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ABRAXAS MODS ([personal profile] abraxasmods) wrote in [community profile] abraxaslogs2023-08-19 10:14 am

EVENT #14: ANOMALIES - IC EVENT LOG

Event #14 - Anomalies

Over the last several weeks of summer, leading up to AUGUST 20, the appearance of rifts, and the subsequent creatures, has become a disturbingly common appearance. The average citizen has taken the changes in stride. Some have even integrated these creatures into communities as pets or beasts of burden. Nonetheless, these unprecedented appearances have resulted in rumors. Is the cause the Summoned? Have they carried a dark curse back from the Feywilds? Are the Old Gods offended?

A Coordination Post will be available for communications between mods and players. Report notable actions and events, or track Developments. Though we encourage you to take advantage, using the Coordination Post isn't required to participate in the event.
Anomalous Threats
Dubbed Anomalies throughout Abraxas, suspicion and curiosity turn to terror when much greater threats - called Anomalous Beasts - begin to fall through large rifts. Where did these creatures come from? Why have they arrived? And is this only the beginning of something far worse?
Arrival of the Beasts
The Anomalous Beasts tumble through open rifts that appear in set locations throughout Abraxas. You won't know where those rifts are at first, but it steadily becomes obvious as reports from locals come in. The beasts won't stay put, either. At random intervals, the rifts will suck the Anomalous Beast back through it and spit it out at another location somewhere in Abraxas. It might be in another city or in another faction altogether. It appears these beasts are not limited by borders.

Fortunately, each rift area only holds one Anomalous Beast at a time - so you won't have to face multiple threats at once.
Tracking the Beasts
Soon, you discover that the rifts are in stable locations. The beasts can go into one rift and out the other, but the area where the rifts appear doesn't change. You can use this to your advantage. Officials will set up portals to identified rift locations, allowing you to focus on an individual area - even if you can't predict which Anomalous Beast arrives from the other end.

Many of these locations are important to the locals. While confronting the threat, you'll want to minimize damage and casualties.

If you're tempted to try and go through a rift, you'll get a nasty shock that sends you flying back. Of course, if you happen to witness a native Abraxan attempt the same - whether out of fear or by accident - you might not want to try yourself: upon contact with the rift, any native Abraxans will be vaporized in front of your eyes. You should probably stick to travel via portals.
Arcanum Effects
Each Anomalous Beast bears a glowing Arcana sign on its flank. Be careful if you match its Arcana - you may begin to take on the beasts' animalistic traits, absorbing its aggression, hunger, or fear. These sensations can overwhelm you, causing you to mimic its behavior. Is your will strong enough to resist? Or will you succumb completely, becoming one with the beast?

You can get help from another Summoned of a different Arcanum. They'll feel compelled to make physical contact, absorbing some of the effects into themselves and lessening its severity by sharing it with you. This effect will remain while you're near the Anomalous Beast - as long as it's alive - but with effort and help, you can mitigate it and overcome the powerful sensations.
Types of Beasts
The types of Anomalous Beasts arriving might be familiar to you. Maybe you heard stories from another Summoned. Maybe you remember seeing it from your home world.

If you know what it is or its weaknesses, you can share this information using the Network or by word of mouth to help others defeat it. As for the beasts you believe have no way of being defeated? That may be true to your world. But you're in a different world now with strange powers, abilities you've never heard of, and spells you might've never seen before. These factors can change much. No matter the beast, there will be a way to defeat it.

To review what characters will be facing and each beast's Arcana sign, see the List of Anomalous Beasts on the OOC Plotting Post.
Faction Assistance
While the factions have asked for your help given the overwhelming number of threats that arrived at once, the factions can hold their own in many battles. They'll be able to assist you, and familiar officials may even arrive on the battlefield. General NPC actions are outlined below. You can assume they'll come to your aid based on those descriptions as needed.

Portals to each rift location will also be established within the first 24 hours. While the portals won't take you directly into the fray, they'll be near enough that you'll have the chance to arrive on time to mitigate damage or confront the threat.

You can request more significant aid or resources from an NPC using the Coordination Post.

There is no influence requirement to make a request, but influence and your character's relationship with faction NPCs will be taken into account to determine the outcome.
Thorne
In Thorne, assistance will come from the following:
Jolene Sybell. Jolene will arrive at the front lines as needed. She has offensive spells but specializes in healing and medical magic. If you're wounded, she can mend you quickly or stabilize any grievous wounds so someone can take you to the infirmary.

Soldiers & mages. Thorne's soldiers are concentrated in Borrel, while Castle Thorne has skilled mages. They'll be able to offer shields, offensive magic, and wards to help in any battle.
The Free Cities
In the Free Cities, assistance will come from the following:
Marlo Reiner. The Prime Minister is as much a soldier as she's a politician. A former military captain, she'll direct the soldiers under her command on the front lines. She can provide cover in a fight or strategic advice. Her weapon of choice is a sword and a sidearm.

The army. The Free Cities has the largest army in Abraxas. They'll be out in full force, providing combat assistance, protecting citizens, and offering medical aid. Any soldier will readily give you a hand on the field. If you aren't sure where you're needed, they'll direct you.
Solvunn
In Solvunn, assistance will come from the following:
Isar Hart. Deeply devoted to the commune, the newest Council member will arrive with his ever-present companion Skaldi. A fierce and protective herding dog, she will fend off any threat. He's also followed by a few sheep that cast an unusual shadow. When attacking, they grow powerful ram horns and sharp teeth. Their muzzles elongate, resembling a wolf in sheep's clothing. Word is, Isar has a pact with Spyndlveiss, Guardian of the Flock.

Elders and the Gods. Solvunn may not have a strong army or powerful mages, but they do have the Gods on their side. Elders will lead offerings and sacrifices - and the Gods will answer. While facing a threat, you might find something invisible blocks a blow or a wound suddenly appears on the beast. Though no physical presence arrives, you nonetheless feel the helping hand of something.
Ending the Threat
Resolving the threat involves not only defeating the Anomalous Beasts but also closing the open rifts. Fortunately, accomplishing the former will contribute to the latter.
Defeating the Beasts
Taking on the Anomalous Beasts is no easy task. You'll be faced with several obstacles while you fight them that might prevent you from defeating the beast: the rifts might suck the creature away before you can finish the job, you might be overwhelmed by your mind merging with the beast's, or you simply lose the fight.

In the end, one team will successfully defeat the beast. If you're one of the victorious, how you approach and finish the job is up to you. Take advantage of your surroundings, seek help and knowledge from other characters, and make creative use of your environment and skills.

And remember - defeating it doesn't mean killing it. The beast only needs to be subdued as a threat, whether through death or capture. Of course, once subdued, what happens to it may be out of your hands...but there's a chance that not all of them will be put down.

Requests for a victory roll will be accepted until AUGUST 23 at 11:59 ET. Only characters who win the roll can kill or defeat the Anomalous Beast. Please see the OOC Plotting Post for more information.
Closing the Rifts
With each Anomalous Beast dispatched, you'll notice that the rifts in the world start to shrink. The effect is subtle at first, but with every victory, it's undeniable that the key to closing the rifts is to bring down the Anomalous Beasts climbing through them.

Not every beast must be killed, but the majority of them should be for the rifts to close completely. By the end of the event, all of the rifts will have closed.

Across the Rifts
Each rift opens in a particular area. Each Anomalous Beast will have a "first sighting" at a specific location. Reports will surface as rumors, victim statements, and witnesses. Regardless of how the information comes to you, it likely catches your attention. Perhaps you hear a description that sounds chillingly similar to a monster you've encountered in your past. Maybe you're worried that the area has innocents who need to be protected. Or, maybe you're merely excited about a potential new species.

The beasts will move from rift to rift - not by choice. You might catch the one you're chasing when you arrive, or you might find yourself facing something unexpected. Your task isn't just to kill the beasts - the areas will need protecting, too. You'll have to work with others to do so. You could, for example, decide to have someone distract the beast while you evacuate an area.


[ Click the image for a larger version. ]

Each location is assigned a number that corresponds to an area labeled on the map above. Characters will have access only to their faction's territory on the rift map.
Kingdom of Thorne
◎ Castle Thorne (1) | IMAGE
Security in Castle Thorne has always been paramount. The thought that something could get within the castle walls is unheard of. Fortified by the kingdom's military and strongest mages, and boasting the host of the majority of Thorne's Summoned, it should be ready for any threat. That is, until something monstrous appears right outside the city's borders. Locals claim it slinks by on large tentacles with a single massive eye and a sense of foreboding.
◎ Frostwurm Tunnel (2) | IMAGE
Located northeast of Hayle, the snow-covered peaks are the perfect habitat for the Giant Frostwurms that provide valuable healing crystals. They burrow deep into the rock, creating a labyrinth of large tunnels. While the last time the Summoned were in those tunnels was not by choice, this time, you're asked to help protect the Frostwurms from what witnesses are claiming is a dragon or a very large wyvern. Except...dragons haven't been seen in Abraxas for many decades.

Due to the crystal's hallucinatory properties, the Summoned will be provided protective shield to prevent them from breathing in the air. The shield is invisible, causing the air around them to shimmer slightly. Be careful not to damage it in any ensuing fights.
◎ Whitehill Village (3) | IMAGE
A quaint village, Whitehill is an insular community established for many generations. Well-read despite their economic class, residents of Whitehill pride themselves on their magical knowledge used to help cultivate the Snow Petal, a rare flower that blooms only in their valley. Highly sought after for potions and elixirs, a small garden patch has already been destroyed by what appears to be a corrosive substance left behind by a large black wolf or wildcat. Residents fear this strange blight could devastate the elusive Snow Petal.
◎ Dukewood Lumber Mills (4) | IMAGE
Deep in the forests east of Nott sits Thorne's most profitable lumber mill. The sparkle of magically powered saws keeps the mill running at all hours. Although the land is owned by an aristocratic family, its residents are working-class. They earn a meager living for their families and fear not only for their livelihoods but their lives. Whispers of a shadowy figure with sharp claws spread through the workers, who remain on guard as they try not to let superstition get the better of them. Unfortunately, a few may be too far gone. They're even beginning to insist that the figure is...wearing a hat?
◎ Southern Farmlands (5) | IMAGE
The rolling hills east of Borrel are some of the most fertile land in Thorne. With harvest season drawing near, fields of green turn to amber for the most plentiful of crops: wheat. However, an unexplained fire in one of the fields has raised the alarm. Talk has arisen of a strange silvery creature wearing a crown. Witnesses claim it sits on wagons and anything that looks remotely chair-like. Or perhaps...throne-like? What could it be? Does it have anything to do with the fire?
◎ Southern Mountains (6) | IMAGE
This winding path between the peaks is an important trade route that cuts towards Borrel for those unable to cross the waters. While dangerous, many seasoned merchants will take this path to save precious time. Lately, though, the dangers seem to be much greater. Injured men stumbling out of the mountains claim their friends were torn apart by a multi-limbed insect the size of a full-grown gryphon. One describes black horns, while another insists it had hands grown over its torso. Whatever it is, it's hungry.
◎ Fishing Docks (7) | IMAGE
Home to dozens of fishing boats and trawlers, the docks and its nearby fish market are the lifeblood of Nott. These fishermen are skilled at traversing the lake - so it's unusual that one of them has gone missing. Whispers say the man was dragged under the waters by lurking black tentacles. Many are afraid to venture out again, claiming that something in the lake is watching them.
The Free Cities
◎ Fomalhaut (1) | IMAGE
Though the port city is a fixture in the Free Cities, no one is granted permission to approach the heavily guarded barricade that leads into Fomalhaut. A large sign reads NO TRESPASSING! Official Travel Only Beyond This Point! Another reads Deadly Force Authorized. A third states simply DISEASE. Fortified walls and barriers protect the valuable machinery powering the shields that enforce the quarantine. Lately, tensions have heightened due to heavy bipedal tracks and reports of a moving metal statue. A breach in the shield could devastate not just the Free Cities but all of Abraxas.
◎ Northeastern Mountains (2) | IMAGE
These sharp peaks span past most of the Free Cities' territory. The smaller mountains near Aquila are popular for mountaineers, geologists, and engineers looking to test their newest inventions at higher altitudes. Finding abandoned equipment is not uncommon. Recently, many travelers have fled the mountains, escaping an invisible entity that haunts the area. One scientist who returned injured insists that he doesn't believe in spirits but says that "an unseen force" caused him to slip and fall.
◎ Andromeda Bay (3) | IMAGE
A popular destination for rest, the waters of Andromeda Bay are a welcome reprieve during the hot summer months. Except, the crystalline blue waters have grown tainted with a pungent stench. People are fleeing the shores, warning each other that the a tentacled swamp-fish with a gaping maw has overtaken the bay. Locals fear this disruption to tourism will impact their livelihoods. Meanwhile, biologists are concerned the foul waters will disturb the delicate ecosystem.
◎ Cadens Barracks (4) | IMAGE
The barracks are familiar to most of the Free Cities Summoned. Now, the usually bustling and tightly run military hub is in a state of high alarm. Few soldiers are out in the open. Barracks and rooms feature hastily boarded windows and doors. Here and there are splashes of blood. Any soldiers out and about have their weapons at the ready. Injuries appear to be bites and vicious claw marks. There are ominous whispers of, We can't even see them.
◎ The Badlands (5) | IMAGE
With frequent dust storms, difficult rocky terrain, and extreme heat, the Badlands are the last place you want to be. Most know better than to venture towards its heart. Bandits occupy only the more habitable edges around the area. The few souls who brave the landscape are hardened survivalists or soldiers on patrol. You should take their grim reports of a new fearsome creature seriously. They say it bursts out of the ground and spits deadly acid - melting one individual to the bone. Though the Badlands houses some of Abraxas's most dangerous beasts, this one appears to be new...and it might be coming closer to the city.
◎ Farhill Mining Camp (6) | IMAGE
The Farhill Mining Camp is the largest mine in operation. Rows of cheap housing are pressed together with little care, sitting dangerously close to the mines and the fumes that come with them. Jagged hills of varying height and stability make traversing the mining area tricky. Citizens of all ages work the mines daily, with children able to quickly squeeze through small crevices. The ground often shakes with the rumbling of machinery, but recently something else burrowed beneath has been sending quakes throughout the mine. Unusual dragonfly-like insects, glowing green, have also swarmed the area. With operations refusing to cease, a collapse could be disastrous for everyone involved.
◎ The Red Path (7) | IMAGE
Named for its iconic red sand on the surrounding hills, the Red Path leads to and from Libertas. Known for being relatively safe, merchants, travelers, and hiking enthusiasts frequent the Red Path for its beautiful scenery. When reports of frequent animal attacks begin to surface, word spreads quickly. Merchants now take the road warily, and many refuse to hike it. Surviving witnesses say the creature's enormous white bulk stands out starkly against the red landscape. Most injuries consist of burns, and scorch marks mar the area.
Solvunn Commune
◎ Tertiary Settlement (1) | IMAGE
The Tertiary Settlement is a rough place to make a living, but skilled fishermen have learned to thrive. Rundown wooden houses dot the shoreline as boats row out in the hopes that this day's catch will be the one to feed several mouths at once. Lately, the fishermen claim that an unusual leviathan has been spotted in the waters, something massive and grey. Unlike most leviathans, its teeth are blunt, and it doesn't seem to dive deep under the sea.
◎ Shrine of The Maw (2) | IMAGE
This wooden path lined with dark runes leads to a foreboding tree on a hill. This tree sprouts no leaves and sheds no bark. At the base of its trunk are lit candles. Old and new wax alike stains the tree's roots. This tree is the central shrine to Dyvoraetiir, Herald of the Maw. Dyvoraetiir consumes hopes and dreams, sending those who offend into despair. Intriguingly, the reptilian rock-like creature spotted here is not the threat it should be. Instead, witnesses say it's sluggish and disoriented...and other beasts who arrive through the rift will exhibit similar symptoms. Commune elders fear this is a sign of an angry god. They're desperate to protect the area from further disruption.
◎ The Offering Grove (3) | IMAGE
East of the Secondary Settlement is a popular ritual site. A winding spiral leads to the grove's center, where a large offering bowl sits. Offering bowls are common in Solvunn, but the Offering Grove hosts the largest bowl. Made from sanctified metals, it never rusts or erodes. Many travel to this site to make crucial requests or as a show of penance. Because rituals may take several days or longer, many are reluctant to undo their work and refuse to leave the site, despite the glowing pink light that shines from the shadows.
◎ Mountain Ritual Site (4) | IMAGE
Halfway up the cliffs is a small rounded platform. Crafted to divine truth and one's true path, this is where many seek their answers. The mountain air is said to provide a person with clarity and even visions. Elders have grown concerned by returning visitors who say they've glimpsed the face of a new God, a hulking figure with a decorative mask of hanging tassels.
◎ Forest Shrines (5) | IMAGE
Several shrines make their homes in the Solvunn forest, dedicated to Gods you might've encountered or heard of. The most popular shrine caters to all Gods of the land. Sacrificial bones rest beneath the arched altar, bones that locals whisper are moving. Elders fear not only upsetting the Gods but damaging precious and ancient shrines that served the commune for centuries.
◎ Feintak Ritual Site (6) | IMAGE
If you were here last June, you might've taken a journey to the hills just outside the Primary Settlement into a small wooded area that hosts a plethora of unsettling statues. Called "Feikinstaftaka" in the old tongue, locals refer to it as "Feintak" to avoid invoking the power of its true name. Used to remove high-level curses, performed only under the guidance of the Solvunn Council, this sacred area keeps a tight lid on dark magic - magic that could spell disaster should it be unleashed. Unfortunately, that might've already happened: a walking figure shrouded in shadows has been spotted in the area, and no one knows what it means.
◎ Abandoned Settlement (7) | IMAGE
A popular trading route skirts the edge of this swamp. Well-worn and overgrown, the few homes still standing are in disrepair. Despite its foreboding appearance, the swamp hosts small creatures said to be servants of all nature gods. Playful and harmless, they emerge to seek treats from visitors. They might be recognizable to a group of Summoned who undertook a delivery quest several months ago. Locals say the spriggans won't come out anymore, as if they're hiding. A small pile of crushed pebbles suggest a few have met an unfortunate end. Witnesses report stomping and a disturbing growl from deep within the swamp.

The Horizon
The world outside is not the only realm in chaos. Anyone who enters the Horizon, whether to retreat, recoup or connect with allies, will find unwanted visitors. Anomalous Beasts will appear here as they do across Abraxas. Their presence might damage your domains or cause unwanted environmental changes that you must contend with.
Unwanted Visitors
The Horizon is an unfamiliar landscape to the Anomalous Beasts. Unlike the Summoned, the beasts won't have the sentience to understand it. Their entrance is involuntary. They won't know how to leave on their own and will wander through the domains as if those spaces are real, reacting how they normally would to any sudden appearances or threats.

Of course, as the Summoned, you have full control of the Horizon. As you observe the Anomalous Beasts that appear, reports from outside begin to make one detail clear: when an Anomalous Beast is active in the Horizon, they're asleep in the real world - and will stay asleep unless they "die" in the Horizon or are disturbed outside. Maybe you could use this to your advantage?

You can use the Horizon however you wish, but some possibilities are:
◎ Coordinating with teams outside the Horizon to keep the Anomalous Beasts occupied and asleep in time for an ambush.

◎ Killing the Anomalous Beast in the Horizon will force it to wake abruptly. If done correctly, this will be advantageous, but if done incorrectly, it might cause more chaos.

◎ Studying the strengths and weaknesses of the Anomalous Beasts in a contained environment before approaching it in the real world
The Domains
The arrival of the Anomalous Beasts will impact your domains as they travel from place to place. Important fixtures or buildings might be broken or torn. Created animals or pets might be crushed or injured. Ominous wisps of malice linger like a foul friend amidst the wreckage.

Direct damage is not the only possibility. The Horizon is constructed from memories and influenced by emotions. As a result, the presence of the Anomalous Beasts can cause unwanted shifts and changes to your carefully constructed space. You may find a once peaceful area of your domain has grown twisted and dark from a hellish Anomalous Beast. Maybe a beast associated with fire has manifested pools of magma.

As is the case under all circumstances, any involuntary effects on your domain will cause a sense of unease, and you'll feel compelled to fix it. If you have a weaker connection to the Horizon - either because you don't go in often or don't create much inside it - you'll find these changes harder to mitigate.

On the other hand, if you have a stronger connection to the Horizon, you'll have an easier time retaking control of your domain and reversing the damage.

This aspect is optional. Impacts on your character's domain, if any, are entirely up to players. Characters can also help each other rebuild their domains.



sorser: (pic#16418510)

closed to thancred.

[personal profile] sorser 2023-08-19 09:58 pm (UTC)(link)
[To say the monster is problematic is an understatement at best. Stephen remembers, still quite clearly, what it took to fight the many-tentacled, eyeball creature — dispersing its invisibility with his magic, severing slimy limbs with the same. Watching as it crushed buses, or scaled buildings with alien ease, scrambling up high walls to reach and grab and coil and squeeze the victims already caught in its grasp.

Already, he’s relayed this information to the proper channels, and being far from the type to sit on his hands and hope for the best, he’s already set out to just beyond the perimeter of the castle, looking up at the structure from below and watching…

As a mass of tentacles scales upwards, dragging its eyeball along with it, blinking up at the sky.]


You’ve got to be kidding me.

[—he says to Thancred, exasperated and concerned in equal measure. The other man stands beside him; he would have been remiss not to ask for assistance, and even if Thancred had not been spotted and summarily recruited for the task on the way out of the castle corridors, he would have asked him via mental message all the same. As it stands, he gestures up at the creature far above their heads, not quite registering the glow etched into its form… just yet.]

It really is that thing again.
Edited 2023-08-22 01:21 (UTC)
funbreaker: (pic#16108644)

[personal profile] funbreaker 2023-08-23 03:51 pm (UTC)(link)
[ It had been on the way into the castle to access the portal to Nott that Stephen had found Thancred, their run-in convenient given that it seems Vash's vision of a tentacled monster has already proven itself to be quite true. Whether the creature now clinging to the side of the castle edifice is the same one that Vash saw, Thancred can hardly say, but it's not as if he's going to run off when there's a massive monster right in front of him.

Especially when it's Stephen who's tacitly asked for his help. If the sorcerer needs an assist, it must mean that this thing is not to be underestimated. With any luck, Nott can wait. ]


"That thing"? You know it?

[ Thancred watches the tentacles as they grip and shift, moving the creature's bulk around one of the castle's spires. It's certainly high up there now, and it won't be long before the Castle is thrown into a panic when people see that horrifying mass outside a high window. ]

This is what you always feared, isn't it? That creatures such as this would follow us through the rift.

[ It had been the whole impetus for their trip around Thorne, planting all of those devices. And yet that doesn't seem to have done much in the way of warning them, when this thing has crawled right onto Castle Thorne itself.

Thancred tightens his jaw and curls his fingers around the hilt of his gunblade at his back, ready to do what's needed to cut the monster down. ]
sorser: (pic#15806786)

[personal profile] sorser 2023-08-25 02:26 pm (UTC)(link)
[This is exactly what he feared, that all manner of things that shouldn't be in this world could worm their way through a weakening veil, though maybe there was a naive part of him that believed something threatening from his Earth would not be one of the many. Silly of him to think that. Silly of him to believe that just because this creature was killed once by his hand, that it wouldn't appear before him one day, alive and well. Timelines mean so little here, and it's been proven to him more than once.

Stephen's jaw sets and he gives a small noise of affirmation.]


Yeah. It's not exactly native to my world, but definitely from my corner of the multiverse. I can explain more later. We need to make sure it doesn't cause too much damage because, believe me, it can. Then we can tackle the tiny issue of holes in the multiversal veil.

[The creature wraps a long, strong tentacle around a spire -- then another and another. Then it hangs, its eyeball shifting down, surveying the area. And then, that oversized gaze lands on the two men below, and it stills.

Stephen's stomach twists with dread, but his body spikes with adrenaline. The sorcerer calls up to it.]


Hey! Remember me? [Wry and biting, to get its attention. It's here, that Stephen sees a glow across the creature's body, seared into its flesh, a familiar design...] Thancred, do you see that? It's glowing-

[...But then, with surprising heft, the tentacle monster launches itself off the castle exterior, flying overhead, and aiming to land directly behind them with a weight that might make the earth itself shudder. Just beyond it, another rift, brimming with energy, begins to tear itself into reality.]
funbreaker: (thancred-court-029)

[personal profile] funbreaker 2023-08-25 11:58 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Thancred nods, understanding that now is hardly the time for the full story. If Stephen insists that this monster is dangerous and needs to be dispatched without delay, then that's what they'll do. Granted, Thancred could have guessed as much simply by looking at the thing. With that massive eye, he half-expects that they'll need to avert their gazes to avoid being petrified. It tends to be the case with these sorts. He'll certainly be on the lookout for that. ]

That tiny issue. Right. Well, one thing at a time—

[ Not that he expects to be of much help with the rifts. At least on Etheirys, gates to the Thirteenth could be opened and closed, but it was usually not a simple process, and often required aether transferance. Something he is decidedly not able to do, anymore.

He'll need to set aside that little niggling thought for now, as the massive tentacled mass flings itself down to the ground not far behind them. ]


It's surprisingly spry! I think you might have made it angry.

[ At least now it's where they can reach it, though as Thancred immediately pivots and takes a closer look, he sees no glowing. Not that he's able to look for very long, as a massive rift opens nearby, energy churning and swirling. The creature's tentacles being to shift in that direction, but not under its own control. No, it's as if it's being pulled inside. Dewspite the beast's prodigious size, the rift sucks it in, and much like with any voidgate, the creature suddenly vanishes — though the rift itself doesn't yet close.

Thancred turns to Stephen, half-ready to break into a sprint. ]
Should we follow it? [ He's done more foolish things in his time, surely, but he'll leave this to the portal expert. ]
sorser: (pic#15572441)

[personal profile] sorser 2023-08-29 03:16 pm (UTC)(link)
[His heart's beating hard in his chest, watching the rift yawn open and suck in the massive monster inside, as though it were made of nothing more than paper-mache.

Should we follow it? Thancred asks, and Stephen feels a jolt of panic, reaching out to halt him before he gets any ideas to go bolting towards the rift. He suspects the man has enough sense not to do so outright, but he'd rather not his friend get vaporized or worse in his haste.]


No, wait. Shaving a few minutes off our pursuit time isn't worth getting turned into paste over.

[He can feel the magical energy from here, bright and angry and probably not ideal.]

Let me prep a locator spell and I'll make my own portal if I have to. It's not like Shuma-Gorath's going to be hard to miss whenever we track it down.

[And a ye olde time skip later, and Stephen's not wrong.

When the portal opens, they're met with the jagged landscape of mountains looming overhead, their footsteps crunching in the blanketed white of snow. The chill is swift and cutting at this altitude.]


Couldn't have picked someplace warm. [He cuts his gaze around, his cloak whipping behind him.] Do you see it?
funbreaker: (pic#16108610)

[personal profile] funbreaker 2023-08-31 11:04 pm (UTC)(link)
[ To Thancred's credit, as soon as Stephen grabs him by the arm and practically orders him to stay put, he does just that. He certainly has no interest in being turned into paste. He apparently already experienced something like that at the hands (feathers?) of Meteion, and he'd rather not repeat the experience if there's a better way.

Stephen makes a good point, that this "Shuma-Gorath" creature is far from surreptitious. It may get a small head start on them, wherever it's gone, but it should be child's play to track it, especially for someone like him with training in such things.

All things considered, Stephen divines where the creature has gone and creates a portal to it in record time. When they step out into frigid mountain air, Thancred's briefly reminded of that strange in-between place in the Horizon that he visited with Sylvain — a place Sylvain also saw in a vision after that gods-forsaken ritual. Is there something more to all that, or is it yet another coincidence? ]


Not yet. [ Thancred shakes his head in response to Stephen's question. His coat only does so much good in protecting him from the cutting winds, but he's spent time in Garlemald. He'll endure the cold just fine. All it takes is a quick scan of the area to note some strange tracks in the snow, long impressions that most likely were made by grasping tentacles. Thancred nods toward them. ] But it looks like it went this way.

[ There isn't a path, even, but they'll have to weather the incline up toward a set of jagged rock formations. The creature must have ventured past them, far enough up the mountain that they can't see it from their current location.

As they hike after it, Thancred sends Stephen a concerned glance. ]
Before, you said it was glowing. What exactly did you see?
sorser: (pic#15806777)

[personal profile] sorser 2023-09-11 02:25 pm (UTC)(link)
[At least it'll be easy to track, a gigantic creature trailing its tentacles in the snow. Stephen could technically allow himself to fly up the jagged slopes and rough terrain, but visibility is tricky when there's so much white already dashing around in the air. That, and he'd rather not leave his companion behind -- not when he's certain he'll require Thancred's help for this one.

He speaks up over another gust of cutting wind, frowning against the cold. He can feel his cheekbones going numb against the chill.]


You didn't see it? [He asks, not to be redundant, but to confirm. It had been so bright, so searing. So strange and worrisomely familiar.]

It looked like an arcana. It looked like Death.
funbreaker: (pic#14106054)

[personal profile] funbreaker 2023-09-13 10:03 pm (UTC)(link)
[ They're not going to be anything approaching sneaky when they have to raise their voices in order to be heard over the gusting wings, but Thancred isn't all that concerned. They're here to confront and fight the monster, and if their loud voices attract it, then so be it.

At Stephen's question, Thancred's brow furrows and he shakes his head. He's fairly certain he would have noted some sort of glowing sigil, even among all of the writhing tentacles.

But what Stephen says next might explain things. Thancred takes a moment to let it sink in as he maneuvers his way through the rocky, snow-covered terrain. He does need to keep a close eye on where he's stepping to ensure he doesn't lose his footing and go tumbling back down the way they came. Oddly enough, Stephen seems to have done this sort of thing before himself. Being a doctor-slash-wizard must take you to some interesting locales. ]


Maybe that's why only you could see it, then? If it was summoned here as well, and has an arcana that matches yours—

[ He isn't given the chance to finish off that thought, however. The visibility is bad enough here that he's given little warning before a tentacle whips out from behind one of the rock formations ahead of them. The tentacle immediately curls itself around his arm and cinches down hard, intending to drag him up toward the rest of it.

Thancred doesn't waste any time, using his free arm to draw his gunblade from his back, which he cleaves down through the tentacle to cut himself free. The sliced off piece uncurls from his arm and falls into the snow, and up ahead he can barely make out the bulk of the Shuma-Gorath flailing in pain. ]


Well, it seems it found us! Stephen, take care!
sorser: (pic#16418509)

[personal profile] sorser 2023-09-21 04:33 pm (UTC)(link)
[Certainly not the first time he’s traversed wintry, rocky, mountainous terrain. Just ask Wanda!

But he’s not about to leave Thancred twisting in the proverbial wind, and he replies over the gusting snow—]


Can’t mean anything good for me, then. Stay wary, Thancred, just in case there’s more to this than we can account for.

[And if that remark isn’t its own manner of foreshadowing, then what is?

Because then that tentacle whips out, grasping hold of Thancred and squeezing tight. It’s a good thing the man is prepared, severing the limb, freeing himself and barking out a command to be careful. And Stephen lurches forward in the snow, carving out eldritch magic with a few swift hand motions as the monster itself squirms forward, its silhouette becoming clearer in the white oblivion.

But then—

Stephen stops. Mid-cast. Something eases over his expression, a numbness, focus drifting somewhere far away. Something about his posture goes slack, despite simply… standing there in a snow, the monster before them, its cut tentacle wriggling about in the white.

It’s probably fine? (It’s not.)]
funbreaker: (thancred-court-061)

[personal profile] funbreaker 2023-10-03 04:57 am (UTC)(link)
[ The orange glow of Stephen's spellwork is something that Thancred knows all too well by now, but it serves a dual purpose in this case, its light adding a dash more visibility. It means that Thancred catches a glimpse of the severed tip of tentacle squirming in the snow as if it hasn't yet realized it's no longer attached to anything.

Lovely.

But it also means that he can better make out the Shuma-Gorath itself, which is wasting no time in making its way down toward them, eager to pick up their encounter from where they left off.

Thancred's braced for Stephen to send a blast of eldritch energy right into the beast's massive eye, at which point he plans to dart forward to follow up the attack with a slash from his gunblade. Except the blast never comes, the sigils simply hanging in front of Stephen in the air, a circle of runes only half-drawn by an aborted sweep of his arm. ]


Stephen?

[ No answer. ]

Stephen! [ Thancred reaches out to grip Stephen's shoulder and give it a hard shake, but that's when the entire bulk of the tentacled monstrosity surges forward, its limbs wrapping around rock formations for purchase to launch itself forward.

Thancred has no choice but run and leap into a diving tackle to get out of the way before the monster lands and squashes him. He lands hard in the snow, rolling a few times as he holds his gunblade tight against his chest. ]
sorser: (pic#15100671)

no obligation to pick this back up if it's been too long!

[personal profile] sorser 2023-10-18 11:42 pm (UTC)(link)
[Thancred dodges the monster expertly enough, and Shuma-Gorath lands in the snow, its tentacles writhing, lashing. Stephen seems to be such an easy target, having not so much as moved when his friend took him by the shoulders to give him a good shake. It's almost as though he's gone slack yet frozen in place, his hands still caught mid-gesture in some aborted cast.

And, indeed, the monster lurches its huge eyeball towards the sorcerer, as though contemplating what to do next. Then... it simply ignores him, lumbering in Thancred's direction again.

Fortunate? Not exactly.

Because it's then that Stephen finally moves again, though there's something ineffably strange about his gestures; he doesn't move with the precision of someone focused and conscious, but rather someone who seems caught in the dredges of a trance. A thrall.

But even so, a spell carves its way through the air, following his fingertips, sizzling amber. Energy bursts forth in a single beam soon after -- bafflingly directed straight towards Thancred.]
funbreaker: (pic#16108636)

you won't get away that easy

[personal profile] funbreaker 2023-10-22 10:07 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Thancred's roll does eventually skid to a halt, the snow thankfully soft enough that it does a decent job of cushioning his fall. He's certainly been through worse, but he doesn't have much time to dwell on that — not when the massive eyeball of the Shuma-Gorath turns to him, pinpointing him as the target it wants to focus on despite having first turned its attention at Stephen.

Stephen, who hasn't said a word since he started behaving oddly. Stephen, who now shoots a blast of his potent magical energy directly at him.

There isn't time to leap out of the way now, not when he also has to press to his feet, but Thancred lifts his gunblade up and into position, hoping that the flat of the blade is strong enough to repel the spell. He feels the blast hit against the metal and almost loses his balance as the sheer force behind it sends him skidding back a few more feet in the snow. ]


Stephen, it's in your head! Snap out of it!

[ But Thancred can't do much more than that, not when the massive beast is positioned between the two of them. He breaks into a run, hoping to bait the monster away and open up a path by which he can return to Stephen's side and slap some sense into him, if needed. He's come across monsters who have thrown his comrades into a confused stupor where they don't know friend from foe, and usually a slap or blow over the head is enough to break the spell.

He'll have to hope that's the case here, as well. ]
sorser: (pic#15216015)

oh nooo how terrible

[personal profile] sorser 2023-10-25 01:30 am (UTC)(link)
[ Shuma-Gorath does indeed try to whip several tentacles in the man’s direction, but he’s already darted by, and its girth is too hefty to twist itself around as quickly as it’d like. He’s met with the sight of Stephen, still empty-eyed… casting another round of magic at him.

The thing with Stephen’s native magic—at least where stronger, more offensive spells are concerned—is that it’s easily telegraphed. Hard to miss the amber arcane trails he carves into the air with each movement before his spellwork is thrown out. The same happens now, a scattershot of energy instead of a single beam, giving Thancred enough time to dodge out of the way if he’s quick enough.

His words don’t reach him, though. He doesn’t react, and even if his spell does miss, his hands immediately work to begin yet one more, as though he is just a repository of magic more than a man at the moment.]
funbreaker: (pic#16108638)

8)

[personal profile] funbreaker 2023-10-26 01:05 am (UTC)(link)
[ It's a struggle to run through snow, and yet Thancred has experience fighting in all conditions. In a way, he's relieved for the time he's spent in Garlemald and how it prepared him for this moment, even if he hadn't known it at the time.

The Shuma-Gorath lumbers after him, though it's not built for maneuvering in this sort of terrain, meaning that Thancred does a decent job of staying out of its grasp while also leading it away from Stephen. When he has line of sight, he sees Stephen preparing yet another spell, shooting out blast after blast of energy. Just how long can he keep this up? At this rate, by the time that he returns Stephen to himself he's going to be completely drained of energy. Every mage has a limit.

Words clearly haven't proven to be enough, and so Thancred zigzags around the spells thrown his way, hissing when one of them does catch him in the shoulder. There's a burning sensation that stands in stark contrast to the frigid mountain winds, but he can't given it much care now.

He needs to close the distance between them, and he does, running at Stephen at breakneck speed. There's no option for being gentle about this, not with that monster dogging his every move, and so he leaps to tackle Stephen to the ground. Somehow, making physical contact feels like the right thing to do in the moment, and so once they've hit the ground he straddles Stephen and then fights to pin his wrists against the cold ground.

He stares down into Stephen's glossed-over eyes, as if he can will life back into them. ]


You're stronger than what it's doing to you, Stephen—

[ He tries not to think about the Shuma-Gorath, or how close it must be getting to them. ]
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[personal profile] sorser 2023-10-28 01:55 am (UTC)(link)
[Whatever spell Stephen had been etching into the air, the magic fizzles out, incomplete, when Thancred tackles him. The sorcerer goes down with any real resistance at first, back crunching into the snow, wrists pinned into the white.

But then, he looks up at him, his eyes strangely distant. It's as though he understands what's happening on only an empirical level--that he's trying to harm this man, and he's trying to stop him--and he tries to pry his wrists away. Thankfully, Thancred is stronger than Stephen, and shouldn't have any trouble keeping him pinned.

Then Thancred speaks, and his friend's words barely appear to scratch the surface of his consciousness, but there is something that could almost be taken as recognition from the sorcerer. As though his nearness tries to urge him out from beneath whatever thrall he's under, but it simply hasn't been long enough to truly wrench him free.

Still, he manages a:]


Above...

[Above them both, a giant tentacle from Shuma-Gorath looms, urging itself downwards to crush both men under its weight if they're not quick enough to get away.]
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[personal profile] funbreaker 2023-10-30 04:01 am (UTC)(link)
[ As soon as Thancred can feel Stephen struggling to pull away, he tightens his grip on him. Of course he would have rather not been pushed to the point of having to physically overpower Stephen, who has always been a grounded partner and friend to him in his time here, but he is hardly himself right now. Thancred has been there, and he thanks the Twelve every day that Himeka had been there to snap him out of it when Lahabrea had claimed his body for his own purposes.

Even if this isn't quite the same, it's close enough to wedge somewhere in his chest. He refuses to let Stephen do something he'll later regret.

For a moment, it even looks like he might be getting somewhere. If nothing else, he can see that Stephen is looking at him rather than through him for a moment.

And then he speaks. It's no more than a single word, but it's enough to warn Thancred of the incoming danger. He manages a brief glance over his shoulder, up to the looming tentacle, and tenses. Something is telling him that he can't remove himself from Stephen now, however; at all costs, he needs to remain close to him.

Instinct takes over and he presses his face to Stephen's chest and then lowers his hips to cover as much of Stephen's body with his own as he can — not only to protect him from the coming blow, but also because physical contact seems to be the key here, a fact he knows in his bones in a way he can't fully explain.

The tentacle comes crashing down, but it doesn't strike them. Instead, a shimmering sphere appears around them, a stalwart shield that the tentacle rams against instead. Thancred has only managed to pull this Horizon-gifted power out once before, but it's enough to keep them safe, at least for the few seconds he needs to think about what to do next. ]


When I move, you move with me. [ He lifts his head and stares directly into Stephen's eyes, which might be just slightly more lucid now. Or so he prays. ] Do you understand? [ And then he returns to his knees and starts to press up to his feet, dragging Stephen with him. ]
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[personal profile] sorser 2023-11-14 04:19 pm (UTC)(link)
[The press of Thancred's closeness is all at once jarring and bracing. And, catching his gaze in his own once, beneath the thud! that glances off the shimmering sphere that the other man tosses up around him, Stephen can only look up at him with growing lucidity in his eyes.

He has the right of it, at least. Touch is working, and so much of it brings Stephen whirling back into reality with a hint of disorientation, but with the stark realization that they are, indeed, still fighting a gigantic monster looming above them.]


I...

[Get it together, Strange. Now's not the time to be befuddled, now's not the time to put Thancred in danger anymore than you have-]

Right, I'm - I'm back. I hear you.

[And like that, he's been brought up by the other man, shuffling in the white of the snow, dragged along.

Shuma-Gorath, angry at its failed attack and the loss of a thralled Summoned, lashes again. This time with two thick, heavy tentacles.]
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[personal profile] funbreaker 2023-11-18 05:46 pm (UTC)(link)
[ It's awkward and fumbling, between the uneven snow beneath Thancred's feet and the way that he refuses to release Stephen's wrist, dragging him away and out of the range of those lashing tentacles. But he doesn't think that letting go of Stephen now would lead to anything good. Perhaps he's being overly cautious, but after what just happened, he doesn't think so.

The monster's massive eye seems somehow angry, the rim of flesh above it creasing into what seems to be a frown as it gives chase. ]


I'm assuming the giant eye is its weakness?! [ Just a hunch. Thancred uses his free hand to grip for one of his daggers, sliding it from the sheath at his hip. He thinks an attack at range will be the safest under the circumstances, though he focuses on leading him and Stephen behind a large rock first, to grant them some cover.

Shuma-Gorath isn't giving them much room to breathe. Thancred can hear it lumbering after them, and so he peeks out from behind the rock and flings his dagger at it, aiming right for the center of its all-seeing eye. ]