[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

[rebells]

[A nod.]

Their situation did seem similar to yours. And perhaps ours in the future, if we're going to keep traveling from world to world like this.

[splinten]

[He gives a nod.]

My main concern, at this point, is what we're actually going to be doing in places like this. Our Coven Commanders [dry irony] haven't been clear about that.

[rebells]

Ah, did you notice that as well?

[Dry.]

You would think, since we've been brought here to 'collect magical energy,' that they would explain how exactly to do that. Do we just sit here soaking it up?

[splinten]

Maybe we need some electric hugs from the magical Palai.

[Dirk, aggressively hitting /DOUBT.]

The proportion of do-gooder types in our group makes me think we're going to have a set of us trying to protect the Palai against the Uvi attack. We don't know how that might relate to our coven's supposed goal.

[rebells]

It might easily be unrelated. But if we're assuming Qri had a particular reason for bringing us to this world--that is, if she deliberately chose it at all--

[He shrugs, looking out towards the marketplace.]

--well, then perhaps it's not an accident we're being presented with a problem we have the ability to solve. Although I do wonder why she doesn't just have Genette tell us, if that's the case. That seems like it would be considerably simpler.

[splinten]

We don't have enough information to establish a general rule of their behaviour, so that might just be how Qri is. On the other hand, Genette and Brie were relatively direct about the general situation, as far as was immediately obvious.

[He doesn't trust them fully, exactly, and he has plenty of questions, but he doesn't have any good reason to think they're being deliberately misled. He's just wary by habit.]

[rebells]

Duplicity works best when used sparingly. But you're right, I wouldn't think of them as the type to withhold information just for the sake of it.

[A thoughtful hum.]

Even if no information is forthcoming, we'll still have to decide what to do with the Palai.

[splinten]

We have major advantages if it comes to fighting off the Uvi. That wouldn't necessarily be a permanent solution.

[rebells]

No, likely not. A more permanent solution would involve tracking them to their base of operations, wherever that is. That's decidedly riskier.

[splinten]

Probably not impossible. We should also consider whether they're a sentient species and can be negotiated with. Raids are pretty shitty, but so is genocide.

[rebells]

It is, yes.

[There's a funny twist to his mouth, before he moves on.]

Reaching a peaceful resolution would obviously be preferable. They seem reasonably intelligent, if they can conduct raids.

[splinten]

[Well. He does know there are odd conflicts between humans and the Radiants (??? he thinks that's the divide) so he wonders if that's been an issue as well.]

Not necessarily an indication that they'll be willing to make peace. We could try to learn how they conduct their raids and put a stop to that.

[rebells]

Assuming there's a 'how' beyond "go here every 30 days and attack."

[The regularity may be an indication of something, however.]

[splinten]

I'd have to assume. There aren't a lot of good reasons, tactically speaking, to raid an enemy at a measurable regularity.

[rebells]

It could be religious.

[He wrinkles his nose.]

Although I'd hope not. Religion is difficult to deal with.

[splinten]

[Dirk's micro-grimace agrees.]

Practical reasons would be easier to handle.

[rebells]

They almost always are.

[But back to the problem at hand. Hmm. He tilts his head back, thinking.]

So our goals for this raid, assuming we intend to intervene in a lasting fashion, would be one, to prevent any harm to the Palai by the Uvi, two, to attempt to establish communication and therefore negotiations with the Uvi, and if that fails, three, to track them back to their base of operations so we can learn more about how the attacks are conducted.

[splinten]

[Dirk nods in affirmation.]

A team would require someone to break through the barrier up there, people who can fly and those willing to be carried in flight, and preferably those who are strong enough swimmers to manage the ocean. It would also help to have people half-decent at recon and negotiation. For that, we'll want to survey the group.

I can fly and carry an extra person, and I can swim and do recon easy. Negotiation and barrier-breaking are not likely a thing I can cover.

[rebells]

We'll also want as many fighters on the ground as possible, but I suspect that's going to be the easy part.

I can't fly, but I'm willing to be carried. I swim well. Reconnaissance is my specialty. [A small smile.] Negotiation I can probably manage, depending on what the Uvi are like. The barrier is the biggest obstacle in this, since we don't actually know if it can be broken. I suppose it's too much to hope that it won't be involved here.

[splinten]

We can hope, but I don't tend to expect the best case scenario. I could theoretically break it if I didn't have the pain in the ass caveat about understanding things.

[Hm.]

We can ask if anyone has any powers for that. You can be my flight buddy if you want. I can do piggyback, potato sack, and princess.

[rebells]

Piggyback is fine.

[He huffs a little, but he's not seriously annoyed.]

I was talking to Mikleo about the barrier, actually. Haru can make them; I wonder if one barrier might cancel out another. I suspect it's that or brute force, unless someone else has a useful power.

[splinten]

Don't worry, dude. You'll make one hell of a fashionable backpack.

[Purple and odd shaped!]

It felt like it might be electric. We should check for anyone with the power to manipulate that. [The Palai also have electrical powers but he's not sure how that'd work.]

[rebells]

[He's ignoring that!!!!!]

We could see if one of the Palai would be willing to come with us . . . though they might find it too dangerous.

[splinten]

You mean if three would come.

[Look he doesn't expect to see one go alone.]

[rebells]

[A sigh.]

I don't suppose they'd count us as traveling companions . . . .