[WORLD ONE | SEPTEMBER INTRO LOG]

[spellbindmods]

Who: The new coven members, old blood & Palai people
Where: In and around the city land of Aimintas
When: Day 61
Open/Closed: Open to All

The initial setting information found here should be utilized for threads here.

There's no official OOC account for the Palai people. You're free to roleplay their actions and reactions on your own, as in depth as you want -- asking questions, hand-waved interactions, becoming best friends. The new world is your oyster!

All characters are told briefly what their powers are by Genette -- no extemporaneous details. For instance, if your character has the ability to detect lies, they'll be told as such -- no warning about limitations, repurcussions or the like. They'll also be given a variant of this letter so they aren't totally ignorant of the situation -- though of course adapt this letter to the current setting and surroundings of the game.

This setting may be familiar to you -- maybe you caught a glimpse of it when you first visited. Maybe this is your first time experiencing this weird world and the panic is setting in. If you're totally lost, a tall human woman with a long scroll of paper will stop by to give you the run down. She'll also give you a letter, which may give you more questions than answers since the information is a wee out of date. (Maybe someone else can fill in some gaps for you). What you may not know is that this world recently experienced something of a tragedy. You wouldn't be able to guess this based on the festive energy in the air. The main marketplace where you've shown up finished reconstruction last night, and after grief comes joy to the Palai -- those lizard creatures you see wandering around. They're now hosting a festival to celebrate their success and the lives of those both still present and those lost. It's also a chance for them to host one of those big celebrations like they'd previously seen in human books. However, their resources are limited -- don't blame them if things are a little cut-and-paste! A ▢ One of the preferred methods for masking grief in the Palai world is playing games. Because the Palai are still on their shrimp kick (the old blood characters are probably sick of them at this point), the shrimp are being used as part of a few festival games: Shrimp Scoop: Live prawns have been placed in a tank of water. Instead of paper scoops, players are handed small scraps of cloth which they may then dive into the six-foot tall tank to try and grab the prawns with -- no hands! And no magic or your prawn will be revoked. For extra incentive, sacks of golden coins have been tied to the prawns. These coins can be exchanged for goods and prizes, though what your character receives for their coin -- no matter how bland or wacky -- is up to your character. Shrimp Shock: Dead shrimp have been placed in a wading pool. Your character and another character enter the pool while Elto shock the shrimp out of the water. With about 20 shrimp in the water, the character with the most shrimps caught out of the air wins an allotment of coins. Whack-a-Shrimp: Eltos have powered six large, stuffed shrimp dolls (made with cloth), that will pop out of cut holes in a large game board. Hit the shrimp as many times as you can in 30 seconds, and your number will amount to the coins you receive. Shrimp Fest: Is your character a big eater? Your character is given a plate of cooked jumbo prawns. If they can eat all 50 jumbo prawns in 30 seconds, they win 100 coins. B ▢ What good is a festival if there's no face painting? Don't worry, you have more options than shrimp. Palai have an assortment of paints and are making colourful designs on both their kin and coven members -- your request may not look exactly as you want it to since they have bumpy hands and claws that get in the way.

This is all pretty juvenile, but fear not! For the mature sort and adults of Aimintas, there's a more quiet part set up that may cater to your older interests. A softer atmosphere, away from the excitement of things. If you want to wind down from the thrill of being magicked away to a new world, this is probably the best way for it. C ▢ Fans of alcohol will find that the Palai have broken out their best spirits for themselves and the coven. Some of these aged spirits are decades old and have aged accordingly, giving them a bitter flavor with a nasty bite of alcohol. Others are more recently distilled or imbued with magic for an extra buzz. Accordingly, some drinks can get you inebriated pretty quickly. Some drinks are essentially giddy truth serums. Others may have an effect on magic or telepathy. Pick your poison! D ▢ The environment in this more secluded area of the marketplace is supposed to be more relaxed, but it's also the best place to sit if you want a front row seat to the fireworks exhibit the remaining Eltos are putting on. Through balls of dye and their electrical powers, they're quickly blowing up the sky with arcs of color that rain down in the form of bright pieces of glitter once the spectacle is over. They also have a special service they're offering -- the Eltos have a grasp on electrical magic, which means they can draw certain things in the sky with these dye balls. If you have a request for a written message or a drawing of some sort, they'd be happy to comply with your wish! For the real adult experience, however, you may want to check out the large rolling cart that Palai are pushing around the marketplace, landing it in the fireworks area. This cart is filled with all of the eggs that were a product of their mating season, and this part of Aimintas is the warmest. E ▢ For newbies and those who missed the egg train, your character can instead be Egg Parent for a Night. The Palai are holding their eggs to warm them for the evening, but (like most parents with new babies) they're certainly trying to show off their creations. Hold them, pass them around -- or maybe even act a fool and fend off a fiercely angry Palai parent.

Finally, the Palai are getting used to the standard familiar faces, so they aren't unaware that there are quite a few new faces in the mix. Based on how familiar your character is, they'll receive a nice little gift from the Palai. Older coven members will receive a scrolled parchment that lists them as honorary citizens of Aimintas and a handmade, harden clay sculpture of their likeness. It may not look a lot like them, but they tried. F ▢ What about new members? Well, they get the Aimintas Starter Kit: an unmarked vial containing Palai mating pheromones (makes your character affectionate, etc), a bag of cooked shrimp, a collection of their baked goods and energy drinks (containing Elto magic that makes magical abilities hard to handle), and a harmless paper flower. Your character likely isn't used to the dangers of some of these items, so maybe someone can help them...or is it too late? G ▢ Because the Palai recognize new faces, these new coven members will be dragged to other coven members who they do recognize. In an effort to help make introductions, the Palai are trying to connect new members with old members in order to foster friendships. Say hi to a new, awkwardly introduced covenmate...? H ▢ Wildcard! How will your character interact with this new and unusual world?

Comments

[teratias]

We know that they go after the Palai, but why is something we'll still working on. My assumption is that they might be back, but who's to say?

[Waver slows his own pace down. Honestly, this is fine, he's happier at this pace.]

[spaceforged]

If they haven't achieved their goal they'll be back. Maybe not at the usual time but, we should prepare to repel them again. ...no one knows any common links in the attacks other than the Palai?
[Little does he know the Uvi will make their own rendition of Pop goes the weasel. Sounds about like his life.]

[teratias]

That's the only common thing known, yeah. Do you think that figuring that kind of stuff out is good to do when you're almost falling over?

[spaceforged]

It's something to go on when I wake up. I'll be alright. [He's been a hell of lot worse and still been able to form thoughts and ideas. Some of it he doesn't remember but that's fine. What really matters is now.]

If the Palai are the common link...what makes them a target? It has to be something they possess or are.

[teratias]

[Waver shrugs, unsure.]

To be determined still, I think. The Uvi have some kind of hive structure, according to people who ventured forth after them, but that's the sum total of it.

[spaceforged]

[Shiro sighs and smiles just a little.] It's not much. But having something to go on is a start.

I'll see what I can find. I might be able to help see just what they're after. I heard they have water magic?

[teratias]

The Uvi or the Palai? Because yes to both in their own way.

[spaceforged]

The Uvi. I've seen the Eltos using their magic. But I've only heard the Uvi were manipulating water. Not what they were doing with it.

[teratias]

It's unclear what they do, exactly. There's a hive structure they seem to have, but further details are...in the air. Or up in the water, as it were.

[spaceforged]

[Tricky. But he can work with that.] Thank you for telling me what you could. Whatever the Uvi are up to and why has to be in their base.

I'm not sure if we'll get the chance to know depending on what sort of response we get from the Qri. [He spots what is probably where they're staying ahead and finally gives voice to the one question bothering him above all others.]

...does anyone know what the Qri is?

[teratias]

Not really. Hell, none of us have seen her or spoken to her directly.

[God, he sounds totally ignorant here, doesn't he?! Waver huffs, annoyed with that revelation.]

The entire situation so far has been low communication, learn as you go stuff to almost a comic degree.

[spaceforged]

That's not very effective with a team. ...exactly how many of us are there? [The bigger the team the more communication is an absolute must. He frowns thoughtfully at what he's learned.]

Still, there could be a lot of reasons why they're not talking to the Coven directly. It feels too early to make a judgment call just yet.

[teratias]

At this point? Definitely over 50. Maybe 70? A lot.

[Waver sighs, finally reaching the door.]

It probably is, but the question of when the time is right is another mystery.

[spaceforged]

[He can only nod in agreement and sigh.] Whenever we have more information. Don't get me wrong, I'm not openly or blindly trusting someone who kidnaps others for their objectives.

I just want to know exactly who decided their mission was more important than everyone else's lives. Or if we're thought of as more than a means to an end.

[teratias]

That second one is...it's been something I think that has been on everyone's mind, but not really articulated in a large group.

[Waver sighs, finally at the door.]

There's rarely a lot of downtime, which factors in to that lack of discussion.

[spaceforged]

[He steps forward and pulls the door open but his mind is already working on the issue. Not a lot of downtime can be bad for the team as a whole and for the Qri. That speaks of desperation.]

Not knowing each other and having to deal with such a large group of people won't help matters either. Especially if new members continues to be a pattern.

[teratias]

I'd bet good money that the pattern continues.

[Waver shuffles towards the common areas, intending to plant himself face first into one of the sofas.]

You think about this kind of stuff a lot, don't you?

[spaceforged]

[He follows after Waver, determined to find a good spot to sit down before he rests. Knowing the area will be important.]

It's part of my job back home. I'll do what I can help and guard everyone's backs.

[teratias]

[That sounds like military or other high class leadership, really. Waver sighs, then points over his shoulder towards a particularly squishy looking green sofa.]

That one's good if you accidentally fall asleep on it. Actually uh....do you want me to just let you get some sleep at this point?

[spaceforged]

That would be good. Again thank you for answering all my questions. [He still has more but those can wait. Sleep is a very good idea.]

[teratias]

Don't mention it. [Waver gives a little nod, then begins to walk off, in order to offer quiet.

Not that he expects Shiro to do anything but just conk out immediately.]