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abraxaslogs2022-05-11 10:56 am
- castiel; the hanged man,
- cirilla of cintra; the devil,
- commander shepard; judgement,
- dean winchester; the lovers,
- geralt of rivia; the hanged man,
- goro; the chariot,
- himeka sui; the fool,
- inej ghafa; the hierophant,
- jaskier; the sun,
- jayce talis; the magician,
- jesper fahey; the wheel of fortune,
- kell maresh; the magician,
- nero (dmc); the chariot,
- rhy maresh; the lovers,
- sam wilson; justice,
- sasarai; judgement,
- stephen strange; death,
- thancred waters; strength,
- tony stark; the magician,
- viktor; death,
- wanda maximoff; the hanged man,
- y'shtola rhul; the high priestess
[ OPEN ] no more wasting time.
What: sam is calling a Summoned Town Hall (and get-together.)
Where: sam's horizon
When: mid-may (one afternoon into evening)
Warnings: will update as necessary.
THE SETUP
This meeting has been planned for some time now - at least from Sam's point of view. Even before the Summit he knew this would be important, but between the Eclipse and the dream of the Eye and everything that followed, there were some other things that required his attention. But as soon as that all settled, and as soon as the Free Cities started reaching out for reports, proving that each of the Summoned have been watched and tracked down, well. Big Brother always has to start somewhere.
So he reaches out to Stephen and Wanda - tells them of his plan for a meeting, about getting everyone together to discuss the impending war, the factions, and everything that came before. He left it up to Wanda and Stephen to disseminate the information and invitation however they saw fit - anyone was invited, of course, but that didn't mean everyone needed to attend. This was intended to be a smaller group, more contained, so as not to attract any unwanted attention, but who knew what happened once the date and time got out there.
Once everyone arrives, they'll be directed into the main area of the house - where the living room and kitchen meet to form one of the corners. It will be a bit of a tight squeeze, depending on how many show up, but there will also be plenty of chairs, couch space, corners, and wherever else anyone will want to settle and listen.
When everyone has filed in and found their spot, Sam will come to stand at the front and center of the room. He plans to address everyone first with something of a speech (Captain America, anyone?) which he will then open up the floor to questions (see open top level below). There will be a point in the middle of the questions that Sam will seem to catch notice in the corner of the room and - distractedly - will direct all questions to Stephen as he nods and heads up the stairs - followed closely behind by Geralt, who seems to have just appeared - but he will be back in about fifteen or so minutes and will pick up directly where he left off.
Once Sam believes the questions have settled, or at the very least everyone is way too hungry to sit still for any longer, he will dismiss everyone for food, drinks, or just smaller circles of discussion. Meeting's over, go stuff your face with Horizon food! But be warned - Julie's manning the bar. OOC INFO
- It is Sam's intention that this to be a closer cr/smaller group, but as it is with any invitation/meeting, the word can easily get out, so feel free to have your character have learned about it/heard about it/stumble in even if they don't know Sam.
- Any questions that you want your character to pose to Sam directly, please put under this top level and I will prioritize. Because these are questions in an open forum, go ahead and note on your tag if you are down for other characters to chime in, etc.
- For about 15 minutes or so, Stephen will be in charge of answering questions (much to his dismay and with no preparation or warning). So if you want your question to be directed to him, please make a note.
- please feel free to leave a top-level below for mingling after the speech/q&a session. Sam's entire domain is open, save for one locked bedroom upstairs. It'll be a bit like a barbeque, a bit like an after-party, a bit like some chill time at Sam's horizon to meet and greet whoever is around.
- if you have any other questions, feel free to hit me up at disarmingly or pm this account!
THE SPEECH
[ sam isn't nervous, exactly, as everyone starts filing in. most of the faces he recognizes, most of the faces know their way around, so it's not like there's a whole lot of this that feels all that serious. it's not until a few more people start showing up, faces that sam doesn't recognize right off the bat, that has him shifting into something a little more...well, professional. it's been years since he's led any sort of counseling session. longer, if you want to count the snap. and while this definitely isn't counseling, it's starting to feel similar enough.
so as more people start showing up, and as they get closer and closer to the time that sam had sent around with everyone, sam starts pulling himself away from conversations. starts telling people to take seats wherever they can find a spot. it's a squeeze - his living room isn't exactly made for a community meeting - so he ends up having some of them spill over into the kitchen area, some even back behind the island. where he stands in the hallway between, everyone can see him. and honestly, anyone in the house can hear him, so it doesn't matter all that much where everyone ends up.
it's a few minutes later before he's in front of everyone, with one of the kitchen bar stools pulled up so he can sit (lord knows he's not imagining some kind of podium today). then, once everyone has appeared to have settled and with a breath and straightening of his shoulders, he begins. ]
First off- I want to welcome everyone to my place. A bunch of y'all have been here before, sure, but some are new, so I just want to make one ground rule pretty clear: don't be assholes. This place will always be open for you, even if I'm not around, but treat it like what it is, which is my house. No fighting, no destroying my place, nothing. I don't care that all this is technically magic or we could all fix it up however we want, it's my home. Respect it.
[ and then he smiles, which shifts what was beginning to feel a bit like some kind of parent or babysitter figure into something that feels a bit more welcoming. a bit warmer. there's a hint here for those that don't know him of the fact that this isn't always the way he carries himself. isn't always how he acts. but there is a job to do, a point to get to, and so he doesn't fully relax. ]
And thank y'all for coming. The last time we had one of these was...well, it was some time ago, back when we were all in the castle. And considering some of the events since then, I figured it's about time we all had another of these get-togethers.
My name's Sam, [ hi sam. ] And I live in Cadens, the capital of the Free Cities. I've been in Abraxas just over a year, and was part of the first group that got pulled through the portal, back when Ambrose in Castle Thorne was the only one doing it. So if any of y'all have questions about what's happened since we first started showing up, I can talk you through some of it, or at least try and answer what I can; but I'm gonna ask you save those questions for after all this. I didn't call this sort of Town Hall for a history lesson, at least not entirely, and I planned on having time for questions.
[ as he keeps talking, it's less that the smile fades and more that his tone takes on a heavier weight to it. a subtle shift, from someone welcoming a group of people into their living room to someone with a little more authority to him. he's not trying to be intimidating, or scary, or even all that unapproachable. more so, he's here for a purpose, and that purpose is important. and that's the set to his shoulders as he starts up again. ]
Now, if you didn't know already, this world has a few centuries of history under its belt. And just like any other world, or continent, or whatever you want to call it - all the different kingdoms, or factions, haven't always gotten along. These big three we know most about - Thorne, Solvunn, and the Cities - have a lot of that tangled history between them, and us showing up has only complicated it even more. These beliefs are pretty much in direct opposition to each other, and that includes what they think we - the Summoned - are here to do and how to treat us.
[ as sam talks, his arms come to cross over his chest and his eyes slowly start to move around the room - from face to face, person to person. he takes time, in his way, to make eye contact with just about everyone in the room. to connect with everyone, if he can. ]
Where we come in is the fact these factions are on the brink of war, and I don't say this lightly. Events, since we've arrived, have already escalated, to a point that we can't ignore them anymore. Now- that could mean days, that could mean months, hell. It could be years before the first shot is taken- but Thorne, Solvunn, and the Cities have all made it clear they're headed in that direction, and they are going to try and bring us along for the ride. I've been told that the people showing up in the barracks outside of Cadens are literally being told they've been drafted.
[ he pauses, as if waiting to see if that even surprises anyone - that there's a war, that the cities are actively looking towards their military, that this is known. but before anyone can pipe in, he picks up again. ]
If being a part of this war is something you do want in on, then man, go for it. Consider yourself lucky. But I'm here, now, to let people know that we're not all here for that reason and that there are a lot of us who are actively against it. War is not new to me, as it probably isn't for a lot of you. I've done my fair share of fighting in them, and fighting against them breaking out at all, but I'm not naive, either. With centuries on centuries of bad blood behind these kingdoms, it's not a matter of someone showing up and saying the right thing at the right time. As much as I might want to, I'm not going to walk in and talk to the Prime Minister of the Cities and get her to stand down from this war. Believe me- I've already tried. But that's also okay, because at this point my goal isn't to try and fix their problems for them. [ which...okay, there might be some thinly veiled frustration there. because sam has, actually, tried. a couple of times now. and he's less than thrilled by how it was received. was he surprised? not at all. but that doesn't mean he's happy about it either. ]
What I'm here to do - and what I'm here to talk to all y'all about, today - is just to make sure you know that you don't need to fight their war. They brought us here without our say, called by the Singularity and whatever tether we're supposed to have with it. Some of these places have welcomed us, and some haven't been given the welcome they deserve. But this place, these factions, however it is they've treated you - you are not a weapon for them to manipulate and you are not a soldier drafted into their war. And I want everyone here to remember that, because they will try and convince you to their cause, and honestly, they probably won't be that wrong in their reasons why.
But their problems are not for you to solve - not unless you want to - and you're not alone in this.
It's easy to forget how many of us are here when we're all split up across this continent - and sure, we have the Horizon to keep us connected, we've got that weird sort of- [ he gestures out towards one of the walls, though it's hard to tell what he means until he continues- ] -sparkling text thing that means we can keep in contact, but that's not the same. And when you're isolated, it's real easy to get caught up in these reasons, or opinions, of the factions.
I'm here to tell you that are aren't alone. And while any decision you want to make, or any side you want to join, is up to you - you do have all these people in this room at your back. We are in this together, and we can be here for each other, and what that means for me is making sure we don't get caught up in this war.
And honestly - I'm not here to ask for help. If you want to, hell, I'll take all the help I can get. But it's not your job, and it's not your responsibility. This isn't some recruitment meeting, no, I'm just asking you to be aware of what’s happening around you, and not to get manipulated by propaganda. Think for yourself. Keep your eyes open.
[ there is a brief moment here where sam pauses, like he's taking a breath. like he's letting everything he just said settle. it feels a bit like he's wrapping up, when he lets out this next breath. bare with him - he won't talk forever. ]
There are a lot of us who have gotten settled in our time here, and some who are just looking for a place to call home. These factions - they're going to fight for their home, and if you want to fight for yours, I'm not going to stop you. But it is your choice, and we- [ a beat, and then sam gives a small, slightly tired smile and settles back into his chair. it looks a bit like he was going to gesture to some key people around him, but like he makes the decision to leave it to him, instead. ] -I am here to make sure you know that. And to help in whatever way I can.
Now. [ another pause, and then sam claps, drawing everyone's attention back together. ] Any questions?
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Jesper is far more pessimistic than Sam is, to say the least, although he's still no where near the level that Kaz is. Generally he likes thinking positively, but he has his feet on the ground and his head out of the clouds. "It doesn't seem like the Summoned plans on fighting each other, but what if they end up being hostages again in Thorne?" He's worried about the people he knows in Thorne, specifically Mat, although he wouldn't say as much.
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She nods a little. "Himeka told me about how it was when she first arrived. It was-" like being on a slaver ship. "horrible. I don't want that for people again, either." She thinks of the boy she stabbed during the casket mission, the sharp danger he exuded once she realized he recognized her somehow at the Summit. He seemed like he was completely entrenched in whatever Thorne was spoonfeeding its captives. If– no, when– this gets bad, he'll be a loose cannon, she's sure of it.
"I keep thinking... even though I know he isn't trying to do it, there's a line in all this some people might twist in the wrong way. Instead of sitting on the sidelines and not participating in a war that isn't ours to fight... what if some of the Summoned take this concept and... it becomes us against them, Summoned vs natives..." That is the sort of thing that's likely to get just as nasty as anything the centuries-worth of bad blood between factions could create. And what better way for them to come together than against a common threat?
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"I don't think we can control what people take from it. The question is if the Summoned are capable of policing our own people. We've got Goro, giant reptile guy, apparently war mongering wanting Free Cities to attack. So what if he sets it off himself?" Meaning one of their people could actually cause the war. It would be smart, for the factions, to have the Summoned responsible for the start of it. It's the sort of thing Jesper thinks Kaz would think of, a manipulation tactic.
"I think we should make a plan. A way for everyone to escape their factions, in case it's necessary. I don't know how." Jesper is including them in this. He doubts they'll have to flee, but he is quick to survival mode when need be.
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She shakes her head, "No, I know we can't. I still don't like it. It could go really sideways if the wrong notes get taken." She huffs a soft sigh and leans her head onto his shoulder. They weren't even good at being policed as a group of little more than a handful under Kaz, what hope does Sam have with exponentially more people to herd like cats under him? "I don't think I like him much," she mutters softly with a little frown.
"Ideas have to start somewhere." she points out, looking up at him again. "I know you're making... a lot of friends, but who do you trust? Really trust, besides me and Sam." Because she knows those are givens.
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"Neither do I. He gives Van Eck vibes. Or Fjerdan vibes." He's anti-magic, apparently, and someone violent, smart, craving power. Not all inherently bad things, but Jesper has a fairly good instinct for when to avoid people. Respectfully. "I can see him starting something and putting us all in that position."
Jesper puts an arm around her, glancing down at her, considering her question. "Geralt." That is an easy answer. They might not know each other extremely well, but the witcher has given him good advice, and he is forthright, honest, and genuine. Jesper has liked him from the moment they met; the man was letting children put flowers in his hair when he's a violent hunter. Gives off a good vibe. "Nadine. They both were here when all of that went down too, and they're friends with Sam." So that is trustworthy. "Wanda, but she's in Solvunn."
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She nods her agreement, "Fjerdan especially," she thinks. Minus their Fjerdan, who had grown in so many ways by the end, and who she misses terribly. It aches in her chest to think of him. Of the way he disappeared, back to death, without a way for her to know until Jesper had shown up, unable to find him. "I hope he doesn't... but I have a bad feeling about him." And Inej has learned to trust her gut.
"I've met him. He... yes. I think he could be a very good ally to have onside." The things he was put through as a child... still linger in her mind. Children deserve no such treatment, and she can't imagine how he did not turn out more bitter and terrible for it. That good into his core, she supposes. "I like Nadine. And I met Wanda... they're both... very motherly, in their own ways, aren't they?" A small smile touches her lips at the thought.
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"That you'll have in common. She was the first person to warn me about him, before I met him. He's been war-mongering for a long time, apparently, and wants violence." Jesper heard from multiple people about Goro before he met him, and he had the exact experience as Inej; he had a bad feeling. He didn't last long in a brief conversation, avoiding him from then on. The two of them have very good guts when it comes to these things. Warlords or gang leaders aren't immediately bad guys, from their own experience, but when someone flags them, they know why. "I think we should stay away from him, unless he starts something." He clearly wants to, considering he's here and unwelcome. If he messes with anyone Jesper cares about, he'll have a bullet in him.
"There's something really steady about him. Calm. Obviously the opposite of me that way, but it's trustworthy." Jesper thinks he's a good person to call in an emergency. (This will become relevant someday.) "They are. It reminds me of us, the Crows. How we felt like family." The relevant important Crows, as they both know the Dregs in general don't count. But there was this bonding that came with that group, so tightly. He feels that when he's with Sam, Nadine, Wanda, Julie, Geralt. It's connection, pure. "I suppose if they all knew a new way to flee from Thorne, they would've offered it already."
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"I don't understand choosing violence when there's no need for it." The only reason Inej became skilled in the way she has was out of necessity, survival in Ketterdam was not without finding blood on your hands eventually.
She nods a little. "You need a little calm in your life," she nudges his ribs in a gentle tease. The Crows are definitely a separate entity from The Dregs, as a whole. It's...different. And she isn't sure she'll get the exact same thing with those she's met here, but... there's an echo of familiarity in it that she doesn't hate. So she'll cling to that, and to Jesper. "From what Himeka told me, it was almost impossible the first time. Sheer luck in the end." And a stranger that showed them the way. Oliver? She thinks that was it...
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"I do understand it, but I'm not sure I understand it here. There's no reason for any of us to intentionally start a fight." Jesper is not necessarily a violent person, but he is comfortable in violence and being violence. But he rarely starts fights. There are only a few of them. It wouldn't be smart to cause trouble.
He laughs at the teasing and nods. She isn't wrong. "Calm is a foreign concept." While Jesper is laidback, he is never calm. He's too high energy for that. "Yeah, they got some help from some randos who teleported them away. I don't think they'll get that chance again." And that means (his) Mat is not safe. He hates that.
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She nods her agreement, "It could get exponentially worse if he somehow got the favor of Cadens officials in his efforts." She doesn't like the idea at all, but it's one to consider.
"You could manage it, if you tried," she teases him again, that smile still sitting at the corners of her mouth. "It's a shame we can't physically move through the Horizon. It's such a... mystical, magical thing, more than solid... if we could find a way to get into it, physically instead of mentally... an escape route built that way would be ideal." She wouldn't even begin to know how to look into making something like that a reality, or if it could even be possible at all.
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"I think we'd have to go to the Singularity itself, the Horizon is supposed to be connected to it. Maybe if the people from Thorne go there they could get to the other factions, but it's apparently a rough journey." Jesper would already have been trying to get out, but he would've been lucky like Inej and crossed over at the peace summit. "They can't leave the castle, so it'd be hard to get out. You'd think that would be a big enough red flag."
He knows that it makes some people feel pampered and safe, but for him it would be the worst kind of control. A boot on the neck. No amount of money is worth that, especially if you can't go out and live it up and use it. "Mat's not willing to leave his other friends." Which Jesper understands. As she knows, he'd never leave his friends behind either. But it complicates things.
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“Maybe some of the people with better magical aptitude could… sense something? Do… something with whatever keeps it in that dreamlike state?” It made sense in her head, but said out loud it sounds like the stuff of children’s fairytales.
She nods. “It is, but you never know what people came from— maybe they’re power hungry and want what Thorne has to offer. Maybe they were living in scraps and now they’re living in a bloody castle- why not stay? Have every whim attended to and all that? From what I’ve gathered, they’ve learned their lesson from that first round of escapees before. You catch more flies with honey.”
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"I think that's a good idea. I'll mention it to Wanda, she's the strongest magic user I know here." Extremely powerful, he's seen it for himself. And Jesper is very close to her, they bonded quickly. If there's anyone equally or more powerful here, she'll know.
"He's from a poor background, he definitely likes being in a castle. You know me, I can't imagine a life without the freedom to move around. I'd go crazy trapped in a castle." That is partly why he couldn't go to Solvunn, although that has more freedom, it's too many farms and simple lifestyle. Jesper may have done better with some of his illness, but he won't stop being energetic. "Solvunn doesn't sound like it's as much a threat to people as Thorne."
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She nods a little, “Let me know what she thinks.” Because if Inej is honest, she isn’t sure what she’s suggested is even possible.
“Hmm, yes. I do think your wanderlust would outweigh your adoration of all things lavish,” she teases him lightly with a smirk. She shakes her head, “Not particularly. They’re more religious than the others, more faith in old gods I still wish I’d found more on before I left.”
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"You could always ask Himeka to look into it more. She's still there, and Wanda is there too. They might be able to investigate. You think there's any connection between the old gods and what's going on?" He knows it might just be of interest to her because she's Inej and she cares about that sort of thing. But it seems like anything might be possibly helpful here. Why would the gods be any stranger than the giant magical rock?
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She props her chin in her hands against her knees. "I don't know. It's just something to think about. That scrawled little scrap I found sounded so eerie..." she's looked at it enough she has it memorized, almost like a poem. "Ever searching, ever longing... Lost and greedy, wails of mourning. What has been found is never enough, her reach is vast and cutting."
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He listens to her poem, as that is exactly what it sounds like. "Was there one of the old gods that sounded like this type? A mother goddess type? Or well, that doesn't sound very motherly." Jesper is woefully unprepared for any kind of religious talk. Inej is the one who has thoughts on that, and Matthias probably after her, the rest of them not so much. "I'm just saying, we do have allies in Solvunn still."
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"Not that I noticed, but... it was hard to sort through things, and I really wasn't in Solvunn long enough to get a very good grasp on it all anyway." She'd just started really digging into it and- well, Jesper was more important than any unknown gods of another world.
maybe wrap here or on yours? We can start something newer.
Jesper puts an arm around her shoulders and hugs her close against him. He knows that she left Solvunn for him, since she knew he would be miserable there, and he likes to think she's come to like Cadens too. "I'm grateful you came over, it was probably peaceful there in comparison, but meeting only here wouldn't have been the same. I need my Inej time." And now he gets it constantly! Nothing could be better.
works for me 💖