ǣfenglōm (main comm)

Name: Niles
Date: 6/13
Format: Video

[The clip opens with a shot of Niles' chest. It might seem intentional, given how the deep cut v neck of his shirt shows off his chest, but after the picture rotates and tilts awkwardly a few times it becomes pretty clear he's just not entirely familiar with how cameras work. When his face finally is visible and the picture steadies he's frowning, annoyance obvious in the slant of his mouth and his squinting eyes.]

A question to all those who are gaining new parts and features, how do you keep them clean?

[The camera shakes and rotates some more as Niles turns his device to point down at a long, incredibly fluffy, beautifully patterned tail. It's not filthy, but the white shows flecks of dirt caught in it and there's a few small mats starting to form, particularly on the underside near the end. It flicks and twitches a few times before Niles moves the camera back up to his face.]

I've tried combing it like my regular hair- [Which looks clean, shiny, and overall well groomed.] -but the fur is so dense it hardly does anything, and it picks up dirt and grime so easily. I'm used to having a dirty reputation, but I pride myself on keeping that to the figurative sense only.

Name: dylas
Date: June 2nd
Format: voice

Hey.

[That’s it. One word. Dylas’ voice is low, like usual, but there’s something unsteady about it. Maybe it’s nerves from using the pocketwatch, a device he’s still not used to, or...well.]

I know people have been...changing. It’s, uh. Not great. But...do the changes hurt for anyone else? There’s this spot on... my friend’s arm that’s all grey, and it hasn’t stopped hurting ever since it showed up. Does anyone else have that?

I’m asking for my friend.

[He’s not asking for a friend.]

[OOC; Dylas is infected by the Cwyld after an encounter with some Shades. He’s been hiding it under his clothes, but now his arm is hurting real bad.]

Name: Gundam Tanaka (un: THE FORBIDDEN ONE)
Date: June 1-ish
Format: Video

[ There’s no space between when the video turns on and when Gundam begins talking — rather, loudly accosting his audience through the watch while striking quite a unique pose. It’s like he’s trying to both introduce himself and fight you at the same time. ]

Pay attention, for I shall only say this once! Before you is the mighty Gundam Tanaka, Ascendant Ruler of Ice! To forget that name is to invite your own death!

[ With the introduction over, his arms fold over his chest and he actually pauses briefly, very briefly, and when he resumes talking, it’s actually at a normal volume. Surprising. ]

The situation is dire. An unholy curse has been unleashed upon this land, and soon this entire world that we have been dragged to will be overrun with demons. However, there is still hope yet.

In the land that I once roamed, I was known far and wide as the Ultimate Breeder, a being so well-versed in the knowledge of breeding and taming beasts that they created a title just to honor my skills. [ It sounds just as over-the-top as the rest, but it’s one of the most honest things he’s said so far. ] No creature is too great to escape my power, no beast too frightening to stand against me!

[ What little smile had started to form through his own boasting quickly vanished with another pause, and he continued on.]

… However, this world is just as strange to me as it is to everyone here. There are many creatures here that I have only heard about in legend, and even more that escaped even those stories. These creatures are as of yet just out of my reach… but that is where you come in. A task as great as this requires as many bodies as possible. Mortal, god, Monster, Witch, it matters not, so long as you have the courage to step forward.

[ It’s here that the grin returns and his voice grows back to full volume. ]

Your task is to gather as much information about the creatures of this world as you physically can! Whether it be formal knowledge from the very font of this city [ the college ] or wily tricks from those with more practical experience [ pet owners ], or even the creatures themselves! And if there are any bold enough to try and face them, then I may allow you to accompany me in my searches. Just know that one wrong step could be your last…

[ And if you’ve managed to keep watching for this long, you get the treat of seeing Gundam strike a pose once more — except this time, three hamsters pop up as if suddenly appearing from his body, one on each hand and one from his scarf. ]

Now, go forth! The very fate of this world depends on this information!

Name: Yako Katsuragi (un: katsuragi)
Date: May 25-ish
Format: Video

[ The young woman on the watch gives the camera a small smile, though her expression is also a touch uncharacteristically serious for those who’ve met her before. ]

First of all, for anyone who was badly affected by the full moons, I hope you’re feeling better now. If you need any medical attention or want to learn how to help keep others from going feral when you’re not Bonded to them, you should ask the Coven.

[ PSA done, she clears her throat, brushing her hair away from her face. ]

There’s something else I’d like to share. When we first came here, some people mentioned having a dream about being in a banquet in a forest. I had the same dream, too. I don’t know how much other people recall, but one of the the things I remember hearing while I was in it was the name of the place: Dewaint.

Anyway, I did a little looking into it, and it seems like I’ve found it. Or at least, um, something used to have that name.

[ That’s her cue to move, turning the watch to face ... a map. For those who’ve already seen a map of Geardagas, it will look pretty familiar, but it’s large — taking up most of a wall, and Yako has to take a few steps back to take it in its entirety — and it’s clearly old, preserved from being tampered with by a layer of glass. Yako continues speaking as she steps back in closer, panning her camera slowly as she points out areas of interest. ]

The librarians said this map is about five hundred years old. This is where Aefenglom is today, near the coast. And where Dewaint Forest was is...

[ She focuses on the dark spot towards the center of the map, right by the river (since she’s a little short, this takes a lot of standing on her toes, so the video goes a little wobbly before it straightens). The inscription scrawled over it bears a script similar to what might be seen in places around the Coven — and on the protection charms that were offered in the bonfire ceremony when they first arrived. Though the script might resemble Irish Ogden runes in form, for those who recognize such things, it’s clearly a different language. ]

There -- in the center of what The Wilde covers today.

[ Yako pauses, letting the camera linger. ]

To be honest, I’m not sure what this all means. I haven’t been able to find out much else about it, though some books said something about leylines passing through it and called it the heart of Geardagas. [ Although it’s a heart that most people seem to have forgotten. ] All I know is that it doesn't feel like a coincidence.

[ Spiel done, Yako turns the view back to herself. ]

I'm still trying to see what I can learn, but this is what I have right now. I thought other people might find this interesting too. I asked some people about this already, but if you have access to Parliament Records, the librarians and Miss Nessie think they might have more. So if you would like to help with that or with looking through some more books and papers, please let me know! If you’ve found anything related, I'd like to hear about it too.

Name: Kyo Sohma
Date: Late May
Format: Voice

[Kyo is used to transforming. He's the Cat of the zodiac and all, so he has two forms back home. The regular housecat and....well, his True Form. The reason he's both more calm over being called a monster and the reason he bristles at it, given that situation back home and all.

That is not to say that he isn't finding this frustrating all the same. Namely in regards to clothing with this being a more gradual transformation rather than just instant where he suddenly usually no longer fits into whatever he had been wearing with the zodiac curse back home.....]

....Dammit! This damned tail! So what, I'm just expected to rip holes into all my pants now? Not being the only one is debatable in this if that's comforting or more irritating in pissing me off.

[His life. He's finally free of the curse here and he is still. Turning into a cat anyway. Because of course he is. And then he winces, hissing briefly in pain when he nicks his lower lip with his fangs.]

Seriously though, there's probably some kind of tailor or something around, right? For....for people that are changing like this? Ah, right. And uh, introductions, I guess. Or whatever. I'm Kyo. Kyo Sohma.

[For those that he might not yet have run into or talked to. Introductions were only polite and all, so he should probably. Add his name in there somewhere at least, for this first time. Not that Tohru is around to remind him about that sort of thing but. Well, over time, she is rubbing off on him some, at least.]

Name: Konoe
Date: now-ish
Format: voice

[Typing is terrible for someone not used to it (and someone not even that great at writing, at that): one attempt has been enough to convince Konoe never to try again if he can help it.
Video, however... is honestly creepy!? How do people get so small, and how can they be sure they'll get out of the watch again? He may be a cat, but he's not stupid!
So he tries for voice, even though he's not used to voice calls, either. He gets really close to the watch and pronounces everything a little slowly, overly clearly.]

Before - you - came - here, - were - there - demons - with - you?

If - not, - were - you - in - great - danger - some - other - way?

And - were - you - cursed - at - some - point?

[There, he did it. There's an audible sigh, of determination as much as relief, and then the feed ends.

Look, he's just trying to get some answers, here. There must be some pattern to who was pulled here through the mirrors and why!]

Name: Lux Crownguard
Date: 5/7
Format: Text

Does magic exist in your world? What is it like, and how do others view those who use it? If not, is there something similar to it where you are from?

With so many of us coming from different worlds, it would be a good idea for us to pool our knowledge and resources to figure things out. The rules might not be the same here, but having a base to start from is better than nothing at all, wouldn't you agree?

- Lux