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

NPCs | OPEN

[futurologists]

HUMANS
[On the 2nd and 3rd, humans can mostly be found milling around in the city square or the Trade District. However, if you're willing to take the risk that they might be a bandit, there are a scarce few in the Commoners' District. Almost no one is outside in the Nobles' District, but you could try knocking on the door.

At the Festival, practically every human in town is gathered at the city square. It's a perfect opportunity to ask some questions. There's a minstrel singing the story of the sun going down. A few people are standing on the outskirts, but they don't look as friendly.]

GOBLINS
[On the 2nd and 3rd, the goblins, too, are in the city square and Trade District. At least, some of them are. There's far less of them than humans, but they seem more interested in the newcomers than the humans. They can also be found on the outskirts of the city or in the Krozm Boarding House. Humans passing through will be watched with suspicious eyes by Graldia's vigilante group.

They aren't welcome at the Festival, so the goblins are holding a service in their house of worship. These goblins are far more friendly than Graldia's group, but seem a little less in-the-know.]

HUMANS

[wright_idea]

[I guess it's probably going to be easier to talk with people who look like I do first. Though I wonder how I'm going to bring this up casually... Maybe if I talk shop about the only thing I CAN talk shop about that isn't pointing and objecting.]

[Which is why he hits up a baker first.]

Wow, that smells pretty good. I'm surprised you can get wheat anywhere with the sun being the way it is. Got any specials?

[futurologists]

Only been like that a couple days, it'll be harder if things stay this way.

[When Phoenix asks about specials, the man grins.]

Everything's a special now. Better get while the getting's good or you'll end up starving.

[The idea of the sun staying down and everyone starving is horrific, but he looks pleased that he can profit off of it.]

Goblins

[twijn]

[ Kindred too, is more interested in the goblins than the humans milling about. Humans, they have a lot of experience in dealing with, but they've never seen a goblin before. Though they were similar looking to yordles, if only in height.

They've noticed too, that there appears to be some conflict between them and the humans, as they don't seem to really mingle with the other. Never one for an indirect approach, they waste no time in approaching a goblin on the outskirts, who seems to be alone.

It's Lamb who speaks, as she is more diplomatic than Wolf, even if they are both equally curious. ]

You dislike the humans. Why?

[ Still, greetings and other common manners are lost on both of them.]

humans.

[tills]

[You know, she'll go ahead and poke her head around and ask some questions. Nothing like chatting up everyone around to figure out how they're supposed to accomplish what seems like an impossible task!

The minstrel seems like he's in the know, at least as much as any storyteller can be, so she'll try there.

She offers a cheerful smile when she approaches after his song, though she feels a little sheepish; should she tip him for it? Probably, right? She doesn't have a ton of money, but this is probably a fair investment, so she'll offer him some.]

Thank you for your song. I've never heard that one before.

Goblins, post-Festival

[becauses]

[ She translocates across town shortly after the message appeared in the center of the square, appearing on the doorstep of the goblin house of worship. She raps smartly on their door -- partially because she respects little rituals and partially because she intends to get off to the right start with this goblin goddess -- and waits. ]

HUMANS

[selfimage]

[ the unfriendly looking sort are always Loki's sort. they do tend to look unfriendly for a reason, and usually it's because whatever they know is causing a bit of that unfriendliness.

well, you know, one no good dirty liar to another. ]

A bit dull, isn't it?

[ there's a dismissive wave toward the festival. ]

HUMANS, post-festival

[adlantisag]

[ An instant of pure darkness. It frightens her, as few things do, because even her pendant has been sucked dry of light, as if a great fish went by to swallow it all up across the town. A panic around her; she reaches for her weapon, but in the next instant the earth is ablaze. Light following darkness, always.

The people at once shrink back or converge upon the spot to see, and Kida is of the ones surging forward, sure feet carrying her through the throng to where a patch of scorched earth spells out a message she cannot understand, and an image she cannot comprehend. Frustration takes hold of her. She knows the serpent, recognizes the cat, but the cloven hooves are unfamiliar. No point leveraging her spear when these people are fearful enough. ]

What does it say? [ She turns upon the closest person to her. Her native dress has been overlaid with a plain tunic, thrown at her on the first day by a woman fussing about propriety. It's feeble defense against attack, but it takes the brunt of the shock out of first impressions. Kida certainly looks foreign, but softer. ] That creature, do you know it?

goblins... with inaccurate icons

[onblackwings]

[ Goblins don't care for humans, and Khisanth can't blame them. Humans are an untrustworthy lot, and she loathes that her human form is so convenient here. But it does have a few limitations — for example, goblins don't care for her human form. They don't seem willing to tell her much.

She's decided to try a different approach.

Khisanth has decided that her goblin form's name is Sidin (does that fit with the rest of their names? she's not sure — but it sounds like obsidian, so she likes it), and she's just a little taller and more darkly colored than most of the other goblins. Her clothing also doesn't quite fit — she hasn't really had time to go shopping. But she's definitely looking for someone from Graldia's group, it doesn't take much research they're the ones that can tell her the most. She picks one out at the Krozm Boarding House and, because it seems like a good start, slides into a seat nearby with two drinks. One of them gets passed over. ]

The politics here seem... prickly. [ She hopes it's viable that she's a goblin passing through, looking for information. They can't all be born and die in this town. ]

goblins.

[subpsyde]

[ it doesn't take long for tony to decide to drift away from the human-occupied side of things, already feeling much too stifled by having to stay around them for so long. even if they had no idea about the long war between them back home, the only thing truly holding his anger back was the fact it probably wouldn't do well in terms of getting back to jomy's side.

... and that was the important thing.

still, he's biased. he'd much rather speak to the goblins, whose fight he understands, rather than dabble with people he hates. so he ignores the echoes of the thoughts he hears, the emotions he feels, holding back his disgust. and he moves, attempts to find himself among those with graldia. ]

I'm not one of them.

[ is what he'll offer, when he approaches one. ]

HUMANS

[powerdriven]

[ during the Festival, he hopes to find more pleasant interaction with those who have gathered, to pick out those with more nonpartisan opinions. with their good spirits during this time, the task is seemingly uncomplicated, and Levi gravitates easily towards the mingling of people in the square eagerly holding their lanterns.

to someone who stands unoccupied, his regard is moderate, though the meaning extends seemingly to the lack of goblins among them. ]

Is this everyone?

humans

[tachiboner]

[War usually isn't the best way to start a conversation, even if it's sometimes the necessary one. Thankfully, there's no shortage of safer topics conveniently at hand as he joins a crowd of people passing around lanterns.]

Is the festival a regular occurance, or is this new?

Humans | on the 2nd

[blazeofkings]

[They were supposed to bring back the sun and create peace if he'd read the mission right. But to do that he needed information. There were people around the center of town. But he'd ended up wandering into the Commoner's District. There weren't as many people, but that meant there wouldn't be as many people overhearing him ask strange questions too.

Watch yourself, Robbie. These are an hard bunch. They're probably as likely to give you an answer as a knife in the back heh-heh.

Robbie frowned the slightest. Eli had a point, but if that happened he felt they could protect themselves. So finding a person who seemed to be idling about and, more importantly, alone he raised his hand in a small wave.]

Um hi. I'm new in town. Do you think I could have a moment of your time and ask you a few questions, sir?

[Politeness probably wasn't going to get him far, but it was better than rudeness.]

b...oth...?

[rosing]

[ Other people might be actually talking, but Anna collects information in another way. Marble held to her eye, she points them in the direction of various people and goblins trying to read their minds about what they think of all this. ]

goblins

[ofdel]

[It's not the first time Lief has been in a situation that involves being diplomatic with other species, though he knows better than to assume these goblins are anything like the Pirrans (who, to begin with, didn't identify as being goblins anyway).

Still, it's worth a shot to talk to them, despite the risks, and so Lief carefully approaches the entrance to the house of worship in what he hopes is a peaceful manner.]

Pardon me.

Humans

[of_her_own_accord]

[Accord isn't one to directly interview, probably because that's never been her job in the first place. She's certainly advised, and observed, and recorded. But not interviewed.

So when it comes to gathering information, she does what she does best: observe, quietly, without any indication that she is even doing so -- or even that she is present. A lot of what she picks up is incidental. But one can learn a lot from observation.

And so, she watches. Currently, she waits in the Trade District, closest to the Noble's District side. Even Nobles need supplies eventually, after all -- and servants gossip.]

humans

[whereismypie]

[ Dean isn't easily daunted by disgruntled people — if he were, he wouldn't be able to get his job done at least 90% of the time. and he's noted that the unhappier someone looked, the simpler it became for him to goad them into talking their hearts out. and there was a wealth of juicy information to be found in people's hearts, no gorey pun intended.

and so he remains on the outskirts as the Festival goes on, expression neutral and arms crossed, eyeing the unhappy lot and smiling at whoever deigns to catch his eye. ]

Humans!

[bodyscarred]

[ Bandits? Bandits are fine. Obi can handle bandits, and checking around the less-crowded places suits him just as well. So he's wandering the Commoners' District, hailing the nearest person with a casual wave of his hand while the other keeps his lantern close to his side. ]

Nice weather we're having, huh?

[ Obi, it's dark. ]

both.

[bk201]

[ For now, Hei takes to scaling buildings and camouflaging himself where he can (trees, posts, otherwise inconspicuous and indiscriminate objects) to eavesdrop on what conversations he's able to. Inclinations don't factor in on who he tails; if whoever it is doesn't seem to be a point of interest or particularly useful, Hei will move on to another target posthaste. ]

Goblins, pre-festival in the outskirts

[hellshaped]

[Hellboy figures he has a better chance with the goblins than some of the more human-shaped among them, so he concentrates his information gathering here. He's heard about sacrifices, and that just won't stand -- he's trying to eavesdrop and do what investigating he can while being very aware that he's being watched.

It's not going too well. He's better with punching stuff than skulking about. He picks out one of the goblins who seems to be eying him less suspiciously than the others, and tries to strike up a conversation.] Hey, how's it going?

humans

[grunehexe]

[Sieglinde hadn't been raised to dismiss the value in songs, legends, and books. Drawn by the sound of music, she makes her way painstakingly to the loose circle gathered around the minstrel, taking the chance to clamber awkwardly on to a bench to listen.

But she isn't trying to enjoy the music, she's trying to listen to the words- there's a lot of value in words and stories.

Once the song ends, though, she claps, waiting for the group's cheers to die slightly before she calls out,]

Do you have any more songs of the goblins?

[For, uh, the crowd, of course.]

goblins!

[griped]

[ They haven't received the warmest regards all around. That's fine. Wouldn't be the first time suspicious eyes have hung their way because they were outsiders. Despite his typical temper, that much doesn't get under his skin; he wouldn't be so quick to trust a bunch of new faces either.

But as he's familiarizing himself with the area, he can practically feel the look he's getting from some of Graldia's lot. Leveling them with an even stare right back, ]

What are you looking at?

[ That's one way to scope out the populace, right? ]

goblins (+ accord!)

[sediments]

[ It's a stealth operation, and Bolin is pressed secretively against a tree in the outskirts while peering intently at the goblins wandering around. He's not looking for a fight, and for all intents and purposes, he's unarmed, so hopefully they won't take offense at his presence.

It doesn't look that bad, if he's honest. Even if it's not as developed as the area where the human's live, it's not bad. Not any worse than the run down area that his father used to live.

He casts a look back at Accord. ]

Okay, should we infiltrate?

A little incident early October 4

[wright_idea]

Yeah, no, we're linking this sucker.

humans

[drunkdetective]

[ _{he makes a beeline for the trade district, trying to find the first table he can that looks like something he needs. he plops down his terrible lantern and rusty knife, grimacing slightly in apology to the person on the other side of the table.} ]

I need some way to fix these. Either a trade for something better or... [ _{or what? some way to fix them? he'd already said that, so he awkwardly changes tack.} ] I've got a little money.