Mirandae

Regalia

@Aeolian@vietmyke@Tlaloc@Teyao@Aku the Samurai@TokyoPewPew@Silly@rabidbacon

Okay lovelies, here we go. In-character is up and running.

▸ The 0th post has some information for you to check first.

▸ The GM-post has "guidelines" at the end of it. These aren't, like, rules or "you have to do this". It's just guidelines, like "hey, you can do this if you want to progress the story".

▸ I've tried to make my character post copy+paste friendly in the code, when you click the "raw" button. If someone still has troubles or can't really format their post, then hit me up and I'll fix it for you!

▸ If you want art, just hit me up and we'll make it happen with the AI.

I hope everything makes sense, and that everyone has fun ❤️️! Really looking forward to this :)

Regalia

_{[Location] Arosa City, Estren
[Time] Sunday, 03:30 AM
[Interactions] @name}

This was the biggest event of the year for Laura. She had traveled around the world to different towns and cities throughout the week, attending the festivities and spoken to people, but all those roads lead to this Sunday. Laura was just twenty years old the last time this happened. She had a difficult time to actually remember it, because a lot had happened since then. One such thing was that Laura had learned to manage her sleep better and being able to wake up early in the morning. If there was one trait that North and South Accadians shared, then it was to not really wake up before noon, although for different reasons perhaps. However, this morning, Laura had the alarm set for 3.30 AM. She wanted to attend the closing ceremony day in its full glory, right from the start.

Laura was oddly spry when two women from the reception team knocked on the door of her hotel room. Perhaps it was the caffeine from all those energy drinks she had chucked the day prior. She would probably crash and sleep for a bit in the ride to Landow. The two women were going to do Laura’s hair and makeup for the event. It was not going to be anything awfully fancy, however. The current trend for Regalia was to be more down to Earth, modest, and ‘of the people’ so to speak, especially during religious events such as the Festival of Lights. The look for the blonde was to be warm and soft, and ‘inviting even for the old, cranky aunt’ as her media team had so lovingly put it. Apparently, certain focus groups had said that Laura was not all that popular with women at a certain age. They thought that Laura needed to be more modest and dress more appropriately, especially since she was the representation of the Earth Mother, Gaia itself. So, today’s outfit was going to be an oversized, white hoodie, black leggings, and comfortable sneakers. Four years ago, Laura had worn an elaborate, ceremonial dress, but it had apparently revealed too much of her skin according to some people, so it was a no go this time around.

The woman doing Laura’s makeup was quite young looking, barely a day past sixteen. The girl took several moments to just look at Laura, almost stare, before continuing. As Laura notice and smirked at the girl, the older woman taking care of that Lion’s Mane on Laura’s head smiled and spoke.

“It’s the first time she sees you in person,” the woman said. A faint rosy blush crept onto the girl’s cheeks, pausing what she was doing, and giving the woman ‘the look’. Laura giggled modestly and smiled at the girl. “Well, it’s so nice to meet you. What’s your name?” Laura said. The girl promptly continued with doing Laura’s eyes, a smirk forcing itself onto her lips before she answered. “Emily,” she said. “She watches everything you’re in, has all your magazine covers, poster on the wall at home, everything – she’s quite the fan of yours,” the older woman filled in. The girl abruptly stopped and gave the woman the ‘super stare’ – “Mom!” she exclaimed. “Oh my god, that’s so cute, I love that,” Laura smiled, “we should totally take a few pics when we’re done here,” she continued and caught the excitement in the girl’s eyes. “So, are you like just trying this out with your mom or do you wanna be like a makeup artist?” Laura asked as the girl continued. “Yeah, I think I wanna do this, but it’s just sort of a try out right now, but mom taught me all the tricks and secrets,” the girl said. “I’ve actually tried to get her to come along for months, but she hasn’t always been that willing, but when I told her that I’m working the Festival and prepping Laura Genevieve, then she certainly flew out of bed like a rocket,” the older woman said. Laura chuckled a bit and caught the girl’s eyes: “Aww, this totally made my day,” she said.

The girls continued to chat during the preparation. When they were done, they took a few pictures together and a handful of cute selfies. They exchanged socials so they could keep talking, as they hit it off quite well. The girl was ecstatic and it probably made her entire year as opposed to just this day.

_{[Location] Arosa City to Landow, Estren
[Time] Sunday, 05:00 AM}

Laura slept on the way to Landow. Just as she had suspected, she crashed into the dream world just a few minutes into the car ride out of Arosa City. Luckily, the ride was on the shorter side, so sleeping for a bit would not disrupt her sleeping schedule later that day. The driver woke her up when they were just a few minutes from arriving. The sky and its clouds had beautiful tints of bluish gray with a spruce of flaming orange. Laura was greeted by some official of the festival responsible for coordinating special guests and arrivals. The man gave her an itinerary specifically for the ‘Regalia of Gaia’. It was a list of things and places that Laura was recommended to do and be at throughout the day. However, it was by no means a requirement. Something that was a requirement, though, was a private security detail. Laura also had to sign a legal document that said that she could not go into her Dominant Form, and that she had to obey the commands of the security detail if a situation were to happen. If she failed these demands, she would be fined. Laura chuckled lightly as she sloppily printed her John Hancock on the digital pad.

Laura strolled down the streets of Landow toward the initial opening ceremony location. Lights in the form of candles and lanterns were lit throughout the town. It was a beautiful sight to behold from a distance, a landscape dotted with glimmers of hopes, dreams, and prayers. On her way, she met a few early risers that she chatted and took some pictures with. The site of the morning ritual was a calm little area overlooking the modest harbor that the town had. Proper shrines had been built, assortments of herbs and offerings were available, and the religious officials all wore proper ceremonial clothing. The officials had come from all around the world, representing various cults and organizations. Laura arrived at the location just as the ritual started. The first Dominant to be revered in this long line up of Dominants was none other than Gaia, so it was fitting that Laura made it there just in time. She was urged by a staff member to join the official by the shrine, and just stand there and receive people, if they so chose.

The reverence for Gaia only lasted a few minutes before the official moved on to the next Dominant. Laura stepped aside along with a few people that wanted to speak with her. They sat down a few meters from the shrine and continued to chat. Some of them simply wanted to get to know her better, while others wanted to find relief for their troubles. By now, Laura had done this kind of thing so many times that she automatically entered her ‘official role’ as the Regalia of Gaia. Her speech and vocabulary changed along with it, becoming less informal and more inviting. She could help those people with some things, whereas she could only be there and listen for the other issues. There was a time when Laura felt guilty when she could not help someone, but she had learned to deal with that and understood that some people simply wanted a shoulder to cry on – a shoulder of a higher power or someone that did not judge them. Laura could fill both of those roles.

Laura spoke with several individuals that sought her guidance throughout the following hour. They shared a nice, serene morning together with the sound of the official’s hymns in the background, and the sun slowly peaking above the horizon.

_{[Location] Landow, Estren
[Time] Sunday, 06:00 AM}

ㅤ
Elite soldiers wear Crystals in sockets attached to their gear.
Crystal Sockets on gear usually indicate defensive effects.
Crystal Sockets in weapons indicate offensive effects.

Regalia

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Environment Art

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The Festival of Lights had transpired for about a week throughout the world. But, everything must eventually come to an end, and this was the last day of the celebrations. The main event of the beloved tradition was to be held in the small coastal town of Landow in Estren. The location for the closing ceremonies of the Festival of Lights was determined by a committee somewhere. They considered a range of factors, and then gave the desired location a year to prepare. It was rare for a municipality or county to decline the prestigious offering to host the event. Not only did it improve diplomatic and spiritual relationships, but it also came with considerable revenue from the thousands of people visiting.

The closing ceremony is meticulously formal. There are people with proper spiritual titles from recognized organizations that carry out the various ceremonies in deliberate order. These are rites, prayers, meditations, communion, and ritual proceedings that together constitute the overall closing ceremony of the whole festival. The activities begin in the early hours of the morning, and they do not stop until the same hours of the next day. Throughout this time, visitors can join the spiritual activities, mingle with other participants, engage with food stands and games, or simply watch in silence and enjoy the spectacle from a distance. However, the most popular activity is to see and speak to the many Regalia that attend the ceremony.

There are a few rules that attendees and Regalia must follow in relation to each other. Attendees may not pester or overwhelm Regalia with attention or requests. The closing ceremony has quite a bit of security from private military contractors. This is to ensure the safety of everyone involved with the festivities. Regalia may not indulge anyone with Residue from their Dominant Form. The festival is a serious, religious event and not a charity for addicts. There is a bit of debate in the religious world about the role of Residue in spirituality. Some people maintain that the substance helps a person to deepen their connection to the Dominant, whereas others see it simply as a drug and its experiences not being genuine.

All the confirmed Regalia that attend the closing ceremony are received by a team in Arosa City. The team is responsible for hotel accommodations, fashion and makeup, transportation to and from the festival grounds, and anything and everything the Regalia might desire. Regalia that are not confirmed to attend or unknown are welcome to identify themselves in Arosa City, if they so choose. They may also simply come to the closing ceremony by themselves. However, they must prove that they are Regalia before they can be recognized as such at the festival. While the closing ceremony usually has quite a few attending Regalia, there are likely more of them in the crowds that never disclose their presence.

The festival is mostly a free event. Something being for free is a relatively rare occurrence in this world. However, there are a number of ‘passes’ that people can buy and certain subscription services will include a few things. If a food stand has items that are otherwise included in a subscription service, then the items will be accommodated. A number of grocery chains sponsor the event, so many of their products are available. Some of the available games and fun activities are included in certain Gaming and Family subscriptions. However, attendees may also purchase a Pass that allows them to engage with everything at the festival grounds for a limited time. These Passes are available in various increments of hours.

Landow itself is a sleepy coastal town. It is mostly overshadowed by its nearby city, but its closeness to the sea makes it the perfect refuge. The town prides itself on maritime activities such as fishing. Much of the spoils is exported to Arosa City, but the town keeps enough for itself to always have food to serve. The inhabitants are friendly families that have housed fishermen for generations. The town feels like a nostalgic dream, a memory of a time past. There are probably a few households with Crystal Converters, but most seem to rely on old electricity. The presence of the corporations can also be seen in the form of vending machines, a local grocery chain, and a few screens around town with commercials running around the clock. Besides that, the town is very quiet.

The first ritual proceedings began in the early hours of the morning, 5 AM. One such procedure is to call onto all the known Dominants, old and new, and offer alms to them one by one. This opening ceremony gives all participants a chance to recognize Dominants that they normally do not worship. It is a gesture of humility, to remember that all Dominants exist under Etro no matter which ones a person favors the most. The ritual is expected to last roughly two hours until 7 AM, which is when the closing ceremony day of the Festival of Lights begins proper. The food stands open and serve breakfast. Simple games and physical activities such as stretching become available as the first step of the day. This iconic day, once every four years, is meant to be a full day of quality time spent with a community.

Regalia

World Map

Local Map

In-Character Banners

_{RULES
▸ Timestamps should be indicated in increments of 30 minutes: 06:00 AM, 06:30 AM, etc.
▸ The timestamp/location/interaction codes can exist several times in a post.
▸ Even if something happens in just 10 minutes, put the next timestamp according to the 30 minute rule.
▸ If you want art for something in your post, then hit me up and we will make it with the AI, so that the art style is consistent.}

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Regalia

<Snipped quote by Mirandae>

Interesting. Is there anything that can inhibit all the umm...shedding? lol Also, what city is the Festival of Lights in? I don't remember the OOC mentioning it.

@Aeolian

Hmm, I haven't thought about that. I can see how it could be useful to prevent Residue shedding. Maybe there can be some kind of drug that does that? I'm all ears for ideas!

I mention it in the opening post 😊 #availablesoon.

@Mirandae I see! Understood. Would it be possible for an article of clothing to "collect" the Residue? I feel like Votera, which is huge into subsidizing electeicity costs by avoiding waste and using green energy, would think it more "fair" if the resource is kept and distributed evenly (with a larger share of funds gained as profit incentive for the corporation that sponsored the tech). Wondering if I can retcon it into the suits Aethalos wears.

Edit: sorry nvm silly me, Residue only gets dropped by the Dominant form.

I also forgot to give her an addiction excessive stims and painkiller exposure back in Cetra. Is it too late?

@rabidbacon

Too late for what? Edit your sheet? lol, of course not. We'll be editing our sheets a lot, so get it in there right away.

Regalia

I have a question about Crystals, how long does it take for one "chunk" to form? And why are they more abundant underground when the Regalia are above ground - do they seep into the ground when the Residue is released? On that thought, does it exhaust the Regalia to release Residue / are there finite amounts they can give in a day?

@rabidbacon

Hmm, good questions! I'd say that Residue from Dominant Forms crystalize within 2 weeks maybe. And then, they re thrown about in weather and clump up, and sort of stick and crystalize together -- this might take anywhere between a month and a year depending on environmental circumstances. This is when you get a proper Crystal, which can accumulate more Residue over time if exposed to it, and then grow in power over time as well. If these Crystals aren't found, then they are lost to the environment and the earth. So, if a Crystal formed a thousand years ago or more, and was never found, it will be found in the Earth, in these mines.

The Residue is released passively. It will seem less if a Regalia is moving about in the Dominant Form. But, if they remain stationary for 2 hours, then there will be quite a bit of residue at their feet, if that makes sense.

Regalia

Okay, so here's the final update for tonight (for me).

The in-character banners are done. Aeolian does art of her character herself, so I'll tinker with that when she's done. But, here is everyone else. I'll put this in the "0th" post of the in-character as well, along with a local map and how to do timestamps.

In-Character Banners

I prompted these to be a 'casual morning look' sort of. This is just a default for now. Whenever you want to change something in these in-character images, just hit me up and I'll take care of it along any requests you have for mood, clothes, etc :)

That being said and done, I'll start the in-character within 24 hours from now. I only have my own character post left to write, which I'll do tomorrow (for me).

Regalia

@rabidbacon
Yes, totally! It's your lore, essentially. Just update us when you add/change/remove something and what that was, so I can just give a it a quick thumbs up. Windmill death rays? 👍👍👍 go for it!

Regalia

So, just to update:

I've written most of the first GM/environment post or whatever you'd call it. I have my own character-first post to write, but it should be fairly fast.

I'm also doing in-character banners! YES, MORE BANNERS. I decided we need something super sleek and different from the character sheet banners. This is what they'll look like -- very clean, no names or other bullshit, just your character and their dominant.

Laura's IC banner

edit.
This is the banner where it will be real easy to change character image whenever you want -- it could be a mood change, clothing, whatever.

Regalia

@Silly
OMG ❤️️ I'm so glad you like them 😊! Those captions you did are sooo on point, haha!

@Tlaloc
I wonder what a 'power tier' list would look like! Dominants and Regalia aren't equal in strength, as I've apparently written in the codex, lol -- I forgot this.