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| 🜙 Mini-Event #2: The North Winds, January 11th |
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The Long Night has ended and the sun once more rises and sets with the short winter cycle. Although the cold remains, it has lessened considerably following the harsh freeze of the darkness. Krimnos, no longer having to put all their resources into defending the city from the terrors to come, has been able to clear the heavy snowpack on the cliffs above the city enough to safely begin running two of their three remaining airships.
The Skywhale has been making its regular routes since its repairs the previous month, but the two airships from Krimnos to Didymos and the City of the Free Peoples have been grounded in the cliff city for safety since the start of winter. Now two of Krimnos' airships join their sister ship in the skies over Idan.
The following routes are traveled once a day by each airship:
The Skywhale travels from the City of the Free Peoples to Didymos and then back once a day, docking nightly in the City of the Free Peoples.
The Horizon travels from Didymos to Krimnos and then back once a day, docking nightly in Didymos.
The Valiant travels from Krimnos to the City of the Free Peoples and then back once a day, docking nightly in Krimnos.
The Zenith normally travels from Krimnos to the mountain outpost of Preciposte and then on to Einjar. Unfortunately, it is still grounded due to inclement weather and winter threats in the northern mountains beyond Krimnos. The Zenith will not be able to travel until the thaw has begun.
A one-way trip takes 4-6 hours depending on weather and wind to go from/to Didymos to either city and 6-9 hours to travel between Krimnos and the City of the Free Peoples. Anyone can take a trip on an airship for a purse of silver coins, or try their luck and stow away. Mounts can get a lift as well, but they require an additional fare.
Not bad for a chance to see Idan from a bird's eye view for the first time for most people. |
| 🜙 Thlipa's Tribute, January 11th |
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As January progresses, pods of fin whales spend their nights in the safety of Fisher's Bay during their migration. At this time Thlipa is believed to be watching over Idan and many of Idan's people show their respect for the deity. Unlike the Day of Lefkokó, Thlipa's Tribute is a far more somber affair. Though she is the goddess of the seas, storms, and power, she is also the goddess of mourning and it is this realm she is believed to preside over most during the cold winter months.
People from all across Idan who are able to travel will make a journey to Didymos to be closer to the ocean, while others observe the fin whale goddess' day in their own homes and cities. Ancestors, lost relatives, and friends are remembered with offerings of handmade gifts and small collections of nuts and sweet-dried fish. Small, enchanted candles are set out on boats down the river and shore to be carried out to the ocean.
It is believed by some of the more power-hungry supporters of Thlipa that by calling on and revering the spirits of the departed Thlipa might gift her followers with the magic of the fallen. Gatherings of Thlipa's most devout followers can be seen on the shores or on small skimmer boats in the bay, and vandalism of fishing boats and nets that might endanger the fin whales runs rampant during this time. |
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| 🜙 A Tale of Three Cities - Krimnos: An Army Adrift, January 12-20th |
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It appears that a large company of former Atrómitos knights has awoken in an isolated and forgotten battlefield below Krimnos' twin mountains. The army has journeyed together through the blinding blizzard to complete their original objective: a full-scale attack on Krimnos. There's something off about the tattered army decked in the green and gold of Atrómitos that shows up at Krimnos' gates. They don't seem to feel the cold, and their eyes, if anyone is unfortunate enough to get that close, are a colorless and glossy grey. They continue fighting through weather and injury, undeterred as they focus their attacks on Krimnos' main gate, setting magical fire to the gate, the wall, and their perceived enemies.
The army can be seen using weapons, battering rams, and elemental magic to attack the city's gates. Though their eyes are a blank and glossy grey and they do not seem to be speaking or reacting with pain to counter-attack elements, it is clear there is a hierarchy and the commanding officers seem to still be silently directing their forces. They do not speak, and if captured it quickly becomes clear why. Though they appear whole externally, the soldiers of this army lack functional internal organs. No blood runs through their frozen veins and no oxygen is being pulled into their lungs. There also appear to be no thoughts in their minds, only the howling sound of the wind through the mountains around Krimnos.
At this time of year, Krimnos can not afford to loose their main line of defense, nor can they risk the very real dangers of battle sounds and blood drawing out the hungry mountain hunters or causing an avalanche that could bury the city in snow. No one knows why this army is here, but with the familiar colors adorning the fighters, there are whispers in the air of an attempt to start a war. Already tense relations between Krimnos and the City of the Free Peoples could stand to suffer from this and the citizens of Krimnos seem horrified by the prospect.
King Sitka's first concern is the safety of his people, and as such he is driving his army hard into the attacking forces and even beyond its gates if necessary, anything to push the battle farther from his people and the dangerous cliffs stacked with snow that tower over Krimnos. |
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| 🜙 A Tale of Three Cities - City of the Free Peoples: The Disappearance of Captain Lykos, January 14-22nd |
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No one has seen Captain Lykos since the Long Night but rumors and knowledge of his disappearance have been kept quiet by the city's Defenders, fearful the city would spiral into a panic at the loss of its de facto leader. As word comes from traveling Krimnos merchants that the city is under siege from an army dressed in green and gold, the city turns to its Defenders for answers and finds more than they bargained for.
The Defenders attempt to calm the rising panic in the city by deflecting, stating that the Captain is out on a peace mission on his way to Krimnos but this backfires as the city erupts into conspiracy theories that he is actually leading the attack and trying to start a war, with reasons such as anger over a lack of support from Krimnos during the city's time of need being used to feed the growing fear.
As outrage and panic spread across the city, the Defenders declare martial law and put the city back on lockdown until answers can be found. The stability of the city quickly begins to fray. Chaos, disorder, and dissent spread and talk of overthrowing the Defenders and putting someone else in charge begins to spread.
The city needs answers for themselves and for Krimnos and the Defenders begin an even more desperate search for their missing leader. Meanwhile, the citizens of the city begin preparing for a revolt, with whispers of an organized attack on the warcamp of the Defenders quickly gaining traction. The more time passes the less reasonably either side appears to be thinking, and the longer anyone lingers in the city the more infectious this frantic and paranoid energy becomes.
Amidst it all, a Siamese with a familiar glowing adornment can be seen surveying the chaos from the safety of rooftops or tree branches, its eyes occasionally glowing blue while its tail flicks in what seems to be either irritation or frustration. |
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| 🜙 A Tale of Three Cities - Didymos: Tidal Troubles, January 14-25th |
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Starting the morning of the 14th, trouble comes to Didymos on the tides or the lack thereof. The tide goes out during the night and, to the dismay and concern of Didymos' citizens, it never comes back. In fact, it seems as if the ocean waters are only continuing to recede, leaving Didymos' fleet and her fishing ships awash in the shallows or fully grounded. Each day the waters recede further, leaving sealife beached or trapped in tide pools and larger dips in the seafloor. A pod of fin whales finds themselves stranded in the deepest section of the bay just within the Sunset Gate.
As the waters continue to recede, shipwrecks, sunken cargo, and unusual skeletons dot the rock and shell covered shores, turning the edges of the bay into an unending expanse of tide pools and dotting the horizon with pieces of warped and barnacle-covered ships usually only visible beneath the clear waters.
Within days it's possible for a fully grown human to wade out to the Sunset Gate without ever getting their neck wet. The confusion and complications caused by this unexplainable dearth of water starts a panic in Didymos that the dual rulers have to fight to control. The widespread fear is joined by whispers of a war brought along from people traveling to Didymos from the other cities, and Didymos finds itself caught in a tense place with the prospect of having to outline allegiances if war breaks out.
Everyone knows Queen Adira would put her forces behind Krimnos in an instant, but King Ardis seems reluctant, questioning the legitimacy of Krimnos' claims to a possible war and seeking information. |
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[ He just stares at Ellis, stroking her carefully. ]
Just accept it, you pompous bloodsucker. I needed a purpose, and you were here to give me one. I'd have come to seek you out even if we weren't in the same boat.
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[Ellis is quiet for this. She's content enough, eyes closed, clearly feeling at home.]
What would you have done if you came to only this empty house?
[The water's warm enough now. Alucard grabs the tunic, and he plunges it into the bucket. It's also a pointed way to avoid everything else Trevor's said for a few more moments.]
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Walked back to the city, found someone who needed muscle that didn't ask questions, spent whatever they paid me on the cheapest shit that could still get me drunk. Same as I've always done. Maybe kept an ear out for bad magic bullshit.
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Sounds like returning to old ways.
[Alucard gets the soot off his legs first. The tunic is black by the time he's done, and that's just after a few minutes.]
I'm not sure what purpose I can offer now. Beyond just being stuck with me.
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[ Good. He hates that thing, and using it as a wash rag is still more than it deserves. ]
I'm more than capable of just wandering off if I get bored. Stuck with you is fine.
[ Also, you have a dog. ]
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[That's just a dry observation of fact. Ellis is already well asleep on Trevor, curled up in a tight little ball of fluff and incredibly content. Alucard casts a glance over to witness this level of...well, it's cute. Then goes back to getting the remaining soot.
Silence falls back over Alucard, punctuated by wolf noises that means Ellis is clearly having some fantastic dreams. It stays there until Alucard's washed off everything he can, and then the terribly darkened tunic gets put down near the fire to dry off.
As for Alucard himself, he sits closer to the fire, likewise needing to dry off.]
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[ He reaches to his side, as best he can without disturbing Ellis, and tosses Alucard one of the various large pieces of cloth he's managed to gather. This probably was a blanket of some sort, and a good quality one once. It's been kept dry enough that it thankfully hasn't rotted, but it's been gnawed at by insects and animals and the smell isn't great. ]
Here, put it by the fire so it'll be warmer once you're dry enough to use it.
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[Which...he does need to talk to Trevor about. As good a time as any.
The thoughtfulness of how to proceed in that matter means that the blanket actually just lands on Alucard's side, then falls onto the floor with no grace at all. He does gather the cloth up though, and he runs his hands over it carefully. It's not a particular furnishing he recognizes, but he heeds Trevor's advice all the same.]
Thank you.
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[ There's a heavy sign, and the low thump of the back of his head against the wall he's leaning on. It's probably a good thing he has Ellis on top of him, keeping him calm. ]
You're going to have to explain that, but I can already fucking guarantee that I hate every word.
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[He hisses slightly.]
It leaves the question of how many deaths does it actually take to return to mortality, among so many, many others.
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[ He sighs, and out of nowhere Dog starts hissing again. It's the distressed hiss, this time. The 'I can tell he's considering something stupid' hiss. But his tone sounds like it's a completely reasonable thing he's saying. ]
We're surrounded by cliffs. I could test it.
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Absolutely not.
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It would be useful information to have.
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[ He pinches Dog's mouth closed gently. It doesn't really do much to stop the hissing, only muffles it. And then Alucard brings up the horrible e-word and. Fine. Fine. ]
Fine, if you're going to have feelings at me over this, I'll drop it. But I hate this. I want everyone to know that I hate this.
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[He's! Calm!! About this!!!]
Dog has the right of this.
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[ He huffs, reaching for the curtain and dragging it over himself. How dare you be invested in his continued existence, gosh! ]
Dry off and go to sleep. Wake me up if you need anything.
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[Alucard's not about to huff like the Belmont. But he'll accept the fact that drying off is a good idea, which means he does that and takes the warmed blanket, draping it over his shoulders.
Sleep isn't happening yet though. Instead Alucard goes over to the saddle bags and takes out some of the rations. Food is important.]
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So Ellis' whining doesn't wake him up so much as it forces him to stop pretending to be asleep and shift a little to combat pins and needles, stroking at the wolf's head and looking between her and Alucard. ]
Your dog's upset.
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He looks up when Trevor says something. He heard the whines, but worrying about the wolf has not been a priority. She's not taking well to Trevor showering more affection on her so that's....weird.
He walks over, makeshift blanket dragging behind him. Doesn't seem to help.]
I'll confess, I thought for the longest time this thing was some version of you or her. Not something more in touch with myself.
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You thought we turned into a dog.
[ But- in touch with him. Which means Alucard is, however indirectly, admitting to being upset himself. Which means he's having emotions thrown at him. Again. And now Alucard knows he's not actually asleep. Shit. ]
Look, if it's really that important to you, I promise to only jump off cliffs for non-scientific reasons.
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[Alucard shakes his head. He knows how fucking stupid that sounds, and he doesn't care right now.]
And my point and request is please don't do it at all. Wherever this path leads next, I...you're needed. Without question, I know that.
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[ He sighs as if 'don't die' is a very unreasonable request. ]
Is that what's upsetting the dog? [ The dog, not Alucard. Easier to ask after her. ]
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[Don't die is reasonable request!!! You turnip!!!]
Knew it would stir things up no matter the state.
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[ What was it that she had done at the end of all this? Taken his hand and Alucard's arm and led them out into the sunlight. She's not here right now. There's no sunlight right now. But he lifts the complaining wolf and his curtain blanket and moves closer, enough to rest a hand on Alucard's shoulder (her hands were smaller and softer). ]
Fucking sleep. You're going to have shitty dreams, but you're going to have them sooner or later anyway. May as well get them out of the way now.
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