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vander's rescue
Who: Vander, his lovely and brave rescuers, and a whole lotta trouble
What: Vander was kidnapped by Aetós, so the people come to save him! OOC information and plotting can be found here.
Where: “The Zoo” in the Below
When: Sometime in between the TDM and March 17th OOC
Warnings: Violence, references to human experimentation/torture
It’s a long, winding way down into the Below, and you’re being led there by what seems like a girl, though at this point you’re also confident that she’s anything but. She’s fought with Shard-Bearers and held her own but was also captured by them to be questioned. And, in that, she eventually gave a piece of information in return. Her master, Aetós, had kidnapped Vander. If you don’t kill her, she can take you to where he’s being hidden. You can save him before her master makes him wrong.
So, a rescue effort was mounted. With many Shard-Bearers across factions here either to save Vander or simple for the allure of learning more about this mysterious figure, it at least gives you confidence that it can be handled. It’s disorienting down here so far below Springstar, but eventually, she comes to what looks like a sealed-up tunnel. She holds her hands against two particular bricks, and after a moment, they glow with teal light before all the bricks seem to shimmer. Like they all suddenly break, they become floating little motes of light, and a doorway lays before you.
It's a long corridor, but it doesn’t take long before you smell it before you see anything. There’s a largely animal smell here like a zoo, but it’s tinged more heavily with the smells of blood and rot. It’s enough to make a weak stomach heave a bit or at least get the hairs on the back of your neck to stand on end. But still, the girl continues on until you can see the hallway spill out to a large room.
Laying on a dissecting table is some kind of strange animal, but standing over it is a similarly strange masked figure. Some of you know, it’s Aetós.
“Right on time, Adelfoúla,” is all they say as they stand and hold up a silver hand. A complex orb of light appears, and they crush it. In front of you, Adelfoúla only gives a dispassionate ah— that’s followed by the sound of shattering porcelain, and she simply crumbles at the waist. You can rush forward, try to meet Aetós, but calmly, they just say—
“This will be good data. Hopefully you’ll find Vander before he gets eaten.”
And with a tick like the movement of a watch’s hand, they’re simply… Gone. Those sensitive to such things will feel it, the pulse of intense, strong magic, but before you can fully process, you can hear it: the creaking of cage doors opening down the myriad of hallways that line this one large room, the rumble of growls and claws against stone. Vander is somewhere in this maze of a facility, and you have to find him. Or maybe you just have to find what Aetós left behind.
OOC Notes : This log is a catch-all for all efforts related to the Save Vander plot! Including Vander's no fun, very bad time itself! If you'd like to participate in this plot, please see the OOC post. While the text above describes the initial arrival, this log can also be used for pre/post plot Communion, planning beforehand, etc. along with the expected threads in the facility!
What: Vander was kidnapped by Aetós, so the people come to save him! OOC information and plotting can be found here.
Where: “The Zoo” in the Below
When: Sometime in between the TDM and March 17th OOC
Warnings: Violence, references to human experimentation/torture
It’s a long, winding way down into the Below, and you’re being led there by what seems like a girl, though at this point you’re also confident that she’s anything but. She’s fought with Shard-Bearers and held her own but was also captured by them to be questioned. And, in that, she eventually gave a piece of information in return. Her master, Aetós, had kidnapped Vander. If you don’t kill her, she can take you to where he’s being hidden. You can save him before her master makes him wrong.
So, a rescue effort was mounted. With many Shard-Bearers across factions here either to save Vander or simple for the allure of learning more about this mysterious figure, it at least gives you confidence that it can be handled. It’s disorienting down here so far below Springstar, but eventually, she comes to what looks like a sealed-up tunnel. She holds her hands against two particular bricks, and after a moment, they glow with teal light before all the bricks seem to shimmer. Like they all suddenly break, they become floating little motes of light, and a doorway lays before you.
It's a long corridor, but it doesn’t take long before you smell it before you see anything. There’s a largely animal smell here like a zoo, but it’s tinged more heavily with the smells of blood and rot. It’s enough to make a weak stomach heave a bit or at least get the hairs on the back of your neck to stand on end. But still, the girl continues on until you can see the hallway spill out to a large room.
Laying on a dissecting table is some kind of strange animal, but standing over it is a similarly strange masked figure. Some of you know, it’s Aetós.
“Right on time, Adelfoúla,” is all they say as they stand and hold up a silver hand. A complex orb of light appears, and they crush it. In front of you, Adelfoúla only gives a dispassionate ah— that’s followed by the sound of shattering porcelain, and she simply crumbles at the waist. You can rush forward, try to meet Aetós, but calmly, they just say—
“This will be good data. Hopefully you’ll find Vander before he gets eaten.”
And with a tick like the movement of a watch’s hand, they’re simply… Gone. Those sensitive to such things will feel it, the pulse of intense, strong magic, but before you can fully process, you can hear it: the creaking of cage doors opening down the myriad of hallways that line this one large room, the rumble of growls and claws against stone. Vander is somewhere in this maze of a facility, and you have to find him. Or maybe you just have to find what Aetós left behind.
OOC Notes : This log is a catch-all for all efforts related to the Save Vander plot! Including Vander's no fun, very bad time itself! If you'd like to participate in this plot, please see the OOC post. While the text above describes the initial arrival, this log can also be used for pre/post plot Communion, planning beforehand, etc. along with the expected threads in the facility!
no subject
[ The response is perhaps surprisingly straightforward, but chilling in how easily they give it and the neutral tone its said in. It’s not dispassionate, but just even and cold in a way that doesn’t feel right. ]
Ultimately, at least. But to do that, I must understand Shards first. All that they are. All that they can be. They are a marvel unlike anything, you know. An infinite vessel. A severing of life from the limitations of flesh and blood. Yet, they are subject to weaknesses of the mind more than material. It’s fascinating, isn’t it?
[ But they don’t wait for an answer, since they seem to have finished whatever they were mixing. A syringe is picked up next, and carefully, the solution is drawn up into the vial. They tilt it up and flick it to draw out the bubbles, so at least as a small mercy, they’re meticulous in preparations. ]
Your Shard has potential. I may wish to use it, one day. But there is one possibility in the future you left that intrigues me. I want to draw that out first.
[ Satisfied with their preparation, Aetós steps forward, though their attention is unmistakable on Vander’s arms as he flexes against the restraints. It’s hard to tell, but maybe they’re hoping they hold. ]
If I come to collect, I hope you will not disappoint me.
no subject
He doesn’t like it, doesn’t like whatever potential Aetós might be hinting at. Likes even less anything that might intrigue a person like this. And that’s probably the most puzzling part of this. It suddenly explains why the rabbit got reeled in by accident, if they were fishing around in his past, but it doesn’t make any sense. There wasn’t supposed to be any more possibility in what he left behind.
But there’s not a whole lot of time to dwell on it.
Vander eyes that syringe and its sickly green liquid warily. Their expression might be unreadable behind the mask, but he can see where their attention is fixed for a moment. He’s running out of time, running out of options, but he pulls against his restraints again, with as much force as he can muster. He might be weakened from his stint in captivity, but he’s still a mighty big man. Maybe, just maybe—]
Might be disappointing you already. [A grunt as he tugs again.] Got the wrong man if you think there’s any sort of future I might’ve left back there.
[That was the truth of it, wasn’t it? He’d been minutes away from a literal dead-end when he showed up here, according to everyone who had reason to know.]
no subject
[ Which may have been the real reason Aetós went rooting around in Vander’s memories and timelines. Vander’s Shard may be useful, it’s true, but so was the contentious rivalry that he and Silco had. It was valuable information that could keep someone ambitious in check… If used wisely. But naturally, their connection is secret.
They make a thoughtful noise as the bindings creak with strain but step closer anyways. ]
Well, it doesn’t matter. This will go quickly. The Adelfoúla they borrowed is on her way.
[ The metallic hand shifts in quality as the hand shape softens into more of a blob. They take those last few steps closer and reach out with that hand towards Vander’s head, where the liquid metal comes forward to hold his neck in place. It’s not overly strong, maybe only as strong as Aetós themselves, but it’s enough. ]
Hold still. It will hurt more if it goes into muscle.
[ Though they’re also not very cautious about the administration. It’s the same either way, so far as they’re concerned. The syringe comes to Vander’s neck and Aetós at least attempts to inject it directly into the artery, but if the struggling makes them miss, so be it. But immediately, the injection feels like fire or acid directly into wherever it lands, and every beat of Vander’s heart will only intensify the pain as it flows through him. Whatever it is, his body will intensely try and reject it as every muscle snaps and strains with adrenaline, but for now, the physical symptoms will be intense, but exhausting. He'll feel aggressive, but that may not be out of place at the moment…
It's only later that Vander will realize the full extent of what Aetós has done—Vander has been infected with lycanthropy. The progression of the condition as well as its details are up to you to decide!
But regardless, once the contents of the syringe are fully injected, Aetós will step back to watch, at least for a time. They’ll have to go welcome their guests soon, but there’s definitely interest to be found in this process. ]
no subject
The moment that metallic hand shifts, another man’s memory is dredged up—Manon in a similar position, at the mercy of this madman and whatever schemes were pushing them to pursue this twisted work. And like Manon, Vander now has little chance of getting himself out of here. His struggling ceases the moment that odd metallic blob that had once been a hand presses against his neck. There’s no further point in futilely trying to fight against it other than to be contrary, so instead he braces himself for whatever is in store for him next.
The effect is immediate, a stinging burn that quickly spreads with the rapid ascension of his pulse. His entire body almost seems to lock up, muscles taut and straining once more against his bindings, and as chaotic and uncoordinated as it is, they do their job of holding him still. As the intensity of it ramps up with each passing second, he cries out, a low and aggravated scream.
His vision is nearly hazy, but the glimpse of Aetós’ silhouette as they step back is enough to drive him into a frenzy, and he pulls against his bindings with renewed vigor, trying and failing to lash out at the one responsible for all of this pain—an effort he will near-mindlessly pushes himself into until exhaustion finally takes him.]