EVENT #5: SOVEREIGN CITIZENS

[aionmods]

Sovereign Citizens

All across Horos, even in lands that have long since forsaken the Legacies, Soviseri is a month of political action. Most years, this simply means annual elections; for the faithful, organizations and governments big and small take this opportunity to bask in the wisdom of the Sovereign while reassessing their leadership and strategies, while the more secular simply see it as a convenient waymark on the yearly calendar. Soviseri allows them to face the remainder of the cycle with fresh eyes.

Most years, these customs will pass uneventfully, barring the moderate confusion that can result when too many leaderships change at once. This year, however, is not like others: for the one that considers themself the most sovereign of sovereigns has witnessed the seeds of revolt take root in the most fertile soil. Though they have not yet begun to sprout, let alone flourish, the Regent knows full well where such small things can lead. It's because of this that they intend to salt the earth and remind the cities of Horos the value of the 'peace' they've experienced while allowing them their reign.

This event will last from the 13th to the 25th of Soviseri.

❖ INCLUDED EVENT PROMPTS

◆ THE REGENT'S ADDRESS: On the eve of the 13th, near the height of the Sovereign's Moon, all Aions will have their spirits summoned into a metaphysical court of the Regent's making. They'll only have enough time to seat themselves somewhere before the vision overtakes them, bringing them into the Regent's presence for what will be the first time for many. It is in this meeting of souls that the Regent will express their intent to punish the Pleroma's supporters in Godsblood and Venera, and to declare that it will be at the hands of their Kenoma followers. The Pleroma will be able to leave the communion unharmed, but the message is clear: without intervention, Godsblood and Venera will suffer.

◆ AN EXECUTION (GODSBLOOD): The 15th would normally be a day of public debates and speeches, a time for those in power to prove their worth in full sight of the Sovereign, but all of that will be thrown into discord at the public announcement that Vaeka Lovenskol is to face public execution for her crimes against the Regent. What crimes? Well, apparently she has been working as part of a resistant unit intent on aiding the Pleroma menace... a fact that any Pleroma in Greentruth will know to be true. Vaeka has been one of the brave souls working to keep the entry to Greentruth concealed, guiding what new Pleroma they become aware of to its gates.

How she was exposed is not exactly clear, but she is scheduled for a public execution in Godsblood's main square on the 20th. That means there are five days to snatch her from the Kenoma sent to guard her, lest she be made an example to her people.

◆ TRIMMING THE VINE (VENERA): While the execution in Godsblood is a public affair, what happens Venera is far more insidious. Despite the meek and escapist nature of its citizens, a spark has been lit beneath the surface, spurred by the Aion's actions within the city during the Innocence's contagion, as well as the Achamite's and Hylician's inaction. Some Venerans that were either spotted supporting the Pleroma or that seek to resist the Regent's will have been rooted out, and will be made to pay for their transgressions by the Kenoma first and foremost.

From the 15th to the 25th, the Kenoma will be ordered to work their way through a hit list of sorts, finding and imprisoning Veneran troublemakers, with the intent of essentially 'disappearing' them. Prisoners will be held for a day or so after capture for a meaningless trial by the Achamites present, and then be executed.

◆ MARCHING ORDERS (KENOMA): As the Regent has observed there is a finite limit to what the Kenoma will do without orders, they are now being explicit; all Kenoma are required to participate in the subjugation of either Godsblood or Venera during these activities. Whether or not Kenoma players are available to play out things on an OOC level, all must be at least handwaved to ICly participate in this mission by signing up for duty in either Venera or Godsblood down below. Failure to perform IC will be met with IC punishment.

In addition to their mission duties, the Regent is also ordering all their Kenoma to attempt to lure out and capture as many Pleroma as possible. How they go about this is up to each individual, but the Regent expects that most Pleroma will not be able to resist making an appearance at either location.

Comments

Barnaby Brooks Jr. | Kenoma | Lover

[hundredpower]

Barnaby will be going to Venera as part of the Kenoma mission, but this time he intends to actively defy orders and betray them. He'll be using the hitlist to try to secretly get to those people first and try to get them to safety, hoping they'll trust him based on his actions in Venera previously, or if they've already been captured, he'll try to rescue them without being discovered. He can and will try to be subtle about it, but ultimately he'll put rescuing people above being sneaky and will reveal himself when he has no choice.

oocly I don't want to have him defect just yet, so whatever happens I fully expect his ass to get dragged back to the Regent for punishment. So there are a few ideas I had as to how this can pan out:
KENOMA - dissipating him/roughing him up and capturing him to take him/his shard back to Achamoth,
PLEROMA - distrusting his intentions, or mistaking him trying to help for trying to capture them or Venerans, and fighting him. In this case he'd try to explain himself, but ofc Pleroma are welcome to mess him up anyway to the extent he's forced to retreat... who doesn't love a lil dramatic irony???

There's also the possibility he could interfere in other PVP threads with Kenoma trying to capture Pleroma and come to the rescue, if that's something two other players might be interested in threading. Alternatively, your character might want to offer to collaborate with him, though he'll be resistant to the idea because it will be like putting a target on them. It could be interesting to thread out someone trying to reach out and persuade him regardless!

I'm totally open to any and all ideas if you have more suggestions that aren't listed above o7

[hippocarnival]

SO Bunny actually got namedropped to Yuya back in Venera as someone who was gathering infected to keep them safe, so he already has a positive impression of him. It wouldn't be hard to convince him Bunny is actually here to help and given Yuya's lack of combat ability having support from a Kenoma that they can work together to rescue people would be pretty ideal, if you're up for working out a way they can be convinced to collaborate?

Or tell him he doesn't have to fight for the regent he can join them Whenever He Wants that might give him something to mull over for the future.

[hundredpower]

I'm down for this! Barnaby will be against them working together for any extended period because he thinks it will just cause problems for Yuya, but he'll definitely be open to discussing potential defection, and he'll share information about the people on the hit list/where he potentially thinks they are based on the information he's gathered.

[chronosynthesis]

That works! Yuya would Insist He's Fine but realize, at least, it could be bad for Bunny to be outright seen working with pleroma. but they can have a moment of assuring he's not there to actually take anyone and then swap information/discuss his stance with the Kenoma.

[zauneyete]

if u get no other bites, you know who could stab bunny in the back and dissipate him....

[hundredpower]

I pinged you on plurk already so you should be caught up but I think we have a plan! Shimmered Makoto and J can help take down Barnaby, you're welcome to handwave Silco either observing that whole thing going down from a safe distance or he can make a cameo in the thread, whatever works for you and Vee since Makoto is the one getting the shimmery goodness o7

[zauneyete]

You did! I am happy for Silco to be support! he can definitely pop up and shimmah touch someone!

[subsist]

can kaeya tail bunny and ask him what the heck does he think he's doing...

time to ruin this cr. 🥺

[hundredpower]

what does it look like hes doing dummy!! rubs hands together to ruin their cr.... though if Kaeya confronts him about it, will he try to capture him or no?

[subsist]

i know you have plans for j & makoto to bring him back to achamoth so i think it can be limited to just confronting him via conversation LMAO. kaeya telling him he's only risking the rest of the team to get in trouble too but if he wants that on his conscience.........!!!!

[devilmancrybaby]

there is One (1) person Binghe is trying to get safely out of Venera and if he catches wind of what Barnaby is up to he May ask for his assistance with this if you're up for that! absolutely zero guarantee he won't betray u afterwards tho

[hundredpower]

I'm definitely up for that! If Binghe betrays him after does it really count if Bunny betrayed the Kenoma first...

[devilmancrybaby]

honestly now that i'm a bit less distracted i feel like i've done binghe dirty with that assertion. he DOES like to make sure debts are repaid, it would be much more likely he'd return that favour by keeping his mouth shut on this one. provided bunny doesn't mention binghe's involvement when he gets caught, that is,,

[locumstudentesquire]

I would loooooove to have these two interact again esp. after their last conversation :)

[hundredpower]

all that effort of Bunny being mean before only to out himself like this wheeze... They can totally meet, Bunny might even have an honest conversation with him this time depending on how it goes!

[locumstudentesquire]

God GOOD and then Ryu can be devastated when he gets brainwashed 8')

[lockedon]

I know I mentioned it in Discord but I would love an aftermath thread with Bunny post all his meddling.....alternatively we could do a short thread during the event. 🤔 Mostly I just want Eustace to know that Bunny is Not Happy about what he has to do, since Eustace feels similarly (but unfortunately is more willing to do shady shit). He'd be quietly supportive of Bunny either way.

[hundredpower]

Probably after the event is less risky for Eustace, since unless he can convince Bunny that he won't rat him out if they meet during the event, it would probably lead to a confrontation. But if you think we can make it work, during is fine with me too!

[lockedon]

Haha I don't trust him to able to convince Bunny he isn't going to do anything since he'd probably just........leave after they bump into each other/talk, which would be easily misconstrued as him going off to tell someone. So post-event is totally fine by me!

[semicharmed]

It seems like a lot of the big plot points you raised have already been addressed, but I've been wanting a thread with Barnaby! Matt is Big Conflicted about these orders they've gotten, and also has a lot of magical powers that could potentially be useful on either side of this equation (turning invisible! putting people in magical hamster balls! magical tracking!).

So idk if there's something potentially fun there!

[hundredpower]

That does sound fun! I think if he were to decide to help him though that might have IC repercussions for Matt later, as the Regent can read memories and would see that Matt acted as an accomplice even for a little while. Otherwise he could try to stop him but feel conflicted about it so he ultimately lets him get away, maybe?

[semicharmed]

Wellll, Matt got in mild trouble with the Regent right at the start for helping Pleromies escape the first big PVP event, so it's nothing new for him. 🙃 It might be good for him to learn that the Regent can read memories ...

It's always hard for me to predict exactly how a high-stakes interaction will play out, but I think it's mmmost likely that if Matt stumbled across sabotage, he'd try to convince Barnaby not to on the grounds that this whole thing is a distraction from remaking the universe, but then get convinced to let him get away and potentially to aid him slightly. How's that sound?

[epiprocta]

Bunny-chan .......... 🥺

I'm a little hesitant about asking at this point since I don't want to assume that Barnaby's being so obviously and easily-caught about these things, but I'd actually love for Gen to cotton onto Barnaby having ulterior motives at some point just because he'd probably give Barnaby shit about it but not actually try (that hard) to directly stop him or snitch on him, mostly just ask if he thinks what he's doing is really worth the risk ...

But! I totally get it if you'd rather not have too many people take that option! In which case I'd also love an aftermath thread with Barnaby after he endures the repercussions of his good deeds, if you'd be open to it!

[hundredpower]

The main issue with Kenomies confronting Barnaby is that even if they don't intend to stop him, he won't be above attacking them himself to buy himself more time/stop them from arresting any citizens. So unless you have any ideas for how Gen can get out of that, or don't mind him getting knocked out and dumped somewhere for a while (lmao) it would be easier to go with an aftermath thread. Totally up to you! o7

[epiprocta]

OH well, if Barnaby's going to be that aggressive about things, then I'm definitely all for a confrontation! :') I'd be up for a combination of exhaustion and Gen dropping his guard at some point (maybe halfway through the event?) leading to Barnaby intercepting one of his attempts to capture a hitlist target! Maybe have a short scuffle leading to Barnaby knocking him out for a bit?