❪ event ❫ khalo? can you hear me?

[natha]

In normal circumstances, this would have been near the time in which you're called upon to greet the newly awakened. Unfortunately, I speak to you to inform that we must postpone that — there is trouble on your horizon. What, I cannot see for sure. We shall continue to monitor the situation, however — we - ... we — [feed cuts off.] OLYMPIAN PRESERVATION     The city of Olympia is preparing the send-off of its most prized artifact: the heart of the ancient dragon, Ysverai. In doing this, they've transformed the palace court into an exhibition detailing the centuries-old war between Wyver and Olympia. Sculptures of Nithor the Exalted and his men and women in clean, white marble, while their armors are polished in perfect gold. Among Nithor are the sculptures of stallions in all shapes and sizes that also aided in the great war. Further in the exhibition, one may also find other artifacts of much older weaponry, rusted by its time in the earth, and items found from a time when humans feared the dragons. The Royal Guard has increased its numbers in wake of such a public event, particularly because the heart will be in display also. The heart is not what one might expect it to be: about the size of an average human, the heart's core is surrounded in stone, a red glow emitting from its still beating core. If that were not unsettling enough, one might also find that lingering around this particular exhibit will have undue affects on one's inhibitions. You'll notice your heart has fallen into sync with the organ, and your more selfish desires will come forth. Things that have long been buried will rise up and place you in a state of unease, encouraging paranoia about your companions intentions. Allow it to fester, and one will carry this feeling with them long after you've left the scene. It's probably a good thing this is leaving Olympia — perhaps it's a source of so much conflict you've endured. It's easy to become mesmerized by all the historical artifacts that are present in Olympia's exhibition. Some even seem mystical or, like Ysverai’s heart, to hold unspeakable powers. Others are just a little eerie. Either way, Olympia prides itself in its generosity and their grand displays, and so refugees are urged to learn more about their artifacts by spending the night in Palace Court. Though, someone should probably mention that there are rumors of strange, almost occult things happening around these relics at night. People speak of armored soldiers casting shadows that have the ability to walk on their own, or gemstones that catch the moonlight in a certain way and show you visions. But those are just silly ghost stories, right? TALL TALES OF KHALO VILLAGE     Because of Khalo's proximity to Wyver, it's no surprise that they would catch wind of the peace talks between Wyver and Olympia. In response, for the first time in centuries, Khalo Village has willingly granted passage to outsiders — but visitors will immediately find out that one cannot just simply walk into the village. Visitors will need to inhale the smoke of a fyrra herb in order to enter the premises without falling into slumber. Khalo is notably different than what refugees are used to. Visitors, specifically refugees, will find that they are exceedingly accommodating. The Khali are very intrigued by the outsiders, thus they're treated with much respect and given instant access to some of the best lounges and fyrra the village has to offer. In exchange, the village is interested in hearing about your journey thus far. Whether it be through a conversation with another individual or the Khali themselves, they'll very likely to have been eavesdropping and recording the tales of their exploits. Why, exactly? Perhaps it will not be immediately clear, but if you happened upon a venasou, a tamed Khali creature, it may have guided you to their Enchanted Library. Upon entering the library, visitors will notice that it is quite the happening place — but not because it's occupied by the Khali, but because there seems to be an assembly of magical quills seemingly writing on their own. The quills are mostly undisturbed by the intrusion and will not stop writing even if parchment is taken from it; it will simply produce another piece of paper and continue its tales. If you happen to read the parchment, you may notice that there is a daunting similarity between your story and the ones being written here. Tales of Thesa birthing new races and sending them from the sky, for example, are very popular in Khalo Village. They mark July 15th as the day in which the Moon Goddess, Thesa, created more people in her image and brought them to El Nysa as saviors. The coincidences don't end there: specifics about your home world might be found in the writings if you search deeply enough — but it's not without its exaggerations. These stories are given all sorts of poetic and literary forms, from short stories to limericks, biographies to something similar to haiku. If asked, the Khali will inform visitors that the enchanted library has access to vague parts of your memories, and thus it is duty-bound to record. The Khali have not seen stories as strange as the ones being made by refugees, which is largely why they are interested in them. NOTE: This is entirely optional! You may make up your own "stories" (fanfiction) and it could be as accurate or inaccurate, or as serious or silly as you'd like. While tales of the Thesa's descendants are still being written, visitors of the Enchanted Library might find intrigue in the more complete works — KING AND KIN. If one is willing to delve deep, they may also find parts of Wyver's past that have been removed from their own archives. These pages will recount the tales of Shanrian and Rasyc. Though a lot of the narrative seems to divide at certain points in the story, it becomes obvious with some quick reading that Rasyc is not only the son of Shanrian, but that he glorifies the Wyver of old, more bloodthirsty and brutal than it is today. Unlike his father, he does not take kindly to Olympia and the threat they will always pose for their people. He has not forgotten Olympia's past sins and he believes that, in his foolish quest for peace, the king has gone soft and no longer possesses the real will to fight. His present voice in affairs of state is not a loud one, as he chooses to speak in whispers and move in the dead of silence. In these quiet murmurings, he boasts of his unwavering belief in the power and dignity of his people. Of how they should all return to what they once were — the kingdom, its citizens, and naturally the father who he had once admired greatly. Though perhaps it can be argued that any estranged son would wish the same. It's difficult to pinpoint what becomes political and what is and always will be more personal for him. But, it hardly matters. It's clear that Rasyc will stop at nothing to achieve his objectives, even if it means never returning to place he calls home. Even if it means turning his back on his own father, Shanrian, King of Wyver... DRAGONFIRE. While tales of the Thesa's descendants are still being written, visitors to the Enchanted Library might find intrigue in the more complete works. In particular, tales of Ysverai, the last of Wyver's great high dragons. Ysverai is most commonly known for being slain by Olympia’s past king and legendary hero, Nithor, but here in Khalo he is depicted in another light. Ysverai is known to the Khali people as a wise being, old as the first inhabitants that walked El Nysa. The creature spoke in the common tongue to the early settlers, guiding them to refuge when his kin began to dominate the land at the cost of its own isolation. It ultimately becomes a tale of sacrifice, for its stand with Nithor became a testament against the Olympian Empire's long reaching influence. At the bottom, there is a quotation: Your hearts will fill with greed and malice the moment my own stops beating. Take care in the Eye of the Storm. Find strength in one another, before it is too late. It seems to end there. Refugees are naturally allowed to question the natives. However, keep in mind that many of their replies will seem more like speculation than fact. But maybe that can be fun too? If you have no interest in the library and the tales they've woven, feel free to explore any of the other areas of interest. Khalo Village is thrilled to be open for you all. THOSE THAT SEEK PEACE, AND THOSE THAT SEEK --     The morning of the 20th is marked by fairly dismal weather. The sky is overcast and a downpour seems imminent. Regardless of the poor forecast, those who signed up to assist in this mission will be required to come early in order to receive their briefing. Members of Group A: ▸ Jon Snow (song_of_ice) ▸ Daenerys Targaryen (dorzalta) ▸ Loras Tyrell (triplerose) ▸ Terra (earthy) ▸ Alisaie Leveilleur (adelphoi) ▸ Solider: 76 (personalwar) ▸ Ardyn Izunia (daemonized) ▸ Mai(maipokerface) ▸ Olivier Armstrong (wallsofbriggs) ▸ Atsushi Nakajima (gekkajuu) Members of Group B: ▸ Kale (kaleorbekaled) ▸ Diana Prince (wondie) ▸ Pheonix Wright (objectionattourney) ▸ Revolver Ocelot (shashka) ▸ Frederick (pebblestone) ▸ John Sheppard (impavid ▸ Ianto Jones (torchwoodteaboy) ▸ Lena Oxton (quevarly) ▸ Allura (quintessent) Due to the rain, members of Group A will have to immediately stop by the checkpoint at the East Watchtower. Additionally, the Royal Guard and Knightryders are well-prepared with extra cloaks for those who may require it. They also will provide basic refreshments such as water and bread. People are encouraged to take what they need prior to their departure on this mission. The checkpoints are a bit far between, after all. Members of the envoy will also be encouraged to utilize this time to become familiar with one another. Maybe some introductions are in order? You never know who will end up having your back... For both groups, the paths will be relatively straightforward with evenly spaced checkpoints along the way. The only issue seems to be the downpour, really. The rain is unforgiving and the roads easily become unstable and increasingly difficult for the carriage to be drawn through. Hence, there may be more than one occasion where you will be expected to lend a hand in prying out its wheels from a particularly pesky (and muddy) pothole. Or perhaps you will be called upon by a fellow guard to assist in getting a particularly stubborn creature out of the path ahead of you. Seems like it may be a longer journey than you expected. Dirtier, too. While weathering the conditions may have been a bit tiring, this journey isn't too bad, right? Well, maybe not. GROUP A. Once the carriage gets through the worst of the terrain and finally manages to depart from the watchtower, it won't be long until the group is met with a physical roadblock. A large tree trunk will be set down the center of the road, acting as a blockade. But, before the group can react or begin crafting a plan around this obstruction, the carriage will be attacked without warning. At first, it's unclear where the attack comes from or from whom, but you don't have the leisure to deliberate this. You hear one of your fellow guards mention something about bandits frequenting these parts, but maybe there's more to it? Either way, your task is clear: protect the artifact, Nithor's skull, and fight the bandits off. You'll be encouraged to try and capture them so that they may later be turned and questioned by the authorities. GROUP B. With clear motives to restock and collect a few more materials for the carriage, it's evident that the envoy will appear restless to arrive at the second checkpoint. However, despite their unspoken delight at seeing the South Outpost from a distance, it's clear something has gone awry. There will be several hooded figures awaiting them right where the mud path meets the cobblestone of the Outpost's road. Soon, several more of these figures will come to flank them from both sides. While they seem like bandits, at least from their physical appearance, there is something far more polished in their movements. They will be attacking the envoy in concise, practiced formations. For those who are more perceptive, it becomes obvious that they are moving around and acting as decoy to one central figure. This member is likely the "leader" of their group, but no matter how one may try to close the distance between themselves and this mysterious leader, someone will constantly get in the way of that. The fighting also seems to act as a distraction since by the time everything is cleared up... only two things are missing. The leader of this group of bandits and more importantly — Ysverai's heart. NOTE: Those RNG'd to thread out the capture and questioning of the bandits will have starters below. For everyone else that signed up, you will still have the opportunity to capture the assailants even though they were not selected to thread the interrogation; you are free to make up your NPCs with the same basic guideline: they will not reveal their motive or their organization. You may turn them in to authorities (Wyver or Olympia or otherwise) or find creative ways to get rid of them. FINAL OOC NOTE     To reiterate: you may use this log as a general mingle for everything from the May Outline, including all Khalo Village activities. In other words, your top-levels don't necessarily have to be related to the prompts written here. An AC-eligible thread in which your character participates in anything mentioned in the May Outline and/or Khalo Village location page may be submitted for 2 REP POINT FOR EITHER OLYMPIA OR WYVER. SUBMIT THE THREAD FOR OLYMPIA OR WYVER HERE OR HERE RESPECTIVELY BY June 10th 11:59 PM EST. For those who participated in this month's plot-related portion, to receive IC recognition for it, a summary of the thread must be submitted HERE by June 8th 11:59 PM EST. Please direct all queries to the question thread below. Thank you, and have fun! QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● lore ● map ● npcs ● bestiary taken ● atp/emp ● application ● rep/acp ● quest bulletin calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

[poolhall_killer]

[Why must Phoenix make him out to be some kind of harlot? He finally starts getting comfortable with his body and desires and the attorney has to poke him for it.

Huuuuufff.]

I've never heard you complain before, Phoenix Wright. And we don't have to do anything here. We can take it somewhere nearby.

[Venom's never met the queen, but it would be an interesting way to meet her. Right when he's riding Phoenix's lap. He reaches out to trace a finger against the older man's cheek.]

What do you say?

[objectionattorney]

[Well if you keep asking him to sexually please you in public settings what is he supposed to think!? Not that he doesn't secretly enjoy it.]

You say that but you certainly seem like you could care less...

[Also, he feels called out.

How dare.

None the less he exhaled, his cheek pouting out slightly as he looked up in thought. It had been true that the hall was surprisingly empty all things considering. And there was just something about the mood lighting that the heart gave off, blended with the heavily patterned decor which differed from so much of the exhibition outside.]

... I'm fairly certain no one looks behind the curtains behind the heart...

[God damn it what the hell was he thinking!?]

[notwagging]

[ this is what he wanted to hear, and Keaton's tail immediately explodes into a burst of super energetic wagging. ]

Great! You want me to carry you somewhere? Here, let me just...

[ and he swoops in and scoops Waver up into a bridal carry. ]

... you know, I bet there are tasty snacks out there.

[poolhall_killer]

Perhaps it's your presence.

[Or perhaps it's the heart that's directing all of Venom's movements and decisions. Bright blue eyes are half-lidded, looking up at Phoenix with want.]

That's a little risky as anyone could come by and see the curtains rustling. But it should suffice, provided we keep it down.

[He leans in to nip the older man's ear.]

I don't have any lubricant, so we'll have to find other ways.

[Not that Venom can't improvise. He's happy with rubbing and making out. Anything to be with his lover.]

[objectionattorney]

Not the first time we've attempted something risky, hmn?

[Oh goodness what has come over him!? He couldn't even believe his own willingness to the situation and yet, well, here he was!]

Not the first time we've been unprepared either. Although I'm starting to wonder if I should just casually start carrying some along with me daily with how often this keeps happening.

[With that he chuckled, slowly turning away from Venom as to make his way around the heart and towards the curtains which draped over the hall behind it.

Was that a little bit of a hip sway that he gave as he walked off?

Nah. Couldn't be.]

[poolhall_killer]

[Continued here!]

[sparsity]

[ Mikazuki isn't even a big future person — he can't change the past or predict his future, he can just try to put one foot down in front of the other as best he can, knowing he chose each step. He doesn't like to regret. Granted, his feet are just sitting at the bottom of a pool right now, but even that's pretty different, for him. ]

Something like that. Is there anything you wanted to do?

[rosebyanyother]

[And as Jim touches, Peter continues to make noises. It seems like his first reaction to everything is the most intense, before he adjusts to the heightened sensations. Still, it isn't as if he's unbothered by the lacksadasical way that Jim is touching him. His breath comes short and shallow as he continues to peer over Jim's shoulder at the items.

He could conceivably try to even the playing field by copying Jim. There's just that sliver of space that Jim is utilzing so that he can tease Peter. But that's...unoriginal. He doesn't tease back. He does end up leaning forwards a bit, teeth set slightly in the meat of where Jim's neck meets his shoulder. Not enough to hurt, enough to be a - slightly playful - warning.

Then back to the task at hand.]

Consistency...might be the clue here.

[He's assuming that Jim is doing exactly what he is doing.]

excellent

[shashka]

[ Ocelot manages to look relaxed, as though he's not doing this dance with "Noble". still, there's a distinct undercurrent to his voice. ]

Of course.

[ at the slight contact, he shifts a little, resting a gloved hand on his "friend's" knee. ]

I've always been good at blending in. Sure you are too.

[ there's no innuendo to be found, is there?

okay. there is definitely a little innuendo to be found. ]

[versianvirtue]

Nothing like this. Most of it was frozen, so there weren't any natural bodies of water. It had to be melted before it could be used for drinking, bathing, cleaning...

[ Not that she had ever been exposed to any of the hardships that come with a commoner's life on Mars, or ever been personally involved in processing it for human consumption. To her, water was readily available, and yet she always dreamed of more for reasons never dictated by necessity. ]

I'm curious about the state of Mars from your world, too. [ He is perhaps the only person she has met so far who not only came from a world with people living on Mars, but a fellow Martian himself. She pulls her top over her head, baring her chest to the muted sunlight, and finding comfort in how the world around her continues its business like hers is perfectly natural. ]

[chickenhearted]

No, I don't need—

[ ah.. too late. He squirms in protest, his manliness on the line here. ]

Snacks are fine, but don't carry me there! I can walk!

[chickenhearted]

[ Waver's all about the future. "I'll grow strong, I'll be great--" and so on. But he's only recently started to mix in some of the "now" with all that. Because not focusing on that isn't going to get him anywhere.

He considers this question though and is mostly coming up blank. His shoulders slump a little and he shakes his head. ]

I wanted to see more of the world. But I guess I'm technically doing that already.

[1701]

[ Well, he did say he'd like Jim to have his way with him - his way, at the moment, is a lot of lazy, indulgent touches. Slowly building pressure to make the inevitable push for more as intense as it can be.

Jim groans at that playful bite, and he turns his head to steal a kiss, deep and wet and finishing with a tangible smile against his mouth. ] You feel really good, [ he murmurs against him, low and pleased. Kissing him is great, so is everything else. To punctuate that he rocks his hips forward, slow and heavy.

He picks one vial and has to shift, meaning removing his hand from Alexander's erection, and settling atop him more firmly without any space so that he can use both hands to open it and investigate. Hmm. Smells nice, at any rate. He spills some on his fingers and circles one nipple, playing. ] What do you think?

[notwagging]

I could drag you instead.

[ that little mischievous tongue pokes out again... ]

Or I could shapeshift and you could ride on my back.

[sparsity]

I see.

[ His tone is muted, but the response comes with a knowing kind of clarity to it. It was similar for him, though all resources were carefully cultivated and controlled. That's just life for him, a fact he'd grown up knowing by the virtue of being in the thick of the conflict for it.

But he's never bothered explaining, because no one bothered to ask him. Until now. Shifting in the water after a pause, the ripples almost curious, he lifts his head. ]

What do you want to know? I'm not that good at explaining things, so...

[ Bear with him. ]

[impavid]

"She did. How much do you know about the shamans? Leading question."

Since that's all connected, after all, why specifically they're helping the shamans get hold of the heart. Why, specifically, the heart of a dragon that died long ago yet is still beating is useful at all. Why people who are angry at Olympia would want it.

[impavid]

[ Magic is just cheating.

Still, John has been more outnumbered than this before and survived. The real problem is managing the number of people so they aren't all on him and once, and... managing the rest of their party who can't defend themselves.

He's more likely to get himself killed rescuing someone than looking after himself, but that's... really a hazard of his day job as well.

The bright side, really, is that they have weapons! Perfect, he'd love some more weapons. One dagger wasn't really cutting it. He ducks out of the way as one of the bandits swings at him, grabs it to shield himself from another then calmly slits its throat and lets it drop -- reaching to grab the blade it was carrying as he slams himself into another. ]

Phoenix! If you're any good with that stick start using it!

[ The staff. If the staff does something, Phoenix, make it do that! ]

[objectionattorney]

"Not much besides the fact that some sort of uprising occurred. I spent most of my time in Olympia before the coalition had started up. Most of what I know about Wyver, in general, I've learned through rumor and what I remember from the few days I was conscious. You know, back when we were all forced to temporarily evacuate there," Even during those times he was far too sick to really stick around and explore. Although what he did experience from the country he refused to really reminisce on with anyone. That embarrassing story is not being shared with anyone save for the people he experienced it with.

"Oh, and that they have dragons that they actively train even to this day. Why? Is she a part of them?"

This character was featured in a fighting game

[objectionattorney]

[He is so sorry John! But this staff is nothing more than a fancy looking stick! Obviously he has failed you!

But in all seriousness, he was choking up fairly badly. The closest situation to something like this he had ever experienced in the past was the time he had to ride a dragon. Before then he always solved all of his problems diplomatically.

He was just a simple lawyer after all!

But as those that managed to get past John had slowly approached, he bit back at his fears. His shoulders tensing and hands shaking as he held the staff tightly. They won't stop getting closer until he does something about it after all.

All right! Fighting is better than dying! Here goes nothing!

Pushing himself up from the heart the 5"9' 180lb man pummeled his way towards the small group of shamans. Wielding swinging his staff as he shouted out the first thing he could think of.]

Nnnghaa--O-OBJECTION!!!!

[Oh hey. He managed to land his staff against one of them. Though really his chance of winning against this group at this point was most likely impossible.

Meanwhile, as easily as John was able to take down the fighters of the group, it left just enough time for the mages to charge themselves up. A series of red flames appearing in the sky around them, and launching their way directly towards him.]

[versianvirtue]

[ Oh, she will. ]

Such as the state of water. Is it the same, or different?

[ The fact that he even questioned the state of water on Mars leads her to wonder all sorts of things about how their planet differed. She naturally assumed it would be very much the same, just as people who hailed from some Earth or another frequently had similar landmarks, histories, features... Ever curious, Asseylum wonders just for the satisfaction of understanding. ]

[sparsity]

About the same. There were plants to thaw it out and distribute it. It was that way with agriculture, too.

[ Despite his earlier mention of how he explains things, he's actually pretty precocious with his information about the world he knows. Or knew. ]

[sparsity]

And? Did you want to just see it, or did you want to live in it?

[ It's an important distinction to him, as simultaneously relaxed and rigid as he is. ]

[ofseraphim]

[ Sorey looks on sympathetically at that weak -- but continued -- waving. Hopefully they can bring this all to an end soon.

They arrive back at their destination, and sure enough, a person in a tall wizard's hat and a colorful tiered skirt is still there, holding down the nearest counter with a bored expression. One glance at Reign's itchy, irritated skin, and he seems to know exactly what happened -- and how to fix it. ]

Sounds like this has happened before... [ Sorey comments idly, watching as the man pulls down a salve from one of the higher shelves. ]

[ettersberg]

[ thomas tips his head back to give jim better access, moaning in lieu of an answer. really, it is an answer in and of itself: it's assent and confirmation of jim's words, it's needy and far removed from thomas' usual reserve. he doesn't know how to be reserved in this, now, when everything feels so much and jim's so close, kissing and touching, shifting one of his legs up —

and then jim's licking along the length of thomas' cock and thomas arches off the bed, a half-swallowed curse on his lips and his hands going for jim's head. to keep him there, to pull him closer, to ask for more. all of the above. ]

[1701]

[ Jim lets him have that moment, lets him push up into his mouth and takes it with the kind of ease that can only come from, let's face it, practice. He only chokes a little, but doesn't cough. Mm. He likes that particular soreness.

But it's not all he's angling for, so he grabs Thomas's hips and pushes him down before pulling off of his cock. He drags in a breath and leans in to lick and kiss along his shaft and lower, only deviating to bite into the soft skin just at the inside of his thigh. ]

Do you mind this sort of thing? [ Jim's mouth on him, as he's reaching over to find.. something. Oil, magic fairy lube, who knows. ]