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

[zauneyete]

[ Silco...understood that question. The implication in her tone was something he felt as well. Why is it that his world had magic -- but none of them could access it? How was that fair? Why was it he was only going to get this ability now, after over forty years of fighting to find a way to barter independence for his city?

Oh, how he knew that question. The only indication of the thought was a single eye closed for a moment, considering. If Lottie looked closely enough, she'd notice that the other one, even though there was makeup that hid it, didn't even have an eyelid. The skin beneath the makeup was rippled, like scar tissue. There was a lot of work done, to make this look good, but with careful observation, it's clear that it's not a fake eye -- or a contact. ]

Only after our worlds are gone, do we see more with the ability to make things happen, right? I would have paid a lot of money to have that on my side before.

[ A lot of money. He doesn't echo TV or movies, and the words clearly go in one ear, and out the other. They didn't have those, where he was from. ]

It's a shame, really. I thought the power that the Aion had -- Xishen? -- was more incredible than anything I'd ever seen in my life.

[ Silco kept his voice even, testing. What had she thought, about that? He'd been... hungry for that. That power, but Silco had already started to learn that some here weren't quite so... willing to grasp for such things. ]

[oomfies]

[ In the time he takes to reflect on her question, Lottie does take a moment to look towards him. Simply waiting for him to reply, just to see if he agrees or if he's content with how it all is. She doesn't tear her gaze away even when he starts speaking and she gets the answer she wants to hear, the one that validates all the nasty and ugly thoughts swirling in her head.

But some of those thoughts are noticeably lighter, like the one where she ponders over if his eye, the one that doesn't close (doesn't have a lid?), gets dry. Briefly, she gives the same amount of though to his foundation and the skin he works with before he mentions money. She only nods in agreement - not that she'd even know what type of magic to buy with money (unlimited perfect working internet speed magic?? One swipe full face application???).

In fact, she looks like she's entirely in tune with what's going on, maybe about to say something prophetic and just insane. Until she hits Silco with an extremely, and shockingly, genuine - ]

Who?

[ That's right, Lottie completely forgot who the hell Xishen was the second she was out of sight! But she's at least trying to remember, if the pinch to her brows and the slight pout of her lips is anything to go by. She wants to be able to contribute to the conversation!! ]

[zauneyete]

[ Silco's real eyebrow rose, and his lips twisted in question. Had he said her name wrong? That was, of course, a possibility, but as he considered it, he was quite certain it wasn't incorrect, from the whispers he'd heard among their brethren on the boat. Some had chosen to speak with her, although Silco hadn't.

He wanted her power, but he was rather certain she wouldn't just give it to him, when asked. He would have to learn how to take it, and he wouldn't be asking others for help to have it. That required relying on others, and Silco was, as in all things, fiercely independent. One couldn't be betrayed, if they kept nobody close, and refused to give up anything for others, after all. ]

The...Aion? The one that was there in the cave with us.

She turned that acolyte into liquid, remember?

[ Silco could still see it, in his mind's eye. ]

[oomfies]

[ Well, fuck. He's right.. Vague instances of it itch at her brain, and she begins to wonder if it was the stress of the situation, or the black goo they ingested that made her less inclined to really care about the display of power.. Maybe it's the lack of steady ingestion of her medication? Did the contents of the vial mess with it, somehow? ..Is that how medication works?? ]

Oh, yeah.. The Aion!

[ Her tone has some recognition at least, even if her expression is a little stony, or the way she scratches at her skin (where her own sigil is) a bit odd. But then she stops, remembers she can't afford to pick at the fabric lining her arm, and decides to give some serious thought to his original statement.. Something about thinking it was cool? ]

That all felt like a dream.. [ To her, it still feels like one. Dressed up and loitering in this parlor with a stranger just as jaded, but all the more ambitious than she is. ] You like stuff like that?

[ She tries very hard to not sound judgmental when she says that - because she's curious, and also? Spectacularly indifferent to the loss of life in favor of wallowing over her own. And, besides, it's easier to find out someone else's opinion than admit to having none of your own! ]

[zauneyete]

Stuff like what, a dream? Being naked and cold in a cave? No, of course not.

[ "Stuff like that" was vague enough that Silco could toss that in front of Lottie like fresh meat, as a distraction, before he followed up. He wouldn't lie, not about who he was, and not in a place where that sort of thing was encouraged. This wasn't like dealing with Piltovans, where looking too hungry or too excited about power meant they would pull it out from under one's feet.

Silco had to cajole and play their game, but here? It was different, wasn't it? The darkness that had slithered in with their drink had encouraged all of Silco's dark tendencies. ]

If you mean the power she displayed... What can I say? [ He asked, unashamed. ] The power to do something so dangerous has its allure, don't you think?

[oomfies]

[ She's semi-glad he at least cleared that up, even if she knows that isn't what she asked about (you never know.. Someone here has to be into being naked and cold, and afraid!). And when he actually answers her question, she finds she can't really disagree with him.

While Lottie's scope of being evil™ and doing dangerous™ things is mostly limited to talking shit about people, the few times she gave into her anger always felt nice. Like shoving her ex-intern into a pool, yelling at her while she drowned, was pretty fun.. And if she had 'dangerous' powers she probably could've unbanned herself from her favorite coffee shop, too! Maybe skip past all the forgiveness and development of 'being a good person' bits..

Clearly, Lottie is mulling over what the socially acceptable answer would be - something that toes the line between non-committal and technically the truth (after all, she doesn't want this to come bite her in the ass!). ]

In a strictly hypothetical sense? Yes! I don't know if I'd hop straight to murder, though.. Seems a bit much.

[ She purses her lips, taps a nail at the glass in her hand before eventually offering, ]

Have you, uh, ever seen Carrie?

[zauneyete]

[ Silco blinked with one of his eyes. Hopping straight to murder was a bit much? ]

Huh, different philosophies, I suppose. I don't know anyone who wouldn't jump straight to murder, if necessary.

[ Then again, having something that someone wanted in Zaun was enough to get murdered. Or you know, having a difference of philosophical opinion with a good friend, could do the same. Not that...Silco had experienced something like that ever in his life. ]

I have no idea who Carrie is. [ He said, bluntly, when she asked. ]

If you're trying to get out of the conversation... I won't take offense.

[oomfies]

[ Lottie gives him a withering look, one that says if she wanted to leave, well, she would've tried already (but it also says, she appreciates it!). ]

Carrie is a movie about a girl named Carrie.. Who has just, the worst life ever. Doesn't know what anything is, doesn't have any friends, her mom thinks she's crazy. But she has powers.

[ She explains, willingly leaving out a lot of details about, well, the massive amount of murders she committed (ironic considering what Silco said). ]

She can move things and people with her mind, or start fires and lock doors. Make things explode.. I think it's called telekinesis?

[zauneyete]

I see.

[ He didn't. In fact, he doesn't know what a movie is. He's playing along though, for Lottie's sake. He's used to not understanding what the words mean that comes out of a young woman's mouth, and next to his daughter, Lottie is pretty much completely understandable, sans a few terms.

She wasn't explaining, in great detail, how to build an explosive based on knowledge that she'd gleaned and experiments that she was running.

Silco took a sip of that same drink he was nursing, considering the connection with the Aion. ]

Do you think the power is similar to what Xishen has?

[oomfies]

Umm, Carrie had more blood? Xishen has more goo.

[ And if she had to pick, it'd definitely be the first one! Blood is easier to clean out, goo is.. Well, goo. ]

I'm just saying - I'd want something like that. You know.. Powers.

[ She feels a bit silly, and a tad bit embarrassed, trying to draw it all back together to his earlier point. Especially since she's an adult talking about what she'd want, like she was some kid fresh off watching a movie with superheroes in it. ]

[zauneyete]

[ Huh. Silco certainly couldn't judge the fact that she wanted powers. He didn't really care whether it was blood, or goo, but...

He could understand the desire. ]

I never really contemplated it, before I saw...that. There really weren't powers, where I'm from anymore. There's magic, but nobody can use it, so it's entirely out of reach. We had to make our power, through...science, or technology, or good old fashioned violence.

[ He paused, a finger tapped against the seat he was in, as he considered, almost a nervous twitch from the lack of a smoke. ]

Since I saw it, though... I suppose I've thought of it quite a bit. I wonder if it's unique to who she is, or not.