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abraxaslogs2021-06-12 12:13 pm
abraxasmods) wrote in abraxaslogs2021-06-12 12:13 pm
Entry tags:
- !event,
- !intro log,
- !npc,
- !player event,
- abby littman; the lovers,
- abigail hobbs; the hanged man,
- achilles; the hierophant,
- adora; strength,
- adrienne peters; the empress,
- aerith gainsborough; the sun,
- alan wake; the magician,
- alhaitham; the hermit,
- alice elliot; the empress,
- alicent hightower; the tower,
- alina starkov; the hanged man,
- aloy; the hermit,
- altaïr ibn-la'ahad; the magician,
- alucard; the hierophant,
- amos burton; the lovers,
- anakin skywalker; judgement,
- anthony lockwood; the devil,
- apollo; the star,
- arthur hastings; the hanged man,
- astarion ancunín; the wheel of fortune,
- bartimaeus of uruk; the wheel of fortune,
- bay kennish; the star,
- belle; strength,
- benedikta harman; the devil,
- billy kaplan; the hanged man,
- boothill; the hierophant,
- brad bakshi; the wheel of fortune,
- brother cadfael; justice,
- bucky barnes; the hanged man,
- byleth eisner; the devil,
- caitlyn kiramman; strength,
- cal kestis; the hanged man,
- captain jack harkness; the hanged man,
- carl grimes; the empress,
- carmy berzatto; the magician,
- cassandra de rolo; strength,
- cassian andor; the tower,
- castiel; the hanged man,
- catra; the tower,
- cersei lannister; the devil,
- ches fields; the lovers,
- chris halliwell; the tower,
- cidolfus telamon; the hanged man,
- cirilla of cintra; the devil,
- claire fraser; the empress,
- claire novak; the hanged man,
- clarisse la rue; the chariot,
- clarke griffin; strength,
- claude von riegan; the wheel of fortune,
- clive rosfield; the tower,
- cloud strife; the hanged man,
- cole cassidy; the hanged man,
- commander shepard; judgement,
- coraline finch; the tower,
- courtier 6; death,
- daemon targaryen; the tower,
- daenerys targaryen; judgement,
- daisy johnson; strength,
- dan heng; the high priestess,
- dante; the devil,
- dean winchester; the lovers,
- diana prince; the empress,
- dion lesage; the emperor,
- dustin henderson; the sun,
- eddie dean; the sun,
- eddie kaspbrak; the lovers,
- eddie munson; the devil,
- edelgard von hresvelg; the emperor,
- edward teach; the devil,
- eli clark; the empress,
- elias bouchard; the wheel of fortune,
- elidibus; the high priestess,
- eliot waugh; the star,
- elrond; temperance,
- emet-selch; the emperor,
- eponine thenardier; the hanged man,
- erik lehnsherr; the hermit,
- esme frost; the hanged man,
- estinien wyrmblood; the hermit,
- ezra bridger; strength,
- fandaniel; the hanged man,
- father maxwell; the wheel of fortune,
- felix fraldarius; the magician,
- finn; strength,
- frank castle; the hermit,
- g'raha tia; the lovers,
- gabriel; the wheel of fortune,
- galadriel; the hierophant,
- gale dekarios; the lovers,
- garrus vakarian; justice,
- geralt of rivia; the hanged man,
- gideon nav; strength,
- goro; the chariot,
- haelva lueltar; the magician,
- harley quinn; the wheel of fortune,
- harrowhark nonagesimus; the magician,
- heather montgomery; the magician,
- hector; the magician,
- hendrik; death,
- henry creel; the hierophant,
- hilda goneril; the lovers,
- himeka sui; the fool,
- homelander; judgement,
- hornet; strength,
- hythlodaeus; the empress,
- inara serra; temperance,
- inej ghafa; the hierophant,
- iris black; the hanged man,
- istredd; the high priestess,
- jack frost; the fool,
- jack kline; the sun,
- jack skellington; the fool,
- jack townsend; the moon,
- jacob frye; the sun,
- jaime lannister; judgement,
- james sunderland; the hermit,
- james t. kirk; the tower,
- jaskier; the sun,
- jasper; judgement,
- jayce talis; the magician,
- jerry pascal; the sun,
- jesper fahey; the wheel of fortune,
- jessica jones; strength,
- jill warrick; death,
- jinora; the world,
- jo harvelle; strength,
- john blake; the tower,
- jolie ann harmony; justice,
- jon sims; the high priestess,
- jon snow; the emperor,
- jonathan crane; the magician,
- jonathan emmet reid; the empress,
- jordan hennessy; the moon,
- joseph kavinsky; the devil,
- joshua rosfield; death,
- julia wicker; the tower,
- julie lawry; the wheel of fortune,
- jyn erso; the tower,
- kai parker; the fool,
- kaveh; the star,
- kay faraday; the fool,
- kaz brekker; the chariot,
- kell maresh; the magician,
- kelson haldane; the tower,
- kenzo tenma; the empress,
- kiryu kazuma; the tower,
- klaus hargreeves; the fool,
- koby; death,
- kol mikaelson; the hanged man,
- kyle; the hanged man,
- kylo ren; the tower,
- lan wangji; the hierophant,
- laura hawley; death,
- lenore; the lovers,
- leon belmont; the wheel of fortune,
- leonard mccoy; the lovers,
- lestat de lioncourt; judgement,
- lila bard; the fool,
- linhardt von hevring; the high priestess,
- link; strength,
- lloyd henreid; the lovers,
- loki; the devil,
- lord john grey; justice,
- louis de pointe du lac; the lovers,
- louis; death,
- lucifer; the devil,
- lucy maclean; the hierophant,
- majima goro; the hanged man,
- malyen oretsev; strength,
- marc spector; the tower,
- marianne von edmund; the hanged man,
- martin blackwood; the empress,
- marty mcfly; the hanged man,
- mat cauthon; the wheel of fortune,
- matt murdock; the tower,
- matthias helvar; the lovers,
- max mayfield; the hermit,
- merrin; strength,
- michael ralston; death,
- michael; the emperor,
- misty day; the lovers,
- morgana pendragon; the tower,
- nadine cross; the world,
- nanaue; the fool,
- natasha romanoff; the lovers,
- nathan drake; the fool,
- nebula; death,
- nero (dmc); the chariot,
- nero (drakengard); the devil,
- nicholas d. wolfwood; the lovers,
- nico di angelo; death,
- nikolai lantsov; the fool,
- norman jayden; the hermit,
- oberon; the hanged man,
- obi-wan kenobi; death,
- percy jackson; the lovers,
- peter maximoff; the devil,
- peter parker (comics); strength,
- peter parker (mcu); strength,
- petra macneary; strength,
- phoenix wright; the lovers,
- prince wilhelm; the tower,
- princess zelda; the high priestess,
- queen maeve; the hanged man,
- quentin coldwater; death,
- randall flagg; the tower,
- relena peacecraft; death,
- reno; the chariot,
- rey; the star,
- rhaenyra targaryen; the emperor,
- rhy maresh; the lovers,
- richie tozier; the hanged man,
- rinwell; the magician,
- rita farr; the star,
- river tam; the fool,
- robin buckley; the hanged man,
- rocket; the chariot,
- roland deschain; death,
- ronan lynch; the moon,
- rowena macleod; the high priestess,
- ruaidrigh mac raith; the hanged man,
- sabine; the empress,
- sam wilson; justice,
- sam winchester; the hierophant,
- samus aran; strength,
- sandor clegane; strength,
- sansa stark; the high priestess,
- sasarai; judgement,
- satoru gojo; the devil,
- sebille kaleran; the hanged man,
- sephiroth; the tower,
- shione daymore; the hermit,
- shuten-douji; the devil,
- some ovmennet; the empress,
- sophia of yaldabaoth; the world,
- stephen strange; death,
- steve harrington; the lovers,
- steve rogers; the hierophant,
- suguru geto; the hanged man,
- susan delgado; the lovers,
- sylvain gautier; the sun,
- sypha belnades; the tower,
- taylor hebert; death,
- teddy roberts; death,
- thancred waters; strength,
- thane krios; death,
- the commander (syrlya); strength,
- the darkling; death,
- the doctor; the fool,
- the medicine seller; the hierophant,
- theodore blackwell; temperance,
- thor odinson; the fool,
- tifa lockhart; the empress,
- tony stark; the magician,
- travis guidry; the chariot,
- triss merigold; the empress,
- urianger augurelt; death,
- vash the stampede; death,
- vi; the lovers,
- viktor; death,
- wanda maximoff; the hanged man,
- wei wuxian; the tower,
- wen kexing; the tower,
- will solace; the empress,
- wrench; the hanged man,
- wylan van eck; the magician,
- y'shtola rhul; the high priestess,
- yennefer of vengerberg; the chariot,
- yuffie kisaragi; the tower,
- yuri lowell; the tower,
- zagreus; the chariot,
- zelda schiff; the magician,
- zhou zishu; strength,
- zoya nazyalensky; strength
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.
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:
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.
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:
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!
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.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.
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.
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.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.
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.
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!
go to the OOC plotting post
Geralt | The Witcher | Prisoner (Tunnels) | OTA
II. JUN 15-17: HALLUCINATIONS
III. JUN 19: SEMI-PARTY
IV. WILDCARD
II
Either way, he doesn't mind. Geralt has been essentially the ideal cellmate in all of this. Quiet, no fuss, easy to deal with. Alucard's appreciated it.
What he does not appreciate is what Geralt draws his attention to in this moment. Because that is absolutely blood on the ground.
Alucard takes a moment to sniff at the air.]
Smells like blood.
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Mm. Different. Even for what's been going on.
He sighs, reaching down to pick up another crystal. They don't need to be seeing things right now. Actually, they don't need to be seeing things ever, but especially not right now. There's still hours until sundown. ]
Think they'll let us get some air? [ His tone says he doubts it. Most of the guards may not be as cruel as some can grow to, but that's a low bar in the first place. ]
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[That much has been made clear by virtue of this assignment in the first place. Alucard knows it, as does pretty much everyone else at this point. If they don't die here, it is back in the cells until another deadly assignment rears it's head.
The thought raises hackles. He's not dying here, like this, with a fucking wurm.]
Put the thing down. It probably won't help.
[The crystal, he means.]
no subject
He slips the crystal into the bag, trying to ignore the thick smell of blood in the air. A drip drip drip begins to patter. His boots squelch in a way it shouldn't on just a small pool blood.
He knows better than to look up. He does it, anyway. In the dim cast of their floating lamplight, there's a twisted wolf pinned to the rocky ceilings. Its limbs stretch, elongated and maybe possessing one too many. The single eye that stares down glows with a wolf-like yellow, but it obviously isn't a wolf's eye: the whites can be seen, like a man's. A round silver medallion dangles, though the design has been dulled smooth. ]
Tunnels back are mined out. [ Fewer of these crystals lying around. He wants to be as close to the surface as possible in either case, before he gets turned around in here with his own head playing tricks. ]
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IV., July 19th
He simply had no reason to be seeing him. Yet how many men had long, white hair? It wasn't exactly a common condition.
A horrible thought, completely unbidden, comes to him: that his being chosen to be brought here had somehow pulled Geralt in after as an unwilling passenger. How should he know? He’s no expert in magic. Yet why should he be honored, and the prisoners be... er, not? He must have been chosen in some way.
His mental anguish doesn’t show during his performances, of course, and he in no little amount enjoys the festival.
As much as one can.
Angry or not.
The moment he hears the prisoners have returned from their jaunt, Jaskier has stuffed several apples from the feast under his doublet and nearly run down the stairs to where they are imprisoned, bypassing a few guards with his lute bouncing against his hip. Nearly a week, and his heart flutters terribly. Gods know what they’d been shoved off to do. The most answer he could get was “mining.”
Lucky it was for him that white hair is still not a common denominator, and he spot Geralt prone in a cell. His eyes closed. Meditating. Asleep? Jaskier moves to the bars, hand wrapping around one.] Geralt. [He whispers, glancing at the other cells. They had made a rather neat note of it that prisoners were not to be, well, sympathized with, and yet they were given the opportunity to take them out on walks... like dogs.
Though the last time Jaskier had been in the Witcher's presence wasn't exactly the happiest of his life, considering the last week -- he barely even thinks of it now, taking an apple out of his coat and throwing it through the bars.] Geralt! Wake up, you twat! Are you all right?
["All right" is relative -- he is dressed in shabby, awful clothes that Jaskier would have never allowed, once upon a time, and he, well. It isn’t the first time he's been around the Witcher when he was a foul offense to the nose, yet it made this none the easier.]
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He stares. Wait. He's seen Jaskier; it's been on his mind, how he's going to escape and take Jaskier with him, too. He knows better than to trust that the honored guests aren't being honored for more sinister reasons. What he didn't realize is that the bard had seen him in return. ]
Jaskier. [ He sits up; his hair falls over his shoulders in a tangle, and it's clear he hasn't been given the chance to shave. Which shouldn't be the worst thing that's going on here, but somehow has grown to be damn annoying. (It's the itch.)
There's a fading bruise just under his jaw, and a cut on the side of his lip. Only so much he can do to not attract attention from restless guards. Geralt glances at one of them now, but though the man is watching, it's clear Jaskier has been allowed the visit. For the moment.
Not that it makes this a good idea. ]
The fuck are you doing here?
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[And it's a very Geralt-welcome, which should surprise no one. Now that Geralt is closer, he can see he looks even worse than Jaskier had first guessed. He’s no fool, and the bruise on Geralt’s jaw is certainly from someone hooking him in the face, not from an accident. A Witcher, getting clocked in the jaw. That was...
Witchers weren't dragged in chains, either.
Not his Witcher. He was far too famous for that.
And beyond that, he looks exhausted. He certainly hasn't been fighting any monsters, as far as Jaskier can tell. There isn’t a sword on him, and they'd be rather stupid to let prisoners keep weapons.]
You look like shit. [They both already know this, but he says it just to be an ass. Maybe he hasn't forgotten everything, but considering all that fucking worrying he's been doing, the least he could get is Geralt, perhaps, the tiniest bit glad to see him. Was that so much to ask for? Considering the circumstances?] Why do you think I'm here, you absolute arse? I'm getting you out of here.
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Jaskier's appearance doesn't have to mean much. A simple curiosity from a guest above. But it's still a risk Geralt has now started to factor in. The last thing he needs is the court above taking advantage. (Never mind that they haven't seen each other in a year, that he never expected to ever see Jaskier again after everything.) ]
No, you're not. [ It doesn't occur to him Jaskier means out, legally, with permission from the guards. He leans back against the wall, crunching into the apple without hesitation. Rations haven't exactly been generous. ] Go back upstairs before you get yourself thrown in here, too.
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III.
but the things is - they all made it. and that is no light thing. his group, despite some trip-ups and some majorly dark scenarios they'd all seen in the tunnels, had all come out together. and once they made it to whatever this 'celebration feast' was supposed to be, sam had done his rounds. checked in with the other supervisors. they all seemed to have the same report - dark tunnels, getting lost, some interactions with the giant worm, but everyone came back alive. sam realizes, as the adrenaline of rushing around to hear the reports wears off, that it's a win. he needs to count that as a win. and if they have a feast and if there is alcohol, he needs to accept that and keep moving.
does that do anything for his exhaustion? absolutely not. does he kind of wish they'd been allowed showers and maybe a night's rest before being brought back to whatever semi-party these guards had set up? also yes. but he takes what he can get, and after checking around, feels his eyes wander back to the group at large. checking for kay, alucard, and geralt, as if out of habit. that's when he notices geralt leaning up against some wall, staying away from most of the conversations, and seemingly reaching the end of his ale. for a brief moment, sam remembers the tunnels, walls of red, screams, and geralt's yellow eyes in the dark. remembers the feeling of facing that, but more than that, the way geralt had reacted - or hadn't, really. curiosity burns at his chest but he also knows walking over and simply asking hey so about that weird shit wasn't, probably, going to be as effective as he wants it to be, so instead sam grabs two mugs of ale (the guards love him, okay? and he doesn't want to think if it's because he was 'welcomed' or if he's just a loveable guy) and heads over.
a few moments later, sam settles into the stop to geralt's left, back against the wall next to him. if geralt doesn't say anything at first (which he probably won't), sam will simply hold out the second mug for him, glancing over to him with a look of exhausted understanding. ]
At least they have beer?
[ kind of shit beer. and sam would prefer something stronger. but hey - beggers can't be choosers. ]
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He's reluctant to acknowledge any form of sentimentality. But perhaps that's what it is. He should be back at Kaer Morhen right now, where he returns every winter, and these high peaks and snowy grounds are something close to home. Fresh air. He's not looking forward to being stuffed back underground, surrounded by people who have nothing better to do than bother him. Especially not now that he realizes Jaskier is here, too. It complicates things further.
There are probably reasons other than kindness that they're being offered food and alcohol, but Geralt doesn't have the energy to work that out. He takes it for what it is, making off with a mug of beer and misshapen pie clearly deemed too embarrassing to serve the festival itself. Chatter hums dully around him; he does his best to ignore the fact that he can no longer pick apart any of the conversations nor hear the flutter of birds from a distance.
When a familiar face finally approaches, Geralt only eyes him. It's less wariness of Sam's company and more of what the ensuing conversation will look like. He isn't keen to discuss what they...shared. Really, this entire excursion wouldn't have much bothered him if not for that. Whatever goes on in his head is for him and him alone. Not to be spilled across a darkened tunnel for everyone to splash in.
Still, after a long moment, he accepts the mug. Sam doesn't exactly get an invitation to stay, but Geralt decides not to tell him to fuck off, which amounts to the same thing. ]
If you can call it that.
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under normal circumstances, he would have wandered this direction with a topic in mind and the wherewithal to stand whatever dark stares or cross words geralt might have for him. he's not obnoxious, but he's just as stubborn, two forces meeting on the battlefield.
except that right now, sam is a bit too exhausted by it all. by their days in the tunnels, by the emotional exhaustion beget from the hallucinations they all shared, by the fact sam is officially unsettled by whatever reasoning thorne had to put these people in the dungeons when he'd, and others, been given warm welcomes and relative freedom around the castle.
sam isn't entirely sure why he'd sought geralt out, other than that burning curiosity he's not even sure he's going to ask about and the need for something at last slightly familiar, but for now he's content to lean up against the stone wall. take a drink of the mug. snort, at the comment lobbied towards him. ]
I didn't say it was good. [ he takes another drink, almost in spite of his comment, and feels his face screw up. okay, no, it's definitely not good beer. his point still stands. ] But it's better than nothing.
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He looks back out at the small crowd gathered here. Sam's not the only one with questions; Geralt has plenty of his own, things he saw down there he knows can't belong to him. He'd never imagine anything like it on his own: metal ships that float, a city unrecognizably vast even in its ruins. But he's not any more willing to dig up someone else's old wounds than he is his own.
Instead, he finds himself asking something else: a more practical curiosity. ] Did you find what you came out here for?
[ Sam forewent the cozy festival back at the castle for a reason, and he can tell it isn't out of some power trip to herd the prisoners around for a few days. ]
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for majima
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Nights out here weren't any different. The nightmares were always the same. Memories played out to the constant reminder of how much a failure he was. Of what he had to make right. What he no longer could while being stuck here in this world, a prisoner in another time and place. Even with all the changes, some things were all the same.
He stepped out into the frigid night, another dream hot on his heels, and the cold air stung as it swept across his sweat drenched skin. He shivered and pulled his coat tighter across his body. His eye roamed, and he spotted Geralt nearby stacking stones. He stopped to watch for a quiet moment, the movement oddly memorizing in an almost soothing way.
He moved closer.]
Nothing like waking up to your balls wanting to freeze off. Why the hell can't this wurm live in a warmer climate?
[The sake of complaining for the sake of complaining? Sure, why not. He could barely get Geralt to talk with pleasant words so why bother. He'd just chat his ear off... break the silence before it broke him.]
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He made a soft sound, close to a snort. ] It's a frost wurm, not a blaze wurm.
[ Over the days here, it might be noted that the cold seemed to bother Geralt less than some of the others. Not that the chill didn't bite. It was familiar, that was all. And sure as shit more pleasant than the stale dungeon air.
He didn't ask why Majima was up in the middle of the night. Same reason Geralt was, probably. Instead, he laid another rock on the balancing structure. ] Not used to the north?
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[That didn't make him like the cold any. Of course, if they only called it a Frostwurm because it lived in the frost riddled land of the north, he could totally blame it for not moving further south into a less frigid climate. Well, maybe not, it was a dumb creature that probably didn't know any better, but that was not the point here. Mostly.
He eyed the rock tower as Geralt put another stone on top.]
No. We don't get snow much where I'm from. Winters are mild. More humid and muggy during every other season of the year. [He cocked his head, curious if he would get an answer.] What about you?
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HALLUCINATIONS
When Geralt brings attention to the new 'blood on floor' situation, it's clear Jesper in fact had not noticed- possibly because the shared hallucination hadn't kicked in yet, or because he'd been in the middle of explaining exactly what he'd be eating if he'd been at that feast back in the castle. He stumbles back at the sight, shoulder hitting Geralt's chest or arm in his haste, and quickly raises his sleeve to cover his nose and mouth from the smell he knows accompanies large amounts of blood.]
I'm gonna be sick.
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So when Jesper stumbles back, Geralt lifts a hand to steady him if he needs it. He nudges Jesper behind him. ] Stay back.
[ His brows draw together. The itch for his sword in hand never leaves him, but he's been especially feeling it while in these tunnels. He crouches down by the pool. It's spreading, though where it's coming from should be impossible, spilling from between the grooves in the rocky walls, staining the crystals red.
They should leave. He knows that, instinctively, but whether it's the grip of the crystals or what, he can't quite tear himself away. His fingers brush against the weeping wall and sink, the hard stone splitting apart like a distended belly. What spills to the floor is thick, oozing, thicker than fresh blood should be.
The fuck. For the first time, Geralt doesn't seem to be paying attention to anything around him. Instead, something's caught his attention: a glint of gold and emerald, buried deep in the dripping mess. He recognizes it. Of course he does. And if no one stops him, he's reaching in to pull the embellished brooch out—though what comes out with it may be another matter entirely. ]
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[A saner man may have stopped him from reaching. A wiser man may have left. But as gross as all of this is, Jesper is a thief by trade and deeply attracted to shiny things at heart. While he doesn't lower the sleeve away from his mouth or move any closer to the blood and viscera, he does scoot a little to the side to get a better look at the gold and gems.]
That's unexpected. Is there more?
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Somehow, the absurdity is what snaps him out of his stupor. He drops the brooch. It isn't real. It can't be.
And no, he's not letting Jesper dig through gore for treasure that doesn't exist anywhere except in his head. ]
We need to go.
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Jesus.
[ It's hissed under his breath, and he's not sure who he should be pissed at: himself for not paying attention, whoever just knocked him over, Thorne as a concept. Probably the latter, mostly, but that doesn't really solve the immediate problem of having only just caught himself, palms breaking his fall, and being up close and personal with the snow more than he'd have cared for.
He sighs and rights himself, turning around as he does to get a look at who just knocked him over. And, annoyed, ] What was that about?
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He registers the annoyance, decides it's not worth the hassle of saying the first thing on his tongue despite his fraying patience (what does it look like it's about? He's not sprawled in the snow for the sheer fucking joy of it), and turns his narrowed gaze towards the guard who pushed him instead. Or the guards in general. He's no idea who in particular was shoving the prisoners, but they're all one and the same to him. ]
Ask those bastards, and then get back to me.
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Follows his gaze to the guards and, with his words, yeah, okay. It's a fuck Thorne situation. He can roll with that. Enemy of my... not enemy, because they don't know each other, but not friends, either. Same reason. Plus the whole made me fall into the snow thing. Still, a common enemy's plenty relatable.
Dude looks like a brawler, too, so, who knows. Maybe not a bad guy to share an enemy with.
Amos snorts, looking back at Geralt. ]
Yeah, not exactly inclined to talk to those fuckers. [ A beat. ] Not looking forward to whatever else they've decided they've got in store, either.
[ As in, he's not about to invite anything extra on himself. Bygones can be bygones right now, and all that. ]
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He pushes himself to his feet before taking in their surroundings. Snow covered peaks, plenty of trees. Doesn't really tell him much. The breath he takes is shallow, the air thin. As used to the mountains as he is, the trek he normally makes is a steady climb—not a portal that throws everyone to a sudden altitude.
More than the guards, though, Geralt's attention is on the guests who've tagged along, even as he addresses the man beside him. He knows the guards. These so-called supervisors are a new variable. ]
What, you don't want to pet the cave wurm?
[ Pretty sure he heard something about a wurm. If that's all that's down there, they might be in luck. ]
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