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Entry tags:
- !event,
- baroque: koriel xii (dextera),
- bastard!!: dark schneider,
- black butler: sebastian michaelis,
- ennead: set,
- expanse (the): amos burton,
- fire emblem: byleth eisner,
- fire emblem: claude von riegan,
- fire emblem: dimitri a. blaiddyd,
- genshin impact: tartaglia (childe),
- genshin impact: zhongli,
- granblue fantasy: eustace,
- jinba: hayame,
- legend of zelda (the): link,
- made in abyss: bondrewd,
- magnus archives (the): the archivist,
- marvel: gamora,
- oc: liem talbott,
- star wars: cassian andor,
- star wars: jyn erso,
- trigun maximum: vash the stampede
The Seeds of Unrest: the Iconoclast Oracle
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.
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?
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…
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…
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.
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!!
no subject
Yeah, of course. [Claude decides, after a small pause, the weight of the request not lost on him.] You have every right to them. Maybe you can finally lay them to rest, after all these years.
[Either here, or back in her own Fódlan, they could finally know peace, instead of being condemned forever to be instruments of war.]
no subject
She had thought Claude would fail, as all humans eventually did. Not that she was stupid enough to take him at face value - he can so easily agree here, yet keep Failnaught hidden if it ever did fall into his greedy hands. But the fact he didn't even bother with a token protest or to be inappropriately inquisitive about her intentions genuinely took her off guard briefly. She always floundered when her combativeness or baiting didn't result in horn-locking.]
Well. Good. [Her voice was almost comically stiff, the deep frown on her face clearly conveying her confusion at how easily Claude had capitulated.] You have some sense after all. Assuming you keep your word, that is.
[Her frown eased into something less stern, chewing over her next words.]
For what I intend... I want to give them the funeral rites that my daughter Rhea should have bestowed on them. This will result in the destruction of your vaunted Relic, so do not expect to have it returned once I have finished.
no subject
[He gets to his feet, dusting himself off and facing Sothis with a serious look.]
I can't change the past, or undo what my ancestors did. But I can try to make things right in the best way I know how.
[And his Byleth intended to help him too. Not by doing away with the faith altogether -- for some in the aftermath of the war, it was all they had left to cling to -- but at least to break apart the shackles Rhea had made of it.]
For you, I'm sure you could use some closure in the time you've been given.
no subject
[She couldn't enact her vengeance against dead wretches, and Rhea had already punished Fodlan's humans in her stead. The few Nabatean children that remained had scattered, or been twisted by their trauma, and Sothis was just done. She wanted nothing to do with reality. All she wanted was to lay to rest those whose remains were being defiled still, and then sleep 'til Byleth's natural life winked out.
In that event, she'll ensure that her Crest Stone was destroyed - just in case Rhea, or anyone else, got any more bright ideas.]
Not even I can change the ancient past in my current state. So, closure will just have to do.
[Yet, she sounded so bitter about it. It really was unfair, she couldn't help but think. If it had been only her torn apart and her remains violated, then she would have simply shrugged her figurative shoulders and admitted that perhaps her heavy-handedness regarding the Agarthan Issue had invited such retaliation upon her. But to drag in her children, most of whom were innocent... why did they die, yet the Agarthans somehow survived like the cockroaches that they were? Who decided that? Who weighed the scales and thought, 'yup, seems fair'!?
Fate truly had a sick sense of humour.]
For I have no intention to retake my place as Fódlan's progenitor god. As far as I am concerned, you mortals are free to chart whatever destiny you desire for yourselves... as you have been doing for however long I have been dead for.
no subject
Listen... The Fódlan that I know has a bright future ahead of it. One that isn't tied down by false dogmas your daughter preached, nor threatened by any secret societies trying to crush it from beneath that opposed you all those years ago. If I can just fix things here, get the worlds back to how they were...
[He falters, because the big, glaring question staring him in the face is simply: how? They're running out of road very quickly, and he doesn't know what to do to save things here. Doubts the Oracle has the kind of power that could set things right, here at the end of everything.]
... What I'm trying to say is, whether you think it's arrogant of me to say so or not, Fódlan's in good hands. I hope your Fódlan is, too.
no subject
It was a surprisingly deep, husky laugh, clearly one dragged from a throat unused to the action. The gesture wasn't mocking, though, it was simply... a burst of unintentional disbelief and something far more visceral and complex. The noise quickly tapered off.]
You hope...
[It never failed to astound her, how bullheaded humans could be. Plonk them in front of an impossibility and they'd simply roll up their sleeves and declare they'd tunnel through it by tomorrow. Proclaim delusional dreams of the future. Believe in their ability to succeed, despite the lack of evidence or even basic common sense. Try to craft miracles out of sheer stubbornness. It truly utterly astounded her.
She used to think it a charm point. She used to look at these small, quick-witted creatures with genuine admiration and respect. Everything she did was based on calculation and the observation of the myriad of outcomes from a single decision - yes, she was decisive, but she knew when an impossibility yawned before her, where Fate had drawn the line in the sand and said 'thou shalt not pass'. Humans merrily skipped over that line and damn the consequences. She thought it was a trait she should emulate more - that her children should emulate more, encouraged it and-
Well. We all know how that turned out.]
Despite being on the cusp of total failure, you still maintain hope that our worlds will be reconstituted and have shining, brilliant futures. Somehow.
[She huffed loudly, but her expression was odd, like she was trying to stop herself from smiling.]
You are right. I do think it is arrogant of you to proclaim as such... but, that does not surprise me. Humans have always been a tenacious breed. They never let reality stop them from achieving their goals, no matter how delusional they are.
[...is this a compliment? A really backwards, roundabout complimentish insult?]
Though, I am curious as to what you plan is. It hinges on the collection of these Oracles, no? What will you do if we fail to obtain this one?
no subject
[The details of which he won't bore Sothis with. Not because he thinks she'll pass that on to Byleth, when he'd rather keep his ideas quiet for now. Instead, he simply assumes she isn't interested in much more than self-preservation at this point, as she seems to indicate.]
My goals already hung by a thread of hope even before all this happened. Delusional or not, I won't give up on it. Most humans are like that... We all need something to work toward.
no subject
['You mean humans are never satisfied with their current lot,' she barely bit back, unable to hide the irritation that flickered across her expression as she turned away slightly. Claude was not like most humans, possibly one of the very very very few decent ones, yet at the same time something about his unflagging optimism made her want to scratch his eyes out.
But this was not the time to pick (petty) fights, even if it was embarrassing that she had to restrain herself. She was a god. She was not a child throwing a tantrum.
...ugh, but, it was aggravating that she had to comport herself so! At least in their shared headspace, Byleth indulged her huffing and puffing and dramatic languishing on her (uncomfortable) throne, which was the only outlet she had for all these compressed emotions just aching to be vented in one large... scream. Perhaps a laser beam. A laser beam would be nice. Explosions were always cathartic.]
Well, fortunately for you, my vessel's desires align with yours. He wants to go home and to return to his sire...
[Such a simple desire. Her vessel was like a child, sometimes.]
...and I will aid him in this. If acquiring the Oracles will achieve his wish, then that is what we shall do. It is that simple.