melodiesofeternity | Event || Worldwide Tourists

Event || Worldwide Tourists

Who: All New Arrivals and Curti Center Staff
When: April 15th-30th
Where: All over Vaikuntha, starting outside of the airship hanger
What: Ganeshan, the resident Job Expert, will be taking the new arrivals around the the various Guilds so they can collect their chosen Job Asterisks as noted in their applications.
Warnings/Notes: Guild prompts can be found here

Enter the Master

[Each new arrival's iMog buzzes with a message instructing them to gather for a worldwide adventure to obtain the power of Vaikuntha. If they follow the invitation's instructions, they will arrive at outside of the airship hanger on the morning of the 15th, with their meager belongings packed.

An Enterprise-Class airship, the Ragnarok, hovers outside of the Curti Center. There is a flash of light on the top of the ship.]

"WELCOME!"

[A figure, minuscule at this distance, launches itself off of the ship and hurtles toward the ground. As he draws closer to the ground, he starts to flip, landing with a flourish. An armored figure, sans helm, turns his toothy Zora grin to the crowd. With a shimmer, his armor transforms into a white mage's robe, and he sends a rush of wind through the crowd for dramatic effect.]

"I AM GANESHAN, THE JOB MASTER! GYA HA HA HA! TODAY, YOUR LIVES WILL CHANGE FOREVER."

[Ganeshan shimmers again, ruthlessly abusing the Chemist's Modifier skill to once again shift Job Classes so he can lower the airship's loading dock with a wave of his hand.]

"I BELIEVE THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HAS THE ABILITY TO MASTER THE JOB CLASSES. SOME OF YOU MAY MASTER MANY, OTHERS WILL PURSUE THE PERFECT MASTERY OF JUST ONE. BUT EITHER WAY, YOU'LL BE INCREDIBLE!"

[Ganeshan gives everyone a big thumbs-up. The out-worlders who are not scared off by this booming speech can feel free to enter the airship and prepare for their ride around the world. Hopefully some of the Curti Center's newest hires can serve as ~~non-crazy~~ less exuberant tour guides for the new arrivals.]

Around the World

[The Ragnarok will be stopping at every major city in Vaikuntha, with the exception of those cut off by the Imperial border closing. Characters can create top levels to respond to the Guild prompts and explore the cities themselves as the ship makes its stops. Each Guild provides information sessions, free food and trinkets for potential applicants, and once you're ready to receive your Asterisk, all you have to do is take some introductory lessons and fill out forms. Characters can receive up to two asterisks. Time to get to know your new world!

Questions for Ganeshan can be directed to the Ganeshan top level post.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

i. yummy-yummies

[After the event demonstration at the Gourmand Guild, Dylas is...extremely unbothered. He looks a little bored if anything. He drums his fingers against the seat in front of him during the entire performance, the tip of his serpentine tail twitching in anticipation of that feast before.

When all is said and done, he exhales and heads back to the table for some food. He helps himself to a large helping of fish, a little helping of everything else. What can he say? He has a voreacious appetite. A few of the gourmands nearby seem a little impressed—or scared. Whatever.]

This is the best guild yet.

[He says to no one in particular.]

ii. the sleep of the dead

[In stark contrast to the Gourmand guild, Dylas is too bored to function during the Necromancer Guild displays. There are two important things going on, though. First, he notices how the locals seem to avoid the building. That's nice. Second, it's so cold inside that he finds a couch in the lobby and...sleeps through the entire thing.

And when Dylas lays around on the couch, he really lays around it. He hangs off one of the arms, his tail coiled around the rest of the couch, going over, under. He's making himself so comfortable that he starts to drool and speak in his sleep.]

Fish bastard...is too loud...

[If you wait around, he might say even more! Or you might catch him signing with the Necromancer's Guild before the airship leaves. He's not particularly interested, but it's quiet here. He'd like to come back.]

iii. kupo? more like kunope

[It's the city of Arito. People to and fro are venting about this and that, but in a quiet corner of the city there's relative silence, a peace to be found. But as your character approaches an intersection, they hear several loud Moogles yelp and 'kupo' in distress before running out into the street.

If they round the corner to see what the fuss is, they'll find Dylas in mid-yawn, his snake fangs extended. When he finishes yawning, he goes back to trying to rest on the bench, forgetting to retract his fangs. They jut out over his bottom lip instead.

When he notices someone coming, he turns to them. Look,]

It wasn't me.

[It probably was, though.]

[Snow watched the demonstration... mostly. He had an idea there would be something foul about it, based on Ganeshan's warning. Still, he was set on his goals, and he was not about to be caught in a strange, unfamiliar place without his immunity to poisons.]

Rather barbaric, if you ask me.

[Still, he seemed content enough to help himself to the spread -- dainty portions fit for a princess, of course.]

The most effective way to draw power from a living being is to go straight for the heart. It houses their essence -- their very soul, fit for consumption.

[What interested him the most, though, was the strange snake man at the demonstration. Well, mostly the snake part, if he was honest. Another outworlder, it would seem.]

I do have to agree, though, [He addressed Dylas.] it is quite remarkable.

It's not barbaric. It's...eating. We all eat.

[It's gruesome, maybe? The old him would have found it disgusting for sure, but uh. He's eaten worse. Much worse.

At the mention of hearts and essences, Dylas not-so-subtly moves his plate about a foot away and rearranges himself to sit there.]

I have...no idea what you're talking about, and I'm still sure you're wrong.

[The easiest way to get a soul is to knock them out first, not go for their heart.]

[Snow White scoffed.] Eating. Yes. You did see the way those Master Gourmands devoured that adamantoise practically whole, right? I'm not saying it's bad, but it's hardly refined. They asked people to go in on an empty stomach so no one vomited afterward, for crying out loud. They know what they are.

[He shook his head, noticing how Dylas pulled away.] Oh don't tell me you're squeamish now. You're hardly human -- I'm surprised you didn't know. Unless whatever you are feeds differently. [He took a casual, dainty bite out of a mini quiche.]

Edited 2018-04-22 02:38 (UTC)

[Dylas doesn't have words to respond to that with. He plucks a particularly juicy-looking apple off the table, and he opens his mouth wide. Too wide. His jaw stretches bigger than a human's should, and with that extra space he shoves the apple in and swallows it whole. The entire time, he's making direct eye contact with Snow White. The outline can be seen in his neck until it drops low enough that it's in his stomach.]

They seem like people who know themselves pretty well. This is probably the best guild here.

[He can't wait to sign up.]

Who said anything about being squeamish? You were sitting too close. I didn't want your stupid opinions sticking to me like a bad cold.

[Snow's lip curls with mild distaste but he doesn't look away. He's not about to give the reaction Dylas is looking for.]

It's hardly an opinion. A human heart can sustain a Märchen Demon like me for decades. And my last was over two hundred years ago...

[He sighed wistfully and pushed his food around on his plate before taking another sample of something.]

This is... well, it's barely satisfying. [His stomach growled and he grimaced.] But it doesn't seem like I have much of a choice. [His powers sealed in the grimoire, then arriving here... He barely felt like himself anymore. This hunger was just another discomfort.]

You, on the other hand, swallowing whole... How very like a snake. [Not a demon, then. Just a monster. How disappointing.]

A marching demon? Pff. That's what you are? What, are you going to make humans form a parade to their deaths or something?

[Someone should come over and stop him, because his response to not getting the reaction he wants is to just try again...but for the life of him, he can't find anything bigger than an apple that wouldn't be disgusting to eat.

That is, until he spots a baguette. It's about as thick as an apple, but it's three times as long. It's not quite as big as an arm, but...he grabs it and holds it in his hand, his unflinching gaze saying 'tell me not to eat this, I dare you.' Or so he thinks. He's not a telepath.]

Like a snake, huh? I wonder why that is. You want any of this?

[He shakes the baguette. He's really going to. It will be like stuffing his mouth with a child's arm. Don't make him do it.]

Of course not! I'd poison them.

[Nonchalant, but true. And ugh, not a lick of German in this one. Definitely not from Earth, he'd bet. He takes the other end of the baguette gently in hand and pushes it back down to the table.]

Only if they have jam.

[He'll try to hold it there until he finds some... Otherwise, Dylas can go to town, Snow doesn't want dry bread.]

Do you even have venom? Please tell me there's at least that.

[Ah, there's the jam. His chosen Chef's Knife comes down hard on the bread, hard on the table, in a way that even surprises Snow.]

Well that's quite effective isn't it....?

That still sounds pretty boring compared to the demons I know.

[Or knew. Demons actually aren't the monsters he's been friends with most frequently, but there's enough general knowledge of them to go around.

Fortunately, he's being stopped from deep throating a baguette. He's actually thankful for that. He drums his claws on the table and takes a drink from a nearby goblet of wine.]

Just keep it, then. Jam will ruin it. >[Sweets are the worst thing in the world, or...they rank pretty highly.] And of course I have venom.

[He does! Or at least he usually does. It's like the venom is still there but it doesn't come out anymore. But dammit, he doesn't want to sound lame in front of someone he thinks is lame.]

...I definitely don't want it now.

[Snow White scoffed, not about to be belittled.]

Boring? I suppose they could kill another with a drop of their own blood, too? Summon familiars to do their bidding?

[It was only half true, at this point, since he'd been partially resealed in the book. But the naga didn't need to know that. Besides, it was only because of Otogi that he was stuck like this. That should have no bearing on how he truly was as a demon. This was a fabricated situation, that was all.]

[He spread the jam and took a bite as if to be contrary. And, as expected, it tasted just fine so Dylas was probably doing the same. Asshole. But, in a way Snow didn't entirely want to acknowledge, it reminded him of his own habits and made him even more curious about the snake-man.]

[Besides, he was still convinced that non-humans like them should stick together.]

At least there's that. You should be proud of that. A snake with no venom is just sad.

Isn't summoning someone else to do your work for you just laziness? Or would you call it 'sloth'.

[He's heard the 7 Deadly Sins tossed around before by now, okay? While Snow is focused on jam and imaginary camaradarie, Dylas is focused on finding a way out of this conversation. He focuses on the food on his opposite side and tries to strike up a conversation with a gourmand, but he leaves the table to attend to another matter.

And the food is mostly salad, which isn't palatable to his carnivorous diet...except for carrots...

He's forced to turn back in front of him, just in time to catch Snow talking again. What a shame. He really wants out, but it looks like he's stuck dependent on how big of an ass he feels like being. It's up in the air.]

Uh, yep. I have plenty of reasons to be disappointed right now [making direct eye contact at you, pal] but that's not one of them.

It's called delegating. It's a leadership trait.

[He watched Dylas for a moment as he chewed. He recognized the look -- the way Dylas searched the room for someone else with his eyes, the look for escape. Disappointment. Snow White's eyes narrowed but he was used to it. Screw this guy, then. Snow didn't need him -- he didn't need anyone.]

[He just... sort of missed the others. Red. Otogi. Even damn Cinderella. But Dylas was not them.]

Can I at least see them before I leave you alone?

Is being full of shit a leadership trait, too?

[Snow White has an answer for everything, doesn't he? Dylas attacks one of the chicken skewers next, though he takes his time to chew the meat like a normal person this time instead of swallowing it whole. From watching him eat, it's clear that his fangs are retractable, and the chicken is so delicious that it distracts Dylas from wondering about anything tragic Snow might be thinking about.

A win-win.]

You want to see 'them'? You mean my teeth? Why?

Heh.

[Snow smirked, showing his own teeth. Slightly fanged themselves, though nothing as impressive as a naga's. Simply "inhuman."]

Why not? Most leaders seem to be. As for your teeth --

[He leaned in to stroke Dylas' chin with no shame.]

They're probably the best part of you. The most interesting, beautiful part, anyway.

[So he really isn't human, then. Dylas briefly considers Snow his teeth. That promise of him leaving is pretty enticing, though to Snow's credit Dylas would act that way towards most people so forward with him.

But then there's that touch to his face. Instead of turning away or reaching up to slap the hand away, Dylas tenses from head to the tip of his tail. He's been shot and dragged, stabbed, beaten, and had his bones all shattered, but no one has ever touched him like this before. And touch always feels different, too, when you're partially cold-blooded. It makes all his senses seem to hone in on the area of contact.

After freezing up for a few seconds, he narrows his eyes.]

I was going to show them to you, but there's nothing interesting or beautiful about you to share back with me.

[Snow White's eyes widened and his face flushed with rage, every one of those words a stab in his chest.]

You...

[He snapped his arm back and swung with full force to slap Dylas across the face.]

You impudent beast!

[To make matters even more frustrating for Snow White, that slap is easy to read from a mile away. The only skin Snow manages to hit is of Dylas' arm, raised at the last second.

Shit, though. He hadn't expected such a childish reaction. Or is he the one to blame here? He knows what he said is shitty, and he only said it because he's not used to being touched, but...]

Beast, huh? ['Monster'.] That's exactly the sort of thing I'm talking about.

I ought to cut that forked tongue from your mouth -- !

[With his other hand, Snow scrabbled blindly for the knife on the table. At least Dylas wouldn't have to block that, since by this point Snow had garnered the attention of the master Gourmands.]

Oi!

[A large, burly man grabbed Snow White by the wrist and firmly pulled him out of Dylas' reach -- for both Dylas' sake and Snow's own.]

I think you both should leave now. You don't have to like each other, but you can't fight here.

[He's ready for the knife, too. The seconds before the knife is swung at him, he positions the tip of his tail, attempts to wrap it around Snow White's ankle. This isn't lost on the gourmands—and much to his later frustration, it does make Dylas equally complicit. He does want to start a fight.]

I'd like to see you try, you ignorant fop—

[The gourmand steps on Dylas' tail hard enough for him to make it back off and to make him wince. He's tempted to hiss, instincts from Ryslig bubbling back up. He could try to pin both of them, sink his teeth—

No. No, he recoils. The gourmand doesn't have his hands on him, so he pulls his arms to himself and stays where he is.]

Careful with that one. He's freak--er, fragile.

[But Dylas grabs his stuff. He's not staying around, either. His appetite's ruined.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Event || Worldwide Tourists

Dylas | OTA

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cw: honestly this is just gross don't read it

it's beautiful and you're beautiful

this was not beautiful!!!

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