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Aion Mods ([personal profile] aionmods) wrote in [community profile] aionooc2022-02-13 02:00 pm

TDM #1

TDM #1
DREAMING
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
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.]

CAPTIVITY
It seems that someone was waiting for you to arrive, and not in the most friendly of ways. Though the specifics of who comes to get you will vary according to which legacy shrine your character awakens at, there are certain commonalities: most notably, how they are ostensibly here to capture and imprison you. It's easy for them, all considered. You can barely stand, so fresh out of your chrysalis, and whatever powers or special abilities you may have had will not answer your call. Even worse, your would be captors are well equipped for the job.

Each group arrives with several 'whips' made of unknown materials. What makes them so special only become obvious when one of them inevitable snakes its way around your body. Whether it be your ankle or your neck, being bound by these cords puts you under the influence of whoever is holding the other end of your leash. Your mind remains untouched, but you will find yourself physically incapable of performing physical actions that go against their will. While the possibilities are frightening, thankfully they all just seem to want one thing: for you to come along as a good little prisoner and to not cause any of them too much trouble.

The rest depends on your character's legacy:

THE LOVER
The small island the shrine is built upon is approached by several modest boats with colorful sails. They carry what appears to be a collection of fearful fisherfolk and town guards. They are reluctant to speak with those being pulled out of the shrine or even look them in the eye. If they have their choice, the entire process will be done in silence. If you try too hard to upset them, the guards will sternly bring you to heel.

THE CELEBRANT
The infrastructure of an entire festival ground seems to be built around this shrine, and as a result, there are an usual amount of people present. While most keep their distance, a few will engage with the local guards that arrive to capture the Aions, complaining that this is going to interfere with their preparations for the upcoming Lover’s Festival. They are pushed aside in short order, and the rest of the retrieval will be done in a stern but business-like manner.

THE MARTYR
At first, those arriving to capture the Aions will be hesitant to even enter the barren crater this shrine is held within. Once the presence of the new arrivals becomes clear, however, they will run in as if crossing the no man’s land of a battlefield and complete their work with gusto. It appears to be mostly military folk and they seem to lack any patience or sympathy for those they capture.

THE SOVEREIGN
The captors here seem to be a mixed bag, almost as if two separate squadrons have arrived at the same time. One is a gathering of people who give off the impression of mountain folk, while the others are well armored soldiers. Though it will be hard to make out the specifics, there seems to be some manner of disagreement between these two parties over what should be done, but the ones kitted out in full military attire win out in the end. By then, they are completely out of patience for further resistance.

THE ARTISAN
The people here seem to have mixed feelings about your arrival. On one hand, it seems to be a moment of considerable trepidation, on the other, they seem unbearably curious about your nature. They will ask questions about any unusual features you have, or what your skills are, while others from the group try just as hard to shush them. Ultimately, they don’t seem that enthusiastic about having to capture you, but they also don’t seem to think they have much choice.

THE INNOCENT
Among rolling hills of flowers, at first it seems as if this shrine may not be visited at all. Before the arriving Aions can escape it, though - naked and weakened as they are - a group of fairly normal looking townsfolk will arrive. They pause as they spot you near the shrine, almost like they are hesitating about coming at all. In the end, they will converge upon you and ask for you to please cooperate. They won’t hurt you, as long as you come with them.

THE SEEKER
Armored soldiers are the ones to first pull you from the shrine, but as you arrive outside of it you'll see that it is situated at the edge of a great forest. An ancient observatory is build into the cliff face behind the shrine, and your captors are apparently in the process of negotiating with a series of robed individuals that have emerged from it. According to them, the soldiers kidnapping you are trespassing. Unfortunately, they are not the ones with weapons.

THE WANDERER
When you first emerge from the shrine, it will appear as if you have just missed a skirmish. There are a few bodies scattered about, all wearing woodland armor made of leather and fur. The victors, it seems, come in the form of fully armored soldiers. Thoroughly irritated by the fight that just happened, they will not waste time on niceties. If you try to ask them what just happened, the best you may get is a sneer about ‘those damn forest people.’ You may spot a couple more bodies on the trail leading out of the forest as well.

THE FIREBRAND
The first thing to be seen beyond the cavern entrance is a sheer drop into a raging canyon river far below you, with only a narrow path leading up the steep cliff face. It would be a difficult situation, even without black-cloaked warriors making their way down it to collect you. Struggle too much and you'll be at risk of being thrown into the chasm. These masked assailants are largely unmoved by your protests and will drag you the entire way up the cliff if you force them to. "Your soul will be claimed," they say.

THE VISIONARY
The view from the mouth of the cavern is awe inspiring, revealing the foreign shapes of a world you've never seen before. Unfortunately, the altitude of this shrine means you will also be greeted with sharp wind and biting cold. Fortunately, or not, a party of mountaineers and three black-cloaked warriors will arrive to collect you. Despite their seeming inability to defy the orders of the warriors, the mountaineers will toss you some shoes and blankets for the trek down, even if they are taken away from you later. If the warriors speak at all, it's mostly in the form of ominous utterances.

THE CHAMPION
Even if one were to stagger out of the shrine's cavern before being approached, the Aions arriving here will swiftly find themselves in a hopeless situation. Not only are there soldiers here to collect there is a moderately sized military barracks built around the shrine itself, and this particular squadron is not on your side. You will be swarmed before you can get far at all. There seems to be a mix of two squadrons here, some wearing heavy armor and red accents, while the others wear full face masks and dark cloaks.

Once you've been captured and pulled from the shrine, you will given a formless white gown made of moderately comfortable fabric, with sleeves reaching your elbows and its bottom reaching down past your knees. You will not be given pants or shoes. You're in for a journey, apparently - no matter who plucked you from the cave, most of the heavily armored soldiers in the prompts above will turn out to be 'Hylician soldiers', while the smaller number of black-robed warriors are referred to 'Achamites'. After the initial dealings with the shrines, all prisoners will be passed off to a squadron of Hylicians, though a few Achamites may follow along depending on the location.

Where are you all going? Back to Hylici, apparently.

WAITING
After you've been handed off to the the Hylician military, you have a long road ahead of you. Loaded up onto carts, and then eventually onto river borne boats, the people collected at the shrines will all be brought to a forest in the center of Horos. Along the way, the squadron ferrying you will combine with others from neighboring shrines, more and more captives arriving in your group the closer to your destination you get.

Along the way you will be fed and watered well enough (though only with military rations), and at night you will be given flimsy bedrolls to sleep around the fire with. Captives will be under constant watch by the Hylician guard, and anyone who shows any signs of resistance will be required to be bound by one of those magic whips, usually around the ankle or wrist. The rest of the trip is spent being pulled along in carts or the storage bays of boats. After the groups start converging, captives of the same legacy will not necessarily be kept together.

The final muster point of the Hylicians and their captives will be among forest ruins. For what purpose you have arrived they will not say, but the entire group will be camping there until preparations are complete. Sadly, you won't be allowed much space to explore - not without being bound and under watch. If you've behaved yourself it's possible to move about the central ruins, but only if the guards are confident they'll be able to wrangle you when necessary. It does allow for moderately private conversations along the pillars and walls of the ruins, but venturing out into the forest itself is definitely out of the question.

From beginning to end, characters will spent about two weeks in transit and waiting in the ruins. To what end is yet to be seen, but if you listen closely, you may hear whispers of a 'ritual space' being prepared.

QUESTIONS
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?
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 intial 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.

Can my character resist the influence of the whips?
Those possessed of particularly strong wills may be able to struggle with the whip's control in brief spurts, but not long enough to make a full escape attempt. They may be able to take an impotent swing at one of the guards or fight against being pulled along, though. Naturally, doing this will indicate to the Hylicians that you are a problem, and their handling of you will become harsher the more it occurs.

How cruel will the Hylicians be to the player characters?
The Hylician military are not friendly people and come across as being a bit callous even at the best of times. However, unless you provoke them, they will be primarily focused on just getting the job done with as few interruption as possible. If your character makes a habit of pissing them off, either by constantly fighting back or just by being persistently obnoxious, their treatment will get worse. If driven to it, they may take the opportunity to take out their frustrations on particularly troublesome prisoners, via physical punishment, humiliation, or deprivation.

sweetsong: do not take any. ty. (pic#15414564)

[personal profile] sweetsong 2022-02-17 12:18 am (UTC)(link)
[ no, there isn't. he could probably remove it himself given time and the pain is somewhat dull and fading pretty quickly, even with the weakness still in his muscles. ]

N-no. I can't just sit here. I have to look for my friends and my brother.

[ at this point? everyone is his friend. all of eclipse, all of lost eden. ange, eve, and guil. even pannya! a world without even one of them would break his crystalline heart into pieces.

his eyes flash from red back to normal green as desperation rises and then immediately falls back into the pit of his stomach. ]


Do you think you can help me?
sweetsong: do not take any. ty. (128)

[personal profile] sweetsong 2022-02-17 12:18 am (UTC)(link)
Just because things seem bleak, doesn't mean you should ignore the small good things.

[ after all: they could be at each other's throats instead. ]

Maybe things will be better than we think...?
sweetsong: do not take any. ty. (121)

[personal profile] sweetsong 2022-02-17 12:18 am (UTC)(link)
[ that's right. robin has no equipment other than the clothes on his back. he's pretty sure that being a singer has absolutely no weight here either... and that as a vampire, he couldn't use his feelings to win anyone over. ]

I just want to know what kind of ritual they plan on performing here... it doesn't sound good.
epiprocta: (14)

[personal profile] epiprocta 2022-02-17 12:29 am (UTC)(link)
[ Yeah, it's warm alright.

And frankly, the sensation makes his stomach churn a little.

It's nothing overt, not like he's about to feel sick. But Gen's expression does tense with disomfort at the feel of blood seeping from that deep wound, beading around the shape of his finger before starting to run down the contour of his hand, painting lurid lines down that pale throat. And while it's not like he's unfamiliar with the warmth of blood on his hands, this is different from the more familiar feeling of tingling at his knuckles, the almost-pleasant numbness that accompanies punching someone in the face and feeling his own skin tear. This is more -- (The iron stench of blood, clinging nauseatingly to his face. The sensation of too much blood starting to dry sticky against his skin. And the way light slid off those liquid splatters almost prettily, impossible to look away from. It's all a little too familiar.)

He'd been regarding that morbid sight in silence, expression kept impressively cold and flat but the sudden additional pressure of Makoto's hand against his finally earns a proper reaction. Gen tenses, his next breath huffed out hoarse and a little halting, before abruptly yanking his hand back away from the warmth of Makoto's throat. The move's so quick that it might have torn another stitch or two, his fingertip inadvertently hooked against the edges of that injury, but like he cares. It's Makoto's fault for getting him to dig deeper in the first place.

With his hand free he stares sharply at his quarry for a moment before looking down at his soiled hand. Letting out another slow breath before shaking it to flick off the worst of the blood, then pointedly reaching forward to wipe it dry against the front of Makoto's robe. His blood, so it's only fair that his robe be used to clean it up, right. ]


Not into that sort of fantasy shit. And I'm not in the mood to play twenty questions. Spill it, or don't.

[ Delinquents live and die by their ability to maintain control and put up a strong front, so of course Gen does an admirable job feigning calm even as his skin prickles with the lingering warmth of that gruesome wound. But as Gen withdraws his hand from both Makoto's robe-front and the tangle of his hair, maybe Makoto notices the way he avoids meeting his gaze for a moment or two too long, instead looking down at his hand where blood's clinging under the curve of his nail. Contemplating it in sullen silence for a moment before finally directing his glare back up at Makoto. ]

Dunno if you did that yourself, but you sure don't look like you mind. You into that sorta shit? Surprised you're not getting the guards to lend you a hand, if that's the case.
conceivesfrenzy: (47)

[personal profile] conceivesfrenzy 2022-02-17 12:38 am (UTC)(link)
[ She laughs at that. ]

Kind of a weird, specific thing to be hallucinating, don't you think? Maybe you're just in a coma, instead?

[ ... how that more logical than just tripping out on bad food? You know what, maybe it's not worth elaborating. ]

Well, regardless of whether that actually happens or not doesn't really matter, does it? They think it's going to, which is enough reasoning for them to start picking people off, right?
solitudehunter: (Some people wanna see what I see)

[personal profile] solitudehunter 2022-02-17 12:40 am (UTC)(link)
Huh...

[That push is just enough for Rovan to let go. Better than nothing. He spares an idle glance back to their guards (they've already lost interest) before refocusing on Dextera.]

Selective mutism? Well, not that I really care. Whatever it is, I won't be expecting you to be alerting the undead anytime soon. [A sigh.] How'd you communicate, kid? Can you write?
epiprocta: (86)

[personal profile] epiprocta 2022-02-17 12:43 am (UTC)(link)
... fuckin' cheapskate.

[ Even if it weren't muffled by the way he has his head ducked, it'd be a lame excuse for a barb. Half-hearted at best, tossed out more out of habit than with any clear intent.

Because yeah, he gets it. Not that he's the type to balk at fights in the first place, but if he knew someone in this godforsaken place had cigarettes, he'd probably fight like a beast to monopolize them. God, he wants a smoke so bad. ]


D'you think they even have'em here. Can't even tell what year this place is stuck in.
coerthantorment: (129)

[personal profile] coerthantorment 2022-02-17 12:46 am (UTC)(link)
[She says that so boldly, one would almost think that she had knowledge of a scheme that would lead to such an event. He can't see how, though. To him, their prospects are steadily getting worse, not better.]

What makes you think that?

[He's willing to hear her thoughts, but too much confidence can be its own drug. When are they meant to have their moment, he wonders?]

To me, it seems as if we are reaching the end. If their intent for us is anything like the slavers of my own world, there'll be no coming back.
epiprocta: (12)

[personal profile] epiprocta 2022-02-17 12:54 am (UTC)(link)
[ It takes another long moment of staring, brow lowered and eyes narrowed, but Gen does manage to get the gist of what Dextera's trying to say this time. Although maybe it's not really for the better. ]

... what, you saying I shouldn't fight them?

[ There's a clear note of derision in his voice, and Gen gives a disdainful scoff as he withdraws his arm once more. ]

The fuck is it with you people here just lying down and taking it. So scared of a few bruises ... [ Though his words are a little undermined by the way he listlessly rubs at the worst of the abrasions on his arm. ] Who knows what those assholes are planning. 'm not just gonna let it happen.
epiprocta: (40)

[personal profile] epiprocta 2022-02-17 12:59 am (UTC)(link)
[ ... so that's the plan.

He can't pretend it doesn't rankle at him, being used as the de-factor guinea pig against those whips, and Gen's expression darkens a touch. But still -- at this point he holds enough of a grudge against those guards that he'll even cooperate with others if there's a chance of winning one of those assholes. ]


... those whips do something to your head. [ He keeps his words low, muttered between small bites of the rations. ] Fucks with your movements. Not a drug or anything -- I could still move sometimes. But it's like they can control you.

[ That information given, he watches Ernesto intensely for a reaction. Seeing what this guy does with that information. ]
conceivesfrenzy: (78)

ii ;)

[personal profile] conceivesfrenzy 2022-02-17 01:02 am (UTC)(link)
Must not be a terribly important one, if we have to be fit into their busy schedules. [ Alice giggles, standing over Ramirra as she sulks. Naturally, she's not allowed much more of a leash for similar reasons, but at least she gave it more of the old college try. ]

Maybe they're just a bunch of sickos that like to watch defenseless people get taken advantage of and starved? That seems more likely, at this point.
semicharmed: (bad idea)

ii

[personal profile] semicharmed 2022-02-17 01:04 am (UTC)(link)
[ It's safe to say that Matt has never seen anything or anyone like Ramirra. Naturally drawn to a person's unique qualities, he's fascinated by the tentacles atop her head, the chitin that gleams like specks of obsidian or onyx. But he's also cognizant that like, she's a person deserving of whatever scraps of dignity they can maintain around here, so he tries not to stare. Likewise, he skims past the marks on her forearms. His gaze drops to her hands, tracking the spiral shapes she's sketching in the earth.

When she speaks, he huffs a soft laugh from his spot on the ground. He doesn't have any whips on him at present, or even any marks of struggle; there's a faint hairline scar on his left cheek, but that looks years old. ]


My money says they're waiting for some high priest. Or maybe for an astrologically auspicious moment.

Or maybe making our devourer cranky and impatient is part of their religion?
coerthantorment: (41)

[personal profile] coerthantorment 2022-02-17 01:11 am (UTC)(link)
Estinien nods his head. Howl's sentiment about war, how he'd been giving it his everything, seemingly for naught - Estinien feels much the same. The idea that they could have fought so hard, only for it to all be washed away the moment he thought they were finally at peace... it's horrible to consider. He's not sure he could stand it.

There's enough uncertainty that he doesn't feel the full weight of the loss, but it's just as impossible to be at ease. The possibility alone is enough to cause him pain.

"Aye. And if so... what about our beings saw us alone spared... to be reborn in such a manner?" He shakes his head. "I would not allow myself to surrender to despair so easily, but the possibility will not leave my mind. We must needs find the truth."
fingergunning: (Profile - No shirt sleeves 1)

[personal profile] fingergunning 2022-02-17 01:14 am (UTC)(link)
"Back at ya," he retorts, scratching at an itch at the back of his neck. Nothing about this place was normal. Nothing. Not the way he woke up, not the way there was an armed escort, not the weird mind controlling weapons, and not the whole attitude of everyone around here. He wasn't even taking the 'may not be entirely human' aspect into consideration, but when that did join in, it just made it harder for him to actually see any of this as reality. But it was. Dreams didn't itch or hurt so much. And he was hungry.
fingergunning: (Talking - 2)

[personal profile] fingergunning 2022-02-17 01:17 am (UTC)(link)
[She does that thing that classy women do where they can sit there, looking up at you, and make it seem like they're looking down at you at the bottom of their shoe. He had no idea how they did that and it was a mystery to him that he wondered if it was gender specific or classist or... something. Either way, she was definitely giving him that look now and he felt like his teacher was about to scold him. Instead, she dropped that tidbit on him and he couldn't quite keep in the scoff.]

What, like fate? Come on, you can't actually believe in that, right?

[He could go along with accepting whatever decision he made, good or bad, regardless of consequences, because it was his choice to make and he made it, but... faith? The idea that something led him here or he was destined to be somewhere or something... nah. He couldn't lean that far into it.]
Edited (icon? whyfor you do that, icon.) 2022-02-17 01:17 (UTC)
bloodsins: (💥 07)

[personal profile] bloodsins 2022-02-17 01:29 am (UTC)(link)
[Vicious has seen this guy around, sure, and something about him seems oddly familiar somehow, as if he's met the guy in a non-canon event or something equally weird. Oh well. Maybe he's just got one of those faces.]

Ain't that the way of it? If all of this is some ritual just to try to get some asshole laid, that's... actually pretty funny.

[Hold on, okay that's maybe not the point, but—]

Anyway, "lover's festival" is better than anythin' else I've heard from anyone so far. Look at that, we might actually know slightly more than we did before.

[He laughs and rolls his eyes, because we are really making zero progress here.

...And rather unfortunately, Vicious does not seem to recognize Orwin at all. Poor Orwin doesn't deserve this (probably).]
youngprodigy: (∉ from the worst to the best)

[personal profile] youngprodigy 2022-02-17 01:48 am (UTC)(link)
[Cid would be shocked if there's anyone who isn't on high alert after everything they've gone through in such a short while.]

I hate that there's naught to do but wait. We won't like the news; keeping us here won't make much difference in our reactions.
youngprodigy: (∉ on a never-ending quest)

[personal profile] youngprodigy 2022-02-17 01:53 am (UTC)(link)
[He raises his brows.]

It's a bit beyond that with the Empire, I'm afraid. They've killed off the royal families of multiple nations, and repurposed the castles into fortresses.

[But as for that second statement...]

I don't believe we are in a position to do much of anything. Even the Warrior of Light is powerless here, and she's the sort to storm into enemy territory by herself and succeed.
youngprodigy: (∉ and catch up with fate)

[personal profile] youngprodigy 2022-02-17 01:56 am (UTC)(link)
I wouldn't know.

If I were to hazard a guess, I'd say no. We're more like to see a second-in-command.
doomsight: (pic#15452820)

[personal profile] doomsight 2022-02-17 01:57 am (UTC)(link)
[ Her nose wrinkles, pulling odd creases into the leather-like skin of her face. ]

You think so? [ About starving, she means. She's never heard of an unimportant blood sacrifice, but people look at her sideways when she says things like that, so she usually doesn't. ] They're doing a pretty bad job of it, then — we'll be here for months. Hey[ Suddenly, her expression unpinches; her eyes widen, round and bulging. ] You think they need someone to give them tips?
perfectlygoodbird: (questioning)

[personal profile] perfectlygoodbird 2022-02-17 01:58 am (UTC)(link)
"My name is Meteion," she replies. "I wish only to hear your words, share your feelings, and know your thoughts...though here, that is nearly impossible!"

She's been mild enough for all this time, but there's a definite hint of heat in her words at the end. Her voice hasn't risen enough for the guards to notice, but it does seem that even her patience has its end. She shakes her head a moment.

"May we please be friends? And may I ask your name, as well?"
bloodsins: (💥 96)

[personal profile] bloodsins 2022-02-17 02:02 am (UTC)(link)
Eh, still better than these goons. Anyone who can give us any info'd be better than them, though.

But who knows, guess we really have no options but to sit around until they show themselves.
perfectlygoodbird: (silly little clown)

[personal profile] perfectlygoodbird 2022-02-17 02:08 am (UTC)(link)
"Townsfolk," Meteion agreed. "Those are who came for me, though I cannot say why--and yes, they handed me over to the guards." She doesn't really understand any of it, and that's clear to see. But the Au Ra isn't the type to deceive or mislead--not unless totally necessary. And Meteion is not inclined to make her choose that. Not for the moment, and likely, not at all.

"I imagine they have some sort of plan in mind, but as things are now, I cannot tell. And I doubt they'd answer if I asked." Even with her air of innocence and harmlessness, at the moment, there are a few who know what she could be capable of. Assuming there was enough dynamis here to fuel her powers.

She glances at the empty space near her, then up to Himeka. "It is not. You are quite welcome to take it, if you like."
theorems: icon by sousaphone (pic#15383470)

[personal profile] theorems 2022-02-17 02:49 am (UTC)(link)
[It seems so far, Viktor's new companion is getting away with it. Either negotiations are distracting enough to the majority of the soldiers that he goes unnoticed, or the few that do notice don't think what he's doing is a danger. Yet.

Viktor shifts his weight uncomfortably, glancing between the soldiers and his fellow Seeker, just in case it looks like any trouble might arise.
]
giantanimal: (barely restrained)

[personal profile] giantanimal 2022-02-17 02:51 am (UTC)(link)
"Yes," Damen grunts out, then adds, "I'm fine. I've taken worse."

That was technically true, though worse damn near killed him. Damen preferred not to dwell on that. The scars had healed, mostly. They didn't bother him.

"You shouldn't--" he looked up, then, and got an actual look at his savior, who was... "...you're purple."

Look, he only has baseline humans where he's from, it's gonna take him a minute to adjust.