hiccups, but she's stubbornly still sipping her drink and glowering at it, as if it's offended her personally. Which it has.

Thanks, Caldera. Very clever object lesson.

Wildcard

((Hit her up for gossip around the pond, quests, or whatever! I'm game for whatever.))

Re: Courtney Crumrin | Sylph (existing character) | ota

[spacetogrow]

Ilphyl does hear the hiccups and... well, flowers are new. "What's going on?"

Julien Davinos | Critical Role c4: Araman | Sylph

[knightofroyce]

Passionfruit Blood

The first taste of the sweet drink isn't as bad as he had expected. It's fresh and there is something floral about it that he can't quite pin point. He obviously enjoys it as he finishes the glass.

That is.

Until he starts coughing up petals, deep red petals that surprise him. He clears his throat and moves to demand answers only to chose differently upon seeing the imposing figure at the bar. Instead he decides to try looking for someone to try and help him.


Crystal Clear

Wandering around Julien pulls his cape close as he walks the edge of the lake. There's still a chill in the air that he's not quite used to. There hadn't been snow in Kahad when he was there, he wasn't exactly dressed for it. But then, the cold is bracing and helps him to focus on this feeling in his gut.

The want to confess. But confess what? And to who?

Confess that the only way he can sleep is to drown himself in wine until he passes out? Even then the nightmares don't always stay at bay. Confess that all he ever wanted to do was to make his father proud and in the end he gained his ire. That in chasing that pride he lost himself to indulgence, to numb the judgement.

In the end he was a boy who missed his dad, and now he was a man brooding along a lake bed lost in thought as he stops and drops onto a bench not even noticing there was already someone sitting on the other end.

Crystal Clear

[makingmyway]

Dorian had preoccupied people-watching that he doesn't notice someone approaching the bench he's sitting on until a weight heavily drops onto it, startling him a bit. As he glances over, he notices that it's not someone he recognizes, nor does it seem that the person has even seen him.

The person also seems to be in a low mood, so he can't help clearing his throat before speaking. "Excuse me? Everything all right?"

Verso | Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 | Undine

[halfpedal]

1. ARRIVAL - Caramel Cadenza

Turns out indulging in a tavern drink and finding a dark corner to stand in wasn't the best way to slide under anyone's notice and play quiet observer, but Verso still tried. He remained silent and still for as long as possible, leaning against a wall with arms crossed, and even as the sweet notes of the concoction loosened his throat, stirring notes of music from his vocal cords, he kept his voice quiet. He hummed softly at first, but when that didnt cull the urge, he sighed quietly, closed his eyes and allowed the words and melody to fall gently from his lips, as warm and rich as the caramel liquor, fingers of his visible hand twitching where the rested against his bicep, picking out the accompaniment on mental piano keys. "Plaisir d’amour ne dure qu’un moment, chagrin d’amour dure toute la vie...J'ai tout quitté pour l'ingrate Sylvie, elle me quitte et prend un autre amant..."...

2. QUEST - Comet Song

Leaning against the railing on the bow of the ship, Verso rolled a hunk of beeswax between his fingers, not yet using the substance to plug his ears despite the grimace on his face. The haunting song was clearly starting to affect him, but he was stubbornly trying to pick something sensical out of the melody, or hear a word. "Putain," he murmured with a wince, glancing back at his questing companion. "Feels like my veins are vibrating. Any thoughts or ideas to share before I plug my ears?"

Arrival

[coldsong]

To a chronic lurker like Loki, there are none so conspicuous as those who are attempting to blend in. Takes one to know one. Granted, most newcomers are a little bit wary, a little reluctant to put themselves out there (except for the ones who march right into the thick of things and demand answers), but there's something about the human man's body language that makes Loki think this isn't a case of nerves. More like second nature.

So, he's already watching Verso casually over the rim of his own drink when he begins singing. His eyebrows quirk at first, mildly surprised by the effect of this particular beverage, but after a few notes he sets his cup down and simply listens. A good voice. Flawless pitch, and he can see his fingers plucking out the notes. If he's not a professional, perhaps he should be.

He chooses not to interrupt, letting him wind through the entire melody before rising and wandering over. "You've studied," he says with quiet certainty. "I assume impromptu concerts in bars aren't your first choice of venue, but I'm rather impressed."

Dorian Storm | Sylph (existing character) | OTA

[makingmyway]

Drinks: Winter's Breath Bellini

The fact that Nymion was here instead of the regular tavernkeeper couldn't possibly be a good thing. Dorian had only intended to drop by for a little bit, just to check if anyone he might knew might have arrived, but seeing the star god had him a bit worried, and he ends up staying just in case something might happen that required assistance.

While he's here, he orders a drink, because he might as well. He chooses this particular drink because the description of it makes him think that it might help cool his mood a bit.

And it does... maybe a bit too much. Those who know Dorian might not notice anything right away, since he's naturally blue, but if someone is watching him for a bit they might notice him start to shiver. Just a little bit at first, but it happens more frequently as the minutes pass. And anyone close enough might catch his teeth chattering as he huddles into himself a bit more.

Crystal Clear

If asked directly, Dorian would never admit to engaging in gossip. He would say that he was interested in people's stories, and just liked hearing them and getting to know what people were up to. Which is all quite true, honestly, but the fact is that Dorian could never entirely turn off the noble rich kid in him that had grown up listening to the rumors and scandals that would buzz around in court and social gatherings.

But more than anything, Dorian did enjoy just observing people and catching glimpses of their every day lives, whether by watching or by hearing others talk about it. Finding a bench along the path around the pond, he sits back to watch everyone who's skating or walking by.

Wildcard

(( If there's anything specific you'd like to do with Dorian, go for it! Or message me and let me know! ))

Crystal clear

[coldsong]

At some point in the gentle stroll in the snow, Dorian and Loki find themselves falling into step with one another. Loki has no objections; he finds the other man pleasant enough company, and quite easy to look at. Perhaps he wasn't fully prepared for the confessional mood of the pond, though, because after a few minutes of companionable silence he finds himself blurting: "I'm not doing my job properly."

Not a romantic rumor or confession, but in a way it's something far deeper he's admitting too, and he seems startled he's said it. "I'm meant to disrupt things and cause trouble, and here I am playing Nice. That's a problem."

Well. Perhaps it had to be said, and better it wasn't said to someone who might praise Loki for behaving himself. Dorian might at least be a little impartial.

Withers | Baldur's Gate 3 | faction undecided

[dessicates]

Arrival

What a curious way to awaken...

In the room above the Tavern, there's a creaking sound, a faint crackle of bone-on-bone and dry leather. It proceeds to the top of the stairs and slowly, slowly downwards. The figure that emerges into the Tavern is a man, or more accurately he used to be a man, in an ancient robe, adorned with lines of gold applied directly to his skeletal body. Undead, clearly, for those who are familiar with such things. There's no rage from the beyond in his eyes, though. He is calm, and there's a look of endless, patient, ruthless intelligence.

He looks the bartender over thoughtfully, accepts a drink he does not intend to taste, and then finds a place near the fire, where the red light flickers on his golden lines.

Cara-mellow

He didn't intend to drink. He doesn't need food or water, doesn't require sleep or warmth, though he knows all these things in an abstract sort of way. Perhaps he's not immune to temptation, though. This body he wears was once alive and had a tongue for savoring as well as speaking. Why not accept hospitality?

Ah. An intriguing reminder. This body once had a tongue for singing, as well! And here it is, exercising it again.

...and that's how you walked into the Tavern and discovered an undead aspect of the divine singing Dust in the Wind.

His pitch is perfect. His voice is breathy, dry, quivering at the edges, like a breeze in itself. Haunting.

Crystal Clear

His bare feet make bony, lined tracks in the snow, as if he were some sort of five-toed bird. Time in this place renders it no less peculiar to the dry meat within his skull, and the spirit that lingers attached to it.

A place for stories and gossip, this pond. A magic he has seen little sense in before, and yet here and now it, like the drink he consumed, is tempting.

"Thou walkest alone?" This question, soft and croaky, is addressed to whoever he meets, tinged with mixed curiosity and subtle disapproval. "In this place where hearts and bodies are wont to mingle?"

Wildcard

((Hmu with whatever. Maybe not NSFW unless you want to see his Art Thou Nasty undershorts.))

Crystal Clear

[unlight]

Eh?

[The old woman is bent with age, her arms and hands wirey-thin where they protrude from her sleeves, not terribly different from Withers' own. Her face is almost as skeletal, and she sweeps the ground before her with the blunted point of a long walking-stick. Her progress is slow.]

Ha. I have buried too many husbands to be choosing a new man today. Besides, they are all like children, now. I am old, and I do as I please.

[But you sir, you are very interesting. You shine, but all in the head, with no beating life to propel it.]

What are you, then? Head on a stick? [It's as likely an answer as any. She taps his ankle with her cane, trying to find the shape of him, a little.] Huh. You got feet, not expecting that...

Morgan Knight | Mage: the Ascension (OC) | existing character

[morganknight]

Who Let This Man Order Something?

The empty drink hits the bar, just a trace line of caramel remaining to show anything was even in the glass to begin with, as Morgan turns and picks up his guitar.

"Okay. Toss me a general idea. Something deep? Affirming? Positive? Whatever it is, it's going to be loud, just so you know."

The chord that punctuates the statement shouldn't sound anywhere near as good without an amp and power, but what's the point of having magick if you don't use it?


Skate or Die

"Never done this before." Morgan laces up his skates, as cheerful as can be despite the cold (which he doesn't notice) and having little idea what he's doing (which is how you start everything, isn't it?). That isn't a dramatic confession brought on by the circumstances, just casual chatter as he gets ready. "What about you?"

Drinks and Music

[dessicates]

The undead-looking gentleman at the bar turns his head, slow and unhurried. Truthfully, Withers has always liked musicians. They serve up a condensed version of mortality on a silver-tongued platter, with every tune. Even the most annoying, mundane ditty says something about the one who sings it.

Anyway, he's already had his command performance and it's someone else's turn, and so he nods at Morgan peaceably. "Something...lively, by thy leave."

Loud is fine. Loud is good. His eardrums can't rupture.

taako, from tv | the adventure zone | sylph

[flippantwizard]

arrival; wind wisp sparkler;

Taako was grade A, 10-star pissed. You take him? Taako? And you rip away all his hard earned spells and trickery? The fuck? Nymion, the big fuckass, had heard him bitch for a solid twenty minutes before the god shoved a giant drink at him and told him to suck it up. Taako, for his part, took the drink - a sparkly little number appropriately themed for him. Fine.

As he started to float off his stool, Taako rolled his eyes and continued to sip anyway.

"Yeah, real funny, guy. I can do this in my sleep. I have done this in my sleep. I sleep floating all the time like a god damn carebear on a cloud!"

He hooked his boot into the edge of the bar, right next to whoever was seated beside him, "Hey, pervert, stop looking up my skirt and help a guy out."

crystal clear;

You can take away his magic, but you can't take away his sick flips, you fucks. Taako spun around the rink, new enough he had no one to confess too currently, but taking the time to show off his impeccable skills.

He pushed someone out of his way as he skated by, backwards. "Get dunked on, dweeb!"

Arrival

[lost_and_foundry]

The little man covered in wisps starts slightly at the thunk of the boot so close by, and--of course--he looks up, only to immediately be called a pervert. His face is uncovered enough that all and sundry can watch him blush purple, and he sputters slightly: "Wh--! I would never!"

Nice legs, though.

Feeling called out for reasons that are completely illegitimate, he stands on his barstool as if to reach up and pull the man back down, then hesitates, because if he's going to complain about staring, he's definitely going to complain about being grabbed. Especially since Barcus is likely to only be tall enough to reach legs and maybe beltloops.

"Exactly what sort of help are you looking for? I could get a rope and we could tie you to the counter like a balloon..."

night sky | original | dryad (in game)

[wildwarden]

crystal clear;

"Damn, Morgan, get it." Night Sky said, having no idea if they were talking about the Visitor Morgan, or some other Calderan. Either way, her comment stood. Get it, boy/girl/etc.

Night Sky arrived at the pond, grinning. She was a pretty open book anyway, so the urge to confess was... not surprising? She guessed? Either way, the problem lied less in the magical urge to speak her mind, and more in the fact that shoes were feet prisons and she didn't want to put them on to skate.

She stood at the edge of the pond, brow furrowed. HM.

[pokeabear]

“Problem, my heart?” Halsin’s voice was a concerned rumble as he slid to a stop in front of her, already on the ice and surprisingly graceful for a large man. At least, that was what someone had told him when spotting him earlier.

But his focus was on Sky as he reached out to take one of her hands.

Lucifer, "Lulu" | Dryad | He's already inside you, Caldera~

[youknowwhothisis]

[I. A Little Sippy]

Sometimes, the drinks were a problem. But this time, there was an interesting selection to pick from for this little sweet-tooth. He'll just pretend Nymion didn't make them, because fuck that guy. He knows what he did.

This odd little guy is spending his free time twirling with countless wisps of light dancing around him, each bearing names like Loki, Barcus, Lioriley, Melinoe, Zagreus, Deet and so, so many more in varied sizes... but the largest one that sat all fat n' happy upon his hat was called Night Sky, trilling and cooing with the occasional bob of its bouncy body from its perch.

"Alright! I'm all jazzed up! How about a song, huh?"

Did he drink the funny one that makes music? Who could say. Whatever the case, the world seemed to answer, a phantom tune beginning to fill the air as this fellow dressed in white straightened his collar. Red eyes scanned the room... then stopped.

You. Of course. Want a song number, sweetheart...?


[II. The Swan of the Lake]

There was no ice in Hell outside of any use of magic to twist a shard of the realm to the caster's taste. Perhaps it was that what led 'Lulu' to glide along the surface on magicked skates, the air stirring with swirling diamond dust and an orchestral score.

"Hoh...! And they said this was hard!" He leaped, twirled, and landed upon one skate's blade, other leg aloft and arms behind his back. He wore a cheeky grin.

"It'll be a shame when this melts... I've grown pretty fond of winter!" He's sure he didn't miss the oppressive heat of Hell, but perhaps he had his reasons for his preference.

"Your turn! I can poof some li'l skates on ya no problem."


[III. Kwest?]

[Open to whatever your flavor is on the quest board. They can be right in the thick of it if you want! Just hit me up.]

[wildwarden]

Showoff.

Wait, no, she loved that. Carry on.

Night Sky sat on the sidelines, watching as he did his tricks and twirls. She had on a large green sweater and leggings, and just enough leather on the soles of her feet to make sure they didn't freeze off.

"Can you make me some that won't imprison my feet, darling?"

Pomni | Undine | Already stuck in THIS circus

[wellitspossible]

[I. It's a Brr-lini. Get it?]

It was just a drink. A tasty drink, but... she knew they had funny things happen when you took them down. Nevertheless, she decided to be brave and work it down. The chill worked its way from her belly and out to her extremities, and soon the little rubbing of her arms turned into a request for a blanket.

Or three.

So there was the little jester, sitting at one of the tables, shivering miserably from her blanket cocoon and trying to focus on the little bowl of stew she'd been offered to try and drive off the cold.

Halfway through, she realized it wasn't working, but... it's fine. She can wait this out. This sort of thing was always... temporary. Right?


[II. Adventuring Time!]

[Your 'pick a quest and let's ROLL' option! Pick your poison.]

[crude]

Why the god damn fuck was he here?

Probably because Pomni wanted to go drinking at the tavern and Jax thought that was stupid and she had taken so long to come back he had to come check that she didn't die. Like an idiot.

"What the hell are you doing?"

cassandra "violet" velvet | original | undine | she lives here

[velutinous]

tavern — passionfruit bloom

Violet had amused herself by listening to the answers Nymion had given the other Visitors, the drink he offered an appropriately sweet and indulgent one she sipped at while eavesdropping.

As she turned to leave, her drink finished, she stopped short, her hand clutching her throat as a small array of daisies tumbled past her lips.

"Wh...what..?" She stammered, her usual eloquence faltering. "What is this?"

[trust_us_with_your]

He was an accomplished people-watcher, but he knew not to be too much of a tagalong. So when Violet rose, he wiggled his fingers in a wordless gesture of farewell, chin propped in his other hand, a little too inebriated to speak up. They could catch up later.

But she paused, seemed to choke, and he watched flower petals tumbling down. Briefly, he squinted in suspicion at his own drink. Pushed it away. He'd had too much. Seeing things. Probably.

"You good...?" He furrowed his brows, despite the loose body language and his undone bow tie.

"...Am I super shitfaced, or are those flowers...?"

wei wuxian | the untamed | sylph

[weiward]

Winter's Breath Bellini

[these are not the liquors that wei wuxian is familiar with. would it be as heavenly as emperor's smile? or even the hefeng wine that he invented himself? 

only one way to find out!

down the hatch in a single swallow. wei wuxian peeks at the bottom of the glass before setting it down again. fresh and sweet, the kind of drink he might've swayed his shijie to take a sip of. but any bittersweet reminder of lotus pier with its warm summers and warm waters is quickly forgotten.]

C-c-cold.

[he hugs himself against the chill, teeth even starting to chatter. fortunately wei wuxian has little to no shame, and so it doesn't take him very long to scoot up to someone's side, seeking body heat.]

Crystal Clear

[wei wuxian isn't above a little gossip. even if the whispered confessions aren't meant for his ears, you'll probably find him nearby, popping some snacks into his mouth as he listens.

the pond itself is beautiful. he admires it from a distance at first, arms crossing over his chest.]

Lan Zhan... [the name brings a soft but automatic smile to his lips.] You would like it here.

winters breath bellini

[flippantwizard]

Taako, who had already experienced the floaty effects of one of the other drinks, had decided on water for his next round. Not that it mattered, it all tasted like keylime go-gurt anyway, but at least the water didn't make him float.

He stared at the man beside him, now encroaching on his space. "Excuse you."

Altan Hawke | Dragon Age 2 | OTA

[altanhawke]

Crystal Clear

Frankly, Altan’s as curious about the abrupt appearance of the pond as a manifestation of magic as much as anything else. He bundles up and makes his way to the pond, silently chewing over the recent reveals about Nymion’s purpose. Having the prospect of gods above gods, some absent authoritarian force, hanging over them all doesn’t sit well with them. What would a man have to do to get an audience with them directly? He lingers by the pond, aware of the magic, unsure how to identify it, letting it linger. It expresses itself to him with the impression that he’s forgetting something, and that something is relevant … The sense of lingering epiphany is, unbeknownst to him, not about Caldera, but it’s becoming stronger.

late bc sinuses are exploding

[twice_cursed]

Sorcery, you say? Yeah that's not suspicious at all, except it entirely is. Balthiel's circling it, one hand stretched out, muttering one of the litanies in Baalite, while behind him, a very grumpy goat, wearing a scarf, wanders after and accosts strangers.

Whatever Altan's doing, it's about to be interrupted by a goat bumping his hip.

ruby rose | original | dryad

[ironrose]

TOP 5% FOREST GOD;

Ruby flipped the wooden maple leaf crest like a coin, catching it on the descent and flipping it back into the air as she walked down the path through the woods with her current partner in crime.

"I usually try to not offer things to the Old Gods, but I really need those Bones and this, so far, has been super easy." She said casually, catching the token again. The usual forest creatures seemed to be... shockingly absent. Even without her powers, they seemed very inclined to stay away from her. "I'd say too easy, but then a fucking bear will try and eat us or something."

GOLEMS GONE WILD;

The golem was massive, wild, and untamed, stomping through the mud nearby as Ruby and co. watched from behind the cover of a tree.

"Looks like there's a crystal in its chest. May as well be a thorn in a tiger's paw the way its stomping and roaring like that. I can distract it if you want to jump in and grab it... or vice versa. I'm easy." and less hearty than normal, but whatever, she could work with this.

GHOSTLY THIRD WHEELING (NSFW);

"Oh, ghost mystery. Fun." Ruby snorted, lifting up the pillows to check for any hint of the discarded and/or lost pieces of the loveletter. The ghost herself had not appeared yet, but she was certainly on edge. The place... smelled weird. Like sex and woodsmoke and old parchment. The cottage itself was beautiful, the ambient lighting ideal for slow and tender lovemaking or... whatever people were into. But the vibes were atrocious while the weeping ghost lingered on the fringes.

ELYSIUM;

After successfully rickrolling everyone during her time at the mic, Ruby was indulging in a drink at the bar - a beer, for the moment, simple. She nursed it absently, sighing and announcing, with no preamble:

"God I fucking miss my phone."

forest heresies, you mean

[twice_cursed]

How. How the fuck does he keep ending up on these dumb quests.

Oh right. Boredom. Anything's better than sitting in his room and he can only do so much goddam calligraphy before his eyes cross. So far the path has been...disgusting. Chirping birds, little bunnies loitering on the path all fluffy and innocent, dappled sunlight, you name it. Disgusting.

"A bear would be a nice change."

Alastor | Hazbin Hotel | Sylph (Current)

[lonelysmiles]

Crystal Clear - Vox Only

Vox would receive a letter written in that familiar copperplate handwriting and red ink that he'd likely remember from correspondence of long ago.

Vincent -

Meet me at the lake everyone is talking about. There's something that's been left unsaid for far too long.

- Alastor

Simple and to the point. Hopefully Vox would answer. If not, well, hopefully trying would finally get some of the thoughts weighing on him since he came back out of his head.

Crystal Clear - OPEN

Once Vox had left, Alastor stayed at the lake, gazing out over it. Perhaps there'd been something to Father Conrad's sermons about confession being good for the soul. Given New Orleans voodoo had one of its roots in Catholicism, Alastor had gone to mass every week but he'd always found reasons not to go to confessional.

He had far too many secrets to risk exposure of any kind.

Did he feel better? Yes and no. "Yes" in the sense that at least now one part of his past would dog his heels a little less; "no" in the sense that the rest of the pack was still hunting him with teeth bared.

He took a sip of the whiskey he'd brought, gazing out over the lake with unseeing eyes.

Drinks at the Tavern

"Neva thought that we'd see Nymion slummin' it with us lowly Vis'tors," Alastor drawled as he swirled the latest whiskey on the rocks in his glass, smirking.

He was well-and-truly drunk at this point, and he knew it. Alcohol tended to mellow him out and bring out his natural thick Southern accent. He should probably go home, but fuck it. He earned himself a few drinks, amusing himself with watching Nymion working the bar.

Quest Board

Open for questing either here or on my open catch-all post.

Wildcard

Throw a prompt my way!

Crystal Clear

[trust_us_with_your]

...Whaaat the fuck is this. He felt like this was high school all over again, except the sender was a man nearly a century old that's torn out his guts and chewed on them dozens of times over in fits of rivalry, rage and feral joy. Though, to be fair, he knocked the stuffing out of the guy plenty too, but knowing what people were saying about the lake was... was...

...

God damn it. To his shame, the possibility still made his heart race. But he needed to stick to his guns, stay frosty, and answer the invitation before Alastor decided to break into his house instead and catch him with his pants down.

Arms folded behind his back, Vox curiously leaned his shoulders as he peered about, looking for the other demon. He presumed seclusion, so he stuck to the perimeter and the cover of trees. That's how you find deer.