abraxaslogs | OPEN MINGLE: Welcome to Thorne!

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OPEN MINGLE: Welcome to Thorne!

WHO: OPEN to all Summoned in Thorne
WHAT: A party, info dump, and magic study session all rolled into one! Eat, drink, mingle -- make some friends!
WHEN: A couple days after the newest Summoned start appearing
WHERE: A ballroom in Castle Thorne

NOTES: This is an open mingle log where everyone can tag one another! New characters may hear some gossip and chatter about recent important events that happened in Abraxas. They may have heard that the Summoned were invited to the Nether in October to help save the ailing dragons from extinction. Kyle and Rhy Maresh represented the Thorne Summoned in a negotiation with the Nether officials to exchange supplies for assistance with their navy. The dragons are alive and well, and the Draconae are very grateful.

Due to an announcement in November, the Summoned are invited to visit Borrel after Nocwich (the first weekend of the month) for the Maritime Fair. It is a three-day festival with lodging provided for the Summoned and a small stipend.

General.

With Rhy Maresth's blessing, Jill Warrick will be taking over his hosting duties on the celebration side of the mingle. Jill will have sent a written invitation to all Thornean newcomers within a couple of days of their arrival, inviting them to meet their fellow Summoned. Otherwise, there will be fliers posted in the dining area that anyone can see. If your character has CR with Istredd, Jill, or Rhy, you can assume they were told and got an in-person invite -- and you can even assume your character helped with setup if desired (decorations, helping set out food, etc.), since they needed the assistance. Up to you!

Istredd will also be hosting a group meditation to allow newcomers to access to the Horizon (and network). New Summoned who wish to learn how to step into the Horizon have an opportunity to have their connections to the Singularity activated. If preferred, they can also get one-on-one help from those who've been around for a bit. He will also discuss the magic in Abraxas and point them in the direction of teachers of magic, combat, or other things they may be interested in.

Banquet.

The large ballroom is bathed in warm, golden light from dozens of chandeliers above, reflecting off the gleaming inlaid floors and brass light fixtures along the walls. It is at once neatly sectioned, yet naturally open, allowing the length of the room to flow from one potential activity to another with ease.

In the center, a circular area has been left clear, and every half hour or so during the first half of the evening, two native Thornean (apprentice) mages come up to offer magic demonstrations -- mostly flashy elemental magic, adding sparks and atmosphere. If any of the Summoned who've been around longer wish to show off as well, they are welcome to do so.

Along the walls stand narrow refreshment tables, where one can serve oneself wine and liquor from large glass carafes. Hot tea and a variety of warm drinks are also available in a few flavors. For those looking to eat, a large dining table has been set out toward the center of the room, with plates and utensils and large platters of food in the center. Jill arranged for special refreshments to be offered in partnership with local businesses. Dante has also offered pizza for those who want something less traditional.

Both the handful of large tables and the smattering of small, taller tables for standing at are in full view of the demonstrations so the show can be enjoyed with food and drink, whatever your desire. Everything is decorated in Thorne's local winter flowers, filling the space with pleasant smells and pretty atmosphere. There is plenty of space to stand and mingle, walk around, and see what everyone else is up to. In the back of the room, the folding screens offer a quieter area, for more private conversation and meditation as desired.

Magic Studies.

Behind the folding screens made of tall, carved wood in intricate patterns, there are a handful of low sofas and chaise lounges around a fireplace at the far side of the hall. This sectioned-off area has been enchanted to provide some insulation from the sound of the banquet beyond, and once you step inside, the quiet is like a gentle blanket settling over everyone who chooses to spend some time here.

This is the best place to ask questions in some semblance of privacy, to learn about your new home, and to receive guidance on entering the Horizon and using the so-called network of telepathic notes only the Summoned can send one another.

Istredd is the one 'in charge' of this particular endeavor, but others who have been in Abraxas a while are likely also about, lending their assistance to those who are newly arrived and sharing thoughts on their experiences so far. Istredd recommends people visit his Horizon because he has a history of the Summoned and general helpful details written in there for anyone to see.

Just be careful -- even if the insulating enchantment is sturdy, there are still Thornean natives around, refilling refreshments outside and demonstrating their magic. You may want to be careful how candidly you discuss any displeasure toward Thorne or its crown, considering the Queen's notoriously explosive temper, and the rumors of the dungeons deep beneath the castle. It's hardly a secret, at this point: a conflict has been sparked, and the mood around the castle is a tense one, even amidst a celebration such as this.

(( ooc: Feel free to make your own top levels and tag around! This is meant to be an open mingle, with the above as mostly setting and flavor, so don't feel limited if you want your character to do their own magic demonstrations, for example, or even if your thread ends up moving outside the ballroom. Have fun!

It should be noted that if you would like to handwave your character's first experience to the Horizon, you can do so. It's a blanket permission from me / Istredd that he took your character there, helped them leave, and showed them how to go back in with their memory now. Your character can also know anything from the entries I linked to above that are in his library if you'd like to jump-start them into having information, or they can know none of it.

Thanks to Lena for originally designing this mingle every month, and Ammay for joining in on the fun now!))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ when has clive ever actually gotten his way with joshua?

he looks a little sick, and for once it has nothing to do with his poor constitution. the explanation is.. upsetting at best. why do they have this connection? how was it formed? how did they know, and what kind of power could reach between worlds and pluck them out, but not save their own world?

his head throbs, and he winces, taking another sip of his tea to mask it. ]

.. Do they know about us, you suppose? [ he and clive, jill there across the room. dominants. and what of those from other places? what power do they have that can be used by the people that brought them here? ]

[ There's a first time for everything.

Clive grows quiet at the question, because if he's being honest, he doesn't know, but... ]

I don't think so. I was told when I arrived that they brought here, it was for great acts of heroism.

[ He pauses again, clearly hiding something else. Clive's never been a good liar, but he is good with his words, and he chooses them carefully now. ]

If they knew, I think things would be different.

[ .. he remembers something like that, too, doesn't he? what great acts of heroism? joshua's done nothing of any particular note. he's no revolutionary like his brother, he hasn't slain a corrupt monster the way jill has, and he's no war hero like dion. he's lived his life since phoenix gate almost entirely in the shadows, and thus obscured from strange eyes. had it merely been meant to flatter and set one off their guard?

still, there's clearly something else bothering clive, so joshua reaches out, curling long fingers around his wrist, head tilting with question. ] .. Different? [ a slightly queasy pause. ] Different in the way Jill's life was after Phoenix Gate? [ technically in the way clive's life had been, as well.. but the empire thankfully hadn't known he was a dominant then. ]

[ Clive doesn't say anything, just glances out over the crowd towards where Jill is standing, engaging in small talk with some of her guests. It's too dangerous, here, with the mages mingling with the Summoned, and it takes him a moment to formulate a response. ]

Different.

[ He lets out a breath, pulling his gaze away from Jill to look at his brother, trying to smile. ]

But we can talk about that later. [ 'When we have more privacy.' ]

How did you manage to sneak out of the infirmary anyway?

[ It's an abrupt change of subject, and Clive knows it, but he's not about to let the prying eyes and ears of this place corner his brother. His duty above all is to protect Joshua — the mages of Thorne have no idea what they've done bringing him here, to Clive. ]

[ ah, that's telling enough. people have sometimes assumed unflattering things about clive, because he's most sure of himself on the battlefield, but joshua knows him to be well-educated, a deep thinker, clever and subtle.. and he has an excellent sense for people. if he thinks the natives living here aren't to be trusted, then joshua will follow his lead.

he squeezes the wrist beneath his fingers, then simply allows the conversation to flow on past his questions. ]

Oh please, [ he scoffs, amusement in his tone and the upward tilt of his mouth, ] I have decades of experience escaping well-meaning physickers, some of them quite a lot more intimidating than those I've seen here so far. [ tarja and jote in particular. not that jote would ever so much as raise her voice toward joshua, but she hadn't needed to, either. ]

I didn't know-- [ he hesitates, fingers twitching on his brother's forearm, then withdrawing to curl around his teacup again. ] I thought I was alone here. I was afraid that you were back there on Origin, that I'd failed you, and I-- I couldn't bear it, laying there any longer.

[ He's about to scold his brother — fear of the physicker shouldn't be keeping him in bed, getting rest for his illness should be — but Joshua continues and Clive feels his heart drop to his stomach, and when Joshua's hand retreats from his wrist, Clive's hand follows, wrapping around his brother's on his teacup. ]

You didn't fail me, Joshua. I failed you.

[ he jerks at the confession, turning, eyes wide. ] You could never, [ he denies immediately, firmly, without so much as a shred of doubt. ] You never have, and you never will.

[ he shifts, setting his teacup aside and then slumping down as much as he can to tuck himself into his brother's side like he's still ten years old and the world makes sense. his temple tips onto clive's shoulder a moment later. it's something he wouldn't have done back at the hideaway, because frankly they'd rarely slowed down enough to just sit together like this.. and even when they'd had the time, it had been joshua's duty to support clive, to not need his big brother's comfort and protection. after all, clive had all of valisthea to think of, and ultima breathing down his neck.

here, though, for the moment, none of that matters. ]

If there's anything good about me at all, Clive, it's because I learned it from you.

[ The noise of the crowd is formless, words and noises blurring together into one hum, surrounding them like a wall. For the briefest of moments it's just the two of them again, like when they were kids and Joshua would fall asleep on his shoulder as Clive read aloud to him and Jill by the fireplace in Clive's room. There's no Ultima, no Hideaway, no one who needs Cid the Outlaw or Mythos or even just plain old Clive Rosfield. It's an indulgence and Clive takes it, gently removing the tea cup from his brother's hands and setting it aside so he can pull Joshua into a firm hug. He doesn't believe Joshua's words, not for a second, because the Phoenix chose Joshua and there must be a reason for that. There's too much blood on his hands, because of Ifrit, because of himself. Joshua has always been good — he hasn't needed Clive for that at all. ]

That's not true. You've always been a good man, Joshua.

Because I had you to teach me. [ joshua had loved their parents, even their mother, but even as a child, he'd understood that their mother's love was conditional and performative, and their father hadn't quite known how to interact with his sickly, bookish younger son. clive had been joshua's whole world, and he'd been the one to teach joshua about what it meant to be a good person. he'd learned his morality from him, and he'd learned to work hard, to be kind to others no matter their origin. he'd watched him interact with the other shields, and the servants, and had emulated his example later, when the undying had placed a terrified and still-healing joshua on a lonely pedestal.

before he'd found clive again, before he'd received the news of his survival, the memory of his brother had been the only thing that kept him going. ]

I know that you did everything you could for me. [ there in origin. he doesn't know the details yet, doesn't know exactly what lies before him there, but he knows he won't survive it. he'd known from the moment clive found him here. ] I hope that I was a help to you, too.

[ There's a soft huff of laughter, but he isn't laughing at Joshua, just the notion that Joshua could have been anything but. Even at his lowest point, the thought of Joshua kept him going— first as revenge for Joshua's death, and then the knowledge that Joshua was alive out there, somewhere. He had been born to be Joshua's protector, and he knows he will die being Joshua's protector, too. What else could Joshua be, then, but a help to him? ]

You are, [ he says, firm in his resolve, one hand coming up to rest on the back of Joshua's head. ] You have never been anything but. Never think different.

[ the feeling of clive's fingers sifting through his hair takes him right back to sleepy nights in their childhood, joshua dozing off cuddled up to his brother, with he and jill's voices soft and soothing over his head.

founder, he's nearly thirty. he probably shouldn't still be so easily comforted by something so childish, and yet here he is, barely aware of the banquet going on around them. ]

I'm glad. [ long fingers curl in clive's shirt again. ] I'm very glad that you and Jill are both here together. [ his eyes blink back open, drifting across the room to find her familiar figure. she looks lovely and vibrant, maybe even happy. ] .. Has it been long?

[ He hopes Jill is happy. After everything she's been through it's the least she deserves. Clive finds himself also looking back out at the crowd towards her, smiling without even realizing it. ]

A handful of moons, at best. Though some days it feels much longer, and others not so long at all. [ And if she hadn't been here, he doesn't know what he would have done. Survived, of course, there was no question about that. But all of it, back home, was spent with her at his side, his rock to lean on, even when then burden of priming inevitably fell to her. He loves her more than words can say, and he knows that's not an excuse for trying anyway. But still, she stays with him, allowed him to carry a piece of her within him always. ] There's certainly no way to get back, that I've been able to find.

[ And, admittedly, he hasn't been looking. He isn't for certain what awaits them when they go back home, but he's got an idea, and now that he's been given a taste of this kind of selfishness — of getting to live with Jill and now his brother — he doesn't want to let it go. It isn't perfect here, by any means, and there are mysteries and conspiracies and other things he knows he's going to have to solve at some point to make things right for the natives here. But for now... For now, he gets to have the one thing he'd dreamed of the most.

He pauses, after a moment, glancing back down at his brother, his eyes starting to burn with unshed tears. ]

But now you're here as well. I'm not sure what I did to deserve it.

[ clive lights up when he looks at or talks to or even talks about jill, and he always has-- it's just so much more obvious now, after years of suffering and separation. it's a miracle that they'd found one another again. it's a further miracle that they're here now together, after everything. if joshua were less jaded, he might think that greagor was finally choosing to reward them both. ]

I hope that neither of you are in a rush to return. [ they have to eventually, he knows that. valisthea is their home, and for all that it's never done them any favours, they love it. besides, they left behind so many people they love, people that will suffer if they can't finish what they started.

but not right now. not for.. months, hopefully. years, perhaps. long enough for all of them to have some sort of life. long enough to learn to say goodbye for the last time.

the familiar eyes on him makes him shift, and the ache in his brother's voice makes him finally glance up, then sit up again, instead reaching for clive, arms curling around him in another hug. his hands slide up, fingers curling into the shaggy dark hair on either side of his head, urging the older man to bend enough for him to press a kiss to his brow. ] Stop that, [ he chides him tenderly, familiar sparks of healing energy following the path of his palm as he rubs his brother's back, soothing and warm. ] You don't have to earn the good things that happen in your life. And I'll be here as long as I can be, you know that.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

OPEN MINGLE: Welcome to Thorne!

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