welcome to the kingdom of akvos.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. When you blink again, everything has shifted - changed, developed, like in that blink of an eye you have advanced . . . where, exactly? A NOTE FROM YOUR FRIENDLY . . . WAIT, WHO IS THAT?But before anything too weird can happen . . . your watch flashes again, beeps once, and on it has a new message, a hologram-sparkly image with a young man who (to some individuals!) looks quasi-familiar. He is thin, with large eyes and speaks quietly, but with great purpose. Whoever this is, it doesn't seem to be a person that is a fan of much pomp and circumstance. . . but wherever he is, he is speaking on dry-land, though he looks like he's just recently gotten out of a pool.
 "If you are watching this, then you are a member of the Circle, and have triggered a protective rune that I have cast within this Kingdom known as Akvos that has activated this message. I do not have much time, but my name is Kathashun. I need your assistance, and I am not sure whether we will ever find one another again. But if you are listening to this, heed my words: take care, because you know not what your actions do. The magic in this world is powerful, and whatever is seeping through this planet may not be able to be stopped, but trust me when I say that when we meet -- "
There is a noise, a banging on a door, and Kathashun's eyes dart to the left, before a voice off-screen says, "As much as I love listening to you talk, we need to go." There's a moment's pause before Kathashun refocuses his attention on you, and his eyes (normally a deep brown) begin to change into what appears to be a liquid gold color, and the message begins to crackle.
"We will meet again. Heed my words; find the Princess."
And, just like that, the connection dies, leaving you to the depths of the ocean.
Welcome to Akvos.  ARRIVAL A: THE PALACE OF WAHINE.The first group arrives at the Royal Palace of Wahine, smack-dab in the bustling center of what appears to be the lost city of Atlantis. It is in an area of Akvos that is completely underwater, with gentle currents wafting through the water that guide people on their merry way.
There is plenty to locate here, depending on what you want to find. There are dozens of musically inclined merfolk wandering through the courtyards of the Palace, a shopping area selling intricate jewelry and other decorative pieces, and even the Queen herself. Feel free to set up threads regarding any information you discovered in the World OOC post, but here are some ideas for those needing a place to start!
Prompt Ideas:
- Are you musically inclined? There seems to be a band of colorful mermaids striking up a merry tune with reed flutes, horns made out of massive seashells, and is that a bass playing the bass? You bet your ass it is. . There's even a potential spot for the Circle to join in, if you're so inclined! They may even pay you for your services if you're really good.
- The Queen has offered a reward for any information concerning the location of Princess Kea, who has been missing for a little over a week. A band of scrappy young investigators (complete with matching uniforms) is eager to begin, and has a list of potential "clues" to track down in the Palace area, ranging from: the Princess' prized hair-comb, her harpoon, information on her favorite restaurant, and her beloved pet flounder. None of these items are actually within reach except her favorite restaurant, which will happily either (1) talk about how amazing the Princess is or (2) accept help in the kitchens to serve up a busy restaurant time. Either way, you can earn some seashells.
- The Royal Guard is looking for some mercenary work to comb the city for clues, and seeing as the Circle is oh-so-eager to help out with whatever is going on in Akvos, they're willing to give you a shot! The only problem is that you have to be ready to swim, so be prepared to swim endless laps in circles around the perimeter of Queen Wai's massive home to seemingly no avail. . . . do they actually need the help or are they just laughing at you? Dammit.
- The Palace of Wahine has an underwater library, which is pretty expansive . . . how do they have all of these materials underwater? There are several helpful octopus-libraries that are using their various tentacles to grab books, scrolls, and other materials off of the shelves to hand them to nearby patrons, and there's a lot of material here about the history of Akvos! You may also find a pretty interesting comic book series revolving around a powerful mermaid who looks suspiciously like Queen Wai, who thwarts the evils of inequality. If you ask Queen Wai about it, she will assure you that she has nothing to do with it, and her constituents are creatively minded people . . . but she doesn't seem to mind the good press.
 ARRIVAL B: THE DEPTHS OF MARKOLOS.The second group arrives in a rare pocket of air in Akvos -- a massive cavern, with multiple alcoves along the walls. Here, the population seems to be rather bleak in comparison to the rainbow-colored folk in the Palace of Wahine -- merpeople with larger eyes, sharper teeth, and darker scales. You have successfully located the hunting grounds of the Kingdom of Akvos, known as the Depths of Markolos -- an impossibly deep sinkhole that stretches into the depths of oblivion.
The local population here doesn't actually know what's at the bottom of it, but lately, there are odd happenings in the Depths that the population will tel you about. For one, dead fish seem to be appearing with increasing frequency, and the temperature of the Depths has dropped to a frigid point. Layers of ice have been found below the surface that were not there previously, and there is plenty of talk of whether or not their food supply for the Kingdom is endangered by whatever is causing this random bout of ice.
Prompt Ideas:
- Have you ever tried spear-fishing? An angler-fish mermaid, with haunting eyes and massively sharp teeth, is eager to teach the Otherworlders! She's pretty nice, despite her scary appearance, and will pay seashells to folks willing to stay in the "shallow" area of the Depths to spear pretty easy looking fish. She will also lend out fishing equipment for those want to give it a try!
- The Brig is located in the Depths, and if you violate the law in other areas, you will be brought here. The cells are small and cramped, with no beds or cots to speak of, and you are fed less-than-great quality raw fish while in here. Petty thievery and the like will be punished for two days, and once you are released, you are stuck in the Depths You can also talk to some of the prisoners here, who will be interested in swapping a surprising amount of seashells for fresh raw fish. They also like to gamble. :)
- There are some side-tunnels in the Depths along the walls that contain shellfish to hunt and scavange! The only problem is that some of them have a fairly strong current, and -- voila, it is a massive Slip-N-Slide. Sneaking into one will rocket you through a tunnel and spit you out at a lower level of the Depths, but be careful -- you might wind up face to face with a pretty terrifying looking fish that is a bit too big for you to handle, so explore these tunnels with some care.
- The mermaids here will warn against going too deep into the Depths, but there is nothing to stop you from exploring. In addition to the ice clustered along the western wall of the cavern, there's plenty of creepy looking fish in the depths. In particular, the mermaids will warn you against infuriating a creature named Honohu -- who is this beloved little Leviathian-looking monstrosity who will absolutely attempt to eat you if you go too deep. Enjoy?  ARRIVAL C: THE FIELDS OF AKOVOSIAThe third group will be deposited in a beautiful coral reef, full of color and swaying seaweed. It is an impossibly beautiful sight, and the merpeople here are equally bright and colorful, to blend in with tehir surroundings. There are no shortage of clownfish and angelfish-esque merpeople floating around, collecting plantlife, creating new clothing, or even hunting poisonous smaller fish for usage in their medicinal techniques.
However, the more you explore the fields, the more you begin to notice odd patches of dead coral. It almost looks as if certain random patches were afflicted by some type of illness that has completely robbed it of its color. The merpeople nearby will not know very much about it, but if you continue digging and asking the right people, perhaps you'll find out the source of this sudden illness.
Prompt Ideas
- Have you ever gone dolphin-racing? . . . or, well, they look like dolphins, complete with saddles and harnesses that the merfolk are entirely too eager to pass off onto the landfolk. It seems they race these dolphins in the currents for sport in between their collecting of plantlife and hunting. Feel free to ask the curator of these beings, a burly-looking mermaid who will happily lend you a dolphin for a seashell an hour.
- Batter up! You can find what appears to be a weird baseball/rugby crossover sport, in which the merpeople crack hunks of coral with sticks . . . but then tackle each other at the different bases instead of, you know, tapping them lightly to signify them being out. They're always looking for new players to join, but be warned! They take their sport seriously.
- Investigating the beautiful coral reef will garner a lot of pretty looking rocks and other types of intricate material that could be used for crafting, which is always up for collecting for money. Mermaids will be wandering around with baskets to collect various goods, so feel free to help out!
- Finally, there are a lot of mermaids just sitting around shooting the shit, gossiping, fussing about home, and collecting materials to make what's needed in their day to day lives. A few of them seem to be knitting some type of material underwater -- weird, right? But feel free to obtain some cool textiles fresh off the proverbial racks, for a price.  ARRIVAL D: THE THUNDERDOME.The last group to arrive may think that this is some type of stupid joke, as the merfolk around this area really do refer to it as the Thunderdome. It is a massive underwater cavern, filled with thousands and thousands of jellyfish. It seems that the merfolk tend to these beings for a multitude of reasons -- one, for food, two, for venom, and three, for . . . electricity?
The jellyfish in this area seem to crackle with energy, and the merfolk in this area will inform you that this is where they obtain power which they charge their weapons and lights with. The bioluminescence is pretty startling to see, and the jellyfish themselves seem to be relatively harmless. But there is a certain area of the Thunderdome that is flickering in and out of darkness . . . an area where the jellyfish seem to be a lot less bright. The merfolk don't really understand what's going on, but whatever is happening in Akvos seems to be affecting the jellyfish in a negative way. They don't seem horribly concerned, but. Here we are.
Prompt Ideas:
- The armory is located in the Thunderdome, and you can buy a bunch of cool weapons here! Glow in the dark swords, electrified knives, bows, and harpoons can be found here, varying in price. They all seem to be rust-proof, too, given their environment, and the craftsmanship here is like no other. The people here really take their craft seriously, so happy shopping.
- The main attraction here, though, is definitely the jellyfish. They deliver a rather nasty shock, and anyone who touches them will glow a weird blue color for at least three days afterwards. The merpeople seem to know how to fix this, but likely will not do so because they warned you not to touch the damn things, you stupid landfolk. Navigate them carefully, and you may even be able to earn some coin in helping shepherd them!
- A group of mermaids are looking for people to fish out the sickly looking jellyfish in order to be treated by what appears to be Akvos' version of a veterinarian. The sickly looking ones are the ones that are flickering dim, and while the veterinarian has no idea what is going on with them, they want them out. Just be careful not to touch them, though. You will definitely glow blue for a few days, even though these ones are ill!
- The mermaids in the Thunderdome enjoy practicing their skills with each other, in terms of weaponry, battle tactics, and the like, but they also enjoy their downtime too! Find little pockets of folks hanging out, chatting, and playing some weird game that involves what appear to be coral dice and flattened stones. It almost looks like they're gambling seashells or something . . . time to get in on the action, if you can learn the rules, anyway. 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. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask them back on the various threads back in the OOC post from before! REMEMBER: For the entirety of this log, you can only physically interact with those in your group. For the first two weeks, the network will be completely defunct. After two weeks, you may send intermittent text messages to those in other groups. From this point forward, the Circle has become involved with the Kingdom of Akvos. 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 will be yours to discover, explore, and uncover. Who knows what you might find? :) |
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acatalepsy_logs2018-11-12 08:55 am
no subject
Whaaaat?! Bad-fishy vibes? That's a thing?!
[ A gasp, as she cups a hand over her mouth. A4... he said what if.
Regardless, she looks genuinely surprised that's some sort of effect humans can have over fish. That could be a serious problem! She pauses, placing one hand on her hip and giving this issue some serious thought.
After going through a range of difficult facial expressions, she finally settles back onto a happy smile. Her programming dictates that she should have hope. A fish will definitely come to him! ]
Then you just gotta switch places! [ She clenches one fist, determined. You can do it! ] One these spearfishing spots has to be a lucky place for you.
no subject
Whaaaat about over here? Seems a bit more...fishy...
[ ...He has no idea. But it is near an outcropping of rock, so from up above the fish might not be able to see him so easily??? It's a theory.
And then he waits. And waits...and waits... ]
...Guess fishing in the water takes just as much patience as fishing above the water, huh? How long did it take you?
no subject
A few hours, give or take.
[ She shrugs her shoulders. An awkward laugh, as she realizes the amount of time might be somewhat off-putting. ]
I might have spent some of that time admiring the scenery. [ As well as some of that time being from fishing failures and complaining about how much of a mess her clothing is now. ] It's not every day I can easily stand in shallow waters like this.
no subject
But she's trying so hard to help him, and so he's not going to give up so easily. If she believes he's capable of spearing a fish, who is he to argue?
So his smile returns quickly, before he turns a look out to the ocean realm beyond them. It's certainly unlike anything he's ever seen before...and he's seen some pretty amazing things. ]
Can't blame you. Wish I had my camera with me, lemme tell ya! It's breathtaking...
[ But...considering his camera would totally be busted by now if it had come with him, he's okay with leaving it behind, just this once. ]
What d'you mean by that?
no subject
A camera would be nice to have at a time like this.
[ She hefts her spear over her shoulder, gazing out towards the rest of the ocean. Her time with the Circle and this underwater world is a lot to take in, much more than her short active lifetime as an android. ]
I wasn't built to swim. If these waters went any deeper, I'd totally sink to the bottom.
[ Much like the six times she fell into the lake back at the Temple. She doesn't want to experience something as horrifying as that again. ]
no subject
[ His brow tightens thoughtfully as he puzzles out those words. If she were going to sink to the bottom of the water, she must be pretty heavy...much heavier than she looks, anyway. It reminds him of something, of how A2 had had to stay behind when they were exploring the caves and asked Prompto to send him pictures —
Did that mean she was an android, too? ]
It's not gonna be weird if I ask you if you're an android, is it?
[ Well, when he puts it like that, it might be kind of weird. But given how many there are in the Circle, he wouldn't be halfway surprised if she is. ]
no subject
Here she is, talking away like all of this is normal. No, she doesn't look at all heavy from a glance. She's actually pretty short with only her ridiculously thick-soled shoes to make her look a little above five feet tall. ]
...oh. Oh, right! No no no! It's not weird at all.
[ Laughing sheepishly, A4 rubs the back of her neck. Maybe she's the one being weird. She should have mentioned the android part earlier. ]
Wow, you got it in one go. I am an android. Let me guess— you've met the others already?
no subject
But this isn't about him, and he nods, grin widening. ]
Yeah, yeah, I have! Connor, 9S, A2, 2B...huh, really have met a lot of 'em. What's your name?
[ He should have probably asked earlier, but he's not terribly good at introductions. ]
no subject
She recognizes the names he lists off. This also saves her some time trying to give him the whole lowdown on what androids are. ]
Wooow... you've met a ton of us already. [ Collect them all, Prompto. ] I guess you haven't met North yet.
[ Being an android isn't something she's trying to hide and normally it would be difficult to tell with A4, who mostly behaves like a cheery human girl. The underwater world helps to give away that she isn't the average person. ]
I'm Attacker 4. Feel free to call me A4. Nice to meet you!
no subject
Heh, no wonder you're so good with a spear! [ At least, if her classification has something to do with her skill with that weapon. ] Pleasure to meet'cha, A4! Name's Prompto.
[ And he has met North...though he may not have, uh, realized at the time that she was an android either. He's not always the most astute observer. ]
...Guess that means you have to be careful around the sinkhole, huh? Who knows how far down that thing goes!
[ And if she fell in, she might sink right to the bottom... ]
no subject
Us Attacker types specialize in close-ranged combat. Normally, I prefer to use a sword, but this will have to do for now.
[ Cringing at the mention of the sinkhole, she shudders a bit. She imagines falling through those depths is even worse compared to the lake back at the Temple. Doubtful there's a friendly creature like Nessie to fish her out every time. At least some of the merfolk here seem nicer. They might be able to help her out if there are any accidents. ]
...Yeeeaaah. [ Back to her smile, though a touch embarrassed. ] I really wonder what's there though. Might be something down there that could give us more answers about this place, you know?
[ She's likely to make a trip down there eventually, despite knowing how inconvenient her dense build is. Mostly if she sees someone else going— a human or an ally... she's going to want to tag along. A4's a team player like that. ]
no subject
He shudders involuntarily. ]
You mean, like in a video game? Dark, spooky key locations like that are always hidin' somethin' good! Bet there's, like, a boss down there...
[ But he looks hesitant to suggest they investigate. He's chaotic enough of a fighter on land. He doesn't even want to think what it might be like if they had to duke it out underwater against a giant crab or something. Better he just sticks to...trying (and probably) failing at spearing a fish for now. ]
Buuuut the mermaids would've checked down there if there was somethin' to find, right? If I were lookin' for a missing princess, anyway, that'd be the first place I'd check.
no subject
That would make sense. I don't know... they could have overlooked something?
[ She scrunches her face a moment. That video game reference flew above her head. ]
...Never played a video game.
[ Games were a part of her faux memories, but all she knew is that she liked playing games. She didn't know specific details asides from that small fact. It's not apart of her real lifetime as an android, however. No time for playing games (though somehow she found time to customize her uniform and blindfold.) ]
no subject
[ And there he goes, suitably distracted at the drop of a hat. He can't help it, though. Maybe an android had no occasion or reason to play a video game, and he's certainly met plenty of people in the Circle who have no idea what a video game even is. Still, it makes him curious.
To his credit, at least, he keeps his grip on the spear, occasionally glancing down to see if any fish have dared to swim close. ]
Y-you should try one sometime! ...If you want to, I mean. I've got some on my phone, buuut it's kinda back at the Temple right now. Allll alone...
[ His poor phone, his poor camera. ]
no subject
[ All this chit-chat might be scare away some potential fish targets. Or hopefully they're getting closer, thinking these two might be some weird part of the environment.
Likewise, she's also distracted, taking an interest in learning more about this video game hobby. It beats standing around silently for hours, looking for fish. Plus on some days, there's a lot of time to pass at the Temple. A4 can spend plenty of time fussing over her appearance, but even there's a limit to that. ]
How about once we're finished with this mission and all back at the Temple, you show me those video games of yours. I admit I am pretty curious.
no subject
...Pumped, and a little nervous. What if she's not into video games???
But he can worry about that later. Instead, he lifts a hand in salute. ]
Hey, you got it! You had me at "show me those video games". [ ... ] Which I guess was kinda late in what you said, but — never mind. You're gonna love 'em!
[ If she loves mobile gacha games, anyway... ]
no subject
A4 blinks. Being an android, receiving that gesture seems... a little strange to her. ]
Well, I'm looking forward to it. Oh, and... there's no need to salute me, Prompto.
[ She doesn't seem offended, still wearing a small grin on her face. More confused than anything else. If someone's going to salute, it should be the other way around, shouldn't it? Especially since humans are to be revered, at least that's what her programming tells her.
Anyway, she's about to bring his focus back to the task at hand. The corner of her eye catches sight of a small school of fish swimming on by. Still, they're not close within range to be struck down by a spear. They're going to have to move in closer, stealthily. ]
Heeeey, looks like now's your chance. We might have to move just a little though.
no subject
Blinking, he drops his hand away from his head, but before he can seek an explanation, the fish swims nearby, and Prompto gasps with delighted surprise, holding his spear all the tighter. ]
Oh, oh, oh! It's soooo close! [ He stage-whispers. So close, but yes, just a bit too far. Glancing at A4, he slowly, carefully starts to edge towards the fish, trying to make himself as quiet as possible so he doesn't startle the fish away. ]
Easy does it...
no subject
If he does take another glance back at her though, she'll give him two thumbs up and a wide encouraging smile. You can do it, Prompto! ]
no subject
Patience isn't really his strong suit, but Prompto holds himself in check, waiting for just the right moment. Still unaware of his presence, the fish dares to swim a bit closer, and that's when Prompto strikes, lashing out with the spear. He may be a marksman, but that only means that his aim is true. With the aid of his super speed, he spears the fish in one fell movement.
...Wait, did he really just do that?
Blinking, he turns to look back at A4 again, a disbelieving look upon his face. ]
I-I...I actually did it! I can't believe it!
no subject
With all the sudden chatter they're making, any other fish that's lingering nearby disperse into different directions. She pays no mind to the potential targets moving away. They can find another spot. Despite the catch being a single fish, it's still good enough a reason to celebrate. ]
I knew you could do it!
[ Even if he didn't manage the first try, she would have continued to smile and encourage him nonetheless. Finally, she moves from her spot to join him, a bounce in her steps. A somewhat slow bounce underwater.
She reaches over to pat his shoulder. ]
Good work, Prompto!
no subject
Heh, couldn't have done it without you, girl! You are one serious spearfishing coach, you know that?
[ Even if he did the actual fish catching, he has no doubt that he would have never have been able to do it without her help. ]