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Post by GingerBlues on Aug 14, 2017 16:49:47 GMT -6
Hello Starborn, and welcome to Plot 406: Stand-Off
Leader: Caleb Participants: NPC Guard, Pascal, Hotaru, Dew Please keep the following in mind!- Posts must be a minimum of 175 words. There is no maximum! - No strict order is enforced, but there must be at least two posts between your own character's. - No god-moding or reading characters' minds (unless your pony is a literal telepath, anyway) - Always get consent before harming another character! - Your team is precious. Try to interact with everyone. <3 - Have fun! Even if your pony isn't. 8'D Location: Pascal's home, Nariah
Time of Day: Early afternoon
Opening Prompt: There are whispers of the approach, a hiding spot given away to those who seek them out. A firm knock on the door confirms their suspicion. The Guard have arrived to take the kirin they seek.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2017 15:14:06 GMT -6
caleb there's something inside you,
it's hard to explain It had been a tense morning.
While Pascal --both a product and a mogul of Nariah's underworld, constantly straddling the line between his smuggling and his legitimate business--was consistently surly, Caleb had never seen him quite so agitated. Whispers from his network throughout the city's deepest crevices talked about the Guards mobilizing, of Nuriko's anti-Kirin minutemen aiding them in some sort of civilian raid. The operation was wrapped so tightly that even Pascal's reliable sources could only speculate on its scale, but as the day stretched on, one thing was clear: they were coming for the Kirins.
Caleb was motionless on the couch while Pascal paced his home, eyes pinched shut, walking from memory. She could hear the flurry of his thoughts, buzzing like a wasp, moving with admirable quickness. Argus's gift of telepathy was still new to Caleb, but she didn't know anyone who could think like Pascal. His mind was impossibly nimble.
It was leaping from plan to plan now. The contingency he had put in place (to usher Caleb to an empty tunnel he often used for smuggling) was not an option. Even if travel to the tunnels wasn't restricted by the recent quakes, the streets were almost empty now of anyone but Kirin hunters. Thankfully, the paranoid Pascal's house was already invulnerable by design to the naked eye. There were no picture windows and roomy doorways like Caleb remembered of Valore. It was dark, the floorplan tightly-wound, full of steep angles. Before she'd come to love the place, Caleb had compared it to a tomb.
A dismal place to live, perhaps, but a perfect place to hide.
More minds, more thoughts, glowed on the edge of Caleb's awareness, pointedly approaching. "Pascal." Caleb's voice was a sudden, frightened gasp. It gained Pascal's attention and recognition at once. She was on her feet and at the back of the house, quiet on cervine hooves, by the time there was a knock on the door. 322 words | post 1 HEY GUYS!!! welcome 8 ))) really excited for this chapter omg pascal was godmoded with permission from moncrieffs <3 thank you, mike (also i used she/her pronouns for caleb in this post to distinguish her from pascal more clearly, but you can use whatever pronouns u like for caleb) |
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Post by dreamer12423 on Aug 17, 2017 21:11:29 GMT -6
Dew | Tie
"A little kindness can get you a long way in this cruel world."
WC: 210
Post: 1
Dew had been out for her daily walk. She was one of few that hadn't taken to hiding within her home. The pale coated mare had been asked to run some errands for some of the herd members who were too scared to step out of their house. Dew wanted to make friends with the Kirins in the herd, but before she had the chance they were all set to be imprisoned. She trotted towards her home, but a guard caught her eye. The appaloosa mare stopped, watching closely. Her pale blue eyes never left the guard as he approached a very well hidden door.
She took a few steps toward him but made it seem like she was continuing along her original path. She watched closely, her pale eyes trained on him as he knocked on the door. From the happenings around the herd, she figured a Kirin was hiding out in there and she planned on helping them get out or at least to a better hiding spot. She cleared her throat, getting closer to the guard, and anyone within the house.
"Excuse me, sir," she pestered, giving him her most disarming smile possible. "Would you need any help?" Innocence was the play, but helping was the game.
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Post by DawnsComing on Aug 19, 2017 13:39:14 GMT -6
Jiro | Royal Guard NPC
There was a stillness in the streets of Nariah, a quiet only pierced by the heavy breath of the dark Frisian cross and the tink of their horseshoes. There was no breeze in the cavern, no chirp of birds in the early morning chill. Jiro paused, reaching out with Argus' gift of mind and earth to feel for the presence he already knew was there. It shone like a beacon in the night, powerful and encapsulating; much as he might imagine what the presence of a god might feel like. But it set the stallion on edge, a deep seed of hatred burrowing its way into his soul as he began to draw closer again.
He felt the doorway before he saw it, its edges melding into the smooth rock that surrounded its frame. It was meant to be hidden, that much was certain, a handle not even visible to the naked eye. But he could feel it on the other side, their form gathering themselves from the floor as he approached the building with caution. And then a voice chimed in his ear, sweet like poisoned honey. It was a mare, her sickly sweetness giving away something in her intentions that he did not care to learn. A few citizens had been asked to help on the raid of the Kirin, to removal of the beast from Nariah by order of the King himself. All had been fit, strong enough to take an advance if need be. The Kirin would not come quietly; it was not in their nature. This was already known so a mare of this girls statue would have never been asked to help. No, she was a citizen. One who either hadnt received word of the raid today (unlikely) or one that had other plans.
Jiro knew not all agreed with their plan, that some may try to help the beasts that plagued the city. Most of them would be of New Generation descendant, the radical equine who embraced all that Breim was not; who challenged the old ways and looked to change the very fabric of Breim's being. He knew the High King himself often favored and embraced their young minds as his too, was very young in itself. But Hajime had also made the right call, to remove the Kirin from the streets where equine now feared to walk. To imprison the beasts that once brought wrath and destruction onto their herd. Kirin were not to be trusted.
"This is a dangerous place. Go home before you are hurt."
Pushing past the little mare, the guard made his way to the front. He would give them a chance to surrender. There would be no waver, no exception, as his orders were clear but the stallion was also fair of mind. He stepped before the magnificent carved door taking in the moment with a breath of silence and an unspoken prayer to Argus. This was it.
He knocked 3 times.
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Post by moncrieffs on Aug 20, 2017 9:30:45 GMT -6
pascal. Messages you'd tucked away for keeps
have resurfaced to be heard amidst the butchery and beaks Pascal didn't know how long he had been pacing, but he needed the rhythm of his own hooves to wrack his brain. Three plans, two discarded. It hadn't been his wisest move to house a kirin in the first place, but the mound of white fur in his periphery hadn't caused him as much trouble as he anticipated thus far. A few stupid, poorly-disguised outings in the beginning had risen his blood pressure, but his rebukes hadn't fallen on deaf ears. He should've known that when their luck ran out, it would abandon them completely. Raids. Door to door, a sort of cleansing. Pascal wasn't sure what he should've expected from the herd that had broken all its promises to him from birth. Breim was proud of its insulation: it kept its people safer than any herd in Hireath, it ensured no horse would ever be alone and left without a system designed to support them. Pascal knew better than many -- but not all -- that Breim's isolated utopia was no more than another claustrophobic tunnel, crowded and darkened by a sickly fear. Those of a certain caste were bound to disappear in it, or be crushed. The injustice didn't grate him so much as the hypocrisy. Caleb had become a fixture at the least, a friend at the most. Sometimes, when the lamplight shone on them at night through his paper shades and gave their hide a tint of pink that inexplicably sent a sense of calm to the center of his mind, they might've been something more. It wasn't a train of thought he found worthy of pursuit, but its presence made the need to save them more dire. His selflessness was rusty. To use it felt strange and stilted. It helped him to think of Caleb as an object of great value -- what would he do to protect his treasures? The gold in his bank? His artifacts, those one-of-a-kind relics he sent across the plain in exchange for millions? He'd been concealing them for years, right under the nose of the Breimian Guard, and of the royal family. But they weren't afraid of gold and riches. The guard's fear of kirins would make them dangerous, and dogged. Three knocks hit his door, and he stopped. He looked at Caleb as they said his name, their slit pupils bloated with fear. "Go to the cellar," he thought in silence. How would he protect his treasures? "There are two vaults behind a matte black veil. Go to the left vault, it's emptier." He turned his face away from him, taking slow steps toward the door. "Lock yourself in."He unhooked the first latch. "Wait for me."He slid out the second. "NOW."He gave them time to run -- long enough for him to take a breath and unlock the third bolt -- and the heavy iron door swung open. He pursed his lips. A guard with a swollen chest and a wide-eyed pony. Pascal raised a brow. "Can I help you?"post 1 | 500-something words |
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Post by empyre on Aug 24, 2017 18:33:58 GMT -6
Hotaru || Royal Family || Status: conflicted
Hotaru would be lying if she tried to claim she was content with the presence of kirins within her herd, and Nariah in particular. She would must rather they all just poof back out of existence the way they had come, then none of this would have to happen. The order had come as a shock, Hotaru had never known her son to be the sort to order the arrest of supposedly innocent equine, but then again this was not an ordinary situation by any stretch of the imagination.
Never a fan of the use of force, Hotaru was hesitant to offer her assistance to the guards at first, but slowly she came to realize she may be needed at a mediator. Keeping peace and talking down potential violent intents was what she was trained to do and so that is what she would do. There was nothing she could do to stop the raids, but she could help to make sure they do not have to be as bad as they had the potential to be.
Hanako chirped worriedly from her perch on Hotaru's back as the mare followed Jin to their destination. Nervousness twisted in the former queen's gut at the prospect of getting close to one of the scaled equines who had once forced her people to live within the tunnels in the first place. When the small mare stepped forward and subsequently pushed aside by Jin, Hotaru huffed quietly. It would not help their cause to be rude to those opposed to them. Smiling gently Hotaru stepped up to address the citizen, "Good afternoon my dear, I understand if you may be against the orders of our king, but we have no plans to harm these equine. The safety of everyone is our priority." She glanced over to Jin as the door was answered by Pascal, worried that they may have to enter the building without permission should the banker be purposefully hiding the kirin they'd come to collect.
post 1 || words: 333
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Post by dreamer12423 on Aug 24, 2017 20:01:29 GMT -6
Dew | Tie
WC: 233 Post: 2
Dew snorted, not appreciating being brushed aside so easily. She might have more upset about the fact of how easily the tall crude stallion pushed her aside. She looked to Hotaru, her blue eyes a bit angry. "I don't understand why the Kirins are getting arrested. It's unethical," Dew said, standing her ground on the stance. "They may be the reason we live underground now, but that gives us no reason to arrest innocent herd members, no matter their pasts." The short mare glanced over to Pascal as he opened the door. She gave him a light smile, trying to show that she was trying her best to help him out. A sigh escaped her as she looked back to Jiro and Hotaru. I hope that all of the Kirins can get out and away from the tunnels. It's not safe for any of them, she thought before speaking again. "What comes after arresting them?" she asked, to no one in particular. "Let's hope we don't become as horrid as the Aodhians and enslaving less fortunate horses." She narrowed her eyes a bit, looking at Hotaru, letting her words linger before someone else spoke. She hoped they would hit as hard as she hoped, but she doubted that now looking at the horses she was surrounded by. Too many Old Generation to her liking to make a decent case to let them go.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2017 8:37:23 GMT -6
caleb there's something inside you
it's hard to explain Caleb moved quickly to Pascal's cellar. The bottom floor of Pascal's home was like a dungeon, the stairs steep and narrow; Caleb nearly tumbled down them in his haste, but calmed his footsteps --and his breathing-- in time to regain balance, to keep quiet. The darkness at the bottom of the steps was complete. Taking ragged, measured breaths, Caleb felt around in the blackness with his pearly teke until he disturbed the curtain Pascal spoke of.
As it was pulled back, Caleb could barely see the glint of his teke reflecting on two metallic surfaces. Reaching out, he felt the heavy dials of each vault. They were huge, suspiciously so for anyone but a banker, and Caleb knew what they meant. One of these vaults contained enough contraband, smuggled in from the world over, to put Pascal in prison right alongside Caleb. The other was piled high with Pascal's many (often ill-gotten) riches. Caleb wondered briefly which category Pascal had put him in as he struggled with the lever on the door of the left vault.
With great effort, the vault swung open to reveal a dimly glimmering sea of crystal shards. Letting the black curtain fall back to cover the vaults, Caleb placed himself among the objects of unfathomable fortune, and pulled the door shut behind him until it latched.
'I'm here.' Caleb said in silence to Pascal, trying not to let his thoughts tremble as much as his knees.
'How many of them are there?' he was feeling more thoughts press in around the house. He didnt recognize any of them. They were anxious too, afraid of something-- afraid of him? It was hard to imagine, and harder still to understand. post 2 | 283 words |
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Post by DawnsComing on Aug 29, 2017 18:05:51 GMT -6
Jiro | NPC guard
He heard shuffling behind the door, the slow meticulous unlatching of the locks intentional. Reaching with his blessing he could feel the figures move behind the thick frame before him, sensing the beacon of light disappear into an area just outside of his reach. A light grimace touched his lips as the door opened to reveal the figure behind it. A dark horse, shorter than he but sturdy and well built. Jiro's brow furrowed as the stallion greeted him with stiff words.
Just as the guard was about to speak, the piercing voice of the young mare rang in his ear. A flick of annoyance ran though him, as he listened to her small rant; the comparisons to Aodh heating the anger that was beginning to burn beneath his coat. Green eye's glanced at Hotaru, the former queen who had been assigned to accompany him on his mission. She had yet to say anything, her silence making him wonder where she stood between the groups opposing views. While he respected her and her time of leadership with the former king, her son's orders trumped anything she could say. It was beyond her control as well as his own.
Clearing his throat he turned back to the stallion at the door, hoof places direct in front of the gap that defined it as open. "I am sure you know why we are here, Pascal." The name was harsh on his tongue. The whole of Old knew who the stallion was yet few knew what happened behind the bankers closed doors. It had been a speculation among the guard for a while now, the reason behind the equines secretive nature. But there had been no evidence to accuse and no reason to pursue until now. The rumors can to them all to quickly, of a white figure that was said to live within the home. The antlers were the give away and with their new orders, there was no putting it off any further.
"We have come for the Kirin, and you can hand them over without resistance or they shall be taken by force. I am sure you are aware of the High King's orders."
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Post by moncrieffs on Sept 4, 2017 18:41:46 GMT -6
pascal. Messages you'd tucked away for keeps
have resurfaced to be heard amidst the butchery and beaks Pascal's eyes shifted to the little mare with the carrying voice. She was someone who would have irritated him to no end on a regular day, and his lips still became terse as she spoke, but she was clearly an ally who might become useful should things go south. Strangely, they were joined by the former queen, who he recognized from her occasional patronage at the Bank of Nariah. "Three," he thought, seamlessly offering his own observations up to Caleb. They hadn't been capable of mindspeech when Pascal met them, but it hadn't taken long for both of them to become accustomed to it. It had always aided them in their discretion -- no neighbors heard them speak, and no one saw the shadow of a moving mouth against Pascal's curtains. This, at least, was on their side: as far as he knew, there were no direct eyewitnesses to a kirin being inside his home. Jiro spoke in exactly the tone Pascal expected from him. He had met plenty like him before. He kept his disdain muted along with every other tell of emotion that could potentially contradict what was coming from his mouth, as any infallible liar would. Glancing somewhat dismissively away from Jiro, he instead sought eye contact from Hotaru. Jiro was out to crucify him. Dew was out to martyr him. A moderate approach with a touch of recognition... That he could work with. "Of course I'm aware," he said in response to Jiro, straddling agitated and casual, letting his door swing open wider to reveal a dim but empty foyer. "I just thought you would've caught up with it by now." He sighed a minuscule sigh, knowing Caleb would hear everything he was about to say. "I'm sure you all know who I am, I'm not ignorant to my reputation. It's true, I live by shrewdness and self-interest. I did take in the kirin in a moment of weakness, it made a strong plea for its innocence, and it was a particularly striking-looking creature, you'll forgive me." He pressed his tongue to his tooth, looking at them all, hard and cold. Behind his forehead was the glow of Caleb's pelt, pink in candlelight, and their mind-lulling laughter. "But you," he briefly looked at Dew, "defend me too soon. I cast it out on the streets just today when I got word of this little roundup. You think I'd go down for any stranger, let alone a creature barely equine?" He pulled his head back and shook it. "I don't think so. If the kirin isn't in your possession, that's your failing." Finally, he settled his gaze on Jiro. His mind, however, couldn't help but wander down to the cellar. For Caleb's sake, he'd play the role they'd cast him in. "Sorry."post 2 | 500-something words |
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Post by dreamer12423 on Sept 5, 2017 23:11:35 GMT -6
Dew | Tie
Post: 3
WC: 201
Dew looked to Pascal, a bit confused by his words. She was certain she would have seen the Kirin on her way through the tunnels but didn't say anything of it. The short mare would stand by Pascal, if only because Jiro agitated her to no end. Her pale eyes flicked over to the former Queen, who still had yet to really say anything. It was strange, granted, there hadn't been much chance for her to speak, but still. Dew also had a feeling that Jiro knew more than he was letting on and how much Pascal was telling. She hated not being able to tell when other's were lying, it was frustrating and had landed her in a few tough spots over the years. She held her tongue, figuring that anything she said would set someone off. That much she had learned over the years. Despite her hard-headedness and strong will, she knew when to hold her tongue and when it did not matter to hold it. This was a good time to hold it and not make things worse than they already seemed to be for her. She shifted her weight on her hooves, anxious instead of speaking, though. |
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Post by empyre on Sept 8, 2017 20:09:52 GMT -6
Hotaru || Royal Family
Hotaru was taken aback by Dew's comparison of Breim and Aodh. This was nothing like what those heathens did to their fellow equine, they weren't going to bridle the kirins and force them to head to the royal family's bidding.
"That is a rather brash statement." She told the smaller mare, "We are attempting to create peace, not a tyranny." With that said she moved to step up closer to Jiro while still keeping a respectful distance. She wanted to believe Pascal was tell the truth, but something told her that the kirin was still very much being given refuge within his home. With a respectful dip of her head, Hotaru spoke to the banker, "If that is the case, would you perhaps allow us to have a look around? In case there may be a clue of which way the kirin has gone?"
She hated herself for the intention behind those words, and perhaps even for her apparent lack of compassion towards the scaled equines that had been dropped into their lives so suddenly, but she could do little about it now. All she could do was try to make the process as painless as possible for all involved, even if it meant they may have to force their way into Pascal's home; though she hoped he would have the sense to step aside.
post 2 || words: 225
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Post by DawnsComing on Sept 28, 2017 19:44:38 GMT -6
Plot: Incomplete
All participants receive 20 AP and 20 CS
Thank you for participating in Plot 406!
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