acatalepsy_logs | PHASE TWO of AKVOS (Log #2)

PHASE TWO of AKVOS (Log #2)

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

the tides shift.

Darkness has begun to spread, rapidly, throughout the entirety of Akvos. Different areas of the Kingdom are plagued by different instances of terror, but one thing remains clear: the Circle does have the available tools to help . . . of sorts. Many of you have discovered different areas of Akvos to focus on, but by and large? There are no shortage of people to help, of people to fight, and of creatures to save.

Hurry quickly, Circle members. Akvos needs your aid.

SHADOWS IN THE DARK.

Shadow creatures have begun to multiple en masse in the Depths of Markolos, and are spreading to every which corner of Akvos. They will be at their highest density in the Depths, and take the form of terrifying creatures with massive claws and gnashing teeth. They seem to be impervious to non-magical damage, so some unique tag-team action may be necessary in order to actually kill the things.

As the monsters multiply, mermaids from across Akvos will fall prey to their attacks, drifting listlessly in the currents of the sea as they fall unconscious, the life-force drained from them by a shadow creature. In order to wake them again, the shadow creature that drained them of their energy must be killed. Act quickly, and you may be able to rally the native forces necessary to stage a proper fight back. But the more you fight, the more exhausted you begin to get.

Those who cannot fight will not find themselves of a shortage of ways to help, though. Shelters are being set up within the Palace of Wahine, a fortress unto itself. Children are corralled there, the injured are kept in the impromptu hospital beds that are guarded by the Royal Guard that are still conscious from the onslaught. They will desperately accept help to care for the children whose parents are unconscious, or to console parents who have lost their children in the mayhem of the sudden attack upon their city.

Food still needs to be gathered, supplies still need to be run from door to door. People need to be evacuated. And from each area of Akvos, there are "runners" of powerful merfolk who have set up caravans drawn by dolphins to quickly whisk people from place to place. Each caravan is under threat of attack from shadows, though -- sign up for the evacuation committee, keep your heads down, and fight back as much as you can to protect these people from whatever the hell is going on.

THE SEVEN SEAS OF WHY.

In addition to the shadow creatures, each area is plagued by a different onslaught of dark magic. Each area has different needs, and each area will require your attention. Focus your energies where able, and do your best to stem the flow of chaos before it is too late. (Check here for a breakdown of types of effective magic.)

The Palace of Wahine is facing an onset of red algae, blooming through the alleyways and infecting mermaids rushing to seek cover. Inhaling the algae doesn't seem to do much to you, in small doses, but it causes violent coughing fits with the mermaids, preventing them from breathing properly underwater. Getting into contact with the red algae will turn your own skin a brilliant shade of pink, and it will cause it to itch uncontrollably (something that is, apparently, impossible to alleviate under the water). It will wear off within a few hours, but the same does not hold true for the mermaids. The healers in the community say that certain herbs in the Fields of Akvosia can be harvested in order to help cure the illness, but they are notoriously hard to find . . . and in the middle of the sharpest parts of the coral reef, naturally. Tread carefully, and be careful not to anger the shadow creatures in your quest.

The Depths of Markolos is the hotbed of chaos, and seems to be where the majority of the shadow monsters are lurking. In addition to the shadow monsters, ice is cascading out of control from the western wall of the depths. Melting it will do the trick, or controlling it to move it out of the way, but it seems to persist. Some of you may find your way to the far back wall, to discover what appears to be the source of whatever this ice seems to be . . . but it will be tough going, and will require some teamwork to make it there. The ice, too, seems to fight back against your forces, and may curl its way around your legs, your legs, to freeze you into place. Hopefully you have a buddy that can get you out of there, before you become a frozen popsicle under the sea.

The Fields of Akvosia's beautiful coral reef is quickly dying, and the mermaids are working as hard as they can to curb the death by harvesting the essential food sources they can before it is too late. Schools of fish desperately flock from reef to reef in search of shelter and food, and soon meet their demise the moment they settle in to a new habitat. Working to cure and reinvigorate the coral reef will be met with great relief from the merfolk, who are desperately trying to cure what they can. Beware the shadow monsters, here, and be on the hunt for herbs that can assist the merfolk falling ill in the Palace of Wahine. Caravans of dolphin-pulled carriages will be whipping by to refill supplies, too -- jump in and help guard them on their way back to civilization.

The Thunderdome has a fresh stock of weaponry that is particularly effective against the shadow monsters, electrified with old runes that the merfolk will happily give to the Circle free of charge to fight back against the monsters. In addition, the jellyfish of the Thunderdome are darkening at a rapid pace. Electricity seems to do the trick in reinvigorating them, but touching them will still turn you a brilliant shade of blue . . . so tread lightly, in that regard. The electrified weapons will do the trick to jab the jellyfish into feeble light in addition to magic already gifted by Astoria, but the mermaids are a bit busy trying to fight off the shadows that are growing increasingly prevalent in the Thunderdome. Help wanted?

THE WHISPERS OF KEA.

Throughout the duration of this battle, investigations taking place by members of the Circle will begin to unveil certain . . . clues. The Princess is still missing, but members of the Circle are getting close to unlocking where she is. King Kathashun, at the beginning of this journey, indicated that she was the key to stopping all of this, and while most of you have no idea who that guy is, he seems to be genuine. (Right? Right.)

But where is she? The Queen is unavailable, for the duration of this event, and who knows where this mysterious "King." is. But as the Circle battles for the life of Akvos, certain messages begin to pop up through your magical watches. Riddles, if you will -- pleas of assistance, begin to trickle through, popping up on your watches in a series of nonsensical words.

The only problem is that the messages seem to be all scrambled up.

lktmohidionl.

hsdpepelgnyeiaior.

herywaeoleeahhthpyveneto.

ehdtetirviarcaeshrasmaohmitnrn

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!

NOTE: The Princess' messages will unlock a hint to their meaning (if they aren't solved by the time this happens) once this log hits over 750 comments. :) We are pretty sure this will happen well before the End Log for Akvos happens in January, so we won't be putting a time limit on it. ;) Have fun!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

01 | PALACE OF WAHINE | REUNIONS

[The network's patchy revival had at least given Konoha hope that some of the people who had arrived in Akvos separately from her weren't dead. But she came from a medieval world, and though technology was useful... she trusts her own eyes and senses far more than damaged portions of barely readable texts.

So you'll have to forgive her when, at the sight of anyone she recognizes from the Circle in the midst of all the chaos that came from the summoning to the palace for the Queen's announcement... Konoha just bursts into tears and attempts to swim close enough to embrace. (Attempt being the operative word, she's not a fast swimmer- she's dodge-able.)]

You're really alive- !

02 | FIELDS OF AKVOSIA | DYING CORAL

[Since she'd arrived in the fields, it's the place Konoha feels most comfortable returning to to help. Her powers can't do anything to help the bleached coral, but surely others could... So she tags along, leaning over the shoulder of someone inspecting the damage with a worried expression on her face.]

I tried replanting healthy ones into the bleached spots earlier... but they all turned white and died within the hour... What do you think is actually happening?

[Was it magic, then? Or just a really strong sickness that worked... really fast... ?]

03 | SHELTER | FISH HANDOUTS

[With their witch powers boosted, Konoha is doing all she can to help offset the food shortage caused by the collapse of the coral reefs and shadow creatures, setting up under the instruction of the organizing mermaids in the makeshift shelters' food distribution line.

Since it's mostly merpeople, she's "made" a lot of fish... but at the sight of a fellow Circle member, she gives a small smile of encouragement, holding up a handful of fresh mackerel.]

Tired of fish, yet? I can make you something else if you want... How about fruit?

04 | PALACE OF WAHINE | SHADOW ATTACKS

[Konoha had no illusions about her own lack of capabilities when it came to fighting. She's avoided going out alone, avoided even the hint of shadows... but she hadn't been able to resist answering a cry for help on one of her food runs, stumbling upon an unconscious mermaid ringed by three writhing, blurry-edged shadows.

Frozen momentarily in fear, hands clutched to her chest as her eyes dart desperately about for any place to run (swim), Konoha can't find her voice at first, her own call for aid lost in a stream of bubbles... before the shadows spring after their new target and Konoha turns to flee, hooves churning in the water as she tries and fails to achieve the same speeds she was capable of on dry land, shadows gaining.]

Help! Help- !

[Rounding a corner, she finds her voice just in time, calling out to the first person she sees and... hoping they're a better fighter or more magical than she is.]

05 | WILDCARD

[If there's too many hits on the other prompts or you have a different idea, feel free to tag me with whatever, hit me up at

stormcoming, or consult Konoha's plotting post comment.]

[ Cries for help are not uncommon, with the city like it was. Shadows lurk around every corner and those few unfortunate enough not to seek solace within the palace’s walls were usually taken by surprise.

Familiar voices crying for help, however, are far more rare and about ten times more alarming. All at once, Arenvald realizes that’s Konoha, and he’s never swam faster in his life. He cries guide him, and soon enough he comes around the side of a building to see her swimming for her life, three of those terrible, inky-black monstrosities on her tail. ]

Konoha! Over here!

[ Even as she swims towards him, he swims for her, golden light beginning to wash over his skin as he prepares to assault her pursuers. ]

[Konoha has never considered herself particularly fast by the standards of her own people. Compared to humans, sure, but she was a sturdier, mountain stock, not some swift field jinba. Still, right now, she wishes for even a fraction of her usual speed- because she can swim, but it’s not well, not like this, with her entire body under the water.

Both her hearts are thundering, both lungs heaving, but despite the considerable head start she’d had on them the shadows are nearly on her, nipping at her back legs, only the thrash of churning hooves in the water preventing teeth from sinking in. Yet.

But then Arenvald is there, she hears him through the whiteout panic, locks her eyes on him- Arenvald knew magic, he was an adventurer, this kind of thing-

She doesn’t have the “air” to call back, but a stream of bubbles follows when she spurs herself towards him in a last desperate push.]

[ Konoha looks so scared – more frightened than he’d seen her in the caverns beneath the lake, more terrified than she’d been on Struxta when they first met. Truth be told, he’s scared for her, knowing she’s not a fighter, and he pushes himself faster still.

He’s almost there, reaching a hand out for her. His fingers close around one of her arms and he lets their momentum carry them both into a clumsy and desperate sort of embrace. The very instant his arms close around her, he goes bright with sunlight, a beacon in the desolate city streets.

A dark, sharply-clawed hand makes a grab for Konoha when she slows, but Arenvald’s light beats it back. The three creatures halt their pursuit as the light pouring from Arenvald rends them apart, their shrieks of pain and surprise brief and garbled.

He doesn’t dare stop glowing until he’s certain they’re gone, and keeps his arms tight around Konoha’s shoulders. ]

I’ve got you, it’s okay. I’ve got you.

konoha | jinba | ota

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4....sorry konoha

connor!!!!

HE'S SORRY.....FOR DIFFERENT REASONS THIS TIME

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05, wildcard

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