Akatennaji

[Kesshin]

This world will be explained in a short story kind of form. It will be updated, hopefully regularly.

---

Akatennaji
There is a place, deep under a mundane human society, where other beings reside. Sapient or otherwise, they've been here for far longer than we have.
This story has been echoed across many cultures across many times, leading some to believe that these places may actually exist.
This is another echo of such a story. Though, perhaps the echo is more of a response...?
At any rate, this is the story of Akatennaji.

"Deep below the surface of the earth, there is a veil that separates the real from the fake. The fictional and the physical."
That's what your grandpa told you. If one were to cross this threshold, they would enter a very large, red tinged cavern, with a strange ambient glow. You did just that. The giant roots of an ancient tree hold the ceiling in place, and the dust of ancient times collects in your nostrils. It wouldn't take long for one of the residents of this place to find you, and invite you in warmly.
One such person appears, smiling at you. Their skin is almost the same tone as the reddish stone, and their eyes are an odd neon orange. As they shake your hand, they keep eye contact almost eerily. As you peer into their irises, you smell ash, coal and char... but then it's gone. A trick of the wind?
"The People who Live Under the Hill", your grandfather called them. An older name for the fae, but still used.
But... this person doesn't look fae to you. Off of how your grandfather described them, the fae were rocks and plants, mushrooms gained sentience. Not such a human figure, even with the six fingers...
"Hello," the orange eyed person says, "My name's Pancake."
What a strange name.
"What's yours?"

[lurker]

Howdy, Pancake, nice to meet you.

---

I like the in-universe narrative presentation.

Do these strange creatures use a dozenal numeral system, perhaps?

The yinrih from my conworld also have six fingers (technically four fingers and two thumbs) and use a base 12 number system.

[Khemehekis]

Do these strange creatures use a dozenal numeral system, perhaps?

The yinrih from my conworld also have six finges (technically four finges and two thumbs) and use a base 12 number system.

Yep, we have a discussion about that here: https://cbbforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=32 ... al#p328231

[Kesshin]

The orange eyed creature seems to be in a hurry to lead you somewhere. You don't trust it, but it's better than nothing. Eventually, you arrive at a kind of stone house. Is it stone? It's a brownish color, but not the red-brown of the rock walls.
"This is my house," Pancake says. "It's made of a material my people have used for years called "Ta'k"." *
"Sounds fancy. What's it made of?"
"Rocks." Pancake opens the door, and invites you in.
"Well, I don't know if I should..." You pause. "Why should I trust you?"
Pancake does something with his hands, and the smell of ash and char is back. An ember blows in circles around his hand. "If I wanted to stop you from entering, I would've already."
What a compelling argument. You're entirely convinced.
"What if you have some ulterior motive?" You ask.
"What's 'ulterior' mean?" Pancake appears to be serious.
"Har har, very funny. But seriously." You cross your arms.
"I'm just as serious. What does 'ulterior' mean?" Pancake also crosses his arms.
"It means something like 'hidden and most important", but it's only really used in the phrase 'ulterior motive' which means 'a motive that is hidden and usually evil'."
Pancake smiles, uncrossing his arms. "See? That wasn't so hard."

[lurker]

Don't go in there!

[Kesshin]

Don't go in there!

Yeah no. You're not going in there.
You repeat the above statement.
Pancake sighs. "Fine, have it your way." He starts to walk off. "If you need somewhere to stay, head towards Guzira." He gestures abstractly in a single direction. He seems dejected as he walks away.
Hopefully, you just dodged a bullet. You walk in the direction he gestured in. Eventually, you see large crystals growing to your right, and what might be a town in front of you. The dust is making a haze though, so it might just be stalagmites...
Should you go to the crystals or the town?

[Visions1]

Aw. I hope we'll see more of him.
I'd see the crystals. Might as well.
What is Guzira?

[lurker]

Should you go to the crystals or the town?

I also say the crystals.

[Kesshin]

Aw. I hope we'll see more of him.
I'd see the crystals. Might as well.
What is Guzira?

You look over to the crystals, and then back at the maybe town. The crystals are cool, but Guzira sounds cool too. Is Guzira the town? Maybe.
You walk towards the crystals, which have begun to glow. You touch one... It's smooth and cool, and it seems to respond to your touch, glowing a quiet green.
"&W'ja! Ai'ko'n.&" ("Wait, that Ai'ko is dangerous!" =Daas)
/wjɑ: ɑiʔkoʔn/
You whip around, finding someone standing very close to you.
She has red hair and a leather jacket on.
"What? What language is that?" you ask.
"&A, n'de&. Sorry, thought you might be someone else." (Ah, a human.)
"...okay... What did you say?"
"Oh, that crystal is dangerous. Don't touch it."

[lurker]

I feel like things will end badly for me either way, but I'll assume the stranger is telling the truth and avoid touching the crystal again.

[Kesshin]

I'll assume the stranger is telling the truth and avoid touching the crystal again.

"I'm Ai. Welcome to Akatennaji. Try not to touch random stuff."
O...kay. "Thanks for that? I think? What does the crystal do?"
"It amplifies energies. Any and all. That includes kinetic energy, so if you push against it, it'll push back. Hard." Ai calmly massages the crystal, and it stops glowing as brightly. "Luckily, it also amplifies calming energies. Anyway, why are you here? Kyosho's a heck of a place to start out."

[lurker]

That includes kinetic energy, so if you push against it, it'll push back. Hard.

Reminds me of the retribution field generator from this story.

[Kesshin]

Reminds me of the retribution field generator from this story.

Yeah, I read that! Ai'ko does more though....

---

Ai pulls a small piece out of her pocket. She moves her hands around it and it begins to change shape.
The other crystals begin to glow, and the shape gets wonky, forming strange bubbles and spirals.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm making a piece of art... They're used as protective talismans around here, as they amplify your own Ko and negate that of others."
"What's Ko?"
"Oh right, Ko is the energy produced by your soul."

Steal the crystal before it's done?
Wait until Ai finishes explaining Ko?
Try to use Ko?

[lurker]

Try to use Ko

[Kesshin]

Try to use Ko

You focus with all your might, and you find this energy that you weren't aware of humming through your bloodstream. You can't push it out though. It feels... blocked... somehow. Like a dam holding back a river, or a twig blocking a stream.
Ai looks at you strangely. "Are you trying to use Ko? Well first of all, I just told you that the crystals amplify everything so that won't be very good if you succeed, but also you probably won't be able to. You're human."

Question why?
Try harder?

[lurker]

but also you probably won't be able to. You're human

"pffft, not with that attitude."

I try harder.

[Kesshin]

I try harder.

You attempt to force it, trying to break the dam.
(d20: 16)
(parenthesis is author note:...this complicates stuff.)
You do it successfully! Ko leaves through your fingers. It looks like lines of light, forming swirls and characters you don't recognize before fading away.
Ai's eyes pop wide. "Wh- HUh? Stop!"
The crystals are glowing brightly, especially when a tendril of Ko comes close to them.

[lurker]

(So this is an RP now?)

Satisfied with my display, I stop.

[Kesshin]

(So this is an RP now?)

Satisfied with my display, I stop.

(guess so)
The light fades, and suddenly you feel the dam begin to form again.
"Is that normally possible?"
"Um, NO." Ai pauses, makes a face, then turns around, throws her hands in the air, brings them back down again, and then turns back to you. "Ugh- just-just come with me."
Follow?

[lurker]

(So this is an RP now?)

Satisfied with my display, I stop.

(guess so)
The light fades, and suddenly you feel the dam begin to form again.
"Is that normally possible?"
"Um, NO." Ai pauses, makes a face, then turns around, throws her hands in the air, brings them back down again, and then turns back to you. "Ugh- just-just come with me."
Follow?

I’ve already resigned myself to whatever fate worse than death these fey critters can cook up, so anything that doesn’t involve turning me into an inanimate but still fully conscious object for all eternity is a pleasant surprise. Expect the worst and you’ll never be disappointed is my motto.


I follow.