EVENT | LANDFALL | KITHIKA | BOTTLE

[cherrywood]

Characters: ALL!
Date: February 12th - 28th
Location: Kithika, inside the bottle
Situation: The discovery of an artifact from the first war against Malicant reveals the land of Kithika within a dimension of the Death Plane... and just happens to be contained inside a bottle.
Warnings/Rating: Please indicate content warnings in subject headers as applicable.

OOC INFORMATION ♦ CITY OF KEELIAI ♦ INSIDE THE BOTTLE ♦ THE WORLD EATER
Arriving in Kithika is unpleasant for the most part. Transport through the glass vessel deposits you in the middle of a thick and murky swamp, with air so hot and humid it feels as though one is breathing through a wet towel. This is a place of perpetual night and there are no celestial bodies visible overhead through the twisted vines to break up the blackness, making the only light visible that which comes clumps of marsh fungus that emit a steady glow in a variety of muted colours: pale blue, whitish green, watery mauve. The only other light comes from those who can generate it themselves and that will reveal numerous broad-leaved trees, in some places standing too thick to move through. Below, knee-deep water laps in swirls at their legs, accompanied by the occasional slithery feel of something moving in the bracken against wet limbs, gone before it can be identified. A variety of strange noises from creatures of the swamp fill the air with buzzing and hoarse croaking, interrupted by the screech of mosquitoes the size of hummingbirds darting past and hungry for a meal.

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OOC NOTE: Characters will not be able to progress past the Temple and the Grounds for 48 IC hours after which point, the way to continue onward to find the dragon will be discovered. The second log will be posted on the 17th, to help spread out the tagging. Thank you!

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OOC INFORMATION
Landfall Questions | Approved Item Requests | Player Plot - Kryptonian Rampage OOC

CITY OF KEELIAI
Emperor's Orders: Miasma Explained | Marshaling the Forces | A City Under Siege | Halting the Scourge

INSIDE THE BOTTLE
Crossing the Swamp | Decayed Grounds | The Sullied Temple | Stone Idols | Item Discovery

THE WORLD EATER
Battling the Dragon | Soul's Poison | Kryptonian Rampage | The Guarded Pool | Weighing the Options | Aftermath

Comments

[problematical]

"Not a witch," she answered, mind flashing back to Jiangyin where she and Simon had been kidnapped. "Wasn't then, I didn't do anything to Ruby, I don't want to get burned..."

[fearlessherosheart]

"I will not harm you," Tazendra said bluntly. "I have collaborated pleasantly with witches before. And it would be a shameful thing to fight someone who is... still a child."

Tazendra wasn't sure on that last point, since she still wasn't good at aging for non-Dragaerans. But River seemed young to her, and certainly wasn't a warrior at heart, which immediately marked her as someone Tazendra should protect.

[problematical]

With the trees quieted, River thrusts her hands into the swamp muck and comes up with a handful of the bioluminescent moss that she holds to her chest, getting herself thoroughly filthy in the process. Wading up to the nearest section of tangled vine however, the thick knotted barrier loosens, then parts.

"You're like Jayne," she says eventually, looking up at Tazendra who is nearly two feet taller than River. "He's not afraid either, except for sometimes."

[fearlessherosheart]

"I am a Dzurlord. We are the House of Heroes," Tazendra explained. "So the trees are quieted by the moss. That is clever."

[problematical]

River shakes her head slowly, not recognizing the title or the house it belonged to. "Not the moss," she said, stroking the dripping flora and triggering it to glow a little brighter, using it to clear a path.

"The light. It's dark here and they don't like it... they're afraid. The trees have a badness and the light finds it."

[fearlessherosheart]

"This 'badness' is what we are here to fight, correct?" Tazendra said.

[problematical]

The teen nodded, glad that Tazendra understood what she was trying to say even through the metaphor -- though in this case it was literal as well. "It's made them sick," she continued. "Been sick for a long time and everyone ran away."

She continues to press through the copse of trees, leaving the taller one to follow if she wants. But there are still snags and branches reaching out to grab her and she stops, her hair tangled in some.

[fearlessherosheart]

"Ah, a moment, then!"

Tazendra was looking for her own moss, hoping it could persuade the trees to release River. Being tall enough to really drive back branches did have its benefits.

[problematical]

River holds still as instructed and when Tazendra comes over with the glowing lichen, the twigs begin to draw back though they'll still need some hands on removal to get them all clear.

"Ow," she said plaintively.

[fearlessherosheart]

"Bah, troublesome things," Tazendra bent to help free River and fend off any attempts to entangle her.

[problematical]

"Thank you," River said once she'd been released from the snag. With the light of them both carrying the moss, the vines and trees withdrew enough to let them pass and they eventually reached a small clearing. River looked around and then decided that this was an all right place to take a short break.

"Better than the screaming," she added.

[fearlessherosheart]

"It ne- certainly is!" Tazendra agreed. "They were quite distressed."

[problematical]

River bends down, pulling some of the largest clumps of mud off the laces of her boots and the weeds from her legs. "You didn't know," she said. "No one did, before they came here. It's a mystery to everyone. Like a maze, but you can't always take the easy way. Sometimes there's dead ends."

[fearlessherosheart]

"Do you know a better way through the maze?" Tazendra asked.

[problematical]

River shook her head, looking faintly apologetic for it. Even her mind wasn't able to delve a way through this swampy realm, with too many things pressing in on her senses, too much heaviness and bad vibes in the very air.

"I would," she replies, to show that she'd tell Tazendra if she did know.

[fearlessherosheart]

"Well, we will proceed then and perhaps we will find the way." Tazendra said, as if wandering around didn't bother her. Which it didn't. They'd find what they were looking for, or something or interest.