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

There's a volcano that seems all too dormant for its own good—perhaps it'll foster some attention if properly tampered with.

[ guess who wants to blow something up.

if it's anything consolation, he's stirring. a fierce, smoldering passion. for once, his thoughts and goals aren't just on himself. ]

Do try not to blow yourself up with the volcano.

[ Despite his lack of energy and the fact that he's more leaning on Loki than not, Ahad still manages to glare up at him with the full force of his displeasure. Not that he expects Loki to heed his warning at all. ]

I thought it could be our first date.

[ he says easily. Loki's all too used to that look, he's gotten it plenty of times from varying people and members of his own family. ]

[ There's silence for a time, while Ahad stares off at nothing in particular. He cannot be relied on, like this. It's not even that he's as weak as a mortal, but perhaps less than that. What use is a dying god? ]

I would be more burden than aid to you.

Aye, well ... I couldn't say how long I'll be able to stand on two legs.

[ though from experience, he'd like to keep him closer than not. ]

We may have more luck utilizing what we have ... [ a pause, a weird pause, and he looks like he's not sure about it. ] ... together.

And what do we have?

[ Very little, from Ahad's perspective. Quite a bit of spite and stubbornness on his end, at least.

It is still strange to think of 'together' with someone who wasn't Glee. His own uncertainty keeps him quiet on this point. ]

[ for a moment it looks like he's going to open his mouth and utter something stupid like the power of friendship or each other or something equally as facetious. instead he pauses while his mouth is in a little "o," and then shuts it abruptly before speaking again: ]

What's left of our magic, of course.

[ He looks sour. Which is a change from accepting and resigned, but possibly not what Loki was attempting to aim for. Whether it's over what Loki almost or actually said is open to interpretation. ]

Since I need that to exist, I intend to conserve it.

[ seeing Ahad grapple for the last of his strength is a little gut-pulling. they both had enough talks about their own individuality and the expectation that was bearing against them. Ahad had mentioned his will to survive. perhaps it's just that they're both in a position where something's being taken from them against their will when they had struggled for control.

in some sense, they had both found it.

it was odd, to do something that he wasn't used to, that somehow left him tingling with anxiety. his dark nailed fingers slide down along the arm Ahad was using to lean on him, tracing the soft spot of his elbow until his fingers reached his wrist. he hesitates, even if his expression remains unchanged.

then he slowly unfurls his hand, resting the tips of his fingers between his, somehow taking attention away from the slightly awkward movement. something he wasn't used to. ]

I suppose we'll just have to make more.

[ what a bad line, Loki. ]

[ It reminds him too much of his time in captivity, powerless to stop his former masters from doing whatever they wanted to him. It's not at all the same, but the memory is there. It makes him bitter enough, without even adding his death if this continues as a factor.

Even so, there's no sense of anxiousness to him, just hells of a lot of spite. He will face this as he faces everything, with seeming indifference that covers a will to live on and irritate those who would rather he had never existed. ]

We need to know the cause.

[ At first he doesn't respond to the new position Loki's placed his fingers in, but then he sighs and fully takes his hand. ]

[ Loki keeps himself upright, like they're not holding hands at all. ]

We do; or at least enough of a bandaid to buy is more time.

[ time was debt, time was always debt.

this was a good reminder of that. ]

EVENT ★ EXPLORATION

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