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

[flyingsolos]

... Huh. Are they aware of it, or is it like mind control?

[cakebuffet]

I'm not sure? I haven't really... experimented with it yet.

[She grimaces. She's not really looking forward to doing so, either.]

I guess it could be useful, depending on the target, but I don't like the idea of taking away someone's free will, even for a few minutes.

[flyingsolos]

You know, I'm glad that it's you, though. You're not going to abuse it.

[cakebuffet]

I definitely won't.

[Stepping in to persuade shadows was one thing, but this takes using her charms to a whole new level— one she isn't entirely comfortable with.]

To be perfectly honest, I'd be okay never using it at all, but I'm going to try to be open-minded about it. I mean, I could definitely see using it to stop someone from trying to hurt someone else.

[flyingsolos]

Yeah, that's what I mean. I haven't known you for very long, but I can tell you're genuine.

But you should probably try it soon-- maybe just start off with someone you trust?

[cakebuffet]

[She smiles a little, and it's uncharacteristically shy, if only for a moment.]

Thanks, Kugayama. That means a lot.

[She fully intends to use it with the utmost care, if she has to at all.]

That might be the best way to test it out... I'm sure Akira would be okay with it, if I asked? He knows I would never make him do anything he didn't want to.

[flyingsolos]

Aki-- Kurusu-kun?

... Oh, that's right, he did say he was a fan of yours.

[ and then, super wryly-- ]

Is he a part of your model gang, too?

[cakebuffet]

He said he was—

[Is he going around telling people that he's her fan? Joker, please.

... oh.

Ann pales slightly, and her tone takes on that same heavy-handed edge from their first day.]

No, he's from our rival gang, the, uh— oh, forget it.

[Rion's not buying it, and she doesn't want to lie to her, anyway.]

We're friends. We go to school together.

[flyingsolos]

[ ... poor Ann. Rion was actually curious what this rival gang was going to be called, but she softens sympathetically when Ann just gives up on it.

But that's promising, she thinks. That's something like trust, right? ]

That's about what he told me. [ though she's not sure why Ann would hide that in the first place. ] That you two were really good friends.

He's... honestly a little weird, but he's more reliable than I thought. So I'm glad you've got him with you.

[cakebuffet]

[Look. Maybe she'll humor you and give them a name later on, Rion, for friendship reasons.

She smiles a little at that descriptor— well, Rion's not wrong.]

He is a little weird, isn't he? But I guess we all are, in our own ways. All I know is I'm not sure where I'd be without him— I'm glad he's here, too. You have a friend from home here too, don't you?

[flyingsolos]

[ thanks, Ann, this is why you're her gal pal. ]

Ah, yeah, Kou-kun... he's a low-key kind of weird, but he's also really reliable when he needs to be.

[ darn protags. ]

[cakebuffet]

[Gal pals are important! Ann's never had many, but she treasures the ones she does. That's not about to change.]

Is he? He seems pretty normal to me— but you would know better than I would.

[Maybe it's just a guy friend kind of thing? Are they all weird? Most of hers are. Akira's not even the weirdest one, Rion.]

He seems nice, though. I'm glad to know he's reliable. It makes all the difference in the world, having someone you feel like you can count on.

[flyingsolos]

Like-- you know? When a guy meets an idol, and she offers him an autograph, he ought to be super excited, right? Not just-- turn her down! Immediately!

I mean, he's definitely someone I can count on, but he's weird!!

[cakebuffet]

Seriously? He turned you down?

[What guy in their right mind would have done that? Even Ann would have taken it, honestly.]

Maybe he's not that into popular culture...?

[flyingsolos]

He's weirdly traditional, so probably. Or maybe he's just out of touch with reality.

[ What a rude, rude leader she had. ]

[cakebuffet]

Most guys would do anything for an autograph from an idol. I mean, I'd even take one.

[Although that sounds a little weird in this context, considering that she and Rion are friendly?]

Quirks aside, though, he seems really nice.

[flyingsolos]

I'll save you a signature one day.

[ She will. ]

But he is! Even when he's blunt, he does it because he cares.

[cakebuffet]

[Ann smiles in response to that— it's nice having a friend here who's a girl, honestly. She misses Shiho every day, though she's been without her for quite some time back home, too.]

That's good. So he's genuine.

[A good quality in a leader! They're nearing their lodgings now, which means they'll both be able to get off of their feet and out of the heat for awhile.]

How's your back feeling? You can lean on me as long as you want, of course.

[flyingsolos]

Thanks... but I think I can manage now. Even if you're the best crutch ever.

[ Ann is a good soul, Rion has deemed it so. ]

[cakebuffet]

[That actually makes her blush, for reasons she's not entirely sure of? Genuine compliments always strike her oddly, but she's certainly flattered.]

Well, I try my best. I'm glad I was in the right place at the right time, I can't imagine you trying to limp back to the hotel on your own.

[flyingsolos]

It would've been a pain and a half. So trust me, you're a lifesaver.

[cakebuffet]

Anytime.

[She smiles brightly, straightening up some to give Rion free reign to walk on her own.]

Well, since we're headed back anyway, even if you can walk without me, feel like getting something to eat? I bet all that flying made you hungry.

[flyingsolos]

Now you're speaking my language. I'm totally down for a dinner date right now.

[ Ann's not wrong at all. ]

fade out to ladies' night aw yes

[cakebuffet]

Dinner and dessert.

[They'll find a way to make it happen, financially— but that last part is important. Though Rion doesn't need her as a crutch anymore, Ann smiles and offers her arm so that they can link elbows.]

Shall we?

[TREAT YO'SELF, RION]