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

[ushiri]

[ He scowls at the ceiling. ]

I really feel like I'm giving off the wrong impression. I'm usually very good at not getting hurt.

[ Kahlil is usually very good at not being seen at all to even get injured. Despite his seemingly facetious response, the light chastisement does have an effect on him. After a second, he sighs to himself. ]

I will try my best not to end up back here.

[ He doesn't want to be stuck in a bed any longer than he has to while others are out there and the monsters are wreaking havoc. ]

cw: injury grossness/medical talk

[sleepfan]

Your body disagrees.

[Linhardt gently taps each of the numerous scars on Kyle's torso, lightly enough so that the touch is barely felt.]

Unless you did this to yourself on purpose, in which case it's your mind that concerns me.

[His tone is completely deadpan. Anybody who hurts themselves on purpose is somebody to worry about.

He nods in acknowledgement of Kyle's 'promise', glad to have gotten through. Telling people not to endanger themselves usually has little impact; it is the results of their injuries on others that they like to avoid. Edelgard will not act to prevent her own injury, but pointing out that Hubert follows her and is far more vulnerable has borne some fruit. She is... more considerate than she had been.]

I wanted to thank you for showing me around the town. It was helpful in the evacuation efforts.

[Linhardt finally turns his full attention to the puncture wound in Kyle's torso. The healer grabs several towels and places them on the bed, then he gestures for Kyle to turn onto his side. He places his hands over the top of the wound and inhales, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. It is easier to feel around with magic than rely on his eyes.

He murmurs something inaudible and makes a gesture with his right hand, drawing in power and concentrating.

At first, Kyle feels a tingling from inside his body as Linhardt heals the wound from the inside out, carefully directing the magic to heal the deepest wounds - the wounds in the organs and their vital connections - first, bringing the spilled internal fluids to the surface and flowing out of the wound so that they would not be stuck inside the other man to fester. Linhardt presses the towels to the wound and absorbs the substances oozing out of Kyle, then moves them away. Satisfied that the wound could now be closed without causing further issues, Linhardt reaches for the magic again - this time Kyle feels a strange sense of internal itching that gives away to a flood of pleasure as the pain recedes and Linhardt reconnects the nerves that had been injured. Finally, Linhardt's magic closes the puncture wound itself, leaving Kyle with a weirdly unscarred part of his torso.

Claude had not been lying when he'd said Linhardt's magical abilities eclipsed his own.]

If you end up back here, you are going on the bottom of my priority list.

[Ugh. These towels were disgusting. Linhardt makes a face as he teleports them over to the basket that the other healers had designated for dirty bandages and supplies. He isn't going to touch them. Gross. Bodily fluids were gross.

Healing is gross sometimes.]

cw: euthanasia, child abuse

[ushiri]

[ At first Kahlil bristles slightly at the implication, and in his weakened state he lets slip more defensively than he normally might: ]

These were lessons. The others who failed, there wasn't much of them left to heal.

[ Giving them enough pain killers to ease them into a quicker death was the best the priest-healer could do. Learning to use the Gray Space was treacherous. Kahlil had seen many of his fellow acolytes reappear with missing limbs, or slashed to ribbons. Worse were the ones who seemed fine from the outside for a few minutes, and then it swiftly became clear that they were not.

Some of the scars are not from the Gray Space, though. These were lessons meant specifically for him, when he was young.

He's still grimacing, but he nods when Linhardt thanks him for the tour. He's glad for the man's eagerness to get himself situated. Some, not that he blames them, put it off for too long. They get lost in the feeling of being an outsider.

Claude is a talented man, but this is... something else. He feels the need to stay very still even though Linhardt didn't expressly command him to, though he desperately wants to squirm all of a sudden once the itching starts - he clamps down on that feeling until it fades into something else.

Kahlil looks down at the empty, clean space and unscarred where his wound had been. He moves a hand to touch the spot, lips parted.

Then Linhardt starts teleporting the soaked towels and his eyes narrow at the healer. ]

What did you just do?

[sleepfan]

Any teacher who could only teach lessons in that way is a poor one.

[That is all Linhardt will say on the matter: He sees no reason to pry. What happened to Kyle and his peers is not any of Linhardt's business or even his concern. If Kyle wants to talk, he will. If he doesn't, he won't. Linhardt has made his disapproval clear.

It's interesting to see how people react to advanced healing magic. Kyle's reaction is not an uncommon one - many of the soldiers under his care do not experience such a thing until they end up with an injury that Linhardt himself needs to tend to.]

Hmm?

[What did he just do? He healed Kyle. That's obvious, isn't it? Unless Kyle is asking for details.]

I healed your wound with 2 healing spells - I could have used one, but it was more important to allow for your wound to drain. Otherwise, you would have had issues later even if the wound were healed.

[Or maybe the towels?]

Warp magic. It's preferable to touching the soiled material.

[Linhardt shudders slightly. He's...a bit squeamish, even if he's gotten much better.]

[ushiri]

[ Kahlil will always have complicated feelings toward his training, and his teacher. He would not wish Dayyid on anyone, especially not the young men and women here.

He relaxes slightly again, raising an eyebrow as Linhardt explains the method of healing - and then hits on what Kahlil had actually meant. ]

Warp magic. [ He repeats, his gaze shifting to where the towels went. ]

How does it work?

[ He's suddenly very focused, his curiosity a little intense. ]

[sleepfan]

Yes.

[The healer confirms the term for the magic.]

Warp magic is Fodlan's version of teleportation magic. I have not yet gotten the opportunity to compare it with magical systems other than the Abraxan one. In my world, it is an advanced sub-specialty of faith magic, though there exists a dark magical version as well that I do not know.

One has to have very well developed magical senses - you need to be able to sense objects via the energy surrounding them in order to move them, and that energy is very faint around non-living items. People and animals are easier in some sense, but they require much more energy. You warp something by creating a connection between your own fundamental energy and the objects or people to be moved. Then you wrap them in your own energy and move them - like targeting a new spell, but instantaneously. You need to remember things like making space for all of them and placing them at the right height, and so on.

[Warp magic is difficult. It is not a common skill in Fodlan.]

At home, I use it to move units around the battlefield.

Here...

[Linhardt's eyes stray towards the pile of discarded towels.]

Well. I don't have to touch things that are disgusting.

[To state his powers are more limited than he's used to would be understating it. Linhardt is a magical person to the bone, and having some of his magic just...not work... is infuriating. Especially as his discussion with Istredd suggests that Thorne has done this to him.]

Do you have other questions?

[Linhardt is used to having random interests, he doesn't question them in anyone else. If Kyle wants to know about warp magic, Linhardt sees no reason not to share.]

[ushiri]

I do.

[ Kahlil is much more comfortable talking about this subject than anything to do with himself, he doesn't bother to hide this. He sits up again now, propped by the pillow at his back. It hurts less to shift around than earlier.

It's his turn to ask many questions. ]

Are you able to move yourself? What god do you give your faith to?

[ Claude, despite his abilities, did not have much faith in the gods of his world. Kahlil had been able to substitute his own faith in Parfir while learning the single spell from his friend. He frowns. ]

'A dark magical version' - this is forbidden? [ Forbidden work. ]

[sleepfan]

[Linhardt would much rather discuss magic than someone's personal life. Magic is much more interesting. He smiles slightly when Kyle asks him questions. Linhardt knows how to handle questions. He enjoys questions.]

I can, but it requires a lot more effort. Which is why it is odd that I can do so here but I cannot move anyone else.

[A mystery. It does suggest that something is dampening his ability to latch on to other life energy, although Nosferatu appears to work as it always has. A true mystery he will need to examine.]

Although the subset of magic is termed faith magic and the Church of Seiros says it requires faith in Her teachings, it is unclear if that is correct. I am a member of an army waging war on the Church and I have had no difficulties. On the other hand, I do believe in Sothis and Her creation - I just believe to reference the original texts myself rather than follow the Church's interpretation.

[Linhardt has spent too much time with the oldest texts and seen too much to have any doubt that Sothis existed in Fodlan, and his talks with the others had all but confirmed it.]

It would be forbidden, but that is not why I do not know it - I do not care what the Church does and does not allow. I do not know it because it is only known by a group who is also our enemies. They do not share their magic with us - what we know is very rudimentary.

[ushiri]

[ Limitations aren't really a surprise. Kahlil can't speak to having issues moving with other people though, mostly because only the ushiri'im can move through the Gray Space. Even in his own world he wouldn't be able to carry a passenger through it.

What Linhardt says next about his goddess and the church strikes a different, familiar chord. ]

A church is fallible. They can be led astray from their god. [ He's come to accept this about his own faith. The Payshmura claimed to act in Parfir's name, but the men who ran the church were corrupt. They protected themselves in their Black Tower, and pushed the people until they rebelled. Jath'ibaye, the Rifter himself, had led that rebellion and saw his own church destroyed.

So he sees no reason why warring against the church would affect Linhardt's abilities. ]

[sleepfan]

Yes, they can. In Fodlan's case, the situation is complicated by the fact that the head of the Church is one of the Goddess's Children. Still, as of this moment, I cannot say concretely whether Fodlan's faith magic actually requires faith or not. Or of what kind.

[Linhardt stops to look out a window, thinking. He doesn't spend a lot of time thinking about Sothis - he used to when he was younger. He does believe, but not without questions. He knows what would cause him to abandon Her. In some ways, what he is is worse to the Church than a non-believer: someone who believes yet does not place that belief at the center of his life.

That is truth. And life.

His gaze returns to Kyle.]

Do you have an interest in warp magic? Have you studied it in your world?

[ushiri]

Is that a title they claim, or is there proof?

[ Of their divine blood.

It's a funny question for him to ask, and yet three years past the destruction of the Payshmura, his own slow break from everything the church taught him - he has to wonder what it's like in other worlds. The Usho was supposed to be the most holy of men, the one chosen by Parfir himself - but it was the ushiri'im who had been blessed with physical proof, their abilities to enter the Gray Space. All heretical thoughts... and no one here but himself to punish him for it anymore.

His gaze continues to fix on Linhardt even as the younger man turns to look out through the window, he'll meet it again when he turns back to Kahlil. ]

We don't have warp magic. My abilities are similar, though. They help me with deliveries.

[ His job, which Linhardt already knows about. ]

[sleepfan]

[It's a good question. Linhardt considers how to answer it, weighing it in his mind.]

We have proof that they are not human, but I cannot say with absolute certainty that they were hand-created by Sothis. I was not there, nor were there any people who left appreciable records.

[Linhardt is inclined to think that they are telling the truth.]

All of my research indicates that they are telling the truth, but there was also a lot of information being manipulated by various factions in Fodlan. It's possible that I was led to the wrong conclusion.

[That is as honest an answer as he can give Kyle. Now it is Linhardt's turn to look at him with interest.]

Did you learn your abilities or were you born with them?

[With deliveries. That makes Linhardt smile, a genuine smile that touches his eyes. He likes to hear of people using magic for non-violent means. Even if delivering things was a basic task, why not use his abilities? They would make the work easier and give Kyle more time to rest. That is what Linhardt would do with more free time. The thought of sleep causes the healer to yawn.]

Do you want to compare how your teleportation works with my warp magic? I want to see if there are similarities in different magical systems amongst the Summoneds' worlds.

[ushiri]

[ Many Earths have a concept of 'angels', something that was foreign to him in Basawar. The angels he's met here refer to their god as both creator and father, considering them his children, so this is what he thinks of as Linhardt explains. Kahlil isn't one to question the faith of others unless it directly effects him or anyone under his protection, so he doesn't pursue the topic further than that. He's simply curious. ]

Born with.

[ It is a fact of pride for him, to be born with god's own bones. Even when he questioned why he was chosen.

When Linhardt asks about comparing their abilities, Kahlil casts his gaze meaningfully on the other people in the infirmary, the healers and assistants busily moving around. ]

We could - maybe another time. [ Kahlil had hid his abilities for his first six months in Abraxas, there are still aspects of it that he hasn't revealed to their hosts - or even most of the other Summoned.

He knows for a fact that his power is more different than similar to the portals the other Summoned utilize. ]

[sleepfan]

So your abilities are more similar to a Crest than to Fodlan's prosaic magics - at least in how you come by them. Are they something you've always had control over? When did they appear?

[The questions are from nothing more than curiosity: Linhardt has a chance to learn about many types of magic and he is going to take that chance. Who knows what could be revealed about Crests or magical inheritance with the information he has available to him in Abraxas?

The healer watches Kyle's gaze. He understands. They are in a situation where it may pay off to be secretive about certain things. There is a reason he has not told anyone where his family's Crest comes from.]

Of course. We have to attend to this...situation first. And I need to do some more experimenting to refine what I know of how my warp magic works in Thorne.

[There. Good reasons to put things off that don't draw attention to the fact that there may be secrets. They are only being practical and dealing with the immediate destruction first.]

[ushiri]

I was young when they first... manifested. In a moment of stress. It saved my life.

[ For better or worse.

He's familiar enough with Crests, at least. Claude has spoken to him about those inheritances. Whether or not the ushiri'im inherit their powers is something mystics could debate, though. God would not give his gifts to someone only because of their blood, he thinks. But that is in Basawar.

Linhardt may get the sense from Kahlil's expression and tone that the rest of that story isn't something he wishes to talk about, here or in private. There is a distance to both, the look of someone who doesn't wish to be lost in a certain kind of memory. It's not a good story.

He changes the subject quickly enough. ]

Will you be staying here, or heading out? [ To help the others investigate, and possibly fight these beasts. ]

[sleepfan]

[Linhardt wants to ask more questions. How young? What situation did the abilities save Kyle from? Does he have more control over them now and is that usual? (Could he learn from Kyle and be more able to control his Crest abilities? Their uncontrollable nature has always frustrated Linhardt.) But if he asks then the odds are Kyle will not keep speaking to him, and Linhardt does not wish to close any doors behind him at present.

The tug of war is present on Linhardt's face, curiosity openly competing with empathy and understanding.

Eventually, the empathy wins and the healer drops the question. He does not like when people pressure him, so he will not pressure others. That he is obsessed with magic does not mean everyone else must be so, just as Edelgard's obsessions do not obligate everyone else to also place them at the forefront of their actions.]

That depends on what is needed. If I am needed here, I will stay. Likewise, if the healers in the field need a rest, I will go and help relieve them. If Thorne's native healers have the situation under control, I would like to investigate the rifts and the creatures that are coming through them.

[Linhardt wants to go learn, but he will not put that desire above lives. If someone dies because he would rather study than heal, he would feel guilty.]

And you?

[Conversations are supposed to be reciprocal.]

we can probably wrap here?

[ushiri]

[ Kahlil watches the battle play out across Linhardt's expression, curious to how it'll turn. Not that it matters. Kahlil doesn't intend to ever speak on the first time he used the Gray Space, not with any specifics. He'd be far more open to comparing the present, his current level of control - but even then, there will be caveats.

Either way, one side eventually wins out, and the topic is tabled for now. Kahlil selfishly feels a little relieved. ]

I promised to be good, didn't I?

[ A raised eyebrow, his tone a little wry. He shakes his head. ]

It's good that we have you and your knowledge.

[ This he says with more open sincerity. Healers are always needed, and he does appreciate Linhardt's willingness to jump in feet first. ]