aionlogs | EVENT #5: SOVEREIGN CITIZENS (VENERA)

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EVENT #5: SOVEREIGN CITIZENS (VENERA)

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 Shops are open, and its people are withdrawn but superficially friendly when meeting strangers.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.

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[ Good move. Gen groans in between ragged breaths, but having that question to focus on does helps shave the worst of the edge off the pain. ]

What do you think, huh?

[ Not that that tempers his shitty attitude at all.

At least his grip on Paul's sleeve loosens as he tries to claw back some measure of control over himself, settling for grabbing at the fabric of his slacks instead. He swallows hard before wearily raising his head, blinking sweat out of his eyes as he gives Paul a bleary once-over. ]

... you might be fine. [ An actual helpful answer to make up for his horrible one, amazing! Well, sort of. Another ragged breath before he continues, voice straining from the effort of keeping his words as flat as possible. ] I've been ... running into people I fought with before. So. S'natural. -- bet you haven't been picking actual fights with anyone. So you might be fine.

I try not to. I got involved with something early on, though.

[It's as calm and even as ever, though his expression goes a bit dour at that.]

Fortunately I'm hard to kill. So it wasn't the worst thing I've ever done. I can't say I loved it, but it was what it was.

[He shrugs a little, taking care not to jostle Gen's arm.]

Removing this isn't going to be a good time, speaking of things we're not going to enjoy. I'll try to ensure there isn't too much more blood loss in the process, but I can't guarantee anything.

[He does do him the courtesy of looking up and making sure he's prepared this time, as opposed to just ripping the thing out after he's done saying all that. You good?]

[ At that, Gen gives Paul a look like he just admitted he has an extra hand growing out of his back. ]

The hell does that even mean. You're hard to kill. What, you can just take bullets?

[ Great. Yet another person that he'd pegged as being fairly normal before ending up here, only to find out they're also some flavor of fantasy- or sci-fi-influenced freak.

But in the meantime -- the warning is much appreciated. Gen grits his teeth, nods, then untangles his hand from Paul's sleeve. Just so he can bring his forearm to his face. His words are slightly muffled, muttered into the fabric of sleeve when he mumbles, ]

Just do it fast.

[ It's just a little embarrassing, the way his whole body wrenches taut with tension as he bites into his sleeve. But it's better than making any more pained noises, probably. ]

[He nods a bit at that, as much to acknowledge as to just...reset himself; this is a little easier now that the adrenaline is starting to settle, there's still the deeply unpleasant feeling of hunger starting to pulse through his system, which isn't pleasant but the sooner he deals with the source the more that will subside. So without any further pauses and literally no hesitation once he starts, he pulls the rest of the arrow through - it's as hard and as quickly as possible, which is... He's surprisingly strong, actually? Moreso than one would think, and as soon as the offending protrusion is out of the way he's quick to drop it on the floor and settle his hands over the wounds, entrance and exit alike.

What follows is a likely uncomfortable feeling of skin closing in on and over itself, musculature starting to shift and knit back together, the fire of nerves coming back alive. It's not an immediate fix, and it's likely this is going to feel like it takes a small eternity, but a small eternity is better than nothing at all.]

No one has shot me, so it's not like I know whether I can or not. Possibly...? Probably.

[There was a reason he waited until the healing process began to start talking again.]

The last time I died it was a seizure. I had a progressive brain disease. I woke up five minutes later. The first time I was bleeding out, and that obviously didn't stick.

So I meant what I said. I'm hard to kill.

[ Fuck that hurts. Enough that his thoughts go blank for a moment, coming back in flickers of static as he bites down on his sleeve hard, eyes squeezed shut until that awful process is done.

Vaguely, Gen does note that Paul manages to tug that arrow out of his arm with surprisingly little effort, easing it out with little difficulty even when a splinter or two catches. But he's in no real state to pursue that line of thought, not when he's starting to feel kind of light-headed and nauseous. He needs a moment to collect himself once the arrow's out, slumping against the wall as he unclenches his jaw from around his sleeve and lets his free hand drop, trying to steady his breaths.

And while that healing process is definitely unpleasant, it's basically a cakewalk coming on the heels of that arrow-removal process. So Gen blearily listens to what Paul says.

Takes a moment to process it (with a little effort).

And then says at a hoarse deadpan, ]

... so what're you, some sort of zombie?

[ (So close and yet so far.) ]

[There was an attempt and it was a good one, honestly.

The sound that gets out of Paul is amused, at any rate, more a rough exhale than anything; he shakes his head a bit.]

I was blessed by an Angel of the Lord, who chose to bestow a few gifts on me in exchange for assisting in carrying out God's plan for the world. So "zombie" feels a little sacrilegious, but you can call it that if you want, I guess.

... d'you have any idea of how creepy that sounds?

[ Ungrateful youth that he is, regardless of the way Paul is spending his precious time and energy healing him, Gen wrinkles his nose at that explanation. But like, could anyone blame him for it? Not being religious himself, he can't help finding the nebulous concept of 'bestowing gifts' and 'carrying out God's plan' kind of creepy.

Especially given what he'd seen Paul so confidently say back during the Regent's address.

There's a moment where Gen squints at Paul in silent scrutiny before looking away, shifting uncomfortably when the healing process makes his nerves itch. ]

That plan. "God's plan." Is that why you were talking such a big game? When all those Pleroma were there, and the Regent talked.

I suppose. I like to think that God's plan involves everlasting peace for His creations, regardless of how that peace comes about.

[He keeps his gaze down, more focused on what he's doing than on making eye contact - but then, he's never really been great at the whole eye contact thing. He's incredibly resolute in his words, that doesn't waver, but his mannerisms tend to be on the more awkward side when he doesn't have anything specific to do with himself. Or any sermons to give, apparently.]

My experiences with the Kenoma have given me more perspective, and heightened ability to talk about things like that. And willingness to talk about it as well, I guess.

[ 'Willingness to talk about it' is one way of putting it. Gen hadn't spoken up much himself during the Regent's address, but he'd certainly listened to all of the chaos going on. And Paul's passionate lecturing had certainly left an impression.

The next piece of muscle fiber knitting back into place has him clenching his jaw in discomfort, brow furrowed hard as he looks away from the nauseating sight of his arm healing. Best to distract himself from it. ]

And what we're doing here, you think that's bringing peace to anyone?

[ Not the fighting with the Pleroma. He means the arrest of Veneran citizens. Though his delivery is harsh and flat, it really is a question that he wants an answer to, not just a petulant challenge. ]

Sure doesn't feel like it, with how hard some people're fighting against it.

Understandably so.

[He's so unceasingly, infuriatingly even about.most things, and this isn't an exception; that isn't to say he can't get worked up about some things - the aforementioned passionate lecturing - but it's clear that there's a place for feelings and that place doesn't exist until the feelings are overwhelming. Otherwise they can just remain in his head where they belong.]

I think it's in the best interests of everyone to try to preserve the peace that we've had. To quell the threat of a Pleroma-led uprising before it begins. I don't think it was supposed to work out the way that it has been, but that's more by account of human error.

You really think they would've managed an uprising? Isn't that overestimating them?

[ He still avoids looking at his healing injury, but does focus his gaze on that infuriating look of calm Paul wears. Maybe trying to see if he can get any other reaction from him. Or maybe trying to glean some peace of mind for himself, see if he can leech off of that ridiculous level of serenity. ]

They're just -- people. They'll all die in the end, anyway, once everything else goes. This just seems like it's causing more trouble for no reason. You really think this is better than just ignoring them and focusing on the Pleroma instead?

Everyone does in the end, regardless, but that doesn't mean that everything that happens during their lives is pointless. It's for the best to keep whatever peace they have in the interim, rather than drag them into more conflict later.

[He shrugs.]

I agree that we should focus on the Pleroma; I'm not going to deny that, and my thoughts on them are... Well, you've likely heard them. But it's their fault that we're here to begin with.

... isn't that simplifying things a bit too much?

[ It's not like Gen's fully satisfied with that explanation of why they need to be dragging random civilians to the gallows if the whole world will be annihilated anyway. But the fact that he goes along with the shift in subject indicates that he's been placated enough. He'll at least do his job here.

Which leaves the question of the Pleroma. He's starting to grow antsy with this healing, and Gen tries not to tense his arm in Paul's grip, resisting the urge to fidget or squirm. ]

They're a pain, and I get we have to take them out, but ... saying it's just they're fault we're here doesn't seem right. Aren't you adults supposed to care about that shit? ... nuance, or whatever.

How would you choose to interpret it, then?

[It's nearly done by now, though it isn't going to be quite as fully functional as one might want it to be immediately after he releases contact; it's still going to take some time to fully recover itself, but it should at least work, if be suffering some weakness that it'll recover from later.]

If I'm willing to accept for the sake of argument that that's oversimplistic. How would you want me to interpret it, ideally?

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EVENT #5: SOVEREIGN CITIZENS (VENERA)

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