EVENT #20: ADVENT - IC EVENT LOG

[abraxasmods]

Event #20 - Advent

OOC Event Log ⦁ The Gods ⦁ NPCs

The Badlands has remained contested territory between Thorne and the Free Cities for many years. During a mediation two years ago, a resolution was attempted but fell apart. The Badlands is valued for being the direct route toward the Singularity...meaning it was only a matter of time before conflict broke out over it.

Early in AUGUST, Thorne and the Free Cities begin to march on the Badlands. The clash is bloody and violent, taking place exclusively on the ground. Although the Free Cities military has its share of firearms, such things are still rare and expensive. Most of the fighting, as expected, makes use of horses, swords, arrows, and - of course - magic.

The territories won't call upon Summoned like yourselves. You are meant for something more important. If you insist on joining the fight, they may approve depending on who you are and what you plan to do. Soon, however, a powerful force emerges, one far bigger than just another clash of swords.

This event draws on a previous event involving the Heralds of War. Knowledge of this past event is not necessary, but you may review the information for added context if you wish!

The consequences of Solvunn's choice in Event #18 occur at the end of the event. The result of this act will be further detailed in the Wrap-Up.

Overture

The return of the Heralds might stir familiarity within some of you. You may recall how they whispered in your ears, planted visions of death, or corrupted the Horizon. This time, although their coming spreads across the land, you as the Summoned are remarkably resistant to the Gods' influences. Newer arrivals might be more susceptible, but those of you who have been here for months or years won't find yourselves afflicted much, if at all...until you start to make your choices.

As the Summoned, certain actions may open you up to vulnerabilities. Everything you do carries a weight. If you experienced the emergent reality, you'll likely have learned that lesson. You're not fully one of the Gods yet, but your connection to the Singularity means the magic that flows through you contains both a great capacity to help others and a cost that comes with it which you must consider.

A Taste of Blood

It begins sometime in mid-August, around the 16th onward. Not everyone will experience it at the same time. You might even believe you're spared until days afterward when you're visited by an unusually vivid dream.

The dream starts the same for everyone: you are going somewhere, anywhere, walking to your bedroom, or enjoying a stroll on the beach. You might be driving down a familiar neighborhood. Wherever you're headed, you find that the world around you shifts. Thin red veins spiderweb across nearby surfaces. As you press on, they become engorged with blood until they form a fleshy tunnel. A light at the end beckons you. You can turn around if you want, but aren't you curious?

If you proceed, you eventually come upon a beating human heart with your Arcana painted in gold. A swarm of large mosquitos quickly encase the heart, sucking it dry. As their abdomens become fat with blood, more and more join the swarm until it becomes a whirlwind of insects that gradually take on a large humanoid shape: bright red with blood with horns bent upwards like a lopsided crescent moon.

This is Zorne of Last Blood, the eldest of the Heralds of War.

The veins are pulled in by the insects, connecting one to the next and holding them in place like latticework of sinew. No longer obscured, the world that surrounds you is bleak and gray. A large sword materializes in Zorne's hand. Holding it aloft, he measures your resolve.

◎ If you have spilled blood, the blade begins to drip with it. The steel beneath glows hot, then begins to harden.
◎ If you have not spilled blood, the blade turns brittle, eventually falling to dust.

Zorne accepts you regardless. He sits down on his simple stone throne, laying the sword against the armrest. His eyes are thinly veiled sockets in a skull made of insects, downcast towards where you stand below his form. A thin layer of red skin stretches across his mouth with every word he speaks.

"The path...has been chosen. The snake has found its tail. Each new age rises from the ashes of its grave. It is...as it always has been."

Zorne holds the sword up again. Behind his throne, you glimpse the rays of a rising sun.

"A sword hardens in the fire. In the darkened hearts of mortals. Destruction heralds purification from madness.

All things end before they begin. Mortals, Gods, the smallest insect. And when it ends...we will be there. I will be there. And you...little godling...must find your place in that end."

The sun reaches its apex. It is blazing and fierce, as though it might soon swallow you in its fury - and then it does.

Do you feel at peace from its cleansing fire? Strengthened by it? Or is it purely unimaginable pain and fear that consumes you?

Zorne's sword measures the blood on your character's hands as perceived by them. A character who took only one important life to save the world may see as much blood on that sword as another who killed many to do the same.

Making Your Choices

Whether you believe Zorne or not, you must still do something, even if that something is nothing. As things unfold before your very eyes, you can decide whether you will aid the Heralds for what you may believe is the greater good, help the individuals you can't deny, or decline any involvement at all.

General Effects

Each territory will have a set of circumstances brought forth by a combination of human actions and the Heralds. Those who experienced the afflictions in the past may recognize that the Heralds never implanted or controled your thoughts. Instead, they showed you visions, whispered in your ear, or coaxed you to indulge the darker impulses that live inside you.

The same effect will take hold of the regular citizens now, whose dispositions play a large role in what the Heralds can influence and how much. This is made most obvious by the fact that children are the least impacted. The younger and the fewer their worries, the less vulnerable they are. Of those who are afflicted, the effect might manifest in ways that are more fitting of a child: dreams of a beloved pet dying, bullying a sibling, or giving in to the desire to steal a toy. Adults who are naturally and genuinely carefree may also fail to be affected by Koth's despair or Adlewyrd's poisonous thoughts.

Vulnerabilities

Your status as the Summoned affords you some protection. The longer you've been in Abraxas, the less open you will be to influence. However, depending on what you do, this might change.

◎ If you choose to counter a Herald's influences, you may inadvertently absorb the affliction's effects or experience a "bleedover" from the person you're helping. The more you do this, the more severe the impact will become. You might also be concerned by the new ability you're exhibiting when countering an affliction. Though the ability is small, you feel its power coursing through you. When you try to call on it outside of aiding others, however, nothing comes. It seems this ability only manifests when interacting with an afflicted individual.

◎ If you choose to enhance a Herald's influences, you may inadvertently absorb their abilities as yours and thus, in turn, spread them toward individuals who are nearby. This could occur deliberately or accidentally, depending on how much you desire to act as an extension of the Herald in your chosen territory.

◎ If you choose to ignore a Herald's influences, you'll receive no effects either way...but you might find it difficult to disregard what's going on around you.

For an OOC explanation of the mechanics regarding being a countering, enhancing, or neutral force, please review the Deciding Your Actions section on the OOC Plotting Post.

Patchwork Horizon

Luckily, the Horizon isn't intent on trapping any of you this time. Its instabilities instead manifest in your own domains. It might revert back to a previous state or older elements might resurface that you thought you got rid of. Or, it may take on transformations from a future version - the domain that you had as a God in the emergent reality. The more you've made yourself vulnerable, the more unstable your experience in the Horizon will become.

Further, these instabilities aren't limited to your domains. Effects from other domains might overwrite yours, or perhaps pieces of your domain are showing up in another's.

◎ For some, it might just be a minor inconvenience. Perhaps your flowers have transplanted onto somebody else's yard across the Horizon or your pet keeps teleporting around to everyone's domains except yours.

◎ For others, the effect might be more troubling. You could find private letters surfacing in a stranger's desk or you might open your closet to find another's buried skeletons.

Anything that ends up in someone else's domain will be missing in yours. Rather than a duplication, the effect is more like a jigsaw or a patchwork quilt. You can put it right, of course, with some concentration - but it's best done with a partner, especially someone who knows your domain well enough to help you reform it.

Setting a domain right will also repair any vulnerabilities its owner might've exposed themselves to, so it's a good idea to try and assist each other. Of course, if your concentration's off, attempts to fix a domain might actually make things worse, so be careful!

Arrival

The sections below will contain more specific prompts to help players jumpstart threads, but you may use the broad descriptions of each Herald's impact here to inspire your own ideas and scenarios.

The First Shadow

The arrival of the Heralds of War is subtle. For many citizens, they might not realize that there is a force exerted throughout the world. Indeed, how much of what happens can be attributed to the Heralds, and how much is simply human nature? That's a question even the Heralds can't and won't answer. They are only here to carry out the same task they have done since the dawn of time, each time a war brews.

Koth, the Kingdome of Thorne

Koth of Festering Lands brings with her death and rot. This affects vegetation, wildlife, livestock, the already dead...and the soul itself. She does not bring literal death to living people - she only brings it to the things around them and within them.

◎ Missing Warship
In Borrel, a naval warship on its way home to resupply goes missing. Led by an experienced captain and with no fighting taking place at sea (surely, even the Free Cities can't sail that quickly toward the western coast), the mysterious disappearance has many concerned. Unfortunately, some mages who attempt a common tracking spell report visions of bloated corpses sunk to the bottom while others dream of drowning, an effect so real they must be shaken awake. Many mages refuse to try the spell again, leaving it in your hands instead.

Each tracking spell can only vaguely locate an individual or a part of the ship, so multiple attempts are necessary. If you're not skilled in magic, you can take a more active role and board a rescue ship off the coast of Borrel. This ship will venture out based on the coordinates according to the spell...but take care: the sailors with you are prone to similar visions of drowning when they look into the blackened depths below. Others claim they see the faces of the dead in the ocean's surface. All of this leads to high tensions amongst the men and women on board.

It'll be possible to rescue a few sailors, but others may be lost entirely. The ship itself appears to have broken into pieces. Survivors report a grotesque undead leviathan that cannot be harmed or killed, though it's difficult to tell if this is true or another hallucination.

◎ Dukewood Lumber Mills
Previously a site of a dangerous rift, the lumber mill in the woods by Nott has since returned to normal. Unfortunately, that ends quickly when the trees begin to rot. Workers report a horrible smell that comes from the trees themselves, and that the normally clear sap has turned into a putrid black-blood substance.

To make matters worse, the rotting stores of food and now the dying trees are putting the workers and locals around Nott under great stress. Thoughts of despair are amplified by both the situation and Koth, leading to higher rates of drinking, which in turn has increased the amount of accidents at the mill, including mismanaged safety protocols and mishandled equipment.

Lumber is of great value during wartime, especially for the construction of naval ships, outposts, and weapons, so Castle Thorne is determined to help restore the trees, as well as calm the workers. You can help with everything from checking equipment to ensure they're safe, searching for any missing mill workers, providing first aid where necessary, or confronting beasts that might've been disturbed by all the commotion.

If you happen to fall under Koth's sway, you might also see the dead when looking into the waters as you rescue the other sailors. The bodies might reflect something you fear or they may be a reminder of a death that's already passed. You could also sink into despair or experience haunting dreams as you try to help another recover from their hopelessness.

Adlewyrd, the Free Cities

Adlewyrd of Poisoned Tongues brings with them words that poison the heart and mind. This affects thoughts and emotions, a slow and subtle influence that spreads.

◎ Untold Secrets
In Libertas, where underground networks thrive, sudden slips of the tongue, rising tempers, and impulsive actions have caused the black market to collapse into disarray. Between power struggles, accusations of betrayals, and missing transactions, the violence has spilled into the open.

Preoccupied with the battle, the number of guards and soldiers keeping order is reduced. Venturing into Libertas can be dangerous and those who live there, including artists and orphans, are struggling to go about their day-to-day without disruption. You can help calm tempers or break up fights...or maybe, if you're a bit more vulnerable to the influences yourself, you might become drawn into the chaos yourself.

Because of the limited number of hands, the Summoned are allowed to make an arrest, but you must bring the culprit to a guard outpost for formal processing. Taking matters into your own hands too severely can lead to scrutiny. Given the circumstances, however, a bit of non-fatal violence will be overlooked, especially if it takes place in the darker corners of Libertas.

You don't have to enforce the law, though. In Libertas, this enforcement is rather loose, anyway. Instead, you can mediate as a neutral party, take advantage to make a deal of your own, or simply offer your services to fill in any gaps that might've occurred in these networks. This could involve more illicit activities like transporting underground goods or something more above-board like searching for a missing person. Just be sure you don't draw too much attention if you're acting outside the law.

◎ The Red Path
Previously a site of a dangerous rift, the scenic Red Path leading between Cadens and Libertas has since been restored. Unfortunately, that ends quickly when conflicting reports cause an accident involving merchant wagons carrying silk, spices, and wine. Some claim the merchants are spies while others insist they were bandits in disguise.

Regardless, the accident leads to several fatalities and disturbs a monster nest: that of the dangerous Copper Spine Wyvern. It also draws swarms of hungry Kaskadura, the latter of which are lured by the corpses. While not normally aggressive towards the healthy and living, the Kaskadura seem to be in a frenzy and will bite just about anyone they see - and there's a lot of them, gathering over the area like a black cloud.

To make matters worse, a clerical error has slowed down the cleanup and identification process. If you're not inclined to fight monsters or locate missing bodies, you can help at Portam Hall to manually match names to surviving family members, as well as locate said family members to deliver the somber news. As for Portam Hall, the main hub of government activity might not be under threat from beasts, but isn't calm, either. Gossip, secrets, and missing paperwork plague the various departments and offices.

If you happen to fall under Adlewyrd's sway, you might read too deeply into an innocent comment or mishear a remark that raises your ire, leading you to snap wrongly at a friend or attack an innocent. You might also give into lurking temptations that surface as you try to help others overcome their dark desires.

Sannleikr, the Solvunn Commune

Sannleikr of Many Faces brings with him deception of the soul. This affects faces and minds, causing appearances to become distorted, untrustworthy, or altogether unrecognizable.

◎ Lost Herders
In the Secondary Settlement, a woman named Eydis has lost her prized herding dogs and her flock of sheep. They left one morning as usual to herd the sheep out to graze and never returned. She worries that rumors of livestock sprouting teeth are true and will harm her dogs. She isn't the only one, either. Several other sheep and goat herders have claimed their dogs and flocks have gone missing, too.

The dogs themselves have scattered across Solvunn. There are roughly a dozen dogs and several flocks that failed to return home. Should you run into any livestock, it would appear the rumors are indeed true: the normally fluffy sheep have grown wicked claws or horns while the goats bear their sharp fangs. Despite their fearsome appearance, however, they are not aggressive except when frightened. Keep them calm when herding them lest you provoke them to bite or claw.

As for the dogs, some might be wounded while others will growl at you. They don't recognize familiar toys or faces and will attempt to run away or behave apprehensively. You can use any abilities or techniques you have on hand to try and bring them home. After all, the Solvunn woods are dangerous, and there are many creatures within those dense trees that will strike.

◎ Living Statues
Previously a site of a dangerous rift, the Feintak Ritual Site, located just outside the Primary Settlement, has since returned to normal. Unfortunately, that ends quickly when confused citizens of the Commune begin to wander toward the area at night in search of their "missing" loved ones.

Unable to recognize familiar faces, some begin to see those faces imposed upon the statues at the site instead. You can find children playing with their "mother" or an elderly widow spending time with a "relative." While this would be disturbing enough on its own, the sacred area contains an ancient magic that, should any missteps occur, could be released into the world and spell disaster.

The Council has asked the Summoned to help bring home the lost folk of the Feintak site. They must be guided gently, as any negative energy could be absorbed by the dark power that lives in the earth and the statues. Victims of the affliction might become frightened of you or fail to recognize you even if you've been neighbors for months or years, making your task more difficult.

If you happen to fall under Sannleikr's sway, you might also begin to see faces in the statues at Feintak and forget the real figures around you. The faces might be friendly or they could be adversarial - an enemy or a source of shame. You may also see a twisted reflection of yourself in the mirror, representing something you've been trying to hide from.

The Final Coming

Zorne first spoke to you in your dreams, but his presence is noticeably absent for the first few days. Then, one week later, after one of the most fierce and bloody battles in the Badlands in recent history, a red sun rises over Abraxas. The morning's dawn is cast in a red glow across the territories.

If you met Zorne in your dream, you may recognize this very sun. You remember feeling its heat over your skin and the emotions it stirred in you, whichever they might've been.

By noon, the blood-red hue will fade...but Zorne's coming has only begun.

The Last Affliction

Unrestricted, Zorne's influence travels across the land and joins forces with his siblings.

◎ The Badlands

Forces from the Free Cities introduce a new prototype to the war: a semi-automonous suit of armor armed with a piece of technology derived from something that came through the rifts: a unique firearm that launches explosive discs imbued with New Magic.

The weapon's destructive capabilities wreck havoc on both people and the environment...inadvertently setting loose yet another creature of the rift - the swamp-like creature that researchers had been studying in the Badlands before the war broke out. Its giant mouth is lined with numerous teeth. Its breath can paralyze, blind, poison, and weaken anyone caught in it.

The morbol will move toward the borders of each territory throughout the event, so the Summoned in all locations can encounter it when arriving at the front lines to deliver medicine, supplies, or news. Zorne's influence appears to prevent it from dying. When killed, it respawns in another location - sometimes miles away.

◎ Forging the Soul

Zorne's influence can affect those who are already under the effect of one of the other three Heralds. A shopkeeper angry about a misspoken rumor might begin to have disturbing and violent dreams of confronting the offending gossiper. A soldier who sees his death at the hands of another may start to feel the urge to kill first before his turn comes.

Aggressive wildlife will begin to invade city borders. While most are stopped or killed before they enter a major city, one or two predators might slip through. Trade routes are disrupted. Nearly all caravans are halted except the most critical transports. Hunters and farmers begin to report disturbing sights of deer scavenging on corpses or butterflies biting as mosquitos do.

You, too, may experience similar dreams or desires if you've allowed yourself to become too vulnerable or exposed to the Heralds. The more you entertain such thoughts or let your guard down, the harder they become to ignore. As you move through your days, surrounded by turmoil and conflict, you may have to ask yourself if you're as above it all as you first thought.

And what about your friends? Your neighbors? After all, you might associate frequently with the other Summoned, but you've made connections with the native population, too. Perhaps the kindly innkeeper is now treating you with a suspicion she didn't used to exhibit. Maybe you hear that the baker across the street, who once offered you free sweet rolls, has been gravely injured by his own son.

As Zorne said, this is about forging peace through madness - or so the Heralds believe. Maybe, in the pandemonium and bloodshed around you, you begin to understand something important about yourself, your friends, or the world.

Beyond the Heralds

It's tough to deny that even without the Heralds, this conflict would be ongoing regardless. Neither Thorne nor the Free Cities has demonstrated any desire for peace. Solvunn seems to be considering their role, as well. Despite the war, life must continue for Abraxans: parents have mouths to feed, farmers have fields to sow, and professors continue to lecture and hold classes while they're able.

As the Summoned, you can engage in any of these elements. You can agree to take notes for a fellow student who's suffered an unfortunate attack after being mistaken for someone else. You could babysit for households who need an extra hand while their partner has been sent to fight. You can pack medicine, offer healing abilities, or bring supplies to units stationed by the Badlands.

You can also take on acts of diplomacy. This is not restricted to communicating with the leaders of your territory. Both Nocwich and the Nether have a relationship with the Summoned, which is something you can utilize. You might have to begin by sending a letter instead of meeting them directly, but if you're determined to find a peaceful solution, it's worth trying.

Individualized actions are entirely possible! We will discuss it on a case-by-case basis. You can SUBMIT YOUR REQUEST by replying to the comment with the form.

Please have a concrete goal in mind and try to keep your requests concise. We will do our best to accommodate everyone, but we may have to ask that you hold the request for after the event or ask you to revise it, depending on what you've submitted.

Departure

When the Heralds withdraw, it's quiet and as difficult to notice as their arrival. Did they vanish near the end of one of the battles? Did they leave days ago, the seeds they sowed flourishing without further intervention?

For the Summoned, it may be a bit easier to tell. Steadily, as the month comes to a close, the Horizon begins to stabilize once more. If you have been countering the Heralds, you find your ability no longer triggers, even if there remain those around you who behave as though they are still being influenced. You suppose it's fair to remember that the Heralds don't need to exert their powers for people to behave as they do.

The battle in the Badlands continues to wage...but on AUGUST 30, Thorne's troops receive abrupt orders to return home. It appears that, while the kingdom's forces were occupied on land, her naval warships were dealt a serious blow, handing a sudden victory to the Free Cities - but not by who you might predict.

The Hands of Solvunn

Solvunn has often refused to pledge for one side or another. The Council maintains that they are devoted to protecting their commune and their way of life, nothing more. They certainly have no army or weapons to speak of. Their disinterest in the Badlands conflict is expected, and neither Thorne nor the Free Cities consider it unusual that Solvunn has remained isolated.

What you might've wondered, however, is this: why have the Heralds visited Solvunn twice now when they spare genuinely neutral lands like Nocwich and the Nether?

A Guiding Light

After Thorne's retreat, news begins to travel. It moves through Solvunn and Thorne first, eventually reaching the Free Cities. Multiple stories surface about the sea in Borrel, not about the storm wall or Koth, but something else - a mysterious lighthouse and a thick fog that's obscured the waters for days.

Survivors of one destroyed warship, The Queen's Secret, return telling tale of a light that beckoned them during a heavy storm. But the lighthouse keepers in the western sea swear they saw no ships come their way. The ship itself seems to have crashed into a massive sea stack that should've been easily avoidable. What lighthouse could have drawn them near?

Over the next few days, this happens again and again. Sailors looking out from shore confirm that they can indeed see the flickering beam of a lighthouse. It stands proudly in a spot where no lighthouse was ever built.

Then, on the final day, the lighthouse moves.

Blessings Granted

Citizens gather seaside despite sailors and guards ashore attempting to send them home. They watch as a naval officer and his men are sent to investigate. As the lighthouse grows brighter, its hypnotic pulse begins to pull others forward. Fishermen and noblemen set sail on their own civilian ships. Sailors of the Royal Navy break rank and order, as if under a powerful compulsion, and set forth in Thorne's prized warships. One by one, ships big and small pull out of the harbor in the dead of night.

Witnesses report strange limbs emerging from the base of the lighthouse. The limbs do not strike or attack. Rather, they open up like a waiting embrace. They gently accept each vessel that sails towards the light. Then they enfold the ship and pull it down into the depths. To onlookers, it's a silent but horrifying affair. Each ship disappears until only bits of wreckage are washed ashore the following morning.

A surprising number survive by abandoning ship, though some captains choose to go down with their vessel. Having made a crippling dent in Thorne's Royal Navy, the lighthouse vanishes. Back on shore in the Tertiary Settlement, the storm wall finally vanishes.

The incident above will lead a few changes in Solvunn and to the borders of the Badlands. We'll detail those changes in the Wrap-Up!

---

Comments

Julia Wicker | The Magicians | Solvunn

[divinityfrompain]

[open starts to come! Message me on plurk @ theskyisnew if you want anything individual!]

Solvunn

[divinityfrompain]

Julia doesn't sleep so the vision comes to her while she's meditating, and she's shocked when she wakes up from it. The blood dripping was unnerving and she remembers the enormity of the old god. The words he shared are seared onto her brain and stay with her. "Hey, you didn't happen to get a bizarre vision from a god made of blood, did you?" she asks the next Summoned she sees in the morning. Since she's a sharer, Julia's interested in seeing if this was a one-off for her, or if it's the beginning of something new.

It's strangely fitting that she was just talking about the last time the gods caused havoc, and here they are again, just doing it in slowly nefarious ways. She promises Eydis she'll find her animals and heads out to the woods alone to do just that. She whistles for the dogs and doesn't get a response right away as she wanders.

"Well that's terrifying," she mumbles when a goat looks at her and bares full fangs. "First the goats knocking on our doors standing up and now this." It's full creepy. But Julia's smart enough to leave them alone, although catch her trying to subtly move around them, rather than spook any of them.

When she finds the dogs she sits on the grass and waits for them to ease up, spending the time required to get them used to her presence, clearly patient enough to wait them out like feral creatures need sometimes. As they creep closer to one another, she just needs a single touch to a dog and her red eyes glow, her Singularity-given magic making the dog warm up to her. "It's okay, it's okay, let's go home." It warms up to her, but if someone else arrives, the dog turns and growls angrily, hair standing up.

Julia spends much of the time after that trying to walk people back from the ritual site to their homes. She is gentle and careful, slow moving to assist them, and once they're back she heads out into the night again. Catch her on her walk back to the ritual site, having spent entire days doing it at this point, but she doesn't sleep so there isn't anything else for her to do.

While Julia tries her best not to influence people too much, she does make the mistake a few times with the dogs, and then when healing people from conflict as neighbor turns against neighbor, so one time she is seen at a statue, frozen in place. She comes closer to it, like being drawn in a moth to a flame, and withdrawals suddenly back a few steps. "You bitch," she spits out, angry on a dime. "You have the nerve to show up like this!"

If someone comes across her apparently having a verbal fight with absolutely no one, she'll look at them like she's never seen them before. Friend or stranger, none of them are recognized when red eyes fall on them, causing her to back away, panicked. "Don't touch me, stay away from me." And she bolts into the woods, not necessarily the best place for someone to be with all the beasts out.

[aquaveiled]

It's mayhaps fortuitous that Julia has ran into someone who would find that question not-so-horrifying even if a Herald hadn't started making regular rounds in people's heads. Himeka's brows raise as she holds the basket of eggs she'd just traded for a little closer. Looking back and forth to see if any of the locals nearby have heard--they...seem a little off today, don't they?--she leans in.

"Yes, he was very..."

Bloody? That's obvious.

"Goopy."

Perfected.

"Did he speak to you?"

[divinityfrompain]

Himeka is one of the people she would have automatically trusted to talk about this anyway. She doesn't want to spook any of the newbies if they're not having weird visions. She sighs and gestures for Himeka to come with her off to the side, so they don't freak anyone out. It should have occurred to her sooner but she's really thrown. More god stuff.

"Yes. I think he's saying that conflict has to happen to end up in peace. I'm not sure why he thinks he has to warn us though." As far as Julia knows, nothing has been off quite yet. Maybe a tiny bit, she's raised an eyebrow or two, since Solvunn is usually so peaceful. But everyone's on edge, that could be the explanation. There's talk that there's open combat going on in the Badlands.

"It seemed like he wanted me - us? - in particular to understand."

[aquaveiled]

It's an easy enough thing to be thrown by. Of all the visions to have, one so visceral is enough to keep even a seasoned warrior or vision-haver up at night. Himeka, herself, and woken up in a cold sweat and quickened breath. In her experience, there's a clear distinction between bad dreams and visions.

She follows easily, listens quietly as they move, and nods in agreement of Julia's interpretation.

"That's how I felt too." Both on what he'd implied, and of his request. "So...it sounds he said the same things to you as well. Then--...if it is a warning, it doesn't seem like he wants us to change things. Does he want us to...help them?"

[divinityfrompain]

Since Julia doesn't dream anymore, she knows for certain it has to be a vision. And she wouldn't be in doubt because she doesn't think her mind is creative enough for such a bizarre scene. In Solvunn, they're a little more used to the gods attempting to communicate with them. Once she gets a sense of what's going on, she might reach out to Endrborrin and see what she's missing.

"Maybe. He did call me a little godling, so it seems like confirmation about what we saw a few months back." When they were shown a future as gods that threw everyone for a loop. Julia has complicated feelings about it, but being a god specifically isn't the part she struggled with. She's used to that.

"So ... I guess he could ask us for help. Like we're starting to be more useful to them by changing." Interpretation of visions is its own area of magical divination and not one she's good at. "I'm not sure this is going to be good."

[aquaveiled]

She nods, recognizing the term. She'd heard it a few times from the elder gods when they, the Summoned, had acted as gods as well. It seems a term of endearing me, but from Zorne it had felt...different. Definitely a senior looking to ones juniors, but if there was affection within it, Himeka couldn't hear it.

"More useful...yes, this could be an attempt to push us in the direction that would be more useful in the future."

There's a pause as she considers. Like Himeka, Julia has been lending a hand to a god more geared towards life and renewal. It's the antithesis to what the Heralds bring. That fact alone is why she's been trying to better understand Koth, her abilities, and most importantly how to counter them.

But Zorne...what does he bring?

"The last time they appeared, it was awful. But this does feel different. It's...purposeful."

Himeka shakes her head.

"Or mayhaps it's just us that are different, now. The gods aren't as mysterious. If they want us to help...that means we also have a choice in the matter. Doesn't it?"

[sketchycharacter]

Nate has great timing — everyone says so. (No one has ever said so.) Except now, maybe because he's just making his way around on foot, minding his own business, when he crests a small bluff and is greeted by a growling dog that does not sound thrilled to see him.

"Whoa." He raises his hands, palms up, as if the dog will recognize the universal symbol for 'not armed.' (Then again, in magic land, maybe it will.) "I don't mean any harm, puppy. I was just on me way through."

[divinityfrompain]

Julia knows there's no controlling these dogs, no matter how much she tries. They're being influenced and they're probably scared about it. Animals suffer just as much as humans in the right circumstances, and they seem to be a target of the gods. It's unfair. They didn't start the war. She had just gotten the dog to consider taking food from him when Nate showed up.

"Careful. They're not themselves." Julia is sitting on the ground, having put herself down to their level to be less intimidating. Not like she is in any way intimidating at her petite size. "It will definitely bite you." She gestures for Nate to back off. Either back off or sit down, either one will make him less threatening. "This whole thing is messing them up."

[sketchycharacter]

"Here I thought they were just guard dogs."

Wouldn't be the first time he's encountered them, but at least with guard dogs he was usually more prepared for the encounter. He's not sure how to handle this one, but he takes Julia's cue to back off a little, lowering into something like a squat as he does.

"It's messing a lot of people up. Not just people, obviously." He glances nervously at her, more for his sake than his. "Are you okay just sitting there? If they decide to turn on you..."

[divinityfrompain]

"Normally they are, but they got scared off by the creepy sheep with fangs. First the goat who walked around knocking on doors on their hind legs, now this." Julia still doesn't entirely know what was up about that. It was a very bizarre incident and now there's more animal drama happening. She feels bad for them, it's not like they've done anything to bother the gods personally.

"It's fine, I'm sort of invulnerable." Considering she looks like a fragile petite woman it's a strange thing to say, but Julia says it with confidence, like it's talking about the weather. She waits as the dog growls at her, but when she reaches out, there's a very faint glow to her skin. Warm and radiating until the dog hesitantly allows her to touch its snout. And it pauses, tense, not biting, but not ready to run either.

"The gods should really leave the animals alone, it's not fair."

[sunnygoose]

[So far, all of Lucy's experiences with the local wildlife have been... less than stellar. She's sure they're fine on a good day, but apparently today -- and this week -- has not been a good day. Bitten by a dog, headbutted by a goat, she even got slapped on the ankle by some sort of... fish... thing?

It had feet, and it was sort of terrifying, but in a way that hadn't bothered her until it'd begun sucking on her toes. Which she's pretty sure was in an attempt to eat her; it simply didn't have teeth.

So this time, she's come prepared. When she stumbles into a woman sitting quietly with a dog, she almost thinks that must be Eydis herself. Lucy's just about to give a wave when the dog jumps up, growling at her -- just like the last one.] Oh! Hey, no, I'm a friend, I promise! I -- hey, look, I brought a snack! [Lucy pulls out a sausage, which has sort of gone old and cold, but... dogs like that, don't they?] And you can trust me. Though I can't vouch for what's inside this. I, um, was not there when it was made. And also I have no idea how to make a sausage.

[But she does set it down on the ground, crouching down a few feet away from the offering. She does, now, wave at the woman.] Hi. Uh. Is this one yours?

[divinityfrompain]

[ The change in animal behavior was for sure alarming, especially in a commune like Solvunn. She wishes they were kept out of the gods' drama, they were fully innocent of the conflict that led to any of this. Even the creatures who usually stay within the forests and away from humans were creeping closer, and she had to scare off a few of them with some blinding light spells. It's no longer safe to be on the road the same way too.

The dog continues to growl at her but also eyes the sausage. It barks at her viciously when she sets it down and watches as she walks away. But then once she's a distance it does come forward and bite at the offered food. It should be left alone for now, as it may warm up to her after a meal.

Julia stays seated because she doesn't want to startle it, glancing up at Lucy. She unconsciously has been floating her fingers back and forth in the air, causing the grass and flowers around her to sway in the same pattern, like there's a gust of wind pushing it. Sometimes she can't help it.

She smiles faintly though. She knows Lucy's one of the newbies, it's pretty easy to keep track of them when they arrive, and they didn't have many of them recently. The swoop of air around her stops and she lifts her hand to wave. ]

No, I've been helping Eydis get them back. They're almost feral right now. They're usually the sweetest dogs and well-trained. I'm Julia. I have a sort of ... animal friendship type of magic, it makes them trust me quicker, so I've been working on them.

[sunnygoose]

[Luckily, Lucy is not interested in pushing it. She's actually quite content having the space between her and the dog, and that it looks... not exactly mollified, but not like it's afraid she's going to bite it in turn, either.

She misses Dog. Dog... meat? She realizes now she's not sure if that dog had a name. But she was so calm in comparison.

Lucy doesn't really recognize the wave of the grass because she isn't looking for it. "Magic" is still just a concept; the sort of thing that shows up in ancient children's books to solve problems. It isn't until she, Julia, says the word, that Lucy's eyes light up a little.

Oh, like it's a real... a real thing.] Hi! Lucy Maclean. I wish this meeting was, um, in less threatening circumstances... I was trying to help Eydis, too. [Clearly! Why else would she be walking around with sausages?] Are you sure that's not just charisma?

sorry for the wait long work week!

[divinityfrompain]

Nice to meet you, Lucy. Welcome to the madness. I'd say this isn't normal but it sort of is, it's just varying degrees of weird from month to month.

[ Julia's been here almost a year now. She's coming up on it. It's a weird sort of anniversary but she doesn't mind so much. The eight hundred years she minds a little more. And here are the gods again deciding to interfere, but it is their world, she shouldn't be that surprised. She smiles and shakes her head about the charisma. ]

No, I don't have any raw animal magnetism, just good old-fashioned magic. You should see my butterfly friends. When things are better, maybe.

[ Butterflies and bees find Julia particularly interesting and can often be seen floating along with her. If she has any of her unique flowers with her, they're permanently attached to her, as her symbolic pact with Endrborrin. It makes her hard to miss walking around the settlement, but also people who don't like bees keep their distance. She gets that. She wasn't a huge fan until recently either. ]

I was a witch before I came here, I've always had magic. Are you new to it? Because I promise, it's super great.

[macwraith]

Obviously, Red's noticed the rampant confusion and cases of mistaken identity plaguing the settlement in the wake of whatever curse these blood gods have wrought. But he's noticed also that the Summoned have been generally unaffected -- hence many of them volunteering to help keep the native Solvunnites out of trouble or take care of the beasts or pets. Maybe it was simply too much to hope for that they wouldn't be touched by the curse, though.

He recognizes the look in Julia's eyes too late. Red was only approaching to make sure she was all right when he heard her raising her voice. The last thing he expected was that she'd bolt in blatant fear right into the woods at twilight.

"Shite-- Julia! Wait!"

She's in no state to be out there alone. Red runs after her.

[divinityfrompain]

Julia was one moment away from breaking that statue into pieces with the force of her fist alone, and that would have gotten her into some Solvunn problems, so she's lucky in a way by the distraction. She didn't expect anything to effect her, having helped the natives as much as possible over time. She didn't notice a change in her own weakness toward influence, so she was not prepared to be overcome herself.

Red eyes look at the statue with hate, but when they turn to Red, it's fear. She doesn't recognize him. He looks like a strange man to her and while she's come a long way since where she was after Reynard, there is an instinct in her to panic when he comes closer. She's also being influenced so what she might have faced directly she avoids. She is not in her goddess state of mind either because she could disappear altogether if she wanted to, she's backslid into human mentality.

It's good that she is thinking like a human, because the goddess could smite him with a bolt of lightning. She runs into the forest and looks for a weapon, picking up a wooden branch that is far too large for her. It should be too heavy too, it's practically her own size, but she holds it like a baseball bat. "Stay away from me!"

[macwraith]

In her state, she isn't quiet; Red can hear her easily running through the forest and follows close behind, afraid he'll lose sight of her. Julia can take care of herself, he knows that. But as much as Red respects her abilities, he'd never forgive himself if she gets hurt, improbable as that might be.

When he catches up, he slows, lifting both hands up in front of him in the universal gesture of surrender.

"Easy. It's just me."

With the curse that's fallen over these lands lately, he knows it might not be so easy. Still, he keeps trying, keeping his voice as steady and gentle as he can.

"Red mac Raith, remember? A friend." If that's not too bold. "I mean you no harm."

He stops several feet away, palms still out to the side of his head, facing her.

"I won't come any closer."

[divinityfrompain]

It helps that he lifts his arms, she can see there are no weapons in it. Julia feels out of control in a way she hasn't in a long time. And usually it's because of her powers she gets that way, but now she feels all too human instead. Lost and alone and like there are no allies she can count on. There was a time this was her real life, when she was separated from others, and it was a miserable time. Solvunn being so community-focused has been important to her.

"No, you're not Red. Don't lie to me."

Julia mentally knows what Red looks like because yes, they are friends, she makes friends as easily as them tolerating her for more than a minute. But she is looking straight at him and her brain is telling her that this is not Red. She can't see his features, he looks like someone else.

"Um." Julia thinks about this because there's magic afoot and she's very stressed out. She doesn't want to burn his face off like she almost did to Will that one time. But looking at him is terrifying some part of her brain that is screaming this is a villain.

"Where is Red from? And who else from our area is from the same place?" See, it's a test! If he is Red he'd know, because Claire doesn't have a Scottish accent.

Horizon

[divinityfrompain]

Julia is getting wired from spending all her nights walking people around so she takes breaks in the Horizon, trying to find some inner peace after being embarrassed by yelling at a non-existent Persephone for no good reason. She doesn't expect her domain to be shifted all over again though. She's startled as she steps into her domain which is no longer a normal interior, but is now overrun by animals of all kinds.

In the vision of the future, Julia's treehouse turned into a tree village where many creatures made their home, and now she finds that there are squirrels, chipmunks, and all kinds of animals hanging out in her space, as if they belong there. She looks at the chaos and just sort of sighs, putting her dark hair up into a ponytail. "Alright, little cuties, time to clear out."

The real problem comes in when she realizes that Hudson, her red River Dragon, has gone missing. This is deeply upsetting to Julia and she calls out Hudson's name loudly with increasing anxiety. That is when the swoop of a dragon's wings can be heard overhead. Hudson isn't at full size but she is currently a size in-between, something big like an elephant and she's flying at the top of the Horizon. Julia runs below her, not looking where she's going, shouting Hudson's name as she circles around the place.

Or maybe Hudson has found her way into another person's domain, back to her cute medium dog size, causing havoc within other people's space as her tail whips around and she acts poorly. "I'm so sorry, I don't know what's gotten into her." Julia says after following the sound of her crashing through making trouble.

abc's new hit show: Dog Swap

[righteously]

Ever since returning from that alternate universe, retaining those brand new but extremely real, extremely permanent memories of his death from back home, there's been a new addition to Dean's domain. As if to replace the missing life, to fill the gaps left behind when Jo and Sam disappeared, one fuzzy mutt named Miracle has taken up residence. He's been an embarrassingly comforting presence to have around, and sometimes Dean pops to the Horizon just to put out fresh food and water that the imaginary dog absolutely does not need.

That's what he aims to do today, except when he carts the bowl of dog food into the kitchen where Miracle usually eats, a whistle on his lips, it is not his dog which stands and stares back at him.

He looks at the dragon.
The dragon looks at him.
He looks around, finds nobody else, then looks back at the dragon.
The dragon looks at him.
Slowly, uncertainly, he lowers the bowl of dog food down in offering. The dragon cocks its head.

Meanwhile, in Julia's domain, an extremely good boy sits where Julia's dragon would normally be, panting and wagging his tail. He's wearing a collar; on it reads the name Miracle. Beneath it, Dean Winchester's name, fake cellphone number that absolutely does work in the Horizon should she call it, and what amounts to an address: bunker under the Roadhouse, west-southwest of the Singularity, Not Kansas.

[divinityfrompain]

Julia would understand better than most as she has a tendency to check in regularly on the Horizon solely to make certain Hudson is doing well there. She's very fond of her dragon, real or not. She's trying to take a break from the stress of Solvunn by checking in, only to find her treehouse altered and an unexpected friend sitting on the couch from Brakebills.

"Well hey there cutie. Hudson?" She calls out for her good girl, but there is no response, and she reaches over to scratch his ears. She checks the collar as anyone who has had a lost pet in their life would, even if it doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and smiles when she sees the name on it. "Okay, bud, let's go see your daddy." Julia whistles and creates dog treats so she can sway Miracle out of the treehouse.

She does know where the Roadhouse is, she's been there on her own before because she loves to wander the Singularity when everyone else is asleep. She didn't know it was Dean's though. On the way there she kept calling Hudson's name, getting no reply. The door to the Roadhouse opens and Miracle comes scrambling inside, leading her toward the bunker since otherwise she has no way of knowing.

"Dean? Cas? Anyone? Hello?"

[righteously]

Miracle is absolutely not a difficult dog to coax. Generally good natured, smart, and happy to follow orders from complete strangers, he hops off the couch and follows Julia wherever she goes. The treats are just a bonus, which he will gladly and gently accept. Dean would argue that of all of the dogs who ever lived, this dog is clearly the best one, but that's probably a thing every dog owner thinks.

It's just that he's right and the rest of them are wrong, objectively.

Once they reach the Roadhouse, Miracle will trot over to the door with the sign reading Doctor Badass Is In, and kindly scratch at the door until she opens it. Behind it, another more reinforced steel door hangs wide open, leading to a downward spiraling set of iron stairs.

Should she follow Miracle down them, she'll arrive at the bottom just in time to see Dean Winchester emerging to scope out the sound of her voice, wearing his normal attire of a flannel shirt and jeans, but with the very discordant addition of a medieval knight helmet on his head and an equally antiquated kite shield in his hand.

He raises the metal visor with a squeaky clank, and offers her a sup nod.

"Oh, hey Jules. Uhh- I don't wanna say this is a bad time, but I kind of have a- thing going on?" A dragon thing. Hence the fireproof shield. It's a precaution. Only then does he see his dog bounding up to greet him, and he promptly drops his shield and hits his knees. "There you are, buddy. Jesus Christ, don't scare me like that. We talked about this."

He fully smashes an unapologetic kiss to his dog's head, and offers a very emphatic scratch behind the ears.

[divinityfrompain]

The contrast of the flannel shirt and the medieval knight helmet makes her laugh out loud right away. What else is she supposed to do with something like that? Julia is casually dressed herself with black pants and a long-sleeved sweater, actually able to wear modern clothes in the Horizon which she prefers. She's even able to wear sensible boot heels so she's not so much shorter than everyone else.

"Dean, what are you --- Hudson! What are you doing here?"

They both are having their moments with their pets because the red dragon takes off into the air and sails over to her. She swoops around Julia and her mannerisms may remind him of the dragonlings they met in the Nether. She based the personality traits off them, being so personable and feisty during the visit. Hudson sets her feet down on top of Julia's head and sits there for now, but she hisses at Dean and his kite shield, unimpressed.

"She's been completely unpredictable lately. She made herself big just yesterday and was flying into people's buildings."

Wildcard

[divinityfrompain]

[ Come at me! ]