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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Hmph. Very well.
[ Digging into the pegasus' side doesn't work, but whipping the reins seems to. Rohan isn't an expert at horse-riding, but like with many other topics he has dabbled into reading books. He leans his body forward, snapping the reins and nudging at the horse's side with his legs. He's heard that leaning forward encourages the horse to go faster?
He has a motive for all this, of course. He can't let Chuuya think he's had the last word. Rohan makes the horse take off in an impressive leap, hoping that Chuuya's haughty butt is going to get bumped off at least a little. That'll show him!!!
Since Chuuya can float, it's not like he'll die. ]
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Chuuya also doesn’t fly off, instead holding onto Rohan and keeping them both anchored into the saddle with his ability. Of course he can control how light or heavy they both are, so the poor pegasus isn’t weighed down too much. If anything, Chuuya cares more about its comfort than Rohan’s (Chuuya be nice).
The thrill of soaring through the air is something he’ll never grow tired of though, and the smile on his face is aa wide as can be.]
Don’t have these back home, do you?
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His fun Pegasus ride was not supposed to go like this at all! Curses. When he replies, his tone is dreadfully dry. ] We only had regular horses. That's why I was hoping for a peaceful and exciting ride.
[ Passive-aggressive? Nah. ] And you did ...?
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Nope. This is the coolest shit ever. Only seen them in books and movies before now.
[Chuuya glances down at the land below, the sight of the city sprawling out for miles quite breathtaking from this height. He wonders if this is what the dragons of old used to see when they roamed the skies freely. Now they’re the size of chihuahuas, but they can still fly, at least.
The horse seems to know where it’s going as far as Chuuya can tell, so there’s no need to worry about getting lost. He has a feeling that Rohan would be a terrible person to get lost with.]
So what was your world like?
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He's actually far more interested in that than talking to Chuuya right now, but he does respond. ] Centuries more advanced than El Nysa, that's for sure. [ Funny that the Natha up there are chilling with their gadgets and gizmos while the people in El Nysa barely have automobiles. ] But there's no real way to describe it. It differs, depending on which country you go to. I was from Japan, if you've heard of it.
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[Lucky for Rohan the pegasus seems to be talking the scenic route over a nearby swamp. Below are all manner of flora and fauna, some much more menacing than others. Among them are the giant, towering mushrooms that Chuuya remembers from when the ship he’d first arrived on had crashed into the bog. He doesn’t think he’s ever tripped so hard in his life.
But contrary to Rohan’s interest in their surroundings, Chuuya is much more interested in figuring out if they might be from the same place.]
I’m from Yokohama, Japan, actually.
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Yokohama, huh? A port city, famous for its Red Brick Warehouse and Chinatown. [ Throwing facts around to show off how smart and well-traveled he is? Yup. ] I've been there a few times to take reference pictures. 'Goodwill Gate' in Chinatown was the basis for some of the temple arches I've drawn in my manga.
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[Of which he was an executive, thank you very much!! Not that Rohan doesn’t already know that from literally reading him like a book. Chuuya can take a hint though, and he’s silent for a few minutes as he takes in the scenery. Despite the conflict brewing between the two factions, the view is still breathtaking, and Chuuya thinks he could definitely appreciate a nice, long ride to take it all in.]
What kind of manga do you draw?
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If you came from my world, you would already know that from just hearing my name, because my serialization is very popular. Do you know of Shonen JUMP, at least?
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[Chuuya doesn’t do much reading in his spare time, unfortunately. He knows there’s popular manga series out there, but damned if he knows what they are.]
Sorry, guess both of us went from big deals to normal people, huh?
[Rohan being actually famous is something Chuuya doesn’t doubt. He’s got the attitude for it.]
Anybody you know still sleeping in the pods?
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[ Yes, Rohan's the type of nerd who will look down on people who aren't as nerdy as he is. Read some manga and get better taste, Chuuya, god. ]
I didn't spend very long checking, but I did manage to find my parents and my best friend Koichi. [ Or rather, the guy he keeps claiming is his best friend. Koichi might say differently if he ever wakes up. ] There's also this other person I'd rather not talk to again, so maybe it's better if he doesn't wake up.
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Yeah. There’s a couple of people from my world that can stay asleep for all I care.
[Like the rest of the ADA, for instance.
The pegasus seems to be trying to turn around and head back to the stables now, having ventured far enough away from home. Chuuya doesn’t stop it from doing so, more than ready to meet solid ground and go their separate ways.]
Does everyone have abilities where you come from? Like Heaven’s Door.
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Hm, looks like their little trip is close to over. Rohan doesn't want a mundane journey though. He grabs hold of the reins, trying to urge the pegasus to go in the direction of the most interesting place in sight. That happens to be the spooky Murkwell Hollow. ] Come on -- ah? [ Sorry, he got distracted. ]
Not at all. It would be more right to say that most people didn't. [ Tug tug, nudge nudge, he wants this Pegasus to fly him somewhere fun. ] Hm, I suppose there's no point keeping the information secret here -- I first got my Stand when I was shot at by an arrow.
[ Which sounds wild and makes no sense but whatever, it's JJBA. ]
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[That just sounds bizarre...haha.]
Guess you got a pretty useful one.
[Sort of a compliment! Progress!
Of course Rohan isn’t ready to go back yet. Chuuya doesn’t really care if they keep going, but...]
Why don’t we land and see what happens?
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Just 'useful'? You've seen what Heaven's Door is capable of. [ First-hand. Yeah, he's not very apologetic for what he did. ]
I don't want to land back in the stables. This is my first day in Olympia, so I want to go somewhere exciting. [ He's still interested in those Hollows. ] Like, there -- Doesn't that forest look like it could be in a spooky tale?
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[Eat a slice of humble pie, Rohan, jeeze.
Chuuya huffs and rolls his eyes. Not like Rohan can really see him anyway.]
Fine. Land there. But if you get your ass kicked by a monster don’t blame me.
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Do you think that I, Kishibe Rohan, have ever shied away from danger? No, the more dangerous it is, the more exciting material I'll have for my work!
[ He sounds like a child exciting to go to the amusement park. Now that Chuuya is also in agreement, Rohan has no reason not to explore the spooky forests that have caught his eye. While he is a jerk on most days, he's not so bad that he would potentially endanger an unwilling participant. ] Now, how does this go? [ He picks up the reins, whipping them, and nudges harder at the horse's sides. ] Yah!
[ Just like in the movies. ]
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Somebody get Chuuya a bottle of wine, STAT.
The pegasus obeys Rohan’s orders, touching down in Murkwell Hollow with a nervous whinny. Clearly the beast isn’t used to flying so far from home, but at least it stays put when they land. Chuuya releases his ability once he’s sure they’re on solid ground, and of course he’s the first one off.]
Well, what did you wanna see?
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My manga is a psychological thriller with horror elements. I'll need inspiration for that. This setting is just right.
[ As for what he wants to see specifically, he doesn't know yet. Honestly, he's new here, so anything that shows its face will probably interest him. Rohan takes out his Nikon camera, snapping a picture of one of the creepy-looking trees. ] I want to find something worthy of writing about -- something that'll really shake up the heart with mystery and apprehension.
[ He's not stupid though, he knows they'll need a way to get back. That's why he takes the Pegasus by the reigns, walking with it. This guy will have to fly them home later. He's looking a little spooked out though. ]
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[Sure Rohan, Chuuya can see the whole inspiration angle, but trudging through the wilds looking for that perfect artistic spark isn’t exactly Chuuya’s idea of a good time. He’ll grumble and try his best to keep from sinking into damp ground, but eventually he simply gives up and uses his ability to float above ground.
No sense ruining nice shoes!]
There’s supposed to be the bones of a big ass dragon here. How about that?
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Ohh! I definitely want to see that! Looks like taking you along wasn't a mistake after all. [ You're finally useful to him, Chuuya. Be proud. ]
Okay, do you know the way? Show me where it is. [ He's just going to demand the tour guide experience as Rohan tugs at the horses' reigns a little too hardly. It pulls back against his hold in discomfort, clearly disliking this human's company. ]
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...]
Yeah, sure, follow me.
[He’ll just bullshit his way through this! Who knows, maybe they’ll find something interesting along the way.
Murkwell Hollow is, however, home to some very nasty looking creatures, and several monstrous looking vultures keep their beady eyes trained on Rohan and Chuuya the entire time. They might be waiting for them to slip up and become carrion...]
Oi. Maybe you should try snapping a picture of those birds instead.
[That sounds like a terrible idea, Chuuya.]
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I've never seen vultures that big and ferocious-looking! While it would be nice to snap a picture of them feeding on a carcass, I'll take this photo opportunity.
[ Hey, maybe he'll get his wish soon enough? Rohan angles his camera and snaps a picture, the flash causing the vultures to go into distress. They turn their attention to the two humans (and pegasus) immediately, swooping down to attack them now! ]
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Oi! Watch out!
[Chuuya quickly leaps into action, punching one vulture and kicking another right before they can dive bomb Rohan. There’s more, of course, and the razor sharp talons graze Chuuya’s arm.
His nice suit!!]
Shit, hurry up and deal with them!
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Hmph. [ He appears to give a dismissive wave, and the bird swerves off course, crashing into the ground in a mess of feathers and unraveling pages. With the bird on the ground, Heaven's Door flies over to write in its commands, ordering it not to attack Rohan. ]
My Stand is more than enough to handle a few birds.
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No worries
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let me know if this isnt fine
S’all good
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