❪ introlog: #2 ❫ THE CALM.

[natha]

OVERFLOW

You have spent the last few days on Thesa Station, taking in the knowledge that your world is no more. Perhaps you’ve made some friends (or maybe an enemy or two). Either way, you aren’t expected to spend all of your time on the Station. El Nysa needs you, after all, and you promised you’d help the planet thrive. Are you ready? Submit any AC eligible thread of participating in this log's prompts for Two (2) Olympia REP points HERE. TRAVEL LIGHT     You're really lucky, new refugee. Because of the efforts of those that came before you, your own descent into El Nysa will be quick and relatively painless. You get to reap the benefits of others' experience. Those that came before you are all well-versed in the art of teleportation now, and descending into El Nysa is simply a concentrated thought away. A teleporter has been placed in the common areas to help the new refugees descend, but for this first time, you're going to need a little guidance. You're going to need to take the hand of someone who has been on El Nysa for a while now and learn the ropes. Hold on tight, Refugee, and don't be afraid when the blinding light hits you. The actual journey will feel like a sudden whiplash— painless, but sudden, and maybe a little nauseating. Keeping your balance may be difficult, and it’s possible you might end up toppling onto your poor partner. Hopefully you’re at least thankful. You have landed in a back alley in the Residential District of Olympia. HOME SWEET HOME     Immediately, you notice that everything you've been told about El Nysa is true. There are people of all races here, and although no one bats an eye at your appearance as you enter the district, a member of the Royal Guard asks for your passport. They have a keen eye, and can tell that although you may be a new refugee to their city, they've never seen you before. Certain rumors of an outside force making preparations to do some major damage has them particularly on edge. It's a good thing the Orbiters made sure you have an Olympian passport ready to go. You present it, and with a small nod, the Guard says nothing more and slaps a patch on your chest; to your surprise, it reads: Hello! My name is ________________! I am in House #___! Are you my housemate? ... No matter how much you try, there's no removing this sticker. "It'll come off tomorrow," says the guardkeep. "Lots of refugees here, limited housing. It's an easy way to get to know the people you're living with. Though, if you ask me, why are we accepting so many foreigners when so many want to watch this city burn? Well, I don’t give the orders." If someone greets you, the message on the patch will magically change: Secretly, I _____, _____, and _____! What are yours? There's no telling how they'd known these things, but it likely has to do with Zasere. AGAIN. It may be a good idea to get situated in your new home and set down some ground rules with your roommates. There is also, of course, much of Olympia to explore. FLONA COVE     Word around the city is that one very cute and enthusiastic Olympian, You Watanabe, has been asking around earnestly for the nearest place to find some coastal fun. It didn't take long before a few locals pointed her in the direction of Flona Cove. Maybe it’s a good idea to check out the area. There are only a few more days left of summer, after all. Even if you're not the beach type, exploring a new area certainly can't hurt your understanding of El Nysa. Flona Cove is just a quick train ride away. BEACH PARTY: Chances are, you've heard about the beach party being organized by You Watanabe, whether it be from her directly or someone who knows her. A lot of careful planning has gone into it, and it looks like a great time, so why not check it out? Full speed ahead towards a great time! There's plenty of food for everyone, and plenty of watermelons that need splitting! 1. Various food vendors from around Flona Cove have agreed to offer free food for the new refugees, and they line the shoreline near the harbor, enthusiastically offering goodies such as seafood kabobs, ice cream, fresh fruit (including whole watermelons!), and hot dogs. You Watanabe herself has a grill where she’s cheerfully serving up her trademark "Niceoodles" yakisoba as well as other Japanese food like takoyaki and rice. What makes her noodles so nice? It’s obviously the cheerful smiley-face sun drawn on the omelette. In exchange, the chefs and vendors only ask that you spread the word, though most of them have buckets for donations if you want to help chip back in. After the party is all done, however, there seem to be plenty of dishes that need doing, all in a big pile. You herself is working on getting through the mountain of dishes, but maybe you could lend a hand? 2. It's just not a beach party without the traditional watermelon splitting! For those of you who don't come from modern Japan on Earth, it might be perplexing at first seeing the literal mountain of watermelons grown with the help of Keyleth, another recent Olympian. If the bat-like sticks and blindfolds next to them don’t explain the purpose, though, you might just sit back and watch as a brave competitor sets a watermelon on the sand, ties a blindfold around their eyes, and has people start yelling at them which way to go. They consider the shouts of the crowd, take a swing... and strike nothing but sand. Perhaps you can do better? There are beach activities galore. Now's the time to build the sandcastle of your dreams or play a game of beach volleyball. Maybe you're brave enough to surf the waves, or you’d just like to enjoy a swim. Mom friends who just want to lounge in the sun and read a book while working on their tan are welcome too, of course. BENEATH THE SURFACE: 1. Diving beneath the waters in Flona Cove yield a whole new world on its own. Rent a scuba suit and take a trip to explore the corals, and you may even be lucky enough to run into a playful school of dolphins. Be careful-- they tend to get carried away and will happily drag swimmers for a wild ride. 2. You might want a boat for this scuba adventure, unless you're a strong swimmer. Venture deeper into the ocean, farther away from the coast, and adventurers will find some interesting stuff. Two miles southwest of the harbor, deep, deep into the watery abyss, lies a shipwreck. Exploring through the various rooms of the ship yields a few knick-knacks here and there-- rusted spare parts, cracked tea sets... a surprisingly well-preserved pin-up painting of Koralle? The real treasure awaits for those who have the courage to swim beneath the ship's hull. Here, covered in algae and debris, lies the skeletal corpse of a winged, fanged, clawed beast. This is only a distant memory of its former glory, as nothing but bones are left, but something— something brilliant, catches your eye. Those hundreds of teeth are not bone, but a material so lustrous and pure, it nearly blinds. It will take some work, but with persistence and strength, it is possible to extract a tooth. Those that work in Simwe Institute or The Sanctuary may find it beneficial to take an extra for their boss— this is definitely something that is of interest to study. 3. Olympians love their luxury. There's nothing more luxurious than a secluded lagoon, the water at just the perfect temperature and pristine. This is one of the most sought-after spots for the natives, but when you come across it, it is completely peaceful and empty. For the tourists? Well, this place simply gets overlooked due to its distance from the main beaches. It's also relatively hidden. Soon you start feeling oddly friendly? Cupid’s Pool is also described by the people of Olympia as the touchy-feely pool. It has an inherent property that makes those who soak in it crave physical affection. Chances are you probably wanted to know this before you decided to take a dip, huh? (Please warn for threads appropriately) EARN SOME SILVER     1. While many of the locals came together to offer their hands to provide a bit of entertainment for the surge in tourism, that isn’t to state that they’re fully staffed. Have a few hours to spare? They're willing to pay for your help. Maybe you’re just the cooking champ they needed? The lifeguard who showed up just in time? Or the star salesman at their humble accessory shop so desired? 2. The man who approaches you is even offering more than most of the vendors down the street. Sure, the guy and his entourage look kind of shady, but money is money, isn't it? If you accept, he’ll shove a strange swimsuit or two your way and lead you to the dressing room. What kind of job is this? Modeling, he says. Hopefully you aren’t camera shy! Hey there, hot stuff. I like your look. Or maybe it's your... aura? Either way, I like what you're working with. How about you flaunt what you've got for some fat silver stacks? He also wants to be able to test your charm, and is willing to pay a whopping 400 silver in exchange. He may even ask you to go "talk" (did you hear him say "hit on"?) to a couple of people, and “sell” yourself. Whatever that means... Incidentally, he says he’ll give you a signal once you get a pass. Feels like forever, doesn’t it? 3. Once night begins to fall and the people gradually begin to clear out, you’ll notice something... odd. There are some shady looking people around, and maybe you’ve been hearing whispers all day about a certain "fight club." Initially, no one will tell you a time or location, but if you are persistent, your efforts will pay off. Perhaps in light of helping a vendor clear out their stall or assisting that one Olympian native in distress, they’re willing to tell you a few things about this exclusive club. They explain to you that it’s been a long-standing tradition of Olympia. Secret fight clubs. A place for people to stretch their wings and their fists. Moreover, the pay off seems to be pretty good! Though, they warn you that there are some aggressive competitors out there this time around. Things have been tough politically for a while now, and there is much unrest among the people. What better way to blow off some steam than to beat someone up and make a bit of bank! Fights are not to the death, simply until a knock out, but accidents (and "accidents") do happen. Finding the crowd of people will take some searching, even with directions. They meet along the northern coast of Flona, by following a path leading underground, well away from any civilization. Once you’re there, why not participate? You may find yourself facing off against a fellow refugee. OOC     An AC-eligible thread for 2 OLYMPIAN REP POINTS may be submitted from this log. SUBMIT THE THREAD HERE by OCTOBER 15 11:59 PM EST. In the event of CAPTCHA, we will be providing an overflow. In the event of a second CAPTCHA, players are advised to move threads to an overflow post on their character journals. These threads remain eligible for AC, AC Rewards, and REP. 1 SILVER = 1 US DOLLAR. QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● world ● map ● reputation ● npcs taken ● reserves ● application calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

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Anora Theirin | Dragon Age

[solitaryrose]

I. Home Sweet Home

This woman wears a slim but modest black gown and carries a small case of the few belongings she has managed to collect. She sits on a bench outside her house, awaiting whoever it is who shows up to this house and says they live here too. Her life has never been reduced to wait and see what happens like this before. She has done everything there is to do and it all comes down to who she happens to meet in this quaint little district. There is no planning ahead at this point.

II. Beach Party

Anora arrives at the beach, still wearing a black dress, and heads straight to the bar. There is no nonsense about the way she sits and orders "whatever you have that widows and spinsters use to dull the pain." She is provided with her first-ever shot of tequila. Knocks it back with no problem. Orders another.

III. Earn Some Silver

Some of the street vendors are legit. Anora knows enough to at least tell which ones are least likely to screw her over. She knows quality, having lived in it for most of her life, but she also has parents who actually had to worry about being robbed and scammed and had the sense to teach her what they felt necessary to prepare her for the world. But it's her goods in question, and their silver.

She has in her palm an onyx ring with diamond accents that a vendor is inspecting and giving price estimates for. She has to try to roughly translate the money into sovereigns in her head, and a few sharp denials from the vendor let her know it is not a perfect equivalence.

I.

[vorrutyer]

[ Byerly recognizes her, of course. The woman he was protecting back in that simulation. It's a strange sort of memory, that remembrance of another life, another version of him, but - it is a memory. He wonders how much she remembers, and how much credence she'll give to it. He hopes none. It won't exactly serve his purposes to be thought of as a useful man.

He presses his hand to his heart and bows as soon as he draws near to her. ]

Esteemed lady. Are you waiting for someone?

[solitaryrose]

[Anora gives a rare unguarded smile on seeing the familiar face. She stands, clutching her satchel in front of her, and moves toward him.]

You, evidently. It's good to see you, Byerly.

[Her badge shifts to read: "Secretly, I betrayed my father, was born a commoner, and married my dead husband's brother so I could remain queen!
What are yours?"]

[vorrutyer]

[ His eye flicks down to see that label. His smile goes just a little flat before returning to his face with its prior pleasantness. ]

Likewise. Most certainly likewise. Ah - if I may?

[ He takes his coat and turns it inside-out so that his own label is facing inwards. Then he settles it over her shoulders and pulls it closed to conceal her badge of shame. A step back to examine his handiwork. Then his eyes return to her face and he asks, perfectly calmly: ]

Do I have the pleasure of knowing that we are to be house-mates?

[solitaryrose]

[continued here]

iii

[exonerated]

You are asking for too high a price, my lady.

[ Edmund stands beside her. He'd been surveying the vendor's collection. He is wearing the uniform of a member of the Royal Guard, all black with a fancy brooch resting on his breast. He's obviously on duty, patrolling, making sure that no one is trying to scam money of these hardworking men and women. ]

Roughly the equivalent of diamonds, which they hold at a far greater value.

[solitaryrose]

[Anora's teeth come together. Yes, the vendor has figured out that she is not from these parts, but she's been learning quite a lot about the local currency from this argument and was doing fine even if she wasn't selling the ring.

Her hackles lower after a moment. The young man is being helpful, damn her pride. She lets out a breath and gives Edmund a smile and a respectful nod.]

As you say. Two hundred silver it is, then.

[The vendor, who looks a bit grumpy by now, takes the ring and passes her the coin. Anora walks away and gives Edmund another nod.]

[exonerated]

Pardon me for intruding. [ Once they are out of earshot, though still a little late considering the circumstances. ]

That man, despite being an honest vendor, has a short temper. He would have denied you altogether, if you had attempted to bargain for a little longer.

[solitaryrose]

[continued here]

ii.

[latkje]

Nash is sitting at the bar already, stirring a glass of red wine that didn't agree with him. Like Anora, he's more or less fully dressed— he has rolled up his sleeves, a bit, but that's about it. When he isn't looking down into his disappointing wine, he looks out into the crowd of splashing beachgoers. He's still looking at them when he says, like someone thinking out loud, "I wonder what they give to widows and spinsters who like to stay sharp."

[solitaryrose]

Anora's lips curve in a sharp smile. "I doubt they've ever run into the problem." She peers into her next shot, waiting at least until the burn of the first one has time to settle into a nice, calming warmth in her belly.

[latkje]

"Then they must not be looking hard enough. I've known plenty of widows and spinsters with no sorrows to drown." He takes his glass of wine up in his hand, and glares at it again for a minute before taking an experimental sip. No, it's still disagreeable.

"Of course, even they have need of drink. It's a common curse of our human lot."

[solitaryrose]

[Continued here]

III

[doggo]

[She's someone. Sirius can tell that absently, in a single glance. It is a skill that--no matter how long it has been disused and left to rust while he laid around rotting away in a prison cell--still comes to him easily, without second thought. He was learning the importance of peerage when most children his age were learning about the sounds that dogs make. Sitting on a hard bench in the Ministry, watching his father turn on his heel and leave a conversation when some no one approached and tried to get an audience. Watching his mother tending the tapestry in the parlor.

She's not that sort of someone, perhaps. But there is something about her that he can pick out in that same way. And she isn't the first woman to pawn a ring. What's more, it's nothing to do with him.

All the same, he's watching, on the sidelines. And when the vendor gives a particular offended scoff, Sirius asks--]

What's it made of?

[He's loitering, not carrying any shopping for himself. Might mean he's a merchant. Might mean something more unsavory. At least he's looking less skeletal after nearly two months of decent meals.]

[solitaryrose]

[Anora gives him a good look, sizing him up on the pretense of giving a haughty acknowledgement. She should use this coin to buy a blade, if she can, and carry it everywhere. No one is protecting her but her, anymore.]

Silv-- [She cuts herself off. Silverite doesn't exist here.] Silver, [she corrects,] onyx, and diamond.

Too hard to be true silver, [the vendor scoffs.]

[doggo]

Too hard, [Sirius repeats, flatly unimpressed. He's addressing the merchant now, without looking twice at the woman with the ring.] And what, you were planning to melt it down? It's a ring. Silver. With diamonds. Got to be worth at least 800 silver pieces, I'd say.

[Deliver anything with enough conviction and people will go along with it. This is a lesson Sirius learnt ages ago, one that he could once employ with great success. Now that he's had some months to put himself to rights again, he's finding that he is still good at it.

(And he didn't miss the woman's look, either, the way she'd looked him over. It's just that he's ignoring it, for now.)]

[solitaryrose]

[continued here]

ii

[fathographer]

He's picked up a beer and is wandering back toward the action when he hears her. It's not any of his business... but Maes doesn't like seeing people hurt and the 'widow' line strikes a little close to home.

"He might be in one of the pods," he says as he comes back to the counter and leans on it. "My wife and daughter are. It's not a lot, but it's something."

[solitaryrose]

"My husband?" Anora glances toward the faintly familiar face. Oh, it's the man with the pictures. She looks a little more friendly toward him now that he isn't shoving things in her face. "He is in one of the pods. Thank you for your concern, but strong drink isn't reserved solely for widows and spinsters."

She is a widow, despite being remarried. She still feels like a widow.

[fathographer]

Unfortunately, pictures aren't waterproof. Bringing them to a beach party would have been a poor decision and it makes Maes a little sad, but they should be safe where they're at.

In the moment he's less sad and more intrigued. "It was your choice of words that caught my ear." Widow and spinster, yes, but also pain. Maybe it's a little soon to pry so much, but that rarely stops him.

ii.

[flashystyle]

And are you a widow or spinster?

[Though they might have arrived from the same world, there is the one trait about Dorian that can be a blessing or a curse: He doesn't recognize anything about the south. He can't express his dismay at this display, and instead looks on from beside her in amusement.]

You'll need a bottle, if you continue that way. Then perhaps a cushion for when you hit the floor.

[solitaryrose]

[continued here]</small.

I.

[ebeje]

[ The unremovable patch affixed to her dress just below the neckline is not doing wonders for Max's mood this morning. Hers is more travel dress than gown, but her hair is carefully pinned, and the set of her jaw is somewhere between nettled and determined not to let the nettling prevent her from landing on her feet here. Something in the poise of the beautiful blonde woman sitting on the bench outside what is apparently to be her home needles her further, however; her chin rises a single proud degree as she comes to a stop beside it, her own small bag held in two hands brought together in front of her. ]

It seems we may indeed be 'housemates,' [ she offers by way of greeting, dry. ]

[ The badge on her chest shifts to read: Hello, my name is Max! Secretly, I betray my lovers, drown cats, and enable murderous thieves. What are yours? ... So much for first impressions. ]