Lore Galore

Establishing shot. Aerial scenic vista of the Ezzo empire. The Landscape is a glitched mess, with the ground regurgitating more ground, buildings regurgitating more buildings. Reality and geometry seem to have spiraled into a maddening fit of chaos.

This insanity is contained by a massive bubble spanning the whole Kingdom. So, we cut closer to a specific part of this kingdom: the edge of a cliff, outside the bubble.

Uta walks into view there, She navigates her menu, shimmers leather-bound notebook into existence(a full-sized one, the size of a proper book, not the small pocket variety), and sits down on a rock. She pulls a fountain pen out, and begins to write.

And write... and write...

"Though rightfully called the Fourth World Fraction, it involved the Fifth Shard of the Twilight Dragon. With the arrival of the two ancient ones, Cú Chulainn and Camelot, their attempt to take control was halted by the Bandit King and the aid of the Ezzo Exodus members. As the outsiders ejected the Blind Goddess and used FRELLIA to release the debillitating Wave, the Fifth Shard was used to seal the Ezzo Empire in an attempt to cut off the invaders' control through FRELLIA."

By the time she is done writing, Uta's eyes are tearing up. Large drops fall down, and the paper begins to soak with them. Her consciousness fades.

* * *

"I woke up the next day, unable to speak.", Uta continues, her voice still hoarse. "Voice still not great." She grimaces, one hand reaching for her forehead. "Still have migraines."

Uta rubs her forehead some, then sweeps her hand towards a majestic tapestry hanging on a wall, which represents the arrival of the Adventurers. "See? The Fourth World Fraction. That's the title the system gave to that tapestry. I decided I wanted to learn more about it so..." As she finishes her sentence, Uta pushes the book from the flashback towards the rest of the assembled people. The paper has been warped by her crying, and her handwriting, otherwise so precise and geometric to almost seem printed, is smudged. But readable.

Haru is present and accounted for. He isn't bearing goofy demeanor right now. The way he stands and the way he looks the tapestry looks more at place at an academic forum. Like humor has been drained out of him for the time being. "Are you alright," is the first thing he asks Uta, turning his head enough that his blue eye looks to her. Not all conflicts are handled with might and magic. Some involve the mind and all conflicts have their toll. After a pause that follows his question, the head turns back towards the artwork. "I don't understand what, exactly, the Fourth World Fraction is. Only what it did, its effect. What it caused. Is it a spell or a natural phenomenon? A system function?" He doesn't expect answers to this, but if someone knows, a LOONs meeting is the right place to seek clarity. He takes his turn at the book when offered, seeing if he can determine that information without burdening others with the task of explaining it to him.

"I remember when she made that tapestry," Shiruba muses. "It was one of the first instances of what we now know as the Strange Moods." So in a way itself a bit of Lore. "Apparently it documenting such an important event qualified enough of a significant change to draw the attention of the Goddesses." She smirks a bit to the others. "You know what they say about a picture meaning a thousand words. Which Uta has now attempted to dictate into actual words, I see."

Kaydon was already lurking around Shiruba when she reminded him that she was going to this meeting. He had needed to talk to Gwen about something anyway, so he figured he'd, at the very least, tag along. At the moment he's standing off to the side, and taking bites out of an apple occasionally, "I've had a few of those strange moods." He says, before taking another bite, and then finishing it.

"First when I was trying to make the Damascus steel work for a sword, and then again when I put together a weapon that'd never been seen in Elder Tale before." He pulls the gunblade off of his back and sets it down on the table near him, "It's like something wanted to guide me into doing it."

Gwen had a long night if she had anything happening the next day? She had forgotten about it, so Gwen had just woken up, she had no idea she had guests. No, she's forgotten about it and she had no clear memory of last night either. So she will wander out into the main room of the personal quarters. She's one got bed head he wings are hanging there out back, she's got a tank top and shorts on. She doesn't even seem to look at everyone as she gets a cup of coffee pauses and then spits iut out after a moment.

"WHAT DID I DO LAST NIGHT! WHY ARE YOU IN MY HOUSE?!"

And then she turns red as she realizes what she's wearing and then wait oh god Is Morri? What did she do last night? Did they all?!

"I will be as soon as my voice returns and my head clears up," Uta replies to Haru. "Those seem to be the only long lasting effects." She lets the Artificier think out loud, and when he's done, she replies, "I was hoping to find out more. -Technically-, I did. I just have no idea of what any of this means," she says, gesturing at her notebook.

Another pause. "There are other World Fractions in Lore. For instance, as far as the origin of the Cait Sith is concerned, the common tale is that the Cait Sith 'did not exist, until a ways into the First World Fraction. They were created by Humans through sheer necessity: the human race could not counter the immense number of monsters that would assault their walls.' Also, there's a mention of a Cursed Wave in the far past -- which might or might not be another World Fraction."

Uta mumbles at Shiruba, "And paid for it." She sighs and leans back, crossing her arms. "But you have a point there. It was the first Strange Mood I've ever seen. The one where I saw that people resonate with a Song when they're affected. And what started my journey down this route of Lore." Raising her head to look at the Local Wolfgirl, she continues, "I'd love to know more about these shards of the Twilight Dragon. I have heard them mentioned before. I think they might be involved with the kind of Lore event that we in the field refer to as 'Important Stuff'." Silence. "I'd also like to know what FRELLIA is..." Looking up and away, she taps on her lips. "I wonder if we could ask the people who were in Ezzo about what they experienced during the Apocalypse, and go over it again. Maybe we'll find some ties here..."

"Same here. Mujou, Yuugen, Fey Mood. Collected them all. Strange mood completionist," is what she tells Kaydon. "That is one neat weapon, and I hope to see it in action soon."

And when Gwen walks in, Uta stiffens and... blinks. Just blinks. "...Gwen, I'm Uta here. Why- oh goodness. Gwen, stop cosplaying your friends. It's not good for your mental health."

Shiruba pinches the bridge of her nose between two fingers at the outburst from Sleepy Gwen. "No, Uta is having a discussion about the tapestry you made and it's relevance to lore within the world. Which you nearly overslept through." A soft sigh and a shake of her head follows. "I've dealt with most of you being in such 'Strange Moods' at some point or another, that's why I put time into keeping a good stock of materials and medical supplies handy." A pause. ".. And my pursuit of the demon gnolls seems to have been, but I only realize it now in hindsight. I... guess this unwanted divergence in their nature was a big enough problem to the world for the Goddesses to take notice of."

Haru offers a light smile to Uta when she says that she will be okay after a little healing on the throat. He isn't forcing his fake smiles as much, but the genuine versions don't measure up to the market appeal of the imitation. "If you have to ask, Gwen," the silver haired Artificer says to Gwen, unable to resist a chance to play on the Pendragon Priority. A hand goes to his chest, "Wounded." The man's tease stops there to listen further in on the lore situation.

A consideration is given for the First Fraction, "Humans are not as suited to the environment, so they found ways to adapt. Sometimes extreme. Nice bit of history repeating itself there." He is familiar with the racial backgrounds that can be noticed. Though this is the point the amount of information hits a threshold. He flips through the notebook Uta had, letting things process before jumping into too many different topics. "We support each other in those times, Shiruba. They are going to happen and we are better for it when they do. The advancements in Accessory Forging was worth being a little more eccentric than usual on my part."

"Gwen you might wanna get some coffee in you before you start flipping out." Kaydon offers, with a laugh, "You can flip out after you drink some coffee like I do."

He then turns and grins to Uta, "Thanks. I've run a few hunts with it, particularly against the gnolls, but I have been really saving the big guns, so to speak, for the Palace Landers." He's still bitter about losing Shibuya, and can't wait to take it back by force.

On some level Gwen has been picking up on what the party has been talking about. She sighs it's not like everyone here hasn't seen this before. Given some of Gwen's outfiuts she calms down as she full wakes up and goes for a mug of coffee. She seems a ltitle better as she finds a spot to sit down cross legged.

"My mom's still fuming about all the missing supplies Shiruba. I could kiss you for messing with her that hard."

She now gets more serious as she looks to Uta.

"No, it's fun. As for my first mood? Yeah I just couldn't get it out of my head and had to make it I'm not even sure how I did stiching of people I never knew at the time..."

She looks to Haru for a moment.

"If we could track down Haseo? He was there if I recall right also my Father was stuck there as well."

She makes at a face at her fave MArine that being Kaydon for a moment and drinks some coffee.

"We are going to need to take out the noblity who did this... they have comitted Gnnocide."

"I still say there's something deeper and more sinister than the nobles behind this.... but that doesn't abdecate them from the horrors they've help commit. Or allowed to happen. It's not that they aren't guilty, it's that there may be an even darker force pulling their strings as much as they're pulling their peoples'."

They've been here for a bit. Shiruba drinks what is probably her second or third cup of coffea. "Don't, Gwen. That'll just give her more ideas... but you're welcome." Pauses for another sip. "Besides, your thread was too thin to make proper tackboard lines."

She looks upward briefly, and then sighs. "When I get the museum back I'm going to add sections for this whole stupid war. Just because.. you know. Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it."

"And there we have it again. Names from myth. Cú Chulainn. Camelot. Just like Ganesha, Gilgamesh, Uruk...", Uta continues on the subject of her story from earlier. "There are these reoccurring themes... it would seem that there's something important about these people. If we could find out what ties together all these-"

"Wait, you... stitched people you had never met?!", Uta gasps, startled, at Gwen. "That... that is new information. Yes, tracking down this Haseo person whom I've never met sounds good. If your Father was stuck in Ezzo, that might be a valuable source of information."

"I agree with Shiruba there," Uta mumbles. "I cannot shake the feeling there's something bigger at work here."

"So much history repeating itself..." Uta comments. The previous pages of her notebook will turn out to be filled with all sorts of different information like medical tables, musical scores of the Songs of Yamato, doodles of slimes, text in the Alv language, poetry, shopping lists, notes about Lore to research in the future, duel schedules and notes about techniques being developed.

"If the nobles directed, contributed, or ignored the acts that caused suffering, then they will need be made pay their dues," Haru says without a sense of mercy about it. "Though bigger fish to fry, Shiruba, agreed. Better to rip root and stem over just trim a branch or two," he acknowleges the pragmatism needed there. he flips a page through Uta's notebook. It is easier to read and talk and sort his thoughts on the matter. He hasn't had anything to drink while up here yet. Nothing to eat either. No, he isn't in a Strange mood. "I'll help with the history section," he offers to Shiruba, raising his head from the book, "of the records I've been keeping and movements." He is the more 'papers, reports, and administration' kind of nerd after all.

"Stitching people you don't yet know. Feels like Divination doesnt it? Or," Haru makes a circle with his hand as one of his ioun stones floats through it. "Oracle at Delphi-esque." With that he is done with the book for now, putting it back on the table and settling into a chair instead of his previous standing position. It does make him look back at the artwork to see if he is on it. He is, causing a hum.

Kaydon gives a nod to Gwen as she mentions taking down the nobility, "I'm all for it, once we figure out how to get to them. But we need to push the Palace Lands back itno the ocean first before we can get at them."

Looking back to Uta, he considers for a moment, "Lots of ties to ancient myths. And I'm willing to bet there are a ton of them in the Palace Lands that we haven't been able to look at or research because of the war. Once it's over, maybe we can unlock some of those mysteries too."

Gwen looks up for a moment from her coffee "You are right how did they get so many crowns in the first place. They sound like they were relics from another age. We also need to destroy as many of them as possible..."

She pauses. "Earth Mythology yes, cept many of them are living breathing beings here. Oi I swear by my ancestots I will smack the stupid out of Cu if he has anything to do with the Celtic one."

She pauses

"Thing is Haseo is an ... asshole. We can hit him up later if we need to. History rhymes really when you get down to it. I'm thinking about what the old man said on the first day. Recall how he spoke of someone having acted against his will or something like that? As for that I have no idea i was just inspired...best damn thing I have ever made honestly."

She pauses "Well all the ones that had a hand in it."

"This is far more accurate than anyone at Delphi ever pulled off," Uta points out. When Haru turnes the pages further back, he'll find a different note -- one about the Gnolls, the boss arena within the forest from the previous mission (OOC: For Whom The Bell Gnolls): "The rune symbols they are using for their summoning belong to a tribal 'god' known as Yeenagi. They had tried to summon Yeenagi himself, but they only had the power to draw out that lesser demon in his place. There is a division within the gnolls between those who worship this new god, and those who prefer the old ways, avoiding magic and sticking to brutal, pack tactics. It is easy to deduce that the gnolls in this forest seem to be calling upon Yeenagi, and that would explain the shift of power."

"Crowns of Control. Created by Helba, the Queen of Darkness. Who also created the Crystal Tower, which once was an 'Experimental Facility and Defense Weapon'." The Spriggan grumbles, "This Helba seems to have her fingers in many pies."

"I'm positive of that, Kaydon," Uta confirms. "I can't wait until this whole thing is over," she says.

"It -is- nothing short of a masterpiece..." Uta agrees, taking some time to admire the tapestry. "You said you wanted to represent the Arrival of the Adventurers, right? And it's called the Fourth World Fraction..." She trails off. "I wonder why..."

"And they were smart enough to lock their innermost sanctum behind a puzzle door requiring facing three of their strongest members," Shiruba adds to the exposition on the Demon Gnolls. "There's also the gnolls being turned into glitched versions of Haggar. Equally as dangerous, considering how out of control any sort of glitched monster can be." She sips the remains of her coffee. "I'm just glad people took interest in the matter so it didn't get lost behind the Palace Land invasion."

Gwen thinks for a moment and looks embrassed at this. "Oh lord the Greeks I'm so glad I didn't take the name Cassandra. Something else is acting I think but as to what? I have no idea. Also you know my mother is shipping all of us along with Fuka as my harem, right?" She shakes her head. "I am not sure how my mother broke or if she was always hiding this under the surface. Aye the Gnolls need to be handled as well."

Haru looks to Uta, on the topic of the World Fractions, and then to Shiruba on the topic of the Demonic gnolls, and finally to Gwen on the topic of Morri's hobby. The forum is splintered. He offers up on one of the topics, "When the Haunted Mansion was more accessible, I did look into the telescope there. It is called the Gaze of the Crystal. It was created by an Alv craftsman as a give to Appeiron, may he forever see the brilliance of his Crystal Tower." He doesn't attempt to address all three. Four if you count the Invasion. "It sounds like we need to talk to Helba." If it was so simple, which it isnt.

Kaydon has been thinking about the discovery Miho showed him. While he's not really able to talk about it specifically because of the promise he made to her, he does still speak up, "There's lots of stuff out there. Ancient sites lost to time, that still hold secrets from before all of this started." He says, "I think those kinds of places will be key to unlocking whatever it is we're trying to unlock."

He hmms, "In addition I have been tasked with putting together groups to restore stolen treasures by Sumeragi Youta...Issue is that we need to get Mac Anu back in order to do it, and we need to get Shibuya back first before we can get Mac Anu back. Everything hinges on defeating the Palace Lands."

"If things can be turned into other things... hm. That opens up a lot of questions," Uta comments, then goes silent. "Shiruba, think you could use your powers to learn more about FRELLIA? Another thing I'd be interested in knowing more about, and here you could help..." She turns to the Artificier, "...or Haru could inspect, is that barrier that protects Ezzo. I am not aware of anyone who tried to ascertain its nature, but it seems to be a BIG deal." Silence. "Yes, Helba keeps popping up. Everywhere. I had a lead through Heatcliff, those two seem to go Way Back, but apparently I'm not Scale Emblem enough to secure an appointment." A sigh. "I don't blame them, though. They're very busy with the war..." She returns to sit in a relatively relaxed position, and continues, "I'd also like to have the Aincrad Tower Loremastered. And possibly the Crystal Tower. I have my reasons to believe that we'll find connections with the Fourth World Fraction there."

"If you need help with anything, Kaydon, hit me up. I'll be more than glad to help. Also, I'm sure Baroness Wake will pull a lot of weight to make sure your project sees success. I suggest speaking with her." Some silence, some more holding of her head. Wince. Returning migraine. "...ow..."

Uta pfffts, and flicks one hand at Gwen in dismissal. "I just don't believe you wanted to call yourself Cassandra. It- wait, Morri is doing WHAT!?", Uta exclaims, flailing her arm. Yes, she knows about the shipping wall. But at times she might be a bit forgetful. "This is no time for romantic entanglement! We need to focus on our predicament!"

Haru makes a mental note of Mac Anu as a topic and also treasure hunting. He goes to start writing them down as after three it becomes more of a list than anything else. "I would be willing to Inspect the barrier, but if it is not an object native to the Laws of this world, it has a high chance of being minced. Loremastering, Draining, or Hacking might be more on the level for that." He finishes jotting his short notes down for later filing. A quick glance to Uta's headache. "We can only tackle so many topics at once as a group. Though explore plenty as individuals. With any luck the interests overlap and we can support each other in what drives us onward." What else is an Adventurer, after all, if not seeking out Adventure in all its forms?

"I'll look to seek out Helba," Haru says to Uta, "her path and mine feel too similar the more I learn. If we can't get support we just do it ourselves, support is never a given entitlement." He puts a hand to his own head, sympathy migraine for Uta. "I have three other things worth sharing and they are lately unrelated to the dozen topics we have at the current forum. The Decoder Relic once belonged to the 'Puzzle Hero' or 'Hero of Puzzles' depending on the translation. It seems their name is lost to time. I have never heard that particular figure before. Nor am I overly familiar with Appeiron with the Gaze of the Crystal, but enough that I should cross reference that one."

"The Church in Fort Ouph was built by a great Alven Moonlight Builder. It was modified after the Great War to honor the Three Goddesses," Haru continues on, "A curious fact that may interest some of our Builders such as Curtana and Goldenblade. Finally, there is something I unearthed while exploring my Moonlight Goldsmith path. I can't share where the place is, but there is an Acessory Forging workshop filled with devices I am unfamiliar with. Besides the technology, within it is a painting of a beautiful pale blonde and winged man kneeling before a raven haired beautiful winged woman. It is an offering of a ring. A symbol of unity, marraige." He pauses and looks to Gwen, "So there you go, that topic /did/ tie in after all. It does seem obvious that being a Jeweler making the perfect 'wedding ring' is at the end of the journey." Something he seems less than thrilled about right now.

Gwen thinks "You know what was odd the dungeon where hold on." Gwen gets up taps her menus as she rises up and taps in an outfit dark 'armor plate' appears on her body as she outfit chagnes.

"This was my Heavyblade's armor set back in Fragment and we found it in a dungeon full of old SAO and Fragment loot drops. Also monsters from then too."

She looks at Uta.

"Yes shipping tou all as my harem.," Gwen sahs dryly.

"I'm not the one doing it!. so wait what is this Crystal tower if I might ask? You also all know you just need to ask me for my help, right? I know how that goes Haru. You don't want the place looted dry and deny a future crafter access to it, no? "

"I wouldn't mind getting my hands on some old SAO loot." Kaydon says, "I was in the beta for it, had a pretty cool gear set." He hmms, "Do you remember where that dungeon was? Or was it one of those rare ones that pops up once in a while?"

He finally finishes his apple, and then remembers the whole reason he came here in the first place, "Gwen, can you make scabbards?"

Haru offers Gwen a small smile and explaination, "I gave my word to the person protecting it that I would not reveal its location. My word means a lot to me, so its nothing more than that. I sincerely hope other crafters with similar respect for the area find their way there just like I did. It would make the world we live in a better place. Until then I will learn from it and share those lessons out more freely."

Uta snaps her fingers at Haru. "...those might be Lilith and Aperion." She turns to Haru. "Remember the first time we met? Cyrus and Mikage? Mikage got some odd Earrings? You tried to Appraise them, but it didn't work? I loremastered them. And the flavor text went 'Lilith's Earrings were given to Lilith by her lover, Apeiron himself. Over the years, it absorbed Lilith's love for Apeiron, and allowed her to reach across the vastness of the skies themselves to speak to him. Eeventually, it allowed her to ellude those who chased her. It carries the Oracle Aspect 'Far Sense'". '

"The Crystal Tower seems to be some sort of tower that once stood where the Aincrad Tower stands now," Uta explains, "I've already said something about it before. It's not clear what the exact relationship between the two towers is."

Uta armflails at Gwen again at the mention of shipping. "NO! Just... NO!"

Haru ahhs about Lilith and Aperion. He had forgotten that tidbit of knowledge. It comes back to him and he nods to Uta, "I remember now, thank you. It looks like I need to look into Aperion more as well. Powerful rings and earrings. Crowns from Helba. Floating orbs. I keep this up and I'll be crafting space lasers." Not literally. He thinks.

Gwen thinks for a moment about everything that's been said. She thinks for a moment "So recall that ring I recovered from the Palace Lands? Lets just say it had a few tthing you didn't expect it could do."

"Did you get it while we were still over there? Or did you get it off of one of the invaders?" Kaydon asks, as he considers. He's still a bit annoyed they haven't really been able to explore anywhere other than the very eastern parts of the Palace Lands. So many things to find over there being kept away by this stupid war.

"Respect for the given word is sacred, yes," Uta agrees with a nod. "You know me, I myself am all for freely sharing information. But there are some thing people confided expecting respect for their privacy, and their privacy will be respected."

"I... I don't remember a ring from the Palace Lands?", Uta says, scratching her head at Gwen. "So... you went to the Palace Lands, and found a ring. I went there, and found a volcano." A pause. "GWEN, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS ALL WRONG!"

The Moonlight Goldsmith also quirks at the mention of a ring, "Ring?" Haru looks to Gwen. "You found a ring?" It doesn't surprise him a whole lot. His entire Palace Lands experience consisted of a boat ride to Seeker's Landing to evacuate people. Very limited exposure.

Gwen nods "Yes I did... I can show you it. IT was once propery of my Peatron's family but they lost it long ago. She found where it was and had me recover it."