EVENT #5: SOVEREIGN CITIZENS (GODSBLOOD)

[aionmods]

Sovereign Citizens

GODSBLOOD

At the height of the Sovereign's moon, Vaeka Lovenskol's execution is announced. Outside of the City Hall, a dignitary of Achamoth is flanked by an entourage of Kenoma, reading the words of Regent from an unfurled letter: Vaeka stands accused to conspiring against the Regent and abetting the fugitive menace known as the Pleroma. Though the details are not made public, rumors spread quickly, some far more wild than the actual truth. The full truth, after all, is something only the Regent's agents and the Pleroma themselves know, and even to them the manner of her exposure is unclear.

Though losing a proud daughter of an influential family, there seems to be little that the people of Godsblood can do besides accept it. After all, they are still a city of the Regent's empire, and for all the freedom they've enjoyed, there are limits. If she was truly aiding the Pleroma, the sworn enemies of the Regent - and in an organized manner, if the rumors are to be believed - can they truly object? Or would challenging the Regent's claim simply invite more death?

As with many things, the families of Godsblood are torn. Tensions are thick for the five days leading up to Vaeka's appointed execution by hanging, with everyone having an opinion and few wanting to go on record talking about it too loudly. As such, the people's frustrations come out in other ways. Bloodites are uncharacteristically unfriendly to strangers in this time, keeping to their own and treating everyone else with overt skepticism.

Those that have arrived as part of the Regent's official envoy, or seen guarding Vaeka, will receive a particularly icy reception. No longer are the Kenoma curious wanderers on personal business. Now, they are here as the hands of the Regent; few of the Godsblood citizens are foolish enough to challenge them outright, but they are ever an honest people.

Early on, the Kenoma and the rest of the Achamite contingent sent with them will be able to take over a jail in downtown Godsblood to hold Vaeka until her execution, clearing out all other Bloodite prisoners and employees in the meantime. This means they have a relatively secure position to guard their prisoner from, which is a good thing; after all, the Regent did outright invite the Pleroma to stop them, and Pleroma are nothing if not stubborn.

EXECUTION DAY

After five agonizing days of waiting and several high visible conflicts between the Pleroma and Kenoma, finally the hour of Vaeka's execution arrives. A gallows is set outside of City Hall, ready to welcome its newest victim, and a massive crowd has gathered in an spirit of anxious anticipation. Some worry that violence may break out in the streets, even without the Pleroma's agitation, but gradually the minutes tick by and the gallows remain empty.

First one minutes passes. Then five. Then fifteen. Slowly, it becomes clear to the people of Godsblood that Vaeka will not be arriving. Are the rumors true? Has she been saved? Have the Pleroma been successful, despite all odds?

As the hours pass and the crowds disperse, Vaeka Lovenskol is not officially reported as either living or dead. Fortunately, Godsblood is a place where information has a way of getting around, whether those in charge like it or not. Some are saying that she was seen being whisked away as if by powerful magic, following a bloody fight at the jail in which she was being held. Where did she go? Maybe her supposed connections to the forest people did her good, some surmise.

The days following Vaeka's failed execution carry a strange and uncertain energy. Where before there was tension and distrust, Godsblood now finds itself in a surreal reality where the Regent's word is apparently not absolute. Then again, do they really want a repeat performance?

QUESTIONS

What is the best way for Aions to travel to Godsblood?
For Pleroma, this is very easy, as they are likely to either already live there or be able to easy take Greentruth's portal. For Kenoma, they may come directly from Achamoth by boat as part of the Regent's envoy or arrive via Eustace's portal which is set up in a shed a fairly long jaunt outside of town. Once there has been some time to get established, Misa will be setting up another portal leading straight to the prison where Vaeka is being stored.

Are the Kenoma permitted by the Regent to kill other Godsblood citizens?
Though the Kenoma are authorized to kill any Bloodites that try to physically fight them, they are expected to keep things clean. The Regent prefers to only punish the guilty, and having the lines be clear will create less of a hassle in the future. Generally, Godsblood is not in a state where physical resistance is likely to happen unprovoked.

Comments

[wolof]

I think the second is more likely. Perhaps they're conferring with the others, or taking a nap.

[ Her nose scrunched up, she looked down at the man with a scoff. It would almost be too easy, if she were to just bamboozle him. She would just kill him, but she didn't like the idea of the Kenoma being on such high alert later. If they killed a guard now, they'd likely not make the same mistake twice, and she didn't want the potential opening be lost later.

She smiled at Himeka and held a finger to her lips. ]

My idea... hm. How do you think he'd react if it was just...an animal that was harassing him? She almost couldn't keep the smile off her face, at the idea. If nothing else, it would be fun, and what was proper Villainy if it wasn't fun?

[aquaveiled]

[ Taking a nap? Well...one would assume they would be taking it more seriously but honestly Himeka understands the desire to power nap between missions, so no shame there.

Akua's proposition, however, gets her to raise one brow and then the other. ]

...An animal?

[ She give that due consideration, tilting her head this way and that as a variety of different scenarios run through her head. A dodo going wild, a Namazu being a menace, a very hairy yak shedding all over them... ]

They wouldn't be expecting that, I'd say. Though I didn't bring any fish we could fling at them...

[wolof]

Hm, I wasn't thinking fish...

[ She smiled, and ducked her head, slightly, almost demure. ]

You know, I found out recently... I can turn into a swan.

Imagine the surprise when he's got a bird biting at his clothing? Can you imagine?

And perhaps I'll be able to pilfer... that nice little ring of keys on his belt.

[aquaveiled]

A swan?

[ That is...so wonderfully random? Or maybe it isn't, she doesn't know if Akua has ever had an affinity to birds or swans in particular. And the more she thinks about it...especially back on the First when that shoebill stork continued to show up on her balcony and in her room uninvited no matter how many times she was confident she closed that window--

Yes. Yes this could definitely work. ]

You know...I think you may be on to something. No one would suspect a bird just wandering around, right? And we're close to water and swans like water.

[ It makes perfect sense! ]

How long can you hold that form?

[wolof]

Precisely!

[ She confirmed, with a delighted look in her golden eyes. ] And, if they do surprise us, then I'll have you here as backup, if I need it. We don't need to get anyone captured this early on, after all.

[ She said, not knowing that she was predicting later issues. Then again, that's how it always went, didn't it? ]

Let's just hope that the guard isn't particularly cruel to animals, hm?

[ She shook herself out, as if her skin would flake off -- and it practically did, into dark feathers, and she looked up at Himeka with her dark eyes, from the frame of a black swan, her head tipped, just slightly, to listen to a response from her, before she started to take off. ]

[aquaveiled]

[ Himeka salutes on cue, giving a nod as well. ]

You can count on me!

[ The actual transformation, though, is something else. It's not what she would have expected--maybe some fancy light show, but Akua somehow makes it look as easy as coming and shedding water from the rainstorm. Himeka can't help but lean in with her own wide eyes, mouth agape in awe. ]

Wow...you really are a swan. That's amazing!

[ She...she kind of wants to pet the other woman, but...refrains. This time.

This is almost silly enough to work, isn't it? ]

Okay! We can probably get a little closer, right? I'll watch you from the sidelines and if things get dicey then I can send, like, lightning his way or something of that ilk. Maybe he'll think it's a thunderstorm?

[wolof]

[ Akua's long neck tipped, causing her to look like she was nodding to Himeka. She wasn't used to interacting with the world like this -- it was normally pure utility, something to be used as a way to move above the fray, but...

Perhaps even here, she would learn to adapt, and do things differently than she had ever before. She flapped her wings, a quick few beats, before she took off, a slight waddle, her feet moved to launch into the air, and then --

She flew wide, away from the building, before she tipped and turned, and moved to come in from the waterfront. Her wings flapped, and she landed near the Achamite soldier, who looked down at her with a half-bored stare. After all, she was just a bird, exotic though she was.

She looked up at him, and let out a loud, obnoxious little honk before she flapped her midnight wings at the bird. The guard started to make a shooing motion in response, as if he was trying to just make this problem go away. ]

[aquaveiled]

[ Himeka does not have wings nor can she take flight without the assistance of someone else, so she's left to taking the long way around. Luckily she's quick enough on her feet that she doesn't miss Akua's landing and subsequent introduction with the guard.

He doesn't seem impressed. Fair enough. Mayhaps she can offer a bit of an extra distraction should Akua want to go for something more poignant on him. Hmmm...

With a smirk, Himeka takes her position hiding half behind the side of a nearby building and sends a gust of wind right towards the guard's head, making him nearly lose his nice hat. ]

[wolof]

[ The gust of wind does just what Himkea asked for, and Akua watched as he struggled to keep his hat on. Although it would be a good time to take his keys, she wants to test something first, and she doesn't doubt that Himeka will have plenty of distractions to drop on this man. So with a honk, she goes in the opposite direction, waddled up to the door, and tried to open it with her mouth.

It's locked, of course, but it thuds against the lock, and Akua tries it again.

Hey! Come on, stop that! says the guard. He rushed over, and tried to shoo her away again, and Akua spread her wings, as if she were an animal trying to appear bigger for him.

Then, she leaned forward, and tried to bite him, in the finger. He pulled it away quick, but he was clearly getting exasperated. ]

[aquaveiled]

[ This.

This is absolutely the best thing she's seen in moons.

It takes all of her self-control--what little there is to begin with, if we're being honest--not to just outright laugh out loud from where she's hidden. Himeka has to settle with holding a hand over her mouth and muffling the sound as much as she can.

Well, if a little wind isn't enough, he'd hate it if it rained on his parade, right?

Unfortunately Himeka can't actually conjure up rain, but she can form a suitable bubble of water above his head...which does feel like a sudden downpour once dropped. ]

[wolof]

[ When he looked up, Akua made her move. The guard peered upward, his hand covering his eyes as he squinted into the sudden downpour, and Akua -- brilliant though she was, just pulled on the keyring. Surprisingly, it has a loop, so with a tug in the right direction, it's off into her mouth.

She flapped her wings, and started running. The guard, who hadn't noticed until the black swan started waddling into the yard, exclaimed loudly -- Hey! Get back here! he yelled, while Akua, with her wings outstretched, started to move toward the shoreline, to take off.

He's fast, though, faster than a swan with keys in her mouth, at the very least. ]

[aquaveiled]

[ She did it! She really did it! Watching a swan waddle off with keys is, admittedly, still extremely comical. But this is also serious business. (Very seriously.)

It's the moment they've been waiting for! Akua has the keys and Himeka knows that a little rain isn't going to stop a man in his tracks. Time to up the ante.

A small blue orb appears at Himeka's side as it starts to orbit her like a moon to it's star. Holding her hands up in the air, she pools a cool, freezing current of aether to her palms before casting it out towards the guard a few seconds later. A slick sheet of ice...conveniently in his path! ]

[wolof]

[ Akua -- despite being in the body of a swan -- is still a brilliant woman, and she can see what Himeka is trying to do in the moments before it happened. The magic is there, and although she can't really cast in this form, her wings spread, and she starts to take off, her feet leave the ground in the same moment that Himka's magic spreads out before the guard.

He tried to trudge through, not really knowing where it's coming from, what it is, or even what would cause it, so he slipped just as the right time, his hands only shifting through feathers, in his uncontrolled fall.

Akua, of course, continued, flying up, and about. She did a circle above his head, before she flew off, aiming to circle back to their vantage point. ]

[aquaveiled]

[ It's another series of comical snapshots--Akua, the swan, taking off just in time that the poor guard loses his balance and falls flat on his ass as he grapples with his unruly charge. Akua's victory lap as he tries to gain control of himself, slipping once again on the icy ground with an audible shout.

The day...is theirs! Himeka gives a quiet cheer from her hiding spot and even pumps her fist into the air before ducking back down to make sure she stays hidden.

With the keys...this is a big deal. They can open SOMETHING! ]

That was perfect!

[ It's a whispered but excited appraisal once Akua is back with her. ]