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

Jesper Fahey | Grishaverse | Free Cities

[itookashot]

[Closed starters only.]

Kaz

[itookashot]

Jesper remembers the feeling.

It's been years but when the influence of a certain god starts twisting into his stomach, it's like getting the worst kind of gambling reminder. It's the alleyways behind a den, it's the bitter taste of defeat, it's the strung up feeling that has him dizzy and stumbling despite not being drunk. He remembers how bad it got all that time ago, how he reveled in spreading Adlewyrd's hate, how he just gave into it rather than having the strength to fight.

It led to people he loved having to yet again drag him from the gutter, to find him pathetic and penniless, having spent all day encouraging lies and gossip. Kaz had to literally drag him home and he tried to seduce him to get more money, it was all very bad in his memory. Maybe not everyone has the same trigger as he does, but Jesper can tell when it goes from subtle influence to blatant. It's on the tip of his tongue, to tell an untruth to another merchant, to spread a little chaos, and he feels sick.

Jesper drops what he's doing and does what is rare for him: he runs. He doesn't know what else is possible than hiding. He avoids people talking to him, he avoids their eyes, he accidentally touched someone as he went and felt it empower - and depower - him. Jesper ends up scrambling into their place. It's early morning since he went out to get breakfast, and now he's shed his boots and jacket, crawling into Kaz's bed.

They share it more often now, within reason, but they do have their nights apart. This is not one of them. He wasn't there the night before and he curls up against Kaz's back, breathing heavily.

"Adlewyrd's back. Kaz, the heralds are back."

They had the vision of Zorne and it seemed like something was coming, but this is more than just 'something.'

[bealufull]

The nightmare of blood had stirred so much confusion within Kaz. It was the target they could always hit in this place that could crumble him from the inside out. Disease. Sickness. Blood. Yet this time there was something that called out to him, deeper within than the memories of his youth and sang to his future and the desires that just barely burned beneath his skin.

It spoke to him of a time so far in the future, when the past didn't matter, and he sat on a throne and smiled. He smiled and sang and laughed and celebrated in ways that Kaz Brekker never did. It was that Kaz was dreaming of then. Only since this place had he dreamt in anything but terror and nightmares. And yet as he comes to with Jesper crawling into his bed, awake in an instant at the movement, his words and the weight of his breathing changes that all around until he realizes that his dreams are future and ash if the present destroys that.

In an instant he is turning over, his arms going to Jesper and wrapping around him. None of the hesitation he may have once had. For a moment though his memories are sharply focused on the past. On Jesper and him in a dark alley. On the other's touch that left Kaz flustered and yet cold at the same time. Words that he knew were Jesper's and yet never attributed to him at the same time. The had been the work of the heralds, and they're back.

"Of course they are. We're at war and they're here to pick us apart," he whispers, not even thinking about the words before he says them. "What happened, Jesper? Are you okay?"

He can think of a million ways he knows they're back, and what he could have already done. Without thinking his arms tighten around Jesper, sick of them trying to take him apart personally. There's a time when he wouldn't have let himself think about all Jesper had been through, or just of how much that benefited him, but not any longer. Now he was worrying about him first, just as Jesper did for him so often.

[itookashot]

Jesper sees their god future as the best possible future, so much like Kaz, he thinks of it fondly. A direction for them to strive for, a possible road that would make them both happy. Kaz has done a lot to push himself forward over the years, but what the two of them understand better than most is it's easy to backslide, with the right pressure.

When this last happened, Kaz wasn't ready yet to give Jesper the sort of comfort he needed. His badly attempted seduction was so early on between them. Now Jesper can seek out reassurance in his arms, which Kaz gives him immediately. He curls up against Kaz and sighs, instantly feeling better. Trapped in a cocoon of his warmth and love. He cuddles in closer, pressing their foreheads together. They haven't gotten to full skin contact yet, but this is within boundaries.

"I felt them. Someone was fighting so I stopped them, I felt something weird happen, they immediately stopped, but then I felt the same influence on me. The impulsivity and dark thoughts."

Jesper is weaker to that than most. It's why he gave in so easily then.

"I don't want it to happen again. I don't want to fail you."

[bealufull]

It has always been easy for Kaz to focus on the past, to put all of his energy into holding on to a moment in time where everything is about that and nothing else. He is determined to not ever let that happen between himself and Jesper.

So while the name of the Herald reminds him of that past moment, Kaz is not going to let the man he once was hold on to that pain and hurt. Because that was nothing compared to everything else they have. He will be sure to remind himself of that.

It's why he curls himself in closer to Jesper, wrapping himself around him as tightly as he can. They are clothed but he knows there was a time when even this would have been too much. Now it almost feels as not enough as he tries to offer the man he loves all he can to get him through this.

"It won't, Jesper. You're stronger than they are," he whispers in fierce tones. "You are not alone. I won't let them do that to you. Do you understand me? You're not allowed," he says as if he could command Jesper to do what he says and not what his instincts and nature try and get from him. Except that Kaz truly believes he can, that he always could. He could just now offer something else instead when he couldn't before.

[itookashot]

"I'm strong when I'm here with you, but I can't be with you at all times. I'm weak, I know how bad it got me." Jesper does not know that this time around, things are going to be different. The Summoned have protection against the influence and it only happened to him because he tried to help someone else. His paranoia and fear will keep him safe during this round. But right now all he can think about are the ways in which he'll fail and let everyone down again. That he can't trust himself.

Jesper moves down on the bed so he can curl into Kaz's clothed body, the only skin touching now him burying his head into Kaz's neck. This is within permissions and he breathes against his skin as delicately as he can. For Jesper, touch is essential. He tries hard to never let it be a problem for them. The rest of his body is pressed as tightly to Kaz as possible and he simply snuggles for now. It does feel better.

"What if I do fail? Will you still love me if I'm irreparably broken? If you can't ever trust me?" Jesper fought so hard for Kaz's love. It was the most difficult seduction of his life and the one he wanted the most desperately.

Mat

[itookashot]

Jesper has not been doing well with the return of Adlewyrd. That's an understatement. He's been doing incredibly shitty. He felt the change in the air, this sort of warning in the air, and then a feeling in his stomach, a twist. He only touched someone as they were freaking out and something warm buzzed in his hand, soothing them, but then it turned on him. The last time Adlewyrd visited him, his life went to absolute shit. Jesper lost control of himself in every way. He did bad things, he lost all their money, he treated his loved ones like dirt, he sunk into a shaky depression.

The real world is too scary for him at the moment and he feels unsteady, unsettled, not wanting a round two of this shit. So he decides to be a coward and run away not just to his house, but to his domain in the Horizon. Some subconscious part of his mind though makes it so that when he appears in the Horizon, it's at Mat's domain. The domain he helped him build for the first time years ago. He has spent so many happy times here and right then, he feels like none of it is deserved.

But no amount of disappearing to his own place seems to work. He's still there. He stands outside of it, uncertain what to do.

Darling, I need you. I'm outside your house.

He finally sends to Mat through their mind. It's like he can't go inside despite the fact that he can, he's wavering. He looks terrible, for Jesper. He looks pale and sick despite the fact there is no reason he needs to be in here, a bit haunted.

[a_better_man]

All Mat needs is the message, and he drops what he's doing. He heads right to his room, to slip into that state that lets them all travel between this world and their own. If Jesper needs him, then that's all that matters in the moment. Everything else can wait.

He meets him shortly after, not bothering to put in the effort to make himself look more rested and whatnot than he is. Things are miserable right now, they're all exhausted and struggling.

"I'm here, love."

He's able to muster a smile for Jesper, at least. A real one. Light, the other fellow looks even worse than him.

[itookashot]

Jesper sees him animate in front of him. It's always a strange experience but one he's used to since most of their time has to be spent here. He's already moving forward so by the time Mat smiles at him, he's put his arms around him, holding Mat tightly to him. He buries his nose into his neck and just breathes him in. This isn't exactly how he smells in real life, this is all fake in here, but it's close enough for Jesper. He gets grounded the moment he has Mat, who has been with him the longest since coming to this place.

"I hate everything. I hate these gods. I hate this stupid world." He's sad and bitter at the moment, but he has Mat at least. "I love you more than I hate everything else though." Because if he's not in this stupid world with these awful gods, he's not with Mat, and that's not an acceptable option. Jesper's just in a bad place and he wants to feel anything else.

[a_better_man]

"S'alright."

Obviously it isn't, but Mat says it anyway. He wants to comfort Jesper, ease some of the misery that's clearly gripped him.

"I'm right here."

He holds the other man, strokes his back, murmurs in his ear. He's never been particularly skilled at comfort, but by light he tries. He ought to be better, he's seen people do it right. And it's Jesper. He loves him more than he thinks he's ever loved anything in his life. If he can't offer proper comfort to him, he'd be a very broken man.

He's not that broken.

"I can't make it all better, but I'm here."

sorry for the wait, LIFE

[itookashot]

Jesper sighs and leans into the embrace. It can't solve everything but it does make him feel better. He takes Mat's hand and walks them into his house, the one he helped Mat make all that time ago. It's a common space when it's not Jesper's own, and he doesn't want to be out in the open. If he gets emotional, the last thing he wants is someone on the outside witnessing it. He puts on an act for a lot of people, but not for Mat.

"I can feel Adlewyrd weaseling into me, Mat. I sensed it before it became obvious." Technically he figured it out at the same time, since he had to touch someone in order for the first reaction to happen, but it was enough. He figured it out before it was widespread because he has a sharp memory for the worst things.

He flops down on Mat's bed, their bed, rubbing hands over his face. "I want to gamble. I want to cause trouble." Murder and mayhem come to him when he's at his high, keeping away from it is hard when he's feeling manic.

Claude

[itookashot]

Jesper has been unwell since this first began. When he first figured out that Adlewyrd was haunting his steps again, he ended up hiding and curling up into the reassuring arms of Kaz and Sylvain, who remember how bad it was all that time ago. He told Claude broad strokes of what his problem is, but there is something distinct about experiencing it with him, and the two of them did. Kaz had to literally drag him out of a gutter the last time, and Sylvain had to distract him through sex before he snuck off to do more bad.

He's managed to avoid temptation by distance and hiding in the Horizon, but he tentatively left to help Cid with a morbol trap which has helped a great deal. Having something to do greatly helped him although he was skittish and tired, feeling strung out without actually doing anything to cause it. He's not been himself at all. He's pale, quiet, withdrawn. He puts on a smiling face in front of others, but people who know him might be able to see the cracks.

He's come by the house to look for Sylvain, needing his comfort after a long day of staring at the gambling halls from a distance, but not giving in. No one's there so he waits. Any of the three would be a boon to him at this point, and he loves them enough not to put on a smiling face to start with. He is leaning against the door, wearing none of his colorful clothes, subdued. He flips his guns in and out of their holsters.

[godshattering]

It's a rare moment for Claude seeking out respite somewhere besides home as of late as he packs his books up from the ill-fated attempt to focus by moving to a small park for the afternoon. Somewhere between the thirtieth and fortieth time reading the same couple of pages (which might be a mildly dramatic overestimation) he'd realized this was pointless. There's been much to do, ways to stay busy, and none of it exactly enough for him to not think too hard about what it means for the gods that'd visited before being back. On top of that is worry for his loved ones and friends, especially when it wasn't all that long ago he'd spoken with someone in particular about these events of now a couple of years past.

That's partially what's on his mind as he walks back to the loft with Khurshid perched on his shoulder since it'd seemed like a good idea for fresh air somewhere that wasn't home. The street is mostly calm - for now, at least - and it's a short trip back to inside the loft's building and up the stairs. While ascending he's toying with the idea of sending a message to Jesper like he feels he should have some time ago; he's on the verge of focusing when he reaches the stop of the stairs and sees just who was on his mind.

Khurshid very helpfully adds his own someone's at the door by way of a loud screech. Unfortunately for Claude, it's right in his ear and he winces a little as it makes them ring slightly. "You know, I can see him myself," he tells the baby wyvern fondly and gets another screech purely for sass in return which he waves off when his attention turns to the leaning man in the doorway.

"Jesper, hey. How'd you know I was thinking about you?" A bit of assessing is going on beneath that greeting as he retrieves his keys. An opener but not the whole of what Claude notices from the clothing choice to the fidgeting, the expression - and, of course, that Jesper's shown up here. Things which can be pried into in a moment since first he steps aside to let the other man in as Claude puts on his own automatic smile (while still assessing) as he unlocks the door, holds it open, and then gestures towards one of the many couches waiting just a few feet away inside. "C'mon. There's plenty of seats with your name on it to get comfortable."

[itookashot]

"What, you're not always thinking about me?" The witty flirtatious response comes easily to him because he can feel down and off balance, but he's still Jesper Fahey no matter what. He is somewhere between relieved and anxious when he sees Claude. It's easier with Sylvain because he knows, and as he mentioned to Claude before, what he doesn't like is being a burden to people. They talked about it but it's not the same thing as him being this way, and Claude having to deal with it. He wants his attention and he also doesn't want to be perceived, it's a contrast in needs.

Still, he's here and he's not going to run off, so he waits for Claude to open the door and goes inside. He pats Khurshid on the head as he goes by though, since he heard that little shriek of recognition. Jesper doesn't know where Claude's been out and about; usually he keeps track of the people he loves, but he's been hiding.

Jesper immediately flops down onto a couch. He kicks his shoes off, this place is like a second home to him these days, and lies down on the couch entirely. His long body stretched out, needing to stop moving for a few minutes. The guns are dropped to the ground too otherwise he'll endlessly fiddle with them. He looks up at the ceiling instead of at Claude though.

"I'd like to point out that on the whole, we were pretty awesome gods. We didn't go around wrecking people's lives for fun. I just had a whole lot of sex and made everyone happy, okay?"

[godshattering]

That automatic comment gets a chuckle from Claude considering he's known to have a few quips on hand himself and he can recognize this one for what it is. His intent had been to set it up after all as he walks in and shuts the door.

Now inside, Khurshid takes flight from his shoulder with one leathery flap of wings to perch on a spiral staircase leading up to the next floor, one of his favorite perches as of late to monitor everything within the loft that he can see from there. Somewhere in the depths of the loft Claude can hear the noise of one of the lizards zooming around in their exercise ball. Another time he might've gone to search out the source of the sound, but for now he sets his bag down onto a table. He means to put everything down to worry about later so his attention can be on Jesper instead or maybe so he can go grab something from the kitchen to offer. Instead he watches the other man immediately go to get comfortable beyond just knowing the hospitality, and the statement which follows certainly clarifies it.

"I think one of us here can say that," he answers wryly, a bit of self-deprecating humor at his own expense as he toes off one boot and then the other. "Especially considering I remember doing my fare share of ruining things simply for the fun of it for a while there. But," with a wave of his hand as Claude walks over to the couch to lean his elbows on the back of it and his weight onto them to look at Jesper even if Jesper's not looking back at him, "you have a point that we weren't anything like this."

None of the Summoned were in those memories. Even his own century or so of revenge didn't come anything close to what's going on outside - or what came before. And it's the before that's stuck in his mind with those threads of concern as he considers Jesper's form stretched out along the length of the couch. His sense for reading people tells him there's more to it than just that even with what he knows, though it might take a little more teasing it out from wherever or whatever else those tangled thoughts are knotted around first. "You were very good at making people happy then, speaking as one of the people in question."

discussion of addiction

[itookashot]

"Okay sometimes I did less positive things, but most of the time." It was few and far in-between. Love can have a few sides, after all, and not all of it is happy. Jesper fueled jealousies and possessiveness occasionally, but it never felt particularly good. It was rare to see the dark side of the Patron of the Cherished. He didn't judge the others for having their own styles though. At the time, he knew they all fulfilled an important purpose. And so do the heralds, technically.

"Too bad you haven't let me do that since." Jesper looks at him with raised eyebrows and he does, for a moment, consider seducing Claude right then and there. Gray eyes travel over his perfect features, his eyes, his lips, over his clothes and the body underneath, there's no question what he's doing or thinking right then, especially given Claude was his lover in another life. It would be fun to distract himself with Claude, but that's Jesper for you. If it's not one addiction it's the other.

The weight of his heated look drops as he sighs and rubs a hand across his forehead. Sex is also an amazing way to avoid conversations, something Jesper does a whole lot of. "I told you the first time I had sex with Sylvain, he was trying to save me from gambling. It was when Adlewyrd was last here. I went to a very dark place. I ruined a lot of things. I was lucky people I loved forgave me." All their money, the trust he'd built, the belief in himself and his control, it was gone in an instant. He wallowed in the darkness and enjoyed it, the absolute opposite of his own god self. Maybe that's why he went in such an opposite direction, because of his terrible experience.

"I don't think I can explain why I keep wanting the darkness because I don't know. Maybe if I knew I wouln't keep ending up here." He feels the desire though, he feels the pull. And maybe the excuse that he can be bad and blame it on something else.

Sylvain

[itookashot]

Jesper senses in his gut when something has gone wrong. Something is off. It's not only the madness around them but it is a memory that starts to bubble up. It's after helping someone who seems to be in a panic, his hand glowing strangely as they soothe (into something almost like love) and he's confused but glad it worked. That's when he feels it though. It's familiar, a long ago nightmare. He wants to throw up.

Adlewyrd, the bane of his existence, is back. Jesper hides inside for a time but the first time he is skittishly out and about, he spots one of the gambling dens. He usually has a path around them he goes automatically now, so it's always out of mind. He feels that pull and he literally runs away, sweating as he rushes away from temptation. The first time he and Sylvain slept together was due to Adlewyrd, the only good thing about it, and so it is his instinct to flee toward something better.

He runs toward the house the three of them live and bangs on the front door, knowing already Hilda isn't there and just hoping someone is there. When Sylvain opens it, Jesper immediately throws himself into his arms, head bowed down to curl into his neck, clinging to him. "Adlewyrd's back," he says, muffled, into Sylvain's skin.

[philancer]

The banging on the door had been alarming enough, but finding himself suddenly with an armful of distressed Jesper is enough to have him more than a little concerned.

Wrapping around him, one hand lifting to tangle in dark hair as he holds him close, Sylvain's brow furrows for a moment because he doesn't understand what that means.

Until the memory comes to him, sharp and vivid. The state he'd found Jesper in all that time ago - it felt like a literal age now, but it has his grip tightening as he presses a kiss to the top of his lover's head.

"Come in," he murmurs against Jesper's brow as he tugs him inside, kicking the door shut behind him. The other two are out just now so they have the place to themselves, and there's little hesitation in him as he draws Jesper over to the worn leather couch in the middle of their loft.

Sinking down, he cups warm hands against Jesper's face, cradling him close as he searches his face. "What do you need, love?"

references to gambling addiction

[itookashot]

Jesper curls into Sylvain after he permits him to and stays as close to his space as possible, but as soon as he's asked that, he unravels away from him. He's up onto his feet like a shot and starts pacing the room. His energy is so high at the moment he's practically shaking because he wants to go back. He knows this feeling so well and there's a high to even the thought of it.

"I need to stop being me. I need to stop being weak. I keep circling around to the same situation, when will I grow up?" Apparently he's twisted from fear and panic to anger and self-hate. Jesper rarely gets to that space but it does happen when he's dealing with the darker parts of himself. "You know I finally thought I had an answer, that not using my powers made me sick in the head instead of physically ill, and that meant I could be cured if I just used them."

He's rarely gone on this tangent in front of anyone else, he normally just cycles through it at himself when he's alone, but Sylvain is someone he feels safe enough to hate himself with. So there's that, for all the good it does. "But it's not true, I don't have an excuse, I'm just messed up. And no matter how much I try, I'll keep ending up in the same place!"

[philancer]

He lets him pace for several moments, lets him vent the words he knows have been circling and spiraling in his head while he panics. He knows that frantic, frenetic sense frustration all too well, after all. How many times has he been caught that way, unravelling under the weight of his own guilt and self-loathing?

But he doesn't let it go on for very long, not wanting to see Jesper self-destruct, not wanting to let him continue to slice into himself with words far sharper than knives. Standing, he interrupts the pacing, planting himself in Jesper's way, hands coming to grasp his shoulders.

"Stop." His voice is soft but firm as he holds his lover's gaze, his look intent. "This isn't weakness, Jesper. It's influence outside of yourself. If Adlewyrd weren't stirring, or doing whatever they're doing, you would have brushed past this far easier. I've seen you do it, time and again. This?" A warm squeeze before his hands lift to cup against Jesper's face.

"This isn't the same place, love. Look at me. You're here, you felt it and you came here. You didn't give in, you didn't get stuck in an alley, wavering on giving in. This isn't where or how I found you last time, it is so far from it."

[itookashot]

When it comes to this subject, sometimes all Jesper can see in his head is his father's look of shock and disappointment when he found out. Jesper didn't have much opportunity to lose their money in farmland, there was no gambling out there, and so he had no real defense against it once he learned about the rush of winning in Ketterdam. Kaz used to look at him with disappointment and frustration too, Inej and Wylan with pity. They didn't do that anymore, not here, but he still can see it. When he's stuck in his self-loathing, all he can do is cycle the worst.

When Sylvain gets up to stop him, Jesper sighs and lets him. He really is just going to keep churning out self-hate until it's everything in his sight. He came here because he wanted to be loved, he needs it. Adlewyrd's influence is hovering over him even now. They whisper in his ear. It's probably his paranoia though, him projecting.

He does hear Sylvain and he leans into the touch. Instead of letting him stay cupping his face, Jesper steps closer to him and puts arms around him, curling his head into Sylvain's neck and holding on there. "I just wish I could stop feeling this way. I want it to end, why will it never end?"

wildcard; time to blow some stuff up

[assembles]

Steve is as ready for this as he can be. Maybe more could have been done to prepare, but that would have cost time that he frankly didn't think they had. The fighting in the Badlands would no doubt calm down at some point, allowing both Thorne and the Cities' forces to regroup and decide what their next move would be as true war breaks out. They need to take advantage of this moment when most of the troops have been deployed, leaving the mountain base with a skeleton crew.

So he's done as much as he can with the time afforded to them. Between Jaskier's birds, Red's input, and info from Geralt, their best path of approach and method of entering the base has been plotted out. Once they get inside it's going to require a lot more improvising, but both Steve and Jesper are used to that kind of thing, and Jesper's already listed out all of the things he can do to help them with this mission. He'd been eager to come along when Steve asked, to the point that Steve wonders if it's for a reason other than just wanting to make some trouble.

Sure, it's been a while since Steve has broken into some enemy base to cause havoc or blow something up, but that doesn't mean that he's forgotten. There's a reason he makes a point of sparring often and training his body every day, even if he could probably get away with slacking off because of the serum's effects. It always pays off to be ready.

Once they get inside, he also has Aloy on call (so to speak) to help guide them however she can. The plan may not be fullproof, but given how quickly he threw it all together, he'd say it's decent.

Besides, both he and Jesper know what's at risk here and are willing to accept those consequences for better or worse.

They've made it to the back door of the base that the birds scouted out without having alerted any attention, and Jesper's made use of his telekinesis to cause commotion elsewhere, which will hopefully distract anyone inside.

"Can you get us in or should I break this down?" A quieter approach would be better, so Steve waits to see what Jesper can do.

[itookashot]

Jesper was born ready for a mad caper made up on the fly to go make some pricks pay for misusing technology. Also he definitely needed a distraction. Helping Cid and Viktor with the morbol cage has been a lifesaver but he has so much power and energy burning within his veins, an outlet that can get him moving is essential. This is also his actual training. Jesper was a criminal and breaking into a fortress is what he did with the Crows. Only then he couldn't use his powers as freely.

His guns are on his hips ready for trouble and he's left his flashy clothes behind for very subdued corecloth. Jesper insisted on making corecloth clothes for Steve too for this, who knows what they'd be looking at in there, they both need armor. It looks like normal cloth but it's in fact a high level armor that is bulletproof and fireproof. Most of his friends have at least one or two pieces in their wardrobe for dangerous times.

Jesper can keep the telekinesis going in the back of his head if they need further distractions, but he does one major push to the side for that, leading the guards astray outside. He has to focus on the door now and moves forward to it.

"Don't worry about it."

The thing about Jesper's abilities is he makes it look insanely easy. It's far more intricate and detailed than it appears. For him he steps up to the door and puts his hands on the entrance and slowly but surely the material starts to shimmer. He makes a box shape with his fingers from the top, sides, and bottom, large enough for them to fit in, and the wood and metal begins to look like dripping water or liquid. He separates his hands and the entrance parts like Moses with the Red Sea. He's reorganized every cell of matter to another state to do this and walks through to keep it steady and out of Steve's way so he can follow.

One they're through he claps his hands and as if it's literal magic, the liquid reforms into solid and looks as normal as if he had never touched it in the first place.

[assembles]

When Jesper had insisted that Steve wear the "corecloth" as he calls it, he really hadn't had any reason to protest. It's not like it's all that different from the concept behind his uniforms back home, just a lot more understated, which works for him just fine. He's resilient enough to come back from a lot of things, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't take precautions when they're available.

It's one thing to hear about Jesper's powers and another to see them in action. Steve hangs back and watches as Jesper does his thing. He's seen a lot of different people with a lot of different abilities, but that doesn't mean he's completely numb to it the first time. He did see Jesper use some of his abilities when renovating the inn, but that had been a very different context.

While Steve doesn't have an immediate outward reaction to the sight of a solid changing into a liquid, allowing them to walk right through the opening, he does stare back at the door as it returns to its original configuration.

It's a question of reshaping matter. He gets that. Vision probably could have managed something similar, and with an Infinity Stone or two, it would be child's play. But it's still impressive, and incredibly useful for this situation.

"I'm a little surprised you haven't gotten into more trouble before this." If Jesper has the ability to just access any place he isn't supposed to be — then again, who's to say he hasn't?

Now that they're inside, Steve can see that the base has been built into some sort of cave system, meaning that right now there's little to see but a stone tunnel surrounding them. It brings back some not so pleasant memories, but he's able to shake that off as he listens for any sign of guards nearby.

"... Hmm. Sounds pretty quiet for now." But they'll need to take care proceeding into the base. It's not like they have a map of this place.

[itookashot]

"Who's to say I haven't?" Jesper says with a grin, echoing Steve's own thoughts. "I've gotten into a little trouble, but I'm good at getting around armies." Grisha like him were forced into servitude by the Ravkan army, either that or killed by the enemy, so he's been avoiding that since he was a child.

His father put it into his ear when he was barely walking that he was an object to their enemies, not a real person. A tool or a monster. It led him to be exceedingly careful with how he uses his powers. Even if Cadens does catch them, and they probably will, he's left no trace behind of how they got in here. Unless they spot him using something like that actively, there's no reason for them to suspect the level he's at. He'll keep skating by. And if not he'll adapt.

Jesper kneels down and puts both of his hands against the ground. What happens next is only something that he can sense as echolocation vibrates through the ground in every direction. It can't give him the exact location of everything, although it does tell him footsteps are elsewhere which means the distraction worked. But if someone is staying still, he doesn't know right away. He can get general physical images that he feels rather than sees. The more large items, the more important the area as it's stored, so he filters out options.

"I think this way. I can sense a lot of heavy equipment, like a workshop." He would probably sense the same out of Viktor's workshop back home. Jesper walks in that direction and gestures for Steve to follow. He leans down to brush his fingers against the ground every little while to make certain they're headed in the right direction.

"If we come across people, no fatalities, right?" He's not saying it to Steve, he's making certain. Because Jesper's a killer through and through.