ph_logs | A New Beginning

A New Beginning | OTA

Who: Wizard (

substitutiarylocomotion) & any interested parties.
What: Open-ended post for Wizard to meet others and vice versa
When: Late April
Where: The Oak & Iron, Southwest Hollow, Greymare Library, & Wildcard

The Oak & Iron
[Death was not an unfamiliar experience to Sylus, but what had greeted him in the times between his passing and the eventual rebirth at the Temple of Althena was about as different as possible from where he found himself now. Could it be that things had changed with the Three Goddesses restored, or maybe this was what happened to those who died without anyone to see them restored to the land of the living? Either way, it was strange how… developed the afterlife was. Before whatever curse caused Pumpkin Hollow’s current woes there must have been impressive Artificer’s to provide it with the kinds of technologies he’d seen just since coming here but the idea of curses, let alone city infrastructure, was beyond bizarre to think of in a place meant for the dead. He mulled at such thoughts as he picked at his meal. It was kind of the townsfolk to share their hospitality with him, given what the Mayor had said regarding their resource struggles.]

"This little hamlet certainly has its work cut out for it..."

Southwest Hollow
[The area Wizard had picked to rent in was far from the most idyllic part of Pumpkin Hollow, but getting back on the proverbial horse was important to both being able to contribute to easing the town’s troubles as well as keeping his mind off of his current predicament. The area was gloomy and the building bedraggled, doubly so thanks to a mixture of being within a stone’s throw of Fall’s Promise Cemetery and having almost a week’s worth of rainy weather hanging over them, but Wizard still busily walked the muddy grounds with a determined look on his face.

Building a repository for the arcane was something he personally believed to be the domain of those mages who’d gotten on in years and were past the days of gallivanting through, but there was no denying how useful it could be to a land beset with monsters and undying citizenry. Were there any other practitioners of magic within Pumpkin Hollow, too, he imagined that a well-stocked Arcanium could be an invaluable resource to both building community among them as well as ensuring their mystical needs were tended-to. It all began with restoring the dilapidated building he’d secured for himself though, and that would require far more knowledge of the trades than he possessed. Assessment came first, regardless of the next steps, so tromping through the soggy sod to take measurements and jot-down the most obvious signs of damage and decay would make up the entirety of his morning.]

Greymare Library
[Knowledge is the greatest weapon with which a warrior can equip himself, and one that Wizard prided himself on being perpetually well-equipped with in his world of origin. Here on Marrow Isle, though, he found himself almost completely in the dark. From the information passed to him in his meeting with Mr. Aberdeen and Mayor Poe it was clear the island had one hell of a shadow hanging over it and, while he’d helped to lift more than his fair share of those in the past, learning everything he could about both the history and the current state of the town would be essential to his success. As a result, several large stacks of books on virtually every subject relating to Marrow Isle are stacked at the table that Wizard is hunched over, framing him like towers around a portcullis, and several volumes of historical records sit open in front of him at once. His concentration on the books is clear, meaning he’s very much in another world at the moment, but the books he’s pouring through could appear interesting to anyone interested in Pumpkin Hollow’s history or the ancient sites on the island.]

Wildcard
[If another location calls to you in regards for how and where you’d like to encounter Sylus feel free to either ask for a custom starter or to pick a place on the island that you feel would make sense to bump into him. He’s not exactly up to exploring the wilderness of Marrow Isle yet, so it would probably be someplace within the more metropolitan area, but that’s still a plenty big list of options.]

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[Wizard's eyebrows arch greatly. So he'd actually met one of the goddesses already then? It made sense that it was a divine being if it had the ability to give him a chance to claw his way back to the land of the living, but he'd had no way of knowing who or what it was that had sat him down for a hot cuppa and given him the proverbial mission briefing on what was to come.]

"That's quite the revelation, knowing that it was one of the Goddesses that brought everyone here. It makes sense, of course, but it a tremendous boon to not have to claw around in the dark trying to figure out who or what was responsible for marooning so many different types of people here."

[He scoots one of the piles of books aside and digs out one on the religious beliefs of the island.]

"I've yet to actually begin reading on the pantheon here, but I'd say learning this definitely catapults that to the front of the reading list. Do you think, then, that Mortanne has brought us outsiders here as a sort of pro bono militia? One that can keep throwing mud at the proverbial wall until we find what sticks?"

I think that's at least part of it. We bring new skills and perspectives with us that let us look at the problem differently. And we have less— ingrained biases towards prominent locals.

[ That, at least, is actually a comment born of her own bias toward and against two particular locals. Still, she genuinely believes that having people from outside the town that look at Dahlia and Neil differently than the locals has already gone some way to letting things progress. ]

I'm sure those who've talked to the Goddesses have heard more of her reasoning but I'm— that's not really where my focus lies.

[ She has zero idea how to process talking to a goddess. ]

"Wait, are you saying the Goddesses actively engage with people here? Like, in the temple?"

[He seems surprised at the idea. He'd directly treated with the divines at times, but that was an exceedingly unique situation. The Temples of the Goddesses in Hydeland had been restored through their adventures, but it wasn't anything close to being able to just go and talk with them out in the world.]

"That brings some more questions to bear then, as I've not actually found an answer for how long this whole barrier situation has been going on. Do you know how long people have been brought here on the Ferry and, having not visited the temple myself, if the Goddesses actually physically reside there?"

[The scale of things here on Marrow Isle would certainly feel different if both divines and demons casually strode its soil. For as many creatures, fiends, and abominations he had to fight through in his former life the prospect of facing-down angels and devils was still something of note. How he viewed the goings-on in Pumpkin Hollo were rapidly changing from "psuedo-limbo" to "battle of the gods".]

[ CT nods, ] It's rare, their connection to the plane of existence we've been separated out onto is strained, but they do appear. People pray to them at the temple but I'm not sure how much they appear there, the only appearances I'm sure of were a couple of them turning up to their respective seasonal celebrations.

[ Celestine, she believes, was at the Dance of Celestine and she's sure she heard chatter about Kora at the summer party. She doesn't know much about how their communing at the temple goes, really, she's hardly stepped foot inside. ]

And people have been arriving from the ferry for coming up on two years now. But the barrier went up in 16:47, so around eight years back—give or take a few months.

"The people here endured six years of monsters, demons, and undeath without a reprieve in sight? I suppose immortality would give them little choice but to persist but, still, that's an impressive level of hardiness for as simple a place as Pumpkin Hollow seems to be. I'd imagine having odd strangers arriving by the boatload likely didn't seem much of a salvation at first, but I hope that's turned around the more established they've gotten."

[Wizard made a mental note to look into any accounts he could regarding when the barrier first went up. Even if it offered little in the way of revelations, he would be curious to see if he could glean anything in the way that the ritual was cast from how it first manifested.]

"The Goddesses manifesting on their holidays is still quite significant. Our own triumvirate of Goddesses had to give up their essences long ago to lock away a terrible threat to the mortal world. Their influence could still be seen through miracles and resurrections, but it wasn't until very recently that they were restored and able to interact directly with their followers again. Even if it's sporadic, the presence of the divines on the soil of Marrow Isle is definitely something I'll have to look into and may well merit a visit to their Temple to obtain more information."

[He pauses, tapping his index finger against his lips thoughtfully before continuing.]

"Although... the Temple is one of the places on the island I've heard is very tribal. There's a handful of factions, I suppose you could say, that I've been told are at each other's throats - the Historical Society I mentioned earlier being among them. Curious as I am, I'm hesitant to interact with any of those places before I'm better established. I just got through wading through a complex dispute for Royal Succession prior to being brought here, so the last thing I need is to be embroiled in another batch of politics before I've even gotten a proper roof over my head."

The island had similar threats ongoing even before the barrier rose, so they've had a long time to adjust. The lack of death might be all that's kept them from dying out entirely as things got worse.

[ CT nods her head to the side, expression twisting in an 'ehhh, it's complicated' sort of way. ]

The Temple is relatively neutral, in the grand scheme of things. If you want to stay out of actual local political disputes it's the Historical Society and Ocularum you'll want to avoid. I'll be up front and admit to being a member of the Ocularum and a friend of the leader, Neil West. I have my issues with the society. But who you do or don't get involved with is entirely up to you. None of us are out looking for a fight.

[ ...most of the time. The break in to Dahlia's house and some other sporadic actions nonwithstanding. ]

[Wizard taps his fingers on the desk as he processes what he's listening to. Knowing that Marrow Isle has been facing things of a similar nature to its current woes even before the die was cast for their current troubles begs the question of what the rest of the world in this place is like.]

"Is there any information on what things are like on the mainland? Or, rather, what things were like on the mainland the last time it was accessible. If the Demons and Goddesses are natural parts of this realm then I can only imagine what kind of creatures and calamities could transpire beyond the barrier. I come from a place where great wars rage against hordes of Orcs and shadowy cabals threaten to unleash monstrosities from the darkest pages of history in ill-concieved bids for world conquest, yet much of what I've encountered here defies my experiences. The mind reels to consider what the ceiling is on bizzarity in a place like this."

[He pauses for a moment as his mind drifts, but catches himself in mid-rumination and shakes his head to disperse his thoughts.]

"I'll admit it's fascinating to consider, but it's also interesting to actually meet someone who's aligned with one of the sort of factions of this place. For as much as I've had them come up in conversation I've not spoken with anyone who's inovlved in them one way or the other. I'm relieved the Temple isn't a hotbed of local politics as well, given that the Goddesses seem too important to fully steer clear of the center of their operations. I will have to pay a visit there soon, but that's true of many of the places here in Pumpkin Hollow as well."

[An understatement to say the least, as the poor magister had barely travelled beyond the site of his new lodgings and the library thus far.]

"As you're the first person I've encountered aligned with one of the city's tribes, it would be remiss of me not to pick your brain about it. So, if you're not averse to it, would you be able to tell me bit about the Ocularum?"

As I understand it, these sorts of things definitely exist outside the barrier but because they're not all concentrated on one location like they are here, it's less common. But I've not looked into the world outside the barrier quite as in-depth, so you'd have better luck with research on that front.

[ She's researched the basics, knows the general shape of Concorde as a whole and that the powers at work here aren't only at work here.

As for the Ocularum... ]

The Ocularum is about finding the truth. [ her arms cross loosely ] With everything going on here, occult knowledge is valuable and the work Neil can do with it has protected members from the worst of the demons' power on more than one occasion. Unlike the society we actually go out and investigate beyond old records and get stuff done. We've uncovered a number of things over the last few months.

[ She is, of course, biased—people from both the Historical Society and other factions have also done their parts. ]

Until recently Neil was completely shunned by town for his approach but since the Leeds' connection to the demons was revealed, things have changed a little.

[[OOC: My apologies for such a slow response. I am currently in the process of purchasing a house IRL and, exciting as that is, it has also come with a lot of things to learn and many many processes to be involved in and papers to read over. As a result, my evenings aren't really my own anymore, so I sincerely apologize for the speed of the turnaround.]

[Wizard cocks an eyebrow in a mixture of confusion and curiosity. The island is positively awash in the supernatural, that much is true, so it's strange that someone researching the occult would receive such negative attention unless he'd somehow had the ill-fortune of being seen as a possible cause for it all. Even then, you'd expect the curiosity of the local population to be piqued at least a little bit in the face of sudden immortality.]

"Did they shun him because of what he's investigating, or was it for other reasons? I know smallfolk aren't particularly welcoming of the whole robes-and-mysticism thing when it arrives on their doorstep, but this place has enough in the way of both science and sorcery for me to be surprised they'd close their minds towards anything he can offer."

[A thought occurs to him, and he presses his index finger against his lips thoughtfully for a moment.]

"Unless... if he's from outside of Marrow Isle then it could be as simple as the stubborn insularity of a small town. They've got no shortage of outsiders now, given all of us coming in by the boatload, but if he came from the mainland and arrived here before everything went topsy turvy then I could see the simple-minded solution being to simply write him off as part of the troubles that gripped the island and calling it a day. If that is the case, though, then I must admit I'd be very disappointed with the people here. I've crossed paths with enough superstitious peasants to know it's only a few bad rumors between cordial interactions and pitchforks and torches. I very much hope Pumpkin Hollow isn't as... rural in its outlook as all that though."

It's a little of column A, a little of column B, and column C besides. He deals more in eldritch magic and dream magic that people here are less familiar with, and he arrived from the mainland long before the barrier rose. But he also spoke out against the Leeds family back when the patriarch was still alive, accusing them of things that have since been proven but that with his power, Japhet Leeds easily discredited.

[ With Japhet being essentially the head of town, even if he wasn't in a position like the mayor, his word carried a lot of weight that a new face simply didn't. ]

His single surviving daughter kept up the same behaviour towards Neil in the time since. It wasn't until the family's culthood toward Aster and the fact she's the literal Pine Devil came out that things started to balance out a little.

[Wizard nods in acknowledgement of what he's hearing. The Leeds name was one he'd seen mentioned a few times and, if they were the unofficial power in Pumpkin Hollow, then it makes sense how he would have found himself ostracized. Add in the passing of the torch to a new family head, and you've got all the ingredients necessary for a generational grudge.]

"Toppling powerful figures is always a tall order, doubly-so when they're well-entrenched somewhere. You can bring all the reciepts necessary to prove your claims and still fail if you don't get the right amount of public support, and then you end up with the very facts you've presented somehow used as marks against you in the aftermath. It is... frustrating."

[A knowing expression spreads across his face and he clasps his gloved hands together annoyedly.]

"If there's only a single member of the family left I would imagine the family's power on the island is considerably dimished, though obviously not gone completely given they still have enough supporters to continue their cold war with Mr. West. Power hates a vacuum, though, so if their influence has waned I trust that the scales have somewhat balanced in terms of the Historical Society's and the Ocularum's influence? And this Aster, and a Pine Devil? Neither of those are things I'm familiar with, but the idea that the heir one of the most powerful families on the island is a devil of any kind is anything but comforting. Is it known if the family have all been demons, or if it's only the current head?

As far as I know, only the current head. The rest of the family's premature deaths were most likely a result of their dealings with the demons, but only Dahlia was actually Aster's child instead of Japhet's. The thirteenth child.

[ The details are frankly complicated and she only really has best guesses on exactly how things went down, between Dahlia's birth and the final death of Japhet that seemed to be part of how the barrier rose. ]

There'll be old articles about the Pine Devil around somewhere, and about the Leeds' deaths. Fourteen members of the richest family in town don't die without it hitting the public record, after all, and for a long time the Pine Devil was just another monster people needing warning about.

But yes, by now things have... balanced out a little. Dahlia still has plenty of supporters in town, but she's stepped down from the Town Council and with myself and another member of the Ocularum heading up the constabulary, people aren't feeling as bold about attacking Neil for no reason.

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A New Beginning | OTA

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