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Sun 27th Apr 2025 03:10

Journal Entry #79: Maskerade in Masdarat

by Aniks Aliforn

Strangely, there was an outbreak of the undead, unrelated to Shard. I’ve spent the better part of the night plucking the shards of a Silver Orb from my palm. Probably another strange dream in my future. I’ll explain that in a minute. Mostly, I hate to say it was a decent day.
 
Celuriel had spent the better part of the day with a human child we saved from bullies. We took him under our wing as his parents were taken by the lament. While the thought had crossed my mind to watch over this child, it would be best if they stayed in Masdarat. We’ll just have to ensure we set them up and see them properly taken care of. Celuriel seems to have taken a liking to the boy. Whose name was Nizar. We eventually hid the boy somewhere safe from everything when the Shard started to fight back.
While we explored the city, we noticed that we were being tailed by people wearing robes. Having a sneaking suspicion, given requests made earlier, we had stopped deciding it was best to confront our new followers. Celu had taken the boy off to enjoy the festival. Part of me worried about them, but she could take care of herself, so my concerns were quickly drawn back to the nomads in brown.
 
Of course, the Dreamers were on this continent as well. They had been trying to find us, though they didn’t know why. Dreams were pointing them down this path. They offered us a silver orb. Given what we had asked yesterday, we were unsurprised that the Dreamers had tracked us down.
 
We discussed ways of handling the influence of shards, specifically the gift; the Orb had started heating up, but it wasn’t unbearable. Then the damn Orb exploded in the middle of the street. Hence, I had to pluck the silver fragments from my skin. Stepping through a silver hole in the world was the Samsaran I was so familiar with, with whom I had asked for aid from Jinne. I admit it was good to see a friend, even in these trying times of being on this teleportation-locked continent. Our conversation was brief. We were starting together, so we quickly returned to the tavern where we had been staying. At. She had booked a room with someone, and there was a gnome. I can’t remember. Regardless, she and I had some pleasant talks for a little while, especially about her travels here. She said there was some sort of shadow in the ways and pathways she had traveled here.
 
My first thought was that this was the shards’ interference, and it made the most sense, given that it spans a whole continent. However, I don’t know the mechanism or how she traveled. Though I wonder if that is a technique I can learn, I have some theories about what she’s traveling on. Her religion and beliefs are strange to me, so I am unsure how they all fit into that theory of ‘the way.’ She made it here, even if it took no small effort, which is astounding. She said she needed help from the Ley lines as well as others. I don’t think this is something that many of the dreamers can do.
 
Eventually, conversations just became catch-up between friends, and once Celu came back, the child was thankfully in a place that we had made sure was safe, so Jinne excused herself.
The two of us eventually drifted off to sleep.
 
The morning was fast upon us, and even more worrying, we had invitations to the ball lying at the foot of our beds, and Champion had a little icon of their God in the form of a pin. Phrasama’s was an hourglass, but I chose not to wear it. I don’t think anybody did; I couldn’t be too sure with Azyel.
 
We’d split the day into two main parts; through a weird amount of circumstance, we ended up below the tavern in a network of caves where we found a mimic in the bottom of the tavern’s basement. But the only thing of note we found was an angelic statue and a necklace with a green gem on its side.
 
That was the first half of our morning; our second half was spent looking for outfits. Given that it was both going to be a masquerade and, yes, the irony of a masquerade, while we looked for a shower that took the form of a mask, was not lost on me, the invitation did come with a little note saying that our costumes and if it was within reason Certain Magical items would be paid for by the crown. It was meant to be an extravagant party, after all. With that in mind, we spent much of the morning and some of the afternoon looking through shops and eventually finding a seamstress to take on the work. Celuriel and I are dressed as Nightmare and Dream dragons, respectively. And I do have to think of Azsire as I’m not up to date on all the fashions or what looks good. Each of us got measured, and I still found it partly amusing that I had to get knives handed to me when Celu got hers.
 
With that, we spent the latter part of the day going over any plan we could have and decided. It was difficult to plan for. There was no good option for dealing with the civilians as well as everyone else.
 
Picking up the outfits the following morning, The Gnome seamstress would get a generous tip from the crown, given her work. Thank Gods she had the help with her Golems. Each member of the party had their masks and their Outfits. Draconic was a surprisingly good look for Celuriel; I cannot wait to show Avariel our masks. We dressed at the tavern and made our way to the Masquerade.
 
It was gorgeous, as one would expect from a palace for an immortal Queen. Everyone was dressed to the nines. Each of us, upon arriving, had to pick a specific name as it would ruin all the fun of the Masquerade if we went by our real names. It should be no surprise that Celu and I already had names from which we could choose. Eurydice and Orpheus, I didn’t think we’d have to use those names, but it was slightly nostalgic. Burdyr’s choice of name, I think, was the most hilarious, given that Titania, Queen of the Fairies, is also a real title for them. Title? Rank? Name? The role of the Queen of the Fey is mysterious to me.
 
The Masquerade began in a large open room, with people mingling and chatting, trying to guess who was what person from myth or Legend and which God they were. It was everything you would expect from a social gathering of nobility.
It was weirdly amusing.
 
Originally, we had thought this was where things might begin. The Shard would make a move here, and then we’d have to get everyone out. We were eventually ushered into a cordon, where we would have to take boats further down beneath the palace. We all silently knew whatever the Shard had planned would begin beneath the palace.
 
Taking an underground river to the next portion of the Masquerade, we must guess the truth about love, hope, and life. Celuriel was not too pleased. I could not guess hers; they’ll find out hers was heartwarming. Finding out she’s comfortable being a parent was a shocker, and thankfully, I think my truths and a lie helped remedy that.
 
The underground ballroom was lush with plants and even supported its own bar. The divine Queen and her family sat to one side on a raised cliff. While the dancing continued, it did not last as long as I had thought. The Queen had proposed a challenge to her guests: make her daughter smile with some feat or performance.
 
Since I’ve never been great at performance, a large majority of our act was created by Kraia and Azyel under his moon-crazed counterpart. With the others adding effect. Hard to see the princess’s expression under the veil. With a small contest done, prizes promised to be passed out later.
 
Then Bedlam.
 
Pure bedlam swept through the dance floor. We leaped to put down many of the malformed and twisted dancers and party goers. Half of the Lost Ones broke into a separate team. The Divine Queen and her family left, escaping further into their palace as we defended the people. As several of us tore through the dance floor, others flew above, fairing off people to higher, safer ground. We didn’t save everyone, but we saved as many as possible.
As the last of the corrupted forms of the partygoers were dealt with. That’s when the world froze, and the Royal family disappeared, and strangely enough.
 
So did Azsire…

Continue reading...

  1. Journal #1: Welcome back to the land of the living.
  2. Journal #2: The Gods speak to us, sort of.
  3. Journal #3: Magic is kinda bullshit, stay away from Licia.
  4. Journal #4: The Prince is not a Prick.
  5. Journal #5: Introduction of Celuriel
  6. Journal #6: Everybody loves the bar.
  7. Journal #7: Getting to know the vampire.
  8. Journal #8: The Vetala [Text Roleplay]
  9. Journal #9: Undria
  10. Journal #10: We adopt or kidnap a child, still unclear on this one.
  11. Journal #11: Mirror World
  12. Journal #12: Recovery from the world.
  13. Journal #13: Dancing with Vampire and Political Problems.
  14. Journal #14: About Sir Pennswaggle
  15. Journal #15: This Temple is Odd
  16. Journal #16: The Half Elf Liese
  17. Journal #17: Warning Ashlyn did not help her.
  18. Journal #18: Priestess with the Silver Orbs
  19. Journal #19: Celu is reading romantic books.
  20. Journal #20: Demons, Dungeons, and Dragons OH MY!
  21. Journal #21: Regrets.
  22. Journal #22: Demon's Champion [Text Roleplay]
  23. Journal #23: Homecoming
  24. Journal #24: Castle Umbra and their Bloodwalker.
  25. Journal #23: The Grand Game
  26. Journal #26: All magic comes at a cost.
  27. Journal #27 The capital and asking for diplomatic immunity.
  28. Journal #28: Teaching Celu Undercommon
  29. Journal #29: Pray to Fate
  30. Journal #30: Mistakes we're made, Surprisingly it wasn't my fault this time.
  31. Journal #31: Why am I Orpheus?
  32. Journal #33: The 'safe' return of Eurydice
  33. Journal #32: Back from hell [Text Roleplay]
  34. Journal #35: Fey Friends.
  35. Journal #36: Life before The Lost Ones
  36. Journal #34: Her thoughts on life. [Text Roleplay]
  37. Journal #37: Departure
  38. Journal #39: The Apology [Text Roleplay]
  39. Journal #38: Black Marble floors and apologizes
  40. Journal #40: The Lost's One's Save Christmas; what's Christmas again?
  41. Journal #41: The Elder Sister [Text Roleplay]
  42. Journal #42: Dear Niks
  43. Journal #43: Family Matters
  44. Journal #44: The Samsaran and Her Dreamers [Text Roleplay]
  45. Journal #45: 3 Years well spent.
  46. Journal #46: Emperor Aneirin of Aletheia
  47. Journal #47: Matron Nivinle Alas'thil [Text Roleplay]
  48. Journal #48: Not Alone
  49. Journal #49: The Dark Spire [Text Roleplay]
  50. Journal #50: Death's Champion
  51. Journal #51: Desk Duty of the Spire [Text Roleplay on going]
  52. Journal #52: Longest Four Days of Our Lives
  53. Journal #53: Stolen Book [Text Roleplay]
  54. Journal #54: Basics to Necromancy, why is this even a book.
  55. Journal #55: Soul to Soul Talk [Text Roleplay]
  56. Journal #56: Gold is not what King’s Envy
  57. Journal #57: The Trail of the Sapphire Shrine
  58. Journal #58: The sign says it all
  59. Journal #59: The oldest sister
  60. Journal #60: A bartender once again.
  61. Journal #61: The Dreamcatcher
  62. Journal #62: Discussion and a price that will be payed.
  63. Journal #63: The Five Stages
  64. Journal #64: Ring of Amethyst and Diamond
  65. Journal #65: Clash of Ideals
  66. Journal #66: A Friend and A Story
  67. Journal #67: The Nature of the Shards
  68. Journal #68: Return of Black Marble [Text Roleplay]
  69. Journal #69: Broken and Forgotten Shades
  70. Journal #70: Forging Bonds
  71. Journal #71: The Haunted Fey Mansion
  72. Journal #72: Another Shard
  73. Journal #73: Dancing with Demons in the pale morning light
  74. Journal #74: The Succubus's Ultimatum
  75. Journal #75: The City of Twin Souls
  76. Journal #76: The Worry of a Barkeep.
  77. Journal #77: Have a Little Hope.
  78. Journal #78: Dreamwalker Jinne [Text Roleplay]
  79. Journal Entry #79: Maskerade in Masdarat
  80. Journal Entry #80: Gods of Time
  81. Journal Entry #81: Scribe of Time [Text Rp]
  82. Journal Entry #82: Patience and Grace
  83. Journal Entry #83: Between Stopped Time [Text RP]
  84. Journal Entry #84: Teaching Moments
  85. Journal Entry #85: The child from Jatta [Text RP]
  86. Journal Entry #86: Fused and Strange Deals
  87. Journal Entry #87: Hell [Text RP]
  88. Journal Entry#88: The Measure of a Life
  89. Journal Entry #89: Judgement
  90. Journal Entry #90: Terra Arcana and Memories of the Lost
  91. Journal Entry #91:  Shepard’s Champion & The Way
  92. Journal Entry #92: Goth Club & Whiskey
  93. Journal Entry #93: Shard of Grace
  94. Journal Entry #94: Dreamcatcher's Telepathic Bond [Text Roleplay]
  95. Journal Entry#95: Homebound
  96. Journal Entry #96: A spot of rest [Text Roleplay]
  97. Journal Entry #97: Heavenbound
  98. Journal Entry #98: Trek through the planes
  99. Journal Entry #99: Relaxing in Ironfalls

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by 3 Armored Kittens · Prodromos v.1.1 - World Anvil 0.9.15.045 © 2017-2024 [en] | Anvil Time: 19:16, May 24 2025