SETTING: NYSSA'S REALM

[kyriakosmods]

NYSSA'S REALM

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N ✲ It takes approximately fifteen minutes to walk from one dorm to the one next to it, not accounting for terrain! From north to south, it's about an hour; and from the edge of the realm to the Clock Tower is about half an hour (likewise not accounting for terrain). Mysteriously, walking to the Clock Tower for a game (and only for a game) only seems to take a handful of minutes at most. ✲ Despite the abundance of snow and ice, there's also an abundance of color; the flowers are all in full bloom, and the sky is bright with sunlight during the day and gleaming moonlight at night, though there is no physical sun or moon. Sometimes, every once in awhile, you can see an aurora in the night sky. ✲ Days are 24 hours long, with exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night. The temperature hits around 65F (give or take a few degrees) around noontime, and drops as low as 30F at midnight. ✲ Every team has a cute cottage to call their very own! The door, which features an elegant engraving of their team animal, has been painted the appropriate color. Stepping through the door leads straight to the dorm they've always had ... ✲ Next to each cottage is a small, empty, victorian style greenhouse. ✲ The edges of the realm, which is marked tall cliffs of smooth black glass, are impassable ✲ While flora and fauna certainly have places they prefer to call home, they can be found everywhere in the realm... though they may be rarer in places they don't call home. ✲ It's possible to get lost in the winding paths of the mountain range, or following the paths in the forest or maze.

A

A massive clock tower stands in the center of a frozen lake; the ice is unfathomably thick, dappled with beautiful patterns and dusted with snow. The gothic tower itself seems to be made of ice as well ... or is it glass? Hm. Step inside the double doors and you'll find yourself presented with three choices: a spiral staircase (glass to begin with, and then rock) leading downward is to your left; a locked door wrought of solid silver is to your right, and straight ahead is the portal that will let you access the realms of other Echoes. Taking the stairs down will lead to a room full of mirrors. It seems like old teammates - the ones that had gone to the soul pods - are now sleeping, quietly and soundly, inside. Echoes that have had to pull away from Kyriakos proper to save themselves can be found here too, in the same condition as the old teammates. The tower bells will toll whenever a game is due to begin.

B

A picturesque town ... with absolutely nobody in it! Despite the snow that covers the area, the cobblestone usually remains clear, and the flowers seem to thrive off of it. Beautiful, bright, and extremely colorful flowers can be found nearly everywhere you look. The outside of the village seems to be a ring of houses - most look lived in, though who lived in them is a mystery, considering that there's no hint of anyone currently in the village. Some houses even seem to have food - never aging - laid out, as if ready for dinner. Arriving in the village square will reveal a multitude of stores. Most are old-fashioned - a clothing shop with victorian fashion on display, a book store, a gardening store, a grocer, an apothecary... they even have products for sale! Not that there's anyone to even sell them in the first place. They seem free for the taking, at least. STORES Clothing Store This store carries a meager stock of clothing, most of which is worn by mannequins and in varying states of disrepair. They also seem to carry everything needed for tailoring clothes, from measuring tape, to thread, to patches, to sewing needles. The supply isn't endless, however, so it may pay to ration this out. The Book Store Most of the books here are unreadable. Open one up, and you may chance across a slip of paper... Found in a large tome with a blank, bloodspattered leather cover: Ran lmchf ib h bhdgm sr e qvrm, icxr eqvlx. Sm hdfu oao! Bdnpo tc ifwq, fmco ftp, ftt aii'ol dpdp ssht psd rsy trop sdct uadosdtx cqz zstwpa sv sbyaosw! Found in a book with a fish and a hook on the cover. Some kind of fishing manual? omfqke nqkgomhyd mb okc xsqgxa Grocer This store carries a meager supply of food - vegetables and fruits that are seemingly fresh, jams, honey, dairy products, breads, teas - but there is only enough for at least half of the population of Kyriakos at best. Sometimes you may find jams, breads, and tea, though they appear whenever they want to - and it doesn't happen very often. Tea sets can be found lining some shelves towards the back, and a rack towards the front seems to contain a number of colorful pamphlets that show an artful representation of the cliffs to the south. Opening them reveals what looks to be a guidebook... Gardening Store The store carries a supply of gardening tools, poles, and trellises, as well as thirteen team colored baskets with a supply of seeds or bulbs: Tomatoes, snow peas, garden beans, cucumbers, basil, mint, sage, rosemary, leaf lettuce, carrots, onions, garlic, bell peppers, and sunflowers. Aside from that, there's a rack towards the front counter that seems to have a lot of colorful books covered in plants. Some seem to be for the plants that are in the team colored baskets, but others have the odd plants of the realm all over them, and while it seems like there are some descriptions, they're barely readable at best. While the informational things seem to be a constant supply, the actual gardening supplies themselves will not reappear after they've been taken. Apothecary Within this store is a supply of healing supplies - various kinds of herbs, mortars, and bandages. The supply isn't the best, but it's something that could potentially be used to bolster the supply of the clinic. The supplies here do not replenish. FLORA & FAUNA Warmth Vines (★★☆☆☆) Beware! Warmth vines are exactly what they say on the tin. Touching one of these things will drain a person's warmth, leaving them cold and shaking. It uses that energy to open up some gorgeous flowers... but they're still warmth draining vines. It's not everywhere, but can be found on the sides of some buildings.

C

A grassy plain, great for various activities. This is one of the areas that's (mostly) clear of snow, even if some patches exist here and there. The grass is green and thick, and while this makes up the majority of the area, patches of round, tall flowers are scattered here and there. Vanara's cottage can be found here, on the northern edge of the plain. FLORA & FAUNA Rabbits (★☆☆☆☆) (★★☆☆☆) Rabbits can be found living in the tall grass, darting here and there to nibble on the flowers or grass in the area... they're cute and peaceful for the most part... unless you manage to find one of the carnivorous ones. Careful, some of them bite hard and actually wouldn't mind eating meat. The smell of blood calls them, and while they're really just fluffy bunnies in the end, they're still vaguely dangerous if you're not expecting them. Fireflies (☆☆☆☆☆) Fireflies can be found in force here. They're only around at night, but if you happen upon them, they'll swarm you. In a good way. They're obedient fireflies that like to put on a show! Butterflies (☆☆☆☆☆) While there aren't quite as many butterflies as there are fireflies, they are still plentiful and can be seen whenever someone is near the flowers. They aren't easy to catch... but for some reason, if you manage to catch them, they produce a small, single serve, glass bottle of milk. Why they do it is a mystery, but... enjoy milking some butterflies? Songbirds (★☆☆☆☆) These guys are a little mean to the abovementioned animals (minus the rabbits, of course), if only because they can and will eat them if they can get their talons on them. They sound pretty, but their peck - if they are caught, and it's fairly easy to do so! - can hurt a little. Aetress (☆☆☆☆☆) A luminous plant with tiny bulbs on top. They can be found in the patches of tall flowers and grass, and while they are pretty during the day, they light up at night. If eaten, they taste a bit like tomatoes... and may cause the person's mouth to glow in the dark for a couple of hours.

D

While the grasslands themselves can be pretty at night, it doesn't have anything on this garden. It's bright and colorful, and at night (or even during the day even if it's not as apparent), every single plant glows. Every color of the rainbow can be found. Some plants have a soft glow, while others are much brighter. A person wouldn't need a flashlight following the paths of this garden, with how bright it can be. Alectryon once called this place home, as the remains of their dorm are settled right in the middle. FLORA & FAUNA Dialflower (★☆☆☆☆) A yellow, sunflower-like plant with shining yellow petals. A long, black stalk grows out of the center of the floret, and the shadow it casts can be used to tell the time. The sweet-tasting seeds are the only edible part; the rest of the plant horrifically tart, and would make even the most iron-stomached feel woozy. If someone wanted to, they could certainly take the seeds to try to grow a new dialflower elsewhere.

E

A meadow. Extremely tall plants and flowers can be found here, all laid out in a way that seems incredibly mazelike. It's hard to see through them with how thick they seem to be growing together, though it's not totally impossible to move through them if you want to try to cheat the maze. Important to note, all of the plants here seem to have glass attached to them. Henwen and Barghest can find their cabins to the north and south of this garden, respectively. FLORA & FAUNA Blood Drops (★☆☆☆☆) These are gorgeous flowers, but there's a problem—if you touch the glass drop tips, you'll find that they'll drink your blood. The tips are coated with a mild anticoagulant agent. They're easy enough to avoid, but you'll have to be careful: they're located all over the maze, and may be where you least expect them to be. If damaged, they will bleed out, turning the ground a deep red color. If... for whatever reason, someone decides to eat them, they will be a good source of protein. Tea Leaves (☆☆☆☆☆) Tea plants can be found throughout the maze. They have to be actively looked for, but it's certainly possible to stumble over them. Fevee (★★☆☆☆) Fevees are medium sized, rodent-like birds that call the maze home. They are primarily omnivores, and thrive off of the blood drops for easy protein. They probably won't go after a human, but that doesn't mean that they won't fight back if threatened. Their beaks are sharp, and perfect for hunting. Doves (☆☆☆☆☆) Beautiful white birds. They can be found everywhere in the realm, but they're especially abundant here. If they lose a mate, they never mate again. Wisps (★★☆☆☆) Bouncing, floating blobs of light that love nothing more than to lead people astray. Careful! Follow one of these, and you could find yourself lost for hours.

F

An unfrozen, fast-flowing, river that reaches about six meters at its deepest. It flows north, and along the shores, you'll find a glass beach instead of anything with sand. Don't worry! It's all smooth, and it won't hurt if you walk on it... past the usual hurt that comes with stepping on a bunch of rocks. A large, icy pool can be found at the north. Ratatoskr's cottage is located next to this river. There are no bridges to cross the river, but there are piles of wood and stone nearby. FLORA & FAUNA Flying Fish (★☆☆☆☆) These fish can be seen jumping in and out of the water like it's nothing. They're abundant, and always come in large schools... it's actually kind of cool to see a sudden herd of silver fish leaping out of the water and causing large splashes whenever they go back beneath the surface. Fresh Trout (★★★☆☆) Large fish, and difficult to catch due to it. They weigh a lot, and it would take a strong person to haul them in. Aside from that, they're strong, and will use their body mass to knock down anyone that gets in their way... especially if someone is trying to reel them in. At their largest, they're about the size of a person. Spider Crab (☆☆☆☆☆) Spider crabs can be found on the beaches, hiding underneath the rounded, polished, glass. They may get angry if you step on their homes and try to bite you, but their claws don't pinch hard enough for them to do any real, lasting damage... and they're small, so they won't hurt if you do something. Ice Crab (★★☆☆☆) These rare little guys are only pretending to be pieces of glass. Mildly poisonous, with a pinch that causes painful, tingling numbness for half an hour. Can be melted...? Geese (★★★☆☆) These can be found flying everywhere, but they make their homes up at the northern-most pool. They are vicious when bothered, and hold grudges. They will follow someone to the ends of the realm if they are bothered.

G

A forest calls its home on both sides of the river. The deeper the green on the map, the deeper and darker the forest itself is - and wow, the trees can get pretty thick. A few big trees can be found here and there. They're huge, and put the other trees in the forest to shame. They cannot be moved, and seem to glint in whatever sunlight reaches them. Snow is certainly present in the woods, though there's not a lot of it - there's just enough to cover the ground and branches with a light dusting. The pieces of Gulgallana's former cottage can be found in a small clearing in the middle of the forest. Anyone looking for what's left of Dawon's home will find it on the edge of the forest, in the midst of a short, grassy meadow. FLORA & FAUNA Crystal Maple These are the big trees. The leaves look like little crystals. The tree is harmless, and very pretty. If the crystal leaves are pulled off and crushed, it'll actually create a powder that, when turned into a paste, will make a good healing salve. Glassapple (★★★☆☆) A tall apple tree, with colorful, semi-translucent fruit. Eat the fruit raw, and an hour or two later you’ll find yourself miserably sick and feverish for anywhere between a few hours and a few days. The cooked fruit makes excellent jam or pie filling. Burned glassapple wood releases a misty, pleasantly scented smoke that calms the mind. Bushberries (★★☆☆☆) Every once in awhile, you'll find a bush full of bright, red berries. When eaten, they will put the person to sleep. Rose Briars (★★★★☆) Gorgeous briars of silvery roses grow in some of deeper reaches of the forest, with petals that seem to glimmer and glow like moonlight. They smell sweetly, enticingly, of whatever attracts you the most. If you get too close — oh dear, sharp, thorned vines laced with a mild paralytic are already creeping up your legs, wrapping you around, pulling you down and into the heart of the briar. Should you get your hands on some blossoms, they can be crushed and boiled to make ... what? Hiding Tree There are only two of these, spread out among the forest. When looking at them head on, they seem like a solid, proper tree... but if you go up to touch one, it turns out that it's not actually solid. If someone wanted to, they could just walk right through it and use it to hide. Deer (★☆☆☆☆) While they are rare and hard to catch, these deer will call the forest home. They are extremely skittish and, while it's not impossible to catch them, they will take off at the first hint of someone coming in their direction. They do, however, tend to gather around the crystal maples. Owls (★☆☆☆☆) Usually only seen and heard at night, the owls can be heard hooting and flying through the trees. Foxes (★★☆☆☆) Fast and hard to find, they will put up a pretty intense fight if they're caught. They're also smart, and will do their best to outdo any pursuers. Chipmunks & Squirrels (☆☆☆☆☆) Both of these rodents can be found all over the forest, and they're certainly plentiful. They will chatter angrily at anyone that comes near them, but they're not much of a threat. Polar Bears (★★★★★) While polar bears can be found wandering the entirety of the realm, their dens tend to be hidden in the deepest parts of the forest, or in the cliffs on the southernmost part of the realm. They are extremely dangerous, and cannot be taken down without the help of others. They are also rare.

H

A path cuts through the short-grassed snowy meadow, leading up to a bonfire pit encircled by a stone benches. There’s enough room here for thirty or more people to gather and mingle. Burning the wood induces a peaceful, safe feeling.

I

The snow here is eternally freshly-fallen. It's soft, fluffy, and fine. However, this doesn't mean that it's entirely safe. The area is fairly hilly underneath the snow, even if it's impossible to tell due to how evenly the snow seems to have fallen. Sometimes, if someone were to take one wrong step, they would go crashing down into a snowdrift that's actually a few feet deep. The remnants of Ometotchtli's cottage is located on the edge of this place, at the very bottom of the snowy meadow. FLORA & FAUNA Pigeons (★☆☆☆☆) These birds are kind of dumb, and tend to flock together. They will go wherever there's food, and will bother anyone with food incessantly until it's given. Memory Flowers (★☆☆☆☆) (Some people may think otherwise, depending on their memories) Memory flowers make a return in this realm! When used, the pollen will replay sound and color to give the best... pollen-y... memory viewing possible. Wolves (★★★★☆) Their howls can be heard at night, and while rare, it's not impossible to see them wandering through the snowy plains in search of food. They won't actively make a point to interact with humans, but they will fight back if cornered.

J

This is the cottage that the Cat's call home. A smaller building, right next to it, houses the clinic and all of the supplies that people quested for. Cats will also find that their basement houses a dungeon. On a table, in the middle of the dorm, they will also find a tiny snowglobe, with what looks like a miniature version of the old realm.

K

A rocky cove. The shore that's closest to Tiamat is shallow and choppy with thin, easily broken ice. It gets deeper towards the cliffside. If you have a particular taste or tolerance for cold water, you may find channels leading underneath the mountains... This branch of the river flows south, from the Tower to the cove. As mentioned above, Tiamat's cottage is located by the rocky cove. The fish from above can be found here as well, along with a couple of other things. FLORA AND FAUNA Penguins (★☆☆☆☆) Penguins can be found here, diving in and out from under the ice to the shore, usually carrying some fish with them to eat. They are generally harmless, and actually quite friendly if someone approaches them calmly. Arctic Foxes (★★☆☆☆) Different from the foxes in the forest, these guys call the cliffs their homes. They especially enjoy living around the cove, as it's a good source of water for them. They're quite skittish, though it's not impossible to catch them. Their teeth are pretty sharp, too.

L

Small mountain range! The deeper the gray, the higher the elevation. There are plenty of easy, gradual paths, but the drop down to the river is pretty sheer. The talon-like curve that hugs the cove is a challenging scramble with a few knife-edge ridges. A small mountain range is located at the very south of this realm. The deeper the gray on the map, the higher the elevation. While there are plenty of easy to follow, gradual paths, to get you where you need to go, the drop down to the river is a pretty sheer one, and the talon-like curve around the cove is a challenging scramble with a few knife-edge ridges. The paths are not always stable as well, so be careful! Takshaka calls one of the uppermost ledges its home, and Epona is settled at the bottom of the cliff. FLORA & FAUNA Taist (★☆☆☆☆) Small rodents that live within the cracks and crevices of the cliffs. They dart here and there, and are generally very friendly. They'll come close to whoever beckons to them. However, while they're friendly, they're also mischevious! They can and will steal all of the shiny things that someone has if they're given half a chance. Snakes (★☆☆☆☆) (★★★☆☆) Many snakes can be found around the cliff-face. While a good number of them are harmless, every once in awhile there'll be a snake or two with a nasty bite, and venom that hurts like hell. It won't kill a person, but it will hurt.

M

If you climb around up here for long enough, you may stumble upon a fissure in the mountainside. Where does it go...? Hm? Down? Whoa, that staircase, as smooth and clear cut as marble at first; sure is long and winding, and it sure does start to get gradually rougher and narrower as you go down... down... down... FLORA & FAUNA Mimic (★★★★★) An incredibly rare shape-changing creature with the ability to perfectly disguise itself as anybody. It could be a lost child... or it could be a teammate, or even a friend from home. When it’s close, when its victim’s guard is down, it goes for the throat — and reveals an unhinged jaw; a double-row of mirror-like, razor-sharp, jagged teeth; three inch reflective claws; and lamp-like silvery eyes. Nobody knows what these monsters truly look like. It dislikes heat and light, and its weak spots are its eyes and the back of its neck. The claws and teeth are as hard as diamonds, and it’s relatively impervious to brute strength or blunt trauma. While it is possible for a lone victim to escape, taking one down without backup is highly unlikely.

N

One of the lowest ledges. The stones from the Castle Courtyard can be found here, thrown around a little haphazardly. Amalthea calls this ledge home, with their cottage located right here.