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

[baltimores]

[ He isn't sure what to make of Eustace's more relaxed posture; brushes it off. He's plenty relaxed here, completely at ease now that they're engaged in this conversation, that he's been dragged out of his own head a little. Amos is used to having to question himself, but that doesn't exactly mean he likes it. Just shooting the shit with a friend, though? Sure.

He tilts his head up at him, corners of his lips quirking upwards ever so slightly at the observation that Amos didn't get hurt. He did luck out with that, didn't he? Maybe he got the best of both worlds here after all — no pain, and a gained understanding.

Yeah, he's a lot happier with this conversation. So his smile fades when Eustace asks him that question, thinking it over.

He really hates the answer he settles on. ]

There was a kid with the Pleroma. I tried to convince him to come with me, that accepting the Kenoma was alright. Wouldn't hurt him. Was better than struggling through all of that. And he kept refusing. I don't know why, but he did. I didn't want to fight him on that... I mean, he's a kid. But according to the Regent, I should've. I should've found some way to force him to accept it, or stopped him from leaving and dragged him back here with us. And I know they're right, but...

[ Amos sighs and runs a hand through his hair, frustrated. When he looks back up at Eustace he looks more baffled than anything. Thrown off his game. But there's a mild distress in his eyes, too. ]

I can't figure out how that's the right thing to do. The rest of them, sure. But the kid? How do you square that circle?

[lockedon]

[ It's a tough condundrum that Amos poses, one that leaves him also feeling unsettled on the inside as he listens quietly, unmoving save for the occasional blink of an eye.

Eventually, he takes a seat in one of the fancy chairs nearby. Confident in his own skills he might be but he's not egotistical, and he's not about to stand around all day looking down on Amos when they're on equal footing here. Even if he's spent most of the evening sitting down and feeling like some sort of pet dog out on display, the atmosphere is different now. He doesn't mind a little more sitting if it's on his own terms. ]

You don't. You reshape the peg into the shape you want [ by force ] or you find a new peg.

[ It's a non-answer and he knows it, but at the same time it's the only answer he can comfortably give. There's no magic solution to be found, no easy compromise that'll leave all parties happy. Even if they are Aions now, with near endless resources at their disposal, that's simply not how the world works. Maybe, if they reshape the world the way the Regent wants...

But he doesn't want to think about that just yet.

His hands rest in his lap, ungloved fingers overlapping each other. He looks at Amos, expression unusually somber. ]

Why is it fine when it's the rest of them but not the kid?

[ Asked not out of judgement but genuine curiosity. Maybe they can talk this through, or something. Maybe Eustace himself can somehow glean a nugget of wisdom wheneer he asks himself the same question. ]

[baltimores]

[ Amos sits up a little straighter as Eustace sits down — that physical indication that he's here for a bit of a longer haul. That, and the conversation's gone serious. It's okay, really — he was been sitting out here for so long because of serious matters to consider. This is just more of that. Hell, it's a more direct approach. This is good.

Probably what he needs, especially going off of Eustace's first answer. He furrows his brows at it, thinking he can... maybe kinda get it. ]

You mean change the parameters? [ He's not sure how you're supposed to do that in this kind of situation, but... maybe he'll think of something. It actually is further along than where he was, so it. Does help, a little. ] Yeah. Maybe.

[ The followup question, though. That's a lot easier — that's something he knows the answer to instinctually. Any confusion or pondering is gone from his expression, any semblance of question gone from his voice. Eustace has hit on the one thing he understands more than anything else. He can explain this, easy. ]

Kids haven't had a chance yet. They're still growing into themselves, they're still relying on the adults around them to protect them. You throw a wrench in there, it can fuck the whole thing up, and they'll never recover. [ And, yeah, he's definitely speaking from personal experience there. ] Adults? We've already made our lots in life. Whatever any of us have coming, we probably did something to deserve it. I know I have now; thirty years ago, not so much.

[ A pause as he stares across at Eustace. ]

I don't wanna fuck that up for Yuya. I don't want anyone to throw something at him before he should have to deal with it. And I'm not sure how to change the parameters there.

[lockedon]

[ Eustace leans slighty forward as he listens to Amos lay out his reasoning, voice stronger and steadier than before. The switch between uncertainty before and confidence now is clear as day—and it's not hard to understand why. He can't imagine most people being against the concept of wishing free choice and peace upon the children of the world. ]

I agree. [ Simply stated, but there's a firmness to his voice that suggests he wholeheartedly belives in what he's saying. ] If anyone deserves a choice, it's those who are still young.

[ He wonders if there's some personal motivation driving Amos to believe this way; the allusion to 'thirty years ago' seems to imply so. But they're not exactly bosom buddies at this point, and if he's ever been good at anything outside of making himself indispensible as a tool, it's leaving the private concerns of others be. If Amos ever wants to talk about things, he can do it at his own pace.

Of course, laying it out like this doesn't really solve the problem of what to do. He thinks another moment, brows furrowing as his eyes drop down to his lap and he considers his words in light of their surroudings and their individual beliefs. ]

As far as I can tell, there's no way to change the parameters here. Either you find some way to convince him, or you disobey the orders given and leave him alone. You have to decide which is more important to you.

[ Following orders and adding another weight to his shoulders, or following his own internal compass. But.........hmmm. He looks back up to Amos, gaze frank. ]

But if you don't reach him, someone else might. Not everyone thinks the way you do.

[ Clearly not the Regent, who seems to have no care in the world for who they bring into this one. ]

[baltimores]

[ There's a flareup of something like kinship when Eustace agrees. Amos recalls the kindness he'd shown him in the cavern, and that had been nice, but this means a lot more. Helping him is one thing; agreeing that kids shouldn't be subjected to this mess is so much more important.

Their priorities align, then, Amos notes. Eustace is probably someone he can trust to do the right thing, whatever the circumstance. Just something else he's gonna remember. So it's with a new degree of trust that he watches Eustace think his answer over, ready to accept whatever it is that he says.

... Probably shouldn't be surprised when he doesn't have any magic words. Amos frowns, deep and pensive. Stares at the hands folded between his legs as he hunches over some to get a better look at them, like they hold the answer. It's not like he can disagree with anything Eustace says, and he nods absently at first. In a way, hearing the situation laid out so bare helps. He's got two choices, and he's gonna have to pick one.

His gaze shoots back up to meet Eustace's own at the third option, one he hadn't even thought to consider would be on the table. His expression slackens, and some of the tension he'd been carrying in his body dispels itself. ]

Yeah. [ This time, his nod is more present. He's back in the moment, engaged; hell, he even has a spark of hope. ] I know I'm not good at these sorts of things. Somebody else here, though...

[ He glances up at the ceiling, out into a hallway, through walls. Amos doubts Eustace is offering, not that he expects him to. He gets the sense they're more alike in that regard. Remembering who else was at the dinner is something of a blur, though. Who could get through to Yuya...

... Probably the Regent, actually. If he could just get Yuya here. Then they could fix this. He makes a soft sound as he comes to that realization, then sits up straighter. Relaxes his hands. Tilts his head at Eustace, and though he doesn't exactly smile at him, there is something far friendlier, more peaceful, in his expression this time. ]

Think you told me exactly what I needed to hear. At least, I sure as hell feel a lot better than I did five minutes ago. [ A beat. ] Thanks, man.

[lockedon]

[ The thanks from Amos comes as a surprise, Eustace's head jerking back slightly as he stares forward with clear surprise on his face. He's not exactly an expert when it comes to offering advice, and he's pretty sure he hadn't said anything that had constituted as actionable advice during the course of their brief conversation, so it's a little jarring to see Amos suddenly sit up straighter, looking as though some of the weight's been lifted from his shoulders. ]

Sure.

[ Does he sound as confused as he looks? Yeah, a little bit. But hey, sometimes all a person needs is to talk through their problems while an unrelated party listens in, and Eustace certainly do that no problem. Those ears on top of his head better be good for something if not listening. ]

Can't say I'll be able to help with any future problems though.

[ Once again: he is not an advice guy. Not that he won't do his best, because Amos genuinely seems like a reliable and solid guy, but his best in this particular area has never been great. ]

[baltimores]

[ Eustace's confusion is met with some of Amos' own. He cocks his head, as though that'll help him figure out where it came from. What's there for him to be thrown off by? He helped him talk out his problem. Maybe they didn't reach a surefire, concrete answer, but how often does that happen, anyway? He'd meant it when he'd said thanks.

... Eh. He shrugs it off. If Eustace isn't gonna press it further, then neither is he.

Hell, he literally shrugs off the deflection about helping with future problems. Amos cracks a grin then, something of a laugh coming from him. ]

Yeah, me either if we ever trade places. [ There's probably a couple of other things they share in common, too. Makes it real helpful when you can provide something for each other, completely useless when you can't. ] I'll give it a shot if you ever need help with anything, though.

[ Just, you know. No guarantees. ]

[lockedon]

[ He can't say he's ever been the type to solicit help for problems, especially of the personal, moral variety, but he finds himself appreciative of the offer nonetheless, moreso because it's coming from someone who appears to have a solid head on his shoulders. It helps that Amos's heart seems to be in the right place too, for the most part. ]

I'll keep it in mind.

[ Maybe one day he'll have reason to make use of it, though right now there's just too much other information gained from dinner cluttering up his mind. He shifts in his seat a little, sitting upright again. ]

You said you're not used to eating meals like this?

[ It's a segue into more casual conversation, if Amos wants to take it. ]

[baltimores]

[ Keeping it in mind is more than good enough for Amos. There's a contented air to him as he settles back into his seat, back in a good enough headspace to appreciate its material comforts.

And yeah, he's good as long as Eustace is, no matter the hour. It's been a weird day, but it's not like there's anything pressing — not yet, at least. ]

Nah. Spent most of my life in space, where almost everything's a substitute. Lots of soy and tofu. It's a resources issue. [ He shrugs; it's been his day-to-day for decades, it's not a big deal. ] And it's not like we had the money to spend on anything good when I was growing up planetside.

[ It's all delivered with a casual air; these are no-longer-relevant problems, especially not after tonight. If there's anything he's gonna get used to, it's this. ]

You ever had anything that good before? [ Just some tit for tat, is all. ]

[lockedon]

Space?

[ All his knowledge regarding the cosmos and anything beyond the skies could fit into a thimble without spillover. There's a decided glint of interest in his expression now, Eustace sitting up slightly straighter, all previous concern wiped clean off his face. ]

Can't say I've ever met anyone who lived out there before.

[ Can't really say he's ever been kidnapped, been reborn as a demigod, and been sent off to war for a mysterious ruler either, so maybe it's all relative. ]

But I haven't. I don't usually attend formal functions.

[ Not that anyone's ever seen fit to invite him to one before this anyway, so the point is moot. But, more importantly to him: ]

What's it like out in space? Other than the terrible food.

[baltimores]

[ That level of interest sure does seem to be common among his fellow Aions every time space comes up. It's almost like a reminder of his childhood spent out on the docks, staring up at the fading plumes and contrails of rockets as they went up the gravity well — space was nothing more than a pipe dream for him back then, a far cry from the everyday part of his life it became until some months ago.

So it's with that Amos unfortunately has nothing more than a boring answer. He doesn't want to disappoint, it's just... ]

Kinda boring. You spend a lot of your time making sure everything's in working order because if it isn't, you're dead. Whole lot of redundancies to look after. If you're travelling somewhere, chances are it's gonna take you anywhere from weeks or months to get there, depending on where everything in the system's lined up. So it's just the same thing day in, day out.

[ Sorry. Though his answer is a drawl, he at least doesn't do Eustace the disrespect of slumping through it; stays just as upright as him, just as comfortable talking about things, even though it's a whole lotta nothing. ]

I mean, if I'd stayed on Earth I'm sure I would've found something just as boring to do there, too. But there were more opportunities in space. More jobs, fewer people, so it was the place to go. Not like they didn't have booze and brothels and whatever else up there once you hit shore leave, though. [ With a touch of good humour, ] Guess that's just a universal constant.