EVENT #7: THE SIGHT

[abraxasmods]

Event #7 - The Sight

go to the OOC event info and plotting post

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The night before APRIL 18, your dreams are disrupted by a vivid image of the same eclipse that occurred last month. The black sun seems to be an endless void in the sky, growing ever darker - until it suddenly opens into an eye that stares straight at you.

When you wake up, much of your night seems a blur except for the vivid dream of that eye. Whether you find it unsettling or try to ignore it, the image is something you cannot get out of your mind. If you ask, you will discover that none of the locals of your faction saw another eclipse. Speak with your fellow Summoned, however, and you may learn that while there was no eclipse that formed over the world, you were not the only one who had this dream.

Of course, dreams don't need to mean anything. You can't feel or see any immediate effects, and nearly everyone around you is going about their day as usual. Maybe you should do the same.

The Awakening

It might happen that very morning or a day or two later. You could be discussing the dream with a fellow Summoned or perhaps you simply brush shoulders with them as you walk by. Whatever it is, as soon as you make brief physical contact, one of you is struck with a sharp pain in your temple that grows into a terrible headache. It's disorienting and painful as the world around you shifts to someplace you may or may not recognize. Like an old film reel, you watch the events of the past play out before you: the past of the other Summmoned. It might be something they would rather hide, a moment of failure or despair, or something they are immensely proud of and brings them great joy - or even a jumble of several images over the course of a person's life. But you see it as if it were real and right in front of you all the same. When you come to, you'll likely find yourself on the ground or bent over, possibly with one or more people around you to see if you're okay. It'll take you a bit to gather your bearings, and the subsequent pounding in your head could last from minutes to hours.

Or, maybe you aren't the one who receives the vision. Instead, as you watch, another Summoned might grasp their head and crumble in front of you. They may go silent or groan in pain. They'll be impossible to shake out of their stupor until it's over. If you ask what happened, they may be inclined to tell you the truth - that you, you were what happened to them.

Or, if your Arcana signs happen to line up in a specific way, you'll see each other in the shared memory itself. You may also find that for certain Summoned, you can help soothe the effects, calm their emotions, or help draw them out of the memory before it consumes them for too long. It's not entirely clear what determines which effect, but one thing is for certain - within each memory, every Summoned as they appear in the past seems to wear the mark of their Arcana somewhere on their person.

For some, they might experience this only once. For others, they might experience it multiple times: with the same person, with several other Summoned, or with a different memory each time. Over the next 7 days, you'll find the Summoned around you are all receiving a glimpse into each other's past, as if the Singularity has awoken an eye within each of you.

Flee for the safety of the Horizon if you want, but you'll find that in there, it's much the same. In fact, inside the Horizon, the other Summoned don't even need to be anywhere near you - just existing in the Horizon space itself together will be enough to possibly set off a headache-inducing vision.

The Factions

What has occurred between the Summoned will not go unnoticed within the factions. While it's difficult to say how faction officials have picked up what's happening, it'll be obvious they do know.

In THORNE, characters will be asked to remain in the castle walls until further notice. Characters will not be allowed to leave the castle grounds, not even to go into the surrounding city, and anyone who is already outside will be requested to not leave again as soon as they return. If asked, they will be told it's for their own safety, given the Singularity is behaving unpredictably and the Summoned have a unique connection to it. Soothing potions and healers are on hand to offer assistance, if anyone is particularly suffering from ill effects.

In the FREE CITIES, characters will find the army by the outposts show more activity than usual. A higher number of guards will patrol the streets throughout the event, particularly in areas frequented by the Summoned. Anyone who publicly and visibly experiences the effects of the memory share (pain, doubling over, etc.) will be offered assistance by the guards. They are generally there to help, but they are also there to maintain order and ensure anyone behaving erratically due to this incident is properly contained. This might include confinement for a day or two if anyone is especially posing a risk, but no one will be punished except in the most extreme cases, as the locals are aware this is not within the control of the Summoned.

In SOLVUNN, the locals will be watching what's happening with a mixture of trepidation and curiosity. Host families and neighbors will be on hand to help with charms meant to offer protection, as well as general care and assistance (soup, blankets, and so on) if your character seems to be especially under the weather or afflicted by the event. Towards the end of the event, more elders and mages will be out and about to check up on the Summoned to make sure they're doing okay. If asked, the mages will say they aren't sure what's going on, but that they are currently divining with the gods and hope to have a definitive answer soon in the upcoming days.

None of the factions appear to be doing much more than keep a watchful eye on the situation - but as the week comes to a close, officials will start making a decision as to what they want to do and how to handle the Summoned who have demonstrated this unforeseen connection to the Singularity.

Comments

{Sweet memories remain

[shadowthief]

i. high wire training

OTA

This is a series of short-lived, quick moments in a blurred succession:

A little girl, quite young, maybe eight or nine, begging her father, "Please, Papa, please teach me how to walk the high wire!" He's amused, and the woman next to him tuts and shakes her head. "She is too young."

Flash to the girl with her father, a practice rope stretched across a platform rig. It's hardly a couple of feet off the ground yet. She bounces happily around him, eager and excited, "Before we start,"

"Papaaaa!" she groans and throws her head back to stare up and up and up at him.

"I know, I know, but you must know how to fall before you walk the wire. Always protect your head," he shows her an example. "and never fight the speed and strength of your fall. Gravity will take you, let it, and reduce the impact on your body."

A quicker succession of images flies by–– she's barefoot on low ropes, moving forward and backwards, keeping her balance centered; then the same, but this time with leather slippers on her feet that will help her grip the real wire when the time comes for it; her father looks away for a moment, and when he looks back, she's walking the wire in a handstand; the ropes increase in height and eventually change from practice rope to true wire. Every instance comes with tricks attached– handstands and cartwheels, flips both forward and back, balancing a pitcher of water on her head as she crossed

This time, the platform is set up much higher. Two children, a bit older than her, are climbing down from it, taking a break from the practice of their own act. Determined as ever, she climbs up and sets a cautious foot on the wire. She's so high up. She's never been this high up before, but she's determined. She turns her fear to steel and began to walk.

Down below, her father, mother, and cousins all stare in awe of her.

Next is the center-stage of what's obviously a carnival or circus of some sort. The ring-master stands below, a spotlight on him as he circles the stage and talks to the audience, "No trick like this has ever been attempted before, and certainly never by one so young! Above you, behold the terrifying high wire." Another light shines on the wire high above the audience. "Gentlemen, take your lady’s hand in yours. See how slender her fingers are? Now imagine if you will, trying to walk across something so slender, so fragile as that! Who would dare such a thing? Who would dare to defy death itself?"

She stands at the top of the platform, hands on her hips, a headdress of roses perched on her head, and bravely declares, "I will!" to the gasps of the audience.

"But wait, no, this can’t be right," the man said, "a little girl?" The crowd is going absolutely bonkers, lots of shouts, women crying out, a few men trying to stop the show– the safety of the girl!–

But everything about her was exactly what the crowd wanted to see. Skilled. Fearless. Even when her foot slipped and petals from her crown rained down to the stage.

Ii. the same kind of stupid

OTA

Inej is as she is now, on the deck of a ship with Jesper at her side. He's waving at a boy in the distance, who does not return the gesture. "Would it kill him to smile every once in awhile?"

"Very possibly," she says, sharp, succinct, but there's a teasing edge there if you know to listen for it.

As they move in their walk along the deck, it's obvious in the way she favors one side, Inej is injured. There are cheers from the crew–– "The Wraith returns!" and other such well-wishes and greetings can be heard. She's wearing a pleased grin as they walk.

"Surprised?" Jesper asks.

"A bit," she admits. "I spend so much time with Kaz. I guess–"

"It's a novelty to feel appreciated."

She chuckles softly and then presses a hand to her side. "Still hurts to laugh."

They come to a pause against the railing at the foredeck, Inej is staring out at the horizon as she asks, "Did he come to see me at all?"

"Every day."

She turns dark eyes to him and shakes her head, "You can't read people, and you can't bluff."

"No," he admits with a sigh and she nods, turning back to the ocean. "I don't t hink he likes sickbeds."

"Who does?"

"I mean, I think it was hard for him to be around you that way. That first day when you were hurt... he went a little crazy."

"Of course he did. This is a six-person job, and apparently he needs me to scale an incinerator shaft. If I die, the plan falls apart."

Jesper doesn't argue the point.

"What brought you on this mission? You know how risky this job is, what the chances are that we'll come back. I know you love a challenge, but this is a stretch, even for you.

Jesper stares out to the horizon in silence for a moment. "I'm in debt, Inej."

"You're always in debt."

"No. It's bad t his time. I borrowed money from the wrong people. You know my father has a farm?"

She nods. "In Novyi Zem."

"Yes, in the west. It just started turning a profit this year."

Realization dawns across her face. "Oh, Jesper, you didn't."

"I needed the loan... I told him it's so I can finish my degree at the university."

"He thinks you're a student?"

"That's why I came to Ketterdam. My first week in the city I went down to East Stave with some other students. I put a few kruge on the table. It was a whim. I didn't even know the rules of Makker's Wheel. But when the dealer gave the wheel a spin, I'd never heard a more beautiful sound. I won, and I kept winning. It was the best night of my life."

"And you've been chasing it ever since." she says knowingly.

He nods. "I should have stayed in the library. I won. I lost. I lost some more. I needed money, so I started taking on work with the gangs. Two guys jumped me in an alley one night. Kaz took them down, and we started doing jobs together."

"He probably hired those boys to attack you so you'd feel indebted to him."

"He wouldn't–" Jesper stops short and laughs. "Of course he would. Kaz is... I don't know, he's like nobody else I 've ever known. He surprised me."

"Yes. Like a hive of bees in your dresser drawer."

Jesper barks a another laugh. "Just like that."

"So what are we doing here?"

He turns his focus back out to the sea, his cheeks heated. "Hoping for honey, I guess. And praying not to get stung."

At that, Inej smirks and knocks her shoulder against his. "Then at least we're both the same kind of stupid."

"I don't know what your excuse is, Wraith. I'm the one who can never walk away from a bad hand."

She loops her arm through his and counters, "That makes you a rotten gambler, Jesper, but an excellent friend."

"You're too good for him, you know."

"I know. So are you."

They continue walking along the deck.

i. (sorry for the wait!)

[meiren]

It's his own fault for assuming the rooftops would be less of a danger. With the crowded streets being entirely too much of a danger at the moment and the Horizon no better, Zhou Zishu has taken to spending his time higher up with the idea that no one else is likely to do the same.

It's a mistake he realizes only upon almost colliding with another body as he jumps lightly from one roof edge to the next. Pure instinct has him moving fast enough to almost completely avoid contact, but not quite enough to miss the brush of arm against arm. Then it's all he can do to make sure he's far enough onto the roof not to topple off as the pain takes him.

The vision, at least, explains what the girl is doing up there. He comes back to himself with an inhale, eyes focusing on the older version actually in front of him.

"A wire?" It seems out of nowhere, perhaps, but it's the thing that's stuck most with him. He's seen that sort of thing before, but it had never occurred to him to be the sort of thing someone might learn.

no worries <3

[shadowthief]

She crouches next to him when he all but misses sliding straight off the edge of the roof. These damn visions– it's why she came up high, but somehow it isn't all that surprising to think at least one other person had the same idea. Everyone's desperate as it drags on longer, anyone might try anything at this point.

"Are you all right?" she asks, glancing him over, unsure if he'd actually hit his head or anything.

Her lips quirk a little at the question. Of memories she's forcibly been sharing, the ones that evoke that question are perfectly innocent and beautiful. She nods, "Yes, we were performers, my family and I."

[meiren]

Zhou Zishu hums a vague agreement as he straightens up properly, looking much less concerned about being near the edge now that his head isn't trying to cleave in two. The answer pulls his attention back towards her properly, one side of his mouth lifting slightly.

"You seem skilled."

He'd seen performers a time or two when they'd passed through the capital, though he'd never been able to give them his full attention. Enough that he can guess at what she means, or at least the outlines of it. She doesn't seem bothered by it, at least, which is a start. "Do you still?"

[shadowthief]

“I am,” despite the certainty in her words, there is no cocksure attitude in it, no arrogance to be found, only an absolute trust in her own abilities.

At the question, she shakes her head. “No, I haven’t in over three years.” An honest answer, while not being a full truth, either. But he didn’t get those memories and she won’t be freely offering up why, for no good reason.

[meiren]

There's a moment of silence while he digests that, studying her almost unblinkingly. And then Zhou Zishu tilts his head enough to give a somewhat pointed look at the roof edge they're both still perched a bit too close to, an expression that goes drier as it lands back on her.

"Not lost your skills." His tone is mild, despite the amusement in his expression. "Impressive."

[shadowthief]

"I haven't performed," she presses. "but that doesn't mean I haven't found other uses for the same skills."

A small smirk plays on her lips as she follows that glance to the ledge and, maybe it's a silly little bout of showing off, but... she needs fun sometimes. She steps along the edge of the roof like it's a balance beam until she's far enough away from the boy she won't accidentally hit him as she pushes herself into an easy handstand. She holds the pose for a beat. Two. Before she drops gracefully back down to her feet, beaming up at him.

Tricks on rooftops are not the ways she's found to use those skills, but this is more entertaining that divulging Kaz's uses of her.

[meiren]

He watches with a very faint smile as she moves, watching with the kind of intensity of someone used to tracking people by their movement patterns. Not a martial artist in the way Zhou Zishu thinks of them, but she has impressive control none the less.

And is almost certainly hiding something about it, but that's fair enough. Zhou Zishu has plenty of secrets of his own and no real need for anyone else's at the moment.

"Well done," he says with a nod once she's on her feet again. He's never been the most effusive with his praise, but he can acknowledge skill. Even if it's not quite admitting that he's well aware the trick wasn't the whole of her ability. "You're up here often then."

[shadowthief]

Inej doesn't miss the very... almost trained way he watches her. It feels uncannily like how she knows people must feel when she's doing the watching. At least, when they know she's there at all.

"Thank you," she says and it's genuine, as is the small smile at the praise, however small it may be. Her skill being recognized is nice, even if she doesn't necessarily need praise to know she's good.

At the question, she nods, "I like rooftops better than streets." she admits easily.

[meiren]

One side of his mouth ticks up a bit higher. "They do usually tend to be less populated," he agrees with a hint of a dry tease in his tone. He's spent his fair share of time up here since arriving, but it's a large enough city that he's not particularly surprised that they haven't run into each other yet.

Of course now he knows what to look for. But that's for another day.

For now he looks out over the expanse of rooftops with a considering expression. "Were you going somewhere?"

[shadowthief]

She's sure now that they have met, they'll notice each other out here more often. Inej usually takes to the rooftops at night, personally. Easier to learn secrets that way.

"Not really," she shakes her head. "Just thought I could escape whatever's going on with all of us right now for a bit," she smirks a little. "Apparently, that didn't work so well."

[meiren]

"Foolish to think it could be avoided so easily," he agrees wryly. If this nonsense has followed them all the way to the Horizon, of course a change in elevation wouldn't help either. Well, at least now they know. And this has been one of the least fraught encounters, so far.

"Come, then. I'll buy you a drink, if you like."

[shadowthief]

"I would like that," she nods a little. She won't mention her age. No one really seems to care too much anyway, and she's not looking to get drunk anyway. One drink wouldn't hurt.

[meiren]

He nods once in return, something almost like mischief flashing across his face. And then suddenly Zhou Zishu goes from still to movement in less than a heartbeat, floating from the edge of the roof they've been standing on to the edge of the next and only barely glancing behind to see if she'll follow. It's an obvious goad, but a friendly one at least.

Call him curious to see how she'll respond.

wrap...? ♥

[shadowthief]

She had no reason to expect the leap, despite the all too familiar flash of something roguish that crossed his features. It shocks a laugh out of her, genuine and delighted.

She never had anyone to run across rooftops with– the last time Jesper tried to follow her, he'd done a number on himself. She doesn't waste any further time before following after him.