expiationlogs | { Player Event } What's true of all the evils in the world is true of the plague as well

Entry tags:

{ Player Event } What's true of all the evils in the world is true of the plague as well

Who: You. (Open to all)
Where: All over Aldrip.
What: This is the log for what we’ve been affectionately dubbing The Organ Player Plot. Various places around Aldrip are facing dangerous supernatural occurrences. It’s a scavenger hunt in some way.
Warnings: MANY SNAKES, Body Horror, Organ Trafficking, Horror Themes, Violence, and we will be updating this as we go along.

A waking scream in the darkness is the first unheard omen.

Snakes, hundreds if not thousands, slither forth from the depths of Lorentia Cave and swiftly invade Aldrip. They are the heralds of the terrible things to come, and there are no corners safe from their encroachment. The serpents come in all shape and sizes, venomous or not, and are quick to become agitated if approached. Their readiness to strike and unwillingness to back off once provoked indicates the lack of survival instinct to flee. They are on the search for what's missing, and they will put up a fight.

An invisible haze sets upon the city , filled with anguish and fury, afflicting residents as it washes through the air and buildings. Children, the elderly, and the sickly are the first to complain of ailment. Within the next few days, patients begin to flood the doors of any hospital or clinic with more serious conditions-- fevers burning from them inside out and excruciating phantom pains that make them writhe in bed.

The longer what's stolen is not returned, the worse things get. Who knows how many bodies will pile high from these plagues if nothing gets done...

ooc//
[ Dara is currently locked behind a barrier in Lorentia Cave to stave off the further spread of deadly miasma. Please retrieve a protection talisman from Seimei and retrieve what she’s lost (and hopefully return it…) !

How This Works–
To begin the search for the supernatural sources a participant can select a number that corresponds to one of the squares on the map (seen below). To go on a route head on down to the numbered top levels in the comments and reply to it. This is your character kicking off their investigation. Some routes will lead to nowhere, some to something, and others to ;)? You’ll find out.

During exploration you will receive responses from either

quizpersona or

cursegod. This is not an interaction with that particular character unless indicated otherwise.

This event will handwave wrap up by the 20th if no conclusion is reached before then because Dara needs her poor organs back. ]

The Map

Happy Belated Easter lol

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ The man in the top hat goes down. The blade cleaved through him like butter. Forget about the strange magician, Minato's attention is wholly turned to Shinjiro. Even from a distance, he thinks he can see Shinjiro paling as the consequences of his actions slowly settle into place.

Maybe the miasma and cursed hands grabbing at them aren't so bad if they provide Shinjiro a temporary distraction.

Minato swiftly lifts Koromaru into his arms, out of reach of the outstretched hands. One of them wraps their fingers around his ankle, nails digging into the bare flesh there. It burns like a hot iron curled around his limb, squeezing hard enough where he thinks trying to wrest himself free might risk him losing the leg altogether.

Koromaru whines and paws desperately at Minato's arm, vying for Minato's attention. The dog tilts his head back and sniffs the air before letting out an urgent bark. He wriggles and thrashes until he finally breaks free, aided by Minato's fading strength. And then he's off, sprinting as fast as his four legs will carry him.

Minato doesn't call for Koromaru. There must be a reason why he's run off. Instead, he focuses on trying to stay on two feet. Getting dragged underwater by the hands seems like a death sentence, given how it feels like his ankle is on fire.

Akechi's yelling commands his attention, and it's right then where he spots it: the glint of Akechi's sword, just barely within reach. Grabbing it risks losing his own arm to the hands. Fortunately for Akechi, Minato decides it's worth the tradeoff. He swiftly snatches the sword from one of the hands' grasp. ]

Akechi! Catch!

[ He throws it over just in time before another hand attaches itself to his forearm.

Meanwhile, Koromaru weaves in and out, dodging around the cursed hands until he's standing a few feet away from Shinjiro and Rolo. He barks at them urgently, jumping up and down to get their attention.

It looks like there's something important under the water. ]

[The clown goes down in a spray of blood that rains down on Rolo where he's lying on the ground, but that's so far from being a concern right now. The guy that had nearly axed him along with the crazy guy at least has the decency to offer a hand, and Rolo begrudgingly accepts it. He doesn't have much of a choice right now. It's an awkward effort to get up without the use of one leg, and every time his knee drags along the ground he hisses in pain through his teeth.

So with that said, it's probably a good thing the disembodied hands aren't coming after him right now.

There's not much he can do against...whatever those are. it's some kinda magic bullshit. Do they even have a mind he could affect with his Geass? He leans heavily into Shinjiro to keep the weight off his bad leg, and focuses instead on the dog going nuts.

Ah, hell.]

If the organ is down there, there no way I can get it right now.

[ In the frenzy the hands squeeze and crush all handfuls of flesh they can get in their grip. The possibility that these hands could squeeze viscera and bone alike into mush feels real. Although the rising levels of water is rooted in reality: for those who are unprotected will begin to feel hallucinations assaulting them as if they were real.

The more adventurous hands catch the scent of various injuries Akechi and Minato have obtained during the scuffle. Even for something as mild as a scratch the fingers begin to convulse wildly before rapidly crawling the try to slip under his clothes and incessantly pull and tug and scratch at damaged skin to tear it apart further. To get the infected water inside.

For all that have a talisman: which means Shinji, Rolo, and Koromaru—it's as if the hands can't even sense their presence. At least, not at the moment. For those searching for the organ they will observe that the darkened clouds above slowly swirl like the eye of a storm above the bulging waters below. The melancholic wailing has lowered to a buzzing hum originating from the very same area—a few meters from the docks. Are they willing to go for a swim? ]

[Akechi and Minato are being clawed at- possibly clawed apart. Rolo's leg is all but destroyed. Koromaru is barking incessantly at the water, likely to where the part of Dara was stashed. That's where the surge of filthy rotting water is coming from, right? And the hands?

Seimei said not to touch it. But the small snake that had shown up had already devoured his piece of Dara's tongue, that she had used to create a charm for him so many months ago.]

Koromaru, help get them out of here.

[His own legs are gashed open from the fence, but he's more mobile than the rest right now. He's immediately drawing the guardian serpent from the pocket and shedding the coat to the dock. A giant hunk of wool would just help him drown, after all.

Half to Rolo, half to himself:]

Let's hope this shit stops if we get it...

[And he will absolutely jump in. Y'all got weapons and Personas, y'all figure out the hands. He's gonna try and bring that snake to wherever the origin of all this fucking nonsense is and further postpone his mental processing of Clown Murder.]

[Thank you for quick thinking, Minato. Akechi manages to grab on the the blade just before he is pulled fully into the disgusting, murky water. The clammy hands take a hold on the edges of his helmet to pull him under -- all while the two other pairs grab on his injured wrist and begins to pull and twist.

The pain alone makes him see white and head spin. The water somehow feels far more deeper and darker than what it really is. It's as if he keeps falling and falling further in the stormy abyss. He's lost in the world of disorienting pain, hot white flares licking over his body as the hands try tear him apart, suffocating him. There's really no way telling what is real and what's not anymore.

Honestly? The anguish he's in is rivaling to the that time when he had been shot. When the bullet had pierced his lung and slowly drowned him. But back then there had been something to comfort him. A.. thought, a knowledge, that his final wish had been listened to and that his death wouldn't be in vain. But what about now? If he were to die here what it'd be for? For a petty revenge on a man who he just happened to dislike? Wanting to save the good-for nothing shit-stain of useless deity?

No. None of those were good enough for him. He didn't give rat's ass about either of them. If he's really going to die here, he better take everything with him.

Then, he feels the pressure inside his skull again. A eerily familiar pulse along with a rush of adrenaline pumping through his body, pushing him to ignore the pain and fight. There is sudden burst of red flames surrounding his body as Loki activates his ability, giving Akechi the desperate boost he needs to get up. And with that the Persona disappears into thing air. ]

Hahahaha--!! [Swinging his blade manically he actually manages to cut down the hands trying to claw at his body again. After he's free from their grasp he quickly surges forward, right at the closest person to him -- who just happens to be Minato. He raises his arm again to strike down at the hands grasping at the other teen. Again and again. He keeps bringing down his weapon --- not really caring about Minato's safety anymore at his point]

[ Koromaru offers Shinjiro a small nod and an "arf arf!" before turning to Rolo. He barks at the teen sharply and nudges at his good leg's shin. The water's rising fast. Fortunately, Koromaru's a strong swimmer. If Rolo hangs onto him, he'll start doggy paddling them to safety, trusting Shinjiro to handle the organ down below.

Minato fares worse, miasma hands digging into the flesh of his leg. His will to wrest himself free fades as something whispers in his ear to succumb, to give himself to the abyss. But then there's maniacal laughter, a sound so unlike the quiet words that promised to shield him from the terrors of the world by turning his back to it all.

The hands suddenly let go of him accompanied with a shrill screech, finding themselves stabbed over and over again. Minato uses that opening to move out of the way of Akechi's onslaught, but not before the blade's driven itself through his shoulder. He barely feels it; the pain blurs in combination with how much everything else hurts too. It's why he can't necessarily say throwing Akechi his sword was a bad idea, given that the other teen's attack freed him from the hands. He's perfectly content to trade the single wound for escaping the cursed hands.

Akechi doesn't get any words of gratitude. Instead, Minato retrieves his Evoker with his good arm to summon Horus. The giant bird circles overhead and drops pillars of light on the hands closest to Minato and Akechi.

The water's not receding. Lingering about any longer means the hands' attacks will continue, and it doesn't look like Akechi's particularly invested in trying to get away. At this rate, the other teen will meet his demise here too. Reasoning with him seems futile, but Minato tries anyways: ]

Akechi! We have to go!

[ The hands are back and clawing at him, but he can't tell anymore whether they're real or not. ]

[It's an odd benefit of the rising water that it makes moving much easier for Rolo – certainly less painful at least, being able to just float and let the dog tow him than it would have been to hobble along dragging a wrecked leg along the ground. He hooks one hand through Koromaru's collar to better secure himself, leaning against the furry body as the dark waters rise up around them.

He can't see Shinjiro underwater at all. And one glance at the others is about all the attention he can stand to give that mess right now – there's watery curse hands and giant floating spirit monster things and beams of light and shit. The guy with the mask is either helping Minato or trying to kill him. It's just...a lot.]

L-let's go.

[And he's talking to a dog now. At least it's one that seems to actually understand speech. With his free hand, Rolo gives Koromaru an awkward pat on the head in thanks.]

[ Akechi can slash at the hands if he wants, and for a moment perhaps they disappear, but he is more likely to be striking his own flesh and the flesh of others to achieve that momentary reprieve. Each time one of the illusionary hands is slashed it bursts into water. Very effectively ensuring that they are getting soaked through their clothing the more it happens.

Those talisman aren't water proof. The first time Rolo had been very lucky that his was intact after being submerged at the beginning. Alas, the prolonged exposure to the water makes the ink fade more and more until finally the hands can sense them. Both Shinji and Rolo will begin to feel the sensation of the hallucinations trying to tear at their wounds now too. It's not real... It's not real... Surely it's not real?

For them all, with the more infectious miasma that gets in the more they will feel that their body has already passed on to the afterlife. The physical body is feeling more and more foreign; the soul desires deliverance from that fleshy mortal prison. As if in direct response to Minato's verbal attempt to devise a way to survive this the hands renew their efforts tenfold on him. One gently grasps him at the jaw. A show of desperation to coax him to give up and accept this fate.

After Shinji takes the plunge all the sounds of the chaos around him lessen drastically in volume. From that gashed open wound on his leg he'll feel the infection crawling through the opening, under the skin, and taking hold.

But ahead of him he'll see it. The spleen floats suspended in the water. Not yet in reach but reachable if he guns for it. ]

[Compared to the surface, it's oddly quiet under the water. Not quite serene with the rotting water burning at his wounds, or the heavy mental dread building as the ink bleeds from the talisman-- but there sure is a lot less screaming and stabbing. Instead there's a heavy pressure all around as he kicks his screaming legs to propel towards the half-floating sack of flesh that must be a part of Dara.

He should probably feel alarmed at the heat clawing into his torn skin and muscles, feeling like a slow, flooding fever as it progresses. The burning in his eyes, opennas he tries to see through the turbulent, ill-coloured wated. At the way his chest tightens as he swims, a reminder of the time limit on his breath. At the surreal idea and sensation of fingers, picking at any wound they can find like it's a scab not-quite-healed but impossible to resist pulling apart and open. But instead of distressing him, the idea of it feels... familiar.

Just like when he'd died right? Searing pain. Difficulty breathing. Consciousness harder and harder to hold to. A natural release from life. One he'd done before, and wouldn't be afraid of facing again.

Once close enough, and he'll hold out the hand with his small, guardian snake-friend, as though willing it to strike and take the organ within itself.]

[Honestly? It's never fully safe to hand Akechi a weapon, even on a good day. And on a bad day -- like this one, it's definitely a high risk factor.

Because right now Akechi is in his own world, filled with pain and rage. His vision has tunneled out. The red eyes shining in the rage as he sees nothing but the white hands sprouting up from the water, whispering their sweet nothings, trying to lure him to join them in the lulling abyss. He does not for one minute believe in such false promises, no - never again. He will cut and destroy everything in his way, he'll tear the entire world apart if he so has to.

Screaming keeps swinging his blade to all directions, aiming at the hands reaching for him. Of course, if he was in his right mind he'd already realize that he's only making it worse for himself -- but right now there are only enemies in front of him. His brutal blade is solely designed for his aggressive fighting style, hacking and tearing rather than cutting, to maximize the pain.

All of the sudden he hears a voice calling for him. One that he does not recognize, sorry Minato. Because again, all he sees just another enemy standing in his way -- trying to lure him into his doom. Hah, not in his watch! With a loud, animalistic scream he bounces at Minato, sword lifted up, all ready to slash down at the body before him.]

[ As if to wholly cement how futile calling Akechi's name will be, the other Persona-user lunges at Minato with the jagged blade. It finds its mark, leaving a diagonal gash down his chest. It's difficult to dodge and sidestep with the hands grabbing at him, coaxing him into sinking deeper in their embrace. The intense stinging is enough to reorient him back to reality, and he forces himself to focus on what's before his eyes.

He can feel himself running low on SP. Minato's hand trembles as he lifts his Evoker to his temple and pulls the trigger. There's a flash of light as Unicorn materializes, bathing Akechi in a white light as well. It casts a spell, cleansing the rage addling Akechi's mind. While it won't do anything about the hallucinations, it's Minato's hope that this at least stops him from trying to stab him.

The Persona sends a blast of light at the hands rising to grasp at Minato's jaw before it quickly fades away. Briefly, Minato considers summoning Horus again in an attempt to heal everyone in the vicinity. It doesn't seem particularly efficient, not when the hands would quickly tear their wounds open again.

There's no time to actually check whether Akechi's calmed down. Minato grasps Akechi's arm without a word and tugs him further away from the shoreline. It's an arduous task, between struggling to stay conscious and trying to kick away any hands that draw too near to them.

Koromaru keeps doggy-paddling too, towing Rolo towards the sand. He'll swim to shore not too far from Akechi and Minato before shaking himself dry. Gogol isn't too far away either, and Koromaru turns to face the jester. He growls at the man, hackles raised, just in case Gogol decides to try anything funny. ]

[It feels like the water itself is dragging at him, refusing to let go even as Koromaru pulls him over to the shore and Rolo drags himself onto drier land. There's a burning in his skin and he can't tell if it's some effect of the dark water itself or just the pain from his leg hitting harder as adrenaline begins to fade, the most immediate threat dealt with.

Koromaru's barking draws Rolo's attention back to said thread – the clown fallen and definitely not coming back from that and yet–

Is he dead yet? Hard to be sure. The dog doesn't seem to think it's safe yet.

It strikes Rolo that all this could have been avoided had he just taken care of it right away. If he hadn't hesitated, if he wasn't clinging to that other life where things like killing didn't come so easily. Is there any use in being normal if he's this useless as a result of it? Is the certainty of his brother's love worth potentially failing him if another such threat arises? He can handle the thought of Lelouch lying to him, but he can't handle the possibility of losing him.

With grit teeth, Rolo drags himself along the ground to where the clown lays. And there's his knife, where he must have lost his grip on it when the masked fucker chucked him at this guy. Rolo picks it back up and gives the lunatic's body a cold once-over.

The screaming pain in his leg and everywhere else do a good job of smothering the horrified, weak other voice in his head. Efficiently and unceremoniously, Rolo slashes the blade across the man's throat.]

[ Gogol's first death was more pleasing than this one feels if he's honest. Quicker. A thrilling twist of events at the hands of someone he'd cared deeply for.

Having been left to bleed out that clown lays mostly still now, he leans back against the retaining wall. Mostly gone now there's little to no recognition in his dulled eyes even as someone approaches. At some point, likely immediately after being dropped for more pressing issues, he pressed back against that wall and slide down it to watch the events play out from the ground; it's evident by the smear of blood that looks to have had a downwards trajectory.

When Rolo picks up that knife to finish the job he doesn't say anything. Can't really say anything. But he does let out a sigh that sounds just a little bit too much like relief underneath the deeply pained quality of the sound. Doesn't react further than that even as the final blow is dealt.

Death itself isn't what's so frightening about this purgatory. No, it's the fact that he knows they'll bring him back again and it's on their terms. There's a small rectangular object that's been placed haphazardly on top of the retaining wall... away from the water. That was on his terms. ]

[ Knowing the dangers he's currently facing the little guardian snake coiled protectively around Shinjiro doesn't want to move far from him at first. Althought eventually it reluctantly slithers forward to do as he wishes it to. It's little jaw unhinges wide to accommodate the organ before consuming a couple of inches and clamping down on it. Confident that it has a strong enough hold for the moment it turns to look at him expectantly with the cursed organ in it's mouth—the second half of it's body constricts around his hand. It's time to get to safety now Shinjiro.

Miraculously once the organ's curse has been jostled out of place all of the hands crash to the floor into puddles of water. Like puppets being cut from their strings everyone is released from the hands. Slowly the elevated levels of water begin to drain back out to sea. All of their infected wounds will continue to sting but the active danger has passed.

Infected deeply with the miasma each and every one of them might feel moments of derealization from time to time until they've been purified in totality. ]

[The snake holding tight and glancing back is good enough for him, and for his lungs. He kicks back up to break through the choppy waves and gasp a breath.

Not much longer and hsn they can get the hell out of here, get this to Seimei, and then fucking stop for a second. The pain is a consistent, fiery ache, agitated with every movement through the salt water (and who knows what else water), even as it begins to smooth and ebb back towards the sea.

Checking again that the snake and it's visceral cargo are secure, he gets close enough to find a stumpy half-ladder at the dock's slip, old and soaked and half crusted with barnacles, but sturdy enough to work for hauling himself up and out of the water.]

Fuck. Everyone alive??

[He can see a flash of what he assumes to be koromaru-- Minato is bleeding, Akechi is reeling. The kid probably didn't hobble too far on his twisted leg. His own steps are staggered as he walks closer to the shoreline- half from the hissing wounds, half from his own shall grasp on what the hell is even happening-- but look, as long as they get this done, it's fine. They can recuperate after.]

[Luckily for Minato the spell does lift the rage ailment he is under, making him stop his relentless attack for a moment. His eyes clear out for a moment and he brings his hand over his head, palm resting against the edge of helmet.]

Where--, what the hell is happening? [He hisses to himself in confusion. But he is not give long to recollect things and make sense of his surroundings, as Minato grabs his wrist and pulls him forward. The jostle forward reminds him of the pain in his right arm that is radiating all the way to his side -- making his vision go blurry for a moment as he lets out an anguished gasp.

Shinjiro going after the organ, death of Gogol, snake successfully securing the target. Everything goes a miss by him. He sees Shinji resurfacing from the water, looking somehow even more shit than what he normally does, and staggering towards them. But when he opens his mouth it's not Shinji that hears but multiple voices. A choir of the distorted voices are calling for him, this time not to join them in the sweet embrace of the abyss but reminding him just who is the enemy. That he can't be safe before he's dealt with everyone here.

The red eyes flare up in maddening berserk, and Akechi is screaming again. He forcefully pulls himself free from Minato's grasp and this time sprints towards Shinjiro, sword up and ready to strike.]

I'll kill you! I'll kill you all!

[ "Everyone alive?" asks Shinjiro. Minato carefully lowers himself to the floor and offers him a thumbs-up, choosing not to speak to conserve his strength. It seems like the coast is clear for now. Even if he hasn't seen Rolo land his killing blow, Minato presumes Gogol wouldn't have lasted long with the grievous axe injury anyways.

Koromaru, satisfied that Gogol is definitely dead, circles back to Minato's side. He leans the teen against him, and Minato sinks one hand's fingers into the dog's fur as thanks.

The other one reaches for his Evoker again, summoning Horus one last time. The giant bird let's out a piercing cry as it spreads its wings, enveloping everyone in a soothing light. The spell mends their bodies, enough to ensure none of them will bleed to death.

It's what Minato chooses to do with the remaining shreds of consciousness. It's the least he can do, he thinks, before his eyes drift shut and he slumps against Koromaru. Distantly, he hears Akechi screaming again, but can't find the energy to be worried about it.

If they all died here by Akechi's hand, they'd all come back anyways, right? ]

[Rolo doesn't pay much mind to Gogol as he goes. There's still a part of him that rails against this, but it's easier to ignore by leaning into old habits, the dispassionate execution of a job without a second thought. Easier to focus on their surroundings, wary for further threats and watching to see the effect the death has on all this nonsense going on.

It's while he's looking around that he notices the small object set on the retaining wall, like the clown himself might have put it there. Frowning, Rolo reaches up to grab it.

He only gets a cursory examination in before a fresh burst of movement and yelling draws his eyes back to the others. Does the bullshit never cease? Rolo sighs, and as the crazy masked guy runs past him to presumably attack the other guy, he activates his Geass to catch Akechi just as he passes by, freezing the man in place mid-charge.]

[Akechi's screaming, Minato is slumping on the ground, and then there's that burst of fluorescent colour again. Just like last time, when Rolo had yelled out that he had five seconds.

Usually he'd probably just take the sword and walk away, leaving Akechi to stumble and be disarmed and catch up later-- but he's fucking done with this night and this guy. There's already a post-adrenaline unease building up in his gut that sick sort of dread that comes from realization-- that Akechi might have been the problem here after all. (He should have held back. He shouldn't have gotten swept up in the fight and swung, should have figured out what the fuck is going on--)

His fist cracks into Akechi's stopped time for him to wake up to, a gnarly hook right into the side of his head. There's probably frustration and aggressive projection there, but-- one thing at a time. They have the organ. The threats are mostly dealt with. After swinging, he'll sidestep the pink bubble of effect, calling out to Rolo.]

Who d'you want me to call to pick you up?

[It's an exhausted sigh as he says it. Please just go down, Akechi, he's fucking tired. He probably should be asking Rolo 'yo what the FUCK' but honestly... they're too fucked up. Everything burns and his eyes itch. He doesn't even really feel alive, thanks to that miasma going on.

They just gotta call someone and pass that baton over.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

{ Player Event } What's true of all the evils in the world is true of the plague as well

no subject

no subject

🌊👋

no subject

cw: past-character death?

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

CW: current character death

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject