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.

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

Threaded | Flat

At the end of one of the tunnels branching from the Ritual Chamber, the statuesque figure of an Otter sits dejectedly, Blighted and frozen in place. In your heightened state of Communion, you might be able to pick up stray feelings coming from this figure - and snippets of images that paint a picture in your mind, however much it seems obvious he doesn't want to share with you.

You gather that Mr. Tibbs' fate was recently set in stone (pun intended). He had fled with the Oracle at the end of time, using the last of his powers as Mimsy's familiar to do so - but time comes for us all, so the saying goes. And he had reached the end of his. His selfish desires have led countless people to their painful, horrible deaths, and for what? To keep you from claiming the Oracle and undoing Mimsy's spell keeping the Scorching Isle frozen? You may never see Kenos as it was for all you know...

The last wrenching thought you sense from him is a bitter, angry outburst as he curses you for coming here and his hopes you all die in this Chamber. Much quieter is his conscience and his lament.

Do you destroy Mr. Tibbs? Do you spare him?

The choice is collectively yours...

[NOTE: This thread is for Bearers to decide Mr. Tibbs' fate. If you would like to coordinate this on an OOC level or make this a dialogue-heavy Manon debate-style thread is up to you! Just report the end result any interested parties arrive on to the Loremoms.]

Please report here when your characters have ICly reached areas previously off-limits or unreachable.

NOTE: The areas beneath Yima's manor & below the Church of Heliopolis are inaccessible. Should your characters attempt to reach those locations, link us here!

I. The Silent City

[ Awakening to this dead world was bad enough. Now he must walk through it. He has ventured down into the city-scape of Springstar to see what can be seen or found and it is all hollow and dead. There is a sick, twisted feeling in his stomach. A sense of hollowness and loss for a place that, whether truly home or not, has been where he's spent much of his time over the last many months. Familiar streets and buildings hollowed out and empty. Windows gaping. The dark stillness that beckons from alleyways or looms beyond crumbled doors. It is unsettling. And above them, the sickly, dead sun.

The fountains are dry. All is gray and silent. The only sound is the wind - if there is any - or the softer sound of footsteps that are swallowed up by the great mass of buildings. As if he was never there at all. It makes his skin crawl, even as he tries to press on through the discomfort that roils and bubbles inside of him. He can be found at the old barracks, to start, rummaging through the place. Although the feeling of being watched makes him want to bolt, he holds his ground - at least until there's another sound, the presence of another life - it can only be another shardbearer - and that's when he glances up. ]

...you are real, aren't you? [ He seems in earnest about that.

He hasn't experienced the whispers of the vengeful dead or his own ghosts in a time... but the memory lurks and here they seem closer than they have in a long, long time. ]

II. The Ritual

[ THis chamber underneath the tree is a terrible, awful place. He knows it. He hates it. Detests. But they are here, they must be, and he can feel the blood (sap) crawling in his veins as they try to make it work. He doesn't know when the last time he slept was. There's no day, no night. Just the staring effigy and the huddled shardbearers. Time drags on and on and there are snatches of thoughts and emotions that could be his own or could be something pressed on him from communion. He doesn't know. It's hard to tell.

But he does have those thoughts crawling into his head. Those flickering, ghosting memories of death and blood, of fire and war. And now, those whispers are back. The voices of the dead, telling him to find vengeance. That he failed. That he shouldn't even try to restore what was lost, because it is pointless. Anyone near him or tapping into his communion will sense the sorrow there - the burning rage that boils underneath the surface and the desire to hurt someone - something. He tries to keep it in check, even as his own doubts and anger continue to fester. ]

It's all gone.

[ The words are spoken aloud from where he's curled against one wall of the chamber, his good eye looking almost glazed over as he tries to peer out into the rest of the room. ]

Everything is gone. What's the point of this? Why bring us to this dead and dying place? Why?

[ He chokes back the words and takes a deep shuddering breath as if he's trying to get a grip. It's harder than it has been in a long, long time. ]

I can't...

[ Another full-body shudder. ]

III. The Purge

[ His blood stirs again, despite his weakness. He knows what he has to do. It is crystal clear in his own mind. He has to find a way back, even now. Even at the end of all things, he must fight. And if that means someone - some people - must die. The Zenith inside of him needs to be expunged - and to do that he needs to trade. Even if a part of him continues to gnaw at him, continues to think about what it is has happened and what has been done since his arrival here. What it all means. Again, his gaze is a little hollow. Tired. ]

...we need to end this.

[ Whatever "this" means. ]

We have to find a way to win. This isn't the end of all things. I know it-

[ Zenith or Meridian, he does need a bit of help. ]

Give me what I need. Please.

[ Although he sounds more than a little on edge. ]

IV. Reach Heaven Through Violence

[ Time winds on. And Dimitri - Dimitri has had some encounters, some wisdom forced into his head. There's only one way this is going to end - with a victory or an ignoble defeat. A repudiation of everything he loves and cares about. The destruction of the world he seeks to return to.

So eventually, if he finds a Zenith, Dimitri's first recourse is to violence. By this point, he is half-crazed, with a wild look in his eye and he is utterly, completely prepared to use his bare hands or a rock or whatever else he has to somehow make the enemy - Zenith - submit.

Approach at your own risk. Or if you're Meridian, stop for a chat. He's not gunning for you. ]

V. Wildcard

[ I've plotted some specific stuff - I'll throw up some prompts under here and/or if you want to make something up, feel free! ]

Edited 2023-05-12 22:10 (UTC)

✧ 1. Give Everything One Death: Days 1 → 2

[Exploring the cities is such an eerie experience that after the first couple attempts at going it alone she will refuse to do so again. However anyone, whether they be Zenith or Meridian, might find themselves with a young woman asking if she can tag along. However with the sun and shadow situation being what it is, she'll always return at a reasonable hour (unless her partner insists on continuing).

Away from the scorching rays of the sun and paranoia inducing shadows Rin will be offering any sun-scorched individuals, regardless of faction, an after-sun balm. This is a great time to unload your grievances of explorations onto her, or find comfort in the presence of another person after a long day of investigating desolate places that used to be full of life.]

✧ 2. Offer Your Pure Prayer: Days 3 → 5

[The little beginnings. Branches begin sprouting from her skull as they twist and wrap into a crown. Beginning small and bare before thickening in growth with leaves, buds, and eventually blooming five petaled sakura blossoms. Over the days she also finds that small roots, like that of a new spring foliage, winds under her skin, breaches it, and burrows back in. It doesn't hinder her, but it's unpleasant to look at — especially as it grows with each passing day.

Feel free to tease her for attempting to gain privacy by dipping into the tunnels to explore them, or inquire about the agonized face she makes when plagued by the voices of her sister or Archer as the haunting hallucinations of them scold her.]

✧ 3. When Maddening Love is Filled with Nightmare: Days 5+

[The affliction of being overburdened with Meridian's influence feels much like the sickness that comes with her magic crest. Something deeply burdensome yet so very much a part of her. It's maddening, and thoughts of participating in old style bloodletting to ride herself of it comes to mind. However she sees others... trading and conversing with each other. Blood, yes, but something more being shared.

Desperation takes hold, and in the end she relents: reaching out to others for help in shedding the Meridian influence inside the sap-like blood pushing through her veins.]

✧ 4. Engraving the Joy of Birth in Your Evanescent Body: Wildcard

[Event Jam. Feel free to use this for your custom starter or reach out to me at my plotting post (includes other forms of contact). I'm 100% okay with Just Winging It so don't feel afraid to drop something here without planning if you don't feel like it needs that much.]

i. highstorm

[ You’ll first find Sebastian exploring Highstorm, since it’s the natural place to go looking into first. After all, that’s where his home is. For one, it’s purely practical, as he keeps many useful things stored in his home, but secondarily… He’s worried about his cats. Don’t tell anyone. But, for better or for worse, he finds neither there. All of his stowed away goodies aren’t to be found, nor are his darling boys. Truly, this is the worst timeline.

However, before going to reconvene with the troubling pair that’s recruited him for an effort he is not thrilled about… There is one thing that he wants to check into while he’s here. For purely petty reasons.

You’ll find Sebastian outside of a certain antique shop, surveying the door first, then the windows. The door is locked, which he could pick, but— ]

The window would be quicker…

[ Oh, are we doing crime? We’re doing crime now. At least now’s the time to do it, since the rude owner isn’t around to enforce his strict rules or to keep them out of the curious, restricted areas. ]

ii. springstar

[ After discussions with Set and Silco, Sebastian ends up heading into Springstar. It’s still just as much of a chore, but he’s been given a task. He’s quite annoyed about this deal, but at least this task isn’t one he minds as much. Maybe it had been given with intention of calming a demon’s ruffled feathers. Who knows? ]

a. collecting
[ The task, of course, being cooking. If there’s one thing that can at least put Sebastian’s fussy heart a bit more at ease, it’s spending time in the kitchen. However, first thing’s first, which is scouring for supplies. He’s already procured a rather dainty parasol, though at closer examination, it does look like a few holes were patched... It makes for a striking image to see Sebastian clad all in black with a similarly black umbrella, seemingly just kind of… Ignoring the heat.

(He’s not. It’s awful. But he also doesn’t need to sweat like humans do, so.)

He also has a bag slung over a shoulder that seems to have a few items in it. He’s considering the businesses he passes by with a serious expression, but as he sees someone else, his expression does lighten. ]

Ah, good day. Have you had any luck finding foods that are not spoiled, by any chance?
b. cooking
[ And once he’s collected everything he needs, Sebastian finds a place to set up shop. In what was once the marketplaces of Springstar, he finds a restaurant whose seating spilled out onto the street under a covered awning, and the rest of the place was quite open to the elements, including the kitchen. It’s ideal for his purposes in two respects, since as the tickle of unpleasant claustrophobia comes, he can simply step out into the scorching heat for a bit and essentially cool off the urge, then back inside it is with him. And secondarily, it also allows the delicious aroma of a finely cooked meal to waft out into the street.

Like, too fine, considering the situation, but. That’s Sebastian for you.

If you’re Meridian and are drawn in by the smell, Sebastian will greet you with a warm smile as he turns to give a glance from the open kitchen. ]

Welcome. Are you hungry? I am just finishing up the Cassoulet, so you are just in time to have a plate.

[ Otherwise, though… You’ll be “greeted” with a bit of a put-out frown. ]

Ah, my apologies… But this is only for the Meri, I am afraid…

[ Yet, there’s something about his tone that really does say “convince me”. It’s probably not even that hard. ]

iii. roots

[ It’s not long after they’re all drawn to the roots of the Tree that a fight breaks out, and it’s one Sebastian fully expected. It’s happened once before under almost the exact same circumstances, and he had honestly expected the same end. However, Hayame hadn’t ripped out his throat this time. Instead, her retribution was matching.

He’s managed to clean up the worst of the gore and had surely given his “dealmakers” a private, vicious word, but the damage remains. He’s now without one of his eyes as well.

As could be expected, it’s put him in a sour, less than personable mood. He largely keeps to himself, but it’s not long before he takes up what seems to be a handicraft. Maybe it’s the ripping of fabric that draws your attention as he starts to rip the lining out of his fine jacket, or maybe it’s a bit later when he’s in the process of making delicate stitches. Ever prepared, he’d found a travel sewing kit, though he wouldn’t have guessed it would be used this way.

He's in the process of making an eyepatch, naturally. Aesthetics are important, thank you. ]

i. wildcard

[ The usual wildcard! Since I didn’t make a plotting toplevel for Sebastian, feel free to hit me up if you’d like to plan something! Sebastian can do Zenith trades and/or corruption as the most relevant part for the event.

As noted in prompt three, he will be missing an eye in all prompts taking place shortly after they descend to the tree, even if I forget to mention it (likely). This was taken by Hayame, and Akua intervened to save his ass, how nice! He’ll have fashioned an eyepatch by the time of the purge at least, hooray for everyone that doesn't want to see that shit. It’s also worth noting that Rizu and I are having that thread be opt-in for witnesses, so if you’d like to assume that a character saw (or just heard of) this happening, feel free! ]

i. exploration. (highstorm, springstar, location flexible)

[gamora is far from a stranger to desolation — and that is in no way a comfort.

she's seen it happen to countless worlds; her scattered memories of the last day on zen-whoberi had only been the beginning. balance, thanos had called it. correction. countless had been murdered at his behest — and many, over the years, as she'd secured her survival with her father's favor, by her own hand. what would his destructiveness look like, she'd often wondered in the silence of the night cycle, if she were to fail in her own private mission, and all six infinity stones were to fall into his hands?

as she moves through the cities now, searching for survivors that it's becoming less and less likely she'll find, there's a part of her that can't help but think: something like this.

it's a thought that grabs her by the throat and threatens to pull the air from her lungs, but she forces herself to keep going.

and eventually, she finds that she's not alone.

any form of surprise is carefully tucked away, leaving only a neutrality on her features as she regards the person she's come across. as she assesses (she's always assessing).

then:]

I haven't found much, [she says, before reaching into a pocket and producing a small, worn knife.] But I have this.

[somewhere, in the back of her mind, the voice she's never quite been able to silence tells her she's a fool, and deserving of her own destruction, for offering a weapon to what she can't wholly trust not to be a threat. but she's spent the past four years acting in direct spite of it; here, now, with a peace offering, she can choose to do the same.]

ii. roots.

[close quarters have long had a tendency to make gamora uneasy.

she can adapt, of course — had adapted in those first few chaotic months after xandar, when she'd shared living space on a small m-ship with four other beings. maybe she and rocket had found themselves in more than one yelling match regarding wayward explosives, and maybe it'd taken some time before she and drax didn't each have blades in hand waiting to be turned on the other, but something once seemingly impossible had become routine. in its own way reassuring.

but here, in the roots, among complete strangers with no real means of escape, that old unease takes precedence.

while others sleep, she finds a spot in the chamber to sit, continuing to keep her eyes open, fiddling idly with the one found knife that she's kept just for something to do with at least one of her hands. she twirls the blade over her fingers time and time again, watching the chamber around her for one single sign of anything that could be construed as suspicious. it's one thing to choose trust on the street; it's idiocy to choose it here.

open eyes, though, don't always see everything; senses, even augmented and honed, don't pick up on everything, either, especially with divided focus. when footsteps come close, her startle, with knife still in hand, is visible.

brief, but visible.]

iii. wildcard.

[closed starters for specifically plotted threads will go under this comment, and i'm also open to taking on more if you're interested! if you're interested in trading alignment energy, i'm also here to write a closed starter for that. please feel free to hit me up at

lensflares, gamora's ooc plotting comment, or via private dm on discord at stardust#4864 if you have any ideas you'd like to bounce off of me! ❤️ ]

I. THE CITY

[By the time Aetós's spell grips him, pulls him through space and time to emerge anew at the withered, dead-or-dying husk of the Tree of Life, Liem has been run ragged — worn out physically from the strain of rescuing ailing Springstar residents and mentally from the toll that their deaths have taken on his morale. The man who ventures from the desiccated tree to wander the silent, abandoned streets of the two cities looks wrung out and used up.

However, he has no time to rest, and no place to safely do so regardless. Instead, he delves into the urban sprawl, searching.]

a. [His first priority is Heliopolis — primarily because it is where he would expect to find survivors if there were any, or at least signs they might have left behind. It was Springstar's beating heart, and therefore the most obvious place to seek not just information, but also usable supplies, if any yet remain in the city. The store rooms he checks are mostly empty save of rot and rust, but he is reluctant to head back outside, into the pitiless gaze of that dying sun.

You might find him moving through the abandoned halls and courtyards like a ghost, casting paranoid glances over his shoulder, flinching in the light that floods through the windows. Perhaps there is yet something of interest in the municipal buildings — but failing that, there is still the Church.]

b. [Eventually, he is forced back out into the city proper, armed only with a rust-pitted knife and a look of haunted determination. Navigating the streets remains an exercise in misery; the sun scorches him evilly, leaving him weak and dizzy after only a few minutes exposure, and so he takes to the shadows — only to be chased from them by a wire-taut foreboding so intense it sends sweat pouring down his spine. Under the circumstances, it's no surprise he resorts to breaking into empty buildings for relief.

He wanders for as long as he can, and you may come across him thus: scouring abandoned buildings for supplies, or pale-faced, braving the sun and shadows in between. Once he's endured all he can bear, you may even meet him on his way home, laden with what meagre supplies he's scavenged, seeking the safety of his own house to ease his exhaustion. Perhaps, if you are a friendly face, he will even invite you in.]

II. THE TREE

[It begins slowly: the waning of his magic, the strangeness in his blood. When Liem leaves the unbearable heat of the cities behind and delves beneath the Tree to seek the Oracle, he feels weary and heartsore, but his determination to see their task through to the end remains stubbornly intact. This time, he can't help but feel, the choice is succeed or die.

But the caverns below hold nothing for the shard-bearers except imprisonment, and two motionless figures — one of wood and one simply frozen in time. Liem has prowled the entire perimeter of the space, disappeared down each tunnel and looked into each alcove. He has stared into the hollow eyes of the effigy and wondered what he is meant to do. It avails him nothing; there is no test here, yet. He is left alone with his thirst, and his fatigue, and most of all, his doubts.

That is when the struggle truly begins.]

a. [In the first stretch of time, before the effigy makes its demands, Liem seeks out other shard-bearers for the respite of distraction their thoughts offer. He does not wish to be left alone with the visions and questions and despairs that the slow boil of Zenith inside him brings on. It is easier to shove those thoughts aside when he can instead turn his attention outward — and so he looks for those whose thoughts are loudest, or whose distraction seems most apparent, and he approaches with every appearance of normalcy, to gesture with a restrained little movement at the space next to them.]

Might I join you?

b. [Liem's composure can only withstand the strain of his growing distress for so long before it begins to crack — and then to crumble. When he cannot bear it anymore and still maintain a facade of calm, he retreats to what meagre, root-formed privacy he can find while the tide of his corruption-fed doubts tries to drown him. There is a hot, manic look in his eyes as he stares down at his trembling hands, shedding waves of wild despair tangled up with the frantic need to put it somewhere. At some point, the knife he scavenged in Springstar has ended up clutched in his fingers. He hasn't yet seemed to realize that he might have an audience.]

III. WILDCARD

[If we plotted something and none of the above prompts seem quite right, feel free to just take them as inspiration and wildcard me something! Liem's corruption struggles will wax and wane throughout the ritual, though he'll generally trend worse over time. As always, you can hit me up on Discord or on Plurk at Sporelett to work out specific details.]

01 ↣ ABANDON HOPE [SPRINGSTAR] ↣ 希望をもう、捨てた

[The sun is scorching, but the shadows whisper. Hayame has scoured the breadth of Springstar looking for inhabitants, for someone to tell her what the hell had happened here, in this place undamaged by roots and Blight yet deserted for an apparent age... but she has found no one but her fellow shard-bearers. And they are not who she seeks. Once she gives up on people, she begins to look for something else. More important than food, than shelter...

She comes across an armory. Or perhaps it is best to say "what used to be an armory". ... Is it an armory? She's been out in the sun so long that she finds herself standing in front of the building dazed, suddenly unsure if she recognizes the building from her time training Springstar's archers under General Zaman. A bow... arrows... a blade...

The sun beats down as she tries to find the energy to remember what she was doing there.]

02 ↣ THE RITUAL ↣ 恐ろしい目の下、儀式待ち

[There have been times when Hayame managed to forget the mark of the Iconoclast on the back of her neck, visible beneath the high arc of her updone mane and the low fall of her collar. Now, though, here in the ritual chamber with the effigy watching over them... it fairly burns on her skin.

She stands across from the Iconoclast-marked monstrosity, glaring into its empty eyes as if demanding answers that aren't forthcoming. Ostensibly she is eating, a broken off piece of root in her hand revealing that the thing she's chewing on must be bark, but her focus is on the effigy, on trying to keep the heightened communion in this small space from jumbling her thoughts together. And if someone happens to interrupt her line of sight towards it-]

Move out of the way.

[You're blocking her staring contest.]

01 ↣ THE PURGE ↣ 信用しないなら自分でやるしかない

[The Iconoclast effigy has finally "spoken", worming its way into their hearts and depositing in them the knowledge of how to purge themselves of the unwanted energy warring within them. The problem was... it was not as simple as just returning to the factions they belonged to when they entered this room. Numbers would decide their fate, and for the second time... Hayame does not feel that she can trust her faction to secure victory.

And without that trust... she must do all that she can herself. She must remove that Yima woman's influence from her body. If others are so weak that they might fall to Zenith, then she must guard them to make sure they are not corrupted. If she is too late to do so... she must make sure they do not count towards her enemy's victory. There is no room to allow others' failures to prevent her from returning to the world she belonged.

In the dark of a side tunnel, Hayame lies in wait. And as a fellow Shard-bearer approaches, and her large form slowly begins to take shape from the shadows-]

[if Meridian-aligned] You do not need to be here, Meridian.

[if mixed] What business do you have with me?

[if Zenith-aligned] You have a lot of gall, showing your face here now.

04 ↣ WILDCARD ↣ 鬼札

[Hit up Hayame's plotting comment if you'd prefer a custom starter/want to discuss a specific thread! ❤️]

i. abandon hope

[ He's been on a dead planet before. A dying one, too. And one in the process of coming back to life, slowly rebooting as a kind of zombie husk, the natural instinct to reawaken overriding everything else — like what to do once awoken. But Amos is under no such delusions for himself; when something on this scale is dying, that's generally kind of it. And if he can avoid any unnecessary misery to his person, he will.

So he settles back down in his space in Highstorm, still as intact as anything here can be, and figures it best to ride things out in relative comfort. Anyone whom he considers to be kin is welcome to use his space as relief; otherwise...

If something is meant to happen, it will. If something isn't, he'll cross that bridge once it becomes obvious it's time. But he's used to things dying, and this isn't really a whole lot different. ]

ii. the ritual

[ He alternates.

One moment he's sitting on the ground, back to the cavern wall, knees hugged loosely to his chest and staring down at nothing, brow furrowed. The next he's up and pacing, restless, shooting glares towards the effigy, like it's to blame for everything he's feeling right now — and he doesn't know what he's feeling. Anguish, distress, despair, occasionally punctuated by a futile slamming of his fist into the cavern wall (pay no mind to the split skin — increasingly bark-like — of his knuckles allowing sap through; he certainly isn't) or by burying his head further into his knees, trying to shut out the world around him, hold on to the one within him.

Because. ]

It can't all be gone.

[ His voice is quiet, directed more towards himself than anyone else. It can't. Can it? He thought he knew, could say so with certainty. Amos has been mired in death his whole life, as accustomed to it as he is to breathing. And yet everything inside him, everything he's feeling right now...

It doesn't make any fucking sense, and it just leaves him painfully confused, wanting to go ~~home~~ ~~to Yima~~ ~~to Lydia~~ home. ]

iii. the purge

[ His body feels a little less like his own, skin increasingly bark-like, little branches starting to force their way out through his clothing as the days have passed. But that seems so much further away now that he knows what he can actually do — how he can fix this. ]

a. amiable

[ At the end of the day, he's just a guy.

A guy who's been forced to feel emotions foreign and incomprehensible to him. A guy with his own convictions, with clearer sight of mind, clearer understanding of what needs to happen. But just a guy — calm, composed, comfortable. There are people here he likes. People here he wants to help. Ultimately for Zenith, yes — so he doesn't have to feel that poison Meridian tried to feed him ever again, a newfound desire to get rid of it — but it's not like he has to be a dick about it.

So when Amos finds you — a friend, someone in need of help, either, both — he'll raise a hand in greeting as he makes his way over, locks eyes with a simple little smile on his face. ]

Hey. How're you holding up?

[ Just a guy who's here to help — you, or Zenith? — and nothing more. ]

b. aggressive

[ At the end of the day, he really doesn't have time to fuck around.

He wants everyone to harmonize to Zenith. Everyone. And while he understands the odds of that aren't likely to happen, that doesn't mean he can't try. Some Meridian-inclined are more headstrong than others; some will never come willingly. And that's fine — because he knows he can force them. Doesn't matter if it won't stick. Doesn't matter if it's not for real. Only matters that it happens while they're down here, where it really matters in the here and now, and he's got no qualms about fighting dirty.

So Amos doesn't bother wasting any time, hitting anyone he spots who fits that particular bill with waves of Zenith. With everything he knows to be right. He doesn't need to say a word, doesn't need to announce his presence — just needs to get the job done, the sooner the better. ]

iv. wildcard

[ feel free to tweak any of the prompts above for our purposes, or hit me with a wildcard if none of these work for you. alternatively, if you want a closed starter, let me know and I'll write one up! plotting comment for reference; arii#6412 or

cadiai for plotting. ]

(top level for closed starters.)

[Closed starters go here. placeholder etc.]

[ plotting comment. starters below. ]

I. EXPLORATION - DAY 2 - CLOSED TO DIMITRI, LATER CHILDE & JOHN
[This can't be it.

That's all Claude can think as he makes his way first through Springstar, and on the second day, Highstorm. Something here isn't adding up, whether it be Aetós's interference, or the fact Cyrus seems to be missing. Didn't he say he was immune to the Blight? Was it just the ravages of time that did away with everyone and everything, then...?

He can't accept that. So he decides to go to Highstorm next, to see if anyone is present. What better place to look than Yima's manor directly? Along the way he runs into Dimitri and enlists his help, and they're lingering at the entrance, relieved to be out of the scorching sun, scoping their immediate surroundings for any particular threats or traps before they proceed. Perhaps unsurprisingly, nothing is forthcoming.]

I don't know why anyone would bother defending this place at this point, but let's be on guard anyway.

[He's sure he doesn't have to warn Dimitri, but he'll do so nonetheless.]

II. THE RITUAL BEGINS - DAY 3-4 - OTA
[For Claude, it's a point of... not pride exactly, but grim satisfaction, perhaps, that he's a survivor. He's used to treading lightly around danger, he's used to making himself seem friendly and unthreatening, or opaque enough that he becomes unreadable and unpredictable, and therefore a much bigger threat. Other times, like in his younger years, he would prefer to make himself figuratively invisible and hide away to avoid conflict, which is what he finds himself relying on now. People are falling apart at the seams, and the longer he spends here, the more he can't find it in himself to feign cheeriness, to encourage others, to act like any of this is worth anything.

Hidden away from view in one of the few side tunnels, he's starting to show signs of transformation, small branches beginning to grow painfully from his head like antlers. He sits with his head in his hands, the Zenith eating away at him. Wouldn't it be easier to give up on Fódlan, on Almyra? People were people: cruel, brutish, selfish, capable of the worst kinds of atrocities if it was in their self-interest, or at least their self-gratification. He can't look away from that truth when here, peoples' trust in one another is collapsing, and if he steps up to try to stop it this time, maybe he'll just end up on the chopping block next.

But if, in the new world, he could make a place without conflict, then...

For once, he can't deflect his thoughts and feelings around others with a laugh and a smile. Communion is too open here for that. But he can at least hide himself away, and hope that no one thinks to look for him, or stumble on him here. There's too much other noise (violence, at times, even) going on around them for that.]

III. THE PURGE - DAYS 5+ - OTA
[When the effigy finally snaps Claude out of his stupor, he finally realises what he has to do. He's done with this place, he's exhausted and hungry, and he's done with letting the Zenith inside him gnaw away at his will when he should be taking command of his own situation. He'll be approaching any Zenith in particular, and he'll skip the niceties to give them a blunt request.]

I'm sure we both have what the other wants, so let's not mince words. Will you go ahead and trade with me?

[The twig-sized branches from before are getting more elaborate, and they itch. Well, if he's going to turn into a damn tree person, he might as well do it under his own will and not Zenith's influence.

If you're Meridian or unharmonised, however, he'll approach to check on you.]

How are you holding up?

IV. WILDCARD
[For anything else! If you want a custom starter, hit me up here.]

( closed starters comment! )

( closed starters under this top level! if you would like one, please feel free to tug on my sleeve, because i'm definitely still more than open to taking on more ❤️ you can hit me up at

lensflares, jyn's ooc plotting comment, or via dm on discord at stardust#4864 )

( plotting comment, closed starters below! )

— THE ROAD LAID OUT BEFORE ME IS IN FLAMES.

Is this what you were trying to show me, Lady Yima?

[ He asks it aloud, standing at the crossroads between Springstar and Highstorm. The only routes left to them are to one city, or the other. Set cannot reach the Beyond, he cannot look upon his haven — and that, he thinks, is for the better. This is a horrifying place, a decay so tumultuous that it threatens both Meridian and Zenith; there can be no quarter, against that which could ruin everything. ( Though, he thinks, in his heart of hearts — it would be so marvelous, if they could push these effects entirely upon Zenith. To watch those who choose to oppose him squirm, fight with their futile dreams of a future they have no right to attain? What a pleasure.

In fact, he'd love to see the hope crushed from Meridian, too. The despair lingering in their eyes, ah. ) Set shakes himself from revery, grasping at the sides of his head momentarily. The fluttering thing within him, representative of his ties to Meridian, strains painfully. It tries to blanket his true nature, to keep him bright — hopeful. When he surfaces from the palms of his own hand, it is with shuttering gaze and stern, furious mouth. ]

No, not this. Not yet. Perhaps one day, but not this one. I hear you.

A. While in Springstar, Set focuses on using his own rapidly-dwindling Harmonization spells to create shade, via Mold Earth, illuminate shadows, via Druidcraft, and could be found exploring the two following areas for information, pleasure and general mayhem: the Viomichanikós district, to investigate the "natural energy" center within the tallest warehouse, and the financial records of prominent figures within the Empório District.

B. In contrast, Set's time in Highstorm is largely spent with the Greenwood Yards, where he appears to be accessing the greenhouses ( Sunset Gardens ) that have become off-limits to the Meridian-aligned. There, he can be found counting, cataloguing and investigating the extent of what Highstorm truly has in stock. He also spends time in Starwatcher's Spire, examining the notes and research of prominent scholars there for. ]

— THE VULTURES ARE CIRCLING OVERHEAD.

[ The heightened state of Communion plays upon him like a terrible instrument; the mind of a god, opened to the minds of others, is akin to nothing else but an abyssal fall. Set's mind is fathomless, rich with complexity and contradiction that are incomprehensibly, simultaneously — compatible. He is Meridian. He is Zenith. In any other world, it is painfully obvious that he would straddle the boundary precisely. In this world, he strays towards Zenith, right from the beginning.

Within Set's mind, part of an old conversation plays and replays, for anyone who digs to hear it out. Lady Yima's voice is obvious within it, and his own:

'There is no mistake you could make that would see you beyond me.'

'Let me try, I don't think you're wrong, Yima. I truly do not. You have my faith. But, I must go to my punishment, and keep my promise. If I fail in that — you will have me.'

'Long as it will take... and whatever becomes of you, I will wait. I will wait for you.'

Amidst his Communion, there is a flower. It radiates Yima's innate energy; four petals it once had, and three have already been consumed — left shriveled and gone. This is a Meridian who leans upon the Zenith's leader. His heart, perhaps, already belongs to them. His mind and nature, however, lead him to forever war with it.

A. Trading with Set is a blindingly fair and impartial experience. He will willingly give away his Meridian or Zenith energies to those who seek them, and willingly accept either from those who desperately need to offload their energy onto him. At most, he may request a small deal be brokered — especially if the other character is of particular closeness to him, or seems a little too desperate. He touches, caresses and appears to radiate a kind of chaotic liminality that hovers strongly around indecision and a preference for knowledge, not blind feelings.

B. His Communion radiates a sense of vulnerability, however. A mental fragility that seems extremely wrong and easy to abuse, as if it had been forced upon him by another; installed, maybe? for among Yima's flower are bright, red blooms that will — for anyone who attempts to Corrupt him — lash out with the psychic impression of obsession, possession and the imprint of another god, who is awaiting Set's ultimate moment of despair. ]

C. [ And late, late. Near the middle ( or end? ) of all things, he is naught but a simmering mess of distinct, obscenely beautiful madness; his hair spread around him, into the roots, like crimson ribbons. ]

I would truly rather chew off my tongue and curse this Tree to a final end, [ he says, hateful and dry, to the next Shard-bearer that nears him; late into the Ritual, after he has seen conversion and corruption alike occur. ] Than force a change upon you. You made your choice, go die with your delusions intact.

[ The same, embittered response is given to either Meridian or Zenith. ]

[ OOC. Here is my plotting comment! It's easiest to reach me at PAX#8074 on Discord, if you want to contact me! ]

01 ❧ ABANDON HOPE [HIGHSTORM] ❧ EINE STERBENDE SONNE

[The demon that had become her caretaker is gone from her side, somehow indebted into service to Meridian, and in his absence... Sieglinde has had to rely on the kindness of others. Sebastian had given her a list of those he trusted to take care of her, (Amos and Rin, whom she knew, as well as a certain Gavial, Misa, Caren, Atsumu, or Lottie), but she is in no position to refuse anyone. At least someone has helped her leave the tree and carried her through the deserted streets of Highstorm towards the destination she wishes to reach. Along the way she located an old curtain that is currently serving as a veil against the harsh beat of the dying sun, but...]

Are you feeling alright... ?

[She cannot help but be concerned for her ~~ride~~ assistant, brow furrowing as she tries to look at their face. They have been walking for some time...]

Perhaps we might find some place to rest... ?

[But the choice of location will be up to them. Sieglinde, with her small and misshapen feet, cannot carry them there.]

02 ❧ THE RITUAL ❧ ÜBERGANGSRITUS

[There is little privacy to be found beneath the great Tree of Life. The roots, at least, that run along the walls have actually proven to be something of a help for her mobility, as she can hold on to them as she walks and grip at them when she wobbles or falls... but no matter where she awkwardly looks about, there is little food or proper place to rest to be found. No matter where they go, they return to the room with the effigy...]

[A.] [And Sieglinde must rest, exhausted by the war of Meridian and Zenith energies being fought within her small body. She finds a corner to curl up in, uneasily closing her eyes to try and sleep... but what comes to her is a vision instead of a dream. Images of her villagers, her manservant, her handmaidens, they all reach out to her, implore her, ask her why she has given up on them, and even the most loyal person she knew turns from her-]

Wolfram, come back- !

[She "wakes" with a start in a flurry of heavy fabrics and lace, her hair askew, reaching out... but he isn't there. Someone else is.]

[B.] [Her feet are aching. That is nothing new, in general, for the carefully bound feet of hers needed tending that they have not been receiving in recent days, but... this feels different. Seeking out a smaller tunnel for an attempt at privacy, she lumbers down to her rear and pulls one foot closer, swallowing nervously before she slowly slips off a tiny heel and rolls down a now rather dirty and worn stocking. The bandages beneath needed changing, but she has no supplies...

And there is something... Sieglinde freezes as she stares down at her foot, not even noticing the sound of someone's approach from behind her. There, sticking out from between the layers of bandages... were those roots?]

[C.] [Though she is being exceedingly careful with it, Sieglinde is examining the effigy from up close, tapping on her chin in thought. The Iconoclast symbol on its face, those empty eyes, the vaguely humanoid shape...]

Hmm... I wonder if it needs to be awakened somehow...

03 ❧ THE PURGE ❧ DAS GIFT AUSSPÜLEN

[Sieglinde may not have been present for the previous attempt at claiming the Oracle at the Scorching Isles, but she has heard the tale... and she has read all she could find about these mysterious Oracles that served as the key to unlocking victory for the respective factions. Even still, though, there was so much unknown and unwritten in the books... but the knowledge is in their heads now. They know what they're supposed to do.

The problem is... violence is such an easy choice for some. As it erupts nearby her she flees (crawls) as best she can, seeking refuge in a tunnel that is shallow but so narrow that even she, with her small stature, has a bit of trouble passing through. But she manages to successfully lodge herself as far back inside as she can, out of sight and hard to reach...

Eventually... the sound of a child sniffling and trying to hold back tears can just barely be heard through the muffling of root and soil.]

04 ❧ WILDCARD ❧ PLATZHALTER

[Hit up Sieglinde's plotting comment or contact me via

stormcoming if you'd like a custom starter!]

𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐋, 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘'𝐒 𝐅𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍 𝐀 𝐔𝐅𝐎 🫀 - Days 1 & 2

[ What better way to spend Kenos’ apparent dying hours than in a Blight-infested wasteland together with Dark? When you come to, you’ll see him there outside a little love shack he’s established, a safe haven for him and the cute women he finds only. His large body casts long shadows on the gravel, and he uses what remnants of his powers remain to make a large cloak to shield himself from the scalding sun. In the same residential area where panicked villagers have sadly been fried, he is, for now, the lone other shard-bearer present where you turn up.

Dark sees you. He sees that you’re without any protection from the sun— that you’ll squirm out of the cranny you’re in once the claustrophobia of the shadows choke you out. He crouches down to watch you, white locks of hair framing his face handsomely despite the mean grin that’s on it. He glistens with sweat.

Cruel and in one motion, he brushes the pathetic cover of fallen fence from over your head, sending it flying and forcing you to either scurry into his side or otherwise shrivel in the sun like the other villagers that have died. ]

Looks like someone could use a little more vitamin D.

[ He laughs like it’s funny. It’s your choice— stick with him or be cooked alive. ]

𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐘 𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐘 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒 🫀 - Days 3 & 4

[ His heart is weak to hope. No, theirs is.

Afflicted with the influence of Meridian, Dark is more unlike himself than ever, quiet and reclusive. He’s been haunted by thoughts of the young woman he’d left behind, Yoko— gone, or maybe worse, still there without him. He sits cross-legged in an isolated area of the chamber. The red shard in his hand, Yoko's, isn’t enough for him anymore.

If he were to bring her back with it, would she even be the same? Would she still love him, or be upset with him for messing around with the women here in Kenos? He’d faced Arshes’ wrath for that once before. Tracing the shard over with his fingertips, he remembers Anthrasax’s resurrection, Abigail and how Metallicana had gone up in golden, hellish light. How final it’d felt.

But Lucien wants to go back. Shithole or not, he wants to see Yoko there in the wreckage more than anyone else. And who is Dark kidding? So does he. They’re one and the same after all.

He’s heard from certain Zenites that have purged themselves of their Meridian energy that this ritual is a trial: one to see past the false hope. Even so, Dark feels empathy for the Meridians. More than he’d ever before.

His powers are slipping by the hour. He knows he won’t retain this form for long. As you come closer to him, he side-eyes you. Like a dying animal in an alleyway, his posture isn’t upright. He’s humbled. Different. ]

Fuck off.

[ He says. He knows you want to trade with him, or otherwise try and usher him to hurry up and purge himself. He knows, more than you do, that doing so will force him into Meridian, and he has to protect both halves of himself from that loss. ]

𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐈𝐏𝐋𝐄 🫀 - Days 5+

[ When Lucien awakes, he finds that he is trapped: a small effigy of gnarled branches and wood. He is immobilized somewhere quiet and unassuming, an out-of-the-way nook in the chamber while the shard bearers beyond it have started assaulting and even killing one another.

The child is terrified. Echoing and bouncing through the long passageway that leads to him, the place where Dark had given the last of his powers to protect him, Lucien’s hiccuping sobs can be heard. His engraved, glowing eyes flicker and he sheds tears of sap. The floor under him has collected puddles of the sticky substance, and Lucien, humiliated, tries twisting and leaving where he’s rooted to no avail. ]

Take me home… take me home…

[ As the adults outside attack and fight one another, this is by far the most horrifying experience that Lucien has ever witnessed. ]

𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐃 🫀 - Timing up to you!
( ooc: Want to start a thread, but the three prompts above didn't suit your character? Feel free to hit me up below with a unique starter of your own or to contact me directly to plot something out. )

Edited 2023-05-14 16:43 (UTC)

— THIS FEELS LIKE A NECESSITY.

[ Bondrewd could not care less about the issue of the Oracle. What incites him into action is how close he had been to being able to make contact with Aetós, with the prodigiousness of his ability to — what? lock them away in time and space, to deal with the issue? The issue, of course, being the Blight upon the tree. While not at all good at parsing emotions or psychology, Bondrewd had to wonder once more: what was Aetós goal? It clearly required that the Tree(s) be preserved, and the Blight arrested.

To that end, he does not venture far from the Cornerstone that connects Highstorm to Springstar. His loyalty is to Zenith, foremost, but it does not preclude him from making contact with anyone, Harmonized or Meri, whom passes through. He has built a small shelter — a canopy stretched overhead, made of wood and metal and fastened together via the use of a strange, dark substance like a web. It appears, now and then, to shudder and twitch as if possessed of a nervous system. Below the canopy, Bondrewd has brought out —

Scavenged materials to create a rather strange little area that balances necessary shade and necessary light; amidst the tables are foods, picked fruits and scrounged-up bottles of water. Snacks and drink, as well as some medical supplies, some empty bags and other implements. Honestly, it makes it look like he's established a little General Goods store out in the midst of things. ]

Aah. [ His voice, as ever, is metallic within the helm of his armor. ] I keep this place as a location of respite to all. Should you require anything, you may take it freely. Please be advised that this area is one I am keeping neutral. If you insist on fighting for any reason, I will intervene.

[ In either city, Bondrewd is deeply focused on accessing resources, gathering materials to be of assistance to the Shard-bearers in their quest for information and Oracle, and generally playing support to others. Zenite Shard-bearers will receive their aid for free, while Meridian Shard-bearers will be asked to make a small donation to the Burning Gardens "once the Oracle has been obtained".

The locations he is most interested in include: forbidden tomes/records in either the Tomes or the Akadimaïkós, and the research materials/records of Dr. Julia Melnik and Dr. Du Tousaing. ]

— SO THIS COULD BE THE DEATH OF ME.

You seem strained.

[ In the ritual chamber, he manifests from the gloom — the clatter of his armor the only warning sign that he is approaching. ]

I am familiar with sites of ritual like this. My own home was built atop one, after all. I cannot help but think that the Oracle will not find me an appropriate Shard-bearer, for it was so long ago that I pledged my whole to another cause — one that defines me more than even Kenos's battle for past or future.

[ It is with great ease that Bondrewd reaches up to his coat, drawing the heavy, dark weight of it from his shoulders. Below, he wears a lighter coat, a dark cravat and the pinned, eerie-white Whistle around his throat. The heavy coat, he drapes down, over the shoulders of the Shard-bearer he is speaking with. ]

But you, have great value. Moreso than you may think, for it is your heart that will sway and doubt and wonder and seek. Your life, that will be full of blessings and curses, and you who must decide the course you will take. I will not ask to sway you, nor force you. You may sit with me in peace, in this difficult time. Until you decide or succumb, I will watch over you.

— OR MAYBE JUST A BETTER ME!

[ As the ritual begins and carries on, Bondrewd's own corner of Communion seems — largely unchanged.

There is no sense of duress that emanates from him, nor any doubt to be exploited; however, accompanying his exceptionally muted nature is the sense of ego-less vibrancy. A willingness to listen, observe and accumulate the opinions and perspectives of others — Meri or Zenite alike. Perhaps it is no wonder, that by the time the conscription begins, Bondrewd has not moved from his settled position at all. A sea of beautiful, white flowers surrounds his dark armor, bursting forth from cracks in his armor — even spilling out from below the faceplate of his mask. The roots have overtaken him, binding him in Effigy by the time many of the other Shard-bearers have become Harmonized. ]

I believe I have made my choice, [ he says it mildly, quite content. ]

I would hear of yours, though.

[ OOC. Here is my plotting comment! It's easiest to reach me at PAX#8074 on Discord, if you want to contact me! Anybody is welcome to use Bondrewd's Effigy post to write their own tl;dr prose about their blorbo. Of note, is that he has no ego to battle and could fairly sway either Meridian or Zenith, entirely determined by others! ]

[ It's all so familiar, in a way.

Not their surroundings, not the mounting exhaustion, not the constant feeling of being watched -- no, those are new. But a lot else feels awfully familiar. The periodic, breathtaking wrench of despair squeezing tight around his lungs; the red-hot sear of an aimless rage making it impossible to think about anything else; the way his mind is violently overtaken by his darkest memories, blurring the borders between reality and the quagmire of his own thoughts -- all effects he'd endured to some degree or their other since his younger years. It's all terribly familiar.

But maybe that's worse, in a way. After all, their familiarity makes it that much harder for him to fight against them. Why bother, when he knows full well that those influences will win out, in the end? When has he ever been able to maintain his integrity in the face of his own mind twisting itself into knots? ]

i. - the ritual ( talk / communion )

[ He wanders in those moments where he can maintain some semblance of lucidity. Not that he can even wander far, given the place they've all been trapped in, but still -- he's always been restless, and at least moving around helps keep his thoughts at bay for even a few seconds longer. His footsteps drag as he casts about at his surroundings; half-walking, half-dragging himself as he supports himself against the closest wall, Gen draws a listless, wandering path around the chamber.

And maybe someone -- a familiar face, especially someone who might seem especially distressed -- catches his eye during those times. ]

... you still alive? [ That hoarse question is accompanied by a nudge of his boot against his unfortunate subject's shoe or side. He's hardly making the inquiry out of goodwill, more that he's desperate for something to distract himself with, but still -- how is his unlucky victim faring? ]

ii. the ritual + the purge ( talk / trade / corruption )

[ Those exploring the little dead-end corridors branching off from the main chamber might eventually stumble upon Gen -- literally. Because he's decided to hunker down on the ground just around a corner, sitting hunched over with his face buried against his knees.

Though regardless of if someone manages to catch themselves at the last moment, or if anyone's literally stepping on him, Gen still doesn't respond immediately. He's clearly lost in thought, hands tangled in his hair as he rocks back and forth where he sits, muttering something incomprehensible to himself under his breath. It's only after a few more quiet words murmured to himself that he looks up blearily -- eyes hazy, hair kinked out in odd directions, expression drawn and exhausted -- before very abruptly jerking a hand forth to grab at his unfortunate victim. It doesn't really matter if he manages to grab their hand, or their wrist, or even a stray fold of their clothes. Gen simply tightens his grip and yanks hard to try and drag the person a step closer, before they can flee. ]

Stay here.

[ Is it a plea, or a demand, or an order? Maybe something between all three, spat out guttural and hoarse. It's just that -- he might have sought out this quiet spot himself, but as those visions and flashbacks grow more relentless, he can feel himself starting to unravel. He needs something, anything to ground him more in the moment. And if he needs to tolerate the presence of another person for that purpose, then so be it. He'll take whoever this is. ]

iii. the purge ( trade / corrupting )

[ He's so close, he thinks. Or is he there yet? It's hard to tell. Either way, something within him's buckled, and it honestly feels like a huge weight's lifted off his shoulder now that he's given in and acknowledged -- he belongs with Zenith. There was never any other place for him. All this time, he's made attempts to stray from 'where people expect him to be,' but it was a waste of time. How did he ever think that he belonged anywhere else?

And now he just needs to seal the deal. Properly get himself there, entrenched deep with Zenith. (Wouldn't be a bad idea to take someone with him too, would it? Yeah. Sure, why not.)

His footsteps are a little unsteady, but there's still a sense of grim purpose to his movements as he stalks about the main chamber and down those branching corridors, mind abuzz with too many thoughts as he looks for someone to focus on. And whether it's someone's movements, or their demeanor, or just dumb luck that has his sights landing on someone -- ]

Hey. [ His bootsoles scuff against the ground as he lunges forward to grab at their arm, yanking them close. ] Let's talk for a minute, yeah? [ He is absolutely looking for more than just a 'talk.' ]

iv. the purge ( aggression / corrupting )

[ At some point, words feel pointless. His head hurts, his thoughts are a mess, Zenith's influence sings in his veins, and he's sick and tired of the stifling atmosphere in this place. Staying still becomes impossible, and even his listless wanderings of the chamber don't work to vent his roiling thoughts any more -- and as always, his thoughts cycle back to anger and violence.

After all, maybe they'll get out of this wretched place a little faster if everyone is either with Zenith, or death.

With what slivers of conscious thought he has left, he sticks to the side corridors, away from the too-many watchful eyes of the main chamber. But crouched down low as he rocks on his heels, Gen keeps an eye out for anyone who might come wandering his way. Those belonging to Zenith, he ignores, barely giving them a passing glance before looking away. But anyone else -- the moment he manages to think past the roiling haze of his thoughts to recognize them for what they are, he surges to his feet. There's a surprising, manic energy to his movements as he lunges forward to slam them against the nearest wall, hand tangling into their clothes to crowd them back and corner them. ]

v. wildcard

[ If we made plans but the above prompts don't work, or if you'd just like to do something else (e.g. with the exploration section), please feel free to hit me with anything else! If you'd like to make plans before we do anything, or if you'd like a custom starter, please feel free to hit me up on inktrashing#5307,

databomb, or through my plotting comment right over here! ]

( plotting comment here! these will be closed starters. my plate is pretty full for him, but should anything arise from occurrences in the event that necessitate an interaction, please feel free to reach out to me via PM, plurk, or discord! )

✚ ooc closed prompts & etc.
aa

( for custom top-levels weee.

if you'd like one hit me up via PM or discord, otherwise you are free to wing it and write a wildcard scenario. )

notes . Childe will be brainwashed into going Meridian later during the purge phase. He is available during the early parts of it as a trade for those looking to trade their Zenith away to harmonize back with Meridian, or as an enabler to turn those uncertain towards Zenith if anyone needs someone to push them but haven't found anyone yet.

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EXPLORATION

NOTES

NOTES

NOTES

QUESTIONS

MR. TIBBS