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Aion Mods ([personal profile] aionmods) wrote in [community profile] aionooc2022-07-30 12:18 pm
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TDM #3

TDM #3
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.

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, this is something both sects have already prepared for.

All characters will have the opportunity to acquire a 'returning stone' if they don't already have one. 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. More information about returning stones can be found on the powers page.

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 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. Compared to the last attempt, these troops are a bit better armored. Meanwhile, bolstered by recent events in Godsblood, bands of Resistance members and guerrilla fighters will turn up at the Artisan and Sovereign shrines. The Resistance members will work willingly alongside with the Pleroma Aions, but the guerrilla fighters seem to have their own priorities and that is mostly that they have a beef with the Achamites. These reinforcements will struggle against powered Aions, but they might be able to delay any troops sent by Achamoth or Hylici.

KENOMA
Xishen will be handing out returning stones to all Kenoma the day after the dreams begin for the Aions that don't already have one. 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 minimal Achamite reinforcements. Due to injuries and death in both Godsblood and Venera, many are in recovery or on their return to Achamoth. She'll reiterate not to rely too heavily on them; after all, only the Aions are able to quickly move between the shrines and at the Citadel. The regular troops 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 be called to fill in the ranks of the diminished Achamite troops. They follow the orders that they are given but are very standoffish otherwise, even more than usual for them. Xishen herself says she will be traveling to the shrines and the Kenoma will be expected to communicate their movements to her as they work. 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.

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 beginning of August. The shrines will be active and forming Aions during that time. The dreams will start around the 29th of July. 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!

undertheweight: (I think not!)

[personal profile] undertheweight 2022-07-31 02:09 am (UTC)(link)
Wrathion does mantle his wings, but he takes long enough to make it seem like it's done of his own volition, rather than what's little less than a command. He gnashes his teeth in stifled rage, however.

It wasn't as if his aunt and his dealings with her, or the diaspora of other family members (such as they were) usually went any better than this is going, so far.

"Of course not, are you mad?" There might be something of a sneer in Wrathion's tone, but mostly, he's just living up to his name.

"I've just chosen to stay in this one, because otherwise, my magics aren't coming to my call, and at least here, I've natural weaponry." The better to chew an assailant with.
dragon_rider: (rurnPO)

IB

[personal profile] dragon_rider 2022-07-31 02:10 am (UTC)(link)
[ Hiccup's not really wanting a fight, but he'll take it if it comes his way. He doesn't want to see anyone else in the hands of the Kenoma. He's prepared enough, a shield on his back and inferno on his belt - To the outside eye it's just a hilt, but he knows his weaponry quick enough to pull it out within seconds if he needs to.

He veers on the side of stealth mission - Which isn't so easy when trying to take on the Champion Shrine. He's already had at least one tussle by the time he makes it to the shrine's interior and is half nursing a wound on new wings - Seems the soldiers don't take kindly to winged people flying through the air (wonder why).

But he stops when he sees the new arrival - a dragon. It's not surprising to see a dragon or wholy unexpected one could wake up here, he just... Wasn't sure about walking into one right now. And not one that seems afraid of him. Immediately, Hiccup raises his hands in a sign of good faith, in coming in peace: ]


Hey there. You've got nothing to worry about - [ Okay, they do have something to worry about, but he has to earn trust before that (or try to): ] I'm Hiccup. I'm not here to hurt you.

[ He's sincere, at least. His wings fold against his back, but he doen't change form back to his fully human self- who knows when they might need to take flight. ]

[ ooc: hello! welcome! c: i also just wanted to note that one of hiccup's powers aside from half dragony transformation/flight is also dragon empathy/connection if you want to play with that at all! ]
wavetrain: <user name=animatedwings site=twitter.com> (pic#15836488)

[personal profile] wavetrain 2022-07-31 02:13 am (UTC)(link)
Tsunami tilts her head, frowning a little. She dips her claws into the water, watching the fish dart away from them.

"Not as much as the crabs do," she replies. "But maybe they're related."

She looks back at Aerith. Ah... it IS still weird to talk to humans. This one doesn't seem bothered by talking to her, though...

"What kind of thing do you usually eat...?" She's just realised she has no idea, and she's never really wondered about it either. She guesses she figured, like, fruit or something...?
wavetrain: <user name=animatedwings site=twitter.com> (pic#15836498)

[personal profile] wavetrain 2022-07-31 02:19 am (UTC)(link)
Well, for one, because I didn't think you'd be able to reply to me.

[ She gestures frustration with one wing. But she settles down with a huff, curling her tail around her talons. ]

But, okay, sure. [ She peers at him suspiciously. ] My name is Tsunami, but I've never heard of any 'Briar Valley'.
oomfies: 𝑜𝑜𝓂𝒻𝒾𝑒𝓈 (📱 light.)

1!!

[personal profile] oomfies 2022-07-31 02:23 am (UTC)(link)
[ This isn't the first time Lottie has woken up like this - the first it was harrowing. The second, she's afforded more control over her body. And the third? She squeezes her palms every so often, feels her nails dig into skin as she wanders across the plane. Looks up at the sky and feels something like fear crawl down her back, and awe dancing on her face. She doesn't do much talking, when she wakes like this. Just scopes everyone out and wonders if she'll ever run into them, or if she's just going crazy like she always is.

But even if this person is a fleeting passerby in her life, or some hallucination (she hasn't decided yet), she's prompted to answer when she hears something extremely relatable™. ]


Yeah.. I thought so too.

[ She only glances at the house, the tree. Slows her walk because she isn't sure how close she wants to be just yet, not with what's recently happened in real life. Lottie's lips frown slightly, suddenly feeling embarrassed at having inserted herself into Dante's conversation (with himself, but still). ]

I just, um, overheard. [ A pause, as she looks around and scratches at her nose. ] I mean, it's not hard to in this place, but.. Sorry.
horniness: (064.)

[personal profile] horniness 2022-07-31 02:24 am (UTC)(link)
[ Maybe he flunked out even more times than Leona did.... but either way, it appears Malleus' conjecture was wrong. He can't pretend he isn't disappointed, but the liquid he drank is only exacerbating that fact, as he's starting to be riddled by a grimness that feels overbearing. What if he never returns to Night Raven College or the Briar Valley? What will his people do without him? He's already spent so long isolated, and now he's even apart from those few he's close to.

He tries to shake himself out of it and focus. He needs answers, and once he regains his magic, he'll at least have an easier time of adapting to this world and feeling more stable. ]


If I did, I would have referred to you as one. It seems you are not from my world then. A pity.

[ The despair makes him feel so heavy, and as much as he wants to excuse himself from all festivities and gatherings in Achamoth... how often does he get invited anywhere? He should try and make the most of the experience even if it feels wrong to celebrate anything while his housemates are like searching for him. ]

Have you any knowledge of this area, or were you also brought here by a magic that yet defies explanation?
eightfoldfiend: (My way's not very sportsman-like.)

[personal profile] eightfoldfiend 2022-07-31 02:28 am (UTC)(link)
[Yuber stops when he hears the voice and peers around, trying to extend his senses out to detect the strange voice.

His senses don't respond. He feels at once tiny and stretched too thin.]


I'm going that way.

[He answers simply and gestures ahead of him.]
undertheweight: (rueful)

[personal profile] undertheweight 2022-07-31 02:30 am (UTC)(link)
"I'm fine! Not harmed at all." For now, at least. One never really did know when an overzealous sort might decide he needed to be stabbed for the crime of being of the Black Dragonflight, but since that hadn't happened here yet, Wrathion wasn't being overly cautious.

"You are too?" Not that he couldn't tell--Anduin smelled unharmed, or at least he didn't smell blood--but...well. That could be strictly because they both knew little to nothing about the way things were here. Unsettling at the best of times, but Wrathion knows how soft-hearted Anduin is, and where his thoughts and worries would turn.

"Are you concerned about Stormwind?" If he couldn't repair things, at least he could attempt to take Anduin's mind off what might, or might not, be happening elsewhere. Assuming their world hadn't actually been destroyed...

02

[personal profile] expiera 2022-07-31 02:31 am (UTC)(link)
[It's difficult to tell the woman's age. Her face isn't visible with how she's crouched over the stony floor, but even beneath the light of day, she is so pale, so thin, so small, yet there's a wrenching sort of resilience to how she struggles to stand. Her hair splays haphazardly over the glaringly large scars marring her back, and a moment's glance taking her frame in was more than enough.

Before she manages to reorient herself, a presence rushes to her side. An outstretched hand comes into her field of vision, and if she manages to look ahead, she'll find a woman with short dark blue hair who has gotten on her knees to offer her support. Her gaze is quiet and patient, but those blue eyes are also watching her with open concern.]


Miss?

[This woman doesn't look like she sports any active injuries, but... Goodness. This may 'only' be the second time, but it's still the worst shape Ciel'ever came across a newly awoken Aion in. At the shrine of the Innocent, too?

...

Nevertheless, she must do what she has to do. But there's no deadline for that, so...]
emblazer: (002.)

it's okay he's at least the tamest one to deal with

[personal profile] emblazer 2022-07-31 02:34 am (UTC)(link)
I know, but you were here before.

[ Thoma is fairly sure... he's aware he got knocked out pretty badly from the skirmish at Venera, but not that badly. ]

Ryunosuke and I were looking everywhere after you'd vanished, and I still felt you through the communion, so I knew you'd gone back home and were going to eventually return with help.

[ That is what's happening here... right?

...

...

right? ]


Did you... did you forget we were here?

[ Had the world-hopping caused her selective memory loss? Truthfully, he had yet to get around to researching it in depth what does happen to those who leave and come back, if only because there aren't really a lot of sources to interview at the moment. That and they were all kind of distracted with the Regent's bounty hunt on the rebels. ]
bingos: (004)

returned!

[personal profile] bingos 2022-07-31 02:38 am (UTC)(link)
[ Being trapped underwater isn't something she's thrilled about persay — She's had her own bad experiences with it that she remains slightly unnerved the entire time they're down there. But caverns underwater also isn't the weirdest thing ever, so she's capable of not super focusing on it. Still, there wasn't a lot down here - at all, really.

There's no way they can stay down here for more than a day - at least, she'll completely unravel after that. She didn't sign up for camping on rocks after all! Well, she didn't sign up for anything, but still.

She's taking a walk with Hawkmon around the perimeter, talking to themselves when she can't help but overhear. And also agree: ]


Right. There wasn't any place better for it? [ She lets out a breath: ] I bet those other guys have nice warm beds and food.

[ It's meant more light-heartedly than entirely serious; She knows she wouldn't want to go with them anyway. ]

[personal profile] expiera 2022-07-31 02:40 am (UTC)(link)
As discussed, here to make the Kenoma girl squad grow! o7 why does this feel sad already...
cutlery: (upvote Thor catgirl)

[personal profile] cutlery 2022-07-31 02:42 am (UTC)(link)
[ Inwardly, Sebastian bristles as Makoto explains the side-effect, but outwardly, there's no change in the polite expression. He's quite experienced at blending in with humanity, which is precisely why the idea of his thoughts being known isn't a welcome one. He very much enjoyed the game of being a wolf in sheep's clothing, after all. And having his hungers known was perhaps the last thing Sebastian would want known by anyone except his contractor. He briefly considers a line of thought, what to do to lead the conversation away from the topic, but the gently attentive expression gives way to one of more open surprise at the sigh and the sympathies. ]

...Ah. So indeed?

[ Well, that at least makes it much more straightforward than he was worried this conversation was about to become. There's only one sort of creature that would offer condolences for his particular brand of contract being lost if his very thoughts were bared. Sebastian chuckles lightly, and the gentle politesse of his expression that he had quickly picked up when addressed is also just as quickly dropped. ]

Then I must say thank you, for it— [ He breathes out a heavy sigh as he says the word with reluctance: ]was no small effort. Perhaps the most I have ever given.

[ It's a little honesty, though he still doesn't straightforwardly admit what he is... But that's more Sebastian's particular habits than anything. He can only imagine that a similar beast to himself would even know enough of the trouble of contracts to think to offer condolences.

Sebastian breathes out a thoughtful noise though, he supposes he's not that surprised. Considering his own natural affinity towards the situation, it makes sense that there would be more of his brethren here, and especially the sort that deal in contracts more than pure chaos. It was simply so rare for him to run into any of them outside of his realm. Though technically... Does it even exist anymore? What an odd thought. ]


I would find myself quite cross about it, were it not for the curiosity of circumstances. It is quite rude to interfere with one's work, after all.
wavetrain: <user name=animatedwings site=twitter.com> (pic#15836502)

[personal profile] wavetrain 2022-07-31 02:42 am (UTC)(link)
Tsunami nods, a determined set to her jaw.

"Fierce, I can do."

She hitches her wings up and turns towards the entrance to the cave. She can hear the voices outside, and they do sound like scavengers, but although she can't make out what they're saying from here, it doesn't sound like unintelligible noises. Do the scavengers in this place just speak dragon? Or has waking up here given her the ability to understand them?

Either way, it's reassuring to know it is just scavengers outside. She feels pretty confident in her ability to intimidate them.
locumstudentesquire: (bad life choices)

SORRY FOR THE DELAY...

[personal profile] locumstudentesquire 2022-07-31 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
[Honestly, considering which shrine this is, Ryunosuke comes in expecting this check-in to be a total bust. He's not sure if there even are any Celebrant Aions between the two sects? So what are the odds one is going to show up now...?

Just his luck...

He teleports in up by the statue that rests above the cavern, overlooking the fairgrounds below. It's a familiar trip, considering the number of times he's been to Venera at this point... But he won't be going to the city now. This is just for a quick check in on the geodes inside the cavern, where he'll likely find nothing, and then he can activate the returning stone and--

His ears prick up as he descends towards the cavern entrance, his steps slowing at once. Two voices... One of them very, very familiar.

He's torn between the desire to retreat and avoid confrontation, and a determination to make sure no new Aions get drafted into the ranks of the Kenoma. It's obvious enough from the conversation he overhears that it is a new arrival in there, in which case they have no way of knowing what they're in for...

A favor is mentioned. His bleeding heart gets the better of him. Even if he'd fought... 'Kaeya', apparently, recently AND gotten his ass handed to him for it, he can't leave a defenseless newcomer to be taken in by the Citadel.]


Hold it!

[His voice rings out from just outside the cave, and yes, it's stupid to give himself away, but he wants to interrupt whatever deal is about to go down. There's a thump from Ryu jumping off his perch and then hasty footsteps as he hurries inside, his scaly tail thrashing agitatedly. He spots the vial in Kaeya's hand first and bristles, before turning his attention to the newcomer, his expression pleading.]

We may not know one another yet, but I beg of you, whatever you do: do not drink the contents of that vial!
Edited (It was insisted in the game discord that i link the voice clip bc apparently it's a federal crime not to) 2022-07-31 02:56 (UTC)
zauneyete: (Sighs)

Rebirth (8

[personal profile] zauneyete 2022-07-31 02:47 am (UTC)(link)
[ It's simple, to move between the shrines these days. Simple, and necessary, and though Silco had barely thought to stop by the shrine of the martyr -- anyone that he irrationally even now hoped to arrive that would remain nameless would likely not be here. However, with their required assignment to be tho find those and bring them back to the Kenoma, Silco did eventually find himself in the shrine.

He found himself looking upon one of the new arrivals, wet and naked as they all had been, and Silco almost dismissed him outright. He was small, shorter than even Silco if he could guess correctly from his hunched frame. There's something that bags at him though. Perhaps it's the hunched slump in his shoulders, or perhaps it's the fact that he's so sad looking, but Silco does stop, and crouch down.
]

Hello there.

It's quite the shock, isn't it?
regressor: (URGE)

[personal profile] regressor 2022-07-31 02:49 am (UTC)(link)
[Whether he intended it or not, his hold on her unbroken hand does at least grant some relief, for the more observant eye. Now, then the radiation begins to glow in the blacks of her eyes, when the blue neon thrums to life around her body… she seems to clench desperately at his hand instead, relying less on the pain of forcing movement into her broken fingers to focus on suppressing the power, choking it down each time…

But how long can she manage it? It’s subtle… but each time it happens, it seems to take her just a bit longer to dispel it, sweat breaking out cold and noticeable on her brow.

Those droplets are displaced as she swallows and shakes her head, struggling to force the words out when all she can see in her minds eye each surge of power is blood on her hands and rubble broken all around her, when all she can feel is the reach of claws that aim to rip from her every small and precious joy she has learned to treasure.]


You don’t understand…

[How could he, this man of this foreign land. She can’t expect it, but she tries to impress it as best she can, worry knitting her brow… and not just for herself.]

I’m dangerous- I’m so… I’m so dangerous…

[Perhaps hard to believe when she looked as frail and half-dead as she already did, but-]

If they come back… I don’t know how many people will die…

[Her powers. Her victims. Would this man be among their number? A whimper overtakes her, another powerful surge that makes her spine arch and her body dance eerily in pain on the smooth stone slab.]
arcaneward: (lyL1YKd)

[personal profile] arcaneward 2022-07-31 02:51 am (UTC)(link)
"Hmm," Aerith replies, touching her chin with the knuckle of her index finger.

"Lots of things, really! My mom makes a really good apple pie, and there's a cafe in Sector 4 that has really good croissants. What about you? I've never met a real dragon before!"
rosethorns: (10)

Dorothea Arnault | Fire Emblem: Three Houses | Celebrant

[personal profile] rosethorns 2022-07-31 02:52 am (UTC)(link)
i. Dreaming - The Dark Outside
[Such a wondrous and inexplicable sight laid before her, a tapestry more grand than any mortal eyes should rightly see.

Dorothea doesn’t know how long she’s been swept away in this terrifying and beautiful cosmos, but eventually she finds herself drifting closer and closer to the awaiting emptiness of the void. It beckons to her as memories of years spent at war whisper ceaselessly in the back of her mind, no matter how hard she wishes to forget. Something about it feels almost poetic—the kind heart of the diva slowly but surely worn threadbare by the unavoidable tendrils of violence, until it can do nothing but buckle under the weight of it and succumb to nothingness.

Such a tragic opera it would make.

She’s so caught up in it that she doesn’t notice you until you’re practically right there beside her. Before she can even really think about it, she flinches and shoves at you with a mixture of suspicion and contempt marring her beautiful features. A familiar feeling, one etched into her as a struggling child that never truly went away, even as life seemed to brighten for her. Rooting out the darkness in one’s heart was a hard thing indeed.]

ii. Rebirth
[The comfort of the warmth surrounding Dorothea proves to be a meager shield against the slow rise of unease that accompanies her returning senses. She pushes against the all-encompassing embrace tentatively at first, but the resistance serves to only stoke the embers of that unease into full-blown panic. It feels like it takes a small eternity for her to break free.

By the time she finally crawls out to the cool, open air, her heart is pounding heavily in her chest and her limbs are shaking traitorously beneath her. After she takes a few lung fulls of shaky breaths, it finally hits her that she is crouched there on all fours, completely naked. She sits bolt-upright, arms hurriedly attempting to cover herself up as she glances about in search of anyone who might be nearby. Blessedly, the peculiar surroundings seem devoid of others for the moment, but the thought of wandering around here naked is not an eager one.

A handful of feet away sits a large crystaline boulder that immediately seizes her attention. She grabs a broken piece of the chrysalis she’s just crawled out of—meager defense is better than none at all—then scrambles to crouch behind it where she can mostly keep herself hidden from view from the cavern at large.

Her nerves are rattled enough that the moment she glimpses movement, she throws the glass-like shard in her hand at it without much thought.]


I’m not decent! So just… stay back! [The briefest of pauses as she feels her cheeks reddening, then she adds:] Please.

iii. Returned - Pleroma

a - for fellow newbies
[Dorothea could think of worse places to end up after such a tiresome and eventful day than this. Clothed and secure and surrounded by such a wondrous sight, she would be hard-pressed not to finally let her guard down a little. And frankly, she’s thankful for that; being on edge for so long is far too tiring.

By now she has shaken enough of her apprehension to dare to venture around the area a bit to take in the sights of the ruins more fully. A blanket is draped over her shoulders, less of a fashion statement and more of an extra layer of comfort, judging by the way she pulls it tightly against herself with both hands.

She drifts along the shimmering shores mostly without aim until her path draws her close to someone seated on the sands. Judging from either their expression or their garb, Dorothea pegs them as a fellow newcomer, which puts her at ease enough to get her to approach. She’ll settle down beside them with a quick flash of a smile before turning her gaze upwards toward the watery ceiling above them.]


It’s beautiful. Like something out of a fairy tale, isn’t it?

b - for established characters
[Dorothea had been glad for the opportunity to get some space and rest for a time after all she’s endured since waking here, but before long some of her earlier unease begins to return. Not so much from current circumstances, but rather the lingering question of what the future would hold for her now. As beautiful and ethereal as this place is, it’s clear to see that this is only something of a waystop.

She seeks out someone who looks like they know what they’re doing here—anyone who doesn’t look like a lost puppy draped in the simple clothing she and her fellow new arrivals wore—and strides toward them with as much confidence as she can muster. She tentatively reaches a hand out to their arm to get their attention.]


Excuse me. [A quick flash of a smile—seemingly genuine, if brief—before she continues, words direct yet cheery.] Hi there. I was just wondering… what comes next, here?

iv. Wildcard
[Feel free to throw anything my way, or shoot me a DM if you’d like to plot something out beforehand. For those canon-familiar: I’m playing Dorothea from mid-late Crimson Flower route, so she’s post-timeskip!]
ricordi: (003)

cassius | granblue fantasy | wanderer

[personal profile] ricordi 2022-07-31 02:55 am (UTC)(link)
rebirth
[nudity before others is nothing new to cassius, having undergone procedure after procedure in the past. skydwellers tend to be unusually conscious about such things and while he has been attempting to put them at ease, the fact remains that he personally does not care. cassius, once he has managed to gather his strength and pick himself back up, merely starts striding through the cave system without any clothing on, overly pale skin still slightly damp from hatching.

though cassius does stop every so often to look at crystals that have been broken out of, nevermind the person nearby who may be on the floor or otherwise trying to gather themselves. then he touches the crystal gingerly with the tips of his fingers.]


Fascinating.

Was this structure difficult to break out of? [he's asking like he didn't have a problem, personally. but with the look of his body, sculpted with strong muscles, did he actually?

that's not the only thing off with his body though. even if he does look powerful, and holds himself like a warrior confident in his own experience and abilities to defend himself despite being completely bare, cassius has skin that is wholly unmarred. no scars, not even a bruise to show for his effort in breaking out of the chrysalis, save for the piece of crystal embedded just above his navel.]

outside the wanderer's shrine
[it's foolhardy to wander out into the wilderness with no protection or armor, cassius knows this. but having found not a single sheet to even cover himself with, he will have to take the risk-- it's not logical to be standing out in the middle of the unknown, because that's how you turn into a target.

of course, he's not about to be illogical and assume that there's nothing out there to be afraid of, other than the wilderness itself. he first takes a long stick that may have once been a tool to assist in walking, just like the weathered statue has in the shrine he emerged in. doesn't seem sturdy, but he will make do until he comes across better supplies-- this one just happened to be easy to find, and thus efficient for his purposes for now.

then cassius hears a footstep, or a sigh, or anything signaling that a person is around, and he's not simply hearing the ambient noise of the wilderness, or the wind. he whirls around, long hair whipping about as he takes a stance with the stick, holding it one-handed like a weapon. like a spear.]


Who is there? [his voice is low, but harsh, like gravel being stirred up.]

returned (kenoma)
[however cassius was brought to the kenoma, and whoever brought him there, that doesn't matter right now. he's recuperating from having to deal with the initiation.

"initiation" is the only word he could have used for it, and truly the only word he thinks is appropriate in his vocabulary.

he's not bothered by the long robe that's given to him to wear, even if it's useless as every day attire, but it's good enough for him to wear... and ball a fist into as he struggles to deal with the drawling words in his brain, and the sludge that intermittently drips from his eyes like tears. and worse are the swirling feelings in him that turn his body hot to cold to hot again, and then cold again, over and over like he thinks he's about to malfunction. there's a sinking feeling, like something's holding him down, even if he's sitting upright and is capable of standing. cassius doesn't like it.

if someone passes him by, he will reach out and grasp their arm, wrist, perhaps shoulder. something he can feasibly reach to get their attention and keep it.]


I require... a guard, so I can reboot in safety.

wildcard
[ bring your own prompt. feel free to send me a pm if you want to hash it out first or just chat. in general, i'm down for a lot of things. i also have info and permissions if anyone would like to get a feel for him first.

also, hello!! i was on the previous tdm with the same character (and similar prompts...), but i would like to start fresh with this one and use this as my game canon if i get in. if we could ignore our threads from that tdm, that'd be appreciated. thanks for understanding. ]
arcaneward: (aerith-0791)

[personal profile] arcaneward 2022-07-31 02:55 am (UTC)(link)
[ Aerith frowns in thought, hands on her hips as she stares upward. ]

It's too small in here for them to hide a submarine... but maybe they have smaller ones and they drop down? Oh, but if something is keeping the fish up there, maybe things can't get down.

[ She drops her gaze to their surroundings, scrutinizing. ]

There's gotta be another way out of here.
regressor: (WRECKAGE)

[personal profile] regressor 2022-07-31 03:00 am (UTC)(link)
[It is difficult to tell how old this newly birthed aion is until one has gotten close. Though womanly curves have been blunted by a naturally petite form compounded with poverty and malnourishment, there is a hint to be found from the front, despite the fact that the sight comes with the discerningly large scars splashed across her torso- one above her heart, one straight through her sternum, and another more over her stomach. Though her body looks haggard, skin sallow and expression haggard, there is potential for vibrancy, in her hair and her eyes… perhaps a young woman in her second decade of… a rough life.

One who looks up to find another woman crouching in front of her, reaching out…]


Where-

[Her voice is uncommonly low and raspy, but the words are interrupted by a sudden cough, a wet inhale as she chokes on a bit of fluid from her “chrysalis”. The cough seems to take all the energy out of her, it leaves her panting, until she finally can reach back, groping for support heedless of her nakedness.

Doing so reveals the only remaining injury on her body, two fingers crooked and obviously broken. Not the bruised up, mangled swelling of an accident- the calculated, man-made snap of delicate bones designed to make even the more reticent of subjects talk.]


Where am I… ?

[This place is so bright with crystal and reflections that it hurts her eyes, she can’t tell, but there is something absent, a painful pulse of power she is afraid to feel that means the one thing she needs to know is-]

The Gate… How far are we from Hell’s Gate?
fightingevilbymoonknight: (mirror-2)

Marc Spector/Steven Grant/(Jake Lockley) | MCU | Martyr

[personal profile] fightingevilbymoonknight 2022-07-31 03:01 am (UTC)(link)
I. Rebirth

It's Marc who tumbles out onto the floor, naked and shivering, early in the current batch. "What the hell," he pants, trying to chafe his arms to warm up as he looks around, wild-eyed and confused. "What the hell."

(Worse than a sarcophagus, mate. So much worse. Are we wet??)

He he definitely wet. "That was so disgusting," is all Marc can dredge up to say to that. It doesn't remotely cover the experience of clawing his way out of what amounts to a rock egg after that nasty, nasty dream. "If this is some kinda kidnapping. I don't know if I wanna see the kidnappers."


II. Pleroma

They still haven't gotten a satisfactory explanation, but they have gotten clothes, shoes, and a towel for their hair. Now it's not wet anymore, just kind of sticky.

Steven is at the front now, crouched at one of the weird crab things and poking at it with wary interest while Marc hovers just behind his eyes, waiting to swoop in if there's any trouble. Crab-related or otherwise. "This is amazing. This doesn't exist on Earth, nothing like it," he tells whoever is approaching him. "Never thought I'd see a whole 'nother world!"


III. Caves

"Why did it have to be underground," Marc mutters to himself. Trekking through cave is slightly better than swimming, but it's still not great. It's not a trauma he's had to think about in a long time, but it's still there.

He's partway through to the surface, but he's also kind of falling apart down here. He's currently taking a little break in the biggest tunnel he's found so far, sitting against the wall with his knees curled in and his head in his hands.

(Marc, it's okay. You want me to get us out?)

"Not yet," he says, under his breath. "I can do it."
entsetzt: (scarecrowicon2)

The Dark Outside

[personal profile] entsetzt 2022-07-31 03:04 am (UTC)(link)
Crane stumbles back at being shoved, but doesn't seem troubled by the gesture. He fixes Dorothea with his one good eye, and then past her, to the infinite darkness beyond.

"Beautiful, isn't it." He remarks. "To see death distilled down into its purest form." That's what the darkness is, the stripping away of ambition, hope, thought, consciousness, self, everything into just...darkness and silence. Forever.

"Most people would run screaming in terror from such a perfect oblivion, but we walk towards it. Why do you think that is, my dear?" Despite his appearance, Crane's voice has a strangely soft, quiet, almost fatherly tone to it.

iii-a, insert apple loading wheel

[personal profile] expiera 2022-07-31 03:06 am (UTC)(link)
[Another teenager. What are the odds this one comes from a world of fantasy, or of mundane normalcy? A witness of Magical Bullshit already, or another boy stripped of his ability of being simply a boy? She really doesn't like that one. ...Geez. Maybe the toll of recent events are finally starting to weight down on her, if just simply looking at the teen is enough to make her feel vaguely discouraged.

Giving the bridge of her nose a few rubs before taking in a deep breath, Ciel recollects herself before approaching the young man at the lodestone, a woven basket covered in a thick and folded blanket hanging at her arm.]


Excuse me.

[She calls out politely, offering a small and polite smile for whenever she may catch his gaze. Is he conscious, at least...?]