[WORLD ONE] AIMINTAS (INTRODUCTION)

[spellbindmods]

Who: The coven & Palai people
Where: In and around the city land of Aimintas
When: Days 13 & 14
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!

Just like how you arrived, the process of leaving the hub and reappearing somewhere else is quite quick and uneventful. Brie and Genette gather as many people as possible so that everyone can explore the new world together in a group, which is where they all land once Qri has worked her magic. If you weren't in the vicinity, or thought that not being social meant you'd get to stay on the island, you come along as well, though you didn't exactly show up with the group. A ▢ Everyone starts their journey a reasonable distance from the outer city walls of Aimintas. It's about a four hour trek to the rocks on foot, which Genette tells everyone to move towards -- though you're free to do as you please. You may discover that traveling on your own too far away results in something quite unpleasant. The initial terrain is quite interesting -- it's at least different from the hub island, though you may not be particularly impressed. There's sticky kelp to step in, water in the sky to look at and sand to get stuck in every orifice of your body. How do you like the new digs thus far? B ▢ Genette explains that the gang must enter the city of Aimintas to survive, but it's easier said than done. Maybe as something of an incentive, Genette climbs into Qri's caravan and it floats away, over the rock face. There go all the supplies you brought! The rest of you losers will have to climb through the craggy rock walls, hundreds of feet tall with very few crevices and cracks that are navigable. Hope you can climb...or maybe you can find a way to get through using someone's magic? The sun sets while the coven is busy trying to get through the craggy infrastructure (at least, that's the fate of those who don't find a quicker way to get into the city). Brie locates a large cave in one of the rocks, and that's where everyone sets up camp for the night. If you want to carry on, that's your choice...but who knows if anything that goes bump in the night is out there bumping in the night time? C ▢ What will your character be doing tonight? Sleeping on a hard rock? Stuck awake? Even if they do manage to fall asleep, they may be haunted by the occasional high pitched screech that comes through the night, though the location of the noise is unknown as of right now.

It takes about a day to travel to Aimintas, climb through the rocks and come into the city. Thankfully the city hub is close to the side of the city the coven managed to climb through, so civilization is awaiting. That civilization is decently modern, lizard-like and very, very nosy. D ▢ Upon entering civilization, the Palai are immediately curious and in awe of their taller, bipedal visitors. They've only seen people like those in the coven in pictures, and if they learn that your character has magic? It'll be as if an A-list celebrity just wandered into town. Because they're so enamored, the Palai will readily give coven members gifts as a token of their appreciation. What exactly do they appreciate? Don't be afraid to ask a few simple questions. They'll be more than happy to give out answers. E ▢ Some Palai, though, will want to see some of that magic before they offer up any gifts. Some may be a little demanding, just because their curiosity is so overwhelming. A harsh no will result in an apology and a gift anyways, but maybe just show them some magic anyway...? Even outside of interacting with the Palai, there's quite a bit around here to look at. Genette can be found in the middle of one of the parks, handing out the stored supplies to their owners. (Don't worry, she'll tell you where she is with a little telepathic poke. Your supplies will give you access to shopping and bartering...your status as a magical humanoid thing will only get you so far. F ▢ The Palai marketplace is rather large and home to a variety of businesses, shops and services. Want a good night's sleep? Want to eat a delicious shrimp wrap? Need your hub technology charged? You can do that here. What strange items will you fine? Is their technology level something you're familiar with? G ▢ Finally, the Palai are a people of culture. That culture can be quite unforgiving to those who choose to wander around alone. Some Palai people, after the initial wonder has worn off, will deny services to people who are on their own. It just doesn't compute! Your character is better off with a group of three, but a friend is fine. Travel in groups or couples and your character will find that they get fewer strange looks and questions.

It can be easy to get overwhelmed within the Palai marketplace, so no one will blame a coven-member for escaping the city for a bit. On the outside of the marketplace is a very large house with dozens of Palai congregating -- and my dozens, we mean at least 200. A Palai mate triangle just committed to each other, and this is certainly worth celebrating. H ▢ The guests feel blessed by the presence of a coven-member, and they readily invite any that happen by to the festivities. There's cake, alcohol, drinks, dancing. The Palai people certainly know how to get down. I ▢ Wildcard! How will your character interact with this new and unusual world?

Comments

[mapsio]

Okay, I'll be there in five minutes.

[Maybe also distract the palai and tell them that someone is on their way? Whatever you have to do, Victor.

In exactly five minutes, a small young lady weaves her way through the crowd and stands next to the person she assumes is calling for help.]

Good afternoon, palai folk. I have something neat to show you.

[To Victor:]

Just go along with this for a moment, okay?

[And before he is able to say anything more about it.... Haru is creating a barrier around Victor. The palai seem impressed at the very least.[

[genice]

( He's great at stalling; so stall is what he does, promising another one of the visitors to the city would be along, another member of the coven. He's not wrong, though it takes another round of apologetic smiles and little shrugs and compliments to woven fabric and answering questions about life without a tail before she arrives; he flashes her a smile and waves, as if he's expected exactly her.

His relief is a gentle thing, suffusing through him as he relaxes his shoulders and makes himself stay unflinching as the barrier forms. Her warning was enough to be appreciated; Victor holds a hand up by his mouth and gasps, eyes sparkling. )

Wow! I'm completely surrounded! Amazing!

( Frightening in many different contexts, but he's fallen into the role she gave him: just go along with this for a moment. )

Now just what can this keep out? Or keep in?

( here he is, tapping a finger against his chin, quirking his eyebrows and looking back toward Haru without blinking. lead on, ringmaster. )

[mapsio]

[No harm will come to Victor if he does exactly what she says.]

Go ahead and knock on the barrier from the inside.

And now my assistant will you show you that he is completely trapped within my barrier.

[Haru is scanning the crown for something, a heavy stick maybe? She doesn't want to scare Victor by using an ax on the barrier. Though that would be a good display of her magic.]

Would you be against me swinging something potentially dangerous at this barrier?

[genice]

( Part of him considers the duality of what they should be practicing; speaking out loud while saying something different mentally. He figures he and Yuuri can work on that together more pointedly than they have been. Even in sillier ways, and this counts as silly, truly, it has an importance he's not quick to ignore.

Best not to dismiss a tool in their kit.

Victor knocks on the barrier, a smart rap of his knuckles against its surface. He mimes gentle surprise. )

So sturdy! So strong!

( his initial reaction is a sharp no, but he tamps down on that in order to deal with practicalities. a demonstration that caused injury was pointless. her chosen display of magic was the barrier; it made sense to test that and showcase its strength. he didn't have to like this to acknowledge it's good showmanship.

so he smiles. )

If your confidence holds, mine will too. Do as you know you can manage.

[mapsio]

[She is sorry for the real horror you're about to feel. She goes back to the bag of things that she sat down. Producing an ax, a good mid-sized one. Good for someone who may or may not be going into battle.

She was confident enough in her ability that she would be able to keep the barrier from even cracking!]

Now, my assistant will stand in this barrier as I hit it, okay? On the third hit, the barrier will shatter into sparkles.

[The palai seem interested.]

Now, please count along.

Stand at the very back, they won't notice. You're safe with me.

[Haru seems to know what she's doing, and she raises her axe. When her hits come they come hard. One hit, two hits....and finally three. On the third the barrier shatters into somewhat of a dazzling glitter. A glitter fitting enough for Victor, even.]

[genice]

( he does as she asks, smile bright and 100% PR approved as he waves at the gathered Palai, shifting toward the back of the barrier. his heart isn't ready for the hits of the axe. he can feel those reverberations through his bones, or so he fancies; he's still ready when the barrier breaks.

through the cascade of glitter, Victor goes into a bow with a flourish, coming up to applaud enthusiastically, alongside the Palai. )

Wow! Amazing!

( slipping around toward the side of his erstwhile saviour, he holds out a hand for shaking. )

Wonderful performance. Can't say I'd want to volunteer to be your second on stage all that often, but I don't think I did too bad managing on the fly.

( he winks. )

Victor Nikiforov. Thank you.

[mapsio]

[After the Palai are pleased and disbanded, she reaches out to shake Victor's hand.]

Sorry about that, I don't think I will try that ever again.

[And once she's done shaking his hand.]

Okumura Haru, but just Haru is fine. You're very welcome.

[genice]

Nice to meet you, Haru. And Victor will be fine.

( he says with a smile, having kept his grip politely firm and brief as per the usual. he nods his head toward the side, down the way. )

Shall we keep moving? Please don't tell me that was the first time you ever attempted something like that...

[mapsio]

[She gives him a sheepish smile.]

I couldn't think of anything else. Just making the barrier and leaving it might not have been enough to entertain them.

[S o b.]

[genice]

( he breathes out in a huff of resigned amusement. of course. his shoulders almost droop, but he saves himself from that at the last possible second. )

You certainly managed to surprise all of us. The glitter was a nice touch.

( surprise being an element he holds dear in his own performances. he can appreciate the application here. still, walking away means getting out of the immediate trappings of the Palai, past more of the buildings and the bustle of their living city. )

Hard to imagine there's just the one city. Or were there more? I've been trying to figure it out... you'd almost expect to find three.

[mapsio]

I thought it would be a nice touch.

[She seems quite pleased with herself. She's used to being just a little bit flashy. But she's never done something quite like that.]

I don't recall there being more, even if it feels like there should be more.

[genice]

Building an entire society within the shadow of an island they can't reach.

( he glances up as they walk, seeing sea rather than the shape of shadow that is the island a whole floating ocean away. )

It's not much of a defense against the... what are they called? The water dwelling people here.

[mapsio]

The Palai? It leaves you to wonder what the goal really was here.

[Then again, this entire experience was kind of overwhelming and really didn't make much sense.]

There is so much difference in the many things we have witnessed upon our arrival in this world.

[genice]

Or how deliberate it might have been, I suppose.

( but he shrugs as they walk, considering he has no real investment in the history of a people significantly removed from anything he personally cares about. )

I'm almost more surprised by the similarities. Differences are normal between cultures, aren't they? What's considered normal or right in one is different in another. A whole different world should feel different than our own.

( hard to say how he feels about that, but he projects an even keeled sort of thoughtfulness, gesturing vaguely overhead. )

[mapsio]

[That tidbit leaves her thoughtful as well.]

Do you wonder how much more will be revealed to us, Victor-kun?

[Because it's obvious there is a small thirst for knowledge.]