#a new venture on the eighth dawn

[endlessskymaster]

Welt to Sunday at the beginning of the Trailblaze Mission: I don't trust you/your shady af.

Welt to Sunday at the end of the Trailblaze Mission: Another Imaginary Character to join the Express and I need to adopt him right now!

[dragaliareferencearchive]

A New Venture on the Eighth Dawn - Honkai: Star Rail

[b1adie]

POINTS. THEYRE ON THE EXPRESS. POM POM IS THERE. WHATS UP GUYS WHATS GOING ON

[sam-is-tired]

So I was playing Sunday’s trailblaze quest and I’m almost done with it but like

I WAS BAWLING YHE WHOLE TIME

And also vaguely predicting his dialogue before he even said it which. ???? I don’t know

I’m just spouting nonsense because I really loved it and it definitely made me love Sunday even more than I already did! Which I didn’t know was possible

He is in mental anguish I love him <3

Anyway SPOILERS FOR THAT QUEST

I was screaming after he and Robin finished the Charmony dove puzzle

Because

THAT WASNT A CHARMONY DOVE ROBIN WAS LETTING GO OF TO FLY AWAY

Though it kind of looks like a combination of the Charmony dove and the Dreammaster’s crow to me. Because those two things seem to be what shaped him the most- Robin and the Dreammaster/Gopher.

But like,, he’s the bird

And he’s finally flying free to a new journey

This is me rn

[sanquisorbae]

Turns out 3/5 trailblaze crew members and Robin aren't voiced for 2.7, so I guess I'm putting off the quest at least until 3.0

😔

[fantasygamer93youtube]

Honkai Star Rail 2.7 Sound of Farewell Hums Reunion and A New Venture on...

[the-astral-express-archive]

Honkai: Star Rail | Pom-Pom Gallery Stickers: A New Venture on the Eighth Dawn (1/3)

[hsredit]

FUGUE - A New Venture on the Eighth Dawn

[krawlernyannyan]

VERSION 2.7 UPDATE LIVESTREAM INFO ROUND-UP

Big stream tonight! This version will be the last before the new planet and there's a ton to look forward to here:

PLOT: A NEW VENTURE ON THE EIGHTH DAWN

This patch's Trailblaze Mission acts both as the epilogue to Penacony's story and the prologue to Amphoreus.

Himeko is out looking into Amphoreus more to be safe while the crew resupplies at Penacony before the big trip. In the process, they catch a fugitive Sunday.

Sunday's fate may change based on Trailblazer decisions.

Tingyun-as-Fugue boarded the Express after the Crew's Xianzhou adventure, courtesy of Ruan Mei. She'll be returning to the Xianzhou soon but wanted to stop somewhere else to gather her thoughts first and will be joining the Crew's adventures in Penacony.

This is a main story mission, not a continuance, and a story recap feature has been added to keep you caught up with the Penacony plot to that point.

Along with these details, the Amphoreus teaser has been released!

CHARACTERS: SUNDAY AND FUGUE

Sunday is a five-star Imaginary unit following the Path of Harmony. When he uses his Skill, a targeted ally and their summons will immediately act and be buffed (with the buff increasing if they have a summon at all). This Skill will fail to advance actions when used on Harmony units. His Ultimate and Technique likewise buff teammates. (Teammates with a summon include Topaz, Jing Yuan, and Lingsha.)

Fugue is a five-star Fire unit following the Path of Nihility. Her presence on the battlefield allows teammates to deal Super Break damage to Weakness Broken enemies, with her Skill enhancing a targeted teammates' Break Effect for a set number of attacks and causing their attacks to reduce enemy defense. While this buff is applied, Fugue's Basic Attack is enhanced. Her Ultimate deals Fire damage to all enemies and ignores Weakness Type to reduce Toughness.

BANNERS

The first half of v2.7 features Sunday and Jing Yuan as the featured five-stars with Qingque, Arlan, and Tingyun as the accompanying four-stars. Four-star LCs included are x, y, and Swordplay.

In the second half, Fugue and Firefly are the featured five-stars and Gallagher, Yukong, and Misha are the featured four-stars. Four-star LCs partnered with these banners are x, y, and z.

MAPS: THE PARTY CAR

The Astral Express opens up a new car! Pivotal to this car is the Trailblazer's room on the second floor, modified from an old storage room. Features an extensive bar with robot bartender.

NEW PATH: REMEMBRANCE

The new playable Path, Remembrance, focuses around special summoned teammates called Memo Sprites, which act as additional teammates in battle tied to their owners.

New materials for the Path will be added shortly in v3.0. Emphasis was made to point out that we wouldn't see "new materials for other Paths" added for a while after this.

EVENTS

Cosmic Home Decor Guide sees the Trailblazers renovating their room, and having to help out Pom-Pom around the Express using teams to earn the funding to make it the perfect luxurious relaxation space. Crew meetings will require strategy and planning to earn the most funding. Completing this mode will also unlock the ability to change Pom-Pom's outfit!

Between the Frames sees the Trailblazer become March's photography assist at Paperfold University. Photographing scenes will fulfill goals set by Mr. Reca, and afterwards a special photo spot will open up where players can invite characters and friends for snapshots.

Gift of Odyssey will naturally be returning.

Planar Fissure (Ornaments) and Realm of the Strange (Relics) are the double drop events of this patch.

A new Express Gift provides the Trailblazers the choice of a free standard 5-star character!

MODE UPDATES

The Divergent Universe will be updated in v2.7. This comes with new Equations, Curios, and Occurrences, and the refresh on save files is being extended from one week to once every DU update. 3.0 will features ways of obtaining Synchronicity Points faster to reduce grind time for rewards.

Pure Fiction will be adding a new Grit mechanic to buff teammates once activated. There are no longer a set number of enemies to defeat, but Normal Enemies will respawn infinitely until the boss is defeated (and defeating the runts will deplete the boss' HP.)

The Forgotten Hall will now allow players to start new runs at Floor 9 instead of Floor 7.

RELICS

New Wishful Resin will allow players to modify Relic substats when crafting in addition to using materials to determine main stats. 1 Resin will allow one substat to be chosen, 4 will allow 2. Wishful Resin can be obtained by breaking down Self-Modeling Resin. Further details will be announced later.

Variable Dice can be used on fully-leveled 5-star equipment to reallocate stat buffs and further control a Relic's desired output.

[hoyotunes]

A New Venture on the Eighth Dawn from the Version 2.7 Highlights Page HOYO-MiX

[endlessskymaster]

Classic Sunday, using his powers to disguise himself as a woman.

[xielexalt]

HSR: A New Venture On The Eighth Dawn - My thoughts

Spoilers ahead, of course, but god damn this was one hell of an update and dare I say the true ending of this entire first act of HSR in its entirety thus far? What a treat!! Bringing a satisfying conclusion to everything Xianzhou, Penacony, and Genius Society and leading us into the next arc.

This is kinda an analysis, but it might be messy or incoherent at some points, since it's mostly my own thoughts on the matter so far.

read more below

The common ground of Sunday and Tingyun

With this story, it's clear -- both Sunday and Tingyun are instrumental in wrapping up the introductory Penacony and Xianzhou arcs respectively. They've both become reborn, faced themselves, said farewell to their past lives, and resolved to march onto the future with their own goals.

The fate of Sunday and Tingyun are probably some of the most anticipated questions in HSR up to this point -- both strongly associated with their respective arc's conflicts and endings. How they both come to intertwine in this story update is just spectacular.

And of course, there's quite a few ways they also contrast and reflect each other too, which is just so good.

Tingyun's revival was a series of choices made by people who wanted Tingyun to survive. Choice was instrumental for her, but on the contrary Sunday lacks much of choice leading up to his downfall, and has to work around his restraints. Even with their farewells to their respective beloveds, Tingyun says of her own volition she wishes to bid farewell to the Luofu to Yukong. However, Sunday's farewell to Robin is wrapped in an illusion, and if he had the choice, he wouldn't want to leave her side.

Also, the paths their arcs are associated with are quite different. Sunday is linked more to the "good" paths: Harmony, Order, Trailblaze*, and Preservation (through the IPC.) Tingyun on the contrary is linked to the "bad" paths: Destruction, Nihility, Abundance, Propagation, and The Hunt. Now, "good" and "bad" are very much relative and subjective terms, but the main point is that these groupings of paths are quite contrary to each other. In terms of "civilization," Sunday's path groupings would be more ideal, while Tingyun's would be less ideal.

But, in a way, the path of Destruction that Tingyun walks now, is a sort of freedom. Harmony/Order/Preservation (together) don't necessarily provide freedom, but Trailblaze does (which is why I asterisked it.) But Harmony can be complementary to Trailblaze -- we can see the echoes of Trailblaze/freedom after the Astral Express has done their duty in Penacony. In the Rappa quest, we can see Robin uses DJing to unite everyone's freedom of song, synthesized with her Harmony. And Sunday follows Harmony now, while walking alongside Trailblaze.

On Sunday

Harmony, Order, Trailblaze, Preservation. One who fell from the position of "God" and now seeks to protect mortals by living among them.

What a drastic change Sunday has been through, now that he has fallen. It's honestly so cathartic to see him like this and him getting the resolution he deserves, after this entire year in HSR. His demeanor is totally different, and he feels so much more somber and almost in mourning.

The key point of Sunday's story in this update is his dynamic with Wonweek -- the side of him that is more lighthearted, open, snarky, and humorous. By confronting his past and Wonweek, he bids farewell to the Sunday forced to be a God, and becomes Sunday the mortal -- the wanderer.

Wonweek is his halo -- representing the Harmony. This is why Wonweek had better control over Harmony than Sunday during the duration of the quest. But importantly, Wonweek embodies perhaps the most mortal aspects of Sunday, by being able to tell Robin he loves her and her songs, cracking jokes, and pointing out Sunday's flaws in trying to be a "God" -- an enforcer of Order.

It also just breaks me that Robin knew all along that the Intellitron woman she met was Sunday. Both of them wish so dearly for reunion, despite their difficult circumstances. They don't have much of a choice, but they're doing the best they can in the road ahead. Robin, as shown in the Rappa quest, will continue to protect and look over Penacony in her brother's stead, while he goes to travel the cosmos in search of the Harmony -- searching for answers about the dynamic between Harmony and Order in Penacony. In a way, it's like they've been flipped -- Robin used to travel the cosmos while Sunday stayed behind in Penacony to watch over it.

Trailblaze and Harmony have shown to be complementary and intertwined in Penacony, through the Watchmaker's Legacy. Sunday joining the Astral Express, even if temporarily, is a continuation of that theme. And in a way, this is the perfect conclusion for the Penacony arc overall -- at least, for this "first arc" of HSR, which is the entire story up until this point.

Now, another thing is that Sunday is at the mercy of the IPC still, and Jade is still looking over him and what he will do. Though he is aligned with the Astral Express and Trailblaze temporarily, the IPC and Preservation will also follow him. His freedom is not entirely "true," and there's still a lot of caveats to what he's permitted to do. It's highly likely Sunday will face a roadblock related to this in the future.

In the final fight against Wonweek -- or himself -- the cinematics and framing are so good?? The touch between Adam and God echoed in Sunday's boss fight, is echoed again in the cinematic. Here, the touch is not between "Ena" and Sunday, but Sunday and himself. And the "Order" God-like Sunday disappears, becoming one with the new mortal Sunday.

He's reclaimed Harmony for himself, gaining his halo again, now ready to face the future, tread the path of Harmony, and learn exactly what it entails. We know the "good" of Harmony, but what exactly are the "failings" of Harmony? These are important things for him to know in his pursuit of "paradise."

Actually, it might be that his idea of "paradise" might be in strong opposition to the IPC's method of protecting and preserving all life in the cosmos. Just where will this dream of his lead?

On Tingyun

Keywords: Destruction, Abundance, Propagation, Nihility. An innocent mortal who got caught up in the games of the Gods, and now wishes to challenge them.

Tingyun has been one of THE big questions for HSR's entire runtime, and here with her revival, we get answers as to what happened to her, a few more hints on the motives of Luocha and Jingliu and how she herself fits into that plot point.

Essentially what happened is that Luocha noticed Tingyun wasn't quite dead, and thus asked Ruan Mei to revive her. Why did he want Tingyun of all people to be revived?

In her conversation with Yukong, Tingyun reveals her motive and drive to challenge the Aeons themselves with her new self as she is. This is in line with Luocha's desire to take down the Aeon of Abundance, accompanied by Jingliu.

It can be thought that Tingyun is now equivalent to an emanator of Destruction, with her existence now being intertwined with Destruction itself, like how Luocha is (probably) an emanator of Abundance. This gives rise to another commonality: both of them now want to destroy (or mess with) the Aeons, by using the power of the Aeons themselves.

Somehow, Luocha knew Tingyun would be in alignment with his ideals and hopefully would want to recruit her to his side later, or maybe he moreso saw the opportunity of a new emanator of Destruction arising, and wanted to take advantage of that... Whatever the case, Luocha definitely saw some kind of kindred spirit or opportunity in Tingyun and wanted her to be saved. And, they're both "merchants" after all.

In my opinion, the Luocha-Jingliu subplot is one of the most interesting things in HSR thus far and definitely shows a long-term game plan for the Xianzhou's story. Having a new development in it in the form of Tingyun's revival is very exciting.

The Xianzhou is all about the warring dynamic between The Hunt and The Abundance, but there's also an element to how The Destruction mirrors them both, and moreso especially with how it's now been intertwined with Xianzhou politics through Phantylia and the borisin.

Another path that mirrors the Abundance and Destruction is Propagation. And guess who's also involved in this plotline, who's connected to the Propagation? The one and only Ruan Mei. Ruan Mei is a very curious connecting point of literally all of the above and more. Affiliated with Herta, involved with the Xianzhou's plotline, and reminiscent of Sunday in wanting to revive a fallen Aeon. Still, she's not yet an Emanator, exactly...

Alright back to Tingyun. So though she has Destruction associations now, her gameplay path is Nihility. We've already seen through Acheron that the path of Nihility involves the loss of self and memory, which Tingyun struggles with. Still, she has enough resolve to stay true to her ideals and take advantage of the situation.

There's something also to be said about how Phantylia wanted to become Tingyun entirely, so Tingyun, a supposedly regular Foxian merchant, has some qualities envied by a Lord Ravager of all beings. In everything that's happened to Tingyun thus far, this is the catalyst to awakening her latent potential -- the things Phantylia envied, and the things that make her one of the perfect candidates to challenge the Aeons. And, this is the first time we're actually meeting the real Tingyun.

Also, her conversation with Yukong really made me so emotional and teary-eyed... It's so good, allowing her to have her homecoming, flashing back to when she was just an innocent child, and echoing the key theme of "may this journey lead us starward" -- wanting to explore the myriad paths in the cosmos.

In a lot of ways, I really do believe Tingyun mirrors the Trailblazer's future potential.

On Herta and the Genius Society

Here we see the appearance of The Herta -- Great Herta, Madam Herta -- for the first time as she shuts down Herta Space Station to reach for the Aeon, probably to ask about Amphoreus, but likely something much greater, too. Why is she breaking out her true form for this? We'll just have to wait and see.

Actually, what's up with Emanators and confronting their Aeons? Luocha wants to do it, Tingyun is set on doing it, and Herta's gonna do it, too, it seems. As an aside, given Jing Yuan is an Emanator of The Hunt, and given everything going awry in the Xianzhou, it makes me wonder -- is he also going to confront Lan at some point? Once again they are definitely playing the long haul with the Xianzhou but I love all the little hints and foreshadowings about it so far! I think it's actually also worth mentioning Sunday here too, since he also wants to figure out just what the hell is really going on with the Harmony, as he is either an Emanator, or on par with Emanators of Harmony (same with Robin.)

As Tingyun said, humans are just pawns for the Aeons, but it's truly humans who carve the story forwards -- that's the essence of Trailblaze. So especially strong-willed humans -- Emanators, who you think would be on good terms with their Aeons -- actually, it seems to make total sense that Emanators, and those of similar power, would want to challenge their Aeons.

Erudition is a very interesting path -- not quite complementary to Trailblaze nor Destruction, but something of its own entirely. Regarding one of my theories about the Trailblazer -- I believe that the Stellaron inside them is the means by which we experience the story of HSR, and there is a very poignant dynamic between the player and the receptacle. The fourth wall exists in HSR as an important plot element!

Something important to note with regards to that is that Herta had that Stellaron initially. She must've known what qualities that Stellaron had, and what it implicates about the story and actually the entire world of HSR, and what it means to let Kafka steal it and embed it into the Trailblazer.

Aside from Elio, Herta might be the singular character to know the most about the true nature of the universe. Potentially she might know something about it being a story -- a game world. Whatever the case, it's associated with whatever makes the Stellaron inside the MC special.

Herta may seem like some kind of "god-tier" with how amazing she is, but really, her qualities are like that because she is human. It is the Aeons' mistake for trusting humans to use their powers to play a part in their Aeon game, anyways -- because the way things are looking, those humans will just use that power to take down that Aeon themselves. Herta embodies the absolute pinnacle of that, stretching the limits of what a human is even capable of.

What kind of world is Amphoreus?

Everything began with Herta, and here she is also heralding the beginning of an entirely new arc, wishing to know more about Amphoreus. Unknown to the Garden of Recollection, and even unknown to Herta...

A world only reflected in the mirrors of the Garden of Recollection, and a world of Three Paths. According to the wiki, one of these paths is Erudition, and I'm very inclined to believe Rememberance is also one of the paths. Either way, something about a world that cannot be reached normally from the outside feels a lot like Teyvat, doesn't it?

My knowledge of Genshin is limited, but from what I know Teyvat is trapped in a sort of cycle, closed off from the rest of the universe -- even though it technically exists in the Honkaiverse, and theoretically should be a place within the HSR universe. I feel like there's a lot of similarities with Amphoreus, where they once had a thriving civilization only to be met with ruin (Khaenri'ah?)

Teyvat references and parallels are not new to HSR. From what I know of other theories, Penacony does echo quite a bit of Genshin story too in terms of dealing with dreams and memory. Everything about Amphoreus so far just feels like it's going to echo Teyvat big time, and I'm so excited to see how that's going to weave into HSR's greater plot framework and probably the Honkaiverse as a whole.

Aside from just Teyvat, though, referencing the Amphoreus trailer -- it feels as though the arc of Amphoreus itself will be a mirror of the entire HSR plot as a whole. (Of course, this is almost the same case for every other arc in the series.) But here, I feel like the Titans reflect the Aeons and the Chrysos Heirs reflect the Pathstriders/Emanators who will take down the Aeons and claim the world/universe for themselves -- and to top it all off, led by a "Nameless" hero. It seems in all cases, Trailblaze is the path that sets worlds free and gives humanity the right to choose.

Actually, I wonder if Akivili is dead precisely because being an Aeon who's alive goes against the Path of Trailblaze. And why Pom-Pom doesn't play a role over where the Astral Express will go -- only its Nameless can decide that.

End

There's so much more I could say and honestly this is still just. Very messy and disorganized and whatever but. Yeah super excited for how grand this world is and everything and YAYYYY

[literatureloverx]

WJAHSHHSJA (🎪 anon again. You don't need to respond to this, just an add-in) about the sunday references for cutscenes i sent in, maybe get rid of the Keeping up with Star Rail video listed and replace it with the video Version 2.7 Trailer "A New Venture on the Eighth Dawn" | Honkai Star Rail

Weirdly enough, I can’t respond to your other request, but I’ve seen it! Thank you so much for the information.♥️

[the-moirai-chronicles]

PLUTO IN AQUARIUS TRANSITION

Pay attention to what's happening from the timespan 3/23 - 6/11. Pluto is in Aquarius for now but will move back and have a retrograde in Capricorn afterward. This change would cause a stunt for those making efforts to change while Pluto is in Aquarius. 

We can’t change within the span of three months, of course, but during this period, it will give us an overview of what will be happening next on Jan 20, 2024, when Pluto goes back to Aquarius and stays there for 20 years. 

This is the dawn of a new era, thus if you pay attention to these three months, you'll then get the scheme of the entire transit in the upcoming 20 years. 

Check out your ascendant sign in this Pluto in Aquarius Transition!

Aries Rising: Pluto moves to your eleventh house. Pluto entering your 11th house suggests issues and uprising problems with other people, especially in groups. You may start to feel like an outcast in your friend groups or counter some misunderstandings with some friends in your circle. 

Your theme: Groups, friends, social awareness, humanitarianism, technology, hopes, and wishes, futuristic. 

Taurus Rising: Pluto moves to your tenth house. This indicates there might be many career challenges, and will force you to create a more authentic public image based on the job that truly suits you. This could also be a hard time for your reputation or your relationship with your father. 

Your theme: Career, long-term goals, structure status, reputation, public image, masculinity, father figures, experts, fame. 

Gemini Rising: Pluto moves to your ninth house. In a three-month span, you might encounter people, ideas, and places that will challenge your view on life. You may also struggle with philosophical/ethical questions.

Your theme: Travel, wisdom, philosophy, higher education, law and religion, cross-cultural relations, learning, ethics. 

Cancer Rising: Pluto moves to your eighth house. You’re more prone to taboos and mysteries, though this might create trouble for you.  You will encounter issues around shared resources, debts, taxes, sex, death, and birth. 

Your theme: Merging, sex, intimacy, shared finances, inheritances, taxes, loans, assets, property joint ventures/goals, mystery, and partner’s resources.

Leo Rising: Pluto moves to your seventh house. In this period, you might start to realize something about your relationships, maybe underlying problems, the equality and power dynamics in the relationship. You might also have to face deeper layers of yourself and your weak points when dealing with one on one relationships. 

Your theme: Relationships, marriage, contracts, business partners, equality, sharing, interpersonal style.

Virgo Rising: Pluto moves to your sixth house. You can pay more attention to building structure for your health and fitness. Create a schedule, create habits, create lifestyles. This is the time to think of habits that no longer serve you and get rid of them. 

Your theme: Health, fitness, systems, analytical nature, pets, work habits, organization, sense of usefulness, service given.

Libra Rising: Pluto moves to your fifth house. You are advised to learn or relearn a creative hobby. Be playful, engage yourself in love affairs and romance, let your inner child be released, and let him/her/them play out their fantasy. Pay attention to your self-expression. There might be drama in your love stories and challenging aspects of your love life.  

Your theme: Romance, love affairs, play, creativity, fertility, childlike spirit, joy, self-expression, drama.

Scorpio Rising: Pluto moves to your fourth house. It’s a wonderful time for you to retreat to your childhood memories by visiting your hometown, and spending time with your family and people you considered home. It’s impossible to move to the future without acknowledging your past. As your sense of roots and emotional foundation solidifies, the path to your future widens. There might be obstacles along the way, but embrace your past and your femininity side, and do extensive self-care. 

Your theme: Home, roots, family, self-care, emotions foundations, mother figures, children, women, femininity 

Sagittarius Rising: Pluto moves to your third house. Reflect on how you study and see if it’s time to try out new things, whether it’s how you study, how you organize your study place, or new interests emerging. There might be obstacles in how you think, how you communicate, or even your relationship with siblings/neighbors with encountering arguments. Your theme: The mind/thinking, communication, siblings, social activity/interests, neighbors, early education.

Capricorn Rising: Pluto moves to your second house. Look for your unique talents to monetize them. It’s time to reflect on yourself, your work, and your money flow. You will mainly focus on work and overcoming challenges about assets. 

Your theme: Money, work, income, daily routines, values, material possessions priorities, habits, your job, and work ethics.

Aquarius Rising: Pluto moves to your first house. Identity crisis and the death of your old self is the theme surrounding this three-month transformation. You will undergo a process where your body, your appearance, and your approach to life will be in crisis. Only then will it can be changed completely. Note: It’s a great time if you’re planning to change your outer appearance. Do it in this period. 

Your theme: Self, appearances, beginnings, the body, first impressions, attitude, identity, approach to life.

Pisces Rising: Pluto moves to your twelfth house. It’s your ending chapter now. A lot of new things are happening and Pisces Risings are under a lot of pressure lately. It’s vital time your wounds healed before something new can appear. Indulge in spirituality, and meditation, ask for closures, and say sorry to those you hurt in the past. This is indeed a harsh time, but also a time of rebirth.

Your theme: Endings, healing, closure, spirituality, solitude, karma, old age, afterlife, what’s hidden, limiting beliefs, subconscious.

For more information, check out The Moirai Chronicles.

[thehollowrp]

Caelberk had been having a harsher than normal cold this season; windows iced over in moments when the sun would dip behind the horizon and everyone's personal heaters would kick into overdrive. No one wandered the streets after dark on those nights for fear of frostbite and the knowledge that their clothes may be advanced and capable of heating them but eventually the cold always wins.

The Mason had put in place a curfew to make sure that everyone stayed inside when things could get particularly frigid and he, himself, would stay within the Vestibule of Elements for the remainder of that time as well.

It's early in the month of Wintal that the temperature truly bottoms out; ice clings to every surface and those who dare to venture outside are met with eyelids that freeze shut and the panic that comes with it. It's no longer safe to go outside at all, and everyone is sequestered in their homes. They are not bored, for they have the tech-screens built into every home, regardless of where they are, and can call upon them for any form of entertainment they wish; they have food stockpiled always so that if something like this should happen they do not starve; water is in a magical basin and flowing freely from the pipes still, modified by the Mason's design to never freeze over. Outside of cabin fever, everyone truly has everything they need to be happy.

When dawn on the ninth day of the icing broke, sun shone through the clouds and heated the ice glazing all the windows and doors and the temperature rose just enough to allow people to leave their homes. They were never locked in, no, but merely asked to stay and most of them followed that note.

Into the streets spilled people shrouding their eyes from the peeking sunlight, stretching their legs, some even going so far as to set up their shops and open almost immediately for new trade deals, knowing full well that people would want something new after all of this.

What no one expected was that, in a random passing by the Vestibule of Elements, Isteri Odo would find the Mason murdered upon the steps leading up to the sanctuary and, in front of the entrance, a barrier had risen like a magical wall denying passage to ANYONE for the Vestibule.

Things are changing rapidly in Caelberk and as of right now... anyone could be a suspect.

Welcome to the Hollow RPs first plot drop!

This plot drop is to set the scene and pace of our world and the events of discovering and reacting to the Mason's death and the plotting that goes on around it. It's meant to encourage exploration of a world that your character's might be familiar with but is new to you, the player. The shake-up of this information will make everyone seem a suspect so being cautious in traveling and speaking to others might be completely normal in this and gives you a chance to flex your creative muscles.

The events take place in the month of Wintal, with the Frost lasting from the first of the month to the night of the eighth, and on Eutilsday Isteri finds the Mason's body in the early hours of the morning. (calendar here)

The goal of this plot drop is to have everyone within their factions get together and discuss what to do, to elect de-factor leaders of each faction by whatever means they want, and to find out who exactly killed The Mason*.

Here are the KNOWN facts of the moment and things your character could have easily heard within the realm.

cw: death, murder, depictions of how one was murdered.

There was a terrible freeze over (dubbed the Frost by the people) that lasted about a week and kept everyone inside of their homes, or was meant to anyway. Some brave souls might have ignored the guidelines and ventured out anyway, but at what cost?

Isteri Odo discovered the Mason's body in the early hours of morning after the Frostbreak. His death is called by several older Elementalists trained in medicine and it is found to be murder.

the Mason's body was with his neck broken and his eyes still open. A look of peace was on his face, or something akin to that, and it's strange for a victim of murder.

The entrance to the Vestibule of Elements is sealed over with powerful elemental magic; some elders have tried to break the seal but it won't budge and it's unclear who (or what) caused it to seal over. Regardless, entrance to the Vestibule is cut off.

Isteri Odo was questioned in regards to the death of the Mason and cleared, but it won't stop suspicion from arising among the people.

The snow and frost covered most of the ground and any clues as to how the perpetrator(s) had managed to both lure the Mason out and kill him without leaving any trace is the biggest mystery.

Here are some prompts to help you get threads going with your peers:

Who would want to kill the Mason? Do they believe it's someone within their faction? Another faction? Do they even care?

Why is the Vestibule of Elements blocked? Will they ever be able to get back inside? Did the Mason do that or was it the person who killed them? Is it possible the perpetrator is still inside?

What to do now that their adjudicator is dead and they're fending for themselves. Do they vie for power and try to take over? Do they want to help people and make sure everyone isn't panicking? Do they want to extend Caelberk's reach further out and explore other areas?

How does the Mason's death personally impact your character? Did they know him only in passing or had they known him a long time? Did they ever learn anything from him? What is it that he meant to them?

Self-paras are not required but are encouraged if you want to explore any of these topics for your character outside of threads in general. Mostly I want everyone to be able to start building their character in a world that they will also begin help building. If you any questions or comments, please let me know!

There will be an event posted next week involving the factions (which, ironically, includes the factionless) and I can't wait to see what everyone does with it!

Please like this post once you've read it!

*NOTE: they won't yet, but discussing theories is highly encouraged.

[angara-mfrp]

goood angara tuesday, mods! it is me, ike ikeathan coming here to update welt yang's canon point to 2.7 "A New Venture on the Eighth Dawn." dunk that old man in the lake

Go grandpa, go! One lake dunk coming right up.

Welt Yang's canon point has been updated to 2.7!

Mod Budgie