EVENT #2: HEARTS LIKE YOURS (ACHAMOTH)

[aionmods]

Achamoth

A DEITY'S WELCOME

After only a day or two on the river, the newly christened Kenoma will arrive in the city of Achamoth. The architecture is the more striking things about it, as if its skyline has been built up and constantly improved over many centuries. It's clear from even the riverside view that there is an artistic tendency towards building humanoid shapes into the supports and detailing of structures here, creating the strange effect of placing hundreds of silhouettes in your peripheral vision. If you ask the sailors why its like that, they will simply say it's the way its always been. Any metaphorical seed was planted long before anyone here was born.

The Citadel can be seen even from the entrance of the city, a towering spiral that looms over the rest of the land around it, lit from within by various magical energies. That's your destination, you are told. Soon, you will be passed into the care of the Citadel's staff, and will be sure to meet with city's elites not long after.

They aren't wrong. When you show up at the port closest to the Citadel, the street are always lined with people waiting to greet you. It's easy to recognize now how diverse the population of Horos can be, with many of those waiting showing off unusual heights, colors, and appendages, though appearances that are typically 'human' are still the most common. Most of them wear dark outfits with a gothic flare, with mask-like facial adornments apparently being fashionable. They cheer and chant as you come down from the boat, tossing flower petals and small gemstones onto the path you walk upon. This continues all the way to the Citadel.

Once you are inside, up winding paths of stairs, you will be shown to your new quarters to rest. You're each assigned a lavish bedroom with servants stopping by ever so often, offering to bring you food, clothing, or other items of comfort. There are a variety of soaps in your room's private bath. You are told that if you take a liking to any individual servant that you may claim them as your permanent retainer, though you are not required to. Their dispositions range from euphoric to be serving you to quiet and shy, but there is a notable lack of resentment.

After about a day of rest, you will be brought an official invitation by one of the servants. Apparently, the Regent has requested your presence for supper that evening. It is not optional.

THE FEAST

A few hours before suppertime, one of the servants will arrive to take you 'clothes shopping' for something appropriately formal to wears for your meeting with the Regent. In practice, this means taking you to one of several changing rooms filled with costly formal wear. The styles and sizes are diverse, which makes sense when you are informed that they are a collection of offerings from local weavers and seamstresses, some of which have been waiting for an owner for quite some time. From an Earthly point of view, there is a wide spectrum of cultural aesthetics, though most of them lean towards the same dark colors and gothic sensibilities that you saw the citizens of Achamoth wearing. Headpieces and artistic masks are plentiful, but not mandatory though the servant will tell you they are in vogue. A servant will be able to make alterations to your clothing with magic to achieve a proper fit.

After that, you have a couple more hours to prepare before you are invited to a lounge-like area for pre-meal drinks. You can get almost any kind of cocktail you can imagine, including some you can't, and will be allowed to chat each other up for about an hour before the feast begins. Some small appetizers are available, and soft, rhythmic music plays in the background. If you look for her, Xishen is present as well, dressed in a black evening gown with golden accents that flicker like stars in the night sky, her long hair pinned up into a messy bun and decorated with hair-sticks. As usual, she seems to be avoiding company for the moment, though she is keeping an eye on everyone. Perhaps she's counting heads to make sure there are no stragglers.

When the time arrives, two huge doors are opened, leading you into a room that looks like a mixture of a dining room and a cathedral. Ahead of you, three long takes are connected together in the shape of a triangle, with a large throne positioned at the point furthest into the room; it is presently empty. You'll be instructed to take a seat, basking in the multicolored flames of the candles and torches lighting the room. As you find your places, all seats will be filled except for the throne up front, with Xishen at its side. All you can do now is await your host.

[Mealtime interactions with the Regent can be threaded here. They will arrive right after the first course has been served.]

EXPLORATION

Having survived supper with the Regent, the next few weeks are essentially yours to plan. Though the Regent indicates that there is work for you to do on the Horizon, for now your orders are to simply rest and prepare. You'll have access to the Citadel's armory to acquire any basic armor or weaponry you could need; though none of what's on offer seems to be enchanted, it is undoubtedly the work of a master. Clothing is much the same as it was for the formal wear you picked out, though you will find there are more practical offerings available as well. If you don't find anything to your tastes, you are also welcome to go out on the town with a generous allowance from the Regent's own coffers.

Clothing isn't the only thing you can get out in the city, though. While there are material goods of many kinds available, the most tempting thing for many residents is the raw hedonism of the city's entertainment district. It has just about anything you could imagine, from day spas to gambling to brothels, and none of it is contained by the burden of law. Any Achamite entertainment seen as too intense to face daylight would certainly not be for the faint of heart.

The locals haven't had enough time to recognize the city's new Aions on sight, but if they see your shard or or any other sign of your status, you are bound to attract a lot of attention. You're a celebrity in these streets, and while it can get you plenty of favors or even unsolicited offerings, it can also be quite overwhelming. In many cases, Achamite's religious fervor exceeds their survival instinct, at least in terms of the ones most likely to bother you. They will back off if threatened by you, but they will take politeness as an invitation to continue.

When leaving the Citadel, a servant will usually try to accompany you, though they will stay behind if you order them to do so. They insist that it will be easier for you to get around with a dedicated guide, but in the end you're the one in charge.

QUESTIONS

How does my character picking a retainer work?
All Kenoma are offered the opportunity to take on an NPC retainer after arriving at the Citadel. This retainer will be an NPC created and played by you. They will be available day and night to attend to your character's needs. These servants understand the Regent largely from a religious perspective and will not have any outspoken anti-Regent sentiments, though they may or may not be nervous about their new master. Generally speaking, though, this is in a new job jitters sort of way, as working in the Citadel is considered to be a job of great cultural and religious significance. They want to do a good job! You are free to develop your retainer's personality and relationship with your character. If your character (or you) are not interested in having a personal retainer, they will instead be served by a rotation of unattached servants.

How much money are Kenomas given for shopping?
They will be given an emerald's worth in jools, which is 1000 units. This is about how much a minimum wage worker makes in two months. They will continue receiving spending money on a monthly basis, though the Citadel itself will take care of all of their needs. On an OOC level its safe to say that average city expenditures will be covered by the money they are given, though they are welcome to invest that money in making more money if they have to skills to do so.

What sorts of things are there in the entertainment district? Is anything illegal?
Almost everything is legal in Achamoth when it comes to entertainment, and there is not much government oversight in the way anything is run. This means that most 'entertainment' you can imagine is both present and largely unregulated, and it doesn't need to be underground on account of how permissive Achamite law is. Brothels, drugs, and even bloodsport are all fair game... technically, participants in brothels and bloodsports must be willing but that 'consent' can be pretty nebulous. 'Extreme' bloodsport is generally hush hush (those that are particularly graphic and unpleasant, or basically torture) and behind closed doors mostly just to avoid causing a fuss.

The one thing there is official rulings on, straight from the Regent, is the enforcement of 'age of consent' and laws against child abuse. Children are generally not allowed to participate in those skeevier activities and there is a cultural expectation for people to raise their children properly, though this still goes wrong fairly frequently. It's just one of the things that is actually punished. Adults, however, have fewer innate protections.

Comments

[devilmancrybaby]

Luo Binghe straightens up, looking at him with slightly narrowed eyes. Is he being made fun of? Hmm. Perhaps not; or at least he isn't trying to look like he is. Binghe lowers his sword and stalks over, curious.

"I noticed you earlier," he says, strapping his sword to his belt so as to come across less threateningly. "What were you trying to do?"

[galdorleod]

"Practicing, just like you."

Howl looks up at the man with a pleasant demeanor, glad to have a chance to finally talk to the intriguing man. He eyes his sheathed sword for a moment before looking back to him.

"Or, well... That's what I assumed you were doing," he says with a chuckle. With how many unusual people there are among the Aions, it's hard to say for sure. "Either way, you're quite good with that."

[devilmancrybaby]

"Thank you," he says politely. "I have had a great deal of practice." With a better sword than this, but... he decides to keep that to himself. If he can acquire a spiritual sword in this place then that will be relevant, but if he can't, then it's not.

He looks down at Howl curiously.

"If I might ask, what was it you were practicing? Some form of magic...?"

[galdorleod]

"Yes, magic."

Howl stares up at him with the same mild smile, and for a moment it seems that is all he will say — but then he moves to stand. Once he's on his feet, he dusts himself off, with particular attention to any grass sticking to the back of his trousers.

"Like so many of us, much of my powers have not returned to me. Or, not returned at their full extent." Finished checking himself, he looks back to the man. "I keep hoping that they will come back with enough time and practice, but... Well, no luck yet."

[devilmancrybaby]

"Ah... I see. I thought you might be trying to practice the local magic... I confess I haven't dabbled in it much so far myself."

He frowns a little. "What kind of magic is it you've lost?"

[galdorleod]

Howl's even gaze lingers on the man for a moment following the question, as he internally debates whether to answer. He has accepted the Kenoma, and did so remarkably quickly, but that does not mean he trusts the other Aions here. He barely even trusts the Regent, with much of the obedience he's shown them coming from a place of fear, not loyalty. Howl knows he should keep his abilities to himself, for as long as possible.

So he feels no need to humor the stranger's question. Perhaps those lost magicks will return to him someday, and he'd like them to be unseen cards in his hand if and when that happens.

"Oh, I have no doubt you'd find them to be incredible marvels," he answers mildly, finally interrupting the uncomfortable beat of silence. Howl looks over the man again. He can answer the question, but it doesn't have to be a completely accurate answer, right?

"Redirection of the winds, conjuration of great storms, removing men's heads from their shoulders with the slightest flick of the wrist" — Howl lazily demonstrates the gesture with a smile — "not to mention influencing the whims of fate and fortune each."

Really, some of these things aren't lies, but more like... grand embellishments.

[devilmancrybaby]

"Ah...! Marvels indeed, but I must admit, not beyond credibility. I have had the fortune to witness such things in my own world."

A moment's pause, and he lowers his head deferentially.

"Of course my own talents are nothing so impressive."

Not right now, anyway. Not without his Xin Mo.

[galdorleod]

Oh — is that so? Interesting. Howl knows that many Aions here are from worlds entirely without magic. Whenever he happens to learn that someone's world did, his curiosity in them doubles.

Howl offers a reassuring smile and shrug of his shoulders. "Now now, there's no need to be so humble. As you've made apparent, your talents with your sword are remarkable, and far beyond my physical capabilities. I am quite reliant on my magic, I will admit it, which is why I've been trying so hard to find the remainder of it. Knowledge and training, those are things that cannot be taken away once obtained."

[devilmancrybaby]

"You are very generous, sir," Luo Binghe says, smiling (regular kind, not sinister). He is very good. He's not going to pretend he's not.

"That knowledge and training... have you applied any of your own to the magic they use here? I wonder how different it is."

[galdorleod]

"I haven't had much opportunity to be creative yet, I'm afraid," Howl answers honestly, glancing away. "It seems the simplest spells are mostly the same. And this 'communion' ability we all have now... I'm not sure if we ought to call it magic, per se, but I'm at a loss when it comes to experimenting with it."

Give him enough time, though, and he's sure he can come up with something. But without missing a beat, Howl tucks the collar of his shirt aside to expose the Shard on his chest, and with a flourish of his hand he removes it. The bluish-grey stone floats motionlessly over his palm.

"I'm sure the Shards are the key to all of it — to unlocking lost powers, and to pushing them further, too."

[devilmancrybaby]

Luo Binghe's eyes widen. He has learned about the Shards, and what can be done with them, but while he's examined his own in the privacy of his own quarters, he has never seen someone else remove theirs in front of him, and he's surprised that Howl would just whip it out like that, within reach of someone he can't possibly trust.

"... Yes," he makes himself say after a moment. His eyes are fixed on Howl's shard where it's suspended above his hand. It would be so easy to crush it. If he drew his sword to shatter it, with all the speed and force at his disposal, would Howl be able to stop him...?

"In the realm I come from, many of the spells I have seen performed here with only a gesture or a thought would have required talismans or arrays... It seems the power of these Shards is very great."

[galdorleod]

If Howl notices the way Binghe gawks at his Shard, he doesn't show it. He seems completely unconcerned with taking it out in front of him — a sign of foolishness, perhaps, or recklessness, but also possibly a sign of his self-confidence.

He regards the other man with a slight smile. "It does, doesn't it?" he muses. "One's soul, made physical... a remarkable concept with enormous potential. But if you were to ask the average person from my world, they'd liken it to a demonic contract. Not the sort of thing just anyone would vie for voluntarily..."

[devilmancrybaby]

"A demonic contract?" Binghe's attention snaps back to Howl's face. He's clearly interested. "Forgive my prying, but what does that mean, where you come from?"

[galdorleod]

Howl blinks and regards the other man silently for a moment. He'd momentarily forgotten how different the Aions' worlds can be — and while this is not a particularly troublesome question, he feels that perpetual, inmate refusal to say too much about his own contract.

"Exactly what it sounds like," Howl answers gently. With a flourish of his hand, he puts his Shard back in its spot at the center of his chest. "A man and a demon come to a binding agreement. The demon claims something of the human party; the human receives some benefit in exchange."

[devilmancrybaby]

Luo Binghe is intrigued, and he doesn't hide it.

"Why wouldn't anyone enter into such a bargain voluntarily? Are demons not powerful in your world? Where I am from, such an allegiance would be beneficial for a mortal. Demons are dangerous, of course, but if an agreement has been made..."

[galdorleod]

"Yes, quite powerful. And that's precisely why contracting with them is so enticing," Howl answers with a shrug. "But it's the price one must pay for that power that causes so many to perish the thought... and view those who do have contracts with great suspicion. And it's well-known that at a certain point, the demon could consume you entirely. They are clever and contracts can only bind them for so long, until they get creative."

[devilmancrybaby]

"Interesting. This is all very new to me... I have encountered demons before, in my own world, but never anything like this. I was unaware demons could be bound in such a way."

He tilts his head.

"This price you refer to... what is it a mortal must pay?"

[galdorleod]

"That's between man and demon," Howl says with a mysterious, knowing smile. And he seems to intend for that to be the final word on the matter, as he turns and takes a few places away from Binghe before he can ask another question.

"Now," he continues, turning back to face him. "Shall we get some practice in together?"

[devilmancrybaby]

Ah, a shame. But that's alright. As curious as Luo Binghe is about other worlds' demons, this information may not even be relevant in Horos. Perhaps he can get more from Howl some other time.

"Certainly," he says agreeably. "Do you know how to use a sword?"