EVENT #12: INVOCATION - IC EVENT LOG (PART 1)

[abraxasmods]

Event #12 - Invocation ( 1 )

Go to the: OOC plotting post | Event coordination post

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Beginning on February 20th, one by one, the Summoned will go missing throughout the week. As the disappearances escalate, it becomes clear that more sinister forces are afoot...especially when Solvunn eventually comes forward to announce that Josselyn Creed, one of their Council members, is also missing.

How events proceed will depend in part on your actions. Whether you've been captured or if you've been left behind, each of the Summoned will have a role to play.

NOTES

1. A Coordination Post will be used for communications between mods and players both. You can request dice rolls, start investigations, submit or review notable incidents, and begin in-person network-style threads with each other to quickly play out IC interactions. Review the post for forms and other details to fully participate in this event.


2. Using the Network is plot-relevant! You can make open posts on abraxasnet or include (disrupted) network messages in your top levels in the IC Event Log below. Messages intended to be private can be accidentally made public or sent to the wrong person, so play with that how you wish. Network messages sent or seen by any of the Lost will be distorted or incomplete in some way, regardless of the source. Messages will work as usual if sent and received between the Spared.


3. Don't feel the need to interact with every aspect of the event. We've provided multiple engagement options for flexibility, but we want to make sure players don't get overwhelmed by the sense that they need to do everything available (though you can if you'd like!)

Feel free to ask us questions. This event contains a lot of information to go over, so we're happy to clarify further. We'd much prefer you ask to avoid any misunderstandings or confusion!

Week 1

How it starts depends on where you are, who you know, and what you've been doing. Some of you will notice your friend didn't come home as they said. Maybe their belongings are in their room, but they're nowhere to be found. Then again, people can be late. After all, officials have been pulling folks in for questioning. You ask around. You wait. You begin to wonder if they've faded from Abraxas, as others have in the past. Upsetting to be sure, though not unheard of.

Or maybe you spot something that isn't right: a familiar broken necklace in the woods, a runaway horse, or a garbled message you can't read. Are they really gone from the world? Is something more ominous at play? You can take your suspicions to officials in hopes they'll listen to you.

For those who venture into the wrong place at the wrong time - whether to look for a missing friend or another reason - you'll quickly understand your mistake as robed and masked figures surround you.

Reports of the missing Summoned are filtering in. Characters can continue to make reports throughout the event for other players to reference.

Abduction | The Lost

CW: Disturbing imagery (text and visual), death, dark and horror-based themes.

Where do they find you? Not in any populated areas, that's certain. You're likely caught somewhere isolated: outside the protective castle walls or in the rural countryside of Nott, out in the desert wastelands or darkened Libertas alleyways, the thick woods of Solvunn or the empty ocean shoreline at night.

You don't know how they find you, though you might've heard them coming - too late, of course. Or maybe you confronted them in an attempt to save a friend? Magic shrouds the figures in mystery. Their voices are hauntingly distorted and impossible to identify. They smell like strange herbs and rotted earth. They do bleed, however. If you fight back, you could take down one or two - but you're soon overwhelmed by their magic or their sheer force.

The last thing you'll remember seeing is a bizarre mask looking down at you. Then your world goes black.

Awakening

As you slowly awaken, you'll find yourself inside a fungus-like growth that lines the cavern walls outside, high and low. Though nearly pitch-black within, the small space means you might quickly realize you are not alone as you bump up against another body. You wonder, is this person alive? If you're fortunate, you'll be with another Summoned. If you're alone and too weak or wounded, you'll need to rely on someone else to rescue you. Hopefully, someone will come along.

And break out you'll have to. Around you is a slimy digestive fluid. Your skin burns, and your eyes water. You'll have to push and claw at the soft membrane opening until it grows wide enough to crawl out. If luck favors you, you'll be safe on the ground. If not, you'll be up on a rocky protrusion and will need to climb down. Try not to slip and fall - that's a long drop. Vines might help, but they're rough and sandpapery, and some have small thorns.

More of those plant traps are everywhere. They pulse as new captives arrive. Some break free on their own, but others might need help, whether they're a fellow Summoned or a native of Abraxas caught in this unfortunate situation alongside you. Do you recognize them? Are they a stranger or the local fisherman you pass by sometimes in the mornings? Other plants, when opened, will reveal the decaying half-dissolved bodies of those who never made it out.

There are no guards. As you peer upwards, you understand why: the stone ceiling is impossibly high, and thick cavern walls surround you. Your prison is formed from the earth itself. While not small, there's nowhere to run. The air around you constantly shimmers as if hiding something beyond its veil. Despite the pit's modest size, it's easy to get turned around, with landmarks and details changing each time you look. You swear a giant rock was there just earlier...wasn't it?

Surviving

Escape is key, but first, you'll need to live that long. You aren't separated from the other Summoned. Instead, you've been tossed into this enclosed pit together - Summoned and native Abraxans alike - and it's up to you to survive. A few of the captured natives claim they've been here for weeks, and they're the lucky ones. Many haven't made it this far. Corpses, some fresh and others days old, tell you all you need to know.

◎ Weapons & Powers

Your weapons are gone, but you might find a scrap left unnoticed: a ring, a match, or a tasty apple in your pocket. Your captors didn't bother taking everything. It won't give you a firm upper hand, but it's better than nothing.

If you try to call on your powers, they'll only work in fits and spurts, sputtering out or appearing very weak. They might even backfire if you force it. Enhanced senses and physical abilities will be equally unstable. Sounds could become painfully loud. Smells grow muted. You feel weak. You may not heal as quickly.

You aren't out of options. Sharp rocks, vines, and even old bones can help you defend yourself, while leaves and a few common plants can soothe your wounds. You just need to think on your feet. Try investigating a crevice or an old shrine. You could find something useful, though don't be surprised if it comes with a price.

◎ Network & Horizon

Messages through the network have similar troubles: though you may not realize it at first, anything you send and receive will be disrupted, missing words, or it'll fail to arrive altogether. They could reach the wrong person or be made public when you intended it to be private. Any open network posts or received messages will be similarly distorted and difficult to read - if you see them at all.

You can go into the Horizon, but a constant high-pitched hum and frequent ground tremors make concentrating (and sleep) difficult. If you manage to enter, chances are you'll be forced out within a couple of minutes. Still, you might be able to communicate inside just enough to hold out hope for a rescue.

◎ Food & Resources

Food is scarce. Inexplicably, husks of corn grow around you despite there being no cornfield. It'd be a boon if most of them weren't blackened with rot. Dig through to find a few edible cobs. Large grubs can make for a tasty snack, while snakes and rodents provide some meat for those who are quick. You'll need to cook your food (unless you're someone who doesn't - lucky you), but you can make a fire if you know what you're doing, or you get a rare spark of magic. Just be sure to put it out at night. You'll attract dangerous beasts if you don't.

A well sits in a far corner. Sometimes it runs dry, so fighting over water is common. Drink what you can when you can. You'll spend most of your time thirsty, but you won't die from it (probably). The water won't make you sick, though its taste is questionable.

◎ Environment

Alongside hard rocky ground, several areas beneath your feet are soft and moist. Each squelching step sends the nauseating stench of mold and decay into the air. You can't help but ask yourself: what are you even walking on? It's too dark to tell, but that might be worse as your imagination runs away with you. Temperatures fluctuate while dead trees rise around you. Fungal growths form along the walls and the ground. Without daylight, the passage of time is unclear. The days blur into one another.

Though the area isn't vast, you'll have space to spread out. Some parts are more comfortable or safer than others, lined with moss rather than a sticky substance or rough ground. You can fight over these coveted spots or generously offer them to those who need them most. There are also nooks and crannies to hide in or search through. Beware of traps, brambles, and other hazards.

◎ Threats & Monsters

You might hear from the natives, in hushed tones, that when a howling shriek sounds, you best be quiet before you draw the attention of an lumbering beast they call the Bone Serpent - so named for its long bony limbs that extend into the pit like a snake to snatch up unsuspecting souls. Living roots hide among the petrified trees and thick boulders. Take care when sleeping - you might find yourself tightly wrapped in roots upon waking, constricting you until you can break free or someone else aids you.

And in the darkest of shadows, a humanoid fiend crawls along the ceilings. Its scraping and dragging announce its arrival. The others will tell you they do not know if there is more than one or if it can't be killed. All they know is that when it dies, the body dissolves, and soon there is another stalking the pit.

Fellow captives can also be dangerous, including the Abraxan natives. Some struggled to survive long before you came, making them desperate and willing to do anything. Others are easily frightened, see the more powerful Summoned like you as a threat, or even blame you for their predicament. Whatever the case, you'll find that you're not all in this together - and you'll need to watch your back.

◎ The Acolytes

Your captors, known only as Acolytes, appear in and out without warning, as if through mist and illusion. They won't acknowledge the prisoners and seem to view you all as lambs before the slaughter. They aren't invincible, though. You can attack them, though it's risky. The outcome might be worth it. The Acolytes are most vulnerable when they come to refresh the spells and illusions that hold the structure in place. They'll be in pairs or threes. Watch closely. You might notice a few have hidden injuries, likely earned when capturing some of you.

(Attacking an Acolyte requires rolling for the outcome if you intend to have some measure of success. If you want your character to fail, then there's no need to roll.)

Other environmental threats can include gaps in the ground, tripping hazards, falling rocks, and critters such as spiders, snakes, and rats. Characters are free to devise weapons and tools from what they have available and their pooled resources or skills. Surviving should be difficult and harrowing, but not impossible.

Finally, the native NPCs captured with the Summoned can be treated like any non-mod NPC in the factions. You can make up their names, rescue them from a monster, fight them, and even kill them. The Acolytes won't interfere, though other characters might.

Opportunities (Investigations)

Keep your eyes open: chances to help yourself will arise. This can come in the form of scattered items, trails of magic, or even one of your captors. Some things will assist in the immediate term, while others will aid you later on - possibly helping you in your escape.

Characters can investigate or interact with any of the items provided in whatever way you want: poke it, speak to it, set it on fire, or even make use of what little powers you have left. Not every attempt will be a success, but we can assure you that every interaction will yield something interesting!

◎ Mysterious Acolyte | Interact

One of the Acolytes stands out from the others. Though robed, her hood is down. She's unmasked, revealing a unusual appearance. She frequently appears with two other Acolytes, who hover close by her side. Are they protecting her or guarding her? Her demeanor is calm, but sometimes her hands wring nervously. As she walks, she occasionally leans down to pick certain plants and mushrooms and place them in a small pouch.

◎ Crevices / Tunnels | Interact

Hidden in the walls and ground are crevices and small tunnels you can look through. Often, you'll find bones, though occasionally you come across what feels like a decaying corpse - human or animal, as well as strange moist fungus and crystal formations. You can search through with your hands, use what little magic you have, or do anything that comes to mind. You might get something useful, or you might trigger something you shouldn't have.

◎ Eerie Shrines | Interact

Around you are shrines that seem to have grown out of the earth itself. A dark aura emanates from the statues. The material is wood-like and hard as stone. An odd symbol is inscribed on the side of each shrine. Unlike the dilapidated shrines, the symbols look freshly painted using a dark substance. There are also notches at the shrine's base as if something is meant to slot into them.

(Depending on how many characters seek to investigate a shrine, about 3-5 shrines are in the area. Illusory effects can obscure a shrine if you need to explain why your character is unsure of how many there are!)

Discovery | The Spared

Back home, you might not feel so lucky when your friends are missing, and more continue to vanish as the week goes on. You might've been one of the first to notice, or maybe you're the last to realize. Most of your time will likely be spent gathering evidence, looking for a trail, or talking to your fellow Summoned about what they know. You could also file a report to officials to convince them something's truly wrong. Should you investigate a friend's vanishing, you could find traces of blood, but no bodies will be found.

For some, you might receive disrupted messages through the Singularity's network: missing words, scrambled text, and faded handwriting. Is it from another Summoned? It's possible you haven't spoken to this individual much or at all - as though their message has gone to the wrong person. When you try to meet them in the Horizon, they can't maintain a connection for longer than a minute or two. What they do manage to tell you sounds terrifying, with descriptions of dark pits, decaying corpses, and bizarre monsters.

By the end of the week, all of the Summoned will be gathered together by faction officials to receive an update. Once the meeting is over, you'll have the chance to speak to each other and share information, as well as begin to consider your next course of action.

Since Week 1 is about the disappearances of close CR, we won't provide too much direction for this section so players can focus on individual interactions and the emotional impact between characters. Heavy plot details and investigations will be provided in Week 2.

If you're unsure of where to start, consider interacting with other characters after the Summoned faction meeting, going to the various known gathering hubs in each faction, or have your character begin searching or investigating solo and see who meets up with you along the way!

Solvunn

Rowan March will present a record of all Council meetings in which Josselyn was absent. You'll notice a pattern that Josselyn was missing more and more in the weeks and months leading up to and after the mediation. Rowan believed she was attempting to make trade deals in secret with the Free Cities and Thorne - hence removing her from the negotiation table in Luna - but he is no longer sure this is the case.

The Council will inform those gathered that they will tell Thorne and the Free Cities about Josselyn's disappearance by Week 2. They hope this decision will prevent any potential fallout. They also hope that Solvunn's neutral position and recent assistance after the attacks have generated enough goodwill that the other two nations will provide any information they may have on Josselyn, seeing as Josselyn had trade connections with both places.

Outside, the locals and Elders will attempt to give you offerings to help you find your way to the lost. They'll encourage you to bring those offerings to the shrines around the settlements, especially those dedicated to lost travelers. You don't have to - but maybe it won't hurt? If you make your offerings, you might discover an odd aura around the shrines you visit. Keep an eye on that. You'll be able to investigate in Week 2 under the next section.

Isar Hart will be arriving from the Secondary Settlement to temporarily join the Council, though he prefers to remain on the outskirts where he can. Where Josselyn has frequently been turned away or left out of discussions, Isar seems to have the full trust of both Winifred Bordeaux and Rowan.

Thorne

If you know any of the Summoned currently outside the Castle, you'll be requested by Thorne to help bring them back to the Castle so their presence can be accounted for. They won't be forced to, but they'll be strongly advised it's for the best. You'll also be assigned guards for protection who'll accompany you when visiting the rural areas of Nott.

If you have magic knowledge, you can follow directions from the mages to put up wards to guard the Castle and the city itself. Borrel will send more of their military into Castle Thorne, as well as Nott. Due to the Summoned's frequent travels to Nott lately, the Castle will focus attention there for once.

Apprentice mages could further use help refilling supplies for potions and spells or gathering spell books from the library. If you're not inclined towards magic, you can assist with carrying ingredients or tracking down misplaced tomes.

Anastasia Rhett will be arriving from Hayle via portal. She'll be, for once, working with the High Mage and her brother, Ambrose Rhett - though how well they work together is another issue. You might hear the occasional whispered argument outside their temporary shared office. The King will also make his presence known.

Free Cities

News is slowest to reach officials in the Free Cities. The bureaucracy of a large city, combined with an influx of refugees and heightened tensions, means even the Summoned run into trouble making themselves heard. Once they do realize things are awry, they move quickly. The army and city guards, concentrated in Libertas to patrol, are pulled back to Cadens.

Unlike Thorne, the Free Cities is more concerned with keeping their citizens in place. A curfew is instilled at sundown. As a Summoned, you're an exception, free to come and go. You're warned to travel in pairs and groups and to avoid isolated areas. If you're capable, you can help patrol and herd citizens back into their homes if they venture out at night.

You can also wind and release the mechanical pigeons (or repair any damaged ones) sent to fly over the city and the desert to observe. They can only fly for roughly an hour before their core needs to be recharged.

Fallon Marsh will be arriving in Cadens alongside Quilleth Kaur to join up with Aleksander Klingel. While rumors say the three of them had a falling out, they're now in the same room together, though they avoid doing so when not necessary.

Week 2

By now, you've likely made contact with each other. Though you probably haven't been able to talk long or exchange much information, you've at least confirmed that most of the lost Summoned are both alive and in Abraxas. Those spared capture will be able to push forward with their investigations and any plans they've made.

Meanwhile, the Summoned who are held will face further trials as some glimpse what lies behind the reason they were taken.

Test of Faith | The Lost

CW: Disturbing imagery (text and imagery), mild gore, body horror, dark and horror-based themes, ceremonial rituals

As the sleepless days and nights fade into each other, it's easy to fall into an uneasy routine. That's soon disrupted. If you've been chosen, you'll wake to find yourself completely alone and surrounded by a dense fog.

Out of that fog emerge the Acolytes. They won't give you a chance to come peacefully. Instead, your hands are bound by sharp thorny vines that sap your strength, making your struggling ineffective. Though the fog is impossible to see through, the Acolytes appear to know where they're leading you. The further you go, the staler the air grows. Above all, you can smell blood, like stepping into a slaughterhouse.

When the mist finally clears, you see an altar looming. You might be alone, or you might be with one, two, or even several others. There's no rhyme or reason for how many or when, as if the Acolytes are experimenting with different methods.

You can play out the ritual alone, with other characters, or involve NPCs (who may live through it or not). You may also opt out of threading altogether and only write the aftermath.

Which stages your character goes through is your decision. If you'd prefer your character have a mild experience, they can pass out after the first stage before the full ritual completes. The Acolytes will deem them a "failure," but this won't impact the effects characters receive afterwards.

The Ritual / Visions

At the altar, the Acolytes announce that you have been chosen to commune with the gods, a process they believe the Summoned are more susceptible to than the natives. All signs point to this: the Singularity has manifested memories and visions through you, given shared dreams, and new powers. They tell you they will help you reach your full ascension and that, in the end, you may feel yourself becoming one with the old gods yourself. You should be grateful for the honor.

◎ Stage 1: Consumption

As you're pushed roughly to your knees, the thorny vines grow into the blood-soaked earth. They root you to the spot - but this is the least of your worries. A small bowl is placed before you. At first glance, it doesn't look that bad. Maybe even appetizing? You've probably eaten worse in the past few days. Though the offering smells sweet, if you stare at it too long, you wonder if it's moving.

• If you take a bite, it'll go down smooth and cold, like jelly. You become warm. Your extremities tingle. The sensation is almost pleasant, if somewhat unsettling.


• If you refuse to eat it, the strange gelatinous orbs burst, unleashing a thick cloud of pollen that'll burn your eyes and nostrils, making it difficult to breathe. Your fingers go numb, and you feel nauseous.

At this point, you might feel faint and go unconscious. If you do, the Acolytes will leave you on the ground while the rest of the ritual continues. If you're fortunate (or unfortunate, rather), you'll remain awake for what follows.

◎ Stage 2: Endurance

Should you remain conscious, you'll feel dizzy and your skin will begin to crawl. Small light-colored spots spread across your skin and nails. The vines wrapped around you turn flesh-colored as if becoming one with you. Spongey growths, sensitive to the touch but not easily broken, begin to cover your body. They pulsate as they spread, inching along like slime mold. Is it real? Are you imagining things?

• If you're with others, the crawling network of vines twists and conjoins, merging you together. The Summoned fare better - only slightly - but a few who are native to Abraxas might not make it, succumbing on the spot. Abrasions form on their bodies, peeling apart to reveal sharp hard cartilage piercing through the gummy flesh. Small fleshy mouths lined with thorns gape open, hungry for sustenance.


• If you're alone, the vines will inch towards the corpses and pool of blood by the altar. One body, in particular, is a husk, twisted and bent. The jawbone hangs open in a silent scream. The skull is pulled long and stretched like gum as it melds into the fungal remnants. Whether it was being consumed or becoming part of the mass is unclear.

The experience might be unbearably painful or, perhaps more disturbingly, you might feel nothing except the growing horror of your transformation. Abruptly, everything reverts to normal, as much as anything is normal right now. The growths are gone. You'd question if it were real except the dead remain dead, their bodies hollowed and melded into the roots of the altar.

◎ The Aftermath

With the ritual complete, the Acolytes tell you that the gods have chosen you and that they will return to observe your Ascension. Precisely what they mean is unknown. Weak and injured, you'll need to free yourself from the tangled thorns that hold you. It won't be easy and might shred your hands, but pull hard enough and the roots will come out of the ground. Maybe someone else will be there to help. Either way, once you're free, you'll have to stumble out of the altar room.

A bloodied trail guides your way, left from those who were here before you. It leads you through narrow tunnels overgrown with roots and vines. Prickly brambles claw at you as you squeeze through. You walk and walk with no light ahead - until you simply fall through back into the pit you were taken from.

When you look back, you're faced with a solid wall. Whatever tunnel you came from has vanished. And yet, if you weren't the last taken, you'll see others who disappear next continue to stumble back into the pit from some unknown place.

◎ Effects & Symptoms

You'll undergo different effects depending on if you reject the process or if you succumb to it. The reasons for which category you fall under are unknown. You might oscillate between the two before you eventually surrender to one.

Check the OOC Plotting Post for more information. Effects are opt-in regarding what kind and severity. You can have your character experience light bruising or a headache if you prefer.

• Rejecting the process will leave you exhausted. You might snap more easily or exhibit a temper unlike yourself - one that could even progress to violence. You may break something or hurt someone you don't mean to, unaware of the uncontrollable burst of strength or magic that strikes you on occasion before leaving you weak and dizzy. Paranoia overtakes you. You see threats that aren't there or attack your friends, believing they've converted and want to harm you. The dim firelight becomes painfully bright. You cough up blood in the night. Sleep is difficult.
  
  Your skin might bruise and split. Bloody lesions form that refuse to heal. And if you look inside the wound, you may find growths forming within. Sharpened points that look like thorns or teeth line the open flesh. More grow outwards, covering parts or all of your body. A high fever grips you. If you were wounded before this, those wounds might reopen, festering.


• Succumbing to the process will fill you with an unnatural energy that leaves you unable to sleep at all. You feel the need to "convert" anyone not like you. Those unaffected or undergoing rejection will draw your attention. You want to convince them to receive the same treatment the Acolytes gave you. Should they reject your advances, you begin to grow agitated or even violent. It's for their own good. This is the only way you'll all survive.
  
  Vivid images overtake you. They might be familiar influences from home or this world, telling you that you're doing the right thing. You hardly notice the lesions that form over your body. Even when someone points it out, you are annoyed by their suggestion you're unwell. You've never felt better. The open wounds start to sprout fungal and plant-like growths that spread over your body. Thin roots sprout from your pores...not unlike those strange creatures that haunted the pit.

As for the NPCs who underwent the ritual with you? The ones who managed to survive? They'll experience the same symptoms, but some might have it even worse, falling ill or dying within a matter of hours. Afflicted as you are, you might be in no position to help them, though your unaffected peers could step in. Indeed, you may even be their biggest threat.

◎ Ascension

Regardless of if you reject or succumb to the process, the ritual burns through you. At its peak, you reach what the Acolytes are hoping for: a vision that they claim will answer all. Certainly, this vision appears to be shared across some of you - but the details may differ slightly.

It begins with pure blank whiteness. For the few - if there are any - of you here who experienced the Horizon at its very inception, through Thorne, you might find the blankness familiar. Your surroundings form slowly around you: building, growing, creating. At first, the landscape isn't noteworthy: a beach cabin, a cozy indoor garden, a lovely mountain lodge. No matter the setting, it's largely mundane aside from the occasional touch of magic. Time passes. It transforms, gradually. Finally, it crystallizes into one of the strange images some of you may have seen when the shared nightmares visited or when you were trapped inside unknown areas inside the Horizon.

In flashes and flickers, you'll also glimpse a shadowed figure. His form and face are unclear, but he evokes a sense of powerful magic and a deep connection to Abraxas.

What does it mean? No one yet knows though the future might unveil more. If you try to enter the Horizon again, you'll only experience pieces of that vision once more. It seems the Horizon is closed to you until your symptoms fully fade. This will take at least a couple of days, but it might be much longer.

If you participated in EVENT #8: MÆRE and/or EVENT #10: AFFLICTION, your character will see one of the images that they experienced during those events. If your character didn't participate or they're brand new, you can pick any one of the images from the gallery linked above.

The Unaffected / Cures

For anyone who didn't "disappear" for the ritual, you won't know what's going on, though you might hear any screams or cries echoing through the caves. Your friends do return within a few hours, but that's not very comforting when something is very wrong with them. The other Summoned are no longer quite themselves. It'll be up to you to aid them, protect them from each other, and help keep things from falling further apart.

Or maybe you'll need to run and hide as they turn on you. You can barricade yourself in small tunnels, fashion weapons, or try to talk them down. This depends on how those around you react and behave after the ritual.

◎ Finding a Cure

Attempts to ease the symptoms can come in many forms. You can try to call on your limited magic or use your knowledge of soothing herbs. These will help temporarily, but a true cure to halt and revert the symptoms altogether will be more drastic.

The native Abraxans whisper that they've seen the Mysterious Acolyte save a few by cutting out the roots and growths. With few options left, you can certainly try it yourself.

• Succeeding will free the affected Summoned from further symptoms. They'll still need to heal from their remaining injuries, and they will still receive the ascension vision.


• Failing will cause you to absorb one symptom from the person you're attempting to cure. They'll be permanently free of that effect, but you'll now bear it in return. This will last less than a day rather than the full duration.

If you want to attempt a cure, request a roll on the Coordination Post.

Searching for Escape (Investigations)

As for the Acolytes, they'll want to know what you saw, and they're willing to do anything to extract it from you. There's much more movement throughout the shadows of the cavern. You hear the clank of iron chains, the scrape of sharpening steel, and the scuff of heavy stone tablets. You probably don't want to be here for what lies ahead. Escape is more vital than ever. Thankfully, the Acolytes' distractions afford you further opportunities to investigate and make a plan.

In addition to the investigations in the Windows of Opportunity section above, you'll now have a couple more avenues to investigate. You can use anything you found before to aid you with these new points of interest.

◎ Lifting the Veil | Interact

Before, the misty illusions held firm. Now, after enduring the ascension, you can see through them. You glimpse the Acolytes coming and going instead of watching them vanish and appear from nowhere. You catch sight of a cracked wall and heavy boulder that wasn't there before. Unlike the shifting landmarks, the wall and boulder don't disappear. What lies behind these objects? Does it have something to do with the path the Acolytes take?

◎ Unknown Stranger | Interact

Should you be good with faces, you'll notice a young prisoner about 20 years old who wasn't there before. You can't recall anyone new being brought in, though the Ascension ritual might make you an unreliable source. If you're convinced something isn't right, you can approach the man to try and question him - gently or otherwise. Where did he come from? What is he doing here? He doesn't appear injured or affected, but he does seem extremely frightened. Whether that's an act or genuine is for you to decide.

◎ Mysterious Acolyte: Unusual Charms | Interact

The Mysterious Acolyte from before will continue to make her appearance. She is now alone, no longer accompanied by anyone. She only arrives when the other Acolytes are at their busiest as if taking advantage of their distraction. You may find it possible to speak to her a bit more without the presence of the others. She will also carry a series of gold charms. It dangles from her robes and hums with magic. Do you try to steal one? Ask her about them? Do you search around to see if any of them dropped? And what about the notches you saw in the shrines earlier?

Taking Action | The Spared

CW: Disturbing imagery (text and imagery), dark themes, ceremonial rituals, violence, bodily mutilation or harm.

Officials will grant the Summoned nearly full rein to do what they need to. Of course, there are some regulations they'll expect characters to obey, especially anything that's done in public or broad daylight or involving regular citizens, but officials are willing to turn a blind eye to anyone who goes a bit too far as long as they don't run the risk of compromising the stability of the city or kingdom.

Depending on your goals and alignment, you might consider the chaos advantageous. If that's the case, there are ways to manipulate the situation. It could be an opening for you to look heroic and win over the hearts of the Summoned or faction officials. Or you can interfere with investigation attempts, whether that means providing false information, covering up evidence, or obstructing progress. Take care your true intentions aren't discovered.

Are you the lone wolf type? You're free to head off on your own, but chances are with so many of the Summoned affected, you'll run into someone else as you investigate. The question is, are you okay with that or will this cause problems for everyone involved? You might be reluctant to take on a partner or join a team, but you may not have a choice.

Characters can investigate or interact with any of the paths provided in whatever way you want: interrogation, spying, bribery, use your powers or inventions, depending on the circumstances. Not every attempt will be a success, but we can assure you that every interaction will yield something interesting!

Keep in mind that although officials will likely look the other way - as long as you don't give them a reason otherwise - the other Summoned might not feel the same way. Be sure to communicate with each other to work out any conflicts that might occur between characters.

Connecting with NPCs

If you're well-known among faction officials (Rank 6+), you can speak to known NPCs that you've developed a relationship with. You can ask for their assistance, request resources, or help facilitate or negotiate proposals by other Summoned who might need your help getting their foot through the door. This can include officials outside your faction if you've spoken to them during previous events.

Of course, you don't need to take the lead or talk to any officials if you'd prefer to approach things differently. The individual investigations below are also open avenues for you to help in any way you like.

As noted on the OOC Plotting Post, if you've made any connections through Plot Engagement with an NPC, you're welcome to approach us with any ideas you have regardless of your rank.

Submit a Plot or Contact an NPC

Thorne

Thorne will allow the Summoned to investigate by providing resources and portals to Nott and Borrel. Hayle, due to its isolated location and lack of any recent contact with the Summoned, is not considered part of the investigation. Because Solvunn has been upfront about Josselyn's disappearance, Thorne will tell the Summoned this information.

Although Thorne is willing to take great steps to bring the Summoned back safely, they won't let you damage the monarchy or anyone important. Go too far with the wrong person, and you might find yourself thrown in the dungeons instead, or worse.

◎ Locating Spells | Interact

Locating spells can be done using your learned magic or by assisting Thorne's mages. Items belonging to those who went missing are valued, especially if recovered from the place they were taken. Safer spells have a lower chance of revealing useful details, but that doesn't mean they won't give you answers.

If you're willing to risk it, you can take on more dangerous spells. While Thorne won't let you put any royalty and the Castle's people in harm's way, contained labs are available beneath the Castle. As for those dungeon cells that have been filling up? You could ask to borrow a prisoner if there's something from them you need. Some magical energy? Their life force? Don't let word get out. The monarchy won't support you if you give them a bad reputation.

◎ Tracking Leads | Interact

Mages will open portals for you to go where needed if you have a reason to visit based on information revealed. This can be anything from a clue given by a captured Summoned, the result of a locating spell, or similar. Options include forests, mountainous regions, and the rural areas of Nott or its surrounding farmlands. Once there, you can investigate by visiting suspicious sites, looking at tracks, or using additional spells and locating magic.

◎ Witnesses | Interact

In the rougher areas of Nott, you can come across bandits who might've seen something. Knock on doors, ask around, or even rough up a few people if you want, as long as you're not doing it in front of the locals in broad daylight. Bandits possess less powerful magic than trained castle mages or the nobility, so they're weaker to mind reading and other spells.

Additionally, you can spy or eavesdrop, talk to the soldiers or regular citizens in both Borrel and Nott, or request to question someone if you have reason to find them suspicious. In Nott, bribes of food, spices, and alcohol can get you further than money, given the shortage of crops and goods among the commoners. Take care not to make unsanctioned actions upon royal guards, soldiers, castle mages, or the nobility. Who you engage with makes all the difference.

Not every questionable act has immediate consequences. You might learn information that could save lives in the short term, but long-term might be too high a cost, putting dangerous tools in the hands of officials. Even if you believe it's worth it, would the other Summoned? Will you use this information? Sabotage or hide it for what you believe is the greater good?

◎ Interrogations | Interact

Thorne might have one or two prisoners brought to the dungeons beneath the Castle that soldiers claim know something. Maybe you or one of the Summoned were even responsible for this person's capture. Unlike before, entering the dungeons will not affect your powers, though they will continue to dampen the prisoners' magic.

The guards will allow you to do what you must to these prisoners - though not all of your fellow Summoned may approve. Depending on your status and how much information you stand to gain, the guards might protect you while you go ahead, assist with the process, or they could let you fight your own battles. This will be determined by the mods as you interact and investigate.

Free Cities

The Free Cities will allow the Summoned to investigate by providing resources and portals to Aquila and Libertas, as well as areas of the desert that typically take over a week or more of difficult travel to reach. Because Solvunn has been upfront about Josselyn's disappearance, the Free Cities will tell the Summoned this information.

Although the Free Cities is willing to take great steps to bring the Summoned back safely, they're protective of the image they hold with their citizens, since the government and military rely on the support of the people. Do what you must in the shadows or behind closed doors, but don't damage public relations or make the government look bad. You'll find yourself made an example of if you do.

◎ Inventions & Tactics | Interact

Some inventions are typically available only to the military - until now. Due to the circumstances, the Free Cities will grant you access. These include locator devices that use New Magic similar to a tracking spell and army tracking hounds previously used to recover survivors in Libertas. Items belonging to those who went missing are valued, especially if recovered from the place they were taken. Safer tactics have a lower chance of revealing anything useful, but that doesn't they won't give you answers.

If you're willing to risk it, you can experiment with more dangerous inventions - both for locating and interrogation, such as mindreading devices. While the Free Cities won't let you put its citizens in harm's way, contained research labs are available in the military barracks, as well as in areas beneath Portam Hall. These spaces offer animal testing on rodents and birds. If you tell the military you need more complex specimens they won't necessarily provide you with one, but they might be willing to close the door and look away if you decide to haul in a prisoner who's been sentenced to hanging, anyway.

◎ Tracking Leads | Interact

Portal stones will be available for you to go where needed if you have a reason to visit based on information revealed. This can be anything from a clue given by a captured Summoned, the result of a tracking device, or similar. Options include desert hillsides, the Badlands, isolated shorelines, and the notoriously dangerous alleyways in Libertas. Once there, you can investigate by visiting suspicious sites, looking at tracks, or using additional tools, inventions, or spells.

◎ Witnesses | Interact

Bandit camps are scattered near the main roads that encircle the Badlands. To be discreet, you'll need to trek a few hours over the rough terrain. Otherwise, the portal can take you straight there. Soldiers will accompany you if you need an additional show of force, depending on your approach. You can try to befriend the bandits, offer a trade of weapons or alcohol, question them directly, or enact more aggressive tactics.

Additionally, you can do the same to anyone in the Free Cities, or request to bring in someone for questioning if you provide a good reason. You'll have less leeway to be forceful with regular citizens, and city guards will stop you if you get out of hand where people can see. In the Free Cities, gold opens doors - often more than aggression. You can get far by paying the right people. Be careful as you go up the chain of command, and avoid bribing generals and top scientists.

Not every questionable act has immediate consequences. You might learn information that could save lives in the short term, but long-term might be too high a cost, putting dangerous tools in the hands of officials. Even if you believe it's worth it, would the other Summoned? Will you use this information? Sabotage or hide it for what you believe is the greater good?

◎ Interrogations | Interact

The Free Cities might have several prisoners held in the military prison instead of the city jail. Maybe you or one of the Summoned were even responsible for this person's capture. The military's holding area is much more secure and is reserved for more extreme cases.

The soldiers will allow you to do what you must to these prisoners - though not all of your fellow Summoned may approve. Depending on your status and how much information you stand to gain, the soldiers might protect you while you go ahead, assist with the process, or they could let you fight your own battles. This will be determined by the mods as you interact and investigate.

Solvunn

The Council will allow the Summoned to investigate by providing resources and portals to other areas of the settlement and its woods. Solvunn may have its secrets, but they consider the Summoned one of their most valuable members of the community.

In Solvunn, the Council and the locals are very willing to condone zealous acts when it comes to what's best for the commune - even at the expense of others. You can get away with quite a bit as long as you can justify that you're doing so through the will of the gods, and you don't offend any sacred rites and rituals.

◎ Josselyn's House | Interact

A house stands atop a hill, isolated from the rest of the Tertiary Settlement. Where other homes are painted in bright hues for the fishermen to see through the fog, this house seems dull in comparison with its monotone stonework and a porch that creaks as the wind blows by. The front door is locked, so you'll need to find a way in. There are windows and a small rock by the porch that you can examine.

The open plan reveals a kitchen area and hearth, a single bedroom, a storeroom, a bathroom, and an open sitting area/study. In the corner, there is a bookcase from ceiling to floor covered in books, tomes, and unmarked bottles. Off to the side is a dark wooden door, warded with runes.

◎ Tracking Leads | Interact

Portals will be available for you to go where needed if you have a reason to visit based on information revealed. This can be anything from a clue given by a captured Summoned, the result of a tracking device, or similar. Deep in the woods, the paths are overgrown and the sun doesn't reach as far through the canopy of trees. Signs indicate few come in this direction lately, though for what reason is unknown. There are several things out of place: the bogs that have a life of their own, an old shrine (once beautiful and now terrifying to behold), mushrooms that only seem to grow in rings, and the eerie lack of the sounds of nature. Sensitivity to magic will aid you most, but so will your ability to track and observe.

◎ Witnesses | Interact

When a crisis occurs, the commune comes together. Residents in the settlement gather to volunteer their memories for the Council to examine in case they witnessed anything suspicious they don't remember or aren't aware of. They'll be taken to a flowing spring, upon which they willingly submerge themselves at great length. A strange magic does indeed fill the air. Afterwards, they'll be available to speak to you if new information comes to light. While possibly disturbing to watch, those who undergo the process above appear fine afterwards, if a bit wet and cold.

Additionally, you can spy or eavesdrop, speak to your neighbors, or even use your magic on the folks in the settlements if you want. You'll have the freedom to question who you want how you want, as long as the Council deems your intentions are not malicious.

◎ Ritual Sacrifices | Interact

The Council will suggest to the Summoned that there is a more powerful method available, one that could yield greater results and answers. This method comes with a ceremonial dagger, and a leather pouch lined with herbs and animal bones. If you're willing to do what others may not, you can take it upon yourself to collect bodily sacrifices from a list of names the Council holds.

These names belong to people who owe the gods in some way, having offended them deeply by committing a crime or harming the commune. They are supposedly willing, but the Council will warn you that those who express reluctance in the final hour are only experiencing the same weakness that led them to previously stray from the flock. It's up to you to help them perform their godly duties and earn their redemption. No one will die, of course - you're only harvesting a piece of them, whether it be an eye, a finger, or an ear.

Days Ahead: Part 2 (Upcoming)

What characters do during their capture and investigations back home will influence what the next part of the event looks like. We'll factor in characters' escape plans, rescue suggestions, and other details when building Part 2, which will be released in early March.

◎ Please try to coordinate with us as soon as possible if you have any plots you'd be interested in implementing in regards to escape and rescue. While we'll do our best to include everything up to the last minute, the longer you wait, the less we'll be able to adjust for your ideas.

◎ If you don't have anything you want to add, that's okay! Simply participating in the scenarios we've provided is completely fine. Plot suggestion opportunities are for interested players, but it's by no means required or the only method of engaging. We have plenty of scenarios and outcomes we'll give alongside player plots, and we'll also be keeping an eye on what characters are doing in their individual threads, their investigation decisions, and more when writing the next part.

◎ Part 2 will feature more prominent cross-faction collaboration for those the Spared. Characters will be able to go into rescue or relief teams and eventually meet up with others as they journey on - whether planned or accidentally.

Comments

closed.

[oversurge]

week 1 ; sephiroth

[oversurge]

[ Is he seriously considering this? Going into this little mind palace? Checking it out? Having a chat with Mr. Poster Boy SOLDIER (footnote: back from the dead) because a bunch of idiots are getting kidnapped?

Yeah. He is.

Anyway, he considers sending Sephiroth a message before he shows up, but Reno likes to not plan ahead when it isn't necessary and he wants to look around first. And hey, what do you know? There it is, rising up into the sky, Shinra's very own HQ. Replicated in total brainwave 3D.

That's convenient.

It isn't conscious when he builds it up. He just walks into the elevator. Goes up the floors to the office that he knows should be there, and it's there. Empty, though. It sucks. He pauses over the pair of sunglasses that sits in his partner's side of the table (how'd that get there?), puts it in his jacket pocket (whatever; sometimes he carries a spare for Rude), and flops down on the couch. Ugh. Okay. Time to work.

The message might be mind-texted, but in the Horizon, Reno's still typing it out on his phone. It feels less weird this way. Let him have this. ]

You didn't get stolen into that creepy cave, did ya?
'Cause if you're around, we need to talk.

[supersoldier]

[He can sense him there, a familiar presence -- a blip on the radar, pinging from within "his" Horizon. The Shinra building stands stark against the hazy, night sky like a steel sentinel, and that's nothing new. But from within, he knows there's a change, an addition. Of a few certain offices, and a person who took it upon himself to nestle into his space without even asking.

This does not even remotely surprise him.

Especially since the message is what brought him here, given only one succint reply.]

No. I wasn't taken.
Don't make me wait.

[(Even when it is Reno who ends up waiting, who ended up requesting the meet-up. Sephiroth is at least expedient about his arrival, striding into the Turk's new office with a sense of surreality that always comes with being reminded of old spaces back on Gaia.)

He looks like he's making himself at home. Sephiroth, however, looks a bit more... harried than the usual, manifesting in a stone-cold expression that is even more distant and business-like in general.]

What is it?

[oversurge]

[ Snippy as ever. ]

Yeah, yeah.
Way ahead of you.

[ Reno's got a set of files on him by the time Sephiroth arrives. Came from the printer and everything. No, he hasn't made any triplicates. You wanna know the real upside to a weird mind palace?

Printer's never outta toner.

Reno looks like he's on an extended lunch break, feet propped up on the desk, hands tucked behind his head as he leans back in his seat. A steaming mug of coffee sits next to him. There's already a brown stain on the surface. Sephiroth, on the other hand. What's got his leather panties in a twist? ]

What d'you think? Kidnappings, cover-ups...the usual. I figured since we're stuck here on opposite ends, we may as well do some damn work. [ He wiggles the files. Never let it be said he doesn't do paperwork when it suits. Probably not near as thorough as Tseng's, though, but whose is? ] Besides, I ain't looking to join the party next.

[ It's purely self-preservation, combined with boredom. He's not, you know. Trying to do anything else. Saving people isn't really in his skillset. ]

[supersoldier]

[Never out of toner? Miracles that could only ever happen in a weird mind palace.

Reno's utter casual approach to the whole ordeal rarely ever gets under Sephiroth's skin, if it ever even did in the past. But today, it makes him frown even deeper; when someone he cares about has gone missing, left in some terrible underground hellpit with the rest, he wishes to see his own urgency reflected in those around him.

It's fallacy to expect that from this Turk in particular, maybe. But his nerves grind thin.]

Don't treat this like something just here for you to kill time with.

[Self-preservation, sure. But boredom? Absolutely not. He strides forward, stands in front of Reno's desk like a tall, discontented shade wrapped in SOLDIER 1st Class leather.]

We've lost people important to us. Of course I'll collaborate with you, but only if you take it seriously.

[oversurge]

[ Reno waves a hand dismissively. Sephiroth is a fancied-up SOLDIER, not his boss; until the President or Tseng shows up, he doesn't answer to anyone. No skin off his back if the man decides to lone wolf it. As far as he can tell?

Only one of them is invested in the case. Apparently.

When he leans forward, it's with distinct interest. ]

You've lost people important to you. [ He says it like it's a revelation. It sorta is. Since when? Who has the great Sephiroth met on this brand new planet that's made it personal? ] And get off my ass with your professionalism bullshit. 'Cause right now, it's looking like only one of us is too close to the mission, and it ain't me.

[ He drums his fingers against the folder. ] Who is it?

[supersoldier]

((ooc; my god my timestamps are embarrassing, i'm so very sorry. please feel free to drop or handwave this thread if you want to, since apparently it nearly took me one whole ass month to reply to this, and our other thread.))

[He's got the right of it. Sephiroth isn't hard to read in this moment, as much as he tries to coil it all up and hammer it down in some deep, hidden part of him he keeps practically anything else emotive. Maybe that's a point in Reno's favor, how observant he is, or how familiar he is, at least in a work capacity, with Sephiroth in general. Or maybe the SOLDIER really is shaken by this in ways he cannot hope to properly conceal, not all the way through.

Again, he does his best impression of a stone statue, unmoving. His eyes, though -- it's obvious to see that they're churning with thought behind the mako green glow. Somehow, this feels like opening up a vulnerability, laid out for the the Turk to see and dissect, and we all know how Sephiroth feels about that.

But, eventually:]

...Ciri. A woman also summoned in by the Free Cities, before even my arrival to this world.

[oversurge]

(( np!! we can wrap around here or soon-ish)

[ Ooh, a woman. His eyes spark alight, like a cat that's spotted a mouse. To his credit, though, he doesn't poke at it. Mostly because he doesn't want to get on Sephiroth's shit list.

He likes his chest without a big stab hole in it, thanks. ]

Well, well. You do have a heart. [ He does get it. It's not like he's never given a damn about anyone in his life. He's got people. They just aren't here, which means he's sort of on his own, so detachment seems like the best strategy moving forward. ]

Look, the guys on my side? They're running around just like everyone else. Managed to find a couple who actually know their way around the job. [ He slides the set of files a few inches towards Sephiroth. Stuff he found with Thancred, Natasha, Kyle. It isn't much—still early in—but it's something. ] Take it or leave it. It's your lady, not mine. But between you and me, we both know who's ahead of the game when it comes to diggin' up dirt.

[supersoldier]

((ooc; sounds great! thank you!!))

[Probably not the best moment to poke and prod at this new, slightly surprising information, no; even catching Reno's sudden spark of interest makes him rankle, like he's bracing for a round of questioning, or even needling.

You do have a heart. He opts not to dignify that with an answer, or perhaps he just doesn't know how to reply to it.

Instead, he reaches out with a gloved hand, taking the files silently. Sephiroth pages through them; names he doesn't know, but connections he can file away fro the near future, depending on how all of this plays out. At the last comment, green eyes do flick towards Reno.]

Finding yourself in your element already?

[Over in Thorne-land.]

week 2 ; thancred.

[oversurge]

[ Walking into town looking for info is different when he doesn't have that reputation backing him up (or, y'know, Shinra's grunts or his partner or...anything), but he's bored sitting around the big giant palace. This'll make for a good excuse for a change of scenery. Besides, everyone's running around. Some more like headless chickens than others.

And without anyone recognizing him, maybe he can engage being undercover for once. Been a long time since he could pull that off. Not since he was real green.

Thancred's nowhere near his partner, but Reno can tolerate the guy. He'll do. At worst, they get made and sent packing. Maybe Thancred raises the idea first, maybe Reno does. However it goes down, they end up stepping through one of those handy magic portals into good old Nott. Lakeside town, apparently. ]

Where to?

[funbreaker]

[ Thancred has been here a number of times over the past week now, whether to speak with some of the locals for additional clues or to approach Lyle Vela himself. He's about ready to press further into his investigation, to demand passage beyond where they're typically allowed to go, but he knows that won't be without a guarded escort. (Thus far, he's been dodging the guards they're supposed to bring along on any excursions.)

Nor does he expect that someone like Reno, so new to all of this, is going to go too far risking his own neck for the sake of people he barely knows. The fact that he's interested at all in learning more is something, though, and Thancred gets the sense that he's got some manner of experience under his belt. Even with that bright red hair, he has a way of slinking into obscurity in a crowd.

He'll take it. He'll take any option he can get, after having made contact with Urianger through the Horizon and hearing some of the grisly details, not to mention that misdelivered message he received. ]

... Follow me.

[ He strides off toward the seedier part of town, and as they walk the buildings become more weather-damaged, windows barred up with wood, trash littered in the street. It reminds him of the darker alleys of Limsa, of Ul'dah. ]

Summoned aside, the people behind the abductions have been taking people whose absence might not be noted.

[ The have nots. So they go to where some of those sorts might be found. ]

[oversurge]

[ There's a small chance Reno might risk his neck for people he barely knows if those are the orders from up top, but he doesn't report to anyone anymore. Leaves him a free bird. And apparently, given an open book, Reno's just gonna go ahead and do the same thing he's always done, so. They're just not going to think too hard about that right now.

He liked his job, okay? Likes. No one fired him, he's just taking a long off-world vacation. And really, maybe after some of the stuff that's been happening lately back home...

Anyways.

Speaking of abductions. ]

Heard from a friend of yours, by the way. [ Reno's borrowed some clothes that aren't all silk and fancy fabric, so he doesn't stick out like a sore thumb in these parts. He doesn't like it, but sacrifices gotta be made. ] Think he was trying to catch you and got the better package instead.

[funbreaker]

[ A friend? Thancred tenses at that, snapping his head over to study Reno for a few moments. When it comes right down to it, there's probably only one person who would be trying so desperately to contact him in this moment.

It says a lot about where he is mentally that he ignores the little comment about "the better package." Thancred can find the humor in most situations, but not when those he cares for are in such dire straits. ]

Urianger? What did he tell you? Aught about a ritual?

[ He's heard from someone too, another message that was delivered to the wrong person. It hadn't sounded good. ]

[oversurge]

[ Reno, tone as casual as ever, gives about zero indication that he's reporting some extremely shitty news about Thancred's buddy. Though, yeah, he gets it. He'd be pretty pissed off if Rude was snatched outta nowhere, but the thing is, it isn't Rude and Reno's empathy has the circumference of a personal pizza. Only ever touches a select few. Besides, distance is good. Keeps your head in the game. ]

Sure tried. The note came in scribbles. Let me guess: usually not the case?

[ He's been here, what, a couple weeks? And the only comparable thing he's got to these mind texts are actual texts. So to him, it makes sense that if you're stuck beneath the damn earth, your reception's gonna get scrambled. But apparently this stuff is magic. Hell if he knows how that's supposed to work or what interferes with magic.

But anything that messes with your comms is a bad sign.

He follows Thancred up to the first rundown bar. Dingy little place, huh? Well. At least he knows how to fit in. ]

[funbreaker]

[ Thancred only nods at the question. Usually the messages pass back and forth with little issue, so long as you're concentrating decently well, but that hasn't been the case with those taken. ]

I spoke with him by Horizon a few days past. It seems I'll have to try to get through again. Thank you for telling me.

[ Urianger's still well enough to reach out to them, so that tells him something, but every day that passes without them getting to the bottom of this only adds to that ball of worry twisting up in his stomach.

He won't let this happen. He won't let any of them die on this star that is not even their own.

Either way, it's time to work now, not to get caught up in his own feelings, and so he pushes that aside, entering the tavern called The Chipped Chalice. It doesn't take long to find a tucked away table where they can settle in with drinks, and Thancred nurses his as he opens his ears to any nearby conversation. ]

I must say, I'm a bit surprised you haven't opted to stay safe within the castle.

[oversurge]

[ The booze here isn't anything to write home about, but it'll have to do. They're working, anyhow, so. Can't get drunk. ]

Eh... [ Reno shifts in his seat. ] And miss all the action? Nah.

[ He's been itching to get into the field. This is different, but it still gets him out of that damn castle. Which is all it is. It's not like he really cares about these people. They don't mean anything to him. But then, neither did the guys in Sector 7.

Whatever. It's nothing. He just figures if he's stuck here, there's no point in sleeping all day. He's not helping, and he's not trying to fix anyone's problems. ]

Don't get me wrong, I usually like to get paid when I'm on the clock, but what the hell, right?

[funbreaker]

[ Even if Thancred were brand new to this place and didn't know a single soul (which hadn't been the case, but for the sake of argument), he likely would have been working to solve this mystery. It's what Scions do, and it does make him wonder at what Reno's actual job is when he hasn't been whisked away to another star. ]

Perhaps when this is all over and done with, you'll be able to find steadier work. What's your occupation?

[ He sips at his drink, his body language now relaxed as if the two of them are simply here for an after-work chat rather than listening in on other conversations around the pub area for a specific reason.

Nor does it take long for him to pick up on something of interest. One of the servers is speaking to another guest (who looks rather suspicious himself), adjusting the serving tray in her hand as she gives a pronounced shrug of her shoulders.

"It's strange, ain't it. He's in and out, in and out, but hasn't ever stayed the night. Not sure why the boss allows it, to be honest with you..."

Thancred raises an eyebrow at Reno as he works on his drink. That's a lead if he's ever heard one. ]

week 2 ; dante.

[oversurge]

[ When he's not taking a mission into the other side of the country, Reno is in the castle. The city. Poking around. Things are abuzz, and though he doesn't really give a shit about anyone who's gotten stolen, well. People getting nabbed outta nowhere ain't a good sign of things to come, either.

Plus, there's talk now. Much more of it. And Reno likes talk. Little water cooler gossip never hurt no one.

Hard work leaves you hungry, so Reno takes a look into the dining hall. (Wonder what they're feeding the prisoners. Something about corn? Man. Glad it wasn't him, that's all he's saying.) He grabs a roll of bread, stuffs some meat and cheese in it, and produces a decent sandwich. Bagged lunch. Just like mom's, if he ever had one.

He's chewing, sandwich in hand, when he comes across the pizza guy. Huh. What's he doing in here? Doesn't he work in the kitchen? Face like his dog just died or something. ]

Pizzas not selling any good?

[subhuman]

[ It's really the worst that could have happened. Getting wrapped up in all of this.

Not Dante, no--it's always Nero, isn't it? It's not like he's an easy target, but he's the kind of guy who doesn't keep this own business if something bothers him and tends to get into the worst kind of trouble. It's one thing for people to go missing--not good in general--but it's another thing for Nero to go missing.

And still be gone.

People like them aren't kept down easily. So shit's bad. Shit's got to be bad.

But what is he going to do about it? What is Dante going to do about it? He's been quietly following the dialogue going on between the Summoned and there's still no clear indication of where he needs to point his metaphorical sword. And the more time it takes, the longer things can go south. Nero's a strong kid. But he's not invincible.

So he's there thinking. Not in the bath--he's not in the mood to feel serene--but instead in the dining hall idly poking at some sort of stew porridge thing they've serving that day. Not in his usual corner sharing his wares.

He hears a familiar voice and looks up--

--new guy, right. Going to help him spread the Good Word of the Za.

Got to keep up appearances. Dante offers a weary half-smile. ]

The usual crowd's thinned a little.

[ You know like. Half of the Summoned. ]

[oversurge]

Yeah, I hear that.

[ The sympathy is superficial, like Dante told him he's lost a round of cards again while waiting for the elevator, but at least it's. Presented.

He sits on a table, planting his feet on the benches. Takes another bite out of his sandwich. Could use some mayo, but he doesn't think these guys got mayo. ]

Anyone you know? There's a whole—list of 'em.

[ He's memorized the names, just on principle. Never know when you need a few names to pull out of your pocket. Though he doesn't think the local boys are tracked on that list. Everyone focused on the special Summoned. That's how it goes, right? Way more valuable than some goat farmer.

He knows. He was on the other side once. But not anymore. ]

[subhuman]

[ A whole list of 'em, yeah. Dante recognizes quite a few of the names, and as fond as he is of some of the kids he's met up with in Thorne, there's definitely one that sticks out amongst the rest.

He's used to keeping Nero at a distance for his own good, so having him be all the way over in the farmville never seemed that off to him. Divide and conquer anyway and Nero found a little niche for himself regardless of Dante's presence. In some ways, he's happy for him.

Now it's more than just a bump in the road.

There's a pause as Dante shifts a bit in his seat and scoops up a bit of his cooling porridge. ]

Unfortunately...

[ He slurps the food, speaking partway through. Lack of table manners makes it feel a little less biting. ]

My nephew's one of them.

[oversurge]

[ A beat passes. Then Reno gives Dante a sympathetic clap on the shoulder. Seems like he needs a good whiskey.

He sits down beside the man. Look, this might not be his problem, but he's not completely heartless. Dante seems pretty down, and it probably sucks to get your kid snatched off the street. Nephew? Whatever. ]

Well, hey. Tell ya what—with all these people runnin' around, we'll find 'em. Something tells me they're not gonna stop until they get what's theirs back.

[ 'Cause if a bunch of SOLDIERS got stolen out from under Shinra's nose? He knows they'd be sending all their guns in. Bet Thorne's not too different. ]

[subhuman]

[ The clap is enough, really. Dante isn't looking for sympathy--if anything, he should be reprimanded for wallowing like this in the dining hall, shouldn't he? There have got to be a few heads to break and conveniently placed gooey demonic portals to discover.

But that's not how Thorne works. He glances as Reno settles beside him.

"Something tells me they're not gonna stop until they get what's theirs back."

Yeah.

Yeah. ]

...

[ Dante exhales sharply out of his nose before lifting the porridge up and downs the half-cooled liquid in a few gulps. It's messy and there are bits of grit in his stubble but he wipes it off with the back of his hand. ]

I'd be a piss poor uncle not to follow in their footsteps, eh?

[ This time he claps Reno on the shoulder, giving him a few pats. ]

The thing is, my set of skills isn't exactly suited for this level of espionage.

[oversurge]

[ He's not gonna judge Dante's entire...everything. Depression and kidnapped nephews will really getcha. He finishes off his sandwich in a couple more bites and dusts off his hands. Brushes some crumbs from the front of his robe. Thorne's fashion isn't really to his taste, but he's seen the guys coming out of the farmlands, so he still says he got the better deal.

On this end of things, anyhow. ]

You don't gotta tell me that. [ Reno doesn't mean to be an asshole (though he's not not trying to be one, neither. It's just, the man makes pizzas. Pretty obvious where his skillsets are, it doesn't need to be said. ] But, you're in luck 'cause it's mine. Who's this kid of yours? Just the one?

[ Is he offering to help? Yeah, kinda. It's something to do, and it'll be on the way while he's poking around. He's not makin' any promises. ]

[subhuman]

[ Ah, he's that obvious? Or his reputation precedes him? Maybe a little of A, a little of B. (His reputation for being kind of a lay about more than anything else, if we're being honest. Dante is well-aware of that.)

But even better if Reno's more than a marketer. Not the skills he was hoping he was going to lean on any time soon, but here we are. ]

His name's Nero. He got drafted over in Solvunn.

[ Which makes him much harder to track. ]

Over here, two associates of mine have gone missing too--Mat and Kell.

[ "Associates". ]