01: video

[tactical_lalafel]

[The camera cuts in on a close-up - a round face, piercing blue eyes with no clear pupils behind rimless glasses perched atop a snub nose, broad pointed ears sticking out chin-length black hair, fills the field of view, scrunched up in a look of the sort of concentration you'd expect from someone disarming a bomb.] What does that light- broadcasting? Oh, seven hells...

[The face scrambles back, revealing a person standing maybe three feet tall, dressed in a wizardly-looking sort of robe. They wave to the camera, smiling nervously.] Ah, hello! Sorry about that - devices like this aren't common where I come from, and the ones there are tend to be... hazardous, in one way or another. [If Allagan technology isn't malfunctioning from millenia without maintenance, it's functioning perfectly and trying to kill you.]

Anyhow! Malms Vovokosi, battle thaumaturge and adventurer, at your service. [He bows to the camera.] Now, since the Grand Company that brought us here has been so kind as to arrange employment already, I find I have a favor to ask. Does anyone play Illusion: The Gathering? I feel I should have some idea as to what the wares I'm to be selling are.

010 ★ Voice

[unbreaker]

Alright, my birthday's in a few days! This one's a big one, too—I'm gonna be eighteen! Which means I'm either throwing a party at my place or I'm pulling out all the stops and doing something huge someplace else!

[Sounds exciting, right? But hold onto your hats, there's a catch.]

Problem is...I don't got any ideas!

[There we go, that sounds about right. Josuke, you slacker, you're supposed to plan this shit ahead of time!]

This'll be the second birthday I've celebrated here, but...a lot's different from when I first arrived.

[The faces, it's the faces that are mostly different. A lot of people that Josuke knows have come and gone, and that makes this birthday one that will be largely different from the last. Which is kind of the reason he wants it to be special in the first place, something he can do while surrounded by all the friends he's made here, the family he's got left, and maybe even some new folks, too. The other part of course having everything to do with the fact he'll finally be a legal adult and that's pretty fucking awesome! Who doesn't wanna do something exciting for that?]

So I got to thinking, maybe while I'm asking around to see if people are even gonna be free, you guys could tell me a little about what you like to do for birthdays? And let me know if you wanna come along and all, too.

More the merrier!

Entry #004 | Video

[quaerit]

[ Here is Gansey, looking a little strange. He’s wearing a navy-blue sweater emblazoned with a raven – an Aglionby school sweater, over what appears to be ordinary clothes. His shoulders and hair are damp, like he’s been rained on, and he looks strangely pale. Despite that, he’s displaying a welcoming smile, and his hazel eyes are bright and vital with some emotion he’s holding back. ]

Apparently, I vanished yesterday.

I say apparently because it feels more like several weeks ago, but according to this – [ he holds up one of De Chima’s daily newspapers – a tabloid, headlined with speculation about the upcoming import elections ] – it’s only been a day.

A lot can happen in a day. Sometimes things that give you perspective.

Can I ask – the school year is almost over. Some of you will be graduating. I will. Which is odd, because I was here for eight months, and then I went home and it was Fall again, and Senior year was just beginning. I’m not completely sure what age I am now. I turned eighteen a couple of months ago.

[ Which, he actually never mentioned. It had seemed like there were more important things to be getting along with, and the thought of getting older in the wrong world had annoyed Gansey anyway. He’d kept quiet. Now, if he could do that over again, he thinks he’d celebrate it more – even though he’s only mentioning it now because it’s relevant to this. ]

Then I go home, and I’m seventeen again, so now I don’t even know what counts. Graduation will, though, I know that much.

So: to everyone else who’s graduating. Or even if you’re not, even if it’s just that you see change coming for you. What are your plans? Will you work, will you travel? What would you like to do, ideally? I think I’m ready for it to be summer again.

( Private )

video

[dendarii]

[ Today on the network, there are two Miles: one grinning his head off like a goddamn loon while the other glowers, clearly not happy (or particularly willing) to be in the frame. Not that this stops happy!Miles, oh no. If anything, the more his double glowers, the brighter his own smile becomes. ]

I have an announcement to make. You may have seen a few others here with this particular face - hello in advance, Dr. Gottlieb - but this is a special case. I am delighted to introduce my twin brother, Mark Pierre Vorkosigan.

[ His manic grin softens to something rather fond before he directs his gaze back to the camera. ]

Yes, he was Peter Kane previously. And yes, I had no idea he was my actual twin until a few weeks ago. We've since made up splendidly. I very much advise against trying to harm him in any capacity unless you want the rest of the family on your doorstep as well.

Any other questions? Speak now or forever hold your peace.

3rd Oration – Video

[dun_moch]

[Count Dooku stands straight and tall in front of the camera, wearing his customary tailored black clothing and long brown cape. The nighttime skyline of Maurtia Falls spreads out behind him, visible through a large window that frames him. Dooku smiles, and when he speaks his voice is quite distinctive: deep, cultured, and sonorous.]

Hello once more, my fellow imPorts. I am Count Dooku, and I am campaigning to represent you as Ambassador for Maurtia Falls. I address you today to ask for your support in the elections taking place on June 27th.

( tl:dr dooku is running as the reform candidate )

I encourage all imPorts, whatever their beliefs, to vote on June 27th. We are fortunate that we are able to exercise this freedom, and I ask you all to make the best choice by voting for Count Dooku.

[ooc: New players can learn more about the Ambassador elections here and here. If this is your first time tagging Dooku, you may want to drop by his permissions post!]

( video )

[drazhada]

[ hello, network. gray-skinned, pointy-eared person in the feed today, draped casually in enough opals and diamonds to probably be pretty alarming. with the addition of the elaborate clothing and hair, though, it's probably apparent that he's not just some joe schmoe where he comes from. honestly, maia's aching to remove all the heavy jewelry and unpin his hair, but it doesn't seem appropriate to appear on this network in that state of undress. certainly, no one here knows who he is, but.. what if someone else from his world does show up? the emperor of the elflands should represent his people well.. especially given the discomfort many still have with having a half-goblin on the throne.

he offers a small, cautious smile, and though his gray eyes are clearly a little nervous, they're just as clearly curious and determined. ]

Good day. We are-- [ a beat, then a small breath. ] We are Edrehasivar the Seventh, Emperor of the Elflands. We have been fortunate enough to have already met fellow imPorts that answered some of our questions, but.. we do not wish to put all the burden of our ignorance on those same people. [ he glances down, and papers shuffle. he lifts the pamphlet and folder he was given on arrival, opening the paper and tapping it with a lacquered nail. his ears flatten back slightly, earrings chiming with the motion. ] We did not.. have magical gifts before arriving here, and we must admit that we are.. concerned. [ he flips another page with the smallest of worried frowns. ] They seem.. invasive. [ though gods know they would have come in handy at home. one isn't supposed to lie to the emperor in the first place, but that doesn't mean that people don't do it. as evidenced by the two attempts on his life thus far.

he lifts his eyes again, politely inquiring. ] We would be glad to know your opinions on the best way to.. control one's new abilities? There were some options offered, but.. [ the small tilt of his mouth becomes wry. ] .. we might know better than many that the choices encouraged by a nation's government are not always the best. [ maia's pinch of salt about his council of corazhas isn't showing at all.

he flips the page once more, then sets it down on the desk and smooths it out. ] We would also be interested to speak to those who have chosen to register or remain unsettled. Our first loyalty is of course always to our empire and to our people, but we would like to better understand what vows this nation expects of those that register. We would also appreciate knowing what benefits or difficulties the unsettled have experienced.

[ he hesitates, ears drooping slightly before he forces them up again. ] .. We have many, many other questions, but we suppose this is a good place to begin. [ he hesitates, then offers another of those tiny, worried smiles. ] You have our thanks for any assistance you may provide.

(no subject)

[violentmotion]

[The video feed opens up with an almost dizzying view of the ground below. The buildings look like toy models and the people are barely specks. Sunset draws heavy shadows, oranges, reds and blacks splash in dramatic lines across the De Chima cityscape.

Among those dramatically backlit by the setting sun, a single man stands atop of the tower, balanced almost casually against the topmost lightning rod. The wind fans his black jacket out like wings behind him.]

Listen up, De Chima!

THIS IS MINAMI IKKI! Emperor of this universe and yours! And I'm...

[The commanding presence is somewhat broken by him fishing out a printed paper.]

Running for ambassador of De Chima. But I'm not stopping there! A vote for me is ALSO a vote for Heropa, Nonah and M-Falls! That's right! Four votes in one! A single lord and god to rule them all. With me we're doing parties WITH alcohol and hot babes, none of this Russian bullshit and of course, fucking awesome tricks.

I'VE ALSO BEEN INFORMED THAT WITH SOME CASH I CAN DO SOME SKYWRITING AND TAG SOME BILLBOARDS SO BRING IT RICH DUDES. You know you wanna see what I can do.

[And at that, the pre-recorded message cuts and Ikki awaits his accolades.]

[Video]

[sleight_of_hand]

[ Adachi is particularly fidgety when he pops up on the communicators today, rubbing at the back of his neck and absently swaying slightly. He's surprisingly sober, which is a switch from when he usually pops up on his own video posts, and it's a moment before he lets out a sigh. ]

So, um... say you realize that maybe, just maybe, the thing you wanted for pretty much your whole life is what's making you go back on certain things and...

[ He trailed off, letting out a disgruntled noise. Yeah, no, he wasn't making any sense. How was he supposed to describe how he realized he was drifting back to how he used to think, how he felt like he was entitled to everything he wanted and having to put up with the bullshit was beneath him. He didn't want that... he didn't want everything that happened back then to mean nothing. ]

Ah... I quit my job, 'cause I realized I wasn't happy. I've been trying to think of what to do since yesterday, but I'm not sure...

[ All he ever wanted to do was be a detective. What was he supposed to do now? ]