OPEN ★ ARRIVAL LOG

[futurologists]

ARRIVALS ( OCT 2 ) The dragons are taken from you, sent off to a safe haven. You're back in Oska for less than a day when you hear the announcement and head to the rendezvous point. You blink, step through the portal, there's a loud crack, and... You're thrown into darkness. You taste copper and, for a moment, your ears won't stop ringing. All common side-effects of portal travel. The entire crew arrives just beyond the city gates, so you might also be feeling a little bit claustrophobic. It takes a second for the eyes to adjust, but one can make out buildings and the cobblestone beneath their feet. To the right is the Trade District, where all the vendors are gathered to sell their wares. Up ahead is the City Square, where the rest of the citizens out and about seem to be gathered. To the left of the square is the Commoners' District, and to the right of it is the Nobles' District, the two main residential areas. Further travel west will come to the outskirts, a makeshift residential area, this one densely populated with goblins. Many of the people are holding candles or lanterns. You might want to try getting your hands on one of those. If you have not already done so, your enchanted jewelry will manifest words in front of your very eyes — or sounds in your ear, if you're illiterate — asking you to identify yourself. A quick look around shows that you seem to be the only one able to see it. All you have to do is think or say how you wish to be identified. After that, you're immediately given a message. Those who participated in the dragon mission at Anwick will first receive this: We appreciate your help at Anwick. The wyrmlings will live to grow up and bring about the world's natural end. Thank you. -- ALASTAIR Afterwards, the crew will be given an abridged version of this, then told to familiarize themselves with the city and natives, report all information gathered back to ALASTAIR, and wait for further instruction. At the end of the night, wherever they may be, everyone will receive a letter with the royal seal thanking them for their efforts to end the goblins' defiance and inviting them to the Festival of Illumination on the 4th. FESTIVAL OF ILLUMINATION ( OCT 4 ) Candles are sitting on windowsills throughout the entire city, but the main event is in the city square. In the fountain float lit lotuses, and people all around are holding lanterns, waiting to light them. There's a minstrel playing songs, and several of the vendors have pulled their carts up to the square in the hopes of making a sale. Many sweets are for sale, including baked apples, gingerbread, cherry tarts, pudding, and more. There's also some drinks for sale. Some children are playing games in the corner, and others are dancing to the music or writing wishes on slips of paper to be sent into the sky with their lanterns. Everyone seems merry for once, but you'd better be careful. This is an ideal place for a pickpocket. About an hour and a half into the festival, the lanterns are sent into the sky. They're sent flying, the sky becoming filled with bright lights, until... A strong gust of wind sends all the lights out. At least, you think it was a gust of wind. What else could have done that? On closer inspection, however, you'll see that even the candles sitting on windowsills inside have gone out. For a minute or so, there's only darkness and chaos. Suddenly, the flames begin to burn again, revealing a message in the cobblestone in the center of the square. It almost looks as if it's been burned into the ground: IT IS COMING, followed by a symbol of a creature with a lion's head, goat's body, and serpent's tail. [MOD NOTE: This is a catch-all log for the first few days. For the sake of organization, all arrival threads should be posted under the subheader ARRIVALS and all festival threads should be posted under FESTIVAL. Threads that don't fall under either of those categories can be top-levels. Also, please remember to add your character's tag to the post! Thank you, and have fun!]

Comments

[hardtohandle]

[It was more surprising than Kashuu cared to admit. The burst of flames and people's panic almost had him draw his sword- but, thankfully, it was gone as soon as it came. There was a new tension in their air, however, with the clue of their mission. Still, no immediate threat. The brief panic in his eyes fades with a whistle. Kashuu's hand goes off his sword and, after a pause, is offered to Alice.]

Yup. That's it. [Staying relaxed seemed like the better way to help- well, whatever he had just seen. He tries to sound reassuring, casual.] They really know how to hold a festival, don't they?

[digophelia]

[ She's not sure if someone overhearing her or seeing her panic is reassuring. It was a mark of vulnerability to her, having someone see her panic like that. Alice was extremely sensitive to the idea of anyone seeing her panic, because she did believe it would be a sign that someone would see her as insane. She simply looks at him with an expression of utter confusion. ]

I suppose so.

[ Not that she had been to any festival before. It will take a moment longer for her to calm down. Alice eventually lowers her hands, still wearing the same expression of fear on her face. The fire was gone, but it left an unfortunate impression on her mind when she didn't need. ]

I don't care for it.

[hardtohandle]

[With the pause, he takes his hand back, instead resting it on his hip. After a little glance, he makes a point of looking away. It's easy to feign disinterest and, if he didn't make a huge deal of it, it might quell some of the rising fear. Maybe not Alice's, but it at least gives her a bit more privacy than staring.] It's a little tacky, I guess... and now that- [he gestures] whatever- is stuck on the stones. [So people couldn't just forget or call it a dream.]

[digophelia]

[ With rest and something to eat, Alice may feel a bit better. It may not do much for her hallucinations, unfortunately, that seem to be growing worse with the sight of fire. All Alice can do is brave it, placing a hand to her temple.

Oh, right, the symbol. Alice glances down with it with a frown persisting on her face. She would agree that was pretty tacky. Come to think of it, she swore that she heard something about a creature from Sunday school.

Or was it in a book her father read? She doesn't really remember, it's been too long. ]

Stuck? Embedded is more like it.

[hardtohandle]

Whatever sent it... Some kind of divine power? Magic? I'm not sure what to call it. [Right now it seemed safe to assume whatever sent it was their enemy. It just simplified things and put them in the right boxes for Kashuu to process. And he'd rather not fight it without understanding it.]

[digophelia]

Magic?

[ "Don't be silly" she almost says. Magic simply can't exist, the concept of it is both unfathomable and laughable. But this is a land of dragons and minstrels (supposedly), so magic can't be that unlikely.

Her head is spinning. ]

I suppose there would be no other name to call it, other than obnoxious, too. But what matter is this creature, I wonder.

[hardtohandle]

[Magic, dragons... it seemed safer to assume everything from a fairy tale was real. With that in mind, he looks over the creature embedded in the ground.]

... The tail makes me think of a nue... [He folds his arms idly] They are a sign of misfortune. As if that wasn't obvious enough.

[digophelia]

A very obnoxious one, at that.

[ She agreed easy enough. Alice's curiosity piques -- a "nue"? ]

A "Nue". What is that?

[hardtohandle]

A monster that can turn into a cloud of smoke... one blocked out the moon and made the emperor fall ill a long, long time ago. [According to myth. Considering Shishio wore one proudly on his shoulders- well, there was an element of legend to all of them.]

But only the tail is the same. The other parts are different.

[digophelia]

[ Alice approaches the message, looking down at it with a bit of a frown. Slowly, she kneels down to it, running her fingers over the image with a thoughtful hum. ]

It looks familiar, this creature. Somewhere from a story or even a building, I cannot pinpoint where. Obviously it wouldn't be left here without a purpose. I wonder how helpful anyone would be here, in this village if we asked about it or the history.

[ More importantly, what's the purpose behind this festival, Alice wonders as she glances up and looks around. ]