duologs | 3.0 May Event Log

3.0 May Event Log

3.0: Event Log

APRIL RESULTS
Congratulations to everyone who decided to perform the ritual.

Based on the results of last month’s Choice, the ritual was performed to seal away the dragon, taking away a handful of memories along with it. How do you feel? With those empty spaces of yourself staring back at you? Knowing something is meant to be there, but not being able to place exactly what. It seems like your heroics have born fruit–at a cost.

Whether your memories have returned to you or otherwise, a new month dawns. In the spirit of giving parts of yourself away–well, at least this time, they’ll land in the hands of someone else. Key traits of yourself can be temporarily swapped with someone else. Hey Grumpy, ready to feel inexplicably Happy for a few hours? Or if you have a penchant for fighting, it might feel a little weird to feel an almost saintly calm slide in its place. Whether it be personality aspects, skills, or powers–anything can be transferred for a bit, so long as it’s important enough to miss.

LIMITED EVENT REWARDS:

Characters who chose to Perform the Ritual: Congratulations! Your reward for your choice is One Dragon Scale that allows you to change the weather within a limited space.

No other Choice option was submitted. :) Thanks, goody goodies.

This reward will be activated if rubbed three times. Accidental activation is OOCly allowed and welcomed, especially if it's funny.

MAY FLOWERS.

On the bright side, April showers bring May flowers… and there's plenty of those to be found! Amidst the damaged city, as the mud starts to dry and harden, Avisle blooms into an array of bright flora–flowering trees bloom in the city, Windhaven Woodlands, Dandelion Fields, and wherever else there's grass and greenery to be found.

> 1. off - speak to me in blossoms.

In Crane City, vendors everywhere are selling fresh-cut flowers, with plenty of gardens in the city parks to supplement. It's encouraged to give loved ones (or friends, or enemies?) a bouquet for the season, though some opt for flower crowns instead. Either way, let hanakotoba, the language of flowers, speak for you! Here is a reference for flower meanings.

For people who are feeling a little shy, these bouquets can be delivered anonymously through Dodo's mailing room. But Dodo, in an effort to be helpful and proactive, can also create and send bouquets on your behalf. It might be better to send bouquets on your own, before Dodo does it for you! OOCly, this means you can send: bouquets in person, anonymous bouquets, Dodo delivered bouquets (anonymous or not) through inboxes, etc. Flowers do not necessarily need to be truthful; feel free to have Dodo send 'misfire' bouquets as well!

And an extra bonus: flowers sent for the sake of hanakotoba never seem to wilt.

> 2. on - a bingo by any other name.

The hanakotoba tradition during May has been part of Crane City's history for generations, but it's recently evolved into something more ~~capitalistic~~ exciting in the ON world in order to help fund repairs for storm damage: all Duocaeli players receive a special hanami bingo card upon log-in! Take part, meet some new people, and go on an adventure with each other. Based on which tree you go visit, funds and energy will be diverted to that special type of healing. When they are given the Bingo Card, they will receive instruction on the type of healing that each tree will boost. By taking part in the hanami bingo (sponsored by the businesses of Avisle City), characters will receive a special token which grants mastery over one power of any element.

For ease of use, everyone will receive the same bingo card. Bingo will directly correspond to your Choice for this month and decisions can be submitted here!

on - among the trees.

As part of the bingo event, there are mats laid out beneath nearly every tree for flower viewing, along with picnic snacks and various dainty refreshments. Trees vary by location:

Magnolia: Magnolia and sakura trees bloom predominantly in the town square, their blossoms pink and fragrant. People who spend time beneath these boughs may feel soothed of their troubles and open to suggestion–not unlike being drunk or high. Actually, it's almost exactly like that, so try and control yourselves, sad drunks. Visiting the Magnolia Tree will put energy toward Emotional Healing.

Jasmine: In the Nightlife District, the jasmine trees are a little worse for wear from the storm; there are broken branches, petals fall en masse, and the fragrance is almost overpowering. But the petal storm is a little… romantic? You might feel yourself declaring your love (even if you're not in love! The vibes are right!), dropping pick-up lines like it's hot, or generally feeling more open to encounters of the romantic kind. Visiting the Jasmine Tree will put energy toward Physical Healing.

Dogwood: While most of the Innovation Hall is left in shambles thanks to the… passionate efforts of its inventors, the dogwood trees are still standing, proud and resplendent. Any time spent underneath their branches will leave you feeling competitive and confident… Alpha behavior. Visiting the Dogwood Tree will put energy toward Environmental Healing.

Wisteria: These trees are found around the marketplace and are believed to bring good luck and fortune. Those who wander here will find their experiences enhanced—colors will look brighter, food will taste better, and even the off-key jangle of a nearby merchant might sound like the sweetest tune. Visiting the Wisteria Tree will put energy toward Structural Healing.

> 3. on - the root of the problem.

Finishing the bingo card includes traversing through the new dungeon! Word has it that the especially turbulent weather of April has caused the rare, medicinal stormbloom flower to grow on the peak of a nearby mountain, Mount Cumulo. Supposedly able to cure any ailment under the sun, the Guilds are offering a reward to those who can safely retrieve these delicate herbs.

But naturally, the path itself is perilous. Good luck! This is a permanent dungeon, so it can be revisited at any time.

DUONET.

In the OFF world, a notification will pop up on each character's cellphone. DUONET is conducting a player survey, and promises an in-game reward for completion: a limited-edition boutonniere to be redeemed in the ON world. Equipping this accessory will make it easier to harvest stormblooms as it lowers monster aggro and grants a temporary dexterity boost.

The survey itself will ask about your character's gaming experience in Duocaeli as well as a few demographic questions, and takes no more than a few minutes to complete—unless your character would really like to extrapolate on their feelings regarding Big Pipip.

After submitting the survey, players will be rewarded with the promised accessory in their in-game inbox, along with... another notif…

It seems there's a glitch in the system, and everyone who participated in the survey will find a little truth about their AU or OU lives posted to DUONET. There is no way to delete the information, much less hide it… Some may also find some answers from the survey itself posted on the network as well. Now all of Duo will know how you really feel about Big Pipip.

OOC Notes

For this month, you can submit your Choice Submissions at this top-level by 3 PM, Friday, May 19th.

You can also submit any Questions you might have at the Questions Top-Level. We will see you on Friday, May 19th for our Questboard Update!

duocaeli

duologs

duolingos FAQ & Game Info / Calendar / Locations / Mechanics
Taken / Applications / Hiatus & Drops

FULL NAVIGATION

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

A demon and a nightmare.

[As one does. Is.]

That's not a problem, is it?

[As one is. Yes.]

. . . I know naught about demons and nightmares. But I do know that you seek a tree of healing. As such, I've no reason to object.

[A low chuckle.]

Don't worry. This one only adheres to my command. And I don't let it act like an ordinary demon.

[You know, causing havoc and generally being a Bad Time. For what consolation that's worth.

The scent of jasmine fills the air, thick and almost cloying now. Petals flutter as they travel up the incline of the path.]

We're nearly there now.

[It's difficult to gauge what counts as ordinary in a place where worlds intersect. But V tells him not to worry, and he's not given Roland reason to doubt him. So he doesn't, and instead turns his attention to the scent of jasmine that wafts over them.]

Already . . .

[A petal flutters past his periphery. He turns his head to follow its downward trajectory and watch it disappear into the distance.]

[Soon the air is practically bursting with little petals that rain down, swirling past them as they glide by. Eventually, V urges their ride to a stop, and it slows until it halts altogether, right beneath the shade of a large tree.

The darkness dissipates, crawling back up his arm and into the markings on his tattoos.]

Quite a sight. One might even say... poetic.

[Shadow moves before Roland can. The latter watches the darkness make its home on V's body again, and his mind lingers on the sight as he lifts his gaze to the jasmine tree in all its splendor.]

Aye. [He raises an upturned palm to catch one of the many falling petals. His fingers curl loosely over it.] I find it to be . . . somewhat romantic.

That’s one word to use.

[Poeticism and romance are happy bedfellows. A stray petal flutters down and lands in the ebony of V’s hair, and he plucks it free, twirling it between forefinger and thumb.]

Would you like to hear a verse or two about flowers? I think it suits the mood.

[It's a word—one he wouldn't be able to explain if asked. V asks him something else entirely, however, and the answer to that is clear.]

Indeed, I can hardly imagine a more suitable location. I should like to hear it.

[That's what he likes to hear. His chest flutters, strangely, in anticipation, and he begins.]

Very well. How about...

[For once, he will not subject a man to Blake. Time for something a little different.]

'The gray trunks, and, as gamesome infants' eyes,
With gentle meanings, and most innocent wiles,
Fold their beams round the hearts of those that love,
These twine their tendrils with the wedded boughs,
Uniting their close union; the woven leaves
Make network of the dark blue light of day
And the night's noontide clearness, mutable
As shapes in the weird clouds. Soft mossy lawns
Beneath these canopies extend their swells,
Fragrant with perfumed herbs, and eyed with blooms
Minute yet beautiful. One darkest glen
Sends from its woods of musk-rose twined with jasmine'

[He recites from memory, with the ease and flow of someone who has pored over poetry books and gleaned their words, emblazoned into his mind and constructing the visual imagery that accompanies it.

At least he's not reciting the whole thing.]

[Roland is no poet, but the words that flow from V paint a vivid picture of the trees and sky. Petals fall around them all the while, and he can easily imagine those in the painting, too, as he dwells on the gently heartpounding sensation that the thought of union gives him.

Once V stops, Roland turns to him with a satisfied curl of his lips.]

What a splendid poem. You've a talent for recitation.

[He seems pleased, but not in a way that's preening; rather, oddly self-conscious for a man like V, who tinges a little pink across his cheekbones.]

It's simply an excerpt from a longer poem. Its overall meaning fitting, though. That while it is easy to get lost in the fantastical beauty of nature, and travel, that we should focus instead on what is here before us. What matters the most.

Words to live by, truly. If only I had known them beforehand, I . . .

[Well, who's to say he hadn't? He shakes his head and shoots V a somewhat coy smile.]

What would you say matters the most to you?

[Oh? He wonders what he might mean by that.

The question first, though.]

I learned, once, the hard way... That there is value in appreciating what you have, versus what you do not. But that isn't to say there's no value in expanding your horizons.

[Just, you know. Do it in a way that isn't detrimental to who you are as a person,,]

[For there to be a harsh way to learn such a thing, he shudders to think what happened. Roland thinks he didn't nearly appreciate what he had enough, based on the aftermath of his decision; however, the people around him have been kind that he counts himself fortunate.]

Indeed, we would stagnate if we were to shirk all ambition. I believe we must strive to better ourselves without sacrificing what's around us.

Nobly said, my friend.

["Friend", as though he knows this man at all. But V's feeling rather generous and amiable all of a sudden, and is this not a perfect time to usher forth a proper introduction.]

You can call me V, by the way.

Well met, V. I am Roland.

[Now they know each other—better than before, anyhow. If he's happier than usual to hear this, he doesn't comment on it. It does, however, propel him to ask the question that's been buzzing in the back of his mind since their arrival.]

Though I am no stranger to dark magic, I'd never seen a power like yours before. Exactly what are demons and nightmares to you?

A pleasure.

[Of course that question would come, but it's hard to exactly know how to answer without delving into... complicated business. For as warm and amiable as he feels, he's not sure he wants to spill his entire history to a stranger off the cuff.]

Demons are often nothing but trouble. I've run into my fair share of problematic ones. But my familiars are a special case. They are nightmares, too, as I said, and they need to be bound to a human in order to continue to exist. For as frightening as nightmares are, they will always fade away on their own.

I see . . .

[His shoulders sag as he bows his head. There are plenty of connotations from which to draw as far as demons are concerned, and V more or less corroborates them. But what V says about the nightmares also makes a startling amount of sense, abstract though it may be. Despite the very nature of nightmares, his heart aches at their plight.]

What a sad state of existence. I cannot imagine how frightening it must be for them.

Frightening...?

[That's... perhaps the first anyone has considered his familiars' existence in that way. He recalls the first time he met Griffon, wanting to make a contract as it began to melt into nothing, just so he could keep going. Just so he could, ultimately, help V become whole again.

And how all of them, in the end, gave up everything for Vergil's--his--sake, in the end. Despite that.]

In a way, maybe. But that only makes them more courageous when it comes to doing what is necessary.

Would you like to meet Shadow properly?

[He lifts his head in epiphany. Indeed, there's courage in risking their safety for what's necessary, nightmares or not. He may not know the details, but V would know best on this matter. It seems he's said something ignorant that discredits the bravery of V's familiars.

In order to better his understanding and by way of apology, Roland nods. He should like to meet Shadow.]

[Don't worry, Roland. V's hardly offended. It's just an interesting perspective he never really considered before.

But at his urging, V summons his familiar again. But instead of darkness layered beneath their feet, that same inky black rises from the ground and takes the form of a large, black panther with red eyes. It stands, stolid-looking, glancing between V and Roland calmly.]

Shadow's the one who does all the heavy lifting in battle for me.

[As though to remark, Shadow gives a chuff.]

[He blinks when the darkness takes on the shape of a beast. Like this, it looks even more alive than ever. Knowing what little he does, there's something precious about that as he admires Shadow from a respectable distance.]

What a striking creature. Have you known Shadow for long?

Yes and no.

[That means nothing, V. It's hard to tell if he's being cryptic on purpose, or if it's a difficult question to answer without getting into the nitty gritty details. Maybe both.]

If you mean how long have I been able to call upon Shadow like this, I'd say for just a little less than two months. But it's been a boon ever since.

[Shadow walks up to Roland and... sits. Looking up at him expectantly.]

[V is something of an enigma, but Roland understands that everyone is different. Simple questions can thus yield complicated answers. If nothing else, it's a fascinating opportunity for learning.]

. . . for both of you, I would imagine.

[Shadow lends its strength to V, who gives it a fighting chance. Even nightmares are like anything else.

Amid this, another realization dawns the closer Shadow gets: Roland really likes cats. Perhaps it's unwise, but he can't stop himself from kneeling down and offering an upturned palm to see what will happen.]

Greetings, Shadow. You've my thanks for escorting us here.

[Unwise if Shadow were a demon unbound to a master. But this is a good void, blob kitty! It raises up on its haunches just to gain a little more height to bump its head against Roland's hand.

And though this panther can be as stoic as V, and somehow manages to even look it despite being cat-shaped (or rather maybe, because of being cat-shaped), it seems to want pets!]

It wants attention. You can freely give it.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject