ASTHENOA

[capemods]

WHO: The imPorts trapped in a video game.
WHERE: The virtual world of Asthenoa.
WHEN: 10AM August 26th to 11PM August 31st.
WARNINGS: Violence and fighting. Alert me of anything else for updates.
SUMMARY: A comedy of errors: imPorts are trapped in a Vulcanus-made video game.
FORMAT: As you like it.



Asthenoa is a land set on lush rolling hills under a bright blue sky eternally streaked with clouds. The only celestial variance comes during the nightly setting, where an eternally yellow full moon partially hides behind those clouds. The people of Asthenoa may be human, or elven, or dwarven, or they may have animalistic features, but none of that is of great social concern. Asthenoa has always been this way. The heart of the land is a medieval town set upon one of the highest hills, and the middle of that town sits a majestic stone castle. The busiest part of the town is the center, which hosts the marketplace. There you can buy necessities, or meet the blacksmith and other artisans at their working studios. Beyond the artisanal studios are the taverns and the inns.

Beyond the cheerier inns is a place called The Shriveled Shrike. If you head to the second floor and knock on the third room door thrice and rub your knee against the handle once, it will magically open and expose to you a staircase. People of the Rogue class know this inherently.

The staircase is five flights long. It leads to a black market in a mile long, mile wide underground bunker, where gambling and other darker magicks are indulged. You might meet a necromancer or three. You might run into trouble.

If you were to step out beyond the town, you would have to cross a moat via the drawbridge. It’s always closed up at nighttime, you can only pass during the day.

Beyond the moat (where serpents might swim) is a hilly pasture. Beyond the pasture is an enchanted forest. Strange things happen in these gnarled woods – this is where mystical creatures lurk. Acres of dark wood house sparkling lights and floating orbs and very unusual flora. The fauna includes many mythical beings, including centaurs and fairies and griffins. There could be even more hidden within secret caves or pools of darkening water.

You feel the need to venture past this alluring wood. You feel it deeply.

Comments

[glowsferatu]

[ he brings a box on top of the counter, giving a moment to let the anticipation build before he opens it. he's the most unappreciated showman in the entire market.

sliding away the lid, the box is revealed to contain a pair of buckled flats cast in solid pewter, with some fancy engraving along the side. he proudly goes on at length describing the loving work put in, what inspired the detailwork, everything. the dude clearly loves making shoes, but so rarely gets anyone interested in his best (albeit almost definitely uncomfortable) product.

kanaya is stricken utterly speechless. ]

[wisecracked]

[Upon seeing the shoes Kenzi makes a thoughtful noise, sadly they aren't her style. They're lovely but she's all about shoes with the least sensible heels on them. Although the look on Kanaya's face says she wants them.]

Not bad but not my thing. [She looks up at Kanaya with a little grin.] You look like you're in love, I suggest getting 'em.

[glowsferatu]

It's just... [ she gets halfway into making a shrug, but ends up just staring at her hands instead. ] ...Are they actually made of metal? I can't imagine how anyone would begin to wear them!

[ and yet. and yet... ]

[wisecracked]

Could always use them as a weapon. [Kenzi shrugs, looking from the shoes back up to tall troll.] Go for it, you know you wanna.

[glowsferatu]

They might be too blunt for that. [ it's no weapon if she can't use it to cut. ...unless she kicked someone while wearing them. ]

How much?

[ he gives her a price, ensuring their definitely quality. the estimate does not satisfy her, given how high it is. he gently reminds her that these shoes are made of solid pewter, and it was a considerable trouble for him to acquire them.

they go back and forth like this for about five minutes before she finally empties out her coins for him and tucks the box under her arm, a blissfully conflicted smile on her face. ]

I've made a mistake, I shouldn't have done that. [ but shoes. ]

[wisecracked]

Blunt objects are still weapons. [The shoes she normally wears, while not solid metal or anything like that, are still heavy enough to do some damage if thrown.

Kenzi watches the exchange, tempted to butt in with a big of haggling of her own but manages to just bit her tongue. After Kanaya tucks the box beneath her arm and says she's made a mistake the shorter woman can't help but laugh.] When it comes to shoes it's never a mistake.

[glowsferatu]

You're probably right.

[ but she looks back at the stall all the same, hints of potential regret in her eyes. ] I wasn't even given a receipt.

[wisecracked]

I don't think receipts are a thing here, let along refunds. [She shrugs. She doesn't see a reason for buyers remorse when it comes to shoes.]

[glowsferatu]

[ she sighs and opens the box, rolling it over in her head. when would she even wear these? ]

Then I suppose I'll just have to get used to them. Could be far worse, I'm sure.

[wisecracked]

[Some shoes are better for looking at than wearing.]

Yeah...

By the way I'm Kenzi.

[glowsferatu]

[ she'll find a spot on her mantle to display them, like a sort of trophy. catch herself staring at them for hours on end. ]

Right, uh, Kanaya. [ she tries to think of another thing to say, but..."do you do this sort of thing often" just doesn't seem appropriate to the situation. ] How many of these have you been caught in, so far?

[wisecracked]

[A perfect plan.]

That's a kind of pretty name. Different but pretty. [At the question Kenzi purses her lips and gives a thoughtful hum.] All of them I think. I can't think of any that I missed out on.

[glowsferatu]

I think I've only missed the first one. In retrospect, I almost wish I hadn't. Maybe there would have been some use for me, rather than sitting at home while waiting for everyone to return.

[wisecracked]

[What was the first one again? Kenzi's having a hard time remembering exactly. In either case she shrugs.] Maybe, maybe not. No point dwelling on it, though.

[glowsferatu]

You're right, of course. It's damage already done.

Not unlike the shoes.

[wisecracked]

At least the shoes make an interesting trophy.

[glowsferatu]

I can use them forever after as the beginning to a conversation. ...Assuming I end up having enough of a story to associate with them, when this is all over.

[wisecracked]

[Kenzi gives a little laugh at that.] I'm sure developing a good story to go with them won't be difficult.

[glowsferatu]

[ kanaya just shrugs. ] Maybe, but probably easier for an actual storyteller. I'm generally more of a tellee.

[wisecracked]

Hmmmn, I guess so. [Kenzi is a storyteller so it's easy enough for her to come up with some awesome, and totally untrue, story to go with those shoes.]

[glowsferatu]

[ kanaya keeps looking back. ] Perhaps I should have asked the vendor to write down his sales pitch, relay the passion with which he crafted the shoes from the beginning.

[wisecracked]

Always time to go back and do that now. [Although she finds that silly.]

Anyway, it's been a great chat and grats on the shoes, but I got this itch to do other things. [Like see if there's anything worth buying in this damn market.] So see y'round.

[glowsferatu]

Right, uh. Good luck with that, I suppose.

[ kanaya doesn't move herself, just standing there looking at the shoemaker's booth, shifting from foot to foot as though she's weighing her options. ]