Unbridled Chaos (Open)

[Lazybones]

Spring 1st, 512 AV The Anniversary of the Valterrian, and Night of the Blood Moon Early Afternoon OOCThis is an open thread detailing the violence and chaos occurring in Ravok. Feel free to jump in! "It's cold, innit?" Shannon Valdinox's head lifted as he broke from his torpor. Still half-drunk from his morning wine, the soothing gurgle of the water against the ravosala had lulled him to sleep. Ares, his Konti slave, was seated across from him with her eyes downcast; she was tasked with waking him up once they had reached their destination at the Temple of the Black Sun. It had been a man's voice, though, that had stirred him. The ravosalaman was making small talk. Shannon so loathed the chatty ones. "Actually," Shannon said, after he'd had a moment to process what the ravosalaman had actually said. His head made a quarter turn, until the ravosala's driver could be seen in the corner of his eye, behind him. The wind picked up and gently slid under his collar to kiss his neck. Shannon shivered. "It is cold. I thought it was just me." "Nay, sir. I feel it too. Right down to m'bones. Lived in Ravok me whole life, drivin' boat. Don't 'member it ever gettin' cold like this." "Odd." Shannon grabbed at the tops of his jacket and pulled it more securely around him. He turned back to Ares, who had taken to hugging her arms for warmth. She wasn't was thickly clad as either man was—which was entirely the point. Her shoulders were bare but for the silk shawl she wore, and the paper thin dress that hugged her form. She couldn't be truly exotic unless her scales were in clear view. Like the obedient thing she was, though, she didn't complain. "Maybe Rhysol is having an off-day?" "Mebbe. Dunno, sir. I don't pretend to know the Lord's whims. Just think it's cold, is all." A few minutes later, it began raining, much to the dismay of both men in the boat. They complained cathartically at each other, exchanging a joke or two. It didn't rain often in Ravok, but it wasn't unheard of. Still, the cold only got worse. It went from chilly, to biting, to downright freezing. All three souls in the boat were soon shivering, no longer finding the cold very funny. The rain only made it worse, soaking through clothing that was never made to be rained on. Even Ares was quivering in the cold, finding it difficult to keep herself poised and controlled. The sky overhead became a menacing, dark greenish gray. The rain became heavier, and quickly it was an absolute downpour. The water in the canals even became agitated, and the ravosala rocked as it was never meant to in these usually placid waters. All the other ravosalas nearby were having the same trouble, bumping into each other and scraping against the sides of the canal. Just a few yards away, one ravosalaman was thrown off balance by a sudden gust of wind and, with a yell and a sudden splash, completely fell off. A moment later he reappeared, climbing up the side of the canal to get to solid ground. Somewhere out on the lake, a large ferry was en route to Ravok from the Southern Trading Post. It was a daily routine; Ferry Captain Calvin Trivesta made this run at least ten or fifteen times a day, bringing traveling Ravokians and outsiders, as well as cargo and wares, to and from the lakeshore. Sure, perhaps he wasn't a real captain of a real ship, but it was better than being a ravosalaman. His was one of only a handful of ferries that operated between Ravok and dry land. The strong winds and rain had been going for a while, but it didn't bother him. It rained often at the Southern Trading Post, though not on the lake proper, but what harm is a little rain? Perhaps it was a bit unus— Suddenly the ferry rocked hard to the side, and everyone on board stumbled. "Whoa!" The winds were still picking up, and now the water was pounding the side of the ferry and misting the people on deck. The sky had turned dark, far far too dark at this time of day. Trivesta craned his head, knowing that as a Ravokian, he was completely unprepared for this sudden turn in weather. A captain shouldn't have been unprepared, but this wasn't supposed to happen on the lake! "Calvin!" one of the native Ravokian passengers yelled at him. "What's going on?!" "Not sure, sir! And it's 'captain', damnit!" An angry ribbon of lightning ripped across the sky, at the same time unleashing a deafening crack of thunder as if the world itself were being torn apart. Trivesta ducked futilely, his ears actually ringing from the sound. Other passengers on the ferry fled into the cabin. It didn't let up; the thunder continued roaring as the lightning became relentless. A fierce battle was taking place in the sky. Occasionally, pillars of lightning even shot down to stab at the water. Someone on board let out a scream. "Calm yourself!" Trivestra called, without a modicum of confidence in his voice. The water was still crashing into the ferry, which pitched one way, and then the other. It felt as if they were sailing over rocks. To keep himself from falling, Trivesta grabbed the rail. "Calvin!" a deckhand called for him. The rain continued, fiercer than ever, wetting the wind and impossible to discern from the water splashing up from the lake. Everyone left on the deck, the two young deckhands and Trivesta himself, were completely soaked through. "Captain!" he corrected vainly. "Captain, what do we do?" Trivesta hesitated. "I…" A new wave collided into the boat, filling the deck with water. Everyone was swept off their feet, colliding painfully with the wooden floor and finding themselves washed to the side. Trivesta coughed water as he pushed himself up, clinging to the side railing for dear life, quite literally. "Keep her above water!" he cried, looking back to the oarsmen in the open cabin who propelled the boat. They were gone. "Benny! Ruben!" he cried to the deckhands, "Take an oar!" He looked for them. They were gone too. Trivesta was alone. "Shyke!" Another wave crashed into the ship, and he was thrown to the other side. Petch, petch. What in Rhysol's name was going on?! Did Trivesta do something wrong to incur his wrath? Weather like this wasn't supposed to happen! "Well, what good is it standing around asking questions?!" Trivesta told himself, making his way to one of the oars as he clutched at the side of the ferry. "You're a captain! People are depending on you! Get this ship to the city, and you'll be safe!" But the barriers that protected Ravok from weather like this were supposed to extend to the lake too. Why would the city be safer? "Get to the city!" he argued to himself, "Just focus on that now! It's all you can do!" Grabbing an oar, he sat himself down and desperately tried to steer the ferry. The city had been in view just a short while ago, but the sheets of rain had reduced visibility to the point where he couldn't even see the end of his ship. He'd have to rely on his instinct to get these people to safety. He didn't know what happened to his oarsmen or his deckhands, but it was impossible to go after them now. There were still lives on the line. Trivesta gave it everything he could, water streaming down his face and running into his eyes. His clothes were soaked and tight on his body, so he had to fight against them to retain mobility, to keep this ferry moving. BAM! KTHHSSSHHH! The ferry plowed into one of the piers of the City Docks, ripping it apart with its bulk. Not built to take this kind of damage, the ferry's hull buckled from the impact, sending splinters flying everywhere. Trivesta was thrown forward, narrowly missing the sharp, shattered oar that thrust into the spot he was sitting not a moment ago. The pier crumpled completely as it absorbed the ferry's momentum. At least a dozen people at the Docks were thrown into the water, then pulled beneath the wreckage of Trivesta's pitiful ship. Finally it came to halt, becoming a giant knot of twisted lumber. Several docked ferries and ships had been capsized or destroyed. Any nearby ferries had been completely decimated—along with anyone inside them. Trivesta lay on the deck of his ship, mostly intact but for the tall, barnacle-ridden post that had fallen and crushed his head. Red blood flowed across the slanted deck of the ship, even as the surviving passengers of the ferry who hurriedly stepped over it, and was quickly washed away by the rain and water. "Come on, Ares! We have to get inside!" After Shannon stepped onto the boardwalk in the shadow of the Temple of the Black Sun, he turned and extended his hand to the slave, still in the ravosala. It was rocking too violently for her to stand up, and even the driver was knelt down in the back. The Konti reached out, her delicate, scaled hand becoming firmly grasped by Shannon's broad grip. With a violent tug, she was forced from the ravosala and into Shannon's arms. As she stumbled away to dry herself off, Shannon reached for the ravosalaman as well. Usually, he'd be more concerned about his own skin and his property than some garrulous boat driver, but the ravosala had gotten them to the temple unscathed. There was a debt owed. "You too! The canals are too dangerous!" "My boat won't—" "Forget your boat! Take my petching hand and let me pull you to petching safety!" "Well… alright!" The ravosalaman began to shuffle down the length of his boat, trying hard to stay on his feet as the vessel swayed and rocked beneath him. Clinging to the side to keep from falling, he thrust out his arm and took Shanon's outstretched hand. "Master!" Another set of hands grabbed at his other arm. He was yanked backwards off the boardwalk and into the temple, stll holding onto the ravosalaman. Furious with panic and impatience, Shannon snapped his head around to look at her. He didn’t' see the giant wave that surging through the canal, smashing windows and smashing boats into the sides of buildings. The ravosalaman screamed as he was ripped from Shannon's grip and carried away by the unnatural tide. Shannon staggered to the side as the water swelled around his legs, but was kept on his feet by the Konti slave. As he caught his breath, watching the wave roll away, he put together what happened: his slave had saved his life. He might have thanked her, but the feeling of gratitude passed. She was merely a faithful slave. She had always been. "I don't know what's going on, but I think we'll be safe here," Shannon panted, leading Ares deeper into the temple. The grand hall was flooded with Ravokians and outsiders alike, seeking shelter from the storm. Empowered by his noble associations with the Valdinox family, Shannon pushed through them forcefully, his little Konti in tow. The rain continued its steady hum against the temple's ceiling, while massive waves continued to collide into the side of the church with low, bass booms. They were worrying, but the temple was the heart of Ravok, its sturdiest structure, the seat of the Voice and the base of the Black Sun. Not even a storm like this could threaten it. "We should—" BOOM. CRAACK-K-K! Shannon spun around to see a massive, lightning-shaped crack tear through one of the walls of the church. He fell a few steps backward. "No…" Several people were shaken off their feet as an explosion of splinters and wood rocked the floating ground beneath them. The muraled ceiling above them broke apart like cracks in a dry lake, and suddenly giant chunks of painted stone and wood were crashing to the floor. Shannon got to his feet in time to see a woman just a few yards away crushed by an enormous piece of debris, even as she ran to avoid it. The church was filled with shrieking and the sound of destruction as they scattered in all directions. Shannon made his way with Ares away from the splintering ceiling, but the floor beneath him continued to quake with the promise of falling under water. Then, part of the temple actually did. The floor split almost instantly, as if someone had actually taken a hold of it and pulled it from the rest of the temple. A spray of water surged from the crack, jetting upward and dousing everyone nearby. For a moment, it was hard to tell whether the Temple was rising or if a piece of it was falling, until that entire section finally sank beneath the water and revealed the open city beyond it. The rain now poured inside the church, washing away the widening pools of blood created by falling debris. The waves that pummeled the city now washed in, picking up those careless enough to be too close to the edge and pulling them under. Shannon, hoping he was safe at the back of the church, where the Voice often stood to give her sermons, sank to his knees as he watched his city be literally torn apart. Ares remained nearby, standing faithfully at his side. "What is happening…?" He asked softly, though he knew Ares wouldn't have the answer. "Where is Rhysol? Why isn't he saving us from this…?" OOCDon't worry, it doesn't stop there! Post your character's viewpoint here, and allow me to THOROUGHLY ruin your day.

[Marcus Ahysen]

Marcus was just leaving his apartment in one of the NHC buildings when the rain began to fall. He thought it odd, considering it was also cold, but who was he to question the weather that was and always would be controlled by his lord, Rhysol? So he would be wet when he arrived at the temple, it didn't matter. His fellows would understand, because they were all subject to the whims of their lord just as Marcus was. Marcus did hear some people complaining about the cold and the rain, and he might have stopped to tell them they shouldn't question the weather, but then the wind picked up. He watched as a large wave rolled down the canal, nearly tipping one of the Ravosalamen from his boat. That was something Marcus had never seen before, having lived his entire life in Ravok, and only having been to the shore once or twice. Waves on the shore were tiny, but to see something larger than the wake of a boat in the actual canals, or waves from the splash of a body in the water.. that was unheard of. And the rain picked up, and the waves got bigger, and it was freezing cold. Rhysol must be in a foul mood today.. But it was so much worse than that. Rhysol wasn't just angry, he was furious it seemed, and the entire city was suffering for it. Marcus watched as a man who had fallen into the canal struggled to climb out, only to die in a flash of light when lightning struck the water nearby. Cries of pain went up elsewhere and Marcus knew others had been within the radius of that flash of death as well. The Agent began to run toward the center of the city. The temple would be safe, it was the one place Rhysol would not harm. Whatever the infidels had done to displease him, the faithful would always find sanctuary in the temple walls. But Marcus would not make it in time. Foolishly he stopped when he saw a woman swept off her feet. She was nearly taken into the canals, but the desperate woman managed to hold on by a hair to a nearby docking post. Marcus ran forward, reaching down and yanking her back onto dry land.. well, not dry, but land. "Thank you, my lord!" "Come on, we have to get to the temple!" Dragging the woman behind him by her wrist Marcus continued to make his way through the town. The rain and cold were so harsh it was painful, and it was hard to keep his footing on the slick ground. He turned down one pathway only to find the bridge across the canal completely shattered. "Damnit!" Marcus moved on to the next route, again the path was destroyed. But he did spot a ravosala docked.. if he could jump into that and push across quickly enough they might be able to make it without falling in. "Let's go, it's the only way!" Marcus helped the woman in first then jumped down himself, shoving off against the wall of the canal as he did so. The pole to steer the boat was gone but it was a narrow canal and he hoped his shove would be enough. The boat rocked in the waves and even had he been weaker it wouldn't have matter because it suddenly lurched forward and crashed into the other side of the canal. The woman shot forward with it, her head smacking into the brick, and Marcus only just barely got his arms up in time to brace himself. He gave her only a parting glance as she slumped and fell into the water, but that was all he had time for. Marcus climbed out of the boat and continued to run. He could see the temple. He could see people running inside. And then he saw the lightning strike. The roof began to cave. Marcus could see people being crushed through the open doors... and then.. the entire front section of the temple shuddered and sunk beneath the waves. Skidding to a stop Marcus watched wide eyed, as did so many of those lucky ones who had not yet reached the temple, as the one place in Ravok that was supposed to guarantee safety broke in half and sunk beneath the waves. He could see those who had survived in the remaining portion of the temple staring back at him. Near the altar a man sunk to his knees. Marcus felt his own knees wobble and weaken, but he did not fall. The only thing he could do was wonder what had happened to make Rhysol want to do this, to destroy his beloved city. What had they done to anger the defiler so? "What have we done... my lord.. what have we done?"

[Khalanssmiasook]

For nearly thirty years--thirty years Sook had lived in this city and never had it been this petching cold! She heard similar whispers and many muttering about how Rhysol must be in a foul mood or the more fearful ones whispering that they must have done something wrong, angered him somehow. She doubted either was the case and she really did not care, for right now her only concern was that she had left her pack was strapped to her, she was cold and her cloak was not doing a damned thing. Rhysol… And as if on cue when his name entered her thoughts it began to rain, perhaps he truly was angry. But of all things did he have to make it rain? It was cold enough! Taking a deep breath she attempted to soothe her nerves and remember her purpose. A job. She was not exactly short on Miza at the moment but she wished to have shelter and warmth. Much warmth. Just thinking of the possibility of not having to curl up in a corner made her shiver with delight or was that simply the chill reaching her bones? Now that she was actually paying attention she realized it was hard to see, the wind stung her eyes with its gaining force, canal water soak into her shoes and the bottom of her pants. She could see people beginning to run, shouts being carried away but the quickly brewing storm, it was not as if it had come out of nowhere though. This storm had been slowly progressing since she left her little nook in the wall to head toward the cities center. She felt her urge to switch to her thicker form and curl up or maybe go push a kid into the canal and watch what happened, her irritation rising with the water…but wait…why was the water still rising? And where the petching hell had the lightening come from? “For petchs sake!” Sook stopped her rushed pace, the rain now fully stinging her face, her cloak doing absolutely nothing ward off the onslaught of cold. Looking around she finally realized not only that there was actually a storm! In Ravok! But that people were scurrying everywhere like deranged ants. Rushing for the temple with prayers flying off their lips. People screamed from the canals, begging for help, doors were slammed, water was everywhere! It was utter chaos. And even through her abject anger at the damnable cold she felt a smile curl on her lips, this storm was causing more delightful entertainment than any of her plans. And there went the smile, a petching storm filled with shyke rain could cause them to react like this? Still she found a great amusement in watching the scene unfold before her, even those who never lifted a finger to help another were now trying. “How quaint.” Her words were drowned out, in fact almost everything was drowned out as the temple--the temple was split in half. The ground shaking even Sook found herself falling to knees, both from the cold and the sudden shoves of the people behind her. Half of the brilliant building sank beneath the waves that seemed to be trying to jump onto the land. Everyone and everything stared in silence, for a spilt second only the storm howled but then it’s people followed suit. Crying out in loss for their beloved temple and wondering where on Mizahar their God and protector could be. Sook's only concern though, was for Sook…now where was she going to find shelter?

[Rael Telano]

It was cold. Far too cold. Pulling her cloak tighter around herself, Rael quickened her pace, wanting to get to the temple as soon as possible. Rhysol must not be pleased. She couldn't remember Ravok ever being this cold before. Still, she supposed it could be worse. This wasn't Bonesnapper cold.

Funny. It had been a while since she last thought of the Bonesnapper. She barely remembered how it felt, what it was, except that it was what they'd called the cold wind in Zeltiva.

Rael's musings were interrupted by a cold drop of water splashing on her cheek, followed by another, then another, until she was walking, slightly hunched over, through pouring rain, her waterlogged cloak doing little to keep her warm anymore.

Sighing softly to herself, she resisted the urge to run, not wanting rain to soak her front as well. Huge waves rolled down the canals, and Rael shivered, not just of cold. She had never seen it this bad before, not in all her time here.

A cry came from the canals, and she turned to see an upside down ravosala, it's driver trying to climb up. Looking around, she could see the beginning of a panic, and she started jogging, then full out running to the temple. Rain blinded her, soaked her to the bone and deeper, and she stumbled, nearly falling. A nearby stranger caught her arm, righting her.

"Come on, man, we won't survive if we stay out here!" She cringed at the reminder of her sex, but followed the stranger. Later, she'd realize her fall had saved both their lives.

Together, they ran through the streets, trying not to get trampled in the crowd. They were nearing the temple when the ground itself began to quiver. A low moan of despair spread through the crowd, and Rael pushed forward.

What she saw brought her to her knees. The temple was split in half, part of it crashing down into the waters below. The people in the remaining half stood, transfixed, and for a single moment, all she could hear was the pounding rain and the steadily rising moan of the crowd.

She could do nothing but stare, uncaring of the rain dripping down her face, mingling with her tears.

Why…. why have you abandoned us?

[Valerius Nitrozian]

The Nitrozian was just enjoying a glass of fine wine at a tavern and going through his notes on the Ancient Tongue, when a sound caught his attention. A little irritated, he closed his notebook and turned his head to the window where the sound had come from. Heavy raindrops were drumming against the glass. He watched the scene outside the tavern for a while, watched the people that hurried past, and then he shrugged his shoulders and focused on his notes again. The weather was a little unusual, but it was nothing to be worried about. He would wait until the rain was over. His notes would keep him occupied. A few moments passed. He tried to get the attention of a waitress – he wanted to make another order – but the woman just stood there, looking away from him. He was about to say something – a member of the Nitrozian family shouldn’t be ignored – when he noticed what she was looking at. Within a few moments the area outside the tavern had been transformed into something out of a nightmare. The sky was dark grey. It was raining so heavily now that it was hard to see anything, and the water in the canal was so agitated that the ravosalamen had a hard time controlling their vessels. He abruptly rose from his chair. Pulling the hood of his cloak deep into his face, he hurried outside. He needed to get away quickly, otherwise he would be stuck in the tavern for only Rhysol knew how long. The canal might overflow. It might not be safe here for much longer. He needed to find out what exactly was going on. The weather had never been like that before. As he hurried through the street, he could hear a loud sound in the distance. And then he saw it. Half of the Temple of the Black Sun, his destination, was gone. He couldn’t believe his eyes. For a few moments he just stood there, unable to move. His heart nearly stopped beating. What had happened? Why had Rhysol not protected his temple? Had they, the people of Ravok, angered him? Where was their protector now?

[Martin]

2nd of Spring, AV 512 "Damn this wind!" Martin yelled out to himself as he continued to scramble around the city. He'd only been in the city for a few days yet he was starting to regret that decision. He still had no home, no friends, no job, there was no place for him to go. And the weather was getting worse. The rain fell down less like water and more like small rocks. Every drop that fell on Martin's coat stung only slightly but they fell so rapidly that Martin began to groan in pain. The wind was howling and ripping right through Martin's cloak. He was chilled right to the bone with each gust. Not knowing where to go, Martin wandered around the city the same way he always had until he saw a young woman leading her child by the hand. "What's wrong mother!? Why is Rhysol doing this!?" "I don't know why but we have to get the temple! NOW! MOVE!" The temple. Well if others were going there then that's where he would be going. It would be nice to get some shelter. He followed the woman and child through the streets, matching their pace so he wouldn't be lost in the city in this weather. The wind was starting to moan and the wood would break off the buildings around them. As he followed the woman, she began to look over her shoulder occasionally and quicken her pace. Finally, at a bridge over the lake she turned around to face Martin. "Why are you following us!? Do you want money!?" "No I..." "How dare you try to take advantage of my son and I in these times!" "But..." "No you listen to me! My son and I are going to the temple and we would prefer if you didn't follow us!" Just then a massive wave roared up to the bridge. Martin was quick enough to roll out of the way but the woman and her son were not so lucky. The wave knocked them off their foot and over the bridge, sending them into the roaring waters below. Without thinking, Martin jumped into the water to try to save them, but another wave came and crashed down on them. By the time he got his head back above the water, they were gone and Martin had no idea where he was. "HELP!" he screamed "HELP!

[Eselle]

Clutching her cloak to fight the persistent cold, Eselle quickly navigated the foreign streets on a nervous gait. It was so cold, Spring ought to mean the beginning of warmth but instead it seemed colder than any of the most recently past days. Heavily weighing on her thoughts was the tower card that had been so prevalent in her readings on her trip. Some part of her tried to rationalize the meaning; it might be the card symbolized the city itself or even the literal tower that was the surest gateway into it. As much as she wished to believe these options, the seeress knew that rarely were the cards so translucent. No, the meaning of the tower might still reveal itself, she had to be wary. She felt slightly lonely without Samson; he’d be safely stabled though for an outrageous price. The horse had traveled with her since Mura, coming across the sea with her and to be without him now seemed inherently wrong. But the horse would not have enjoyed squeezing through these streets. The cold seemed to deepen with each new street she took. If only she understood what or who she searched for. All that could be certain was whatever it was, it was in Ravok. Her calling was so unspecific, but that made it no less real. And still the air grew more frigid. Turning on her heels, Eselle was ready to return to the docks and find refuge from the chill when the rain began. Her cloak had been meant to insulate against inclement weather but it wouldn’t block forever, with the way the sky poured soon she would be drenched. Swiftly rounding a corner the Konti found herself at a bridge, the architecture wasn’t the curiosity here though. The water, it had seemed so much more tame when she’d first arrived in the city; now it seemed a torrent. Up the river she could see the stylized ferries the city used for transpiration crashing into one another and tipping over. Another beyond the ravasola, upon another bridge stood two figures…perhaps a third? A child? As the waves buffeted the farther bridge, they stole from it the three figures. Watching stunned the Konti waited on pregnant breath; if the three did not surface what would she do? Surely they could swim they lived on a lake, but the waters were rough. As the first surface she felt safe to free her held breath only to be chilled in a core untouchable by the freezing weather. He was screaming for help. She couldn’t stop to think, to consider what might happen next if she revealed her heritage, not when people were in danger. Wading through the waves overflowing street towards the bridge, Eselle braced herself against buildings watching the waves carefully. Being born on an island meant she was used to the ebb and flow but these waters would be considered treacherous even in the sea. Reaching the bridge she tossed back her hood and dunked her face into the surf, keeping a hold of the architecture to steady herself. It seemed, at first, she had been to slow. She saw no sign of the missing people from up the river until a tiny hand past beneath her vision. Without hesitation she reached out and grasped it. Pulling the child to her chest the Konti fled back towards the way she’d came, an alleyway where the waves couldn’t hit them directly. The child, a boy it seemed, was divulging his lungs of water against her breast and howling mewled cries in between each gasp. Eselle unable to return the quickly route, for the waves would surely make t impossible for her to fight against, sought a more twisted path trying to find her way back to the yelling man in the water. She prayed the child was his. Scrambling with the boy, the chill seemed so distant when life felt so endangered but the wind blew her cloak’s hood back over her head. Wet fur stank plastered against her cheeks as the streets that had seemed so planned out before became a labyrinth. Finally she found others fleeing towards some centralized area, following them seemed her best option. It seemed these citizens knew where they were going, and it turned out their destination was a massive temple. Had she the time Eselle would have dared to guess it’s purpose, she may have even guessed it’s true use but today there was no such free time. As some of the people fled towards the building, the seeress saw the temple begin to crumble like some sand castle. No, not like a construct of a sand, people were screaming as the debris rained down upon them. Keeping her distance the woman in white held tight the child who had begun to scream as well, for his mother. Eselle murmured promises to find the woman though she doubted the mother would be found alive. Her attention was for the city, the chaos and so overwhelming on the tower that had warned her so insistently. She had tried to listen to the omens, perhaps she had read wrong. But sinking to her knees with the young boy who buried his face against her chest, the two strangers held on to each other as the world seemed to come to an end around them.

[Gaul Swift-Axe]

All around Gaul Swift-Axe, the Ravokian citizens complained about the cold. The man had been here for a few fortnights, and noticed that in the city, it was abnormally warm. But he let it go, thinking the city was merely having a warm winter. In fact, it irritated the man. He didn't understand that Rhysol kept the cold from Ravok; he just saw men complaining about a little cold in the air.

Although their complaints annoyed him, Gaul mostly ignored them. In his right hand he held a mug of the silver ale famous at the tavern he was at, which also happened to have silver in its name. Taking a sip, he rested his other hand on his thigh, lifting it only to shift his great-axe that was propped up against the table. Other than that, he watched one of the ravosalas wander by, the oarman drawing his cloak as close as he can while he rowed the boat. It was rather peaceful watching the boats roll by. Nothing seemed to faze them.

And that was when a gust of wind capsized the boat, sending the man into the water.

Gaul's eyes widened a moment, but he didn't jump up to be the man's savior. He had already surfaced, and was swimming to shore. Plus he really didn't want to go out in the downpour of rain. And the lighting, which just happened to crack at the moment. Gaul was still unfazed, considering all of this normal. But as he sipped on his ale, he began to notice the reactions of people. Many were talking to themselves, no conversation quiet. They kept muttering about the weather, and wondering aloud why Rhysol wasn't shielding them from it. Some were even leaving, heading out into the pouring rain. Well Gaul wasn't going to be leaving just yet. Nothing was going to draw him away. . .

"A ferry has crashed into the docks."

That statement has peaked Gaul's interest, and he looked for the man who had seen it. The owner of those words was the man standing in the doorway, water dripping onto the floor. With this statement, more people began to leave the tavern. This was odd. Shouldn't people be staying inside instead of heading out into this storm? Gaul decided it would be better if he followed the crowd. They probably knew what was going on and knew how to handle it. So he lifted the axe, strapping into onto his back, and following a sailor out into the storm. He thought that this was the best decision; that these citizens knew what was happening.

Too bad he didn't know that the pure-bred Ravokians didn't know what was happening either.

[Druvan]

The cold crept into everything. Spring had brought with it a sudden drop in temperature. Druvan drew her cloak around her tightly. She was not dressed for this weather. There had never been a need. The first raindrops slipped from the sky and Druvan caught one on her nose. She looked up as the grey sky above began to rip open releasing a new onslaught. She briefly considered going back inside. Her room would be warm and dry, but there were some supplies she needed to buy. She pushed the thought from her head. It was only water. And in Ravok rain was a rarity. The departure from the constant temperate weather might be exciting. It seemed strange that the god of chaos should be expected to keep things the same all the time. People stopped and stared at the sky. The collective inattentiveness seemed like a chance to pickpocket, maybe earn a miza or two, but Druvan bowed her head and pushed onward, resisting the temptation. She wanted no distractions today. With that thought, the wind picked up. Druvan felt herself buffeted by the strong gusts as she struggled to continue towards her destination. She walked as quickly as she could along the canals, her muscles straining against the unseen force. The wind whipped at the water ravenously. The boats rocked helplessly and their captains were helpless to do anything about it. Druvan had never seen the water so temperamental. She almost worried that the road would start to rock underneath her, trying to knock her over in the same way the water had treated the boats. It suddenly seemed colder, only a shade away from freezing. Druvan’s fingers began to numb and she rubbed them together before shoving them deep into her pockets. The rain had begun to fall harder. Her cloak offered protection enough, but she felt the damp seep into her hair. Druvan began to worry. This was too far from normal. She whispered a small prayer to Rhysol under her breath. She continued to mumble her way up the canals. The slight shift in temperature had turned into a dangerous day to be out and about. She cursed herself for not turning around when she had the chance. She was at less than halfway from the shop and even closer to the temple. There would be safely within those dark walls. She quickly changed directions, darted down a different street, and headed towards the temple of the Black Sun. The weather was quickly worsening. Around her there were cries and screams, a full panic seemed to have ensued. Well you chaotic thing, this is what you like isn’t it. But I thought you liked us. Ships overturned in the storm and any aboard met the same fate. Water was everywhere. The ground was slick and the watery mirror reflected the destruction around it. Druvan slipped, her hands still foolishly in her pockets and only just caught herself with her shoulder. She freed her hands and pulled herself off the ground. The burn in her shoulder spread down her arm and began to throb as she forced herself onward. People were quickly claimed by the canal, men, women, and children. Her thoughts flickered over them. I should help. No. Rhysol is angry enough and your chances are slim without distractions. A cat yowled in one of the side alleyways. It was perched atop a ledge, hissing and spitting as if trying to frighten the encroaching water. She had made no move to help any human, but she sighed, then dashed forward and grabbed the black feline. It struggled against her grip and managed to rake its claws along her left hand. “Come with me you mangy thing. Stay here and you’ll drown.” She cradled the unwilling cat against her chest and plunged on, cursing herself again. Stupid, stupid. Stop for a cat, but not a human. The worthless thing has only slowed you down now. Risking your skin for a bit of angry fur. She looked down and noticed that the creature had only one eye. A panicked stream of people flooded into the temple even as water continued to flood the banks of the canal. A flash of white light lashed out at the temple and dragged part of it down. People and temple alike were lost to the waves. Even after so readily consuming the front of the temple, the waves continued to lick at the broken temple hungrily, like angry blue flames. Druvan froze. If the temple was not safe…Rhysol must have truly abandoned them. In many ways it was not a surprise. He was to be worshipped, not to be trusted. If she could not live through this she was not worthy. This was chaos. Utterly and completely. It was horrible and cruel and completely exciting. Druvan felt a rush that could have been terror or elation.

[Nex Paciscor]

His paws slapped against the docks, his lean muscles flexing as he pounded along. Aello wasn't not to be found in the city, something she had explained to him but in the chaos of the downpour hammering around him his frantic mind had easily forgotten her words. He only knew that the air was strange and things where not as they should be and that made him very uneasy. Something, someone had upset the balance that was, and now they all had to pay for it. Of course such concepts of pity for those dying in the storm was lost on him, but survival did burn within him, and the innate instinct fueled his movements even now. He had to get to shelter and find someplace safe and warm.

The tangle of path's throughout the city left him confused though, especially since it seemed downright lethal to go anywhere near the bridges that where vital to get from place to place. He could see one such danger clearly as he witnessed a wave sweep down a canal and shatter a boat to splinters against the side of a building. Overhead lightning cracked across the sky, eliciting a boom that made his hair stand on end. He could almost not hear over the rolling peals of thunder, but he did hear something, a lone voice coming from the canal's. Ordinarily, and especially in current circumstance he'd not have cared to answer a call to help, even if they might possibly be near death, but he needed to find somewhere safe, and in the absence of Aello, perhaps this stranger could help him to those ends.

Moving to the edge of the canal cautiously he looked down, spying a man in the water sputtering about, calling for help and wasting precious energy in the process. Hopping down onto a capsized boat floating upside down, he howled at the man, hoping to get his attention while his claws struggled to keep a firm hold on the shaky ground. If the man would not listen to him, he'd try and hop back up the the bridge but he'd at least give his possible asset a chance.