The month drags on and on. Every morning someone casts Fireball. Every night, someone’s summon bursts through a window, steals your food, and runs. Luckily, the chaos starts to slow as the magic flowing through the leylines is finally used up, and the Grove’s natural magic — and your own native abilities — start to listen to you again. It makes resting easier, at the very least. No longer do you have to wait for your window to automatically repair itself after something smashes it.
You know, unless someone wants to start throwing completely mundane stones at it.
With everything settling back into a sense of normalcy again, Ydalir is… still doing things. She never apologised for her candies setting off a chain reaction of chaos, but this time, she’s not feeding you. Kind of.
“If you want to stay connected to the leylines here and maintain some of the magic native to this place, here’s a spellbook for you to write your spells in, and—” she slams a leather-bound journal into your lap, a quill on top of it next to a small crystal that looks like it’s made of quartz.
“A star shard! You’ll need to eat that to anchor yourself to the magic here. It’ll taste like sugar, uh… and it won’t do anything weird to you this time, I’m so sorry. Anyway, you should go out and practice with your peers! It’ll make all of this easier.” If you head out, it looks like you aren’t the only person who’s been snagged for a bit of a magic lesson. It might be worth asking the more experienced spellcasters to help you with whatever new school of magic you picked up, or you could grab a study-buddy that’s on your tier… or you could just rawdog it and see what happens. Surely it won’t be as catastrophic as when you tried to do that throughout the month.
-New characters that app while this TDM is good (March + April) & existing characters already in the game will be grandfathered into the magic system, automatically gaining one Tier One Blessing of their choice without the initial 10-thread buy-in. The rules on the page must still be followed.
-Existing characters with ties to Beiwe & Ourania are free to pick up Gifts of the Sun & Moon at this point, instead of a Blessing.
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sticksandbones2026-03-06 10:57 am
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It doesn't make his cheeks any less red, but hey, he tried. ]
No, I am... I am fine. I simply--
[ Got a sudden mental image of Suri's daughter with her shirt ripped in such a way that her entire bosom threatened to expose? No, he can't say that. ]
--nevermind. It is nothing, truly.
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Lodi isn’t quite laughing at him, but he does have to cover his own face so it isn’t obvious that he’s grinning. He isn’t making fun of Joshua, honest. ]
I'm really sorry, but I – don’t believe you. You are red as a tomato! C'mon, I promise you can tell me what’s on your mind. Unless you’d rather I assume the worst, because I might just, given the state of things here.
[ Just a little spot of emotional manipulation. It might not be entirely effective, because Lodi's voice is so thick with amusement that he might as well outright confess to teasing. ]
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The way that the magic in this place is so wild at present... I believe it is toying with my mind.
[ He can't quite maintain eye contact. Hopefully that's not a problem. ]
I was given a... vision, I suppose, or perhaps an intrusive thought? It was largely innocuous, save for someone being present in... rather revealing clothing.
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He is exceptionally quick to clamp his hand back over his mouth, though, and he at least looks sorry about the fact he’s done it. A little sorry. Not entirely that sorry.
Carefully stepping round the shattered glass, he puts a hand on Joshua's shoulder—which is hopefully alright!—and steers him back towards the clinic. They should probably clean that up and it sounds like Joshua might need to sit. ]
I'm sorry, I shouldn’t laugh. If it’s any consolation at all, you weren’t the only one to get a vision. The real kicker is, um – as far as I can tell, you were the only one who got that… specific flavor of vision! Can you tell me anything more about it aside from the, um, obvious part?
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But he doesn't protest as Lodi tries to redirect him. Touch is welcome, and he won't shy away from it. ]
Ah, truly? I wonder if there is any sort of correlation.
[ The only one with that sort of vision, though... It's probably for the best. ]
There were log homes in the forest. And Zonari was there. She had some sort of small device in her mouth, and a shirt with letters on, though I couldn't quite read it for the... ah. Torn areas.
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Some of that does sound familiar. I didn’t see, uh. Zonari? Personally, though. I saw the cabins—the log homes you mention, I'm guessing—and the entire area surrounding it. From what I could tell, the cabins were set up to be occupied. I have to wonder why she was there in your vision.
[ Once he is satisfied he’s picked up the majority of the shards, Lodi carefully deposits them out of the way of the major path of foot traffic. Hopefully no one would step on them this way. ]
Were visions of this type new for you?
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I cannot begin to imagine. Though, the fact that our visions seem similar in most other ways is interesting. I wonder if it is a premonition of something to come...
[ Ah, but he feels bad, Lodi picking up his mess like that. He could easily have done it himself. It is a kindness, though, and he must recognize it as such. ]
Not... particularly? While housing the spirit of our nemesis within my body, I could tell when his thoughts were on my brother, but it was less a vision and more an intense feeling. This is the first time I've been shown anything.
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[ He certainly doesn’t mind! He dusts his hands off as he sidles back over, smiling. Friendly as ever in spite of the chaos, this one! Now that he’s attended to that, his full attention is on Joshua. In fact, in spite of the one sat being the healer between the two of them, Lodi is cycling straight into caretaker mode.
Maybe a part of it is because of what Joshua told him about how his magic strained his body. That has stuck in Lodi's mind. With everything going on… he worries. ]
Right, got it. That makes sense. I'll bet it was jarring even without what you were shown… How're you feeling? Any headaches or anything? I can get you some water if you need it.
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[ It's amazing how much Joshua suddenly feels as though he's sitting back in Tarja's office, though Lodi is considerably less blunt and brash. Founder, but it feels both like a lifetime and only days ago since he was there. At least being under someone else's concern isn't a foreign thing, even in this place. ]
Ah, no aches that I can tell. But I am fine, thank you. Mostly, it was just... startling?
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[ One of which he had already shared with Joshua! The one of imminent demises. Now that he thinks about it, he idly, with a sickening pit in his stomach, wonders if that had come true. He momentarily, furtively looks at Joshua, then down at his own hands. Not the time to ask. If there was ever a time to ask, which there likely wasn't.
He does manage a huff of a laugh. Yeah, that made sense. Would anyone in the history of the universe ever find visions to not be a startling thing to grapple with? Lodi is grateful, at the very least, that Joshua seems otherwise unharmed. ]
I can only imagine, given what you saw. I wonder if this is all because of, uh, the proverbial dam bursting. I have seen some wild stuff within the last few hours.
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Well, I suppose they say that the third time is the charm, yes? If this is your third vision, we can test the accuracy.
[ Absolutely nothing wrong with an experiment every now and then! ]
That is my suspicion. Much like a blocked river suddenly free, I suppose the magic is rushing from its confines. Given time, it should calm down... theoretically, anyway.
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…I don't know how the visions being granted to me here and now differ from the ones I usually receive, but the only time the ones I used to get didn't come to pass was entirely dependent on the intent. Frankly, I also don't know how much of that Sight is also dictated by…
[ Lodi lifts both hands in a helpless shrug. ]
The one who is granting it? If that makes sense? Even the powers that be must have perceptions of what we will do, of how things will play out. It's hard to predict even then. But, this one seemed different than the previous two. More detailed. I could move around in it, even, to examine things in greater clarity. I'm sure it has something to do with… the magic, yeah.
[ His brow furrows. He lowers his voice. It would be best to approach this delicately regardless of whether Joshua had accepted the state of affairs for his condition. ]
How are you feeling, given everything? Has anything felt… off? And I don't just mean the visions.
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I wonder what the difference is between your previous visions and this one, to allow you to physically navigate within it. Whether this vision is granted by a being, or simply a part of the wild magic flowing through this place. Could it be possible that we gave him too much power, and the excess somehow escaped...?
[ The last sentence turns into something of a murmur, though it is still loud enough for Lodi to hear, sitting beside him as he is. ]
The Forest does not often seem to be inclined to hand out gifts, and Beiwe and Ourania would have told us, had it been a gift of their own making. Which makes me suspect it could be something inherent to this world rather than a given ability, and if so, that means it is just as prone to the rushing of aether as our own natural magicks. But imagine, if we could learn to harness the ability, we could predict devastating events and lessen the impact. We could even prevent death, perhaps.
[ Joshua could go on forever with theories and suspicions, honestly. So it's probably a good thing that Lodi asks what he asks, because it's just different enough to divert his train of thought. He blinks, then furrows his brow, eyes landing on the grass in front of him as he considers. ]
... I think I am feeling all right, in truth. Nothing feels off, exactly. Thankfully, the Curse does not spread simply due to the presence of aether. If that were the case, aether floods would have been just as deadly to me as it is to those unable to channel aether at all. But I am taking care not to use any of my natural magicks if I can help it, just in case. I have seen firsthand what might happen when the Curse is mixed with unpredictability here.
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[ They're really in it, now! It's time for theorycrafting. It also means that Lodi is going to have to explain his whole Deal in more detail. He'd glossed over it previously, but now that he has an actual chance to tap into his abilities… ]
So, right, like you mentioned, whatever was tamping down everyone's own abilities caused some kind of… buildup. Everything comes rushing out after the buildup so everyone's dialed up to eleven, not able to control themselves, what have you. And then, as you've extrapolated, there's those inherent abilities, or inherent magic, in the Grove, that also gets dialed to eleven. Which could explain why you got a vision.
[ Lodi gestures to himself vaguely. ]
The key difference with uh, me, not to pat myself on the back, is that Sight is already part of my whole deal. It was just being given through a drip feed previously, when we were all effectively cut off. Now, I don't necessarily know how it might all stabilize and what effect that might ultimately have but, at least for the moment, I have unfettered access. So while yours was a flash, probably tempered by varied experience, mine was more… comprehensive? And, honestly, I've already started receiving stronger visions in relation to, uh… life-altering events for some of the people here. Outside of that initial death vision, I mean.
[ He won't say exactly what, since that would be incredibly unkind, but… ]
I'm at least glad to hear that nothing feels off for you. I would've worried about the vision throwing your equilibrium off but it sounds like it didn't, which is good.
no subject
Ah, interesting. So this has simply boosted your natural abilities. And you have not noticed any other magicks taking hold?
[ If he wasn't being so careful... Even the smallest flame could advance his Curse. Perhaps he could call Willowisp to help. He is terribly curious. ]
Considering that you arrived while our abilities were erased, there isn't any telling how effective your ability is here at a baseline, either. To tell the truth, I am surprised that you were able to have any sort of visions prior to now. Perhaps it is something similar to how I could still use my smaller bird form, even though I could use nothing else.
[ Perhaps some things had managed to leak through, and they simply hadn't realized the extent of it. ]
Is this... typical for you? Seeing these stronger visions, I mean. Have you been receiving more than usual?
no subject
Lodi pauses in his fidgeting long enough to allow his mind to dwell on the state of affairs. The Nine were unquestionably loud in his head, even now. His eyes drift from Joshua's face to some distant point as he flicks between metaphorical radio stations, the light in his eye pulsing to an undefined beat.
He removes his glasses a second later, folding them into his lap. ]
It'd be more accurate to say that there's a difference between how the two have been delivered to me. It seems to me like the innate magic here has taken a form similar to what I'd already had, so they're effectively… feeding off one another.
I couldn't say why I was able to receive visions at all when I first arrived. It's…
[ A faint, scoffing laugh leaves his mouth before he can entirely bite it back. He lightly taps his glasses against his thigh. ]
My situation's a bit complicated. I'd have to give this whole, exposition spiel, which I'm sure you don't really want to sit through. Heh.
Let's just say that I am used to receiving feedback the vast majority of the time, but that these have been similar to when I first started. Real punches in the teeth every time. Uh. Not to mention the physical effects! And they're usually not so specific unless I really reach for it.
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[ And the newer one is requiring some measure of adjustment. Joshua can understand. Much like how his wings had been, then. He's always been able to fly as the Phoenix, but having to navigate a human body with wings attached was not easy at first.
It sounds as though Lodi has quite the tale to tell, though. Much like himself. Joshua shakes his head with a smile, lifting a hand to pat his friend's shoulder. ]
You listened to my tale, did you not? Why, then, would I not afford you the same kindness? Please, feel free to tell me as much as you like. I assure you, I am quite interested.
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If you're sure. Uh. Well. I had briefly talked about it on the Netbook, but the time period I'm from is what was evidently called the Space Age. I… worked with an organization that, more or less, set their primary goal as establishing first contact. That meant that they were trying to get in contact with extraterrestrials, or sentient beings outside our known space system. I was brought on in a linguistic capacity, to translate and start cataloguing the language of any species we might encounter.
[ Lodi spreads his hands, smiling faintly. ]
Things started getting weird, so to speak. I was having these incredibly vivid dreams. I'd wake up outside my home not knowing how I'd gotten there. I started, uh, hearing things no one else could hear. I didn't know why, but I somehow knew that something was trying to reach me. So, when I heard that call physically, clearer than I ever had, I knew I had to answer or I would… regret it for the rest of my life.
[ He laughs, quietly, leaning his head back against the clinic building. ]
Turns out, that was the Nine. Uh, how do I even begin to explain them? The Nine are… fourth-dimensional beings that are, more or less, the embodiment of the planetary bodies as we know them. They are incapable of existing on the three-dimensional plane as we do, so they require a, uh, a vessel. An Emissary. But they have to be… real particular about choosing, because with most, they just sort of… fall apart. Can't handle it. Even the ones that are suited for the role have to be… have to be changed.
So I got, more or less, pulled from my time to an indeterminate point in the future, hundreds of years after civilization as I'd known it had utterly fallen apart. And I was primed for the role, and then one day I was, well, given the job! The, difficult thing about the Nine is they have remarkably little concept of mortal limitations. So when I say I'm used to it, it was like, uh… going without sleep for a week because they were catching me up to speed, or, every unconscious hour spent threaded between points in space-time, or "hey, sorry, you blinked and the molecular structure of your desk changed because they're rewriting your atoms!"
[ He clears his throat. Glances sidelong at Joshua with a hint of a tight smile. Holy yap. Sorry! ]
Up until now they were just awful quiet. Couldn't get through, I reckon, beyond the real shitty home movies they were showing me in my first month here. They're pretty peeved. It's been a struggle not to, uh, lapse and let 'em start using me as a mouthpiece. I just can't imagine anyone here would take to it too well. Their grasp on human grammar is just, really terrible.
Sorry, that was probably a lot! I don't really talk about it all that much. Sensitive information and all that.
no subject
Founder, he hopes that isn't the case with Lodi. ]
Not at all. In fact, I find it quite interesting. I am, after all, one who would gladly spend his entire day with his nose stuck in the pages of a history book. Though I may not entirely understand the finer details of things like space systems and extraterrestrials, I understand enough.
[ He shifts just a little, smiling reassuringly and gently patting Lodi's shoulder once more. There, there. ]
And these beings, the Nine... Do you know much of their intentions? I only ask because my own experience with something similar did not turn out well.
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[ Honestly, thank god for Joshua. Lodi lays his hand over Joshua's on his shoulder and breathes out a long sigh with no small amount of relief. Getting this all off his chest felt… cathartic, in a lot of ways. It was a dangerous topic to simply bring up on the best of days but at least here it felt… distant, in a way. Like something wasn't going to immediately strike him down for bringing it up, or like he wasn't ruining a hundred thousand lives commiserating about it. ]
Uh, no, not really. Frankly, it's part of the reason why they need an Emissary. I was – well, at the time before I ended up here, I was trying to serve in an ambassadorial capacity. Like I said, they have a really poor understanding of humans and while I don't know if it's actively malicious, they were incredibly quick to throw their weight around to achieve what they had determined was necessary or optimal.
[ Lodi winces. The eye flashes. The Nine are clamoring up there! ]
'Eesh. I mean, if you think about it from a human perspective, ripping someone away from an established life because they needed the perfect dance partner is unfathomably cruel. To them, it was a necessity that needed fulfilling. It isn't always cruel, it's… a lack, or a gap, in understanding. Not to imply they aren't capable of cruelty at all, because they definitely were. Are.
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[ It's funny, how similarly his own experiences parallel Lodi's. Not entirely, not one for one, but close enough in some ways to make him wonder. And make him concerned for what may lie ahead, to boot. ]
Like most god-like beings, then, they lack any grasp of humanity. But it sounds as though your Nine might be open to learning in some capacity, at least? If so, that is leaps and bounds above Ultima. But I would still be wary. Like as not, they have their own agenda, and they won't hesitate to put it first, as they've already somewhat proven.
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[ Lodi shrugs a hint helplessly for what feels like the fifth time since they began this conversation. He wished he could assure Joshua more, speak to the motivations and inclinations of the Nine, but there was a reason they needed an Emissary at all. ]
Most of them, yeah. The Outer Orbits less so than the Inner Orbits, but – I don't need to expound on the political inner workings of the Nine. Frankly, I have a feeling that this is the limit to how they're able to influence this place. The fact I'm hearing anything at all makes me concerned about what else might be able to seep through, you know? After last month, I'm hesitant to trust in any prolonged sense of quiet here.