acatalepsy_logs | WORLD JUMP # 1: EL MINHA.

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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

Ah, please lead the way then. [She gets excited easily by new things after a life of not getting to see them.]

Right.

[Waver takes a few minutes to at least neaten up the messy area that he's claimed for himself, grabbing one or two scrolls and then marching not to the front, but to the back of their lodgings, intent on getting some fire sources from the kitchen.

There's a lot of explaining, but Waver eventually leaves out the back entrance with a little glowing iron stick, which is really just for kebab grilling. It'll do.

Only then does Waver actually take two seconds to look over his shoulder and make sure his curious conversation partner is with him.

[She'd stood aside while he gathered the things he seemed to need and the preparations he wanted to make, but she has a few things tucked in her sleeves as she follows him through the back door and stands just close enough to hear while being far enough away to give him space to work. Hopefully.]

We used to have a lot of candles at home for situations like this, but I suppose technology has advanced quite far since then.

[At the word candle, Waver turns bright red, mortified.]

Honestly, that probably would have been easier to get.

[He just feels stupid now. Waver's blush widens, and he tries to focus on why they're actually out here, selecting one of the scrolls.]

[Well, it's probably better not to comment, so she'll just let Waver get on with it rather than accidentally embarrassing him further, but she's definitely going to make a note to see if she can find some other more easily accessible fire source - either here or back at the palace. She knows how to make candles herself, but getting the supplies might be troublesome.]

Right, okay.

[He's ready. He has a single scroll in his right hand, and in the left, the source of the fire. Carefully, slowly, Waver touches the paper to it.

Within seconds, the paper is ablaze, crinkling into a black shard and then nothing at all. As the page curls inward on itself, a sudden small rain cloud forms overhead, right where the scroll was, and water comes down, dousing the flames themselves.]

[She glances up at the cloud, a little shocked by the occurrence, and then laughs a little.]

Maybe we should have brought a container of some kind. It seems a shame to waste the water...

...Well, I guess I could go get one and do the spell again? I did a few copies, just to see if it would work or if I would have to change the phrasing.

[With some concern in her voice:] But is it very taxing for you to use spells like this? Or perhaps some other limitation on your ability? It was just a whim of mine...

I actually don't know what the limit is. [That's something worth finding out, to be sure. Waver raises an eyebrow, and looks at her with a wry grin.]

We could find out though. I mean, if you're okay with it and wanna go grab a bucket.

[If you're sure... She'll go quickly to fetch a candle and one of the empty containers that the inn used for storing drinking water and bring it back out to the yard, and a thought occurs to her as she hands the lit candle over.]

Where do you suppose the inn normally gets their water from?

Honestly, I don't know. I imagine there must be some kind of water or cistern that collects stuff when it rains, but it'd have to be well out of the way so the water doesn't evaporate in the heat.

[Waver's selected four scrolls that are all waterpowered, and he's careful not to light them just yet. They're still setting up.]

Might be worth asking, actually.

I think so as well. [Her expression flickers, briefly thoughtful, as she watches all of Waver's preparations.]

They seem willing to give us however much we ask for, but... [They weren't exactly forthcoming about it.] I hope people don't have to purchase the water they need here... [That sounded horrific, actually.]

...Jeez, if you're right that'd...

[That'd be super messed up, to put it lightly. The words never leave Waver's lips though, he just focuses on getting everything ready.]

We can ask about cisterns later when we present an entire bucket of water and say we want to add it to the existing supply.

[Her face lights up a little, pleased at the suggestion, and nods as she moves to hold on to the container.]

I hope they'll be more forthcoming about it. But some additional water would probably be a welcome gift no matter what.

['Ready whenever you are' isn't a turn of phrase she's used to, but her encouraging smile pretty closely conveys the same feeling.]

Mmmhmm!

[Waver goes through and sets the next scroll alight. There's another cloud, and it hovers right over the bucket before letting out an impressive miniature downpour. It's a pleasant surprise that all of this seems to be working, and Waver stands next to the cloud (out of the splash zone), his hands on his hips.]

I'm...actually surprised this works.

It's somehow much more impressive coming from a cloud than it would be if the water just appeared out of nowhere. [She observes with a soft laugh, the rainfall slowly petering out, luckily before the container overflowed entirely, though some of it did splash onto her clothes.]

Are the words you used on your scroll related more to rain or water?

I. Thanks.

[Waver's a little red at the compliment, but the question of how this is all working actually helps him.]

Rain. It's a command to make a small cloud this exact circumference and rain this exact amount.

[Thoughtfully, as she looks down at the sparkling surface of the water in the container one last time before covering it with the matching lid:] That requires a lot of additional knowledge. But what happens if you try to conjure up something that you don't fully understand yourself? Something that may not exist, or may not have a known quantity?

[Waver tilts his head slightly. Now that's a thought provoking question, and one he doesn't have any answer to. Well.

There's one.]

There would be only one way to find out, but I don't think I could practice that safely here.

[She glances up again at where the cloud had been and then nods.] Let's not endanger ourselves or those around us, then.

[With a bright smile:] Thank you so much for taking the time to show me your ability. It's really amazing.

[And... huh.] Do you think I can ask for one more favor?

I uh. Sure, don't mention it. [The words are so genuine that they take Waver aback. He's not used to that kind of reaction at all, and in truth, it freaks him out a little bit.]

...What is it?

[~~Murdering everyone with kindness is pretty much her MO...~~

She glances down at the now-full container and shrugs a little, lips still quirked in an amused smile.]

It's a lot heavier now that it's full of water. Shall we try to carry it back in together?

[~~so he's gon die ok got it~~]

Oh uh...yeah. We're gonna have to, aren't we?

[Waver flushes a bit, and walks over to grab the bucket. Carefully, he promises.]

[She can take a good amount of the weight, but she isn't that young anymore. Luckily between the two of them, they can probably make it back inside without incident.]

Considering how important water is here, I think your efforts will be much appreciated by the proprietors. It can't be cheap, housing so many of us without collecting any fees.

WORLD JUMP # 1: EL MINHA.

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