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

[expiera]

[Emet-Selch's dismissal sure was among the most "memorable" moments of the evening, along with the Regent's uproarious laughter once Childe brought Xishen's involvement with the Pleroma's escape into question. They've all seen what it's like when the Regent is displeased up close, now, and that certainly did not apply to Xishen no matter how stiff and quiet she turned after Childe's call-out. This only creates more questions even as it answers some, about the Regent's temperament and the sort of relationships Aions may have between them. ...Messy, really. She's not one for politics, but for now, she would like to at least check in with her fellow Aion newbie about all this. They'll all have to work together in the future, no doubt, and Xishen is no exception. So knowing that...

She sees through his smile, and offers a polite one of her own that also does not reflect the least bit how she feels.]

It's been an eventful dinner. ["Eventful".] Are you headed out for a walk? Getting some fresh air does sound like a good idea.

[For cooling off too, as well as keep moving as they talk to dodge potential eavesdroppers within the citadel halls. Will he pick up her hint and accept the suggestion?]

[vapour]

A walk will do us both good. I would be especially honored if you joined me.

[ he also has no desire for them to be eavesdropped on, and it's clear they are gong to have to be strategic if they hope to stick together during their time under the Regent beyond mindlessly following orders like drones. it's hard to tell how loyal their retainers are to them, even but he suspects they are only loyal to the Regent and it will take quite some time before they may form some allegiance to their aions. In order to avoid his own retainer and being unsure if Ciel has taken one yet Childe opts to take her hand and gently pull her along into a walk heading outside with full intention to make it look like they desire alone time but for more personal reasons than worthwhile discussion . Once they are outside and some distance from the banquet hall, Childe lets go of her hand. ]

Sorry, hope I wasn't too forward. It's less likely we'll be followed this way.

[ Well, at beyond nosey gossip-seekers wanting to spread rumors about who's with who and who's doing who what, but he thinks the majority servants are too intimidated by their recent arrival to be that mischievous.

Putting one hand into the pocket of his pants, he glance around their surroundings as they walk before bringing up the dinner. ]

So our "eventful" dinner! What did you make of it?

[expiera]

[Even with retainers willing to wait on them over anything, the philosophy of "if you want something done right, do it yourself" holds true. It would certainly be safer that way, she shares his overall sentiments on that point. It was also evident simply watching and listening to the reactions and small talk the other Aions made among themselves that the grand majority of them were unused to this, from the moment they stepped off the boat into Achamoth up until right before the Regent invited them into the dining hall from the waiting lounge. Ultimately, it's his sensitivity to... Hm. Can it truly be called betrayal? Or just an aversion to being played, that gives her pause, he didn't look like the type to care about the details. Then again, she WAS simply gauging by first impression, they don't know each other that well yet. He was willing to fight, however, happily jumped into the fray even, and as a front liner herself, it would only be beneficial to get to know each other better.

She's about to agree with him, and then he's taken her hand and smoothly pulled her to his side. She manages to suppress raising an eyebrow with the barest hitch to her movement, but does follow along without falling out of step in the end. My, my. He's as fluid as the water he commands, isn't he?

...]

Better to ask forgiveness than permission, hm? I'll overlook it this time.

[It sounds like she's joking, especially with that almost skeptic sideway glance she shoots his way, but she does let it go as easily as he's guided them into one of the citadel's many open courtyards with the night sky overhead. With her personal space returned, she adjusts the veil curtaining her face and shoulders, making it impossible to see her expression for anyone aside from him that she's directly conversing with.]

Informative. We now have a better understanding of our leading entity's temperament, with their reaction to everyone's performance.

[It serves as a good gauge as what to do and what can be done, but that detail doesn't feel prudent to say out loud despite the fact that it's another point of similarity between them. He did send that blonde girl purposefully into the teleportation spell, he was just too obvious about it, as he's been openly called out.]

And you?

[vapour]

[ Childe offers her a sheepish but extremely charming smile at her comment on forgiveness versus permission. Actually, they could have played it off just as well either way, he thinks. Maybe he was just that eager to get out of the area.

He nods at her rundown, and she not wrong with how obvious it was that he let Lumine go. The exchange between them was a lot of power (verbally and physically ) in a very short amount of time. It was really hard to not focus on with it being right at the teleport, and he did do it despite knotting Xishen was looking right at them at the time. ]

Suspicious. I honestly don't know what to make of the Regent's reaction to Xishen, but, if it's true, that she's working to undermine the Regent even a little, I want to know why that is. I can't see Xishen having the compassion to "assist" the Pleroma, but go out of her way nitpick down to details to the Regent our performances for the worst. This Kenoma and Pleroma stuff. .. it doesn't feel like you can fake being a part of either.

[ he avoids mentioning his anger over Xishen's apparent manipulation only because he assumes it's a personal matter. if she's interested she can ask and he'll talk about it, though. ]

[expiera]

[She could hardly fault him, that dinner was probably the most awkward one many of them had ever experienced in their whole lives despite the luxurious quality of the dishes presented. As someone who could eat far more than what her size may suggest, she didn't manage to muster up much enthusiasm in digging into her own plate either. Either way, he's jumping back straight into the heart of the matter, and it'd only be courteous of her to follow his lead once again. She straightens herself while she mulls over his takeaway, adopting a more pensive and serious expression as she considers what he says.]

I don't believe "undermining" is it. Our failure was known to the Regent from the very beginning, and not once did they reprimand us for our inability to capture a single Pleroma. That point wasn't addressed at all actually, they only expressed a wish to have the Pleroma contained. We were then judged on our individual actions over our collective results, they even told us they wanted to see how we would react at our least prepared. They have not once expressed anger or disappointment towards us, the most marked show of displeasure happened when they were still taking our questions at the beginning of the banquet.

[Emet-Selch must immediately come to mind, even as she omits to mention him by name and any details of that whole incident. But that unique case aside...

'I can't see Xishen having the compassion to "assist" the Pleroma,' Childe says. Maybe Ciel is uniquely placed to doubt that statement, having heard from Xishen's own lips how she described the fate of the Pleromas if they happened to be successful in capturing even one. 'Even their time in that cave would have felt easy in comparison.'

...That's rather telling, considering how miserable it's been down there. Would he still think that, if he knew?]

Have you looked much into the Legacies, Tartaglia? About how intrinsically tied they are to this continent, and the values their icon may represent?

[vapour]

[ Ciel's words are listened to attentively and committed to memory even as Childe is rerunning the dinner events through his mind to attempt to connect her statements to fact (or else him find her perspective skewed in some bias.)

Her words are mostly, if not all, fact. His definition of disappointment is a little different than most, but he knows he's also a needy and constant seeker of validation despite vehemently denying it to himself. ]

So, let me see if I have this right: you believe that Xishen may be capable of sympathizing with the enemy enough to assist them even if only by doing nothing herself, but would have already known no harm would come to us even though the majority of our actions drew criticism? So, therefore she had no reason to worry about our wellbeing unlike the Pleroma?

[ he had no idea what the Pleroma would go through if captured, but there is a real reason he let Lumine go rather than forcing her to stay, and it's not just because he was feeling soft over her. It seemed safer for the both of them. He'd love to think if he had not let her go be would have been able to keep her with him and under his watch, but his time in the Fatui begs to differ. As he works in a country ruled by tsarism and a Tsaritsa who has given up on love and compassion for the sake of her goals, the Regent's tactics don't seem to be all that foreign to him thus far.

That's not necessarily a good thing, either.

He also knows Lumine well enough that she wouldn't sit by and let the Kenoma go unhindered.

Still, it's true they generally didn't express true disappointment, although Childe would have preferred to receive such over the unnerving reaction of the Regent's to his words and their needling over his actions with the Traveler.

Childe shakes his head. ]

No, I couldn't even tell you what my legacy is called. All I know is aions are apparently born from them and they are part of the Pleroma.

[expiera]

[She nods, seeing that he's following along with what she's presenting. As one who's long learned to kill her emotions in order to hone her efficiency, she's practised in sticking to the facts, acting with logic and reason over feelings or bias. The only time she wavered...

...No, she hasn't. And that's why she's here.]

I cannot tell you if she was motivated by sympathy. As newcomers to this world, there's too much we still don't know, there could be any number of factors at play that may have guided her actions. But I do believe she bears no ill will towards us and knew we would not be punished, regardless of our actions back at the cavern and their results. We did receive a royal welcome immediately upon docking in Achamoth, and while it's only been a day, we have been continuously treated well since.

[A beat, as Ciel briefly weights the pros and cons of informing Childe about how she herself had already confronted Xishen over the means of the Pleroma's escape while they were aboard the ship. It takes her a blink to decide against it: it would only do her image disservice as it may suggest that she herself sympathizes with Xishen, on top of bringing nothing productive to the conversation. All Xishen had done was coolly ignore her implications, which Ciel only hinted at but did not speak openly of despite harboring her own suspicions.

Naturally, all that fell apart when the topic was brought up in front of the Regent. Her reaction damned her more decisively than anything else ever could have.]

It may be worth looking into. Xishen's Legacy is that of the Martyr, by the way.

[She lets that statement fall into a thoughtful silence. The term in and itself should be telling, in a sense.]

[vapour]

I see. The library is the best way to do this, I take it?

[ it's hard to tell what Childe thinks about the revelation initially, as there is no flinch or flicker of being enlightened. However, he folds his arms over his chest finally, looking down at the stone pathway of their walking path before giving at least half an indication of what he may be be thinking. ]

The Martyr, hmm? Sort of ironic that, of all the aions that have come and gone before us, that a Martyr Legacy is one of the only two left.

[ Ironic, but maybe also quite clear that he, at least on the surface, doesn't seem willing to give Xishen the benefit of the doubt. He doesn't know how much detail Xishen gave about the Pleroma he let go to the Regent, and he wasn't able to ask without putting himself into a corner. That's no mistake to be had here, though: at least for now, Lumine is the one person in this world that he does not intend to hand over to the Regent or let any of the other Kenoma do assuming he's there to prevent it.]

Ciel, I'm curious, what is your definition of a betrayal? For example, are weapons and tools capable of it?

[ He looks back to her now, intrigued. ]

Oh? We would not be punished regardless of our actions? I think you should ask Xishen directly about that, and I'm willing to bet she's going to disappoint you. Grace always has a limit in a regime. Just like nature itself has a limit to its tolerance of humanity.

... That said, I believe I can give Xishen the benefit of the doubt this time, since you seem to sincerely believe that she holds no ill will towards us.

[ Well, at least for the majority of them. He doesn't care, exactly, but he's still hyper-aware she may have (arguably rightful) feelings of resentment towards him for apparently blowing her cover.

Only time will tell on that. ]

[expiera]

Most likely. I've simply been hearing bits and pieces already, from both the Hylician soldiers and the sailors. The constellations in the sky are based after the Legacies too, and their shrines dot the entirety of this continent as travel outside of a certain range away from them is allegedly impossible. They are deeply tied to both our presence here, and the very fabric of Horos.

[She continues clinically, this time with some background lore already made available to them if one was to make any effort in being personable to the locals they've met before reaching Achamoth. The Hylician soldiers will probably not be keen to see his face again though, at least not the batch that stuck around while they were inside the cave after what he's pulled.]

Among others referred to as "Firebrand", "Sovereign", and "Champion", perhaps. But if the story about how a large-scale war in the past wiped out most of the Aions that used to walk this continent is true, then perhaps it is only logical that a Martyr is among the very few who remain.

[He's entitled to his doubts. She did not come after him to convince him of Xishen's innocence, but she is at least here to give him some context she's privy to that he may not have. He did act awfully familiar with that blonde Pleroma girl, and she does briefly wonder what to do with that bit of information. The Regent clearly touched a nerve too, when they made mention of him freeing one among their numbers.

His question doesn't see her expression change, but blue eyes are reflected back into blue with a small tilt.

...]

There has to be intention, to consciously lie and be wilfully misleading about matters, but there must be something to trample down too, such as trust or expectation. Weapons and tools may be, if they're adaptable and such qualities are needed of them to carry out their objective.

[There's not much hesitation before she gives her answer. She's speaking from experience, after all.]

Not for that test in particular, no. I can't speak for future missions. It would be counterproductive anyway to treat new recruits harshly right off the bat, especially when they're endowed with a particular brand of power that can affect the balance of all worlds. [Since he brought up regime, she'll extend his analogy a bit further to emphasize what she really means. It wouldn't surprise anyone if repeated cases of disobedience were to draw dire consequences for their perpetrator, but for now, they have no reference. Not even Emet-Selch, whose confinement is not known to them just yet.

Disappoint her... What would that take? She wouldn't blame him for not knowing her "well enough", but as one who hasn't felt wronged not once since she opened her eyes here, she's entirely aware that her stance is an unusual one.]

In that she did not put us at risk, no, and even if she did, it was to a degree that the Regent clearly found acceptable. They did mention how she was there to recover our Shards, in the case that a normally fatal wound were to destroy our physical bodies. If you have more questions about her and for her, I could try looking into it, but what puzzles me most is the Regent's reaction. [And at that, she narrows her own eyes as she crosses her arms over her chest.] What do you suppose it conveyed? They did not retract her authority over us either, reaffirming later that Xishen and they are to remain as our only source of directives, at least for the time being. If she is to be punished for what she's done, it wasn't expressed in a way that would lead us into believing so. Does that not strike you as even more odd?

[At the end of the day, she's trying to make sense out of all this too, just like him. If she were to have a disagreement with him over something, it may very well boil down to the source of his frustration. It's partly a little bit of everything, partly because they're just different people with different temperament who interpret and react to events differently. Nevertheless, she can only hope that she's nudged him into considering all this from a different perspective, one that is perhaps wider than what fuelled his initial anger.]

[vapour]

[ Childe listens patiently. Although he is capable of having arguments, Ciel reminds him of Ekaterina in her personality and approach, who is basically his right hand. Besides, he's annoyed and tense about the conversation still, but if he had not managed to cool off at least somewhat throughout the remainder of dinner, that would have only drawn more attention to just how much he could be bothered by such things.

He nods with an approved acknowledgement at her answer, finding it sufficient whether or not he agrees.

At Ciel's question towards Childe, he waits until she is finished before he gives any type of response. ]

As for the reaction... [ He pauses, considering his answer before finally giving the most honest answer he can.]

Impossible to tell at this point.

Their reaction was unique and uncontrolled in the sense they seemed genuinely amused. The problem is Xishen's reaction makes it even harder to guess.

Who knows, it might just be they found it hilarious that Xishen didn't even try to conceal it from us that she was not participating.

[ There's a short uncomfortable silence, not really feeling it's worth bringing up, but at the same time they are both attempting to sort things out to help both of them and the other Kenoma.

He can give half his remaining concerns, then. ]

It's also possible the reaction was not in relation to Xishen despite her own response but towards me.

[expiera]

Yes, I thought so too. Their "professional" relationship rings glaringly at odds with how they were expressing themselves as individuals. We can't judge either of them by human standard either, not with how deified The Regent is or how Aions in general seem to be treated as demigods.

[...No. There's definitely no use asking him about that Pleroma girl. Maybe some other time, but not tonight. It's a terrible time.]

As I've said, I'll look into it. Collecting information about our setting and circumstances is important, just as well as getting to know better the people we will have to work with and take orders from. You're justifiably wary of Xishen, but she's nevertheless objectively less enigmatic and untouchable than the Regent. What answers do you hope to get, about her and out of her? Anything should help us better prepare at this point, for future missions and interactions with her. I've done intel gathering before too, and even if she won't be straightforward with us, there must be more we can learn from Achamoth's citizens and the citadel's servants.

[There lies the core of her proposal. She won't ask Childe to calm down or pretend their Aion senior is someone trustworthy they can seamlessly cooperate with. Trying to find out more about the other woman for things they could potentially use to their own advantage, however, would framing it that way make the pitch more palatable?]

[vapour]

There is only one thing I want to know for now.

[ Childe prioritizes info and doesn't bother trying to get too much at once. ]

The only aions left are Xishen and another Kenoma, right? If that aion war wiped out the rest of the aions, why has the Kenoma not rebirthed this world already with them defeated?

[expiera]

[She lowers her gaze. It's a good question, but...]

That's according to the rumors, but I've found no credible source supporting the possibility. Most texts are penned by zealous locals, we may need to look into different sources in other cities to get a clearer picture of Horos' history and that of the Aions'. That may be something better asked of the Regent too, they did briefly touch upon it to the dark-haired young man saying the time is almost at hand.

I'll ask, if I get to speak to either of them again soon.

[It's all she can offer.]