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ABRAXAS MODS ([personal profile] abraxasmods) wrote in [community profile] abraxaslogs2021-06-12 12:13 pm
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EVENT #1

EVENT #1
Welcome to our very first event! This event will be divided into two parts: one for honored guests, and one for prisoners. There are some opportunities for characters to go to the opposite group's event, so read on below and make sure to check out the accompanying OOC plotting post for extra details!

This event takes place ICly from June 14th to June 19th.

The Summer Festival (Honored Guests)

It's June, and that means the annual Summer Festival in Castle Thorne. The newcomers are causing quite a buzz and, for the first time in ten years, a representative from the increasingly independent city of Nott has agreed to attend. The representative, Lyle Vela, has a lot of political sway in Nott and the impression he takes back with him will affect whether Nott begins to repair relations with the rest of Thorne or moves even further towards independence.

But that's not all there is to do here! The residents of the city surrounding Castle Thorne are intensely curious about the newcomers and several of the events at the Summer Festival have been designed by the mages to show them off. At some point you may begin to feel more like a prized pony than an honored guest, but there are rewards and gifts and good food to be had for all, so what's the harm in showing off a little?

The festival runs all week (June 14th-19th) and the list of events are as follows:
Sparring Contest: Honored guests will be asked to spar in front of an audience. Depending on the time of the week the fight takes place in, some guests may have some or most of their powers back, but the audience is here to see a show and just trampling your opponent in seconds won't do much for them. Try to add some spice to it: a good narrative and a close fight are much more enthralling. You may decide the winner of the fight between yourselves or ask the mods to roll for an outcome below. Prisoners who stay behind can sneak into this event but will not have their powers.

Magic Demonstration: Show everyone what you can do and demonstrate a Thornean magic spell in front of an audience. This should be a simple beginner spell such as a smaller elemental magic spell, some minor healing, a small illusion, and so on. Feel free to decide what spell you'd like your character to perform and post to the header below so the mods can roll for your character's success when performing it in front of the audience! Regardless of success, your character can learn the chosen spell by the end of the event. Unfortunately, prisoners cannot access this event.

The Black Market: Castle Thorne is much less secure during open festivals than it is during the rest of the year, so it's no surprise that some shady characters have managed to sneak in. They're trading potions and magical items, and luckily enough for the penniless newcomers, they're interested in things other than money. They may ask for some blood, saliva, or the chance to perform a spell on the hapless newcomer. Prisoners are welcome in the black market. Please post to the header below to see what item your character gets from the event (and what spell they'll be subjected to if you choose that option).

Visit with the Representative: Near the end of the Festival, three honored guests will be chosen to have one-on-one audiences with Lyle Vela in the hopes of impressing him. Ambrose hasn't had the time to get to know each guest individually yet, so he's asked that they choose the three candidates among themselves. If you wish you have your character volunteer for this position, please make a case for their suitability under the header below! If your character is not running for this position, have them vote for another character. Prisoners who stay behind may vote as well.
At the end of the festival on June 19th, there will be a huge feast available with all manner of fancy food and some alcohol if you wish to get a little drunk. Beware, Thornean alcohol is strong! Prisoners who stayed behind to help out with the festival can easily slip in and take some food and drink for themselves.

If your character has been imprisoned but you want them to attend the Festival, an honored guest may lobby for them to stay behind and help set up. It'll be work, but they can sneak off to have a bit of fun and it won't be as difficult as what's in store for the rest of them. If you wish to have your character stay behind, please post to the OOC plotting post. Because we know that claustrophobic tunnel horror isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea, there is no limit to the amount of prisoners who can stay behind.

In the Tunnels (Prisoners)

Good news, prisoners! You get some time away from your cells in the beautiful snow-covered mountains of northern Thorne. A volunteer work opportunity has arisen, and you are all volunteers. If you do well enough at your assigned task, perhaps your prisoner status will be re-evaluated. Or perhaps your supervisor will take all the credit for themselves and throw you right back where you came from. Life's unfair sometimes! You'll at least be given a nice set of boots and heavier clothes to keep you warm.

Your task: to harvest as much crystal as you can from the burrow of a Giant Frostwurm. From June to September, the Frostwurm hibernates and is generally non-aggressive. Huge and territorial, Giant Frostwurms are only rarely encountered and are considered endangered by Thornean biologists. All known Frostwurm habitats are marked and harvested once every few years as the crystals that grow on its body are highly valuable for use in medicine and, erm, recreation although the latter is frowned upon by Thornean authorities. Don't worry, you don't have to touch the Frostwurm itself, it sheds every now and then and leaves a healthy supply of crystals in the tunnels of it burrow.

That's not to say it will be an easy task. There's a reason they're using "volunteer" prison labor, after all. The tunnels are deep and labyrinthine, and it's easy enough to get lost down there and wander in circles until you die of thirst or starvation. The crystals themselves also have a certain disorienting effect that turns hallucinogenic after prolonged exposure and, because of the Frostwurm's unique psychic properties, hallucinations can be shared between individuals. Like a contagion, spending time around someone who is hallucinating can cause it to 'catch'. These hallucinations may be pleasant or frightening, but the only cure is to get out of the tunnels and away from the crystals for a while.

Tunnel cave-ins are also a possibility, in which case you best start digging and hope you choose up. Getting too lost can result in an encounter with the Frostwurm, and while it needs to conserve energy and won't give chase, it'll bite or whip at you with its tail if you get too close. Both prisoners and supervisors are instructed not to kill the Frostwurm under any circumstances, even if it means sacrificing someone in their party. They're endangered, after all!

If your character has been welcomed to Thorne but you still wish to go on the Frostwurm excursion, they can volunteer to be a supervisor. There are currently 24 prisoners and they will be divided into groups of 3, so we will accept a maximum of 8 supervisors (potentially less depending on how many prisoners stay behind to help with the festival). Be aware that supervisors will be in danger as well, and they will be punished if they try to help the prisoners escape, but unlike the prisoners they will be paid for their efforts and seen as having initiative by the Thornean authorities. If you wish to be a supervisor, volunteer on our OOC plotting post.

The timeline for this part of the event is as follows:
June 14th: Prisoners will be led from their cells in chains to a Thornean fast-travel portal (a glowing circle of neon light) that will take them about a mile away from the Frostwurm's burrow. It's cold and the air is thin, so they'll be given the rest of the day to rest and acclimate before being sent inside.

June 15th-18th: Down in the tunnels with you! Characters are sent into the tunnels and can experience any of the effects listed above. If your party makes it out after sunset they'll be permitted to sleep in a tent, if they're lost then they will sleep in the tunnels. On the 18th, anyone who comes out alive will not have to go back in and the supply of crystals will be counted.

June 19th: Today would be the day of the Summer Festival, if they were back at Castle Thorne, but their captors aren't completely merciless. The prisoners and supervisors will be marched back to the fast-travel portal, where a small feast has been set up for them. It isn't as glamorous as what's back in Thorne, but it's the best meal the prisoners have been served since they arrived. And, as a bonus, the guards might slip you some alcohol if you did a good job in collecting the crystals.
Please visit the accompanying OOC plotting post to choose your team of three, and a supervisor if your group has one (groups without PC supervisors will be sent off on their own with no NPC supervisor). This event is designed to have some element of risk to it (but no one will die, don't worry!) so while you can plan what happens to your characters out with your group if you like, we also encourage you to post an action or two to our IC Consequences header below and leave it up to chance. Who knows, something awesome might happen.




Questions


Will there be any mod NPCing during this event?
The three visits with Lyle will be NPCed but other than that, no. Feel free to play random townies, guards, or black market sellers on your own!

Can I try to free the prisoners/can my imprisoned character break out?
Ambrose will be willing to hear cases for prisoner freedom after the event has concluded. You can try to smuggle the prisoners out of town during the festival or escape from the mountain, and prisoners can try to escape, but they will be caught and punished at this stage. Please post to the appropriate header below if you wish to have your character try!

Are the prisoners still powerless?
Yep! Don't worry, inmates, there'll be opportunities to be released for good behavior OR do a prison break soon. More details about the status of the prisoners will be released after this event.

Can my prisoner or supervisor character break away from their assigned group?
Yes, the tunnels are disorienting so individuals may wander off, especially if they are hallucinating. Feel free to interact with anyone and everyone.

What can the hallucinations entail?
Anything! They can think they're being chased, imagine a portal to a green oasis or even scenery from their own homeworld, and anything else you can come up with. They won't be real or tangible so nothing will remain of them once the affected characters are recovered (unless a special mod consequence is given...) but as stated above they can be shared between characters so everyone can see the same thing.

Can my character attend both the Summer Festival and the mission in the tunnels?
Alas, no. Both events will take the whole week, so it's one or the other!



falcony: (✓ >> 17)

[personal profile] falcony 2021-06-16 02:52 am (UTC)(link)
Sam had been one of the first to volunteer as a supervisor, hearing that there would be a select few of the allowed to join the 'prisoners' and already not trusting whatever it was they were planning on using those people for. They shouldn't be used as labor in the first place, or used at all, but Sam felt better at least knowing he would be there to keep people in line if need be.

So when a care package is stuffed into his hands moments after a set of guards turns the corner, he's only slightly surprised. He'll take it all the same, looking it over before giving the other man a smile. "Thanks. I'll see if I can sneak it in."
iobject: (Playing with the tie)

[personal profile] iobject 2021-06-16 04:47 am (UTC)(link)
Phoenix flashes the man a grateful smile. "Thank you. I tried to pack it as densely as I could." The supervisors probably won't be patted down on their journey. Probably.

He straightens up, glancing over his shoulder to make sure there aren't more guards around the corner.

"I'm sorry, I know you don't know me, but do you know who you'll be overseeing while you're away?"
falcony: (El2vOnJ)

[personal profile] falcony 2021-06-17 05:12 pm (UTC)(link)
Sam nods, tucking the package under his arm. He's not exactly sure how he is going to sneak this out, but hopefully status alone will keep the guards from searching him too intensely. "It'll be appreciated, don't worry."

Watching the man glance over his shoulder, Sam feels his brow lift. They're alone well enough, so he's curious what has the other man is so nervous about. At I know you don't know me, Sam holds up a hand. "What's your name?" A beat, and then- "I'm Sam. And you are?" When he finally does answer, Sam nods. "There, now we know each other."

The question has Sam pausing for a moment, thinking back to the talk he'd had with the Thorne residents who were organizing the whole thing. "I'm not sure if it'll change once I get there, but they told me it would be a Adrian Tepes, Geralt of Rivia, and...I think a Kay Faraday? Why?"
iobject: (Looking like a villain here)

[personal profile] iobject 2021-06-17 06:13 pm (UTC)(link)
"Phoenix. My name is Phoenix." A small smile pulls at the corner of Phoenix's mouth. He thinks he'll get along with this guy.

He frowns again, crossing his arms as he hears Kay's name. "I'm a defense attorney. I don't know if they have those where you come from--" because apparently, Phoenix has been in the minority so far, "--but my job is to get innocent people out of prison. I'm trying to advocate for the people in the dungeon right now." His mouth settles in a grim line. "Kay is one of my clients. She's smart, but she's a teenager and she might be reckless if there's trouble. I was hoping that you could keep an eye on her."
falcony: (M8H46v1)

[personal profile] falcony 2021-06-17 11:45 pm (UTC)(link)
Once Pheonix gives his name, Sam would hold his hand out to shake - just to make it official and all.

"Oh, they definitely have defense attorneys where I'm from." Sam says with a kind of laugh, if only because while he gets where Phoenix is coming from with a statement like that (Sam's run into his fair share of otherworldly disconnects since arriving), there is still something inherently hard to believe that it's a statement that needs to be made at all. Same shakes his head, after, as if to apologize for the laugh, and his face shifts into something a little more serious. Because oh.

He feels himself shift into something about more Captain America shaped when he answers. "Absolutely, I'll keep an eye on her. But your conversations- how are those going? Getting everyone out of the prisons. Do you need any help with that?"
iobject: (On the phone)

[personal profile] iobject 2021-06-19 05:19 am (UTC)(link)
Phoenix shakes Sam's hand. He has a firm shake, but not too firm.

He breathes a relieved sigh as Sam commits to keeping an eye on Kay, and he crosses his arms over his chest as he considers the question. "It's going better than I was afraid of, but not as well as I'd hoped," he says. "They do have a court system in this country, so they have a sense of due process. Unfortunately, Ambrose is one of the few people with the authority to throw someone in the dungeon indefinitely without a trial. But that also means he has the authority to take them out of the dungeon."

Phoenix tilts his chin up. This is his wheelhouse. Even in a brand new world, he knows getting innocent people out of prison. "I need to convince Ambrose that these people aren't a threat. If it's possible for you to keep anyone from causing trouble while you're gone, that'd help a lot. We don't want him to have ammunition to say he was right about putting them all away."
falcony: (✗ >> 13)

[personal profile] falcony 2021-06-25 11:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Sam will give him much of the same shake in return, making note of the relieved sigh. The little ticks about Pheonix that is telling Sam all he needs to know about the kind of person he is.

"So what you're telling me is that Ambrose is the guy you need on your side to get things to happen?" There's more Sam could probably say about there being a court system, but it not really mattering, if one person decides they want something done. He shakes his head a bit, not really enjoying this fact but at least not feeling totally surprised by it, either.

But Phoenix seems to know what he's doing, and the more he speaks, the more Sam feels like they're in good hands. He nods, encouraging but also in agreement, because that must - what Phoenix is asking of him - he can do. "They mentioned breaking us up into a lot of smaller groups once we get in there, so I won't be able to keep an eye on everyone, but I'll see what I can do. There's probably going to be a few unhappy prisoners who might make a run for it, too, so whatever you can do before everyone gets back the better."
iobject: (Looking like a villain here)

[personal profile] iobject 2021-06-26 07:04 am (UTC)(link)
Phoenix nods, all business now that Kay's safety is as assured as it can be. "Exactly. Ambrose is apparently the guy to know around here." He cocks his head, sighing through his nose. "I've been hearing what some of the prisoners are saying, and it wouldn't surprise me if some of them try to make a break for it. I can't blame them, but it'd make it harder on my end."

He keeps his arms crossed, thinking hard. "I can't get everyone out at once. He'll want to work on a case-by-case basis, and for now I'm prioritizing the kids they have in there." Phoenix doesn't like being forced to do any kind of prioritization when it comes to clients, but he's never had so many at once before. His first order of business is getting the people eighteen and younger out of there, then working his way through everyone else. "Hopefully I can have a few of them cleared for release by the time you come back."
falcony: (pVYurE2)

[personal profile] falcony 2021-07-01 12:28 am (UTC)(link)
Sam nods with Phoenix, his own information matching with what Phoenix shares. "That gets to be your job, then, I'm guessing? Winning Ambrose over?" He doesn't feel bad for the other man. If anything, Sam wishes him luck, but knowing that the other is a defense attorney at least gives Sam some confidence that at least if it gets tough, he won't as easily back down.

At mention of the the jail break, Sam finds himself exhaling. He's trying to prepare himself for it, but he knows enough about this situation to feel split. Guilty. "It's going to be hard no matter what, but the more you can get out by the time we get back, the better. I'll try to keep too many of the prisoners from making it too much harder on you." And that's when Sam smiles, reaching his free hand out to set on Pheonix's shoulder, encouragingly. "You're doing good work already, my man. Anything you do to help will be appreciated."
iobject: (Playing with the tie)

[personal profile] iobject 2021-07-04 05:04 am (UTC)(link)
"Yep, that's my job." Unfortunately. Phoenix really prefers dealing with the judges back home because he knows them and they at least consistently believe that people shouldn't go to jail if they didn't actually do anything. But you can't always get what you want and all that.

He smiles at the hand on his shoulder, nodding. "Thanks. And I really appreciate anything you can do too. I can't keep them safe out there, but you can."
falcony: (✓ >> 10)

[personal profile] falcony 2021-07-04 08:17 pm (UTC)(link)
Don't they all prefer it when judges at heart are just and do their job. But Sam's has more experience with the kinds that don't, generally, even if that won't stop him holding out for the good ones. He'll nod, before readjusting. They've both got jobs to do, after all.

"We've all god strengths and jobs to do. You do yours here, and it'll make mine easier, right? And I'm in Room 3 if you need anything, until they ship me off at least."
Edited 2021-07-04 20:18 (UTC)
iobject: (Well I guess you could say that)

[personal profile] iobject 2021-07-05 06:13 am (UTC)(link)
"Likewise. I'm in Room 4, so I guess we're neighbors." And clearly Phoenix needs to be paying closer attention if he doesn't recognize his neighbors, but that's what you get for rushing to learn a whole new world's legal system in the course of a few weeks.
falcony: (✓ >> 24)

[personal profile] falcony 2021-07-06 08:50 pm (UTC)(link)
"Well- there we go. That makes everything easier." Sam smiles, because okay, it's not Phoenix's fault. Sam apparently also has issues with focusing a bit too much on the task at hand and not actually noticing who his neighbors are. He should get better at that, but maybe they could work on it together.

"Good luck with Ambrose, by the way." He moves to keep walking, and head back to his own room, if Phoenix doesn't need him for anything else.