Welcome, New Scions! Sure is Cold...

[greatbeasts]

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Stop Dragon My Heart Around

New arrivals: The dream you wake from is an unsettling one that feels like a memory. It sits out of place and too far forward in your mind, yet feels as real and clear as any other could be. It's the shadow of a massive creature blocking out the sun, skyline, or similar entity. A roar that shakes you to the core and and a feeling of dread and loss weighing heavy on you. Whatever the feeling or vision that comes across, it brings with it a sense that your world is no more. A voice, reassuring and almost motherly in nature urges you gently to wake from your sleep. Rise from the ashes, little one, The voice calls in a whisper of wind and crackling fire, There is need of you, yet. As the voice fades and the world of the waking returns to you, you are greeted with the sounds of faint bustling and the bounce of wooden wheels on stone or the sight of Upper Nuren's winding streets and open squares. A cloud passes by slowly near one of the stone pathway ledges and the sounds of nearby Touched and Remnants at work or leisure filter through the calm, cool air. Whatever you had previously been wearing or carrying has been replaced. You might now find yourself garbed in a cloth tunic, pants or shorts, robe, dress or skirt, and sandals or boots if you wore clothing. A sash around your shoulders or a belt at your waist contains a small but weighted purse of gold coins, enough to acquire some materials, new clothing or food from the market and craftsmen in the city. Current Scions: With the temperature and weather taking such a drastic turn into winter, there are some acclimation issues to be expected. There is the normal scramble for warmer clothing, heating charms, and making certain the stores are full enough for the winter. However, it seems an illness is also spreading with the cooler weather. The citizens of Nuren assure the Scions this is nothing new and nothing to concern themselves over, however it can be noted that this particular strain of the cold seems to be targeting Scions. It's possible they are more susceptible because of their newness to Osaaru and they haven't built up an immunity. There are a few Scholars that suggest this particular bug is drawn in by magic. Infected Scions may experience a spike in magic that is somewhat uncontrollable. Ever sneezed flames? Or whatever your element is. It may be advisable to take cover in your caves to avoid causing damage to those around you. Or don't. Whatever you do, the illness should pass in a few days.

The Heart of Nuren

After waking, a pull starts from within your chest, growing stronger with each passing moment until it becomes the only focus. It tugs insistently once, then twice. A need to follow the pull curls around and through you, urging you toward a wide and torch lit staircase that leads down into the heart of the mountain. The steps are wide and sturdy, and the further down them you travel, the clearer the call becomes until you can almost hear it. At the bottom of the steps, the large cavern beneath the city is revealed. The floor beneath your feet is warm to the touch, and the magic in the air calms your mind and fills you with a strange sense of safety and peace. No magic or harm can be done within the cavern. The cavern's floor is covered in circles of runes carved into the stone that surround small depressions in varying sizes, from a coffee cup's rim to that of a small circular table. Some of the depressions contain dormant dragon eggs of various colors, shapes and sizes. The runes surrounding them glow faintly with a magical light. Only the Scion who is bonded to the dragon within the egg can pass the runes.

Upper and Lower Nuren

Once you emerge from the cavern, the strange spell that fell over you fades. The bond between you and your egg or hatchling remains but your command of your own decisions and actions return and you are now free to explore, question and move about. The streets of Upper Nuren are sparsely populated with Remnants, Touched and other scions with their eggs or dragons. Questioning any of the citizens leads to a variety of answers. You are a Scion of the Great Beasts. You were brought to the city from the ashes of time and space by the Great Phoenix known as Benra and the Great Serpent known as Mouros. Pressing for more information will reveal that there are five Great Beasts. They are Benra the Phoenix, Chelba the Stone Giant, Renzu the Griffin, Mouros the Serpent, and Lysheu the Chimera. They are said to represent Mortality, Order, Knowledge, Time, and Chaos. You are in the great Mountain City known as Nuren, and its people are the last remaining vestige of civilization on this wild and dangerous planet. The Touched and the Remnants share an alliance and work together to keep the city protected and its citizens alive and fed. According to these citizens of Nuren, you are here to help them defend the city, unite the remaining races and restore balance to the elements. Soon after the first Scions awake, the city begins to buzz with the news and gossip that more scions have arrived. The curious and braver citizens make their way to Upper Nuren to get a look, and the rumors spread like wildfire through the city that Benra has come again.

Outer Nuren

Although those rumors make their way to Outer Nuren, the citizens there show far less interest in making the long trek up to Upper Nuren. With winter finally setting in properly, the temperature is warmer near the water and the citizens of Outer Nuren would rather preserve their heat than travel up the mountain. The taverns fill with activity and warmth of those seeking evening entertainment and company. In the markets there is a push of people buying warm winter clothing and wood and charms to warm their persons and abodes. Many very skilled enchanters are taking advantage of the sudden turn in weather and the panicking of procrastinators to move a lot of inventory.

Evening

When night settles on the city, the taverns, inns and squares fill with curious citizens hoping to meet the new Scions or catch a glimpse of the Scions they have already managed to glimpse a few times before. Food and hot drinks are offered freely, as well as blankets to guard against the cool night air. The night sky fills with beautiful displays of magic from the Fire, Light and Energy Mages, the Osaaru equivalent of fireworks, though far quieter. Several Scholars in bright and colorful robes can be found approaching the new scions and older ones alike, offering to tell them more about the city, Osaaru and the Great Beasts. Mages of similar garb guide scions to the cavern homes, and help where they can in making the scions more comfortable. Small comforts of food, pillows, decorative crafts and other small tokens are offered to visible Scions by the citizens of Nuren in hopes of earning their favor and friendship.

Notes

Please direct Introduction questions to the Plotting Post Q&A As a Reminder: Bahemait is not one of the Great Beasts openly discussed or mentioned by the Citizens of Nuren who believe the Great Dragon is little more than an old legend. We would also like to emphasize that the Spirit energy within every resurrected character is required to use all magic in Osaaru, even that which is brought from their own world. The drain of powerful or excessive use of magic will lead to exhaustion.

Comments

[thedrama]

[New Arrivals]

Shego had caught wind of the new arrivals over lunch, excited whispers as locals rushed up the mountain to see the new Scions. Though she wasn't prepared to admit it, the idea excited her, as well. If people were still arriving, did that mean there was still a chance people from home weren't gone?

Packing up the rest of her meal to go, she herded her dragon up toward the Heart of Nuren, impatiently shoving aside anyone who moved too slowly in huddling from the cold. Her own concession to the weather was nothing more than a light jacket, though her companion's still relatively thin scales left him doing his best to stick close to his Scion's legs and the warmth of the busy street.

Outside the opening to the inner caverns that housed the dragon eggs, she found herself muscling to the front of the crowd so she could get a good look at the individuals coming into and out of the cave. Despite having managed to convince herself she only missed his ambition, she found herself hoping to catch sight of familiar blue skin, or hear a voice shouting for her as if she could solve all of its problems. In her focus, she didn't notice her dragon nosing around and potentially getting underfoot for other people.

[Outer Nuren]

Once she was suitably convinced that the person she was looking for hadn't arrived, Shego decided to make her way down to Outer Nuren to keep herself occupied until what she assumed would be another celebration. With her dragon having reached adolescence, he was developing a voracious appetite, and she found spending some time at the docks to allow him to hunt fish in the bay saved her a fair amount of money. Unfortunately, his curiosity and excitement frequently led to him swimming too far out, and shouts of "Riptide, get your scaly rear back here!" were fairly common, if occasionally interrupted by a sniffle she brushed off as the cold air irritating her sinuses.

[Evening]

As evening fell, Shego found herself regretting only wearing a light jacket. The sniffles she'd ignored earlier had turned into full blown congestion, while her face had gone even paler than normal. One of the natives had, claiming she looked "worse than a chimera's teething ring", given her a heavy blanket, soup and some juice, so she was at least fed, but she looked miserable as she dragged her way up through the city on her way home. Every now and then, she paused for an extensive sneezing fit that sent any nearby water-including in cups or bowls-to jump and spike, possibly even puncturing its container. Riptide, at least, was staying close to her, but the dragon staying out of trouble was small comfort with her magic acting up as it was.

evening!

[ryuuhirameki]

[ Kenshin is fairly accustomed to being under-dressed for colder weather, having spent ten years wandering without home or income. The most he's bothered to do is buy a scarf from the markets, wrapped warmly around his neck and chin—he's saving the rest until he finds a hakama and kimono of more familiar style.

Of course, there's a lot to be uncomfortable about besides the weather. Kenshin is innocently minding his own business, deep in thought while he inspects a few of the market stalls that appear to have clothing more similar to what he would prefer, when a ceramic jar nearby furiously expels its own lid and sends water splashing everywhere. ]

ORO!

[ He jumps backwards, now rather wet. It happens again, and Kenshin (making essentially no effort to prevent his own damp demise as he stumbles around the stalls) this time identifies nearby sneezing. He doesn't quite make the connection yet, but he does at least have the decency to worry about the person doing the sneezing. ]

Careful that you don't get wet—you don't want to make your cold worse in this weather, so you don't.

[acceptedburden]

[A. New Arrival]
In the new year, Kaldur'ahm thought his biggest problem would be interpreting that kiss from Rocket and trying to balance out his newly expanded team. Along with trying to figure out where some of the League members had disappeared to during New Year's of course. He could never had predicted this. But, really, who could?

Kaldur closes his eyes again for a moment, trying to process the dream...or was it a memory? Whatever it was, it doesn't sit well with him. It is a weight he has not experienced before, even after all that had happened during New Years. All he can think about is the echo of that roar, louder than the ocean, and the world falling apart.

He breathes out, letting it go for the moment. He needs to assess his current situation. He was not made leader of the team to fall apart at the first sign of trouble. Kaldur opens his eyes, sitting up, and looking around at his new surroundings. It could be worse, he decides almost immediately, this could have been a repeat of the time he woke up with no memory in a desert. He hears the sounds of hustle and bustle nearby -- a universal sound that means he is in the middle or at least close to a major section of a city, village, or town. That part is reassuring, even if Kaldur cannot tell from the buildings around him where he might be in the slightest.

What he does realize, almost immediately, is the change in clothes: a faded orange tunic, dark pants and a matching colored robe, and sandals. It may be cold, but it doesn't really bother the Atlantean who was used to the depths and cold of the ocean. He is not sure where the clothes came from, but he is very aware that it means he is no longer in possession of his Aqualad uniform nor his water-bearer tools. Kaldur's webbed hand rests on a pouch at his side, feeling the weight of some kind of coin which is...something.

He stands and tries not to stumble out of the alley. His mind races with possibilities, though his thoughts go to what Batman would suggest they do in a situation like this. Reconnaissance. That seems to be the most practical solution and a way for him to get information.

[B. Upper/Lower Nuren]
After some trial and error Kaldur had not only located the cavern that had been pulling him like an unknown force, but had also emerged with a large egg cradled gently in his arms. For a moment he stands at the entrance, looking down at the egg before blinking and looking back at his surroundings. He hadn't had much of a chance to explore before the "call" had pulled him here. Kaldur is now more confused than ever and with the addition of an egg he feels he needs answers -- perhaps gained not so much from skulking around as Robin would have done but actually approaching people and acquiring them directly.

He meets a few of the "locals" and slowly starts to piece things together. During his walk he manages to purchase a scarf to wear around his neck and a bag for he egg using the gold he found on his person earlier in the day. While he has picked up on the fact that there are people here with animal traits that his gills might go unnoticed, he feels as though he will blend in more if he can cover them if necessary. The egg now safely packed in a satchel and his gills covered from sight, Kaldur begins to explore in earnest. This was not the first time he had visited what could be considered another world, he had felt something similar when he had visited the surface and left Atlantis for the first time.

He had been distracted then as well, but at least then he had not actually physically run into someone. Here he quickly gets turned around and accidentally stumbles into someone near one of the stalls. He tightens his grip on the bag and looks to the person, "My apologies. I fear I am a little lost."

[C. Evening]

As the sun begins to set and the chill creeps into the air Kaldur has a better handle of the situation, though that has done little to ease the overload of emotions right now. Today had truly been a whirlwind of activity and learning. Kaldur is not sure if he can make it to the cavern homes he had heard mentioned for the scions.

Still, he isn't about to let that stop him from finally seeing the ocean. If it's one thing that can ground him right now it is, ironically the sea. Throughout the day he'd slowly pieced together that the mountain city was near a harbor and the sea and all day he had steadily made his way towards it -- another call, though not as powerful as the one from his dragon egg.

When he does finally reach the docks, he sits at the edge with his barefeet dangling over the water, his shoes and an egg beside his right hand. He chats with curious Remnants and Touched alike, but tries to keep the conversations short. He only wants to take a moment to process this with the only familiar thing he can find before him: open water.

Kaldur lets out a sigh, leaning forward, "What a day."

B

[thetenthstorm]

The bump doesn't jostle him too much, but the small, barely a foot long, dragon that had been latched to his back loses her grip and pinwheels downward, bluish wings everywhere with a weird whistle-hiss.

"Ah!" The Doctor grabs for her, just barely scooping her up before she hits the ground. It also means that in doing so he drops the small glass trinket he was futzing with and breaks it. "Oh shoot!" He winces, glances at the shopkeeper while still wincing, "Sorry, I. I'll pay for that still." He wasn't actually going to buy it originally. Oh well.

He looks over at Kaldur, smiling quickly. "It's okay. I know how it is. It's awfully easy to get lost in this city. Don't worry."

C FOR C O L D S

[tsuyuirihero]

[What a day indeed. Tsuyu's dragon is at home-curled in blankets and pillows and delightful warmth, just as he ought to be. Tsuyu herself is rather heavily bundled too-not that it means much for the slouching squirt of a teen, and she sniffles as she goes about finishing her evening walk. Shopping has been done for the day, but fishing is best at this time of night, and cold or not, she needs to get enough that her dear partner can actually eat properly.

The only trouble is-]

Hff...hh...HHAAA-CH!

[A large blast of wind cuts across the ocean, causing small waves of water to part in opposite directions-if not for the absence of any vessel, it would be like a motorboat had suddenly taken off a few meters away from the other.

That's far from it however, and as much as Tsuyu blinks a few times at the gale that just came out of her nose, she decides it's better to focus on getting a handkerchief out so she can wipe her frigid and sore nose.

Snfff.]

C.

[petrifiedshadow]

Starflight wasn't too keen on spending time on the beaches after his last encounter with the Beast Hunters, but he had been trying to find Tsunami all day, and the ocean was the most likely place to track down a SeaWing. The black dragon had been prowling around the docks for a while, trying to pick up her scent and occasionally calling out her name. So far he hadn't had much luck. Most people had gone back to the city by now, but hearing someone nearby, he turned toward the speaker, calling out.

"Excuse me. You wouldn't happened to have seen a big, blue dragon with curved horns and glowing scales around here, have you? She may have been swimming in the water earlier, with a small hatchling dragon." His own hatchling was draped along the back his neck, her small head poking out over the bandages across his eyes and face.

B

[lionroll]

Hunk isn't paying much attention himself as he wanders through the crowded market place. Pausing in front of one of the many stalls, he's excited by spotting food items that actually look somewhat familiar. Of course, it's the strange looking fruit (or vegetable, Hunk can't quite tell just yet) that gets Shay's attention.

Digging out a coin to pay, he yelps as another body makes contact with his own. Shay let's out a surprised, high-pitched little yelp along with Hunk's much louder one, as he quickly brings an arm up to cradle her to his chest.

Looking the guy over, Hunk gives a sheepish smile, and shakes his head, "No worries, man. I totally feel you on that. You all right?"

Yoshitsugu Ōtani | OTA | Will match format!

[hakanai]

[Evening]
There always had been a kind of grim humour regarding Yoshitsugu's 'element' in this world being shadow; some of the spells associated with it seemed touched with infection, including the one he'd innately knew when Nuren had swept him in, and considering Yoshitsugu's poor constitution and tendancy to catch most illnesses he was exposed to? He'd idly wondered if the great beasts had a sense of humour as dark as his own on several occasions.

Like today, for instance.

The proper onset of cold had sent him out seeking more blankets and anything warming for the cavern he shared with his companions; it was when Yoshitsugu was browsing a stall that the feeling first swept over him proper. Sure, a slight feeling of weakness in the body had been with him when he'd woken up, but that was hardly unusual. This, though... he excused himself from the stall owner, walked away, turned to face a wall and sneezed.

It shouldn't have been dramatic. It really shouldn't. But it was. As Yoshitsugu's body shook, the little dragon that had been sitting on his shoulder flew up above him with a worried cry and there was a burst of shadow magic in front of him. Fortunate that he was facing the wall, but as he recovered Yoshitsugu kneeled to the floor and reached up to his facecloth, tugging oddly hesitantly at it but not pulling it down.

Tsubaki, his dragon, landed at his side and crooned, obviously concerned. He obviously needed a bit of assistance.

yo!!

[accordance]

[ Yoshitsugu's sneeze is not easy to miss in the winter-dampened streets. Lord Light would ordinarily have kept to himself, but the man a few stalls away does not get up after a few seconds and it would mean something serious.

A few moments later, there would be a slim man by his side, offering a hand. His white hair makes him quite prominent in the dusky night. ]

Can you stand?

[ryuuhirameki]

Well, you've admirable aim, so you have.

[ Kenshin has barely avoided the burst of magic, having been lost in thought as he passed by and seen nothing that had appeared out of the ordinary—at least until that sneeze. All of this is strange, unbelievable, and he has yet to be convinced there isn't some rational explanation behind all of it.

There must be. There always is. ]

Gwendolyn l OTA l Will match brackets or prose

[crownlessbluebird]

[Newly Arrived]


She had remembered the biting chill as wind whipped past her falling body, the sting of her wounds as the air seemed to rip into them and expose them more, and that hollow ache in her chest that gained more and more weight as her feathers had melted and disintegrated around her. Even the heavy smell and almost weight of the enormous body she had fought was hard to ignore, and superimposed on all of this was that roar and the last bit of light that wasn’t the fires burning the earth to ash below being blocked out.


She had accepted her world was dying even before she suddenly felt the chill that only cobblestone and narrow roads can create, and the odd sounds of life now around her. That life is why she goes from quiet grieving to calm and blank in face and military straight in posture. Out here where she knows no one or what any of these other people would truly want from her means that her mourning of Oswald and her home has to be pushed aside. Even the confused joy at her wings being whole and functional couldn’t be seen as she slowly made her way out of the dark nook between two buildings she had somehow been placed in and out into the streets. Wings on both hips and head folded up and feathers held tightly close like a living shield, adding extra warmth the black and purple tunic and skirt could not provide. Even the odd sandals while vexing in how exposed it made her feet and legs to attack, were at least adequate for walking at the least.


Though she did not really wish for anyone to actually bother her, information was vital and could be the only thing that would keep her alive long enough in this place to truly see if she was the only one who was ‘blessed’ to be saved. Thus inquiring to any soul who looked even remotely interested in explaining things to her.




[The Steps leading to the Heart of Nuren]


The call had persisted and tugged at her until she had no choice but to stop her gathering of information in order to follow it. The pearl like egg fitting warm and light in her hand keeps her near the steps for a bit longer after emerging from within the chamber. Curiosity and apprehension causing her head feathers to fluff a little in agitation as she stares at the egg as if expecting it to bite her.


“Tis a seemingly bad jest that one who was set upon by Fate to slay a dragon must now protect and care for one.”


The words are soft and almost under her breath as she attempts to weave past any who are also moving up or down the steps.




[Cliff Market]


Her first instinct is to acquire a weapon, but she is not exactly certain who is the right person to go to for such, and not yet comfortable in asking such of random strangers. After all a shoddy weapon is worse than no weapon at all, and supplies are much higher priority than gaining a decent spear. Despite this, she is drawn to stalls with small blades of decent make and prices that are not too high as to risk having to forego another item on her mental list. It would be easy to carry, and decent for quick and dirty tactics if she was attacked, and with there not seeming to be any sort of military in which to blend into the ranks of easily it would also aid in acquiring funds from hunting game outside the walls.


This decision made has her inspecting the blades in a critical manner that seems to amuse the owner of said stall as she tests weight and eyes the metal for impurities. An odd sight for anyone passing by considering during all of this one hand is still cradling the egg of her not yet born dragon while the other flips knives over to check for balance issues.






[Upper/Lower Nuren: Bird Watching]


The winding roads and the closeness of buildings reminds her of the few times she had visited the human kingdom of Titania. She had not really enjoyed it then and she wasn’t enjoying it now once she left the more open areas to investigate. So she wasn’t really all that surprised when she finally became fed up with such and would circumvent using traditional means to move about and with a flare of wings be on a rooftop or high wall in order to avoid a congestion of people or duck away from more people with that curious look of someone trying to catch a glance at a new ‘scion’.


Though likely the spectacle of her gently gliding back down from said perches to calmly walk along the street again after such moments was likely drawing more attention than if she had just kept walking, but by this point the familiar pattern to avoid people or move quickly was worth more then trying to blend in.

Bird Watching

[brand_of_disgrace]

Julian was able to manipulate the air around him to make him faster, to lengthen the height or distance of his jumps. However, he'd never seen anything like that, and he was sure no one from Paragon City, no matter what kind of shard they had or where it was located, could manage that.

Perhaps it was rude, but Julian was always walking a fine line between "unaware" and "indifferent" when it came to personal space. He approached the girl that had all but fallen from the sky, falling into step beside her.

"Hi," he said, a cheerful grin spreading over his cheeks. "I'm Julian. Can you fly?" If nothing else, at least he liked to get straight to the point.

Cliff Market

[mithrarin]

A dragon, a little larger than a horse, nudged past a nearby stall to approach Gwendolyn, but he stopped several feet away. There, he waited for her full attention, and once he had it, he bowed his head to her.

What little of Dust's expression was visible beneath his hat read of affectionate exasperation. "Sky, I could hire you out as a Scion-detecting service."

Cliff Market

[revolutionfalcon]

Winding his way through the market with Ultima standing taller than him at his side, Shun's eyes flicker over anything that gets too close as he walks past. The glint of metal is what catches his eye most easily, though, and his attention turns to the woman flipping knives in her hand. New, probably, if she's just now getting a weapon, and after a moment of calculation, Shun leads Ultima towards her.

"If you're looking for a weapon that's weighted exactly right for you, a market stall isn't going to do you nearly as well as commissioning a blacksmith. But if you're that familiar with knives and not looking for a custom one with this much availability, I'm going to guess you're new and don't have the gold."

His tone is a little curt, but not dismissive or derogatory right now. They might have limited money to start with, but he does have to question how much she's planning to get with it if she can't afford a better knife than this.

the steps

[accordance]

[ The slim man she passes replies without missing a beat, as if they were already in conversation. ]

We are all reborn. A jest, but in turn a second lease of life.

[ He pauses after finishing his sentence, voice calm and his expression likewise. His own dragon has apparently already hatched, fast asleep on her post at his shoulder. Should Gwendolyn reply, he will stay and speak with her. ]

Julian | OTA | Will match format and tense!

[brand_of_disgrace]

[ 1. New Arrivals ]

Julian had becoming somewhat accustomed to waking in odd places, with damaged or surreal memories of his arrival there. His mind was a whirlpool at best, a maelstrom at worst. The memory that set into his mind now felt out of place; however, given Julian's inability to hold onto any but the most important memories for longer than the span of most of a conversation, he did not find this too unsettling. So he was in a new place. Big deal. The static tearing at the corners of his mind meant only one thing; find his King.

However, that would prove to be more difficult than he was ready to admit to himself. This chaos was more controlled than Paragon City, and the beast that had devoured the sun was no lion, not Rowan, not some alchemist's trick. He blinked, looking around. People. Some stranger looking than others, but that didn't matter. And sure, that man there had a tail. Julian was sure he'd seen worse. He found his bearings with more ease than was probably commonplace, and kept to the side of the road, trying to avoid the fascinated stares of the people around him.

No. This was not Paragon City, and the urge to find the King was, for once, not at the forefront of his mind. A stronger, more persistent yanking in his mind and heart and soul was becoming more evident with each passing second; there was someone else he needed to find. He tried to quell the feeling, for now; he had exploring to do, and the first step was to try and find anyone who looked half as confused as he felt.

[ 2. The Heart of Nuren ]

It still looked like it should have been cold, or musty, or damp. It wasn't. Like the Crystal Canyon that Julian only thought he might remember, there was something unreal about this cavern, like the gods themselves had dreamed them up and then stuck them here, uncertain where else to put them.

He had been sitting cross-legged in the very place he had found this egg. It looked cracked, but felt smooth and cool as the stone beneath him. The object was black as pitch, flecked with grey, exactly like the snowflake obsidian Crash had shown him after work last week. One streak of this grey had split the side of the egg, but though Julian kept checking it to be absolutely sure, he now trusted that the egg was intact... And whatever was within it, alive. Yet, he knew what was in it, as clearly as he knew he'd known a creature like it before.

"My friend," he whispered, stroking the egg, as he had been for several hours. "Please wake up."

No response. Sighing, his legs aching, Julian got to his feet. He carried the egg gently in both hands as though it was a baby bird, something fragile and delicate that may try and escape of its own will. When he managed to find his way out of the cavern, his pupils contracted, his golden eyes squinting and flinching away from the sunlight; he hadn't known the sun had risen again.

"Okay, beastie," he said, a bit irritable. He sat down again, a little ways away and to the side of the mouth of the caverns. He held the egg in his lap, determined. "Let's see if the sun will wake you up."

[ 3. Evening ]

People here were friendly enough, and that was a good sign. A kindly old man had given Julian a nice thick blanket, and one of the stalls had been selling pouches and sachels. At the news that Julian could not remember having been here before, the woman behind the table was more than willing to sell one to him at a huge discount, and Julian felt a bit better knowing that his dragon's egg was secure at his side in a nice, thick bag.

He looked around, fascinated by those who had dragons beside them, beneath them, or even on their shoulders. He hesitated to ask any of them if an egg had never hatched before. This looked to be something like a celebration. He took all food offered to him, eating with no sign of distrust and every sign of gratitude.

As he grew distracted by something that he'd never had before, some pastry full of some fruit he'd never tasted, he shoulder-checked someone and nearly dropped it. He stumbled and spun on his heel, his bright eyes wide and apologetic.

"I'm sorry! Are you okay?"

3

[thedrama]

Ordinarily, such a minor collision would have been nothing more than a minor nuisance to Shego. Sick as she was, however, the impact left her stumbling to the side as she pulled her blanket tighter around her shoulders. She peered at the young man who had bumped into her with an expression that wasn't all there before responding with a decisive sneeze.

"I'll live. Probably."

The blue-scaled dragon walking behind her looked up at the new Scion with interest, although a watchful eye would notice that his unblinking gaze was fixed firmly on the fruit pastry.

Scrooge McDuck | OTA, will match format

[moneymatters]

[I. New Arrivals]
He heard the first rumors of new faces while he was making a delivery, dropping off some goods to someone's home. It came as part of the standard merchant chatter, the gossip shared between buyer and seller. He filed it away as interesting information, but didn't think much of it beyond that. There was too much to do, and with his dragon at his side already he couldn't afford to go gallivanting off to the caverns again just to be a lookie-loo.

So after pocketing his fee from the delivery he set off again, poking the gold-and-copper wyvern with him so she got her head out of the cart of other items to be taken. Picking up the rope he was using to drag it along, he started off again, occasionally having to shout Doubloon's name to get her to return after one of her trips ranging ahead. He's not going to seek out any new arrivals, but if spoken to he'll certainly oblige. This was someone who, if nothing else, looked like he knew what he was doing.


[II. Evening]
Another day, another period of work over and done with. He thought about going straight home, but the audible rumble in his Doubloon's stomach had him decide otherwise. So instead he weighed his options, deciding that he might as well visit one of the taverns. Sure he could get something for free as a Scion and he was never one to turn down free food, but actually patronizing a place encouraged business relationships, which he could always use more of.

...Besides, both of them tended toward cheaper diets, anyway.

So he headed down toward Outer Nuren, pausing every now and then on the way down to watch the 'fireworks' up above. They captivated him now just as they had on his first night; the difference now was Doubloon was hatched and able to watch them herself, adding a little thrill of excitement between their bond that made him smile.

Whether or not he's approached during one of those pauses, he makes his way to a favored tavern and enters, choosing a seat near the counter and striking up conversation with the staff. His dragon, just a few inches smaller than he was (though Scrooge was no great size himself), contented herself with sitting by his chair and worrying her teeth on a piece of scrap wood he'd given her at some point.

At least, at first. Whenever someone walked by her head was up and her nose sniffing in their direction, maybe even taking a step or two before settling back down. She was intensely curious, and wouldn't need much to go surging after some sight.


[III. Wildcard]
[Want to do something not of the above? Let's talk]

Evening

[crownlessbluebird]

The fireworks had only gained a passing moment of notice as they were compared to Ragnanival's ever spinning starry sky and found it lacking in her mind. Instead she soon finds herself entering a tavern that she had been pointed to and weaved herself carefully through the crowd of patrons coming and going. Her wings, both on hips and head may have only gotten a few looks especially as her egg was safely tucked away in a pouch under said wings.

This likely is why she's able almost make it to the counter without anyone stopping her, until she pauses on her own as Doubloon is noticed and the aborted flare of wings is smoothed down almost as quickly as they had raised up. She had not expected to see the dragon there, and that movement may draw a few eyes as she stiffly finishes the trek to the counter. The words to the most senior staff currently there also likely confirming her newness as she inquires about gaining income via bringing in fresh meat from kills and asking for confirmation on any unusual stock she should look out for. All before turning and giving a small bow to Scrooge, but mostly Doubloon.

"Forgive me if my business was in anyway disruptive to your evening."

Mai Takatsukasa | OTA

[dancermai]

[ Will match style and OTA. Please note I only tag a few days a week so I might be slower pace than what some people may be used to so if you really enjoy boomerang and really frequent tags I might not be the player for you sorry but I do love playing with people who don't mind being patient with me! ]

[Outer Nuren]
After spending some time quietly bonding with her new little flamebreathing baby dragon Mushu, Mai decided to venture out and explore the area around her. She ends up speaking to a few people during the day about what life was like in this new world before finding herself at the markets.

There was a small pouch of the local currency but not having been here long, it was hard to budget just how much she should be using for warm clothing and how much she should be keeping for emergencies or food... or whatever else she may need to purchase in the future. Well, if anything at least her little dragon would keep her warm. Once he learned how to control his little furnace tendencies.

Evening
[She's thanking people and smiling to others. Everybody was so kind here even though they were strangers and offering up food and small comforts. She missed home. Her heart broke a little more each time she thought of the world that was left behind. But she was here now and she had to do what she could so she put on a brave face and was trying to stay eager meeting everyone.]

It's nice to meet you too.

[She's lost count how many times she's said that now. A guilty part of her knew she wasn't going to be able to remember them all either.]

Evening

[tookforgranite]

It's a little overwhelming, isn't it?

[Natsumi had been keeping an eye out for new arrivals, looking for specific people, but that wasn't going to stop her from approaching others. And she'd seen Mai a few times throughout the day being bombarded with greetings and gifts and eager citizens and really couldn't help but laugh a little about it. Nothing against the new girl of course, it's just kind of amusing to watch.]

At least they're actually pretty genuine from what I've seen so far.

[herbalsupplements]

Stop Dragon My Heart Around

If you're very lucky (or, let's be real, very unlucky), you might run into a yet dragon-less new arrival, a tall Japanese redhead who's probably a boy but pretty enough to be a girl and glaring daggers either way. This is Kurama, confused and angry and distressed, trying to reel himself in enough to question likely-looking people until he can determine whether this really is a different world. (Or until he's called to claim his dragon, whichever comes first.)

Congratulations! The next likely-looking person is you.

Upper & Lower Nuren

With no one but a tiny, red-furred dragon holding him back, it takes little time for Kurama to find his way back out of the cavern and start questioning the locals on everything he can think of. The internal consistency of the answers he receives is frustratingly indicative of his being in another world, so he moves on to shopping. It takes surprisingly little time to find a coat he likes and a scarf Melanthios consents to be carried in, and then there's not much left to do but explore and figure out where they'll be staying the night.

For now, though, Kurama is hungry, and Melanthios seems to be as well, so Kurama sits down somewhere out of the way, reaches into his hair, and pulls out--a bunch of red grapes? A bunch of red grapes. This is not the kind of magic some random new scion would know how to do, so feel free to question him while he's feeding his dragon.

Wildcard

[Something else! I'm braindead, let's make it work. I'll match format if you prefer brackets.]

Upper & Lower Nuren

[dancermai]

That most certainly did catch her attention. Well, firstly, it was the bright red hair that caught her attention so she had been watching him for a short while. In Mai's arms were her own little red dragon that she was too scared to let go of. Right now, he was still the size of a little cat having just hatched and she worried he would wander away and disappear. Though, a little of her worries were pushed away by curiosity and she quietly moves towards this redhead, the little dragon trailing after her.

"Um.... you keep food in your hair?"

Natsumi Kuzuryu | Will match format!

[tookforgranite]

A; New Arrivals

[It's kind of weird, being on the side of new arrivals where she isn't the one fumbling around in clothes that aren't hers with an egg she has no idea what to do with. Weird but nice, something she could get used to. She would much rather be lost as little as possible.

Natsumi doesn't want to treat them like the locals do; treating them like some kind of sideshow excitement, approaching them with more hospitality than strictly necessary, the whole "you're a scion now" shebang. But she did find herself wandering the streets, eyes peeled for them anyway. There are people she's hoping will show up, and others she wants to know are here before they find her.

While her dragon is still on the smaller side, clearly young with the way it's curled up around her shoulders and looking at everyone and everything that passes with wide, curious eyes she's not new herself. And she carries herself as if she knows the place. She won't turn away anyone that needs a little help or direction.]

B; Around Nuren

Eibitsuki-hime, cut it out.

[It's a stern reprimand given to a squeaking, fidgeting dragon who is very clearly tired of the wandering they're doing. The young one spotted something she wanted a few stalls back as they perused the shops in the cliff-side market and hadn't stopped whining about it since.]

I told you I can't afford that. You're going to have to get over it.

[She was determined to teach her companion right after some of the shit her brother was saying about her a little while back. No discipline? Fuck that! She's got more discipline than he and Peko put together. Totally. And she's definitely going to show them.

Except Eibitsuki has a much different idea in mind as she starts to squirm down her scion's arm in an attempt to get down. The blonde carefully pries her off and sets her on the ground, thinking maybe she's just tired of riding around, but it's clear that's not the case as the dragon takes off running.]

H-hey, wait!! Dammit, don't run off like that without me!

[She was so uncoordinated when she hatched a few weeks ago how did she get so fast?? There's a chance that a black dragon will whizz past you, running close to the ground, maybe even slip around your feet in an attempt to lose her scion. Said scion won't be too far behind, offering some apologies as she fails to worm through the crowd as easily...hopefully she manages to go around you rather than run flat into you.]

C; Closed to Cavemates; 12/04 - 12/06

["It's just a cold," they said. "It's nothing to worry about," they said. That was a load of bullshit if she'd ever heard any and no less than an hour into this "cold" she was already regretting not dressing a little more warmly for the season.

This was after freaking out over her symptoms and being worried that maybe she was dying first. Last time she recalled being sick it didn't include parts of her body becoming shadow-like and intangible whenever she sneezed. Nor did coughing come with thick, black smog spilling out every time she opened her mouth. It was extremely disconcerting (and painful, as far as the coughing was concerned.)

She's since gotten over that, however, and has been set up in Fuyuhiko's room (the former heir having set up a hammock for himself in the corner so that she wouldn't be stuck sleeping in her own). Visitors are always welcome it's not like he's got a door to keep them out. And it'd probably do her some good. Most of the time she's just sitting up in his bed, propped up with some pillows and grumbling about how awful magic is. Eibitsuki-hime is laying nearby, just trying to sleep this secondhand fatigue off...]

c; 12/04

[impheired]

[Once Natsumi was all situated in his room and one of the spare hammocks set up in the corner for Fuyuhiko, the former heir had headed into the kitchen. This was definitely the weirdest sickness he'd ever seen in his life, and he doesn't have a clue how to actually go about curing it, but surely the old standbys for common colds wouldn't hurt?]

[He'd left Kougetsuren on the bed to keep the girls company, with instructions to keep an eye on them and to start making as much noise as possible to get FUyuhiko's attention if something bad happened. The little white dragon seems to have taken this completely to heart because as soon as Fuyuhiko left the room, he promptly crawled onto Natsumi's chest and began staring her down. He dares you to try and move now. You're stuck here, missy! At least he's nice and warm?]

[theluckycharm]

[Upper/Lower Nuren]
[After her dragon had hatched, Marinette had decided to take the next logical step: get more information. Sure she was used to strange things at this point, but a dragon hatching? She wasn't against it, mind you, but still add that to being in a new world and you had a LOT of things that you needed to piece together.

Thankfully Cocconette, the name Mairnette chose to give her new companion, seemed behaved enough. Asking the locals helped her piece together a few things, such as finding the market and a few things about this new world. She was going to have to ration the gold that she had. She could make her own clothing, she just needed to get yarn and sewing needles. And food, that was absolutely necessary.

For now though, as she tried to decide what was necessary for now, she wad exploring the area. She was clearly going to be here for awhile, better get used to it.]

[Evening]

That's all I need for now, thank you!

[Marinette paid the merchant for the food as she went on her way. Alright, she now had enough for herself and Coccinette for at least a while. She still had some gold left, hopefully enough that she could work on getting material next. She was able to buy a small satchel for now, which Coccinette had quickly claimed as her home. So that was one problem taken care of.

So... now what should she do? Probably find some shelter. Where to find that now...?]

Evening

[moneymatters]

[Marinette, if paying attention, might hear curious sniffing from behind her. Investigation would show a young gold and copper wyvern with her head stretched out, inches away from nosing the satchel. Her claws pawed forward a little, then she startled at a shout from nearby and looked around.]

Doubloon!

[Here comes her apparent partner, stalking down the walk toward her.]

I told you once if I tol' you a thousand times, stop runnin' off!

[She seems unphased despite the scolding, chirruping and jogging over to the old duck, doing a couple circles around him (and nearly tripping him up) before stopping behind. With a sigh he shook his head, glancing up toward Marinette now.]

I apologize if she was bothering you, lass.

Hunk | OTA | Will match format~

[lionroll]

[1: New Arrival]

Going through the damaged wormhole was rough, and a hard knock to his head had Hunk out cold. It's with a gasp that he awakens. Sitting up, running his hands over his face, he recalls the dream, a memory, that leaves him in tears. Gone. Everything, everyone, he knew was gone. Team Voltron had failed, he had failed, and now there was nothing. It's a combination of the chilly air, noises of life, and some odd pulling sensation that finally pushes Hunk into motion

His body feels light, and looking down he realizes that his Paladin armor is gone. In it's place is a long-sleeved, yellow tunic, with a dark green vest, and soft, brown pants. A belt around his waist seems to have a pouch filled with rather strange looking coins. The fabric is light, and airy, which doesn't help much with the cool breeze blowing around him. At least he's got some rather decent boots. Shivering a little, he makes his way towards the various sounds and smells of the nearby market place.

He can feel many pairs of eyes on him. Some look human, while other's definitely... don't. While he doesn't sense any hostility, Hunk can't help keeping to himself, letting his legs move on their own. He has no clue where he's going, but something inside is tugging, guiding him somewhere.

[2: Upper and Lower Nuren]

Leaving the safety and comfort of the cave is difficult. It's the first time Hunk had felt such peace in a while. However, there's nothing there for a newly hatched dragon to eat. Or a person for that matter. Heading back out to the crowded streets, Hunk pauses to try and get some sort of bearings. Again, he feels eyes on him, but without the call pulling him towards his new partner, Hunk doesn't hold some of his previous reluctance to talk to someone. Approaching a stall selling what he assumes are fruits and vegetables, he begins to learn just what is going on. Scions. Dragons. Great beasts.

It's a lot to take in.

Thankfully, he manages to keep himself together enough to finish the conversation, purchase some much needed foodstuffs, a warm looking robe, and a small knife. Cradling the baby dragon to his chest, he wanders around the area, feeling incredibly lost. Friendly natives seem eager to help him, but he doesn't even know what to ask for at this point.

When Hunk feels himself on the verge of being overwhelmed, he ducks into a quiet alcove. Sitting on a crate, he looks down at his new furry bundle of responsibility, and can't help the wave of sadness that washes through him. The little dragon chirrups, sounding a bit distressed, and Hunk remembers the food he just purchased. Pulling out one of the softer feeling fruits, Hunk uses his new knife to cut out a chunk and hold it out for her. He watches the way she sniffs at it curiously, giving it a cursory lick before snatching it out of his fingers. Apparently, it's tasty because she's licking his sticky fingers, and looking at the rest of it in his other hand.

Smiling what feels like his first, real smile since he got here, he cuts off more chunks. Each one is quickly gobbled up, and he laughs, patting the dragon's blocky little head, "Well, at least I know one thing you like so far. That's a start, right?"

[3: Evening]

As the sun begins to set, Hunk belatedly realizes he wasted the whole afternoon wandering around, and never finding a place for them to bunk down. However, trying to get through the squares is tricky. There are people everywhere, both natives, and others like himself. It seems like each stall, or shop, he passes has someone trying to hand him a gift. A warm, soft blanket, hot food or drink, and trinkets.

A friendly mages offers to direct him to the caverns, where the other Scions like him are staying, once he has had his fill of the festivities. Knowing he'll have a roof over their heads gives Hunk a chance to relax for a moment. Watching the sky light up with magic is something else, although the sudden bursts of colors startle Shay into trying to bury her way under his tunic.

"He-Hey, knock that off! Your claws are tickling me, Shay!" Hunk scolds gently, squirming around as he attempts to pull the little hatchling free of his clothes.

2 for you!

[lyrical_nightingale]

[Ruri was just in the market, trying to get over the cold that had overtaken her and was looking into some natural remedies to stop her magic from going haywire. Honestly, the young girl wouldn't have noticed the new scion and his little bundle of joy if not for her own dragon, who had fortunately not succumb to the bug that had been going around. His nose manages to catch the sweet fruit that didn't quite match the pungent spices in the local area, so it doesn't take him long to figure out where the stranger and what was clearly a baby dragon went to get some air.

Being a naturally motherly dragon though, Obsidian finds himself picking a basket filled with more fruit from Ruri's hand. The sick scion is rather confused when her dragon chomps on the handle and begins to wander off away from her. However, Obsidian doesn't focus on his scion's confusion. There are things to do!

Obsidian is a large dragon for his age, about the height of a large dog and the length of a crocodile. All six eyes are red and beady, and the black, feathery dragon's face looks like a proper demon. He's not pretty at all, and even the spikes beginning to appear on his face are already pointed and menacing.]

Ggggggrrrrrrwwwwwwrrrrrrr...

[He'd probably look scarier if he wasn't carrying that fruit though, and bringing it towards Hunk and Shay. Hello small dragon friend. Accept his offering hello! Clearly you cannot have too much food!]

minako arisato | will match format!

[complementing]

KORO-CHAN, WE AREN'T IN TARTARUS ANYMORE

[It's been about an hour since Minako woke up in this place. An hour since she'd gasped awake to start dragging air in and out of her lungs again. It's a foreign sensation even though she'd spent seventeen whole years doing it, but she's mostly shaken off the disorienting out-of-body experience by now. There are more important things to worry about, whys and hows and wheres that need answering. Namely, why is she not acting as the Great Seal right now, how did she get here instead, and where is here, anyways? Dead sacrifices aren't supposed to just up and move to other places when they're supposed to be stuck crucified on a gate instead.

She turns the idea over as she walks through the rustic, sunshine-y village, trying to find a high, secluded spot that she can see the whole place from. This being a dream is almost immediately ruled out. Any dreams of hers would be of Iwatodai, of her friends and her own life, not of this place she's never been before. Even if it was somehow induced by Ryoji, she's sure he would allow her the small pleasure of it being set in Japan. Where people speak Japanese. And not...whatever she's hearing and somehow understanding even though the only other language she knows is some passable high school level English.

She still can't stop herself from hoping it's Ryoji. He would be sadly sweet like that, offering her tortured mind a distraction for all eternity.

She eavesdrops as she walks, picking up some important words here and there. Specifically the word Scion, that is always paired with a look in her direction. A curious, sometimes awed look, which makes Minako supremely uncomfortable, because she's learned that anything with a capital letter implied at the beginning, paired with a strange new environment, is always Something Big. What does Scion mean? Why is it important? Why is she feeling this strange pull towards the mountain?

Well, she's not going to learn anything if she doesn't ask around, and if it attracts attention to herself-- well, all the more easier to find someone who might know what the hell is going on, right? It also makes it easier for someone to come to her, since she's realizing that whatever beacon is calling to her, it's being very insistent, and she finds she can't be bothered to stop and ask the villagers for information until she finds its source. Minako cups her hands to her mouth and takes in a deep, greedy breath of air.]

Heeeeeey! Ryoji-kun! Come out, come out, wherever you are! If you're gonna stick me in this place, at least come and say hi to me! It's rude to keep a girl waiting, you know!

[If nobody answers her-- which would honestly be understandable-- she can be found staring down the stairs to the heart of Nuren, eyebrows arched and disappearing behind her bangs. This is where the strange pull is leading her towards, but going down there without anything to defend herself with seems really, really dumb. Especially when she can't summon her Personas.]

This has Bad Idea written all over it. I should've picked up a weapon in town. Even if they seem to really love swords here... [A gusty sigh.] No appreciation for polearms whatsoever.

NIGHTTIME MEMORIES OF A DIFFERENT CITY

[So. That happened.

That's all she can think for a moment as she stares down at her new baby dragon, a darling copper red and black creature who is content to settle the entirety of her already hefty three kilograms into Minako's arms. She's decided to call her Eurydice just as a sort of inside joke, but Eurydice has already taken to it, and her nickname Yuri, too. She'd felt Eurydice's flare of excitement at being Named, felt her curiosity as Minako spoke to her, testing her intelligence. The warmth of her dragon's tongue and body, the slap of her tail against her arm-- all of it happened. All of it is real.

Despite how baffled she is at Eurydice's existence, Minako already loves her. If their souls really are connected, then Eurydice is the closest thing to Ryoji and her Personas that she'll ever have in Osaaru. It helps her feel less lonely, less...disconnected from her home world. Like Eurydice is her quiet promise to find a way to fix things, to protect humanity once again, even if it's not as the Great Seal. Even if it's from a time and place this far away.

And she is nothing if not adaptable. She might be surrounded by strangers, but that means she's only a conversation away from being surrounded by friends instead. As if sensing her resolve, Eurydice looks up and chirps in a high pitch that sounds like a question. Minako grins down at her.]

Your Scion is done being mopey. Up we go! Come on, you, let's see if we can meet some new people. What do you think our chances are of finding another Japanese person?

[Eurydice swings her head around to look at the other Scions in the cavern, blinking her bright blue eyes and then chirruping. Minako will be more than willing to head in the direction of any person that Eurydice deems of interest to greet them with a friendly smile.

Later, as everyone is settling in for the night, Minako can be found in a corner halfway ready to sleep herself-- but she's paused to stare out over the group of Scions, her lips curled up halfway between quiet disbelief and amusement.]

It's like a huge slumber party. If this really isn't a dream, then I'm putting "find a private cavern" on my to-do list tomorrow.

Nighttime meeting!

[dancermai]

[ Far from sleep even though she's had a long day, there's another Japanese girl sitting just off to the side of the group of people. Mai's quietly petting her little newborn dragon rambling nonsense to him as she's just trying to unwind from the long day of meeting people, getting lots of things pushed into her face and getting acquainted with the new land.

It was a lot for a person to take in all at once. That and...she's never had a pet before, let alone one that she was bonded to like this.

It was a few moments later when her little dragon lets out a soft little chirp and slides away from Mai towards the other dragon that seems to be exploring. ]

Ah~ Apple!

[ She's gotta ... put a leash on him while he's still young or something. ]