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

[parttimes]

Yeah, yeah.

[You're awfully confident, Akira.]

Do you think I'm made of money here?

[No promises.]

[purrtagonist]

[he sure is. or maybe he's joking? it's tough to tell, what with how blase his expression remains. either way, with that decided, he is making his way towards the giant lizard stalls to see if he can procure one for the race]

You could be made of money if you won it big here. [glances at Kou and shrugs] Though I don't blame you for playing it safe.

[parttimes]

[Kou's going to bet on him anyway because he's a sap and it's a show of trust BUT STILL...]

Yeah, yeah. Just--good luck out there, don't get yourself beaten up by lizards or lizard jockeys.

[purrtagonist]

[Kou is going to lose his money]

Who would beat up an average looking guy in glasses?

[he asks while vaulting over the fence to enter the lizard stall area. BYE KOU]

[. . .]






[and five minutes later he gets kicked out]

[hm]

[hm . . . . . .]

[parttimes]

[Goodbye, money, good thing he didn't bet a lot........]

... That was fast.

[THIS IS THE MOST UNIMPRESSED FACE

EVER]

[purrtagonist]

[gosh Akira sure is hopping over that racetrack barrier super quickly, his movements stiff and kind of hurried. what could be wrong!!]

Have you ever wondered what the other side of the casino looks like? I sure have. It must be full of mysteries.

Let's go there.

[A. . . Akira. . .]

Now.

[huh there are some really irate looking men coming out of the lizard race track stable area, making a mad dash towards where Akira and Kou are standing. h-hm]

[parttimes]

[For FUCK'S SAKE AKIRA-- Kou is definitely just following along because that looks terrible.

But as they run--]

What did you even do?!

[purrtagonist]

[lol yeah, Akira's definitely breaking out into a run when he realizes he's being followed. that catches the attention of a few casino patrons. so much for keeping on the down-low]

Stopped a theft in progress. . .!

[i.e. totally prevented someone from picking Rion's pocket. well, and. . . uh. picked the thief's pocket in return, maybe. apparently, that guy is a common customer on casino grounds. and seeing as how much Akira stands out as a tourist with his fancy magic watch and his foreign attire, it was easy for this patron to remember who relieved him of his wallet back then]

[parttimes]

[... ????

Oh my god.

This is how you always are, aren't you, Akira. Kou definitely is following immediately, glancing over his shoulder in alarm as the thief seems to be trying to catch right on up.

Kou just grimaces, and then immediately grabs Akira's sleeve to tug him sharply down another alley as soon as they're out of the casino.

He's at least been spending a lot of time wandering these alleyways doing odd jobs; he thinks they can lose them.]

[purrtagonist]

[Akira's spent a lot of time in Syndicate territory, but admittedly, his area of expertise is the Grand Market. so he almost runs past that very same alleyway before Kou yanks him down it, practically knocking him off balance as he does so. it's only Akira's quick reflexes that save him from faceplanting onto the ground]

-- I take it you know where you're going?

[HE SURE HOPES SO. because even as they continue running down said alleyway, the casino thugs are right behind them both]

[parttimes]

Sort of...!

[Kou's going to keep going, though, because he knows that going, going, going is the best possible way to deal with being chased.]

We just have to shake them off, and can worry about the rest after.

[purrtagonist]

Well, sure, "sort of" is good enough for me!

[hey Kou guess what, while you run ahead, Akira is going to casually eye the rooftops of the buildings they pass by. almost like he's looking for a way to hop up onto one or something? hm]

[parttimes]

[Kou has no idea Akira is doing this because normal teenagers do not scope out rooftops to find a way to hop up onto one, Akira.

But hey.

Upcoming stacked boxes that look like a great point to hop on up there...!!]

[purrtagonist]

[SURE THEY DO, IT'S FINE KOU??]

[and as soon as Akira spots those boxes (he doesn't need his Third Eye to understand that this is an opening), he snatches Kou by the wrist and yanks him towards them]

Over here. . .!

[parttimes]

[NOTHING IS FINE...

Kou follows when he's yanked, but when his eyes fall on the boxes, it's with dread.]

Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on, what are you--!

[purrtagonist]

[IT'S FINE KOU, THEY'RE JUST BOXES]

We'll lose them faster from up there-- [and he points to the rooftops]

[for emphasis]

[parttimes]

[IT'S NOT OKAY.]

I don't know how to parkour!

[But... he's following anyway. Time to clamber up those boxes...!!]

[purrtagonist]

You don't have to know how to parkour, just follow my lead!

[once they're up there, they don't even have to jump to another rooftop to escape. so long as their pursuers don't realize they're on the rooftops now, they can hide. #justphantomthiefthings]

[Akira lets Kou go first up the stack of boxes, too. so he can, like. . . catch him in case he falls]

[parttimes]

[Thanks... despite all of his bitching, Kou actually is very athletic and climbs the boxes without a shred of trouble, hoisting himself onto the roof and turning to offer Akira a hand should he end up needing it.

They gotta go fast.]

[purrtagonist]

[turns out? he doesn't need the and at all. he winds up hoisting himself onto the roof in one graceful flippy motion without much trouble]

Over here.

[and once they're up there, he takes Kou by the wrist and leads him to the other side of the roof, immediately ducking low so they can't be seen from the ground]

[parttimes]

[........ There's a mutter out of Kou, something like:]

So extra...

[But he follows, without complaint, and crouches next to him easily. And, softly:]

... Does this really work?

[purrtagonist]

[. . . plops his hand on Kou's head and just. shoves, gently, as punishment for that commentary]

It works better than exhausting ourselves by running for an hour straight.

[parttimes]

[Kou rocks with the shove and immediately fixes Akira with a baleful stare.]

Good grief...

I think my doubt is well-founded, all things considered. I've never done anything like this before.

[purrtagonist]

There's a first time for everything--

[but Akira cuts himself off as the voices from down below get louder. he doesn't want to risk accidentally giving away their position]

[parttimes]

[Yeah, he gets the idea.

He just falls silent, crouching a bit lower and remaining there, unmoving.

.. ... ... stealth missions are not really part of his canon.]