hugtopia_logs | ♥ October (Lasohm) Fourth Wall Log

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♥ October (Lasohm) Fourth Wall Log

kool aid man crashing through a wall then nervously stepping out again

October (Lasohm) Fourth Wall Log

❥ Speaking of Wall Breaking...

The ghosts in town sure are weird, huh? But they're settling down, as the month draws to a close. They're becoming less anxious and random, their behaviour growing sort of… focused. As time passes some of them begin to develop features. They can interact with the world more consistently. You can… hear their voice.

And then suddenly they are people, real and physical and just as confused to be here as you are. They could be anyone, from your world, someone else's world, a place you've never heard of… some of them could even be you, from a different universe, a different timeline, an unknown reality. What does all this mean?

IT'S FOURTH WALL, Y'ALL. Tell your friends, people interested in apping or just playing around in the setting, anybody! Time to break the wall down and have some fun.

This post serves as a replacement for the usual Test Drive Meme, in order to consolidate the chaos a bit. Though it is being posted now, timeline-wise, this shift will occur ONLY during the weekend prior to applications opening: October 30th to November 2nd, after which point characters will either disappear or become permanent residents via the application process. This also means that the rest of the event effects will have worn off, and characters will be their normal selves through the duration of this prompt.

Some ground rules for the 4th Wall event:

For characters/accounts not in-game:

a character does not have to meet application qualifications to post to the 4th Wall Event, except in cases where there is an intent to apply when applications open. Duplicates, CRAU, AU, etc. are permitted for the event.
we do ask that crack shenanigans are reasonably limited, game rules are followed, and that the event involve characters only, not players or real people.
anyone can toplevel! It'll be a free for all. Go wild, have fun.
characters will be given a temporary, low-tech communicator for the duration of the event with limited network access, due to limited availability of the real deal.
you will not arrive with any items/companions beyond the clothes that you wear
check out the Setting or FAQ pages for location details! Also, have a look at the October event log, to see what else is going on these days.

For characters/accounts currently in-game:

players can decide for themselves at the event's conclusion whether or not memories of certain visitors remain, and to what extent; memories could become fuzzy, faces or communication obscured, they could disappear entirely, or they can remain fully intact whether the person apps into the game or not.
network communications with 4th Wall visitors that don't (or can't) app in will be wiped, with the locals citing a data error related to the older communicators being used. Technology can be unpredictable, huh!
any communication exchanges that you WANT to keep can remain with some discretion; for example, if a spouse visits and you happen to take a selfie with them, and they do not (or cannot) app but having that photo of them would give you comfort, feel free to keep it.
Similar to the TDM, 4th wall threads cannot be used for AC or AC Reward purposes unless it is between characters already in-game.

Click the above prompt to expand for details. Timeline-wise, this occurs October 30th to November 2nd. For players currently in-game, if you have any questions, please direct them to the FAQ or to the Mod Question thread on the original plotting post.

On this post, we've created both another Questions Thread and a Toplevel thread (see below) for visiting players, the latter so that anyone can track and see who's posted! When you've made a toplevel, feel free to comment HERE to let everyone know.

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That smile she reserves just for her dearest friend is warm and bright on her face as she feels him accept her summons. It lingers for a scant few seconds after he materializes in front of her, then quickly fades into one of uncertainty and concern.

His soul does not sing as it once did. The sound is as beautiful as it ever was, though it feels... Tainted. By a mountain of sadness and the hint of something else. The hairs on the nape of her neck stand on end. That sense of discordance sets her on edge, so different (it is deeper; darker) yet similar (a thing that doesn't belong; creeping, suffocating, strangling) to the Sound she has felt at the far reaches of the star. The Convocation has yet to listen to her concerns—they had never taken her Gift as seriously as those who had the Sight.

There is too much that feels wrong. She feels wrong, too. Perhaps an ill-effect of their kidnapping? These are all thoughts to be put aside for later, once she's had time to sort through them all. She offers him a wane smile and chooses to address what seems to be the safest topic—

"...Shall I attempt to summon the rest of you?"

She, by contrast, is almost exactly as he remembers her. There is, of course, the fact that there is still time between what she remembers - or seems to, given her concern over Ifrita - and what he last remembers of her, but he's not going to be the one to address that. Not yet, anyway. And possibly not ever given that he's not entirely sure how well she'll take some of the news.

(She may have guessed at some of the differences. He knows his soul will sound different to how she remembers it, if only thanks to Zodiark's touch. But there's not much he can do about that, even if he'd wanted to.)

Instead, he takes a moment to look himself over, as if to make sure that he's all present and accounted for, before shrugging.

"You could certainly make the attempt. But do let me know if you find any errant pieces."

By the tone of his voice, he doesn't expect her to, but has opted for something a little closer to his early teasing rather than saying so outright.

"An errant two fulms or so," Hemera retorts, reaching out to rest her palm pointedly on the crown of his head. She allows her fingers to trail down through the length of white in his hair, expression shuttered behind a wane smile.

"Tell me... Did you try the grapes?"

There's a huff of mock affront as she rests her hand on his hand. It's not the first time he's been shorter than most. But it is still something that he wouldn't have expected in the case.

"A temporary - if necessary - sacrifice."

If he gets a chance again, perhaps he'll take a roegadyn as a vessel. Allow himself to truly be taller than most other mortals. Still, that's nothing he's going to say to her, and instead he makes not the slightest complaint as she lets her fingers trail down the streak of white in his hair.

"I did." There's a nod, too, with the words. "You were most insistent about it."

The confirmation brings her some measure of relief, and not simply because an island was spared a volcano's wrath.

"Good. I knew once I tried them that I needed to share them with you..." Even with her knack for Shapechanging, Hemera had never once been taller than either of her friends. Only Elidibus was shorter than her, and only because he'd yet to finish fully growing. "But every time I could procure some our schedules had never aligned."

It's definitely an unusual feeling, to be shorter than she is. Not one that he can't deal with, but having to look up at her is... different. Even if it isn't by much. Or not as much as it could be.

"Yes, well. No one ever said it was easy, holding a seat on the Convocation."

Not that he hadn't managed, nor that he hadn't found time for his friends (even if sometimes he'd had to very nearly be dragged into it). But there'd been no shortage of things to do, and more than once he remembers feeling like there hadn't been quite enough time for it all.

"My predecessor hadn't prepared me for quite how difficult it could be." She sighs, exasperated. It's no secret that the previous Azem had left rather abruptly, and while he had prepared her for her duties abroad he hadn't prepared her at all for everything else. "Hyth had the right of it when he turned down your predecessor's offer. Of the three of us you have always been the best suited for the Convocation."

"I'm not certain there is any preparing for it."

Which is not, exactly, to say that she's wrong that he might have been the best suited to a seat on the Convocation, of the three of them. Just that he's willing to let the comment stand on its own truths, and doesn't see much of a reason to continue that line of conversation besides.

"Besides, I believe he liked the position he held. Enough so to not feel the need to bother with the Convocation."

A rare thing, perhaps. Or perhaps there'd been some truth to him having been the better suited even despite Hythlodaeus being the stronger when it came to seeing souls for what they were. But the point has long since become moot. He had been chosen for the seat; their friend had not, and nothing can be done to change that.

"He could have at least warned me of all those stuffy council meetings." The face she pulls is one of utmost maturity, truly. "Stars forbid they do anything more than acknowledge something, then conclude that they cannot do anything about said something. And then, of course, have a half dozen more meetings all about how they cannot do anything because it's the Star's Will and we're only meant to observe and record and all that nonsense."

Hemera certainly loves her job for someone who absolutely hates her job.

"If I'd been Chief of the Bureau of the Architect I certainly wouldn't give it up for a seat, either." If she'd been Chief of the Bureau of the Architect there likely would be no bureau left. It would be utter chaos, and she knows Hades is as well aware of this as she is, but that's beside the point. "Fortunately I've the most wonderful friends who make the capitol a little bit bearable."

She flashes him a smile.

"Perhaps he knew that you would be called away a great deal."

Or 'called away' in her case, which is very nearly the same thing. After all, she's not wrong in her assessment of the Convocation's meetings. And on the ones where it was something of more importance it's not as if he hadn't been able to give her a summary of the important details after the fact. Or during, as he'd done on more than one occasion.

"A Traveler is meant to travel, after all."

All the more so, in the time leading up to those Final Days. Not that it had been enough. Not in time, though he'd done what he could to give her that time. But the will of the Convocation had been unwavering even despite his attempts.

"And what, only a little?"

The note of gentle teasing is back in his voice again, at that last. He and Hythlodaeus might have been but two people in the whole of the capitol, but he would have hoped that it had made more than a little difference.

Edited 2020-10-26 05:25 (UTC)

"Only to where the Convocation deems me to, which is rarely ever where I am needed," Hemera huffs and, with an absent wave of her hand she shrinks herself down so the top of her head is to his chin. It's a more familiar height for her, and when so much else feels foreign... She will grant herself this small comfort. "Perhaps when they finally rid me of my seat I can be the Adventurer instead. What do you think?"

In answer to his query she can only throw herself at him in a hug, so gladdened to have him here with her (she doesn't know what he would do without him) and to hear that teasing note in his voice once more.

"Amaurot is beautiful beyond measure and I love it with all my soul... Yet it is like a chain upon my heels, always keeping me a hair's breadth away from where I wish to be, dragging me back the moment I dare to tug upon it."

There is no doubt that she truly does love Amaurot with all that she is, but there was also never any hiding how much it stifled—rather than nurtured—her particular brand of inquisitive spirit. That she stands proud where she is today is testament to her own strength of will rather than the capitol.

"You and Hythlodaeus have ever lengthened that chain for me, and it is for you that I ever return home."

The sight of her casually shrinking herself down to be a more familiar height in comparison to himself doesn't even cause him to bat an eye. She always has been willing to make thorough use of shapechanging, and he has to admit there's a comfort in not having to look up at her besides.

"I see no reason you couldn't, if you so chose. And the Convocation needn't know everywhere you go, when you do."

Is he suggesting she spend some time taking in the sights, once whatever she's been asked to see to has been dealt with? Quite possibly. But the Convocation holds no sway here, and even then it's not like he wouldn't have been able to offer thoughts in something other than his official capacity as Emet-Selch.

Even so, the hug catches him off guard. Though he has but recently had a family - some of whom had been more inclined to such things - this is different. This is one of his own people; one of his friends, and it's been longer than he'd care to admit since he's last had the chance to know that kind of friendly touch. She can likely read his surprise too, close as she is, either through the feel of his aether or the fact that it takes him a moment to even so much as place a gentle hand on her shoulder.

(Returning the hug is, perhaps, more than he is capable of, just at the moment, but there's a wave of fondness that passes through him, once the surprise wears off.)

"Would that we could do more to lengthen it further still."

He's seen how much she enjoys her travels as Azem. Even if (the rest of) the Convocation does ever dog her heels even then, seeking to drag her back when she might not ever have wanted to. But it's nice to have confirmation to something he'd long suspected, both in regards to her thoughts on Amaurot and how much of a boon both his and Hythlodaeus' friendship had been to her.

"Oh, they hardly know all the places I go. And they know it full well, too."

The amused laughter that tumbles from her lips soon fades away into the warmth of his neck. Hemera tightens her arms around him, not at all surprised to have caught him off guard—hugging isn't commonplace in Amaurot, and she usually expresses her affection in other ways.

But there are moments when brushing fingers together or resting her weight against a shoulder do not suffice, and this is certainly one of them. Hemera isn't deaf to the sound of his soul; no longer lively and vibrant, but... weary. She knows a hug was the right choice when he sounds just a touch revitalized, no matter if doesn't return her affection.

"The both of you do more than enough. I never could have hoped for better friends," Hemera assures him. "If I hadn't been the youngest I'd half suspect the star spun you into existence just for me."

"As I said. They don't need to know, though I can hardly stop them from knowing that they aren't privy to such details."

Nor can he deny that it had given him no small amount of pleasure to know that he'd been one of the very few to know more of her adventures, though even he had never deigned to imagine that she might tell him all the details. Not if she didn't care to, anyway. Friendship or no, he would never dream of asking her to share more than she hadn't cared to.

Still, he makes absolutely no attempt to escape the continued hug. Nor can he hide the fact that the fondness it sparks in him continues. True, there may yet be a touch of nostalgia lingering just behind it, but it's not a melancholy nostalgia, for once. Rather the opposite, in fact.

"Who's to say the star didn't simply misjudge the timing?"

There's a teasing note in his voice - he isn't entirely certain the star would be capable of such an error - but that doesn't mean it hurts anything to suggest at the possibility all the same.

"Perhaps it knew I would need you both to guide the way."

Her retort begins with a teasing tone, but quickly dissolves into something more earnest and thoughtful.

"I would have failed my schooling if not for Hyth's mentorship. And you—" She stumbles, unsure of what it was Hades offered that she so desperately needed apart from friendship. "You've always helped to drown out all the noise."

"Perhaps it did."

Not even giving the star a will of its own has given him any sort of an insight into what it might have known. And he'd never really cared to ask Elidibus if he'd gained any insights on that front either, assuming he had been privy to any such in the first place. But the point is moot, for now. He may be present within the city, but Elidibus is not.

Still, there's a smile at her (eventual) explanation of what he'd had to offer her. He knows - expects, more rather - that there's more than just that. More that he himself never realized until it was entirely too late. But if she hasn't realized herself, he's certainly not about to push her on it.

"And I shall always be glad to do so, should you have need."

"I suspect I will have a growing need in the coming years. I do hope you won't tire of my company." For all that she gives a small laugh, there has ever been that legitimate concern in the back of her mind that Hades would tire of her company. She hardly has much to offer compared to what he gives her, save for copious amounts of trouble.

Hythlodaeus, at least, she is quite certain of her standing with. Their friendship is mutually beneficial in a great many ways, feeding off each other's rebellious energy. Hyth has always been skilled at hiding how much he thrives off a little bit of chaos, and Hemera has always been more than willing to be a scapegoat so long as she's involved with whatever shenanigans they've gotten up to.

"For all that the Convocation refuses to listen, that sound..." She shivers faintly, far more aware of how their world Sounds now that she's finally free of it. "This world fights upon the brink of death and still is more pleasant a note to my senses."

"I doubt I could."

There's a genuine smile with his words. Trouble or no, he has always been fond of her company. Even if it's one that Hythlodaeus had had to all but drag him into, at first. But now, he can hardly imagine anything else. Or couldn't have, before their world had been destroyed in a single calamitous moment. But even that hadn't truly been enough to erase what he'd felt for her. It had merely made those memories all the more precious, even as they'd fallen into the grip of an almost melancholic nostalgia.

But this is still nothing that he wants to directly say to her, and so he turns instead to her other comment.

"I did try to make them see reason. But you know how the most of them are. Stubborn to the last, when there's no reason to look past the ends of their noses."

"Each decade that passes I am always so grateful you both still value my companionship," she admits quietly, words dampened by the warm curve of his neck.

Hemera gives him one last squeeze, exhaling softly against his neck as she finally pulls away, lips quirked in a wry smile. "You and he have always seen what value I hold beneath my worth."

She lifts her hand, pulling off her mask and tucking it away in one smooth, practiced motion. She takes a deep breath then lets it out, relieving herself of any lingering tension.

"Mitron has begun to acknowledge my concerns after my myriad reports on the noted change in behaviour of deep sea creatures," Hemera informs him. It was news she hadn't had the chance to share with him yet, having only run into Mitron just prior to her current mission. "I've been less successful with the rest, as you well know. It wouldn't surprise me if I'm blamed as the source of it, interfering with things the way I do."

An irreverent roll of her eyes, though she can't deny she feels some minor concern that she may indeed be at least partly responsible. She knows well enough when leaving land to flood or burn is in nature's best interest, but a guiding hand to ease the severity or safeguard endangered life can hardly be wrong.

"I've no doubt some of them do blame you."

The tone of his voice is enough explain what he thinks of that. Short-sighted fools, the lot of them, if they think that making attempt to save what can be saved is in anything but their best interests. And no doubt there is a point when it becomes better to simply let things die. But it's not as if she's been trying to sustain things past their natural point, either. Merely trying to help, where such help can be given.

"Although it's not impossible some of them might still be willing to see otherwise."

Of course, even that will be limited by how much any of the other care about things beyond the borders of Amaurot. But if Mitron can be swayed, then surely so too might those in similarly inclined seats. Especially when he offers his own weight to his arguments besides.

"However, for the time being it would seem that we have been granted a reprieve from that much, at least. Brief though it may be."

"Oh, undoubtedly. I am me, after all, and what can Azem possibly know? It's not as though ecology is a useful specialty."

When a good portion of your coworkers watched you grow from a troublemaking child to a rebellious adult, you tend to the first one they seek to blame when something goes wrong.

(It doesn't help that their assumptions are usually correct.)

"Halmarut and Pashtarot may see sense once their fields of interest are impacted, though I suspect that will be a few decades from now."

His final comment gives her pause, as she hadn't considered that this world has indeed offered her a reprieve from the politics of the Convocation.

"...This is an inopportune time for a vacation, but I suppose I shall take it, so long as Ifrita is safe somewhere for me to use when I return."

"Certainly not in any of the ways that might benefit the city itself. Or so they might claim."

He tends to disagree with that assumption, though even he'll admit its as much due to his familiarity with her as it is any other reason. But it's enough for him to see what the others might not - or will not - and better that than otherwise.

(Although neither will he deny that some of it is likely due to her more rebellious nature. But without that, neither would she have her seat on the Convocation; if people are inclined to fault her for that, then they have naught but themselves to blame for it.)

"They may, in time. Should the world have the requisite decades."

It's not completely impossible, and truth be told he's forgotten much of the precise timeline of events; the years and decades blurring into one another the further removed from them he gets. But the desperation, the need to find a way to stop the calamity that had befallen their star... that he remembers all too well.

"She should be. Though I will admit I have yet to thoroughly research the nature of this city."

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♥ October (Lasohm) Fourth Wall Log

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