Summer 519 Calendar of Events
General City Atmosphere
The strange behavior found in animals as well as Kelvics in and around Ravok that began in Spring came to a head toward the end of that season before beginning to subside and normalize. With the rising of the Hunter’s Moon on the 50th of Spring, the more pronounced aggression among predators and skittishness among prey reached a new high in Spring’s last days resulting in a number of attacks against Ravok’s citizens but seemed to level off a bit just as Summer was approaching. Unfortunately, this did not last.
The City Guard, backed up by the Ebonstryfe, doubled their patrols in the city and on the mainland in an effort to protect the citizens from the increased attacks by both wild and domesticated predatory animals. Thankfully, there were no reported attacks by Kelvics within the city which could have otherwise resulted in a rather heavy-handed response by the Ebonstryfe.
With the arrival of Summer, the animal threat returned with greater force. However, the increased patrols have helped provide some bit of security within the city. In addition, The Voice has put in place a curfew across the city; requiring all but designated City Guard and Ebonstryfe patrols to stay indoors as soon as Syna drops below the horizon. This curfew is lightly enforced yet those who do break it will find the Guard and Ebonstryfe not as willing to rush to the rescue if bad things happen.
Domesticated predator animals must be restrained and/or kept under lock and key else risk being dispatched.
What does the threat look like?
During the daytime, there is little danger as most local predators are mainly active at night. Most small predators, including a number of birds of prey as well as small snakes and mammals, while displaying greater aggression, seldom cause problems to the city population. Larger predators such as canines, some felines and larger aquatic life pose quite a bit of danger. While the city is a bit safer due to the increased patrols and curfew, it is still dangerous at night. The mainland is even more dangerous. There have been reports of large winged creatures that stalk the night. These have been identified as Zith. They are a threat both on the mainland and now within the city.
Weather
It is comfortable; an average of 70-75 degrees, sunny with occasions of light rain and slightly cooler temperatures at night with the occasional light breeze. Extremes in temperature are non-existent. Basically, the typical weather enjoyed all year round.
| 1st Day – Summer has arrived and with it comes the curfew. The Voice has decreed that as soon as Syna sets below the horizon, all citizens should remain indoors with little to no travel outdoors unless absolutely necessary. The City Guard and the Ebonstryfe will not rush to protect those who break curfew. 8th Day – A Dravlak escapes its confines beneath the city, tears its handler in half and rampages across a couple city blocks. Eventually the Ebonstryfe, led by one of the Druvin, is able to corner and restrain the monster but not before it is able to shatter a bit of reality. A couple blocks of the Merchant District experience reverse gravity with anyone caught outdoors experiencing the effects. They literally begin to float into the air to a height of 10 feet and are unable to descend without some help. The Dravlak also leaves random things in its path warped in some way. The stone streets turn to mud in places, building facades transform into glass while glass windows turn to stone. A handful of people experience warped effects upon their bodies as well. (Ask if you would like to have a warped effect upon you. See below for possible warpings. You will be allowed to roll in Discord for what happens.) 15th Day – The first zith attack upon a citizen is discovered. A street dweller, unable to find refuge at night, had their body found in an alleyway near the docks. They were half devoured; their wounds confirmed by a mainland Ebonstryfe wilderness expert to have been caused by a zith. 30th Day – A zith hunting pack engaged a City Guard patrol in the middle of the night. It was quite an event with 5 Guards taking on over a dozen zith just off the City Center, at least at first. The battle grew as more guards arrived along with more zith. The fight could be witnessed from those in hiding while some citizens also took part. The zith began to overwhelm the defenders until the Druvin, Maathias, FThe Fallen Syliran Knight, arrived. He, along with the other defenders fought back the zith. (This is an event that players may take part in. See below for details.) 45th Day – Following the zith attack upon the City Center and the rampaging Dravlak before that, The Voice puts out a call for action. Speaking for Rhysol, Himself, The Voice asks for volunteers to lead a special hunt for the source of deadly predatory threat that has befallen the city. (Moderated Quest with details to come.) 61st Day – Sightings of predatory animals displaying greater size, speed and intelligence are popping up throughout the city. It is said that these animals look more primal with uncanny aggression and enhanced predatory instincts. There was even a report of a zith, half again as large as others of its kind that brought tangible waves of fear in its wake. Some Kelvics also experience something strange happening to them. (More Info to Come). 75th Day – Once more, things seem to begin to normalize. Attacks at night begin to subside although the patrols do not let up. The curfew is relaxed although caution is strongly advised. The damaged caused by the rampaging Dravlak is finally repaired thanks to the efforts of The Black Sun and the Ebonstryfe exercising no small amount of djed manipulation. 84th Day – Rhysol personally addresses the events of Spring and Summer. (More Info to Come.) |
What This All Means For the New Season
So, this Season continues the theme of Predator and Prey and doubles down on The Hunt. There was a sense of normalcy toward the end of Spring although this was crushed with the arrival of Summer. The primary focus of this Season is one of caution, threat and varying degrees of danger. There are a few events that will be taking place including the effects brought on by being in the wrong place at the wrong time regarding the rampaging Dravlak.
There is also the zith attack at the City Center which will take the form of a small, moderated quest that I will run in the first part of the season.
Finally, there is the main quest taking part in the middle of the season that will introduce something new to not only Ravok but to the World of Mizahar and its inhabitants as a whole.
As mentioned, here is a list of the possible warpings caused by witnessing the Dravlak rampage. Included is a description of what your characters might see before and while they are warped. Note that the Ebonstryfe contain the Dravlak in the end and Player Characters are caught up in the warpings before they are able to take part in containing the Dravlak threat. NPC Druvin and the Ebonstryfe take care of the Dravlak while PCs experience the fallout of the rampage itself. Message me if you wish to be warped. Effects are permanent barring divine intervention or equivalent acts.
It is evening and despite the curfew imposed by The Voice, you find yourself on the streets, near the City Center. Although there are claims of dangerous animals roaming the streets at night, it initially seems as though nothing is different. The night sky is filled with stars, the air is pleasant and moist, easy to breath with no real chill that one would expect in Syna’s absence. The curfew put in place by The Voice has forced a bit of silence upon the city; the quiet allowing for even the most obscure sounds to be heard.
It starts with a roar; a sound that penetrates every part of the body beyond what the ears can detect. The entire body trembles and chills at the experience. There is crushing, smashing, crashing and crumbling. A few screams can be heard, cut short and replaced with the sounds of destruction. No matter where you are at, a massive form passes before you and in its wake, complete chaos follows. In its footsteps, the streets are turned to sand, water, blood and fluids indescribable. The buildings lining the road are turned to glass while glass is turned to stone. Those unlucky enough to be caught near the path of horror are swept up in its wake of chaos; their bodies shifting and warping into something else.
As you witness the passing of the terrible creature known by the name of Drav’lak, you also feel a terrible change taking place. Your body shifts and changes, forever changed by the unbridled chaos that the creature embodies. Maybe you feel blessed by the touch of Rhysol or maybe you feel cursed. Regardless, the change happens and you come to know what it is to be one with “Him”.
1 – The right or left arm turns to flexible stone. The arm then serves as a serviceable shield or blunt weapon capable of causing one wound level higher in rolled unarmed combat damage.
2 – The right or left eye vanishes as well as the socket itself. Where the eye was there is only smooth, unblemished flesh.
3 – One’s body becomes luminescent in the absence of light. A dull glow is given off by any exposed flesh when in the presence of limited to no light. Glow in the Dark.
4 – All body hair dissolves and never grows back save for thinned eyebrows and a single tail of hair extending from the back of one’s head. No other hair will ever grow back. Kelvics experience greater hair growth; half again as much
5 – Grow a prehensile tail that acts as an extra limb with half the strength of one’s arm. While not capable of supporting body weight, it can hold and manipulate items with limited capacity.
6 – Warped sense of taste. Everything tastes like stale dirt. No pleasure can be gained through taste. On the flip side, unpleasant tastes cannot be detected either. Everything tastes the same; like dirt.
7 – Unstable form. Your physical structure experiences periodic instability. What this means is that your body randomly shifts cosmetic physical features. Your hair randomly changes color and length, your eyes randomly change color as does your skin. Your skin may become scaled or hairy, aged, withered and wrinkled or infused with youth. You may exhibit extreme bouts of health and vitality one day while the next day you may be riddled with weakness and sickness. One day you are blind, the next you have perfect vision. You may experience paralysis in one or more limbs or grow extra fingers and toes. It all changes day to day without control. You may be in unimaginable pain one day as your organs begin to fail while the next day you may feel like you could run several marathons (feel like it not necessarily be able to do it).
8 – Touch of the Defiled. Dravlak are the unrefined children of Rhysol, untampered by the blood of The Voice. As a result, they are the epitome of chaos, betrayal and the incarnation of evil. Those who experience the unbridled touch of the Dravlak are forever changed. They become untouched by time, their aging ceases. While this may be seen as a blessing at first, it is the furthest from the truth. The Defiled are cursed with an existence similar to that of the Dravlak albeit without the benefits. The Defiled experience a twisted sense of pleasure that is contrary to normalcy. The pleasant scent of flowers becomes the odor of decay. A beautiful sight becomes grotesque. A soothing touch feels like piercing needles. A calming sound is like an ear-piercing screech. A delicious taste becomes that of feces. In essence, the Defiled become a shadow of a Dravlak. The Defiled are only immune to natural aging and are not truly immortal. They will eventually adapt to their warped senses and overall condition but will become hollow in the process. In order to survive the warp existence, they must distance themselves from “normal” reality. There is a void deep within the Defiled that can never be filled except with faith in Rhysol. Since they are warped by a Child of Rhysol, the only relief they may find is in accepting Rhysol into themselves. Seeking out Rhysol’s mark is the only way to find a counter to the Touch of the Defiled. Once marked, the Defiled will once more feel the pleasures of life. They will no longer be free of the effects of aging but they will also not be burdened by the warped senses of reality. The only cost is their soul as they will forever belong to Rhysol.
Zith Attack
I will post a thread involving this event. Anyone can take part in it but know that it will be combat oriented and it could get nasty. If you have combat skills that are less than Competent, you run the risk of having your character die. While this is not assured, the chance remains. More details will come as I put the thread up for the conflict itself. Stay tuned.
Challenges
* Write 20,000 words worth of threads over the course of the entire Season with a general focus on Predator and Prey; Hunting, Fishing, Tracking, basically anything that deals with some aspect of The Hunt.
OR
* Write 20,000 words worth of threads over the course of the entire Season with a general focus on attempting to avoid corruption or “evil” acts, combatting aggressive wildlife/zith/predatory animals.
OR
* Write 12,000 words worth of threads over the course of the entire Season with a general focus on dealing with change, transformation or discovering a hidden strength or weakness.
* Learn Hunting, Tracking, Leatherworking or Wilderness Survival and gain 50 skill points in said skill by the end of the Season
OR
* Learn Hunting, Tracking, Leatherworking or Wilderness Survival and gain 25 skill points in said skill by the end of the Season
There will be awards in relation to whichever challenge you seek to take on.
There will also be unique awards given for participation in any of the moderated events taking place this season.
Personal Note: I want to apologize for my absence this previous season. I was discouraged by the results of the last Challenge I oversaw and as a result, it contributed to my lack of activity in the city as well as Mizahar as a whole. I shouldn't have let it get to me like it did and that is on me. My personal life; more specifically my real-life occupation, has been shit and it has left me with little motivation to do much of anything intellectual. While it has added to my lack of activity, I don't want it to be an excuse, it is a contributing fact. That said, I am looking to revitalize Ravok as well as bring more to Mizahar in general.
I will be updating Ravok as well including the suggestions and requests already submitted, NPCs and the like. The city will remain open and I hope to provide much needed activity on my part.
