August Catch-All [Open]

[pureyang]

🧙 WHO: Chongyun and YOU!
⚔️️ WHAT: August catch-all
🕒 WHEN: Throughout the month of August
🗺️ WHERE: Various places
⚠️ WARNINGS: None atm, will update as needed!

Animal Mage Curse
[Chongyun really has no idea how it happened. He remembers going to bed one night, tired from the day’s activities and ready to get a good night’s rest. But when he woke up the next morning, he noticed things… sounded different. And that there was an unusual weight on his head he wasn’t used to. And that something unfamiliar was coiled around his leg.]

[Indeed, it’s quite a shock to one’s system to wake up realizing he’s suddenly got a pair of feline ears and a tail.]

[Chongyun has no idea what happened or why he suddenly woke up like this. What he does know, after the initial wave of panic has worn off, is that he needs to go get this taken care of somehow. Someone in Camelot must know how to get rid of this curse, right?]

[He can be found going around Camelot looking for someone to reverse his sudden animal appendages, though those who know him might be surprised with his sudden new appearance.]

Open House/Swap Meet
[Chongyun, admittedly, has never had a chance to explore a castle like this. He’s seen plenty of ruins, abandoned houses, and spooky locales while hunting for spirits to exorcise, but this is his first time in such a grandiose castle. He takes his time going through the halls, admiring the architecture and spectacle of the place. Though it’s all quite impressive, eventually he will find his way to the flower gardens as he seeks a little more peace and solitude. He spends some time just taking in the sights and smells of such gorgeous flowers. Although they look nothing like the flowers he was used to in Liyue, they were still quite pretty to behold. Though, throughout his wanderings he may not notice where he is going, and stumble into your character on accident.]

O-Oh, pardon me. I didn’t mean to interrupt.

[He can also be found out at the swap meet later on, browsing through the wares that are on display. He doesn’t really have a need for them, but he may occasionally pause to discuss some… unusual items with one of the merchants.]

How interesting… and you say such a potion will heighten my senses and enable me to better track down spirits..?

[The merchant seems earnest… a little too earnest. And Chongyun, he seems to be genuinely considering the high price tag… Someone might need to come in and intervene.]

Healing Circle
[The healing circle ritual sounded rather interesting, enough to draw Chongyun’s curiosity. Purity of one’s mind and body were essential in the art of exorcism, and so he agrees to take part in the ritual. The procedure sounded simple enough, and even reminded him of a few of the rituals he performed while practicing his thaumaturgy back home in Liyue. It’s easy for him to slip into the mindset of one of his thaumaturgy practices, taking to the task with a seriousness befitting of an exorcist.]

[Gathering the required herbs was easy enough, and soon enough he’s waiting to be let into the next available healing circle. He will turn to the one who he is paired wit, nodding solemnly to them.]

Are you ready? From what I understand of this ritual, silence is important once we enter, so we should ensure we are prepared before we do so.

Wildcard
[Got an idea you’d like to try out? Feel free to send me a PM or hit me up at pocketnoivern!]

[[OoC: Note: Any of the prompts listed above can have Chongyun with his animal curse active if desired, just let me know and I will adjust accordingly!]]

Comments

open house!

[conciliant]

[2B had been outside admiring the flowers as well, settling in near a bed of peonies when she hears footsteps come up behind her, and then a voice that follows. She doesn't seem to mind, though, and only turns to look over her shoulder at the boy, and the corner of her lip quirks into a smile.]

You are free to walk through the gardens. You didn't interrupt anything.

[If anything, she would encourage him to keep walking if only to enjoy the flowers more. But company wouldn't be such a bad thing, either. The castle and the gardens are so big, she can't remember the last time she saw another person.

She motions to a flower that's bursting with a pink colour.]

Do you know what these are?

[pureyang]

Ah... alright, thank you.

[Chongyun hadn't been really watching where he was going, to busy studying the flowers, so he was just glad he didn't interrupt anything or bump into her by accident. But it seems like there was no harm done, which he is glad for.]

[He hums a little bit, looking over the flower that she motioned to.]

Hmm... judging by the shape, my best guess would be that these are roses. I've never seen one in person myself; they aren't a very common flower where I am from.

[conciliant]

Roses...?

[2B repeats the name almost wistfully, committing it to memory. She never thought she was one for "pretty things", but she feels drawn to these flowers in an inexplicable way. They make her feel warm inside. Happy. Maybe this is why this King likes having so many of them around.

But she thinks he can spare one or two, so she plucks one of them from its stalk to observe it closely.]

I've never seen something so colourful before. Would you like to see it?

[pureyang]

I believe so.

[He knew of different kinds of flowers, but Liyue was not known for their roses. Liyue was known for Silk Flowers and Glaze Lilies, for Qinxin and Violetgrass. He hasn't seen those flowers around Avalon yet, but then again he hasn't been looking very hard. Maybe if roses existed in Avalon, then the flowers from his own world could exist here too..?]

[He's brought out of his pondering when he notices 2B plucking the flower from its stalk, and he gives a small start.]

Ah... Well, yes, but I do not think we are allowed to just take them like that...

[conciliant]

[She appears a bit affronted when he warns her, looking between him and the flower with open surprise.]

Why not? There are more than enough here.

[2B didn't think that one flower would make that much of a difference. A king can surely afford one or two of them... Or had she disrespected him by taking one? She assumed that besides being nice to look at, they were there for taking should someone want them... There were no such rules for her to abide by during her time on Earth.]

Where I'm from, flowers are rare to find.

[pureyang]

Ah, well... I suppose if only one or two are taken, it shouldn't be a problem...

[Chongyun has just grown up to be polite and respectful of others's property, especially in Liyue, the lands under the rule of the God of Contracts and Commerce. But, well, she had already taken a couple... so long as it wasn't super obvious, it should be fine, right?]

Ah, I see... do they only grow in certain places where you are from?

[conciliant]

[At that, 2B promptly hands him one.]

Not quite. While there are many plants that do grow, flowers seem to be the exception.

[She wonders why that is. Could it be the excessive amounts of sun? Or the lack of humans to plant such pretty things like these.

Her lip twitches, first into a frown, but then upward into a slight smile.]

There is one flower that I have seen, though. It's called a lunar tear. They don't grow very much, but they glow. I think you would like those.

[She's decided.]

Curse!

[whirlwindthrust]

[ Now Xiao himself isn't cursed. However, he has noticed that quite a few persons seem to have been "blessed" with additional appendages or altered in some other way. Unfortunately, this kind of upset is nothing new in this world. Perhaps someone woke up feeling slightly upset at the city? Given how the whole mirror issue with Arthur and Celliwig went down...

His eyes catch Chongyun. The exorcist certainly doesn't look himself! Not entirely. ]

At the very least, you do not seem prone to panic this time.

[pureyang]

[Chongyun jumps a little when he is addressed, and turns to see-- oh no. He clears his throat and looks off to the side, scratching the back of his head nervously.]

Ah, well... I had done enough panicking this morning when I woke up like this.

[Though he tries to hide how embarrassed he feels, his new appendages have no such inhibitions. His ears flatten to the sides and his tail flicks in a way that an anxious, nervous cat might do.]

[whirlwindthrust]

[ So the boy admits to it. Interesting. Xiao watches him. The ears. The tail. Oh yes. It is very telling... ]

You are not alone in this. I have noticed that others have suffered as you now do.

[pureyang]

I am not?

[Chongyun looks around, his ears perking up as he does. He'd been so focused on trying to find someone to reverse this strange curse that he hadn't realized a few other people are going around, sporting ears or tails or even wings of their own.]

I see... such a strange phenomenon has occurred. I was looking to see if I could find someone to reverse it, but if it is affecting multiple people, I wonder just how widespread this is...

[whirlwindthrust]

A couple of individuals may well be behind this. If that is the case, they are the ones that you will need to seek. Only they will be able to do what has been undone.

[ Which many people are not feeling to great about all of this. Xiao has already heard whispers of revenge. Of people stating that if the problem isn't fixed, then they will force the issue. With violence if they must. ]

[pureyang]

Is that so? Hrm... Then it would be difficult to figure out who is responsible for this, won't it?

[Finding the one mage who cast this curse would indeed be harder than simply finding a mage who could undo the curse itself.]

I'm afraid I'm at a loss for how to find such a person. Perhaps putting up an ad on the quest board..?

open house

[letmewin]

( Asriel could not miss out on the chance to explore a castle. It's just a shame that their sibling wasn't here to see it with them. It was far bigger and more impressive than the one he lived in at home. Not that that could be helped, mind you. There's limited space in the Underground.

As of right now? He's looking through the flowers, hoping that it'd be alright to bring some back with him to the inn to surprise Chara with.

When Chongyun stumbles into him, he nearly falls backwards, but is able to catch himself easily. Luckily -- or perhaps unluckily -- the years FIGHTing with others at home had helped him with his reflexes. He turns a little before shaking his head.

Oh, hey! He recognizes him! His face lights up, tucking his hands behind his back with a bright smile. )

Hi, there! It's okay. Were you here to see the flowers, too?

[pureyang]

[Oh dear, he hadn't wanted to knock the poor other person off their feet! He reaches out with a hand, but it seems they are able to remain standing. Whew!]

[It's only then he realizes just who it is he's speaking to. He smiles at Asriel, nodding to him.]

It is good to see you again. And yes, I am. I have never seen a rose in person before, let alone a whole garden of them.

[letmewin]

Oh... really?

( That's curious, but maybe roses are magical here like a lot of different things are... )

Maybe they don't grow in other worlds, then.

[pureyang]

Mm, it is hard to say. In my world, roses do not frequently grow in my home land. They are more popular in foreign lands. In Liyue, it is more common to see things like silk flowers or glaze lilies, or Qinxin flowers out in the mountains.

[He knows of other flowers, but they grew in other lands. Like dandelions being prevalent in Mondstadt.]

[letmewin]

Oh, really...? I've never heard of those kinds of flowers. Uhm... I didn't know that certain plants could only grow in certain places, too.

( There's so much they don't know! That's what happens when you live Underground all your life. )

But, I'm sure it feels special seeing these for the first time, too.

[pureyang]

Yes. Some tend to only grow under certain conditions. Qinxin flowers, for instance, only grow naturally in areas of high altitude. Some try to garden them in the Harbour, but they do not last as long as wild ones do.

[Which is a bit of a shame. It means he always has to go on a bit of an excursion to find qinxin flowers for Chef Mao to make his yang-suppressing popsicles.]

I do admit, it is rather something, seeing roses for the first time. Is it your first time seeing these flowers as well?

swap meet

[cantgetanyworse]

[Jane can recognise a swindle when she sees one, and though she only has half an ear on the conversation going on beside her she doesn't have it in her heart to ignore the young man who is about to be sold a dud.]

I think--

[She steps in beside Chongyun with a sunny smile and speaks up to draw the seller's attention away from him.]

--that you may be overstating things, don't you? [Oh, she's smiling, but there's a peculiar steel behind her eyes.] I'm sure you wouldn't be so unscrupulous as to cheat this young man out of his money.

[pureyang]

Huh?

[Chongyun blinks in surprise, looking at the woman who spoke up before looking back to the seller. Wait, what..?]

Cheat..? But, this merchant stated that this potion was to help enhance my senses.

[Surely that wasn't a lie... was it? The seller, for their part, seems to fidget and sweat nervously.]

[cantgetanyworse]

Was that before, or after you told him that was what you were looking for?

[She sees you, dodgy trader. Taking advantage of a young man like this, they ought to be ashamed.]

Someone making such grand claims shouldn't be concerned about offering a free sample to make sure their product works as intended.

[pureyang]

N-Now look here, miss...

[The seller seems against the idea of offering a free sample. Chongyun blinks in surprise, before frowning a bit at the shopkeeper.]

Is that so..? I do not wish to infringe upon how you run your business, but if you are indeed being misleading about your products--

W-Wait, sir, no, you see..!

[cantgetanyworse]

No, you look here.

[Jane doesn't raise her voice, but she's clearly indignant at the audacity of this trader to think they can cheat someone out of their money like this. She plants her hands firmly on her hips and tilts her chin up defiantly.]

If you believe in the power of your product, you'll offer this young man a sample to prove its authenticity. If you're just trying to cheat him, you should apologise this instant.

[pureyang]

[The seller seems at a loss of words, which just makes Chongyun sigh and place the potion back down on the table.]

I'm afraid I won't be doing business with you, sir. If you're just here to cheat people out of their hard-earned Mora-- er, gold, then I want no part of it. You should be ashamed of yourself, cheating people in order to earn yourself a profit. Do you have no honour? No spirit of the fairness of commerce?

[He shakes his head.]

If you do not wish for me to report you to the proper authorities, you would do well to be more honest in your sales pitch. Good day, sir.

[He steps away from the booth, much to the other man's dismay. Chongyun has to take a calming breath.]

Breathe, Chongyun... stay calm...