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

[ roy had told julius in passing about his plan to investigate, and it's something that he remembers. while he's not sure if he can help, given his lack of experience - roy is someone whom he respects, so he naturally gravitates towards the older man. and his dog companion.

really, dogs are wonderful.

but he's here for also another reason, a report to make regarding his abilities. after contacting roy and checking that he's not busy right now, he needs to find a place to meet him in person. ]

I'm at [ insert the location of a somewhat empty street ] right now. We could meet here, or elsewhere, if you think somewhere more suitable.

I'll come to you. Stay put.

[ roy has to find black hayate, who he's taken to letting walk around the city with him. the dog is an excellent tracker, and the more the dog sees of the city, the better. it's just a matter of getting the dog away from riza. ]

Try to bring water, if you can.

I will.

[ water is one of the reasons he asked to meet roy, actually. he has a full bottle himself, but - there's also an empty one in his hands, as well as a couple of seeds. hopefully, it'll suffice. ]

[ he makes his way to where julius is, black hayate in tow. the dog is sticking close to roy, keeping a watch out with pricked ears as he navigates the busy streets, but he barks in familarity as he spots julius before roy does -- and once black hayate calls his attention to julius, roy brightens into a faint smile, and a raised hand in greeting. ]

Julius.

[ in greeting. ]

Enjoying the desert?

[ he returns the wave as soon as he is able, though he only begins speaking once roy is within conversational range - it's not in his manner to shout. he weighs the bottle in his hands, the older man's smile mirrored on his own expression ]

I would think so, yes. [ leisure isn't something he's accustomed to, so he had only allowed himself some indulgence of looking around as it still fell in line with their mission. ] It's all new to me.

[ and he's well aware of how he's out of his element ]

I've been meaning to ask your opinion of the situation, actually.

Ah, I'd rather a tropical paradise.

[ dismissively enough, as black hayate sits obediently by roy's leg, sniffing once or twice, keeping careful watch of the surrounding area as roy talks. black hayate is nothing but a good dog. roy rewards such behavior with a rub of his ears before he continues, his tone still light-hearted: ]

But I imagine you're more interested in my opinion of the crumbling monarchy and the inevitabilities of revolution.

[ it's almost like talking about the weather. but roy sees el minha for what it is: the people are tired, and they're angry, and eventually, something is going to give. ]

[ he knows what tropical paradise means, though that's more of a term he had once read instead of a concrete concept he can visualize. something that was common only in another worlds, then.

julius' eyes flick to the dog as roy rubs his ears - black hayate looks fine, so that's a good thing. he idly wonders about the effect of heat on dogs, but he is neither qualified nor attentive enough to comment on it. more important things are to be discussed. ]

Yeah, I am. I've never been in a place with this many people before. Is revolution inevitable, in such highly populated places?

[ there's a soft 'hmm' of thought, as roy lets his eyes wander along to see the people wandering by. black hayate himself seems fine, and pads up to julius to lick his hand in greeting, with a soft 'woof'. ]

Revolution starts with one person, usually. It's just a simple changing of the mind, and a refusal to tolerate what's intolerable. Then more minds begin to change, and more people begin to trust the vision, and soon, the people outnumber whatever was holding them in place to begin with. Power, money, military might.

[ he pauses. ]

This place reminds me of a place in Amestris, called Ishval. Or what Ishval used to look like, before the war. I never saw Ishval before the war, but I'm told it looked beautiful. It was likely a lot more beautiful before Amestris annexed it.

[ So, it is sort of like a flood, some kind of groupthink. He's read about revolutions before, but never seen one - not even the seeds of it. ]

With revolution will come conflict. I think that's what Astoria wants us to help with... but I'm not sure where to begin.

Do you think there's anything to help?

[ it's a genuine question, and roy looks over at julius, his brow furrowed. ]

The people here are going to choose what they want, regardless of what we do. The revolution began when they decided that the Crown wasn't to be trusted . . . and I don't know whether or not preventing violence is the right answer.

[ it's an honest admission; sometimes, violence is necessary. roy, always, would rather work to prevent it, but who is he to tell these people to lay down arms? if such arms are taken up in the first place, that is. ]

But either way, this city is walled, and there is no escape. If something happens, it's going to cause a lot of deaths. And that's something, I think, we can all agree on is something we should work to prevent. These people are innocent.

[ Maybe, there really isn't anything major they can do. He had pursued the avenue of question in hopes that there was something that could be done, just that his inexperience clouded it from him - but maybe, there isn't one.

Julius sighs, a slight, pinched sound. ]

I don't know. I... haven't had the experience to know. And I'm afraid of making the wrong decisions.

[ People are going to die, aren't they? Just like that last time. He had tried to save them then... but it only doomed them to needless suffering. ]

So what we should do is minimise violence and promote peaceful negotiations?

WORLD JUMP # 1: EL MINHA.

C

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