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.

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Comments

[funbreaker]

"Let's not focus too much on such an undignified image of me, shall we?" Thancred replies with a put-upon sigh. While he wouldn't call himself vain, especially not these days when he truly has so much more on his mind, friends of his might claim otherwise. He knows that he's handsome and charming, and sometimes it shows.

Thancred does remember how the fey had asked for certain things from them, and his expression sours as his memory is jogged. His lifts his arms to cross them tight over his chest and his wings give another annoyed twitch.

"Or maybe we didn't play along well enough with their games. I certainly didn't give them any of my bodily secretions." And he doubts that most would have, but then again, some of the choices the Summoned make are... interesting, to put it one way. "They're also quite long-lived, are they not? For them, perhaps it doesn't feel like much time has passed since they invited us to their realm."

[magicalarchaeologist]

"I think it's important to remind ourselves you're only human, my handsome and brave friend." Istredd is teasing, he's never seen Thancred as a vain person, but they've never spoken really in a way that would lead to that conclusion. After a beat though he squints. "Although I don't know if you are. Human, precisely, as a term for your species." Urianger obviously wasn't, nor is Himeka, so he was only basing it off Thancred's appearance.

"Neither did I. I know only too well how easy it is to make trouble with other people's secretions." And Istredd did not trust them with any of it. He doesn't know if they ended up using any of it, nothing stood out to him as an example that they did, but he's still suspicious over it. Watch them show up with a bunch of potions created for controlling the Summoned.

"It is true, the long-lived can be like that. There are some mages who forget the passage of time and turn around to find their friend from a century ago is old or gone." Istredd himself is nearing a century and he witnessed with his own eyes people who worked with him growing older throughout the decades. With over sixty years walking the world, working on monoliths, it happened.

[funbreaker]

Ah, right. The question of race doesn't often come up here, though for someone like Istredd who met both Urianger, himself, and Himeka, it does make sense that he would find it curious. "'Human' does appear to be the word for what I am here. Where I'm from, we're called hyurs." Or "humes," in the First, which is quite close to "human." Either way, he waves Istredd off. "Regardless, I see your point."

He can't help but pull a face when Istredd speaks of making trouble with other's secretions. No, that doesn't sound good no matter how you phrase it.

"It strikes me as an odd way to live, but I suppose it's simply because it's not my nature." Though now he can't help but be curious. He's suspected that Istredd must be older than he looks as that is the case for Yennefer. He lets his arms fall back to his sides, relaxing slightly as he sends Istredd (in all his purple glowing glory) an inquisitive look. "Is it the very act of casting magic that extends your lifespans, then?"

[magicalarchaeologist]

"You're only hyur then." Close enough. It's part of a tease so that's just semantics, although he does find it interesting what other words people have for similar species. That's not to say humans and hyurs are the exact same, they probably have differences neither of them have realized yet. But yes, considering Urianger and Himeka are so different from him, it made sense they have a variety of species. They do in his sphere too, although humans did a great job at trying to kill all of them.

"Yes, our Chaos sustains us, we use magic to prolong our lives. But we also have potions that can maintain life and youth. When we graduate, we are given the choice to enchant our appearances permanently. Many mages use this as an opportunity to look more appealing and perfect how we present ourselves. It's encouraged to look as impressive as possible for our roles in society." If going to a court, a gorgeous person can be compelling as well as intriguing. All mages appear either attractive or interesting, his mentor for example went for distinguished, which many older mages lean toward as they go.

"I didn't do that, I knew I would be a scholar so how I look really means nothing." And frankly, as Thancred can see with his own eyes, Istredd is already a handsome man. He wouldn't say as much but he knows he has some kind of appeal. It didn't occur to him to change though. He does have imperfections and they were all intentionally left.

He doesn't note Yennefer's part in that because her original appearance is very important and private to her. But it could be guessed at by someone who knows her well.

"The mages here seem to do something similar. They can live centuries if they want."

[funbreaker]

Only hyur, right. Thancred nods and leaves it at that, but he does realize that Istredd was only trying to offer some kindness. There's no need for anyone to be perfect all the time.

Yet it seems like that's precisely what the mages of Istredd's star try to do with their magic, using it to both extend their lifespans and adjust their appearance. Yet Istredd apparently hasn't bought into that. And yes, Thancred is naturally going to comment. He gives Istredd a pointed look up and down — his current purple glow doing a wonderful job of bringing out his features.

"Well, it also doesn't seem as if you needed it, to be fair," he remarks with a lift of one eyebrow.

Naturally he's curious about Yennefer, but Istredd hasn't said a word about her, and she's also never mentioned anything to him about this. She's spoken of her magic, yes, and it did seem that her lack of it didn't adjust her looks at all. If there's a story there, it's not one he's meant to know.

"I did gather that, particularly when I learned that Oliver is apparently a century old at this point — and that's on the younger side, for a mage here." Granted, he never learned any more than that, but it appeared to be a normal enough thing, especially in Thorne.

[magicalarchaeologist]

To be modest at this point would be silly, Thancred has eyes and so does Istredd. He shrugs. "It's possible if I looked differently I would have changed it. When the opportunity is in front of you, it's hard not to imagine a better version of yourself." Even he could see the possibilities if he wanted to go through with it.

"After an experience growing up like we did, there's definitely an urge to restart, separate yourself from being a novice." For Istredd that meant leaving and going across the continent, far away to study his passions. For many mages it was going to a new court and leaving the Brotherhood's constant pressure behind. Visually changing could help make that feel brand new. He knows it did for Yennefer.

"Not every mage here extends their life from what I can tell, so it may still take an uncommon type of strength to extend a life. And from what the originals told me, he looks young." All mages from Istredd's sphere can be old and look young, but that doesn't seem like it's true for every single mage in Abraxas. Geralt said once he doesn't know if humans should live that long. He isn't entirely wrong.

"Do your many races share common lifespans?"

[funbreaker]

It's hard not to imagine a better version of yourself. That much is certainly true, and while that hadn't applied to Thancred's physical appearance, he's felt it about other aspects of himself. He can see how the opportunity to alter oneself would be tempting either way, so it says a great deal that Istredd hadn't bought into the idea.

"I did get the sense that it was only the most powerful mages who could do it, yes," he remarks with a thoughtful frown as he rests his chin on his fist for a moment. "I suppose it's no surprise that they're not that forthcoming with the specifics of how it works."

At the question, he lets his arm fall and glances back to Istredd.

"It depends. There are some, like the elezen — I believe many here call them "elves" — who do have longer lifespans compared to hyurs, with the viera living for longer still without showing any of that age. Then there's tribes like the qitari, who have far shorter lifespans."

It's never struck him as particularly strange. What he finds odder is the idea that the simple ability to use magic would change one's lifespan.