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

[The possibility - not certainty, but possibility - of the same power that'd bought Hank time with the monster's attack making shit weird now with this guy he's maybe only barely on good terms with has Hank trying to finch out from under the hand before he even thinks about it. But like most everything else Hank tries to do underwater, the movement's slow and he doesn't have anything to push off of, and he just has to hope kicking his feet through the water a couple times gets him away soon enough. The last thing he wants is for this guy to feel tied down and useless, dragging, shaky like too much more weird shit thrown on top of him and he might just lose something - his shit, probably - and tired under all that, kind of heavy and just... Yeah, just tired.

It's not that Hank's concerned for Arenvald; he doesn't even know the guy. Mostly Hank just wants to pretend he doesn't have to constantly be on guard in case some poor random asshole gets dunked right in the middle of his private goddamn business.

So. Hank doesn't know if Arenvald felt anything for a second there, but he's going to go ahead and assume he didn't. God willing, he didn't. Or couldn't make anything out but some kind of general impression before Hank managed to move away. Hank's going to go ahead and pretend that first one's the case.]

Not a scratch. You got here just in time, hero. How about you? The whole human explosion thing doesn't take too much out of you, right?

[ It is brief, that contact, but it’s enough. Hank’s powers may have been useful, in their way, in the encounter with the shadow creature, but Arenvald completely forgot about the possibility of friendly fire.

In the space of a breath, a jumble of emotions tumbles right into him, graceless and tangled and… alien, only in that they didn’t come from Arenvald. However, he cannot deny that some of that mess is painfully familiar in a way that spears him right through the heart, takes him back to his early days with the Scions where he wasn’t sure if he truly belonged in their world. Lost and unsure and useless.

Hank moves away in the same instant that Arenvald draws his hand back, almost as if he’d been burned. For a second his expression is unreadable, trying to wrestle with invading feelings and the old hurts they bring to the surface. So, he does what he always does, when things get to be too much, when the moment makes his memories too sharp and real and he comes dangerously close to reliving one of the worst days of his life – he takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, and counts to four.

It’s probably quite telling that, yes, he got a big ol’ brain-full of Hank, whether he wanted to or not, but he moves past it. Hank probably wouldn’t want him to bring it up, right? ]

I’m alright. Using my powers like that doesn’t seem to affect me much right now, though I’m not sure why.

[Oh yeah. He sure did get a bunch of Hank in there, didn't he. Shit. Hank frowns, looking troubled, and that's pretty much all guilt but there's a little niggling curiosity - Arenvald definitely felt something, but none of that something was surprise. At least, not unless he hides surprise really really well.

God, Hank does want to spend as much time as possible pretending he can't just do that shit to people, pretending it doesn't fuck people up pretty much every time, pretending he doesn't think about what that says about him. But if Arenvald's not surprised Hank wants to know why, and if he is, he deserves some kind of explanation.]

Usually takes it out of you, huh?

[He sounds distracted, trying to think of a way to phrase what he really wants to ask.]

So, that just now. I, I uh- I've gotta apologize for that. I can't exactly, uh, turn it off like you guys can.

['You guys' being absolutely everyone else. Lucky assholes.]

[ Ah, or Hank could want to bring it up. It’s only fair, he supposes, since they’re his feelings and all. ]

It’s alright. I should have known better, but I forgot myself there for a second.

[ There’s a pause there, one where Arenvald considers his options – to keep the conversation surface-level or to try and commiserate some. He’s not so sure how the latter will go, but well… what’s the worst that could happen? Hank could shut him down, which is certainly nothing new. ]

A-Anyroad, it wasn’t anything I haven’t felt, myself so…

[Hank frowns, studying him, nodding slowly.]

Well I uh, I can't always exactly tell what makes it through.

[It's more comfortable doing it that way, asking without actually asking. Because a curious part of him does want to know, wants to know about Arenvald and about what Arenvald knows, now, about him. Even if the rest of him would really rather never find out.]

Funny though, uh, I don't remember tellin you about the whole no-touch thing.

[ It seems that even with their powers on overdrive, there are some things that can’t be controlled. (Or mayhap it’s a matter of not wanting to? Who knows – certainly not Arenvald.) ]

Oh.

[ Right. That information hadn’t come from Hank, had it? ]

Um. Connor mentioned it to me a while ago. ‘Round about when the lake appeared.

[Hank makes a noise of understanding, then looks around, taking in the area around them.]

Well, we should probably head back, unless you're just wandering around here hunting shit.

So, what even brought that up? Although, uh, I guess it would be... logical for him to want to go around warning people, after all the stuff.

[Hank chews on the inside of his cheek, not really liking the idea but, yeah, not really able to blame Connor, either.]

We can head back.

[ Hank’s not a combatant quite in the same vein Arenvald is. He’s happy to escort him back to safety – without explicitly calling it escorting, of course. ]

Your power? He didn’t set out to warn me specifically. In fact, it sort of came up in a round-about kind of way. I think… I think he was mostly trying to make sense of what he felt.

[Hank thinks about that, the idea of Connor going to anyone about feelings. He thinks about it pretty hard.

And he thinks, too, about the fact that, for all the people who were like 'oh, you're Connor's friend!' the moment Hank introduced himself, for all the hundred and one people Connor's already introduced himself (and Hank, apparently) to, Arenvald's the only one who's really talked about Connor, who's defended him, who - apparently - Connor trusts enough to go talk about feelings.

Hank doesn't really know what he feels about that. He doesn't have to know, he guesses. He just notes the observation, puzzles over it, then tucks it away where he can get at it easy the next time it's relevant.

It's not like he doesn't know Connor has some kind of weird attachment to the idea of friends. But Hank's always figured it for some kind of glitch, or a misunderstanding, one he never really considered would come up in the context of anyone but him.

Whatever. Shelving it, for now. Put it away, come back to it later. Or never. Never would be cool.]

Well, normally I wouldn't ask - cause you know, I'm such a considerate guy.

[He can't help but throw that in, poking at the maybe-true impression the guy used to have - still has? - of him.]

But if that's personal for anyone it's me, so. What'd he tell you?

[ Arenvald quirks a brow at that quip. He's not so certain that "considerate" is the word he'd use for Hank, but despite their rather... tumultuous introduction, he does want to like the man, to get to know him.

He certainly didn't think they'd be here talking about feelings, but given the nature of Hank's ability, mayhap it was inevitable. ]

About what he felt? Ah, he picked up on your confusion, mostly, but... there was something else. A sense of loss, he said.

[ He looks apologetic as he says it. He knows he wouldn't want his business laid bare to some stranger he's only just met. It's a tricky situation, Hank not knowing how to stop his power, and Connor not knowing how to process what he's been made to feel, with Arenvald smack in the middle. ]

[Hank raises his eyebrows, purses his lips, and generally just looks kind of unimpressed.]

Well, shit, is that really all or just the gist of it? Cause I was sort of expecting to get pissed off.

[Seriously, it's so... stuff that's so obvious it doesn't even feel personal, at least when it's put like that, in that general, impersonal way. It just feels like stuff even an android wouldn't need magic to pick up.]

I guess he is a machine though, I guess feeling anything at all would be uh, weird, to him.

But Connor does—

[ —have feelings. He cuts himself off, mentally kicking himself for that knee-jerk reaction. This is the very topic that set them on a rocky path to begin with, wasn’t it? So far, they’ve managed to avoid it coming back up but considering that they are both close to Connor, in one way or another, there was probably no avoiding it forever. ]

I mean, I don’t think he quite knew what to do with something so… heavy. He kept telling me he was fine but I get the sense it rattled him.

[Hank’s expression twists a little. Right. He’d kind of forgot Arenvald insisting on that, the feelings thing. Shouldn’t have forgot, but he did. Fuck it. Let it go.]

Yeah. ‘Rattled’ is one word for it.

[He sounds guilty, pursing his lips and looking troubled. For a second he considers Arenvald.]

Look uh, if that comes up, with you two. Could you uh, talk him out of trying that shit again? He keeps saying I need to, uh, practice, but...

[He shrugs, grimacing.]

Edited 2018-12-11 20:32 (UTC)

What makes you think he listens to me any more than he listens to you?

[ “Be careful,” Arenvald has said. “Don’t put yourself in danger,” he insists. And yet, what does Connor do but the exact opposite of that? Connor does what Connor wants. ]

But, that aside, I know it’s… sort of difficult, considering you’re basically dumping your feelings on other people, but he does have a point. You said you can’t turn off your power, right? Well, mayhap you can, but you just don’t know how, yet.

[Hank’s nearly ready to smile there for a second - so it’s not just him Connor doesn’t listen to - but what Arenvald goes on with nixes that idea. He reaches up to scrub a hand through his hair, making a frustrated noise as that makes him start swimming crooked. He takes a second to course correct.]

You do like Connor, right? Like, you guys are friends, or whatever? You seriously want me to do that to him? Not just once, a lot, as many times as it takes me to get it, if there’s even anything there to get. Just so I can, what, hold hands once in a while?

Look…

[ The word comes out in a sigh, Arenvald slowing to a stop. It’s awkward enough trying to hold a somewhat serious conversation while floating around, better not to add trying to travel to the equation. ]

First of all, Connor already has an idea of what he’s getting into. You and I may not like it, but he’s stubborn as they come. He’s not going to let this go and my feelings on the matter are not going to matter one way or another. Second of all, if you don’t want to go shoving your feelings onto Connor, specifically, find someone else. Someone who might understand what’s going through your head a bit better.

I just watched your power have an effect on the creatures here. I think that alone is a good reason to learn control.

[The guy doesn't even have to start and Hank already knows he's not going to like this. And, yeah, surprise surprise, he doesn't. He doesn't try to hide it. What he does do is keep his damn mouth shut, lips pursed, looking away from Arenvald while he wonders how important it really is to keep their truce intact.

Important enough to do it, probably. He's already kind of on the edge; he can't afford to feel any more like an asshole today. So, after a moment, he looks at Arenvald again, voice deliberate and even.]

Look, I'd get that if I'd fucked up back there. But I didn't. It did work when I needed it to, and you killed the - whatever the fuck it was, and we're fine. So as is, it's just a lot of- a lot of bullshit to put some poor shithead through for no clear practical reason. Alright? That's all. It's just not worth it.

[ That’s entirely fair as well, and Arenvald should know better than to talk Hank into things he doesn’t want to do. It doesn’t end well for either of them. ]

I know, I know. It’s a lot, and it’s personal. You’re okay with that, then? Just… keeping your distance so no one gets a glimpse of what you’re feeling?

[ To his credit, it’s not an accusatory question. It’s just… just a question. ]

Come on, let’s not make this into some after school special bullshit.

[Ugh, he’ll need to translate that, right.]

Don’t make it, uh... more than it is. Do you go around, like, baring your soul every single day? It’s not like I’m missing out on much.

[Except the option of touching anyone in any way ever without feeling like a piece of shit aftward, but Mr ‘knows best’ over there doesn’t need to know about that.]

Well, no, I don’t. Only to the people that matter.

[ Alphinaud and Minfilia… and Connor. Without really thinking much of it, a hand drifts up, fingertips brushing the edge of the broad strokes of warpaint on his face. His usual paint is hardy stuff, waterproof to a degree, but he had to barter himself something new from the merfolk, something that would last while being consistently submerged, so he doesn’t go about bearing his figurative and literal scars to everyone he sees. ]

You’re a private sort of person, Hank. I suppose I’m simply surprised that you don’t know how to close that door already.

[Between Arenvald's calm and genuine concession and the gesture - touching the big weird thing on your face while talking about personal confessions isn't quite a confession itself, but it's close - Hank's frustration is defused. A little. For now. The rest is still held back by the awareness that he can't afford to feel as shitty as he would after bitching out some guy who, for some reason, insists on trying to be genuinely fucking friendly to him.

It's a pain in the ass. It's weird. It's enough to get Hank sighing and speaking in a voice without any walls around it, although to look at him you'd think he was saying it to his shoe, not the guy right there near him.]

It, uh... It doesn't happen all the time. More often down here, but I don't know if that's me or this place. So, you're probably right. If it's not on all the time it probably is on me for- for not-

[He sighs again and rubs at his eyes, sounding slow and tired.]

Fuck, I don't know. If all you guys can just turn your shit on whenever you want- that is how it works, right? Then...

[He ends that sentence with a vague noise and a shrug. It probably is his fault, Hank knows that, and Arenvald knows that Hank knows that, and that's the only point Hank was trying to make. Yeah. He knows.]

[ The shift in Hank’s tone certainly catches his attention, though he has no idea what it quite means. For as much as he wants to try to get to know Hank, they haven’t made a whole lot of progress on that front. He has no idea if this is progress or resignation or what, but Hank certainly sounds… not unguarded, per say, but a bit more open. ]

I think there’s definitely something in the air— [ “air” ] –that’s strengthening our powers. I couldn’t do what you saw there, with the beam of light, before just recently.

[ Arenvald isn’t trying to place blame here, or insinuate that Hank was lazy or careless or whatever else he might think. That half-admission makes him frown, because now he’s wondering if he somehow gave Hank the wrong idea. ]

I first realized what my powers were when someone said something embarrassing to me. I lit right up in the middle of a clothing shop, which only made me more embarrassed. I had to learn how to control it after that, since it reacted to my mood. Sometimes it still gets the better of me.

You’ve got a harder time of it than the rest of us. It’s not like you glow or spontaneously make fruit out of nowhere or turn into a dog. I’m sorry, for what it’s worth, that you got stuck with something so… intrusive, and I don’t blame you for not wanting anything to do with it. If… if whatever advantage it gives you over these creatures isn’t enough motivation, then mayhap you ought to try for your own well-being.

[It's almost perfect technique, the way Arenvald gives that advice at the end there. Hank's kind of an expert on that by this point. He could probably start some stupid reality show, people come up to him giving the same old advice and he rates em out of ten. This one- it's good. Hank usually feels like Arenvald's advice is coming from a spot way up on some high horse, golden wisdom nuggets getting tossed down and hitting Hank in the face but there's none of that here, not an ounce of arrogance and he's not going the other way with it either, not going the pity route and pouring on the sympathy. The result is advice that hits that teeny tiny target spot, advice Hank can't bat away, can't get mad at, can't dismiss. It's simple, kind of conciliatory, mostly matter of fact: Maybe you should do something, to help yourself.

Right.

After a few seconds Hank looks up again, lips still twisted unhappily but voice normal enough.]

If it only works when you're feeling something, how the hell are you supposed to control that? What do you do, just think of - I don't know, your first crush and embarrass the monsters away, and then you stop feeling shit and it's done? Just like that?

[ He has… literally no idea what happened there, why this one piece of advice slid through the cracks to hit home, but an actual conversation is happening here. Headway is being made? Sort of? ]

It’s a bit different for me, I think. My powers react to my mood but they’re not dependent on it. I just had to learn to work around it. Which… uh, I guess that might work for you. Like… it’s less about not feeling things so others don’t feel it too, and more about learning how to block the connection?

[Hank crosses his arms over his chest, not looking any happier but clearly listening.]

Great, that's not vague at all. I- fuck, I don't mean you, I'm not bitching about you, it's just- [He sighs, coughs, then taps a hand against his side, trying to think how to explain so Arenvald doesn't think he's trying to be an ass again.] -this magic bullshit, I don't know.

[Well explained, Hank.]

Fuck. Um... I guess you had to uh, practice a whole lot before you figured that out, huh?

[He runs his tongue over his teeth, already about a hundred percent sure the answer's going to be yes, and that hearing it is not going to make him any more eager to buckle down and do it.

He's not going to do it anyway. Not really. He's just... listening. You've got to know exactly what it is you ought to do before you know how bad you're fucking shit up when you don't.]

not sure how you want to play it so I figured I'd leave whether Hank's power is active up to you

works for me! we're gonna go with yes bc Drama

the best reason to make rp decisions, I feel

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