acatalepsy_logs | WORLD JUMP # 1: EL MINHA.

Entry tags:

WORLD JUMP # 1: EL MINHA.

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? :)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[please. that isn't a tough question at all. Akira's response is immediate, given after he gives only a cursory glance at both T-shirts]

That one. [he points to the "Terminally Chill" shirt] I feel cooler already, just by looking at it.

[desert heat can't get to him, he's got ICE PUNS]

[... oh god, Dave set himself up for that one. there is nobody to blame here but himself.]

[he has no real choice but to roll with it.]

So what you're saying is this shirt's really freezing out the competition. Other dumbly worded clothing never stood a chance.

[poor Dave]

[he doesn't deserve this]

That's exactly what I'm saying. Any attempts its competitors may make to catch up to this shirt's popularity will no doubt be glacial.

[ONCE YOU POP THE PUN FUN DON'T STOP. . .?]

[hhrrrgghghgh!!!]

All right, I just know you've got a zillion more ice puns ready — go ahead, let's hear them. I'm not dead yet.

[despite what he just said, Dave goes ahead and pulls off his god-tier shirt + cape combo and pulls on this newly purchased terrible pun of a shirt. he walked right into this trap, so he's gonna own it.]

[Akira's lips twitch in barely restrained amusement]

Thanks for not giving me the cold shoulder.

[stop]

Icey that ice puns aren't exactly your thing.

[s t o p]

I'll snow my appreciation for your tolerance of them by making this the last one.

[he's having mercy on poor, poor Dave]

[hello, el minha 911? send someone quick, i've just witnessed a murder. it was

done in cold blood.]

Do you prepare these things in advance or something?

[Dave does appreciate wordsmiths who can churn shit out on the fly, even if all they forge are terrible puns.]

[BADUM TISH]

Nope. I let them fly freely into the wind as they come to me, unedited and uncensored.

[apparently Akira is one such wordsmith. but. . . yeah, his talent is pretty limited to shitty puns and wordplay]

[... so not only does this guy have the ability to rapid-fire awful puns, he's also really good at giving Dave weird mental images. like the puns are some sort of noxious gas wafting through the air, leaving a long trail of sufferers collapsed in a heap in its pungent wake.]

[............]

[you're all right, Akira.]

I guess everyone's got to have a talent. Do you have any idea what part of the marketplace we're in?

[the start of a beautiful friendship]

The part that sells trendy t-shirts?

[HELPFUL. okay no, he'll offer up something mildly more constructive than that]

Honesty? Not really. All of the booths start to look the same when you get far enough in.

Are you lost?

Nah.

[yeah, he absolutely is.]

Just wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything interesting before I get rid of this. [said with a lift of his shoulder, indicating the jug of water. Dave isn't about to admit it outright, but he kinda feels for the kids that have been after him all day? he knows what it's like to have to scrape for resources, even though his own situation was pretty wildly different.]

[if he's going to mess up this city's economy for his own profit with his nigh limitless access to water, may as well make sure they have a few gallons of their own.]

[. . . . . . a line of logic Akira can appreciate, especially since he's been Robin Hood-ing in the Grand Market every since he arrived. he's going to have a small following of pickpocket orphans by the time he's done, here]

Someone was advertising a self-cleaning tea set a few booths down. If that's your thing.

[. . .]

[okay, and now for the important question]

Where did you get so much water in such a short period of time?

It's my magic. If it's inanimate, and if I can talk about it in rhyme, I can make it.

[the "if" there isn't really a condition at all, though. Dave can talk about anything in rhyme.]

[. . . . . .]

[lifting his gaze, staring at Dave with the most unwavering expression he can, before he asks in a deadly serious tone]

I'll give you five coins to make me some coffee.

[PLEASE HE IS DYING]

[lol. he'll oblige, if only because he can relate with desperately missing a beverage (his own poison is apple juice).]

You gotta be more specific than that, dude. You want iced, or a regular cup of joe that might melt your insides in this heat?

[Akira's response is immediate, delivered almost mechanically]

A mocha java blend, dark roast, one-half Ethiopia Sidamo and one-half Sumatra Mandheling.

[he adjusts his glasses]

Served hot, of course.

[oh my god]

Edited 2018-05-17 01:21 (UTC)

[............ this guy, i swear to g.]

So, you're saying something like a blend that's gonna be your godsend,
dark roast mocha and java, with some half kinda
Sidamo from Ethiopia,
Mandheling from Sumatra,
hot and catered for a goddamn king.
I'm already fucking sick of rhyming this thing.

[and so that ridiculous order Akira just threw at him materializes in his hands.]

[holy shit]

[with the drink cradled carefully in his hands, Akira takes a reverent sip]

[and then lets out the deepest, most content sigh he can manage, practically deflating happily as the familiar taste of coffee washes over his tongue]

That. . .

Is the best power I have ever seen.

Yeah, it's pretty all right.

[side effects aside, at least — if he reaches his limit of three items a day, he loses his voice until the next day. it's just an unbearable tragedy all around.]

[but, since he's got an order for actually nice coffee already rhymed and ready to go, he's going to have to try it for himself later. Dave is only familiar with a terrible sort coffee from a weird outer space machine that barely worked at its best.]

What magic did you wind up with?

[poor Dave, deprived of actual good coffee, and forced to drink the cheap stuff. Akira would be more than happy to provide him with the experience of a connoisseur in exchange for the free drink, but for him to do that they'd have to. . . be somewhere with coffee beans and coffee makers]

[his response is in a deadpan]

Falling out of trees. [the same answer he's given anyway. well, the same initial one, anyway] Kidding. Slipping through solid objects. But my control on it is tenuous at best.

[as he speaks, the digs five coins out of his pocket, holding them out towards Dave with them stacked in the palm of his hand. he made a promise!!]

Nah, I'm not gonna take your coins. You keep 'em.

[maybe there's a French press hidden in one of the stalls somewhere that those coins could go toward. the fact that Akira was willing to stick to his word is appreciated, though.]

So, what you're saying is, you could stand somewhere interesting — like, say, the palace walls, for instance — and wait until you accidentally break in. See what it's like on the inside.

You sure?

[which is all he says about the refusal as the coins go back into his pockets]

And yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. Keyword being "accidentally," although it does tend to activate itself when I'm around Kugayama-san.

[BLAMING RION FOR HIS POWERS. . .?]

Rion, you mean? Interesting.

[Dave's watching Akira somewhat curiously, though that's probably almost impossible to tell, because his default expression is basically an indiscernible poker face. the shades likely don't help.]

[yeah, the shades mask Dave's expression well enough. as if the indiscernible poker face wasn't already doing that job. still! Akira continues on, unfazed by neutrality, since. . . well. that's his default, too]

Yep.

I'd blame it on her just for the joke, but truthfully I think it's really convenient-slash-inconvenient timing.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

WORLD JUMP # 1: EL MINHA.

i.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

1/2

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject