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The City of
The City of One Thousand Stars
Once upon a time, perhaps long ago, perhaps in the distant future, perhaps now, perhaps stretching between all of those, perhaps in a time that is beyond anyone's imagining, there was a city.
A city with tall majestic buildings made of glass, and tiny dull ones made of wood, and several imposing ones made of stone. A city built where the waters of the Blue Sea and the Winding River meet, a city just warm enough to have winters where, unless things are more extraordinary than usual, it doesn't snow.
But, despite the location and the timing and the climate and the architecture, the City of One Thousand Stars was most special because of its inhabitants. Each of them, young or old, big or small, farmer or writer, trader or leader, just-moved-in or fifth-generation resident, from the time they set foot in the City with an intent to stay, had a special ability. A power, a knack, a savvy, a gift, their own special sort of magic. What in olden times was to be called a star, which lead to the city's name. For instance, one of the inhabitants had never needed to breathe. Another could be invisible whenever they chose. And yet another had the power to tell when fruit was ready to be picked.
In this City, everyone was different, but everyone was kind to one another, because the only thing they had in common was being different from each other. Mostly, that is. Sometimes there were cases of people doing things that were untoward, or rude, or even occasionally illegal.
But most of the time, in the City of One Thousand Stars, everyone helped, everyone listened, and everyone cared.
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This is an RP (my first one, so I'm excited), and there are a couple of things I'd like to clarify, because the introduction doesn't explain too much other than what the city's like:
1. Your character can be any age. Children and teens ages 5-17, however, will attend the City School unless you'd like them to be homeschooled. The City School is an institution spread out around the City, with different buildings for different subjects in different areas. It is connected by the City's underground train system (students will ride trains between classes).
2. Characters' powers will only be one ability, like telekinesis or flying or baking pies, as opposed to, for instance, telekinesis, healing, and telepathy.
3. I don't really know what the plot will be like, but it can be relaxed, or mystery-related, or (if we have a lot of school-aged characters) centered around the City School, or something else. Not all characters have to meet each other (the City is fairly large), but they can.
4. You can have up to 5 characters, although you don't need that many.
5. Here is the form:
Name:
Age:
Gender/pronouns:
Personality:
Appearance:
Power/Ability (magical):
Strengths (non-magical, also optional):
Weaknesses (optional):
House, house's location, and/or housemates:
Shipping:
Other:
submitted by Seadragon, The City of 1000 Stars
(September 29, 2023 - 5:18 pm)
(September 29, 2023 - 5:18 pm)
-out of character-
hi everyone! Sorry, Ik this throws off a lot of mystery and stuff, and idk if any of you (especially seadragon) have any plots already going, but what if we did something along the lines of the Zeithran Star is basically this all-powerful star (which kinda seems to be where we're going anyway?) and Mr. E knows something about it which is why he's on the run and who's the Seeker and basically we're all trying to find out what happened to the Zeithran Star and I don't think the Seeker knows either (hence the name Seeker) and the ghost (that Cass saw) knew something about it and so was killed or something??? Please feel free to disregard/add onto/change anything I'm saying, just want to clear some things up/connect all the jumbled plot threads. Thanks! :)
(November 26, 2023 - 8:34 pm)
This sounds like a good idea. I think that Mr, E is trying to find out who has the Star and perhaps get them to be controlled, but the teacher Mr. Grebnesor, who is actually Casey Rosenberg, has the star and doesn’t want to be controlled. Mr E got pretty close because he found the name Casey Rosenberg, however he did, before he was very nearly abducted by Mr Grebnesor. That was why he was running. (Those are the hidden threads of the plot I’ve been keeping in my brain, but I think they will do better out in the world.)
(November 26, 2023 - 9:34 pm)
yess that's a great idea! (I had no idea where I was going with the Zeithran Star...) So the Zeithran Star is an actual star, then? Maybe it grants temporary extra abilities, since everyone in the City is only allowed to have one! Idk
(November 26, 2023 - 11:30 pm)
That sounds great!
(November 27, 2023 - 7:18 pm)
--Morrigan--
I can't stop thinking about the science teacher. So, on Saturday, I go to the City School.
It's been a while since I was last there. Things have changed. I'm pretty sure that they removed and replaced the train station nearest my apartment, and also maybe the science building is new?
Anyway, I go to the Science Building Head's office, which still belongs to a very fastidious-but-not-nitpicky person named Mx. Alberts.
"Who are you?" asks Mx. Alberts after I knock on the door.
"My name is Morrigan Ensley and I would like to visit and ask something about staff changes. Is that OK?" It is; they have a 9:45 appointment but that leaves them with five minutes.
"Yes," says Mx. Alberts, welcoming me in. "You're lucky I have a meeting soon, otherwise I'd not be here."
"Why has a teacher named Mr. Erlenmeyer left?" I ask. "Sorry to be blunt," I add quickly. Mx. Alberts doesn't know much except that Mr. Erlenmeyer was evicted and can't teach until he finds someplace to live.
"Mr. Erlenmeyer was, sadly, evicted," says Mx. Alberts. "From his house."
Something isn't quite right about that. I remember reading a book called City Laws You Should Know. One of them, called Housing Act 663 A, stated that nobody should be removed from their house based on lack of money.
"Doesn't Housing Act 663 A state that nobody should be removed from their house based on lack of money?" I ask. Mx. Alberts was told that Mr. E was evicted.
"I only know what I was told," says Mx. Alberts. "And if you'll excuse me, I need to prepare for a meeting."
"Of course," I say. "Thank you." I get up and leave.
My next step would be to find Mr. Erlenmeyer, but that would be too difficult, so instead I take Greta up to the roof and watch her while she wanders around.
(November 29, 2023 - 7:08 pm)
(November 30, 2023 - 6:57 pm)
~Dorrie~
Kaitlyn mostly insists we do tourist stuff. I am bored by it, so I ask to spend the day with Morrigan.
"Sure, honey," says my mom, who has been frazzled by Kaitlyn's relentless energy-then-crash method of living. (Example: At the train museum yesterday, Kaitlyn looked at every. Single. Thing, and then, on the top floor, ended up lying down on a bench, complaining about being bored.)
"I'd honestly like to as well, Mom," says Orin. "Tend my plants, stuff."
"Okay," says my dad.
"I'm so excited to go canoeing in the river, Uncle Oliver!" says Kaitlyn. Knowing her, she'll probably paddle too fast on the outgoing journey and slump over the paddle on the return. "You too, Aunt Elenia. It'll be fun!"
"Good," I mutter, and then they leave, Orin goes outside to his plants and I go upstairs to Morrigan's apartment. She's sitting at a desk with her typewriter and a turtle.
"Is it okay if you watch us?" I ask her. "We have an energetic-then-slumpy cousin in town."
"Of course," she says. "Let me put Greta back in her habitat and wash my hands." She puts the turtle back into a glass tank, washes her hands, and then takes the typewriter. She follows me down all the stairs to our apartment. Orin is already watering and pruning and etcetera-ing his plants, and so Morrigan sits at the kitchen table.
"Have you seen your science teacher?" she asks me.
"Not really," I say. "Not since when we went to Kaitlyn's hotel."
"Say what?"
"He was in there and my mom cornered him and talked to him. He said he was, quote, forcibly put out of his house."
"Huh," says Morrigan. "I went to Mx. Alberts a while ago and they said that Mr. E was evicted, but there's a law that that can't happen to anyone in the city."
"So Mr. E was lying," I say.
"Yes, it appears he was," she says.
(December 2, 2023 - 9:36 pm)
_Ky_
The Zeithran Star has been taking up most of my thoughts while I'm working at the cafe. So much so that I nearly messed up a customer's order! (Luckily, my co-worker caught me just in time.) Anyways, I've looked through all the books that I got from the bookstore. Didn't really find all that much, honestly. Mostly fairy tales about how the Zeithran Star was magical and such. No clue about where to find it, or if it even can be found.
As I walk back to Beachside, I overhear a conversation by Violet and Celeste, eagerly chatting away. I can't help but eavesdrop a little, which I'm sure they won't mind.
"So you're telling me that you chose what topic for your ELA essay?" Celeste asks.
"The Zeithran Star!" Violet exclaims. "It's a super interesting topic, and I can help Ky with his... Zeithran Star search thing. Oh, hi, Ky." She glances up at me.
I nod, a bit embarrassed that they caught me eavesdropping. "Good afternoon, Celeste, Violet."
"You can call me Vi you know," Violet says. "Though I wouldn't call Celeste Cele, unless you're me, in which I can call her whatever I want!"
"No she can't," Celeste says firmly, looking at me. She then pauses for a moment before saying, "You probably heard that about her Zeithran Star essay. That way, she can help you research. Why is it that you want to learn about it anyways?"
I shrug, then pull out the letter I got from the Seeker. I show it to them, who look at it eagerly.
"Wow, that's so interesting," Violet says finally. "No wonder. I would go look for it too!"
On the other hand, Celeste says, "Sure sounds dangerous. I wouldn't trust the Seeker, or whatever their name is."
"Either way, just give me an update on if anything odd or interesting happens around here," I say.
"Oh, speaking of which," Celeste says. "Mr. Erlenmeyer was evicted from his house."
"Who?"
"Her science teacher," Violet explains. "And mine. Though honestly, I didn't really look into it. I'm not interested in that kind of...mystery."
Celeste shrugs. "I'm not really interested either, just wanted to say, since you asked for anything interesting."
I nod and give her a thumbs-up. "Yeah. Keep me posted on those."
(December 3, 2023 - 6:38 pm)
--Morrigan--
Me and Dorrie make a long list of what we know about Mr. Erlenmeyer, and then a list of questions. Then Dorrie's mom, dad, and cousin get back and I go back to my apartment and feed Greta.
(December 6, 2023 - 7:14 pm)
(on the 6th I was tired and didn't have much time but was also trying not to abandon the thread)
--Morrigan--
Then I go to visit my parents.
"Hello, Morrie," says my mom, who comes up with the worst nicknames for me (granted, Morrigan isn't the most nicknamable name, but oh well). "How has your week been?"
"Good," I say. "Have either of you ever heard of the Zeithran Star?"
"It's in folklore," says my dad, "and this band, I don't remember it, had a song about it?"
"I remember the song," says my mom. "I remember, Morrigan, it was stuck in your head for ages which was weird because you never really listened to music."
"Okay," I say. "Tell me about the folklore."
"Well," he says, "it allegedly grants people extra abilities if they deserve them. For instance, once it gave a firefighter the ability to shoot water from his hands during a terrible fire. He survived, but he only had the ability for 24 hours."
"Huh," I say.
"That's really it," says my dad. "Have you heard of the writer Kayla Tierney?"
"I have," I say. "I work in a bookstore." And, plus, Kayla Tierney is a very famous author.
"When she was publishing her first book, she was rejected 99 times, and on time number 100, the Zeithran Star intervened and she could persuade people to do anything. Just for 24 hours, again, but 24 hours that counted."
"That's interesting," I say. Then me and my parents chat for a long time and eventually I go home, but I eat dinner at their house and the City is dark when I arrive at my apartment.
(December 8, 2023 - 6:02 pm)
-Celeste-
"Thank the stars," I breathe. "It's finally a weekend, a weekend of no school. I desperately need a break from...basically everything!"
"Everything? Even me?" Violet asks, faking a hurt look.
I nod seriously. "Everything."
Violet smiles and says, "Too bad. There's no option from that. But as I was saying, the Zeithran Star! I've researched about it, and discovered some crazy news!"
"Crazy news," I repeat unenthusiastically.
"The folklore, I mean. It's actually fascinating," Violet continues. Her eyes are sparkling with eagerness as she says, "According to the old souls of the City, the Zeithran Star...it could grant magical abilities! Just temporarily, but still! Someone could get an extra ability for 24 hours!"
"Imagine that power," I say. I use my own ability quickly to lower the temperature inside. "That's cool."
"The question is, though," she says, looking puzzled. "What exactly happened to it?"
"Happened to it? Oh, it disappeared," I say, answering my own question. "Have any possibilities based on research and such?"
"Research," Violet sighs. "That has gotten me nowhere. No sites have any sort of information on that. It's as if someone wiped it all out!"
"No results? Seriously?"
"Nope. Zip. Nada," she answers. "And anyways, how does one steal a star? A blazing ball of hot plasma?"
"There's probably some way," I muse. "Maybe through a magical ability?"
"Of what? The ability to store anything into jars?"
I glance up at her, and ask, "You must really be worried about this."
Violet sighs, takes a deep breath, and says, "I am. It's just so...mysterious."
"How about this," I say. "We should take a walk by the Blue Sea to clear our minds, and then come back to this thought once we're refreshed."
Violet nods. "Good idea."
(December 11, 2023 - 7:16 pm)
~Dorrie~
On Monday, school is normal and a tad boring, until physical science.
There, Mr. Grebnesor asks,
"Has anyone heard of the Zeithran Star?"
Everyone shakes their head.
"Okay," he says. "Just checking." Then he shows us this very boring experiment and I end up thinking that science is cool. I erase it from my head.
But what I can't erase is the Zeithran Star. What in the world is it? At the end of the day, I go to the bookshop.
Morrigan is there, as usual, and so is one of the regular patrons, Ky.
"Hi," says Morrigan.
"Hi," I say.
"Have you ever heard of the Zeithran Star?" I ask her.
"I have," she says. "Why?"
"My science teacher mentioned it," I say.
"The sub?"
"Yes."
"I know it appears a bit in folklore, and a bit in a song, but I don't know much." I can tell by the way she looks over at Ky that she's going to introduce us. "Dorrie, this is Ky Luneswift. Ky, this is Dorrie Delaney, a very nice young child and my neighbor." Ky extends his hand and I know he wants a handshake. I take my hand and shake it, which feels awkward.
"Nice to meet you," he says.
"I got this anonymous--well, signed The Seeker, whoever that is--letter about the Zeithran Star a while ago," he says. "Do you know much about it?"
"Not really," I say. "My science teacher--substitute science teacher--asked if any of us had heard of it, and we said no. But there's something sort of weird about him." I tell Ky all about how spurious Mr. Grebnesor is, and at the end he nods and says,
"If I learn anything about him, I'll leave a note with Morrigan for you, and if you learn anything, will you do the same for me?"
"I will," I say.
(December 11, 2023 - 9:29 pm)
I haven't been feeling very well, which is why I haven't posted much and don't have much energy to write, but hopefully soon I'll be better.
(December 16, 2023 - 3:24 pm)
Also just popping in to say, sorry I haven't been posting, I'm still interested!
(December 16, 2023 - 3:30 pm)
It's okay. I hope you feel better soon! I'll be working on my part meanwhile.
(December 16, 2023 - 6:03 pm)