open 🍃 still I follow heartlines on your hand

[hearthwarming]

Who: Oriphi and anyone!
Which: Open log
Where: Around town and two (2) dreamscapes
What: Helping out with wimdy-related damages, and two traveling-themed dreamscapes. Do you want to D&D/Fantasy AU your character? Or meet Ori's friends? Here's your chance!

1 ✧ it fucken WIMDY

( A )
[ Destructive gusts of wind or no, Oriphi can usually be found helping out wherever she can around town - but this month especially so.

Some days she's around after a particularly strong bout of windiness, helping clear debris or patching up damage to buildings by using elemental magic to conjure and grow woody vines to reinforce structures. Sometimes, for a little extra flair, she makes flowers sprout all over the buildings. Though that seems like it might be pointless when the next gust will likely blow all the blooms away, it's worth it for any measure of joy it might bring to the those who dwell in the the previously-damaged home or shop or anything else. ]

Hmm... What do you think? [ This, she says to anyone who might be passing by as she finishes her work, or perhaps someone she's been helping repair this building with. ] Is it too much?

( B )
[ Other days, she's caught in the middle as the wind starts to pick up. Each time, she slams the end of her staff down, embedding it into the ground as vines come up to brace it into place. She does her best to plant her feet down and hold on, but— the livestock aren't so lucky. ]

Oh, no!

[ With one arm tightly wrapped around her staff, she reaches out with the other to send vines out in an attempt to prevent a sliding cow or sheep from going airborne. It seems to be working, but she might need additional help to hold on! ]

2 ✧ a hearth of moonlight and shadow ✧ interactive dream

[ It is well into the night, and a warm fire burns in the center of what looks like a campsite put up in the midst of the woods.

Spread out across the site are a few adventurers. A tall, lithe elven woman with copper-colored hair patrols the perimeter of the camp, embedding magical arrows into the ground in a seemingly logical pattern. In another corner, a white-haired elven man sits with an open spellbook and scrolls strewn about around him. Then, seated closer to the fire, there is (yet another) elven man with his hand gripped decisively around a bottle of wine, a tall, half-orc man sketching, a half-elven man with dark hair tuning a lute, and a masked figure. Save for the ambient sounds of jungle creatures coming alive in the night, the sound of various writing implements on parchment, and the tuning of a lute - the camp is silent.

Whose dream is this? Whose friends are these?

The answer is revealed when Oriphi emerges, seemingly out of nowhere. But the moment that she appears, it's as if the quiet vignette truly comes to life.

"Alright, this is boring. Anyone up for another team-building exercise?" declares the dark-haired elven man, setting his lute aside in resignation. Something about the dreamscape tells you that his name is Colin, and that he is a bard.

"Always," replies the bare-chested elf, Mellon, lifting his bottle of wine in agreement before he takes a hearty swig. Sian, the masked figure, simply shrugs and offers a noncommittal noise.

"Uuuuh, I'm really busy doing this drawing? It's coming out really well. Really cute, actually." And though Cibark's sketched drawing of a river scene is appealing, it's not what one would typically describe as "cute," and while his tone sounds serious, something says that he's being facetious.

Dae, the man with the glasses, slams his spellbook shut abruptly as he stands up with seemingly renewed purpose, startling Aerie and causing her to nearly snap an arrow in half. He pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose as the lenses catch the light of the fire, making them gleam in the dark.

"Mister Colin, what an excellent idea! The Alchemighty needs to have a strong foundation, so we've got to team-build as much as we can!"

One can practically hear the way that Colin rolls his eyes. "Aaand just like that, I suddenly don't want to." ]

I think it'll be fun!

[ Ori finally chimes in that moment, taking her seat beside the bard and shyly nudging him with her elbow and a smile on her face. The boredom on his face fades a bit, and he acquiesces, leaning back and folding his arms behind his head.

It's then that the adventurers turn their attention and gaze towards the dreamwalker present. ]

So, how about it? Two truths and a lie. You start!

3 ✧ there once was a ship that put to sea— ✧ interactive dream

[ This dream finds its inhabitants and visitors at sea, on the main deck of some kind of merchant or passenger ship. It seems to be a beautiful day out on the seas, the waters more or less mild and the skies clear and bright.

Only that the ship is actively under attack by a massive froghemoth. What is a froglike monstrosity doing out in the ocean? Can it even survive in saltwater? Don't worry about it - it's a dream. What matters is that in its many tentacles, it holds a few of Oriphi's adventuring friends.

And where is the tiefling, herself? Well, she's desperately clutching at the bulwark, looking absolutely miserable as she tries to keep her breakfast down.

See, she always gets so terribly seasick whenever they travel via ship, and she is in no condition to fight the froghemoth - at least, not without the aid of another, or at least a reminder that she's simply dreaming and could dream the seasickness away.

"Pull yourself together, Ori!" Aerie calls out from somewhere further away, nocking an arrow and letting it loose against the froghemoth. It zips through the air and finds purchase near one of the froghemoth's eyes - but it's the only one that hits before the ranger is promptly swept away by another tentacle. ]

I— I'm trying!

[ She manages to pull an arm away from the bulwark to take up her staff, summoning a bolt of fire and casting it at the monster - but she misses. ]

(( ooc: If you have any questions, especially about the dreamscape prompts, or want to plot out anything else, feel free to PM me or hit me up at camerata! ))

Comments

2

[disdelusioned]

[Diluc recognizes these adventurers, both in spirit and in appearance, long before Oriphi becomes visible in the dreamscape. He's heard many stories of them, both grand and inconsequential, and more recently Ori has shown him a picture of the group of them and pointed each out. Because these people are so dear to her, he listened with rapt attention and committed every detail to memory. To see those details brought to life like this is a touch surreal.

Stranger still is the feeling that he belongs with them, one of the group of adventurers sitting near the fire and resting at the end of a long day of travel. It feels as though it's been lifetimes since he's allowed himself this level of camaraderie outside of the confines of Songerein; he typically works alone, with only Lumine and (to a far lesser extent) Kaeya breaking through his guarded nature to assist him. By technicality, he supposes Aether counts as well. To be part of a team like this, and to feel like he truly is one of them despite knowing it's a dream and isn't quite real... it's a bittersweet feeling, to say the least.

He's clad in full armor - because he is a paladin, the dreamscape makes clear to him somehow - and tending to his falcon as the rest of the party goes about their business. And then, everyone is looking over at him expectantly as the team-building exercise begins.]

There are better and more interesting candidates to start than me, Ori.

[hearthwarming]

[ Somewhere in the background, Aerie is scolding Dae for having startled her while she was trying to set up her alarm arrows. He apologizes, of course - it’s the polite thing to do - and then suggests that the best way for them to smooth this little ”intra-party” conflict is the team-building exercise!

”It’s alright, Mister Diluc,” he says as he pulls Aerie over by the arm to have a seat with the rest of the party, “I’ll go first, to ease everybody into it. It’s only right that I do, as the Team Leader! So, here goes: I’m over a hundred years old, I’m an only child, and my favorite spell is Fireball!”

”Oh, definitely the only child one,” Cibark chimes in almost immediately, “You seem like you grew up in a big family.”

”Aha, Mister Cibark, you’re… Absolutely wrong! I’m ninety-two years old, and in the flower of my youth! But thank you for your effort!” the white-haired elf then turns his attention back to Diluc, giving him an enthusiastic thumbs-up with a hand. “See, Mister Diluc? Your two truths and a lie can be that simple - but I'm sure you're full of interesting anecdotes, too! Now, who’s next?” ]

I’ll go!

[ Ori stares thoughtfully into the bonfire as she formulates her three statements in her head. ]

I… can turn into an owlbear, I can play the lyre, and… I can write poetry!

[ Ori glances over at Diluc, a pleading look in her eyes. She wants him to answer. ]

[disdelusioned]

["That simple" is a lot easier said than done, at least for someone like him. Nothing he can think of is quite that lighthearted, at least not without significant effort on his part. But at least he's spared the indignity of having to go first--or even second, thanks to Ori chiming in.

Diluc meets her eye with a fond smile and a slight shrug.]

Well, seeing as I've been fortunate enough to witness both your lyre playing and your poetry, I have no choice to guess that you're unable to turn into an owlbear.

[Which he can only assume is an owl crossed with a bear. Terrifying thought.]

[hearthwarming]

[ "You're welcome, by the way," Colin chimes in almost immediately, bending slightly in an exaggerated bow and with a flourish of his hand. "Who do you think taught her how to play the lyre and about writing?"

A remark to which Oriphi blushes. Colin certainly means well with his words, as evidenced by the absolutely shit-eating grin he levels Diluc’s way. ]

I mean, I never said it was all me…

[ Dae, meanwhile, seems genuinely shocked, and he gives an audible gasp before he says, ”What?! Are you taking up the bardic arts, Miss Ori? That's amazing! I would love to read your poetry - or to listen to your music!” ]

That’s—! [ She clears her throat, her face reddening further. ] The poems are just for Diluc, so…

[ Which, predictably, causes a few quiet chuckles or expressions of surprise throughout the camp. Or, on Mellon's part, causes him to choke on the bottle of wine that he's nursing at present.

”Oh, so they’re love poems. Nice. I’m proud of you, Ori,” Cibark says, in a tone which makes it impossible to discern whether he means it earnestly or in a teasing way. Possibly both, in equal measure. Colin, in turn, shrugs a shoulder at Diluc, that grin on his face remaining unchanged.

”Like I said: you’re welcome.” ]

[disdelusioned]

[There's a vague sense in the back of Diluc's mind that there should be some amount of jealousy between him and Colin. He knows quite well how much he means to Ori, particularly waking world Ori, and it's impossible to imagine the two of them interacting without, at minimum, some deep awkwardness as they feel out the other's boundaries regarding their relationships with her and each other. It's not like with Thoma, where the three of them fell in love together all at the same time. Colin and Diluc are strangers to one another. Or at least, they should be.

Given that this is a dream, the thought vanishes before it can fully form. Instead of trying to chase it, Diluc sighs heavily with the same sort of chagrin he reserves for the likes of Venti or Kaeya when they start to wear that same kind of expression.

His cheeks and ears are noticeably pink, and he's looking everywhere but at Ori. Or Colin.]

If it makes you feel better to hear it: thank you for teaching her.

[hearthwarming]

[ In reality - that is, the waking world - there likely would be some amount of jealousy between Diluc and Colin. And yet it wouldn’t have manifested in anything more than a snide remark here and there. And perhaps, Colin would have left them well enough alone in that same self-deprecating way of believing that Ori would be better off - and happier - with Diluc and Thoma; it's that same line of thinking that Ori herself would have continued on if not for the way that the three of them blessedly fell in love all together and agreed to be all together.

But they are in Ori’s dream, at the moment, and not the waking world. Her earnest hope and wish that Diluc (and Thoma, for that matter) would get along with her treasured friends from home is likely shaping the way that the adventurers are interacting with him.

To that end: ”It does make me feel better, actually,” is Colin’s response as he leans back in his seat which, at the moment, is just a tree stump. ]

Okay, okay, enough of that. Everyone be nice to Diluc, please.

[ Which earns her a round of affirmative sounds from the party, albeit ranging wildly from ‘noncommittal’ (Sian) to ‘with great enthusiasm’ (Dae). ]

Do you want to go next, moonlight? Or someone else can go, too.

[disdelusioned]

[Somehow, this 'everyone be nice to Diluc' line feels familiar. In the context of the dream, at least, this isn't the first time that they've teased him about his relationship with Ori. It won't be the last.

(He remembers, in a dreamlike and uncertain sort of way, a previous "shovel talk" between himself and Cibark that Dae gleefully inserted himself into. Based on what he knows of each, that sounds about right.)]

I can go next.

[He takes time to consider, not wanting to drag the mood down with what comes first to his mind.]

I can play the violin, I come from a large family, and I've personally met the god of my land.

[hearthwarming]

[ Most everyone waits patiently as Diluc formulates his three statements, although Colin decides this moment of thoughtful silence would be the perfect time to take up his lute and start tuning it. Just to be a little annoying, For Reasons. He stops when Diluc speaks back up, at least.

And as he speaks, they listen with rapt attention, with Ori naturally being the most focused of them. She’s determined to get this right - because how horrible would it be if she didn’t - but his statements are… ]

Ummm…

[ He’s met with various looks of skepticism from all over the camp as they scrutinize his entire person for any tells or signs, mulling over the three bits of information in their head. Ori, meanwhile, tilts her head; she’s reasonably sure that the second one is the lie, as she’s only heard him talk at length about his late father and estranged brother, but having personally met his god…? What if that’s the lie, and he has a large extended family that she’s just never heard him talk about yet? ]

W—Wow, you made this a little difficult, darling…

[ ”I’m gonna guess the first one, just completely on a whim,” says Sian, completely flatly. They’re likely just trying to get the guesses going, although they go on, in as playful a tone as they can manage while still sounding dispassionate, ”Take your pick, Ori. It’s not like we’re all going to be judging you and your 'darling' if you get it wrong.”

And at that, Ori’s expression just pulls right into a pout. ]

I-I know you are! Just hold on… [ In the end, she’s got to go with what she’s most certain of. ] The second one is the lie…?

[ She doesn't sound the most confident in her answer, if only because— if she’s right, that means Diluc has literally, personally met the god of his land, and that's kind of a big deal?? ]

[disdelusioned]

[As Ori sits there and stews, Diluc realizes with no small amount of regret that she doesn't know the full story of Stormterror and how it introduced him to both Lumine and Venti--the latter of whom is actually the Anemo Archon, Barbatos. She's heard more of the tale from Venti than himself, and of course he'd leave the divine element out of it.]

I did. I'm sorry.

[He takes her hand and squeezes it affectionately as she comes to her answer. And he smiles as she guesses correctly.]

It is. Growing up, it was just Father, Kaeya, and myself. Hardly what I'd call a large family.

[And with that, he braces himself for the inevitable follow up questions.]

[hearthwarming]

[ Diluc reaching for her hand, as simple of a gesture as it is, does much to assuage her growing anxiety. And then when he smiles, she can't help but smile back, shoulders easing into a more relaxed position as he confirms that she was correct, after all.

What a relief. But also - he knows the god of his land personally. Granted—

"Him knowing his god isn't entirely unheard of," says Aerie as-a-matter-of-factly, almost as if she'd read and finished out loud what Ori had been thinking in her head (which she did, because this is a dream).

"Now, did you become a paladin because you know your god, or did you meet your god because you're a paladin? A holy man of sorts, even?" Colin muses out loud.

"It doesn't really matter," Cibark, himself a paladin, adds. "Because either way that's still pretty darn impressive. It's not unheard of, sure, but it's still rare. Good for you, my pal... Paladin. Pal-adin." ]

Diluc...?

[ Ori's focus shifts away from her friends and settles wholly on her love in the meantime. She squeezes his hand and looks into his eyes, her own filled with a yearning that she's felt more and more as of late, after Thoma's departure.

In response, the dreamscape shifts, too, and her friends seem to fade out of focus, their voices muffled as they continue to converse and as the woods around them seem to fade away entirely. The campsite remains, and so do the adventurers, but in place of the forest another scene begins to form, one that is but an approximation based entirely on Ori's imagination: It's called the Dawn Winery, and it's the largest vineyard in Mondstadt. It sits on a cliff overlooking a large lake, and in the background you can see Dragonspine--a large, snow-capped mountain--in the distance. ]

Will you tell me more about your family? And your god?

[disdelusioned]

[Just as Ori's attention becomes fixed on him, so too does Diluc's focus shift solely to her. Her friends are still there, he thinks, but they've all but faded into the background as she asks, earnestly, for him to open up to her.

Once upon a time, that would be have been enough to practically end the dream then and there. But now, he doesn't even hesitate.]

Of course, starlight.

[When he realizes what Ori is trying to do with the shift in the dream's landscape, he injects his own dreammotion energy to gently correct the details. Before long, they're sitting at one of the tables outside the winery.

It feels strange, to see an approximation of Mondstadt after all this time away from it. Yet it also feels appropriate to bring Ori here, introducing her to the homeland he loves so much like it's an expectant parent.]

Welcome to the Dawn Winery, pride of the Ragnvindr clan. Would you like for me to show you around?

[hearthwarming]

[ That he grants her this wish is a precious gift. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, there is a silent acknowledgment, an understanding that this is all a dream. But still, it is a wonderful and beautiful thing.

As Diluc helps the scenery along with his own dreamotion, her friends and the campsite fade away entirely, to be tucked away once more in the recesses of Ori's mind. And in their place are people she's never met, in a land that she doesn't know. Or never will. But here, Diluc shows her the homeland he loves so dearly, one that he's in essence given up to remain in a dream with her. It's incredible and awe-inspiring and her heart aches for him even as she's swept into no small amount of happiness that he's given her this.

She will never, ever take their life together for granted.

Ori finds herself dressed differently as she had just been when she was sitting at the campfire with her friends, but one look at Diluc as he offers to show her around makes her realize the similarities in their clothing... She is dressed like this because she wants to feel like she belongs, here, with him, although whether or not she's entirely aware of this in this moment is unclear. ]

I would love that, moonlight. And tell me everything. I want to know everything. Please?

[disdelusioned]

[Diluc does a bit of a double-take when he sees her in the new attire, taken by how beautiful the dress looks on her. Not just beautiful--perfect, as if she belongs here at his side here in Mondstadt.

There's a brief pain in his chest at the thought, and he completely ignores it in favor of linking his arm with hers and giving her a gentle smile.]

I can't promise everything, or we'll never wake up. But I'll tell you everything I can for now and the rest later.

[With that, he begins to lead her toward the house. Two young women dressed as maids stand near a hedge off to the side, frantically whispering to each other.]

Those are two of the maids, Hillie and Moco. No doubt they're gossiping about who you might be and what your relationship to me is.

[He sounds almost fond. Archons, he's missed this place more than he realizes.

After a pause, he opens the front door for her.]

After you.

[hearthwarming]

[ They walk arm-in-arm along the terrace, and although the landscape around them is a figment of their collective imaginations, it's no less beautiful and breathtaking. He may say that he cannot promise everything, but even this much is enough - is everything - to her.

She shies a little, her arm going tighter around his as Hillie and Moco catch sight of her and most assuredly begin to gossip, and although the sight of the two bewildered maids is innocuous in and of itself, there's a dark, twisted voice that only Ori hears, echoing: you don't belong here. But the fondness that Diluc holds for his home and the act of him sharing this with her is a lifeline, one that she'll hold desperately onto. And as they turn towards the front door, she catches the glow of a crystalfly slowly drifting upwards from where the grapevines grow, the sight of it filling her with a strange sense of safety and familiarity. ]

Oh...

[ At Diluc's prompting, she steps through the threshold and enters the manor— his home. ]

So this is your home...

[ (His real home.) ]

[disdelusioned]

[Diluc notices the way she tenses, ever so slightly, at the attention. That's to be expected, since all she doesn't know the pair like he does. They're gossips through and through, but they aren't malicious. Just nosy and immature.

As he closes the door behind then, he takes a moment to reassure her.]

I promise that they aren't judging you harshly. I imagine their reaction is something along the lines of 'finally, Master Diluc has brought a lady home.'

[He's the most eligible bachelor in Mondstadt, after all. Or was.

Another maid, this one older and carrying an air of authority about her, approaches the two of them. "Welcome home, Master. And who is this with you?"]

This is Oriphi, my beloved stars. I ask that you treat her like family while she's here.

[Her face lights up with recognition and no small amount of relief as she nods.]

Ori, this is Adelinde, my head maid. She's the backbone of the household; I'd be lost without her.

[Adelinde doesn't argue that. Instead, she smiles at Ori and gives a small, polite bow. "Welcome to the Dawn Winery, Miss Oriphi. Please let me know if there's anything that you need."]

[hearthwarming]

[ Ori watches as Adelinde approaches and greets them, unable to keep herself from openly staring at the older woman and at everything around them from the elegant chandelier to the paintings on the walls, the dressings on the windows—

But, oh, the way that Diluc introduces her is...

It is by no means the first time she has heard him call her his stars - far from it - but that he does so along with a request to treat her like family, to someone who is ostensibly an important part of Diluc's life in Teyvat has her heart full to bursting, warmth rising to her cheeks as she pulls her stunned gaze away from him and to the woman before her.

She offers a curtsy in return - the only formal greeting she really knows - and, despite herself, manages to voice a composed response. ]

I-It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Miss Adelinde.

[ This isn't her first time being in the presence of someone so esteemed, but still— she leans in towards Diluc and says, quietly, ]

I have mentioned that I'm usually a mouse when I'm in places like this, right?

[disdelusioned]

["The pleasure is mine," is Adelinde's automatic response, and it seems like she means it. Diluc, meanwhile, kisses her head softly in response to her quiet comment.]

You have. It isn't that fancy here, is it? [Yes, it is.] We can get introductions over with quickly and then head back outside, if that will make you feel more comfortable.

[He gives a small nod and wave to Adelinde as they cross the lobby to a desk tucked into a corner. A man not much older than Diluc - despite the white hair - is seated there and sorting through a stack of papers. When he notices Diluc and Ori approach, he stands to greet them.]

If Adelinde is the backbone of the household, then Elzer here is the backbone of the business. Elzer, this is Oriphi.

[Elzer looks between the two knowingly before he smiles and gives a small bow of his head. "It's a pleasure to meet you, honored guest. Welcome to the Dawn Winery."]

[hearthwarming]

[ Simple as the gesture is, his soft kiss still calms her, and she breathes in and out deeply in response. This is... A dream. It's not as though they're actually in his home, and not as though she's actually meeting the people in his life - just like he hadn't actually met her friends. But still, everything that happens here is meaningful to her... And it may be the closest she'll ever get to seeing his world for herself. ]

It's nice to meet you, Mister Elzer.

[ She offers another curtsy as Elzer bows. When she turns back towards Diluc, she smiles - a bit tentatively - and reaches out to lace her fingers with his. ]

I think... I'll be okay. I want to see everything you want to show me here. It really is so beautiful in here, though...

[disdelusioned]

[Diluc takes hold of her hand and gives it a light squeeze to reassure her.]

It is. Perhaps I've come to take it a bit for granted... [Since to him, it's just his home and base of operations.] Here, I'll show you upstairs.

[He turns and starts to lead her toward the staircase. However, an out-of-place looking vase catches his attention and he stops to look at it, his expression a touch wistful.]

Remind me to visit the well for this when we wake up, starlight.

[hearthwarming]

[ For Ori's part, it's the statue of the owl at the foot of the staircase that catches her eye. It's... Strangely adorable in its proportions, and yet somehow it feels so natural for it to be here, in Diluc's home, when she knows how much he likes (adores?) birds of prey. She can't help but smile warmly at the sight of it, at least until Diluc stops and asks her to remember something for him.

Many would agree that the vase looks out-of-place in this manor. Some may even call it hideous regardless of where it is. But to Oriphi, it's intricate and finely made and she finds it beautiful. Perhaps even more so when she sees the look that it brings to Diluc's face. ]

Okay. I promise I'll remember. Is it a special vase?

[disdelusioned]

It was a gift--

["And one I was certain you had thrown away," someone interjects casually.

Ori will almost certainly recognize the man who slinks over as Kaeya, Diluc's estranged brother who appeared in his broadcasted nightmare back in January. The air between two of them, however, is entirely different. There's still tension, still a sense that there's much left unsaid between them. But there's also a clear fondness, a bond that's damaged but unbroken.

Even so, Diluc rolls his eyes when Kaeya takes her hand and gives Ori a small bow.

"So you're one of the pair that finally got through to the great Master Diluc's heart. Excellent work, although I can hardly tell what it is you see in him."]

Shut up, Kaeya. [Is Diluc's irritated reply.]

[hearthwarming]

[ Hearing a new (but not entirely new) voice pulls her attention away from the vase, and when she turns and sees who the voice belongs to, she tenses. She, of course, remembers the man to be Diluc’s estranged brother. Perhaps as a consequence of this dreamscape, she can feel the presence of something hanging in the air between them. Tension, unmistakably, but… A lingering warmth beneath a bond that has frosted over, too. As soon as she realizes those feelings for what they are, she glances at her beloved, casting him a knowing, sympathetic look for the briefest of moments before Kaeya takes her hand and greets her.

In response, she gives another curtsy, and weathers his remark simply by not responding to it entirely. Instead she says, with a charming smile of her own, ]

Hello, Master Kaeya. I’m taking good care of him, so you don’t have to worry about any of that.

[ She can’t pretend to know everything about Diluc’s and Kaeya’s relationship, but if it’s anything at all like hers and Valphi’s, well… She hopes the sentiment is appreciated, even by this dream-version of the man. ]