❪ 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

[gekkajuu]

[It's not just his eyes, at this point: his pupils are dilated, his heart pounding a little too loudly in his chest. If he wasn't feeling so good, he'd be worried; as it is, he's all warm and fuzzy on the inside, studying Diva's face with unnatural levels of attention.]

Why should I mind? Everybody has to eat.

[Also: minding much of anything both costs too much energy and makes him feel mean. He'd rather avoid that kind conflict if he can - if there's no reason to push his point, anyway, and he'll rarely do that when it's just his own well-being at stake.]

You're so pretty...

[... Yeah, he's just. Gonna randomly throw that out there.]

[colorature]

<sub>[There are a few reasons Diva can come up with regarding why Atsushi should mind, but if he isn't going to put up a fuss she'll leave it at that. It's easy enough to accept his compliment, a pleased hum leaving her as she looks into his two toned eyes. Sure, she knows she's pretty, but that doesn't make hearing it any less nice.

It's not his neck though that she goes for first as she leans in. Rather it's her lips that find his, hands settling on his shoulders as she makes herself comfortable.]</sub>

[gekkajuu]

[Were he not at least a little affected by the smoke, the kiss would have shocked him; as it is, he couldn't panic if he wanted to. Besides, it feels good, and he responds carefully but without hesitation, molding his lips against hers before he moves them more purposefully. Everything feels so much, he gets goosebumps all over his back from sheer sensory overload.]

[colorature]

_{[Ah. Nice. He's not shying back. There's something exciting about that, that Atsushi seems suddenly confident and isn't plagued by shyness or embarrassment. It's easy enough to push forward, gently scraping the tips of her fangs against his bottom lip before she gives it a tug.]}

Mmn...

[gekkajuu]

[His heart gives a loud throb in his chest as her fangs just barely scrape his lip. He knows what she could do with those - and yet it's not the danger that excites him. If anything, it's the fact that she could probably kill him, but chooses not to. Many more people in his life would have gladly tried just that.

To call him confident would be an exaggeration, but at least he keeps going, not even thinking about stopping. He'll wait for her to release his lip before he immediately engages her in a kiss again.]

[colorature]

<sub>[Atsushi please...love yourself.

Killing isn't really on the menu for the moment, as Diva frees Atsushi's lip from her grasp, only to find herself being caught up in a deeper kiss. It feels good being this close, and Atsushi seems to know what he's doing, even if Diva herself is a little awkward, not knowing what angle works best just yet.

Even so there's a pleased hum in her throat as she rocks herself forward juuust a little bit. If there's one thing she learned from her time spent with Takasugi at Atsushi's house it's that a little friction can go a long way.]</sub>

[gekkajuu]

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

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

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

Still, he doesn't want to stop.]

[colorature]

_{[Stopping isn't an option as far as Diva's concerned. Kissing Atsushi is as fun as it is pleasurable and for a glutton like Diva it only makes sense to indulge, especially when the Fyrra has heightened the desire within her. The loud moan gets her to grin against Atsushi's mouth, pleased as punch, knowing she drew that reaction out of him. She wants to hear more, wants him at her mercy...so she rocks het hips forward again, breaking the kiss for a moment to get a better look at him.]}

Feel good?

[gekkajuu]

[Breaking the kiss mid-rock is the worst - or best - move ever, making Atsushi's moan suddenly loud before he's left gasping for air. His face feels like it might be exploding soon, but he doesn't even have the time to be embarrassed about that.]

Y-Yes... That is -...

[How do you gently tell a girl that you have a boner and you're very sorry!? Not that she can't feel it already, but it seems polite to bring it up himself...]

[colorature]

<sub>[She likes bearing that. It's validating in a way other things aren't to her. Sure, her Chevaliers bent over backwards for her and others wanted her for various reasons, but this is removed from all of that. Atsushi is genuine when he says she's really pretty and that he's fond of her. He's not afraid of her either, even though he probably should be.

Best of all though is the face he's making right now is because of her and her alone.]</sub>

Hmm? That is?

[gekkajuu]

I'm -... It's -...

[Dammit... He doesn't usually stumble over his words like this, but how is he supposed to talk boners to a girl? That would have been bad enough with a guy - but at least with another guy, you can hope for some understanding about weird physical reactions.

He can't even try anymore, his gaze dropping in shame (which just lands it on her chest - not helping).]

I'm sorry. It feels good, but... too good?

[colorature]

_{[His reaction and apology has her shoulders slumping in confusion. Why was he saying sorry? What's wrong with feeling good? Was she really too much? Was it bad? Why?]}

That's a bad thing?

[gekkajuu]

I mean, I'm -... [Ohgod here goes.] ... It's hard.

There. [With a nod towards his crotch, which is 100% a necessary addition.

Of course he's going to apologize for his boner! It seems presumptuous anyway - and she's almost sorta kinda sitting on it. It's probably uncomfortable when it pokes at her??]

[colorature]

_{[Oh. So that's what he's talking about. Curiously she rocks forward against him gently, rolling her hips into his.]}

You don't have to apologize for it. Is it really a bad thing?

[gekkajuu]

[D-DON'T ROCK AGAINST IT, DIVA, jeez... He can't seem to breathe right as it is.]

I don't know... It's offensive, right?!

[He looks up at her with wide eyes, desperate. Isn't it?? He sure thinks so. But then, he didn't grow up in the best country for open sexuality, let alone in the best place for open anything.]

[colorature]

I'm not offended.

_{[And she's clearly not. If anything she's confused. Atsushi might've grown up in a repressed society but Diva doesn't know the meaning of the word. She functions doing whatever she pleases, whatever feels good. A hand finds Atsushi's face as she cups his cheek, thumb smoothing over skin in a bid to soothe. If anything she finds it the opposite of offensive. It means he desires her, that there was truth in his words prior to this.]}

I find it flattering that you want me.

[gekkajuu]

[Maybe finding her attractive isn't presumptuous, but this kind of physical reaction? That practically invites a physical response - and he definitely thinks he's rude for that, even though he would never, under any circumstances, try to make her do anything she doesn't want to do. In part, perhaps, it's just him hiding in apologies and inaction, because it's what the past has taught him is the safest option.]

Flattering... [That has to be a joke.] I'm sure everybody wants you, Diva-chan.

[And Atsushi is just himself. They're friends, and he appreciates that, but he wouldn't expect her to pick him over anyone else, for anything.]

[colorature]

That's not true.

<sub>[Sure, in a way it was. She was desirable to many because of what she was but for all the wrong reasons. It was never her as a being that was wanted, it was her power or blood or even blessing. Atsushi didn't care about any of that though. He never has.

She shifts quietly in his lap, making herself more comfortable.]</sub>

People usually don't want monsters.

[gekkajuu]

[It really feels far too good like this - but somehow he doesn't feel as bad about his raging boner as he did before. (What is it with him always ending up with people in his lap?! ... He can't say that he minds, though.)]

You're not a monster.

[He truly believes that, in spite of what she's told him. Maybe he just doesn't want to believe it, selectively ignoring details he doesn't like. It's so tiring to dislike people - and he really doesn't think he has the right to, anyway.]

You can't help needing blood to live. It doesn't say anything about who you are.

[colorature]

_{[It may be true she can't help being born the way she was, but as more time passes and she's forced to integrate into a society that isn't just made up of humans the more out of place she feels. Takasugi would tell her not to let it bother her, that she's above so many of them...but was that really the case?]}

Then how do you see me, Atsushi?

[gekkajuu]

You're a girl like any other. You're pretty, and sweet...

[??? Atsushi?! "Sweet" is probably not an adjective many people would apply to Diva, but he means what he says. If anything, he's almost too sincere about it.]

Just because you need a specific diet doesn't make you a bad person.

[colorature]

_{[There's something validating about Atsushi's conviction that she's just like any other girl, that she could even be considered remotely normal. People would probably argue against him, that she's anything but sweet, but it feels nice to know at least one person sees past her fangs and natural disposition.]}

In that case I should be sweet to you, don't you think?

[gekkajuu]

I think you should be sweet to everybody!

[... Look, he means well. He can't help that he's an idiot.]

But right now... I'd like it if you could be sweet to me.

[colorature]

Not everyone deserves me being sweet to them.

_{[Just because she's become a little less murderous and a little more tame since waking up doesn't mean she's ready to be buddy buddy with everyone. The second part of his answer is good enough for her though, as she moves to cup each of his cheeks in her palms, leaning in to give him another kiss. She's deliberately careful when she presses their lips together, even if the contact doesn't last long. Settling her weight more heavily onto his lap she rubs against his growing problem, nails scratching behind his ears as she keeps his face in her grip.]}

Atsushi, I want you to tell me what you want me to do.

[gekkajuu]

[He's pretty sure he doesn't deserve her being sweet to him either, but here they are - and he's not about to complain. Kissing feels so good, and even something about the scratching is kind of nice... not to mention the rubbing. How is he supposed to answer her when he can barely breathe right?]

Please... keep doing this. Kissing. Touching it.

[How is he feeling this way? It's like he's more drunk than he ever has been - and he hasn't had a drop.]