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

[protettore]

[There's a low whistle, eyebrows raising.]

Sending a bold message. I'd heard things were kind of rough here and there. [But he has to give the woman credit for being so willing to assist, and from the looks of it, she doesn't appear to be from around here..]

Well, it'd be my pleasure. [He gives her a willing smile, then flexes an arm playfully.] These muscles are the best you'll ever get, and they're always available for any lady that needs them. Just lead the way.

[tranquilforest]

[She ducks her head just a little to hide the way her smile widens. It's. Cute. That was really cute.] Thank you very much. I asked the proprietor if I could store them downstairs, and they showed me a small space they use for supplies, just over there.

I'm hoping there won't be too much trouble. [She observes, picking up the line of conversation from earlier.] I can understand the symptoms, and it always takes time for a new monarch to settle in to ruling, but there's something strange about how it's manifesting here.

[protettore]

[No way, show him that smile, he's really proud about that!

There's a low hum, Gladio having an initial thought that sometimes just hoping isn't always enough, but he doesn't want to be a downer when things are already kind of grim in concerns to what's happening with El Minha and its royalty.]

The problem is that I'm guessing things were always a little complicated here. A king's supposed to be seen as a leader, a reliable force held up on a pedestal that no one can touch. And then when he's struck down, everyone's world shatters. There's betrayal, there's fear, there's paranoia. It's a mess.

[He rubs at his neck as he continues on.]

And for those like the Syndicate members who had an issue with the monarchy to begin with, you want to make sure no one can be put in that position again. So they're looking for an opportunity, now that there's a new king trying to pick up the pieces.

[Suddenly Gladio pauses, and he offers her a sheepish sort of expression.]

Sorry if I'm being a little too thorough with my thoughts. I grew up around royalty and this whole thing's just been rubbin' me the wrong way too. [He's not sure if he should say this, but it's not like they're in Eos, and ultimately, it's not like it matters much when his crown city is. Gone. Dead.] ...same thing happened in our kingdom, basically. Our king was murdered. Except our city couldn't recover, because it was destroyed.

[tranquilforest]

[She listens very closely to his thoughts as he speaks them, her expression attentive and sympathetic, noting the way his words seem to touch something very personal in his experience, confirmed by his final words.]

The transfer of power is always a delicate time in the history of any country. But wise leaders make an effort to ensure the plan for succession is as clear and uncontested as possible. Of course, there are so many other factors - other countries, natural disasters... Perhaps some other kind of intervention...

On the surface, the royal family here in El Minha seem to have some additional authority that maintains them in power, whatever the ruler's qualifications. That would be something difficult for another organization to imitate or replace.

[protettore]

[As odd as it seems to think, Gladio is immediately thankful that she doesn't offer him sympathy or even turn the conversation onto himself and his own situation. He's only voicing his own opinions and thoughts, and doing exactly as he's been taught. To learn from these experiences and move forward. Dwelling on what happened does nothing. The only thing he can do is continue to serve his kingdom and devote himself to his duty.

The former king is dead. But their prince is still alive. There's still hope. Just like there could be for El Minha's people and their new king.]

That's usually how it is. You think the king's the one pulling the strings, but sometimes it's the other way around. 'course, don't know anything about how they do things around here, so that's just my opinion.

[There's nothing else he can really comment on, because he agrees to everything she's said, which he can tell means she's been awfully attentive of not just the state of El Minha but how the inner workings of a monarchy works.]

The new king they've got here. Kathashun? Got to speak with him. [This is probably supposed to be a secret but oops.] I think he understand's what's happening here. He's got a good head on his shoulders. But there's a lot he's going to have to handle and fix.

[tranquilforest]

You were able to speak to the King? What were the circumstances?

[She had been contemplating a comment about how many truly good kings were at the whims of their people rather than the other way around, but this was the first time anyone had specifically mentioned conversing with the King himself to her.]

His speech when we arrived was promising, but...