❪ 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

[meinwaifu]

Hmmm, perhaps a little. But I assure you, it had far less to do with revenge and far more to do with my desire to tease you.

[HE'S TOO HONEST it's awful in it's own tbh.]

And please. It was hardly subtle.

The two of you living together in that big, ritzy mansion. The expensive bar he had built just for you for your birthday. Your obvious hesitance and discomfort at him seeing you so severely wounded, despite knowing he was more than capable of healing you. Surely it's an easy enough mistake to make?

Ah, unless-- it wasn't a mistake after all?

[More snickering.]

[thetaintedsorrow]

[FAIR POINTS but he doesn’t have feelings Meph, shut up.]

If it wasn’t a mistake I’d say so.

[Chuuya wouldn’t be shy about it if he had a significant other. But he doesn’t, because feelings make everything complicated. He’s not about to ruin whatever you’d call his and Atsushi’s relationship by admitting he has feelings.

Hell, he hadn’t even let himself think about possibly having feelings before. It’s pretty goddamn hard to deny it now, though.]

You’re not gonna say a word to him about any of this.

[willrevile]

Not at all. [ He tilts his head, gesturing down the hall outside. ] C'mon. It'll be easy to explain, if we work out a reference point.

[ Unmentioned fact, Jim's only been an instructor for hand to hand combat at the Academy, not anything, you know, like this. Whatever, they'll make it work. ]

You've got magic in your home. Does it work like a general energy source that can be applied to automatic functions, or do you have to do use it deliberately in each instance, to make something happen?

[ Tell him about your cool Disneyvidya world, man. ]

[meinwaifu]

But of course! I hardly know him, after all. And besides-- your personal relationships or lack there of aren't any of my business. It's not as though I chose to have you tell me those specific little factoids about yourself.

[Which is true.]

[But it doesn't mean he won't fuck with them in some other way. It's pretty much his Thing.]

Ah, but for the record-- I would hope that you'll remember that everything I said to you is true. I may have tricked you into letting my familiars force you to open your heart to me, but that doesn't mean I wasn't prepared to do the same.

[He was being more honest that he usually is too, even though he probably could have stayed silent and let Chuuya ramble.]

[willrevile]

Bullheaded determination and good old fashioned spite is how Jim's so cheery. He spent entirely too many years with people expecting him to fail to have done anything but been on time to every single asscrack of dawn class, to be anything but instantly alert at any hour on the ship. He slipped up into bad habits, once. Never again.

Jim laughs quietly at Ianto, and then wolfs down the rest of the sandwich when someone's at the door. Too late to freshen anything.

"Hey, good morning," he greets, pushing off the counter. Maybe his own genuine ease can sooth whatever anxious knots John's secretly tying himself up in. "Thanks, man. I know my cooking isn't anyone's favorite, you might be saving a life." Jim will still eat it, though, because food going to waste isn't something he abides by, no matter what it happens to be. (While still being practical enough to understand not everyone wants weird leftovers.)

"So." He presses his hands together. "We're talking shamans and the Altar of Volkkra. Yeah?"

[willrevile]

"Quit asking me that," he chastises, though there's no heat in it. "Yes I'm sure, I just spent several days in an air conditioned space station with bunks my spine is actually used to, and you're covered in bruises. You're not sleeping on the floor."

Jim gets his hands on Ianto's shoulders and steers him towards the narrow hallway that leads to the closet-like bathroom (at least it's clean, and the water's nice). "Go, and if I see you longingly eyeballing the floor I'm going to subject you to my terrifying space-stun technique, the Vulcan nerve pinch, and then you'll really be out."

Spooky voice. (Fun fact, Jim can actually do that unlike his Prime counterpart.) "Relax. Everything's fine."

[thetaintedsorrow]

Right.

[Really though. Out of all the people who could’ve heard Chuuya’s deepest, darkest secrets, it had to be a demon...]

As long as you keep up the not lying to me thing I guess I’ll believe you.

[What a tsundere grouch.]

Whatever ends up happening, I don’t go back on my word.

[willrevile]

I didn't think it was what you meant, [ he assures her. ] But it's still a nice thought, to want to help people.

[ Jim opts out of mentioning that everyone gets into trouble sooner or later - probably sooner, here. For now, everything's okay, and they should enjoy it. ]

[meinwaifu]

[Still snickering -- he can be as grouchy as he wants, and Mephisto will still enjoy it either way. Hell, he might even find the grouchiness more fun.]

You certainly don't seem the type, no. Had I any inkling that you might somehow betray my trust someday, I would have never agreed to a clause in which I cannot lie to you.

There are very few types of people I would trust with that much power over me.

for large steve

[willrevile]

[ By this point, Jim's exhausted places to hunt on the station, and has pieced enough together to almost have a working idea of what happened. It's still in that nebulous zone of uncertainty, though, and getting word someone trustworthy* is beaming up is perfect timing. He can't brainstorm this shit solo.

(*everyone on this planet works for Peggy Carter whether they know it or not her word is law)

And lo, here he is - ]

Hey, [ he greets, extending a hand. ] Jim Kirk. Nice to meet you in person.

[ Literally only the seriousness of the situation is preventing him from mentioning the shampoo. It pains him a little to set it aside, but work's gotta get done. ]

[thetaintedsorrow]

Good to know.

[Don't think he’ll ever forget the tail thing, Meph. In fact, if the tail is still out he’s gonna grab near the fluffy end of it just because.]

At least I got to know your weaknesses. That makes it worth it.

1/2

[meinwaifu]

[Yes, his tail is still out.]

[But you know who forgot his tail is still out, since he so rarely has it out? This guy.]

[Enjoy this face. And the weird little squawk he makes.]

[meinwaifu]

[But this time-- poof! The tail is gone.]

--all right, that's enough sexual harassment out of you!

[HUFFS]

[thetaintedsorrow]

That’s a good look for you.

[Blushy and flustered Meph. Good stuff.]

All right. Time to head back. You said you’d call when you need me, right?

[...oh wait. It occurs to him that he hasn’t yet paid the price for seeing the tail.

MAYBE MEPH WILL FORGET ABOUT THE COSPLAY THING?]

[meinwaifu]

[HUFFS]

Yes, that's right.

[....]

And next time I call, I'll be sure to have all sorts of fun cosplays prepared for you to try on.

[AS IF HE WOULD FORGET but look he's gotta be prepared first. He has lots of Ideas.]

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Def gotta play out Chuuya trying on outfits.

Shit. Of course he didn’t forget.]

...fine.

[It’s not like he can refuse.

Time to go home and drown himself in booze.]

[meinwaifu]

[Just gonna snicker and watch him leave -- humans are so cute~]

[impavid]

He watches Ianto struggle for a few seconds, lofts an eyebrow at him before finally reaching out to gently squeeze his upper arm as he slides past. He's fine, it's just a scratch, stop fussing.

"Help yourself," he says, and dumps down a paper bag on the kitchen table. The bread is fresh and also, slightly flavoured he thinks? He was hungry enough that it smelled good. His rucksack lands on the floor by a chair and John shrugs off his jacket, loops it over the back. There's a clean, new-looking bandage around his left arm where the bandit stabbed him -- along with a couple of newer (but still clean) scuffs and scratches on his skin. "So, good news everyone! Shamans drink dragon blood to become temporarily invulnerable and apparently it's spicy and therefore useful as a condiment."

This is not in fact good news but who's counting.

"Also, their hobbies include kidnapping, putting people in cage fights against chimeras and burning things. You still got a headache?"

The last part directed at Ianto, because he's thinking about his knock to the head and the no-fussing rule definitely doesn't apply to him.

"And if you lie to me," he adds, "I'm selling the coffee maker."

[impavid]

Right. Talking to Shanrian. John looks around the rest of the group uneasily, trying to decide who he thinks might be the most... diplomatic.

"Right. Probably wouldn't vote myself the best person to break the news."

He's under no delusion that he's good with delicate wording in the name of peace. That was never exactly his job. He does first contacts and a little trading but usually he's just the heroics guy.

[torchwoodteaboy]

Wow Jim, that was actually pretty impressive. Ianto raises an eyebrow at how fast the sandwich had disappeared from one moment to the other before moving forward to fuss with the bread. He likes having something to fuss with, and it gives him something to fuss over that isn't John. Because he could have sworn he was in better shape the last time he'd seen him. Just what in the hell had he been getting himself into?

"It's fine," he says, as he digs around in Jim's little kitchen for some sort of knife to slice up the bread. (It does smell good.) Technically, he isn't lying to the other man by saying so either, even if he's not quite admitting to the fact that he's still got a headache either. It's fine. Just dehydration, or the damned humidity, or the fact that he hasn't had a decent coffee in over a day now. It really was only just a bump on the head, he's had worse, he'll live.

"Don't you dare touch that press," he warns over his shoulder. "Never get between a man and his coffee, John. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry." It's a deflection, pure and simple. Peppered with pop culture references which are John's favorite and thus will help his case, right?

"When you say 'invulnerable'..." he asks, turning with a knife he's managed to find -- maybe not the best for the job but it will do in a pinch. Sorry, Jim. You're the host but he's taken over hosting duties, it's what he does. "Do we know exactly what that entails?" He glances at the Captain. "Have you encountered any of this?"

wildcard!

[defenses]

[ since he laid eyes on them, he had his own personal project to see if he could manage to hitch a ride on one. granted, it's been a lot more daunting than he suspected. he isn't sure whether to try and gain some height advantage and hop on, if he'd be better off clinging to its roots. but, while he seems to be mulling over this, he manages to catch sight of a familiar face. instantly, he waves his arms around wildly as he sits on the top of the branches of a fairly large tree. ]

Diva! Over here!

[ he gives a good-humored laugh. ] I'm happy to see you here. What were you up to? [ honestly, diva had always seemed so full of life, and somehow that felt comfortable to him. he half-wonders if she'd be interested in trying to travel on one of the big guys, too? but, it's a question he pockets for later, for now...

he should probably come down now. ]

[gekkajuu]

[Once at the pool, Atsushi takes off his underwear and puts it on a pile with the rest of his clothes, folded neatly(ish). Then he gets into the pool after Chuuya, even though he's still a little lightheaded. At least the pool isn't nearly as hot as onsen would be, so... it's probably safe...?

It helps that he doesn't realize (or just doesn't think about) how the pool is unisex.]

He doesn't like bathing? That's unexpected!

[LOL Aku, you pussy.]

Well... I guess it's not unexpected that he hates taking his coat off.

[gekkajuu]

[Be a cat, not a pussy!! Words to live by.]

Oh no, as many people have trouble with the heat as with the cold, I think... Maybe the cold is worse, but it's also easier to guard yourself against, provided you have enough money for clothes and the like.

[So fragile, much mortal, wow.

Meanwhile, it's hard to ignore a quill that suddenly jumps to life, and Atsushi's curiosity so often gets the better of him (go figure, that's the one thing he's like a cat for): he goes to check what's being written, and -...

.....]

M-Maybe we should leave...

[gekkajuu]

Of course! Supposedly, they approach any people who have a positive bond. And we're friends, right?

[Flower guaranteed! ... Probably. If not, Atsushi will hate himself and give his own flower to Linneus, even if he'd saved it for a reason.]

Chuuya-san and I even rode one! ... They're not very fast, but they're definitely gentle. You don't have to be afraid of them!

[gekkajuu]

[Monkeys will fly out of his butt, first! ... Actually, that could probably happen here, so let's not say such things. Let's just add it to the bestiary, instead.

To call Atsushi experienced would be an exaggeration, but he's no longer inexperienced, at least. As long as he doesn't overthink what he's doing, he's not too bad a kisser - and, under these circumstances, overthinking definitely isn't on the agenda.

He doesn't mean (or even want) to be loud, but as she rocks against him, he moans loudly into the kiss, about 40% excitement and 60% panic. He's getting entirely too turned on, his body responding to even the slightest stimulation.

Still, he doesn't want to stop.]