❪ event ❫ khalo? can you hear me?

[natha]

In normal circumstances, this would have been near the time in which you're called upon to greet the newly awakened. Unfortunately, I speak to you to inform that we must postpone that — there is trouble on your horizon. What, I cannot see for sure. We shall continue to monitor the situation, however — we - ... we — [feed cuts off.] OLYMPIAN PRESERVATION     The city of Olympia is preparing the send-off of its most prized artifact: the heart of the ancient dragon, Ysverai. In doing this, they've transformed the palace court into an exhibition detailing the centuries-old war between Wyver and Olympia. Sculptures of Nithor the Exalted and his men and women in clean, white marble, while their armors are polished in perfect gold. Among Nithor are the sculptures of stallions in all shapes and sizes that also aided in the great war. Further in the exhibition, one may also find other artifacts of much older weaponry, rusted by its time in the earth, and items found from a time when humans feared the dragons. The Royal Guard has increased its numbers in wake of such a public event, particularly because the heart will be in display also. The heart is not what one might expect it to be: about the size of an average human, the heart's core is surrounded in stone, a red glow emitting from its still beating core. If that were not unsettling enough, one might also find that lingering around this particular exhibit will have undue affects on one's inhibitions. You'll notice your heart has fallen into sync with the organ, and your more selfish desires will come forth. Things that have long been buried will rise up and place you in a state of unease, encouraging paranoia about your companions intentions. Allow it to fester, and one will carry this feeling with them long after you've left the scene. It's probably a good thing this is leaving Olympia — perhaps it's a source of so much conflict you've endured. It's easy to become mesmerized by all the historical artifacts that are present in Olympia's exhibition. Some even seem mystical or, like Ysverai’s heart, to hold unspeakable powers. Others are just a little eerie. Either way, Olympia prides itself in its generosity and their grand displays, and so refugees are urged to learn more about their artifacts by spending the night in Palace Court. Though, someone should probably mention that there are rumors of strange, almost occult things happening around these relics at night. People speak of armored soldiers casting shadows that have the ability to walk on their own, or gemstones that catch the moonlight in a certain way and show you visions. But those are just silly ghost stories, right? TALL TALES OF KHALO VILLAGE     Because of Khalo's proximity to Wyver, it's no surprise that they would catch wind of the peace talks between Wyver and Olympia. In response, for the first time in centuries, Khalo Village has willingly granted passage to outsiders — but visitors will immediately find out that one cannot just simply walk into the village. Visitors will need to inhale the smoke of a fyrra herb in order to enter the premises without falling into slumber. Khalo is notably different than what refugees are used to. Visitors, specifically refugees, will find that they are exceedingly accommodating. The Khali are very intrigued by the outsiders, thus they're treated with much respect and given instant access to some of the best lounges and fyrra the village has to offer. In exchange, the village is interested in hearing about your journey thus far. Whether it be through a conversation with another individual or the Khali themselves, they'll very likely to have been eavesdropping and recording the tales of their exploits. Why, exactly? Perhaps it will not be immediately clear, but if you happened upon a venasou, a tamed Khali creature, it may have guided you to their Enchanted Library. Upon entering the library, visitors will notice that it is quite the happening place — but not because it's occupied by the Khali, but because there seems to be an assembly of magical quills seemingly writing on their own. The quills are mostly undisturbed by the intrusion and will not stop writing even if parchment is taken from it; it will simply produce another piece of paper and continue its tales. If you happen to read the parchment, you may notice that there is a daunting similarity between your story and the ones being written here. Tales of Thesa birthing new races and sending them from the sky, for example, are very popular in Khalo Village. They mark July 15th as the day in which the Moon Goddess, Thesa, created more people in her image and brought them to El Nysa as saviors. The coincidences don't end there: specifics about your home world might be found in the writings if you search deeply enough — but it's not without its exaggerations. These stories are given all sorts of poetic and literary forms, from short stories to limericks, biographies to something similar to haiku. If asked, the Khali will inform visitors that the enchanted library has access to vague parts of your memories, and thus it is duty-bound to record. The Khali have not seen stories as strange as the ones being made by refugees, which is largely why they are interested in them. NOTE: This is entirely optional! You may make up your own "stories" (fanfiction) and it could be as accurate or inaccurate, or as serious or silly as you'd like. While tales of the Thesa's descendants are still being written, visitors of the Enchanted Library might find intrigue in the more complete works — KING AND KIN. If one is willing to delve deep, they may also find parts of Wyver's past that have been removed from their own archives. These pages will recount the tales of Shanrian and Rasyc. Though a lot of the narrative seems to divide at certain points in the story, it becomes obvious with some quick reading that Rasyc is not only the son of Shanrian, but that he glorifies the Wyver of old, more bloodthirsty and brutal than it is today. Unlike his father, he does not take kindly to Olympia and the threat they will always pose for their people. He has not forgotten Olympia's past sins and he believes that, in his foolish quest for peace, the king has gone soft and no longer possesses the real will to fight. His present voice in affairs of state is not a loud one, as he chooses to speak in whispers and move in the dead of silence. In these quiet murmurings, he boasts of his unwavering belief in the power and dignity of his people. Of how they should all return to what they once were — the kingdom, its citizens, and naturally the father who he had once admired greatly. Though perhaps it can be argued that any estranged son would wish the same. It's difficult to pinpoint what becomes political and what is and always will be more personal for him. But, it hardly matters. It's clear that Rasyc will stop at nothing to achieve his objectives, even if it means never returning to place he calls home. Even if it means turning his back on his own father, Shanrian, King of Wyver... DRAGONFIRE. While tales of the Thesa's descendants are still being written, visitors to the Enchanted Library might find intrigue in the more complete works. In particular, tales of Ysverai, the last of Wyver's great high dragons. Ysverai is most commonly known for being slain by Olympia’s past king and legendary hero, Nithor, but here in Khalo he is depicted in another light. Ysverai is known to the Khali people as a wise being, old as the first inhabitants that walked El Nysa. The creature spoke in the common tongue to the early settlers, guiding them to refuge when his kin began to dominate the land at the cost of its own isolation. It ultimately becomes a tale of sacrifice, for its stand with Nithor became a testament against the Olympian Empire's long reaching influence. At the bottom, there is a quotation: Your hearts will fill with greed and malice the moment my own stops beating. Take care in the Eye of the Storm. Find strength in one another, before it is too late. It seems to end there. Refugees are naturally allowed to question the natives. However, keep in mind that many of their replies will seem more like speculation than fact. But maybe that can be fun too? If you have no interest in the library and the tales they've woven, feel free to explore any of the other areas of interest. Khalo Village is thrilled to be open for you all. THOSE THAT SEEK PEACE, AND THOSE THAT SEEK --     The morning of the 20th is marked by fairly dismal weather. The sky is overcast and a downpour seems imminent. Regardless of the poor forecast, those who signed up to assist in this mission will be required to come early in order to receive their briefing. Members of Group A: ▸ Jon Snow (song_of_ice) ▸ Daenerys Targaryen (dorzalta) ▸ Loras Tyrell (triplerose) ▸ Terra (earthy) ▸ Alisaie Leveilleur (adelphoi) ▸ Solider: 76 (personalwar) ▸ Ardyn Izunia (daemonized) ▸ Mai(maipokerface) ▸ Olivier Armstrong (wallsofbriggs) ▸ Atsushi Nakajima (gekkajuu) Members of Group B: ▸ Kale (kaleorbekaled) ▸ Diana Prince (wondie) ▸ Pheonix Wright (objectionattourney) ▸ Revolver Ocelot (shashka) ▸ Frederick (pebblestone) ▸ John Sheppard (impavid ▸ Ianto Jones (torchwoodteaboy) ▸ Lena Oxton (quevarly) ▸ Allura (quintessent) Due to the rain, members of Group A will have to immediately stop by the checkpoint at the East Watchtower. Additionally, the Royal Guard and Knightryders are well-prepared with extra cloaks for those who may require it. They also will provide basic refreshments such as water and bread. People are encouraged to take what they need prior to their departure on this mission. The checkpoints are a bit far between, after all. Members of the envoy will also be encouraged to utilize this time to become familiar with one another. Maybe some introductions are in order? You never know who will end up having your back... For both groups, the paths will be relatively straightforward with evenly spaced checkpoints along the way. The only issue seems to be the downpour, really. The rain is unforgiving and the roads easily become unstable and increasingly difficult for the carriage to be drawn through. Hence, there may be more than one occasion where you will be expected to lend a hand in prying out its wheels from a particularly pesky (and muddy) pothole. Or perhaps you will be called upon by a fellow guard to assist in getting a particularly stubborn creature out of the path ahead of you. Seems like it may be a longer journey than you expected. Dirtier, too. While weathering the conditions may have been a bit tiring, this journey isn't too bad, right? Well, maybe not. GROUP A. Once the carriage gets through the worst of the terrain and finally manages to depart from the watchtower, it won't be long until the group is met with a physical roadblock. A large tree trunk will be set down the center of the road, acting as a blockade. But, before the group can react or begin crafting a plan around this obstruction, the carriage will be attacked without warning. At first, it's unclear where the attack comes from or from whom, but you don't have the leisure to deliberate this. You hear one of your fellow guards mention something about bandits frequenting these parts, but maybe there's more to it? Either way, your task is clear: protect the artifact, Nithor's skull, and fight the bandits off. You'll be encouraged to try and capture them so that they may later be turned and questioned by the authorities. GROUP B. With clear motives to restock and collect a few more materials for the carriage, it's evident that the envoy will appear restless to arrive at the second checkpoint. However, despite their unspoken delight at seeing the South Outpost from a distance, it's clear something has gone awry. There will be several hooded figures awaiting them right where the mud path meets the cobblestone of the Outpost's road. Soon, several more of these figures will come to flank them from both sides. While they seem like bandits, at least from their physical appearance, there is something far more polished in their movements. They will be attacking the envoy in concise, practiced formations. For those who are more perceptive, it becomes obvious that they are moving around and acting as decoy to one central figure. This member is likely the "leader" of their group, but no matter how one may try to close the distance between themselves and this mysterious leader, someone will constantly get in the way of that. The fighting also seems to act as a distraction since by the time everything is cleared up... only two things are missing. The leader of this group of bandits and more importantly — Ysverai's heart. NOTE: Those RNG'd to thread out the capture and questioning of the bandits will have starters below. For everyone else that signed up, you will still have the opportunity to capture the assailants even though they were not selected to thread the interrogation; you are free to make up your NPCs with the same basic guideline: they will not reveal their motive or their organization. You may turn them in to authorities (Wyver or Olympia or otherwise) or find creative ways to get rid of them. FINAL OOC NOTE     To reiterate: you may use this log as a general mingle for everything from the May Outline, including all Khalo Village activities. In other words, your top-levels don't necessarily have to be related to the prompts written here. An AC-eligible thread in which your character participates in anything mentioned in the May Outline and/or Khalo Village location page may be submitted for 2 REP POINT FOR EITHER OLYMPIA OR WYVER. SUBMIT THE THREAD FOR OLYMPIA OR WYVER HERE OR HERE RESPECTIVELY BY June 10th 11:59 PM EST. For those who participated in this month's plot-related portion, to receive IC recognition for it, a summary of the thread must be submitted HERE by June 8th 11:59 PM EST. Please direct all queries to the question thread below. Thank you, and have fun! QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● lore ● map ● npcs ● bestiary taken ● atp/emp ● application ● rep/acp ● quest bulletin calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

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Diana Cavendish | OTA

[fiendennor]

[A: The Library]

[Of course the first place Diana goes upon entering an incredibly fascinating new place is the library. Of course it is. The library isn't any less interesting, and she wanders around, paying careful attention to the enchanted quills. They're not dissimilar to things that existed back at Luna Nova, but seeing them here is intriguing, and she tries to work out how the magic functions.

She takes a look at one of the pages, and her eyes go wide.] ...and they restored the World Tree?

I... how is this possible? [That sure is what she and Akko did, right there, on the page.]

[B: Baths]

[When in Rome...

Diana isn't going full native, no. She's a little too self-conscious for that, and even seeing other people walk around fully naked makes her blush. But she is trying to respect the people's customs as best she can.

She's opted for a compromise. She walks around with a towel wrapped around her chest, only otherwise wearing a bikini bottom. When she slides into the water, she leaves the towel on the shore. It's fine to go topless as long as she stays below the water, really.

Honestly, she feels self-conscious about feeling self-conscious, but she's making an effort.] It's interesting, their custom... much of their society revolves around this pond, from what I can see.

Do you think it's always been here? [She asks the nearest person who doesn't look like they're from around here. Which is you.]

[B-2]

[All of the above happens, except at the end of her bath, Diana goes to where she left her towel.

And it's not there.

Perhaps someone stole it? (Perhaps you stole it?) Perhaps someone thought it was theirs and walked off? Either way, she's in a bind. So you'll see a young woman with fair hair, keeping in the water up to her neck, looking rather distressed.] Ah-- excuse me! Would you happen to have, er, something I can drape over myself?

[C: Accommodations (Open to NSFW, women only)]

[The lodgings here are beautiful, she can't help but think, and for once, Diana genuinely allows herself to relax, to be a little hedonistic and indulgent as she lounges back on the colorful, silken pillows that line the various rooms in the inn.

One of their hosts brings by a tall device that resembles a hookah on a wheeled table.] This is... the special fyrra you'd mentioned earlier? [She says, to the host; they'd discussed the fragrant substance necessary to enter the city earlier, and Diana had expressed interest.] Thank you for bringing this by.

[It's lit by the host who then walks away, and she takes the long hose and puts the pipe in her mouth, hesitantly inhaling the fragrant smoke.

She immediately starts coughing.] Oh-- that's more-- it's hotter than I'd-- give me a moment, please! [She says between her coughs, holding the hose out for you to take, if you'd like.]

(ooc: Prior CR only for NSFW options, please!)

I wonder...

[araearyrha]

[Akko takes the hose and looks toward Diana unsure if she should try it or not after that coughing fit. Sure she'd used it earlier to get into the city, but this was different. Still, she's not about to let Diana think she's just some kid.

She takes a puff from the pipe, trying to take less than Diana did if only to keep from coughing herself. It doesn't help.]

It [cough, cough] smells nice at least.

[fiendennor]

[Okay, at least Akko coughs. It makes her feel a little better, oops. Diana takes a breath once the coughing ceases, feeling annoyingly immature.] Yes, it's... very fragrant. [She takes a deep breath, again, forcing air into her lungs.] I didn't have this much trouble at the border... that's irritating.

[She says, taking the pipe back. She'll be damned if she lets it defeat her.]

[araearyrha]

They did say this was supposed to be a whole other experience.

[If Diana isn't going to give up, she can't either. It would ruin her reputation as the queen of determination! She has to wonder what exactly the experience is supposed to be though. The host wasn't very forthcoming when explaining things to them

Akko keeps a watch on Diana as she takes another puff of smoke.]

Any better?

[fiendennor]

[This one... isn't as bad.

There's still a cough, but it's just one, and done. She can deal with that.] ...better.

I think the trick is to not, ah, inhale too deeply. The heated smoke probably irritates the lungs.

A

[icingonthecake]

Axel is always intrigued by a library. After making a few trips to Beast's Castle and finding a wealth of unusual knowledge ferreted away in the ancient books therein, he can't quite pass up the chance to learn a bit more about this strange place. Stranger even than most things he's seen so far are these quill that seem to write all on their own. Boy, wouldn't those have made homework less lame back when he was a kid...

He heads an exclamation of shock and glances up then, spotting a familiar young woman gawping at one of the parchments.

"Diana?" he asks, tilting his head, glancing down at the nearest parchment being magically written on for a moment. The story seems interesting, if a bit far-fetched, but nothing extraordinary, and he looks back up at her. "Everything okay?"


((feel free to use brackets, I'm just on mobile a lot and they're a pain in the ass to code every time.))

[fiendennor]

Diana's struck by what's on the paper, continuing to read further and further back and growing increasingly shocked, when she's jolted by a familiar voice speaking to her. She glances up--

"Axel." She says, her shoulders slumping slightly. "No, I'm-- I'm fine. It's just a little startling, that's all."

"The story being spun here is unnervingly familiar."

[icingonthecake]

"Familiar?" He tilts his head and walks over toward her, frowning at the parchment. He skims the words there, sort of mumbling them to himself. "World Tree... magic... yadda yadda..." He notes there's someone named Diana in this story, and chuckles faintly. "Oh, is there like a fable like this where you're from?" he asks. "Maybe you were named for this Diana and never knew!"

[fiendennor]

She pauses, listening to him read and holding the paper out so that he has a better angle.

Her brow furrows, just a bit, at his interpretation. "Not exactly," she begins. "I... did this. The World Tree, the missile, the Shiny Arc spell... the Diana in this story would be me."

a;

[nostalgiabomb]

[ The library hadn't been high on Peter's list of places to visit, but, listen – when a weird floating humanoid jellyfish thing suddenly pops up, wanting to lead him somewhere, he's definitely going to follow. Just for the novelty of it, you know?

So when he ends up in some place that seems like something out of Fantasia, Peter ends up sticking around. He watches the quills at work (and he lucks out – none of the stories he takes a look at are familiar to him in the slightest, or at least not yet) and wanders the aisles.

He recognizes Diana from when they first arrived, but even by Peter's reckoning, she's not looking too happy. His approach slows. Then, carefully, ]

You alright over there?

[fiendennor]

[Diana is rapidly flicking through the pages, scanning back and back, her expression growing more incredulous, which she's jolted from her concentration by a voice. She glances up to see the man she'd spoken with-- explored a creepy skull with-- several months ago. Quill, she thinks his name is.

Her expression relaxes somewhat, though she's clearly... flustered. Off guard.] Oh-- yes, I'm all right.

It's just surprising. [She glances down at the paper in her hands, lifting it so he can see that she's holding something.] This seems to be about... me.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ When she almost jumps out of her skin Peter raises both hands in a placating sort of gesture, one that says, “Whoa there, don’t punch me.”

But she calms down without his input, and he lowers his hands when she addresses him properly. He’s still watching her face even as she lifts up the pages, his own expression caught somewhere between puzzled and pensive, but he looks at the parchment in her hands, covered in writing. ]

Really?

[ And he sounds more curious than concerned. Sorry, Diana. ]

Are you sure?

[fiendennor]

[She wouldn't punch him, she'd just turn him into a newt. Probably.

Diana's brow furrows and she looks back down at the text.] Fairly.

This page talks about two witches together harnessing the power of the reborn Yggdrasil to destroy the renegade empowered missile... something so detailed and specific can't be a coincidence.

B!

[steponme]

[Diana isn't the only one feeling self-conscious. Shell previously came into the water only at night, but the memory of how cool and refreshing it was made it hard to resist the next day. He was used to far cooler temperatures, after all -- his kind wasn't made to flourish in the heat of the jungle, let alone under the light of the sun.]

[Which is why he's settled in a spot under the shade of a tree, submerged all the way to his chin... honestly, she'd be forgiven for thinking she was calling out to a woman instead, given all she has to go by is soft blonde hair and unusual pretty eyes. At least until he speaks.]

I don't know if they would have been able to settle here without some source of clean water close by. Everything else around here is swamp... unless that hasn't always been the case.

[fiendennor]

[Oh. Yep. Definitely thought she was talking to a woman, and Diana looks visibly surprised when a deeper voice responds. She... looks awkward, mainly.] W-well, they... yes, I-- that's true.

I don't think they use this as a source of potable water, though?

[steponme]

Really? I mean, I guess I haven't seen anyone drink from here, but I don't know where else they'd get their water from. [Maybe there's a way to draw it out of trees or plants for them? Certainly they can't be drinking from the swamp.]

[But he's also noticing the way her face has lit up, as well as that slight shift in demeanor... not that he has any idea what could be causing it. Maybe it'd be best not to keep looking in her direction, but slight concern aside, well-- it's not common to see such a pretty hair color on a human, especially where he's from! Is it white, or is it blue? Silver? He's not sure, but his eyes are definitely drawn to it.]

...er, is something wrong?

a;

[unprays]

Diana?

[ still in her quest to gather as much knowledge of as many things as possible, Sansa has headed to the library, incredibly fascinated by the enchanted quills that keep on writing, enough so that she hardly pays attention to who else is there — at least until she hears a voice she recognizes, and rounds a row of shelves to see her friend. ]

What's wrong?

[fiendennor]

--Sansa. [She glances up at the familiar voice, and while her expression remains equal parts concerned and puzzled, her body language clearly relaxes at the sight of her dear friend.]

I don't know that I'd say that there's anything wrong per se, it's just--

This... seems to be about me. [She says, waving the parchment.]

[unprays]

About you?

[ the curiosity that was there in her voice is replaced entirely by concern as she steps closer, peers at the parchment like it's personally offended her. ]

What does it say? [ what does it say that makes you think that, she thinks, but doesn't want to try and read it for herself. she'll leave it to Diana to choose what to say, how much to tell her. ]

B-2

[versianvirtue]

Something you can... oh!

[Poor Diana! Given the nature of this Khali pool, she must be looking for something to cover herself up with as she vacates it. She glances left, right, and left again, just to check for bystanders, then peers down at her own two-piece swimsuit. It's no longer damp, which is a blessing for this kind of a moment. Blushing ever so slightly, she starts to lift at the hem of her ruffled pink top.]

I don't have a towel, but... would this do for now?

[fiendennor]

What--? [Diana says, hesitation in her voice, because she's convinced that she has to be misunderstanding here.

Is she being offered...] You mean your--

No, I couldn't possibly! Ah, that'd just leave you in the same position I'm in, wouldn't it?

[versianvirtue]

[Too late! It's off now. Asseylum keeps her arms close to her body, only shielding her bare chest moderately.]

It's okay! [And then... in a miraculous burst of light, her clothes change completely. She still holds her bathing suit top out as an offer.] I have my own solution. If you don't mind wearing the clothes off my back, please, feel free to take this as a temporary solution. I don't mind.

b-2

[bruxisms]

[ there is a question as to how Stannis Baratheon ended up here. Gods only knew. that being said, he is incredibly quick to avert his eyes as soon as he sees the young woman. ]

It's...

[ ...why does this always happen to him? ]

...I have a cloak.

[ and he's unfastening it as quickly as he possibly can. ]

[fiendennor]

[It had to be a man, too. Diana tries to keep her speech even, but it's clear that she's uncomfortable. Nothing personal, Stannis.] That will do nicely, thank you.

--I appreciate it tremendously, Lord Baratheon.

[bruxisms]

...It is nothing.

[ he comprehends. at the very least, it is a man who has absolutely no interest in the girl, beyond protecting her modesty. again, he turns his back, focusing on the wall, as his cape comes fully undone, falling to the ground. ]

Were it my daughter in your position, I would not wish for her to endure such embarrassment.

[ ...he wonders if she should make to hand it to her. but that would mean facing her again, and he does not wish to compromise her modesty. ]