EVENT #5: SOVEREIGN CITIZENS (VENERA)

[aionmods]

Sovereign Citizens

VENERA

In contrast the Aion's last visit, they now arrive in Venera on a completely average day... or so it seems. Unlike Godsblood, Venera has been given no warning as to what's about to befall it; the Kenoma are simply authorized to arrive and begin their bloody work without fanfare. Even their entourage of Achamite soldier don't stick out that much; in the time since the plague left, the city has refilled with occupying forces. Notably, the Hylician ones seem to be keeping out of the way, almost as if they've heard some things and would rather not be involved too closely in what's to come.

As opposed to the ghost town it was during the plague, Venera is now reasonably active, with most attending to their usual business. Shops are open, and its people are withdrawn but superficially friendly when meeting strangers. Initially, the targets of the Kenoma hit list will have no way of knowing what's coming for them, but after the first couple attacks word will begin to spread. Those that have recently been engaging in seditious behavior will become harder to find, leaving their usual homes and workplaces to stay elsewhere, and making other attempts to escape the Regent's attention.

Once those alerts have been raised, the Kenoma will have to engage in more detective work to find their targets, questioning other Venerans and seeking out fugitives in the homes of their family and friends. In the meantime, some of those who believe they are in danger may become desperately enough to seek out the Pleroma directly, imploring them for aid. Unfortunately, seeking out one sect may just as easily draw the attention of the other. Most uninvolved Venerans will be too terrified to intervene one way or another, reluctant to aid in the persecution of their neighbors but fearful of consequences. If your Aion travels openly, it will take some effort to pin them down long enough to hold a conversation.

SEEDS OF DESPAIR

Several days into the culling of Venera, the Aions will have witnessed the city gradually withdraw into itself. The streets become vacant as more and more people decide it isn't worth the risk to be seen outside, abandoning work and play alike to hide out in their homes, refusing to answer their doors to all except the most desperate pleading. Those that can't avoid their daily obligations are quiet and morose, trying their best to remain unseen and unremarked upon.

If your character has been observed as a Kenoma, either now or in their previous visits to the city, the citizens will look upon them as if they are the messengers of death. If you are seen as a Pleroma, they will resist your gaze, as if fearing your presence alone might leave them marked. In rarer cases, you will see those with stronger spirits, with glares of hatred or determination. They are powerless now, but seeds have been sewn, and whether they are the seeds of despair or of action are yet unclear.

By the time the Kenoma's hit list has been fully addressed, several have been killed and several more have been rushed from their homes to flee the city entirely. There have been holes left in the tapestry of the community they were once part of. One way or another, their absence will be felt keenly by those they left behind.

QUESTIONS

What is the best way for Aions to travel to Venera?
Estinien has plans to get an early start for the Pleroma by teleporting to the Lover's shrine and flying somewhere closer to set up a portal from the ocean caves near the Godsblood Lodestone to a spot of farmland closer to Venera. Paul will be setting up a portal directly from Achamoth to one of the Achamite outposts in Venera.

How much force can the Kenoma use while interrogating Venerans?
While they are generally not permitted to kill Venerans who haven't tried to physically fight them, they will be permitted to apply both physical and mental pressure upon those that refuse to provide them with information regarding the whereabouts of their targets. This duress should be proportional to the resistance the Veneran is offering. The Regent is not inviting them to terrorize Venera on a level to a level they cannot reasonably blaim themselves for.

Comments

[emblazer]

[ A hungry person in his vicinity is not a fate Thoma can live with. He instantly feels for the guy and wishes he had something (anything) to give him. Sadly, most of the Venerans he does know escaped for obvious reasons, and the Aions still left in Venera are being hunted –also for obvious reasons. That doesn't leave him with a whole lot of options. ]

I can fix you something good when we make it back to Greentruth, but that means actually making it back to Greentruth first. Did you come by yourself?

[ They're both alone at the moment, but he doesn't want to risk leaving anyone else behind. If they're the last to make it back, that would be ideal.

His other option is staying and trying to barter for something in the marketplace, but he doesn't really have anything left to trade. He'd recovered his spear when he was freed from prison but nothing else he'd taken with him. ]

I think maybe we can negotiate with some of the vendors. Maybe a bit of quick labor in exchange for a meal?

[ There must be someone who needs boxes moved or wagons unloaded... ]

[snakeandfangs]

Salmon.

[ he wishes he could explain further: why it's necessary that toge goes alone on some missions because of how his cursed speech works. around experienced jujutsu sorcerers, they can block out the effects by using their energy alone. here? even muffled, his voice would still have an effect. it's why even whispering can be dangerous, and he'll have to think very hard about doing it if the situation arises.

but he can, at the very least, give thoma a thumbs up. yes, there has to be a citizen or two left looking for some help.

toge gestures toward thoma, starting to take a few steps toward the marketplace. it's been mostly abandoned and those who've been brave enough to try to sell their various goods haven't gotten the kind of sustainable business that they need. surely there's someone there they can help? ]

[emblazer]

[ The reticent behavior doesn't bother Thoma too much, far used to dealing with and acting as a mouthpiece for people far less outgoing than he is, including Ayaka at times. It's not his place to pry as to why Toge is afraid to talk, especially when Thoma would rather put Toge at ease and help him get fed.

As for salmon... there is a fish stand, one he'd visited not too long ago. The vendor even remembers Thoma and waves him over, and after a little negotiating, the man agrees to give them one of the 'older' catches in exchange for Thoma helping to do a bit of fish-slicing.

He turns back to Toge with a giant, sharpened knife in his hand, brandishing it in a manner that he hopes is non-threatening. ]

How good are you at descaling fish? Have you ever made sashimi before? You can just nod if you have.

[snakeandfangs]

[ he follows. he trusts thoma explicitly; this man already carries an air of kindness that is far different than the kind of friendliness he's felt from the kenoma. perhaps it's because there's some underlying guilt with most, knowing they might be making a mistake? or perhaps it's because toge is just... he just wants to believe in everyone he meets. it wasn't that long ago that someone similar to thoma invited him to help with some kind of cooking, only that man had been clearly following other orders.

the knife causes him to refocus. no danger is felt. especially when the fish is also present.

slowly but surely, toge nods. yes, of course he has--- he's tried. one who loves food like he does has to know how to make it! it makes enjoying it a lot easier.

he points at the knife and then the fish, then with that same finger, he demonstrates the motion of rubbing the sharp end against the fish using his other index finger. he gets it. ]

[emblazer]

[ Both of Thoma's hands clap together in glee –which is challenging when he's holding a knife. ]

Ah good! You want to get the slice as thin as possible so you leave a lot of fish meat to eat eat.

[ The pile of fish awaits them as Thoma grabs the top-most catch and starts cleaving his way carefully through the scales to show Toge how it's done. Because of his experience, it usually doesn't take long to quickly strip a fish down and debone it properly, but he tries to keep a slow pace so Toge can watch and study what he can of his technique.

...or for all he knows, Toge is already a professional chef and a genius at this, and Thoma is just wasting his time. Either way, he's happy to help. ]

If you want to sneak in a bite, I won't tell. The fish is fresh from the nearest body of water, and they must have sushi where you're from, don't they?

[ If Toge was asking for konbu earlier, then it's probably not too outlandish to assume his world also has sushi. It's funny how so many different worlds have had relatively similar cuisines thus far... ]

[snakeandfangs]

[ the best fish he's ever had has always been sliced thinly; quantity over quality, and it really seems like it's going to be about the former rather than the latter. he might not be a chef, and he's certainly more busy handling the various assignments that sorcerers need to deal with, so... he enjoys the camaraderie of eating more than the cooking.

still, he keeps his eyes trained to how thoma cuts each piece with deliberate care. it's pretty incredible how quickly he cleaned the fish before that, which is pretty cool. something that he'll remember for later, when he wants to surprise a friend (including thoma).

and then he blinks. ]

... salmon.

[ hey, as long as he's not going to get snitched on? might as well test it.

with two fingers, he reaches out and snatches a slice, and quickly shoves in it his mouth before chewing slowly. enjoying it. he hasn't been eating as much as he'd like, especially when patrolling the streets, and... ]

Mmm.

[ thumbs up! it's super good, thoma. ]

[emblazer]

[ Thoma can't help but chuckle at the enthusiastic response. ]

Good, right? It took me a lot of tries to learn how to do it neatly.

[ Since he wasn't born in Inazuma, a lot of the peculiarities about their cuisine had to be picked up from sheer study and practice. He wouldn't put himself on par with any pro-chefs, but he thinks he's pretty decently skilled by now. ]

Are you about to talk through the Communion-thing? I don't know if that's easier for you... I know it's a bit tricky sometimes.

[ Thoma had struggled getting the hang of it because it's an entirely new concept to him. He's used to the old mundane ways of communication, but it does have its perks.

...Or maybe Toge is just really shy, and even communicating mentally is a lot for him. ]

[snakeandfangs]

[ use communion? right now?? with fish in his mouth and somewhat dirty hands?! pulling his shard out here would probably be a little risky, right? it'd expose them as being aions and potentially put this nice fishmonger in danger of aiding pleroma--- or at least, unknown aions. that would still get him in trouble. probably.

but...

well. it probably can't hurt more than him accidentally saying something and causing thoma or a random passerby to do something dangerous. right?

so he very carefully reaches into his shirt. he pulls on the shard but doesn't completely remove it, to try to give the semblance that he is just a very normal boy who is... not doing anything conspicuous??? ]

Like this?

[emblazer]

[ It never stops being a strange sensation to activate the communion, but Thoma is curious to learn more about the other Pleroma. He nods in approval as he hears him through the activated shard.

His own is tucked inside his vambrace, making it easy to access to talk to him in return while he continues to slice up the fish. ]

Yeah. What's your name? Here I was going on and on, and I never even asked that much. I'm Thoma.

[ He sort of neglected that part in an effort to rush to feed the guy –which is honestly the bigger priority. He can't tell how long it's been since he's had something to eat, but they're all probably operating on their last legs at this point. ]

[snakeandfangs]

[ it's become easier for toge, but he has to get used to it even more. it's just the thought of allowing others into his mind... it's not that he lacks confidence in himself or those around them. it's to protect himself. it's to protect his friends, his allies, anyone and everyone in between.

and the fact not all aions are welcome. not all are protected. so. ]

Inumaki Toge... or just Toge. I'm sorry but I can't speak normally. It's because my words are cursed.

[ 'cursed' always sounds bad. the connotation is negative. but... it's different. ]

[emblazer]

[ ...Oh, that's a first. He's heard of objects and places being cursed but not someone's actual speech. He's also the sort of person who does believe in those kinds of things, so he doesn't even question the veracity. ]

It's nice to meet you, Toge. Is the curse still active in this world? Did you try speaking at length? I wouldn't blame you if you were too scared.

[ He isn't sure how it works if someone is reborn in this world. Do they carry all their afflictions with them? He supposes Kaeya still had trouble with one of his eyes, and Thoma still has his pyromancy vision even if he lost the physical jewel he used to carry around with him. There's nothing to suggest that the curse wouldn't still be present.

If only he was strong enough to remove it, but magic of that sort probably requires one of the priestesses to examine. ]

[snakeandfangs]

[ as he continues to watch thoma work his magic, toge is left thinking about his question. is it active? yes, quite so. could he demonstrate it without hurting thoma? yes, probably. but that doesn't mean he wants to. no, there are limits to such things--- and he's already given that information to who he believes is the wrong person. a certain doggo with the coolest and coldest of features.

toge squeezes his shard. sadly, it doesn't give like a stress ball might. ]

Yes. If I command you to do something, it'll happen. Even if it's not on purpose.

[ and then he tells him the other thing. the one he hasn't really... discussed. ]

But... I could also tell you to feel something. And it'll happen, too.

[emblazer]

[ ...Oh. That's quite a power. Thoma understands how it could really affect someone's psyche if it were used improperly, not that he'd ever suspect Toge would wield it maliciously against him. Sure, they've only just met, but Toge seems kind enough, if not shy and withdrawn for obvious reasons, which is nothing Thoma can hold against him. ]

No worries, I'll take your word for it. Or...your lack of words, I guess.

[ Descaling fish with a sharp knife isn't the best time for Thoma to surrender control to anyone anyway. He'd rather keep all parties within distance stab-free. ]

Wonder if it works for positive things, too. Would you be able to make someone feel happy with just a command?

[ It would be a hollow sort of happiness, but Thoma knows how much some people ache for any relief to pain even if it's by force. ]

[snakeandfangs]

[ a very powerful ability indeed. it's good to see thoma not show immediate concern for himself. that's the kind of trust the pleroma should have in toge--- a mature young man who has made plenty of mistakes before--- one whose burdens grow heavier by the day. it's because he needs to be doing good and making good happen, which is why he's here.

and he hasn't been shot up yet by a certain doggo, so. things are good.

toge shakes his head. ]

No. I can't change how people think. When I say feel, I mean... if I told you to 'get crushed', then you would feel like you're getting crushed. And that can be fatal.

[ as solemn as he's tried to look, he cracks a smile. ]

But that comes at a price. The stronger my enemy is, the less likely I'll be able to avoid any consequences. I haven't been able to acquire any throat medicine, so it's been... scary.

[emblazer]

[ The last of the fish is descaled, leaving Thoma to finally set his knife down and tie up each fish in nice paper so the vendor can sell them off like that. As agreed, he keeps one for himself and Toge, making thin sashimi slices out of it and giving Toge half to soothe over whatever he can of his hunger until they make it back to Godsblood. ]

Help yourself and– throat medicine? I imagine it's probably something more specialized than the kind we give for colds and other illnesses.

[ Unless tea and soup really can stop Toge from using his curse... but that would be too easy. He also thinks Toge would have mentioned that if the solution was so simple. ]

I'm not that deeply experienced in medicine-making myself, so I doubt I could help unless you know what ingredients make up the medicine.

[ He's already been going out on gathering ventures and helping with the gardens around Greentruth so they have more herbs and vegetables to cook with. He's sure he could find what they need if he had to, assuming it even exists in this world. ]

[snakeandfangs]

[ ah... feesh. tasty and fresh. certain makes him feel a lot better; lack of consistent food and drink will weaken anyone. but this is practically the most luxurious meal he's had since doing some of that magic training, and toge couldn't care less if they're super obvious aions by now to anyone who might pass by. ]

No. It's about the same. My throat gets very sore and sometimes very, very raw.

[ toge quietly chews on some more fish in the mean time. it's good. ]

It's all stuff made by big companies. Rather, I don't need anything special... I guess if it was easy to carry around tea with honey and lemon, I'd use that. Not easy to carry around on missions.

[emblazer]

[ A sore throat... Thoma isn't sure why that side effect hadn't occurred to him, but he makes a mental note to try and find lemon and tea leaves later, so he can brew something for Toge. He knows a few other traditional throat-soothing recipes from back home, so he's sure he can at least help with that part. ]

Alright, leave it to me! As long as a canister can withstand heat, I can at least boil it on the go for you.

[ Of course, that means Toge looking for him every time he needs his tea warmed up, but Thoma doesn't mind. He usually carries around snacks and rations for everyone else when he can. Travel, exploration, and battle are impossible to effectively carry out without proper sustenance. ]

Now, that you've eaten, are you fine to do one more scan around the city for any more Venerans that need rescue?

[ Thoma thinks most of them are on the boats already and on the way to safer territory, but he's still wary of leaving anyone behind. ]

🎀

[snakeandfangs]

Really? I'd appreciate that! Thank you...!

[ oh, that's... that's really good. it means he'll be able to use his speech more often than not, which means he can expend more of his energy on saving people that need it. if only he had this kind of assistance back home? then again, he also had the power of cough syrup on hand, and with the number of stores that he could just run into in between missions...

but this is fine! thoma's generosity won't be forgotten any time soon. ]

Yeah. Let's do that. There's no shortage of citizens that might need the help.

[ easier to do it with two instead of one, too. thank goodness. ]