audio & text | un: xianxian of yunmeng (the day before stone kidnappings)

[weifinder]

Gather round for a story, ah? Xiao Xingchen, I'll come tell you in person, the rest will get to read along.

( A pause. )

The Stairs of Sighs are named after our ghost general Arha, for the sighs of pining between himself and his lover, Hatisse. The Stairs of Sighs opens on the day Arha arrived with his people, setting off to win his lover free. As may be apparent, it did not end well. Arha's campaign ended in death, and Hatisse survived her love, going on to become a high priestess of some influence.

Arha's army did not reach Taravast. In Mazyar's recounting, "The people spoke of great, uncontrollable fires that suggested the presence of the higher-numbered witches of Bessis defending the city. In the end, the flames grew so high that Taravast called down summon-rains to stop them. After this vast tragedy, all sorcery schools buried their previous animosity and agreed to stand together, allied for the greater good of Taravast. Hatisse made no comment or statement amid the destruction, but her presence was accepted as part of the truce, and she proceeded with a life of charity. It is said she paid to have the bones of each of the fallen of Arha's people found and buried from her own coffers."

I think even now, the Bessis and what is it, the Attareal? Are lines of magical learning in Taravast. Has anyone talked with anyone of the refugees or the ghosts to confirm or deny?

( A pause: )

I'm equally curious what else everyone's heard regarding our armed escort, or what may have truly happened all those years ago.

Comments

un: absterge | he has his own when he's not stealing wei wuxian's now, PROGRESS

[downswing]

You wish to appease them.


( A step away from manipulating resent, excellent. )

wei wuxian is SO PROUD

[weifinder]

( lan zhan pls )

Them and whatever's responsible for the curse, ideally.

you need new benchmarks

[downswing]

Not all hauntings are curse-born.

offer him some higher ones

[weifinder]

No, in fact the majority aren't. So let me amend: and anything related to any curse or binding agent behind the lingering.

Though being here, I wonder if curses aren't also laments, rather than the things we know them to be back home.

( he says, still thinking his name's cursed and still not sure how that pans out. )

be proud when he no longer prepares millet

[downswing]

A matter unfinished.

( Hmmmmm. )

Common, among mothers.

un: any fin is possible (text)

[lancifolium]

This is a terrific amount of information, thank you for putting it together.

I've spoken to one of the refugees and they were somewhat helpful regarding the differing groups of magic users, having been to Taravast before in her youth.

I'll copy directly from my notes:

Bessis: Fire and light magic, (mostly). Predominantly women, some men.

Attaryl: Court mages, diplomats, concubines. Persuasive and behavioral abilities (?), the "softer arts" (??). Predominantly women, far fewer men.

I'm not sure what the refugee was implying by the mention of persuasive abilities, but I think it might be best to keep it in mind, especially if it means they have some ability to magically manipulate someone. I'm also completely uncertain what the softer arts are, I've never heard the term before. While I hope it has something to do with constructing a better sleeping mat I'm doubtful. At least we know to better be prepared.

[weifinder]

Ah, I won't say I know for sure, but I'd presume they have a way of changing people's minds or perceptions enough to go along with their ideas, or to smooth out interactions? I'm less familiar with things of that nature, but that'd be my guess, in context. Better at diplomacy, mm?

[lancifolium]

If their ability to change minds and perceptions is magical in nature, it is wisest to be on our guards, perhaps avoiding eye contact if we can as a precautionary measure. There's magic like that where I come from, but the sort that can control a person's mind is highly illegal. I wonder if there's some sort of protection we could establish before our arrival. I know you have a talent for talismans, are there any that might help?

Better safe than sorry, right?

[weifinder]

Better safe than sorry, better to beg forgiveness than languish waiting for permission, depending. But safety first.

Talismans like that... let me investigate. I've the rest of our peculiar trek to the city to work on as much, while we're looking into the reasons behind the ghost army's lingering around. It may just be hard, if it's a personalised move, but things that are trying to ensnare senses, I may be able to make a talisman that reacts to or holds off such a thing. Keeping ears and eyes clear... scent will be hard, I'm not as certain about blocking things like that, back home I'd recommend particular antidotes depending on what it was.

un: wen qing | someone make her get a new username

[silverneedles]

Do you intend to talk to them?

[weifinder]

The soldiers? I've been chatting with them, yes, but if you mean anyone in particular, I'm not sure. Have you tried bringing up their, ah, present state?

[silverneedles]

It seems rather improper to bring up their present state, especially if they are unaware of it.

I have inquired about their listlessness, but none have answered coherently. Crazed ramblings or morose expressions are their responses. They take no food or drink, and I haven't chanced a needle on them, yet.

[weifinder]

It's not just improper, you literally cannot speak enough to do it. I've tried in the roundabout then direct way, was silent for a whole day after.

I... wonder what that would do, if you did. They're physical enough manifestations a good portion of the time, but foreign qi, how would that react?

audio | @taken for granite

[rumorate]

[While Allison can certainly read along, she's not really accustomed to texting. So she sticks with voice. It's like using a phone, right? This is fine.]

I think ... I might have seen something like that? Or something depicting it?

audio

[weifinder]

Have you? Where, and what did it depict in particular? Also, hello, your voice is as new to me as the name! I'm Wei--Laozu, pleasure to meet you.

audio ; to end

[rumorate]

Allison Hargreeves. Nice to meet you as well.

[But back to where she saw it:]

When I first woke up here, I was in this temple, I think? It was really run down. It looked like there hadn't been anyone there in a long time, but on the wall there were these like ... cave drawings or etchings that showed an army of sorcerers advancing on a city.

[weifinder]

Huh. For that army, were there any indications of their particular powers? Were they wielding fire in these etchings? Not to mention, a temple hidden in this area... when and how did it get sealed, I wonder.

un: deft hand of little deaths [Voice]

[scrapgege]

If they're not causing undue trouble to the people here, it's probably best to let them be. Some ghosts don't even know they're dead, and they need time to come to terms with that first before dealing with what holds them back to the land of the living.

[weifinder]

If that's what we learn is happening, I have no qualms with it. I'd just like that verified instead of walking away and ignoring a lingering recurrence like this. If it's not a choice they're making, but that someone else made.

( As that's the kind of thing demonic cultivation could do, he has a vested interest. )

[scrapgege]

... You mean they're being kept here by something? Or someone?

[That would be more troubling. A Ghost choosing to linger and not causing trouble is one thing. A ghost - or in this case a whole ghost army - being kept down here and trapped is a different thing.]

Given how many of them there are, that would be something powerful. I'd ask but... I don't think they want to talk to me anymore, haha.

[weifinder]

... Well, you could... ah. Beg forgiveness? Purposefully offer to... only gather wood for fires? Set up tents? Fight side by side against the harpies, though that's a whole other concern, those creatures.

As for if they're held here, I have to wonder about it, especially if their bones were all properly buried. Something in those rites might have gone wrong, but look to what we do see. This pass opens so that those who walked it once can repeat that fateful ending incessantly. They don't understand this isn't the first time, or why they are bloodied, or why they're whole, or what happens in the depths of the night and earliest pre-dawn hours. They're not being allowed to hear it, not from us. They never reached Taravast. They're beset by flying creatures and hazards, and there's a temple or series of temples sealed into the stone lining this march, our newest friend Miss Allison is saying as much. These harpies themselves may be death magics, or compulsions, and certainly rise from tombs, on the chants of magic: in all this, what is chosen to what degree?

un: dappled pearl of the parted seas [voice]

[beitangmoran]

This land is full of stories, is it not? Magic everywhere. And much unsaid between the lines.

What makes 'ghosts' linger, really?

{Please excuse it if you can hear the quotes around ghosts, because just the whole concept feels ludicrous to Moran, never mind that he comes from a world where thirteen people have magical powers granted to them by stars. They just don't do gods or ghosts.]

[weifinder]

Even more so when unsaid between party lines, but who's to say on that account?

( For his part, Wei Wuxian has done what he can to be very transparent. )

Mm, wouldn't that be as varied as what makes people linger? Regrets, on the simplest level. Anger, resentment, despair. Disbelief, hope, obsession. Any emotion taken to an extreme, being a sole focus, can be a reason why, let alone several together—most, however, tend to have one strong emotion tying them to the world of the living.

[beitangmoran]

Hm. Very odd indeed.

We don't really have ghosts where I am from. Or if we do, they are kind enough to not get visible or bother living people.

[weifinder]

Star masters don't have a link to spiritual energies throughout the world around you? Are they truly more cosmic in leaning over everything else?

( Here he just sounds outright curious. )

The majority don't... imagine if they did, the hazard of anyone passing would be as much heartbreak as the loss of them in the first place.