acatamods: (Default)
acatamods. ([personal profile] acatamods) wrote in [community profile] acatalepsy_logs2019-01-04 10:22 am

PHASE 3: AKVOS: THE END.






the great escape.
The Circle has quite a lot on their plate, this time around. Multiple players are fighting for the control of Akvos, and many difficult choices to make. No matter what path you choose, though, one thing is for certain: it is a bitter fight to the death to ensure that Akvos remains standing, one way or another.

There are three main areas for the characters to explore in the final log of Akvos: (1) The Kingdom of Akvos, where the King is fighting to seize control; (2) The Rift, where the characters will encounter the Dreamscapes; and (3) The Kingdom of Polankos, which is where King Ka'pouli has reigned since his arrival in the pocket dimension. Decisions made in all there areas will affect the outcome of Akvos, so get to exploring.




THE ASSAULT ON WAHINE.
The King’s forces will attack in three different fronts. There will be mermen attacking from above, riding saddled giant seahorses and manta rays, launching spears at the mermaid-warriors below with terrifying precision. They seem to be indiscriminate, in their aim -- the weaponry, charged with the same dark energy that the shadow creatures seem to be made out of, find their target in civilians and warriors alike, raining down a sea of terror upon the central stronghold of the Kingdom of Akvos.

The mermen will also be attacking at the ground-level, attempting to burst their way through the Palace Gates to flood the city with numbers. While the mermaids outnumber the mermen, the mermen are certainly more brutal than the mermaids. Some of them, though, in finding the city, are more concerned with looting it than with senselessly murdering everyone inside. Indeed, this is the most food they have seen in a long time -- and markets are destroyed in grabbing as much food and riches as they can, pressing closer to the Palace, and toward the Queen's stronghold.

And, finally, they will be attacking from below, navigating their way through a network of tunnels meant to transport goods and bursting their way into people’s homes, to sneak their way closer to their ultimate goal, which seems to be the Palace itself.

The Circle's main goal, here, is to protect civilians, usher theminto the underground strongholds beneath the Palace, and fight for their own lives should they attack the mermen first. Man the wall, if you so choose, to attempt to block the air attacks from the mantas. Fight on the ground, to protect Akvos from destruction. Or make your way to the underground strongholds and tunnels, to block access to the Palace. All of these will certainly assist in keeping Akvos safe.

In addition, please remember that shadow creatures (which can only be killed by magical means) are still making their way through the entirety of Akvos. While King Ka'pouli's forces are targeting the Palace of Wahine, the shadow creatures are still present everywhere. Get to killing!



INTO THE RIFT.
Some of you, however, have elected to traverse into the mysterious rift that appeared in the midst of the Fields of Akvosia. It looks like a black hole into nothingness, crackling with odd energy . . . and passing through it feels as though you have stepped through an icy waterfall. For a moment, you cannot breathe -- and then, you are treated to beauty.

The gaps between time and space are full of sparkling lights, bolts of rainbow starlight winding around you as you move through the uncertainty that is the void. It seems endless, but something inside you is tugging you forward . . . and, suddenly, there is a soft voice in your ear. A familiar one, to those who reside within the Circle . . . the confused voice of Astoria.

"Hello? My Travelers? How are you within the Void?" The Void? That word hadn't been used to describe whatever this magical place is before, but . . . well, a witch with the ability to send you all across the universe probably knows what she's talking about, right? "That should not be possible . . . who opened this doorway?"

You can tell her, or you can not. It seems to matter not, because: "Is this not getting through? Why can I not hear you . . . but I can feel you, I can -- please, if you can hear this, be careful. The Void is not something for mortals to interact with, and it can show you terrible things -- terrible things, so please--"

And, right before you have the opportunity to respond to our benevolent witch (or captor, depending on your point of view), you see a bizarre glass-like surface in front of you. It looks like a mirror, and you see a perfect reflection of yourself. It is absolutely captivating, and it beckons you . . . almost urging you to touch it. And Astoria's whisper grows a bit louder, more urgent:

"My dear Traveler, be careful what you encounter here -- can you hear me? Can you see me? I am trying to get you out of there, to bring you back home--Akvos is--"

But it is too late.

Your fingers graze the edge of the mirror, and you are pulled -- a sensation that is familiar to you, the same pull in your stomach that you feel whenever Astoria thrusts you across the universe, into new realities. And, when you blink your eyes again, and look around . . . you are no longer in Akvos, or the Void. You are somewhere entirely new.

Welcome to the Dreamscape.




THE KINGDOM OF POLANKOS.
Once the Circle emerges from the Rift and the Dreamscape, they will stumble into another world . . . but this one's wateris shallow, in comparison to the massive depths of the crystal-clear kingdom of Akvos. You can quite clearly see the surface, here, and there are shallows that allow you to come up onto islands, tropical in nature with fruit, odd creatures that appear to be multiple-headed monkeys and parrots, and sandy shores. It's a bit jarring to see, after spending so long underwater. Indeed, you emerge to trudge onto land, and look around, somewhat mystified that the deep-dwelling mermen would be from a place like this.

However, exploring the islands (which is not very difficult to do, as they are all small and will not take very much time) will yield the discovery that on the islands themselves are tunnels -- underwater caverns that thread through the islands to much deeper water. It's almost as if the islands themselves are barriers to the underwater caverns below -- shallow water, a layer of land, and then a (mer)man-made bubble of water below the barrier of land. And that whoever lived on these islands tunneled through them to find deeper water. Princess Kea, (who will attend on these journeys, while remaining in the water), will tell the Circle members that King Ka'pouli told her that when the mermen were cast out, they landed on solid land, and had to slowly dig deeper to their salvation.

Navigating through these tunnels will be somewhat perilous -- and the Circle members will need to carry Princess Kea to the nearest tunnel to get her into some water, because while she can breathe on the surface for a certain period of time, she cannot navigate the land as quickly as you people with legs. Additionally, underwater caving isn't exactly a blast, but the deeper you go, the more clues of civilization you can find. And, eventually, once you go deep enough, you emerge into a massive underwater cavern to find the small Kingdom of Polankos.

In comparison to the Kingdom of Akvos, Polankos is witheringly depressing. It is not brightly colored, nor open -- indeed, it is tiny, with mermen huddled together waiting patiently for the forces that went through the rift to return. There is not a lot to find here, save for some interesting weapons that possess a dark energy, versus a lightning energy -- and those weapons will be given to the Circle members who ask for them, because those who wield them are in no condition to fight. There is little food, little room to sleep, and these are a people clearly in need of assistance.

In order to get them out of Polankos, you will need to usher them through the tunnels back up to the Rift above -- it seems that King Ka'pouli opened the Rift on the surface, rather than risk the city below in case it did not work. The mermen there (who seem to be elderly and weak) will be eager for the assistance to get out Polankos, and at the promise of being brought into Akvos, they will happily go. There will be no resistance from them.

You may also see Princess Kea, who has filtered in and out of the Rift to assist on the journey -- teary-eyed, heartbroken at the sight of these individuals who require rescue, organizing the mermen with the promise of keeping them safe in Akvos.

"Hurry," she tells you, as she rouses another merman into getting to the nearest tunnel. "We do not have a lot of time to pull this off, and we must work quickly."

Additionally, please feel free to write up and work with your own prompts! These areas of the world are presented as jumping off points for your characters, not limitations. The idea of this world- as with all the others- is to explore -- you may use as much leeway as you want in order to come up with what your character will do, especially in the Dreamscapes.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask them back on the various threads back in the OOC post from before!
fairysong: (63)

[personal profile] fairysong 2019-01-13 12:10 am (UTC)(link)
I don't know! Maybe! [She hisses at him, trying to keep her voice down.] Nobody else has even noticed it...

[She takes a breath.] They attacked where I lived, back home. But... then they helped us when we figured it was a misunderstanding, so-

--so maybe! I don't know! It could be either!
fairysong: (64)

[personal profile] fairysong 2019-01-13 12:15 am (UTC)(link)
[Sheryl bites her lip, looking both ways down the corridor as though she's going to see the two girls hiding out just here.] No, I don't. We only noticed they were missing when we started leading people into the shelter. Maybe they're still up in the palace?
fuck1ngusernam3: (honesty/surprise)

[personal profile] fuck1ngusernam3 2019-01-13 12:18 am (UTC)(link)
's not mine.

[He sounds distracted when he says it, focused on Cayde, and one hand slides itself up to brush over the side of Cayde's face. The feeling of metal under his palm, of the edges of the struts in his cheeks that he'd shown Hank oh, maybe a couple hundred years ago, for a second it makes Hank wonder with a vague and horrible curiosity what Cayde's face was like, his real face. His human face. But this is the face Hank knows and this is the one he was looking for, what Cayde looks like when he knows him, and the relief of that's stronger than any curiosity, it's like some kind of electrical shock shooting its energy through every part of him.]

God, it's good to hear your voice. See, I told you you could wake up. Good thing you did, too, I'd hate for you to dream-kill me twice.

[He tries to twist his lips up a little, the almost-smile born more out of that relief than because anything Hank just said was actually funny. Creeping up on that relief, though, is warmth, concern, the way Cayde'd curled over just now still floating through Hank's brain, so his other hand moves down to rest on Cayde's ribs, feeling the leather, just sits itself there.]

You doin okay in there?
fairysong: (11)

[personal profile] fairysong 2019-01-13 12:24 am (UTC)(link)
[It's a weird name, and one she hasn't heard before, but Sheryl doesn't think anything of it, really. She's just going to hold on as much as she can.] So that goo-- that's something that you know what it is?

The Vajra-- if it really starts attacking, we probably can't fight it. We've just got to run, okay?
nogoldenmirror: (stubborn ☽ to tell)

[personal profile] nogoldenmirror 2019-01-13 12:28 am (UTC)(link)
[Her gaze snaps up to his, an angry fire glowing in yellow eyes. She could do it, too - she was raised to be every bit as manipulative and sharp-tongued as her mother. She knows how the woman thinks, how she would handle things and what she would do next. Flemeth would push that hand away and walk, preferably with a wall of fire forming between them as she turned into a giant bird and flew off.

She squishes the thought beneath her heel like a pesky insect. No. She knows better, and she will do this her way.]


I shall, but neither of us are so weak that we would die of loneliness. The archdemon, on the other hand...

[One breath, and the halls of Castle Redcliffe give way to the campsite once more. The wardens and all of their companions save for herself gather by the fire. Yet one-by-one, each of them depart save for Amell and Oghren.]

...They shall need a Warden to rebuild their Order's presence in Ferelden. I cannot ask him to accompany me. Nor can I ask him to help prepare the child for what his future will hold. Not when he will also need to begin to seek a cure for the poison in his veins.

[Amell seems to look towards the remnants of the fire by their feet, almost as though they are not there at all, before walking away as well with the drunken dwarf.]

...He would be so smug if he knew these were my dreams right now. [The bastard, and yet... her tone suggests beyond the annoyance, the fondness is strong.] I shall consider it, yet that would imply returning to that Castle to offer this third option in the first place.

[And she has to ask:] You are certain you want another nonhuman among you?
Edited 2019-01-13 00:31 (UTC)
valuedstrength: *beard, *iw (Bruised in the rain)

i am too lazy to renew his account

[personal profile] valuedstrength 2019-01-13 12:32 am (UTC)(link)
[He's lost until the second she touches him. Steve whips to her fast, visibly disoriented. For a terrible second he can't place her. Steve truly has no idea who she is. It comes back to him in a rush. This is Zari; a reliable ally and friend. Pull it together, Rogers.] Zari? What are you doing here?
fairysong: (32)

[personal profile] fairysong 2019-01-13 12:34 am (UTC)(link)
It doesn't eat people! [She... thinks. She has no idea what Vajra actually subsist on. At least they''d never eaten anyone on the Frontier?]

It just looks really scary! It's not always hostile unless someone attacks it first.

[Probably.

It's just sort of flying behind them, hovering about fifty feet up

a little ominously.]
fairysong: (11)

[personal profile] fairysong 2019-01-13 12:36 am (UTC)(link)
[She'll get to the other things in a second, but first:]

You named your super power "superpower"?

[And she thought Prompto was bad at coming up with superhero names.]
valuedstrength: *beard, *iw (While he treads in the place)

deal with bearded steve bc i'm too lazy to renew

[personal profile] valuedstrength 2019-01-13 12:38 am (UTC)(link)
[Steve simply stares at him. Is this guy for real?? It slowly comes back to him that one of his faves is the Norse god of thunder. Now he looks vaguely upset.] That might actually be a real thing.
fairysong: (05)

[personal profile] fairysong 2019-01-13 12:43 am (UTC)(link)
Mm-hmm! That's correct. Your feelings can still reach her, no matter where she is.

[Sheryl reaches out to the girl, taking her hand.] Here, I'll teach you the lyrics. They're easy to remember after a few tries.

Repeat after me, okay? "Aimo, aimo. Ne te lushe."

[And she starts teaching the kids the lyrics, line by line. And Konoha too, really.]
valuedstrength: *beard, *iw (Bruised in the rain)

2

[personal profile] valuedstrength 2019-01-13 12:44 am (UTC)(link)
[This place is beautiful. Steve thinks he'll paint it later. He's never seen natural beauty quite like this. It takes his breath away. Without thinking, he calls out to Konoha once he spots her.] Is this your home? It's a beautiful place.
fairysong: (50)

[personal profile] fairysong 2019-01-13 12:45 am (UTC)(link)
I'm Sheryl. A pleasure. [She says, and then realizes that she's heard that name before.]

You're the famous acrobatic delight, then? No wonder you're so fast on the rope.
heartslight: (4)

[personal profile] heartslight 2019-01-13 12:49 am (UTC)(link)
[ Geez, he didn't even notice it at the time ...? She can't imagine experiencing that personally — and she doesn't want to. But all they can do is be helpful to each other right now, so she intends to do that. ]

Right! Two is better than one!

[ She looks around, thinking about how they should start moving forward sometime soon, considering the time sensitivity of this whole predicament. And then she looks back over at him. ]

Are you feeling any better?
heartslight: (7)

[personal profile] heartslight 2019-01-13 12:54 am (UTC)(link)
[ Ah ... oh boy. She gets the hint now. And she looks mildly shocked for a moment, before her expression takes something more of a sad tone. ]

So you want to change it ...

[ She can understand someone having that sort of sentiment — had certain things in her and her friends' lives been changed, some things could've gone better. They wouldn't have gone through so much danger, or spent so much time apart. But ... she never dwells on that sort of thing like others might. Doesn't really even consider it. Kairi's someone who lives in the moment and puts bad things of the past behind her — keeps moving forward. She's not one to get easily caught up on negative feelings, though that's a happy side effect of having a heart devoid of darkness. ]

I don't know what'll happen if you try to, but ... I think it's up to you, to make that decision.

[ She's going to respect his feelings on this. ]
spaceforged: (And I'm back with a madness)

cw: mind-control, human experiments, ptsd

[personal profile] spaceforged 2019-01-13 01:01 am (UTC)(link)
[He's whole. More pieces of himself have been fitting into place but the long battle to put his mind entirely into order had yet to be won. Shiro looks up as she steps close and raises her hands.

Following a stray instinct, he shuts his eyes. It's like opening himself to the lion. The connection forged shares with him something terrible. He doesn't flinch away from the visions. She shared with him for a reason. His eyebrows come down and his mouth presses into a thin line of distaste. It reminds him faintly of the druids. But the druids are precise.]


...If there's a way we will find it. I won't let any of you be controlled either. ...and this is what they were like.

[He becomes the Lion again. He lowers his head and her hands brush his nose. The world shifts.

The cells are cold and airy. He's so used to them it feels like he's known nothing else. The sounds of the prisoners in their cells around him have become familiar. Heavy boots on the metal flooring make him wince. He's to fight another challenge.

The door to his cell opens. Two Galra soldiers and robotic sentries bring their pulse rifles up. He stays still and frowns as a Galra soldier leads a robed figure in. The robe is almost pitch black and edged with a deep purple. The mask over the druid's face would be something to haunt his dreams for years.

'Yes, this is the one. I feel it even from here. Bring him.'

He starts to back up but the soldiers move in and haul him upright. "What the hell do you want with me?" He snaps and the druid reaches a hand out for his face. The guard catches his chin before he can look away. 'You will learn.' Was all that was said before it all goes black.

The expanse returns bit by bit. Her hands are by his human face but his eyes are the yellow of the lion. He's outlined in the same purple. It fades away as he takes a step back.]


We will find a way. [He repeats and his voice drops to a whisper.] Thank you, Morrigan.
spaceforged: (We're best friends you know that right)

[personal profile] spaceforged 2019-01-13 01:32 am (UTC)(link)
[He changes back to human shape and grips Keith's shoulder, tugging him close. He wraps his other arm around him. He doesn't say anything. There's nothing to say. All he can do is resolve to never let something like this happen again.

The memory still lingers in his thoughts. Keith could have died. He's been lost time and time again but Keith brought him back. Would the Lion have brought him into it? He leans back enough to look at his face.]


So, we're in your memories this time.
nogoldenmirror: (angered ☽ suddenly i see)

[personal profile] nogoldenmirror 2019-01-13 01:36 am (UTC)(link)
[She follows suit, closing her eyes and focusing on what it is she's being shown.

It hadn't just been the one. Both halves of the now-whole had been a prisoner at some point. A draconian snarl echoes in the back of her throat before she can kill it. She looks into those eyes with those of the dragon she was here and will one day be in her own world.]


You are welcome. [It takes a moment for her to kill the gold fire in her eyes, but she will keep that image in mind if she ever once thinks of crossing those standards she poses upon herself.] ...And I should warn you, that unlike that untrained fool I showed you, I know how to be that precise. Yet I shall never use those spells. I have standards.

[She offers him her hand. See? She'll even do that stupid human society thing and shake on it.]
Edited 2019-01-13 03:04 (UTC)
lumberlady: (あら)

[personal profile] lumberlady 2019-01-13 01:46 am (UTC)(link)
[It seems both too real and unreal at the same time. This is the mountain path she took each day to the lumberyard. There below is her village. There is the dirt highway leading to the nearest barrier gate and town... there are the fields, now bountiful with rice nearly ready for harvest.

And here... was a man she recognized from the Circle. Konoha turns a bit sharply, pulled from her stunned reverie by the voice and the reminder that this might not be real, despite how real it felt in her heart and in her eyes.]


Ah- yes. Yes, that’s my village down there-

[As if to ascertain if he’s real or not, she trots closer, fingers clutching anxiously in the bear pelt she wore around her “waist” where human led to equine.]

How did you get here... ?

valuedstrength: *beard, *iw (where no child is spared)

[personal profile] valuedstrength 2019-01-13 01:53 am (UTC)(link)
[He's never seen a rice field before. Steve is torn between taking the scene in and talking to the woman this is clearly coming from. He's done this a few times already. It hurt every time. This? This is beautiful. He's reluctant to leave in all honesty.

Konoha comes in closer and he knows he can't be selfish. This may be soothing to him, but it could be torture for her. He sobers up immediately.]
I think you brought me here.

[He continues patiently.] Do you remember our mission?
formleg: (Tech Support)

Re: ditto and the dice say shiro lives

[personal profile] formleg 2019-01-13 02:19 am (UTC)(link)
[Okay, maybe if he visualizes the dice. What spells did he even have again? His friends are in trouble fighting giant mice and moving food! He's gotta do SOMETHING.

Maybe first should be don't panic.

He wraps his hand around the staff and now that he has his bearings a little better something clicks.
]

Earth Tremor!

[The ground tremors beneath the paws of the diremice and causes them to lose their balance. They aren't completely knocked down, but they're left WIDE open.]

Hey! I did it!
sendinthecavalry: (46)

[personal profile] sendinthecavalry 2019-01-13 02:22 am (UTC)(link)
[Not Hank's. Not Hank's because Hank is alive, but there's a dichotomy of what he's saying and what Cayde can try and process. The drag of skin along his face helps, a small rallying point amidst the chaos that's been all around them. Chaos of his own doing, created by subroutines long buried but never forgotten. Now that he has a clearer head, there's a pang of- not embarrassment but something deeper- because this isn't a place for anyone else. This is his own personal hell, a private thing that no one else should have been subjected to.]

'm not awake. Not here.

[With that he offers a quiet, rueful laugh as he lets his eyes slip shut.]

Does 'kinda embarrassed' count, though? Superspecial superhero bullshit, all that.

[There's still the hum of the Crypt in the back of his mind, but words are coming easier now. Enough so that's it may not be the best time, but he can at least try to crack a joke.]

More importantly, though, I'd hate to see the other guy if you're lookin' like that.
lumberlady: (ひどい…)

[personal profile] lumberlady 2019-01-13 02:22 am (UTC)(link)
Of course I do...

[How could she forget? That underwater world, the metal one full of robots, the temple... every bit of it was so foreign to her, so beyond the bucolic village laid out in the valley below just calling for her to return home.

The mission... helping the merpeople...]


I feel bad for the fish people, I really do, but-

[Her gaze is torn between the man and the village below, clearly conflicted. If this in any possible way really was home...]

I can’t help anymore... I’m not a fighter anyway, and my parents- They need me... I’ve been gone so long they probably think I’m dead-
adelphoi: (🍰 ᴄɪɴɴᴀᴍᴏɴ)

[personal profile] adelphoi 2019-01-13 02:31 am (UTC)(link)
[ he gives the answer she expected, and alisaie smiles in return, dipping her head in a nod. there it is, as always - his hidden strength. maybe it does help that she is here by his side to support him, to keep him on his feet, but that doesn't negate his own choice to move forward.

despite it all, her cheeks flush warm and her eyelashes flutter when he presses a kiss to her cheek. ]


Y-yes.. well...

[ she murmurs through a breathless laugh, then touches his elbow to get him moving. ]

Let us go, then, before we lose our guide.
foundafamily: (pic#9611934)

[personal profile] foundafamily 2019-01-13 02:41 am (UTC)(link)
[The other cops appear as if out of thin air, an effect that for some reason only puts a small amount of confusion in Firo's mind. The growl that slides out of his throat is involuntary, a byproduct of his helpless rage that he doesn't have the brain real estate to quash.

He lets the pad drop to the floor as he whirls back to study the main cop's face, memorizing each feature. He may not be allowed the luxury of revenge--just now. But he won't forget this guy.]


Anderson, you said?

[Why does that sound familiar? It's not a name Firo'd expect to hear around his neighborhood, not unless this guy was one of the known "friendly" cops.

And why does it make him think about vomit stains and men in skirts?]
valuedstrength: *beard, *iw (Both orphaned by Heaven)

[personal profile] valuedstrength 2019-01-13 02:42 am (UTC)(link)
[There's no judgment. He forgot for a few minutes in his nightmare. It'd be okay if she did in her happiness as far as he's concerned. All Steve offers her is empathy. None of them asked to here. Now that he knows she never chose to fight anywhere it seems especially cruel. That's nothing new here.]

I won't stop you. You didn't ask for any of this. [She should be with her parents. He doesn't think that is how this will go down. Steve has to prepare her for that. It's not enough to say these people are his if he never looks out for them.] But, there's a chance you go down there and it isn't real. I just want you to know I'll be here if that's the case.