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EVENT #2: HEARTS LIKE YOURS (GODSBLOOD)
Godsblood
THE GOD'S PATH
For those that head towards Godsblood, the first week or so will be spent travelling, five or so days by cart or foot and then the rest on a boat caught near by the Syraku Shipyard. The workers and sailors that live in the are are slightly suspicious, but if everyone is well disguised, it won't be hard to catch a ride in one of the vessels departing to Godsblood with a load of lumber from the nearby forest. The rate may even be cheap enough to be afforded with whatever charity was offered to you by the village folk, though there are, of course, other ways to make money. That is, if your character is clever enough.One way or the other, the ride on the ship will only last a day or two, and soon you will be docking at the shores of Godsblood. It's city line is densely packed between mountains and ocean, with buildings that stretch impetuously over the water of the bay it surrounds, leaving room for smaller boats to travel in and out of the city's core. The architecture here is storied, carved with inscriptions and painted with murals, depicting anything from tall tales to family histories. To those from Earth, its aesthetic may give off a Nordic impression, mixed with elements of steampunk. The shore is lined with many massive, ancient boats that have been docked there so long they've been transformed into buildings.
Enough people come and go from the city that your presence will not be particularly noteworthy, just as long as your Shards and any extremely outlandish features are kept from sight. The sailors will even offer you some extra jools if you help them unload the lumber they're carrying. There is no paperwork or verification to be done upon entry; Godsblood welcomes travelers and immigrants alike, as long as they don't make trouble.
THE LOVER'S FESTIVAL
The Lover's Festival is a celebration of love in all it's forms, whether that be familial, friendship, or romance. Of course, it's perhaps unsurprising which one of the those is the most marketable to the businesses of Godsblood. The city has a booming, and competitive, economy, and that means as the celebrations ramp up, so do the number of market stalls filling the streets and trying their best to get your attention. You may have anything from fine jewelry to aphrodisiacs' shoved in your face, followed by a string of aggressive sales pitches. It's just that kind of place, apparently. Don't you have a sweetie to buy a gift for?Not all of the celebration is about commerce, but it may become clear on even a cursory view that crafting and selling is the primary battleground for an overwhelming network of inter-family conflicts. Some are based in multiple family businesses selling the same products, others are out of uncontrolled clashes in personality... all of them have a way of turning into loud, public arguments. Godsblood is an unapologetic place in both politics and culture, and forwardness is the assumption, with bartering and haggling being habitual practices.
Yet, it is also a place of faith - specifically, faith in the eleven Legacies. While there is certainly some cynicism in people's approach to the Lover's holiday, there are plenty of rituals of genuine spiritual significance occurring as well, with highly practiced dances and musical performances happening on nearly every street corner, many of which are done in the Lover's honor. Unsurprisingly, this is also something that the most well-entrenched family lines find a way to fight over.
❖ LOVE POTIONS (CW: drug usage)
A particularly noteworthy booth is one set up by a family that is loudly proclaiming to be descended from the Lover themselves... or at least a facet of them! The Faeyr family is controversial to say the least, with the legitimacy of their claim being a subject of hot debate, especially since they are using the claim to sell supposed 'love potions'. They've even giving out free samples! Contained in small, vials of iridescent liquid, drinking these potions will result in the subject feeling overwhelming feelings of love and kinship, but not just to one person; no, this feeling extends to everyone and everything, especially the things they actually do love. There is nothing innately romantic about this feeling, but it could certainly emphasize what's already there.
The Faeyr family is marked by their pointed ears and featureless, iridescent eyes. It seems their samples are causing quite a bit of chaos, and also getting slipped into some unrelated drinks that are on offer. Are the Faeyrs themselves responsible for these spiked drinks, or is it merely a coincidence? It'd take some searching to find out.
❖ ENDURANCE DANCING
Endurance dancing is a prominent sport during the Lover's Festival; that is, dance partners competing against others pairs to see who can keep up a series particularly brisk dance formations without falling or stumbling. Most of the dances are relatively easy to learn but hard to maintain, with prize pools varying from 25-100 jools depending on how difficult the steps are and whether or not you're required to be drunk before starting. The last pair standing gets the prize!
❖ FULL MOON
The full moon is considered the climax of the festival and the mythological peak of the Lover's power; as such, many prospective lovers see it as their prime opportunity to find their destined match. It is extremely common on the night of the full moon to be asked out by complete strangers, all searching for true love, ordained in the light of the Lover's moon. Many people can be seen going on spontaneous dates or finding rooms during this time, and it's entirely possible that the undercover Aions will be spotted and approached in such a manner. If it isn't quite your speed, maybe you need some help disentangling yourself... or perhaps pretending to already be taken might do the trick.
REST INTERRUPTED
After scrounging up some jools, it will be possible to find an affordable place to rent a room, at least for the night. Of course, in the throes of the festival, not everyone's minds are set on sleeping. After you've enjoyed your complimentary meal and retired for the night, you'll find those in the inn's dining hall stay up until all hours of the night hollering, laughing, singing, and playing loud music on an assortment of instruments. Despite having left the streets, you have not left the party, and for those exhausted from travel the inability to catch a wink may be a trying ordeal.
Maybe that isn't your only problem. It's more cost effective to split costs, after all, and finding the more affordable room could be a fast track towards sharing a bed with one or two of your new Pleroma kindred. After all, if you're staying here indefinitely, you'll have to make those jools last.
Maybe that isn't your only problem. It's more cost effective to split costs, after all, and finding the more affordable room could be a fast track towards sharing a bed with one or two of your new Pleroma kindred. After all, if you're staying here indefinitely, you'll have to make those jools last.
QUESTIONS
How do characters get enough money to pay for ship fair?
We invite you to be creative in how your character accomplishes this, whether it be by stealing, gambling, sweet talking, or doing chores on demand. If you really have no ideas, however, it can be said that the villagers surrounding the Valley of Innocence gave you some money on the way out. It probably wasn't much, though, and the more money you can gather the easier it will be to survive in the city.
What kind of long term work is available?
Low level labor and service positions are easy to come upon, which pay about 25 jools per day. There are also roles that can be found in crafting and manufacturing, but those will require you to display some skill in the subject before they hire you. Fishing is also a big industry, as well is mining. In general, you can find whatever sort of work would plausible be in a bustling city, but more academic and management positions will be harder to acquire.
You describe the Faeyr as having unusual physical traits, which are seen as normal. What kind of physical traits in player characters will stick out enough to raise suspicion?
Horosians are incredibly biological diverse, with many family lines having unusual physical traits such a extreme heights, horns, odd coloring, animalistic features, and other such things. While people that look basically human are still the most common, things like pointed ears, for instance, are considered fairly average. "Extremely" otherworldly traits would be things such as visibly being a robot, being made of plants, having a snake tail, and other huge deviations from the norm. Faeyr are considered normal because their family have existed in Godsblood for centuries.
It's a bit of spectrum, with the further you deviate from the human norm being more and more of a risk; not because it's impossible for such people to exist in Horos, but because if those traits do exist, they are probably connected to certain family lines. Whether or not moderately inhuman traits give you away depends entirely on how worldly the NPCs you're interacting with are. If one can pass as human it will generally be safer to do so, because then NPCs will have no cause to question what family or region you come from.
How long does the festival last?
Each 'moon' in Horos lasts 30 days, so the festival starts around the 10th, peaks at the 15th around the full moon, and then tapers off until the 20th. The events following the full moon tend to be a little more chill and family orientated, but the same activities can still be found.
How will the portal to Greentruth be unlocked?
Unless your character goes looking for Godsblood rebels, the portal will be unlocked from the side of Greentruth on around the 20th of the month, at which point those that travelled there will be able to enter Godsblood and show the Pleroma there the way. This will happen after the event prompts on each log have concluded, chronologically, but can be used to have characters reunite later in the month.
We invite you to be creative in how your character accomplishes this, whether it be by stealing, gambling, sweet talking, or doing chores on demand. If you really have no ideas, however, it can be said that the villagers surrounding the Valley of Innocence gave you some money on the way out. It probably wasn't much, though, and the more money you can gather the easier it will be to survive in the city.
What kind of long term work is available?
Low level labor and service positions are easy to come upon, which pay about 25 jools per day. There are also roles that can be found in crafting and manufacturing, but those will require you to display some skill in the subject before they hire you. Fishing is also a big industry, as well is mining. In general, you can find whatever sort of work would plausible be in a bustling city, but more academic and management positions will be harder to acquire.
You describe the Faeyr as having unusual physical traits, which are seen as normal. What kind of physical traits in player characters will stick out enough to raise suspicion?
Horosians are incredibly biological diverse, with many family lines having unusual physical traits such a extreme heights, horns, odd coloring, animalistic features, and other such things. While people that look basically human are still the most common, things like pointed ears, for instance, are considered fairly average. "Extremely" otherworldly traits would be things such as visibly being a robot, being made of plants, having a snake tail, and other huge deviations from the norm. Faeyr are considered normal because their family have existed in Godsblood for centuries.
It's a bit of spectrum, with the further you deviate from the human norm being more and more of a risk; not because it's impossible for such people to exist in Horos, but because if those traits do exist, they are probably connected to certain family lines. Whether or not moderately inhuman traits give you away depends entirely on how worldly the NPCs you're interacting with are. If one can pass as human it will generally be safer to do so, because then NPCs will have no cause to question what family or region you come from.
How long does the festival last?
Each 'moon' in Horos lasts 30 days, so the festival starts around the 10th, peaks at the 15th around the full moon, and then tapers off until the 20th. The events following the full moon tend to be a little more chill and family orientated, but the same activities can still be found.
How will the portal to Greentruth be unlocked?
Unless your character goes looking for Godsblood rebels, the portal will be unlocked from the side of Greentruth on around the 20th of the month, at which point those that travelled there will be able to enter Godsblood and show the Pleroma there the way. This will happen after the event prompts on each log have concluded, chronologically, but can be used to have characters reunite later in the month.
we can both be uncomfortable for different reasons then
Please... mercy upon his blackened soul...
Despite his internal sobbing, he doesn't put up much of a fight. Mostly because he doesn't trust Abel to be left on his own after what they'd just gone through. ]
I don't like drinking.
[ But even as he protests, he can already Feel his words going unheard. ]
what's this? the consequences of my own actions??? no,
that definitely isn't maturity?? haha,and you know what? said young buck is right about how he's getting dragged along whether he likes it or not, because Abel's stumbling them both back out into the crowd, heading toward a tavern with signage of a serpent getting schwasted. classy. ]
--Pish-posh, [ he scoffs, and his British is showing for a second as he finally displaces his weight to pull the door to the fine establishment ajar for his evening's company, Dokja, the young buck, ] you just need to loosen up, my friend~! When's the last time you sat back and enjoyed the finer things in life, mm?!
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It also smells? Like a mix of alcohol and body odor...
Dokja makes a face as he takes a tentative step inside. This is enjoying the finer things in life? ]
... I guess it's been a while, [ he says, tone reluctant to admit it because what he really should be doing is hightailing it out of here. ]
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away from the bar...?? and toward a dark and seedy corner, where a woman who had been engrossed in counting the jools in her coinpurse tucks it back away. between her boobs to look up from her task. she sees Abel,
sees Dokja,
steeples her arms, leans in over the table, and smiles. ]
Mister Dokjaaaa, please meet Miss-- ah. Miss... a-actually, what was your name again? --Anyway, she is SOOO nice and she's really helping me get the full festival experience! Did you know if you play a card game with her, she'll buy you a fr... free drink?
[ Abel's laughing jovially and draping into Dokja when his legs do some weird leg-thing and refuse to hold his weight properly, patting his dear friend's shoulder affectionately. ]
C'mon, you should try~!
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A dark and seedy corner is not where he wants to be, but what choice does he have in the matter?
When the nice lady tucks her coinpurse in between her breasts, Dokja very pointedly looks away. Holy shit, Abel, what is this place. ]
Oh? What's the card game?
[ He'll humor this for now and look for any openings for an escape when everyone is thoroughly distracted. Sometimes it's okay to ditch your friends in sleazy locations. ]
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she smells fresh blood in the water. ]
Oh, not a single clue, actually~! They have pretty pictures on them, though, you should give it a try and see if you can figure it out. Are you good at cards, Mr. Dokja? If you win, Miss-- um, What'sherface will buy you a drink, see~?
[ without waiting for the other man's reply, Abel is nudging him in toward the chair, ]
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Card games aren't exactly his area of expertise, and if there's a free drink involved in this if he wins, then... ]
And if I lose?
[ There has to be something at stake for him, too. ]
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poor, poor mouse.
Abel is hovering at Dokja's shoulder, leaning over to speak low into his ear as if he's some kind of coach... ]
If you lose? Um, actually-- I've lost sixteen times in a row, and she said if I didn't bring someone back here to win back my losings she would take my liver an eat it in front of me, so please do your best, would you...?! There's a good lad.
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Dokja is properly flabbergasted while his mind works overtime to try and make sense of this. Is Abel really that unlucky? No, clearly he's just stupid. But he still managed to drag Dokja to this... establishment... so really, who's the actual stupid one.
There's a long pause as he processes this and then he returns his attention to the woman. ]
You can eat it.
[1/2]
Ah, yes. That's right - you can eat it, he says. He's a natural at ca--ahh.
[ ....hm.
wait, ]
[2/2]
Ah? --Ah? M-mister... Mister Dokja--?! MISTER DOKJA?! NO, I-- I have a VERY fatty liver, y-you don't want to eat, it, I-- MISTER DOKJAAA?!
[ HELP?? ]
no subject
Wait.
[ And then he turns to look over his shoulder at Abel, fingers resting against his chin in thought while his cheerful smile doesn't budge from his face. ]
I'll help you, Abel. For a price.
[ Hmm, is this that bad personality of his coming into play here— ]
no subject
and the priest-- whose eyes are already alight and blurry with tears-- sniffs snottily as he clutches at his manhandler, staring in a mixture of hope and betrayal at his dear, dear friend. his dear friend who is bargaining with his soul. ...liver. whatever, ]
--Are you kidding me?! T-trying to swindle at a time like this?! DOKJAAA, if I die, I swear on all that is good and HOLY in these lands I will--
[ the man tightens his grip on Abel's shoulder and he squeaks, ]
...What, alright, what?! Name your price, you miscreant!! What is my life worth to you, hm?! HM?!
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He puts on an act of really contemplating what it is he might want, when truthfully, it had popped into his head as soon as he'd made the offer. There's nothing in particular that he needs right at this moment, but it's never a bad idea to have something waiting in the wings... ]
A favor. Just one. Redeemable at any time.
[ That's not so bad, right?? Especially not when an entire liver is on the line! ]
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Abel's fluster only heightens at this, and his face is going an apoplectic red, jerking in the brute's grip as he tries to wriggle forward and toward his """friend,""" ]
Oh! OH, is that it?! A favor of dubious intent?!
[ DOKJA... he looks like he might throttle the man himself, but one glance to the fox-eyed woman at the table with him and he knows.
he knows.
...his liver is going to be a delectable dinner option within the hour if he doesn't agree. h-he has never been so humiliated (this is a lie) in his life, ]
A-are you serious...? You're seriously going to strongarm me into some da... dastardly, underhanded, evil sch... scheme, or...
[ .........his heart. it is breaking. ]
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Dokja, cruel man that he is, does not relent. Does not even seem moved by how obviously unsettled and upset Abel is. But in order to speed up the process, he will add a bit more on to this deal. For... old times' sake? ]
I promise it won't be used to bring you or anyone else harm.
[ That much he can offer. ]
You better hurry up and decide, Abel. Our friend is getting impatient.
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and masochisticallydeepening the coil of tendrils of friendship running throughout Abel's heart... if only.....none of it shows on his face, of course-- no, the man looks positively on the brink of a meltdown of a most magnificent explosive degree! thankfully for all parties involved, however, he is forcing his mouth to click shut, bodily sagging in the well-muscled goonie's grip until the only thing holding him up is the man's hands in his cloak. ]
H... how could you, Mr. Dokja--? I... I truly have no choice in the matter if I want to keep all my internal organs where they are, right? Th-- this, this is deplorable. Deplorable.
[ it seems a bargain has been struck - and the fox-eyed woman gives Dokja an expectant look as she waves off her goonie. the man drops Abel who slumps onto the floor at hands and knees, pitifully choking back a sob. ]
no subject
Honestly, even if Abel did show it on his face, Dokja would most likely still be blind to it as he is to most things. Right now, all he cares about is that he's sealed himself a rather advantageous deal, and he smiles in satisfaction down at Abel's hunched form.
Favor secured. It's now time to do the same with the liver.
Dokja turns back around to properly face the woman in front of him, his smile shifting to a more "sincere" one. As mentioned before, he's no expert card player, but he is a cheat and a liar. ]
Let's play.
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before his hands clutch into the fabric of Dokja's sleeve, nearly pulling him right off the table. once he's leaned over, the priest is hissing a harsh whisper into the other man's ear, ]
So help me on the name of the Good Lord, if you do not save my liver after putting me through this unholy mess, Mr. Dokja...? I WILL haunt you as a ghost that's sole purpose on Horos is to make your life one unending, miserable HELL. I will sing the lyrics to Britney Spears' Toxic - which I have memorized - in a high-pitched whine all day, every single hour. Every day for the rest of your wretched, damnedable life. All through the night as you gaze upon a moon in a starry sky seeking solace. Every quiet moment in which you seek peace and balance-- I will crone a miserable symphony that drives you to utter madness. You will never know peace. Never.
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Why Abel had to crawl on his hands and knees is a mystery, but Dokja finds himself yanked down by his sleeve. He has to grab the edge of the table so as not to go crashing down, but it's the strange threat being whispered into his ear that has him pause.
And then he laughs lightly, reaching down with one hand to give his companion a reassuring pat on the arm. ]
I'll do my best, Abel. But let's not forget how you got into this position in the first place. Losing sixteen times in a row? Our host is quite generous to have given you as many chances as she has.
[ He shoots the Fox Woman a pleasant smile! At least one of them knows how to behave... Or pretend to. ]
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Abel is s l o w l y releasing his dear friend's sleeve, though he still remains relatively low to the ground; little more than his eyes pop up over the table, watching the Fox Woman as if she's about to grow a second head and eat him.
she kind of looks like she could, giving Dokja a cat-with-the-cream smile as she gracefully picks her hand from the table and begins re-arranging her cards. ]
Mr. Dokja, [ says Abel, leaning in from his elbow, ] since you seem so very judgmental on the subject of my losses, I am quite looking forward to your apparent card-gaming prowess in action.
[ there are five cards that have been dealt Dokja once he chooses to peruse them; they have a number on each from one going into the twenties (the highest in his current hand is the equivalent of 22). each has a rather elaborate tarot-like image on it - they look like they represent the Legacies in some way, though some are sun-themed and some are clearly nighttime, moon-and-stars ensembles.
Fox Woman's well-manicured fingers lithely place a Sun Innocent five on the table, face up. she arches her sculpted brows expectantly, watching Dokja with interest. ]
Oh.
[ says Abel, helpfully. ]