GAME ITINERARY | DECEMBER 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 December:

Weather

The weather remains remarkably - almost eerily - stable, with cool temperatures persisting throughout most of the month. It's not ideal for growing much, but the wildlife in Ioa Elanag continues to be an alternative source of food. Towards the end of the month, the relative dryness gives way to a gentle drizzle. Before too long, though, the earlier stability reasserts itself, but it’s accompanied by a return of the high winds from the previous month. Swift gusts off of the continent aren’t felt much in Keeliai, though occasionally the winds will pick up enough in the city to create quite a stir, knocking lighter objects off outdoor tables and blowing leaves and other debris around.

Kedan/Foreigner Relations

Foreigner and Kedan relations remain reasonably stable this month. There are mutterings about whether or not the Kin’nal will choose to occupy the empty compound in Ioa Elanag or continue to live on in the city. For the most part, however, things remain peaceful.

Aroyan’s passing at the start of the month does create tension, however. There’s grumblings that echo his successor’s disappointment in a lack of Foreigner intervention. No one is specifically blamed, and the chagrin is low-level, but Foreigners may find that they’re charged more for certain goods, or overhear muttered commentary that is decidedly not favorable. The year-end celebrations ease some of this tension, but the uncertainty about the stance of Aroyan’s replacement does linger.

Local Events

Rosyn’s Year-End Celebrations - DEC 10

Foreigners and kedan alike have a variety of year-end celebrations, some religious, some not. In Keeliai, celebrating Malicant’s defeat three years ago and the return of the Foreigners from the Dreaming is of special importance. This was also the time of year that the kedan regained their full abilities after Malicant’s downfall, so it’s important to mark. To that end, Rosyn is putting on a huge party on December 10. It's an effort at unity, and so of course all the other council members are expected to attend in some capacity or other, no matter how much they grumble about it.

The Courtyard of Public Opinion will host the bulk of the celebrations, although there will be more private revels at The Shaded Lantern later in the evening.

Log Note: The Year-end Celebrations will have a mod-posted event log.

Happy Anniversaries Gift Market

With the stable weather, shop-owners and artisans are able to sell wares and merchandise outdoors for most of the month. Tables and stalls pop up along streets, particularly in Central, as part of the year-end festivities. ‘Happy anniversary’ gifts are encouraged to keep spirits high, which isn’t too hard - with Tu Vishan awake there’s a renewed sense of hope for the coming year. Many of the items for sale are knick-knacks, or old stock that shop owners are looking to clear out in order to get a fresh start.

During this event, characters will have the good fortune of coming across a possession of theirs, each tagged with a simple white tag bearing a hand-inked symbol of a stylized feather. These items can be found anywhere in the city, but none will be found in the compound at Ioa Elanag. The items always turn up in places where they can be merely picked up; characters will not have to purchase the item nor will it be in kedan possession (but they may need to argue with a kedan that spots it and considers it valuable). If asked about the symbol, the general consensus is that it's from the Xaxosi legend, which was recounted during the Ni Zhihuan festival. They will recall that the same thing happened during the Yard Sale last year, with just as little explanation.

Log Note: The Gift Market will have a mod-posted event log.

NPCs & Families

There are high tempers and tensions this month between some of the city figures, and one changing of the guard...

AROYAN + ODYNI

After a couple of months battling an unidentified but serious illness, it is with regret that the Merchant's Guild announces that Aroyan has passed away, leaving behind his wife and three children. His protege, the kedan woman named Odyni who has been filling in for him while he was ill, takes over his position as the primary intermediary between the Guild and the Foreigner population. Unlike her predecessor and mentor however, Odyni is much less approving of the Foreigners, not in small part due to the fact that she feels Aroyan's death could have been prevented with their intervention; this much is clear from her network address.

Odyni doesn't have the same standing within the Merchant's Guild that Aroyan carried, nor is she part of the ruling body that governs their business, so she may have far less effectiveness at securing loans, real estate, and other benefits for the Foreigners should they require them. Then again, the talk around the city is that she wouldn't be trying to be effective, at least not very hard.

KUHIE & KIUEU

With the revised plans for the new Ban Om temple, but also with volunteers from the Foreigners bringing unique abilities to the table in order to move things along. At present projection, the construction is due to be finished some time in December, and is planning to be fully furnished by early January, at which point they will start holding ceremonies. Until then, both siblings continue to promote the veneration of the Great Turtle, and more than one Foreigner may even find either one of the siblings, or one of their devout followers, knocking on their door to try and 'spread the word'.

OOC: If you would like your character to either contribute to the construction efforts, or receive one of these door to door visits, send a PM to irondawn.

KYDE

Kyde will be a little more subdued this month, and generally not seen outside his lab or office. After Rosyn’s party, he should be back to his insufferably cheerful self and back to business as usual. His research seems to have hit a wall and nothing motivates the man more than the seemingly impossible. Lessons at the university may be punctuated with minor explosions, and in one case late into the month, smoke filling the entire first floor lecture halls.

MILYN

Milyn continues her experiments on volunteer subjects which started last month, and with the rising price of perishable goods, there seems to be a bit of an uptick in how many she's getting. (Some of them, correspondingly, look less than pleased to be volunteering.) It's no secret that she's had a couple of subjects react very poorly and need immediate medical attention afterward, and one is even still recuperating in her clinic. Thankfully no one's died... yet.

ROSYN

Rosyn is getting very involved in the year-end festivities, encouraging the gift markets by regularly purchasing small items, and offering some merchants space in The Shaded Lantern to sell their wares as well. In the spirit of giving, Rosyn also makes a considerable donation to Dara Deis Shelter in the Earth Sector, as well as to the Healer’s Guild. She does this without fanfare, curiously, and doesn’t ask for anything in the way of recognition.

Her employees can also often be found in the markets, though they’re rarely buying, by contrast. In fact, if watched carefully, it appears that they’re observing the crowds. Foreigners in particular may occasionally even find themselves being observed. If confronted, Rosyn’s staff will hand the Foreigner an invitation to The Shaded Lantern after the Year-End Festivities, and no explanation other than that.

USAYI

Usayi, as per usual, hates everything. He's a little less cutting than he was last month, but a little more subdued by contrast, at least until the holiday party. After Rosyn's party he sticks to his shop, going out nowhere and mostly sticking to work with his hands. He won't immediately chase off anyone who comes through the door, but he will make sure they know they're testing his patience, and were it not for the quality of his sewing he might well be losing business at this point.

Economy

The economy sees a continuation of rising prices on perishables, though some who keep hothouses and greenhouse have had inexplicable good fortune in growing out-of-season crops which has taken a bit of the edge off. Others have had the opposite, however, and can be heard muttering about how ‘lucky bibiru feet’ are worthless.

There is also a budding market for Bibiru meat, furs, and yes, the feet, as many Kedan have successfully rounded up a bunch of them and started to raise them as livestock.

Crime

With the decrease in perishables, there is an increase in minor thefts and gang activity. There isn’t much in ways of organized thefts - most are isolated incidents. Towards the middle of the month a robbery turns violent with both parties winding up at the clinic with moderate to bad injuries. The incident highlights the relative youth of Keeliai’s police force; while not nearly as bad as the riots over the summer, the police force is still learning and there are whispered concerns about their ability to adequately protect the city as promised. For the most part, the kedan are willing to give the police the benefit of the doubt, but there are some who voice opposition (notably, many are members of formerly powerful gangs).

Technology

The last of the kinks appear to have been worked out on the new network devices (though that doesn’t necessarily mean there won’t be the occasional hiccup). With a more stable network comes faster and more convenient means of communication, though it’s advised that one does not use operate them while drunk. Production of the unified handsets is steady, but the Metalworkers warn that they may not have enough material to make them available to everyone in the city. They hope that future contact with Hatal and other cities will make it possible to support expanded production and upgrades.

The oddities of the bibiru feet do seem to have spurred new creative development at the College in particular, and researchers are fervently studying the feet to fully catalog their effects and use them to their benefit.

International

IOA ELANAG

Things on the international front remain quiet and there is little opportunity to receive news of other nations. The compound in Ioa Elanag remains silent as ever, but as far as the Kedan are concerned, no news is good news.

OOC Information

DECEMBER ACTIVITY CHECK

For December, we are not requiring any comment counts for the Activity Check. Instead, there will be a check-in posted on January 1st, and all that will be required will be to give a "here!" to let us know that you're still active. In addition, there won't be any bonus AC points for December.

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

Comments

Questions

[ironwood]

Questions about this month's itinerary go here!

[ninjainviolet]

Those people getting hurt towards the middle of the month... Are they NPCs? I mean, I'm not volunteering Sheena to be the more injured or anything. I so am! Just curious. Because what better way to celebrate her birthday?

Thanks!

[ironwood]

They are NPCs but if you want Sheena to get caught up in it somehow, that's fine!

[ninjainviolet]

YAY! Raine will be so not thrilled!

Re: Questions

[lostundercover]

Re: feather gifting

Is it possible for Costigan to find an item that he had the last time he was here, rather than something from home? (ie his own files or Arthur's PASIV device?)

Re: Questions

[ironwood]

No problem :)