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?

---

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.

---

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

[nadine_he_loves]

Jaskier would like the myths of ancient Greece, Nadine thinks. All full of seduction and epic romances and dashing heroes. And gods with mortal appetites and failings. She'll have to tell him some, when they aren't busy.

Right now she's not sure she can manage that many words in coherent order. Not when he's touching her like this, looking at her like that. Not when the vines holding her are shifting along her skin as they move, petals brushing against her as they unfold, all of it adding to the sensations. They're just extensions of Jaskier, a part of him in a way. Maybe that's why it isn't strange.

"Oh, I have no doubts about your abilities to perform." Or the pleasure inherent therein. He's never left her anywhere near unsatisfied in bed. It's never once felt like he was only putting in minimal effort, even when they were tired and worn out but in the mood anyway.

And tonight is certainly no different. She squirms in delight as he sets to it, tugging at the vines around her as she moves. It's such a novel thing, to feel them holding her and supporting her as her shoulders lift off the bed and they take a part of her weight.

[ofthesword]

[He doesn't miss that he might've gotten a little too close to the truth. Well fuck, who knows? If Geralt's out there killing shit like giant, stinking centipedes made of human arms, a ghost isn't really, like, much farther outta the way.

The swirl of smoke in the driver's seat seems to slow down, almost like it's turning to listen in, too.

Fuck. Nico always is a gossip..]

Yeah. It doesn't cover it at all. [He wonders if bringing up the fact his father has committed mass murder, probably more than once, is worth it. Hey, your dad ever wipe a whole city off the map?]

I get it. I had a family, too. Adopted, I mean. Family's great. Really. Just... they usually end up dyin', too.

[cointosser]

He should hope not. Not after this many months with them sharing a bed. Jaskier's response is only a mere hum that he's not entirely sure she can even hear. Which is not the important part.

Lucky for him that the vines keep her from squirming a bit too much, which allows all of the focus to go on his tongue, the sounds he makes from between her legs, and his fingertips trailing up the undersides of her naked thighs, not skirting her scar or the newest tattoo (a pretty splash of ink that's made him consider one himself. For fun.)

The vines, now firmly established, have taken on a mind of their own, much as his sandpiper, as his falcon. And it's beautiful the way they move, understanding what she needs, what he wants. A little tighter around her wrists, but slithering down behind her shoulders, moving through her hair.

Jaskier lifts his mouth for a breath, licking his lips. "No complaints so far, I hope."

[nadine_he_loves]

Nadine finds it difficult to focus on much of anything, with the flood of sensations. From Jaskier, from the shifting vines that are drawing further along her, from the herb she'd been enjoying before he came over. It's all just a wash of increasingly pleasant things.

She opens her fingers and mutters a few soft words between gasps and pants, if Jaskier catches them he won't be surprised with little spheres of colored light rise from her palms. It just seems the right way to express her enjoyment. The lights flutter about the vines, blue and gold and lavender, settling around flowers and dancing around leaves. They seem to pulse and shift in color as Nadine moves in pleasure on the bed.

"None...whatsoever..."

Had she use of her arms, she'd reach for him, pull him up her to stretch over her and take her. But she can only whimper and curl her toes and arch her hips in a demanding fashion. She wants more, as good as Jaskier's tongue and lips feel against her. She wants to be filled and covered and pinned beneath him....

She wants, quite plainly, to be fucked.

[cointosser]

"That's what I was hoping to hear."

It's becoming much more difficult to avoid the little things he would call his lover when he was so deeply into it. Dear heart. Love. Lover. I love your body, your heart, your soul -- But the L-word here, between them, has been quietly tucked to the side, placed inside a pantry, perhaps to be forgotten or found some time later.

Still, he knows it's there. Waiting under a dim light, a pile of other things between them.

He kisses down over her belly, pressing her down, still, firmly. Jaskier has heard such urgent requests before, and has given into them without pause. But now, his mouth returns to her first, pressing her closer to the edge, then glancing up at her face from between her legs.

"Say it this time. Exactly what you want me to do."

The vines grow tighter; not like a warning, but more like an urgency.

[cointosser]

[Moglad matches her nod, then; his acceptance of the newest request. Like any good bard, as Jaskier has taught him, he can be picky about requests. But he will know, in his heart of hearts, when a request cannot be ignored.

Moglad sets his sword down, driving it into the ground. And he flutters, paws out, until his lute comes to him, appearing in his grip.]

My music is always from the heart, kupo. That's what he taught me.

[So Moglad plays. The grove fills with the quiet sounds of the lute, floating among the roots and branches of Bleobheris. The tree does not heal. It does not grow green again. Yet it feels like time pauses around them; the horses no longer cry out, and the other denizens of the grove grow quiet. The whole world -- Moglad's world -- stills to listen to him perform for his lady, as he floats and swirls around her with his body swaying to the notes.]

[cointosser]

[For a moment, addled by wine, Jaskier thinks Jayce is telling him he worked it all out using technology. Which -- not that Jayce is not exactly a forthright sort of man, but he does tend to overshare. A lot. And this comes from someone who never fucking stops talking.

But he has now. Now, Jaskier listens, and he drinks, and he finds this strange tug and pull inside of his chest, where he wants to hear more, where he wants to give advice, where he can take a little pleasure in hearing he's not the only miserable bastard around here, sinking into something he can hardly fight against.]

I'm not saying death is easy. Only... it happens. A fucking lot, sometimes, in the wrong sorts of worlds. [Jaskier tips his head. Alucard's world is exactly like his own, as they have discussed. Wars and murder and monsters. Humans and monsters fighting for the biggest bastard title.

Jaskier pats him on the shoulder.]

It doesn't matter if I did. I'm here now, and I've decided to stay.

affliction time go! sorry claude ;;

[lackingtalent]

[Hythlodaeus would think it rather unfair that amidst such an interesting discussion (with so many interesting things to speak further on! The wrinkles, the fact his world had something all but identical!) that his visions had to start up once more. That was, were he in his right mind. He is not- most assuredly, he is not- and Claude's concern is met with a shake of his head as he stands from the table quickly, inelegantly, scraping the chair back against the tilework as he does so.

His eyebrows furrow. A look of disbelief enters his glowing eyes, and his well-placed, fair features contort just slightly into an expression of dismay- before they are covered with a hand- the thumb and forefingers belonging to it moving against his temples.]

You truly cannot see? Or smell it? I had not thought-

[Not thought that what had plagued him in Solvunn would follow into the Horizon. Let alone someone else's Horizon. The statement is cut off as nausea hits him. What little of his face behind his hand can be viewed pales, visibly- and he finds himself turning away from the table, willing himself not to openly retch.

Fortunately, he does not.
Yet while he is turned, while he gazes over the balcony, Claude should begin to experience Koth of the Festering Land's affliction- namely the very real sense and feeling that something is wrong. Deeply wrong. Whether or not Claude's apparent demise comes in the shape of a vision or an illusion cannot be known by Hythlodaeus, at least not yet. Even if it could, it would fall to the wayside. For to him, something about Claude seems different. And that takes priority, even in light of the fact that suddenly, he feels a lot better. So.]

...Are you well?

[aquilus]

Of course. I'll offer it again if I need to. But hopefully I don't.

[He doesn't think it's over yet. But he has to believe it will end, sooner or later. There are only so many bodies in the ground. He nods as he turns to go.]

Until next time.

[nadine_he_loves]

It's most certainly there. Nadine knows it is, but the word itself holds such weight and has so many attachments still that she's yet to untangle it from. But it's there all the same, unspoken and expressed in other ways.

She can't imagine she'd find herself in this particular position otherwise. This wasn't the sort of thing engaged in with someone just liked. While the affliction may make it easier for her to give in to indulgence, the desire already existed.

At Jaskier's demand she lets out another low sound, though not of protest. She isn't one to use much coarse language, but in the throes of passion and under the influence of the old god, it comes much easier.

"I want you. I want you inside of me. I want you to fuck me like it's the last fuck of your life."

[bealufull]

He listens intently, knowing a bit about nightmares. He has enough of them for a lifetime in his few years, and yet all of them that continue to haunt him are all from one night. One moment. One loss.

"You know though it's this place and nothing you ever have to worry about though, right? Not here or back in the Barrel."

And he believes that. He believes she never will. Even if there's one point he is feeling sharply like a thorn in his side.

"Stupid enough I didn't kill her when I've had the chance, then you would never have to worry about her truly again."

Would it make it better to have this place stalk Inej that way if she knew for certain that she never had to worry about that woman again? Not truly?

[techmaturgy]

The good news is that Viktor is good at acting like he’s allowed places (even when he’s definitely not), so he does as she instructs, staying close and otherwise doing his best to appear very focused on getting to where they’re going. It works—they’re not interrupted, probably because the fleeing staff and students are more concerned with getting away from the walking dead.

Viktor can’t blame them. Soon enough, they’ve turned a corner and headed up a floor, the problem becoming more apparent they closer they get.

“Do you hear that?” It seems like a silly question—of course she can. His grip tightens on the handle of his crutch. Viktor’s not sure if an electrical current will deter something with a stopped heart, but it’s probably better than nothing.

[assembles]

[ Everything else, meaning his other senses? Murdock doesn't seem to have much of an explanation for it beyond that, which is odd because most people who lose their sight don't end up with senses that sharp. There must be more to it, but he either doesn't know or he doesn't want to share. ]

Huh. Well, then I'm guessing you don't miss a day. If you're ever in need of a sparring partner...

[ He trails off, figuring the message there should be loud and clear. Steve's used to sparring with people like Natasha, people who have no super strength, so he's pretty sure he and Matt would do fine.

There's a lengthy pause as he takes another drink, and then he adds. ] ... Thank you, by the way. For everything you do back home.

[funbreaker]

Probably in any number of ways, but there are times to throw caution to the wind and make a gamble.

[ Thancred isn't a pessimist so much as a realist, but nothing in the Horizon is real to begin with so he's willing to take his chances. If the end result is that they annoy this place enough that they're spit back out into the real world, he'll consider it a win of sorts.

The fact remains that he and Sylvain may have different ideas of what a winter cabin should look like, but whether that helps or hinders them remains to be seen. If they end up with some strange amalgamation, he won't care so long as it has four walls and a roof.

Once they climb up this part of the path and are level with the small clearing near the trees, Thancred turns toward it with his shoulders squared and his jaw set. ]

Ready? On the count of three, think of the warmest winter dwelling you can imagine. One, two, three...!

[ Naturally, he pictures the reinforced stone buildings that exist in Coerthas, a building made of stone to protect anyone inside from the elements. ]

[gynvael]

[ He looks back at her. That's promising. ] Only made wolves. So far.

[ No monsters otherwise, just. Places. He cocks his head, like he's waiting for any howls to cut through the air on cue. Not...yet. Though the sun's rapidly descending; Geralt hasn't any idea what lies in wait after dark. Never got the chance to see it last time. He'd fallen right through back into Kaer Morhen.

He helps with the branches, finding rocks to fill in the rest of the gaps. Hardly perfect, but some shelter is better than none.

There is one advantage on their side: heat at the ready in the palm of his hand. He doesn't bother trying to dry out any wet tinder, but they can make do with heated rocks. The stones glow like coals beneath his hand. Geralt, true to nature, does not explain exactly what it is he's doing as warmth begins to rise. ]

[shadowthief]

She smiles softly and nods, "Of course I know that," she trusts him. With her life.

"That's not what I meant," she levels him with a look. "She's- what she did to me is always going to be...a part of me. I don't know if I'll ever truly escape that."

Maybe it's because she's so young, or the memories too fresh, but it all feels insurmountable to ever truly be rid of the effects Heleen has left on her. "But you-" she frowns a little and drops her gaze, her fingers squeezing his a little. "you'd still... if I'm always-" she doesn't know how to ask it, really.

Would he still love her, even if she can never heal the scars The Menagerie left on her?

[catholica]

( the gratitude catches him off guard and he just stares for a second, unsure of what to say to that. but he eventually shakes himself free and laughs a bit. )

You're welcome. If it wasn't me, I'm sure someone else would.

( he wants to hope so, at least. he pauses for a second, jaw working back and forth. )

I haven't done a lot of sparring here. I should. My trainer would probably be upset about that but I think that's his default state.

[hextechhead]

[ That would be a hilarious jump to make but not a completely ridiculous one, since Jayce is, in fact, an oversharer. But Viktor has made it clear there is one area oversharing is not encouraged or allowed. Not that he would talk about it. Some things are too private.

But Jayce is putting a bandage over something that has not healed in the slightest. Maybe it's true him murdering a handful of people is not a lot compared to others, but for him it is something that haunts him. The nightmare entity took the form of the child he killed and it followed him around long after that was over. Then there is the fact he has the love of his life but he's dying, slower now, but no less true. It's easy to put on a brave face, when there is misery underneath. Tragedy, so close.

The heralds have made him see his own death when he touches people, and a part of him thinks it is justified. There's some shit going on in this head of his for sure, but even as an oversharer, he's hesitant to cast burdens. ]

Maybe being from one of those would make all of this more common to handle. I eventually got it together for Libertas, but right after, I wasn't all there. I disconnected.

[ From reality. From awareness. It didn't last long, he was only doing that for a short time as Viktor raged, but Jayce sees it as a failing of his. That he checked out instead of being able to handle it. He's weak. He thinks that often. But he did get it together. That is what mattered in the end.

Jayce looks over at him at the pat on his shoulder, always appreciating physical gestures that ground him in the now. ]

I've decided to stay too. If it's a choice, that's the choice.

[philancer]

[ Lucky for them both, Faerghus' idea of cold-proof architecture isn't that far off of Coerthas'. Then again, they're both lands of rock and snow and ice so they both probably had plenty of cause to come to a similar conclusion.

Although Thancred's probably lucky they don't manage to summon a fort on their head, considering how fond both countries are of massive protective buildings. But Sylvain's thinking more of a small dwelling. Something tucked close and cozy, easy to heat, warm and welcoming.

When something similar appears a moment later, he just blinks at it in surprise. ]

Huh. It actually worked.

[ He'd been expecting the Horizon to continue to be difficult, honestly. ]

YESSS also the holidays consumed me but i should be back now!

[godshattering]

[ Hythlodaeus absolutely isn't faking his reaction - that many years of observing and watching others closely he's had convinces Claude of this, even if he's never met this particular person until now - and that only doubles his confusion. Or triples it when he speaks as though there's something obvious in front of them being missed, and Claude casts a quick glance at the box once more. No, it still looks as Hythlodaeus described it should be prior to opening it.

Then Hythlodaeus pales and Claude sits back down with concern growing considering it's new to him that anyone can feel adverse effects in the Horizon. It makes sense on some logical level, what with how close it is to reality, that it'd be possible. There's the slow creep of foreboding running alongside which he hasn't noticed yet, as he means to reach out to place a hand on the arm of Hythlodaeus' chair to ask... something.

Something he quickly forgets because at once dread floods him. It's dread that's too familiar with the way it creeps through his veins like ice - like poison. Then it hits Claude that poison is exactly what it feels like when it's from something brushed up against him, like an assassin's cloth soaked with something unknown rather than a blade or an arrow, and the cold realization which comes with it. That's before recognizable panic from not knowing what it is and without that knowledge, how can he treat it?

He can't; antidotes work best when targeted to the poison. The only thing he can assume is what Hythlodaeus brought as a gift is the cause and without studying it in detail, there's no way to fight the numbness spreading which has Claude pressing a hand to his chest like it'll help him catch his breath instead of struggling to breathe. (It doesn't.)

All at once the illusion snaps as if he's woken up from a dream and the nausea, shakes, everything disappears. But it brings him no comfort while he struggles to regain his composure after a real fear being played upon, especially with that question asked as his gaze falls on Hythlodaeus again with the assumption the other caused it somehow and now with wariness to show for it. ]

How did you do that?

[hairington]

[ is this what bonding is??? steve doesn't even know anymore. but he guesses there must be something to all of this - from the small things he's putting together about eddie to the fact eddie is still here, just kind of chatting with him, after the disaster that was whatever happened downstairs.

it's enough to help ease some kind of tension out of steve, lets him take a breath, and then another. ] Okay, but being a student and being a teacher are totally different ball games and don't have anything to do with each other. Plus- Mrs. O'Donnell's kind of a bitch.

[ part of steve almost wonders if he's stepped on a land mind of some kind, if it's a sore subject for eddie to dip into. but eddie smiles, so steve assumes it must be okay. at least somewhat.

as eddie paces, steve just sort of stands where he is, his eyes kind of distantly drifting across the room, trying to decide if he's missed this place or if it feels weird being here again. there isn't much in the way of materials to board up the door, but he bets he could use some of the tables. maybe if they broke the place apart just a little bit, the tables could come together.

the apology catches steve's attention, draws his brows together, before he's shaking his head and starting off into the small lobby to start picking up chairs. the place is small enough that they can keep talking, and steve suddenly just. needs to start doing something. ] You're good, dude. Whatever's happening is kind of fucked, but I guess this was better than...

[ steve decides he doesn't want to finish that for right now, so he just moves on, grabbing a couple of chairs and bringing them back to the elevator door, stacking them.

the good gig makes steve huff a laugh, still moving, grabbing more chairs, bringing them back. ] You get sick of it after the first like, three days. But that didn't stop the kids from all coming by for free scoops. And it's how I met Robin, so yeah, it could have been worse.

[ except, you know, it did get worse. but eddie is trying, so steve figures he could too. ]

[cointosser]

It doesn't make it easier. [Gods, he feels like he's become a therapist. And normally he would not mind -- he would thrive off the chance to help -- but right now, this truly feels like a burden.

Adelwyrd wraps itself up in Jaskier's mind, and the more time goes on, the more he falls into it.] It only hardens the heart. The mind. The human proclivity to turn colder, as the horrors grow wilder, only so one does not go mad.

[Even in Geralt, he can see how it hardens him. Perhaps not every kill, but plenty of them.

And he is not human anymore. So Geralt so readily insists.] It is a choice no matter what happens. It may be taken from us, but you know -- I believe those of us who made it will fight like hell to stay.

[hairington]

[ or they can not discuss it at all. that is also an option. because steve fits a little too heavily into that category of people who are pretty okay with not talking about this at all. which is to say: geralt will get to bring it up, and give steve the option to talk about geralt's stuff too. like now, how steve does notice something about geralt shifting. or perhaps not shifting, but tensing, growing tighter, right as steve puts the pieces together.

he doesn't blame him - steve's not exactly been happy that all his secrets have sort of just been laid out for everyone to see. doesn't love the fact that eddie just showed up down in whatever russian basement apparently created itself down there. that's probably the same tension geralt is feeling now, right? like a part of him is just on display for whatever shmuck shows up. ]

Is the other part your keep thing? [ at least he didn't call it a castle.

still, he watches as geralt moves to a door with a rusted lock and tug, watches as the door does not budge, and feels himself sigh. of course it won't open. why would anything be easy?

except that geralt tells him to do it, and steve kind of freezes. ] What? Me? [ and okay, maybe he already knows the answer he's going to get here, because steve is walking closer to the door. hesitates only a second before he puts his hands on it and thinks what the hell before giving it a jerk himself, expecting it not to budge in the slightest. ]

[gynvael]

[ His answer comes after a delay. There isn't much to explain. Something tells him the cellar says plenty, between the sparse rickety beds, the rack of swords, the lock on the door.

In the quietest moments, a faint ghost of sobbing can be heard. Or perhaps that's only the wind. Geralt ignores it all the same. ]

This is Kaer Morhen. Another section. Where we were kept.

[ The Horizon's space isn't endless. The keep is smaller there. Doesn't sprawl across the mountain, hasn't got the treacherous trail that winds around it nor the full grounds of the fortress.

In either case. What difference does it make? (More than he wants it to.) He watches Steve tug the lock to no avail, then grabs one of the worn training swords from the rack. Blunt, but sturdy. Heavy, to a young boy. Makes for a good blunt instrument.

He holds it out. He gives no reason as to why it must be Steve. More specifically, why it can't be Geralt. ]

Try this.

[funbreaker]

Some of us do know what we're doing when we take such risks, you know.

[ There are plenty who do not, though, and Thancred suspects those are the sorts who Geralt's referring to with his comment. Overly ambitious adventurers who think they're much more capable than they truly are and end up in serious trouble as a result. Himeka's helped her fair share over the course of her career, and there are times when he's tagged along on such errands.

It's time to continue on, however, their brief foray as frogs quickly left behind them as they continue down the path flanked by tall stone walls. Geralt comes upon a potential way out, though, a spot between the walls where they might be able to shimmy through to some sort of freedom.

At that glance, he's quick to nod. ] Go ahead. I'll be right behind you. [ As it turns out, it does provide them with a way out, sending them both back into the waking world. No doubt they'll check in with each other before long, but at least they made it through with little harm done. ]