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JUNE 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.
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.
You wake with a start, cradled by soft, velvety plants, and sticky with a sap that smells faintly of honey and iron. 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.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 looking down, and they spill forth as if 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.
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. 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.
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.
TWO CITIES, ALIKE IN DIGNITY
With the new Shard-Bearers present or en route, it is Kathova and Cetina that 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 small, casual meet-and-greet to be held before the new Shard-Bearers are unleashed upon Kenos as a whole.
Additionally, as Springstar and Highstorm are holding their events on different days, it is possible for the knowledge-hungry to participate in both informational sessions -- the tones and opinions held by both cities are doubtless to differ, and some Shard-Bearers who have chosen to harmonize with either faction may even find their way to the opposing faction's session as well.
However, for those who have attended such events in the past, they'll note a marked difference—Only newly arrived Shard-Bearers and members of the faction are welcome. If you're a member of the opposite faction, you'll be questioned and ultimately turned away. If you want to join the party, you'll have to be a little sneakier, it seems.
Tables draped in white-and-gold-trimmed fabrics fare filled with fare typical to Springstar's mild winters-- fruits and wines, savory smoked meats and roasted vegetables, and large bowls of soups like youvarlakia and fasoalda have been lain out to encourage forum participants to snack as they speak. 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.
However, there’s a little tension in the air at this particular gathering. Whether you’ve recently arrived or you’ve been here nearly a year, it’s not hard to figure out—Meridian has just lost the Iconoclast Oracle, and though the Blight (see below) is improving, letting such an important things slip through their fingers again is painful. Without the Oracles, they’ll never see home again, after all. Yet to make matters worse, Meridian lost an unknown but not insignificant amount of its Shard-Bearers to Zenith’s sway. Even in the Seat of the Tribune, it’s not hard to overhear conversations about “what should be done to ensure they win the next Oracle” or questioning “if Tribune Cyrus is really up to the task.”
There are few places to be seated in the Manor's courtyard, resulting in a milling of bodies 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.
The mood of Highstorm is subdued as always, but still seems to be pleasant and joyous thanks to claiming the Iconoclast Oracle. Again, it’s worth noting, as the Oracle was contested and therefore rightfully theirs in the first place. Congratulations are given to more senior Shard-Bearers for their efforts, and those who have just arrived may be regaled with stories of bold heroism at the first battle in the Scorching Isles or stories of wits and cleverness at its reclaiming last month. However, these stories aren’t always true, exactly, as only the Shard-Bearers have been present for either conflict. It seems they’re getting a bit of mythology built around them by the public.
Additionally, as Springstar and Highstorm are holding their events on different days, it is possible for the knowledge-hungry to participate in both informational sessions -- the tones and opinions held by both cities are doubtless to differ, and some Shard-Bearers who have chosen to harmonize with either faction may even find their way to the opposing faction's session as well.
However, for those who have attended such events in the past, they'll note a marked difference—Only newly arrived Shard-Bearers and members of the faction are welcome. If you're a member of the opposite faction, you'll be questioned and ultimately turned away. If you want to join the party, you'll have to be a little sneakier, it seems.
SPRINGSTAR, αιώνιος ήλιος
In Springstar, the Seat of the Tribune becomes available for such a forum. 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.Tables draped in white-and-gold-trimmed fabrics fare filled with fare typical to Springstar's mild winters-- fruits and wines, savory smoked meats and roasted vegetables, and large bowls of soups like youvarlakia and fasoalda have been lain out to encourage forum participants to snack as they speak. 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.
However, there’s a little tension in the air at this particular gathering. Whether you’ve recently arrived or you’ve been here nearly a year, it’s not hard to figure out—Meridian has just lost the Iconoclast Oracle, and though the Blight (see below) is improving, letting such an important things slip through their fingers again is painful. Without the Oracles, they’ll never see home again, after all. Yet to make matters worse, Meridian lost an unknown but not insignificant amount of its Shard-Bearers to Zenith’s sway. Even in the Seat of the Tribune, it’s not hard to overhear conversations about “what should be done to ensure they win the next Oracle” or questioning “if Tribune Cyrus is really up to the task.”
HIGHSTORM, луны-близнецы
Eternally in opposition, Highstorm provides the Manor's courtyard as the setting for their informational meeting. Formality is of utmost importance here, with attending Zenith loyalists and residents dressed in beautiful, albeit austere attire -- they are, after all, standing before Lady Yima's home. A buffet-style luncheon is spread alongside one of the largest reflecting pools, wherein you may gaze and find your memories revealed in retrospect upon the water's surface.There are few places to be seated in the Manor's courtyard, resulting in a milling of bodies 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.
The mood of Highstorm is subdued as always, but still seems to be pleasant and joyous thanks to claiming the Iconoclast Oracle. Again, it’s worth noting, as the Oracle was contested and therefore rightfully theirs in the first place. Congratulations are given to more senior Shard-Bearers for their efforts, and those who have just arrived may be regaled with stories of bold heroism at the first battle in the Scorching Isles or stories of wits and cleverness at its reclaiming last month. However, these stories aren’t always true, exactly, as only the Shard-Bearers have been present for either conflict. It seems they’re getting a bit of mythology built around them by the public.
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 the meet-and-greet has 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.
THE BLIGHT (CONCLUSION)
The Blight, a strange, time-related disease that had been ravaging Highstorm and Springstar both is finally being addressed concretely thanks to the efforts of a few Shard-Bearers (game-locked log) and unknowingly, of Aetós. While the cities are both still affected by the Blight, it’s now on the mend as the knowledge gained in the Scorching Isles is applied. For living things, a vaccine and medicinal potion has been developed, and for the environment, a technique has been developed to reverse the effects. Efforts are ongoing for each to eliminate the Blight from the cities entirely.FURTHER DETAILS
- Though the two cities are at war over the Oracles, the Blight is an area in which they’re unified because of the level of threat it presents to everyone. As such, the people of Highstorm and Springstar will both gladly accept help in distributing vaccines/potions or purifying the Blight from objects, regardless of their faction.
- Distributing the vaccines and potions is quite standard, should you wish to assist with that effort, but both cities are offering monetary incentives for anyone willing to collect or donate its most important ingredients: gold, silver, or platinum (if you’re willing to kindly donate objects containing these materials to the cause), Turquoise Vitalia (a flower that grows in the highlands of World’s Edge), and Blue Lotus (a flower that’s springing up and growing rapidly near bodies of water in Highstorm).
- You can also assist by purging the Blight from inanimate objects that are under its effects. Any Shard-Bearer who has Harmonized can be taught the process by some of the more senior NPCs that are in the bodies of government, but the basic process is simple. It requires a member of each faction, and similar to the purification of Discord, you’ll both push your faction’s energy into the object. As the process starts, you’ll innately sense that there’s a stronger presence of one energy over the other, and you’ll work together to equalize the energy.
CITIES IN RUINS
As part of the disastrous side effects of the Blight once ravaging the cities, large vines and roots have torn through the cities. This has created zones in them that are now uninhabitable because of collapsed buildings (which can be viewed for Highstorm and Springstar). There are efforts to rebuild both cities that are ongoing, but the unusual weather effects that were witnessed seem to be a bit more intense after a new batch of Shard-Bearers have arrived. This “unusual weather” can be pockets of thunderstorms of flurries, but they always carry additional effects such as (but not limited to) causing one to hear voices from the past or future, visual or auditory hallucinations of themselves from different timelines, pockets of space where old injuries, illnesses, or previously known physical conditions are re-experienced as if their body is going back in time. However, there are some new oddities that are also present...FURTHER DETAILS
- You may see ghostly specters of Shard-Bearers who have come and gone. Sometimes, they seem to notice that you’re there and flee deeper into the districts and disappear. Other times, they just go about what seems to be daily life in the district, though things don’t always match up. They might be leaning against a counter that’s no longer there, for example. Very rarely, you might even find one that you can have a conversation with, though not for long.
- OOC, if your character is one that you’ve dropped, feel free to have them make a cameo reappearance. This is more a chance to give a little hello (or farewell!) to CR and is totally optional. We ask that you not make a toplevel for them (unless you’re planning on reapping them), but we’ve made a toplevel for these kinds of interactions here. We also encourage you to give some friendly (or maybe not so friendly) hauntings to new players!
POLITICAL TURMOIL
After new Shard-Bearers arrive and settle into their new homes (so much as they can), those that frequent Springstar will see that the tension of the welcoming forum wasn’t a one-off. Meridian is a faction with opinions and ideals that are as diverse as the worlds people hail from, and so not all are happy with Tribune Cyrus’s performance in leading the faction to lose the same Oracle twice. Debates spring up in restaurants and bars, but it’s only aided by two notable Springstar residents encouraging such debates. Desmond Ó Ruadháin and Agapitos Voreen both draw crowds in public places as they speak to the people that gather. Their talks are peaceful and encourage people of Springstar to talk amongst themselves… But they’re also distinctly political about the future of Meridian and Springstar.FURTHER DETAILS
- Desmond is the foreman who oversees how the unique architecture of Springstar is made, and as such as a deep connection and investment in peoples’ home worlds. When Desmond speaks, he brings people together and tells stories from his homeland and well as from others that he’s heard. It’s something he encourages for those gathered, though it does make the sting of the loss of the Oracle more worrying. If Meridian doesn’t get the Oracles, then they’ll never see home again. There’s an undercurrent in his speeches that having been born here and to a noble family that’s living in Springstar for generations, Cyrus can’t truly understand the stakes here. He may be a good Tribune during peace, but this is war.
- Voreen is a businessman whose family owns several large shops throughout Springstar, and as such has a deep connection to the city and its people. When Voreen speaks, he brings people together by focusing on how Springstar itself is almost a miracle, and how it’s brought people from all walks of life together. His gatherings encourage people to get to know each other and to learn more about the people and the worlds they come from, since he deeply believes that the diversity of experience and knowledge is Meridian’s strength (…and frequent cause of arguments, it’s true). There’s an undercurrent in his speeches of a deep distrust of Zenith and especially of Yima. Anyone that offers you exactly what you want always has strings attached, right? Cyrus is too conciliatory towards Yima, and it makes Meridian as a whole seem weak. He may be a good Tribune during peace, but this is war.
- This is also a situation that Yima is well aware of, and she’ll send a brief message to Zenite Shard-Bearers to inform them of the unrest brewing in Springstar… And that for those with a deft hand for such matters, it’s a good opportunity to encourage this unrest in whatever way they see fit. She makes it clear that if Springstar is busy with internal politics, it’ll be much easier to stop their occupation of Alenroux as well as ensuring that the city itself may not be able to provide resources or backup to its Shard-Bearers in the fights for the Oracles.
SMALLER CHANGES
PASTORAL PEACE (ALENROUX)
Thanks to the ongoing efforts of both Shard-Bearers and Springstar’s military forces, Alenroux is now a much safer place to stay at night. While the threat of creatures roaming its lands isn’t negligible, the Southern portion of the island (close to the main Cornerstone) is now a place that can be inhabited by those willing to make the effort. Think of living there as being similar to living on the frontier—you have to build your own place to live and once night falls, you’re essentially on your own to protect yourself. Creatures will naturally gravitate towards anyone that chooses to set up a residence there as if they’re drawn to the life force, but so long as a home is well-fortified, it should be safe during the night. However, this does not apply the further North you go.
That said, while the people that work in (or just generally really like) Alenroux may be grateful to Springstar for its help in this regard, it does now seem unnecessary… Which is in large part thanks to Zenite efforts to undermine Springstar’s occupation. As a small town starts to be built around the Cornerstone, Springstar’s military or those that have been seen supporting it are treated with suspicion, if not openly told to leave. While the burgeoning community of Alenroux can’t said to be pro-Zenith (yet?), they’re definitely leaning decidedly anti-Meridian.
THE BALANCE OF POWER (KOWLOON)
For those that have been in Kenos for a while and frequented the underground city of Kowloon, it’s been clear for a while that the drug den and bar Draumahol is under new management. Or, should we say, Draumah👁l? The establishment is now very openly owned by Silco, but anyone who spends enough time in the city to learn about its loose form of governance would also pick up that this means Silco has likely scooped up a position on the city’s “council”, though concrete confirmation of that is still hard information to get.
However, in a definitely unrelated point (it’s not), Meridian characters may find themselves running into more difficulty while in Kowloon. There’s no open hostility or even widespread distaste. It might seem more like bad luck unless Meri talk amongst each other. They may be more likely to be pick-pocketed or mugged, may find that some shops offer an arbitrarily higher price to them, etc. These are all free for players to decide, but should be on the level of being unlucky or a particularly bad day down in Kowloon rather than anything more serious.
OOC NOTES
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kenoslogs.
no subject
I do. I'm an avid reader of both fiction and non-fiction, though recently fiction has become something of a favourite of mine, especially those of the romance genre. I find that they explain human behaviour and interaction in a way that I can digest and understand, as they exaggerate the emotions of the characters within.
[Because the truth was, Byleth was uncomfortably aware of how bad he was at interacting with people. While it was difficult to tell with how he steamrolled people with his weirdness and exhibiting no embarrassment or shame whatsoever, he was keenly aware that he had to improve his social skills and expressions if he was to succeed in making friends from his own merits, rather than inheriting the bonds from an alternative Byleth in Claude and Dimitri's worlds.
So, of course, he decided to take his cues from books. Or, rather, using that as a foundation to help him get the foot in the door, as it were (it just made him weirder).]
I'm not sure if you've noticed, but I'm not very good at talking to people. I'm strange and off-putting, and my lack of expression tends to intimidate or scare others. So, I'm trying to learn. I've even been practising my smiles.
[Though, not as much, nowadays! Smiles were coming to him a lot easier when talking to those used to his, erm, quirks. It was just he couldn't really do it on demand very well. Fake smiling? Impossible.]
no subject
The unfortunate part is he rather likes it when people are interested in things for wholesome reasons. And it isn't as if he can talk (obviously). He's very much like this in a way, except unlike Byleth, he hasn't really gone out of his way to change who he is for others.
He's kind, at least. He's kind, and he compensates for the lack of sociability and gloomy energy by performing acts of service. If you don't notice, it may pass you by.]
I don't mind your company. I think it's fine.
[Says local Twilight Jewel who also has atrocious visible cues for conversation. He at least can read and understand the nuances and cues in others, but... he... does not give them himself like he should.]
I understand.
no subject
[And he......!!! Doesn't smile, exactly, but something in Byleth's otherwise blank expression softened enough to convey a genuine, simple happiness at D's words. It always pleased him to know that his presence didn't bring discomfort to others.]
I think your company is fine as well. You have a... patient air about you. I find it quite pleasant. Maybe after today, we can meet again once you've found your footing and enjoy each other's company some more.
[This is. This is clearly Byleth's way of trying to. make. friends. It's so earnestly awkward.......... but so genuine................]
no subject
I wouldn't mind.
[In this, Byleth is lucky even if Byleth isn't aware. There are only a handful of people D would consider ever re-visiting or speaking to a second time. Usually, he avoids it at all costs.
Sometimes less because the people are annoying and more because he doesn't want to form relationships with people who will be hurt by his existence.]
I will likely stay here.
no subject
[Byleth sounded slightly surprised, but not genuinely shocked. He had joined Meridian pretty swiftly too on arrival, mostly drawn by the reassurance that their worlds weren't lost, as it meant Jeralt still lived. Zenith, therefore, was an unacceptable choice, as it would mean accepting the unacceptable, in his mind.]
no subject
Yes. I'm not a god, so I have no interest in creating a new world.
[The godhood life is not for him.... (probably) vampire Jesus. He glances at Byleth, expression resolute.]
The Frontier was damaged, but not destroyed. I want to return it to the humans who were beginning to flourish again.
no subject
I understand. My world is war-torn and damaged, but it's not as if I can craft a better one in its place. I'm a flawed being, and therefore anything made from my hands will be flawed as well. I might end up making a world that's even worse. Better to remain committed to that I know.
[Which was why he was very suspicious of those who were adamant they could create a paradise. They're all flawed beings - including the gods (especially the gods!) - and if entities like Sothis couldn't craft a perfect world, then a bunch of people of varying derangement definitely couldn't.]
Hm. [He abruptly made a soft huff of amusement.] It's strange how humans struggle so much across different worlds. They truly are a species born to thrive in conflict and adversity.
no subject
Byleth... laughed! Sorta. D is a bit surprised, and it doesn't dawn on him he's now experiencing how everyone else is with HIM.]
They are very tenacious. They have persisted for a decamillennium past a world disaster on the Frontier. And they have existed for even longer than that.
no subject
A decamillennium...? I must confess, I'm not familiar with that number.
[Ten million? Or was that ten million million? Byleth's mind couldn't really comprehend it, much like he had barely comprehended the distance between Sirus and Fodlan, when Sothis had told him (over 47 trillion miles).]
Regardless, I can tell it represents a considerably long time. The humans of my world haven't existed for as long, but they've endured multiple hardships, attempted eradication and numerous wars. They're a messy lot, and cruelty comes easy to them, but there's plenty of goodness to be found in them as well.
[.......wait.]
Oh. We're discussing humans as if they're a separate species... am I correct in assuming you're a different entity?
[No judgement, no suspicion, just mild curiosity. Now that he's peering past D's brooding beauty, Byleth seemed to take him in as a whole. He looked human, but Rhea looked human too (from a distance).]
no subject
Ten thousand years, [first, not a correction so much as an offering of clarification.] I understand.
[The way Byleth describes humans, he means. Those are... also... his thoughts. Of course they are. They two are stupid.]
I'm a dhampir.
[He doesn't explain, but instead waits for Byleth to ask if there is a lack of understanding. At any rate, he seems indifferent to being asked. He's slowly getting used to people here not knowing what he is the moment they lay eyes on him as they do so often on the Frontier.]
no subject
At D answering his question, however, Byleth just blinked very slowly, taking the same amount of time as it took one to yawn.]
A dhampir.
[He feeds this information into the Rube Goldberg machine that is his brain.]
...oh.
[A noise of realisation-!]
I don't know what that is.
no subject
Well. The dawn of realization at least doesn't surprise him any more than how little he has been surprised by anything during this whole conversation. If he could... maybe... just show a shred of emotion... once.]
The child of a vampire and a human.
[Which potentially can lead to another question (or slew of questions).]
Do you know what a vampire is?
[He will just be nice this once and choose to not NOT answer. He likes Byleth.]
no subject
Yes. They feature commonly in romance novels: creatures that feed on blood, and depending on the author, can transform into a giant bat, or a swarm of them, teleport, or cast illusionary magic. They're also immortal and have an aversion to the sun.
[Byleth's assuming the human blood here is protecting D from Springstar's twin suns...]
Saying that, there was one tale where vampires didn't combust in the sun, but instead sparkled, as their skin was more akin to marble. That was a curious interpretation, thinking on it.
no subject
It's a little funny to have someone explain to him vampires when they are getting their lore from romance novels, but... Byleth... isn't entirely off the mark. And, yes, his slice of humanity is protecting him from the twin suns...... by a hair's thread. He's barely hanging on.
That's okay. All of the black is actually practical: it protected his skin from Earth's ultraviolet light. The hat, too. So what seems dramatic to a lot of others is actually a necessity for him.]
There could be an anomaly which creates iridescent skin on a vampire. [I think Jonas told him this same thing in Nightfell, that's funny.] On the Frontier, they are called Nobles. They emerged from hiding after humans detonated an atomic bomb which destroyed much of the planet.
[It's okay if Byleth doesn't know what that is, the gist is there.]
They ruled for thousands of years, undying and powerful, weak only to the sun, or a stake, or prolong decapitation. They created their own society and cities, and they advanced science far beyond human capability. They fought aliens for the dominion of the planet as well. Now they are dying out. Hunters like me are paid to kill them.
[This is the most he's said so far, wow!! Lucky!!]
no subject
This sounds... uncomfortably similar to parts of my world's history...
[Technically speaking Sothis had been an alien, and the Agarthans the native humans... before conflict between them had resulted in the Agarthans ousted from their wartorn lands and banished to the darkness below the earth. Yet, humans crafted from Sothis's hand populated the planet in their stead, and while they warred amongst each other as well, their hardships and evils could be blamed on the corrupting influence of the Agarthans that lingered still. They'd still do cruel things but... the Agarthans fanned those flames into an all-consuming inferno.
Honestly, when Sothis had told him all this, he had difficulty in believing it... but the events at Garreg Mach with the dark mages, summoning giant, hulking machines and bizarre weapons that could attack with great power and from such a distance - he had no choice but to believe her.]
No vampires, but... advanced civilisations that fell into decline due to their own hubris, and aliens... out of curiosity, what were these aliens like? Could they transform into divine beasts?
no subject
They were turquoise creatures, my height with four arms, strange joints, and equine faces with a concave in the center. Their eyes were large and mouths small.
[Case in point: they were already like beasts, in a way. Divine might be subjective, but... any ordinary person would certainly think something so advanced and powerful would be divine.]
They could transform their bodies into other creatures they came into contact with; they preferred to masquerade as Nobles in order to hunt them.
no subject
[What outlandish creatures they sounded like, though. While the demonic beasts were monstrous, they were still recognisable as some sort of animal... thing. Those aliens D described were difficult for him to imagine. What a bizarre entity...]
The, ah, 'aliens' of my world were called Nabateans, and they only possessed two forms: human and divine beast. There're only a few left, however.
[Did Byleth really want to get into fucked up Fódlan history. It wasn't as short and sweet as D's apparently was, and Byleth didn't even know all the facts himself! Especially considering his main source was highly biased: Sothis herself, who drove the Agarthans underground and supplanted them with her own humans. Of course she was going to frame things in a manner that had her coming out smelling like roses.
Saying that, the Agarthans didn't really help themselves, considering how... cartoonishly evil they were...]
...as you've been honest, I'll be honest in turn: I'm half-Nabatean myself. My existence is a rather unique one, however, as it was brought about by unnatural means.
[If nature had been followed, Byleth would've remained dead when stillborn. Rhea's intervention perverted that, however, and thus Byleth rose as the sole living Nabatean-human hybrid - one not plagued by illness, frailty or any other debilitating issues. His heart did not beat, his blood flowing by the magics of the Crest Stone in his chest, and his soul was joined by that of another's, leeching Sothis's strength to sustain his own. This wasn't something that would naturally occur on its own.
He thought often about his existence after Jeralt had told him the truth, and Sothis managed to fill in some of the gaps. He pondered over its unnaturalness, the implications, and wondered if there really was a thin line between 'revival' and 'reanimation', when it came to him. In the end, he supposed it didn't really matter. It was just a pointless exercise in existential dread, but still... he thought about it.]
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A small part of him tightens with the same sympathy he'd never offer himself. But he understands. Being stuck in the rigid, inflexibility of half. Of being born unnecessarily, and of the birth being a tool almost. Had it been natural? Had he been on the path of mediocrity, and then the darkest entity put himself in? Or was he doomed from the start, already beginning as a hybrid from a forbidden tryst.
This doesn't even account for what all came after. His essence and the vessel it inhabited sharpened in an attempt to create the perfect immortal being. All of the strengths, none of the weaknesses.]
Then we have something in common.
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[He had sought understanding from Hayame and Set, strictly non-humans but... it wasn't quite the same. No one had really been trapped in a state of being human just enough, but having to conceal bits and pieces of himself, lest he be denounced as a demon or monster. It made it remarkably difficult to talk about certain things, and he didn't find talking easy in general!]
However, I'm a rather poor hybrid. I'm unable to access the abilities that a full-blooded Nabatean would, such as the shapeshifting. What you see before you is all you get, I'm afraid.
[He is genuinely put out about this. He wanted a dragon form (he would've if Intsy weren't COWARDS)...]
But I'm content in being just a... rather strange human, ignoring the various biological abnormalities, of course.
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He thoughtfully regards Byleth for a long moment, glances away around them, and then looks back once again.]
I prefer you this way, the way you are.
[The worst thing about D is perhaps how bluntly earnest he is, and how he takes just saying things with such a solid, unbothered face. Admitting this to Byleth doesn't cause him any embarrassment.
It's true anyway. He likes Byleth fine just like this.]
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It was pre-emptive. He felt like his face wanted to do something.]
...thank you.
[Uwah. He actually sounded kind of shy there.]
That's very kind of you to say.
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It's one thing to be that way already from the get go... but the implication Byleth thinks himself less inspiring for the lack of it... It leaves a slightly sour taste in his mouth. (He is running fastly from saying any of this about himself, though.)]
You're welcome.
[Luckily, Byleth is very cute about it, so D can't be terribly mad. These two sharing these polite things stupidly back and forth.]
It must have been hard.
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[Byleth lifted his head, the odd bashful feeling passing. It was true, though: it could've been worse. He could've been utterly alone. He could've still been with the Church, potentially losing his sense of self if Rhea had succeeded in her goals. He could've died during his many skirmishes across Fódlan. But he lived still, and though this situation was distressing in its own way, he was encountering those with far more understanding hearts than many people in Fódlan here in Kenos.]
I wasn't alone, after all. I had Jeralt's mercenaries, and even though they thought me strange, they didn't fear me like so many others.
[Mostly because the inner circle of Jeralt's mercenaries had known him since he was a child. Even if he had been rather creepy and off-putting, it was hard to be truly afraid of someone when you'd witnessed them eat worms as a kid. Also, the fact he helped them win so many skirmishes, and therefore get paid, meant they were willing to overlook his various oddities and not rock the boat, as it were.]
...not that all of them knew the truth of the matter. Only Jeralt knew.
[And only Jeralt, until he saw fit to tell Byleth the truth once they'd been absorbed into the Kingdom's forces, and thus at risk of running headlong into Rhea. Byleth was still... a little angry about that, in all honesty, that Jeralt had kept something so monumental about Byleth to himself for literal decades! All those years of just shrugging his shoulders when Byleth asked why he had no heartbeat, or where he'd been born... as much as he loved Jeralt: man.]