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

[wiedzminka]

...a library? Inside this thing? And Istredd tells her this like it's the most innocent and normal construction he could have come up with.

The word monolith makes her jaw tighten. But the word itself is merely a descriptor, and a very literal one at that. The Singularity is also a monolith. It's hardly a specific term.

No, it's the other part that really catches her attention.

"These things existed on your sphere? What... were you studying about them?"

Istredd seems to be trying to invite her inside, keeping the door open. Ciri takes a step forward, a bit uncertainly, but knowing this is merely a construct of Istredd's imagination. This is no more a real monolith gateway to another world than Kaer Morhen is the actual Witcher keep. She'll step inside to keep talking to him, if that's what he's trying to do.

[magicalarchaeologist]

Istredd leads her inside and she can see that he's telling the truth, it is one big library in there, with spiral staircases looping up the monolith tower with more shelves. There is a lobby area like one would find in most libraries. Currently it's a bit of a mess in there with books on the ground and shelves up above knocked over from the strange earthquakes. Nothing that he won't be able to fix later, but he's still flustered over the shaking.

"I'm a historian in my world. A long time before my time, there was a cataclysmic event called the Conjunction of the Spheres. It brought many different people and spheres together into one, causing chaos and conflict. It was theorized that the monoliths were leftover scars from that event, points of impact when the spheres converged."

Istredd just goes right into his explanation like any scholar would, he is sometimes awkward as she knows, but at the moment, he seems easy and friendly, comfortable with this topic. He also has a tendency to talk with his hands. Books rumble from above them and he glances up, easily swatting anything falling their way with his telekinesis to the side. It's safe in there, it's just a mess.

"So I was studying exactly that for decades. What they were, what they meant. I doubt it's very exciting to someone from another sphere, but I think there could be connections between this place and everywhere else."

[wiedzminka]

Istredd keeps on rambling, walking further inside-- but he'll have to notice at some point during his prattling and dealing with the books that Ciri hasn't followed him much further than the doorway. Only a few steps inside, she's frozen completely, tension coiled so tight that the muscles in her arms and neck stand out.

"I've heard a story like that before," she says slowly, without moving. She doesn't raise her voice; it is calm and measured, despite her uncomfortable stance.

"So. Did you find out? What the monoliths are? What they mean?"

[magicalarchaeologist]

Istredd turns to look at her, noting that she did seem to freeze, and she's tense. He may be very oblivious at times, but he can read body language. At first he is very confused, but when she says she's heard a story like it, he pauses as well. For a moment they are probably both tense, staring at each other, his gaze moving from curious to focused. Could they be from the same world? There is Geralt and Yennefer. It would be like Geralt not to mention there is someone else there, so he wouldn't expect that anyway.

"Yes. They're not scars, they're conduits to other worlds. They can be used to teleport creatures from other spheres to ours. I saw it happen with my own eyes."

The ground rumbles under them again but that is beside the point right then.

"I was with a witcher named Geralt." Istredd tilts his head at her. "Do you ... know him?"

[wiedzminka]

The dread builds in the silence, only her pulse in her temples, the fear and anger clawing at the edges of her mind to be let out and given physical form. Another day, she might have been able to contain them. She might have been able to take that slow breath needed to calm down, step back, considering the best course of action. Maybe leave. Maybe talk to Geralt first.

But not right now.

She moves lightning-quick. Gripped by the sudden urgency and paranoia behind needing to know, Ciri explodes forward in a flash of deadly steel and predator precision.

The flat of her dagger presses into Istredd's throat, sharpened edge just beneath his jaw, leveraging him backward into one of his countless bookcases. All traces of the friendly teasing from Nocwich are gone; the confusion from a moment ago is gone. Her brilliant green eyes turn on him now with the same piercing coldness as her blade.

"Who the fuck are you?"

[magicalarchaeologist]

Istredd was technically trained in mage combat, but it was a long time ago and unlike the others, he simply walked away from a lot of different things he wasn't interested in from his training. He has very little practice. He did knock a man off a horse with Geralt, but he wouldn't have been much help with that monster. He would have tried, but he's rusty, for certain. Maybe he should go back to training, because he is very quickly thrown off when she abruptly attacks him.

Despite the fact that intellectually he knows she can't kill him for good in the Horizon, his breath still catches and he feels a sliver of fear. A natural response to someone far more dangerous than he is getting into his space. He looks more surprised than upset though, and he resists his instinct to use his telekinesis to blow her back. What's the point? It won't get them answers to fight in here.

"I haven't told you a single lie, I am a historian. I'm also a mage. I grew up with Yennefer, if you know her, we were in school together."

The fear has given way now that his instinct calms down and his eyebrows are furrowed, caught up in her.

"Who the fuck are you? Why are you afraid of monoliths? What are they to you?"

[wiedzminka]

Ciri's eyes narrow at her name. He grew up with Yennefer? And Yennefer never saw fit to let Ciri know someone from their world had appeared in Thorne with her? It's not like Castle Thorne is all that large; the Summoned there definitely all know each other, are in much closer proximity than they are in Cadens. She's not buying that Yennefer didn't know or didn't realize. (Maybe that Yennefer simply hadn't told her, though Ciri has to wonder why.)

She presses the flat of her knife harder into his throat. Not upward, not leaning on the sharp edge, but enough to make his windpipe rather uncomfortable.

"I think you're lying."

Naturally, she doesn't answer any of his questions.

[magicalarchaeologist]

Istredd narrows his eyes as well and then he disappears. No need to teleport or say a spell, because they are in his psychic domain and he has more control of it than most people do of theirs. Outside of the strange humming and shaking going on in this place, which he has no answer for.

He appears again just one floor up, looking over the balcony at her, leaning on the banister there.

"Geralt and Yennefer can back up what I'm saying. If you don't believe me, you can ask them. But I'm not going to fight you, so there's no point in trying."

If she tries, he has more tricks up his sleeves to merely stay out of her grasp or keep dodging and moving, which he'd really rather not bother to do, because it does require some effort. And it seems like it would be easier if they could just stop and talk. Istredd contemplates before it all sort of snaps together at once and he looks genuinely shocked.

"You ... are you ...." It seems impossible but he forces the words anyway. "Cirilla?"

[wiedzminka]

"No."

Just no in general. It bursts out, almost defensive, angry and confused.

She reacts without thinking, chasing after him. It's the Horizon. Anything can be explained away.

Ciri appears beside him at the banister, green eyes flashing dangerously. Her lips twist in a snarl, the scar that crosses her face twisting the grimace into something even more menacing and furious.

"I'm the one asking the questions here, mage. What are you after?"

Of course, she's aware she told him her name in Nocwich. But to connect Ciri to Cirilla, knowing about the monoliths, knowing he's a mage from the Continent, hearing it aloud is a stab of cold fear.

[magicalarchaeologist]

Istredd creates a telekinetic shield around himself instantly, moving a quick dash backwards from her. But he doesn't go farther than that, nor does he try to surprise or attack her. This is merely to keep from needing to dodge continued violence, and she will find that his shield is very difficult to get through. Stronger than many mages, considering where they are.

"I'll explain, just stop trying to threaten me!"

He thinks that is a perfectly reasonable request. Her reaction only gave him confirmation of what he suspected. It feels like he just went through an ice bath, like water crashed down over his head, metaphorically. Princess Cirilla is not only real, but she's here in front of him.

"Geralt approached me and said that he knew the monolith in Cintra was destroyed. He thought there were monsters inside of it. When we investigated, and we came to the conclusion that the monoliths were gateways, and suddenly we heard a girl's voice screaming Geralt's name. Everything shook, the monolith pieces rose and seemed to be sucked somewhere, and then a new monster appeared. One never seen before in our land. It flew away. Geralt asked me to teleport him away without answering questions."

No matter what Istredd asked, the witcher had no interest in answering, and once it all came together, Istredd understood why. The girl was under his protection, apparently, he had to go for her. And he probably suspected the monster knew where it was going.

"Afterward, I decided to look into how the Cintra monolith was destroyed the same night the castle fell. I followed a hunch into the royal bloodline, and that girl who called out to Geralt was identified as Princess Cirilla. Someone with the ability to affect the monoliths."

And might be therefore afraid of them and perhaps even her power over them.

"I am not after anything other than knowledge. I had no idea you were even here."

[wiedzminka]

Of course, trying to chase Istredd around his own domain inside the Horizon is a study in pointlessness. Logically, she understands that. But Ciri is angry and frustrated enough that she does keep it up a few minutes longer before finally giving into the realization that this is just going to continue being annoying without going anywhere.

Finally, she backs away, throwing her hands up. The dagger disappears.

"And what good is your knowledge?" Her lip curls. "What will you sell it for? Money? Power? I'm not a fool, mage. It is currency like any other. Only that, or a liability, or both."

[magicalarchaeologist]

Istredd doesn't relax despite the fact she seems to be backing off because that can change very easily. Still, he keeps his distance. He truly doesn't want to fight, this is a huge dichotomy shift for him as well. He never thought he'd be faced with the real Cirilla.

"My entire life I have been trying to find truths in between all the lies in our history books, and this is the closest I've ever come to it. Perhaps knowledge means nothing to you, but I followed this thread because I wanted to find something real. I was not seeking anything else."

He was studying something else entirely when Geralt showed up and turned his world upside down. He never thought that he would be playing detective and learn about a princess who could use monoliths. None of this was planned.

"You're special, Cirilla. I'm no threat to you, you are far more important than I ever will be."

[wiedzminka]

Unfortunately, this does not seem to appease her. She doesn't give a shit about his quest for knowledge. Doesn't trust it any more now than she had a minute ago, and that explanation sounds like a load of horseshit to her. He can believe it all he wants. At the end of the day, stupidity and naivete are just as dangerous as ill intent, or more.

The scoff she makes at the word 'special,' though. Some nearby papers flutter.

"If I have to hear another fucking man who doesn't know the first thing about me tell me I'm special, I'm going to actually flay his face from his shitty empty skull."

[magicalarchaeologist]

Istredd tells himself to stay calm, he doesn't know her well enough to be judgmental about resisting destiny and all that. He's never been part of any kind of destiny. Now he feels like he's accidentally stumbling into the middle of it with no real idea for why.

"Whether you like it or not, it's true. You're the only person who can destroy or use monoliths. What would you call that? Ordinary?"

It was much easier to see her as a name on a page, a curiosity, someone with incredible power born to be a symbolic leader. Now that she's flesh and blood in front of him, and he interacted with her before this became real, it is much more confusing.

"Geralt doesn't know that I know, we didn't discuss that, I assumed you were back home so it wasn't necessary to bring up." He doesn't know why he assumed that, he knows Yennefer and Geralt are here, why not the Princess? Well, because again, she seemed so far away.

"I have a lot of questions for you, but I assume you're in no mood."

[wiedzminka]

"I'll call it whatever I damn please, you pedantic, self-important prick."

She snaps back with just as much venom as before, but she can feel her heart racing faster, realizations catching up. How much he really knows. What it could mean.

That Geralt didn't know. She's still pissed Geralt hadn't seen fit to mention this mage from their world, but if Geralt truly had no idea, that also worries her.

And still Istredd even bothers to mention that he has questions for her. Like she cares in the slightest about what he wants to know, when she's made it plenty clear how unhappy she is that he knows anything at all. She's quite sure she's also made it clear she'd rather put a sword through his throat than subject herself to his interrogation (for the sake of knowledge, no less). The fact he brings it up at all only drives the frustration and fury higher until she wants to fucking scream.

Somehow, she manages to keep her voice mostly even, though it is a dubious calm at best, emotion cutting her syllables short and imparting a faint quiver that's echoed in her tightly balled-up fists.

"Let me make this very clear for you, mage. Whatever you think you know, whatever you want to know, I have absolutely no intention of entertaining your whims and fancies so that you can exclaim over how 'special' I am and prod at me with your questions and theories. I do not care about your history books. I do not care about your precious quest for knowledge."

She is all sharp lines and angles, shoulders squared, jaw tight, standing tall. Her eyes remain fixed on Istredd's in that unflinching, icy stare. This is not a threat; for her, it is a simple statement of fact.

"If you make yourself a problem for me or mine, you will regret it."

And with that, she vanishes, removing herself back to to the world outside.