WORLD JUMP # 1: EL MINHA.

[acatamods]

I ▫ main IV ▫ premise       XI ▫ applications XIV ▫ activity II ▫ logs V ▫ rules VII ▫ bestiary   IX ▫ canon updates XII ▫ taken XV ▫ drop/hiatus III ▫ ooc VI ▫ faq VIII ▫ setting   X ▫ mods XIII ▫ reserves XVI ▫ players welcome to el minha. It will happen at random- you could be asleep, or wandering the Temple, or a variety of other options. It will feel a little strange, like a sudden warmth spreading across your skin, and then your bracelet will light up and a semi-familiar voice will be heard. I hope you are able to help the people of El Minha! And oh- in case I didn't mention it already, water is very, very valuable here. And then you will blink, and it will be bright. Bright, and warm, as you are standing just inside the grand walls that protect the impressive city before you. At your hip there will be a small bag with a few bits of coin - nothing too crazy, and definitely not enough to last you the entire stay (which...you're not exactly sure how long it will be), but enough to get started. Your presence brings a couple of glances, a stare or two, but overall the city seems to continue on with its day. Welcome to the Red Desert, the city of El Minha. THE PALACE After a few hours of being within El Minha, the King has heard that a large amount of travelers are now wandering within the city limits. An audience is called in front of the Royal Palace, and King Kathashun steps out onto the dias. He is dressed rather plainly, for a monarch -- a purple robe, with some gold bangles and bracelets, but no ornate crown or anything like that. However, when he appears, the natives around you grow quiet, at the presence of their King. “I understand that there are a lot of new people, within our fair city. Welcome to El Minha, the Jewel of the Red Desert. Enjoy our culture, our people, our wares; we welcome you, and hope you enjoy your stay.” There is a pause, though, as King Kathashun seems to weigh out what he wants to say. “I normally do not spend my time greeting tourists to our city, as our Crown Guard typically handles educating our visitors on our ways,” he continues, folding his hands behind his back. “But the heart of our city has been heavy, in recent months, and I feel it is my duty as King to be clear, to be honest, and to speak the truth. Recently, we have been attempting to hunt down individuals who wish our city harm, who have harmed my family, and my people. The Syndicate has been active, as of late, and I warn all of you who are not familiar with El Minha to avoid certain areas of the city should you wish to keep your pocketbooks.” There’s a slight quirk of his lips, as he says that, before he tilts his head in a polite gesture of greeting toward the crowd. “Please, enjoy El Minha. And should any of you garner any information concerning the Syndicate, please do not hesitate to contact me.” For the duration of your time in El Minha, King Kathashun will be within his palace . . . or so the Crown Guard says, should you ask them for an audience. That being said, you might be lucky wandering the streets. The King of El Minha tends to mingle more with the common folk than the Crown Guard would lead you to believe . . . THE GRAND MARKET Welcome to the heart and soul of El Minha - a massive outdoor market in the center of the city. Covered by fabric stretched between the buildings, this market feels almost like a city, or living soul, in and of itself. It is constantly moving, constantly evolving. Anything you could imagine is for sale here - spices, jewelry, weapons - whatever you’re looking for, anything at all. While you won’t necessarily find specific items from your home, you can find any matter of similarly made or crafted ones. Think cheap knock-offs, or unnecessarily well-made versions, because they can vary widely. There can also be items of some level of magic, though nothing particularly strong or overly impressive. (feel free to ask the mods on the previous ooc post about if an item is too over-powered to be found in the market - and also know that there’s always the chance you could find it in the underground. It just depends on how determined you are to track it down.) Stalls can range from cobbled together boxes and goods to grand, incredible stands - it all depends on what you’re looking for, and how long you’re willing to look. There is no map here, so tread lightly! The merchants that work in the market are experienced, practiced sales people. They know how to sell to anyone, but especially tourists. Barter to your hearts content, but it will take a little more than a ‘please’ to get those prices down. They have expert eyes and will not take pick-pockets or thieves well. However, as experienced and watchful as the merchants may be, that won’t stop young kids on the streets targeting the tourists as well - so keep an eye out on your pockets! As long as you have coin, water, or something to trade you are welcome as long as you’d like to stay here in the El Minha Marketplace. However, if you loiter for too long, you might get a swift kick in the ass to either get moving or buy something - they’re not giving away anything for free, and that includes the shade. THE SPARKLING SAPPHIRE As the announcement from King Kathashun comes to an end, all members of the Circle will be communicated - in one way or another - the direction to the Sparkling Sapphire. Free housing, you’ve been told. All you have to do is go, give them your name, and let them know you are part of the group that King Kathashun has directed here. Here, as it turns out, isn’t too shabby of a place. A large building with plenty of rooms, it is clean and fairly busy, with a bustling tavern area and rooms upstairs. You can pick up your key from the older woman behind the front desk, and are directed to the staircase in the middle of the establishment. The rooms are clean, but plain, with one or two beds depending on your preference. Downstairs in the tavern you can find food served for both breakfast and dinner, which is included in the room. Otherwise, there is a small fee for food or drink, and the servers are talented and experienced and very, very friendly. It is in the tavern that you can find the hookah, and some strange liquor as well, but it’s up to you if you choose to drink it. The food is incredible, beyond incredible, and they can make almost anything that you’ll like, though it may come out a bit creative. The main room is comfortable - with a roaring fire but without the suffocating heat. There is a bard in the corner, who will sing or tell stories or simply play, depending on the feeling of the room. Have a drink! Or a meal! While most of the people here are indeed Circle members, there may be a couple of natives mixed in as well. Take a load off, relax, and enjoy the hospitality that only a King’s Coin can bring. THE FIGHT RING The ring itself is somewhat on the outskirts of town - a colosseum-esque collection of buildings that watch over a pit-like arena. The buildings protect the Fighting Ring from any outside eyes, or any unwanted attention, as this area is solely under the command of The Syndicate. Anyone is allowed inside, as long as you don’t cause any problems and don’t start any trouble. There are a number of what you can assume are Syndicate-employed figures that are constantly canvasing the area as well, so don’t expect to be able to sneak in unless invited or allowed. The Fight Ring is open for volunteers at any time, and once you’ve been checked for any fun business and told the rules (no magic, only weapons allowed are the ones provided, the fight will end once one side relents or is taken out of commission). If this still feels like your cup of tea, you are invited to take a spot in line. Perhaps, if you’ve shown yourself promising enough, The Champion may appear to protect their crown. Otherwise, you will find plenty of adversaries around. If you are looking for a less aggressive route, there are plenty of seats open to watch, as well as many other members of the city taking a break to watch the fights, and they certainly wouldn’t mind sharing some of their favorite stories of matches or victories. The Champion is the resounding favorite, but the stories shared will vary to the point that almost no useful information can be gleaned. Join in the festivities that surround the ring! Pick up some food, bet on some fighters, enjoy the competition, and maybe you’ll be lucky and catch a sight of The Champion, or any of the other legendary figures of the El Minha Fight Ring. THE GOLDEN PHOENIX The Golden Phoenix is the central location of the Syndicate . . . and locals will make absolutely no effort to hide that fact from the Circle members. However, people don't seem to be afraid to go, though you definitely need to have coin to get through the door. There are multiple tables where various dice and card games are being played, as well as old slot machines. There are multiple employees in dark uniforms wandering around, offering drinks to all those who are spending coin on the machines, free of charge. If you loiter too long without spending money, you will be asked why you're there -- not in a threatening way, of course. But the relationship between the Syndicate and the King isn't all that great, as of late . . . can't be too careful with spies. In the back of the Golden Phoenix, there's a tiny racing ring in the back where small lizards are being raced in a little track set on a table. You can place bets on any of the lizards and, who knows? You may win a prize, including a little lizard! How cute! (Be careful, though: they nip.) But out back, there's another lizard racing ring, though these ones are . . . well, they're certainly not tiny. In fact, people seem to be riding on them akin to horse racing . . . and jockeys are a dime a dozen, in El Minha. Fancy yourself the next Triple Crown winner? Step right up, step right up, and take a spin on the track outside! Additionally, please feel free to write up and work with your own prompts! These are presented as jumping off points for your characters, not limitations. The idea of this world- as with all the others- is to explore. There will be some NPCs interacting with characters as well, so keep an eye out for those as well! If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask them back on the mod questions thread back in the OOC post from before! From this point forward, the Circle has become involved with the political stasis and climate of El Minha. What your character finds out, decides, and does from here on out will affect the future of this city- one way or another! But what you do is completely up to you. What you discover, explore, and uncover in this city will be yours to discover, explore, and uncover. Who knows what you might find? :)

Comments

IV

[foundafamily]

[She doesn't seem to be talking to him, but Firo hears the kid's questions and has to stop.

Technically, he supposes he's not even officially a gangster here, but that doesn't mean he can't advise on gangster matters. Hell, he'll advise on anything he damn well feels like advising on.

He calls over:]

I don't know about the protection rackets here, but if you're worried about your kneecaps you probably shouldn't ask so many questions.

[foundafamily]

[OK, not exactly the response he was expecting... Firo has a sinking feeling that this guy might be one of those weirdos he always seems to run into. The question will just be whether he's closer to the Isaac and Miria end of the spectrum or the more punch Ladd end. At least he doesn't seem particularly ominous so far.]

If you can't come up with a better pitch than that, no. You broke it, you handle your own trash.

[buff_for_a_nerd]

[ Sam's good at dealing with ghosts and monsters, sure, but if you need something off the back of the top shelf he's also your guy. ]

This is definitely a diverse crowd. [ As he makes that remark his gaze wanders briefly over a couple of humanoids walking by who have what seem to be spiky horns poking out from their foreheads. ] Of course so are we.

Speaking of, I don't think we've met. I'm Sam Winchester.

[ Maybe it's a little weird that he's carrying her bags around before they've been properly introduced, but it's not like they're total strangers at least. ]

[oculusriffs]

[that broken sword on the ground represents everything paradox space tried to make him into, and everything heroic he was apparently supposed to pull off. and maybe, if there's a timeline out there that isn't complete garbage like his was, a better Dave will pick up Caledfwlch and manage what he couldn't. be the reluctant hero he never wanted to be in the first place.]

[breaking the sword one more time was at least step one in acknowledging that it isn't his problem anymore. there's nobody left for him to try to help.]

[he doesn't say anything immediately, though; he just considers the pieces lying there for a moment.]

I think it'd probably be less insulting if I had actually bought this thing.

[reincarnivorous]

You mean you brought it with you?

[This is the question Kite asks, but it's definitely not the main question at hand. As though Dave's voice broke the spell of stillness, she walks over to stand beside him, also looking down. Nope. Still weird.]

[reincarnivorous]

[Kite also straightens as Waver puts his... weapon? away and glances around, but it doesn't seem like they've garnered any attention. It's frustrating not to be sure.]

I didn't mean to surprise you, but you seem like you're expecting trouble. [There's a lilt, like a question; is he in trouble?]

[bowtiedbones]

[She takes it carefully, turning it around in her hands before handing it back.]

It's definitely big enough. Good condition, too! If we had Internet I could tell what kind for sure, there's been so many morphological studies done on birds, nevermind corvids alone, but I can't even begin to charge my phone here.

Did the stall have any skeletons? Or just skulls?

[sunborne]

[ those thoughts are very r u d e but the question is important enough to keep him where he is, instead of his initial plan to look for wherever the equivalency of the sign up sheet is.

much to meddy’s relief as the drone perches itself on daylight's shoulder to stay by his side. ]

It's not like I'm gonna, like, kick them outta the ring or something. But if they won’t let me fight than they won’t let me fight. [ he shrugs, trying to act casual though it's obvious by the frown and the way his optics flicker that he hopes it won't be the case.

he’ll be really kinda disappointed if they turned him away but he'll understand it. keeping things even and fair and stuff. he can get behind that. ]

... What about you? Are you going to join in too?

[buff_for_a_nerd]

I'll meet you there in an hour.

Sam isn't sure what Tyrion means by "used to getting overlooked" until he finds him standing outside of the Phoenix. The crowds here are highly diverse, but it's Tyrion's clothes that mark him as a clear outsider more than anything else, and along with the fact that he's obviously waiting for someone makes Sam fairly certain that he's found the right person. He's replaced his own clothes with local garb better suited to the desert sun, and while he definitely wouldn't be fooling any locals at least he doesn't stand out like a sore thumb anymore. At least aside from the fact that he's about half a foot taller than the average height of most crowds.

"Tyrion?" He asks, shifting to stand next to him near to the wall to avoid blocking the flow of pedestrians in front of the casino. He hasn't kept the man waiting for long, since he knows that the Syndicate has a fairly poor view of anyone who lingers too long around here without some sort of business. The casino itself has some impressive bouncers, and even out on the street he can practically feel eyes on him.

He's not used to it. At home he and his brother fly under the radar as much as possible, and if they get any curious glances at all it's usually for very mundane reasons. The politically charged - and subtly dangerous - situation here is something that Sam's only read about in books.

[sunborne]

Whoa!

[ he's definitely never seen anything like that during his travels on the lornful light. which is saying something with how often he and the others on the ship keep stumbling headfirst into adventures. daylight may or may not be looking at narsus with big starry optics now like he's seen the neatest thing in the world.

when the warning of the shade won't hold up forever comes it helps snap daylight of his thoughts. he nods deferentially to the man, wanting to help meddy somehow. ]

Y-Yeah. We should get going. [ he checks his little companion and meddy is beginning to perk up now. just a bit and it's enough for now. ] I think I heard someone mentioning an inn nearby...? We could go there.

-Thanks a lot, by the way. This- Um- I was really scared that they would- [ he tries not to curl his hands around meddy too much, not wanting to break the barrier or shadow or whatever is happening, though he can't stop the worried click! that comes out from him. ]

[flyingsolos]

It's... weird. They don't look like your typical bird wings or whatever, but it still feels like I'm using back muscles to fly.

[ Rion grimaces, tugging at her ponytail. ]

I guess it's probably a matter of practice, but it still sucks to hobble after it.

[courtpainter]

[Narsus' interest is piqued by the outburst, and he glances over to see what the young man is having trouble with. He takes a moment to finalize his own purchase and hopefully let Waver cool down, before coming over to look more closely.]

It will help them show you appropriate wares if you let them know what you mean to do with them. As an artist myself, I'd be happy to make recommendations on that basis as well.

[courtpainter]

I think I passed it on my way here. It's this way. [He gestures, but he'll wait for Daylight to start moving first so he can keep an eye on the shadow he's casting over the drone. It doesn't keep pace with them precisely, because Narsus has to keep his mind on where he wants the focus point to be, so it bobs a little bit like a parasol...if a parasol pushed away the light it blocked onto walls and passersby.]

You're not used to the desert, are you? [He smiles a little, not unkindly.] I'm sure you're far from the first travelers they've seen to fall prey to the heat.

[jalin]

[ okay well it's definitely. strong. definitely very much stronger than jalin is expecting. but give him some credit - there's a brief noise of surprise as jalin shakes his hand. ]

We're glad you made it here! [ he laughs, shaking his hand around a bit as soon as they've finished shaking. ]

No, I guess you wouldn't. Either way. [ jalin shrugs, easily enough. ] Are you here to watch, or join?

[sunborne]

Hey there! Glad to know my message got to some folks. [ daylight is pleased as punch that his message go through some people. phew! he was kinda worried he didn't use that device function correctly or something.

he offers his hand for her to jump on when she gets to the level of his shoulder, more or less offering that as a finish line for her. compared to the rest of his body, his hand isn't covered in 'plating' so, in theory, it should be less hot for someone. ] Day or Daylight are fine. What's your nickname?

[ if she doesn't have one, daylight is more than happy to think one for her!! he already has one in the making with how cool she looked while scaling up the stall. ]

b

[rootandbranch]

You have wings too!

[Geir peers delightedly over at her from the edge of another, his expressive face lighting up in a bright grin. he hadn't even guessed when he took her flying!]

You didn't tell me, you didn't tell me! What is it that you need?

wildcard; voice

[rootandbranch]

[there's a long quiet period after the King's speech; Rean more than has time to explore the market and speak to the people of El Minha. the shadows lengthen into dimness as the afternoon wears on and he makes any discoveries that are there to be found from a little walking and talking. as the sun sets on the secrets of the first long, tiring day in the city, his communicator watch crackles to life with a voice message.]

Sooo. How was your first trip to a new world?

[Geir remembered that Rean was interested in that. he was more interested in Rean's focus on intentions in their previous conversation. he's had a little time to soak in the city in light of the King's commentary at this point, and he'd wondered what that person who reminded him of Flynn had thought of it all.]

That guy didn't waste any time, huh.

LIZARDS

[rootandbranch]

[rather than trying to enter the Golden Phoenix -- an establishment where he almost certainly wouldn't fit -- Geir's draped himself hugely over the roof of the building, his coils making a sun-baked, overheated lump on the roof tiles. it's lucky that he isn't as heavy as he looks, but that doesn't stop the beams from creaking the faintest bit whenever he moves.

he's been watching the lizard races with critical interest, though not betting on anything. this is a good vantage point for people-watching, as well. he can't help but snicker when Prompto's comment drifts back to his excellent hearing: Prompto might be surprised by a voice ringing out from well above where he'd expect anyone to hail him.]

Pinchy? Says who?

iii.

[rootandbranch]

[Geir hasn't been exploring the city as much as he might have in another time and place. it looks interesting, to be sure: bright and glittering and seedy by turns, full of interesting things and people to look at. but Shehui was the same, and Geir remembers the claustrophobia of those walls, the way all those interesting new faces turned away from them when they led him to captivity. it's not that it traumatized him -- not really. but being captured wasn't a pleasant experience. having walls lock him inside a space isn't a pleasant memory. he's been spending a lot of time flying out beyond the walls, seeing what there is to see.

he's just recently returned from one of these trips, and he was still draped half over the wall, watching the shadows change and musing with interest about how much emptiness there is out there. he sees Dave and finds he can watch the miniature drama playing out in front of him quite clearly from his perch. he waits for a few minutes to see if Dave is going to... do anything else with that, or just come out here to break his sword... ... ... no, it's definitely the second thing.]

Uh...

[sunborne]

[ daylight is doing his level best to not jostle her too much while he steps away from the building, now looking for a more comfortable (aka shadier) spot for them to head towards to.

he also looks pretty excited by her answer. ]

You were practicing how to fly? Really? [ not only is his interest obvious by the grin on his face but his winglets on his back hitch up why, fluttering at the mere mention of flying. ] Oh wow that's so cool.

[sunborne]

Join in on the fun! Obviously! [ if they let him in, of course, and he really hopes that they will. it won’t by every day an exciting chance like this pops up and he’s taking advantage of this.

he’s really excited to try and use those grappling techniques nightbreak taught him a few months back. he promises to not be too rough when up against his opponents, he swears. ] Meddy is going to be on me since they know I’m going to win. [ he pokes his companion and sticks out his tongue at meddy when all he receives is an unhappy boop. and nothing more from them.

some drones are just programmed to be worrywarts, it seems. he turns his attention back to his talking buddy, the winglets mounted on his back hitching up high thanks to daylight’s curiosity. ] Are you going to fight too?

[sunborne]

[ he nods in reply to the question as he sticks close to narsus' side, careful to not bump into his new traveling companion.

much as he wants meddy to benefit the shade, daylight doesn't want to send someone flying by accident. ]

The crew I was with never had any real reason to visit desert planets. [ no real benefits for them and he's starting to see firsthand why it can be bad for a galateion or anything galateion related. ] It won't- It won't hurt Meddy permanently, will it? The heat?

[flyingsolos]

[ Another person not to use honorifics with, then. It's a little hard to adjust to, without that sense of connection that had made her drop them with people in the first place, but Rion smiles a little ruefully and nods. ]

I'm Rion Kugayama. Thanks for helping me out, Sam.

[ Since she's pretty sure lugging all this back on her own would have just ended poorly. ]

[flyingsolos]

[ Bless Geir and his big adorable doofy face. As tired as Rion is, she has to smile, even as the wings dissipate in a swirl of golden-orange light. ]

I didn't know back then. I've been practicing for awhile now, but it's been hard on my back, so... could you maybe help me get down?

[ Can she do it herself? Probably, but it's not going to make her hobble any less once she's on solid ground again. ]

[flyingsolos]

I mean-- no, but--!

[ Mnnngh. ]

Can't I just, you know, learn how to be more aware of them so I know when to avoid them?