Pulse 001

[ateratmods]

Speaking Crystal

[Mid-morning, a familiar voice rings out over the crystals.]

Good morning, everyone! We trust you've settled in well! We'd like to meet you all formally and invite you to join us in the fountain square this afternoon! We look forward to seeing you there!


Who; The Aspects (Halcyn & Athony) and YOU!
What; The Aspects welcome their new summons to Aterat
Where; The Fountain Square
When; Thursday; Mid-day
Warnings; None I can think of. Will update if necessary



The Fountain square remains unchanged from your arrival, the multiple tiers containing archways all dim save for the one from which Halcyn and her counterpart, Athony, step at the appointed time. Around the fountain, though, have gathered artisans, performers, and salesman as well as recruiters. People are looking for clerks, delivery persons, and people to run small tasks for them. There are leatherworkers interested in hiring intrepid individuals to acquire more exotic skins for their trade and various other ways to earn coin.

And then there is a larger stall built into the back of a large covered wagon pulled by two oxen. It's set off a little ways from the others, either to set itself apart from the vulgus or simply to afford it room. Two people dressed smartly stand a bit apart from it and will encourage any passersby to come speak with the clerk behind the desk. Emblazoned across the side in intricate gold leaf are the letters "MGB" and the callers will inform anyone inquiring they are representatives of the Merchant's Guild Bank, and that they are willing to negotiate investment in any business ventures newcomers may be interested in...for a modest cut, of course. They assure the contract is thoroughly negotiable and urge you to speak with the broker in the carriage.

All business dealings cease when the portal on the highest level of the fountain activates and Halcyn and Athony step through. She is tall, lithe, with flowing red hair and an aura of goodness and life that overrides any attempts to read her mind. He has a darker aura, clad in deep gray armor with a gem-encrusted sword at his hip and a formidable shield strapped to his back. The murk around his mind is just as difficult to pierce, and anyone sensative to the flow of time would sense these two seem to exist as though apart from it.

They descend the dias to stand at ground level, equal to the gathered crowd, but when Halcyn speaks, her soft melodious voice carries as though its amplified, though there seems to be no source of amplification save for a subtle vibration of magic those sensative to it may sense.

"I'm so glad you all came!" She claps her hands together, clasping them before her before spreading her arms wide. "We have so much work to do, as I've told you all already. We have been tasked with the reconstruction of this world, and we simply can't without all of you. The reason why is complicated, but I can assure you we require nothing of any of you that you are not capable of." She motions around at the square and all those gathered here.

"The people of Aterat are eager to welcome you as well, but Athony and myself will remain around should you wish to speak more privatly. Again, thank you all for coming!"

With that, the gathering dispurses into it's former form, though the Aspects remain should anyone wish to speak with them.

Feel free to post top levels to meet and greet your fellow arrivals and to explore the offerings of this strange new city.

Throughout the city, not only today, but at random times, a new rhyme seems to have been picked up by the children at play, skipping rope or playing hopscotch, or dancing in a strange circle. There's a haunting quality to it, but maybe that's only because no one's taken notice of its existence before:

Traveler, traveler, what do you seek?
Riches and fame make oaken souls weap.

Traveler, traveler, watch where you're led.
One turn left, three turns right will take you to bed.

Traveler, traveler, try not to get lost.
The dwellers in the mirk may well be the cost.

Comments

[soulsword]

"Most folk rhymes are not very clear," she replied with a casual shrug. "After all they were made to frighten little children so they would behave. Something clear would hardly be frightening." There was a hint of something sinister in her tone with the explanation. Perhaps that was just a jaded view from a little girl who had grown up with frequent folk rhymes to teach her how to properly behave.

"I imagine they are speaking of us. What else would they be talking about?"

[whereishe]

"Really?" Her head tilted to the side. "But it isn't about little children." It was about them. The people traveling to this new world. They hadn't been given a choice and if this song was any indication, this wasn't the first time that people were brought here like this.

"I don't know. Maybe others who visit this city? It might be us but if we are the travelers then who are the dwellers?"

[soulsword]

"It doesn't always have to be about them to teach them something," she replied and then shrugged again. "But perhaps it is not meant to teach them. Perhaps...perhaps you are more correct in thinking it is meant to teach us something." Or tell them something.

"Dwellers in the mirk...creatures maybe?" There were dwellers where she was from. Creatures that only she dared challenge in Limbo. "Could they mean there are creatures somewhere?"

[whereishe]

"I don't know. It's a little new for me, you know? We didn't have any songs like that in Spira." Of course, people in Spira hadn't lived that long... not until recently. There was only Yevon and you did whatever Yevon told you to do.

"Maybe. I want to go searching outside the city soon. Maybe I'll run into some there." Hopefully she didn't get lost...

The song was really creepy.

[soulsword]

"How lucky for you. It must be quite wholesome," there was a tinge of jealousy in her voice at that. "Though, I must admit some curiosity to what your Spira was like then." Surely it could not be as innocent of a world as that one comment made it seem.

"If you go, I will go with you." It was not like she had anything else to do.

[whereishe]

Yuna blinked. "What do you mean?" She didn't understand. "Spira doesn't have much in the way of entertainment. Even songs. Within the last two years, we've been able too, so it might exist now but there hadn't been much of a chance to do anything until Sin was finally defeated." Sin and the hold that Yevon held over the entire world.

"Will you? I hope to go soon, once I create a way to log the information I find out there." Which she was hoping Jagger and those here could help her with.

[soulsword]

"What is Sin in your world? A demon or a god?" The mention of something specific with a name like sin peaked her interest slightly. There was always a certain amount of curiosity to be found in the mention of familiar things. Especially if the familiar things happened to be something Illyana held a confusing relationship with. Demons and even sin had become so muddled in her life that she had no idea how she actually felt about the words. Sometimes she accept that they were simply a part of who she was now, but other times...other times a bitterness slipped through. For now though she was just curious about what Yuna's Sin was.

"Log?" the hint of a smile tugged at her lips. "I have a teammate who is fond of logging everything. It was tied to his power."

[whereishe]

"A little of both but... neither. Sin was..." Yuna paused and tried to think of the best way to explain. "He was created a thousand years ago, in Spira's history. We don't know a lot but it was because of a war. In order to end the war and protect their home... a monster was created but they lost control. A man named Yu Yevon became corrupt and it was then that Sin was born. Whenever there was a large gathering of people, he would come. Towns didn't get very big and there were groups who did what they could to keep Sin at bay but no one could defeat him because they didn't know where he was from. With the help of my friends, we found a way. Spira's only just being reborn again now... or was, before I woke up here." She hoped that everyone was okay.

Yuna smiled a little wistfully. "Me too though it wasn't a power. Shinra was a real wiz kid. His inventions were always fun to try out. I'm not good with that sort of thing myself. I always jump into trouble and fight my way out but that's why it's good to have people around you with different strengths, you know?"

"That's why I wanted to create the Gullwings here."

[soulsword]

"That seems to happen often. Humans creating things that end up more powerful than they are." She shook her head at that. "It must be frustrating for you to have been brought here just as your home is improving." For her part she was not too bothered by being brought here. Her goal had been accomplished and she knew there would be consequences for her back home. Being brought to another dimension meant a brief reprieve from having to see what consequence Scott would deem worthy for her transgressions.

"I suppose teams do always have their uses," she replied with a shrug. "Sometimes you need a variety of talents to accomplish goals. Though, what goal do you have here? Information gathering? Exploration?"

[whereishe]

"Not really. I think it might be good that I am here. It's just- well, I didn't expect my story to go like this but Spira needs to learn to stand on its own. I won't always be around to protect it and as long as I am there, I know that there will be people looking to me for answers." It was nice to be away from all that. This was a fresh start for a little peace and quiet, at least by Yuna's standards.

"Both of those. It's hard to know where we're going when we don't know where we've been. We should get the whole story and then figure out what to do next, you know?"

[soulsword]

"A vacation then?" Again, it seemed to Illyana that it was an oddly positive way to look at the situation. Or perhaps she was just oddly jaded. An equal possibility that she did not bother to think on too long. "The pressure of having people look to you for answers can be very unpleasant." Especially when you did not really want to give any answers.

"The start is always the most difficult part. I wonder, who do we get the full story from though?"

[whereishe]

"Yeah. A bit." Though Yuna's idea of a vacation was nothing like this. She imagined visiting Zanarkand, not the one from Spira but the one she'd heard about from Tidus and Jetch.

"And it is. I don't mind but I think everyone needs to learn how to move forward on their own." She smiled. "Even with this place and learning. I'm going to ask questions and explore and see what I can learn. I don't know if I'll get the full story but I won't stop."

[soulsword]

While Illyana did not return Yuna's smile she did give her a nod of acknowledgement to her perseverance. "Do let me know what you learn," she replied. "I can offer the same to you. Though I do not know what these two Aspects will actually reveal."

She paused for a second then tilted her head. "If you need help with exploration...I have talents suited for such things."

[whereishe]

"I will. I hope to have an office set up. So information will be collected there. You can stop in any time. I'll make sure to let you know where we'll be located." She'd likely run into Jagger but Yuna knew that he'd be able to handle any inquires into what they've found. He was very resourceful.

"Really? Then I'll give you a call and you can do the same. First I want to check out the city and make sure everything within the walls are safe."

[soulsword]

"Lofty ambitions," she said with a smile. "I will be certain to check in on you later to see what headway you have made. For now I think I may see what our hosts have to say. I will let you know if I learn anything of interest."

[whereishe]

"I look forward to it." Yuna smiled. "I should go but I hope to speak to you again soon." When she knew more.