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

[sunborne]

Funny that you mention that! When they first founded it, they were only planning to look after Dust Tumbles and adjacent counties, nothing more. They didn't want to step on toes or anything. [ all they wanted to do was help those who couldn't get help at the time. in the aftermath of the legacy war leaving a heck of a mark on earth, there wasn't a lot of government officials who were all that interested in helping struggling small towns that were trying to get over. not when the bigger, more

important cities needed attention. ('like fucking applegrove,' daylight could all but hear his auntie laura hiss, her words (and disdain) clear as day.) ]

Then it started getting bigger and more important when more lots of folks started to join the group, believing in their cause or trusting them to do what's right for other folks. [ like auntie breakthrough and uncle kindsguard, if the stories are to be believed. ] They actually got in trouble a few times for apparently going over the chain of command in some stuff. It's why they had to expand and petition for official affiliation to the United Council of Countries at some point.

[ he had watched those hearings in the past, looking up at the screen in awe as his auntie and uncle battled the union's representatives to be recognised and funded.

the sweet smile on his face dims a little bit when he gets to his family at long last. he looks both forlorn and resigned while he speaks. ] I'm used to it, honestly. Distance and... other things keeping us apart. Most of my immediate family is, um, not around now. I think in a month or so, it'll be the anniversary of Uncle Leeds’ passing.

[tranquilforest]

[The story sounds a little familiar, but it really only raises her estimation of Daylight's relatives in her mind - it was important to effect what change you could locally, and then look beyond the immediate area. That spoke volumes of their charisma and character, that other people chose to approach them for their assistance voluntarily. A lot of the words Daylight uses sound strange to her, but the general outline of it is similar to her own experience, and so she can extrapolate the rest.]

Would you mind if I asked how it is that some of your family has passed on? Was it before you started traveling on your ship, the Lornful Light?

[sunborne]

Before. [ he starts to gesture more expansively again but his expression is still melancholic.

if anything - he becomes sadder and becomes more obvious in his sadness, with how his winglets begin to dip out of view. perhaps mirroring his sobering up considering the current topic at hand. ] Like- Long before I decided to join dad's starship.

Most of them passed away from old age, like Auntie Laura and Uncle Leeds. Which, you know, makes sense. Dad always looked out for others until the bitter end and Mom... I'm not really sure about mom. [ he tilts his head, trying to recall the exact details of how his mom had passed away. the most he can really remember is a doubtful, ] Something about stress? Her heart had never been good. Not after dad died on a mission.

... Sorry. [ he ducks his helm now, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly while sending miss jing an apologetic look. ] I bet this is all depressing to hear, Miss Jing. [ the last thing he wants to do is bother someone and he can't help but feel awkward for spilling this all out on the poor lady. she just want to find stuff like forceps and tongs and stuff. she shouldn't be saddled with his grumblings. ]

[tranquilforest]

[She shakes her head immediately in gentle denial.] It's sad to hear about those who've left us behind, but it's good to speak about it as well. Being - or feeling - forced to be silent about who they were, the things that they did, and what they meant to us can be just as painful. I feel very honored that you shared these things about your family with me, Daylight.

[She's...actually got no idea how Daylight would respond to touch as a gesture of comfort, but she rests her palm against his arm as high as she can reach anyway. And after a moment's silence, she speaks again, with conviction:]

It may sometimes feel like you can never quite live up to their memory or their achievements. But just from listening to you, I'm sure what your whole family wants most is for you to do the things that make you happy and feel accomplished. As long as there's breath and life, there's also hope, isn't there?

[sunborne]

[ she's so nice.

needing to wipe his optics clear of the cleaner fluid that's suddenly gumming up seams of the tempered glass, daylight struggles to figure out how to respond to such kindness. he's never been good with words - speaking them, at least - and the rawness he feels from talking about his family, dear and departed, has him faintly shaking like a leaf.

but he remembers the comforting weight of miss jing's hand on his frame and it helps him pull himself together. it reminds him a little bit of auntie laura's confidence and certainty, yet the gentle touch and kind words makes him think of all the stories of mom. ]

... Yeah. There is. [ he needs to reset his vocoder a few times, trying in vain to chase away the static buildup. ] I hope there is.

Apparently- Dad used to say life itself is an adventure. So long as you can still breathe and keeping trying than you're doing good and you're gonna do even better. So there's that.

Um- Thank you, Miss Jing. [ his face heats up and he ducks his head a bit out of embarrassment. his winglets may or may not be fluttering right now. ] It's nice I can talk to someone about this sort of stuff. [ auntie breakthrough wasn't the most- open of individuals and uncle regis was pretty busy so. ]

[tranquilforest]

Please feel free to talk to me anytime you wish, Daylight.

[She's really hoping she's interpreting his reactions appropriately; there are human equivalents, but she doesn't want to assume unwisely as she smiles reassuringly up at him, finding all his little gestures indicating emotion endearing, familiar and not at the same time.]

My...family sounds very similar to yours. [Not in all good ways, but she can almost think of them without regret now.] It's impossible not to miss them, but I agree with what your father said. There is always an opportunity to do more, however hard-pressed you are, so long as you're still living, and perhaps even after.

[Though, for the moment...] Daylight, do you mind if I ask you a question? Please feel free to ignore it if it seems rude.

[sunborne]

That's- That's really nice to hear. [ it is. it's comforting to hear those words, to be given reassurance. his winglets hitch up in joy before they relax and it isn't long before the rest of daylight's frame is following suit. once taut and tight against his frame, miss jing can probably feel the shift and sag as the armour eases off of daylight's frame.

if it wasn't for her, he'd probably end up hurting himself with how clamped down his armour was. he can't help but feel like he's in her debt now.

so when she asks if she can ask a question, he cants his helm to the side and he blinks his optics a few times in confusion. the he breaks into a big smile, nodding his helm so enthusiastically that he's making himself a little bit dizzy. ]

A question? Um... Sure! Go right ahead.

[ after showing him kindness during his moment, daylight likes to think it's only fair that she gets to ask whatever she wants to ask. besides, he's used to all sorts of questions being thrown his way these days. even back home there were those who found day strange, one way or another. ]

What do you want to ask, Miss Jing?

[tranquilforest]

Well. [All this hemming and hawing is completely overblown, but she's honestly perplexed about how to even ask this question in the first place without striking the wrong tone, so it still takes a few seconds before she finally says, almost with relief:]

What kinds of foods do you eat, Daylight? [She'll just...start from there.]

[sunborne]

Well— Technically I don’t need to eat. [ here, daylight starts to falter a bit and is back to becoming shy, ducking his head and folding his winglets close to him out of habit more than anything.

biology and physiology have never been daylight’s strongest subjects and he finds himself struggling to explain himself. quite literally, in this case. ] The way I'm, um, made, I’m supposed to be self-sufficient in producing enough fuel and energy from my internal systems. [ here, he wrinkles his nose. it'll be obvious to anyone that it sounds like he's reciting something told to him more than anything. ] I don’t need outside fuel or resources to nourish myself as a result.

Er- Not the case anymore since I joined the Circle though. Right now, I still have some reserves in me that I'll be fine for our trip but I think it’ll be depleted by the time we get back to the Temple. [ he frowns now, a little worried for his nanny/companion. ] Meddy is going to have to cook for me after that.

[ good luck finding serrilim syrup and ionised copperzinc crystals in the temple, meddy. ]

[tranquilforest]

[That actually covered a lot of her less rude questions, so she's found his explanation very helpful, actually! So much for making him snacks as thanks though...]

Who is Meddy? A friend of yours who was also brought here by Lady Astoria?

[sunborne]

Yeah! [ his winglets flutter in excitement - clearly this 'meddy' character means a lot to daylight. ] I'm so glad they're with me, Miss Jing! Out of everyone on the Lornful Light, I'm glad Meddy is the one with me here.

[ sorry team trailblazer but he has a history with his medical drone. a history of friendship. ]

I've known Meddy since I was a little beeper! Our friendship is a hundred years strong and we know everything about the other.

... Except their current location. [ whoops.

he looks around, trying to find a blur of sterile white and medical red zipping about. ] I guess they're looking around to see if anything is safe for me to eat.

[tranquilforest]

[A...hundred years. She's just a little perplexed by that casual statement, but she can imagine time might pass differently for Daylight than for her.]

Do you think Meddy will be able to find something? There are so many things in the market that I couldn't have imagined for myself, but I'm afraid I have no idea what kinds of food would be suitable for you. Does Meddy also need to eat the same kinds of food you do?

[sunborne]

I'm super confident in Meddy being able to sniff something out for me, Miss Jing! We've known each other since I was a beeper- [ beeper? is that what they call a 'baby' where he's from? ] -and I trust them with my life with this sort of stuff.

[ he sounds so earnest and sincere about meddy being able to help him and why wouldn't he be? through the ups and downs, meddy has been the sole constant in his life and daylight can't help but look up to meddy.

er- figuratively speaking, of course. ] And I guess it's good that they don't need to eat, period. Meddy only needs to enter a recharge stasis and refill their energy discs.

[tranquilforest]

[Shaking her head a little helplessly, smiling:] I'll have to trust that the both of you know what you're doing. It seems a little inconsiderate of Lady Astoria though, bringing you to a strange place when you're not certain you'll be able to find food and drink that you can [consume?] make use of.

hello... it's me...

[sunborne]

[ daylight shakes his helm and waves his hands, trying to assure miss jing that he was fine. last thing he wants to do is worry miss jing. ] It's okay! It's cool! Really!!

I’m sure Lady Astoria will help me out if I ask for it or something when we meet up with her again. [ hopefully. maybe. gotta cross his fingers and hope for the best.

all the same, daylight tries to find a positive spin to the situation: ] I mean! It's kind of... interesting to finally have a reason to eat and sleep these days? [ okay. even he has to admit that that sounds kind of weird. ] It's new and interesting and I'm excited to see how it goes, Miss Jing. So yeah! It could be better but it could be worse!

(I kind of read this in the "grandmama, it's me. Anastasia" cadence...)

[tranquilforest]

[She's a teensy bit skeptical of that - not that Astoria didn't mean well, but there did seem to be some gaps in her understanding of what the people she'd brought together might need - but decides not to mention that for the moment.]

It's very encouraging that you're looking on all of this as an adventure, Daylight.

But if you do need any help that I can provide, please ask. [There's a weird emphasis there, as though there had been a recent incident where someone had refused to ask for her assistance.]

( wh eEZES AT THIS THOUGHT )

[sunborne]

[ he's about to say 'no' but daylight is quick enough to pick up on the emphasis in her words after living with auntie laura, great grandpa, and auntie breakthrough.

much as he wants to prove he's an independent bot who needs no guardian, daylight also doesn't want to disappoint someone he's quickly warming up to. so with a great and heavy sigh that reveals his age more than anything else: ]

Yeeeees. I promise, Miss Jing. Um... thanks, by the way. [ he rubs the back of his neck, as if that'll dispel the heat he feels flooding into his face. ] For wanting to look out for me. It means a lot.

[tranquilforest]

[She knows well enough that children should be left to have adventures on their own for their own good, she just doesn't want him to think he literally is alone.]

You've already helped me quite a lot today. I should return the favor.

[sunborne]

No way! You don't need to return a favour with me at all, Miss Jing. That's what friends are for.

[ and that's when his processors does a literal record scratch + freeze frame combo when he registers what he had just said, there and then. daylight all but freezes up in that moment, an expression of 'oh gosh what did i just say?' on his face.

then he adds, in a very shy voice, ] I mean... if you think we're friends, that is.

[tranquilforest]

[A-aww Daylight...]

Of course we are. [She says, with swift reassurance. They'd just met that day, really, but in situations like this, it wasn't really that important to distinguish. They'd shared a lot more of their circumstance in this conversation than she'd been able to with anyone else in decades. It would be stranger not to feel closely acquainted already.]

[sunborne]

[ daylight's expression is one of pure joy and excitement, winglets fluttering so much thanks to the joy he feels that the dust and sand is starting to kick up around him. he's an excitable one, that's for sure. ]

I'm glad we are! [ he begins to look around, perking up when he notices a particular booth near the entrance of the market. ] Miss Jing! Over there! I think I see some medical tools you could use.

[ ooc; aaaand we can end here if you want, since we have so many threads with each other right now. i love their cr so much. ; w ; ]