onwesterlywinds

[onwesterlywinds]

« HEED WELL THY PLACE IN HIST'RY'S WEAVE. RETURN THEE NOW TO THINE APPOINTED ROLE: TO TOWER ON DISTANT SHORE, WHERE THY JUDGMENT WAITS. »

[onwesterlywinds]

pov you are explaining the mechanics

(@nuclearanomaly put a lucky star gif in the chat and I had to do something about it)

[onwesterlywinds]

nights in thanalan

[onwesterlywinds]

Save me Ser Ophelie, carry me off into the sunset Ser Ophelie

[onwesterlywinds]

This contains plot details from 7.0 and 7.1.

What an interesting turn this has taken...

"Consider perhaps a dense book. Everything you can see in the world around you is encapsulated in a couple of pages. Were you to turn the page, you'd find something similar but different. Keep turning and you slowly further deviate from where you began. These are hidden facets of existence that most cannot see, and what I have honed to focus on all my life. Often spirits or the spiritually acute lurk beyond the veil here, including voidsent.

"You read on and on, and eventually you reach a new chapter, a new story. This is a whole new realm, often called a reflection or a shard - within the same book, for all such realms are part of the greater whole. Worlds not utterly foreign to the Source, but their histories are their own. As well as the relative flows of time. Such is believed from where voidsent hail. From where Alexandria originated..."

... And in that regard, Alexandria's world must be exceptional.

When the search for Pakim had stalled, despite scrutiny of the Ohantum Family, I turned my attention back to Origenics and the trail of souls that flowed from there, using that to re-coordinate my friends' efforts. Further south, into Yok Tural. While I couldn't trace those souls all the way to an endpoint, the shinobi did pick up some interesting information through the Landsguard...

The City of Gold.

A common Turali legend that seemed to be considered very real within intelligence.

I shared my findings with Ashelia...

...And she was able to corroborate via an independent source that the City was in fact our destination, and that it resided in Yak T'el, a region that lines up with the souls' trajectory.

Finding the mythical City was believed to be the end goal of the rite of succession, and seems that it was connected to the world from which Alexandria came all along.

To have had an influence as to spur centuries of myth and speculation, the veil to that world must be quite thin indeed. And this, coupled with the process of the Rite, is how Zoraal Ja was able to strike an accord with Alexandria to begin with. How he became its king and arranged a merge with Yyasulani.

The summit of Everkeep was quite unlike anything I had expected... Barring the dramatic throne, it was remarkably featureless. Almost as if the head had been severed perfectly clean from the rest of the body, and I suspect that uppermost reaches of the complex had been left behind in the home world.

It felt like something else used to be there. Maybe it was lost at the time Zoraal Ja was vanquished. Is there a connection, I wonder, with the City of Gold?

I did feel a little bit too assured on information that was largely obscure, I imagine, to the wider Tural. Knowing what I've known, I didn't at the least unconvinced about the City's existence.

Still, I'm of the understanding that its location has been long-sought for a long time, a close secret - and the upper echelons of the Landsguard have been keen on keeping it that way.

I don't doubt Ashe's impeccable connections for a minute, but how would Pakim have known? How did he reach that world to set his plans in motion...?

Living Memory... Yes, that would certainly be fitting, with everything that has transpired...

...!!

"Lazuli, I have a question... There has been a lot of talk, lately, and I have met with many Alexandrians, but I'm afraid it has eluded me -- what, truly, is an Endless?"

"Well, this is mostly hearsay, but... Believe it or not, there is a thriving black market in Everkeep, and the scarcity of the neo-regulators fast made them a ripe target for shady dealings-- a scalper obtains such a device, doesn't register it, and then sells it under the table for the most desperate. Abhorrent, but amidst all of that there have been tonzes of rumors - regarding the Endless, the Cloud, the very nature of the 'Queen' herself, past and present. You see..."

Oh, kami forfend.

[onwesterlywinds]

[onwesterlywinds]

"Just so you know," the Midsummer Knight had said upon meeting Ashe outside the Arcadion, "it's 'they' under the dome. No names, no aliases, just-" And then they'd broken off to gracefully decline a photo with a fan.

Ashe could not rightly say that they "looked good," as they had yet to remove their strange helmet. She could not fathom how Ahtyn could stand to wear it, or any of the other Vanguard armor that made up their fighting kit - until she recalled, while watching them gesture over to the True Vue bartender to bring them an unspecified drink, that this was the same adventurer who had taken to wearing Noah van Gabranth's Magister plate after the IVth's defeat in Bozja. Still, controversial apparel aside, Ashe recognized an ease to their movements that had often been hard-won over the years.

"Right," they said, as the two of them took their seats along the busiest stretch of the promenade. "Before I forget-"

They pulled out from one of their comically large pockets a familiar green bottle imprinted with a Dalmascan desert rose, and set it upon the table between them. Ashe could not help but marvel at it - at anything so artisanal amid a sea of the artificial.

"And how," she asked, unable to suppress her grin, "does one obtain a bottle of Lea Monde vintage - a Suhd Viandja, no less - in Everkeep of all places?"

Ahtyn shrugged. "Same way anything else from outside the dome gets in: at the order of someone really rich with nothing better to do. If I have to hear one more Alexandrian talk about how they haven't had any good wine since 'the war'…"

Their recollection stirred memories of Ashe's own of their shared tenure with the Ilsabard contingent, and of the entitlement they'd continued to face from Garleans of all ranks - even with everything they and their people had worked, died, and conquered for in ruins.

"You said the Alexandrians remind you of the Garleans," Ashe said at length. "And I certainly don't disagree, what with all the bread and circuses…" She could not help but glance up at the towering structure of the Arcadion over Ahtyn's shoulder, and took care to lower her voice. "But the Garleans had some measure of loyalty. Whether to their emperor, or their ideals, or what have you. Here, I expect the average Alexandrian would just as soon cut down the person next to them as they would me, if it meant they would get a shiny new regulator out of it."

"Fair point." Ahtyn gazed out for a long moment along the neon cityscape, only to turn back to Ashe with a note of fondness in their voice. "Gotta say, though - when you said you'd be making your way to Everkeep, I, uh… well, I didn't think you'd stay this long."

Neither did she, but she refrained from stating the obvious. "Needs must. This business with the stolen electrope-"

"I've been following it," Ahtyn interrupted. "What I can gather from the Riskbreakers' channels, at least. But I'll help out if I can."

Ashe scanned the crowds nearby, at the Alexandrians from a distance further off craning their necks for a glimpse at the Midsummer Knight. She could make out no security drones in the vicinity, but that did not mean they were absent. "Those souls that pass through Origenics-"

She had the sense that Ahtyn's eyes were wide under their helmet. "You've been into Origenics?"

"We had to-" she began, then shook her head. "It's not important. The long and short of it is that as of now, our only lead on Pakim - the electrope thief - is that he's still leveraging souls. Siphoning them, perhaps. But when Hinako tried to follow their flow, they… disappeared."

Ahtyn sighed. For a moment, they stared off into the middle distance, and Ahtyn had to glare on their behalf as a particularly gutsy observer veered too close to their table.

"Okay," they said eventually. "So I'm going to fill you in on some stuff that's absolutely not mine to talk about. Like, not just state secrets - think 'what if I brought the Dawnservants to Baelsar's Wall, and showed them around, and gave them the blow-by-blow of how Shinryu was summoned.'"

Ahtyn's comparison had found its mark: a shudder tore through Ashe before she could suppress it. All at once she missed Stella, missed Ala Mhigo. "I understand."

The words rang hollow to her own ears, but Ahtyn offered a nod. They leaned in a little closer over the table and began one of their signature meandering stories.

"Years ago - I'm talking a long time, centuries - the Yok Huy had an empire that spanned most of the south. Not much is left of it, but deep in one of the jungles around Yak T'el, there's a village called Mamook, which, as you can probably guess, is home to Mamool Ja now. Real fundamentalists. Anyway, they built a grave on top of an ancient Yok Huy quarry. And that's the entrance to the city of gold."

Ashe could only expect she had somehow misheard, particularly as someone chose that moment to walk past blaring the most obnoxious electronic music she had ever heard from a tomestone's tinny speakers. "What?"

"Yeah. Those souls, or their memories, or what have you - I guarantee you that's where they're going. To the city of gold. And if Pakim has found a way inside, somehow… well."

Still Ahtyn's anxious demeanor did not lessen an ilm; they continued to fiddle with their straw.

"What else is it?" Ashe prompted.

"The grave is… it's for their babies, Ashe." Her blood froze, even before Ahtyn continued. "It's a grave for all the dead Mamool Ja babies that couldn't survive outside of their shells, because of all the magicking that went into trying to make them fit to rule. And all that's on top of an old quarry that was tapped to sustain an empire." Again Ahtyn glanced away. "It was a lot for me, Ashe - I got back to Tuliyollal and had to have a good cry about it. But knowing you, with your Echo…"

Their words trailed off. Ashe reached across the table for their hand and took it in her own.

"Thank you," she said, as firmly as she could muster. If this was to be the Riskbreakers' path forward, then at least she was forewarned. "As far as reaching out to the people of Mamook-"

"I'll handle that bit. I know a guy - technically a pair of guys. But he won't be on-site, per se, so if you run into any issues while you're there, ask for Blue-Eyes. Tell him his niece sent you."

"His-"

Any other questions Ashe might have raised were cut off as a throng of people rushed their table, many of them with cameras.

"I'll send you the coordinates!" Ahtyn promised, and stood, conveying the bottle of Suhd Viandja to the safety of Ashe's hands all the while. "And I'm here if you need anything else - but don't think that means I won't send Edge sprawling when I fight him!"

Though it had been years since Ashe and Ahtyn had fought side by side, she recognized the Midsummer Knight's crowd control tactics all too well - even with their sword absent. With their relative privacy at an end, Ashe made her retreat back to Suraja's living quarters to plan the Riskbreakers' next move.

[onwesterlywinds]

Ashelia Riot drains her coffee cup and throws it at a passing sentry drone.

[onwesterlywinds]

Figured out my freckle brush :3

My main from FFXIV~ The symbols are her main jobs. I wanted to sit down and try to draw how I see her in my head as a half miqo'te/half hrothgar, with her fur and whatnot. She dyes her hair, which is why the fur is white and her hair is purple. She's got a boatload of arcanima tattoos that I didn't draw though, I need to settle on placement/style for those.

Doing all the XIV job symbols with the calligraphy brush was so fun, I should do the other girls' jobs too.

[onwesterlywinds]

executioner's gibbet

[onwesterlywinds]

who are you, really?

sundered now from home and kin, both in this world and the last— sundered from purpose, from duty, from your very name and all you once held dear...

what remains now but a fading echo of that man you once claimed to be?

[onwesterlywinds]

POV: You laid hands on the garlean delegate, and suddenly there are two very pissed off elezen who just rotated you, standing there menacingly.

[onwesterlywinds]

Edge Marbrand sits on the roof of the saloon, staring off into the distance as he passes the golden electrope between his hands. His eyes keep roving toward the dome in particular, as usual. Ashelia Riot clambers to the top of the roof, proud that she's still able to do it. She doesn't know exactly what she's expecting to find, but something about the sight of him so tucked away fills her with a dread she can't fully place. "Hey." She eyes the electrope in his hands, and decides to approach him anyway. Edge Marbrand smiles at the sight of her. "Hey." Just seeing her there brings him back to the rooftop, grounding him. Ashelia Riot: "I'm sorry, I… I should have thought to ask if you needed anything." She can't remember the last time either of them have eaten. Edge Marbrand shakes his head. "No worries. I've been fine. How about you?" Ashelia Riot: "Worried," she says simply. "For you, and for Nive, and for…" Her gaze falls to the electrope in his hands, still unnerved by the way it seems to continually pulse with golden light. "…what the thief might demand of us." Edge Marbrand's eyes fall to the electrope as well. "I'm sorry I made light of the 'demons in the stones' back there," he admits. "When Onawa asked about them. I didn't mean to make it seem so simple as… a silly misadventure." Ashelia Riot shakes her head. "No, no. It's…" She sighs. There's so much on her mind that she scarcely knows where to start, but when she turns back to face her husband, her face is resolute. "Please promise me: if you're ever feeling overwhelmed — with carrying that thing, or with any other part of this — you must tell me. I or any of the Riskbreakers would bear the burden in your place." Edge Marbrand does not break her gaze in the slightest. "I promise. And I know it goes without saying, but I would have you make the same promise. I know this brings to mind everything… before." He pauses on the regret he would likely carry to the end of his days — that he was not there to fight Ultima with her. "You may have figured it out by now, but I volunteered to hold onto this so none of the rest of you would have to relive anything like that fight ever again."

Ashelia Riot: The thought had crossed her mind. It brings her no joy for her suspicions to be confirmed, not in this — and yet she smiles all the same, and leans in to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I promise, Edge." But there is one thing she keeps coming back to. "In truth? What I keep remembering isn't Ultima. It's Garlemald. And not… not my captivity, or my father's." Again it takes some time for her thoughts to come to any semblance of order. "Seeing the capital in ruins, and wondering… just how much of it came from ignorance. From people who were willing to abide any cruelties, so long as they happened out of sight." Edge Marbrand: "Ah…" He realizes something, then, and leans back against the saloon's sign front as he stares toward the dome again. "Like the cruelties abided in there, but in their splendor rather than ruin?" He clutches the electrope in his palm. "In the souls they keep and use like fuel?" Ashelia Riot nods. "That's what I can't get out of my head. The electrope- No." She breaks off, for the first time loosing a growl of frustration. "Whoever's controlling the electrope has thus far only demanded things of us. The Lucavi made us promises, offered us things. This isn't that. At least not yet." She ponders the dome for a moment longer, then adds, "We don't yet know if electrope has the capacity to have a soul in its own right, and yet I keep thinking of it as alive." Ashelia Riot isn't sure, even now, that the electrope isn't somehow listening in. She is no stranger to such intrusion, and she knows he isn't either, but it's nevertheless a possibility she doesn't want to think of unless they have to. Edge Marbrand pockets the electrope and clutches her hand instead. "That voice has no idea what they're dealing with. Who the Riskbreakers are. And we'll show them. I swear it." Ashelia Riot clutches his hand tightly, reassured by the touch. "And while I may come to regret these words… I'm glad it's us handling this threat. And not the Landsguard. Or, Nymeia forbid, the child-king they've instated in the north." Edge Marbrand smiles. "Well, the Warrior of Light could stand to do it, but we're the next best thing." Ashelia Riot thinks of the Warriors of Light she knows… and can't quite see it happening. Ashelia Riot removes her hold on his hand, only for the purpose of standing up and stretching — then she holds her hand out again to lift him to his feet. "If nothing else… you shouldn't isolate yourself, electrope or no." Ashelia Riot: "…And I know how testy you get when you haven't eaten." Edge Marbrand smiles as he takes her hand and rises. "I'll be sure not to do it again. Let's get some food in our bellies — I don't think I am suited for brooding after all." Ashelia Riot: "Oh, come now — I suspect with a bit more practice, you could sulk with the best of them!" Ashelia Riot grins tauntingly at Edge Marbrand. Edge Marbrand pulls her close and voraciously plants kisses all over her face. "How's anyone supposed to sulk when you make a face like that?" Ashelia Riot is full-on laughing now, trying her utmost to return at least one or two of the kisses — then at last she takes his head in her hands and plants a kiss on his lips. Edge Marbrand melts into the kiss, and when he separates from her at last, he's all smiles. "Thank you, my love. Now let's go — I'm starving." Ashelia Riot grins at him, and happily leads him back down to the saloon.

[onwesterlywinds]

Suddenly, the computer screen glows with the same golden color as the electrope. A voice resounds through the cavern: "Boot nëmëshalùkw.exe."

[onwesterlywinds]

Re: Cyber Ahtyn: Definitely my most felt (though not by any means hottest) take on Solution Nine and the latter half of D/awntrail all-up is that if you, in the year 2024, are going to make a sci-fi story about a techno society that forcibly assimilated an entire Indigenous population in order to avoid feeling any kind of pain, such that most civilians are completely fine with an AI invading the rest of the universe so they can all go to Disneyland Heaven, you'd better come out swinging with something harder than "Don't you just feel REALLY bad for them, though?"

[onwesterlywinds]

Forgotten, but not gone.

[onwesterlywinds]

Ahtyn feels a deep resentment toward how Alexandrians view her status as a hero (and all the pain and sacrifice that comes with the role, not just her own but that of others) as a vector for entertainment. While in Solution Nine, she refuses to show her face, does not use or respond to any of her given names, and goes strictly by they/them pronouns.

Thus, Ahtyn's Arcadion persona is the Midsummer Knight, better known as simply "The Challenger."

Any interviews with the Midsummer Knight are incredibly bitter, filled with off-topic responses and questions to the audience about their participation in systems of oppression and their willingness to overlook atrocities if it means sparing themselves even a crumb of discomfort. So far, several of these interviews have ✨gone viral✨, but it's unclear if they've actually driven any change or """thought leadership""" around the average Alexandrian's opinion of regulators.

(Somewhere in the Lifestream, Venat is pleasantly tickled that Ahtyn has taken up her predecessor's much-loved tradition of Performance Art™️. Hythlodaeus is delighted; Hades is rolling his eyes and whining that she should at LEAST find better material to work with.)

alright heres a wolqotd for you. If ur wol fights in the arcadion and solution 9 bloodsport magazine monthly or w/e does a feature issue on them what's on the cover, how did the stylist/photog make them look and what are the articles inside like.