EVENT #14: ANOMALIES - IC EVENT LOG

[abraxasmods]

Event #14 - Anomalies

OOC event plotting | Coordination Post | Wrap-Up

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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.

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Comments

Kaz Brekker | Free Cities | The Chariot

[bealufull]

( plotting comment here or ping mythotica for any details or plotting. )

Portal Jumping (anywhere but Fomalhaut) - Open

[bealufull]

Monsters descend on their new world and Jesper acts like its his birthday and every other holiday known to man rolled into one. Kaz isn't sure he sees it as delightful but it is an outlet for those he cares about, as well as a chance he's finding for himself to investigate more.

Cartography hadn't been his calling but he has a steady hand and a keen eye and he gathers up his messenger bag of paper and ink to head out for the portals that were allowing them access to areas they'd never seen before. Especially ones that aren't as easy for Kaz to access himself.

Gathering his bag, one he's also equipped with medical supplies, he heads out through the portals. It's an opportunistic time for him, one he might not have again.

So throughout the different lands they can travel to, he makes quick maps with the shorthand he's designed himself, using the sun to orient the maps to those he already has. Yet he finds himself making other notes as well.

People talk of creatures that burn people, ones they can't see, and he himself sees the water at the Bay and how sickening it's turned. He makes note of these as well on his map... and beginning copious field notes as he gathers what intelligence he can.

Often he is found using a handy service for a table, even if its vertical. Or wandering on the pretense of looking for the creatures that brought them there.

When he finds one though, his demeanor changes. Often he is seen staring intently at them, some odd beastie or another, his hand raised slightly. Perhaps they sway on their feet, wobbling as if disoriented. It's enough for him to gather his things, keeping a sharp eye on them as he does.

Perhaps though it's a more entertaining show.

The creature is close and its not yet charged but it looks like it might. Kaz though is still but not silent. Glaring at the creature as if he's affronted by its existence and letting loose with the oddest string of insults.

"You are rank, detestable, and a mother couldn't even love that face. If you were any uglier, I would think Pekka Rollins might wear you as a suit."

As he goes on, it stumbles, giving a wary shake of its head. Had it the ability, it might possibly turn a sickly shade of green.

[everybodysterrible]

Abby's aware that Jesper doesn't have a good past, he's been pretty clear on that. But he has his people. And Inej made it clear that they are important to her too. So seeing Cheekbones wander into a portal alone well... it's not that she thinks he can't take care of himself, nobody who shares a history with those two is innocent. It's that she thinks wandering alone in a world of monsters is pretty stupid.

So she followed him, in her usual incognito travel for 'world full of monsters.' So beneath interest that neither man nor monster wishes to see her. This power does not extend past her, of course, so when she kicks a rock or something the rock is very noticeable. You don't want to recognize the sound of her footsteps, but if the sound echoes that's easy to hear.

It's finally after she got her spell all prepared to fight a monster, and this guy just- looked at it. She finally picks a corner to drop her shade and step into view. Small, brown hair streaked with red. Dressed in black slacks, pink pinstripes, and a nice burgundy blouse. Knife belted to her waist, but otherwise unarmed and hardly looks like she should be out here alone. "So... you really don't plan to fight anything? At all? Just hurt their feelings?"

She was- okay the insults felt right. But really? That's... he's really just making maps? What is this?

[bealufull]

While Kaz is not one to go after monsters on general principle, he is absolutely an opportunist who is realizing this is a chance to hone skills this place has given him and that he can't always just use on anyone.

Okay he could and would just use them on anyone but then there's the fact that between Jesper and Inej they know just about everyone in this place and that is a fight he knows he'd tire of quickly. So he's certainly taking advantage of the chance that he has to practice them and hone his skills.

He's almost aware of someone there, likely movement from the corner of his eye and then when he hears a voice, a brow arches but he doesn't look away from the creature.

"Do I look like a fighter to you?" It's a standard response he's come to here. One that never would have worked back home. There they knew him on sight and knew that he could take a beating and leave a room full of men decimated despite his limp. Here very few new of that possibility.

"So far leaving them disoriented and weakened seemed to be doing wonders to keep them out of my way and sending them scurrying to where others will gladly play hero and destroy them. If they're destructible."

In truth, they're things of legend, and the one he's seen he recognized could well be a friend and they wouldn't know it. He'll stick with hurting their feelings for now.

[everybodysterrible]

Abby has mixed feelings on 'does he look like a fighter.' There's an obvious reason to say 'no.' But there's a subtler, but more important reason to say something else, "Yes."

It's how he faced down the monster. It just- Abby is pretty confident in herself while she can't be seen. All her skullduggery of the past few days, and further back when she was honing this gift of the Singularity, made her more aware of what does, and doesn't, reveal her existence to the world. But if a monster actually faced her down? Well, she's not a fighter yet. She'd not just stand tall and tell it to fuck off.

Even if he clearly lost a bad fight at some point, she can't really say that she'd get in his way walking down a sidewalk. And if one of the idiots she knew from home did that, she wouldn't be surprised which one of them would end up eating dirt.

"I'm Abby," she is trying to be friendly but she is also kinda bad at it given there's nothing to drink here and it isn't a party. "I figured heading off on one's own while monsters are around is a little fucking dumb. So I followed you. Guess it makes it easier on me if you can just mock them into leaving. It's a neat party trick."

[bealufull]

Dressed all in black, including gloves, and carrying a brilliant gilded walking stick, Kaz knows he casts a somber though perhaps not quite realizing the villainous figure he makes. Especially glaring at monsters and calling them all sorts of names rather than moving an inch.

So perhaps he shouldn't be surprised she doesn't accept that answer and it actually does soften his expression. Not that it removes the scowl entirely but the dark shadow over it all is gone.

He does make a sound, a cough as much as a burst of what might have been amused laughter.

"So instead you followed a stranger because that seemed the safer bet for you, did it?"
He really does miss his life where following monsters would be preferable than facing him but he knows that life is long gone. So instead he inclines his head in greeting. "Kaz Brekker, and sometimes party tricks can save you the trouble of fighting. I have an arsenal of them in one way or another."

And the ability to take a blow like a creature ten times his size but he's not putting that up for challenge.

"You could have stayed back at the barracks or Mags' place and been less likely to face monsters at all, you know."

[everybodysterrible]

Abby always feels a little smug when she gets one over on someone that's clearly, to some degree, better suited for this world. She had that same little smugness with Claude at the Fey Ball.

"I wasn't referring to my safety." She's not a trained fighter, nothing about the way she stands or how she moves suggests she even knows how to keep her balance if a fight starts. But there's a certainty in how she says it that she isn't worried about herself.

For whatever reason.

"You were the person wandering alone that I thought could use a second set of hands around." At the time she was pretty much on the 'overconfidence' as his reasoning, but that party trick shut that out. So she needed a new theory of some kind. "We have friends in common, kinda suck to tell Inej you wandered into a portal and didn't come back."

It's honest, as much as it isn't anyway. That thought did cross her mind, but she was also just as curious about the one less sociable member of that band as she was concerned if she didn't do anything at all.

[bealufull]

Her answer causes his expression to kind of screw up, looking positively lost at her words. Logically they all make sense but even here he's not sure what to make of someone saying that.

"Huh." Genuinely he's uncertain what to even make of that. It's new to him, even in the year he's been in this place. He's been followed, but not because they worried about him.

"If you're a knowledgeable, or even semi-knowledgeable, mapmaker, I could use those hands. Though I tend to err on the side of the codes from my world and I doubt they're the same everywhere."

Though that name comes out and he gives a dry chuckle. "Of course we do. Between one or the other, they know everyone in this place and in every land," he mutters, a kind of fond bitterness in his tones. "Though in fairness, she would likely say it's no more than I deserve even when they did seek me out."

He pauses only a moment before asking sharply. "How many of these monsters have you seen?"

Fomalhaut - Open

[bealufull]

While Kaz is not one to rush in guns drawn and explosives and knives at the ready, he is one to take advantage of the time he has while others are distracted. Taking one portal after another, inwardly delighting at the mode of transportation that would have changed so much back in their own world, and using it to map as much as he can for as long as they allow this.

Of course he's run into a creature or two, some legends, and even the earthquakes that shook the ground. The gifts this place has given him have paid off in dividends though, and he's actually found grim satisfaction in insulting things until they turned away. It's how it always should be for Kaz, he believes.

He hadn't counted on again this place tossing his worst nightmare at him. Again.

He'd come through the portal and oriented himself on the sun to start the map, indicating where it fit in with the rest of the map pieces he's been collecting now and previously. Satisfied with that, he turns to try and head into the formidable entrance before him.

And that's when he sees the signs. Or one in particular.

DISEASE

Kaz stumbles backwards, barely catching himself on his cane. Digging in his satchel, he finds a handkerchief and presses it tightly over his nose and mouth. Terror is a cold ache through his body, making his limbs feel leaden. Turning for the portal, he finds something emerging from it. Not sure if it's man or beast.

He backs up a step, stops as he realizes he's moving closer to a place where disease has shut down the city. He has lived that and he would rather die facing the beast than risk that again.

Drawing up his cane as a weapon, handkerchief still over his mouth as he prepares to take the first blow against whatever it is.

(ooc: Open to no monster and just a person or to someone following one through)

obviously

[itookashot]

This is one of the places that Jesper's intentionally avoided, mostly for Kaz's sake because he knows if he ended up sick it would terrify him. Other people have stepped up to protect it so he's good to focus on the mines and barracks. He is really only coming through this portal because he's been tracking the damn smoke darkness monsters everywhere, hoping to get rid of them. Nikolai was not very helpful in what to do.

This was the last place he heard they were, but they must have just zipped through a rift, because when he jumps out, it's relatively quiet. Outside of his eyes falling on Kaz's horrified looking face and his expression goes from hunter to concern.

"Sweetheart, what are you doing here?"

The worst possible place! Jesper runs forward to Kaz and his eyes dart to get a look around, see if there is a monster to concern himself with. It's not. Even if there was, he has a priority, and that is Kaz. He would leave the Free Cities army to fight it in exchange for him leaving.

"Come on, we're getting out of here."

Re: obviously

[bealufull]

It is most certainly going where angels fear to tread but the truth of the matter was, he hadn't thought they would actually set up a portal to drop people off dead, ironically, center at the doors of a plagued city.

That's what he gets for expecting better of them and being foolish enough in himself to relax in this place.

His eyes have a wild look but there's a quick shake of his head at that. "I may never get another chance," he points out. It's become a singlemindedness, even if the original purpose is wrong gone with choices having been made. That didn't mean they wouldn't need this intel eventually.

He glances at the place and then to Jesper, not moving a step. "Why would they even open a portal to this place?"

Because he knows with just this portal open, they could all be sick within a week. The entirety of all lands and not just theirs.

[itookashot]

"Because we're still locked out. The point is to keep the shield from breaking." Jesper got the general info on this one. The city has been locked out of everything for a long time, and even now it seems fortified. He has no idea what's in there, he doesn't know if anyone does. He's wondered once or twice if there even is a sickness in there, if it's all a lie, a smokescreen. But it's too dangerous to look into, obviously.

"We don't have to go inside. If something attacks it and breaks in, that's when we have to worry." Jesper points to where the shields can be seen. Technology with New Magic, no doubt. But a strong enough monster could crack that, probably. If they're there and it breaks, Kaz is going to lose his damn mind, and Jesper doesn't think that chance should be taken. He's less worried about his own life, like usual.

"But seriously, Kaz. I don't think we should stay here. There are other portals, other rifts. Leave this to the army." The people who are legally supposed to be here, who are paid to be here and take the chance. "I've been on the hunt for the Darkling's monsters, they're somewhere on this damn planet." And he feels obligated to kill them.

[bealufull]

There's a part of Kaz that knows why he's there, and it's childish and it's petty but it's why he's there.

He has to see for himself! He has to know that his own eyes saw how fortified it was, and how much they were doing to keep others out. He wasn't willing to accept another's word on it, and so he's taking the chance he has to prove it's true and not just blindly accept the word of another.

It's that stubborn streak that believes he's the one that saves his own life and secures his world such as it is and that he has to ensure what is and isn't because no one else's word could be trusted but his own.

Which sounds childish and petty and so he doesn't say it... even if he knows Jesper is one of two people that likely know exactly why he's there.

"Who's magic? From where? What is holding it?"

He shakes his head, not that he moves away but much as he's diving into learning magic, he's not yet learned enough to know the answers he needs. What could go through it and how?

But his head snaps up, away from the shield and looks to Jesper.

"Where is he then? Could they have brought them here without him?"

Because that sounds either like way too much ability by a magician somewhere... or a damn cruel introduction to finding out he's there in their new world.

"Without their master, what controls them?"

[itookashot]

Jesper definitely knows the deal here. He gets that Kaz likes to prove things to himself. He's stubborn like that and he thinks it's a display of strength to overcome it. And maybe it is, but it is Jesper's place to worry regardless. The last thing he wants is Kaz getting chomped on because he wants to prove he's fine.

He can't concern himself with whether or not the disease is getting out. Jesper's gotta focus on the monsters. The rift is outside of the walls, otherwise the whole lot would be dead, and no one capable of going inside.

"Darling, with all of the love in the world, what makes you think I know that?" Jesper knows a great many things, that's true. He is a sponge with knowledge that he thinks useful. But this is way above his head. He still isn't a leader, that is Kaz's thing. He trusts the magic exists and works because they're all still alive.

He glances at the wall. "I mean, I can guess. Either it's a spell they just speak and it holds and they keep renewing it." Academic magic can do that. It doesn't have to be held. "Or it's something New Mgaic-y where it's partly powered by a machine." They both seem reasonable options. Jesper thinks one of the rare good things about Thorne is that they are open about their magic, it's clear what it is and how to use it.

"I don't know, but no one else has reported humans coming through with the monsters, only the creatures. So they are existing without him, I don't know how." Very frustrating. "I talked to Nikolai about them, he said only sun summoning and a special kind of blade apparently was any good against them."

[bealufull]

The lack of answers is one of the most irritating things about this place... even when he has found himself falling into their routine and their life there in the city. Despite all he reads, there's so much more about magic he doesn't know, that they may never know anything about, and the idea that it's magic holding back what could be a leveling virus taking out them all, it's still hard for him to accept.

"Because I suspect you know more about the people in this place than any one person, and with that comes a lot of answers. It's always been that way, Jesper, why would here be any different?"

They aren't even sharp tones, just matter of fact. He's used Jesper for knowledge throughout the years, and that doesn't change here.

His frown grows deeper, dark lines on his face, not liking that last answer. "Some have been susceptible to certain magic I've used but they don't kill them, only slow them down for a time, stop them in one case but it eventually recovered. I can't hold it long enough yet."

Which was frustrating on its own as well.

"How are they keeping them even existing without him?" He gives Jesper a hard look. "I'm not expecting you to know. I just want to know how."

[itookashot]

Jesper rolls his eyes but he can't argue, that's always been his role in their partnership. Inej found secret information, Jesper found the type of information other people revealed. His chatty ways were often almost as useful as spywork.

"This isn't a place people talk about. It's like ... some secret shame." Which does make sense in a way. An entire city where everyone's sick and they haven't been able to fix it. Even with magical healing, they've been useless, otherwise this wouldn't still happen. They can't control it spreading if it gets out either. "I think everyone wants to forget it exists." Until now when they're required to protect it.

Jesper pauses though, giving the shield a sharp look. There is something in his expression that is scheme face-adjacent, like he's getting a feeling, but that isn't something they can follow the trail of right now. The damned smoke creatures are definitely more a concern.

"Magic! How is anything coming through here? It's all magic, they probably aren't even the same monsters, just something like them." That would explain maybe why they can sustain without the Darkling, but he's genuinely not sure. Sometimes the answer really is magic and they have to leave it at that. It won't help them stop them.

"Nikolai didn't know what the blade was made of. I might try out some of the native metals here, see if there's anything that can do it. But we can think about that after we get out of here."

Faust, back in the city - Open (cw for cruelty and violence)

[bealufull]

Somewere between one portal and another and in avoiding a creature so another could stop it, Kaz had come close to a creature with claws and what seemed to be a long coat. It reminded him of himself in some ways, though it was a passing thought. What came after that though was not passing, nor the most generous of thoughts.

It isn't as if the man wasn't known for his cruelty but his time in Cadens and the Free Cities had seemed to curbed much of that. Now it wells up within him once more, his expression dark and twisted, and given the slightest provocation he is swinging his Durast designed cane at another.

Worse to come could be the way his expression twists, cold and dark with a sneer that isn't even a smile as his harsh gaze rakes over another and shakes his head in disgust.

"Do you really think there's anything you can really do here?"

(ooc: Open to random encounters, assume he was mean or cruel or outright violent and I can go with it. Both those he knows and strangers.)

/ crawls out of woodwork million years later, still determined to do this/

[rarebenedictine]

Cadfael hasn't been doing much of the fighting. That he gladly leaves to men, and some incredibly brave women, much younger than him. He's happy to limit his involvement to offering assistance and healing skill to any that might need it. Summoned and natives alike, he does not differentiate.

For this, he makes an exception. Though one might argue he's not truly making it. There are times when for the treatment to be effective, it needs a bit heavier touch.

"A resourceful man is never out of options no matter the circumstances."

Yay! Though I hope things are okay.

[bealufull]

Kaz snorts, rolling his eyes as he shifts his cane from one hand to the next as if considering the possibilities. He brings the metal tip down hard against stone, setting off a small cascade of sparks.

"And just what options do you have here, Old Man? What do you think you'll do against monsters and their hunters alike?"

The words are almost casual, and sing song as he tsks, shaking his head.

september has been wild, so i'm taking advantage of my short break to jump back into rp

[rarebenedictine]

Cadfael shrugs. He is indeed an old man with only a bag of medical supplies and a sturdy stick. Stiil, he'd insist there's a lot one can do so equipped.

"What a man can with resources he has. Heal the wounded, protect the innocents, and let the hunters do their biding."

And let God take care of the rest... though he leaves the last part out. He has feeling it would not fall well. There's something odd about the man. Something that wasn't there before.

I apologize then for Kaz lol

[bealufull]

"Innocents," he snorts, shaking his head. "No one here is innocent. Not those born to this place and certainly not those they've dragged here. You think any of us are truly innocents?"

Not that he had ever thought himself to be one. Not since he was very young. Not since before his brother died and Kaz Rietveld had died with him.

"And now you. Not if you would let the hunters do what they want. What gives them the right to kill and the supposed monsters only the right to die? Dragged here just the same as us, aren't they?"

He knows some from his world, that they didn't start here and he assumes the same with the rest.

[rarebenedictine]

"Children, they are the original innocents."

Cadfael nods, slow and thoughtful, not taking his eyes from the other man.

"As for us adults, Summoned or not, I am not in a position to mete any judgements. Not would I want to."

There's rigidity in demanding such declarations, that does not take into account all the rough edges of human experience. But the questions make him pause and look at Kaz. How oddly formulated? How unusual a claim to make.

"What does? Their own actions. Were the beasts not violent, I doubt there would be much protestation to leaving them be. Those huge yellow birds that came before them harmed no one. As did the other creatures."

Even the Annwn dogs. Scary as they looked, they attacked no one. He cannot say the same about the hell hounds that followed them.

[bealufull]

He snorts at that, giving him a look that was equal parts disgust and amusement. "Children are monsters. All you have to do is give them half a chance and they show their true colors. We are all monsters, Father. Even you."

He twists the honorific with a sneer of his lips.

"So only if they play by your rules are they worthy of living?" His hand twists over the gilded head of his cane. An animal head, a crow, gleaming against the black of his gloves. "Yet they've been summoned here, hurt perhaps, confused, and you would have them murdered rather than set upon those that did this to them? To us?"

Whether the us he speaks of is the Summoned or the creatures he'd passed to make him feel that way.

"So should one of us fall violent as well in this prison, what would you do then? Call down hunters to execute them as well so you can all prove your worthiness to our captors?"

[rarebenedictine]

"You seem to have a very broad definition of a monster."

Cadfael leans on his sturdy stick, taking a long look at his companion as he speaks. There's no doubt, he's changed. They might have met once and only in passing and one can never be too sure what himself, let alone other people, will do in extreme situation, but it's clear as day. Something is wrong. So he looks, and he listens, trying to discern, to find a thread he can pull to unravel this madness.

"I do not deny them existence. I do not demand them to be caged if they're harmless or only protecting themselves."

There's a theme to his arguments. He speaks of violence, but he speaks of freedom too, of hurt, of fighting an unequal fight against oppression. Cadfael shakes his head. Who tried to crush you, son? Crushed you hard that it hardened you so much?

"No Summoned to my knowledge has gone on a wild rampage through the villages. None terrorized the fishermen at the sea. None has destroyed buildings, threatened lives of the people working in the mines. Nor poisoned the bay, nor sunk boats on a lake." Cadfael pauses, looking at Kaz directly, his own gaze gentle but unflinching. "Should anyone of us do any such thing, even one, I would oppose them as much as I do the beasts. And I need no authority to tell me this other than my own conscience."

Playing with the beasties - For Altair

[bealufull]

Coming Soon