JANUARY TDM + SETTING UPDATES
BEARING FRUIT (NEW CHARACTERS ONLY)
It starts out as a pleasant dream. You’re in your favorite place, with your favorite people. It’s a moment of idyllic comfort.
Eventually, after a long time, you wake with a start, cradled by soft, velvety plants, and sticky with a sap that smells faintly of honey and iron, an acrid scent lingers, like the edge of rot that has been swept away. You can see the veins of the leaves that hold you, lit warmly and gently by what looks like a crystal embedded above you. Yet, it’s odd, because that crystal calls to you. When you reach out to touch it, it’s warm. Familiar. Important. You don’t know why, but you know you must hold onto this because now it feels wrong for it to be suspended in these leaves. So, you pull it out.
The light starts to fade, but only in time to see as the leaves cradling you immediately start to soften and crumble, and with it comes a torrent of dirt. Soft, loamy soil starts to fill the space around you in the dark as you’re buried. Or, rather, you already were. You reach out through the dirt desperately, and your hands finds a root, so you pull while you clutch that precious crystal so close that it almost feels like it sinks into you (in your panic, you don’t notice that it does). You reach out again, and this time, your hand hits open air, and plenty of sturdy roots around to grab.
From a seed you’re born, and like a sprout, you make your way out of the ground.
And once you’ve clawed your way out of the soft earth and the roots, nearby, you see the soil shift. Another hand comes up to grasp desperately for something, anything, just as you had been.
Your senses come to you slowly. Are you here for days? Weeks? Longer? It is difficult to say. All that you are is inert, and still. You can feel parts of you that form, but they hurt, like your body is fighting through a layer of...something. Something that keeps you from a gentle regrowth. You feel a chill, next to your heart, and while your form grows, it also fights, trying to both find a form and fight against some darkness that clings to you, like it's trying even now to consume your soul. It has a taste of it, you can tell, though not enough to take from you. Enough to know you, and while your body grows, this darkness slowly, slowly ebbs away, as if it can no longer touch you when you are whole. Something protects you, a presence. You can sense it, just like you can start to sense the presence of others. Some are close by, you can tell, winking in and out of existence just like you are. Falling in and out of consciousness like you do, as you are all collectively regrown. A groaning, creaky voice hums in your ear, with breaths that thrum and hum, like a gentle summer breeze through the leaves, and it tells you: Try to reach them. Welcome their calls. Can you hear them? Through communion. Your emotions are laid bare, in this space. Will you allow them to project? Will you try to control them? Will you reach out to your fellow new bearers, and soothe their own worries, or exacerbate their fears?And then, it goes wrong.
The sky turns dark above, and as you look up, you see the black expanse of space spotted with faraway pinprick lights of stars. Yet, they’re not stars. You’re certain. They’re watching you. A billion eyes all looked down, and they spilled forth as if the sky itself was a dam holding back those dark waters. You reach back to the people you’re with, but they’re frozen in place. Their eyes are black, reflecting only the expanse of dark eyes. Their bodies jerk, and convulse, as if controlled by puppet strings, reaching out to try to grip your hand, your shoulder, your wrist, but you know you should pull away. Something iswrong. If fingers or appendages meet your skin, there is a chill, that runs up your body, from the tips of your toes, up your spine, a full-body experience of wrongness. Would your loved ones feel like this, when they reach out?
So you run, even though you know you won’t escape it. You glance back and see it not overtaking, but consuming. The landscape around you is being devoured, and you can see it cracking apart. The world itself is breaking, and it cracks under your feet. You fall, and the billion eyes chase after you until the darkness swallows you whole. It's coming for you, it will not stop, it will not relent, and there is nothing that can be done. What a fool you were, for ever thinking you could escape. There’s agony as if you’re being ripped apart, and then—
You cannot see. You cannot feel. You simply are. Yet even so, impossibly, a woman’s voice speaks gently.
I’m sorry it couldn’t be saved. But, come, it’s time to wake.
Eventually, after a long time, you wake with a start, cradled by soft, velvety plants, and sticky with a sap that smells faintly of honey and iron, an acrid scent lingers, like the edge of rot that has been swept away. You can see the veins of the leaves that hold you, lit warmly and gently by what looks like a crystal embedded above you. Yet, it’s odd, because that crystal calls to you. When you reach out to touch it, it’s warm. Familiar. Important. You don’t know why, but you know you must hold onto this because now it feels wrong for it to be suspended in these leaves. So, you pull it out.
The light starts to fade, but only in time to see as the leaves cradling you immediately start to soften and crumble, and with it comes a torrent of dirt. Soft, loamy soil starts to fill the space around you in the dark as you’re buried. Or, rather, you already were. You reach out through the dirt desperately, and your hands finds a root, so you pull while you clutch that precious crystal so close that it almost feels like it sinks into you (in your panic, you don’t notice that it does). You reach out again, and this time, your hand hits open air, and plenty of sturdy roots around to grab.
From a seed you’re born, and like a sprout, you make your way out of the ground.
And once you’ve clawed your way out of the soft earth and the roots, nearby, you see the soil shift. Another hand comes up to grasp desperately for something, anything, just as you had been.
A LITTLE ISLAND HOPPING
With the new Shard-Bearers present or en route, it is Kathova and Cetina who approach the established ones, requesting that they form mentorships with the new souls to assist them with the integration process. To this end, they have both provided a centralized zone in both Highstorm and Springstar for a series of small, seemingly casual gatherings, they happen over the span of a week, so new visitors can get the chance to spend time in both cities before they make a decision.
Additionally, as Springstar and Highstorm are holding their events over multiple days, the knowledge-hungry can participate in both informational sessions -- the tones and opinions held by both cities are doubtless to differ.
For those established bearers of the opposite faction, however, your faces are known amongst the populations of our sister cities, especially the administrators of both Meridian and Zenith, and if you try to attend the parties of either city, you will be turned away, with varying levels of aggression, depending on your tier of harmonization. New bearers are free to notice if someone tries! It seems you've stumbled your way into an escalating war.
The celebrations are in the Seat of the Tribune, with tables draped in white-and-gold-trimmed fabrics fare filled with fare typical to Springstar's slowly brightening summer -- platters of hard crumbly cheeses and stuffed doulmades, roasted meats and fish, like souvlaki and psari plaki. There are plenty of grains and other dishes that elude to the abundance of both Springstar and Alenroux, and bearer efforts there.. The atmosphere is ambient with informality and friendliness, though topics will inevitably stray towards philosophic or political, Springstar's meeting grounds are decorated with handsome chaise lounges and slouching klismos chairs in small, intimate groupings. This is a forum in the classical sense, where people are encouraged to speak freely, no matter the topic. Though excitement charges the air, the gathering at the Seat is much more muted than what transpires outside the center of the city.
The church, too, celebrates the victory. Now that the Year's End celebrations have passed, the head of the church, Hieropoios Natalia Theodora Vaso Helios offers proclamations daily to those who will attend. Her tone has turned in tone toward driving forward, for now, that they have two Oracles of 3, Meridian's light is in favor, and she offers blessings and venerations toward the bearers who support their efforts to restore worlds. Bearers who attend these masses will feel their discord ebb from her words alone, and their shards will feel warm to the touch for some time afterward, even if they are not harmonized. If they ask anyone within the church, they will be told that it is Meridian's light filling them.
One would assume after a victory, that the mood elsewhere in Springstar is jubilant, but while there is still the occasional party outside in the summer sun in the Psychagogía district, there is a hushed tenseness to the city of eternal-sun. Stay too long, and you will eventually find the reason why, when scared locals speak of disappearing friends or family members, and there are whispered rumors of attacks. Some accuse the denizens of the Below, and others whisper about monsters in the dark. Though they have captured the latest oracle, the hope that normally follows such excitement is... tentative, at best.
There are few places to be seated in the Manor's courtyard, resulting in bodies milling about as they flow and ebb between smaller gatherings, clustering in small-to-large groups with small platters and shimmering flutes of drink held in their hands. Yet, as you look, you’ll see that the selection is also quite interesting. The foods and drinks on offer are from a multitude of worlds, and so you may find a new favorite! Or something not suited to your palate at all. It’s at least a chance to be adventurous. If you try something and don’t like it, might not want to say that out loud, lest you insult someone who’s from that world. More established Zenites are encouraged to attend to help draw in new Zenites, and both new and old inductees alike are encouraged to speak about what their vision of a new world would look like. The reflecting pool itself is at the center of the courtyard, and if one looks in, they can see their memories reflected back at them. Though... if you look for too long, something seems to try and reach out for you. Can you feel the allure of dark fingertips, ready to brush against your face? If you stare too long, an attendant will pull the bearer back, just before they land right in the pool, offering unsettling remarks of “that has been happening more lately, the last person it happened to disappear. We even drained the pool, but couldn’t find them!”
Further into Highstorm, the Greenwood Yards attracts many visitors during the dead of Highstorm's winter. The doors are (proverbially, we can't let the heat out!) open, to bearers new and old alike. Attendants there will explain that this season is the best for starting some of the seeds that will grow well into early and mid-spring, but most seeds need warmth to grow. They will ask visitors to find a partner, to hold their combined hands together, and to offer shared warmth to the seed, and they will explain that seeds grow best when they come from the combined care of more than one individual. Bearers will eventually have to separate, but they will notice that the small seed in their palms has started to sprout. Visitors will also be welcome to turn fertilizer with the laborers at the yards (What's in it? Don't worry about it!) and there will be sessions held by the staff on the local flora and fauna, so consider this your primer on the native plants and animals of Kenos!
The denizens of Highstorm are putting out their bells and whistles for the new bearers, as they have less to fear in the streets (or do they...?) so feel free to stop by Benny's -- watch out for any fights, or participate, I'm not your mom -- or feel free to visit the Tomes, where a certain coffee shop has opened up a cart in the largest library in the district, offering drinks to comers and goers, which are becoming quite popular. This particular barista often offers drinks based on their shards, but as a little winter pick-me-up for the denizens of Highstorm, there are several new drinks offered for visitors! They even have a menu on display for bearers to select from!
However, while the days are 24 hours long, so are the nights. Alenroux natives do not leave their homes, and staying in for a full day's time can feel like an eternity. You'll have time to get to know your hosts, but the night is haunted by the cries and howls of monsters in the distance, particularly on the north end of the island. Should a bearer step outdoors, they will find monsters still roaming. Take one on, if you dare, but watch out! Shadow creatures lurk until you least expect it, and may try to lure you in with a familiar voice, a soft promise, the lingering scent of a loved one. What you find in the woods might be just a run-of-the-mill big monster to fight, or it might be something deadlier, a shadow, mimicking a loved one, trying to draw you into the darkness.
Kowloon itself is a thriving little beating heart underground, and much like its namesake, it truly is just a built-up city within a scant few blocks, the buildings are densely packed, and ascend to over 14 stories high. It’s massive, enough to occupy a large number of oddities, such as a hunting ground for monsters, and there are bars, clubs, casinos, and shops with wares from very nearly anywhere. Though if you ask where they get them, the owners of said establishments will dodge the question, or outright threaten you when pressed. Bearers will find that there are varying degrees of openness in Kowloon, after all. Don't ask too many questions, or you may not like how they answer. Kowloon is a place where you can satisfy your every vice, and that is meant truly. There are weapons dealers, drug halls, exotic liquors, and substances that could fill innumerable universes. Every world has its shadowy elements, and every world's shady types have made their way down here.
Additionally, as Springstar and Highstorm are holding their events over multiple days, the knowledge-hungry can participate in both informational sessions -- the tones and opinions held by both cities are doubtless to differ.
For those established bearers of the opposite faction, however, your faces are known amongst the populations of our sister cities, especially the administrators of both Meridian and Zenith, and if you try to attend the parties of either city, you will be turned away, with varying levels of aggression, depending on your tier of harmonization. New bearers are free to notice if someone tries! It seems you've stumbled your way into an escalating war.
SPRINGSTAR, αιώνιος ήλιος
In Springstar, the seat of the Tribune becomes available for such an event. While a section of the building itself has been reserved for the meeting between fresh faces and experienced Shard-Bearers alike, the hustle and bustle of Heliopolis continues around them -- acolytes still gather their robes and tomes, hurrying from their quarters to lessons. A score of young militants march in step across the yard to the training grounds. The higher-ups amongst Meridian have taken it upon themselves to wrap up their Year's End and New Year's festivities with a celebration of their recent victory over the Harbinger Oracle, as well as a celebration of the possibility of new shard-bearers. One does not have to attend every day, but Springstar's celebrations do tend to be multi-day affairs, and everyone from the scholars to the titled nobility seems keen on greeting new bearers. The tribune himself, Cyrus, welcomes bearers with a rousing speech at midday each day, speaking of their victories and their battle to stand for the worlds now lost. His speeches are met with polite applause, but is it a bit lacking in enthusiasm? Cyrus seems to brush it off with little offense, but perhaps you notice, that his eyes crinkle slightly, and he may look a touch... sad.The celebrations are in the Seat of the Tribune, with tables draped in white-and-gold-trimmed fabrics fare filled with fare typical to Springstar's slowly brightening summer -- platters of hard crumbly cheeses and stuffed doulmades, roasted meats and fish, like souvlaki and psari plaki. There are plenty of grains and other dishes that elude to the abundance of both Springstar and Alenroux, and bearer efforts there.. The atmosphere is ambient with informality and friendliness, though topics will inevitably stray towards philosophic or political, Springstar's meeting grounds are decorated with handsome chaise lounges and slouching klismos chairs in small, intimate groupings. This is a forum in the classical sense, where people are encouraged to speak freely, no matter the topic. Though excitement charges the air, the gathering at the Seat is much more muted than what transpires outside the center of the city.
The church, too, celebrates the victory. Now that the Year's End celebrations have passed, the head of the church, Hieropoios Natalia Theodora Vaso Helios offers proclamations daily to those who will attend. Her tone has turned in tone toward driving forward, for now, that they have two Oracles of 3, Meridian's light is in favor, and she offers blessings and venerations toward the bearers who support their efforts to restore worlds. Bearers who attend these masses will feel their discord ebb from her words alone, and their shards will feel warm to the touch for some time afterward, even if they are not harmonized. If they ask anyone within the church, they will be told that it is Meridian's light filling them.
One would assume after a victory, that the mood elsewhere in Springstar is jubilant, but while there is still the occasional party outside in the summer sun in the Psychagogía district, there is a hushed tenseness to the city of eternal-sun. Stay too long, and you will eventually find the reason why, when scared locals speak of disappearing friends or family members, and there are whispered rumors of attacks. Some accuse the denizens of the Below, and others whisper about monsters in the dark. Though they have captured the latest oracle, the hope that normally follows such excitement is... tentative, at best.
HIGHSTORM, луны-близнецы
Eternally in opposition, Highstorm uses the manor's courtyard as the location for a series of events over the next week, inviting bearers new and old to join them in celebration. The members of the Highstorm council have set the small gathering in the court beneath Yima's tree, and next to the reflecting pools. The Lady Yima herself is in attendance and oversees the gathering from the balcony of her manor above. She will visit the grounds sparingly, generally when a new bearer is afoot, but she will direct any questions to either Kathova, or her more established Zenites, as she has many people to greet. Though she will take the moment to hold each new bearer's hand that visits and tell them each: "You have the potential to hold the key to a new, and better world. We believe in what you can do, and what strength you will find in Kenos. Let the memories of your loved ones, and your world, guide you to the right path, and know that your loss will be honored when we achieve our new world," before she glides away.There are few places to be seated in the Manor's courtyard, resulting in bodies milling about as they flow and ebb between smaller gatherings, clustering in small-to-large groups with small platters and shimmering flutes of drink held in their hands. Yet, as you look, you’ll see that the selection is also quite interesting. The foods and drinks on offer are from a multitude of worlds, and so you may find a new favorite! Or something not suited to your palate at all. It’s at least a chance to be adventurous. If you try something and don’t like it, might not want to say that out loud, lest you insult someone who’s from that world. More established Zenites are encouraged to attend to help draw in new Zenites, and both new and old inductees alike are encouraged to speak about what their vision of a new world would look like. The reflecting pool itself is at the center of the courtyard, and if one looks in, they can see their memories reflected back at them. Though... if you look for too long, something seems to try and reach out for you. Can you feel the allure of dark fingertips, ready to brush against your face? If you stare too long, an attendant will pull the bearer back, just before they land right in the pool, offering unsettling remarks of “that has been happening more lately, the last person it happened to disappear. We even drained the pool, but couldn’t find them!”
Further into Highstorm, the Greenwood Yards attracts many visitors during the dead of Highstorm's winter. The doors are (proverbially, we can't let the heat out!) open, to bearers new and old alike. Attendants there will explain that this season is the best for starting some of the seeds that will grow well into early and mid-spring, but most seeds need warmth to grow. They will ask visitors to find a partner, to hold their combined hands together, and to offer shared warmth to the seed, and they will explain that seeds grow best when they come from the combined care of more than one individual. Bearers will eventually have to separate, but they will notice that the small seed in their palms has started to sprout. Visitors will also be welcome to turn fertilizer with the laborers at the yards (What's in it? Don't worry about it!) and there will be sessions held by the staff on the local flora and fauna, so consider this your primer on the native plants and animals of Kenos!
The denizens of Highstorm are putting out their bells and whistles for the new bearers, as they have less to fear in the streets (or do they...?) so feel free to stop by Benny's -- watch out for any fights, or participate, I'm not your mom -- or feel free to visit the Tomes, where a certain coffee shop has opened up a cart in the largest library in the district, offering drinks to comers and goers, which are becoming quite popular. This particular barista often offers drinks based on their shards, but as a little winter pick-me-up for the denizens of Highstorm, there are several new drinks offered for visitors! They even have a menu on display for bearers to select from!
CHEERS TO A NEW YEAR
- Springstar Sunrise - One using the crushed vines that populate Springstar in their warm season, which makes bearers want to reach out and hold hands.
- Scorching Slowdown - One using water from the Scorching Isles that makes bearers grow cold, and time seems to warp around them. (This one DOES contain a modified touch of the Blight that bearers once healed, but if brought up, an attendant will shake their head, and impress upon the patron a sense of calm. It will not hurt you.)
- Xanadu Xing - that makes bearers feel warm and totally relaxed. A spa in a cup, and you’ll feel like you had a therapy session afterward!
- Worlds Edging - A drink that makes bearers start to feel...amorous. (The Aphro Drink)
- Highstorm Hiccup - A whimsical drink that gives the bearer hiccups! Do they float a little? Yeah, but there’s no fans over your heads, don’t worry
- Pastoral Punch - A fruity concoction, it’s made from the crops in Alenroux (think a Sangria) and when drank, it fills bearers with warm memories, and reverie comes easy.
- Yima Yammer - a tongue-in-cheek drink, it fills a bearer with the uncontrollable urge to talk
- Cyrus Concussion - This drink puts bearers into a deep sleep. They have pleasant, warm dreams.
ALENROUX
The pastoral farmlands of Alenroux are seeing a resurgence of life and community, since the establishment of combined Meridian and Zenith forces, and the subsequent attempts to eliminate or displace the monsters that ravaged the island at night. With a more stable population, some of the workers have established homes, and have started opening their doors in the sunny, lush farmland, which is reachable by cornerstone, and oddly? Alenroux has taken to advertising their new interest in tourism. The small farming village has started establishing shops with wares, crafts, cooking classes, and wine tastings, pretty much an agro-tourist's dream! Drink beverages crafted by refugees from distant worlds, or dishes from other worlds! Bearers are encouraged to visit, and stay the night with a multitude of Alenroux's homes opening their doors for bearers to stay in their Bed and Breakfasts.However, while the days are 24 hours long, so are the nights. Alenroux natives do not leave their homes, and staying in for a full day's time can feel like an eternity. You'll have time to get to know your hosts, but the night is haunted by the cries and howls of monsters in the distance, particularly on the north end of the island. Should a bearer step outdoors, they will find monsters still roaming. Take one on, if you dare, but watch out! Shadow creatures lurk until you least expect it, and may try to lure you in with a familiar voice, a soft promise, the lingering scent of a loved one. What you find in the woods might be just a run-of-the-mill big monster to fight, or it might be something deadlier, a shadow, mimicking a loved one, trying to draw you into the darkness.
KOWLOON
Though Kowloon is something of an open secret amongst those in Springstar, it was normally left to lay in the belly underneath the sunsoaked city topside, like an afterthought. Only those who already knew where it was, could make their way through the dangerous maze of tunnels and corridors that leads from the Springstar sewers, down into the Below, and then further into Kowloon. The Below is dangerous to all but the most powerful, as in the dark corridors, creatures lurk, and people make dens and nests within. Some will warn new bearers away, citing that there are Dark Things within the tunnels and that they don’t encourage anyone to stay down there for long. If you remain unharmonized, it's recommended that a guide assists you on the way down. Fellow shard-bearers who visit frequently are recommended, but particularly savvy types can find their way down on their own.Kowloon itself is a thriving little beating heart underground, and much like its namesake, it truly is just a built-up city within a scant few blocks, the buildings are densely packed, and ascend to over 14 stories high. It’s massive, enough to occupy a large number of oddities, such as a hunting ground for monsters, and there are bars, clubs, casinos, and shops with wares from very nearly anywhere. Though if you ask where they get them, the owners of said establishments will dodge the question, or outright threaten you when pressed. Bearers will find that there are varying degrees of openness in Kowloon, after all. Don't ask too many questions, or you may not like how they answer. Kowloon is a place where you can satisfy your every vice, and that is meant truly. There are weapons dealers, drug halls, exotic liquors, and substances that could fill innumerable universes. Every world has its shadowy elements, and every world's shady types have made their way down here.
SETTING UPDATES
In both locations, information passes between all in a forum, spread and disseminated among the masses - it's a good opportunity for city residents, faction loyalists, and interested new parties to share and share alike. Once a day, after the meet-and-greets have concluded, twin missives from both faction leads are read out -- invitations for all present to explore the cities to their heart's content, and warnings about stumbling ill-prepared ( or at all ) into the Below, or worse yet, the Beyond. As Shard-Bearers new and old take in their cities, they'll all see it change throughout the month...
OOC, these are all updates to the setting at large that players both new and old are free to interact with as little or as much as they wish! Feel free to use them as prompts on this post, in your characters' on-going lives and arcs, or just let them go "That's none of my business" and ignore it. The world of Kenos is shaped by our playerbase, and these are some of the wider-reaching effects of various player plots and actions.
OOC, these are all updates to the setting at large that players both new and old are free to interact with as little or as much as they wish! Feel free to use them as prompts on this post, in your characters' on-going lives and arcs, or just let them go "That's none of my business" and ignore it. The world of Kenos is shaped by our playerbase, and these are some of the wider-reaching effects of various player plots and actions.
TRY TO JOT DOWN A FEW NOTES
As part of New Year's gifts to everybody, Yima and Cyrus gifted bearers with an enchanted notebook. They are embossed with your characters' names, and have some unusual properties. Bearers can now send each other little letters or notes, or they can address the group at large, should they wish to! This essentially serves as a network function. Please check out the AC requirements for more information about these special new gifts.FRONT PAGE NEWS
After the last Oracle, both cities are abuzz with gossip. Normally, the oracle appearances were wrapped in secrecy, only the bearers themselves were privy to the internal happenings, and accounts tend to be scattered, as it's always relied on what the bearers can share. This time, the oracles were broadcast to the population at large, and bearer opinions have shifted wildly, based on how successful a bearer was. New bearers may hear the off-the-cuff snide comment about some bearers here and there, and they'll notice that the cities are not very welcoming to bearers of the opposite faction. The public opinion seems to be shifting as half of the oracles are captured, and their fates are being written by bearers new and old.DON'T LOOK TOO CLOSE TO THE SHADOWS
Be wary, bearers. Whatever patches of darkness and shadow you encountered in the Harbinger's Labyrinth, seems to be making its way across Kenos. Things like patches of shadow against a building, the slightest flash of a familiar face rounding a corner, or even hearing your name called by a name long gone. Something is trying to reach you and tempt you to find it. The shadows are hungry. For something, and bearers new and old alike will be fine feasting for whatever reaches from the shadows. Step carefully, and watch your backs.AAH! REAL MONSTERS
If the cities didn't have enough to deal with, Springstar is taking the most hits. The city of sun may not be dealing with as many patches of darkness (for truly, Meridian's light touches all) but that does not mean that there is no danger within the city of eternal sun. Attacks by people such as vampires, ghouls, and other intelligent, people-eating races are on the rise, and fearful whispers hint that they are coming from the Below, some even suggest that this is the hint that the balance is shifting. Kowloon has always existed with relatively little strife toward Springstar, but that seems to be changing. Be wary on the streets of Springstar, bearers, you may find that lurking around the corner are hungry murderers of varying levels of danger. The attacks are not... constant, but they have begun to increase in frequency. By this time in the month, they are moving to several times a day, and the legionnaires are having difficulty keeping up with the attacks. Even one of the more well-known Meridian higher-ups, Agapitos Voreen, has been seen fighting in the streets, flanked by his second, a large, emerald dragon-born woman. All of these combined efforts have not yet been able to turn the tide, and it's clear that Kowloon was always a threat, but one that until recently, had been kept well in hand.
OOC NOTES
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
therion - octopath traveler - ze...nith... maybe - iconoclast (former player)
ii. tomes
iii. springstar
iv. springstar...2
v. kowloon
wildcard option.
iii kind of
[ And then he gets closer and closer. She pretends not to notice, easy enough to do when your eyes don't flicker over like others do. A small blessing of the obsidian eyes her father forced upon her, maybe. ]
[ But then he's near enough and she looks unamused as she hisses out: ]
Try it and you won't have a hand left.
[ It's a warning... Sorry, she's just like this. ]
no subject
tch. well, it's unusual for therion to get caught but it does happen - he glances over at this woman who is... very blue, which is not exactly normal for orsterra, and then raises both of his hands up in the universal gesture of Backing Off. there's a bangle not unlike a shackle from a pair of handcuffs around one of his wrists. ]
No idea what you mean. [ there's like the hint of the edge of amusement to the way therion says that, like he knows for a fact that she knows exactly what he was up to. the threat is heard, though so he does not attempt to pickpocket the blue lady. ] That bad of a party, huh?
[ no. well. maybe? ]
no subject
[ If she notices the bangle, she says nothing on it. It wouldn't be the first time she'd met a criminal - it also wasn't like she didn't have a list of atrocities piled high to match. She pays it no mind as she folds her arms across her chest. ]
[ A twitch at the corner of her mouth the only real indicator of bemusement as she raises and lowers one shoulder in a shrug: ] I don't have much use for parties.
[ Not a lie. ] Good thing it's for you guys and not me. Seems like you're accomplishing something.
no subject
[ nobody's inviting therion to a party because they want him to be there, or... at least if they are, it's because they have no idea who he is yet. it feels a little like standing in the ravus house, being surrounded by all of these fancy people, and honestly? he could live without that feeling. someone like this, who is a little more rough and tumble is much closer to his vibe.
which. the implication of the statement, his own little remark aside, is not lost on him, and therion cants his head a little to the side, looking at her out of the corner of his eye. ]
You been here a while?
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[ Her answer is immediate and just as dry, but it's impossible not to recognize the ill-amusement there. Springstar wasn't the first place to recognize her deeds and receive it with some absurd amount of fanfare; If it wasn't gifts of goats it was eyeball shaped food. The universe was weird about who they considered their saviors, no matter where you were. ]
[ And Nebula eternally felt she wasn't worth that kind of praise or attention. Thankfully, the attention is on the newcomers more than those who had any kind of feats in the last Oracle. ]
[ She can pretend to scare people away as she rolls her eyes: ]
Longer than I'd like on this miserable planet.
[ Planet... Island. It's all the same in the end. ]
And in some eyes, not long enough.
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v ............im sorry sisi...............
The man is turned, so Therion only sees a normal profile, talking to someone else behind the counter, a hand outward, gesturing for something, before the man nodded, and then a small packet (of what is presumably money) exchanged hands. He was paying the other attendant a lot of money. For what, it isn't clear. There is no product.
He'd just been turning to go, when Therion starts asking questions, and he paused.
Unfortunately, that gives him the full benefit of Silco's mismatched gaze, half unblinking. His lips curled, before he answered: ]
It's fair enough, considering your other options. [ Though he wouldn't admit it if it wasn't, given that he'd just given them a lot of money, which had to be for weapons. ]
If you want to test it out, I would suggest Ryad, but... [ A twitch of his lips. ] It's not for the faint of heart.
never apologize..... kisses this stinky man
therion is subtle - it's kind of his thing - and therefore, there's no hint or obvious signs that he watched the transaction that just took place, but he did. now that's interesting. somehow, he highly doubts that was just random charity; this guy gives off the vibes of someone generally bad, but, hey, that's what he's used to. and besides, being new here, any information is good information for now.
so. the comment - there's a snort, and he gives the dagger another flip, then sets it down, picking up another to test the balance in his left hand. ]
Yeah? [ he's probably being baited, here. ] Figure anybody who shows up somewhere like this [ kowloon, for all of its dirt and darkness, a place that seems like it's soaked in blood, ] isn't very [ one handed air quote ] "faint of heart". What's Ryad?
😳
[ It feels like home to him, Kowloon. This man fits in here, and it's obvious from the way he moves to the way others move around him, he's deeply entrenched, and possibly a local, from the look of him. No shard to speak of, but then again, the man is dressed from his neck down to his shoes, every last scrap of skin covered. Even his hands are gloved. ]
If you have made it here, and aren't already in trouble, then you're doing pretty well, for a newcomer.
[ Well, only newcomers didn't know what Ryad was. ]
Ryad is where there are no rules. Even here, if you stab someone, you'll likely see trouble and consequences for it. Ryad is...for those who hunt, for those who need to consume flesh and those who need to satiate their bloodlust.
And of course, the over-eager fools who step in, thinking they are invincible, of course.
[ A laugh, like it's ironic. ] I suppose I was downplaying it a touch, hm?
😘
so, he listens. some kind of lawless wastepit, huh? aside from the consuming flesh bit, it's really not that different sounding from the seedier parts of home. there's no laws anywhere when the guards are paid off, after all. and besides, it connects to some of the information he's heard topside, some of the murmurs around the meridian city.
therion flips the dagger he was testing in his hand with the sheath on, once or twice, the motion practiced and professional. silent, as he ponders this, and then, eventually: ]
So, what are you, its advertising committee? [ dry as a desert. ] Or just trying to catch free entertainment from an 'over eager fool' or two?
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[ He asked, with a dismissive shrug. ]
I'm merely... well. I suppose you could call me a local by now.
[ Not quite, since he didn't sleep down here in Kowloon, but the bonus of alleviating his discord, something that threatened to simmer beneath his skin constantly, and he couldn't afford to stay away from Highstorm so long anymore. Not if he wanted to remain relatively normal. He felt it burgeoning, threatening to burst free like a hand breaking the still surface of water.
Too many things threatened to close in on Silco, even now. Too many pots threatened to boil over, too many things that the man tried to balance, but parts were crashing down. He could feel it, Sebastian would find his prey soon. He would die. He would leave his —
No. His lips tightened into an inauthentic smile. ]
I know most of the sights of our fair underground.
[ "Fair" ]
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i
But! It's also a big and weird new situation for any newcomer, and so Amos figures hey, sure. Everybody's got their reasons to react however they're gonna. He's been here a long time now, which means this is all just standard to him. Absolutely no reason to expect the same from a newcomer.
His smile is more in the eyes, though. Just a guy who doesn't really smile all that much, even though he wants to help. That's what he's here for!
That and the food, which is presently irrelevant.]I mean, I figure the selection here's pretty good, but... hm. [ Pause for contemplation. ] Depends what you're thinking. Bathhouses got some relaxing stuff... I think the place by the libraries has some new stuff? Arena's pretty much always got good shit on tap. Or if you just wanted to go barhopping, then... shit, wouldn't be the first time I ditched one of these things early. You really can't go wrong anywhere here.
[ Maybe anywhere and everywhere is the best place to get a drink in Highstorm... it's clearly the perfect place, so like, ]
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now this is an answer. therion raises an eyebrow as the guy starts to go on - by the end of it, there's a little twinkle of amusement in his visible eye, a wry curl to his words. ]
I was thinking a tavern. [ a bathhouse... nah, probably not going to get anything useful, there. a library, maybe, but it'll be full of batty scholars. arena... like victor's hollow: maybe some promise. but, what he needs is a local spot. ] Getting kinda tired of shmoozing around this crowd.
[ a beat. ] You sound like a local.
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Therion asked, and a comprehensive answer he was going to get. Gotta pump up all of the benefits Highstorm has to offer to the new guys. It's also all true. And as far as Amos knows, he really is just inquiring about good drinking spots for the purpose of drinking — it's something he would have done, were their positions reversed.
Hell, he probably would have gotten tired of the crowd, too. As much as he loves the place, is pleased to call it home, a gathering like this isn't quite his speed. More pomp and circumstance than he'll indulge, even under the best of circumstances — technically wearing all black counts as formal, but that's as far as he's gone.
So he's absently nodding along, trying to think of the closest tavern near here, when Therion continues — he sounds like a local.
A blink. And then he still isn't really smiling, but his eyes crinkle a little more. It's a... really nice thing to say? ]
I guess you could call me that. [ He brings up a hand to rub at the back of his neck, a little sheepish at the notion, but it is accurate. ] I've been living here for over a year now. Figure that's plenty of time for me to be naturalized, yeah. Or at least means I know where everything is.
[ Like, well, taverns. Just inadvertently selling his own tour guide abilities now though. ]
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so he smiles, friendly and pleased, natural as can be. ]
Yeah? Hey, just the kinda guy I need. [ thanks amos!! you're a pal. ] I just got here, myself. Still trying to get the lay of the land, you know? See the sights.
[ like taverns. ] If you've got any tips, I'd appreciate 'em.
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I know exactly what you mean. Well, trust me, it's a great place to live.
[ Tips, though. Hmm... ]
Well, you choose to stay here, and you'll get a place to stay at Yima's. [ He tilts his head back towards the manor; that Yima's. She's the best. ] Doesn't take that much to get used to the whole always night thing here, [ says the guy who spent like 20+ years in space and has not had a proper frame of reference in forever, ] but when you harmonize you can learn some magic, even if that wasn't a thing you could do before. I couldn't, but I've picked up a lot — including this.
[ And he takes a second to cast a dancing lights spell, conjuring four orbs of light just above them. Lightening up the space around them a little bit more, really. ]
Pretty useful, I figure, though there's plenty more you could learn, like creating fire or whatever. You have anything you always wanted to do? Might be able to here.
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So the new offering of drinks certainly catches her eye—and gets something of a laugh at the names up on the signboard—prompting her to slide in line to maybe give one a try for the hell of it. Which seems like a great idea until someone holds up said line, coffee already in hand and an odd expression on his face. There’s only a mild bit of annoyance present in the way her tail flicks behind her, but more than anything, she’s kinda curious about what his deal is.
She gives him a (little too hearty) pat on the shoulder, leaning in close to get a look at that cup in his hand.]
Y’know, it ain’t gonna bite you if you take a sip.
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--aaand then, therion gets a hearty pat on the shoulder. to say he jumps like a startled cat is not at all an exaggeration, jerking two steps to the left immediately, out of the way, and giving off the aura of... an offended cat. the look on his face goes to a glower, and he practically hisses: ]
Watch it. [ you were the one standing there like a clown therion but ok. his drink spilled onto his hand and he hasn't even really noticed. ]
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Maybe you should watch where you’re standing, huh?
[Nevermind that she made him spill his drink a little there—she’s not gonna take any attitude, regardless of how deserved it may or may not be.
The scene they’re making is no doubt beginning to draw a few eyes, but if Gavial has noticed, she sure as hell doesn’t show it.]
im so sorry
anyway she's right he really was just being an obstruction so he has zero rights to be snippy either and yet. And Yet here we are!! he scowls from behind his scarf, shoulders hunching up a little further. if he has noticed his companion's extra appendages he says nothing of them yet. ]
You ever heard of "excuse me"? [ he doesn't raise his voice but it is so sassy. ] Real common phrase people say sometimes.
[ as if therion has any manners. he has zero manners. ]
sldjfkdj they're making beautiful first impressions
Which is to say, Gavial takes those two steps forward to eliminate the distance his initial startled response put between them, glaring at him over that scarf of his. The urge to just pick him up and toss him aside is building.
Lucky she has enough self-control not to resort to that. Yet.]
You don’t say. [Mmm, the palpable sarcasm.] Well, excuse me, mister. Last I checked, it's common courtesy to get out of the line once you get your drink.
[She truly hadn't even cared a few moments ago... the power of giving her an attitude.]
sweats
okay my turn for sorry lmao
HELP
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🧍♂️...
A very tall--man?--head to toe in black. Black fitted leather, a long black cape, a black HAT! The only thing visible about him is his unnaturally beautiful and equally as unnaturally pale face beneath the hat and between the curtain of dark hair.
A pair of rust-colored eyes regard the dagger with a surprisingly clinical glance. It isn't anything like the long sword hanging from his own back.
In a soft, deep voice oddly unfitting for some beautiful DND goth, he says:]
They're marked up, but you will need it here.
hello.............
No kidding. [ this response is as dry as physically possible as therion tests the weight of his dagger in his hand, turning his attention back to it specifically. it's hard to tell if the comment is to the 'you'll need it here' or the bit about the price being marked up, though it's not that the latter really matters. if it's too much he'll just abscond with the five finger discount like everything else he does.
yet, despite the nonchalance, all of these little details don't go unnoticed - the sword, the assessment of the weapon. it's not unusual. despite therion's preference and penchant for a dagger, he's just as good with a sword. ] Do I have 'newbie' written on my forehead, or something?
hehe
After peering at Therion, D lowers his head a bit again, obscuring the top half of his face with the brim of the hat. It is difficult to hide even in Kowloon when you very clearly have a certain aesthetic and a prominent face.]
A few people have been emerging from the Tree. Not many make it to Kowloon for weaponry without already having one.
[Not that Therion doesn't already have a kidney ripper in a back pocket or something.]
I'd be careful here, if I were you.
💖
and that's fine. he doesn't think he really gives off any aura besides "street rat", from the moth-bitten poncho and the clothing holding on by threads to the cadence and attitude he carries himself with when he's not pretending to be someone else, but here we are. in reality: therion's been more 'comfortable' in kowloon so far than any of the cities topside.
so he regards this warning for a long moment and fixes d with a look, like he's garnering a full understanding of him and his bearings before he snorts. warn him, he says. ] Oh yeah? Why's that?
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