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tushanshu_ooc2014-07-08 09:23 pm
ironwood) wrote in tushanshu_ooc2014-07-08 09:23 pm
EVENT | LANDFALL | VALISHAERA | JULY 13-26
A bit of hopeful light arrives to break up the gloom of Malicant's ever-present threat from inside the Palace: once again, Tu Vishan has made his way to the mainland!
Weather & City Report
The days have been steadily getting warmer as they approach the height of summer and as Tu Vishan swims parallel to Konryu's equator and heading west. It's now not unusual for daytime temperatures to be above 30ºC/85ºF with higher spikes, though there has been a consistent and brisk wind from the north that helps keep it bearable. In fact the wind has been stronger than usual lately, causing some damages to property and even taking down a few of the weaker trees in the Wood Sector.
The Palace of the Landed Sky is quiet, with no further altercations between the remaining possessed kedan inside and the rest of the city; some speculate that they've possibly all died, but it's hard to say without getting anyone inside. For the moment it remains something of an elephant in the room amongst the kedan and Evandau, when he's infrequently glimpsed amid the strict security of the police station, looks as though he is bearing that entire elephant on his shoulders.
It's some of the fisherkedan that actually bring the news of land being sighted, rather than the typical announcement of it from the Emperor (and he looks just as surprised by it as anyone; someone didn't get the memo like Eshai normally had) but perhaps some time physically off Tu Vishan will give them all a bit better perspective.
Landfall | Valishaera | JULY 13-26, 2014
As Tu Vishan draws near, the heavy jungle visible even from miles out quickly identifies the landmass as Siaxhi, one of the westernmost continents in Konryu and one that has been largely untouched insofar as the kedan themselves have gone. There has been a previous mission to Siaxhi, to the Duchy of Castis located on the western side of the continent but the eastern side is mostly uncharted. There is a natural inlet along the southeast shore on the continent and Tu Vishan makes for that, though he fills nearly all of it. The waters are relatively shallow here and turquoise, and abundant in fish and other sea life. While the kedan in general seem unenthusiastic about venturing into the dense jungle, they're already making plans to deploy an entire fleet of fishing vessels along the coast and bringing in what will be a record haul.
The Watch City of Valishaera
The Arybar
One of the three original Watch Cities designed to oversee protection of the various planes, Valishaera was tasked with presiding over the Dreaming Realm, the city as described should by rights be opulent. However when the Foreigners locate it set less than a mile inland from the eastern bay, they may be surprised to find the great city in nearly ruins, heavily overgrown.
There is a small settlement of folk living there who, other than they are quite a bit taller than humans (heights of 7'+ are not uncommon) and have peculiar patterning on their skin vaguely reminiscent of jungle cats, seem very friendly, albeit surprised by the appearance of strangers. But they've heard of Tu Vishan, the last living Great Turtle, so they'll be welcoming and not hostile. These are the Arybar, the native people of Siaxhi. They're a mix of agricultural and foraging culture, hunting only sporadically rather than relying on it for their primary food source. They have little to no contact with the Duchy of Castis beyond they know it's there and they're mutually not interested in crossing into each other's territory.
The Arybar will tell the Foreigners that the Dan'effrei came to build the city of Valishaera eons ago and that they were a race the Arybar did not recognize at the time, but they obtained permission for the land and remained on excellent terms with the Dan'effrei for many centuries. The city itself is made up of multi-leveled temples, bridges and arches, all designed to embrace the surrounding jungle rather than push it back. (An image! Yes, Valishaera is loosely based on El Dorado.) When asked what happened to the monks and the city however, the Arybar become evasive and change the subject. They like it as it is, having converted many of the large courtyards into perfect fields for their crops rather than having to hew good growing spaces out of the jungle floor.
The Foreigners will be invited to stay and explore to their heart's content, and small huts made for them to stay in. However...
Through The Gate
At some point while the Foreigners are investigating the overgrown ruins, they'll either catch sight of or be approached by someone they recognize (or someone they don't but who gives them a very strong sense of deja vu), offering to show them a way to see the "real Valishaera". They'll be led to one of the old temples and shown inside, revealing a portal similar in construction to the Dreaming arches, though not identical. Passing through the arch will leave them in the same room though their surroundings have vastly changed.
Welcome to Valishaera in the Dreaming Realm, a vibrant and thriving city still in its prime. Characters will be able to explore the Temple, speak with the monks and interact with the population in the rest of the city, all safely enclosed inside the Dreaming. Two monks will be controlled by mods, which will be noted on the IC log for interaction.
Pocketful of Dreams
In a separate temple, characters will also discover a chamber which has several doors (about a dozen, though if anyone tries to count them specifically, they will always end up with a different number than the previous count). Some of them are sealed with no evident way of opening them, but three are available to enter and show signs of repeated use. These are "pockets" in the Dreaming Realm, or technically subpockets since Valishaera itself exists on the plane already. Within the chamber, each portal seems identical to the others, giving no real clue as to its contents but each one is vastly different.
The three which are open lead to the following "places":
Item Requests
A final list of approved item requests is found HERE. Characters may find the items on either the abandoned Life side of Valishaera or in the Dreaming side. They can also be discovered inside the "pocket" Dreaming portals.
Landfall Missions
This month we have some missions based in Valishaera, though the signup format will be the same. Missions will be assigned at the end of day on the 11th to give time allowance for plotting before they go live as part of the event on the 13th. Like regular missions, remember that you can only sign up one character from your roster.
→ DREAMSCAPE (INFORMATION)
→ NIGHT'S WOOD (EXPLORATION)
→ INAN (RETRIEVAL)
Questions | Pocket Dreaming Sign-Ups | Item Requests | Missions | Plotting
Weather & City Report
The days have been steadily getting warmer as they approach the height of summer and as Tu Vishan swims parallel to Konryu's equator and heading west. It's now not unusual for daytime temperatures to be above 30ºC/85ºF with higher spikes, though there has been a consistent and brisk wind from the north that helps keep it bearable. In fact the wind has been stronger than usual lately, causing some damages to property and even taking down a few of the weaker trees in the Wood Sector.
The Palace of the Landed Sky is quiet, with no further altercations between the remaining possessed kedan inside and the rest of the city; some speculate that they've possibly all died, but it's hard to say without getting anyone inside. For the moment it remains something of an elephant in the room amongst the kedan and Evandau, when he's infrequently glimpsed amid the strict security of the police station, looks as though he is bearing that entire elephant on his shoulders.
It's some of the fisherkedan that actually bring the news of land being sighted, rather than the typical announcement of it from the Emperor (and he looks just as surprised by it as anyone; someone didn't get the memo like Eshai normally had) but perhaps some time physically off Tu Vishan will give them all a bit better perspective.
Landfall | Valishaera | JULY 13-26, 2014
As Tu Vishan draws near, the heavy jungle visible even from miles out quickly identifies the landmass as Siaxhi, one of the westernmost continents in Konryu and one that has been largely untouched insofar as the kedan themselves have gone. There has been a previous mission to Siaxhi, to the Duchy of Castis located on the western side of the continent but the eastern side is mostly uncharted. There is a natural inlet along the southeast shore on the continent and Tu Vishan makes for that, though he fills nearly all of it. The waters are relatively shallow here and turquoise, and abundant in fish and other sea life. While the kedan in general seem unenthusiastic about venturing into the dense jungle, they're already making plans to deploy an entire fleet of fishing vessels along the coast and bringing in what will be a record haul.
The Watch City of Valishaera
( An excerpt from the scroll, The Watchers of the Realms: ) |
The Arybar
One of the three original Watch Cities designed to oversee protection of the various planes, Valishaera was tasked with presiding over the Dreaming Realm, the city as described should by rights be opulent. However when the Foreigners locate it set less than a mile inland from the eastern bay, they may be surprised to find the great city in nearly ruins, heavily overgrown.
There is a small settlement of folk living there who, other than they are quite a bit taller than humans (heights of 7'+ are not uncommon) and have peculiar patterning on their skin vaguely reminiscent of jungle cats, seem very friendly, albeit surprised by the appearance of strangers. But they've heard of Tu Vishan, the last living Great Turtle, so they'll be welcoming and not hostile. These are the Arybar, the native people of Siaxhi. They're a mix of agricultural and foraging culture, hunting only sporadically rather than relying on it for their primary food source. They have little to no contact with the Duchy of Castis beyond they know it's there and they're mutually not interested in crossing into each other's territory.
The Arybar will tell the Foreigners that the Dan'effrei came to build the city of Valishaera eons ago and that they were a race the Arybar did not recognize at the time, but they obtained permission for the land and remained on excellent terms with the Dan'effrei for many centuries. The city itself is made up of multi-leveled temples, bridges and arches, all designed to embrace the surrounding jungle rather than push it back. (An image! Yes, Valishaera is loosely based on El Dorado.) When asked what happened to the monks and the city however, the Arybar become evasive and change the subject. They like it as it is, having converted many of the large courtyards into perfect fields for their crops rather than having to hew good growing spaces out of the jungle floor.
The Foreigners will be invited to stay and explore to their heart's content, and small huts made for them to stay in. However...
Through The Gate
At some point while the Foreigners are investigating the overgrown ruins, they'll either catch sight of or be approached by someone they recognize (or someone they don't but who gives them a very strong sense of deja vu), offering to show them a way to see the "real Valishaera". They'll be led to one of the old temples and shown inside, revealing a portal similar in construction to the Dreaming arches, though not identical. Passing through the arch will leave them in the same room though their surroundings have vastly changed.
Welcome to Valishaera in the Dreaming Realm, a vibrant and thriving city still in its prime. Characters will be able to explore the Temple, speak with the monks and interact with the population in the rest of the city, all safely enclosed inside the Dreaming. Two monks will be controlled by mods, which will be noted on the IC log for interaction.
Pocketful of Dreams
In a separate temple, characters will also discover a chamber which has several doors (about a dozen, though if anyone tries to count them specifically, they will always end up with a different number than the previous count). Some of them are sealed with no evident way of opening them, but three are available to enter and show signs of repeated use. These are "pockets" in the Dreaming Realm, or technically subpockets since Valishaera itself exists on the plane already. Within the chamber, each portal seems identical to the others, giving no real clue as to its contents but each one is vastly different.
The three which are open lead to the following "places":
- FAE: In one such portal is a mystical sort of land, think World Of Warcraft, and that one place with the GIANT FREAKING MUSHROOMS. Twenty stories tall if they're an inch, vaguely luminescent and carrying on for miles in a vast forest. The ground is soft and forgiving, and animals of all kinds wander there. The Realm of Fae will give the character pleasant visions of possible magical potential. If a character has magic, there might be a way to increase its power. If a character is baseline, they can leave having memorized one very simple spell. (Light projection, heal small wounds, that sort of thing.)
JUNGLE: The jungle portal is overrun with flora and fauna that you'd expect in that environment. It's a test of survival. Characters who enter this realm will find themselves learning how to fight, if necessary. Weapons will appear and disappear as thought of, real only in the Dreaming. If a character enters as a fighter, they will be given a trial of combat with success granting them a temporary boost of physical strength and an added or enhanced combat skill. If not a trained fighter, they will be given training in basics which they'll remember as a vague, blurry memory but clear muscle memories. (I.E. they won't consciously remember how to fight, but if pressed they'll discover that they're surprisingly good at it for a newbie.)
LIBRARY: Just what it says on the tin. A huge, echoing library filled with even more books than the temple in Valishaera. As always in dreams, it's impossible to read any of the books consciously. But certain facts will remain with a character, should they attempt to do so. Characters can leave the Library knowing one fact about the world of the turtle Tu Vishan OR they can leave with a fact from their homes, of their future or past that they did not already know. (Characters are limited to one only.)
Item Requests
A final list of approved item requests is found HERE. Characters may find the items on either the abandoned Life side of Valishaera or in the Dreaming side. They can also be discovered inside the "pocket" Dreaming portals.
Landfall Missions
This month we have some missions based in Valishaera, though the signup format will be the same. Missions will be assigned at the end of day on the 11th to give time allowance for plotting before they go live as part of the event on the 13th. Like regular missions, remember that you can only sign up one character from your roster.
→ DREAMSCAPE (INFORMATION)
→ NIGHT'S WOOD (EXPLORATION)
→ INAN (RETRIEVAL)
NIGHT'S WOOD (EXPLORATION)
Mission Duration: 2-7 days
Mission Difficulty: ★★★☆☆
Mission Type: Exploration
Projected Plot Impact: The Dan’effrei will gain a great deal of knowledge about the Night’s Wood and Death magic in general based on what the characters find. It may also affect what kind of magic travels back to the Life Realm with the characters..
Proposed Worldbuilding Changes: Nothing noticeable at this time, though the type of magic they bring back may influence future changes.
Mission Restrictions: None.
DOSSIER
Wlodzislaw asks a few characters completely at random to go investigate a particular patch of forest known as Night’s Wood which seems to come with some superstitions. He will guide them along the path into the healthy and normal forestry before directing them to a strange circle of pine trees. Right before they enter, he will give them an old map that he says has never worked for him, but which they may find some luck with - their goal is to explore and they are under no obligation to follow the path on the map.
Once the characters step inside the circle of trees, the sky will darken above them and it will become night. While nighttime, the forest is seemingly endless and characters will be unable to leave it. That said, they can leave and return to this pine circle to switch between day and night as often as needed without consequence.
While in the Night’s Wood, characters may explore to their heart’s content. The place seems to be a normal forest with a light fog covering the ground and an eerie sense of quiet emanating from the stillness. Characters may also encounter (at player discretion) any/all of the three following strange creatures:
If characters choose to follow the map, they will find the Elder Tree. This tree is an enormous yet thin and spindly aspen tree, nearly glowing with how starkly white it looks in the moonlight. A black, humanoid heart floats, suspended, in golden sap in the center of the tree at roughly eye level; a hole from front to back, now filled with the same sap, makes the heart plain to see. Any character attempting to retrieve or study the heart will find the golden substance easy to pass through and the heart easily removed.
If they disregard the map and decide to explore instead, they may run across the legendary Rhefti. The Rhefti is said to be an old monk who tired of Watching and instead moved to the forest to be alone. What characters find is a small, fairy-like creature who rudely shoves pixie dust at them and then disappears.
Characters may find the Rhefti or the Elder Tree, but not both.
OUTCOME
Wlodzislaw will insist that any exploration the characters do is most welcome, as the Night’s Wood is constantly changing as a result of who explores it. He will tell them that what they found tells a great deal about them.
If characters find the Elder Tree and do not remove the heart, any character who touches the golden sap will be asked why they are glowing and Wloszislaw will explain to them that they can channel the Life magic that they have received to heal themselves one time from anything non life-threatening (the character will have to be conscious and able to concentrate for roughly 20min in order to use the magic); he will teach them how to do so.
If a character or characters retrieve the heart, the tree will immediately drain of color and become essentially an ice sculpture, the golden sap also turning to ice. If they offer the heart to Wlodzislaw, he will excitedly take it and talk of its vast Death Magic and the many good things the Dan’effrei can use that kind of magic for, congratulating them on their service. As a reward for their amazing find, he will offer them each one small/minor token of magic (to be determined individually for each character with the player and Kate talking it over).
If characters instead chose to explore and found the Rhefti, they, too, will receive something in exchange for their encounter - but this will be random. It may be a new power for a week, or it may be a curse. Perhaps a tail. Whatever the case, it will only develop when they return to the circle of pines and to the daylight. (These effects will be randomly assigned by Kate with limited player feedback).
Re: NIGHT'S WOOD (EXPLORATION)
At the tree, he'd be reluctant to take the heart because they haven't been asked to retrieve anything, just really see where the map goes. Someone else will have to insist on bringing the heart back if that's going to happen.
Re: NIGHT'S WOOD (EXPLORATION)
Re: NIGHT'S WOOD (EXPLORATION)
If they still end up at the tree, Hawke's first instinct would be to stab the heart. A black, human heart sitting in the center of an old tree just screams bad news to him. He wouldn't trust anything about that tree at all.
Re: NIGHT'S WOOD (EXPLORATION)
Skulduggery would be pretty neutral about the choice between exploring or sticking to the map. In his experience, there's pros and cons for both. If the characters are all pretty evenly divided on that front, is there any chance for splitting up?
Definitely not taking that big black heart. For all they know, it's the tree's heart, and taking it would kill the forest, and people tend to frown on that sort of thing. So... well, he'd be against stabbing it too. Probably pretty firmly.