❪ 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

[earthy]

[Terra starts to open his mouth to say something only to abruptly change his mind.

Gaius might be the only person awake in this world that has that wind connection going for him. That wind connection and the ARCUS thing. And he himself might be the only Keybearer. That probably makes both of them 'special' now, in a way... But it's not a pleasant sort of special at all. Congratulations, you have unique worth because your world was destroyed and everyone else from it is stuck in a space station stasis pod...

Terra sighs and joins Gaius in looking out at their surroundings, though his gaze skims the ground rather than lifting to the sky.]

It was harder for me than it was for one of my friends. She had a knack for magic... pretty much from the start of our training. I was always playing catch-up with learning spells, improving spells... She's still asleep, too. Her and my other friend.

[crosspear]

[He would agree with Terra on all those 'congrats, you have unique worth because your world died' sentiments, definitely. But he can't bring himself to say he's too special, either. A big part of it his own modesty. He's met some amazing people and he's happy to be counted as one of their comrades. Acting like a big shot when they share so many accomplishments...no, he couldn't do that.

But they don't have to talk about these things right now. He moves his gaze back down, this time looking at Terra.]

What are their names? My friend...the magic user, her name is Emma.

[Maybe giving her name is a bit contrary to what he was talking about earlier, but the fact she's a witch and her own story are still hers. Gaius likes Terra besides.]

[earthy]

Aqua and Ven. Aqua has blue hair and Ven blond. They both wear the same emblem I have on my belt... A heart with three points at the bottom? Only theirs is on straps across their chests. They usually have partial armor like mine on, too.

[He motions to his bare left arm where the sleeve of armor usually is. When he's not mostly naked or fully armored.]

I'd appreciate knowing if you see anyone matching those descriptions around sometime. I keep a pretty close eye on their pods, but...

[But he keeps getting wrapped up in the affairs of this world. Completely possible they might wake up and leave the Station without him being aware of it.]

I'll let you know if I meet any Emmas, too.

[crosspear]

I'll make sure to remember this.

[And Gaius means it. He's committing this all to memory. He remembers the emblem from their first meeting, though now he's realized each time he's seen Terra he's been wearing something completely different. Normal(?) clothes, armor, and then almost nothing at all.

It's a little amusing.]

If you ever see me on the ship, you can always show me, too. I wouldn't mind meeting friends of yours.

[Maybe it's too depressing to others, but Gaius thinks that being reverent to the friends from home is an important task. He visits his parents as often as he can.]

I pray the wind reunites us with our friends as soon as possible.

[earthy]

[It's true, Gaius has seen his whole wardrobe now. Might be time to spend some silver on a new outfit or two, though. Blend in with the locals better and keep up this strange tradition of looking a little different each time he runs into Gaius.]

Sure. I go back to Thesa a lot. If I catch you up there, I'll introduce you to them.

[He'd like to think his friends can hear him. Or at least that they can sense he's there in some way.]

So! [He holds out the open ARCUS.] What do these particular quartzes do?

[crosspear]

I haven't been heading back as often as I'd like to. I should change that now that crisis is over for now.

['For now' being the operative words here. Gaius believes that this is more of a start than a finish. There's already a lot of bad feelings in the air. Not quite a storm front, but...

...well, it's nothing worth dwelling on.]

The silver quartzes represent 'mirage,' the green ones 'wind', and the brownish-yellow ones are 'earth.' The master quartz in the middle [it's green] is Falco. When I use it, my focus increases in battle among other things. Some of the abilities these quartzes represent are active whenever it's on, but the others I have to use my mana for. There are also fire, water, space, and time.

[earthy]

[Terra suspects the same, really. With the tensions between the two factions and that group led by the bird guy, there's no way this recent incident was the last of their troubles.

He's also doing his best to put those thoughts out of his head for a while, though. It doesn't seem like there's anything they can do about it right this minute so might as well concentrate on other things like getting to know Wyver.

Gaius lists a bunch of elements and Terra's familiar with most of them. Wind and earth, of course. Fire, water, time. The 'Falco' makes sense after Gaius explains it, too. But-]

What's mirage?

[crosspear]

Mirage is difficult to explain.

[But it's almost a welcome change of subject after making plans to meet each other's friends aboard the space station. He taps his chin; it takes him just a second longer to come up with an answer.]

Mirage...it's pushing the body beyond what it should be capable of. The orbal arts are otherworldly, but it can also increase someone's natural abilities or grant them knowledge. It's not as precise as time or space, but it's one of the higher elements alongside them.

[earthy]

[Hm. Not what he would have guessed... but probably more useful.]

So, it's more of a... support kind of magic? Something that helps you fight but isn't like a direct attack you can use?

[crosspear]

There are ways to use it offensively, but there aren't as many. Maybe it's best to think of Mirage as more of a helping hand, but a hand that can also hit if it has to.

[This is hard to explain, but he knows the name is odd. It has nothing to do with illusions, after all.]

[earthy]

I see.

[He thinks he gets the gist and that may be all he can hope for here. Even with his own magic, he operates more on feel than on perfect understanding of the whats and whys and hows.]

And space? [He doesn't know that element, either.] Is that similar?

[crosspear]

I'd describe space as sepith that alter how one can interact with the world. It can make someone faster or allow their skills to reach further, or it can alter how the battlefield is seen in a way. If you think of 'space' as 'spatial,' that might help.

[earthy]

[Terra considers Gaius' answer for a moment (sepith??) and then slowly nods again. Interesting stuff. Way different than how any of his magic works.]

We should spar sometime. When we haven't just been chased around by runaway dragons, that is. [A pause.] I still need to meet your hawk one of these days, too.

[crosspear]

[Whoops, he forgot to mention sepith...coughs. It's all quartz talk. But at talk of throwing weapons at each other, he smiles.]

Haha...I'd love to do both of these things, Terra. I sense I could learn a lot from you in a battle.

[earthy]

I hope we both can learn something from each other, Gaius.

[He takes one last look at the ARCUS before handing it back to its owner. Then he dismisses his Keyblade and pushes himself up off the bench.]

I'm gonna go get cleaned up... [Enough of this being dirty and almost naked business.] I'll see you later.