EVENT #16: THE ISLAND - IC INVESTIGATION LOG

[abraxasmods]

Event #16 - The Island

OOC event plotting | wintertide event log

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As requested, the Summoned from all three nations will be allowed to revisit the island where the abductions, experiments, and subsquent escape occurred nearly one year ago. Officials will send representatives on this trip: Jolene Sybell of Thorne, Reva Hym of the Free Cities, and Isar Hart of Solvunn. Although they won't be available for private conversations, they're there to lead the expedition and answer any questions you have.

The excursion will take place on DECEMBER 29, after the Singularity and all magic has returned to full strength. A portal will take you directly to the island, where you'll have 48 hours to accomplish what you need. Tents will be set up on the surface for resting.

For the main Wintertide Event Log, click HERE.

The Expedition

CW: Disturbing imagery (text and visual), death, folk and body horror, other dark themes.

At the start of December, officials will inform each Summoned Conclave that their request has been granted. You'll receive a letter detailing the date and time, as well as instructions on where to take the portal. When you step through the portal, you'll land directly on the island.

The expedition carries risks. Representatives have scouted the area beforehand to ensure its relative safety, but considering the cave's collapse and its flooded areas, they can't make promises. You're advised to bring personal weapons and protective equipment and are told to dress warmly. Be sure you can handle some hiking.

You'll see an unusual figure join the expedition. She'll introduce herself as Lorelai. If you're from Solvunn or were one of the Lost, you might recognize her.

◎ All characters are welcome to participate, including new arrivals. You do not need to have taken part in Event 12 to make this trip. However, if your character was not part of Event 12, they'll need to tell officials why they want to join. As long as the explanation is reasonable, such as wanting to help recover bodies, they'll be allowed to go.

◎ To learn more about Lorelai and interact with her, see the Investigations section.

Exploration

Island Surface

Above ground, the island is muddy and wet, and the temperature is cold. Where the ground hasn't turned to a bog, the dirt has hardened from frost. Trees show signs of the same blackened rot that was present during former investigations. The air is thick with a dark presence that leaves a strange grimy sensation over your skin. The more sensitive you are to magic or the Singularity, the stronger the feeling.

Desiccated corpses drained of life, both animal and human, litter the ground. Some animal carcasses - especially birds - are fresher than others, suggesting they died recently. Although many months have passed, it seems time has not been enough to help the island recover.

Follow the faction representatives. After a short trek, you reach the mouth of the cave. Here, a mangled mass of crushed bats and birds lay at the tunnel's mouth. A dried, bloodied residue sticks to the surrounding rock walls with bits of bone on the ground, as if a body was spread into a paste around the area.

Collapsed Cavern (Pit)

To descend into the cave, you'll need to navigate the tunnels. Some of them have collapsed, so be careful of potential rockslides and falling boulders. The worst of the blockage has been removed, but some areas still need you to clear the way by hauling off the rocks. Make sure you don't slip or fall - or worse, cause another collapse.

When you finally reach the pit deep beneath the earth, remnants of the horrors within confront you. The smell of death, rot, and unidentifiable herbs is overwhelming. Scattered at your feet are what's left of the blackened corn that some of you subsisted on. Fungal growths have sprouted in their place, pulsing and glowing.

The bulbous organic growths that once confined its captives have deflated into a gelatinous mass, its digestive fluids having eaten itself from the inside out. Dissolved corpses can be found still trapped under the mass, their skeletal remains rubbery to the touch. Other bodies appear to have succumbed to terrible lesions. Some were consumed so thoroughly that they became bizarre humanoid roots. Others still show signs of having been crushed under a massive beast.

Four disturbing statues are spread out across the area. The melted wax candles - now unlit - suggest they're shrines of some kind. All four shrines are severely damaged. The intestinal mace carried by one is curiously missing.

You might remember exactly what happened here or you can ask a Summoned who was there for details - if they're willing to talk about it.

Underwater

The western end of the island suddenly ends in a series of fresh jagged cliffs, so new that the erosion of water has yet to smooth the edges. A swirling whirlpool appears to have torn a large section of the island into the depths, washing away sins and secrets both...or most of them. Barnacles have formed on the rocky ledges. More disconcerting are the bloated bodies in various states of decay and mutilation that have risen to the surface.

You'll be able to help gather those remains or dive into the water to investigate what lies beneath. Officials - and the Summoned who were here - will be able to tell you that an altar once sat in this area where the terrible rituals took place.

Key Tasks

Hidden Threats

Two major threats have survived the island's collapse:

• The bone serpent, a creature whose sharp-spiked legs grabbed many unfortunate victims from the pit. With a substantially decreased territory, the bone serpent has become more aggressive and territorial. It's missing one limb while its other legs show signs of damage or scarring. It attacks wildly, relying on its massive size and strength to overcome its opponents, and hides within the dark depths above. The only warning signs it leaves are the carcasses of its prey. It'll require multiple people to take it down.


• The ceiling monster. Its claws and blood are corrosive, and removing its head will disturb the swollen sack on its neck to cause a similar explosion. Due to its ability to respawn when killed, the captive Summoned trapped the beast in a narrow tunnel. With the cave's collapse, it's now loose once more. You're advised to lure it into a trap designed by Free Cities scientists, where the creature can be set ablaze to prevent it from regenerating, ending its reign of terror for good.

Mages have set up a protective barrier to keep the creatures out, but it won't hold forever. Guttural screams and explosions of magic rumble the ground and air after each attempt to break through. You should act quickly to make sure the situation doesn't worsen.

For a general sense of timing, players can assume both threats are properly dispatched 24 hours into the excursion.

Uncovering Remains

Due to the haste of the rescue mission, exacerbated by the rapidly flooding cave, only the living could be extracted at the time. Now, you've returned for the dead. Many of the bodies are in a disturbing state as described above under Collapsed Covern - not just from decay but from something that appears to have been done to them before their deaths.

Few of the bodies can be easily identified and not all of them are on the ground, either. Some are up on the high ledges, which you can reach by climbing up using climbing rope that's provided. Scattered bones or limbs may need reconstruction or to be matched upon return. You can also recover small objects such as jewelry or other innocuous possessions that weren't taken from the captives.

Your task is to collect everything you can. Luckily, you won't need to handle the corpses themselves. Officials will send along attendants who will do the job for you to ensure everything is properly contained. You simply need to direct them to the area.

Purification

Each faction is focused on one of three hazards on the island. Thorne wants to dispel all traces of corrupted magic, Solvunn wishes to cleanse the destroyed shrines to ensure no other dangerous entities remain within, and the Free Cities aims to remove all contaminants. Formally, you're charged with helping your faction with their task, but no one will stop you from pitching in elsewhere.

This assignment will occur at the end of the expedition, once all investigations and exploration are completed.

• Dispelling
  Thorne will provide a pouch of small jelly-like orbs the size of marbles. The orbs are clear and pre-enchanted. Your job is to place them around the island where they'll begin absorbing unstable magicks. Once absorbed, the orbs will change into different colors. Collect and sort each orb by color. Additionally, you'll need to guard the orbs from curious or hungry critters on the island. Rodents, lizards, and palm-sized beetles may try to snatch what they believe is a tasty berry. Critters who consume a ball will explode into a gory splatter. It's not dangerous, but it can get a bit gooey, so you'll want to avoid bursting too many lizards or beetles.


• Cleansing
  Solvunn will ask you to perform a cleansing rite used for places of worship fallen under dark forces. You'll be given a pot containing a red substance and brushes made from twigs harvested from the island. You'll paint eye-shaped runes on and around the shrines to call upon the Cardinal God known as Misrklen, Patron of the Unstained. His presence is marked by a distinct fizz or hiss, followed by a popping that grows louder and louder. Solvunn's Elders will perform a chant until the ritual is complete and all of the red substance is absorbed into the ground.


• Decontamination
  The Free Cities has determined the most thorough way of removing hazards is to burn them. You'll be given a pistol-sized flamethrower and a thick gel to spread on each item to ensure the flames don't spread out of control. Once the gel is consumed, the fire will naturally go out. Main hazards to burn are the deflated organic bulbs, the rotted corn, any odd fungal growths, and parts belonging to defeated monsters. The flamethrowers are prone to overheating, so be sure to give it a few minutes to cool down every once in awhile. Otherwise, you might risk minor burns to your hands.

Investigations

As you explore the cave and its submerged sections, you might be interested in interacting with some of the things in your environment. In particular, the shrines, the mysterious woman named Lorelai, and the submerged altar stands out to you.

Characters can investigate or interact with any of the items provided in whatever way you want: poke it, smash it, try to talk to it or use your abilities on it (within reason!). We'll do our best to make sure every interaction yields something interesting.

See here and here for examples of how investigations and interactions work. The ones available on this log will play out on a smaller scale.

Shrines | Interact

The shrines, as described above, are situated around the pit. Stained with wax and blood, they no longer emit any strange energies or whispering voices. All of the magic contained within is now gone. You might recall that unlocking the shrines unleashed an enormous creature, causing the cave to collapse as it fled. It was last seen disappearing into the ocean, but where is it now? Your answer might lie in the shrines that once trapped it. Though broken and missing pieces, you can attempt to engage with each shrine such as relighting the candles, using magic you possess, or anything you can think of. You can also coordinate with others to test something on all four shrines at the same time.

Lorelai ('Hydnellia') | Interact

Originally called Hydnellia, Lorelai is a former Acolyte who, along with her brother, helped the Summoned escape. The Summoned agreed to let her and her brother return to the Tertiary Settlement where they live in their old home. She is the only non-Summoned survivor of Josselyn's ritual experiments. Lorelai has requested to join the trip to find closure and help recover bodies from her community. She is quiet and polite, and very grateful that she's been given the chance to make a new life. You can speak to her at any point.

The Altar | Interact

Beneath the water lies an altar that's now broken into pieces. To reach it, breathing enchantments will be provided that'll allow you to swim and see beneath the water, as well as protect you from any contaminants. You'll need to dive a distance down, but not too far - about 30 feet. Those held in the room during their captivity might recall a disfigured woman inside the mouth of the altar. What happened to her since is unknown. Perhaps you might try to find out?

A Decision

After the excursion has concluded, the Summoned will be sent home to their respective nations. Conclave representations can call a meeting to discuss the results of their investigations and what steps might be next. They can do this using any method they prefer, whether that be in-person, in the Horizon, or using the Network.

Most importantly, Summoned who were part of the abduction incident, as either the Lost or the Spared, will be asked to decide if they want to raze the island or restore it.

◎ Razing the island will strip it of all growth. This has the benefit of ensuring no corrupted creatures or flora can grow on it again, but will prevent nature from reclaiming it and will leave the area barren for many decades.

◎ Restoring the island will stimulate the regrowth of healthy vegetation and wildlife. This has the benefit of allowing the biome to flourish once more with nature, but may risk the growth of corrupted flora that needs to be removed every so often.

Officials will allow the Summoned affected by this incident to choose, including those who didn't return to the island. You'll be able to accompany officials to execute the decision made. Individuals in each faction can vote to support one of the two choices. The majority vote will be the decision that reflects the Summoned in that faction as a whole. Officials will implement the option with the support of 2 out of 3 factions.

Vote HERE by December 31 at 11:59 ET.

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Comments

[soothsighs]

( It is ... curious, to find himself on the receiving end of such concern. Urianger has spent so much of his life endeavouring to bear his struggles alone: it was all he knew as a child, after all, until the Wilfsunnwyns offered to free his parents of their burden, by which time enough damage had been done so as to follow him through into adulthood. He has always held his deepest aches close to his chest, has always tried not to add to the strain placed upon his already exhausted companions—

But then made a promise to a hero as they gazed down onto Etheirys from the moon. )

Thy concern is appreciated — both of you.

( Urianger's lips twitch into a fond smile as he looks at Himeka, then lifts his gaze to Thancred. )

But do not tarry for my sake, I prithee. I shall not make myself a hindrance.

[funbreaker]

[ The fact that Urianger acknowledges their worry for him rather than shrinking away from it is certainly progress, as far as Thancred is concerned. If Urianger needs a moment to stop here and there, whether to process the horrors revisited or to pay respects to some lost soul, they will take all the time he needs. Thancred imagines that's a given, that it doesn't even need to be discussed out loud. ]

Onward, then.

[ He musters up a smile, if only to set the other two at ease before they delve inside. The mouth of the cave is caked in dried blood from when Wanda originally sought entrance to the place, but he pays it little mind.

From there, they reach the interconnected tunnel system. It's a maze of sorts, and there are places where he needs to pause and haul some rocks out of the way to make a path for them. The deeper in they go, the more that the smell of death and decay permeates, and Thancred wrinkles his nose if only to keep himself from hacking and coughing.

Eventually, he turns back to his two companions. ]

What should we endeavor toward first? You mentioned wanting to investigate the shrines after that great sea beast showed itself, but there are other tasks to see to as well.

[ Cataloguing the dead. Not a pleasant job, yet one that must needs be done. ]

[aquaveiled]

[ It is an improvement, and not a minor one at that. Whatever they find in the cave, they will be there to support Urianger, he need only be open to it. Sometimes the presence of another is enough, but she doesn't believe the effects of this will be weathered so easily. Hopefully he will feel okay to come undone if he needs to.

It's easy to follow Thancred's lead considering he's usually at the front of the party. Himeka is content enough to look around, trying to note what has changed in the last few months. She remembers having to take a different route, those tiny tunnels separate from this main entrance. Much less claustrophobic, this...although no more welcoming.

The mention of a great sea beast certainly snaps her back up to attention, though she knows that they (likely) won't find it here. ]

I would like to see the shrines.

[ Unsurprising, but given the influence worship has had on the island, she's curious. What if there is still latent power surrounding them? ]

That will probably take less time, right?

[soothsighs]

( Onward, indeed. Urianger nods in agreement of Himeka's decision: )

The shrines, then. I confess I am most curious as to their state in the aftermath of the island's collapse. They were not ... quiet, last I saw them.

( It's curious, really. Urianger's memories of his time in the depths of the island often feel muddied, and sometimes he can't quite say with certainty what did or didn't happen, however he recalls the shrines and their whispering with unusual clarity through the rest of the murk. In terms of closure, visiting them again sounds like a positive move. )

Then mayhap we can turn to the matter of the deceased.

( If the stink in the caves is anything to go by, it's going to be grim work, but Urianger suspects he needs this more than his companions. His gaze moves to them both as they wind through the dripping tunnels, each step more putrid than the last: )

I understand that this will be a grisly undertaking. While thine assistance would be most welcome, I prithee, do not make thyself any more uncomfortable than thou art already.

[funbreaker]

[ With all of them in agreement on making for the shrines, Thancred realizes that of the three of them, it's going to be Urianger who knows the way best. Thancred's previous time here was focused on finding the Summoned still held prisoner and he didn't have much time to explore every ilm of it. With so much of the island now collapsed or flooded, it may be difficult to navigate even for Urianger, but he'll have a much better mental map then he or Himeka.

With that, he gestures for Urianger to step up next to him and take point in leading the way. ]

Not quiet, you say? How so...?

[ As Urianger leads them, Thancred stays little more than a half step behind him, wanting to be prepared to leap forward past him if they end up ambushed by one of the monsters that might still be lurking in the tunnels.

Although when Urianger speaks up, Thancred has to fight not to speak over him or interrupt him, exasperated as he heaves out a sigh. ]

I think I speak for both of us [ with a quick glance back at Himeka ] when I say that there is nowhere you might go that we will not follow. We can handle the grisliness, Urianger. Surely you know that by now.

[ With the sheer number of unpleasant things they've all weathered together... ]

[aquaveiled]

[ Himeka is likewise curious as to what Urianger means by that. Shrines in Solvunn can be bustling during specific festivals or during different seasons depending on the deity, while other times they're true places of quiet reflection and refuge. She can only imagine the sort of...commotion these garnered, however. Certainly not the good kind.

The stink is something that isn't new to any of them. She thinks back on her first wake up call back at the Waking Sands, returning to see so much carnage...bodies to be sorted out front.

Grim work, made much harder when they were faces you recognized.

All the more reason for her to nod in agreement with Thancred. ]

Even if we couldn't handle it, we wouldn't leave this for you to endure alone.

[ That may not need stating, but sometimes it feels better to say it. To remind him that it doesn't matter what horrors they come up against--as long as they face it together, they can weather any storm. ]

These corridors are tight...is that due to the collapse? Or was it always this way?

[soothsighs]

( Urianger shoots Thancred a sharp look at his sigh — at the exasperation in his tone — and halts in his tracks for a moment before catching up with Himeka in a couple of long strides. Yes, he knows that Thancred and Himeka would follow him. Yes, they've faced worse than a decaying island together — and will almost certainly face worse again.

Be as that may, it's still important for Urianger to make sure that he puts voice to a way out; to make sure his companions remember that they always have that choice. )

Then I can but hope thou wilt forgive mine apparently unnecessary consideration.

( He begins, his tone cool and curt. )

Rest assured of my commitement to remembering such in future, that it might save thine eyes from rolling from thy head.

( Urianger doesn't know if Thancred rolled his eyes. It sounded like he rolled his eyes.

... Twelve forfend, but he needs to deal with this island and be done with it. )

Many of the channels through the rock were impossibly narrow; indeed, I recall several paths through which I could not fit with mine own stature. As for the shrines, 'twas often I would hear them ... whisper. Calling, perhaps, though my memories are much confused.

[funbreaker]

[ Thancred is briefly surprised when Urianger responds with such a sharpness, especially when both he and Himeka had made a point of how they would be here to support him no matter what. While he understands that Urianger still wants to say it for the sake of saying it, that testiness isn't quite like him.

Being back here must truly be getting under his skin (understandably), which means the best thing to do is support him getting through this unpleasant task. ]

We wouldn't want that, would we? They're apparently quite dashing, or so I've been told.

[ There, a bit of levity to cut through the tension.

Still, as Urianger explains the finer details of what life was like in this terrible pit, Thancred shifts to a more somber tone accordingly. ]

Whispers, you say. Do you remember what the whispers would tell you, or were they incomprehensible?

[ Probably the latter, but he is curious all the same. Hopefully his need to gather as much knowledge of this place as he can doesn't force Urianger into too uncomfortable of a position, though he certainly isn't required to answer any of Thancred's inquiries. ]

[aquaveiled]

[ No, it really isn't, but Himeka takes it mostly in stride with a cursory glance and nothing more. If anything, it should be a good enough sign that he's feeling comfortable enough to be a little surly with them rather than pretend aught AIN'T amiss. Thancred handles it well enough anyway.

The mention of whispering shrines is naturally concerning as it is curious. They have come to accept that the presence of the gods and perhaps their denizens may be at any corner, especially in an land they have been called to. But what Josselyn and her ilk were dealing with may have been more than they expected.

And what still lingers here...?

She looks to an alcove in one of the walls, wanting to see if something happened to be carved out there as such a shrine, but to no avail. A slight pout as she looks back to Urianger for an answer--what were they saying? And... ]

What did they look like?