❪ october plot conclusion; wyver takes ❫

[natha]

THE END TO THE EPIDEMIC     On the morning of November 3, there is a palpable buzz on the streets as both the natives of Wyver and Olympian refugees share the same sentiment: excitement. Word will quickly spread that a cure to VIOLET2710 has finally been developed and is ready for mass dissemination. Throughout the city, the cure can be found at any of the numerous small temples and outposts of the Altar of Volkkra. The shamans of Volkkra will happily distribute the cure to any of the ill in need of it, without restraint. A joint venture between both Olympia and Wyver, citizens of both are granted equal access. As the lines form, the shamans will ask that able-bodied persons administer the cure to themselves and to others. Don't let the needles scare you! It'll only hurt a little. At each of these outposts, signs will be posted giving credit to those who aided in the creation and manufacture of the cure: Claire Fraser Amaterasu Pike Trickfoot Charles Xavier Alan Foster (Bruce Wayne) Keyleth Rosalind Lutece Shinjiro Aragaki Mipha Wrathion Dorian Pavus Merlin Morrigan Clarke Griffin Rose Lalonde Peter Parker Linnaeus Zelda John Watson You Watanabe Jean Grey Mikleo Daenerys Targaryen Dylas Frankenstein Waver Velvet As they distribute the cure, the shamans will note that those receiving the cure should give thanks to those named. Without their contributions, it may have taken much longer for the cure to be found and created in large enough quantities to save everyone. SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?     With Olympia and Wyver's fragile alliance still in effect and a cure to VIOLET2710 distributed, Olympia finally opens its gates once again to Refugees if they feel a little homesick. High-speed transportation will be available at record low costs as politicians, merchants, and other business owners desperately hurry home to salvage whatever they can from the terrorist attacks. Refugees are advised to remain in Wyver until food rations can be recovered and the water can be decontaminated. However, those more personally attached to Olympia may discover that the city is preparing a mass call for volunteers that will go out in the near future. In the meantime, and understandably, you should do what you can to help the Wyver people. The Dragon city has started posting quests, not only for you to do your part, but for the Wyver people to gauge your worth as visitors to their sacred land. Thesa also has an interest in the unfolding events. Refugees have now been exposed to both lands, and certainly some will find themselves more invested in one side than the other. Darma finally wakes from slumber to observe, and while she is thankful that Refugees are immersed in her world, there is something foreboding on the horizons. On the night of the 3rd, Darma will appear in your dreams for a conversation. It has been some time, Refugee... ah, no, certainly not for me. I am Darma. It is my hope that Sael as served you well in my place. The Natha do not feel, but I must express gratefulness that I am able to return to you. My greeting extends to both old and new faces. As we watch you, we see that this world and its people have begun to influence your hearts. In time, your loyalty to either of these lands, to Olympia or to Wyver, shall affect how you are seen by the other side. As observers, we are unable to provide either region a winning edge. Thus, once you pledge loyalty to one, you cannot use Thesa to teleport to the other. Choose wisely, or choose none at all. There is no war for those who do not wish to see it. For those who do... if I may be prudent— this alliance will not last. Keep your friends close, Refugee, for they may not remain so if your allegiances conflict. You will wake before you get a chance to reply. THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM IN THE UNDERGROWTH     The locals often speak of a cursed place deep within Wyver territory, confounded by the spirits of dragons who passed long ago: those who still wish for vengeance on the people of Olympia for their untimely deaths. Though these stories began as nothing more than urban legends among the raiders and shamans, over time the idea has become mainstream. So much that the rumors have started causing unrest between the people of Wyver and their guests. More than a few people within Wyver have used these rumors as justification for opposing the current alliance with Olympia. Many Wyver locals see these rumors as a sign that their ancestors disapprove of the alliance. As a result, those in charge have decided that it would be prudent to mitigate some of the anxiety from either side. Those who are willing to look into these rumors further will find themselves lead towards the darkest parts of Wyver, deep within the Undergrowth in a region devoid of light. The faint of heart will be advised against delving further. Common among these rumors are accounts of people being attacked by an unseen enemy, or talk of possession and out-of-body experiences. Those who press on will find that the culprit is none other than a new, undocumented beast. This creature is able to camouflage itself perfectly to its environment. This, paired with darkness of the deep Undergrowth, makes this beast nearly impossible to detect with the naked eye. The creature also release a noxious gas that can spark a range of emotional responses: some may grow hysterical, while others may be consumed by despair. The effects only last for minutes, though some may linger in the back of one's mind for hours after. While the creature does not actually attack people directly, the other beasts of the Undergrowth may take advantage of its victims. Fortunately, Wyver is not looking for the creature's capture. They respect the delicate balance of the jungle as they see themselves as its protectors. For now, they only desire more information about this creature in order to assuage the people. Good luck and do your best to keep your wits! ALRIA'S FULL MOON     While Olympians worship the ever-present light of Thesa, the people of Wyver are captivated by the smaller, yet ever-changing Alria. Alria cycles in and out of the night sky much like what denizens of Earth would remember as lunar phases, and those who are familiar with that may notice it is very similar to their own. And likewise, the creatures, men and women of Wyver are affected when Alria transitions into its full moon phase. DRAGONS & LUNATICS — The dragons are restless. Perhaps because this particular full moon is accompanied by far more human scent than they are typically used to, but there's no doubt that they are eyeing humans as they do fresh prey. That is exactly why humans or human-like refugees will be tasked to tame a particularly rowdy dragon stable. The dragon mounts at Lhongha Stables have broken free from their homes, roaming aimlessly in the deep undergrowth. You and another will be advised to strip down to your undergarments (it's hot, relax a little, human!) and lure the dragons back to the stables with your bodies. Rowdy dragons do love their human flesh! "Just a hunch," says the owner of the stables, "But I bet they'll come running faster if they smell your human blood." He laughs as he hands over a pocket knife if he sees you're not carrying a weapon. The owner assures you that the dragons have been trained not to attack unless told to, but who knows how serious he is about that? JUNGLE HEAT (NSFW) — The full moon affects Wyver in other ways as well. While Olympia has a district blessed by Thesa's light all year long, Wyver only feels it at a certain time of the month. "The Heat" lasts for a full week starting on a full moon. You'll see it everywhere. Olympia has its lust confined in a single district, but in Wyver, during the phase of the full moon, the lust is everywhere. The people of Wyver will be friendlier then, offering you ale and meat. They sing songs of destroying their enemies up north, but even the native Olympians won't be able to will themselves to be angry when Alria shines upon them. Perhaps you'll be find yourself affected, too, by Alria's light. And it's okay to get touchy; it isn't like the locals care about public displays of affection when they most certainly are getting handsy themselves. THE PACT OF VOLKKRA — Shamans, too, participate in celebrations of Alria's full moon. During the event, the shamans will give pairs each a couple of blessed dragon teeth necklaces. Wyver tradition states that if a shaman approves you as a pair, then you are granted a chance to form a Volkkran Pact. This pact, the shaman will explain, will bond a pair as an unstoppable team, granting one another a small influence on each others' powers. "King Shanrian and his Pact, Counsel Shenya benefit from this. Shenya was granted physical strength, and our King his Counsel's perception. It has made quite a difference." THE VOLKKRAN PACT AT NAMARAK SUMMIT     Despite being mistaken for a pair, there is no need to take the shaman's advice. The necklace will disappear if the Pact isn't completed in a week's time. However, if the Pact's benefits might be something of interest to you and your partner, then you'll be advised to travel further south, until you reach Namarak Mountain. At the summit, you'll find an altar, where you and your partner are expected to return the necklaces and make a vow to support one another. The shaman there isn't particularly interested in what you do to complete the Pact. In fact, many people who attempt the Pact tend to... go a bit further than is necessary, when it can be achieved through a simple kiss between the partners. The Volkkran Pact's effects are immediate upon physical contact. Each Pact can be broken through a special process with the head Shaman, but there needs to be at least a month's time before one can sever it. The pairs may be fake and still receive the benefit of the Pact, though they may find that sharing power with someone they are not truly committed to is a mistake. NOTE: Players may be creative about what powers can be shared. The recipients of the such powers can never be granted its full strength, but it may be strengthened with Wyver REP rewards. Please note that PCs does not need to pledge allegiance to Wyver in order to keep the Volkkran Pact; they will only need 10 Wyver REP in order to strengthen it. Refer to the questions thread below if you have any questions. BUILD-A-BLADE WORKSHOP     Sirod, the weapon's head shopkeeper, is interested in procuring a few materials for his clients. While these clients have already collected the claws of larger beasts and various other parts needed to create their new weapons, they are still missing some rare, necessary items. In particular, they are still missing the following: High Prisms — These tiny crystals attach themselves to the branches of older trees. They tend to hang near the tops of them, hiding in the shadows of the leaves. Unfortunately, retrieving them requires one… to climb. Hopefully you got a lot of tree climbing practice as a kid. Who knew that skill would ever come in handy? Crystal Drop — These are normally found near bodies of water. Especially water that has been enchanted, past or present. The drops tend to cling to the floors of these mystical streams and lagoons. Those seeking them will also have to be careful not to be affected by the water’s properties. Perhaps that's part of the trick of gathering them. Frozen Mylan Root — Mylans are a type of live vegetation that grows on Namarak Mountain. Constantly roaming in the warm seasons, they root themselves into fertile earth during the winter where they sleep until spring, making the snowy mountain ideal to acquire the roots. Plucking them from the ground takes strength, and slicing them will prove equally difficult... and of course, there is a blood-curdling scream when you wake it from its slumber. Well, it wouldn't be a real test of strength and emotional fortitude otherwise. Those who retrieve any of these items will be rewarded 100 Silver. FINAL OOC NOTE     An AC-eligible thread for 2 WYVER REP POINTS may be submitted from this log. SUBMIT THE THREAD HERE by DEC 10th 11:59 PM EST. We will no longer be providing overflow posts. In an event where the post hits CAPTCHA, players are advised to move threads to an overflow post on their character journals or create their own catch-all post. These threads remain eligible for AC, AC Rewards, and REP. 1 SILVER = 1 US DOLLAR. QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● lore ● map ● npcs taken ● atp/emp ● application ● rep/acp calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

[fakers]

Ah, that's right.

[ he'd more or less forgotten about that entirely... and while he's pretty sure she's joking, he nonetheless reaches a hand into his pocket to fish out two silver before placing them on the table. he made a decent amount while he was still in olympia, and he hasn't really had anywhere to spend it in the last month.

money's not very useful when you can't spend it. ]

With interest. I trust that makes us even?

[agradecido]

Merlin!

[Operating on instinct, Zevran closes the gap of those few feet as fast as possible, one heel slipping in the mud until that foot is sunk up to the ankle in the now murky water. His heart lurched, in genuine fear for his life.]

Merlin--

[And then Merlin's back, bobbing up above the surface and sputtering, and Zevran heaves a sigh of relief for his sake, sagging to rest his hands on his knees, head down. At least he won't have to leap in and try to drag them both out while they're both wearing sodden wool.

And then he notices how wet he already is, up to the waist and above in places. Seems like Merlin's blast radius got them both. He laughs in relief, just the same, shaking his head. Finally, he sighs, squelching further into the water to hold out a hand, making sure he's planted as firmly as he can be.]

Andraste's ass, man, I swear you're cursed.

[fakers]

[ how very generous of you, diana. he can still sort of see... the fringes of what's happening behind her, and can definitely hear it, but he's been spared the brunt of this blow. for now. ]

Not foolish, though this openly is... reckless. [ what if someone attacks you while your pants are down?? completely defenseless! ]

A vile taboo? [ that earns an odd look. ] From one extreme to another then, for you.

[agradecido]

[Technically speaking, they've already theoretically ended the life of this plant? I mean, doesn't it need like, soil? Still, it's not a bad idea, but he doesn't know if they need it uh, "alive."

He huffs a quiet, short laugh, and speaks under his breath.]

When do I not have a knife?

[Clearing his throat, he continues.]

I don't know. He didn't mention that part--

[He pauses, brow furrowing, and looks at Venom.]

...Is it stopping?

[With a sidelong glance at the plant, he pries up his hand.]

[daemonized]

[He waits, giving her time to rifle through her thoughts and memories to find something to spark that darkness, to give it life. He finds that it doesn't take long before the tension twists in the air, something buzzing in his ears. A feeling that has been a steadfast friend of his for a long while, and Ardyn doesn't even bother to step back. He is unafraid, and instead only grinning wider. The ground beneath their feet begins to wisp with that dark energy, that dangerous dark matter. In a few moments, it'll be enough to light the ground up with a sickening deep purple hue, but only if she keeps it going.

A bit of "encouragement", then.]

You can do better than that, can't you?

[underwhelms]

[ She is brave. There's a second while JJ just marvels at her. He has something relatively shiny too: his cell phone, and while he thinks he'd be willing to sacrifice it to the wild in order to ensure their survival, there's still a sting of hesitation in his heart; hesitation that he's sure she would pick up on if she asked him to throw it.

The light disappears as the dragon passes over the opening of the burrow again, but the necklace glints enough that JJ can take it carefully from her hands. ]

Thank you. I'll throw it as far as I can.

[ The metal edges of the cross dig into his palm as he clutches at the necklace, crawling further up, hearing the huff of the dragon outside and the slide of its heavy body against the ground. There's a myriad of complex feelings tight in his chest, his wavering faith in the past few months, and this moment, where there cross might be the thing that saves them.

Getting to the edge, he waits for Misa to perch next to him, waiting for the dragon to pass while the both of them are tense, ready at a moment's notice to bolt.

Deeming the dragon far enough that it wouldn't take a bite of his arm, JJ's grips the necklace tighter for one brief moment he pulls his arm back throws it with as much strength as he can muster. The necklace goes flying, out of sight in an instant and there's a moment of silence, JJ's heart stopping at the idea that it didn't work before the dragon lets out a shriek that almost seems... delighted.

JJ doesn't care to dwell on the dragon's secretly cute personality however, waiting for the dragon to start thudding away before grabbing Misa and whispering harshly. ]

Go, go!

[fractaljesus]

[There's the implication of innocence again when Venom refers to children--an asset to be protected. So the act before them is considered harmful to innocence somehow. But as adults, it is not harmful to themselves. What a peculiar thought.

Jealousy. Envy. Venom covets what they have. zaShunina 'hmm's, unblinking stare shifting from the tall man beside him to the pair engrossed in one another some distance away.]

It is natural to want what one does not have. [He, too, has wants. Desires. Curiosities. He doesn't quite understand the feeling of loneliness--not enough to recognize it in himself--but he understands from a theoretical standpoint that humans are a social species and desire companionship.

He doesn't have his anisotropic devices with him, but perhaps he can provide a different "gift."]

You desire what they have. Should I give it to you? [He asks without hesitation or emotion. Even barring the full moon and the ale, this offer makes perfect sense to him.]

[agradecido]

Late question, sorry!:

I double-checked to see if it was mentioned, and I didn't find it either time: is there a reward of silver offered for dragon wrangling? Or does the stable master try to weasel into some nebulous future reward or "prestige and esteem of the populace" non-monetary reward?

Either is fine, I just need a bit of clarification.

[agradecido]

[Zevran glances over his shoulder with a look.]

Of course not. I have a reputation to uphold, after all.

[The stable master sputters in front of them, a bit off guard.]

[daemonized]

[I mean, is it untrue?? Don't judge him.]

That I can see. [In regards to being an expert tree climber. UNLIKE PROMPTO APPARENTLY...]

And I had thought about gathering prisms; it's rather easy silver, after all, and who I am to complain about something like that? And yet...

[A motion up to the prisms up high, rather far up. He could collect them if he exerted the effort, but it's hard to break out of the habit of feeling like some things are still Beneath Him, sometimes. He's was just contemplating the task up until now.]

...look how very high up they are.

y hello thar

[agradecido]

[Oh come on, Dylas, once you get to know him he's really grea-- no, that's a lie, he's pretty much exactly like their first impression implied. But at least if you're a friend he teases you le--

OK, no, that's a lie, too. The teasing gets worse. It's...part of his charm? At least he hasn't implied anything horsey.

Zevran, of course, has spent most of the journey chatting about this and that; non-lewd things, for once. Heaven knows if he did run, he'd get quite a bit of distance on Zevran. Neigh.

He stares up into the branches, hands on his hips, and hums.]

Ah, but if you leave, you'll miss out on all of the fun. And money.

I don't suppose you climb?

[competing]

[ by the time the root starts screaming, lance has already finished replacing the plugs in his ears. he spares a moment to look really, really smug. ahah, now you're wishing you had earplugs, aren'tcha... hmmMMmMmMmmm

hang on what did you say ]

Wait — we gotta kill it?!

[competing]

[ slaine do you ever smile... do you ever feel happiness.... ]

Oh.. Well you can give it a shot, if you want. Just a little sip though — the stuff around here's already pretty strong from the get-go.

hello!!!

[sullenstallion]

[He really doubts Zevran is great. He's made that maybe too clear during their jaunt to the woods. From his responses to his body language, there's no doubt that Dylas is a closed-off sort of person. But to his credit, he's actually trying. He hasn't hit Zevran? And that's a terrible measurement for how well he's doing, but he does have a temper.

He stares up at the tree. He didn't think they'd be so tall, which would be a stupid thing to say.]

You're right. I'd miss out on the money. But I haven't seen anything fun yet.

[He looks down at Zevran, tail swishing.]

I've never tried. [His ears droop. He's not sure if he wants to do this.] What about you? Elves live in forests, right?

[Is that a problematic thing to say?]

[fakers]

Hm, well, confidence is good. It doesn't seem this Pact is only concerned with "powers" in the sense you mean though... I heard the rulers of Wyver share a pact simply to share their strength and intelligence.

[ or something along those lines. either way, archer is pretty sure gaius would have something to offer, even if it may not be something as flashy as a magical ability.

it kind of makes archer wonder what a pact with himself would even do... though he's no stronger to magical bonds, his own with his Master doesn't quite go two ways like that. not usually, anyway. ]

I intend to stay here. I doubt I'd be welcomed back in Olympia anyway, regardless of whether the true of what happened has come to light. [ he doesn't particularly want to go back either. the atmosphere of this place suits him better, even if its lawlessness is... problematic at times. ] Did you come to this mountain just to sight see?

[crosspear]

It sounds like something I've felt before when you put it that way. [He makes an odd expression at that. His aura is generally warm, but remembering his ARCUS bonds has him feeling so nostalgic and a little lonely.] It doesn't sound as bad to me if it's something like that, I admit.

[The feelings he gets when syncing with his ARCUS, improving his combat strength, feeling the rhythm of his allies...it's a good feeling. He doesn't have that same kind of bond with everyone here.

But because he's Gaius, he'll still smile.]

I'm not surprised. I plan on staying for a while myself, if you were curious. I'm not great at staying in one place for long, so I want to learn as much as I can here before I head back. [It's the nomad life. He's still homesick for the plains, but somehow getting a change of scenery like this fills him with a second wind.] And that's right. I wanted to learn more about the pact, too, so you have my thanks there.

[daemonized]

[And here's Ardyn, who just shifts his weight to the other foot, gesticulating up at Prompto like it ain't no thang. He's in a... not murderous mood, yes, so I suppose that counts as "good", generally speaking. The amusement holds steady as he speaks.]

Oh, no, by all means-- what sort of person would I be if I didn't at least attempt to lift a finger to help you? A member of the royal guard must always help a fellow guardsman out.

[Even if this is the exact opposite of what he just told Prompto, aka "what is it you expect me to do about it", basically.]

What, don't you trust me to catch you?

[agradecido]

[Yeah, kinda! No worries, though, that's one of the mildest things a non-elf has ever said to him. It actually makes him laugh.]

The Dalish live in forests. I was raised in the city.

[He takes a rope out of a small pack and begins tying it through his legs and around his waist. He drops the rest of the length to the ground, walks around the tree and picks it back up. It's a bit too wide around for him to have wrapped his arms around, but the rope will help nicely. He turns to Dylas.]

We city folk have our ways, however.

[He loops the rope through the bit around his waist, tying it in a secure knot. Using the trunk as a brace and leaning back into the rope, begins the slow process of half-walking, half-climbing the tree. When he gets to the branches, some thirty feet up, the loose eng gets thrown up around the branch and he clambers onto it.]

I learned this sort of thing to scale walls, a long time ago.

[natha]

Characters will receive a monetary reward for helping with the dragon wrangling, based on how many dragons they round up etc. We leave the amount up to your judgment, but please be reasonable.

[originallutece]

[Rosalind's eyes snap open, blazing black as oil as the energy surges to life. At her feet, it coils around her, spiked as sharp as her anger, a sickening energy that she doesn't notice just yet.]

Keep your damned comments to yourself if all you're going to do is goad--

[She isn't so furious she'll lash out at him, not yet. But boy, it'd be nice to smack him at least once for that insolent attitude, wouldn't it?]

[agradecido]

o7 Reasonable is my middle name! Actually no, it's Jane.

[ayes]

Ohhhhh. [She says this like it's a revelation to her, a surprised-- yet enlightened-- noise.

Of course, it is a revelation to her. She doesn't know real dragons.] I didn't know that about actual dragons!

So they want to be bribed, then? I bet they don't take money... there's gotta be something we can offer them that they actually want, right?

[insurgent]

[ There's a pause as she finds her footing. ]

Catch it. [ A beat. Rustling from above. ] I'll drop it directly!

[ so get into position there. ]

[insurgent]

[ With a roll of her eyes, she steps into place, putting her weight on his hands and lifting her arms to go for the lowest branch. Time for a boost. ]

If you can't, I'll be cross.

[ it's said mildly, but don't destabilize her, huh (◡ ‿ ◡ ✿) ]

[daemonized]

[There it is, that flare of energy spiking. Enough for any normal person to absolutely recoil from, but Ardyn is used to it. He cannot be affected by this darkness, not when he houses it within himself; he's in no danger here, with the exception of just being knocked back a bit by the force itself. He can warp away last minute, if it comes down to that.

And it's not like you haven't HIT HIM BEFORE, Rosalind, so.]

I'm not goading, I'm helping... for what good it'll do.

[Ah, those eyes. Gone dark again, which won't surprise him a second time around.]