« mini manta board log: auction houses »

[seaboards]

SPECIAL QUEST: AUCTION HOUSES

This mini log is for the Special Quest listed on the January 2025 MANTA Board. The IC and OOC timeline for the log is for the entire month of January, and players can play with the idea that things get more difficult later in the month as word spreads and auction houses become more difficult to access and deceive.

There have been recent reports of large amounts of inventory potentially related to the recent whale hunting and crystal statues appearing in various underground auction houses. They are hard to find and both Armadas are feeling heat from the public and higher officials: Corsairs for being suspected as the ones behind all this illegal trade and the Paladins for not being able to close this case out yet.

Both sides will either be working against or with each other depending on what they are assigned to do or how they meet, and suspicions will be high from both sides. Be careful!

There are multiple auction house locations, all with different inventory passing through but all are high end with only those in the know or of elite status will frequent. They are often held on remote islands, but some are clever enough to have them literally underground beneath venues such as casinos. Some are actually "innocent" in the sense that while they likely have illegal goods in their stock, they are not related to the whales and crystal trade. However, they still need to be investigated, and who knows? Maybe there are interesting items there…

Objectives: The following are objectives or assignments that members of each Armada can do in an attempt to infiltrate and investigate the auction houses to find the targeted goods and those involved in the trade. While listed generally, players can be creative to alter and change things to fit the style of the Armada. Working together or against opposing members is allowed.

"Security." Pose as a security member to guard any of these positions: outside the building, high ranking auction participants, storerooms where inventory is kept.
Buyer. Participate in the auction and try to win the item! Where the funds are coming from—not our problem.
Seller. Find something to be sold at the auction house. Is it actually worth something? Is it fake? Have to be convincing to get it on the list somehow and allow entrance into the building.
Other. Any other possible means to get inside the auction house. Just sneak in like a thief? Post as an inspector? A journalist? Crazy drunk? Be creative!
Raid. For those who don't have the patience or have determined that targeted items are there, just raid the auction house! Arrest, capture, or kill(??) them all!!! This might not always be the best option, but perhaps the chaos could create openings.

The following are items that one might find at any of the auction houses, but players can also come up with something else that could be interesting! If a player would like to claim or be part of a specific find or list something they made up, comment to this subthread.

🐋 Whale parts. From raw materials such as bones, ambergris, and oil to specific goods made from such materials such as perfumes, scented oils, wines, and furniture. Without a specific license of approval, this is all considered illegal and one of the main targets for this quest.

👤 Crystal statues. Encased in solid crystal will be animals and people who are victims of the illegal operations that started late summer. Are they still alive or not? Like the whale parts, this is the high priority target.

🫙 Potions. A number of different potion sets will be up for grabs. Their effects range from powerful healing to love potions to dangerous curses.

🦄 Creatures. Various creatures and beasts are a common staple for these auction houses. Sprites and fairies, golems, rare animals like the unicorn, or even dangerous monsters that can barely stay contained in their cage. Some of them may even resemble past bounties: horned dolphins, small carnivorous rabbits, mermaids. Some of these are legitimate, but many are fake.

📚 Forbidden Tomes. Various books that deal with ancient myths, legends, spells, curses, creatures—the topics will vary. There is even a limited edition signed copy of the hit erotic dragon fanfiction, Dragonheat. However, some of these may be fake and contain grandma's old recipes instead. Wait, that actually might be valuable—!!

🪈 Sound of Music. There are special instruments that are said to have special effects when played, such as talking during one's sleep, compelled to speak the truth, etc. There is even a very rare otamatone that only plays the song Thunderstruck. Music sheets are also in demand, some claiming the music could lead the way to treasure, or the notes are actually a secret code for something else. There is also a valuable antique music box said to have a haunting melody, the dancing figure seemingly able to move on its own…

🐕‍🦺 Commanding Collar. A special collar that when worn will make the wearer obey whatever their "owner" demands. "SIT BOY!" Handcuffs sold separately.

🗺️ Treasure Map Pieces. Treasure maps are common to find, but only a few are worth the gold the auction houses bring. Scattered throughout numerous auction houses are pieces of a treasure map said to lead to an "ancient treasure" that dates back to the time before the Flood, when the world had more land masses than water. Is it real or not? (A map CAN be formed, but it will depend on how many map pieces are found during this log!)

❓ Wildcard. For any other items that players may think of!

It goes without saying that any auction house that is selling either or both the whale parts and crystal statues will need to be shut down. How that happens, well. Guess it depends on who is there.

If you have any questions, comment here.

Comments

[ramuhs]

[It's been tense, and he's still worried about the young whale, but there is much more relief knowing it will be safe.

Relief...that will be short-lived when the little one enters the water and swims around before clearly crying for its parents. The high pitched sad "song" that echoes over the lake heartwrenching. Some hope comes when the surrogate whale found by Turo's Xolo pack—a cousin that had survived the slaughter—appears to quickly swim towards them, but it is a bittersweet reunion, the little one inconsolable.

It had been through too much, seen too much...and Cid pulls Benedikta closer as they can only watch helpless.]

[garudas]

[As they watch it and listen to that song that it sings, most likely crying out for its family, she holds his hand. He'll feel her fingers tighten around his in an attempt to keep her emotions at bay, her expression remaining hard and angry, that fury from the night of the auction still lingering. It is sad, but she is more angry than anything that this happened at all, and now...

...

Now it is all alone.

That thought makes her chest twinge with an ache that makes her breath hitch. She knows what that feeling is like. Perhaps that is why she is so keen on ensuring that it can survive.

When he pulls her closer, she rests against him, watching as the little whale tries to console its cousin.]

It will take some time...

[ramuhs]

A lot of time.

[He heaves a heavy sigh.]

As of now they may the last of their entire pod... But perhaps we could try and find others for them.

[They may have each other, but even the cousin is still young. Orphaned.]

[garudas]

Others who perhaps had lost their pods in the same way.

[She looks around at the water, at the pool that they swim around in. Could it house many more of them?]

Though, a small part of me hopes that we do not find more.

[ramuhs]

Likewise.

[Another low exhale as he watches the whales for a little longer, the crying quieting even if the whales have yet to move from their place.]

...Let's leave them be.

[garudas]

[She wonders what they might be able to do for them. There is a bucket of food next to their feet, and Benedikta glances at it, thinking that might help, but she is a little surprised when he says that instead.]

You do not want to stay longer?

[ramuhs]

[A quiet smile.]

It will be quite some time before they will want to see anyone else. Right now, they need each other, no one else.

[He knows too well how this kind of grief is, and really, what else can they do?]

We can visit them again later.

[garudas]

[She turns away from the lake and gives his hand a squeeze. She is trying very hard to keep her own emotions in check, more for him and the baby than anything else. Now is not the time to wallow in her feelings about these sorts of things, nor is it the place.

Though as she hears another high-pitched cry from the whale, her chest tightens.]

We will need to come back to visit plenty, yes?

[ramuhs]

Aye.

[A small smile at that as if to reassure.]

Check how they are doing and all.

[garudas]

[Her thumb that had been running circles along the back of his hand pauses, and she tilts her head at him.]

... And you? You will be alright?

[There is no use in hiding the way he's been the past few days since they took the little whale out of there. Anyone would be distraught after that, but she knows someone like him would feel it especially so.]

[ramuhs]

[There will be a heavy stretch of silence before he just squeezes her hand.]

It doesn't get any easier, no. But I'll manage.

[Because he has her to help with that, his eyes seem to say as he looks down at her.]

Let's go home.

[garudas]

[She can read it easily enough. That does not mean that she fully believes it. She will not press him here, however. So instead, she lifts their hands joined together with a soft smile tinged with sadness. Without a word, she activates her ring, closing her eyes against the soft sounds of the whale's sobs as they disappear...]