Icarus

Icarus is a fantasy simulation hosted on Verdana, forcing human avatars.

Description

Icarus is a planet with a prominent ring system that results in strong and dramatic weather systems. While the axial tilt of the planet is mild enough that traditional 'seasons' are limited (at least at inhabited latitudes) the annual shift of the ring shadow has a comparable impact. One sim year is approximately twice as long as on Earth.

Terrain

There are two main areas visitors to Icarus will encounter: the uplands, inhabited by the human Icarii, and the dangerous plains.

Uplands

The main body of Icarus is a system of interlinked sinkholes, caves, arches and spires that combine to give a very aerial (as opposed to subterranean) feel. Very strong updrafts blow almost constantly up many of the sinkholes with breezes of varying strengths permeating almost every part of the world. The higher reaches are very open to the sky with fewer tunnels while the surroundings become darker and tighter as one descends, until what remains is claustrophobic and barely passable horizontal openings linking turbulent boreholes. Sounds of surging waves and mists of water exist at the lowest accessible (if highly dangerous to) areas but whether the wind patterns are caused by a subterranean ocean cannot be determined; it's simply not possible to reach that low and survive.

The air passing through the rock formations creates a soft, organ-like music that changes depending on location. The tone and volume of the notes is used to gauge the relative strength of the wind; periodically sections will die down entirely only to resume minutes or hours later, and while in some sink holes this follows a well known pattern in others it is a random occurrence, with only the changing sounds providing a brief forewarning.

Plains

Ocean

Marking the western boundary of the uplands the ocean of Icarus is considered impassable. Where the two regions meet is a savage area of sheer cliffs, deadly king waves and water spouts and the churning seas make it impossible to safely launch any sort of boat. Pterosaurs with 5m wingspans roost along the cliffs and occasionally Icarii will steal eggs with the intent to domesticate them; so far all attempts have ended in failure.

Settlements

Most dwellings are bored into the rock of the middle stratas and near uniformly tiny, dark and cramped. Extended families share carved caves dimly lit by vegetable oil lamps. Meals are generally taken outdoors or in communal spaces with homes used mainly for sleeping and storage.

Society in Icarus is based in the middle and upper reaches and by necessity is much more vertically arranged than most. Agriculture occurs on the tops of plateaus while certain other plants cling to the cliff faces. Small parrot-sized pterosaurs

Creatures

Suran

See also: Gliss' suran

Suran are small brightly coloured pterosaurs the size of a parrot that nest in colonies amongst natural outcroppings and are often tamed as pets. Trained suran are used to transport messages similar to carrier pigeons.

Shrishkin

Shrishkin are social carnivores that roam the plains and the principal danger to anyone forced to travel it. Intelligent, fair climbers and far faster than a human they are considered impossible to escape from once they have begun the hunt. While their teeth and claws are more than sufficient to kill the most fearful weapon of a shrishkin is their barbed tail that can inject a captured prey with a potent paralytic venom. Incapacitated victims will be dragged to the pack's shelter (generally a shallow den scraped out under a fallen tree) to be consumed at leisure over the following days.

Icarii mythology claims shrishkin are the children of Shigatt and were brought into the world to pursue the illegitimate descendants of Eyla and Arion, and that like humans they both have a soul and are capable of speech.

Culture

Wing Cloaks

A common saying in Icarus is 'Everyone deserves to fly.' The primary form of personal transport are garments called wing cloaks; indeed, they're essential to reach most places in the loose city. At rest these appear long buffed coloured capes fastened not at the throat but across the chest with broad straps, with part of the lower edge similarly buckled just above the boots while the rest trails along the ground.

A series of thin wooden rods along the edges of cloak reaching to the wrists and a locking mechanism across the shoulders allow the wearer to spread their limbs and glide downwards, the fabric acting like the skin flaps of flying squirrel. An group of rods and locks extends the leading edge of the wing the same distance again past the hands, and the additional surface area allows the wearer to soar upwards within the air currents of the sinkholes.

A skilled wearer can run down a passage, leap into a sinkhole and snap open their wings, fly to a new level, furl their wings as they are coming in to land and continue running down the new passage without breaking stride.

Mythology

Local mythology worships a pantheon of four 'greater' deities and several lesser ones of varying prominence, most personifications of astrological phenomena. Leader of the pantheon is Otoeh, god of the rings and the sky. His younger brother Shigatt is the god of destruction and vengeance but also of cunning and patience. Daesis is the fickle hermaphroditic god/dess of the wind and weather, while Yiiria is the goddess of the sun and harvest. There is no god of the planet itself; rather is it held as a collaborative project of the four greater deities.

Otoeh's children are the shepherd moons. The Icarii believe they descend from the moon goddess Eyla, who eloped with Arion, the brightest star in the sky. Her furious father hunted them down with Shigatt's aid and stripped them of their ability to fly before locking them away and banishing their children. One day, the Icarii say, Arion will win over Otoeh and the lovers shall have their torn wings restored and their descendants likewise.

NPCs

Dyad

See also: Dyad's session history

Gliss

See also: Gliss' session history

(Gender pronouns are deliberately alternated for this character.)

The current Ecstatican of the Icarii, Gliss fills a complex religious role. Held to be the Voice of Daesis the Ecstatican is the keeper of oral history and mythology, a leader of religious ceremonies, and the arbiter of any disputes that cannot be settled by other means. In keeping with the deity represented Gliss appears androgynous, responds to male and female pronouns indiscriminately and when challenged answers that upon assuming his position her previous name and gender were shed (and refuses to elaborate on what they were).

Unlike the mostly plain wingcloaks of most Icarii Gliss' are dyed red and purple and heavily embroidered with green, red and blue thread in complex swirling patterns. Exaggerated face paint and hair woven with fine strips of coloured leather add to his chaotic appearance. In personality Gliss oscillates from aloof to playful to a biting sense of humour, but always possesses both a near infinite patience for children and those seeking to understand and a contempt for fools.

Kei

See also: Kei's session history

Sandal

See also: Sandal's session history

People

No one has entered the network through Icarus yet.

Name knowledge

No one knows the name of the sim just yet, but since the natives call themselves Icarii, it shouldn't be difficult to guess.

Node

Camp Tumbling Milestone links into here. On completion, the sim creates a link out to Razor.

Activity

Newsletters and recaps

• newsletter // #478 to #543 // (07 JUN to 09 APR)

Sessions

• main group's first visit category: #514, #515, #517, #518, #519, #520, #521, #522, #523, #524, #525, #526, #527 and #528