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Entry tags:
TDM #2
TDM #2
DREAMING (new characters)
At first, there is nothing. You are nothing. Whatever existed before ceases to be if for a moment. Then, bit by bit, you start to become aware. Where there was not even darkness now is a dim haze, gentle and almost mist-like. You have limbs again and beneath your feet lays a path of light reaching out like limbs of a great tree beneath you, twisting and climbing out into the horizon.You take a step forward for what else is there to do? As you walk you begin to remember what it was you were doing before the nothingness; maybe something as simple as chatting with a loved one or close friend. Maybe you were just beginning a great journey or facing off against an old foe. Whatever it was, you get the distinct feeling that wherever and whenever that was, it is not here. Not now.
The path of light twists off into different directions. When you look up you can see that it is not a sky above you but the sky of everything, a grand cosmic tapestry littered with not mere stars but galaxies and clusters of galaxies that gleam like crystals against the velvety backdrop of space. Admire it for a moment, if you will. You don't know how long you will drift here, but you are not alone. Other wanderers will come and go as you bask together in the vastness of creation.
It seems to you that there are two paths to walk in this place, the light and dark beckoning in turn.
❖ THE LIGHT AT THE CENTER
One leads you to the center, splintered fragments folding together and colliding until only one thing remains: a light that speaks to you with the voice of all there is and has ever been. It greets you simultaneously as an old friend and as a lost child, both rejoicing in and mourning your arrival. You remember it too, somehow, with a feeling of complex nostalgia, as if returning to a place recalled from your distant childhood.
You’ll feel the same of the other wanderers that join you in the light; you know their faces, their voices, and as you reflect upon the world of your birth, you may witness fragments of theirs as well. You feel a comradery, then, a synchronicity of thought and emotion. Are the lives of others truly so different from your own? Or are you simply two hands of the same, greater being? Though some individualistic part of you may resist, the longer you spend in the light, the more you will find yourself becoming one with it.
Despite this welcoming call, no matter how eagerly your pursue its embrace, before you can fully submerge yourself in this oneness you will find yourself being torn away. As if seized by the impossibly long, cold arm of a creature unseen, you are plucked from the edge of fulfillment. The last thing you will remember is the sensation of your world, and all the others your experienced here, collapsing into nothingness.
❖ THE DARK OUTSIDE (CW: deep despair, ego death)
The other leads towards the outside, where the splintering becomes so great that the vestiges of reality can do nothing but collapse back into the abyss at the end of everything. As you wander to these barren outskirts, your thoughts will not be drawn to familiarity and oneness, but instead to memories of discontent and waste. The darker the path becomes, the more you find yourself dwelling on life’s disappointments and injustices, of the things about yourself and your world you find wanting.
If you see others here, at first they will feel frightening or contemptible, as if representing to you the worst experiences in your life. Even if they are someone you’re certain you know, that familiarity and affection will be stripped away in the face of the great emptiness before you. In the end, you were all the same. In the end, none of this was worth it. If you approach the end together, you may even form a kind of kinship around this acknowledgment, as the need for paranoia and hatred fades.
Slowly, the darkness encroaches, and you can see it devouring all the things you once knew. Memories of your home, of those you loved, dissolve into nothing, and you can only reflect on the barren emptiness in your heart as you see it happen. In your final moments, though, you feel peace with it all, knowing that there was no other way. You step from the edge of the last dwindling fragment of being and are greeted by silence.
❖ THE END
No matter which way you go, you are left with a single impression: you feel the world you came from die. It's a realization that transcends logic or sense; it weighs on your heart and leaves the vestiges of dark memories dancing in your thoughts like motes of ash. It's a memory of your home crumbling away into nothing as if consumed from within by rot. Returned to the void, all that's left to you is to be reborn.
REBIRTH (new characters)
In a new time and place, you awaken. Stirring within a capsule of warmth and isolation your senses will slowly return, only to observe that you are trapped. Your body, as it wakes, is tangled in close, yours eyes unable to open, as if still within the womb. You are held tight in the embrace of something unyielding, so smothering that at first you only have the strength to struggle for moments at a time. Yet, as you persist, the pressure begins to relent in turn; it may take hours, but eventually you will find the purchase to push, to claw, to fight, and it will all give way.The chrysalis surrounding you bends like flesh and cracks like glass. It tears as you force your fingers through, finding liberation one inch at a time, until finally you have emerged. As if having undergone metamorphosis, you feel old and new all at once. You are weak, piteously so, but the markings and scars of your previous life remain. As you slump down upon the smooth cavern stone, you realize that you've just wrenched yourself free of gigantic crystal, though its hollow, shimmering form is now in pieces on account of your passing. Somewhere on your body, a shard of similar material remains embedded.
The cave itself looks almost like the inside of a geode, the walls and ceiling bedazzled with greyish crystal that shines with all the colors of the rainbow. While they vary wildly in size and shape, only a few have grown large enough to hold a form like yours, and you can see the one you just escaped isn't the only one bearing a passenger within. They may have already hatched, or they may still be lingering in stasis. Either way, there's enough time that you may have a chance to speak to yours unexpected peers, or to perhaps to struggle to find something to cover your naked body with. You feel the chill of the open air against your moisture laden skin, a distant light trickling in through the cavern's opening.
Make the most of this time. It won't be long before you're interrupted.
[Mod Note: If you don't want to deal with your character being naked in front of the others at that location, feel free to assume they emerge at a different time than the others of their legacy. Characters will be 'hatching' over a period of several hours.]
DREAMING (OLD CHARACTERS)
For those already in Horos, they will find themselves in the same dreamscape as the new arrivals, only, this time, it's familiar. You'll feel more cognizant of your surroundings as you reawaken in this psychedelic realm, more in control of your emotions. What's more, you recognize that light at the center and the darkness at the edge: it's the Pleroma and Kenoma respectively. The one you are attuned to will call our to your soul, and though you are technically free to wander as you please, the closer you get to the force of your opposite sect, the more it will grate against you spiritually. Pleroma attuned nearing the Kenoma will feel as if its presence is desperately trying to tear them apart, and Kenoma attuned nearing the Pleroma will feel as if its light is burning them from the inside out.
More importantly, you notice that entirely new souls are wandering here with faces you didn't see in the cavern. It gradually becomes clear that they are Aions in the same state you were prior to your rebirth, lost and wandering this stretch of the cosmos with no idea what's to come. Maybe this is your chance to ease the confusion of their arrival, or maybe you'd simply like to scope out what kind of people are on their way. It's also possible for you to run into Aions already in Horos, wandering just like you are. Unfortunately, things are a lot less neutral than they are the last time you shared this realm.
No matter what you do, eventually the cosmos above will begin to burn out, just as it did the first time you were here. As darkness swallows reality itself, you will wake with the visceral memory of your world corrupting and breaking apart.
More importantly, you notice that entirely new souls are wandering here with faces you didn't see in the cavern. It gradually becomes clear that they are Aions in the same state you were prior to your rebirth, lost and wandering this stretch of the cosmos with no idea what's to come. Maybe this is your chance to ease the confusion of their arrival, or maybe you'd simply like to scope out what kind of people are on their way. It's also possible for you to run into Aions already in Horos, wandering just like you are. Unfortunately, things are a lot less neutral than they are the last time you shared this realm.
No matter what you do, eventually the cosmos above will begin to burn out, just as it did the first time you were here. As darkness swallows reality itself, you will wake with the visceral memory of your world corrupting and breaking apart.
SEARCHING (OLD CHARACTERS)
Soon after the dreams begin, it will become clear that the Aion NPCs of either sect are also aware of what's happening. For those in Achamoth and Greentruth, the imminent arrival of new Aions will become a matter of official discussion. All able Aions will be called upon for their aid, in whatever way they can offer. Getting to the shrines themselves will be easily accomplished via teleportation. What's would be more complicated is ferrying any new arrivals back to a secure location. Thankfully, it seems this is something both sects have already prepared for. All characters will have the opportunity to acquire a 'returning stone'. In all cases, this will amount to an amulet made of the same shimmering material as the shrine monuments, though the stylization differs between the Pleroma and the Kenoma. While regular Aion teleportation can bring you to any of the shrines you know the sigil and location of, a returning stone is magically programmed to bring its wearer back to a specific destination to which it is attuned. Normally, these stones will only be able to store enough energy for one 'return' a month, but it turns out that the ambient power created by the shrines being active will temporarily super charge them. Though it's not guaranteed, this means they may generate enough energy to perform multiple returns for TDM purposes.
Spare returning stones will be issued to all Aions so that they can be used to bring back anyone they collect, as it's possible to bring someone alongside you if they are also wearing a returning stone. Where your stone leads will depend on your sect.
❖ PLEROMA
Tehri will be the one to supply returning stones, based out of Greentruth. She will not travel to Godsblood to deliver returning stones to those that have not visited Greentruth, but it can be assumed that Greentruth's visitors can pass them along to anyone who has been staying in the city. The returning stones are apparently set to bring them to a secure location beneath the water of Godsblood's coast. From there, new arrivals will have to be allowed to rest and then brought up into the city when they're ready.
Greentruth is limited in its resources, but it will attempt to send troops to the Innocent, Seeker, Wanderer, and Firebrand shrines, all of which are close to the forest. Meanwhile, while no formal affiliation with the new Aions has been made, bands of guerilla fighters, most likely from Godsblood, will turn up at the Artisan and Sovereign shrines. Whether they have any affiliation with Greentruth will not be clear, but they do seem to have a beef against the Achamites. These reinforcements will struggle against powered Aions, but they might be able to delay any troops sent by Achamoth.
❖ KENOMA
Xishen will be handing out returning stones to all Kenoma the day after the dreams begin. She'll explain how to use them, and state that the Regent expects for them to head to the shrines once they become fully active. The Kenoma will have whatever mundane weapons or supplies they need at their disposal for this mission, along with some modest Achamite reinforcements. She'll warn not to rely too heavily on them however; after all, only the Aions are able to quickly move between the shrines and at the Citadel. The Achamites will have to be deployed by river or by land, and mobilizing them will take time. They will feasible be able to reach all of the shrines to some degree or another, but will more easily populate the shrines of the Martyr, Celebrant, Lover, Champion, Visionary, Sovereign, and Firebrand.
The Hylicians will apparently not be helping this time around, as the capture and holding of the first batch of Aions was already a lengthy venture. Xishen herself says she will be travelling to the shrines, however, while another Aion named Dionys remains in Achamoth to 'keep watch'. All Kenoma Aions will be given a familiar vial of black sludge, and are instructed to feed it to any Aions they capture at the shrines. It will cause the same effects it did in the cavern, though it will resolve in a few days rather than a week.
RETURNED (ALL CHARACTERS)
New characters that are found a the shrines will be brought back to one of two lodestones, depending on which sect they are taken by. This will be accomplished by their escort putting a 'returning stone' around their neck that will enable them to be teleported to a secure area in their sect's territory. It is advised for your character to be taken by whichever sect you'd like them to end up in.
❖ TO THE PLEROMA
In a dazzling flash of psychedelic light, you will find yourself brought to the Pleroma's lodestone: a monolithic rock set in the center of temple-like ruins. The entire cavern is hidden away beneath the ocean waves, just outside of Godsblood, and the ceiling itself is comprised of nothing but a barrier of water, as if held back from filling the space by some unknown force. The waters surrounding the lodestone are exactly body temperature, with swarms of tiny, violently iridescent fish darting through it. Crabs that look as if they're made of pure, clear crystal wander the sparkling, sandy shores.
There isn't much here in the way of accommodations, but it's comfortable enough that the new arrivals brought in by the Pleroma can take a moment to catch their breath. Some relatively plain but assorted new clothing will have been brought to the cavern to make sure they are actually clothed, as well as blankets and basic food items. It's a good time to ask your questions, or if you are an established Pleroma, to help out your freshly arrived peers. After all, their welcome at the shrine may have been a confusing one.
New arrivals will be permitted to leave the lodestone's temple when they are ready. Unfortunately, the only ways out of these place are through your choice of either swimming through pockets of water that eventually lead to the surface, or by spelunking through a series of tunnels to make your way the cliff faces near the city of Godsblood. More information about the city itself can be found on the setting page, though it would be preferable to keep TDM interactions to the lodestone area. As characters emerging from the shrines will start our as Untouched (more info about attunements here) they will not be permitted entry into Greentruth until they have attuned to Pleroma.
❖ TO THE KENOMA
As your returning stone activates, you will feel yourself thrust into a suffocating void, only to emerge just as quickly somewhere else. The most pressing thing on the minds of anyone taken by the Kenoma will be the vial of pitch black sludge they are forced to drink, whether it is before or after their arrival. Maybe their 'escort' from the shrine gave it to them, or perhaps another Kenoma does soon after they arrive. If not, one of the Achamite cultists wandering around definitely will. Dedicated servants to the Regent's will as they are, they are not afraid to gang up on the vulnerable new arrivals and force it down their throats.
Once in your mouth, the potion will slither down your throat as if it's a living thing. The effect takes hold quickly: as this darkness creeps through your insides, it will embolden your darkest and most despair inducing emotions, plaguing your thoughts with the worst sorrows of your life. What's worst, it simultaneously seems to awaken some form of enhanced psychic empathy within you, both projecting your thoughts for others to hear, and allowing you to receive those of the others around you in kind. Black ooze will begin to seep from orifices, or the space around your shard. The effects of this contamination bring out your worst, and its recipients will be forced to live with these effects until they accept the force corrupting them into their souls.
This world is not good enough, a voice speaks to your through the Kenoma. This suffering you feel, the cruelty that has birthed this darkness in you... it is simply the rot that is consuming this existence. A better universe awaits, one forged by your own hand, and all you need do is first bring about this broken reality's end.
How long this goes on will depend on how long the characters is able to fight it. Acceptance of the Kenoma can come as quickly as immediately, if your character is inclined towards it, or it could be drawn out to take a few days. In the meantime, they will have to stay in the barren halls surrounding the Regent's lodestone, and will not be permitted to exit into the greater Citadel as the current Kenoma are. All that will immediately be offered to them down there are stone slabs that can be used as beds and formless white robes that reach down past their knees.
Of course, that doesn't mean the characters that are already of the Kenoma can't do something about that. If they desire it, they will be able to bring food or other supplies to those suffering with their Kenoma infections, and it will be equally within their power to try anything from bullying them into accepting to lovebombing them. Once a character accepts the Kenoma and attunes to it, they will be permitted to leave, but for the sake of the TDM interactions should be kept to the lodestone area.
❖ TO THE PLEROMAIn a dazzling flash of psychedelic light, you will find yourself brought to the Pleroma's lodestone: a monolithic rock set in the center of temple-like ruins. The entire cavern is hidden away beneath the ocean waves, just outside of Godsblood, and the ceiling itself is comprised of nothing but a barrier of water, as if held back from filling the space by some unknown force. The waters surrounding the lodestone are exactly body temperature, with swarms of tiny, violently iridescent fish darting through it. Crabs that look as if they're made of pure, clear crystal wander the sparkling, sandy shores.
There isn't much here in the way of accommodations, but it's comfortable enough that the new arrivals brought in by the Pleroma can take a moment to catch their breath. Some relatively plain but assorted new clothing will have been brought to the cavern to make sure they are actually clothed, as well as blankets and basic food items. It's a good time to ask your questions, or if you are an established Pleroma, to help out your freshly arrived peers. After all, their welcome at the shrine may have been a confusing one.
New arrivals will be permitted to leave the lodestone's temple when they are ready. Unfortunately, the only ways out of these place are through your choice of either swimming through pockets of water that eventually lead to the surface, or by spelunking through a series of tunnels to make your way the cliff faces near the city of Godsblood. More information about the city itself can be found on the setting page, though it would be preferable to keep TDM interactions to the lodestone area. As characters emerging from the shrines will start our as Untouched (more info about attunements here) they will not be permitted entry into Greentruth until they have attuned to Pleroma.
❖ TO THE KENOMAAs your returning stone activates, you will feel yourself thrust into a suffocating void, only to emerge just as quickly somewhere else. The most pressing thing on the minds of anyone taken by the Kenoma will be the vial of pitch black sludge they are forced to drink, whether it is before or after their arrival. Maybe their 'escort' from the shrine gave it to them, or perhaps another Kenoma does soon after they arrive. If not, one of the Achamite cultists wandering around definitely will. Dedicated servants to the Regent's will as they are, they are not afraid to gang up on the vulnerable new arrivals and force it down their throats.
Once in your mouth, the potion will slither down your throat as if it's a living thing. The effect takes hold quickly: as this darkness creeps through your insides, it will embolden your darkest and most despair inducing emotions, plaguing your thoughts with the worst sorrows of your life. What's worst, it simultaneously seems to awaken some form of enhanced psychic empathy within you, both projecting your thoughts for others to hear, and allowing you to receive those of the others around you in kind. Black ooze will begin to seep from orifices, or the space around your shard. The effects of this contamination bring out your worst, and its recipients will be forced to live with these effects until they accept the force corrupting them into their souls.
This world is not good enough, a voice speaks to your through the Kenoma. This suffering you feel, the cruelty that has birthed this darkness in you... it is simply the rot that is consuming this existence. A better universe awaits, one forged by your own hand, and all you need do is first bring about this broken reality's end.
How long this goes on will depend on how long the characters is able to fight it. Acceptance of the Kenoma can come as quickly as immediately, if your character is inclined towards it, or it could be drawn out to take a few days. In the meantime, they will have to stay in the barren halls surrounding the Regent's lodestone, and will not be permitted to exit into the greater Citadel as the current Kenoma are. All that will immediately be offered to them down there are stone slabs that can be used as beds and formless white robes that reach down past their knees.
Of course, that doesn't mean the characters that are already of the Kenoma can't do something about that. If they desire it, they will be able to bring food or other supplies to those suffering with their Kenoma infections, and it will be equally within their power to try anything from bullying them into accepting to lovebombing them. Once a character accepts the Kenoma and attunes to it, they will be permitted to leave, but for the sake of the TDM interactions should be kept to the lodestone area.
QUESTIONS
Is this TDM canon?
Mostly! It's part of an in-game event. However, only threads with new players that app and are accepted will be considered game canon. Threads between old characters will all be canon, but threads involving new characters that don't apply or aren't accepted will either need to be tweaked to remove their involvement or made non-canon. New characters will also be able to decide TDM threads aren't canon if they end up changing directions.
Who can toplevel on this post?
Anyone, whether they are a new character or a current one. However, we do ask for current players to do their best to tag new characters. If you are bringing in a new character and want a current character to bring them into your sect of choice, post your request here! ICly, current characters are fighting to claim new arrivals, but it's up to the player of new characters where they ultimately end up going.
When is this TDM taking place chronologically?
The last few days of April. The shrines will be active and forming Aions during that time. The dreams will start around the 24th. All current Aions will be able to sense when it's time for the new arrivals to start emerging.
What are the shrines like?
Every shrine is comprised of the crystal-filled cavern character emerge inside and then the massive statue symbolizing the relevant Legacy built on top. More information about each shrine can be found in the "Aion Shrine" section of the setting page.
Are everyone's homeworlds really gone?
That's a complicated issue, and while the fate of their world is not without hope, they may certainly get the impression its been destroyed from the dream they had. Alternatively, they may refuse to believe what they felt and attempt to dismiss it as only a vision. More about this situation will be revealed as the game goes on.
Can I only experience one end of the dream sequence prompt?
New characters may experience one ending, both endings, or neither. If they experience both they will struggle to recall which came first or which feels the most 'true' to them, as both will simultaneously be the thought they are reborn with. If your character refuses to pursue either path they can simply linger in the middle until the infinite worlds above them start being extinguished one by one, eventually expelling them into darkness in a similar style to the light prompt. Which dreams they experience will not dictate their initial sect affiliation.
Is it possible to pull another character back from the end of the light or darkness dreams?
Yes! If your character is able to resist the pull of either end, they will have the chance to try to pull another character back from the edge of the abyss or the edge of oneness. Whether or not they succeed is entirely up to the other character, though.
Do you come out of the chrysalis wet?
For most intents and purposes it's the same experience as hatching out of a real butterfly chrysalis, so yes, a bit.
How does attunement to the Pleroma or Kenoma work for new characters?
More information about sect attunements can be read on their dedicated info page, but in summary: when new characters are brought to Horos, they will be in the state of being "Untouched" meaning they are not attuned to either sect. By the end of their first month in game it is expected they will either attune to Pleroma or Kenoma, though for those taken by the Kenoma's forces, the transition will be forced within the first few days. If taken in by the Pleroma, it may take then some time to attune to Pleroma, depending on the strength of their spirit, but it could also happen almost instantly if they are allowed to. How quickly it happens will depend on how strongly they align with the Pleroma's traits. Characters who have been taken by the Pleroma but that remain Untouched will not be allowed into Greentruth until their attunement to Pleroma is complete.
Can a character taken by one side end up attuning to the sect of the opposite one?
This is theoretically possible, yes: a person taken by the Kenoma could potentially resist the Kenoma's call, and someone taken by the Pleroma could end up falling to the Kenoma while staying with them. Generally, though, we recommend that you have your character be taken by whichever sect you want to end up in, as doing a switcheroo will cause narrative complications that might bog their introduction down in plotting that will need to be done with the mods. It can happen, but it is not to be done lightly!
Mostly! It's part of an in-game event. However, only threads with new players that app and are accepted will be considered game canon. Threads between old characters will all be canon, but threads involving new characters that don't apply or aren't accepted will either need to be tweaked to remove their involvement or made non-canon. New characters will also be able to decide TDM threads aren't canon if they end up changing directions.
Who can toplevel on this post?
Anyone, whether they are a new character or a current one. However, we do ask for current players to do their best to tag new characters. If you are bringing in a new character and want a current character to bring them into your sect of choice, post your request here! ICly, current characters are fighting to claim new arrivals, but it's up to the player of new characters where they ultimately end up going.
When is this TDM taking place chronologically?
The last few days of April. The shrines will be active and forming Aions during that time. The dreams will start around the 24th. All current Aions will be able to sense when it's time for the new arrivals to start emerging.
What are the shrines like?
Every shrine is comprised of the crystal-filled cavern character emerge inside and then the massive statue symbolizing the relevant Legacy built on top. More information about each shrine can be found in the "Aion Shrine" section of the setting page.
Are everyone's homeworlds really gone?
That's a complicated issue, and while the fate of their world is not without hope, they may certainly get the impression its been destroyed from the dream they had. Alternatively, they may refuse to believe what they felt and attempt to dismiss it as only a vision. More about this situation will be revealed as the game goes on.
Can I only experience one end of the dream sequence prompt?
New characters may experience one ending, both endings, or neither. If they experience both they will struggle to recall which came first or which feels the most 'true' to them, as both will simultaneously be the thought they are reborn with. If your character refuses to pursue either path they can simply linger in the middle until the infinite worlds above them start being extinguished one by one, eventually expelling them into darkness in a similar style to the light prompt. Which dreams they experience will not dictate their initial sect affiliation.
Is it possible to pull another character back from the end of the light or darkness dreams?
Yes! If your character is able to resist the pull of either end, they will have the chance to try to pull another character back from the edge of the abyss or the edge of oneness. Whether or not they succeed is entirely up to the other character, though.
Do you come out of the chrysalis wet?
For most intents and purposes it's the same experience as hatching out of a real butterfly chrysalis, so yes, a bit.
How does attunement to the Pleroma or Kenoma work for new characters?
More information about sect attunements can be read on their dedicated info page, but in summary: when new characters are brought to Horos, they will be in the state of being "Untouched" meaning they are not attuned to either sect. By the end of their first month in game it is expected they will either attune to Pleroma or Kenoma, though for those taken by the Kenoma's forces, the transition will be forced within the first few days. If taken in by the Pleroma, it may take then some time to attune to Pleroma, depending on the strength of their spirit, but it could also happen almost instantly if they are allowed to. How quickly it happens will depend on how strongly they align with the Pleroma's traits. Characters who have been taken by the Pleroma but that remain Untouched will not be allowed into Greentruth until their attunement to Pleroma is complete.
Can a character taken by one side end up attuning to the sect of the opposite one?
This is theoretically possible, yes: a person taken by the Kenoma could potentially resist the Kenoma's call, and someone taken by the Pleroma could end up falling to the Kenoma while staying with them. Generally, though, we recommend that you have your character be taken by whichever sect you want to end up in, as doing a switcheroo will cause narrative complications that might bog their introduction down in plotting that will need to be done with the mods. It can happen, but it is not to be done lightly!
return - I;
He reaches out to steady the stranger and himself after the near-clash, waiting until he regains his footing to finally address him. ]
It's no trouble at all. I might have been standing in a bad spot, come to think of it... I was also looking for a few friendly faces from back home just now, but I've had no luck so far. How about you? Who're you looking for?
[ He's met a very small number of people since he'd woke up in this place, but who knows? One of them could be a friend of this guy's, and Thoma may as well chip in and help where he can while also continuing his search. ]
no subject
None, [ he admits ruefully, in answer to the luck he's had. of course he wouldn't be the only one hoping to find other familiar faces. if they've all seen the same thing, or something like it — who could help worrying? ] Egwene al'Vere, Perrin Aybara, Nynaeve al'Meara, or Mat Cauthon. Or, [ with a trace of uncertainty, ] my father. Tam al'Thor.
[ he sketches brief descriptions of them — dark-haired all, egwene's and nynaeve's braids that'd mark them from the two rivers, perrin with his blacksmith's build and mat's likelihood to be finding trouble. tam, who thoma may or may not notice that he doesn't seem to much resemble. ]
I'd like to help you too, if I can. If there's anyone you want me to keep an eye out for.
no subject
Hmm... can't say they ring a bell, but I'll keep an eye out. Who should I point them to in case I do find them?
[ He knows he's still got a lot of ground to cover as far as this place is concerned, so he hasn't ruled out the possibility that he might eventually run into any of them in the near future.
As for who he's looking for, two main ones come to mind– ]
I'm mostly trying to find Ayato or Ayaka Kamisato. You can't miss them. They both have silver hair and blue eyes, and they should have their family crest somewhere on their clothes. If only I could draw it out...
[ Too bad there aren't any brushes and paper anywhere, but he does manage to find a stick so he can draw a fairly decent camellia flower in the dirt. ]
There. Something like that.
no subject
but more seriously, he nods at the response. he'd hoped, of course, and it hurts, but neither is he fully surprised that they aren't here. but it's a big world. it must be. he hesitates, briefly, then, ]
Rand. You can tell them Rand al'Thor's looking for them.
[ which could get quite a reaction considering the way things were when he last saw them, but alive to be angry with him is better than the alternative.
and he listens, then, to names that really do sound just as foreign to him — but he commits them to memory, ayato, ayaka. the descriptor of silver hair and blue eyes garners an eyebrow raise of surprise — but only that. his own lighter hair and eyes stood out in two rivers, so he can only imagine how strange they'd seem at home. and, admittedly, vice versa. he crouches to get a better look at the drawn flower, splays a hand nearby. ]
Family crest, [ he echoes, a little bemused. ] Are they some kind of royalty?
[ at least, he's not really sure what families have crests beyond those on thrones. he's certainly never known anyone with the like. ]
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[ He's sure he can memorize everything if he tries –or more like, he has no choice but to, given his ongoing lack of writing implements. Besides, he's memorized tea and food orders more intense than that.
Oh, right, he should elaborate a little more on himself now. It's only fair. ]
They're from one of the head families in Inazuma and the heads of the Yashiro Commission, which I realize might mean nothing to you.
[ Why would it? As far as Thoma is aware, no one's heard of Inazuma let alone Teyvat here, so he tries to summarize their role a little better. ]
To really answer your question, not quite royalty but pretty well-respected. I'm Thoma, their housekeeper and retainer. Pleasure to meet you all the way out here. Never thought I'd get to travel words like the Traveler herself, so it's a lot to get used to.
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[ it's a strange thing, the easy kindness. not because rand hasn't been treated well before — his childhood was fairly idyllic — but because he doesn't expect it from strangers. he's spent so little time away from home, even if it feels much longer, and all of it on the run. breen's spring taught him that absolutely anyone could be a darkfriend, and later experience only confirmed it. even those who weren't evil weren't necessarily trustworthy, or even helpful. even here, upon his wakening into this world, the very first person he met turned out to be a danger.
regardless, it's just as well thoma's self-aware about how little rand probably knows about his world. his expression had grown increasingly blank during the initial answer, and he makes a rueful sound at the end of it. the next is much easier to follow, thank the light. ]
It's good to meet you too. [ is sincere, even as he wonders what a being noble's(?) retainer entails. but thoma clearly cares them, so that's a mark in those peoples' favor. ] Like the — sorry, what?
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There's this woman... I don't know her age really or where she came from, but she's completely sweet and kind-of amazing. Her name's Lumine, but we call her 'the Traveler' because she came from afar.
[ Is he going off on a tangent? He's going off on a tangent, isn't he? He chuckles a little nervously. ]
Don't know if she's here, but she's short, about this height– [ He motions with his hand. ] Blond hair, golden eyes, usually wearing white. You can't miss her.
[ Unless he did already miss her. Truthfully, there are a lot of people around the lodestone, so it's easy to miss anyone. ]
She's the only one I know who's ever traveled across realms, which is why I'm wondering if we managed to do the same. She'd probably know more about it if we did and could help us get back to our worlds.
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this matters.
nevertheless, he has to shake his head at the description (golden eyes?). it doesn't ring a bell, at least, but that doesn't have to mean much. ]
I'll watch for her too.
[ since he may as well, and it's not as if keeping a sharp eye for three people is harder than keeping one for two, and — it'd be a lie to say he isn't drawn in by the hope she could help them. ]
Do you really think she could find a way back?
[ never mind the fear of whether or not there is anywhere to go back to. if there's even a chance... ]
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Honestly, I'm not sure if she would, but it's still more her area of expertise than it is mine. The furthest I've traveled was from continent to continent, so I couldn't even imagine how to transcend reality.
[ Not even a vision from the Archons is strong enough to accomplish that, but maybe one of the Archons themselves could manage it. After all, the electro Archon had cultivated her own space on a different plane, inaccessible to normal humans like him, but Lumine had been capable of going inside. ]
I don't supposed you've had contacts of your own who are good with travel between realms? That'd be too fortunate. Even a mage or priestess or someone of that caliber might be helpful.
[ Of all those names the guy listed earlier, someone has to at least have some magical knowledge. Maybe even Rand himself. One should never judge a book by its cover, many say! ]
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[ taren ferry used to be the end of the known universe, as far as he was concerned. things may be different now, but not this different. he's crossed maybe half or more of the way across their landmass before it becomes the spine of the world and the aiel waste. from emonds field to tar valon to the borderlands was no mean feat, least of all for a boy who'd barely left his village for most of his life. the idea seeing another continent is too big to wrap his mind around: how would you get there? it'd have to be strange and different, but in what ways? it'd have to be a long time at sea, surely.
here's an irony that neither rand nor thoma has any way of knowing about: not so far in his distant future, he will learn a thing or two about travel between realms. he'll discover old artifacts called portal stones, pick up a thing or two about multiverse theory.
but until then, he shakes his head. ]
I've never heard of anything like it. I wouldn't have even thought it was possible. But there's someone I could try asking. She's more likely to know than I am, anyway.
[ moiraine might at least have ideas, much as he suspects she wouldn't still be here if she knew some secret to traveling between realities. ]
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Plus, they all managed to get to the lodestone from the cave via teleportation, so someone in this very world might have mastered easy travel across realms with their own native magic. It's just a matter of finding them and bargaining. Not that Thoma has much to offer at the moment aside from free labor, but sometimes that alone is enough to get by. Who doesn't need an extra set of hands to aid them along? ]
Alright, so we got two people to keep our eyes peeled for between your friend and mine. In the meantime, we should find the nearest town. I heard a few talking about recruitment, and I'm sure there's got to be way more landmarks than the giant lodestone and the cave we woke up in.
[ It looks like before he can get exploring, he really has to master any mode of transportation in this world. How does one get past all the water? He's not the strongest swimmer nor can he freeze it up to make passage easier to the surface. ]
Uh... how are you swimming, by the way?
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but it isn't a bad idea by any means. there's no point to following the pleroma back to whatever base they have only to sit there and twiddle their thumbs. all in all, if asked, he'd say thoma's doing well with orchestrating solutions here already. he nods, then offers, ]
But if you hear of a city called Achamoth, be sure to steer clear of it. From how one of the Kenoma spoke, it might be where a lot of them are.
[ unsafe, in other words. but the question earns an easy grin. it's nice to feel useful, after the ordeal of their arrival. he casts a glance towards the water as he says, ]
I've spent more hours than I can count, swimming in the lakes around home. It shouldn't be too difficult to leave here.
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I'm sure we can find someone with a map somewhere or just ask them which direction Achamoth is in and avoid it altogether. Did they tell you why we should steer clear of it?
[ Will they be killed on sight? Is it populated by monsters? Is it like the places in Inazuma where the Archon's lightning is set to strike down at anything foolish to wander through? He's sure he'll find out eventually but would rather not learn that the hard way.
As for swimming, he's relieved to have a capable swimmer by his side. It reduces their chances of drowning, though he's almost sure he can hold his breath long enough. He just needs to paddle fast with his legs. ]
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The Kenoma man wanted to take me there. He might have been lying about that, but I don't think he was. It's possible their Regent is there.
[ and if that's the case, it's not a place rand wants to go in any hurry. he's no coward, but there is such a thing as seeking out trouble — especially trouble you aren't adequately prepared to face. ]
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Were they trying to recruit you? There were a lot of folks who showed up at the cave, so it felt a bit chaotic. I didn't get as much chance to interrogate our rescuers as I would have liked.
[ He was more interested in getting clothed and eating at the time, but without either of those being a pressing need at the moment, his head is clear to consider their present situation more clearly. ]
...Hey, why did you come out this way instead of going to the Regent?
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[ and it was a close enough call that rand knows the man had meant the threat. he shakes his head, frowning. it's a good thing that thoma didn't have an experience like that. but it's left him with a bad taste in his mouth about the kenoma, and, despite himself, angry. with them. with himself.
he breathes out, says, ]
They have some — I don't know what it was, a tincture they make you drink if you go with them. It looked awful. [ moiraine had said it would've broken him, and he's not sure he wants to know what that means. ] But the worst thing is that they want to destroy everything. He admitted it himself. [ fiercely, ] I'll never be part of something like that.
[ in the moment, coming here had simply been the alternative to going there. here, to what had to be relative safety with moiraine; instead of there, an unknown place with a man who was ready to hurt him. but everything he's heard from the kenoma, back at the shrine and since coming here, has only cemented to him that he made the right choice. ]
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It seems like he made the right choice in the end, even if he can't help but feel anxious about those who didn't –forced to serve and follow someone they know next to nothing about and who's chosen such a violent path forward. ]
Did they act any different after drinking the potion? Or was it poisonous? No, they would have fallen ill or worse after drinking it...
[ What if its sole purpose was to drain the free will of those who would rebel? A terrifying thought. ]
There has to be some way to save them. We can't leave them there if they were taken against their will.
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You'd have to ask someone who's been here longer than I have. I don't know very much about it.
[ he's just heard bits and pieces, all terrifying. enough to paint a vivid picture, but probably not provide the level of detail thoma's looking for. moiraine had called the stuff a poison, but she may not have meant that literally. ]
We'll need a way to find out who was and wasn't taken against their will.
[ — because, for all that he was nearly taken himself, he hadn't thought very far about this possibility yet. looking at amos, and the way moiraine had spoken with him, he's sure that some aions who went over to the regent's side did so willingly. maybe even a lot of them. it's hard to say. ]
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For now, he'd like to simply leave this area and explore their immediate surroundings a bit more. ]
We can talk to the villagers in the nearby towns and encampments first and see what we can find out about the other arrivals' situation. Do you need any kind of weapon? I'm still missing my spear and vision, but I might be able to wrangle us a few basics.
[ He thinks he saw someone handing out quarter staffs, which is better than nothing as far as self-defense goes. ]
I also saved some bread that they were handing out... though not a lot. If we see boars out there in the wild, I could probably make us a decent meal out of one. How about you? Ever hunted?
[ Rand looks sturdy enough, so he's had to have had some combat training. ]
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a part of him is tempted to laugh, pure bitterness. likely, the dragon reborn doesn't, shouldn't. but he's barely been able to do better than sense the Source, and that's. maybe for the best. already caused problems. something he wants, and doesn't. but dithering too long on a simple question isn't going to help either of them. ]
I'm good with a bow, if we can find any.
[ there have to be bows around here, doesn't there? at worst, he can carve himself one, but that'll take time and resources. and speaking of resources — ]
Not wild boars. [ with a glimmer of amusement, if not amazement. light, the thought. ] Rabbits, mostly. But I can fish and find birds' eggs, if we're lucky. We may be able to find berries and mushrooms too.
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Alright, let's split up and find some supplies before we take off so we're not adventuring empty-handed. We can meet back here on this spot in about an hour. I don't think there's any danger sticking around this strange sanctuary a little longer.
[ He hasn't caught wind of any threats aside from a pick-pocket or two, which is normal for any crowded area. Hopefully, Rand should be fine if Thoma takes his eyes off him for a while, and he's not terribly worried about himself. He might not have his vision equipped, but he can still throw a good enough punch without it if he needs to. ]
Are you going to be fine on your own? You can just call out for 'Thoma' if you do run into trouble.