ǣfenglōm (main comm)

Name: Mettaton
Date: 02/20
Format: video
Warnings: mention of death (he's better now!), talk of the recent event (Cwyld, kidnappings)

[Propped up against a plain pillow in the Coven's infirmary is Mettaton. His manner is languid, slow, and his rabbit ears are in such poor shape that they no longer stand anymore, sore-ridden and flopped over. Cradled against his shoulder and chest is a man's head, dark haired with a shock of white at his bangs, fast asleep.

Ears aside, his hair... is perfect. He flashes a photogenic smile otherwise interrupted by rabbit-like teeth.]

Hey there, beauties! It's Mettaton again, coming to you live from the... infirmary. [Not very glamorous, suggests his flat tone.] My sincerest apologies to those of you who've encountered me over the past few weeks. I haven't been in my right mind!! And not only that, but I was infected with the Cwyld. It was horrible. Terrible! Disturbing! To clear things up: I don't actually endorse contracting the Cwyld. In fact... Oh my. I died, thanks in part to it.

In the end, I was offed by one of you lovely darlings, before I... Before it got too bad. I was told it was a duo! [Mettaton tilts his head.] If that encounter sounds familiar, get in touch, gorgeous! I want to thank you personally. I promise I don't bite much... Haha.

[The idol pauses heavily, stuck with a smile. This is the more taxing part of his broadcast, and there's a flash of remorse in his gaze. Mettaton is a practiced face, however, so he's able to pull himself together with startling ease despite the overall tone.]

I'm sure many of you know Mikasa Ackerman. It seems... she's departed all too recently. I looked for her. Everywhere. Trust me. [Mettaton sighs; it's clear he's trying to remain composed enough for conversation, but he allows a measure of genuine sorrow to soften his expression.] She's... one of my best friends. She's a remarkable human who never fails to entrance me, no matter how quiet and stoic. She's powerful, protective, and fierce, and you'd know what I meant if you've met her. She's amazing enough to dazzle yours truly!!

...I tried to tell Eren about Mikasa, but I couldn't reach him, either. If anyone knows where... if he's still here, would you be a dear and let me know? He still owes me money!!

[Mettaton smirks playfully, but it fades as he continues.]

Well. Ahem. As some of you may have known, Mikasa and Eren live in a perilous world. It didn't sound... [Mettaton glances aside, disturbed.] I can't help but wonder if she... If they'll be all right.

[A surprisingly thoughtful silence follows, but Mettaton's quick to shake off his reverie with a quiet sigh and a hard blink. He puts his best face forward and continues, addressing more the rest of the Mirrorbound.]

Speaking of perilous... After a week of disappearances, sickness, and kidnapping alike, how are you all doing? Talk to me, darlings. You aren't going this alone!

Name: Lady Maria
Date: Ieneur 20-something
Format: Video

[It is video, but the video is not of Maria. Instead, it is of a flatbed horse-drawn cart. To the front is attached a buckskin colored draft horse, and inside... are what appears to be crates of glass bottles. Curiously, they all appear to currently be empty, from what can be seen, but there's labels, and embossing on them.

Maria speaks from somewhere behind the camera, but her quiet, gentle voice carries enough to be heard just fine.]

Thank you to everyone who gave feedback and tried out the gins I sent out for Modranicht. Your comments were valuable to make a couple adjustments I had been hesitant about to the formula, and I think the results are all the better for it. The first batches for commercial sale are now ready, and I am picking up the bottles for them.

There are two types of gin that will be available... [Her hand reaches down, and picks up one of the bottles. When she lifts it, the sunflower embossing remains on the shoulder of the bottles, but there's a fancy label indicating the alcohol meant to be contained within is Dorchacht Rose Gin, made with specially cultivated Dorchacht roses.] The Dorchacht Rose is made from the wild roses from the region; they are hallucinogenic by nature. The effect is mild, and I infused it with other plants used to make love and happiness potions here: the effect is to allow you to remember pleasant memories, whether they be of home or here. It does have a decent alcohol kick, and a higher ABV.

The other... [She puts the first bottle down, and takes out a second. This label calls it Summer Garden Gin.] Also has a distinct rose note, but has a gentle floral accompaniment to the juniper. It has no magical effects. I also reeled back the ABV on it a little. It should make for a pleasant sipping alcohol, especially with a bit of ice and a lime wedge.

And finally... [Putting away the second bottle, she pulls out a third. This says it's a limited edition mead.] My bees produced far more honey than I was expecting, so I decided to make a small batch of mead.

If any among you wish to purchase of a bottle, I'll set aside some for you; otherwise, they will be available at a few bars and taverns in Aefenglom and Dorchacht. Furthermore, if any of you wish to taste test for future batches, let me know. It's free alcohol, in exchange for some feedback. I don't see much of a downside, if you enjoy a variety. I'd like to perhaps see about wines and brandies sometime in the future.

I'll even deliver it, if any of you wish, whether you buy it commercially, or wish to taste-test future batches. I need to get out of the house more often anyway, and it will be good exercise for the horses.

Name: Percy de Rolo III
Date: Septeril 14
Format: Video

[ Percy is visibly in the forge, no surprise there, but it doesn't seem like much work is getting done. He looks more than a little manic, not quite able to sit still at the moment. And also like he may not have slept much recently, which might explain it. ]

Alright. I wasn't going to...[ he takes a breath and makes himself settle. A little. ] I've been hearing a lot about bonds recently. And obviously, I can only speak to the Witch side, but for that, I'm going to tell you a secret.

[ He leans forward a bit, mostly to make the point. ] You don't need one. If you want to bond, by all means enjoy yourself, but my gods don't let anyone convince you that you must have one. Going without may not be pleasant or comfortable or even particularly safe, but it is possible. I've managed without for well over a year, and I--

[ Whatever he is gets cut off by a deeply unimpressed woman's voice somewhere in the background easily overriding him: ] Percival, what the fuck?

[ And Percy's eyes shoot wide with maybe just a hint of panic before the video abruptly ends. ]

Name: un: taru
Date: 05/14
Format: video

Hullo again! I hope everyone is well!

<sub>[Yes that's right Aefenglom...your favourite Lalafellian entrepreneur is back and has clearly been...busy? She seems to be in her kitchen, a set of distilling equipment behind her, various metal and glass containers connected with piping and tubing to create an apparatus that's purpose soon becomes clear. The confident little lady is proud of herself as she stands on a chair in all her three feet of glory, large glass bottles grasped in each hand. The one on the left sports a liquid with a light blue hue to it and what seems to be golden flecks that shimmer as they float about. The other bottle though holds a liquid that looks like a rosé in color, seemingly innocent enough, until one notices the small but very apparent wormlike larvae whose bio-luminescent skin gives off a faint green glow.

She gives each of the bottles a shake, the flakes and larvae floating about respectively.]</sub>

I've been attempting to recreate a few of the most popular spirits one can find in Ul'dah and I've almost managed to get the recipe juuust right! Of course it isn't perfect, as ingredients here are a bit different to what's available in Eorzea...but so far I'm happy with the result! The blue one here is said to make the drinker see stars if they have too much of it and this one _{[Yeah, the worm one...]} well they say if you can down a whole bottle you'll be strong enough to take down a rampaging goobbue with your bare fists!

_{[She sets the two bottles down on the table so she can talk with her hands, as one does.]}

While these spirits suit my own palette just fine, I wanted to survey how other Mirrorbound might find them, so I'm looking for willing taste testers, if you will! The more the merrier. If you like what you taste I'll give you a bottle of it to take with you. If you don't, then I'll buy you a drink of your choosing.

_{[What's there to lose, right?]}

And speaking of brews...does anyone have a particular favourite drink from where they hail from? If so, what is it? I'd love to hear about it, alcoholic or otherwise!

<sub>[For science, naturally.]

((ooc: 4th wallers welcome!))</sub>

Name: The Lone Wanderer
Date: event on 11/20, late morning
Format: audio

[ Lex has been quiet for some time - busy for parts, sick for others. But the items spilling out of the mirrors this morning has stirred her out of bed, and the item she has received- well.

Well, it's worth saying something. ]

Did anyone- [ a pause, a cough; her voice is raspy from disuse ] -did anyone else get something... potentially hazardous?

[ Potentially. Ha. As Lex stares at the item in front of her, potentially seems incorrect. ]

I need to get rid of this, [ she mutters, and then the connection cuts. ]

((ooc: hi guys! my concussion is finally healing, so Lex and I are back in the swing of things! if you want to hit me up, send me a message either via pm, on plurk gadgetsandgears, or discord gadgets#7461))

Name: Lady Maria
Date: Auguril 15th - Evening
Format: Video

-

[The view opens up to Maria's face, the face of the giant clocktower in the back drop. She's sitting on a ledge on the outside of the building, one leg dangling off the edge, the other foot planted on the worn stone back of a screaming panther-eagle gargoyle. The sky, and the tower are awash with the the deep pinks and purples of the nearly-set sun. Maria herself is wearing her full hunter's outfit, her hat pulled low to shield her eyes against the sunset, but in truth it just makes her eyes seem that much brighter blue. The only oddity in her attire is that she seems to have several sunflowers tucked into her belt, around the holsters for her gun and sword sheath.

The mechanisms in the tower grind and move, and the big minute hand tocks heavily, thunking into place in the next minute slot before Maria speaks. It's almost the top of the hour.]

It has been several months, since the first of us arrived here. Life... is not made easy within this place. Not for anyone, even those of us who might be in better straits than at home. This may be the worst night yet, and we still have many more moons to come, I fear, before any of us are allowed from this place. [This, however, may very well be Maria's own last. She feels the way the headache swells and throbs behind her eyes, the pressure fit to make her burst at the seams. It ebbs and flows, depending on what she does with the Monsters, how she uses her magic, the potions and the herbs and the other stalling tactics, but she's not sure how much longer she can keep on like this. Tonight, blissfully, the pain is at its least - the full moon being the weakest pull of the mirrorbound Witches is keeping things to a dull roar at the back of her skull. For several seconds, she looks back out over the city, scanning the shapes and the shadows, watching people shutter their windows and close their doors.]

On this night, the instincts for the Monsters will be at their worst. If the pull is too strong, and you feel your mind slipping into the madness and chaos of beasthood, seek the scent of... [Lumenflowers... no,] sunflowers. They will lead you to me. I will make it as swift as you will allow me; but it may be most silent if I must seek you out. [This is exactly the threat that it seems to be.]

If the beasts loom large, and threaten to devour you, or crush you, seek me out, as well. Monster, witch, human or not, it matters not to me; it is the threat of the feral I am in search of. [Pause.] As for the rest of you... I hope you do not see me.

[Her foot shifts, and she stands, precarious though the ledge is. The terrifying drop seems to not bother her at all. The shadows deepen on her face as the sky turns a richer purple-blue, the sun setting rapidly now, though it's barely been a minute. Soon, the video cuts to black, but there's still audio in the background; a rustle of wind and cloth. Finally, there's a whirring as the clock begins to turn over again.]

The night, and the hunt are always so very long. I pray we all live to see the morning sun, and put this night behind us.

[Tock. The video cuts out as the first peal of the hourly bells sounds. Over the city, the clocktower chimes eight, and the sun slips fully below the horizon.]