usir | Event #6 Arkoda's Awakening & the Wyrm Moon

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Arkoda's Awakening & the Wyrm Moon

🜙 Arkoda's Awakening.

	With the emergence of hibernating creatures and the arrival of the thaw, Arkoda's awakening is being celebrated across Idan. In Krimnos, King Sitka, adorned with the white laurels of peace, announces the opening of the Krimnos Greenhouse to all of Idan, the many magical plants within it available to any in the general public who might have need of them. The Hymn of the Mountains tolls out gently from the crystal bells in Arkoda's temple, and the Krimnos knights hold a competition of skill in Hippogriff Flight Courses, Aerial Jousting, Archery, Armed Combat, and Unarmed Combat that is open to all. Participants have the chance to take on the mantle for themselves and join Krimnos' Knights, with the winners of each category potentially acquiring a rare Hippogriff from the Krimnos Aviary or a horse from the stables and a hefty sum of gold. In Didymos the celebration is split between the quarters. In the overlook quarter Queen Adira pardons a number of people from serving out time for their crimes with the option of joining the crew of any of the large fishing fleets or assisting the academies in keeping the buildings orderly, and a celebration of the Didymos justice system includes debates and elections for the Queen's staff of judges and advisors. In the ocean quarter, the fishermen are celebrated with sea shanties, shoreline bonfires, dancing, music, and a jubilee for the upcoming spring, all culminating in a grand feast where the main dishes feature fish, berries, boars, rabbits, fruits, nuts, and various honeyed sweets and drinks. No one talks about the shortage of fish in the bay, or the dragon that emerged from it last month. In the chaos surrounding the City of the Free Peoples, a group of rebel fighters in conflict with the city's current self-proclaimed leader are holding a celebration for anyone to attend at the Immortal Duke well into the night that focuses on bolstering spirits and joyfully, loudly, singing and dancing in spite of Captain Koroc's threats. Oddly, the Defenders seem unwilling to make a move on the heavily warded inn and everyone who joins in seems to lose their worries and cares the moment they step foot over the threshold. An elf with blond and brown streaked hair offers support and uplifting words and gives a speech at one point in the night that seems to really rally the crowded inn's crowd, promising that brighter days are soon to come and that before long the city will belong to the people once more, with no need to fear their true leader. There is even a mocking play that makes light of the former and current rulers. An armadillo beastfolk depicts Captain Lykos as timid and uncertain, waffling over decisions and eventually curling himself into an armored ball and rolling away off stage. An orc with horns on his head plays Koroc as a bullish brute that charges a mysterious masked and taunting character with a cape, careening right off the stage behind him and into a pile of prop boxes where he is 'slain' by his own stupidity.

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🜙 Arkoda's Awakening: Potion Seller

	The black markets of the three cities are constantly moving, never lingering in the same place for long. You may not have even known you were in it, were it not for the battle-scarred hyena and his human friend calling out to you with a gruff barked "Hey," followed by a smooth as silk sing-song "I know what you've been searching for." Against your better instincts, you find yourself compelled, stepping one foot after the next over to the harmless looking alchemy market stand. Nearly a hundred colorful bottles and vials of assorted shaped are stacked and stored around the lantern-lit stand. "You'll know which potion you need when you find it." The singsong voice of the woman washes against you like a reassuring touch, and she holds both hands out palms up, gesturing to her many wares. The leering hyena beastfolk beside her grins dangerously at you, winking. "If you think you can handle them." There's something unusual about them, they almost seem to shimmer in the light. As you pick up one of their offered vials you feel a dizzying sensation as if the earth has suddenly gone out from beneath your feet. You catch yourself on a tree and look up to find yourself standing in the middle of a mostly empty marsh somewhere between Didymos and the City of the Free Peoples. You're disoriented, confused, and your head is pounding. It feels as if you just went on an all-night drinking bender. The vial is gone, as is the market, but you aren't alone. Another individual is picking themselves up out of the marsh beside you, feeling the same effects of an unfortunate encounter with the tricksters or perhaps they were just out for a walk when you appeared out of nowhere and knocked into them.
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🜙 The Wyrm Moon: Wolves of Atrómitos

	King Ardis and his men have set up camp in an abandoned village near the outskirts of the City of the Free Peoples while the roguish leader of Didymos' ocean quarter attempts to get Captain Koroc to agree to assisted mediation from him and his men. So far his request has been repeatedly scoffed at by the towering red orc who views the man's attempts at diplomacy as a power grab. Dozens of rebels remain locked in custody of the Defenders and the knights of the City of the Free Peoples seem on edge, an air of anxious and paranoid tension rampant in the warcamp while a feeling of distrust and fear permeates the city itself. Prior to the Wyrm Moon, Captain Koroc declares that King Ardis' presence is an act of war and that the city is now under his rule. The City of the Free Peoples is still in a state of internal conflict. Their unofficial leader, Captain Lykos, has been missing since the end of December and in the wake of his disappearance, a red orc named Koroc has declared himself the new leader of the Defenders of the City. His greed for power has progressed over the months he has been in command of the army of Defenders, and he has now claimed himself King Koroc, rightful ruler of the city and its people, calling the city once more by the more familiar name of Atrómitos. His erratic, increasingly violent behavior and the fairly fresh scars covering one of his arms make him an even more fearsome sight than the already over-sized orc had previously been to behold. Even his most trusted fellow Defenders seem nervous in his presence. Dervish, the smaller orc that has been at his side since Captain Lykos' disappearance is quieter, remaining behind him rather than beside him. Dozens of citizens are locked up in cells in a makeshift Defender's warcamp prison and a struggle for power has risen to the surface. King Ardis is willing to help find a diplomatic solution by force if necessary, waiting outside the city with a small force of soldiers and putting out calls for information on the situation to help him help the people of the city. The newly recovered Captain Lykos is laying low, assessing the state of the city and searching the network for supporters to reach out to while he waits out the full moon. The rebels numbers are depleted but their current leader, an enterprising elf named Lorna with connections willing to fund her attempts to take back the city, is reorganizing her people and recruiting people to the cause of putting the city in saner, more capable hands. Koroc's new leadership seems to involve enforcing militaristic force and overbearing control over the city, but he is making broad claims of returning the city to its former glory, assuring his people that when he is in power, Didymos and Krimnos will give their city the respect they've been denied since the fall of Atrómitos Things have come to a violent final head, and the actions of everyone involved over the next few weeks could alter the City of the Free Peoples forever. As the full moon rises over the city's internal conflict, fearsome howls fill the brightly moonlit night and dozens of werewolves emerge from the shadows, attacking the newly re-named Atrómitos and the city's outskirts with a pack mentality rarely seen in the usually lone, cursed creatures. They hunt together, clawing their way from the wilderness toward the city, eyes blood red in the night, their black fur allowing them to melt into the shadows. The defenders can be seen all over the outskirts of the city, armed and ready, their response time impressive. Dervish leads them, and they beat back the werewolf attack. It's clear the werewolves are out for blood. Some of them make it through the Defenders' defensive lines, but many of the creatures retreat and turn their claws and teeth on the farmers and King Ardis' camp.

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🜙 The Wyrm Moon: Dawn of Dragons.

	Under the light of the larger than usual wyrm moon, the claimed dragon eggs scattered across Idan begin to hatch. The dragons that emerge from the eggs have no magical abilities, no flight, and no voice, but their personalities will grow and define rapidly. All but one of the hatching eggs found its way into the clutches of an awakened, for better or for worse. A lone egg, hidden away in a crate on Didymos' shore is found by the Didymos guards on patrol sometime after the waters have cleared. They take their discovery to Queen Adira, who is faced with a startling discovery. Another dragon outside Didymos. A proud denizen of truth and justice, she makes a courier post visible to all of Didymos, allowing them to see the hatchling for themselves, and explaining the circumstances of its discovery. She admits she is unaware of whether or not there may be more such creatures but assures her citizens that her scholars will be closely monitoring the hatchling. It is a frightening awakening for Didymos, but Queen Adira insists that until they know where it came from, if there are more of them, and if this creature is a threat, she and her advisors will be keeping it contained and monitored. Its kind may have destroyed the kingdoms of old, but she implores her people not to let that color their judgment. Frowning, she reluctantly admits that the actions of the people and creatures of the past must not be used to sentence people and creatures of the present and that if they travel down that road it would darken the clarity of justice they uphold in Didymos. Understandably, reactions throughout the city are wildly mixed.

🜙 Note.

	April's plot write-up will feature a follow up on both the Einjar Excursion and the Wyrm Moon events. Next month players will be helping to decide the future of the City of Free Peoples: Its name, its leader, and how it reforms following the conflict that has divided it and caused a rift of fear and confusion between its people.

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

ARKODA'S AWAKENING - Krimnos

There is something to be said for irony, Six thinks awkwardly, standing in the midst of the celebrations with a bear at her side. Her knowledge of other Gods is not as great as her understanding of Seyra, but even she knows of the nature of Arkoda and the connection with bears; hovering close to her, making excited noises now and then, Two seems to be fitting in perfectly. She had spent some time in the city of Krimnos before, straying from her own home with as much berth as she could, but she seems uneasy in the middle of it all, not sure how best to make herself comfortable in the middle of it all.

What makes it easier is the promise of combat, of fighting, and Six takes to that easily enough. Standing as tall as she does - seven foot and pushing, towering over some of the others there - with the strength of her Goliath mother in her arms, she rushes into the combat. It's the first time anyone who might have been watching her might see her smile, her hair bound up and high, sticking to her face as it uncurls from her braid, her greatsword only left to one side when she had to take part in unarmed combat.

She does not do everything, but she does a great deal - archery, armed combat and unarmed combat. She steers clear of the flying for now, unsure how best to manage that particular feat.

When resting, she avoids anyone who seems to be enjoying themselves too much and anyone with any kind of alcohol in their hand, instead settling alone in a corner with a bear that seems to enjoy sitting and waving at anyone who passes by, much to her embarrassment.

THE WYRM MOON - Atrómitos

This is the place more familiar to Six, and after the events of the Awakening she decides to make her way there - the new technology astounds her, the travel a little dangerous as she forces herself to ignore the knots in her stomach. Two's company is welcoming in this, the weight of a bear across her legs, as small as he is, something that distracts her as she goes. She wishes absently for a horse of some kind, some powerful steed to carry her there, but she worries what might happen to her new companion should she race off in a gallop. Is he fast enough to keep up? He seems so young...

She does not get entirely involved in the conflict when she arrives, not sure what to make of things. The medallion she wears around her neck shows her religious leanings better than anything else, but she spends much of her time watching, exploring the change in the city since she first arrived, scouting out the chance to find some armour, perhaps improve her blade, do something to make herself seem as strong as she had once felt.

Ardis, at least, earns some of her favour. Six wants to help the people of the city as best she can - she spends a lot of her time speaking to whoever she can, asking if they need support, if there is anything that can be done for them, if her height or strength of prayer might be of use... Or if they require healing. That causes her heart some pain. She is uncomfortable, and it's clear on the sharp lines of her face as she looks between people. Not even having an animal at her side can do enough to completely settle her nerves, especially when the night comes.

That is when Six shows her true strength.

WEREWOLF ATTACK

Six's immediate response to the attack is to draw her sword and begin to move forward. She rushes through the defenders in the inside of the city and goes out to the camp, her sword drawn and a bear growling, loud and vicious, at her side. There's no hesitation in her as she begins to engage with the beasts, her grip on her blade tight and sure, strength in the very shape of her - she goes straight to protecting anyone who might be being attacked by a wolf, her eyes wide and full of fire.

This is what she had been trained for, raised to do, what she had almost died doing, what she had died doing -

People around her seem stronger for her company, and sometimes she places her hand on the amulet around her neck, praying briefly and using her magic to help support - to give courage, strength, reaching out with one hand to touch anyone who is wounded or hurt and doing something to mend their wounds, even if she cannot save lives. She tries to be everywhere at once, cutting down wolves, touching hands, lifting people up, moving around the battlefield in her tunic and with her bear, not sure how best to manage herself.

It's clear she'll push herself to exhaustion if left to her own devices.

Even since she fell on the battlefield a century ago, Christine has chosen to steer clear of battles. It's never a place she's felt she's at her best and she'd much rather the injured be brought to her than for her to go to them. But since her awakening, she's been drawn into battles against her will. Being kidnapped and fighting for her life stands out, of course.

She hadn't expected another battle to come so soon. All she was doing was offering her services as a healer to King Ardis should that crazy orc calling himself king launch an attack on the small camp of knights. But werewolves? She'd heard of newly turned werewolves, but this attack comes as a complete surprise and she knows she has to stand and fight if she wants to make it out alive.

It's chaos in the dark, and Christine holds out both hands, projecting a ward outwards from herself.

"Get behind me!" she shouts to anyone close by who needs to take a breather behind her shield. Should any werewolf lunge at them, the shield will block their assault. For a little while, at least. Christine can't hold this forever.

This is something that Six is far more accustomed to than she would like to admit. Fighting, battling, pushing herself, being in the middle of bloodshed and screaming and everything. It had taken her time to adjust after waking, but the weight in her hand and the familiarity of her greatsword makes her feel more confident, feel more alive, the Paladin she had been trained and raised to be. She thinks she can feel Seyra with her, even if she is not sure what kind of prayers she might offer now.

The wolves are different, a new kind of enemy. Six is accustomed to people, to warriors, to animals, perhaps, but nothing like this. She has never had to fight something with such bloodlust, with such intensity, and she can feel her own panic swelling before she forces herself to push and rush forward, cutting down limbs and bodies with the weight of her sword.

The barrier is a welcome relief and Six moves, ducking behind it and breathing out. Two lumbers over, small for his kind but still lumbering, pressing his body against her legs as she takes long, deep breaths, Six making herself as small as possible despite her height.

"Thank you," short and sharp as she catches her breath. "Are you harmed?"

"Not yet," she replies, holding back anything more she might say about it. Either she'll sound sarcastic or defeatist, and she wishes to be neither.

But she does risk a look over her shoulder at the very tall person sharing a ward with her, and her expression shifts.

"I remember you! Well, I suppose you must be in the same situation as I am, a hundred years on."

six | open

{ werewolf attack }

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the wyrm moon

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Krimnos

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billie lurk, open

werewoofs

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wild card-ish; wyrm moon

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