EVENT #22: KHION - IC LOG

[abraxasmods]

Event 22 - Khion

OOC Event Log ⦁ The Nether

Despite the unsettling tremors from the previous month, the citizens of Abraxas are determined to enjoy their winter festivities. For you, the collective wintertide celebrations - The Dimming, The Festival of Enlightenment, and the Winter Solstice - have often been held in your home territories or Nocwich.

This year brings a change. You'll receive a personal letter from the Nether, signed by Aster, the Guardian themselves. Whether you were there to aid the Nether or not last autumn, the letter thanks you nonetheless for your assistance and informs you that much has changed in their lands...for the better. Indeed, so much so that the Draconae wish to invite you back so you can see for yourself the positive impact you've had.

Their gates will open DECEMBER 16 and close on DECEMBER 20. Because the Draconae do not possess magic as powerful as other races in Abraxas, they kindly ask that you stay for the week since they cannot maintain a persistent portal.

The major plot occurrence will occur at the end. The fallout of this incident will carry over into January.

Above and Below

Previously, only the Obsidian Heart - the volcanic city - was accessible as the area above was far too cold and desolate. Now, with the adult dragons having returned to their full strength and their hatchlings growing by the day, the Draconae have begun to reclaim their territory beyond the volcano.

You'll be able to explore areas within the Heart, but you'll find most of the festivities above-ground. The Draconae are a fun-loving people and they're quite fond of the Summoned after all the help you've given them. They also understand that tensions between the major territories have been high as of late...and would like to grant you some reprieve from a war many of you didn't ask to be a part of.

Accommodations

This time, guests will stay in stone huts built from the Nether's volcanic stone. The stones preserve an unusual amount of heat, meaning the huts are very warm. Bedding is comfortable, if simple, with room to store your belongings. The Draconae believe strongly in mutual respect, so the doors contain no locks. Your safety is assured, but if you're nervous, you can ask for a guard to watch you at night.

If you don't do well in the cold, the Draconae will offer you warming potions and thick furs. Curiously, the furs closely resemble what the werewolves in Luna wear, suggesting that the Nether and Nocwich have resumed more active trading in recent months.

◎ A larger community hut is in the center of the small village that's slowly being built. The dining area consists of open-fire grills, pots, and raw ingredients - including spices and fiery hot peppers. As great believers in self-sufficiency, the Draconae will leave you to make meals to your taste and liking.

◎ You can hunt and fish your meat, as well. There are numerous spots for ice fishing. Since the natural world is steadily being restored, game and fish found are of the common variety like deer, bison, and trout, as opposed to the stranger creatures that were found inside the Obsidian Heart's lava pools. Feel free to share your catch with your friends or offer to cook for the culinarily challenged.

◎ Hot springs can be found to the north. You'll have to hike to reach the area but it's a lovely walk. The waters themselves are crystal clear. At night, they glow with hundreds of tiny unknown creatures. These creatures are believed to be the result of the previously sickly hatchling, Anthusa, who creates bioluminescent algae. Now that Anthusa is much healthier, it can be spotted playing in the hot springs and lakes.

◎ Large fuzzy rodents the size of a small cat will occasionally invade your sleeping quarters or eating areas. They're easily chased off but they can be a huge nuisance by stealing your food and chewing holes in your blankets. You're warned only to chase them off not injure them. Unfortunately, their blood is quite corrosive and can cause a harsh burn to the skin. While the burns will heal up in a few days, it's best to avoid the situation altogether.

Sights & Activities

Opal Flats

The Opal Flats are natural wonders that have recently come into being with the dragons' increasing strength. The pearlescent icy surface glows at night which makes it the perfect place for ice skating after sunset. You can borrow a pair of ice skates and join the Draconae on the ice.

◎ When you're done with the ice, you can join one of the tents nearby that are hosting spiced cider workshops. Here, you can make your own spiced cider blend. Flavors include clove, cinnamon, and berries unique to the Nether. You can test infusing your blend into small cups of cider until you're happy with the results. Your final personalized blend will then be packaged into a jar and tied off with a ribbon. Enjoy it yourself or give it to someone special!

◎ Keep an eye out! The young dragons are troublemakers and will sneak into the workshops to steal cinnamon sticks, drink from the steaming cider pots, and knock down hanging decorations. You can help rehang decorations or remove the dragons from spaces they shouldn't be in...though they'll soon find their way back again. The Draconae seem exasperated but tolerant of the hatchlings so you shouldn't worry too much about the mild chaos. It's to be expected.

◎ Once more, Khloris is the biggest menace and it's grown larger since. While Khloris has learned to better control its powers, it's still prone to causing flowers to sprout in your hair should you come into contact with too much of its pollen. Fortunately, the effect is temporary - just a few hours.

Dusk Falls

Each day, starting at dawn, two Draconae guides will lead a hike up the mountains. Make sure you bring your hiking boots! The slopes are frosty and can be dangerous but they'll keep you safe as much as possible. Otherwise, it's a lovely trip and takes about two hours to reach the top. You'll encounter a beautiful view, fresh mountain air, and a cavern at the peak where you can go inside and look at some frozen waterfalls.

◎ Unusual ice-like spiders infest some portions of the cave. While they're quite big (about the size of a wolf spider), they're harmless and seldom bite. On the occasions that they do, the bite is easily treated with a bandage and a few days to heal. However, they do have a bad habit of dropping down from the ceiling onto the heads of passersby wandering through the caves. The experience can be startling if you're not expecting it.

◎ Once you've all finished enjoying the sights, you can return to the bottom. Luckily, you won't have to climb down. Instead, the group will get to ride one of the two adult dragons in the Nether: Hierus, the Obsidian Drake, and Kruos, the Glass Serpent. They'll bring all of you safely back to the base of the mountain.

Cinder's Core

Walking through the Ashlands no longer requires any special potion. The air is now clear. Cinder's Core lies at the southern end. Previous visitors will recall that it was full of petrified trees and fossilized bone. The detritus of a fallen ecosystem remains, but alongside it is new growth of flourishing green thanks to the young dragon Okenus. This includes the trees growing the unique kydros fruit.

◎ You can help harvest the kydros fruit to contribute to the feast above the surface. Now that they're growing freely again, the Draconae are no longer reserving them for the potions and have reintroduced the fruit into their regular dishes! Mildly sweet with a hint of citrus, it tastes somewhat like a pomelo.

◎ Be careful when harvesting or traversing the area! While the jungle is starting to recover, it's still a jungle full of tripping hazards, slippery vines, and high cliffs - some of which now have refreshing waterfalls. There might also be a hidden snake or aggressive birds. These creatures aren't dangerous to any real degree, but if they bite or peck, it'll leave a mark!

Mysterious Gifts

While the Draconae participate in traditional gift-giving, this occurs only between the closest of mates and friends. More common is an activity they call Krypto's Box. Krypto's Box is a massive jar in the middle of town with a hole carved out at the bottom to function as a sort of dispenser. Filling the jar are hundreds of vials containing a mystery potion. Each year, the batch of potions is blessed by magic from the young dragons of the Nether. In other words - these mischievous creatures have influenced the potions' effects.

You can take a potion and gift it to someone. Neither of you will know what the effects are until the recipient opens it, but you can trust it'll be something mild, temporary, and amusing. During Khion, it's not unusual to see the Draconae wandering around covered in glitter, swirls of flowers, or hovering 2 feet above the ground. Accepting a mystery potion is part of the fun. The local Draconae will gift you some alongside your Summoned friends!

If your character has received a potion - whether from a Draconum or another Summoned - comment HERE to see what effect they'll receive. If you don't like the effect, simply disregard your character having received a potion to begin with.

Making Friends (NPCs)

The occasion is less formal this time, so Anneth and Aster will each be available for you to meet regardless of your status. There's also one surprise guest that some of you might recognize from last year's Epulum event in Ikorr: Babis, the cheerful Draconum who was merely looking for a good time and found himself embroiled in a mysterious theft.

Descriptions about the three NPCs and where they can be found will be in their character comments below. Depending on who you talk to, you can learn a little more about neighboring Endsmuth, the dragons, and relations with Nocwich. The meetings might not last very long, but you'll be able to get in one or two questions!

Characters of any rank can speak with one of the three NPCs available.

To do so, TAG IN with your character under the NPC you want to meet.

Renewal

The Nether's limited magic means that they seldom feel the effects of the Dimming. However, even the Draconae begin to notice something is wrong as the final day draws near wherein the Singularity should go completely dark, falling into its usual state of hibernation. The dragons, in particular, are disturbed and have communicated as such to both Anneth and Ermis, the Keeper.

Before anyone can determine what's truly happening, a massive quake strikes all of Abraxas. As far away from the epicenter as the Nether is, even they feel the effects, a tremor that knocks over decorations and cracks foundations.

For any who are near the cliffs overlooking the ocean below, they can observe a giant tidal wave that consumes the island where some of you recall being held captive on.

Portals Awry

Naturally, you want to return home after such an unexpected event. The Draconae hurriedly open the portals to your individual territories and assure you they will assist in any way possible, though they are equally unsure of what's just happened.

Stepping through the portal, you expect to pass through and face the familiar sights and sounds where you reside. For a small handful of you, that may be exactly so. For many others, however, you'll find yourself in a completely unexpected place.

Indeed, it seems that whatever force has caused the quake has also disrupted the Singularity's no longer waning magic, corrupting the portal magic and sending you into an opposing territory. In a time of war, this could be disastrous for all involved...and it's clear from the locals who greet you on the other side that they are as baffled as you.

Players can choose to mix things up and send their characters to a new territory for the duration of January. Since this will be temporary, feel free to separate close CR or put your character somewhere they won't enjoy. It won't last long!

Characters will not be placed under any restrictions for accidentally landing in a strange place. They will, for the time being, be treated as guests while officials determine what to do next.

The Wrap-Up will detail how characters' experiences will go once they are in their new territory.

---

Comments

[magicalarchaeologist]

"We were happy to help. I am in particular. The dragons are nearly extinct in my sphere, I couldn't bear the thought of that happening to another species, or to your home." Dragons or otherwise. As a cultural observer, Istredd doesn't like to see harm come to entire species, they deserve to survive if they can. The dragons are clearly important to the function of this realm whether others understand that or not. His people are dead. The Draconae can survive.

"I don't know," he says honestly. "The entire group of us experienced it. It may have been a prophetic vision, but there was a god entity who has been trying to communicate with us. I've had a theory for some time that the creatures that are called the new gods in this realm used to be people like the Summoned, over a thousand years ago. Due to the Singularity's favor, they were morphed into something else." It explains to him why there were 'new gods' and not all the same.

"If this god was attempting to communicate to us what will happen to us, it might have been a false vision. But there are elements of it that do track with us and what we've experienced and gained powers we didn't have before."

[abraxasnpcs2]

Anneth nods. While she would accept help from all who offer it when it comes to the dragons, knowing that Istredd's intentions stem from the loss of a species on his own world speaks volumes.

"A potential loss that we can avoid," she says. "At least for now."

She never speaks in certainties as there is always a margin of error. But they are going in the right direction when it comes to the health and well-being of the dragons and the Nether combined.

"I see..." Anneth listens closely, the line of her brows hardening in thought. "Your powers and experience are beyond our own, that's true. And your coming here could be considered...divine, given all you've accomplished for us in such a short amount of time. By the devout."

Anneth bows her head sympathetically.

"My knowledge of the gods is limited. Is the one you've encountered prone to illusion and trickery?"

[magicalarchaeologist]

"If anything changes, you have a friend in the Summoned, we'll help again if we're needed." They've already proven that to the Nether but he wants it underlined, and he hopes that if it does happen again, they won't need to compromise with the territories again on giving them things they want in exchange. This should just be between the Draconae and the Summoned in his opinion.

"Yes, I use the term gods as that's the best explanation in this sphere, but if history is correct, those Summoned from all that time ago helped found Solvunn. It would explain why the devout and faithful have maintained that long, they were founded in that belief." Istredd doesn't want to make Anneth or others feel like they would consider the Summoned gods down the road, that's not the case. They just become something greater than what they are now.

"Yes, he doesn't seem to have much of a popular base in Solvunn because of his trickster ways. After we came out of the vision, he told us we are you, and you are us. It's led many of my people to feel as if it is a prophecy we cannot escape." Whether that's true or not is anyone's actual guess at this point. "But I wanted to inform you as other territories know and I wanted the Nether to be aware. If it is a possible future, it was one of great prosperity for your people."

[abraxasnpcs2]

Anneth's eyes widen. "There's merit to the theory, in any case. Powers that appear greater than our own are easy to worship."

Working with creatures as powerful and influential as the dragons would make it easy to fall into that line of thinking. She spares a glance at the pair.

"I won't lie, that's a future I would hope for," she says as she turns her gaze back to Istredd. "For the Nether, specifically. But I have to ask, all other factors included; is that a future you would want?"

[magicalarchaeologist]

It's a fair question and one he's been asked before. "Part of it, yes. I am not looking to be worshipped by anyone, but I was free to go where I wanted. The territories that brought us here had no more dominion over us."

It isn't the power that Istredd misses. He had no interest in the worship either, in a lot of ways it was uncomfortable for him. He liked having scholars he could look out for and help provide discoveries for, it did feel rewarding, but the details of it weren't really his style. It's the freedom.

"I primarily lived here, in the vision. Your people never worshipped us, nor should they, they simply treated us as members of the community." And that is why it felt like home. And why a few of the Summoned ended up there, safe and sound. "I hope that doesn't sound presumptuous of me, I would never expect the same."

[abraxasnpcs2]

Anneth listens intently as she always does, her schooled expression betraying little of her inner thoughts. She shakes her head to dismiss any fears of presumptuousness.

"No, you've been studious and thoughtful, Istredd."

She shifts the box to one side so that she can motion to the dragons. "There are people who probably think it's strange we don't worship the dragons we steward, but reverence isn't worship. If you are good to the community, you would be welcome here."

[magicalarchaeologist]

"I appreciate that. If I had a choice, I would like to, but I would never put your people in danger with Thorne or anyone else. Perhaps some day we will have that freedom again. It is what I hope for."

The Nether is still healing, they cannot take on the other territories, and it wouldn't be right to ask that. He couldn't flee from Thorne right now even if he wanted to. But it does fee reassuring to know that if a choice ever was offered, or taken as it was in that vision, he could find sanctuary again.

"Please let me know how the potion goes, and if you have any other requests that would be helpful for their health afterward. I think I have down the physiology now, I could make others."

[abraxasnpcs2]

"It's what I hope for as well."

Whatever path Istredd or the other Summoned take, Anneth will always work towards the success of the Nether and her dragons through the end.

Anneth shifts the box to hold it with two hands again and nods curtly in thanks. Like her, Istredd probably has a lot to do. "I will, thank you. And if there's anything I can do for you while you are here, please let me know."

For now, she will keep her post with the dragons.