GAME ITINERARY | JUNE 2016

[ironwood]

Hello chelonauts, here is a fresh new itinerary post! Previous months can be found under this tag.

Here's what we've got lined up for June 2016 (2017 in-game):

Weather

The weather finally relents a little. The snow flurries have only switched to cold drizzles, though, so some may find that actually worse than the snow. It makes aerial hunting for the Xojan more of a challenge as the rakenga take shelter, and consequently the price of their meat in the city rises to match. The Igheeri are especially miserable, as the rains also trigger their biological need to moult, which many of them find embarrassing, a throwback of a less evolved time. (It's also generally understood, though less remarked upon, that their patchy feather appearance drives their vanity-driven attitudes through the roof.) The rains extend to Tu Vishan as well, although they seem localized to the interior, and so moving toward the outer edges of the shell can help escape it for a while.

Kedan/Foreigner Relations

There is a subtle unease between the Foreigners and the kedan this month, though it is perhaps best described as 'resignation'. There's a distinct lack of surprise about Milyn's unpublicized return to the clinic, as though the fact that she's not dead has overloaded the kedans' sense of expectation. Many of them talk about Milyn's fake death with polite tones, which is a stark contrast to the explosive anger of previous occurrences in which the Foreigners meddled in the city's workings; as if there is a breaking point fast approaching, and the kedan are husbanding their feelings.

While many are still friendly with the Foreigners and are pre-emptively congratulating them on their efforts to wake Tu Vishan, just as many are subtly derogatory about Milyn's death being falsified. The memorial by the clinic still stands, and it's still by preference kedan-centric, where Foreigners are (politely) unwelcomed.

Courtesy is the name of interactions this month -- a standoffishness which accepts the Foreigners' place in Keeliai, acknowledging what they do for the benefit of the turtle, and yet declines to place any trust in them. Generally, the Foreigners are treated like that embarrassing friend no one wants to invite to a party because they have a tendency to ruin it without realising, and yet always invites themselves to the parties anyway.

The kedanese investigators focussed on Milyn's death are continuing their work even though she's returned to her clinic, but are branching out; in fact, several are being approached by other kedan to report crimes, or request assistance. If offered assistance by like-minded Foreigners, ten to one the offer will be (politely) declined.

Local Events

QUAKIN' AND SHAKIN'

Throughout the month, a series of small tremors will be passing through the turtle shell, growing in intensity as June progresses. They don't cause any significant damage, thanks in part to the recent retrofits done due to similar quakes and jolts in past months, but as they accompany brief increases in the glow emanating from the shell, everyone is taking notice. By the end of the month, the shell glow is bright enough to once again be seen even during daylight hours.

Additionally, there will be sporadic bursts of an intense feeling of tranquility, not unlike the aura of peacefulness that once existed in the area of Asti's head. However, unlike that gentle vibe, this is hitting people with the subtlety of a sledgehammer, making people -- Foreigners and kedan alike -- completely zone out for several minutes in the midst of whatever they're doing: walking down the street, cooking in their houses, etc. Although this only happens on Tu Vishan, with all parts of Hatal exempt from the effects, it does affect any of the Tavimbians who happen to be visiting Keeliai at the time. Predictably, this doesn't go over well with the Tavimbians, particularly when the kedan can't really offer an explanation for it.

Log Note: The shell tremors and intrusive peace spells will not have a mod-posted event log, but can be noted in posts and logs throughout the month.

NEWS FROM AFAR - REDUX - JUNE 11

Two months prior, the Xojan returned from the inland city of Zirot with a message from a male named Turchight, who claimed to be a Foreigner from Eshai's last group of imported warriors. Agreeing to answer ten questions should they be sent to him, the Xojan have now returned, bearing his answers in the form of a new video message.

Log Note: This part of the News From Afar plot will have a network entry posted on June 11th, but will not have a general log for characters to follow up on the responses. There is a comment below on this post for OOC discussion of Turchight's answers.

NPCs & Families

While there are no overt displays of rebellion, there are a few decently clear divides between the families this month. The Snakes are not especially respected, with most of the kedan having taken their cue from conversations on the console post about law enforcement.

TU YUNXU

In general, the Snakes do still have the unofficial authority they're accustomed to. Their word still carries weight both individually and as a group, and it's fairly obvious this month that even the most hard-headed Snakes are making a concerted effort to be fairer than they have in the past. But it's too little too late, as the old saying goes, and the observant will almost certainly notice that the occasional scuffle in the city seems to occur thanks to a deteriorating trust in any nearby Snakes -- if, indeed, 'trust' was ever the right word.

One might expect Yunxu to be angry about recent developments, or at the very least to vanish from public view. Surprisingly, however, he seems pretty calm about the whole thing. Actually, in some circumstances, he seems almost happy. Is it a front? Who knows? Many of the Snakes have no idea, and will tell anyone asking them exactly that. They're just happy the boss isn't taking his anger out on them.

ZANRU/XUIYU

The Metalworkers are busy this month. After certain materials are provided to her, Xuiyu has made the funding of new enforcement capabilities more public -- though without making a fuss over it. 'Public', in this case, means talking about it where people can hear it.

The area of the College from last month does suddenly double in staff size, and a few apprentices from Stark Industries can be seen with College engineers trying to figure out the best way to make handcuffs for shapeshifters. Likewise, some of the Metalworkers' smaller businesses have been put on the task of designing various accoutrements which might be useful in non-lethally telling people where to shove it. The spot-checks to the city's mechanical and engineering infrastructure continue.

Moreover, there are a handful of kedan -- not immediately recognisable as Metalworkers -- approaching various less powerful families and asking them questions rather like a survey regarding how they feel about certain traditions, punishments, and how highly they rank some minor crimes.

Xuiyu herself has been seen in the company of some gang-members -- and not only the 'militia' hired by her family to keep the peace in the districts where they hold the most power.

HEOJIN

The Woodsmen are regularly seen on the streets these days, not precisely alongside the Snakes but not exactly in opposition to them, either. Like the previous two months, they will definitely step in if it seems like the Foreigners are being harassed -- or where they are asked for help, where other kedan are concerned -- but they also seem to be operating under an order not to overreach.

This obviously chafes some of them, and a handful of brawls do occur, but the Woodsmen combatants are rarely seen back in the city for a while. No matter what the Snakes might be up to, the Woodsmen's orders are to protect the innocent but not deliberately subvert the Snakes' authority (what little of it is left). It's a switch from the previous month, and less openly antagonistic.

While Heojin's body-doubles are still visibly in attendance, Heojin himself can be found occasionally in Keeliai -- for one thing, rumours have it he's even been seen going into, or coming out of, Stark Industries; for another, he's also been seen at the makeshift investigative facility in a corner of the College.

MILYN

Having decided that an attempt on her life isn't a good enough reason to extend her enforced vacation beyond what it's already at, Milyn has insisted on returning to her apothecary and clinic in the Water Sector. Throughout the month, she can be found alternately explaining her absence -- with a distinctly vague retelling of what happened and who is or isn't responsible -- and apologizing for deceiving people who believed her death to be real. While for the most part she's just as effusive to and about the Foreigners as always (even though there are talks of trial and repercussions and the like), there's many an afternoon where she's closed into her clinic's examination room with some of her fellow kedanese for longer than it should strictly take for prescriptions and exams.

AROYAN

The Guild's "Coin Magician" seems to be on a slight edge this month, despite the fact that business is up in nearly every sector of the city. It isn't hard to figure out that, while the average kedan is getting along well enough, the current state of the Families and their ever-shifting allegiances is something that concerns him. Where the Foreigners are concerned, Aroyan will be continuing to push for new businesses and ventures to be started up, working with those who show interest in such to provide whatever is necessary to get these projects off the ground.

KUHIE & KIUEU

Making themselves more known around the city this month are two sibling kedan, a sister and brother. Their names are Kuhie and Kiueu respectively, and they can be found in public locales, mostly small shops and cafes, talking with people about something they're calling the "Ban Om Zhogton Bia Cach", (called Ban Om, for short) which loosely translated means, "The Morning After The Long Night". Most of the talk is about renewing the veneration of the Great Turtles, especially their new offspring, and also how -- as the oldest things in this or any universe -- all decisions about how people live their lives should be made in a way that most respects them. Although they've been offering their views for at least a couple of months, with the growing activity seeming to indicate Asti's partially renewed consciousness, their rhetoric seems to be beginning to gain traction.

Economy

There's an easing off of commodities in June, especially ones which are warmth-based. In fact, there's a noticeable decline in electrical use; some kedan are even willingly turning off their lights so they can bask in the shell's glow.

The uplift in spirits caused by the shell's glow, even fitful as it is, has many kedan reaching out to less fortunate families. Prices are down without being dangerous to the economy, and there's a sense of generosity to transactions. A few are taking leads from places like the new shelter and are volunteering their time and sometimes juulan to kedan who have a little less. The spreading around of a bit of wealth makes little frivolities lucrative!

There's a good market on lands and buildings this month in particular, which drives some major home and building-related prices up.

Crime

After the announcement about the plans for a police force, crime remains high; but violence is especially prevalent this month. Some of the gangs approached by Foreigners are already trying to exert their authority, though the results aren't necessarily on the good side, given there isn't yet proper oversight.

In general, it does seem like the petty criminals are trying to take advantage of this period before a set law, or are pushing the envelope to see how much they can press before there's pushback (or the whole venture folds). Thankfully, some of the Metalworker/College funded investigators are picking up some slack. That being said, they're as likely to bring 'police' gang-members to the Courtyard for some public judgement as actual criminals; which renders the authority of the 'police' gang-members rather hollow. So far, there isn't much in the way of coordination, and nowhere to put people who have been stopped except some small rooms in the College or gangs' personal headquarters.

Regardless, those who are 'arrested' are usually set free once their family picks them up and pays 'bail' (either into a fund the gangs are keeping for Valdis's police force, or the College's investigative facility). Despite the initial violence of some meetings, the behaviour of most of those involved skews away from injury after the fact. The mentality of direct families bearing the greatest right to decide punishment is still winning out -- at least while the 'trials' are still public, and social pressure obliges some particularly lenient families not to let their kin off with a slap to the wrist.

Technology

Electronics this month are in top form! The grid is less taxed thanks to the turn in weather, and that gives the Metalworkers the chance to undertake some maintenance of heating systems all around the city. On the whole, the upgrades from May are making living quarters more comfortable for people who want to get out of the rain.

The maintenance on the consoles, however, appears to be more extensive than they were last month. Though nothing seems to be stopping the consoles from working, a few -- notably the frostbitten ones from last month -- have displayed 'error' messages, as though trying to connect to a network which isn't present. While the error inevitably fixes itself, and the Metalworkers find nothing wrong with the console's internal biological systems, it is a cause for concern.

International

CHIHUELO

The mysterious challenger to the Chihuelans seems to have subsided in their efforts to rid Hatal of Chihuelans through honourable combat, though their numbers haven't dwindled much. The Chihuelans have started moving in groups, however, and while they still watch the Foreigners they also seem to be on guard against someone watching them.

Though none appear in Keeliai, a few can also be seen on the outskirts of Hatal, especially during or just after shows of light from the shell -- often with paper and pencil in hand.

So that's our outline for the month of June! If you have any questions about these happenings, please use the Questions comment below. Otherwise, this post is free space for monthly OOC plotting.