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ooc intro

A belated introduction.

Good morning,

On this Eve of a new year I come to you realizing a grave error I made. I never properly introduced myself. But now I have brought an additional pair of characters to the game, so I figure as the old year is rung out I would begin anew with a proper introduction.

I'm Ven, and I am afraid that I don't have a singular place I can lay claim to. I travel often for work, so I’m often bouncing from place to place—but no matter where I am, I always make time for stories. I love RP, writing both prose and poetry, and fantasy, especially anything steeped in grand fantasy and heroic adventures. There’s something about shared worlds, meaningful characters, and big, mythic moments that keeps me grounded, even when I’m on the move.

I joined this magnificent game some months ago with Maes Hughes from Full Metal Alchemist who is Autumn, but am now adding Ekko from Arcane who will be spring and Rider (Iskandar) from Fate/Zero who falls under Summer's domain. I look forward to having all three of them around a bit more often, as well as continue to engage through discord a bit more frequently as well. But I do have plurk as well, so if you would like to follow the ramblings of an outdated eclectic scrivener please join me at

im_probable.

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[open] please don't leave me

WHO: Evangeline, Rinku's unconscious body, and you
WHAT: Keeping a vigil
WHEN: January 1st - January 6th
WHERE: Hospital
WARNINGS: Soul removal, comas, fear of loss. Possibly possession and body horror talk.

( I can't do this without you )

A New Year, A New Me, A Whole New World

WHO: Count Melodymania, Max, and You.
WHAT: The side plot for Melodymania and Max, an internal power struggle made external
WHEN: January 1st - January 6th
WHERE: All over Ellipsa
WARNINGS: Body horror, themes of existential crisis, violence, attempted murder, NPC death, and trauma exploration

Act 1: Rise the Curtain [January 1st, Open]

Freedom. Sweet sweet freedom. Though that freedom is not yet permanent. That troublesome abomination will find a way to crawl his way back into control if he doesn't secure this coup quickly. He has days to act but he's had decades to plan this. Years upon years of biding his time, watching, learning, and watching for his chance. Ellipsa has provided all he has needed for this. Rinku and her beautiful XROSS∞BEAT was a sensational catalyst for his abilities to spread across this world within the barrier. Of course, the sacrifice of her soul was a price he was all too willing to pay. The musical influence would spread and settle over everyone. A world turned into a living musical and that was just Act 1.

This dreadful play he's planned has four more acts before everything it ends with his victory and Maximillian's permanent removal. It was time to start Act 2. Count Melodymania is giddy with the anticipation. This will be a show for all to remember. For all of January 1st, Melodymania is exploring Nightwake. He walks the streets, taking in sights, sounds, and songs. He is ecstatic to finally be in control again. He soaks up the musical energy spreading through the city. Locals and Otherworlder's alive are all susceptible to the musical energy he's spiked this world with.

Act 2: Ambition is the death of Love [January 2nd, Locked to Esme and Macaque]

With some preparation and enjoying his time out completed, it was time for Act 2. This act would introduce the damsel in distress and end his life before even the intermission! The source of Max's incredible will and the one person who would drive him to claw back control from Melodymania; Esme. Esme had to die. Yes, coming back in three days was a thing in this world. It would be temporary at best but that didn't mean Melodymania couldn't capitalize on the torment and guilt of a painful death. He would make Esme suffer to his last breath. Just like Cole would in the final act of his dreadful play.

Finding Esme isn't difficult. The pull of the heart remains, despite Max being buried down below in his carnal womb. The pull of love is greater than any compass and soon Melodymania spots the little Lost. Soft fur, softer eyes, and an irritating talent for not dying. Striking fast from a shadow and slicing his throat would be the quickest and simplest way to get this done. Yet that was never his style nor was it within the realm of the rules of his title. He is Count Melodymania after all. Song and dance were part of his very being and even he is drawn in by the musical energy he's unleashed upon this world. Time for the act to begin with quite the song.

A song that starts to play all around Esme as Melodymania's voice rings out before he slides out of the shadows, singing at Esme.

It's not easy having yourself a good time~

Act 3: The Gate of Horn [January 3rd - January 5th, Open]

Esme isn't dead but how things turned out was even better than he had planned. That was why Melodymania loved his domain and title so much! Life being a musical means there will be improvisation, a pivot of songs and dance and themes as the stage players surprise him! Max is weakening inside him, which leaves the next stage, digestion. Melodymania makes his way back to Stormreach, to the home of Max and Esme. It is domain he has claim over because Max does too. Domain is important. If this entire world is to become his Arcadia, he needs a throne from which to rule it from. That is where domain comes in handy.

As Melodymania steps through the threshold of the house, wood and metal warps and twists. The house breaks apart as it folds in on itself. The floor, the walls, the ceiling, the plumbing and wiring, tile, and furniture all obey his new design. The walls splinter to pull the bed out of the bedroom. The bed cracks as the frame and mattress are folded. Melodymania sits upon the new large chair as the wood warps under it. He is raised up as everything the cozy home once was is changed into a massive throne atop an archway. Wood and metal crack and splinter to form sharp shapes all along the massive arch. Every door in the house merges together to form one massive door that wires wrap around the frame and edges to suspend in the middle of the arch.

The throne, arch, and door finish moving. As Melodymania's eyes close, the massive warmed door opens. There is nothing on the other side but within the door, one can see a concrete staircase leading down into somewhere dark. There are shimmering lights down inside the liminal space Melodymania has opened up. the sound of music flows up the stairs.

This is the Gate of Horn. Entering will allow those who go in to venture into Max's soul scape. The staircase ends with what is a subway station before them. Though it looks like space was carved into the station to open it up for more room. There is an old fashioned train sitting on the tracks behind the bar. Yep, there is a bar. And the singing is coming from people on a makeshift stage performing in the little club. There are people in here too, strange figures of varying shapes and forms. A panda bear standing on all fours, a table of what look to be monks wearing blindfolds, a bartender who is made out of computer chips and old keyboards, and many more. There are archways and walkways a plenty to explore deeper in too; pathways each named after the four cardinal directions of North, South, East, and West. Finally a room is labeled throne room with two big body guards standing outside it. They glare anyone who approaches and will inform them the King of Corruption is not seeing visitors right now. He's out.

Do you chat up the guests, the bartender, the singer as she goes on break? Or do you simply go exploring on your own?

Act 4: The King of Corruption [January 5th evening, Open]

Near the end of the dreadful play, the songs and dancing hasn't stopped out in the real world. Yet inside the soul scape, things are not going well. The spreading corruption and influence of Melodymania is seen everywhere. Positive memories are being devoured and sinking into the darkness of his ambitions. Those exploring the paths and memories all find their way down into the deeper depths of Max's soul. Here lies the Contagion. White goo clings to surfaces, it drips from the ceilings, and crawls up the walls. The cracked floors and ground has the white goo bubble up from between the broken gaps. The landscapes start to our into one another and stop making any logical sense.

A graveyard but it has walls of a church and the ceiling of a beautiful lobby of some building. Parts of the floor and ground are separating with long strands of contagion trying to hold it all together. Yet the more it breaks here, the more strained those strings are. They are liable to break if this keeps happening. Nearing the end of this path stands a knight in armor. His sword is held before him, blade down, standing tall. He will be the one to greet all who make it this far.

"Max is just beyond. Before I allow you to pass, state your intentions. I will allow none who side with the Other to pass. Speak quickly. There is not a lot of time."

Act 5: The End of Music [January 6th midnight, Locked to Cole and reactions.]

The end is nigh. Yet this play does not end as the original author intended. After all, musicals have happy endings. Well, most of them do. Some are bittersweet. Some are even sad. But so often, the villain receives their just desserts. This is one such ending. Cast out of Max, Melodymania lands upon the cold and frozen snow outside the Gate of Horn. He is beaten but not finished. Not yet. Though someone awaits him, armed with iron, and ready to put an end to this fiend's vile plans. Once and for all.

Melodymania looks up slowly, green eyes glaring up at Cole with grinding teeth.

"You...you have always been a thorn in my side. A sour note in my songs. The fucking key on my piano I can't seem to fix or the string that keeps breaking on my violin!" He pushes himself up to his knees with great effort.

"You vile little mortal. Failure of a would-be hero. Always too late. Always too weak. Isn't that right, Cole?"

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And I Just Can't Stop (New Year's Live and Kickoff to Musical Event)

WHO: Everyone! Performers from the Music Club, stage and tech crew, audience members, and even unsuspecting viewers at home.
WHAT: The Music Club End-of-Year Live and New Year's Party... and kickoff to the musical mini-event
WHEN: Night of December 31
WHERE: Sunwaning Theatre
WARNINGS: Magical compulsion; the final number specifically includes possession, body horror, cannibalism imagery, bugs, and soul removal.

( New year, new... song? )

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text; un: jean

This came up in a conversation, but I decided to make a post about what different abilities there are here aside from Seasonal and Dragon Blessed ones.

[He's mostly doing this as text because it's a lot of information. But it does have the feature of 'text to voice' for anyone who doesn't wanna read.]

( This is long so fake cut it is )

[OOC: OOC Notes about the abilities.

Feel free to reply to each other in case someone explains more about ability x or anything. This is a free reply zone.]

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text; un: scribe

After the turn of the year, I intend to mount an expedition to the Lost City of Memories in the Summer segment.

Naturally this would be a task best not attempted alone.

If you would be interested in accompanying me, this will be the only time that I raise the matter.

[So, ask now, or he'll go without you.]

(( ooc: there will be an ooc post about this at some point in January o7 ))

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sonic the hedgehog: maria robotnik (live

video | un: maria_r

[And the video starts up with a very confused girl, aged 14 at most, looking around her apartment room.]

This is really weird. Where am I? I feel like I was here before, but…

Shadow? Grandpa? It’s me, Maria. Are you here, too? What happened in the labs? Do we still need to run?

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video | un: anzhe

[This video is being broadcast from An Zhe's extremely undecorated starter apartment! Literally the only visible unique thing here is a whole guy sitting on a chair in the back, wearing a very silly costume, but you can ignore him, surely!]

Hello. My name is An Zhe. I was thinking of making dolls and doll clothes for money. People seemed very interested in the strange dolls from before, [he holds up a labuwu in a pretty white dress,] but would something like this be a good idea for a business? Society here is very different from the world I came from, so I'm not entirely sure.

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yi pian dan xin: su you

video | un: moon_rabbit

Does anyone know how to do a lion dance? [Since the New Years is coming up! Yes, he's been informed about this whole different calendar thing and he sort of has a guess when the Lunar New Year is only because of when the Winter Solstice happened but like...it takes some time to practise. Because he does not, in fact, know how to do a lion dance and would need to learn!]

I suppose I would also need to find someone to make the costume...

[He has no idea how those even work! But with the holidays that passed and are coming up...]

What traditions do you have where you're from for the new year? Where I'm from, we'd give Zhao Muya's disciples red pockets and eat dumplings together. [Though like, it was really Zhao Muya's money and also most Zhao Muya making the dumplings while Su You watched.] Oh, and Zhao Muya would write couplets.

[Sometimes for profit and then when he had a sect, for themselves to put up on the doors.

He frowns for a moment. He kind of wants to do those things...but also...]

...how do you even write couplets?

[He is mostly asking himself because he doesn't know how it works. Maybe he should just write ones Zhao Muya had used before...?]

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Video | UN: Airplane [Hidden from Xie Lian]

[Shang Qinghua's in his office, scribbling something that can't be seen by the camera on a drawing pad.]

Hey, does anyone know where someone can buy fabric around here? Maybe a craft store or something? I've got a project I want to do for Xie Lian, so don't tell him.

Probably gonna need some yarn and stuffing too.

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Session 001 | Video | UN: gooddogmk2

[The video starts and the sky blue with clouds above. Some messy blond hair sticks into frame as the camera moves. K-11 is holding the phone upside down as he aims it at his face. He smiles awkwardly as he moves the phone so the sun isn't shining directly behind his head. He is in someone's front yard and there is a massive black and orange rabbit behind him.]

Is it on? [He asks and stares at the screen. Then he smiles wide.]

It is! Huh? Why am I upside down? [Some fumbling with the phone occurs. The camera moving this way and that, getting another flash of the sky, then a close up on the hoodie K-11 is wearing, then finally his face right-side up this time. Behind him now is a cute cat lawn gnome. That definitely wasn't there a moment ago.]

There we go! Hi! I'm K-11. Or Kallan. Whichever you wanna say, I guess. I'm kinda new here? Cole said I should do one of these things. People do these apparently. Use their phone thingies to say hi and that they're new and get to know people.

I was in the Fairy Kingdom and it's neat there. But not a lot of food you can eat. But there's lots outside it. So that's nice. Um.

I don't know what else I'm supposed to say. I guess I'm really new to being outside. What kinda things do you do outside that I should try? Yeah! That sounds like a good question.

Let me know. Bye, I guess?

[K-11 fumbles with the phone again and manages to stop the video.]

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un:happyaround, post-Sinsmas party

[The video clicks on to Rinku wearing a colourful sundress and waving in front of the ice rink that's been magically set up in Solarpeak.]

Hello, Ellipsa! Guess what! There's still just a few days until the Music Club's New Year's Live! Everyone's been working really hard to bring you an amazing show you're gonna love. Our theme this year is duets and teaming up, just to shake things up! Davis-san and I are gonna do the last song, and there are so many other sets I know you're gonna love! You can...

[Rinku pauses, pulls a notecard out of her pocket, reads it, and smiles at the camera.]

Right! You can find more information in the link in the description of my post! I've got samples of last year's concert linked too. And if you wanna know anything else, just ask me!

Oh, speaking of performances! The kids formed a band! Well, the Pokémon ones, anyway. They're too shy to get up on stage and they're usually sleeping by the time the show starts, but Hina-chan really wanted you guys to hear their song. So here!

[Rinku glows like a proud guardian should, even as she switches to a video file with four little Pokémon playing little plastic toy instruments. Mecchan the Sobble on keyboard, Mimi the Mimikyu on guitar, Dusty the Shuppet on drums, and Hina the Zubat on lead vocals with a little microphone, clearly thinking she is going to be the city's newest star. Above them is a banner made from art paper, taped onto the wall, reading BAND in shaky block letters in crayon.

...It's not very good. They're small Pokémon at the level of toddlers and the lead singer communicates in bat squeaks, it's to be expected. But they're having fun, and that's what matters.]

Lyrics (if you happen to speak Zubat):

You bite people because you don't like anyone
I bite people because biting is fun
Stop trying to make everybody go away
It's more fun if you come with us to play

Frills
Why are you mean
Why are you mean
Why are you mean

Frills
Why are you mean
You should be nice
Why are you mean

(OOC: The New Year's show will lead into a player plot where the game undergoes a musical episode: details here. The most recent Music Club log is here. Music Club members are encouraged to pair up and do duet performances this year, but any kind of performance is encouraged, and there will be a toplevel on the log for any performances, just like last year's. And if your character hasn't signed up for Music Club yet and you want them to perform, we can always handwave it! Rinku accepts all.)

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[Closed] A chill to warm the sadness

WHO: Shang Qinghua and Xie Lian
WHAT: A mission and an ice skating date for distraction purposes
WHEN: Christmas Eve
WHERE: Various places in Winter
WARNINGS: Sad boys, because Hua Cheng was sent home

Maybe he should have expected it might happen. His king had been sent away, after all. But that didn't make Hua Cheng's vanishing any easier. Not for Shang Qinghua, who'd really come to like the ghost, and certainly not for Xie Lian, his actual husband.

But if there was one thing that Shang Qinghua, lord of An Ding, knew made for great distraction, it was having something to do. And a trip to some caves filled with bioluminescent plants to do some harvesting sounded like just the place to start.

Well, the start was getting out their door, but not until he was satisfied with how warmly the god was bundled up.

"I got some protective gloves from the Research Center, so we can pull those over the warm ones when we get there," Qinghua said, making sure Xie Lian's cloak was fastened. Because fussing over someone was another way he could push away feelings he didn't have time for.

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[Video]+[Text] {username: hondakiku} (Backdated to 24th) - because youre absolutely not Average

[ When the feed turns on you'll see a very average-looking Japanese ~~boy??~~ man, giving an average greeting bow. ]

( Even the username is very average and it's clearly his "name" - "Honda Kiku"... )

{ "Kiku" being the first part because of the surname-first order, but }

( after straightening back up perfectly, Kiku seems to be holding the device now-- )

I was wondering if anyone here knows where to find good quality fried chicken for purchase? Enough for a full meal.

Karaage-style would also be an adequate substitute. Or places to find the best ingredients to make either from scratch.

( Once Kiku straightens back up, the full intricately traditional kimono is now in view and as for the entire "look" together... )

This is not meant to mimic Mister Rudolph, that is. Simply, it felt fitting for this timeframe.

{ ... Kiku's actually using "Rudolph-san" but autotranslation [+in text] you know. }

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[Video] un: parfaitsamurai

( They are children )

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[Semi-Closed]

WHO: Yogi, Ezra, Eve + any friends they might invite over
WHAT: Housemates settle in and figure out life together (a.k.a House Catchall)
WHEN: December through January (time is fake)
WHERE: Blossomcrown, in their house
WARNINGS: will mark whenever needed

Expedition OOC Plotting

Jean is planning an ~expedition~ for January. Most likely at the very start of the year (during the second week, perhaps). It's definitely sponsored by Odyssey, but he's taking with him anyone who is interested.

OOCly, I'm limiting this to 14 characters (one per player), a nice even number if they break into teams. Let me know if you would like to keep going at a post like this or make a group on Discord.

The place we're headed for is Sunsprout City in the Summer Segment.

Image under the details cut

I have an form for anyone participating in the exploration to fill, that we usually do. This is very important, so please remember to fill it.

Currently the confirmed list of people going is: 12/14
Jean (Summer)
Levi (Winter)
Eren (Summer)
Hijikata (Summer)
Mukuro (Autumn)
Shoto (Winter)
Aventurine (Winter)
Rumi (Summer)
Megumi (Summer)
E'kayan (Winter)
Venti (Spring)
Kaeya (Summer)

I'm going to close sign ups January 4th after which we will start the Journey OOCly.

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original: emeth

Time to wake this girl up

WHO: Emeth, Wukong, Mike and Katsuki
WHAT: Heartgame time
WHEN: 15th of December
WHERE:Wukong’s Castle
WARNINGS: Harm to a child and denial of person hood, I may add more as needed.
( Read more... )

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text, un: shadowofdeath: poorly attempted to be locked from Leshy

[The lock is probably shitty to non-existent, though.]

How does one go about asking another "out"?

[That's it, that's all the Goat has to ask of you all.]

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video; un: iudex

How much meaning do you place on your date of birth?

[The question is posed thoughtfully, Neuvillette himself looking like he's considering what his own answer might be as well.]

Today is my birthday, but it is not the day of my birth. I have no recollection of that precise date, but this day is the day that the people of Fontaine decided my birthday would be celebrated on.

[A pause.]

It seemed important to them that they have a date upon which to mark it. I found no need to object, though I never fully understood the insistence.

[(It's because they liked you, Neuvillette.)]