( intro log # 1 )

[acatamods]

I ▫ main IV ▫ premise       XI ▫ applications XIV ▫ activity II ▫ logs V ▫ rules VII ▫ bestiary   IX ▫ canon updates XII ▫ taken XV ▫ drop/hiatus III ▫ ooc VI ▫ faq VIII ▫ setting   X ▫ mods XIII ▫ reserves XVI ▫ players the temple of beginnings. we're all a little mad here. Needless to say, the Circle has been out of sorts as of late. Fortunately, the weather has stabilized — residents will find that they are no longer plagued with snowstorms or heat waves. However, it appears that the flora and fauna have...come to life. Vines may wind around your feet and legs, entrapping you in a vice-like grip. They will eventually let go, but it seems like you need to speak nicely to them first. Bizarre, but it'll get the job done. Mushrooms have also sprouted and now sing at you when you pass by — they aren’t particularly good singers either. Trees extend their branches to poke at you from behind, but when you turn around you’ll find that no one is there. ...And worst of all, the flowers seem to be especially privy to your thoughts; when you’re close, they’ll blab out whatever is on your mind at the moment and will only be silenced once they are picked. Best of luck surviving in this more, er, animated environment! Perhaps even plant-life can be reasoned with…? Or destroyed. That’s always an option, isn’t it? oh my god they were roommates. It isn’t a proper welcome until you’ve picked out your room! In the hallways, you may find a table or two offering cookies and tea as you survey your newfound surroundings. They seem to be left by invisible people . . . weird? The Unseen Servants seem to be playing a bit more nicely from your arrival, and seem to be apologizing for their antics with sweets! (These cookies, neverfear, are not magically cursed. They are just normal cookies.) These rooms are a bit magical, you see — should you decide to room with another person (or multiple people), you’ll find that the room itself will accommodate your needs and expand accordingly. They look the same for the most part, so some might say that it would be wise to make your decision based on what your neighbors are like. Say hello or potentially someone else’s room by accident; it’s a bit of a Russian roulette. Regardless, it seems that this is your new home in sense of the word. Make the most of it! wildcard. The Temple is a pretty big place! The Forest of the Fey stretches on endlessly, Lake Dona (and the resident Nessie) is free to explore, and there are plenty of creatures who are curiously inspecting the new arrivals. The wyverns seem to be particularly precocious today, given the singing mushrooms, the psychic flowers, and the new people checking into new rooms! They are relatively harmless (as are most of the creatures in the Temple), but can be pretty annoying . . . especially if you have something resembling a snack in your hand. At any rate, free to explore the rest of the Temple, the Forest, or the Lake at your leisure! Unless otherwise designated in the bestiary, everything is free to play/free to explore. :)

Comments

[spaceforged]

Where the wild things are.

Shiro had been looking for good areas for team building exercises or practicing more dangerous skills. Between the bad singing, the plants grabbing people, and plants saying his thoughts it’s been difficult.

[Shiro surveys the land before him. It’s at the east temple wall and the forest isn’t that far away. Not good. The Arena is an option but he doesn’t want to rely on it for all training. They need more areas to train to expose themselves to environments best suited to their skills and abilities. Be it to improve or just to mess around and let off steam.

He still takes his time walking the length of the wall. It could be of use for people needing to camp away from the main group to get used to telepathy. He steps close to the wall and runs his hands over it. A vine slides through the grass behind him, winding around the logs set up near a small camp. He turns partly, keeling down to properly gauge the tree line from the wall. There’s enough for some types of abilities.]

…not what I’m looking for. But it wouldn’t be bad for takeoffs and landing or-

[The vine rises up whipping out at his left arm. He sees it almost too late and drops flat. It misses him.] What the-? [But if you don’t dodge it will get you instead.] Hey! Get out of the way!

The welcome board.

[Near the kitchen is a blackboard. Cats have been drawn on the left side in chalk, one of them seems to be a cat flying a fighter plane. The right side is a list of names with check marks at the side. If one checks their watch they’ll notice it’s an exact match minus any new arrivals. Shiro comes out of the kitchen, mug of coffee in hand. He smiles just a little.]

Hello. Coffee and tea were made up in the kitchen. There’s also water if you’d prefer that. Help yourself. How is it out there? Any changes other than…the special plant-life? [To anyone new he adds,] And if you have questions I’ll answer what I can. Tell me what you already know, and we can start from there.

Lion around

[Something large and heavy is stuck in the vines near the arena. It looks like it tried to climb up the wall of the arena to escape. A low leonine growl rolls through the air as the form struggles again. Yellow light spills through the vines as a foot made of metal dangling in the air attempts to raise itself. A metal cat tail tipped with black smacks against the stone wall as the foot finally finds purchase.

Shiro had been minding his own business. He flies back and forth over the temple all the time. The plants had apparently decided he wasn’t allowed and snatched him out of the air. The flowers nearby aren’t helpful. ‘This sucks!’ ‘Yes, thank you that’s exactly how I feel.’ ‘Could you please put me down?’ He sighs, shoving his nose against a flower and gets a ‘You’re not helping here!’

To anyone nearby, a mental voice speaks up,]

I think you might want to go. There’s no telling if they’ll decide your next. Unless… [What one can see if the Lion’s head raises up a fraction of an inch.] Unless you know a way to make them let me go.

Wildcard
[Got other ideas? Pm or pp me on skyheron Not interested in new roomies for Shiro tho, sorry.]

the welcome board

[efficacy]

[ The kitchen happens to be Pepper's intended destination as well; the blackboard draws her attention though, and she stops in front of it to study the names scrawled on one side of it. Interesting-- a list of everyone here? She has no more time to ponder that when someone approaches, movement from the corner of her eye making her turn her head. ]

There's coffee? Oh thank god, that's fantastic. [ Best news she's had yet! ] I was afraid we were stuck with that sketchy tea. Or just plain tea.

[ Nothing wrong with tea, but sometimes you just really need lots of caffeine. ]

[spaceforged]

Don't worry, [He checks his watch and brings up the new contact list. He grins at her as he sets his coffee on the nearby table and grabs the chalk.]

I made sure to dump all of the shady tea. If the sink starts acting weird I'll be here to deal with it.

[So far it hadn't turned strange but you never know. He starts adding names to the list.] Left pot is the stronger coffee. Right the weaker. It felt best to cover both preferences. I'm Shiro, by the way.

[efficacy]

Always be prepared, huh?

[ She smiles, her tone maybe a little teasing; but don't get her wrong, she very much appreciates that level of practicality. It's good to know there are people around willing to take charge and make things happen for the common good. Pepper holds a finger up for a wordless hold up gesture before making her way to said coffee pots and pouring herself a cup from the stronger one. She walks back to Shiro slowly, sipping from the cup as she goes and sighing a little at the taste. ]

God-- that's better. It's good to meet you, Shiro. I'm Pepper. One of the newbies, as you could probably guess.

lion around.

[rightfully]

[ Lucina has no idea what's happening, but she recognises that voice. When it touches her thoughts, she whips around - hair flying the other way and almost getting grabbed by those same vines. ]

Shiro?

[ It's said out loud.

She hasn't seen him yet, and sheathes her sword readily. ]

[spaceforged]

[The cat tail whacks against the wall of the arena and curls at the tip. His voice comes into her mind again as the beast moves its head another fraction of an inch.] Yes, it's me. Look up.


[He attempts to part his jaws but the vines are wrapped around it too tightly. He subsides with a growl. The tip of his tail curls at the tip in sharp jerks.]

[rightfully]

[ She looks up and sees...

?



What is she even seeing here?

Well, Henry can turn into a flock of ravens and he's one of the foremost mages of his day, so this shouldn't be too strange. A lion - albeit one that only resembles the lions of her knowledge in basic shape, too rectangular, the colours not found in nature - ensnared by living vines, held upside down. Oh, and also, this lion is Shiro.

Very well, then. She calls up, ]

If you hold still, I can try and cut you loose.

[rimuru]

[ Rimuru is totally helping himself, stuffing his mouth with cookies. Most people would reconsider eating food offered to them by strangers, but Rimuru doesn't have that sort of worry in him.

He looks back at Shiro, and admittedly he feels a bit awkward, like a kid who just got caught raiding the pantry for sweets. ] Oh-um-!

[ wait, let him swallow what he has in his mouth - ]

Sorry. I'm Rimuru Tempest. Nice to meet you. [ that's how you start conversations, he figures. Rather than just dumping hundred of questions, even if he does have them ]

[spaceforged]

It's fine. I'm Takashi Shirogane, call me Shiro. [He picks up the chalk and adds that name to the blackboard and checks it off.]

Far as I know the cookies are something the spirits you might have seen around are leaving for us. They're most likely safe. [Hopefully. No one has dropped over yet. Shiro takes a sip of his coffee and sets it down on the nearby table.]

You have no questions at all?

[rimuru]

[ Rimuru nods, approaching the blackboard to glance over the names, even bothering to read some - though he can't recognize any ]

I'm sure they are fine. They wouldn't poison us if we are here to help, right? [ sure, some other cookies made him giddy before, but he doesn't think it was bad enough to refuse food from then on.

With a hand on his hip, Rimuru turns to Shiro ] Oh- I have a lot. But honestly, I'm not sure where to even start.

Lion Around

[foundafamily]

[There are certain problems you learn how to solve as a casino manager. How to manage employees, how to tell if someone's cheating, how to... persuade them not to, and so on. This, however, is so far out of his range of experience that Firo almost wishes he hadn't gone to investigate the strange commotion near the Arena. He doesn't recognize that it's Shiro just yet.

He rubs his forehead, watching the plants out of the corner of his eye.]

Can't say I know how to do that, unless it's as easy as cutting you down.

[As he speaks, he slips his knife out of his jacket and comes closer, but the blade looks woefully small next to the vines.]

[spaceforged]

That's what I tried to do.

[The vines tighten their grip and Shiro struggles attempting to get at least a paw free. Unfortunately, that happens to be a back leg he starts sliding down.

Shit. He digs his metal claws into the wall.]

Then I tried blasting my way free. They didn't like it. So, here I am.

[He manages to twist so his lion face is facing Firo, glowing yellow eyes dimming a bit.]

Maybe asking will work?

[foundafamily]

Ask?

[Firo's face scrunches up in skepticism and perhaps just little bit of offense. No, this definitely has to be solved with violence. Trust him.

He considers the vines around the lion and tugs on one before experimentally sawing away at it.

Maybe it's a coincidence, maybe the other plant is coming to its peer's aid. Either way, a previously uninvolved tree branch abruptly swings out to knock him right onto the ground.

He kind of deserves it, though, right?]

wild things.

[courtmagic]

[the person the vine whips out at should be familiar, and it's fortunate that he carries his staff with him when he goes walking. because it means that he reacts quickly with long trained reflexes, that the vine gets struck down with the staff as one would a lunging beast, and he pins the end underfoot before it can rise.]

Now, now, someone's being quite naughty, aren't they? Sneak attacks are no good, especially since we're all to play nice here...

[something in his tone - warm, almost amused - makes the plant sort of confused. questioning its next step.]

[spaceforged]

[Shiro shifts shape and holds his paw up to slap the vine down himself if it tries to get back up.]

The forest better not be trying to sneak attack us. Whatever was going on with the kitchen and arena was bad enough.

[He stalks forward and glances around. No other vines. Back to sitting with paw raised to slap.]

Have you run into this happening anywhere else?

[courtmagic]

Not yet, but if it's happening here, it's safe to think it's happening elsewhere. I can't see it as an attack, however - maybe the Temple's reacting to Astoria, like it did when she cured the illness going around.

[there had to be a reason for it. whatever the cause, he finds it hard to think of this place as malicious.]

the welcome board

[thedarkbond]

[Ren mostly approached the board because of the cat pictures, and is merrily pointing them out to the (asleep) brown cat draped around his shoulders before Shiro pops out of the kitchen. It takes until he starts talking for Ren to blink slightly and turn his attention towards him, and even then, his attention looks like it isn't quite entirely focused.

To match that, while he's smiling when he responds, his tone is a bit airy and vague.] Oh, I don't really know if anything's changed...though are the plants not normal? I don't know too much about things here except that the witch lady brought us here to help out with something, I haven't talked to that many of the older people here yet...

[spaceforged]

The plants are definitely not normal. Especially the vines. [He takes a swallow of coffee to hide the twitch of his eyebrow. He glances around once. No vines.]

Seems like some sort of side-effect but of what I'm not sure. Anyway, yes Astoria used her magic to bring us here.

[He picks up the piece of chalk nearest the right side, ready to add a new name to the list.]

There's a fair number of us who have been here for some time. Our next world hop will be our fourth.

[thedarkbond]

[Ren catches that little twitch, and his smile widens a bit airily.] Oh, that's a shame, I thought the vines were cute...

[But then, Ren had been talking nicely to them from the start, so he didn't really have the issue of getting angry and getting more stuck that others seemed to.

Ren blinks a little at the mention of world-hopping, enough that he apparently doesn't key into the picking up of the chalk probably being a prompt for him to offer his name.] How often does that world-hopping stuff usually happen, then? It sounds like it'll be a little tough to settle in and then go off somewhere else right away.

welcome board

[hatamon]

[ If there's one good thing about the temple, it's that someone's almost always taking care of things in the kitchen. Takeru isn't much of a coffee or tea person normally, but a warm drink is a welcome comfort in the often-chilly halls. He perks up at the offer, though that smile turns wry as Shiro continues. ]

Well, I don't think the furniture is out to get us yet, if that's what you mean.

[ Give it time. ]

How are you doing, Shiro-san?

[ Today, right now, after everything--Shiro can interpret the question as he pleases. ]

[spaceforged]

[He cracks a smile, relieved to see a familiar face again.] I wouldn't be too sure about the furniture. After the shady tea we had for a while and whatever was happening with the Arena...wouldn't be surprised if a chair got into this.

[The coffee is so good after the chill and the weird fluxing weather they'd had for a while. He still makes a mental note to find other warm drinks they could stock the kitchen with.]

I'm good. I hope you are too.

[hatamon]

Better. [ he answers, laughing at the comment about the chair.

It's honest enough. The Circle as a whole seems to be taking steps to move forward, which is about as much as anyone could ask. Takeru ducks into the kitchen long enough to secure a mug of tea, nodding at the blackboard once he steps back out. ]

You decided to start organizing the old-fashioned way?

wild things

[guiltycharge]

[One strange thing about the vines that lash out after missing Shiro is the way that they appear to stop and curl around... nobody. Sure, there were none too subtle footsteps a moment ago, and sure, the shape of the plants suggests something about the width of a leg. But the leg in question is nowhere to be seen.

...Until a second later when it pops back into existence, along with the rest of the boy it belongs to. He's sticking his arms out awkwardly like he only just managed to keep his footing a moment ago, because that is in fact what happened. He lets them fall back to his sides rather quickly once he notices that someone is watching, though.]

Well... sorry for barging in.

[On such an important task as standing around and talking to yourself, no less. Then again, he might need a hand, so faux or real politeness may be the correct way to go after all. These vines look tougher than the one he forced his way out of earlier...]

[spaceforged]

[He squints at the vines wrapping around something he can't see. He'd thought he'd heard someone approaching before. Whatever they're grabbing isn't an adult.

He doesn't have long to wonder as he pushes himself up off of the grass. The vine seems a little confused once the sorry is said. He's spent twice wrapped up in the vines by now. Shiro walks over to inspect where it has him held fast.]

It's fine. I was scouting. If the vines mind, it's probably because they got startled.

...I think.

[Time to test a theory. He reaches out to lightly pat a vine that reaches out make life more difficult the already grabbed teenager.] Come on, he's already visible. You don't need to help.

[It paused like a dog that got popped on the nose.]

[guiltycharge]

You "think"?

[He mutters that through gritted teeth. Ritsu was too preoccupied trying to tug his leg free the old-fashioned way to notice the other vine sneaking up on him, but he isn't making much headway. If anything, the plants feel like they're redoubling their grip the more he pulls. It hurts, but beyond that, it's frustrating. What else can he...

...oh, his pockets! The vines didn't grab his arms yet, even though he suspects they might be thinking about it. Before they can try it, he whips out a spoon clearly taken from the temple kitchen and stabs it downward, trying to lever out enough space to free his leg.

It's working about as well as you'd expect a spoon to. Listen, he's Trying.]