Intro Log || The Night of the Thirteen Moogles

[melodiesmods]

Characters: All the "Heroes of Light" (only new characters can start threads).
Where: Aqures Ixen.
When: The 5th of October. 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. New Heroes of Light will not have their Crystal.
Warning: N/A

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," the call of the Moogle finally waking 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 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 arrived these past months too and they will come soon! Like you, they had Jobs and a Crystal-- Wait, you don't have a Crystal...? That's weird.

Your Moogle will be puzzled by this fact, as all Heroes of Light are supposed to have a crystal with them. Well, maybe you are not a Hero of Light after all?


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 one or two months ago. 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 worthy of being revered as heroes. 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 minor 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 Night of the Thirteen Moogles
— Anytime —
Something that may be obvious, is that the city has a spooky feel to it. There are various decorations, it clearly looks like a work in progress but it seems the idea is to make the city looks as scary as possible. Characters familiar with Halloween may recognize the decoration as being strikingly similar. The Moogles will be more than pleased to explain these are all preparations for the upcoming Night of the Thirteen Moogles on the 31st, and they will explain the legends to characters if they ask.

Hopefully all this talk of curse and King Moggle Mog is nothing more than legend.


The City of Aqures Ixen
— Anytime —
There are a lot of things left to do in the city, especially with everyone excited for the upcoming celebration. Starting from 18:00, a series of BLitzball games will take place at the stadium located in the tenth district, opposing amateur teams in a friendly competition. At the same time, a small group of Triple Triad players are playing before Mognet Office in the ninth district, and they are more than happy to teach the rule to anyone passing by. Characters are free to enter and play games of Triple Triad, and if they do so they will be given very basic cards and explained the rules. This may be the start of a promising career!

Characters are also free to visit the city-- Be it Mognet Office just behind the Triple Triad games is filled with very busy Moogles, or the Airship Port in the twelfth district from where characters can board for free Airships from Shoopuf Airline, knowing the next airship departing from Aqures Ixen will do so on the 9th. Still, characters can board an exposition Airship should they like and visit it.

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.

Comments

[iamspark]

She listened quietly, patiently to Ashelia. It might not be a lot but she was far more willing to believe someone who was stuck in the same situation as her. Especially someone who has been seriously attempting to learn the truth of this world.

"If we can't find anything from books, maybe we should go out and see if for ourselves. It's a rather effective way to find the truth."

[desertbloomed]

The queen nodded along to Lightning's words. "My thoughts exactly. I've my sights set on several destinations already."

Ashelia felt, for a moment, that she was getting somewhat ahead of herself, but she was tired of sitting around Aqures Ixen, scouring libraries and used book stores and waiting for something to happen. Waiting for more and more people to be caught in this web, like so many helpless flies. It seemed like the longer she waited, the more people were snatched from their homes to take part in this farce of a legend.

At least Lightning seemed willing to listen - not that the others wouldn't. Sephiroth and Angeal had good heads on their shoulders, as did Marshal Sparks and Corporal Strife, but they also had connections here in the city, people they knew and cared about. Gathering them to hunt for seeds in the wilderness was one thing - what the Queen of Dalmasca was thinking of tackling next was a different story entirely.

"First I must do what I can do discover the mystery behind the crystal stasis. Multiple Heroes sit encased in crystal in the hospital - none can discern a pattern, for the stasis is not limited to Heroes themselves." Ashelia looked up at a passing airship. "But there is a city named Aqures Tosf. 'Twas the original home of the Crystal of Fire, in front of which you just appeared, and I several months past. There was an incident that destroyed the city. Multiple instances of crystal stasis were observed in the aftermath." She looked back at Lightning, jaw set in her way. "I'm going."

[iamspark]

Sometimes it was better to just leap in, doing things unexpectedly could be the way to catch the drop on something that might not have come to light at any other time. An individual could try to prepare for something all they wanted but in the end, they would get swept away with the current.

If there was one thing that Lightning was always willing to do it was to find the truth. No matter how hard it might be knowing the truth meant it would be easier to make the right decisions. At this moment she doesn't know if she has connections in the city, friends or family. Even if they were somehow Light got the idea that they would want to go with her should she leave.

As Ashelia spoke of crystal stasis, there was obvious recognition in Light's face. Arms came up to cross defensively over her chest and a frown formed on her face.

"Back in my world crystal stasis wasn't unheard of. It occurred when a l'Cie fulfilled their Focus, as a reward it was considered eternal life as the subjects aren't dead or turned into a Cie'th - a monster. If it's anything similar those in the hospital aren't dead or sick, merely sleeping until they have a new Focus." She isn't willing to put her entire faith in that theory but perhaps knowing what it could be would ease the girl's mind or at least point her in a direction to begin.

There was hardly a moment's debate at her next words. "I'll go with you."

[desertbloomed]

"Oh?" Ashelia raised an eyebrow. "I'll not deny, I'd be glad for the company." She was about to ask if the other woman was up to the task, but thought better before voicing the question. It was clear in Lightning's bearing that she most definitely was. It was refreshing to meet someone else so decisive.

The queen held out a hand for a good, firm handshake. "Well met indeed, Lightning. Perhaps on our journey you can enlighten me more as to the situation surrounding crystal stasis in your homeland. It sounds...eerily similar to our own situation."

[iamspark]

It didn't seem any different than walking the untamed land of Gran Pulse. If they could do that then Lightning could go off in search of in answers. "I'm sure that there would be others interested in going."

Light took the hand in a firm grip. "We should also look for other reasons. From my experience you have to be branded by a fal'Cie in order to become a l'Cie." Her current experience since there's a now-white brand hidden beneath her clothes.

[desertbloomed]

"We've not been branded literally, but...there is this." Ashelia held out her hand and with a light shimmer of magic her crystal appeared, resting easily in her hand. "These crystals apparently store our 'jobs' - the name for the set of abilities we've been bestowed. Most everything in Crystallis seems to guided by what job one has access to. The weapons one can wield, the spells one can cast, constitution and so on and so forth." Ashelia put the crystal back into her blouse.

"It seems to be our most direct connection to whatever force brought us here." And then, wryly, "I've my own suspicions about the nature of their nature, of course. Gifts of powers beyond those of normal Crystallians, bestowed upon us to defeat a great evil? Or tools of manipulation and control?"

[iamspark]

"L'Cie receive crystals too," she reached into her pouch and pulls out a red one in the shape of the rose. Clearly Lightning was a l'Cie. "We're given the ability to use magic by the fal'Cie and these allow to summon eidolons. As for the crystals we're supposed to have here, no one in the newest group obtained one."

Her crystal disappeared back into her pouch. Curiously Light has to wonder if she could summon Odin in this world with the job system in place. Something she'll have to try out later. "If we really were dealing with fal'Cie, I'd definitely tell you it wasn't for good."