❪ 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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[thetaintedsorrow]

[Oh shit, he almost forgot. Well now he just firmly plants his ass on the couch and resumes sipping his now cold tea.]

Tell me.

[If he had popcorn he’d be munching it.]

[meinwaifu]

[SNICKERS well that sure got his attention.]

Very well! Generally speaking, the weaknesses a demon has tend to vary depending on the sort of demon one is dealing with. But there are a few that are universal -- and they are weaknesses I, too, possess.

The first is rather simple. If our demon heart is destroyed, we'll die. It's different than the physical heart I have beating in my chest now. You can think of it as a physical manifestation of our powers. When we expose them, we're capable of releasing our full power, in exchange for making ourselves more vulnerable. It's almost poetic, really.

[Perhaps if he knew what it actually looked like when Chuuya used corruption, it'd be easy to assume that corruption itself is similar to Arahabaki unleashing his demon heart. But for now, that's not an assumption he'd jump to.]

Of course, for a demon like myself-- my full power would be too much for my vessel to withstand in its current condition. While I'm capable of taking out my heart, I imagine I'd start doing all sorts of spooky things like bleeding from the eyes or spontaneously starting to bleed and rot.

Human vessels are tragically fragile, after all.

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Should Chuuya be taking notes? Not like he could easily forget that big of a reveal, but still.]

Sounds like a boss in a video game.

[Chuuya please...]

That sounds pretty badass, actually. But if that happened, could you jump into a new body, or what? You died before, right? But now you’re back in the same body. How does that work?

1/2

[meinwaifu]

It does, doesn't it!




[So you know that moment when you ask a question and realize too late that it's probably a question you shouldn't have asked?]

[meinwaifu]

[That's probably gonna be Chuuya. Because boy, that sure sucked all the joy out of Mephisto's face.]

[It's not a question he wants to answer, but he will. And only because he has to.]

...that depends on whether you're asking what I can do now, versus what I've done up until the Storm.

Back home, the rules were a bit different for me. I'm a demon king -- one of the very highest ranking demons, who represents all demons associated with the element of time. As such, I cannot ever truly die. I would simply return to the concept of time from which I was "born" and incarnate in a human body once more after a suitable vessel is found. But finding a suitable vessel can take years -- even centuries -- for demons as powerful as myself. It's not as simple as choosing the first human you find.

[...]

But I lost all of my powers relating to time due to the Storm. As well as the ability to flee this body and seek out another one. The only reason I was revived was thanks to the Natha's intervention -- which is why I am still in the same body I am now. Though it actually took a few days before I could truly say I felt like myself again...

In essence-- rather than a godlike-being possessing conditional immortality, I'm now just a very, very difficult to kill mortal.

[And this is the first time he's actually admittedly that outloud.]

[He doesn't like it.]

[thetaintedsorrow]

[He doesn’t regret asking, though he’s certainly surprised that he’s so easily found a sore spot for Mephisto.]

So that was taken from you too, huh?

[There’s nothing mocking in the way he asks. Why would Chuuya berate a man that’s literally come back from the dead? Chuuya’s only reaction to that news is curiousity, and, oddly enough, respect.]

Right. Then I guess you’ll be even harder to kill now that you’ve got me.

[He’s the coolest, prettiest, best familiar there is!]

All right. Were those all of your weaknesses?

[meinwaifu]

[It's entirely possible he's found plenty of sore spots in the past -- but Mephisto was able to lie his way out of them. Regardless-- he won't respond to that little comment about him being harder to kill now, but it does manage to bring the smile back to his face.]

Oh no, there's one other weakness I posses. And while not on par with my heart, it is considered a demon's most vulnerable point.

And that point would be my tail.

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Chuuya blinks a few times, completely taken aback by that answer.]

A tail?

[HE IS CONFUSED.]

I don’t remember seeing a tail when we fucked.

[meinwaifu]

What would you know? You're hardly even seen me naked as it is!

[He basically never undresses all the way -- he could totally be hiding it.]

But a proper gentledemon knows to keep his tail hidden-- just like we do our hearts. I believe I mentioned it before, that the form I'm in now isn't actually my true form. Hiding it is a simple matter.

[thetaintedsorrow]

I wonder why that is.

[It’s not exactly a question, so he doesn’t expect an answer.]

And what would I have to do to see it?

[Listen. He has a thing for nonhuman ears and tails. Don’t kinkshame him.]

[meinwaifu]

You can't afford it.

[His tail was more than just a weakness. It was also the switch that turned Mephisto into putty in the hands of whoever was holding it, and he's not so sure it'd be a wise move to let Chuuya get the upper hand over him so soon after making their agreement.]

[thetaintedsorrow]

[Selfish as it is, Chuuya doesn’t like being told he can’t have something, and he crosses his arms with a huff.]

What makes you so sure I can’t?

[Is he gonna have to pull out his secret weapon?]

I’m sworn not to betray you, so why not?

[meinwaifu]

...this is different! If it were something I wanted seen, I wouldn't go to the trouble of hiding it.

[Does Chuuya realize how close he is too seeing a flustered Mephisto? Because he's very close.]

[thetaintedsorrow]

[CHUUYA CAN SENSE IT. And boy is he enjoying it.]

Why not? Do you not like how it looks?

[Chuuya leans in closer, blue eyes beseeching.]

What if I said please?

[He’s totally making a fool of himself right now.]

[meinwaifu]

Of course I do! Everything about my appearance is perfect! ...mostly.

[NOW HE'S MAD HE HAD TO ADMIT THAT]

[Gonna put a hand over Chuuya's face and casually hold him back. u have no power here, weird possible demon vessel man.]

And you'll have to try much harder than that if you're going to appeal to me!

[thetaintedsorrow]

Mostly, huh?

[Interesting...

Now there’s a hand on his face. RUDE.]

You gotta be blind if you don’t see my appeal.

[HUFF.

Chuuya should just give up and go home, but that’s never been his style. He thinks for a minute on what exactly appeals to Mephisto the most, and immediately images of that hideous robe come to mind.

Right. Demon weeb.]

I wonder if you can understand what I’m saying now, since you’re a demon and all.

[Said in good old Japanese.]

1/2

[meinwaifu]

[日本語だ！！！]

[meinwaifu]

[And when Mephisto speaks next, it's in completely fluent Japanese--]

[Very, very excited Japanese.]

Well of course I can understand you! I can speak nearly every language humanity has ever developed on earth! Ah~h, but how nostalgic! I spent over two hundred years living there, you know-- I nearly forgot how much I missed hearing it! Please, say something else!

[thetaintedsorrow]

[HEH. Bingo. Don’t think he’s gonna forget that look, Meph.

He could refuse, but this is kind of fun. He hasn’t spoken Japanese in a while.

Hmm. But what to say...]

How can I serve you today, Master?

[Said with a shit-eating grin. He’s really not cute at all.

Mephisto seems like the kind of weeb who’d visit a maid cafe, though, so there it is.]

[meinwaifu]

[Okay]

[But what about this look? Because Mephisto is absolutely the kind of weeb to visit a maid cafe. Hell, he probably makes a point to visit every single themed cafe at True Cross Academy's culture festival every year.]

Ahh, that right there is perfect! You know, you'd probably look rather dashing in a butler uniform! Ooh, or perhaps a kimono to bring out the color of your eyes-- or why not just go ahead and throw you in a maid costume for good measure--

[Yeah, he's not going to stop. A legendary pervert, indeed.]

[thetaintedsorrow]

[A legendary pervert indeed. Somehow none of those suggestions are unexpected, though.]

I’ve worn a kimono plenty of times. The other stuff you’d have to bargain for.

[Hell yes he’d make a hot butler or a sexy maid. He will fucking die if he has to wear the latter out in public, though. That’s where he draws the line.]

1/2

[meinwaifu]

[Bargain, huh. Truly a demon in the making. Well, he already knows what he has to offer--]

Fufufu... you really are a fast learner, you know. It's good to see I wasn't mistaken in choosing you to become my familiar.

Very well. How about this. If you agree to cosplay for me, I'll grant you to privilege of seeing my tail.

[What the fuck is serious business face, this is ridiculous--]

And--

[meinwaifu]

Agree to converse with me solely in Japanese whenever we're alone, and I'll even allow you to touch it!

For five seconds.

[Surely he can control himself if it's only that long...?]

[thetaintedsorrow]

[He’s getting better at this! Soon he’ll be a master negotiator.]

Make it thirty seconds and you’ve got yourself a deal.

[Chuuya is certain he can make the most of those thirty seconds.]

No asking me to wear it in public, though.

[meinwaifu]

...15 seconds, and I won't force you to wear it in public.

[FORCE IS AN IMPORTANT WORD HERE because he could totally just force it on him if he wanted to. Spooky demon magic and all.]