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

[meiren]

[ The Singularity does seem to be making some sort of statement, and one that Zhou Zishu is not particularly impressed with. He makes a low, annoyed sound of agreement, but most of his attention is on scanning the street in front of them. It takes a moment or so before his focused attention finally lands on one particular figure sitting quietly at an outdoor table.

There's nothing of note about the man that he's staring at. In fact there's nothing remarkable about him at all. Plain face, plain robes, slightly hunched shoulders and a tired expression as he sips at his tea. ]

That one. [ Zhou Zishu nods in the man's direction, anticipating the probable question. It's not a mask he's worn in a while, but he can recognize it well enough. ]

[funbreaker]

[ Thancred follows Zhou Zishu's gaze until it lands on someone who truly doesn't stand out among the crowd. The sort of person that one would never take particular note of, save for the fact that he's been pointed out now.

From this distance it's difficult to tell what's significant here, and so Thancred keeps his eye peeled for any sudden action or change in the scene, even as he asks the expected question. ]

Your mark? Or a disguise?

[ Both seem probable. ]

[meiren]

[ One corner of Zhou Zishu's mouth tips up just slightly as a new figure makes his way into view, obviously a wealthy man complete with an entire retinue taking up the entire width of the street. ]

That's the target.

[ Which only leaves one option. And indeed, when the other, unremarkable man stands he's of about a height with Zhou Zishu, though they appear to have little else in common. The unremarkable figure leaves a few coins on the table and makes his way out into the street, pushing his way through the rich man's knot of servants and guards with a few muttered curses on either side. Still, he makes it to the other side of the crowd without issue and continues on his way, easy to forget about the moment he's out of sight.

The rich man, on the other hand, makes it a ways farther down the street before suddenly collapsing. ]

[funbreaker]

[ As soon as the man dressed in opulent clothing complete with an entourage comes into view, Thancred doesn't require any further explanation. Who else would the target be? While he knows nothing of this person save what the memory is showing him, he naturally thinks of the wealthiest elite in Ul'dah. People like this all have a certain way about them, no matter their stature. ]

That much I could have guessed.

[ Hand braced on his hip, Thancred watches as the memory of Zhou Zishu (who somehow manages to seem like an altogether different man) makes his move. At first Thancred assumes that he stole something in the confusion of pushing through the crowd, but then his mark collapses a few moments later. Naturally, Zhou Zishu has already vanished from the scene, melting into the crowd somewhere.

Thancred's head shifts back in mild surprise before he turns to the Zhou Zishu of the present. ]

Poison? Bold to perform an assassination in broad daylight.

[meiren]

He's not dead.

[ Zhou Zishu's eyes are still focused on that fallen figure even as the memory begins to dissolve around them. It's not until they're back in the liminal space of the Horizon that his attention flickers back to Thancred and settles there. The smile he gives is more dry than amused. ]

But the attempt meant that his guards would be surrounding his bedroom, rather than his office.

[ Still more obvious than Zhou Zishu tended to be, but it had been intended to send a message. An organization couldn't be properly feared if no one knew about it, after all.

Was that why that memory in particular? Whatever this force toying with them is, it seems to have a sense of humor. ]

[funbreaker]

[ The memory is gone almost as quickly as it came, but the same could be said of Zhou Zishu in that scene. They're not made to follow after him, to see what came next, but the blanks are filled in as soon as they find themselves back in the Horizon. ]

Ahh, forcing their attention away from the place you needed access to. Very clever.

[ At this point it's clear that both of them have some experience in the area of subterfuge, and for one reason or another the Singularity wanted them to know that. It all feels rather deliberate, at least.

There is one thing that Thancred's still curious about, however. ]

You said that was your former profession. [ Thancred makes a vague gesture in the air, as if trying to draw attention to the scene that is now long gone. ] What is it you do now?

[meiren]

[ There's a brief pause before more genuine humor begins to slip into Zhou Zishu's expression. ]

Drinking. [ So deadpan.

It's not as if he doesn't know what Thancred is asking, but despite the flippancy his answer does have the bonus of being true. He hadn't intended to do much with his retirement other than drink and laze through his remaining time, and the fact that he hadn't managed much of the laziness part probably says something about him.

Still. It is at least a goal. ]

Ten years was enough.

[funbreaker]

[ While it's said with some dry humor, that response is enough to give Thancred some cause for concern. He's turned to the bottle himself in rough patches in his life, and it never led anywhere good. He's seen others turn down the same path, like Magnus, and he'd done what he could to dissuade him from such behavior as well.

He doesn't know Zhou Zishu particularly well, but he recalls the bottle of liquor he'd had with him when they first met. Besides, he hadn't known Magnus very well either.

Ten years is a long time to do that sort of work, and Thancred doesn't begrude Zhou Zishu his retirement. He crosses his arms over his chest, taps one foot against the colorless floor, and shakes his head. ]

I've turned to drink in the past myself. To try and forgot, or to cope, or simply to feel sorry for myself. [ He lets out a breath through his nose. ] You won't be finding anything of use at the bottom of a bottle, I assure you.

[ Hopefully it comes across as genuinely concerned advice, rather than a lecture. ]