abraxaslogs | EVENT #16: THE ISLAND

Event #16 - The Island

OOC event plotting | wintertide event log

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

( Blake doesn't immediately pull away, and Dean doesn't seem like he's in a hurry to let go. He knows, on some instinctive level, that touch in situations like these can be grounding. It can be an anchor and a comfort at a time when somebody's perception of reality amounts to static and fire and confusion.

His hands stay firmly planted at Blake's forearms, but the grip is loose and pliant enough that it doesn't impede Blake from sliding to the ground.

Dean takes a knee in front of him, kneeling uncomfortably on wet rock and silt, releasing one of Blake's arms as it goes about pulling at his collar. )

I know. I get it. Trust me, I really get it. You shouldn't have come back here, man, this can't be good for you. Just- look at me. Just breathe.

( He demonstrates, a visible, coaching inhale-exhale, slowly, in and out, to coax the guy into matching his steady rhythm. )

[ In the scant light the vividness of Dean's intense gaze and the concentration etched into his features draws Blake's attention, as expected, and he mimics those long, deep breathes, each dragging its claws as it's forced out. He's nodding in response — I'm trying, I'm trying — but the efforts crumble into another choked sob as the enormity of this situation descends upon him like the cold wash of water from which he barely escaped.

He's not good, not at all. He had thought all of this was merely a reflection in a proverbial rear-view mirror; clearly he should have been looking where he was going. But he was selfish and afraid, lonely at the idea of being left behind, and terrified he might never see his friends again. Choosing to stay had been every bit the same as choosing to be a coward. At least, that's how it had seemed at the time.

He coughs and swallows a wail and tips forward into Dean, forehead pressing into his shoulder, face and hands buried away from unseen and distant terrors as he folds in. He can't stop crying, can't stop feeling even as he tries. ]

( If he had to put any thought into it, Dean might guess that this last year or two in Abraxas softened him up enough for this. That maybe exposure to relationships and letting himself get more handsy with other men is what enables him to do what he does now — but that really wouldn't be giving himself enough credit.

The truth is, there are very few points in his life where he wouldn't react on instinct, with empathy and compassion. It's as natural as breathing to reach out as Blake tips forward, it would have been automatic last week or last month or ten years ago, to wind his arms around Blake's shoulders and pull him in, to offer an embrace of stable support while the guy falls apart.

He's a mechanic at heart. It's in his nature to try and fix broken things, to keep them from the brink, to help make them whole again. He's a nurturer, and he's very familiar with the sight of a victim losing themselves to impossible, painful circumstances.

So yeah, he drags this guy he doesn't know all that well into a tight grip, one sturdy hand between his shoulder blades and one at the back of his tousled hair, and he bears the weight. )

I know, man. It's okay. You're okay.

( The words are different this time, though. More mindless, less an attempt to get through to him. They're just quiet, absent comfort, mumbled in the same gentle tones he used to use on Sam when Sam skinned a knee or had his heart broken.

There's no rushing this. The cavern isn't collapsing around them. The monsters aren't here to get their pound of flesh. He's got the patience for it. )

[ Patience is the appropriate answer here. Its application in a steady but necessary measure means that time can filter through at whatever pace is needed. For Blake it feels like a century of anguish. His frozen and battered fingers throb in cadence with the pulse in his temples, a driving rhythm that makes every thought require a screaming voice on its way tearing through Blake's defense mechanisms.

He hates this. He hates himself, and how pathetic he's become. Except maybe he's always been this pathetic and it's only now with this other world testing him that he's proved his deception. He doesn't deserve comfort. Hell, if anything, Dean should be lecturing the Hell out of him, should be driving home how stupid and pointless it was for Blake to even try to come here after how poorly he'd done before.

Instead, Dean simply holds on, not too tightly, but brooking no argument, his fingers spread across to cradle the back of Blake's head as steadily as he carries the rest of him. It's not the grip of a person who doesn't care; in fact, it's the first set of arms in a very long time to apply care and consideration to Blake in such a way that the pity doesn't feel inappropriate.

When the worst of it does finally settle, a sandy silt sitting heavy in his stomach, Blake can barely find words. Those he does find are little more than grit and pain. ]

—help me out?

[ He can't do it alone, but even if he could, his grip on Dean hasn't relented. He hasn't moved away or even unfurled, too afraid to commit without knowing he'll be taken care of. ]

( The storm goes quiet. When Sam was little — little little, probably too young to even remember, he went through the same phase most kids do where he was absolutely terrified of thunderstorms. It didn't last long, and it paled to the point of pure insignificance in the face of the truth of their lives, but Dean remembers it all the same. Him and Sam, camped up on a motel bed, listening to the thunder. He remembers telling Sam to count. Every time thunder rolled through the room, count the seconds, and as the seconds got longer, you knew the storm was getting further away.

See, Sammy? One, two, three, four five-

Blake's storm rolls out to the count of five six seven eight- in between every break. The seconds get longer, and longer, and eventually it's quiet. Still, he waits for Blake to break that silence before he moves — and when it comes, he only nods. )

Yeah, c'mon. Here we go.

( It's accompanied by a soft grunt of effort as he makes to stand — hauling Blake up with him as he goes. He has, it seems, designated himself a crutch without even bothering to ask. He's assumed the role, taken up the mantle, and designated it as his own responsibility to see Blake firmly out of this shithole with an arm around his waist or at his shoulder the entire time.

Good news, man: you found the guy who's obnoxiously dedicated to taking care of people all the way across the damn finish line. )

EVENT #16: THE ISLAND - IC INVESTIGATION LOG

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