❪ 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

[nostalgiabomb]

“Distracted”?

[ And he echoes it a little skeptically, because, yeah, okay, Rocket could definitely let his mind wander, but usually that involved A.) something interesting worth taking, or B.) something valuable worth taking, or C.) something violent worth doing. Obviously there were other reasons, too, but Peter’s pretty sure those are the top three.

But the look on Rocket’s face isn’t one that says, “I’m about to do something seriously illegal,” and Peter frowns down at him before following his gesture toward the—

Giant, walking trees.

A flash of comprehension crosses Peter’s face, accompanied by a quiet, ]

Oh.

[ Peter’s quiet for a second. Then, lightly, ]

They’re kinda cool-looking, right? I saw some folks riding around on them, earlier, and they seemed pretty cool about it.

I guess they’re just, like, a really weird form of public transportation or something.

[beatupgrass]

I just wasn't expectin' the sudden wave of nostalgia in this shiny fairy princess town. [He spares a glance over his shoulder, and some of his agitation dissipates] But I guess Groot would've loved it here... Y'know, the original one. Little Groot would've just raised hell.

[There's always been this unspoken rule that no one talks about "Original Groot," mostly for the sake of not confusing the twig. When he was older, then maybe Rocket would sit him down and tell him about his "technically biological if we're being really loose with the definition" dad, but until then raising the little one was how they honored him.

But there were other reasons- Rocket's feelings and his lack of constructive ways of dealing with them being a good chunk- so it's strange for him to offer up the connection with only moderate distaste.]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Peter's gaze flicks back to Rocket at the mention. Like, they'd been pretty coy about it all, sure, but he's pretty sure everyone still thought about Groot Prime in quieter moments, like whenever Little Groot smiled just so.

And after wandering the village, it wasn't hard for Peter to make the same connection. Hell, it was almost impossible not to, right? Big, lumbering tree dudes, wandering around? Yeah. Pretty Groot-like. ]

You're probably right. On both counts.

[ Still light – not dismissive, that is, but in a way that gives Rocket an out if it starts feeling too real. Makes it easier for the guy to dismiss the conversation if he wants to change topics. ]

You wanna get a closer look at 'em?

[beatupgrass]

No! [It's an immediate answer, one that defines the phrase "sound and fury signifying nothing," especially considering he draws back a bit the second the words are snapped and gives the lumbering (hah) brutes another sidelong glance.]

Okay, maybe a little bit, yeah. [He huffs and, with much trepidation, inclines his head in their direction.] But you're goin' with me.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Peter doesn’t really react to the ferocity of the refusal, because he recognizes it was a kneejerk reaction. When Rocket relents, Peter snorts out an almost disbelieving laugh. ]

Obviously.

[ In that sort of way that says, “Good luck getting rid of me.”

And he’s already heading in that direction. Maybe the others (aside from Mantis, probably?) were, like, too cool to do the touristy things that most places had to offer, but Peter eats that stuff up, a lot of the time. Cool tours? Weird exhibits? Ghost walks? If Peter had the time for it, he’d do it all.

Or maybe it’s less the others being “too cool” and Peter being “too shameless”?

In either case, he’s definitely marching towards those tree things.

Better keep up, Rocket. ]

[beatupgrass]

[Rocket was expecting to take the lead so as he steels himself for the process of approaching, Quill's already running off and he's left bolting on all fours to catch up to him just so he can start actually keeping pace.

The trees have stopped to let some Khal off, and it's here that Rocket approaches boldly, being the "tree-whisperer" and all.] Hey, man. Mind if my buddy and me get a lift?

[Politeness of any kind is weird from Rocket and the fact that he is just as uncomfortable being polite as it is uncomfortable hearing him be polite says a lot]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ ... holy shit, Rocket is being polite.

The look on Peter’s face reads as something caught between the crossroads of impressed, startled, pleased, and— maybe a little unsettled?

Like, that is for sure some Stepford Wives crap going on.

But the tree guardian thing doesn’t seem particularly verbose – another similarity it and the old Groot apparently shared – and rather than respond in words, it shifts. The rasp of bark-on-bark, the groaning of old wood, makes Peter rock back a little, but the tree dude just seems to be kneeling down. ]

... Huh.

[ Peter blinks at the thing for a second or two, almost a little uncertain, then, to Rocket, ]

... after you?

[beatupgrass]

[Rocket gives Peter a sidelong glower, muttering under his breath through gritted teeth, as the tree turns to acknowledge them.]

I'm just tryin' to not get squashed here, Quill. [And then he's back to facing forwards, relieved that the tree people don't have some unspoken disdain for newcomers or react with hostility if you don't speak some code phrase or whatever.

That awkward "after you" leaves Peter's mouth and Rocket bounds upwards in a flash, climbing nimbly until he's settled himself somewhere near the shoulder area, gripping tightly, and allowing himself a moment to make a sound that's half choked sob and half elated gasp in what little time he has before Quill joins him.

It's so unfamiliar and alien, yet precisely the same in some ways. Right down to the little grooves in the bark that make for perfect hand-holds.]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ —Crap. Rocket did that a lot more quickly than he expected. But then again, Peter should have expected that, given how much practice he’s surely had in the past.

But, well, that means Peter doesn’t have much of a reason to delay, so he hesitates only a second longer. After that, he carefully takes hold of the guardian’s upper arm, hopping a little to get a foot onto the tree guy’s... thigh? Then he steps onto its flank and hauls himself up onto the guardian’s shoulder.

Once he’s settled— ]

Oh, jeez.

[ this is kinda high up, isn’t it? ]

[beatupgrass]

Ain't it great. [The elation has taken over everything now and Rocket's eyes have that bright cast to them that comes whenever he sees a new weapon or one of his inventions works perfectly the first time. It's almost childish, really.]

Groot's never gonna get this big. [He keeps a firm grip with his feet and stands up, holding onto the side of the guardian's head so he can see even further. Khalo has a certain charm from this angle, and even Rocket, who is less than charmed by anything, has to appreciate it a bit.]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Peter’s by no means afraid of heights – he kind of can’t be, considering he spends (spent?) a great deal of his time airborne.

He is, however, fully conscious off how long of a fall that is, and while it’s not nearly the farthest he’s ever dropped, he’d still like to avoid a possible concussion.

And— Rocket is a lot more excited about this than Peter expected, so he’d rather not harsh the dude’s buzz. Pat Peter on the back, folks. He’s being thoughtful. ]

Probably for the best he doesn’t. We’d never be able to get that guy through any doorways.

[beatupgrass]

Bad for aimin' too. I'd have to divebomb somebody to do any damage.

[Because that's what Groot's shoulder is for- a sniper's perch so Rocket can shoot at things that aren't the lower bodies of whatever enemy he's facing. Sure, a crotch shot is nothing to scoff at, but he likes to be tall.

He heaves a sigh that isn't just a disgruntled huff.] Gotta admit... Place don't look so bad from up here.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Peter keeps a firm grip on the guardian's— head? Thing? As it lurches forward, slow and sedate. Molasses-like. It's just as well they're not in any sort of hurry, otherwise Peter would be sighing hard enough to fill a hot air balloon.

At Rocket's comment, he casts the guy a sidelong glance, huffing out an almost disbelieving laugh. ]

It doesn't look so bad from the ground, either.

[ But Peter has the benefit of being six feet tall, so. ]

What, you didn't think this place was kinda cool to begin with?

[beatupgrass]

Maybe you're tired of the humdrum life of cold steel and cybernetics and hologram tech out there in the galaxy, Earth boy, but this ain't my style. Contrary to what people keep saying to me, my talking animal aesthetic don't jive with this.

[He says all of this while gesturing, clearly not the least bit concerned about falling to his death. He and heights have a special relationship.]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Peter's mouth twists to one side as he looks at Rocket askance, unimpressed. (His focus is mainly on whatever path Tree Beard is taking them on, and double checking that no surprise lurch will dislodge Peter from its shoulder.) ]

I'm just saying, this place is pretty cool. [ And he gestures upward with a point of his finger, toward the higher levels of the village. ] I mean, that's pretty impressive, no matter how you slice it.

[beatupgrass]

[He gives a good look at the little communities within the trees, held together with things much more simple than metal fibers and the fanciest tech you can buy or steal, and enjoyed it. He couldn't live like that, but he supposes he can't fault a group of people for being smart enough to create wonders on their own without involving themselves in stupid shit.]

Yeah... I guess it's nice to see a place that ain't so far up its ass about who's right and wrong like Wyver and Olympia.

[nostalgiabomb]

God, yeah.

[ And he casts the words with exasperation. ]

There’s still every chance this place is gonna end up being just as shitty as Wyver and Olympia, and I’ve still got my money on these guys revealing they take part in ritual sacrifices with human blood to keep their village safe or whatever, but until then, it’s such a relief to not be surrounded by a bunch of vocal psychos.

[ A pause. Then, wryly, ]

Aside from you, anyway.

[beatupgrass]

Thank you. I work very hard to cultivate this level of outspoken zealotry, and I'm glad it's comin' along.

[Sometimes Rocket, in all his Philly-accented glory, reminds people that he has a large vocabulary and can say things that aren't "frick" in every third word, and every time he does, he sounds mockingly sardonic.]

And if these little shits try to kidnap me, I'm kickin' every single one of those cute little treehouses down.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ He snorts out a laugh.

Then, he pitches his voice low, speaking out of the side of his mouth. With all the gravitas of a kid telling scary stories around the campfire, ]

How much you wanna bet they use human remains as fertilizer for these guys?

[ And he jerks his chin toward the tree guardian, still lumbering away toward what looks like a second level platform. ]

[beatupgrass]

[Rocket looks momentarily aghast because WOW THESE ARE LIKE GROOT'S COUSINS... and then he remembers that all variants of Groot can be very violent and would probably bloom just fine in a field soaked in the blood of his enemies.

And that's actually kind of awesome, and makes him a much prouder tree dad than the idea of Groot being horrified by the thought.]

I mean it ain't like the remains are doin' anyone else any good. Circle of life or whatever. [Even with his voice pitched lower to match Peter's, he still glances to the side to make sure their escort isn't listening in, but he seems to be focused on getting them to the edge of the village since they haven't indicated a place to stop yet.] And I'd rather have that than somebody creepily obsessin' over bones buried in the frickin' forest like the way some of these jerks do. [he pauses, as if just realizing something.]

I can't believe I've robbed graves for money since I got here. I used to be so respectable.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Peter gives Rocket a flat, unimpressed look. ]

Uh.

You shot me in the back and tried to kidnap me. Nothing about that is respectable.

[beatupgrass]

You had a huge bounty on your head, man. If I had done it for nothin', that would've been screwed up. It's business.

[Ah, memories~]

[nostalgiabomb]

[ Peter jabs an accusatory finger at the other guy. ]

It was still a total dick move, and you know it.

[beatupgrass]

Well, yeah. I had Groot throw you in a sack. That part was unnecessarily dickish, but I stand by it. And it's still classier than robbing graves.

[nostalgiabomb]

[ There’s a bit of a pause on Peter’s part.

Then, ]

... I mean, technically they’re not using it anymore—

[ is this careful defense indicative of something?

No. Of course not. The Ravagers definitely had never, in their lives, robbed any graves. Ever.




... for free. ]

But only if the grave is older than dirt.

[ obviously. ]