[WORLD ONE | AUGUST INTRO LOG]

[spellbindmods]

Who: The new coven members, old blood & Palai people
Where: In and around the city land of Aimintas
When: Day 30
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!

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 She'll also give you a letter, which may give you more questions than answers since the information is a wee out of date.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). One piece of information that you'll be given is the information related to your new magic -- yup, you do have that. While Genette may not know your magic's full limitations or details, you will have some idea about this new power of yours. A ▢ The Palai are certainly excited to have new coven members to dote on and fawn over, and they WILL ask incessent questions of your character. One thing they'll be curious about is your new magic -- care to give them a demonstration if possible? B ▢ Alternatively, some Palai are way more interested in learning about your character's world. The Palai are art folk, and there are still supplies hanging around from the art festival. Palai will come up to you with papers, drawing utensils and other supplies and ask for your character to tell them about where they come from. Will your character draw a person, a place, a monster...?

On a less positive note, the air around Aimintas is buzzing with the hum of hurried planning. Tomorrow the Palai will retreat into their houses, which means they'll be running around like chickens with their heads cut off. The Palai are interested in any useful items that you might have that they can use for their 48 hour hiding session, from something to pass the time to something they can use for protection. No matter where you are in Aimintas, you'll be subject to some severe bartering pressure. Alternatively, some Palai are worried about the safety of the coven and are willing to give up whatever they can to help the coven out. Some of these items may be helpful for protecting them against the Uvi, while others only have things to offer for further bartering. C ▢ If you happen to have any items from home, the Palai will definitely want to talk to you about what it does and how useful it is. While Palai are usually non-confrontational, some may be a bit more pushy than others. Maybe someone can help your character out in shaking this particularly pushy Palai? D ▢ On the other hand, maybe you've been the victim of a helpful Palai -- your character has been given their first official Spellbind supply! You may be accumulating a lot of them, and some of them may be totally foreign to you. On the other hand, some might be useful, and who knows what your character could get. Time to trade up? You might also notice that while this place is inundated with lizard creatures clammoring all over you, there's also a lot of loud human chatter all around you -- or is there? With an influx of newbies, the telepathy network is again a bit chaotic, and if you aren't used to hearing voices in your head, you better start getting acclimated. E ▢ It's very easy for characters to accidentally broadcast their feelings if they aren't used to telepathy. Some characters may be a bit more intuitive and try to feel out the telepathic network on their own. Will your character accidentally send an image or their voice? Or will your character try to get the hang of this new power on their own?

As you may known by now, the Palai are preparing for an attack coming up in the next couple of days. The Palai and their busy body ways aren't the only indication of this upcoming ordeal. There are fish continually falling from the sky, their heads ripped off, and some have large scratches carved into their flesh. F ▢ From smaller fish to stingrays and sharks, your character may find that they're suddenly being pelted with fish falling from the sky. Depending on the size of this fish, they may be stuck under an extremely large species, or just inconvenienced with a bump on the head from a clownfish. They're really unavoidable unless you happen to take shelter. G ▢ If your character wants a reprieve from the stressful hustle and bustle of the Aimintas crowds, there are several covered rest areas within the Palai's marketplace. Not every Palai is willing to spend their last day of freedom running around, so they're still inside the marketplace, working and making food. These covered parks may still be pelted with fish (which you can see through the glass ceilings), but they're outfitted with soothing drinks, snacks and Eltos playing instruments that make use of their energy powers, creating synthetic but mellow tunes. Your character can take a load off and maybe enjoy some quiet conversation. H ▢ Finally, another place for shelter is the large house that the coven is using as a home base. New coven members will find a lot of supplies here, Qri's caravan and a few of the coven members who are also trying to hide from the growing quantities of fish. If you have any questions about your new role in this new world, you're likely to find someone here who will answer your questions. I ▢ Wildcard! How will your character interact with this new and unusual world?

Comments

[apatheia]

But we are still different.

[Did those differences even amount to much? Maybe yes, maybe no, depending on who you asked. But they still existed. Just like the differences between androids and machines.]

We were made to be different, after all.

[talim]

Sure, but...

[ he sighs, defeated. is this logic versus logic, emotions versus logic, or emotions versus emotions? he guesses 2b would go with the middle choice. jude doesn't know. he thinks he's being logical, but he also knows that his emotions are a powerful thing, a force to be reckoned with. ]

What I'm trying to say is that regardless of their existence, I don't think those differences matter so much. Why solely focus on those technical differences when you can focus on all the things humans and androids have in common?

[apatheia]

[She can see the logic of his argument, but it's still... difficult, to really see it that way. After all, she was literally built to serve humanity, and any likeness she shares with them was built into her on purpose. The fact that they'd have anything in common seems almost superficial because of that.

(It doesn't help that she doesn't even realize how far it goes, the need to love and serve humanity. Being programmed to love humans unconditionally doesn't leave her much room to argue against it.)]

I don't have a problem with examining what we have in common and focusing on those things rather than our differences, but it doesn't change humanity's place in regards to us.

[talim]

I... I suppose I don't have much more room to argue. It's been made clear that we come from entirely different worlds. It's too hard a concept for me to grasp, but I realize that the same goes for you and 9S. As much as I hate to admit it, but we might just never understand each other on this level.

That doesn't mean I agree with it or accept it, but... I accept you. Both of you. That's what matters most.

And... I really hope we can be friends.

[ jude tries a smile. it's weak, but it's there. ]

Thanks, 2B. For listening to what I had to say. You had no obligation to; I'm grateful you took the time to hear me out.

[apatheia]

Of course.

[It's only natural that she'd hear him out when he's human. But... It's clear that he doesn't like that reasoning, so she refrains from mentioning it. He seems so conflicted on a matter that seems so simple to her. She feels bad that she can't think of anything to say that would make him happier without it being a lie.]

Thank you for... [His interest in them? That sounds so cold and detached, even if she really is surprised by his curiosity regarding them.] For wanting to be friends with us. [And that alone is a novel concept she can barely even begin to fathom.] I can't promise we'll ever see eye to eye on this either, but I'll try to keep an open mind.

[That much she can promise. Pascal and his village were all very different from what YoRHa had come to expect out of machines, and she kept an open mind about it. This could be very similar.]

[talim]

Keeping an open mind is more than enough for me.

[ his smile is radiant and just a little shy when he reaches out a hand for 2b to grasp. to shake on it and seal it with a promise. ]

To being friends?

[apatheia]

... To being friends. [Although she's still absolutely baffled by the idea of actually being friends with him.

Right now though, she's a little more baffled by him sticking out his hand. She has no idea what a handshake is, and with no way of knowing how to respond, she defaults to a salute. At least she doesn't actually attach "Glory to Mankind" to it.]

[talim]

[ jude just laughs, realizing that he probably should have known better. ]

... 9S did the same thing. It's called a handshake. All you have to do is grab my hand and squeeze it. It's like a greeting or a goodbye, or, in this case, a nice to meet you.

[apatheia]

I grab your hand and squeeze it. \

[This sounds so utterly bizarre to her, but if he's saying that's how humans greet each other, who is she to deny that?? Although she'll have to make sure she doesn't accidentally crush his hand or anything. Treating things gently is hard when you're a robot built to destroy things!!

But after looking almost puzzled at her own hand, she reaches out to gingerly grab Jude's hand and squeeze lightly, just like he instructed. She almost feels like she's doing something out of line, having the audacity to touch a human and greet one like they would when she's only an android, but here she is all the same.

He's warm, as she supposes all humans would be. It still seems like a wonder to her.]

[talim]

Right. Just like that.

[ he nods his head once, eyes softening with approval. he squeezes her hand in return, always gentle. ]

Well, now it's official. You're stuck with me.

[apatheia]

Stuck with you? [Why would she be stuck with him... Oh, wait.] Would you like me to guard you?

[She's no Defender model, but she's confident she could manage guarding him!]

she's so cute...

[talim]

... No. It's just a reaffirmation that I'm not going anywhere. Don't worry; you're not literally stuck with me.

[ jude can't help the amusement that colors his expression. he's so endeared. ]

I appreciate the offer, though?

what is making friends...

[apatheia]

The offer still stands.

[JUST SAYING. Although now that she understands the statement it's... Nice, she supposes. The idea that he won't be going anywhere. She couldn't really say the same for the androids she knew from the Resistance, not when they didn't have anywhere to store backups of their data.]

... But I suppose you're stuck with me too. [So she repeats it back to him. There's no reason (and frankly no way) for her to go elsewhere.]

let him teach you

[talim]

[ jude's smile is bright. he flashes her a thumbs up. ]

I'm glad. I wouldn't have it any other way.