RATATOSKR

[soulping]

Years ago, you recieved a charter from the United Empire, and were officially made a member of the newly christened Trade Company! Your goal was to seek fortune wherever it may be found in this strange land...of course, through force of arms, if the natives failed to cooperate.

But now things are different. You no longer work for the Empire, but for your homeland of Columbia -- and to a lesser extent, the people you've come to associate here in Jambudvipa. With your legion of slave workers, you are ready to bring the 'people' of this land to heel and make them better serve your country.

What are you here for? Riches, knowledge, recognition. Your destiny is to carve a path through these savage lands, and to accomplish something that will make you known. The ascent to glory is never easy, but you're confident you will reach those lofty heights.

You'll reach the top, or die trying.

Comments

START

[soulping]

You find yourself standing in the foyer of the grand Gurkhani Empire.

Your meeting with the Emperor was less than fruitful...but you can salvage this situation. You'll just have to find your glory elsewhere.

Servants and dignitaries of the court wander to and fro through the gilded halls -- it seems there's a party of some sort going on? In the dining hall cabinets of finely-crafted porcelain dishware and sculptures line the walls, and several of the hallways feature prominent portraits of the royal family.

To the NORTH appears to be the THRONE FOYER.
To the SOUTH is the exit to the CAPITAL CITY OF AGRA.

Re: START

[cosmetician]

[massages her temple for a moment]

Okay, so, Nafuna likes to design her games so that even small choices can explode and affect others as well as ourselves. Let's try to minimize damage.

Seems like we can schmooze with some nobles or venture outside.

MARKET STREET

[soulping]

Welcome to the Grand City of Angra! You find yourself on the main thoroughfare, markets lining the streets, and beggars and orphans seeking coin loitering about. Everyone is busy, busy, as you should be, right? Unless, of course, you have something you'd like to buy.

To the EAST is the OLD CITY.
To the WEST is the NOBLE QUARTER.
To the NORTHEAST is the PORT QUARTER.
To the NORTH is the PALACE.
To the SOUTHEAST is the EMBASSY.

Re: MARKET STREET

[cantando]

[Where do we go for information? Of course, the docks!

>Go Northeast.]

Re: MARKET STREET

[cosmetician]

[let's chat around, see what's being sold, what the prices are like

keeping a hand on my money, of course, so no one pickpockets it



can i fit it all in my bra, actually]

FOYER

[soulping]

The foyer is completely empty. There are candles lit on the tables against the far wall, right below a portrait of the current Holy Emperor.

Wait -- no, there is a servant in here.

To the EAST is the THRONE ROOM.

Re: FOYER

[cosmetician]

[approaching with her Best smile]

Hi! I wanted to ask about applying as an intern. Do you think you could help me out? It's always been my dream to work as a dignitary of the esteemed Emperor's court.

PORT QUARTER

[soulping]

The PORT actually...currently has no ships docked.

There are tons of merchants along the piers, however, peddling their seafood delights and various other wares.

To the SOUTH is the NOBLE QUARTER.

Re: PORT QUARTER

[cantando]

[THIS SEEMS LIKE A GOOD PLACE TO START Let's chat up the merchants, how's trade, what's selling, what's the gossip?]

Re: PORT QUARTER

[cosmetician]

[gonna chat up the merchants, ask why there aren't any ships, poke into how much it might cost to acquire and run a small fleet.....]

CITY GATES

[soulping]

Welcome to the Grand City of Angra! ...Well, no, not quite yet. These are the gates, the boundary that keeps the rabble out and keeps the grand city so grand.

Guards stand watch at the towers, and on either side of the gates' ground level. Caravans are checked as they pass in and out.

Atop the gates is a gigantic sculpture depicting a vile green monkey, skewered on the tusks of a garish yellow-green boar. It is evidently supposed to symbolize the defeat of the rebellion three years ago, which definitely happened. The rebel scum is no longer a threat, at all.

There is no war in Jambudvipa.

To the WEST is WEST CITY.
To the NORTH is MARKET STREET.
To the SOUTH is the SHRINE OF LIGHT.

Re: CITY GATES

[cosmetician]

[Inwardly squinting hardcore at the statue. That doesn't bode well for her opinion of this place.

> take stock of the guards' behavior, do they seem alerted or on edge or looking for someone in particular]

SHRINE OF LIGHT

[soulping]

The SHRINE OF LIGHT is dedicated to Suirya Pratyuisha, the Light of Dawn. At the center of the shrine is a gigantic glass sphere set in a marble base, and surrounding it are several mirrors.

It'd probably look beautiful if light were shining through the sphere, but the canopy is pretty thick here.

To the SOUTH is the SHRINE OF FIRE.
To the EAST is the SHRINE OF THE SKY.
To the NORTH are the CITY GATES.
To the EAST is...a LEOPARD COLONY? You think you heard that wrong. Maybe it's LEPER COLONY? Who can even really tell. You can probably try to go to either and it won't even matter, at all. They're basically the same thing.

Re: SHRINE OF LIGHT

[cosmetician]

[while i'm here....

> ask about the light of dawn, what are the practices and beliefs, etc]

SHRINE OF FIRE

[soulping]

This shrine is dedicated to Tvaistar, god of the forge. At its center lies a massive anvil, runes inscribed around its base. The attendants of this shrine are busy at work pounding away at the miniature forges located all around the edges of the shrine.

Magma seems to be bubbling up from beneath the anvil.

To the NORTH is the SHRINE OF LIGHT.
To the WEST is the SHRINE OF THE EARTH.
To the EAST are the SOUTHERN BEAST TRIBE VILLAGES.

Re: SHRINE OF FIRE

[cosmetician]

[ > ask about the history of this religion, the belief and practices, etc]

Re: SHRINE OF FIRE

[secretofthefox]

[yo

So because I am more exhausted than I hoped I'd be and won't make the rest of the game I am just going to assume that Sol has decided screw it, it's probably safer for everyone if he just goes back to the Fire Shrine and quietly makes more metal charms on an anvil off to the side.

Not that big one, the stone circle and Sekhmet's situation have him wary of what would happen if he went anywhere near that.

But yeah, just gonna sit here for a while making charms for Fire Bro.]

SHRINE OF THE EARTH

[soulping]

The Shrine of the Earth is dedicated to the deva POUSAN, and is appropriately the crossroads between the network of shrines dedicated to the various Devas that have recently returned to Jambudvipa.

The reconstruction and restoration of the network and shrines, as well as the patronage of POUSAN is symbolized by a statue of a blue horse trampling a leopard on a raised platform in the shrine's center.

Attendants to the shrine hurry about, going about their various rituals.

To the SOUTH is the village of MEERUT.
To the EAST is the SHRINE OF THE SEA.
To the WEST is the SHRINE OF FIRE.
To the NORTH is the SHRINE OF THE SKY.

Re: SHRINE OF THE EARTH

[secretofthefox]

[Since he is in a creative mood right now (and definitely not because one of his best friends back home happens to be in charge of plant life, no never), how might Sol go about helping out at this shrine for a bit?]

BEAST TRIBE VILLAGES

[soulping]

Here is the home of the SOUTHERN BEAST TRIBE, a confederation of those who have been touched by the wilds. Legend says that they were the original inhabitants of this land, before the humans drove them near to extinction.

Even now, they struggle for their lives against Imperial forces, which seek to wipe them out entirely.

To the NORTH are the BEAST TRIBE PLAINS.
To the EAST are the BEAST TRIBE VILLAGES EAST.

Re: BEAST TRIBE VILLAGES

[cosmetician]

[ > respectfully ask around the village for their side of the story, try to get a sense of their culture and values]

SHRINE OF THE SKY

[soulping]

This shrine is dedicated to the deva, Vaiyu -- overseer of the skies. A series of propellers surrounds the center, concealing what appears to be a gilded cage. The propellers seem like they should move, but they aren't...

To the SOUTH is the SHRINE OF THE EARTH.
To the NORTHEAST are the CITY GATES.
To the EAST is the SHRINE OF LIGHT.
To the WEST is the SHRINE OF DARKNESS.

Re: SHRINE OF THE SKY

[cantando]

[...That's odd.

>Inspect propellers.]

COLUMBIAN SLAVE CAMP

[soulping]

You reach the Columbian slave camp. It's a large complex, most of which is taken up by the guard quarters, slave quarters, and the plantation. The whole complex is heavily guarded by Columbian soldiers, though it doesn't look like anyone is particularly trying to get in or out, anyway.

To the NORTH is are the BEAST TRIBE VILLAGES.

Re: COLUMBIAN SLAVE CAMP

[dontcallmedarling]

[Let's talk to the guards. What's the mood been like in the camp? How have things been going?]

BEAST TRIBE PLAINS

[soulping]

The jungle finally opens up into a wide open plain, that seems to stretch forever in all directions. Several farms and ranches dot the countryside, assumedly owned by the beast tribes.

There is a river running north towards the sea near the GRAND CITY.

To the SOUTH are the BEAST TRIBE VILLAGES.

Re: BEAST TRIBE PLAINS

[cantando]

[This looks promising.

Let's see if she can find anyone to talk to!]

SHRINE OF THE SEA

[soulping]

This shrine is dedicated to Varuna, and at its center lies a tranquil, but...seemingly impossibly deep pond. There doesn't appear to be anyone around here.

To the NORTH is the SHRINE OF DARKNESS.
To the EAST is the SHRINE OF THE EARTH.
To the WEST is the GNOLL ENCAMPMENT.

Re: SHRINE OF THE SEA

[dontcallmedarling]

[Let's... explore a bit before heading to the Gnoll encampment. At least kind of looking at that pond. Let's be careful because- Sek had a thing.]

REALM OF WATER

[soulping]

You're drowning.

There are no exits.

You are going to die.

Do you pray to Varuna?

[dontcallmedarling]

[OH GODS

He's struggling for a minute, at least, trying to get back to the surface.

But he rapidly realizes he's been tricked. Of course he has. Why did he let his guard down fuck fuck

But he's... starting to pray. Ohhh is he praying. He's a pious man. He's not afraid to ask the god to forgive him for his trespassing.

He needs to help his team. He needs to.

Please.]

LANDFALL

[soulping]

Landfall! That's what you all said years ago, when you first arrived here. The once small tradepost on the coast of Jambudvipa is now a bustling port town...appropriately called Landfall. The heroes responsible for the success of this important outpost of Western culture are symbolized by a statue of a pink tiger, ridden by a young lady that could only be described as a princess, both roaring fiercly into the sky.

There are cargo ships currently docked at the piers, and the dock workers are busy hauling crates all around. The townspeople pay you no mind, ducking in and out of the shops and guilds and homes.

To the WEST is the QUARRY.
To the EAST is some jungle.

Re: LANDFALL

[cosmetician]

[A pink tiger................thanks, Dawon.

> beep boop ask about hiring ships, outfitting ships, how advanced are the ships (do they have cannon, etc), are there pirates nearby]