❪ 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

[whatisright]

[Her fingers on his back spark against his nerves, waking them up and allowing gooseflesh to rise on his skin. When she tilts his ear up and asks for a kiss, he doesn’t hesitate. He leans in, pressing together and immediately swiping his tongue along her lip. He learned from kissing Anders, and he deploys the lessons here, though there is still a note of curiosity in the way he tastes her and focuses on what she does and what she seems to like.

His hands don’t stay idle during the kiss. Heat and curiosity mix as he draws them up her abdomen, momentarily catching on the hem of her shirt and fondling her bare skin before deciding he likes the kiss too much to break it and take her shirt off, and then his hands drag up her front until he cups her breasts, fondling them through her clothes and pulling down the neck of her shirt to touch the bare skin.

He wants to know how it feels to touch her everywhere, all the mysteries of the human form, but he pays careful attention to the feelings that he can taste on her lips and feel in her skin. What does she like? What does she want?]

[devilcalling]

Really?

[ But it's not even that hot? She pauses for all of two seconds, then turns her eyes right back on him undeterred. ]

But if it's a place in the Noble district, they should be especially accommodating of their guests, right? Please, Shell? Pleeeease?

[ If expressions could speak for themselves, hers would surely ask, 'Pretty please?' ]

[thetaintedsorrow]

Suit yourself.

[Chuuya scratches his cheek, equally as confused that Linneus has never heard of a hot spring before.]

They’re like natural heated pools that form in the earth. They were a big deal back in Japan. I used to treat my subordinates to hot springs trips when I could. It’s nice to just soak and relax sometimes.

[inaurare]

[a thoughtful sound, a little hum]

We've nothing like that, I think. If they were, they certainly weren't in Ivore...

[and perhaps that's why it's a little strange to him. Even if it wasn't, Linneus supposes he would rather his own bath - a bath means the end of a day's work, unwinding, relaxing, getting ready for bed. A little everyday indulgence that he is happy to take in private.

There were bathhouses in Ivore, of course, but Linneus had never needed to step into one - the Teahouse had its own water, attached bathrooms for each of the courtesans and even the servants had places to bathe. The bathhouses were more for the lower classes, or servants whose masters couldn't even spare them a tin bath. Even then bathing was hardly undertaken in groups.]

...but it is common, where you are from? To bathe together?

[poolhall_killer]

They are flightless birds that live in very cold regions back home. Their wings were more like fins and spent their time hunting in the water. Despite the devastation that almost consumed my world, they remained relatively unscathed.

[He'd never seen live penguins, nor lovebirds. Both only really existed in books for him. Now he sort of regrets not ever going to places such as the zoo or animal sanctuaries.]

[torchwoodteaboy]

[Ianto quirks his eyebrows slightly as the other man's voice drops lower, but he leans in closer to listen, going along with it. Standing back up as he returns to his normal tone to look back warily at the statues. They all seem to be in their place as before, though. Don't they?]

Well. That isn't ominous at all. And they've encouraged us to hang around in this place after dark -- why, exactly? Sounds like the perfect reason to start jumping at shadows, personally.

[torchwoodteaboy]

Well, it's good to know that they're not to be locked in at least. That in itself is comforting, if nothing else. Ianto tries to take a deep, calming breath and let it out slowly, forcing himself to relax.

"I do believe that it is," he agrees, glancing to the other man with the quirk of a grateful smile. "Certainly if these artifacts are going to keep pulling stunts like these. And given the choice between wandering these halls all night, sleeping on the floor, or going back -- it's really no choice at all, is it?"

[natha]

You may assume that some of them were lying low there and may be captured also! These bandits will fall under the same category as the other bandits outlined:

"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."

[impavid]

Thank you! And happy Friday!

[poolhall_killer]

Really?

[Venom brings the small person a bit closer, hoping his gloved hand is comfortable enough.]

What makes vampires in your world different?

[rosebyanyother]

[Slow works for Peter.

The thing is, he's extremely mutable in his preferences when it comes to all this. Which isn't to say that he doesn't have likes or dislikes. Just that especially when he's feeling partial towards someone, their preferences are mostly adopted as his. For the time being. It's an easy way to make them happy and (hopefully) to like him a bit better.

(There are certainly other times when he exhibits strong tendencies of his own. His flexibility is not always a given.)

So. Slow works for him. He hums against Jim's lips, a sound of warm contentment. When his lips part, Peter responds in kind. Peter is maybe slightly quicker to start using his tongue, but it's nothing like aggressive. Small little licks, more exploratory than anything. Though he also can't seem to resist taking Jim's lip between his teeth very gently and dragging it slowly across them.

He also, at some point, leans back a little more against the cushions, tugging at Jim so that he's almost, but not quite, on top of him. They're not lying down yet. But it's a little closer.]

[willrevile]

It could, [ he says, sounding faintly amused. ] But it's clear you can handle that thing, so you might as well have something top-level.

[ Having to learn from scratch, maybe it's better that the suits in storage aren't souped up so much. ]

Alright. I'm gonna get back to searching this place. I'll let you know if I run into anything besides emptiness.

[monya]

Well. You know what, that sounds about right. [ a beat, and he blinks a few times. ] Of course I don't steal hearts like that! A true thief doesn't go about their business in that way.

[ and then he chuckles while offering the widest, toothiest grin. ]

How about this: if I can change your perspective when it comes to me and the world as you see it, then I've already stolen yours.

[ obviously not as elegant or invasive as going into a metaphysical world would be, but... details. ]

[baguablade]

Well, we've woken up without any ill effects...

[ Of course, the Natha also haven't been willing to tell them what makes them ready to wake, or explain any other parts of the process. They've only said that people will wake when they're ready and been frustratingly vague about everything else. It's extremely unhelpful for their current situation, but surely there's something somewhere in the station's logs that can shed some light on what constitutes "ready." ]

Information on stasis should be our top priority. If we don't have the Natha to guide us, then we and the others in the pods are going to be our own best resources.

[whatisright]

Anders...

[Justice softens, his free hand going to gently caress Anders’ cheek.] I never realized. I am sorry. [He didn’t realize many things, clearly. He didn’t realize how much his simple honesty and compassion might not have been so simple. He didn’t realize the effect he had on Anders. He didn’t realize the real reason Anders was willing to take a spirit into his heart.

Justice needs a moment to gather his thoughts, looking down at their interlocked hands.]

I do not know if I am capable of falling in love. I do not know if I would even realize it if I had. I do not wish to hurt you.

I envy mortal love. I will not deny that. It is dangerous for me to want what I might not be able to have. I do not know how I should proceed from here, but I do know that I cannot lose you. You are my closest and dearest companion.

[reinhardtzar]

[ honestly, a part of him wishes he could knock him back flat onto his ass. but he wouldn't do that, ever, obviously.

he'll just consider it for a moment instead. you can see it in his gaze, probably. ]

Then get back down and enlighten me — unless you're looking to take a plunge again.

[ his lips twitch. ]

Ask nicely and I might even consider carrying you.

[ettersberg]

( thomas appreciates it. he appreciates the indication of how much jim wants him, too, and it sparks more answering heat inside him, his cock half-hard between his legs. the sensation of it all is not overwhelming but so much more than it might ordinarily be that it leaves him sighing his pleasure into jim's month, pressing closer. not quite tipping toward urgency but getting there. )

[willrevile]

[ Times like these are worth enjoying, anyway, drawing them out; if either of them were trying to score a quick fuck, he doesn't think they'd be lounging around in a place like this.

Jim kisses him more, pressed close. He rubs his hands over his back, presses into the line of his hips that curve up and over, slow and firm. It feels to him like Thomas wouldn't mind Jim being in charge, but they're taking baby steps. And that's just fine. ]

[gekkajuu]

[... Okay, that's definitely kind of a buzz-kill. Still, since she's already realized herself that killing so many people would have been a bad thing (Atsushi, that's not what she said...), there's no need for him to feel bad about what she might theoretically have wanted to do in the past.

Besides, can he really say he would have done better, had he been in her place? If someone had taken him in and put him on a pedestal after all those years of being tortured, can he really say he wouldn't have been swept away and gone "evil"? He wants to say yes, but it really depends.

And so he goes along with it for now, a metallic itching around the edges of his fluffy consciousness the only damage done.]

Wouldn't that have been a bad plan anyway? What would you have eaten, if all humans were dead or turned?

[gekkajuu]

[This lounge is way too comfortable, Atsushi thinks. Maybe it's just the smoke, but the whole atmosphere is as soft and welcoming as the pillows, making it easy to relax. It's a weird antithesis to sex while also promoting it, every little touch stirring Atsushi up. His dick twitches as Chuuya bites his hip, and Atsushi moans softly. At some point he'll realize how he was brought back here fully naked, but now is not that time.

Atsushi's heart pounds at the silent suggestion of Chuuya's finger on his ass, and maybe it's just his fear boner talking, but he's interested enough in trying.]

Would you... fuck me?

[Oh, God... He really, really hopes that he can deliver. What if he somehow fails to do this right, or he can't handle it, or..?]

[willrevile]

[ Ah, the puzzlebox of when two very accommodating people attempt to accommodate each other. Jim seems to intuit that's what's going on a few minutes into the slow build of making out, and grins against the other man's mouth.

What, it's funny. And cute, if you're into things being cute.

Close to lying down, becoming comfortably entangled, he sets gentle teeth on Alexander's jawline before he raises his head, tossing hair out of his eyes. ]

What would you like?

[ Jim's not inherently submissive - an easy-going switch, if there's a term. But more than capable of taking things aggressively in hand if a partner wants it that way. ]

[gekkajuu]

It's a little scary, isn't it? Even if we may well wake up again, the thought of being away from everyone for any length of time is just -...

[It's uncomfortable. Just thinking back to how he felt when he thought he'd lost someone close to him, the idea of making someone else feel that way is enough to make Atsushi sick. Even though he doesn't think he's as important to other people as other people are to him, it's just not something he wants to be responsible for.]

But I think... that's another reason to stick together, as refugees. That way, we can support each other when things like that happen.

[impavid]

Yeah.

[ And he's not sure they're great resources, because John has no idea what he's doing. ]

Well, if you figure out how to safely wake people the guy we need is Rodney McKay. He's an expert on like, everything to do with machines and technology.

[ And John misses him terribly, though he's trying to block that out. ]

[colorature]

_{[See...that thought had crossed her mind but she had been reassured not to dwell too hard on it. Things would work out, somehow.]}

Amshel had told me he would deal with such a problem. Maybe some humans would be kept alive simply for their blood, the way humans keep livestock? I don't know.

_{[There's a little shrug.]}

It isn't something I troubled myself with.

[braidedwonder]

Went through too much training to not have something top level and handle it. [ And too much pain and suffering to get there to just let it go by. Still, now that he's out here in space he feels a bit better than being planetside.. which is strange, he knows, but a spacer is a spacer, whether they admit it or not. He just happens to find no problem in admitting these things. ]

Sounds like a plan. Let me know if you think there's enough power to open the doors and bring Scythe in. I could always drop in and help out.