#reusevent

The floating leviathan has been anchored off of the Aegean Archipelago, and attendees arrive by way of private air or sea travel. Poseidon Rhea has graciously arranged shuttle ferries for those who don’t have the means to arrive on their own, though those of that ilk may find it torturously slow - especially when flurries of private aircrafts swoop in above, and passing speedboats create a continuous wake on their way to dock at the distant silhouette carved into the horizon. 

As arrivals are unloaded and attendees make their way up Pontius’ main glittering stairway, those who have never had the privilege of visiting prior will find the Helicon deck greeting them first. Already normally opulent and spilling with excess and leisure, attendees will pass through an open-air twenty-four-hour bar; the largest, swear-to-Chaos shimmering outdoor pool of mosaic and marble tiles the entirety of Gaia has ever seen (serviced, of course, by dutiful attendants); and the vast Basileus Stage outfitted just for the occasion, boasting rotating acts in between summit sessions - aerialists and acrobats and fire-eaters, a live orchestra playing grand and flourishing pieces with each major arrival, and set pieces that could nearly put Delos Studio to shame. 

The heart of the summit will be on the Kalavria Deck, second to uppermost, where the majority of the guests will be staying throughout the two week duration. Notably, the deck plays host to a grand, spanning ballroom housing the conference’s tech showcases, demonstrations, and panels - if you were the least bit bewitched by The Agora at the Heteraidia Festival, this expo is for you. It spans thrice the space, and boasts enough in the realms of science and technology to make The Agora look like slim pickings. In a smaller hall across from the ballroom is a space designated for press conferences, a cordoned off area reserved only for reporters and journalists to reserve interviews with any of the illustrious attendees - should they choose to accept, of course. Aegean Waters has always boasted an emphasis on transparency and open forum with the public (though we’ll see if such earnestness backfires… even those of Pontius are not immune to scandal, as we’ve come to see!)

Presiding over this technological arms race is, as always, the Arcadian Quorum. There is hardly a pocket the council doesn’t reach into, or a promising venture they fail to oversee. This endless merchant road of legates and representatives is what ensures Arcadia’s economic prospects remain as triumphal as they have been for centuries.  For the duration of the summit, the following trailblazers will represent the city-states’ political and financial interests alike… as well as supervise the legal proceedings. They are there to ensure everything is equitable and above board in the action market of Pontius’ four decks. 

Such concerns, of course, are only scratching the surface. Beyond anything, their purpose is to ensure the Quorum will not miss any opportunity for investment, and that both the elective body and the individual states they represent will eat well, conquer plenty, and seize with both hands.

QM Briseis Krisia - Lyrnessus state representative in the Quorum, one of the youngest elected to serve in the council at a national level, rumored to be gunning for the first nomination of a diplomat into Tartarus.

COO Clytemnestra Tyndareus - HELE-N’s COO and head of business relations for the genome mapping company, scion of the renowned Tyndareus dynasty, ready to steal the biotechnology show from the get-go.

QM Diomedes Delyle - Aetolian state representative, often found working together in a lethal duo with their wiser, more jaded counterpart, QM Odysseus Laertes. Often called upon as a financial expert, but they are best known for their reckless (and yet nearly clairvoyant) investments.

Menelaus Mycenae - Agamemon’s estranged sibling, most famous ‘professional’ actor of their generation and four time Pallantium Award winner, recently gone off the rails and running their mouth about all kinds of peculiar ventures their brother is getting into.

QM Odysseus Laertes - Ithaca state representative, former tech prodigy abandoning the industry in order to enter politics and propose a stronger tech corporate regulation reform, with notable criticism done in partnership with Nemean News and Zeus and Athena Rhea; Circe’s age-old university rival.

Orion Hyria - One of the most renowned movie directors of the past decades, worked with Artemis for a brief stint before personal divergences pulled them apart (and Zeus pulled the strings to deadlock all their most enterprising projects), now they are a creative consultant working with the Quorum’s not-so-subtle propaganda machine. 

Agamemnon ‘Amon’ Mycenae (NPC) - CEO & founder of HELE-N, former protege and personal investment of Cronus Rhea, went off the grid after the magnate’s death and resurfaced under Tyndareus’ protection two decades ago.

And of course: those from Olympe and Tartarus are in attendance, with their own agendas in mind. Both visiting kings surely have their reasons for wanting to scope out the newest and biggest in tech to bring back to their respective domains, but who knows if there is something bigger that pulls all of them within the same territory yet again. Members from both factions have been invited to speak on topics relevant to their domains and industries.

Some new arrivals we’re keeping an extra eye out for this week:

SCALPEL: One event you’ll not want to miss is the demonstration by recent Aegean acquisition Scalpel, presided over by POSEIDON himself. The controversial company first made waves when its entire founding team was expelled from GemTech in one fell swoop, and has only continued to shock and scandalize ever since. Supposedly, Scalpel has been pushing the boundaries of what was previously believed possible for facial and body augmentations to newer and greater heights– though rumor has it that there is not enough data on their product’s side-effects or long-term outcomes, and that the company has a track record of prioritizing flashy developments over human safety. Whatever the truth, there’s no question that their product has been surrounded by its fair share of hype and mystery, so be sure to get your seat early!

HELE-N: One of the most buzzed about demos is surely that of HELE-N’s, conducted by AGAMEMNON. For those who may not be in the know, HELE-N is a global tech company that has stolen the spotlight as of late for pushing their industry one step past what the late Cronus Rhea pioneered, claiming the next step in age extension. Analysts are predicting immortality is within reach of HELE-N's tech - though it remains to be seen if it is more than just a rumor, it is no surprise their booth flaunts the highest crowds. Little is known about the team currently working on its development, and the mother-company seems to rotate with every report. Independently-owned, no one knows when the product is going to hit public markets, but the Three Kings are keeping their bids close to their chest - and conducting their own investigations.

Additionally, your darling Pandora lackeys have managed to snag a snapshot of the itinerary for this two-week event:

ITINERARY FOR WEEK 1

Opening Keynote Speech & Introduction to Kalavria - presented by POSEIDON

News & Tech in 2130 - a conversation between APHRODITE and ZEUS

Innovation & Invention: A Glimpse into Aegean Waters’ Future - presented by CIRCE & HEPHAESTUS

Scalpel Demonstration - hosted by POSEIDON

The Chaos Ball - Mini-event to be conducted in the IC Discord server, March 19th - 25th. A masquerade party themed around the divine power, celebrating the end of the first week. Attendees are encouraged to dress according to their interpretation of the theme, and the ball is to be held atop Helicon.

ITINERARY FOR WEEK 2

Governance & Tech in Gaia - moderated by ATHENA, panelists include ICARUS & ODYSSEUS

HELE-N Demonstration - hosted by AGAMEMNON

Talaria & Social Design - presented by HERMES

Tech & Tourism Panel - moderated by ARIADNE, panelists include HADES, NYX & BRISEIS

Final Night Festivities - Mini-event to be conducted in the IC Discord server, April 9th - 15th. Drinks by candlelight on Helicon, along with a selection of rafts and private boats, finishing off with fireworks shot under the Aegean stars.

ONGOING: LEISURE

Helicopter and glass-bottom boat tours off the coast of the archipelago

Whale-watching, snorkeling and diving around the local reef

Boat and jetski races between small local islands

Various ocean sports, including spearfishing and waterskiing

Hands-on demonstrations, notably in the realm of augmentations

Tours of the greenhouses and production facilities on Isthmia deck

Unlimited access to the spas on Kalavria deck, and hot springs on the local islands

ADMIN NOTE

Welcome to our second event, a two week summit aboard Pontius which takes place from March 5 - April 15th in real time! Feel free to set your threads anywhere on Pontius, so long as they loosely follow the guidelines of the itinerary for each in-game week. Also, remember you are encouraged to suggest locations and mini-events to the mods even if your character is not a part of the Pontius faction! Make sure you mention the date, location and general place in the itinerary at the beginning of your starters if you can (where applicable).

As you may have seen, we have peppered a few names through our event description! Besides the NPC Agamemnon Mycenae, CEO of HELE-N and a key player in the financial and political games taking place at the summit, we have also introduced six Arcadian newcomers. Their skeletons will be released in the following days, with more updates on when we start taking applications to come at the beginning of next week. 

An important mention, here: due to popular request (and valid concerns) we were asked what measures we will put in place to make sure new applicants receive the same attention & equal chances as old members, who have had plenty of time to familiarize themselves with the plot and worldbuilding. Our best solution for this at the moment is to leave the skeletons exclusively available for applications by new people only. Current members who want to take a second character (or, pending admin permission, a third) are invited to apply for OCs. Updates on this OC format and guidelines will be released once all the skeletons are posted!

The annual festival dwarfs a continent in both light and information, and has done so since Zeus came to power. We often know more about it than about what happens in our own sorry, meager backyards. And why wouldn’t we be there, in soul if not in body? Who hasn’t dreamed of attending it? As with anything Olympe produces, it is the very synthesis of dreams. A two-week extravaganza where prizes are won and empires are lost—often before the clock strikes twice? A period of grace where the domain opens to performers, entertainers, politicians, and merchants from all over the world, no questions asked? A window of opportunity, a feast of wonders, a touch of Eden? Of course.

The Rheas sing, and we teeter to the tune. Those clever pipers might even make us believe they’ll lead us to paradise while we dangle off the precipice. And the metaphor holds true, dear sad mortals. To have a catbird seat during Heteraidia is to knock on the vaults of heaven. It’s no coincidence, then, that Zeus chose it as a celebration in his honour. Yes, that’s right: the first day of the year is the date the patriarch chose for his birthday. Fictional, as all orphan birthdays are; but quite appropriate, as far as fiction goes. For is he not the man holding the keychain? Our demiurge, our concierge, our intermediary to Fate has spoken. Step into the city, and you too can taste immortality. He will throw open the door. The light is his, as is the sky.

So let’s step in, damn it. Who cares about anything else, when the Rheas are taking the stage? It’s their world, and we’re just living in it. For the next two weeks, we will set up shop in Olympe. Undercover, of course, as all good little shades should be. Tartarus doesn’t have a monopoly on the hush-hush. Besides, this year is extra special. This time, Zeus extends an invitation to his brothers and their companies - a reunion, of sorts, though one so steeped in publicity it’s hard to see their mouths move. I am sure it has nothing to do with the dangerous rumours threatening to stain the narrative. Family’s family, dear mortals, and it doesn’t do to be apart for so long. 

In this first edition, we present to you the main attractions Olympe put on display. But have no fear—we haven’t forgotten the human interest of this story. We have scattered a few famous (or is it infamous, these days?) personalities through the reportage, so you can keep up on their whereabouts. If they seem like they’re behaving themselves, don’t be too disappointed. This is just the first few days. New year, new ways for the fire to catch. Look out for the strained smiles and touch-too-tight handshakes. Look out for the exchanged notes, a shorthand for quid pro quo. Look out for old flames and jilted lovers. Above all, look out for the past. And if you see anything oddly red on the floor? Remember: it’s only spilled wine. No such thing as wounds in heaven. 

THE AGORA

At the center of Olympe lies the marketplace, a thrumming hub in which vendors from all across the continent may bring their wares. More than that, it’s an opportunity for local Olympians to show off, displaying all the most impressive innovations in tech augmentation and luxury goods. Don’t forget the commodification of belief, with miniature replicas of the Naos temple handmade in Arcadia, just oh so perfect for your home shrines to Chaos.  Olympe is a generous king, and happy to sell whatever vendors bring: you can find jewelry carved from the onyx and carnelian found in abundance in Tartarus, or pressed-silk textiles from the Aegean archipelago. There are even some from the lands beyond Gaia, if your curiosity takes you that far. Artifacts of dubious origin—and absolutely lethal prices—litter the stalls. But perhaps your interests are homebound… and practical. If the latest tech catches your eye more than some dusty scroll, make sure not to tip over. I already caught some visitors nosing about for trade secrets. Fascination is never innocent, dear mortals, when there’s an arms race for the future. 

SPOTTED: Charon, Patroclus, Sisyphus, Hephaestus, Alecto & Theseus prowling the square. They all seem to be looking for intel on what has got Olympe talking in the new year. Don’t be surprised if you turn a corner and bump into Tartarus’s own financial fixer, poking a portable device with a faint confusion. At the opposite end, we have those exhilarated to cross cultural borders: just look at Patroclus grilling an inventor on their nanotechnology, while his assistant Sisyphus takes dutiful notes. Same thing can be said about wayward Styx employees, whose arms are either overflowing with jewellery (we see you, Theseus)—or with stolen secrets (Heph, who’s number is that?). If Pontius’ or Tartarus’ next update looks suspiciously similar to something on display this winter, it has to be a coincidence, right?

THE AEGIS STAGE 

Next to the Marketplace is the Aegis Stage—a constant staple in Olympe that is usually reserved for only the most prestigious and popular acts, such as the concerts put on by Orpheus, or stage plays put on by the twins at Delos Film Studios. While exact details of the performance schedules are kept under wraps until the day-of to build excitement, the stage is set to be buzzing all week long. After the larger acts, groups of performers from all over Gaia take turns playing music and putting on shows—it is a long-standing rule of the festival that not a minute should go by unentertained. The intervals between have been filled to saturation with performers: aerialists and their silk ribbons, fire-breathers, sword swallowers, cyber illusionists all strut about the grounds. When humans errr, the machines are ready to pick up. Holographic peacocks and swans float in and out of view, with projectors keeping the sky in ever changing colours. Renewable fountains & vending bars make sure the alcohol is as inexhaustible as air. Though far more necessary, I’d bet. 

SPOTTED: Orpheus, Apollo, Artemis, Zagreus, Eurydice & Dusa visible in the crowds. Half the draw of an afternoon at the Aegis is the surprise appearances of the Rhea twins, so no one could expect them to be anywhere else. The next headliner is their buddy Orpheus, who has recently gone from ‘up and coming’ to ‘up and down’. There’ll be memorable moments in store, and not just on the stage proper. With the influx of out-of-town VIPs, there should be more celebutante-spotting than ever before. Get out your Rhea bingo cards: is that Zeus’ handsomely troubled nephew causing a scene, his enabling coterie in tow? Or is it the twins, launching invites to private meetings with a wave and a smile? Zeus has never been shy about showing off those more dazzling members of his collected talents, and anyone worth the airspace is likely to be schmoozed by one Nemean representative over the course of the week’s festivities.

THE CALYDON HUNT 

Further from the maddening crowds, a section of dense woodlands has been roped off for The Hunt. This event has been pulled straight from Gaian history and heritage—but its sensibilities are purely modern. Instead of barbaric animal injury, swift-moving machines have taken over the forest. The space has been overlaid with lifelike holograms of exotic fauna, while an AI-powered perimeter keeps any real creatures from wandering into the line of fire. The simulated hunt opens with a cannonball shot at sundown on the first evening of the festival, after which time guests are given free rein to a selection of hunting tools programmed to only go off within the confines of the arena. The forested stadium remains open to revellers until the final afternoon, when those with the most impressive catches are awarded prizes in a ceremony held on the Aegis stage. For the competitive guest, the Hunt is a highlight of the week, an opportunity to blow off steam between cocktails and small-talk–not to mention, a chance at bragging rights for the rest of the year. There’s a tactical angle here, dear mortals. The event reaches the far edge of Olympe, right where the Calydon Dome has its headquarters. I wouldn’t be surprised if curious tourists were to prowl for a peek at what makes Olympe invincible—or to test whether the stories hold true. 

SPOTTED: Mino, Megara, Tisiphone, Achilles, Prometheus, Thanatos & Ares haunting the woods. I cannot tell whether they are running a check on the wildlife… or preparing damage control on the wilder members of the Tartarus entourage. Regardless, I’d recommend staying out of their path–and their sight lines. Whatever they’re scouring for, it’s not pretty; and I doubt they want to be seen. Rumour has it that security will be tighter than ever this year, so defence expert Ares is kept quite busy securing the perimeter against the lost and curious alike. The last thing he needs is more trespassers; he already had to shoo Prometheus away twice. Worst of all, someone on the team didn’t get the memo about letting the Tartarus retinue into the hunting lodge, and they’ve been wrecking enough hell for the whole season. Between picking out their weapons and waging competitions, their sport looks endearingly innocuous. But we know no one born in Tartarus is ever harmless. Sure as anything, they’re sizing up Olympe’s defences. I wonder what use they think their little stunt has. Zeus has never waged an attack with machines and steel. Have we not established it already? His weapon is dreams.

THE NEMEAN HALL

Only the luckiest guests get invited into Nemean Hall, the formal gathering spot for the Rheas and their associates within the Nemean News tower. In contrast to the sleek, modern stylings of the company it’s named for, Nemean Hall is a step into a more gilded past, closer to the crystalline fortress of Xenios than your typical conference room. This is the space Zeus’ corporation takes guests when they want to make a statement. Indeed, it’s impossible to forget where you are - or who you’re with - while you’re there. Standing under the hall’s impressive ceiling, you might be fooled to think you’re on top of the world. Don’t worry about it: the result of your business meeting will quickly do away with that feeling. During the celebration, the News headquarters became a nursery room for propaganda. Waiters patrol the area with trays of hors d’ouevres, while NDA’s are passed out by associates like after-dinner mints. There’s formal seating for those who wish to sit and dine, but most guests prefer to mingle–understandable, considering it’s the networking event of the year, a veritable who’s-who of Olympe’s most powerful individuals. It’s said that as the party rages outside, the real event of the season is what happens behind the hall’s heavily-adorned doors. 

SPOTTED: Athena, Icarus, Aphrodite, Ariadne, Hypnos, Hermes & Dionysus working late into the night. Whether they are touting new ideas or tailoring brand optics, they may be the only ones mixing business with pleasure right now. Between press statements and contract arrangements, the crew makes sure that none of their families—or enterprises—will be left out in the cold. You and I both know, mortals: there ain’t no sunlight like the public’s love. If you stumble upon them, you’ll see how quickly publicity shots are set up—and liquid shots are thrown back. You need some Ambrosia courage, after all, when you have to mingle with so many politicians and financiers. It isn’t easy, being the poster children for inter-realm amity. A funny way of keeping the peace, if you ask me. What’s the final cost, when so many white lies have to go into sealing it?

THE XENIOS ESTATE

The Xenios gardens are labyrinthine, luxurious and immaculately maintained. Some council members of the Arcadian Quorum can be found lounging here amid the rose bushes, if you get close enough. Their purpose is just the same, after all: useless and decorative. It’s said that the house is even more divine than the grounds—not that any of us have bloody well seen it. The rabble is not permitted entrance, so whatever I’m about to tell you can only be an uneducated guess. And a toast to our inside sources, of course.

Supposedly, the estate has gone through quite some changes to accommodate so many guests at once. Not that it wasn’t already palatial—with five tiers, dozens of suites, and sprawling gardens both above and below, you wouldn’t be wrong to deem it a smaller mountain. But not even a mountain can fit in all the Rheas and their entourage. Wings that were closed for a long time were aired out for this special occasion, and the retinue of attendants, chefs and security guards has doubled in size. Even with all these last-minute fittings, I heard some people may still have to share rooms. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, if you ask me. Old, outdated quarters, and middling servers that were not properly vetted? Place your bets. We’ll be here to look at who gets out alive after the first weekend. 

SPOTTED: Hades, Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Nyx & Circe boarded in the inner sanctum. I couldn’t possibly venture a theory as to what they’re up to in there. Drafting new commercial agreements? Ironing out the core details, not to be trusted in the hands of their lackeys? Doling out statements for the polishing? Perhaps it’s all these things and neither of them. The cogs of power stutter and catch, and us mortals think it’s the wind. How’s this for a storm: maybe Zeus is grilling them for a confession.. Someone, we won’t say a peep, caught word about a gruesome act. Vicious and dire—and not in the dirty tabloids like them. They’ve been tailing the Rheas ever since, hoping to put pen to paper… and fact to fiction. It’s no wonder, then, that Zeus wants to know who set this all in motion. Who was the first to talk? That, dear mortals, is always the wrong question. A better one should be: who will be next?

ADMIN NOTE