EVENT #10: AFFLICTION - IC POST

[abraxasmods]

Event #10 - Affliction

go to the OOC event info & plotting post

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With tensions heavy across Abraxas and all the destruction that's happened, it's no surprise that the dark shadows which sweep over the land go unnoticed...at first.

Winds initially stir in Solvunn, where the influence of the Old Gods remains the strongest. Slowly each Herald infects Thorne and the Free Cities, as well. The Summoned are the first to feel its effects and are the most heavily impacted.

Though no one will realize it until well afterwards, Nocwich remains unaffected. After all, the Summoned don't reside there.

NOTE: This event will deal with themes of death (people and animal) and horror imagery.

Emergence

It begins sometime in mid-October, around the 18th. Not everyone will experience it at the same time. You might even believe you're spared until days afterwards when you're visited by an unusually vivid dream.

The dream starts the same for everyone: you are going somewhere, anywhere, walking to your bedroom or enjoying a stroll on the beach. You might be driving down a familiar neighborhood. Wherever you're headed, you eventually come upon a stone tablet engraved with your Arcana. Laid on the tablet are three objects:

◎ A dead moth trapped inside a wilted rose, symbolizing Koth of Festering Lands
◎ A teacup inside which sits a single nightshade berry, symbolizing Adlewyrd of Poisoned Tongues
◎ An ornate cracked hand mirror that contains no reflection, symbolizing Sannleikr of Many Faces

Make a choice. Something inside your soul will be drawn towards one of the objects. Maybe you spend hours in the dream deliberating, but sooner or later, you'll pick one of the items up. The moment you do, the other objects vanish and the chosen Herald appears before you. Where one might expect a god to seek subservience, the strange figure instead extends a friendly hand towards you - as though it's greeting you as an equal.

Whispered around you, you hear its name. Then it fades and with it the dream. You awaken.

Affliction

You go about your day as usual. That's when you realize something isn't right. Creatures and people around you behave strangely. You begin to sense that you are the cause.

Depending on your chosen Herald, you'll experience at least one of its afflictions. The effects might start small, then grow. They might rush you all at once. You can't shake what haunts you, though you can try. Spells, potions, and willpower can help keep the afflictions at bay but you won't ever be completely free.

As the afflictions seep into your mind, you start to find shadows of it following you: a dead moth here, a nightshade bloom there, a cracked mirror elsewhere. You may even wonder if it's following you in the first place. What if instead, you are the one leaving these signs behind?

Corruption

The first time you inflict your ability on someone else, you don't mean to. It might be a stranger, some unsuspecting soul, or it might be another Summoned. Regardless, the afflictions that ail you seem to spread through you into another. Someone falls down as if in the throes of an invisible death or secrets spill. You brush by someone and they're suddenly upset and confused.

The more this happens, intentionally or not, the better you feel. You may grow full of life and energy, gain a renewed strength of heart, or radiate a charm that turns heads and garners compliments. The afflictions haunting you could even start to fade or completely vanish. And if you use your newfound power deliberately? You'll feel better even faster for longer. Of course, these boons are temporary, lasting at most an hour or so. When the feeling wanes, you might miss having it.

You are not possessed. You can't control this power that spreads through you, but how you respond or behave is up to you. You could be attracted to the allure of power, enjoy the boons you are granted, or realize you can gain relief from your afflictions if you choose a victim. Not everyone will fall headfirst into the pull. Some are not easily swayed by power, some struggle to overcome their dark impulses, and others would rather endure their suffering than inflict it on someone else. But others still might succumb to temptation and turn on those around them with purpose: once, twice, multiple times. The choice you make is yours alone.

Blight

With the call of the Herald at your fingertips, the world around you twists. No one knows whether this stems from you and your newly imbued afflictions, or if the Heralds are exerting power on their own. It's for sure easier to think of what occurs as the influence of something monstrous beyond your control. No matter the cause, the earth is changed all the same.

Omens

The omens arrive shortly after the initial Summoned receive their dreams, but they don't come to every faction at once. SOLVUNN is first, being home to the Old Gods' shrines, before THORNE and the FREE CITIES follow only days afterwards. Depending on where you are, the omens will affect things a bit differently.

Solvunn

In Solvunn, the ground stirs. A desiccated hand breaks through the grass, a cloven hoof. Human or animal, they crawl forth, animated against their will. Some might attack, but most do not. At the same time, crops around the settlements begin to fail. Some chickens lay rotten eggs while cows produce spoiled milk. Any livestock that perishes overnight will surface in the mornings with empty eye sockets - pecked out by crows or gnawed on by rats. From a distance, the ocean can be seen bubbling as leviathans beneath thrash.

Worth noting is that many of the dead are concentrated around the shrines, especially the ones deep in the woods. They're too decayed to recognize, and some might not even move from the site, as though they are waiting for the earth to take them again...or as though they once chose to give up their life at this very spot.

Summoned can assist by helping to cast spells or place warding charms around shrines, farms, and gardens to protect crops and livestock. As a commune, the Solvunnites will share their resources as much as possible and would appreciate those who might lend a hand bringing supplies, herbs, and offerings to neighbors who are lacking. The Summoned can also brew a common herbal remedy to aid any animals who have fallen ill or to help purify the well water.

Free Cities

In Libertas, the dead buried under the rubble dig themselves out. More crawl forth from graves in Cadens' cemeteries. Beasts and bandits slain in the desert wilds rise, hungry or searching for the ones who killed them. At the same time, dead fish wash up onto the shores of Aquila while birds fall dead from their perch, dropping like flies from an unknown illness. Vultures and other scavengers begin to prey upon the eyes of the dead, leaving behind hollowed-out corpses.

Worth noting is that in the Badlands, a few very old and skeletal corpses rise with a metal plate or two screwed onto their bones, which are also oddly elongated. Only one or two make their way near the city. The army is quick to dispose of them before many can notice. They will not disclose any information about this and will claim these are just monsters like anything else.

Summoned can assist by going on patrol with the soldiers to put down any risen dead. Merchant caravans are also hiring escorts for their journeys. Additionally, they can help look through any received supplies and packages to make sure the food isn't rotting or worse, use a special dissolving compound to purify the waters, and donate staple food items to refugees and the less fortunate who can't afford the rising prices.

Thorne

In Thorne, the dead emerge only from the outskirts of the castle city. Thanks to information from one of their Summoned and their recent monitoring of the Singularity, Thorne was able to act swiftly and was able to ward any royal or otherwise significant burial sites. Graves and tombs of less importance, though, will not be protected in the same way. There are fewer encounters with eyeless corpses, though some animals might appear outside the castle in such a state. Normally extravagant dishes from the Castle's kitchens use simpler ingredients as they struggle to ration their food stores.

Worth noting is that a few unexpected corpses make their way up from deep under the castle in places beyond the dungeons. These are twisted and mangled, missing limbs, heads, fingers. The castle guards are quick to dispose of them before they get too far into the rest of the castle, but one or two may be spotted.

Summoned can assist by contributing to the wards around Castle Thorne and the city, using spells to put down the dead without mangling the corpse, and taking inventory of food stores. Further, in Nott the situation is more dire for anyone who is traveling there to continue assisting with repairs following the attack. Nott will welcome help with any problems caused by the omens. It'll be clear the kingdom has neglected the city somewhat. Thorne will claim the Castle takes priority, of course, due to King and Queen residing there along with the entire royal court.

Apprehensions

Across the factions, locals are beginning to catch on that something isn't right with you, the Summoned. No one will say it outright, but there's an air of caution and wariness around you where you go. Merchants might be quick to hand you your wares so you'll leave or locals give you a bit of space when they walk by. Chatty innkeepers are more reluctant to hold lengthy conversations.

Much of the time, it may not be conscious. The natives might simply sense something off that instinctually makes them want to put some distance between them and you. The only exception? If you've chosen Sannleikr of Many Faces, you'll continue to exude your charm towards people you encounter. At least for as long as you continue to inflict that ability you've been gifted.

Displacement

Everyone responds differently while in the Horizon. You might exert better willpower over your afflictions or you might feel its effects more strongly. It all depends on the individual and their mindset. Regardless, the Heralds are only one part of the equation. There's a much bigger disturbance going on.

It could happen as soon as you enter or it might be as you're stepping over the threshold into another's domain. Whatever the case, you are suddenly not where you're supposed to be. Instead, you're in one of two places depending: transported into a domain you never meant to go into or in a foreign setting altogether.

Visitation

Whether you're the one transported or someone teleports unexpectedly into your space, the Horizon becomes unpredictable for the next little while. Rooms normally locked to strangers, areas you yourself may not even realize exists - you and your fellow Summoned continue to pop in and out despite your intentions.

The effect isn't painful, just disorienting, like missing a step you didn't see or stumbling through a door into a too-bright room. The person whose domain you've inadvertently visited might sense an unwanted presence, whether they're inside the Horizon or not, or they may be completely oblivious. This will depend on the strength of their connection to the Singularity and the Horizon.

Not to worry. You won't be trapped or anything in these cases...unless the domain you land in happens to seal from the inside. You might stumble on secrets you weren't meant to find, though, locked away in someone else's mind.

Ensnared

The less fortunate will be pulled into a space that they've never encountered before. The bizarreness of it resembles the glitchy visions that flashed through a few months ago, but rather than an image flickering by, you are now inside the space itself.

Trapped between minutes to hours, you can't use the Horizon's creation magic as normal. Attempts will falter or go sideways: trying to fly out might cause you to tumble, tools and objects are broken or not quite right, wounds don't vanish or heal completely, etc. More significantly, you can't seem to send or receive messages through your connection. Anything that manages to come through will be garbled and distorted. It's as though the place you are in is just out of the reach of your control.

Luckily, you may not be alone. Someone else may have gotten lost alongside you. They might already be there when you stumble through or they might arrive after you do. They might even fade out sooner than you, unintentionally leaving you behind.

Eventually, you'll be released back into the Horizon proper, spat out in a random place in the Horizon. While you're stuck, though, you can try to survive, explore, sit and wait it out, or make friends with your fellow trapped partner. Each area has its challenges and quirks that you'll need to deal with.

Scenes to Explore

JUSTICE ◎
FULL IMAGE

High in the clouds, these snowy peaks are as cold as they look. Giant marble hands reach out, though their sheer scale means you might not recognize them as hands from up close. You can scale the mountain, but if you try to go down, the hands will flip the mountain, which sends you tumbling to the top again.

It's up to you whether you can be injured when you fall. Maybe the snow will feel like marshmallows, or you'll break a bone on the jagged rocks. No two experiences are the same. If you have a partner, they could end up faring better than you despite being in the same place.

Conjure some warm clothes or a log cabin even if you wish - they might not manifest perfectly, but it'll be better than nothing. At least the view's fairly nice...while the sun is up. A blizzard will come through by nightfall. With it arrives a strange hovering light that entices you or your friend to follow it into the frozen darkness. What draws you out depends on you. It could be a familiar voice, an image, or a simple compulsion. If you're lucky, the person with you is unaffected and can try to stop you. Or maybe you're the one desperately chasing after the other person?

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THE CHARIOT ◎
FULL IMAGE

From a distance, it's hard to tell if they're shipping containers or houses stacked atop each other. A gooey mess covers the ground below. Oddly, the smell isn't as unpleasant as the goo looks. It smells like bubblegum or cotton candy, artificial and sweet. When you first fall in, you might land inside one of the homes, on top of the stacked structure, or the ground. You can try to reach anyone else who's there with you, but be careful: the ooze is spreading. Climb if you must or move from room to room. If you don't keep moving, you risk getting sucked into its sticky mass.

Each block of a home is different. Some are furnished, whereas others are empty or filled with strange knickknacks. Some might even have subconscious creations spawned by you. Keep ahead of the gloopy substance, and you'll be fine, probably. Or you can try to fight it back or block its path by sealing yourself in a room or otherwise, which can slow it down significantly. Mostly, you'll have to hope you fade out before the pink mass completely consumes the landscape.

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THE WORLD ◎
FULL IMAGE

The hazy neon glow obscures a nothingness that seems to extend forever. In the middle of the wet ground are several stacked television sets with wires plugged into nothing. Inexplicably, there's also a cat. At first, it appears perfectly normal, but keen observers will notice that its behavior is on a loop where it will walk a certain path, pause at specific intervals to lick its paws, and meow at set points. It does not acknowledge any of its intruders. You can break its loop by picking it up, at which point it'll go limp as a ragdoll. As soon as you set it down, it'll resume its actions as before.

While you can see the same images as someone else on the screens, it's also possible you'll each see something different despite being in the room together. What you see is up to you. It could be an old fuzzy movie, home videos of your childhood, trivia questions you have to answer correctly, or even a memory or vision you wouldn't want to share. Words or faces taunting you could appear between staticky flickers, or maybe your very thoughts are projected onto the screens for anyone with you to read.

Break the televisions if you want, but given a few short minutes, they'll reform between one blink and the next. Looks like you'll have to keep watching until you're released.

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THE FOOL ◎
FULL IMAGE

Sprawling and massive, you're unlikely to recognize at first that you're trapped in a labyrinth. Stone walls rise around you, and your surroundings are pitchblack. Manifest a torch or a flashlight if you can, though these will be prone to going out at inopportune times. Escaping over the walls will only send you into another section in the maze.

As you navigate the twisting corridors, you'll encounter any variety of trials and troubles: gaps in the ground, spiked traps, haunting whispers, monsters, decaying corpses. Some of these might've formed from your mind, others might've spawned from anyone else who's trapped with you.

If you aren't alone, do your best to locate your fellow Summoned. Voices do carry and echo over the walls, and there could be landmarks that help you find each other. Finding the exit, however, is another matter. Walk and climb all you want. A way out is impossible until the Horizon chooses to set you free.

Players can pick any scenario that interests them from the four choices above. Unlike the visions from before, characters can accidentally be trapped in as many of the scenes as you want, as many times as you want. Another option is that they can stay trapped in only one scene while a variety of characters fade in and out to join them, or some combination of the two. Choose what works best for your plans.

Each scene will once again carry an associated Arcana etched somewhere inside it, which can change from person to person or instance to instance. It might be on a wall, a table, or on the ground. Characters with a stronger connection to the Horizon are likely to be trapped for longer but the extent of this is your choice and it won't ever exceed a few hours. It's also your choice whether the afflictions continue to haunt them or not. If you want characters to deal with both problems while stuck together, you're welcome to!

Generally speaking, there are no restrictions other than that they won't be able to communicate with anyone outside the area, they can't escape it until the Horizon chooses to release them, and their creation magic will go wrong just enough that it'll make things tricky.

Comments

[gynvael]

[ Probably, it is for the best that Geralt hasn't got any idea Nero is fucking carrying him. He can't say how he'd even react to that. That he's been picked up like he weighs not an ounce more than a leaf.

All he knows is that he tumbles free of the room somehow, some way. He falls forward on his hands and knees as he struggles to catch his breath. Nero's slap goes unnoticed. But he does hear his name, filtering in through the haze of deafening screams. He sucks in air—fresh air compared to the stifling stench in that place. It twists his stomach, cold and sharp. Then he's heaving up a bitter, sour mixture of blood and bile—thick, black, splattering on the ground.

Fuck. Fuck.

He shoves himself back against the wall. His hands are shaking. He can't seem to stop; Nero is staring at him and he doesn't know what to say. Can't even remember how the hell they ended down these stairs out here. Weren't they on the mountain a second ago? He recalls falling, then—

His gaze lingers on the open door. It's not near as loud outside. But he can still hear it. Or perhaps he's imagining it. (Everything here is his from his mind. That's the damn problem.) ]

I'm fine. [ Shit. Fine is enormously absurd claim following everything. There's a sense he isn't even attempting to convince, that he's only saying it to say it. ] I just. I need a minute.

[ofthesword]

[Get back with me was sort of a hopeful order he'd expected to come with a gasp or Geralt glaring at him for the (light) facial slappage, but barely dodging some vomited black goo was hardly what he was waiting for.

Gross.

Nero's form settles on human again, the wings evaporating into blue specks of light that fade to nothing. He rubs Geralt on the back, the same thing he did when Julio got that real bad seafood poisoning the one time. Seemed to help. (Kyrie said it would help, when Nico had sworn she wasn't going within 30 feet of that bathroom.)

He only just misses Geralt clipping him with the fridge-sized angle of his shoulder.]

You are so far from fine, we're in fucking Unfineland. But it's cool. You don't need to be fine. [Nero leaves him against the wall for a second, closing the door that he may have blown open as closed as it can be. It sort of hangs awkwardly against the frame it (used to) fit in. Better than nothing.

Maybe 'cause it's so small -- or because Nero didn't mean to make it -- that the roll falls at his feet. He'd only thought: man, should probably shut this thing. He picks it up, pulling a long stretch of duct tape off the roll to help close the door more firmly.

Cool. Better.]

Maybe we should put a little distance between us and, uh, that. When you're ready. [Nero takes a seat on the first step, rubbing the back of his neck. The pain from the impact's gone and he's fine, but he's just. Really fucking confused. Where this is, and why Geralt's freaking out. He must have seen it before, right? 'Cause a little blood doesn't make a guy who hunts monsters do this.] I got your back until you are.

[cointosser]

All right, to be fair, there is very little time where sex is far from his mind. But how could it not be on the forefront now? They're together, and alone, and -- and Jaskier has found a special interest in his indulgences lately, finding them extra pleasurable.

His mouth forms a small "o".

"To be honest, I meant it as a light tease, but now that you're mentioning it..." And he lifts one hand to roll his thumb over the curve of her horn. With their frequent dalliances, he has long gotten used to them -- he's always seen them as a part of her, after all -- to the point that he often forgets they are not meant to be there.

Like in turns of phrase.

He swallows. "You re certainly speaking to my heart right now, my lovely, pearl-touched sylph." Okay, that was putting it on too much, but you know what? He wants to. It's over the top, but he's... enjoying it.

Sometimes he only wishes to be over the top. "I suppose asking if you would like it to be a request is still turning the question around to you. Now that I think of it again, I... I would not be opposed."

Oh, a little something more fun. Yes, she gets it. She gets him exactly.

So he adds: "If you think your horns can take it."

[ushiri]

[ From his angle Claude hardly needs his help - another set of feints and swings and the strange man is prone on his back without his weapon, and for a moment the fight feels over. With his own weapon raised he flanks from behind, watching Claude's approach and taking the moment to ask: ]

Who is this?

[ Someone familiar, by the way he addressed him. Between that and the stranger being unarmed, he doesn't move to strike again, though his sword remains ready and waiting for an answer or signal from Claude. In his hand the yasi'halaun feels almost alive, pulsing in a way that feels unfamiliar.

Energy continues to crackle along the blade, extending a few more inches toward the stranger, the static charge licking hungrily in their opponents direction.

Something's not right. ]

[ushiri]

Yasi'halaun.

[ He supplies the word almost automatically, his gaze narrowing as he stands up again, a silent how on his lips. This is the second time in as many days now that someone or something in Horizon has spoken a name they shouldn't have known.

His kneejerk response is defensive, confused, embarrassed for somehow not knowing what she can do. Few people like having their thoughts touched, and he's no exception - though as disconcerting as it is, he supposes she could've continued to hide it...

He pauses again, but it doesn't take long for him to wrestle his indecision when it seems she already has some level of access to his thoughts. Better not to try to lie. ]

It's a bone, taken from a god. A sacred relic. Nowhere near the size of the Singularity, but a piece of an incredibly powerful, living being.

[ Once living. The femur bone had to be taken from a dead Rifter, then carved into the black blade. He continues to eye her, wary again. ]

How much of my mind can you see?

[bealufull]

"And how do you know an omen from a nightmare brought on by kidnappings and odd foods?"

Not that he's trying to be argumentative, though it's truly his nature, but he can see that being a problem as well. Anything can be seen as an omen if you're, well, looking for omens.

He gives her a look at that.

"It was a flower? Why do moths represent death? Why..." He stops though because it's hitting too close to home. He doesn't want to believe in omens and portends but he knows something else he hasn't talked about.

"Before the d... before those things started roaming, I kept smelling rot. Even the food tasted rotten. It's been going on for days," he admits, not admitting to how little he's had to eat in that time before of it though.

That world out there has him living in uncertainty. He's not sure how to handle it, and he doesn't know how long he can stay in this place either. It's all madness, and he hates how out of control it is.

"And does this look like your home? The one where you grew up?"

He means her parents caravan, direct to the items he seems and the colors she's chosen.

[catholica]

( well, that's...good to know. he doesn't think the man would have intentionally done it, not when they'd just been fighting together but still.

he coughs a few times and then presses his head down against the ground, the dirt cool, centering him. )

That was — very real. It felt like I was dying and I couldn't do anything about it.

( he's fortunate that nothing had happened to him while he'd been distracted and unfocused.

he swallows. )

You didn't feel anything like that?

[princessvegas]

[ In the relative quiet, in the stillness, she doesn't see anything. No shadows, no phantoms, not yet. The only noises are the blob's humming and Rhy's faint voice. She glances at the arm of her chair, at the broken glass of the empty vodka bottle. ]

It let me make a chair, and a little table, and some vodka. Maybe I could make some bread or somethin'. Everythin' else is broken or wrong for me too, anythin' that I could use to get somewhere. Anywhere. Even just shoes have holes in the bottoms.

[ She's not sure exactly how the distinction is being made -- ladders and ropes and shoes all appear to be verboten, but whatever's happening, she's allowed to drink through it. (It also probably says something about her that she knows she can make vodka, but not whether she can make bread.)

Squinting, she looks from side to side, for anything that indicates any kind of passage of time, but there's nothing except for the things she's caused. The broken glass, footprints, various broken manifestations. There hasn't even been a breeze to blow sand or dirt onto everything else. ]

I don't know. There's no -- the sun doesn't change. Clouds don't move. I think it's been a while, but I really can't tell for sure. You?

[catholica]

( what matt expects to happen is for dante to laugh. but he doesn't. he refuses. and there's a part of matt that wants to bring it out of him so he has a reason to be angry.

but another part of him is just tired. )

Not really in the mood to be a comedian today.

( even if his life was laughable. )

This travesty isn't enough?

[philancer]

[ Yeah, he's the wrong noble to understand that concept, unfortunately. Every time he's had to head out into nature to 'rough it', it's never been just for fun. ]

I suppose they do. [ He scratches his head, even if he doesn't completely get it. ] Although at this rate, your graveyard of solitude is going to be as crowded as the city.

[philancer]

[ Sylvain reaches out to slide a hand over the surface of the wall on their left, then makes a face. ]

Not unless your head is way harder than mine. And I don't think your fire is going to do much against it either. [ A pause as he considers the rest of her words as they walk, however. ] ...Do I want to know why you come from a place that puts monsters in mazes and then lets people wander through them?

[ Not that he's one to talk, he realizes as he thinks about it. The warren of tunnels and dungeons and old ruins beneath the Monastery probably counted as something similar. He starts glancing around, studying the walls and floors more carefully as they proceed. ] I wonder if they have things like warp tiles in here?

[philancer]

Maybe how we're here has less to do with whatever's strange about our memories and more about whatever's strange about this place's magic?

[ Because let's be honest here. The magic in this place seems really weird to him. Especially at the moment. ]

Although even then, from what I've talked to you and Petra about, it still seems the Professor is the one thing that stands out as the catalyst behind just about everything we remember differently.

[ At least debating this gives him a momentary distraction from getting lost in a spiral over all the needless death they're both avoiding addressing. ]

[cryptsleeper]

I genuinely don't know if I have that capability.

[Alucard isn't always impulsive, but his thoughts are often ruder than what comes out of his mouth. Without the filter, he can't make promises. And at least with Jaskier, he can be honest about that very fact, and that counts for so much right now.

He rubs the bridge of his nose slowly, and then just gives up. Easy to sit right down on the ground right now to make sense of this, and maybe some soft grass might pop up to make all of this easier. If not, so be it. Jaskier's powers aren't for cushioning them when they sit.]

The Singularity was my first thought as well, but-- [Oh. Alucard flinches when Jaskier suggests Thorne. He hates it. He hates it so much, and it shows on his sour and scowling face.]

Let's humor the thought and say yes. What do they gain? And how come they can do it to everyone, and not only say, those who were in Thorne before and they've met versus new faces?

[cryptsleeper]

[The problem is expecting fun in the first place.

But he can concede a point, and Alucard lets out a tired noise that shows he knows precisely how correct the observation is.]

I'd rather not be evicted by bones. Hopefully this will be one of the last waves of it all.

[carmesi]

[it's so normal to wanda now that sometimes she doesn't catch on to how bizarre—how jarring—it is to have her pull at thoughts from others, to respond to things going on in their heads without actually vocalizing them. his reaction is warranted, the way he looks at her, but she's past being apologetic about it.

he doesn't, actually, act all too surprised, and wanda's currently more interested in what he's got to say.

if that is something he's finding synonymous with the singularity—that it is something sacred, a piece of something so powerful... yeah, it would likely make sense to verge onto that kind of supposition.

wanda thinks of the old gods those in solvunn are quick to worship, to make sacrifices and offerings to.]

Hm? [her brow furrows at his question, and she supposes he would have a right to know. everyone's particularly private of their thoughts. so, in return for the slight she may have caused him, wanda is honest.] All of it, if I wanted to.

[—but she shakes her head, expression easing.]

I catch onto thoughts without meaning to — the loudest ones at any given time. [she doesn't sound incredibly sorry, but the sentiment remains akin to that.] This... relic idea. The people in Solvunn believe in Old Gods, and it might not be too wrong to think that they are real, if something like the Singularity is.

[(at least wanda has no intention of weaponizing what she could do to his mind.)]

[carmesi]

[ah, steve— she sees the alarm making him tense up, and it takes now for her to realize that the magical and the mystic is not quite his area of expertise, grounded as he is, even with all they've seen. thor took to it quicker, because that's what asgard is.

breathing at a more normal rate now, wanda ponders how to respond to him, standing up from the chair to walk to him and reach for his hand.

scarlet envelops it as she tries to coil her magic around the atoms of the pink goo, collect it into a small capsule, ply it away and off him. it floats momentarily between them, and then wanda's curling her hand into a tight fist, the capsule disappearing into nothing.]

—the arm grew back. It was — a misunderstanding, but it achieved what we wanted.

[something resonated with the shrine.]

We've been told to offer things at the shrines, like food and gifts. It took that to realize that they react to blood more enthusiastically. Perhaps... [hm.] There are rumors of people missing. Families.

[stepping away, wanda ponders this for a moment.]

It might be blood sacrifices, but so far it's just a working theory. We don't know for who or for what, but something has been happening.

[godshattering]

[ Claude watches Wilhelm deal with his sweater, and - right. He should probably do something about this, like maybe invite Wilhelm to sit at the bare minimum of courtesy, and he starts to do just that. But, that half-formed thought never comes to be.

He should've expected that question, having been the one to volunteer the information in the first place, and yet. Most people wouldn't have bothered to question it or perhaps they would have muttered something meant as passing sympathy of some kind before changing the subject. It's not unless they know the weight of that that they ask directly and in that tone.

That wouldn't exactly answer Wilhelm, so Claude thinks for yet another moment after gesturing to the chairs for the other to take a seat if he'd like. ]

You could say that. You could also say it wasn't a one time incident.

[ If there's a way to say either of those statements casually, Claude's going to do it complete with a meaningless smile that'll look real enough to put everything at ease. And whether Wilhelm's sat down somewhere or not, he will now himself to lean back with every bit of projected nonchalance. Time for a gamble about those voices. ]

Most don't ask that without there being an implied 'also' in there somewhere.

[assembles]

"That so?" Steve's a little surprised to hear it, but maybe his situation is out of the norm. It's not just him and the other Avengers or related parties, though. There's Viktor and Jayce, Geralt and Jaskier, Nadine and Julie, Claude, Sylvain and Petra...

"There's a lot of other people from my world here," he adds after a pause. "And in terms of timelines, we're kind of all over the place. Multiple people have had 'updates,' too, if that's what you want to call it."

He steps forward, the light from the map reflecting onto his face as he watches Garrus navigate around. He can thankfully read all the text, but that doesn't mean that he recognizes any of the names. He's not the member of the Avengers with the best sense of space and what's out there, not by a long shot, but none of these names match anything he's heard from Thor or Carol or Rocket.

Does that mean Garrus is from another universe entirely, or is space just that huge?

"Space-born... I didn't even know that was a thing," he admits. His gaze flicks back to Garrus' face. "What's it like? Your homeworld."

[hextechhead]

They do seem interested in us Summoned, there's an opportunity to get their attention. I don't know that we made a good first impression though, all things considered.

[ The diplomatic envoys all survived their excursions, but it led to a war, so situations outside of their direct control made what was a fun and interesting experience turn bloody very quickly. They were dancing one moment and watching Libertas burn the next. ]

Even if they're not from your world, it could be something good, to meet someone like you. Half human, half vampire. It wouldn't be perfect understanding, but more than what you're used to.

[ Typical Jayce to go right to 'you could make a friend!' ]

[funbreaker]

It's the people of Solvunn who still honor them and pay them tribute. Yet when it comes to spreading chaos, as you said, there's no reason to limit themselves.

[ And they haven't. Clearly. Thancred scoffs and shakes his head. It seems like every faction is being affected similarly, even if Solvunn might be the source.

As for counterbalancing the likes of Adelwyrd and aught else that's been roused, Thancred certainly can't speak to it. ] I will admit I haven't researched these gods much, but I also think that's because Thorne has a suspicious lack of information on them. It's only the people of Solvunn who keep to the old customs. Regardless, I'll see what I can find out.

[ Himeka will be wanting to look into all of this too, he's certain. Now it's just a matter of finding her... ]

[nadine_he_loves]

This time Nadine's chuckle is deep and throaty. She reaches up to tease at his hair with her fingertips before stepping away to reclaim her joint.

"Oh, they can take it. Trust me."

That isn't some idle fantasy, she knows that she likes it and that her horns are more than capable as serving as handholds. Even rough ones. Especially rough ones. Maybe it's sinful, but part of her enjoys a heavy and rough hand in bed. She's certain it's due to formative experiences, but it is what it is. She likes what she likes.

"I'm not as delicate as a lot of people might think, Jaskier. And I don't just like delicate things." She takes a long drag off of the joint, meeting his eyes pointedly. He's strong. Much stronger than she'd originally thought, before they'd become regular bedfellows. And he's tall. He could easily toss her around. And maybe just let her do the same to him - it's so much more fun when it's all give and take, a challenge to be the one on top.

"Maybe...we could try something a little different."

[cryptsleeper]

One might even think that Thorne and the Free Cities would get it extra because they >don't offer tribute.

[Alucard knows enough mythology to consider it plausible at any rate.] Maybe the better thing for you to focus on would be why Thorne has a lack of information. Easier to sniff out, at any rate, whereas...frankly I can already assume the Free Cities and their focus on progress have reason in the words I've just said as to why they don't focus on any deities.

[Sometimes, it is nice when things are obvious.]

I'm not sure where this path leads, but it feels safe to assume it will end up fueling conflict.

[cryptsleeper]

It was fine until the very end.

[Alucard is trying not to dwell on how badly that night went. It was a shit show, but more than that, it signaled how deeply fucked everyone was really about to become.]

Mm, it'll just take about a century for us to move past pleasantries, both sides being guarded.

[Jayce, every time you think the f word, he does this.]

[hextechhead]

Jayce settles onto his feet again but for all his fear of whatever madness this is, it's a lot easier for him to focus on her. He puts one hand at her elbow, keeping her close, shaking his head.

"It's okay, we can get out of this, Wanda. We're stronger together." That is always Jayce, so firmly in the mindset that people are better when they work together and for each other. His love and loyalty to her are strong and she can probably feel it now in a way she doesn't always, since they're wrapped up in her domain and he already wears his feelings on his sleeve. "I'm not leaving you."

Jayce's gaze moves when he sees something behind her and he is fully ready to fling himself in front of her if it's a threat, despite the fact she's so much stronger than he is. But he sees the children instead and he's confused. He does know about them, she told him some of the story, but he didn't see them.

"I see them." Jayce bites his lip and returns his attention to her. To her open grief and pain and his heart goes out to her. "That doesn't mean they're there," he says, which is a cruel truth, but he doesn't want her to whip around and try to hug them if they're illusions. "I'm sorry."

[itookashot]

"Okay, yes, that would make sense."

Jesper hasn't tried to make anything exist in this space yet, so he didn't go that far. Which makes it seem obvious. Mat's frankly always been better at designing things in the Horizon than him anyway, so he waits for his chance. He is very quick and jumps for it, climbing up so he can be on the top with Mat.

He immediately pulls his lover into a relieved hug, kissing the top of his head. This entire situation is strange and alarming, but there was nothing like the actual sense of panic he felt when he realized Mat could be in danger. At least now he's within his grasp, they are in a better place. Jesper doesn't linger, he just needs the reassurance that Mat is warm and alive for now, before breaking away so they can figure out next steps.

"If you made the ladder it means we're in the Horizon still but ... where is this place?"