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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
[ He says, in response. Childe might not see the potential, the connection at the moment, but Silco does. Always looking for them, connections, patterns, ways to make something better from what he had to work with. It's fine that Childe doesn't see it, because it makes his questions all the less suspicious, and more the genuine curiosity of someone who had seen something they don't know anything about. ]
Would that we could destroy it. Unfortunately, we are rather powerless, are we not?
[ A beat, and he tipped his head. ]
Though it sounds like this was something some from your world are not unused to. What were those that I saw? The Delusions, exactly? I have a... vague understanding, and yet...
no subject
[ Childe nods in agreement.
At the question on the Delusions, he only pauses a moment before answering— and the pause is clearly for how he might explain it adequately than hesitant. Afterall, as much as he would like to claim he knows everything there is to know about them, Il Dottore is like most gifted researchers: uninterested in sharing his complete findings and data to those that do not seem worthy, aka incapable of understanding and appreciating such things. ]
They're manmade replicas of Visions, which are the most coveted sources of power in Teyvat for humanity. [ Childe will unclip his own Vision from his belt and toss it over to Silco to catch. Hell notice that the orb of the Vision not completely gray but it is extremely foggy and there is no pulsing light. If he turns it around he'll not something strange fused to the back of it with a specific symbol, which he may have noticed as an insignia for the Fatui on either the soldiers themselves or one of the other Harbingers. There's nothing that easily tells that what is in the opposite side is his Delusion, though. Silco will have to ask, especially since it doesn't look like the Delusion that was floating around La Signora or the one that Dottore pulled from one of the corpses. ]
Unfortunately, just wanting a Vision isn't good enough, and the gods have to feel you worthy of hiding you with one. The popular theory is that those that come face to face with death and have a stronger desire to live than die in that moment are granted these gifts, but that's just hearsay. No one knows exactly how or why they are granted. The Doctor is an incredibly intelligent man that has dedicated himself to all kinds of research, but particular that which elevates humans closer to gods. There are very few vision users in the Teyvat, but if you had a small group of holders under your command, they could fell armies and obstacles several times their numbers and beyond the limits of normal humans in a military. Delusions allow those that wish to have power to harness such without the approval of the gods.
I don't know the mechanisms exactly, but when a Vision is given, it uses divine energy to link to the user's soul. That's part of the power. If a vision user dies, their vision will turn gray and lose all its associated power.
Delusions also use divine energy in the same way, but from the fallen remains of evil gods that were felled by the ones that bestow the Visions. It also at least temporarily links to the soul in some way to allow them use of an elemental power they had no prior access to.
Ironically, the one who endorses the Doctor's work... is the same Divine being that gifted Kaeya his Vision. She has seen the inequality that the distribution of Visions has caused and aims to assist in remedying that.
Of course, there's still a small imperfection or two still— other than for a particular few, the Delusion drains the life energy of the user when it is worn. The vision doesn't do this despite using the soul link for energy, too. Still, most that desire power for war and to make a difference for those they care about and stand for what they believe in don't care about the price it comes at. Nevertheless, it definitely makes an issue of having able bodies to deploy.
The second is a little more troublesome, in my opinion... I can't say why for sure but assume that it has to do with the volatile nature of the fallen gods and their energy: it sometimes glitches. Instead of conjure the power outwardly into whatever element it is, the Delusion causes that energy to backfire into the user and kills them. [ he knows Kaeya would not have hid his vision from Silco, but he doesn't know if Kaeya would have ever mentioned the Delusions and what they did to Kaeya's adoptive father. So he leaves it at that, because he doesn't want Kaeya OR Diluc getting wind he's taking about things that are personal to them and have nothing to do with him. ]
But, personally? I think they're great. Not only do they let those that have been left behind be able to become powerful through their own convictions, but it negates favoritism of divine beings that don't deserve to make the decisions on who and who isn't worthy to begin with. It's not just for military, either. You can't grow up to be an adventurer that will become well known and make a difference without. A lot people people grow up dreaming to do this only be disappointed or otherwise limited through no faults of their own. it can't be used for the general public as is since it's harmful... but I don't see why it's wrong to perfect it so little kids can keep their hopes and dreams of going out and being heroes themselves.
no subject
Inert though it was here, under these roots, he still tips it this way, and that, listening. It's a lot more details than he expected from Childe, but his eyes even flick up to him, when he mentioned that Kaeya's Vision was from the same... "goddess" that is trying to bring forth the Delusions.
That she wants to equalize between the chosen and those that wish to find power... hm. Gods and Goddesses in his very limited experience do not do such things, and magic and technology are so often only given to those who can afford it. Even in Zaun, where their leaps in technology are the envy of even their betters in some ways -- their replacement limbs are like nothing any other city can boast (though given how often people lose limbs in the mines, in fights, or to disease, it's not surprising) but those are limited by funds too. One had to have enough money, enough power, enough people willing to do favors to get them there. No world is different, as much as others like to say that their worlds are better. Power, and money, speak louder than anything else. He's certain that this doctor would be doing this for a reason, just as he and Singed had developed Shimmer for a reason. ]
Hm, where I am from, we have had to create more... rudimentary tactics, to bring power to the powerless.
[ Zaunite children didn't dream of adventure, they dreamed of having a warm bed, and food on the table. ]
Though I can understand the motivation to do so. Those without power must find a way to become more powerful, to manifest ways to get what they want. These Delusions are...an equalizer, even if they destroy whom uses them. Even powers do so, with time. Even our own... similar tactics will destroy those that use them eventually. It is the way power works, and those who have the ability to withstand it... will be able to force the world to look on them with a new light. No longer powerless, hm?
[ He, after all, does not know about Kaeya's father, beyond his vision with Kaeya, and had never really asked. IT is not a lack of interest, but instead... Silco often wanted to help him let the past die, even if that was difficult to do. ]
no subject
Yeah, exactly.... that's exactly it.
[ he doesn't really know what else to say because Silco summed it you so perfectly. It doesn't really sound so much like a flaw with his he said it, even. ]
no subject
Singed had been largely responsible for much of it, with his shimmer research. ]
I understand, because it is a...similarity. Not just between my world and yours, but others as well. How often are we caught between the Haves and the Have-Nots? How often is power, real power the equalizer that everyone seeks, and must do anything to obtain it -- if they wish to survive.
How broken must all these worlds be, to fall into the same trap? Over and over, without end?