hugtopia_logs | ♥ April (Lasai) Event Log

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♥ April (Lasai) Event Log

April (Lasai) Event Log
Lasai is a beautiful month. The weather is warmer, the sky is a breathtaking blue again, and with the flowers from Ainir growing nicely, the entire city of Havenwell just feels more alive with every breath. It's a time of renewal, of rebirth, of Ainea's greatest strength as her adherents open the temple gates to invite people and robots from all walks of life to enter and share together. What should be a joyous time, however, is suddenly interrupted as the earthquakes mount day by day through the start of Lasai. Those messages that people have been receiving since Nalom? It seems it's time for the gods to deliver on their promises.

❥ PROMPT I: The Wild Wild West (East, South and North)

side view of a large wall surrounding a city

As Ainir gives way to Lasai, one morning the earthquakes, which had been growing more frequent again, suddenly mount in their intensity. The entire city is shaking and the native residents cower despite their faith in their gods' protection. The guards along the wall shout alarm and abandon their posts as the walls start to shift under the strain. When the last of them are safely away from the walls, the barrier and the wall itself quivers. The citizens cry out in alarm and fear until they realize that the walls aren't falling - they're moving. And they're moving further out. As everyone in Havenwell looks on, the walls and its surrounding barrier fluctuates and expands, sliding through the city streets as if on hidden tracks, avoiding buildings and ruins, pushing the toxic air and the storm further away. They finally come to rest and snap back into place, new walls rising from who knows where to fill in the gaps. The barrier strengthens and the earthquakes stop, and as the dust settles, a cheer rises from the citizens.

"Praise the gods! Praise the off-worlders!"

Among the din of their celebration, however, other cries start up among the newly incorporated ruins. Cries that sound like howls and screeches, and certainly do not sound human. Grab your weapons and steel yourselves, off-worlders, with the addition of this new space comes the need to clear it of anything potentially dangerous that got caught up in the expansion. Not all creatures you'll find are hostile, but some certainly are. Docile ones might just fetch a nice price from the Research Towers and the Conservatory if you can capture a mating pair.

OOC: These are the creatures you can encounter in the city as you go through to clear it. It's not an invasion level of infestation, as the majority of creatures will prefer to remain inside their known territory beyond the original barrier, but you will on occasion need to take up arms and fight. Next to their names are the frequency with which you can find them, ranging from common to extremely rare.

Inky Black Spiders (common - hostile): These relatively small, black spider-like creatures have very basic melee attacks, using their fangs and their sharp legs to bite and claw at people. Those who were around in October when the wall broke will recognize them as the most common enemy back then. Their exoskeletons are hard and when they die, they smash into a black goo. They tend to travel in packs, using sheer numbers to overwhelm their prey.
One-Eyed Lizard (uncommon - docile): An iridescent scaly purple and green lizard approximately 8 to 10cm in length from tip to tail. It has a single eye at the top of its head that can rotate to see 360 degrees around it. This creature's main defenses are its tough hide and a spine on the tip of its tail which it whips at predators to dissuade them from eating it. It's more likely to run than fight, however, and can usually be found sunbathing on exposed rock with its eye closed.
"Bone Giraffe" (extremely rare - hostile): A nearly 20-foot tall, long-necked skeleton of a four-legged creature long dead with a single curved horn protruding from its skull and a sharp snout. It's usually found lying in a heap, as if it laid down and died that way. A black seven-petaled flower sometimes (but not always) grows from the skull and beneath the skeleton is an oily black film. Touching the oil slick activates the creature, which draws the oil up into the skeletal cage. Its main attacks are brute force, using its bony legs and neck to kick and slam against its prey, and its acid breath. It breathes a black fume that sizzles and burns anything it touches.
Rive Talon (rare - hostile - medium): In the past these creatures may have been canines of some form, now they seem to have melded with the detritus of the fallen buildings and creatures of the landscape. Extra spikes, ridges, and protrusions extend from its body at odd angles. Many of them are metal or stone, rather than bone. And some of the bones clearly were not originally its own. (Suggested by Sierra!)
Outskirts Hare (uncommon - docile): A shy creature, roughly the size and shape of an earth hare, covered in fuzzy-looking, curly pink hair and cat-like whiskers. Normally quite timid, this creature's poor eyesight causes it to flee when it feels threatened, and relies largely on a sense of touch to navigate its surroundings. Contact with this creature's fur is markedly pleasant, but its skin discharges an oil that causes mild skin irritation on contact when it's nervous. Active mostly at night time. (Suggested by Mel!)
Ansaurini (rare - annoying): a bipedal feathered bird with sharp claws and teeth good for chomping; some possess flight capabilities, but the majority are prone to a lazy waddle. Mostly harmless and deceptively unassuming until you turn your back- and suddenly it's run off with something it stole off your person! They are excellent at escaping, though they can be traced back to their hoard, and if their collection is raided they will make a lot of noise in protest. Just watch your back- they will try again until you leave their territory. Truly, a horrible thing.

❥ PROMPT II: Welcome to the (Urban) Jungle

Once the creatures are mostly taken care of and the newly revealed area is deemed safe enough to venture into, the city council will put out a call for those willing and able to assist the natives with a clean-up effort. The city outside the walls is badly damaged, left to the ravages of the time and the ever-present storm, which means clearing dust, debris, and flotsam is a high priority before people can begin to repair the new districts and salvage material or live there. Thick brown vines cover large parts of the city, grime from the storm is caked onto windows, rocks and scattered rotted bones and twisted metal can be found in roads and crashed through buildings. The atmosphere in this part of the city seems to mirror the decrepit state of the land, too, feeling heavier and grayer and more depressing than it has any right to be. Going out with people and helping together, taking breaks to lean against one another tends to help clear away any negativity that this land seems to bring to your thoughts, however. Since it's dangerous to go alone, be sure to take a friend.

The biggest concern is the vines, so natives offer to lend machetes to the offworlders to help the hack them away. The vines look brown and dead, the leaves withered and curled up. When characters hack into them, the vines release a puff of yellowish dust. Inhale the dust or get it anywhere near your face and over time, you'll begin to get sleepy - very sleepy. It's hard to keep your eyes open, no matter your resistance to poisons or magic, and eventually you'll find yourself falling asleep wherever you are. And once you're asleep? The vines start moving, crawling toward you at a snail's pace. Hopefully you did bring a friend because you'll need their touch to wake up and stay awake long enough to get away from the vines before they pull you deep within their grasp.

❥ PROMPT III: Take a Load Off

Not everyone can fight or clean or even wants to do it, so while those who are more suited to being on the front lines are off doing their thing, those who remain behind must begin the effort of preparing everything that people will need to live in these new areas. At the temples and in the main square, the priests have set up large rest areas with blankets and pillows, and are busily putting together repair kits for mechanics and explorers to use as they go through the ruins. Those who want a place to rest that doesn't require going all the way back to their homes might find these waystations more convenient.

At each, characters can find hot soups with chunks of hearty replicated breads and both hot and cold drinks available for any who wish it. They're trying to replicate pain medications and bandages for people who have been injured while exploring or fighting off the monsters who were unlucky enough to be left inside, and will ask you to try it if you're injured. Taking this medication might have some unintended side effects, however, like a feeling of euphoria or delusions of grandeur or even something as banal as turning your hair a shocking shade of chartreuse - the effect, if you want one, is up to you! The rest areas also have robots "skilled" in giving massages that are looking to test their newly acquired skills and with four pairs of arms, they can work on two people at once! In fact, they're rather insistent about giving you a free massage if they hear even the slightest hint of fatigue in your voice and will usher people into their curtained off booths regardless of whether they know the other occupant or not. These robots are still learning though, so anyone curious enough to try may need to work with their partner to give these robots pointers. They're trying, but not having fragile little flesh bodies is a major obstacle in learning how to have a gentle touch.

❥ PROMPT IV: That Which Remains

the remains of an abandoned factory with decrepit materials and equipment strewn about

With the opening of the city, there seem to be a lot of buildings that need cleaning. Some are so dilapidated that they're better off demolished than repossessed, and most are residential and commercial buildings reminiscent of the ones the offworlders are used to seeing everyday in the Havenwell they've all known up until now. However, among the ruins of these older sections, those intrepid enough to venture and explore may find a few unique gems awaiting them. Just remember: the first rule of urban exploration is to never go alone. You never know what might be lurking in those abandoned buildings or what obstacles might be in your way. Doorways blocked by rubble will need more than one person to remove them. Frightened (and frightening) animals might be lingering in the dark. And, most importantly, you don't want to fall through the floor and vanish into a basement. There seem to be quite a few weakened floors out there. In the following parts of the expanded city, characters can find these interesting ruins:

Northwest: The Arena - In the northwest of the newly opened area, characters can find what looks to be a ruin of a large open air oval building. The building itself is almost 3 stories tall with walls overgrown with brown vines and dead foliage. There are doorways that have no doors, instead being high archways through which people can access in the interior. Stairs lead up into what looks like worn stone benches and down below is a rubble-strewn open area. Part of the walls have collapsed over time but it's very clear this place was used once as some sort of viewing area. It'll take a bit of work to clear this place until it's usable!

There are archways with stairs that lead downward, but you'll need some help clearing away the rubble to get to what's below! If you're successful in getting beneath the arena, you'll find hallways with empty rooms that vary between large enough to possibly be some sort of training room to small enough to be just enough space for someone to put a slim single cot or bed and maybe a wardrobe to have a small private room. Some rooms have rusted metal that may or may not have been weapons at some point, while others have faded wall paintings, chipped and worn with age. It's hard to make out, but with enough reconstruction work, you may just learn who used to haunt these halls.
Southeast: The Baths - In the southeast of the newly opened area, characters will find a domed building unlike the rest of the architecture around it. It's extremely large, for one, and squat, while the rest of Havenwell's buildings seem to be lean and tall. The walls are made of the same stone, but the dome above is broken glass. There are several metal sliding doors set in the walls, but many are fused shut with grime and years of disuse. One main door, larger than the others is sightly ajar, however, and with some help characters may be able to force it open.

Inside, they find an expansive lobby with white floors that must have sparkled before all the grime, dirt, and broken glass took over. The dome overhead reflects the light, making the interior of the building as bright as outside. At the center of the lobby is a dry fountain with two broken statues - four armed humanoids holding urns. Their heads are missing and many of the arms are broken and lying in the dry basin. From the lobby there are alcoves in every direction and two hallways that lead further into the buiding in opposite directions. In each alcove are low stone seats and round basins sunk into the ground that are either dry with a black film around the inside, or full of a dark oily substance that's nearly coagulated.

Go down the hallways and you'll find identical looking chambers. First, you enter an open area with broken sinks and mirrors, with stone cubbies on the walls. Then when you pry open and push past the metal sliding doors, you'll find yourself in a wide open semicircular area filled with baths of different sizes, shapes and depths. Some are free-standing stone tubs, others are large basins sunk into the ground, and still others are rectangular and just big enough for one or two people to lie down in. Each of these basins are like the ones in the lobby, either filled with that same coagulated black ooze or dry with a black film inside. Looks like it's time to get cleaning because each basin also seems like they might be able to be retrofitted to produce water perhaps.
Southwest: The Factory - In the southwest, closest to the wall, the characters can find an imposing square building. It has small thin windows and boasts a plethora of chimneys and smokestacks on the roof, some of which are crumbling or broken with age and exposure. There are two square doors, both of which are large enough to drive a truck through and made of metal which needs to be pried open before accessing the inside. Once inside, the characters find a massive operation geared toward ore and mineral processing and metallurgical refinement. The machinery is old, but extremely well laid out, as it seems this plant was used to process huge volumes of minerals and ores before being lost to time. There are stations for every imaginable part of the refining process separated neatly so they can work efficiently, but all of the machines are broken or currently inoperable and will need significant work before they can start functioning again.

Explore the refinery and you may still find one or two of the ores lying about. They contain an unknown metal that gleams a slick oily silver. At the back of the refinery is an industrial elevator which is currently inoperational. Peering down through the cracks, however, reveals that the shaft goes a long way down. The view of just how far is obstructed by a shimmering rainbow-colored barrier, not unlike the one that is just outside the walls.

This event will run from April 15th to 30th, although due to the areas and effects not technically vanishing, feel free to continue playing with it for some time beyond. Click on each prompt's title to see the text. If you have any questions, feel free to direct them to the FAQ or to the Mod Question thread.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ He’s guessed absolutely correctly, and she draws in a breath, sharply.

It’s a whisper: ] Every day.

[ For one reason, there hadn’t been a need. So many here have incredible abilities, and now she has Noctis’ power. For another...

In her own world, she’ll have plenty of uses for her power in the future, very little of which she looks forward to.

It’s pretty, he says, and this is the first she’s ever heard of such a thing. That isn’t what those in her world would call her power. Try terrifying: the continent Temperantia remains a wasteland of ash and melted bedrock to this day. One particularly deep wound upon the Titan remains named after her: the crater known as the Aegishammer. .... But. Pretty.

Her hands fold over into his, warmed from where the flames licked her palms. She watches him watch the last of the flames disperse, some of the light catching within his eyes. He seems almost enchanted, not unlike how she’s so often been the same by seeing his own magic.

...Pretty.

It’s kind of him to say, and she smiles fondly in return. She’s glad one person thinks so, at least. ]

[Every day.

A month ago he'd have had to imagine what it would be like, to not be able to use his power. Now, he doesn't have to. That memory is visceral, painful to recall; days of feeling afraid and helpless, hating every moment, missing what was stolen from him. Feeling that thrumming lifeblood of energy under his skin, flowing through his veins, but walled off from him in a way he'd never felt before, just out of reach. For him, it hadn't been a choice.

She'd had to choose that, to protect herself from whatever it is that makes her so afraid. She'd resigned herself to living like that. And that, he can't imagine, as it sounds heartbreaking to endure.

Realization dawns on him then, and he blinks down at her, brows furrowed.]

Um... retainers linked with the line of Lucis can use elemancy. I know it might seem kind of self-serving, like I'm taking credit for your power, but... you could use that excuse, if you don't want people to know it's yours. You could use your fire.

[ It would be a convenient solution. Isn’t that what she is doing now, anyways, using a sword gifted by him instead of her own?

It’s another generous gift from him— ] That's... [ —one she cannot take for granted, even if she should ever use it. Because it would be using him.

With his permission, of course, as an excuse and with the idea that he would want her to use her fire to help others, but the principle of the matter remains the same: she is a coward. The point is for her not to use her abilities unless there is a need, not because she is selfish enough to miss seeing a pretty flame of her own.

And, there's one more issue: ]

That's... kind of you. [ A pause. ] But think... of your family. [ She's very certain no one in his family would be forgiving for using him, even as an excuse. ]

[That isn't the sort of objection he'd expected, mostly because he doesn't understand it, so in response his expression shifts to one of bewilderment.]

Think of them how?

[His family isn't affected in any way by how he uses his power, not even Ignis and Prompto who are just as connected as she is. Her using fire via her own energy instead of his is actually a perk on his part- it's one less ability fueled by that connection while netting the same benefits as normal elemancy. That's a good thing, in his book... he's not connecting the dots at all.]

[ Gently, ] I don't think... they'd approve of me using you in any way. Even for an excuse.

[...Ah.

Well, that's less worrisome than he thought it could have been, for sure. A bit silly actually.]

They don't get a say in what I do with my power. Why would I need their approval?

[ ...She drops her gaze to their hands, and it's over this that she worries:

Fire-- she wants to wield it again. He's giving her an opportunity. It still seems disingenuous, but that's the failing on her part of not being willing to claim it as her own. If she used fire in front of any of them-- Prompto, even-- what would she say, would she lie to him that it's Noctis' magic? Would Prompto even be able to tell the difference...?

To avoid such lies, the solution is still to limit the use of that fire in the first place-- ]

[ "Why would I need their approval?"

She blinks at him.

...He wouldn't. It's his decision, ultimately. Spoken like a true king. ]

No... [ At length, she exhales. ] I suppose you wouldn't. [ Silly, indeed.

Perhaps... this could be a temporary, hypothetical crutch if need be. At the very least, he’s allowing her to depend on him, and what an immense gift that is.

She offers a meager smile. ] The house could use a few more candles lit, couldn't it?

[She's... relenting? His lips quirk a bit hesitantly, not sure if this is something to celebrate (it doesn't so much resolve a core problem as cover it up), but he'll take this small victory if there's a chance it might help her. Every day, she'd said. He won't forget that any time soon. Especially since he understands to some extent how difficult those days must have been.]

Yeah, probably. We don't want it to look all doom and gloom all the time. Just watch we don't accidentally burn the place down.

[Though he suspects that would be caused more by something he or Prompto did than her fire, if it were to happen.]

I'm thinking, we can integrate fire into training. If anyone asks, say we're learning elemancy together. It's not a lie- just because the magic's yours doesn't mean it isn't the same style. Cor'd probably even thank you for getting me to practice it more.

[ Also it they're the scented kind it'd stop smelling like dog and boys--

She considers his proposal. She recalls how, months ago, he said he did wish to become better at his magic. Between then and now, a lot has happened, and they've trained more with warping, the ring, and then her own swordtraining that that goal fell to the wayside. Another excuse, but one that fits.

Equally cautious, however: ] Perhaps... I am in need of practice with fire, since it's been so long. [ A beat. Finally, she looks at him.

.... ] I hope you'll be able to take the heat.

[The joke is a reassurance as much as her smile, and this time he doesn't hesitate to return it in full. Even if she's still cautious, she's willing to try. That's enough for him to relax a bit. Questions can wait, answers can come over time, if at all. She's still Pyra to him either way.]

Bet I can. And if I can't, I know a few ways to cool you off.

[Or himself, if he gets set on fire. That happens.]

[ She sure is trying.... and it's working. She meant what she had said those weeks ago, that he makes her feel brave. It's just that she's not brave enough to tackle the real issue. She may think of what he's given her as an excuse to cover for her fire, but it's also an opportunity: perhaps, in time, she can become more open. ]

Fire, lightening, ice... you have water up your sleeves, too?

[ Up his metaphorical magical armiger sleeves. She gives him a faintly wry smile, as if she's making an effort to play along. ] Let's plan on packing a lot of towels wherever we'll train.

[ ...Or swimsuits. ]

Maybe not water. But you know how it goes, one plus one.

[Fire plus ice equals water, as they already demonstrated.]

Prompto's gonna be asking some weird questions if we suddenly amp up the amount of laundry getting done.

[ Maybe they should invest in flame-retardant clothing... ]

Both singed and soaked...? I think I might be borrowing your jacket more often.

[ Speaking of...

Her voice quiets as she looks down at the cover he’s provided, noting to herself that perhaps she shouldn’t wear perishable clothes out while exploring. ]

...Thank you for lending this, too, by the way. [ Her smile remains fond as she raises her free hand to the edge of the fabric. By now the jacket is no longer necessary; her original outfit has reformed, but she doesn’t move to return it just yet since they’re still seated. ]

[Mmmmmmaybe. Or at least make sure he's always wearing his royal fatigues in training, since they kind of are...

He glances down at the jacket; he'd half-forgotten he passed it over, distracted by the seriousness of the conversation that followed.]

Ah, don't worry about it. You can hang onto it until we get back to the house if you want, not like it's cold out. It zips at the front, you can cover up the, uh- [He gestures vaguely to her chest. Er, the ripped clothes.] The damage.

[ For a moment her smile may seem almost shy as he gestures towards her...

Then she straightens up, giving his hand a tug. ]

So, ah, ...shall we continue?

[ That building looks industrial to her, it would be good to check out. ]

[He's... not sure what that look means, but it's not bad, so he offers a tentative smile back to her. He stands up as she tugs at him, gives her hand a quiet squeeze, and starts towards the building they'd been eyeing earlier, his tone regaining a bit of the energy it had carried before the fight began.]

Sounds good to me. I can go for a while yet, and there's still loads to see out here.

[Normal again! Everything is normal again. While he is definitely going to wonder and compile some questions for if she ever feels like talking about it - or gives the opportunity to poke the bear, so to speak - he doesn't want her to think he was lying when he claimed that nothing has changed. What she is could never matter more than who.]

[ It’s back to the task at hand, it seems, and she thinks of something then, something that’s occurred to her before. She might have been the one this time to call them back to focus, but he’s done it before too. He’s also straightened her own lines of thought, sublimating the wariness with a minimalistic finesse.

”They don't get a say in what I do with my power. Why would I need their approval?”

She smiles to herself as they walk. It’s almost—.... simple in approach. Straightforward and unembellished. Where one might not see the path, he does as if it’s been there the entire time. This, then, he galvanizes. This is how they move forward. This is the way in which he sounds like a— ]

You know... Just a few moments ago.

[ She turns her head to look at him with a smile. ] You sounded like a king.

[His head tilts at that, surprised for a moment, but then it shifts into a quiet acceptance as he considers his own response to her. Sounding like a king has never been a priority when it comes to talking to friends; formality bothered him, placed a wall between himself and his loved ones, the same way it did with he and his father as he grew up. Makes him remember that in their last exchange his father had been "Your Majesty" instead of "Dad".

It hadn't stopped him from trying to step up, though. Informal speech doesn't mean what he says is wrong, that he can't be decisive or firm or make choices that might affect more than himself and his own small circle. What had he said back then, in Zegnautus? 'Come together as one nation', put aside the hatred he'd carried for Niflheim for months for the sake of the world.

"Y'know, I never thought I'd say this, but you sounded like a real king for a second."]

...Prompto said something like that back on Eos, before I woke up here.

[His smile is odd, looking not at her but ahead: decidedly mixed between happy and sad, like he's trying to decide how he feels. He'd said that before he knew that he wouldn't be there to make it a reality. Maybe the guys will pull it off anyway; maybe Prompto will at least remember that the last king of Lucis wanted to try.]

Guess I have to grow into it.

[ She had meant her compliment kindly; strange how he seems bittersweet.... But Pyra attributes this reflective bittersweetness in his expression to what he must have gone through before waking up, to say nothing of all the complicated politics and war before, leaving Insomnia in ruins.

And so she remains none the wiser.

She cants her head. ]

As if you haven’t already?

[ Casualness aside, it seems she truly believes he is one in every sense of the word. Not traditional, but a king of his own accord. ]

[There's something soft and reassuring about someone having faith in his royal ability, all evidence to the contrary. It's a bit like talking to Ignis sometimes; no one's ever believed in his ability to step up and get the job done as much as Iggy does, which is wild to him considering he's known Noctis the longest. No one else has seen his flaws quite so vividly, and yet somehow, his potential to be a king is there, in his eyes. It's difficult to line that faith up against Gladio's recent anger on the very same subject, doubting his conviction and tearing down even small accomplishments. His friends have different ideas about what it means to be a king and how to push him towards that endgoal.

He'd said it before, though, and he still means it: he'd like to be a different kind of king than those who came before. Even if his reign is brief, his goal is to make the world a better place before he leaves it. It had been before the Crystal, and it still is now.

"You with me?"]

What kind of kings have you known, to say something like that?

[His tone this time carries a slice of playfulness, acknowledging the sentiment and grateful for it.]

[ Despite the playfulness in his tone, the question does evoke a pause, a quick lapse down her memories. She's met many different kinds of royalty, she could say, even of her own world. It doesn't matter, though. They all have graves now. She only knows in the future she'll be meeting their decedents.

In this world, well-- she's met his father.

...And Somnus.

So while she doesn't give a reason for why she believes in him, or on what authority, proof, or expertise she speaks, she does say this with quiet confidence: ]

Enough to be certain that you'd shine among them.

[She sounds so sure of herself that he can't really argue. Maybe she's met lots of weird royals! Maybe she's met none of them, before him. Ultimately it's not something that really matters, especially here. Whether he's a proper king or not will be irrelevant in the long run. He just has to do one job, and if he does it right, he'll be remembered as a good king. He doesn't need praise, but the encouragement... yeah, he'll accept that.]

Are you saying you like it when I speak as a king?

[ Just a smile. ]

You have a natural talent for inspiring, I think.

[ It comes out when she least expects it, and probably without any though on his part. It's not like she's ever heard a more authoritative, traditionally "kingly" tone from him. ]

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