[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

[genice]

( Victor looks like little more than an athlete, attractive or otherwise. He's self-assured of both these being factual: not particularly concerned with one, actively working on and maintaining himself for the sake of the other. Athleticism needed maintenance after all.

But it didn't make him seem a likely dragon, and he would never have thought of himself as one before. He still doesn't like to, but under the pressure of this atmosphere, considering the expanse of rock wall, considering his need to be at home in his own skin...

His lips pull up into a wry smile, shoulders hitched up in a shrug, hands held out to his sides, palms up. )

It was one of the, ah, what are we calling these things? Changes brought on in becoming part of the coven. Not exactly my natural state of being before the last few weeks.

[girasole]

[Putting it that way sounds like they all went through magic puberty stop it.]

And you can do it...anywhere? Anytime? Like...say, right now?

[He's got so many questions.]

[genice]

( they did go through magic puberty okay he was awake for all that??? )

Yes. Though I'd prefer to strip first. I happen to like this outfit.

( it's essentially sweatpants and an exercise v-neck in black. what is there to like or not like. the world may never know. )

[girasole]

...

Did... [This hand gesture is supposed to imply 'did you Hulk out and end up naked and learned this the hard way?']

[genice]

( a sage and solemn nod. indeed. he learned this the hard way. )

Not sure we ever found all the fabric from that first time...

( THERE WERE LOSSES HE MOURNS... LIKE HIS UNDERWEAR.................. )

[girasole]

[HE NEVER THOUGHT HE'D BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION BUT...

First, there's a mournful look. He feels this. (Well, not quite, but he got dunked in the bay more than once and lost a shoe he really liked. So he kind of sympathizes.)]

I've been trying to keep this quiet because of...reasons which will be obvious in a second, but I use a power called hamon. [And here he has a little flicker of electricity between his fingertips.] It's similar to what their...eltos? Well, I believe that's what they're called. But what they do to power things. As a result I've been...popular, shall we say, with the locals.

Forget the flight for now. I'm willing to spend an hour or two bartering my skills to get you more pants. [MY (potentially naked in the future) GUY, YOU NEED SPARES.]

[genice]

( The flicker of electricity catches Victor's eye; he quirks both eyebrows up in response. More-so when Caesar makes his offer: bartering to get Victor pants. Victor smiles, bursting out laughing in such a companionable, sunny way it's ridiculous in and of itself. He feels a deep appreciation right then, mostly because it is perhaps the one time anyone other than Yakov or Yurio (or a beleaguered Yuuri) has been concerned with getting Victor into pants.

He's quite ready to shed them as suits the need or situation, but it's a delightful absurdity for his sense of humour. )

Wow, we've just met and you're already willing to help figure out how to keep me in pants! ( He holds out his hand to Caesar after squaring off with him, smile genuine instead of PR acceptable grade real. )

Victor Nikiforov. Who am I thanking for his forethought, and what can I do for you in turn?

[girasole]

Caesar Zeppeli. [And the worst part is that he finds himself responding to that smile. Takes the hand, Victor's smile is echoed with one of his own: for once, since he got here, this is something (at least so far) normal and simple.] I'm sure I'll think of something eventually if I really must, but your company's enough.

[And then, just in case Victor gets the wrong idea about this-] You'll keep the Palai away from me and vice versa.

[genice]

( You mean it wasn't simply his charming self? If anything, Victor seems amused by the clarification; he'd hardly taken it to mean anything more, though he's a flirtatious enough person that goodness knows what he might have run with in the right mood. Here he winks, smile flashing bright and amused. His grip is strong and perfunctory: he's used to shaking hands without lingering. )

Nice to meet you, Caesar. I'm more than happy to oblige — though I'm with a plus one most the time as it is. Keeps it simpler here if we hit that magic number three, odd as it seems.

[girasole]

[Meanwhile, he meant more, "I'm desperately lonely and my canon situation is apparently going to crush me in five seconds after I get back, please let me distract myself by hanging with you because so far you don't seem like you're secretly my second cousin or something."

So.

You know what?

He's going to go with that other interpretation. That other interpretation is better.] Believe me, I know. But even then there's drawbacks: the more of us there are in one place, the more interested they become.

[genice]

( look flirtation is much easier than crippling loneliness, take it from one (rumoured playboy) who has suffered from soul-consuming depression and the encompassing ache of loneliness to another: even without looming death, it stinks.

... but as that is not the conversation they're having, he only laughs, shrugging his shoulders. )

It'll wear off eventually. Unless we manage to impress them by doing something more than simply showing up.

[girasole]

[Fortunately they're on the not-darkest-timeline route and thus this can be cute and fun and fun and funny.]

Do you really think so? [Just, like, my guy, you seem to be rather assured about all of this and one can learn a lot from your nonchalant ways, your dazzling smiles, and the fact you're taking the fact you can grow scales, become a literal dragon, and apparently lost a pair of pants in stride.

Speaking of, they should probably head in some pantsward direction. Perhaps vaguely, but they shall be doing that.] From what I understand not much has a tendency of happening here.

[genice]

( onward with the walking! though it's more of Victor nodding his head down the way and starting to ambulate that direction, inviting Caesar to fall in with him a la the whole keeping company bit. Victor choosing to take everything in stride is part of his coping mechanisms. it's also part of his being a better support for Yuuri, if he can keep steady and sort through how he feels when they have their moments of quiet space. it's the biggest part of his world, having Yuuri there with him. there's so many other things, frustrations and displeasures that can't be addressed, others that can.

he picks his battles based on where his energy can be effectively used. right now, that's in coping. )

Depends on what you mean by much. Have any of the Palai mentioned the... something-vi, Youvee? Oouvi. The people that live in the sky sea to you?

[girasole]

[At the something-vi he frowned. At the youvee he continued to frown, but in a slightly different way, the frown that went I'm trying to figure out what you're talking about. At the oouvi he frowned, yet again, and this time it's, I have no idea what you're talking about.

Then, at the 'people that live in the sky sea to you' comprehension dawned, in the form of a slightly uplifted set of eyebrows ah, them before he frowned in yet another way-]

I confess...I don't remember what they're called either. What about them?