EVENT #12: INVOCATION - IC EVENT LOG (PART 2)

[abraxasmods]

Event #12 - Invocation ( 2 )

Go to the:
OOC plotting post | Event coordination post

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As Week 3 approaches around March 6th, faction officials will begin to reach out to characters for information they've uncovered that hasn't been reported. Although Thorne, the Free Cities, and Solvunn have traditionally been at odds, the three nations have come together under these unique circumstances,, and will continue to cooperate until the Lost have been recovered. With Nocwich open as a base of operations, the Spared will have a neutral location to meet in person without border restrictions.

How events proceed will depend in part on your actions. If you're one of the Spared, you can join a team or stay back to prepare and coordinate. If you're one of the Lost, you can escape or remain behind to help others break free.

NOTES

1. For a rough TIMELINE, the Lost's breaking free and the Spared's coordination efforts will take place 2-3 days into Week 3. Leading into Week 4, the Spared will send out their teams to retrieve the Escape and Holdout Groups. Though there's some narrative wiggle room for who returns and when, characters should only participate in one team or group to keep things organized.
   
   
2. 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.


3. The Network will function properly again for the Lost who have escaped. The ones who remain captured will continue to experience disruptions similar to Part 1.

Please don't hesitate to ask us questions or clarification, even if you feel it might be a minor detail. This event contains a lot of information to go over, so we're happy to guide you through anything that requires further explanation. We'd much prefer you ask to avoid any misunderstandings or confusion!

Week 3

By now, several discoveries have been made. You've explored nearly every angle you can. It's time to take what you've learned and do something about the situation, whether you're trapped inside the dark cave or trying to bring your friends home.

Escape | The Lost

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

The past two weeks have been a harrowing experience, but you're still alive. Though the situation's worsened in some aspects, you've gained advantages in others. You might've formed unexpected allies from the other side, discovered hidden clues, or retrieved weapons and tools.

Moreover, the Acolytes don't seem quite so sure of themselves anymore, do they? Ever since the ritual, they've been watching nervously, as though they aren't confident in what's coming next. Some of you even managed to reveal one of their faces, exposing a weakness.

As you listen to the rattle of chains and scraping of metal on stone, you fear something much worse awaits you. Is it time to strike? Do you work on your own or rally the others? That's up to you, but one thing's evident: you can't sit around much longer.

Players can narrate the commotion and escape how they like, using the details described below. The Acolytes will retaliate and try to stop escape attempts. Killing and attacking them is possible with no need to request a roll, but enough will survive to subdue anyone left behind.

Characters don't need to willingly sacrifice themselves to remain captured. They can also be too injured to leave or fail to make it in time.

The First Domino (Breaking Out)

When the final shrine was unlocked late in Week 2, fleshy pillars rooted themselves into the cavern floor. As your third week in the cave crawls along, the trunk-like pillars begin to move.

A low groan shakes the ceiling above. Rocks fall along with bits and pieces of the bulbous organic prisons attached to the high walls. Chunks of melted flesh from decomposing bodies within the plantlike traps splatter below. Were it not obvious before, it is now: the pillars are legs belonging to a creature. A very large creature.

◎ Unleashed

The creature is not interested in fighting. Instead, it begins to leave. As it does, it takes portions of the ceiling with it, tearing holes above and below. People scurry beneath its feet and are crushed like ants. It does not discriminate between the Acolytes and the natives who are captured.

But it does avoid you and the other Summoned. Either it can't see anyone except you, or it recognizes you and associates you with those who freed it. Regardless, you are spared its destructive path. It lumbers off, dragging thorny vines that whip behind it. Crumpled pieces of the shrines and mangled bodies stick to its massive feet. You can't see where the creature is going, but later you might realize it has vanished into the ocean.

The brief chaos has left you with several openings:

• Seawater spills from unseen crevices above, flowing down the walls. Several Acolytes are dead, reducing their numbers.


• The already weakened cracked wall crumbles further, granting you an easier path to the webbing behind it.


• Equally weakened is the sealed opening where a smaller but deadly creature was previously trapped. A couple of determined hands could free it for a distraction. Beware - it's hungry.


• If the boulder hasn't already been pushed out of the way, the rumbling ground and smashed walls might help you finish the job.

Do you grab a weapon and attack the Acolytes while they're disoriented? Do you help save the injured natives? Are you focused on what lies behind the boulder and cracked wall? Do you free the trapped beast? Decide quickly - this could be your only chance.

◎ Opening the Door

Although the ceiling's been torn open, no open sky is revealed. Climbing up is difficult. You'll have to look elsewhere to escape. Once the boulder is removed and the cracked wall is torn down, you'll notice orange sparks that run between the strange bulb behind the boulder and the dense webbing across the cave.

Are you brave enough to reach into the pulsing bulb? If you do, you'll find thick vines connected to its beating heart. Each time a vine is forcibly pulled away and disconnected, the webbing begins to loosen, forming a small opening - but letting go will close the webbing right up again.

The more vines are disconnected, the larger the opening. It'll take 2-3 of you to make an opening large enough for people to go through... and from how quickly it closes, anyone who volunteers understands that they won't be escaping with the rest.

◎ Escape Routes

Do you trust what lies beyond the webbing? Looking through reveals only the dark abyss. You have no idea what's out there, but it can't be worse than what's in here. Can it?

If you don't trust the webbing and have the strength, you can swim down through an opening in the floor, left behind by the giant earlier. It's filled with cold ocean water. If you make it, you'll see a standard portal hidden in the depths.

Choose your path. Each one will spit you out somewhere a little different, but you'll have the chance to look for and meet up with others who took the other route.

If you're one of the Lost keeping the webbing open, you could try to dive for the underwater portal, but you won't make it. The portal will shatter quickly once the vines are released.

◎ Josselyn Creed | Interact

Josselyn Creed is difficult to spot in the commotion but not impossible. A few of her most faithful protect her. She wears a unique robe compared to the others. Her hood is lowered, revealing her brown hair tied in a bun that may be recognizable to some. Her mask is in place.

While she'll escape in the end, she isn't immune to harm. You can try to stop her and, in the process, perhaps contribute to what happens to her as she flees or afterwards.

◎ The Mysterious Acolyte | Interact

Along with the natives who might need your assistance escaping, there's also the strange pair whom a few interacted with. The Mysterious Acolyte and the Unknown Stranger will appear lost and uncertain in the pandemonium.

Some of you promised to help them escape, but saving them comes with a cost: at least one of you must exchange your place in the Escape Group for both of them. She will not leave without her brother, the Unknown Stranger. Her refusal will cost one of the Summoned their place.

Players can decide how the scenario plays out. At least one character must their place in the Escape Group so that the Unknown Stranger makes it through first. Only then will the Mysterious Acolyte follow.

Characters holding open the webbing and vines are not eligible. A sacrifice can only count for one outcome.

Into the Cold (Escape Group)

The first thing you notice is the biting cold. The sky is beginning to lighten. For once, you can breathe in the fresh air. But where are you, really?

◎ Gathering Your Bearings

Though spring is on its way, the mountains are a tundra. Temperatures are cold, though not as terrible as they'd have been in the dead of winter. Maybe you've stolen some warm clothes off the dead before the escape? Or, if you've been kind to the Abraxan natives who shared the ordeal with you, they'll offer supplies and equipment in return. It isn't much, but it could make all the difference if you're in dire straits.

• If you swam through the WATER PORTAL, it'll spit you up in an open cave. Wet and cold as you are, at least you've found shelter. Keen eyes might spot an unusual trail of glitter. Follow it to a tiny hidden hot spring. Soaking in the shimmering water are a few mischievous but harmless creatures. One was accidentally set loose at the Peace Summit many months ago, showering multiple attendants in a shimmery sheen. Large beast-like prints are nearby, though, so best not to stay long. Still, it's a nice reprieve while you can get it...as long as you don't mind being coated in glitter.


• If you went through the DENSE WEBBING, it'll spit you up on a frozen lake. Cracks will begin to form as more and more land on the surface. You'll need to find solid ground quickly. Take care - a large shadow lurks beneath the thinning ice. If there's too much commotion or excessive movement, it'll realize there's prey above and begin to thrash, disturbing the delicate ice further.

◎ Temporary Relief

Though some healing abilities and magic have returned, the wounds caused by the ritual don't seem to recover properly. They aren't getting worse, but it's troubling. Your mind could remain confused or disturbed. Even those who were successfully cured will discover the lesions heal much slower than other injuries.

As the days wear on, you might feel a strong pull from the Singularity that leads you into the Horizon. This is especially so if you remain under the ritual's influence. If you give in to the urge and find a safe moment to enter, you can go in without as much difficulty as before.

You won't land where you intend, but you might find one of the Spared within. Somehow, the Singularity has brought you together. Something compels you to reach out and make contact. When you do, you'll feel a gentle warmth. You might not know what's happening, but it feels right.

When you depart from the Horizon, effects from the ritual have lessened by a noticeable degree. They'll stay that way for the next day or so, giving you the strength to keep going.

◎ Preparing for the Night

What you do next is entirely up to you. You can organize with your fellow escapees, go off on your own, or try to bring the two groups together. Boars, rabbits, and foxes can be hunted. The surrounding snow can be boiled for safe drinking water.

Even more fortunate, your powers will return - to a degree. Stronger abilities might take longer to return fully, but elemental spells, modest healing, and enhanced senses or traits can be accessed. And you might find that messages on the Network are no longer distorted.

Not all is safe and well: though the first few days are quiet, the mountains aren't without the usual predators. Wolves howl, and large gryphons soar the sky. They're wary of people and are unlikely to attack, but that doesn't mean you should let your guard down. In the wild, you never know. As you enter Week 4, more formidable threats could arise.

Sacrifice (Holdout Group)

Maybe you're one of the unlucky souls, or maybe you chose to sacrifice your place for others. However it came about, both escape paths close, and the Acolytes inside the cavern overwhelm you and the rest once more. Those left behind are a mixture of native Abraxans and the Summoned. The ground is sticky with blood and viscera.

Forcibly, violently, you're led or dragged deeper and deeper down the stone paths to the altar room where the rituals took place. The Acolytes push as many of you in there as they can and seal the door - and if a few limbs are caught in the way, that's just too bad. Someone with you, perhaps one of the natives, ends up with a crushed finger or hand as the doors slam shut.

Not everyone is pushed inside in the end. In the Acolytes' rush to contain the Summoned, a few Abraxan natives are left outside the doors with the remaining Acolytes. When you hear their cries through the sealed barrier, you have to ask yourself if you're truly the lucky ones.

◎ The Altar Room

The altar is built of bone. The husks of now-empty bodies are piled into a macabre amalgamation. It's not meant to house anyone for long. Supplies are limited. Water trickles into a small pond used for the Acolytes' rituals. There are bowls of hardened bread. Sealed crates contain more mushrooms. They're edible, but some might carry psychedelic side effects. If you've succumbed to the ritual, though, you might not consider that a downside.

While not as open or large as the cavern you came from, you can explore the altar room for any potential answers to where you are and how to escape. The entrance is sealed tight. Outside, you can hear the Acolytes - and that might be important for later.

Since the door is magically sealed, nothing can come in or out...except the Bone Serpent, whose legs continue to slink down from above to snatch unsuspecting victims. Blood drips from above, possibly from one of its missing legs.

Now and then, something bangs on the door. Is it the creatures you unleashed before? The beasts that were never contained? You can try to follow the Bone Serpent to see where it leads or maybe even glimpse the creature beyond its thorny limbs, but that's a high risk. The consequences could be dire.

◎ Slow Flood

The destruction seems to have broken what prevented you from using the Network. You can now communicate with the Spared and the Escape Group uninterruped.

Unfortunately, the chaos has also dislodged the structure of the entire cavern. Husks of limbs crumble to the floor. The ground grows moist. Bit by bit, water begins to collect in small puddles. More drips through cracks in the walls and ceilings. The rocky floors offer higher ground, but that'll only last for so long.

As slow as it is, there's no denying the dread that washes over you: the cavern is flooding, and it's seeping through into the altar room. Some of the captured natives look uneasy. Others are too injured to help themselves. You can try to plug the leaks. Though the idea might strike you as morbid, the bodies of the dead can be used to keep some of the water at bay.

◎ Temporary Relief

Wounds caused by the ritual don't seem to recover properly. Your mind could remain confused or disturbed. Even those who were successfully cured will discover the lesions heal much slower than other injuries.

As the days wear on, you might feel a strong pull from the Singularity that leads you into the Horizon. This is especially so if you remain under the ritual's influence. If you give in to the urge and manage to find a safe moment to enter, you can go inside without as much difficulty as before.

You won't land where you intend, but you might find one of the Spared within nonetheless if you wander through. Somehow, the Singularity has brought you together. Something compels you to reach out and make contact. When you do, you'll feel a gentle warmth. You might not know what's happening, exactly, but it feels right.

When you depart from the Horizon, effects from the ritual have lessened by a noticeable degree. They'll stay that way for the next day or so, giving you the strength to keep going.

Coordination | The Spared

You might have compromised a few morals to get what you want - if you had any in the first place - but regardless of how you got here, you and the other Summoned have gathered enough information to proceed. Of course, there are still a few details to iron out. How will you approach the island without compromising the Lost? What spells and resources are required? What needs to be done so that survivors have a safe place to rest and recover once they're home? And what about the ritual inflicted upon them?

Players are encouraged to organize teams, rescue efforts, and tactics with each other. The details outlined below are to provide a starting point and some guidance but are by no means the only options available.

Nocwich

Thanks to a request by one of the Summoned in the Free Cities, Nocwich's doors are opened as a neutral meeting ground for the Spared from all three major nations. Some officials will also be arriving to monitor the situation.

◎ Ritual Details (Sten) | Interact

Sten, one of the Nocwich ambassadors for the Lunae, received a request to help find a cure for the ritual. To do so, he wants to first learn as much about the ritual as he can. Anyone with information can come forward either in person or with a note - anonymous or not. While he'd prefer to put a name to the face, Nocwich won't interfere with the Summoned's desire to protect themselves and their secrets.

Sten will be available in Oleuni Square, in one of the many tents. Pale-haired and scarred, he's warm and friendly to everyone. Due to Luna's connection to Solvunn, he has some knowledge of High Magic, although the traditions of the werewolves are different. While he can't hold long meetings, he'll make time to see everyone who has something important to tell him about the ritual - and if you need a little extra reassurance, he'll offer that, too.

◎ Oleuni Square

Normally a thriving marketplace, Oleuni Square has been repurposed. In the northeastern corner, a collection of tents have been set up. Most are utilitarian but others are covered with homemade blankets to help cover imperfections. The Lunae have come to lend their aid. Volunteers help set up tables and supplies. Others guard the area and the portals. A communal cooking area is available to provide hot meals.

You can make use of the tents for talking strategy, organizing supplies, and other meetings. Nearby inns are available for sleeping free of charge, although one of the inns is closed so that it can be converted into a temporary infirmary. Faction officials and employees are available, as well. You can consult them on tactical advice, resources, and the lay of the land.

Early in Week 3, a few representatives from Ikorr arrive with a supply of their sacred sap. With the sap and the metal ore from the Lunae, you can fashion supplies and potions from raw materials.

The mood around the makeshift camp is somber but hopeful. As one of the Summoned, you'll have control of the situation and can work with a variety of officials and locals to arrange what you need.

Reevaluating Plans

Shortly into Week 3, you'll receive word that some of the Lost have escaped. As details come in bits and pieces, you realize the situation's taken a dramatic turn. More than that, messages from the Lost are no longer disrupted as before. You can read the words clearly again.

Who makes contact first and how the news spreads depends on you. Regardless of how it comes about, your focus can't be solely on breaching the discovered island. Now you also have another group to retrieve - and you don't know where they are, though they at least have some helpful information: the Singularity, the snowy mountains, and a view of the ocean.

Take advantage of the Network's return to reevaluate your plans. You'll need to determine the situation in the island cave as well as the mountains, split into teams, and bring everyone home.

Assigning Roles

Under the circumstances, officials will recommend the Summoned divide into at least two groups: one to search the mountains and one to retrieve the Lost remaining on the island. If you're not the type to rush to the front lines, you can also stay back and help out at home. There's plenty to do here between finding a cure, delegating tasks, and preparing for survivors to return.

◎ Search Team

Reports from the Escape Group tell of snow-capped mountains, Acolytes in pursuit, and other creatures that lurk. Many are injured, though fortunately, abilities have started to return. The area isn't guarded, but the terrain is difficult and temperatures are harsh. Officials will suggest using portals to arrive at the nearest safe point on the mountains before traveling on foot to find the Lost. Others can choose to hunt down the Acolytes who are chasing their friends. Anyone with strong tracking skills would be key, but the team could also use medical assistance in case anyone needs treatment on the spot.

◎ Retrieval Team

Word has it that some of the Acolytes remain on the island along with the trapped captives. The area is tightly guarded and possibly infested with some unknown creatures or those not in their right minds. Officials will suggest negotiating to prevent unwanted casualties but will caution that having a team for infiltration and force is necessary, too. Some distraction could also be helpful, and it would be wise to have some medical assistance in case anyone needs treatment on the spot.

◎ Home Team

Having hands on deck at base is equally vital. Officials will recommend a cure for the ritual be found while the teams are out searching, and standard healing supplies will need preparation, too. Outbound teams could use someone to help bring together lines of communication, updating officials and the Summoned alike about what's going on. And of course, with the Horizon as a place of respite, anyone who can go in to help the Lost seeking healing would be of value.

Week 4

The days have been taxing, but you're beginning to feel a change in the air. Now that resources and information have been pooled, things are moving quickly. Soon, you'll be reunited.

Once you find one another, you'll still need to return home safely - but at least you'll have each other now.

Although players have been divided up until now between Lost and Spared, Week 4 will bring the Spared in contact with the Lost's environments. We'll provide relevant information or redirect each group accordingly so that you don't need to review the entire post for the correct details. If there's anything you're uncertain about from the other group, please ask!

Survival | The Lost

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

By now, you've undoubtedly heard from the Spared back home. You're relieved to know rescue is coming, but you probably don't want to sit and wait. With threats to contend with and a dangerous environment, you can take steps to be sure the Spared have help from the other side.

Escape Group

Surviving the elements is only half of it. As the days turn to nights, you realize you're not alone. More than wolves and bears prowl. Something sinister comes...as well as the Acolytes who want their captives back at all cost.

◎ Pursuing Acolytes | Interact

Loyal to the cause, some Acolytes chase the fleeing Lost into the mountains. You might be lulled into safety the first few days, but by Week 4, you sense their presence. The evergreen trees wither, winter shrubs rot, and unexplained husks of wildlife are found. The winds carry a stench in the air that you now identify with the fungal cavern you were held in.

They hunt in pairs or small groups. Their powers seem weaker for reasons unknown, but they remain formidable opponents. You can run, protect others, or go on the offensive.

◎ Hydnellia & Esmond | Interact

If they successfully escape in Week 3, the Mysterious Acolyte and the Unknown Stranger will travel with their rescuers. They'll introduce themselves as Hydnellia & Esmond. Though nervous, Hydnellia is more trusting of anyone who helped them. She's skilled in healing and foraging, while Esmond carries a draught for warmth that could prove useful. Depending on where you stand, you could find their addition helpful or contentious.

◎ Revenant | Interact

Something else stalks the night, scaring even the Acolytes. A hoarfrost revenant has lived on these peaks for centuries. With the sudden arrival of the Lost and Acolytes, he prowls the snow, searching for who's disturbed his sleep.

He cannot be killed. You can only run or chase him away, but he'll soon return. Take care not to stay in one place too long. A rattling chain and blue-flamed lantern announces his coming. His touch brings instant death, made clear by the frozen carcasses of animals left in his path. Best not to fight him.

◎ Rescue

Landmarks such as lakes, cliffs, the Singularity, and more can be used to direct the Search Team to your location.

You might want to warn the Spared about the dangers they'll face when they reach the mountains. Unable to portal to you directly, they'll reach you on foot. You'll need to brave the dangers together one last time to reach the waiting portals below. The trek isn't far, but making that final stretch might feel like an eternity. In the distance, the ground trembles, and the snow begins to form an avalanche.

Players can arrange how the Search Team and the Escape Group meet and decide what threats they'll encounter as they return to the portal.

Details on the avalanche and what characters will face when traveling to the portal will be provided under the Search & Rescue - Search Team section.

Holdout Group

As you huddle in the altar room, you can only hope your sacrifice, intentional or not, was worth it. At least you've been able to communicate with the outside world. The Acolytes are beginning to show signs of unease and budding dissent. At some point, you have to ask, why haven't the unhappy ones left or fled themselves?

Maybe you aren't the only ones trapped anymore. Maybe you're all trapped together now.

◎ The Altar | Interact

Now that you can approach the altar and examine it closely, you see the terrible remnants of twisted figures sunken into the ground beneath it, as though they've fused with the altar itself.

If prodding at the shrines worked, perhaps doing the same with the altar will reveal some answers. A strange energy emanates from its open maw when those afflicted by the ritual come near.

◎ A Promise | Interact

In the final hour, some Acolytes desperately try to resume the rituals on the few remaining Abraxan natives left outside the altar room - many in poor condition. You hear it, though you can only glimpse it through a gap in the sealed doors. Their bodies quickly succumb and sprout more fungal growths while long, spine-like tendrils protrude from their orifices.

You can plead with them to stop, or you can join them in hopes that you will find your divine emancipation. The Acolytes will release anyone who wants to join the ritual from the altar room...but what you step into could carry horrific consequences.

◎ Dissenting Acolytes | Interact

More arguments beyond the sealed doors erupt as water fills the cave and altar room. They accuse each other of being faithless or too blindly loyal. Some say Hydnellia betrayed them. Others say the High Priestess did, perhaps referring to Josselyn.

Toward the middle of Week 4, it grows quiet outside. The arguments stop. One Acolyte approaches the door. She promises to free you and the others and help you find a way out of the cavern together, including overwhelming Josselyn's faithful.

This could be what turns the tide, but things might also go very wrong. You and the others trapped with you must decide if you'll accept the olive branch. Of course, agreeing to trust them doesn't mean you have to follow through. The Acolytes sound desperate and might be a bit too trusting themselves.

◎ Rescue

Unlike the Escape Group, the Spared know where the Holdout Group is. Getting to them will take effort, but you can help by providing information from the inside. After all, the Acolytes won't know when you're using the network. You can even coordinate with each other in secret despite being in the same room.

You might want to warn the Spared about the dangers they face when they reach the cavern areas. The Bone Serpent could pose a problem, along with any crumbling walls and obstacles. A creature might still be trapped in one of the tunnels if no one freed it. As the team approaches, severe quakes shake the entire place. Water flows in faster. It appears ready to collapse at any moment.

You'll need to get off the island to reach the portal on the Thornean peninsula. That'll pose a problem when the boats break from the collapsing island, but an unexpected friend might arrive.

Details on the quake and what characters face when getting off the island will be provided under the Search & Rescue - Retrieval Team section.

Search & Rescue | The Spared

CW: Disturbing imagery (text and visual), dark themes.

After an exhausting month, it finally seems as though things are coming together. By now, you've made decided on your plans, gathered your resources, and chosen the role that suits you best. Not everyone may agree with what you're doing, or maybe there's someone you don't agree with. Nevertheless, your friends are waiting, and you'll push forward with or without support.

Search Team

As part of the Search Team, your goal is to portal from Nocwich to the mountains and locate members of the Escape Group.

You'll need to determine the best place to portal in - close enough to the Lost that the trek is reasonable but safe enough that the portals won't be at risk. Considering the terrain and the condition of many of the Lost, it's likely the distance will be about one day's travel on foot.

◎ Resources & Support

Thorne will send their military for support since their soldiers are used to winter conditions, unlike the Free Cities. The Free Cities will provide portal stones so that mages won't be required to maintain an open portal. The Lunae will offer guides to help navigate the wilderness.

Solvunn's aid is limited to healing supplies, as their efforts are focused on the island due to the heavy use of High Magic there.

You are not limited to only what the factions offer upfront. If there's more you think they can do, you can make a request.

◎ The Acolytes (Escape) | Interact

Though rescuing the Lost is the top priority, you might feel justice or vengeance is long overdue. Some Acolytes are pursuing the captives while others might try to pass as one of the survivors. Those most faithful to the cause will attack you, but not all of them are that steadfast. Some prefer to flee. Others still may surrender, under the right circumstances.

Officials have requested that the Acolytes be brought in alive if possible, but no one will be counting the bodies if you decide to take out a few on your own.

Players can write out attacking, capturing, or killing the Acolytes without using the interaction. However, if you want to take a more specific action in terms of identifying any Acolytes pretending to pass as one of the captured Abraxan natives, negotiating a surrender, or interrogating them on the spot, you can submit an interaction.

◎ Getting to Safety

During the search, you'll encounter the same dangers the Escape Group has faced over the past week. Common predators include wolves, gryphons, and wild boars. Most significantly, a revenant must be avoided or else death is certain. Detailed under the Survival - Escape Group section, the revenant can be interacted with by the Spared once on the mountains.

Keep your friends safe after you meet up with them. You'll have to guide them back to the portals and make sure they can keep up with their injuries. Though you hope the journey is smooth, you know better.

And sure enough, a rumble draws your attention. When you look up, you see it coming down: an avalanche pouring down one of the mountain slopes. Get out of the way quickly or risk being swept up in the landslide. If you're lucky enough to dodge the avalanche, you can help anyone caught in its path.

Retrieval Team

As part of the Retrieval Team, your goal is to infiltrate the island and safely retrieve the members of the Holdout Group. A portal from Nocwich can only take you as far as the peninsula on Thorne's coast, near the island. The rest is on you.

Your team's likely already decided the best method to breach the island and you may have done your best to account for every last detail, but that doesn't mean everything will go as planned. The flooding hasn't stopped. Frequent, violent quakes are now shaking the island, and the structure beneath is rapidly crumbling. Time is of the essence.

◎ Resources & Support

Thorne mages and Solvunn Elders will accompany your team to focus on dispelling the enchantments, while the Free Cities will send some of its soldiers. They'll also provide boats powered with New Magic. Though normally quite noisy, Thorne has stepped in to enchant them to be much more discreet.

You are not limited to only what the factions offer upfront. If there's more you think they can do, you can make a request.

◎ Dispelling Protections | Interact

The illusions that once held the island together are corrupted from the escape. Navigating the constantly shifting landscape is dizzying and confusing. You might experience strange visions brought on by your imagination - terrifying images from home you know shouldn't be there.

Fight through it to find a warded tunnel. You'll need to find a way to break the wards to enter. Should you feel the urge to rush in heedlessly, you might want to observe the pile of dead bats and birds all around you. Their bodies are mangled and crushed. You can only imagine what might happen to you.

◎ The Collapse

Whether you make contact with the Acolytes or the Holdout Group first depends on your approach. You can apprehend what Acolytes you can, negotiate their surrender, or kill them. Whichever tactics you use, once the Holdout Group is released from the altar room, you'll end up in the same situation: the way out is blocked from falling debris. Seawater rapidly fills the cavern.

Your best bet is to follow the water flow into the open ocean. As you do, the cavern begins to collapse in on itself in a swirling whirlpool as the magic which kept the water at bay falters. You'll have to struggle to swim against the current, and a few Acolytes are sucked into the vortex. The boats splinter and break apart, leaving you and many wounded stranded in the ocean.

◎ An Old Friend

Deep waters aren't safe. When a deep rumbling sounds and a massive shadow looms below, you might wonder if this is the end. Instead, the shadow takes on a warm moon-like glow. A familiar figure to some of you from Thorne surfaces. The giant sea turtle waits calmly for you to climb on its shell. You can save any captured Acolytes, or you can let the sea swallow them.

How did the turtle find you? If you have strong psychic abilities or an affinity for communicating with animals, you might sense a connection to a much smaller turtle: Admiral Chuck from The Arcanis. Perhaps a friend is looking out for you from afar after you were kind enough to spend time with him.

The moonlit turtle will carry everyone to shore, where the portal to Nocwich awaits. Then it vanishes into the depths once more.

Home Team

As part of the Home Team, your goal is to support the others and prepare for the return of many survivors.

Two important tasks are healing in the Horizon to aid any of the Lost who are struggling, and finding a cure for the effects of the ritual. You can also assign tasks, transform the inn into an infirmary, and make sure supplies are available.

◎ Ritual Cure | Interact

The answer to a cure is likely found in the contents of Josselyn's house, the mushroom rings, and the odd black substance painted around the abduction sites. Solvunn's Elders and the Lunae, including Sten, will be there to help and provide any information they can.

If you're not the experimental type, you can still help in one of two ways: you can go to Ikorr to retrieve a bloom from their sacred flower located in the Nightbloom or you can go to Luna to collect moon-blessed water from the Lunar Pond. You'll be accompanied through a direct portal by the vampires to Ikorr or the werewolves to Luna.

Researchers and mages from the major nations will also work on the task using the information they've learned - but they'd be grateful for any assistance.

◎ Horizon Healing

As discovered in Week 3, you can continue to use the Horizon to offer to heal those who need it. In moments of calm, anyone connected to the Singularity will feel a familiar pull. The urge to enter the Horizon itches at the back of your mind as the hours go by, even if you're not usually inclined to do so.

If you give in, you could find one of the Lost there. You sense they need your help, or you feel compelled to reach out and touch. A warmth flows between you. Though you may not realize what you've done until afterwards, you'll know it's something unique and powerful.

Forging a stronger link to the Horizon can subtly strengthen the gifts and magic you receive from the Singularity - and a deep healing connection with another Summoned is a part of that.

Return

For the next week or so, Nocwich is the place of refuge. Concerned that the ritual and other unknown effects may have a widespread impact, everyone must remain in Nocwich. This includes the abducted Abraxan natives, the soldiers, mages, and Elders who arrived to help.

Captured Acolytes will be held in the prisons in Nocwich. Their fate is yet to be determined.

Should the Mysterious Acolyte and her brother make it to safety, they'll also be held in Nocwich for now. Nocwich will recognize that they were rescued by some of you, however, and will make sure they're placed in a comfortable - but still guarded - home.

Recovery & Cures

The Square's largest inn serves as a temporary infirmary. The Lost will be brought here to recover and receive the cure for the ritual. Any of the Spared who were injured during the rescue will also be treated.

Healing & Care

Although a few healers and doctors from the factions are in Nocwich, most have stayed home to prepare for when the Summoned and their citizens return. Instead, healers from Luna and Ikorr will look after you with a combination of salves, healing magic, and potions. Ikorr's powerful sap is used in healing concoctions, reserved for the most severe injuries. Overdoing it can cause unwanted side effects, so healers are careful.

If you're lucky, you can get a room to yourself. If not, you might have a roommate. The infirmary is hectic, though you'll receive the best care possible. Visitors are allowed. Nurses caution against overtaxing yourself, but you can finally reunite with everyone you've been separated from over the past four weeks.

Receiving the Cure

After such a harrowing ordeal, you'll be relieved to learn that the cure is effective and painless. It consists of a spoonful of a thick mixture. The aftertaste is bitter and a little sour but not terrible. After a day or two, the psychological effects will fade completely. Physical afflictions will begin to heal again.

If any growths remain, they must be removed. Thankfully, potent sleeping draughts means you won't feel a thing - a blessing that those who sought a cure in the caverns didn't have.

Returning Home

After a week, officials determine that the ritual effects are cured and request that you return home. Their doctors and healers will look after you once you're back. Eventually, they'd like to know the details, but you won't need to talk about it just yet.

◎ Thorne

Your return to Thorne is greeted with a show of fanfare. For many, the castle staff has grown familiar with your presence. They're heartened to see you return. A few may have get-well gifts if they've come to know you.

If you still require significant healing, you'll be taken care of in the Castle's infirmary. Otherwise, you'll be assigned a healer who'll check in on you in your room.

◎ Free Cities

Your return to Cadens is greeted with a buzz in the air. With a city so populated, reactions vary from relief to curiosity to a much less welcome invasion of privacy from local writers. City guards will do their best to make sure you return home or arrive at the hospital with minimal fuss.

If you were injured, doctors will insist you remain overnight at the hospital. If you were severely wounded and remain so, they won't clear you for release until you're fully recovered. Of course, no one can stop you from leaving, but you may want to listen to the doctors.

◎ Solvunn

Your return to Solvunn is greeted with a somber air. Many in the settlement are in the midst of prayer, having devoted themselves to seeking your safe return. Your friends and neighbors are relieved to see you, but they're troubled by the perversion of their traditions, the close involvement of one of their Council members, and the terrible suffering you endured.

Healers and Elders will see you in your home as needed. Offerings will be made to shrines on your behalf, and you won't run out of home-cooked meals for a while. Many will lend a sympathetic ear if you want someone to talk to.

Comments

[a_better_man]

[Oh thank fuck.

Mat falls into Julie's arms, clinging to her weakly. It's been so long since he's seen a normal person, someone who isn't a mad cultist or a prisoner. He can feel tears in his eyes and he doesn't give a damn. After what he's been through, there's no shame in tears. He's exhausted and he's relieved, and with someone he wasn't sure he'd ever see again.

He hadn't been sure he'd see anyone left behind again.]

Why there?

[Though he can make a guess. It's some sort of magic that's done this to them, and the Singularity is like the Eye back home. The source of magic. That makes enough sense to him, with his relatively simplistic view of it all.]

And no, I'm...well, I can't lie convincingly enough right now to say 'fine', but I'm tougher than I look. Promise.

[A beat, and then quieter.]

Not the first time I've been through something like this.

[princessvegas]

[ She clutches him to herself, fingers stroking through his hair as if he were a child. She takes on some of his weight as they begin to walk back toward the Singularity, hoisting one of his arms over her shoulders. Mat landed further away than Jack, but not by much. ]

I thought it would be a good idea to have like, one place that everyone could go to rest. You ain't the first one to show up in this state.

[ It feels like a weak lie as she says it, even though she knows it's partially the truth. But there's no succinct way to say "I can communicate with the god rock and it wants us close to it right now" at the best of times, let alone right now.

The warmth pulses in her chest as she loosely wraps one hand around his wrist ]

Don't think about that right now. You already did the hard part. Everyone is on the way. [ Her voice shifts, becomes lighter and sweeter. ] Jesper's gonna be over the fuckin' moon that you got out.

[a_better_man]

[That sounds sensible to Mat, a central location to rest. And maybe it can help, in some way. There were all sorts of stories about the Eye healing and all of that back home, he sees no reason to question any further.

He slumps against Julie gladly, stooped over and letting her take part of his scant weight. Really, he swears just finding someone, someone safe and friendly and back home, feels like it's doing some good. Maybe it's just relief. Light knows it can be a hell of a drug.

At the mention of Jesper, he manages what's close to a weak chuckle.]

Yeah, he will be. Need to message him when I feel a bit better. Don't...don't tell him I'm as poorly as I am, please. Poor bastard's probably worried enough as is.

[princessvegas]

We all are. He's been gettin' his frustration out in... interestin' ways.

[ Interesting, grotesquely violent. What's the difference, really? But even if he knew what shape Mat is in, Julie thinks Jesper would be elated to know that Mat is out and alive. That's all any of them can ask for at this point.

She keeps them moving, not too fast but not slow either; the sooner they reach the Singularity, the sooner he can actually rest. When they reach the base of the Singularity, there's a tent with piles of cushions inside, with soft twinkle lights hung around the ceiling. More cushions line a low table with food and wine. There's quiet, wordless music in the air. A fully grown white wolf sits in one of the cushion clusters, watching them make their way. ]

Here we go. [ She gently helps him to the ground, to sit in one of the other piles. She sits next to him, maintains contact. ] You don't have to do nothin', just rest. Lemme know if you want anythin'.

[a_better_man]

He's a greatly passionate fellow, my Jesper. Very free with his feelings.

[Mat can only imagine what that's translated to. Considering that some of Jesper's most important people had been taken and subjected to light knows what, exactly, he can guess the other man's state was 'frenzied'.

But it's nothing he's going to worry about now. He's out. And while the situation is still not great, it's something he's reasonably certain he can survive. But blood and ashes is Julie's little set up a welcome sight. He's never been this close to the Singularity's manifestation here. An intentional avoidance, but at the moment he doesn't give a damn. He gratefully sinks down into the pillows, shuddering as he does so. Comfort. Actual, true comfort. Soft pillows instead of filthy ground or the floor of a cave.]

Thank you. Rest I can do. My body's in a cave somewhere, not exactly a rejuvenating spot for a nap. And it's cold as fuck, but we've got fire. Came out of that...that place on a frozen lake, in the mountains. Above the snow line.

[princessvegas]

He's been on a real tear. We all have. People are portallin' all over the damn world to find y'all.

[ She settles him in the pillows as a glass of wine floats over, carried with her phantom hand. She seems to pull a plush blanket from thin air, drapes it over him. Julie told Jesper she would take care of Mat, and she's not going to break her word.

Plucking the glass from midair, she offers it to him. Her hand stays on his forearm. ] Did you see the Singularity? We're tryin' to find y'all, but there's a lot of mountains out there. If we can figure out how close y'all are to the real Singularity, we can drop a pin on the map.

[ The Singularity basks in the warmth inside her chest, seems to stretch its tendrils toward where her hand rests on his arm. It's happy. ]

[a_better_man]

We were well hidden. But the hare-brained lousefucks that nabbed us bit off more than they could handle.

[Much more, as it had turned out. The whole thing had started to come down around them, whatever foul plans they'd had in mind now ruined. Serves them right.

Blood and ashes, but it feels good to lie down here like this. Amazing what just being comfortable can do. He swears he really does feel a bit better. Less pained, less sick to his stomach. Light knows how he's feeling in the real world, but at the moment, he doesn't care. Surely any respite can only do him some good.

And surely the same can be said of wine.]

Oh Light hold you, Julie. You don't want to know what I've been drinking the last weeks. And yeah, can see the Singularity. Not close-close, couldn't walk to it or anything like that. But it's visible. The mountain range where we are is very high.

[princessvegas]

That's the thing about belief. You're never supposed to listen to that doubt in your mind that points out where shit might go wrong. You're supposed to have pure faith that things'll go right. Means it's more likely to come crashin' down 'cause you didn't put in failsafes.

[ If there's anything Julie knows, it's what fervent, all-encompassing faith looks like. She's lived it. She was the one who didn't give in to the crisis of faith, who kept her convictions strong, and look where it got her.

Well, minus the part where she was resurrected into another world as some kind of god rock prophet. That was a twist that came out of nowhere.

Should Mat wish, there's also a table of comfort foods, although they are pretty specifically the things an American from the Midwest would consider as such; chicken soup, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, biscuits, dumplings. A casserole made with tater tots. But the wine is what she thinks is probably most important right now, given the levels of dehydration. Even if she's never been clear on exactly how it works between the Horizon and the real world when it comes to things like that. ]

That's good to know. We were worried y'all got sent to Hayle, which is... a lot further away than it sounds like y'all actually are.

[a_better_man]

That's a very stupid outlook to have.

[He's never understood that kind of blind faith. And he's ta'veren. If anyone ought to have faith in things turning out right...

But there are never any guarantees. None. Not that he's complaining in this instance, overconfidence had allowed them to escape. Now they just have to make it back, but Mat feels like that's going to be easier.

As appealing as the idea of good food is, he doesn't want to shock his system. He doesn't seem to have any control over how he is physically here.]

I don't want to be a bother, but could you possibly think up some plain broth? That and one of those biscuits would likely go down a treat. And no, we're not in Hayle. Sky's too wrong, not that I could tell you where it's right for. Fuck me, I should have noted where the Singularity was from here. East or south or what have you. Wasn't paying attention. Tired minds make mistakes.

[princessvegas]

I don't think it's stupid. I think it's desperate. Desperate people have faith 'cause they don't have anythin' else. There's nothin' worse than havin' nothin' and feelin' like there's no one who cares.

[ That's what it was. In a world that no longer made sense, that was filled with nothing but peril and fear and death around every corner, both figuratively and literally, it was so easy to pin all of her diminishing hope on a single god figure who cared. Who knew her and promised the world if she had faith. Whose power she had seen with her own eyes. And had he not delivered on his promise?

Every upheld promise became proof. He told her she could make the trek and she did. He promised her people, love, spotlights. Everything her heart desired, and he made it happen. Her deepest faith had seemed so small a price to pay, in hindsight... ]

That's all right. Just knowin' it's not Hayle is a help. Now we don't have to look there. [ A bowl floats from the table like the wine before it, and she hands him the bowl of broth with a spoon in it. A plate of biscuits follows. ] Here.

[a_better_man]

That I can't argue with. That is indeed an awful feeling.

[And one he's all too familiar with. But Mat had never encountered anything worth believing in. Other than that which he knew as true. Only the idea of constant reincarnation that is in no way affected by how one lives one's life isn't terribly comforting. Or never had been to him.

He takes the food gratefully. He knows it won't do anything for him in the real world, but just the idea of tasting real food...

Light knows just resting comfortably here with Julie has eased a great deal of his pain and discomfort. He's breathing easier, talking without the effort it took when he first showed up.]

Thank you. I'm sure folks'll have a better idea in a day or two. Be able to give better directions. Still early hours and all. But I think everyone who was trying to get out got out alright.

[princessvegas]

[ In Julie's experience, being raised to believe also pushes people further down the track. She comes a world that is, overwhelmingly, a religious one; though she comes from the most popular religion, from a country that practiced the religion at a higher rate than any other country, there were hundreds, if not thousands, of others to choose from. In her world, people who didn't believe in anything were the exception, not the norm.

So she understands that key element, that being taught that something was out there. It's something she's been struggling with since her arrival in Abraxas -- that there seemingly is no sense of cosmic balance, no set of rules to follow that will mean anything. The God she had believed in her entire life, who she was told countless times loved her and His flock, was nowhere to be seen when they needed Him most. And then, when He did make Himself known, it was to punish those who dared to choose the wrong side in a power game they didn't even know was happening.

It all fucked her up very badly. It's been years now and she's still trying to work it all out. ]

You're only the second one I've found. [ "Found" is perhaps not the most accurate description -- it gives the impression that she is stumbling upon them rather than following a very real sense of their location that's somehow instantly available to her when they appear. ] What do you mean, everyone who was tryin'? Why would anyone not try?

[a_better_man]

Some folks stayed, to make sure the rest got out. It was chaotic, there was this giant thing and those masked assholes everywhere and I think a wall blew up...

[There had been a great deal going on, and Mat had honestly been focused mostly on just getting out. And getting Alicent out. Which he had, thank the light. He doesn't have all the details of exactly what went down.]

The way I got out...it wasn't stable, there were people holding it open. But a lot of us got out. If there's anyone you're worried about....

[He can't make any promises, but he does know a number of the ones now free of capture and dealing with the elements. Maybe be has some good news for her.]

[princessvegas]

[ Well, that sounds far worse than Jack made it seem. It's hard to tell whether Mat is making it dramatic or if Jack was making it sound less chaotic than it was, but based on her experience, her money is on the latter.

Julie shakes her head a little. ] No, I already know what's up with my people. They're both out. Stick with 'em, they know what they're doin' in the wilderness, 'specially mountains. Geralt and Ciri.

[ She's worried about them, yes, but much less than she would have been before. If there are any two people in the world she trusts to survive this particular circumstance, it's them. Even sick, even injured.

While Mat eats, Julie has remained sitting close enough that they touch, shoulder to shoulder, arm to arm. She's a touch-y person in general, but right now, she feels compelled to be as near as she can. ]

[a_better_man]

Mmm, yeah, already met up with'em. I'm no stranger to surviving in the wilds, but there's safety in numbers. And some of us...that very much do not know what they're doing.

[Which is hardly their fault, and Mat has promised to look after folks, but that doesn't mean it's easy. Or not potentially frustrating. They aren't in the kindest of conditions out here. Still. It's not near as dire as it was, down in that fucked up ritual prison or whatever it was.]

We aren't exactly doing well as far as supplies, but we can manage. There's small game, and plenty of rocks. Wood for fire to keep warm and boil water. Caves.

[He speaks in between sips of broth, eyes closing in simple joy each time. Light, he's feeling a great deal better. At least up here. He imagines he'll be in for a shock when he 'wakes up'.]

[princessvegas]

That ain't much, but it'll get y'all through. I can't imagine it'll take 'em more than a few days to spot y'all. Faster, if we get a solid clue which mountain it is. [ She pauses, thinks about something for a moment. ] I wonder if you're close enough to Thorne to trigger their trackers. The stupid magic ones they stick on all their Summoned. If y'all can get here, some magic must be workin' again.

[ She supposes they must have thought of that. But sometimes, the most basic elements are what wind up being forgotten. Simple things that should have been the most obvious become a downfall instead. ]

I know it ain't safe for you all to stay here long. [ Her man works for weeks in wild. She knows the deal. ] But I really think everyone should try. I think it's good for y'all.

[ Her arms are wrapped around her knees, and she glances up from the corner of her eyes, at the Singularity. She knows it's good for them. It's good for the Singularity. ]

[a_better_man]

I'm not worried about surviving in the wilds. There's enough of us that know what we're doing to look after the ones that don't. And magic is coming back. Sort of.

[Mat isn't ready to trust it entirely, it only works sometimes. But that's more than it was working when down there.]

Anyhow, I've got my own special touch of magic, so to speak. I'm very lucky. Not in a vague turn of phrase way, it's just something I was born with. Good luck. I always find game when I hunt, I always find shelter when I need it. It's called ta'veren. If magic's coming back, that'll be coming back, too.

[And he thinks Julie is right, about the Horizon being good for them, somehow.]

Mmm, there's something to that, I think. I dread waking up, to be perfectly blunt. I know I'll feel like shit again, but I feel alright here and now. Not good, exactly, but...

[Better. Noticeably better. Not just because of comfort and food, but all the way down to his bones better. Not in the same sort of pain, not feeling so sick and feverish. Not in such an awful mood.]

[princessvegas]

They do say we're the luckiest arcana sign. [ Wheels, that is -- Julie has a clip in her hair bearing the symbol. Not that she's entirely sure she believes that, or maybe she just believes that "good luck" can be quite the double-edged sword when fate wants it to be.

You're lucky enough to be immune, but everyone you ever knew is dead.
You're lucky enough to climb high in the new social order, but that order is blown away.
You're lucky enough to be resurrected from the dead, but resurrected in a strange world.
You're lucky enough to be able to communicate with the Singularity, but you'll probably be killed if people find out.

When does it stop being "luck" and start being "misfortune"? ] Like I said, I don't think it'll be long either way, 'fore they find y'all.

[ Her head tilts thoughtfully. She doesn't know if it's possible to carry the feeling out of the Horizon. Isn't it supposed to be that they don't change on the outside? But she feels like, if she enters the Horizon hungry and then eats while inside, she doesn't usually still feel hungry when she exits. But then, maybe that's more of a state of mind -- she doesn't think she feels hungry anymore, so she isn't.

This shit is so frustratingly mysterious. ] Maybe some of that ta'veren will pull through and the feelin' will stick.

[a_better_man]

Can't say I know how much stock I put in our signs, but...they might be right 'bout that one. Certainly have a lot in common with the other Wheels I know...

[Granted, his pool of comparison is mostly Jesper and Julie. But they do have certain similarities shared between them. Maybe luck is the same.]

Maybe it's different words for the same thing. Ta'veren, Wheel of Fortune...maybe our sign means the same, we were born under a blessing of luck. Maybe I will feel better for a bit coming out of this.

[Even if only because for a time, he's felt better. He's had a touch of proper comfort. That's got to be good for the heart, if nothing else.]

Hell, maybe being here really could help. In my world, there's the place that's the source of all magic. The Eye of the World. They say going there can heal, but going there is near on impossible so no one really knows. But either way...thank you, for this.

[princessvegas]

It wouldn't surprise me if that was it. Just... bein' here, where everything is the strongest. The magic, our connection. We didn't really have nothin' like it back home, so all I can say is how it feels now.

[ Her head drops to his shoulder, and some weight seems to seep out of her as well. Mat has no way of knowing, but she's pushed herself nearly to the brink to keep track of them, to find whatever she can. This, the comfy little camp, is easy, but she's so tired after weeks of burning her candle to the wick. ]

Don't thank me. Whether we like it or not, we're all family, the Summoned. If we don't take of each other, won't no one else do it.