❪ 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

[devilcalling]

Huh. I wonder if the technology aboard the station could offer you any solid answers? It's not totally prehistoric.

[ Unlike most things on the ground. She's pretty sure Washu could if she weren't still napping aboard Thesa, but there's nothing doing for that. ]

[gekkajuu]

I do! Animals come in all sorts, but they're never malicious. Even the ones that kill only do so to eat.

[They're a step up from humans in that regard. Of course most people are fine, and worth protecting! Atsushi will never assume the worst of anyone. But he's experienced the worst of a few people, and that's hard to forget.]

[baguablade]

The space kitchen is easy. You just press a button, it's all automated.

[ Good news, at least! Cain's glad he can offer that much; he's not sure he'd have wanted to have to figure out how to have to cook with whatever implements the Natha have left them, considering how fascinated by normal human culture the Natha have seemed at times. Everything seems to come out of a machine in the cafeteria, Cain's not even sure there is raw ingredients to be found... ]

As for the records, I don't know if they're not useful, just I haven't found anything yet. [ He sighs, a little put upon. ] People usually don't leave helpful secrets conveniently labeled.

[baguablade]

[ Before the Storm. That's what it all gets down to, isn't it? Before and after, when their worlds existed. And now everything is completely different.

Ah, well. Cain allows the change of subject; it's obviously a sore topic. ]

That's right. It's a rage chance for a look at all these artifacts, and who could resist a peek at Ysverai's heart up close? I wanted as much time as I could get.

[baguablade]

So it's a fair summary then.

[ Good news, even if Mantis doesn't seem particularly thrilled by that! He can't blame her, but it's a positive. A very, very big positive. ]

Which means we can probably count on just about everything here being pretty accurate, even if it's all with a bit of an added flourish. That makes this whole place possibly the greatest resource we've got on this planet. [ He pauses and adds, a bit ruefully: ] That is, if we can find the information we want in here. They haven't exactly heard of a filing system.

[quevalry]

But then it could get lost or... [ she sighs. ]

Sorry, I just worry a lot when it comes to it .. without it ... I can't be here.

[quevalry]

[ Star-Lord isn't as cool as Tracer because it ain't like Peter is a Lord. ]

It does sound pretty cool, ey? I always love hear it, especially during missions.

[baguablade]

That's right, I'm always full of good ideas.

[ He says it without a trace of irony. At least, no irony in his voice; inside, he's perfectly well aware of just how ironic that statement is.

But he does lead on, heading towards a table in the back of the library — already piled high with books. It's apparent that Cain's been at this for a while. A very long while, considering the towers are tall enough to hide Cain from view when he sits down and the table is scattered with pieces of paper covered in messy notes. ]

All of these books have true stories in them. Stories about El Nysa, and about other worlds. And maybe even about the Natha and the Storm. I was hoping I could find something to help us with our current difficulties... or to help us figure out how to save home.

[jesus_is_gundam]

Was it to keep the rest of the world out, or was it to keep something else in?

[Not that it matters either way, since you can't unring a bell. But the more he thinks about it, it does seem strange to him that they would suddenly end their policy of isolation relatively unprompted.]

[baguablade]

Someone with a vested interest in things turning out well for himself. Let's leave it at that for now.

[ He can understand the curiosity, but Cain's not eager to reveal his source. Or to involve anyone else with it; putting himself in this kind of danger is enough, he doesn't want to have to risk anyone else's life if it blows up in his face. ]

But even so, in this instance, I don't they're any more interested in seeing R succeed than we are.

[impavid]

I was hoping at least for better cryptic clues. I've gotten fond of those, always make everything a little more interesting.

[ Puzzles are fun. More fun than imminent death, anyway. ]

One button is good though, my cooking leaves a little to be desired but I am very good at pressing buttons.

[ 'Don't touch that' said everyone ever, right as John pressed the button. ]

[braidedwonder]

Listen, I ain't trying to get philosophical over a place that makes you smoke up to even see it. [ Somehow a part of Duo doesn't think it's all that deep for the people in Khalo, but there's always a chance that he could be wrong.

He's not the tactician of his outfit, he just likes to build bombs. ]

At any rate, seeing the way Wyver and Olympia act, you can't blame them for wanting to keep people out, can you?

[ettersberg]

Yes. ( the answer is immediate, no hesitation or hint of shyness. for all that thomas doesn't ordinarily let himself think too hard about how attractive other men are, for all that he doesn't let himself linger on his physical wants, on anything but duty and responsibility most of the time, he's never been shy. the war and everything that had happened since, ageing, loss, those things had put a damper on his libido.

being here with far fewer responsibilities and duties than ever before, with native magic nudging him, that damper is coming undone.

when jim takes off his shirt, he'll find some scars on thomas' body, signs of a lifetime of service —in the foreign office, in the army at ettersberg, in the police force. there's one on his shoulder, healed but still relatively fresh, where he'd been shot in the back. another on his leg, but that's for later. )

[chickenhearted]

Wait, wha?!

[ He screeches a little as he's picked up, instantly trying to cover his goods again with his hands as he flails about with his legs. It probably looks ridiculous. ]

Why are we leaving!? I'm not ready to le— You don't need to carry me!

[ Maybe if he starts barking out commands like "sit", Keaton will listen to him!? But something tells him this wolfman only does what he wants and this is a disaster. ]

Put me down!

[inaurare]

There weren't really so many where I came from - I lived in the town for most of my life. But my master had hunting dogs, once. Though they were older and... tired, when I knew them.

[a little smile at the memories]

And horses, we had horses. I used to help in the stable sometimes...

[uglybug]

[She sighs.] A resource that we can't find anything in might not be the best resource. So far, it seems very random, but maybe there's a system we just haven't seen yet.

[Maybe it's sorted by type of ink, for all Mantis knows. Maybe it's not sorted at all.]

[notwagging]

Not until we get out. I promise I won't drop you.

[ and of course, he's bridal carrying Waver out of the water--- his clothes dripping with warm and strangely clear water as the blob of dirt and dust finally dissipates, effectively ruining the bath for future parties. ]

You look clean! And you smell clean. So you're fine, okay?

[ he bumps his forehead against Waver's. ]

What? Is there something wrong?

[willrevile]

[ He likes that confidence a lot - shows it in the feel of his smile against his mouth, the way he peels the other man's shirt off and immediately runs his hands over bare skin, seeking out places that he responds well to-- then ducking his head to follow up that search with his mouth.

Jim removes his own shirt, and repeats the process with other things; Can I, should we, and there's nothing hesitant in it, just bold communication. There's nothing romantic about keeping quiet and ending up with mediocre sex.

He bites into the curve of Thomas's hipbone, firm but gentle, before he shifts back up to steal another kiss. ] Tell me exactly what you want, [ he says against him, heated and nearly demanding. ]

[gekkajuu]

Dogs are nice... I like dogs, too.

[Maybe not as much as cats, but still! There are no bad animals in Atsushi's book.]

I only really encountered horses when I came here, though. The stables in Olympia have a lot of strange creatures, but regular horses too.

[inaurare]

[Linneus has probably not met enough cats to know for sure whether he likes them - generally in his experience they're only used for mousing. But he's taken to Daifuku well enough]

Ah-- I haven't tried any of the... stranger creatures. Horses are familiar and safe enough, though I didn't ride so regularly until I came here.

[gekkajuu]

[Daifuku is a special kitty, in more ways than one.]

Have you tried a pegasus? [Linneus just said not, basically, but since it's a horse with wings, Atsushi seems to think it may still count.] They're pretty impressive!

[But, more importantly: the Mossley is getting close, now.]

Look! [Atsushi half-whispers the word, as if Linneus can't see the giant creature all by himself. It's a tense moment or two as Atsushi waits to see what will happen... but sure enough, the Mossley comes right up to them, sticking his head between them.] Ah... [This is happiness. Atsushi isn't sure why it feels so good to have friendship validated by a mossy rhino, but... well, it's evidence, isn't it?]

[inaurare]

They are beautiful, yes, but I am rather wary of flying on one...!

[it's height and movement that tends to do him in - he's just getting used to it with horses.]

Ah--!

[a delighted laugh, careful to stay still and not nudge the creature off. Not that he can be much nudged]

Yes, hello - ah, you're heavy...!

[shashka]

That's no way to ask for an apology, now is it?

[ he manages to sound as though he's not overly bothered, but the fact of the matter is, there's a slight edge to his voice. ]

I could ask the same about you.

[ after all, this is one of many things that he would rather not give anyone a straight answer about. ]

[shashka]

He looked so "shocking" that people were stopped in their place?

[ ...look, he knows some people go by horrible codenames, but he'd like to think he's not one of them.

although... ]

You know, I actually knew a guy that might've fit that name a little better.

[shashka]

A little romantic for my tastes, but not the worst story I've heard.

[ after all, he can think of a few that are far worse... ]

Find any other interesting things around here?