You have spent the last few days on Thesa Station, taking in the knowledge that your world is no more. Perhaps you've made some friends (or maybe an enemy or two). Either way, you aren't expected to spend all of your time on the Station. El Nysa needs you, after all, and you promised you'd help the planet thrive. Are you ready?
Submit an AC-eligible thread with a new character as a participant for 2 OLYMPIA REP POINTS OR 2 WYVER REP POINTS, respectively, HERE or HERE. THESA STATION
All refugees on the station are called to the hangar where a large-scale teleporter has been set up; everyone will be sent to the planet together. Simply step onto the space between the arrays and wait. Before they depart, all new refugees will be given a starter kit!
 You may have heard about earlier technical difficulties, but don't worry. I promise everything is in perfect working order this time. I'd say I tested it myself, but since that's not exactly possible, you'll just have to trust me! (Please.)
The older refugees will also be there to guide you to ensure no one is left confused... or behind. Make sure you wait for them — I've been detecting something odd so I'll be having them meet you at the landing site. Good luck, refugees! Not that you'll be needing it or anything...
The arrays begin to hum and glow, quickly building into a brilliant wash of light. It creates a column that travels all the way from Thesa Station to the surface of El Nysa. With the night sky as a canvas, the beam can be seen all the way from Olympia and Wyver — a view that has the natives whispering of blessings.
As a sudden but beautiful aurora splays across the sky, the refugees down on the planet receive a message asking them to travel to the landing site — and warning them to prepare for what may come of the strange readings Zasere's gotten from the teleport itself.
Traveling through the light leaves the impression of blinding starlight, a strange sense of weightlessness, and a disorienting moment of total sensory deprivation. The radiance of your teleport hangs bright in the sky above you, a shimmering aurora that reflects off the calm waters below, visible for miles all around.
You've landed on a peninsula to the east of the South Outpost. There's little here — scattered trees on spring-barren plains, with a few overgrown, dilapidated structures poking out of the brush. All is quiet save for the keening of animals and the gentle lapping of waves against the shore. This lonely desolation is hardly the bustling cities and vibrant cultures you were promised back on the station...
BY CAMPFIRE'S GLOW. But waiting for you is a group of your predecessors, and with them, a veritable tent city, with portable stoves, coolers of food and drink, comfortable bedrolls, and cheerful rings of bonfires — all that you need to make merry of the night, courtesy of Overseer Voss, who has, thanks to his interest in blessed meteorological phenomena and refugees, decided to make a holy expedition of the affair.
Settle in, meet new comrades, and enjoy yourself, for you've safely completed your journey. But don't wander too far from the fires — the dark is closing in, and there's a strange, electric feeling in the air, the scent of ozone drifting on the breeze. And what were those odd readings Zasere mentioned?
A SHEPHERD OVER THE FLOCK. The spring sun dawns on a grey morning, already burning away the fog rolling in off the sea. It quickly becomes apparent that Voss and his entourage of acolytes have been up for hours, hard at work. They've set up a brightly-draped stage and a travel pulpit, magically enchanted to amplify his voice, and as the sun breaks over the horizon, Voss is all set to do what he does best: proselytize.
 As our Goddess has sent Her blessing once before to herald the coming of those touched by Her light, so She has done once again! Here you see them, those surrounded by the light of our Goddess, each of them bearing the mark upon their skin of Her holiest of hands! Do you not see? Do none among you bear witness to the righteousness of Her message? Perhaps this is why our people have shamed themselves in front of our Goddess—
[ He continues for another 15 minutes... ]
Nevertheless. See you them before us now! See them as they are, coming to our gates with Her reminder, that these people must be treated with the utmost respect and care. Thesa's divinity is not to be treated with such flagrant disregard! Those who She chooses are not ours to use as mindless fodder, to hurt, to torture — shame upon those who allowed such deeds to shame us under Her watchful gaze!
To those of you who have just arrived here on our doorstep, be not afraid! The Temples of Thesa welcome you to our home with hearts and minds open! Should you ever find yourself in need of solace, seek out the Temples, as there are no greater allies to you than those of us within the Temple walls. You are welcome all to Olympia!
As he steps away from the enchanted podium, he can be heard saying aside to an acolyte, "How was that? Heavy on the shame, but I think it went well!" While he will not leave the area immediately, his acolytes will politely turn away attempts to speak with him and remind anyone interested that they can leave a message at the Temples.
Despite going off without hitch, the new refugees' arrival isn't entirely without incident. It seems that the "blessed" beam of light that brought the refugees down to El Nysa brought something else along with it — a sliver of the Storm. At least the beam was short enough that only a small fraction managed to squeeze through.
But it's enough to wreak a little havoc around the landing site and along the road back toward Olympia and Wyver — and even, for a few days, in the cities themselves.
THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE. The Storm is an undeniably destructive force, and that's proven with this small sliver's effect as it ripples across the continent. While there's no visible sign of its presence, strange phenomena soon begin to appear, corresponding with Zasere's odd readings.
They're innocuous little things at first. A sudden silence, animals going quiet, insects stilling. All technology, no matter how advanced, ceases working. You discover when you check with a friend, the clock on your phone is twelve minutes slow even though you'd swear only a minute had passed — time missing. Walking through the woods takes longer than it should when brushing past one bush leads to brushing past that same bush again — and again, and again, the area looping on itself. It keeps you trapped, going in circles for minutes, even hours, before finally releasing you in a random direction.
Or perhaps you'll feel a sense of deja vu, like you've walked down this road, taken this turn, seen that bird fly from this branch before. This is the second time that cat has crossed your path. The person you're meeting, you already know their name; you're certain you've already met.
WE GOT COWS. The Storm sliver also ushers in sudden, localized weather anomalies — heavy storms, blizzards, strong winds, and more. Affected areas range from just a few feet wide to nearly half a mile. One minute, the sky may be sunny and clear, but the next dark storm clouds roll in, unleashing torrential rain. Small tornadoes surge along the road, kicking up winds strong enough to knock people over and carry objects away. Hail hurtles down from the sky, but only in a ten foot radius. Temperatures fluctuate wildly between one extreme and the next, from heat waves to cold snaps. Soupy fog blankets the area, thick enough that you can barely see your hand in front of your face. Good luck finding your way!
FORGETTING IS SO LONG. The visions come on suddenly and with very little warning. One second, you're carrying on as normal — but the next, you blink and find yourself (and anyone near you) somewhere else completely. You may recognize this place as a moment from the past, one that you lived through. It's a memory, your memory, and it now replays around you in exceptional detail, unnervingly lifelike. Or you may not recognize it at all. It might belong to the person next to you, or to someone else entirely — a memory that the Storm has swallowed up.
Either way, the scene plays out just as it once did, and there's nothing you can do to stop it — or escape it. The memory surrounds you to no end: every door you open leads nowhere, every hallway you turn down continues on forever, every horizon you flee toward hangs just out of reach. And linger too long or turn the wrong corner, and you may find yourself abruptly stuck in a completely different memory. It's almost tempting, then, to give up, to let the past sweep you away...
But this isn't the full might of the Storm. Look closely, and you can see that in the walls of this trap, there are minute, hairline cracks, a facade of fractured glass. Imperfections in the memory where the real world is breaking through. It seems the only way to escape these memories is to find those cracks and break through them — by force, by will, or by some other method entirely.
The time is coming to make a choice — perhaps not a permanent choice, but unless you want to spend the rest of your nights out under the stars, you'll need to pick which city you will initially spend your time in. On the horizon, you will see that people have arrived to help you make that decision...
A FORK IN THE ROAD. Refugees and the hyper-religious wishing to hear Voss speak are not the only ones out and about under the light of the aurora. Citizens of both Olympia and Wyver have flocked to a point on the road midway between the cities and where the refugees have appeared, and they all have the same goal in mind: convincing the newcomers who have just descended in the blessed light of Thesa to come to their city and not the other.
They've come with bribes — that is, examples of what their cities have to offer. If you spent much time at the exhibition up on Thesa Station, you might recognize some of what's being shown off, though the offerings here are markedly more tangible, and shown off by hawkers wearing substantially fewer clothes.
A herd of pegasi accompanies the Olympians, while a line of flying serpents is stabled at a tent bearing Wyver colors. Refugees are given the chance to experience solo flights and are told that if they prove their loyalty, they may have the privilege of owning such fine beasts one day themselves. The Olympians have also brought couture clothing, jewelry, and makeup to offer a taste of Olympian splendor, while the Wyver delegation has brought along fine weapons, sense-enhancing jungle plants, and small vials of diluted dragon’s blood (drinking confers a temporary boost in strength) to demonstrate their might. The Olympians speak proudly of the glory of the Temples of Thesa; the Wyverns speak of the Volkkran Pact and inform newcomers that they can make a pilgrimage to the summit of Namarak Mountain at the next full moon.
This is as good a time as any to compare your plans with others around you and exchange contact information before going your separate ways with people who are going to the city you are not. When you’re ready to go, don’t worry about safe passage — the natives of each city will gladly escort you there in luxury.
OF WHITE AND GOLD. The people of Olympia are ecstatic that you’ve come to join them... So much so that they’ve prepared a grand tour of the city for the new arrivals. You will be introduced to the major businesses in the city, including businesses that they are proud to point out were founded by refugees.
Refugees who have been here for some time already are encouraged to pair up with newcomers to introduce them to the parts of the city they like best. To facilitate this, they’ve made arrangements with many of the business owners: new refugees who visit their shops (and older refugees who escort them) are given discounts!
Just a few examples of many: the Wyvernest offers free desserts to first time visitors with the purchase of a drink, refugees who visit the Silk Wyrms can have one custom (though not exceedingly expensive) outfit made for them for free, and visitors to Shades Darker are offered a half-hour session with one of the prostitutes at half price… or access to a private room, if they seem to have taken a shine to one of their companions on the tour.
Lastly, tour guides will point out that over the course of the next week, the train to Flona Cove will allow new refugees to board for free so that they can experience the seaside for themselves. With the weather finally starting to warm, this is as good a time as any for a visit to the beach, isn’t it?
OF RED AND BLACK. Life in Wyver is typically a sink-or-swim sort of experience — but in light of the valor recently displayed by their predecessors, the natives are now more willing to assist in getting newcomers settled. The entire journey here they have been talking up the virtues of their city… and now is the time to show everything that's on offer.
The well-known businesses in the city are prepared for the influx of newcomers. Some are giving out discounted samples of their products while others are offering a more hands-on experience: in exchange for working a few hours, they will give training in whatever task is being performed.
At the Forged, newcomers can learn the basics of crafting simple weapons (and take one of their successes home), while visitors to spas near the lagoons are trained in the art of massage. Those who wander to Falmi’s Ring can learn the art of pugilism or how to keep (and fix) books if they're more inclined to the gambling that goes on. Newcomers interested in Wyver's dragons can get hands-on experience at the Fields of the Exalted's nursery. While they walk from place to place, a guide may point out a job posting from Highwind Hires, noting that refugees can make a name for themselves outside official channels.
The last stop on the tour is the Undergrowth. The guides speak of the jungle in reverent tones and caution new refugees not to wander too far in. They warn never to explore alone, but also urge refugees to take time to familiarize themselves with it; after all, the jungle is an important part of life in Wyver, and those who are going to be living here should understand it as well as they do.
You've chosen your path, refugee, but that doesn't necessarily make it a permanent one. Watch out for the strange effects of the Storm, which linger still in the two cities and everywhere in between for the next few days before dissipating just as mysteriously as they came, but otherwise enjoy the welcome and make yourself at home — after all, this is home now.
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alphinaud leveilleur | final fantasy xiv
a;
[ The memory he, and the other person being dragged in, shows up in is one of he and his sister. They're young — they can't be any older than 10 — and they're sitting in bed together, with the lights dim. Alisaie has a book in her hands, but Alphinaud seems to be ... wrapped up under a blanket, his face barely peaking out of the opening. Huh.
But Alisaie continues her reading, and it soon becomes clear what it is, exactly, that she's reading — a ghost story. She looks rather proud of herself, as she reads on, her twin whimpering from under the blankets, until the story reaches a terrifying climax and the little Alphinaud shouts out for his sister to cut it out! He's done with this story, they need to read a happier one!
MEANWHILE, the current Alphinaud watches on for a few moments, endeared by it at first until he realizes what she's reading and why he's under the blankets in this flashback. OH GODS. He resists the urge to put his face in his hands in embarrassment, and instead tries to keep his composure, turning to the person with him. ]
I-I was merely a boy!
[ THAT'S ... A GOOD EXPLANATION, RIGHT. It's not like he's afraid of ghosts even now, or anything!! Haha!! ]
b; (closed to CR)
[ The next memory to occur happens a little bit later, once he's already finished and recovered from the embarrassment that was his first memory being shown to someone. But this one, however will take a great deal more recovery, after it's through with him. Once again, he's here with another.
But he feels his stomach drop the moment it begins — he recognizes the small, brick room in Ul'dah, and those men in blue coats — men who were meant to be loyal to him. It seems he hasn't noticed anything amiss yet, in the flashback, though the Alphinaud of now certainly knows what's coming. He watches on, his teeth gritting together and his hands balling into fists. Of all the memories for him to be seen, it had to be this one — one which he's tried so hard to move on from, to prove himself better than.
And after a small exchange of words with the seemingly military-like figures, there's a man coming up behind him, in that very same uniform, pulling his blade on the boy and placing it to the side of his neck. Ah ... the moment he'd learned of his own comrades' betrayal. He watches as the Alphinaud of the past puts his hands up in surrender, and a man begins reporting to another about how they've detained those with allegiance to the Scions.
But Alphinaud can't bear to watch this memory, his breath hitched in frustration and disappointment in himself, which he clearly has yet to let go of. While he's fully aware he's grown since this experience, that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt, not does it mean he feels he's fully fixed what was wrong with himself to lead to this in the first place. It's a soft spot, that's for sure. And he looks down and away, averting his gaze. He only wishes he didn't have to hear it.
He's almost forgotten someone else is here watching it with him. ]
a;
His curiosity over that fact stumbles a little over the pure silliness of the scene though. Oh, this is actually kind of embarrassing for this poor fellow, isn't it? Oh bother. Should he look away? Or will that make things more uncomfortable?
Still when addressed...]
I mean, it is hardly anything to be ashamed of. Children are often afraid of ridiculous things like ghosts. They don't understand scientific explanations for such things yet, so the stories loom large in their mind. It's only when such fears persist into adulthood that it can be a problem.
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A-Aye, I agree entirely. [ No he doesn't!! He's still afraid of ghosts!! ] Though why do you believe that might be a problem?
[ Just ... casually poking into that to figure out how he sees it. ]
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Because fear leaves you powerless in the face of such things. I have yet to encounter a true ghost, but they can't be different than any other supernatural creature. Being afraid of them gives them power.
[He mused as he looked on the scene, tapping his chin.]
Really, though what are they going to you anyways? Especially in the face of the Storm?
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... 'Tis true that ghosts are mere blades of grass to the might of the Storm. [ Hmmmnnn. And he watches on, as his child self continues to panic, as the story becomes more frightening and he begins to suggest happier books for them to read. ]
But something being more frightening cannot stop other things from being frightening as well. Surely there are still some here who fear spiders, for instance.
[ The mind doesn't work in a way that makes it easy to let go of those things. ]
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[He shook his head though at the scene and decided to change the subject slightly.]
Girls are cruel though, huh? Or is that just sisters?
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He sounds like an interesting fellow. [ Casually keeping that short so as to not give himself away. ]
Sisters can be the worst of it, aye. [ At least his sister has done more teasing than anyone else. ] Though I know some few from both sexes who hold a penchant for cruelty.
[ ... Really, he's just The Kid To Pick On ... ]
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a
[ Cain, at Alphinaud's side, is watching the scene with great interest. And no small amount of mirth. It's good-natured mirth, at least, his smile soft rather than mocking. Truthfully, the scene reminds him of his own past, curling up under the blankets with his older brother, clinging as he listened to Abel tell tales of ghosts and adventures and all manner of fantastical creatures from across the skies.
Though Cain had listened with quite a bit less whimpering...
Conciliatory, he pats the present-day Alphinaud's arm. There, there. ]
You endured your sister's teasing bravely.
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He's a bit flustered here. Especially since he was a "cute child". ]
I ... thank you for your compliments, but you needn't be kind just for the sake of it.
[ It's very clear he wasn't being brave!! ]
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[ Is this making it better...? Maybe not, but Cain, having had a big brother, is speaking from experience. There's no one else but an older sibling who knows quite how to terrorize so effectively. ]
You withstood her, who knows best how to strike your weakpoints. And besides, showing fear doesn't mean you weren't being brave.
[ He means what he says quite sincerely. After all, Alphinaud was just a child when this memory was taking place, and there's nothing, as far as Cain's concerned, to be ashamed of in it.
But that Alphinaud's so flustered at seeing it... Well, it is a little hard to resist teasing him now. ]
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[ Very important!! No "big" sister here! ]
Though I suppose your viewpoint has its merits. I have been withstanding her strikes for countless summers now.
[ Not countless, but a lot. ]
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[ Of course, how could he have said that one was older... Even if Alisaie herself seems to think she's the elder. He'll leave that to the two of them to figure out.
(Though Cain can tell, these are the protests of a younger brother.) ]
But you see, you've endured what no one else has had to face. And for that, you should be commended! I'm sure she's put you through many other harrowing trials, too.
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Gosh, though, he feels like he's being treated like a child, though maybe this man is just too friendly. ]
I cannot help but feel as though I am being treated as a child ...
[ They may be watching his tiny childish self be afraid of everything but his adult self is much more mature (and still afraid of the things). ]
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b;
[ Duo doesn't know how he's ended up here. Maybe it's his general proximity to Alphinaud - maybe it's what they've been through previous to this together, however much they've not really discussed that since. Betrayals are never easy - he's dealt with it in more minor ways, though Wufei siding along with Mariemaia in the Eve War had come fairly close to being the most major betrayal he's ever experienced.
The typically smirking or almost jovial pilot seems a bit more serious, now, watching the entire thing unfold with a critical eye, brows a bit furrowed, arms crossed over his chest. ]
Guys like that aren't worth wasting the energy, you know. [ It's said factually, for once not snarking of generally smart assed. ]
Then or now.
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He lets out a small exhale when he hears Duo speak to him, realizing he hadn't breathed for a few moments from the distraction and stress of this.
And he shakes his head, steeling himself to respond. ]
'Tis not about whether they are worth it. [ Maybe they were, maybe they weren't. There were some members of the Crystal Braves who were beyond worth it. There were some aspects that were. But ... ]
'Twas mine own ignorance which led to this.
[ His own ego. His blindness.
He wishes he could just ignore Duo, but having the scene right in front of them ... makes it difficult to avoid the subject. Like a trap. Ugh. ]
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Well, as my favorite nun used to tell me - unless you're everything and everywhere like the eyes of God you can't know it all.
[ He'd rolled his eyes about that comment every time Sister Helen had brought it up - a flippant child who hadn't quite understood the gravity of their situation and just how much he'd eventually come to miss phrases like this. Not because of what they said persay just... more so the people that used to say them. Thanks to all of this weirdness he's a little more reminded of it than usual and it's a good chunk of his more serious mood in the moment.
Still, he's curious and can't help himself, readjusting how his hat sits on his head before he asks. ]
What happened, anyway? Not the like.. nitty gritty details just.. enough so there's a little context, if you want to share it.
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He doesn't particularly like this conversation — not even a little — but it beats having this used to purposely torment him, like certain others have. Duo has a more ... serious air about him, which may make it easier to deal with this situation, but it doesn't make it completely easy.
Taking a deep breath, he glances up at the situation, before averting his gaze again. What a terrible thing to see — himself so vulnerable, so foolish, right there in front of him. ]
These people were my former allies. A company under my command. [ A pause. ] I believe the rest speaks for itself.
[ Their betrayal should be clear. And his hurt at their betrayal should be, as well. People who he commanded — he worked with and trusted — all conspiring against him and everyone else, right beneath his nose. His ignorance cost people their lives. ]
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So the worst kind of foot soldier, mn? [ Meaning the kind that turned coat and tried to take it over. It's a common thing, so far as he could tell with White Fang and Rockefeller and the others he's dealt with - young upstarts that think they know it all, know better than either the old dogs at the top or those who had known better how to navigate politics. All of them had their merits in their own ways, but mostly in making an organization as a whole weaker.
At least with how Duo perceives the whole thing. He'd sooner pull his own teeth than align with any kind of military.
Duo shakes his head as if throwing off a thought and then asks: ]
What ended up happening to them?
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Though at that last question, he just takes a moment to breathe, as everything that happened with them comes rushing back. The kidnapping, the battles, and the ultimate demise. There are a few who are still loyal to Alphinaud, and though he doesn't believe he deserves it, he appreciates it from the bottom of his heart. But those weren't a part of this ... broken off group, and thus he doesn't believe they're part of the question.
He answers somewhat quietly. ]
Some have met their end. [ A pause. ] Others, I cannot be sure.
[ He hasn't seen many of them since this happened, though he knows for sure some have since died. ]
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a
Nyeheh, just a boy, huh? That's good, it wouldn't be good if you were still scared of little ghosties.
[She probably wouldn't have commented if he kept quiet, but she can't help but poke at him if he's so eager to show off a sensitive spot.]
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O-Of course! 'Tis only natural that I grew out of it!
[ HE DIDN'T. ]
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[Shura rarely talks about the things she can see or her previous line of work, but she can make an exception for this.]
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Th-There are?
[ MANY GHOSTS? He hasn't seen any ghosts ... what does she mean there's many of them?!! Is it clear that his maturity is faltering here ...... ]
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Mmhm! Ever gotten chills while walkin' around? You prolly walked through one of 'em!
[This is too easy.]
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C-Come to think of it, I believe I have experienced that!
[ Yeah, this is definitely too easy. You got him. (Alphinaud, that was probably just a gust of wind.) ]
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