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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
no subject
You think I came down here to beat off a few guards with my bloody lute? I have a bit more sense than that! And respect, of course, for the fine guards of the castle. [He tilts his head towards the guard, who opens the cell door for him, stepping away again but certainly not out of eyeshot.
Jaskier ducks inside, moving closer until he can pinch Geralt's cheek to wake him up. The guard nearby simply glances over and then looks away with a chuckle. Certainly the Witcher hasn't made many other friends down here, has he?] Would you come off it already? You must be sorely dying for fresh air -- or at least I am. You smell terrible, and this prison is depressing.
no subject
At least one of them seems to be doing well. Even has his lute already. It's not a bad thing. The way he sees it, better him down here than the bard. And it means Jaskier has information he doesn't.
He lets out a breath, swatting Jaskier's hand away. His gaze on the guard is wary, but this time there are no chains waiting for him when he steps out of the cell. Surprising. Not ideal, either. If they're willing to let newcomers borrow a prisoner on word alone, it means there's a reason they're not worried a prisoner will simply slip away.
Still, he can tell the guard isn't certain if Jaskier is here to give him a day off or use it to harass him. It works in their favor. ]
I trust you have a thrilling day planned.
no subject
He may have insisted that Geralt was, er, not quite a Witcher to him.
He can deal with that when it comes up. Geralt will most likely simply grunt at annoyance with him. When he should be thanking him, profusely. Obviously.] Would you please just -- not right now? [He rubs his temple, readjusting the lute. It's a rare moment of sincerity, coming from the bard. And maybe it betrays something even stranger: there was worry for the Witcher, who he hardly ever worries for at all.
Perhaps it betrays that he's not really all right with everything, either. In fact, this whole thing is terrifying.
Jaskier rests an arm on his lute and leads the way back to the stairs, with only the guard reminding him that the prisoner is not to leave his sight, nor the grounds. Not that he imagines any other guard would allow that to happen.] Yes, thanks. Have a good one. Catch a taste of the cake if you can!
[He smiles at the guard, and then it falls as he looks away.] Seriously, are you all right? They wouldn't tell me much. Where your lot went.
no subject
He won't deny he isn't...glad isn't the right word. Not for Jaskier's presence. He'd rather Jaskier not be in this fucking mess at all. (How did it even happen? They hadn't been traveling together, not then.) But—
There's something to be said, about seeing a familiar face. ]
Mountains. Picked shiny rocks. Enjoyed the weather. [ He leaves out the hallucinations, the freezing temperatures and winding tunnels. It's not important. ]
You? They haven't...? [ He tilts his head. They must want something from all of them. Or else no one would be here, taking up resources from the city, imprisoned or otherwise. In some ways, Jaskier's position feels more precarious. At least Geralt knows exactly where he stands amongst the people of Thorne. ]
no subject
For mining.
It now makes sense why there was not much pushback to the idea that Geralt was someone he'd kept around for errands, and for protection, if the moment called for it. The prisoners had been brought here, for, what? Cheap labor? That couldn't be all of it.
Jaskier bites his lip, his fingers plucking the lute quietly only for something to do with his hand. No, it's a terrible idea to expose anything of how unsettled this entire thing has left him. How he can barely let himself rest with the Thorne people surrounding him. He's only a bard. (A bard with magic, apparently.) And while that's all well and good, and he is quite the name on the Continent, that wasn't the case here.
So it wasn't, exactly, his name that had brought him here. Not entirely.]
I haven't been picking rocks. [And then, quieter:] I thought I was here alone.
[And after seeing Geralt dragged away, it'd felt all the worse. Because he couldn't just let his worries be about himself. No, the Witcher simply had to be here. In trouble. The sort of trouble that he couldn't help with, whether he wanted to or not.] I'm surprised you haven't blamed this mess on me yet. Or were you just thinking so?
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Or been summoned, as it were. (If Jaskier's here, what about...is she -- ? Fuck. He tries to put it out of his mind.)
Then he turns sharply. His expression shifts. After a second, he looks away again. An apology sits on the tip of his tongue. It's not that he doesn't believe it warranted. It is. He's well aware he'd been a bastard. He's just not certain if Jaskier is even looking for one right now.
In truth, he's not certain what Jaskier is looking for at all. Geralt knows even less about what the fuck is going on. Not much he can do right now locked up, either. For the time being, their best wager is Jaskier's natural ease at court and his ability to distract with his music. ]
They seem to feel we're wrong. In some manner.
[ He glances sidelong at the bard. Men will be men. No matter the world or the magic they hold. He'd have been surprised if they had deemed him fit to be welcomed amongst the court above. ]
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This is whole different game. All the rules have changed and no one's mentioned the changes.
He takes him past the banquet, to a quieter balcony with a fresh breeze that overlooks the city that even he isn't privy to. How interesting it is to be honored and yet still a prisoner.
Though he has no misgivings whether he's suffering. Geralt, however --]
I couldn't tell you why. I've looked through a few books in the libraries, and spoken to courtiers. They're not dodgy, exactly, not in any unnatural way. [He turns to Geralt, sliding his hand down the neck of his lute.] When I was -- er, summoned, the mage told me I was honored. An honored guest, exactly. There's others here that were told the same. It's quiet now, yet I can feel there's certainly a plan for us on the horizon.
[The festival was a few days of pretending all of this didn't feel terribly permanent. That he could simply enjoy himself, and -- and revel in the guilt of it all, with his friend, bastard or not, slaving away in a bloody mine.]
I can't help you much, Geralt. But I can at least show you around.
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Knowing Jaskier is here, too, changes that. What do they want with him? Do they know more than they're saying? Jaskier's only human.
He's quiet as he leans against the railing overlooking the city. The sweetness of the apple lingers on his tongue. He doesn't just look like shit; he feels it, too. It's more than the exhaustion, the bruises. He's not himself with his senses cut off as they are. Up here, the breeze should tell him a dozen things: what's served at the feast below, what flowers and trees grow nearby. He should be able to catch voices drifting with the wind. But he can't hear or smell a fucking thing.
Jaskier's not wrong. There's something brewing. They can both feel it. ]
I can handle myself. [ Underneath the roughness of his voice, there's something almost gentle. Last thing he wants is Jaskier taking risks for him. It doesn't feel presumptuous to think Jaskier may. They might've parted poorly but if there's one thing Geralt knows about the bard, it's that he has too much heart for his own good. ]
I doubt they plan on discarding us yet. Prisoners are still getting fed and healed.
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[It's not anger. It's everything else. Fear, doubt. Utter fucking relief. There are no bosom buddies here. No one he can trust, really. Jaskier makes friends easily, but he knows his place on the Continent. He worked his entire life to find it.
Here --]
No one is discarding you unless it's me. [He purses his lips. That sounded utterly stupid.] Destiny's seen fit to curse you with my presence again, and I'm not going anywhere. [He sighs. That's probably not anything to comfort him with, is it?
Not that a big, bad Witcher could ever need such a thing.
He leans back against the balcony, setting his lute down. It's not even close to Elven quality, but it's better than no lute at all. He changes the subject, deciding there's no fruitfulness in the other things he wants to say.] They turned me into a bloody sorcerer on the way here.
[Jaskier holds his hand out in offering, uncurling his fingers. There's a hint of smoke, and then a little blue bird sits on his palm, transparent enough his skin can be seen through its feathers.
He'd been afraid of this most of all. He was human. Not like others. Not a spark of magic in him, as it should be. He didn't need it.
And now.
That small voice returns. ]
Geralt, I don't know what is going on. But if you think I'm going to sit around and let you be a packmule for a bunch of magic bastards, you don't know me at all.
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It doesn't matter now.
For awhile, he doesn't answer. He knows he doesn't need to: Jaskier will speak whether Geralt responds or not. Only when he sees the flash of magic does his attention snap around. His eyes widen, intake of breath sharp. How the fuck—? ]
And the others? Them too? [ He lets his fingers brush through the illusion. He's noticed even the guards have magic of their own. This world is full of it. It permeates the air.
Geralt lowers his hand. What this means, he has no idea. Jaskier, with magic. It shouldn't be possible. ]
I'm not asking. [ He shifts his weight. Jaskier needs to know exactly how they've been keeping the prisoners contained: that is, the iron around his wrists, enchanted in a way that's held not only his Signs at bay, but what has physically changed inside him a long time ago. ] The mages hold more power than you realize. Enough to suppress my mutations. You need to be careful.
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As far as I'm aware.
[He'd heard more tales of magic than he hadn't. And the magic demonstrations during the festival more than proved it. People who knew magic, people who didn't. A small bit of comfort in knowing there were some like him.]
More power than I -- Geralt, they brought us here. How much underestimating do you think I'm doing? [He ought punch him again, but he decides at the last moment not to. It's going to look a certain way to the guards. Or to anyone. Punching a chained man.
The same chains which Jaskier tugged at. Not as if he could explain it either.] That's... utterly impossible. [And yet. Said bird in his palm. Impossible.]
[He sighs.] You don't have to tell me twice. I'm not exactly expecting a knife in the back. Yet. [He lets the chains go. Perhaps there was magic he could find that would get rid of them. And then...? Well, his plan didn't go that far. But it was a beginning to a plan.] Look, just don't start any prison yard fights and we may yet taste real fresh air again, all right?
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He doesn't say it. He grunts instead, which Jaskier will understand. Mm-hmm. No fights. The irony of Jaskier warning him to keep from starting shit is not lost on him. Fortunate, maybe, that this is not a typical dungeon, not a typical jail, with the sort of cellmates one might expect to rub shoulders with. The kind who might pick a fight with a man like him for the sake of it.
These people are different. It's a large part of what makes him wary of what Thorne has in mind.
He exhales, letting the apple core drop to the grounds below. The juices sting the small cuts on his hands, ones he doesn't entirely remember getting. ]
If you hear of any further summonings, tell me. [ He doesn't state why (or who, rather), but Jaskier wouldn't be wrong to guess he means to watch for Yennefer. ]
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[He huffs at Geralt, and somehow he finds it in this awful moment to have some softness behind it. He may be here -- wherever here is -- but it is relieving in a way he cannot describe that he is not alone. There are plenty of others here, of course, and some, he imagines, must be like him, yet --
Geralt understands the things he doesn't need to explain. Not that there's must to explain. He can, however, be eyes and ears up here, in a place that he understands more than the prisons below. Far more, actually.
He watches Geralt's face, ignoring the apple falling. In the same way, he understands what Geralt is asking. Which is sort of funny, in a morbid way, considering how he'd treated the two of them.]
I know. Now, now. There's no need to beg me. [He pats Geralt's arm, pulling away from the balcony.] Come with me. Your hands look terrible and that they've gotten so bad is a grave insult. The least we can do is help them not crack and bleed. [He tips his head towards his room. Hopefully there is no one else there at this moment. Or at least he can slip in and steal that lovely little oil bottle he received during the festivities.] I don't suppose you'll tell me any more of those mines? What were you digging for, exactly?
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They haven't spoken in a year. Suppose he might have anticipated a little more anger or resentment. Not for Jaskier to try to convince him to let him fix him up.
He's too damn tired to argue. He lets Jaskier pull him inside the room: a cushy chamber with all the comforts one might expect a guest at court to have. Still shared amongst themselves, though. Not even the castle has enough room to accommodate all the arrivals privately, it seems. ]
Nothing of note. [ He hadn't gotten the sense there was anything especially important or sinister about the task. Just simple labor for a valuable resource. ] Rare crystals, they said. [ A small pause. ] Possessing hallucinogenic properties.
[ Jaskier can infer from that what he will. ]
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He won't admit it, but he feels safer already. Not that he thinks Geralt will be doing much in the position he is now.
With Geralt in his room, he closes the door firmly. The festival is winding down, but they must still be out and about. He goes to the washroom for a cloth to wipe his hands down first. They look like shit. Like... he imagines, the hands of someone who's mined for days.
He comes back, his gaze snapping up.] A what? [He knows what that means, but -- what could a kingdom want that for? He would normally think that it didn't matter. He stayed perfectly out of kingdoms and their squabbles, thank you. Until, apparently, now.
He hooks a stool with his foot and drags it over, sitting in front of the Witcher, rubbing his hands clean. A strange place to be. A few days ago, he would have much rather been slapping the Witcher in the face than helping him at all. And it still burns, the memory. But a week feels it's stretched into two, or three.]
Mining's a little better than slaying dragons, I expect? Which, by the way, you certainly owe me. [He holds Geralt's hand in one of his own, scrubbing at the dirt and blood. Funny. It's not the first time he's done this, but it's usually when Geralt doesn't have the fucking strength to do it himself. It's a far easier conversation, this, complaining as if nothing matters, because he knows as well as Geralt they can only guess what the crystals are for, or if they're even important.] Can't believe you left me to go chase off bloody thugs by yourself. And I've still never seen a dragon!
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We didn't slay any dragons. [ Cintra's fallen, Cirilla is...what. Lost? In those woods? Jaskier must've heard the news; Nilfgaard's march on Cintra was hardly subtle. He assumes the bard had found a place out of the way of the war. Toussaint, perhaps, sheltered as it is between the mountains.
He sighs, flexing his fingers. He might not recall how they got scraped up, but he can guess it was in the tunnels, the visions that followed him. It's irritating to know they'll take at least a week to heal here instead of only a day or two. He does owe him. He knows that. Jaskier has taken a risk, bringing him here when the guards undoubtedly only allowed him out to perform some menial task for a guest.
Maybe it's the uncertainty of not knowing whether he'll even see Jaskier again after this that has him doing what he does, when he'd otherwise press on stubbornly. ]
I'm sorry. For how we parted.
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[His voice raises, and for a moment, maybe it sounds like it really does matter. It doesn't. It did, in that moment, but their situations have changed in a way that feels irreversible. Even if he finds a way to get Geralt out, what are they meant to do after? The castle is guarded. The town gates are guarded. He checked, making his way through during the festival.
It's not about dragons and Geralt being an ass for a moment. He's been an ass plenty of times before.
Jaskier considers wrapping the blisters on his hand, but the guards will notice. Will ask. And the whole bloody point is not drawing attention.
He moves to the other hand, quiet. Working on the task at hand, concentrating, while the rest of his mind rolled over and over itself. Trying to plan something. To grasp anything.
Jaskier's eyes jerk up. The second time Geralt's surprised him.] Gods. I never thought I'd hear you say that. [And it didn't really matter, on top of everything else, but it was... nice to hear.
And it made Jaskier terribly suspicious.] Why are you being nice? You think something's going to happen to you, don't you?
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But there are a thousand variables here, a thousand more he doesn't fucking understand, and it makes weighing his decisions, his actions, that much more difficult. Operating on instinct can only get him so far when his instincts have been entirely shaped by the world he knew, and not the one he's currently working within. ]
I don't know. [ It's honest. It's also more of an admission than he wants to give. He makes a noise in his throat that's part annoyance, part uncertainty. (He's not being nice.)
Fuck. No matter how he phrases it, his next request will raise questions, but he can't let it be. He was close. Close to her. He was. Wasn't he? Perhaps it doesn't matter. He'd left it alone before, assumed the child didn't need him, that he had nothing to offer, and he'd been wrong. Wrong or simply regretted it -- sometimes it feels like there's no difference. ]
If there's a way back, take it. Forget me. [ He knows damn well Jaskier will protest; his hand wraps around Jaskier's wrist, interrupting whatever spiel he's managed to give. ] And look for Princess Cirilla.
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[Or bluntness, in other cases, but certainly it's honesty now. He doesn't know. They can guess what the fate of the prisoners is, but neither of them can be sure. The powers that be, at the moment, have not deigned either of their castes to be knowledgeable in that regard. It's extremely irritating. And frightening.
As Geralt suspects, Jaskier is more than ready to voice his very energetic dissent with that request.] Geralt, there is not a fucking chance in --
[The grip that grabs him is strong, mutations or not, and steady. Geralt touches him so rarely that it startles him into being silent. He stares into the Witcher's eyes, brows twisting together, a mix of confusion and fear.
He cannot stand the idea of leaving his friend behind. Yet, he can count on one single finger the amount of things Geralt has asked him for.]
The princess? [He's thrown off by the mention of her. Princess Cirilla. Of course he knows of her; any fool with half an ear to the ground knows of the Lion Cub of Cintra. But why --
It has been years since they'd spoken about the Child Surprise. Jaskier simply doesn't bring it up. There's no point when Geralt so vehemently means to disrespect Destiny. For a moment, his mouth hangs open. He closes it, licks his lips, and uncurls his fingers, gently pulling from his grip.] I can't believe after two fucking decades together, now you finally ask me for something. And it's this! Care of a princess!
[He sighs. The bloodied cloth he'd been using to clean Geralt's hands falls into a bowl, and he uncorks a small, undecorated bottle of oil. It's not about care of a princess. It's about abandoning the White Wolf. And yet Jaskier's voice is not outraged, or joking, or loud. It's quiet and serious when he speaks.] I'll do it. You know I will, Geralt. For her sake, and your own.
[He drops oil into his hand, rolling it between his palms.] But why now? After all this time?
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Geralt is not exactly resigned to his fate. When he says he doesn't know, he means it. But he is what he is; his time is meant to come one way or another, and if it's here, in some shit dungeon cell instead of in the stinking swamps of Gors Velen, then so be it. And if it's not, he'll simply claw his way back. For someone with his lifespan, time is less critical. He can be patient. The Continent will always be there, ready to welcome him with bloodied hands.
That's not so for the girl nor for Jaskier. He wants to know they're safe. He wants to at least be able to believe she might be safe, with someone he trusts.
(He wonders, briefly, about Yennefer—but he knows, whatever happens, that Jaskier will find her, too, without him having to say anything. In the end, the bard knows how important she is to him, despite all that transpired.)
He blinks at Jaskier. What does he mean, why? Is it not fucking obvious? ]
I'd not abandon her to Nilfgaard. [ He hesitates. ] She's out there somewhere. Near Sodden. I was in the woods and then—
[ And then this. Here. What does it mean? Maybe he was wrong. Maybe she is lost to Nilfgaard, but something deep inside him says that's not true. Funny. Is this what Destiny intended after all? ]
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Nilfgaard? Why? [As a noble, he's certainly not ignorant to the state of the world. And as much as the dwarf had his point, Jaskier certainly wasn't so pessimistic.
Not yet.
His frown grows deeper, lined in confusion.]
Why would she be near Sodden? Geralt, I'm beginning to be afraid you hit your head in those mines.
[He drops his gaze to his work, rubbing the oil deeply into his friend's palms. It's a very real fear, isn't it? If Geralt is as human as the rest of them -- so to speak -- he could have...] You know Calanthe better than I do. I'm only accepting this on the basis something should happen to her. I have no doubt she'll protect what's hers far better than I ever would.
[Yet it would feel strangely bitter to let his friend down. So he... if he gets out of this, he will go to Cintra. And he will see that everything is fine there, anyway.]
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He shakes his head, pulling his hand out of Jaskier's grasp. ]
Have you buried your head? Calanthe is dead. Cintra is ashes. [ A bitter noise comes through. ] She protected nothing but her arrogance.
[ Perhaps that's unfair. He knows he played his part, too, in what happened. He knows Calanthe believed she was best for the girl, better than a Witcher. He'd believed that, too, once. But things have changed. Haven't they? He still can't be certain his instinct was correct. If Cirilla was even there. With an army tearing through the land, how long could a princess survive?
(And what if he's only sending Jaskier into danger? By asking this of him?) ]
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Fuck. He only had so much.]
I don't -- that is not a very funny joke, Geralt. [Geralt, of course, the master of great, funny jokes. His hand shakes a little as he pushes the cork back inside the bottle, setting it back on the table.
He drops a cloth over the spill.
If anyone else that Geralt had said it, he would have simply pushed past it without a pause. But it's Geralt. Geralt who, since he has met him, has not lied to him (even when Jaskier has asked him to.)] I know your states rise and fall like the tides speech, but this is a bit ridiculous, don't you think? They haven't even reached Sodden.
[He pauses. He's learned a lot of of the subject of magic -- compared to what he knew once -- from his time in the castle library. It was enough that it prompts his question.] You said you were in the woods. Near Sodden. Not... a mountain? The mountain with the dragons?
[He grabs Geralt's wrist. It's impossible. No.] Tell me you definitely meant the woods. On the mountain.
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Fuck. [ The dragons. How does he tell Jaskier Nilfgaard has not only reached Sodden, but that there are mages there in the battle? That Sodden has likely fallen already, too? He's lived through one war after another; it rarely matters to him what borders are drawn. It's different this time, knowing there are people...
(People important to him. Who are not protected by the walls of Kaer Morhen.)
He lifts his eyes to meet Jaskier's. ]
It's been at least four seasons since. When I saw Nilfgaard nearing Cintra, I returned for the girl. Didn't quite work out.
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[He is. He needs a second, actually. To simply. Absorb. Even if he really, really does not want to. Isn't it bad enough he's been magically kidnapped? That they've been forced onto another sphere, with no current way of returning? He's barely hanging on as it is.
He rubs at his face.]
Four seasons. And Cintra is gone. Give a man some time to digest. [Not that Geralt is rushing him, but their time is limited. Until the prisoner must return. Until he's left alone in this place that, inevitably, will use him for some nefarious deeds. As all those in power do love to do.'
He holds up a finger for a moment, getting up to grab the pillow on his bed.
He raises it to his face and screams into it.]
All right. [He sets it back down.] I suppose this explains why you're so bent on the princess. [He does not mention that it took Cintra burning to ashes for Geralt to embrace fate. That is neither here nor there at this point. He doesn't return to his seat, though; the unease that has settled in him for weeks is now forcing him to pace around the room.] What happened to you?
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