32 - Blow Your Top

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: A volcano eruption threatens the Western District
When: Jan 14 - 16
Where: The Western District of the Heavens
Summary: The Western District volcano is erupting again, endangering nearby temples and sending ash sprinkling down across the Heavens. Is it natural, or another attack? Those who dare climb the volcano can find out.






Earthquake Warning

On the morning of the 14th, an earthquake rattles windows throughout the Heavens. It's not strong enough to knock down buildings -- unless they're about to fall down anyway, like some of the older abandoned temples -- but it's strong enough to knock things off shelves and startle any late sleepers out of bed.

After the earthquake, strange sights abound around the Heavens. The poetic koi are swimming in organized schools in all of the canals, heading upstream towards the east. Springs of pure water burst out in some areas, and in others, normal springs or fountains have gone temporarily dry. Blue and green lights bob and weave across the landscape.

Falling Rock

The volcano begins erupting with a roar and a bright scarlet glow on the horizon. Ash and bits of rock fall across the Western district, and may even reach into the Southwest, Northwest and southern Central districts. Volcanic glass fibers that look like golden hair collect on trees, fences and buildings.

Trails and fountains of lava are also erupting from freshly opened fissures and wending down the sides of the volcano. Gods and shinki who live in the Western District are going to need some help clearing ash and glass from their roofs, trying to re-route lava flows (the good news is, if you cool one side down enough, you can turn them! the bad news is, that takes a lot of work) or just offering them a spare room to stay until things calm down.

Swamp Gas

It's not just lava and springwater erupting from mysterious new crevasses -- and it's not just mundane volcanic gases, either. Divine volcanic vents are blowing mind-altering fumes all over the Heavens. Anywhere across the Far Shore, but especially as characters get closer to the volcano, they may experience one or more of the following effects:

• Confusion
• Intense emotions
• Anger and irritability
• Impulsive behavior, loss of emotional control
• Hallucinations
• Unusually clear insight into other people and situations
• Coughing, eye and throat irritation, difficulty breathing
• Irresistible impulses to speak in poetry

Most symptoms will clear up after a few hours in fresh air, and all of them will be gone within 48 hours of the last volcano gas exposure.

Mountain Climbing

Natural disasters don't just happen like this in the Heavens... do they? Amaterasu's white-robed shinki are convinced that something is wrong, and they're organizing into search parties to go up the mountain and seek out the cause of this eruption. New and old gods and shinki are welcome to join them, or form their own groups. All of the hazards -- tremors, lava, ash, and volcanic gas -- will get worse as characters ascend the volcano. Strange little spirit flames, in shades of red and blue, dance on the rocks, dazzling, confusing and threatening to singe interlopers.

And there's someone up here, too. A mysterious figure with glowing red eyes is keeping watch on the intruders and vanishing behind boulders whenever someone turns his way. He won't let anyone traveling with one of the white-robed shinki get too close, but solitary gods or shinki might manage to lure him into conversation, if they try....

OOC: Please comment to the 'NPC REQUEST' thread below in order to talk to the mysterious figure on the volcano.

Those climbing the volcano will have a chance to battle the mysterious figure should their characters choose to do so. If you're interested in a fight, please comment to the 'NPC FIGHT' thread below before the top-level is posted. A top-level for the fight will go up on IC Jan 16/OOC Sept 4.

In Summary:

• Don't get rattled
• Help out the Western District with their volcano problem
• Watch out for volcanic gases
• Find out who's behind the eruption
• Have fun~

Comments

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Oh sure, I'm bloody terrific! Dodging rocks, roasted by lava, noxious gasses! It's a day in the park!

[Nia isn't even sure why she's so angry, but here she is with it pouring out of her in a flood. Pyrrha doesn't deserve this, but she can't seem to stop.]

At least I have a Blade to help me out, though! How are you not just burning to death?

[incinerators]

[ well that's not concerning at all. pyrrha's brow knits as nia shouts at her. she's got a few burns herself, but she's putting herself on the back burner (haha). ]

Well, I wouldn't say that... [ it's hot as hell up here, but y'know. ] ...Would you like to take a short break? I think that might help?

[sassywelshcatgirl]

It's not going to make the problem go away. [She just sounds sullen now, all frustrated and irritated and overall unhappy. It isn't Pyrrha's fault, but... Rrrrgh!] There's nowhere up here cool or comfortable.

[incinerators]

Well... I was thinking...

[ pyrrha walks closer to nia. she's all sweaty from the volcano and the smoke, but she's at least got enough strength involved to do what she's about to propose: ]

I could carry you a bit of the way up. Perhaps that might solve your comfort problem?

[sassywelshcatgirl]

[...]

[Even with divine fumes pushing her down the path of anger, this suggestion is so out-of-the-blue and so ridiculous that Nia chokes slightly, then bursts into laughter. Hard laughter, arms wrapped around her stomach as she bends over with the force of it.]

[That helps, more than anything else could. When Nia finally manages to straighten, she's wiping at an eye with a hand, all smiles now.]

Pyrrha -- [She's pronouncing it 'Pyra' again, just barely, not consciously] -- I'm a Driver. I could carry you! Thanks for the offer, but I'd never live it down even in my own mind.

[incinerators]

[ you know, this wasn't the result pyrrha was expecting, but it's exactly what she was hoping for. she can't help but smile and laugh a little, too; more importantly, she's glad that nia seems to be feeling a little better. ]

Ah, it's Pyrrha-- [ she doesn't mind if nia says it incorrectly, but she thought she should just throw that in there at least once to let her know, anyway. ] and...well, I'm glad you were able to get a good laugh out of that!

[ she smiles at her despite the heat. ]

[sassywelshcatgirl]

[That reminder sobers Nia up quickly, and she loosens her grip on one ringblade so it falls around to the outside of her arm and she can rub at one cheek.] Sorry. Don't know why it keeps coming out like that.

Seriously though, thanks for the offer. I'm fine. Haven't given up yet. Are you doing all right?

[incinerators]

It's alright, don't worry about it.

[ at nia's question, pyrrha nods. she's tired and sweaty, but otherwise she's holding up just fine. ] I'm doing fine, thank you. I got separated from my team, but I figured that I can use this time to try to help anyone else who may need it.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Why am I not surprised? [That's just the sort of nice girl Pyrrha seems to be, and Nia doesn't know if she should respect that or just find it exhausting.] I haven't seen anybody else up this way, though. Not sure if I'm that far ahead or that far behind.

[incinerators]

We may just be ahead. There was a group of people behind me who were interested in investigating before I left.

Do you want to keep moving?

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Of course! [Nia balls her fists up with nervous energy, not quite enthusiasm or anger either.] I want some answers. I want to know what they're about!

[incinerators]

[ ah. she's very enthusiastic, and pyrrha's not going to argue against that. she's curious to know what's going on as well, so she nods towards nia and falls to her side. ]

I'll follow you. I'd like to know what's going on, too.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Oh, hey, have you heard about this whole 'forest' thing and all? [Nia glances sidelong at Pyrrha as she returns to the climb, long and plodding thought it might be.]

[incinerators]

'Forest' thing?

[ so...nope, she has not! ]

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Yeah, a little before I got here, someone kidnapped a bunch of shinki and gods, I think, and took them into a forest here in the Far Shore. Some sort of black ritual or something. So someone's out to get everyone here, that's for sure. This might be more of that.

[incinerators]

That's...

[ wow. that's kind of alarming, and the fact that she feels so shocked about this shows that she's been getting a little too comfortable. ]

Are you saying that you think it could be the same person who's responsible for all of this?

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Same group. There's a lot of them, I'm sure of it. They're even manipulating gods. One poor girl is getting used for sure... [Nia makes a low growl in her throat, ears twitching in irritation.] They say some renegade god's declared war on the heavens, but I'm not sure it's a god in charge.

[incinerators]

[ group. ] Is there any way we can help them? I know that we may not be on that level, but...there must be something we can do to at least help put an end to all of this.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

[Nia glances sidelong (and way, way up) at Pyrrha.]

I'm not sure we want to. Not yet. Not till I know what the group's actually planning. The Far Shore's no paradise.

[incinerators]

...Alright. I trust you.

[ she nods, her expression firm. determined. ] Let me know if there's anything I can do in the meantime.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

[Nia holds Pyrrha's gaze for a moment, her eyebrows slowly narrowing.]

I'm not so sure you should, but thanks.

[It's not like she'd done anything to earn it. Really, the way she openly complains about the Far Shore, she really shouldn't be left to her own devices.]

[incinerators]

[ ...oh. ]

What...makes you say that?

[sassywelshcatgirl]

[She looks sidelong at Pyrrha, choosing her words for maximum impact.] I hate the Far Shore. I hate being a shinki. I hate being someone else's bloody property. Give me a way to tear it all down and put up something better in it's place, I'll take it in a heartbeat.

that was the wrong icon

[incinerators]

...What you're feeling is understandable, Nia.

[ even if pyrrha doesn't exactly feel the same way, she can understand where her vitriol is coming from. ] I don't think that gives me any reason to not trust you.

[sassywelshcatgirl]

Oh yeah? Even when I'm saying I might consider signing up with the other side if I thought their plan was any good? [Seriously, that doesn't scream 'trustworthy' right there.]