EVENT #15: THE NETHER - IC EVENT LOG

[abraxasmods]

Event #15 - The Nether

OOC event plotting | settings info

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After a Conclave vote earlier this month, you're prepared to accept the formal request from the Nether for your assistance. By now, you'll know who the delegates are and that the dragons have suffered an illness from the rifts that opened this summer, due to the unfortunate actions of one of your fellow Summoned. Whether or not you agree with your Conclave's majority rule, the decision has been made.

The expedition will begin on October 16 and last 10 days. If you need to return home sooner, you can activate your portal stone at any point during the trip, but there's no going back once you do.

Though mysterious, the Draconae - or daemons, as others call them - are not elusive like the Fey. Anyone who's been to Nocwich will have seen a handful of them amongst the population, and some reside in the Free Cities or the outskirts of Thorne. The only nation they aren't found in is Solvunn.

Into the Heart

Your arrival to the Nether is a frosty one. The northern island is barren, save for a thick layer of snow, a few birds, and some hardy insects. Massive skeletal remains can be seen as you walk over the ice. Every few minutes, the ground trembles. The Draconae warriors greet you at the base of the volcano, including Orion, The Warden herself. Though they appear intimidating, they're grateful you're here and will clap you heartily on the back.

Entering the Obsidian Heart requires nerves of steel, but appearances aside, the narrow walkway is sturdy. As long as you're brave, you'll make it down without a problem. The less sure-footed are encouraged to ask for a hand. If they do, they'll be assigned a Draconum warrior who will cheerfully carry them down the winding path. You can also help each other, of course! Any Summoned who are capable can carry their friends, too.

As you venture down, the oppressive heat intensifies...until suddenly it stops. The moment you reach the fiery gates, the smell of brimstone fades from the air and the temperature eases into that of a pleasant summer's day. If asked, the Draconae will tell you this is how it is - a blessing from the two remaining dragons. Without them, the air would suffocate all life within.

Although the main purpose is to aid the dragons, the Draconae will invite characters to take breaks, participate in recreational activities, and explore the Nether. They want their guests to be comfortable, especially as the Summoned have arrived to help.

Around the City

At the center of the volcano lies the Obsidian Heart, where the Draconae reside. Made of stacking homes and stone bridges that spiral downward, it's a wonder how anyone finds their way. There are no maps, signage, or any form of direction. Their ability to navigate appears inherent. The most dangerous beasts lurk beneath the lava, so unless you intend to go swimming, you're unlikely to run into anything aggressive.

Doors and furniture are heavy and are made of iron, bronze, or steel. You might need to push or pull furnishings and doors with both hands and extra effort. Luckily, citizens are happy to help - as long as you ask. If you don't, they won't interfere out of respect for your autonomy. In fact, if they see you huffing and puffing, they might stop to watch and will sincerely cheer for you should you accomplish your objective by yourself.

Watch your sticky fingers. While petty theft is a minor offence in other places, the Draconae are highly protective of their belongings and treasures. Hands and heads have been lost over stolen trinkets.

The Hieran Wing

As a guest, you'll be invited to stay at the Hieran Wing. Named after Hierus, the oldest living dragon, the Hieran Wing is located in the eastern section of the Citadel. The rest of the Citadel is under heavy guard and inaccessible.

◎ The rooms are carved into the stone itself. Bedding is comfortable, if simple, with room to store your belongings. A curved stairwell grants you privacy even though many rooms have curtains rather than doors. The few rooms that have doors contain no locks. Your safety is assured, but if you're nervous, you can ask for a guard to watch you at night.

◎ The dining area consists of open-fire grills, pots, and raw ingredients - including spices and fiery hot peppers. As great believers in self-sufficiency, the Draconae will leave you to make meals to your taste and liking. You can hunt and fish your meat, as well. There are numerous lava pools where one can net jumbo shrimp, crabs, and flaming fish. For larger game, you can go after the Erymaes Boar or Petran Bison. Feel free to share your catch with your friends or offer to cook for the culinarily challenged.

◎ The library contains only fiction. You'll recognize several titles from your faction or Nocwich, suggesting they've brought back their favorite stories to read. Other titles are new, written by the Draconae. Novels and poetry span all genres, but the most common ones seem to be adventure, horror, and erotic romance - some of which contain surprisingly detailed illustrations.

Magma Pools

Outside the Hieran Wing, unusual cerulean magma pools are provided for bathing. Despite how they look, temperatures are equivalent to that of a steaming hot spring. The magma bubbles naturally from within the volcano and provides soothing effects. No soap or cleaning agents are required. These magma pools contain tiny frogs that leap and jump around. The Draconae consider them a tasty live snack. Don't be surprised if you see a local munching on them.

The Foundry

The Foundry has expanded over the past two centuries. A marketplace now circles the ancient forge. Observing the tradespeople inside and their secrets are off-limits. However, you can browse a selection of tools, clothes, accessories, and potions. Healing potions are common due to the Draconae's lack of healing magic.

You'll have the chance to request custom-made jewelry and purchase glass ornaments that are blown for you on the spot. Merchants won't sell the large weapons on display, but daggers and other small weapons are available. They'll also modify any pieces you own by adding jewels, altering the fit, or repairing nicks and faults...for a price. The Draconae deal in Abraxan currency if you have any, but they'll accept a vial or two of blood or saliva as payment.

Negotiations & Meetings (Rank 5+)

The first order of business is to present your Conclave's terms to the Inner Sanctum, the Draconae's governing body. If you've been voted as a delegate, you'll be greeted by the NPC meeting you (and your partner, if you have one). If you haven't been selected, you can still speak to some of the NPCs available.

A Place at the Table

Negotiations will take place in The Solar on the second day, a hall lit with a fiery orb of light. This is where the Inner Sanctum conducts all of its business. Tightly guarded, you're the first outsiders allowed inside in centuries. Here, you'll have the chance to present your terms and convince the Draconae to accept. You'll also have the first day of your arrival to gather a few details about the NPC you'll be meeting.

Only one meeting is required. The Nether will give you their final answer the following day.

Be sure to reply with the terms before starting the thread. Mods will approve or ask for revisions, so try to submit your points by OCTOBER 17.

Once approved, please TAG IN with your character under the correct faction heading.

Meeting the Inner Sanctum

Members of the Inner Sanctum who are not involved in diplomatic affairs are Aster, The Guardian and Anneth, The Flame. Additional descriptions about the two NPCs and where they can be found will be in their character comments below.

Characters who are Rank 5+ (negative or positive) and who are not acting as delegates can speak with one of the two NPCs above.

To do so, TAG IN with your character under the NPC you want to meet.

Runaway at Pyritean's Rack

Abraxan outsiders will whisper that Pyritean's Rack is a nefarious torture device created by the Draconae for their victims. This is true if the victim in question is delicious meat. The Rack, in other words, is a giant cooking area filled with grilling racks and pits. Shelves of ingredients and spices line the perimeter. Its most striking feature is the primary heat source, which uses magma rather than fire. Ingredients and meat unique to the Nether result in dishes and flavors not found elsewhere. Hot peppers are a popular feature.

The Draconae cook and share their food each night at the Rack. The station is always occupied. Locals take turns hunting and fishing, preparing ingredients, and cooking. Consequently, food is provided without cost. You only need to lend a hand.

Not everything goes smoothly, though. An escaped hatchling has infiltrated the Rack, and Khloris, the baby dragon, is eager to snatch and steal food throughout the week.

Earning the Torch

Impromptu competitions are frequent. They usually begin when one cook sees another outdoing them and makes a challenge. You can either issue a challenge or receive a challenge. Challenges can be between you and the natives, or you can face off with another Summoned. Judging is done by the crowd, which can be chaotic.

Not to worry! There's no downside to losing except your pride. Though the competition can grow fierce and heated in the moment - including vulgar insults and much jeering - once all is said and done, there are no grudges when the food hits the table. Sore losers are looked down on as being thin-skinned.

Winners will receive a jar of spice mix or marinating sauce from one of the many talented cooks. We won't be modding this aspect, so just be realistic with your character's cooking skills. Be sure to work things out with your thread partner if the competition involves another player character!

Escaped Hatchling

One young dragon has escaped its sanctuary at Dragon's Glass. Curious, it's drawn to the smell of food at Pyritean's Rack. As a result, it's disrupting competitions, breaking equipment, and stealing ingredients or even chunks of meat off people's plates. Desperate to get the dragon back before it causes more trouble - or worse, injures itself - the Draconae have asked you to catch the hatchling.

Of course, you'll need to contend with the dragon's unique abilities.

Khloris, the runaway in question, leaves behind small patches of grass. Its pollen dust coats nearly everything it goes near. When eaten or touched, the pollen causes flowers to sprout in your hair for a day or two. It can't fly far or very high, but it's prone to swooping down to snatch meat off the grill. The Flame informs you the dragon can be lured with gold trinkets or bright colors like red and yellow.

To see if your character can catch the dragon, submit for a roll HERE. Submissions will close October 18 at 11:59 ET. Results will be posted on October 19 so players can account for their success or failure.

Ailing Dragons

The two ailing dragons are Hierus, the Obsidian Drake, and Kruos, the Glass Serpent. Mated to each other, they're the only remaining adult dragons in the Nether and have been for decades. When you visit them at Dragon's Glass, their condition is worrisome. The dragons' scales have lost their luster and are grown over with painful white patches. They appear lethargic.

Those researching can offer the dragons healing potions or ointment to aid their symptoms while a cure is worked on. If you're not much of a healer or a scientist, you can feed them or simply spend time with them. The dragons are intelligent and appear capable of understanding you, though they can't communicate directly.

Characters have 3 avenues of participation, depending on their interests and strengths: gathering ingredients, researching the cure, and looking after the baby dragons and eggs. They'll have time to do all three throughout the 10-day excursion.

Finding a Cure

At first, you aren't sure where or how to start. The Draconae suggest the Ashlands may be a place to explore. It's dangerous, they warn, but they have a potion that'll help keep you safe. Due to the hazards, you're told not to go alone. As you travel through the deadened land, you notice an odd phenomenon: where you walk, the air around you clears, and the ground beneath your feet springs to life. You realize you don't need the potion to protect you.

The changes are temporary, fading behind you as you walk. Curiously, the effect you exhibit is similar to what the Draconae claim their dragons are capable of - though to a much smaller degree. Still, you have to wonder if you and the dragons share a similar magical connection to the Singularity. You can't help but notice that those of you who regularly interact with the Horizon and have been doing so for a while seem to affect your environment more. Your aura may be a little larger and the vicinity restored around you lasts a bit longer rather than melting away immediately - maybe even up to a minute or two.

Restoration and Gathering

Your ability to restore the land has unlocked a vital element. Ingredients once thought lost can now be gathered by the Summoned such as yourself, and they may hold the key to curing the dragons. Bring back these ingredients to your peers waiting at Dragon's Glass. The more you gather, the more they'll be able to research and experiment, so don't be shy about making multiple trips.

There are three sections for you to explore. Each one has its dangers and a specific ingredient to collect.

Due to its circumstances, Aetherie is only available on Day 9 of the event, shortly before the cure is finalized. The Draconae will seal the area once more when they realize what's happening. Cinder's Core and Featherhive are open for the full duration of the event.

◎ Cinder's Core

Filled with petrified trees and fossilized bones, the area that restores around you demonstrates its previous life as a flourishing rainforest: the humidity grows, the grass turns lush, and tropical flowers sprout under your fingertips. Although its sulfuric air won't affect you, you'll need to brave dangerous heights to reach the tops of trees and dried-up waterfall cliffs to retrieve the kydros fruit. The fruit smells like citrus and is surprisingly light despite its size.

Vines brought back to life can help you climb, forming ropes for you to climb and bridges that weave beneath your feet. They'll wither once more behind you, so you'll want to move quickly to avoid losing your footing. Height isn't the only danger - the ground below is littered with sharp skeletal protrusions and jagged trees. Beware of dangerous thorn bushes that will come to life in your presence and try to crush you in their spiny embrace as you ascend.

◎ Featherhive

The air here is too toxic for the Draconae to breathe in for long. Luckily you're unaffected. Scattered across the ground are the remaining husks of birds' nests. A dragon's skeleton curls under a rocky overhang. Use your restorative ability to journey deep into Featherhive's heart. Pushing aside the thick overgrowth reveals a small clearing covered in bright crystals for you to harvest.

Although Featherhive poses no physical danger, the land is haunted by shadow birds, ethereal spirits connected to the dragons - and you. As you pass through, they flutter around you and parrot familiar lines to each other. Their movements are jerky and strange. Quickly, you realize the birds are mimicking your memories. They might replicate an entire scene or echo a phrase or two that's plagued you all your life. Or, if you're lucky, they're merely repeating your grocery list. Shooing them will cause them to dissipate into smoke, but they'll soon return.

◎ Aetherie

The loss of a dragon released a noxious gas through this village without warning. Escaping villagers were forced to leave behind those they could not save and seal the doors. The Oblivion is a painful moment in history for many, and none have set foot near the area since. Near the end of your stay, the Draconae request you use your ability to venture where they can't and gather Anoix pods, powerful healing seeds from a plant that only grew in Aetherie. They believe the abandoned huts will contain pouches of the pods on shelves and cabinets.

Entering the village, you expect a tragic scene of corpses. Instead, you find something far worse. The dead have mutated into grotesque arachnids, limbs fused to bulbous abdomens. They show no signs of recognition or awareness and attack you on sight. Hidden in the depths of the purple haze, rat-sized spiders scurry forth. Their venom causes painful sores that will fester and spread if left untreated. Multiple bites may result in temporary blindness or paralysis of a limb. Luckily, this will clear up within 24 hours to a few days, depending on the severity.

Grab the pods if you can or flee if you're overwhelmed. When word reaches The Warden, she'll rapidly send her people to reseal the abandoned village and come to aid any who need it. If you're injured, The Flame and her apprentices will tend to you at Dragon's Glass.

Research and Magic

Dragon's Glass is a glass-domed temple said to be forged from the fires of Kruos. It's located in the Spiral, which is outside the Obsidian Heart. Here, the two remaining dragons reside while ill, along with their clutch of eggs and a few precious hatchlings.

Anneth, The Flame, will invite you into the temple's alchemy labs, where you can apply your skills and knowledge to create the healing elixir that cures the dragons. Doing so requires you to experiment with key ingredients found in the Ashlands. You'll have access to basic alchemy books and apprentices at the temple. Use any additional tools, supplies, and knowledge you possess, and take advantage of the resources donated by the factions.

How you approach your research is up to you, but each ingredient comes with a set of risks - so be careful while you work!

◎ The kydros fruit contains seeds that will explode when heated, causing a chain reaction like popped popcorn. The explosions aren't large, but they might scorch your supplies. Crushing them in the open air results in a similar chemical reaction. However, soaking them in water makes them soften into mush, allowing you to turn the seeds into a paste that could be useful. The fruit is similar to grapefruit and is excellent for a sore throat.

◎ The crystals come in three colors: red, blue, and black. Extended contact will dye your skin that color. The stains are extraordinarily stubborn, so your clothes may not recover. These crystals resonate with a strange hum that suggests they respond well to magic spells. Combining them with a liquid will give off a foul-smelling smoke, so you may need to find ways to neutralize the stench before combining it into an elixir.

◎ The Anoix pods must be used sparingly, as no more can be gathered from Aetherie. They possess strong healing properties, but each pod is very delicate and must be split open with care so as not to damage the soft seeds inside. In addition to researching the cure, you can also attempt to help the Dracaone grow new Anoix plants using the preserved seeds.

The final cure will use all 3 key ingredients. Don't worry too much about continuity! As long as your character participated, you can assume they made a valuable contribution.

However, to assist with coordination, we've provided a RESEARCH DISCOVERY section where you can present any findings your character would share with others in-game.

Hatchlings and Eggs

While curing the adult dragons is a priority, the hatchlings and eggs aren't to be neglected. Baby dragons are active troublemakers, and without their parents to keep them in line, they've become especially unruly. The apprentices at the temple can only do so much. The Keeper has even made rare appearances in Dragon's Glass to lend his assistance.

Meanwhile, the eggs are beginning to show signs of affliction. The shells are beginning to weaken, and the feathery growths appearing on them will suffocate the hatchling inside if left untreated.

Babysitting the Dragons

If you have a spare moment, you can look after the baby dragons. Keep them out of trouble by reading their favorite stories, singing songs, and playing with them. They'll also need to be fed, watered, and their bedding changed or fluffed. The hatchlings are mischievous but friendly. They're eager to bond with the Summoned for reasons unexplained, as if they feel something resonating within you.

Many are attracted to shiny objects and bright colors and will attempt to steal them. Conversely, they might gift you a trinket that they've pilfered from someone else. The local Draconae would appreciate it if you returned any missing tools or jewels.

Hatchlings you'll encounter in Dragon's Glass are:

◎ Okenus spouts water instead of flame. Bearing fins instead of wings, this sea dragon is vital to bringing lakes and rivers back to the Nether. Currently, it can only make tiny puddles and rainclouds. Watch that your belongings don't get wet. Standing near the dragon might cause a small storm cloud to spawn over you and rain down on your head. A simple spell will make the cloud disappear, but if you don't have any magic, you might have to bring an umbrella.

◎ Epeius can form miniature gusts of wind beneath its wings, but it doesn't have firm control and frequently spawns them when excited. These small dust devils and whirlwinds will follow you around. Though they aren't powerful, they can be a nuisance, knocking over cups, blowing away hats, and sending papers flying. The other hatchlings will find your misfortune a source of amusement.

◎ Ledas can help salt deposits form in the shape of large salt crystals. Salt is important to the Draconae, which the hatchling is aware of and thus takes great pride in its abilities. The crystals can be eaten as is or crushed into granules. Ledas will strive to impress you with the largest crystals that it can make...which occasionally results in the structure collapsing, littering the ground with salt. You might find yourself sweeping often around this dragon, but at least you'll never be short on seasoning.

◎ Anthusa is a very special hatchling that creates bioluminescent algae. The algae grow on its scales, forming a symbiotic relationship. Unfortunately, without a proper habitat for this algae in the Nether, its glow has dimmed in recent years and the hatchling has become languid and sickly despite its youth. Nonetheless, Anthusa is friendly and curious even if it struggles to keep up with its siblings. You can help Anthusa play by lifting it to heights it can't reach, and carrying it back when the dragon is too tired to walk.

Weakened Eggs

As noted, the eggs demonstrate signs of suffering, too. Three eggs are waiting to be hatched. Whether all of the eggs survive is dependent on the decision that each faction Conclave made regarding resources found, as well as the help provided by you and your fellow Summoned.

The eggs can't be cured until the dragons are cured, but you can help slow the growths by gently scraping them off and wiping the eggs regularly with a clean cloth. They must also be kept heated, so check the magma frequently and refill any magma basins. The growths can be donated to those researching for additional study if you wish.

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Comments

Arthur Hastings | Solvunn | OTA

[smilefornow]

Around the City

Arthur's entire response to essentially taking a holiday to Hell has been 'this may as well happen'. Why not? He's already in magic fairy tale land, living with a nice magic Viking family, why not a group field trip to the fiery depths of the earth? It's still probably better than Wellington Wells.

And it is. Arthur finds himself pleasantly surprised. Alright, so he has a great deal of trouble opening doors. He keeps having to throw his shoulder into it and sometimes scramble a little, his feet sliding on the ground. What can be expected? He's only been eating well in the last couple of weeks and he's just gotten over scurvy. And if just asks for a hand, one of the burly demon people seem happy to. At least his height isn't out of place!

He can often be found in The Heiran Wing, initially sticking close to the areas that have been clearly designated as spaces for the Summoned. This is a whole new...well...species of people, let alone culture! All he can see are all the ways he could do something wrong. Normally a terrible offense, but in this case, potentially cataclysmic. He will not cause a diplomatic incident because he accidentally picks up the High Lord Dragonman's Sacred Spatula. That's just the sort of thing that would happen to him.

Luckily there's plenty to keep him busy. The dining hall fascinates him. This is the sort of cooking that is considered positively heathen by Wellie standards. It's also the exact sort of cooking he'd been doing in the Garden District. Only this is real food. Some of which he can't even identify. Well. This is...certainly an adventure. He can be found sitting in front of a pot, sniffing various ingredients and frowning thoughtfully before either tossing it in or putting it back. Occasionally he sniffs something too spicy, and sneezes so hard he looks like he's going to fall backwards.

The library is also of interest. One of the greatest parts of this world is that books aren't heavily censored. They aren't all silly comedies and twee romances or silly and twee romantic comedies. They're proper books! Find him marveling over various titles with an expression of wonder.

"Oh..." you may hear him utter. "This one's sad! And this one's frightening! Oh this one's full of inappropriate material!"

He sounds downright delighted by this.


Magma Bathing Pools

Arthur does not trust the magma pools.

They may be uniquely colored magma, but they're still magma. It's right there in the name. He is a very fragile human being, highly flammable. And no soap? Really? Soap is one of life's great luxuries, and one he never intends to take for granted again. How is he expected to bathe without soap?

He can handle that they take the wild and wooly beatnik approach and that bathing is communal. Odd, but perfectly acceptable. It's just like skinny dipping when you were kids, only everyone's an adult and also you're in Hell so you're expected to bathe in liquid magma.

Those frogs look highly suspect, too.

So you may find Arthur standing by the pools, his plain brown tunic and trousers with braided leatherwork identifying him as hailing from Solvunn, suspiciously eyeing the blue...liquid? Occasionally he takes a cautious step closer. A very cautious step.

It can't be safe!


Pyritean's Rack

It's taken Arthur at least an hour. Carefully selecting ingredients, meticulously preparing them, waffling over exactly which alien but delicious smelling spice or vegetable to add. And then the cooking itself...painstakingly timed to the exact second, mouth watering all the while, resisting the urge to snatch up the artfully crafted kabob he's put so much time and effort into.

This is a luxury. A miracle, really. Just a giant place full of food and cooking! Granted, it's essentially in Hell - Arthur knows this is not, actually, Hell, but it's the underground fireland where the demon people live - but that's the beautiful thing about miracles. They can happen absolutely anywhere. And now...now it's finished. Oh god, it's a thing of beauty! Juicy, seared, aromatic...Arthur takes a moment just to appreciate it, holding his stick of meat and veg with a proud and pleased expression.

This was his mistake.

Before he can take his first bite, a small blur of wings and teeth snatches it right out of his hand.

"Hey!" He leaps to his feet, shocked, offended. "That's mine! Somebody stop that scaly little thief!"

Wildcard

[OOC: Arthur will be all over, including participating in ingredient gathering, feel free to toss a starter at me if none of the above appeal!]

Featherhive - Closed to Nero

[smilefornow]

Arthur is well aware of his strengths and weaknesses. He can throw together a quick and dirty chem mix when he needs to, but the lab is not the place for him. He'd be utterly useless trying to help develop any sort of cure. That was all Sally's bag.

No, he'd best just go and gather things. It's almost impossible to mess that up, and he'd gotten very used to being told to go and collect things by other people. It's nice and familiar.

This...er...realm? however, is not. It's so terribly desolate. A line of old poetry occurs to him and he speaks without thinking. "What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow out of this stony rubbish? The dead tree gives no shelter..."

Yes, this is indeed a waste land. Is this the future he'd left behind, a dead and used up land? No, he's not going to think about that. He is here to look for crystals using some strange innate magic he apparently has. That isn't very strong, but he's quite new. He's simply ambling along, trying to remember more T S Eliot, when he hears it. Out of nowhere.

"...sure to smile at just how lucky we are to be in Wellington Wells! Where there are always rainbows after the rain, and the bobbies always smile, and no one ever feels hungry or sad. It's good to smile as early as possible in the morning. That way you know you've had enough Joy! Remember, happiness is a choice. And we all want to be happy!"

Arthur freezes, dropping his bag, eyes darting this way and that. It's impossible. They can't have Uncle Jack's shows here! They just can't! It's not real, he's...he's having an episode of some kind, that's what they call it in the books.

This is the absolute worst place for a break with reality!

[ofthesword]

Arthur didn't technically ask him to be here, and Nero predictably doesn't really want to be, but for whatever reason the devil hunter has decided keeping this spindly weirdo alive is his personal responsibility. To the point he's been dropping by, giving him a few coins to keep himself fed. Making sure there's no dandelion petals sticking out between his teeth.

And now he's here, hoping this place that looks a little too close to what he's heard of about hell isn't as bad as it looks, and alternatively has a little more action than... weird birds, following them as they walk the path.

"Not exactly William Blake, is it?" Nero responds, like he knows fuck-all about William Blake outside of the book Vergil literally threw at him. He's read through it several times, enough so that a copy of it lingers in the Horizon on the dash of his van. Reading it like he could derive any sort of understanding about the person Vergil is, or the person V was, or any of that shit --

His hackles raise as a voice caws around them. It's human, but off, distinctly off.

Nero's hand raises to the hilt of his sword. "Tell me you heard whatever the hell that was." The last thing he needs is to be the only one hearing shit. He hates how this entire world fucks with him.

[smilefornow]

"It's...It's Uncle Jack!"

Arthur hisses the words, shoulders hunched up defensively as his eyes dart around. Oh yes, he's heard it. This isn't even the first time he's heard it.

He realizes that his explanation really wasn't one at all. Nero doesn't know Uncle Jack from Adam. No one here does. Or should.

"Jack Worthing," he clarifies, his voice still a low whisper. In case anyone is listening. "He's on the telly. He's...all that's on the telly, actually. He lives at the broadcast studio so he can be on all day."

And there's something important about him that Arthur's forgotten and still can't remember. But he knows there was something. Something about who he was before the German occupation. Before he'd become a spokesperson for the oppressors.

As if on cue...

"Happiness is a choice. And those who won't choose it are a threat to the rest of us!"

[ofthesword]

"Huh? Your uncle?" Arthur's off, but if he's hallucinating the voice of his uncle, it's not like Nero would be sharing it. Unless this place is -- what? Drugged? Gas, or something? He sniffs. He doesn't smell anything. Doesn't feel weird, either. He's not even sure if that kind of shit would affected him anymore.

Nero draws his sword, the tip scraping the ground.

"I dunno what the hell you're talking about, but he needs to learn to keep his trap shut."

He can't say what it is. Something about the voice feels off. Even worse -- what it's saying. It's not just weird, but it's. Unnerving. When people start saying weird shit and throw in a "other people are a threat," it never turns out.

Nero peers around them, but he can't see anyone nearby. But above -- what? A bunch of birds? His gaze narrows, grip tightening on the sword.

"I'm taking this back." The voice is deep, wet -- full of blood dripping from a dying mouth. Even now, it makes Nero's body go cold, his hackles raising. A snarl comes to his lip, and then he sees it -- the bird's beak moving as it screams.

His scream. The one that rang in his ears for days. Right after his arm got ripped off.

His knuckles on the sword go white. "Fuck off!" The moment he shouts it, he launches the sword like a spear -- pinning straight through the bird that was screaming. It cuts off, abrupt, and he expects some wet, satisfying crunch from the impact... but there's nothing. Just the sword burying into rock, and a wisp of smoke where the bird was. The others caw and swarm together, wings beating the air. "Go home, Nero!" they cry together, with others answering, "You don't get it! He's your father!"

They're picking out of his brain. Like it's open goddamn season.

If Arthur looks back, Nero's usually blue eyes are gone -- the whole eye now gold, glowing, as the air around him starts to waver from the heat blowing off his skin. As he's staring up at the birds with murder in his eyes, his hand starts to catch on fire.

[smilefornow]

"Not my uncle, just Uncle Jack. He says he's everyone's uncle, he's...back during the occupation he was a collaborator. I remember that." Considering how little he remembers, this is very important.

"Er...on the radio encouraging everyone to cooperate and accept the Germans and pledge loyalty to the Germanic Empire. Putting a positive spin on the occupation, that sort of thing. After the occupation when Wellington cut itself off from the rest of the world...."

He gestures hopelessly. It had become this. Pro-Joy propaganda from 7 AM till 11 PM every day. That's now being spouted by phantasmagorical birds in Hell. Of course. Makes perfect sense.

Things only escalate. All he can do is watch, wide eyed, as his new friend launches a boisterous attack against the air and then catches on fire. Which is either something that's perfectly normal for the man, or is the slowest case of spontaneous combustion the universe has ever seen. Either way, terribly unnerving, quite upsetting. People aren't supposed to catch fire. Should...should he say something? What could he even say? The man's hand is burning like a barrel fire! Surely Nero's aware of this fact...

Right?

"Ah..." He lifts a finger and then drops it, closing his mouth and taking a step back.

"Alright there?"

Obviously not, but still. It's rude to assume and polite to ask.

[ofthesword]

He'll feel bad about freaking the guy out later -- especially when he's tried as much as he had to keep Arthur from freaking out. He's picked up enough. Uncle Jack. Propaganda. collaborator. You don't need to be a history buff to get there's plenty of reasons to manipulate people with words. Sanctus did it, too. Through word and religion and a bunch of bullshit.

He isn't the same Nero he was under Sanctus. He's not a kid anymore, powered only by how much he's sick of the Order, of himself, of demons.

He has control.

The fire spreads up his arms, beginning to consume his body. Lighting him up, though his skin nor clothes don't appear to burn.

He turns to Arthur. "Just stand back."

Honestly, he's taking it pretty well. But either/or, Nero's not letting the fuckin' birds do this to anyone else. He puts some distance between himself and Arthur, mostly so when his wings appear -- and they do, glowing bright blue in the dark -- he doesn't accidentally hit him in the face.

Nero's wings flap once and then he's in the air, tearing through the birds while burning the others he gets his hands on, each one exploding into nothing but smoke. By the time he's back on the ground, wings dissipating and the fire dying to nothing, the air is silent. But there's not a drop of blood or a feather left to show the things ever existed.

[smilefornow]

"Er....."

Arthur takes a very large step back. This is all very much happening, isn't it? His friend is just burning alive before his very eyes. This is fine. Perfectly fine, really.

It is not fine. It is, in fact, giving him terrible flashbacks to the labs and the mines and all the other various places he accidentally set anyone on fire. People ought not be so very flammable! There are few things more grisly to witness firsthand.

Not that Nero seems to be...actually on fire. More just sort of enrobed in fire. That's...not as bad? Probably?

But then suddenly wings are involved and a great deal of winged-man-on-bird violence and Arthur needs to just have a little sit for a moment.

"Ah."

He doesn't know what else to say.

[ofthesword]

He brushes his hands against each other. It's not like he likes doing this in front of -- shit, like, the most skittish guy imaginable. He's like one step above a stray cat in terms of fear levels. And Nero doesn't like freaking out anyone, because -- maybe this was exactly why he was afraid of showing Kyrie in the past, too.

He gives Arthur a pat on the shoulder, like an apology. He hadn't meant to... lose it. Maybe if it'd been anyone but Vergil's voice.

"Don't worry about it." That's probably not gonna happen, huh? "Everyone's a freak around here."

At least that's not untrue.

"Now let's get going. While the place is quiet."

library

[princessvegas]

Truth be told, outside of the dragons themselves, Julie does not have much interest in being in the Nether. It's nothing against them, really; she just has a bunch of other fish in her fryer, and this detour is taking time away from them. But if she's going to dragged off to yet another reclusive kingdom whose surprise invite she's not really allowed to decline, then she's going to use it like a true vacation. Setting be damned. Possibly literally.

She's spent quite a bit of time babysitting the dragon hatchlings, but that still leaves a number of hours to occupy herself. She's gone shopping, she's tried some foods, she's lounged in the magma.

The Abraxas equivalent of a trashy romance novel sounds like a perfect addition to the week.

Draped the wrong way across one of the reading chairs, Julie has had her nose tucked into a worn novella that she thinks might have been written in Thorne -- it's the story of a human woman who falls in love with a Draconae market seller when he takes just a drop of blood as payment because she's been thrown out of her family with nothing to her name. Followed by fifty pages of just hardcore pile-driving.

Julie's concentration is broken by the constant little chorus of wonder coming from a nearby shelf. She looks up, burgundy lips pursed in annoyance, to spot the offender.

Christ on a pogo stick. She's never seen anyone look simultaneously so nerdy and also so much like a fucking yokel. Well, that could be the Solvunn-brand couture, but if someone pointed him out as a peasant in a period flick, she would buy it. But she would also buy him as a nerd stuffed in a locker in an eighties movie.

"Can you like, shut the fuck up?" Her tone is light, considering the actual words. "Some of us are tryin' to read."

[smilefornow]

Arthur immediately blanches when he realizes he has been loud in a library. A cardinal sin. He's only been here a handful of weeks, he's hardly acclimated. The dark specter of Doing Something Wrong still looms heavy over him. Particularly here, where what few local rules he's learned may not even apply. In his excitement over so many diverse and unedited books, he's forgotten himself.

Oh dear.

"Terribly sorry about that," he apologizes immediately, lowering his voice as he offers a very sheepish expression to the young lady that's called him out on his improper behavior. He really does feel badly for interrupting her. He always hated it when Percy interrupted him when he was reading.

"I usually have much better library manners, I'm afraid I got a bit carried away. Ah...they censor all our books, back where I came from. Not much variety." Not to mention that the rewritten classics are...well...they're just bad.

There is no reality in which Hamlet should end with a group hug.

[princessvegas]

His reaction is bigger than she expected, even with the crassness of her phrasing. He looks like he's worried she might execute him for interrupting her focus, when really all she wanted was to make him stop babbling. And not that Julie cares much whether people think she's a bully, but she doesn't particularly want to give off that impression. At least not immediately.

She also doesn't immediately recognize that he's referring to his home world. Julie doesn't spend a large amount of time with many of the Summoned from Solvunn -- Nanaue isn't exactly the world's greatest literary mind (although she would never tell him that and, in fact, would physically hurt anyone who dared say something like it aloud).

"Well yeah, that tracks. You live in a fuckin' cult," she says casually, glancing back down at her book. "Uncensored books have gotta be the number one way to wake folks up from their woo-woo Kool-aid, so it makes sense they'd censor everythin' that ain't gods or goats."

[smilefornow]

Arthur almost asks 'how did you know that?' but as she speaks more, he realizes she means Solvunn. Which, to him, doesn't seem terribly cultish. But he comes from the sort of cult that would make other cult leaders shake their heads and say 'too much'. Society functions and no one's getting beaten to death in the streets or starving or being brainwashed by games of Simon Says. That's good enough for him!

"Oh, no, I don't think there's any censorship like that in Solvunn. Lots of pastoral themed reading, and yes, a great deal of poetry about goats and the splendor of their products, but nothing that screams 'a propaganda department rewrote this'. Well. Nothing I've seen."

An important amendment, he realizes. He thought all was peachy keen in Wellington for years. And he's only been in Solvunn a short time, not even a month proper what with this little holiday.

"The people there seem nice enough," he offers. It would seem she's been here longer - she seems very comfortable and at ease in their current surroundings. Though maybe she's just from a place where strange things are normal. Of course she may just want to continue with her book, and Arthur certainly won't blame her if she tells him to sod off.

[princessvegas]

"I mean, they've been full Heaven's Gate for like, a thousand years or somethin' over there. Kinda late to still be rewritin' stuff. But I guess the only real difference between a cult and a religion is time, so."

She shrugs. A propaganda department also doesn't really seem strange to her, although she's used to ones that work a little harder to disguise their purpose. The military-industrial complexes that she both grew up in and currently lives under sustain themselves by continually spinning everything they can.

The woman in Julie's story has yet another screaming orgasm. Maybe she should try to fuck a daemon?

"Nice and crazy." Her feet bob idly in the air, her attention split. She turns the page. "The old gods fuck shit up on a regular basis here, but no, they keep throwin' shit on those shrines like somethin' good might come outta it."

For a moment, she looks up again, eyebrows arched. "If you got even one braincell, you'll keep away from their bullshit."

[smilefornow]

"You know, that's true." The bit about religion and cults. Arthur's never really thought about it. Why would he? Wellington Wells was a different sort of cult, nothing spiritual about it. Most Wellies were Anglican. And it's certainly not going to last long enough to transcend into anything different.

"Really? Local gods back home were...er...let's just say not terribly impressive. Unless you like sweet potatoes or hallucinogenic mushrooms." He's just sort of been assuming the Solvunn gods were of the same ilk. People kept shrines and made offerings and maybe there was a little crop blessing or some fun drugs. Zealots always exaggerated the importance of their deities. Hmm. Unless the young lady with the unconventional hair is playing merry buggers with him, it seems as though there's a bit more to the commune's gods than a talking sweet potato or an octopus man that lived in space but also in the ocean.

Still better than Wellington Wells.

"Anyhow, I'm quite happy with Quakerism so I don't think I'll be adopting the local doctrines. Tried it back home, wasn't all that worth it, didn't get anything good out of it." And all those people died, quite by accident...

"I'm Arthur, by the way, Arthur Hastings. I don't think I introduced myself, terribly rude of me." Particularly when she's being so polite as to talk to him.

[princessvegas]

"Sweet potato god sounds like garbage," she says. Her casual air suggests she is inclined to picking out which pieces of a conversation she wants to respond to. "Sweet potato pie ain't even that good, let alone just a plain ol' sweet potato. Shroom god sounds okay, though. I think they might actually have one of those, but I wouldn't fuck with it. There was a whole thing where people sorta started turnin' into mushrooms, and it was just..." She waves a hand dismissively, which is an objectively insane way to refer to a mass kidnapping and cult ritual experimentation, but she's nowhere near the state of mind she would need to be in to talk about that in detail.

Her eyes peer over the top of her book at him when he says a word that's actually somewhat familiar. "Quakerism? So what, you're like, an oatmeal guy? Where's your hat? The oatmeal man has a hat." She does not expound on that, either. "All religions are shit anyway. God's an asshole. All gods, but especially Christian God. I guess He's Jewish and Allah God too. But He's definitely the biggest asshole ever. Anyway, if you wanna learn any magic in Solvunn, you're gonna hafta get chill with gods real quick-like. That's how they do it over there."

Pausing, she dogears the page she's on (she will not return to finish it). "Julie Lawry. Cadens."

magma pools

[sketchycharacter]

Nate is aware that he technically has a roommate here, but they haven't seen much of each other since he dropped his stuff off and set out exploring. There's too much to investigate, to poke into, to learn about. He recognizes the guy when once he makes his way to the magma pools, but it takes a second to realize who it is from behind.

He doesn't seem to realize Nate is here, so he grins and continues moving forward quietly. "Boo."

[smilefornow]

"Ack!"

It is a very undignified noise that erupts out of Arthur. He'd been so focused on the pools he'd had no idea anyone was behind him. But when he realizes, he trails off into something of a chuckle. It's the fellow he's rooming with, just like ye olden days of Wellington U. Which was the last time he'd actually shared a room with anyone.

"Ah! You startled me there!"

He gestures towards the blue lava pools, as though that's any sort of explanation.

"I'm still not quite convinced this isn't some joke played on tourists...."

[sketchycharacter]

"Sorry, didn't mean to."

It's not technically a lie. He didn't plan to startle him...he just kind of figured that would be the case. But all's well now and neither of them are being burned alive by lava, at least so far.

"Yeah, it kind of looks that way, doesn't it?"

Nate crouches down beside the pool's edge, taking in what information he can without testing it himself. Which could be the final test if it all goes badly. "I haven't been to an active volcano before, but I'm pretty sure we'd at least have our eyebrows singed off by now if it were that hot," he says. "This might actually be legit. Or else it's very deceptive lava."

[smilefornow]

That....is a very fair point. It isn't hot here. One would expect volcanic magma to make everything scorching hot. Right. Probably should have noticed that.

"I saw a rock that came from a volcano once." Not at all helpful here, but Arthur had never even left the chain of islands he'd been born on. A volcano is as exotic and alien to him as the moon.

"Ah! I have an idea!"

As a proper Englishman, he never goes anywhere without a handkerchief. Brandishing it, he approaches the edge. His body leans back, as though he still doesn't trust it, and he stretches one long and spindly arm out over the surface of the unnaturally colored lava.

He drops the handkerchief.

[sketchycharacter]

That's the most English thing Nate's ever seen. He's impressed.

"Science at work. I like it." He leans over to check on the handkerchief, hopefully not to get a blast of steam to the face, and...

"This is terrible. A real tragedy." He reaches out to pluck the bit of cloth from the water and hand it back. "Unless you're fine with blowing your nose into a soaked hankie, in which case never mind."

[smilefornow]

Oh....Arthur's expecting smoke and crackling or whatever happens when good linen is introduced to lava. Much to his surprise, that is not what he's presented with.

"Ah. Well. It will dry."

Better to be wet than go up in flames. Well now! How do you like that? It's not a trick after all. Arthur can hardly believe it, but the proof is right there in his sodden handkerchief.

"I suppose it's all tickety boo, then. Lava baths! The wonders truly never cease, do they?" But still he takes another moment watching the magma, as though for some delayed reaction. Every fiber in his being is telling him this is all wrong. But he can't just not bathe. He went through that for weeks, never again. So. With lingering trepidation, he begins toeing off his boots and unbuckling his belt.

feel free to drop this for being ancient lol

[sketchycharacter]

"Tickety...uh, yeah. Exactly that."

He's still getting used to the way Arthur talks. It's mildly charming, in a weird sort of way. Nate watches him for a moment before shrugging and starting to whip off his own clothes. He's a lot faster and more efficient about it.

"Heads up!"

If Arthur doesn't duck, he'll get a fun magma splash. It's not a cannonball exactly, but it's not not a cannonball.

dining hall;

[bestfuneralever]

Klaus goes from one extreme to the next where food is concerned- he either munches all day or completely forgets to eat. Today is one of the former, wandering down to the dining hall to indulge in the food of a new culture is it's own fun adventure!

As he collects a few random things on a plate, Klaus sees the other gangly man staring uncertainly at the choices before them. "Hard to choose, huh?" He's seen the other man around the commune, but they haven't been formally introduced yet.

Re: dining hall;

[smilefornow]

"Particularly when one is unfamiliar with half the ingredients."

Oh. Arthur thinks he's seen this one around the settlement. Another beatnik looking fellow - there seem to be a few of them about. The counterculture movement seems alive and well in Solvunn.

Well. It's a good place for it, from what he's seen.

"Never imagined I'd be playing chef in Hell."