Intro Log || Melodies of Eternity

[melodiesmods]

Characters: All the "Heroes of Light" (only new characters can start threads).
Where: Aqures Ixen.
When: The 5th of March. The new Heroes of Light will awaken early in the morning.
Summary: The new Heroes of Light awaken in Aqures Ixen and are informed by their assigned Moogles of what the situation and what their destinies are. This a log for them to react to the situation, meet each other and be welcomed by the former batches of Heroes of Light.
Warning: Lots of distressed and depressed Heroes of Light.

Where you were or what you were doing— It does not really matter. Not any more. Within an instant, the world around you collapses. Reality twists and shatters... Or maybe you are the one who is collapsing and shattering away from reality as you knew it. No matter what the answer is, it will only take a few seconds for you to find yourself sinking into a void, your world vanishing into the distance. There is nothing but darkness as far as the eye can see. Even you feel different: all the powers you might once have had, are now gone. It is silent, cold and it feels as though life itself is slipping out of you.

At this moment, when it looks as though nothing but a never-ending void awaits you, a red Crystal forms before you. In this void, its warmth compels you to grab it. Upon doing so, you can hear a soft, soothing voice speaking:


"Wake up."

Soon, the void itself vanishes and is replaced by distant noises of engines. Had it all been nothing more than a dream? The soothing voice repeats its call one more time, but is soon replaced with a much less graceful "Wake up Kupo." Hand clutched on your Crystal, the call of the Moogle may finally wake you up. But you are no longer in your world, nor in the void. You are before the Crystal of Fire, in the third district of a city called Aqures Ixen. At this point, you may realize the engine noise actually originates from an Airship flying low over the city and headed to dock beneath the castle. As if it wasn't strange enough, your clothes have changed as well. They are now a reflection of the Jobs you are wielding. Last but not least, you are surrounded by Moogles, small and fluffy creatures who are more than happy to tell you about everything you want to know, about your 'destiny' as a Hero of Light, about what awaits you.

Or at least, they will tell you everything they do know, which isn't much in the end.

The only people around you are like you-- There are quite a few of them, all clothed in their Job garbs and most likely wondering what is happening. If somehow you do not realize it, the Moogle who woke you up will be more than happy to inform you there are others like you around. In fact, there are other Heroes who have arrived in the course of the past year and they will come soon! Like you, they have Jobs and a Crystal.

If asked, the Moogles will mention that the Heroes of Light - that is to say you - are fighting against time to save Crystallis from the Calamity that is about to awaken to devour the entire world. Well, that is if you don't die or crystallize first. A couple days ago, a lot of Heroes of Light crystallized or died out of the blue without any warning! Sounds terrible? Welcome to Crystallis.


The Other Heroes
— Shortly Thereafter —
Thanks to the efficiency of Mognet, it does not take long for the other Heroes to come around: those who arrived in this world within the past year. You may have imagined heroic and charismatic figures when your Moogle told you that there were other Heroes of Light in this city. You may have imagined persons with fearsome powers when they told you about how they managed to push back the Empire and defeat gigantic beasts in the past. And more importantly, you may have imagined them as people who would have all the answers to your, doubtlessly, numerous questions.

If so, you may be up for a tragic disappointment. Still, for the most part they know more than you on the situation and may be more than happy to fill you in, especially if your Moogle didn't tell you much.


The City of Aqures Ixen
— Anytime —
With Choco Egg day nearing, there are a lot fo Hypello working on the upcoming competitions and on making chocolates! Want to eat some? Too bad, the Moogles will hit you with the stick they use to make the chocolate if you try to eat them!

And besides the chocolates, there are a lot of things to do in the city for newcomers. Moogles are working hard in Mognet Office of the ninth district following the election of their new director, and while there are no Blitzball Matches today, a lot of Triple Triad players are gathered at the stadium. Why? Because they are working on the early preparations for the Triple Triad World Championship that will happen in May! Characters are also free to visit the city-- They can visit Airship Port in the twelfth district from where characters can board for free Airships from Shoopuf Airline.

Or maybe you could visit your new house in the 11th District, and get to know your new neighbors and housemate. Hopefully your neighbors are people you will get along with.


The Laboratory
— Anytime —
A location where a lot of Heroes of Light seem to be gathering is Palitutu's Laboratory. It is a place where employed characters can research into various topics. However, most importantly, characters can see a file with their name...

Should your character decide to go there and peek at their file, there are two possibilities. Either the file is corrupted and they cannot access it: too bad for them, but at least their life will remain a mystery. Or should you decide the file isn't corrupted, they will find a summary of their lives up to their canon point, as if written by a third-person omniscient narrator. On the column left to the text, to the top there is a portrait of them, and beneath it there is a 3D model of them. Said portrait and model can be switched to any year of their life. At the bottom there is a percentage, indicating 0%. On the right column, there are various links, most of which are grayed out. The clickable links lead to their Homeworld History and their future post-canon point history (corrupted file for unfinished canons).

At least, they can lock this file away if they don't want anyone to see it.

The Hospital
— Anytime —
Characters who have already been in Crystallis before do not wake up by the Crystal of Fire like everyone else. Instead, they will wake up in the Hospital of Aqures Ixen, in a room where there are over a hundred of other Heroes of Light like them-- Maybe even some familiar faces... Except they're all in Crystal Stasis.

A few Moogles and nurses will be waiting by the room, and they will welcome all characters waking up. However...

Upon exiting the room, they will find the Hospital is very busy. Nurses and healers can be seen moving corpses around on stretchers, and overall a very dark and tense atmosphere reigns over the Hospital. In closed rooms, some of the most skilled healers are trying to analyze the corpses and find out what happened. And these dead people? They are of the Heroes of Light who died on the 29th of February.


Melodies of Eternity
— Anytime —
If you are a Hero of Light who survived that accursed day, your crystal will shine at the very same moment the new Heroes appear before the Crystal of Fire. That means your character is now linked to the Crystal of Fire and will come back to life after a week if killed.

They will also receive their Moogle and their housing in the 11th or 14th District. But that probably isn't enough for the pain to go away.

Comments

Melodies of Eternity

[not_most_days]

Kidd was nearby, talking with her own moogle and doing a little shopping when she overheard the collision of Hero and moogle. Bonnie had been in a funk since so many of the newcomers had died or crystalized, especially after meeting a Heroic Moogle among them. A gift of kupo nuts seemed in order, though the Assassin was considering another gift for her companion if Malik would have it.

Turning over her shoulder, the seeming young man cast a smile at Minfilia while Bonnie nibbled on the freshly purchased treat. "I think you'll find that they're a resilent little bunch. A collision like that won't don't more than shake them up."

[linkpearls]

Minfilia couldn't help but look at her panicking friend, still wondering how to calm her down other than a kupo nut. So she did the next best thing: grab her by the middle and hug her.

"Feel any better?"

"K-Kupo...thank you."

With the moogle calmed down, Minfilia held a hand up in greeting. "One moogle I have been traveling with proved that very matter."

[not_most_days]

Kidd smiled at Minfilia before turning away to finish her purchase. With gil and goods handed over a kupo nut was passed to Bonnie and then another tossed to the other Hero.

"Would that be Mogleo? Bonnie here was telling me about him. It seems he left quite an impression on her." A sad frowned crossed over her face as she considered the little Hero's fate. At least he was crystalized rather than killed by whatever happened.

Stepping closer she offered a gloved hand to the other woman, "James Kidd."

i'm so grateful for Lazarus because I thought I lost this tag ;;

[linkpearls]

Thankfully her reflexes were better than a few months ago, catching the kupo nut and giving it to the little moogle who happily nommed it.

"Yes, Mogleo is a good moogle. I would love to travel with him again." She rather not think of him dead and she doesn't know that he's a crystal at the moment. You know those stupidly hopeful people? Kidd was standing in front of one.

"Minfilia," and she took the other's hand. Several months ago, it would've been a much more daintier grip but there was a bit more confidence this time around.

Re: i'm so grateful for Lazarus because I thought I lost this tag ;;

[not_most_days]

It wasn't Kidd who had found out about the crystalized moogle but in fact her moogle who had been hoping to train under him. Her little fluffy heart was, for the time being, teetering on the edge of broken. All she had was her Hero and this delicious kupo nut to keep her happy and so she clung close to Mary as she nibbled on her treat, not wanting to lose her too.

"Pleasure to have you here, Minfilia. How are you finding Aqures Ixen? I hope nobody has been giving you trouble?"

[linkpearls]

Anyone giving her trouble? Well, if the sword on her hip didn't scare people away, it was her unsheathing it and realizing that it may need some fixing. But the ones thinking to take advantage didn't know that; they just assumed 'lady with sword' and not in a good position.

" 'tis good to be in a city a bit more lively. Mayhap there will be more information about what is to come and how we can assist."

[not_most_days]

Kidd couldn't help but frown at Minfilia's words. She wished she had something more optimistic to offer the woman.

"I'm afraid we've mostly been reacting to things as they come. Still, the more folk we have with us hopefully the better off we'll be if things take a turn." Even with the Imperial Capital encased in crystal she had no doubt they'd have to deal with Palitutu and Garland sooner than later. Or else some other new peril.

"Still, me and mine are doing what we can to unearth any clues. I'm afraid my network isn't as skilled and globe spanning as it was back home. But we're doing what we can."

[linkpearls]

"It's alright, I may not be as much like most but a few of us know how bad this Calamity can become. The only difference is that this one here is sentient...but we'll find the answer. Even if it takes longer than we want it to be."

She's reminded of the time she was standing in the solar of the Waking Sands and speaking to the Warrior of Light almost the same words. But the words of the other made Minfilia think.

"Network? Mayhap I can offer some assistance; it is something I've done before coming here."

[not_most_days]

Kidd raised an eyebrow at Minfilia. She looked her over, considering her once again. She could use more people in her guild, especially those who had the skills to contribute. And while it wasn't as much a need to keep the Assassin Brotherhood secret in this world she still didn't want to be trusting.

A Templar had managed to destroy them from within in a previous cycle, after all.

"Perhaps. The thing is that we were a secretive lot back home. I do what I can here, but I don't want to sully the name and creed that my mentor followed, even if he IS a world away." She paused for another thoughtful moment before continuing.

"Tell me, what does this mean to you: 'Nothing is true. Everything is permitted.'?"

(ooc: If you'd like, we can say that Mary sends both letters to Minfilia in her recent mognet post, and thus Minfilia is also invited to the Assassin's meeting as sort of a probationary introduction)

yeah, I'm cool with that!

[linkpearls]

"I do understand the need for secrecy; the groups I were a part of also upheld this." Only until they staged a huge operation to smack around a few Garleans that the Scions were known all over Eorzea. At that point, the idea of staying secret was not the best thing, not like the fraternity of rogues in Limsa Lominsa who stayed in the shadows.

As Kidd asked that question, Minfilia paused in thought. A phrase she is not familiar with and yet if she said the wrong thing, then the consequences can be bad.

"Hmm, 'tis a line I am not familiar with. However..."

She had to think, maybe start by taking apart the line piece by piece?

"'Nothing is true' doesn't sound like what the words mean literally. Instead, I believe that it is saying to not believe everything that is said and to search for the truth, no matter how foul it may be. A city state from my own realm may boast riches but it also shows that not all are welcome to it even with hard work."

Why Minfilia thought of Ul'dah at first was beyond her. Or maybe...it was due to the recent betrayal that made her think of the place.

"And 'Everything is permitted'...well, one can argue that saying such a thing is wrong but I believe it's talking about choices. Someone can choose to obey the rules or go against them. 'Tis what they do after they make their choices is the real test."

I'm so sorry, last week was butts

[not_most_days]

Kidd crossed her arms and leaned back on her heel as she listened to Minfilia feel out her answer. She tried to keep her face as impassive as she could but the truth was she was always happy to hear how many people here understood these words. In truth her sample size wasn't the best but so many more took to the meaning than the scallywags she knew back home.

"That's not entirely it, but you're very close to the mark. It's the creed that me and mine followed. It's not simply that the things people state may be lies, but that even the rules that we live by are creations of people. That there is no one singular truth."

She uncrossed her arms and held her hands out in an open gesture as she continued. "And you're right about the second. That everything is permitted is not a call for us to do what we want but a reminder that we are free to act as we wish but we must also be aware of the consequences. The only thing that ever stops us is ourselves."

"So if we are the shepherds and architects of our own future then the question becomes, what will you do with the power and knowledge you gain?"