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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.
no subject
She is all too prepared for what deserves to be some kind of onslaught of displeased words. She'd deserve that, honestly. Just because she didn't intend to light the ever-living hell out of his sandwich doesn't mean it's magically now all okay since she's not chomping at the proverbial bit to deny that she did. But he seems remarkably well-adjusted.
It's not every day you get your lunch fried to a crisp while you're holding it, after all.
Still, it doesn't stop her from looking just the slightest bit relieved.]
You could say that. [Kisara's first and foremost apologetic with a very healthy side of sheepish.] I didn't exactly ask for it. That's definitely not the first thing I've accidentally set on fire. Pretty sure most of the other things have belonged to me, though, which is what I'd prefer. If I can't get it under control, I'll wind up making more enemies than allies.
[And frankly, everyone here needs the reverse.]
no subject
Of course, it doesn't quite hit Scott that she has these powers because of the mark and stuff, just focusing on the part that's she struggling in the first place.
So, the mutant nods in understanding, as if knowing where she's coming from.]
Yeah, think most of us didn't ask to have sudden fire powers or optic beams. [He tosses her a slight smile, still a little unfamiliar being on the end of 'comforting someone else that's new to something.'] If it helps, um, people have been really nice to me about having uncontrollable powers. The other 'Chosen,' especially.
[He raises his hands to do air quotes when he says the word 'chosen,' but he's sincere in his comment otherwise.]
no subject
She wonders what he might mean by that. She considers asking, but decides it might be better not to pry too much. At least not yet. Either way, he's right.
Kisara shifts her weight and settles for folding her arms across her chest. Maybe that'll keep some misfiring to a minimum.]
I'm not really used to... magic or anything like that. My people don't have skills like that. And the skills I do have work differently. [For a moment, she flexes her hands with some thought.] That said, sorry about the sandwich. Can I help you get another? Could probably make you one, actually. I'm not too bad with cooking.
[As long as she's not firing off any more fire spells, naturally.]
no subject
At her offer, he shrugs, still not bothered by the loss of his sandwich, but guess he won't brush aside her attempt to make things cool between them.] Sure, just make me a monster of a sandwich and we'll call it even.
[Scott wonders if she wants to talk more about her powers; he'd get it if she doesn't. Because when he first got here, he was pissed and lashed out at multiple people before somewhat calming down. That anger hasn't completely gone away, but Scott's found that relating to others about lack of control has helped a bit.]
Did you wanna uh, talk about it at all? Your ability? [Scott tries to stop himself from fidgeting or being too awkward about this.] You don't have to though.
no subject
When he makes mention of her ability, or abilities, she can't determine which he's referring to, she looks over to him thoughtfully.]
Hm... If I'm honest, I'm probably better with just relying on my shield and mace. When other things get involved, like magic, or other special abilities, it's just a little beyond my understanding. I like things simpler. You made mention of optic beams before. I don't think I have anything like that. Is it something you have control over or is it a bit like mishap with the fire? Trying to have control, but it doesn't always work out the way you'd like it to...
no subject
When she mentions her normal form of combat, Scott's eyes seem to light up-- not that it's really visible, but there's an energy to him as he reassess Kisara. Oh man, so is she an actual knight? Her armor sort of speaks for itself, but it's kind of cool knowing that she wields said weapons as well.]
Oh, optic beams? It's what I have, yeah. [He's trying to calm some of the energy that's vibrating off him, so he can play it totally cool. Yeah. At least talking about his powers tend to put him in a more serious mood.] I have... no real control over them. If I wasn't wearing these glasses, I'd constantly be having mishaps with everyone around me.
[Unless he walks around with his eyes closed, which doesn't sound fun to him. Scott bites his lip, wondering how much he should say, but... she's probably upset with her own fire powers, right? And frustrated. He wants to convey that he gets it.]
They don't shut off.
no subject
Does he see things differently? He must to some degree. Maybe. Kisara can't even begin to imagine what that must be like. Makes her look at him in an entirely different way. He's busy admiring her and potentially knightly stories that likely belong in storybooks and she's trying to better empathise with a situation she's never had to endure.]
Oh, that's— [Gosh. How to even put it.] That's unfortunate. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry. I didn't even think about the idea that you couldn't get use it at will. It sounds... difficult to deal with.
[The kind of difficult that she can't help with.]
Has it always been like that?
no subject
It's okay, I brought it up in the first place. [He offers a light shrug, trying to play it off.] It's always been like this, but I've only had it a month or so now. Sort of lost track of time since coming here.
[Maybe it's time to bring the conversation back onto her though.]
How long have you had your fire ability?