epidemiology | EVENT ★ EXPLORATION

With the storm gone, the water surrounding Komo has calmed considerably. Much of the affected area is in ruins, but thanks to ALASTAIR, a large contingent of Komo survived the disaster. However, with parts of Komo uninhabitable, they need to be able to reach Nalawi’s other islands. With their technology so limited due to dependence on their Gifts, it’s all they can do to build a few tiny, shoddy canoes, powered solely by elbow grease. They only fit two regular-sized people (but four Nalawi), and the wait time is long, but they do the trick. If you aren't willing to wait, you can always try to get creative.

Strangely, though, anyone trying to use their magic to cross the waters will find that their powers are beginning to dampen. Similarly, anyone with superhuman abilities at all will find them waning, albeit at different rates. Those without any special powers at all will be completely unaffected.

But that's nothing to worry about, right? It’s time to see the rest of Nalawi.

PU’ULAI

PU’ULAI is the centermost island of the archipelago and by far the largest. Most of the travel between islands is to and from Pu’ulai, as it’s the cultural hub of Nalawi and the location of Nalanni’s largest temple. It’s very populated during the day, but isn’t a residential area and clears out once the sun goes down.

The first thing you'll notice is that the deer hate cats. The citizens of Komo are far more likely to let it go, but if you have anything slightly cat-looking with you here, at best, you'll be yelled at. Some Nalawi try to start fights, and no one but Komoans will allow cats anywhere near their homes or inns. Recruits might notice children running away from cats, screaming, "Dakal!"

THE TEMPLE, referred to as Nalanni’s Garden, is closest to the Nalalona volcano on a neighboring island. The regular ash from it was viewed as a good omen from Nalanni, who’s rumored to live within the volcano, but it’s been months since anyone has seen any activity from it. The temple is dark as obsidian, which is coincidentally what it’s made of. There’s a copious amount of brightly colored flowers around the temple, hence the name. The gardens are free for anyone to walk through, as is the temple. One image is constant throughout the temple: an inhumanly large, vaguely feminine being made in stone and fire, a walking volcano. It would be easy for such a woman to look frightening, but she looks welcoming and caring, arms outstretched to embrace her children.

Inside the temple are more murals of Nalanni, but also some curiously unrelated to her. They depict the Nalawi fighting against large, predatory cat-creatures, finally culminating in their enemies attacking Nalalona. This is when Nalanni reappears, striking them down. The temple is tended to by several Nalawi of varying ages, all very welcoming to strangers, especially those they’ve heard heroic tales of. News traveled fast once the Komo villagers crossed the waters and spread the news of their timely rescuers. There are plenty of Nalawi in the temple, making offerings and asking Nalanni to return to them -- some are hopeful, but others appear desolate.

CITY HALL is where the ten members of the Council convene. No one is allowed in, as they’ve been discussing the changing state of Nalawi nonstop for days. There’s a group gathered around the hall each day, hoping their leaders will emerge and announce their plans, but nothing has happened yet. It’s a good chance to sit around and listen, though -- you’ll quickly find out that Nalawi is a meritocracy; the Council have the strongest Gifts of anyone in Nalawi, determined by a nationwide competition to prove their worth every time a seat opens. Some of the more disgruntled deer whisper that some must have lost their powers by now and no longer deserve to sit on the Council.

A few arguments are beginning to break out around the city hall, and even a few scuffles. Luckily, their weakened powers have also dampened the damage they’re able to deal, and no one has been injured too badly. Just try to be respectful -- otherwise, you might upset the wrong person. Those hooves can hurt.

ELSEWHERE, there's a marketplace where traditional Nalawi clothing can be bought, among other things, inactive spas shut down due to dormant volcanoes, and maybe -- if you’re very lucky -- you’ll stumble upon a ferry that still works. It’s unlikely, though, and haggling with its owner will be difficult. You could always steal it, but you wouldn’t do that, would you?

You can always explore the SURROUNDING ISLANDS, which are mostly residential areas, similar in theme to the parts of Komo that haven't been destroyed.

Oh, and if you're disrespectful to the islanders or were at any point rude to the people in Komo, you might wake up to find a bunch of tiny, adorable Nalawi around your bed, swinging around bars of soap in socks. Don't worry, they won't actually do anything but threaten you for a minute before storming out. ...Yet. The moral of the story is 'don't mess with the Nalawi.'

OOC INFO

The entire map of Nalawi is now available to characters. Updated location information can be found here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He stoops to hoist his rescued basket out of the water and pass it off to a flustered shopkeep.]

Maybe it's something in the water.

[This is a joke, mostly. But mass depowering like that's got to have some kind of outside reason. Particularly since the natives here would exhibit these things naturally—until now. It's not something he can relate to in the same way as a solid chunk of the crew, but he's got experience with the matter in other ways.]

Not feeling funny, are you?

[He frowns thoughtfully at the ankle-deep flood half-obscuring the toes of his boots, like he's seriously considering that the water is to blame for the situation. Had Plagg been poisoned? Is that what it was? He frowns.]

You don't think it has anything to do with us, do you? The loss of their powers, or powers at all.

[He glosses over Jason's question, one hand still set near one of the pouches on his belt.]

[The protective hand-at-belt posture rings a little like a kid trying to hide his cookie-jar catch behind his back. But he won't ask.]

I wouldn't be able to tell you.

[Little early to make any decisions on the likeliest suspects. And he's got no superpowers of his own to find fading, so any information he gets on that front will have to come from observation of his peers.]

If it's just some kind of voodoo curse or deer-kryptonite it might skip us over completely. But we're all drinking the same water. [That is, if it's an environmental factor, they're all pretty exposed.] —or standing in it, as the case may be. I guess we'll find out sooner or later.

[Sooner, since the lapsing of recruit magic will soon become a pretty apparent problem even to those without.]

Are you worried?

[About half true. Not a catch, but still trying to hide, and it's Tikki that likes cookies. He'd love to be stealing cookies for his kwami instead of cheese that smells like gym socks, believe you me. He makes a conscious effort to stand straighter and not hunch around the pouch, though, knowing Jason's prior critical eye.]

[He considers the statements, then the question for a long minute, looking down the market aisle at the water and how much deeper it is to the Nalawi with how small they are. We're all drinking the same water. Shifting his weight, he focuses on his shoes, then Jason's, then looks up at him.]

I mean, aren't you?

[Tikki's clearly got more refined tastes. The critical eye doesn't let up much—he's just that kind of guy. But he'll play possum on his suspicions, for now. Wouldn't do to let on too much too soon.]

I think it's a little early to panic.

[But then, it's a little early to get the full scope of the problem. (Apparently it's not in the briefing that an alarming amount of the crew is just literally made of magic...)]

The bigger problem I'm seeing is that the sudden lack of magical manpower's looking like it'll collapse their entire economy sooner or later. They're already hurting for basics, and people get stupid when they're scared. Some of 'em just get mean instead. A situation like that will get real ugly real fast.

[The revolutionary whispers and price gouging would just be the start of it.]

[An immediate shift;]

I'm not panicking.

[And an easier roll of his shoulders in a half-shrug, half-hunch.] We've only gone over very basic economics so far, so if you've got ideas I'll have to hope they're trustworthy.

[That was a general statement, but way to look defensive, bud.]

Well, I've always tried to put on a trustworthy face.

[This is only like, 70 percent sardonic. Don't worry—]

I wouldn't put my money on us being here for the economics. Damage control seems more likely, from the way the wind's blowing.

[Those revolutionary rumors aren't exactly quiet ones.]

[HE HAS TO MAKE A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO NOT ROLL HIS EYES, and that is saying something, congratulations on getting under the skin of a cinnamon roll Jason. You frustrate him and he wants to shake you. He can't even place what it is that's so grating, he just-- Is frustrated in your presence. Why.]

[He rolls his shoulders like he's trying to ease tension, frowning thoughtfully.]

I mean, I hope we're not here for economics, that's pretty boring and makes the whole Waterworld scenario when we first got here seem a little much.

[This is his actual bona fide superpower: being insufferable to superheroes. He thinks about asking if damage control really sounds like the better option, but passes it up. Instead, since Adrien's left the opening—]

How'd that go for you?

[That whole Waterworld scenario.]

[He bristles, all but puffing outward like the startled cat that he is. He resumes rolling his shoulders.]

About as well as you can expect for a gangly noodle-limbed teenager.

[Waggles his arms out to his sides for dramatic effect.]

[Maybe you should work on those noodle limbs, then, bud. A little preparation goes a long way. He weighs the pros and cons of being an asshole for like, three whole seconds, look at how much restraint he's using.]

I dunno, you seemed to be doing alright to me.

[Make of that what you will, Catboy. He could leave it a little more ambiguous, but might as well go the distance.]

Docking points for overdoing the theme, but I'll give you full marks for effort to balance it out.

EVENT ★ EXPLORATION

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oh my god I thought I sent this a week ago I'm sorry, feel free to kick me next time