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

[shipper]

There's efurything cute about them! Just beclaws you don't like them doesn't make it untrue.

[in her opinion there was very little that was cuter than a cat pun besides an actual cat. it was a simple fact of nature]

[invoking]

Why are you talking like that in the first place?

[ He's hardly sure why he's arguing with her about it anymore, but it's ridiculous! She should speak properly, not in... cat puns of all things.

He opens his mouth once more in protest, but quickly shuts it when he notices one of the merchant stalls nearby. ]

[shipper]

Beclaws I like kitties and it's impawsibly adorable. I thought that was purretty obvious!

[she leans back on her arms, wiggling her toes at him in a playful motion]

[invoking]

Forget it! I should be... [ He trails off, still focused on the stall. They're selling some kind of ink or paint and out of nowhere, the urge to buy one or two strikes him. ]

[shipper]

Focusing a little more, I guess.

[she tilts her head to the side, watching him become inexplicably sidetracked with curiosity]

I'm not that boring to talk to, am I?

[invoking]

I have no idea who you are even.

[ It's impolite to break away from conversation, but he would hardly call shouting at each other from a distance conversing. And anyway, he doesn't have too much money on him, although it seems just enough to buy this paint he suddenly needs. ]

[shipper]

I'm Nepeta! See, that wasn't so diffurcult!

[she's more interested in seeing if he'll actually wander off to purchase something than offended - it's pretty weird, and she always enjoys watching odd things unfold]

[invoking]

Difficult!

[ Purchase he does and for whatever reason, he has no idea. He seems cross with himself by the time he's pocketed the paint away and realized he's wasted what little gold he had on him. ]

Why did I... Maybe I can return it?

[shipper]

[wow, he actually did it. that's enough to get Nepeta beginning the descent to have a better look at this entire situation, although she continues to talk as her bare feet deftly feel for the minute holds that propelled her upwards]

I think that purrhaps you should stop worrying about my puns so much! It seems like they're driving you crazy, heehee.

[invoking]

[ He angles his frame away from her as she gets closer, the colour in his face washing away and a bead of sweat rolling down his temple. He resists the temptation to scream again.

Cats. It's always cats.

As his eyes dart to look at something that isn't feline-like, he seems a crowd of people circling someone who waves around a small leather bag and points to a large and powerful looking horse by her side. The bag clinks with something: gold.

"Come one, come all!" she announces brightly. It appears to be some sort of contest and the winner gets twenty five gold pieces and the horse. He eyes the horse, as it would be useful to ride out of the town and preserve his energy.

But his expression drops hearing what the contest entails: having the most "expressive" face paint. He looks to the paint he just bought. Did he really just do that> ]

Is this some joke...?

[shipper]

[Nepeta, meanwhile, has made her way down to the ground as Gil takes in the contest and those surrounding the horse owner. she pads to within a more polite speaking range, the crossbow clanking at her side]

Oooh, I didn't know that they had compurrtitions here! And it's a supurr fun one, too.

[invoking]

It doesn't look like fun -- don't get so close!! [ He shoots at her, breaking out in more sweat than before. ]

[shipper]

[she raises an eyebrow at him but takes an obliging step back.]

Sure it does! There's nothing more fun than putting purretty designs up somewhere, even if it's somebody's face.

[she expression becomes sly now]

And I bet you don't have anything better to do with that paint!

1/2

[invoking]

[ He shakes his head quickly. ]

No, that's -- [ Oddly tempting for no discernible reason. ]

[invoking]

[ Quickly catching onto her sly expression, his features quickly take on an anxious one. ]

... What is that look for?

[shipper]

Fur looking at you, durr. [yeah she's going to act innocent as she inches closer to him slooooowly]

Do you have any design ideas?

[invoking]

What? No! I don't!

[ But why does he get the sense this is important and that he must do? ]

[shipper]

That's too bad. But I've got a bunch that'd purrobably work just fine. [she puts a hand to her chin, considering his face thoughtfully]

So let's get started, ok? What colors did you get?

[invoking]

Uh...

[ His gold eyes trail to small bottles to see for himself. ]

... Blue and yellow?! I don't even like yellow!

[shipper]

Purrfact! Those are great fur looking intimidating.

[aaaand she's holding her hand out expectantly. let's get this on, bro]

1/2

[invoking]

Are you serious?!

[invoking]

[ As indignant as he is, the prizes are valuable and he can no longer fight the feeling in his gut that tells him to go for it. It's wildly out of character for him, but valuables.

With a heavy sigh he resigns himself and hands her the bottles. ]

[shipper]

Yesss.

[she rocks on her heels in excitement, then promptly stands on her tiptoes and gets to work dolling up her reluctant model]

Don't worry, I purrlay around with stuff like this all the time. You'll look supurr cool!

[invoking]

I said don't get too close!

[ He raises his arms defensively, his fear of felines and anything feline-like flaring up. ]

[shipper]

[she frowns a little, the paint on her fingers smearing along his raised arms]

Don't be such a baby. I can't do your face if you won't let me get kind of close!