aionlogs | EVENT #1: THE EMPTY THRONE (PT 2)

EVENT #1: THE EMPTY THRONE (PT 2)

The Empty Throne Pt 2

ESCAPE

As more and more of the prisoners awaken to the Pleroma's power, it soon becomes clear that conflict is inevitable. Strength that was locked away blossoms once again, and simply waiting is no longer an option; those that remain in the cavern have made their choice, and they will not be kept there so easily.

By means that may not be immediately apparent, the Pleroma have found themselves able to cast a spell that will ensure their freedom... but only if they can last the half hour it may take to complete. Whatever this power, Xishen, the Aion orchestrator of the Kenoma's ritual, seems able to sense it. As it begins, she will appear at each of the Kenoma's sides.

"The Pleroma has taken hold of them," she says. "Stop them now, or when you see them again, it will be as your mortal enemies. If you believe in the Kenoma's promise, take a stand. The Regent is watching."

For those that heed her, it will not be hard to find the congregation of Pleroma, the first seeds of their teleportation magic taking form. What's more, the fires of their hope have been stoked by this new chance at survival, granted them a surge of energy born of the Pleroma, compensating for the poor state of their bodies. The tension comes to a head, between those that would follow the Regent's path towards a better universe, and those that would seize the wild power of the Pleroma to escape.

Whatever violence ensues, eventually it will come to an end. Despite the Kenoma's efforts, the teleportation spell will come to fruition, enveloping the Pleroma in a sea of light and warmth. The Kenoma can only watch as fractals of blinding color whisk the Pleroma away.

VALLEY OF INNOCENCE

You will find yourself at the Shrine of the Innocent, surrounded by a valley of flourishing wildflowers. As you step from the shade of the monument, you will find your arrived here just in time to enjoy a warm spring spring morning, the sound of birds and gentle breezes tickling your ears. The sun slowly drifts past the horizon, its rays reaching out to you, as if in comfort. The air itself is alight with a strange aura of peace, as if committing violence here would be a sacrilege. There are no man made structures as far as your eyes can see.

Flowers of all shapes and sizes can be found here, and so can fresh water and various fruits and berries. All of them are safe to eat, and seemingly grow in abundance. There are animals here as well, all the common types one would expect from a place like Earth, with the occasional odd addition. While you can try to hunt them, you will find yourself unable to follow through on any attempts to hurt the creatures here. In turn, they regard you as familiar, and will fearlessly wander close as they inspect these new arrivals. In the distance, you may even catch sight of what appears to be a unicorn, only for its ephemeral shape to disappear from sight just as quickly.

The Pleroma will find safety and comfort here for a time, before they recover enough to travel onward. At some point during the afternoon of the first day, they may spot the occasional humanoid figure moving in the distance; when attempting to move in their direction, they will find an assortment of clothing set out across the grass as if in offering. It will come in many sizes but in mostly plain colors, fitting a general aesthetic of 'things a fantasy peasant might wear'. There will also be some blankets, wrapped cheese, jams, jerky, and bread left alongside them.

While there are trees and brush enough to find shelter, the Pleroma will find they hardly need to while resting here. The weather will be picturesque, a comfortable temperature even at night, and there will be no disruptive rain or aggressive wind. Of course, nothing lasts forever, and even though there could stay here for days, what if the Regent's forces are on their way? Once again, they must find the strength to carry on.

THE TRIWATER

As the Pleroma vanish, those claimed by the Kenoma are left in the darkness of the throne room. The Hylician soldiers are clearly agitated by the fighting, but Xishen herself seems unflustered. She will only sigh before quietly coming to the aid of any Kenoma that still need it, providing some light healing magics and explaining that their work here is over. With the Pleroma gone, all that's left to do is to return to Achamoth.

Things move quickly from there. The camp grounds are packed up, and soon enough the Kenoma will be ushered towards the river at the edge of the forest, to board a particularly large river vessel. As the Hylician soldiers prepare to go their separate ways, you will be told that you are to take the Triwater river to the capital city of Achamoth, where you will finally meet your new master, the Regent. The vessel is big enough for all of you, and it will set off the moment everyone is boarded. Suddenly, the world of entrapment and ruins you've been living in since your arrival will be left behind, leaving you to ponder the nature of your future.

The boat itself is well equipped and comfortable for what it is. A variety of colorful hammocks are hung in the lower decks and are open to be claimed for the journey back, which will take a day or two. The Kenoma will be offered a change of clothes of a similar style to what they already have if necessary, and there are plenty of blankets and cushions available to make life in the hold more comfortable. There are dice available for games of chance as well as some mystifying decks of cards that seems to have twelve suits with five cards each, themed around the Legacies. The twelfth suit is for the Regent.

Though the sailors controlling the vessel will mostly keep to themselves and leave the Kenoma alone, one of them will occasionally play harp music on the deck. Though they probably don't actually need help running the ship, they will let the Kenoma help them with chores and ship running tasks if they are so inclined; generally speaking, these sailors just seem like normal people, albeit a bit shy of their passengers. If you're polite to them, they may even gives you a river tour of Horos. On this ride alone, you'll get to see several magnificent bridges spanning the Triwater's width. At night, you are treated to a clear spring sky filled with stars.

As you make it closer to Achamoth, you'll notice the landscape shift, becoming mountainous and dotted with more and more military watch posts. The land becomes increasingly lifeless in a way that's hard to put your finger on, nature giving way to man-made creations of impressive architectural prowess. Soon, you will meet the person behind it all.

QUESTIONS

Can my Kenoma character fight against other Kenoma and/or help the Pleroma?
Yes, though if you do this you must describe what your character has done in a reply to the "Committed Actions" top-level below. This way, the mods can be aware of what happened and have your character treated accordingly. They are unlikely to receive immediate consequences if they don't hurt their fellow Kenoma, but their choices will follow them into Achamoth. If a Kenoma vs Kenoma conflict escalates into serious violence (attempted or successful) committed by the Kenoma rebel, Xishen will intervene and consequences will happen immediately which may restrict their actions until the next event post.

Can our characters leave the valley?
They can, yes, but really this event is just meant to cover the day or two they spend recovering before finding a more permanent place to go. You are free to have your character investigate the valley and probe the spaces beyond it, but please save any plans for large scale travel to the next event, which will be happening on April 2nd. The game will move into a 1:1 time ratio as of then.

Can our characters leave the boat?
Technically yes, but any Kenoma who wander too far will get in trouble. You are expected to report to the Regent, and behaving as if you are considering doing otherwise will not make an good impression.

Does the hope-based Pleroma boost last into the valley?
The boost to Pleroma characters will fade shortly after arriving in the valley, like coming down from a high. They'll have to recover the normal way from there.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Thank you for the details! Coming back to ask about a potential conversation with Xishen during the boat ride, I'm okay with just a general gist handwaved (especially if Xishen wouldn't really want to talk about the topic) or threading it out. Would Ciel get answers if she asks her what death means for an Aion, temporary and/or permanent? She's a bit surprised herself that her personal brand of immortality partially carried over when it existed before because it relied on a different soul being active, this information may also be useful in future confrontations for both neutralizing Pleroma and for defending themselves? (It's how she'd justify it from a practical POV, at least.)

[Majorita probably would not expect Meteion to look happy to see her...but the birdlike girl does, even with the demon's sharp words to her. Her face falls a bit, but she's got some resolve to her.]

They won't die if they can be made to see the truth, now, will they? Merely a matter of time.

[She looks at Majorita, as if trying to see if the demon is harmed--not that Meteion can heal her, but the entelechy could at least soothe any pain--assuming Majorita let her...]

You seem well, though. I'm glad to see it. Not that I had any illusions about your strength and tenacity.

[That's a compliment!]

[ She's really wishing she had never seen this guy do what he's been doing— messing with fellow Kenomas, taking weapons away when no one's looking, on and on... mostly because she doesn't want any part of it! She has a pretty strong feeling that betrayal like this will not be received well by the higher ups, or anyone really. But at present, things are so chaotic that nothing seems to have been done to put at stop to it. Where does that leave her...?

Hurriedly, under pressure like this, and the real threat that she might get branded as some accomplice for witnessing what he was doing and doing nothing... she hatches a plan. It wouldn't be the first time she's had to do something risky to outfox someone in her way— so her relative weakness be damned, she's feeling pretty confident.

Maybe that's why she approaches him so boldly, making sure their Kenoma companions and soldiers are at least currently preoccupied with other things when she comes up to his side. ]

Hey— you're trying to help out the other side, right? [ She keeps her voice hushed. ] Me too, but I'm not so strong to steal weapons like that, haha.

[ It's a light joke to put herself down, to seem as unassuming as possible. First things first: she needs to get this guy to trust her. ]

This is all getting out of hand really fast— I just don't want more people to get hurt. You understand, right...?

"I would hope not." Is the equally deadpan response.

Emet-Selch does not put a hand on the injury. Instead, he holds an open palm just above the sight of the sprain. At his own behest a swirling green light washes over the injury and the cool sensation of healing magic would be clear. It takes more effort than he would normally have to utilize but there should be a significant difference after a few short moments.

"Bend it and see if it is to your liking. If so perhaps - " He motions to the boy's face, " - a few more injuries can be addressed."

Just to confirm before I give any answers (and we apologize if this was in your app and we didn't absorb it fully) but what does 'it relies on a different soul being active' entail? There are some metaphysical aspects that might actually complicate that which could be important, especially if Ciel is going to highlight it to an NPC.

[ well, that... certainly solidifies it, doesn't it? Abel looks briefly perplexed at the question, and it should be so very obvious he just expected Misa to be coming with them--

but it's apparent that she isn't. ...ah. and she can probably see the moment it sinks in, when he takes in her cleanly and no longer dirtied appearance, the way the week's worth of grime has been washed from her skin, how her pallor is so much improved from a few days prior. Misa...

there is no judgment, only a sinking of a sort of grief-- one that is soon joined by concern. but instead of trying to extricate himself from his grasp, Abel is instead twisting his hand to try and grip her own right back. ]

Mm, I am. [ it is almost apologetic - but it is also firm. he is leaving; he cannot stay here, and he cannot accept the Kenoma. these things are just as solid as the sun rising and setting each day to him, non-negotiable. but-- ] --And you're coming with me. Alright--? I don't want to hear any ifs, ands, or buts, so--

[ w-well, now SHE is getting dragged.... in the direction of the ritual circle........!!!! oh how the turns have tabled...... ]

[ Oh my god Eustace, how have you been getting so many cuddles while everyone's been Suffering, you lucky dog ..............

And honestly, the chance for an embarrassing potato-sack carry will come later when he's more seriously injured. Because as he is, Gen's too lucid to handle being picked up and the humiliation might make him go truly feral. ]

'm not gonna pass out.

[ So he says at a slurred mumble, but now that Eustace has mentioned it, the prospect of sitting down is way too inviting to ignore. Probably not surprising that, after a brief pause Gen slowly sags down to sit on the ground; it's only because he's so woozy that he still ends up leaning against Eustace's legs as he gives a small shake of the head. ]

... I'm fine. [ He says, like a liar. ] Just -- wanted to be somewhere quiet for a bit first.

[ No, they likely wouldn't, even if Ernesto did actually keep good on the word to tell that lie. It seemed like a stretch that he was going to talk his man out of it anyway, because there wasn't much in the way of hesitation when he approached him in the first place. Some among the Kenoma seem a little uncertain about attacking those still in the cavern trying to escape.

But there's a big difference between not looking thrilled about what you're tasked with doing, and being unwilling to do it. There's a grim sort of certainty on Eustace's face as he lifts up that danger, and it makes Ernesto's breath catch nervously in his throat.

Not exactly the time to joke, but he still manages an easy smile as he slides back a half-step, trying to gauge the situation better. ]

It doesn't seem like you'll listen even if I do. No chance you'd lend me a knife for the sake of good sportsmanship either, is there?

[ Wow clearly they're going to be the best of friends, because Misa's snippy response earns a low scoff in return. ]

We're on a boat, and you sure don't look like a sailor. [ Unspoken: 'so you probably shouldn't be up there.' He really is just not going to lift a finger if she splats on the deck. ] And I'm not.

[ Though the fact that he bothers voicing that denial at all is probably telling. Gen squints at Misa past the streamer of smoke he breaths out, studying her sharply as he tries to ignore the gentle swaying of the ship lest it exacerbate his lingering dizziness. ]

Just don't see what's worth being so happy about. Did you already forget all the bullshit we went through? You some sorta masochist excited for round 2?

( ah, but it's a good thing dextera hides it well enough that makoto doesn't pick up on any of that pity — the honor of a demon was a fickle thing, after all, and it hinged greatly on capricious moods and perceived sleights. it can be freeing to be hated, beneficial to be underestimated, but there is nothing more grating to him than to be pitied; it tries to take away what little personal agency he still has, to wrench it away and then put it under the scrutiny and judgment of someone who quite frankly had no room to do so. instead makoto reads what little he can on dextera's face as disappointment, perhaps, and newfound steel of determination.

interesting, but not altogether surprising. he had been timid and avoidant their first encounter, insistent and somewhat cagey in their second, but there is nothing that he sees now that he wouldn't have believed lie somewhere beneath what he had seen before.

even if the understanding isn't perfect between them, it didn't matter if he could architect the outcome to be the same. and it seems like it wouldn't be too hard; scarcely a few more heartbeats pass before dextera lunges toward him head-on. makoto's never had any training in combat, but perhaps one could say his blind, animal instincts aren't necessarily bad in this instance. the wings shift, gathering back in a beat that sought to carry his body backwards and out of the range of the thrown punch. it might have, perhaps, if it were quicker. as it is, he still catches the blow in the gut, right below the diaphragm, though its force is reduced by his interrupted movement backwards. it carries him a few feet before he skids to a halt, wheezing and coughing for breath, free hand clasped over where the punch had been sunk a moment past.

it makes him vulnerable. in another snap of thoughtless instinct, he pulls his right wing across his body before lashing out with it in attempt to buffet dextera in a "backhand." makoto might be physically unimpressive, but the demon these wings had originally belonged to was another story — there's a decent amount of power in them, even if it's probably not enough to deter dextera for too long. it'll just delay him — and make it seem like makoto's actually putting up a fight. )

It's all good, I'm happy to clarify and fully retcon the power completely if it actually doesn't sit well with the setting. She's immortal in canon because she used to be Roa's host, who achieved a form of immortality by always reincarnating repeatedly after death and parasiting other souls with his own. The source of her immortality is founded on the principle that "as long as Roa's soul exists in some form/isn't permanently destroyed, this girl, whose body is recognized by the world as Roa, cannot die". So if it's retained in any capacity in Horos after a messy fight, it would get her to wonder about that.

I apologize too if it wasn't clear in my app, I can make changes and rework plans too as we haven't threaded anything out just yet. Sorry for the troubles, and thank you very much for your time!

Abel doesn't wish to complicate the situation for her - he truly doesn't. He doesn't understand her circumstances, doesn't know what is riding on the line for her when it comes to her part in all this - and perhaps she has already stuck her neck out for them more than is fair to ask of her.

But at the same time, this... it sits in his stomach like lead, somehow. Wrong. Something about this is all wrong.

"...if you truly believe that, then... I'll turn from here and leave you be."

But - as there is always a 'but' - he remains rooted despite the threat of aggression save for the smallest angle of his hands closer as if in offer to take hers.

"I wouldn't presume to know what you've been through-- how hard it's been, but... maybe this is what you have had to make yourself believe to keep on despite it. Or... maybe because believing at anything else is painful." Pain is a powerful motivator, after all.

"But-- isn't there is a part of you that feels differently...?" The woman with eyes so mournfully sad; the flicker of something through that strange connection before she had retreated... it aches, but that sort of pain can only be felt by one whose heart hasn't completely hardened, deadened, numbed. A heart that bleeds can also feel hope, yearn for warmth.

[ with a curl in his lip and a scoffing snort, gabranth's stoic facade cracks for but a moment. ]

Aye, you speak true. [ he can't bring himself to deny it, not even as a bluff. ] But mark me, and know this well — that any measure of freedom, no matter how small, no matter how perilous the path before it, is worth far more than the torture you and your masters would see us suffer.

[ he all but spits the word, masters, as he speaks of the kenoma. under different circumstances, perhaps he might feel a twinge of pity for those who had given in to the kenoma's influence. but not now. ]

Make your choice, then. Or I'll make it for you.

[ and he doesn't intend to give childe much more time to decide. almost as soon as the words have passed from his lips, he shifts his weight, pivoting his back foot — and that's all the warning childe will get before gabranth lunges forward with a right cross. ]

Misa will attempt to put a stop to Matt Jamison's sabotages of the Kenoma by first pretending to help him with said sabotages, and then trying to subdue him with a (literal and figurative) stab in the back, as discussed on this plotting post.

[ He has to give Abel props for his conviction, at the very least. He'd fully expected the man to continue backing off, and it's a small surprise that Abel instead stands his ground as he spouts that mealy-mouthed, optimistic, idiotic drivel.

But conviction alone won't save him from Gen's ire. ]

'Set you up to lose,' huh. [ That earns a low bark of humorless laught before Gen closes the last bit of distance between them with a hard stomp, leaning up to get right in Abel's face. ] Who died and made you the judge of what's winning and losing here? Or are you just so convinced that whatever you do is right that everyone else is someone you have to pity?

[ Abel's assumption is correct -- there's no answer that would have placated Gen, and it's not like he really cares who he disappoints with his actions. But he'd been curious to see exactly what flavor of self-righteous bullshit this pathetically naive, idealistic man would spout, and what Abel offers forth is just about as bad as he'd expected.

Probably why his hand shoots forth the next moment to fist into the front of Abel's robe and yank him down. Maybe there's a flash of déjà vu accompanying that gesture, though Gen's grip is much firmer this time. Regardless of what Abel thinks of his choice to give in to Kenoma's influence, the days spent out of the cavern with proper food and rest have helped him greatly. His voice, too, is much steadier as he drones right into Abel's face. ]

-- you really think you can do anything to help me?

[ It's true that it's not entirely unfamiliar to a man like Ernesto, who has his fair share of fights, and more than his fair share of war. No amount of familiarity will ever make someone able to split their focus in all directions at once though.

What it does do is allow Ernesto to act quickly on his feet. He didn't see Gen coming out of nowhere, but the minute he recognizes who it was that just grabbed his shoulder, he suppresses the impulse to jerk away.

More importantly, he represses the reflexive and self-taught impulse to smile. The situation is pretty damn dire right now, and the last thing he needs is to piss off someone who has already shown it doesn't take much to get under their skin. Smiles are Ernesto's default, but it's just a tool of attempted diplomacy in the end. What matters the most is tailoring his behavior to whoever he happens to be dealing with in the moment.

That said, his expression is still pretty schooled into something calm given what's happening around them right now. ]

That's the feeling I got, but it doesn't look like you're joining in the fray here...

[ Just as Gen studies Ernesto's face, Ernesto is now carefully scrutinizing Gen. It's hard to gauge yet whether he's being given an (admittedly late) warning, or if he's being issued a tepid threat. ]

The glow of light is painless but still earns a small wince, and Gen's shoulders are squared with tension for as long as it lasts. It's only when the job's done and the light fades that he lets out a nervous exhale, then cautiously gives his wrist a flex.

The improvement is significant, obvious in the way that Gen gives a surprised blink before looking back up to Emet-Selch.

"-- how does that work?"

His surly demeanor is still firmly in place, but there's a flicker of genuine curiosity and wonder in his gaze. Despite that whole messy skirmish they've been through, he's still having a hard time acclimating to the idea of magic, and experiencing it in such an up-close and tangible fashion is ... impressive, honestly.

Hey there! Thanks for the explanation. We've talked about it a bit, and we think we have a compromise that can work. Generally speaking, powers that are reliant on another soul existing won't work the same way, since in game everyone's worlds are in a state of Schrödinger's cat-esque possible destruction. If her power is reliant on Roa's activity in a way that would seemingly prove Roa's continued existence, that would break the lore, essentially.

However, there is some flexibility to be had in that Aion's powers and physical form upon arriving are partly based on their self conception. So if she's used to that being a fact of her life, some aspect of it may be retained. However, it would be more like an echo of that former ability than the real deal. It isn't seen as a universal law that she cannot die in Horos, it's more like her Aion body trying to align to what is expected of it.

So, with sufficient nerfing, this ability can be okay. As long as critical damage will still kill her (IE the destruction of major organs, removal of her head, etc) it can be allowable for her body to repair itself in a way reminiscent of in canon. Whatever non-lethal injuries she sustains should take at least 24 hours to heal completely.

[Almost instantly Majorita is reminded of just how difficult it seemed to be to get under this girl's skin. The demon came at her with backhanded compliments and words specifically designed to inflict pain, and instead of the expected response, her presence seems to bring HAPPINESS instead. For some reason, that seemed to annoy her a little bit, but it passed quickly.

The demon herself seems unharmed, and looking remarkably better then she did in the cave. Fresh clothes, a little bit of rest, and real food had put her into a mildly better mood.]

If you are right, great. If not, they will need to be crushed. Rebellions are best dealt with before they have a chance to get going. I learned that one the hard way. So don't think I'll spare anyone you know just because you're trying to be nice to me. They might even try and kill you themselves. You know how to handle yourself if that happens, right?

[ Someone with a stronger will to survive might make the choice to join up with the Kenoma, but Ernesto's made his peace with the possibility of death before.

Mostly. He admittedly did struggle a little more with it this time around when he felt like he was slowly wasting away before the Pleroma finally began to bloom out out of the dark thoughts plaguing mind. It's a lot harder to face down death when it seems to be crawling along in a slow and very literally torturous way.

Though speaking of... ]

I'm getting the strong sense that the opposite might be true.

[ Considering Ernesto has pretty fully rejected the Kenoma, he doesn't think that he's going to be given a welcome treatment by the Regent if their escape is cut short. ]

In order to settle a perceived debt, Makoto is going to be relinquishing a small dagger to Dextera during the fighting. He planned on doing so in a way that would not appear obvious to any lookers-on, making it seem as though he took the dagger for his own use until the point at which Dextera can disarm him and take it from him. Regardless of Makoto's intentions, Dextera fights him with the intention of subduing him and taking it anyway, so... it probably just ends up looking pretty real (oops).

[ Look at him... Completely unarmed and with the build of a stick man. Is this really fighting material?

But hrm. He doesn't know why he can't believe her answer. It's not like he gets this sort of strange familiarity from just anyone, and while it would really help if he could just place his finger on where he'd seen her before...

Damn it, his mind's too much of a jumbled mess still.

There isn't much time to dwell on it as he blinks in surprise at her next suggestion, and he plays up his response in a slightly teasing fashion. ]

Oh? Could it be that you're worried about me?

That's perfect, thank you very much! I intended to have the regeneration be much slower in game setting from the start and have more lethal wounds lead to dissipation, a full day is also good frame of reference for how long it should take. Would asking Xishen about the topic still be feasible, as from an IC perspective she's confused herself how she's retained a slower form of regen and would wonder what its limitations may be? Questions on the line of how powers transfer over for Aions, what it takes to kill them, etc. She'd try framing it more like what they should do to prepare/what to expect in case fights get worse in the future, but it would probably come across as being more indifferent about dying yourself than most people would be.

[ While he admires the amount of effort Gen is putting forth, Dokja's not trying to prolong this friendly(?) undertaking between them. He wants to get back to the casters as soon as he's able in order to anxiously hover over them, part of him aware that he's wasting his time here.

Really, it's too bad he's this petty that he went out of his way to pick a fight with a teenager.

But if they're going to part ways, he might as well say goodbye.

He's quick to follow after the fall, his hand darting out to clasp around Gen's throat to firmly keep him down, the press of his fingers a promising threat, while Dokja's knee moves to pin itself against the boy's chest. Appearance-wise, there's nothing about the man to suggest that he's strong, but it can be felt now in the weight of him, in the vice-like grip of his hold. ]

Settle down.

[ dextera has given up so many times. perhaps two days ago, he would have simply said yes and collapsed into the arms of the kenoma. today, he knows he has a responsibility to those remaining to ensure a choice is not made for them.

he has no weapons, but he has the power he once thought of as unwelcome if it comes to that. even a world away, he can feel god in his blood. ]

…

[ his answer is obvious in the way his expression changes into one of resigned determination. he shakes his head.

he won’t hurt eustace more than he has to, but he doubts either of them will be able to escape unscathed. ]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

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EVENT #1: THE EMPTY THRONE (PT 2)

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o/

FOR MATT JAMISON

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he can. he will