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abraxaslogs2021-12-17 12:09 am
- alucard; the hierophant,
- castiel; the hanged man,
- estinien wyrmblood; the hermit,
- geralt of rivia; the hanged man,
- goro; the chariot,
- hector; the magician,
- himeka sui; the fool,
- inej ghafa; the hierophant,
- kylo ren; the tower,
- leonard mccoy; the lovers,
- ronan lynch; the moon,
- sam wilson; justice,
- sasarai; judgement,
- stephen strange; death
The Mission
The Dimmest Day is upon us.
The champions of Thorne seek to deliver their caskets safely to the central artifact of the Singularity. Opposing them are the champions of the Free Cities and Solvunn, who are charged with intercepting as many caskets as they can and carrying them safely back to their respective factions— but each is also charged with preventing the other from doing the same.
From across Abraxas, in the dead of night, three groups of the Summoned converge on the Singularity. What they do here will have lasting effects on the world and every other beyond it.
Pleased to see a healthy number of volunteers gathered at the Empty Throne, Ambrose allows his champions a moment to savor the vocal appreciation of the gathered crowd ringing the courtyard. Thorneans applaud and cheer, and Frederick, previously this year's Elected sacrifice, looks beyond relieved. High above, the King and Queen emerge on the Royal balcony, and without any further warning the gathered crowd breaks into song— an ancient hymn of thanksgiving that feels very awkwardly like a prayer being directed towards the Summoned themselves.
Along with black leather sling packs for carrying the caskets and a lantern each, a group of apprentices bring forth pieces of armor, enchanted rings and circlets, all of them offered as temporary loans to Thorne's champions who could use a little aid in their work. These hold simple defensive and life-preserving spells, presumably a small hoard of trinkets kept aside from the usual Dimming sacrifice: putting them on may grant added resistance to magical attack, a boost to existing magical ability, or increase an individual's speed, strength or dexterity. Once everything is distributed, Ambrose himself passes out the caskets, taking great care to hand each one over with a stern, steady stare.
Even tapping into the emergency storage of magical energy provided by an ornate reliquary placed behind the throne, it takes the efforts of all the assembled Thornean mages together to open the portal that will deliver the Summoned to the crater's edge. Ambrose explains that due to the Dimming, they won't be able to create another to bring his champions home until the sun rises— and only then if the mission to restore the Singularity is successful. Everything rests with the Summoned, now. They must not fail.
Aleksander's laboratory is exactly the kind of mad scientist with access to magic take on Leonardo DaVinci's workshop you might expect. Strange, chemically powered devices bubble and tick. Doves flutter and coo anxiously in cages. A couple of ominous metal exam tables with leather restraint cuffs bolted to them have been pushed back to the walls to make room for a large contraption that looks like a cartoonish steampunk ray gun, far taller than a man, aimed at a hastily painted bullseye target on a raised metal platform. Surrounding it are strange alchemic sigils burned into the floor. It becomes clear all too soon that this is the method of transport the champions of the Free Cities will be using to get to the Singularity for their mission. This is a very tech-heavy flavor of New Magic.
Assistants usher the Summoned towards the platform and offer a range of odd hand-held devices and wearable tech for anyone who would like a little extra boost. Alongside chemically powered lanterns, the Summoned are invited to pick up energy dispersing chestplates, power-assisted boots for increased speed or spring in a step and so on— though it's fair to say Aleksander's creations do all look like they might be more in the experimental stage.
Charged using a device some of the Summoned might recognize from Alexander's holiday experiment at the Circus of the Sciences, the transporter ray is ready to deliver the Free Cities' champions to the Singularity. Set on a timer, the device will activate a second time at dawn to generate a gateway to welcome them home with their winnings. Aleksander wishes them good fortune, ensures everyone is properly situated on the platform, and with a pull of a lever sends them on their mission.
By the Solstice itself, a great unlit pyre topped with a strange, crude effigy of a creature resembling a bear has been built in the middle of the town, encircled by a group of seven mages in elaborate masked costumes representing elements of the landscape around them— rocks, fields, forests and streams. But Rowan, who the Summoned have been directed to report to, is not among them. He stands by a smaller fire, uncharacteristically solemn. It is time for Solvunn and its champions to receive their blessings, though as always these come with a price.
Rowan directs each of the group to step up in turn and surrender something to the flames. These sacrifices can be small, but they must belong to the person giving them up. A garment they are wearing would suffice, or even just a lock of hair, a drop of blood, a clipped fingernail. These gifts, Rowan explains, will link each of the Summoned with a blessing they can carry with them as they travel to the Singularity.
Another mage wearing an elaborate antlered headdress bestows the blessings as the Summoned give their gifts, dipping an elegant hand into the flames and drawing a strange runic sigil onto their foreheads with the ash of the ceremonial fire— and instantly, the Summoned may feel they have received increased vitality, strength, speed, enhanced visual or auditory acuity. They are handed a lantern each and instructed to stand aside as the mages ask the gods to light their path, and once all gifts are distributed, the gathered mages lift their arms and begin to chant. A fiery tendril leaps from the sacrificial fire to the main pyre itself in a crackling arc that sustains itself there in the air, forming a doorway to the edge of the Singularity’s crater. This passage of fire will remain passable in either direction until the great pyre burns down to embers.
The more perceptive of the group may catch sight of huge, formless shadows moving at the very edge of their vision as they step through the fiery arch.
When each faction's group of champions emerge on the other side, they find themselves delivered to the closest point around the rim of the Singularity's crater to their home faction. A few miles in diameter and several feet deep, the crater is a strangely, perfectly circular depression in the desert with the towering monolith of the Singularity itself glowing faintly visible through the dark of night at its center— and unlike the last time the Summoned were brought here, they have time to catch their breath and let their eyes adjust, if they wish. Muted and diminished, the Singularity makes no attempt to draw the Summoned to itself. To approach it, they will have to walk.
Physically breaching the border of the crater makes shivers run down spines and hairs stand on end, but it seems Ambrose was right. Rather than being yanked without ceremony into the metaphysical realm of the Horizon, the Summoned are able to make their careful way over the sloping rim of the crater, where each party will be able to catch sight of lights moving in the darkness as the Summoned of other factions climb down to the arena of the crater's smoothly featureless floor.
The desert air is cold and clear in the dark of night, sound carrying easily across the distance between the three parties. Raised on its rocky plinth, the towering statue of the Singularity beckons. The Dimming reaches its nadir as the Summoned of each faction march towards inevitable conflict.
as if Alucard would ever willingly spend more time with Hector
[Great, now Hector needs to figure out how to sabotage the Free City's efforts and make sure Alucard didn't start on an impaling streak. Hector had told several people about his forging, but Alucard was one of the two who could truly understand what could be done with it. If Alucard decided to follow in his father's footsteps, he might take a page from Carmilla's book and try to compel his service.]
Hector your ego here that he'd ask this of you is astounding
[How many times must he remind you that he is not your responsibility Hector? And why would he repeat his father's mistakes.
The dhampir lets out a disapproving noise, then folds his hands over his chest.]
Besides, I could ask the same of you.
Hey, if he goes Full Dad, he'll WISH he had a forgemaster
[Hector tries to recall if Alucard has ever asked him a question other than iterations of 'why the fuck are you here?'
But he answers anyways, for reasons even he doesn't understand.]
I want to see where the coffins end up.
[He's just not going to say which side he is rooting for and what actions he might take to ensure that side comes out on top. It's fine.]
no subject
And excuse you Hector! You've had actual conversations before!] But I confess to a little curiosity as to why you left the inn. You didn't need to.
[It was a nice enough place, and with only one person, much more spacious.]
Mmm. I suppose understanding the division of very literal power will be of some use for life choices in the near future.
no subject
I'm not in the business of raising armies anymore.
[By choice and by necessity. And so long as he, his pets, and his bard are left alone, it'll stay that way.
He folds his arms over his chest.] I didn't want to see your face, but you still needed a place to stay. I didn't know you'd be off to lurk in the fucking graveyard.
no subject
Mm. [It has a note of apology, at the very least.] I do appreciate that consideration. [No snot or condescension there either. Alucard sighs, pausing to look around them to ensure this isn't being particularly overheard.]
It was...easier not to be in a human form for a while. Still is, most days. The space seemed like it would afford quiet and shelter.
no subject
And of course, only a graveyard would do. Vampires.
[Not that he has much room to talk, but still.]
But you've come out of seclusion to fight other summoned arcana to relieve stress. Have you ever considered, I don't know, getting a dog?
no subject
[The response is almost....jovial? A set up for the deadpan, at least:]
Hector, I am the dog.
no subject
[For better or worse, caught between vampire and human, you're still a person, Alucard. Trust him, if there were a way to just be an animal and write off human feelings completely, Hector would have done it years ago.]
no subject
There's the levity gone, at least. Alucard can feel the sudden gravity shift, and damnit Hector, you couldn't just roll with it, could you?]
A dog isn't going to help in the moments I'm at my worst, Hector. Trust me on that.
no subject
The dog is a purpose. But maybe you're beyond that.
[Hector's dogs got him through long stretches of isolation, numerous flights and rebuilding of his life after being chased out of whatever corner of the map he'd settled in.
But this is about Alucard, not Hector.]
You're welcome to do as you like. Just, try not to make a mess of the Horizon in there.
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[Beyond or not ready for. All Alucard's doing right now, so far as he's concerned, is finding ways to force himself to roll out from the cactus every day. This? This isn't a purpose either. It is an outlet, little more.]
It helps to have limits in this instance. As you requested in Thorne.
[He's letting the violence out in a controlled environment. That has to count for something, right?]
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Maybe Alucard doesn't offer that as an olive branch, but Hector's willing to take it as one.]
Magic would be easier, for a light you can carry in your furred form. I'll make something for next time.
[It'll be another side project, like the buttons. A little puzzle to figure out, imbuing a token with light.]
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--Thank you, but no. My eyesight is superior in that form anyway.
[No more favors, Hector. Please.]. The thought is appreciated all the same.
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That's what I said. Fine. If you change your mind, you know where to find me.
[Well, he probably doesn't, since Hector's moved, but Alucard's half a vampire. He can fly around as a bat or sniff him out or something on the off chance he ever needs to find Hector.]
no subject
Indeed I do.
[With your boyfriend, Hector. And your house is about to get filled with pierogi.]