❪ 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

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[originallutece]

[Don't test her, Argentum.]

Hardly. I'm going to have you run towards their pen, and save you once they come in running after you.

[She takes a step closer, still maintaining a respectable distance, and sets the blade to his collarbone, though she doesn't yet cut him.]

All right?

[punshots]

[ "All right" is relative, because being cut open to lure in dragons isn't what he would typically classify as "all right", but it's sort of a necessary evil, and with a grim look, he nods. ]

Do your worst, Madame Lutece! ...But not really. It's just a figure of speech.

[ Please don't wound him too badly, and please don't judge him if he screams like a little girl when she cuts him. ]

[originallutece]

[There's a lot of sarcasm she could use to respond to that, but he looks tense enough as it is; no sense in drawing this out. Rosalind presses the blade down, and it's a quick, small cut she gives him: enough to get some blood welling, but certainly nothing that will scar or bleed out.

And oh, those dragons are interested. They perk their heads up, and Rosalind smiles in satisfaction.]

Don't wipe at it. Let it drip down. And do be careful.

[punshots]

[ Her abstaining from sarcasm is appreciated. As it is, he absolutely does yelp as the blood flickers across his skin, flinching back and muffling his mouth with his fist. ]

Sweet mother f-- [ But he cuts himself off, she is a lady!!! He takes a moment to recover himself then, to straighten back up and examine the cut that she made. Well, at least her handiwork was precise, but that shouldn't be too surprising. ]

G-got it! Careful as a - a clam! That's...not a thing.

[ And he starts towards the barn, glancing around at the dragons as they start to stir and rustle their wings. It can't be long now...or he's going to forget her advice and start wiping at the blood dribbling down his arm. ]

Here, dragons, dragons, dragons...

[ He is so getting eaten today, he just knows it. ]

[originallutece]

[He will not get eaten, Rosalind is determined. She's too endeared to him to allow that to happen. But he is out there on his own for the moment, as she waits back and gets ready for him to run to her.

Two of the dragons are intrigued enough to come closer. They don't make a secret about it; rather, they trot closer, their tongues lolling out of their mouths as they sniff the air openly. He's a meal all right, and not one that will give them much trouble; no point in being stealthy.

Though they will try and hunt him. The moment he grows remotely in range both dragons tense up--

--and then suddenly they spring into action. One goes low, jaws snapping at his legs; the other high, breathing fire down upon him. Better run, Prompto.]

[punshots]

[ HE'S MADE A HUGE MISTAKE.

Maybe he should have taken it a bit slower, he probably didn't need to get in that close to catch their attention - but there's no time to regret that now. There is only time to run like hell, because he sure has dragons on his tail. ]

Shit shit shit shit shit shit -

[ He beelines straight for the stable. Remember his camera? Oh yeah, he's still got it, and you better believe he turns around to run backwards for one moment so he can snap a pic. If he dies, at least he goes out doing what he loved! ]

[originallutece]

[HE DEF MCFUCKED UP

But hey, at least Ros is keeping up her end of the deal: she's holding open the gate, watching him intently, waiting for the moment where she can slam the door closed and grab him to save him. But--]

Prompto!

[She all but snarls it as he turns to take a picture, why, that absolutely is the stupidest idea he could have done because the dragons are gaining him, they really are, and--

There. He runs into the pen, the dragons follow, and Rosalind slams the door closed behind them. In an instant she reaches through the bars for his arm, and--

Just like that, he's out. Safe and sound, bloody and nearly naked but most certainly alive. It's over in an instant; he won't even register moving. He was simply teleported from inside the cage to outside it, they both of them having moved over a few inches.

Pretty useful, huh?]

[punshots]

[ "Stupid Ideas" may as well be his middle name. Anyway, he's sure regretting it when he sees how close those dragons are to him, even as he approaches the pen, Prompto runs like hell, entirely certain with each passing moment that he is super gonna get eaten. ]

I'm gonna die I'm gonna die I'm gonna -

[ Rosalind slams the pen shut, the dragons right on his heels, but then she's grabbing his arm, and suddenly -

He's not...inside the cage anymore.

He stands there for a moment, numb by surprise, before he blinks and glances at Rosalind, eyes wide as saucers. ]

Um - what?

[ She can warp people? ]

[originallutece]

You wouldn't have come close to death if you weren't intent on taking a photograph, good grief.

[She's aware that what was likely for the teleporting, but one thing at a time.]

[punshots]

[ He sputters a moment, caught between an objection and his lingering shock, before finally spitting out: ]

Hey, that was a once in a lifetime shot! Here, take a look -

[ He starts fiddling with his camera once more, before he cuts himself off and directs. BACK TO THE OTHER THING. ]

Wait - hang on! Leeeet's just take a step back here for a moment and consider the fact that you just teleported me!

[originallutece]

You used to live on a planet with magic. Surely it can't be that unusual an ability.

[punshots]

Yyyyyeah, but there were pret-ty specific people back there who were able to use it. [ Namely: royalty. ]

Are you, like...secretly a duchess, or something? [ He gasps, as if realizing something. ] Is this why you told me to call you Madame?

[originallutece]

No.

[She says that very flatly. And she's a touch stiff now, because this is a sore subject, even twenty years later.]

Madame is my title. As I was not allowed to claim the title of doctor, it serves in its place. And while I was once considered to be part of the upper echelon of British society, I was not a duchess, nor does it have anything to do with my abilities.

[punshots]

Oh...okay.

[ He opens his mouth, deliberating what the right thing to say here is...and no matter how much he might think about it, he'll probably still say something dumb so he might as well just say it. He's also still half naked and bleeding. ]

Why don't you just go by Doctor now that you're here? I mean, if that's what you'd really prefer.

[originallutece]

Because I shan't use a title I haven't earned.

[A beat, and she adds:]

It isn't simply out of pride. Claiming a title I hadn't earned would have hurt far, far more than it would have helped.

[punshots]

[ A moment passes in silence, Prompto biting his bottom lip, before he glances at her with a fond smile. ]

For what it's worth...after what you did, helping to make that cure? I think you've earned that title.

[originallutece]

[A beat, and Rosalind flickers a faint smile.]

You're kind to say so.

[She shan't use it. But he's being genuine, and that's quite sweet.

But Rosalind can never linger too long on emotion; within a few seconds she adds briskly:]

In any case: yes, I can teleport, and take one or two people along with me for the ride. What was it about your royalty that granted them the ability?

http://i.giphy.com/9i0JMY4s8al44.gif

[punshots]

[ His grin lingers a moment longer. He'd say more, go on for ages about how much he appreciates the work she did on the cure until he's out of breath, but she'll probably appreciate it more if he leaves it at that. He's said what he needs to, so yeah, let's get back to that whole...teleportation biz. ]

The crystal. [ Like...that's a thing everyone will know. The Ring of the Lucii had given the kings of Lucis additional powers, but Noct had been able to warp because of his bloodline alone.

After a moment, he decides to elaborate. ]

It's, uh, a really, really big magic rock.

im still laughing about this oh my god

[originallutece]

And they, what, have locked it away for themselves?

:*

[punshots]

It's not quite that simple. The crystal is sort of...sentient? Like, not just anyone can use it. Ol' Emperor Iedolas tried aaaand, well - you don't wanna know how that turned out for him. It really only worked for the person who holds the Ring of the Lucii.

[ Yeah, he knows how it sounds. ]

[originallutece]

[. . .]

All right.

[This sounds like some High Fantasy nonsense, but she trusts he's not lying to her. Rosalind nods to him-- come along, let's find your clothes and some bandages-- and leads the way forward.]

My own abilities came about as the result of a very rare accident. One whose result I'm quite pleased by, though.

[punshots]

[ It absolutely is High Fantasy nonsense, like the sort of stuff out of the old RPGs he used to play back home. Wonder if there's a reason for that!!! ]

Whoa, whoa, hang on. Do you have any idea how many superhero origin stories start like that?

[ As he blathers on, he trots after her, hands wheeling around like they'll somehow convince her to elaborate more on this story. Please, continue. ]

[originallutece]

[What the hell is a superhero . . .? But no, that's irrelevant, and she'll ask him later.

There's no bandages, but oh well, she has a handkerchief. She offers it to him and says, far too casually:]

Do they often begin with one's death?

i'm so sorry for sinning and using the same icon twice in a row

[punshots]

[ He eyes her handkerchief, glancing between it and his bleeding shoulder as it's proffered. It sure is just...bleeding there, but he doesn't want to put her out of a nice hanky, either!

But before he can decide whether to accept it or not, he blanches, gaze turning sharply to her face as his jaw unhinges. ]

C-c-come again?

[ Like, okay, what. Did he even hear that right? ]

just forget it cr over

[originallutece]

[Her expression remains passive, though a slight frown graces it as he doesn't take the handkerchief.]

You're not going to stop bleeding unless you put pressure on it; take the handkerchief.

[Because that's really the priority. But no, Rosalind knows what she's saying. It's just . . . mm. It's silly to balk, given she'd been the one to bring this up, but it's a bit of a task, explaining it all.]

My powers were born at my death. Because of my death, I should say, or rather the method used to kill me. The idiot who was my murderer couldn't even manage to do that right.