❪ 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

reign fear | blood bank | ota

[eaudevamp]

a. dragon tales
[ While it had been fun reading other people's life stories, whether fact or fiction, Reign found himself gravitating towards a section where there were a few completed works. One of the tale he decided to pick and read was about Ysverai, one of the last great high dragons. Truth be told, he'd always been a tad bit curious about these ancient dragons, what was it about them that strike fear in the Olympians.

So he sat down and read through them, realising just what a misconception the Olympians had painted about these ancient dragons. He was quite sure that not all dragons were bad. The same applied to vampires like himself. Humans too. But it was the quotation at the bottom that caught Reign's attention which made him pause. ]

What if that's what they've been planning all these while? If the dragon heart stops, then there will surely be chaos!

[ His exclamation probably came out louder than intended in the otherwise quiet library. ]

b. that's not fyrra
[ Now that Reign had his fun of the Khalo Village, he travelled towards the area where fyrra was planted. Maybe he could get a few samples in exchange for helping the local Khali in harvesting them. If his research prove beneficial, he could probably use them as ingredients in his future perfumes.

With the more humid weather in Khalo, Reign had removed his jacket and rolled up his sleeves to pick the fyrra. It also meant that he was more susceptible to accidentally brushing against other types of plants. Unfortunately, that would be the rougeshade.

Only when he returned back to the village did Reign realise how itchy his hands and arms were, with red patches and marks from scratching. A little help here would be appreciated. Otherwise, Reign may very well scratch his skin off, which wouldn't be pretty. ]

c. have a smoke (possible nsfw | pref for m/m if smut)
[ After the entire fiasco with the roughshade, Reign was ready to just lie down and relax. That encounter hadn't been pretty. So he headed for the smoking lounge, splaying his entire body across one of the couch decked with cushy pillows, his jacket gone and the top two buttons of his shirt unbuttoned.

When one of the Khali offered him a smoking pipe, pointing out that the fyrra was a slightly different kind, Reign instantly sat up straighter and accepted it. There was a bit of hesitance before giving it a try, because his initial attempt gave him a coughing fit. Thankfully this one was milder and sweeter, easier on the lungs. The effect was quite instant as Reign settled back down and leaned towards the closest person, a lazy smile on his lips. ]

Have you tried these? They're really gooooood~

wildcard.
[ Reign can be found elsewhere watching Skyball, riding on one of the giant tree guardians, exploring the Taming Fields and the wild beasts, or taking a night dip at the Cresent. Poke me at miershyk if you wanna plot something else. Smut kinklist is here. ]

a

[uglybug]

[The library has held Mantis' attention for nearly the duration of her stay here. She loves it; all of the stories, silly or not, enchant her. Even dry historical tomes, full of simple dates and facts, hold her attention.

She's quietly -- and intently reading -- when just the tail end of Reign's statement breaks through her concentration. She looks up, frowning.]

Where will there be chaos?

[eaudevamp]

[ Reign glanced up at the voice, recognising Mantis. He walked over and showed her the quotation at the bottom. ]

It doesn't say, specifically, but see this?

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.

What if the Storm that has been happening is due to the dragon heart?

[uglybug]

[Her eyes narrow at the statement and she reads it a couple of times before responding.]

Even if it's not the cause, there definitely seems to be knowledge of it. I wonder if there's anything else about the Storm in these books?

[eaudevamp]

[ He shook his head, a shrug of his shoulders. ]

I tried finding them, but there isn't much. But what if this dragon heart is related to the Storm? I don't know how, but maybe all the recent dissent is due to Ysverai's heart not belonging to where it should be: Wyver.

[ At least the upcoming entourage to trade it with Nithor's skull may at last welcome proper peace. ]

[uglybug]

[Mantis nods slowly, absorbing the information and giving it its due thought.]

It seems to very conveniently tie into all the violence of late. [She worries her lip before speaking again.] I hope that putting it back in Wyver alleviates some tension.

[eaudevamp]

I hope so as well.

[ Reign let out a long sigh. ]

If any such incidents happen again, I don't know if a war might break out.

[ It certainly came close to it, if the chaos had continued on. He cocked his head at Mantis, glancing down at the book she had been reading. ]

What story is yours about?

[uglybug]

I really hope not. [She says it quietly, earnestly. War is unimaginable to her. Friends would fall on both sides -- or no sides, as the case may be. That a friend could become an enemy...

What a terrible thought.

She brightens a bit, though -- forcing herself to do so -- at the question.] Tales of adventure on the high seas. [Don't ask her if she knows what 'high seas' even means.]

sorry for lateness

[eaudevamp]

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

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

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

all good

[uglybug]

[She angles the book toward him.] Finding treasures! They're fighting monsters so that they can find an ancient cave full of treasure.

[She's so excited by it.]

[eaudevamp]

[ Mantis's excitement was palpable and infections, and Reign was soon skimming through the texts, eyes shining brightly. ]

Wow, that's very scary but fun sounding. Have you been to the sea before? Or on a ship?

[ That could either apply to the Nysan beaches here, or back in Mantis's world. ]

b

[underwhelms]

[ If there's anything that can put JJ in a good mood, it's either a) talking about himself, or b) reading about himself. Unfortunately for literally anyone in his vicinity, he'd had the chance to do both of these things today. It's a miracle that he even manages to pry himself from the library where he'd been reading about his own adventures, but he does, and just in time to find Reign clawing vigorously at himself. ]

Hey!

[ Thankfully, JJ's in such a good mood that he feels nigh unstoppable, and he doesn't waste any time before jumping in to grab Reign's wrists—pardon the stranger danger—expression obvious in its alarm as he stands there. ]

What are you doing? You're going to peel your skin off like that.

1/3

[eaudevamp]

[ Reign was so distracted by the itchiness on his hands and arms that he didn't realise someone was talking to him until his movements were restricted.

There was a startled look on his face, not expecting the young man to grab him out of nowhere. ]

[eaudevamp]

But it's so ITCHY!!!!

[ He couldn't stop the whine from escaping, trying to tug his hands out of the other's grip. ]

[eaudevamp]

[ Then a sudden realisation dawned on him, and Reign tried harder to tug his hands from the other's grasps. ]

Wait, wait! Don't touch me! Whatever it is that's making me itch might spread to you.

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. ]