Pavo Heart Game: Sunday Session

[cryovision]

When you enter the light, you find yourself hovering weightless in a void, as if caught in a moment of falling inertia. In the distance, you hear a voice that seems to shift and twist, familiar and yet unfamiliar.

"You shouldn't be here. But since you already are, let's make a wager. If you can uncover the truth, you'll find me. If you can't, you may be hopelessly lost... What a shame that would be."

You begin falling, and your vision blacks out--

[OOC NOTE: your goals are "reveal the truth" to "find the true heart". All images in toplevels are for general inspo, please make sure you read the flavourtext cause things are not exactly as they are in the images.]

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START: KNIGHTS' HQ

[cryovision]

When you wake, you find yourself standing in an official-looking hall. Any weapons or items you had on you are gone, and any powers are turned off. Everything here is neat and tidy, perfectly spaced, plants healthy and green and all the same size, paintings perfectly level with one another.

Here and there on the walls there are mirrors.

There are five possible exits:

- A sturdy wooden door bearing an insignia.
- A red door that occasionally rattles.
- A stone-framed door with reinforced hinges, which lets off a pleasant warmth.
- A blue door with a metal knob that's ice cold to the touch.
- A set of stairs leading upwards.

There is a double-wide door behind you that seems like it should go outside, but it appears to be sealed shut.

A knight with an unremarkable face approaches you, carrying a few ornate metal boxes.

"Welcome, strange yet respectable guests. I understand you might want to get to exploring, but there's a process we have to follow, so could you give me a moment of your time?"

Re: START: KNIGHTS' HQ

[childeishly]

... [ childe is un-fucken-impressed, folding his arms and looking half past annoyed. ] A moment is all your worth, so hurry it up.

Re: START: KNIGHTS' HQ

[leaveofabsence]

[ This is just reminding him that he hasn't been to Mondsdadt in a long time. And near the hq of the Knights of Favonius even longer.

Turning to the knight ]

But of course. What can I help you with?

Re: START: KNIGHTS' HQ

[childeishly]

[ heading back into the hall from the acting grandmaster's office he's just going to head to the stairs and take a seat. he had said the two of them should communicate more, since that hasn't ever been their strong suit, so perhaps talking about some of the crap encountered he would... help... especially since they both haven't been able to see everything because of the active/inactive elemental sight. ]

...so. [ clears his throat. ] I'm sure we'll have to head back into that room at some point. [ his eyes flicker to the blue door. ] But it might be best to do so without elemental sight, if that's even an option anymore. I heard things, lots of things, and none of them good...

Re: START: KNIGHTS' HQ

[leaveofabsence]

[ He's taking Childe back to the stairwell and having him sit down again.

Zhongli doesn't let go of his hand the entire time. ]

Is it still bad out here?

OFFICE

[cryovision]

You enter a well-decorated office. The atmosphere is pleasant, cozy, with walls lined in bookshelves and a scent in the air like spiced vanilla. Around the room are vases full of various coloured roses.

On one side of the room is a desk, with a small number of papers spread across it and a quill pen and inkwell. On the other is a conference table, currently hosting a western-style tea set and some plates of small cakes and cookies.

On one bookshelf, there is a statuette of a small winged figure draped in robes and holding an orb out as if in offering to the sky.

There is an open window, through which comes a brisk breeze -- it smells a bit stale, and seems to have blown the flowers and books right off of a nearby table.

Browsing the books, there is a tall blonde woman. When you enter, she turns to look at you and gently smiles.

"Good afternoon. Can I help you?"

Re: OFFICE

[childeishly]

[ he is half tempted to submerge this entire BUILDING... but he refrains and just stalks into the office. he ignores her pleasantries and just activates his elemental sight as he moves past her for the statue of barbatos, or that's what he's assuming it is. ]

No. I'll help myself.

Re: OFFICE

[leaveofabsence]

Greetings, Grandmaster.

[ And he bows his head politely even as he watches Childe saunter farther into the room. ]

We are actually looking for an elemental lock, if you happen to know where one might be.

Re: OFFICE

[leaveofabsence]

[ And Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum are back.

Probably in significantly worse shape than before. ]

Grandmaster, might I ask a favor?

SOLITARY CONFINEMENT

[cryovision]

You enter a small room. It appears, on first glance, to have been some kind of light security holding cell, judging by the size and the one small, barred window. However, it's nothing like a prison now. The walls are covered in shelves full of toys and storybooks, there's a plush rug over the floor and a very nice cot piled in fluffy blankets.

Across the floor are scattered crayon drawings and open books. On one wall, there is a rack of weapons -- mostly swords. A few miscellaneous items are piled in corners, and there are paper flowers strewn about.

A small girl is lying on the floor, drawing. When you come in, she looks up with a big sunny smile!

"Oh, hi! Are you here to help with Klee's new treasures?"

Re: SOLITARY CONFINEMENT

[childeishly]

[ ...damn. he hadn't expected this room to be cute. HE HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR A FIGHT. but, alas, he has a weakness for cute kids, so he's approaching and crouching down alongside her. ]

How did you know? What did you need help with?

Re: SOLITARY CONFINEMENT

[leaveofabsence]

[ ... Cute.

Leaving Childe to interact with the child for a moment, he is going to crouch down so he can get a better look at some of those crayon drawings ]

THE SEA OF STARS

[cryovision]

You enter some sort of planetarium. It's a beautiful room with a domed ceiling covered in stars, with a floor made up of one giant marble compass rose.

However, it seems something has been tearing this beautiful room apart. The ceiling is half pulled down, the pieces scattered across the floor like an ugly jigsaw puzzle. The bare ceiling behind the stars is rough, plaster-caked stone, and there's dust all over everything. The curved walls seem to have once been covered in velvet curtains, but a few of them have been torn down and lie strewn across the floor.

Near one wall, there is a ladder.

Along one half of the room there are seats, plush and comfy. The ones more towards the right are dusty and only look up at the ruined ceiling, but the ones on the left are cleaner. At the very far left, there is a pile of downed curtains.

In the center of the room, there is a jumble of alchemy equipment, tended to by a handsome young man who is completely and utterly ignoring you.

Re: THE SEA OF STARS

[leaveofabsence]

[ He's going to bother the man anyway. ]

Excuse me. Do you know where the lock in this room is?

ANGEL'S SHARE

[cryovision]

You walk through the door and find yourselves in a bustling tavern. Patrons fill most of the available seats, and the air is filled with the smell of alcohol and sizzling chicken mushroom skewers. The atmosphere is jovial, party-like, welcoming, and the walls are covered in various framed pictures. Here, a painting of a crackling flame. There, a drawing of a lioness dozing in lush grass.

Tending bar is a stoic-faced man with fluffy red hair that you may recognize as a fellow fairyhell resident. Sitting and drinking with him is Pavo himself.

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[leaveofabsence]

[ Oh lovely.

A tavern in Mondstadt.

His favorite location in the world.

/sarcasm ]

I'll take the Elemental Sight for this one.

[ It is somehow not phrased as a question. ]

Re: ANGEL'S SHARE

[childeishly]

[ WOOP DE. ]

[ he heads inside and goes upstairs. like the note had said he doesn't use his elemental sight right away and, instead, he takes a seat on the far left in the front room. he starts looking around and then activates it. ]

ICE MAZE

[cryovision]

You find yourself in a frozen wasteland. The exit you just came through stands as an ornate stone arch, but there are no walls or other manmade structures in this area. There's only a storm-dark sky and the endless, jagged maze of ice. The slight breeze is painfully cold and dry and the ice creaks ominously.

There is nothing immediately apparent to interact with, except your reflections in the ice immediately near you, which distort like in a funhouse mirror. You have a deep sense of foreboding, and yet the maze beckons.]

Re: ICE MAZE

[leaveofabsence]

[ Obtained: Sheer Cold status effect. Thanks, he hates it.

Turns to Childe: ]

If the last room is any indication, perhaps one of us should turn on our Sight and one should be without so we can see both what we are meant to see and the reality of the situation.

Re: ICE MAZE

[overworker]

[Brrrrr.... well, she expected the cold, but this is harsh.

However, she's not one to back down. Celes presses forward, looking at the reflections off the ice.]

Re: ICE MAZE

[childeishly]

[ HI I'M BACK. ]

[ he summons his hydro blades and heads inside. ]

DARKNESS

[cryovision]

You wake up.

There is nothing around you but a void and wisps of acrid smoke. The scent of burning -- of wood, of flesh, of scorched stone -- assaults your nose, and breathing stings your lungs just slightly.

There is no way back. There is only a dark stone path winding before you, towards a distant horizon where there flickers an occasional baleful flame.

Re: DARKNESS

[leaveofabsence]

[ Well.

. . .

This doesn't look good.

He pushes himself up to his feet and calls out to the darkness anyway. ]

Hello?

HOME

[cryovision]

You find yourself standing on a well-worn path that leads through lush grapevines to a fine timberframe manor. The sun plays through the leaves of trees and glowing teal "butterflies" float amongst the ripening grapes.

It smells of earth, and growing things, and comfort. A warm and gentle breeze teases your hair, inviting you up the path, where you'll find Pavo standing under a terrace in elegant dress that's much less flamboyant than usual, picking grapes and dropping them by the bunch into a wooden basket.

"I really didn't expect you to get here... I have to say I'm impressed."

Re: HOME

[leaveofabsence]

I do not know if impressive is the word I would use to describe it.

[ And then he takes a deep breath. ]

I know it is rude of me since I have only just arrived, but I need to find Cheri.