The Seeds of Unrest: the Iconoclast Oracle

[beleos]

RUNNING OUT THE CLOCK

The situation is bleak.

The Blight - and the massive labyrinth of roots tearing both cities asunder, spreading deadly flowers wherever they penetrate - have progressed to a point beyond catastrophe. People are dying in rapid numbers. Bearers are having difficulty keeping up with the spread of infection - even among one another. The collapse of Kenos seems inevitable; a cure will not come in time. You can do nothing but watch as each new day brings further disaster, ticking down the seconds until it all falls apart.

And then, you feel something seize your Shard. As if physical fingers have wrapped around it, as if it is being clutched through you by invisible hands, you feel invaded. You feel wronged. But before you can panic, a voice enters your mind through Communion.

“Excuse the dramatics, but there isn’t much time for pleasantries. The Trees are about to hit the point of no return. But there's still work to be done. The Tree of Life will take you where you can find it: the Oracle and the creature causing all this mess. Fix this when you find them. However you'd like.”

Have you heard Aetos’ voice before? Perhaps it is the first time; perhaps it is familiar to you. Either way, the last thing you will remember is a confusing jumble: a spell of immense and incredible power, one utilizing the Tree’s strength to shelter you. The sensation of every cell in your body coming alive, yet seeming to break apart and render you into billions and billions of tiny pieces, all hovering in different times and places across all the different iterations, timelines, and realities in which you have ever existed. A voice that speaks not through words asking your forgiveness, unspeakably sad.

And then, there is nothing.

AWAKENING

Your eyes open, gritty with the feeling of a long, deep slumber.

Perhaps it takes a moment to shake off the heavy veil of exhaustion, to recollect what you were doing before you fell into this state of hibernation - but as soon as you do, you feel an immediate sense of foreboding around you. It is thick in the air, oppressive and pervasive, and you aren’t left long to wonder at its source. You lay beneath the branches of the Tree of Life, but as your bleary eyes focus… you see it. The Tree is all but bereft of life. Its bark has withered down to gnarled wood, the soft lichen dried up, and the grass that should be alive beneath you is long dead and gone. There is not so much as a single leaf on its decaying branches.

It has been this way for a long, long time... you realize this with a feeling of intense dread as you see it - the beautiful expanse of stars, of the cosmos, of universes scattered like starlight above the tree's boughs, gone. In its place hangs a sickly, ominously low-hanging, and dying sun ready to sing the end of everything.

You can't help but wonder how long Kenos has been in this state, but a sense of gratitude fills you as you realize that the Tree expended the last of its energies to protect you, the Bearers, during your state of rest. Had Aetos worked with the tree to see you sent here?

The next question comes quickly: how much time do you have left…? And can you find the Oracle before that time expires?

ABANDON HOPE (DAYS 1 & 2)

The cornerstones are still active and will take you to whichever city you wish to see.

Highstorm and Springstar sit like empty monuments to the cities that were once filled with life - yet the first thing you will notice is they are strangely absent the signs of the Tree’s overgrown roots, the Blight, the catastrophic damage that you can recall all too easily. Instead, each city sits as those they were summarily abandoned overnight, leaving nothing but their shells behind. There is a stillness in the air that is unnatural and unsettling. Despite the lack of any sign of the citizens of either city, you cannot help but feel… watched.

Something terrible happened here. Best you find the Oracle before something terrible finds you, instead.

The burning of a dying sun beats down on you wherever you go, unbearable heat sending waves off the aged cobblestone streets. Perhaps it is your instinct to seek refuge in the shade - but linger too long about the shadows and that feeling of eyes on your back, of being unable to breathe, of your world closing in around you will grow untenable and drive you back into the light. If you hope to explore the ghostly shell of your city in search of the Oracle - or to sate your curiosity, some problem-solving might be in order.

And while you acclimate yourself to your circumstances, you cannot help but note you feel wrong inside, somehow…

EXPLORATION

• If your characters choose to explore previously unreachable areas, please use THIS TOPLEVEL to report when they get there in the thread! We will get back to you with what is discoverable in that location.
• The following areas are off limits for exploration: below Yima’s Manor; below the Church of Heliopolis; Alenroux; Kowloon.
• The Great Trees of both Highstorm and Springstar are in a similar state to the Tree of Life and will not respond to Communion.
• Generally speaking, items will be of poor quality. Most will look as though they’ve aged thousands of years. Others will be in half-decent shape, but sparingly so. Oddly enough, it doesn’t seem like the whole city has aged at the same rate, so especially diligent rummagers can find worthwhile supplies. Please consider this should be rare and don’t go overboard!

NOTES

Here are some prompt reminders - see the full thing at the OOC Summary!

• Characters will have a diluted connection to the Zenith or Meridian.
• There will be periods powers are weakened or non-functional during days 1-2 (up to player discretion).
• The sunlight results in scorching; the shadows cause claustrophobia and fear while outdoors.

THE RITUAL (DAYS 2+)

The place you started your journey to Kenos is also where it seems it will end. As soon as the first Bearer makes contact with the Iconoclast effigy, you are collectively drawn to the roots beneath the Tree - like a pang sent through your Shard. Your objective has been found. The Oracle awaits.

Trusting Aetos seems like a fool's errand, but you must put your hope in the Tree. What choice do you have left? It's time to find what lies at the end of this.

Bearers descend, your steps echoing in the dark, cavernous space. Once brimming with life and vitality, the roots are now dried and brittle like the bones of some ancient leviathan that died long ago. As you make their way deeper into the earth, the deadened roots twist, leading you to a vast chamber deep within it; the air here is thick with the smell of decay, and the faint glow of luminescent fungi and mosses barely illuminates the space.

To your left, the Bearers will notice what has drawn them here - and the object of their search.

An effigy sits on the ground between two darkened tunnels. The effigy is made of gnarled, dead branches woven together in a humanoid shape; its hollow, empty eyes are sightless, yet you cannot help but feel it is watching your every move. Branded on its forehead is the Iconoclast symbol carved into the rough wood.

Once all Bearers are present, the Ritual will begin. Your means of exit have been sealed off, and you are trapped, slowly deteriorating together…

NOTES

• Bearers will have access to the Ritual Chamber which is a very wide, open space with the effigy situated against the far wall from the entrance. Several smaller tunnels off-shoot from the Ritual Chamber. They all run to dead ends; some are very small or narrow. This may afford you meager privacy away from the group.
• Once a Bearer steps into the Chamber, they can no longer head back out the way they came. They’ll find themselves automatically walking back into the Chamber as if of their own volition.
• For brevity’s sake we won’t list them out again here, but the complete description of effects Bearers will experience days 2+ is available in the OOC Summary.
• The effigy is impervious to damage.
• It Is Watching You.
• In a dead-end root tunnel attached to the Iconoclast’s Chamber is the Blighted statue of an Otter that may be familiar to some… Please see THIS TOPLEVEL for more information!

THE PURGE (DAYS 5+)

The sap has festered in your veins for what feels like days. It’s impossible to tell how much time has passed; this place has no sunlight. The effigy watches as you remain trapped, huddled together around it, unable to leave as you find yourself sick with the affliction of the Meridian, Zenith - or both.

And then… something finally gives.

Though it does not move and speaks no words, you feel the effigy offering you guidance. Knowledge. Much like the Tree speaks to you in impressions and feelings, you are conveyed wisdom you did not have before: a way to take what you want and rid yourself of what you do not. A way to make your convictions known to all who would hear them. A way to be known. To write your path in blood, be it yours… or theirs.

When all is said and done, only one force - Zenith or Meridian - will gain its favor.

Show it who you are. Show it what resolve looks like to you - and what you are willing to do to attain it.

NOTES

Here are some prompt reminders - see the full thing at the OOC Summary!

• You can Purge your alignment through various methods: Trading, Corrupting, or using the Effigy itself.
• All characters will understand the end goal is for everyone to Harmonize; the alignment with the higher rate of Harmonized Bearers alive when time’s up wins the Oracle’s favor.

NOTES

• A reminder that the Harmonization tally will take place on Friday, the 19th and be open through Monday, the 29th. The results will be released on Wednesday, the 31st OOCly.
• Don’t forget to submit any deaths to the Death Tracker, with a gentle reminder characters will remain dead until the event conclusion!
• Reminder to fill out the SETTING POLL ASAP if you haven't already!
• Have some MUSIC if you'd like. LYRICS here!
• HAVE FUN!!

CODING

Comments

[cutlery]

Ah, it is a simple dish, but not too bad one of. It is a simple stew from the south of France of beans, dark meats, and rich spices. As the legend goes, it was a dish prepared to feed a populace during a great siege, so… With what limited ingredients I could muster, it seemed an excellent choice for a dish both nutritious yet not needing anything overly complex.

[ He gives Link a gentle nod, then beckons him in. ]

Ah, but before I prepare a plate, I must ask to be certain, as I do not believe we have met… Are you Meri? I am under rather strict orders to only feed them, I am afraid.

[ Not that he wouldn’t send someone else on their way with a bowl just to spite this stupid deal a bit, but. A Meri will be welcomed with better food and conversation to make sure he’s doing his part. ]

[bakedapple]

[ Link doesn't know what "France" is, but he does understand beans and meat and spices. With the intense look that Link gives the primped stranger, one could practically feel his mouth watering for themselves. And perhaps, in light of that intensity, it is no surprise when Link completely ignores the man's question and disappears from the window. The sound of footsteps can be heard as he walks through the back area of the restaurant and reappears in the doorway of the kitchen a few seconds later.

Food now. Needing a lot of food please. Right now. ]

Yes. I'm Meri.

[ The most belated answer. He is not looking at Sebastian, but at the pot of stew sitting on the stove. The smell here, in the kitchen, is unbearably delectable. Between that and the creeping feeling that he needs to run away from this place right now, Link looks like he's seriously thinking about grabbing the pot by its handles and running away. ]

[cutlery]

[ LMFAO HELP??? Local food cryptid Link ]

[ However, Sebastian is just pleased that someone is so excited for his cooking! He nods with a happy smile, then grabs one of the (mismatched, unfortunately) bowls he’s scavenged to start to ladle some of the stew into it. Considering Link’s enthusiasm, he’s at least picked the largest one he has. ]

Wonderful. Then I hope you enjoy! It is not my best cooking, I fear, for the ingredients were… Well, you have seen the state of things.

[ But, done, he passes the bowl to Link as well as a simple, roughly hewn spoon. ]

I think you will find it good despite that if I may say so myself. Luckily, cooking is a skill I have worked quite hard to perfect!

[ And indeed, when Link takes his first bite, it's delicious. It's a savory umami and filling, as well as slightly shocking that someone could make something this taste from the less-than-ideal materials they seem to have at hand. But Sebastian is nothing if not resourceful! ]

[bakedapple]

[ The fact that Link manages to stand there and just watch the guy ladle food into a bowl is a testament to how hard he's trying to be polite. But the moment the bowl is finally offered out to him, Link snatches it in his hands, mutters a "thank you" in response to Sebastian's friendly conversation, and BOLTS from the kitchen.

Through the open window that provides a view into the restaurant proper, Sebastian will see Link reappear and rush outside. Once he's finally standing in the blistering sunlight again — and finally, blessedly away from whatever awful thing keeps watching them in the cursed shadows! — Link wolfs down the stew with such desperation that there's no appreciating all of the work and skill that went into it.

After a few minutes, he's eaten it all, and stands in the sun, gasping to catch his breath. ]

[cutlery]

[ Sebastian hands the bowl over with all of the grace as if it were a five star meal offered in the finest of restaurants, and this he’s surprised when Link essentially… runs away with it. He breathes out a small ah as he’s taken aback, but then laughs almost fondly as he sees Link retreat out to the sun to eat instead. Naturally, Sebastian feels more comfortable in the shade than the sun, even with the prickle of something watching him. He’s a Zenite to the core, truly.

He leans on the countertop as he essentially watches Link scarf down the meal. It’s not savored enough to appreciate his fine work, true, but even such a ravenous hunger is compliment enough. ]

So, not good at all?

[ He calls out to him with a laugh, and his sarcasm is playful. Sebastian stands straight again to check his pot, and finding it acceptable enough to leave simmering, he wanders a bit further out into the restaurant so that he’s not having to speak so loudly. ]

No, I jest. I hope that you enjoyed it. If you would like another helping, I do not mind it. Who knows how many will wander by? It is better that it be eaten than to go to waste.

[bakedapple]

[ In the same vein, Link is a Meri to the core. It's much easier for him to endure the blistering sunlight than it is to focus on anything with that feeling looming over him in the shade. Still holding the bowl in both hands as he collects himself, he does not move as Sebastian leaves the kitchen to come closer. ]

...It was really, really good. Thank you.

[ Sorry Sebastian, he is not the most articulate guy around. But hopefully, the droplet of stew on his chin from his voracious consumption of your food can act as extra proof of Link's gratitude. ]

I've been looking for food all day and all I found was this.

[ Holding the empty bowl in one hand now, he reaches back into a side pocket of his backpack and takes out a tin can. The lid looks like it's started to rust but the words VIENNA SAUSAGES can still be made out on the faded label. ]

Assuming this is even food.

[cutlery]

[ It may not be a five star review, but he’ll take earnest consumption, absolutely! In fact, considering how harsh his “tutor” for cooking was, he’s a bit happier for earnest enjoyment than thoughtful consideration… There are few things that Sebastian enjoys without a hint of malice or ill intent, but cooking is thankfully one of them. ]

You are very welcome, of course. I am happy to put my culinary skills to good use.

[ Which is similarly earnest, but as Link produces his Cursed Food Item, Sebastian takes a few steps closer to better read the label. He does, in fact, recognize it. ]

Ah, Frankfurter Würstl. [ Said in a pitch perfect Austrian German accent, not that Link would know, but. ] It is very bland, but it is indeed food. Though I admittedly have not seen it canned…

[ A thoughtful noise follows, and then Sebastian holds out his hand with a small nod. ]

Well, if you would like, I can use it to prepare something a bit better, certainly. They are not so much on their own, but as a part of a dish, they are perfectly common.

[bakedapple]

[ When the unknown man draws closer to look at the can, Link does not move. After that question about whether he was a Meri, he's assuming that the man is also a Meri — and he does look strangely familiar to him for some reason, even though he's sure they haven't met. oops the gossip post was weeks ago! haha, ,, ]

Sure! Yes!

[ His exuberant answer come swiftly. He'd have been happy just getting the confirmation that it was, in fact, food. At best, he hoped the man could possibly teach him how to get the accursed metal cylinder open. But he's going to cook it for him, too? There's not much more than a perpetually snacky Hylian could ask for. And in fact, he's so excited that he's willing to follow Sebastian back into the shade for it. ]

Sorry, um... I'm just... really hungry. You're a goddessend for feeding me in the first place. I can't thank you enough. [ a moment of realization of how overly-eager he's being. ] Yes, please, take it, you'll know better what to do with this than I do. That's for sure.

[cutlery]

[ Link’s excited answer makes Sebastian laugh, but it’s full of genuine warmth and charm at the response. He appreciates a gourmand, yes, but just anyone excited for food makes him just as happy, really! ]

Oh, please, you needn’t apologize. I am happy to cook and happier to accept a challenge, I admit.

[ He holds out a gloved hand to take the can as Link approaches, since he’ll have to inspect it first to see what kind of tool he’ll need to pop it open. Worst comes to worst, he can just summon a bit of shadow, but… He’d prefer not to use it on something so trivial, naturally. ]

Sebastian Michaelis, by the way. [ He says, turning the can, and then with a light noise, starts to head back to the kitchen. He has just the thing, he thinks. ] It is a pleasure. And, please, do join me in the kitchen if you would like!

[bakedapple]

[ Again... that name, it feels so familiar. The sense that he knows his person, or at least has heard of him, nags at the back of his mind as he follows the man back into the restaurant. As soon as he steps out of the sun, the feeling of eyes on him returns, but he spent enough time standing in direct sunlight that it shouldn't begin to drive him crazy again too quickly. ]

My name is Link. I know we haven't met before, but your name sounds familiar...

[ Spoken lightly, like he's making a passing observation. At the moment, the fact that he can't remember where he knows him from is not bothering him all that much. He still hasn't met most of the other Shard-Bearers. Really, the only thing that matters to him right now is More Food. ]

If you're looking for mouths to feed, I'm sure you'd just need to reach out to the others. Communion still works, doesn't it?

[cutlery]

[ Sebastian heads back into the kitchen and goes through a few of the drawers that he’d missed to see if there was a can opener (or something that will work well enough for that purpose). While he does so, he continues the conversation smoothly. ]

Ah, well! I have been here for quite some time, and I would like to think that I make myself a helpful presence… Perhaps my reputation precedes me?

[ Or that’s what he’d prefer, of course. He’s been largely helpful and friendly in Kenos, since he enjoys having a good reputation. At least for as long as possible. so, lmao at this event,

He does indeed find a can opener in a drawer, though it’s not in the best shape… Well, it’ll have to do, he decides. Sebastian picks it up and sets it on the counter, and with the important tool settled, he starts to appraise his collected ingredients as he brainstorms what to make with the sausages. ]

Oh, but yes, I will do so if need be! I would hate for it to go to waste… But the serendipity of wandering by and getting a meal is quite charming, no?

[bakedapple]

[ Standing beside Sebastian, Link watches as he searches the kitchen drawers, having no idea what it is he's looking for. When the can opener is placed on the table, Link... stares at it.

He has never seen such a contraption in his life. The axel conjoining the two handled halves is mind-boggling to him, as someone seeing a can opener for the first time. And it has gears? What could they be for? The engineering that went into this object is blatant, and yet, Link is wholly puzzled by it and whatever it is that it's supposed to do. It does not even occur to him that this thing could be for opening the metal cylinder of 'Vienna Sausages,' as Sebastian hasn't made any mention of such a thing. As far as Link knows, Sebastain came back here to cook something else for him, whatever that entailed. ]

Uh... yeah.

[ His non-committal answer is a product of how distracted he is. Finally, he picks the can opener up and turns it around every which way, studying it. Why does it move like that? It seems to have so many moving parts, but for what purpose? ]

What's this thing?

[cutlery]

[ Sebastian is forming a few ideas of what to cook by the time Link draws his attention back, and he laughs, though it’s warm and charmed rather than anything mocking. In this, he will always have sympathy, for new inventions were an ever-present part of adjusting to a new summoning for him. Well, before Kenos, at least. ]

Why, a can opener, though a particularly clever sort.

[ Despite his, well, everything, Sebastian does have a teacher’s instinct, so he’s rather pleased to do so. He picks up the can again, but rather than open it himself, he’ll just come closer to reach out and guide Link’s hands into the proper positions. His touch is gentle, but not shy! He has no qualms about reaching out in this case. ]

You see, you hold it like so, with the little blade against the lip of the can, then squeeze the handles together— [ He’ll guide Link to do so, and with a pop, it latches on so that Link no longer has to hold the can. Sebastian will then point to level and make a circular motion with his finger. ] And now, give that a turn and see how it goes.

[bakedapple]

[ Sebastian's gloved hands almost make Link jump in surprise. Next to his own hands — which are dirty by the way! super filthy fingernails! have fun with that Sebastian haha, ha, , — they look so large and pristinely clean. Almost inhuman, Link thinks to himself for some reason.

But even putting that aside, the old young Hylian isn't used to being touched by others, even in this most harmless of ways. So he leans ever so slightly away from Sebastian upon feeling his touch, trying to focus on what's being shown to him. He hesitates after the pop, but he follows the graciously provided instructions, and in a few seconds he is engrossed again in the phenomenon that is Can Opener Opening a Tin Can. ]

There's — this is food inside? [ Mind-blowing. He peers into the ajar lid, not yet pushed all the way upward as the can opener still attached to its side. ] How did it get in there?? This is made of metal, isn't it?

[cutlery]

[ hm, well, link will be washing his hands before eating,

But Sebastian doesn’t focus on that or how Link flinches away. Though he gets more and more distant from Victorian England, it wouldn’t exactly be an uncommon reaction there. It also tends to be why Sebastian does he. He’s not naturally prone to being physical himself, but it’s a tool to be used as any other. It’s at least perfectly innocuous and instructive by all appearances. ]

Yes! It is quite a little marvel, is it not?

[ Sebastian has a genuine enthusiasm for this, though it’s quite mundane. It’s another fascinating little innovation of mankind’s progress, after all. For all of the truly impossible marvels of things like firearms or radar, he can be thrilled by the quieter marvels of everyday life as well. ]

There is a fair amount to it, but in short you essentially boil the food in the can to ensure that it is all very clean and cannot be contaminated, then seal it up while it is still hot and cook it a bit further. Quite a clever little process, if I do say so myself!

[bakedapple]

[ Clever feels like an understatement to Link, as even the can by itself feels like a mystifyingly advanced example of metalworking. It's so thin, and yet so sturdy! So... cylindrical! And how was it sealed without ruining the food inside? For somebody from a pre-industrial society that's constantly being set back by cyclical holy wars, the entire concept of canned food is akin to magic. More magic than the actual magic he's familiar with.

With the lid detached from the rest of the can, Link removes the opener from the can's lip and... starts to stick his fingers into the food, in an attempt to pry the lid up and out using his fingernails. ]

[cutlery]

[ oh… So much for sterile food… Good thing Sebastian plans to cook them quite a bit more. In fact, maybe they’ll “accidentally” get a little overdone, considering those fingernails. ]

Ah, here, allow me— The edge of the can be rather sharp.

[ It’s absolutely an excuse to reach over and much more delicately pop the lid up at the hinge created by the little bit of remaining metal. He even has a double excuse because his gloves would prevent him from getting cut by it! ]

You may try one as is, if you would like? I will wash the rest [ now a deeply important step ] and prepare them for a stew, I think? It shall not be fancy, but we will make do with what little we have. Tossing it all together in a stew shall be fine, and the broth will even add some extra savory flavor.

[bakedapple]

[ Link is comfortable seceding control over the tin can to Sebastian, his interest being laser focused on investigating its contents further. Getting the lid out of the way is an important step to reaching the food inside!

And speaking of which, there it is. In all its tiny, pale, sausagey glory. Link flashes a curious glance at Sebastian before picking up the can by the bottom and bringing it to his nose to smell it. If Link knew what dog wood was, he might muse to himself that these ghastly little meat tubes smell like dog food. Instead, they smell like nothing he's ever smelled before, so he eagerly pops one into his mouth and chews as he hands it back to Sebastian. ]

........Wow. Those aren't good.

[ But he didn't crinkle his nose as he chewed. His evaluation is neutral and matter-of-fact. It seems he's still interested in eating them anyway, or at least watching Sebastian try to turn them into something edible, because he sits himself up on the kitchen counter like he's getting ready to watch. ]