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tushanshu_ooc2014-12-07 07:22 pm
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Admin Post: State of the Shell: December 2014
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Hello chelonauts, it’s that time again! This post and the log which will be going up shortly mark the beginning of TuShanshu’s new plot angle as decided in the July State of the Shell. This era of the game will be slightly more slice-of-life in that there is no driving metaplot like there was with Malicant, but will focus on world-building, exploration, and politics. The war is over--now it’s a chance for the Foreigners to define the world which they, and many others, inhabit.
We apologize, as this post is very lengthy! There was a lot of material to cover, and we are still working on some of the back-end changes such as converting the core posts to reflect all the new information.
But first, some mod-related changes.
CHANGING OF THE GUARD
The IC changes as follows.
How long has passed since Malicant was defeated, and where have the characters been? How did they get free?
So what direct effect did Malicant’s defeat have then?
Where are the baby turtles?!
What about big papa turtle?
What kind of a world will the Foreigners be returning to?
What is the status of NPCs?
What important changes have there been to Keeliai and/or to Tu Vishan?
How are the Foreigners going to live and work now?
What is the status of the other continents?
How are arrivals/departures happening now? What about canon updates?
Any word yet regarding future events?
What about Activity Checks?
A few more itty-bitty things!
We apologize, as this post is very lengthy! There was a lot of material to cover, and we are still working on some of the back-end changes such as converting the core posts to reflect all the new information.
But first, some mod-related changes.
MOD CHANGES
CHANGING OF THE GUARD
Unfortunately, it’s that time once more. Kate, due to time constraints, has chosen to step down as a mod as of the new plot. Thank you, Kate, for stepping up as mod when the game needed the extra help.
The new plot will continue with Li, Am and Pur, as the closing of the driving metaplot means we’ll have a little more room to work with fewer mods.
The new plot will continue with Li, Am and Pur, as the closing of the driving metaplot means we’ll have a little more room to work with fewer mods.
The IC changes as follows.
IN CHARACTER CHANGES
How long has passed since Malicant was defeated, and where have the characters been? How did they get free?
Characters have been trapped in the Dreaming plane, having been drawn too deeply into it during the final battle with Malicant, to the point where Evastelei could not extract them as intended once Malicant had been defeated. Eva gave characters the opportunity to depart back to their worlds from the Dreaming, honouring the promise initially made by Emperor Eshai to the Foreigners. Some chose to leave for good, and others wanted only to leave word with people they knew, but actually remain on Tu Vishan for the foreseeable future. Both of these choices were accommodated, to the best of the magician's ability.
Beyond that, however, she realized that she couldn't actually return them to the Life plane. While it won't have felt that long to the characters ICly (though they will have been aware of some time passing), it will be revealed that they were in the Dreaming for one year, game time. Her efforts have tirelessly continued all this time, becoming the only thing linking the Life and Dreaming planes together and keeping the Foreigners trapped there from being lost.
Ultimately, her only recourse was to--apparently--permanently mesh the two realms in question, creating a bridge. Yet regrettably, this massive expenditure of Eva's magic proved too much for her to withstand, and she succumbed to its effects just days before the Foreigners were able to make their way back into Keeliai.
Beyond that, however, she realized that she couldn't actually return them to the Life plane. While it won't have felt that long to the characters ICly (though they will have been aware of some time passing), it will be revealed that they were in the Dreaming for one year, game time. Her efforts have tirelessly continued all this time, becoming the only thing linking the Life and Dreaming planes together and keeping the Foreigners trapped there from being lost.
Ultimately, her only recourse was to--apparently--permanently mesh the two realms in question, creating a bridge. Yet regrettably, this massive expenditure of Eva's magic proved too much for her to withstand, and she succumbed to its effects just days before the Foreigners were able to make their way back into Keeliai.
So what direct effect did Malicant’s defeat have then?
PLANES: Eva's sacrifice was enough to mesh the Life and Dreaming planes of existence together, though more accurately they're layered on top of one another. The Death realm is, for the moment, inaccessible even via the Foreigner-built portals. The consequence of connecting both Life and Dreaming in such a way is that things which would have only been possible in the Dreaming realm previously, such as effects achieved through willpower alone, may begin to surface throughout the city. This will be an ongoing plot aspect, and more information on this will be added later. For now, there will be odd occurrences of things that should not be possible.
The secondary consequence of Eva's spell is that there is now a rift between the meshed Life/Dreaming planes and the sealed Death plane. This rift is a fissure, not just between the planes but between worlds as well. The original spell constructed by Emperor Eshai drew people in through a passage between all three planes, and that is what the rift continues to do. Foreigners will continue to arrive -- and depart -- although the process will no longer be controlled as it once was.
BOONS: With the true purpose of the boons having been revealed in the last battle against Malicant -- that they had been dispensed under the guise of "Asti" with the long term goal of using them to gain a foothold in Foreigner's minds -- their effects have disappeared with Malicant's defeat and the removal of his ongoing influence from the city and its people. Any effects, whether positive or negative, have ceased and returned those affected to their original states. Changes or effects granted or learned by other instances, such as Eshai's gifts or having been learned by the characters themselves, remain untouched.
TAINT-SENSE: Those who were taught to sense the taint will find that blanketing presence over the shell completely gone. Anyone who was tainted will also have recovered, thanks to their prolonged stay inside the Dreaming. Every now and then, if a taint-senser is extremely lucky and happens to activate their sense at the right time, they might feel pinpricks of tainted personages in the greater whole of the city... but where they come from and where they belong isn’t yet known, and the kedan will refuse to answer questions about it.
The secondary consequence of Eva's spell is that there is now a rift between the meshed Life/Dreaming planes and the sealed Death plane. This rift is a fissure, not just between the planes but between worlds as well. The original spell constructed by Emperor Eshai drew people in through a passage between all three planes, and that is what the rift continues to do. Foreigners will continue to arrive -- and depart -- although the process will no longer be controlled as it once was.
BOONS: With the true purpose of the boons having been revealed in the last battle against Malicant -- that they had been dispensed under the guise of "Asti" with the long term goal of using them to gain a foothold in Foreigner's minds -- their effects have disappeared with Malicant's defeat and the removal of his ongoing influence from the city and its people. Any effects, whether positive or negative, have ceased and returned those affected to their original states. Changes or effects granted or learned by other instances, such as Eshai's gifts or having been learned by the characters themselves, remain untouched.
TAINT-SENSE: Those who were taught to sense the taint will find that blanketing presence over the shell completely gone. Anyone who was tainted will also have recovered, thanks to their prolonged stay inside the Dreaming. Every now and then, if a taint-senser is extremely lucky and happens to activate their sense at the right time, they might feel pinpricks of tainted personages in the greater whole of the city... but where they come from and where they belong isn’t yet known, and the kedan will refuse to answer questions about it.
Where are the baby turtles?!
Since the hatchling turtles were unable to enter the Dreaming during the battle against Malicant, they were likewise left in the dark when the Foreigners became trapped there, unable to contact their parents. Milyn and Evastelei did their best to reassure the young ones that they wouldn't give up on the Foreigners, the latter especially saying that she refused to let them be lost, but ultimately the hatchlings felt that without their adopted caretakers in the city, they were not safe.
Collectively, they made a decision to leave Tu Vishan's shell and explore the world as a pod, where they would be able to protect each other. When the Foreigners return, those who were previously bonded to one of the hatchlings will feel the link still present, though greatly strained by distance. They'll know that the hatchlings are aware of them once again and are safe, but direct telepathic communication won't be possible at this time due to the distances involved.
Collectively, they made a decision to leave Tu Vishan's shell and explore the world as a pod, where they would be able to protect each other. When the Foreigners return, those who were previously bonded to one of the hatchlings will feel the link still present, though greatly strained by distance. They'll know that the hatchlings are aware of them once again and are safe, but direct telepathic communication won't be possible at this time due to the distances involved.
What about big papa turtle?
There has been no word from Tu Vishan since Malicant’s defeat. The crushing mental presence beneath the shell has vanished, and anyone going to the turtle’s head will hear only silence. Before, the current in which the turtle swims was visible as though following a track. Now, the current is still visible but wavering, running this way and that as if the turtle is in the current without being in control of where it goes. Additionally, the ever present bioluminescence of the shell has faded over the past year -- kedan will say that it happened gradually, but by the time the Foreigners awaken, there is no trace of the shellglow either day or night.
At this time there is no way of contacting Tu Vishan or determining his physical state. Those with an acuity toward death-magic will find that the deaths on the turtle’s back since Malicant’s defeat will block them from sensing Tu Vishan’s life-force -- or lack thereof.
At this time there is no way of contacting Tu Vishan or determining his physical state. Those with an acuity toward death-magic will find that the deaths on the turtle’s back since Malicant’s defeat will block them from sensing Tu Vishan’s life-force -- or lack thereof.
What kind of a world will the Foreigners be returning to?
While the kedan were aware that the Foreigners had defeated Malicant, given the tensions between the two groups in the days and weeks prior to their venture in the Dreaming to battle him, they did not know the specifics such as that they were moving into the Dreaming for this to take place. From the kedanese point of view, the Foreigners simply vanished from Tu Vishan in the aftermath, leaving no trace behind except for a mostly-broken city on the shell of an empty Great Turtle, and they're reacting to that perceived abandonment appropriately. With the Foreigners’ return, the overwhelming response from the kedan will be ‘why are you still here?’, accompanied by suspicion or dismissiveness.
During the past year, significant changes happened relating to the state of Keeliai. In general, the atmosphere has become less outright tense, but still with undercurrents of unrest. The turtle’s back has become a more lawless place, with the tension more inclined toward holding grudges and paying debts than igniting into outright violence.
That being said, the change from outright tension has done a world of good for the city. There are still flaws in the current infrastructure weighted heavily toward Keeliai’s wealthiest families, but the end of the war has lifted the weight of fear. While the loss of Eshai’s brainwashing has reverted to the kedan to their more aggressive instincts, with consequences, it’s also given them the chance to be progressive in a way lost to them previously.
Now Keeliai shows evidence of a rising technological infrastructure and a more cohesive sense of business, gain and academia.
INVASION: Word of Malicant's defeat -- along with the disappearance of his influences around the world of Konryu -- was met with celebration and relief. However, it also made Tu Vishan a very visible target. With no evidence of the Great Turtle's continued life, with no Emperor or proxy, no Foreigners and no magicians left, the rejoicing of other nations quickly turned opportunistic. Many of the other nations wanted to exploit the perceived bounty of Tu Vishan, and it was only a matter of time before one of them put action to those thoughts.
Approximately six months ago, Tu Vishan's borders were breached by a squadron of the Chihuelan military, originating from the city of Atamsichar. There were approximately 300 of them, well-supplied and well-armed, and they forced an incursion within Keeliai. While they were eventually routed once the kedan managed to organize themselves, there numbered nearly 2000 kedanese deaths -- including Lieuen, once a prominent merchant, and whose death severely curtailed economic movement during and immediately after the invasion. Of the Chihuelans, it's estimated that around two hundred of them were killed, fifty escaped back to Atamsichar, and approximately fifty remain unaccounted for, presumably in hiding somewhere either in Keeliai or in the unpopulated regions of the turtle's shell.
This attempted invasion both polarized and destabilized the kedan, forcing them to stop several projects scattered around the city and focus on a way to defend themselves, should something like this happen again. In the last six months, there have been no further (known) breaches from other nations in Konryu.
KEDAN: The focus on kedanese family groups before Malicant’s defeat has continued. Now fully awakened from the racial torpor that had gripped them due to Eshai's interference generations ago, they've completely reverted to their true behavioral traits: they are more aggressive and assertive in their dealings, and once again display academic curiosity, avarice and progressive thinking. No more are they content with the status quo, and they are making a rapid recovery toward becoming the impressive culture that had guided Eshai to select them as her champions in the first place.
The cultists have vanished wholesale; anyone asking after them will have the question deliberately ignored, as if the other kedan are willingly ignoring the cult had once existed at all. There are, however, a moderate percentage of kedan who feel that Malicant's rise to power had been an intervention of sorts… returning the kedan to a functional, independant people once again. While none of them will outright advocate the deeds Malicant did before being defeated, there are some which have expressed that perhaps his apparent complete destruction was the wrong path.
While there is still a gang-like presence, ironically the gangs have become the only means of relatively peaceful accord between family groups -- especially for those who have no family left. Even still, to be a member of a gang is seen by many of the kedan as a rebellion against the sanctity of family ties and a residual symptom of Malicant’s chaos, a boundary some of the most powerful families are especially rigorous in enforcing.
In the wake of the invasion some specific families have come into prominence, having the numbers and resources to enforce some manner of control over the rest.
Huǒ-si: The Snakes. This family is martially powerful, with warrior inclinations. They’ve become like a mafia group, absorbing smaller and less powerful families to add to their numbers and training them, and objecting to those who deny their martial law. The Snakes are the largest ‘family’, but they also have the broadest definition of familial ties due to their absorption of smaller and less powerful bloodlines.
Mù-wei: The Woodsmen. These are families who fled Keeliai during the invasion, and through successful guerrilla war took hold of the Chihuelans’ supply resources. Through trial and error the kedan have managed to use those resources to begin re-seeding the turtle’s back, and now provide a good chunk of the resources within the city of Keeliai. Most of the Woodsmen now live outside the city, but they make weekly journeys into the marketplace and are easily noticed by the quality of their produce in comparison to most of the other families.
Jīn-zi: The Metalworkers. This family is small, but their connections are extensive. Being technologists and engineers in mentality, it’s this family who, in the aftermath of the Foreigners’ disappearance, took control of the most technologically rich areas of Keeliai -- places like Stark Industries and Wayne Enterprises. While the smallest family, the Metalworkers are right now arguably the richest.
During the past year, significant changes happened relating to the state of Keeliai. In general, the atmosphere has become less outright tense, but still with undercurrents of unrest. The turtle’s back has become a more lawless place, with the tension more inclined toward holding grudges and paying debts than igniting into outright violence.
That being said, the change from outright tension has done a world of good for the city. There are still flaws in the current infrastructure weighted heavily toward Keeliai’s wealthiest families, but the end of the war has lifted the weight of fear. While the loss of Eshai’s brainwashing has reverted to the kedan to their more aggressive instincts, with consequences, it’s also given them the chance to be progressive in a way lost to them previously.
Now Keeliai shows evidence of a rising technological infrastructure and a more cohesive sense of business, gain and academia.
INVASION: Word of Malicant's defeat -- along with the disappearance of his influences around the world of Konryu -- was met with celebration and relief. However, it also made Tu Vishan a very visible target. With no evidence of the Great Turtle's continued life, with no Emperor or proxy, no Foreigners and no magicians left, the rejoicing of other nations quickly turned opportunistic. Many of the other nations wanted to exploit the perceived bounty of Tu Vishan, and it was only a matter of time before one of them put action to those thoughts.
Approximately six months ago, Tu Vishan's borders were breached by a squadron of the Chihuelan military, originating from the city of Atamsichar. There were approximately 300 of them, well-supplied and well-armed, and they forced an incursion within Keeliai. While they were eventually routed once the kedan managed to organize themselves, there numbered nearly 2000 kedanese deaths -- including Lieuen, once a prominent merchant, and whose death severely curtailed economic movement during and immediately after the invasion. Of the Chihuelans, it's estimated that around two hundred of them were killed, fifty escaped back to Atamsichar, and approximately fifty remain unaccounted for, presumably in hiding somewhere either in Keeliai or in the unpopulated regions of the turtle's shell.
This attempted invasion both polarized and destabilized the kedan, forcing them to stop several projects scattered around the city and focus on a way to defend themselves, should something like this happen again. In the last six months, there have been no further (known) breaches from other nations in Konryu.
KEDAN: The focus on kedanese family groups before Malicant’s defeat has continued. Now fully awakened from the racial torpor that had gripped them due to Eshai's interference generations ago, they've completely reverted to their true behavioral traits: they are more aggressive and assertive in their dealings, and once again display academic curiosity, avarice and progressive thinking. No more are they content with the status quo, and they are making a rapid recovery toward becoming the impressive culture that had guided Eshai to select them as her champions in the first place.
The cultists have vanished wholesale; anyone asking after them will have the question deliberately ignored, as if the other kedan are willingly ignoring the cult had once existed at all. There are, however, a moderate percentage of kedan who feel that Malicant's rise to power had been an intervention of sorts… returning the kedan to a functional, independant people once again. While none of them will outright advocate the deeds Malicant did before being defeated, there are some which have expressed that perhaps his apparent complete destruction was the wrong path.
While there is still a gang-like presence, ironically the gangs have become the only means of relatively peaceful accord between family groups -- especially for those who have no family left. Even still, to be a member of a gang is seen by many of the kedan as a rebellion against the sanctity of family ties and a residual symptom of Malicant’s chaos, a boundary some of the most powerful families are especially rigorous in enforcing.
In the wake of the invasion some specific families have come into prominence, having the numbers and resources to enforce some manner of control over the rest.
Huǒ-si: The Snakes. This family is martially powerful, with warrior inclinations. They’ve become like a mafia group, absorbing smaller and less powerful families to add to their numbers and training them, and objecting to those who deny their martial law. The Snakes are the largest ‘family’, but they also have the broadest definition of familial ties due to their absorption of smaller and less powerful bloodlines.
Mù-wei: The Woodsmen. These are families who fled Keeliai during the invasion, and through successful guerrilla war took hold of the Chihuelans’ supply resources. Through trial and error the kedan have managed to use those resources to begin re-seeding the turtle’s back, and now provide a good chunk of the resources within the city of Keeliai. Most of the Woodsmen now live outside the city, but they make weekly journeys into the marketplace and are easily noticed by the quality of their produce in comparison to most of the other families.
Jīn-zi: The Metalworkers. This family is small, but their connections are extensive. Being technologists and engineers in mentality, it’s this family who, in the aftermath of the Foreigners’ disappearance, took control of the most technologically rich areas of Keeliai -- places like Stark Industries and Wayne Enterprises. While the smallest family, the Metalworkers are right now arguably the richest.
What is the status of NPCs?
With the deaths of Evandau, Eva and Lieuen, and Celaunn’s disappearance, other major players have stepped into the gap. We have three new NPCs - Tu Yunxu, Heojin, and Zanru - leading each of the major families, as described above, but for the sake of keeping this post a little smaller than ‘mammoth’, their details can be found on the newly updated NPCs page. We are also planning to introduce them properly in the later half of December.
With that said, here’s an update on the NPCs you already know and love -- the ones that have survived, at least.
Milyn: Milyn is arguably the only friend with any power the Foreigners have left in Keeliai. She remained with them in the Hotel, caring for them in their sleep, and was present at Eva’s final moments and the Foreigners’ awakening. Those few days alone seem to have left her a touch strained, but if anyone asks she will only make a conscious effort to return to her usual bubbly self, assuring the questioner that she is perfectly fine, simply weary, there are certainly more pressing matters to address. With her ongoing involvement and support of the Foreigners, as well as being the only visible titled holdover from the previous dynasty, her fellow kedan are divided on how they view her.
Celaunn: There are rumours among the gangs and the lower-ranked Snakes that Celaunn was seen during the invasion fighting off the Chihuelans, with a varying array of disfigurements and sometimes outright demonic transformations. She’s taken on an almost mythical status, either in terms of martial prowess or as a victim. Some families use her as evidence of what happens when you deny the bogeyman or befriend the Foreigners. Regardless, where she is and whether she is even alive is unknown.
With that said, here’s an update on the NPCs you already know and love -- the ones that have survived, at least.
Milyn: Milyn is arguably the only friend with any power the Foreigners have left in Keeliai. She remained with them in the Hotel, caring for them in their sleep, and was present at Eva’s final moments and the Foreigners’ awakening. Those few days alone seem to have left her a touch strained, but if anyone asks she will only make a conscious effort to return to her usual bubbly self, assuring the questioner that she is perfectly fine, simply weary, there are certainly more pressing matters to address. With her ongoing involvement and support of the Foreigners, as well as being the only visible titled holdover from the previous dynasty, her fellow kedan are divided on how they view her.
Celaunn: There are rumours among the gangs and the lower-ranked Snakes that Celaunn was seen during the invasion fighting off the Chihuelans, with a varying array of disfigurements and sometimes outright demonic transformations. She’s taken on an almost mythical status, either in terms of martial prowess or as a victim. Some families use her as evidence of what happens when you deny the bogeyman or befriend the Foreigners. Regardless, where she is and whether she is even alive is unknown.
What important changes have there been to Keeliai and/or to Tu Vishan?
RESOURCES: In many ways the resources in Keeliai are richer than they have been in centuries. While still sparse compared to many places where the turtle can make landfall, the re-seeding movement pushed by the Woodsmen has established a greater range of produce than the ocean-centric diet that was there previously. That being said, most of that new produce is fairly expensive, and most of the poorer families can’t afford it.
The military contingent dispatched from Atamsichar also brought in some siege equipment and building materials, which have now been repurposed to upgrade parts of the city, with the result that timber and stone are a touch more readily available.
TECHNOLOGY: Where before the kedan were locked into a passive foraging/agricultural society, now they have an aggressive drive for progression. Although it’s only been a year, there is a marked difference in the quality of architecture and living- and working-space, especially in the richest parts of the city. The plumbing has improved, for one thing, and so has such things as lighting and gas. There is now a dedicated if somewhat fragile electrical system throughout the city.
There are also rudimentary network consoles in places where there weren't any before, but correspondingly the consoles in unused buildings have been used as parts. Some of them show evidence of tampering before being abandoned, but others have been gutted. Due to the kedan making their own ventures into communications technology, the stationary consoles are no longer able to be encrypted -- if you'd like a private conversation, best do it in person or use Stark's radio handsets instead! Just remember, the radios only have audio features. Look at the newly updated gameplay page for more information about the differences between the consoles and the radio network.
There is evidence of a tram system being built between the sectors, though at this time it has only been completed between the two wealthiest sectors -- Fire and Metal. Construction has obviously begun in the other sectors too, but was interrupted by the Chihuelan invasion. Since then, territorial squabbling between the Snakes and the Metalworkers have limited the progress of construction.
The largest jump has been in terms of weaponry. Thanks to the wealth of technology available from the Foreigner-run industries, as well as captured weapons from the Chihuelan invasion, the kedan are now in possession of bullet-firing weapons, explosives, and disabling items like flashbangs or knockout gas. While the carrying of weapons is restricted, it’s primarily enforced by the Snakes.
The military contingent dispatched from Atamsichar also brought in some siege equipment and building materials, which have now been repurposed to upgrade parts of the city, with the result that timber and stone are a touch more readily available.
TECHNOLOGY: Where before the kedan were locked into a passive foraging/agricultural society, now they have an aggressive drive for progression. Although it’s only been a year, there is a marked difference in the quality of architecture and living- and working-space, especially in the richest parts of the city. The plumbing has improved, for one thing, and so has such things as lighting and gas. There is now a dedicated if somewhat fragile electrical system throughout the city.
There are also rudimentary network consoles in places where there weren't any before, but correspondingly the consoles in unused buildings have been used as parts. Some of them show evidence of tampering before being abandoned, but others have been gutted. Due to the kedan making their own ventures into communications technology, the stationary consoles are no longer able to be encrypted -- if you'd like a private conversation, best do it in person or use Stark's radio handsets instead! Just remember, the radios only have audio features. Look at the newly updated gameplay page for more information about the differences between the consoles and the radio network.
There is evidence of a tram system being built between the sectors, though at this time it has only been completed between the two wealthiest sectors -- Fire and Metal. Construction has obviously begun in the other sectors too, but was interrupted by the Chihuelan invasion. Since then, territorial squabbling between the Snakes and the Metalworkers have limited the progress of construction.
The largest jump has been in terms of weaponry. Thanks to the wealth of technology available from the Foreigner-run industries, as well as captured weapons from the Chihuelan invasion, the kedan are now in possession of bullet-firing weapons, explosives, and disabling items like flashbangs or knockout gas. While the carrying of weapons is restricted, it’s primarily enforced by the Snakes.
How are the Foreigners going to live and work now?
LIVING: What used to be the quad living quarters for the Foreigners have now been taken over. While not all the buildings are being used by the kedan, particularly those belonging to Foreigners of whom the kedan were most afraid, most of them have been repurposed. The kedan no longer care about the Foreigners’ wellbeing, and won’t stick out their necks to make sure they’re comfortable -- the Foreigners will now have to negotiate for quarters, take them back by force or settle wherever there is room.
Those who do manage to take back their rooms from before Malicant’s defeat will find they’ve been explored and raided. Anything of value has been taken; technology, money, jewellery and the like. Books have been used as fuel, pawned or outright abandoned. Some might find their clothes missing and distributed among the poorer kedan, while others might find their possessions now circulating within the black market trade in the seedier parts of the city. How their retrieve them is up to the individual characters, but the kedan are large believers in "finders, keepers".
Most of those whose suites were outright abandoned will find that their consoles have been tampered with. At worst, there’s a congealed layer of goo across everything near where the consoles were and the insides have been gutted. At best, the consoles only work sporadically, but are fixable.
LANTERNS: The lanterns are outright gone. Poof! However, when the Foreigners wake up they will find themselves with a little extra piece of jewelry they didn’t have before -- a necklace, a bracelet, a brooch or ring. Inset into this jewelry is a crystal, one which looks remarkably like the crystals used to defeat Malicant, in fact. It will pulse gently with the same light that the lanterns did, however, and will always feel warm to the touch.
Milyn will be sure to tell everyone that this is their new connection to Keeliai. The Foreigners can take them off, but much like the stationary lanterns, if they are apart from the crystal for too long they will experience progressively debilitating symptoms. Those symptoms will start with mild dizziness, working into severe dizziness, fever, lethargy and visions of the Death Plane that feels as though a door has been slammed in their face, not unlike how it had been when they were separated from the lanterns. If they’re apart from their soul crystal for too long, they will die. The general progression of symptoms takes about 72 hours.
On the plus side, this means that Foreigners can live wherever they wish so long as they remain in contact with their soul crystal.
WORK: Any jobs previously held under kedanese employers have been terminated, and while the kedan may consider hiring them back, it will be at much lower pay and worse conditions. Foreigners who owned or ran businesses of their own may find them ransacked like the housing, or taken over by new tenants. They can choose to evict them and reclaim the property if they're able to, but the kedan will likely not go quietly.
NOTABLE PLACES: The city, in many ways, has been divided up between the three most powerful families in a way that transcends the sectors’ boundaries. Places with a high technological presence, like Stark Industries and Wayne Enterprises, belong to the Metalworkers and are among the richest of areas. Entrance into these areas is disallowed unless escorted at all times by a member of the Metalworkers family.
The hospital belongs to the Snakes as one of their major resources against the gangs, but admittance is now strictly regulated. If a patient isn’t one of the major families they are usually forced to pay for treatment through trade or by joining the Snakes’ ‘family’ -- an enforced lifetime membership. For that reason there are now pockets of illegal clinics springing up where gang-members and kedan who resist the Snakes’ influence can receive treatment.
The Palace of the Landed Sky is still something of a no man’s land, although there have been forays into the upper rooms in order to strip it of its greatest resources. Much of the outer wall and easily accessible terraces have had their fine marble quarried off. Now it’s a gutted skeleton of its former self, more like a shadow or a ghost than a truly intimidating place -- but still a place where the kedan generally don’t want to go. That being said, there’s evidence that someone is there quite regularly, and all the entrances leading into the dungeons and underground rooms have been blocked off.
The police station is no more -- at least not in its previous state. While the station struggled on for some time before the invasion, it was one of the first places hit, being one of the few places left with any authority and ability to unify the kedan. The location where the station was has now been built over with a mansion belonging to the leader of the Snakes, a sort of miniature palace. The police-kedan are either dead, have joined the Snakes, or are now considered threats to the city-state as gang members resisting the three families.
The Midnight Hotel’s location, once it returns to Keeliai, will have shifted. It will still have access to all five sectors, but the building’s movable foundation seems to squeeze in-between other used buildings wherever there is room. Because its location shift to beneath the shell cut off access from the surface, it’s also one of the few places left in Keeliai which hasn’t been raided by the kedan, and is therefore one of the few buildings showing no outside damage from the invasion. It also has twenty-two empty rooms available for rent.
At the Welcome Center, the damage seems to have been driven by the urge to deface and destroy rather than any genuine need to strip the site of its resources. Being a primary focal point for the Foreigner presence in Keeliai, it was also quickly targeted without anyone left to defend it. Walls have been torn down, the interior has been set ablaze, and the furniture smashed and dragged away. Like other living spaces in the city, the consoles were likewise gutted and then triggered to melt down. The building now stands as a dilapidated husk, though no one has moved in to claim the actual property space just yet.
In the Water Sector, Milyn's apothecary is run down due to a year of disuse while she was trapped in the Hotel with the Foreigners, but was largely spared the same pillaging treatment that the Foreigners' properties received. Until another option is found, this is likely the safest place for them to receive medical treatment and care. It will also be where characters can inquire about canon updates.
Those who do manage to take back their rooms from before Malicant’s defeat will find they’ve been explored and raided. Anything of value has been taken; technology, money, jewellery and the like. Books have been used as fuel, pawned or outright abandoned. Some might find their clothes missing and distributed among the poorer kedan, while others might find their possessions now circulating within the black market trade in the seedier parts of the city. How their retrieve them is up to the individual characters, but the kedan are large believers in "finders, keepers".
Most of those whose suites were outright abandoned will find that their consoles have been tampered with. At worst, there’s a congealed layer of goo across everything near where the consoles were and the insides have been gutted. At best, the consoles only work sporadically, but are fixable.
LANTERNS: The lanterns are outright gone. Poof! However, when the Foreigners wake up they will find themselves with a little extra piece of jewelry they didn’t have before -- a necklace, a bracelet, a brooch or ring. Inset into this jewelry is a crystal, one which looks remarkably like the crystals used to defeat Malicant, in fact. It will pulse gently with the same light that the lanterns did, however, and will always feel warm to the touch.
Milyn will be sure to tell everyone that this is their new connection to Keeliai. The Foreigners can take them off, but much like the stationary lanterns, if they are apart from the crystal for too long they will experience progressively debilitating symptoms. Those symptoms will start with mild dizziness, working into severe dizziness, fever, lethargy and visions of the Death Plane that feels as though a door has been slammed in their face, not unlike how it had been when they were separated from the lanterns. If they’re apart from their soul crystal for too long, they will die. The general progression of symptoms takes about 72 hours.
On the plus side, this means that Foreigners can live wherever they wish so long as they remain in contact with their soul crystal.
WORK: Any jobs previously held under kedanese employers have been terminated, and while the kedan may consider hiring them back, it will be at much lower pay and worse conditions. Foreigners who owned or ran businesses of their own may find them ransacked like the housing, or taken over by new tenants. They can choose to evict them and reclaim the property if they're able to, but the kedan will likely not go quietly.
NOTABLE PLACES: The city, in many ways, has been divided up between the three most powerful families in a way that transcends the sectors’ boundaries. Places with a high technological presence, like Stark Industries and Wayne Enterprises, belong to the Metalworkers and are among the richest of areas. Entrance into these areas is disallowed unless escorted at all times by a member of the Metalworkers family.
The hospital belongs to the Snakes as one of their major resources against the gangs, but admittance is now strictly regulated. If a patient isn’t one of the major families they are usually forced to pay for treatment through trade or by joining the Snakes’ ‘family’ -- an enforced lifetime membership. For that reason there are now pockets of illegal clinics springing up where gang-members and kedan who resist the Snakes’ influence can receive treatment.
The Palace of the Landed Sky is still something of a no man’s land, although there have been forays into the upper rooms in order to strip it of its greatest resources. Much of the outer wall and easily accessible terraces have had their fine marble quarried off. Now it’s a gutted skeleton of its former self, more like a shadow or a ghost than a truly intimidating place -- but still a place where the kedan generally don’t want to go. That being said, there’s evidence that someone is there quite regularly, and all the entrances leading into the dungeons and underground rooms have been blocked off.
The police station is no more -- at least not in its previous state. While the station struggled on for some time before the invasion, it was one of the first places hit, being one of the few places left with any authority and ability to unify the kedan. The location where the station was has now been built over with a mansion belonging to the leader of the Snakes, a sort of miniature palace. The police-kedan are either dead, have joined the Snakes, or are now considered threats to the city-state as gang members resisting the three families.
The Midnight Hotel’s location, once it returns to Keeliai, will have shifted. It will still have access to all five sectors, but the building’s movable foundation seems to squeeze in-between other used buildings wherever there is room. Because its location shift to beneath the shell cut off access from the surface, it’s also one of the few places left in Keeliai which hasn’t been raided by the kedan, and is therefore one of the few buildings showing no outside damage from the invasion. It also has twenty-two empty rooms available for rent.
At the Welcome Center, the damage seems to have been driven by the urge to deface and destroy rather than any genuine need to strip the site of its resources. Being a primary focal point for the Foreigner presence in Keeliai, it was also quickly targeted without anyone left to defend it. Walls have been torn down, the interior has been set ablaze, and the furniture smashed and dragged away. Like other living spaces in the city, the consoles were likewise gutted and then triggered to melt down. The building now stands as a dilapidated husk, though no one has moved in to claim the actual property space just yet.
In the Water Sector, Milyn's apothecary is run down due to a year of disuse while she was trapped in the Hotel with the Foreigners, but was largely spared the same pillaging treatment that the Foreigners' properties received. Until another option is found, this is likely the safest place for them to receive medical treatment and care. It will also be where characters can inquire about canon updates.
What is the status of the other continents?
Some continents are still unexplored and thus we have no solid status to offer, though it is possible -- even likely -- that any residents upon them have heard the spreading word of Malicant’s defeat. The rumours may have gotten things mixed up just a tad … for one thing, the Foreigners’ disappearance imply that the kedan are the ones who defeated Malicant, which has left them with something of a reputation.
Thanks to that reputation, attitudes toward the Foreigners have cooled. Although those attitudes generally lack the resentment now harboured by the kedan, the pervasive perception is that the Foreigners are bumbling or charming frauds, to be tolerated or dismissed. Curiosities -- but not really the threats they claimed to be.
One continent, Chihuelo, has already tried to invade Keeliai in order to secure a colony and take advantage of unique resources found upon the turtle’s shell. Most of the primary contact from the Chihuelans comes from the city of Atamsichar. While a fraction of their forces were able to return to their homeland, the Chihuelans are a stubborn lot and now know more about what the kedan are capable of. Whether or not a peaceful resolution can be pursued is up in the air, though it’s safe to say they would not appreciate a turtle landing on their doorstep so soon after being defeated.
Other continents, including those who have been visited by the Foreigners during previous landfalls and for missions, will have revised writeups on the Locations page, coming soon.
Thanks to that reputation, attitudes toward the Foreigners have cooled. Although those attitudes generally lack the resentment now harboured by the kedan, the pervasive perception is that the Foreigners are bumbling or charming frauds, to be tolerated or dismissed. Curiosities -- but not really the threats they claimed to be.
One continent, Chihuelo, has already tried to invade Keeliai in order to secure a colony and take advantage of unique resources found upon the turtle’s shell. Most of the primary contact from the Chihuelans comes from the city of Atamsichar. While a fraction of their forces were able to return to their homeland, the Chihuelans are a stubborn lot and now know more about what the kedan are capable of. Whether or not a peaceful resolution can be pursued is up in the air, though it’s safe to say they would not appreciate a turtle landing on their doorstep so soon after being defeated.
Other continents, including those who have been visited by the Foreigners during previous landfalls and for missions, will have revised writeups on the Locations page, coming soon.
ORGANIZATION
How are arrivals/departures happening now? What about canon updates?
ARRIVALS
Thanks to Eva, the planes of Life and Dreaming are now bonded in a way they’ve never been before. This bonding has left the planes stretched thin enough that they've actually shifted position, leaving a sort of rift in the spaces between them, and remaining traces of magic from Eshai's spell and Eva's efforts mean that souls can be drawn into Keeliai at random and without apparent cause. This means that characters will be appearing without actively being summoned, and disappear from Keeliai the same way. It's also not known at this time if newly arrived characters will have time frozen in their worlds the same way as characters who were brought in deliberately.
For the fully detailed description of character arrivals, see the Arrival Guide.
CANON UPDATES
Canon updates are more guided. In the year that Eva was trying to rescue the Foreigners, Milyn was working on improving her Dreaming serum in the hope she could develop an antidote. While it was ultimately Eva’s efforts that brought the Foreigners back, Milyn has nevertheless developed a serum which can be used to send a Foreigner deeply into the Dreaming where they will experience their canon as if they were there, both mentally and physically, without actually being there.
It’s not powerful enough to send people all the way home, however -- there is something of a slingshot effect, wherein the longer the canon-update the greater the side-effects of the serum once the Foreigner wakes up. (Side-effects include nausea, headaches and a sensation as if they’re not quite in the right place.) Those who have been in Keeliai for some time will liken it to a scientific version of the viewing pool that Eshai had once used in the Palace, except this will include physical remnants to return with as proof.
For the fully detailed description of character updates, see the Canon Update post.
Thanks to Eva, the planes of Life and Dreaming are now bonded in a way they’ve never been before. This bonding has left the planes stretched thin enough that they've actually shifted position, leaving a sort of rift in the spaces between them, and remaining traces of magic from Eshai's spell and Eva's efforts mean that souls can be drawn into Keeliai at random and without apparent cause. This means that characters will be appearing without actively being summoned, and disappear from Keeliai the same way. It's also not known at this time if newly arrived characters will have time frozen in their worlds the same way as characters who were brought in deliberately.
For the fully detailed description of character arrivals, see the Arrival Guide.
CANON UPDATES
Canon updates are more guided. In the year that Eva was trying to rescue the Foreigners, Milyn was working on improving her Dreaming serum in the hope she could develop an antidote. While it was ultimately Eva’s efforts that brought the Foreigners back, Milyn has nevertheless developed a serum which can be used to send a Foreigner deeply into the Dreaming where they will experience their canon as if they were there, both mentally and physically, without actually being there.
It’s not powerful enough to send people all the way home, however -- there is something of a slingshot effect, wherein the longer the canon-update the greater the side-effects of the serum once the Foreigner wakes up. (Side-effects include nausea, headaches and a sensation as if they’re not quite in the right place.) Those who have been in Keeliai for some time will liken it to a scientific version of the viewing pool that Eshai had once used in the Palace, except this will include physical remnants to return with as proof.
For the fully detailed description of character updates, see the Canon Update post.
Any word yet regarding future events?
We have a few things lined up for the near-immediate future! In December, there will be a city event where the Foreigners will have a chance to meet the new NPCs and start to find their footing in this "new" Keeliai. The first landfall will occur in the later half of January, in which there will be an opportunity for the Foreigners to determine more about Tu Vishan’s state and whether Malicant was accurate when he claimed he was the only Asti. Foreigners will also get the opportunity to engage with the continent and its residents. Now that word regarding the end of the war is out, Keeliai may find others migrating onto the turtle’s back -- but there’s no guarantee they’ll be benign.
In general, we plan to have more frequent landfalls, with one every three or four months. This means that the Foreigners will have the opportunity to revisit old continents as well as explore new ones, and they might find that situations have drastically changed since they last visited. We are planning to have a more solid calendar and will be looking to update that by mid December, so we can plan the timing of the landfalls.
In general, we plan to have more frequent landfalls, with one every three or four months. This means that the Foreigners will have the opportunity to revisit old continents as well as explore new ones, and they might find that situations have drastically changed since they last visited. We are planning to have a more solid calendar and will be looking to update that by mid December, so we can plan the timing of the landfalls.
What about Activity Checks?
For December, the Activity Check will be a check-in only, same as in November, so that no one has to try and juggle thread counts in the middle of the holiday and school crunch seasons. The new Activity Check requirements will come into play starting January 1, 2015. We are also wiping any outstanding strikes to start fresh for everyone.
The complete breakdown of the new AC is listed on the Rules page, but to summarize:
STARTING POINTS + MISSION CREDITS
As of January 1st, all characters in the game will be given a starter pool of 5 AC points, which can be used in the January landfall. In addition, characters who had unredeemed mission credits have had them tallied and those credits have been converted to AC points (where there was a case of any half credits, we rounded up for you).
ITEMS & REWARDS:
Note that the system of item requests has now changed! Personal possessions are now redeemed under the points system, which means that they will have to be earned by accumulating AC points. You'll be pleased to know, however, that landfall is no longer the only option of getting them! They can also be acquired via the growing black market in Keeliail, so when your item request is submitted, the approval comment will include a unique location for finding it.
For the full information on the new reward points system, which also includes cashing in points for side plots, NPC favours, and special items and powers, please see the Reward Requests page.
The complete breakdown of the new AC is listed on the Rules page, but to summarize:
- • 15 comments accumulated across a maximum of 3 threads (down from 20/per 4 threads). One base point will be awarded each month for base activity, per character.
• For every additional 15 tags (again, spread across maximum 3 threads per 15) you can earn one additional point, with a cap of 60 tags and 4 points a month.
• The mods will confirm the points for each month when your activity is submitted on the AC post, and will be keeping a public spreadsheet to track them.
STARTING POINTS + MISSION CREDITS
As of January 1st, all characters in the game will be given a starter pool of 5 AC points, which can be used in the January landfall. In addition, characters who had unredeemed mission credits have had them tallied and those credits have been converted to AC points (where there was a case of any half credits, we rounded up for you).
ITEMS & REWARDS:
Note that the system of item requests has now changed! Personal possessions are now redeemed under the points system, which means that they will have to be earned by accumulating AC points. You'll be pleased to know, however, that landfall is no longer the only option of getting them! They can also be acquired via the growing black market in Keeliail, so when your item request is submitted, the approval comment will include a unique location for finding it.
For the full information on the new reward points system, which also includes cashing in points for side plots, NPC favours, and special items and powers, please see the Reward Requests page.
A few more itty-bitty things!
This is relating to the schedule for application processing. Because two of our mods are in the southern hemisphere and two of them study during the week, we’ve changed the application schedule slightly so the bulk of the application processing falls on the weekend. Instead of applications being due on Wednesday evening, they will now have a submission cut-off at 09:00pm (21:00) PST Friday night. Extending on that, initial results on these apps will be posted by 09:00pm (21:00) PST every Sunday. Minor changes have also were made to the App template to remove the Suite section, as it no longer applies.
We also have a shiny new profile. :)
We also have a shiny new profile. :)
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