❪ 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

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vane / granblue fantasy / ota + closed starters!

[defenses]

▌OLYMPIAN PRESERVATION
NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM

[ the occult, the creepy, the weird... all of these have never been topics that vane was particularly well-versed in. while he loved the idea of halloween and treat giving, maybe even smaller mischief making, the actually scary? not so much. he's definitely got a lifetime full of memories from his youth where he's been pranked enough times to know what fear is like, but is he really good at dealing with it?

definitely leaning towards a firm "probably not." ]

A. [ but well these had to be the olympian style of joke, right?? there's no way they'd let them sleep around ghosts, right? besides, if these ghosts were anybody, they probably were their people, right? or so he tries to take solace in. though, it's kind of hard when he's managed to lose his way from the main hall.

he walks near some of the statues on display, and he swears he sees a shadow moving on the opposite end. wasn't the museum lady earlier talking about this? he finds himself freezing up. ] No, Vane... there's no way. [ he's whispering to himself, that is before he takes another step...

and maybe you're there as he totally shouts (in fear) in your face. he nearly knocks over a vase behind him too. how did that saying go again?

... like a dog in a fine china store? ]

B. [ maybe you're sitting down to rest or taking a break from all the sights at night. maybe it's all that adrenaline catching up to you from running from the shadows and all the strange haunting noises of the palace halls. either way, whether you're expecting the company or not, vane plops down right next to you. ]

Want to sleep together? [ this was ... a sleepover, right?? this place was kinda creepy, too. ]

▌TALL TALES OF KHALO VILLAGE
PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO READ & REVIEW

VENASOU. [ it's no surprise that vane finds himself intrigued by these mystical looking creatures. according to the natives they're charmed by the power of music? which isn't something vane completely understand, but he does his best to adapt to! they apparently maker great guides and well that's perfect considering he's kind of lost his way to the mid-level shops. he was really looking forward to there food there too!

hence, he does his best to try and charm the creature. perhaps, you walk in on him in the middle of trying to give it snacks from his pocket, or even ... while he tries to sing. his singing is probably more comical than anything else. he ever said he was a great singer okay. on the bright side is he's pretty loud. the creature doesn't seem to take the bait, though... ] Ah~ Feendrache! ♪ [ this probably looks really embarrassing considering he's "alone"... ]

STORY. [ it's kind of nice to kick back and read sometimes. while many would think he's more of an outdoorsy type, and he definitely is, some of the books here are nostalgic somehow. stories even about knights and kingdoms. vane finds himself smiling a little as he skims the pages.

... that is until he comes across an interesting line or verse in poem. he reads them aloud.

and maybe it's oddly familiar? or not? vane also doesn't seem to realize the harm in it and he continues to read onwards. that is, before he turns upwards, a small smile. ] Do you think they get their happy ending? [ it'd be nice if they did, right? ]

MUSHROOMS. [ while vane has learned to be a little more cautious than the times before, it doesn't mean he isn't (blindly) interested in seeing all the fresh flora that khalo village has to offer. hence, he's constantly kneeling by the various mushrooms, almost a sparkle in his eyes as he turns his head back. ] Haha, this little guy looks a little funny. What do you think he doe— [ vane's nose wrinkles a little, before he throws his head back and...

he sneezes. the spores of the mushroom begin to slowly rise into the air, clouding the immediate area around him, or maybe you? what do you know... looks like they'll find out what it is very soon. idk this is a wildcard magic mushroom prompt. ]

▌WILDCARD.

[ hit me with anything! or if you'd like a personal starter, lmk and i'd be happy to provide! ♥ also, if you have a preferred effect for the mushroom prompt, please let me know and i can pretty much run with anything. if you'd like to plot something specific out, feel free to reach me at cages! ]

[toten_sie]

[ He doesn't react to the tone much other than to nod back. For the moment, the gun is slipped into the holster on his chest. The shears are staying where they are, though. He's given himself a task and he's not about to let anything happen. Because there may not be any signs of hostiles- ]

At the moment. There's no telling what happened. Or what might happen with this place empty.

[ Which is why he's staying on guard. This is not exactly a 'normal' situation, after all. ]

Or do you know what happened?

[ The tone isn't snide or sarcastic. He's not very smart, and he doesn't know the kind of things that might let him figure out what happened here other than that something is seriously wrong. ]

[apricitous]

[ Clark notes Jim's look and he gives a slow nod. Jim's smart enough to know what that means: yes, I'm not exactly human. But it's not something to talk about right now. They have other concerns. ]

Do we know what their energy source was? Or is, for this station?

[ He's thinking. Because he has a lot of energy at his disposal, but if there was a way for him to put it to use for Jim, that might save a lot of the trouble.

It's the kind of time he wishes he'd waited to grab Bruce. ]

b

[insist]

[ was supposed to do candy train but got distracted by night at the museum ...

For once, Rohan has another motive for doing something that isn't only 'because I want the experience'. Having spent all his money on ... some random bullshit, like clams, maybe, he's now flat-out broke and couldn't quite make the rent after the free month was over. To put it bluntly, he's been evicted, and he's been spending the past few nights in random cafes or parks trying to figure out his next step. The chance to stay a night at the Olympia exhibition is more than welcome. He's even brought his own pillow and blanket, like he actually is going for a sleepover. ]

Vane. [ Out of all the people who could be siding up to him like this, Vane is a favourable choice. He doesn't even find himself minding the thought of sleeping together with him (and he doesn't read that question the way it could be read, because Rohan is a wholesome mangaka). ] Are you tired already? There's still a lot to see.

[ here 4 spoopy adventure

also vane might notice that rohan's brought his whole wardrobe with him and all his things, like he intends to live here. ]

[nysan]

[ Considering he sniffed her position out easily enough, it only makes sense that he is capable in this regard too. Despite the best of her abilities, it looks like John still has the upper hand at this proximity. But that doesn’t mean that she relents. She continues to struggle against John’s lead in this situation. It’s their tangle of legs, however that eventually gets the best of both of them.

They end up tumbling straight towards the muddied ground. The momentum and sheer force of her back hitting the ground is enough to cause her to wince upon impact. But she’s trained enough to react in spite of the pain. She instantly brings her knees up, attempting to dig them into his calf as he falls forward.

While her mouth was freed in the process, calling for backup wouldn’t really do much for her. Not here, not now. If anything, it would probably be a wrench in their plans at this point. But these are thoughts she keeps to herself as she continues to fight against his attempts to pin her to the floor. She grits her teeth. ] Is this your idea of a chat?

With those manners, no wonder you couldn’t get anyone else to come with you.

[ But he's right that she doesn't have access to her own weapons like this. ]

[impavid]

[ He grits his teeth as she struggles, eyes narrowing as he fights -- her? -- back down, struggles to get his dagger back to her throat. ]

There's a reason I'm divorced.

[ This is not the time for sass, though, she's not nearly intimidated enough and she needs to be. So he moves to try and press his weight more aggressively into her too. ]

Now, we can do this the nice way or the unpleasant way. Your call, but you should know I'm normally the bad cop in these scenarios.

[defenses]

[ for what it’s worth, rohan was a genuinely unique character. sometimes (most times if he’s being completely honest) he isn’t sure of what the artist plans to do, or how particular or detailed he’ll get with it. now, they’re permitted to sleep in the museum. to spend a night.

for vane this meant to travel a little light and maybe doze off in the museum while he's here. for rohan…

it apparently meant packing all his clothes, bringing his blanket, pillow, art supplies, camera, and several other items along as well. well some of the items were fairly normal he supposed, but in terms of visual amount, vane isn’t sure he can label it as commonplace. but, somehow… it’s very rohan. yeah, that’s definitely what he agrees on. at least, inwardly. in reality, he can’t entirely bring himself to tear his eyes away from everything.

still, when rohan speaks, he does his best to focus on his words. ] I’m not exactly tired yet, but just thought I should figure out where to sleep. [ he looks around again. though, once more… the colorful wardrobe rohan brought along catches his attention. he purposely looks away.

commenting on these things was usually asking for rohan to be kinda moody, after all...

instead— ] Wanna try and explore then? [ vane already begins standing up, this time reaching out to help rohan up. ]

[nysan]

Really? Couldn’t tell. [ In this line of work, it’s really easy to become accustomed to danger. It’s this idea that keeps fear from displaying on her features. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work for pain. When he presses his weight into her, she squirms beneath it. But it doesn’t take her very long to realize how futile it is, and the more she moves, the more it hurts.

It’s this slack that gives room for John to return to his previous position with his dagger against her neck. She doesn’t have to see it to know it’s there, and it’s enough to stop her from moving. She swallows cautiously. ] I haven’t heard of a “nice way” in a very long time. Why don't you tell me about it? [ Not that she will take it, but she suppose the more she talks, the more time she could buy the rest. ]

[impavid]

Well --

[ John shifts his weight to make sure's properly pinned, half keeping an eye on where her hands are. ]

The nice way is you just tell me everything I want to know and there's no need for anything unpleasant. The alternative is we do a little experimenting to see how high your pain tolerance is. See, part of my job involved a lot of medical training -- so I'm pretty sure I can keep you alive even when you've begun to wish you could just give up and die. Your choice.

[insist]

[ Helping him up like this, stop being weird. But it's true that he does have a lot to carry. ]

Of course. But first, all these things are weighing me down, so I want to find a good place to set them down. We could sleep there also.

[ He's thinking that one room that's painted like the night sky, or that one exhibition with replicas of boats. He doesn't mind sleeping in a boat. Sounds cozy, almost like a bed if you lay pillows in it. Right now, he doesn't quite have a bed.

The real question, though, is why Rohan seemed to bring his whole life along with him on a trip to the museum... Come on, Vane. Catch on already. ]

[nysan]

[ It doesn’t seem like an idle threat. Idle threats tended to lack details and weren’t nearly as vivid. Something in her gut suggests she listen and for the first time she remains silent of her own volition. After a good moment of thought— ] That does seem unpleasant. Makes you wonder about all the medical experts. I’m more on the side of witch doctors myself, and it seems like I made the right choice.

[ As for this situation, she isn't sure a right choice really exists. Even if he does spare her the excess violence, if she's turned in, she's probably just as good as dead... or worse. She doesn't think of the "or worse." ] I'm assuming this "nice way" package also includes you letting me leave?

[impavid]

[ Good, now he's got her attention. She's stopped struggling for the moment, too. Much better, they're on the same page. ]

That all depends on how useful your information is. Why don't you convince me and we'll see? If I think you're keeping something from me I might need to pry it out of you.

[ He flicks a playful smile, but there's an edge to it. He's not above doing some damage, and he wants her to know it. It makes it easier, and less likely that he'll actually have to. ]

[impavid]

I'm 90% sure I know the answer, but may as well ask now that I can.

If, after all the other junk, John goes back up to the Natha ship and does a few laps trying to see if it will talk to back to him -- would any of it answer his technopathy? He'd just be trying to get it to tell him what's going on, so would any of it give him anything? Even if it's like, unreadable error messages or garbled alarms or spooky ominous warnings.

Or just a slap to stop him trying. That's fine too. People regularly want to slap him, he gets it.

[pebblestone]

[ Not so strange to see a woman under the swathes of fabric. There are women in the Shepherds, after all, and it was a woman Gangrel had by his side who aided him in his elaborate scheme to take the Fire Emblem for himself. Her gender does nothing to stay his hand but there's no further.

Especially not when there's information he wants to know. He pulls his horse to a stop, eyes narrowed. ]

Do you make it a habit of fleeing the scene after an attack?

[ Not very chivalrous, in his opinion. (Not that she cares, he suspects.) But now that they're both here, might as well cut straight to the chase. ]

Who sent you? Why did you attack us?

smoking lounge ~

[willrevile]

[ Jim's having a fine time in Khalo, though even through the peaceful haze there's something in the back of his head reminding him that he needs to wrap this up sooner rather than later, and get back to work. At least he lives in Wyver, and the trip (ha, ha) won't be such a hassle.

He doesn't have to make it yet, though. Fortunate, because he recognizes the voice asking him a question before he turns his head to look. ]

Hey, Alexander. [ (All of his pals here who use pseudonyms have chosen A-names. Not that he knows what.) Jim moves close enough to sit down on the cushions beside him. Better than yelling across a room. ] I've definitely been partaking. You know, good diplomatic relations. [ Shut up, Jim. ]

[willrevile]

Yep.

[ Stasis is what this place is all about, after all. Jim's trying not to think about the fact that even one moment of inconsistent power could mean every single one of those people in there is dead. So there's not much conversation as he heads there alongside Mikazuki, switching out the hand-held flashlight for the light on his shoulder (his cobbled-together climbing gear making an appearance again - whatever, it works) so he can hold his phaser. Both in the event they run into whatever scared off the Natha, and because it can get through any stubborn doors if need be. ]

They must have left in a hurry, to not even lock the place down.

[thetaintedsorrow]

Good.

[The second Mikazuki grabs onto him Chuuya activates his ability, surrounding them both in a red glow, and Mikazuki should notice himself feeling much, much lighter.]

Let’s go.

[Chuuya crouches down before taking off in a sprint, and Mikazuki will find himself pulled along behind him, as if he weighs nothing at all. The giants have large strides, but Chuuya is much, much quicker, and soon enough they’re right on its heels.]

Go ahead and jump, then grab onto it.

[His ability to control gravity will last even after their contact breaks, so now is the time for impressive, gravity-defying feats.]

A

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Chuuya has never believed in ghosts or ghouls or anything spooky and supernatural like that despite his own ability being...supernatural. He’ll believe in those things if and when he sees them, though he won’t deny that the chance to catch a glimpse of something scary drew him in to the exhibit tonight. Life gets a little boring when you don’t have a steady job besides tossing yourself in the fighting pits on occasion, after all, so why not?

He’s just doing a bit of nighttime exploring when he runs into, and apparently scares the shit out of, someone else.

Luckily he’s quick to grab the vase and right it before it can crash to the ground and land them both in serious trouble.]

Oi. Stop shouting. I’m not a ghost.

[willrevile]

[ Jim just looks at him. At the moment. Yeah, no shit, but sitting inside the actual chamber and pointing weapons--

You know what, nevermind. He doesn't have the time or temperament to deal with this guy, and he's self-aware enough to know he himself won't be helping anything if he ends up barking. It's safest to disengage, and just make a mental note of it. ]

Not yet. [ Jim nods, somewhat less frosty. ] Try not to be so jumpy. Everyone in here's just checking on loved ones.

[ With that, he turns to head back on his way, in no mood for being idle. ]

[toten_sie]

[ He nods to the advice, clearly taking it to heart. ]

Yes, sir.

[ He considers it a command. ]

So you know, you're the first person I've seen up here.

Good luck.

[willrevile]

I haven't seen any documentation on it. [ Jim keeps moving as they speak, looking down corridors, checking in rooms. ] Given the fact that the stasis room is on its own circuit, and they've employed heavy duty holograms up here before, it may be a mix of tech like we see dirtside. Heavily 'magic' with radio and electricity integrated in portions. If it were a warp core reactor I'd be able to hear it, probably, or--

[ Jim stops, makes a thoughtful noise, and then quiets as he waits with a hand on the nearest bulkhead. Listening, feeling. He understands spacecraft in a way most people, even most space travelers, don't. He's not at Scotty's level, but he's got an uncanny intuition. He just needs to get to know Thesa, maybe. ]

Mm. [ He shrugs. ] They've gotta have intermittent propulsion to keep from dropping orbit and they've got to have a reactor to keep life support going. Doubt it's nuclear. Someone would have noticed the maintenance.

[nysan]

[ The bandit laughs.

And then, haughtily, she tosses her head and turns to look to the side — most likely, she should be looking straight at him, but evidently that isn't a concern to her. She shifts the arm holding her knife a bit so that it is hidden under her cloak. ]

As if I would tell you that.

[ But turning away from him is something of a foolish move. The cloak she is wearing is embroidered with the insignia of Mythi's Fangs, and turning her head gives Frederick a full-on view of it. From the way her shoulders go tense, she seems to realize it a second later, but just in case he hasn't noticed, she plays it cool. ]

Not for nothing, anyway. Information has a price. [ She takes this opportunity to look at him head-on again, hiding the Fangs insignia on her hood. ] Why don't we make a trade? Since you're— [ She sneers; apparently, she is not enthused by the idea of trading the heart for the skull. ] —into those.

[apricitous]

Do you know what I might be looking for?

[ Because he might be able to look through the ship; getting there will be another matter, but if he knows approximately what it might look like, he could start trying to find what Jim's looking for. ]

Approximate size, a few basic components?

[ He sighs a little. ]

I've only been on the one ship while I was here, and, well, one ship back where I came from. And they're not entirely dissimilar, but I didn't look too hard into the engineering of the ship back home.

[personalwar]

[ When the cloak comes free, 76 discards it, tossing it aside so that it can flutter to the ground. Now that he's got a better look at the man's face, he puts the details to memory. With the red hair, he isn't exactly subtle. If for some reason this guy gets away, he wants to be able to offer a detailed description of him to anyone who'll bother to listen.

Even better if he can take him into custody, though, so 76 closes the distance between them again, getting right up into the guy's face. ]

Not what you should be concerning yourself with right now. [ He isn't the one who has things to answer to, here. He grabs the bandit by the collar, yanking him even closer as the red slit of his visor stares him down. ] Why do you want the skull?

Venom | Guilty Gear | OTA!

[poolhall_killer]

A. The Assassin at the Library

[Exploring a new area has always proven beneficial to an assassin. New places for information, hiding spots, potential allies and safe houses, etc. And even though Venom's put that past far behind him, old habits die hard. When he elects to travel to Khalo, he's in his leader mode, scoping out pubs and other information sources.

But there's one that will forever speak to his inner child: the library.

One of the venasou floats by Venom, as if silently guiding him to the entrance. And the former assassin isn't disappointed. He marvels at the self-writing quills, curious as to who or what's controlling them. More importantly, what are they writing? Gently, he pulls a random parchment out from under one quill, reading what appears to be a series of poems.]

The Dashing Vampire
Making a great leap
His followers mourn

His actions were brave
Fighting that bedman
A robot looked on

What...? That's not what happened at all. Why would it write this?

[It's like Lord Slayer was playing a prank on him, had the vampire not been sleeping in the pods. He reads another parchment, but it only went over Thesa and new races. How utterly bizarre. Another one is just plain silly.]

I'm not married to a king...

B. It's not billiards, but it'll suffice. (Skyball!)

[Training regularly has been tougher than it should. Most of Venom's options are confined to either running or private sessions. There are hushed things about the fight ring, but he's yet to investigate fully. And speaking of rings...

He comes across a wondrous arena, where people are flying about and playing what appears to be a type of football. Now his interest is piqued because he's never been able to fly consistently, only glide. After a little asking, he's up in the air with the other players, ready for the next match.]

If you'll have me, I'd like to join in.

C. Do these mushrooms offer extra lives?

[Being a novice healer means learning the ropes of natural remedies. It also means possibly collecting samples of dangerous items in order to make a salve or potion. Perhaps Venom can aid the Sanctuary by recovering small samples from the protective fungi ring. With swabs and scissors in hand (and his trusted gloves, of course), he walks the area, being mindful of where he steps.]

I don't even know where to start...

[Maybe snip a tiny piece off of a pink mushroom that almost looks like a rose. Or perhaps that bright green lichen?]

D. Wildcard!

[PP me at dominoman if you'd like to plot something!]