EVENT #7: THE SIGHT

[abraxasmods]

Event #7 - The Sight

go to the OOC event info and plotting post

---

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

[dirtytrenchcoat]

[That kneejerk habit might be enough to unsettle someone else, someone that hasn't spent the time with Dean to know and to understand but Castiel's response is something all too familiar, the ghost of a wry smile that reaches his eyes enough to show the wrinkles at their corners.

He's been feeling more human than he'd like to admit, and since being pulled out of that well has come to realize his grace is still fractured and might be worse than he'd initially thought. At least in purgatory he'd had some knowledge of his capabilities, here pushing that line each time came at a cost.]

Those things would've been better than what I did share. [Purgatory, and his own struggle with the damage he'd been responsible for in Sam. All acts of penance he was sure at the time he needed to pay. No penance would be enough, it seemed, all signs pointed toward that.]

[righteously]

( It's hit or miss whether or not his freely running mouth will stick the landing, but that wry smile feels like a solid victory this time around. He offers something back, an echo, a muted little half-smile in turn.

It fades, of course, as they slip back into reality again. There's a careful balance between jokes and earnestness that Dean somehow manages to find — levels that equal out pretty well. )

Whatever it was... ( He starts slowly, carefully, not entirely sure he's about to offer up the right words. He can take a stab at a few things Cas might have had to relive, based on his own experiences. The thing is, the dude's had like a freakin' millenia's worth of memories to tug on, so he might be wildly off-base. Like usual, he goes with his gut. Finishes the sentiment out anyway. ) You know it's in the past, right? That douchebag rock might've brought you back, but... you don't need to stay there.

[dirtytrenchcoat]

[Dean's mouth freely running without censorship has become a constant source of comfort for Castiel, even when his words don't manage to hit the right mark it still remains a source of his essential character that can be counted on.

Dean had been here far longer, subject to this place and its constant pressures. His indifference to the current predicament and their memories being on display helps alleviate some of his personal stress over what he'd shared and witnessed.

It couldn't be helped, that much he knew.

Then, like he always does Dean carries on toward something Castiel isn't expecting. No admonishment, no sarcastic placation, genuine empathy.

It's moments like these, in the face of his own grief that Castiel realizes Dean's capacity to continuously surprise him. It's one of the many things he's grown to appreciate about him, and their companionship.]

You've been here longer than I have, based on what I can remember. What I do know. In some ways, I feel like I'm still there.

I don't regret choosing you and humanity in spite of what my brothers wanted. I want you know that.

[righteously]

( Dean's smile is small and a little bittersweet. A little sad, as it plasters over the uncertainty he feels within himself. Not that choosing humanity was wrong, so much as... most days, he's not sure he was the right choice. All the crap Cas has been through, all he's lost, there's no way Dean's worth it.

But they're here. It is what it is. He swallows it down, and they move on.

He sways, nudging Cas's shoulder companionably with his own. )

You better not. I'm a friggin' gift.

( A beat later, he pushes to his feet and holds out a hand to help pull Cas up after him. )

Come on. Let's go find you a liquor store.

[dirtytrenchcoat]

[It is what it is definitely applied to their current situation. There was no getting out of it, but at least they had each other. Castiel might be licking old wounds, but Dean was looking after him as he found his footing. He felt fortunate in that and is pleased when Dean leans into his compliment, instead of falling into the old habit of denying praise via admonishment.

Castiel doesn't comment on that but returns it with a small nod on his way up to his feet with Dean's help. He's had more than enough alcohol in the past several days to nullify some of the effects of the pain that came with the shared visions, and he knew that Dean was aware.]

Some might say you're enabling a bad habit.

[righteously]

Some might say I am a bad habit.

( He says dismissively, a soft grunt as he pulls Cas to his feet.

And so they go, off to drink and not talk about their feelings. SSDD. )