tushanshu_logs | EVENT | LANDFALL

Entry tags:

EVENT | LANDFALL | ZESHORA

Characters: ALL!
Date: June 17th to July 8th
Location: Zeshora
Situation: Tu Vishan has washed up near the cities of Atoce and Uessaire.
Warnings/Rating: Add warnings as needed.

The cities of Zeshora were renowned across all of Konryu as works of art, and even with the upheaval which sank and destroyed many of them centuries prior, that distinction remains evident. The Erol'a will recount, if asked, a terrible series of earthquakes and resultant tsunamis that rolled over Zeshora, and how great chunks of the continent simply dropped away. Zeshora was one of the oldest continents, and its landmasses upon the backs of long-dead Great Turtles had been so constant, that no one had even thought it possible such a thing could have happened.

Testament to the Erol'a's resilience however, they adapted and reclaimed the cities that had fallen to, or just below, sea level. Arches, pillars and soaring ceilings dominate the architecture in both cities, and every surface is painstakingly decorated with tiny inlaid shells and coral, turning every hall and room into a mosaic of colour. It's not uncommon for Erol'a dwellings to have multiple stories, and likewise it's not unlikely to have at least a few of those levels under sea level. So it's entirely possible to have one's upstairs be above water, and one's downstairs be below the water! Imagine having to take a swim to get a midnight snack. Of course, the Erol'a don't find that strange at all. Likewise, it's perfectly normal to them to walk down the hallways of their homes in ankle, knee or waist-deep water, something that the Foreigners and even some kedan might take some getting used to. The water temperature during the day is a delightful 80℉/26℃, and about ten degrees cooler throughout the night, so it's pleasant for nearly everyone.

LINKS
Atoce - City of Pearls | Uessaire - City of Lilies | Ollesse - The Coral Ruins | Secessi - The Floating Reefs | Hatchling Messages
Astegune | Landfall Surprise | Landfall Update - Jun 23 | OOC Post

OOC
Please direct questions to the OOC post! You can either use the areas described under header, or create your own -- don't feel you have to be limited to threading only in the locations mentioned in the starters! Just don't forget to label your top-levels with specific locations (eg the Height or the Deep).

ACTIVITY CHECK NOTE: Due to the late-month timing of this landfall, threads from this log can be counted toward either June or July AC. Just don't use the same comment thread for both and you'll be fine!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Unlike Atoce, which spread upward, Uessaire spreads out. Though the city centre is on land, it's the lowest point on the continent and a foot below sea-level. Uessaire is a city of floating footpaths and bridges strung out between giant 'courtyards' shaped like lilypads. Over the land -- what the Erol'a call the grounded city -- it's custom for anyone over 18 to get off the path to favour the under 18s. Anything else is extremely rude.

On the floating city the paths are controlled by pulleys and harnesses, which means the city's layout can change at any given time. The paths aren't named but each of the major lilypads are, and are legally obligated to remain within a specific area of connection. Despite that, the paths themselves can connect in direction! However, only under 18s have leave to walk them, except under special dispensation -- most of those older will have to take tiny pontoon barges between the pathways, which are slower and have a tendency to being cramped.

The lilypads are natural plants, cultivated and bred for size, used because their flat bellies are more economical for navigating the ruins beneath the water's surface. They secrete an oil on their underside which is lighter than water, and enables them to float even with the Erol'a platforms build on top. The oil is mildly toxic, however, and swimming beneath them isn't exactly prohibited so much as discouraged -- except for new adults just gone 19, who harvest the oil; for many of them, oil-harvesting is the only way to build their income after losing their citizenship rights. When properly harvested, its toxic qualities can be chemically removed to create a strong water-repellant which sells for a decently high price.

Something the Foreigners and kedan will recognise are the sea wisps from the festival two months ago, but while on the turtle's shell they're a rarity, here they're almost a pest. Around the grounded city the sea wisps are especially thick, like weeds growing around the edges of the paths and making wading something of an adventure; but out on the lilypads they're cultivated in floating 'window boxes'. At night the sea wisps glow so brightly, collectively, that they illuminate the whole city.

There's currently something of a fierce debate going on about their usefulness -- though they provide an easy light-source, in the grounded city they're so thick and difficult to prune that they threaten the foundations of some of the embedded buildings. Thus far, the movement to keep them is winning, but either way the Erol'a are quite willing to sell them in bulk.

Uessaire deals primarily in landed resources, especially inland. Its outer-boundary platforms serve as ships, and during certain times of year the city can almost double in size as its foragers and fishers return to build floating marketplaces and sell their findings. The migration back to Uessaire is currently underway, with the result that by the end of the landfall a great cluster of curious boatpads will be tethered between Tu Vishan and Uessaire, providing footpaths from turtle to city without any trouble.

China's investigating the cities mostly for the form of the thing, and because it is sensible to know one's surroundings, even if she doesn't have much desire to stay in them long. It's simply more trouble than it's worth, dealing with the locals, even if she can magic her way out of the more inconvenient things. So she keeps to the courtyards mostly, the wide open lilypads where she can watch from the outskirts.

When approached by the natives, no matter whether Crests or Kelps, she'll mostly attempt to disengage or shift away with as little conversation as possible, though on a few rare instances she can be found demonstrating a simple sigil that, when complete, gives off a clear light. This is always accompanied by some kind of exchange, informational or material -- one does not get something for nothing -- and it's more than possible that China's apartment is going to acquire some number of sea wisps.

Anyone who actually knows her may register that she looks a tiny bit irritated even when not being spoken to, and it says something that it's actually visible in her expression.

[ooc; if you haven't threaded with China before but want to, obligatory heads up about that thing she does.]

"Excuse me, miss?"

A younger Erol'a approached China from behind after she had finished exchanging information with a few others. His eyes were wide with wonder as China's magic took affect and it took him a few moments to find the words he was looking for.

"Are you the foreigner called Valdis?"

This earned a brief pause from China, as she blinked at the Erol'a. "Goodness, no," she said in a moment, and she laughed. "She's much shorter."

She sized the young man up, judged him under eighteen, and, a little grudgingly, inclined her head in a picture of respect. Even with her magic, she was trying not to cause too much of a disruption. "But I can certainly see that any message you have gets to her," she added, eyes wide and earnest.

The boy frowned slightly, "He said the prettiest foreigner..." the boy trailed off, confused, "I haven't seen anyone prettier than you, miss. But, if you aren't Valdis, then I really shouldn't give you the message. It was very specific..." He sounded somewhat regretful.

China considered her options, considered tweaking the chaos enthusiast, and, subsequently, laid it on thick, utterly shameless.

"That's very kind of you to say," she said, still earnest. "But I do happen to know Miss Valdis, and I'd be more than happy to pass on the message-- you shouldn't have to trouble yourself any further for us." And she pushed, with her magic, just a little.

The boy visibly brightens, but perhaps not for the reason that China expects.

"If you know Miss Valdis," he said happily, "Then maybe you could call her on that thing?" he pointed to her handset, "I've seen you foreigners use them to talk to people not nearby." He seemed to be quite pleased with this solution.

"There's no need to call me," Valdis said, walking up, a lovely smile on her face. "Hello, China."

Edited 2015-06-21 03:46 (UTC)

"Ah," China said, and managed to sound pleased about it despite the fact that she could not now hold whatever it was over Valdis' head. "Well, that solves that problem, doesn't it? How convenient." She smiled at Valdis, a charming little thing with carefully hidden insincerity. "Shall I leave you to your rendezvous? This seems like... private business."

Which was not to say that she didn't want to know, naturally, but there was only so much she was willing to put up with in one day.

The boy looked between the two of them, a sort of awe on his face, as if he couldn't quite believe that they could both be so beautiful. Although, Valdis had no doubt that China would win the contest, she only did so by cheating. Valdis smiled back at China, recalling their conversation over the network and the amusement returned, causing her smile to light up her eyes.

"Don't leave on my account," she replied, "Anything that needs to be said can be said in front of you, we are both foreigners after all."

It wasn't cheating, per se. China was simply utilizing all of her natural resources. One of those happened to be a certain gift with sigils, that was all.

"Goodness, that is gracious of you." And also utter nonsense, but if Valdis wanted to perpetuate the illusion they were all happy families and give China access to information meant solely for her, well, China wasn't going to try to talk her out of it. "Very well, my dear Valdis, I'll stay."

It was only after the fact that Valdis realized that she didn't even know why the Erol'a child wished to speak with her and perhaps she shouldn't have invited China to stay without that information. But it was too late now, and Valdis simply smiled at the crest.

"Why did you wish to find me?" she asked politely.

The boy finally regained his composure, "I have a message for you from Bobby."

Valdis' heart leaped as he told her that the hatchlings had been here and she almost completely forgot about China's presence.

"What did he say?" She asked.

"He said that he misses you and that he was sorry about Dante, but he knows that you are strong enough to keep going. For a short time he was afraid that you were going to disappear, but he is very happy that you didn't. " the crest said. "He can't wait to see you again, but he has to do something first...That's it."

She sent her love through the very faint connection between her and her hatchling, hoping that it would reach him. "Thank you," she told the crest, inclining her head.

China styled her face in an expression of polite attentiveness, remaining quiet through the little conversation. Without context very little of the exchange meant a great deal to her, except in the clear implication that Valdis lost someone she cared about, but China made note of it all anyway. She never knew what might become useful later.

She could guess 'Bobby' was one of the hatchlings she'd heard about, at least, though she did hate guesswork.

"I feel we've grown closer," China said once the Crest had departed, sounding perhaps a little less sincere in her earnestness than she had before.

Yes, this was exactly the thing that she didn't particularly like China Sorrows hearing about, but it was too late now.

"Indeed," she said, not smiling anymore. China was almost as insincere as they came, so she wasn't exactly bothered by the woman's indifference. What she was bothered by was the fact that the woman now knew Dante's name and that something had happened to him. It was a weakness she didn't want any potential enemy knowing.

She did give Valdis an out, in all fairness. China's polite little smile didn't waver, despite Valdis' evident drop in demeanour. "Well, we are both Foreigners, after all," she said lightly, reminding Valdis of her own words. "Of course we must stick together. Especially in such a place as this."

Of course neither of them would be forgetting that China had learned something Valdis would rather she hadn't, but it was the form of the thing.

"Shall we walk?" China offered, still all polite almost-sincerity.

Tony had been disappointed when the Erol'a had at first appeared mostly indifferent to technology, but he had very quickly discovered that they became much more interested as soon as he mentioned that he could build things that would operate in and around water.

This has opened up a number of opportunities.

But to make sure he can make the best of them, he needs an accomplice. Which is why he is now in the Hotel, knocking on Alayne's door. He's bubbling with excitement, and as soon as Alayne opens the door, without even waiting to exchange greetings, he asks, "Hey, Alayne, how old are you?"

The knock was unexpected and Alayne looked up from her newest project - a tapestry of sorts that detailed her time on the Turtle. She carefully tucked the needle into the weave and rose, her heels clicking against the floor as she approached the door. After turning the lock, she opened the barrier and smiled in surprise.

"Tony!" it had been some time since they had spoken - much less seen each other in person, "I..." the question caught her off-guard and she frowned, "I am sixteen. Why do you ask?"

"Great! Have you heard about the Kelp and Crest thing that the Erol'a have? Anybody under eighteen gets special treatment because they're first-class citizens. It's weird, but they want us to stick to the same rules when we're visiting. I'm almost twenty, but if you're just sixteen, you could go with me and help me get better deals in the market." He smiles hopefully. "I've got some waterproof tech that should trade really well. I'll split what I make with you."

He could have asked Pepper to be his under-18 liaison, but he'd rather do business with the assistance of someone who won't go mad with power and get distracted by lording her new social standing over him all day. Anyway, he sees Pepper all the time (since she lives with them), and he hasn't hung out with Alayne in a while.

"Yes...?" her eyebrows rise in curiosity and then she smiles, tilting her head in amusement, "I would be honored to keep you company." there is no hesitation. Tony has been a good friend and if she can help him promote his technology and get better deals, she will do so.

"Give me a moment." she steps back inside the room and grabs a shawl as well as a small bag, "You must be excited." once she joins him again, she closes the door softly, "I look forward to seeing your work in action."

"Awesome." Tony waits (and manages to do so patiently, mostly because he only has to be patient for a few seconds) while Alayne grabs her things.

But he raises his eyebrows when she steps out of her room. "Don't you want to change into something else...?" Tony himself is suitably attired in shorts and a loose shirt of quick-drying material. "Zeshora's half underwater. It's gonna be pretty wet. We might have to do some wading."

"Ah..." she flushes darkly and takes a deep, steadying breath, "Just a moment."

This time she is in her room for considerably longer. When she finally emerges, she is wearing a pair of trousers and a loose, tunic-like shirt. It's painfully obvious that she isn't comfortable, but she pushes through it.

"Will these do?" in her nervous state, some of her childhood arrogance peeks through.

"Oh. Uh." Right. She's from Old-Timey Medieval Land (any period before 1800 is "Old-Timey Medieval" to Tony). They probably didn't wear bikinis where she's from, did they? Whoops.

Tony is about to tell her to forget it, and they can stick to the walkways and dry areas, but before he can stumble his way through the awkwardness, she disappears back into her room. He loiters in the hall while she changes, feeling like a complete oaf.

When she opens the door again, he smiles and says, "Yeah, uh— you look great."

Wait. Maybe he shouldn't have tried to compliment her? Will the compliment make her more self-conscious? Maybe he shouldn't have said anything. ~~HE DOESN'T KNOW HOW GIRLS WORK.~~

As if it isn't embarrassing enough to feel so...revealed! Alayne forces herself to look unaffected, though her red cheeks likely give her away. A woman's body should not be so exposed! But even she couldn't deny that it was easier to move in such attire.

"...thank you." she finally whispers, crossing her arms in front of her, "The Lady Valdis and Akito helped me acquire...these. Pants." she glances down at her legs, "They would be entirely improper in Westeros, but..." she shrugs a shoulder delicately, searching desperately for a change of subject, "Shall we?"

"Don't worry about it, I've seen girls in a lot less," Tony says - and almost immediately realizes that that is the opposite of helpful.

"That's not— I haven't— I didn't mean it like that," he stammers, also starting to blush. "I just mean, where I'm from, normal clothes are a lot more, uh, revealing, and it's not... improper. Pants are fine. I've seen girls wearing pants. Oh my god." He slaps his hand over his face. "I'm going to shut up now. You're fine. I'm an idiot. Let's go."

Maybe he'll get lucky and a shark will eat him. Can sharks smell embarrassment like they smell blood?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

EVENT | LANDFALL | ZESHORA

Uessaire - City of Lilies

a courtyard; ota; June 19 or so

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June 20 | Closed to Alayne

<333

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WHAT A HUGE NERD

An adorable nerd <3

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