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expiationlogs2023-05-19 08:15 am
{EVENT #2} ADVERSITY 168518.2092
| MOD NOTES: Please direct any questions to the corresponding comment below. Note that characters can be involved in multiple prompts (whether you choose to thread that out or not), and that character decisions and actions taken on these prompts will affect future events, storylines, and relationships with other peoples of Expiation. You can find the OOC poll here. Please pick from the corresponding options with the appropriate character journal. If you use a personal journal or a journal not part of Expiation, your votes will not be counted. Remember that if your character did something different than what is in the prompts given, leave a comment in the OOC poll entry and link to your comment in the option made available. Our State of the Game, which will include results of this event and changes of the world, along with some future goals and events we would like to work towards will be posted 1 week from today (May 26, 2023). The various prompts are, of course, optional. Consider that taking part and not taking part both have their potential effects on the world and how Expiation moves forward in terms of overarching storyline. |
A FAMOUS DISAPPEARING / REAPPEARING ACT
Those who were plagued by nightmares and visions after venturing into the forest awaken to find that a mark has appeared somewhere on their body. It’s unclear what made it, but its function quickly becomes clear. Upon discovering the mark, whispers begin to sound in their minds, beckoning them to a secret clearing in Pessiria Forest. Something awaits them there.
After some time, a faint image of an unnaturally tall, lanky man appears in the mind. He wears a hooded robe that bears several runes resembling the strange marks and is surrounded by acolytes wearing identical robes. Raising a single hand, he calls the afflicted his Branded, and presents them with a simple offer: “Pledge yourself to my glorious cause, and you shall be granted overwhelming power to twist this world into your personal paradise.”
The offer repeats itself in the minds of the afflicted, slowly intensifying over time. It's clear that this man will not relent unless he gets what he wants. Those with strong willpower, however, may be able to reject his dark offer.
I. A TEST RUN FOR NEW POWER
For whatever reason, you have chosen to accept the whispers’ offer. Some may have been overwhelmed by the mental link that demanded your fealty, while others found the offer of overwhelming power appealing. Regardless of your reasons, this decision finally brings you a strange peace, as the intense demands are replaced with your promised reward. Now, the brands start to feel like a blessing as they begin to spread across your body. They feel good and natural—almost as if you have found a missing part of yourself that you had never known.
You begin to feel an unknown power coursing within your body, but you aren’t entirely sure what it is. Some will gain powers associated with the mind, allowing for psionic powers ranging from telekinesis to possession. Others will gain a mysterious power to cast elemental and blood magics that they had previously never been able to use. Once you reach the secret clearing, its nature and usage will become clearer to you.
Things are odd at the place you’ve been summoned to. In the clearing, you’ll find strange stone monuments and tablets containing text in an indecipherable language. At the centre of this collection of monuments, descends a pit-cave with several winding paths, each containing cells with bruised and battered prisoners. The more perceptive among you may notice that these are the people who have gone missing over the past few months.
You and your fellow Branded are free to do as you like. Will you make these prisoners into experimental pawns to test your new powers with? Or will you try to resist the power you’ve accepted?
II. ABDUCTION
Unlike your possessed fellows, the brand doesn’t take. The whispers intensify with each passing hour, demanding that you give in. Still, for some reason, you never accept their offer. Perhaps somewhere in your heart, you know that this is wrong and have managed to hold on through pure force of will. Maybe your latent powers managed to hold the brand’s influence at bay despite their constant demands. Either way, the hooded figure knows that it has been denied a thrall, and it does not take rejection lightly.
A piercing shriek can be heard from the forest before all hell breaks loose. Shadowy figures emerge from its depths and press into Aldrip. If you are claimed by the shadows, your character will be enveloped in darkness and pulled back to the hidden grove. This will take you out of the action for the duration of the event, only to reappear in Aldrip sometime after the chaos subsides. However, others may choose to flee from the shadows and seek help from other Chosen. This is optional, primarily for those who need a reason to be absent from the event for a portion of the time. For characters who are present and unbranded, consider this an opportunity to interact with those who are, and to be susceptible to their abilities, or experience an odd desire to serve or otherwise demonstrate loyalty toward them.
SPEAK NOT OF THE OLD ONES
Unfortunately for those who were marked, their struggle mostly goes unnoticed in those critical first moments. For most people, it just seems like just another day. Some strange people are rising at strange hours of the morning to venture into Pessiria forest, but for the most part, life goes on as usual. While some of the Chosen may find themselves struck by a sense of unease, the locals go about their normal lives, unaware of what is to come.
However, that quiet was only the calm before the storm. After some of your fellow Chosen venture into the forest, a piercing shriek can be heard across the entire region as a gargantuan creature emerges from the earth a mile away from Aldrip. At first, all you see is a giant tentacle made of dark crystal. However, the abomination’s upper body soon emerges, flailing its limbs in an absolute frenzy. Golden tendrils course across its frame and into the ground, draining the life from the surrounding land and leaving rot in its place. Meanwhile, its many tentacles could fell a tree in a single swipe.
This unnatural event causes Aldrip to erupt into absolute chaos. Most of the Aldrip locals take to the street, taking anything valuable they could find in their homes before sprinting away. Others cry out for some kind of divine intervention to save them from their trial. However, there is no order to the escape effort, leaving most either trapped at the city, or at risk of being trampled in an onslaught of fleeing locals.
III. TAKING ON THE UNKNOWN
If the Chosen are to have any hope of dealing with this impending crisis, they need to act soon. For now, the strange beast flails about clumsily, almost as if it is unaccustomed to its corporeal form. However, there’s no telling how long this will last. The golden tendrils emerging from the creature’s body seem to be sapping the life out of the nearby land, strengthening the monster as it prepares to finish climbing out of the ground and destroy Aldrip.
Several opportunities seem obvious at first glance. Brave Chosen may choose to take the gargantuan creature on directly, banding together to bring it down before it can reduce Aldrip into a lifeless husk. However, those who are not as proficient at fighting may instead try to do something about the spreading golden roots that are sapping the life from nearby area. It might not be as glamorous, but it will buy valuable time, nonetheless. Either way, this is not a one-person kind of job. You will need help from your fellow Chosen if you want to see this through.
IV. WHEN CHOSEN CLASH
Characters who have accepted the brand’s offer will hear a call in their minds. It’s the hooded figure that granted you the power you’ve been gifted. His order is clear—the creature’s rebirth must not be disturbed. Protect it at all costs. This will give you a fantastic opportunity to show off your new powers. Band together with your fellow Branded to cause a little mayhem or face off against the unbranded as they struggle to stop the behemoth.
Fighting against former comrades will not be easy for the Chosen. Those bearing the brand have all gained strange powers based on their personalities. They include possession, mind control, elemental and blood magics, the ability to create areas of silence, life draining, or even the ability to capture others in shadowy grasps. Worse yet, the Branded are becoming stranger by the minute. As the Brand spreads across their body, their behaviour becomes increasingly violent and erratic, drawing out the worst of their personalities.
Some of the Chosen may discover a strange quirk about the new abilities that have appeared among the Branded. While the abilities may be powerful, Chosen who act selflessly to help their enthralled comrades will discover that they have become entirely immune to their influence. It won’t remove the mark itself, but it will equalise the playing field for those who want to convince their comrades to renounce the hooded figure.
THE ONE WHERE THERE’S A WILDCARD
V. LEADING—OR BENEFITTING FROM—THE SITUATION
As the creature’s scream resonates across the nearby area, residents of Aldrip begin to panic and flee from their homes. Unfortunately, such processes are often messy. In fact, plumes of smoke are even emerging from a few houses that were left just a little too hastily.
Whether you decide to assist in the process or decide to take advantage of the mayhem is up to you. The evacuation effort could almost certainly use some people to arrange the panicking mass into an organised exodus. Alternatively, you could try and attend to people who can’t get out on their own. Whatever you choose to do, people rarely forget the faces of those who personally come to their aid, and the villagers will almost certainly feel indebted to you if you ensure their safety.
Chaos can also bring opportunities. With everyone leaving their homes, there’s almost certainly plenty of unattended valuables left in the town. If thieving is up your alley, the opportunity to loot to your heart’s content is ripe. Just make sure that no one is watching. It would be a shame if one of your more justice-minded Chosen saw you doing something naughty, after all.
VI. FUCK IT, WE BALL (WILDCARD)
Just because there’s not a prompt for it doesn’t mean that your character’s actions aren’t acceptable. If you wish to do anything that hasn’t been directly addressed by the prompts, leave a message for the mod team to say what your character would do. If you choose to go down this path, note it as a comment on the OOC poll when it goes up, and leave a link to your threads so that we can take all actions into consideration for the next State of the Game.
speak not of the old ones
[ At first, he doesn't think anything of it. The scream that echoes through the air, as though erupted from somewhere below the earth, is strange, but it's not the first time he's heard something like that. A monster attack outside of town, perhaps, or another strange happening in the forest: his chin jerks up from where he's tending to some of the weapons at the forge in town, polishing them up for a bit of extra coin, but there's nothing that comes over them. No sound of a siren, or further screams, or anything misted through the air; a part of him nearly expects to see the Whispers, coiled up from the ground, ready to block him from any effort. In some ways, it triggers memories of the plate drop--the sound of something terrible, echoed and rooted and churning in his stomach.
But it's something different, this scream. There are hushed voices around him, whispers and confusion, which suddenly boil up into the sound of one blacksmith, pointing a soot-smeared hand up towards the sky; in the distance, the ground trembles, sending shockwaves through the streets like the beginnings of an earthquake. All it takes is seeing that first tentacle-like root, clamoring for space--he drops what he's doing and immediately moves to take to the streets back towards the main square of town.
By the time he makes it there, chaos has already bubbled over; there are roots snaking their way towards town, he hears, among screams and panic and fear. Some of the people in town seem to be rushing from their homes, trampling for the exit with handfuls of precious commodities and knick-knacks full of memories--his throat closes, immediately thinking first of Aerith. Had she stayed in the inn, today? Or had she gone out? The inn is likely too far for him to get to; it's better to follow the flow of the crowd and head towards the exit of town.
Once he gets there, he realizes how terrible it is. People are pushing, shoving, crying, yelling; voices overlap voices, threatening to push his honed senses to a headache. Swearing under his breath, he fights his way through the crowd, using his sword to try to ease the ebb and flow of people through the exit. It helps: at least minimally, but even so, as he assists the town with their exit, he finds himself looking up at the sky and that creature. A little girl runs right into his thigh; he picks her up without thinking, carefully lifting her over him to continue going. He won't be able to sustain this forever: there's just too many people, and only one him.
With another curse under his breath, he eases back a little, crouching to help someone up from where they've been knocked into by others--it appears to be another one of the people like him, someone not native to this place, and he holds out a hand to them to help them rise. ]
You good? [ His voice is clipped, commanding and to the point, as he bodily lifts them to their feet. ] Think you could help me out, here? We need to control the evacuation, or people are going to get killed.
no subject
How could anyone, however, who knows her, expect her to do nothing and stand idly by?
The panic of people, the rushing, the voices that flutter in and out from between her ears, leaving behind residual echoes, makes her think… of something she deems as familiar, but can’t quite put her fingertips on. As if it’s just another think she shouldn’t be privy to. She’s certain she has seen, heard, felt, and experienced something very similar to this before. It would be better to not get immediately wrapped up into that.
She sets the feeling of unease aside.
It is as she is helping to guide those in panic along that she finds herself greeted with a very welcome and equally familiar voice. So welcome, in fact, that in the moments that he addresses her, it cuts through all of the wariness and dread gnawing at her insides and renders it silent. At least for those moments.
He’s safe.
Cloud can take care of himself. She’s thought it several times before, but she never stops worrying. She doubts that she ever will. Her eyes meet his and for some moments, she pauses.]
Yeah. [Aerith begins.] Yeah. I’m good. I’m here to help. [She was here to begin with. Maybe she simply needed to find him.] I’ve been guiding them as I can, but it’ll be easier with you.
no subject
Awkwardly, he lets go of her after a moment, reaching in to gently swat and brush some dirt off the skirt of her dress. It isn't necessary, but he doesn't like the idea that she's had to elbow and push and tumble her way through all these people towards him. ]
...What are you thinking? [ He twists his head, turning it to look at the crowd that's still rushing past them towards the exit out of town. There's an impatient click of his tongue; it isn't that he's frustrated with Aerith, but more than he's frustrated that he can't quite think of the best way to help this situation.
Back in the slums, he'd been--well, he'd been fighting for his life, and the lives of everyone, on that plate, but it hadn't even mattered. The evacuation effort had gone on without him. ]
Maybe we stand at the exit and try to separate everyone into two groups, out of the town. Think that might help?
no subject
Or how it's really affecting her far below the surface. Who knows when anyone will make that kind of discovery, given how very good she is at just rolling with the punches. They all are, really. The state of the world back home doesn't give them much of an opportunity to do anything else.
He speaks and the contact between their hands breaks, forcing her back to the present moment. She follows his gaze to the thundering of feet that pass. She too, is thinking. It's much more difficult to start order in chaos when hearts are filled with free will. It's too late for her to start giving speeches about staying calm and approaching everything with a cool head. Not everyone appreciates that kind of talk either.
Looking back to Cloud when he offers his proposition, she nods.]
We can do that. There are plenty of places we can take them outside of Aldrip and not near the forest. There's the wind mills over by the shoreline. I think there's some farmland that's further out. Remember where we arrived originally? Probably safe out there, too. I want to be able to look at anyone who's hurt, too. There might be more injuries from panic than from whatever that thing is headed this way.
no subject
You're right. Perfect. So, let's do this...
[ Carefully, he eases closer to her--one arm shadows around her shoulders, but it's mostly to keep a barrier between her body and the crowds that still push past them, desperate for the exit. With his free hand, he gestures out towards the entrance into town, pointing and drawing in the air with one gloved finger. ]
I'm gonna head there and start telling everyone where to go. You run ahead to the farmland, I think that's going to be easiest, and we'll use that as a base. I'll tell anyone able-bodied to start setting up camp out there, maybe running to the windmills for tarps and things like that.
[ It's easy to line things up into place, surprisingly, when Aerith is there with him. She makes him feel less like a burden--and after all, he should be good at this sort of thing, right? He'd been in SOLDIER, after all. First Class.
There's a slight wince at the thought, but he shakes his head. ]
Once things seem to be a little more stable here, I'll head out to you, too. Then we can start organizing a place for you to tend to the wounded. Alright?
no subject
He eases hold around her, which she doesn't give much more thought to aside from navigation, and she suspects he'd do the same even if she did make mention of it. She listens intently as he carefully guides her, protecting her from the people that brush shoulders with her in their frenzied hurry. With a nod, she's already trying to plan for what they mean to set into action.]
I'll make way for the farmland and make sure it's safe for us. [That little wince. It's a subtle thing, but she's seen it before. Concern flutters into her expression for just another breath before she chooses to put it aside. He would probably prefer it that way.] Don't worry, okay? I've got it handled.
[She reaches over with a hand to gently press it to his chest. It's merely a subtle reassuring touch. At least, she means for it to be.]
If you take too long, I'm going to come back for you. Try not to make me worry too much. I don't want to lose anyone else.
no subject
At least her words are enough to focus on. He lets out a scoffing sort of laugh, shrugging up a shoulder. ]
You've got nothing to worry about. I'm a professional.
[ --which is incredibly lame, but there's no taking it back now. With a gentle pat to the middle of her back, he gently encourages her forward, away from him; there's no sense that this might be the last time they see each other, no worry that she might get lost in the last little bit of the crowd near the entrance.
Rather, he trusts her: something that's alarming, in and of itself. ]
See you soon. Promise.
I know you're also on hiatus. Unsure if you want to timeskip or wave to something aftermath...
[He never lets her forget, after all. She's not certain she could, even if she were to try. Does she really know what a 'professional' is by those standards? Likely not. Was Zack a professional? Probably. And does any of that actually matter? She would consider that largely debatable.
At his unspoken encouragement, Aerith puts distance between them. She turns only enough to offer him her gaze, green and imploring as it often is. As if with a look she can say everything that she's thinking without using her voice. But maybe that too, is something to be expected when it comes to her.]
I promise, too. Let's both do our best, Cloud.
[I'll see you soon.
At least, she hopes for just such a thing.]
no subject
[ It takes longer than he expected to force some sort of organization through the chaos; it's enough time for him to get more than his good look at the creature that's threatening to rampage the little town, and enough time for him to realize that he's likely going to have to eventually help pursue it, or at least the tendrils of it, to try to get to the bottom of it. From what he can see over the crowds, he isn't the only person thinking so: which is why he feels like he can follow through on his plan with Aerith. Once the flow of civilians out from the town is a little less chaotic, he retreats as he said he would, heading out towards the farmlands.
Already he can see the way that those he asked for help are participating: setting up places for the injured and anxious to rest, organizing families, teaming up to gather water and supplies. It lessens the weight on his chest, the worry that things would be just as bad as the Plate fall; still, he doesn't quite let his breath out in relief until he can spot Aerith, already starting to help out where she can.
He lifts a hand up, awkward, in greeting--a part of him wonders if he should offer to hug her, high five her, something to break the tension, but he settles for his usual reticence, lowering his hand slightly in embarrassment. ]
Made it in one piece. [ Is he referring to her? Himself? ] I was thinking, we can use one of the storage sheds out here as like, a medic base... What do you think?
[ Swallowing, he folds his arms against his chest. ] You're better at that kind of thing, so let me know how to help.