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

[perma_banned]

[A twitchy, murderous prude? Ban saw the look in Alice's eyes and recognized it for what it was. Though most people would simply view her as crazy, Ban had gone through life and countless different problems while seeing the worst people had to offer.

That look was one he had seen in the mirror a number of times before.]

Lot of good that would do ya~. [Still, he had eyes for that knife. He might not have taken it right away, but maybe sometime later when she was less focused. Despite himself, though--it wasn't as if Ban were keen on letting things go so one-sidedly.]

Unfortunately for you, I'm a bit petty.

[Turning to leave, Ban held one hand towards Alice even as he was on his way elsewhere. The gesture was made, curling his fingers as if reaching for Alice's arm.

There was a 'tug' in the air as he looked to try to steal the strength out of the arm and hand that held onto the vorpal blade.]

You swung it too lightly~. A blade should be heavier in someone's hand.

[digophelia]

[ As small as Alice is, she takes a small tumble, her right hand inexplicably giving a twitch, as if she was about to drop the knife. What was that?

Her first reaction is to immediately clench it with both hands. Wearing a look of panic, Alice nearly throws herself over her knife, completely, green eyes wild and her hair falling into her face.

What was that?

It nearly sucks the wind out of her slender body. Not even hours ago, Alice was struggling to just walk. She panics, she keeps both hands on the knife and even uses her own body to protect it. It was more than just a knife, it was an artifact of Wonderland, her mind. Alice was stubborn, she wouldn't plead for him to stop, instead she would fight tooth and nail, if she had to, just to keep it. A literal piece of her mind wasn't going to end up in the hands of a stranger. ]

[perma_banned]

Ohhh?

[That was a surprise. A knife of great value shouldn't have come close to the weight of one's own life. He had expected Alice to retreat as if to protect herself in the wake of that and yet, the knife was more important than she was, for the moment. Ban lowered his hand, his spell ceasing as quickly as it begun. Ban touched his chin, giving off a little pleased noise.

He turned a bit to look back at her, pleasantly surprised by what he saw.]

Ahhn~. Now, that's the spirit. That look in your eyes is a good one~.

[Still, he didn't do anything beyond that, instead leaving Alice. His spell wouldn't last terribly long unless he spent a great deal of time draining her, so she wouldn't feel that fatigue for long at all.]

Guess I'll come back for it later~! I'll go keep the party goin' somewhere else!

[digophelia]

[ Alice had barely moved in those few moments that she had her small body over the vorpal blade, even going as far as cutting underneath her forearms to clutch it close to her. She wouldn't allow for it to end up in the hands of another, even at the cost of her own life. She kept her head as is, to hide her face as a result of his comment.

But ever stubborn, Alice pushed herself off her feet, almost like a wraith, keeping her hair over her face. She was trying to catch her breath and keep both of her feet on the ground. Alice hardly ever cursed and this would be one of the few rarities she even cursed underneath her breath. Finally, with a strained voice. ]

Find your own knife.

[ She wasn't sure how much more she could last like this, but she wouldn't allow herself to faint on the street, like so many times in London. Stubbornly, Alice stood her ground out of her own will power. ]