JOURNEY TO THE MAW'S CRYSTAL CAVES

At this point, news had been spreading about the flowers- the ones that only grew near crystals in the Maw, that they were what Seek had used on Nova City back in January, even though they were Fayren-native. Those who have made it this far to The Maw and searched for some time will finally find themselves at a cave, deep within. The only light there is whatever they brought with them and the bioluminescent glow of some crystals and fungus within the cave- certainly not enough to guide the way without your own source.

Once the expedition party is deep enough into the caves, they'll likely notice that the crystals have shifted behind them and cut off the way that they've come in. They have to go somewhat deep into the crystals to get to the patch of flowers they’re looking for, a veritable field of them. Most of the crystals are white or a pale lavender in color, and once in deeply enough it will become clear that the crystals have been enchanted as they rapidly spike up from their spots on the walls and cut off the entrance, regrowing just as rapidly if broken. A character may be able to get out if they have teleportation or phasing abilities, but they will not be able to bring other characters with them.

The only choice is to go deeper, and some who do will begin to find crystals that look a little different- refined, not bound to the enchanted white and lavender ones, and they’re a vibrant green in color. Careful though- spirits still lurk around certain corners, and with the low light and the Maw's nature.. well, you may want to stick close to someone else. Those aren't the only monsters down there.

DIRECTIONS:
-If you were RNG'd to receive a green crystal, you received a notification last night. Reply with a top-level to this post to receive the content of that crystal. If you do not post a top level by the 17th, your memory crystal will get rerolled to go to someone else who has already posted a top level. The mod NPC account will reply to your post with the memory crystal contents so you will not have any way to receive them unless you reply to the main post. Crystal finders: Cassian Andor, Koishi Komeiji, Link, Kamille "Mobius" Rainer, Belle, and Major Lilywhite.

-Regardless of whether you were RNG'd, anyone who replies with at least 5 comments by July 4th will receive a Fayren charm.

-If you are one of the four people who get to participate in capture, feel free to assume that your person got separated from their group and ended up finding the other three who did as well. That way you can still have main threads with whatever group your character came in if you'd like while we can limit the thread to a semi-reasonable amount of people for a single thread because 5 people in a single thread is already a lot and we do want to make sure that this thread is completed. A specific thread for this will be posted in reply to this post for each of those who joined in to participate. Once again, if you do not reply by the 17th, you will just have your character dropped from the discovery so that we can move on. Because this is an active thread and not just an info drop, the role will not be replaced unless all four characters do not participate.

-Just replying may also give you a chance encounter for other neat stuff in the Maw. A mod may reply with something fun to interact with if it looks like your thread is active based on a daily RNG through the 17th.

-Please feel free to assume that characters eventually find a second way out. They can also take samples of anything they want with them- flowers, crystals, rocks, whatever they may find. If your character wants to do something with something they took, please ask a mod what they'll find out and include the method they are trying to analyze it with. (If you just say 'analyze it' that's not going to tell us whether you'll find something out- if your character says they're looking at something under a microscope or that they're running a test for something specific, however, the mods are more than happy to answer if there's relevant information that your character can discover.)

ota; action
[ Looking to get into Nova City? Chances are you're going to run past Weiss. Since this has started, she and Nova's deputies have been holding onto various roles. The entrance to Nova City's been guarded by Weiss, Satsuki, and Grievous. Mercury's been doing expeditions into Genessia main to help bring people back, and Jaune and Garrus have been keeping things calm within the city walls. All armed with David's spirit weapons, though with orders to use them as limitedly as possible and to just try to keep out with regular weapons rather than kill if possible- protecting the city was the priority. At least, until Jaune had realized what those flowered things were- or at least what part of them was.

Their formation needed to change. Things needed to be done, and she didn't want to send Jaune off alone either. When she gets a chance, she gets the rest of the deputy team and guardians up on the comms. ]

nova deputies + fellow guardians and deputies (not directed at but so they have the info); voice
I'm staying at the gate and Nova City is going to be overrun over my dead body, but Jaune's right. Some of us need to head to Fayren. I told one of the guardian candidates that the cities in this place only exist because we're all here together, not because we only stick our necks out for our own. I need to know which of you are going so we can regroup in Nova City and make sure our people stay safe, but at minimum Jaune is headed to Fayren.

Jaune, I have faith in you but I don't want you going alone. No one should be alone in this fight.

If one of you goes and finds the man who gave Seek the flowers that we're now seeing in these spirits? I want him brought to me. We've got Seek, we can have him give a positive identity and then we can question him. If any of the other Guardians want a piece, we can discuss custody afterward and they're more than welcome to come question him but I want to make sure someone has him secured and since Fayren's a little lacking in leadership right now, we'll take responsibility.

ota; voice
David mentioned the Bay's waters, but if you're nowhere near there, use any last seconds you have to call someone you care deeply about. There's a chance they can reach you after these things have gotten you. I.. speak from experience, though I'd rather not get into it. It's a very personal experience, so what worked for me might not work for you anyway. Just know that someone you care about can bring you back. These spirits can take a lot from you but as corny as it sounds, love isn't one of them.

locked to sun; voice
Please tell me you're still doing okay and if you're cornered, tell me. I'll find someone to cover, I'm not losing you.

locked to whitley, jacques; voice
Go to my wardrobe in my bedroom and get in. Stay there and don't come out until I come get you.

locked to yang, nora, pyrrha; voice
Are you safe? We could use some help on the Nova front lines if you are.

Action;

a. At the party

[she's not okay. she's not okay. she's not okay.

a massive gathering of people, free food, and mindless speeches? fine, she can handle that, at least she would be able to drown out most of the people and just focus on getting herself a meal. what she couldn't handle was another earthquake. suddenly at the sensation her stomach lurched, she felt like she was a little girl again, and all the emotions from that time came flooding back.

but no, push it all down, this was different- this was an entirely different earthquake. this wasn't another red hole incident. even so... it was so devastating that it reminded her of that horrific time. minatsuki had been wearing a pink dress for the occasion, and it was definitely going to get ruined, since she planned on using her branch of sin either way.

even after the earthquake died down minatsuki was off to the side, absolutely rigid, her hand resting on her earring and ready to yank it at any given moment. she wasn't okay, she wasn't calm, she looked like she was about to snap and really hurt someone, or herself for that matter. try and sooth her or stay away?]

b. Fight or flight

[and when the spirits started coming, that was when minatsuki let her irritation and anger out completely. she had already yanked off her earrings, the blood flowing freely now as she manipulated it and twisted it. her tendrils of blood swirled around her as she backed away from a group of vile void spirits as they came towards her.]

Fuck off! You goddamn-...!! [she lashed out with her blood whips, her whip wing crashing into the spirits and sending them back temporarily. they kept on coming towards her, however.]

You bastards lay a hand on me and I'll rip your fucking heads off! [she was screaming, shaking, and she felt like this was an enemy she just couldn't defeat. this wasn't like her at all, but she hadn't ever encountered something like this before. she was in a whipping frenzy with them, and if she didn't stop she would certainly hurt someone else in the area. try and stop her? be careful! you will most likely get whipped if you do!]

Video;

[she had managed to get away from the spirits, for the time being, but she didn't know if she could keep running from them forever.]

This is so fucked up! How the hell are we supposed to beat these bastards? Whatever I do with my whips... they just keep on coming back. I can't... [she can't do this by herself.]

....And the flowers, those aren't like any flowers I've seen before. [and she knows her flowers.] Do the flowers have something to do with all this shit?

[someone please talk to her she's having a mental breakdown.]

[It takes a bit of time until a woman appears on the feed. Are those... angel wings? No time to focus on that. Around her neck was the necklace that she received and she looked a bit lost for words. By this time, Angela had already read the pamphlet, but it was a very strange situation that she seemed to find herself in. Figuring out the smart phone wasn't too difficult for her, it was just all of the extra information to take in. At the very least they had maps of this "Genessia" place that she found herself in. She'll eventually make her way to the Genessia Commonspace, but for now...]

So.... This is a completely different world than we're used to? I'm assuming there's no way out, is there...?

[She understands that much, but it still worries her to think about how the others would get by without her there flying around the battle field keeping them alive.]

Well, let me ask this instead. I'm assuming I'll eventually need to find a place to stay and a job to support my time here, so I'd like a few answers if it's not too much to ask for.

Oh, but maybe I should introduce myself first. My name is Angela Ziegler, I'm a doctor specialized in healing and reviving those who fall in battle for an organization called "Overwatch". [She paused for a moment before proceeding.] Well, I was anyways. My friends/allies called me Mercy, so I'll answer to either name.

My question is... would there be any hospital or clinic hiring for a doctor? I would rather nip this situation in the bud sooner than later so I don't have to worry about my funds while I'm here.

I did get a decent amount of information thanks to this pamphlet and hologram, but any other information that I should know about would be much appreciated. 

Thank you for your time.

[And with that, she'll continue looking around, keeping her guard up just in case.]

Action: Fairy Haven, Master's Quarters - Open to any member of Fairy Tail or anyone who lives in Fayren Haven

{ It would be quiet; barely audible, depending on where one was in the sprawling compound that Fairy Tail calls home. It was unmistakably Zeref's voice, but there could be none other heard. It might sound as if he were just... talking to himself. }

I almost gave this to them, you know. I was curious to know what they would have done with it.

{ There's the sound of rustling. Zeref sounded slightly sleepy, if one bothered to listen, as if he had only just woken up despite it being the middle of the afternoon. Maybe he was up late? }

What would they have done? Destroyed it? Opened it? They would have been in for a surprise if they had.

{ Whoever he's speaking to doesn't respond. If one bothers to peek into the room... he's speaking to a book laying on a desk parallel to the bed, propped up against the wall. Completely seriously, as if the book were alive and he was somehow expecting it to respond.

Suddenly, Zeref sighs, reaching for the white, outer-layer of his robe, unceremoniously discarded at the foot of the bed. He pulls it on, over the rest of his outfit. }

Why do I bother? I doubt you can hear me, anymore. I wonder if you're even alive in our world without this.

Text - OTA

I'd like to pose a rhetorical question, if I may. Much has been made about the issue of necromancy, in this world. The act of reanimating the dead into 'undead,' as the term I've been hearing up until now.

What I've heard little about is resurrection. Not merely reanimating the dead; restoring life itself. Reversing death. Bringing a soul back from the afterlife and returning it to this world. In my world, it is taboo, regardless of the circumstances or how unfair or undeserved the death was.

Death is ultimately meaningless in this world, at least for those of us with amulets. When one of us dies, we reawaken in the Bay, even if doing so often has a price. Regardless, I've heard some of us say that impermanent death cheapens it.

Why this distinction? What difference is there, truly, between necromancers, and whomever, or whatever it was that brought us here reducing death to a mere transaction?

[Qubine's been a leader before. He's spoken publicly with his clan before. But as he prepares to announce his running for Guardianship, he can't help but feel a bit nervous. The idea of appealing himself to strangers, mostly of whole different species, is new to him. As the video feed begins, he lets out a calming sigh, accompanied by a soft, low growl.]

Greetings...Genessia. I am Qubine, leader of the Kalma Clan in Sornieth. I'd like to announce that I will be running for Guardianship of Fayren. I'll admit, this "election" system is new to me. I had become my clan leader by fate...or by circumstance. Whichever you wish to call it.

[He pauses. He shouldn't share too much about himself, lest he bore his audience to death. He ponders about some of the issues he's read about. He's looked at the other nominations and has noticed a rather disturbing trend.]

I couldn't help noticing that some of the other candidates want to steer away from magic. Why?

Now, don't get me wrong. I understand that medicine has its benefits, and I realize that medicine can cure some things that magic cannot. After all, were it not for Orphne's study of medicine, we would not have been able to purge the plague that crippled my former clan for over a year. Still, magic has been an important part of our lives, and can heal most basic injuries far more quickly than medicine. Even for the most severe cases, magic can help stabilize the sick or wounded while the medicine works on the root of the problem.

Therefore, while I would support the improvement of medicine, I will not support the elimination of magic. Especially if it's done in the manner that these Hands of Decay that I've read about have strived to eliminate magic and its users.

[He pauses, letting out a breath once again. He can feel himself growing bitter, something which won't help his campaign.]

Well, I'll keep my introduction short for now. If there's anything you wish to know about me, you are welcome to ask.

[And then he ends the feed.]


[OOC: Reposted after deleting my last one for some improvements. Sorry for any confusion.]

[Video]

COME ONE, COME ALL!

[This is how Nora gets attention! By shouting really loudly once opening a feed.]

I'm gonna set a world record! I'm gonna hold up as many people on a bench as possible! My goal is at least fifty! [GRINS!] So hurry up! I wanna eat lunch!


[Action: Genessia Park]

[Nora is easy to find. A crowd gathers around her as she casually holds a bench over her head with both hands. She plans to set the record before lunch.]

[Groggy was the least of Leonard's problems, following closely after 'Where the hell am I?'. Oh, sure, he'd sat and listened to the hologram, and it would be his damn luck if that was all true. He'd still prefer to hear it from a person.

Yanking someone off a spaceship in the middle of space wasn't as much of an impossibility as it seemed before Jim'd beamed onto the Enterprise mid-warp with Scotty.

He didn't mind being planet-side, a good old fashioned atmosphere was always well and good by him. What was pissing him off more was the fact that he'd come down with the clothes on his back, his communicator, and nothing much else. The damn communicator didn't even work, or at least it wasn't picking up anything.

After about an hour he'd stopped waiting by the bay, taken his welcome package and headed off to what the map had said was a bar a few blocks away. Jack's - or something like that.

One drink wasn't going to get him drunk and if he was really the only one that got abducted here they'd be looking for him.

Leonard McCoy is nursing his second glass of bourbon and frowning over the paperwork he'd taken to reading when he finally looks at the other communicator they gave him. Well, he figured, why the hell not? He's scowling into the device once he finally turns it on.]

Doctor Leonard McCoy, Starfleet Medical Officer here, and I've got just one good question for whoever happens to be on this damn thing; What the hell is really going on here?

[He tilts the device pointedly away and takes another sip of his drink before returning to its view. Then, as almost an afterthought he adds;]

Aside from what that hologram had to say.

How long have you been here?

[The voice is serene and calm, deep and resonant. It begets a sense of safety and wellness, a shame there seems to be a constant, soft, subtle note of mourning to it.]

Even in the short weeks I've been here, faces have already come and gone. Is this world so transient?

[There's a soft sound, fluttering and shifting. Sounds like cloth perhaps? Feathers? Hard to tell]

It's one of the things that was not covered as well as I would have hoped from the pamphlet and the hologram at the bay.

I cannot imagine how many have been lost in such a short amount of time, if people come and leave again as quickly as I've seen thus far...

[Action]

[For the first few days since the magical plague was reported, Erza was doing fine. Now, however, she seems to have caught it; every time she sneezes, her magic makes her outfit change. Her head feels like it's about to explode and she's exhausted, but she's not going to let little things like that get in the way of her daily routine! ...Though she may avoid Fairy Haven, just to be on the safe side.

She'll make her way to various stores, especially the bakeries and cafes. Eventually, she realizes that she should let Mavis know why she hasn't shown up yet.]

[Video - private to Mavis]

First, I don't think I'll be able to come in today. I'm feeling a bit under the weather... [She interrupts herself with a loud sneeze, and her outfit changes to something particularly ridiculous.] Excuse me. I think I might have caught infection that was mentioned the Tribune. I'm hoping it will pass in a few days, but I'll see what I can do for the guild in the meantime. [Sure, they just got a few members, but there's always room for improvement!]

[Video - public]

[After a talk with Mavis, she addresses the community at large.] Is there anywhere I can stay until this infection has run its course? I've been living at Fairy Haven, but that isn't an option at the moment. I shouldn't need much space; I might need material to work on rough advertisements while I'm sick, but that should be easy enough to find. [Even when ill, Erza still insists that she should be doing something.]

[David starts up the video feed and begins to address everyone.]


Hello. For those of you that haven't met me, I'm David Haller, Guardian of Genessia City. Given the small situation with the Chimera Infection in Fayren, and after speaking with Guardian Schnee and Guardian Xander, traveling from Genessia City to there will take a bit longer. A Decontamination Walkthrough will be attached to the Archway on the Genessia City side of things. Anyone coming from or going into the city will have to go through the process, wouldn’t shouldn’t take long.

This is being done to make sure the disease hopefully won’t spread from Fayren to other cities as well as making sure no other diseases are carried into Fayren to make the situation worse.

While there isn’t any evidence that states anyone other than mages can be infected, this precaution is still being taken. I know Mages don’t only just exist in Fayren [Everglade has its own mages and he’s sure there are some non-native mages here.]

I am also placing a restriction on any goods being brought from Fayren for the time being. Again, this is just a precaution. I’m hoping this all doesn’t last for more than a week or two, the last thing we need for this situation is for it to turn into some epidemic.

A blood sample of one infected with the disease was collected by Yukiko Amagi and brought to Genessia City to be analyzed. I’m not sure what will be discovered from the analysis, but if anything is, I will turn the information over to Guardian Xander.

[Rocket woke up irritated, and became more irritated upon exiting his weird sleep-egg thing and finding himself in some kind of weird watery underground hole with nobody else around. When the communicator clicks on, the voice of the hologram can be heard first, just before Rocket's.]

What the hell is a Genessia?

[He doesn't pronounce it exactly right. There's a sound of metal-on-metal, and a frustrated noise from Rocket.]

Well, this is a great mess, no clue where this loony place is, and just some fricking holo humie in a skirt, could use the parts though.

[Yup, he's attempting to disassemble the base of the hologram with the tools that came over with him, his gun strapped to his back.]

HEY, anybody know what the hell this place is and how I got here? Cos I don't remember blacking out.

[Of course, he says that right before that weird gas comes out of the base and he passes out, so replies will happen after he comes to.]

A - Action, Fairy Haven Courtyard

Light the bonfire, Torchic.

{ The nice thing about dead wood? It burns very easily. Zeref had arranged a small pile of branches from dead trees near the outskirts of Fayren - leftover from the last time he lost control over his Curse - into a firepit, well away from anything else that could catch fire and surrounded by rocks. The small, orange bird looked almost lethargic. Zeref frowned, and leaned down toward the bird. }

You've had no difficulty with this before. Please, light the--

{ Torchic sneezed, fire rocketing out of his beak as if it were two evolution stages later. The dead branches weren't ignited; they were incinerated. Zeref quickly reached for the Pokéball, a brief look of panic crossing his features. }

I'll take you to the Center later.

{ He mutters, returning Torchic to the Pokéball. He didn't think Torchic sneezed on him, but he couldn't be too sure. He turns toward the entrance to Fairy Haven, fully intending on splashing alcohol on his face. }

B - Text

I trust everyone has read the latest issue of the Genessia Tribune? Does anybody know if the Chimera Infection can mutate to affect non-humans? I am concerned about one of the Pokémon. He has suffered from hay fever in the past, but given the circumstances, caution is warranted.

Further, if any of you are experiencing symptoms, I would ask that you do not come near Fairy Haven. While I am sure Fairy Tail are eager to assist with the triage efforts, please only use the device to contact them directly.

{ He and Mavis cannot risk infection. They both know that losing control over their Curses is a very real possibility without a magical disease. The last thing they need is to also lose control over things like Living Magic, Law, or worse, Fairy Heart. }

{ OOC: For clarification, Zeref is not (currently) infected. But given just how dangerous his magic (and Mavis', for that matter) is, he's a little paranoid. }

[What Grell sends out to Marco via text is accidentally sent to everyone ever!]

( Backdated to April 12th )

[After the first ten people to comment, Grell realizes the mistake, erases the entry, and quickly sends out another text:]

IGNORE THAT|

[GUESS WHO IS DYING INSIDE AND MORTIFIED AFTER THE MIX UP??]


[Backdated Action for Marco]

[Paris: the city of love. What better way to spend an anniversary than there? So after Grell sends the message properly to Marco, she also sends him coordinates to a restaurant within the subarchway and tells him to dress nicely. Waiting in the expansive lounge area, Grell is wearing her best on a budget with a neat French bun. She had to get the dress back the next day, so hopefully they won't do anything too crazy.

But they probably will.]

( Cut for scary dream... )

[Liora springs awake, gasping for breath, as if to recover from the suffocation she had suffered in her dream. While it's nighttime, at least she's able to see the faint light from the moon and stars. She feels the comfort of the web bed that she's made at the top of a tree. For a moment, she looks around frantically, trying to remember where she is. Then she notices her device lying next to her, currently broadcasting. Then she remembers that she's still in Fayren. She picks up the device and stares into it with a relieved sigh.]

It's just a dream...I hope I didn't wake anyone...

[It's certainly a good thing that she didn't wake with a full scream. She sort of wishes she could talk to someone, but really doesn't want to wake anyone.]

...Is anyone awake...?

[ It's definitely a video. But at first, it's just of plate-shod boots stomping their way through the water in the Bay, the phone swinging with the person's gait, obviously being held face down in one hand.

That voice, though. It sounds like its owner gargled with hot ash and glass dust. And it's definitely cursing. ]

Min'etuna etunash sal?!

Pala'ga!

[ Though if you've never heard a Thedosian elf cursing... ]

Len'alas lath'din!

[ Man, good luck.

Stomp stomp stomp. Splash splash splash. ]

[When the feed clicks on, Xul can be seen sitting cross-legged in what appears to be a self-made hut, the only light coming from torches that burn an ethereal blue, with his eyes closed in what seems to be meditation before he speaks.]

During my admittedly brief time here, I've been doing some research on this place, its history, and politics. As such I've come up with a few questions I would like to ask the whole of this place.

First of all, I understand that necromancy is something of a controversial issue in... Everglade, was it? I would like to hear the opinions of others on the issue. Primarily in regards to the controversial nature of it.

Secondly, on a more concrete mystic note, I would like to ask if any of those with any sort of magical talent have been able to locate any leylines in this place. I'll admit that my own efforts have not turned up much, which itself is rather interesting.

Lastly, on the organization of mages - primarily in Fayren - I have been able to find very little. I am aware of the magical school and the mage guild Fairy Tail, but beyond that there seems to be very little in the way of oversight and regulation from the government here, and I am curious as to why that is.

At any rate, I have gone on long enough. I appreciate any responses indulging this old priest.