❪ 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

[chickenhearted]

Why would you?!

[ He does not appreciate that tongue, sir! ]

Shapeshift, wha-? No, no! I said I could walk!

[chickenhearted]

I guess... I wanted to live in it for a while. Learn new things, expand my horizons which were so small before.

[sparsity]

[ Craning his neck back to look up at the canopy of vegetation shielding the sacred pool from the outside, at where they are, Mikazuki shifts, not quite a shrug, even if the impression is there. ]

I see. Then this isn't a bad start.

[notwagging]

[ if you can't appreciate the tongue, you can't appreciate him at all ]

What? Did you say "shapeshift so I don't have to walk"?

[ his eyes widen. ]

Are you suuuure? We might get dirty.

[rosebyanyother]

I'd say I'm decent at it.

[An understatement. Peter's smile shades towards coy, since...both he and Ocelot know that "decent" really isn't the half of it. Well. Peter knows. Ocelot likely suspects.

He reaches forward now, picking up the pipe and offering it to Ocelot. It rests across both his hands, and there's an air of expectancy suddenly that's a little more weighted.]

[rosebyanyother]

[As soon as Jim resettles himself against Peter's body entirely, he rocks back up against him. It's less an immediate urge for more stimulation and more of another kind of playful retaliation.

...The kind that catches him in his own crosshairs, of course. Oh well. It's the best kind of friendly fire. The kind that leaves him clutching Jim just a little bit closer.

Then there's what Jim is doing. At first, the substance is just cold and slick. Not bad properties, overall. Peter sucks in a a breath, hips rolling again. He opens his mouth to respond and--

oh. It's warm. Warm and tingly. Peter's breath shudders out of him.]

Mmm, interesting. Do you feel that...?

[It'd be so unfair if it was only him.]

[1701]

Probably not as intensely as you do, [ he says, hitching his hips and continuing to rub the tingly substance into the little bud of sensitive skin. ] Given the locations.

[ Still. He flashes him a smile and leans in for a brief, teasing kiss, and then carries on, pressing fingertips along the definition of one pectoral. Is this going to make things too intense, applied to even more thin-skinned areas? Or just more fun? ]

What do you think? Try another bottle or give this a go?

[ettersberg]

What sort of thing?

[ thomas asks after a moment. he needs that moment to focus enough to get the words out at all, but he can't quite make sense of what jim's asking, a little too high-strung on sensation and pleasure and need to figure out the question. ]

[1701]

[ Jim just makes a little self-satisfied noise and decides to show him instead of explain. He presses a wet kiss to the space beneath his balls, then lower, pressing his tongue against that opening and licking. The angle isn't the best in the world-- but he can always push Thomas's knees back if he likes it. ]

when dw leaves you with no suitable icons

[chickenhearted]

[ Waver watches Mikazuki briefly, and then looks down in the water again. But he's smiling a little. Sort of proud of himself. ]

I guess not. [ But he glances at Mikazuki again. ] But you have a house and are even farming... I think I have a lot of catching up to do still.

[chickenhearted]

[ Well fine!! ]

What?! No! I didn't say that!

[ He squirms mightily. ]

No shapeshifting, no getting dirty!

[notwagging]

[ sorry, Waver. even as a non-shapeshifted and somewhat clean wolf, Keaton is still pretty darn strong! and he continues to squeeze the boy in his deceptively powerful arms. ]

... hm... okay. I still want to carry you, though. Is it really that bad?

[ continues to walk! ]

[rosebyanyother]

[Perhaps a little despite himself, Peter chases up into that kiss a fraction. Actually, does more than chase. He allows Jim to ask his question, but doesn't give an immediate answer.

Instead, he wraps his hand around the back of Jim's neck and tugs him down for a longer kiss. More of that, please. More of everything. But especially this. Possibly he makes a faintly obscene sound against Jim's lips.

He'll let him go after maybe a minute, breathing even more heavily.]

Let's try it. I'll...I'll stop you if it's...too much.

[eaudevamp]

[ While usually the sight of the colourfully-dressed wizard would have made Reign raise a brow, he was in too much suffering to care much about how the man was dressed. As long as the wizard had a treatment for the rash on Reign's arms, he could dress however outlandishly as he wanted. ]

Looks like it. They should at least put up some kind of warning display about those plants.

[ He complained with a pout, drawing a sideway glance from the wizard who promptly shut Reign up. ]

[versianvirtue]

[ Completely undressed, Asseylum rounds the fringe of bushes, eyes falling upon Mikazuki's head as she subconsciously scans for his reaction, unsure how she herself should be feeling. Either way, the lull of submerging herself into the water garners much of her focus, and when the gentle sway of the shore laps at her toe, she retracts her foot with a brief giggle, flamingo-posing before nearly toppling over. She corrects her balance before that happens, holding her arms to herself. ]

Oh! ...Hey, why did I do that? [ She treads in calf-deep. ] It's not cold at all! This really is much different from the ocean.

[chickenhearted]

[ And Waver continues to flail! ]

Why do you have to carry me?! It's embarrassing!

[ He has legs and he's also manly! This argument is sound! ]

[notwagging]

Because I can, and I will.

[ he threatens Waver with a tighter snug, in order to keep him from wiggling too much. it's really distracting! ]

I promise I'll let you go once we find food. Okay?

[ whenever that'll be. ]

[sparsity]

[ At most, his reaction stays within the realm of "probably won't let her eat shit on the shoreline if she falls", but lucky she catches herself so he doesn't have to. True to his word, his gaze doesn't linger anywhere untoward, and he takes her joining him in the water with all the fanfare of any other everyday activity.

Save for his nod and glimpse at what he's eye-level with on the ledge of the pool — her knees. How scandalous. ]

Right? It surprised me too. It's not like the coves in Olympia.

[ Or the tropical Pacific on Earth, but that's a much more distant memory. ]

[impavid]

John scrunches up his face a little as Phoenix speaks, because the few days I was conscious is a weird sort of comment but... he's not getting into all that now. One problem at a time.

"She's friends with the shamans," he repeats, "but the important clue is that they shamans are into magic. You know, healing and resurrection magic included."

Which... as a stand along comment doesn't perhaps mean much, seeing as how normally you'd assume you need more than just a heart to bring something back. In this case, however, since it's a creepy still-beating-heart it seems... maybe you don't? Or maybe they have more bits? John isn't strictly sure he wants to know the specifics, even if he supposes he might need to learn them.

[1701]

Mm. [ A low sound into his mouth, pleased with that gesture. When they part he smiles and sits up enough to shift around again, getting into a position that lets him slip a hand between them again. Hands. Eventually. He brushes teasing fingers over Peter's erection, mindful of the curious feeling of the oil, before he snags more of it and starts experimenting. ]

I guess I'll just have to eat you out if it's too much, [ he says absently, practically thinking out loud as he works with gentle, exploratory touches. ]

[chickenhearted]

[ nooooooo ]

This is so unnecessary-- FINE! But you better keep your word!

[ Or he'd get you, somehow. ]

[sparsity]

Then what you can do is move forward. If you never stop, you end up where you want to be.

[ Mikazuki never really gives advice, thinking everyone should make their own choices, but it's something be believes in, at the very least. ]

[ofseraphim]

[ Sorey smiles wanly at the suggestion. Sure, it’s a nice thought! Especially if this place intends to be a shopping hub, as it clearly does. But is it one that will be taken? Now that’s anyone’s guess. ]

No kidding! [ A beat. ] To be honest, I can’t imagine what would have happened if this had been one of the plants I’d been assigned to collect before...

[ That used to be a thing he did for work, after all. Seems like forever ago now. ]

You've been really calm this whole time. It's admirable.

[notwagging]

Great! [ eheheh. ] You won't be sorry.

[ surprise, Waver won't be sorry. maybe they find a snack or two, and then Keaton will finally let the boy go.

maybe. ]

[ettersberg]

[ it's - unexpected. unexpected, but not unwelcome and thomas makes a soft noise, a little wondering but no less pleased for it, holding himself still.

it's not something he's done or had done to him very often. or ever, really. he's open to the experience, though, now more than ever with the drug in his system making him a little more mellow and the sensations a lot more intense. ]