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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gucci
Gucci... Is that the name of this island? [ A bit warily, Cain lifts another shirt from one of the racks. This one has even more holes. Hastily, he puts it back. ] You don't think we need to, ah... assemble outfits to escape, do we?
[ He doesn't have to dress like that as part of their escape plan, surely?! ]
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This store. [ He's a little astounded that there are people who don't know Gucci, but he does acknowledge the fact that people come from different worlds. ]
Like a dress-up game, you mean? [ He ponders that suggestion for a second. ] Pft. That's a stupid idea, but it also sounds like it could be fun. Are you going to go first?
[ does he actually want to do this, or is he just fucking with cain ... who knows ]
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Er. Perhaps you should begin and show me how it's done? [ All around him are familiar faces, worn out places... It's a mad world in Gucci... And so many avant garde pieces of fashion that he just doesn't know where to begin. Help him, Rohan wan Kenobi. You're his only hope! ] Since I didn't realize it was the store, after all.
[ Surely this can't really be something he's expected to try on... ]
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[ Also, he's bored and likes fashion? Now he's looking at the mannequin, that's wearing this disaster. ] Ohh, I think I bought this once too. It's too bad I won't get to take anything home.
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[ Suddenly, even larger regrets about agreeing to this dress up game... Cain would have been better off dressing himself, even if he had to sew five different outfits in here together!
He sighs though. If that's what it takes to find these cracks... ]
Nevermind. I'll trust in your... vision... Let's get started, then.
[ He shoves his way into a rack of clothing, desperately hoping that he can find a shirt, just one shirt, that's normal and actually covers everything that a shirt is supposed to cover.
Look, just because try as he might, he's not ripped and doesn't have a six pack of abs to show off...! ]
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Smart of you -- ah, what's even your name? [ Oh well. Who cares. ] If more people did what I said we would have less problems.
[ Says the guy who has accidentally killed people to satisfy his own curiosity ... Oops. Anyway, he can sense that uncertainty in Cain's voice too, so he does try to alleviate it. ] And relax, I really am keeping an eye out. If the ticket to getting out is here, I'll find it.
Now -- [ He steps out in this ... yyyyeah. ] Hm. Not bad.
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It's very fashionable! [ That's the word you use when you don't have anything nice to say about it; Cain's learned that much from having an older sister-in-law. ] I can't just depend on you, though. It wouldn't be fair to make you do all the work.
[ Especially since this man seems more interested in trying on clothes than on finding a way out... ]
As for my name, I'm Cain, of the kingdom of Idelva. How about you?
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[ Sadly, most people he's met don't seem to. Rohan thinks they all live in pretty deprived worlds, tbh, with no weeb shit to look at. Anyway, Rohan actually is looking for the ticket out. Being stuck in this memory, even a reasonably pleasant memory, would get boring and old pretty quickly. He's heard that the ticket out is to find something that doesn't quite belong... ]
The kingdom of Idelva? I've never heard of it. But your clothes look like they could come from a fantasy manga. [ So he has a vague idea about how Idelva may look like, if his clothes are from home. ]
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[ Cain says it a little dryly, glancing down at his clothes. They don't look that out of place in Olympia either, do they? Maybe he could stand to blend in a bit more, as he does when he goes out on jobs, but... he likes his jacket. And he hasn't given up on the idea of Idelva existing again. ]
I do know what a manga artist is, though. One of the members of the crew I'd recently joined is a member of that profession. She's amazing; one of the most hardworking people I've ever met, I have the greatest respect for those pursuing the noble task of capturing the images of their imaginations!
[ Cain is... entirely serious about this. Congrats, Rohan. ]
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A good manga artist doesn't capture just imagination, but reality! The reality of the world around them! Putting all that down on paper and seeing other people read it ... is what drives me forward in life.
[ And he sounds so passionate about it, it might be overbearing. ] But you look like someone I could be on the same wavelength as. [ He pretty much looks down on anyone who doesn't respect manga, because he's the kind of nerd who condescends over non-nerds. ] Do you like to read manga yourself?
[ why does gbf have manga tho ... ]
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Actually... [ Sorry buddy... ] I've yet to have a chance to read it myself.
[ Yep. Cain is a nerd. But not this particular kind of nerd. ]
I only recently joined the crew, and while we had illustrated manuscripts where I grew up, nothing quite so elaborate as the manga that Miss Lunalu showed me. I didn't have a chance for more than a glimpse before we had to leave on a mission.
[ Yep. Them's the breaks. ]
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[ It will change Cain's life. Or something. I hate threading about this and I hate Rohan.
Anyway, it's been fun but now he's getting bored. He'll have more interesting things to look at once he's out of this memory and back in El Nysa. ] Have you seen anything out of place yet?
[ Rohan moves toward one particular garment and takes hold of it, peering at it for a second before moving to shift it away so he can look at the next garment. Only, one of the vine-like decorations lining the collar appears to move, coiling around his little finger. Upon closer inspection, these vines aren't quite a part of the garment - he almost missed it, given how out there avant garde fashion tended to be. He tugs are the vine that has his finger entrapped, but it won't let him go. ] Huh? What is this --
[ It's the vine of a vena amoris. Of course, being new to town, Rohan doesn't know that. ]
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[ A dry observation, but Cain's a bit relieved, truth be told. It means he doesn't have to try things on, doesn't it? He moves in closer for a look; the vine blends into the the cloth too well, and Cain gets in reach before he recognizes it. ]
Unless it's some sort of living clothing design— Ah! Wait, put that down!
[ It's too late, of course, the vine's already got Rohan. ]
But that shouldn't be here at all. [ A troubled observation as Cain approaches quite a bit more carefully now. ] It's called vena amoris. It's native to El Nysa.
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It's wrapping around me very quickly. Is this some sort of carnivorous species? [ Maybe it entraps its prey. Still, he's not too worried. With his other hand he picks at one of the leaves, only for that vine to extend its reach further, whipping around his other wrist and binding them together. ] Huh?!?
[ Okay, maybe he's in a bit of pinch. ]
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I hope so. It shouldn't be here, at least... You really should stop moving, though, before it envelopes you any further.
[ Cain's skirting Rohan carefully, trying to see where the vine's coming from. It looks like... a crack? Faintly glowing, the vine poking through it. Yes, that definitely looks like the way out.
Once Rohan's released from the plant.
There's no way out of this. ]
Well... hold still, and I'll get you out. It'll just take a quick kiss and you'll be fine.
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[ What? ]
[ Okay, he can understand people wanting to kiss him, since he used to be a famous manga artist and would get random proposals from zealous fans, but this kind of comes out of nowhere. ] Is this a prank? Are you pranking me? Or are you just trying to take advantage of my position?
[ He knows he's handsome and can understand ... the desire to kiss him??? i guess??? hate this so much ]
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[ Cain waves all of those away like smoke from his face. He even laughs, his cheer restored by Rohan's indignation. Yep, this is way better than having to deal with those weird clothes that're missing half the pieces. ]
It's the plant. It won't let go of you without a kiss.
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But this whole situation is way more than he's prepared to deal with. While the plant continues to bind him up, his gaze falls on Cain, suspicious. ] How can I believe that that's true --
[ Sounds absurd! And he's prepared to believe a lot of things. ]
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[ Proud of himself for figuring it out. Please tell him he's very smort. Rohan is still really unsure about actually kissing someone, though. But if it's what it takes, he's not exactly ... very prudish about it. ]
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[ Genuinely amazed, from so few clues, and it shows in the warmth in Cain's voice.
Yes, good job, very smort. ]
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[ They're moving quickly too, slithering around his neck now and tightening their hold. ] Fine, if a kiss is what it takes, go ahead already! It's trying to strangle me!
[ Rohan is too weird to be anything but single so he's not actually accustomed to this but whatever, it's just ... a gesture, isn't it?? ]
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[ But even as he teases, Cain's going up on his tiptoes, careful to stay out of range of the plants as he balances. He presses a quick kiss to Rohan's cheek, lingering just long enough to make sure that the vines are actually relaxing their grip on him before he rocks back down to flat feet and takes a step away.
As the vines let go of their victim, Cain extends a hand and conjures a small burst of flame, neatly charring the plants away, making sure that they can't catch either of them up again. ]
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Even without you here, I'm certain I would have found my own way out. Kissing someone isn't the only way to increase oxytoxin, you know. I've heard that it's in some foods ...
[ Maybe?? His information isn't always 100% correct. Anyway, that's all moot because there's no way Rohan would be able to find those specific foods while bound up.
He's grateful, really. Just bad at showing it. ]
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[ Okay, it wouldn't have eaten him, but Rohan doesn't need to know that. Cain just can't but feel like teasing him a little. It's the least Rohan deserves.
He does at least help brush the charred remains of the plant away, then turns to the crack in the air where the vine had come from. ]
Still, it's lucky you found it. This looks like our ticket home.
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