The Osiran Expanse [Open|IC]

[Maadi]

The Osiran Expanse

Following the conclusion of an experiment during Wepet Renpet 2022 meant to revive regional interest in the establishment of, and participation in, character-driven roleplay, I volunteered to lead in the continuance of that effort after some active citizens expressed interested in such an endeavor. Draco has given me his permission and patience while working on this project, for which I am grateful.

This thread, The Osiran Expanse, is an in-character thread (aside from this preface) which picks up where that experiment left off; like that experiment’s premise, this one is intentionally open-ended, and serves as a less-defined initial prompt where players can introduce key characters to one another, engage one another in the spirit of cooperation towards common, short-term goals, and just generally hang out, letting their initiatives take them where they may.

All of the usual tips, tricks, and guidelines from the Osiran Dramatic Papyrus, the region’s roleplaying handbook, apply as usual to this thread, but until that document is published: use common sense, be nice, and enjoy!

P.S. Don't worry, this post is only temporarily ugly. I'll clean up the formatting and prettify it soon!

Introduction

The annual festivities of Wepet Renpet had brought together representatives of various nations from across Osiris and, for the moment, those who had first gathered on the riverbed of the mighty Nile found their numbers reduced. Ambassador Teth Uranaiasspawn, their erstwhile host and procurer of a banquet, and Mikhail Z Antares, the Dark Lord and another of the realm’s Guardians, had departed suddenly, leaving those that remained within the air pockets among whatever was left of the feast. All had heard the roar of Apep in the distance, but whatever unfolded within Mount Bakhu could not be known to them until, and if, the Guardians wished to share what had unfolded with them upon their return. One of the Maadi and the Priest Cret, at least, presumably remained there, awaiting their return.

Up above, Sekhmet Legionnaires who had been on parade dispersed, off to new lands on behalf of the Pharaoh. Those officials who had done their due diligence in reviewing the replacements for the lost papyrus scrolls completed their work. Priests who had issued prayers in ceremonies beseeching Hapi for the health of the people returned to their duties at the temples. Time, you see, did not always operate at the same pace for everyone within Osiris’s sprawling domain. The bulk of the celebrations were now at end for many, even if the Nile’s waters continued to run high.

Yet, all sorts of points of interest remain open to the bold individual wishing to explore this place, and representatives from individual nations may even find themselves inviting foreigners to aid them in quests back in their own part of the Osiran region, whether they hail from an intergalactic empire, a modest village, or a lonely wasteland.

Surely, such boldness abounds in the peoples of Osiris. Yes, there are so many people to meet and things to learn, the vast majority could not possibly be satisfied knowing less, rather than more, of their neighbors . . . right?

[Dragonian Alliance]

If one were to look closely they could see the presence of scales receding with each breath. If they looked closer still, they could tell each seemingly peaceful breath was labored. If they looked even closer still, they could almost see the silence that was lain about the Dark Lord. There he sat, a man who should have died an age ago. Never the less to any who looked, power was laid upon him like a thousand secrets none should ever know.

The Dark Lord sat beneath a tree on a hill high above the Nile and dying festivities, enjoying the morning breeze. His glamours were currently lain aside, revealing the sockets that once held his eyes millennia ago. His black silver-trimmed robe flowed around his body as his unkempt black hair dangled about his alabaster face. Mikhail's face was masked in thought knowing, as Guardian, he would be called upon to face the great serpent again, so the Dark Lord sat contemplating every possible encounter with Apep, Lord of Chaos. A blue-silver scaled cuirass lay to his side, broken and nearly shattered from the nights events. He had underestimated the god, Apophis. Thankfully, they had won, with vials of deific venom as the Dark Lord's prize. Still, it was too close...

[Tethys 13]

Teth Uranaiasspawn, Tethys 13's Ambassador to Osiris, burbled discontentedly as the squires finished repairing their terribly damaged survival pod. They had come far too close to failing their duty as Guardian. Apep had been catastrophically powerful, and without the aid of the Dragonian Alliance's Dark Lord, Teth would certainly have perished. Shuffling slowly into the pod, Teth ran through the checks, ensuring everything was functioning optimally. There was a slight grind in the servos of its left arm, which the squires sheepishly began re-inspecting. Once the repairs were completed to their satisfaction, Teth departed the embassy, hovering out over the Osiran sands without any clear purpose.

[Cretanja]

One after another, guest after guest of the Nile Riverbed, began to depart back to the surface. The festival of Wepet Renpet was now sadly concluding. This was a night that the young priest would never forget. Old age and onset forgetfulness from the gods would never hold the power to ever make him forget. This festival would be something Kraven, formally known as "Cret", would cherish and take to the grave. Regardless that the Guardians were called away to their duties, the festivities and feasting did not cease for quite a while. Only after the sun's rise was taking form over the Nile, did festival-goers decide to return home.

No longer timid of the real world around him, Kraven began trudging up and out of the Nile's deep darkened waters with purpose and vigor. High on life and once on dry land, Kraven skipped a slight skip. A smile plastered his youthful face from ear-to-ear. As he began walking up the steep bank of the Nile River, Kraven eagle-eyed a familiar shadow-cast silhouette sitting below a tree growing on-top of Traitor's Hill. He knew who it was, and pondered if the Guardian knew of the lore surrounding the hill in which he now rests atop of. For an instant, Kraven subconsciously shifted his path towards The Dark Lord, but decided against it in a flash. He continued his path towards the Pharaoh's Palace. The east wing of the palace is the dedicated Hall of Ma'at where priests live and work - and where he would soon find his bed. Kraven could not remember the last time he stayed up all night to watch the sun rise again. His duties as priest demanded a more precise sleep regime. Thankfully for the festival he was able to get away with it this one time, though.

Walking further from Traitor's Hill and ever closer to the Pharaoh's Palace, Kraven began to blush. He could not stop himself from recounting the events that unfolded in this night. He wondered briefly if would have the courage to tell someone about it and his feelings - he thought not. Speaking something out loud made it all that realer, and much harder to avoid altogether. If he did decided tell someone, it would be Mikhail. But that was a thought for later. Much later, after some rest. Walking across the sand-swept desert from the River Nile, Kraven could see in the distance Teth. Hovering steadily and with precision in one place, overlooking the horizon of temples, pyramids, and above ground tombs. Kraven considered walking out to greet them, but restlessness enveloped the young priest. He would have tomorrow to speak with his new friends, he decided.

Now entering the Pharaoh's Palace after being approve by the guards, Kraven made his way to the east wing. The Palace was quite. No stir of busy scribes, studious priests, or the royal family. Everything was still. All that was audible was Kraven's now-dry sandals lightly clapping against the polished floors. Turning into the Hall of Ma'at, he began feeling for the correct door which held his bed hostage behind it. One of the palace workers obviously forgot to light the torches adorned to the walls of this hall before retiring for the night. Or perhaps they're still out there, somewhere, trying to make the festival linger as long as possible. Gods forbid a priest wake in the middle of the night to relieve themselves. Oh well, Kraven thought to himself; one mistake wont hurt anything. And the way I feel right now, nothing could sour my mood! Finding his door in the dark, and then lunging himself towards his bed, Kraven began to fade into a deep sleep.

His lasts thoughts were of all the exotic and delicious foods he ate, the new Guardian friends he made, and his unforgettable experience below the Nile. And while all these were wonderful things that contributed to his splendid unforgettable night out, his very last thought was of how he felt on the inside; of how he was now surely....... in love. In love with a girl he only briefly saw from across the bottom of the River Nile. Before succumbing to his slumber, his last thought was of her and how, in the morning, he would have to go out in search of her if he were to ever look upon her beautiful face ever again.

[Skar Quilor]

“You are the crowned King of the Gods,”
“The Goddess Aset embraces you,”
“and enfolds you in all seasons,”
“in gratitude for your radiant blessings.”

He brought his arms down from the sun-adoring position as it shone through the window in his quarters. Stepping from the raised area of his dwellings, he walked towards the table, completely bare of clothing, he felt Ra’s blessing heat his body. It had been a cold night, and the sudden rise in temperature caused him to feel toasty. With a slight blush he grabbed the baked bread and ate from it while standing in the window, his form bare for the God who had created all, burning away the terrors of the night.

Asim stretched, smiled and again thanked Ra for the rays of warmth and turned away from the window and went to get dressed; a slightly sheen white robe that revealed the chest and shoulders, bound together by a strong belt on the middle, just above the hips. A necklace made of gold and jade beads hung around his neck, and black traditional eyeliner coloured the skin around his blue eyes black. He hated having to apply it, but better this than being blinded by the sun. His rather rare blue eyes had already made it necessary for him to be careful with the sun.

Asim, now dressed and ready to go out, stretched and grabbed a papyrus scroll as he left his quarters.

He walked out the palace, towards the river nile. Just besides the river, there was the main temple that belongs to the cult of Aset (Isis), where he was one of the priests there. Asim smiled as he passed the common people, trying to make eye contact with those who did not immediately shy away. Asim’s attended was grabbed by a beautiful display of birds sitting in the growth of the Nile, the white sheets of sun-cover waving in the wind as he walked under them, toward the end of the pier. He smiled as he witnessed the beautiful birds chitter and flap with their wings. He decided to stay at the point where the water reached the growth, and smiled; he had time to wander before having to take up his duties. And even then he didn’t really have to show up, it had been his free day.

Worship however, never stopped. And he was truly enjoying the sight of these wild animals just doing what the Netjeru meant for them to do.

[Cretanja]

Softly and slowly, Kraven woke from his sleep. Even now in these early morning hours his smile never faded. He was never a sad person, but certainly was never accused of being the happiest, either. Typically all folks ever seen emotion-wise out of the young priest was his 'thinking face', having often been caught daydreaming about the Pharaohs of yester-years and the lavish lives they must have lived. Now, however, he was daydreaming of her. The girl who's name he did not know. The girl who's beautifully round face danced around his dreams the previous night. He woke up first and foremost thinking of her. She was the cause of his zaftig smile and the new tinge of butterflies he felt in his gut.

Kraven got up and out of bed, opened the curtains of his window, and began getting dressed for the day ahead of him. Today was a leisure day for the priests of his order. It was disorientating at first, of course; getting used to having off days. But now he regularly looks forward to them. None-the-less, a decree from the Pharaoh mandating specific off days for each of the priestly orders was very well received and appreciated. He especially appreciated it today, as today he decided that he would go out and find the girl from the night before and properly introduce himself.

Once dressed, Kraven opened his sleeping-chamber's door exposing the Hall of Ma'at on the other side. Here in this wing of the palace all the priests, regardless of order, had their assigned chambers. At the end of the hall lay the Priests' Council Chamber. Thankfully, as it was his off day he did not have to attend today's Council meeting. He normally would be one of the first in line to sort through the scrolls and the regional law archives, but today was the day he was determined to met the girl of his dreams. The Hallway was the polar opposite of what it was when he finally retired the night before. Then the Hall of Ma'at was dark, cold, and there wasn't a single other person but him awake. Now, the Hallway was buzzing with life, with sunbeams shining brightly through the windows, and doors opening and closing every few seconds. It's a wonder he didn't wake up sooner with all this commotion, he thought to himself.

As priests who were assigned to attend today's Council meeting and perform their priestly duties, were all walking to and from the Priests' Council Chamber... Kraven carefully walked alongside the wall of the hallway so as to not bump into anymore and disturb the flow of foot-traffic. Exiting the Hall of Ma'at and entering into the Hasal-Pharaohs' Great Hall, where all former pharaohs are honoured, Kraven made his way to one of his most favourite of Hasal-Pharaohs, Altino, and gave a slight bow to the statue built in her honour. It's commonplace for priests to learn about and become attached to a specific Hasal-Pharaoh, but Kraven did worry he cared a little too much about her reign in particular. He found himself with such an admiration of her; he even secretly collected trinkets and relics from her time on the throne.

After routinely visiting Hasal-Pharaoh Altino's statue, Kraven made way for the last place he seen the girl from the night before; the Nile. No longer possessing the Dark Lord's spell of water breathing and under-water sight, he decided searching the banks of the Nile was the best start to begin his search. Besides, she too would have had to have a spell of sorts to be under the Nile. The spell wore off for him, so reason would lead him to believe hers too, dissipated. Walking out of the Palace gates, he headed towards the river ramp that led into the Nile. The ramp was used to load and unload vessels of their cargo for transportation on down the river. The party under the Nile where he and the others had been congregated at was adjacent to the ramp, thus he believed she may have returned home from here. Perhaps a clue, or someone there, could point him in the right direction of who and where she was.

There were many people busily going about their daily routines and labours at the ramp. On one side was a long pier outstretching onto the Nile's deepest parts. On the other side were huts were he presumed preserved fish and wares were stored. At the edge of the ramp stood a man in a loosely laid white robe who was watching some fauna play in the river's overgrown weeds. Upon walking closer, Kraven realized he recognized the man. It was Asim; a priest of the same order as himself. "This is how he spends his off day", Kraven thought to himself. "Watching birds?"

Close enough now, "Hey Asim! How are you today? Are you enjoying your off day?" asked Kraven.

[Skar Quilor]

Asim turned around with a smile on his face. "Ah, Kraven!" He laughed at the man's question and spoke clearly; "I've been enjoying my day thus far. Ra's blessing is shining bright and the wind brings forth smells of the morning; loafs of bread being baked and breakfast in the process of being made." He smiled, looked up towards the sky and then back at Kraven. "We see the work of the Netjeru in everything around us. Does it not reassure you in your faith?"

Asim didn't do much else, just stood there. "How has your morning been thus far?"

[Cretanja]

Kraven smiled and nodded eagerly as the fellow priest talked. Asim was highly regarded as one of the most ‘in touch’ priests of their order. Each priest joins the orders for their own personal reason(s); each reason being sacred and valid. And while Kraven did not possess the devotion to the gods as Asim did, to suggest otherwise in his presence would be rude. The priesthood for Kraven was about history preservation and learning about their great nation. “Ra certainty blesses us most bountiful!” Kraven said.

A silence fell over them while Asim gazed attentively over the Nile’s surface. “The Nile has been equally bountiful this year! Ma’at and Isfet working in tandem, have gifted our people an abundant stock of fish!” Kraven said to Asim.

Kraven cleared his throat, “speaking of blessings, have you seen a young woman around here recently? She may have emerged from the Nile!” he snickered. “I don’t have tell you how crazy Wepet Renpet was! Magic was literally in the air, my friend. Even in the water!”

[WinProx]

A figure is standing infront of the window. During night, this may have already been a red flag, however, the figure jumped through it afterwards.
"Hey, what are you guys talking about?"
The figure was none other than the sekhmet legionary from the nation of Winteria Proxima, Vetye.
"I just came back from a mission." He stated. "Well, came back is an overstatement. I forgot about the exhilaration and just ran back here. Anyways, how are you guys?"

[Skar Quilor]

“No, I haven’t seen anyone, sorry.” Asim said and smiled at his fellow priest. “Then again the beauty of women often eludes me. Hathor and Isis bless us with freedom to love who we love.” Asim said, only to then step back as a new figure jumped right in front of them.

“Legionair.” The priest noted the new person’s presence and smiled. “My friend here asked if I had seen a girl. That is about it.” He said and laughed, poking Kraven’s side.