beleos: (Default)
beleos ([personal profile] beleos) wrote in [community profile] kenoslogs2023-01-13 05:00 pm

⏳ THE SCORCHING ISLE: Oracle Event One ⏳


ARRIVAL
All Bearers have heard whispers of them - the Oracles. Mysterious and unknown entities of an abstract nature, they serve as the heart of each faction’s cause - both as a means to an end and a very real stepping stone in achieving their objectives. To claim an Oracle means growing ever closer to victory: to see your homes restored as they were, or to herald in a new one of your making.

So you go.

A Cornerstone has been set up for each faction; one for the Zenith and one for the Meridian in Yima’s manor and Heliopolis, respectively. They warn you that upon transportation, your safety cannot be guaranteed and there is no telling what waits for you beyond - to be prepared. To make sure you have whatever you deem necessary with you before you go, as there is no telling when - or how - you will be coming back. CONTINUED HERE...

NOTES

  • Upon your arrival, you woke up with an HOURGLASS NECKLACE. Please refer to the Time Mechanics on the OOC Summary and bottom of this post for details on its usage.
  • The COURTYARD is frozen in time. Player Characters and the Great Tree are the only signs of moving, free life in the courtyard. During the intro, time magic does not work.
  • Characters are free to investigate but cannot move beyond the courtyard if you choose a prompt during the intro. You may mingle among your fellow Bearers or speak with [MR. TIBBS] if you so choose. (Also? LOOK AT HIM HELP)
  • Iconoclasts and Stargazers will notice Aspect benefits/detriments now.
  • All characters will be weak for the 24 hours - think like mild flu - and unable to leave until Mr. Tibbs has dispersed them. This is the time in which any threads with the NPC will be carried out.
  • The INTRO concludes with said dispersal of PC’s once interactions concluded. They will be sent to a location around the castle of your choosing; they are free to move about freely from here. Your prompts can start with you waking alone or in the presence of others - whatever you’d like!
  • Your character will innately understand how to use time magic from this point forward. It will come naturally to them, like a skill they were born with.


  • CASTLE: OVERVIEW (p a s t)
    The Scorching Isles is home to the Atirat, a people of sea-dwellers who have the ability to walk on land. (Think mermaids with the ability to shift back and forth between human and mermaid forms.) As such, much of the Scorching Isles is covered in large bodies of blue water and glistening pieces of ice to accommodate their lifestyle.

    THE CASTLE, however, is what dominates the landscape and it's where the Shard-Bearers will be spending their time. The white castle with colorful glass windows is obscured by a thick layer of clouds and fog. Nearly every location on the island has a thin layer of fog that rolls through it, which gives the entire Island an inescapable chill. The castle has artfully built rooms with a CAVALCADE OF DECORATIVE ICE, lavish mirrors, and white plants accented with blue decorations. Several portions of the castle are submerged due to the aquatic nature of the native residents.

    And everywhere you go, you find them - STATUESQUE BODIES FROZEN mid-movement. They are haunting reminders of the power in your Hourglass - the very real power to decide their fates.

    The castle has many winding paths to explore, as castles often do. There are sleeping quarters, HALLWAYS, a wine cellar, and a few large rooms presumably for diplomatic affairs. Players can use these rooms at their own leisure for whatever purposes they see fit. (Exploration, combat, or supply gathering.)

    However, many of these rooms will require some strategy to access their full potential! Atirat were much more comfortable being underwater than many Kenosians may be. Therefore, rooms of higher importance may be COMPLETELY SUBMERGED or require swimming through an underwater pathway to reach them. Very minimal supplies will be kept out in the open for all to reach. More desirable supplies - such as warm clothing, small weapons, treasure, and the like - will be located past or within one of these flooded areas.

    Players may gather supplies within and preserve their Sand or use their Sand to make other rooms accessible and gather whatever lies within! The larger the asset you attempt to unfreeze, the more Sand it costs - and the more drained/vulnerable you will be as a consequence, so choose your path ahead wisely.

    Currently, a pervasive fog is preventing you from wandering beyond the Castle's limits. Should you try to venture past it, your Sand will rapidly be stolen and you will find yourself suffering the same fate as the islanders if you don't move back to safety quickly... However, if you ask Mr. Tibbs what lays beyond the mist - he will tell you about the thriving farmland, the once-bustling village surrounding the castle, and the beautiful coral reefs beneath it. Sadly, they're beyond your reach - but maybe if the Bearers decide to unfreeze them when the week is up...

    LIBRARY (s a f e z o n e)
    The ROYAL LIBRARY - A treasure trove of knowledge, history, and glimpses of a fractured past scattered throughout. The lower floor of the Library is void of much reading material and contains several intricate-looking art pieces on decorative pedestals.

    A spiral staircase dominates the center of the room, with its once delicate structure overtaken by sheets of formidable ice; it leads you toward the upper levels where a sea of books awaits. There are isles and isles of books, most perched on intricately carved shelves. Many books lay in piles or are discarded onto the floor, and scattered papers are common throughout.

    Curious Kenosians may pick out books from the shelves and read on various topics, but players may also pass through this room on their way elsewhere. This area will function as a safe haven where violence and the taking of others' Sand is not allowed; do not disturb the books or Mr. Tibbs won’t be happy!

    NOTES

  • Characters who wish to receive a book with lore specific to the island may comment [HERE]. You will be RNGed a book from a pre-written list of topics. The books may give you a deeper look into the island, its inhabitants, and its history! (Only 1 book per player! Please assume all other books they read are about commonly-available topics.)


  • THE EATING PARLOR (p a s t)
    There are no basic amenities on the island. No hot water, no warm beds, and no salacious magazines (that you know of. heh heh). That would make the Eating Parlour a wise stop for anyone. After all, this could be the perfect chance to procure some provisions!

    The EATING PARLOUR has all the equipment one would need for meal preparation. Dried plants hang from the ceiling, and the walls are lined with mason jars filled with every strange manner of presumably edible thing (Is that a head over there? Hmm… maybe you should check).

    The parlour also comes with a garden under a massive windowed dome so that the inhabitants could have fresh produce at hand. Many plants have withered, but there are some salvageable plants if you know how to look for them. But beware… Some of the plants have a strange blue glow. These plants can spell potential disaster.

    If someone should make contact with these glowing plants, they will crumble into glass shards - glass that will quickly burrow its way under the skin and curse that person with Blight. Blight will make all resources within that person's vicinity slowly age and eventually crumble to dust. (Which I relate to on a personal level tbh.) Iconoclasts will be immune to its effects.

    NOTES

  • Please see the "Blight" section below for more information on its effects.


  • TREASURE ROOM (f u t u r e)
    Faint singing can be heard coming from this room. Once you hear the song, it dulls your senses and leaves you in a haze. There is no stopping your feet from guiding you to it through the doors and into the Treasure room. The door slams shut at your back, sealed with a wall of ice and magic.

    Players will find themselves lured to an icy chamber bordered by a ring of cold blue fire. There is a deep pond that surrounds the platform you’ve found yourself standing on. Beyond its glassy surface and crystal clear water, one can glimpse all manner of treasures - from crowns, jewels, ornate statues in various statues of repair, scepters, spears, and books that seem impervious to the water's cold chill.

    As you come to your senses, you will find yourself frozen in place and at the mercy of a large statuesque being before you. This beautiful and horrifying figure in a perpetual song is the SIREN, the only Atirat you’ve seen in person. She measures nearly 20 feet (6 meters) from her head to the tip of her long-finned tail. She cradles an icy shard in her arms, singing to it as if it were a child.

    She sits serenely in front of a large hourglass filled with white sand, which is bordered by a spear and a lance. Emblazoned in faint text at the base of where she sits reads: “The future lies in our hands.”

    NOTES


    Welcome to the Siren’s Chamber! Players must use their wit, charisma, or some good ol' fashioned elbow grease to escape the room or break the Siren’s magic. The Shard that the Siren holds contains dormant time magic that players may activate by using the Sand within their necklace. Players can access the future in 5-second intervals and use whatever they find in that time period to escape their predicament.

    For example, if they activate the shard by using their time magic, that shard will begin to glow blue. The room around them will shift, and it could change to a point in the future where there is a sword nearby. If you can grab it, now you have a weapon! When the 5 seconds are up and time returns to the present, you will still have that weapon on your person. You may also try verbal communication if you’d like. If your character is someone who would try and talk their way out of a situation diplomatically, they may give it a try!

    It is up to player discretion/creativity to think of a scenario you’d like. Each “future" does not have to be the same across player encounters! What one group experiences may be tailored to the player wants (because branching timelines exist). Let your imagination run free!

    HALL OF MIRRORS (p r e s e n t)
    Should you reach the rightmost wing of the massive castle Library, you will find a door hidden in the very back of one aisle against a wall; it looks as though the door used to be concealed by magicks that have since dissolved.

    The stairwell leads down and into darkness. Once you reach the bottom, shimmering light cast from an unknown source beneath sheets of glistening ice will illuminate your new surroundings; you are in a maze of mirror-like ice. This labyrinth is silent save for the quiet creaking of shifting ice that may disquiet you and leave you uneasy regarding the stability of this area… but it holds beneath your feet.

    Mr. Tibbs had told you that the “Kaleidoscope” - where your Sand is counted - rests through here, so eventually, you must brave the journey. Is it a trick of the light? Maybe the product of an especially active imagination…?

    Did you just see one of your reflections move without you?

    NOTES

  • Please refer to the OOC Summary for details on the Hall of Mirrors!


  • THE BLIGHT and TIME MECHANICS

    BLIGHT

  • Blight is an infliction that will age supplies and infect people with a creeping disease that steals their Sand. For objects, this includes weapons, food, and items like cloth. It will take a few days to deteriorate things beyond use - so watching your supplies and acting accordingly is in your best interest. Generally, it will make it more difficult for PC's to get by given that their already scarce resources will dwindle and deteriorate - especially since it's 'contagious' through touch.
  • The Blight will not act quickly enough to severely hamper infected persons, but repeated exposure will cause effects to a person's body - notedly protruding VEINS in the face and extremities, a lower body temperature, and increased agitation. These effects start out mild and grow more severe with each 'dose.'
  • Characters must touch an object/person that is Blighted to become inflicted with Blight themselves. When that happens, it will become easily identifiable as Blighted from the faint blue, shimmering outline around the infected subject, as well as the WITHERED, FROSTBITTEN or ashy appearance it takes as it progresses.
  • However, there is one single perk with Blight. (Or is it a perk?) Players will feel reduced impact by the cold surroundings, making the climate around them somewhat more hospitable. Beware of falling victim to a chill you can't feel...
  • TIME

  • To use your Sand, each character is granted access to and innate knowledge of a spell they channel from their Shard that automatically manipulates their Hourglass. This allows the remote control of Sand (aka gathering and dispersing), as well as the ability to pull Fragments of time from Shards.
  • Fragments are literal pieces of you taken from your Shard. They manifest as memories or images displayed on little shards of broken glass (think of the memory being played out in real-time on the mirror's surface), and can be crushed to convert into Sand automatically, either voluntarily or by force. The only stipulation is that the parties must be close to one another, and the Fragment must be exchanged while both Bearers are still. This means someone has to give it to you, or you need to immobilize them before you take it - one way or another.
  • Once the Fragment is crushed, the memory and associated time of that person's life is lost and your character will suffer amnesia until the Oracle is claimed. How deep this goes is up to you; they could lose a large chunk of time - even all their memories surrounding a person or place for a big payload of Sand, or they could lose very little for a meager net gain.
  • Sand is automatically gathered or distributed by your Hourglass and added/subtracted to your running total. No need to micromanage. Convenient!
  • Please note that using Sand to unfreeze anything (resources, a door which can be then opened, etc) is an unpleasant experience. Each time you use Sand in this way, your character will be left feeling weakened and flu-like for an hour or two, which will leave them vulnerable. This effect stacks and scales up to outright KO-ing them for a few hours if they go crazy, so unfreezing too large of an area is off the table!

  • NOTES
    • An OOC POST will be coming shortly explaining how Sand is going to be tallied and the Oracle claimed.
    • Should your character attempt to unfreeze any NPC's, please respond [HERE]. NOTE: unfreezing NPC's may result in physical violence with CW's for severe mental instability/illness and a potential reference to self-harm.
    • HAVE FUN!!!
    CODING
    warmare: (叫び)

    [personal profile] warmare 2023-01-30 01:35 pm (UTC)(link)
    [It might be wiser to follow his advice. Find a way out. Retreat.

    But that word, retreat sticks in her craw like bone, and Hayame's remaining single eye darts between the hourglass on the Siren's "island" and the man who is also a sword across from her. Instead of bolting for an exit... her hooves crack on the ice, her fingers move to her quiver and not the rope tied around her barrel to align her spine for galloping.]


    And leave with nothing?

    [There was so little time before the beast started singing again. The arrow is on her string. In order to achieve victory in this strange place, they needed [TIME], and-]

    You may not fight for anything, but I cannot let the Zenith take this gods damned Oracle- Whatever it is!

    [Famous last words]
    spilledinkpot: (pic#16200114)

    [personal profile] spilledinkpot 2023-01-30 03:11 pm (UTC)(link)
    [Though there is little expression that can be read on a face that is made of what seems to be bone, there is plenty to read for the keen eye in the tightness of shoulders, the arch of spine, and the curl of a long, whip-like tail. "His experiences"... something that would lead a child as young as that to offer up their soul in exchange for something?]

    Her moods could be... whimsical. I did not understand, sometimes, why she would not...

    [He pauses in his task, looking at a dark hand in a dark glove, curling fingers before he returns to finding appropriate weights.]

    Why she would not simply understand when things were in her best interest.

    [Surely that is what it had been, when he had kept things from her. When he had moved them from the house she had known and enjoyed living in.]

    It was difficult for her to understand why she could not touch me.

    [But despite the fact that it had been difficult, he cannot say... that he had disliked or regretted any of it. A last rock goes into a pocket, and he wades in deeper up to his knees, testing the bottom of the entrance to make sure it wasn't icy. Looks toward Sebastian, his head cocking a moment.]

    - Will continuing our conversation as we walk be a bother for you?

    [He'd never had a problem with it, strangely, but.]
    lachtara: (For you)

    [personal profile] lachtara 2023-01-30 03:31 pm (UTC)(link)
    "Suppose I could rest for a while." Not that rest was much needed at the moment, he could continue reading regardless of the cold. However, a simple 'yes' would never suffice.

    And so he pulls the blanket around the both of them more snugly and closes his eyes so that they might both rest.
    redsoil: (pic#16220592)

    [personal profile] redsoil 2023-01-30 06:13 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ He whistles, low and syrupy-indulgent as she ricochets off of solid materials and still manages to come up able to talk. Brave girl, and sturdier than he'd expected. He has come to understand that many of the people drawn from their old, ruined worlds are gifted in different capacities -- durable, magical, some inhuman, some simply powerful, wise leaders and shrewd villains alike. One moment, he has thrown her, and the next, she has popped back up like a stubborn, washed-out little flower.

    The question she asks him makes his expression fold in upon itself, lips pulling back to reveal the gleaming, prominent line of his fangs. Like some sort of animal, or a force of nature in the guise of a man, he sets his jaw and bares them at her. Infinitely exasperated by the question, but expecting it. Few understand him, and he understands even less. ]


    You caught my attention.

    [ He rasps the answer through the clench of his teeth, eyes locked upon her new display of ferocity -- enticed, clearly. He wants to see her bravery and how far it extends, maybe; and the ornate, silver trident in his hands flashes as he brings it to bear, lunging for her again. This time, with the thrust of the polearm guiding his way and extending his reach. ]
    redsoil: (pic#16220564)

    [personal profile] redsoil 2023-01-30 06:57 pm (UTC)(link)
    Don't apologize. You've only had a glimpse at the full breadth of my appetites, anyways.

    [ Lofty bastard.

    The thing is, Sebastian may be a self-described 'demon', but the manner in which he functions and the way he provides sincerity is similar to Set's experience; gods promise and vow and curse, and are held to the word they give by the very fabric of reality. Maat exists in many different forms, and simply because Egypt's land no longer exists, does not mean that the composition of Set's being is not vibrantly held to the standards of order. Or, in his case, the lurid, thin line between order and chaos.

    So, Sebastian swears that he only wishes for a sampling -- this time -- and Set finds that acceptable. He is sincere, and he is not hiding his intentions among the foliage of his speech and actions. Set curls a hand around his chin, pressing his knuckles into the space just below the swell of his bottom lip, considering; then, he nods. Acceptable. Agreeable.

    Honestly, the fact that Sebastian even has a soul is a curious thing to the god of war. He must have one, if he functions as a Shard-Bearer in Kenos. What, then, he wonders, is the true structure of a soul, and will a win for him mean he can examine the soul of kkw in closer detail. The ones who teem and fester within him may benefit from his learning, and he is -- infinitely curious, undeniable in his single-mindedness at times. ]


    We'll play a simple game, using these. [ And he reaches into his pocket, drawing out a small, worn deck of what appear to be Tarot cards. ]

    I have played this a few times at the Last Dance, and found it entertaining each time. We will draw the major arcana, one by one, and lay it between us until all cards are removed from the deck. Each card has an associated number which represents its point value -- zero to 21. However, these cards are used in upright and reversed positions as well. Drawing a card in its reversed position subtracts that many points from our score. The one with the most points at the end wins.

    [ It's simple and direct, like him. There is an element of randomization to it, and a risk of rising and falling at the whim of the draw. The only skill, therefore, is found in their ability to lure 'fate'. ( Or maybe in deceit, should either of them find a method of doing that. Set does not explicitly ask for a fair game, and perhaps he does not expect one. Not ever. From anyone. ) ]

    Would you like a single game, or the best two out of three?
    cutlery: please do not take! (you merely adopted the Internet.)

    [personal profile] cutlery 2023-01-30 07:42 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ It’s been interesting to see how people react when he reveals himself so casually as a demon. It’s all very different and ranges between the sort of disgusted fear he’d seen in Anders and the more curious excitement of people like Misa. Douman’s is definitely towards the latter end, but Sebastian doesn’t miss the sharpness. It’s hard to with a word like omnivorous used, but it just gets Sebastian’s smile to lift at the corner of his eyes, even as Douman steps in more closely. ]

    Well, then that is good to hear. I admit, I have my reservations with priestly types in terms of how they might find my presence.

    [ Not… that it was something he was all that concerned about in general, much less with Douman. Indeed, as Anders himself had found out, Sebastian was more likely to just prod at those that found him distasteful. ]

    Though in that sense, I am also surprised to hear that you are a demon. Of sorts.

    [ He repeats that phrasing with punctuated, but playfully toned pauses. Anything similar to him is intriguing, but also something he’s deeply interested in understanding. His sort of demon isn’t exactly hospitable to their own, but Sebastian also thought of himself as more reasonable and distinguished than most. When necessary, of course. ]

    If I may, what sort do you mean?
    oomfies: 𝑜𝑜𝓂𝒻𝒾𝑒𝓈 (💚 inspect.)

    [personal profile] oomfies 2023-01-30 07:47 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ ..Does she? ]

    Last time I even did that..

    [ She trails off, not giving much details but remembering an exchange she had after a fairly nasty, fairly unwanted communion (and really, it was in the same vein of what Caren's expressing: Zenites writing off Meridian life). And while Lottie is used to scathing comments, she still looks back on the incident as a prime example of what would happen if she tried convincing anyone of anything that isn't the majority opinion.

    And even with Caren's poking and prodding, it does little to change the deep frown that settles on her lips at the thought, of how exhausting it is trying to communicate with some of their own. Not that she has — Lottie lurks more, now, than she ever participates. ]


    ..Everyone is just so stubborn. [ She starts, rubs a hand at her forehead. Keeps her voice low enough because they may be with each other, but they're not alone. ] Which I get is part of the whole, you know, 'cause', but it's not that easy. Everyone here is stupid powerful and it makes me feel like there's nothing we can do to stop that escalation, you know? Does that make sense? It's like all that power went to their muscles and not their heads..
    investing: 𝙞𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 (21948921)

    [personal profile] investing 2023-01-30 09:06 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ The mirror clone sure explains why this place looks so.. Battle trodden. David see's dents and scratches, craters and pieces of glass where he didn't before (because he was just walking, he wasn't exactly expecting this place to be an arena).

    And despite their size differences, Misa feels an incredible sort of strong as he finds himself tugged back along with her towards the middle of the room. Vaguely, he's reminded of Rebecca — their stature's are more than similar, even penchant for the color black — and it makes him all the more surprised when she praises him. ]


    Uh — [ Wow.. It's been forever since someone thanked him?? Especially for something so.. He doesn't know, expected?! ] yeah, no problem.

    [ Civilians shouldn't get hurt!! Even if it's their own clone but, details. His stare shifts from her, towards the mirrors, seeing the two of them. His own stares back, completely normal by all means, but now he's paranoid. ]

    ..You said it just reached out and grabbed you? Your reflection?
    investing: 𝙞𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 (21949169)

    [personal profile] investing 2023-01-30 09:13 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ Despite not directly addressing it, David is taking all this information very seriously — he may have been a mercenary for hire, but he had morals. Has, morals, that seem to get more complicated by the day if this whole excursion is anything to go by. Because as right as it feels to try and free a whole society of people frozen in time, there's the blight. They may not be able to function on their own and may just die anyway.

    His mood dampens, David letting slip the pure conflict and dissatisfaction at the cards they've been dealt. But then — hm, there's silence. And bright, plain, confusion. The mental equivalent of '?' and then '?'. ]


    the what

    [ The otter? ]

    mr tibbs??
    regression: (pic#15851154)

    [personal profile] regression 2023-01-30 09:35 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ The battle is arduous and even Joonghyuk is starting to feel the fatigue, which he thinks is ridiculous. They are two people fighting one single shade. It's almost offensive, but he accepts that this world is beyond them... That their monsters, shades, and demons could take them if they were to drop their guard.

    It takes a second to address what bruises and cuts he has. Adrenaline makes it difficult to know the severity, but he's experienced enough to make deductions. The train of thought is broken by a strange question.

    He never considered the reflection to Want something. They're just... Echoes, aren't they? Why does it matter?
    ]

    ... Is that what you think? [ To Joonghyuk, what he sees is a madman who simply wants to ravage and bite, full of pain... Disdain... Still, in the end, it is a reflection. ] Don't tell me you intend to reason with it.

    [ He is internally begging. ]
    regression: (pic#15851116)

    [personal profile] regression 2023-01-30 09:57 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ There could always be underlying intent later. In the end, Joonghyuk doesn't think it's a reach to assume possible enemies, but they are in a precarious place—previous world ended, old factions dissipated then renewed... It puts a number of them on edge and doubtful.

    Granted, Joonghyuk will always be doubtful.
    ]

    I have no intentions to make myself a pawn for others without knowing more. Only fools would fight for lofty causes and goals so blindly.

    [ Because... Well... With what happened with Horos and all. He has seen whatever he has done there, gambling on faith, to have been a waste of his time. ]

    But it is inconvenient.

    [ Yoo Joonghyuk, 33 31, unemployed (terrorist). ]
    lachtara: (For you)

    [personal profile] lachtara 2023-01-30 10:53 pm (UTC)(link)
    "It makes the assumption that I want to be in Kenos to begin with." Unwilling participants in a broader sense.

    That's beside the point at present, and Emet-Selch shifts his eyes to look at the book in his acquaintance's possession. He raises an eyebrow. "Strange that you would have a singed book in such a frozen wasteland."
    investing: (21942165)

    [personal profile] investing 2023-01-30 10:54 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ LISTEN? LIFE IS COMPLICATED IN NIGHT CITY?????

    He manages to swallow down the last bite before coughing. A hand is brought up so he could wipe at his mouth but unfortunately, he's a bit distracted by the near silent (wow, he'd be impressed if he weren't so preoccupied) swoop of the hawk. David makes a rather unintelligent sound of surprise when he's booped, swinging his body around in a full circle and ducking because what else can this bird affectionately do?? Not much if he's hiding!!

    ..Which, coincidentally, gives him a great view of the mystery man in the corner when he peeks up. He focuses in with his optics, sees that shake of his shoulders and frowns. Thinks: great. Just great. With a kind of irritation and embarrassment that only a teen can manifest, he asks: ]


    ..What's so funny?
    copeless: (pic#16169552)

    [personal profile] copeless 2023-01-30 11:09 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ They hadn't thought about it like that — they suppose not everyone would want to create the new world. Perhaps some only had an interest in destroying what was left, if anything. That sort of wish is so familiar and close to them that even if it doesn't live in their own mind, it's so easy to picture what kind of person would want to accomplish something like that. They start wondering if the person before them is like that — if he had the same conviction and drive as the woman who had raised them.

    The comparison brewing in their mind sits heavily on their shoulders, and they end up bowing their head a bit, answering obediently out of habit more than anything else. ]


    I don't know how to deal with other people. [ There's a sense of defeat that emanates from their every word, even from their posture and the way they carry themself. ] And I... I don't know right from wrong, either... so I can't be trusted to do what's right...

    [ There's always so much conflict overtaking their thoughts - and much as they hate it, they're aware of their obedient, submissive nature. They can be made to that which they hate doing, if the person ordering them around is strong enough, scary enough, or has enough presence. Who would want someone like that on their team? They'd always be a risk, either of being swayed by the other side or incapable of acting in line with what the faction as a whole might want, unless explicitly ordered. At least, that's the way they see it. ]

    Ever since I came here, things have changed for me. I wouldn't be useful on the battlefield... so those two, they probably wouldn't have any use for me.

    [ Have they figured out that harmonizing would fix that for them? Probably not. But their strength was their only useful trait, so without it, they can understand if neither faction had any reason to keep them around. ]
    copeless: (pic#16161907)

    [personal profile] copeless 2023-01-30 11:09 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ They're starting to feel a bit ashamed, with the consistent offers for mercy coming from him. Then again, this is far out of bounds of what would be considered 'normal' behavior to them, so how could they have guessed he was going to be this accommodating? Their head tucks down a bit, and they keep their shoulders curled in, as if trying to take up as little space as possible without making any major movements. Even with their tense posture, though, their expression softens a bit, looking relieved. ]

    Y... You don't mind? Even though I'm not on a side...

    [ They could understand people only helping the people on their team, after all - it'd been their assumption of how everyone would act. That's why they don't expect anyone to lift a finger for them. As the week has gone on, they haven't dared hope for anything outside of surviving the situation, so they'd been fine settling for just trying to hide for the remainder of time, even if it meant being freezing cold or starving. Better that than run into someone with an aggressive attitude regarding the competition. Perhaps naively, when they raise their eyes again to look at him, there's a slight shimmer of hope there - hope that things at least won't get any worse. ]

    I was looking for something, but, you don't have to get it for me. [ that's said a little rushed, like they're afraid of being misunderstood. For someone non-hostile to accompany them would be a boon alone, at present. ] I don't want to cause trouble... for you, or your side...

    [ They wave both their hands placatingly - the palm they'd been holding against their upper shoulder is stained completely black, sticky with something the same consistency as blood. They don't seem to have any complaints about the wound they're nursing, obviously more concerned with keeping this interaction calm and not bothering him (or worse, making him feel like they tricked him into helping them) than they are about actually accepting his help. ]
    copeless: (pic#16161900)

    [personal profile] copeless 2023-01-30 11:10 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ In their own mind palace, they're thinking that maybe they have a higher tolerance for eating something suspicious than the person before them — that, or they're more desperate. Beggars can't be choosers, and all. Even him describing the jar as suspicious doesn't convince them that they shouldn't eat it - they think everything in the room is probably an equal level of untrustworthy, which is an "oh, well" moment in their book. ]

    Have you found anything... "not suspicious?"

    [ There's genuine curiosity there - because while their own opinion on the matter is that everything in the room is probably about the same, they're the type that assumes most people around them know better than they do, so they're certainly open to believing he might have some superior insight. ]
    copeless: (pic#16161901)

    [personal profile] copeless 2023-01-30 11:10 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ What a good question. Now that they know what's on the Isle, and what the conditions are for them being here, they wish they hadn't come, to be honest. They flick their gaze off to the side, looking lightly ashamed when they finally muster up an answer. ]

    ...I thought I might know where to go, if I saw what things were like.

    [ Between the factions, and how each side acted when up against each other. Talking to members from each faction was enlightening, in a sense, but seeing what each side acts like, though, that could open their eyes more, or so they thought. ]

    It seems like you have to choose one, so... I didn't know what else to do. And when I talked to other shard-bearers, things didn't seem that...

    [ Well, aggressive and conflict-ridden. They trail off, looking down at the jar and fishing for another peach to give themself something to do. They'd known of course that conflict was possible - but they hadn't expected things to escalate as quickly as they have. ]
    lockedon: (pic#14244911)

    [personal profile] lockedon 2023-01-31 12:36 am (UTC)(link)
    [ IS HE STILL UNEMPLOYED HERE.....

    Eustace puts his hunk of frozen imported cheese down (no point in unfreezing it when he thinks he's spotted some mold in one corner) and settles his now free hand on one hip. He understands where Yoo Joonghyuk is coming from, but also: ]


    Not interested in following your friends?

    [ Maybe using that particular term is a bit of a reach (he's no Dokja, to be intimately familiar with various tropes and stereotypes) but he can read the Vibes™ well enough to guess that this man isn't the type to make friends with every person he meets. ]
    regression: (pic#15895961)

    [personal profile] regression 2023-01-31 12:38 am (UTC)(link)
    [ At least he has experience and murderous instinct under his belt? Joonghyuk is holding on quite well with his daggers driven into the siren, but she still is writhing as she battles the giant figure. ]

    I'm going to kill her. [ WHAT ELSE WOULD HE BE DOING? Granted, he's taking his sweet time against his will... With another clash of claws and scythe, he's being jostled around as he continues to scale her. ] Make her stay still.

    [ If Atsumu can do that. At the very least, Joonghyuk still has the fighting will of someone who won't be dying soon. ]
    lifespanned: (pic#15666258)

    [personal profile] lifespanned 2023-01-31 01:15 am (UTC)(link)
    Hmm, so you were like a guardian?

    [ Misa goes about untying the wrappings on Sebastian's carefully crafted parcel, setting aside the definitely included utensils and napkin before moving on to uncovering the actual meal. To no one's surprise, it looks delicious - her brows raise, impressed. She'll have to send her compliments to the chef later! ]

    I can see that. You seem like you would be kinda good with kids. [ Polite, even tempered, probably very patient. All the things Misa isn't. ] Did you adopt her or something? It sort of sounded like you had to live far away from humans, what with the curse and all...

    [ Even though the subject matter is probably grim, Misa keeps her tone casual, leaving ample room for him to refuse to tell her or tell her to buzz off if need be. She's just curious how a young girl ends up in the care of a being like the one across the table from her - it's probably not a happy story. So there's not any reason to draw attention to it, in her mind. If there's one thing Misa excels in, it's keeping the mood up, so she wants to get the answers she's seeking while avoiding truly dampening his spirits. ]
    pyojeol: (pic#16053787)

    [personal profile] pyojeol 2023-01-31 01:38 am (UTC)(link)
    [Sooyoung's eyes narrow just the slightest at the visages reflecting back at them both, even as she moves further down the hall at Ruby's prompting. Moving seems to do only so much -- Sooyoung can't see her or Ruby's doppelganger, but she can hear them well enough. Isn't that just typical? It's not enough that she has to hear her own grating voice. It has to be a goddamn party.]

    ...They're not gonna just leave us alone.

    [Maybe Ruby's not the only one to blame for the jinxing, because as soon as the words fall from Sooyoung's lips -- there's a loud impact closest to them -- a hand slamming itself against the glass, and then a face twisted in derision.]

    Running again! The world's gone and your companions are dead -- and here you are, still running!

    [Sooyoung turns the corner into another identical hallway -- long and winding, and swears.]

    This shitty maze...!
    lifespanned: (pic#11709541)

    [personal profile] lifespanned 2023-01-31 01:43 am (UTC)(link)
    I guess I do need a weapon to carry around... there better not be any monsters, though.

    [ Her tone is flatter, lightly scolding, at what she perceives as him joking about the monsters. No way that could happen, right... in any case, it does get her to stop the banging, aside from the occasional bonk against the wall as she tries to maneuver her hand back through the door and up the crevice, feeling more motivated with the quaint warmth washing over her. There's a little splash when she finally drags up their prize — ]

    A frying pan? But it sort of felt like a sword... [ Clearly she's never held one in her hand, if she mistook a frying pan for one? It's fine. It's said in the world's most disappointed, most dramatic whine. ] This is probably the least helpful weapon ever! It must be a kitchen or storeroom down there...

    [ Then, a hopeful thought occurs to her, more stupid than hopeful, but it tumbles out of her mouth before she has a chance to think it over. ]

    Maybe we can use it to cook something? Something normal, I mean! Unless you think I can really fend someone off with this.
    regression: (pic#15850976)

    [personal profile] regression 2023-01-31 01:45 am (UTC)(link)
    [ A mirror, Matsui says? He's familiar with youkai and spirits in general that attach themselves to items. It's a common tale of old... All the sword has to do is fight his way to the origin and shatter it, but it must be over his double's mangled body. It's unfortunate that the battle is far from end.

    Except Joonghyuk breaks the glass the double came from, allowing the crack to splinter and break. Pieces start falling off with some being covered in his strange blood.
    ]

    Time is up.
    copeless: (pic#16161922)

    [personal profile] copeless 2023-01-31 02:21 am (UTC)(link)
    [ It's difficult to mask their slight unease when he says that — they certainly shift a bit uncomfortably, swallowing thickly when he utters several thousand years. Inhuman. It might at first seem that they're merely scared of the idea of meeting someone that's not a human, or someone that could be that old, but it becomes clear very soon after that that's not the case. They shake their head once. ]

    ...Um, you're not the first. There are beings like that, where I come from...

    [ Some that they know a little too well. They can't help it; their experience with powerful, long-lived beings like that are all firmly negative, and it makes it hard to divorce their personal feelings from assessing the person in front of them. At the very least, it does explain why he might have had more trouble guessing their age - and he doesn't seem particularly hostile or cruel (lmao), so maybe they're overthinking things. Maybe he's just immortal and doesn't have an innate drive to destroy things, as witches do??? ]

    Witches can live that long, too... I-I've met some. Before here.

    [ That last bit likely comes off as a bad lie due to their hesitant words and nervous glances, even though it's technically the truth — they're not sure about going around telling other people about being like, related to such a being. It's important to keep a low profile for now, probably... especially in front of someone they suspect is in a similar league of magically powerful as their mother. ]
    pyojeol: (pic#15998625)

    [personal profile] pyojeol 2023-01-31 02:31 am (UTC)(link)
    [MURDER!!! IF ONLY I WASN'T SUCH A SLOW-ASS THIS MONTH]







    Let's do it.

    [hsy would still icly want to kill mr tibbs tho]