⏳ THE SCORCHING ISLE: Oracle Event One ⏳

[beleos]

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

Comments

CLOSED TO: Ocelot, Sebastian, and Homura

[zauneyete]

[ There were supposedly places where there were other hourglasses. Silco intended to take one, for Zenith, yes, but beyond that, the agency of making the world bend to his will felt right after such a long time of being at the whims of great and terrible things, both on Horos, and here in Kenos. He had first started by searching for places where time felt... off. It stood to reason, that if things were frozen in time, and if their memories were laid so bare, was it perhaps not the case that time would be concentrated differently around these hourglasses?

He had no clue as to the accuracy, but it was a theory. Things were wonky in this space, and he looked at the others, who were also searching the hallways with a mismatched gaze, as he peered deeper down a corridor, as if perhaps it may bear fruit. ]

We may be getting close. [ He said, based on gut instinct alone, perhaps, but even the dust in the air seemed to hover as if stuck in place, frozen in time. The motes hung in place, illuminated by the light through the window, which also seemed to be still, once it came -- the window itself almost light, as if the experience of passing through it was impossible -- and further down, there was a display case against a wall. He hadn't approached yet. He would let another brave soul take steps further. ]

[cutlery]

[ Sebastian had been keeping his distance from Silco, at least in a sense. He was never far since if his master called, he wanted to be able to respond both quickly and using the least amount of his now limited energy. But as Silco had briefly mentioned wanting to pursue one of the secondary hourglasses, well. He thought it wiser to accompany him on that sort of venture.

Not that it was anything strange, he thought. Sebastian had made his helpfulness and dedication clear, so he didn’t imagine there would be any question raised for this alliance. As he strove to project, Mr. Michaelis was simply helpful to all. Of course.

As they approach, Sebastian’s rather neutral smile turns into a little frown as he nods in agreement. It’s not all that different from anywhere else, but to his sensitive nose, the air smells just a bit more stale. ]

I believe you are correct. If not it, then certainly something else.

[ He casts a glance to the sunbeam frozen in place and cants his head at the oddity, but it’s just a passing curiosity. The display case down the hallway is much more notable, and without hesitation, he walks closer. Inside the cabinet is… a block of wood. It’s finely hewn (at least, in Sebastian’s opinion), but otherwise seemingly unremarkable to be in the case. Yet when closer, there’s a detail that provides a good indication that this might be what they’re looking for.

Along the glass are hairline cracks that seem to be in the process of moving, but stopped along the way. One piece is impacted and shattered inward by… a small ball, from the looks of it. He looks down the hallway where it curves out of Silco’s view, and indeed there’s an Atirat child frozen mid-realization of their mischief. It prompts nothing more than a thoughtful “huh” from Sebastian. ]

I suppose we may as well continue breaking in rather than pick the lock at this point. I assume that is it?

[ It... sure doesn't look like an hourglass, but maybe it's behind it? ]

[sharaska]

[ Ocelot's never felt physically better.

The iconoclast tattoo hidden appropriately beneath a curtain of silvery hair is the source of that newfound vim and vigor, adding a layer of confidence to a cautious man who hasn't felt it so strongly since he was a headstrong twenty-year-old. Older, wiser, he's patrolling the halls with a sharp eye out for materials, resources, or anything likewise useful, when he hears a familiar pair of voices.

Ah. He flattens himself to the wall instinctively to listen for a moment or two, only pushing himself out of cover and appearing in the mouth of that hallway once he's keened onto the general subject of conversation and that there are no participants beyond the two of them. ]

Gentlemen. [ Gloved hands are lifted in mock surrender to showcase his non-violent intentions as he walks closer, one even raising higher in a two-fingered salute to Sebastian. ] Guten tag.

On the hunt for something more compelling than sprinkles of sand from the opposing faction? Looks like you've found it.

[zauneyete]

[ Silco had just been about to pull something out from within the depths of his coat -- being raised a street kid from a place like Zaun, and going into the unknown had necessitated some supplies, and although Silco would project that he was bringing his staples -- knives and cigars -- he had prepped a good deal better than that. There's a small notebook tucked into his coat, along with pencils and wrapped charcoal, in case he needs an impression, a lockpicking kit, matches -- even though his fingers have been able to light the ends of his cigars regardless -- some wire in there, needle, some other bits and bobs in a small packet tucked into the pouch at the back of his belt.

He wasn't wolly useless, although he suspected Sebastian wouldn't have considered him quite that.

Instead, though, as his fingers were inching toward his pack, he whirled to the newcomer, and a sneer lit across his lips.

Ah. Fo figure, he would meet one of the people he'd had such a pleasant introduction to. ]

Hm. [ Eyes back to Sebastian. ] Let's break the lock.

[ Then back to Ocelot. ] I do hope you're not thinking of stealing our find from us.

[cutlery]

[ Sebastian is quick to turn. For just the tiniest of moments, Silco will see the cold expression, but by the time it’s turned to Ocelot, it’s a purely polite surprise that’s easy to warm. Put upon, as Silco can likely guess, but there’s no indication that it’s anything but genuine. ]

Ah, Herr Ocelot.

[ The German is met with a playful title in response. He gives a glance to Silco to evaluate his response, and… Comes away without any information. The sneer doesn’t strike him as particularly special since he simply assumes it’s at someone stepping in on their find. He gives a careless shrug as he turns back to the display case. He pulls a simple combat knife from somewhere inside his coat, but doesn’t unsheathe it since the blade isn’t what he needs. He merely uses the blunt end of its hilt to smash at the corner of one of the panes where it’s weakest. For anyone with more than a little experience in breaking and entering, hitting the corner is definitely telling that Sebastian is an expert himself.

The cracks spiderweb through the glass, and there’s the sound of a shatter, though it’s more muted and distant than it should be. It’s clearly apparent why, since though it breaks, every piece still stays suspended in the air. It only draws out a thoughtful “huh” from Sebastian. ]

I am inclined to agree with Mr. Silco.

[ He’s wearing gloves, so it’s whatever. He touches at the glass experimentally, and seeing that it gives, starts to wave it out of the way like it’s smoke. ]

If I may be so bold as to ask… Have you thrown in your lot with either side?

[sharaska]

[ Herr Ocelot, huh. That's cute.

But he doesn't say so, nor does his expression change out of its assured calm as he continues his approach, icy blue eyes on Silco, then Sebastian, then that suspended framework of shattered glass. Well... there's something you don't see every day. ]

Who, me? [ It's unclear which of the men he's responding to. ]

You may have your problems with me, "Mr. Silco", and we may not know each other well yet, Sebastian, but let's assume that we're all intelligent men. If I were going to give you up or steal your prize, wouldn't I ambush you instead of making my presence known?

Truth is, I'm exploring for myself and heard familiar voices. Thought instead I'd see if you needed a hand, but wonders never cease. You two been working together a while?

[zauneyete]

[ Silco's lips curl in an over-confident smile. He does not believe this man, of course, but it would be particularly foolish, to just trust him based on his word. After a moment of staring at him -- one eye blinked, the other ever-open -- he shrugged, and turned to the shattered glass in the case. Odd. The cracks are there, but... just like everything else, it seems suspended, as if the time itself is still. The closer to the hourglass, does it get warped? Frayed? Time seems to stand still, but they do not.

Is it the hourglasses?

After a moment, he'll let Sebastian get his hands in further, before he closed in, he looked back at Ocelot. ]

Hm. Some of us came from another world called Horos. [ An eye flicked to Sebastian, as if he were considering the demon. ]

So you could say we've been on the same side of a war before, and being that we are here, and working for the same faction... better the individual you know, rather than an... [ A look at Ocelot, up and down ] unknown element.

[ He crossed his arms, and let Sebastian do the dirty work of digging into the glass, as he regarded Ocelot. Sure, he could help by reaching in, but that would be too many cooks in the kitchen, and so he regarded the other man instead and kept his distance.

He pulled out a knife, idly flicked the blade out, and then closed it again. ]

[cutlery]

[ Since Sebastian’s attention is on clearing the glass out of the way, Ocelot will miss his little frown as he mentions problems with Silco. He’s tempted to sigh because the more he gets to know Silco, it seems like his hope that this contract would be a little simpler than Ciel’s was a foolish thing. As it turns out, he gets along with people about as well as his previous master. ]

Well, do pardon me for saying so, but you will find that there are not many here in Kenos who are… tactically minded, shall we say? I do imagine there would be some that would walk right up with intentions, yes.

[ Not that he thinks Ocelot is one of them. He hadn’t gotten the impression that he was dumb in that way from their conversation, at least.

Sebastian grabs the box carefully, then steps back as he pulls it out. As he pulls it away, the glass held midair wavers until it finally crashes down and the rest of the pain finishes breaking. Yet around the box itself, there are still little floating pieces pulled along with Sebastian. How interesting indeed! He turns to face both and gives a little shrug. ]

It is as Mr. Silco says. We met under amiable circumstances, all things considered. I take it that was not the case for the two of you?

[sharaska]

[ Horos?

Sebastian, he knows, comes from Earth -- the overlap had been far too extreme to somehow be coincidental. Therefore whatever place "Horos" is was one shared before or after his time on Earth, and the latter is seeming more likely. He logs it away for future questioning while watching Sebastian work, seemingly unbothered by being euphemistically referred to as an "unknown element" with such derision. Miller's been doing it to him back home for nine years, after all, though he'll draw that particular comparison with Silco short there. ]

I'm not asking for trust; I'm not that naive. I could be any kind of man, just like you two. But reason is something I'm hoping we can agree on.

[ As if to punctuate the decision he's made to aid them, when there's the distant sound of hurried footsteps he turns on his heel, gun -- one stripping him of the majority of his arrival stipend in cost -- pointed at the mouth of the hallway. No need, it seems, when the footfalls pass without incident, and he eases out of that practiced stance to turn back to them. ]

How we met may not have been especially fortuitous but nothing was with that tree spewing whatever it had at us. I put that behind me. [ With a particular look at Silco, here. ]

You know what you're doing with that thing?

[zauneyete]

[ Silco's eyes moved between the two of them. He, of course, would never put behind him the threat to his life -- and that he had escaped from Voryn's interference rankled. He had been about to pull his card to call Sebastian, but instead that surprise would be left for another day. Unfortunately, he does not have the power of a demon, or the military preparedness of Ocelot. What he has is a cutthroat attitude and an ability to move through an underworld so dark and out of control that even Kowloon, for all of its unique touches, didn't hit the same as Zaun.

He smiled, and spread his hands. ]

Water under the bridge, of course.

[ See? he got along with people. He turned back toward the cube, to take in the details, now that Sebastian had pulled it out. He wanted to look it over, or play with it, but he'd let Sebastian get the first crack at it. He know he liked these kinds of things.

With the glass hovering around the box... that had to hold the hourglass. ]

It looks like a puzzle, doesn't it?

[ He tipped his head toward Ocelot then: ] You don't happen to be good with puzzles, do you?

[cutlery]

[ He's not sure it is water under the bridge, whatever happened... But it doesn't matter much to Sebastian. If Silco is amenable to working with Ocelot, then Sebastian has no complaints for that.

Sebastian frowns as he tilts the box around, because from its weight, he can tell it’s not a solid block of wood, but he also doesn’t see a way to open it. There’s no latch or seams, so that’s the first puzzle to solve apparently. ]

Not exactly… It is a hollow box, but I do not see a way to open it.

[ He gives a little nod to them both, then sets the box on a nearby side table so that they can all take a look and so Sebastian can run his hand along its faces. Perhaps it’s just a very fine seam, so he’s try to feel it out. ]

But I do believe it is indeed a puzzle, as such. It would be a bit more obvious on how to open it otherwise.