EVENT #13: ADVERSITY 8765546

[expiationmods]

EVENT #13: THE BEAST INSIDE US ALL

THE STORY SO FAR (click to expand)

-Over time, characters have discovered that the world of Expiation is actually a large, elaborate simulation run by an AI that seems to be intent on helping them atone for their crimes. This news is well-known by the Chosen, enough so that any new character who wishes to handwave this knowledge is able to do so.

-In September 2024, that AI needed to be reset as a consequence of some catastrophic systems failures. So far, there has been no downside to this reset–but the AI has also been strangely absent since then.

-Things have been quiet in Aldrip since September, aside from the routine arrival of new Chosen. The locals seem less than happy with the Chosen, though, as if they have already branded them all criminals. As if they no longer trust them…

EARLY MARCH / MARCH 11TH

Something doesn’t feel quite right, does it?

There’s a strange feeling in Aldrip, something tense and strained, as if something’s about to happen. The black lines outside of the Aldrip travel further into the city and begin to spread the miasma. The fields, crops and the portion of the forest continue to wither away as a result. The signs of catastrophe. The air is thick, as if it itself is waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Very abruptly, it does.

The earth quakes as something erupts from the ground: huge, snakelike heads, towering as tall as a two-story building. These heads seem to circle the city of Aldrip: a ring of threat, keeping everyone and everything within the city limits. These heads don’t change locations, and they only attack if someone gets too close. They seem almost like they’re waiting for something. At first, however, they’re invulnerable to damage. Those who get too close may be injured or even killed if they try…

TRANSFORMATION

As soon as Fauna hears the rumblings of the Beast, detects the presence of a monster, she's off without waiting for any information. Confronting monsters is what she does, after all. She transforms and attempts to destroy the Beast with her full might, but despite the fierce fight, she's unable to land any decisive hits. Eight heads are too much to fight alone, and as the fight drags on, she's cornered, and takes the Beast's attack head-on, canceling her transformation and sending her flying. But as she's blown away, from her pockets, seeds fall- A pair of seeds to grow trees from, or something greater. The seeds, divine items with no divinity to empower them, fall to the ground, and are absorbed into the Beast's black body...

What is it you wish for, deep down? What do you desire?

Those Chosen unlucky enough to be affected by wish seeds may find this wish consuming their thoughts and driving their actions. Slowly, surely, they find themselves…changing, turning into something that is not a human. These changes may be slow and painful, or they may be instantaneous. We encourage you to be creative in these changes, both physical and mental, but also to warn for potential body horror or any body part trauma that might need a content warning.

I wish… I wish…

Driven nearly to madness by their own desire, by whatever’s happening to them and whatever physical changes it brings, these Chosen may be dangerous, with uncontrollable urges or new powers they aren’t used to. Can their aggression be directed toward the coming fight? Time will tell.

SLAY THE BEAST

So much anger, hatred and pain, all rolled into a single calamitous entity, baring its fangs at the entire world. It's almost a little embarrassing for it to be out in the open like that, even if the other Chosen don't necessarily realize it's a part of him. It's not too long after the Black Beast's first appearance that Ragna makes his way to face it, though not before he makes sure everyone else has some information necessary to finish the job afterwards. But first, he would need to ensure they even stand a chance against the monster, and he came up with only one solution that could work ─ and that's to do so from within the Beast itself. And so, with a final sigh, muttering "What a pain in the ass," under his breath, Ragna approaches the giant creature unarmed. The nearest heads turn their attention to the man, immediately attacking and ripping him apart, devouring the remains.

Something has changed. Impervious until now, the Black Beast soon shows evidence of wear and tear: hits land, cuts remain, and its fighting becomes more vicious…but more desperate, too.

If the Chosen have any hopes for defeating this creature, now will be the time. Maybe if they hit it with everything they’ve got, they’ll be able to bring it down–one head at a time.

SAFE...TY?

In the past, there’s been protection. In the past, there’s been so-called “safe houses” that have been created by the environment for noncombatants or those who don’t wish to fight.

But no such thing appears.

Nothing will hold the monsters back, nothing will hold the effects of the Black Beast back as they rain destruction on the city. It seems as if the Chosen are on their own – for those who don’t wish to fight, or can’t fight, they must band together to find protection of their own. Characters who are able to fight may need to help protect these areas where those sorts of Chosen have decided to hunker down for safety. The locals have vanished completely, locked so tight into their own houses that Aldrip businesses come to a halt.

That is, unless Chosen work together to keep it going.

AFTERMATH

The Black Beast is finally put down after the hard and exhausting fighting. The black lines around the city fade away, and it seems the Chosen who have transformed… are unaffected. Those Chosen who find themselves confronting their “wish” will discover that they soon change back, shedding monstrous forms for their familiar forms. However, the Chosen who don’t confront their wishes will keep their monstrous forms, either fully or partially, for the indeterminate future. They might continue to struggle to keep their sense of self and fight against the monstrous urges. Maybe they continue to be more aggressive, have a hard time recognizing a friend from a foe and have a distorted view on what is their wish. Effects don’t wear off over time, this time. There’s no magical “reset” where they wake up one day and find themselves back to their normal selves.

No, either they confront their wishes, or they stay like this for… ? It’s up to the Chosen.

WILDCARD

Make your own fun! Just because it’s not in the prompts doesn’t mean it’s not possible. Have at it! Go crazy! Try not to break anything (too much)!

♡

Comments

[luneminary]

[Is this a strange creature? A substance? The way she thrashes and coalesces reminds Thanatos of Shadows, the formless ones in Tartarus before they are provoked into a certain form. But he’s certain that this is no Shadow — at least, not one that is from his own world, in the way that Thanatos feels no connection towards her.

Still, her garbles grow distinct, and that is how he knows this is a sentient form. One of the Chosen, then, and the target of his mission. There is no way he can leave her alone in her misery.

Thanatos tries to think of a way to get her to calm down, to say soothing words, but finally he understands the sounds that she screeches.]

Them? Who’s them?

[abandonware]

[Slowly, the shadows around A2 solidify into what looks like the silhouette of a female form. The glowing lettering painted across her skin ceases its frenetic movement, and she studies the being in front of her with eyes that glow like lantern lights.

Was this thing a machine? She couldn't be sure, and without her weapon (where had it gone?) she was at a disadvantage. But the fact that it could understand her seems to give her pause. Still, she is clearly looking for an escape — her is posture tense and harried.]

The machines! They have to be responsible — I have to stop them! Who are you? Are you working for them?

[luneminary]

[The chains surrounding Thanatos rattles as he moves his hands, coffins shiftying away from A2’s direction. If she’s communicating, then there must be some hope to an agreement, yes?]

I’m not a machine! I’m what you call a Shadow. I’m not sure if you’re a Shadow too, but we’re not enemies.

[He does wonder about those machines that she has been talking about — does she mean the simulation that they are trapped in, or something else? He doesn’t know the cause of the madness this time, but any clue to stopping the transformations would be helpful at this point.]

Who are these machines you speak of?

[abandonware]

[She takes a cautious step back, then another. Escape was all she was thinking of — getting out of this machine's trap. This "simulation." How could she be sure that this creature wasn't lying to her? That all of this wasn't another form of torment. Punishment for destroying so many of the machines.

It's so hard to think... hard to move in the way she's used to, hard to remember the steps that had led her here. Distressed, she clutches her head.]

The machines, they... they put me here! [Yes, this made sense to her. What else could this place be?] They created all of this — this lie!

[luneminary]

[Well, she’s not wrong about that, technically. Although isn’t so sure who exactly put them in this place at the first place.]

Yes, and we’ll find a way out of this. One day.

[Thanatos matches his rhythm. A step forward to counter hers. A hand to reach out to her prone form.]

But running wild wouldn’t help. You wouldn’t find the machines by thrashing around.

[abandonware]

[For all that his tone is calm and even, his words soothing, it does nothing to alleviate the panic and paranoid terror that had grown in her since arriving here, now left to fester in her heart, thanks to the influence of the magic that had changed her.

She had to get out. She had to escape — this illusion, this fake machine world, now that it had fallen apart at last, the tenuous peace snapped like fragile cable. She couldn't bear it. Not again.

She would rather die fighting than be a machine's plaything again.

Her right arm loses its solidity, becomes like dark water that drips, drips, coalesces until it forms a blade of pure shadow that she grips for dear life. The light in her eyes dulls to embers.]

You're just trying- trying to trick me. Like everyone else! Get out of my way, or I'll make you move.