acatalepsy_logs | ( NPC LOG ) WORLD JUMP # 1: EL MINHA.

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( NPC LOG ) WORLD JUMP # 1: EL MINHA.

𝚔𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚜𝚑𝚞𝚗
𝚜𝚘𝚕𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚔𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛
𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚓𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚝
𝚋𝚎𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚑𝚘𝚎𝚗𝚒𝚡
𝚠𝚒𝚎𝚕𝚍𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚘𝚕𝚍
𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚐𝚞𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚒𝚊𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚎𝚕 𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚑𝚊.

[ kathashun, throughout the duration of your stay in el minha, can be found in a plethora of locations in the city. whether he approaches you is a luck of the odds, apparently . . . but if you approach him, he certainly won't turn you away.

additionally, it may also be hard to spot him, because while he is very easy to place near the palace, in his deep purple robes and constant crown guard presence, he is not so easy to place elsewhere . . . mostly because, for the sake of some amount of privacy, he ditches the royal colors and instead wanders around in a loose outfit with a white linen hooded cloak, much like the rest of his people, to blend in.

some opportunities to see him, though (and some information to gather, should you ask the guard), are as follows: ]

( A ) The Palace:

[ king kathashun does not allow people inside the royal palace. should you ask the crown guard why, they will explain (in terse terms, as the king has instructed the guard to answer questions reasonably) that the late king was murdered, and security is on high alert. no one is allowed inside the palace without express written permission from king kathashun himself, and if you don't have that? piss off.

however, king kathashun can be found on the grounds (with constant guard presence). conversations here will likely be short, as the guard is protective and unwilling to allow you too close to the king. after a few minutes or so, they will likely tell you to fuck off. but you're welcome to try! ]

( B ) The Fight Ring:

[ should you wander to the fight ring, you can find kathashun dressed in (still nice, but not super nice) linens with a cloak, watching the fighting and sparring below. he seems to be scanning the crowd with his eyes, and should you approach him, he will happily speak with you. but he may also approach you first, with a knowing smile, and a finger to his lips, should you recognize him. his hood is still up, but quietly: ]

Are you here to challenge the Champion?

[ judging from the look in his eyes, kathashun seems 100% prepared to encourage your entrance into the contest, but who knows? you might be misreading him. ]

(C) The Casino/Syndicate Territory:

[ the one place you will not find kathashun is the casino, due to the rampant syndicate presence here, and the current war between the two.

that being said, you may find a man wandering through the streets in syndicate territory asking people of their needs. he is dressed in dark clothing, atypical for the desert heat, but doesn't seem to be bothered by the sun. instead, he is asking the citizens questions.

do they have enough food? what do you want the crown to provide more of? are you safe here?

and should you approach this man, he appears to be in his late-forties, but he won't be interested in speaking with you. ]

Later, later, enough --

[ absent dismissals when you approach him, and he brushes past you, heading down a nearby alley.

do you want to follow him? ]

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"Oh my god no," Jolie hisses back at him, though she is delighted that he came over, since her attempts at getting into the palace (or even the grounds) have all come to naught. After all, she's both obviously not human, and pretty young, and she's been unlucky in her timing to boot.

But here he is, coming to talk to her, one of the most obvious foreigners, so he probably needs to know something, right?

She does give her excuse for not fighting, though, before that happens: "I'm fourteen! And I'm not stupid! I'd get smashed."

[ Sam's been careful about how much time he spends in Syndicate territory, Casino included, but he definitely can't stay away from it, not if he wants to actually accomplish anything. He was on his way to The Golden Phoenix when he spots a figure that stands out in an otherwise largely neutral-toned crowd.

He's immediately suspicious, but his expectations are almost immediately turned on end when he gets close enough to overhear a couple of conversations with strangers. It doesn't sound like any sort of nefarious plotting. It sounds like a man who's conducting some kind of informal survey, seemingly flitting from one person to another at random without any overarching goal. Sam follows him for a few minutes, making a point to make it as subtle as possible - he's at least traded out his plaid and jeans for some local garb, a pale tan tunic and pants as well as a hooded scarf to ward off the sun - and at the same time looking out for anyone who might be following them.

When he finally works up the resolve to actually talk to this man, and is subsequently brushed off, he's not sure what to make of it. But then he sees where the man is going.

It's rarely a good idea to follow a stranger into an alley around here, but Sam's intrigued enough to do it anyway. If this stranger is as altruistic as he seems, it could be just as dangerous for him. Still, when Sam shifts into the alley himself both of his empty hands are visible, though the angel blade is hidden in the fold of his tunic where he can grab it quickly if needed. ]

There's another arching of his eyebrows, at the defensive-yet-casual dismissal of his question. It's one thing to be treated in a friendly manner, but he's not quite used to people who recognize him for who he is and not being . . . well, bowed to.

It's sort of refreshing, but also a little off-putting, and Kathashun turns his attention to the fighting ring, his eyes scanning the crowd briefly. He considers responding to her initial comment (being fourteen doesn't preclude you from much, in El Minha, especially in fighting), but instead he comments on why he was drawn to her in the first place.

"You attempted to come onto my grounds, earlier." She is fairly easy to spot, and Kathashun doesn't appear all that bothered. "Why were you so desperate to see me?"

[ the man seems to know the alleyways of the lower district of el minha like the back of his hand, navigating the narrow causeways of syndicate territory. however, at a juncture where he can either go right or left, he seems to . . hesitate. and, slowly, he makes his way left, slipping into the shadows, though a lot less sure of foot than he had been before.

eventually, if sam chooses to still follow, they come out to a smaller open-aired market -- nowhere near as grand and illustrious as the grand market in the wealthier section of el minha. this seems to be a lot seedier, more "black market" fare, and the eyes in this place seem to be a little more skeptical of folks who haven't been here before. still, no one seems to say anything, and so the man keeps moving, and ducks into an alcove on the right, in between two stalls.

should sam follow him, there is -- no one there. it's almost as if the man vanished.

whether or not he did vanish might require a bit more poking.

meanwhile, an older woman is washing clothes in the alleyway giving sam something of a questioning look, skeptical of the outsider, but definitely not hostile. she's hanging up linens to dry and collecting up a new basket to move inside. ]

Yeah! [ then he turns to properly addressed the person speaking to him and oh. oh. oh. oh.

he should probably lower his voice and actually try not to be too obvious for once in this trip here. ] Yeah... I wanna see if I can actually get to see them while I'm here.

[ because what's the point of coming to the ring if you don't want to go up against the champion themselves? well. besides trying to make money but that's besides the point he's trying to make, he thinks.

all the neat stories and awesome claims he's heard about this champion, ever since he learned of the fight ring, is what has been driving daylight to come here, often as possible. the probabilities of getting the champion to face him down has to be on his side sooner rather than later, right? right!

from behind daylight's shoulder, meddy peers out and gives an unhappy beep. they're clearly not feeling up to this unlike day. ] It's fine, Meddy. I know what I'm doing.

Are you planning to place a bet, sir? Mister? Your... Sirness? [ he has a feeling saying things like 'your excellency' and 'king' will not be the wisest of choices in a place like this. if that's the case then what should he be addressing the ruler of these lands then? this was never taught in diplomacy with softlight, that's for sure. ]

[ indeed, daylight strikes quite the figure, and kathashun's eyebrows arch up even further at the sight of meddy . . . these travelers have brought strange new technology to el minha, which isn't unusual, given it's a merchant hub, and they do get visitors from around the world and, occasionally, the universe . . . but: ]

Ah, Kathashun is fine. [ a bit sheepishly, and he raises his hands, palms up, in a show of peace and understanding. ] My title is far too long, and I'd rather not be called 'Majesty' in a place like this.

[ he's attempting to be low-key!!! but at daylight's question, his lips twitch into a faint smile, and he crosses his arms over his chest, to look out toward the ring. ]

The last time I bet against the Champion, I lost a bag of gold. [ judging from his tone, no, he is still not over it, and yes, he is still salty. ] But I encourage the attempt, should you wish to embark upon it. I will warn you that they will take no hesitation in fighting dirty, and brag until the Gods strike them down should they win.

[ kathashun pauses before glancing back up at daylight. ]

But I may place a bet or two, depending on who enters the Ring. It has been some time since I've gambled.

Jolie has literally never met a king, or the president, or anybody all that important really. It's easier to just treat him like another dude.

"Well. I mean, we're here to help, me and the others from, um, the Circle." Might as well be as honest as she can without trying to make them sound crazy. "But we can't help if we don't know what all is going on, you know? And it'd be nice to hear the details coming from the top guy, instead of just what rumors are going around the city, don't you think?"

[ huh. they cheat? he’s a little disappointed to hear that after spending so much time listening to all the stories but suppose it makes sense. one doesn’t stay as the champion of this sort of thing for long without having to pull a surprise trick or two.

the question is… what sort of cheating do they employ? he's heard the bit about magic and wonders if that's what has been keeping them ahead of the curve. looks like daylight will be finding out the hard was. (if he ever gets a chance to go up against them.) ]

I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the warning! [ he really is grateful for it. especially the boasting bit. never liked that much during combat. even nightbreak is on thin ice whenever she does that during sparring. ]

Hope I can be considered a good enough reason for throwing your hat to the ring. Um... I take it that you get to do this often? Been busy with stuff? [ it’s going to be a while before daylight is called to the ring so…! wouldn’t hurt to chat with the leader of the city. daylight does remember he and the others are here for a reason, believe it or not. ]

"So the Guard has told me."

Kathashun doesn't seem particularly . . . impressed with whatever he's been told about the Circle, and he doesn't seem like he's going to volunteer a lot of information about what he knows or doesn't know. That being said:

"I am more curious as to why a ground of otherworlders find it necessary to come to my city and inform me on what I am doing wrong, rather than accept the help from strangers." But before Jolie can answer, Kathashun continues. "However, I consider myself humble, and I have much to learn from all people. So if you all truly believe in assisting my people, then I will at least listen to what you have to say. I will not, however, promise I will heed said advice."

Kathashun pauses before he glances toward the fight ring, with a tight-lipped frown.

"But I would rather not have such discussions here."

He is attempting to remain quiet, not draw attention to himself.

My particular set of skills wouldn't be of much use, in the Ring. And I believe my entrance into such combat would draw more attention than necessary.

[ kathashun, upon close inspection, does have muscle on him. but he's thin, a little short, and definitely a more wiry type of strength than the bigger, more brute individuals in the fight ring. kathashun, just by looking at him, likely wouldn't stand much of a chance. ]

I came here to look for someone in particular, but he's being a nuisance and does not want to be found. [ what an aggravation. ] But no, I don't come here very often. I tend to remain in the upper city; it's safer, for all involved, when I do.

"Hey, I never said you were doing anything wrong," Jolie protests. "From what little I can tell, you're doing fine. But sometimes even people doing the right things need help. I don't know yet if you do or not, since I don't know what's happening really."

She considers elbowing him like she might her big brother, then decides he's a king so she probably shouldn't. One shadow-tentacle uncurls through her poncho, though, to prod his shoulder, to her mild embarrassment. She hastily says, to cover it, "If there's somewhere else you want to go, then I'm all ears."

"I've been called that before. No desire to have that title again." He runs a thumb over the scar on his nose with metal fingers. He recognized the king but he treats him like he would anyone else approaching him. A king in regular clothes is attempting to be subtle. "I came here to observe and learn." He nods to the fighting below. There's blood but he hasn't seen a death yet.

"You can learn a lot just from this." His time as a gladiator hadn't been voluntary. This feels like people testing their might and gathering strength over time. Compared to the roaring for blood and death of his own time in the sands...this is so different he feels it wash over him like a storm wind.

"Were you?"

It definitely piques Kathashun's interest, as he takes half a step closer, to keep their conversation relatively private. But as he looks back over at the ring, he seems to hum in agreement with Shiro's next statement.

"Plenty of people come to watch and learn and hope the Champion steps out of the shadows to face down someone who has won a plethora of bouts." Kathashun pauses for a moment before he slides his hands into the pockets of his robes. "I am not built for something like this, but if I were, I would go for the knees."

It's said with a modicum of experience. A hint, or a joke? The world may never know.

Edited 2018-05-11 22:13 (UTC)

There's a slight jolt, as the shadowy tendril creeps towards him -- and for a moment, there's a slight golden shine to his eyes, and he immediately raises a hand, which seems to repeal the shadow -- an invisible barrier, around himself, to ward off unwanted contact. And once the golden hue fades from his eyes, it's replaced by a sudden skepticism.

"Please do not touch me."

It's said quietly, without drawing much attention, and he lowers his hand.

"I know you are a stranger to these lands, but I have many enemies, and I cannot be too careful. Magic is forbidden in entry to the Ring, and showcasing it will draw attention, which is something I cannot afford. Please do not do that again."

Okay, notch that up from "mild embarrassment": now she looks absolutely mortified, taking another step away just in case, and the tentacle retracts immediately under her poncho, all six curling very tightly against her back. "I'm sorry, I don't-- I don't have as much control over those as I-- they're like... stupid puppies or something, if I'm not paying attention they just kind of do their own thing. They can't hurt you. They can only sort of even touch things, and not for very long."

"The knees is a good one. But I was talking about how the ring is handled." He turns to face it, a dark shadow passing over his face. Shiro keeps his voice low so the conversation remains private. He hasn't advertised any of his past and the only one reason it's coming up now is it matters to the situation. "It's all voluntary. No one ill-suited enters and everyone is mostly on equal footing." When he'd heard this city had a ring he had to see it. He would never support anyone who let people be forced onto the sand. "I wouldn't have minded wearing the title in a place like this."

It would have been his choice to have it. He leans back, rolling his shoulders back. "But you have my curiosity. What is the Champion like?"

Edited (forgot a word) 2018-05-11 23:21 (UTC)

Kathashun listens, genuinely curious about otherwolders, whenever they arrive . . . but at the question, he offers a slight roll of his eyes toward the Ring once more. A Crowned Royal, Kathashun is still only twenty-three, at the most. Occasionally, he acts it.

"Not much is known about them to the general public, but I have the misfortune of knowing them -- him, personally." Kathashun pauses, rolling those words around on his tongue for a moment or two. "He is beloved by the lower ends of society, and is responsible for whipping up quite an amount of contention against the Crown, and my Throne."

Kathashun pauses again before he allows a sigh to escape through his teeth. He doesn't sound exceptionally bothered or offended or aggravated of this so-called Champion; it's something of an exasperated fondness, but only barely there, peeking around the edges of someone who is extraordinarily in control of every word and emotion he shows and says.

"But he is a good person, albeit naive. Impulsive and rash, with good intentions. I imagine that is why he is so good at what he does, in this place. He tends to just do it without thinking, much like everything else."

[ Sam does continue following him further into the city, into what seems like even less friendly territory. If he was on the look out for stray pickpockets before, now he's keeping an eye out for anyone who looks like they might be considering whether he might have a worthwhile target. He purposely sought out a plain appearance though, it doesn't scream 'I have more money than sense,' and it probably helps that it's on the tall, broad-shouldered frame of a man who moves with a certain amount of confidence even on unfamiliar ground. He's definitely no easy mark.

The empty alleyway presents something of a dead end. It immediately makes him wonder if he's been spotted despite his efforts at not attracting any attention from the man he was following, and if he's been led into some kind of ambush.

At that thought he's giving the alley a thorough look, both along the ground and up along the walls on either side for any unusual looking shadows or threatening gleams of metal.

The old woman is the only thing that immediately stands out, and Sam offers her a brief, polite nod when their gazes meet. He'll be keeping an eye on her movements too, even as he gives the alley a careful inspection, because if nothing else turns up he'll be asking her a couple of questions. ]

[ daylight perks up upon learning why kathashun - ohhhh boy. he's going to say that wrong at some point, won't he? - is here in the fight ring of all places. did he run across the king doing something super sneaky or something? it sure sounds like it and he really wants to help now.

trying to be subtle about it, daylight begins to look around. as if he's also seeking out whoever this mystery person is. ]

What do they look like? Your friend. [ he sounds unsure of the descriptor he used though it works in a pinch. ] I might have seen them at some point. [ he's been coming to the fight ring a lot and he thinks he knows the regulars here by now. definitely not on a first name basis sort of thing but he can spot someone he's seen more than twice.

it doesn't hurt he has heck of a height advantage when it comes to looking around. ]

[Vern's...not comfortable in the Syndicate territory, but then Vern's basically only ever comfortable in one place ever (i.e. in the middle of Geir's coils with no other company), so what the heck else is new.

the dark-dressed man catches his attention not because her recognizes him, but because, well, those questions are certainly interesting. and following him down a nearby alley seems like a great idea, actually. maybe he'll be mugged of his few coins, but at least there'll be fewer people around to make him uncomfortable while it happens.

out of curiosity, he also tries reaching out to to the man with his telepathy, not trying to read him, simply sending a message into his head]

Pssst. Hey. Suspicious guy.

Edited 2018-05-12 22:18 (UTC)

He raises an eyebrow but doesn't push. There's something there. He's only slightly older than this king and just as meticulous about controlling every word he says or emotion he shows. He's just not sure that's what is going on here. When in doubt, focus on the words. He crosses his arms over his chest.

What to ask? Well. "From your words...this person is high up in the syndicate if not the head of it?" He ventures, cautiously. He could have made the wrong assumption but this is good information none the less. "How do you know each other if you don't mind my asking. If you do, you don't have to answer me." Friends? Maybe they had been allies before everything happened.

[ if abigail is being honest, it wasn't her own intentions that brought her here. instead she was ferried along as the keeper of the dog shuffling impatiently at her side while abigail's pale fingers idly run through his fur. winston is a good boy and he wanted to see what all the fuss was about and abigail simply followed him. it worked out anyway, abigail hoarding a small swath of shade to protect her downright comically pale skin, a splash of pink and freckles already sprinkled across her nose and cheeks from the unyielding sun.

and yet, still she has her seemingly ever present scarf looped around her throat, regardless of the heat and sun.

winston jovially jerks forward with an aggressively wagging tail to greet a frickin' stranger -- honestly, will needs to teach him stranger danger (with jj bittenbinder, STREET SMARTS!) -- and abigail finds herself forcibly jerked out of her comfortable, sunless spot not watching the fighting when his leash yanks on her arm.

immediately she is mumbling apologies, sorrys and "he's really a good boy" and assurances that the friendly pup doesn't bite or jump or carry any unusual diseases or any usual diseases actually, until she looks up and her bright blue eyes widen with sudden realization. ]

Oh.

[He's definitely going to try. He wouldn't be himself if he didn't.] Truly, I just need a moment. I know he's busy doing... kingly... things, and you're very good at your guard duty. Please, I'm unarmed. [He pulls open his jacket, as though to show that he has no hidden guns or swords or... whatever.] You see, I'm a doctor. [He smiles widely.]

Edited 2018-05-12 14:44 (UTC)

[ the guard opens his mouth to say, once again, no one will come near the King under their watch, when kathashun seems to overhear the commotion and steps forward, raising a hand to silence the crowd guard's complaining, eyes bright with interest. ]

A doctor?

[ with some amusement, and he folds his hands behind his back. the guard, disgruntled, seems to step back at the king's asking. ]

A doctor of what, if I may ask?

[ the sudden appearance of the dog does cause some amount of alarm, because kathashun never . . . had a dog growing up, but once he sees winston is friendly, he stoops down onto a knee to pet at the dog, scratching at his ears -- and at abigail's oh, kathashun glances up, with a knowing smile. ]

What is his name?

[ as he lets winston lick at his hands. ]

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( NPC LOG ) WORLD JUMP # 1: EL MINHA.

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