❪ 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

[sparsity]

Hm? [ Opening his eyes again now that Waver's completely in the water, anything he doesn't want seen obscured by ripples made by the abundance of Khali splashing around elsewhere, he hums. ] Well, okay mostly.

[ Aside from the last mission he took from Cree and the time it'd taken him to cool down from that, things have almost been — peaceful. Though someone like him is rarely ever at peace. He leans forward, looking into the clear depth of the pool. There's little plants at the bottom. ]

I have a house now.

[ That's something people call a milestone, right? ]

[chickenhearted]

Yeah. Me too... [ As okay he can be when he's living at the bottom of the barrel basically.

But he looks quite impressed when Mikazuki says he has a house now. That's far better than how Waver's doing. He can't help but feel a pang of jealousy, though it only lasts for a moment before dulling again. ]

A house. That's good news.

[ He peers down into the water as well, looking at Mikazuki's feet and the little plants calmly swaying in the water. ]

It must be nice to have a place to call home.

[sparsity]

I don't know whether or not I'd call it "home"...

[ Despite the even tone he remarks in, there's a certain weight behind the last word, the very concept of it. It's one of the few things that strikes a chord and resonates in him, and he's not secretive about it. ]

But it's nice to build something.

[ Use the work he's done with his own two hands to create a place he likes. ]

You can come by sometime.

[chickenhearted]

Really...

[ Waver has never really felt at "home" anywhere himself, except by a certain hero's side (but that's another can of worms). He wonders what home is to Mikazuki and just what that struck chord means. ]

Did you really build it? That's impressive.

[ He's small like Waver. How is it that he managed something so big? It makes Waver want to try a little bit harder. ]

I'd... like that.

[sparsity]

The house was there, but there's a lot to use around it. Plants, soil, sun. I turned it into farmland.

[ Back on Mars, he'd never really been able to exercise his green thumb. The harsh red soil wasn't very forgiving. Here, it's a totally different case. Moving his arms, he brings them up, cupping the vibrant water in his palms. Even beneath the glassy surface, the nicks and scars and calluses are visible. ]

It's closer to here than Wyver. I think.

[ Maybe Waver can just travel back with him.

Not that he looks anywhere close to wanting to leave just yet. ]

[chickenhearted]

[ He actually smiles at that. He's almost forgotten they're sitting here naked, at that. ]

So you're finally going to grow the dates you wanted.

[ He's happy for him, really. At least someone here has had a little dream realized. There's something good that's come out of all this. That gives Waver a tiny sliver of hope. ]

Is it? Maybe you can show me where...when we leave.

[ He's honestly not in a big hurry either. He's been having second thoughts about Wyver so the break from it is nice. ]

[sparsity]

[ See, he can be a good influence. A small smile tips onto his mouth. ]

Yeah, there's one of those trees already too.

[ Soon, soon he will have dates and honestly he's looking pretty pleased about that. Slaine had provided him with a tree enchanted to grow faster, so he's been looking after it day by day until the fruits appeared. ]

I can, if you want me to. Spending time here isn't bad though.

[ Seems they agree on that. ]

[chickenhearted]

[ He is a good influence for Waver, really. Somehow it works out. ]

That's good, then.

[ He nods as if to say yes he wants to go there with him when they're all through with this place. But they do indeed agree that it's not yet time to leave. Waver has forgotten to even be embarrassed by his nakedness. He just feels really content now. ]

No, it isn't bad. I ... like it actually.

[sparsity]

[ See, nakedness is just the gateway to honesty. Allowing his hands to descend back into the water, Mikazuki flicks a knowing glance sideways, all too keen on how fast Waver changed his tune after he'd just thrown caution to the wind and joined him. ]

You do?

[ He's not usually one to seek an explanation, but... ]

[chickenhearted]

[ Mikazuki's personality helps Waver relax too. He's not... a troublesome person as far as Waver's concerned, so it's easier to let loose around him. As loose as Waver Velvet gets in any case. ]

Mm... [ He looks down at the water himself, fiddling with his fingers underneath the surface. ]

I mean it's refreshing and I feel like I can forget my worries for a little while...

[sparsity]

[ Maybe Waver would be one of the few people to think that, but Mikazuki's been remarkably on his best behavior in the Khali's space, with or without the effects of the fyrra. Raising his arms from the water, he rests one on the lip of the pool behind him. ]

Worries?

[ He knows Waver often seems... stressed... but as far as he sees, there's nothing to worry about in the moment. ]

[chickenhearted]

[ Waver nods, still looking down in the pool and at the plants growing along the bottom. ]

I feel like I always have something to worry about. Even when there's nothing, probably. It's the way I've always been.

[ Granted, he is more relaxed right now than he normally is. But as soon as this drug or the nice bath wears off, he's bound to worry about something all over again. ]

[sparsity]

Can worrying about it change anything?

[ While it might sound judgmental in nature, Mikazuki has genuine curiosity about him when he asks things like this. Despite always having an animal tension about him, he's never seemed overly cautious or worried about anything.

Which probably seems odd, but hey. ]

[chickenhearted]

[ Waver's ears tinge a little red at the question, like he's being called out. He knows that's not really Mikazuki's intention, at least not from what he's experienced with the guy before. Still... ]

I suppose ...not. You have to do something about it in order to change it. But I can't seem to stop worrying no matter what.

[ It's just ingrained in his personality to worry and fret. Just like it is to want to prove himself to everyone he meets. It's something he can't stop no matter how hard he tries. ]

[sparsity]

[ At least he knows, which is more than what Mikazuki can say for some people that he meets. Humming deep in his throat, he leans back. It's not really his thing to try and influence anyone one way or the other, but... ]

Maybe you just need to find something you can do, instead.

[chickenhearted]

[ Waver tilts his head, eyebrows lifting. Surprisingly, this isn't something he's thought of before. Instead, he just keeps worrying and worrying, or dwelling on the past when he should be looking to the future again or at least take care of himself in the present. ]

You mean, like a new hobby? I could do that, but I have no idea what I might be good at.

[sparsity]

[ Mikazuki isn't even a big future person — he can't change the past or predict his future, he can just try to put one foot down in front of the other as best he can, knowing he chose each step. He doesn't like to regret. Granted, his feet are just sitting at the bottom of a pool right now, but even that's pretty different, for him. ]

Something like that. Is there anything you wanted to do?

[chickenhearted]

[ Waver's all about the future. "I'll grow strong, I'll be great--" and so on. But he's only recently started to mix in some of the "now" with all that. Because not focusing on that isn't going to get him anywhere.

He considers this question though and is mostly coming up blank. His shoulders slump a little and he shakes his head. ]

I wanted to see more of the world. But I guess I'm technically doing that already.

[sparsity]

And? Did you want to just see it, or did you want to live in it?

[ It's an important distinction to him, as simultaneously relaxed and rigid as he is. ]

[chickenhearted]

I guess... I wanted to live in it for a while. Learn new things, expand my horizons which were so small before.

[sparsity]

[ Craning his neck back to look up at the canopy of vegetation shielding the sacred pool from the outside, at where they are, Mikazuki shifts, not quite a shrug, even if the impression is there. ]

I see. Then this isn't a bad start.

when dw leaves you with no suitable icons

[chickenhearted]

[ Waver watches Mikazuki briefly, and then looks down in the water again. But he's smiling a little. Sort of proud of himself. ]

I guess not. [ But he glances at Mikazuki again. ] But you have a house and are even farming... I think I have a lot of catching up to do still.

[sparsity]

Then what you can do is move forward. If you never stop, you end up where you want to be.

[ Mikazuki never really gives advice, thinking everyone should make their own choices, but it's something be believes in, at the very least. ]

[chickenhearted]

Yeah. You're right...

[ It sounds pretty legit to him. Enough that it has him nodding along in agreement. Move forward, it's the only way he can go, especially now that he's alone in the world again. ]

I guess a new hobby still couldn't hurt, though.

[sparsity]

Then, why don't you come along to the farm? You can learn to plant something.

[ Maybe he'd like it, maybe he wouldn't. To Mikazuki, there's only one way to be sure of something, and that's to do it and see. ]