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abraxaslogs2025-04-12 11:57 am
abraxasmods) wrote in abraxaslogs2025-04-12 11:57 am
Entry tags:
- !event,
- aloy; the hermit,
- alucard; the hierophant,
- annabeth chase; the high priestess,
- astarion ancunín; the wheel of fortune,
- carmy berzatto; the magician,
- cassian andor; the tower,
- cidolfus telamon; the hanged man,
- cirilla of cintra; the devil,
- claude von riegan; the wheel of fortune,
- geralt of rivia; the hanged man,
- hilda goneril; the lovers,
- himeka sui; the fool,
- iris black; the hanged man,
- istredd; the high priestess,
- jesper fahey; the wheel of fortune,
- jonathan crane; the magician,
- julia wicker; the tower,
- kyle; the hanged man,
- lord john grey; justice,
- lucifer; the devil,
- matt murdock; the tower,
- nadine cross; the world,
- nanaue; the fool,
- nero (dmc); the chariot,
- prince wilhelm; the tower,
- steve rogers; the hierophant,
- teddy roberts; death,
- thancred waters; strength,
- the doctor; the fool,
- thor odinson; the fool,
- viktor; death,
- wanda maximoff; the hanged man,
- yennefer of vengerberg; the chariot
EVENT #24: RESOLUTION - IC LOG
Event #24 - Resolution
News of the increasing tremors across Abraxas soon reached the minor territories. Though Nocwich, the Feywilds, and the Nether are more insulated from the effects of the Singularity, they'll feel it, too: intermittent quakes that knock books off of shelves, cracked foundations in old buildings, and large tidal waves that swallow ships and boats into the ocean, destroying coastal buildings.
By APRIL 16, it's clear that something worse is coming. The air in the crater hums with electricity, the ground shaking. For weeks, quakes have spread throughout the region, all emanating from the ancient relic. As dawn breaks on APRIL 18, the sun rises behind the solid stone structure, a shadow of a shadow stretching long across the desert.
As the territories struggle to maintain order, the very fabric of reality itself begins to shatter.
If you have any questions about specifics for this event, please don't hesitate to ask. Because the world of Abraxas is so large, and because so many of you have had your unique plotlines, we are not able to provide every possible detail all in one post - but that doesn't mean we don't have those details to share!
Part 1: Convergence
Within minutes, Abraxas watches the world peel away like old paint. A vendor in Aquilla falls through a shard beneath their feet that reflects the deep ocean of Earth; a Royal Guard in Thorne is swept up into the vacuum of space. What doesn't fall into the shards falls through them, dropping landmarks, creatures, and familiar faces onto a quickly unraveling Abraxas.
Between the fragments of Abraxas's reality, a dark fleshy substance presses through. A raw, meaty film stretches across a myriad of undulating limbs, wet with a thick milky goo. It pulses with the beat of a racing heart, eager to break free but unable to squeeze through. Where it can manage, bone-like tendrils sprout up and wide in any direction, appearing like blackened trees after a devastating fire. Through them, the pulse of life can be felt and seen as the "bark" shakes with each heartbeat.
Veins slither forward from the pieces of reality and encase the Singularity. One by one, multiple shards, large and growing - the source of all things - appear around the Singularity. Through them peer the reflections of another world, turned upside-down but most certainly recognizable to those once torn from their homes: a glimpse of a great modern city, the interior of a spaceship, the stretches of an ancient dark road.
Between the fragments of Abraxas's reality, a dark fleshy substance presses through. A raw, meaty film stretches across a myriad of undulating limbs, wet with a thick milky goo. It pulses with the beat of a racing heart, eager to break free but unable to squeeze through. Where it can manage, bone-like tendrils sprout up and wide in any direction, appearing like blackened trees after a devastating fire. Through them, the pulse of life can be felt and seen as the "bark" shakes with each heartbeat.
Veins slither forward from the pieces of reality and encase the Singularity. One by one, multiple shards, large and growing - the source of all things - appear around the Singularity. Through them peer the reflections of another world, turned upside-down but most certainly recognizable to those once torn from their homes: a glimpse of a great modern city, the interior of a spaceship, the stretches of an ancient dark road.
While smaller shards can appear and disappear across Abraxas, catching unaware Abraxans in their wake, the primary "canon world" shards are only in the crater. These are the ones that must be closed, which only the Summoned can reach.
Return
Across these shards, the Singularity's tendrils stretch beyond imagination. No mages are required this time to break down these barriers. Instead, the shards themselves can be seen from the other side, too, frightening passersby as they glimpse another realm amid destruction.
Regular people cannot survive going through the shard. If anyone is curious enough to try and enter Abraxas, they will disintegrate immediately. But the previously Summoned are different. They can willingly enter if they choose. And, in cases where they don't, the Singularity's instability might force them through regardless, opening a shard up at their feet and dropping them back into a world they thought they had left.
Returning Summoned will only remember they were once in Abraxas after the shards breach their canon world. Once the veil has dropped, the memories will come flooding back - and they will realize that the place they temporarily called home, however long or brief, is now in trouble...along with those they left behind.
Regular people cannot survive going through the shard. If anyone is curious enough to try and enter Abraxas, they will disintegrate immediately. But the previously Summoned are different. They can willingly enter if they choose. And, in cases where they don't, the Singularity's instability might force them through regardless, opening a shard up at their feet and dropping them back into a world they thought they had left.
Returning Summoned will only remember they were once in Abraxas after the shards breach their canon world. Once the veil has dropped, the memories will come flooding back - and they will realize that the place they temporarily called home, however long or brief, is now in trouble...along with those they left behind.
Because each Summoned is unique, please don't hesitate to ask us about your character's return if you're unsure how it might work for them!
Converging Realities
The reflections of another world are not the only thing breaching the fabric of reality. You realize, with dawning horror, that the pieces of a previous reality entirely shaped by your mind - the Horizon - are pushing through into the physical world...and some of them belong to you. A friendly sheep you created as a friend might bound out of the crater toward you. A monster you trapped in your psychic basement tears through a small village. Pools of lava from your special corner in the Horizon set fire to a flowering shrine.
But that isn't all. Some of you who have been here longest might recognize the portion of an enormous stone labyrinth that emerges through cracked shards the desert. As the light hits them, the walls of the maze shift between gritty granite and glass, flashing iridescent colors. Should anyone approach the reflection, they will find themselves at the entrance of the maze or lost somewhere within it.
Others of you will recall the same sickly-sweet smelling goo that shrouds a tower of oddly stacked containers. Bits of the substance leak out of the shards, staining the sand they land on.
Long ago, you might've suspected that these were the domains of the Gods. Now it's clear that that's exactly what they are: sections of the Horizon, just like yours, belonging to those who carry the potential to ascend.
But that isn't all. Some of you who have been here longest might recognize the portion of an enormous stone labyrinth that emerges through cracked shards the desert. As the light hits them, the walls of the maze shift between gritty granite and glass, flashing iridescent colors. Should anyone approach the reflection, they will find themselves at the entrance of the maze or lost somewhere within it.
Others of you will recall the same sickly-sweet smelling goo that shrouds a tower of oddly stacked containers. Bits of the substance leak out of the shards, staining the sand they land on.
Long ago, you might've suspected that these were the domains of the Gods. Now it's clear that that's exactly what they are: sections of the Horizon, just like yours, belonging to those who carry the potential to ascend.
Across Abraxas
All across Abraxas, particularly throughout the major territories, chaos reigns. Officials struggle to retain control of their population, no longer able to effectively direct their citizens as panic sets in and destruction is wrought over the land.
Kingdom of Thorne
In desperation, the forces of Thorne are attempting to siphon off magical energy in hopes of at least slowing the encroaching threat. While the artifacts and spells they have on hand were not designed for this particular purpose, they are making do.
The real push comes not from Thorne's castle but from Nott. The current High Mage, Mace Hemmet, is inexperienced in the face of such an unprecedented crisis. As a result, Ambrose Rhett steps back onto the stage, once again. He knows more about the Singularity than any mage. It's time for the former High Mage to come out of hiding.
Lord Veda fully supports Ambrose, lending the strength of Nott's forces behind him and offering whatever is needed. Even shelter and supplies for castle mages sent to battle the rifts and a promise to work hand in hand with the castle's forces. Meanwhile, King Rudolph Sidwell - himself more of a soldier than a scholar - returns to Borrel to be with his men. Against his advisor's counsel, he travels out to sea in one of Thorne's warships to rescue sailors trapped under the roiling and shaking ocean at great risk to himself. Queen Lia is thus in charge, and she sees the value in inviting both Ambrose and Lyle Veda back to Castle Thorne.
The real push comes not from Thorne's castle but from Nott. The current High Mage, Mace Hemmet, is inexperienced in the face of such an unprecedented crisis. As a result, Ambrose Rhett steps back onto the stage, once again. He knows more about the Singularity than any mage. It's time for the former High Mage to come out of hiding.
Lord Veda fully supports Ambrose, lending the strength of Nott's forces behind him and offering whatever is needed. Even shelter and supplies for castle mages sent to battle the rifts and a promise to work hand in hand with the castle's forces. Meanwhile, King Rudolph Sidwell - himself more of a soldier than a scholar - returns to Borrel to be with his men. Against his advisor's counsel, he travels out to sea in one of Thorne's warships to rescue sailors trapped under the roiling and shaking ocean at great risk to himself. Queen Lia is thus in charge, and she sees the value in inviting both Ambrose and Lyle Veda back to Castle Thorne.
The Free Cities
Already mistrustful of magic, citizens in the Free Cities are gripped by a multiplying fear. Some believe Thorne is responsible for what's happening, while others grow angry that the end has now arrived due to Marlo's inaction against the Singularity as promised.
Prime Minister Marlo Reiner is in a frenzy. The only thing keeping her from utilizing every resource at the Free Cities' disposal - tested or not - is the calmer head of Quilleth Kaur. It's no secret among the upper authorities of the desert region that the two are closer than simply friends or fellow politicians, and Quilleth remains close by Marlo's side in Portam Hall to present a united front.
Curfew is reinstated. Massive generators are carted to stations along the outsides of the walls to defend them against unknown threats from beyond this reality. The cacophony permeates the desert - a loud grinding of mechanisms and the crackle of New Magic that drowns out everything else. Soldiers patrol at all hours, a rotation of everybody available and able. Outposts and mining operations are treated the same, ringed, and defended as best as possible. Trade and travel between the cities halts.
All the while, the Free Cities' population becomes increasingly restless. They expected to be better protected by their advanced technology and armies - and it's clear that their government and soldiers have let them down.
Prime Minister Marlo Reiner is in a frenzy. The only thing keeping her from utilizing every resource at the Free Cities' disposal - tested or not - is the calmer head of Quilleth Kaur. It's no secret among the upper authorities of the desert region that the two are closer than simply friends or fellow politicians, and Quilleth remains close by Marlo's side in Portam Hall to present a united front.
Curfew is reinstated. Massive generators are carted to stations along the outsides of the walls to defend them against unknown threats from beyond this reality. The cacophony permeates the desert - a loud grinding of mechanisms and the crackle of New Magic that drowns out everything else. Soldiers patrol at all hours, a rotation of everybody available and able. Outposts and mining operations are treated the same, ringed, and defended as best as possible. Trade and travel between the cities halts.
All the while, the Free Cities' population becomes increasingly restless. They expected to be better protected by their advanced technology and armies - and it's clear that their government and soldiers have let them down.
Solvunn
The normally placid Commune is more divided than ever. Having fostered a deep devotion to the Gods for centuries, extremists and fanatics sing the praises of the end times. Some take to proselytizing the centers of towns and villages or along roads about how the end of this world will bring them together with the gods. Fervent prayer is common no matter the level of faith, and the oldest shrines see an increase in pilgrimages. Some people scatter themselves in earnest, while others hide away in their homes.
As reality crumbles, the most fervent believers begin to throw their most prized possessions into the reflections to be one with the Gods, whether it be material goods or loved ones. Fights break out between families and neighbors, clashing over true devotees and fear for the safety of others. The Elders try to mitigate, torn between their duties to the Gods and their fellow man.
Isar Hart is rumored to be a true believer, but he stands beside his friend and current Head of Council Rowan March. They call for all Solvunnites to return to the Primary Settlement to "take this hallowing moment in reverence. Meanwhile, without a direct call to action on the Gods' behalf, Edda Hagen, despite her recent appointment, is scarce - though some report seeing her on the roads late at night.
The Commune is in chaos.
As reality crumbles, the most fervent believers begin to throw their most prized possessions into the reflections to be one with the Gods, whether it be material goods or loved ones. Fights break out between families and neighbors, clashing over true devotees and fear for the safety of others. The Elders try to mitigate, torn between their duties to the Gods and their fellow man.
Isar Hart is rumored to be a true believer, but he stands beside his friend and current Head of Council Rowan March. They call for all Solvunnites to return to the Primary Settlement to "take this hallowing moment in reverence. Meanwhile, without a direct call to action on the Gods' behalf, Edda Hagen, despite her recent appointment, is scarce - though some report seeing her on the roads late at night.
The Commune is in chaos.
Part 2: Doorways
As reality splinters further, it becomes clear that the answer lies in the epicenter of the Singularity's crater. Unlike previous crises, there are no officials or territory leaders that will guide the Summoned or make requests of them. Instead, it's up to you to figure out what to do. Logic dictates that one should approach the Singularity to determine the next steps.
A certain God will chime in - and he might be worth listening to.
A certain God will chime in - and he might be worth listening to.
Due to the thinning veil between the mortal realm and the domain of the Gods, the Summoned can now communicate with the Gods through the Network. Using the information they learned from the minor territories last month, plus the knowledge they've gained regarding Abraxan magic throughout their time here, characters can come up with a solution.
We'll outline the solution for players to know OOC, but this does not mean characters can't have doubts or concerns. However, for the sake of moving the endgame plot to its conclusion, the majority of characters should believe it's their best chance to prevent further destruction despite the risks.
RESPOND TO THE GODS HERE.
We'll outline the solution for players to know OOC, but this does not mean characters can't have doubts or concerns. However, for the sake of moving the endgame plot to its conclusion, the majority of characters should believe it's their best chance to prevent further destruction despite the risks.
Coming to Terms
As you work together to gather what you know, it becomes clear that the only way to stop the Singularity from overwhelming not only Abraxas but all worlds, is to permanently seal the shattered rifts - which, according to what you know, will require at least some of you to remain on the other side of the rifts while others stay behind.
The spell must be performed during the lunar eclipse taking place tomorrow night. Everyone will have a brief 30-minute window to perform and complete the spell using various runes learned from the Gods, the Fey, and Solvunn. You're told that you may need to channel an immense amount of energy, so much so that the process could leave irreparable, lasting effects upon you and your soul.
You cannot receive assurance of the outcome. While all sources indicate that this method grants you and the universe the highest chance of survival, it's unclear what the impact will be on you and your friends. You'll have to take that risk if you want any hope of seeing the next sunrise.
The spell must be performed during the lunar eclipse taking place tomorrow night. Everyone will have a brief 30-minute window to perform and complete the spell using various runes learned from the Gods, the Fey, and Solvunn. You're told that you may need to channel an immense amount of energy, so much so that the process could leave irreparable, lasting effects upon you and your soul.
You cannot receive assurance of the outcome. While all sources indicate that this method grants you and the universe the highest chance of survival, it's unclear what the impact will be on you and your friends. You'll have to take that risk if you want any hope of seeing the next sunrise.
A few Gods may fill in the gaps for rifts that do not have a Summoned willing to go to that canon world. For some of you, it would be possible to stay in Abraxas while one of the Gods takes your place. Remember, too, that the person stepping into a canon world does not need to originate from that world. The process only needs someone on the other side.
Defining Fate
You and the Summoned gather into the crater, now expanded many miles in all directions. It's evident that the crater is safest: here, the quakes do not affect you, and though the rifts continue to fracture and shatter, the creatures emerging do not seem interested in attacking anyone within the crater - only outside of it.
Having learned you must wait for the arrival of the lunar eclipse, there is little else to do except spend time together. Perhaps it's a blessing in disguise. You have time to make your decision. You can say your goodbyes. After all, even if this works as intended, some of you may not be with each other tomorrow. And, if it doesn't go as planned...you'll want to get anything off your chest you haven't yet shared.
Having learned you must wait for the arrival of the lunar eclipse, there is little else to do except spend time together. Perhaps it's a blessing in disguise. You have time to make your decision. You can say your goodbyes. After all, even if this works as intended, some of you may not be with each other tomorrow. And, if it doesn't go as planned...you'll want to get anything off your chest you haven't yet shared.
Things will be relatively quiet at the Singularity's crater to allow characters to have any final moments they wish to have together. They may use the Network to communicate or speak to each other in person! Once the lunar eclipse arrives and they proceed with the plan, there will be no turning back and no time for long discussions.
◎ The spell itself is simple: you copy the runes from the research you've done, drawing them around the rift itself. How you do so depends on the power you possess. You can paint it, etch it with a weapon, use a magical design in the air, mark it using a floral pattern, or so forth. You're drawn naturally to the method that feels most intuitive to you and the power you wield.
◎ Once drawn, you must reach into yourself and channel the power that connects you to the Singularity. Physically, you may experience the following symptoms: a splitting headache; feeling as though you're torn in half or your soul is rendered; an overwhelming rush of emotions; or all of the above. You might feel you can sense the very universe crying out.
◎ The longer you persist, the less certain you are that you will survive the process unscathed. You can try to stop, of course...but at a certain point, you'll be too late and the power continues to flow from you regardless.
Closure
Flashes of light pulse with the closure of each shard. You hear the crackle of glass as the rifts are crushed and reformed. The ground shifts and shakes in every territory, the night air vibrating with chaotic power. This could be everything...or it could be the end. For a terrifying moment, you don't know which.
Your body is suspended in an abyss, a reminder of your entrance to Abraxas. You feel once more a light and the oppressive water around you. As the world stitches back together, the veins on the scorched trees shrivel and crumble to dust. The trees turn to ash.
The eclipse passes. The night is calm. Most significantly, the relic that cast its shadow over Abraxas for thousands of years has vanished. The crater is empty. There is no more Singularity. Yet, Abraxas still stands.
As for you - that's another matter. In your quest to restore the universe, what has become of you?
Your body is suspended in an abyss, a reminder of your entrance to Abraxas. You feel once more a light and the oppressive water around you. As the world stitches back together, the veins on the scorched trees shrivel and crumble to dust. The trees turn to ash.
The eclipse passes. The night is calm. Most significantly, the relic that cast its shadow over Abraxas for thousands of years has vanished. The crater is empty. There is no more Singularity. Yet, Abraxas still stands.
As for you - that's another matter. In your quest to restore the universe, what has become of you?
no subject
It's less about the world going on without me, I think, and more to do with where I want to bury my heart by the end of it. I had no feelings for home until I caught a glimpse of the castle again through one of the rifts.
[Perhaps this isn't a surprise given that Alucard stands between two worlds by nature.]
Some part of me suspects that I will always end up wondering about the path not taken.
no subject
You will. And you'll learn to live with it, too.
[ He fishes out a bottle of wine he must've stolen from Cid in the Feywilds (or someone from the Feywilds; it's not as though there's much of a monetary demand in that place) and offers it out. ]
I won't stop you from leaving if you change your mind. But I'll miss your cave in the desert.
no subject
[But Alucard will take the bottle. He extends a hand, one nail extended and sharp in case the cork is too deeply embedded.]
The cave'll be yours, should I make the decision to be a responsible dhampir. I'd say feel free to change the decor, but I don't think you'll care enough to make an effort. [The statement is warm. Geralt is predictable too.] Good thing I never fully converted it into a tomb.
[He had wanted that for so long, after all.]
And what of you and yours?
no subject
[ At least Yen will be here when all is said and done. He is not sure about Jaskier, who has long had magic flowing through him in ways it never would have on the Continent. He should like to have his closest friend with him for eternity, but on the other hand...he knows a long life is not the blessing it appears at first glance.
Though Jaskier would love the idea of never gaining another wrinkle. ]
We'll be here. The Singularity concerns me, but...not as much as the entirety of the Continent does.
no subject
[Alucard's grin is smug, then he goes about uncorking the bottle. Using his fingernail isn't great, but to hell with it. He offers the bottle back to Geralt, pocketing the cork for himself.]
No, your home sounds like a nightmare. And it is clear that the threats that touch Ciri there don't exist here. For greater safety and planning, your choice makes sense.
[Morally, it is also in alignment with all Alucard knows of the Witcher. Ciri is the priority. Everything else is secondary.]
Will you keep your current address here?
no subject
If they wish for him and his to return, they can come find him.
He shakes his head. ] Someplace with a few more trees. Perhaps even some snow.
[ As much as he's acclimated to the desert, he's grown tired of the same sandy landscape staring back at him. ]
no subject
[He's made the comment before. It will never not be funny. Besides, the place seems like it would suit Geralt well enough aside from the perpetual darkness.]
The ones setting up a space for the Summoned in the Feywilds are...not wrong to take the space, I don't think, but I'd feel strange moving into a place so pointedly vacated in the face of destruction. It'd be like living among ruins rather than making a home for me.
no subject
[ Mm-hm. He's met Sten, yes. And yes, he does, in fact, see some resemblance. He isn't certain he'll thrive in the perpetual darkness, however. As much as he enjoys Nocwich, the ever-present night is not his preference. He likes to watch the sunrise, after all.
Perhaps the northern wilds above the Nether would not go amiss. He imagines they would not say no to a Summoned after how closely they have worked together.
He glances over with a small shrug as he sips his drink. A fair point. The Continent is simply built on places of that nature, homes turned to rubble and rebuilt by force. If the Fey willingly vacated it, he doesn't give it much more thought beyond that. ] I suppose I was raised in ruins.
no subject
[It's a lighter note compared to where this conversation is starting to lead. Alucard is quiet. Geralt's response is very...Geralt. But from what Alucard has come to understand of where Witchers stand on the Continent, it is a little bit of a metaphor too. How many Witchers will be left after this? Will it just be further ruins?
It reminds him, as it seems to inevitable do, of the Belmonts. All monster hunters do, in the end.]
I've always been more fussy about it. But I also know I've had that luxury. Being offered a choice now also feels like a luxury compared to the past.
🎀 wrap soon?
[ He knows precisely how many Witchers will be left, actually. At his last count, there were six remaining, including himself. He cannot imagine they have not lost more since. Perhaps only Vesemir remains. Perhaps only Lambert.
He doesn't know. He's accepted he will not have an answer.
He hums. Choices are not always the blessing they appear at first glance, but it is better, he thinks, than having none at all. ]
You've time yet. I'll visit your crypt when it's over. If you aren't there, I'll know to drink your wine.
can probably call it here and WEEAUUUGH about that fact
[But more than that, Alucard will lean over. Bump his shoulder against Geralt's briefly. It'll be a true embrace when the time to make a choice comes, regardless of which direction Alucard goes with. Geralt's earned it.
Fuck if this relationship hasn't been an evolution though. The dhampir remembers how vividly he was terrified of the Witcher at first, how certain he was that the monster hunter could look at him and clock every atrocity Alucard had done. How certain he was that Geralt was just waiting for the opportune time to make the world a little safer. Learning the man's morals about the matter only helped some. He still remembers the frost caves too, when too long corridors hinted at the past.
Moving beyond Thorne hadn't magically solved everything. They had still clashed, Alucard asking for advice at the wrong times, dumb nonsense in making sense of each other. But Geralt was reliable in the worst of times, in no small part because he was made for them. It was sometimes impossible to look at him and not think of the Belmonts. Others, all Alucard could see was Trevor picking stupid fights and losing through Geralt's sheer indifference.
The Horizon's broken, the Singularity is yet again misbehaving, and for all of it, the most reliable thing is sitting next to Geralt with a drink, enjoying the luxury of each other's company and silence.
Alucard knows that that much is how it ought to be, for as long as it can be.
He bumps against Geralt again. Just to underscore the point for himself.]