festivals and mur--ahem, investigations 🎊🔍

[beleos]

COMMUNION WITH YIMA

After given some time for recovery and for Yima to hear reports of what transpired at the Tree of Life last month, a Communion message gently flows through the minds of each Shard-Bearer. They will have to choose to accept this message, and once they do, they will be greeted by Yima’s voice resonating pleasantly in their heads. She first apologizes for their harrowing experience with the Dryad, and that she hadn’t anticipated such a violent reaction from the Tree; she believes that their experiences point to an imbalance within the Tree itself, most likely brought about by the soon-to-come arrival of the Oracles.

She has spoken with Cyrus, and they have jointly decided that an investigation into the matter - and potentially the destruction of the Dryad - may be required to purge its influence from the Tree. Yima requests that any who would willingly seek out the Dryad volunteer to do so and will be outfitted with a ward against any tampering to prevent them from falling into the creature’s clutches a second time. It will take her a bit to fashion enough of these wards - but she anticipates being ready toward the end of the month.

She concludes her message with another heartfelt apology for your suffering, that she would not have sent any into such a situation she believed were truly dangerous. That being said, she takes responsibility for your ordeal and asks that if there is anything she can do in recompense, you have but to ask.

Yima will be available for Communion chatter here!

FESTIVAL OF REMEMBRANCE - HIGHSTORM

Takiltu is a month cycle the natives of Kenos regard with some amount of reverence and a hearty helping of excitement: the first part of the month (November) is spent reflecting on and celebrating the differing cultures and worlds each Kenosian represents. The second part of the month (December) is spent celebrating unity and togetherness, to come together with friends and family, to be kind to others and share in one’s wealth - whether that comes in the form of knowledge, monetary gains, or the exchange of gifts and one’s time.

Each city celebrates differently, the flavor of their festivals a reflection of their people.

In Highstorm, the first thirty days of Takiltu are spent in Remembrance. The city is decorated with string lights, paper lanterns, candles, and torches to illuminate the streets in beautiful colors and shimmering magical illusory shapes. The focal point of the festival takes place in The Court, where the reflecting pool has been especially decorated with arrangements of flowers and lights. Festival stands erected around the Courtyard peddle paper lanterns as well as refreshments, fanciful decorative items, and enchanted jewelry that is said to make one’s recollections of the past temporarily clearer.

The pool itself is the main attraction, here; citizens who approach its waters and gaze into its depths will find its normal abilities to reflect memories enhanced. The images are surreal for their clarity, vivid - and normally, one is requested to look into the eyes of those most precious to them whose souls remain lost, to pay homage to their memory and sacrifices, and to wish them rebirth in the new world to come. A purchased lantern is then lit and sent skyward where it floats into the moonlight, joining the others hovering above.

But this year, there is an addition to the usual fanfare. Emet-Selch has been asked to assist with the festival; as long as he is given permission, he can recreate the memory displayed in the reflecting pool. Yima has granted him a temporary blessing which enhances his natural creation abilities - a gift for their people she is grateful for. Your character can choose what it is they see in the water - whether it’s a place, a person, or the feelings of a certain point and time, he will temporarily recreate it around you. Everyone will be able to see this conjuring and interact with it while it is functional. It will last between 15 to 30 minutes before dissolving into beads of light that slowly trickle skyward before disappearing. You’ll be told to light a lantern, send it adrift, and that this will give peace to the part of you and your Shard that surely aches. But does it…?

Elsewhere in Highstorm, the High Theater has been painstakingly decorated and aglow with magical floating motes of light; the interior has been transformed into something of an Art Gallery. The pieces within are dedications to parts of worlds long gone, as well as the people in them; some are beautifully painted landscapes of exquisite, far-away places beyond the imagination. Some are more mundane and familiar snapshots of life in a home world not too different from your own. There are portraits of families, loved ones, and those the Zenites long for most. This is their time to mourn, to grieve, and to appreciate their pasts - the pasts that will lead them to a brighter future, one day. They must move on into the future, but treasuring that which came before is equally important to them.

Should you touch any of the motes of light that are around the art pieces decorating the Gallery, you will find yourself able to feel, hear, see, and taste a piece of the world the piece represents. Some of these are warm gatherings over a dinner table with family; others are heart-wrenching expressions of loss and bitterness and pain. Be cautious which you choose. Oh, and do be careful not to stand too closely with someone else when you touch one, or one accidentally touches you - the experience is absolutely contagious through Communion.

CELEBRATION OF CHERISHMENT - SPRINGSTAR

While Highstorm’s Festival of Remembrance is a more demure and reflective time, Springstar takes a much different approach to the season. In true Meri nature, the Celebration of Cherishment encapsulates celebrating life in all forms - and that means parties! The Psychagogía is the main hub of excitement considering, but festivities can be found in almost every single district of Springstar. Wherever you go, something is happening and someone is trying to rope you into having a good time.

The city has been decorated with bright and colorful multi-purpose magical ivy-like vines that sprouts buds that bloom over the course of the month into gorgeous flowers. These flowers are considered sacred, and their blooming is a momentous time of joy and good fortune. Each flower is left intact; disturbing one is tantamount to a war crime by the natives, so don’t get observed if you try to pluck one!

The Psychagogía is incredibly lively, teeming with people and events; almost every venue is peddling some kind of ‘Cherishment’ celebratory sale or discount. The first portion of the month includes what the locals call “the meri-ment” (and seem quite chuffed about that pun), in which Kenosians are encouraged to go bar hopping and taste the wide variety of specialty ales and liquor unkegged only around this time of year. Participants are highly encouraged to share stories of their worlds and cultures, to tell those they mingle with tales of the worlds they will one day return to and why they’re special, unique - to celebrate their one-day return.

Alongside this comes a great deal of outdoor grilling, fresh meats and vegetables sending tantalizing scents everywhere you go once the evening hours arrive. Some of these food and drinks can cause… interesting… effects if you consume them in excess, especially at the Emotional Damage - so try to show restraint. It would be a bit embarrassing to find yourself strangely infatuated with the first person you lay eyes on after your fifth night out on the town, or feeling compelled to express warm feelings aloud you wouldn’t normally commit to another. Luckily, it only lasts a short period of time - but beware the wicked hangover afterward. Strangely enough, if you’re suffering, you feel oddly compelled to seek out a little TLC from someone else - someone with whom you might have some unresolved feelings toward, positive or negative. Is it longing? Anger? Jealousy? Unspoken affections? Love? Whatever it is, you're more likely to seek them out for some care.

At the Coliseum, nightly brawls between Meris take place and the usual assortment of monsters are temporarily taken out of offer. This part of the festivities is one where each Kenosian is encouraged to settle any differences or misgivings with others and to get it out of their system, cleansing them of bad mojo - “leave it in the ring,” as it were. Despite beating each other bloody at times, most combatants willingly stop before it gets too serious and fighting to the death is not permitted. You must embrace your adversary before you leave, and your ‘bad blood’ will be considered purged and settled so you can start anew.

The Empório district is celebrating consumerism, because of course it is! All the usual goods are on a considerable discount, and for a brief time, gardening tools and supplies are free! The reason for this is that Springstar’s citizens are encouraged to plant one seedling in the gardens in Katoikitikós once the flowers lining the city have gone into full bloom. It is said this honors gods across cultures and time as well as invites good fortune. You are encouraged to plant a seedling in a group or pairing, as space is limited - and there are superstitions regarding this togetherness resulting in more favorable results. Should you plant a seedling with someone else, you might indeed find that something is beginning to blossom between you… Based on your Aspects, you might find yourselves feeling closer and more connected - or repulsed depending on your compatibility. This effect will last through the month after planting. Should you check on the seedling later, its health will be reflected in the state of your relationship. Friends will find the little plant thriving; enemies will find it is sickly and dying.

For those Shard-Bearers who have already harmonized with the Meridian or who have quarters in Heliopolis, you will find the communal meals much more lavish and indulgent than usual. There may even be a taste of home waiting for you among the spreads on offer, or some comfort food you haven’t had in a while. It is encouraged to share anything to your taste - or even to share why it is meaningful to you via Communion. Or you can just eat. You do you, man.

Once the flowers have bloomed and the festivities reach their peak, one might find the city loud and boisterous and sleep a little more difficult to come by. Springstar is absolutely thriving and alive - and you, too, feel more invigorated and energetic despite any lack of zzz’s. Should you leave the city, however, this effect will vanish and you might find yourself unnaturally fatigued and in need of more rest than is customary. Returning to Springstar will slowly build up your stamina again. This effect lasts until the end of the month.

THE MYSTERY OF ALENROUX

Once celebrations are in full-swing in the cities, some characters (i.e., any characters that choose to participate in this prompt) will be contacted by Cyrus or Yima, depending on their faction or whichever they feel a stronger inclination towards if they are currently Unharmonized. Both will explain that there’s something that they’d like you to investigate, but also to prepare and be careful, since this request doesn’t come without danger… A Shard has been lost in Alenroux, and they both hope you’ll be able to retrieve it.

MERIDIAN

“I’ve gotten word that a Zenith Shard-Bearer was sent to Alenroux a little bit before you arrived, and they haven’t come back yet. Normally, none of our business, but based on what some of the farmers have been saying, I think they’ve gotten hit by Discord. If it gets high enough, well… You don’t really have your mind anymore. We can help them through Purification. Even if it’s just for long enough to calm them down, it’s better than them being trapped in madness. It might be easier to dissipate them first, though, then Purify their Shard. They were last seen heading to the Northern forests. Let me know what I can give you to help, and make sure to help each other. Good luck.”

ZENITH

"Please heed my request, though I do not ask this of you lightly... One of the Zenith's children has been lost among the fields of Alenroux come nightfall and I fear the worst has befallen them. There are dangerous elements attracted to the presence of a soul, and the likelihood our brethren has been lost... it is great. Seek out the Shard - and if you are able to retrieve it, please do so. If it has suffered corruption too great to be saved or would place you in too great a danger to take back, then... I trust you to make the merciful choice. I place this in your hands and will give you whatever you require to see it through. Look out for your fellow Zenith and work together, as I do not want to lose more of you. Be well."

Both factions will offer their recruits access to standard weaponry and armor/protective clothing. If a character asks for more, they’ll be given a weapon or a piece of armor with minor magical properties which would normally cost 1 AC token to purchase. Magical weapons are on loan however. If your character takes these and/or chooses to keep it, please note this in your Committed Actions! If they choose to keep standard weaponry, Cyrus/Yima will just be disappointed in your dishonesty. :(

When you arrive during the day cycle, you’ll also find horses and magic hoverboards to use (they go the same speed tbh), because heading North to the forests is a bit of a trek, and you might not make it there in time on foot! As the sun starts to set, you’ll see the people in Alenroux start to leave, going clearly your opposite direction. Once night falls (Nov. 9th OOC), it doesn’t take long for things to change.

There’s just a sliver of a crescent moon in the sky, which makes the rolling hills and forests much more ominous than they were during the day. And as the stories say, it only takes an hour or two before you start to run into strange creatures. Closer to the Cornerstone, there are indeed strange creatures, and while they may not all look scary, they might present different kinds of dangers such as…

• A light in the dark looks like a fairy, but stare at it too long and you’ll find yourself hypnotized by a ghastly fish will lead you to a body of water to drown you.
• An innocuous puddle may form up into a mass of corrosive goo, complete with the bones and items of the last person it came across. When you slice it, it simply creates a copy of itself, so hopefully you realize this before you’re surrounded.
• A strange straw poppet (sans pins, of course) that possesses you once you touch it and will use your body to try and fight anyone else while your consciousness is trapped inside the doll. To be freed, you only have to destroy the doll, but you’ll feel the pain of how its destroyed even if you don’t bear any injuries from it.

However, as you get closer to the Northern forests, they become significantly more fearsome…

• With a roar, a massive, multiheaded beast descends, and each of its mouths is perfectly capable of taking a bite out of you. Watch out for the snake’s head in particular, since its venom will cause you to hallucinate your worst fears.
• As you come face to face with an odd creature, bioluminescence lights up on its skin, and the spins on its back quiver with a sound like a rattlesnake’s. As the spines quiver, you find it exceptionally difficult to take your eyes off them and move as it stalks closer slowly. You can fight blind, right?
• Diving in and out of larger shadows like its water is a slimy beast that’s incredibly fast. Its teeth may be small, but its tail is a razor-sharp whip that could remove a limb if you’re not careful.

These are just examples, however. There are many creatures lurking the wilds of Alenroux, so feel free to create your own monsters with unique effects.

It's a difficult trek North, and you may be tired from hours of running, fighting, or both… But eventually, a few people do find what they were looking for. They might have even missed it, if not for how their Shards suddenly felt like they were burning. From the shadows, a twisted creature of roots and lights which what looks like many crystals in a glowing mass appears and one of its eyes locks on you. It looks like now is your chance.

NOTES

Weather summary for the first 30 days of Takiltu (NOV & DEC):

Highstorm is in late fall, early winter season. Some flurries may occasionally fall and it is getting considerably cold out there! Bundle up!

Springstar is in the throes of early summer; the weather is climate and pleasantly warm for outdoor celebrations (but not sweltering). There are occasional afternoon showers, but they don’t last very long.

Notable city changes:

If you wander the Markets in Highstorm, you might notice some of the peddlers seem a bit wary of you. Hm, guess something happened around here! Probably totally unrelated, but Silco and Vander (or anyone with them) will be treated with nervous suspicion.

Similarly, if you're traveling with Set (or you're Set) in Springstar, you might occasionally find yourself getting strange looks. Ask Set why.

Faction updates:

There are no explicit changes in faction behavior at this time. This will be a staple in all future event write-ups to catalogue the fluidity of the conflict as it progresses, though, so we're including it here for posterity!

Event Notes:

The Reflecting Pool in the Courts of Highstorm can be observed normally with no addtional effects or can bring your memory to vivid life thanks to the help of Emet-Selch (and Yima). If you grant him permission (which can be handwaved), he will breathe life into whichever memory you have chosen to view! If this includes any NPC’s or interactive elements, you will be responsible for playing them out in any tags until they disappear. Please see Emet’s toplevel for any interactions you’d like to thread out with him as a part of this.

For the Gallery in Highstorm, the art depicted in and scenes experienced through the pieces are up to you to create! Feel free to go wild with any associated NPC's in the scene and worldbuild as you see fit. Highstorm holds a variety of citizens from across the multiverse, so you could feasibly go fantastical places, or experience something distinctly profound and beyond your imagination...

The drinks and refreshments in Springstar can be enchanted in just about any way you’d like, including bringing upon minor physical changes of the cute, fun, and flirty variety! Feel free to get creative (as long as you get permission from your thread partner), the Meris would also merrily insist growing extra fluffy, scaly, etc bits during the celebration will only help you party harder! 🥳

As reminders for Alenroux, once night falls, a character is not able to leave until sunrise, which is 24 hours later. If your character is dissipated, you can have a PC retrieve their Shard or the respective Faction they're allied with will send out a search party to find it. Remember to report character deaths!

CODING

Comments

[vapour]

[ Childe does pause, also feeling the burning in his chest and nods. He heeds Vander's warning, looking around suspiciously. Woods are never a great place to do anything but get hunted yourself, in his opinion. He's really wishing he had his vision abilities right about now, but isn't about to be deterred simply because he's technically at a disadvantage. ]

Burns.

[ is all he says, his eyes darting to the trees one by one quickly. If nothing shows up it's still a good idea to know what you're dealing with environmentally in case something shows up right around here. Nevertheless, his next comment is lighthearted with a slight smirk. ]

Can't wait to see how ugly this one is compared to the others, though. Ah ha.

[kenosnpcs]

[ In the dark of the forest, the creature truly blends in, as long as it isn’t moving. A mass of roots in the dark isn’t so different than anything else in the thicket, but it feels the connection. Craves it. A warm light starts to illuminate an area in the brush, but they hear it first. Through the mental barriers that are normally in place comes a cascade of voices that overlap with each other as they murmur the same words in unison. Included in the haunting chorus are Barnaby and Rosaria’s voices. ]

Overgrown. Burn. Shard.

[ The voices sound like they’re in pain as the roots creak while it stands, and the cavity of its body starts to glow more intensely as it turns its attention to Vander and Childe. In that fiery-colored glow is a single humanoid skull in the mass surrounded by crystals of various shapes and colors. ]

Hurt. Die.

[ The roots of its spindly arm start to converge and solidify into more of a solid mass, but it's lumbering and slow as it starts to move towards them. It’s as if it’s not used to walking. ]

[exhound]

[Vander has a smirk of his own emerge upon hearing Childe’s quip, glad for a bit of levity to counteract that ominous burning in his chest, the oppressive darkness surrounding them. His eyes scour the thicket, wary of every twitching branch in the breeze, every flicker of shadow cast by the scant sliver of moonlight.

But the sound is what truly catches his attention. It takes him a moment to realize that it is in his head, that it’s Communion relaying the pained chorus of voices straight to him without any interference. The sound of it makes his hair stand on end, and it’s when he tries in vain to block it out that he realizes he recognizes some of the voices—one in particular belonging to someone he’d encountered here in the forest not all that long ago.

That… isn’t a good sign.

He squares up, tries to shake off the uneasy feeling that’s beginning to build in the pit of his stomach as the glow of the creature brightens and the roots begin to shift into a more solidified form.]

Can’t give it time to pull itself together.

[And it feels like one hell of a risky gamble, but it’s one Vander feels like he needs to take—moving forward with quick steps, gauntlets raised, to bring himself into striking range. One arm up to maintain his defensive posture, he’ll rear the other back and take a swing, whether to attempt to disrupt that solidifying mass of an arm or to simply throw the slow, lumbering thing off balance.]

[vapour]

[ Well, that's... Erm. Whatever, it looks like it belongs in a creepy ass forest like this, and it does fit in with the rest of its friends they've come across, so he guesses it's not that weird. Maybe.

He knows both those voices, and if he's affected by any of it he certainly doesn't show it. Food something happen to them both ...? Or is it just a wonder tactic it uses against its victims? ]

I knew I should have brought matches, geez!

[ (Not that he knows if the creature is at all susceptible to burning like forests are, but it did mention something about overgrowth and burning. But it mentioned their shards, too, and those are burning, too. )

No time to find out any of this stuff, though, as Vander is jumping right in. Nice, he loves to have good influences like these around to validate his own way of thinking.

Unfortunately, for the moment, Childe can't run in quite that easy at this time, sadly, but he won't idle. Instead, he lifts his bow and takes aim (like a proper sniper actually would) and fires an arrow right to the skull itself, extremely precise in his aim enough to fly right through any openings in the entanglements that might be obstructing it or forming to do so. Whether it hits crystals instead or the arrow's fast enough or it can even be harmed by a simple borrowed weapon? That's a toss up. ]

[kenosnpcs]

[ It takes some time to form itself, and Vander might notice as he comes in close that the roots that form it slither up from the ground and into it to solidify it further. His gauntlet makes a good hit against its center mass, and it would stumble and fall if not rooted, but it still tosses off a solid chunk of root before it can knit itself in place tightly. As it falls away, it immediately turns black with rot.

Childe’s arrow flies true towards the skull, but once it passes the point of where the crevice starts, it suddenly just stops. Vander will be able to see clearly that it was only inches away from its target, and glittering inside the cavern of the skull itself, a cluster of crystal seems to come alive. Looking at it feels foul, but not in Vander’s body, but in his Shard. Looking at it, he knows he’s looking at a cluster of fused together Shards. A tendril of light reaches forward, what seems to have stopped the arrow, and in one quiet, male voice, Vander hears: ]

I don’t want to die like this.

[ But it’s followed by a scream that feels like it would be ear-shattering, but they’re not hearing it there at all. There’s silence in the forest, but the Shards screech out through them like a wave, and it’s painful.

Roots start to edge out to wrap around Vander’s gauntlet, and the creature draws up further. ]

[exhound]

[This thing can certainly take a hit, and it’s clear that those roots snaking up from the ground are going to be a problem if they have any hope of throwing the beast off. But before he can even begin to recalculate his plan of attack, Childe’s arrow zips in. There’s no crunch of impact as would be expected, only the sudden and abrupt halt just before it would hit its mark.

The glint of crystal within the skull catches Vander’s eye and the sudden, deep, wrongness that he senses from it has him flinching back. His footing shifts to something more defensive when the quiet, plaintive voice reaches him, setting a cold dread to take root in his chest alongside the foul feeling deep in his Shard.]

Mass of Shards in the skull! [Called over his shoulder to Childe as he begins to pull back the gauntlet the roots have started to entangle around. With his other fist, he’ll attempt a few quick, rapid strikes against the encroaching roots, hoping the combined motion might be enough to pull himself free before the creature can get a solid hold.]

Might be what we’re looking for, we need to get it out!

[vapour]

[ Wait, what?

Childe jerks his attention away from the arrow at Vander's yell about a mass of shards and getting it out. What does he mean by that? Like there's more than one shard? Together?? Like crystals can fuse together?

Childe hisses, hooking his bow behind him to unsheath the dual blades hanging at his sides and goes to rush in without hesitation. Instead of swing them both, he pulls one arm back towards himself at the elbow and shift so his shoulder is in position to ram into the creature but will take his blade and try to stab it forward point first into the vibes that are at its "neck." If he can stab the blade through beneath the skull and then rip the blade to one side and back towards him he's hoping he can mostly severe the "body" from the "head."

His other blade won't idle, it coming in to swing not long after from the direction opposite of where he intends to jerk the first one and just above it—a more traditional way to hack or severe something and hopefully will finish a clean total separation of the vines.

If not, he's hoping if he does both it will at least lessen the chance of it recovering too quickly so maybe Vander can rip it off into two pieces anyway. ]

[kenosnpcs]

[ As Childe comes in close, Vander will find that his other gauntlet is indeed freed from the grip of the creature. It takes a stumbling half-step back and bends back with the motion in a way that would be impossible if it weren’t shifting and organic in nature. Childe’s blade finds a spot in its “neck”, but the vines are sturdier there, and it only manages to sink in a few inches before the density of the wood stops the blade. They’ll both feel the creature almost shudder as the second blade finds the same result.

And rapidly, the swords are covered with roots that tangle around them. They snake down the blades fast than Childe can pull his hands away and holds them in place. The vines constrict, squeezing but not yet crushing his hands. Another shudder, another half-step, but it’s focused on Childe for now as Childe has no choice but to be pulled along with it.

A thought snakes through to them both, and Vander will know the internal voice as the quiet male one had had just heard. It’s a thought that doesn’t belong to this moment, an old one they had before this, but they wonder… “This must be The Below, so maybe I can escape to Kowl—”

The thought is cut off by pain, and roots rapidly draw up from the ground as the creature starts to almost swell. The pressure on Childe’s hands grows, and the roots start to pull at him as if trying to pull him into the mass of roots. ]

[exhound]

[Vander is finding himself struck with much regret in this moment—regret for setting the pace of attacking without thinking, regret that he doesn’t appear to be properly equipped for a battle with a creature like this. And neither, apparently, is Childe. Not even the twin blades which would carve their way through roots with ease under normal circumstances can inflict the kind of wound they need to strike this being with.

The brief victory of freeing his own arm is quickly forgotten as the creature instead focuses on ensnaring Childe. The preparation for a follow up attack to his partner’s own is halted by necessity. The quickening march of those roots are ringing alarm bells in Vander’s mind, and he’s so focused on the new objective of seeing Childe to safety that the voice snaking its way into his head only registers on a surface level at first.

He steps back in, moves to wrap one arm around Childe’s waist—somewhat awkward with the gauntlet still strapped to his wrist—and braces himself. It’s becoming increasingly apparent that they’re out of their league here, but he has to try.]

We’ll get you out.

[And his free arm pulls back, begins throwing tight and hurried punches at the creature to try to help Childe work his arms free. Swinging at the “neck,” edging up to the head, closer and closer to the glowing mass—]

[vapour]

[ The Below?

Childe wonders how long ago that must have been thought was— was it the guy's last thoughts before something like this befell them?

Even as he clenches his teeth at the pain of the vines constricting Childe resists. He digs his heels into the ground when he's pulled along and outright resists the dragging even as he has no choice but to still be ultimately dragged further into it. His thoughts are less panicked and more annoyed, however— annoyed how weak he is without his vision, without his abyssal abilities. Once again he's shown power really does seem to be worth everything.

The Harbinger is dragged from his thoughts suddenly by feeling the weight around his midsection and stunned when he hears Vander's voice. What's this old man doing? Is he seriously trying to get him out instead of focusing solely on the monster?

Who would ever think he's worth dying over trying to save? This sudden confusion clashes hard with the painful reality in front of him facing this creature while in its grip. The vines hurt and despite his best efforts to make it more difficult for the monster to crush his hands he's aware that he can't stop it. As for Vander... ]

— W-What're you doing, you're going to get yourself pulled back in along with me if you don't focus on killing it instead of getting me out!

[kenosnpcs]

[ The vines constrict further, like they’re stubbornly not wanting to let Childe go. The clump of Shards almost resonates with his in a way that’s strange and alien feeling, but it transmits the sense in a conflicting way. It wants Childe to join it. It wants Childe to stop it too.

But as Vander’s swings aim higher, the creature’s focus has to shift. The glowing mass of the skull and crystals surrounding it is its weak point since the constriction stops as the roots and vines withdraw. Similarly, they stop being drawn from the ground. At the creature's shoulder, the roots almost ripple, if only for a split second.

Childe is freed from the creature’s grasp, but instead, its attention has turned to Vander as he swings high enough to collide into the space it's trying to protect. Crystals break off and immediately turn to sparkling dust in the air as they shatter, but the swing isn’t quite to the core itself. But it’s close. Too close for the creature’s comfort.

Where the roots rippled, they suddenly swirl, and with startling speed, a solidified mass of roots shoots out as a spike toward Vander. It digs in deep into the upper part of his arm, nearly his shoulder. It doesn’t have enough force to go through Vander’s thick arms, but it’s a serious wound all the same. ]

[exhound]

[Vander remains silent as he focuses on pulling him to safety, and the moment he feels the resistance of the roots trying to pull Childe in disappear, he will try to shove him farther out of the reach of the monster. Judging from the earful he just got, he isn’t going to be happy with that—and he half-expects that he’ll just leap right back into the fray regardless—but Vander isn’t about to watch someone throw their life away in what is quickly looking like a losing battle. Not while he can do something about it.

He had hoped that his attacks might help brute-force his companion to freedom—and it works, in a roundabout way, by drawing that thing’s entire focus onto Vander. A small victory, he thinks, right until the roots spring forward in the space of a blink and dig themselves deep into the arm he’d been attacking with. He exhales in a surprised and angry grunt as the sudden lance of pain shoots right up through his shoulder.

Gone were the lumbering, awkward movements the creature had only been displaying before. That attack was fast, and he can only assume that means he’s done something right. Finally threatened it enough that it’s no longer playing around anymore. So neither would he.

The smart move would be to try to pull away and get this thing to free his arm as quickly as possible, but it’s got him in an awkward position. There's no time to think, no time to double-check whether his companion remains safe. Instead of trying to distance himself from the extended roots digging painfully into his arm, Vander instead grits his teeth and pulls back his other arm to take a swing right at the center of that glowing mass.]

[vapour]

[ Childe doesn't appreciate it at all, but with the vines letting go and focusing on Vander, Vander's shove and his own strength having to pull back away from the vibes he ends up getting pushed back well enough and loses his fitting in the process to hit the ground. He's a fast recovery living but he only makes it to one knee and looks in time to see the vine attack go for the other's arm.

That tells Childe that Vander's right about its weak point, and for the moment he clenches his teeth and waits in a position to propel himself into action, ready to spring with his blades again to go for that skulled area if Vander's attack makes it further vulnerable. Since he can't help the other get out of those vines his only option is to try and help accelerate getting rid of it faster.

(He can tell the monster is powered by the shards in some way, and that they have slight influence, but what he hasn't figured out if the creature behind the shards is some type of harvester or if somehow came to manifest itself out of a shard somehow. That would be extremely helpful information right now, funnily enough. )

[kenosnpcs]

[ The roots dig in further as they try and almost wrench through Vander’s arm. There’s a desperation with how they move, much more like an animal clawing viciously in fear than the sort of lumbering, indifferent nature that the creature had been showing before. Another spike comes out from lower in its body, though it’s not as thick and reinforced as the one in his shoulder. It becomes apparent that it only has so much mass to work with as it forms these spikes, but as it cuts deep into one of Vander’s legs, it might not matter much.

It lets Vander come in close and throw a punch right at the skull, but where he had clipped into the side of the cavity enough to shatter some of the lesser crystals, punching so directly feels like a wall stops him just a few inches short of colliding with the center mass. There’s a shimmer of light against his fist, as if there were a perfectly clear window there that he had just missed. If either of them has the eye for it, they might recognize it as something magical in nature.

It cracks in three.

A set of memories blurs together, all happening at once. Childe’s, Vander’s, and someone named Manon. It’s a memory that’s familiar in every set, but every time you recall these memories, it comes with a sense of dread. You’re running as fast as your legs can carry you, because if you stop, something terrible will happen. Now, in the moment, you know you won’t die, but in the memory, the fear is there enough that your heart slams in your chest.

You’re a child, running from wolves that you can hear baying hungrily behind you.

You’re a young man, running to drag your people into cover from the Enforcers’ rifles, and you can hear the crack through the air as one bullet comes close enough to your head that you’ll look back later and know you were lucky.

You’re a man, running here in these woods of Alenroux because you’ve been released. You can’t remember clearly who did this to you, but it was certainly more than just Discord run amok. Your brain is on fire, and you can feel something growing inside you. The trees are a comfort, the trees are safe, and you’re not sure if it’s real or not when you look down and see a root twisting out of your skin, since you can’t feel your skin anymore. You look towards the setting sun as you simply head North, but you see a fuzzy figure of a person in the distance. And it’s like you explode towards them.

It shatters with an explosion of fire centered around Vander’s fist. Vander will take the brunt of it, but even Childe won’t be safe from the shrapnel as sharp pieces of the roots are blown off with the force as well. ]

[exhound]

[Vander forces himself to grit his teeth against the surge of pain as the thing presses further in its assault with the roots, adrenaline and discipline allowing him to keep his focus on his swing. It’s not until his fist collides with an unseen force that he recalls the way Childe’s arrow had practically frozen in its path just before striking true. But there’s no time to contemplate whether he’s made a mistake.

The memories come just as sudden as the swing of his fist, familiar and unfamiliar all the same. The pounding rhythm of feet on the ground matching the fear-tinged and frantic heartbeat propelling them forward. It is something so primal and unforgettable, and it’s magnified in triplicate here in this moment of memories overlapped.

His mind is reeling by the time he registers the explosion itself. His arm, his shoulder, his leg—everything is alight with pain as the force of the fiery blast sends him rocking back. He doesn’t know whether the roots digging into his limbs go down with him or if they’re viciously torn free, but he does know that it hurts like hell regardless. An agonized shout escapes him as he hits the ground with a thud, his whole body aching and the nerves in his hand in particular screaming as the warped and heated metal of his gauntlet presses into it—

—and for the brief flash of a moment, another memory slides to the surface, the last he has of his time in his own world. One of standing bruised and bloody in the cannery, of a sudden series of explosions rocking the building, of pain, of worry as he drags himself up off the ground to try to see if the kids were alright—

—He groans, tries to push himself to his side to see if he can get a glimpse of Childe here in the aftermath.]

[vapour]

[ The memories meld together, and Childe's eyes widen at the recall of what his specific experience did him. He never has wanted to remember it, to experience this heart pounding dread once more. He's done everything he can so it could never happen again and yet, despite knowing these aren't the here and now, it feels too connected and real to be tolerable.

Even so, Childe tries to better understand what's meshed in with him as a kid, and he immediately picks up on certain things. Released? Something in addition to discord —Who?

The first thing he thinks is human experimentation because that's something the Fatui are well known for. Wondering who the blurry figure is, he isn't prepared for the literal explosion. Although the actual flames don't do much more than maybe singe his hair and clothing, the pressure of the explosion throws him back and the shrapnel punches through him. He barely registers each pierce and rip through his skin and bone that's snapped or crushed. the sudden flood of pain that's delayed rains down on him like a broken dam. He grimaces hard and only then is it he realizes he's on the ground now.

Childe tries to roll over to move to get up, ignoring the pool of blood rapidly mixing into mud. He's not dead yet, but be understands this is bad. And Vander's worse off since he was right in front of it.

He glares at the monster murderously, spitting blood before sneering a nasty dangerous growl as he goes to get up. ]

You. that shard wasn't taken from that guy... you're him, aren't you!

[kenosnpcs]

[ The creature hunches forward as it trembles, all of the roots moving in a flurry as if it’s alarmed in some way. A hand reaches up towards its “face” and enters into the cavity with the skull, but it only agitates the roots further. It takes a step back like it’s going to flee, but Childe’s voice catches its attention. It turns so the hollow skull seems to be looking at him, but there’s an answer delivered to them both. It’s pained and afraid, delivered with the many voices, but one male voice is clearer now. But it only says: ]

YES.

[ There’s another image pushed to them with the empathy of Communion, desperate and almost pleading to try and push something through. It’s just a a face. Your face, a moment ago when you were running through the woods. Manon.

But it’s like a crack as Communion cuts out suddenly, and finally, there’s quiet other than the sounds of the woods and their labored breathing as the creature claws at its woody body before the roots that make it up quiver and it lunges with great force towards Childe. There’s something desperate there now, more feral and afraid than the lumbering and deliberate monster. But its roots are no less sharp for it as it claws at whatever it can grab. ]

[exhound]

[There is a deep and primal urgency yelling at him to get up and move, get the two of them to safety and away from the dreadful mistake they’d made in engaging with this beast so carelessly. But every inch of him is screaming in protest with every movement. For a moment there is just the pain and the air filled with the acridity of burning wood, burning flesh—and the phantom scent of smoke and shimmer set alight as the memory still lingers in the back of his mind telling him to move, now. It’s enough to get him back up to his hands and knees, no small amount of relief to be found when he catches sight of Childe pushing himself up from the ground with an angry shout at the creature. The single word he gets in reply and the memory of the man, of Manon, is chilling.

But the sudden silence, the crack signaling the abrupt absence of Communion? That’s got alarm bells ringing in his head, and he’s already forcing his battered body toward them as fast as he can will it even before the creature begins to writhe and spring forth in its sudden lunge.

The sudden spike of pain adding to the chorus of his grisly collection of wounds is the first signal to him that he may have narrowly made it in time to block its charge toward Childe. His feet skid back across the soil with the force of the impact, but even as wounded as he is, he remains sturdy enough to just barely keep the two of them from tumbling backwards right into Childe.

It’s worse now, though. The beast’s claws have dug in viciously, piercing in through his side and through his chest and his vision blurs from the intensity of it. But he has to stay standing as long as he can. Has to keep this damn thing still just long enough…]

Run! [A deep, shuddering breath.] Get out, get— get help.

[At least one of them should make it out of here.]

[vapour]

[ Childe almost understands, even to the point of the creature's responses. The moment he sees a face through Communion, he makes sure to commit it to memory. Monsters are always forgotten for who they were over what they are when they pass. He'll die as a monster that needed extermination not as aman that needed mercy.

Hyperfocused on the creature, Childe doesn't notice Vander's movements. Instead, he manages to get pissed off rather than afraid of what's coming towards him. It's defiance of the beasts and his own helplessness (the strength and power limitations that he's clearly locked under but can't accept.) Like hell is he letting this thing kill him— not without somehow taking it down with him.

The attack never comes, though: one minute the creature is in his line of sight the next it's blocked out and it's only once he notices feet skidding backwards against the muddied ground towards him. And then Vander's voice.

Fuck, no—

But it's not the time to argue, he knows this. It's not the time to have any type of kneejerk emotional reaction. Shoving down all the uprising feelings on the matter, Childe pushes fully to his feet from his crouched position. ]

—No way! What the hell is going to happen to you if I leave your shard with this guy? I'm not letting him kill you permanently over this!

[ sitting at the creature. ] Manon, right? You're still in there enough to not be a total mindless beast— so get a fucking grip on yourself and what you've become, you damn coward!

[ Childe can tell the difference in the creature's behavior note that he understand better, as a monster himself. When his rage consumes him and he lets the mindless beast take over in a bout of weakness and his Abyss Form takes hold. It's so convenient and easy to hide behind it as if it's no longer his concern. The mess he makes is still his, though—just like Manon's actions are still his own. He's assuming this guy isn't the type of person that would want to hurt others as he looked like he was going to flee initially after the explosion. He's hoping he can get whatever's left of Manon to pull himself back so he doesn't have to leave Vander. He doesn't want to leave Vander alone.

No one deserves to be left alone when they're dying. ]

[kenosnpcs]

[ The creature pushes against Vander, digging into the ground even more as roots snake into the dirt with deep gouges. It’s pushing hard, maybe even more strongly than it had before, but this time, there’s silence. The screams, the agony, they were certainly unwelcome, but by comparison, this might feel more unsettling, somehow.

And underneath Childe’s feet, the ground shifts as something moves underneath. He has a moment’s choice: fight or flee. ]

[vapour]

[ so much for that, maybe it's more of an echo of Manon that he once was than anything else. Childe could fight, but he know it'll end with Vander's sacrifice being for nothing. And while he could argue he doesn't give a shit about someone protecting him when he didn't ask for it (and he'll do what he wants,) that's not so easy this time, especially when he knows it's unlikely he'll come out victorious in the end. If he had his powers the dice would be a no brainer, so well ... ( Maybe it's a good thing he doesn't. )

Sensing and hearing something beneath his feet, he snarls even as he backs up, unable to retreat with much speed, but he's going to take whatever is underneath his feet as a warning for him to get lost if he knows what's good for him. ]

You better hope you're dead in the ground for good before I find you again.

[ He turns to shout towards Vander now: ] Don't die on me, old man. I'm coming back right away!

[ he'll disappear into the darkness of the woods without another sound, the only hint he was there being the trail of blood that gets lost in the density of the forest.]

[kenosnpcs]

[ Childe retreats just in time, since as his feet step away into the dark, the group breaks with lashing roots that would have surely held him in place. They hold Vander where he is, and the creature still pushes hard, but the pressure lessens as Childe retreats into the forest. The skull almost seems to be looking at Vander, and slowly, it pulls away as if it can feel Vander’s life fading.

It’ll remain until he dissipates… But after that, it’ll simply retreat. His Shard is indeed left for Childe to recollect. ]

[exhound]

[The blurring of his vision almost seems to get worse, and it takes every ounce of willpower he has to keep himself standing now. He pushes back against the creature with all the remaining strength he can muster, determined to keep it from moving past him to the young man he’s trying so desperately to keep safe.

Maybe it made him a fool, to be so self-sacrificing for a person he’d only barely just met. But this is what he is built for, putting all of that strength of his into protecting others. How impermanent death may or may not really be for shard-bearers in this moment is hardly a comfort, not when faced with this monstrosity and the pain it has so effortlessly inflicted.

The sound of Childe’s retreat brings with it a momentary flash of relief to soothe the desperation and the pain keeping him upright. Those final words shouted at him almost make him want to laugh, if he still had it in him.

Might have to disappoint you there, he thinks, before everything fades around him.]

[vapour]

[ a fool is putting it lightly—at least, maybe if it were any other person like Childe. while the young harbinger is a lot of things, an individual with 'debt owed' he is not.

(there's the other thing, too, that may come to benefit Vander with time if things go well: that is the strange feeling Childe has bleeding in his chest all the way to find 'help,' to get himself stitched up and hurry on back because any 'help' is already out there searching for the creature. it's a sensation that bewilders him, and he doesn't have the slightest clue what it's supposed to be or what he should feel about it existing, but for now their relationship isn't strong enough that Childe thinks he'll be dwelling on it long.)

Vander saved his life without a doubt. Why he did it doesn't matter, and at the very least the fatui harbinger realizes that going back for the older man isn't simply paying his dues but it's... the right thing to do (what he wants to do.)

there's no hope lingering in his mind, of course. he's a realist when it comes to the battlefield and has had way too much experience for anyone to have for several lifetimes combined, so he knows that a wound like that will bleed out very quickly even if 'Manon' left him be as soon as Childe bolted. so when he finds the spot (—he pushes himself best he can despite it being stressful on his system with his own blood loss, but at least he's stitched up and pushing his limits is what he does best—) he isn't surprised it is dark and silent. he moves around the area, feeling around for and smelling for the blood and torched wood and vines as the narrowing beacon before he finally is able to spot the faint glimmer of what must be (hopes is) a shard.

he hyper listens to his surroundings, walking with a steady determination towards the small light until he's able to find it in a pool of bloody mud from where Vander's body had been. crouching down, he reaches to pick it up only because he has gloves on (he doesn't want Vander to feel any worse than he must already after a death like that) that will lessen any sensations exchanged between a soul and an individual holding it. ]

...You died out here alone, and for what? Someone like me? I wonder if...

[ he gets to his feet now, looking around before heading back towards the camp. ]

...you'll regret that.

[ as childe walks, the turmoil of emotions rains heavy on him, him choosing silence despite their roar and counting his steps and breathing to ensure he doesn't stumble along the way from any vertigo related to pain or blood. when he gets back to the encampment, however, he looks around.

when he had mentioned Vander's name, no one in particular came forward as knowing him particularly well that he would be able to turn the shard over to. while he could just hand it to a harmonized Meridian... something about that feels wrong. ]

...Is there no one here to welcome you back?

[ Without a word, he settles in silence in the encampment until morning, gently wrapping the shard in his scarf as he does so. He'll take it to the Tree, but he can't be there to welcome the older man back to life.

( somehow, that's truly bitter in Childe's mouth.

—even though he'd only expect such a reality if this was the other way around. ) ]