❪ 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

[baguablade]

[ Cain gives John a long look for that comment. Very good at pressing buttons, huh. He makes a mental note to keep an eye on John around any big, conspicuous buttons. ]

Lucky for you, then. They've got lots of buttons to be pressed, you can even get things that taste almost like coffee.

[ Almost, but not quite, and his voice is wry for that experience. ]

Just once I'd have liked our clues to be a bit less cryptic considering, but I suppose then it wouldn't be a challenge. We'll just have to rise to the occasion... And hope there's a cypher somewhere.

[personalwar]

[ 76 doesn't know who Kagari is, but he assumes they're one of the people who'd been working with Kirk up on the Station. The point is that Sansa's already in the know, and didn't have any need for his warning. All the same, they can commiserate.

Because, just like the last time they spoke, Sansa behaves like someone so much older than she looks. She's tired in a way that he can see at the edges of her eyes, and can hear in her voice. ]

Hope won't get us too far. [ He sighs and shakes his head. ] Apparently the Natha can just bring people back, but with them not around, that may not be an option. [ People could die permanently, and that's reason enough to keep fighting until the bitter end, no matter what comes for them. ]

[baguablade]

It's not worth discarding the possibility yet... It may seem random, but surely the Khali have a way to find things. That's the whole point of a library, there's no reason to store information if you can never find it again.

[ Just because they don't understand the sorting system doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Cain's sure of it. After all, the Khali love stories; surely they wouldn't want to risk losing their favorite stories into the depths of the library so easily...? ]

[poolhall_killer]

I do have a soft spot for romantic stories, but not when they're unbelievable.

[Married to a king. HUFF.]

There are a few tomes about Olympia and Wyver's respective pasts, but I've not had a chance to read. I was too wrapped up in whatever these mischievous quills were writing.

[ayes]

No, no, I getcha, that's totally fair! [You tosses the ball from hand to hand, thinking.] Uh... you could do one of those boogieboard tethers? Make sure it doesn't go a few feet from your ankle?

[rosebyanyother]

[By the time Jim starts to pull away, Peter isn't just arching into his hand, he's pressing. The path of his fingers feels overly warm in a way that sinks into Peter's skin in the most pleasant way possible. The first time Jim's fingers brush over his nipple? He tugs him sharply downward, even further and more firmly into the kiss and he's almost a little ashamed at how quickly it happens but his hips...definitely briefly buck upwards. It doesn't feel as intense after that first moment but ah.

Jim pulls away and pulls Peter up. Peter takes it one step further by rising to his knees, curling over Jim. Hands frame his partner's face as he insistently and deeply kisses him. He might have asked to be swept off his feet, but...well, he can't help it if a little bit of his own commanding personality shines through. Peter is never going to be particularly passive, or even wholly submissive. When he pulls away:]

I believe I heard talk of more private accommodations towards the back.

[He's just assuming that's why they've stopped.]

[rosebyanyother]

[Impulsive suits Peter just fine.

He smiles into the kiss, eyes staying open for a few more moments to take in the way Anders looks. His free hand drifts slowly up Anders' back until he can curl it loosely on the back of his neck.

Peter lets the kiss be nice and soft for around the time it takes for that to happen. And then he begins to deepen it ever so slowly. A little more pressure, a little more insistence. A little bit of nipping at Ander's bottom lip, although it's still pretty gentle. Almost playful.]

[ettersberg]

( there's something terribly appealing about that communication, the openness of it, the complete lack of hesitation or shame. thomas is too old for shame, but having grown up and lived most of his life in a day and age in which liking who he liked was still a criminal offence, having listened to all the counter-arguments to the wolfenden report — it hasn't left him wholly unaffected.

those thoughts have no place here and now. )

I'd quite like you to fuck me, and I'd like to suck you off. I don't mind the order of it. ( that's just as bold, stated plainly, his hands greedy over jim's skin. )

[steponme]

[He really should have expected that. Kind-hearted people were always quick to offer their blood to him here. It's something he still can't really understand -- and certainly something he'll never get used to.]

N-No! I-- I'm all right. I drank some before I came out here. [...]

...why would you offer something like that to a stranger? Helping me like this is one thing, but... aren't you worried I might be dangerous?

[He says when he's like two inches tall??]

/wraps this up

[eaudevamp]

[ If Reign tasted anything flavour out of the ordinary (whether questionable or not), he didn't comment. Either way, he much preferred to continue kissing Diva.

That little groan from Diva sent a startling wave of arousal through Reign, moaning in return as one of his hand travelled lower down her back, fingers brushing her inner thighs. Whether that gesture was done with intention or not was hard to tell.

Reign was clearly enjoying what they were doing, gasping when his enthusiasm earned him a nip of Diva's fangs. Either way, they continued to make out, indulging in some heavy petting and experimentation. ]

[willrevile]

[ Jim can't help the reaction Thomas's desires inspire - his hips twitch forward, grinding his cock against the other's. For all of it, though particularly, he hasn't had anyone blow him in a long time. A fact he hasn't lost any sleep over, perfectly happy with his sexual habits, but apparently his dick has been privately counting days. ]

Yeah, [ he says in a shivery exhale. ] We can do that.

[ His next kiss is hot and messy, eager for contact and the press of tongues and little scrapes of teeth, rocking against him again as he does. ] Can you come more than once?

[ Logistical inquiry. He can, though it's more rare each year that passes, even James Kirk's libido finding itself without immunity to age. But he's so turned on, and the drug's making him feel so good and easy, and he knows he'll have no trouble tonight. ]

sorry for lateness

[eaudevamp]

[ Under different circumstances, Reign would likely be more amiable towards Sorey. As it was now, the itchiness on his arms was taking foremost priority.

But in all honesty, Reign was grateful for the help he was receiving, and he gave Sorey a small smile and nod. ]

Thank you, I appreciate it.

[ He too headed off in the opposite direction, asking around to see if any of the local Khalo people know about the rashes he was having. So far, no luck. Hopefully Sorey might find someone with some knowledge. ]

sorry for lateness

[eaudevamp]

[ Reign too hope that such a war wouldn't happen. He couldn't imagine if it did. People were already suffering, both the locals and refugees alike.

Hearing about Mantis's story, Reign's eyes widened, interest clear in his gaze. ] Really? Like pirates? Finding treasures?

[ He even sidled closer to her side, hoping to take a peek at the book. ]

[gekkajuu]

[The Mossley can't possibly be offended, but the way it wedges itself further between Atsushi and Linneus, giving the latter a little nudge, might almost be mistaken for that.]

Isn't it amazing? [Atsushi pats the creature's side, and while there's no telling if the Mossley likes that, it at least doesn't seem to dislike it.] I'm pretty sure this is a different one from the Mossley I saw with Chuuya-san...

[inaurare]

Oh--!

[the nudge makes him jump a little bit, another little burst of laughter, his hand rising carefully - where does he stroke...? Is along the nose all right? That works for horses...]

I wonder if the flowers can differ from creature to creature?

[eaudevamp]

[ Reign, yes. ]

Why not? Sounds kind of nice, doesn't it? Frenover...

Fren-over...

[ His complexion gradually paled as he repeated it a few more times, sounding more and more like... friend-over. No longer friends.

He suddenly grabbed Shell by the shoulders, leaning in really close, eyes narrowed. ]

You're right. Let's forget me ever calling you that. I don't want our friendship to be over. [ Much less what they were having between them as well. ]

/wraps this up tbh

[steponme]

[AND THEN SHELL SPLASHED REIGN SOME MORE FOR GETTING TOO CLOSE WHILE MAKING A SEXY FACE]

look who's late now? OTL

[eaudevamp]

That's what they say. It sounds fun, doesn't it?

[ Reign's eyes were already shining in excitement, though the whole idea was also quite scary. ]

It shouldn't be too hard, I think? Especially if you compare it to riding on a horse, or something similar.

[ Soon enough, they were at the Taming Fields, and already there were other people enjoying themselves with the creatures, some seeming to receive guidance by the Khalo people on how to ride them. ]

[ofseraphim]

[ There's no offense taken on Sorey's end, given the extenuating circumstances. He understands! And thusly darts off no sooner than they part ways.

The first storefront he passes has an exceptionally inundated shopkeep, too busy to answer Sorey’s question. Or, not without an extended wait, at least; and time is rather of the essence. The good news here? It seems more a fragrance shop than anything medicinal.

Moving along, the next store he happens upon seems to be much more relevant. Within is a man in a great wizard hat and... are those skirts? Tiered, layered skirts, yes indeed. He appears to be alone, yet... talking to himself, anyway? Odd. Most would (at least) bat an eye at it; but Sorey comes from a land where an entire race was once invisible to the naked human eye, so it’s not such a strange thing, to him. He enters.

Once the situation is explained, the man -- whose name he hasn’t been given -- appears perplexed.

”A rash?” He repeats in what sounds nearly sing-song, leaning back against a counter and crossing his legs at the ankles. ”Well, I’m afraid I’d have to see it, to tell you the truth.”

Rather than sounding defeated, Sorey takes heart -- the only issue is, now he’s got to find Reign again... ]

[impavid]

Pretty sure it is, since none of my weapons are ranged.

[ He can only stab them if he gets close, Phoenix!

There's a few seconds of uncertainty, with John slowly moving closer and one bandit moving slowly closer to him.

Then it erupts into violence. He sees one trying to move past him toward the carriage and grabs for them, swings them violently back toward the rest and turns the blade of his dagger toward another. ]

Stay with the heart!

[ Which means, stay in the carriage because he's assuming you can't fight. ]

[personalwar]

[ 76's first thought is Cree, but that might also be his bias talking. It's clear that Cain isn't going to give him any more details about it, so 76 drops it. Cain's already told him plenty, and his only price had been 76's name.

He shrugs and leans back in his seat, stretching his arms up over his head before settling down again. ]

At least we've got some sort of hunch as far as what's going on behind the scenes now. It's better than what we had before.

[ They have a name to assign to the group of people who took them and tortured them in such large numbers. That's really all it takes for the spark of revenge to ignite in him yet again. ]

[baguablade]

That's right. Somewhere to start.

[ But Cain doesn't sound satisfied. He's not entirely pleased, despite that he's confident in his theory. Oh, everything makes sense, the logic is sound. He's willing to stake his life on what he's guessing. But that's not enough. Theory is only theory after all, not anything tangible. ]

The question is, what to do with this information. I doubt Shanrian or Simwe will listen to us without anything to prove it, no matter what kinds of "heroes" we might be.

[willrevile]

[ Jim's reaction to the other man chasing after contact is a positive one; he smiles, nearly-neon eyes alight with intrigue and approval. Good, he likes that. ]

Yep, [ he says amiably, and stands up, snagging Alexander's hand to pull him up and along with him.

When in Rome is fine for most things, and he has no moral objections to carrying on right here, but Jim figures-- well, he signed up to be on the Coalition, and all. Fucking in public is probably a bit much. Once they're in the appropriate spot, Jim kisses him - then pushes him back onto the luxurious cushions, still playful, and maybe a little challenging, too. Getting right back into it, though, whether or not Alexander decides to wrestle back, determined to get clothes off and get his mouth where fingers were playing moments before. ]

[chickenhearted]

But why?!

[ why does he have to get out of the water now? He was actually in there to enjoy it! but clearly he has no say in this and he just flails and watches the blob of dirt dissipate. God, how does he get himself in these situations?! ]

I know I'm fine! But—

[ he glares into Keaton's eyes once their foreheads are together. ]

I'm naked!

[personalwar]

It's definitely too early to go to them. We're going to need some undeniable proof, which is going to be hard to get when we don't even know where Rasyc went.

[ 76 has no doubt that Rasyc will resurface eventually, if his need to overthrow his father and oppose peace is strong enough. Having to simply wait for that to happen doesn't sit well with him, but 76 doesn't have any mysterious sources to fall back on in this situation. ]

For now, I think we should be pretty careful with who we talk to about this.

[ If the information reaches the wrong person, it could blow up in their faces. ]