DUNGEON - BELLMARE ENCLAVE (BELLMARE MOUNTAINS, PT 2)

[phantasmods]

The shadows are starting to grow very long as you crest his particular ridge - it's not night yet, but it will be soon. In the shadows of the afternoon, with a tall mountain already blocking the sun, lies a snow-covered valley that is different from the ones you've come across thus far in your investigation.

This valley is home to a town, and unlike all the settlements you've seen so far - Incendia, the Telovia mining town, and the manor - it's very much active. There are actual people in the streets, visible from above, going through their days on snow-free streets, bundled up against the cold.

Those of you who asked were told of the handful of people who didn't go into the slumber of stasis as the Fissure conditions of the world grew worse and worse, instead isolating themselves and trying to continue living their lives as they could. Now, it seems, you've found exactly such a group.

Welcome to the Bellmare Enclave, and enjoy your stay.

[[OOC: Welcome to part 2 of the dungeon! For the most part, interaction with the town's NPCs can be handwaved as described on the main information post. Worth noting are the following major things: The Bellmare Enclave isn't expecting visitors, though the people are generally friendly to the new arrivals. They don't know about the time dilation effect of their Fissure - to them, it's only been about eighteen years since the Slumber Plan was put in place and they withdrew from the world. And finally, by a similar token, they have no idea how far the Fissures outside of their own have grown - while it's not uncommon for them to find odd objects from time to time, they'll assume that the characters are just arrivals from other places within their own world, rather than outsiders, until told otherwise.]]

Comments

[hardbargain]

Illusion magic?

[Yes focus on that and not how interested he is in Regis with longer hair and braids. Mmmhmm. Magic sure is fascinating isn't it?]

[founderinglight]

Indeed. It's something that pops up in the line on rare occasions, but it's quite long lost by your era.

[The next time Nyx blinks, there's a subtle almost-flicker, and Izunia's hair is bright blue.]

I'm not capabale of much more than a few cosmetic things, myself.

[hardbargain]

[Oh hell no. Nyx is a little startled by the sudden color change but immediately he has to touch it, tugging off one of the gloves he's wearing to slide his fingers over the strands, watching the way the curls move under his fingers in an attempt to catch any inconsistencies.]

Okay but that is cool as hell.

[founderinglight]

[It sure does just appear to be hair! There doesn't seem to be a trick of the light or anything.

Izunia looks a little surprised at the sudden touch but doesn't seem to mind. He's seen your deepest secrets, it's whatever.]

I can do a few things more than that, but nothing too extensive. Ardyn's the expert, he can look like whoever he wants for a limited period.

[hardbargain]

[Wait if he's seen Nyx's deepest secrets does that mean he knows about this ridiculous crush he has on his King?

Okay okay, he's done petting you Izunia, you can have your head back.]

Dunno if blue's really your color... [There's a momentary hesitation there because the idea of the Chancellor being able to just pretend to be someone else is pretty horrific. We're just... going to pretend that's not a thing just yet.]

[founderinglight]

[Get out there and get it, Nyx.

Sometime when next the man blinks, the illusion is gone, the usual red hair returned to normal. You talk to Prompto about those disturbing implications sometime, buddy.]

I was always blue to Ardyn's red or orange, that's what one tends to do with identical twins to tell them apart.

[hardbargain]

[Must respect the crown.]

But you're not identical. Your eyes are different.

I suppose at a distance that doesn't help though. [No different colored collars is what you do to tell pups apart in litters that are going for sale. But he's not gonna mention that out loud.]

[founderinglight]

Well, yes, now they are. You don't think Ardyn's eyes are naturally that color, though, do you?

[Yellow isn't a human eye color.]

Both of our eye colors now are magical side effects. As children, we both had brown eyes.

[hardbargain]

It's not really that far off from His Majesty's.

[Not like he's been studying the exact shade of greenish gold of Regis' eyes or anything.]

Did that happen a lot back then? Magic changing your eye color?

[Tbf his eyes went from silvery blue to an almost purpley-pink with the magic raging through him.]

[founderinglight]

Hardly. At our age, we're both rather extreme circumstances.

[hardbargain]

I guess... it's kinda convenient now? It'd be weird to see you with-

Actually can you? Show me what color they used to be, I mean? [Is that gonna be weird or uncomfortable or something?]

[founderinglight]

I don't see why not.

[Another of those flickers and - wow, that's much more sedate coloring than even the normal Izunia, nevermind Ardyn, huh? His hair is a bit browner and straightened, too.]

[hardbargain]

[Oh. It's like suddenly seeing the world in sepia tones. What the heck.

And once again Nyx has to touch as though it's not real until he puts his fingers in it. It's one thing changing the color of his hair but changing the texture of it is-]

I think this counts as more than just illusion.

[Because his hair is suddenly straight and that's not just visual it's tactile as well.]

Your hair's a lot more like the Prince's this way, though.

[founderinglight]

[Izunia just kind of... leans into it, because lucis catlum. Nya. give him pets.]

Noctis looks an unsettling amount like us, honestly. Nearly the same facial structure.

[Another small flicker and - yeah the roughly 22 year old Izunia could place at a Noctis look alike contest.]

[hardbargain]

[You just ruined your pets because the flicker of change that turns him into his younger self startles Nyx a little, his hand falling free of Izunia's hair.]

Okay that's creepy. You look more like him than his father does like that. Stop.

[founderinglight]

[Izunia laughs, and the illusions vanish altogether.]

How do you think I felt? I suppose the Astrals really wanted a particular look for the Chosen King. Over a hundred generations and it circles around to the biggest differences being height and hair color.

[hardbargain]

[That's... actually really fucked up. Beyond the entire prophecy being fucked up but fucking with their genetics so their Chosen fits the image they decided on for him?]

That's kinda sick.

[Fucking astrals man. Why do you fools worship these assholes again?]

[founderinglight]

Why the hell do you think I founded a kingdom around death imagery, Nyx, there is not exactly an item on this list that isn't sick. Being a morbid bastard is how I dealt with it, at least as much as I managed to deal with any of it at all.

[hardbargain]

Kingdom of Light symbolized by skulls. Always thought that was a little incongruous. I mean it's all fucked up but that part just seems especially I dunno... petty?

Of all the things to be concerned with y'know?

[founderinglight]

It was a dirge for the Accursed from a man who was, at the time, genuinely mad with grief.

[He shrugs, awkwardly.]

It does things to you, waiting two thousand years for your brother to die.

[hardbargain]

[Do you want a hug Izunia? Hopefully the answer is yes because you're getting one.

Weak and awkwardly lopsided with him in the state he's in but there's an arm around his shoulders if nothing else.]

I can't imagine...

[founderinglight]

[The Founder King always wants hugs. Every time. He leans in with a sigh.]

It's not something anyone should have to. I can't put it right, but if I could have the chance to change it - for anyone, not just us...

[hardbargain]

[Well that's good because Galahdians have much looser standards about propriety and physical contact than Lucians.]

If wishes were feathers we'd have wings to fly.

[founderinglight]

Or fall, as the case may be.

[Not all birds fly. Just ask a chocobo.]

I know dwelling on it does little good, but that doesn't mean that I don't wish.

[hardbargain]

[That's not the saying though, Zuzu.]

Doing what you can to put it right is something to work on, living in the past just-

[He squeezes his eyes closed for a moment, shakes his head, trying to push Glauca's words out of his mind.]

It makes people bitter and resentful.