acatalepsy_logs | WORLD JUMP # 1: EL MINHA.

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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? :)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ she's competitive all right, but she also has a survival instinct - okay, well, not a very strong one, admittedly, as her many battle scars would attest to - but still!! she's not a big fan of spicy foods anyway, let alone mystery spice from another world, given to them by a chef who may or may not have a grudge. she will accept this loss, though it's a win as far as she's concerned.. especially once he makes that face.

um.

so does he love it, or is he about to die?? alisaie's eyes widen with concern, but she hesitates, like he's a land mine and any further stimulation will set him off. ]

.. Prompto?

[ That's not an inaccurate comparison, though it takes Prompto a moment longer to react to her at all. It's like whatever he's tasting has sent him reeling so far that it will take him some time to pull himself back together, but eventually, he swallows (reluctantly), croaking out a simple, needful word: ]

Water.

[ And then his face starts to turn red—bright red all the way up to his hairline, perspiration gathering on his brow, as he starts to fan himself. Oh, boy, this one is a doozy, and for as big of a spicy food fan as he is, it feels like there is literal fire in his throat and he's going to die any moment now.

Help. ]

[ oh. yikes. he's dying. rip.. she will remember him for the idiot that he was. ]

Oh -

[ he should probably ask for milk, but i mean, alisaie doesn't know much about spicy food anyway. she hops up quickly, her hands splayed open in mild panic for a few moments, before she zips off toward the bar, returning a few moments (it probably feels like hours) later with a tall glass of ice water. ]

Here..

[ don't laugh, don't laugh.. ]

[ He's on the verge of death and there she is, trying not to laugh at him!! The nerve...but Prompto doesn't give a moment's thought to being offended right now. Instead he tips the glass up, guzzling down it's contents zealously. He doesn't stop until the entire glass is gone — which hopefully he won't regret later, too — and then he slams it back down on the table, coughing like there is no tomorrow.

In between his fits, he manages a few words: ]

I feel — like I a-ate — the sun —

[ he's dying squirtle ]

[ okay yeah she's gonna laugh.. it bubbles right up out of her and she can't stop it, doesn't bother to, especially now that he's breathing. sort of. but she takes the empty glass up anyway and gets a refill for him, though she's still laughing even when she brings it back and sets it down before him, then sits herself down again. ]

Well, I feel that even in losing, I have won..

[ she teases, leaning her chin into her hand, but she softens after a moment. ]

Will you be all right? Shall I knock you out to end your suffering?

[ For as obvious of a mistake as eating the spicy fries had been, she has such a nice laugh and it's so good to hear it that he doesn't so much mind in that moment that his throat is on fire. He's so often trying to make people smile and laugh, and even if that wasn't exactly what he was going for here, he's glad for it, all the same.

So he can't hold back a smile when he meets her gaze over that second glass of water, before he kicks back the contents of this one, too. The raging inferno is starting to calm somewhat, and while Prompto doubts he will return to normal for several hours, it's a start. He can at least think and talk again, so that's progress.

...Even if he is still croaking a bit. ]

Would you? I dunno how long I can stand this... [ He drops back into his seat opposite her, beating a fist against his chest. ] Hooo boy, that was somethin' else, I tell you...

[ fewer things in life give her the same joy as watching people suffer..

he seems to be recovering though, even if she's sure he will feel the aftereffects for quite some time. wait until it comes out the other end, prompto, your screaming will be heard all across el minha.

very carefully, alisaie wiggles free an unadulterated fry from the bottom of the pile, jenga style. ]

It would seem so. I suppose the chef hasn't forgiven you.

Guess not...

[ He mutters hoarsely, attempting to pull out one of the fries in a similar manner as she does. They're so mildly flavored on their own, he's hoping it will help calm his irritated throat. Also, that he can restore his faith in fries. ]

Next time? We make our own fries.

[ ah, this fry has a tiny drop of sauce on the edge of it, and even that much is enough to make her clear her throat, her cheeks and ears reddening. ahem. ]

Aye. Or you could simply attempt not to insult the next chef.

[ He can't help but notice the color in her cheeks, and he's pretty sure that has nothing to do with him, so she must've tasted some of the...special sauce. He doesn't draw attention to it, however. ]

Hey! I didn't insult him. I just wanted to make sure he knew what he was doing!

[ yeah sorry prompto, it's not you, it's the sauce. holy shit that stings, and it's only a tiny bit.. she'll have to be more careful jenga-ing these fries. ]

.. Mhm.

[ she's cocking a brow super hard. ]

[ Someday it will be him and he won't realize it...until then, he will keep dreaming... ]

What? It's almost like you don't believe me!

[ the slow burn is real.. ]

Of course I don't. I was there, after all.

But you missed the first part of our convo! I totally buttered him up first.

[ But it was not very effective. ]

Shall I ask him his opinion?

[ we both know how that would end, prompto.. ]

[ Okay, she's got him, and he shakes his head quickly. ]

N-no no! You don't need to do that...l-let's just enjoy the friends.

The safe fries.

WORLD JUMP # 1: EL MINHA.

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