OPEN MINGLE: Time to Talk, Summoned!

[magicalarchaeologist]

Who: Istredd, Wanda, and all the Summoned
What: Istredd and Wanda called people to the meeting to give an info dump, let people ask questions or share their own information, and then a hang out after with refreshments so people can chat after and make new CR or check in with old CR.
Where: Istredd's Horizon
When: Saturday, September 9th, at midnight so less attention given to them.
Warnings: Discussion of the game plots including all content warnings up to now like psychological thriller, horror, the cult kidnapping, gods being trouble. Abraxas is a wild place, friends.

HORIZON AND SET UP

The Lighthouse was described by Istredd in detail so people would know where to go. During this mingle, it will continue to shine and circle around like a normal lighthouse so people know where to go. His domain is unique for being essentially a tower of books. Shelves upon shelves of books and multiple floors. The only other detail before the talk starts is that there are five ravens who will be curiously watching everyone from a perch nearby. Your character may end up with a lapful of one of the two leosylphs who live here, one baby blue colored and the other one black with red eyes.

The main floor has been turned into a large meeting hall of a sort, although mostly in terms of having a large space full of chairs and a few tables if people wish to sit there. Your character can perch anywhere they want including up a floor. A key note about Istredd's domain is that people can easily morph chairs or create them in whatever form they'd want, so if you want them to have their childhood chair, go ahead. If they want a gaming chair, it'll show up automatically for them. His space is very intuitive. People can choose to speak either from the back of the room, as Istredd will do, or from where they sit/stand.

If your character wants to attend but not be noticed, they can intuitively use his Horizon to mask themselves/go invisible. Istredd will not call you out, Henry Creel.

After the initial formal talk and information gathering, Istredd will ease up the more formal atmosphere of the large hall and create a food and drink section against the walls. Wanda assists him in making this look nicer and homier. There will be extensive offerings but people can add any type of food or drink to this, it's up to them to modify it.

If your character would like to explore the library or get a beat to themselves/talk privately with someone, they can do that by wandering the floors. People will find that if they open a book it will appear to be empty at first, but if they think about their favorite book, the pages will fill in. It is entirely based on their recollection of the book so may not be entirely complete, but if their subconscious mind has memorized much of it, they will see what they need to in there.

They may also find that as they move through the floors, a 'reading nook' may appear in the corner that will instinctively know what they would feel comfortable sitting to read with. They can also 'lock' this room if they want to discuss something with another person and need privacy.

ISTREDD'S SPEECH

[Istredd will wait until it appears everyone has arrived or most people have and he will clear his throat to get their attention if they are already chatting with other people. He appears as he often does in Thorne, with very plain clothes in a dark shade of blue, serious and calm. He stands straight-backed, hands clasped behind his back. Istredd speaks in a very clear and calm way.]

Please sit or stand as you feel comfortable. If you want, you can create any chair you wish to sit in. After the initial conversation, food and drinks will be provided and you are free to add your own favorite dishes. This is intended as an information-gathering conversation. Last year, Sam Wilson hosted something similar to keep the Summoned informed, and a great many things have happened since. Wanda and I thought to do the same this year.

We posted on the network a breakdown of what happened with the kidnapping earlier this year. If you missed it, the general idea was that a cult from Solvunn took half of the Summoned and held us in a pit, where they were experimented on. The cult's intention was to try and take the connection the Summoned have to the Singularity, and what they believed to also be a connection to their gods.

It should be noted that Thorne tried something similar early on in the Summonings. Their experimentation also did not work, as far as we know. We thought it prudent to keep every Summoned informed of what happened in case something like this happens again. We have put forward from the Solvunn and Thorne conclave a request to our factions to allow us to have access to the island. We'll let people know what we hear.

I also put together a history timeline of the Summoned.

[He pulls out a blackboard with this list written down over it in clear readable words. He points to the February 20,078 section where the details about the kidnapping are written out in particular.]

If anyone would like to add notes or months I missed, please either write it yourself or let me know and I will add it. I am hoping to keep this an active timeline for us. This will always be available in my library here to anyone who wants it. We have also been given a pantheon of the gods from our friends in Solvunn that is also available in here.

I have been taking notes since I got here about general information that may be of interest to people when they arrive, including details about magic, the Singularity, and the factions. They're very broad but you can read it on this.

[He creates another blackboard to the side, also able for other people to make notes upon.]

I don't want to be talking this entire time, so instead I would like to invite people to share any findings or information they have that they think the whole group should be aware of, and also ask questions that could be answered or talked about. Please be polite with one another and understand there are some things we simply do not have the answers for as of now.

There are less than a hundred of us, and I believe it is important that we stay on the same team. Thank you. Feel free to eat and talk, or wander in the library.

OOC NOTES

Hey everyone, it's Dee! I am so sorry for the tl;dr. I have the headers below: Speeches (information sharing/tl;dr like mine), Questions (you can specify what exactly they have questions about), adding to the info dumps I have, and whatever else you think of.

If you want your character to speak/offer information but don't want follow-up questions, you can put 'OTA' or 'no follow-up' to indicate what your preference is here. If you put OTA people can reply with a sort of Q&A option, but the no follow-up idea is so that people can share information but not need to commit to that unless they feel like it.

And from there, mingle to your heart's content! Your characters can talk afterward, before, go explore the library, whatever you want, I support it. You can plan closed or open starters, follow your heart.

If nothing else, I want people to take from this mingle that their character can hear any of this information or see it in the library and have it from now on for your RP purposes, and take this opportunity to maybe make new CR/discuss all of this. Do as much or as little as you want! If you have any comments/concerns, please message me on plurk.

Comments

echoes the apology and the screaming

[falcony]

"Wait wait- hold up. Are we talking about siding with the gods that Solvunn's out there worshiping? The same ones that the cult kidnapped people to try and get closer to?" Sam knows that isn't what Istredd means when he brings them up in this conversation, but he does feel like it's important to state that. To make sure they're taking that part of this whole conversation into account. He doesn't think finding other allies is a bad idea, either, but involving anything that involves faith, and religion, and something as complicated as the workings over in Solvunn, is just going to make everything they're doing even more complicated.

He sees the dark look cross Thancred's face at the mention of the draft in the Cities, and he can only nod. There is a lot about the possibility of that Sam is morally against, and that isn't even getting into all the people he knows who would not do well in a forced military situation. Geralt is definitely on that list.

The conversation moves on, though, and now it's Sam's turn to allow his expression to darken as he nods in agreement with Jaskier's correction. Whether or not the Summoned have been targeted as a whole, the Summoned have started making waves. Jaskier is a perfect example, someone that an everyday local would recognize, who they like. It's only a matter of time before individual Abraxans decide that they can get what they want using one of the Summoned for their own gains.

"To Jaskier's point- I think it would make more sense for all of us to find different threads. We can help each other out, but the more ground we can cover, the better; and the more we can keep each other up to date, the easier it'll be, too."

[magicalarchaeologist]

"I spoke with Josselyn at length before she died, it would be a mistake to assume the cult had the ears of the gods because she claimed it." Istredd is pretty positive they did not, albeit with some acknowledgment the illusions spoke to a possible assistance, but there was no proof to him that it was the truth. He doesn't think she was insane as some people do.

"There are Summoned who have experienced positive interactions with the gods, and they have an invested interest in the Singularity given how they can influence the Horizon as we do. Are they responsible for what humans do in their name?" Istredd shrugs. "I'm not saying we should be reckless with that kind of power, but we shouldn't be crossing out options either." That's why the gods were the last option he put forward, because he understands it's complicated, but he is more than willing to make a deal if he thinks it is the wise choice.

[funbreaker]

Jaskier's correction of Thancred's statement only serves to disquiet him further. The man who is currently a bird is right, of course — Thancred may make a point of knowing as much as he can, but there may be other incidents of which he's unaware, especially if they happened in other factions.

The attack on the delegates, though — that he can speak to in some degree. He turns toward the little bird as he hops around on the table. It feels a bit absurd to be addressing him with such a serious tone when he's in this form, but he pushes through that for now. "I did ask Jolene Sybell about that, as it happens. I wanted to know why the rulers in Thorne felt they could be so certain that the Free Cities was behind the attack, when you — the Free Cities' own delegate — was one of those targeted. She seemed to think that wouldn't have necessarily stayed their hand, especially since you were originally Summoned to Thorne."

He rolls his eyes then, making no secret that he finds that explanation flimsy at best. It would be one thing if Jaskier weren't famous throughout all of Cadens and beyond, but he is.

As for the chatter between Sam and Istredd about the gods, there is so much they have yet to understand about them. "It's unlikely that every single god has the same goals or feelings about us, either. We should take care regardless." He has some experience with god-like beings, and it rarely ends well.

Still, he does agree that they all need to focus on a different thread, something to keep track of in their faction and then share with the others periodically. He nods to Sam to indicate his agreement.

[cointosser]

"And there are far more gods than only the ones that Josselyn's cult worshiped, Sam." Just so he isn't getting things mixed up. If Jaskier has any ideas of dabbling with the gods, it certainly will not involve those -- or the three that pushed their rotting influence through the factions. "Far more than you are used to seeing, perhaps."

Far more than even have names to this day. When he was in Thorne, he spent the majority of his time reading. And then with access to more knowledge -- in the Free Cities. And communications with Rhy, and Himeka, and those who have touched the gods... it is a dangerous power, but not one that can be written off entirely.

Jaskier tips his head up to Thancredd, his feathers ruffling. "Unfortunately, it's something I've considered myself. The people may love me, but I am only one more pawn on the board. A particularly colorful one." And not because of how he dresses. He makes no mistake thinking that Marlo or Quilleth would not use him if he was willing and they had a way to do it. The same could be said of the werewolves, too.

it's simply the way the world works. "But in my heart of hearts, it's not what I fully believe."

But he's (mostly) moved past it. They have more important things to linger on.

Jaskier gives a glance at Geralt, noting his silence; it's not unheard of, it just means he has nothing to add nor correct. "Very well, then. As Sam said -- different threads. I will keep tabs on Solvunn's activities as I can through mutual acquaintances, but I excel in the movements of the Free Cities. We shall do what we all can. I believe that's the best we can ask for."

[gynvael]

It's true that Geralt hasn't anything to contribute. Or specifically, he hasn't anything he wants to contribute. Not right now. He needs more time to reflect on what's been said. He assembled them not for answers but to bring them on the same page. Ensure nobody triggers a cascade of events unbeknownst to the rest.

That's been accomplished, he thinks. The remainder is...theory and speculation. Though, he agrees that the gods do not seem to act without the beckoning of men. Not as far as he knows. In every phenomenon involving the gods, there was a catalyst. An offering, an accidental disturbance. A deliberate invocation.

There is one more thing. One more thread.

"The kingdoms are not the only ones with an agenda. The other Summoned have their ambitions, too."

And they may be more difficult to predict. It would be remiss to pretend they all want the same thing simply because they've found themselves in a similar predicament and have been branded as one. Geralt's had more than one conversation that's left him uneasy.

Still. What needed to be said has been said. Since the bard has not seen fit to take human form, Geralt plucks him up like a wayward bread roll.

"You know how to reach me."