❪ 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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b

[ofseraphim]

[ Sorey, personally, has been having a field day exploring Khalo village, somewhere he’s never been in his -- what is it now, nearly a year? -- extended stay on the planet.

One’s experience may vary from person-to-person, of course. Wildly, even. And the gentleman to his immediate left? Not having such a great time, it appears. He's a passerby, nothing more; still, his state warrants a pause. ]

Hey, are you alright?

[ Normally, Sorey wouldn’t intrude; not quite so bluntly, at least, and not in a place where strangers may or may not be hostile. But this particular person seems to be in some great level of need. ]

Looks like you’re breaking out in some kind of rash...

[eaudevamp]

[ Reign was doing his darn best to merely rub his skin rather than outright scratch it. Wouldn't do him any good he scratched his arms raw. That would be gross. Ew.

Nonetheless, he glanced up when he was spoken to, a pout on his face. ]

Tell me about it. I've no idea what happened. I went to help harvest some fyrra, and came back with this itch. Must have touched something to cause it.

[ofseraphim]

[ Sorey frowns at that response. Yep, it definitely looks like a close encounter of the skin-irritating kind, to say the least. This unfortunate stranger probably incidentally brushed against something he shouldn’t and, given that, there’s likely a remedy for the irritation somewhere in town...

But, where? ]

I bet... [ He offers sympathetically, doing his best not to seem rude as he eyes that inflamed area. He’s no stranger to the unfriendly plantlife around here -- just ask him about the skunk-smelling, goo-spewing flowers he first found here after crash landing. ]

If it’s a species native to this area, then someone in the village probably has a remedy for it. [ Since he’s never been to said village before, though, this is going to be a ‘blind leading the blind’ scenario. But, nevertheless-- ]

If you want, I can help you try and track some down!

[ Two heads are better than one! ]

[eaudevamp]

[ Indeed, where was the question.

And that skunk-smelling, goo-spewing flower would be a nice story to share once this was dealt with. Still, Reign was kinda relieved that someone would offer to lend a hand in helping local someone who knows about the rash treatment. ]

You wouldn't mind? I just need to maybe find a doctor or some kind.

[ Reign had been to the village, which was how he got asked to help with the fyrra harvesting in the first place. Anyway, now that someone was willing to help, Reign didn't lose any time as he began walking in the direction of the Khalo village. ]

Hurry up, then. I don't know how long I can stand this.

[ofseraphim]

Not at all! [ It’ll be an adventure! And, in case his boy scout-like appearance didn’t give it away already, Sorey is pretty big on those.

Watch out for him getting distracted by anything that looks potentially ancient, though. ]

Right. [ He catches up with Reign with a couple trotted steps. ]

Once we’re inside, we can split up -- I’ll go left, and you can take the right, if that’s okay with you.

[eaudevamp]

[ Sorey certainly had that young boy look, all youth and vitality. If Sorey got distracted, Reign will just ditch him and go find the doctor himself.

Just kidding. He'll remind Sorey of this utmost important mission! ]

Sounds like a plan. And meet up a half hour later? Oh wait, we can just contact each other whenever one of us finds a doctor.

[ So not used to this "adventuring". ]

[ofseraphim]

[ He’s but a pup, indeed -- and thus, easily distracted by things that spark his passion. (A little odd that said passion involves old buildings and ancient tongues, but, hey.) ]

Sure, half an hour should work--

[ Or not. ]

--o-oh, right! [ Reign isn’t the only one who forgot about their handy-dandy little devices. ] Yeah, you should be able to reach me on here...

[ Fidgeting with it a bit: ] ...or, do you need my information?

[ Pardon him. In this one particular sense, the boy doesn’t get out much. ]

[eaudevamp]

[ Nothing wrong about passion or interest, even on stuffs like ancient buildings or languages. Heck, Reign himself liked to discover new plants or flowers that he could possibly use in his perfume making.

And he's a thirty plus year old vampire who looked twenties. ]

Yup,lets exchange information.

[ Which should be dangerous, considering the spats of kidnappings some months back. Giving away such sensitive info so easily should warrant suspicion, but Reign was too worried about his itchy skin to care.

So out came his phone, and probably just like Sorey, took him a while to find the add contacts function etc. Neither was he tech-savvy too. ]

All right, if neither of us found a doctor, we'll meet back here in a half hour. Is that sufficient?

[ofseraphim]

[ Going out on a limb here, but... Reign probably prefers to discover new plants and/or flowers on better terms, one might say. This particular encounter seems to have been a bit, uh, antagonistic? Yeah, that.

For an entirely different reason, Sorey isn’t thinking of the kidnappings when they swap information. But, then again, he’s pretty foolhardy when the mood most suits him -- especially when someone’s well-being is on the line. ]

That sounds like a plan. [ The boy looks downright dutiful. ] We’ll get you the help you need, don’t worry!

[ With that, (and a wave), he’s trotting off to the left, toward a row of tiny shops. ]

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. ]

[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... ]

[eaudevamp]

[ It seemed Sorey had much better luck compared to Reign, who was still hunting up and down stores for someone who had knowledge about the rash he was afflicted with. Every second, every minute, the itchiness seemed to worsen.

Reign was already doing his utmost best to ignore the itch, but it was getting harder and harder as time passed. In fact, it took Reign a lot of willpower not to scratch his arms.

As the time limit drew nearer and Reign had yet to find someone with a treatment, or receive word from the young man who had offered to help him, Reign began to despair. Maybe a dip in some cool water, such as the springs, will hopefully lessen the itch?

Perhaps he should give Sorey a call, which was what Reign did now. He paced the side street as he waited for Sorey to pick up. ]

[ofseraphim]

[ Sorey is hurriedly heading back Reign's way when his device goes off, buzzing and chiming. Oh, right -- technology is a thing! Sometimes he forgets. This will expedite things greatly!

Slowing to a walk, he answers, but keeps moving. ]

Hey there! Did you have any luck on your end?

[eaudevamp]

[ Reign's first response was to sigh into the phone. That was enough of an answer, right? ]

No, no such luck. None of them seem to know what the cause is. What about you? Have you found anything?

[ Forgive the urgency in his voice.e Reign was really desperate. ]

[ofseraphim]

[ Sounds like Sorey fared a bit better, then. If only just. ]

I found someone who is willing to look at it. I'm headed back your way now -- just meet me back where we split up!

[eaudevamp]

Oh, that's good!!!

[ Could Sorey hear how elated and relieved Reign sounded at that news? ]

All right. Let's meet up back there.

[ Reign would turn off his phone now and return to the same spot where they split off earlier. ]

[ofseraphim]

[ He must be really suffering, with how relieved he sounds... ]

Right!

[ The call ends there and Sorey picks his pace back up, a leisurely trot as he weaves his way back through the crowds, all apologies and "excuse me"s at every unannounced brush. Naturally.

Arriving back to their rendezvous point, he's got his sights set, on the hunt for his miserable cohort. Waving a gloved hand in the air once he sees him, he calls out: ]

Hey!

[eaudevamp]

[ Yes, Reign was truly suffering. All the pain in his passion to help (and possibly harvest some fyrra of his own for research). Welp...

Either way, Reign quickly made his way back to their rendezvous spot, waving back in return upon spotting Sorey. ]

So? What... did you find?

[ He asked the moment he reached Sorey, panting heavily from having so obviously running back here. ]

[ofseraphim]

[ Rightly so. That rash looks... really uncomfortable, to say the very least. ]

I found a-- [ man? woman? ...elf wizard?? ] --someone who thinks they can help you, but they need to see the rash first.

[ Sorey glances from Reign's face, to his irritated skin. ]

Think you can make the trip?

[eaudevamp]

[ Reign was already nodding before Sorey finished his question. ]

Yeah, I can. I wish we could find some cold water to soothe the rash, but I guess it'll take longer to get it.

[ That didn't stop him from gently flapping his arms a bit in an attempt to create some sort of wind blowing thingy. Or something. ]

Never mind, just lead the way please.

[ofseraphim]

Sorry! Guess I should've thought of that... [ He admits sheepishly. Yeah, shame on you, Sorey! Just look at how he's flapping his arms! ]

Anyway, let's get going!

[ With a beckoning wave, he'll lead Reign on, back the way he came from. ]

[eaudevamp]

[ Reign nodded as he followed after Sorey while he continued to languidly flap his arms, not minding if his action was drawing attention from the locals. The sight of the rash on his arms were enough to keep them away. ]

Gosh, I didn't think the rash would be this itchy. I've never experience anything like this before.

[ofseraphim]

[ Sorey looks on sympathetically at that weak -- but continued -- waving. Hopefully they can bring this all to an end soon.

They arrive back at their destination, and sure enough, a person in a tall wizard's hat and a colorful tiered skirt is still there, holding down the nearest counter with a bored expression. One glance at Reign's itchy, irritated skin, and he seems to know exactly what happened -- and how to fix it. ]

Sounds like this has happened before... [ Sorey comments idly, watching as the man pulls down a salve from one of the higher shelves. ]

[eaudevamp]

[ While usually the sight of the colourfully-dressed wizard would have made Reign raise a brow, he was in too much suffering to care much about how the man was dressed. As long as the wizard had a treatment for the rash on Reign's arms, he could dress however outlandishly as he wanted. ]

Looks like it. They should at least put up some kind of warning display about those plants.

[ He complained with a pout, drawing a sideway glance from the wizard who promptly shut Reign up. ]

[ofseraphim]

[ Sorey smiles wanly at the suggestion. Sure, it’s a nice thought! Especially if this place intends to be a shopping hub, as it clearly does. But is it one that will be taken? Now that’s anyone’s guess. ]

No kidding! [ A beat. ] To be honest, I can’t imagine what would have happened if this had been one of the plants I’d been assigned to collect before...

[ That used to be a thing he did for work, after all. Seems like forever ago now. ]

You've been really calm this whole time. It's admirable.