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  setting THE TEMPLE OF BEGINNINGS Welcome to the "Home Base" of the Circle. What the actual name of the base is called is lost to the ages, but it's what everyone who has been here for awhile seems to call it, and so the name has just stuck. At any rate, the Temple of Beginnings is a central hub of the Circle, a place of powerful magic and mysterious energy. It is a scattering of ancient stone buildings with multiple markings etched into the stone. For the most part, it looks abandoned. Some of the buildings are destroyed altogether, as if a tornado appeared out of nowhere and destroyed it. There are articles of clothing strewn about, along with random pieces of stone and wood from structures that have long since been lost to the ages. What in the hell happened here? No one really seems to know. You just known you're stuck here, and you've got to survive. As of July 2019, certain aspects of the Temple that were here previously no longer exist. Those portions will be HOUSING  Finding a decent bedroom seems to be hit or miss. Much of the housing in this world seems to have been destroyed, and you can either build your own shelter out of nearby materials, or try your luck on finding a room.Nearly all of the rooms require some level of repair. There are holes in the stone roof of some buildings, or missing walls. However, you can certainly find beds strewn throughout the housing unit of the Temple, along with linens that have holes in them. Broken mirrors and destroyed chests with various personal items can be found in the rubble of some rooms. The only decent part is that some of the bathrooms seem to be intact, with running water that seems to be working through magic. But you have to hunt to find them, and there's definitely not a lot of them. Best be sharing those toilets. KITCHEN  There's a massive kitchen area that has an old coal-fired oven. It seems to be in working order, with some busted up chairs and broken tables in the dining area. Rotting fruit can be found in some corners, along with some opened bags of rice. For the most part, though, you're going to have to hunt and attempt to grow your food. Some seeds can be found in the cupboards, but it's truly luck of the draw what you find. Some squash, berries, or other such foods can be found rummaging around. Pots and pans can be found, too, with some effort, by digging through the rubble. The kitchen is also missing a wall which will need to be fixed... eventually. It's not really on your to-do list at the moment. All in all, though, the only thing that remains properly functional in here is the oven... but you need to keep it hot, and lit. Get to chopping wood or finding coal in this place.  You will have whatever you need provided to you, within reason. You are definitely not given expensive bath salts and oils, but basic bare necessities are found within the bath house for whatever you need. It's a quiet place, meant to be relaxing, though no one is saying you can't have a spontaneous cannonball tournament when no one is watching. There is no swimming pool or anything of the like, though -- if you want to have a cooler place to swim, you'll have to go to Lake Dona to meet your need. As of July 2019, the bath house is not functional. The water is stagnant and no longer heats, but you can find towels strewn about, along with the odd bath salt. If you want to bathe, you're going to have to go to the Lake to do it. FIGHTING RING  Set apart from the central hub of housing, the bath house, and the kitchen areas is a stone structure with a rusted metal gate. The gate is broken, and you seem to be able to just wander right into it.Rusted weaponry can be found, along with some dummies that lie lifeless on the ground. Broken spears and ripped leather armor is strewn about that may be salvageable if you have the skills to mend it. Cracked shields, helmets that fit species that don't quite align with your own, and other basic fighting equipment can be found... albeit most of it really, really broken. It seems, for the most part, to just be a quiet place to stay. At least you can meditate here? :max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/brown_lady_lg-56a6eb6a3df78cf77290e985.jpg) They do not speak, nor do they have faces or even corporal forms. If you try to reach through them, your hands will go right through. But they will not harm you. Sometimes they get bored, though, so they may rearrange your stuff when you're not there. )They're just trying to be helpful!) As of July 2019, the Unseen Servants have vanished from the Temple. Where they are, you have no idea. But they are not there to be of service. OTHER LOCATIONS The Temple is where the Circle spends most of their time, but there are two main areas that have thusfar been "unlocked" by the Circle (and whatever mysterious magic is at work in Acatalepsy)! THE FOREST OF THE FEY  It is an impossibly ancient wood that crackles with magical energy. It is seemingly endless--if you continue to wander, you will never find the end. It is full of various animals and creatures that seem alien to you. Some might be dangerous, some might not . . . but you will always wind up at the Temple of Beginnings, should you simply think about it. It will magically appear through the trees before you. The more you all explore the forest, the more facets of whatever was here before you may appear . . . you'll just need to figure it out, won't you? For now, though, the Forest seems to be safe (albeit full of tricksy nymphs) and you can feel free to go camping, hunting, or exploring at your leisure. LAKE DONA.  Lake Dona is a massive lake that appears seemingly out of the middle of nowhere, due east of the Temple structure. It contains a plethora of sealife, including a friendly plesiosaur and some mermaids that may or may not attack you if you get too close to their stuff. The water is brisk, but not freezing, and you can feel free to swim there! There are also a series of underwater caverns that have been explored by the Circle, but the mermaids will not allow you to go near them at this time. Too spooky, they say (in mermaid speak). But you can feel free to fish, swim, interact with the (mostly) friendly creatures that live in Lake Dona, and enjoy a beautiful summer-ish day by the shores! THE SHRINE OF THE LOST.  Prompto had the idea to set up a memorial for characters who have left the Circle, and Astoria provided. On Lake Dona, there lies a tree seemingly thirty to forty feet out on the water. Walking on the water to get to it on an invisible path will unveil a shrine, where people can sit quietly with their thoughts, leave mementos of their lost friends, or simply get a better view of the lake. However, the real magic lies in the tree itself . . . because nearing it, and touching the bark, will reveal a slow pattern of names spreading along the wooden surface. Names of the people who have left the Circle, forever memorialized in the Temple of Beginnings. The names will surface with a specificity, if you think of a certain person, or will otherwise be random as you walk around the shrine. THE STORY SO FAR. When the Circle was first formed by a goddess-like entity named Astoria, the goal was simple: eradicate Darkness, and maintain balance in the universe. As such, once every other month, Astoria moved characters to a brand new world. The Circle experienced six worlds, this way: El Minha, Struxta, Akvos, the Horologium, Faerun, and Joikull. The Circle was met with varying successes and failures, and grew and shrank with each passing world. During their time in the Circle, various new players have come to light. Certain personalities in every world have come forward, including a duo from El Minha (King Kathashun and his loyal partner in crime, Jalin) that seem to be capable of traveling through the Void just as the Circle can. The Circle discovered another presence within the Temple, known as Alcina, but have yet to track down who she is, or what connection she has to Astoria... and, really, the Circle had more on their plate than they anticipated, with the constant jumping to different worlds. However, after Joikull, the Circle returned to see that the Temple had been destroyed. Astoria was nowhere in site, and all of the creature comforts they had once enjoyed were now lost to the ages. They needed to focus on survival, rather than simply saving the universe, and were suddenly faced with a new goal. Survive, and mend the Universe. Throughout the universe, cracks had begun appearing in the fabric of space and time, and the Circle's primary objective now is . . . well, it's personal. Venture into the Void to stop the expansion of the Void, and save the Universe, or continue on finding a way home, or find Astoria, or... all of the above? At any rate, something has got to give. The Circle is needed more now than ever. The Worlds The Circle Visited: El Minha (OUTCOME: |