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

[techmaturgy]

Viktor remembers first hearing the theory from Istredd--that the Summoned would eventually become gods. He'd dismissed it at the time, due to lack of evidence, but of course eight hundred imagined centuries has opened his eyes to it as a possibility, even if it's an unpleasant one. To cope, he told himself that such a future was only a possibility, and that he could prevent it from coming to pass.

Now, with the re-emergence of the Heralds, it seems more of an inevitability than before, though it's not something Viktor is prepared to accept. He imagines Istredd might be more resigned to it, but he's also the person who may have valuable insight.

"Who have you lost?"

The fluctuation of the domains is troubling. Viktor is fighting off incursions of his own, and though he's not purposefully seeking out Istredd, it might be good that they're crossing paths.

[magicalarchaeologist]

In Istredd's opinion, the theory has been proven as much as it needs to. The final proof will be when they officially ascend, and by then it'll be evident enough. He does understand this is not a ideal situation for many people but he is resigned to it, yes. Perhaps he is even looking forward to it. He's past his sadness at being ripped from a vision he was happy in, having settled back into his duties, but there are details he misses.

Their talks are certainly ones he values and respects. They perhaps are not always in agreement, but Istredd likes speaking with other scholars. It guarantees a certain clarity.

"Shepard gave me a robot dog, it is supposed to stay within the library." Which is plenty large for all of the creatures. Istredd looks genuinely concerned, which is perhaps foolish with the Horizon being an imaginary landscape, but they still try to respect one another's space in here.

"It grew twice as large in the process. I think it could be destructive." Istredd sighs, rubbing a hand down his face. "I suppose it was too much to hope that being here would be calmer when the last time the Heralds arrived, I was trapped within a maze for hours."

[techmaturgy]

"A robot?"

That, of course, piques Viktor's interest. He's still trying to get used to that word in particular, as opposed to automaton, but between that and everything he's seen in the Horizon, he's gained something of an understanding about what more advanced worlds call Artificial Intelligence. He doubts he's going to be of much help chasing it down, but he'd like to see it.

"I'm not surprised that things aren't functioning as intended." As they did the last time the Heralds made their presence known. Despite the fact that Viktor still wants to reject their eventual godhood, it does put some of their actions into context. "They act in ways we don't understand, but...thankfully we know they don't mean to harm us."

Because they consider the Summmoned...the same.

[magicalarchaeologist]

"That is what she called it. It is an advanced machine. It's a good thing this is the Horizon, as I would have no idea how to make it work." Instead it simply works. She created it and now it thrives in the library. Most of the creatures in his domain were made by other people and he allowed them to stay, coming to grow fond of them on his own.

"I think I do understand them." Istredd shrugs. "They believe that the ends justify the means, that the greater good is achieved through the worst actions." Istredd remembers being a god, or their fake version of it. He also was detached enough from humanity to think that way. It is why he often made mistakes that Viktor pointed out, due to thinking of the big picture value of knowledge given, rather than the minute details of individual destruction.

"It doesn't mean I agree with them. I don't enjoy the suffering of others." Even if it turns out to lead to peace in the end and prove the Heralds correct in their estimation, it won't change the significance of the pain and loss innocent people are experiencing.

"But I don't think it matters what we think. They're going to do what they want."

[techmaturgy]

"I know what a robot is. We would call it an automaton, where I'm from."

And, there's also the little fact that Viktor spent all of his time in Mechapolis, among the robots, during those imagined eight centuries. Speaking of--that's the more pressing issue here, though Viktor will of course help Istredd search for his lost companion.

"They expect us to cooperate."

Not that the Summoned really have the power to stop what the Heralds are doing, any more than they have the power to stop what the governments are doing. Viktor finds himself impatient, for the kind of power and agency they were afforded when they were deities of their own.

"I'm not interested in their vision for the end of this war. Both the Heralds and the governments seek to draw out suffering."

[magicalarchaeologist]

"Ah, I see. As you may have gleaned from Jaskier or Ciri, we do not have advanced technology in our sphere." He doesn't add Geralt because Geralt goes without saying with the other two, and he is less likely to offer information like that. He doesn't know if Viktor is aware that he hails from the same world as them, but he knows now. "I do remember Mechapolis in a vague sense, but this creation is more intricate."

Istredd did not go to Mechapolis outside of once or twice in curiosity, but he knew it was Viktor's favored place. Istredd rarely left the Horizon or the Nether after a few centuries, preferring the comfort of his home. He does remember the majority of that dream/vision, including their connection and tentative friendship.

"Yes. Or at least stay out of their way." Istredd hasn't done that, he keeps intervening, and it has caused drama for him in the shape of not being able to use his magic correctly.

"If you believe there is a way to stop it, I would love to hear other thoughts. I am not someone who feels comfortable with helplessness."

[techmaturgy]

"I guessed," he says. Viktor is still sorting out what he remembers from the imagined universe and what he already knew and what he's learning for the first time, but he's certain he gleaned as much over the course of their conversations. Of all the things they lost upon awakening from the dream, Viktor thinks he misses Mechapolis. The idea that Formahault could thrive, even if humans could no longer live there...that seems like something to which he can aspire.

Not that he wants this to become their future, which is what this conversation is now about.

"I'm not certain we will be able to stop it as long as we remain in this world." Viktor frowns at the thought--he knows that he and Istredd have spoken on this subject before. "Though, if the aim of Josselyn's cult was to cause a premature ascendence, perhaps there is a way."

There's more, too--though Istredd was the one who spent time in the pit, so Viktor will give him the chance to speak on it.

[magicalarchaeologist]

"You want to become a god now? Speed up the process?" Istredd looks surprised. Not at Viktor wanting that if it's true, because they were two of the people who mostly seemed to thrive after being changed divine. But more that it never has occurred to him to try. If that is the natural continuation of their life here, as he believes it is, the inevitability of it only requires time.

"Their attempts were failures. I think only the Singularity can do it. They were limited by guessing rather than reaching completed conclusions." Their ideas needed more time, in his opinion. Not that he is giving the cult any real credit, although he can separate his traumatic experience enough to acknowledge they pulled off something quite impressive given the scope. But they weren't ready for it. And they didn't know what they were doing.

"I don't think a fight between gods would be less dangerous for this sphere."

[techmaturgy]

"No, not at all." He laughs a little, though it's not entirely true--Viktor would like having that kind of power to help people, and to be out from under the thumb of the Cadens military. But he believes their ascension will only tie them further to the Singularity, and make it that much more difficult to escape this place.

"But perhaps there is something to be learned from the ritual, regardless."

They must have thought they were on to something, even if it ultimately ended in failure.

"I still believe the nature of our connection to the Singularity is the key."

[magicalarchaeologist]

"I can't say for sure, I was one of the only people who did not get drugged." It was only him and Caitlyn in the Pit who had their minds still. It was not a good time, since they were also the only people who could keep everyone from hurting each other or try to cure what they could. Ciri almost strangled him to death. Istredd would say there is nothing of value to learn from that time, but he doesn't believe that. They learned a great many things.

"I agree. I don't know what it is that sends people away. I thought perhaps the Singularity was deciding, but Rhy was sent back, and he was one of the people the Singularity spoke to. I can't see why it would get rid of a favorite." So his theory that it is why people come and go seems a little less certain. Istredd doesn't know if they will ever get answers to these things. Even as gods they didn't have answers.

"What would you do if the answer is all or nothing? Everyone has to go back or no one does?"

[techmaturgy]

Viktor doesn't know the answer any more than Istredd does. Now, with the imagined future becoming more likely, he can't help but wonder if every interaction is some kind of test. If those who leave fail to meet a certain parameter, that would allow them to ascend. All he can really offer is a shrug. The more pressing matter is what Istredd asks next.

"I...it feels selfish of me to say that it would be better if everyone has to go back."

Given his own goals. Istredd can judge him as he likes, but Viktor has his own reasons for it.

"Our existence here is disruptive. It's tearing this world apart. Perhaps it would be better if we never came at all."

[magicalarchaeologist]

"I agree, I think it would have been better if we never came at all." That's not hard for him to say, Istredd thinks it's quite logical. "We're ripping apart the fabric of time and space by being brought here, the Summoning spell should never have existed. The fact that we all will likely become divine by the Singularity's influence, thus changing the fate of this place further, is more reason this was a bad idea. But the summoners aren't capable of understanding their mistake."

Istredd would have attempted to explain to Ambrose how stupid he was, but the man was too arrogant to listen. He's always felt this way about the spell, it is incredibly dangerous. Short-sighted choices are not new to mages though, he knows that from personal experience. Powerful people can stop thinking through to the consequences of their choices. Istredd himself was proof of that in his future, and he knows that. He's a mage too.

"But we are here now."

Istredd and Viktor are both intellectuals and speak that way, but Istredd sighs, glancing away, allowing a little bit of his more emotional state to show.

"My partner is dead back home. Oblivion is what he has to look forward to. I promised I would try and anchor him here to save him." That is the drive behind Istredd's obsession with finding an anchor, but it is not his only reason for doing so. "I hope we don't have to settle for an all or nothing situation."

All leave. All stay. Would it be right to make everyone stay for one life?

[techmaturgy]

Istredd is right that they are all here now, so they need to work within those parameters. There is no undoing what's already been done, and with the territories still committed to the ritual, all they can really do now is try to mitigate the damage. Even Viktor isn't sure if his own work will make it worse, but he does have to try for many reasons, including the one that Istredd voices now.

"He wouldn't be the only one."

Viktor thinks of Tony, returning to his own death. Kyle, too, who believes himself to be mortally wounded at the moment of his departure. Viktor wouldn't wish the dread of returning to something like that on anyone. All the more reason to find some kind of solution.

"Theoretically, it should work both ways. That is the hope."

[magicalarchaeologist]

"My situation isn't particularly good either. Most of my people were slaughtered in a coup and I was taken prisoner by our traitor, I most likely have torture ahead of me, with no rescue possible."

It made the Thorne coup particularly uncomfortable, to say the least, but it was very different from what he experienced at Thanedd. They were trapped for a week but at least everyone made it. He can't say the same for the majority of the Brotherhood that died. He isn't entirely over it, otherwise he might not have bothered to say it out loud. His situation is daunting given Vilgefortz and what he's capable of doing, and what he needs Istredd for.

This is the better life for him. Even before that, Istredd wouldn't say he had a great deal to live for in his sphere. Here he has love, friendship, and a purpose, and he would fight to keep that.

"And there's Kyle, of course."

Someone they have in common close to their heart.

"My concern is making it worse. We have no more expertise on interdimensional travel and multiverse teleportation than the mages here do."

[techmaturgy]

"All the more reason why you should be allowed to make a choice."

Viktor wouldn't force anyone to go back to a circumstance like that. It's wrong, that the Singularity can destroy lives here so easily, and that there is nothing they can do to defend themselves from it. He wants to change that, he just doesn't know what it will cost them, as Istredd says. They could very well make it worse.

But that's no reason not to try. He frowns at the mention of Kyle, not necessarily used to others knowing about them--but Istredd is close to him, too, and must know what awaits him back home.

Another reminder, for Viktor, that they will eventually part ways.

"But we will be more careful about it than they have been."

[magicalarchaeologist]

"I want that future we saw, or at least I want a version of it. I know not everyone does though, so I'd help them escape that fate if I could."

The 'if' is the key part. Istredd doesn't believe they can stop it. He thinks it's inevitable. The New Gods were like them once and look at them now. He remembers the feeling of how gradual it was, exactly as it is now, with them gaining power over time. His future was a beautiful one. He had everything he could ever want between his loves, freedom, and purpose.

They aren't following the exact same path, as far as he knows. He doesn't remember how Thorne fell in it, there were a lot of vague memories that were lost, especially in that first century. And the clown god was making up most of it. It does speak to how powerful the gods are, if he could do that much. And how powerful Istredd felt during it spoke to that too.

"We need to get our hands on the Summoning spell, somehow. Or find something similar. If I had access to Hayle's universities I might have a better chance, but they're locked down tight and don't like visitors. Could you look at the Free Cities universities?"

[techmaturgy]

"I imagine your opinion is in the minority."

The general impression Viktor has is that most of the Summoned don't want to be gods. They might want their lives here to remain intact, but that kind of power isn't meant for humans. For Viktor, this is now as much about stopping their eventual ascension as it is fining a way out of this world.

He has his doubts about finding the Summoning ritual--it's kept away from them on purpose.

"They won't keep that sort of thing at the university. My plan has always been to develop my own version of it. But if you believe you can access the information, I have a better chance at reverse-engineering the process."

[magicalarchaeologist]

"Probably. I already have an extended lifespan, so it wasn't about the years, it was about the freedom." As opposed to being stuck in Thorne for the rest of his life. Istredd is looking at centuries of life regardless, but escaping Thorne gave him what he needed. Finding joy in the Nether made his life here worth experiencing.

"I stay in Thorne, and with polite interactions with the leaders, for a few reasons." He crosses arms against his chest. "Access to the Singularity and the safety of my fellow Summoned. I need to get them all free before I can seek it myself." Istredd left in the fantasy because Lucifer forced his hand and he had to pick him over everyone else. But he doesn't think that will happen again, so now it is about rescuing everyone.

Freedom as a god meant getting away from Thorne but also freedom from his responsibilities. He could do what he wanted, go where he desired, it was everything to him. He is struggling underneath the weight more this time, after knowing what it felt like to be free of it.

"Hayle might but it is closed to everyone. My sphere doesn't create portals that way, but it's possible if we have several mages, from various spheres, we might have a better chance of spellwork."

[techmaturgy]

Viktor makes a little noise at that, though he doesn't elaborate further. Istredd's extended lifespan doesn't necessarily matter, when it comes to solving the Summoning ritual--only that he's perhaps more prepared than the rest of them to weather what might be coming.

"I know you have your reasons."

Kyle's are similar, and at this point Viktor can't begrudge it. With the war here, and Thorne distinctly disadvantaged in the face of the Free Cities' new technology, it makes sense that more capable Summoned would want to stay and protect those who can't protect themselves.

"If there's anything to be found in Thorne, it would be for the benefit of all of us."

[magicalarchaeologist]

"I don't think some mystery people are going to show up out of no where to rescue us this time."

No one has heard from those two in years. That was the one act they did and then disappeared soon after. Istredd has no idea what to think about it, only that they can't count on any more intervention. Thorne probably has defenses now to prepare for that, they weren't ready at the time. So they'll have to get people out in other ways. He and Kyle are on the same page about their priorities in Thorne.

"I'll try. They may eventually allow access again as a show of peace with the new king. Before they only allowed us access if we'd agree to move there permanently, and only occasionally return to the others."

Otherwise Istredd would have already been there soaking up every bit of information he could in their extensive magic academies. He was somewhat tempted for a time, but he'd barely be able to see the others or make his mark on Thorne the way he wanted.

"What is it that drives you, Viktor? Is it because you want to go home, or simply want to have the option?"

[techmaturgy]

Viktor has left that mystery for others to puzzle out. From what he knows, they had knowledge to get around the wards, but not of the summoning ritual itself. Istredd is right that they will not be able to depend on their further intervention. Anything the Summoned want, at this point, they'll need to take themselves.

And he's right, too, that those in Thorne need to navigate a new king and a new high mage. All the more reason why Viktor is counting on discovering his own version of the ritual, hopefully one with fewer environmental impacts.

It is difficult to talk about what drives him without revealing the selfish nature of his research. He maintains, however, that untangling the ritual would be beneficial both for their number and for this world, for all of the reasons he's already spoken on.

There is more, though.

"I have obligations to my home. To remain here, and leave my work unfinished...it would be unconscionable."

maybe we can wrap on this one but I WANT them to have that convo some day :D

[magicalarchaeologist]

Istredd knows that in the vision, Viktor never stopped striving for his goals. He ended up changing himself entirely in an effort to get him closer to some kind of mission. This idea of changing worlds, of being able to get free of the shackles of this place, is understandable. He doesn't think it's the full story, but that doesn't mean he's owed the full story. He'll take the answer at face value.

"Perhaps you can tell me about your home and work sometime. I would be very interested in learning about it, if you feel comfortable sharing. I admit, not having anything pleasant to go back to does make it an easier experience to be here. I have no shifting priorities to worry about."

His people are dead and he's captured by the enemy, plus most of his research came to a pointless end that he can't follow regardless. Istredd has made a life here for himself based on no reason to return. If Geralt and Yennefer didn't have Ciri, they would be trying to find that escape too, but with her here, most of them have what they need.

"I must find Darganfod, the robot dog, before it causes more harm to other people. When this mess is solved, perhaps we can meet up in Nocwich, at a better time?"