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

EVENT #14: ANOMALIES - IC EVENT LOG

Event #14 - Anomalies

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


[ Click the image for a larger version. ]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



ushiri: (pic#16104205)

Kyle | Thorne | Open + Closed starters

[personal profile] ushiri 2023-08-19 06:01 pm (UTC)(link)
ushiri: (pic#15839932)

ooc timeline notes

[personal profile] ushiri 2023-08-19 06:01 pm (UTC)(link)
First 24hrs
Inbox, Sabine
Inbox, Viktor
Dukewood Lumber Mills, Faust encounter (ooc)

Early to Middle
➔ Alucard, Horizon
➔ Castiel, Horizon
➔ Claude, Horizon
➔ Linhardt, Thorne

Middle to End
Network, multiple


Edited 2023-08-23 18:59 (UTC)
ushiri: (pic#15839990)

lucifer.

[personal profile] ushiri 2023-08-19 06:40 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Kahlil is eager to set out to the Dukewood Lumber Mills as soon as he gets word from Sergeant Ward about the rumors of strange sightings. The castle needs time to prepare and authorize a response, but Kahlil doesn't require permission for portals. It takes him less than an hour to travel through the Gray Space, no longer tangled up by wards thanks to the brooch attached to his cloak. It is one of the rare times he wears it openly now, hoping to bypass any concern or confusion about his sudden arrival. The workers are still naturally wary when he meets with them. It's already evening, and a few of them are in their cups - trying to steady shaken nerves. Some are dismissive of the rumors, but many more swear they've seen something lurking in the wood.

It's nearing twilight when he stalks out toward the general area of the sightings, past the rows of stacked logs and toward the forest itself. The hair at the back of his neck stands up as he navigates around stumps, finding no immediate signs or tracks to give him direction, only the sense of something watching. He curses to himself as something flies out from the treeline and nearly causes him to jump - just an owl. It's by pure dumb luck that he stumbles upon the rift itself. He hasn't seen one up close yet, they closed too quickly when they first appeared. Something naturally makes him feel ill to look upon it. A tear, a crack in reality that doesn't belong.

There's a flicker of movement in the corner of his eye, and this time it's not a natural creature. Three bright pink blades slash at him, he narrowly jumps back to avoid losing his left arm. Not blades, but claws he realizes as his gaze lands on the creature for the first time. He doesn't linger. Tearing open the Gray Space he jumps inside and flee back to the mill to report his findings, the location of the rift.

He should return immediately to the castle after that, but instead he heads back out to the wood. The rift is still where he left it not long ago - from within the Gray Space it appears no different than other magic - sharp and reflective nonsense. The creature, though, is nowhere to be seen from within. He is sure to check thoroughly, stalking warily around the the near vicinity from the safety of the Gray Space - but, nothing.

When he exits again, something punches the air right out of him from behind, followed by a rush of stabbing pain in his left side just below the ribs. He staggers and just manages to rip another opening into the Gray Space to dive inside, closing it behind him before the creature takes another slash at him.

The return trip takes much longer. He knows he's wounded badly, but not how badly. The Gray Space dulls his senses, turns the pain dull. The trek is a blur until he reaches the familiar sight of the castle walls, and when he exits the Gray Space he practically tumbles out into the hall. It's late and his dark cloak hides the wound in his side, but the sudden pain staggers him, his features drained on color. There's a blood trail beneath him as he tries to limp toward the sergeant's office. ]
ushiri: (pic#15839936)

castle thorne; open (early to mid-event)

[personal profile] ushiri 2023-08-19 06:55 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Maybe word spreads of a Summoned who was badly injured while scouting the lumber mills. If you're looking for him, Kahlil can be found in the castle infirmary on the first day of his return. They've dressed the large puncture wound on the left side of his abdomen, and he sits upright in bed, anxiously glancing out toward the windows. It's clear he doesn't plan on staying very long.

Some of the healers tease him about the dubious glittering fruit that he seems to conjure out of nowhere and absently chews on. He's been offering it to everyone else. Anyone who does take one and eats it remarks on the sweet taste, and the pleasant warmth throughout their body. Some even notice small wounds healing up, or minor complaints like headaches disappearing.

Toward the end of his forced rest period he might be spotted skulking around the castle walls, hunting down the darkhounds that were seen leaping through the open rift. Maybe you notice how pale he still looks as he perches near the edge of the wall - or maybe you know him well enough that the fact that he hasn't noticed your approach is already odd from a distance. ]
Edited 2023-08-21 03:56 (UTC)
ushiri: (pic#16104203)

horizon; open

[personal profile] ushiri 2023-08-19 07:14 pm (UTC)(link)
( content warning: threads in this part will most likely deal with Kahlil's history, specifically the murder and mutilation of women accused of witchcraft. Please see his opt-out for a full list of warnings. )

[ If you have visited Kahlil's domain any time within the past year, or even seen it at a distance, you might notice something different about it lately.

Cracks line the yellow-white marble statue, it's features now melancholy in their calm. Meanwhile, the black marble statue no longer mirrors his twin, instead his mouth opens in a silent scream, his arms bound. The summer sky remains the same, but there's an unnatural stillness to the outer grounds that wasn't there before, like the moment before a storm hits. The trees and bushes no longer bear any fruit, and the stream appears stagnant, no longer flowing clear.

Even stranger are the thick copper wires creeping from the open doors. They extend like crawling ivy in every direction: up the outer walls, threading through the grass, tangled in the bushes and trees. High above the doors the large, circular window has something hanging up there. From far below it may be hard to see...

If you walk through the open doors, you'll find the copper wire continuing to coil up the walls of the large, circular interior. They thread through the branches of the iron tree, nearly reaching the glass dome at the top. And from here, it's now clear what was hanging in the outer window: hundreds of skeletons, a tapestry woven of bones and wire, red runes carved into skulls and ribs and arms. They don't seem to move, or at least you don't catch them moving. But you get the sense that their hollow eyes follow you, and sometimes you might hear something like a whisper behind your back, the voices of women speaking in a foreign tongue, their speech frantic and almost lyrical.

Kahlil can be found here often during the first half of the event.

Early on he's sitting with a yellow dog outside the tower, whispering to her soothingly as she shakes and shivers. As either stranger or friend approach she startles, barking and growling at however approaches.

Later, you might find him trying to remove some of the wire by himself as the dog lays with her head on her paws. He seems almost reluctant, or cautious in a way that almost seems like there's something making him nervous, or afraid to do this. ]


( notes: The skeletons and wires very much resemble the Hungry Bones Anomalous Beast. The ones in his domain are appearing subconsciously from his fear/guilt though, and have no connection to the main beast. They are not particularly aggro unless you'd like them to be! )
Edited 2023-08-19 19:19 (UTC)
catchtheseclaws: (015)

catra | thorne | closed starters

[personal profile] catchtheseclaws 2023-08-19 08:12 pm (UTC)(link)
[ plotting comment is here, or come see me over at [plurk.com profile] cosmonautdelta if you want to plot! ]
cryptsleeper: (Softe)

Alucard | Free Cities | The Hierophant

[personal profile] cryptsleeper 2023-08-19 08:24 pm (UTC)(link)
cryptsleeper: (Increase bad thoughts)

Formahault - OPEN

[personal profile] cryptsleeper 2023-08-19 08:25 pm (UTC)(link)
[The arrival of the beasts does not strike Alucard as especially strange, given that smaller creatures have been coming through the rifts for a little while now. That they're large also doesn't surprise him - it was only a matter of time for them to start to scale up.

But to have them approach a city under quarantine? That puts him on edge. So when information about the location of the rifts stabilizes and is confirmed, he heads there first.

Crouched down beside one of the set of tracks created by the creature, Alucard frowns, pressing his palm down into the imprint. The depth is worrisome.]


If this thing is as large as it presents itself as, I don't know how much good conventional weapons will be against it.
cryptsleeper: <user name="malagraphic"> (Dad mode)

Formahault - CLOSED TO HILDA

[personal profile] cryptsleeper 2023-08-19 08:25 pm (UTC)(link)

[Staying close to Formahault for a few days has allowed Alucard to get a glimpse at the creature threatening the city. If Alucard was being honest, he’d admit that he appreciated the creature in a way. It is wholly new and different to him. Creature and machine. A new shape. Metallic and brilliant in a way he’d never think about a living species before, and it is all the worse for it to be making itself into a problem.

The little hidey spot he’s ducked into with Hilda is a blessing, as it is elevated and lets them observe the creature for a few moments.

His eyes go to Hilda.]


I’d be happy to drive it back for a time. How do you want to proceed?
cryptsleeper: <user name="malagraphic"> (THEY!!!)

Northeastern Mountains - CLOSED TO JASKIER

[personal profile] cryptsleeper 2023-08-19 08:26 pm (UTC)(link)
[Most of the creatures have had solid descriptions so far, which is what makes the Northeastern Mountains different. Intriguing, but in an especially bad way. Things that are harder to detect mean harder to fight and deal with fully.

The wolf at Jaskier’s side has his ears and nose on full alert. It is easier to rely on those senses as a wolf, and his friend’s reaction time as well. They’re a fair match for most things, and Alucard suspects that will be the case here as well.

He lets out a soft snuffle as a means of checking on how the bard is doing.]
cryptsleeper: <user name="malagraphic"> (Hotter and drunker mess)

Horizon - CLOSED TO LOUIS

[personal profile] cryptsleeper 2023-08-19 08:26 pm (UTC)(link)
[With the focus on the real world and the genuine threats to people’s lives, Alucard did think it silly to even bother checking on the Horizon. He cares for his own domain deeply though, and the tenuous connection between the beasts appearing in the Horizon versus the real world is....that’s interesting. Worth investigating.

He arrives to fallen trees that have been disturbed from the ground below, all giant roots exposed and fallen on their sides. The movement catches his eye, and soon enough the culprit surfaces. Some sort of...worm....thing.....disturbing the soil and sending things flying.

Ecologically, beter the Horizon than the real world. This is the kind of thing that destroys crops, cities, infrastructure. Nothing matters and....

...and Alucard slams himself into the thing from above. Here, in the Horizon, the dhampir has everything he needs. The sword he can control with no more than a thought especially. Which he uses too box the thing towards the very edge of his domain, against the low walls made of thorny overgrowth that form a natural boundary. The thing’s size makes it difficult to impale on one of the thorns properly though, and Alucard takes a scant moment to collect himself. Being perched in one of the remaining trees the thing hasn’t downed yet, he stares at it. Watches it circle, knowing it sees him as a problem that needs to be addressed.]
cryptsleeper: <user name="malagraphic"> (Hot mess)

Horizon - OPEN

[personal profile] cryptsleeper 2023-08-19 08:27 pm (UTC)(link)
[It feels safer to wander the Horizon at this point, seeing if a creature needs to be wrangled for a time. Alucard treds lightly, eyes open and looking for any sign of Summoned rather than creatures.

He doesn’t approach first. There’s always a nod of the head and waiting for a reaction. If another is passing through or needs the time alone, it is given. It is only once someone has indicated that he’s fine to walk over that Alucard does so.]


How is it going in your faction?
cryptsleeper: <user name="malagraphic"> (Dad mode)

Red Path - OPEN

[personal profile] cryptsleeper 2023-08-19 08:27 pm (UTC)(link)
--Worrisome.

[Alucard’s hand traces over the scorch marks against the rocks. He’s floating to do so, the burns being as high up as they are. There is a clear arc at play, the thing can probably control the flame to some extent.

He follows the sweeping curve and lands back down in the sand, looking over his shoulder.]


Were the people who saw it last able to get a height estimate?
cryptsleeper: <user name="malagraphic"> (wreck with great glee)

Wildcard

[personal profile] cryptsleeper 2023-08-19 08:27 pm (UTC)(link)
righteously: (¹⁵ I sᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀᴅ ᴍᴏᴏɴ ᴀ-ʀɪsɪɴɢ)

Dean Winchester | Free Cities | The Lovers

[personal profile] righteously 2023-08-19 08:31 pm (UTC)(link)
( open and closed starters to follow; hit me at [plurk.com profile] paingravy or righteously for any questions. )
Edited 2023-08-19 20:48 (UTC)
magicalarchaeologist: (presenting to brotherhood)

Istredd | Thorne | High Priestess

[personal profile] magicalarchaeologist 2023-08-19 08:33 pm (UTC)(link)
[ooc: starters to come, feel free to poke on plurk or plot comment]
Edited 2023-08-19 20:34 (UTC)
cryptsleeper: <user name="malagraphic"> (Hotter and drunker mess)

First half of the event

[personal profile] cryptsleeper 2023-08-19 08:38 pm (UTC)(link)
[With the news coming in about the impact of the beasts on the Horizon and Alucard sustaining damage to his own domain, he has taken to walking along the borders of places to see what has arisen in other factions. He doesn't know if there will be a plan to try and push the beasts out to waiting packs of armed Summoned and natives who can then deal with the beasts for good, but seeing if there are patterns to where they appear is a good first step.

He's taken to his wolf form for the time being in order to get together some thoughts and perspective. Shifting forms helps him think, and--

--the barking makes him pause.

At the edge of the Domain, a white wolf stares at the dog, then tilts it's head slightly to read the tone of the bark better.]
righteously: (90)

open to all; hunting

[personal profile] righteously 2023-08-19 08:49 pm (UTC)(link)
( Dean spends the first twelve or so hours of shit going down in the recon faze. Hunting down the first hints and rumors of a monster problem in the barracks with Geralt, relaying information to Cas and Jo back at Hunter House. Strategizing, communicating, piecing together the puzzle of what's going down and communicating about it do the summoned at large.

After that, he straps on his Big Boy pants and his Big Boy sword, and gets to work. The vast majority of the next several days are spent in the field, exhausting himself as he follows one reporting after another to most of the rift locations, fighting things laughably larger than he is. He survives on four hours of sleep, road-rationed coffee, and a flask of whiskey. It is, in other words, The Good Old Days for him.

He can be found in the following places:

• Stalking around the Barracks in a pair of glasses with a rifle in his hands, looking stern. Here, he'll most likely be hunting Hellhounds.
• Battling something massive in the Badlands. It's possible that if he's hunting a monster that burries under the sand, he may have a pristine white set of wings out, not flying so much as gliding from rock to rock to avoid disrupting the earth.
• Interviewing a merchant at The Red Path, looking more worn down after days of fighting. Gathering information about what he's heading into, right before he actually mounts up and rides out to look for a fight.

For those less combat-inclined, it's easy to catch him after a battle, dragging his battered body back to the nearest civilization or small camp to patch up his wounds the Winchester way: by splashing booze on it, sewing it closed haphazardly, or popping his own shoulders back into place.
)


feel free to pick any combination of location and monster you're keen on, and we can jump into things mid-fight — or he can run into ill-suited characters before they get themselves killed and try to talk them out of it before the fight even starts.
Edited 2023-08-20 08:25 (UTC)
sorser: (pic#15804698)

stephen strange | thorne | death

[personal profile] sorser 2023-08-19 08:54 pm (UTC)(link)
(( open and closed starters below! feel free to hit me up at [plurk.com profile] aurajen if you want to plot smth specifically out! ))
thepath: (026)

cal kestis ☆ free cities ☆ the hanged man

[personal profile] thepath 2023-08-19 09:32 pm (UTC)(link)
[ plotting comment is here, or feel free to hit me up at [plurk.com profile] matriarchy or on discord @ britt (i'm in the game server)! i've left prompts vague re: anomalous beasts, so feel free to throw in any that strike your fancy. i'm kind of leaning towards the rancor (for trauma), thunderjaw (big machine boy), all big worms, myriapod, anything with tentacles, night creature, and pookas, but honestly, i'm down for literally anything. come at me. ]
theidlemaiden: (Default)

hilda goneril | free cities | the lovers

[personal profile] theidlemaiden 2023-08-19 09:41 pm (UTC)(link)
( PLOTTING COMMENT | starters below/to follow

if you want something specific, hit me up on discord or [plurk.com profile] timescars )
Edited 2023-08-19 21:42 (UTC)
theidlemaiden: (pic#16094989)

— ooc tracking

[personal profile] theidlemaiden 2023-08-19 09:50 pm (UTC)(link)
— ooc things
▪ mod comm — formahault fortification
▪ roll — dragon
▪ roll — demogorgon
— ic threads
rancor sighting, horizonfinn
thunderjaw, formahault alucard
— network threads
demonic beast info share, networkvarious
rumors, sightings + check inclaire
rift investigations + ALARM viktor
a friend in dangerrhy
Edited 2023-08-31 05:47 (UTC)
sorser: (pic#16418485)

closed to istredd.

[personal profile] sorser 2023-08-19 09:57 pm (UTC)(link)
[Early in the morning, as fate would have it, his watch started blaring again.

Never good news, and definitely enough to jolt him awake. Enough for him to check with immediacy the reasoning for it, a thaumametor going off somewhere in the region to sound the alarm. Enough for him to immediately go to Ambrose—yes, in these wee hours of the morning—to request permission to investigate. He was granted it, and even granted further permission to bring along someone else for investigation. A quick message sent Istredd’s way was more than enough to fill that slot, and now…

They step out of the portal, surveying the area before them.

It’s a quaint little village, and certainly none that Stephen’s had the pleasure of visiting prior to now; in fact, he’s not quite sure any Summoned has set foot in Whitehill Village, and it’s a shame that this is why they were drawn here to investigate—]


My money’s on another unexpected visitor causing all the trouble.

[The “trouble”, of course, being the corrosive substance left in a film across a rare, blossoming flower only native to this valley. A Snow Petal, which has also garnered a passing interest from Stephen, though he supposes academic interest can wait for now.

Small rifts had existed before now, bringing in relatively harmless creatures from other worlds; he suspects a larger one might have torn through the veil somewhere close to here, thus the blaring alert on his watch that woke him with a start. (He has no reason to suspect it's anything more serious than what will unveil itself, in time. But boy, they're both in for a surprise, aren't they.)]


But let’s see what the villagers have to say.
Edited 2023-08-24 02:36 (UTC)
sorser: (pic#16418510)

closed to thancred.

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

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

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


You’ve got to be kidding me.

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

It really is that thing again.
Edited 2023-08-22 01:21 (UTC)
vecna: (pic#15832702)

henry creel | solvunn | the hierophant

[personal profile] vecna 2023-08-19 10:02 pm (UTC)(link)
(( open and closed starters below! feel free to hit me up at [plurk.com profile] aurajen if you want to plot smth specifically out! ))