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Mini-Event: Skywhale + Day of Lefkokó
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| 🜙 The Skywhale | ||
| After fierce retaliation and an increase in city-wide defensive power and measures, it seems as if the orc attacks have, at least for the moment, begun to subside. Along with the lessened threat of orc ambushes, the first storms of winter have died down to a gentle and occasional snow flurry, leaving the world peacefully blanketed in powder snow and a calm stillness. The City of the Free Peoples take this time to celebrate the final repairs of the airship, the Skywhale. With sail balloon once more filled and the engines working hard to keep the air within it warm, easier and safer travel is once more available. The Skywhale leaves once a day in the early morning to head for Didymos, and today is its maiden voyage since the repairs. Thalassa has changed greatly in the last century, blossoming into a massive port and military city, with resources and opportunities unavailable in the more eclectic Cty of the Free Peoples. Restless legs may find their chance to stretch to a new experience. Sail the skies aboard the Skywhale and see Thalassa's grand transformation to Didymos for yourself. Catch the voyage back before nightfall, or remain in Didymos until the ship's return the following day. There is plenty to see and do in the city by the sea. You can even see Logistykon's reef from aboard the Skywhale's deck as it swings around to dock. It is a grim but beautiful sight in the clear blue waters. While the threat of fire and orc ambush has diminished greatly, the City of the Free Peoples is filled with a sense of unease and discomfort as repairs on the city and attempts to put lives back together continue. Murmurs of discontent slip through the city streets, along with rumors that this is all Lykos' fault or accusations that the Captain might be hiding something. For every murmur of distrust, however, there are counters of the heroics and quick action that helped keep the city strong and beat the orcs back. There has still been no word from Krimnos or the airship, Valiant, that usually hails from the cliff city daily. Messengers have not made their wing from the city and those sent to the cliffs have not returned. It's not unusual for this time of year, but the absence is felt keenly by traveling merchants who need to get their wares to or from the city. A journey by horse or on foot would be risky, but the potential rewards for escorting a company up to the cliffs could prove significant. | ||
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| 🜙 Day of Lefkokó | ||
| No matter what city you find yourself in, the dawn of the 17th sees a change in mood and atmosphere across Idan. Snow has stopped falling and the sky is a bright, clear blue. The weather warms enough to cause water to drip softly from the icicles hanging off every awning and outcrop. Decorations of magical or crafted snowflake art and blue ice flames line city streets and building windows, and jovial merriment spills out into the streets. A sweet wine made from frostberries, warm honey-mead, and spiced apple drinks are offered in taverns, inns, and small shops or homes, a free offering to be had with sweet or spiced cheeses and spiced or candied nuts and fruits. It's a celebration that is far from unfamiliar, one that has been celebrated for centuries across Idan's towns and cities, though the methods and particulars of the celebration have always varied from place to place and people to people. December is the month of the White Raven, and in particular, this day is a day to honor him. Lefkokó, the deity of dance, freedom, madness, and cunning sits at the head of the cause of these festivities and his domains are the focus of the celebrations. Today is a day of dance, drinking, and games of skill and chance. A day to test your bluffing skills, show off, and take deep joy and pride in the liberties and opportunities available to all. Few work on this day, beyond the essentials, and everyone who is able to takes part in this moment of freedom and relaxed expectations or responsibilities. The cities are alive with music and dancing, and the taverns are a swirl of chaos amidst high stake games of cunning and chance. Clever minds clash over riddles, old and new, and as the day progresses a lack of sobriety becomes increasingly evident in the streets and establishments alike. As the sun reaches the highest point in the sky and the shadows dwindle to near nothingness, the aviaries of all three cities release the newest flock of rare juvenile snow ravens to their freedom, letting them take wing to the skies for their first ever flights. The flocks of snow ravens, the most coveted of magic familiars, fly off to the wildlands after practicing their acrobatic feats and visiting various areas of the city in search of food to give them energy for the journey ahead. Once they take their leave of the city, many begin to seek out hidden trinkets, magical herbs, and small, rare items across Idan with a precise and dedicated focus. Those who honor Lefkokó by celebrating in his name may be visited by his rare and clever emissaries later in the month with an offering of thanks from Lefkokó himself. | ||
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| 🜙 A Warning. | ||
| By the 18th the orc camp has been abandoned, the animals freed and the orcs, whatever was left of them, appear to have fled. Retreat is unusual, even more so for them to cut their creatures loose and flee without triumph or trophy, but this is something different. Many of the weapons, trinkets, and armors coveted by the warring orcs have been left behind, and the fires trampled and stamped out with apparent urgency. Tracks lead to the south a few miles and then vanish into snow in the direction of Lake Atéleio. It and the land south and west of it are consumed in a blizzard blown over from the sea, and tracking beyond that point becomes nearly impossible, though by this point it is assumed the Orcs have retreated to Spear Valley. Whether or not they will return is unclear. Those in the City of the Free Peoples on the 18th will receive another message, this one from a less mysterious source, addressing the coming dangers. Supplies can be claimed from the defender's camp for any struggling to make the necessary preparations. Those who have lost their homes will be provided shelter and supplies. When the Long Night comes, keep your children indoors, your fires stoked, and your buildings shuttered. There is nothing to fear. Your defenders will keep you safe. -Captain Lykos Several hours later a second and then a third message is received across all kingdoms. It comes only to the couriers of the awakened. The first comes as an audio message: A dull scraping sound followed by the click and whine of metal dragging across stone and the dripping of thick, viscous liquid somewhere distant. It ends abruptly and a simple thought message, short and uncomfortable, follows it. irom otnemem The message has no signature. | ||
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no subject
He catches sight of Ellie, recognizing her as another of the inn's temporary residents he had seen in passing and moves closer, leaning on the railing to try and get a glimpse of Thalassa- no, Didymos, in the distance.]
Can't believe they actually figured it out. [He doesn't keep his voice low like others might, but he isn't shouting.] Look at that view.
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Yeah. [Theseus the coywolf grumbles under her breath, as if in disagreement. There is a part of Ellie that's a little nervous, but this is too amazing to let the fear overpower her.]
It doesn't look real from up here. [Ellie is dangling her bad foot from a gap in the railing. If something bad happens to it, she's no less fucked than she was in the beginning, right
Anyway. The sight of her foot over the land is amazing - she's not sure how much of a mile is covered by it, but the idea is entertaining.] I'm going to be so fucking pissed if the maps still suck.
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First those devices, now this, what other fancy gadgets are waiting for us out there? [He had heard whisperings about Krimnos that made him want to go there and see for himself but for now the airship was enough of a thrill. Lylla's webbed-paws grip at his leg and he glances down, lifting an arm to look at the creature not that much smaller than him before lightly patting her on the head.]
Whad'ya think would happen if you dropped a rock from up here?
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I heard talk of canons you can carry around, no magic, but that might be a rumor. [Wishful thinking? A new design? Ellie doesn't know, but she is curious. That would certainly help her, what with sucking at magic. Whatever the case, it's obviously not widely dispersed.]
...someone really upset at the new hole in their house? Or in their head. [Squish. Ew. Ellie snorts at the idea anyway, because it's sort of hilarious.
Theseus raises her head to look at the two of them. Small as she is, she's bigger than either of them in terms of mass, and her eyebrows furrow as she considers Rocket and Lylla.]
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I'm gonna get one. [More than one, preferably. He wants a whole arsenal. The more powerful they are the more he needs them. His crossbow is great, he's always enjoyed the punch it packs, and how effortlessly it accomplishes what few can with a regular bow. But a cannon he could take with him? That was like a fever dream come true.]
I wonder if this ship has cannons. [He sticks his head out through the railing and out over the ship, his feet coming off the ground as he angles his head to look off the side of the boat for the tell-tale windows. It is a ship, after all. Lylla squeaks and grabs onto his leg, wrapping her slinky body around him and tugging him back toward the ship's deck.]
no subject
Ellie turns to ask what Rocket does for a living, and the sight she sees startles a laugh out of her. It's ridiculous looking, but he's small enough that the otter actually has an impact on the situation.]
Oh my gods, don't--don't fall, I'm the last one who saw you!
[It's been a while since she last laughed.
Theseus herself has raised her head, ears pricked in curiosity.]
no subject
If he had been in charge of building them, airships definitely would have had cannons.]
Don't worry. I'm used to hangin onto things. [It's nice, hearing someone laugh again. Things have been pretty serious since everyone went and started coming back from the grave. Not just the others like him but the new city had also had such a somber atmosphere what with the orcs and all that Rocket hasn't even had the time to settle into a tavern and stir up some amusement.
He finally sets about soothing Lylla with a pat of her head, and it's enough for the otter who goes back to sliding and rolling around on the deck, apparently excited to be on a ship, even one in the air. It doesn't take her long to find Theseus, webbed paws reaching for the fluffy fur she's endlessly enamored with in everyone else's animas.]
I want one of these, too. [He stomps his foot twice on the deck, admiring the stability of the repairs.] Imagine being able to take this thing wherever you wanted to go.
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[Ellie has no idea. They're cute looking, but she's only seen a few in person, while rowing through Fisher's Bay. Well. Sort of rowing. The canoe with semi-legal modifications had been fun.
Theseus freezes when the little otter suddenly reaches for her. Ellie's not sure if she's affronted - Theseus likes being pet on her terms - or confused. Only Ellie usually pets her, as most others are put off by the fact that she looks like a feral wolf. Still, she doesn't snap at the otter, and instead turns to Ellie in confusion.
Ellie just gives her a head ruffle, leaving her to sort out her own interactions.]
It'd be like being sky pirates. Fucking cool. [Ellie pauses, then peers into the horizon to the west. She can see the mountains in the distance, but not too much more than that, except for the indistinct fuzz of green forests.] Think they've explored the unclaimed lands with these? I'd wanna do that.
no subject
I could go for some piracy. Not a lot to pillage up here, I guess, but it would sure beat the ocean. [Rocket would sooner risk exploding or plummeting to his death over drowning soggy in the salty seas. He turns around and follows her gaze, his ears and tail twitching out of sync as he looks past the mountains toward further peaks. Somewhere over there was Einjar, the one city he has never been able to travel to.
He still wants to. It beckons him with stories of treasure and loose gold in its rivers.]
Think of all the things we could find out there and sell to all the people too scared to go find it for themselves. We'd make a fortune.